Lifestyle

Cool Down Your Body This Summer & Eat Seasonally

Now that it’s summertime, the weather is hot and most likely so are you. And I’m not talking about how you look in that LBD of yours. I’m talking about your body internally (and externally) feeling overheated.

When our bodies are taking on too much heat, it comes out in different ways for different people. Symptoms may include feeling irritable and angry, increased stressed, breaking out in peculiar rashes and itchiness, or having digestion issues.

These could all be signs that your body needs to cool down – literally! One of my favorite ways to cool down during these humid, summer months is by incorporating seasonal cooling foods and drinks. After all, Mother Nature created these foods for a reason, so let’s take advantage of what’s in season to best heal our bodies!

Here are some of my favorite cooling remedies to incorporate into the diet:

  • Fresh berries like blueberries, strawberries and blackberries
  • Avocados
  • Cucumbers
  • Green Leafy Vegetables like Kale, Spinach & mixed greens
  • Melons (including Watermelon, Honeydew and Cantaloupe)
  • Summer squash
  • Coconut, coconut milk and coconut water
  • Fennel
  • Peppermint tea
  • Citrus fruits like lemon and limes
  • Chilled water with fresh mint

Incorporate these techniques into your lifestyle:

  • Yoga
  • Meditation
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The Flying Trapeze & Conquering Your Fears

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Last night, I was lucky enough to listen to an extremely empowering lecture by Joshua Rosenthal, the Founder and Director of Institute for Integrative Nutrition (where I will graduate from in a couple short months!)

I don’t know if it’s just me, but I feel like every time I am going through a certain internal battle or issue, the perfect lecture comes along like it’s speaking specifically to me. This particular discussion was on fear. Fear of change. Fear of growing. Fear of trying something new. Fear of the future. Fear of the unknown. Fear of being in that “transition phase,” as Joshua calls that place of uncertainty.

If any of you have ever ended a relationship or a friendship you knew deep down in your heart wasn’t working, or left a career you weren’t fulfilled in/ that you weren’t passionate about, or even took a risk to go after something you truly believed in, you know how scary that in-between phase can be. “Will I ever be successful?” “Am I ever going to find love again?” “How am I going to make enough money to support myself?”

And 9 times out of 10, everything sorts itself … Read More!

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Happy Summer: 5 Little Ways to Improve Your Health Now

[summertime and the livin’s easy…]

June 20th officially marks the first day of summer, which at temperatures hitting the mid-90s today makes perfect sense. I don’t know about you but it seems as though life is moving at 1,000 mph, and that in the blink of an eye we went from fireside cuddling and cocoa to lemonade stands, summer ales and BBQs.

As I mentioned in my June Newsletter for Zesty Living (feel free to subscribe to receive my FREE newsletter each month if you haven’t already), for me summer is the perfect time to check in with myself and the life I am living. When you think about it, we are already half-way through 2012, so it makes sense to look back, reflect and re-access those goals you set for yourselves.

If you know me well, you know I’m not a huge fan of quick fixes, New Year’s resolutions or rigorous D-I-E-T-S, but rather making little everyday changes that lead to big results. After all, I know just as much as anyone that if you TELL someone to change their ways or beliefs, they’re most likely going to rebel by doing that something even more. That’s why diets … Read More!

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Get Real (About Food) Wellness Workshop Recap

Yesterday evening, I hosted my very first Zesty Living wellness workshop, Get Real (About Food) for a small group of ladies at Oficio on Newbury Street.

While I was slightly nervous during the week leading up to the event, everything went as smooth as can be and I’ve never felt more confident in the work I am doing and growing my  business. I truly feel I have finally found my calling, and am doing the work I feel most passionate about. It also didn’t hurt that I had the support of my wonderful friends and my sister, who captured pictures and videos (and helped me lug all of my heavy bags!).

While you can read a bit more about the event description here, I wanted to share a few highlights from the evening with you.

As attendees trickled in, I had appetizers on the table to snack on like Mediterranean Snacks lentil crackers, Trader Joe’s Roasted Seaweed Snacks, organic sliced celery & carrots, and artichoke hummus.

To break the ice, everyone went around the room to share their #1 guilty pleasure or greatest health concern, which ranged from late-night pizza to Mike’s Pastry’s Amaretto cannoli.  I then shared my … Read More!

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Boston Organics Food Festival Recap

Last weekend I was lucky enough to attend the Boston Organics Food Festival in celebration of their 10-year anniversary delivering fresh, organic food to your doorstep. Even though it was pouring rain, my sister, a few friends and I bundled up in raincoats and made the 35-minute walk from the North End all the way to the company’s warehouse in Charlestown, MA because we knew it’d be totally worth it.

If you’ve been reading my blog, you know that I’m a huge fan of buying fresh, organic produce as often as I can and that I myself am a loyal customer of Boston Organics (currently taking a break for the summertime) as it pretty much saved my life during the cold, winter months and beyond. I admire their dedication to making organic food more available, especially for folks like myself who live in areas where organic food isn’t as common (particularly in the winter)…unless I want trek t 1.5 miles in the snow to Whole Foods.

