What's high in Vitamins A, C, and K − and provides meaningful levels of calcium, iron, and fiber? What's super low in calories with zero fat and powerful antioxidants? If you guessed kale, you're right (and you looked at the recipe... LOL). But seriously, they don't call it the Queen of Greens for nothing! Kale is also celebrated for its anti-inflammatory properties and cardiovascular and liver support. Super healthy and delicious, it's a must have in our diets!

This easy-to-prepare, low-calorie, cool and satisfying salad is perfect as a snack or with a meal as the weather warms....

Ingredients:

• 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbs lemon juice
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 bunches kale, stems and tough ribs removed, leaves very finely chopped
• 2 tsp peanuts chopped (optional)

Directions:
In a large bowl, whisk together oil, lemon juice, chili powder, and salt.  Add kale; toss, combine, and serve.

Bon appétit!

Note:  

Add addition protein...

It's green, smooth, and irresistible!

In addition to pear (awesome for hydration!), kale (a wonderful nutrient dense veggie), broccoli (go, antioxidants), and avocado (each serving is filled with about 20 vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients), this smoothie contains wheatgrass − hello, benefits!

Wheatgrass contains hundreds of live proteins. A highly concentrated source of plant protein, it has been credited with body detoxification, anti-inflammatory properties, immune system boosting, and even cleansing of the liver, blood, and intestines. Rich in antioxidants, and filled with vitamins and minerals, it may also stimulate metabolism, regulate blood sugar levels, and contain anti-aging properties!  

Ingredients:

• ½ tsp wheatgrass powder
• 1 cup ice
• 1 ripe pear, chopped (with seeds and core removed)
• ½ avocado
• 1 cup kale leaves (center stem removed)
• 1 cup broccoli florets, chopped and packed
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon or lime juice
• 2 cups apple juice

...

You'd think by now we'd take it in stride.  Most of us have experienced many, many seasons.  And yet, winter is always a hot (well, not exactly "hot"...) topic.  Cold front arriving?  The media is all over it.  Snow headed your way? Call in the press.  Granted, this is an exceptionally wintery winter (even in places that usually get a free pass!) but we are no strangers to cold, blustery, snowy days.    

And yet, I find myself checking the latest weather apps, watching large flakes fall, and grimacing in the grips of icy wind.  The flip side, of course...  There is undeniable beauty the way the sun plays off snow crystals, a cardinal posing on a barren branch, children wrapped in scarves and mittens sculpting white magic.

Yet, for many, it is deeply challenging.  A season that messes with sleep patterns, food cravings, energy levels, and overall happiness.  We hear more and more about Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD); and...

"We are each of us angels with only one wing, and we can only fly by embracing one another."   ~Lucretius

February 14th − love, hearts, flowers, chocolate (yes, I went there!)...  a day when crushes are revealed, love is celebrated, and romance winds through the air like a promise.  And it's powerful stuff − intoxicating − a force that draws us in with each flap of Cupid's wings.

As if that's not reason enough to spread the love, it's good for you too!

Love...

• Makes you look good: Really! From clearer skin − love reduces stress; reduced stress means less cortisol; lower levels of cortisol mean reduced acne! − to smokin' bodies (being in love often sparks the motivation to work out and take care of ourselves). And it makes you smile. Fact: People look better when they smile.

• Sparks your immune system: Close friendships, meaningful connections, couples in love (aka happy teams who communicate and work together to resolve...

I don't think there is anyone who can't relate to the good intention gets lost at the wayside phenomenon.  Life is busy.  And it's usually not even a conscious decision to ignore our healthy new plans; time passes, we forget; and ultimately old habits prevail. But why?

Here is an interesting concept. Suppose you had 4 intentions for Monday:

• Go to your dentist appointment
• Go to work
• Take the dog out
• Do 20 sit-ups before bed

Odds are you will make it to the dentist appointment, show up for work, get Sparky outside (unless you have a large oak tree growing in the den), and... wait, that's it. The sit-ups will probably be forgotten.  

