This summer I whipped up this clean eating recipe that I have been enjoying during our very hot weather. As much as I love summer, even I can get a little too hot!  This recipe will easily cool you down and it’s simple to make plus there’s no added sugar.  Even better, it only takes a few seconds in the blender and kids will love to help whip up this tasty treat.

Ingredients:

2 cups of watermelon chunks

2 tbsp. fresh lime juice

3-4 mint leaves

ice cubes

Put all ingredients in the blender and mix it up.  Adjust the flavors to your liking – go easy on the lime juice if you don’t like it quite as tart.  Add more ice for a thicker consistency.

I like to chill and then serve. And you can always add a little vodka for an extra kick.  :)

Give it a whirl and let me know what you think.

It almost sounds silly to say that I was reconnecting with my body since I exercise almost every day and am very active, but our weekend retreat, Radiant Health for Women, was about slowing down, tuning into and really noticing what’s going in our bodies.  To be honest, I sometimes miss the cues my body is sending me when I’m running from one activity to another.

I don’t know about you, but I find it increasingly easy to be overwhelmed by the pace of my busy life and schedule. I have too much going on, not enough down time and am overstimulated by the 24-7 access to technology that so many of us are vulnerable to, spending far too much time emailing, Facebooking, Tweeting and the like.   I can easily get sucked into spending too much time doing and not enough time simply being.   

Ironically, I talk about self-awareness a lot when I speak to women about creating vibrant health as we age yet it’s something I continually need to work on – I believe that we teach what we most need to learn. In my recently published book, A Healthier You, I wrote at length about this topic in the chapter, “Clean Eating, Self-Awareness and the Power of Prevention,” and about how eating a healthy diet alone won’t necessarily prevent chronic disease.  In fact, increased self-awareness and knowing our bodies are equally important components to creating a healthy lifestyle.

It reminds me that just about two years ago I had a case of Shingles, a virus caused from too much stress.  Even though I was eating the healthiest of foods, my stress level was off the charts and I was doing a horrible job of running my business and managing my life in a balanced way.   Clearly my level of self-awareness about my own health and body was amazingly low. 

During the retreat, I remembered what it felt like to truly relax without my To Do list looming in the background — that felt liberating.  And I had a chance to practice restorative yoga that was also part of our weekend workshop, reminding me that more calming exercise has a place alongside strength training and spinning, it doesn’t all have to be go go go all the time!

Above all, this weekend tune up reinforced the notion that self-awareness, slowing down and tuning in shouldn’t only happen when we decide to make the time for it.  Like anything else that’s important to us, we need to make it a priority. And just as you endeavor to practice clean eating every day, why wouldn’t you and I practice increased self-awareness everyday? The key for me is to make daily baby steps that keep my stress levels in check so I don’t get overwhelmed to the point of having the Shingles again.

What about you? Are you aware of what’s going on in your body? Are you tuned into when you need more time for renewal and to unplug from your busy life?  And while going away for a weekend of rest is optimal, we can create opportunities for self-care and awareness right at home.

What will you do today and this week to become more self-aware, tuned in and to celebrate vibrant health? What do you most need right now?

I don’t have to tell you all the reasons that as women we don’t always take care of ourselves the way we should. I think we all know to well that we’re usually so busy taking care of everyone else, that our own health can take a back seat. 

But it does beg the question of “if not now, when?” Why are we waiting to take proactive action with exercise, eating, stress reduction and understanding the signs of heart attack?  A little education and awareness goes a long way to creating the life we really want to have. 

In celebration of today, you’re truly, The Clean Eating Coach, is all about not only wearing red but eating healthy and delicious red foods.  Here are three easy ideas to eat red today in a heart healthy way!

1. Red bell peppers- These delicious gems are bursting with Vitamins A & C, natural antioxidants, plus helpful doses of folic acid and Vitamin B which help lower high homocystine levels (which is linked to heart disease).  And you know what else, they are so easy to prepare and enjoy! Cut them up and eat them raw or roast them and add to your favorite soup.  This weekend, I’ll be making roasted red pepper and sweet potato soup. Yum!

2. Tomatoes- Can you say lycopene? Juicy red tomatoes (or canned organic tomatoes this time of year when store bought tomatoes are nothing short of dreadful) are chock full of lycopene which has been shown to help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.  This natural antioxidant helps protect cells from free radical damage.  Plus they taste so good. What about veggie chili with organic tomatoes or tomato bruschetta on whole grain crusty bread?

3. Beets - This deep red root vegetable is a natural detoxifier and anti-inflammatory.  Naturally linked to cancer prevention, did you know that beets will also help keep your heart healthy? Beets contain the B-vitamin choline which helps regulate inflammation in the cardiovascular system.  So think about juicing some beets, roasting them to sweet perfection, adding to a salad or even making borscht, yummy beet soup.

