Hi everyone! Haven't left me, have you?

I wrote a post last week and did not send it because it was just a bunch of pity party whining.

Now, the subject was of great value for us all, my son, his ADHD, and how we are addressing it, and I will post on the subject soon, but I couldn't subject you to listening to my feeling sorry for myself, so after I shamed myself for whining I put my big girl panties on and deleted it.

I was just too over myself to sit down and start all over after that, so here I am, back in the seat talkin' body.

Oh, and did I mention it was a certain time of the month when that all went down?

Thank God I held on to that post and had the good sense to wait until I was of sound mind before deciding to post it.

Be glad, I saved you. :)

PMS :O

Lets talk about this. Shall we?

I think I can help you, Sybil.

The only thing worse than feeling out of your mind that time of the month is your husband pointing out that you are out of your mind.

Am I right, or am I right?

Here's some advice to help you go with the flow baby..............

MonaVie.

The "Active" formula is the bomb when it comes to reducing PMS.

WHY?

Anti-inflammatories.

Many of the uncomfortable symptoms of PMS and Menopause are related to inflammation.

MonaVie is loaded with anti-inflammatory properties. Drink it for a month and you'll see what I am talking about. Now I don't want to plug my own business, because that's not usually how I roll, but I am going to anyway because it will help you..... So there you have it. www.acaistory.com/morgans.

What else is good for PMS?

Keep a clean diet with lots of organic fruits and veggies and lots of lean PROTEIN.
Avoid bad oils and fried foods, coffee, alcohol, as well as starchy breads and pastas which can also cause inflammation.

Take your fish oils and load up on calcium, magnesium, and Bvits too.

Oh, and don't forget plenty of water and always, SLEEP.

Are you starting to see a theme in my posts?

Water, sleep, whole foods, get rid of the toxic food and drinks, and exercise! :)

I need to talk more about I N F L A M M A T I O N.

Why?

Because it is present in all of us and it can be dangerous for our health. It is present in most disease processes and can make us more vulnerable for various diseases.

What is inflammation?

Well, just as it sounds. It can be anywhere from your joints all the way down to the cellular level.

What causes it?

toxins from the environment
over-consumption of packaged, processed foods, fried foods, bad oils, alcohol, coffee, sugars, chemicals preservatives, cigarettes, etc.
repeatedly eating foods we are sensitive or reactive to such as gluten or dairy
cleaning products, household paints, synthetic furnishings and carpets, and more.

GO GREEN, protect yourself from inflammation at the cellular level. Seriously.

Listen to me.

Inflammation is an epidemic and a big reason our bodies are breaking down.

My friend has lost 60 lbs over the last 10 months by COMPLETELY cutting out all forms of sugar (except from fruit) and flour, both of which are pro-inflammatory.

I know, I know, that's an old one, no sugar, no white flour, been there, done that.

Have you?

She looks AMAZING, feels AMAZING, and has greatly reduced all ups and downs related to depression, anxiety, PMS and sleep.

Think you can do it? Avoid all sugar and flour?

I have done it for 27 hours. :)

I plan to continue as much as possible.

Let me define what than means for me.

It means whenever I am not having a weak moment, I will make the right choice.

Well, in all fairness, I am a little better than that, but I must admit, I was tested for food sensitivities and I came up highly sensitive to both, as many people are...... It is actually much harder to avoid foods you are sensitive to, believe it or not. We crave them more.....

trust me.......ain't nothin good ganna come from eating (and drinking) any form of sugar, even the fake sugars) and white flour on a daily basis.

Can you say AGING???

Want to age gracefully? Reduce inflammation. Limit toxic exposure and get lots of Antioxidants in the diet.

UNDERSTAND sugar feeds disease....... flour feeds inflammation, bleached flour has chemicals bad for breast health.

BIG TIME.

KEEP a journal of everything you eat and drink for a week. What, you don't have time? How much time do you spend on facebook?

Thought so.

I promise you, you'll be surprised and the many ways sugar and flour sneak into your diet........let me know how it goes!

