Finding comfort in Primary Food so that the food we eat becomes Secondary Food

One of the concepts that I studied at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN) that distinguishes my Health Coaching Program from other programs is the idea of "Primary Food".  You will not see Primary Food on the USDA Myplate, it is a concept developed by Joshua Rosenthal, the founder and director of IIN. Primary Food relates to lifestyle factors that create optimal health.  This includes relationships, physical activity, career and spirituality.

When I first began Health Coaching, I did not expect to be discussing these areas of my client's lives with them. I encourage clients to look at these 4 aspects of their lives as a form of nutrition, because these aspects of life "feed" them on a much deeper level than food. The food we eat plays a central and critical role in creating our health and wellness, and it is extremely important for us to discover the right foods for our bodies.  However, the 4 forms of primary foods will nourish us and can make our lives complete and wonderful.  When our primary food is balanced and satisfying, our life fills us up with joy, it "feeds" us. Our hunger for the food we eat diminishes as we feel "full" in our soul and the food we eat becomes "Secondary Food".

Ask yourself the following questions to see if your primary foods are in balance:

1) Are my relationships with my spouse, children, other family members, friends, co-workers healthy and do they support my individual needs and wants?

2) Is physical activity a habit that I fit into my weekly schedule? Different types of movement nourish our bodies in various ways. I work with my clients to help them identify what form will keep them feeling balanced, nourish them, and fit into their schedule.  Some of my clients who have been rigorously doing aerobic exercise several days a week, substitute one day with yoga which helps them in unexpected ways such as reducing their cravings because they are feeling less tight and tense.  Ask yourself, does my current exercise routine fit my current condition?

3) I spend 8-10 hours a day at work, am I doing work I love? Maybe you do not need a new career, just a change in work space, a raise, a more flexible work schedule. Go after whatever you need to make your job a more positive place to be. I do not think it is a coincidence that 2 of my recent clients  in my 6-month Coaching Program switched jobs within their field.  Feeling happier and productive in your workplace will dramatically increase your well-being.

4) What is my spiritual practice that I am committed to and how can I deepen my practice to add more meaning to my life?  Spiritual nutrition feeds us on a very deep and profound level. For me,  I find that connection when I am in harmony with nature, on a walk or a run, listening to music. I also feel it when I am connecting with my community attending religious services and chanting prayers.  When we have meaning in our life, we will stop searching for meaning and purpose in the bottom of the potato chip bag (where it certainly is not hiding), because we feel at peace in the world and that satisfies us and there is no void we need to fill.

To learn more about my Health Coaching Program and working with me please visit my website or send me an email

Suzy Harmon
Harmonious Health
Health and Wellness Coaching

Green Chile Chicken

This is a great recipe I just tried courtesy of the Whole 30 diet. It is a delicious tasting  chicken recipe that is prepared in the crockpot. I love having this in the fridge during the week to serve for dinner with rice, or to top on a salad or in a taco shell for lunch.

What is also great about this recipe is that you can prepare all of the ingredients ahead of time and freeze it in a large ziplock bag. When you are ready to prepare it just defrost the bag the night before and in the morning just dump it in your crockpot and it is ready to cook.

The recipe below will provide you with 2 gallon sized bags that you can use one at a time to prepare in your crockpot.

Ingredients

4 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts

2 (12oz) jars of salsa verde (I like Trader Joe’s Hatch Valley Salsa)

2 cups chopped onions, divided

4 (4oz) cans diced green chiles, drained

2 Tbsp cumin, divided

2 Tbsp chili powder, divided

2 Tbsp garlic, minced

2 tsp salt, divided

Instructions

LABEL two gallon-­sized zip­-top bags with the date and cooking instructions:  “Thaw. Crock pot for 2-­3 hours (high) or 4-­6 hours (low).”

DIVIDE cleaned chicken between the two bags.

ADD remaining ingredients in no particular order.  To each bag:  1 jar of salsa, 1 cup of onions, 2 cans of drained chiles, 1 Tbsp each of cumin and chili powder, 1 Tbsp minced garlic, and 1 tsp of salt.

Freezing Instructions

REMOVE as much air as possible, lay the bags flat, and freeze!

To Serve

THAW the chicken overnight. Dump ingredients into slow cooker and cook on high for 2­-3 hours or low for 4-­6 hours.

Creating Sacred Space for Yourself Everyday

Marilena Minucci a great coach taught me to "Create sacred space for yourself everyday."

That is what I love to teach my clients to do. When we don't do this, we let distractor factors such as perfectionism, procrastination, fear, and the normal ups and downs of life get in our way. Sacred space provides the energy and perspective we need to fuel our passions and give us a special appreciation for life. It is very hard to attain this energy and perspective through the normal pace of our busy lives without time out. 

When I first began this process, I found it very scary because transforming ourselves creates discomfort. Deviating from my normal routine and habits made me uncomfortable. Procrastination often felt more comfortable. However, when I pushed passed the discomfort, and the fear that I was "wasting" time, and began making a daily commitment to creating time and space for myself everyday, I began to notice a lot more joy and calm in my life.

