by Michelle Dwyer | Jan 28, 2014 | Blog, Health, Nutrition
What is organic farming?
Organic farming refers to the “production of food without the use of chemical additives or preservatives” (Margel, 2005, p. 34). Organic farming practices can include age-old practices like returning nutrients to the soil through compost, allowing the field to remain fallow, winter cropping of nutrient-rich plants, using seaweeds and other natural fertilizers, using natural enemies for pest control, planting a diversity of crops rather than monoculture, creating mixed farms with crops and livestock, and working with the natural cycles of nature (p. 34-35). Organic farms work in close relationship with the land to yield produce in healthier ways—for the workers, the soil and the consumers.
What are some of the benefits of eating organically grown food?
Some of the benefits of organic foods includes reducing exposure to harmful chemicals and “health robbing toxins,” increasing consumption of health-promoting micronutrients, safeguarding children’s health, and protecting the health of the environment (Murray, Pizzorno J. and Pizzorno L., 2005, p. 51-52). In the United states alone, “more than 1.2 billion pounds of pesticides and herbicides are sprayed on or added to our crops” and these chemicals are then absorbed into the air, water, soil and food supply (p. 47). There are many long-term health risks associated with pesticide exposure including cancer and birth defects (p. 47).
Why I personally buy organic foods:
When I personally think about buying organic, I feel the “investment” is worth it because there are so many benefits:
- The people who work the land are not exposed to harmful chemicals.
- These poisons will not end up in the water supply to contaminate not only our drinking water, but habitats for animal and plant species.
- The toxins will not end up built in my body from years of ingestion and exposure.
- Lastly, I am supporting with my dollar a set of values that honor the planet and its people.
Some general tips if you cannot always buy organic:
- Check out the Environmental Working Group’s page of the Clean 15 and the Dirty Dozen at http://www.ewg.org/foodnews. These are the 15 vegetables and fruits that are least contaminated and 12 that are most contaminated. A great resource with an available app for your phone!
- With corn and soy food products, I always recommend getting organic since these two are also the most often genetically modified. Until more research is done on the effects, I recommend avoiding genetically modified foods.
- Keep in mind that means also purchasing organic meat and dairy products since often the feed given to conventionally raised animals is genetically modified corn, soybeans and other grains.
- Since children are more susceptible to the build up of toxins and pesticide safety is not tested for humans their size, I strongly recommend that most of the food products you purchase for your children be organic.
What questions do you have about purchasing organic produce?
References
EWG’s Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce. (n.d.). Retrieved March 10, 2012, from Environmental Working Group website: http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/summary/
Margel, D. L. (2005). The Nutrient-Dense Eating Plan. Laguna Beach, CA: Basic Health Publications.
Murray, M. T., Pizzorno, J. E., & Pizzorno, L. (2005). The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods. New York: Atria.
by Michelle Dwyer | Jan 21, 2014 | Blog, Health
Whether you want to maintain your current weight or feel the need to lose a few pounds after the holidays, the key is losing weight slowly and mindfully. We know diets don’t work and counting or cutting calories doesn’t work for most people over the long-term. Of course it is also important to look at weight loss from a holistic perspective, where you address healthy changes that support your body, mind and spirit.
1. Get plenty of sleep.
2. Always eat breakfast and never skip meals.
3. Eat every three and a half to four hours to keep blood sugar, cortisol and appetite under control.
4. Eat within an hour of waking and stop eating at least three hours before bedtime.
5. Treat yourself one meal a week—eat anything you want for that one meal and really enjoy yourself without the guilt.
6. Eat slowly and mindfully. Enjoy your food and chew it well.
7. Drink more water. Basic rule of thumb is half your body weight in ounces. So if you weigh 160 pounds, you should drink 80 ounces of water. Herbal teas count as well!
8. Eat off smaller plates and measure your portions if you find that helpful. When in doubt, always make at least half your plate non-starchy vegetables.
9. Move your body a little bit everyday. Take a walk, play with your kids, do 10 minutes of yoga, have a dance party in your living room, take the stairs, park a little farther away.
10. Find ways to manage your stress like yoga, meditation, mindfulness, or journaling.
Which one of these suggestions could you start today? Which ones have you tried and had success doing? What other suggestions to do you have? I want to hear from you!
by Michelle Dwyer | Dec 1, 2013 | Blog, Health, Special Offers
Tip #1: Drink plenty of water. The recommendation is to drink at least half your body weight in ounces, so if you weigh 150 pounds, you need at least 75 ounces of water a day. Drinking a little water with lemon or unfiltered apple cider vinegar can also help your digestion, so you can start your day with it or drink it before a meal. If you are drinking alcohol, be sure to drink two glasses of water in between each alcoholic drink. Lastly, remember that herbal teas also count towards your hydration. A cup of peppermint tea is a great way to end the evening and is soothing to your tummy!
