Quote
"You can clutch the past so tightly to your chest that it leaves your arms too full to embrace the present."
-Jan Glidewell
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Welcome
Spring has finally arrived and the garden is growing fast. Lettuces (red sails, paris cos romaine, buttercrunch and marvel of four seasons) and greens (kale, collards and dandelion) are coming in now, and the more robust veggies, such as broccoli and kohlrabi, are not far behind. The peas are still catching up along with onions, leeks and garlic.
So far this year the bunnies are staying out of the garden, along with the mice. Maybe that young hawk we saw hunting in the back yard this year has something to do with their absence.
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Article: Spring Cleaning
People like “stuff”. We tend to hold onto it year after year. We save and stock up on things that we don’t know what to do with anymore. Maybe we keep things because they hold precious memories of days gone by, or they remind us of our parents, grandparents, past loves or childhood. To part with these precious possessions seems out of the question. There is a saying that goes, “You have to get rid of the old to make way for the new.” If you are feeling stuck or stagnant in your life, try spring-cleaning. Throw out some of that stuff, say goodbye to your past and welcome the new energy of your happy, healthy future.
For good mental and physical health, we actually have two “houses” that need to be spring-cleaned: our physical homes and our physical bodies. Just as we accumulate “stuff” in the form of outgrown clothes, magazines, rusty bicycles, tools and random keepsakes, so do our bodies accumulate old food residues and toxins that need to be cleaned out.
To spring clean your body, give it a break from rich and complicated foods by either cleansing or fasting for a short period of time. Cleansing means paring down your food to just simple fruits and vegetables, lots of water and perhaps whole grains. Fasting means limiting most foods and drinking lots of water, fresh vegetable and fruit juices, teas and soups. Without much energy going toward digestion, more energy is available to the rest of your body and mind. Cleansing and fasting can sharpen your concentration, help you gain insight and promote spiritual awareness. It can also bring improved immune function and better digestion.
While you’re cleaning out your body and home, don’t forget to spring-clean your heart. Throw away negative thoughts and habits you’ve been harboring that no longer serve you. A clean, open heart will allow you to receive all the good that awaits you each and every day. If your heart and mind are cluttered, there is no room for life’s gifts and surprises to enter.
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Food Focus: Greens
 Leafy greens are some of the easiest and most beneficial vegetables to incorporate into your daily routine. Densely packed with energy and nutrients, they grow upward to the sky, absorbing the sun’s light while producing oxygen. Members of this royal green family include kale, collard greens, Swiss chard, mustard greens, arugula, dandelion greens, broccoli rabe, watercress, beet greens, bok choy, napa cabbage, green cabbage, spinach and broccoli.
How do greens benefit our bodies? They are very high in calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorous and zinc, and are a powerhouse for vitamins A, C, E and K. They are crammed full of fiber, folic acid, chlorophyll and many other micronutrients and phytochemicals. Their color is associated with spring, which is a time to renew and refresh vital energy. In traditional Asian medicine, the color green is related to the liver, emotional stability and creativity. Greens aid in purifying the blood, strengthening the immune system, improving liver, gall bladder and kidney function, fighting depression, clearing congestion, improving circulation and keeping your skin clear and blemish free.
Leafy greens are the vegetables most missing from the American diet, and many of us never learned how to prepare them. Start with the very simple recipe below. Then each time you go to the market, pick up a new green to try. Soon you’ll find your favorite greens and wonder how you ever lived without them.
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Recipe: Shiitake and Kale
Prep Time: 2 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms
1 tablespoon olive oil
1-2 cloves crushed garlic
1 bunch kale, chopped
pinch of salt
Directions:
Warm oil in pan on medium heat with minced garlic until aromas of garlic are released, about 2-3 minutes. Add chopped shiitake mushrooms, stir-fry for 5 minutes. Add chopped kale, stir-fry for a couple of minutes. Add a splash of water and pinch of salt to pan, cover and let steam for 4 minutes.
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Bookshelf
The Real Food Cleansing Guide is intended to simplify and demystify the cleansing process.
You don’t need fancy supplements or expensive shakes to cleanse your body. Real food is perfectly made to keep us healthy, energized and vibrant.
The guide will take you step by step through designing your own personal cleansing plan.
You can reuse this book every time you are ready to enter a cleanse and tailor-make a plan to fit your goals, preferences and season.
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News & Events
Dr. Andrew Weil's Self Healing magazine reports: "When athletes want a competitive edge, they hire a private coach to monitor their progress. When it comes to your health, using this mindset could also be beneficial."
Health coaches are increasingly being hired by corporations to help employees stay healthy and by individuals seeking to improve well-being. For some, these coaches offer assistance in managing dietary constraints (due to conditions such as celiac disease or diabetes), and for others, they might focus on teaching stress-reduction methods. In some ways, the health coach picks up where your physician left off, helping you implement wellness strategies suggested after a check-up or diagnosis." In the article, Integrative Nutrition graduate Christi Collins recommends finding a coach who has received training from a reputable program, and whose personality resonates with your own.
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Special offer from IIN
As many of you know, I attended the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, and loved my time there (so much that I not only graduated, but stayed on for the second year of advanced training and am now an Ambassador for the school). If you have an interest in organics, whole foods and nutrition, IIN has created a Career Starter Kit that you should definitely check out.
This complimentary toolkit includes:
An up-to-date analysis of the health coaching profession in a downloadable mp3 format. It's called, "Why Do Health Coaching," and features founder of IIN, Joshua Rosenthal. You'll learn about the emerging field of health coaching and how you could be an important player in the future of nutrition and health. This lecture will give you a well-rounded view of health coaching as a career (as well as the beneficial results you might just get with your own health.) -
An informative excerpt from the book Integrative Nutrition: Feed Your Hunger for Health and Happiness. It's titled, "Primary Food," and clearly explains how to find the work you love and love the work you find. (After reading this, you might find more peace and clarity in what you want to do with the rest of your life.)
Detailed Case Histories and stories of IIN graduates. Hear their intimate experiences about the impact they're making in their families and communities. You may even hear a story that resonates deeply with you. Options of how to work this exciting training into your life without sacrificing any of your activities (even if you already have a job). One of the most popular aspects of studying at IIN is the distance learning option so you can learn at your own pace no matter where you live. (AND you'll discover how much ongoing support is built into the program.) A complimentary one-on-one career coaching session with one of our trained Admissions Advisors. As a team you will design your potential, personalized career in the health and wellness field. (By the way, there is zero pressure or expectation in this session. It's simply an objective appointment to show you the possibilities and answer your questions.)
The program at IIN is backed by sound scientific research and tons of happy, healthy success stories - one of them is MINE!
To download your F-R-E-E Career Starter Kit, please visit this link.
Whether you're looking for a new, significant career, want to reclaim your own health back, or simply coach others on how to make better nutritional choices, I believe IIN can do for you what it did for me.
(If you have any questions you'd like to ask me personally by all means email me back. I'd love to help you get answers.)
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About Us
Laura Brown is a Certified Health Counselor (CHC) and the founder of Intuitive Wellness. Combining the principles of Integrative Nutrition and years of hands-on experience, Laura Brown helps clients tap into the healing power of food in their lives – one meal at a time.
Call or email to schedule a free health consultation with Laura:
770-953-0534, or laura@intuitive-wellness.com.
See www.intuitive-wellness.com for more information.
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