3 Ways to Help During This Holiday Season

I hope you are all staying safe and well during these trying times. My condolences for those of you who have lost anyone to COVID-19.

How are you doing?

I think we are all grieving in our own way. Whether you think it is big or small, it is valid. The pandemic (and everything in between) has shattered lives across the globe, and to not be ok is OK. Reach out for help if you need it and remember to take care of yourself first.

This upcoming holiday season will be especially difficult for so many around the world. I am constantly reminding myself for how grateful I am for everything I have. When in doubt, gratitude. Because the holiday season can be challenging as is, you might be thinking how the heck can I help others right now, let alone myself? Well, that’s why self-care is important AND only if you have the energy reserves to help. If you don’t, that is more than understandable. There are also many ways to help without spending money.

I wanted to provide a very short list of ways to help out during this holiday season. They say helping others (in any way you are able to) can provide a sense of self joy. I believe it! So, only if you have the capacity to and want to, below are some ways to contribute. These are primarily food-insecure programs. Note: these are NYC-based organizations. For local organizations around your community, please search for similar programs.

City Harvest

• New York City’s largest food rescue organization

• Rescues (safe/untouched) food and delivers to hundreds of food pantries, soup kitchens and other community partners across the five boroughs

• Donate, fundraise and/or volunteer

Invisible Hands

• Non-profit organization delivering groceries (food, medicine, and other essentials)

• Free deliveries throughout New York City, Long Island, Westchester, New Jersey, and Philadelphia

• Donate, volunteer and/or partner

Food Bank NYC

• New York City’s largest hunger-relief organization

• Food distribution, income support, nutrition education, and so much more

• Donate, volunteer and/or partner

There are so many more ways to help support this holiday season and throughout. If and whatever way you choose to help, is more than enough. Just by spreading the word goes a long way :)

This post was not sponsored or affiliated with any of the above organizations.

How To Have an Intentional Holiday Season

Hello, hi there! It’s the unofficial winter season (yikes!) and I wanted to check in with you all to see how you are feeling. December is upon us and that means one thing…the holidays are HERE. Regardless of where your mindset is currently at, I am writing to help us all out on how to cultivate an intentional holiday season.

The holiday season means something different for everyone. It may be a time of endless joy for some, yet it could bring a lot of sadness to others. It may leave you feeling excited, or feelings of overwhelm with anxiety. And you know what? Any and all of those feelings are valid. Remember that feelings and emotions are fleeting. What you choose to do with them is the crucial part.

Living your best holiday season life? Continue to show it and spread that holiday cheer! Feeling more like the Grinch and/or stressed out? Try doing something that you enjoy that brings some inner peace. The last thing we need is to take our inner aggression out on others. Everyone is going through something so try to practice self awareness and hit the pause button if needed.

Ok now that we have set the tone, here are some ways to navigate the holiday season and be intentional in how we spend the next several weeks.

Self care

Although the term self care can seem trendy these days, I still like to use it because it has a different meaning for everyone. The holiday season can be stressful, am I right? How about we take some “me” time to help feel our best. There will be situations that are unavoidable, dreadful or unfulfilling, but if we practice self care, it can make any stressful situation a little less daunting. If you take care of yourself, you can show up for others.

What does self care look like for you? It can be the simplest/smallest of things, but if it helps keep you centered, be consistent.

Hitting Pause

One of the best things I have learned over the years is to hit pause and take a step back when needed. Some of us need more down time than others (or some of us intentionally busy ourselves and leave too little down time). The holiday season can feel like there are a million things going on at once.

It is OK to say no to holiday parties to relax and chill out, it is OK to spend some alone time, and it is OK to not be in the holiday spirit at all times.

Give Without Expectation

Serving others and giving without receiving has some major feel-good power. Have you ever done something for someone without expecting something in return? Yeah, that is called intentional living. Where you genuinely want to help or give in some way and not feel like the other person(s) has to give anything back to you. It is definitely a mood booster!

But this is not to say that you should give to others just because it looks good externally, it has to come from within.

I hope this helps keeps you calm and sane this holiday season! Again, there will be things that are out of our control, but if we can focus more on the good in any situation, you are well on your way. Be intentional, have fun, and you WILL survive the in-laws ;) Hehe just kidding.

3 Helpful Ways to Start Meditation

I am not a certified meditation teacher. These tips are helpful for my personal mediation practice and have helped me get started. 

Hi guys! I can't believe it is August already - where is summer going? To be honest, I won't be too horribly sad, seeing how hot and humid it has been this year. Or maybe the winters are so long I forget just HOW hot it gets in NYC. Maybe we could all use some meditation to get through it :)

If you guys have been following me for a while now, you know how much I love meditation and how important my practice has become. It is part of my wellness ritual that you can read more about here! Whether you are simply curious, have tried it out before or trying to become more consistent in your own practice, I wanted to share helpful tips that have helped me ease into meditation.

