Our Ever Important Joints!

Why are we focusing on joints this week??  Because we have over 200 of them in our incredible bodies!  Because along with our skeleton, connective tissue and muscles, our joints give us form, hold us together and allow us to move….and our body was designed to move!  Also, because we all have them, we all use them and we all torment them in one way or another throughout our lives.  Since I am a big advocate of movement for life, how can we not discuss what allows our bodies to move?!

So, whether or not you have “joint issues” now or not, read through because with age, comes many changes and what you do now greatly effects what happens later and there is sooo much to be said for nourishing and protecting our joints now!  There is so much to be said and I only touched upon a small portion to get us thinking about our joints more.

I love doing classes on joint health because I feel we are never too young to regain some of that strength, reduce some of that inflammation, and allow our bodies to move more freely and easily.  As a health care practitioner, I see too many people stopping doing what they love in life because of joint issues, whether it is pain, swelling or stiffness.  As a nurse, I see so many needless surgeries being performed for a quick fix and I hear doctors acknowledging that they are often performing needless joint surgeries, but do so because they do not believe that their patient will change their movement and dietary lifestyle to help themselves.  I would love to see this post help at least one person become pain free, avoid an injury or be more able to move freely by making the right chooses.

Throughout life we use and often abuse our joints; we bend, pull, twist, push, jump, run, and swim with our joints.  There is a great tendency for us to break them down, often unnecessarily, too early in life, be it through wear and tear, lack of wear and tear, the way we move, the foods we choose or don’t choose, poor posture, injury or trauma, or by allowing too much weight to settle onto them.

The health of our joints is not just determined by the way we use them.  Joint health is also determined by what is going on in the internal environment that surrounds them.    This internal environment is affected very much so by our diet, lifestyle, and immune system, amongst other things….and these are areas that we have choices in making the right decisions to support them as much as possible.

So this post will address what foods, herbs, supplements, home remedies and moves positively affect our joints.  The mission here is to help give you the tools and a bit of knowledge so that you can get back to or continue to do the things you love in life, so much of which revolves around how our bodies move.    I am a huge advocate in this mission because I feel it makes for a better society as a whole when people are ABLE BODIED!

INFLAMMATION:

Normal joint health begins with a healthy inflammatory response.  Joint Health is a complex issue but we all recognize one simple truth and that is …..It is indisputable that a healthy inflammation response is required to maintain normal joint health.  The body’s natural inflammatory response affects every major organ system.  Suddenly, supporting a healthy inflammatory response takes on whole new meaning.

Prolonged inflammation, caused by a self-destructive lifestyle, is a harmful response that affects your musculoskeletal system, gastrointestinal function, cardiovascular system, vision, and hormone balance. It’s crucial to control inflammation but it’s even smarter to prevent inflammation (In fact, I am a firm believer that inflammation is at the root of essentially all chronic issues/diseases).  You can do this through daily movement, stress management, avoidance of certain foods and addition of certain other foods.  As we age, cartilage is lost, and this process predisposes the bones that make up the joints to change.  In an attempt to address the change, immune cells mount a cellular response that involves inflammation. The inflammation response function in the joints results from the activation of inflammatory enzymes.  Numerous other factors can trigger these enzymes, including normal aging, oxidative free radicals, poor movements over and over again and being overweight.

Arthritis literally means: inflammation of the joint.  ‘Arthos’ in greek = joint and ‘itis’ = inflammation.  We can picture arthritis as swelling, redness, heat and pain caused by tissue injury or joint dis-ease. Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common type of arthritis and is also know as degenerative joint disease…..it mainly effects the cartilage of the joint, which is the tissue that cushions the end of the bones in the joint area and acts as a shock absorber.  OA occurs when this cartilage in inflamed and begins to fray, wear away and decay…sometimes completely…from a variety of reasons…nutrition and how we move are the two main factors in joint health.  Contrary to popular belief, we are now seeing the research and results that show that cartilage (like bone) can actually repair itself (it has been believed for years that it could not)..but repair itself only to a point.  It is far more important to prevent this breakdown than try to rebuild after the breakdown.

