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Your 5-Part Guide To A Delicious Workday

Ava — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 17:29:33 +0000

Yesterday, as I returned from my barefoot lunch outside (even though it’s the middle of winter, I bundle up and step outside when a ray of sunshine shows up), I was saddened to see an ambulance drive away with a woman from the office building across the street. Oddly enough, the office building I look at every day has provided a lot of inspiration for my business. I support busy people who want to be healthier and happy. As an outside viewer of the building, I sometimes question whether it’s a completely healthy environment. I see some of the employees doing tai chi in the summer, and it makes me smile, but for the most part, especially in the rainy winter, people stay inside or come outside just to take a cigarette break.

Working in an office can be hard on the body. You might work long days, which require early wake-ups and a commute that leaves you with less time at home. There is the stress of deadlines, and occasional social discomforts. It’s easy to grab anxiety-causing caffeinated drinks, and candy always seems to be available at the desk of a co-worker. Your goal might be meditation in the morning, but if work comes first, the quiet time easily gets skipped.

I love the flexibility of working for myself, because I can mold my workday around my needs, and the times that I am most productive. Self-employment is not for everyone though, so whether you are self-employed or are an employee, here are tips to help you be your brightest, even at the end of a busy workday:

1. Eat breakfast~ Many people push themselves for hours without a decent meal. If your stomach doesn’t want food early in the morning, bring a snack or pack a supply of food at your desk or in a cooler in your car. I just opened up space on my bookshelf, and now keep snacks there.

2. Have just one caffeinated drink per day~ If you take the time to notice, you’ll be able to feel how caffeine reacts in your body. Sometimes people get jittery, others have enhanced focus, and some people can’t focus at all. Water, herbal tea and fresh juices are great liquids in the day, and choose them before your one caffeine kick.

3. Move your body ~ I know a few yoga teachers who teach movement that you can participate in while sitting in an office chair. If you are in the Olympia, WA area and would like their names, please contact me through this website.

4. Be positive ~ Even if you plan to eventually move to another position or on to another career, it’s important to accept where you are now, and to love it. Be the person in the office with a smile, and the person eating the food that provides you with unstoppable energy, healthy digestion, and a body you love. People are going to gasp and ask, “What happened to you!? You seem so different!” When you eat right, people will notice your energetic eyes.

5. Pack a lunch ~ With a little extra effort, the food that you bring from home will far surpass what can be bought from most work delis and restaurants down the street. You might be lucky and have access to an organic deli or juice bar, and that’s great! I still suggest bringing food from home, so that you know you’ll have plenty to eat, and can then supplement your meal with something you buy at work.

These Foods Are Seducing You, But They Shouldn’t Be Your Only Valentine Date

Ava — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 17:22:39 +0000

Certain foods are seducing you each day, by triggering the pleasure center in your brain.

One of my teachers, Neal D. Barnard, M.D., is the author of Breaking the Food Seduction: The Hidden Reasons Behind Food Cravings — And 7 Steps to End Them Naturally. He writes:

“Certain foods appear to stimulate the release of opiate chemicals within the brain. These are chemical cousins of morphine and heroin. They are not as strong as illegal drugs, but appear to be strong enough to keep us coming back, especially when we are stressed, tire, angry, or alone. Not every food does this. The groups that do are sugar (and sugar-fat mixtures, such as butter cookies, as well as foods that produce sugar rapidly), chocolate, cheese, and meat.

It appears that they actually stimulate the brain in such a way that it is easy to get hooked and tough to break free, even if you find yourself gaining weight or lapsing into health problems.”

So we’re being seduced, and the seduction is very real if you are about to spend Valentine’s Day unsatisfied in relationships, overworked, and frustrated by the state of your health. It’s easy to turn to comforting and addicting food when pieces of your life are unbalanced.

Here are ideas to make these seductive foods a better date. I won’t ask you to painfully give up the relationship that you have with these foods. Simply upgrade the ingredients, keep whole vegetables and grains in your diet, and infuse your meals with an enjoyment factor. Put intention behind how you present these foods to yourself.

1. Sugar ~ Currently, the sweetener I most recommend is coconut syrup, which is the sap from coconut tree blossoms. It’s high in Vitamin C, and has a brown sugar flavor. Some agave syrup brands are blended with corn syrup, so I stay away from agave at this point. Raw honey is another great sweetener.