What will get you inspired to eat red and wear red on this important day? Isn’t your heart health worth a little extra effort?

I have several friends that live nearby, not to mention plenty of clean eating colleagues – people committed to their own health and supporting those around them. What a difference it made when I was recovering to have healthy, clean food chock full of nutrients that my friends were sweet enough to deliver.  That was definitely a gift of love, a small token that supported my recovery in a powerful way.

What do I mean by a clean eating advocate? Just like any other advocate you may have, a clean eating advocate takes a stand on your behalf.  Could be a  friend, family member, significant other or co-worker that supports you in your clean eating endeavors. He or she might do one or more of the following:

• Listen and acknowledge when you tell them you are eating clean
• Not tempt you with “unclean” foods that will get you off track
• Brainstorm ways you can both practice clean eating
• Help you plan a week’s worth of clean eating meals
• Cook clean eating foods with you and then enjoy them together
• “Talk you down” when you’re tempted to eat less than clean or you’re in a downward spiral
• Bring you a basket of fruit instead of a pie or cake when coming over
• Remind you to drink plenty of water
• Encourage you to go to the farmers’ market to buy fresh, locally grown clean food and pick you up to ensure it happens
• Cheer you on from the sidelines and appreciate you for your clean eating efforts, every step of the way

I like to think of the clean eating advocates in my life as my “sister-friend support network.”  We’re all in some stage of creating or maintaining  this long term lifestyle and advocates make it fun and inspiring!

Do you have a clean eating advocate? In what way does he or she inspire you? If you don’t have one, who can you team up with to support your kick-butt, preventative lifestyle?

Bittman adopted a vegan diet part of the time — he would eat vegan until 6 pm and then he enjoy whatever he liked after that.  But his shift to eliminating animal products and eating a much cleaner diet paid off – he lost 35 pounds over the course of three months.

I was drawn to this article because I’ve been toying with the idea of eating less meat for some time. And when I read it, it struck me that I pretty much practice part-time veganism too although it hasn’t been intentional. I didn’t wake up one day and say “today, I’m going to become a part-time vegan,” rather it unfolded through my weekly meal planning efforts and just felt right.

Since I do most of the cooking in the house, I plan the meals and do the grocery shopping.  I’m naturally drawn to more soups and stews in colder months and I often end up making vegan dishes that contain copious amounts of beans.  So in a very natural way, my husband and I started eating more meat less dishes at lunch time and lots of healthy snacks in the afternoon - like red pepper strips with hummus and an apple.  And since we don’t eat meat with breakfast, it’s not so hard to go through a large portion of the day without any meat at all.

Awhile back I did plan a week of no meat at all, even with dinner. Bruce reluctantly went along with the program but he wasn’t so thrilled.  Even though we don’t eat a lot of meat (usually chicken, turkey and fish), he missed the opportunity to have meat and he kept reminding me how important protein is to his weight lifting routine.  Needless to say, we got through the week but he was definitely not into my plan to extend our vegan experiment another week!  Ironically, just the other day he suggested that we have another week of no meat at all and you know I was game. That’s coming up next week and I’ll share the details of our menu planning.

I can see how being a part-time vegan is something that can work in our home.  It’s a healthier, clean eating happy medium that’s balanced by some meat later on in the day but even that doesn’t have to happen every day and can be in small amounts.  Seriously, this is so much a healthier way to eat and live and it feels like it fits both our needs better than the all or nothing approach. And I have to say that after four to five months of eating this way, Bruce has shed roughly20 pounds so he’s reaping the health benefits and feeling great about how he looks.  To me, eating this way screams, “I want to prevent chronic disease,” and we’re both committed to that.

Have you tried being a part-time vegan? What’s your experience been like and how has it helped you create a healthier, clean eating lifestyle that supports preventing chronic disease?

For me, that translates into increased awareness about what I’m putting into my body and how I’m taking care of it.  I think before I eat something, weigh whether I want it or need it (seriously, who’s ever needed a cupcake?), and if I do want it and it’s perhaps not such a clean eating food, I weigh what I’m willing to do to balance it out…like more time at the gym.  Simply becoming more self-aware goes a long way toward preventing chronic disease — increased self-knowledge leads to better choices and avoiding unhealthy behaviors.

Having recently lost a friend to pancreatic cancer who was only 50, I regularly think about how fortunate I am to be healthy with no major medical problems.  My friend Pam’s death was such a wake up call.  Before she got sick, she had a healthy lifestyle doing all the right things yet she still got sick.  Really, any of us can be susceptible.  When I step back and get some perspective, my slightly creaky joints, sometimes sore foot from doing too much cardio and little aches and pains are nothing compared to the several friends I have who are currently dealing with cancer or other illnesses, or who have sadly passed away.