Tip #2: Keep moving. During the busy holiday season our regular schedules can get thrown off, including our workouts. Remember you don’t need to go to the gym to be moving. Movement can be as easy as:
- Take a short walk during your lunch break
- When running errands or shopping, try walking instead or park a bit further away to get a little walking in.
- Cleaning your house counts as movement too!
- Have a 20-minute dance party at your house every evening.
If you keep moving during this holiday, you will feel stronger, better and lighter!
Tip #3: Have a plan. This will look very different for everyone, but having a plan for the next few weeks will help you stay happy and healthy. Maybe for you the plan means taking some “me time” each week to get a massage, go to yoga class, or take a walk. For others it may involve setting a plan for keeping sugar at a minimum or eating mindfully at holiday functions. Maybe you aren’t even sure where to start? That’s where I can help!
If you feel like you would like a little extra support during the next few weeks, I have a special offer just for you:
For just $75 you can get the Holiday Health Help you need to keep with your wellness goals this holiday season. This offer also makes a great gift for someone you love! I can meet in person or via phone/Skype for extra ease and convenience!
Offer good only through December 19, so BOOK ONLINE today!
by Michelle Dwyer | Nov 18, 2013 | Blog, Groups and Talks, Health, Pregnancy
I first floated in February 2012 when my friend and colleague John Balquist first opened Oakland Floats. I loved it right from the start. I walked out of the session in the magnesium salt-filled tank feeling lighter, clearer and more energized. That night I had a deep, relaxing, healing sleep that I completely aatributed to the float. Even two days later I was still feeling the positive effects: I got things done so easily and effortlessly, like I had eight arms and each was carrying out the task with ease and joy. Floating restored me to my center, allowing me to move and act from a place of balance and clarity.
If you have never floated before, at Oakland Floats you step into a tank or small room filled about 10 inches with warm water saturated with Epsom salts. According to the website, “Floatation tanks are lightless, almost soundproof tanks of warm saltwater. They remove external physical stimuli, creating a state of ‘sensory’ relaxation. Under these conditions your body has a chance to restore its natural powers of self regulation, while you simply lie back and relax. The temperature inside the tank is kept at 93.5 degrees, the same temperature as your skin. As a result, the nerve endings which cover the surface of the skin no longer perceive any sense of separation between the skin and the silky mineral solution which surrounds it. Free from all external stimulation, your body can achieve a state of relaxation which is deeper, purer and more beneficial than sleep. With no body to look after, your mind can attend to other business.”
The first few times I floated, my mind took a little while to settle down and ease into the darkness. However, I would eventually relax and once I started to get used to being in the tank, it was really amazing to feel where I carried tension. I was floating there totally relaxed except I was clenching my jaw. I thought, “Why am I clenching my jaw?” and then released it. Floating, because it removes other sensory input like sight and sound, helped me really tune into my body and fully realize where I carried tension so that I could fully let it go.
I continued to float every few months or so and loved the peace and clarity it brought to me each time. However, just like any wellness practice, regular visits are an important part of maintaining balance, and so I decided to float three times in three weeks to see how that might effect my health and well-being.
Consecutive floats really amplified the positive effects for me. I found I was able to relax into the water more quickly each time, and I noticed right away my body would just let go. My mind was another story, of course. Boy, was there a lot of chatter in there. With nothing else to stimulate it, my mind would go into overdrive at first but then eventually it just sort of ran out of things to say. Then would come a quiet so deep, a silence so delicious.
It is so wonderful to set aside time to be in a space with no light and no sound. We are constantly bombarded, whether we conscious of it or not, with so much artificial light and sound—from our computers, TV, phone, radio, etc. It is so refreshing and relaxing to really get away from all that stimulation for a little while. Floating also has allowed me to see where I might be holding on to something that is no longer serving me and not even realize it. With all other stimuli gone, the body has time to really check-in on itself and return itself to a state of balance.
So who might want to consider floating as part of their wellness plan? Anyone who is having difficulty sleeping, feeling overwhelmed and stressed out, challenged with food/sugar addictions, suffering with joint pain, pregnant, or just needs a little time to reset and restore. I think that covers just about all of us!
If you want to check out the floatation center or learn more about ways to reduce stress and cortisol levels, please come to my free talk at Oakland Floats Tuesday, November 17 at 7 p.m.
by Michelle Dwyer | Oct 28, 2013 | Blog, Health
From my guest post on Yoga with Julie B’s blog! Julie is a Registered Yoga Teacher, Crossfitter, rock climber, foodie, and lover of life. She very kindly posted the following on her great yoga blog.
There are so many wonderful reasons to practice yoga. I personally have practiced yoga for greater flexibility, to increase my strength, to complement my other physical activities like dancing or rock-climbing, and for an amazing workout in itself. In my previous post “Yoga for Stress Management,” I addressed some of the great research out there on the many benefits of yoga for managing our stress as well. So how exactly does yoga help with our stress? It is all about lowering those cortisol levels!
