Monday Musings 10.15.18

Happy Monday and Happy Fall!! Fall is the absolute perfect time of year in my opinion and I am happy to have had such an awesome season so far here in Spokane.

I have lots to report on this week and even a new addition to the family!

#1 Ollie the Aussie

We welcomed little Ollie into the family this last week! I am so excited to have my own puppy to raise and he has been such a blast so far! Even if he does wake us up 3+ times a night to go potty 😉

Ollie is a mini Australian Shepherd / Blue Heeler mix and is super smart. At 8 weeks old, he knows his name, how to sit and is getting potty trained! Since I don’t really plan on having children, this is the closest I am going to get!

I am excited to have a running buddy in the near future (though we have to wait until he is at least ~8 months old to prevent injury) and a cuddly little companion!

#2 Evening Primrose Oil

I have been experimenting with evening primrose oil for about 2 weeks now for the last two weeks of my menstrual cycle. So far I have noticed some slight benefits in the quality of my skin, lessened cramps and am excited to see what other benefits will show up!

Evening primrose oil has been long touted for its high content of the fatty acid gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) that can be beneficial for reducing PMS symptoms, brittle hair and nails, eczema and more! If you haven’t checked out my article on my journey to better periods and menstrual cycles head here. I am always looking for better (and holistic!) methods to reduce pain and discomfort surrounding my cycle.

It is recommended to take evening primrose oil the last two weeks (luteal phase) of your cycle to help with Omega3 to Omega6 ratios and reduce PMS symptoms, but as always, check with your doctor or functional medicine practitioner first!

#3 Lavender Essential Oil

I am becoming such a big fan of essential oils! Seriously, is there nothing they can’t do?! Lavender has a very calming effect and I love making a dilution solution and using it on my bedding so when I crawl in I am surrounded in lavender scent!

This oil is also great for dogs and pets who have anxiety (aka young puppies who struggle to sleep through the night still… cough… Ollie… cough). I have been putting a couple drops of the oil in Ollie’s kennel at night so he can start to wind down and have a comforting scent to fall asleep to. I have also put a hot water bottle heater in his kennel with the lavender essential oil to radiate some heat as well as the soothing smell!

Other uses for the lavender essential oil include relieving pain, reducing headaches, healing wounds and reducing anxiety! I have certainly noticed a generally calmer demeanor in myself when I use the lavender essential oil.

I’m really interested in oils and have started to collect quite a few! I wouldn’t be surprised if I sign up to sell them in the very near future as I am becoming SUCH a believer in all their benefits!

#4 Roasting Pie Pumpkins

Now this is just plain fun!! Double serving using the flesh for pumpkin purée, and then getting to use the seeds for roasted pumpkin seeds! It is so simple to do and creates a ton of purée!

I simply cut my pie pumpkin (1-2 pounds) in half down the middle, placed it on a baking sheet cut side down and baked it at 400 degrees for 40 minutes. I then scraped out the seeds and puréed the flesh to use for later! Stay tuned for what I used it in this week! Hint, it’s an AWESOME fall recipe that uses the Instant Pot so it’s super quick AND nutritious.

To prepare the savory-flavored pumpkin seeds I simply tossed the seeds with melted ghee (could use butter, coconut oil or olive oil) along with sea salt, a dash of paprika and a dash of chili powder! Roast at 300 degrees for 35 minutes and you have a super easy, Whole30 approved snack.

You could always go the sweet route and toss with pumpkin pie spice, coconut sugar and a little cinnamon. Totally delish!

#5 Tracking Progress (via Whole30 Day by Day)

You manage what you monitor. I’m a huge fan of using tracking devices to see progress and reach goals. Loving the journal-style entry that the Whole30 Day by Day includes, along with expert tips and reminders.

I used a homemade journal for my last Whole30 but decided to purchase one this round and am really glad I did! While progress isn’t always visible and it can be easy to forget how far you’ve come, writing down thoughts and feelings in a journal can be extremely helpful! Spotting patterns can also be much clearer, as well as being motivated to reach goals!

I am not a huge fan of the phrasing “on track” or “off track” because it can cause an all or nothing mentality. I don’t believe we should punish ourselves or feel guilty for “going off track” as long as we are still moving forwards towards our goals. The language we use with ourselves is incredibly important and the Whole30 Day by Day guide does a great job reminding us of that!

