Archive for September, 2009

Let them eat…..Sandwiches!

My favorite food for most of my life was a sandwich, on two beautiful slices of homemade bread, slathered with sauce, piled high with thin slices of meat and cheese, thin slices of juicy tomatoes, cold, crisp cucumbers, crisp lettuce or spinach and crunchy sprouts.  In fact, when I was in the fourth grade and spending the night at my favorite teachers home, she took me to the grocery store and I could pick out anything I wanted.  I picked the little packages of skinny meat (you know the chemical, hormone no nutrition kind) and bread (“wonder” of course because I liked to roll the bread into little gummy balls – which, by the way is really what happens in your colon) and cheese so I could have a sandwich.  I was THRILLED when I got to put the whole package of skinny meat on my sandwich because at home I only got 2 skinny slices!

One thing I gave up when I began the detox lifestyle was sandwiches, and really without looking back.  That meal just did not help me to fulfill my wellness goals.  A thing of the past, don’t look back.

Then I discovered sprouted grain bread. This bread actually has true nutrition, lots of fiber, vitamins and minerals and is tasty!  There are several types of sprouted bread, the best, of course, is the one I make myself!  However, I don’t make it for you so that isn’t helpful.  I would you know but it would cost you about $225.00 for 18 sandwich rolls, if you are willing to pay that, let me know and I’ll be happy to oblige.

You CAN have great sprouted grain bread at much less than $225.00 for 18 sandwich rolls.  For around $5 bucks you can pick up either Ezekiel bread, Alvarado Street Bakery bread or Berlin Bakery Sprouted Spelt bread.

If you want to make it yourself, you can buy sprouted flour from Shiloh farms and make your own sprouted grain bread.  Hey, you can even have my $225 bread recipe for free, it’s on my website.  The recipe is at this link http://www.recipes.wellnessworkshopcoolsprings.com/sproutedgrains.html

So NOW I  enjoy a wonderful sandwich with lots of fresh flavors.  Here is my current fav:

Savory Spinach Sandwich

• 2 slices sprouted grain bread (see names of breads above)
• Green Goddess Dressing (recipe below) on each slice
• Layer with: 2 inches of fresh baby spinach, sliced avocado, thinly sliced veggies – mine are fresh tomato, cucumber, avocado and red onion.  Top with any kind of green sprouts (like broccoli or alfalfa).

Slice at a diagonal and serve with a crisp green salad and/or some veggie soup.

TRUST ME you won’t miss the meat or the cheese.  This is a very satisfying sandwich, come on, just give it a try!  Even kids like it.  I received the best email about this sandwich after one of my classes:  This mom of a 10 year old and 13 year old wrote this:

Green Goddess Dressing:

This dressing is to-die-for if you like savory things.  It is a fav in my classes.

Layer the ingredients below, as listed, in your magic bullet (what you don’t have one?  this is a must-have) or food processor or blender:

• 1 cup grapeseed veganaise
• 2 Tbs raw apple cider vinegar
• 1 lg clove fresh garlic (or 1 tsp minced)
• 3 green onions, white and green part cut in chunks (remove root end)
• 1 good pinch of fresh dill (fill the palm of your hand)
• 5-6 fresh basil leaves

Whir in bullet and stir as needed until well blended.  For a thinner dressing add more of the raw apple cider vinegar, for thicker sandwich spread, add less.

Use as a sandwich spread, dipping sauce for veggies or as a salad dressing.

This recipe makes about 2 cups, it will keep for at least a week, if it lasts that long.  You might want to note before hand that while it is healthy, it is not low calorie so you shouldn’t eat the whole thing at one sitting!  Just a touch!

How often is it reasonable to have a sandwich like this? Once or twice a week, provided you are eating 50-75% raw fruits and veggies the rest of the day!

Happy Sandwich!

