Tips on Survival Snacks

Photo courtesy of new-york-visit.com

Hello love,

How are you doing???

I got in from NY last night and hit the floor running by 7 am this morning with clients and responsibilities out here. It was the first time I had been to NY in months where it wasn’t freezing cold, and it was also the first time in months I was served a heavy-handed dose of home-sickness. And I still think of NY as my home! With biting temperatures replaced with tepid ones, and piercing winds switched to gentle breezes, NY morphed back into the friendly, very livable and completely amazing place that I love so much.

I’ve been in LA since August, and while I love the trees and how I get to hike all the time, etc. there’s that indescribable vibe to NY that once you live there for a while, I don’t think you can ever really shake. On this past trip I went to my favorite tea cafe, met with my publisher and book editor, went out with friends in the Lower Eastside, saw my parents, went to my favorite Thai restaurant (Boyd, on Thompson Street), ate a few times at LifeThyme, my favorite grocery store, took a yoga class from one my fav NYC yoga teachers (Nikki), saw my friend Kelly at the Regis and Kelly show… It is a real phenom how much you can pack into a few days in NY isn’t it?

In LA I can stock key items in my car (yes I have a car!! I haven’t had one in years!) and I’m often at clients’ homes or my kitchens so don’t have to worry about running around getting stuck in a bad jam or going hungry.

But in NY, it could be hours, or avenues, before finding something exactly ideal. So here are some of my important on-the-go lifesavers. Whether you are a NYer or not, hopefully they can be of use to you as well!

Here are a few of my survival items:

The Tazo Vanilla Rooibos at Starbucks… is completely delicious! I know, I know Starbucks is a huge chain and I do always support little coffee shops when I can. But inbetween meetings in say midtown, or unfamiliar areas in any city, Starbucks is always a reliable and familiar entity that is sure to have this staple tea (a recent addition I think for them) that I now love. Or if I have to meet someone there, I always order it, or if I want something, but not necessarily food this little tea is awfully handy!

Fruit with skins or prepackages of fruit. In NY there are fruit-sellers at every corner. If I have a meeting and only 50 minutes before a yoga class, but I’m dying for a ‘lil sumptin sumptin, as I was before I took Nikki’s class yesterday, I ran to the corner deli and got a little cup of pre-cut fruit. Okay it wasn’t organic, but it was a decent last resort. I go for the blueberries or a ripe banana if I can find it- rather than a cantaloupe which was cut who knows when! Cut fruit has experienced oxidation and can be far less nutritious in terms of vitamin content. So BTW never buy the pre-cut apples you may find at Trader Joe’s!

Coconut water. Even in cold whether you can get dehydrated. I love how coconut water is sold so widespread now. I even found it at JFK airport! I particularly love the VitaCoco min-cartons, which have a recloseable plastic cap. If I can’t finish it all I throw it in my purse!

The salad bar…but be sure to make good choices there! When I’m really hungry and need something that is more meal-like, there are plenty of places sporting salad bars. Some are behind a counter with glass and the dude working there tosses it for you, and sometimes they are out in the open. The latter I approach with great caution, and only if it looks clean and seems that the food is rotating quickly (like certain Wholefoods).  Otherwise- yucky!!! And I avoid. Here’s the key to the salad bar experience: keep it simple! Don’t get more than 5 items, with one being the lettuce or other green base itself. I usually get mixed greens or chopped romaine, avocado if they have it, sundried tomatoes (not if they are soaked in oil though), sprouts, broccoli, and quinoa if they have it (at dinnertime) or some bell peppers. If you are really hungry and there’s no avo or quinoa, the chickpeas are a better bet than the sad looking, almost definitely hormone and toxin-filled chicken cutlets or mercury-filled tuna.

So there you have it… a few little survival tips when you’re on the go!

Come visit me again really soon…. I have a big upcoming surprise for you!!! 🙂

Love! Kimberly

 

Here I am hiking in California... I'm kind of between worlds right now. My city world in NY, where's I'll be spending more significant time in later this spring and my LA world, which is now part of my life. I'm sort of like a bird that migrates around in winter, but finds food and shelter wherever they might be... and is happy anywhere and everywhere!

Be Oscar-Beautiful… With A Healthy Lymph System!

Photo courtesy of osteodiet.com

Hey Guys!

