What to do with all these Berries!?

What to do with all these Berries!?

One of my favorite summer past-times with my kids is picking berries at our local berry farms.  I never tire of the excitement and wonder in their eyes as they wander from row to row of berry bushes, in search of the biggest and best berry they can find.  "Ooooh!  Look Mommy!  Look at this BIG one!"  I figure one berry goes in the mouth for every two or three in the bucket.

Berries are full of antioxidents and vitamins and are considered a super-food for all the health benefits they offer.

After an hour or so of picking, the kids are usually pretty hot and tired, and so we hike back to the cashier to pay for our treasure.  And I usually walk away with about ten pounds of berries...or more.

This past weekend, we went to Westmoreland Berry Farm, and hit the jackpot with blueberries, blackberries, red and black raspberries in season.  We picked all of the above and left with two buckets full.

It used to be that when I got home from one of these berry picking expeditions, I would scramble to start baking a pie and making jam, to use up all of the berries before they went bad.

Until.. I discovered the simplicity of freezing these little jewels for future use.  Here is the best way I have found to freeze berries:

1.  Wash your berries.  Drain all water in a colander.

2.  Line a cookie sheet with wax paper.

3.  Spread berries in one single layer on the cookie sheet.  It's best if the berries are well spread out and not touching.

4.  Place the cookie sheet in the freezer.

5.  Allow the berries to freeze- about an hour.

6.  Remove the cookie sheet from the freezer and put the frozen berries into a Freezer Bag.  Seal and store in freezer.

By freezing your berries this way, they will not stick together.  They maintain their shape and texture.  They are all ready for your morning smoothie, or pancakes or oatmeal.  My kids even like to snack on them straight from the freezer for a frozen treat.

For more nutrition tips and recipes, check out my website:  www.kimdiazwellness.com 

Sugar Blues Workshop

SUGAR BLUES WORKSHOP 

Do you crave sweets and it's getting the best of you? Do you have low energy in the middle of the day? If so, this workshop will be a turning point in your life.

On July 16th at 5:30pm, Kim Diaz, certified Health Coach, will be teaching a class called "Sugar Blues" at the Northern Neck YMCA in Kilmarnock.

This class was designed to permanently change your relationship with sugar. You will leave this class understanding the causes of your sugar cravings and you'll receive practical tools for dealing with them.

It's not about deprivation. It's about freedom - the freedom to eat foods you love and have sweetness in your life without the side effects or the guilt.

You don't want to miss out! Call the YMCA today to register for the Sugar Blues Workshop. Preregistration is required by July 11. This workshop is free. Contact the YMCA to register.

(804) 435-0223

Health Coaching at YMCA

Here is a recent announcement post from the Northern Neck YMCA where I am now on staff as a Health Coach! 

 

Northern Neck Family YMCA

Please help us welcome our new Health Coach, Kim Diaz. Kim is a Certified Health Coach with Integrated Nutrition. After the birth of her second child, she was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, and discovered the power of healing the body naturally, with proper nutrition. She attended the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, where she was trained in over 100 dietary theories, holistic nutrition, practical lifestyle management techniques, and preventative health. Drawing on these skills, she works with one-on-one with clients to help them make lifestyle changes that produce real and lasting results for improved health and happiness.

If you are interested in improving your eating habits for optimal health, increasing energy, learning more about incorporating whole foods into your lifestyle and feeling better in your body, set up a free one-hour health consultation to discuss your unique situation and determine how Kim can help you reach your personal health and wellness goals. Call the YMCA today to request your free 1-hour consultation with our health coach. Could one conversation change your life?

Confessions of a Gluten-free Mom

The Hardest Lessons Learned...Confessions of a Gluten-Free Mom

It's funny how sometimes the most obvious answer to our problems, is the one that's the hardest for us to see.  It's so apparent to everyone around us, they may even come straight out and tell us, but we just don't GET IT until the time is right for us to really get it.

For me, it was like that with Nutrition.  I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease back in 2008, after my son River was born.  My appendix burst when my baby was 6 weeks old.  I had emergency surgery and spent a week in the hospital recovering.  It was six weeks after the surgery that I was sick again with severe stomach cramps, in pain, vomiting.  I was so sick and so tired, my body was depleted, and no one could tell me what was wrong with me.  Once the diagnosis of Celiac finally came and I was told I had to cut gluten out of my diet for the rest of my life to avoid serious complications, I followed the doc's orders and did just that.  But that doesn't mean I was eating healthy.