Reduce overall stress in your life….It’s pretty clear that the body deals with stressors rather indiscriminately, and a high stress lifestyle (no matter the source) is also an inflammatory one.

So another important aspect of nourishing, protecting and/or repairing our joints, and alleviating discomfort is what we feed ourselves and thus our joints.  We need to build or rebuild a solid foundation from which the surrounding tissues and blood vessels can rely on.  This includes strengthening our connective tissue which supports the joint, strengthening the existing cartilage, reducing inflammation in our bodies and providing the joint with a “clean” work environment to do this…free of waste accumulation…when a joint is stagnant waste loves to settle there causing even more degradation of the good stuff.

DIET:

An extremely important part of life let alone any treatment program is a well balanced diet.  A well balanced diet combined with proper movement and weight control is crucial to maintain the health of our joints.  Our joints like the rest of our bodies require proper nutrition to function well.  Excess waste accumulation in the synovial fluid of our joints is believed to be a main contributor to joint dis-ease and arthritis.  Excess waste can come from fried foods, excess caffeine, alcohol, smoking, processed foods, preservatives etc…we all know the culprits.  Certain foods, like excess wheat and soy, can lead to inflammation in the body which will also directly effect the joints.  Also, food allergies and sensitivities can be a major contributor…do you have joint pain that may not be associated with any structural breakdown (yet)?  Do you eat alot of wheat, dairy, corn or soy for example and have digestive issues as well as joint issues?  This may be an allergy or sensitivity to one of these foods, but yet you continue to eat them without realizing it and these “foreign” molecules put our immune system on attack mode and create an inflammatory repsonse.  Don’t ignore your body.

Foods to Avoid for Overall Joint Health (and health in general!):

• Processed Junk
• Artificial this and that
• Wheat (gluten intolerance is often connected to arthritis and since it is in almost everything, more of us may be a touch intolerant thatn we think)
• Potatoes
• Excess grains…stick to quinoa, millet, and barley
• Excess Omega 6 Oils…so skip the corn, vegetable, soy, and canola oils…use butter, olive oil and coconut oil instead
• Excess caffeine
• Excess alcohol

Foods to Eat In Abundance:  Food rich in anti-inflammatory properties, antioxidants, vitamin c, vitamin E, and Omega 3:

• Berries, cherries, plums, red grapes, citrus fruits, black currants, guava, strawberries, kiwi, cantaloupe, peaches, pineapple
• Allium Family: garlic, onions, leeks
• Cruciferous Family:  broccoli, cauliflower, red cabbage, brussel sprouts
• Leafy Greens:  kale, spinach, swiss chard
• Sweet red peppers, tomatoes, sweet potatoes
• Wild Fish:  rich in omega 3 fatty acids for inflammation: salmon, sardines, raw oysters, trout, herring, mackerel….
• Cold pressed oils esp olive oil, flaxseed oil, fish oil, eggs, sunflower seeds, walnuts, brazil nuts, almonds, cashews, pecans, and hazelnuts
• Turmeric: we will discuss more under the herb section, but start sprinkling it on your foods
• Green Tea (over other caffeine sources)

A word on the Nightshade Family: this family includes some great veggies and spices that many of us love but also ones that some of us are sensitive to.  These inlcude: eggplant, potatoes, peppers, tomatoes, tomatillos, paprika, cayenne pepper, etc.  They have been associated with inflammation, esp in the joints.  Nightshades,, in those with sensitivities to them have been associated with symptoms like stomach discomfort, digestive problems, joint pain and muscle tremors.  Given the evidence, it is wise for those with arthritis or gout to avoid these foods.

