Avoiding Halloween Sugar Shock!

I remember as a kid being so excited to go trick-or-treating, just for the candy alone! The fuller my candy bag, the better. Now, as an adult and nutrition coach, I cringe at how much cheap candy - containing loads of sugar, high fructose corn syrup and chemical ingredients - is being passed out and consumed by kids and adults. That's the scary part of Halloween for me, and I don't even have children yet!

This is not to say that I don't have a couple pieces of candy if I feel like it, and I wouldn't ask anyone to deprive themselves either. Plus, I get that it's part of the fun and tradition for children. Over-indulging on this stuff is just the reality of Halloween. However, there are some ways to help you and your kids avoid the full effects of sugar shock.

1) Eat a nutrient-rich meal before going trick-or-treating. Be sure to include whole grains, like whole grain pasta, brown rice or quinoa and some veggies (the greener, the better!). Also, get in some healthy fats - saute veggies/rice in olive oil or coconut oil - and quality protein, like fish, organic/free range chicken, or lentils/beans. Nuts and seeds are also a good protein source.

2) Hydrate. Be sure everyone is getting enough water throughout the day. This does NOT mean drinking energy or sports drinks, which only have more sugar and other harmful ingredients.

3) Remember that after your kids have been eating all sorts of candy, it's going to have an effect on their behavior. Misbehaving, high-energy and irritability can become extreme after all that sugar. Keep this in mind and cut them a little slack! Help them get that energy out by having a little dance party or a game of flashlight tag on the front lawn after trick-or-treating.


4) Try reading the ingredients on the candy and throw out some of the ones with ingredients that you can't pronounce. Most likely these are not real food products and are even worse than the sugar. You may be surprise at how much of the candy contains these fake foods.


5) Be sure that as an adult, your needs are being met. Get your rest, do something for yourself and eat a healthy meal. If you are not taking care of yourself, you're apt to fulfill what's missing by eating more Halloween candy.

6) Take notice of how you do feel after eating candy and learn from the experience. All that sugar makes a big difference in our bodies and with our moods and mental clarity!

A Trip to Ireland and Some Happy Cows

I've been slacking on my blogging these days, which I'd say is due to this beautiful summer we've been having and the large amounts of time I've been spending outdoors. My husband and I also recently took a trip to Ireland for ten days...amazing! Ireland is a beautiful country with friendly people and much to my happiness, healthy farming practices with free-range cattle and sheep. They are everywhere, happily eating grass and living they way an animal should, unlike the animals in the many factory farms the U.S...where much of our meats and animal food products come from. I'm not a big meat eater myself, but I was glad to enjoy some 100% Irish beef  from the cows that lived a clean, healthy and happy life. This is how farming started out before it became severely industrialized, compromising our health in the process.

This, along with the recent egg recall due to salmonella, is just an important reminder that the source of our food is vital to our health, the health of our planet and the health and lives of the animals. When we are purchasing and eating eggs, cheeses, poultry, beef, etc. from a "farm" (factory) that is full of disease and sick animals, of course we risk ingesting salmonella, E. coli and other dangerous bacteria. Have you seen what these factory farms look like? It's a horrible sight, and not where I want my food coming from.

On a happier note, consider the small, local farms where you can see the animals grazing freely in the sunshine and fresh air. This is a much safer source for food. Get to know your local farmers and find out what their practices are. The happier the animals, the happier your body (and taste buds) will be (if you choose to eat meat or animal products). Every time you make a purchase, it's a vote. Buying your chicken from most grocery stores is another vote to support factory farming and our decline in health. Instead, find out where you can buy animal food products locally, and help support the farmer who is practicing clean, safe, environmentally-friendly farming.

Fresh Fish!

This summer, we have a CSF share (Community Supported Fisheries) through Port Clyde Fresh Catch in Maine. I don't think it's too late to sign up for other weeks this season, so be sure to check our their website: http://www.portclydefreshcatch.com. Every week we get a different type of fish, including lobster! This week we got Gray Sole, a mild white fish.

I ended up cooking this fish on the grill, in our grill pan. I topped it with a mixture of tahini (sesame seed paste, very high in calcium), tamari soy sauce, toasted sesame oil and some water. I then topped it with a few chopped pieces of garlic scape. It was delicious! The rest of our meal was brown rice and a salad with lettuce, collards, arugula and scallions from our garden (square foot garden! Sign up for a free teleclass on SFG!) and carrots and sweet shell peas from Little Ridge Farm in Lisbon, Maine, where we have a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) share. Be sure to take a look at Little Ridge Farm too!

What is a Teleclass?

I'm offering more and more teleclasses - a great way to provide information on wellness and nutrition topics to people who can't attend "in person" classes and workshops. Is the Teleclass/Webcast/Webinar/Telesminar concept new to you? Maybe you've heard about it, but have never participated in one yourself. If so, read on to find out how it works.

What is a Teleclass?
A Teleclass is a class conducted over the phone and sometimes simultaneously over your Internet connection (webcast/webinar). Most Teleclasses I offer have either option. It's a great way to share information to people who can't attend "in person" workshops.


What do I have to do?
When you sign up for a Teleclass at KSW, you will be emailed call-in instructions. These instructions will tell you that you can either call the listed number from your phone at the time of the class or go to the listed link to click "play" and listen to the call on your computer.