My gastroenterologist sent me to a dietician.  I sat with her for less than an hour.  She showed me how to Google the phrase, "Does _______ contain gluten?"  She wrote me up a few ideas for meals and sent me on my way.  She didn't mention anything about how I should go about rebuilding my immune system or repairing the damage that had been done to my gut.

My amazing and supportive Mom passed on a couple of books to me- "Living Gluten Free for Dummies" and some other one written by a celebrity who had been diagnosed with Celiac Disease and publicly shared her story of going gluten-free.  I glanced over them briefly and got the gist of it.  Ok.  No bread, no pasta, and read labels for hidden gluten.  Got it.  I was up in the night breastfeeding a three month old and was running around all day after my two year old.  My husband was gone most of the time working. 
I didn't have much extra time to spend researching my diet or taking extra care of myself.

For a while, I was scared to eat anything.  I ate rice cakes and gluten free crackers- period.  Then I discovered that chocolate was gluten free and so I found myself indulging and giving in to my ridiculous sugar cravings.  It's crazy how when one's energy is depleted, we tend to crave crap.  Why didn't I crave green vegetables?  Nope, I craved coffee, chocolate and wine.  Repeat.

Now, don't get me wrong, I wasn't a total disaster.  I did eat fruits and vegetables.  I had a great little organic garden in my back yard, I frequented the Farmers Markets in season.  I ate salads and beans and rice, fish and crabs in the summer.  I walked a lot with my kids in the stroller, and took them for bike rides. We spent a lot of time outside.

On the outside I looked fine.  But I was tired a lot.  And I was getting sick- a lot.  Throat infections, colds, sinus infections.  I started having problems with my gallbladder- my doctors suggested another surgery to remove my gallbladder.  I was in my young thirties and I felt like my body was falling apart!

I started going to 5 Element Acupuncture on a monthly basis.  Just taking the time to focus on me was therapeutic.  The acupuncture helped me heal my gallbladder.  My acupuncturist would ask me about all aspects of my life and I would tell her about the challenges of raising two little kids while living in a rural, small town, with my husband gone a lot.  She once told me she believed that loneliness was one of the biggest causes of illness today.  I would tell her about my sugar cravings and she would say that maybe I just "needed a little sweetness" in my life.  I would always feel better after acupuncture.

But then I would get back into the same cycle- coffee to wake up..caving in to sugar cravings..wine to wind down.. and then another cold, and I'd get sick again.

When my kids were 3 and 5, I had been struggling with flare ups of scalp psoriasis off and on for years.  It got really bad one winter.  So bad, that the back of my head and neck were so red and inflamed and itchy, I ended up with an infection and had to take steroids and antibiotics.  Soon this would lead me to my next rock bottom.  

It was the following fall, when my psoriasis was acting up again.  My neck was red and inflamed.  I tried to keep my hair down to cover the embarrassing redness.  I used tar shampoo and went back to using topical steroids and it eventually calmed down again.  One day soon after, I looked at myself in the mirror and noticed a huge lump on the side of my neck.  It was in between the size of a quarter and a golf ball.  I waited a few days for it to go away and it didn't.  My doctor put me on a round of antibiotics, and when the lymph node did not respond, I was sent for a biopsy to "rule out LYMPHOMA".  OH.  MY.  GOD.  I prayed.  I cried.  I hugged my children tight.

I went to my local health food store and bought every kind of immune boosting, cancer fighting vitamin and supplement I could find.  I started juicing vegetables daily and exercising.  The biopsy came back inconclusive and I decided to have the lymph node surgically removed to know for sure.

The results came back that is was simply a reactive lymph node.  Not cancer.  It was then that I vowed to truly get myself well.  This was my second shot.  Next time it could be more serious.  It wasn't enough for me to just eat gluten free.  I had to take it to the next level.

I started seeing a medical herbalist.  She told me to take probiotics, and eat greens, she gave me Stinging Nettles tea and an Autoimmune Support tincture.  She helped me heal my gut and eventually regain my energy.    

It's taken me a long time, a couple more years of falling off the horse and getting back on.  This past winter was the first I made it with zero psoriasis flareups.  I've finally made the connection.  Sugar and processed foods are not my friends.  The cleaner I eat, the better I take care of myself, the better I feel, the more energy I have, the lighter I feel, the clearer my skin, the happier my family.      

