Sometimes life gets overwhelming, life gets heavy, life
makes you feel like it’s just too much for you to handle. And your head might
be spinning, pulling you in a hundred different directions, stressing you out
and making you want to just give up on yourself. But don’t let life’s
challenges win. Take a deep breath, slow down and listen to your heart. Listen
as it tells you that everything is going to be okay; that you can handle
anything life throws at you; that tomorrow is a brand new day and a brand new chance
to start over and do whatever it takes to be happy.
Everyone is fighting their own battle. And sometimes the hard thing to do is smile. Because it is easier to get down on yourself. Easier to give up. Easier to cry. But I can tell you that you are not alone. You are not the only one in the world feeling this way; not the only one in the world who is battling against a challenge. But you have the power to change whether you are a victim to that challenge or whether you will close your eyes, count to 10 and realize that everything will be okay. Take one thing at a time with positive thoughts and positive actions. Find inner stillness and just breathe.
If you look at the ingredients in Subway's bread you will find a dangerous chemical called Azodicarbonamide- the same stuff used to make yoga matts, shoe rubber, and synthetic leather (yum?) Other countries have banned the use of Azodicarbonide because the World Health Organization has deemed it unsafe to eat, yet the FDA still allows American food companies to use it.
Last week, food blogger Vani Hari started a petition that demanded Subway remove this ingredient from their bread. After appearing on CNN, ABC news and The Today's Show, and drawing attention to this issue, Hari received over 85,000 signatures to her petition and ultimately got Subway to comply.
According to Hari in the video below, "it would be illegal for subway to sell this sandwich in the UK, Europe or Australia…one country will fine you half a million dollars [if you use it]".
Fortunately, Hari brought enough attention to this issue that Subway has agreed to remove the chemical from their bread. But what's scary is that this is not just happening with subway. There are so many other foods sold in the U.S that contain ingredients that are banned in other countries for being deemed detrimental to your health. Americans are not being protected and this is wrong and unjust. Why should other countries eat the same food but with safer ingredients? That just doesn't seem fair now does it?!
Here is a list of ingredients that are also banned in other countries but the FDA allows in the U.S:
1. Blue #1 Food Coloring
Can be found in: cereals, Nutri-Grain bars, candy, drinks
Where is it banned? Norway, Finland, France
2. Blue #2 Food Coloring
Can be found in: M&M's
Where is it banned? Norway, Finland, France
3. Yellow #5, Yellow #6 Food Coloring
Can be found in: Kraft Mac & Cheese
Where is it banned? Norway, Austria
4. Red #5 Food Coloring
Can be found in: red salad dressings, fruit cocktail, maraschino cherries, cherry pie mix, ice creams, candy
Where is it banned? Norway, Austria
5. Brominated Vegetable Oil
Can be found in: soda and sport drinks
Where is it banned? IN MORE THAN 100 COUNTRIES
6. Potassium Bromate
Can be found in: Cheaply produced breads, hotdog and hamburger buns
Where is it banned? Europe, Canada, China
7. Olestra
Can be found in: many fat free potato chips
Where is it banned? UK and Canada
8. BHA and BHT
Can be found in: Cereals, nut mixes, butter spreads
Where is it banned? part of the European Union and Japan
9. rBGH and rBST
Can be found in: dairy products such as yogurt and milk
Where is it banned? Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Japan, Israel, European Union
10. Arsenic
Can be found in: chicken feed, some rices and juices
Where is it banned? European Union
After reading this list I know you must be thinking, "then what the hell is safe to eat?" And that's exactly the problem. We live in a country where sadly there is just so many chemicals and toxins allowed in our packaged foods. According to an array of sources, these ingredients have been linked to cancer, ADHD, skin rashes, acne, loss of appetite, fatigue, cardiac arrhythmia, thyroid problems, and shown to alter the central nervous and endocrine system. Citizens of other countries are protected and yet we, in the words of Vani Hari, are getting "dupped".