How can you create sacred space in your day? It will look different for everyone. Some find it at their place of worship. Many of my clients have set up a special spot in their bedroom or living area with a comfortable chair, surrounded it with pens and pretty paper journals, a special scented candle, a pretty tea cup and some special dark chocolate and relaxing music. They try to spend 20 minutes there in the evening before getting ready for bed. Others take the dog for a walk outside, listen to their favorite tunes and appreciate nature. Others find it at the gym or in the yoga studio. I often suggest that clients find a special recipe they have been wanting to try, take some time to shop for the ingredients, schedule time on the weekend to pour themselves some wine and enjoy the cooking process when they are not rushed to get dinner on the table. 

Recently I spent a week visiting with my mother in New York. I grew up by this beautiful bay by our home, but I  did not take advantage of its beauty by visiting it and appreciating it as much as I could have when I was younger. On the morning of September 11, while I was visiting Mom, I ran along the bay in an effort to create some sacred space and snapped this photo. I took a moment to pause and think about the lives that were lost on September 11 as well as the lives of those  people who I have loved and lost. This is what creating sacred space does for us, it takes us out of the minutiae of our day to day problems and lets us see the bigger picture of life. My whole run only took about 20 minutes, but the perspective it gave me transformed my entire day, and gave me a deep sense of appreciation for the life I have and the people I am blessed to have in it.

Let's get together in a sacred space and discuss how you can create time for yourself everyday despite your busy schedule. EMAIL ME and lets find a time to get together to talk. Visit my WEBSITE to see how working with a Health Coach can help you improve your energy, reduce your stress and create vibrant Harmonious Health in your life and for your family.

Harmoniously yours,

Suzy Harmon

Health and Wellness Coach

Harmonious Health

Creating Sacred Space on an early morning walk

As my Facebook news feed fills with first day of school photos with freshly cut bangs, college dorm rooms with new comforters and matching pillows with scripted initials hanging overhead, sorority girls wearing matching clothing doing I don't know what (never joined a sorority, but that's another post), cars loaded with college gear, and for my East Coast friends photos of kiddos returning from summer sleep-away camp..I can't help but think back to a year ago today. Moving my middle son into college (even making his bed), for his Freshman year, driving my then 10th grader back and forth to band camp practice, and wondering about my college senior's future.

What a difference a year makes. My now 11th grader, wakes herself up and drives to band camp as I roll over in bed.  My now sophomore son loaded up his car, drove himself to college and has hopefully unpacked, and my college graduate now lives in Washington DC, employed and paying his own rent. A year ago I could not have even imagined!

What seemed so challenging and emotional last year, does not even seem like it should have been a hurdle this year.  I have noticed this same sentiment among the clients I have worked with this past year.  A client who a year ago could not imagine going gluten-free is now bragging to me about all the yummy quinoa recipes she is preparing. My " I am too tired to exercise" client is now out after work walking the dog or doing yoga moves in the morning before work.

What seems foreign to us seems hard.  What is not a part of our usual routine and pattern is outside of our comfort zone, and this unknown...its SCARY! When I left my son at school last year I had to adjust to a "new normal", and with each passing day the newness and emptiness I felt became my "new normal" and it became easier. The same is true with new health habits.

The more you add drinking water to your routine the less you will have to remind yourself to drink it.  The more you take time out of your day for self-care the more you will become aware that you are a bit "off" when you skip it.

I am writing this post as I sit here at the Dallas County Courthouse serving jury duty. We are blessed in this country to have the freedoms and judicial system we have. We are free to choose how we worship, where we send our children to school, what we choose as our career, what and how we eat, and how we take care of ourselves. I encourage us to appreciate these freedoms, and while it may be scary at times to embrace the changes we want to make in our lives, we must do so with gratitude and trust in our ability to navigate these new roads.

To learn more about my health coaching email harmonioushealth@sbcglobal.net or visit my website

Fondly,
Suzy



Photo from my most recent "change embracing" climb up these rocks in Utah on the Iron Canyon hiking trail!!

Are you struggling to lose those stubborn pounds?

As I close in on my first year working as a health coach, I have noticed many reasons why women are choosing to work with me to improve their health and well-being, but weight loss always seems to be a big factor.   I often hear women say, “at my age I just cannot lose weight anymore”, “my body is different than 10 years ago and now I can’t eat certain foods”, “I just have to accept this weight I am at, and I can’t do anything about it”  

While I believe as we age our body’s requirements do change and that we should accept our body types and love ourselves at every weight; I strongly believe that all women can drop unwanted pounds and gain more self-confidence and energy by incorporating many of these tips I share in my Health Coaching Program. Here are just 4 that I share with all of my clients

1) Are you drinking enough water? 

Often your body is dehydrated but the signals are similar to hunger signals. Try drinking a tall glass of water and wait 20 minutes. If you are still feeling hungry than it probably is real hunger not thirst. If you are not drinking enough water, your kidneys are not functioning optimally and your liver is working hard which stresses your liver and stops it  from metabolizing fat as quickly and efficiently as it should. As a result, your metabolism slows down to conserve water, which causes you to retain weight. Try increasing your water intake and see if this helps your weight loss efforts.

