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Keep It Clean

Heels To Laces is on a mission to break through the clutter of health and fitness and make it easier to live healthier – and have a ton of fun doing it. As always, we love interaction so email us, comment, share and send your thoughts.

QUOTE FOR THE WEEK
“Surround yourself with people that reflect who you want to be and how you want to feel. Energies are contagious. ” ~Rachel Wolchin

TRUTH OR DARE
Each post we will present you with a truth or dare – the idea is to tackle it with gusto and make it happen. Focusing on just one change is much less daunting and more achievable, giving you the jump start you may need.

Dare: Be grateful.
It is so easy to go about your day and focus on the things that may not have gone well. What if you turned your perspective around and focused on three things that did? Every night, right before you go to sleep, name three things you were grateful for in that day. You will be amazed how effective this is – not only does it give you positive vibes to end your day, it helps you fall asleep faster by focusing on the good and giving you a sense of calm.

ASK THE EXPERTS
We don’t claim to know everything – so sometimes we have to ask the experts:

In An Instant
So, we are a little obsessed with the Instant Pot – thanks to a very good friend of Heels To Laces (looking at you NG!). We turned to certified health coach and founder of “Flavor Your Health“, Rebecca Ryan, to help us navigate the benefits of this popular device. Here’s what Rebecca shared:

One of the best ways to maintain your health and weight is to cook your own meals. Yet, finding time for meal planning and cooking in today’s busy world is daunting. Enter one miracle device that helps you whip up meals that taste as if you were slaving in the kitchen for hours. The Instant Pot is a game changer. And not just for saving time – for health benefits. Pressure cookers cook food thoroughly and evenly – allowing foods to retain 90% of water-soluble vitamins and phytochemicals and locking in flavor. It also helps eliminate harmful microorganisms and bacteria (buh-bye lectins!).

The airtight canister seals in high temperatures, allowing for rapid cooking (an answer to your prayers when it’s 5:00 and you’ve had nothing planned for dinner). It can cook anything from hard-boiled eggs, soups, pasta, meats and even yogurt. There are endless recipes online, with easy instructions. Most often, you simply need a few minutes of prep before you press the “on” button and walk away. The Instant Pot comes in multiple sizes including the 3, 6 or 8 quart. If you are looking for leftovers, this 8 quart is your best choice.

Still feeling confused or like you want someone to personally demonstrate? This cooking class on March 21st is for you.  More of a private lesson kinda person or seeking personal chef services? It would be my pleasure: rebecca@flavoryourhealth.com  / flavoryourhealth.com   

WHAT’S TRENDING
Walk along the alternative milk aisle of the supermarket lately, and you may notice a new player in town next to the almond milk, cashew milk and hemp milk. Enter oat milk.

Why oat milk? It’s a non-dairy, non-soy, plant-based alternative to cow’s milk. It’s packed with fiber and contains vitamins B, thiamin and folate and the minerals magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, zinc and copper. Not to mention, it is creamier than the typical non-dairy options out there.

Sounds pretty epic, doesn’t it? They jury is still out. Since it’s so new, there will continue to be information on the health benefits. For now, it is a nice find. Word of caution – the original inventor of oat milk, Oatly (literally impossible to find as it’s sold out everywhere), is the purest version out there even though it does contain 1.5% rapeseed oil (as confirmed by the company). Many copycat brands have additive ingredients like gums, sugar, lecithin, oils and well, crap. Same goes for other non-dairy “healthier” options. Always read the label. What might seem healthier is often quite the contrary.

WHAT WE’RE OBSESSED WITH
Sometimes, you just gotta have it.

Live Like Lilly
HtoL knows the importance of influencing youth to make healthy choices in fitness & nutrition. Our Youth Fitness classes are a highlight for us as we find the most incredible personalities and talent within these young adults. Lilly, a twelve year old entrepreneur, started her own organic bath salts and scrubs when she struggled to find organic options in the store. Yes, twelve. Lilly’s products are made from epsom salt, organic jojoba oil and lavender essential oils. And they smell incredible. To order, simply email Lilly: LASNatural@gmail.com. Let’s all #LiveLikeLilly and make dreams come true.

Almond You Glad We Told You?
If you are going to do all this gluten-free cookin’, you need a good flour. We have tried and tested multiple options out there and keep coming to the same one. This almond flour is the bomb and comes in a 5lb bag – ’cause as we all know, it goes fast. Blanched or unblanched, it never disappoints.

