In a Cooking Rut? Freshen Up Your Shopping!

Are you on autopilot when you grocery shop, habitually filling your cart with the same foods week after week? Sure, there is a comfortable security in doing it that way, knowing you and your family will like what you bring home, and it is an efficient way to get in and out of the store. But admit it: It’s also borrrring.

For an exhilarating change, break away from the foods you have been so loyally married to and have a spring fling with something different. You don’t need to go all-out exotic or even out of your way. There are exciting options right in your grocery store that you probably are overlooking as you make a beeline for the usual bag of baby carrots or box of brown rice. They have a similar appeal to foods you already enjoy but are just different enough to liven things up without forcing you too far out of your comfort zone. It’s a low-risk proposition, so in the seasonal spirit of new beginnings, why not give one, two or a few of these swaps a whirl? Chances are you will find them deliciously inspiring. And luckily, adoring them doesn’t mean you have to abandon your old favorites. When it comes to food, you can have many loves. 

If you like baby carrots, try snap peas

They have the same sweet, 

They have the same sweet, crunchy, kid-friendly dip-ability and are equally great on the go. Served raw, they are a fine accompaniment for a sandwich, on a plate or in a lunch box, and they are lovely lightly steamed or sauteed, seasoned with salt and pepper and served as a side at dinnertime.

If you like salmon, try Arctic char

It is in the same family as salmon and, like its more popular cousin, is rich in healthful omega-3 fat, is light pink in color and is cooked the same way. But Arctic char has a somewhat more delicate texture and milder flavor, and gives a meal a certain elegance. Also, the Monterrey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch gives it high marks for sustainability.

If you like spinach, try Swiss chard

Swiss chard is nutrient-packed, tender and mild tasting and sautes up just like fresh spinach, with one main difference: When using chard, remove the vibrantly colored stems first, chop and saute them for a few minutes before you add the leaves to the pan. If you can get rainbow chard — with white, yellow and red stems — you are in for a colorful as well as tasty treat.

If you like celery , try fennel

Fennel bulbs have a fresh crunch like celery so fennel is ideal for dipping and for tossing into salads. Like celery, it can also be cooked with onion and carrot as a start for a stew or soup. But fennel has a distinctive, light anise flavor that adds a refreshingly different taste twist.

If you like whole wheat sandwich bread, try whole wheat pita pockets

Instead of your usual sliced bread, pick up some pita pockets. They give an entirely new vibe to your sandwich, and are easily stuffed with lots of vegetables, so they inspire adding, say, sliced cucumber, radishes or carrot to the usual lettuce and tomato. 

If you like broccoli, try broccolini

Broccolini, often called “baby broccoli,” is a hybrid of regular broccoli and Chinese broccoli. It has long, thin, tender stalks, small florets and a delicate flavor with a gentle peppery note. It gives an air of sophistication to a meal with no more effort than it takes to cook regular broccoli.

If you like raisins, try dried cherries

For a sweet-tart fruit twist, you can’t beat dried cherries. They are mouthwatering as a snack on their own or with nuts, terrific in granola or on cereal, and add a burst of chewy flavor to salads. They are also packed with anti-inflammatory antioxidants.

If you like oatmeal , try quinoa

Most people think of quinoa as a side dish, but it also makes for a delightful breakfast cereal. Fix it just like you would your regular hot cereal, topped with some fruit, nuts and a drizzle of maple syrup or honey.

If you like yogurt, try kefir

Just like yogurt, kefir is a cultured milk product that has a pleasant tartness and plenty of probiotics, and is sold in plain and flavored varieties. But because kefir is more liquid-y than yogurt it is usually sold as a drink, so it doesn’t even require a spoon to enjoy this refreshing change of pace.

If you like brown rice, try black rice

Different types of rice, including black.

Black rice, also called forbidden rice, has a real allure thanks to its enticing purple-black color and nutty flavor. Its inky pigment is also an indication of its wealth of antioxidants. While it has a mysterious appeal, cooking it is as simple as cooking regular brown rice, and it can be used in the same dishes.

If you like onions , try shallots

Shallots have a gentler flavor than regular onions and they have a hint of garlic, adding a unique essence to foods. The difference is especially noticeable in dishes with more subtle flavors like salads, egg dishes and vegetable soups. For those, it is well worth the extra dollar or two you will spend for a pound of them.