I’m back in NY at the moment and I’m writing to you from my favorite tea place here in the Village- it’s called the Tea Spot and has a million loose-leaf teas to choose from. I rotate around the Rooibos collection and tonight I’m having a pot of the pumpkin flavor. I need to use their internet because it’s not turned on anymore in my apt. of course, since I haven’t lived here in over 8 months! It is great to be back and feel all the energy in the streets of New York! I feel home! And want to know a secret? No, I’m not watching the Oscars tonight. 🙂 I’ll just see who won tomorrow.

So, let’s talk about something more exciting than the Oscars! 🙂 Our lymph system! Why is it more exciting? Because of just focusing on others’ beauty, your lymph system can help support YOUR natural beauty and help you look your best! What is lymph and what is its purpose? Lymph bathes all the cells of our body (except our nails and hair). It is a fluid substance composed of white blood cells, proteins and phagocytes. A specific and important part of our lymph system- the cerebrospinal fluid- cushions the brain and spinal cord and helps protect them.

Lymph circulates through our body and its tissues, picking up fats, bacteria, and toxins, filtering these substances out through the lymphatic system. At the same time, it bathes our cells in oxygen and nutrients- which is a very important function to help us reach our optimal beauty! Proper circulation of the lymph is important for immune health, though there is no pump to circulate the lymph (unlike blood). The quality of our lymph fluid is very important, as it helps maintain our mental and physical well-being. It is renewed and exchanged by fine capillaries of blood vessels.

Lymph also helps us maintain our physical balance. Our ears channels contain lymph and their changing levels and pressure is connected to sensitive nerves which send impulses so the brain and spinal column, helping us balance and maintain our physical equilibrium.

In order to maintain our youthfulness, perfect resilience and balance we need to keep our lymph system and the blood vessels that supply it clean and free of impactions. What causes impactions? Refined starches is a biggie- namely the highly problematic family of white flours and white sugars. They create unstable glucose levels and stress our lymph systems. Cooked fats and especially animal fats are also a doozie to our lymph system, since fats are collected from the intestines by lymph nodes and are converted into a fine emulsion. They are then passed through the lymph channels to the thoracic duct- which is the main lymph channel in the throat, and then transmitted into the bloodstream. Natural and raw fats such as avocados can be emulsified quickly and effectively and used for fuel and lubrication throughout the body. But cooked and fried fats are much harder and complicated to emulsify, and end up clogging up our systems so that the fat can stay in the circulation of the blood sometimes for hours after eating it.

Eating natural whole foods-mostly greens, other vegetables and fruits- are the foods that will help support our lymph system, keeping us stay healthy and beautiful. Exercise, especially bouncing on a trampoline, and deep breathing will also support efficient lymph circulation.

Have an inspiring and beautiful start to your week! Use all that unlimited power you already have with you to go after those goals!!!

Love, Kimberly

Hall Pass Movie Photoshoot!

Hi Guys!

This coming Friday the 25th HallPass is coming out, starring Owen Wilson and Jason Sudeikis, which is one of my favorite movies I’ve ever worked on (as the nutritionist- not an actor of course!). It is going to be hilarious and you must all go see it!!

I happened to be around the day of the photoshoot (Bringing Owen his Glowing Green Smoothie), and since both Owen and Jason know me and were comfortable with me, the photographer thought it would be a brilliant idea to use me as an “eyeline” for the photoshoot. So next thing I knew, I was marching around up and down on set so great, natural pictures could be taken of the guys!

It was just impossible for me to not crack up and stop laughing with Owen and Jason- their facial expressions and little comments were tooooo funny. 🙂 I love them, and you will love the movie! So go check out Hall Pass this Friday Feb. 25th or Saturday the 26th!!

Lots of love,

Kimberly

Health-Related Interpretation of Mantra

Look at these amazing hummingbirds! We took these shots at the trading post at Indian Canyons. They are such a beautiful symbol of freedom, being able to fly in all directions, without any restraint.

 

Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu

May All Beings Be Happy and Free

Hey Guys,

Though I have heard this popular Sanskrit yoga chant for years, as I was chanting it lately (it was in my head after the Donna de Lory concert, as she has whole extended song chants of it!), I had a different perspective on it for the first time. It’s really interesting how we can hear something thousands of times, but as we change it can suddenly resonate very differently to us. And thus is the beauty of Sanskrit mantras having the power to reveal so much to us about ourselves at any particular moment.

We all have our own idea of happiness. To me it is that inner joy that wells up from our heart and pours out. It is about being in a place that might not be perfect but where we are totally content and at peace. I have always thought of freedom in a literal sense- having the freedom to go where we want, when we want, and not be obstructed. I loved traveling the world, at my own pace and on my own path. Now I love the pace of movement in my life and with my work, and how every day and every week is very different. It really works for me!