A great book WORTH reading: Inflammation Nation, Floyd Chilton

QFTD: Our bodies are apt to be our autobiographies, Frank Gillette Burgess

Have a good one! :-)

Yours in anti-inflammation,

Heather

Well??

So, how was it? Good Valentine's day?

I got chocolate and a card from Whole Foods. ;)

Did I call it or what?? (ok, not flowers, but I was close!)

.......on the 13th though, because he thought Valentines Day was on Saturday. I guess with all my hint dropping I forgot to tell him what day it was. ;)

Love that guy.

Annie, Suzan, Tom, Laureen, thanks for joining my Blog!

Well, my weight loss goal is happening as it should, in all fairness, sloooooowly...... I have not been the best student of myself and the 80/20 rule.

Now I am going to finish what I started. If I can't do better than what I ask others to do, then shame on me.....

Oh, and the fact that I have to get 1/2 naked in a salsa dress for a benefit ball in 3 weeks might have a little to do with it.........I am desperate to look killer!

Speaking of Salsa, do you ZUMBA?

For the love of God, people, Zumba!!

It's the funnest, most exuberating, humiliating experience of my 40's so far!

O U T OF C O N T R O L

My exercise club is big into Zumba.

Yea, we shake, mambo, cha cha, salsa, slide, squat, gyrate, spin, thrust, drink, sweat and secretly imagine ourselves as being in a performance seen by all our old high school friends. .... or is it just me? Come on girls........... :)

Lisa, one of our group, goes with me a lot. She could basically teach the class. She is the sassiest 40 (something:) year old you'll ever see on Zumba floor. Talk about inspiring. She also works, donates a ton of her time, supports local causes, networks like an ant, exercises faithfully, goes to church, is good to her husband, and so on.........you get the picture. Easy Breezy.

Why is it that some people can get 50 things done in a day, and some people 5?

When you find out let me know.

Not like I only do 5 or anything........

Zumba,

I must admit I felt pretty good about myself in the beginning, until I looked in the mirror and realized i did not look AT ALL like the instructor, or Lisa, or anyone else for that matter. I do fine if I don't look at myself. I FEEL my way through it and pray I won't hurt anyone. :)

What else is going on with the "club"?

Well, we are going to Tanya's house next week to watch "Food Inc." and to eat healthy appetizers.

What am I bringing?

Mini tostada bites:

round organic tortilla chips topped with healthy organic shredded cabbage and chopped spinach, spoonful of my fish taco recipe (in other blog), mango salsa, cilantro. Everything fresh and organic.

Oh, and Vanessa, another one of our gals, is planning an ADVENTURE weekend for us!

How cool are we??!

Quick tip for busy moms (as requested by my friend Cristina)..... drink your nutrition instead of trying to get it all through your diet. Often we do not get enough nutrition from the foods we are eating, so smoothies are a great way to get loads of nutrition if done right.

Killer smoothie recipe:

1 scoop choc. whey protein powder
1 tblsp almond butter
1 tsp ground flax seeds
1 c choc almond milk
1 banana
1 c water
2 c ice

blend into a yummy choc nutty smoothie and carry out the door!

Awe man, 9:30. Past my bed time.

A Book worth reading: Never Be Sick Again, Raymond Francais

QFTD: "If the label has words you cannot pronounce, don't eat it!" Paul Chek

Yours in Zumba addiction,

Heather

From love FEAST to Love FEST......

Get ready to get your LOVE on girlfriends, because I am going to tell you about FOOD that puts you in the MOOD.......

They say the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, right?

Or is it his.........did you know Venus is named after Venus, the Goddess of Love???? I am serious about that.

What's LOVE got to do with it??

Well, it's Valentine's Day, silly! Now don't you forget, that's the man's job. :)

If you're like me, you've been dropping hints for 3 weeks now..... like posting new FAVORITES to his computer such as Swarovski Crystal and Anthropology.

Due to my genius antics, I now have a 50/50 chance of scoring a gift. The truth is, though, it will most likely be picked up on his way home from biking with the guys on Sunday, at somewhere convenient for him, such as Whole Foods.

Which means flowers and a card.

It's ALL good.

