I was inspired to write this week’s blog based on the feedback Meg and I have received from our Done with Diets Summit viewers!   We are about halfway through the event and women from all over are getting that “aha” moment related to all different aspects of their lives. There is one unifying theme, and that is transitioning our mindset out of deprivation and into abundance!

Deprivation is absolutely everywhere. Yes, it’s most obvious in food choices, but has this way of leaking into other aspects of our lives like finances, relationships, and the way we look at time. The Done with Diets summit addresses how we respond when we feel deprived of adequate time, money, nourishment, meaningful relationship, etc.

My first real run-in with the scarcity mindset occurred when I began studying for my grueling 4-part exam to become a Certified Public Accountant. I viewed the studying process as something that was stealing away my time from the rest of my life. Granted, this studying process is never sunshine and rainbows, but I know I made it worse by focusing on all the things I couldn’t do because I should be studying instead. I made the yearlong process much more painful than it needed to be, and as a result missed out on events with family and friends and spent a year being a very unhappy person. This sounds a lot like our focus when we go on a diet…all the things we need to avoid…. all the things we “can’t” eat.

The next life event that could have sent me down the scarcity mindset hole was a bit different, because it was (more) voluntary. Voluntary deprivation, aka self-restriction, can be a very difficult thing for the mind to accept (think diet, self-imposed budget, etc.) because you are answering to yourself. After an especially long busy season with tons of nasty takeout food (3 months of eating catered fast food for 2+ meals per day), I decided to stop eating meat as a challenge to reach for vegetables more often (and kick start my immune system).

Instead of thinking about all the hot dogs, burgers, deli sandwiches, and chicken delights I would be missing out on, I switched my focus. And amazing things happened! Instead of feeling like there was nowhere I could go out to eat (in the sausage capital Chicago), I began noticing vegetarian menus and restaurants all over. I made a folder of all the non-meat recipes I wanted to make and it was soon overflowing. Our reality is really created by our thoughts and I had entered abundance!

One of my favorite motivational gurus, Dr. Wayne Dyer said, “Abundance is not something we acquire. It is something we tune into.” When I first heard this idea I was both excited and confused. Excited because abundance brings happiness, and if we don’t need to acquire abundance it means we already have it…. Confused because HOW do we do that?

We need to focus on how we may be sabotaging ourselves + our goals by living with the wrong mindset. Stephen Covey discusses deprivation and the scarcity mindset in his book 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. We’ve all felt like there isn’t enough time in the day, that there aren’t enough fish in the sea, or our bank account never has enough in it, we aren’t satisfied when following a diet. Stephen says, “Most people are deeply scripted in what I call the Scarcity Mentality. They see life as having only so much, as though there were only one pie out there. And if someone were to get a big piece of the pie, it would mean less for everybody else.”

We need to believe we are capable and worthy of abundance! Look at your life right now, what are you attracting? Do you make decisions from a fearful place? What is your perspective? You’ve got to be willing to give from where you are. Give what you got because giving signals “plenty.”  It signals abundance.  When you’re in a state of giving, and giving willingly you’re telling others (and yourself) that there is plenty.  That there is more than enough for everyone.

Spend a week testing this new thought process. You might just be amazed at how things “show up” in your life right on time. The way you do anything is the way you do everything.  If there is lack in one area, then there is lack in all areas of your life.  It really comes down to your mindset. What we focus on grows, so think about what we want.

With all of these tips, you have to start with where you are.  You can’t give what you don’t have.  Be willing to give what you got from where you are and I promise you – abundance will flow into your life.  You will be actively creating the abundance mindset.

What is the biggest thing you feel a “lack of” in your life right now? How can you switch into abundance? Let us know in the comments!

Live your WHOLE life,

Shannon + Meg

 

Interested in tips from our lifestyle experts about switching your mindset? You can still signup and get access to ALL the interviews, yes even the ones you missed! Register @ www.donewithdietssummit.com

 

 

For those of your out there that have been following Whole Food Love on social media, you know Meg and I are in our first week of our Done with Diets summit! It has been amazing to connect with all of our incredible experts and the excitement shines through in each interview. It’s also been interesting that so many leaders in their field LOVED the opportunity to talk about the same topic…why DIETS do NOT work!

Now I don’t want to giveaway too much of the insights from the interviews, but there are a number of reasons why a restrictive diet doesn’t work to achieve the results as marketed, and it really has nothing to do with willpower. We often begin a diet with only outwardly physical results in mind: lose weight, get a flat stomach, melt those love-handles, etc. but it’s a whole other story when we turn our focus INWARD.

I preach that foods can heal and even Hippocrates knew that food could be used as medicine, so I was beyond excited when I connected with Rebecca Katz, professional chef and Culinary Translator. Rebecca has an unique background and amazing story that led her to create her latest cookbook The Healthy Mind Cookbook: Big-Flavor Recipes to Enhance Brain Function, Mood, Memory and Mental Clarity. After her father died of dementia, subsequent to struggling with the disease for a decade, Rebecca just accepted that her brain had an “expiration date of seventy or so.” After some intense research Rebecca was liberated and refused to accept the idea that our brains go soft as soon as we reach “senior citizen hood.”