Celeste

For more information on healthy eating and more great recipes go to:

The Wellness Workshop

The Wellness Workshop is joining forces with Focus Fitness personal training studio in Berry Hill. The relationship will become an integral part of the Total Health Makeover program. As you work toward attaining higher levels of mental, emotional and physical performance in your daily lives, a regular program of physical activity is essential. Focus will be offering fitness assessment and program development to supplement the other significant lifestyle changes you discover as part of the Total Health Makeover program.

Focus Fitness is more than building strength, endurance and the physical capacity of the body. Stewart Breeding, founder of Focus understands that ultimate performance enhancement is about the MindBody connection. The mind is an essential component of every training program, including weight management, rehabilitation and sport specific training. The extensive range of clientele includes first time exercisers, elite competitors and individuals of all ages who are ready to change. Stewart and his staff utilize traditional methods of exercise science and fitness combined with the expertise of Dr. Tiffany Watson, a sport and exercise psychology consultant and performance enhancement specialist. This results-driven method makes Focus Fitness the only MindBody performance studio in Nashville. Take advantage of this invaluable opportunity to Get Focused!

How long do you want to live? Another hour, year, perhaps 20 or 50 years?

Many times I’ll hear people say they don’t want to live to be really old.  They are afraid of being stuck as an invalid in a nursing home. What if you were strong in your mind, body and spirit?  What if you were loving life, feeling great and making a difference?  How long would you like to live if that was your life?

I love the true-life story of Dr. Norman Walker who lived at least be 99 years old. I was originally told he lived to 115 but according to an article about him on Wikipedia, his death certificate stated he was 99.  Regardless of if he was 99 or 115, how would you like a eulogy like this?

“Norman W. Walker: He was not ill (when he died) – he had no disease in his body, he never suffered any pain, and his mind was clear and active to the very end. He simply went peacefully to sleep and did not awaken. He had outlived all of the members of his family. H is survived only by his wife Ruth (Helen Ruth), who has worked with him tirelessly, in complete dedication to all of his principles of healthful living.”

Or your could have the eulogy of one of the kings in the Bible “he died to no one’s regret”.  Hmmmm…..I think I’ll follow Norman Walker!

Personally, I want to live as long and strong as I can.  My life is certainly not perfect and I have many challenges in living with intention but my heart keeps starting over!  Some of my intentions are:

• My daily food choices are based on giving my body what it needs to function well and rebuild stronger not weaker.
• I plan my life around the things I know God wants me to accomplish and the things I know keep my body healthy.  Things like good, real food, daily fellowship with my creator and in His Word (the Bible), daily exercise and nourishing loving relationships.
• I seek God’s direction for my life
• I make it my goal to give good gifts to those I work with and for, gifts of love, life, joy and peace.

While doing my part, I also recognize that my life is in the loving hands of the Creator of the Universe and He knows my days from beginning to end.  I could do all these things and still die at a young age.  But whenever my time is to go home with the Lord, I will have lived a great life!

One of the biggest obstacles to good health and a sense of well being is right between your ears…..your thinking! Negative thoughts reign across all methods of health care as the  numero uno cause of poor health and disease.

Negative emotions like fear, worry, selfishness, bitterness, unforgiveness, resentment, pride, revenge and hatred will sabotage all your good efforts at staying healthy.

The great news is your thoughts are relatively easy to change. The first step is just to decide to change them, the rest will fall into place.

A great place to start is the 40 day fast from negative thinking at this website:

http://fromtheinsideout.us/

A good plan to follow to attain long life and peace is found in Proverbs 3 from the Bible:

The author of this book gives 10 simple ways to attain long life and peace.

The author said not to forget his commands but let your heart keep them…and they will add length of days and long life and peace to you. Interesting words, Let Your Heart Keep Them! (the word LET implies we have a choice).

1. Do you want to find favor and high esteem in the sight of both God and Men!

• Here’s How: Let mercy and truth be your guide in your thoughts and your words.  Make mercy and truth so important that it is as if they were written in big words around your neck.  Make mercy and truth your rule for every word and action.

