Friday Foodspiration: Pecan Pie Protein Bars

Snack or protein bars are a lifesaver when on the go . . . especially as school starts back and many activities resume. The problem is they often contain a lot of “questionable” ingredients when it comes to health.

The bars that tout “only 5 ingredients” or the like usually contain mostly dates – making them sweet but a blood sugar buster – and have very little protein. So we are basically eating natures candy bar, which I will happily consume for a treat but not an everyday snack.

When you head toward the bars advertising “high protein” you end up with lots of fillers. In addition, the protein they speak of is usually poor quality (that means with the protein comes a lot of gas and little actual protein absorption).

Finally, when you find a bar that has whole food ingredients and a good amount of high quality protein, you will be paying as much as $5 a bar to enjoy this snack.

My solution . . . I grabbed some of my favorite ingredients from my fridge and pantry and tossed them into my food processor to make my own Pecan Pie Protein Bar. It’s gluten free, grain free, dairy free, no added sugar, high in protein, and saves the day when my sweet tooth strikes.

These are also very forgiving so you could substitute other nuts, seeds, or nut butters that you have on hand, but these ingredients yielded the “pecan pie” flavor I was going for.

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Improving Performance While Preventing Injury in Your Youth Athlete

Fall sports is likely to look very different for all of us this year. In fact, if you have a youth athlete, you’ve likely had many disappointments already.

For most of us, preseason training started later than planned, social distancing had to be part of practice, and masks coming and going were both hot and bothersome. But, it is amazing to watch these young people persevere for the love of their sport.

As we watch our children navigate this challenging season, I know we all want them to be both safe and successful. We want them to be able to perform at their absolute best, while also staying safe. This means masks sometimes and fewer fans in the stands, but it also means preventing further disappointment from a mid season injury.

Whether your child is eight or eight-teen, it’s a critical time of growth and development – in their bodies and their athletic abilities. As parents and coaches, we can guide them toward both improved performance and injury prevention.

Without knowing your child, I can’t give you the exact steps to take. However, here are some things to prioritize and to avoid that will help ANY youth athlete make the most of this sports season and beyond!

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5 Ways to Drink More Water and Stay Hydrated This Summer

Ready for the simplest way to boost your immune system, prevent injury, and help your body detox all at the same time?

Staying hydrated during the hot summer months is crucial to feeling and performing at your best.

Many of us know we need to drink more water most days – and especially on hot August days in the Mid South. A lot of us just never quite hit our goal, aren’t keeping track, or don’t know what that goal should be.

Are you thinking it’s probably no big deal?

Well, skipping water not only leaves you thirsty, but sluggish hungry, forgetful, and tired. Over time, a lack of hydration results in wrinkles, a poor immune system, and less than optimal sports performance.

So, what’s getting in the way of a healthy water habit . .

  • Bored with the taste?

  • Not enough time?

  • Are you not sure how much you should be drinking?

Let’s start with how much water should we be drinking in a day. Everyone is different, but a good goal to start with is half your body weight in ounces (ex. if you weigh 150 pounds divided by 2 is 75, so 75 ounces of water per day).

When you do that math does it sound like a lot to you? If so, there are several strategies you can use to not only drink more water but truly allow your body to be optimally hydrated. Because we know that also means you will be feeling and performing at your best!

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Friday Foodspiration: Creamy {Non-Dairy} Spinach Dip

Can you make a creamy, delicious dip without the cheese? Absolutely!

I’ve scoured Pinterest for the best non-dairy alternatives and I have concluded I just need to splurge on the store bought stuff. Soaking cashews and pureeing them with vinegar and spices to make “cream cheese” just never turns out well for me. Maybe you have had better luck and can send me your tips!

So, when I wanted to make my favorite baked spinach dip I decided to try Kite Hill brand Dairy Free Cream Cheese. I was impressed with it’s flavor by itself and it baked deliciously. I’m sure there are other brands out there too that work just as well.

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7 Ways to Stay in Shape While Healing From a Summer Injury

Summer is the absolute worst season to have an injury – and yet the most common time for aches and pains to creep up.

We can miss out on family fun, have to sit out on activities we enjoy, and an injury can have a devastating impact on any plans to get in shape. However, you can still find a ways to keep moving, optimize your health, and exercise safely when you’re injured.

Use these strategies as part of your fitness program to stay in shape while an injury heals.

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3 Keys to Finding the Perfect Pillow

When it comes to a good nights sleep, comfort is key. If neck pain, back ache, stiffness, or headaches creep up, you can’t wake up feeling refreshed and restored. So, when it comes to sleep and neck pain it’s no wonder we get a lot of questions

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Friday Foodspiration: Crispy Fennel and Squash Noodles

I had never even considered cooking with fennel until a few years ago when it was a reported as a “super food” for me on a gut micro biome test. That just means that for my digestive system, fennel will support the particular bacteria I need to be healthiest from the inside out.