Instead, Rebecca created her Culinary Pharmacy- where we have all the tools to maintain a healthy, useful brain long after receiving our AARP membership card. Food can be a great boon to relaxation, mood enhancement, and supercharge brain cell regeneration[1], block memory attacking molecules, and even improve detoxification. We have this power, through our food choices to stay sharp, and be present with our grandchildren, and family for years to come! Experiencing the fading memory that we associate with age doesn’t have to be inevitable! And I haven’t even gotten to the best part about the whole idea yet….the YUM factor!

So move over Mary Poppins, because no spoonful of sugar is required for this medicine to go down! The recipes from Rebecca’s book are healthful, make you feel great, are easy to create, but most importantly taste DELICIOUS! Rich foods like avocado, zesty cilantro, memory boosting parsley, and Rebecca’s secret weapon: pumpkin seeds are key. This is an example of the perfect marriage between “good for you” and “good for your taste buds!” Before I give away too much of my amazing interview with Rebecca (signup @ www.donewithdietssummit.com to have it sent directly to your inbox), I proved the YUM factor for myself with the following Shrimp Stuffed Avocados 2.0 recipe, courtesy of The Healthy Mind Cookbook !

Ingredients

2 large ripe avocados

wedge of lime, for freshly squeezed juice

sea salt

1 lb. shrimp, cooked and cut into bit size pieces

1 Granny Smith apple, cut into bite-size pieces*

2 scallions, sliced

1 Tbsp. pumpkin seeds, toasted (optional)

Dressing:

½ cup coarsely chopped cilantro

¼ cup coarsely chopped parsley

¼ cup EVOO

3 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice

½ tsp. ground cumin

¼ tsp. ground coriander

1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped

1 clove of garlic, peeled and smashed

¼ tsp. sea salt

*Apples are on the EWG’s Dirty Dozen List, so Whole Food Love recommends buying organic

Directions:

1. Combine the dressing ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.
2. Cut the avocados in half and remove the pits. Spritz with lime juice and sprinkle with sea salt.
3. Make a well in the avocado halves by scooping out some flesh, but be sure to leave ½ inch border.
4. Place the scooped avocado chunks in a bowl and mash lightly with a fork. Add the shrimp, apple, scallion, and 4 Tbsp. of the dressing; stir until evenly coated. (Reserve the rest of the dressing in the fridge up to 5 days for another use, but don’t plan on any leftovers- these avocado boats are too YUM.)
5. Spoon the shrimp mixture into the well of the avocado halves, making a nice mounded scoop in each.
6. Sprinkle with toasted pumpkin seeds and serve immediately!

Note: The shrimp salad, sans avocado, will store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.

So treat your taste buds and support your brain cells at the same time. Don’t miss my interview with Rebecca Katz, simply signup and we’ll email it directly to you! Let us know what you think of the recipe and what YOUR biggest reason is for wanting a healthy brain in the comments below!

 

Live your WHOLE life,

Shannon + Meg

 

[1] Research is suggesting it’s possible to supercharge the new cell production and preserve our minds through food. The Healthy Mind Cookbook– Rebecca Katz

 

When I hear the word outsourcing I think of the somewhat controversial practice of shipping jobs (or work) overseas to save on costs or taxes. In business school I learned a cost/benefit formula to determine whether a job was better outsourced or kept in house. Now I won’t bore you with that, but I will share how I use this principle in my personal life.

We already outsource aspects of our personal lives! The definition I use for this type of outsourcing is basically delegating a task off your mind/off your plate to an expert in that field. One of the easiest examples for females is hair. Majority of women seek out a professional to cut, color and style their hair. This is because the cost of a haircut is worth the benefits of feeling like you look great. The cost(s) of not outsourcing a haircut to a professional would be 1) time to learn how to cut your own hair 2) expense of supplies 3) embarrassment (during the learning curve), etc. Make sense?

So much like a business, we do a cost/benefit analysis of daily outsourcing possibilities. Make a smoothie or stop at Jamba Juice? Learn how to change my car’s oil or go to Jiffy Lube? Grow my own food or go to the grocery store? A lot of decisions boil down to these questions- do I do it myself or outsource? Each of us has different preferences, but there is a common theme- we outsource those things for which we don’t have time and/or expertise.

