I just read this quote in a book about minimalism and then I saw it again on a poster in the airport for an advertisement for the Hyatt. I just can’t stop thinking about it.

I’m away in beautiful Palm Springs, California right now. Warm weather and palm trees always seem to motivate me to eat super healthy food. At the resort that I’m staying at, I picked delicious ruby red grapefruits. I love picking my own fruit and eating it right then and then. While I was eating the fruit, I started thinking about how cold and sluggish I’ve been feeling in NY lately with the change in the weather. So, I’ve decided to go on a 21 Day Green Smoothie Fast. I’m going to start doing this on Monday, November 1st when I’m back home from my trip and I have access to my Vitamix blender. The plan is to try a different green smoothie each day. I’ll definitely blog each day and let you guys know what’s going on. I’ll post the smoothie recipes and tell you have I’m feeling and what I’m noticing. Here’s to next week and a whole new me! xoxo

I know what you’re all thinking that the answer to this is “I’ve overeaten when I feel painfully full and bloated.”. That’s what happens when we eat too much but sometimes we eat more than we should but not to the point where we feel we’re going to burst. I’m reading a book called Mind Your Own Wellness by Alex Ong. This is from his book.

How do you know if you have overeaten?

Signs of Overeating:

• Shortness of Breath or shallow breathing.
• Stiff Neck.
• Feel tired after eating; feeling like sleeping.
• Body Discomfort.
• Feeling frustrated or angry for no good reason.
• Stress
• Moodiness
• Bloating
• Craving for more salty snacks or sweet desserts, even when you are full.

Here’s a 5 Minute Fix from the November 2010 issue of Shape magazine.

Drop you vitamin in a cup of water. Some brands use cheap fillers that aren’t broken down in the body, which means you’re missing out on important nutrients. If yours doesn’t dissolve completely in an hour, pick up a new kind.

I’ve studied body language and facial expressions for years. Cosmopolitan magazine has a great, easy Body Language Decoder on their web site. Here’s a tip they give in their first meeting sections.

He positions his chest and shoulders toward you, even though he may be looking at something else. Whether it’s you your best friend, or the keg in the corner, whatever a boy aims his upper body at is the most meaningful thing in the room to him. So, if one night a tasty man-morsel approaches your posse, you and your friends won’t need to fight for the fella’s affections; study his body language and you’ll already know who he’s after.

Most of us have heard that hydrogenated oils are bad for us but what are they and why is it important to get them out of our diets? I’m reading an interesting book called Conquering Any Disease by Jeff Primack. This is how he describes hydrogenated oils.

“Most packaged food will contain hydrogenated oils to enhance shelf life. Margarine is made from oil which has been hydrogenated. This means hydrogen gas has been infused into natural oils. When this occurs, the oil becomes solid like a stick of butter. The result is that it will not go rancid as easily. Products can be kept on the shelf longer and profits increased. For the consumer these oils are the worst kind for the body. Saturated Fat occurs naturally in avocados, coconuts, etc. and are very necessary for the body to function. On the other hand, man-made saturated fats from the “artificial hydrogenation process”, will clog the arteries faster than virtually anything else Read the label on the foods you feed your kids. This is a seriously nasty culprit in modern times.”

If any of you have any questions that you feel should be addressed in my blog, please email me at tracy@tracystanley.com

Many people have asked me how you can tell if produce is certified organic. There is a simple way of being able to tell if something is organic by reading the label. It is set up by the International Federation for Produce Standards. Buying organic ensures that you are getting the highest quality of produce with no pesticides. Buying certified organic produce is the only way to ensure that the produce isn’t genetically modified (GMO), which does not have any labeling codes. Genetically modified foods have been altered from their original form, and may introduce allergenic or toxic characteristics to the produce. The way GMO foods are made is bad for  the environment.

Organic produce: Always begins with a 9 and has a PLU number that is 5 digits long.

Example: Organic Bosc Pear #93296

Conventional produce: Always begins with a 4 and has a PLU number that is 4 digits long.

Example: Conventional Bosc Pear #4568

So always check to be sure that you purchase produce that begins with a PLU code on the sticker on your produce that starts with a 9 if you want to get organic produce.

I just finished reading a simple yet fabulous book called The Simple Guide to a Minimalist Life by Leo Babauta. Over the last year I’ve been in the process of simplifying my life to make life easier and more pleasant. I’ve come to realize that having too much stuff is stressful and it’s just weighing me down. I’m not the neatest person in the world and having loads of clothes and things has made my life more difficult. Becoming a minimalist is work but it’s so worth it. My big mission is to be aware of everything I have, to know where everything is, and to be able to easily get to it. I’ve been working on this for awhile and my goal is to be completely free of non-essentials by the end of this year. Here are Leo Babauta’s steps for becoming a minimalist.

1. Start by Realizing that You Already Have Enough.
2. Start Cutting Back on Clutter and Possessions.
3. Start Simplifying Your Schedule.
4. Slowly Edit Everything You Do. (This is actually where the work is. Being a Minimalist is a constant effort but well worth it.)

This information is from the Dr. Oz Show. These beauty foods will help you to get a glowing, youthful complexion. They all do things specifically for your skin. Check them out.

1. GUAVA - It’s loaded with vitamin C (much more than in an orange). It’s becoming quite common and can be bought in most stores. It’s not expensive. Eating Guava plumps up the skin and can be though of as natural Botox.
2. WHEAT GERM - It’s rich in Zinc which helps with wounds healing. It repairs skin. It’s anti-inflammatory. Wheat germ can help with skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis. It even helps with Acne.
3. ROMAINE LETTUCE - Rich in Vitamin A. Higher in A than all of the leafy greens we typically put in a salad. It helps with cellular turnover. 6 leaves provides 100% of the daily allowance for Vitamin A.
4. BRAZIL NUTS - Loaded with Selenium. It helps slow the aging process by repairing skin cells.
5. TOMATOES - Loaded with Lycopene which works like a natural sunscreen. It protects your skin. This does not mean you shouldn’t wear sunscreen. It means that lycopene gives extra boosting protection.

Here is a raw chocolate recipe that a friend of mine gave me. Feel free to experiment an add more or less of the ingredients. You can get very creative with this. Add peanut butter, almond butter, etc for a peanut butter cup type of chocolate or try adding orange zest. I just love chocolate orange. The best thing about raw chocolate is that it’s healthy. Cacao is a superfood! Remember that this does not mean that it is low in calories so take it easy with your portions. Also, keep in mind that there’s a bit of controversy around agave nectar. The bottom line is that it is sugar but it’s slow digesting. In other words, it’s better than regular sugar or artificial sweeteners but it is not the greatest thing in the world for you. Check out info on the web and use your best judgement. The recipe is below. Have fun!

Warm water on the stove, put in approx 1/2 cup of coconut oil and or 1/2 cup of coconut butter ……when this melts down put a pinch of sea salt and 1/2 cup of raw honey or coconut nectar or agave and if you have vanilla beans scrape the seeds of half of bean! You can add vanilla extract as well

In a large bowl add approx. 1 cup of raw cacao powder and a few scoops of maca if you have it. Also any mix ins that you prefer…nuts, goji berries etc. Add melted mixture to choc powder….add lots of LOVE and mix up. Poor mixture onto a pan or plate lined in plastic wrap or wax paper and put in freezer to set…this will take approx 15 min. (She says 15 minutes. I think it’s better when it stays in the freezer for a couple of hours but try it and see what you think.) Enjoy! xoxoxoxo