~Thanks to Ellie Kreiger

10 Lifestyle Changes that Happen with Meditation

Once you begin meditating daily, life as you knew it will begin to take on some interesting twists and turns. Old habits will break down, outdated belief systems may come into question and as a bonus, you’ll likely start sleeping like a baby. 

In short, daily meditation will have positive effects on just about every aspect of your life. 

Here are 10 common lifestyle changes that meditators have reported within their first year of daily practice: 

1. You start waking up earlier.

Meditation enhances the quality of your nighttime sleep. As a result, you’ll generally require less sleep than you needed before you began meditating and yet, you'll feel just as rested the next day. 

This means that the time you spend meditating will be refunded back to you — the time you're not tossing and turning in bed, wishing sleep was working better. The only question is: what to do with all of that extra time? 

2. You’ll drink less alcohol.

Many people consume alcohol as a way of alleviating stress. If that’s you, then you may notice less of a desire to drink as much when the benefits of daily meditation start to kick in. 

Alcohol, after all, is a depressant. As meditation helps you release your stress and boost immunity, the need for excessive amounts of alcohol begins to wane. Cutting down your daily consumption to just a couple of glasses of wine in a week will start to seem like the natural thing to do. 

3. You have more patience.

The saying “Time waits for no man,” can cause a lot of anxiety if you feel that you aren’t quite living up to your true potential. Or maybe if you've felt like there are people in your life who aren’t as smart as you are, but they seem to be doing better than you. 

Meditation helps to expand the window of perception, allowing you to see value in every experience and every relationship. After meditating, you get less perturbed and more patient around canceled plans, insensitive partners, rude customer service reps, or any other situation that may have elicited a negative response in your past. 

4. You stop seeking external happiness.

Before starting to meditate, the only happiness you experienced may have come from relationships, money, or achievements. After starting meditation, happiness begins to fill you up from within. How do you know? Because as your circumstances inevitably change (i.e. your relationship ends, you lose money, you experience failure), weirdly, you'll still feel happy inside. There will be less of a need to control people, places, or situations. Why? Because you’ve tapped into the source of fulfillment, which has always resided within. 

5. You can do less, and accomplish more.  Let’s do a thought experiment: 

You wake up feeling tired, sick or headachy. How generous, compassionate, and open-minded are you going to be that day? Now, imagine the opposite. You wake up feeling rested, bright, and happy. How much will you get done that day, compared to the other day when you felt sick? 

Rest is the basis for dynamic action. Meditation supplements the rest from sleep, which enhances your ability to accomplish more during the day while expending less energy. 

6. You multiply.

Consistent meditation triggers what physiologists call the “feed and breed” response, which is the opposite of the “fight-or-flight” stress response. This literally means, you become more fertile. Many women who have had fertility challenges find it easier to get pregnant after starting a daily meditation practice. 

Likewise, meditation increases testosterone in men, which helps to correct sexual dysfunctions and increase stamina. I warn the people I teach to meditate not to have one-night-stands with people you don’t care about, because meditation makes you more fertile than the Mississippi River. 

7. Less "FOMO" (fear of missing out). 

FOMO is a result of the acquisitive approach to happiness — the mistaken idea that happiness is coming in the future, after you achieve a certain experience. But the more you meditate, the more that FOMO begins to get replaced by more present moment awareness, which means you feel less desperation around needing to be somewhere else. 

In other words, you have an inherent feeling that the party is wherever you are, and that sense of presence can be felt even while you're in dreaded places such as gridlock traffic, the DMV, or in line at the post office. 

8. More YOLO (you only live once).

YOLO is a universal call to take a risk, to have an adventure, or to seize the day. What keeps you from taking bold actions in life is usually tied to internal fears or uncertainty about the outcome. These are remnants of stress accumulated in the body. 

Stress has a paralyzing effect on your potential, and it can dim your sense of adventure. As stress gets dissolved through regular meditation, you find yourself naturally becoming more daring. This means it’ll be easier to quit that dead-end job or relationship, and take more chances. So get ready to start that new business, take up that new hobby, or travel around the world. 

9. You begin trusting yourself more.

The heart has a gained a reputation for making you gullible. But as Deepak Chopra writes, "the heart is our center of wisdom — our internal GPS." 

Mixed in with the wise guidance from the heart are the myriad fears from your head. Regular meditation activates a sort of spam filter for the negative self-talk of the mind, and allows you to detect the purest messages from your true center of wisdom. This in turn, will lead you to a greater sense of trust toward the messages emanating from your heart. 