But now I also have a new meaning of freedom: health. When we’re in our teens we can take health for granted and not really understand what a blessing good health is. I used to never really make the connection between freedom and health But now I see how many people have various challenges on optimal health, experience inferior energy, or constantly worry about deteriorating health. That can really limit our freedom and cause suffering , because suddenly there are physical restraints and worries and limitations. Since the mind and body are completely connected ill health not only impacts what we can physically perform, but also impacts our thoughts and mental wellness. So in other words if we aren’t healthy we can never truly be free.

The mantra includes “all beings”, meaning that we all have the responsibility to share with each other and help one another achieve this freedom, in any which way. And of course now I am talking specifically about the freedom found from superior health. Maybe there is someone you could help make a healthy meal for (or pass on some extra Glowing Green Smoothie! 🙂 ) or gently and positively share some health information you have that they might not.

We all have so much inner power to make the world and all beings in it much happier and achieve more freedom, which in turn will increase our happiness and freedom.

Have an inspirational day and see you soon!

With deep love,

Kimberly

Happy Valentine’s Day! A Couple Special Picks for You

Sending love out and hiking today in Topanga Valley!

Hey Guys,

Happy Valentine’s Day! Though every day is a day for love, today I especially wish you extra love and gratitude!

Need some last minute Valentine ideas or add-ons?! Here are some of my picks for you on this special day of love:

Music: Donna de Lory- I went to a private recording/concert Saturday night, and it was great! She toured and was Madonna’s backup singer for years, then went on her own to pursue a solo career. I think she describes her music as “devotional world beat”, and her songs are both in English and Sanskrit. She is a channel for love through her silky, smooth voice.

You can download some of her soft and dreamy tracks from iTunes. Perfect for some romantic or relaxing time at home!

Chocolate: Of course on V-day there will be inevitably be some chocolate around somewhere, somehow. Check out the organic delicious dark varieties from Dagoba or Big Tree Farms (also sustainable).

Fair Trade Flowers: Since 80% of cut flowers are grown outside the US, fair trade flowers ensures that these farms get a fair price for their flowers, the environment is treated well and the workers receive fair wages. Because of Fair Trade, communities can reap the benefits of global trade while building sustainable social, economic, and environmental business practices. Check out One World Flowers as a great source!

Organic wine: For a nice glass of wine, why not sip one that is organic and without any added sulfites? Check out Frey Vineyards, which is America’s first organic vineyard and also incorporates biodynamic practices. Sulfites are synthetic preservatives which can cause allergic reactions and headaches.

Charity Gift Cards: What’s more romantic than giving for good and to help others? Instead of buying a paper card, why not send a charity e-card, donating to a cause of your choice. Check out the Charity Gift card site.

Have a wonderful day! And lots of LOVE!

Kimberly

Quick Tip to Minimize Aging Oxidation

Photo courtesy of cooking.com

Hey Guys!

I wanted to write to you this morning because I was blessed with a little extra time today from my clients. Yay!

I was thinking of this topic yesterday as I was preparing some food. In general we want to limit adding in any and all oils in our diet because they are dense fats, and if we eat foods like avocados, sprouted seeds and nuts, acai, coconut, etc. we are getting natural oils in the whole foods.

Oils such as olive oil and grapeseed oil are fragile and we need to treat and store them with care to preserve their healthy properties and ensure they don’t start to oxidize and become rancid (aka rotten), thereby forming aging free radicals and destroying precious antioxidants.

Since oils are light sensitive, we should buy oils in dark containers (NOT like the picture above!) and store them fully out of the light, like in a cool, dark cabinet or the like. We should buy oils in tinted class or stainless steel containers- which are non-reactive. Do not buy cheaper oils that are stored in plastic, as toxic compounds like polyvinyl chlorides (PVCs) can leach into the oil.

But I want to point out that oil is also air-sensitive! Exposure to air will also cause oils to oxidize. That means, when we are cooking or using some oil, we should pour out and use what we need, then immediately recap the bottle. We don’t want to let the bottle sit out for any amount of time, for instance say 10 minutes to use in something else  from an already open bottle! A really good habit to help prevent oxidation is simply capping all oils immediately.

Have a great weekend and see you soon!

Love, Kimberly

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Beautiful cacti in Indian Canyons!

Sacred Land

Hey Guys!

So I wanted to share this stunningly beautiful part of California with you where I was a few days ago: Indian Canyons in Palm Springs. It is made up of Palm, Andreas and Murray Canyons, which are full of rocky gorges and formations, natural date palms, streams, and lots of amazing wildlife and natural plants and shrubs. I really fell in love with it- and in fact, I can’t wait to go back!

