Autumn Is Here

Well Summer is over and Autumn is in full swing and that means many things for both our health and nutrition. According to Chinese Medicine each season corresponds to specific Meridian and Organ system and Autumn is the season when the Lungs and Large Intestine are most active and susceptible to both positive and negative influences. 

If the Lungs become imbalanced Qi (pronounced "chee") can be weakened and we become susceptible to illness and conditions such as allergies, asthma, colds, flu, dry skin and much more. The Lungs and Large Intestine are also vulnerable to problems caused by sadness and grief. Should you notice any signs of either in your life be sure to seek help whether though therapy, exercise or even a vacation to somewhere sunny and warm.

In Autumn, also known as the Harvest Season we see how nature provides us with foods that we need for our health and well being. The harvest season is a time to prepare the body for the cold weather ahead. With winter approaching your diet should shift toward richer, denser foods that will provide you with energy and warmth. It is also important to nourish your immune system through your diet. Be sure to take advantage of dark green and golden-orange vegetables that are rich in beta-carotene. Such foods include: carrots, pumpkin, squash, broccoli, kale, mustard greens and much more. 

Here is a list to help you shop for foods this season:

Fruits

Apple, Banana, Clementine, Cranberry, Date, Fig, Grape, Grapefruit, Kiwi, Kumquat, Mandarin Oranges, Pear, Permission, Plum, Pomegranate, Quince

Vegetables

Avocado, Beet, Bell Pepper, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Brussels Sprout, Cabbage, Carrot, Cauliflower, Corn, Garlic, Gingerroot, Leeks, Onion, Parsnip, Pumpkin, Shallot, Spinach, Squash, Sweet Potato, Turnip, Yam

Grains

Amaranth, Barley, Buckwheat, Corn, Millet, Quinoa, Rye, Wheat

Nuts

Almond, Brazil, Cashew, Pecan, Pignolia, Pistachio, Walnut

Beans

Black, Carob, Garbanzo, Kidney, Lentil, Lima, Navy, Soy

Seeds

Flax, Pumpkin, Sesame, Sunflower

Enjoy all the season has to bring!!!! 

SP Cleanse - Days 8 and 9

Well I have made it through the tough part, a week of fruits and vegetables and I am finally able to add the protein back in.

Talking about my cleanse seems to have had quite an effect as I have 2 friends that have asked me to put them in contact with my doctor's office to order the cleanse. Feel free to contact me if you are interested as well. I do not get paid to advertise for the SP cleanse and I do not profit off of it at all it is just something that has worked for me and I am just looking to share my experience.

Being able to add protein back to my diet is a nice treat, while limited to 3 ounces 3 times a day it is important to choose wisely. It is important to stay off of red meats and to eat white flaky fish as well as light meat. 

After a Pilates class this morning and a meeting for a summer part time nanny job I headed to whole foods and picked up some Tilapia and Cockles to have for dinner with some sautéed kale, cherry tomatoes and brown rice. 

Now that I am on part 2 of the SP Cleanse I am taking the Green Food pill as well as Fiber with my shakes. I am now decreasing my vegetables in my smoothies and increasing fruit.

While 21 days is a long commitment it is nice to see I have made it to Day 9 and have not run into too many issues. 

I will be rounding the day out with acupuncture as my foot is still healing and has been sore for the past few days. 

I hope everyone has had a chance to enjoy the sunny warm weather we have been experiencing in New York!!!

SP Cleanse - Day 2

Well I made it through day 1 of the SP Cleanse which is usually the toughest… I find the first few days to be a bit rough, once you find the balance and get the timing of meals right things seem to go a little smoother. 

I started off the day with a Fruit filled smoothie – mango, strawberries, kale, pear and the SP Cleanse Powder as well as the necessary vitamins.

I then headed to an Interval Sculpt class at NYHRC. I had never been to a class with the instructor today, Roland Brown, but now I plan to find all of his classes and work them into my schedule. The class started with a light warm up and then moved through a series of arms and legs. I love getting the arms and legs in at the same time it allows you to focus on holding your core. Next we moved to leg and butt work on floor work which was great for me since I am still healing from my broken foot. He then moved us on to a joint abdominal and arm series and we finished the class with 10 extra minutes of stretching which was great. It is important when you are cleansing not to overwork the body, this 60 minutes was the perfect workout for me today.

After class wrapped up I stopped by a farm stand for some fresh fruit and vegetables. The remainder of the day will be filled with studying for a final and 2 more smoothies another Farmer’s Market Salad and dinner which will be julienned zucchini with fresh vegetables that I have in my fridge (peppers, tomatoes and more) and some brown rice.

I will be ending the day with a trip to see my Acupuncturist, Maureen at Acupuncture Bodywork who I have not seen since before I broke my foot. I am looking forward to having Maureen harmonize my body’s imbalances and also getting the blood flowing properly back into my broken foot. I also think the acupuncture will pair nicely with the SP Cleanse.

Stay tuned for recipes…