2. Chocolate ~ Choose a raw chocolate bar, instead of the processed and sugared bar you’ll find in most stores. Raw chocolate is high in serotonin and tryptophan, which defend against stress. It also has high amounts of fiber, iron and Vitamin C. Try a chocolate truffle on a beautiful small plate, served with a cup of tea.

3. Cheese ~ Choose organic dairy, since chemicals from conventional dairy production become concentrated in milk. I gave up cow dairy several years ago, because I kept getting sore throats, colds, and coughs. It turns out that goat and sheep dairy work well in my body, so I’ve switched to dairy products from these smaller animals. Cheese is a side dish, not a main course. When I crave cheese, I’ll melt a couple pieces into a corn tortilla on a stove top pan and eat it when it is still melted. You can also create a gorgeous arrangement of cut vegetables, gluten-free crackers and just a few small slices of cheese on the side.

4. Meat ~ If you consume meat products, find a local meat farm and support them. When you buy from a local farm, you can be sure of humane animal practices. You also get to step back in time, and instead of meat suffocating in plastic, your cut will be handed to you in classic butcher paper.

Holidays are meant to be fun and exciting. I will be eating organic dark chocolate on Valentine’s Day, and I plan to thoroughly enjoy it. Food is not the only path to happiness and health though, and that’s why you can’t rely on these seductive foods to stay happy. The rest of your life must be in balance. If you’ve felt melancholy at some point this winter, a little lost, heavy, groggy or dull, you’ll want to keep an eye out for a new opportunity I will be announcing shortly. It’s all about luscious eating, enjoyment, and bringing the perfect opportunities into your life.

Listen to 2 Great Songs, and When You’re Done, These Meals Will Be Ready!

Ava — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 21:34:37 +0000

If you stock all of the ingredients at your home, the meals I’m showcasing today will come together in under 10 minutes. These dishes are quick to prepare, and I hope that you’ll take the leftover time to sit down and enjoy each one of them as fully as possible.

The Bagel Sandwich

I used to eat these all the time when I was younger. Since then, I’ve switched to a gluten-free bagel, which I toast in the oven and then decorate with toppings. Add a side salad, and you’ve got a quick meal!

Topping idea 1:

~ Goat chevre or cream cheese (Local organic dairy is best, especially when toxic chemicals are found in most large-scale dairy products produced in the United States.)

~ Sliced onion (The sulfur in onions helps to strengthen connective tissue and cleanse the liver. Learn more in this book.)

~ Sprouts or lettuce (Be sure that your sprouts are fresh, and always keep them refrigerated between using.)

~ Avocado

~ Tomato

Topping idea 2:

~ Basil pesto (Just like raw chocolate, basil contains a healthy dose of magnesium, which improves blood flow.)

~ Artichoke hearts (Buy them in a glass jar so they do not soak up chemicals and the metal flavor of aluminum cans.)

~ Sliced black olives

~ Fresh organic spinach

Tostada

Ingredients:

~ Organic corn tortillas

~ Small amount of butter, oil or coconut oil

~ Black beans

~ Black olives

~ Melted goat gouda

~ Sprouts

~ An egg (optional)

On the side, serve with:

~ Sriracha chili sauce

~ Sliced avocado

~ Tahini Goddess dressing.

Heat up a stovetop pan, add a small amount of butter or coconut oil to the pan, and lay the tortillas flat in the pan. Lay slices of cheese on one tortilla so the cheese melts. On the other tortilla, lay down the beans. When the beans are warm, add sprouts and sliced olives, then place the cheesy tortilla on top. A fried egg over this adds extra nourishment, and will keep you full longer.

A 3-Part Plate

Try this combination of 3 foods for a satisfying meal:

~ Salad (Add toppings to organic lettuce, like bell pepper, green onion, cucumber, raisins etc.)

~ Hard boiled egg with sea salt (It’s easiest to make a batch of these at the beginning of the week so you can have them on hand.)

~ Steamed Broccoli (Lightly sprinkle with tamari and sesame seeds.)

Winter Fruit Compote with Dairy-free Vanilla Nut Cream

Ava — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 20:29:32 +0000

From Feeding the Whole Family, by Cynthia Lair, pg 254

Prep time: 35 minutes

Makes 4 servings

Compote Ingredients:

½ cup dried apricots

¼ cup pitted prunes

1 apple, sliced

1 pear, sliced

1 cinnamon stick

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 cup apple juice

Vanilla Nut Cream Ingredients:

½ cup raw, unsalted cashews

3 Tablespoons maple syrup (honey also works)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Water

Combine apricots, prunes, apple, pear, cinnamon stick, nutmeg and juice in a medium sized pan. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat, and simmer, covered, for 20-30 minutes, until all fruit is soft. Remove cinnamon stick.

