Finding balance: Head versus body

I've always been interested in the struggle between our heads and our bodies.

As a health counselor, I tend to work for a lot of smart folks. People who know their stuff, are competent, brainy, and get the respect of their peers. It is this very strength of their that has led them to much success in their young life - a good education, and a respectable well-paying career. They tend to be hard-working, productive and more than willing to sacrifice the demands of their bodies.

One of my clients, for example, often skips meals. She works from home, starting her day with a cup of coffee and getting in front of her computer (no breakfast). When lunchtime nears, she'd often forgo it, opting for another hour of 'productive time.'

She continued this practice for months, sacrificing the needs of her body. Why? My guess is because she could get away with it. It was only until she became concerned with her weight that she requested my support.

It is important to remember that our bodies, like a car, need regular maintenance to keep running. After recognizing her problem, my client is now on the path to better health - limiting her computer usage and learning how to prepare some simple meals for herself. Practicing this self-care is what I try to teach my clients.

Our heads can help us balance our checkbook, but sometimes stand in the way of our health. Can you think of any other examples of where your head got in the way of what you truly wanted for yourself?

Come see me at Whole Foods: Jan 7

Do you live in New York City? Are you looking to spice up your protein life?

If so, you'll want to come to my upcoming class From Legumes to Tempeh: Expanding your Protein Repertoire at the Whole Foods Bowery Culinary Center on January 7, 2009, from 7 to 8 pm.

It's a great opportunity to see my counseling chops in action, as we discuss everything ranging from "What is an adequate amount of protein?" to "Why me no like tofu?" I guarantee you'll go home with some new insights and possibilities, regardless of where you eat on the food chain.

And as a special offer to my blog readers, Whole Foods has offered to slash the already low price of the class. Save 20% off the registration fee ($8 instead of $10). Just go here to register for the class and enter LEGUMES in the promotion code box before checking out.

Hope to see you there!

Simple wisdom: The power of gratitude

I keep a rock in my pocket. But it is no ordinary one. It is my gratitude rock. And every time I touch it I state something I am grateful for.

Today for example:

"I am grateful that I can afford to live in New York City"
"I am grateful that my mom's flight to India left on time"
"I am grateful for the Park Slope Food Co-op where I buy my food"

I started this practice ever since watching the movie The Secret two years ago. And as corny as it may seem, it is a practice I find hard to live without.

I touch it multiple times a day, usually when I enter or leave my apartment. Upon contact, I pause and regardless of my mood, reflect on something I am grateful for in that moment. Which is not always easy to do. Especially when I am in hurry or frustrated with someone or something.

Yet, it is especially those times that make this practice worthwhile. It forces me to shift my perspective and realize that everything is actually okay.

Another way to think about gratitude is with the simple question of "What is new and good?" I like to ask this at the beginning of all my client sessions. Yet unlike most casual conversation, I really want to know!

The reason for that is so much of our progress is perceived. I see my clients do many amazing things, from starting to cook for themselves, to getting off prescription medication. Yet they'll continue to focus on the 10 lbs they still haven't lost, which results in more stress, and guess what, often leads to more weight gain.

Now if we instead choose to focus on the progress, e.g. the cooking and getting off the meds, we start to believe that yes, we can also lose the 10 lbs. And before you know it, it's done.

Seem too easy? Good, cause it should.

So let's get started. What are you grateful for?

New group class in Brooklyn

Attention frustrated New York home cooks:

I will be leading a fun, new group class in Brooklyn entitled "Get of your rut: Get into the kitchen" starting in late January. It will be upbeat and interactive with a focus on creative, health-supportive cooking.

For more information, please visit my website.

Feeling spacey? Eat your root veggies

Have you ever desired more focus or concentration? Or the ability to be more decisive and hold your ground? Before you convince yourself you have ADD, try eating some more beets. I'm confident these root vegetables will bring you down to earth.

This ancient remedy has been on my mind ever since a session with my client Sejal yesterday. She was in high spirits, but had a hard time staying focused during our call. As a result we ended up jumping from one topic to the other. It was clear she needed some support to 'get grounded.'

In my view, Sejal was operating 'in her head.' A condition I see often with academics, like her, and those in highly analytical professions. While this mentality has helped her formulate brilliant thoughts, it has also left her disconnected from her physical body.

Beets can help us get back in touch with ourselves - a traditional remedy that like many things has gotten lost in this time of industrial agriculture and modern nutrition-speak.

And to understand you may have to suspend your beliefs on what is possible through food. When we consume a plant or an animal we take on more than just its nutrients and vitamins - we also take on its energy! This can mean the swiftness of a wild deer or, yes, the groundedness of a root vegetable.

I first learned of this theory from Steve Gagne, author of the book The Energetics of Food. In regards a plant, the energy comes from how it is grown. Beets and other root vegetables collect nutrients from the soil around it and grow downward. When we consume them we bring energy to the lower parts of our bodies - contributing to the sense of firm footing, and enhancing other bodily functions. (Yes, beets are also great for constipation!) Consequently, food that grows upwards, like fruit and sugar, bring energy to the head.

This simple theory might seem out of place in the world of genome mapping and genetically modified crops. Yet there is something about its simple straightforward nature that appeals to me. A sign that mother nature had a plan. Perhaps the question of what to eat, does not require a PhD after all!

