Continuing down the Pacific Coast, our next stop is Portland, Oregon! I’m lucky enough to call Portland home and couldn’t be more excited to share some of my favorite healthy hangouts with all of you!

Recently, Portland has come to be known as quite the food town, and a healthy food town at that. It is truly a locavore’s paradise (see video at the end of this post!), with almost all of the popular and trendy restaurants serving only local, organic dishes.  In addition to the booming restaurant scene, Portlanders have taken their food obsession to the streets in the form of dozens of food cart pods littered around the city.

When we’re not eating in Portland, we’re out enjoying the natural beauty that is the state of Oregon. With the majestic Cascade Mountain Range only a short drive away in one direction and the Pacific Coast in the other – not to mention the miles and miles of forests, trails, rivers and lakes in between – there is never a shortage of outdoor activities in the area!

Now that I’ve (hopefully) successfully sold you on a trip to Portland, check out our list of healthy restaurants to try while you’re there. Can’t make it to Oregon? Check out our other Healthy Living Guides for recommendations in your area!

Restaurants

	Vita Café 3023 Northeast Alberta Vita Café is a long time Portland favorite, serving mostly vegetarian and vegan food, along with some all-natural, hormone-free meats and eggs, since 1999. All ingredients are organic and locally sourced from the Northwest. Everything on the menu is delicious, and as a bonus, kids eat for a buck every day from 5 to 7 pm!
	Blossoming Lotus 1713 Northeast 15th This café specializes in Asian-inspired cuisine with a vegan or live food twist. They are located on the Willamette River in Portland’s Irvington District, and are open for lunch, dinner and Sunday Brunch. All of the meals are nourishing and delicious, but we especially love the Live Pesto and Portobello Pizza!

Healthy diners, rejoice! A recent study released in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior proves that with a little education and a mindful approach, it is possible to maintain and even lose weight while eating out.

35 healthy women who ate out often were assigned to one of two groups: one that offered weekly sessions on education and mindful eating meditations, or one without any counseling. The first group learned about portion sizes, strategies to prevent weight gain in various types of restaurants, setting personal goals, and meditating to increase awareness of feeling hungry or full.

At the end of the six-week period, the women in the first group felt confident about achieving their goal to prevent weight gain, and many lost weight - an average of 3.7 pounds! The women even made some serious caloric cutbacks at home as well, proving that the education from the counseling sessions transformed their eating habits at every meal, not just the ones eaten out.

This study just further proves what we already know about the effectiveness of health coaching. Yet this issue remains a challenge for many, and we live in a culture where dining out is routine. We celebrate special occasions at fancy restaurants, the paper’s latest review urges us to try the pizza joint that just opened up, and business clients would prefer a nice dinner out rather than leftovers at your place.

Lost a few hours this weekend on Pinterest? You might jokingly call the site "addictive," but new studies suggest that you could be more right than you know.

The condition is called "Internet addiction disorder" (IAD), and we'll probably be hearing a lot more about it in the coming years. Even Deepak Chopra has weighed in on this 21st century problem.

While some doubt the existence of the disorder, research published in the science journal, PLoS ONE, suggests that obsessive Internet use can actually damage the brain, similar to alcohol or drug dependency. 

Brain scans of Internet-addicted participants showed reductions in their white matter, or the neuronal fiber pathways that connect parts of the brain together. Disruption of these pathways can negatively impact emotions, decision-making, and self-control. The study also suggested that if the addition continued, the changed brain structure would likely be permanent.

Sounds pretty scary, right? But there's no need to panic and toss out your "crackberry" just yet. True IAD means a person is literally unable to control their Internet use, at the expense of their lives and relationships. 

Most of us who kill and hour here and there on Etsy or Facebook are unlikely to undergo any permanent brain alteration. However, taking a technology time-out now and again is never a bad idea. You may even find it a relaxing change of pace.

Like Deepak says in the video, it's all about mindfulness when it comes to the Internet.

"Technology is not stoppable. That's the problem…. But what you can see is that when you practice mindfulness, you rewire the brain in a completely different direction."

Do you spend too much time surfing? What do you do to cut back on Internet dependency?

Recipes for green juices and smoothies are popping up all over the place and these beverages are slowly becoming a more mainstream approach to healthy eating and detoxing. One thing is for sure – green juices and smoothies are good for you. But is one better than the other? Here is a short comparison to help you learn the ins-and-outs of green beverages. Hopefully this will help you pick which is right for you!

Green Juice

What you need: Juicer, 1 to 2 pounds of your favorite green vegetables

Advantages: Juicing is great because it extracts all of the water and nutrients from vegetables, leaving behind only the plant fibers. This means your body is better able to absorb the nutrients without having to digest the dense bulk of the plant. Plus, you can fit an incredible quantity of vegetables into a single glass of green juice, leaving you with simple, smooth and delicious drink that packs an incredible nutritional punch!

