The health benefits of quinoa are phenomenal!  It contains three times as much magnesium as calcium and very healthy levels of vitamins B2 and E; minerals iron, phosphorous, copper and zinc; and dietary fiber.  Like it’s cousin buckwheat, quinoa also has an excellent amino acid profile.

Cooking quinoa is easy and often times quicker than cooking rice and pasta.  Simply heat a tablespoon of either extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil in a small pot on medium-high, rinse the quinoa with water in a strainer (you can also purchase it pre-washed), place the rinsed quinoa in the pot, add twice as much water as quinoa in the pot and let boil until almost dry.  Top it with anything you would otherwise add to rice or pasta.

My favorite quinoa dish includes banana slices, almonds, agave nectar and almond milk.  Delicioso!!!

It’s equally important to acknowledge how much you grow as you navigate your way through life.  Your idea of who you were years (and sometimes even just months) ago can be completely different from your idea of who you are today.  As long as you continue to evolve and pursue personal growth, possibilities will continue to present themselves.  It’s inevitable.  Be conscious of your personal journey and embrace the changes that come your way.  Change is good!

Change for me this summer has included a move across the country from Scottsdale, AZ to New York City and, gratefully, just in time to enjoy Fashion Week and the US Open.  Moving into a place one third the size of the last forces you to let go of ‘things’ and focus more on what’s really important.  I’m told I will get used to the smaller space…we shall see.  I feel blessed to have recently met some wonderfully talented people and sense that our collaborative efforts will generate limitless amounts of positive energy, particularly in this city of high energy!

Remember:  When you’re on your way to the next level in your life, some people might not understand what you’re doing and that’s okay. If they love you, want you to succeed and get there; they will support you, help you and not judge you.  So be aware of the people with whom you surround yourself and make it a priority to rest, reflect, grow and change.

Yet, do fitness and nutrition have a place in the constantly on-the-go social scene? It often seems like we have to choose between one or the other. Happy hour versus yoga class. Fresh veggies and juicing versus fried calamari and champagne.  

This elusive balance does exist, but it takes a commitment. I spent years among this crowd, in various locales, always in search of the bigger and better event. I know how taxing the lifestyle can be on the body. After nearly crumbling from exhaustion, I stepped back from the socialite lifestyle to energize and revive, and now I help others do the same! Most find that a healthy detox actually improves their social lives because they have more energy and others are drawn to their vibrant, healthy glow.

Detox Tip 1
Forget Fads: Beauty Can’t be Found in a Bottle, Box or Bustier

With all the mass marketing of weight-loss gimmicks, organic diets, green-living, exercise techniques, naturopathic medicine, vitamins and miracle drinks, it’s easy to become confused and even discouraged, especially when health reports seem to contradict each other. We are constantly told, “do this, don’t do that, you aren’t good enough, if you use this product you will be perfect.” Don’t succumb to messaging that has been carefully crafted by expert advertisers. They aren’t health gurus; they’re in it to make money.

There is no quick fix to achieve a healthy lifestyle. A bottle of diet pills won’t give you that desirable firm body, no matter what the label says. Fancy creams can’t magically eliminate skin damage from smoking and the sun. If you really want to get fit and retain youthfulness, then you need to make a lifelong commitment to a healthy lifestyle. Fitness and nutrition must become the cornerstones of your daily routine.

Detox Tip 2
Get Your Beauty Sleep

There’s a reason it’s called “beauty sleep.” Our cells repair themselves as we sleep, refreshing the body and mind. On the outside, a lack of sleep is visible through puffy, dark eyes and a lethargic gait. On the inside, sleepless nights can lead to increased stress levels, short fuses and decreased energy.

We can make small changes to our daily schedules that will yield big results. For instance, rather than heading out at 11 p.m. and closing down the bar at 2 a.m., get your social fix in the early evening.  Weekends will take on a completely new meaning without the hangover headache. You can also make brunch a social event or perhaps a weekly tennis match, among other daylight activities. 

Detox Tip 3
Fuel Your Body

How many of you or your friends have been “on a diet” in the last year? Have you sipped down some Hollywood-labeled miracle drink to get in shape for bikini season? Ever wonder why many of these so-called diets are designed for a time span of five to 10 days? It’s because you can’t live much longer than that if you continue to deprive your body of the necessary nutrients required to function properly.

