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Between Meals Podcast. Episode 01: Making Intros, Telling Stories.
Well, I have talked about it for sometime and we finally made it happen! We have a podcast. Welcome to the Between Meals Podcast.
Click the player below to listen to the very first episode of Between Meals, right here on the website, you can also easily download it to your device. (no app needed)
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Real Food Resources for Meal Planning, Grocery Shopping & More. How-to Make Cooking at Home Easy.
You guys asked for it, so I am sharing my favorite tips, tricks and resources for making healthy cooking at home as easy as possible. We’re chatting meal planning, meal prep, grocery shopping, meal kits and more.
Real Food Resources for Meal Planning, Grocery Shopping & More.
How-to Make Cooking at Home Easy.Whether you are brand new to cooking at home, or an old pro, I think we can all agree that it can definitely help to have some tricks in your back pocket for staying organized, getting ahead and being well-planned. Cooking several real food meals a day, every day, every single week, this is no small feat. So first, #1) I want you to give yourself a big-ass high five for doing it at all (or even just getting started thinking about it). You are killing it! and #2) Your future self will thank you for making it sustainable by keeping it easy and approachable for the long haul. Whether it’s for one, a couple or a whole big happy family, cooking at home takes planning, organization, practice and of course – commitment. I’m here to help.
I can say that no matter what approach you take to eating: paleo, keto, gluten-free, Whole30 or just a healthful, traditional, real food focus – having quality, fresh, nutrient-dense whole foods on hand, a pantry full of quality staples plus a solid plan of action, this is about the only way you can guarantee success when it comes to cooking at home and living your best (and most healthy) life!
Real Food Meal Planning:
I think it’s a given, but being planned out is an absolute necessity. You can certainly make your own meal plans, week in and week out and plan every single meal, creating your own grocery lists, planning it out appropriately to your ever-evolving schedule, but here are a few options to make things even easier on you:
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Sacred Self Care Guide for January 2018
Sacred Self Care Guide for January 2018 from Rising River Wisdom School
In all the worlds’ mythology and culture, there have been wisdom keepers, those who looked to the natural and the hidden worlds as a guide for life on earth. Within these seekers are stargazers, who ascribe meaning to the “stars” and their movements through the solar system.
Though Earth’s Moon is no star, it reflects the brightest light we can see in the night sky. Its phases are a part of human consciousness, and its movements affect systems on earth and sea. When we align our activities to the Moon’s cycles we find a greater connection to both our bodies and intuitive wisdom. Read on for some self care wisdom inspired by the new moon.
Rising River Wisdom School is an immersive program for those looking to step into their own power and carry wisdom for themselves and the world around them. Below you will find some Sacred Self Care insight for January from some of Rising River Wisdom School’s incredible teachers – we’ve got you covered for setting intentions with the upcoming new moon, to seeking insight from animal guides, card reading and plant medicine plus lots of guidance for mindfully entering 2018 with your vibrant well-being in focus.
New Moon Wisdom from Michelle Prentiss
New Year, New Moon in Capricorn January 16th 2018 6:17pm PST
There is a lot of powerful manifestation energy in this moon!
Capricorn is the last of the earth signs, the 10th of 12 planetary energy modes, and is concerned with mastery.
At its most “evolved” Capricorn symbolically integrates the spiritual with the material-taking trans-personal energies and making them “useful” in the world.
Where you find this sign in your astrological chart you may be practical and ambitious, grounded and extremely hardworking. This is also the place where you must take responsibility for yourself and become your own authority. Capricorn will always force us to learn to trust ourselves as we work toward our goals.
The cosmic energy of the week connects with an ongoing theme of destruction and re-creation (Sun, Pluto and Venus in Capricorn conjunct the Moon).
What is being transformed in your life? Take some time to think about what you want to leave behind. This Moon can be the catalyst for a powerful new start and the understanding that you are the creative artist “behind the curtain”.
The planet Uranus squares our New Moon; you may be inspired, illuminated or exasperated. Either way, it’s energy to make you want the change that is coming. Mars and Jupiter in Scorpio support the Moon, Mercury, Venus and Pluto in Capricorn- providing both the desire and fulfillment of well-deserved optimism and faith in our future.
Scorpio and Capricorn have a harmonious and supportive relationship, fueled by a mutual “passion” for self-improvement and hard work.
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Happy Hormones: How Blood Sugar Imbalance Affects Your Hormones
This is the second post in a Hormone-Focused Series from Nutritional Therapy Practitioner Brynn D’Avello. I suggest reading the first post The First Step to Happy Hormones and then diving right into this one where we tackle Blood Sugar and Your Hormones!
How Blood Sugar Imbalance Affects Your Hormones
The number one principle of the Nutritional Therapy paradigm is, “Always address the foundations first.” So what exactly are The Foundations? The first and most important is a properly prepared, nutrient-dense diet. The other four foundations are digestion, blood sugar balance, fatty acid balance, mineral balance and hydration. When one or more foundations are weakened it leads to what we call consequences, which are usually the symptoms that clients are coming to us, or doctors, to help resolve. Issues like hormone imbalances, weak immune systems, and sluggish detoxification pathways. As Nutritional Therapy Practitioners we do not treat disease. It is our job to strengthen the weaknesses and remove the stressors. This will allow the body to correct the imbalance and bring optimal wellness back.