HERBS: There are many incredible herbs that could be discussed here but I will just focus on a few and the ones I see the most benefit from…hit me up with any questions regarding others and specifics about these herbs, the best form and their dosing. The main properties of herbs we are looking for include: Anti-inflammatory: to calm overall systemic inflammation for reasons mentioned above, to provide symptom relief and decrease swelling for healing to begin Alterative: Improves overall health by helping to support natural waste elimination… one of it’s many tricks esp useful for this purpose Circulatory stimulants: stimulates blood circulation, increasing blood flow to muscles and joints, bringing nutrients in and taking away waste…best to use peripheral stimulants here. Mild diuretics: to eliminate the wastes out of the body that the blood has picked up Some of the beneficial ‘joint health’ herbs I use: Aloe: anti-inflammatory in nature and also contains vit E, C and some important B’s; helps to restore connective tissue and thus improve joint function.  Internally and topically. Alfalfa: improves digestion for proper nutrient absorption and also contains about 8 active enzymes as well as calcium, vitamin K, magnesium and phosphorus. Cat’s claw (Una de Gato): a historic specific for all issues related to joints, arthritis and overall rheumatism. Anti-inflammatory and a digestive aid to increase the absorption of important nutrients so they can get to the joints. Horsetail and Oatstraw: nutrient rich herbs in particular in silica which is an important mineral for regenerating connective tissue and will enhance collagen and elastin growth…which leads to stronger supports structures.  These minerals are important foundation materials for bone growth as well. Ginger, Prickly Ash & Rosemary: peripheral circulatory stimulants…to move the junk out and bring the goods in! Meadowsweet and White Willow: pain relief and anti-inflammatory Turmeric:  vital herb for it’s anti-inflammatory properties.  Also antioxidant rich and with mild circulatory stimulating properties Yucca:  has been shown to help with joint dis-ease through the digestive system…shown to decrease bacterial endotoxin absorption and thus reduce the inhibition of cartilage synthesis by these endotoxins. Cayenne: topically: (as capsicum or capsaicin): when applied to the skin it stimulates blood flow to that area and blocks certain nerve fibers that transmit a message of pain. Nettles: internally for it’s nutrient rich properties and also externally:  the infamous nettle swat:  take fresh nettles and ‘swat’ on your joints and let the sting do it’s magic! New Chapter Vitamin company makes an excellent anti-inflammatory blend that works great with joint issues….called Zyflamend.  Check it out here:  Zyflamend SUPPLEMENTS: Glucosamine: a nutrient found and made naturally in the body that is used in the formation and ‘repair’ of cartilage.  During normal use, connective tissue goes through a cycle of constant breakdown and repair creating a continuous demand for glucosamine.  As we age, or beat up our joints, our cartilage loses this nutrient at an increased rate as it is trying to constantly repair…which leads to thinning of the cartialge and thus pain/stiffness/swelling.  Supplementation with Glucosamine is based on the theory you are providing more of the building blocks for growth and repair. Chondroitin: many questions surround the efficacy of chondroitin yet many people who take chondroitin report a difference though that is when it is taken along with glucosamine. It is beleived to work by inhibiting certain ‘cartilage chewing’ enzymes, interfering with the metabolism of other enzymes that will starve the cartilage of vital fluid and stimulates production of variuous nutrients for the joint. MSM: works in rebuilding connective tissue with ‘elastic’ sulfur bonds to inrease flexibility.  sulfur is thought to be a vital building block of joints and cartilage and is used in the inhibition of pain impulses along nerve fibers.  I have seen it help when just glucosamine isn’t quite cutting it. Bromelain: a protein digestive enzyme used to help reduce inflammation in the body and treat pain and swelling….found in pineapples! New Chapter’s Zyflamend Supplement (see above) Make your own Glucosamine!!  Check out this video and learn how: MOVEMENT:  Soooo important!!! Can’t even begin to say enough here! It is so vital to properly warm up, dynamically, before any movement session to start the lubrication process of our joints.  Synovial fluid feeds and bathes our joints in nutrients.  Often our joints are starved of vital fluid and thus nutrients from inactivity (ya know that feeling when you’ve been sitting awhile and you hurt when you get up…your joints are dry). Movement increases flexibility, provides muscle strength and endurance so you can do more of the things you love to do…not to mention in helps with weight reduction which will help take excess pressure off of your joints.  Mix up your movement sessions though…chronic cardio, chronic weight bearing moves, chronic anything can increase systemic inflammation….so mix it up! Go barefoot:. Wearing padded shoes disrupts your natural stride, and going barefoot allows valuable proprioreceptive input so you can intuitively adjust your landing to reduce stress on joints. Move Dynamically: Check out this video Skye put together awhile back for a some dynamic warm up moves and a joint specific session to get you lubricated and to get that nutrient rich synovial fluid pumping to bathe your joints in goodness!   Bottom line…be kind to your joints so you can keep moving and doing the things you love in life!!

