The Chalkboard » Expert Weigh Ins

6 Spring Cleansing Tips With An Ayurvedic Expert

The Chalkboard — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 10:53:25 +0000

Round about APRIL the sunshine starts streaming in and we break out all the cleaning supplies we can. But internal cleansing during the change of season is just as important! We've asked wellness coach Nadya Andreeva of Spinach and Yoga to give us the 411 on cleansing from the traditional Ayurvedic perspective. Enjoy Nadya's insights here and enter to win a one-on-one consultation to ask her all your diet and nutrition-related questions! Spring is a natural cleansing season. Once it gets a little warmer, the human organism is wired to shed off extra winter pounds that kept us warm during the winter and flush out toxins that were accumulated from heavy cold weather foods. If you don’t recognize this natural pattern or worse try to resist it by loading up on heavy foods, it will lead to internal clogging – spring allergies, sluggishness, water retention, heaviness in the limbs, and seasonal affective disorder. Toxins or, ayurvedically speaking, ama, negatively affect all aspects of our being. If you notice that your tongue is thickly coated in the morning, that joint pain accompanies movement, that your nose feels stuffed even when you don’t have a cold, and that even the strongest anti-perspirant can’t prevent a strong body odor, you body is in dire need of a cleanse. Ahealthy rested body has plenty of energy throughout the day, a regular digestion, and glowing skin. No matter how clogged up we feel, the idea of starving yourself to cleanse is a little scary. However, detox doesn’t have to be stressful. All you need to do is to facilitate and support the natural cleansing process and the organs responsible for it. A simple nourishing diet without allergens, lots of hot herbal teas, enough rest, and a few other cleansing practices will allow your body to recharge and rest. Below are a few ways that you can support the cleansing function of each organ.

The Healing Journey: Finding Solutions Through Nutrition

Suzanne Hall — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 10:00:01 +0000

Amie Valpone is the kind of wellness warrior whose story we love to share with readers. When a major health crisis of her own taught Amie just how tough it can be to uncover the root of health issues, Amie's life changed forever. After years of struggle and some majorly tenacious digging of her own, she has discovered solutions for her own health and has set out to provide solutions for so many others. Now as a nutritionist, personal chef and Editor In Chief of The Healthy Apple, Amie helps so many others suffering from food-related health issues to find their way to a sustainably healthy lifestyle. We asked Amie to share about her own journey here, as well as to begin contributing her amazing gluten-free recipes for our Chalkboard readers. Here's Amie... The Chalkboard Mag: Amie, you had to work so hard and do so much research to get to find the root cause of your own health problems. What advice do you have for others who are also in the midst of the same process? Amie Valpone: At the young age of 25, I walked out of my corporate job in NYC to be rushed to a hospital and have a bone marrow biopsy performed 30 minutes later. Was I expecting any of this? No. Did I ever feel sick before this? No. But, interestingly enough my blood work when I was a child all pointed to chronic low white blood cells - which is what I still have today. Not one doctor in 25 years mentioned this to me or my family. Here I am 6 years later still with low white blood cells but feeling much better. After dealing with Western medicine-based hospitals, doctors and specialists - I had literally exhausted every option in NYC, Connecticut, NJ, NY, Philadelphia and and even the Mayo Clinic - I had no other choice but to go back to school and learn about Integrative Medicine. With the help of doctors who focused on Integrative Medicine I learned to heal myself without using drugs and really learned to listen to my own body - not just take drugs prescribed to cover up symptoms. My journey toward healing took over 6 years and I still am always seeing new Integrative Medicine doctors when I have a flare up or I'm not feeling well. My best advice is... Take your health care management into your own hands. Don't just get blood work or tests done and trust that everything is okay if your doctor says it is. Unfortunately, sometimes people overlook certain things- it's happened to me over 15 times in the past 6 years. Ask for a copy of your results anytime you have any testing done. I've had numerous doctors look at my results from 3 years ago and they still can't believe I wasn't told about levels that were high and low. You have to be your own doctor and take health into your own hands: find a doctor you trust, ask for copies of your tests and it can't hurt to get a second opinion! Listen to your 'gut' and go with who you feel is genuine and will help you. Find someone that is dedicated to YOU and will put their thinking cap on and help you instead of just seeing you as a number. Keep all of your records together. I have four binders filled with blood work, CT scans, x-rays, biopsies.... I learned from the beginning that not many doctors talk to each other so you have to be your OWN doctor and you have to take charge! Keep all your information together to bring to all your appointments from doctor to doctor and take notes.

TCM: Our culture's ideas about medicine and nutrition are changing. What trends are you most encouraged to see?

AV: I love learning about integrative medicine, which I have seen amazing results from. I spent 26 years of my life dealing with Western medicine and never saw results - they just kept pushing drugs such as steroids, water pills, etc. on me and put a 'band aid' on my symptoms instead of looking at what the cause of my pains truly was. With integrative medicine, I've actually experienced healing.