I’ve recently had the pleasure of picking the brains of more than 25 lifestyle experts: from organizational professionals to time management specialists, positivity and self-love experts to fertility and sleep doctors! Each interview gave me a new insight into just how different my life could be if I re-evaluated what I outsource. In a session about productivity I realized that we were never actually taught how to manage our time in school or in jobs, it’s just something we are magically supposed to know. What if I had the opportunity to work with someone who was an expert in managing competing priorities to ensure I was as productive as possible? How different would my life be? What if someone had enlightened me years ago that productivity wasn’t actually about getting a LOT done, but really about getting the RIGHT stuff done?! Enlightening right? You can sign up to see my interview with Amita, our productivity expert here (it’s free :))

 

Well the answer is my life would be very different, with less stress eating, less feelings of overwhelm, and less time spent working (and re-working) which means more time to enjoy the enjoyable things in life! This epiphany led me to hone in on my own Formula for Bliss when it comes to keeping tasks in house or outsourcing. I keep the following in mind:

1. TIME– do I even have time for the activity in question? My old roommate had an amazing quote on our refrigerator: You can do anything but you can’t do everything!
2. MONEY – this is an interesting aspect. There are some things that are out of budget, but it’s also amazing to discover what you can afford when you prioritize accordingly!
3. EASE– outsourcing is supposed to make your life easier + more enjoyable! Would having a positivity expert on speed dial improve your life and happiness? (Well the answer is DUH, click here and don’t miss our interview with positivity expert Dani)!

Next time you run up against something and think “I wish someone else would do this for me,” take a deep breath and actually entertain the idea! Think about the time and money investment and what ease or happiness would you gain? Looking for inspiration? Register for the Done with Diets summit here, it’s free and you’ll get access to all 25+ interviews so you can decide if your next big task is worth keeping in-house or outsourcing to an expert!

 

Let us know your Formula for Bliss in the comments below. What is one thing that you decided to outsource that has changed your life?!

 

Live your WHOLE life,

Shannon + Meg

 

 

So a couple things inspired me to write this blog about aging… ‘tis the season for me. Spring has always meant wonderful things to me: my birthday, lacrosse season and the end of tax season! In my previous world, April 16^th was one of the most celebrated days of the year- tax busy season was over and my co-workers and I could finally get back to normal life: and out of our 4 month hibernation period of working, eating, sleeping, repeat. My busy seasons were some of the most grueling months of my life, and I put my body through hell- physically with the horrible food choices + caffeine overload and mentally with the surprise deadlines and work-til-dawn stress.

There was a running joke in the office that one busy season was equal to 2 years of aging in your face…the sad part was that it was closer to the truth than fiction! The easiest way to notice was looking at your professional headshots over the years…

Now I know not everyone goes through tax busy seasons, but every one of us goes through periods of extreme stress, where we put our own needs 2^nd to those of work, family, school, you name it! These are periods of chronic stress- continuous, on going without letting up. Over time, stress overload can cause a chronic imbalance of stress hormones that can lead to aging rapidly.

Our bodies have mechanisms of dealing with real, life-threatening stress (like Fight or Flight), but when we don’t live in a state of life or death, we run those resources unrelenting when we’re under chronic stress.

Stress chemicals like cortisol are released in the body, shutting down all systems that aren’t necessary for survival. Cortisol interferes with learning, memory, lowers our immune system, increases weight gain, blood pressure and cholesterol! Stress chemicals cause biological changes, breaking our body down including cell damage. Thus, it’s no surprise that stress is one of the biggest contributors to premature aging.

In addition to putting our body and mind in harm’s way, there are other problems with sacrificing our personal health and wellness for (insert your excuse here….the deadline, exams, kids, etc.). Stress causes people to take care of themselves less, creating unhealthy lifestyle changes to adapt to this new anxious lifestyle. Studies show anxious, chronically stressed people tend to:

• Eat poor
• Exercise less
• Drink more alcohol
• Rely on medication

So what to do?! Because it’s not that easy to switch your mindset and pay attention to what YOU need. I know, firsthand, that this is an issue that affects us, our sister, friends, mothers, bosses, etc. I actually sought out the top experts in the field of lifestyle wellness and interviewed each one to their best strategies and secrets to get back to balance. You can sign up for the WHOLE interview series here, but here’s a sneak peak:

1. Lack of Sleep! Not getting enough sleep can inhibit how we function during the day, not to mention lead us to consume more caffeine, energy drinks, and greasy comfort foods. There are physiological reasons for this that I discuss in my interview with Dr. Oz’s Sleep Doctor in our upcoming summit (Click here to register).

2. Mental decline- studies show that letting go of stress can help you avoid cognitive impairment and keep your mind young. It’s not only detrimental to your long-term health, but makes tasks take twice as long and increases frequent mistakes. Kiss efficiency goodbye!

3. The Enemy of Fun! One of my friends actually coined that phrase, but it really is true! A person who is always running around, worried about something and stressed about what they did, didn’t do, or should will not be the life of the party, or even on the invite list…take care of YOU so your personality can really shine through!

4. Take Care of It! Are you one of those people running around always taking care of other people? While it’s good to be in tune with the needs of others, it doesn’t make sense to run yourself ragged while doing so. Think of a school bus- its job is to safely and efficiently help students get home. But if that school bus ignores its own needs (like filling up with gas), some of those kids are going to be stranded!

Most importantly being constantly stressed out prevents us from thinking clearly and blocks our ability to “show up” 100% to whatever we do. Don’t turn into an exhausted flake who can’t commit! Take a deep breath and think about what you want to invite into your life, and where you can do some Spring-cleaning!

