Keeping It Easy When Things Are Hectic

For all of us, life gets crazy at times. Work demands, family needs, commitments…. life. When we have these moments in life, planning, prepping, and cooking healthy meals can fall down the list. We grab things that are easy and convenient. And let’s be honest, these foods typically do not nourish us. They tend to leave us feeling heavy, dull, tired, and foggy. Another espresso, please?

For me, when life gets a little overbooked, I try to keep things simple. I find this is a good time for intermittent fasting, if that works for you. I also find that drinking smoothies, bone broths, green juices, gives me the energy I need, and my digestive system a break (our guts are already angry when we are stressed). These foods leave me feeling lighter, more energized, and more clear headed. When I am really stressed for time, I turn to products that I know have great ingredients, and keep things simple. Plus- one less thing to think about! For me, Kroma is a good one. I just need to add hot water, almond milk, or some form of liquid to most of their products, and I know I’ll be running on high vibes all day. I generally with have one of their smoothies and vitality lattes for breakfast, a glass of essential greens mid-morning, and a bone broth for lunch.

With this new found energy and clarity, I can generally pull it together to make a simple, nutrient dense dinner for my family ;)

If you want to check out any of their products, you can go to MANNA PICKS. On there, you can also find a discount code.

Keep it simple, my friends!

Sound Healing

Sound healing is a therapeutic practice that uses sound vibrations to promote physical, emotional, and spiritual healing. The practice of sound healing has been used for centuries by different cultures around the world, and its popularity has grown in recent years as more people seek natural and holistic ways to improve their well-being. I have have many wonderful experiences with it myself, and look forward to sharing the experience with everyone who will be joining our next retreat!

One of the main benefits of sound healing is its ability to induce a state of deep relaxation. The sound vibrations produced by instruments such as singing bowls, gongs, and tuning forks can help to slow down the brain waves and reduce stress levels. This can lead to a decrease in anxiety, improved sleep, and an overall sense of calm and well-being. For anyone who wants to be able to meditate, but finds it difficult, I would recommend giving this a try.

Another benefit of sound healing is its ability to balance the body's energy systems. Sound vibrations can help to clear blockages and promote the flow of energy through the body, which can lead to a more balanced and harmonious state. This can help to improve physical health and reduce the risk of illness.

Sound healing can also be beneficial for mental and emotional health. The practice can help to release emotional blockages, reduce negative thought patterns, and promote a sense of inner peace and clarity. This can be especially helpful for people who are dealing with anxiety, depression, or other mental health challenges.

The human body is made up of about 60% water, and sound vibrations can have a profound effect on the way water molecules behave. When sound waves pass through water, they create ripples and waves that can cause the water molecules to move and vibrate. In the context of sound healing, it is believed that the vibrations produced by instruments such as singing bowls and gongs can create a similar effect in the water within our bodies. How cool is that! The sound vibrations can help to stimulate and energize the water molecules, which can have a positive impact on our overall health and well-being. It can help break down the body of toxins, and help move any “stuck” energy.

I am a HUGE fan, and suggest that everyone tries it out. If nothing else, you get to take a little rest, which listening to some beautiful sounds. Give it a try!

KETO KETO KETO

There have been hundreds of books written about the Keto diet over the past couple of years. While there are some incredible benefits that one can obtain through the Keto diet, there can also be many risks. A Keto diet should ultimately be used as a therapeutic tool, not a forever way of eating.

Let’s talk about one of the #1 benefits of Keto. It can create metabolic flexibility. Once your body is burning off ketones, you’ll ultimately see fat loss. Great! BUT- you need to be doing clean carb cycling, as well. The goal is to always keep your body guessing (and flexible). Not to mention, there are times your body NEEDS more clean carbohydrates: Heavy training, different times during a women’s cycle, etc.

You might also wonder why so many people have great results on Keto, while others don’t. This is because our bodies all metabolize things differently. They also can respond to saturated fats differently. Some bodies don’t do well with high fat, some don’t do well with high protein. This is why it is crucial to check for markers, to check your glucose and insulin levels, if you are doing the Keto diet. You want to check how your body is responding to different macro nutrients, because it will be different for everyone.

The other consideration should be the quality of foods you are consuming. If you are finding that you are doing well on Keto, please remember that your meats should not be processed (deli meats, sausage, etc). You need to be looking for grass-fed meats, wild-caught fish, and pasture raised eggs. Dairy should be organic. Otherwise, you are consuming a lot of hormones, additives, and other chemicals you do not want to be consuming!