TCM: Are food sensitivities something everyone should be paying attention to or just those with certain conditions?

AV: Many people have food sensitivities but there are others, like my father, who can eat whatever they want! I always tell my clients to listen to their bodies after they eat certain foods. If they are going through bottles of over-the-counter stomach medication, then that should be a red flag. Not everyone has to be gluten-free or dairy-free but if you are experiencing symptoms or don't feel right - try cutting out gluten or dairy or soy or any of the other allergens to see if they are your issue. Then slowly introduce each one and see if your body reacts.

TCM: What are some of your favorite brands and resources?

AV: Vitacost for all my online shopping - delivered right to my Manhattan doorstep. I get everything from vitamins to organic salsa to miso and organic body care products there. A few of my favorite brands are Canyon Bakehouse Gluten-Free Bread, TruRoots Gluten-Free Grains & Pastas, Earthbound Farms Organic Greens, Navita's Naturals, Barlean's Chia Seeds and Barlean's Ground Flax Seeds, Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free Grains and King Arthur Flour Gluten-Free Baking Mixes. Whew!

TCM: What keeps you the most inspired in your work:

AV: My clients! I love helping them and teaching them how to eat 'Clean'. Seeing them eat real food and actually enjoy it makes me so happy and inspires me everyday! I am also inspired by my readers from all over the world at the healthy apple who tell me that I've inspired them and they are in pain or can't find an answer. I want to be there for them to 'virtually' hold their hand and tell them that everything is going to be okay and not to give up. Lifestyle and food changes take time and energy and lots of hard work, but it can be done and I am living proof that it's worth it!

TCM: If you could get just one element of your message across to your readers and clients what would it be?

AV: Don't give up- there is an answer. I spent 3 years dealing with a cancer hospital here in NYC who thought I had lukemia and were giving me bone marrow biopsies. I visited the Mayo Clinic, the best medical center in the world, and left with no confirmed answers. I never gave up. I kept fighting and I knew there was an answer and that I would find a way to heal myself with the right doctors. It's about staying positive and finding a doctor that you can trust who believes in Integrative Medicine and not just giving you a script for a medication to send you on your way. Watch for upcoming recipes from Amie and the healthy apple on The Chalkboard! To find out more about Amie, visit her site here.

The New Word On Sugar: Staying Alkaline With Healthier Sweets

Shelley Young — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 11:10:58 +0000

The year is still quite new and it's a new season to adopt a more healthy lifestyle. A huge part of the pH Miracle mission is to make healthy food that taste great! Most kids -and adults, who are just big kids - eat for taste, so it's really important that healthy food tastes good to or people won't stay with it. There is emerging research that cautioning us about our sugar intake. We have been taking sugars - even fruit sugars out of the diet of sick and tired people for many years because they cause high acidity in the blood and tissues. We already know that sugar causes diabetes and obesity, but too many people - even medical doctors - have yet to realize the significant role that sugar plays in acidic cancer cells and tumors and how they metabolize. We know that sugars proliferate yeasts, molds and bacteria loads in the bloodstream. We also see those same loads diminish in the blood when we take sugars out of the diet. As we all know, taking away sugar can be an adjustment. Something sweet simply tastes good. So, how do we at the pH Miracle Center keep our patients healthy and happy? Here are a few healthy and sweet tricks of the trade...

Valentine’s Day Sommelier: 3 French Champagnes + Why They’re Worth It

Suzanne Hall — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 11:00:40 +0000

Although we love our green juice with a passion, the Chalkboard team also has a soft spot for popping bottles of our favorite - perhaps Citrus 3-laced - champagnes. And no holiday inspires us to break open the bubbly more than Valentine's Day! For truly amazing, gift-worthy bottles we've stumbled across Henri's Reserve, one Frenchman's way of providing exceptional estate bottles of bubbly to his stateside friends. We asked Henri himself to explain what sets these 'estate' champagnes apart from the rest and why the heck they taste so good! Here are Henri's insights about what the French call terroir and his 3 favorite selections from the cellar! Terroir is one of our most impossible to translate French terms. Loosely translated, it means “sense of place” – the geography, geology, climate and soul of the land. "Excellent terroir" is a badge of honor. Foodies rave over it in artisanal coffees, chocolates, cheeses - and always wine. A chardonnay from an east-facing hillside vineyard in Napa can be very different from one in the Russian River Valley - mais non? Small family estate champagnes show you what every master sommelier is seeking: bubblies that express the unique terroirs of the finest estates in Champagne - something simply impossible to do with mass production! Champagne is made from one or more of three grapes: chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier. Blancs de blancs is 100% chardonnay, while blancs de noirs is 100% pinot noir. The dark-skinned pinot noir and pinot meunier are predominantly grown in two areas: the Montagne de Reims and the Valee de la Marne. The Montagne de Reims run east-west to the south of Reims, in northern Champagne. They are notable for north-facing chalky slopes that derive heat from the warm winds rising from the valleys below. The River Marne runs west–east through Champagne, south of the Montagne de Reims. The Valee de la Marne contains south-facing chalky slopes. Chardonnay gives the wine its acidity and biscuit flavor. Most Chardonnay is grown in a north-south running strip to the south of Epernay called the Cote des Blanc, including the villages of Avize, Oger and Le Mesnil-Sur-Oger. These are east-facing vineyards, with terroir similar to the Cote de Beaune. The various terroirs account for the differences in grape characteristics and explain the appropriateness of blending juice from different grape varieties and geographical areas within Champagne, to get the desired style for each Champagne house. We’ve chosen a few of our favorite houses for you below with a bit about the history of the unique terroir that brings the bubbly its most seductive notes.