Let’s talk about what fennel can do for you.

No matter your micro biome, fennel has super powers that we ALL can benefit from!

It is particularly high in Vitamin C, antioxidants, and polyphenols which boost the immune system and have an anti-inflammatory effect on the body. This means a stronger immune system and ability for the body to fight germs, heal illness, and recover from injury. I know this is something we all are looking for right now!

This recipe for Crispy Fennel and Squash Noodles is a perfect combo of crispy fennel, crunchy toasted “breadcrumbs”, lemon, and fresh yellow squash. And with all this flavor it is still gluten free, grain free, dairy free, low carb, and vegan. Although a dollop of ricotta cheese is an amazing addition if your body enjoys dairy.

You can have a boosted immune system and enjoy it too!

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Why Your Headache’s More Than a Pain in the Head

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Headaches are miserable!

We all get them now and again, but for some of us, they’re more of a regular occurrence than others. That’s why ibuprofen and aspirin type painkillers are such big sellers.

In fact, many frequent head sufferers take these medications on a daily basis just to get through the day.  These clients tell us they have suffered so often- and for so long – they just consider headaches a part of everyday life.

But painkillers can only relieve the symptoms temporarily by masking the pain – when many times, the recurring headache may actually be the result of something else!

Take a look at this email I received from a client after she read our Free Headache Report:

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“After reading your neck pain and headaches booklet I wanted to send you an email to see if you could help me!

For the last 6 months, I’ve been suffering from some of the worst headaches I’ve ever had.

I sit in front of a computer daily for at least 8 hours in a job that is stressful most of the time.

Recently I visited my Doctor who gave me pills for the pain, but the pain still exists and all I feel is constant tightness in my neck and pounding at the front of my head.

Do you have any ideas? I don’t want to take these pills every day”

– Allison, 48 years young

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Of course, I have several ideas of what could be causing Allison’s headaches!

In my years of experience it’s often the case that if someone is suffering from the dreaded regular episodes of headaches, that they just haven’t got to the real underlying root cause of their pain – and most of the time it’s nothing to do with anything that’s going on in the head!

Many times recurring headaches may be the result of tension in the shoulders, jaw or neck – something that many people aren’t even aware of.

You see, while painkillers may help take the pain away for a few hours, they aren’t actually doing anything to prevent them from coming back. In fact, many clients report “rebound” headaches after their pain medication wears off that is worse than when they started.

Sometimes the root cause of a nasty headache is an allergy to certain foods or odors, hormone changes, fluctuating blood sugars, or disrupted sleep.

But what happens when you try to change all of these things but pounding headaches just won’t go away?

The one thing most people disregard as a trigger is ‘stress’. We all know stress does many things to our body, but where do we feel stress the most?

We feel it as tightness and tension in our neck and shoulder muscles – and all of this tension brings on headaches!

And I think we can all agree that the past few months have brought stress into our lives that we would have never imagined. Kids home ALL THE TIME, keeping up with a virtual meeting schedule, the news filled with turmoil, and don’t forget your mask.

Or just picture a typical day …

Mornings can be crazy if your house is anything like ours. You’re running late, you can’t find your keys, you’re not prepared for your morning meeting at work and the dog has just tracked mud all through the living room… No wonder you’re stressed!

Add up all the stressors through the day, you’ll likely find that at the end of the week you’ve got a lot of tension around your shoulders.

Which is why it’s important to deal with these things daily, without responding to them in a stressful way, so we can start to prevent headaches and make them occur less and less.

So what are some things you can do right now to help?

There’s a number of relaxation techniques that can reduce symptoms of stress. Making time for pleasurable activities such as listening to music, reading a book, or doing your favorite exercise – I personally love to take the dog for a walk, as it really helps to clear my mind.

In addition, yoga, pilates, tai chi, and deep breathing can go a long way in relaxing tight muscles and alleviating pain.

You may say you don’t have time in your day for these things – but do you have time for a headache?  I don’t think so! Find some way that works with your lifestyle to release the stress and tension from your day and you will find pain in your head and neck will start to lessen.

If you need more tips to ease neck pain and headaches (even migraines), you can Download the Free Report that Allison read below.  It will show you several ways to ease pain naturally, without needing painkillers.

5 Simple Ways to Eliminate Jaw Pain and Tension

If you have experienced jaw pain like I have, you know it can make the simplest tasks such as talking and eating miserable. 

This pain is likely coming from the Temporomandibular Joint or TMJ.  Misalignment of this joint or muscle spasms around this joint is also a cause of frequent headaches, bothersome clicking, the jaw “locking up”, and neck pain for many people.

If you are like me and NOT interested in taking prescription medications that keep you from driving – and basically sitting on the sidelines of life – let me share with you 5 simple ways to eliminate jaw pain naturally.

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