Blog - Back to Balance

Egg Caprese- any meal, one pan

Mon, 15 Feb 2021 23:42:00 GMT

Sometimes simple is better. Actually, with whole, supportive foods it’s almost ALWAYS better. Fresh ingredients make it really easy to make dishes taste amazing! Case in point with this delish caprese variation to be enjoyed at any meal. And the added bonus of feeling satiated and full of ready to go energy is just a fact of eating primally. Caprese is one of my favorites and I love this adapted version for a quick and easy breakfast, lunch OR dinner.

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Renaming Breakfast

Fri, 15 Jan 2021 19:07:00 GMT

Are you SICK OF EATING EGGS FOR BREAKFAST? Or you’ve been told (or know yourself) that you shouldn’t eat eggs? When we start cutting out grains, added sugars (or both), the first meal each day seems to become an issue quickly. What am I supposed to eat? If we’ve been eating a Standard American Diet (SAD) the breakfast options are pretty much all out. In truth the options for breakfast mimic dessert options… not a good start to an anti- inflammatory eating pattern.

When I first cut out grains 11 years ago, I was also advised that my body was sensitive to eggs and that I shouldn’t eat them very often, if at all. During the initial stages I had to cut them out altogether breakfast or otherwise. What the heck was I supposed to eat? Then came a HUGE mind blowing idea… what if I renamed foods as supportive foods? Instead of labeling certain foods to be eaten during certain times of the day? What if we renamed breakfast, lunch and dinner… and throw in snack-time as well… to simply calling them ‘meals’.

Once you make that shift, all is fair to eat at any time. If it’s supportive food, reduces inflammation, nourishes the gut, and calms the system? Anytime is a good time. So..

What to eat for breakfast? ANYTHING nourishing and supportive. Why not spaghetti squash with meatballs? Burger patty with kraut? Taco salad? Yes please.

One of the main reasons people eat eggs is that they are in the habit of eating ‘breakfast’ foods at breakfast. And the Standard American Diet does NOT serve up supportive foods. Look at any breakfast menu to confirm. We serve up dessert: bagels, cereal, toasts, muffins, pancakes, and the list goes on. So when we (intentionally) move away from the sugar laden, inflammatory grain options, the only option for protein focused, low sugar, nutrient dense foods in the breakfast folder in our mind?? Eggs. When we think outside the ‘breakfast’ label box, we get to choose eggs, or NOT.

Now comes the issue of time in the morning. Another big obstacle my clients come across is finding time to eat supportive foods as they’re getting themselves, and usually a few little people, out of bed, dressed, fed, cared for, and out the door to work/school etc. In come the saviors…no nourishing food is off limits, preparation, and reuse. I always make extra protein when I’m cooking (ground beef, chicken, insert your faves) and having it at the ready. I also LOVE making a quick breakfast scramble sauté with leftovers. I occasionally eat eggs and enjoy them when I do, but when you get tired of them or it’s time for an egg reset/break… dig in to an ‘any meal anytime’ mindset and the options are limitless!

Here’s what I ate this morning. Mini slider with grass-fed cheese (well the cow was grass-fed), sautéed in a pan with leftover fajita veggies (onion, peppers in coco oil), 1/2 leftover avocado (wrap ’em tight so they don’t brown).. it was delish and filled me right up! My water is green every morning as well for alkalizing, nourishment… 1/2 scoop organic wheatgrass, 1/2 scoop GreensFirst. Can always toss in some spinach with your quick flash sauté w/ a dab o’ coconut oil as necessary. Reframe breakfast and all of the sudden the doors are open for delicious, quick, egg-free options. Please share a Primal-friendly breakfast (without eggs) that YOU like?

megan@primalhealthandyoga.com

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Hydrate and Tighten Skin with Collagen

Tue, 22 Dec 2020 18:40:00 GMT

I love collagen for so many reasons but this protein does WONDERS for skin. It’s the most abundant protein in our body and hydrates and tightens skin as well as nourishing the bones and connective tissues. When our body produces enough…we look (and feel) like our natural radiant selves! There are many products around that can be applied externally to promote the collagen boosting hydration effect to the face. But what can we do to boost production IN our bodies naturally? During the winter months when my skin gets EXTRA dry I start treating myself with nourishing bone broth. This quick and easy recipe helps to ensure I’m getting the precursors I need for my body to create collagen in order to simply put- radiate that glow! Watch the quick video and try it out- super simple and easy. Vitamin-C is another important vitamin for collagen production so add in a warm cup o’ lemon water to your morning routine! Enjoy and shine on!

Anyone Else’s Skin Cracking? Battle Dryness from the Inside Out

Wed, 16 Dec 2020 04:01:00 GMT

One of the first ‘gifts’ that Colorado winter gives to me every year around this time is cracking thumbs. This is how I know winter has arrived. It is a painful nudge to take a look at strategies to hack my health to promote better moisture and hydration. These techniques get me through the winter months with minimal painful cracking skin.