It's simple psychology. We tend to honor our commitments (aka intentions) to others but not to ourselves. Dentist appointment? They are waiting for you (well, that, and you'll probably get charged either way). Work? You are expected there...  The dog? He depends on you. The sit-ups? What sit-ups? Exactly. Tomorrow is another day.

It...

intention (noun): a determination to act in a specific way; a resolve

The closing of a year is bittersweet. It may be just another day, but it is one that refocuses vision; a day that reminds us of the passage of time and guides us to contemplation. What made this year beautiful? Disappointing? What are you proud of? What surprises did it hold? And what have you learned that you can carry to the next year?

A New Year = a new opportunity. And there is undeniable promise in that.

Every possibility starts with a thought, an intention.  And it's exciting to start that process... setting forth the right intentions that can carry us from day to day, week to week, month to month. Yet so many of us, despite our passionate  January resolutions, don't even remember those thoughts a few months later. And that is not a reflection of insincerity.  

Whether intentions are to eat better, work out more, deal with stress in a healthier way, be more assertive at work, spend more time...

Happy post-Thanksgiving! I hope your celebrations were truly blessed − family, friends, laughter, and gratitude. And no doubt, breaking bread... or turkey... or perhaps tofurkey... were part of a rich and filling tradition. Yet for women, especially, food-oriented customs are often tinged with anxiety about overeating and weight gain.

We are a health conscious society − Amen! − and many have altered old recipes so that they are lower in calories and simmering with nutrition. But... Great Aunt Lottie was beaming when she placed her homemade mashed potatoes on the table (aka the butter through) and even though you were determined to take just one polite spoon, well...

Let it go!  

Easy solution... Get back on track. Eat healthy food, WORK OUT, and don't dwell on food choices you can't reverse. Thanksgiving is only one day; and it takes about 3500 calories to gain just one pound. It's empowering to realize that most people don't experience unwanted body changes...

We all want to eat healthy − and do all the right things to be our best selves. But what does that even mean? Many great intentions get placed on the back burner, because just figuring out what "right" is... becomes too overwhelming.

When it comes to bone health, it has always been about calcium. Just increase calcium. Simple? LOL. Not so much. Increasing calcium is extremely important − but it's not the only thing. It has to go hand in hand with reducing sodium, moderating protein, increasing vitamin K − as well as potassium − working out (!!) and even getting some sun (Vitamin D).

I know... here we go again with info overload. But, it's actually pretty simple; and, following the basic rules will make your bones stronger regardless of age... you can add bone mass even when you are 80!  

BODY BASICS Your body requires a certain level of calcium in its blood. What a lot of people don't realize is that we lose some of the calcium we eat through urine,...

In my last blog, I discussed some of the basics of osteoporosis, but I am also concerned about the ongoing myths. So, here are some of the most common misconceptions about the illness. Have you heard that....

• Elderly Caucasian women are the only ones affected by osteoporosis? Not true.  Although it is more common among older Caucasian women, men and women of all races − and even young people − get osteoporosis. Everyone needs to take care of their bones.

• Bone Density Tests are painful and loaded with radiation? Not true. They are painless, non-invasive, and very similar to having an X-ray... but with LESS radiation.

• Those with osteoporosis can feel a lightening or weakening of the bones? Not true. There are no symptoms with this disease, and often the first sign is a broken bone (or decrease in height).

• It's all about heredity − if your mom has it, you will too? Not true. Although family history may put you in a higher risk group, it is not a sentence....

The topics of osteoporosis − and osteopenia − come up repeatedly through conversations with my clients.  And they should − bone health is critical; it affects everything.

Throughout our lives, we lose old bone and make new bone. 30 seems to be the magical age where we have arrived at our maximum bone density and strength − but what we eat and how we treat our bodies contributes to our bone health long after...  Osteoporosis (meaning "porous bone") occurs when this natural system of bone strength and health grows weak. There isn't enough bone density; so either you have lost too much bone, are not making enough bone, or you are experiencing a  combination of the two. Bottom line? Bones are greatly weakened and something as mild as a sneeze or a bump or a trip can result in a break. It is estimated that 50% of women over the age of 50 will experience bone injury due to osteoporosis.

Referred to as the silent disease, there are no symptoms to tell...