4 Great Ways to ‘Spring Clean’ Your Way to a Healthier Lifestyle
Regardless of the temperatures where you live, spring is here! Feeling more active as we emerge from winter is likely a biological reason for the age-old tradition of spring cleaning. (It’s also a strong ritual in various cultures, connected to Passover in Jewish homes, Nowruz in Iranian households, and the Lunar New Year in East Asian cultures.) If you haven’t tackled this project yet, no worries: We’re going to encourage four approaches to the process. These spring-cleaning tips can help you stress less, live consciously and nurture yourself (which just so happen to be three of the eight pillars of Nutritious Life). While decluttering your home is a worthwhile goal, the notion of spring cleaning doesn’t have to always be taken literally. A simple zhuzh of your living space also helps, as does varying your routines. We’ve also got some ideas that encompass a broader definition of “clean.” No pressure to do them all—and certainly don’t tackle them all in one day. We all need time for play and relaxation, too. But a tidier home life, both internally and externally, will do wonders to improve your mood. Explore ‘Cleaner’ Ways to Support Your Health Thinking about clean living is something we’re committed to at Nutritious Life. It’s never too late to start bringing cleaner, greener food and household products into your home. While you’re pondering a cleaner diet, why not brew yourself a cup of delicious, healthy tea? It can be overwhelming to choose between black and green and Darjeeling, but you can narrow the choices while being assured of quality by browsing the offerings from Traditional Medicinals. Founded in 1974 and based in California, this Certified Green Business is the pioneer of “wellness tea” in the U.S. and Canada. With dozens of different herbal formulas, you can find the perfect match for your needs—such as three different EveryDay Detox blends (dandelion, lemon or schisandra) to support liver and/or kidney function; organic Healthy Cycle Tea, supporting menstruation; organic Stress Ease Cinnamon Tea, to alleviate stress and tension; and formulas that soothe allergies, aid sleep, promote digestion and more. Of course, sometimes you feel like you need a caffeine boost. We’re not anti-caffeine here! Coffee can be part of a healthy lifestyle, depending on how much you drink and what you add to it. But don’t forget: You can also get a caffeine boost from tea, and Traditional Medicinals makes a variety of green tea blends and an Assam Chai with black tea. Sort Through Your Medicine Cabinet Sometimes we need some Western medicine to go beyond the herbal support. But when’s the last time you picked through the contents of that bathroom vanity? Some of those over-the-counter drugs might be expired. However, in the interest of preventing waste, it’s absolutely worth noting that expiration or sell-by dates are incredibly conservative estimates from manufacturers. An FDA study of more than 100 drugs, both prescription and over the counter, actually found that 90% of them were perfectly good to use, even a decade or more after the expiration date. But note: There are a few exceptions to this rule of thumb, particularly insulin and liquid antibiotics. Meanwhile, both that study and another one, published in 2019 by the National Library of Medicine, offer advice about properly storing medications. It turns out that your bathroom cabinet isn’t an ideal storage place, thanks to heat and humidity. Medications remain most stable in dry, cool spaces away from light. Meanwhile: Have you ever considered that over-the-counter medications contain additives? Just as we aim to cut back on processed food, you can also aim to do that with your drugs. One option is the Genexa brand, which bills itself as “the first clean medicine company”. In other words, Genexa produces medicine using the same active ingredient(s) as you’d find in some common drugs but eliminates many of the unnecessary inactive ingredients, such as artificial coloring, preservatives, and other chemicals. While some Genexa products are strictly homeopathic, the company also manufactures clean acetaminophen (also known by the brand name Tylenol) and diphenhydramine (also known as Benadryl). “According to a study done at Cornell University’s Food and Brand Lab … a tidier kitchen helps promote healthier eating. Women in a messy kitchen ate twice as many calories compared to women in the clean kitchen.” Declutter Your Fridge and Pantry Here’s a fascinating statistic: According to a study done at Cornell University’s Food and Brand Lab involving 101 female undergrads, a tidier kitchen helps promote healthier eating. Women in a messy kitchen ate twice as many calories compared to