​Picture a big glass goblet filled to the halfway mark with water. How do you see it—half-full or half-empty?
 
Consistently finding the glass half-empty—and the world as a difficult place—is a hallmark of negativity.
 
Research has found that a negative outlook can contribute to everything from depression to heart disease to lowered immune system function. It can affect sleep, weight maintenance, the quality of your relationships, your social life, and even your ability to hold a job.
 
Now imagine what it would feel like to approach life from a place of positivity, fun, connection, health, and possibility. Sounds good, doesn’t it?
 
6 Simple Tips to Make a Positive Switch
 
To help wipe out negativity, try one or more of the following action steps:

• Go complaint-free. Try going an hour without complaining and see the positive things in your life. Next, try a day, a week, and so on.
• Keep a gratitude journal. Each evening, list 10 or more things that you are grateful for.
• Give compliments freely. Notice the good in others. Praise every person you interact with.
• Find beauty everywhere in your world. Notice its gorgeousness.
• Share your good news. Studies show that sharing happy events brings even more happiness.
• Focus on what you want, not what you don’t want.

Maintaining a positive outlook takes practice, and the more you do it, the easier it gets. The payoff—a happier, healthier life—is absolutely worth the effort.

There's nothing like a delicious bowl of healthy soup to warm your soul through these cold, shorter days and ring in a happy, healthy New Year. Here's my latest creation for you:

Miso Red Lentil and Rice Soup
High in fiber, protein, and phytonutrients, this is my new go-to umami-flavored soup. I make a big pot of it for dinner for 2 of us and have it the next day or two for an instant healthy lunch. I use organic white miso and either a combination of rices or simply wild rice. You can use whichever organic miso and rice you like. 
 
Serves 4

Print recipe 

1 c uncooked rice combo from bulk section (wild rice, brown rice, etc.) or rice of your choice
1 T olive oil
½ - 1 onion, chopped
6 carrots, chopped
3 large celery stalks, chopped
2 c red lentils, rinsed and combed through for rocks
4 c chicken or veggie broth, or bone broth
5 T miso, or more to taste
1 c water
 
In a rice cooker or saucepan, cook rice according to directions—usually 2:1 water to rice for about 40 minutes. You’ll end up with 2 cups cooked rice. Meanwhile, in a stock pot, place olive oil, onion, carrots and celery. Saute for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add lentils, broth, miso, and water. Stir well until miso dissolves. Bring to boil. Lower heat and simmer about 15-20 minutes. Add rice to soup pot. Stir until well combined. Add more miso if desired. Enjoy!

Probiotic Granola Bowl
This is my latest go-to dessert. It is very forgiving! A small bowl truly satisfies, and you can feel good about its low-glycemic and probiotic ingredients. 

Serves 1

Print Recipe

Handful of berries
About 1/4-1/2 c dairy-free kefir or yogurt (see options below)
Handful of grain free granola (see options below)

In a small appetizer-sized bowl (eg, one you'd use to serve olives), pour a fist full of your choice of berries. Top with a low glycemic granola. I love Purely Elizabeth's grain free granolas; they're sweetened with just a touch of coconut sugar. Pour in a probiotic of your choice. Here I've used Forager Plain Cashewgurt, a cashew based kefir. Other options include Coyo natural coconut kefir, Kite Hill's unsweetened vanilla almond yogurt, Coyo natural coconut yogurt–all are organic and without added sugar. Enjoy your dessert guilt-free.
​

Do you recall the last time you woke up feeling crappy? Maybe it was a cold coming on or a stomach bug or migraine. You called in sick or slogged through it until you felt well again. And you wondered about the cause. Did you share a drink with someone? Get sneezed on? Eat something contaminated? Fortunately, we are often well again in a few days. 

You are a wellness warrior! You practice prevention daily – washing your hands, sneezing into your elbow crease, getting vaccinated, taking zinc and vitamin C – but there are still some insidious things we're prone to, exposed to, or deficient in that require detective work to uncover. Take gluten intolerance, for example, or unresolved hypothyroidism, or excess fat in the abdomen that just won't quit. Not knowing why or what to do about it beyond taking a prescription drug can be frustrating and downright scary. That's why I'm so excited to tell you that I'm in my first semester of training in Functional Medicine – the field that focuses on root causes of symptoms and illnesses. 

