|
|
|
| Join our list |
|
 |
|
Leda is the founder of Simply Leda. She is a Board Certified Holistic Health Counselor accredited by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners (AADP). She received her training from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition in NYC and also holds a Certificate in Integrative Nutrition from Columbia University. She has studied all the different dietary theories from the top in their fields as well as both eastern and western nutritional philosophies. Leda also holds a BA in Journalism from NYU and a BA in French Studies from NYU, Paris.
Please see website for my services and more on my personal philosophy toward balanced healthy living. www.simplyleda.com |
| Affirmation of the Month |
I am following
the
liberating energy
of love.
|
| Excerpt from Anna's
September
Newsletter |
A feeling of serenity is the energy this month. Mellow, calm, satisfied. Even if nothing's changed externally, it's easier to find that place of inner peace. Maybe we're getting used to the energy of these crazy times or maybe we've crossed a halfway point. Either way, the message is: You're going to be okay. This month, the most stable place to be is in the moment. Looking beyond the now will only throw you off, mislead you and send you reeling. If ever there was a time to enjoy the moment, this is really it. To read the remaining newsletter e-mail Anna at celestino.anna@gmail.com and sign up. | |
|
The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance - it is the illusion of knowledge
- Daniel J. Boorstin
Dear Friends,
Although technically fall begins on the 21st of this month, we actually don't get our first taste until sometime in October here on the East coast...till then it's Indian summer. For me, I love it! I have always been a summer girl and any lingering summer days always bring a smile to my face. It means still enjoying those summer tomatoes (and I love stuffing them, too), it means still strolling those farmers markets in shorts and enjoying corn on the cob and if the schedule permits a languid walk along the beach with my dog, Nukka.
I especially like September because of the transition month it is. Transition months are an especially good time for re-evaluation. The uncertainty they bring forces us to re-examine the path we are following. This has been especially true for me this month, read on in "Which Path Am I Really Following?"
In keeping with transitions, this month's newsletter focuses on keeping things nice and easy, no running to climb aboard the hamster wheel permitted. Keeping balance between what you have to do and what you want to do should be the goal.
Good Luck, Breathe deep and Eat Well.
Leda
|
| Get Slow |
|
There is more to life than increasing its speed.
-Gandhi
Who doesn't feel like there aren't enough hours in the day? We rush through the day, running here and there, and end up exhausted. Somehow these days full of duties, obligations, and busyness have begun to build up and become our lives. We spend our time doing things we don't really want to do, yet feel we should. We've come to believe that being productive and crossing things off our to-do list is the ultimate goal. The truth is, life on Earth is a brief gift, and our time is too precious to be used like this. If we want our lives to be balanced and healthy, we need to lessen our load and increase our down time. This means planning less in a day, prioritizing those things that make our hearts sing and de-prioritizing those things that are not imperative. If we must accomplish many things each day, we can still change the quality with which we do things. How can we transmute that sprint for the train into something delicious, instead of the usual gripping and tightening experience? Where can we find ease in the midst of stress? How can we cultivate the art of going slowly? Take a few moments before you climb out of bed in the morning to remember your dreams and to think about what you want from the day. Leave your watch on the bedside table. Take the scenic route. Sit for a moment with your eyes closed when you start your computer. Check email only twice a day. Don't pack your schedule so tightly that there's no time for a short walk. Light candles before you start to cook dinner. Add one moment here and there for slowness; it can be done simply and will have a profound effect on your well-being. Adapted from an article by Marco Visscher & Jay Walljasper, Ode Magazine, Issue #15, www.odemagazine.com |
| Food Focus: Oils and Fats |
|
Not all oils and fats are created equal. Heavily processed, hydrogenated, "trans" fats and oils that are used in prepared, packaged foods can be extremely damaging to the body. However, fats and oils from whole foods and other high-quality sources can steady our metabolism, keep hormone levels even, nourish our skin, hair and nails and provide lubrication to keep the body functioning fluidly. Our bodies also need fat for insulation and to protect and hold our organs in place. A healthy percentage of high-quality fat in a meal satisfies and leaves feelings of energy, fulfillment and warmth. When there are excess fats and oils in the diet, especially heavily processed fats, symptoms can include weight gain, skin breakouts, high blood pressure, liver strain and an overall feeling of mental, physical and emotional heaviness. Signs of insufficient high-quality fats are brittle hair and nails, dry skin, hunger after meals and feeling cold. There are many sources of healthy fats and oils. For sautéing and baking, try butter, ghee (clarified butter) or coconut oil, because they do not break down when used at high temperatures. When sautéing, and stovetop cooking at moderate temperatures, try organic extra virgin olive oil. Oils like flaxseed, sesame, toasted sesame, walnut and pumpkin seed are best used unheated in sauces or dressings on top of salads, veggies or grains. Other healthy fats are found in whole nuts and seeds and in their butters like almond butter or tahini. Whole foods such as avocados, olives and coconuts are great sources of healthy fat, along with wild salmon and omega-3 and omega-6 organic eggs. Experiment with these healthy fat sources and see which agree with you and leave you satisfied. When selecting oils, buy the highest quality organic products you can afford, since cooking oils are the backbone of so many dishes. Good words to look for on the label are organic, first-pressed, cold-pressed, extra-virgin and unrefined. Words to avoid are expeller-pressed, refined and solvent extracted. |
| Which Path Am I Really Following?