Grind nuts into a fine meal in a small grinder or blender. Put ground cashews, maple syrup, and vanilla in the blender. With blender running, add a little water at a time until you have a thick creamy consistency. Put the compote in serving bowls and top with Vanilla Nut Cream.

Are Your Health Issues A Sign That You Are Ignoring Your Full Potential?

Ava — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 02:41:15 +0000

“When people are not expressing their full potential, they often get illnesses that have vague, hard to diagnose symptoms. Chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia are good examples of what I’m describing.” – from the book The Big Leap, by Gay Hendricks

I was reading The Big Leap last week, and when I found this quote, I paused to consider the controversy and to write it down. At the end of my college career, I spent several months on a final research paper to explore the benefits of a raw food diet for people who have chronic fatigue. From what I saw, raw food provided some relief for the aches, pains and grogginess that sometimes accompany this health issue.

For a moment, assume that the quote above is true. I could ask you to eat all the raw food in the world, and bring in other delicious healing foods, but it might not do anything for you if you stay stuck in an unfulfilling job, a dead-end relationship, or in a creative black hole that is not lined up with what you want.

Will it take coming into alignment with who you are to clear up your health issues? People in my own life have been injured in ways that knocked them onto a new path, and the injury has given them time to explore their deepest desires. For other people, getting through a serious illness lets them fall back in love with their life. Each day that I say yes to what I love, I feel more energy and health.This goes a little deeper than nutrition now.You could be sick because you are ignoring your full potential and your brilliance!

If that is the case, the future of my career expands in this very moment. Let’s bring in more of the life that makes us happy and deeply fulfilled. What if those aches disappear as soon as you say yes?

Cleansing Without Actually Going On A Cleanse

Ava — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 19:22:01 +0000

When I first heard about cleansing, I thought that a cleanse meant only drinking juice or water for several days straight. It didn’t sound very fun, until I learned that there are gentle ways to cleanse, and certain food that you can eat every day which will support your body to release toxins, and the chemical build-up that came through all that we have eaten, inhaled, and touched over the course of our lifetime. We have the opportunity to cleanse each time we eat a piece of food.

Here’s why this is significant:

If any of your organs become stagnant or store up a pool of toxins, it heightens your risk of medical complications later. Plus, toxic bodies show a variety of other symptoms, like skin breakouts, constipation, and headaches.

Here are naturally cleansing foods that a fairly healthy person can eat. If you have had severe complications from toxicity, it’s important to first confirm dietary changes with your medical provider.

Bentonite clay ~ I’ve used a cleansing system for the past few years that relies on the benefits of bentonite clay mixed with juice, and I never realized the significance of this ingredient until recently. The electrical charge of clay is attracted to the charge of toxins and radiation. Once they connect, the clay pulls those toxins through our digestive tract to be released.

Pau d’arco tea – You’ll find the tea at most health food stores, and it naturally cleanses the blood and has been shown to reduce the overgrowth of bad bacteria.

Aloe vera -Aloe cleanses the digestive tract, and is soothing for people who have intestinal irritation.

Seaweed and cilantro – These are 2 of my favorites to eat because they also bind to heavy metals and radiation, and then pull it from our body.

Other high fiber foods – Our body is always cleansing, and toxins are flushed to the intestines for removal. Sadly, if we are eating food without the fiber to soak up these toxins, our body reabsorbs them. Eat fresh vegetables like kale, cabbage, beets, blueberries, celery, garlic and also have flaxseed. Fresh juice can be very healing, but I prefer to blend all of the ingredients in a blender, instead of juicing them. This preserves the fibers of the plants.

You can see that it is important to eat cleansing food each day, but this is only half of the story. To renew your body in a more complete way, it’s time to eat much less of the sprayed, processed, fried, non-organic, sick food that we have so much access to. If you need my help to discover what tastes great and will benefit you most as you cleanse daily and forever, I’m always available through Ava@ParisianPicnics.com.

I Was Blown Away By What They Said

Ava — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 06:33:04 +0000

The strangers wished me good evening at the restaurant.

I was somewhat shocked by this kind gesture, and I’ll tell you why.

