Shira Turkl-Rubin

These flowers remind me that life should be colorful and not filled with discomfort

About six months ago I was suffering with food issues just like many of you are – and by the way I still haven’t gotten it completely right yet. I’m still learning about my body everyday.

Before I started to make a change in my life, I would eat, then feel terrible and start the cycle all over again. I refused to make a change because I simply “liked food too much.” The truth was that I found it to be a burden and really annoying to make the change.

I was only hurting myself.

One day someone who I was speaking with, who also suffers from stomach problems, told me that if I continued eating the way that I was then I would have more of a chance of getting colon cancer in my future. That completely freaked me out and from that moment on I began making the change. It was slow, but I have gotten to the point where I am today – eating a diet without dairy, gluten and refined sugar.

To get to this point, I read lots of books on my condition and began paying attention to what I put into my mouth. Most importantly, I stopped treating my mouth as a “junk yard” where anything that looked good would fall right in.

I have stepped up my self-control because I constantly remind myself that eating something “bad” on a regular basis does NOT make me feel good! It looks good, but it completely ruins my digestion system. Of course I can’t always eat perfectly so once in a while I let myself have something that I should probably avoid and boy is it good!

I’ve found so many substitutions for the foods that I was eating on a regular basis – even sweet treats. There are replacements for the foods that you love, even if you don’t think it’s possible – IT IS – trust me! If I was able to make the change then certainly you are capable of it as well. We all have the ability; it just takes time and dedication.

Try as hard as you can to be conscious of what your body is really craving and not what your head is telling you that your craving – really feel it and try to pin point it. You will be amazed as to how aware your body is capable of being.

You are your best teacher, so enjoy the many lessons you are about to learn.

In many of the blogs and forums that I’ve read about health and eating – the emphasis is on changing the fad of eating fast, eating in our cars and in front of the television. The question remains on how to take you out of this routine? Blog writers can continue asking all these different questions, but how are they really going to help you?

Hands on help is highly encouraged for most cases. I would say to get yourself a Holistic Health Counselor (HHC) who can help change your ways that have been engrained in you for so long.

So much of our upbringing remains with us as we grow into adults, even the way we eat. If you stop to think about what types of foods you were eating as a child it may lead you to realize why exactly you are eating the way you are now.

I am on an amazing journey to become an HHC and can’t wait to dive into this new world of helping people in ways that they’ve never imagined.

I hope your day is filled with hope and laughter.

Food Inc. Movie trailer

I’d like you to stop and think about just how many restaurants you eat at per week. Then ask yourself where these restaurants get their food… you probably have no idea where the food comes from unless you wait for the food trucks to arrive. I’ve learned that we as humans, who are constantly hungry for information, have a right to know exactly what we are eating. Why not? What’s to hide?

The truth is that the average consumer has absolutely no idea where their food comes from and quite frankly most people don’t care. If people really knew what they were eating I think they would care. Most meat comes from factory farms where the animals are so tightly packed together and disease such as E. coli O157:H7  is quite easy to contract. These conditions are carried into the food that you eat and you don’t even know it.

I saw the movie Food Inc. this weekend, which shows its viewers a glimpse into the food industry and how corrupt it is. Like many other industries, three or four companies control the food market. They produce meat the quickest and fastest to keep up with the demand from fast food restaurants. The farming world changed when McDonalds needed their products in gigantic quantities at a fast speed. Farmers changed their ways to stay in business and make America happy.

We did this to ourselves… that’s the scariest part. We as Americans demand our food to be at the supermarket no matter what season it is. For farmers the only way to make that happen is to use chemicals to preserve the fruits and vegetables and to plug the animals with hormones and food that they are not meant to ingest – such as corn.

There are so many problems with the food industry and this movie only touches on it. The movie will hopefully open your eyes to at least question what it is you are eating.