With hormone balance each of the foundations plays a role, but any attempt to normalize hormonal imbalance is futile until blood sugar issues are addressed. No ifs, ands or buts. In the last post about Happy Hormones we talked about how stress affects the adrenals and hormone production, and how these two glands handle our stress response, but that’s not their only job. In order to maintain proper blood sugar balance it takes the adrenals, the liver, and the pancreas working together in harmony to provide steady energy for the body. Chronic stress leads to elevated cortisol, which exhausts the adrenals. When the cortisol levels are elevated insulin receptors on cells do not respond adequately to insulin. This puts a strain on the pancreas to secrete more insulin, which leads to more stress on the adrenals, higher insulin levels and if this vicious cycle continues… to insulin resistance and possibly even diabetes. A daily roller coaster with dangerous consequences.
Our body’s innate intelligence constantly monitors the amount of glucose in our bloodstream to maintain balance. Too much or too little triggers the release of hormones to return levels to normal. A constant slow stream of glucose from unrefined, whole foods sources, entering into the blood stream in a controlled manner – this is the ultimate goal. Not the large dumps of sugar we see in our food culture. We are NOT designed to run on just carbohydrates. The body is designed to use a balance of unrefined carbohydrates (think vegetables, fruits and some whole, soaked/sprouted grains if you can tolerate them), along with good fats and quality proteins as the primary sources of fuel. Carbohydrates act like kindling in a fire; they are quick burning and work for a short time to get us bursts of energy, as needed. Inevitably we will need more, to keep the fire going for the long haul. When we exclusively are burning carbs/glucose we create a roller coaster with our blood sugar, with the highest or highs and the lowest of lows aka crashes or bonks! Healthy fats and proteins are the logs on the fire, providing a more sustained source of longer lasting, balanced energy, along with providing the body the necessary precursors to create healthy hormones.
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How I Stay Vital with Vital Proteins
As we head into 2018, I know for so many, setting heath and wellness goals for the start of a New Year is of utmost priority. I often get asked questions about my favorite supplements to recommend, why I take collagen daily and what it does, etc. etc. So today, I am sharing some of my favorite products from Vital Proteins that help me #STAYVITAL and play very important roles in my own health and wellness, along with the health of many of my clients.
With so much of the focus surrounding wellness often being centered on What to Remove from the Diet, I really do love the idea of instead shifting our perspective to What Can I Add? While I always suggest getting your nutrients from whole food sources, at times we simply just cannot consume enough to reach the necessary level with select nutrients. Mindfully including properly-sourced supplemental sources of important and essential nutrients to boost our healthy diets and ensure our bodies are getting what we need, is something I believe can play a very significant role in our continued healing journey, along with maintaining our vitality for many years to come.
Beth’s Top 5 Vital Products from Vital Proteins:
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Sacred Self Care Guide for December 2017
Sacred Self Care Guide for December 2017 from Rising River Wisdom School
In all the world’s’ mythology and culture, there have been wisdom keepers, those who looked to the natural and the hidden worlds as a guide for life on earth. Rising River Wisdom School is an immersive program for those looking to step into their own power and carry wisdom for themselves and the world around them. Below you will find some Sacred Self Care insight for December from some of Rising River Wisdom School’s incredible teachers – we’ve got you covered for setting intentions with the upcoming new moon, to seeking insight from animal guides, card reading and plant medicine plus lots of guidance for mindfully closing out 2017 and entering 2018 with your vibrant well-being in focus.
New Moon Wishing for December by Michelle Prentiss
Our Earth’s Moon is no star, but it does reflect the brightest light we can see in the night sky. Its phases are a part of human consciousness, and its movements affect systems on earth and sea. When we align our activities to the Moon’s cycles we find a greater connection to both our bodies and intuitive wisdom.
A powerful way to become aware of Moon energy is to utilize it for your own personal growth. As Biodynamic farmers do, track the moon cycles with an ephemeris or almanac. Use the New Moon time period to plant the seeds of wishes and desires, and the Full Moon to culminate and release them.
For example, say you want to begin a new nutrition and movement program. The few days just before the New Moon are perfect for crystallizing your thoughts here.
Ask yourself – What do I really want? What Do I Need? How do I Feel? (new moons can begin a new emotional/feeling cycle)
On the day of the New Moon use the energy of new beginnings to create a ritual around your desires. You can write down your wishes on paper or in a journal, light a candle as you hold these wishes in your mind, or join with others to create a ceremony around it.
We first sow the seeds of our intentions internally, then cultivate them with action as they are revealed with the Full Moon.
December’s New Moon is at 12/17-18 10:30pm PST
The New Moon for December is in the sign of Sagittarius, a fire element sign that represents the inner light of spiritual truth, that which keeps us going through the dark of winter. Sagittarius symbol is the Archer and she is concerned with finding meaning and direction on our journey.
This is a perfect New Moon for setting intentions regarding what you want to attract in your life – as well as creating Sacred Self Care habits and rituals that empower by integrating our bodies needs with the needs of our souls.