One of my most favorite books, Food & Life. Not just beautiful photos but delicious and creative ways to look at food in the form of medicine. #letfoodbeyourmedicine

"Beauty is only skin deep." Well, this is one of those old idioms that when first spoken so long ago had zero to do with food. Speaking in terms of nourishment and our body, skin being the largest organ of our body, I'd say, um, yeah, beauty is very much "skin deep" skin shallow, it's the whole enchilada. If you take pride in your appearance does that mean your character has nothing to do with that? I don't even know if that made sense. So according to this "saying", the meaning behind it insinuates that just because a person is not on the People's 100 most beautiful list doesn't mean they aren't a wonderful human being. But can't you be unattractive and eat crappy too? And can't you be superior looking and be a terrible person? The quote just doesn't make sense anymore, I love when I can do that, take a perfectly innocent phrase and redefine or even un-define it. Confusion aside (which is the point of an idiom in the first place, ha!) I can find hundreds of quotes pertaining to how food affects our body and how we look and feel. "You are what you eat". Yep it's a fact, but does eating processed foods mean that you are a fake person? I dunno, maybe? Depends on your strategy? Are you eating 80% fresh? Then I'd say your someone I can be friends with because I don't do fake. Fake isn't attractive so why not pick food that's not only fuel but also makes you feel pretty and has added beauty benefits to boot. If we feel good we usually look good, I mean appearance speaking it's all subjective, like "beauty is in the eye of the beholder," but should we really give a fig if we are feeling amazing and we aren't on the cover of Vogue? Confidence, self-love, acceptance, kindness are some of my favorite ingredients to make up a beautiful person. Just add nourishment, mix and serve.

BEAUTY FOODS:

1. Pomegranate: In the form of seeds or juice there's no wonder they got the brand name "Pomwonderful" Indeed wonderful, and wondrous with all its healthy offerings. A kind of flavonoid antioxidant polyphenol, which is found in plants gives this fruit its vibrant red-pink hue but even better helps reduce blood pressure. A glass of this juice helps hydrate dry skin and protects our cells from oxidative stress along with reducing inflammation.

2. Figs: These incredible little cuties have super powers beyond belief. From the stem which contains a sap to treat some diseases, to the skin, known in ancient days to be used as an exfoliator. Medicinal uses aside, nutritionally they are magical. Eating figs raw fresh out of a farmers market basket is my preferred way to indulge in this beauty food. A generous amount of dietary fiber is present in these lovely, again, important news to keep the toxins moving at a desirable pace. Just 3 oz has approx. 12% of your DV.

3. Brussels sprouts: These sweet little bite-sized green balls are the Pitbull of veggies. Why do they get such a bad rep? I'm happy to announce they are not only friendly and delicious but have a colossal amount of nutrient value. It's so easy to get all the vitamins and minerals you need from food rather than pills and you'll find plenty of vitamin A and K, in just a cup to supply your body with some pretty fantastic health protection and beauty benefits. Brighten and protect your eyes, and strengthen bones. Yep, this means you don't just have to drink milk to protect your skeletal system. Brussels are very versatile to use also, cooked or raw they are a holiday staple, right up there with pumpkin. I've included an amazing Fall Macro Bowl recipe that you can do with either raw shaved sprouts or cook 'em. It's a win either way. It could also make a great side dish for your Thanksgiving table.

Fall Macro Bowl

1 C. Shaved Brussels Sprouts

1/4 C. Diced Yams

7 Asparagus Tips (grilled)

1/2 C. Farro (uncooked, reserve the other half after cooked for another time)

1/4 Chickpeas ( I like to keep them fresh, slightyly cooked, you can boil)

Pomegranate Seeds

Toasted Walnuts

Horseradish Dressing: Mix the following together.

1 Tbs. Coconut Oil

2 Tbs Olive Oil

3 Tbs. Apple Cider Vinegar

Lemon (squeeze bout 1/4)

1 Tsp. Shallots (finely diced)

Parsley (chopped)

Salt to taste

Prepare the bowl:

Mix all this goodness together combining 1/2 the dressing. Drizzle on remaining dressing and top with walnuts and pomegranate seeds.

4. Walnuts: I can't say enough about these butterfly shaped nuts. Don't they? Look like 2 butterfly wings? They are quite remarkable in that they contain a good amount of omegas, both 3 & 6 which is unusual but also double the illness fighting power, like diabetes. There's also a ton of B vitamins which is going to keep your hair strong and luxurious. Did you know melatonin naturally exists in walnuts? A calming healthy snack before bedtime to help boost your zzz's. The skin of the walnut is where all the goodies are hidden, so if you aren't used to the bitter taste then try toasting them. I throw mine in smoothies. Oh, but have you tried walnut butter? It's addicting so don't get carried away, but please do sample some.