You can find it playing at small independent movie theaters but it may not be showing in your area. If so, definitely see it on dvd – it’s so important to know and understand what you may have not known for many many years. I hope this can open your eyes just a little bit because this is a huge issue in our society.

As they said in the movie “you can change the world one bite at a time.”

Fresh fruit smoothie at Starbucks

As I was walking down my NYC block last night I passed Starbucks, which is not surprising since they are practically on every block! I noticed a sign in the window that said “Real food. Simply delicious.” I was really amazed by this since I’ve always known Starbucks to sell items full of preservatives and lots of sugar.

Maybe I’m a bit behind because I don’t really go to Starbucks so I haven’t noticed a change like this, but I do think it’s profound. The healthy community is making a difference! FINALLY!

When I went to their website to check out what they’re up to I found this:

“You told us what’s important to you – real, wholesome foods that are naturally delicious. Well, we couldn’t agree more. That’s why we removed the artificial trans fats, artificial flavors, artificial dyes and high-fructose corn syrup from everything in our food case. From sandwiches and salads to sweets and pastries, all you taste is the real goodness of pure ingredients.”

Keep your eye out for more changes like this – you will be surprised to see that America is becoming a teensy bit healthier.

Have a great day.

Blueberry, banana, gluten free muffin made to perfection

Moist and very tasty

Here’s what I’ve noticed about cooking and baking – It’s fun! AND if you have one machine like a food processor or a blender it makes the entire process so much easier! I’ve been having a great time in the kitchen recently – last night I made banana blueberry gluten free muffins!

They are amazing!!

Don’t be turned off by the “gluten free” because they are moist and delicious.

I used my Kitchen Aid mixer and it was so painless that I definitely want to do it again. If you don’t have a mixer then you can do it by hand or however you see fit.

Makes 8 muffins –

– 2 cups of quinoa flour

– 2 tsp baking powder

– 1 ½ tsp cinnamon

– 1 cup berries of your choice (I used blueberries)

– 1 mashed banana (if you like)

– 3 tbls oil (of your choice I used olive)

– 6 tbls agave

– 1 cup almond milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Mix ingredients together in a bowl leaving the milk for last. The milk will help moisten the batter so it’s best to put it in when you’re finished mixing the rest of the ingredients. Mix well so that the batter is smooth and creamy.

Bake for 30-40 minutes and enjoy.

As you can see it is fully possibly to cook and even bake without dairy, eggs, gluten and refined sugar. So you wonder why don’t resaurants and chefs all around the country/world practice using these same ingredients? Well, personally I have no idea why but I wish there were more choices out there for those who choose to eat healthier.

Again, I’m not saying that you should make these muffins and eat the whole batch in one day or even one sitting, but it’s a great snack when your craving something warm and sweet. I say warm because they’re the best when you pop them in the toaster oven to heat them up before consuming. I hope you try this recipe because it’s quite easy and the outcome is great.

If you find that the quinoa flour is making the muffins taste somewhat bitter, try adding 2 tbs of vanilla. The recipe is fully adaptable, so if something doesn’t sit well with you then feel free to change it! Have fun.

Yesterday I went to The Food Emporium where I was looking for a few items that were missing from my refrigerator. I happened to stroll through one of the isles where they sell pancake mix and sweeteners.

I was surprised to see that mixed in with the Bisquick were healthy brands like Arrowhead and Bob’s Red Mill. I also saw Agave nectar mixed in with the Aunt Jemima’s syrup. This actually surprised me because I am used to seeing an entirely separate section for the healthy items.

When I talked to my fiancé about it, who was in the store with me, we decided that this was amazing because it may be possible that the consumers of Bisquick will go to pick up their merchandise but they will see the Arrowhead instead. It’s quite possible that these people will pick up both to look at the difference and they will surely see that Arrowhead is a MUCH healthier choice! How amazing and brilliant those Food Emporium people are!

I am thrilled to see this new display of the merchandise in their store. Maybe other supermarkets will catch on and it will become a new way of shopping for many people.