Several years ago, I traveled through Europe for 3-1/2 months with one of my good friends. We spent several days in the coastal city of Nice, France to enjoy the beaches and warmth. All I ever want to look at are restaurant menus when I travel, and this was no exception. As soon as I stepped off the train, I went restaurant hunting.

On one of my evenings, I went out to a Chinese restaurant with 2 travelers from Canada. We were halfway through our meal when another table of guests got up to leave. Right before they exited the restaurant, the couple turned to us and wished us “Good evening” (“Bonsoir” in French).

No stranger had ever done that to me at a restaurant before!
My friends and I turned to each other and were touched by this simple and kind gesture.

Sometimes I feel like we are disconnected from the enjoyment of others. How often do we think about the table of diners at the other corner of the restaurant? Do we care if the person at the coffee table next to us got a good drink? I know that sometimes I’m so distracted by the people I am with that I forget to pay attention to the other eaters. This is something that I’d like to change.

Last weekend, as I exited a Thai restaurant in Seattle, I had the opportunity to wish goodnight to the people who were seated at our table after us. They laughed with me for a minute before I left. It feels just as good to give this gesture as it does to get it.

Your Assignment:

The next time you exit a cafe or restaurant, say something to one of the guests at the table by the door. This can be “Good night,” “Enjoy your meal,” or even “Bonsoir.”

This just might make their day.

If you’d like to help me spread European charm and kindness around the planet this season, please be sure to take on this task. Thanks!

The roads are still packed. I don’t mean with cars – I mean with joggers!

Ava — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 19:48:53 +0000

I send my congratulations to those of you who have made commitments to change parts of you life, to eat better, and to care for yourself. But have you made the right choice for you, or did you go along with what everyone else did for New Years?

I hear these resolutions quite often: Lose 10 pounds, jog each day, stop eating sugar, and get out of debt. You are truly unique, so I hope you’ve designed your intentions for 2012 to fully suit who you are.

What if jogging is not the right style of physical activity that fits your build? Perhaps you are destined to be dancing salsa every weekend!

Did you join a grueling weight loss program that is set to suck the fun out of your meals each time you defrost a package of low fat food? Or are you ready to embrace an approach to eating where you melt in your chair, savor each bite, and know that there is a specific health intention behind each food you eat?

I love to teach people like you how to craft meals that will provide sustained energy, keep you from getting sick, keep your digestive tract happy, and keep you happy at the same time. And while we’re at it, let’s make the meal gluten-free (if you don’t eat wheat), unprocessed (so there’s no fractionated food that takes you nutritionally backward), and organic (so your body doesn’t have to cleanse pesticides after each meal).

This sounds great!

I also know that it’s easy to slide back into old habits within a couple weeks of setting them, and this is why support is so important.

I just hired a new business coach for 2012, because I also find it easy to fall back into the familiar comfort of my habits. At the start of 2011, I made a similar commitment, and invested in a Mastermind group where I knew I would receive the support I needed to do things differently. Since then, I’ve made a lot of changes that once looked huge.

I want to leave you with 5 ideas as you embark upon your New Year goals.

1. Begin with small changes. I learned from the book The Compound Effect, that if we try to do too much at once (like jogging 2 hours each day), we usually won’t stick with it. Consider adding a small time commitment to your new desire, like sectioning off just 15 or 30 minutes for it per day.

2. If your aim is to eat fewer sweets, slide into this by having fresh or dried fruit if you crave sugar. Lately, I’ve been eating honey patties that are covered in unsweetened dark chocolate.

3. I’ve got my “winter insulation” on right now, too. If your clothes are also a little snug, rest assured that you’ll lose those couple pounds through the chilly winter, as long as you continue to eat well. In the meantime, this will be a good test of your commitment to loving who you are.

4. Stay connected with people. Laugh with them, cook with them, and if you are in Olympia and need something to do together, consider coming to one of my new wintertime cooking classes.

5. Don’t make these changes alone. Tell a friend what you’re up to, publically let your facebook friends know about your goals, or hire someone to be there with you.

We’re about a week into 2012, and it’s going to be one amazing year!

Eight experts are here to help you conquer your New Year’s Resolution!

Ava — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 22:28:04 +0000

Happy New Year!

The theme word I chose for 2012 is bliss. To me, bliss comes through my meals, the food I choose to thoroughly enjoy, travel, and good music.

There have been times in my professional career where I’ve overworked myself, gone a little bit too long without food, and ignored a tired body. I always thought that pushing myself would mean that I could get further in business. I would work harder and harder, but I was extremely unproductive, and the things I did produce didn’t go very far. Now I know that if I want to give my gift of health to the world, I must stay happy and experience bliss as often as possible. I get so much more done this way.