I enjoy beets roasted in olive oil and on a simple bed of arugula with lemon juice. Find them at your local farmers market.

*Photo courtesy of huumbug on flickr

Simple Wisdom: Do just one thing

I got an email from my client Greg yesterday. He was frustrated that he hasn't been able to make time for some of the suggestions I had given him.

Greg is the president of his non-profit organization and a published, respected writer. When we started our sessions together, I asked him to come up with three short term and long term goals. He came back with SIX for each! It is a trend I often see in highly accomplished people, like Greg - they love pushing their limits. Unfortunately, it can sometimes be counter-productive.

Our first month together started off really strong. Greg began cooking breakfast for himself (making steel cut oatmeal), eating more greens (especially bok choy), and scheduling some much needed downtime.

Yet, eventually his life began to get in the way. He started traveling regularly for work. Eating what was available, and putting off his workout routine. He's now looking to get back on track.

My advice to him: Simplify. Do just one thing each day. It can be a relatively simple act - taking the stairs, visiting the juice bar instead of Starbucks, getting on the treadmill.

Many of us tend to focus on what is wrong (perhaps the weight that doesn't want to come off). Or what we don't want to do (like going to the gym). My suggestion: shift your focus on what you CAN and WANT to be doing right now. It can be very powerful.

For an added challenge, try doing one different thing each day. You'll see that over time these healthy habits will work into your DNA.

Are you regular?

Other than clinical settings, breaking the ice with a question on digestive health might earn you an odd look. Yet I find it such an important way to truly know what’s going on with someone. Much more so than the unconscious response that often follows “How are you?”

As a health counselor, I’ve learned that digestion is linked to so many of the areas in life that influence one’s health and well-being, including food/diet, stress level, and exercise.

I often ask my clients regularly about their digestion. I’m often surprised by the responses. “Oh yeah, I’m regular.” Is a common one. Only to learn they are having a bowel movement every three or four days! To me that is a sign of imbalance.

If you were to benchmark yourself versus others, this would seem fine. (We are a constipated nation!) Yet, we are all meant to have one bowel movement a day. When this is not the case it can lead to toxins accumulating in our bodies that lead to unpleasant things like colon cancer. Not to mention make one rather unpleasant to be around (irritability, short-temper are common signs of constipation).

But what causes this imbalance? Often it can be the foods we are eating. It might be allergies to common culprits: dairy, wheat, gluten, soy, corn. Or perhaps it is our diet (too much meat, not enough vegetables). Even the temperature of our food can have an effect (hot/cold, raw, cooked)! It also very much linked to our lifestyle. When we are stressed, our bodies often shut down normal digestive function. And we are sedentary, our bodies have a hard time moving the food through our systems.

Even the best of us digestive artists can go awry now and then. Including myself. So today I made it a point to take a yoga class (all this blogging has its consequences) and also order some delicious cooked food prepared by my friend Ella, The Regal Vegan, which is easier for my body to digest.

We’ll figure this thing out. In the meantime, if you see me on the street, you know what to ask…

The upside of a rainy day

It was cloudy yesterday in Brooklyn. And rainy. My Sunday plan of spending some time outdoors was ruined. I was bummed.

Moments later I had a phone session with a client. She had expressed disappointment of being passed over for a promotion. The news happened earlier in the week, and she was still disappointed. I asked her to think "how might this incident be serving you?" At first she was confused, didn't quite get it. So I asked her to consider what comes with a promotion. More compensation, sure. But also more responsibility and stress, which she already had a lot of in her life. I told her that maybe this was an opportunity for her to get a handle on her current workload. You could even call it a gift. She instantly felt more at peace.

So often our disappointment comes from not seeing the bigger picture. I tried to apply this same perspective to my own life. How might my rainy day might be serving me? Well, it gave me the opportunity to take care of some things I had been putting off - phone calls, writing in my blog, reading, etc. But it also would be a benefit to my farm! As a member of the Park Slope CSA, I get a fractional portion of whatever my farm harvests for the season. So perhaps this will lead to more strawberries! Or zucchini! Instantly I too was at peace. :)

What is holistic health counseling?

Two years ago I became a holistic health counselor. Five years ago I wouldn't have been able to answer this very question.

I thought if someone was physically ill, they went to see a doctor.
If they were mentally ill, they went to see a therapist.
If they needed to lose weight, they went to a nutritionist.
Holistic Health Counselor? That would have drawn a blank.

Sometimes a specialist is necessary. Like a doctor for emergency surgery. Or a therapist, if I'm dealing with the loss of a loved one. Or a nutritionist, if I want to go on a detox or drastically lose weight.

But what about someone who is looking for some healing that is a little more subtle? Someone who is 'fine' but simply doesn't look and feel their best. Someone who wants to get better, but just needs a little support. Someone who knows that something is intuitively 'wrong.'

Those are the individuals I feel are best served by a holistic health counselor (or at least me). These individuals take a long-term perspective and are not just trying to lose weight to get in a swimsuit by summer.

They want to look better, sure. But more than that they want to feel better from the inside-out.

My clients cite more energy, peace and satisfaction with their lives. To learn more visit my website.