When meeting a client for the first time, I have them to start a new habit, like brushing your teeth. A new habit I’d like to introduce to you is Food Journaling. Read More

Our Primary Foods are how we nourish our bodies and Secondary Foods is what we put in our mouths. A balance of primary and secondary foods is imperative for optimal whole-body function. To live a Healthy Nourishing Lifestyle. Read More

Wheatgrass

Ever wonder what the benefits are of this gorgeously green juice? Read on for more information, tips and recipes that you can use to incorporate wheatgrass into your daily life. You can get your very own wheatgrass at Whole Foods or any other specialty organic health stores. It’s simple to make too. Cut some wheatgrass, toss into the juicer and there you go!




Benefits

• Liquid chlorophyll washes drug deposits from the body.
  
• Chlorophyll neutralizes toxins in the body.
  
• Chlorophyll helps purify the liver.
  
• Chlorophyll improves blood sugar problems.
  
• Wheatgrass juice is an effective healer because it contains all minerals known to man, and vitamins A, B-complex, C, E, l and K. It is extremely rich in protein, and contains 17 amino acids, the building blocks of protein.
  
• Wheatgrass juice contains up to 70% chlorophyll, which is an important blood builder. The chlorophyll molecules closely resemble that of the hemin molecule, the pigment which combines with protein to form hemoglobin. The major difference is the chlorophyll molecule contains magnesium as it’s central atom, and the hemin molecule contains iron. The molecular structure of these two substances is almost identical in all other respects.
  
• Chlorophyll contains enzymes and superoxide dismutase, a copper-containing protein found in mature red blood cells. This enzyme decomposes superoxide radicals in the body into a more manageable form, thereby helping to slow down the aging process.
  
• Wheatgrass juice is a superior detoxification agent compared to carrot juice.
  
• The starch of the wheat berry is stored energy which when converted to simpler sugars is a quick energy source. It is especially good for athletes because it is a juice and is assimilated in 20 minutes or less, and uses very little of your body’s nutrients.
  
• Because 1 ounce of juice equals 2 pounds of produce nutritionally, it naturally shuts off the appestat in the brain.
  
• Wheatgrass juice improves the digestion.
  

Wheatgrass juice cures acne and even help to remove scars after it has been ingested for seven to eight months. The diet, of course, must be improved at the same time.

How to Use

• Wheatgrass juice is an excellent skin cleanser and can be absorbed through the skin for nutrition. Pour green juice over your body in a tub of warm water and soak for 15 to 20 minutes. Rinse off with cold water.
  
• Wheatgrass implants (enemas) are great for healing and detoxifying the colon walls. The implants also heal and cleanse the internal organs. After an enema is evacuated, implant 4 ounces of wheatgrass juice. Retain for 20 minutes.
  
• Wheatgrass juice improves arthritis. Soak a cotton sock with 6 ounces and For minor eye irritation apply strained wheatgrass juice mixed with half pure water in an eye cup for 15 – 30 seconds.
  
• Massage 6 ounces into the scalp and cover with shower cap for 15 minutes to Wheatgrass juice held in the mouth for 5 minutes will help eliminate toothaches. It pulls poisons from the gums.
  
• Drink wheatgrass juice for skin problems such as eczema or psoriasis.
  Wheatgrass juice helps to keep the hair from graying.
  
  Properties of Wheatgrass
  
  

• Wheatgrass can grow to useable lengths in just a few weeks, right in your own home.
• Wheatgrass is gluten-free because it’s cut before the grain forms.

 In a perfect world, you have enough time in the day to make a shot of wheatgrass, luckily, you can blend and make a fresh batch with fresh grass and freeze it. Now you’ll have enough for about 7 shots.

Happiness

Michelle G xxo

My clients ask me all the time, what do all of the labels mean on chicken packages?


