Ambassador for Health and Happiness!
August/September 2012
In This Issue
Deconstructing Cravings
Natural Sweeteners
Recipe of the Month

  

Personal Message
LaRae  

This year I launched a new career as a Health Coach and I love it.
I love the opportunity to promote a healthy lifestyle through counseling and workshops.
I love supporting people as they make gradual, lifelong changes that enable them to reach their health goals.
I love working with and learning from my clients. We are all in this journey to better health together.
I started my journey at 51 - it is never too late.
 Here is to strong
second halves!
Are you with me?
Could you use a hand?
Give me a call! 

 

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The Great Fall of China
 

No, that is not a typo. You've heard all the sayings about someone having to get hit over the head in order finally appreciate something. Well, last year that figurative expression became a reality as I lost my footing while visiting my daughter in Shanghai and fell head first into a marble wall. The wall won and I spent several frightening hours, days and months as a result.
What was I afraid of? Losing the health that I had taken for granted for over 50 years.
The year 2011 was a transformational one for me. I am still amazed that something initially so awful launched me head first into the best health, energy and vitality of my life. So though I am glad to leave that behind me, I will spend the next 50 years being grateful for that pivotal moment I now call
"The Great FALL of China!"
Smiling, LaRae

 

 Could One Conversation Change Your Life?

-OR-

So what is a Certified Holistic Health Coach?

 

Health coaches are the link between knowing what we should change to improve our health and actually getting those changes made! I offer one-on-one and group counseling that brings you the support you need to make your health goals a reality - and we stay at it long enough to really get it done.

To find out if working with me as your health coach would be a great fit for you, just get in touch with me to set up a FREE consultation. We will spend the better part of an hour discussing your health history and your health goals. It's a chance to get your questions answered and find out more about how a Health Coach can support you with a personalized health program, completely catered toward your lifestyle and your needs.

Contact me to arrange for your free initial consultation.

Could one conversation change your life? 

 

Deconstructing Cravings

 

The body is an amazing source of intelligence. It is always there for you, pumping blood, never skipping a heartbeat, digesting whatever food you put in it and maintaining homeostasis. Is this reliable, intelligent bio-computer making a mistake by craving ice cream or a hamburger or chocolate? Are cravings due to lack of will-power or discipline? I'd like to suggest that cravings are not a problem. They are critical pieces of information that tell you what your body needs.

 

The important thing is to understand why you crave what you crave. Perhaps your diet is too restrictive or missing essential nutrients. Perhaps you are living a lifestyle that is too boring or stressful. Your body tries to correct the imbalance by sending you a message: a craving. Cravings are the body's short-term solutions to what could be long-term issues. A craving for something sweet could mean you need more protein, more exercise, more water or more love in your life. The key to stopping the sugar craving is to understand and deliver what your body really needs.

 

No book or theory can tell you what to eat. Only awareness of your body and its needs can tell you. Of all the relationships in our lives, the one with our body is among the most essential. It takes communication, love and time to cultivate a relationship with your body. As you learn to decipher and respond to your body's cravings, you will create a deep and lasting level of health and balance.

 

The next time you have a craving, treat it as a loving message from your body instead of a weakness. Try these tips to respond to your body: 

  • Have a glass of water and wait 10 minutes.
  • Eat a healthier version of what you crave. For example, if you crave sweets, try eating more fruit and sweet or root vegetables.
  • What is out of balance in your life? Is there something you need to express, or is something being repressed? What happened in your life just before you had this craving?
  • If you choose to eat the food you are craving, enjoy it, taste it, savor it; notice its effect. Then you will become more aware and free to decide if you really want it next time.
Food Focus: Natural Sweeteners        

 

Who among us doesn't love sweets? The sweet flavor releases serotonin in our brains, the chemical responsible for our sense of well-being and contentment. But when it comes to sweeteners, not all are created equal. There are side effects and health risks from refined sweeteners like white table sugar and high-fructose corn syrup, and from artificial sweeteners like NutraSweet, saccharin and Splenda. Since refined sweeteners have been stripped of vitamins, minerals and fiber, they can spike blood sugar, which can often lead to cravings and mood and energy fluctuations. Instead, using naturally and minimally processed sweeteners can reduce cravings for sugary things.