Smoothies!

This week is all about recipes and fuel ideas/thoughts….so we are on to Smoothies!  What better way to get in a power packed, energy giving, healthy meal or snack?!  Smoothie’s can be a great answer to obtaining optimum balanced nutrition throughout the day.  In the right combination they can give you all the necessary macronutrients (carbs, fats and protein) as well as many essential micronutrients (vitamins, minerals, essential plant compounds).

They are quick & easy to whip up & are super beneficial post workout when you need to refuel, or as a nutrient rich start to the day or midafternoon to help you avoid choosing nutrient empty/calorie rich snacks.  These are a go to for us often, especially because they are extremely multi purpose!  You want a protein packed smoothie, a super greens smoothie, want to get your daily quota of fruit in, need a post workout boost, want to go for the super alkaline smoothie, want something sweet??  So many options here!  So I’ll briefly break down what I feel are the key components to a smoothie then head over to the smoothie recipe page for some great ideas…Recipe Page!  Recipe topics include general goodness, superfoods, raw, and post workout smoothies.  THEN start getting creative on your own with recipes and share them with me…I’ll post them for ya!

1:  Liquid

Start off with 1-2 cups of your liquid and adjust depending on how thick oor thin you like it.  The best liquid options in my mind include:

• Almond milk
• Coconut Milk
• Brewed herbal tea (or chai etc)
• Grapefruit juice..the only juice I recommend, better than most sugary juices out there
• Mocean Mate
• Organic raw milk (I’m not usually an advocate of any other type of milk)
• Water….but why not make it power packed and go with one of the above

2: Fruits and Vegetables:

• Experiment here!
• Look for fruits that are in season…but if you live in VT in the winter when not much is in season….shoot for temperate region fruits like berries, apples, pears, cherries, a banana on occassion, vs pineapple, mango, papaya etc. Mainly b/c the temperate region fruits have less overall sugars in them, more fiber and often the sugars react more forgiving internally than tropical region fruits.  Or at least try to buy those yummy tropical fruits when they are in season in their country of origin.  Food choices do indeed have an environmental impact as well!
• Yes you can put kale or spinach etc in a smoothie….you may have some floaters but you’ll eventually get over it!  And if you don’t have a juicer but have always wanted to “juice” veggies..go ahead and throw them in!

3: Optionals (that to us have become essentials)

• Yogurt (plain is best, greek is great…more protein, yogurt will act as a thickener too)
• Powders of all sorts (protein, supergreens, fiber etc)
• Seeds (hemp, flax, chia etc)
• Nut butters…peanut, almond, cashew etc…
• Herbs and spices….cinnamon for blood sugar balance, cayenne for a little metabolism boost, chia spices or fresh vanilla for yumminess…
• Ice…I never put ice in, usually b/c i don’t have it on hand but also b/c I don’t like my drinks too cold, and often frozen berries cover this area.

Misc to Remember:

• Any time you have fruit on the fringe…throw it in the freezer for your smoothies
• Add liquid first, it helps the blender do it’s job easier
• If you add psyllium or the like or even chia seeds…don’t let it sit too long before drinking if your not a fan of a congealed glob sliding down your throat! (sounds like good times eh?!)

Click Here for Recipe Page

Breakfast…Eat It!

This week is all about recipes.  I will add quite a bit to the recipe pages and we’ll start with the most important meal of the day…Breakfast!  Breakfast literally means to “break-the-fast”, after not eating overnight and often for up to 12 hours.  Overnight our bodies are in healing and repair mode and have been doing a lot of work while we are sleeping.  It is crucial to replenish the lost energy during this work within an hour of waking.

