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Health & Wellness Gift Guide
 

Below are my top 10 health and wellness gift ideas, perfect for the health and wellness enthusiasts in your life, as well as anyone who loves great food, insightful resources, and a touch of adventure…
 

1. Sakara Life: An organic meal delivery service that focuses on nutrient-dense plant-based meals to optimize gut health and metabolic health. Also a podcast on a range of health-related topics.

 

2. Miss Microgreens: Local Chicagoland business that grows a range of nutrient-dense microgreens in a vertical hydroponic farm, which can then be delivered directly to your home.

 

3. Sweet Maria’s Coffee: If you’re a coffee lover then you may want to take it to the next level and start roasting your own beans!  This Oakland-based business will mail you raw coffee beans, from around the world, at a fraction of the price of roasted beans.  Their site teaches you how to roast and how to brew to perfection.  Get those antioxidants in with the most flavorful coffee!

 

4. Wanda Farms: A local Illinois farm that practices responsible, sustainable and restorative farming. The end result is high quality nutrient-dense beef, pork, poultry and eggs.  Plus their store also offers beef tallow soaps and candles.  All items can be ordered online and delivered straight to your home.

 

5. NYT Cooking Subscription: Home cooked meals are not only healthier, but they are cheaper and more gratifying. Plus they feed your soul as much as your body.  The NYT app provides recipes for any meal you can imagine, and you can filter by ease, health, diet preference, etc.

 

6.  True REST Float Spa: Private rooms with tubs filled with body-temp water and 1,000 pounds of Epsom salts for a zero-gravity experience. This sensory deprivation experience is great for pain relief, improved mental health and complete relaxation.

 

7. Fitness Passes: Grateful Yoga and Yoga Post are two local Evanston yoga studios with welcoming and mindful spaces focused on physical, mental and emotional well-being. Burn Boot Camp is a local Skokie gym focused on building confidence, discipline, a sustainable healthy lifestyle and a supportive community.  Not sure what your gift receiver would like, or maybe they are not local and you don’t know what’s close to them, then a Class Pass would be a great option. Class Pass allows you to book at thousands of studios and gyms around the country.

 

8. Health-Related Books: For those who want to learn more about health & wellness, check out the following - Good Energy, The Genius Life (also a podcast), Food, We Need to Talk (also a podcast), An Everlasting Meal, The Finnish Way

 

9. Food Storage Jars: Mason Jars with fun Wooden Tops, as well as Le Parfait Jars, are an aesthetically pleasing and convenient way to store food. They come in a range of sizes and you don’t have to worry about plastics seeping into your stored food.

 

10. Pantry Cleanse with me! - Know a friend or family member who wants to clean up their diet but they don’t know where to start?  A pantry cleanse is a great way to kick things off right.  As always, I am happy to have a complimentary call beforehand.

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American Health & Nutrition: A Second Opinion

On September 23rd, top health leaders joined in a nonpartisan roundtable discussion with Sen. Ron Johnson about better ways to combat the chronic disease crisis and provide a foundational and historical understanding of the changes that have occurred over the last century within public sanitation, agriculture, food processing, and healthcare industries which impact the current state of national health. If you're interested in watching the full panel discussion go here: 

https://rumble.com/v5fy7bv-american-health-and-nutrition-a-second-opinion.html

 

There was fascinating and enlightening testimony from: Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Jillian Michaels, Jordan Peterson, Max Lugavere, Vani Hari, Calley Means, Marty Makary MD, MPH, Brigham Buhler, Joe Holder, Mikhaila Fuller, Dr. Chris Palmer, Jason Karp, Courtney Swan, Grace Price, and Alex Clark.

 

Here are a few quotes from these speakers: 

 

"Today we are not simply living longer, we are dying longer. The food we eat is either the safest form of medicine or the slowest form of poison. I'll end with a question: if a grocery store has a health food section, what does that make the rest of the store?"

 

"When it comes to reversing chronic disease, we are not following the science. Food interventions and exercise are often the most effective interventions to reverse conditions like depression and heart disease - but medical incentives only pay for antidepressants and statins. We will not drug our way out of the chronic disease crisis. We must incentivize items that actually reverse disease."

