Are you victim of “mind chatter?” These are the voices in your head telling you that you’re not good enough to succeed. These self-defeating voices cause people to get stopped and stressed out.

One way to overcome stress is through awareness practices, which are designed to quiet the busy mind, relax the body, and be present. By using techniques such as breathing, visual imagery and meditation to slow down and focus on the present moment you will be able to tap into a higher level of awareness. You can escape the mind chatter.

Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps would not have been able to achieve his gold medals had he been listening to the whistles and the cheering in the background. He is renowned for envisioning every race before he dives into the water. He focuses on the time he wants to achieve—down to the hundredth of a second—and the exact stroke count per lap he needs to achieve his goal. You can do the same.

What is your goal? Write it down and truly envision it. What will your life look like if you achieve this? What are steps you need to take to accomplish your dream?

Tags: Career, Healthy Tips, Primary Food, Uncategorized by Joshua Rosenthal
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Live from Chicago: Integrative Nutrition at the American Dietetic Association’s National Conference. Over 12,000 people including dietitians, representatives from large food corporations and celebrity Tony the Tiger are swarming this expo picking up pamphlets on healthy eating and food samples. We had to take a picture with Tony, just for fun!

Tags: Food, Uncategorized by Suzanne Boothby
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Lately, everyone has been concerned about the planet and with good reason. Many people have started to eat organic, local foods to decrease food miles and to boost their health. Others try to lessen their carbon footprint by recycling, composting or carpooling.

Tags: Food, Healthy Tips, Politics, Uncategorized by Joshua Rosenthal
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Across the country schools are banning candy and soda from vending machines, but is a Massachusetts school district taking it too far by not allowing parents to pack junk food in their kids’ lunches? Check out this CNN video which argues both sides of the story.

Critics of the policy argue that schools should focus on daily exercise, while others are applauding the school banning junk foods. The policy poses the question, “Are schools parenting the parents by telling them what they can or cannot pack in their kids’ lunches?”

Childhood obesity is a big concern and the efforts need to not only come from the school board but also the parents. Whether you are young or old healthy eating begins at home by having plenty of vegetables, fruit and other whole foods available. Kids are amazing observers, so most of their food habits—good or bad—come from what they see at home.

Click here for recipes on preparing vegetables that your whole family can enjoy together.

Tags: Food, Healthy Tips, Uncategorized by Joshua Rosenthal
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A number of studies have recently come out touting the benefits of vitamin D and how many Americans are malnourished in this nutrient. This deficiency is linked to lethargy, osteoporosis, Type 2 diabetes, certain cancers and a variety of autoimmune diseases. One of the best sources of vitamin D is the sun, but many of us have been trained to stay out of the sun. It’s confusing.

Now that it’s colder outside and getting darker earlier, it’s harder to soak up sun during the day. The rays are also not as strong as they are in the summer, so you would need to stay outside for longer. An alternative to basking in the sun is to eat foods that have this valuable nutrient, like fish and eggs. If you are a vegan you will not be able to get this nutrient from food, so you may want to consider taking a vitamin D supplement and getting more sun exposure.

People not only suffer from vitamin D deficiency in the fall, but also Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) which causes people to feel depressed from the lack of sunlight. Taking this into consideration, it is important to find that balance during these colder months. To boost your emotional and physical health, step outside during the day and go for a brisk walk. Every bit of sunlight helps. Also, be sure to include more fresh fish or eggs in your diet. Since it is hard to get enough vitamin D from food and sunlight, especially during the colder months, you may want to consider taking a vitamin D supplement.

Tags: Food, Healthy Tips, Uncategorized by Joshua Rosenthal
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We are all privy to fad diets like the cabbage soup diet or juicing, but this new one takes the cake. The newest hype in Japan is The Morning Banana Diet. This is exactly what it sounds like: one banana or as many as you want with water for breakfast, and anything you want for lunch and dinner. This diet says that a snack around 3 PM is fine, but no desserts after meals and you have to go to bed before midnight.

The interesting thing about this diet and others is that they work. When we decide to go on a diet, we have become conscious of our eating habits and realize it’s time for a change. Whatever diet we choose is going to work for a time because we have shifted from a chaotic, disorganized way of eating to an ordered way of eating.

Most people will lose weight on any given diet program for a limited time and then revert to a less disciplined way of eating. Why? Because most diet books instruct us to eat a limited spectrum of recommended foods. We start with the best of intentions, but eventually we might just go bananas. We all have unique bodies, cravings and lifestyles and a list of acceptable foods is not always going to align with our individual needs.

Tags: Food, Healthy Tips, Uncategorized by Joshua Rosenthal
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Many people find it hard to transition from summer to fall. Now that it’s getting darker earlier and the temperature is dropping you may be spending more time inside. Not getting enough sunlight leads some people feeling tired or depressed. Seasonal changes can also cause people’s immune systems to weaken making them sick. The good news is you can combat these cold-weather blues by adjusting your lifestyle and cooking style.