While Keto can be also help us get our health under control (and reduce inflammation!), it is VITAL that we continue to eat the rainbow. The BEST thing we can do for our health, and to create a strong immune system, is to eat the rainbow. We have to be getting a diverse amount of phytonutrients, which comes from our plant-based foods, to ensure a healthy gut microbiome. This is why you have to have clean carb days- to ensure you are getting the health benefits of all plants- even the ones that are considered high in carbohydrates.

There are numerous “diets” people try. I would recommend seeing what is right for you, and know that what is good for you now, might not be good for you in 3 years. The most important thing we can do is to eat whole foods, not processed, and to eat a variety of them!

Again, Keto can be a great tool when used correctly. Obviously, this is a huge topic, with a ton of research out there. Here are a couple of quick resources for you:

INTUITIVE FASTING: I love this book by Dr. Will Cole, an expert in the Functional Medicine world. He talks about cycling your body through a state of ketosis in a healthy and easy way.

PODCAST: Dhru Purohit interviews a couple of amazing doctors with some thoughtful insight regarding the Keto diet, and metabolic flexibility.

Positive Vibes

Without question, these part two years have been difficult. For many, it has been extremely difficult to stay positive. But how are you doing now? Is the glass half full or half empty? Are you feeling hopeful, or are you having a hard time trying to find the light?

I tend to be a pretty optimistic person, but I’ve definitely had some highs and lows during the pandemic. There has been so much out of our control. The world has been a shaky and unstable place. BUT… I bring myself back to the two things that we do have control over: Our health, and our community/relationships.

If you read our emails, or follow us on social media, we hope that you have found our health hacks, courses, and tips helpful. We hope you will continue to take advantage of these offerings. Staying healthy and building a strong immune system is more important than ever.

Now, let’s talk community. We were all forced to retreat to some extent during the pandemic. We aren’t meant to do that for long periods of time. While it can be healing at first- providing some quiet time with our own thoughts- it becomes a dark and lonely place. I have been there- I have felt it. Then one day, I decided to open myself back up. I decided to stay away from the darkness, and to open my heart to the light- to hope. By doing that very thing, I became flooded with love. With positivity. With hope. This allowed me to give it right back to everyone around me. I did something I don’t normally do…. I let my community know that I needed their help and support. And I got it. I was lifted right back up. Whatever you put out in this world, you truly get back.

So…. Let’s show up for ourselves and for each other. Let’s take the time to check in with each other. Let’s fill this world right back up with all of the light and love it deserves.

TRAVEL ESSENTIALS

I am packing my bags for a quick getaway with a friend, and I couldn't be more excited! We often have the best intentions to stay healthy when traveling, but sometimes it is hard! Here are some of the things I always pack, to keep me on the right track, and to help me feel my best:

- A large water bottle. We lose a lot of water when we are in the air. The last thing you want to be when you arrive at your destination is dehydrated! I love my Hydroflask. I fill it up with my favorite electrolytes to ensure I'm fully hydrated and absorbing it all.

- I always pack a bottle of Lemon Essential Oil, and drink it first thing in the morning- before flying and while I'm on my trip. It's a great detoxifier, and a great morning ritual.

- Because our digestion can get a little funky after flying, I typically fast going into my flight, and wait until I land (and hydrate some more) before eating. If it's a long flight, or I really need something, I grab a Fast Bar.

- I don't like packing a bunch of vitamins and supplements when traveling, so I keep it easy with these individual sized packs of Athletic Greens. Super convenient and such a great way to get your pre and probiotics, and all the vitamins and minerals. Plus, they'll help keep you healthy and feeling vibrant!

- DoTERRA's hand sanitizing wipes are crucial! They help keep those nasty germs away, help build your immune system, and they just smell fantastic.

- A theraband is super easy to pack, for some gentle exercise and stretching. I also always back my 2 favorite balls for fascia release because our posterior fascia line and piriformis both get really tight from sitting on those planes. Foot Ball. Piriformis Ball.

- I also grab my Bose headphones and a new book and off I go! What are you currently reading?

SPRING SMOOTHIE

The weather is slowly warming up. Little buds are growing on the trees. I have visions of bikes rides, farmers markets, and glasses of rose with my friends dancing through my head.

I often get asked for smoothie recipes. Let's be honest, nobody wants to have an iced cold drink for breakfast when there is a foot of snow on the ground. Am I right?! But now, as Spring appears, our bodies are ready for it.