What if you had persistent symptoms with no end in sight? That's what I experienced in my mid thirties. Imagine joint pain, muscle soreness, a numb toe and tongue, and brain fog every day for months...until I figured out and addressed the root cause which, in my case, was gluten. If you're a science geek like me, you'll want to know that gluten caused an inflamed and leaky gut which led to an immune system attack gone awry. Check out my book, Gutsy, if you want to learn how to be a gut detective of your own symptoms. And if you'd like to share and discuss your own experience, let me know either below or by contacting me directly. 

The body is made of interconnected systems. When one system is malfunctioning, we can look for upstream causes in the other systems. Soon I'll know more about what to have you tested for, what to rule out, how to read labs even for subclinical findings (ie, beyond the regular lab reference ranges), and which natural remedies will reverse the problem – rather than a prescription that doesn't address the root cause.

The future of medicine is here. and I'm excited to be embarking on it!

In the meantime, enjoy these delicious gluten-free and healthy muffins.

Chocolate Nut Butter Muffins
High in protein and free of refined sugars and flours, these muffins are a satisfying treat any time.

Makes 12 muffins
Print Recipe

WET
1/4 cup peanut butter, or almond butter
2 T maple syrup
3 eggs
3 medium bananas, smashed
1 T vanilla extract
1 t apple cider vinegar
DRY
3/4 t salt
3/4 t baking soda
3 c almond flour
1/2 c cacao powder (Raw chocolate powder has more nutrients than treated cocoa powder.)
2 T ground flax seeds
1/3 c dark dairy-free chocolate chips (I love organic 70% dark chocolate chips from Equal Exchange.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place paper muffin cups into muffin tin wells. Combine first 6 ingredients either by hand or in a food processor just until well combined. 

In a separate mixing bowl, combine the first 5 dry ingredients without the chocolate chips. Add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients and combine by mixing until well integrated, or by pulsing 3-4 times. Add chocolate chips and combine by hand, mixing well. 

Place batter into each muffin cup using an ice cream scoop or 3 tablespoons of batter. Bake for 15 minutes. Let muffins cool completely. They will last up to 3 days in airtight container at room temperature, or in fridge for a week. Enjoy!

Wow, your body is amazing! It rebounds after a hangover. It recognizes and purges toxins. And it  rids itself of cancers by regularly cutting off the blood supply to tiny, imperceivable tumors. 

Did you know that you can help your body prevent cancer tumor growth and more by cutting off tumor blood supply, lowering inflammation, removing carcinogens, neutralizing oxidative stress and killing cancer cells, among many other health benefits? How? Three words: Plant Based Foods. Research shows that specific foods such as certain teas, spices, tomatoes, and other plant-based foods nicknamed G-BOMBS can increase lifespan by lowering inflammation, reversing diabetes, and stopping cancer in its tracks. See "Can We Eat to Starve Cancer" to learn more. 

What are G-BOMBS?

G-BOMBS is an acronym coined by Joel Fuhrman, MD, a researcher, physician, author and one of the teachers I was lucky to learn from in my health coach training program. These letters stand for the specific plant foods (see below) with anti-cancer properties and other health bonuses. According to Fuhrman, a nutrient-dense diet rich in multi-colored plant foods, beans, seeds and greens, high in micronutrients and fiber, can reverse signs of aging and improve cognitive function even after years of eating a poor Standard American Diet. But the sooner the better to give your body a fighting chance. Dr. Fuhrman recommends you eat plenty of these foods daily to prevent cancer and other diseases and promote good health and longevity. Learn more about how G-BOMBS work .

• Greens
• Beans
• Onions
• Mushrooms
• Berries
• Seeds

Roasted Onion Cream
Adapted from Food52.com's Genius Recipes
Like cashew cream, a favorite vegan recipe of mine, onion cream is a wonderful substitute for mayonnaise, cream and cheese in many dishes. Onion cream, a nutrient-loaded G-BOMB, up-levels most foods as a topping for soups or pooled under veggies, meats or fish. 

Makes about 1 1/2 cups

Print recipe

3 large yellow onions, skins on
olive oil
2 T lemon juice, or about 1 lemon
1/2 t salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Using your hands coat the outside of the onion skins with olive oil and place all three into a small baking pan. Roast the onions for 60 to 75 minutes, turning the onions halfway, until the skins are dark (not burnt) and the insides are very soft. Remove from oven and let cool. 

Peel onions and discard skins. Place the roasted onions into a high powered blender.  Add salt and lemon juice. Blend for 1-3 minutes, depending on your blender, until very smooth. Enjoy!