No food company, grocery store or outside of a food package will tell you these things and to be honest, it's up to you what you want to do with this information. But make the decision to do your best to stick with organic, natural food products and please please please spread the word about this injustice!
Thank you for taking the time to read this, and please comment or message me your reactions!
If you are looking for an update on how my experience of living
in Italy for the past 2 weeks has been, I can pretty much sum it up in just 3
words: Gelato. Pastries. Bread. AND A LOT OF IT!
The Italian culture is pretty much centered on food and the
socializing that surrounds it. Meals are hours long, there are usually many
courses, and no one is ever in a rush to finish their food, savoring every last
bite. So what better way to immerse myself in the culture than to completely
let loose and eat all the Italian delicacies?! And for the first week or so,
this is exactly what I did. No restrictions, no rules, no nothing! Gelato
before dinner? Oh yes. Pastries for breakfast? You betcha. Pizza every night?
Why not!
It’s a liberating feeling to just eat whatever you want
whenever you want. After all, you only live once, right? This is the outlook I
had when arriving in Italy. I planned to try and eat as healthy as possible but
only so that I could “balance out” all the not so healthy foods I was going to
eat. So I went to the market place and picked up fresh fruits and vegetables
and I was good to go!
But about a week ago something happened. I started getting
really bad headaches, my eyesight was weirdly blurry, I was very lethargic in
the mornings and my skin was breaking out like crazy. I wasn’t feeling like my
normal energized self but I just attributed it to jet lag and not getting
enough sleep.
Then, however, one morning a few days ago I went to the
local fruit stand and for some reason nothing looked appetizing. It was the
strangest thing. I was starving, I love fruit, and I had an abundance of it right
in front of me. Why did I not want any part of it? After taking a second to
think about it, I soon realized the real root of my problem with not feeling so great. My body had been on
such a sugar overload from eating pastries and gelato literally 5 times a day (no exaggeration) since I got to Italy that my body was screaming NO MORE
SUGAR! Even though fruits have good sugars that are different than refined
sugars in pastries or gelato, my body was steering me away from it whatsoever.
I have to say, one benefit of leading a healthy vegetarian
lifestyle is that you do become more aware of your body and what it needs. What I definitely need is a few days to recover from this sugar coma! This calls for lots and lots of water, high protein, high healthy fats and tons of veggies!! Today for example I prepped a huge salad with all fresh
vegetables and kidney beans to bring with me to eat in between classes!
I am now starting to get into a balanced routine that will allow me to put healthy food in my body, feel great AND still enjoy the delicious treats Italy has to offer (in moderation!) It turns out that just like anywhere else in the world, eating healthy is not hard you just have to know where to shop and where to eat. There are actually a dozen of highly rated vegetarian restaurants in Florence, organic health food stores and even juice bars that I found! I even bought myself a blender so that I can enjoy some green smoothies with all the fresh produce that is available! It might take a little more effort but in the end it's all worth it!
In reality, not feeling my best is not the end of the world. I just want to make the point to show that what you eat does 100% affect your body. My experience with a 7 day straight sugarcoma
reaffirmed something I knew all along: if you constantly put crappy food in
your body, you’re going to feel crappy! And look crappy! And think crappy! And that it's impossible to "outbalence" an excessive amount of unhealthy food. Of
course it’s easy to just not care and eat whatever you want but you will pay
for it. It is so important to be informed and be aware of the strong
relationship between what you put in your body and how you feel/ your health
problems. I know what it's like to walk around with no energy, with headaches, and feeling nauseous.Trust me. Diabetes gives you a run for your money. But I also know that the only times I feel this way is when I don't pay attention to what I'm eating. When I do, and when I eat right, I feel like I can run a marathon.
This is the way I want to always feel. This is the way humans were designed to feel. Everyone has so many health problems these days if only we learned that food can be the medicine.
So here's to living a life full of energy, full of happiness and full of balance!
Salads are the ultimate go to healthy meal which is why I love to try out new recipes to keep things exciting!
