Over the last few years, I have faced some drastic changes in my life, as I am sure you have as well. It seems everything that followed the pandemic was another layer of challenge, growth and problem solving.
I try and stay in the vein of “learning” as opposed to something being good or bad but there are those times that life lands a cosmic 2 x 4 whack upside your noggin to try and get your attention to make you see things. Then it expects us to take it all with a smile and a “thank you”.
It is so very challenging, whether it is a health scare, a financial scare or relationship scare. Any and all of these things can land us in the corner crying for our mom or put us on that proverbial ledge.
The tools we have learned throughout our lives gives us an edge and a “hand up” if you will. We can use things like breath work to evade initial panic attacks and when hit with a traumatic situation.
We can fall back on understanding that good food 80% of the time is the best way to deal with the defunct need to something like, diving into bowls of Ben & Jerry’s or artificial cheese ladened nachos, burgers, and fries, followed by alcohol to numb us out to our discomfort.
Staying connected to these tools will help keep our bodies stay anchored and functioning at its best, even when we don’t feel our best. At stressful times our nervous system wants to short circuit and our minds are looking for any form of escape when trauma hits.
If we don’t have these tools set in place, then life becomes a tangled mess of issues. Because chronic and acute stress leads to our body (in all aspects) to dysfunction.
I have studied and lived applying these wellness tools for the last 12 years. If you have been a past client or have followed me, you know I have most recently had to apply all I have studied. Having open heart surgery in 2021 (and a follow up in 2022), has reinforced the need to have tools and practices in place all the time for relief of stress and taking the best care I can of my body.
The first new program is the Wellness Program. In this month-long program, we will team up to review your goals, build a plan that best fits your lifestyle while integrating new eating habits, stress reducing practices, find the best fitness program that will address your needs. If you already have a health concern that was diagnosed by a physician, with your permission I can work with the physician to monitor your progress. This is especially helpful if you are diabetic or on long term medications.
The other new offering is the personal stretching sessions. I will work with you to plan out the best routine to get you more mobile and relief of stiffness for your best game ever!
I have studied Active Isolated Stretching which helps ease the muscle into releasing before injury can happen. No one likes to stretch on their own, but it is one of the activities that gives you more benefits overall!
Stretching sessions are 30 mins and start at $35. I also offer a group class for $20. This Class is every other Sunday, and during the summer will be held at Woodland Mound Park at 9:30am. When you are ready to jump in call or text me for all the details!!
513.827.0079
One of the best and easiest tools you can start with is changing food habits. Think eating seasonally! Here is one of my favorite summertime “bowls” that is filling, delicious and just pretty to look at! I hope you try it and love it as much as I do!
Super Summer Bowl (adapted from The Happy Pear)
Serves 2
INGREDIENTS:
½ red pepper
½ sweet or red onion
1 cup mixed salad greens (I like arugula, frisee or mesclun mix)
A few microgreens
½ block firm tofu
2 tbsp tamari
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp vinegar
¼ cup mixed seeds (think pumpkin, sunflower, sesame)
12 cherry tomatoes
½ chopped cucumber
½ cup shredded purple cabbage
1 avocado
3 cups cooked farro (or other ancient grain)
1 15 oz can white beans (Great Northern, Cannellini or butter beans)
Pickled Radish
4-5 radish
3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
pinch salt
2 Tbsp (herb of choice, dill, fennel leaf, cilantro, basil etc.)
Lemon Aioli
½ cup Vegna Mayo
¼ Tahini
1 glove of garlic
2 Tbsp Lemon juice
2 Tbsp warm water
¼ tsp salt
- First start the grains, farro is a great chewy, nutty grain that adds another great layer to this bowl. Next make the pickled radishes by slicing them finely along with the herb of choice and add to a glass along with a pinch of salt and cover with the apple cider vinegar or vinegar of choice. Give it a mix and leave it to sit while you make the rest of your bowl. Then mix all the aioli ingredients in small bowl, taste and season, set aside in fridge.
- Slice the pepper and onion into long strips. Heat up a griddle pan or non-stick frying pan on high heat and once hot, fry the peppers on booths with no oil until they start to char around the edges, this will take around 5-7 mins. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- After pressing the tofu, slice into half and then slice each half into 6 or so squares. Add to the same hot pan. Sear or fry on both sides on high heat until it goes lightly golden brown. Mix the tamari, maple syrup and vinegar and add to the tofu. Move the tofu around to mop up the sauce. Turn off the heat and as the sauce starts to cool it will thicken and glaze the tofu. Remove from the pan and set aside. Keep the pan hot and add the seeds. Cook the seeds while stirring regularly until the sesame seeds start to pop, this should take about 4-5 mins. Remove from the pan.
- Drain and rinse the canned beans. Cut the avocado in half, remove the stone, spoon out the flesh and slice into long stips. Quarter the cherry tomatoes, slice or shred the cabbage chop the cucumber.
- To assemble the bowl, divide the leaves between the 2 bowls, carefully layer in the tofu, red pepper, butter beans, slices of avocado, cherry tomatoes, remove the radishes from the vinegar and divide between the bowls, sprinkle the seeds on top and enjoy!