 

"Why is the US government subsidizing the very crops driving the disease epidemic — using taxpayers dollars?!"
 

"American food companies are making a fool out of us. They are knowingly poisoning us. It’s time for this to stop."
 

"It is a travesty that the majority of Americans don't even know that they are constantly exposed to thousands of untested ingredients that are actually banned or regulated in other countries. To put it bluntly, for the last 50 years we have been running the largest uncontrolled science experiment ever done on humanity without their consent. Why should America, the greatest country on earth, be the last developed nation to protect its people?"

 

This panel discussion was barely mentioned in mainstream media so I thought I would share some valuable nuggets of information with you today.  If you’d like to learn more, don’t hesitate to reach out.

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Touring a Local Farm

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On Sunday, August 25th, I visited Wanda Farms in Harvard, IL with my family. I first discovered Wanda Farms at the Evanston Farmers Market, where they sell responsibly sourced eggs, beef, pork, and poultry. While I’ve always believed in supporting local farms, I merely thought of Wanda Farms as a cleaner option, that is until I started reading Joe Wanda’s newsletters. Joe and his family are deeply committed to the quality of the food we eat, emphasizing that it's not just about better taste but also about the significant impact on our health and quality of life.
 

During the tour, Joe explained the practices of large industrial farms, where most of our food originates. He detailed how cattle are mainly fed grains, which make them ill, leading to the routine use of antibiotics. He also described how egg-laying hens spend their entire lives in shoebox-sized cages, eating, sleeping, and defecating in the same confined space. Furthermore, Joe pointed out how the food industry misleads consumers with terms like "cage-free" or "pasture-raised," which often involve minimal improvements in the animals' living conditions, exploiting loopholes to deceive consumers.

At Wanda Farms, they use rotational grazing, where cattle, hogs, and meat chickens are moved from pasture to pasture several times a day. This method allows the grass and soil to regenerate and remain rich in nutrients and microbes. Their livestock is fed a diet that is natural for them, with access to vegetation and roaming space that suits their instincts. When it comes time for harvest, they’ve gone through extensive trial and error to find the most humane butchers possible.

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Joe made it clear to everyone on the tour that the soil, vegetation, animals, and atmosphere share a symbiotic relationship that must be respected, rather than disrupted and replaced. This approach is vital not only for the well-being of animals and the earth but also for our own health.

Navigating the world of food sourcing can be overwhelming, but one simple and effective step is to connect with local farmers and learn about your food. Whether you're looking for produce, dairy, eggs, or meat, establishing a relationship with local farms can make a big difference. For example, Wanda Farms offers direct-to-consumer sales. Visit their website at Wanda Farms to explore options for buying bulk meat and eggs, with the convenience of home delivery. Plus, as I had mentioned above, Joe and his team are running a special promotion—use the promo code ALISHA15 at checkout to enjoy $15 off first time order of $149 or more.

 

When purchasing grass-fed meats at Wanda Farms, you can be guaranteed that you are purchasing:

1. Better Quality Fats: grass fed contains more omega 3 fats vs. conventional meats that have high omega 6 fats which are more inflammatory, plus less saturated fats

2. More Vitamins and Minerals: grass-fed has higher levels of vitamin E, A, b-carotene, iron, zinc and antioxidants.

3. More Protein and Collagen: protein is vital to building and repairing tissue, and the collagen improves joint function and reduces pain

4. More CLAs: one of the most prominent nutrients found in grass-fed beef is conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which fights off cancer

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Ultra-Processed Foods

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In today’s Western culture, we are bombarded with confusing and conflicting information about food and health. Experts provide various recommendations on the best diets to follow for optimal health, while the food industry overwhelms us with products that falsely claim benefits like "heart health," "gut health," or "metabolism boosting." At the same time, we are tempted by highly palatable, addictive, and nutrient-deficient foods. With all these mixed messages, it’s hard to know how to make the right daily dietary choices and how to successfully navigate the grocery store aisle..