Over the holidays I went to a NYC restaurant with some friends- Le Pain Quotidien. There were so many delicious items to choose from on the menu but I ultimately decided on the special of the day which was a kale caesar salad. Ever since then I have been craving that salad and after 2 months I thought it was about time to recreate it at home!
It was so quick to whip up for my family and I and it was definitely a bonus that it didn't requireany fancy ingredients! My parents ended up loving the salad and even requested the recipe….so mom, here it is!
On the surface, caesar salads seem like they'd be a healthy choice. But the majority of the time the heavy dressing makes the salad SO high in calories, fat, cholesterol and sodium. Just to give you an example, a caesar salad from McDonalds (one serving keep in mind) has 680 mg of sodium and 23 grams of fat. That's INSANE. The recipe that I'm sharing with you uses ingredients that contribute healthy fats to your body. Not to mention the dressing tastes just the same as any other unhealthy dressing! I say thats a win in my book!
Well, the time has finally come. I have officially
arrived in Florence, Italy and it will now be my home for the next 4 months! Words can’t describe how excited I am to embark on this new journey and to
continue sharing with you my passion for a healthy and happy life- European
style! Betcha didn’t see that twist coming now did ya!
Before I left for Europe I wanted to buy a few essential items that I love to take with me when I travel. Surprisingly, Florence actually has a ton of healthy restaurants and food stores which is great (to balance out all the gelato and pizza I will be eating!) But for the many weekends that I plan to visit other countries I wanted to be stocked with snacks and supplements that will keep my body running healthy and naturally fueled!
Travel Essentials:
1. Supplement Powders
Green vibrance- single packets that are great for when I'm a little low on vegetables for the day or can't find a juice bar. Carry around in your bag, mix with a cup of water, and your good to go!
Vitamineral green- Green superfood powder I drink on an empty stomach in the morning before breakfast. It's super energizing, alkalizing and get's me on track for the day!
Greens
superfood raw- I switch on and off between this powered and the vita mineral green powder. Both make me feel like i'm cleansed and ready to run a marathon even before breakfast! LOVE LOVE LOVE!
2. Nutritional Powders
Vega sport protein- my favorite protein powder to mix with almond milk or even just with water after a workout or yoga. These come in single packets to try first too!
Vega one nutritional shake- 3 servings of veggies, high amount of fiber, protein, omega-3's: basically "all the essentials. all-in-one". I like the french vanilla flavor!
Amazing meal- blend of protein and super foods(foods most nutrient dense).
3. Snacks
Sprouted 100% whole grain pretzels- one word: DELISH. I snacked on these on the plane ride to italy! Tastes the same as regular pretzels except it's "sprouted"( because of the way the grains are processed it is easier to digest, retains more nutrients and has less gluten) & has good olive oil.
Almond butter squeezable packets- tiny packets to throw in your bag to hold you over in between meals for a healthy energizing snack. I love to pair these with a banana, apple or dates!
Vega one bars- an all in one nutrient kind of bar. Chocolate flavor for my daytime chocolate fix!
Go macro bars- best bar on the market in my opinion. Favorite flavors- sesame butter and dates, cashew butter, & almond butter and carob.
4. Tea
Ginger tea- great for reducing nausea, improving blood circulation, reducing stress, & improving digestion. I love to drink this after meals when my stomach feels a little out of whack!
Acai green tea- naturally energizing and full of antioxidants
Stevia- natural sweetener for my coffee and tea with no calories or sugar
These are my essentials-supplements that are convenient to bring with you for long car rides or plane rides for long vacations or even just a weekend trip away from your normal routine! Don't feel like while being away you have to throw away all your hard work and forget about your body. Truth is- your going to indulge a little bit but you can easily pack these items to avoid eating unhealthy plane food or gas station candy bars and greasy chips (YUCK NO THANKS!) You can easily get all of these items at Whole foods or order online and many are probably in other health stores. Try some of them out and let me know what you think! Snack healthy and save your travel indulgences for the good stuff- like gelato! Ciao Bellas!