Will I have to participate?
Just like an "in person" class, no one is forced to participate! On some calls, all callers will be muted and only the host(s) of the teleclass (that's me!) will speak, and you just listen. In other teleclasses, there may be Q&A opportunities where guests can un-mute their phone and ask a question to have it answered live. To speak, you must be on a telephone.


What if I can’t listen to the entire live call? Will anyone know if I hang up or stop listening to the webcast?

No one listening to the call will know or hear if you hang up, close the webcast or even call back again during the call. Only the host can see how many people are on the call via phone or web. You will also receive a link to the recording later in case you miss part of the call.

What happens when I dial the number to call in?
You will be asked to enter a passcode (which is in your sign-up email). Then it will connect you to the live call. You may hear guests or the host(s) talking or you may not hear anything until the call officially starts. Typically, I automatically mute every guest who calls in so we don’t hear background noises. You can simply sit quietly and wait until the call starts.


Can anyone hear me if I listen via webcast?
No, no one can hear you.


What if I can’t make the live teleclass?
All teleclasses are recorded and the recording is automatically emailed to everyone who registers for that call. You can download the recorded call (MP3 file) and listen anytime you’d like.


What’s the benefit to being on the live call?
When there are Q and A opportunities or participation is requested, you get to ask questions and receive support and help with any obstacles you might be facing. You have an opportunity to get a lot more out of the call! It’s also kind of fun to be on the live call – you can feel the energy! The recording is simply a recording.


How do I sign up for Teleclasses?
All teleclasses offer a sign-in form at http://kendallscottwellness.com/Healty_Teleclasses or a Paypal option if the call is not free. Registration is required for free and paying teleclasses to receive the live call-in information.


Does anything else come with a teleclass?
Yes! There is almost always bonus, supportive handouts – recipes, tips on the call topic, worksheets, etc. These handouts are either sent to you in your registration email or after the class in a separate email.

Do You Listen to Your Body?

When was the last time you asked yourself, "Why do I have this headache?" or "What's causing me to have all this heartburn or feel so bloated?" or "Why is my acne so bad lately?"

Too often, we suffer through discomfort and pain in our bodies, either masking and reducing symptoms by taking a pain reliever, antacid or scrubbing our skin with the newest "miracle" cleanser. But how often do we stop to think about what is actually causing the problem in the first place? How often do we get to the root of the problem?

I used to get headaches a lot, almost everyday. My solution was to drink more coffee and take lots of Advil. I had no problem popping a couple Advil a couple times a day on a regular basis, and if two didn't work, I just took another. Those headaches would sometimes temporarily subside, but usually came back later or the next day, when I just consumed more coffee and more pain relievers. Not once did I think that what I was EATING could be causing my headaches. I always said, "I'm just someone who gets headaches a lot." That statement and assumption couldn't be more inaccurate. And how my poor body suffered!

Now, since I've made changes in my diet and lifestyle, if I get a headache (which is rare!), I think about what I've eaten recently that may have caused it. Too much sugar? Too much meat/animal protein or not enough? Not enough water? I also consider how much sleep I've gotten and what might be causing some stress in my life. Usually I can figure out exactly what triggered the headache and fix the real problem by drinking more water, getting some whole foods in my body, adjusting the amount or type of animal protein or getting some rest. I also know how I can avoid a headache in the future.

The moral of this story is to listen to your body. When something feels out of whack, it probably is, and can often be resolved by making a few small adjustments in your diet and lifestyle. This is one of the things I work on with clients - how to pay attention to the signs your body is giving you and what steps you can take to fix the issue. Don't ignore what your body is telling you (or screaming at you!). Over time, if we ignore too many signs, it results in a more serious illness that is much harder to resolve. When we have aches and pains, it's our job to figure out what the problem is, and very often we don't need to pop a pill or head to the doctor to feel better. You only get one body, so don't ignore it!

Egg Salad Sandwich from Happy Chickens!

Today for lunch I hard boiled a couple of farm-fresh eggs from my mom's happy chickens in Maryland (I just went down for a visit). The difference between most store-bought eggs and fresh eggs from a local farm is amazing! They taste fresher and the yolk is a beautiful, bright orange rather than the dull yellow we are used to seeing in older eggs. Plus, I love that I was there to take these eggs right out of the nest. The blue/green eggs are from the aricona chickens.


The chickens to the right are Fiona and Maude, and the rooster is Ricardo. Fiona (in the middle) is an aricona.

For the egg salad mixture, I chopped the two hard boiled eggs and added fresh parsley from the herbs in my kitchen, some diced red onion, paprika and organic mayo. I don't typically measure out these quantities, but my guess would be 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, 2 tablespoons red onion, 1/4 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon organic mayo. Salt and pepper to taste. This is such a simple but YUMMY combination!

I then spread about half the egg salad on a slice of organic spelt bread, topped with baby spinach leaves, slice of tomato and three slices of avocado, saving the rest for tomorrow. Et voila!!

Cashew Mylk from Ani Phyo

Have you ever tried making your own non-dairy milk? A great dairy-free alternative is to use nuts, such as almonds, cashews, walnuts, pecans or hazelnuts. You can also buy these types of milks, but making it yourself is an even healthier way to go! It's so yummy and very easy to do! Plus, you can make it then store in your fridge for four or five days.  

Simply blend the nuts with water, add a few pitted dates to sweeten (or a minimally processed sweetener, if you prefer), a touch of salt and voila! You can also add cinnamon or vanilla beans for added flavor.

In this video, Raw Food author, Ani Phyo, demonstrates exactly how to make your own nut milk!

Cashew Mylk Video