 

Here are two natural sweeteners to substitute in drinks, food and baking. Since they are all approximately 1.5 times sweeter than refined sugar, you can use less. When replacing sugar with liquid sweeteners in a recipe, reduce the amounts of other liquids.

 

Raw Honey:

Everyone seems to love honey, one of the oldest natural sweeteners on the market. Honey will have a different flavor depending on the plant source. Some are very dark and intensely flavored. Wherever possible, choose raw honey, as it is unrefined and contains small amounts of enzymes, minerals and vitamins.

 

Maple Syrup:

Maple syrup is the concentrated extract of the sap of maple trees. It adds a rich, deep flavor to foods and drinks. Make sure to look for 100% pure maple syrup, not maple-flavored corn syrup. As with all sweeteners, organic varieties are best.

Peaches Recipe of the Month: 
Maple Fruit Compote with Honey-Ginger Toasted Nuts
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes

Serves: 4                                                                                                            

Ingredients:

  • 2-3 apples
  • 2-3 peaches or pears
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 cup walnuts or nuts of your choice
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
  • 2 tablespoons honey

 

Directions:

  1. Wash, core and chop fruit into slices or chunks.
  2. Place in a large saucepan with 1/3 cup of water. Add the maple syrup and raisins.  
  3. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.
  4. Add lemon juice and cinnamon. Cook for another 10 minutes, until soft.
  5. While fruit is cooking, place chopped nuts in a skillet over medium heat and toast, stirring often, for 5 minutes.
  6. Drizzle honey over the nuts and add ginger, but keep stirring since the honey can easily burn.
  7. Top warm fruit with toasted nuts and enjoy!
  

 

Upcoming Events: 

  

Sugar Blues:

August 23: 11am - 1 pm

August 23: 7 - 9 pm

Double Diamond Athletic Club

9400 Double Diamond Parkway, Reno NV 89521

Cost of Workshop: $20

  

Register with me via email me or go to my website and connect with me there.

-OR-

Register at DDAC front desk or call them at (775) 851-7171.

 

My thanks to Double Diamond Athletic Club for inviting me to be a part of their new Wellness Workshops. This workshop is open to members and non-members alike

 

In my Sugar Blues workshop we will take a look at the sugar invasion of the past decades into every facet of our American life, its impact on our health and how to take control of our cravings and choices to avoid the downward spiral of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. You will learn how to gently and gradually push cravings out of your life. This is an exciting, powerful class with tons of great information!

 

Everyone is welcome! If you know of someone who would be interested, please pass this along.

 

Tele-Seminar: Sugar Blues

September 27 - 6 - 7:30pm PDT

Cost of Workshop: $20

 

Register with me via email me or go to my website and connect with me there.

I will send you an invoice via PayPal for your registration fee. Upon receipt of payment I will send you the toll-free phone number for you to call into for your workshop. 

 

Health Coaching - Group Program

Double Diamond Athletic Club

9400 Double Diamond Parkway, Reno NV 89521


This 3 month Health Coaching Group program will provide you with a health coach and group support in your goals to improve your health permanently - all at an affordable price! As your health coach, I will lead six discussions and activities on how to easily and permanently improve you eating habits and lifestyle choices to bring you to your best health ever. 
September 6 & 20, October 4, 11 & 25, November 8 at 7 pm.
Program cost: $99 per month

Register with me via email me or go to my website and connect with me there.

-OR-

Register at DDAC front desk or call them at (775) 851-7171. 

Watch for announcements about my NEW workshop this fall:

Energy in 1-2-3!

Energy in 1-2-3 will focus on three easy steps you can take RIGHT NOW to improve your energy and put you on the road to better health..

IIN logo 

Graduation Special
I am celebrating my graduation from Institute for Integrative Nutrition by offering you one more month of student rates as a Health Coach. Contact me for details today! This special goes away September 30.
Student Rate: $99/month
List Price: $195/month
Contact Info
LaRae Wilson - Certified Holistic Health Coach, AADP
775.852.4880
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