 

Live your WHOLE life,

Shannon + Meg

I celebrated my birthday with one of my favorite meals- a Sushi Dinner with family and friends! Believe it or not, this traditional Japanese meal was not a staple in our household growing up! In fact I didn’t venture into the world of sushi until college. My initial sushi experiences were from a varying array of restaurants, everything from a Villanova budget-friendly student favorite “Sushi-land” to high-end Philadelphia Morimoto restaurant, run by the Iron Chef himself!

I became a big fan of sushi because it was fun to share on a date or with friends, tasted deliciously light and airy and I could leave feeling satiated yet not sluggish and too full. Done right, sushi can be one of the tastiest healthy meal options offered for your date night, take-out, or birthday celebration!

A little background…

Scientists believe that sushi could be one of the reasons why the Japanese are among the healthiest people in the world! Sushi actually originated as one of the earliest fast-food options in the 1800s Japan. People could take it with them and eat it on the go. The fish was literally taken straight from the bay, it was so fresh that there was no need to ferment or preserve it! Now we have modern advances in refrigeration and shipping that allow people all over the world to enjoy this traditional dish!

Sushi can be delicious or nasty, nutritious or the equivalent of junk food! Traditional sushi rolls have a great mix of fresh fish, crunchy vegetables and white rice rolled with nori, dried sea vegetable. There are many new roll variations that have made their way into mainstream, some good and some bad. Below is a guide to the best and worst options at your local sushi bar.

BEST

• NORI is a type of seaweed that many consider a superfood! Its concentrated mineral content has made it a staple in the Japanese diet. It’s also loaded with vitamins A, B-6, minerals like iodine and proteins that reduce blood pressure and improve heart health. Nori also has magnesium, calcium, iron and antioxidant phytonutrients and folic acid.

• GINGER, usually pink or white and pickled, is an optional topping served with your sushi roll. Ginger is an antimicrobial and antiviral agent that aids in digestion and has been linked to a number of other therapeutic remedies. It’s even been linked to easing flatulence…good option!

• RICE is a staple in the Japanese diet, and can be a great source of energy and a fiber-filled addition to your sushi. Whole grain brown rice can usually be substituted for more fiber and nutrients! Brown rice will also cause less of a blood sugar spike than white rice.

• FRESH FISH is high in protein, Omega 3 fatty acids (necessary for a healthy brain) and Vitamin D! Whether you choose a raw (see below) or cooked version, fish & shellfish has shown to be a beneficial addition to your diet when eaten in moderation- aim for 12 oz. (2-3 servings) per week.

• WASABI is thought to cleanse the palate. This spicy green paste contains antioxidants and isothiocyanates, don’t try to pronounce it, just know it’s been linked to prevent tooth decay!

WORST

• TEMPURA is just a fancy name for battered and deep-fried in hot oil. , so kiss your light and airy departure good-bye. Try to skip ordering Tempura all together, but if you can’t help yourself, eat these rolls sparingly.

• CRUNCHY rolls are not named these because of their multiple fresh vegetable ingredients (nice try). The “crunch” is actually deep fried onions sprinkled on top, so think French fry or onion ring when you see this option.

• SPICY SAUCE is usually an indication that mayonnaise has been mixed with some hot chili sauce. A dollop the size of a pencil eraser should do, but avoid slathering this sauce on (I learned this the hard way, as the aforementioned Sushi-land had a wonderful spicy sauce).

• SOY SAUCE can be loaded with sodium. Experts suggest diluting your regular soy sauce with half water. This is the best option of reducing your sodium. You can also try the soy sauce with a green-cap, which is low-sodium. This option will have less sodium but added chemicals.

• IMITATION CRABMEAT or “surimi” is actually just a combination of Alaskan Pollock, a white fish (but can also be mackerel, barracuda, blue whiting and cod) that has been formed and colored to look like crab legs. While it is still real fish and a good source of complete protein, it’s also loaded with artificial flavor and preservatives and a LOT of sodium! All of this extra processing puts imitation crab pretty low on the list of healthiest options at the sushi restaurant.

Since when is it ok to eat raw fish and shellfish?!

Eating raw seafood is nothing new; people have been doing it since the beginning of time. Does that make it good for us? Our world has definitely changed in the last few centuries, and environmental contamination is a legitimate issue when it comes to selecting the fish you eat. Mercury, a neurotoxin, contamination is one of the most common concerns. I always refer to the FDA’s brochure that covers the mercury levels in seafood options and gives advice on which fish or shellfish to choose. Large, predatory fish (like shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish) tend to have the highest mercury levels. Tuna has moderate levels of mercury, so eat in moderation. Most health organizations agree that the health benefits of fish and shellfish outweigh the risks of mercury exposure.

If raw fish or shellfish freaks you out, there are plenty of other options to try- cooked shrimp, sweet potato, or vegetable rolls are always offered on the menu. Some kinds of sushi include uncooked fish, but safe and reputable chefs use only fish that have been frozen. The deep freeze will kill off parasites, rendering the fish safer to consume. However, the deep freezing will not kill bacteria, it will only stop or slow down its growth until the temperature warms up again. Eating raw fish inherently comes with an increased risk of foodborne illness compared to eating cooked fish.

