Mindful Metropolis November 2011 : Page 20
green city | diversity in green eat, Drink & Be Healthy By erika Harris f we are what we eat, what exactly do we become during the holidays? Stuff ed. Breaded. Candied. Glazed. Spiked. In our festiveness, it’s easy to let our foodie fl ag fl y a little higher than usual. And maybe the stress fl ag too, with all the extra expectations and commitments that come with this time of year. Th is time, keep your peace of mind and your waistline in check with two simple words: Milan Perry. I had the recent plea-sure of talking with this naturelle sister—a personal chef and nutritional counselor who adopted vibrant health as a lifestyle years ago. Health crises of loved ones alerted her to the importance of educating herself so she could educate others. Having undergone training in the culinary arts, holistic nutri-tion and medicinal herbs, Milan Perry now helps people “stay healthy and beautiful.” She’s a Francophile, former model and, harder to believe, she used to drive for FedEx. Just like the dishes she prepares for her clients, Milan is beautiful and substantive. Below are 10 of her tips to defy age, fat and stress: 1. Set realistic boundaries. Trying to lose weight during the holidays just might be un-realistic. Be gentle with yourself, and also cre-ate boundaries around shopping, spending, eating and drinking. Reach for moderation. 2. Move your body every day. Daily physi-cal activity is vital for weight and stress man-agement. If you’re currently inactive, add a walking regimen and measure your progress with a pedometer. Recommended: 10,000 steps a day for summer and 5,000 steps a day during winter. 3. Drink a lot of water. People tend to drink more alcohol and diuretics (coff ee, hot i chocolate, Bailey’s, brandy alexanders, etc.) during colder months. But staying properly hydrated is essential to maintaining a high level of energy. Beat energy slumps with a tall glass of ice water (the colder the water, the more calories burned) or some sparkling soda water with a lime twist. Drink water 30 minutes before or 45 minutes after a big meal. 4. Get enough sleep. A minimum of six to seven hours of sleep per night is optimal. 5. Eat small and regular meals. Skipping meals is a poor strategy for weight manage-ment. Graze instead. Eating smaller, regu-larly timed meals keeps you feeling light and energized. 6. Savor your food. Take your time and eat more slowly. Chew thoroughly and re-ally appreciate the tastes, textures and ap-pearance of your food. It will result in more enjoyment and fewer calories. 7. Be selective. Select a main dish that is not fried or dressed with a cream-based sauce or soup. Include at least one colorful steamed vegetable with no added sauces or butters. 8. Be creative. Serve salads with dress-ings on the side and off er at least one non fat option. Ask for whole grain rolls instead of white. Choose fresh-cut fruit for dessert whenever possible or a fat-free sorbet deco-rated with seasonal berries. 9. Laugh often! Humor is emotional medi-cine. In one quick instant, a good bout of laughter will improve your mood, boost your immune system and reduce your blood pressure. 10. Take a break. Give yourself the gift of downtime for at least 20 minutes each day. Read a book, have a cup of tea, practice deep breathing or simply close your eyes and rest. Restore yourself. For a special treat, try Mi-lan’s herbal bath: » 1 tablespoon marshmallow root » 4 tablespoons dried chamomile » 4 tablespoons green-tea leaves » 4 teaspoons lavender » 4 teaspoons dried rosemary » 10 drops of rose essential oil » 1 cup of fi ne-ground oats » 4 teaspoons of dried rose petals » 6 6-inch-square pieces of muslin or fi ne cotton fabric Mix the above ingredients in a bowl. Place three spoonfuls of the mixture in the center of a muslin or cotton square. Gather up the sides, and secure with a tied knot of ribbon or twine. Hang a bag from the hot water tap, so the water runs through it as you fi ll your tub. Once fi lled, drop the bag into the bath and allow it to fl oat in the water. Soak your-self in the herbal waters for a minimum of 20 minutes. Milan is living from the center of her pas-sions, and she has so much body-blessing wisdom to share. Learn more about her of-ferings at sonaturelle.com. Erika Harris writes to create more empathy for Earth and its inhabitants. You can con-nect with her at empathicwriter.com and lifeblazing.com. 20 november 2011
Diversity In Green
Erika Harris
