Get Natured: 2009

Because my post on 16 ways to increase your energy contained a lot of suggestions about what foods to eat, I thought it might be helpful if I provided some meal ideas with those things in mind. Here is a one-day menu of high energy meals.

Enjoy!

Breakfast
Cream of Wheat Berries with Cranberries and Cardamom
Serves ~4

(Note: this is a slow cooker recipe and takes 6-8 hours)

1/2 cup wheat berries*
1/4 cup cracked wheat
1/2 cup rolled (old-fashioned) oats
4 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cardamom (you can substitute cinnamon or allspice if you prefer)
1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries

Suggested mix-ins (these amounts are PER SERVING): 1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds, 1 teaspoon gelatinized maca powder, 2 tablespoons sliced almonds, regular or vanilla soymilk.

In a 3 1/2 to 4 quart slow cooker, combine the wheat berries, cracked wheat, oats, and water. Stir in the cardamom. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours (if you start the slow cooker before you go to bed, you'll have hot cereal in the morning).
Stir the cranberries into the mixture just before serving. Once in your bowl, add the mix-ins and top with a little soymilk. If you like a sweeter cereal, add a small amount of agave nectar (a low glycemic index sweetener).

*Please note that many of the dry ingredients can be found in the bulk foods aisle at your grocery store.

Snack
1 cup of soy yogurt, any flavor
1 cup of fresh raspberries

Lunch

Tempeh "Tuna" Salad with Spinach
Serves 3-4

1 8oz package of tempeh*, cubed
1 1/2 tablespoons cold water
1/3 cup vegan mayonnaise (Grapeseed Oil Vegenaise is the BEST!)
2 tablespoons finely minced red onion
2 tablespoons finely diced celery
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
2 teaspoons prepared yellow mustard
2 teaspoons dried dill
2 tablespoons hemp seeds
Salt to taste
Fresh spinach and red bell pepper slices for serving.

Steam the tempeh for 20 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Immediately add the water and mash thoroughly using a fork.
Stir in the remaining ingredients and season with salt to taste. Chill thoroughly before serving.
Serve tempeh salad on a bed of fresh spinach leaves (2 or more cups of spinach per person) and red bell pepper slices.

*Tempeh is available at Trader Joe's or in the natural foods aisle at your grocery store.

Snack
Air-popped popcorn tossed with nutritional yeast, to taste.
1/4 cup walnuts

Dinner
Red Lentils with Kale
Makes a lot; freezes well!

1 1/2 cups rinsed and drained red lentils
3 cups water
2 cups chopped tomatoes (fresh or canned)
1 Tbsp soy sauce (or to taste)
3-4 carrots, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
a few big handfuls of kale, chopped
about 1/2 or 1 whole onion, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
pinch of red chili flakes
1 teaspoon dried basil

Combine lentils, water, tomatoes, soy sauce and bring to a boil.
Chop all of the veggies (carrots, bell pepper, kale, onion, garlic, and jalapeno) very small (I use a food processor to speed this up). Add chopped veggies and the rest of the ingredients to pot of lentils. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes to an hour, stirring every once in a while. Test for taste and add more salt or chili flakes if necessary.

Serve lentils over cooked quinoa or brown rice and with a slice of whole grain toast on the side.