Resources:

FDA Resource for Mercury Contamination in Fish

EPA Fish Consumption Advisories

**Young children, pregnant women, and women planning to get pregnant are advised to minimize their consumption of these fish known to have high levels of mercury. For more information, check out the FDA’s guide for Pregnant Women and Parents.

Hope our Sushi Survival Guide helps you at your next night out!

Live your WHOLE life,

Shannon + Meg

 

Pssst registration for our upcoming Women’s Event- The Done With Diets Summit is now open!  Don’t miss your chance to hear from 21+ experts about how to put yourself back at the center of your life- like your birthday, everyday!  It’s important to prioritize YOU + reduce overwhelm, so reserve your spot today!

Over the last week, I have allowed my mind to enter a state of overwhelm. With 2 big moves coming up, a sporadic travel schedule, entertaining a 15 month old (safely), a boyfriend returning from deployment, and new work opportunities coming my way (the emails that need replies are endless), the hours in my day fly by! Needless to say, my thoughts are scattered. By the end of the day, I’ve spent more time staring at my to-do list than actually taking steps to attack it.

There are people (and I am one of them) that recoil during overwhelm and seek out mindless activities to put them at ease, like, oh I don’t know, watching reality TV (Keeping Up With the Kardashians, anyone?). Does it work? Nope. Do I feel more productive or ready to work? Inspired? Motivated? Rested? Nope, nope, nope, and absolutely not.   This just adds chaos to our already over-stimulated “ADD” brain. Sometimes I feel like there is a ping-pong game going on inside my head, and my attention span is the ball.

I have a couple tips (and a SUPER simple recipe) that will put you back on the productive track and allow you to feel rewarded as you cross out those to-do lists items at lightning speed.

1. Find 15 minutes. As someone who used to track their time in 6-minute increments (thanks to public accounting time sheets), I’m aware of just how much one can complete in just 15 minutes. Set the timer on your phone and tackle the first item on your list. Only commit to 15 minutes, a manageable chunk of time. You’d be surprised at how much you’ll accomplish.
2. Shut it down. Turn off distractions; too much multi-tasking actually makes tasks take longer. If it’s cleaning or organizing on your list, go ahead and turn on your favorite TV show, podcast or Ted Talk. If you have to use your brain in any way, like writing an email or having a phone conversation, limit the distractions to music.
3. Think Simple. When I have a s@#$-ton to do, I often get caught up in the details, missing the big picture. I’ve noticed that there is usually an obvious way to simplify the situation, that I don’t see until I think “out of the box.” Up-level your approach, choose the most important thing on your to-do list and begin!
4. Honor your bed. Staying up late to get ahead is soooooo appealing. Once you hit the midnight mark, it’s no turning back and you enter this zone beyond tired, like zombie zone. I admit to employing this practice about once a week, but no more than that. It’s a tricky situation that creates a domino effect and can mess up your entire week! Don’t waste your weekends playing catch up to your weekday, sleep-deprived self! Instead, set a reasonable time to get to sleep (7-8 hours before you want to wake up) and be in the bathroom 30 minutes before! No excuses! Brush your teeth, wash your face, floss, cut your nails, whatever ritual you have before bed. Restrict “in bed” activities to reading (no TV, no games, no iPhone).
5. Stay Balanced. In your blood sugar that is! Cravings for sweet comfort food occur full throttle when we are overwhelmed and/or sleep-deprived.   Our body releases cortisol, which increases appetite and makes that Starbucks Mocha Mint Chocolate Chip Frappuccino seem oh so alluring. Instead of boarding the blood sugar rollercoaster, opt for a homemade “pick me up” like the Peppermint Green Tea Frappuccino below. Your body will thank you!

SIMPLE PEPPERMINT GREEN TEA FRAPPUCCINO (made with REAL food ingredients)

Ingredients:

½ banana, frozen

1 peppermint green tea bag

½ cup shaved or crushed ice

½ cup canned coconut milk

½ cup warm water

*Option to add natural sweetener, cacao powder or fresh peppermint leaves

Directions:

1. Place peppermint green tea bag in ½ cup warm water and let steep for 5 minutes.
2. Add peppermint tea water with remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.
3. Serve over ice, relax, and enjoy!

Don’t forget to maintain perspective! It will be easier to find your center when you remember there are a lot of people around the world dealing with injustices and stress levels much higher than yours. Practice gratitude and outsmart your overwhelm!

 

Live your WHOLE life,

Shannon + Meg

My mom and youngest sister visited SoCal this past week and brought back a lot of memories from my childhood back in Chicago. The month of March has special meaning to the Irish Americans in Chicago; it is the month of St. Patrick’s Day! Many people can attest that March can be divided into 2 parts. 1) The build up to St. Patrick’s Day and 2) The recovery from celebrating the holiday.

As someone who has participated in the parade marching, green beer drinking, corned beef & cabbage eating, shamrock sprinkled cookies tasting, and even McDonald’s Shamrock Shakes celebrations I was looking for a healthier way to get in the spirit this year.

