New Yorkers Fight against General Junk and his army of Sugar Soldiers

Last Friday, I held a workshop at PS261 in Brooklyn leading the 1st graders into battle against General Junk and his evil army of Sugar Soldiers.  (Yes, my job IS awesome!)  We learned all about the detrimental effects of sugar on our bodies and how much healthier, stronger and more energetic we are without it.  After 45 min, they were able to tell me that they wanted to drink more water, less soda and wanted their bodies to be healthy and strong.  Ok, so there may have been a little bit of prompting on my part, but they are 7 and able to grasp the basic fundamentals of healthy nutrition. 

My question is, why can't adults do the same?  There has a lot of controversy in the media over Bloomberg's proposed sugar war this week in NYC.  (Read about it here.)  Intelligent adults are in an uproar that he is trying to ban sugary drinks over 16oz.  Do you realize how much sugar is in a 16oz Coke?  7 teaspoons.  Just in case you can't put that into perspective, I measured out 7 tsp for you in the glass above.  The new AHA guidelines recommend a daily maximum of 5 tsp for women, 9 tsp for men, and 3tsp for children.  Maybe the new sugary drink ban should be lowered to 8oz instead of 16. 

Bloomberg is asking New Yorkers to take into consideration the amount of sugar we are putting into our bodies...something we have trouble comprehending on our own.  He also banned smoking in NYC restaurants and put calorie counts on our menus.  Are you going to tell me those were bad ideas?  

When did you last think to yourself upon ordering a "biggie" sized anything, "Oh my!  That's a lot of sugar!"  You didn't.  You won't.  And the ban isn't proposing a limit on how many 16oz sugar loaded drinks you can order.  Most places will probably still give you as many refills as your chemically overloaded body desires.  It just means you have to get up from the table and exercise while walking to the refill station.  Guess what?  When you order a water, they hand you an 8oz cup.  You don't get the option to upgrade.  Ironically the healthier water drinkers take MANY walks back and forth to the refill station while watching all the sugar guzzlers happily gulp away in their zombie-like state.

I'm ranting now.

When a 7yr old can make healthier choices after 45 minutes of battling General Junk's Sugar Soldiers than an adult can make after YEARS of being educated, it tells me we can no longer use the excuse we don't know any better.  The media warns us everyday about the effects of sugar, fat, high calories, etc.  Granted, they are enticing us with high fructose corn syrup dripping from an over sized bacon burger during the commercial break, but it doesn't give us the right to play the victim.  Our society just doesn't want someone else telling us our lifestyle choices are wrong.  

You can be angry and spout sugar comma induced comments, but I'm fighting for your well-being! Instead of complaining against Bloomberg's new ban because it's an "infringement" of human rights, remember that you can still drink as many 16oz bottles of sugary soda as you please.  There's no harm in bringing an awareness to the public. 

Now stop being angry and go drink a glass of water!  

Healthy hugs,

Joanie

Joanie Johnson, CHC

www.motivatednutrition.net

joanie@motivatednutrition.net

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Cheese and Apple Omelet ='s why didn't I think of this before?

I'm dog sitting for the weekend and have access to the most tripped out, organic, vegetarian kitchen EVER!  We're talking not a single name brand package in sight.  Mason jars filled to the brim with grains, beans, spices, and teas for as far as the eye can see.  There's a garden in the back with more greens than even I can consume in a year, including edible flowers.  I haven't even gotten to the best part-an entire library of vegetarian cookbooks!  

(Cue cherub singing "Awwwww" soundtrack please)

I didn't even care that the dogs woke me up at 4:45am to be let outside.  I started browsing cookbooks and dreaming of breakfast while I waited for their perky arrival.   The result?  Cream cheese and apple omelets with a side of apple topped garden greens. I know. I know. You are thinking, "Really Joanie? Who has time for that?"  It took me 15 min.  If your knife skills are better than mine, you can probably knock an additional 4 min off that.  I took my first bite and said to the dogs, "Why didn't I think of this before?"

I've included all the directions, assuming you've never made an omelet before.  This isn't an insult to your intelligence, I happen to make really terrible, burnt omelets and found the cookbook instructions helpful.  I had a few "Ah ha!" moments along the way.  

