Wellness

Over the weekend I was able to catch an episode of The Joy Behar Show featuring Dr.Oz of Oprah fame.  He mentioned three things most of us are not doing that can dramatically take a toll on our health: 1)Not stretching first thing in the morning, 2)Not eating breakfast and 3) Running late.  I started researching more of Dr.Oz’s advice and found that these three are the first three of his 7 Deadly Sins.  The remainder of the list is:

4) Mindless Eating

5) Becoming a couch potato

6)Disconnecting

7)Not Having a Bedtime

Click here to read the replacement habits for these sins on his website as well as watch him talk about the sins on his show.

And note that I am guilty of all of these!!!!!!

xoxo, Vanesa

I know I’m a little late to join the Food Inc. bandwagon since I’ve heard rave reviews about this documentary for the past year.  Driving around LA I’ve seen food trucks with stickers of the film in their windows and even restaurants with full blown posters.  It seemed like this film was the new Obama campaign and all the hype made me want to see what it was all about.  I got around to watching it over my break and wow…just wow.  I’ve spent the past few years being mindful of what I put into my body trying to buy Organic as much as possible and limiting the amount of red meat I eat, partly from reading Skinny Bitch as well as the information I got from my partner who read The Omnivore’s Dilemma.  But Food Inc sealed the deal.  Like the film’s website reads, I will never look at dinner the same way again.  And I’ll also never look at food at the supermarket the same way either.  The key things I am going to try and change after seeing Food Inc. are to buy local, seasonal and organic from local farmer’s markets; eat grass-fed meat; and read the labels of what I’m eating!!!  I can preach this from the high mountains all day long but seeing this film will truly open your eyes.  I will warn you that there are scenes that are not for the faint of heart.  I shuddered like a small child under a blanket unable to bear the brutality of some of the images.  But the overall film is extremely well done and packs a plethora of information into a great presentation.  On my new year and Food Inc. kick I am now on Day One of life without Diet Coke…so don’t blame me if my posts come off crankier in the next few weeks

xoxo, Vanesa

After I read Skinny Bitch cover to cover I became obsessed with decaf green tea.  After trying several different brands I stumbled upon Yogi Tea’s Pure Green Decaf Tea as well as their Green Tea Kombucha Decaf.  Both are wonderful teas that give me a soothing and healthier replacement to my love affair with Skinny Vanilla Lattes. Besides the wonderful taste I look forward to the cute little sayings that come on the labels of the teabag.  I love them so much that I started posting them as my daily Facebook status update and have become somewhat famous for them   Okay I can’t say I’m faaaamous for them but I can say when I don’t post my daily Yogi Tea saying, people inquire about the absence.  These small sayings can turn around my whole day with words of inspiration, strength and serenity.  I have taped to my computer the Yogi Tea reading, “I am beautiful, I am bountiful, I am blissful.”  And I swear to everyone my life turned around from the Yogi Tea reading, “Life is a flow of love.  Your participation is requested.”  You can read more about the Yogi brand here and get your daily tasting of inspiration from their sayings here.