I really believe that how we treat ourselves today, especially those of us in or nearing middle age, has everything to do with how our older years will manifest.  Do you want to age vibrantly and be energized or can you see yourself burdened with health problems that cause regret about your past self-care efforts (or lack thereof)?  Needless to say, I’m all about being preventative, eating clean foods, getting plenty of exercise and rest and taking the best care of myself that I can. 

Last week I opened up my friend Ginny’s bi-weekly newsletter and was struck by the content. Ginny, a life coach, is a pro at helping people shift perspective to get new insights into challenges they may be facing.  She mentioned how helpful it is to think about what you’re willing to do to solve a problem and why that’s so important.

I read her newsletter and immediately wrote back and said, “I’m willing to do a strength training workout 3 times per week so I feel great in a bathing suit this summer.”  I was struck by what an easy shift I had when I was able to articulate both what I’d be willing to do and why it was so important.   It’s only mid-April and I’m already focused on a summertime goal and excited about it (especially since I joined a new gym that’s motivating me).  I can already feel how I’ll feel when I’m on the beach this summer and feeling great in my bathing suit and about my body. And truth be told, in the end, it’s less about the physical manifestation (looking great in the suit) and more about how I’m taking care of myself  that really matters.

I find that when there’s a larger reason that’s inspiring me, it’s so much easier to get started on a goal and stick to it.  In fact, it doesn’t have to be so hard at all.

I’m curious to know what you’re willing to do to prevent chronic disease and feel your best as you age.  What’s your spark of inspiration to help you feel your best as your body changes?

And yes, we’ve all been there before, myself included.  I can’t even count how many times I said, “but this time things will really be different,” only to retreat to my old, admittedly comfortable ways.

Creating a clean eating lifestyle, however, is something that we all endeavor to do for good, not just for a month.  And that takes a different set of skills to make happen consistently.  First and foremost it’s about shifting your mindset and determining that keeping yourself healthy, preventing disease and/or losing weight can be fun and is meaningful in your life.

Yep, I said it, FUN.  Doesn’t whipping up delicious, healthy meals that are totally appealing sound good?  Eating clean and feeling your best is only drudgery if you decide it is.  This is really about your mindset and the choices you make about your health.

For me, finding my clean eating groove meant thinking differently about the experience of being in the kitchen and preparing meals.  Instead of, “I have a ton of other things to do and I can’t wait to get out of here,” I began to see the possibility to relax and enjoy myself instead of rushing through on my way to completing a mile long list of tasks.  Needless to say, this was no easy task, and has evolved over time.

I like to do lots of prep and cooking on Sundays and I’ve created it into a meditative experience.  Sometimes I quietly chop and slice, enjoying the silence of being in the kitchen by myself, getting in touch with body and letting my mind rest.  Other times I put on one of my favorite jazz musicians like Pat Metheny or Joshua Redman and soak up the music as I work.  And for those days when I need a boost of energy, it may be the Black Eyed Peas or my favorite old schools jams from the 80s that get me dancing around the kitchen, totally in that joyous moment.

Truth be told, what I’m doing is hardly rocket science, I’m simply taking easy steps to make clean eating fun. When I’m relaxed, not racing against the clock and am feeling inspired in the kitchen, I have so much more fun and tune into the joy of creating healthy and delicious meals.  Not to mention that I swear the food tastes even better when I’ve got positive energy flowing through it.  Even better, I have the chance to reflect on the bigger reasons I’m doing this and how it’s supporting my long term health, not just in the moment for the day or week.

What do you need to do to find your own kitchen groove? What will help you get you inspired to keep coming back to the kitchen to create clean eating meals?

Take it from me, Wendy Battles, the Clean Eating Coach, if I can find my kitchen groove and feel inspired to make clean eating meals, I know you can too!

Even though we’ve been practicing clean eating for quite some time, his realization about our lifestyle really solidified that not only is he doing it (and liking it) but that his awareness has changed and increased.  And the best part is that it’s not about me beating him over the head with constant messages about clean eating.   Much to the contrary, it’s been an easy progression of subtle lifestyle changes over time. 

For example, we recently watched the movie Food Inc, an indictment of the food industry that makes you question just about every aspect of what you’re putting into your mouth.  Food Inc shares the powerful message that we should all increase our awareness about the source of our food.  Does it come from a factory farm or a local farmer where animals are treated with respect? Are many of things you’re eating genetically modified or are you eating clean, whole foods that aren’t processed?

We watched the movie and next thing I know, Bruce suggested that we stop buying meat in the grocery store and only buy it from one of several local farmers.  Mind you, we don’t eat tons of meat to begin with but I couldn’t help but appreciate the earnestness in which he responded to the movie and his thoughtfulness about our health.