A Personal Observation by Leda Anagnostopoulos |
|
|
When we think transition we think new job, new house etc. Transition symbolizes the passing of the "old" and the entrance of the "new". The time it takes for this passing is referred to as the transitional period. In our society we have attributed this phrase to represent material things, But transition runs much deeper, sometimes so deep in the sub-conscious we're scarcely aware of it. Have you thought about events that have altered your behavior or shifted your perception of something? Have you thought about what your habitual thought patterns are and how with age and experiences they somehow begin to change? This is also transition; of a more significant kind. These past weeks I had quite an "aha" moment as I came face to face with just those habitual responses - you know the kind that is ingrained in us from childhood and we barely even consciously give them thought. I began thinking of where I truly wanted my life to go and although my vision was clear I could not get my arms around why it wasn't manifesting. What habitual behavior or thought pattern was keeping it in thought mode only? When, with a little help from the universe, it dawned on me. "Hello?", as I am fond of saying on occasion. I realized that I needed to make a serious transition in the very path I was following, not the material path, mind you, but the path of my very being. What was my basic thought process following? Upon further examination I realized it was fear, that gripping, controlling, demanding energy that disguises itself as common sense and logic and habitual patterns of the past. That nasty fear that always somehow makes us feel bad, makes us want to constantly have control, that insists on certainty and needs everything. Then there is that path of love, that comes straight from the heart breeding trust and unwavering faith - that always makes us feel good, happy and excited, that allows us to relinquish control and feel safe about it, that accepts uncertainty knowing that we will be taken care of and finally needs nothing at all. I learned to trust and lean into the source. As an old friend of mine put it "if everyone would just let go and let God we would be so much better off." I believe it finally to be true, the belief that sinks into your bones and consciousness and transitions your life to all that you dreamed it to be.
Pay close attention, which path are you really following? | |
|
| Recipe of the Month |
|
In tribute to the tomato on it's last stand, here is one of my favorite tomato recipes, (adapted from the CIA cookbook) which incorporates seasonal corn, avocado (healthy fat) and packs a wallop of a nutritional punch.
Tomato, Avocado, and Roasted Corn Salad
Yield: 8 servings 
Ingredients:
4 ears of corn on the cob with husks
Salt, to taste
6 cups mesclun lettuce mix, rinsed and dried
1 cup chipotle-sherry vinaigrette
3 tomatoes, red heirloom preferable
2 avocados, cut into slices
1 medium red onion, sliced thin
1 cup small diced aged cheddar
2 tspn freshly ground pepper
Vinaigrette:
3 tbsp sherry vinegar
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tbsp minced shallots
1 tbsp chopped cilantro
2 canned chipotles, drained and minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tspn real maple syrup
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 tspn chopped thyme
1 tbsp chopped parsley
Directions:
For the vinaigrette: whisk together all the ingredients and then gradually whisk in the olive oil. Adjust the seasonings and add the herbs. Can be refrigerated and stored for 3 days.
For the salad: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roast the corn, about 45 minutes, cool completely. Husk and shuck the corn. Toss in a bowl with 1 tspn salt. Toss the mesclun with 1/2 cup vinaigrette and platter. Top with the tomatoes, avocados and onion. Sprinkle corn and cheese. Top with remaining dressing and season with salt and pepper. .
|
| Kids Recipe of the Month |
|
|
This is a very quick and easy, yet nutritious snack for your kids and it beats the ole' PB&J loaded with sugars.
 Almond Toasts with Fresh Fruit
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Yields: 4 servings
Ingredients:
1 slice of whole grain bread, toasted and
cut into quarters
Almond butter
Fresh fruit of your choice
Ground flax seed (optional)
Directions:
Toast bread slice(s).
Spread evenly with almond butter.
Cut into quarters.
Top with your child's favorite fruit.
Apples, pears, bananas and peaches especially pair well.
If desired and for extra nutritional punch sprinkle with a little ground flax seed. |
Simply Leda is a philosophy of nourishment that embodies your whole self thus enabling you to find balance and come home to your essence. For more information of my services, please log on to www.simplyleda.com.
Eat well and be happy and healthy.
Leda Anagnostopoulos
|
|
|