women in the clean kitchen. That’s just one reason we recommend decluttering your kitchen. So, pull everything out of your fridge! That’s the best way to figure out what to keep, and of course, those shelves and crisper compartments could use a wash. (You can tackle the freezer separately or do it at the same time, depending on your time and energy.) It’s often a surprise, the things that hide out in the rear of your refrigerator. Obviously, you should toss anything that’s gone bad. Consider letting go of other things you hardly ever use. If it’s been more than six months since you touched that oddball bottle of hot sauce or Aunt Sally’s jar of home-pickled green tomatoes, then it’s just taking up space. Your fridge and you will breathe easier when it’s cleaned and reorganized. Is your fridge handled? Then don’t forget to peer inside your pantry — and that includes your spice cabinet! Dried herbs won’t go bad, per se, but they do lose their potency and flavor over time. And some store-bought spice mixes contain preservatives and anti-caking agents. Nobody needs that! If it’s time to shop for new spices, look for a brand that doesn’t include additives, such as Penzey’s, which is preservative-free. Switch Up Your Workout Some people thrive with a set routine, true. But for others, variety is the spice of life. That idea applies to how you exercise, too. If we’ve
The Best Healthy Gifts to Give this Year
Shouldn’t every gift you give help your loved ones live their most Nutritious Lives? We think so! That’s why our official 2016 Nutritious Life Gift Guide is filled with unique, healthy gifts for everyone on your list. Help your foodie sister-in-law stock her kitchen with tools for eating well in 2017 (organic artisan spices?), for example, or your fitness-obsessed BFF recover faster (the best foam roller!). Here are the healthy gifts everyone will be excited to unwrap—whether they’re already committed to a wellness-focused lifestyle or you’re giving them a friendly holiday nudge in the right direction. Healthy Gifts: Eat Empowered The Well Necessities Subscription, $40–50 A seasonal delivery of functional foods and lifestyle essentials that protect and promote your health, curated by dietitian Lisa Hayim, MS, RD, a graduate of The Nutrition School. (You can gift one delivery or set someone up for the whole year.) Organic Artisan Baking Spices in Magnetic Jars, $140 Art Basel meets Food Network: These good-for-you spices look like a piece of art and are super functional at the same time, since they stick right onto the fridge for easy access. Brass Spoon Rest, $32–110 The home cook and hostess will love this chic piece for resting spoons while whipping up a feast or putting them out for serving at a dinner party. Life’s Abundance Plant Protein Chocolate Powder, $55 Something for a smoothie-lover’s stocking? This plant-based protein powder is made with the highest quality, clean ingredients (I should know—I helped formulate it!). The Hemsley + Hemsley Spiralizer, $17 For the pasta lover who’s trying every strategy to cut back on carbs, this veggie noodle tool—made by cool food bloggers Jasmine and Melissa Hemsley will transform meal time. Healthy Gifts: Drink Up S’well Water Bottle, $25–45 S’well’s bottles keep water cold for 24 hours and, in cool patterns like Dark Forest, are super chic. They come in multiple sizes (the small nine-ounce is great for kids to throw in their backpacks), and gifting one also means giving back, since the company helps provide clean drinking water to kids around the world. House of Matcha Gift Set, $89 Matcha’s position as the trendiest tea isn’t budging in 2017, and that makes us happy, given its health benefits and taste. This gorgeous gift set comes with the highest quality matcha. Healthy Gifts: Sleep Deep Thrive Pillow, $88 A fun, cheeky reminder for the most overworked in your life that getting enough sleep is essential when it comes to getting ahead. Healthy Gifts: Sweat Often Withings Activite Steel, $150 Finally, a smartwatch the stylish dude in your life will actually wear, with a sleek design and effective fitness tracking. Monrow Oversized Camo Basic Legging, $135 A fun print on a blend of cotton/spandex fabric makes these the perfect option for the woman who likes to wear her leggings from barre class to brunch. Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 33 Shield, $125 A great pair of sneakers is really all anyone needs to get in a workout wherever they are, and this sleek new design from Nike comes with a bonus: a weather-protective coating that will keep the runner on your gift list comfortable (AKA dry feet) on slushy, winter runs. Sweaty Betty Escape Sweater, $160 The perfect cute-and-cozy piece to layer over leggings on the way to yoga or on a long, cold-weather run. Healthy Gifts: Nurture Yourself Lauren Roxburgh Aligned Life Foam Roller, $15–45 A good foam roller can literally change an active person’s life. I use mine daily, and my kids love it, too—so you can consider it a family gift, really. Jiva Apoha Personalized Body Oil, $200 For the person in your life who needs a little pampering: order this for a friend and Jiva Apoha will have them answer questions before creating their perfect treatment oil with ultra-pure, high quality essential oils chosen to facilitate healing and promote well-being. Healthy Gifts: Love More Buddha Charm Disc, $210–990 Engraved with a Buddha motif symbolizing “Enlightenment,” this handmade charm acts as an all-day, close-to-the-heart reminder to focus on and project love and kindness. Healthy Gifts: Live Consciously Awair Air Quality Monitor, $200 This smart device tracks toxins and chemicals in the air and gives personalized recommendations for your giftee to create a healthier space at home. Glass Straws, $32-38 For the family member who’s constantly sipping smoothies or has kids that love to use straws, these reduce the use of plastic and minimize waste—and they look pretty, too. Univers Series Office Set, $760 OTHR’s high-design products are 3D-printed to order, eliminating all production waste. And this desk organizer will add a little Zen to any workspace to promote focus. Healthy Gifts: Stress Less Meditation Mala Necklace, $240 Handmade in London using natural, recycled materials, this spiritual jewelry pick is made with one-of-a-kind gemstones that are said to still the mind and promote peace and tranquility.
10 Surprising Healthy Habits Wellness Experts Trust
There are eight pillars of living a Nutritious Life because we believe that a balanced lifestyle encompasses much more than just “more sweat, less sugar”—and when you ask wellness experts to share the healthy habits that add vibrancy to their lives on the reg, it’s obvious most agree. Over time, we’ve tapped a variety of these role models—from celebrity yoga teachers and trainers to superstar nutritionists and healthy chefs—to share how they live their own Nutritious Lives. Within the interviews, they revealed super interesting insights into healthy habits they swear by, some of which may surprise you. We’re sharing 10, here, to inspire your own well-rounded wellness regimen. Surprising Healthy Habits Wellness Experts Trust 1. Eat food that makes you feel good. It’s not always about balancing protein and carbs or scouring labels for organic ingredients, say Sakara founders Whitney Tingle and Danielle DuBoise. Eating Empowered, to them, is “knowing what it feels like to eat good food. Food is meant to be nourishment and food should make you feel sexy!” Read more. 2. Align your body, and your life will follow. “Finding alignment in your physical body is the first step to aligning your life, connecting to your gifts, attracting your deepest desires and feeling like you are on your true path,” says foam-rolling guru and best-selling author Lauren Roxburgh. “Over the years as I was so deeply studying the body, I realized many other things in my life and self were also coming into ‘alignment.’ I’ve seen it with hundreds of my clients too.” Read more. 3. Sip on water and tea as often as possible. Nearly all of the experts mention hydration as incredibly important, and Nutrition Stripped founder and RD McKel Hill swears by supplementing plenty of lemon-spiked H2O with matcha lattes and all kinds of other teas. “I’m a huge tea drinker all day long, whether it’s green tea, liver supportive tea, peppermint, or ginger. #gimmiealltheteas” Read more. 4. Give back. Sure, wellness is about your life, but focusing on others may also be essential to finding balance. “I try to pour my energy into causes that I am passionate about, like eating disorder recovery, animal rescue and raising awareness of cyberbullying,” says The Balanced Blonde blogger Jordan Younger. “I host a lot of events that give back to some of my favorite local LA organizations that raise funds/awareness for those causes.” Read more. 5. Design your space for great sleep. Chef, author, and all-around wellness star Candice Kumai details how getting a solid night’s sleep starts with how you design your space. “No electronic devices in the bedroom, no TV in the house—only reading, art, vision boards, and photography on our walls. Plus, lots of plants in the house for oxygen.” Read more. 6. Surround yourself with happy people. “I collect loving people in my life every day,” explains fitness celeb extraordinaire Natalie Jill. “When I meet positive, goal oriented, successful, happy, loving, and energetic people…I want them in my life. I find ways to be around them. They energize