Fit and Fabulous

Love The Ghee!

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I started making ghee a few months ago when I decided to increase the fat in my diet. I LOVE IT! I blend it in my morning coffee with coconut oil. I sauteed apple and nuts in ghee to add to my breakfast. I sauteed tofu, cashews and rosemary in it for an afternoon snack. It makes everything delicious!

Adding more fat to your diet, helps your hormones stay in balance.

  • Ghee has a high smoke point. It is excellent to cook with.
  • Ghee is rich in Vitamin A, D and E.
  • Ghee can be used by people with dairy sensitivity. The lactose and casein is removed during the straining process.
  • Ghee made from happy grass fed cows contain CLA, Conjugated linoleic acid. CLA may actually reduce blood pressure, cholesterol and tumors. It has also been helpful in weight loss, reducing inflammation and body fat.
  • Ghee contains Butyrate which may improve colon health and digestion.

The best part, it is DELICIOUS and you can keep it on your counter in a pretty Ball jar!

Embrace The Ghee

Embrace The Ghee

It is easy to make ghee. Take a pound of organic unsalted butter, (grass fed butter is even better) and put it in a pot on a low temperature. I let it cook for about 15 minutes and strain it through cheese cloth to remove all of the toxins from the butter. My friend Dr. Deb Kern has a great video on making ghee. She loves to chant and send out goodness while the ghee is simmering. It is a spiritual practice for her.

"In Ireland cows graze on the green pastures of small family farms."

“In Ireland cows graze on the green pastures of small family farms.”

 

Happy Healthy Hormones Day 18

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Day 18! I am feeling so much better about all of this. Thank God!

The past 8 months, I have increased the healthy fat in my diet. FYI, I had a physical last week and blood work. My numbers are better than they were last year! My total cholesterol  is about the same. My HDL and LDL ratio is below average risk! I am proud to say my Vitamin D level is 60!

What I am doing works for me and I think it will work for you as well. More about that later on. Launching an exciting new program.

I wanted to write about portion control and my new love of wide mouth BALL jars! Increasing the fat in your diet also increases the calories if you are not careful. Yes, calories do count! I have started to divide my food into the jars. It is perfect when you want to grab a quick snack or a meal for that matter.

This morning, I made coconut banana pumpkin puree and sent it with Thomas for a healthy snack. I divided the rest into perfect portion control jars. It just makes me happy to open up my refrigerator to see all of those jars filled with nutritious delicious food!

Love the Ball Jars!

Love the Ball Jars!

Exciting news !

I know facing 30 days of no gluten, sugar and alcohol can be overwhelming and seems impossible. I have created a 7 day program with my friend Chef Ivone Ventura of Healthy Sage. She is a graduate of Natural Gourmet Institute in NYC. We are having a kick off at my house on February 25th at 10:30 AM. The cost of the program is $35. Reply to this post if you would like more info. Tons of support, guidance, tips, and recipes included. Call a friend and do it together!

Not Local?  It will be an online program so you can still join in!  #morefunwithfriends

Love,

Mary

I almost quit!

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I almost quit a few times! 30 Days of NO gluten, sugar, alcohol!  I like my life to be easy. I like having a glass of wine every night. I have been feeling very agitated!  I am doing this because I wanted to balance my hormones, I wanted to sleep better and I wanted to get rid of my burning mouth. Guess what? I am sleeping so much better and my mouth stopped burning!

Why am I so agitated???

There is a part of me that wants to have a glass of wine. It is amazing the power it has over me. I am sure I am not the only one out there. The sugar and gluten is not such a big deal.

I have to thank my accountability partner Ivone. I sent her a text yesterday that I was done! The plan was to have a daily glass of wine and stay away from sugar and gluten. I was driving to the store to buy a nice bottle of Chardonnay  when my phone rings and Ivone talks me out of it. AAAAHHH!

SO Super Bowl Sunday and I am back on track. I laid down on the floor for 30 minutes this afternoon and that really helps.

Tonight, I am making Curry Girls Kitchen Chicken Chili and Sweet Potato Nachos! I am excited that I found the Curry Girls on Instagram. It looks like they have lots of good easy recipes! More to come!

Delicious!

Delicious!

Have a fun evening!

Love,

Mary

Balance Your Hormones Day 11

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Happy Health Hormones Day 11!

The NO sugar, gluten , alcohol 30 day program reduces the inflammation in your body. I have noticed  that I don’t have aches and pains that come and go for me in the past. Do you have issues with aches and pains?

Many people think this program is too hard.

What is the price of waking up achy every morning? Or not sleeping well?