Monitoring creates an observational strategy to change habits and create more self-control in the areas we monitor. When we use tools to measure progress it can create more power and self-confidence. This can work in the areas of money spending, exercising, eating more healthfully, getting more sleep and other habits!

If you find yourself struggling to reach health goals, try starting a journal or hiring a health coach for more accountability! These are great tools to keep in your quiver to reach ultimate health!

Monday Musings 9.17.18

I am sooo excited for all things FALL! Temps are cooling off substantially here – 60s during the day and low 40s in the mornings for runs. It’s perfection. I am going a little bit crazy with all the fall flavors, but hey, it’s the best time of year right?!

To celebrate, I’ve been loving all things pumpkin, pumpkin spice, butternut squash and SO.MANY.SOUPS. Honestly, I’ve just been combining vegetables, homemade chicken bone broth and usually curry powder in the instant pot, let it do its thing and add some coconut milk at the end! They’ve all turned out really well, I just need to remember to write down a recipe I can share 😉

#1 Gelatin/ Apple Pie Gummies

I have been recently really into gelatin! Yes, the stuff you make jello out of! But it is stay with me here, the health benefits are through the roof!

Gelatin is full of protein and amino-acids that are essential for building blocks in the body. Generally derived from either animal bones or connective tissue (generally from cows) this tasteless powder gives structure and gelatinous texture, similar to an adhesive! Why might you want to consume this? Because the same thing that gives gelatin its texture, makes it extremely beneficial to when we consume it! Gelatin helps to form strong cartilage and connective tissue in our bodes and can help to give us elasticity.

In addition, gelatin can help to repair the intestinal gut lining and also improve digestion. Glycine is an amino acid that is very prevalent in gelatin and can help to restore a healthy mucosal lining in the stomach and balance digestive enzymes.

Since gelatin helps us build up collagen in our bodies, it can also reduce joint inflammation and pain. As we get older, our collagen stores naturally deplete but taking gelatin or collagen daily can help to mitigate this!

Gelatin is different from collagen because it is a form of hydrolyzed collagen, or in other words – it’s a form of broken-down collagen. Collagen can dissolve in hot and cold liquids while gelatin can only dissolve in hot liquids and creates a gel-like substance when cooled.

I found this recipe by Christina Rice and am in love! It combines gut healing benefits from gelatin and digestive benefits from apple cider vinegar. And they taste like apple pie!! No sugar added and totally beneficial for your gut. YES PLEASE.

#2 Pumpkin Spice Matcha Latte

I had a random thought the other day that I was a bit sad to be missing out on pumpkin spice lattes! Not the Starbucks kind, but one I could make at home with coffee + pumpkin + maple syrup and pumpkin pie spice! But since I’m not drinking coffee right now, I wondered if I could just add pumpkin to my morning matcha latte.

Turns out it works pretty well! I usually add a tsp. matcha to 16 oz. hot water in the morning. Then I add 2 scoops collage protein (or gelatin lately!), 1 tsp. ghee, pumpkin pie spice, ashwaghanda and a splash of coconut milk. I added in about a tablespoon of pumpkin purée and it turned out delish! Highly recommended if you are needing a seasonal upgrade.

#3 Chiropractic Care

I have been really searching out options to help heal my back pain from my car accident in December and going to the chiropractor was the next logical step for me! I am excited to be working with a chiropractor with a sports background so that I can hopefully get back to climbing and working out pain free.

I will also be adding in massages in hopes of loosening up some tightened muscles. Fingers crossed for this! I already have noticed some relief after the gentle adjustments and hopefully with consistent sessions I can keep improving.

#4 Enneagram Personality Test

If you haven’t caught on by now… I am pretty obsessed with taking personality tests and learning more about myself and how I operate. I think personality tests can be a really good way to get to yourself better.

I think as I get older I have stopped wondering if I should do something a certain way and now I just accept how I do things and try to understand why I do things the way I do. Gaining a better understanding of your inner workings can be eye opening.

For example, I am a type 8, also known as the Challenger. Super accurate to me and I am really not surprised to have this result. The Enenagram website says: “Eights are self-confident, strong, and assertive. Protective, resourceful, straight-talking, and decisive, but can also be ego-centric and domineering. Eights feel they must control their environment, especially people, sometimes becoming confrontational and intimidating. Eights typically have problems with their tempers and with allowing themselves to be vulnerable. At their Best: self- mastering, they use their strength to improve others’ lives, becoming heroic, magnanimous, and inspiring.”