me, inspire me, and help me want to better myself! And when I am my better self, I am able to love more.” Read more. 7. Ask yourself, “How important is it?” When your clients include Jennifers with the last names Aniston and Lawrence, life can be pretty busy. To make it through tough situations, yoga teacher-to-the-stars Mandy Ingber asks herself this simple question. “The phrase ‘How important is it?’ reminds me that there are no big deals. When my behavior and actions are aligned with my own moral compass, I can handle life’s twists and turns,” she says. “Although a learned skill, relaxing into what comes is the discipline I practice. Everything is as it should be, and I can trust that my life is unfolding before me in perfect order.” Read more. 8. Make time for real meals. Maintaining a healthy diet is easier when you’re organized about your eating and in control of your meals says Deliciously Ella blogger Ella Woodward. “It’s easy to snack, snack, snack, but I like to sit down to proper meals, and I like to cook my meals,” she says. Read more. 9. Move, at least a little bit, every. single. day. “Trying to move a little every day is a big part of my life. It doesn’t always happen, but I feel the best when I’m more active. Every little bit adds up,” says Michele Promaulayko, author of 20 Pounds Younger and the Editor-in-Chief at Cosmopolitan magazine. “You don’t have to run for hours on a treadmill to burn fat.” Read more. 10. Don’t discount the power of me-time. If you’ve got a hobby that makes you happy or feel refreshed whenever you take a hot bath, those things have real value, even if they feel indulgent. Celebrity yoga teacher Kathryn Budig nurtures herself regularly with “epsom salt baths, reading juicy fiction novels, taking time to write for myself, and experimenting in the kitchen.” Read more.
Is Aluminum Foil Dangerous for Cooking?
Q: Should I be cooking with aluminum foil or parchment paper? A: The short answer is, I prefer parchment paper. But, before you throw out the three bulk rolls of aluminum foil you have in your pantry, keep reading. How Aluminum Foil and Parchment Paper are Similar Both aluminum foil and parchment paper are good for lining pans when baking or roasting veggies, chicken or fish. Because nobody likes scraping pans for 20 minutes after dinner until the charred bits finally come loose, and that cookware Aunt Susie got you for your wedding will last awhile longer, too. Both can also be used for wrapping foods to cook or store. The last two ounces of leftover balsamic chicken surely won’t go to waste when tossed in the fridge neatly wrapped in a foil swan. How Aluminum Foil and Parchment Paper are Different Unlike parchment paper, aluminum foil is good for retaining heat (remember the days when you told mom you’d be right down for dinner and you’d come down to a lonely plate on the table covered in foil?) and can withstand very high temps. High as in higher than your home oven will probably allow for. Parchment paper on the other hand can’t be used with recipes that require you to cook above 420 degrees. But unlike aluminum, parchment is non-stick and you won’t need to add cooking spray or extra oil for your burnt broccoli. Aluminum foil and parchment paper also differ in terms of how they will make your food taste. When making recipes involving acidic foods such as roasted tomatoes or fish topped with lemon wedges and thyme, cooking them on aluminum foil may actually make them taste worse than had you cooked them on parchment paper. That’s because the acid in the foods reacts with the aluminum, which can alter the flavor. Why Aluminum Foil May Be Dangerous for Cooking Here’s the part that begs the safety question: the aluminum in the foil actually transfers into your food when it’s heated. Adults naturally consume on average 1 to 10 mg of aluminum daily through water, processed foods, and contamination through cookware and utensils. Some research shows that there’s no real reason for concern, and the Center for Disease Control’s Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry suggests that it’s “generally safe.” However, CDC also reports that consuming higher than average levels of aluminum may be linked to nervous system, brain, bone diseases, and puts you at risk of anemia. Especially if your kidneys aren’t filtering it out of your system properly. People who cook often with aluminum foil (and aluminum pots and pans) are at greater risk than another person. So, what’s a home chef to do? Don’t throw away the bulk roll of aluminum foil, but minimize using high heat and instead wrap your leftovers in it before tossing them into the fridge. The next time you’re stocking your pantry opt for parchment paper to use when roasting or baking (below 420 degrees!).