How much of your day is spent taking care of other people, chores, work? Whether you've had it up to here or you get a thrill from being a caretaker and task master, now is the perfect time to start including YOU in your to-do's. You know the airplane rule: place the oxygen mask over your own face first and then on your child's second? The same concept applies to breathing in new life in order to be your best self. Only then, when you are calm, centered and nurtured can you truly be your most authentic self, happier, more relaxed and ready to face the world or re-treat again if  you so choose.

As women, we are praised in our society for helping and serving others. When was the last time you were given a pat on the back for making time for you? When I was growing up, self-care was often misconstrued as something akin to self-obsession, over-indulgence and being "spoiled." Years later, after burning out as a stay-at-home mom who worked part time from home, I came to realize that I was the one who needed the time outs! A new gym membership, yoga, running, meditating, massages, travel and focusing on nutritious cooking were necessary measures to quiet my mind and bring me back to myself. The idea that self-care is somehow wrong or undeserved is completely misguided.

Your assignment: Take on self-care beginning today. Make a to-do list of nurturing actions that will fill you with delight. Below are suggestions to get you started. The point is to calm you, not have you feeling even more stressed about accomplishing tasks. If the thought of doing more is overwhelming, choose just one activity to add to your routine, and see how it makes you feel. When you are ready, try another or swap one regimen for the next until you find your own brand of self-care that really hits the spot. I'd love to hear what you enjoy most in your self care regimen. Please share in the comments below.

Self-Care To-Do's

• Drink water first thing in the morning
• Have a green smoothie 
• Eat organic whole food
• Walk barefoot on the beach
• Get a massage, facial, pedicure or other spa service
• Take a yoga class
• Enroll at a gym
• Try a new cardio or dance class
• Begin a mediation practice for 5 minutes a day
• Take a hike
• Spend time with friends
• Take a class either online or at a local school
• Go shopping for a little retail therapy
• See a therapist
• Take a transformational workshop
• Plan a trip
• Adopt a pet
• Schedule quiet time for reading
• Take a nap
• Do a puzzle
• Make a pot of tea
• Light a scented candle
• Take an epsom salt bath

Grilled Chicken and Veggie Skewers with Chimichurri 
What could be easier on a summer evening than grilled skewers? Separating the chicken from the veggies allows you to grill them at different times as needed. This recipe is part of my summer 5-day detox program. More like this to come in my fall detox, details coming soon.

Serves 2

Print recipe

For the Skewers:
2 organic, free-range boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into one-inch chunks
6 cremini mushrooms, wiped clean and foot trimmed
1 small zucchini or summer squash, cut into one-inch chunks
1 bell pepper, seeded and cut into one-inch chunks
1 small sweet onion, cut into large chunks  

For the Chimichurri:
1 c lightly packed chopped parsley
3 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
1/3 c red wine vinegar
¼ c packed cilantro
½ tsp red chili flakes (optional)
½ tsp sea salt
½ tsp freshly ground pepper

Thread the chicken pieces onto skewers, brush lightly with olive oil, then season with salt & pepper. Thread the veggies onto different skewers and repeat.  

Heat your grill to medium high heat, and grill the skewers until they are lightly browned and the chicken is cooked through, turning occasionally, about 20 minutes total. Pull veggie skewers off sooner if they appear cooked and with grill marks.

Meanwhile, make the chimichurri by combining the chimichurri ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth, then drizzle over the skewers before serving. Store any remaining sauce in an airtight glass container for about a week in the fridge. 

Note: If you’re using wooden or bamboo skewers, you’ll need to soak them in water for 15 minutes before using in order to keep them from catching fire while on the grill. 

Remember in the 1990's when scientists predicted that mapping our DNA would transform the future of our health? Now we know our genes alone are not our destiny and that our environment is the key to preventing and reversing disease. 

The more recent field of epigentics – epi meaning the space above and around the genes – has taught us that we can influence which genes get turned on or "expressed" and which get shut off. This includes genes that code for diseases like cancer, Alzheimer's and heart disease. Would you believe only 5-10 percent of our genes are fixed? The other 90-95 percent are switched on and off, influenced by our exposure to all things that aren't genetic: our food, water, air, social connections, sleep, alcohol, exercise and stress as well as our parents' health when we were conceived – something to consider when planning to have children. In fact, current research shows that your lifespan can be extended by 13 years by simply addressing your choices, and thereby, which genes get expressed.