Check out your nearest market to see how they have it set up. Are the healthy foods easily accessible? Is there a section made just for the healthy foods? And if so, why isn’t it mixed with the other type of food?

If they make a special section, the people who don’t normally shop there will most likely not find themselves down the healthy section. With this new way of displaying the items, those that usually choose unhealthy choices will be faced with a choice of a healthy brand. FINALLY!

Ask questions and let yourself be heard.

Since I have ulcerative colitis I’ve had times when I’ve had what they call “flare ups” meaning I DO NOT feel well at all and it can last from one day up until three or four days. Well, I’ve done lots of research and have finally found a way to calm my mind and stomach down.

With food I’ve found that if I strictly eat fruits and veggies for at least one whole day my belly gets cleaned out and it’s magical! I immediately feel better once I start pouring the fresh fruits and veggies down into my system. I recommend this if any of you struggle with chronic pain and discomfort.

Calming my mind is another story. I try to take time out of my day to really just relax and clear my mind as best I can.

The trick to feeling better even after you finish the one-day detox is to begin a food journal to see what foods are actually bothering you. This will help pin point anything that’s causing you to feel discomfort.

If your hurting now then I really hope you feel better because believe me I completely understand. If you want to chat I’m here to talk.

I just got back from the gym and I was thinking about something pretty important while I was on the elliptical. As I was explaining in a previous entry about how important it is to change up your food routine, the same goes for your workout! If you go on the same machine for 30 minutes every single time you step foot in the gym then you will most likely be working the same muscles over and over again. You need to change up your routine so that you use different muscles at each gym visit.

If you are listening to what I’m saying and decide to alter some things about yourself then your routines should be pretty messed up by now… but it’s a good thing! Change is very important and of course adding an excitement factor to your life will always spice it up.

Make the gym a time and place where you can let go of your everyday stresses and let out some steam! The trick is to pep yourself up before you actually go so that you don’t bail at the last minute. If you go after work then wake up in the morning and make sure you tell yourself that at this particular time you will be going to the gym – and stick with it! You have total control so don’t let your emotions or a bad day give you an excuse to skip out. MAKE IT A PRIORITY!

I’m always battling with this priority, but I’ve come to realize that if I write it down in my daily list of things to do I will definitely get it done.

Good luck and I know you will succeed in helping yourself be healthy.

Have a wonderful night.

Fresh fruits and veggies

I recommend eating as many fruits and vegetables that you can throughout your day. Carry them in your bag so that you always have a healthy snack when you’re on the go.

Fruits and veggies are really the most pure and whole foods that you can eat. Of course, if you buy the conventional ones they will have pesticide residue on them and they may also be genetically modified. Organic produce does not contain any pesticides and will definitely not be genetically changed.

When your hungry throughout your day, grab a fruit. You will be happy with yourself that you didn’t eat the whole box of cookies, or the entire can of jelly beans – stick to eating the products that leave you feeling nourished.

P.S. Try eating fruits and veggies that are in season, they will be cheaper 🙂

I know that many times people think that grocery shopping is a pain in the neck, but I always try to see it as an adventure instead of a hassle. Try to think of it as a time to explore new items and foods! Be adventurous… eating the same thing gets pretty boring after a while.

Recently I’ve taken a huge liking to Trader Joes. If you haven’t explored the great options that they have I would say to get off of your computer right now and head to your nearest store.

The reason I enjoy it so much is that they have a lot of organic, natural, no added preservatives and no added sugar products. They brand most of their items except for the few labels that they bring in, meaning that they can charge less to the consumers. This makes my fiancé and I quite happy and we head to Trader Joes any chance we can.

I hope you can take this summer to enjoy the beautiful weather and also take the time to explore your local supermarkets for products that are new to you, or maybe aren’t on your usual weekly grocery list. Have fun with it!

Food is our essence and it makes us tick, so make sure to tick healthfully and happily.