I couldn't have read it in a book five years ago and learned it then.  The time wasn't right.  My journey had to be a little more dramatic for me to really get it.  To feel so passionate about it, that I wanted to truly immerse myself in it.  This past year of studying at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition has been such a transformational time for me.  Yes, I'm still a gluten-free Mom with Celiac Disease, but I am healthy!  I can finally say that I am healthy.  I feel better than I have felt in years.  

I no longer feel the victim, but I feel empowered and inspired to empower others.  To help them find their connection, to get closer to their "Ah-ha" moment, so they can live their best life and make the most of their own journey.  Life's too short to let anything hold us back.


www.kimdiazwellness.com

All Hail Kale- The Queen of Greens!

         All Hail Kale- The Queen of Greens!

Have you tried KALE yet?  Yes, you know, that dark green, curly-leafed garnish from the salad bar?

Some of the best advice I got a few years ago when I was really struggling with my Immunity was to EAT MORE LEAFY GREENS!  It took me awhile to get the hang of it- Honestly greens were NOT my most favorite food!  But I've come to appreciate them and find that I now CRAVE my greens when I don't get enough!   

Now that I'm working as a Health Coach, one of the first things I teach my coaching clients is the importance of adding more green vegetables, especially leafy greens, to their diet.

Here's a few reasons why KALE has gone from garnish to side dish to main dish in my house:

1.  HIGH in OMEGA-3 and OMEGA-6 FATTY ACIDS-  This means Kale can reduce inflammation.  Chronic Inflammation in the body can lead to Auto-immune diseases like Type-1 Diabetes and Rheumatoid Arthritis, and other serious diseases like Heart Disease and Cancer.

2.  HIGH in FIBER- Aiding in digestion and elimination.  Adding more roughage to your diet can help maintain bowel regularity and help you lose weight.

3.  HIGH in IRON- Did you know that per calorie, kale has more iron than beef?!    

4.  HIGH in CALCIUM- You don't have to be a milk drinker to get your calcium!  Dark leafy cruciferous vegetables have high amounts of calcium to help keep us strong, and are more easily absorbed by our bodies than dairy products..

5. IMMUNE SUPPORT- Kale is rich in Vitamin B6, Magnesium, Folate, Vitamin C, Vitamin A and Vitamin K

6.  SUSTAINABILITY- Kale is super easy to grow in your garden, is inexpensive and helps to reduce carbon footprints!


If you have not yet made kale a staple in your home, I'm here to tell you that Now is the time! 

A Few Of My Favorite Ways to Enjoy KALE:

-In Green Smoothies-  Simply add a handful of these lovely greens to your fruit smoothie

-Make KALE CHIPS- Drizzle kale leaves with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and bake on a cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes.   

-Dice It Up and Add it to Soups and Sauces- The kids won't even know it's in there :) 

-RAW KALE SALAD with Tahini Dressing -This is my new FAVORITE!  I brought this recently to a bbq and it was a big hit!

(This Recipe is adapted from a recipe found on marksdailyapple.com) 

Ingredients:

1 bunch Kale

2 Tbsp Tahini

1 Tbsp Lemon Juice

1/2 tsp Curry Powder

1 Clove of Garlic

1 tsp Grated Ginger

1/8 tsp Sea Salt

1/2 cup of Water

pinch of Cayenne
3 Medjool Dates

1/4 cup Sliced Almonds

Directions:

Place the 3 dates in water to soak for 10 minutes.  Remove Kale leaves from stems and place leaves in a large bowl.  In a blender combine all remaining ingredients, including the softened dates, to make the dressing.  Pour the dressing over the kale and massage it into the leaves.  Sprinkle with slices almonds.  

For MORE RECIPES or to learn more about HEALTH COACHING, please visit my website: www.kimdiazwellness.com

Fresh Spring Salad

Fresh Spring Salad

Asparagus, Strawberries and Spinach, Oh my!

Have I mentioned how much I love this time of year?  I am reveling in the abundance of fresh asparagus, kale, lettuce, spinach and strawberries.  

Today I stopped by a local produce stand and picked up a bunch of asparagus, a bag of spinach, a beautiful head of lettuce and some of the sweetest fresh-picked strawberries I've ever had.  When I got home it was lunch time.  I didn't even have to think twice about what to make.  

This is my favorite kind of salad.  It always starts with a fresh bed of lettuce, or whatever greens I have on hand.  Next comes the "meat" of the salad. Sometimes my "meat" is leftover beans or quinoa from the night before, sometimes it's whatever vegetables I have fresh.  Today it was asparagus.  

