Intermittent Fasting Lately

August 22nd, 2015 | Posted by Alison Spath in Healthy Habits - (4 Comments)

gets_easier

The post I wrote on Intermittent Fasting for Weight Loss back in March of 2011 is the post that drives the most amount of traffic from search engines to this site everyday.  Given it’s been more than 4 years since that post was originally published (I’ve updated and edited it for clarity a number of times over the years) a recent email from a reader with some questions inspired me to write an update and answer some of the questions about IF that I’m frequently asked.

I do still practice IF, but I don’t really think about it anymore.  Now it’s just the normal thing I do.

Last summer one of my very best girlfriends told me about a homemade deodorant she’d been having good luck with, made with coconut oil and some essential oils.  SIX MONTHS LATER (read: February of this year) I finally got around to trying it out.

I have no idea what took me so long, it just seemed so… involved.  You mean I have get four ingredients out of the cupboard and then put them in a bowl and stir them together?  I don’t know girl, that just sounds really complicated.

Ingredients for Natural Homemade Deodorant

Over the summer I saw an article from Make Magazine about making your own laundry detergent.  While we’re talking about eating healthy on a budget, this is a nice time to talk about a slightly different way to save some money at the grocery store.  (On a non-food item of course, but still might be a part of your grocery budget.)

I like to buy the more earth friendly, natural brands of household cleaning products (Seventh Generation, Ecos, Citra Solv are a few of my favorite brands) for both the environmental and health concerns.  These natural cleaning products are typically more expensive than commercial brands and can quickly increase your grocery bill.  Much like saving money on preparing your own food – making your own cleaning products at home can totally pay off too.

I’ve recently been bitten by the Pinterest bug (I resisted for a long time!) and this pin about 44 Healthy Foods Under $1 from Greatist caught my attention.

Eating Healthy on a Budget

[image source: Greatist]

I can often find flaws in lists like these, but I have to admit – this one is a pretty good.  And I hear this question a lot too, “How can I eat healthy without spending a lot of money?”  Whether you’re a college student, feeding a family on one income or just don’t have a big grocery budget, there are definitely ways to eat well (taking both nutrition and taste into consideration) without breaking the bank.

The books and websites I’ve rambled on about lately, (see reading list at the end of this post) from Paleo to cholesterol to brain health, have all been pointing to the same general idea –> following a low carbohydrate diet.

I’m just “a random lady on the internet” (i.e., not a doctor or health professional) so please remember this post is not intended to be used as medical advice.  But if you were my friend and wanted to know more about why I’m loving a low carb diet, this post is full of the stuff I would tell you!

40 Days of Yoga, Teacher Training and Noticing Jealousy

October 25th, 2013 | Posted by Alison Spath in Healthy Habits - (Comments Off on 40 Days of Yoga, Teacher Training and Noticing Jealousy)

Today marks 28 days into my personal 40 Days of Yoga challenge and things are going well. Most days I try to get anywhere from 10 to 45 minutes of practice in at home, either as self guided practice (that means making it up as I go) or a class from yogadownload.com.  I’ve been getting to the studio once or twice a week for a 75 minute class, and then other days, like last Friday, it was a couple downward dogs and forward bends in my pajamas right before bed because the entire day slipped away before I had a chance to roll out my mat.

Practice Practicing

September 21st, 2013 | Posted by Alison Spath in Healthy Habits - (2 Comments)

You learn to cook so that you don’t have to be a slave to recipes. You get what’s in season and you know what to do with it.

-Julia Child

I got a recipe from a friend earlier this week that called for sausage and kale, among other ingredients.  The only two items I had on hand were the Italian sausage and kale, but those two items sounded like the answer to my What’s For Dinner Tonight prayers.

I decided to improvise and soon heard myself shouting “Hallelujah!” as a delicious sausage and vegetable medley of kale, tomato, carrot and pepper was born unto thee:

Chicken Soup Habits

September 7th, 2013 | Posted by Alison Spath in Healthy Habits - (7 Comments)

Earlier this year I wrote about making chicken soup with bone broth and why bone broth is good for you.  To recap, broth made from animal bones and the bits that hold it all together (think ligaments and cartilage) is where lots of good, nutritious stuff is hanging out.  When you simmer these parts in water over a long period of time, you can make a broth that rich in vitamins, minerals, supports immune function and bone health.  Best of all, it’s delicious!

Do The Best You Can Until You Know Better Then When You Know Better Do Better Maya Angelo

Years ago I thought the answer to the question How are we supposed to eat for longevity and optimal health? meant following a vegetarian diet.  Obviously there are many varying views and opinions about this subject, but as my understanding of nutrition deepened, I started to believe that high quality animal products played an important role in the human diet.  Chicken patties and fish sticks?  No.  Pasture raised animals and wild caught seafood?  Yes.

Warning: Feet Picture Ahead

Coconut Oil for Athlete's Foot

A little story about a natural remedy for foot fungus.  Love, love, love coconut oil!  (Love these guys too.)

Zak says:

I wish I had taken a “before” picture of my feet. I’ve had serious athletes feet for about three years. They were very itchy, peeling, painful, occasionally bloody; an all around hot mess.  Then one day Alison mentions to me that coconut oil has anti-microbial and anti-fungal properties, so I started rubbing some on my feet every day after a shower. I’d rub in the oil and put socks on and just leave socks on until the next shower. After only three weeks my feet are looking pretty normal and the pain/itchy is completely gone!