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Drink water. Dehydration can cause fatigue. Drink a glass of room temperature water when you first get up in the morning. Continue to drink water throughout the day aiming for about 80 ounces total.
Limit caffeine. Consuming a small amount of caffeine can be an effective way to boost your energy. However, consuming a lot of caffeine can have the opposite effect. Large amounts of caffeine can cause fluctuations in blood sugar and dehydration.
Limit sugar and other refined/simple carbohydrates (e.g. white flour, white rice). Sugar and simple carbohydrates cause your blood sugar to rise rapidly. The initial effect is increase energy, but that is short-lived. When your blood sugar comes back down, you'll be left feeling sluggish.
Eat breakfast every day and don't forget to snack! Aim to eat something every 2-4 hours beginning with a nutrient-rich breakfast. Every meal and snack should include protein and complex carbohydrates. Don't skip breakfast or you'll set yourself up for low energy and cravings later in the day.
Get some sleep. Have you ever noticed that going to bed late makes for a sleepy morning even if you got 8 hours of sleep? Try to get to bed by 10pm and sleep for 8 hours each night.
Exercise regularly. Cardiovascular exercise is a great energy booster. Aim for 2-5 hours of cardiovascular exercise each week. Try cardio intervals if you're short on time.
Manage your stress. Write a list of your favorite ways to nurture yourself (e.g. get a massage, take a bubble bath, go for a walk) and pull out your list when you need to decompress.
Find some downtime every day. Even if it means getting up a few minutes earlier than everyone else in your house, take some time to really relax. Don't read email, don't write to-do lists. Do something that truly feels like downtime.
Make sure that you're getting enough iron. Eat lots of leafy greens (especially spinach), pumpkin seeds, soy and other beans, tofu, tempeh, lentils, hemp seeds, blackstrap molasses, and sesame seeds. To increase iron absorption, include foods that contain vitamin C with your iron-rich foods (e.g. oranges, strawberries, red bell peppers, broccoli).
Make sure you're getting your B vitamins. If you're vegan, you'll especially need to watch B12. Good sources of B vitamins include: nutritional yeast, fortified products such as soy milk and cereals, beans, tempeh, lentils, brewer's yeast, and molasses.
Increase your intake of magnesium-rich foods. This includes nuts (especially almonds and cashews), soy beans, spinach, broccoli, pumpkin seeds, artichokes, black beans, and fortified cereals.
Include probiotics in your diet. Probiotics are the "living cultures" in yogurt and they help to maintain intestinal health and have been credited with other benefits from strengthening the immune system to preventing colon cancer. In addition to yogurt and soy yogurt, miso, sauerkraut, tempeh, and kombucha (fermented tea) also contain probiotics. They are also available in supplement form- look for one that must be refrigerated.
Eat lots of fiber. High-fiber foods help you to feel fuller longer than low-fiber foods. They help to maintain blood sugar and act as a broom to keep the intestinal track moving. Fiber helps to lower cholesterol and prevent constipation, diverticulosis, and colon cancer. Eat lots of whole grains such as brown rice, quinoa, breads and cereals (check bread and cereal labels- not all are high in fiber), fruits and veggies, beans, lentils, ground flax seeds, oat bran, and nuts and seeds. Don't let TV commercials fool you- it is easy to get plenty of fiber from the foods that we eat and no fiber "supplement" is necessary!
Get your vitamin D by spending time in the sun. The best way to get enough vitamin D is by exposing your skin to sunlight. When you spend adequate time in the sun, your body manufactures enough vitamin D (sunlight is a great mood booster too). Try to spend a few minutes a day in the sun without sunscreen. Some breads, cereals, and milks (dairy and non-dairy) are fortified with vitamin D as well.
Include foods rich in omega 3s in your daily diet. Vegetarian sources include ground flaxseeds and flaxseed oil, hemp seeds, canola oil, tofu, and walnuts. Omega 3s help to lower cholesterol and blood pressure, improve mood, and reduce inflammation.
Try 1 teaspoon of gelatinized maca each day. Maca is an herbal supplement that is made from the root of a plant in Peru. It is said to increase energy and stamina. Please also note that it is claimed to be a libido enhancer. Don't say that I didn't warn you about that last part! You can get maca in capsule or powder form. Look for "gelatinized" (not related to gelatin) as it is the most absorbable. The powder can be added to a smoothie or other beverage or can be stirred into hot cereal.

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This time of year can feel like we're preparing to hibernate. We are constantly presented with opportunities to eat like crazy and reasons to slow down our exercise. Our to-do lists seem to take up every waking minute (as well as some I-should-be-sleeping-now minutes). We're spread thin. We're busy!

So, what to do? As with most everything, my favorite mantra applies to this situation: something is always better than nothing. If you don't have time for your regular exercise routine, consider interval training to maximize the time that you do have.

Use intervals to maximize the efficiency of your workout.

Believe it or not, a short interval workout can be just as effective at building and maintaining cardiovascular fitness as a significantly longer endurance (steady-state) workout. Here are some examples to get you started.

Beginner:
Choose your favorite cardio machine or activity for this workout:

Warm up for five minutes, gradually build to moderate intensity.
Add one level of intensity per minute for 5 minutes (on the treadmill this can be speed or incline, for other machines use level or resistance).
Return to your starting level and recover for two minutes.
Repeat Steps 2 and 3, one to three times. After your last interval, skip the two minute recovery and go straight to Step 5.
Cool down for five minutes, gradually bringing your heart rate back down.

This workout will last 22-36 minutes.

Intermediate:
Choose your favorite cardio machine or activity for this workout:

Warm up for five minutes, gradually build to moderate intensity.
Increase level of intensity (speed, incline, resistance, or level) to about 85% (or until you are not able to carry on a conversation but you aren't totally maxed-out). Maintain this level for 30 seconds.
Return to your starting level and recover for one minute.
Repeat Steps 2 and 3 5 times (for a total of six intervals).
Repeat Step 2 then recover for 30 seconds. Repeat five times (for a total of six intervals). After your last interval, skip the 30 second recovery and go straight to Step 6.
Cool down for five minutes, gradually bringing your heart rate back down.

