Welcome to the July issue
of “Making the Healthy Choice the Easy Choice.” Here you
will find information you can use on a timely topic,
healthy eating, recipes and more! I welcome your
feedback and questions. Please send them to
Janet@nourishyourlife.com Thank you!
July is the month to remember.
I have been reading a
great book about the “100 mile diet”, and I intended,
this month, to report on what I discovered from it. And
then, I remembered, that we are about to celebrate the
4th of July! - A day well worthy of respecting and
remembering.
Phil Humbert, a coach whom I have known for
years, wrote an excellent passage on the 4th of July;
one that I cannot improve on and so I wish to pass it
along to you.
Over 200 years ago, American revolutionaries declared
that
all people are, and by rights OUGHT to be free to pursue
their PERSONAL goals, based on their PERSONAL definition
of
happiness.
Most of us vigorously agree with that
statement,
and yet too few of us ever reflect on exactly what kind
of
life we truly want and (more importantly) the steps we
will
take to create the life of our dreams.
So here is the challenge: This week, in preparation for
the
picnics and barbeques and fireworks of Independence Day,
take time to define the life you truly want, and the
steps
you will take to make it a reality.
Here are four simple but profound steps that may help:
1. Review what you already LOVE about your life!
There is nothing like the power of gratitude. We don't
pause often enough to note how well we are doing, how
far
we've come, how much we have. Before talking about what
you
want to change, pause to notice what's already working
in
your life.
- Who do you need to thank?
- Who do you need to
hug?
- What talents, skills, freedoms and resources do you
celebrate in your life?
We are the richest, most
educated,
most blessed people in history. Let's begin the
revolution
by giving thanks for that!
2. What do you want LESS of in your life?
Before we can add more, we probably have to dump some of
the "stuff" that clutters our busy lives. Be honest!
Most
of us are already doing about as much as we can. We have
stuff cluttering our closets, our garages, our attics,
and
we have "stuff" cluttering our calendars, too. Before we
can make room for "more" we may have to do some house-
cleaning.
3. What do you want MORE of in your life?
This is often where we begin and most of us have a
laundry
list of things we want, from more money to more time, to
a
new car or another vacation. So let's dig a bit deeper.
What do you REALLY want in your life?
What brings you joy? What will fulfill you, use your
potential and make you happy? What, exactly, would you
like
to change or add or do differently? We live in a time
when
you can have just about anything you truly want (and are
willing to work for), but until and unless you define
it,
it will be hard to get it. What do you truly WANT?
4. What can you do THIS WEEK to move toward it?
In 1776, a group of Americans wrote a Declaration and
staked their fortunes, their reputations and their very
lives on the outcome. Most of us will not do anything
that
risky or dramatic, but you will have to do SOMETHING.
What
will you do to declare and demonstrate your
independence?
Who will you call? How much will you budget? Will you
change your schedule or your habits? Will you enlist
friends and partners to help you? What step, big or
small,
will you take to make things better this week?
Our national Independence Day is typically celebrated
with
picnics and fireworks, and that is wonderful! But I
think
it is BEST celebrated as a call to ACTION in our own
personal lives. Freedom is a precious thing, but too
often
we take it for granted and fail to USE it! Use your
freedom
to build the life you want! You have the liberty to make
something magnificent of your life. Don't waste the
precious freedom that so many died to give us.
Please visit his website at
www.philiphumbert.com.
You will love it as much as I do!
Quote for the month:
Freedom is nothing else but a
chance to be better.
~Albert Camus
Healthy eating in July: Raspberries!!!!
Raspberries are just coming into season in Michigan. I
remember going to the U-PICK raspberry farms and eating
more than we would put in our baskets. (Perhaps we
should have been weighed as we entered and left the
farm…)
There is just “something” about fresh picked
raspberries that even a Farmers Market cannot quite
duplicate.
Did you know that there are red, yellow, orange, purple
and black raspberries, and that there are over 200
different varieties? Check out
this link
for more information!
Raspberries contain calcium, iron, magnesium and
potassium. They are healthy for digestion from the mouth
to the colon! They also contain ellagic acid which is a
potential anti-cancer agent; are high in vitamin C; and
are an excellent source of soluble fiber (pectin) which
may lower cholesterol, eliminate environmental toxins
and slow the release of carbohydrates into the blood
stream.
My challenge for you this month is to eat a handful of
raspberries a day; put them on cereal, in yogurt,
smoothies, ice cream, or how about a Quinoa, Raspberry
and Blueberry parfait! The perfect colors for the 4th of
July!!!
Quinoa, Raspberries and Blueberry Parfait
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1-1 1/2 cups raspberries
1-1 1/2 cups blueberries
2 cups low fat vanilla yogurt
Directions
1. Rinse quinoa before cooking to remove the coating of
a bitter substance called saponins.
2. Bring water to a boil.
3. Stir in quinoa, cover and simmer 15 minutes.
4. Allow quinoa to cool
5. In 4-6 parfait glasses (depending on size of glass)
layer quinoa, yogurt, blueberries, yogurt, raspberries
and yogurt. Repeat layering if desired.
6. Top with a few blueberries and raspberries for a
“patriotic” appearance.
7. ENJOY!
The nutrition facts will depend on the type on yogurt
that you use and the amount of blueberries and
raspberries. These nutrition facts are using low-fat
yogurt and one cup each of blueberries and raspberries.
Nutrition facts: 4, 6 servings: 262, 174 calories; 49,
33 carbs; 11,7 gm pro; 5.5, 3.5gm fat