What is cortisol? It is our stress hormone, the one that kicks in when we face a perceived or real danger. It is what sets off a series of responses in the body that allow us to fight, escape, tend or cope with all the stressors in our lives. Although cortisol serves an important role in our bodies, chronic stress—the kind many of us experience on a daily basis—can lead to an imbalance of cortisol in our bodies. So is imbalanced cortisol a problem? According to Dr. Sara Gottfried, Harvard educated doctor and yoga teacher, chronically high cortisol can led to a multitude of health problems, including:
- Abnormal blood sugar, diabetes, and prediabetes
- Obesity, increased body fat, and metabolic syndrome in women
- Mood and brain problems, including depression, Alzheimer’s disease, and multiple sclerosis (MS)
- Delayed wound healing
- Infertility and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
- Worsening sleep
- Bone loss in menopausal women
- Accelerated aging
- Imbalance of other hormones like thyroid, estrogen, progesterone and testosterone
We need to find healthy ways to lower our cortisol and yoga is truly one of the best things you can do for your body, mind, and spirit. How does yoga help? When you take those deep breaths, you are lowering your cortisol and adrenaline levels and increasing our oxygen flow to the brain. Inverting by putting your feet above your heart will also lower your stress responses by activating your parasympathetic nervous system. For example, the pose Viparita Karani with your feet up against the wall, is a great position to help with insomnia or calming anxiety. Practicing Yin Yoga in particular—with its focus on mindfulness, compassion, and longer held poses—can be very helpful for lower cortisol levels. In fact, Dr. Sara Gottfried specifically recommends Yin Yoga for lowering cortisol in her book The Hormone Cure (p. 113). Lastly, think of Savasana as the ultimate stress-releasing pose. The ability to truly let go at the end of your yoga routine is the culmination of the wonderful gift of yoga you have given yourself.
As I work with clients on their health and wellness goals, one pattern I see with almost everyone is the need to manage our stress more effectively. Stress management connects to our weight, our sleep, our digestion, our levels of inflammation, and our overall sense of well-being. Yoga can be one of the most effective ways to begin to bring balance back into our lives. So grab your mat and head out to one of Julie B’s amazing classes today! Your body will thank you for it.
by Michelle Dwyer | Oct 1, 2013 | Blog, Health, Reviews, Vegetarian/vegan
In honor of World Vegetarian Day, I thought I’d post a copy of my review from the recent episode of “Check Please! Bay Area.” You can see all three reviews HERE or watch the whole episode below!
encuentro café and wine bar creates flavorful, nourishing and delicious vegetarian and vegan food in an atmosphere that is inviting and cozy. The food is always fresh and inventive, the wine list options are well-considered, and the wait staff is ready to answer any questions or offer suggestions. encuentro means “to meet, gather, encounter” and I think that is a perfect description of this charming Oakland dining experience.
Since much of the food is local and organic, their menu changes with the seasons. In general they serve small bites, salads, bruschetta, and then a variety of smaller meals ranging from inventive sandwiches to fresh takes on dishes like gnocchi, quesadillas or polenta. The menu is always interesting and lovingly prepared and really celebrates the quality and flavor of seasonal foods. They also have amazing desserts, some of which are dairy-free, like tiramisu, hazelnut pudding and their amazing chocolate cake.
For my most recent visit, I went there to celebrate my birthday with my husband and three friends. It was so much fun to order so many different foods and share them. The flavors of the food are really highlighted through creative pairings like dates with macadamia nut pate and walnut honey for a lovely appetizer or the bruschetta with roasted beets, hazelnuts, macadamia nut “cheese” and golden balsamic reduction. Each of the dishes offered something both surprising and comforting in their tastes, combining earthy flavors with sweet and spicy in an excellent balance. The dark green salad with kale, arugula, roasted beets, and cashew cheese was perfectly dressed and rich without being heavy; it was also well-plated in a deconstructed style that made sharing a great experience.
Everything in the restaurant is vegetarian and many of the plates can be made vegan. However, rather than finding replacements for meat, encuentro selects quality foods in delicious combinations that really celebrate the wonders and flavor of the food. Since it is also a wine bar, the well-thought out and varied wine list also needs to be acknowledged. One of my favorite things to do is to get the wine flight because you can choose which three wines you want from the list, making it a great way to try new wines or pair different wines with different small plates.
encuentro has managed to make its small location feel open and welcoming with large windows, modern yet cozy eco-friendly décor, and delightful touches like fresh flowers on the tables. It is a great place to make an evening out of, to share food and wine and conversation for hours, or also a good place to come in for a salad, bruschetta and glass of wine. This place can be a special occasion destination or a light meal before or after a show in Jack London.
By the way, if you have ever thought of applying to be on the show, I highly recommend it. I had a wonderful experience. Leslie Sbrocco and the entire staff at KQED were so lovely, gracious and welcoming.
I also want to give a great bow of thanks to my fellow guests that day on the show–Jack the longshoreman and Jill the horse trainer. I had a really great day with you!
The reviews of encuentro start around 18:30!