Diet, by definition, is:  1) the manner of living and 2) food and drink regularly consumed.  Your diet is not something temporary. Make it a point to eat regular meals full of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins and whole grains. Skipping meals, as well as overeating, can slow your metabolism and make it harder to burn calories. Food shouldn’t be an enemy or excessive indulgence. It’s our fuel. It’s our energy source. It’s our key to longevity.

Detox Tip 4
Trade in Your Stilettos for Sneakers

Staying active keeps our bodies young. When we think of working out, we often think of the gym. Yet physical fitness extends far beyond the treadmill and bench press. You can rollerblade along the green belt, hike Camelback Mountain or take a moon-lit stroll. Variety will increase motivation and the fun factor. You can also make working out a social event. Grab the girls for weekly yoga class or spice up your nights with salsa dancing.

As a general rule, get in at least 30 minutes of cardio every other day and yoga two to three times per week. Lifting your body weight can be more strenuous than iron weight lifting and holding yoga poses significantly increases the speed of muscle formation.  In fact, many sports teams have integrated yoga as part of their conditioning routines.

Detox Tip 5
Find Your True Beauty

Good looks and glam are often associated with the socialite lifestyle, yet true beauty is more than skin deep. It emanates from the inside out. If you associate beauty with name brand clothing and artificial body parts, then you may need to closely evaluate your own self-esteem and priorities. Genuinely happy people radiate beauty from every inch of their bodies, and it all starts with nourishing yourself physically, emotionally and spiritually.

Most people have experienced a hangover at least once in their life, and we  can ALL attest to the horrific symptoms that sometimes plague us for days after the big night.  There are many remedies for this rather annoying event, some handed down from generation to generation. One old recommendation to cure a hangover was to drink more in the morning of what you were drinking the night before (I never quite understood that one).  After a recent year-long hiatus from alcohol altogether, I decided drinking a glass or two of red wine every now and again would be okay.  This, coupled with seeing the newly released film ‘The Hangover‘, prompted me to do a little research on hangovers, particularly how to prevent them!  Here’s what I found…

Drinking too much alcohol causes dehydration which is the number one cause of hangovers.  Who knew?!  Okay, so it’s not exactly earth-shattering information, I know, but this is pretty interesting:

• Drinking more alcohol than your body can metabolize efficiently causes the toxins in the alcohol to build up in your body. A chemical known as acetaldehyde is an alcohol by-product and is responsible for the severe symptoms of a hangover.
• The ethanol found in alcohol has a dehydrating effect which is responsible for your raging headache, dry mouth and fatigue.
• Dark spirits such as red wine, brandy and whiskey contain more congeners (by-products of the process of alcohol fermentation) which increase the symptoms of a hangover. Cheaper spirits are also known to cause a worse hangover because fewer impurities have been removed.

It makes sense that a mood-altering substance, such as alcohol, will affect your mood. Although it may feel like it alters your mood in a positive way at the time of consumption, the remnants of alcohol in your bloodstream and brain the next day affect your natural ‘feel good’ chemicals and ultimately cause mood disturbance.  Hence, the tendency to act and look like last year’s Halloween costume, shun away from light and loud sounds, and lash out at innocent bystanders.

Aside from the obvious suggestion of abstaining from consuming alcohol, here are a few pointers on how to lessen the blow the next morning, naturally:

• Drink small amounts and remember that small amounts of better quality alcohol result in fewer hangover symptoms.
• Drinking on an empty stomach is NOT a good idea. Eat a large meal before drinking to line the stomach and slow down the rate of alcohol absorption into the bloodstream.
• Drinks containing fruit juices (fructose) may decrease hangover intensity.
• Drinking water during and after alcohol consumption can minimize alcohol-induced dehydration.  Drinking fresh coconut water before and after is even better!
• Know your limits and pace yourself by drinking slowly (the body needs time to metabolize the alcohol).
• Avoid smoking while drinking because smoking constricts the lungs and decreases oxygen flow to the blood stream.  Your blood LOVES oxygen!
• Eating foods with generous amounts of Vitamin B will help to replace the nutrients lost while drinking. Vitamin B is stored in the liver, kidney and other body tissues and work to keep your brain and nervous system healthy. A few foods high in Vitamin B content are: liver (lamb and beef), oysters, trout, salmon, tuna, eggs and halibut.
• Emergen-C is also a great, natural product for increasing your Vitamin C (1000mg) and certain B Vitamins.