You may be scurrying around preparing for the holidays. While it’s nearly impossible to avoid parties, cooking for dozens or shopping for friends and family, you need to be conscious that you do not burn yourself out. Take time for yourself with a day of pampering or get support from your family. By slowing down and asking for help, you will be less likely to get sick. Be sure that you also get enough sunlight. Go for a hike or a bike ride and enjoy the beautiful fall foliage.   

You can also support your body by adjusting your cooking methods. Add more heat into your food by cooking it for longer. Try roasting or baking vegetables. Thicker soups, like pumpkin, pea or potato are another great way to warm up.

By making these small adjustments your health will thank you. What outdoor activities do you like to do during the fall? Do you have a favorite seasonal dish?

Tags: Food, Healthy Tips, Uncategorized by Joshua Rosenthal
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To all Americans who are following the presidential election, they know that Barack Obama and John McCain are focusing all of their energies on the current economic crisis. While the candidates are playing to what people are most concerned about these days, NY Times magazine writer, Michael Pollan addressed the next President in an open letter on necessary food policy changes.

In his letter to “Mr. President-Elect,” Pollan says the president must make the entire food system reform one of the highest priorities because the way we currently grow, process and eat food in America is the backbone of our healthcare crisis, energy dependence and climate change. Unless the next president does not make changes to food policies he will not make significant progress in other areas that are in huge trouble, here’s why:

• The way we feed ourselves contributes more greenhouse gases to the atmosphere than anything else we do. Think about it. Farmers use chemical fertilizers, pesticides, farm machinery, modern food processing and packaging and transportation to get the food from the land to our plates.
• Healthcare spending has significantly increased in the last few decades. In order to ensure the health of all Americans we must get those costs under control and that starts with preventable diseases. Millions of people suffer needlessly because of the poor food choices they make.
• Countries are struggling with soaring food prices, which makes it a national-security issue. We have little control over the safety of imported foods. If we do not know exactly where our food comes from and how it was prepared we are sacrificing the health of millions.

When diet changes, everything changes. Don’t you think? If we address the way food is cultivated and delivered from the land to the plate, we could see significant changes in the climate, energy spent and healthcare spending.

Tags: Food, Politics, Uncategorized by Joshua Rosenthal
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Last year, over 1 million adults were diagnosed with diabetes. That’s more than 4,000 people every day. That’s crazy! Recently, diabetes experts from around the world gathered in New York City to discuss different techniques to help patients lose weight and get their blood sugar under control. They talked about the extreme measures of gastric bypass surgery and other surgeries. But mostly, they realized we have a long way to go with education and prevention.

Type 2 diabetes is largely caused by lifestyle choices like diet and exercise. Most Americans consume too many foods with refined sweets and added sugars found in doughnuts, candy bars and sodas. This type of diet disrupts our normal blood glucose levels which provide energy to the cells. Think about how you feel after a piece of cake. You have a ton of energy, right? This energy spike only lasts for an hour or so and then you crash, causing a roller-coaster effect.

It may take years for diabetes to develop, but more doctors realize the importance of intervening before our health truly takes a toll.  You don’t need to make drastic changes. Start to include more vegetables, fruits and whole grains into your diet. If you crave sweets, trying eating more sweet vegetables such as sweet potatoes or squash.

As you make changes to your diet you can also look at the role of exercise in your life. Try incorporating more movement into your day whether that is going for a walk, run, bike ride or a yoga class. Experiment with what works for you.

By making these changes you will not only decrease your chance of getting diabetes, but you may inspire others to make healthier lifestyle changes.

Tags: Food, Healthy Tips, Uncategorized by Joshua Rosenthal
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Recent research suggests that the number of people on deprivation diets is going down and the number of people adding in more seasonal vegetables, nuts, berries and other nutritious foods is on the rise. Health professionals attribute this change to the failure of diets and the surge of the organic food movement.

People are now finding ways to enjoy their food whether it’s going to a farmers’ market, getting to know their grocer or cooking more. Get this. By making these changes people are able to successfully manage or lose weight and they are not starving themselves. More and more people are simply adding in more good ingredients, putting more time and energy into cooking and allowing themselves to eat what they crave. It sounds like a much more harmonious way to live as opposed to counting calories, fat and shunning yourself when you eat a piece of chocolate or a bowl of ice cream.

Food is here to nourish us. When you prepare a meal or eat one made by a loved one it has a different taste. You can almost taste the love and the energy that went into it, which makes it much more nutritious than any restaurant meal.

Have you recently prepared a meal for your family? Could you taste the difference?

Tags: Uncategorized by Joshua Rosenthal
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