When I came back from a semester studying in England, newly vegetarian, I was fortunate to take a nutrition class and learned lots of good stuff, including how to properly nourish my body.

One thing I learned from the class that always stayed with me is that our bodies need nine essential amino acids to grow and, as we are unable to produce them, we must take in these amino acids through food. As animal proteins have all nine, they are are called “complete proteins.” Proteins that come from plant have different amino acids, and very few of them contain all the essential ones, so plant proteins are considered “incomplete” proteins.

It was a huge relief to subsequently hear the professor explain how we can combine different plant proteins to get all the essential amino acids necessary for our bodies to grow healthfully.

I was also glad to learn you don’t even have to eat the combinations of foods at the same meal, you can spread them throughout your day. Working together is a beautiful thing! Take it from grains and legumes… which are known as “complementary proteins” as when combined, they can provide all of the essential amino acids your body needs.

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Legumes are foods such as lentils, dry beans, soy beans, chickpeas serve as a delicious base to many soups, while nuts and seeds are the crunchy toppings for salads or wholesome goodness in an energy bar.

Grains are getting a bad rap these days because of the gluten thing, but there are still so many varieties we don’t always think of, like buckwheat, quinoa, oats, polenta, millet, and of course rice. All of those listed are gluten free!

Combining complementary proteins comes naturally to us. Look at rice and beans, fried rice with corn and peas, peanut butter sandwich, barley and lentil soup. Once you start loving these foods, the possibilities are seriously endless.

• Crunchy Thai Peanut and Quinoa Salad
• Edamole and Baked Chips (Edamole is like quacamole, but made from Edamame beans)
• Black Bean Salsa with Blue Chips
• Green Pea Buckwheat Risotto

Without even realizing I was mixing incomplete proteins, I’ve been eating nuts for breakfast for years. The combination varies, but generally includes at least 5 of the following: soybeans, dried edamame, almonds, wasabi peas, sunflower seeds, watermelon seeds, sesame sticks, and dried cranberries.

I mix these all up and put in glass jars in the cupboard. I just pour out a half cup in a small bowl to eat with my mid-morning glass of water. When I’m hungry between meals, or when I come back from a run, I often find myself reaching for the mixed treasure. If you are looking for another way to combine your proteins, I highly recommend mixed seeds and nuts.

For you visual learners, here is a great resource I want to share. It is a chart that shows you which amino acids specific legumes and grains have so you can mix and match to get your complete set of essential amino acids. Hopefully it’ll spark some additional ideas of what you can make to build your complete set of amino acids for today. Comment below on what you’ll combine next!

I love the book Veggie Protein Power by HurryTheFoodUp. The recipe for Chile ‘Con’ Carne is a great example of combining plant proteins! The $4.95 ebook is totally worth it!

Veggie Protein Power book by HurryTheFoodUp    (buy here)

Holistic medicine has gained popularity over the years as something more beneficial and healthier than traditional medication. So much so that more stores are beginning to carry many varieties of natural medications.

While experts debate on which form is better, research has shown that holistic medication has optimal benefits that support wellness, health, and longevity.

When we think back to our ancestors, all they used were the tools provided by nature. While we don’t have all of the answers regarding their health, we have a pretty good idea about their routines and how their practices benefitted them.

If you’re contemplating whether or not to make the switch to a purely holistic lifestyle, consider the many benefits of incorporating even some holistic medicine into your wellness routine.

Reducing Chemicals Is Good For Your Mind

Most traditional medication, fragrances, and deodorants have harmful chemicals that are filled with dyes and cancer-causing agents. Exposing yourself to these chemicals on a regular basis decreases your overall health.

In addition to ruining your physical health, a majority of these chemicals play a vital role in diminishing your mental health. Side-effects of many traditional medications involve anxiety, depression, and even panic. Natural remedies, however, have minimal side effects and work to improve the brain as opposed to killing it.

On the topic of minimal side-effects, holistic forms of healing are known to have less severe side-effects when compared to traditional medication. With that said, it’s best to always ask your doctor about weaning off of your current medication before making the big switch.