10. You can make faster decisions.

As your daily meditation practice gives you greater perceptual acuity, it will become easier to make distinctions. Whether it’s choosing between two jobs, three apartments, two hybrid cars, or which way to swipe on your dating app, having more perceptual acuity allows you to quickly diagnose which are the best options for you in the moment, and which ones are not. 

This also turns out to be a huge time saver, as you will no longer need to bounce ideas off everybody else and can come to the right decision on your own. 

There are many more changes that occur when you start meditating, ranging from normal to bizarre.   Whatever happens will be exciting and amazing. 

~Thanks to Light Watkins

Clear Your Sinuses!

A sinus infection is the most annoying and uncomfortable feeling.  Unfortunately, sinus infections are very common, affecting 37 million Americans a year.  An inflammation of the lining in the sinus cavities, sinusitis can be caused by colds, flu, bacteria or allergies. Fortunately, you don’t have to medicate yourself with conventional drugs, as there are many natural and effective remedies for a sinus infection.

The Top 4 DIY Home Remedies for Sinus Infection

1. Apple Cider Vinegar – Apple cider vinegar (ACV) is a hailed sinus infection treatment. Countless individuals attest to the effectiveness of apple cider vinegar against a multitude of health conditions, including sinus infection. One of the most powerful ways to use ACV is to mix 8oz of warm water with 2 tbsp of ACV and 1 tbsp of honey, three times daily. The sinus infection should vanish within just a few days. Another option is to simply take 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar 3 times daily. Lastly, you can also try steaming with apple cider vinegar; mix ~1/2 cup of ACV with 1/2 of water, heat it on the stove, and inhale the steam with mouth and eyes closed. Be sure to use UNFILTERED UNPASTURIZED Apple Cider Vinegar (it will be cloudy, shake before using).

2. Turmeric – Thanks to a powerful compound found in turmeric known as curcumin, turmeric possesses powerful health benefits. Among these is the spice’s ability to treat sinus infection. Curcumin helps to heal the sinus cavity and clear the airways. Since sinus infections are caused by nasal inflammation, and turmeric possesses anti-inflammatory properties, the spice can be seen as an effective natural cure for sinus infection.

3. Nasal Saline Rinse – While the above remedies may suffice, a nasal saline rinse, or Neti Pot,  is also a very popular sinus infection treatment to store in your home remedies memory bank. For the mixture, try mixing ~1/4 teaspoon of sea salt or pickling salt with a pinch of baking soda and a cap-full of food-grade hydrogen peroxide in 1 cup of warm FILTERED water or simply use sea salt/pickling salt and warm water. If you have never done a nasal irrigation, or saline rinse before, ask someone who has for assistance or try following detailed directions. It may not be the most comfortable of solutions, but a nasal saline rinse has been passed down through the generations as one of the most effective home remedies for sinus infection or early onset of head cold.

4. Oregano Oil – Oregano oil is found at any health food store or in the products area of organic grocery stores. Oregano oil is an effective sinus infection treatment; by simply ingesting the oregano oil diluted in warm or cold water, the oil works promptly to break up congestion. The oil can also be steamed and 

inhaled over a stove (with eyes closed). In addition to being a treatment for sinus infection,oregano oil 

may also help to improve digestion, aid in fighting infections, and improve biological function – especially 

in the liver and colon.

In addition to the above home remedies for sinus infection treatment, you could try utilizing some of these options.

-Elevate your head while sleeping.

-Apply warm compresses to your forehead multiple times daily for 5 minutes each.

-Vitamin C is an excellent immune booster, and can help to fend off sinus infections. Try taking up to 1000 mg of vitamin C 1-3 times daily.

-Drink got liquids to help loosen mucous membranes and to help wash away mucus out of your sinuses more quickly.

-Clean your house and especially your bedroom. Using an air purifier will also be beneficial.

How to Clear Your Sinuses with Your Tongue and Your Thumb in 20 Seconds

Push your tongue against the roof of your mouth and place a finger between your eyebrows and apply pressure. Hold it for about 20 seconds and your sinuses will begin to drain.

According to Lisa DeStefano, D.O., an assistant professor at the Michigan State University college of osteopathic medicine, this causes the vomer bone, which runs through the nasal passages to the mouth, to rock back and forth, says  The motion loosens congestion; after 20 seconds, you’ll feel your sinuses start to drain.