Take identical twins, for example, raised in two different places. One lives on a farm eating real, whole foods, walking to school daily and helping the family out by working in the field, walking, squatting, pulling weeds and crops and getting their hands in the microbe-rich dirt. The other twin is raised in an urban environment, eating many convenience foods as both parents work outside the home. The most common pastime is sitting – on subways, at school and on the couch. Hand sanitizer to keep bacteria and viruses away flows freely. Which twin do you think ended up healthier? Research has found that twins exposed to such varying lifestyles can have vastly different health profiles due to their different gene expression. 

SIMPLE STEPS YOU CAN TAKE
Here's where your choice comes in. 

1. DIET

• Maintain a healthy weight
• Keep food simple, real, non-processed and organic
• Eat a wide variety of plant-based foods with any type of diet
• Take cooking classes

2. EXTRA-CURRICULARS

• Don't smoke
• Drink moderately (or not at all)

3. SLEEP

• Get 7-9 hours of sleep per night
• Give yourself a bed time

4. EXERCISE 

• Stay physically active
• Walking daily

5. STRESS

• Meditation and yoga calm the nervous system
• Resolve conflicts and clean up relationships in your life

6. SOCIAL CONNECTION

• Regularly connect with others including family, friends, partners, community

Each of these activities influences our genes. Exercise, for example, positively affects 7,660 –  genes (that's 1/3 of all our genes!) modifying our risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, colon and breast cancers, obesity, hypertension, bone and joint diseases and depression.

You can learn more about epigenetics and personalizing your health choices in my book, Gutsy, (link here near top of page) and by watching my 10-minute talk called, "Get Healthy By Addressing Food and Mood" here. ​

Roasted Acorn Squash

Serves 4

Print Recipe

2 acorn squash
olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 t pine nuts
2 t coconut oil or ghee
2 t maple syrup, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut ends off of acorn squash. Then cut squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out seeds and discard. Place cut sides up onto sheet pan. If needed, cut off small slice of underside of each piece to create a flat surface enabling squash to sit upright. Using hands or a pastry brush, lightly coat orange flesh with olive oil. Lightly sprinkle salt over all 4 pieces. 

Roast for 40 minutes or until fork tender through squash. Add 1/2 teaspoon of the coconut oil or ghee to the "bowl" of each squash. Then add a teaspoon of pine nuts to each bowl. Put back into oven for 2-3 minutes. Remove from oven. Drizzle 1/2 teaspoon maple syrup over each piece if desired. Enjoy!

Do you get hangry? You know, that nasty feeling of hungry plus angry. It often rears its ugly head in the afternoon. Irritability like that can come from neglecting your body's basic need – regular, nutritious, satisfying meals. And by skipping meals, waiting too long, or mindlessly grabbing the wrong choices like sugary snacks and coffee, you are sending your blood sugar on a roller coaster ride from hell! By now, you know that sugar dips and highs are the root cause of cravings, mood swings, weight gain, energy crashes and many other symptoms and diseases.

Instead, set yourself up for success to reach your health goals, and do your brain and body a world of good while you're at it: A little advanced planning to fill your pantry and fridge with life-sustaining foods makes it easy to whip up a healthful meal or snack, or grab it on the go.  Imagine having a salad bar in your fridge? Your kitchen becomes your very own enticing gourmet health food store.

Whether you are gluten-free, vegan, keto or any other dietary practice, the magic formula to stabilizing blood sugar, reducing cravings, losing weight, sustaining energy and feeling your best is: Fiber + Protein + Healthy Fat at each meal. I can't say this enough.

Practice Healthy Shortcuts
Stock the pantry with healthful, organic “convenience” foods so you can put a meal together quickly, without sacrificing nutrition. For example, wash, chop and store veggies in glass containers in the fridge for several days to have them on hand. Hard boil 6-12 eggs. Steam or roast sweet potatoes or fingerlings and keep in the fridge. Great basics to have on hand include:
 

• frozen organic veggies like spinach, cauliflower rice, and peas;
• pre-washed and packaged organic greens;
• fresh cukes, radishes, carrots, tomatoes and jicama to chop and store in glass containers for that week;
• fresh herbs;
• hard boiled organic, pastured eggs
• heat-and-eat organic quinoa and brown rice packs;
• canned organic lentils and chickpeas in BPA-free cans;
• canned wild-caught salmon or leftover protein from last night's dinner;
• almonds or other favorite nuts;
• olives;
• and sauerkraut to name a few.