Since some traditional forms of medication come with a detoxification process, it’s best to know ahead of time what to prepare for. As mentioned, never take yourself off of your medication abruptly as this could have dire consequences.

It’s From Nature

Holistic medication is from Mother Nature herself. Herbs and oils have not been manipulated beyond recognition. They may have a few additives for flavor or preservation purposes. But, as a whole, they’re pretty clear. They’re usually at their purest form and deliver medicinal benefits without altering your health

Choosing herbal supplements that are closest to what you would find in nature is best for increasing longevity and improving vitality. If you’re on the hunt for natural medication, make sure you’re choosing items that haven’t been excessively tampered with.

The Quality Is Better

Traditional medication is made in bulk. This leaves room for error and recalls. Since holistic medication requires more time and effort, it eliminates room for error and improves the production process.

The likelihood that you’ll receive a natural item that was thrown together is unlikely. Most items take a long time to gather and compile. Therefore, when you purchase natural medication, you know you’re purchasing quality items.

You’re Reducing Pollution

When you take traditional medication, eliminating it through the body comes with a price to our precious environment. As you release toxins, the chemicals found in those medicines are released into the environment through our sewage system.

This means nothing is truly getting re-used and broken down for the betterment of society. However, when natural medication is released from the body, it goes back into the earth and is able to be used again. It’s not harmful or invasive. This makes holistic medication an ideal choice for wellness and healing.

The benefits of going the holistic route as opposed to traditional medication far outweigh the risks. It’s better for your mental and physical health as well as the environment. Prior to implementing holistic medication into your regular diet, please consult with your healthcare professional. They can provide you with the support and guidance you need the safely make the transition.

If you are interested in learning more, download this free report:

As the life expectancy continues to rise as it has for the last century, the percentage of the population that we are seeing with problems that we associate with an aging brain such as dementia or Alzheimer’s continues to grow. By 2050, the percentage of the population that is age 60 and older is expected to triple, and, as a result, there is an expectation that dementia and other neurodegenerative diseases will also increase (World Health Organization).

Finding the path to slowing the cognitive effects of aging on the brain will be critical to the sustainment and quality of life for our aging population.

Science and Meditation

Science shows that meditation can decrease the rate at which our brain is aging. Age triggers a natural aging process of our mind. The cortex of our brain coats the surface of the cerebrum and cerebellum. Think of the cortex is commonly referred to as “gray matter” and it has the responsibility of processing information.  The gray matter in our brain shrinks over time and leads to memory loss, verbal changes, and a decrease in the ability to process some forms of information.

Recent research shows that there is a correlation between age and brain gray matter in those who consistently practice meditation long-term. In fact, meditation can help us to preserve cognition, maintain the health of our brain tissue while also reducing the risk for conditions like dementia or Alzheimers.

Meditation and the Aging Brain

Meditation is useful in helping you to manage depression, stress, anxiety or pain. Studies show that mindful meditation is particularly helpful in supporting brain health through telomere elongation, hemodynamics, and cerebral blood flow.

In one study, 33 individuals who regularly practice meditation were asked to participate in a study looking to examine the effects of regular meditation habits on the brain. The study demonstrated that individuals who regularly engaged in the continued practice of mindful meditation experienced multiple benefits including increased sensory perception and sensitivity, and emotional awareness (Laneri, Schuster, Dietsche, Jansen, Ott, and Sommer, Effects of Long-Term Mindfulness Meditation on Brain’s White Matter Microstructure and its Aging).

Another study analyzed the link between age and cortical thickness. That study demonstrates that meditators have a thicker cortical layer than those who do not indulge in meditation, and was even similar to that of a 20-to-30-year-old (by Lazar et al. Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness).

A third study evaluated the link between age and total gray matter volume as well as local gray matter volume. Those individuals who did not participate in meditation experienced a loss of gray matter over a period, while those who did engage in meditation had a gain of total gray matter (by Pagnoni, Age effects on gray matter volume and attentional performance in Zen meditation. Neurobiol. Aging).