5. Apples: Contain this juicy antioxidant called quercetin. Say it with me 'kewr-se-ten, cool right? This fruit as a powerful functional food helps ward off the damaging effects of sun rays that may cause skin cancer. It's true what they say, "an apple a day...." O.K. so this idiom is very on point, probably because it's a proverb so I'm gonna leave that one alone. A day doesn't go by that I don't have at least a slice of apple. Top it with nut butter, maybe walnuts, hint hint. Chop it up in salads. Bake it whole with cinnamon. Throw a baked apple in a food processor for homemade apple butter.

Can I talk for a sec? about the most important beautyfuel element? Sadly the often forgotten, sometimes called plain and boring, but we can't live without it so figure out a way to drink it, WATER! It's the ultimate in flushing out the bad to make room for the good. Keeps us glowing and supple. Hydration is non-negotiable. When you're dehydrated you're punishing your glorious body, why would you do that? Saying you forgot to drink your water today is like saying you forgot to breathe. Now doesn't that sound ridiculous? Well, it's true, so if putting on makeup, getting your hair done, working out and beautifying are your thing than water to shall be your jam. I keep a big glass, full, next to my bed so first thing in the morning I replenish some of what I lost while I was dreaming about pumpkin spice pancakes.

So let me leave you with this just to drive home all this info I have supplied you with this fine Fall Friday morning. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't get a comment about my skin. Like, not just in passing, they get up close and personal, looking at every pore. "What are you doing for your skin?" I do take care of my face, keeping it clean. I don't wear make-up unless I'm outdoors and then it's just a light tinted moisturizer. But I was a very naughty sun bather, no not that kind, I grew up in a generation of no sunscreen and slathered on baby oil and roasted myself "til I was bright red, a big no-no. So I am very fortunate to have the skin I have, however, I am a living proof, a walking billboard if you will, that if you eat smart your body rewards you. How I eat, and what I eat has for sure slowed down my (knock on wood, amen) aging process, double knock on wood. So why not just eat foods that make you feel amazing, nourish you, and fuel your beauty. Happy Friday Friends!

Happy Friday Food Athletes! Sorry, it's been so long since my last post, it's a learning process. I also write for a site called Beyond Yoga, I blog for the Move section and starting October 24th I will have my first post going up on the Taste section so look for that coming up. All about pumpkins!!! So for now, I'm happy to be back with you again and if you have comments I'd love you to share with me. #letfoodbeyourmedicine

Be Happy, Be Healthy, Love Your Body,

xx Jessi (your Food Athlete) xx

P.S. I've done up a little holiday beauty treat for you here it's a spicy body scrub and I was saving it for Halloween but I couldn't resist sharing now. I will be talking all about pumpkin later this month as we head into our beloved spooky day Halloween, as well as talking about it benefits along with some fun recipes you can actually eat. Since we are talking bout beauty today also I wanted you to get an un-edible taste of what other functions foods may have. Check out my Pumpkin Body Scrub DIY here.

Good Afternoon Food Athletes!

How are you feeling today friends? Like down deep down in the pit of your stomach? Everything churning the way it should be, or do you wake up every day with that not so settled feeling. No, this is not the beginning monologue of an infomercial. The gut topic is an ongoing investigation. If your sole focus is dieting (hate that word) for a flat stomach, how you look on the outside, surprise!!!! The real work starts from the inside. It begins internally with an awakening of your habits. Recognize where you may be lacking, what you could improve and what is working for you. It's typical for a new client to come to me with a desire to modify food behaviors because they experience an achy tummy, usually due to unhealthy nutrition. But it's also possible to experience irritability from an imbalance of whole healthy foods. Too much of a good thing isn't always a good thing. Changing too many behaviors all at once can be shocking to your body so I advise taking baby steps. "Don't bite off more than you can chew" so-to-speak. There are so many factors that could be the culprit to an angry stomach. Although physically painful, it's also a total bummer emotionally, I'm sure we have all experienced being in a bad mood because of a belly ache.