The land is sacred and was once inhabited by the Agua Caliente Cahuilla Indians. Because of the abundant water supply and fertile land, they lived off the land by growing crops of melons, squash, bans and corn, gathered plants, practiced natural medicine, and wove baskets. They lived in complete harmony with the land and had complete respect for the earth.

I could definitely feel the spirit of the Cahuilla while I was there- who thrived there for so many years. It is such a spiritual, beautiful place for hiking, meditating, and wildlife-watching. I’m so glad there are sacred places like this that are preserved.

In love and natural health,

Kimberly

Birthday from Up Above!

Hi Guys!

So yesterday was indeed my birthday. No I’m not fishing for tons of belated bday wishes. 🙂 Rather I wanted to share with you the new and exciting thing I did yesterday for the very first time: A hot air balloon ride! While I’ve been fortunate to have many wonderful adventures- sky-diving, shark diving, etc. etc. I’ve never actually been in a hot air balloon. And there is nothing I love more than a new adventure!

I also thought it would be fitting with so many exciting things coming this way for me this year. I wanted to have the feeling of floating up past boundaries and into the sky- just as all of our dreams have limitless potential! We went at sunrise rather than sunset, which also signified new beginnings for the new year ahead.

I also think hot air ballooning is very interesting. When I asked our captain Will, who is ranked #16 in the world in balloon racing BTW :), which way we would be going, he replied, “I have no idea. In a hot air balloon you only go up, down and where the wind takes you.” I love that response!!! We caught some winds, but Will did steer a little bit. We had the vans following us from below, to meet us in the field we landed in. Actually we landed right on a road! Thankfully it was pretty deserted, with very few cars!

And so it is with life. We have control over our feelings going “up” by being positive, making the most of things, spending time with our meditation and spiritual practices, etc. But he “wind,” aka life, takes us wherever… we don’t have complete control. But with our positive energy and being clear on what we want, I believe we do attract the right “winds” that take us towards where we want to go. To me, that is one of the most exciting aspects of life! We have the power to co-create our life, along with the universe.

We had 2 big propane tanks and when we started, and periodically, Will would just fan up the flame! It was pretty loud.

We also took off so quickly! One minute the dudes below were holding the ropes, then the next thing I knew we had floated up thousands of feet! The only thing that seemed a little scary to me was that the bottom of the balloon basket was just a thinnish layer of wood, with a few circular holes etched in it here and there, so you could see all the way down. It wasn’t the most solid “floor” I could have imagined!

Watching the sunrise over the Coachella Valley, east of LA, was just beautiful, and inspirational.

This is the other balloon that went up with us. I like the smiley face on the top!

But with Will we were on the more “serious” racing balloon, one that had only been up once before us! He was a very spirited character, shall we say. 🙂

And there’s nothing like having a mimosa (or a few sips of one!) at 6: 30 am on your birthday morning! 🙂

Have a great week!!!

Love, from my heart chakra to yours,

Kimberly

My Favorite Ingredient of the Moment…

Stretching for the light, just like we all do! I saw this adorable little guy last weekend here in LA...

Taken this evening, as I was preparing some collard green wraps.

Hey Loves!

I hope you are having a wonderful week so far and Happy February! I may be a bit impartial, but February is one of my favorite months. Actually it is my b-day month. 🙂 I love it all! That plus Valentine’s Day… it’s a month full of extra LOVE!

Some girls have a product obsession of the moment- and well, yes I have those too. But seeing as I’m a nutritionist and working with and preparing food for clients on a daily basis, I of course naturally have my favorite ingredient obsessions of the moment as well! Right now it is… da da da daaaaaaa….. Mint! Yes,  beautiful, fresh, bright mint!

Mint is widely recognized as an herb to sooth the digestive tract, and helps ease irritable bowel syndrome and stomach aches. Mint is great for digestion in general as its aroma activates our salivary glands to secrete digestive enzymes, thereby facilitating digestion. Its sent also helps with headaches and nausea.

Mint also has wonderful anti-fungal properties and help balance inner mycotoxins which can aggravate asthma and various allergies. It helps open up congestion through the respiratory tract, while cooling and soothing at the same time. Mint contains a potent phytonutrient called perillyl alcohol, which has been shown to have anti-cancer benefits in lab studies.

Lastly, I will point out that mint is yet another beauty herb, as its properties extend to cleansing the blood, thereby helping to cleanse the skin internally, which helps to fight acne. Annoying and unsightly zits be gone!!