He IS my Valentine's gift. The gift that keeps on giving......xoxoxoxoo

.....and, assuming you ARE like me, since you are reading my blog, your man is also probably due for a little worshiping.....

So from my end, here's what's going on:

Sitter is arranged.

Dinner reservations made at our favorite OYSTER Bar. Meritage. Their Maritin's are simply to die for.....

But truth be known, Martini's are not the reason I chose this cozy little spot. Oh no, I was thinking more about the dessert. ;)

Did you know Oysters are one of the most well know aphrodisiacs?

Aphrodisiac - Something that arouses one's desire for sex.....name comes from the Greek Goddess, Aphrodite. Goddess of sexual Love and beauty.

Why oysters, and can we bottle it?

The answer is yes....and we have.

Zinc.

A trace mineral otherwise known as the element of primal passion. grrrrrrrr.......

Zinc helps our sex drive in two ways.......

1. It helps you tune into your lovers natural scent - Pheromones. They can literally drive a person wild. Much more effective than perfume and a lot cheaper! Detected subconsciously, they are an important part of sexual arousal.

2. Zinc helps keep female hormones in balance, including sex hormones.

Hair, nails, outfit ready.

Card and strawberries dipped in chocolate.

CHOCOLATE........the ultimate aphrodisiac.

Chocolate contains two compounds, phenylethylamine and seretonin, which serve as mood elevators. Both occur naturally in the brain, and when released into the central nervous system, a feeling of euphoria, love, passion, and even lust can be experienced.

The LOVE FEAST.........

For those of you planning a romantic dinner at home, here are some foods to help rev up your love machine:

seafood, especially shell fish and Oysters
pumkin seeds (a ton of zinc) in your salad
watermelon (high in zinc)
caviar
figs
asparagus
grapes
mushrooms
cheese
sesame seeds
whole grains

How about a little more spice in your life? Yea, spices too. Especially cinnamon.

Oh, and we can't forget the Martini. How about watermelon?

My favorite is one made with HelloCello - Limoncello di Sonoma. The stuff is out of control in the most delightful way...... Perfect for an out of control evening. :)

Your love feast men-you:

Before dinner Martini

appetizer - platter of figs, cheese, grapes, caviar, rain coast crisp crackers (whole foods)

main - cracked crab and/or oysters

crusty whole grain bakery bread

salad with pumpkin seeds, mushrooms

Dessert - Chocolate Mousse or Chocolate covered strawberries

Cappuccino with cinnamon and nutmeg on top.

oh, and don't forget the Parsley for your breath after wards...... :)

Now your ready for the love FEST....

um, think I'll stop there and let you figure out the rest. :)

I'll expect a censored report on Monday!

And for you wonderful women who do not have a partner this Valentines Day, burn pink candles. Yea. A very wonderful and wise friend once told me if you burn pink candles it will bring love into your life. xo

QFTD: You've made your bed, now you get to lie in it! - Esther Blum

Yours in Goddess love,

Heather

P.S. Jen, Sarah and Beth, thanks for following!

For the love of God, people, I had a bit of writers block this week......a temporary short-circuit in my writers mojo......

I knew there was a reason and I went with it. It wasn't until my dog started passing major gas that I became inspired to write about carbs. Yea, her body was talking to her alright. Too many carbs and fiber from some veggies she got her paws on. Poor baby...Poor me!

About that same time my husband walks through the room with a bowl of popcorn, which has the same affect on him as the veggies do on our dogs, but the way he handles it is by eating some almond butter....read on to see why.

One thing I can promise YOU for sure is........I WILL KEEP 'EM COMING, the Blogs, that is.

Another thing I can promise is......Each one WILL BE WORTH IT. So don't miss one! Always scroll back to make sure you haven't missed one. ok?

It's all about quality over quantity here.

If I don't have the time and inspiration to write something I feel is valuable to you - lessons, inspirations, humiliations, I won't waste your time or mine. Deal?

Yesterday I had a LIVE radio gig. 91.3 fm Sonoma. 15 minutes of fame and afterwards I realized we didn't even say my name! Doh!