*It is important to seek help if you are displaying addictive behavior as it relates to the consumption of alcohol.

It’s encouraging to see people like Mr. Kenner educating the public by providing useful and truthful information without attempting to persuade them to eat a particular diet.  This is especially a MUST SEE for all parents and parents-to-be.  

Be conscious of what you are really putting into your body regardless of your diet preference and truly LIVE longer!

Suddenly, fear of change transforms into fear of the inevitable.  Educating ourselves is the only way to prevent both fears and, at the same time, promote a healthy body, resulting in a longer and genuinely happier life.  This education can be derived from many sources and learned in many fashions.  There are literally thousands of concepts available today for our brains to soak up and believe regarding our personal wellness – physically, mentally and spiritually.  Some people gravitate toward pharmaceutical remedies for ailments and others go the naturopathic route.  Some people visit their psychologist for an hour once a week to sort through their personal challenges and others talk to a good friend.  Some people go to church  for their dose of acceptance and others look within themselves.  There are also people who are oblivious to all of this and maintain that they are ‘just fine’ and have no desire to learn.  

My belief is this:  It’s not about having all the answers, it’s about being enlightened enough to know that you DON’T!  I have included a few of my favorite books here for you to peruse.  Whether you choose to attend seminars, visit your doctor, talk to friends, hire a life coach, enroll in college courses, read books, meditate or get advice from the passenger next to you on the airplane – continue to educate yourself and then determine what YOU believe.  If you don’t find time in your schedule for any of these options, hire a Health Muse™ or sign up with eMuse™ to get assistance heading in the right direction on your path to complete wellness. The choices you make every day directly affect your quality and longevity of life.  Start making the right choices for YOU!

It disturbs me to see companies spending millions of dollars on marketing campaigns to promote their ‘organic’ products knowing full-well the consumable and other items they produce are loaded with preservatives, synthetics, dyes, hormones, chemical agents and other environmentally unfriendly materials.  This is disturbing because all they have to do to justify to the FDA the ‘Organic’ or ‘All-Natural’ or ‘Earth-Friendly’ label they slap on this stuff is prove that somewhere along the line of production, a teeny bit of real food is included.  It is also disturbing to learn, after doing some research, that many of these companies are funded in part by the very farmers (and their politician and lobbyist friends) who shoot the hormones into their animals, spray pesticides all over their produce and genetically engineer their grains. 

One example is the ‘Got Milk’ campaign.  It has been ingrained in our brains since we were wee tots to “drink our three glasses of milk every day”.  Countless celebrities were paid to wear the white face paint above their upper lips to endorse this message. Knowing a couple of the more enlightened ones, I can guarantee you they do NOT consume ANY cow’s milk, EVER. Why, you ask?  Because cow’s milk is for baby cows; not humans.  The protein make-up in it wreaks havoc on our bodies because our digestive systems were not designed to break it down properly.  It’s no strange phenomenon that many people learn later in life that they are lactose intolerant or ‘allergic’ to cow’s milk.  

Cow’s milk, along with soy products, are the most mucus-forming consumables available to us today.  Mucus in our system causes respiratory illness.  Parents who put cow’s milk in their baby’s and toddler’s bottles and wonder why they incessantly get ‘colds’; this is one of the major reasons why!  Researchers have also concluded that soy contains at least 30 allergenic proteins and phytoestrogens.  Soyatoxin is also present, which is a naturally occurring toxic protein in soy and has been linked to some types of breast cancer. 

Dairy products (derived from cows) have high phosphorus contents which significantly reduces calcium absorption.  As people have become more educated and stopped purchasing cow’s milk, dairy farmers have suffered.  So they called upon their friends in the political arena and asked them for help – never mind that it’s making people sick.  Funds were raised and we suddenly see actors and athletes on tv, in newpapers and magazine ads, on billboards – you name it – with milk mustaches asking, “Got Milk?”.  In all fairness, having grown up in the heartland with many neighbors who made their living by raising cattle for their dairy farms, I can also appreciate their need for customers.

Here are some better options for calcium intake. 

• 75% absorption = dark green cabbage-family vegetables (kale, green cabbage)
• 20% absorption = almonds, sesame seeds, pinto beans, sweet potatoes

[If you can't live without your cereal or granola, try goat's milk or almond milk (sweeter)!  The protein make-up in goat's milk is similar to that of human mother's milk.]  