Ahhh-Choo!
Spring is in the air (officially on March 20th!) and with this mild, no-snow winter, allergy sufferers are in for a doozy. You do not have to ingest the best of pharma to get amazing benefits. This homeopathic remedy is a tried and true allergy defender. It’s all-natural and powerful – dare we say even better than the conventional popular picks.

THE DISH ON DELISH
All of our recipes will always be quick, healthy, easy, gluten-free, grain-free, sugar-free, mostly dairy-free, SCD legal and Paleo friendly. And yes, all sorts of deliciousness.

Bring these to a party. You may get a kiss on the lips.

Cookie Delight
Ingredients:

  • 2 1/2 cups of almond flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon of salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda
  • 8 tablespoons of unsalted butter, melted (or 1/2 cup of coconut oil or vegetable shortening, melted)
  • 1/2 cup of honey (or other sweetener)
  • 1 egg (can substitute one flaxseed egg)
  • 1 tablespoon of vanilla
  • 1 cup of chocolate chips (omit for SCD) or Good Stuff chocolate chopped into small pieces

Note – for those who eat oats, you can add 1/2 – 3/4 cup of oats to the batter for that extra thickness.

Instructions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F
  2. Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl and blend with a spoon.
  3. Add the wet ingredients and blend it well with a spoon.
  4. Drop about a tablespoon of batter in each cookie spot on the cookie sheets. Space them about 1 1/2 inches apart.
  5. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until they are starting to brown around the edges.

Caution: you will not stop at one.

Thank you, ComfyBelly.com

SHARE THE LOVE
Are you lovin’ Heels To Laces? Please share. If you tell a friend and they tell a friend, and so on, and so on….think what an amazing community we will build. Sign up here. Follow us on Facebook and Insta. 

PS. We love you too.

WANT TO SHINE?
Have a product you’d like us to try and review for potential inclusion in our newsletter? Simply contact us: info@heelstolaces.com

WANT MORE?
Let the fun continue…Follow us on Instagram & Facebook to get daily doses of inspiration, knowledge & recipes.

Disclosure: some product recommendations are affiliate sites, which simply means we get a small compensation from the companies that sell the products we endorse. We will never endorse a product we do not personally use or love. Opinions expressed are solely those of Heels To Laces.
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Smooth It Out

Heels To Laces is on a mission to break through the clutter of health and fitness and make it easier to live healthier – and have a ton of fun doing it. As always, we love interaction so email us, comment, share and send your thoughts.

QUOTE FOR THE WEEK
“The greatest gift you can give someone is your time, because when you give your time you are giving a portion of your life that you will never get back.” ~unknown

TRUTH OR DARE
Each post we will present you with a truth or dare. All you have to do is tackle it with gusto and make it happen. Often, by just focusing on one change…just one, it’s much more palpable and achievable and becomes the jump start you need.

DareGive it all you’ve got
Although it’s not officially holiday season, the season of giving is fast approaching. But why wait? We all know how it feels to receive – but giving is so good for the giver…dare we say even better than getting? It has the most miraculous way of making you feel centered, calm, happy, fulfilled and inspired.

Giving can be as simple as picking up the keys someone dropped, sending a text to someone that pops into your head letting them know your’re thinking of them, sending an unexpected little trinket in the mail, opening the door for someone, buying the person next to you a cup of coffee, volunteering for a neighborhood program or just writing a note (yes, hand-written).

It all counts.

ASK THE EXPERTS
We don’t claim to know everything – so sometimes we have to ask the experts:

What the Fascia?!
We have heard a lot about something called fascia lately – but what is it exactly? We are here to clear up the confusion. Well, Beth is. Beth Geller, the founder of Just Be Smooth Endermologie Studio, is an expert on fascia and sub-dermal treatments.

So here’s how Beth explains it – Fascia is a band of fibrous, connective tissue beneath the skin, primarily collagen, that attaches, stabilizes, encloses, and separates muscles and other internal organs.  They run throughout the body in 12 meridian lines (similar but not the same as acupuncture or Chinese Medicine meridians) that connect all parts of the body.  It acts like a glove that supports and connects the whole body.

It is important to keep fascia nice and loose to avoid stiffness and pain.  Especially if you train hard with running, jump roping, cross training or HIIT –  you want your fascia light, springy and flexible to avoid injuries. Loose fascia also helps muscles work more efficiently by being less constricted, which creates better blood flow.

Fascia is a direct correlation to cellulite. Cellulite, most often in women, is due to tight fascia, which creates dimples. Cellulite may form when there is excess water retention, poor blood circulation, enlarged fat cells or a hormone imbalance. But have no fear! There are cures! Fascia can be kept nice and flexible and in optimal condition by drinking enough water, regularly exercising (including yoga/pilates/barre/HIIT), foam rolling, stretching and endermologie treatments.

