I’ve read tons of articles about purchasing produce at local farmer’s markets because of the freshness, quality and cost. I completely agree with everything except the cost! Blueberries on sale at my local grocery store are usually $2.50 for a pint while the local farmer’s market is charging me $5.00 for the same amount. I am sure the quality is better but it is hard to justify that cost when you are living on a budget. Is it possibly the location I am in? Is local produce in California less expensive than local produce in Boston?

Have you ever encountered some reasons not to shop locally? How were you able to overcome it?

xoxo,
helen

I was reading an interesting article yesterday about obesity rates and the grocery stores that people shop at. According to a study done in Seattle, skinnier people are more likly to shop at higher end grocery stores and obese people are more likely to shop at lower end grocery stores. When I read this study, I think about the difference between the rich and the poor. The rich are more likely to be at a healthier weight because they have the means to afford higher quality food. Higher quality doesn’t necessarily mean healthier but most of the time it does. If a family of four has only $10 for a meal, they are more likely to spend it on high caloric foods to fill up. And high caloric foods are generally the ones that are processed and sold for a low price.

It is interesting to think about the obesity epidemic as merely the struggle of the poor. Maybe if we educate people about the benefits of eating healthy nutritious food and the true hidden costs (higher health insurance, more medical bills, etc), we can lower the rate of deaths by the means of lifestyle choices. Or maybe we can simply make good food more affordable and processed foods more expensive so less people are inclined to purchase them.

When I was in Stop and Shop yesterday, I had the choice between a plethora of items but I made the conscious decision to buy a cartful of fruit and lean meats. And this did not come cheap. A container of blackberries alone were $4!

What choices do you make to lead a healthy lifestyle?

xoxo,
h

To say I love food is an understatement. My life revolves around food and to be honest, whose life doesn’t?

Anyhoo, I’ve been trying some new recipes and I wandered onto The Pioneer Woman. I know, weird name huh? But trust me, her pictures and instructions are wonderfullll. And on top of it, she has the most amusing things to say. Tonight, I’ll be trying her salad dressing on romaine lettuce, grape totatoes, cucumbers, a hard boiled egg and some chickpeas.

Wish me luck!

Have you had any foodie moments? Want to share?

xoxo,
h

As everyone knows, there is a battle raging between us and salt. Most Americans ingest WAY too much salt for their own good. So certain companies such as Frito-Lay is trying to decrease the amount of sodium in their products. That sounds great, right?

NO!

They are decreasing the amount of sodium but they are re-shaping salt molecules. Instead of cutting sodium the old fashion way, they are using science to “fix” this problem. (See article here.) I am all for science and research but there are certain things that I do not mess up. One being butter (I refuse to use the fake stuff – if I am going to indulge, I want the real butter) and the second being sugar (no splenda for me please!). I guess I will have to add a third to the list. Tampered salt.

You have any thoughts to this new fangled product in the name of health?

xoxo,
h

I’ve been diligently (not really but let’s pretend) tracking my diet and my eczema flareups and it seems as though milk may be causing 80% of my allergic reactions. I cut out dairy for two days from my diet and my skin cleared up immediately! So now the cause has been found. Dairy is the culprit. Can you imagine a life without cheese, milk, yogurt, and ice cream? There are so many simple things in life that we take for granted. For example, I LOVE coffee, but I cannot drink it black. I generally add a ton of cream or milk to it to give it more body and more flavor but not any more with this allergy. (insert sad face) It’s hard to cut something out that is so prevalent in our diet but it needs to be done. I’d rather give up dairy than continue to be less self-confident in my own skin. Not to mention, the toll an allergy takes on my body.

Have you had any experiences with allergies? How did you deal with it?

xoxo,
h

Lately, I’ve been talking alot about my fitness and health goals and so far so good. In the past month, I’ve lost a lb and maybe half an inch from my waistline. One lb may seem like a silly accomplishment but I am petite. 5′3″ and about 116 lbs. So my main goal is to really tone up and gain some definition.

I’ve been reading stories about Heidi Montag and her 10 plastic surgeries in one day and it isn’t until today that I realized how lucky I am (even with stretch marks and eczema.) I can run (not well but I can hold my own) a mile without stopping now and I can do simple things like hug a friend (which Heidi apparently cannot do because of her fake lady parts.)

I think Heidi looked better pre-surgery. What do you think? What are your so-called “body issues”? And how have you learned to live with them?

xoxo,
h

I know I’ve harped alot about my fitness goals lately but I have really let myself go in terms of my goals to stop scratching. My eczema has been acting all out of whack in the past few months. It has been breaking out on my arms and face (which is one area that it never was before.) The frustration has been building and building because I can’t pinpoint the reason for the outbreaks. I’ve looked into my diet, laundry detergent, beauty products, etc and nothing has changed. My boyfriend said something last night to me to clicked (non-verbatum):
“You can’t change the situation, but you can change how you handle the situation.”

I am fully resolved to not let my eczema take over my life. I am going to lotion even more than usual, use my prescription cream as needed, stop and think about the consequences if I scratch when I am itchy, and ONLY rub lightly if the itch is a 10.

Have you had any challenges in your life? How did you overcome them?

xoxo,
h

In life, some people will never be happy or content no matter what circumstances are thrown at them. I am so lucky to have wonderful parents (who still drive me crazy!), a fantastic boyfriend who loves me unconditionally, a healthy body that can take me from point A to point B, and a warm cozy bed. No matter what happens, I know I am one of the lucky ones… especially with my upcoming vacation to the Bahamas in May

Do you ever take your life for granted? If so, how do you change your outlook?

xoxo,
h

Yesterday morning I was affronted by this in the office kitchen!

Chocolate raspberry cake at 9 AM! Whose idea of a sick joke is this?! I went back an hour later and the entire cake was gone. Who has chocolate cake at 9 AM?! Who am I kidding? That was me before my health kick. And then today was the company’s monthly birthday celebration with:

Now this is getting a bit out of hand! But one thing I have to say is that – I am not as tempted as I thought I would be! Maybe my body is getting used to the healthy food, now that junk is officially out of my system for a week.

Any temptations you have encountered? How did you deal with it?

xoxo,
j

After eating a snack, I generally leave my plate on the counter until dinner time which is no more than an hour. This saves on time and natural resources such as water. The boy does not agree and some people find this little habit dirty as germs will grow on the plate.

What do you think? Is saving a plate for future use (30 minutes later) dirty or is he just being a clean freak?

xoxo,
h