4 Tips for a Healthy Cold & Flu Season

The Chalkboard — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 11:00:43 +0000

Want to stay healthy and strong through cold and flu season without compromising your all-natural values? It's tempting to abandon all when it comes to a case of the persistent sniffles, but we love these timely tips from Dr. Clement of the Hippocrates Institute. Dr. Clement has helped to popularize many of the natural treatments we now consider part of a normal healthy lifestyle, such as wheatgrass therapy. Here are 4 of Dr. Clement's simple recommendations for making it through the season in vibrant health! OSHA: Take 10 drops of this bio botanical every day. Osha root is commonly used as a therapy for cold and flu symptoms. The root has antiviral and antibacterial properties and, when taken at the onset of cold or flu, may help reduce the window of time in which symptoms are experienced. Osha root helps clear mucus from the sinuses and lungs by increasing expectoration; this relieves congestion and makes breathing easier. Apple Cider Vinegar: Twice a day mix two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with 8-12 oz. of water. This soothes the stomach, fights colds and gives an incredible boost of energy. Apple cider vinegar is available at your local grocery store. Sprouts: Use sprouted garlic and onion in your green veggie juice or in salads to cure the flu! Sprouted garlic and onions are available at most local health food stores. Garlic and onion boost cells in the body that destroy infection-causing viruses and bacteria. Cayenne: Sprinkle dried cayenne pepper on your salad at lunch, use it in your favorite dinner recipe or take 10 drops a day in liquid form. The active ingredient in cayenne is capsaicin. Capsaicin alleviates congestion and thins the mucus in your nasal passages so you can breathe again.

4 Tips For Bio-Individuality with Jared Koch of Clean Plates

Suzanne Hall — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 10:00:09 +0000

Whether you’re a conscientious carnivore, a vegetarian or going gluten-free, we love Jared Koch's Clean Plates site and cookbook for restaurant reviews, recipes and tips to help boost our health and keep our taste buds happy. Jared graduated pre-med from the University of Michigan and is a nutritionist and health coach certified by the Teachers College of Columbia University, Global Institute of Alternative Medicine and as well as another school we love, the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. We asked Jared to fill us in on a few of his ideas about what he calls "bio-individuality" and sculpting a healthy lifestyle perfect just for you. Vegan. Raw foodist. Vegetarian. Forager. Carnivore. The question isn't "Which should you be?" It's "Which one are you?" That's the basis for bio-individuality, which essentially means that we're all unique beings with unique nutritional needs. What's best for you may not be best for the person next to you (or even for other people in your family). And once you figure out the foods that make your body thrive, you'll be at your healthiest. Here's how to tailor your own custom-made, ideal diet: 1. Send dogma to the dogs. People often get caught up in the rules of a specific diet, such as vegetarian, raw foodist or vegan. But not every aspect of those diets may be right for you as an individual. Listen to your body: sticking to rigid rules can make us stop paying attention to our real needs. 2. Tune in. If you suffer from stomach upset, skin problems or chronic lack of energy, that could be your body telling you that its biochemistry is off - and that something in your diet isn't right for you. You may love wheat and eggs, but if they don't love you, it could be worth trying a change. 3. Experiment. If you're showing symptoms, you might try going off certain foods for three to four weeks, to see if they clear up. Common culprits include dairy, sugar, gluten and highly processed foods (because they can contain so many chemicals). Often, it's a chemical or a dye, not even a food group, that causes a sensitivity. 4. Cook something up. Trying out recipes from different dietary styles can also help you understand what your body needs. In the new Clean Plates Cookbook, we included recipes to suit everyone from raw foodists to meat-and-potato lovers (plus quite a few of those recipes come from celeb chefs like Jamie Oliver and Iron Chef winner Marc Forgione), so you can mix and match according to your taste. And remember the key tenet to bio-individuality: no matter how convinced someone is that their diet is right for you or how tempting an extreme diet may be, to feel your best, just be yourself.