Basically, keeping your fascia loose and springy will help you with everything that you do; you will feel and look younger, healthier and more agile. One endermologie treatment can increase blood flow 400%, lymphatic drainage 300% and collagen production 27-100%. And because Beth is a friend of HtoL, she is passing on the discounted rate of $45 for your first time (psst…you just lie there and get massaged by the machine). Thanks, Beth. Beth@justbesmooth.com/ www.justbesmooth.com 

WHAT’S TRENDING
Cassava. We are not speaking Spanish (although it is Brazilian). Cassava has been getting more visibility lately as another gluten-free option, especially considering it has a low glycemic index (meaning glucose is released into the blood stream slower). Cassava, also known as manioc and yuca (not yucca), is a tropical root plant used in Asia, Africa and South America because it’s plentiful and inexpensive.  It is high in B-complex vitamins (B6, B5, B2), folate, thiamin and contains high performing minerals like zinc, iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium…whew.

Cassava is considered a resistant starch – which are said to be the healthiest kind of starch for your gut. Resistant starch feeds beneficial gut bacteria, can reduce inflammation and harmful bacteria. Bonus.

Here’s a cassava flour we like. And cassava chips, which we’ve bragged about before, we LOVE.

WHAT WE’RE OBSESSED WITH
Sometimes, you just gotta have it.

Flip It and Reverse It
Winter = dry. Dry hair, dry nails, dry feet. It’s already starting and it’s maddening. We are always searching for THAT hair product that can take the straw look away and add some life and shine. We are happy to say we found one. NYR Organic is fair trade, fair wild, fair for life…just plain fair. And we like that. Their hair treatment is as pure as it gets and super affordable – and the results are amazing. You can leave it in anywhere from 30 min to overnight (we prefer the overnight). A little goes a looonnngggg way. If you want it even cheaper, simply email organic4framak@gmail.com for free shipping or 20% off (whichever is the better deal).

Put Up Your Dukes
As you know, at HtoL, we’re all homeopathic and stuff. And we have written blogs on natural cold remedies here, here and here. Well, there’s a newbie on the market that we swear by. This one little product has all the homeopathic remedies blended down into one powerful pill. It is a 5-day regimen that legit kicks a cold’s ass. Try to do the whole regimen (the entire jar). You will be amazed at it’s power.

Rest Assured
Sleep deprivation is said to equate to being intoxicated. Lack of sleep, and the need for more of it, is one of the most common denominators among us. In the latest Consumer Reports survey of 4,023 US adults, 27% said they had trouble falling asleep or staying asleep and a whopping 68% struggled with sleep at least one a week. We think it’s their bedding. This new-er company has made it their mission to help people sleep better with 100% organic, sustainably sourced, softer-than-soft bedding. We’re talking from sheets to duvets to now even mattresses. They have certainly done it right. And because they are friends (you could say family) of HtoL, they are offering our readers $50 off a $200 purchase (holidays, people!). Simply use code: BOLLH2L (ps. it expires on Nov 2nd!).

THE DISH ON DELISH
All of our recipes will always be quick, healthy, easy, gluten-free, grain-free, sugar-free, mostly dairy-free, SCD legal and Paleo friendly. And yes, all sorts of deliciousness.

‘Tis the season…

Pumpkin Spiced Granola*
Ingredients:

  • 1 cup walnuts
  • 1/2 cup pecans
  • 1/2 cup almonds
  • 1 cup pumpkin seeds
  • 1/2 cup flaked almonds
  • 1 cup coconut flakes
  • 1/3 cup raisins
  • 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1/3 cup melted coconut oil
  • 1/3 cup honey or maple syrup
  • 1/2 tsp ground cloves
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Instructions:
– Preheat the oven to 300 degrees
– Place the walnuts, pecans and whole almonds (not flaked) in a food processor and pulse for a few seconds until the nuts have broken into small pieces (don’t over pulse them into a powder).
– Transfer the nuts to a large bowl and add in the pumpkin seeds, flaked almonds, coconut flakes and raisins.
– In a small bowl whisk together the pumpkin puree, melted coconut oil, honey and all of the spices and salt. Once well mixed, pour the liquid over the nut mixture and stir so that everything is  well coated.
– Spread the mixture evenly out on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 50 minutes to an hour, stirring every 15 minutes to ensure it evenly browns (don’t let it burn!).

Once everything is golden in colour, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool. The granola should become crunchy as it cools. Transfer to an airtight container.

Thank you for the recipe, EveryLastBite!