Now, we have all heard me say that we are suppose to be eating 9-13 servings of plants a day. 2 of those servings can come from fruit. Many smoothies you might find at your favorite juice shop go far and above 2 servings of fruit. And they will often top them off with honey! Now, I don't want you to be scared of fruit. Fruit is filled with phytonutrients and vitamins that we should be taking advantage of. I have 2 ways to cut the sugar in your morning smoothie:

1: Replace your fruit juice base with a non-dairy milk. Unsweetened coconut or almond milk are my go-to's.

2: Replace your banana with a cup of frozen cauliflower.

Yep, you heard me right. Frozen cauliflower. I PROMISE- you will not taste it. The cauliflower will not only make your smoothie more creamy, but will up the nutrients in your breakfast glass. It will also keep you from having a sugar crash... which leaves us looking for a second breakfast just an hour later. Here is one of my recipes:

SPRING SMOOTHIE

- 1 cup non-dairy milk

- 1 handful spinach

- 1 T. raw caco

- 1 T. almond butter

- 1 T. hemp seeds

- 1 cup frozen cauliflower

- 1/2 cup frozen blueberries

- 1 date (optional- if you need a little extra sweetness).

Blend and enjoy! You can also add some raw cacao nibs for an extra boost of antioxidants.

SMART GOALS

Ahhhh.... the start of a new year. We have big ideas. We set big goals. We feel pumped. And then... life. We get distracted, we get discouraged, and our goals seem to get farther and farther away.

To truly live a healthy lifestyle, we need to create habits. To create long lasting habits, we need to set SMART Goals:

- Specific

- Measurable

- Attainable

- Realistic

- Timeline

SPECIFIC

Think about the Who, What, Where, When, and Why. Make sure to prioritize your goals!

MEASURABLE

How will you measure your success? List objective and subjective ways.

ATTAINABLE | REALISTIC (resources)

Visualize your path. Make and list action steps.

Visualize your results. Make sure to have resources available.

TIMELINE

What is your timeframe for taking action on each step?

So, grab a journal and start writing- there is real power in bringing pen to paper. Share your goals with others- say them out loud from the mountain tops! Find ways to hold yourself accountable. Did you know at MANNA, we offer a customized app? We can keep track out WHATEVER you want. We can also set reminders. We can set up alerts to remind and to motivate you. If you are interested, let's set up a time to chat :)

And if you need help setting up your goals, let's schedule a health coaching session. Are you ready to start making real change?

JUST BREATHE

Breathing. If you have had a Pilates session with me recently, you have heard me talk a lot about it. Breathing is one of the 5 basic principles of Pilates- one that people have the most difficult time with. As exercises get more complex, we tend to forget all about how we are breathing- how it connects to our movement. That is why I have been pausing this week, and taking people back to the basics.

Pilates aside, taking the time to connect with our breath offers so many wonderful benefits. Breathing brings oxygen to the blood. It helps our muscles relax. If you have ever started feeling your blood boil, or your heart rate increase, just a few deep breaths helps your muscles release tension, and your heart rate slow down. It helps your physical stamina. It helps your mental clarity and focus. Breathing properly will also help your lymphatic system perform at an optimal level. Deep breaths help us release everyday toxins. Deep breathing also helps with our digestion. I have found it incredibly helpful to take a few deep breaths at various times throughout the day:

• First thing in the morning, before anyone wakes up. This changes my vibration for the entire day.

• Before each and every one of my clients. This helps ground me, as well as refocus my energy for the next session.

• Before I walk into the house, at the end of the day. This allows me to “wash” the day from myself, and bring nothing but love and presence to my family.

• Before every workout. This helps me connect to my body, appreciate what I am about to ask it to do, and most importantly…. keep my core firing!

So, back to Pilates. We know that we are suppose to engage our core when we exhale. But it is so much more than that. Feeling your diaphragm move downward as you inhale- feeling your lungs and ribcage expand- feeling your pelvic floor release (Yes, I said release. A strong pelvic floor is mobile, not tight)— feeling the oxygen move through your body- is crucial. As we exhale, we want to feel the pelvic floor life- the deep core muscles wrapping- and the spine lengthening. All of these actions need to go even deeper as we move, which helps us stabilize. I tell my clients as they are driving in for their session, it is a great time to focus on breathing correctly. Take a few minutes when you arrive at the studio, close your eyes, and breathe. When you truly connect to your breath like this, EVERYTHING becomes core work. This kind of deep core work is what we need. What we don’t need? 100 crunches. You will be amazed at how deep breath and core engagement will give you the strongest abs of your life! Mamas- this is absolutely crucial for us after having a baby.

If you would like to learn more, schedule a session to focus on this one very important principle. We can help you discover the proper way to breathe, recruit your deep core, as well as give you some exercises to practice at home.