This research demonstrates that meditation ignites a biological response in brain aging and neurodegeneration. It may slow, stall, or even reverse age-related brain degeneration.  (by Luders et al., Forever younger: potential age-defying effects of long-term meditation on grapy matter atrophy).

In Summary

We are all growing older each day. Although we cannot stop it from happening, we may be able to take action based on the scientific evidence to slow its impact on our brain. There is still a great deal of research to be done to examine further the positive effects that meditation may have on the health of minds. It is a cost-effect approach that has the opportunity for integration into our everyday health routines.

Meanwhile, you can take the first step to add routine meditation practice into your daily regimen to begin reaping the benefits of reducing age-related brain deficits.

If you find yourself struggling to find peace and understanding in your daily life, it might be time to adapt a meditation practice. This short ebook covers aspects of meditation and self-discovery, introduces the “Rainbow Meditation Technique” and reviews the benefits of meditation. 

Buy Now

When you feel physically and mentally drained, it might actually be from having a disorganized home and work environment. There are scientific studies that clutter causes mental stress because it creates negative energy in your office or home, but having stuff piled around your home is also physically dangerous due to the risk of injury. Here are some of the benefits from organizing to give you more energy.


Saving Time

When You Try to Find Important Documents 

If you spend several hours looking for an important document when you need it, then this is a waste of your time. You may have valuable documents located in different places of your home, but this is a poor way to organize. All of your important documents should be located in one filing system, and you should also have your children’s documents organized. It is a good idea to have these documents in a fireproof container to protect the items.


Making It Easier to Get Ready for Your Day

By organizing the closets in your home, you can get ready for your day quickly. If your bedroom closets are bursting with piles of garments, then you may feel exhausted before you begin your day at home or at work. Organizing your closets can take several days, but when you get rid of excess clothing, you can store what is left by types of garments or by outfits. Getting dressed quickly in the morning or for an event later in the day can give you a boost of energy.


Keeping a Home Cleaner Faster

It is important to keep your home clean, but if you have a disorganized home, then dusting, mopping and vacuuming can take a long time to complete. However, when your home is organized, you can complete your household chores as fast as possible. Rather than feeling depressed about spending an entire day cleaning your home, you will feel energized because you can sanitize everything in only a few hours.


You Can Lose Weight with an Organized Home

If you take the time to organize your home, then you can lose weight. There are several reasons why this occurs, including feeling less depressed because your home is organized and easier to keep clean. In addition, with a cleaner and more organized kitchen, it is easier for you to prepare healthier meals rather than eating bags of potato chips or going to a restaurant for calorie-heavy comfort food.


Making You More Productive at Work

When you have a messy desk or work area at your job, it can drain the energy from you before you begin your day. To have more energy at work, organize everything by getting rid of excess papers, broken tools, and outdated items. At the end of each day, remove the clutter from the area so that when you arrive the next day, you can begin working in a clean place, giving you a huge boost of energy.

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I’ve been wanting to share my second favorite Evolv product: Fuel. It is a lemony yellow drink that replaces my craving for coffee in the morning, gives me super energy, and provides me with a great sense of calm.

Fuel has 82g of caffeine from green tea extract, natural lemon flavor, no artificial sweeteners, or flavors, or colors. I heard they use turmeric for the yellow color. It is super sweet, so sometimes I drink it in the afternoon rather than having something with sugar.

Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) is produced naturally in your body’s cells and helps the body transfer energy. Evolv’s revolutionary ingredient in Fuel is ElevATP™ which can increase blood ATP levels as much as 64% with no increase in lactic acid and no increase in free radicals (oxidative stress). Read the study.

Fuel comes as a powder that you add to 10 or more ounces of water. Read more about Evolv products. Or let me know if you are interested in a sample, as I’m always happy to share my beloved Fuel!

Alright, I realize I’m serious behind on some very interesting topics out there, but this headline from 2003 confirmed something I’ve been wondering lately.