I sauteed my asparagus in coconut oil and sprinkled it with Himalayan salt.  Next, I sliced my fresh strawberries for sweetness and color, and topped the salad off with sliced almonds and a squeeze of fresh lemon.  Voila.  So simple.  So satisfying.

              Asparagus Strawberry Spring Salad

Ingredients:

a handful of lettuce
a handful of spinach
one bunch of asparagus
1 Tablespoon coconut oil
Himalayan salt or sea salt to taste
a handful of strawberries
a handful of sliced almonds
Juice from 1/2 lemon
Optional: crumbled goat cheese

Hungry for more recipes?
Check out my website: www.kimdiazwellness.com

A Feast for the Soul

A Feast for the SOUL

This past weekend I went on a much needed adventure.  I left my children with their grandparents and drove from my quiet, small Virginia town, North to New York City.  I attended an amazing, inspiring conference at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, where I found myself among 1,200 like-minded souls, listening to the country's top teachers/leaders of Nutrition and Wellness.  I stayed in a hotel room in the 62nd floor overlooking Manhattan and the entire city.  I ate good food, wore nice clothes, had amazing conversations with beautiful people.  I was also able to visit with family on either end of the trip.  It was like a feast for my soul.

I came back home full of energy and bubbling with motivation, not to mention more relaxed, patient and appreciative of my beautiful children.  I was only gone Friday through Monday, but it was the longest I'd ever been away from them.  In the eight years that I have been a Mom, I have NEVER taken an entire weekend for myself!

 Most women I know (Moms in particular) are great at taking care of their jobs, their pets, their husbands or boyfriends, their children, their homes, etc.  Why is it that the last person on the list is often OURSELVES?  We have all heard that "in order to fully love another person, you must fully love yourself."  We all know that when we do manage a few hours or even a few moments for ourselves, we are always refreshed and renewed and better able to take care of those around us.  But why don't we make it a priority?  Why does self-care often get misinterpreted as self-indulgence?  Why don't we do it DAILY?

When my children were small, I rarely asked for help.  When I had to leave them, even for a doctor's appointment, I would feel guilty.  It seemed ridiculously overindulgent for me to take time for myself.  Thank goodness my mother would convince me to go to the gym or go shopping while she watched the kids.  Over the past few years I've learned the importance of taking advantage of the time I do have.  And making the time to feed my soul gives me the energy to meet the needs of my children.


Not enough time in the day!  I have too much to do!  Got to drive the kids to school, get to work, work all day, go to a meeting, sit in traffic, make dinner, do dishes, make sure the kids get their homework done, have their bath, get a story read, feed the dog, clean the car, etc,etc.  We have so many good excuses of why we can't carve out time for ourselves.  We get stressed, we get exhausted, we get angry or anxious, and eventually, we get Burnt Out!  What many people don't realize is this 'burn out', this constant state of stress, can lead to weight gain, sleep disorders, digestive problems, Adrenal Fatigue, and autoimmune diseases.


It's often not possible to take a whole entire weekend for ourselves.  It may not even be possible to take a whole day for ourselves on a regular basis (though if you can, it is highly recommended!)  Our daily to-do lists will not get any shorter, but they will certainly feel a lot less hectic if we make self-care a DAILY priority.

FIVE easy ways to take better care of YOU....

1. RELAXATION- You may not "have time" for an hour-long yoga class, or maybe you are not ready to meditate for twenty minutes a day, but YOU CAN start by taking five minutes to sit quietly with your eyes closed and focus on your breathing.  (Hint: With sunglasses on, this can be done almost anywhere!)

2. EXERCISE- You may not be able to get to the gym for an hour-long aerobics class every day, but you can take a brisk 20 minute walk outside anytime.  (On your lunch break, perhaps?)

3. EAT A HEALTHY DIET- We all know that we should cut out the bad and add in the good.  Eat less processed foods, sugar, caffeine and alcohol.  Take the time to make a home-cooked meal.

4. GET PLENTY OF SLEEP- Make a routine for yourself at bedtime.  (We do this for our children, why don't we do this for ourselves?)  Instead of watching tv or surfing the web right before bed, turn off the screen and read a book, write in a journal, or take a bubble bath.  

5. GET ORGANIZED- While the act of cleaning and organizing doesn't sound much like self-care, the end result will make your life much easier and much more relaxed.  Take it one room at a time.

Are YOU ready to learn more about Self-Care and how taking better care of yourself can improve your Health and Happiness?  Check out my Website: www.kimdiazwellness.com

If you would like to learn more about the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, Check out www.integrativenutrition.com