What to do with mint? Here are a few of my favorite ways to bring it into our diets:

1.     Make fresh mint tea, sweet Egyptian-style! Check out my blog on it HERE.

2.     Incorporate fresh mint leaves into collard green wraps.

3.     Add a bit of fresh mint, well chopped, into salads.

Simple, but easy! It’s another wonderful plant food to add to our repertoire!

See you soon.

I send my love. 🙂

Kimberly

Hiking last weekend!

 

Easy Time-Savers to Keep Your Healthy Diet on Track!

This past summer working and dropping off food on-set to Transformers 3 was also a very busy time!

Hey Guys!

I’m sitting on my couch right now, and I could not be happier to be anywhere else in the whole world right now. I had one of the busiest weeks of my life last week (which is why I only wrote to you once)!

Besides working completely full-time for my clients all day and into the evening, I had to “fit in” several national print magazine interviews and taping a few segments for EXTRA (airing in Feb!). But the big twist in the week was a dinner I made for 14 wonderful, creative and inspirational people! As fun as it was, I had to make all the food myself, starting to sprout and prepare early in the week. It really was, well, a lot of work!!

I got to see some pretty cool stunts firsthand on that set! The magic of director Michael Bay, who is a Glowing Green Smoothie fan!

In the midst of the craziness, I still insist on taking care of myself and eating the right nutritious foods to support my body and keep me on top of my game. But what to do when I have so very precious little itty bitty time?

So here are some of my time-saving measures that I wanted to share with you, that help keep me sane and healthy during the especially crazy times:

1.     I wash, dry, destem and tear up the curly or lacinato kale for my kale salads, and store in reusable containers. Kale salads make me feel really strong and full of vitality and I eat them very often. But when I get home exhausted, I don’t always want to take the time to go through all the necessary steps to prepare the kale for salads. I try to load up the prepared kale on Sunday and maybe mid-way through the week, so I have that happy experience of seeing already ready kale sitting there for me when I open up the fridge!

For my Thurs. night dinner party I prepared lots of collard greens for wrapping...filling and instructions are in my upcoming book! Which you can order a pre-sale copy HERE!

2.     I chop up a salad vegetable mix separate to the kale. I keep them separate, as it stays fresher that way and prevents excessive moisture, and therefore sogginess and moldiness. When I make my salads, I just throw in kale from the first container, then reach my hand in this container and throw a couple of handfuls in.  I include whatever veggies I’m in the mood for. Lately it has been purple cabbage, carrots, red peppers, celery and radishes. I really can’t be bothered with washing and chopping for even 10 minutes when I’ve been making food all day for clients and racing around like a banshee! It is so simple but it really is a life-saver, and it ensures my salads are colorful with a wide variety of antioxidant and mineral-rich plant foods. I don’t pre-cup up avocado as it would oxidize and get brown and ugly. 🙂

3.     I freeze the Glowing Green Smoothie in daily servings and thaw them out the night before. I give it a good stir the next morning and I’m good to go. I know what it is like to not have time to make it every single morning! Enzymes hold up pretty well in the cold so you don’t have to worry you are losing nutrition by freezing your smoothies.

Making my famous JMP Raw Lasagna. The recipe is also included in my book!

4.     I make very detailed shopping lists, grouped into sections of the grocery store: produce (the vast majority), spices, liquid condiments (nama shoyu, etc.), almond milk, etc. I can get in and out of the market in record time now, because I systematically work every aisle row by row- instead of circling back and forth and forgetting things in certain sections, and have to go back! This is key because I’m in there grabbing at least a few things for my clients just about every day. If you know you can be in and out of there in only a few minutes, it may also keep you from dreading going as much, so you actually do go more often and consistently have good food on hand!

5. I never go to bed with dirty dishes in the sink! Well never say never… but I try! 🙂 Not only is it bad Feng Shui, but I feel that the energy of being set back a step leaches into the next morning and day and just your dietary schedule off on the wrong foot. I don’t have a dishwasher in either of my LA and NY apartments, so maybe for those of you that are lucky enough to have one, this doesn’t apply to you…but in general the kitchen should be perfectly tidy every evening so the next day is off to a great, ambitious start to make a lot of your own food and make good choices!

This upcoming week will be busy, but thankfully not quite as crazy as last week. 🙂 I’ll be shopping, and pre-chopping up ‘ma greens tomorrow night! Hope you are taking care!

Lots of love,

Kimberly

Downtown Chicago, Transformers 3 style!