Raw Chocolate for Lunch Class! This Saturday, Dec 4th...

This Saturday, December 4th, I am offering a class on making raw chocolate using natural, unrefined sweeteners and raw, organic cacao. This class is a hit every time, because it's easy chocolate to make and actually good for us! Participants will get to make their own batch of raw chocolate to bring home, sample some other foods with raw cacao and bring home yummy recipes. This class is taking place in Freeport, Maine at The Prep Kitchen from noon to 1:00pm. Visit http://kendallscottwellness.com/Classes for details and email info@kendallscottwellness.com to sign up!!

Six Simple Tips for a Healthy Holiday

For many of us it's hard enough to eat "smart" and then the holidays come around, and we're surrounded with loads of food (and much of it doesn't support our health). Thanksgiving is often the door that opens into a season of eating poorly: eating too much, too many simple carbs, too much sugar and caffeine and not enough of the foods that support our bodies and keep us energized and cold and flu-free. Try out these simple strategies below to make your holiday season more healthful so you don't head into the New Year with added weight, lower energy and that guilty feeling that often comes with overindulgence.

1) Eat before you go out. Arriving at a party or holiday meal famished will make you much more likely to pick all the high-calorie foods, eat too fast and over eat. Instead, be sure to get in some healthy foods at home. Saute some broccoli, kale or spinach with onion and garlic in olive or coconut oil. Throw it in a sprouted whole, grain wrap or enjoy by itself. Try adding some beans, chicken, tempeh or nuts/seeds for extra protein.

2) Drink lots of water, and always have a large glass before you eat. This will keep you hydrated and feeling more full so you are less likely to fill up on foods.

3) Focus on nutrient-rich foods. When you fill your plate, be sure to start with the veggies, like carrots and squash, which are common holiday veggies and very nutritious. When you snack, go for the raw veggies, fruit and nuts.

4) Bring your own healthy dish. If you aren't sure there will be healthy options on the table where you're going, bring a tasty and nutritious dish of your own to share. Try making a spinach hummus with olive oil, chick peas, tahini, lemon, baby spinach leaves, and put that on a platter with veggies sticks.

5) Treat yourself to the special stuff only. Enjoy a small piece of homemade apple pie, but skip the boxed cookies and other items that come in a package.

6) Walk after you eat. It's a tradition in my family to take a walk together after a large holiday meal...even in the dark! Grab the flashlights if you need them, kids, strollers and dogs and head out for a good 20-minute walk (or more!). This helps to move the digestion process along and encourages physical activity on a day that you are likely to be eating more food than usual.

Franken-Fish?! URGENT: Public Comment Required before Nov 22nd

FDA poised to approve sale of genetically engineered salmon in U.S. supermarkets (*without labeling so we won't know the difference) - 

even though scientists warn it could harm human health. 

URGENT: Public comment required before November 22nd (just 1 week)!

Synopsis :

- Demand right to know what is in your food.

- You want genetically engineered food labeled.

- As a consumer you have a right to know.

- Tell Congress to stop approval of genetically engineered animals for food.

- Demand that FDA conduct a thorough Environmental Impact Statement before

deciding whether to approve the first ever genetically engineered animal for food.

INSTRUCTIONS:

go to action alert at Organic Consumers Association (http://www.organicconsumers.org/)

To sign petition, go top of third column, click on: 

"Featured Alert" Stop Frankenfish! No GMO Salmon!

....................................................................................................................................

For entire article: 

GE Salmon! Are You Out of Your Minds? 

by Jeffrey Smith, leading advocate promoting healthier non-GMO choices

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeffrey-smith/ge-salmon-are-you-out-of_b_742413.html

or Center For Food Safety: http://ge-fish.org/

"Major U.S. Environmental groups Call for Full Environmental Review of Genetically Engineered Salmon"

Highlights of Smith article:

- growth hormone gene forcing fish to grow up to 5x faster 

- according to evidence might have higher levels of a cancer promoting hormone (IGF-1), more antibiotics and more potentially life-threatening allergen(s)

- FDA failed to learn lesson with genetically engineered bovine growth hormone which 

also has higher levels of IGF-1 and more antibiotics, now condemned by the Am. Public Health Assoc., banned in most other countries; 

- Am. Academy of Environmental Medicine condemned GMOs and

 urged physicians to prescribe non-GMO diets

- threat of Frankenfish escaping into wild, extinction of wild populations, genetic pollution irreversible

- Canadian scientists tested behavior in tanks, result -  population crashes or complete extinctions, suggests if released or escape into ocean, aggressive salmon would pursue and consume other types of fish

- according to Union of Concerned Scientists, food safety succumbing to higher priority of global corporate profits

     PUBLIC OPINION IS IMPORTANT - PLEASE ACT IN YOUR OWN INTEREST

Land Meat with Healthy Omega 3's

Most of us have heard about the health benefits of wild salmon that contain omega-3 fatty acids. Did you know that we can also get these same omega-3's in certain land meats, minus the risk of mercury?

When beef, venison, bison and buffalo are grass fed, they contain higher levels of these omega-3's than factory farmed animals that feed on grain and soy. While we often hear that meat can be harmful to our health, this usually applies to those factory farmed animals that, as a result of their raising, contain higher levels of omega-6 fatty acids, which are inflammatory. Grass fed beef also contains conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which is known for aiding in loss of fat and muscle gain.

While I always recommend supporting local farmers that raise free-range and grass-fed animals whenever possible, I know it's not always easy to find them depending on where you live. Because of that I want to suggest a great website that sells these beneficial meats and ships throughout the U.S.: US Wellness Meats. Prices are reasonable and shipping is mostly free.

Remember that eating meat is different for every person. Some people do better with more, some are better off with less. It's important to find out what works for your body. Pay attention to how you feel with more or less meat in your diet. To find out more about how holistic health & nutrition coaching can help you discover the best foods for your body, visit me at http://kendallscottwellness.com for a FREE consultation over the phone.

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!