So about that McDonald’s Shamrock Shake….let’s just say there are (more than) a few ingredients you should avoid. The kind of ingredients that are linked to health issues ranging from annoying (acne & allergies) to disastrous (leaky gut & fertility issues). I’m not referring to the ice cream, mint extract or even whipped cream. I’m talking about the synthetic chemicals used as food dyes, additives and preservatives. Here’s a full list of ingredients from the McDonald’s website. Don’t feel like reading? See Huffington Post’s infographic:

Ready for the REAL FOOD FIX for your Shamrock Shake Craving? Below is a Whole Food Love approved shake with ONLY 6 ingredients. So Sláinte!

Sláinte Shamrock Shake

Serves 1

1 cup unsweetened almond milk

1 small ripe avocado, peeled and pitted

¼ cup fresh mint leaves, rinsed

2 Tbsp. raw honey

1 frozen banana

½ tsp. vanilla extract

handful ice cubes (optional)

Directions: Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth!

 

Live your WHOLE  life,

Shannon + Meg

 

Like what you see? Follow us on Instagram and Facebook and check out the #31ShadesofGreen, a go-green daily inspiration this March 2015.

We are so excited to introduce you to our featured guest blogger! Meet Katie Mundo, Birchbox bride and our go-to expert for natural beauty! Katie’s motto is that you can look and feel beautiful without it being overcomplicated and expensive. Want to learn how? Read on!

Live your WHOLE life!

Shannon + Meg

 

I’ve spent years trying to achieve that natural, ‘no-makeup’ makeup look and effortless appearing hairstyle. As a beauty enthusiast, I’ve tried hundreds of products from all different brands, but many have pretty terrible ingredients. With my overall health in mind, I started to narrow my focus to find products with more natural and organic ingredients. Playing with makeup and hair products is something I do enjoy, but most often don’t have the time for a hair routine that calls for eight products and a makeup look that calls for twenty. With both these things in mind, I turned to more naturally derived products with high efficacy and performance, and finally found what I had been looking for!

Everyday, simple style is what it’s all about on Blush and Champagne, and my mission is to show that fashion and beauty do not have to be expensive or over complicated. In today’s post, I’m going to share natural product recommendations for my favorite makeup and hair look above. I also have some tricks for ways you can incorporate more natural or basic ingredient products into your routine to serve multiple purposes!

HAIRCARE

I’ll be honest; I care a lot about my hair, but don’t like spending an hour on it every morning. I have thick, naturally wavy hair so I’m lucky enough to not have to wash it everyday. Shampooing less frequently has actually been proven to be good for our hair, as it allows the natural oils in our scalp to nourish and strengthen our strands. However, if I need a wet refresher in between shampoo and conditioner washes, I really like to use Briogeo’s Avocado + Quinoa Co-wash. Cleansing conditioners have become extremely popular over the years for a few reasons: (1) they serve as both a shampoo and conditioner (2) they don’t strip our hair of natural oils and (3) they don’t contain nasty ingredients like sulfates or parabens. Briogeo’s Co-wash is 91% naturally derived, contains organic ingredients, and works for all hair types! It will leave your hair feeling soft, silky and clean!

Trick #1: Since I don’t wash my hair often during the week, dry shampoo is my absolute best friend as a daily hair refresher. If you’re skeptical of dry shampoo and don’t want to invest in one right away, you can turn to the baby powder sitting in the back of your medicine cabinet! The cornstarch in the powder will lightly soak up oil near your roots, adding volume to your hair and getting rid of any odors. To use, lightly shake the powder on your roots, section by section, wait 2 minutes, then shake out. If you’re afraid to shake it directly on your roots from the bottle, dust the powder on a clean, fluffy makeup brush and brush onto your roots.

High performance, natural hair styling products can be hard to come by. We all will always have our favorite non-natural styling products (mine’s Oribe’s Dry Texturizing Spray), but we can do our best to incorporate more of the good products into our routine – you just have to find the right ones! My favorite is Captain Blankenship’s Mermaid Mane Sea Salt Spray (I mean, who doesn’t want a mermaid mane?). The product is handmade in small batches, and only contains a handful of natural and organic ingredients including organic aloe vera and essential rose oil. Spritz the product on clean, towel-dried hair, tousle a bit and let your hair air-dry – and you’re ready to go! The result will be perfectly effortless wavy, textured, beachy hair.

SKINCARE

Skin is the largest organ of our body, which makes it the most important part of our beauty routine! With this in mind, my skincare regimen is where I try to most often incorporate natural and organic products that don’t take a lot of effort. I use a variety of natural and organic products from cleansers to exfoliators to moisturizers. However, my ultimate favorite product is Josie Maran’s 100% Pure Argan Oil Light. Argan oil has become increasingly popular in the skincare industry over the years for its nourishing, healing and anti-aging benefits. Josie Maran’s organic oil is perfectly light and moisturizing enough to wear day and night, year-round. No greasy feeling, no breakouts. All you need is a few drops to apply all over your face, neck and décolleté. Believe me, it’s worth the splurge!