Cheese and Apple Omelet

adapted from

How to Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman

• 4-5 eggs (makes 2)
• 2 Tbsp milk
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 3 Tbsp cream cheese, sliced in strips or pulled
• Leafy greens
• 3/4 of small apple, cored and chopped
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• Honey or agave nectar, to drizzle

- Combine apple, cinnamon together, top with a small drizzle of honey or agave and set aside

- Beat the eggs, milk, salt and pepper together in a bowl

- Put a med sized skillet over med-high heat and wait 1 min

- Melt butter, swirl until it foams, then pour in egg mixture

- Cook undisturbed for 30 secs, then use rubber spatula to push edges toward center.  As you do this, tip the pan to allow the uncooked eggs in the center to reach the perimeter

- Continue the process until the omelet is mostly cooked but a little runny in the center

- Add apple mixture and strips of cream cheese

- Hold pan at 45-degree angle so omelet begins to slide, fold in half

- Cook for about 1 min on each side

- Serve with a side of delicious greens topped with a few leftover apple pieces, drizzled olive oil, and salt & pepper to taste

Nerd alert photoshoot in the garden.  

Enjoy!

Joanie Johnson, CHC

Motivated Nutrition

www.motivatednutrition.net

814-442-5311

The symptoms?  Disgusting nose dripping, excessive impolite sniffling, post-nasal drip induced coughing, headaches and all around miserableness.  Gross, right?!

The culprit?  Seasonal allergies.

Ugh.  Need I say more?

While the good ol' American way of treatment involves an armory of over the counter anti-hystimines on a regimented schedule of swallow pills, get drowsy, block symptoms, repeat, I encourage you to find a more natural way of coping.

Hypocrites, the father of modern medicine, wisely stated, "Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food."  He figured it all out two and a half thousand years ago- we should listen.  


Here are a few quick tips to help fight those annoying allergies.


Vamp it up!  
Not the blue eyeshadow kind of vamping.  I'm talking vampires!  Onions and garlic are nature's natural anti-hystimine.  They are packed full of quercetin which helps alleviate symptoms of pollinosis.  Say what?!  In other words, quercetin's help put a stop to the gross nose stuff that pollen in the air causes.

Eat your greens
No brainer.  Fresh produce, especially GREENS are full of carotenoids.   A study in Public Health Nutrition (2006; 9:4) 472-9) showed that more carotenoids ='s less allergy suffering.  Green up!

Be a C student
I'm giving you the ok to be average.  Vitamin C is an antioxidant that fights free radicals.  Allergies occur when free radicals attack your cellular membranes and antioxidants put a stop to these radical dudes before the damage occurs.  Chow down on lots of citrus fruits, kiwi, and strawberries.  And while your at it sneak in some more vitamin C rich greens like cabbage, spinach, broccoli, and kale.  I told you to eat your greens!


Fight hard and eat well,


Joanie

Joanie Johnson, CHC
Motivated Nutrition
www.motivatednutrition.net
joanie@motivatednutrition.net

Sore Thumbs

Week 4 at the Thai Massage School of Chiang Mai intensifies.  Real the full blog post on my travel site, Bucketbath, and book your discounted Thai massage today!

Be well,

Joanie

New Years Resolution: Magic Hands

For those of you that don't know, I've been traveling through Asia for the last 4 months.   I left NYC in Sept and have traveled through China, Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Thailand.  All that and I've still got 3 more months to go!

As glamourous as it all sounds, being on the go all the time isn't easy.  It's actually pretty stressful and exhausting.  I decided to give myself a "break" that is going to benefit to all of you when I return.  Starting next week, I will begin a 5- week Thai Massage certification in Chang Mai, Thailand.  I can't pass up the opportunity to settle down in one place for awhile AND advance my holistic knowledge with a certification directly from the source. 

I’ll be taking levels 1-5 at the Thai Massage School of Chang Mai. It includes 90 hours of comprehensive study and a 60-hour internship working with special needs children and the senior community.

I’m preselling massages that I’ll give upon my return in mid- late April. Buy ‘em up while I’m selling at Thai prices. As soon as we get back to NYC, I’ll have to switch back into competitive business survival mode!

Buy a few for yourself and while you’re at it, buy a few as gifts! I’ll travel to any of the boroughs in NYC. (Sorry Staten Island and NJ-you don’t count). I’ll be in Meyersdale sometime in April to see family, so PA isn’t left out either. And, (for all you massage newbies out there) Thai massage is done in comfortable clothes, you don’t even have to go through the unsettling experience of getting naked. I’ll meet you at the park, or sit behind you at the movies, or stroll into your office on your lunch hour. You name the place. (Ok. Maybe not the movies, but you catch my drift.)