Before I moved to NYC almost 4 years ago this month(!), I was dedicated to meditating almost every day for several months. I had my quick 20-minute yoga sequence and then sat on my mat to meditate for only a few minutes in the morning. I want to reiterate: a few minutes. I don't believe you need to meditate for an hour or longer to reap the benefits. The practice and routine are what make it worthwhile. Although I do know from personal experience that the more consistent you are, the more willingness there will be to sit longer and feel more comfortable doing it. You will know why.

Meditation

Sometimes life gets in the way and we minimize the space for such habits/routines, and that is ok. I think remembering the why is super important. Why did you start in the first place? How did it make you feel? Are you benefitting from it? I know when I go through periods of time without meditating, I feel imbalanced. If you have those positive habits that help, stick to them.

Again, I am no meditation professional. There are so many unique ways to ease into it and everyone is different.

3 Helpful Ways to Start Meditation 

1. Find a comfortable space - Ideally you want to meditate in a quiet, peaceful place. There will be many distractions in the form of "thoughts" that run through your brain so the less environmental distractions to deal with, the better. You don't have to sit in a formal meditation space or center. I do both at home and in a guided class. Both beneficial.

2. Focus on your breath - Let's be honest, you might dwell on certain thoughts or get lost in your to-do list, thinking about everything possible other than meditating. Try to return your focus on your breath, breathing in and out. Sometimes what helps me is to literally tell myself (in my head) to breathe in and out, while doing it.

3. Set your own time - Let go of the pressure to sit for a given amount of time. It can be intimidating or uncomfortable to feel forced to sit in complete silence. When I first started, I didn't even set a time or look at my clock, I simply just sat for as long as I could.

I didn't start going to guided meditation classes until I moved to NYC. A previous yoga teacher (when I first started) would lead a short mediation at the end of class, so that is how I was first introduced. Isn't it funny to look back and notice how certain habits were influenced by someone or something? I am forever grateful for her and that class!

I would love to hear if you have tried traditional meditation or not. What do you think?

Wellness Rituals I Practice Regularly

Hi guys! Wow, it has been quite some time since I wrote a meaningful post. Huge thanks for those of you still choosing to follow along on this platform, I appreciate you! You can expect to hear from me more often these days.

After sharing some of my favorite daily rituals here, I thought it could be helpful to expand upon the topic. Please ignore the "to stay slim and rev up metabolism" part in the header - I did not share those things to promote weight loss. Mindfulness and "well-being" are such hot topics for discussion today but I also think it's crucial to find and practice rituals that serve YOU and not because you feel pressured to follow someone else's routine. We could all use a little reminder to remove some of the "shoulds" in life. Do what feels good to you and if it's not serving you in any way, let that shit GO. Find below some of my favorite ways that help provide wellness in my life.

Wellness Rituals

1. Breathe - After living with severe anxiety a few years ago, I learned just how important it is to breathe. For those of you who have or currently experience anxiety, it can feel difficult to breathe normally - not getting in adequate oxygen and/or hyperventilation. Deep breaths also do wonders when stress creeps in. Try taking one long inhale and then exhale, counting down to five on the exhale.

Yoga

1. Yoga - I actually don't practice yoga daily but several times per week. And sometimes by doing yoga, I often mean doing a quick sequence and stretches on my own vs. an actual class. I find even doing some poses to help stretch my body out is so helpful and feels SO good!

2. Meditation - Another strategy that helped with anxiety that stuck and again, I don't do this daily either but when I did, it was life-changing. I found it helped me relax but also to let go of the things in life that I had zero control over. *Remember, anxiety never fully goes away, you just adapt and form positive coping strategies

Matcha

1. Matcha - I love a good matcha latte. Coffee also brings me joy but when I am feeling increased stress or anxiety, matcha comes through like a champ. It still provides a great deal of energy without the typical side effects of caffeine in a strong cup of coffee. *Everyone reacts to caffeine differently. Matcha provides calm, focused energy for me so I like to switch it up between coffee and matcha weekly.

2. Gratitude list - Saying or writing out 3 things I am grateful for daily has a huge, positive impact on my day. It helps set the tone for the remainder of the day, helping me stay grounded. I usually say them in my head but l write them down every so often.

There are so many others I could list but the above has had the biggest impact. Let me know if you try any of these or tell me what you do to bring wellness into your life!