We all want to keep our families healthy and strong, but serving lean protein and choosing the healthiest options for dinner can be so confusing! At the grocery store we all ask ourselves, “do I buy all-natural, organic, free-range, air-chilled?” I’m here to help you decode chicken labels.

Pastured- This means the chicken was raised on a pasture instead of indoor confinement. They feed on grass and bugs, as well as soy and corn.

Heritage- A heritage chicken must be bred whose genetic line can be traced back multiple generations. These chickens have a moderate to slow rate of growth reaching appropriate market weight in no less than 16 weeks.

Pastured Heritage Chickens- These are the best. They’re raised the old fashion way, on grandma’s farm. Where to find these chickens: Goffle Chicken Farm in Wyckoff, NJ.

Air-Chilled- These chickens are chilled while hanging in the air as opposed to a cold water bath, which dilutes flavor and adds water weight that can add to the cost.

Organic- This label is regulated by USDA and indicates that the chickens were fed that is certified USDA organic. Also, these birds have been given no drugs, antibiotics or hormones.


What to Avoid:

Natural- No artificial ingredients have been added to the poultry meat, which is standard for all plain chicken. This label indicates nothing about where it came from, what it ate or how it was raised.

Enhanced or 15% Natural Broth- Some chicken producers add broth to its meat to plump it up and increase its weight. These chickens also have a higher salt content.

Hormones-Free- Not the same as “Raised Without Hormones” where chickens are given no hormones during their life. The USDA prohibits giving chickens hormones.

Cage-Free- Cage-Free doesn't mean that the chickens have adequate space to move or have access to the outdoors.

When it comes to buying a chicken we should all buy Pastured Heritage Chickens! Comparable to actual organic, like 5 years ago organic, when it was so hard to find and cost so much more. Now you can find organic produce at your local market. Like all supply and demand, the price of Pastured Heritage Chickens is a little bit steeper today, but not by much. The benefits of feeding your family healthier poultry and leaner protein will outweigh the few extra dollars this chicken costs.


Happiness,
Michelle G xxo

ABOUT ME
I received my training from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, where I learned about more than one hundred dietary theories and studied a variety of practical lifestyle coaching methods. Drawing on this knowledge, I will help you create a completely personalized “road map to health” that suits your unique body, lifestyle, preferences and goals.
 

I created this on Thursday, March 9th, 2017...It was a gorgeous spring day. The sun was bright, the air was crisp, you could smell the forsythia's blooming. I had on my light blue suede mules on "yeah I was ready for SPRING"! I wanted something for dinner light, quick and of course pretty. I love herbs all kinds dill, cilantro, thyme, basil, holy basil, rosemary, etc. When you add herbs to a recipe, it freshens it up, brightens it up adds a little color and I love colorful food. Plus all the extra health benefits. Read More

Your mother told you so…


The report is due in two hours. Or perhaps you’re in the middle of a mid-term exam. Or you’re making sales calls. Suddenly, bam! Around 10:30 a.m. you hit a wall. All you want to do is look out the window.


Hmmm…what did you eat for breakfast?


I hate to say, “I told you so,” so I’ll turn to Mom, who has said it countless times: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It’s the meal that’s designed to supply a third of the macro and micro nutrients your body needs to run without a hitch.


So what are you eating each morning to do all these things? A cup of coffee gulped down on the go? A cup of sugary yogurt and a muffin eaten at your desk? Nothing at all?


Your body deserves so much better than that.  And so do you!


When you eat a good breakfast, your day goes smoothly. No growling stomachs, low blood sugar shakiness, or wandering attention to keep you from nailing those big goals you’ve made for yourself.


What Breakfast is Right for You?


One of the best—and most fun—ways to find out which foods serve YOU most powerfully is something called the Breakfast Experiment. For one week, eat a different breakfast each day. Record in a journal what you ate, how you felt immediately after the meal, and how you felt again two hours later.


