Essential Oils To Help Improve Health

Hey Everyone, It's The Healthy Munch here and I want to share a super cool post by an fellow Institute for Integrative Nutrition® classmate Jonda Morman. Jonda is super amazing person who you can really connect with an has been using essential oils to improve hear overall health for awhile. So check out some of the cool information she is providing on how to use oils to beat the holiday stress.


It's that time of year again. The holidays! It seems the world divides into two distinct type of people this time of year. The happy holiday people and the grumpy holiday people. This year I've vowed I will be a happy holiday person!!!

I've decided that this year will be different. I've started incorporating more self care into my daily routine. Self care has become such a foreign concept to people. And really, it's so simple. A few extra minutes added to your routine and you will be on your way to being one of the happy holiday people.

I spend a few minutes every morning and a few every night applying my essential oils. The one oil I keep going back to when things get stressful is Balance grounding blend by dōTERRA. To me the smell is intoxicating. I tried to come up with my own description of the oils in this blend but found the product description given by dōTERRA to be perfect, so here it is: 'The warm, woody aroma of Balance, dōTERRA®’s grounding blend, creates a sense of calm and well- being. We perfectly blend Spruce, Ho Wood, Frankincense, Blue Tansy, and Blue Chamomile with Fractionated Coconut Oil to offer an enticing fragrance that promotes tranquility and a sense of balance. Spruce, one of the oils in Balance, was used by Native Americans for medicinal and spiritual reasons and is still used today to bring harmony to the mind and body. Ho Wood, Blue Tansy, and Blue Chamomile can soothe sore muscles and joints, promote circulation, and relax the body, while Frankincense supports cellular health and overall well-being.' Now doesn't that just sound heavenly!!! Believe me I know where to go to find my peace now. I carry some with me at all times. I diffuse it in my humidifier at night. I made a roller-on 'perfume' with it. Applied to pulse points whenever I get even remotely stressed. Essential oils are incredible!!!! I've even made bath soaks and sugar scrubs with it. I'm determined to be a happy holiday person this holiday season!!!

I used to be one of those people who would proclaim that I had no time for self care. Not anymore! So give back to yourself this holiday season. There's only one you.

If you would like to know more about oils or purchase oils visit Jonda website at mydoterra.com/mymojo75

Thanks Jonda for the wonderful information

Tri-Color "Spaghetti" with Coconut Avocado Pesto

Recently, I had the pleasure of having David Wolfe give a lecture on raw foods as part of the amazing classes that are given at Integrative Nutrition®. David Wolfe was so inspiring teaching us about the benefits of raw and super foods, that it made me want to create my own raw dish. It led me to created my own twist on pesto pasta. To do this, I used a super sweet kitchen tool  called Veggetti Spiral Vegetable Cutter which makes spaghetti out of veggies. I choose to use both green and yellow squash along with a sweet potato, and I added a yummy raw coconut avocado pesto to it.

 










Tri-Color "Spaghetti" with Coconut Avocado Pesto 

1 medium zucchini
1 medium yellow squash
1 medium sweet potato
1 medium acocado
1/2 cup walnuts
1 tsp of crushed garlic
1 cup of coconut water ( I used Harmless Harvest Coconut Water)
Hemp Seeds of garnishing

1- Using the Veggetti Spiral Vegetable Cutter, cut veggies in spaghetti like pasta and set them aside        into a bowl
2- Using a food processor or blender ( I used my bullet ) scoop avocado into blender and add in                walnuts, garlic and coconut water until. Blended all ingredients until well blended.
3. Scoop out and place into veggie "spaghetti" and mix together until well blended
4. Serve onto plates and sprinkle with some hemp seeds to add a little nutty flavor

Hope you enjoy : )

Holiday Survival Tips

Where did this year go? I can’t believe that it is already the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. What’s also scary is it’s the time of the year when we all become stressed out as well. So here are six tips to help keep you stress free during the holidays and beyond.

