Ways to Optimize, Nutrition for the Optimal You!
  • Ways to Optimize
    • Nutritionist
    • Nutritional Approach
    • Referral Benefits
    • Forms >
      • Intake Form
      • Client Agreement and Release
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
  • Services
    • Nutrition Services Pricing
    • Blood Test for Nutrient Status
    • Food Relationship Reset
    • Detox Programs
    • Speaking
    • Other Services >
      • Fitness
  • Resources
    • Nutrition eBooks
    • Supplements
    • Essential Oils
    • Food >
      • Meat
  • Blog
  • Successes

Amanda's Musings

Things we want you to know and other cool stuff!

Do you need to cleanse? Assess your toxicity level

6/30/2015

0 Comments

 
The goal of a cleanse is to detoxify the body and restore optimal health. A cleanse is beneficial because a toxic environment can wreak havoc on your health. Your natural detoxification pathways can become overwhelmed and toxins build up in the body.


Consider the list of questions below to assess your toxicity and determine how far you are from "Ideal". 
I find this list a useful reminder of the areas where I am less than perfect so I thought I would share.

If you have significant work to do to get to the ideal responses on most of these questions then I recommend that you start working on a cleanse program to reduce your toxic exposure and help your body eliminate some of the toxins that have built up. I believe this is best done in a way that is gentle and realistic for you so that you can make some lasting lifestyle changes.

Please contact us if you’d like some support with detoxifying your body and your life.
Questions to help you figure out your toxicity level
  • How many bowel movements do you have? Ideal 1-3 daily
  • How is your skin? Ideal = Balanced (neither oily or dry)
  • How many rounds of antibiotics have you taken in past five years? Ideal = 0
  • How often do you experience significant gas and bloating? Ideal = rarely (<1 per week)
  • Do you have a diagnosed thyroid condition like hypothyroidism, Hashimotos, or Graves? Ideal = no 
  • Describe your gallbladder health. Ideal = never had gallstones 
  • How would you rate the growth of your hair and nails? Ideal = excellent
  • How many servings of organic protein do you consume weekly? Ideal = >10
  • How often do you consume conventionally raised meat, farm-raised fish, and non-organic dairy servings weekly? Ideal = 0-1
  • How many glasses of purified water or spring water do you drink per day (not from the tap)? Ideal = 8+ 
  • Do you feel tired or lack energy? Ideal = rarely
  • How many cups of caffeinated coffee or energy drinks do you drink per day? Ideal = 0
  • Do you work with commercial solvents, household cleaners, or paints? How often are you exposed to these items?  
Ideal = rarely
  • How many silver (amalgam) fillings do you have in your teeth? Ideal = 0
  • How often do you use conventional personal care products with non-organic ingredients? Ideal = rarely
  • Have you had a flu shot or vaccine in the past five years? Ideal = no
  • How many medications do you take daily? Ideal = 0
  • How many servings of vegetables and fruits do you consume each day? Ideal = 7+servings
  • How many hours per week of focused exercise do you perform each week?
Ideal = 5+hours
  • How many pounds overweight are you? Ideal = 0-5lbs
  • Do you ever experience joint stiffness or a lack of flexibility? Ideal = rarely 
  • How many times do you miss work or school each year due to not feeling well? Ideal = 0-1 time
  • How much sunlight do you get each week? Ideal = 2+hours
  • How many times a week do you consume artificial sweeteners like aspartame, sucralose, or saccharin? Ideal = never
  • On average, how many hours do you sleep per night? Ideal = 8+hours
  • During the past month, how many days have you felt unusually sad or down? Ideal = 0-3
0 Comments

Farmers' Market Recipe

6/16/2015

0 Comments

 
Late spring, early summer is a fun time to start exploring farmers' markets.  Here's a recipe using some of the fresh produce that you might find right now.   Traditionally Tzatziki is eaten with pita bread but, if you're gluten free like me, or trying to reduce grains, you can use it as a dip with slices of cucumber or other vegetables or as a garnish with chicken or lamb.  I hope you enjoy.  Let me know your favorite way to eat it.  Amanda
Picture
​Swiss Chard Tzatziki