2. Do you want some direction for your life?

• Here’s How: Trust in the Lord with all your heart.  Do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge that He is in control.

3. Do you want healthy strong bones and body?

• Here’s How: Do not be wise in your own eyes or follow your own form of wisdom.  Respect God enough to do what He tells you to and depart from evil.

4. Do you want to be overflowing with abundance of provision and have the work of your hands prosper?

• Here’s How: Honor the Lord with all your possessions and give him the first 10% of all your increase.

5. Something to remember when you are going through a learning curve in life.

• The lord loves you so He corrects you and disciplines you, just like a father disciplines and corrects the child he loves.

6. Do you want to be really happy?

• Pursue and find wisdom and understanding.  Her proceeds are better than the economy or the stock market. (True wisdom is living life from God’s point of view).

7. What will wisdom and understanding get you?

• Length of days, riches and honor and all her paths are peace.

8. Want to see some of the results of God’s wisdom?

• He founded the earth by His wisdom
• He established the heavens and the universe by His understanding
• The sea and clouds were set up by His knowledge

9. Want to know what God’s wisdom and understanding will do for you?

• Life to your soul
• You will be known as a person of grace, as if it were a sign on your neck
• Walk through life in safety and not stumble
• No fear when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet
• No fear of sudden terror or trouble
• The Lord will be your confidence
• You will not be caught in a trap that will keep you from life and peace

10. Here are some more instructions for life and peace:

• Always do good if it is in your power to do it
• Always help someone right when they need it, not at your convenience
• Always live in peace with your neighbor and everyone for that matter,  because  we live in community for safety
• Always choose the way of freedom, not oppression

God’s secret counsel is with the upright! He gives GRACE to the humble.

These are the keys to long life and peace.  They really aren’t hard.  All they require is for us desire God’s best and not our own.

There are some things I need to constantly be working on myself.  trusting in the Lord and not going by my way of thinking.  Always seeking God’s point of view and His wisdom instead of getting upset about my circumstances.  Reminding myself of how much God loves me and choosing to receive His love on a daily basis.

I want long life and peace, do you?

Colon Hydrotherapy, aka, Colonics

I want to introduce you to my favorite health care practices and some local, middle Tennessee practitioners I highly recommend.

Today its Colon Hydrotherapy, aka Colonics

I’m not going to expound about what this is, you can read more at the link above,  but just to say, I lost 10 lbs after my first colonic!  Guess what I was full of……I have now had a total of 35 since my first one in 2006.

I went an entire year in 2008 without even one colonic, sadly, so my first one in 2009 I lost 2.6 lb and 2 inches off my upper tummy, waist and hips!  Amazing, my tummy is no longer looking like I am 9 months prego.

Guys, colon cleansing is for men too….I’ve seen MANY men who look like they are carrying twins and colon hydrotherapy, especially when accompanied by detoxing,  eliminates that look.

How does it work? Basically you go into a very private and spa-like room, lay on your back while the colon therapist cleanses your colon.  The process is quite relaxing and professional.  They can tell a lot about how you digest food, if you have yeast, excess gas, even parasites.  20 minutes later you are finished and feel fantastic!

There are many benefits besides looks and weight loss, this quote is from the Cleansing Concept site:

“In the 50 years I’ve spent helping people to overcome illness, disability and disease, it has become crystal clear that poor bowel management lies at the root of most people’s health problems. In treating over 300,000 patients, it is the bowel that invariably has to be cared for first before any effective healing can take place.”
Bernard Jensen, D.C., Ph.D.: Tissue Cleansing Through Bowel Management

Our Flagship detox program is called a Total Health Makeover and includes colon hydrotherapy with the detox program and several other cleansing and healing modalities.

People who go through the Total Health Makeover rave about their results. Reducing medical symptoms from 60-100% in just 28-days, losing from 6-21 lbs, finding their six pack (abs, that is) and more energy, better sleep and yes, even better sex!