Phew. That’s a lot to take in but really very accurate as to why I make a lot of the decisions that I do. Control is a constant theme in my life and I can usually more at ease the more control I feel I have. While I did kind of know this, it really helps to read it and to learn how other Eights might deal with this issue.

“We have named personality type Eight The Challenger because, of all the types, Eights enjoy taking on challenges themselves as well as giving others opportunities that challenge them to exceed themselves in some way. Eights are charismatic and have the physical and psychological capacities to persuade others to follow them into all kinds of endeavors—from starting a company, to rebuilding a city, to running a household, to waging war, to making peace.

Eights are the true “rugged individualists” of the Enneagram. More than any other type, they stand alone. They want to be independent, and resist being indebted to anyone. They often refuse to “give in” to social convention, and they can defy fear, shame, and concern about the consequences of their actions. Although they are usually aware of what people think of them, they do not let the opinions of others sway them. They go about their business with a steely determination that can be awe inspiring, even intimidating to others.

I would say this is scarily accurate. I’ve known these things about myself but sometimes it is hard to put into words. Having words around the topics creates an awareness of behaviors that I believe to be really helpful.

You can take a shortened test version here but the amount of information you get from the real test is SO worth it. The whole test is $12 and has 144 questions that really get you thinking! The link is here. If you know your type let me know what you are!! It’s so fascinating!

Monday Musings 9.3.18

Quick and easy is the name of the game today! Lots of work and packing to get done before the fiancé and I head off to Bozeman, MT for a week! We are doing a bit of a work “vacation” so not totally leisurely but I’m sure it will still be a blast!

Hope you are having a GREAT Labor Day!

#1 Figs

Stiiilllll obsessed with figs over here. I just am loving the late summer produce and have never really appreciated figs before now! I feel like I have been missing out biiig time.

Figs are great sources of fiber and are a good source of magnesium, calcium, manganese, copper and potassium! Not to mention they contain a fair bit of Vitamin K and B6.

I have made my amazing Paleo Harvest Bread, Fig Chia Pudding and Strawberry Fig Chia Jam! I am seriously loving all the figs I can get right now!

#2 Sunflower Seed Butter

I’m talking the suuuper delish homemade stuff! I am still following my seed cycling pretty closely (more here) and have been enjoying making my own sunflower seed butter.I find that soaked and dehydrated seeds work better for my digestion (more on the benefits of soaking and sprouting here).

I also like being able to control the sweetness level and whatever else goes into it! I have paired it with vanilla powder, a touch of honey and it is pure gold! Paired with my Strawberry Fig Chia Jam I am in heaven.

#3 Cinnamon Roasted Plantains

Game changer alert!! Instead of the typical savory plantains that I have been making, I decided to play to the natural sweetness of ripe plantains (dark brown or black color) by adding coconut oil and cinnamon! Roasted in an oven for ~30 minutes (flip once halfway!) they are pretty addictive!

I love plantains as a healthy source of carbohydrates and love that cinnamon can help reduce the insulin spike that can come with carbohydrates. Seriously, try it out, it won’t disappoint!

#4 Huney Jun Kombucha (w/CBD)

I talked last week about some of the benefits of CBD and am JAZZED to have found a type of kombucha with added CBD!

Jun is a type of fermented tea, similar to kombucha, but is brewed with only honey and green tea. Typical kombucha uses black tea and cane sugar for brewing. I have been absolutely loving the Huney Jun brand, they are based out of Leavenworth, WA, and can’t get enough!

I really love having a kombucha or jun after a hard workout and the added CBD has had a huge benefit on my recovery and how I feel the day after trying really hard climbing or running! I can tell my muscles are less inflamed and I am ready to try hard again the next day instead of feeling sluggish.

Monday Musings 8.20.18

Holy smokes Batman! It sure is hazy over in the inland northwest right now. Massive forest fires are creating a very low quality air situation. Since the air quality index is listed as “hazardous” by the EPA, I am doing my best to remain indoors for the time being!