The increased dryness comes fast and with fervor in Colorado. We strive to spend time outside skiing, walking the dog, and getting in our daily nature boost. But cold air holds less moisture than warm air and it works quickly to dry us out if unprepared.

When we look at moisturizing skin from ONLY the outside we tend to add in all the lotions and potions that are advertised as best for dry skin healing. We often make the problem worse. Many of these products contain chemicals that are actually counterproductive to keeping the body/skin hydrated, nourished and strong.

So let’s change our approach and move towards moisturizing and hydrating from the inside out instead.

Here are a few of the natural ways I ‘moisturize’ especially during winter months when I get SO dry.

Eat high fatty, cold water fish and seafood (and/or supplement fish oils)
The essential Omega-3 fatty acids found in salmon and other fatty, cold-water fish are crucial to nourishing our skin. In fact a deficiency in Omega-3s can cause dry skin in and of itself! I personally am not a fish fan :( so I make sure to supplement with pharmaceutical brand quality fish oils to support the 3:6 balance and lots of plant based sources.
Want some plant based Omega-3 boosters? Try avocados, walnuts, chia, flax and hemp seeds (I add some into my green morning smoothie!), as well as brussel sprouts!

So get out there and tackle the winter air and go be awesome!

Get in on the best skin supporting nutrients (avocados have a LOT of these in addition to the great fats!!)
Vitamin D!! Keep that skin’s ability to provide protection. It’s a fat soluble vitamin so consume with fats to absorb it!
Vitamin C – a powerful anti-oxidant that protects the skin and is also essential to creating collagen in the body. Find it in avocados, citrus and berries as well as spinach and greens
Vitamin E is a strong anti-oxidant and skin supporter. Eat it up in avocados, plants, seeds, other veggies.
Zinc is a must for skin health and building healthy skin cells as well as decreasing inflammation.. helps create and protect collagen too.

Collagen is amazing for skin (and a lot of other things on the inside!) so let’s nourish it!
One of my favorite skin nourishing nutrient proteins,
Coconut oil. It’s a stable fat so it’s great for cooking and can be applied to wet skin as well to seal in moisture topically.
We’ve discussed bone broth before- make it, drink it!
Want a quick snack to help create more? Try some cashews which contain zinc and copper- both of which support the body’s production of collagen.

To-do tidbits to support your efforts
Wear gloves for washing dishes so you’re not constantly drying out with warm/hot water and limit extended hot showers
Use oil after shower and apply to wet skin
Super dry hair? Silk pillow time!
Add in hyaluronic acid as supplement/topical
Take care to balance the gut! Protects skin cells and keeps hydration strong.

As always I’m here to help if you want to dive deeper to nourishing yourself from the inside out. Offering 12-week individualized coaching program to help you find your way to strength, balance and calm. If you’d like to apply for a free Discovery Call to find out more please apply here.

Self-Care is NOT Selfish

Wed, 25 Nov 2020 02:55:00 GMT

As humans we are meant to care for others. As Mothers we HAVE to to show up as Moms. It feels as if it is in our very beings to put others before ourselves and yet this is often at the expense of our own ‘survival’.

We can easily lose ourselves in our caring ways and at the end of the day end up burnt-out and fatigued. In this state we are helping no-one as our anxiety and frustrations bubble over. We are told by society’s labels that Moms give and when we give to ourselves it is often labeled as ‘taking’.

As if by careing for ourselves, others get less… that somehow we are hurting our families or others. In fact, when we don’t fill our own cups we are unable to fully support and love those around us. Here are 5 simple ways to love yourself today.

1. Tell yourself nice things!

Oh the way we talk to ourselves…it’s often just not nice. Start placing affirmations around the house and repeatedly say them aloud. Don’t feel like you’re speaking truth? Fake it til you make it and the self-worth will begin to ‘grow’ back as you speak kindly to the most important person in your life.. yup that’s YOU! Click here for a FREE PDF to help you get started with powerful words.

2. Take 5

Often we don’t feel we have the time to sit quietly by ourselves for an extended period of time.. because OFTEN we don’t. Start small, (set an alarm even) and take a 5-minute break multiple times a day… Read, sit down and close your eyes, draw, write in a journal, walk around the house or step outside. You’ll be surprised how much MORE time you have as you increase productivity with the energy from these ‘re-fills’ into your day.

3. MOVE

Stand up and move. That’s it. Not a workout, not an exercise routine.. just move. Walk around the block, stretch through a few organic movements that arise when you stand up, take just one yoga pose, put on headphones and dance, garden, or anything else that calls to you and gets your blood moving for a short burst of energy and refresh.