I am eating really clean but I know I can’t possible get everything I need from my diet. It is so important to take a high quality pharmaceutical grade supplement to fill in any of the gaps in your diet. I am also including a liver support during the 30 days. Everything goes through the liver. I want mine to be supported, happy and working well!

Here are the  links to the supplements.

Multi vitamin

Liver Support

It is an investment in your health! You are worth it!

Love,

Mary

Balance Your Hormones Day 10!

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I am thinking of changing the name of the program to Happy Healthy Hormones! I am feeling so much better. I am sleeping well which is SO KEY to all of this. I have tons of energy which I usually do but I feel more grounded and less agitated.

I did give up on the green tea in the morning instead of coffee. It felt too depressing to me. I LOVE my coffee blended in the morning with coconut oil and ghee. I am going with it.

This week end I made grain free granola. The recipe is from Danielle Walker’s Against All Grain cookbook. I didn’t use a dehydrator. I baked it in the oven at 250 for 2 hours. The recipe called for 3/4 maple syrup. I reduced to 1/2 cup. (Not sugar free) I did portion it into small jars. A treat for the weekend.against-all-grain

I like to portion things out to prevent overeating.

I still miss my glass of wine but it is getting easier.

It is not too late to join in …  Gluten, sugar and alcohol free for 30 days! So much easier with friends! Dr. Northrup says we will feel changes quickly. Balanced hormones are key to fabulous health!

All you need to do is follow me on facebook or instagram. I will be posting and I hope you will be too!

“Feeling great!!! I’ve spent 3.5 years trying to figure out what was causing all of my stomach issues.-100% gluten free has been life changing.” Julia

Balance Your Hormones Day 9!

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Day 8 was a bit rough. Sunday is usually a day off where I enjoy a treat at coffee hour at church and have ice cream for dessert. Yesterday, Ivone saved the day! She invited me over with her friend Susie who was a pastry chef to try out some of Danielle Walker’s grain free baked goods.

against-all-grain

Full disclosure there is some sweetener in the baked goods. We had a good time and I went home with Paleo sandwich cashew butter bread and rosemary bread sticks! It was a fun way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

Thanks Ivone!

Balance Your Hormones Day 8!

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I always feel better after a workout especially one of my outdoor workouts with other people.

Do you want Happy Healthy Hormones? Hang out with happy healthy people! Do more than hangout, workout together. THE BEST!

This video is from our Saturday Morning workout. I wasn’t holding the camera horizontally. Sorry.

It was a wonderful early morning workout with friends… Cold and sunny too!

“Made the whole day better,more focused and more energy.” Gail

Click here to learn more about my outdoor workouts.

Love,

Mary

Balance Your Hormones Day 7!

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7 days in…

I enjoy a glass of wine when I go to cook dinner.  Now that I am off alcohol, dinner time feels stressful to me. I am looking for ways to make this process easy.

My friend Ivone gave me her crock pot. (She updated her crock pot. A nice ALL-ClAD.) I am thrilled to have her old one. Ivone is an amazing cook. It is great karma to have her crock pot!

10 o’clock this morning I made slow-cooker beef chuck chili. Danielle Walker’s recipe from Against All Grains. (Page 96) It is a nice easy recipe. Our dinner will be all set! against-all-grain

I have also been blending up “GOOD GIRL MOONSHINE”.  I found it on Pinterest last year when I was looking for a wine replacement.

good-girl-moonshine

(Google good girl moonshine. I am not sure where the original recipe came from.)

Planning and Preparation are important component to Balance.

Happy Planning.

Love,

Mary

Balance Your Hormones Day 6

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The weekend! Time when you would like to indulge a bit. I am staying with it. No Sugar,  Gluten, Alcohol for 30 Days.  I will slow down and take care of myself.

Here is a treat idea! I love to saute organic apples or pears in ghee and add chopped pecans at the end. Sprinkle with cinnamon of course! It only takes a few minutes. #guiltfreeapplepie It makes your house smell cozy.   apples

The ghee and nuts lower the glycemic load of the fruit. The key is to keep your blood sugar balanced.

Happy Healthy Hormones!

Enjoy your weekend!

Love,

Mary

PS. I have lost 2 pounds. I hope I don’t find them again.

Balance Your Hormones Day 5!

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I have noticed that I am sleeping better now that I am 5 days in.  No gluten, sugar or alcohol.

Sleep tips!

Try to get in bed at the same time every night. 10 o’clock is good.

Avoid alcohol.

Easy on the caffeine.

Exercise but not at bedtime.

Don’t watch the news before bed time.

Take an Epsom salt bath.

Here is my bedtime affirmation. “I am calm. I sleep peacefully through the night.” Try it out tonight and let me know how it works.

Sweet dreams.

Love,

Mary