“Exercise has a more powerful impact on the brain than previously thought; may lead to improved treatments for disorders such as spinal cord injury” 

I’ll summarize the lengthy article, which covered several studies that indicate exercise has a greater impact on the brain than previously thought.

Exercise goes beyond helping your muscles. Exercising regularly helps reduce symptoms of depression. The increase in blood flow to brain plays a great part in this. This is important not only for the healthy among us, but also for the individuals recovering from vascular injuries and trauma and must spend significant time in bed.

The article shares findings from several experiments, in which mice, Macaque monkeys, or humans performed various exercises.

Cleveland Clinic Foundation’s study found that when elderly patients put mental focus on the exercise they performed, they became 15% stronger, as compared to the group that only exercised who gained 3% strength.

An earlier study, also lead by Dr. Guang Yue, showed that people who performed mental workouts only (no physical movement), were measured to be 13.5% stronger than their counterparts who did no such thinking. The power of our brains is amazing.    

The doctors involved believe that this is a big deal for patients who have long roads of physical therapy ahead of them. They predict that recovery times will be faster using this technique.

There is a particular interest in looking at the recovery from spinal cord injuries, as approximately 11,000 people in the U.S. yearly sustain a spinal cord injury.

One of the mice studies showed that mice who were given access to (flat-surface) running wheels before a spinal cord injury (I know, science, right?) reached a higher level of walking compared to their neighbors who did not have the running wheel in their cage before the spinal injury. Next study for them is to watch the recovery time with a running wheel after the spinal surgery.

The of the researchers in a University of California-Irvine study, Carl W. Cotman, PhD, said, “Translated into human terms, it means that individuals who are appropriately physically active may be able to protect themselves from depression — or be less depressed or relieved from depression — if they are physically active.”

Another study at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center showed that patients who incorporated exercise into their recovery saw a greater reduction in the symptoms of major depression than those who relied on medication alone.

The article also mentions a University of California-Irvine study (this is the macaque monkey one) that “demonstrated that regular aerobic exercise increases the number of capillaries in the motor cortex, a small area on the outer part of the brain that controls voluntary muscle movements.” The increased volume of capillaries leads scientists to believe the brain can help heal itself, inspires further research to see how exercise might help reduce the effects of aging, and increase recovery rates in patients of all types.

So when you are out walking, running, or inside lifting weights or even yoga, you might put some mental effort into your movements if you want to get stronger. Or if you are stuck in an airplane for many hours, try closing your eyes and imagining yourself performing your favorite exercise. I’m sure you can’t build your muscles mentally overnight, but these list of studies sure gives hope that our minds can put us in the direction of healing bodies!

In our ever-rushing society, we all have too much on our plate, never enough time, and an increasing level of stress. We’re taxed and feel the pressure to perform and meet the demands of our daily lives.

It is important to take steps every day to ensure you keep stress under control.

Exercise – or at least Move More

There are been enough studies on this for you to know and hopefully believe that exercises is good for us. Endorphins released after we exercise just makes us feel good. Any moderate amount of movement is good. Walking is probably the best way to start if you have been sitting for too long. If the stress is coming from your computer, walking is a great release. Especially if you can get outside and breathe fresh air.  

Dial Down the Caffeine

Caffeine gets most of us through the day. Especially when we are suffering from a lack of sleep. It just feeds the cycle. As a stimulant, it increases adrenaline in the body, which you might know is a stress hormone. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress/art-20046037

Listen to Uplifting Music

Music serves as therapy for some people. Listening to relaxing music has been shown to lower blood pressure, heart rate, and anxiety! Playing music that makes you happy can actually lift your mood, which naturally causes you to relax. What’s more, singing can greatly improve your mood. Just check out this Time article Singing Changes Your Brain.