For more information on the Total Health Makeover call 615-975-0186.

Where to find colon cleansing near you:

If you live or work in Nashville or on the east side of I-65 there is a great spa called Cleansing Concept. You will love it, you feel like you are in luxury and Kalia is professional and really knows her stuff.  They also have some good detoxing modalities like ionic footbath, infrared sauna (another fav of mine) and massage therapy.  Be sure and tell Kalia Celeste sent you!

If you live or work on the west side of I-65 there is a great spa called In Harmony. Janice and the girls there also really know thier stuff.  They offer several cleansing modalities as well.  Be sure and tell Betsy that Celeste sent you!

If you don’t live in the Nashville area, check out this website and find a colon therapist near you.

If you don’t live in the Nashville area, check out our on-line detox program:

Virtual Detox Class

Next time I’ll introduce you to some of my favorite middle Tennessee Chiropractors!

Until then, why not get clean from the inside out with a colon cleanse and a detox?

Celeste

Since I can remember I have HATED exercise!  Even as a little girl, going out to play meant taking my dolls or an animal or my friend, finding a spot outside with NO bugs and sitting, talking and probably eating.

Unlike my husband, who spent all day on his bike, skateboard, snow skiing, movement for me is about getting from one place to another.  For instance, when I was a teenager, I rode my bike daily – it was that or ride the bus or walk; my bike reduced the time spent moving my body so I rode my bike everywhere.  I was in GREAT shape in those days.

I’m not lazy about work, I will work my tail off, stand up, walk around etc., but the work of exercise seems like meaningless time spent, after all, where is the end goal?

Well, this summer I finally decided to accept the blatant truth.  My 52 year old body needs movement.  I had been about doing about 5 miles of walking daily for several years and it did FEEL good to get out and walk in the sunshine and listen to the wonderful song birds of Tennessee.  As long as I have a person to walk with, someone to talk to, I love to walk; so my husband and I walked together.

When we moved into town in the spring of this year we had a different but equally beautiful walking route.  My husband, the mover that he is decided he would start running one of our now 6 miles daily.  He thought he would just make that his goal for the year, just one mile a day and then walk 5.  By the end of the first week he was running almost 3 miles and worked up to 4 and stopped there by the end of the first month.  SO MUCH FOR MY WALKING PARTNER.  Not to be left out there by myself, I decided I would also try running, the thing I had hated the most!

At first I just did intervals, from light pole to light pole.  Then I would make a goal to see how long I could “stand it”.  Then I pushed a little farther.  Soon, I too was running 1 mile, then 2 and then almost 3!  Unbelievable, for the first time in my life I was (to quote Forrest Gump) “I was ruuuunnnning”.

I must admit it feels GRRREAT when I am finished.  My best days are the days I run.  Now I am going to the next level.

A new client has inspired me with her story of exercise and becoming a personal trainer.  I have other clients who are personal trainers whom I admire and love but who are so far beyond my level of strength and fitness they scare me; I know I will get there but not yet!

This lady started out like me and now is fit, confident and moving forward in many areas of her life.  So I am going to submit my lazy will and my body to her direction.  I’ll let you know how it goes.   By the way, this totally fit woman lost over 4 points of body fat that exercise could not eliminate during her detox!  Amazing!

My name is Tammy Dooley and I am a personal trainer at Focus Fitness in Berry Hill.  My journey to wellness began 3 years ago when I became a client at Focus Fitness, working with the studio’s owner, Stewart Breeding as my personal trainer.  At 46 years old, I was 38 lbs overweight and had been in recovery for 5 years after battling a 20 year eating disorder.   It wasn’t long until the weight dropped off and I found that age doesn’t have anything to do with being strong and healthy.  My desire to help others led me to personal training.  Over lunch with a friend, one afternoon we were discussing the desire to eat healthier and wanting to go to Whole Foods, without feeling as though we were in a foreign country.  She recommended, Celeste with the Wellness Workshop and I have just completed the 28 day cleanse.  It has been a blessing to have Celeste walk me through the process of shopping smarter and eating healthier meals!  I didn’t feel that I needed to lose weight, but I did lose 5 lbs during the last month and a remarkable 4.8% body fat!  Without any doubt, I can truly say that at 49 years old, I am healthier and stronger now than I was in my 20′s!  The body will respond at any age when it is given the proper nutrition and exercise!    Thanks Celeste for all you do.