TRICK #2: Use whatever oil that’s left on your hands, after applying to your face, for the ends of your hair or to tame fly-aways! The argan oil will act as a serum treating split ends and smoothing those pesky fly-aways without leaving your hair greasy.

MAKEUP

Moving onto the last step in everyday naturally glam – makeup! You absolutely do not have to be a beauty expert to achieve this look, nor do you have to use the exact products I do. For a ‘natural’ look, I think of clean, even skin, flushed cheeks and lips, and an all over glow. The look I’m showing you today is quick, simple and naturally gorgeous.

First, let’s talk a little bit about the brands – my favorites are W3LL PEOPLE and Tata Harper. W3LL PEOPLE is an all-natural beauty brand, born out of Austin, TX that contains a variety of high-performance mineral and stick based products. Each formula melts perfectly into your skin, and you don’t have to worry about any of those nasty ingredients. Tata Harper is a high-end, natural and organic skincare line that has very gracefully stepped into the cosmetics field. Tata’s makeup products are luxuriously creamy in texture and deliver strong, gorgeous pigment.

The products I use for this look are W3LL PEOPLE’s Narcissit Stick Foundation + Bio Brightener Powder + Bio Brightener Stick + Expressionist Mascara and Tata Harper’s Volumizing Lip and Cheek Tint. Now, here are 5 quick steps to get the look!

1. Apply the Narcissit foundation stick to your entire face and under eyes
2. Lightly tap and blend the Volumizing Tint onto the apples of your cheeks and lips
3. Gently dab the Bio Brightener onto your cheekbones and brow bones for some highlight
4. Set your makeup and add some glow by lightly sweeping the Bio Brightener Powder all over your face
5. Lastly, curl your lashes and apply the Expressionist Mascara

TRICK #3: Don’t have an all-natural eyeliner? Use your mascara! All you need is a thin eyeliner brush and you can apply the product in short brush strokes across your upper and lower lash line. Applying mascara as eyeliner achieves a much more subtle look and is quicker than pulling out another product!

Thank you so much for reading, and I hope that my tips, tricks and product recommendations help you on your mission to achieve everyday natural glam. Remember, beauty is not just about what we put on our body, but also what we put in it; so taking tips from the ladies at Whole Food Love will also help you achieve your own everyday natural glam. Also, if you’re reading this saying ‘I don’t use any natural and organic products’, that’s OK! Start slow – try to find 4-5 that you really love and work for you and incorporate those into your everyday routine. It takes time to find the perfect products!

Do you have any products you love or tips you want to share? Let me know in the comments below! Also, head on over to www.blushandchampagne.com for more beauty, fashion and lifestyle tips for the everyday girl.

 

 

 

Katie is the founder of beauty, fashion and lifestyle blog Blush and Champagne. Inspired by the color scheme of her wedding, and her love of beauty and fashion Katie started this blog to share beauty and fashion tips for the everyday girl. After many years of experimenting with product, and working directly in the beauty industry at Birchbox, Katie wants readers out there to know that they can have great beauty and style without it being overcomplicated and expensive! 

Katie currently lives in New Jersey with her husband and Havanese puppy, and believes that every day should include laughter, pizza and wine. Follow Katie on Instagram and Twitter!

We are so excited to introduce you to Dani DiPirro, our featured expert from Beautiful University’s Interview with the Experts series. Dani is our guide to maintaining a positive attitude and living in the moment. Remember, this is YOUR life!  Looking for inspiration? Read on for the full interview!

Live your WHOLE life,

Shannon + Meg

Dani, congrats on being crowned Elle magazine’s Coach of the Month for March! We know you’re excited! Tell us how it feels to have all your hard work recognized.

Thank you! I’m thrilled to be featured as Elle Magazine’s Coach of the Month. It’s very exciting to be recognized for what I’ve been working on for years, and I’m honored to have the opportunity to share my insights with a wider audience via Elle’s website and through the magazine.

Positively Present is a blog and personal development website completely dedicated to focusing on “the positive” and “the now” in every situation, everyday. You mentioned that you lived with a negative attitude for 25 years. What sparked your evolution and what inspired you to share it with the world?

When I was 25, I was at a low point in my life. I didn’t love my job, my relationship status wasn’t ideal, and I was struggling a lot to feel happy. I started doing researching online and in books about how to be happier and, as I researched, I began to see that happiness was more like a result of experiencing something, not a state of being. To me, happiness is an emotion we experience from time to time, while positivity is something that can be cultivated on a daily basis. I started focusing on positivity and realized that, in order to really stay positive, I also needed to stay present, to stop dwelling on the past and worrying about the future. After reading countless websites about happiness and self-improvement, I thought it might be nice to start my own site, sharing my journey of trying to live a more positive, more present life. And that’s how, in February 2009, PositivelyPresent.com was born.