This workout will last 25 minutes.

Advanced:
Consider trying HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) or the "Tabata Method" (read more here). Choose your favorite cardio machine or activity and complete 6-8 intervals:

Warm up for five minutes, gradually build to moderate intensity.
Go 20 seconds at maximum effort (sprint).
Rest for 10 seconds.
Repeat Steps 2 and 3 until you complete 6-8 intervals (or as many as you can do- it may be fewer than 6).
Cool down for five minutes, gradually bringing heart rate back down.

This routine should take a maximum of 14 minutes.

Don't forget to stretch when you're finished. Now, get back to baking those Christmas cookies!

*Disclaimer: Please note that I am not a personal trainer. I am sharing sample workouts that work for me. Please be sure that you consult your doctor before starting an exercise program and for any questions about whether performing these kinds of exercises is safe for you.

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“Peace, it does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, no trouble, or no hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart.” ~Unknown

In an effort to avoid totally stressing out during the holidays (or anytime, really) I made this list to remind myself to take care of me and to slow down to enjoy the special times and little moments. I hope you find some of these things useful as well.

1. Create a simple morning ritual to greet each day. This might mean doing a few sun salutations or it may be as simple as making a pot of tea and choosing an intention for the day. Your intention should be something that will add to your happiness, e.g., "I will eat slowly and taste each bite of my food today." Don't choose an intention that you can use as a stick to beat yourself over the head, e.g., "I will get everything on my list done today!" Consider making a bowl of matcha- it is both delicious and healthy and its connection to the Japanese tea ceremony can make it an extra special addition to your morning.

2. Go outside. Get some sunlight and connect with nature. Don't bring your iPod! Observe with all of your senses: what do you hear? Is it cold outside but warm in the sun? Do you smell fireplaces, flowers, grass? Are you having a snack or a hot drink while you're outside; how does it taste? Can you see lots of plants and trees in different shades of green or autumn colors? You get the idea.

3. Nurture your body. Get lots of sleep. Eat fresh whole foods and drink lots of water. If you're chilled to the bone, treat yourself to a Bikram yoga class, a few minutes in the sauna or spa at your gym (if that is available to you), or take a hot bath at home. Exfoliate, moisturize, buff; whatever it takes to make you feel nourished and refreshed.

4. Get some exercise but don't force yourself to hammer out miles on a treadmill if you hate the treadmill. Try snowshoeing or trail running/walking. If you must use cardio machines, try intervals of higher intensity to up the efficiency of your workout and reduce your boredom (e.g. walk 1 minute, run 30 seconds, repeat). The ready-set-go days of November and December are not a reason to let go of your healthy goals. But, do shift your focus from calorie burning to doing exercise that energizes you and gives you a happy glow.

5. Fuel your body with foods that make you feel healthy and strong. Eat whole grains and go overboard on veggies. Add spinach to your morning smoothie. Have a salad with lunch or dinner every day. Include two veggie side dishes with your meals. Make snack bags filled with your favorite raw veggies that you can "grab and go". Include small containers of hummus or bags of nuts for protein. Get your omega 3s- ground flaxseeds, walnuts, and hemp seeds are good vegetarian sources.

6. Mono-task. Do one thing at a time and focus on that only. Set yourself up to not be in a hurry. Finish one thing before starting another- don't be in the middle of ten things at once. Don't create an impossible "to do" list. Stop everything that adds unnecessary things to your schedule. Cook simple food and clean as you go so you don't end up with a sink full of dishes at the end of the evening. Let your magazine subscriptions expire. Don't sign up for too much. Tell your inner perfectionist to take a hike. Find your boundaries and stay within them.

7. Take a time out. Try yoga or meditation, light a candle and have a cup of tea, go for a walk, get a massage, browse your local library or a bookstore, meet a friend for coffee, read a book that really sucks you in. Don't fill up every minute of the day with "have to". Find, accept, and savor some downtime (even if it is only five minutes at a time).

8. Make a list: "I want my holiday to be..." This is a time to focus on "I want to" not "I have to" or "I should". Eliminate things that are not congruent with your list. Do what you have time for and make those things special.

9. Create a sanctuary in your home. Light some candles. Find one room that you can retreat to when you need to re-center. For me, that is our master bedroom. We try to keep it neat and toy-free. The bedding is soft and comfortable and the decor is soothing and natural.

10. Try new, simple, recipes for inspiration. New flavors can be as revitalizing as a new pair of shoes! Try new ideas like "breakfast cookies"- make a dozen and enjoy them for multiple breakfasts or snacks. See my recipe page for ideas.

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