Just whip up a jar of extra virgin olive oil, your favorite vinegar, a spoonful of mustard or tahini to emulsify, salt and pepper and you can have a healthy meal on the table in less than 20 minutes.  Grab my Healthy Pantry List here for more shortcuts to have on hand.

Composed Salad

This beautiful salad took me less than 10 minutes to put together since my ingredients were ready and waiting for me.

Pre-blanched green beans, steamed fingerling potatoes, a box of washed arugula, hard-boiled eggs, leftover roasted wild salmon, tomatoes, and lots of fresh chopped herbs made for a very satisfying, blood-sugar balancing meal.

Did you see the recent report on eggs and cholesterol, maybe in the Wall Street Journal or on CNN? Are you confused by the frequent flip-flopping advice on cholesterol, heart disease, and what's healthy? I'm here to tell you that most of us can relish our omelettes! Here's why.

1. The study behind the report didn't limit its observation to actual egg consumption,  but rather “ingredients in mixed dishes.” This includes cookies, cakes, and ice cream. Seriously?! Come on now.

2. ​It was an observational study. Observation does not equal causation. It doesn't account for chance, poor data collection, ignoring other foods consumed, and conflicts of interest. Who's behind the study? It turns out many of the researchers have connections to the pharmaceutical industry, including companies that make statins – drugs heavily prescribed for high cholesterol and cardiovascular disease.

3. In 2016, after many years of controlled research on eggs that showed no relationship between the amount of cholesterol we eat and the risk of heart disease, the U.S. actually reversed its guidelines on dietary cholesterol in 2016, removing any limitation. These studies have shown that our bodies are pretty brilliant when it comes to eating cholesterol, with a rise in good cholesterol to maintain a healthy balance. See one report here. 

4. Cardiovascular health is determined by other dietary factors including what else we are eating besides saturated fats such as fiber and polyunsaturated fats. See report on this correlation here.

5. In 25% of us, while eating eggs modestly increases both LDL and HDL cholesterol, it doesn’t increase the risk of heart disease. But for a very small subset of people who are genetically predetermined to be sensitive to cholesterol intake, reducing dietary cholesterol might be a good thing.

Oh, and by the way, that recent, flawed observational study found that the risk from eating eggs is a ridiculously low 2 cardiovascular events in 1,000 person-years!

The bottom line: Enjoy your eggs, which are abundant in vitamins, minerals and protein, and get your cholesterol checked when you see your doctor. To calculate risk: current medical thinking points to your non-HDL cholesterol (LDL) as being the important number as well as your triglyceride level. See here and here to learn more.

You may have seen my first Facebook Live post last week on my FB business page –"Nan Foster Health"– where I talk about the importance of healthy fats. Nuts and seeds are perfect little additions to salads, dressings, soups, and spreads in the form of nut or seed butters. They offer fiber, vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, and poly- and monounsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids. Together with clean proteins and veggies, nuts and seeds keep us full longer and reduce cravings between meals. But, there's more...

If you are pre-, peri- or full on menopausal, you have the means to help regulate your hormones in the palm of your hand. Seeds! Yet another one of nature's little gifts, seeds have phytoestrogens and can mimic hormone production in our bodies. ​

Try cycling estrogen-boosting ground flaxseed and pumpkin seeds for the first 13 days of your cycle or of the month. Then rotate to progesterone-boosting sesame and sunflower seeds. This rotation, in effect, follows the natural pattern of women's cycles. 

Keep nuts and seeds in the fridge to keep their natural oils from going rancid. I keep mine in fun glass Ball jars for easy access and a daily reminder to enhance my day with a delightful nutty crunch.

Did you know that quinoa is actually a seed, not a grain? Here's a simple quinoa recipe I make weekly.

Quinoa Crunch
Serves 4-6

Print Recipe 

1 1/2 cups dried quinoa
1-2 T Ume plum vinegar 
1 handful fresh parsley leaves, chopped
1/2 c toasted almonds, chopped
​1/3 c currants ​

Rinse quinoa well, and put into pot with 3 cups of water. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes or until water is just absorbed. When done, pour quinoa into bowl. Add Ume plum vinegar in increments, and taste to be sure it isn't too salty. (Note: You can find Ume vinegar either with other vinegars or in the Asian foods aisle of grocery stores.) Add other ingredients and stir well.