Breakfast is the first chance the body has to refuel its blood glucose (or blood sugar) levels. Glucose is essential for the brain and is the main energy source. Blood glucose also helps fuel the muscles needed for physical activity throughout the day.

Despite the healthful benefits, breakfast may be the meal that is most often neglected or skipped. Eating breakfast fuels the body to provide energy, better concentration and problem-solving ability throughout the day as well as aiding in weight loss and weight management.  It also helps curb hunger and prevent binge-eating later in the day…providing you eat a well rounded first meal.  Starting your day with a good breakfast boosts your energy, increases your attention span, and heightens your sense of well-being. You’ll be in better control of your emotions.  A good breakfast is one that provides about one third of the day’s calories and is primarily made up of protein.

Like I always say…Breakfast like a queen/king, lunch like a princess/prince and dinner like a pauper…

Check out the Breakfast Recipe Page!  And keep checking back as I will be adding more regularly…

The Roots Wise Dirty Dozen!

What follows is the infamous list that all of my clients get when we start working together.  It is a list of some of the top food items or so called food items, that I feel should be taken completely out of our lives.  Rumors are spread about this list.  I hear anything and everything from “oh no not that” to “uh oh I heard about this” to “but I love…” to “oh this is easy”.  Some of the things on this list are a no brainer and a lot of them are things we have all heard about avoiding but maybe haven’t quite done yet or maybe we don’t even know we are taking in such large amounts of them.  Read labels, check out what’s in your kitchen and compare and start working to ditch them from your lives for a healthier, more energized, happier you!

Here ya go….

Foods and Ingredients to totally avoid!!

High Fructose Corn Syrup:   (also known as corn syrup and corn sweetener):  HFCS is much more than bad for you, it’s downright horrible for your health.  It is a major contributor to ill health and weight gain because man made fructose often does not turn off your hunger signals and leaves you craving more sugary foods/drink.  It is also just a fancy name for processed sugar and is often a good indicator of a processed food. Not to mention it shuts off leptin, your fat burning hormone! Be sure to read nutrition labels as it is in far too many products.

Hydrogenated Oils:   also in many of the foods on grocery store shelves….again read labels.  This also includes “partially” hydrogenated oils and shortening.  These oils are known to be bad for your heart as well as your waist line (they are also a good indicator of a processed food).  They lower the good HDL cholesterol, increase the bad LDL cholesterol and increase triglycerides.  Often found in processed baked goods, salad dressings, various snack foods and processed peanut butters.

White Flour:  A major contributor to the obesity epidemic in America.  Found as “enriched flour” in nearly all bread, buns, muffins, doughnuts, bagels etc on the supermarket shelves.  It has been stripped of it’s nutrients in the milling process and thus needs to be enriched, why strip it in the first place…oh yeah someone told the big food industry that we like things white and pure..right! The simple sugars and refined carbs that make up processed white flour means poor metabolism and weight gain. If you choose breads etc, choose whole grain.

White Rice – White Bread – White Pasta:  In sticking with the theme above… these are sugar, sugar, sugar to your body!  It takes more white rice than brown to make you feel just as satisfied. That’s because white rice contains no fiber — a food component that helps you feel full. White pasta also tends to be fiber-free and less filling than whole wheat.  If you choose these things, then choose rice, pastas and breads that are brown, whole grain or whole wheat.

Soda:  Diet, Lite, Caffeine Free, Sugar Free…avoid all of it! “ A 12oz ,sugar or high-fructose corn syrup sweetened beverage contains nearly 9 teaspoons of sugar and 150 calories…empty calories that provide little or no nutritional value.  (the sugar free kinds, just contain more chemical sweeteners which create chaos in your bloodstream by spiking insulin levels just as much as refined sugars do).  It might be hard to change your routine of bringing a soda to work or buying one a day…but it is well worth it!!  Not to mention it will curb your mood swings, short tempers and chronic headaches.