Are Toxic Phthalates Lurking On Your Skin?
We all know the feeling. It’s been a long day so you treat yourself to a vanilla scented bubble bath. Your face feels a little dry and a cooling cucumber mask is just what the doctor ordered. The hell with it, let’s open the purple body scrub that smells like grapes and slather it all over. Do not disturb Mama, this girl needs a restful detox soaking in her … wait for it… a phthalates filled toxin bath?! While you’re lying in the tub have you ever turned over your bubble bath and read the ingredients label? If you did, you’d jump your naked self right out of that chemical filled water! Or have you wondered, “What in the world makes my shampoo smell so good?” Well it’s nothing from mother nature that’s for sure. You can thank (or smack) scientists in a lab for creating fragrances that contain hundreds of chemicals that are crazy toxic to our health. So those vanilla, cucumber and grape products that were supposed to feed your soul actually feed your cancer cells, hormones and more. The word that defines this class of chemicals is as hard to pronounce as it is for our bodies to digest. Ok say it with me, phthalates. Yup I felt like a jackass the first time I attempted to pronounce this word too. Let me break it down phonetically: Thal – Late. Here’s the definition from my buddies over at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, “Phthalates are a group of chemicals used to make plastics more flexible and harder to break. They are often called plasticizers. Some phthalates are used as solvents (dissolving agents) for other materials. They are used in hundreds of products, such as vinyl flooring, adhesives, detergents, lubricating oils, automotive plastics, plastic clothes (raincoats), and personal-care products (soaps, shampoos, hair sprays, and nail polishes).” Our skin is the largest organ in our body and it’s absorbing every single thing we put on it. Just as you wouldn’t go out with someone who you know is going to break your heart, why put lotions on your body that you know are going to make your skin cells cry? 4 Reasons to Avoid Phthalates The National Toxicology Program lists phthalates as, “reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen.” DEHP (a class of phthalates) causes liver cancer in lab animals and the Environmental Protection Agency considers it a probable carcinogen. The National Toxicology Program concludes high levels of DINP (another class of phthalates) may adversely affect human reproduction or development. Other human and animal studies have found links to birth defects, decreased sperm counts and damaged sperm, increased risk of developing behavioral problems, premature birth, and respiratory difficulties in children with bronchial obstruction (such as asthma). How to Ditch Phthalates From Your Beauty Routine Alright, so how do we prevent smothering phthalates all over our beautiful bodies? Check out every product’s backside. If there’s any ingredient with the following words: fragrance, fragrance blend, parfum or any version of the word paraben, put that sucker back on the shelf. The scary thing is you’ll rarely see this chemical straight up listed as a phthalate; it usually comes in the form of a fragrance. Companies don’t have to list what the “fragrance” is comprised of claiming it’s a trade secret. The other secret is that their secret can be made up of hundreds of different chemicals. When a scent stays with you for a long time, think, that’s phthalates sinking their teeth in like a snake injecting you with poisonous venom. Plenty of companies manufacture amazing lotions and body care products that are scented with essential oils and natural oils that are nourishing for your skin and overall health. Another upside, they’re almost always Cruelty Free. My two rescue dogs just licked my face for not testing on them. Before you soak, dip, scrub and get intimate with any product, have a date with The Environmental Working Group, www.ewg.org, and they’ll rate your product on a scale of 1-10 for toxicity and define exactly what’s in it. From here on out, any fragrance means no first base with me! About Jill: Jill Anenberg Lawrence is a Board Certified Holistic Health Coach, and is certified through Nutritious Life and The Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Jill also whips butts into shape as an ACE Certified Personal Trainer releasing humorous exercise videos on YouTube with silly cameos of her two rescue dogs. Raised by very health conscious parents, a health food store outing being a reward, a healthy lifestyle has always been second nature and a topic she’s consistently asked about. Health and fitness are Jill’s second passion after laughing so hard her abs get a workout. After many years performing stand-up making people laugh, she’s transitioned that love of entertaining to her true passion, educating others on health and wellness while keeping it fun & edgy!