I’ll offer these prices until April 1. You can pay through the PayPal link (below) and then I’ll reach out to you via email. Help me love you up…Thailand style!

$30 for 30min
$50 for 1hr
$75 for 1.5hrs

Have a happy and healthy New Year!

Joanie

Kick-lines and Kimchi

The L train is down which means that I can either walk 15min to the next closest train line to enjoy a Saturday night social life, or stay stranded here in Brooklyn and lock myself away in the kitchen while I belt the comforting sounds of the Mamma Mia soundtrack. 

I'm blogging so obviously I chose the later. 

So far I've whipped up my first ever batch of kimchi and a loaf of zucchini bread.  The bread tastes good, but is a little flat.  I'm going to blame it on the scuba diver kick line that took place in front of the oven.  My favorite scene!  http://youtu.be/AQKk1nkDa8U (I've included the karaoke version for your convenience)

If you're also stuck at home and feeling Broadway happy, here are the two recipes to keep you entertained.  Just wait for the kick line until after your bread is out of the oven. 

*Mamma Mia soundtrack not included.  :) 

Napa Cabbage Kimchi

Prep: 15min         Fermenting Time: 2 days      Yields: 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 head Napa cabbage
• 3/4 cups sea salt

Seasoning:

• 2 scallions, chopped to one inch strips
• 1/2 small white onion, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed
• 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 5 tablespoons red pepper flakes

Directions:

1. Coarsely chop the cabbage into 1-inch pieces. Place in a container. Dissolve 3/4 cup of salt in 2 cups of water and pour over the cabbage. Use your hand to mix it in evenly. Cover and let it pickle for 3 hours. Toss and turn over and pickle it for 3 more hours. Strain the cabbage and discard the salt water.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine all the seasonings and mix. Add the scallion last. Let it sit for 10 minutes. Distribute the seasoning on the cabbage and blend in using your hands.
3. Tightly pack the cabbage in a gallon-size jar. Cover the surface with plastic wrap and press down to get rid of air pockets. Store at 70 degrees for 24 hours to ferment. Chill before serving.

 
 
 

Zucchini Bread

Prep: 15min                           Cooking Time: 60-80min             Yields: 2 loaves

Ingredients:

• 3 cups whole wheat flour 
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1 cup applesauce
• 2 cups grated zucchini
• 1/4 cup ground raw cacao
• ¼ cup ground walnuts
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 9 x 5 inch loaf pans.
2. Beat together eggs, maple syrup, and applesauce. Blend in the grated zucchini, and then the Greek yogurt.
3. Mix in the flour, baking powder, soda, and cinnamon. Stir in cacao and walnuts. Pour batter into 
4. prepared pans.
5. Bake for 60-80 minutes, until a fork comes out clear. Cool on wire rack. 

 
 
Ummmm...I just discovered ABBA: The Movie streaming on Netflix.  Watch out!  The night is still young. 

Summer Herbal Medicine Making Workshop

Summer Herbal Medicine Making Workshop

 

Hey NY'ers! If you are looking for a beautiful escape out to of the city this weekend, a fellow health coach and friend is having an herbal medicine making workshop in her new upstate home! It would be a perfect Sunday adventure.  I attended her last workshop and learned so much about herbs!  I even got to bring home some delicious, self made, rose honey.  Mmmmm!  Make a day of it and check out some of the other beautiful Beacon sites while you are there!


Summer Herbal Medicine Making Workshop
July 3rd, 2011 (1PM-3PM)
Beacon, NY (please call for address and directions)

Summer is here--and now is the time to work with herbs! Learn to make tinctures, honeys, vinegars, and oils with herbs! This workshop is tailored to the sultry months of summer and will feature Lorin's favorite local herb (it's a surprise!).

$25 (SUPER affordable!)

Please call Lorin at 718-419-6588 to register.  (Let me know too!  joanie@motivatednutrition.net or 814-442-5311)

About Beacon, NY

Beacon is on the Hudson line from Grand Central.  Take the  Poughkeepsie train from NYC, and Beacon is the third to last stop. 

Here's a few links to some of Beacon's attractions:

http://www.mountaintopsonline.com/   Kayak rentals and tours
http://www.beaconcycles.com/  Bike rentals

http://www.diabeacon.org/ Dia Beacon Museum

http://www.schoolofjellyfish.com/ School of Jelyfish Cafe and Sustainable Building Center

http://www.trails.com/city-trails.aspx?keyword=Beacon&state=NY Info on Beacon hiking