4. Lock the door

In order to make #2 happen you need to step away…do NOT try to ‘take 5’ with your kids, husband, partners (dogs and kitties sometimes okay) milling around you. Yes this may mean locking a door behind you as you slip into whatever solitude you can..could even be in the car as long as it’s warm enough and off! I have slipped away for many a quick rejuvenation escape to my closet because they don’t look there. :) Sit down, close your eyes and just be for a few minutes. As long as the kids are safe for a few minutes sneak off and savor a few mins and practice #5.

5. Breathe deeply

There is no hidden trick here. Just breathe as deeply into your belly as you can and extend the exhale as long as you can comfortably. No force, no discomfort just take some deep breaths. The body and mind will prove the MANY benefits of this both immediate and long-lasting. Want more instruction on a deep breath technique? Click Here

Tired of feeling exhausted and not sure why you feel SO run down? Looking to dig a bit deeper in to this depleted state?

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Taking a ‘Comfortable’ Seat.

Mon, 08 Jun 2020 17:02:00 GMT

For years I would dread the phrase, “now take a comfortable seat”. As I’m looking around for the couch, they would instruct students to sit cross-legged and find a tall spine. Some teachers would even mention a straight spine which I could never wrap my head around knowing the anatomy of the spine itself has 3 very distinct curves. I’d get into a cross-legged position and then with the body being so noisy with pain in my tight hips and hamstrings I would sit in tense pose until it was time to move. I could not possibly soften as relax as instructed no less actually draw awareness in over the noise of the physical form.

Over the years as my practice allowed me to sit more comfortably cross-legged I began to settle into meditation with more physical comfort. This allowed the body and mind to listen and absorb information being given from external and internal stimuli rather than the mind being so stuck in physical pain sensations. If sitting in physical pain, it is impossible for the body to soften, the muscles are unable to soften and the rigidity of the body blocks the flow of energy and peace. So how do we adjust our seat if this is not a comfortable, or even doable, shape for our body? First sit cross-legged and check in with the body. If the knees are high above the hip bones grab a prop to elevate the sit bones off the ground. This allows the knees to fall softly down, releasing any strain on the psoas muscle as well as allowing the muscles in the hips to soften. No more need to ‘hold’ the body in this shape- just allow the shape to hold the body softly. I like to use a folded blanket but you can use a towel, a yoga block, a cushion- anything to sit on the front edge and find the neutral pelvis. If this is a no go all around or there is acute pain in the hips or knees then simply move to a chair. Yes- you can find a tall spine seated in a chair and get ALL of the benefits of meditation there. As the body opens and flexes with asana practice your seat will shift. Start where you are.

Begin to tilt the pelvis forward and back until you find your neutral. From that grounding, heavy base we find the oppositional pull up the spine to ground the spine as well as stabilize from above. Imagine the breath moving up the spine from the seat and stacking each vertebrae gently on the one below all the way up the spine. Once you reach the top of the spine drop the chin slightly and pull the head back over the top of the spine. It should be balanced and weightless, fully supported by the spine. Watch the breath move through the top of the mouth, up to the third eye just above and behind the brow, and finally lifting through the crown of the head. Settle the awareness around the breath and just be. Hands soft on the thighs or taking the mudra of your choice.

What am I Tripping Over?

Wed, 03 Jun 2020 01:08:00 GMT

I’m here again. Somehow I end up in the same place…a place I chose (and swore and promised) that I would not come back to. I am wondering what the barrier is…what am I tripping over to bring me landing back in that same pile of mess… what is my greatest obstacle in life… then the hard truth hits me… it’s me.

I am my greatest obstacle. I remember the day this dawned on me during a fairly monkey-mind meditation sesh. You know those times you sit and seriously your mind will NOT stop even for a split second. Well, this day, mine had a lot to say. These honestly are often the most beneficial meditations ’cause you keep seeing your own shit and you can’t quite step out of it. It’s messy. You know what I’m talking about right? Even if you don’t meditate (yet) you know. Your mind is whirling and you’re kinda forced to see. Yourself. Your own true nature. And sometimes it ain’t pretty. Sometimes it just plain stinks. But this is the space of awareness where we can see and then actually acknowledge (necessary step toward change) what has been holding us back. Many of us follow this same circular path. The path that leads to the same place over and over. Stuck in patterns wondering how we could possibly have ended up here again. It is our self-limitation that holds us back. Once I pull back from the external blame and realize I am the log I keep tripping over I’m FREE! All of the sudden I was able to see where I could change and move on.. at least in the unhelpful patterns that hold me back. I don’t always have clarity but now I don’t so easily push away those meditations or quiet moments that are not quiet at all. There’s something it’s trying to make me aware of and it usually extends a hand (and a towel) as I step out of the mess and clean up a bit with some clarity.

Run Technique

Sat, 30 May 2020 17:20:00 GMT

The post Run Technique appeared first on Back to Balance .