Amidst this barrage of mixed messages about food and health, our overall health has significantly declined. Rates of obesity, diabetes, unexplained inflammatory issues, poor gut health, and mental health struggles are at an all-time high. I, along with so many others, believe that ultra-processed foods are a major culprit. By simply eliminating them from your home, you can greatly reduce these health issues.

My Pantry Cleanse Packet is a straightforward guide that will help steer you in the right direction. My advice is simple:
* Fill your home with real, whole foods.
* Avoid buying and consuming ultra-processed foods.
* Look at labels and avoid ingredients you can’t pronounce or understand, including sugars, seed oils, gums, and emulsifiers. Keep reading to learn more about what to look out for in your grocery aisles, pantries, fridges, and freezers.

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4 Tips to for Hormonal Balance During Perimenopause & Menopause

 

1. Avoid Ultra-Processed Foods
These highly manufactured food products make up about 70% of grocery store items. While they often market themselves as nutritious and health-enhancing, the reality is they can wreak havoc on our immune system, gut, brain, and hormones. Ultra-processed foods typically contain ingredients such as seed oils (all oils except for olive, avocado, coconut), sugars (fructose, glucose, sucrose...), emulsifiers (lecitin, sorbitan, glycerol...), and gums (pectin, algin, carrageeenan), which deplete the good bacteria in our gut and damage the gut lining. Poor gut health and leaky gut can lead to hormonal imbalances, resulting in multiple symptoms.

2. Prioritize Quality Sleep
Poor sleep quality disrupts the levels of cortisol, a stress hormone that should peak in the morning and gradually decrease throughout the day. When cortisol levels are dysregulated, it can result in weight gain (especially around the belly), irritability, and poor food choices. To improve sleep quality, try exposing yourself to light first thing in the morning, staying active throughout the day, avoiding caffeine after the morning, and finding times to relax your mind. At night, mimic the natural environment by reducing light (including screens) and noise. Taking warm baths and journaling before bed can also be very helpful.

3. Exercise Regularly
Exercise is crucial for maintaining hormonal balance. Low-intensity exercises, such as walking, use fat as fuel and do not stress the body, helping to keep hormones in check. Strength training is also vital for healthy aging, as it helps maintain and build muscle, which naturally decreases with age. Strength training benefits bone health, balance, and injury recovery. Additionally, NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis), which includes all physical activity outside of structured exercise, is essential for overall health.

4. Connect with Nature
Interacting with nature is important for hormonal health. Placing bare hands and feet on the earth can help balance hormones due to the beneficial bacteria found in the soil and plants.. Anecdotally, cold plunges have been shown to alleviate menopausal hot flashes and benefit mental health, reduce inflammation, and support the immune system.

 

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5 Nutrition Tips for Postpartum​

During pregnancy, women often invest significant time in nurturing their physical and mental well-being, as they rightfully should. However, the emphasis on self-care frequently diminishes after the baby arrives. While attending to the critical needs of the newborn is paramount, especially for first-time parents facing overwhelming and time-consuming tasks, it's essential to recognize that postpartum self-care is equally vital.

Imagine being granted permission to prioritize self-care without guilt. I'm here to convey that not only is it permissible, but it is also crucial. Your well-being matters just as much as your baby's, and the benefits extend to both your child and the bond you share. Health encompasses various facets such as nutrition, movement, nature, and relationships. For the purpose of this article, let's concentrate on nutrition. Here are five simple and practical nutrition tips to incorporate into your routine after your baby's arrival.

1. Home Cooking / Batch CookingThe inherent health benefits of home-cooked meals over restaurant or packaged options are widely known, characterized by fewer added sugars, seed oils, and hidden ingredients. Beyond nutritional advantages, engaging in home cooking can also be a profoundly therapeutic activity. If you found joy in the kitchen before welcoming your baby, consider revisiting it as an act of self-care.Recognizing the constraints on time, aim for a dedicated two-hour window each week for batch cooking. This involves preparing substantial quantities of nourishing dishes like stews, soups, sheet pan meals with your preferred protein, or even batch cooking snacks such as pre-cut veggies, roasted vegetables, and hard-boiled eggs. If your baby has yet to arrive, you can proactively cook and freeze these items in advance. Explore my recipes for simple and fresh inspirations.