As we walked into the warehouse to sign in for the event, soggy feet, wet hair and all, we were greeted by the friendliest staff who immediately told us, “Grab a Plate!” When I … Read More!

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How to Make it Happen (and Get What You Want in Life)

[Now is the time to stand up on your two feet and make things happen]

Good aftenoon chickies!  Sorry I haven’t posted in quite some time, but I’ve been super busy living the life, which is what it’s all about after all right? From working (and attending) some pretty amazing events like the Top Chef Tour of Boston and the Boston Organics Food Festival (recap on the blog coming soon!) to writing and publishing my little heart away, growing my business and planning my first workshop, I’ve been one busy lady.

Now that summer is just around the corner, I’m dedicating these next few months to making it happen. More specifically, that is putting my “wants”, “needs” and dreams into effect.

Last night while at the Dave Mathews Band concert with The Boy, the lyrics to one of their new songs Gaucho really struck a chord with me:

“We gotta do much more than believe if we really wanna change things
We gotta do much more than believe if we wanna see the world change…

I know its hard to imagine

But we could do anything

Under the stars.”

I know it’s easier said than done, but what I … Read More!

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Boston Wellness Workshop Reminder: Get Real (About Food)

Good afternoon, and Happy Memorial weekend! I hope you are all out enjoying this beautiful weather, BBQing, beaching and sipping on refreshing, summery drinks.

Attention Boston friends & readers: I just wanted to remind you that I’ll be hosting an interactive workshop called Get Real (About Food) for my business Zesty Living at Oficio on Newbury Street on Thursday, June 14th. You can read more details below, and purchase your “Early Bird” tickets here on Eventbrite. It’ll be a wonderful night of networking, socializing, learning and eating delectable (healthy) treats. Yes, I’ll even feed you!

Special Bonus: To all my blog readers and friends of readers, you can use promo code blogperk for $2 off your ticket!

Happy weekend,


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My Afternoon in Photos {from my phone}

[Snappy Sushi on Newbury Street to celebrate my sister Krista’s 23rd birthday. They even put a candle in the wasabi for her! I ordered the lunch special, choosing the Spicy Tuna and Eel Avocado roll made with brown rice.]

[We discovered this cupcake truck in Copley. How adorable? All the cupcakes are made local with all natural, and mostly organic ingredients. The many flavors included Salted Caramel, Lemon Coconut & Double Vanilla and they even had vegan and gluten free varieties.]

[Copley Square Farmer’s Market: Sprouted Raw Foods. These crackers, that are organic, gluten free and vegan, were absolutely delectable, my favorites being a toss-up between the Curry and Dill. A blog post review to come soon!]

[Homemade jam I purchased at the Copley Square Farmer’s Market from Deborah’s Kitchen. I sampled nearly all the flavors, but decided on the Massachusetts Rubies made with cranberries, raspberries, and and strawberries. I love that their jams are all natural and made with low sugar content, and can’t wait to spread this on some Ezekiel bread with breakfast. A blog post review to come soon!]

Happy Friday! How are you spending the long weekend? Read More!

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Quotable Sunday: Making Changes

I used to be one of those girls who would flow through life settling. I settled on a long-term toxic “relationship” in college that was going no where because I was too afraid to say what I really wanted: a real relationship. I settled on a few entry level jobs after college, until I I realized I had much more potential than sitting at a desk in a position I loathed.

Worst part? Not only did I settle, but I’d complain about it. I want a boyfriend. Why isn’t he calling me back? I hate my job. I need more money. Why am I not making more money? Why is life so hard for me? Why am I having the worst luck? Wah. Wah. Wah.

And then I realized, while it may be difficult at times, things are really pretty simple. We are all in control of our own lives, and ultimately play a huge part in our own destiny. Therefore if you are unhappy in one area of your life (be it financial, personal, etc) then make a change. Maybe that means letting go of a relationship that isn’t working, or asking your boss for a raise or … Read More!

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Green PolkaDot Box Interview + Huff Post Article

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Good afternoon ladies. I am one happy blogger indeed, as I have some exciting news to share with you today over here on Healthy Chicks!

A few weeks ago, I was given the opportunity to interview Rod Smith, founder and CEO of the Green PolkaDot Box (GPDB) for an article featured in the Huffington Post “Good News” section. Yes, my writing has been published in the Huffington Post, which as a journalism graduate and freelance writer is a huge (HUGE!) accomplishment for me and something I’ve worked incredibly hard at.

OK, now that I got that off my chest, I’ll rewind a little bit for you all. What is GPDB you ask? While I encourage you to read my article “Organic Food, Delivered Fresh to Your Door” I’ll give you a mini synopsis over here on Healthy Chicks. The company, which just launched in December 2011, is an online buying collective featuring organic, non-GMO foods and products at a bargain price (at up to 60 percent off retail!). Think: Sam’s Club and Costco had a baby with Whole Foods, and revamped their marketing plan to accommodate the online, “tech-savvy” generation.

I was actually first introduced to … Read More!

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