Half of clean eating for me, is the willingness to shift your mindset and see other possibilities. It’s almost about envisioning a healthy future you’d like to have and seeing clean eating as a vehicle to help you get there. My simple mantra: prevention, prevention, prevention.  Clean eating is the means by which we’re creating the healthy life we want to enjoy, especially as we age.  It’s such a simple approach through which you can reap a myriad of benefits, not the least of which is a whole new level of awareness about what you’re eating and how that’s affecting you and the environment.

What discoveries have you uncovered on your clean eating journey? How has increasing your awareness about the food your eating helped you make some healthy changes?

Last week one of the episodes featured a piece on 5 silent killers in women.  In addition to the likes of hepatitis and uterine cancer, right up there on the list, as no surprise, is heart disease. I know most of you know it’s the number one killer of women, but the question really is about whether you’re taking proactive steps to prevent heart disease and lead a clean eating lifestyle the way you know you should.

For me, there are two specific actions you can take to decrease the likelihood of heart disease and heart attack: clean up your eating and increase your self-awareness about your body.  The former has everything to do with long-term, lifestyle changes, while the latter is all about being present in your body to notice when something’s awry. It’s the combination of these two actions that provides such a powerful method of prevention for women, yet we don’t always make either a priority.

Your willingness to embrace clean eating and kick foods full of sugar, sodium and preservatives to the curb, is the first step in supporting your heart health.  Whole foods like fruits, vegetables and whole grains, fortified with antioxidants, and low in fat and calories keep excess pounds off, blood pressure and cholesterol in check, and decrease the likelihood that you’ll develop Type 2 Diabetes.

To me, the beauty of clean eating is that it’s fun and you can get totally creative. Here are just a few ideas:

• Try a new fruit or vegetable that you’ve never had
• Go on a health food store tour and enlist your friends to join you; together you can discover all kinds of healthy foods
• Create a Clean Eating Club and cook with friends. Once a month you can gather and create simple and delicious dishes that are heart healthy

In addition to helping prevent heart disease through healthy eating, it’s also important to be tuned into what you’re feeling in your body and what feels normal for you.  Ever notice those days when you’re on the run with a lengthy to do list and barely time to eat? Those are exactly the times when you’re less tuned it. As women, we tend to be so focused on getting things done or doing things for others that we lose sight of ourselves. Imagine leading an over the top, multi-tasking lifestyle where we barely stop to breath deeply, get quiet and listen to what our body needs.

But preventing something as severe as a heart attack starts with body wisdom and your own self-knowledge. Time and time again I’ve read stories about women who tuned in enough to recognize that something just didn’t feel right, they remembered the signs of heart attack in women, and they made a beeline to the emergency room just in time to save their life.

Here are a few suggestions to help you tune into your body:

• Get a regular physical exam and yearly blood work to monitor your heart health
• Get familiar with the symptoms of heart attack in women so you’ll know what to look for. Here’s a handy guide from Dr. Oz.
• Slow down your hectic pace and make time to breath and listen to your body every day. Super busy? I bet you can fit 5-10 minutes in!

So what’s it going to be your life? Can you see the benefit of clean eating and tuning into your body to help you prevent heart disease? What are you currently do that’s working and where do you have room for improvement?

In our house, my husband and I do a pretty good job of eating clean most of  the time. Honestly, it’s hard to do it perfectly every day, but that’s really not the point. We use the 80-20 rule although I’m always trying to inch toward the 90-10 rule — 90% of the time we eat clean.  In the end, it’s about adopting a clean eating lifestyle that you can maintain and that’s something that can evolve over time.

Here’s a super simple and tasty recipe that’s all about being clean, light and healthy.  Made with brown rice and black beans, it contains complex carbohydrates to keep you energized, is low in fat and is flavorful. By using locally grown produce in it (like cilantro I’m growing in the backyard, and tomatoes), it has even more flavor.  And if you find brown rice to be a little heavy, you can make it taste just as good by using quinoa instead.

Brown Rice and Black Bean Salad

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

½ tsp. salt
1 cup organic brown rice
2 cups water
1 cup chopped tomato
½ cup finely chopped green bell pepper
½ cup finely chopped onion
2 tbsp. Fresh lime juice
2 tbsp. White wine vinegar
2 tbsp. Olive oil
¼ cup finely chopped cilantro
15 oz. can black beans, rinsed well in a colander and well drained

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan bring water to boil with salt and. Add rice, cover and cook for 40-50 minutes or until all water is absorbed. Rinse rice is a sieve under cold water and drain it well. 
2. In a bowl, stir together the tomato, bell pepper, onion, vinegar, lime juice, olive oil and cilantro.  Add the beans, rice and salt and pepper to taste and stir salad until it is combined well.

What’s your favorite way to make a summer salad that’s light and clean and will keep you energized? What have you done lately to practice clean eating that prevents disease, helps you manage your weight and is loaded with all the right nutrients?