Nourishing Newsletter April: Spring Cleaning

Up Coming Events

"All of Me!" An 8 week class that will spring clean your life! Learn step-by-step how to clean up your diet without feeling deprived... and so much more!
(For women only)

Mondays 6:30-8pm, April 21-June 9
Curves Gym, 2115 West Oregon Ave.
Sign up for just this class or the full seasonal package!
Call (215) 465-2005 to register.

Dear Friends,

Spring is a time of new growth and change. The time of year we all start to stretch out of our winter hibernation and start feeling alive again!

A lot is new in my life. Recently, I've started health counseling at High Level Wellness in Cherry Hill, NJ. An amazing place, where I am so happy and learning so much! I am also looking forward to getting married in a few months. Changing jobs and lifestyle are huge adjustments. Sometimes, it's very difficult to become what feels like a new person, even when the changes are wonderful.

The same is true in making dietary changes. Many of us would like to eat healthier, would certainly like to feel healthier, but our old habits get in the way of our good intentions. If this sounds familiar to you, and you would like to get support in reaching your health goals, call now to set up a free initial consultation! (774-280-2910)

You can clutch the past so tightly to your chest that it leaves your arms too full to embrace the present.
-Jan Glidewell

Wishing you health and happiness,
Kelly

SPECIAL FEATURE: CREATING PEACE
Petition for dialogue between China and the Dalai Lama
http://www.avaaz.org/en/tibet_report_back/97.php/?cl_tf_sign=1
One minute of your time adds another name to the list of people around the world demanding change and peace for Tibet. Help end the oppression of these innocent people and beautiful culture!

29-Day Giving Challenge
http://givingchallenge.ning.com/
Your 29 gifts can be anything -- material objects, money, your time, smiles or kind thoughts. Sign up now and start giving!
Article: Spring Cleaning

People like "stuff." We tend to hold onto it year after year. We save and stock up on things that we don't know what to do with anymore. Maybe we keep things because they hold precious memories of days gone by, or they remind us of our parents, grandparents, past loves or childhood. To part with these precious possessions seems out of the question. There is a saying that goes, "You have to get rid of the old to make way for the new." If you are feeling stuck or stagnant in your life, try spring-cleaning. Throw out some of that stuff, say goodbye to your past, and welcome the new energy of your happy, healthy future.

For good mental and physical health, we actually have two "houses" that need to be spring-cleaned: our physical homes and our physical bodies. Just as we accumulate "stuff" in the form of outgrown clothes, magazines, rusty bicycles, tools and random keepsakes, so do our bodies accumulate old food residues and toxins that need to be cleaned out.

To spring clean your body, give it a break from rich and complicated foods by either cleansing or fasting for a short period of time. Cleansing means paring down your food to just simple fruits and vegetables, lots of water and perhaps whole grains. Fasting means limiting most foods and drinking lots of water, fresh vegetable and fruit juices, teas and soups. Without much energy going towards digestion, more energy is available to the rest of your body and mind. Cleansing and fasting can sharpen your concentration, help you gain insight and promote spiritual awareness. It can also bring improved immune function and better digestion.

While you're cleaning out your body and home, don't forget to spring-clean your heart. Throw away negative thoughts and habits you've been harboring that no longer serve you. A clean, open heart will allow you to receive all the good that awaits you each and every day. If your heart and mind are cluttered, there is no room for life's gifts and surprises to enter.
Food Focus: Greens

Leafy greens are some of the easiest and most beneficial vegetables to incorporate into your daily routine. Densely packed with energy and nutrients, they grow upwards to the sky, absorbing the sun's light while producing oxygen. Members of this royal green family include kale, collard greens, swiss chard, mustard greens, arugula, dandelion greens, broccoli rabe, watercress, beet greens, bok choy, napa cabbage, green cabbage, spinach and broccoli.

How do greens benefit our bodies? They are very high in calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorous and zinc, and are a powerhouse for vitamins A, C, E and K. They are crammed full of fiber, folic acid, chlorophyll, and many other micronutrients and phytochemicals. Their color is associated with spring, which is a time of renewal and refreshing, vital energy. In traditional Asian medicine, the color green is related to the liver, emotional stability and creativity. Greens aid in purifying the blood, strengthening the immune system, improving liver, gall bladder and kidney function, fighting depression, clearing congestion, improving circulation and keeping your skin clear and blemish free.

Leafy greens are the vegetables most missing from the American diet, and many of us never learned how to prepare them. Start with the very simple recipe below. Then each time you go to the market, pick up a new green to try. Soon you'll find your favorite greens and wonder how you ever lived without them.

Recipe of the Month
Simplest Swiss Chard
1/4 Cup Water
1 Bunch Swiss Chard
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
2 Tbsp Olive Oil

Wash swiss chard in a big bowl of water. Chop stems into 1/2 inch pieces. Heat water in a frying pan until it starts to sizzle. Toss stem pieces and leaves into the pan. Water saute until leaves are soft, 2 minutes. Remove greens, dump (or drink) cooking water, add olive oil and garlic to pan heat for just a couple seconds. Pour oil and garlic over greens. Be amazed at the simple delicious, nutritious dish.

Tips:
- It will take you less time to cook this recipe than it did for me to type the instructions.
- I like to mix a bunch of green and a bunch of red swiss chard together.
- To save time, mince a whole head of garlic at one time. Store left over in a few tablespoons of olive oil in an air-tight jar in the fridge. For the rest of the week, just scoop out the pre-chopped garlic and add to any recipe or veggies!
Testimonials
"The first class was very inspirational, and I am doing a lot more cooking for myself. I am actually eating 'real' dinners now, about 5-7 days a week, which is a huge feat for me! If I was so inspired after one class, I know I'll be eating much healthier after two!"
- Alane B.

"Kelly suggested herbs that help me sleep and that virtually eliminate monthly cramps, as well as a vegetable juice fast that helps regulate my digestion and my blood sugar. Kelly is not just a health counselor, she is an 'artist of being alive.' "
- S. Miria Jo, Singer/Songwriter

"Thanks to Kelly, I have satisfied both my appetite and my incessant need for energy! She taught me how to cook nutritious and delicious food, and gave me very helpful tips to sustain energy in order to cope with my busy lifestyle."
- Eynat, Fashion Designer

What LifeShine Holistic Health Counseling can do for You!
- Reclaim your health and happiness.
- Learn to understand cravings and how to disarm them without will-power.
- Lose weight normally and naturally.
- Increase your energy.
- Disease-proof your body.
- Discover delicious health-promoting foods.
- Plan simple, quick, delicious, power-packed meals, even if your time seems limited
- Create a joyful, successful lifestyle with step-by-step goal setting and support
- Become part of a fabulous community of people dedicated to living well
- Let your life shine!