Happy breathing!

DELICIOUS SOUPS

Who doesn’t love a warm cup of soup during the cold winter months? Here are two of my favorites:

Vegan Cream of Cauliflower Soup (from The Blender Girl)

I have a client who use to HATE vegetables. She hated cooking them, she hated eating them. Her joke was that she left home at 18 and never ate another vegetable. We worked on finding recipes that she would enjoy, and this was one of them. Super easy to make, with only 6 ingredients, and so YUM. Cauliflower is packed full of vitamins, antioxidants, phytonutrients, and is known for its anti-inflammatory effects.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves)

• 2 cups sliced leeks (white parts only)

• 1 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste

• 1 large head cauliflower, roughly chopped

• 7 cups vegetable broth

• 1/4 cup raw unsalted cashews (you can also use blanched slivered almonds)

• 3 tablespoons chopped chives, to serve

Instructions:

1. In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat and sauté the garlic, leeks, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt for about 3 minutes, until the vegetables are soft. Add the cauliflower and sauté for another minute.

2. Add the vegetable broth, increase the heat to high, and bring just to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, until the cauliflower is completely tender.

3. Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the soup to cool slightly; stir in the nuts.

4. Pour the soup into your blender in batches and blast on high for about 1 minute, until smooth and creamy.

5. Return the soup to the saucepan and warm it over low heat. Stir in salt to taste.

6. To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with either chopped chives or grated nutmeg.

   Curried Red Lentil Soup with Lemon (from Vegetarian Times)

   The name alone makes me hungry! I love a good lentil soup. This is by far my favorite, and is the easiest to make! As you can see, I am all about easy when it comes to the kitchen. With protein packed lentils, a few servings of veggies, and lots of great spice, this makes for a nutrient packed meal.

   Ingredients:

   • 2 cups red lentils, sorted and rinsed

   • 1 qt. low-sodium vegetable broth

   • 1 large onion, finely chopped (2 cups)

   • 4 celery stalks, finely chopped (1 1/2 cups)

   • 2 large carrots, finely chopped (1 1/2 cups)

   • 2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)

   • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

   • 1 Tbs. curry powder

   • 1 tsp. ground cumin

   • 2 Tbs. lemon juice

Instructions:

1. Bring lentils, vegetable broth, and 4 cups water to a simmer in large pot. Skim away foam that rises to top. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Add onion, celery, carrots, and garlic; simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes. Add cilantro, curry powder, and cumin, and cook 20 minutes more, or until lentils are soft.

3.Season with salt and pepper, if desired, and stir in lemon juice.

*** I like to put at least half of the soup (in batches) in the blender before giving it the final seasoning. If you like a slightly creamier texture, I recommend giving it a try!

Enjoy!

ACCOUNTABILITY

Accountability

Why do we all seem to perform better when someone is looking over our shoulder? I started ballet lessons when I was 4 years old- which led me into a professional dance career. I would say I have pretty good self-disciple. I would say I am pretty motivated. But when it comes to exercise and healthy eating, it is always so much easier to talk ourselves out of things, rather than into things.

I got on the treadmill this morning at 5AM. This is not something I love doing, but being a mom of an early rising 2 1/2 year old, it’s the only chance I get. I was running speed intervals and was pretty exhausted come mile 4. I almost stopped. But, I remembered that my Apple Watch was running my Strava app. I knew my Strava connections would be seeing my stats. And with that little bit of accountability- I ran even faster for another mile.

I know after the holidays we all are motivated to clean up our diets. That bit of extra bread and wine I consumed left me feeling less than awesome. So, I decided I would be removing all gluten, dairy, sugar, alcohol, and processed foods from my diet for a couple of months (except for a fabulous glass of champagne on my birthday). How easy is it to have a nibble here and there of the things I have chosen not to eat. VERY EASY. So, I said my plan out loud to my husband- and to all of you. Again, accountability.

I know we all have new goals for ourselves in this brand new year. Shout them from the mountain tops! Get your friends, partners, family, and co-workers to join in. There are some awesome apps out there that connect you with your community- for both exercise and nutrition. At MANNA, we even have an app we personalize just for you. I comment, answer questions, send out alerts and notifications….. What ever you need to keep you motivated on on track.

We also have a group elimination plan coming up, if you need the extra guidance and support. Feel free to reach out if you would like more information.

So let’s go! Share your workouts, food swaps, and achievements you have @manna.pilates.health We are stronger together! #strava #applewatch #motivation #mannapilatesandhealth #community