Day one: Scrambled eggs or tofu
Day two: Bean soup or a bean salad
Day three: Oatmeal
Day four: Boxed breakfast cereal
Day five: Muffin and coffee
Day six: Fresh fruit
Day seven: Fresh vegetables

Feel free to repeat the experiment for another seven days with different foods each morning. Which breakfasts made you feel energized? Which ones didn’t? After the experiment, try adding in more of the foods that made you feel great!


Happiness

Michelle G


GET EVEN HEALTHIER!

Would you like to learn how to choose the best breakfasts for you? (And the best lunches, dinners, and snacks?) Are you curious about how health coaching can help you make your own healthy changes? Let’s talk! Schedule an initial complimentary consultation with me today—or pass this offer on to someone you care about!

1. 
   
    4 Tips to Letting go of Bad Habits!
   
   Letting go of bad habits is like throwing out your favorite slippers; they have holes and barely no soles. You know you need to toss them and buy yourself a cool groovy pair, but you love them, and who sees you in them anyway? Meal prepping healthy dishes, sticking to an exercise routine, and switching negative thoughts into positive ones, aren't as different as buying a new pair of slippers as you may think. It's a change!
   
   Here are 4 tips to stay motivated and keep you going and as they say in frozen, “LET IT GO, LET IT GO.”
   
   1. Listen to the big voice. We all have that little voice inside of us, whispering, “go ahead have that White Mocha Frappuccino. Yeah, have the whip cream you’ve been so good you deserve it.” But your big voice is stronger than you think. Don't listen to the little voice that keeps you from transforming bad habits into healthy ones. And if you do slip up and have the frappuccino and whip cream, think of  all the progress you've made. It's ok, just get right back on track.When you do have a slipup, change your way of thinking by acknowledging the reason you may have gone back to your old thought pattern. Then, flip the switch and turn it into a positive thought and lesson. Sometimes being tired or stressed will trigger negative thought patterns and habits. Acknowledge why you’re having these thoughts, treat yourself with kindness and don’t hold a grudge against yourself for it.
   2. Tell someone, or in other words, have support. Tell your bff’s (your mom, partner, even your kids) about your goals. You need a solid support system to give you a kick in the butt, when you go astray. It will happen, it's ok. Talk to your friends in the gym locker room they are all there for the same reasons. Your peers will provide you with a daily dose of encouragement.
   3. Have a Plan (and a backup). Write down your plan for not snacking at night when you're finished in the kitchen, lights are out, dishwasher is on and you’re done snacking. If you want a snack, what will you do to stop or replace it with a healthy habit? Maybe it's polishing your nails, taking up knitting or reading a good book. For example, I use painting your nails as my distraction, by the time you are finished you’ll have forgotten about the snack. The key is to have a backup plan and something to replace the habit. You've got no goal without a plan.
   4. Know what motivates you. Why do you want to stop late night snacking? Where is your motivation coming from? Knowing why you want to do this will help you commit and remember why you started this goal in the first place. It also helps you belive in yourself, be your own cheerleader. Write down your reasons in a journal and go back and read it when you need to be reminded. Find a mantra and say it everyday such as, “I want this,” I say that all the time, especially when I’m at the gym if I feel I can't do it anymore, I say to myself, “I want this and I know I can do it.” Choose one that fits your goal.   
   
   
   You can't control everything in your life 
   You can control what you put in your body!
   
   
   
   GET EVEN HEALTHIER!
   
   Are you ready to live your healthiest life yet? Want to change your relationship to eating? Let’s talk! Schedule an initial complimentary consultation with me today—or pass this offer on to someone you care about!
   
   
   HAPPINESS 
   
   Michelle G xo
   
   
   
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
   
   
   
   
   ©2015 Foodie Bonanza. All rights reserved.
   Take me to the website
    

Avocados are a Good Fat! What does that mean? Read More

An Eating Strategy Plan for Holiday Parties



A couple of things to remember, you're not alone, plain and simple.