SHARE THE LOVE
Are you lovin’ Heels To Laces? Please share. If you tell a friend and they tell a friend, and so on, and so on….think what an amazing community we will build. Sign up here. Follow us on Facebook and Insta. 

PS. We love you too.

WANT TO SHINE?
Have a product you’d like us to try and review for potential inclusion in our newsletter? Simply contact us: info@heelstolaces.com

WANT MORE?
Let the fun continue…Follow us on Instagram & Facebook to get daily doses of inspiration, knowledge & recipes.

Disclosure: some product recommendations are affiliate sites, which simply means we get a small compensation from the companies that sell the products we endorse. We will never endorse a product we do not personally use or love. Opinions expressed are solely those of Heels To Laces.
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Holy Cow!

Heels To Laces is on a mission to break through the clutter of health and fitness and make it easier to live healthier – and have a ton of fun doing it.

As always, we love interaction so email us, comment, share and send your thoughts.

QUOTE FOR THE WEEK
“New Year. A fresh start. A new chapter in life waiting to be written. New questions to be asked, embraced, and loved. Answers to be discovered and then lived in this transformative year of delight and self-discovery. Today carve out a quiet interlude for yourself in which to dream, pen in hand. Only dreams give birth to change.”~ Sarah Ban Breathnach

TRUTH OR DARE
Each week we will present you with a truth or dare. It’s your job to tackle it with gusto and make it happen. Often, by just focusing on one change…just one, it’s much more palpable and achievable and becomes the jump start you need. This week is a we ask you to question a truth.

Truth: Do you eat too much processed food?
Research published in BMJ Journal shows that ultra-processed foods make up 58% of all of the calories and 90% of the added sugars the average American consumes in a given day. And 75% of the average American’s sodium consumption (which is about 1.5 times the RDA of sodium per day, according to the CDC {Center for Disease Control and Prevention}) comes from processed foods, per Harvard University*.

Yada yada – “don’t eat processed food” – you hear it all the time. But have you wondered why you can’t lose that extra 5 pounds or can’t get rid of that extra layer on your stomach? Our bodies do not know how to process processed foods – so we store them as fat.  If you simply removed processed foods from your diet, betting you would see a significant change.

*Source: Women’s Health

ASK THE EXPERTS
We don’t claim to know everything – so sometimes we have to ask the experts. You all know, we do not condone diets. It’s one of the most searched terms in a new year, and one of the most dangerous – as it implies “temporary”. We’re here to tell you, you never have to go on a diet again.

What can you do? This week, we asked Laura Deutsch -certified health coach, busy mom, and healthy eating enthusiast, what is the best way to tackle 2018 with a healthy eating vengeance that is “doable” and allows you to stick with it.  We like the way Laura thinks.  This is what she said:

Eat More in 2018. (hallelujah! a woman after our own philosophy!)
If you have made a new year’s resolution to ‘eat better’, odds are your resolution will not last.  I know, the truth hurts! I also bet that by ‘eating better’ you probably decided to not eat certain foods groups (sugar, meat, dairy, wine!) – whatever your vice, you are done with it. Unless you are on a program for medical reasons, it is hard to stick to never eating certain foods, especially when you love them, without quickly breaking resolutions and …feeling like you failed.

So this year, perhaps you make your resolution to eat MORE!  More vegetables, that is. Why vegetables?

  1. They are the healthiest foods on earth
  2. They contain tons of fiber which most of us do not get enough of
  3. They contain water which helps us hydrate (you should be drinking half of your body weight in ounces every day)
  4. Eating lots of veggies may reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, certain types of cancers, and risk of bone loss

What is so incredible about merely adding vegetables to your diet? By default, you will not eat as much of the other stuff because you are full from the good stuff!

So just how many vegetables are enough?  Try to consume between 5 and 13 servings of vegetables per day.  That comes to about 2 1/2 to 6 1/2 cups daily.   According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control) less than 14% of Americans consume enough. So now the question remains – how do you do this?

  1. Have a smoothie for breakfast.  You can easily throw in 2 1/2 cups of spinach in one smoothie, not even taste it, and already meet the minimum requirement by 9 AM.
  2. Have a salad at lunch every day.
  3.  Have crudite at 5:00 – cut up vegetables and yogurt dip – and watch it disappear (kids will devour it too!)

Incorporate even just one of these ideas into your way of eating and you are winning.

Jump starting your health and including more vegetables in your diet can feel a bit intimidating – so I created the Fresh Start 28 program: a 4-week online course that includes videos, recipes, meal plans, and step-by-step directions on how to seamlessly include tons of vegetables into your diet. And lucky Heels To Laces subscribers get (thank you HtoL!). Make 2018 your year to eat more, not less.