Essentially, everything that comes from the earth is better for our bodies so it is in our best interest and our duty to our children to nurture and care for our Earth.  We can all contribute by supporting our local farmer’s markets, getting involved with food co-ops, joining organic food associations such as this along with several other options.  Not only are we preserving the earth we have borrowed from our children, we also live healthier, happier lives while we are here!

Have you ever had someone lash out at you or simply quit speaking to you for no apparent reason?  Unless you completely annoyed the hell out of them, it’s pretty safe to conclude it’s because they were not receiving from you what they needed in some form or fashion.  ALL relationships (business, personal and otherwise) end because of 1) miscommunication or 2) insecurity/fear.  Think about this while considering your last fallout.  If both parties had just taken the time to express their needs and how they prefer to be treated in certain aspects and situations, would the result be the same?  Perhaps, but not likely.  

With regard to personal, intimate relationships, I highly recommend reading ‘The Five Love Languages‘, authored by Gary Chapman.  He explains that we all have a primary manner in which we recognize and prefer to be loved – words of affirmation, quality time, receiving gifts, acts of service or physical touch.  Sure, most people prefer all five of these to some degree but there is usually one that stands out and sends the message to our subconscious mind that we are loved.  Even without reading the book, if you can identify which of these is most important to you, it is a major step toward realizing your relationship’s full potential. However, this will do you no good if you don’t express it to the other party involved!  

It’s not taboo to communicate your needs and the sooner you let go of the notion that you are being selfish, needy, demanding, high-maintenance, etc. and accept that you know who you are, you know what you want and you know what you expect from others, the happier you will be.  It is only through this process that you can determine if the other person is capable of fulfilling your needs and you, theirs.  This is precisely what job interviews are for.  Why not apply the same concept to your entire life?

Let’s face it, in this time of divorce and unemployment rates being at all-time highs, it’s important to know if the person sitting across from you prefers an email or a phone call, a gift or a help with the dishes, a peck on the cheek when they greet you in public or a full-blown make out session.  How do THEY want to be treated?

“The moment you move into the same home together, place two roses in a vase that is highly visible from the entryway so you will see the arrangement every time you walk through the door.  When one of you feels like you need to talk about something that’s bothering you, take one of the roses out and place it next to the vase.  Your partner will see this the next time they walk through the door and when they are ready to talk, which could be days later, they take the other rose out and place it next to the vase. The key is that the second rose should not be removed from the vase until the respondent is truly ready to communicate effectively so if you are the one who needs to talk, you must be patient.”  He went on to say, “It is crucial that you sit down together, look each other in the eyes and begin discussing whatever the challenge might be.  The conversation could take 15 minutes or several days to reach a resolution but continue to talk until you are both content with the outcome.  When this happens, place both of the roses back in the vase, hug and kiss each other and never, EVER, bring up the conversation again.”

I’ve thought about this for the past few days and I agree with the concept because 1) It requires both parties to be patient and respectful of each other’s time; 2) It ensures that both parties are mentally prepared to discuss the situation; 3) It prevents surprise and detrimental verbal attacks; 4) It neutralizes the possibility for either party to get defensive; and 5) It provides structure around the conversation which inherently results in calmer and more thoughtful exchanges.  I also think it’s important to set boundaries as soon as a commitment is made to one another.  Respecting these boundaries will encourage open communication and discourage assumptions.  

My advice: Don’t be afraid to talk to people.  Know that you are in the same place at the same time for a reason and it’s your responsibility to FIND OUT what it is!                                                          Have you talked to a stranger today?

There are so many dessert options available now using honey, Stevia, agave nectar and fruit juices as replacements for sugar that it really isn’t necessary to sacrifice dessert.  You just have to muster up all of your willpower and wait until you get home to indulge in a healthier version, whether pre-purchased or homemade.

I use Active Manuka Honey in almost everything I want to sweeten, mainly because of its healing properties.  Here are a few of the many ailments Active Manuka Honey can remedy:

• High cholesterol 
• Arthritis
• Gastritis
• IBS
• Ulcerative Colitis
• Upset stomach
• Peptic/stomach ulcer
• Fatigue
• Excess weight

There are numerous others and you can learn more about it here.  Active Manuka Honey can be purchased at Whole Foods or Sprouts and is a little more expensive than other forms of honey but I find it to be worth the extra few bucks rather than relying on the four-letter-word (p-i-l-l) to mask symptoms now or later in life.  Stay sweet!