1.If you’re going to a party at night, be sure to eatSaving up all your calories to eat at the event is not a good idea! You will be starving, and will binge eat everything in sight.
Before you go, be sure to have a healthy snack. Choose an apple with some nut butter, a piece of cheese on an apple slice or a hard boiled egg.

2. This is the time you really do not want to listen to your mother, it's not a good idea to clean your plate. At the party, opt for an appetizer or cake plate versus a large dinner plate. The bigger the plate more likely you’ll fill it up!



3. Picking is a NO NO! Tasting, this and that can add up to over 1000 plus calories. Once you make your plate that’s it. No Picking! Sometimes we need to just have something in our hand so opt for a pretty glass (martini) fill it with water add cranberries, sprig of rosemary



4. If you’re holiday party is at a restaurant, corner off half of your meal and take it home! One thing to keep in mind is that it doesn't take a lot to put the pounds on, but it takes a lot of hard work and even more time to take it OFF. It's okay if you get off track, just get back on, no biggie!



Most of all have a fun, fabulous time. Make lots of memories

Happiness

Michelle G xxo

If you’re alive, then chances are you've craved. Late night cravings are the biggest saboteur I see among my clients. At the end of the day, we are tired, run-down, and want that sinfully cold and creamy or obnoxiously loud and crunchy treat. Mid-afternoon snack attacks are also a red-hot danger zone for many of my clients who end up hitting the vending machine at work to make it through the rest of the afternoon and an impossible to-do list. Others suffer from "weekenditis" where they eat to reward themselves for the hard week they just toiled through. Sound familiar?

The child that still lives within each of us, whining and begging, and it’s often just easier to cave in and indulge in that second glass of wine, ice cream, or several handfuls of tortilla chips. “I have no willpower,” my clients lament. But I disagree. Cravings reside at the three-way intersection between biology, desire and insanity and they surface not because we lack willpower, but because we haven’t planned well in advance or because there are very real needs that are not being met. To truly deconstruct your cravings, I urge you to take a mind-body-spirit approach: educate yourself on the causes of your cravings, address any physiological issues (low blood sugar, cortisol dysregulation, lack of sleep, food intolerances), and look at the emotional root of your trigger foods.

The biggest source of food cravings I see are improper food choices earlier in the day and a buildup of stress that leads to succumbing to temptations in the evening. For starters, evaluate the following areas to nip your cravings in the bud:

Look at your diet: Are you eating regularly or are you going more than 3 hours between meals or snacks? Having low blood sugar earlier in the day can set you up to compensate by rummaging in the pantry after dinner. Also consider the possibility the foods you are choosing – whether or not they are healthy – they may not be the right foods for you.
Look for patterns of stressors and rewards. Often we deprive and deny ourselves during the day – both with food choices AND with saying ‘yes’ to too many people or by taking on too much. If you give and give and give all day, you are going to want to receive at the end to restore yourself. After all, life is all about that reciprocal dance of giving and receiving, right? Often the cycle is to emotionally shut down in front of the TV or internet and reward oneself with wine or sweets. Where can you adjust your choices during the day so you are not so depleted at the end of it? What can you do (or not do) to increase your joy?
If there really WAS a little boy or girl living inside of you, what would s/he need? Is there an alternative to what you are choosing that is healthier and just as satisfying, or even more so? Watch your inner dialogue as well. Always aim to have the same dialogue with yourself that you would want to hear from your best friend.
I’m not one to white-knuckle my way through a massive craving, and I don’t believe you should either. That’s no way to live life. And in my practice, I often work with my clients to deconstruct what their cravings really mean and while that can be a complex process, here’s a breakdown of three of the most popular cravings:

1. SUGAR CRAVINGS
Cravings for sweets could be the result of low blood sugar or cortisol (stress hormone) dysregulation as there's a close relationship between the two. Sugar is the quintessential "yin" food, i.e. expansive food that makes us feel lighter, so after a really stressful day, we turn to a sweet cocktail or chocolate to diffuse the stress and anxiety that has been building up.