Sugar Water:  This includes fruit juices with added sugar or from concentrate and the multitude of fancy vitamin/flavored waters out there.  If you want fruit juice, squeeze your own oranges or grapefruit. If you want tastier water, squeeze in fresh lemon or lime. They set the stage for a quick pick me up and a hard crash and burn and leave you tired and full of cravings.  (See above for a word about the sugar free kinds).  I’m also going to throw “fancy coffee drinks into this category…like caramel lattes, mocha this and mocha that, etc….you know what I’m talking about. These are yummy yet often FILLED with sugar and fat and calories!  No way around it!  Try to stick with straight up coffee or tea for your caffeine fix.

Artificial Sweeteners:  Often folks looking to diet choose foods and drinks that are “low-cal, no sugar, or no cal”…I understand the rationale of lower calorie intake but the artificial sweeteners like aspartame, saccharin, sucralose, found in many processed foods and in blue, pink and yellow packets, are addicting and interfere with the body’s natural ability to count calories and tricks your body into thinking that other sweet foods don’t have as many calories either….thus over-indulgence in sweet foods and beverages.  Read labels!  There are so many other reasons for this being a no…too many to get into!

Artificial Flavors and Colors:  (yet another good indicator of processed-calorie and/or sugar laden foods).  I am a huge proponent of natural foods and anything containing artificial flavors or colors will be naturally unhealthy and toxic to the body.  Be wary of the wording “natural flavorings” as well as they actually can mean a whole slew of junk. They have been linked to behavioral problems in children and increase the body’s toxic load which takes away from it’s ability to properly process the good stuff you put into it!

Fast Food:  This should actually be at the top of the list.  These foods also contain many of the other ingredients on this “pretty please avoid list”!  I know we all know why and here are a few categories they fit into that goes against one of my favorite authors list of “Food Rules”:  “Avoid food products containing ingredients that no ordinary human would keep in the pantry, avoid food products that contain more than five ingredients, eat only foods that will rot, avoid foods you see advertised on TV, eat only foods that have been cooked by humans, it’s not food if it arrived through the window of your car, and it’s not food if it’s called by the same name in every language…think Big Mac!”  There are also so many environmental and socially responsible/moral reasons why these choices are just wrong.

Processed Meats:  “Eat animals that themselves have eaten well”. Because it’s not necessarily our food that’s making us sick but what we feed our food, whether it’s meat or milk or eggs.  Commercially raised livestock are raised on GMO corn, pumped full of antibiotics and fattened as as fast as possible to get them to market quickly.  It is SO worth the extra cost even if you have to eat a bit less meat to compensate for that cost. Oh and did you know that often meats are injected with dyes to make them look nice and red for us consumers??  Again, some one fed the food industry the wrong info about what we want.

Lite or Low fat or Non-fat:  We’ve gotten fat on low fat foods.  We haven’t made foods nonfattening by removing the fat…we have often added sugars or artificial sweeteners (which can also make you fat) to make up for the loss of flavor that the fats generally provide.  We often tend to eat more overall because we feel we can since we ate something low in fat or with no fat! We NEED the right kinds of fats in our bodies.  Every cell is encased in a lipo membrane that protects it and helps it to function properly.  If we don’t eat fats or the wrong types of fats…we starve that cell and all the others of vital nourishment.

Beer:  With all the great micro breweries in VT, this is hard, I know!  Not to mention, sometimes beer just tastes good and refreshing!  I won’t go too far but it should at least be mentioned…..Alcohol is made by the action of yeast on sugar…so it has a similar effect on sugar.  In the short term alcohol actually inhibits the release of reserve glucose from the liver and encourages low blood sugar levels causing an increase in appetite. Choose wine if you are wanting a tasty alcoholic beverage or you are out with friends etc.  Even a good ole’ vodka tonic is a little better than beer!  By no means am I saying “don’t ever have another drink again”, but rather be conscious of what you choose and how much and recognize that drinking can be a downer when taken in out of balance.

That’s all for now!!!  More to come!  Feel free to hit the follow button and then make sure to confirm in the email you will receive!

Dive!

The other night we watched a movie called “Dive: Living Off America’s Waste”.

“Digging into the hidden recesses of the American food industry, this eye-opening documentary reveals the appalling amount of edible, nutritious goods that are thrown away — wasted — every day in a nation where millions of citizens still go hungry.”