I gave lots of good advice, though.......like the 80/20 rule, why resverotrol, an antioxidant compound found in the skin of red grapes, makes red wine healthier than white wine, and the importance of balancing wine (which is a carb) with protein and healthy fats (such as raw, organic cheese) for optimal metabolism. That's why the French diet is so healthful. The french are dialed in when it comes to understanding how to eat. They balance their macronutrients masterfully.

WTF are macronutrients?

Proteins. Carbs. Fats.

We need them all, combined in the right, way from sources that are good quality, to keep us metabolizing efficiently.

Quiz for you: yes or no.

Sugar is a carb?

Veggies are a carbs?

Chocolate is a carb?

Maple syrup in your hubbies belly button is a carb?

Wine is a carb?

Coffee is a carb?

fruit is a carb?

If you answered YES to ALL you are right!! They are ALL carbs!

Dig this......not all carbs are created equal. Some are SIMPLE, such as bread, pasta, popcorn, rice etc. which end up on your hips and around your mid-section. The other are COMPLEX carbs, which are better for your metabolism, such as most green veggies and berries. These become a more sustained, efficient energy source and burn as fuel rather than ending up on your hips. I have a list that gives you optimal choices - if you want it let me know and I will make sure you get it.

Here's the trick:

EVERY time you eat, including snacks, look at what you are eating and ask yourself if the protein and carbs are equally balanced. Usually we are eating substantially more carb than protein and fat combined. And make sure there is a little healthy fat in there too. All three are important each time you eat because that is what your body is expecting. You will feel more satisfied if you eat that way.

example of snacks when combined the right way:

apple with 12 almonds.
celery with almond butter
banana with almond butter mixed with choc protein powder. yum.

So why the almond butter with the popcorn? Well, it helped balance out the simple carb and made it easier to digest.

Fruit is a carb. We don't eat carbs alone. Can you repeat that?

Doesn't mean that eating an apple is bad for you, just means that you can control your sugar response better by combining a little protein and fat with it and keeps us more satisfied.

Oh, and BTW, the best kind of protein comes from something that had eyes. If that is not how you roll, then study up on other complete protein options.

Why do you think Americans are so fat?

Sugar. processed foods that deliver very little nutrition to your body. Empty calories. Way over-consumption of carbs.....ya think????!

Here's a mind-blower that is also a repeat. I seriously had no friggin idea that what I put into my body had an affect on how I looked and felt until I started studying nutrition. I spent many years feeling like crap (ok I looked pretty good due to my young age and good genes, but that would not have lasted too much longer) but I honestly had no clue that what I was eating (or not eating) had any correlation to my bad health. Even when my body was speaking to me loud and clear saying, "wtf, woman, are you joking?!!

Which is a big part of the reason why I do what I do.

Wish I would have had an intervention way back when.......

Fill-osophical tip for the day...... you have to get healthy in order to lose weight, not lose weight to get healthy.

You get healthy by eating LOTS of good stuff. PHYTONUTRIENTS. Nutritients from Plants. (and by sleeping, and drinking a ton of water and exercising) So if you are starving yourself trying to lose weight are you getting healthy by losing weight?

You get it......7 servings of fruits and veggies per day! When you do this you are loving yourself.

It's about loving yourself enough to honor your temple. It's about respect for the person who was gracious enough to loan it to you. You only have one while you are here on earth, and, remember, what you do today will take a toll on you big time in 15-20 years. So exercise discipline now and you will age gracefully and be able to enjoy your family without having to drag them down with your health issues. There is nothing more important than the way you love and care for yourself NOW. When you do this, your children will learn to love themselves.

(BTW, which is why I am going for a mani/pedi tomorrow during the super bowl ;-)

Cracks me up how so many people take such good care of their cars, clothes, homes, etc., yet they eat crap and do not exercise, and complain about the cost of organic food. Where is the temple in their priorities?

For shame people! For shame.

It's all of us at some time or another, I can assure you. me included.

FOOD for thought.......... arugala, goats cheese, beets, and salmon in a salad with a light balsamic vinaigrette. Yum.

QFTD: "Your Body Speaks to you in ways that words cannot...learn to understand the language." - unknown.

Yours in living well and having fun,

Heather