But too much yin, sparks cravings for heavier, contractive "yang" foods such as salt, meat and cheese. That is why you wake up the next morning with a hankering for eggs or steak. Do you see how we create this vicious cycle where we ricochet uncontrollably from sweet processed foods to animal food?

Solution: Instead of going for refined/processed sweets, experiment with sweet veggies, such as yams, carrots, beets, corn and onions. Roast some slices or chunks of sweet potatoes rubbed with coconut oil, Himalayan pink crystal salt and cinnamon for a yummy sweet treat sans any refined sugar that will naturally quell your sugar cravings. I often instruct my clients to keep a small jar of organic coconut oil at their desks and to just take a teaspoon or tablespoon straight up before they feel that 3 pm crash coming on as it will provide instant energy. Coconut oil is nature's richest source of healthy medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs), which your body sends directly to your liver to use as energy. Numerous studies have shown that MCFAs promote weight loss and helps improve insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance.

Sometimes we crave sweets when we're lacking sweetness in our lives. At the end of a long day, we're often just looking for a hug or someone to hear us out, but instead we seek to anesthetize those emotions with food. So, instead of trying to find comfort at the bottom of Ben and Jerrys Cherry Garcia, can you perhaps talk to a sweet friend, smell a sweet flower or relax with the sweet aroma of an essential oil? What can you do to nourish your life and add sweetness from non-food sources?

2. SALT CRAVINGS
Eating too many processed foods or foods grown in our mineral-depleted soil can result in a mineral deficiency that sparks cravings for salty foods. Sometimes people who take a lot of medications or supplements can crave salt to balance out what they are already taking in. Cravings for crunchy foods might stem from the desire to crunch out and not hear something (such as your gossipy co-workers or an irate boss). No wonder so many office vending machines have crunchy salty snack foods.

Solution: Satiate your craving for salt by loading up on sea vegetables like kelp, nori, arame, hijike, and wakame. Simply sprinkle some dulse flakes on your salad or an avocado, and contrary to what you may think it doesn't taste seaweed-y at all; in fact, you won't even notice it. You can also add seaweed to your soups and stews or sprinkle it on popcorn (in place of table salt) for a rich salty and mineral flavor. Or try some cultured veggies on top of blue corn chips which offers that crunch in a really nutritious way. You can find cultured veggies already made from Rejuvenative Foods, Farmhouse Kulture or Bubbies at Whole Foods, Sprouts or your local health food store.

3. ALCOHOL CRAVINGS
Alcoholic beverages can help the body digest heavy fatty foods, hence the classic pairing of wine with cheese. But often we crave alcohol, just as we do sugar, to make us feel lighter and less stressed out.

Solution: Try Kombucha, which is a fermented tea drink make with only 0.5% alcohol. Kombucha is packed with B-vitamins and immune boosting probiotics. My favorite is (Pink Lady Apple) Also, other fermented foods like sauerkraut, and kimchi can combat cravings for alcohol and help digestion without the hangover. Probiotics not only stop cravings for alcohol and sugar, thereby helping you lose weight but they also serve as anti-depressants by secreting feel-good neurochemicals that make us happy. And a big beauty bonus is that they help with any type of inflammatory skin condition, such as acne, eczema psoriasis,and make the skin poreless

One of my favorite Lunch-Snacks is Avocado stuffed Kimchi.



BOTTOM LINE
Most cravings stem from emotional eating, so remember to differentiate between physical versus emotional hunger and be aware of our culture's obsession with sugar, reward and holidays.

Oprah offers one of the best definitions of forgiveness I've ever come across: “Forgiveness is giving up the hope that the past could’ve been any different.” You can release your past hurt, anger and resentment without condoning what happened and this act of letting go will release you from your habitual pattern of emotional eating and binging. Try it...it's a game changer!

Happiness

Michelle G xxo