~Thanks to Samantha Hemmingway

Tips to Instantly Free Yourself of Stress

Have you ever had one of those moments where everything started to spiral out of control and stress and anxiety became so overwhelming that you couldn’t calm yourself? Living in a fast paced world, these have become common feeling these days. Juggling family, work, school, and social obligations can become more than we can handle sometimes.

I received a frantic email from a client a few weeks back saying to call her office number ASAP because she thought she might be having a serious anxiety attack and might be in need of medical care. She had lost her cell phone, was overburdened with work, her nanny for her baby was sick and had to go home and her marriage was struggling. She felt that her whole life was spiraling out of control so fast that she needed to be medicated in order to calm down and regain control. I promptly called her back and walked her through some instant stress and anxiety tips that she put in place right then and there to provide some instant relief and avoid that trip to the hospital (= way more stressful!!).

She laughed at me (which is stress reduction tip number one: laugh) because my first suggestion was to find someone at work she knew, liked, and trusted enough to give her a great big, long hug. You may be laughing, too, but studies conducted by the University of Vienna show a tight hug can increase your levels of oxytocin, a stress reducing hormone. If a hug is not in the cards, here are some other tips you can try to get that anxiety and stress level down in a hurry.

Tips to Instantly Free Yourself of Stress:

Yogic Breathing Exercises:

Focused, deep, abdominal breathing helps to quickly calm the stress response by bringing awareness away from your stress and current situation and back to your body. The American Institute of Stress recommends visualizing cool air flowing in through inhalation from your feet to your lungs and as you exhale visualize this air leaving in reverse from your lungs back down through feet and out of body.

Lavender or Citrus Essential Oil:

Studies show that inhalation of certain smells such as lavender and citrus can significantly reduce stress levels. Taking a big whiff of fresh lavender with your eyes closed, this amazingly simple stress reliever goes to work.

Positive Verbal Affirmations:

Positive affirmations: “everything is OK”, “stress is leaving my body”, or “I am in control of my life and well-being” can have an empowering effect on reducing stress and anxiety. Often this anxiety gets out of control when you feel powerless and out of control. By bringing a sense of control back to your current situation and repeating these affirmations like a mantra, as many times as needed, can help instantly calm the mind and reduce anxiety.

Regular Exercise: 

Almost everybody knows that exercise increases blood flow to the brain and helps stimulate endorphins, your feel good chemicals. Not only that, exercise can also help bring focus back on the body and keep you away from stress, just as meditation, yoga, and breathing exercises do.

Chamomile Tea: 

This wonderfully mild herb has been shown to have mild sedative properties to induce relaxation and alleviate stress. So brew up a nice warm cup of tea and take a moment alone to drink in its benefits.

Self-Acupressure: 

Have you ever noticed under a stressful situation that you find yourself rubbing your hands or temples? One of my favorite acupressure points to self-stimulate in times of stress is known as “union valley” It’s located in the soft spot of the webbing between your thumb and pointer fingers and when pressed you will notice tenderness.

Listen to Music:

In a recent article published by The Huffington Post, the author states that certain types of music can reduce cortisol levels and help to calm people down in stressful situations. I know that personally this has worked very well for me in the past.

Lay with Legs up on Wall:

Laying on the floor with your legs up the wall is an incredibly restorative yoga pose with the ability to calm the nervous system and decrease anxiety within about 5 minutes. It helps to calm and relax your adrenals, calm the mind, and release tension.

Remember that stress can only be present if you allow it to be. There are many tools available to stop stress and anxiety in its tracks. Find what works for you - and don’t wait until the stress level is out of control. As soon as you start to feel it come on take a moment to yourself to try one of these techniques. 