Fortunately, that means I can still cook and bake 🙂 Some of the things that have really caught my attention this week include:

#1 Seed Cycling + Flax Seed Bread

Seed cycling is a really cool idea used to maintain an optimal hormonal balance in a woman’s cycle. The basic idea is that certain seeds are used during certain times of the cycle to help support the different hormones that are more present.

A quick run down of hormones during a female’s cycle:

Days 1-13 (menstural + follicular phase): working to boost estrogen

Days 14-28 (ovulation + luteal phase): working to boost progesterone

Basically, Day 1 is counted as the first day of menstruation and during this time, women are working to boost estrogen to encourage ovulation. Flax seeds and pumpkin seeds help during this time by encouraging extra estrogen production.

Days 14-28 or after ovulation has occurred is an important time to boost progesterone by consuming seeds like sunflower and sesame. The high content of zinc in sesame seeds and vitamin E in sunflower seeds can stimulate progesterone production and help to bind to and block excess estrogen in the body (more on that here).

Ideally, the seeds consumed during to two phases would help to balance hormones naturally.

Symptoms of “unbalanced” cycles can include:

• amenhorrhea (seed cycling could potentially help this)
• irregular periods
• heavy periods
• hair loss
• weight gain
• water retention
• thyroid issues
• PMS and mood swings
• headaches
• bloating
• and more!

For a really detailed article on all the downsides of estrogen-progesterone balance head here.

Now, the fun part! How do you incorporate these seeds into your daily life? The recommended dose is 1 tablespoon of each seed a day during each of the phases. It is also recommended that the seeds be ground instead of whole so that they do not pass through the intestinal tract still in tact.

Ground flax seed (also known as flax seed meal) can be put into smoothies, oatmeal, baked goods (like this DELISH bread I made from Elana’s Pantry) and much more! Pumpkin seeds can be made into seed butter, added to a smoothie, baked goods or taken raw!

Sesame seeds are great for making tahini (the seed butter version), tossing onto roasted veggies and can be a great addition to most baked goods. Sunflower seeds also make a really tasty nut butter and can be used in sauces, smoothies or eaten ground up. If you suspect digestion issues with any of the seeds, be sure to soak and sprout or dehydrate them first to limit the amount of phytic acid. More on why soaking and sprouting is important here.

#2 Delicata Squash

Okay, preeeetty obsessed with this cute little squash right about now. It’s been a lot cooler in the mornings and I am so excited for fall! One thing that never fails to remind me of fall is SQUASH!

Delicata is a perfect squash for roasting, steaming and the freezing for smoothies and for baking with! I am very excited to include it in some awesome baked goods coming up.

Delicata squash is an excellent source of fiber, is a great source for starchy carbohydrates (the body needs these!) and provides tons of Vitamin A and C. Try roasting slices coated in coconut oil and a sprinkle of cinnamon in a 400 degree oven for 25 minutes, flipping once half-way through!

#3 Bee Pollen

I have been using bee pollen in my smoothies consistently for a little over a month now. I love the slight sweetness and chew that the the pollen has!

Bee pollen is chock full of nutrition and really helps to boost the immune system, reduce inflammation and promote healing. Along with containing vitamins and minerals, bee pollen is rich in protein, enzymes, fatty acids and amino acids.

Superfood much?! I love adding it as a topping to smoothies but you can also use it on yogurt (dairy-free or not), or even on toast with peanut butter and honey! Double whammy.

#4 You are a Badass at Making Money by Jen Sincero

This book is AMAZING. Seriously, pretty life changing so far. I have not finished it yet but it has made a huge impact on my life already and the way I think about and treat money.

Jen is a super relate-able writer and has such a sense of humor when she writes! I love being able to relate to most of her stories and can really see myself implementing some of the exercises she lists.

I have noticed, for myself, the times I feel “my best” often coincide with the times I am making steps to work on myself and bettering my life with the help of books like Jen’s.

I haven’t yet read You are a Badass by Jen but I have heard many wonderful things about it! I am looking forward to finishing this book and reading the other in the future!

#5 Homemade Sugar Scrubs

Because self-care.

I love being able to control the ingredients inside my personal-care products! Sugar scrubs are super simple to make and totally customize-able.

I have been following this recipe and have loved having this scrub to use pre-shave in the shower! Sugar scrubs are amazing for exfoliating and removing dead skin buildup. And honestly, they smell SO GOOD. I have been making a pumpkin spice version to really get myself psyched up for fall!