Evolving

Oatmeal

Warm Dragon Bowl

Ice Cream

First off, I love you guys and I apologize for the absence over the past couple of years. Moving to NYC has been both amazing and life-changing for me, especially for the blog. With the constant hustle and bustle in this crazy city, I've learned to prioritize and say "no" to a lot of things (for the better). I have also learned to fuel what feeds me and what I want to put my energy towards (because this place can suck the life out of you). Of course I wanted to be more present on this blog for you all but I needed to re-focus and put out quality vs. quantity.This post was inspired by Alexis' recent posts on doing what "feeds your soul". Because I too have recently noticed that my philosophy as an RD has changed along with my vision for this blog/website. For starters, I wish I could banish all fad diets and calorie counting forever! I want to encourage you all to love food as is and help you understand it's a fuel source, not something to be feared. I want you to embrace the fun and joy that food brings, not anxiety or sadness (like I once had).Our society can make us feel so unbelievably guilty for the food choices we make. Don't get me started on calorie counts for menus in food chains and restaurants. I get it, I really do, but if comparing calories sways your decision from ordering that delicious pasta dish you've been craving to a cobb salad (when you don't feel like a salad) just because it has fewer calories, then you are restricting my friend. Restriction can lead to binges which will not make you feel much better. In fact, it will probably make you feel worse - I know from personal experience.While I still encourage you to eat plenty of veggies and support the MyPlate method, I am 100% fully consumed and passionate about intuitive eating. You don't feel like eating any veggies for lunch? Then don't. Try to sneak some in throughout the day when you can but don't force yourself to eat something you will choke down. You want that cookie (or two) after lunch or dinner? Then eat it. It's about tuning into your hunger and fullness cues, being mindful about eating under emotions, too. It's not easy and doesn't come to you over night. It took me years to love ALL foods and to acknowledge that all foods fit.This blog/website has also evolved. I don't necessarily call myself a food blogger anymore. I don't find joy rolling out new recipes every other day or even every other week. I'm lucky if I can share a new recipe once a month for you! But I can say it has been a huge relief. Some of you love whipping up new recipes on a daily basis (and are so great at it) but for me, it's not what feeds my fire anymore. Not to say I don't enjoy sharing new recipes with you guys, I just don't feel pressured to do it so often. I'll whip up more "recipes" when I don't have to deal with this excuse of a kitchen here in NYC aka non-existent kitchen :)So to sum all of this up, I am human. We are always evolving and changing directions and that's OK. I hope all of you find your passion and go after it. This being said, I will be more active on here but the majority of it may not be recipes - I'll try to switch things up a bit.If you are interested in nutrition counseling and/or wanting help along your journey of intuitive eating, I can help :)

Have a wonderful week!

Discovering Food Intolerance

I was kindly provided a Pinnertest food intolerance test and was not compensated for my time. As always, all opinions remain my own. 

The term food intolerance seems to be popping up more frequently these days. Is it that they are more common or are we more aware and in-tune with our bodies? Either way, it is always best to seek medical attention before you start to remove any food group from your diet aka lifestyle.

To be honest, I was very hesitant to complete this Pinnertest food intolerance test because I questioned the accuracy and it can seem a little restrictive - what if my results showed five or more foods I was intolerant to? Would I try to avoid those foods (especially if they were foods I loved) in hopes of feeling a different way? How could I share that with you guys and continue to encourage you to eat all the food without restricting? Tough.

Pinnertest

So I went through with it because I was actually questioning a few foods at the time and it was driving me crazy! I received my Pinnertest in the mail with easy instructions. All it took was a quick and painless finger prick then placing a blood sample from my finger on the designated pad. The pad was then sealed up and shipped out - simple!

It took about 2 weeks total for me to receive my results and I was getting quite anxious. After reading through my results, I no longer questioned the accuracy (to a certain degree) of the test because the two foods that showed I was moderately intolerant to, I tend to get red spots and/or rashes after consuming them in normal quantities. Sometimes I'll say the heck with it and eat them on occasion but I know what might happen afterwards. Still, thankful it is not a severe allergy. This is an intolerance test and NOT an allergy test.

Pinnertest

The four foods that showed up on my results list from about 200 different foods were tomatoes (moderately), strawberries (moderately), cinnamon (low) and cabbage (low). I was completely shocked by the cinnamon and cabbage because I eat them both regularly. I have cinnamon almost every day and I loooove cabbage. Besides some typical bloat from over eating cabbage, I never experience any other symptoms I can think of, but then again, they are both rated as very low reaction.

I was very surprised to find that mango did NOT show up on my results - I get little blisters on my lips and they will get very irritated after consuming mango. Did this not show up possibly due to the fact that I have not consumed any mango in the past few months, therefore, no trace of it in my system? Apparently this reaction is from the un-washed mango skin and can cause "poison ivy lips". Does this happen to anyone else? Maybe it could also be related to hay fever...

I think I will continue to consume cinnamon (I love it too much!) and cabbage but continue to stay clear of tomatoes and strawberries like I usually do. I will definitely introduce them back at some point to see what happens with my skin and give you an update.

If you question any food sensitivity and/or allergy, I encourage you to get tested instead of doing countless trial and errors. It will save you your sanity and a major headache!