Eggplant is one of my favorite vegetables. I love everything about it – from its beautiful purple color to the way it so kindly absorbs the favor of whatever I decide to pair it with. Usually that’s tomato sauce and cheese. Since the classic dish eggplant parmesan isn’t exactly healthy, I’m always on the lookout for new ways to cook this pretty vegetable.

When I found this recipe on 2008 IIN grad Amie Valpone’s blog The Healthy Apple, I was elated! Not only does she use eggplant, but she also incorporates some of my favorite flavors – paprika and balsamic vinegar. If you love eggplant like me, definitely give this recipe a try! And don’t be afraid to switch up the flavors by using your favorite spices!

Eggplant Fries

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 1 large eggplant
• 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup green tea, brewed and chilled
• Juice of 1 fresh lemon
• 1/3 tsp. sea salt
• 5 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
• 1/4 tsp. smoked paprika
• 2 tbsp. ground flax seeds

With students and graduates in 88 countries, Integrative Nutrition is truly an international training program committed to making the opportunity to become a Health Coach accessible to people all over the world. One of the best parts of hearing from our alumni is learning about the state of health and wellness in different countries across the globe. Even better? Knowing that these Health Coaches are making a difference in places where it’s needed most.

2011 graduate Tamar Henry is an expatriate currently living in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where she’s found a community in desperate need of attention to health. Obesity, diabetes and heart disease run rampant throughout the region, while a lack of knowledge threatens a younger generation. Tamar is tackling both of these issues by bringing her nutrition knowledge and business practices to schools, group wellness programs, cooking classes, and a community health ambassador role.

What led you to enroll in the Health Coach Training Program?

I had a Bachelor’s of Science degree with a focus in health and wellness, and I owned a small vegan muffins and cupcakes business. I had a personal interest in nutrition, and wanted to find a career that I could be passionate about, where I could help others. I wanted to learn more about the subjects that I was interested in and I wanted to connect with like-minded people.

Addictions and prescriptions top the headlines this week as Deepak Chopra discusses digital dependency and Celebrity Chef Paula Deen makes an announcement that has everyone taking sides. The CEO of Stoneyfield Yogurt steps down to fight GMOs, and IIN teacher Dr. David Katz offers real-world nutrition guidance for a society surrounded by potato chips.

Find all that and more right here in the IINsiders Digest.  

The beautiful city of Seattle sits on the Puget Sound in Northern Washington. Best known for the iconic Space Needle and Pike Place Market as well as the breath-taking surrounding scenery of the Olympic Mountains, San Juan Islands and the Kitsap Peninsula, there is no doubt that Seattle is extremely picturesque. It also offers an endless amount of outdoor activities ranging from kayaking in the sound and skiing at Mt. Rainer to hiking the Sammamish River Trail and picnicking in St. Edward Park. 

If you’re planning a trip to Seattle (and you should!) check out a few of our favorite healthy restaurants and markets in the area. Not in the great Northwest? Check out our Healthy Living Guide Series for options in or near your city!

Restaurants

Thrive
1026 NE 65^th Street

Thrive is more than just a restaurant; it’s a community dedicated to providing healthy, organic food without sacrificing taste. The café serves fresh vegetarian dishes made with 95% organic ingredients. In addition to the café, Thrive also offers many programs and special classes such as Coconuts Demystified and a detoxing juice cleanse.

Wheatless in Seattle
10003 Greenwood Avenue North

Based on the extensive menu, which includes everything from cake to bread to strudel, you would never guess that this charming bakery is Seattle’s favorite wheat-free, gluten-free, and rice-free bakery! Stop in for a yummy dairy-free, gluten-free strawberry pomegranate muffin for breakfast or a gluten-free baguette to-go with dinner!

Photo Credit: PaulaDeen.com

After much speculation and murmuring in the gossip mills, Paula Deen finally confirmed yesterday on the Today show that she does in fact suffer from Type 2 diabetes. This news is not exactly surprising; the TV chef and self-proclaimed “queen of Southern cuisine” is famous for her decadent deep-fried cooking laden with butter, sugar, and lard.

What is shocking, however, is the fact that she waited three years to reveal her diagnosis – and is apparently only speaking publicly about it now that she’s a paid spokesperson for a diabetes drug. Aside from giving up sweet tea, she says she doesn’t plan to drastically change her diet and cooking habits. At best, her blasé approach to tackling diabetes is one-sided; at worst, it’s calculated and cynical.

“Almost always, the creative dedicated minority has made the world better.” – Martin Luther King Jr.

Today we celebrate the leadership and courage of one of our country’s greatest heroes: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

He fought for equality so that everyone, regardless of their race, religion or ethnicity is treated with the same respect as their peers. Dr. King’s legacy is still a driving force in peope's hearts and minds.

As we honor the man today, we can carry his message in our hearts and align our actions with the meaning behind his words.

We’ve come leaps and bounds since MLK’s famous “I have a dream” speech. We have made incredible progress in all aspects of social justice and there more people than ever fighting for important causes. Whether we are advocating for healthy school lunches, or the right to know what’s in our food, our voices are being heard. However, there is a looming health crisis that requires action.