Mustard Sage Crispy Chicken

Wed, 06 May 2020 16:03:00 GMT

With the Coronavirus stay at home order, some of my faves are ‘missing’ when I do get to the store once a week. I haven’t been able to get chicken breast which is usually my go-to for chicken dinners and ended up with quite a bit of chicken thighs. I love using thighs in lots of ‘crispy chicken’ variations since the meat stays so juicy inside and the outside gets so nice and crunchy. This one was a hit with the whole family! Easy to make and not a lot of ingredients and a great way to get in the good fats of chicken thighs in a wholesome, filling dinner! Leftovers are delicious as well!

Crispy Baked Mustard Sage Chicken

Preheat Oven to 450 degrees F

Melt 2 T coconut oil in saute/frying pan on stove top at medium/high heat. In small bowl toss the chicken thighs in salt, pepper and rub with 1/2 of the sage. Place chicken in pan and saute until browned on both sides. In small pan melt the rest of the coconut oil. Stir in the dijon mustard and fresh sage. Pour melted oil/sage/mustard mixture over chicken in pan and stir to coat. Pour chicken and ALL mixture into baking pan. Bake another 20-30 minutes until crispy and delish! Serve with

Ingredients:

2-3 lbs chicken thighs

4 T fresh sage (chopped)

2 T dijon mustard (no sugar added) *can use mustard powder but use less: 2 t)

salt and pepper to taste

4-5 T coconut oil

This Chicken is super easy and delicious! My three kids all love it and it is one they can help to mix and make since it’s so simple. Enjoy with a side of veggies (asparagus lightly sauteed with EVOO and sea salt?) or some potatoes and a green salad.

Is Your Brain out of Shape?

Sat, 29 Feb 2020 01:38:00 GMT

The Dangers of an Unexercised Mind

We have a unique experience as humans to create. Not only to create things like machines but works of art, music, dance and theater. We create mental mind benders, chess, twister and un-endless games. We are the only animal to invent and build tools to exercise the mind. Some are so simple and some more detailed and challenging. A walk in the park is a simple exercise for the body. A clean and press a more precise and detailed exercise of the physical shell which we call home for our short time on earth. We are constantly bombarded with new physical exercise programs, a new gym opening on every corner. The exercise of the mind gets left behind.

An unexercised mind is more prone to being unaware, unable to process stimulus, less likely to press pause to respond to a situation rather than react. Just as an unexercised body becomes overweight and unable to move efficiently, the unexercised mind is more prone to memory loss, dementia, zoning out and becoming less present in the world. So grab a Rubiks cube, find a maze to walk or solve, do the crossword in your newspaper (yes you may have to buy an actual newspaper), write a story, write a song,

doodle your dreams,

learn a language.… exercise the mind and find health and wellness for the whole self. Body and mind- one cannot flourish without the other- none more important than the other to find balance.. to find wholeness.

Is More Always (ever) Better?

Thu, 27 Feb 2020 01:20:00 GMT

Moving Away from More

Exercise is something that has always been in my life. For much of that time it’s been a constant push to go harder, faster stronger… and those were always equated to better.

Then I got sick.

Overnight I went from ignoring the signs to being forced to stop. I had ignored the shaking, the exhaustion and kept pushing to be ‘better’ or so I thought. In the end I was leading myself to illness and disease. I was running away from something and needed to stop, acknowledge and make a plan.

I began to investigate, to listen, to ask. I got some homework from my functional medicine Doc. He said: Walk, don’t run.

He said to walk a few times a week for UP TO an hour… but walk?? Don’t run, don’t jog, don’t sprint, don’t high intensity anything… just walk? And so I did. And it was in these walks I began the process of finding my way back to homeostasis, to balance, to hOMe. I slowed down and I noticed. I breathed deeply instead of gasping for breath to burn more and more… I exercised my whole body intentionally and found it began to get better.

In our culture we push, we strive, we go and get it…. or we feel (and are often told) we are failing. When we get present and take what it is we need only at that time. Sometimes what we need IS a push, a fire, a call for more… but at least ½ of the time it’s a push for less. A call for an undoing. for healing. Being okay with less and learning that old saying

‘less is more’

can be so glaringly true is a practice in and of itself. I still catch myself caught in team ‘harder and more is better’ and my body promptly shakes itself to remind me that more is not my better all the time. Often it is just the opposite.

Begin to train yourself to rest, train yourself to listen in stillness. Enjoy the slow, gentle, rhythmic movement of walking, strolling or a non-heated gentle yoga class. You’ll find the spaces that need more are often found once we surrender to doing less. Add nature into your walk and reap the accelerated results back to your healthy hOMe.

The Noisy Quiet

Thu, 13 Feb 2020 03:20:00 GMT

When I can sit quietly the noise begins. Through the noise the quiet arrives.

In the stillness. There is Peace.