We know that our mental state, attitude, and thoughts have an effect on our physical health. During even the most difficult times, there is always a way to find the positive and move through the experience. How do you keep a positive attitude and what are some techniques in your toolbox to spot the “positive” even in the most difficult of situations? Have you noticed a change in your physical health since your conscious decision to “live in the now”?

One of the greatest tools for creating more positivity in life is to focus on gratitude. No matter how difficult a situation, there is always something to be grateful for.

It’s very difficult to be unhappy or upset when you’re focusing on all of the things you have to be thankful for.

In addition, it’s important to focus on acceptance when going through a tough time. You don’t have to like what’s happening, but if you accept it for what it is — if you try to take a step back and see it from a neutral point of view — you’ll remove a lot of the pain and stress from the situation, which makes it easier to stay positive. Positivity can certainly lead to a more healthy lifestyle. When you’re focused on the positive, you have less stress and, as we all know, less stress leads to better health. In addition, having a positive mindset can help you to make positive choices when it comes to your health as well, like eating better and choosing to exercise.

You started documenting your experience on your blog and your book The Positively Present Guide to Life, which will debut in March. How did you determine that you had so much more to share with the world? What impact can readers expect after reading the book?

I’ve always been a book lover so it made sense for me to take what I’ve been working on at PositivelyPresent.com and put it into a book format. In our very digital world, I think sometimes it’s nice to have something tangible that we can hold and look at. The book is based on the blog content, but it takes it further and goes more in depth with insights on how to stay positively present at home, at work, in relationships, in love, and during change. In addition, the book features inspiring, illustrated quotes throughout as well as accessible activities to help readers take the advice from the page and use it in real life.

What are you most grateful for?

I’m most grateful for the supportive friends and family I have in my life who have encouraged me to follow my heart and do what I love to do. Without their love, inspiration, and support, I certainly wouldn’t be where I am today so I’m incredibly thankful for them.

Where can people find out more about you and your work?

For more about me + my work, visit DaniDiPirro.com. For weekly inspiration and articles on living a more positive, present life, check out PositivelyPresent.com. And don’t forget to friend me on Facebook (@Positively Present), tweet me on Twitter, find me on Pinterest, and follow me on Instagram!

…said no one in Boston, New York or Chicago today!

WOW, there are quite a few of you out there getting buried in snow this week! February is one of those months marking the transition into spring for part of the country and the hellish reminder that winter is here and that damn groundhog definitely saw his shadow for others!

Yes, here in SoCal it’s sunny and mild, and I even went to a Farmers’ Market today…ok I didn’t mean to rub it in! For everyone outside The Golden State without access to fresh, local produce from a local Farmers’ Market, make your grocery store your go-to! You can find fresh, seasonal produce that packs a host of benefits when compared to its well-traveled counterparts.

Well-traveled food?! It is estimated that the average American meal travels about 1,500 miles to get from farm to plate.[1] There are a number of reasons for this (like the result of importing fruits and vegetables from other countries), but when you purchase produce that is in its growing season, you can mitigate both the cost and travel miles of your grocery list. Last time I traveled 1,500 miles in one sitting, let’s just say I felt “less than fresh.” Your food is the same way! Don’t buy jetlagged food! Switch your view of imported foods from main course to supplemental side dish.

When you purchase food that’s in the peak of its supply, it costs less to harvest + transport, and thus less to purchase. This drives the quality of seasonal produce UP! The food is grown closer to you, which means less travel, less spoiling, and less preservation needed in transport. Farmers can also pick our food at its peak (when food isn’t in season, farmers have to pick when it’s a tad unripe to give time to ripen so it won’t spoil on the trip). Ok, in a nutshell, this food has more health benefits + flavor!!!

So What’s in Season NOW?

Asparagus

Beets

Broccoli

Brussels Sprouts

Cabbage

Cauliflower

Celery

Citrus

Fennel

Kale

Leeks

Parsnips

Radishes

Turnips

Winter Squash

One of my favorite “late winter” greens happens to be Brussels sprouts. I like them so much in fact that during my last trip to NYC to see my friends Justine and Taryn we literally made a meal on these AMAZING glazed balsamic Brussels Sprouts, and the waiter thought we were crazy J So, without further ado the copycat Glazed Balsamic Brussels Sprouts recipe below. Enjoy!!!

Ingredients:

1 lb. Brussels sprouts, rinsed and trimmed

¼ cup EVOO

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cut Brussels sprouts in half and remove the core (by cutting a deep “V” in the center of the stem part). Removing the core decreases cooking time.
3. Arrange Brussels sprouts on unlined cookie sheet. Option to add loose leaves, as these get nice and crispy when roasted.
4. Add the EVOO, salt and pepper and toss with your hands to coat. Spread the sprouts out in a single layer.
5. Roast for about 30 minutes, tossing after 15 minutes. Check and keep in oven until the loose leaves are nice and browned and sprouts are tender and bright green.

Remove from oven and drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Option to add additional salt and pepper, to taste. Place in serving bowl and enjoy!

 

Live your WHOLE life,

Shannon + Meg

 

[1] From The Center for Urban Education About Sustainable Agriculture