Institute of Integrative Nutrition (NYC)

I was invited to attend all-day classes at the Institute of Integrative Nutrition (IIN for short) in NYC on Saturday.   The school prepares students to be certified Health Counselors, offering a wealth of holistic health, dietary theory, nutrition and wellness information and hands on support for building a new business.  

What an incredible and dynamic experience, with approximately 1,500 students plus 500 or so guests!   Classes are held at Lincoln Center, in the lovely and cavernous Avery Fisher hall.    Despite the huge class size, students were very willing to participate and share topical personal anecdotes in front of the entire crowd with the aid of a microphone, which was really impressive to me.

Topics of the day ranged from the elements of an Ayurvedic diet, a mock health consultation, small group discussions on oppression and sexism, and more.  Guest speakers play a vital role in the education process; many of whom are renowned in their field, such as Deepak Chopra.   There was fun on the schedule in the way of Bollywood style dance instruction.  Yes, despite the tight seating, everyone was literally dancing in the aisles or in front of their seats, clapping and swaying to the catchy Indian music as instructed by the high energy teacher leading on stage.  That was indeed a sight to see and so much fun to participate in.

Check out the website for more information on this program:

www.integrativenutrition.com

Nutrition Tip of the Week

The idea behind the Nutrition Tip of the Week is the tip will be something quick and easy to execute but the benefits will be great.  

Disclaimer: I am not a nutritionist or a doctor.  I need to state this so there are no misconceptions about my friendly "advice".  I am passing on my own healthy eating tips; decide for yourself what you consume.   

2/14/09:  Getting caught up here, I have been slow to post tips as of late.  This one, a recipe, is from my Aunt Mona and her friend Sarah. 

Goji Berries Trail Mix

Pumpkin seeds (raw and then roasted at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes)

Goji Berries (it looks like a 4:1 ratio) 4 parts pumpkin seeds to 1 part Goji berries.

Sprinkling of dried coconut (to taste)

Currents (experiment with the amount--it looks like about 1/4 cup to 1.5 cups of pumpkin seeds).

For those not familiar with Goji Berries (also called Wolf Berries) the following is useful information:

Goji berries have been used for 6,000 years by herbalists in China, Tibet and India to:  protect the liver, help eyesight, improve fertility, strengthen the legs, boost the immune system, improve circulation, promote longevity.  Wow, they are in fact a "superfood".  They are also rich in antioxidants.

2/14/09:  I officially like kombucha, well, certain flavors or flavor: the mango madness is the best, in my opinion.   Guava is my least favorite.  I now buy one bottle and that lasts me a week or just about, drinking a little each day.  I must admit, I do feel more energized after having some. 

1/17/09:  Happy New Year!  I have been remiss in passing on my weekly tips so here are two to get me caught up.

1.  Kombucha tea:  I don't care if it tastes horrible (and it does, to me at least, like a combination of apple cider vinegar with champagne fizziness), the health benefits outweigh the taste, in my opinion. 

You can brew your own if you are really ambitious or you can buy some at a healthy grocer such as Whole Foods.  I first tried this drink in Seattle last week and then attended a brewing class a few days ago.  Kombucha is sometimes referred to as the tea of immortality and is basically a fermented tea, well, sort of.  It's actually a living organism, with probiotic cultures.  As for the http://www.essense-of-life.com/moreinfo/foodcharts.htm, they range from its alkalinity (more on that below), B vitamins, enzymes, amino acids, improved energy, relieving stress and depression, liver detox, and normalizing the digestive system

Alkaline diet  and much more.  Check out this website for more information and to do further research, if you are interested:  http://www.gokombucha.com/health_benefits.html

2.  Alkaline/acid diet (80/20%):   I just discovered recently that an alkaline body has lots of health benefits, including potentially anti-cancer properties, so I am starting to keep an eye on my alkaline-acid proportions to keep my body properly balanced and healthy.   The following link details which foods are alkaline vs. acidic:

http://www.essense-of-life.com/moreinfo/foodcharts.htm

12/26/08:

These days when I am at the supermarket, I tend to linger in the baking aisle and since it's the healthy area otherwise known as "Nature's Marketplace" at Wegman's, there are lots of (overwhelming) options, especially for a staple like flour.   I've started to experiment with wheat flour, spelt flour and rice flour.   Now, each type of flour has its place, I would assume.  I must admit, I haven't figured it out yet.  Readers - do you have preferences or comments on this topic?

12/16/08:

This week's tip is substituting agave nectar, a sweet liquid from the cactus, for sugar or honey, when baking.  Some people do not recommend substituting a liquid for a dry sugar, however.   I have tried it in my chocolate chip banana cake and it comes out delicious, so don't believe everything you read (this blog withstanding, of course).    Do not use a 1-1 ratio of sugar to agave; decrease the quantity of agave by 25% of the sugar called for because it is very sweet and decrease the other liquids in the recipe by 25%, too.  How sweet it is.

12/7/08:  I am a little late with this week's tip; for anyone who has been waiting, my apologies.  I will continue the egg replacement theme here with Ener G egg replacer.  I baked peanut butter chocolate chip cookies today and the empty plate speaks for itself. Excellent taste and texture in the finished product and importantly, you can lick the bowl without worrying about salmonella.  

11/26/08

Replace eggs with applesauce in recipes  for a vegan alternative.  1/4 cup applesauce = 1 egg.     I did this switch in a chocolate chip recipe and the texture was a little rubbery, I must admit, so it needs further refinement.  Maybe it's not suitable for cookies but I am sure I will try it again in some other foods.

11/18/08:

Grind your own whole flaxseeds in a coffee grinder and add the grinds to cereal, salad and other foods for a punch of omega fatty acids and a host of other health benefits too numerous to enumerate.  Check out this link for more information: 

http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/benefits-of-flaxseed

Incorporate a few tablespoons into your daily routine and reap the benefits.

And, dessert lovers take note, ground flaxseed can also be an egg substitute in vegan baked goods.

Credit for this great idea goes to my Aunt Mona, who introduced to me the world of flaxseed grinding.

You Are What You Eat

I firmly believe you are what you eat, which is primarily why I follow such a healthy diet.   My biggest weakness, dark chocolate, is even healthy, so I am officially in good shape.  :)

Lucky for me, considering how much chocolate I consume.  

The link below lends credence to my theory on a serious level.  This hits very close to home, literally, for anyone who knows my personal situation.

Check it out:

http://www.aolhealth.com/condition-center/cancer/food-cures-healing

(Thanks to my no-name co-worker who forwarded me this link.)