Eat, Drink & Be Healthy<br /> <br /> If we are what we eat, what exactly do we become during the holidays? Stuff ed.Breaded. Candied. Glazed. Spiked. In our festiveness, it’s easy to let our foodie flag fly a little higher than usual. And maybe the stress flag too, with all the extra expectations and commitments that come with this time of year.<br /> <br /> This time, keep your peace of mind and your waistline in check with two simple words: Milan Perry. I had the recent pleasure of talking with this naturelle sister—a personal chef and nutritional counselor who adopted vibrant health as a lifestyle years ago. Health crises of loved ones alerted her to the importance of educating herself so she could educate others. Having undergone training in the culinary arts, holistic nutrition and medicinal herbs, Milan Perry now helps people “stay healthy and beautiful.” <br /> <br /> She’s a Francophile, former model and, harder to believe, she used to drive for FedEx.Just like the dishes she prepares for her clients, Milan is beautiful and substantive. Below are 10 of her tips to defy age, fat and stress:<br /> <br /> 1. Set realistic boundaries. Trying to lose weight during the holidays just might be unrealistic.Be gentle with yourself, and also create boundaries around shopping, spending, eating and drinking. Reach for moderation.<br /> <br /> 2. Move your body every day. Daily physical activity is vital for weight and stress management.If you’re currently inactive, add a walking regimen and measure your progress with a pedometer. Recommended: 10,000 steps a day for summer and 5,000 steps a day during winter.<br /> <br /> 3. Drink a lot of water. People tend to drink more alcohol and diuretics (coff ee, hot chocolate, Bailey’s, brandy alexanders, etc.) during colder months. But staying properly hydrated is essential to maintaining a high level of energy. Beat energy slumps with a tall glass of ice water (the colder the water, the more calories burned) or some sparkling soda water with a lime twist. Drink water 30 minutes before or 45 minutes after a big meal.<br /> <br /> 4. Get enough sleep. A minimum of six to seven hours of sleep per night is optimal.<br /> <br /> 5. Eat small and regular meals. Skipping meals is a poor strategy for weight management.Graze instead. Eating smaller, regularly timed meals keeps you feeling light and energized.<br /> <br /> 6. Savor your food. Take your time and eat more slowly. Chew thoroughly and really appreciate the tastes, textures and appearance of your food. It will result in more enjoyment and fewer calories.<br /> <br /> 7. Be selective. Select a main dish that is not fried or dressed with a cream-based sauce or soup. Include at least one colorful steamed vegetable with no added sauces or butters.<br /> <br /> 8. Be creative. Serve salads with dressings on the side and off er at least one non fat option. Ask for whole grain rolls instead of white. Choose fresh-cut fruit for dessert whenever possible or a fat-free sorbet decorated with seasonal berries.<br /> <br /> 9. Laugh often! Humor is emotional medicine.In one quick instant, a good bout of laughter will improve your mood, boost your immune system and reduce your blood pressure.<br /> <br /> 10. Take a break. Give yourself the gift of downtime for at least 20 minutes each day.<br /> <br /> Read a book, have a cup of tea, practice deep breathing or simply close your eyes and rest.Restore yourself. For a special treat, try Milan’s herbal bath: <br /> <br /> » 1 tablespoon marshmallow root <br /> <br /> » 4 tablespoons dried chamomile <br /> <br /> » 4 tablespoons green-tea leaves <br /> <br /> » 4 teaspoons lavender <br /> <br /> » 4 teaspoons dried rosemary <br /> <br /> » 10 drops of rose essential oil <br /> <br /> » 1 cup of fine-ground oats <br /> <br /> » 4 teaspoons of dried rose petals <br /> <br /> » 6 6-inch-square pieces of muslin or fine cotton fabric<br /> <br /> Mix the above ingredients in a bowl. Place three spoonfuls of the mixture in the center of a muslin or cotton square. Gather up the sides, and secure with a tied knot of ribbon or twine. Hang a bag from the hot water tap, so the water runs through it as you fill your tub. Once filled, drop the bag into the bath and allow it to float in the water. Soak yourself in the herbal waters for a minimum of 20 minutes.<br /> <br /> Milan is living from the center of her passions, and she has so much body-blessing wisdom to share. Learn more about her offerings at sonaturelle.com.
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