Be Grateful

This one should become completely natural for you. Take note of the very simple things in life that might be taken for granted. An example: when you are grumbling in your head about having to exercise, take a moment to recognize how amazing it is that you have the ability to walk and move your fully functioning body. Or: When you are asked to do one more thing when your task list is already maxed out, take a breath and be thankful you are needed. At the first sign of a negative, stress-filled thought, try to train yourself to immediately think of one thing that gives you calm.

Journal or Talk to Someone

Journaling can be very therapeutic. But it can also be harmful when you use it to “vent.” Venting, or sharing your complaints, is actually counterproductive from the Law of Attraction standpoint. The more negative you are, the more negative you’ll stay. Even when you are having a hard day, find something positive to share with a friend, or to write in your journal. This goes hand in hand with the mindset in the Be Grateful section above. If you are going to talk/write about negative or stressful situations, try to tap into how the situation makes you feel. The better you can connect to your emotions, the easier it will be to remove stress from your life.

Obviously an excellent way to deal with stress is just to keep it away completely! Once you can accept that you can’t control everything in your life, the easier it will be to keep a positive attitude.

Also, do what you can to relax, but try to find relaxation that doesn’t involve your computer or the TV. Play a board game, take up knitting or drawing, read a book, take a walk around the block. And don’t balk at the idea of taking a nap. Sometimes a lack of sleep is what is making us susceptible to stress in the first place.  

Being present in your daily life is very important, and taking a moment to take stock in the goodness that shines on you will help reduce that stress into a manageable portion.

“The countries with the highest rates of osteoporosis are the ones where people drink the most milk and have the most calcium in their diets. The connection between calcium consumption and bone health is actually very weak, and the connection between dairy consumption and bone health is almost nonexistent.” ~Amy Lanou Ph.D., nutrition director for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine in Washington, D.C. [source]

Myth #1: Milk is the best source of calcium

Orange juice, figs, chia and sesame seeds, tofu, and spinach have almost as much or more  calcium-per-serving as milk. It has also been argued that children should only drink their mother’s milk only up until they are three years old, as at that age they no longer produce the enzyme lactase, which means they cannot digest milk and cannot break down the casein (milk proteins), thus are not able to absorb calcium from milk. 

This study from Sweden traced over 100,000 men and women over 20 years to show that higher consumption of milk resulted in higher mortality and hip fractures among women.

Studies in the field of exercise show that weight-bearing and balancing exercises such as running, walking, dancing, yoga, and tai chi are actually beneficial to maintaining strong bone health.

Myth #2: Milk makes our bones stronger

This is probably the worst myth out there. This article is a must read. It explains how milk actually depletes the calcium from your bones.

Your body maintains a a level of calcium in the blood, and when your body doesn’t get enough calcium from your diet, then it starts to pull calcium from the bones. If you eat enough calcium from other sources, you don’t have to worry about drinking any milk.

Furthermore, it is suspected that the high protein in milk can actually lead to osteoporosis, due to its increase of acidity in the blood. Our bodies are complex. Not everything is as simple as a commercial makes it seem.

Myth #3: Milk is natural and “healthy”

If you consider that milk is a processed food and couple that with the absolutely unnatural diet cows are being fed, you might reconsider how natural milk really is.  

Milk-free kids are shown to be less likely to develop colic, ear infections, asthma, and Type 1 Diabetes! The American Academy of Pediatrics doesn’t recommend cow’s milk for children younger than one.

Milk’s high levels of saturated fat in fact make it one of the worst things to include in your diet. Dairy products contain dietary cholesterol, which increases the risk of heart disease, and the added calories of milk doesn’t help in the problem of childhood obesity.

It might take some time to get used to it, but you’d be well to start replacing your cow’s milk with a plant-based variation so that you can keep your body at its optimal health.

This article isn’t for everyone, like those with unresolvable eye issues. It is for people who have either lived with for a while, or are now starting to experience blurry vision — both nearsighted or farsighted.

I am excited to share with you some tips on how eye exercises can strengthen your eyes and improve your vision. I’ve been fortunate to have good vision for most my life. In graduate school, when I was spending a significant number of hours reading and writing on the computer, I noticed that I couldn’t see far away as clearly as I had in the past.