As a passionate professional or business owner, I can presume that you also want to enhance your productivity efforts for 2012. Your passion has taken you this far, but it’s time to ramp up your productivity so you can enjoy a balanced life, a more profitable schedule and a stress-free environment.

The formula to have a successful and ever growing business is to leverage your time in a way that allows for growth and balance. Following a productive regimen gives you control over your schedule, allows you to focus on tasks, and achieve more in less time. Isn’t it time you lived all year this way?

I am delighted to be one of the eight experts participating in The 2012 Productivity Revolution Telesummit. I accepted this challenge because I want to help you reinvent yourself into the productive, focused, and empowered person you are meant to be.

The 2012 Productivity Telesummit begins Monday, January 9 and concludes Wednesday, January 18. Each speaker will present once a day for an hour, at 1:00pm (EST) Monday- Friday (we’re off on the weekends). You can listen to all the live calls absolutely FREE. However, if you cannot make it to a live call, don’t worry. You will have an opportunity to upgrade your subscription and purchase the recordings at a very low price.

Just imagine what your life would look like if:

You started your days with purpose and determination.

You didn’t just put out fires, but accomplished milestones every day.

You achieved more in less time and then had enough time to enjoy the other things you love.

Your physical space was organized.

Your eating habits gave you energy and helped you feel great.

You no longer felt overwhelmed and tired.

You embraced your financial situation.

That is the way you are meant to live!

By participating in the Productivity Revolution Telesummit, you will receive the tools you need to make 2012 your most productive year yet! Will I see you there? I hope so! Because this event was created specifically for you!

To learn more about this remarkable and revolutionary telesummit and to register, please visit http://the2012productivityrevolution.com

Enjoy,

Ava Waits

Nutrition Mentor and Founder of Parisian Picnics, LLC.

30 Days of Wonderful™ in December ~ Day 30

Ava — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 03:35:48 +0000

This evening was full of experiencing other parts of the planet. Exotic sounding songs kept playing on Pandora, and they brought me to images of a Middle Eastern outdoor market, with dates for sale, cloth hanging from the wood that makes up the stalls, and warm sand at my feet. If I ever feel cold, I’ve been known to put on music from India or Turkey to make me feel as though I’m in a warmer land.

I also went into coffee bliss over what is the 2^nd warm latte I’ve ever had in my life. Yes, it was my second. I haven’t ever acquired the coffee habit, and I coach clients away from drinking a drink that dehydrates us, acts as an addictive stimulant, and makes breath stink.

It was a small latte – only about a 3^rd of a cup size. It was decaf – regular caffeinated coffee makes me feel like I’m having a panic attack. It was fair trade and organic. The odd thing about this cup of coffee was that it was relaxing to me. I thought that coffee is supposed to make a person jittery and stressed afterward. Before I drank it, I told myself that every sip must be appreciated. I wanted to experience coffee for the pure pleasure of imagining myself in Italy, with a shot of espresso (something I’ve never had). I paused to breath deeply every time I drank.

The last time I was in the Swiss Alps was in 2007

A really good idea came to me as I was basking in that cup of coffee. I’m not ready to share it yet, but it will fit perfectly into my life if I choose to pursue it. I have been in what Abraham Hicks would call “the vortex,” where ideas surface with inspiration. I still don’t plan to order coffee when I go to a café on Saturday morning, and I won’t be buying beans and my own coffee machine anytime soon, but I may drink a cup once or twice a year if I can have that experience again.

Before bed, I also did a meditation to music (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQA5gQQNkIo) where I felt myself on a quick bullet train speeding through the Swiss Alps. I felt what it is like to run down steep hills and then jump off of the mountains while attached to a hand glider. I gazed over the balcony of the Gimmelwald Mountain Hostel in the crisp air. I felt the shivering and enthralling speed that my life is moving at.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

About Ava Waits, HHC AADP

I am a Nutrition Mentor, Global Nutrition Concierge™, and the Founder of www.ParisianPicnics.com. Behind the scenes, you’ll find me reading personal growth books, basking in the bliss of life, eating quality food, and letting my dreams come true.
The “30 Days of Wonderful” project is a personal endeavor, and I feel compelled to share it publicly because of the life-changing success that I experienced during my first 30 days in the summer of 2011. One of my nutrition programs was also named in honor of this project.