I was a bit anxious as a kid, (please hold your comments) and sadly a kid doesn't really learn how to stress manage so I was at the mercy of my food being the dictator of my tum. It's a whole new world today and I wouldn't be at all surprised to see child practicing meditation, which would be incredible. So much of how our food reacts in our body has to do with our emotions, that's what I was talking about earlier when I say the work begins within. Although it's important to understand your history with food, try not to get obsessed or hung up on your past eating behavior in such a way that it impacts your wanted improvements negativity. As with life, it's easy to wish we did it differently in situations that bring us discomfort but looking for the lesson will keep us moving forward. Eating is a very sensitive conversation and it may give you a stomach ache just to talk about your food diary, so find silver linings even if it has to do with broccoli. One thing I hear from clients who are starting from ground level, like beginner 101 how to eat, is that they can't digest certain foods, and they have read something about avoiding this or that because it makes them puffy. My first suggestion, stop looking for reasons to eliminate food from your diet because you want a flat stomach. It's a myth that if you eat carbs you are going to get a large belly. If you are going to read on the web, read evidence based articles, follow a Nutritionist or RD or Doctor who has credentials. Here's what you want to avoid, a title of a blog that starts, "new discovery in fat loss", it's probably not going to be your safe solution to weight maintenance. The thing is that the human body is not a new discovery and if you learn more about our body and how we are designed to function than you can move on to attending to your own individual needs, with the guidance of a professional. So that's my little lecture for today. Moving on and back to the gut. Our intestines are beasts inside this body of ours. Just to give you a fun visual, I'm a little over 5 foot tall and when you uncoil a large intestine it's about as tall as me, and the small is 20 ft. What?!?! How on Earth are these things hanging out in this little human? Baffling and amazing. Once again the human body never fails to peak my interest. Well, without getting any more graphic, that was probably a lot for a Monday, these internal machines have the very important jobs of helping to absorb and store nutrients along with managing our digestion. So let's not make these innards angry and simply give them what they want. Here I go again, EAT A VARIETY OF WHOLE FRESH FOODS. If you are getting tired of hearing me say that go order a Happy-Meal, stop reading my blog and call it a day.

Or, try these tips:

No. 1 get regular

Be rigorous with your commitment to your lifestyle. Here's a smart start point, follow the 80-20 rule. This means the majority of your foods are fresh and whole. Are you vowing to begin a new way of eating? This begins with consistent behavior, if your old way was sporadic, skipping meals and fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants mentality, then start scheduling in your meals. Part of being "regular" is teaching your body basic good habits, which includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and lots of water.

No. 2 food-aid

Incorporate foods that aid in digestion and enzyme breakdown. Some of my faves I've listed below. Fruits and veggies contain fiber, great fillers and helps to keep it all moving and absorbing in your system. Probiotics are super gut soothers and intestine balancers. Fresh herbs not only add flavor to meals but some are medicinal.

Banana

Pineapple

Papaya

Avocado

Apples

Spinach

Peas

Beans

Oats

Kimchi

Yogurt/ Keifer

Apple cider vinegar

Seeds/ chia

Fresh Herbs/ Mint, Dandelion (greens) Tea

Hydrate! Lots of water.

No. 3 de-stress

Eliminate stress, yep, this is a tricky one. Once you get on a negative wheel that's turning and turning it begins a circle of doom, very unsupportive for the tummy. Avoid stress, may be a more realistic way to go, since unexpected situations can pop up. Try some slow deep breathing exercises and meditation to calm your insides. You do have the power to control how you react by becoming a master manager of your emotions.

No. 4 Mindful eating

Don't inhale your food. My dad is the slowest eater on the planet. Way before he got older and it became more difficult to eat hard foods (the denture thing) we would have this 2-hour marathon breakfast. Now every Sunday it's still "quality time" cause it takes forever to get through a pancake. I did not pick up this habit, and I've literally had to stop and put my fork across the room to just slow myself down, I just love food so I get carried away sometimes.

Take small bites. Chew your food. Don't over eat. I was taught to finish my plate or I wouldn't get dessert. This is a challenging one for parents because you are working hard to get the kiddos to eat and finish the food, but there is a fine line dealing with portion sizes these days and also the obesity epidemic. OMG, I have so much to talk about, sorry, getting back on track. My point, leave your stomach only partially full, 10% left over. So how do you know when you're done? It takes bout 20 minutes for your brain to tell your stomach that you are full so get tuned into your feelings. Don't just follow your gut on this one.

So Athletes, starting from Halloween and through the New Year, nutrition and fitness are in full swing. Goal setting and resolutions are put into action. There's scrambling and tripping over everything to get to the juice cleanse shop, everyone's mind is racing and trying to figure out a plan of attack to make it through just one more holiday party. No one wants to deal with the feeling of dread and regret the next morning because they over ate and drank. Maybe something sounds true and familiar and you're ready to make the next move. Whatever choices you make I wish the only belly ache you are having this holiday season is from a life full of fun and laughter.

PS, A majority of food strategies touch upon feelings, and being able to identify them. The process of eating isn't just an action of a spoon to mouth and moving the shoulder joint and jaw. If you are interested in fine tuning your eating behaviors, and BTW having fun too, click here to work with me.

Happy Monday Food Athletes!

Be Happy, Be Healthy, Love Your Body,

xx Jessi (your Food Athlete) xx