INGREDIENTS
1 cup green or red Swiss chard, stemmed and finely chopped
1 garlic clove
1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1 cup Greek yogurt (whole)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

DIRECTIONS
Prepare an ice bath; set aside.
Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil.
Add chard; cook until just tender, 3 to 5 minutes.
Drain. Immediately plunge into ice bath to stop the cooking. Drain.
Using a mortar and pestle, grind garlic and salt into a paste. Stir chard, yogurt, garlic paste, oil, lemon juice, and cayenne pepper in a medium bowl.

Tzatziki can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 1 week.
0 Comments

Improve your Mind/ Body Connection in your next workout

6/9/2015

0 Comments

 
Enjoy this article from my friend and trusted Pilates guru Krista Overly.  Let me know if you try any of her tips and how you like them!

So, you're learning Pilates, or yoga, or Tai Chi, or ________ (insert your own new challenging skill here). The directions from your teacher are to move your arms/legs, draw in your abs, do another movement,*and* breathe, then repeat. What?! How can you possibly complete this new skill that has at least five different parts? Perhaps this is the first time since you were a baby that you've had to figure out how to make your body work/move a particular way.

Here are a few tips I've found helpful in all mind/body exercise systems:

1.  Leave the "outside world" at the door. If you bring your world with you when you're trying to connect with your body, well then your body is competing with the rest of your life and will likely lose.

2.  Breathe. As cliché as it sounds your controlled, steady, and even breathing helps calm your nervous system, making it easier to focus your mind.

3.   Forget Multitasking. The instructor knows you can't check everything at once.  Create a short mental checklist for each exercise that you do.  For example:  Inhale, alignment, legs, Exhale, alignment, relax neck.
Repeat checklist for each repetition.

4.   Mastery is a process. The first time, second time, fiftieth time, even the thousandth time you do an exercise it is a practice. We are not the same every day. Learn from your whole body what the exercise reveals to you that day.

5. Exhaustion is not the end goal of every workout. I'll be blunt - pushing yourself during every workout to a place that may put you at risk for injury it too much. Your body also benefits from workouts that focus on alignment, deeper engagement, and even restoration. If you've been using your workouts for stress relief gift your body, mind and spirit with a different perspective. Try meditation (sitting or walking), journaling, restorative yoga, or recreational reading for a change.

Give at least one of these tips a try and see if it enhances your next workout.

In Health & Happiness,
Krista
——————————————————————————--
When not writing a blog post Krista can be found teaching Pilates, or entertaining her two Pomeranians, or traveling with her husband. You can find her on the Internet at:
kristaoverly.com
0 Comments

    Archives

    October 2019
    September 2019
    May 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    November 2016
    September 2016
    April 2016
    February 2016
    December 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014

    RSS Feed

New from Amanda's Musings Blog

How do I know if I have poor blood sugar control?
Is sugar running the show in your food relationship?
when intermittent fasting is not for you

Connect with us:

720 296 9185
WaysToOptimize@gmail.com
Send us a FaceBook Message


Nutrition Services
Ways To Optimize  •  Copyright 2013-2022  •  All Rights Reserved
  • Ways to Optimize
    • Nutritionist
    • Nutritional Approach
    • Referral Benefits
    • Forms >
      • Intake Form
      • Client Agreement and Release
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
  • Services
    • Nutrition Services Pricing
    • Blood Test for Nutrient Status
    • Food Relationship Reset
    • Detox Programs
    • Speaking
    • Other Services >
      • Fitness
  • Resources
    • Nutrition eBooks
    • Supplements
    • Essential Oils
    • Food >
      • Meat
  • Blog
  • Successes