2) Are you getting enough sleep? When you sleep your body regulates 2 hormones, leptin and ghrelin that impact weight loss. Ghrelin increases your appetite and leptin signals to your brain that you are full. Without enough sleep, ghrelin levels rise and leptin levels fall. Can you see the disaster that is created without enough sleep…your hormones will increase your appetite and decrease your body’s ability to signal to your brain that you are full. Try getting 7-9 hours of sleep in order to help balance these important hormones which can sabotage your weight loss efforts.

3) Are you eating mindlessly? Mindless eating done standing at a table, while driving, or staring at a TV screen can cause you not to pay attention to your true hunger levels. Try to eat in a relaxed setting whenever possible, and focus your attention on the food and your body. Chew slowly and notice your pace. I often give my clients chopsticks to train themselves to slow down while they eat. Think about where you food came from, and be grateful for it. This simple act of being mindful and grateful can help satisfy you longer and prevent you from overeating.

4) Do you have an accountability partner? Often when women are struggling in their weight loss efforts it is because they do not have a friend or spouse who is there to encourage & support the healthy changes they are trying to implement. Seek out support from friends who share your desire to be healthy, educate your family on why you desire to be healthy, and educate yourself on what is right for your individual body type. Hiring a health coach who can guide you, motivate you and hold you accountable while you begin to make gradual changes can be just the tool you need to help you sift through all the confusing and conflicting information out there. A health coach is trained to create the perfect solution for you, as our motto is, there is no one way of eating that works for everyone, we are all unique and our bodies all have different needs.

For more tips on losing those stubborn pounds visit my website.
Interested in getting more support? Let’s get together for an initial Health History Consultation and talk about your goals and what is standing in your way,email Suzy

Why do we procrastinate when it comes to our health?

Since becoming a Health Coach, I have noticed the following 5 reasons why most people delay taking steps toward improving their health. Do any of these resonate with you? Sometimes just understanding what is standing in your way will help you begin to take action.

1) " I DON'T HAVE THE NECESSARY SKILLS AND TOOLS TO BE HEALTHY"
When people do not feel that they have the ability to perform tasks related to their health, such as lack of recipes, inability to understand food labels, which diet is best for me, they often avoid taking charge of their health because they feel overwhelmed by a lack of skills. Often hiring a professional, like a health coach can help you solve your "skills" problem.

2) "IT'S BORING"
When you are not interested in reading health books, surfing the web for recipes, exercising, one solution is to procrastinate and just not do it. But a solution might be to "just do it" so you have more guilt-free time.

3) "I DON'T FEEL LIKE IT"
People procrastinate and think something is wrong with them if they are not motivated to begin a task. Believing you have to feel motivated to begin a task has the order reversed. Starting the task is the motivator. Sometimes just taking the first step, no matter how small will serve as the motivator to take future action.

4) "FEAR OF FAILURE"
If I really try and fail that is worse than if I don't try at all. Oftentimes the fear of failure is based on perfectionism. Sometimes unrealistic standards are the problem.

5) "FEAR OF SUCCESS"
Sometimes procrastination is because you are fearful of the consequences of your achievement. If you do well, maybe more will then be expected of you.

Based on information from the Oregon State University Success Center

Finding Peace with your Food

Are you feeling stressed, rushed, or scattered as if you are being pulled in too many directions. Are there too many demands on your time?  I hear from so many of my clients that they do not have the "time" to cook and plan their meals because they are so busy, and sometimes they can't even stop to find time for lunch until late in the day.

What I have learned through my own experiences, and from working with clients who are successful, is that prioritizing time to shop, prep and cook your food will actually ground you in a way that will help you feel centered and calm. Learning to embrace and schedule the time needed to prepare your meals for the week renews you, and makes you feel in control of your life and your choices. It actually give you more focus to prioritize all of the demands on your time. Clients tell me that taking out the time to meal plan, cook and enjoy the process as well as their food, surprisingly has given them more time to do the things they need to accomplish. Perhaps this is a result of being more in tune with nature, having better energy, and trusting yourself and your intuition more.

Here are some ways to help you slow down, and enjoy your mealtimes, especially during the busy workday during lunch.  At your next meal see if you can chew each mouthful of food 100 times per bite. Maybe try 50, or 20. If you become more aware of each bite, and practice chewing with intention, you will notice that you feel fuller faster and your food will taste better.  Encourage your friends and family to chew as well. The more you chew, the easier your digestion will be. This is due to the fact that saliva contains digestive enzymes, so the longer you chew,  the more time these enzymes have to start breaking down your food, making it easier on your stomach and small intestine.  Another tip, try eating with chopsticks to help you slow down, relax and enjoy your meal.

I leave you with this quote from Michio Kushi, a macrobiotic educator and natural food pioneer, from
his book "One Peaceful World"...

       " Peace begins in the kitchen and pantries, gardens and backyards, where food is grown and prepared. The energies of nature and the infinite universe are absorbed through the foods we eat and are transmuted into our thoughts and actions"

Fondly, Suzy