Watch the trailer here:  Dive!

An excellent movie about just how much food is wasted every single day at sooo many food stores across this country.  It is absolutely appalling.  This movie chronicles one man and a few friends journey as they raid dumpsters (Trader Joe’s in particular) of still good, NOT out of date foods in an attempt to feed their families as well as their needy community.

Jeremy Seifert is the man behind the movie and has made it a mission to get these large companies to do something more with their waste.  This waste has a HUGE financial, environmental, and societal impact in this country as well as around the world.

“Every year we throw away 96 billion pounds of food”  That’s 3,000 pounds a second!

“It takes 7 pounds of corn and 2,500 gallons of water to produce one pound of beef”  That’s a big environmental impact!  That doesn’t include the human life that works to produce this food or grow those veggies….

“After cars, the food system uses more fossil fuel than any other sector of the economy – 19%”  Think middle east fuel dependency…

“40% of the world’s annual grain yield is fed to animals to produce meat”  That’s yet another reason to go grass fed!

These companies are throwing away foods that are not even out of date…with meats and such, they throw them away the day before….and these could be picked up by the local food banks etc, thrown in their freezers and feed to people in need.  Many companies will state that they do not donate these foods because of liability reasons…however if they were to take a moment to dig, they would find the Good Samaritan Act, passes in 1996.  This act encourages grocery stores to donate food and it protects them from being sued for doing so.

The take home message to me was: be mindful of our waste, find a good dumpster, eat grass fed meats, only buy what we WILL eat, grow more of our own food and sign the damn petition to get at least Trader Joe’s to donate more.

Even if you don’t watch the movie, check out the trailer and let’s be more mindful of our waste!!

Roots Wise Wellness!

A New Year is upon us and I have challenged myself as well as each and every one of you to make it the Best F-ing Year possible… for you but also for all of those around you!

Optimal nutrition and wellness is crucial to having the Best F-ing Year and a healthy lifestyle combined with physical fitness, can help you live a life full of vitality and adventure!  Roots Wise goal is just that….to offer you a guideline on how to get there and what that looks like in your own life.  Whole body wellness makes for a happier and more energized you, so you can spread that to those around you and help create a better society in the meantime!  Roots Wise Wellness Consultations cover whole body health… that includes nutritional health but also emotional, environmental, social and creative health as well.  I believe physical movement is also a major key in this quest for total health and therefore work with Skye of Mocean365 to help you achieve greater health through movement as well!  Check out his site at:  www.mocean365.com

Roots Wise and Mocean365 together offer package plans available for you combining movement with nutrition and wellness counseling that are custom to you and as always, sliding scale pricing is available for all levels of income.  We would rather you take us on than be held back my money!

The Daily Practice will now be found here, as well as at The Mocean Project.  The Daily Practice is just that…about what we want and need to practice each day to create a life full of passion, learning, adventure and inspiration. We all have things we need to get better at or want to get better at… so I will be posting something new and exciting to think about each week for the Daily Practice along with a weekly blog about health, nutrition, food, herbs or whatever I diving into!

Feel free to hit the “follow” button on the home page to receive updates via email whenever I post something here.

So, are You Ready To Make A Healthy Change in Your Life??!!  The time is now!!  It’s About Living a Healthy and Fun Filled Life So You Can Do What You Love!!  Take a class, make an appt for a Nutrition & Wellness Consultation, MOVE and drink Mocean Mate!

Let’s all ‘Live ROOTSWISE!’  Ge back to your natural roots of eating well, feeling great and moving with energy!  Roots Wise Nutrition and Wellness Consultations can help you get there!  Offering 3 different levels of consultations to suit everyone’s needs. So whether you want me to simply review where you are at currently and offer ways to improve upon that or you want me to follow your eating and daily habits for an extended period of time to ensure the greatest results.  The consultations include a variety of offerings including  nutrition education, measurements, food journaling and reviews, supplement education and discounts, personalized meal plans, and more.  Check out the rest of the site for more info and be in touch!