My yoga teacher at the time showed us a few techniques for relieving stress in the eyes. Because she was amazing and brought so many good things to my life, I thought, yeah, I’ll give it a try. I proceeded for the next several weeks to dedicate a short time every day to performing a regimen with my eyes.

Long story short: I started leaving my glasses at home when I went to my classes. My sight had improved enough that I could see the blackboard clearly, even from the back row.

Our modern life is full of reasons why our vision is failing: spending hours and hours on the computer or phone, watching TV, spending long periods under fluorescent lighting.

Glasses and contacts are an amazing invention, but once you start wearing them, your eyes don’t have to work as hard, which in turn worsens your vision.

Give these exercises a try for a month and watch how strong your eye muscles can be!

1. Palms

Rub the palms of your hands together fast for a few seconds to generate some heat. Then cup your hands around your orbital bone (the bone around the eye socket) and leave them there for 30 seconds. While your hands cover your eyes, keep your eyes closed. Enjoy the break your eyes receive. Warm your hands and cup your eye sockets three times.

2. Clock

Seated comfortably and without moving your head, move only your eyes to look up as high as you can — that’s 12 o’clock. Then move your eyes clockwise to go all the way around the clock: from 1 o’clock, back up to 12. Keep you eyes looking as far to the edges as you can. Go 3 times around clockwise, then 3 times around counter-clockwise. This should be done as slowly as possible.  

3. Focus

By mixing up what you are looking at helps improve your eye muscles. Bring a pen to just in front of your eyes with your right hand, then hold another pen with your left hand at arm’s distance. Focus on the close pen, then the pen a couple feet away, then on a point across the room, and then at a point outside a window. Position yourself so that you don’t have to move your head for this. Look at each of the four spots for two seconds, and rotate through these points for about 2 minutes total.

4. Zoom

Extend your arm out while holding a pen. Slowly bring the pen to 2-3 inches away from your face, all the while keeping the pen in focus. Slowly move the pen back to an arm’s distance, again, keeping your eyes focused on the pen. Repeat this several times.

5. Blink

I was surprised to learn that when we are looking at a computer/phone screen or reading we blink less than when we are looking at things further away. [Check out this cook study on spontaneous eye blink rate.] Dry eyes can lead to blurry vision. You can help your keep your eyes moist by blinking several times very quickly. Blink 10 times, then sit with your eyes closed for 20 seconds. Repeat this exercise 5 times. 

Train your eyes to use their full functioning and you will be surprised how how strong you can make them! There is also  the 20-20-20 rule… Every 20 minutes look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. This helps to give your eyes light exercise throughout your day.

Keep your eyes strong and in good health and before long, you too, might be able to ditch those glasses!

Before I started holding Vision Board workshops, I did a lot of research on the topic so I would be best equipped to share valuable techniques with the participants.

At some point in the research, I stumbled upon a video featuring the multi-talented Patti Dobrowolski at a TED talk she did in Rainier several years ago. If you have 10 minutes, I recommend checking out the powerhouse in this video where she shows us simply how to draw our own desired future. 

It is really so simple: first get clear on your current reality. If you are working for someone else who does not value your contribution to the team, or if you have an non-ideal relationship, or even if you just want to find friends with whom you can “have more fun,” envision your life void of soul-crushing situations.

Next: Draw out your current situation. Then draw your ideal, desired reality. Once you have those two basic drawings, Dobrowolski outlines the (simple) three bold steps you must take to step into your desired reality.

1. See it.
2. Believe it
3. Act on it.

It is seriously so simple. Know what specifically you want to have in your future. Drawing it helps you to visualize it. Even if your people are stick figures, those sticks are powerfully representative for your mind.

As any good Law of Attraction student, you know that if you step into your desired self from time to time, that desired outcome is more likely to happen.

Know what you want and it shall come to you. The more specific and descriptive (colorful) you can be with the image of your future self, the more likely you will manifest all your desires.

Take time to watch the video, then get ready to draw all your desires!