Laura owns Instill Health and specializes in showing moms, no matter how busy they are, ways to incorporate healthy, balanced meals and snacks into their diets.

WHAT’S TRENDING
A healthier milk?
There is no doubt there is a ton of research on dairy and its inflammatory properties.  Classic symptoms of dairy sensitivity include respiratory & digestive problems, mucus build-up, gas, bloating, diarrhea, fatigue, joint pains, and skin issues. There are two components in dairy that can lead to these issues: casein (protein) and lactose (sugar).

Many avoid dairy because they experience symptoms after ingesting milk or cheese.  Many people have a lactose intolerance – they don’t produce the lactase enzyme required to break down lactose. People who do produce the lactase enzyme but still react poorly to milk are responding to the two proteins found in milk, casein (with a molecular structure similar to gluten) and whey. Many may think they have a lactose intolerance, yet it might be a difficulty digesting the protein casein.

Most people with lactose intolerance can eat foods that contain casein & whey (the proteins, not sugars). A lactose free product does not necessarily mean it is dairy free. A dairy allergy is often related to the casein.

Most of the milk we ingest is from cows that naturally mutated to produce a mix of A1 and A2 casein proteins. Published research suggests these A1 caseins can be the culprit for a large percentage of the population with digestive issues.

There is a milk called A2 that has received a lot of press lately. Their milk comes from cows that naturally produce only the pure A2 protein and none of the A1. You can find out more here (ps – there is a $1 off a half gallon on their site). The jury is still out – as this is a newer product, but it does get us thinking. We’ve tried the A2 milk and it’s quite delicious, with no discomfort issues as with other milks. However, more research is needed to determine if this addresses the inflammatory properties of dairy. For those that are lactose intolerant, it may not matter. For others who have a reaction to casein, this could be something interesting to watch.

We still believe in reduced dairy in your diet – however not all dairy is created equal. Butter and many cheeses contain zero grams of carbohydrate, which means they contain zero grams of sugar. And zero sugar means zero lactose, or at least close to it. In addition, the higher the fat content, the less the lactose.

A food sensitivity test can help you determine what your body reacts to – it can be pretty eye-opening. If you need a resource, contact us: info@heelstolaces.com

WHAT WE ARE OBSESSED WITH
Sometimes, you just gotta have it…

Calm Down
More than ever we are seeing people stressed out, overwhelmed, over-booked, over-inundated and unable to de-stress. We are not sleeping, not eating right and overly anxious. If you are experiencing any of these, you can get relief. This product, labeled the “anti-stress drink” is a natural magnesium supplement that has natural calming properties. It can also help with constipation.

Get A Little Wild
We have scoured the land for a healthy granola –  most of them have additives, high sugars, syrups, soy lecithin. Oh, did we stumble on a find. All the buzz words we look for: grain free, gluten free, non GMO, sugar free and even vegan. It’s time to get a little wild.

A Little Sweetness
Sometimes you need something sweet but just don’t want to go overboard. These cinnamon gems hit the spot. They offer the crunch, the sweetness and the snacking craving. Yes, we are bananas.

THE DISH ON DELISH
All of our recipes will always be quick, healthy, easy, gluten-free, grain-free, sugar-free, mostly dairy-free, SCD legal and Paleo friendly. And yes, all sorts of deliciousness.

This has now become a staple in our fridge. Green Pea and Parsley Hummus. Stacked with protein, tons of vitamins, dose of veggie overload, addictive and so, so very easy to make. Game changer.

Ingredients

1 1/3 cups thawed frozen green peas
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup tahini
1/4 cup warm water
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 garlic cloves

Chopped Raw vegetables

(note: Trader Joe’s has organic frozen peas and organic tahini in a jar)

Directions

Place peas, parsley, tahini, 1/4 cup warm water, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and garlic in a food processor; process until smooth. (Blend in more water, 1 Tbsp. at a time, if hummus is too thick.) Serve with raw vegetables.

Best to double the recipe.

source: Cooking Light

WANT TO SHINE?
Have a product you’d like us to try and review for potential inclusion in our newsletter? Simply contact us: info@heelstolaces.com

WANT MORE?
Let the fun continue…Follow us on Instagram & Facebook to get daily doses of inspiration, knowledge & recipes.

Disclosure: some product recommendations are affiliate sites, which simply means we get a small compensation from the companies that sell the products we endorse. We will never endorse a product we do not personally use or love. Opinions expressed are solely those of Heels To Laces.

 

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