2. Brain Health Foods
In the whirlwind of postpartum adjustments, with imbalanced hormones and the profound lifestyle shift, coupled with the challenges of sleep deprivation and constant learning, it's common to experience feelings of depression, poor memory, and brain fog. Fortunately, certain foods have demonstrated their efficacy in supporting both mood and mental clarity. Consider incorporating the following brain-boosting foods into your diet, while simultaneously reducing your intake of sugars and processed foods:
Enhancing Mood and Alleviating Anxiety* Omega-3 Fatty Acids: found in flax, hemp seeds, salmon, walnuts, and smaller fish like sardines and anchovies * Folic Acid (Folate, B9): abundant in leafy greens, navy beans, brussels sprouts, asparagus, avocados, and vitamin C-rich foods, as well as other legumes * Vitamin D: obtained from mushrooms, egg yolks, canned tuna, and other fatty fish like salmon and smaller varieties

Improving Mental Clarity * Omega-3 Fatty Acids: found in flax, hemp seeds, salmon, walnuts, and smaller fish like sardines and anchovies * Zinc: source it from pumpkin seeds, oysters, chickpeas, various seeds and nuts, as well as shellfish and dark chocolate * Vitamin B: found in meat, avocado, nutritional yeast, beans, and eggs. * Antioxidants: includes red cabbage, berries, colorful fruits, and dark chocolate

3. Healthy Fats As the 6-week postpartum mark approaches, resist the temptation to fall into the "pre-baby body" trap. Instead, celebrate the incredible feats your body has accomplished—growing and delivering a beautiful baby into the world. Rather than viewing your body as a vessel seeking to revert to its former state, consider it a sacred temple deserving of nourishment. One of the most effective ways to nurture your body is by incorporating healthy fats into your diet. Many essential vitamins in our diets are optimally absorbed when accompanied by fats. These vitamins are crucial for maintaining your mental and physical well-being, essential for the care of both yourself and your baby. Moreover, healthy fats play a vital role in hormone balance. Here are some examples of these beneficial fats: * All nuts and seeds * Fatty fish * Avocado and avocado oil * Olive oil

4. Iron-Rich Foods Iron is often highlighted during pregnancy, yet many women experience iron deficiency during the postpartum period. While animal products like red meat, poultry, fish, seafood (particularly shellfish), and organ meats are rich sources of iron, it's crucial to note that vegetarians and vegans can also maintain adequate iron levels with thoughtful dietary choices. However, plant-based iron may not be absorbed as efficiently as animal-based iron. For those following a vegetarian or vegan diet, enhancing iron absorption can be achieved by pairing high-iron plant-based foods with vitamin C-rich options. Consider these iron-vitamin C food pairings: * Spinach with lemon * Hummus with red bell pepper * Quinoa with broccoli * Dark chocolate with berries

Additional plant-based iron sources include: * Legumes (beans, lentils, chickpeas) * Tofu and tempeh * Nuts and seeds (especially pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and cashews) * Fortified cereals and bread * Fortified plant-based milk (such as soy or almond milk)

To further boost your vitamin C intake, include foods like citrus fruits (oranges, grapefruits, lemons), strawberries, kiwi, and tomatoes in your diet.

5. Calcium-Rich Foods In the postpartum period, the hormonal changes that follow childbirth can impact calcium regulation, leading to fluctuations in calcium levels. While dairy products like milk, cheese, and yogurts are traditional calcium sources, it's essential to recognize alternatives for those who may be lactose intolerant or follow a vegan diet. To ensure sufficient calcium intake, consider incorporating these non-dairy foods into your diet: * Tahini * Canned salmon (contains more calcium then non-canned, but both options are beneficial) * Tofu * Beans and lentils * Almond milkCollard greens

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