4 Roots of Optimum Wellness

There are four essential parts to being healthy: Diet, Exercise, Sleep & Attitude.

Vitae Elixxir Healing Herbs

A proprietary combination of ten disease-fighting herbs used for more than 40 years and helping thousands of people with serious health issues.

Books by Author & Health Coach Chris Pedersen

In a world of adventure and imagination, kids’ books in print and digital that encourage a healthy lifestyle.

6 Tips to Lose Weight

Don’t count calories—take a serious look at the food you want to eat, then ask, ”Is this something that will give my body good health?”

Monday, November 25, 2013

Thanksgiving Dinner Menu

Thanksgiving is a time for family, good home-cooked food and remembering all we have to be thankful for. This year my family has much to be thankful for. As with every year, we will extend our gratitude and thanks to the One who provides our needs.
Give thanks to the LORD for he is good—his faithful love endures forever. Psalm 107:1
Here is my menu for Thanksgiving Day. Letting you know helps me wrap my head around exactly what I'll be doing.
  • Meatless Stuffed "Turkey"—Since I don't eat meat. May sound strange, but it's really very tasty. Stuffed with brown rice and spices. Trader Joe's and Tofurkey (including vegan gravy) are two brands I've prepared.
  • Steamed Blue Lake Green Beans—KISS certified. Always good on the holiday table.

Friday, November 22, 2013

Vegan Chocolate Pudding

Vegan Chocolate Pudding
For all you chocolate lovers, here is a simple and quick-to-put-together recipe for vegan chocolate pudding. Try it out and you may decide to include it in your holiday dessert line-up.

Make sure the tofu you purchase is organic or it will for sure be made from genetically engineered (GMO) soy. Also look for the Non-GMO Project Verified label—a third-party organization that provides verification of non-GMO food choices.

You can adjust the ingredients in this recipe to your taste and you won't mess up the results. What more could you ask for in a dessert? Simple. Easy. Adjustable. Yummy!

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Wisdom Wednesday

Tip:
I eat my veggies mostly raw, but usually have cooked veggies in the evening as a side dish to wild-caught fish or in soups. You might be surprised to know that some foods are more nutritious cooked:
  • Spinach—You absorb more calcium, iron and magnesium.
  • Tomato—You absorb more lycopene.
  • Asparagus—Nutrient content is higher in slightly steamed asparagus.
  • Mushrooms—Provide more potassium when cooked.
  • Carrot—Cooking carrots whole provides more vitamins than raw.
However, vitamin C is destroyed by too much heat. Plus enzymes are destroyed by cooking. You can replenish enzymes by eating cultured/fermented vegetables like raw sauerkraut. The side benefit of the cultured foods is loads of probiotics.

Thursday, November 14, 2013

10 Survival Tips for Eating Out

Survival Tips for Eating Out
© gpointstudio - Fotolia.com
If you're working at changing your lifestyle habits to be healthier, you may be reluctant to go out to eat because you' might blow your new health trend. Never fear! I've got some tips that will get you through. Make your food work for you by being proactive. Restaurants should be about service and accommodating your health needs.

Here are 10 tips to help you make eating out work for your healthy lifestyle:
  1. Plan ahead. Where will you be eating? Consider what meal options are available.
  2. Go online and explore the menu to discover possible selections. Look for a section of healthier choices.
  3. Ask for smaller portions. Restaurant portions are typically too large.
  4. Split your order. Share with a friend or spouse or take half home for another meal.
  5. For a lighter meal, check out the appetizers. I find many a yummy, healthy meal in the appetizer section. Warning! That's where all the fried stuff can be, so be wise.
  6. Order toppings and dressings either on the side or have them left off.
  7. Don't be afraid to make special requests. Keep them simple, which is what you want anyway. I do it all the time. At a 5-star restaurant I asked the waiter to have the chef lightly steam whatever veggies they had in the kitchen. They brought me a huge plate of lovely, assorted veggies.
  8. Tell the waiter to nix the bread or just take one piece and have the rest removed from the table. Remember! Bread is like sugar, especially white bread, and it ends up around your middle in the long run.
  9. If you've eaten healthy for the day (sticking to plant-based, non-processed foods) then don't fret too much over your meal out. It's not the amount of calories you consume, but the KIND of calories that matter. 100 calories of sugar is not the same as 100 calories of asparagus. Please tell me you get this…
  10. Limit any alcohol to one drink. It's empty calories (to use a familiar term) and tends to increase your appetite.
I felt like the Queen on our first cruise following my new diet changes. I marked my pre-cruise preferences with special diet needs. Upon arrival to our stateroom on board, I found an invitation requesting that I introduce myself to the head waiter. Searching him out in the late afternoon, I found him prepping the dining room. He showed rapt interest as I explained what I could and could not eat. He then suggested several alternatives for my evening meal.

Princess Cruises
When I arrived at dinner, the head waiter handed me tomorrow's menu, which allowed me to order my selections for the next evening with any changes I needed. For example, they made me cream of mushroom soup without dairy—it tasted better than the dairy version according to my husband who enjoyed a taste of everything.

As you can imagine, I became quite popular at our table as others wanted to know what's for dinner tomorrow.

Since I don't do sugar, I always passed as the waiter took dessert orders around our table. On the fourth day, the waiter set before me a piece of berry pie as he said, "No dairy. No sugar." The pastry chef had created a pie just for me. He took it on as a challenge, wanting me to enjoy one of his creations while my table-mates devoured his other wonderful desserts.

As for the buffet, which I enjoyed for breakfast and lunch, I loved it! The layout of beautiful, fresh-cut veggies made my day. I piled my plate with all the veggies I wanted. Many I don't have very often, like fresh peas. Oh… and since I stay away from the bread, pastries, and other things that create the fleshy roll around the middle, plus I exercise every day at sea, gaining weight on a cruise? Not an issue.

What do you find as temptation when you go out to eat?

Friday, November 8, 2013

Pumpkin Spice Smoothie


I know there are many of you who LOVE when fall arrives because it means Starbucks offers there enormously popular Pumpkin Spice Latte for the season. Well… I dare you to get out your blender and give this version a whirl. I'm guessing you'll be saving your $5.95 and go the DIY route from now on.

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Wisdom Wednesday

Tip:
There is a running controversy on whether to vaccinate your children or not with various pro's and cons on each side. For further information on the subject, check out the new documentary, The Greater Good, on DVD.

For the record, I chose not to have my son vaccinated as a child. He suffered no ill effects and was never denied entrance to any school. He is now a healthy 31-year-old.