1- Focus on self-care and maintenance

       During the holiday season we tend to focus so much on other people and activities that we actually forget to take time to focus on ourselves. The more and more we forget to do this, the more we start building up stress in our bodies. When our stress levels get to high,  it will turn us into that mean old green Grinch made so famous by Dr. Seuss . So make sure each day you are doing one daily activity that is just for you and only you. It will allow you to feel better about yourself and give you such burst energy that no cup of coffee or Red Bull can match. 

             

2- Stay Hydrated

             With all the parties and running around we do during the holidays, we tend to consume more coffee and adult beverages then we normal would consume.  In return, we tend to forget to hydrate our body with the most essential beverage of all. Water. When we allow our bodies to become dehydrated it cause us develop headaches, mental fog and crave more sweets.   One way we can insure we are staying hydrated is by carrying a water bottle with us wherever we go.  Another option is for every glass of coffee or alcohol you have; pair it with at lease one glass of water

3-  Nighty Night Time

        Sleep is so vital to the function of our bodies. Sleeping allows our body to rest and recover from the difficulties we face each day.  When we fail to get enough sleep our brains become more cloudy, we develop angry and hostility, tend to over eat and are more prone to become sick. So don’t worry about missing that late night show on TV or staying up late to catch up with TIVO. Instead work on shutting out bright lights at least an hour before bed and take some time to get the six to eight hours of sleep our body needs. When you do, you will be rested and ready to tackle the next day full on.

4.  Don’t try to be perfect

             There is no such thing as super person. We all need help to accomplish everything that needs to get done in our lives. So don’t be afraid to ask a friend or family member for support. Try to delegate some of your chores or workload to others. When we all work together, we can create a world of caring and giving. 

5. Eat mindfully and enjoy the holidays 

       Yes, you can still eat healthy and enjoy the holidays. When going to party offer to bring a dish that you know will be healthy and can be shared with others. You can also have a small meal or healthy snack before going to a party, that help  avoid over eating. If you are going out to eat, ask for a to go box when you get your entree. This will allow you to put away half of the entree for the next day, as most meals given at restaurants are enough for 2-3 meals. If you cravings desserts, try sharing it with friends and family. Never skipped a meal, to eat more later. When we skip meals our body will go into survival mood and will crave more sweets and cause over eating. 

6.  Pay it forwarded

 Yep, the simple act of giving something to someone else is amazing for our spirit and soul. The energy we get for helping others is amazing. As humans it’s in our nature to help each other. So take some time to volunteer and bring food or presents to those that are less fortunate. Maybe you can buy the coffee for the person behind you.  What ever it is, focus on doing something for someone else other then yourself, family or friends. It never hurts to help a stranger. 

So remember to love yourself and take care of yourself during the holiday season. When you do, it will become more enjoyable and rememberable. 

Healthy Sweet Potato Mash For Thanksgiving

November is upon us and that means it's Thanksgiving time.  It's a time when we gather together with family and friends to give thanks for the blessing of the harvest and upcoming new year. It also means a lot of food that is being cooked with unwanted fats.  One dish that is typical served and is made very unhealthy is the traditional mashed potato. So I created a side dish that is yummy, healthy and easy to make.  I combine the sweetness of the sweet potato and the tartiness of cranberries to make a side dish that is satisfying and healthy at the same time.


Cranberry Sweet Potato 

This simply and tasty dish only needs two ingredients and is easy to make

8oz bag of Frozen Cranberries
2 Large Sweet Potato ( washed and rinsed)

1- Place water into a large pot and bring to a boil.
2- While water is boiling, cut up the potatoes in large chunks
3-  When water starts boil add in the cut potatoes and cranberries
4-  Boil the potatoes until they are soft.( You should be able to stick a fork into the potato easily)

5- When the potatoes are soft, drain both the potatoes and cranberries into a strainer
6- Then place the potatoes and cranberries into a food process ( you can mash your self), blend the mixture into everything is fully incorporated

7- Once you are done you can save the mixture to serve later or enjoy it right away.