~Thanks to Brandy Augustine PhD

Tricks for Eating Less

It's not just the food.....Here are some of the provocative findings about portion control from the research of Cornell University’s Brian Wansink:

1. Big servings. People who were given a big bucket of (stale) popcorn ate 34 percent more than people who got a smaller bucket.
2. Fancy names. Cafeteria sales jumped by 27 percent when foods were given descriptive names like “Succulent Italian Seafood Filet” (instead of “Seafood Filet”) or “Belgian Black Forest Cake” (instead of “Chocolate Cake”).
3. More variety, more calories. People ate about 40 percent more if they had a choice of candy that came in six different colors than if the candy came in four colors.
4. Plateware matters. When people were served a brownie on a Wedgwood china plate, they rated its taste higher than when the brownie was served on a paper plate or napkin.
5. Food on the table. Men ate about 29 percent more—and women about 10 percent more—if the serving dish was left on the table (rather than the counter).
6. Who sets the pace? People ate more when they sat at a table with someone who ate quickly than with someone who ate slowly.
7. How much did I eat? People ate fewer chicken wings if they could see the bones of the wings they’d already eaten than if the bones were whisked away.
8. Healthy restaurant? People who believed that Subway meals were healthy underestimated the calories in Subway meals more than they underestimated the calories in McDonald’s meals.
9. Health halo. If a bag of M&M’s or trail mix was labeled “low-fat,” people ate more than if the label didn’t say “low-fat.
10. Exercise rewards.People ate more at dinner—and especially more dessert—after they went on a “scenic walk” than after they went on an (identical) “exercise” walk.
11. Cover up. Covering the clear window of an ice cream freezer with butcher paper led people to take 30 percent less ice cream from it.

---

~Thanks to Brian Wansink 

Brian Wansink is the John S. Dyson Professor of Marketing in the Applied Economics and Management Department at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, where he directs the Food and Brand Lab. He was the executive director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion from 2007 to 2009, and is the author of Mindless Eating–Why We Eat More Than We Think(Bantam-Dell, 2006) and the forthcoming Slim by Design: Mindless Eating Solutions for Everyday Life (William-Morrow, 2013).

The Best Free 10-minute Online Workouts

Working out at home is a killer way to save time and money, not to mention avoid going outside when the weather is… well, you know, the way it is.

And good news: Not only can you avoid delayed subways or traffic, you can get an effective workout in in less time than it takes to blow-dry your hair.

Workouts that clock in at 10 minutes or less are super popular right now, thanks to a growing body of research that suggests working as hard as you possibly can for just a few minutes can lead to similar benefits—like increased fat burn and aerobic endurance—as longer, steady sweat sessions.

Ready to squeeze in some squats before breakfast? We scoured the internet for the best super-short workout videos from smart, star trainers and hot fitness brands, like Jillian Michaels, Anna Kaiser, and Barre3. All involve intensity—whether they target specific muscle groups like your abs or glutes or rock your whole body, head to toe.

The best part? They’re all completely free.

Try one on an extra busy day when getting to the gym is just plain impossible, or stitch a few together for an even more butt-kicking routine. Just be sure to wipe down your living room floor before your dinner guests arrive. 

Barre3 Total Body in 10 with Sadie Lincoln

The inspiring founder of top national barre brand Barre3 demonstrates how to tone your whole body quickly, using weights and a chair.

WaveShape Total Body Power Workout with Adam Rosante

Motivational master Adam Rosante, creator of WaveShape and the The People’s Bootcamp, will have you winded within a minute of his total-body strength and endurance session, which is meant to prep you for battling surf waves, or, you know, life.

10 Minute Ab-Sculpting Workout with Cassey Ho

Blogilates founder Cassey Ho is a Pilates internet sensation, and you’ll see how her fresh, energetic style really makes you sweat during this abs routine that’s anything but boring.

Full Body 10 Minute HIIT Workout with Astrid McGuire

Astrid McGuire, a badass fitness model and Barry’s Bootcamp master instructor, shows you how to get your cardio and strength training done in 10 minutes, no treadmill required, with this high-intensity interval workout via Popsugar.

CosmoBody Butt Workout with Jennifer Johnson

CosmoBody’s longer workouts involve a membership fee, but no log-in or equipment is required for this dance-inspired, tush-toning workout with powerhouse Jennifer “JJ Dancer” Johnson, from CosmoBody.

No More Trouble Zones Workout with Jillian Michaels

Celebrity trainer Jillian Michaels is the queen of online workouts. In this video from Lionsgate’s BeFit, she coaches you through a total-body sculpting sequence that targets tough-to-tone muscles.

Inner Thigh Workout with Anna Kaiser

Dance cardio queen Anna Kaiser of AKT In Motion created this quick workout for Into The Gloss that targets the inner thighs (and your sweat glands all over). Take a couple bonus minutes to stretch before jumping into the shower or your day.

~Thanks to Jamie McKillop