Tammy has a great plan for starting out.  Today I went for my assessment. She is checked my strength, flexibility, conditioning and endurance.  She measured my body fat, bmi (is that the same thing?), Vo2 (something to do with how well you breath or something like that and mine was GREAT!) and a few other things to give me a baseline.  Then we will come up with a plan that I will actually do and then we will measure my success.

The hour went by REALLY fast.  I felt great just doing the little bit of exercise we did together and I’m excited to do more.  The place, Focus Fitness, was full of happy, encouraging, engaging people of all ages and walks of life.  That was comforting because gyms freak me out.  I didn’t feel like I was in a place I didn’t belong.

Maybe you already work out and need to go to the next level?  Focus Fitness’ top training programs can help you do that, or you could check out my friend Angie Kirk’s executive group program at D1 in Cool Springs.

Eating well has done great things for my body but there is definitely some toning and strengthening and specific areas of fat loss that I need to address.  Why not join me this fall, the weather is cool and inviting to get outside and move!

By the way, Focus Fitness is participating in our Total Health Makeover program.  Are you ready for a new you?  Call us at 615-975-0186.

Oh, the answer to the question, how can I start liking exercise?  You just have to start doing it.  Find something that is reasonable for your time and budget, something you can commit to for an extended length of time and then do it.  When you miss a few days, start again.

Right Action brings Right Thinking which brings Right Feeling!

I don’t know about you but it gets discouraging to try and make changes in your life for the good; especially when it comes to food and health.  It seems like experts, magazines and books, even professionals you trust contradict each other.  It makes you feel like giving up because you don’t know who to believe.

Deception is the order of the day in our world.  Advertisers use sex, power, love, fear to motivate us to buy and use their products, most of the things they say and project are deceptive.

You have to really pursue truth in order to find it. I use these guidelines to measure truth:

1. Does it match the Word of God, the Bible.
2. What is the motivation for producing the information, it is money?  Is it just that someone wants to share the truth with you for no personal gain? (if they are a professional, are they motivated by money or helping you?)
3. Motivation again, who sponsored the study or research?  Were they searching for truth or a way to market their product?
4. Is the advice they give as close to nature as possible?
5. Does it have common sense as the foundation?
6. Can I trust the source?

Here are some links to information that meets this criteria and articles I think you should read.  Most of the people below have things they want you to buy, but their info is well researched, true and trustworthy.:

Two “must reads” from Dr. Mercola (you should sign up for his newsletter):

• The Swine Flu was spread by the World Health Organization through Vaccinations (by their own admission)
• Cell phones are dangerous for everyone’s brain, but especially kids

Other author’s articles I recently  found helpful:

• What is a “Free Radical and an Antioxidant”
• 3 Keys to your child’s future success (things I wish I’d known 30 yrs ago)

For more about  Truth check out my blog:

How to have long life and peace

For more about food and health check out our website:

The Wellness Workshop

If you want to learn truth about food and how to live a healthy lifestyle check out our Virtual Detox Class.

Virtual Detox Class

Celeste
PS:  Here are some authors I trust, there will be some variation in their opinions, however, they all agree we should all eat mostly plants with a small amount of animal protein.

Dr. Don Colbert, MD:  7 Pillars of Health, Eat This and Live

Dr. T. Collin Campbell:  The China Study

Dr. Joel Fuhrman, MD: Eat to Live

Dr. Jordan Rubin: The Maker’s Diet