by Heather Ferber | Feb 22, 2018 | Detoxification, Eating for Energy, General Health, Immune System, Nutrition, Skin Care, Sugar, Weight Management |
Winter is brutal on your body. I know it’s definitely brutal on mine! I’m tired of the cold temps, gray days and mud all over. So I’ve learned to take extra special care of my body during this season of bugs, illness, close quarters, and crazy commitments. My plan includes eating seasonal foods that support and promote detoxification. The foods with best nutrient density will be those seasonal foods that are naturally grown during this time of year (does anything grow in Wisconsin during the winter?!), and your body needs these nutritional heavyweights to promote the process of detoxification.
Sharing some of my favorite winter foods that aid in the detoxification process. They are seasonal, delicious and nutritious, and provide the antioxidants necessary to guard against free radicals and toxins. (And I’ve been loading up on them this week to beat the scratchy throat I’ve been experiencing…thankfully it’s only me and not the hubby and kids who are having this challenge.)
Collard Greens
High in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, including magnesium and manganese. They are best steamed or sautéed with some garlic and crushed red pepper.
Garlic
The sulfur compounds in garlic are responsible for its pungent odor and taste. They also pack a wide variety of health benefits, including antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties.
Almonds
High in manganese, magnesium and vitamin E. They are versatile and tasty; throw them in a vegetable dish, a casserole, your cereal, or a salad.
Cauliflower
Cauliflower is beneficial for its anti-cancer properties. It also contains glucosinolates that help activate enzyme detoxification. Cauliflower has sulfur-containing nutrients and antioxidants that help boost the body’s capacity for detoxification.
Pepper, Cumin, Turmeric, Fennel, and Ginger
These spices are essential in the detoxification process. They exhibit immune-boosting and anti-inflammatory properties and, when you pair them with detox-enhancing foods, they can get your body’s detox engine revving.
Lentils
Lentils provide the insoluble and soluble fibers that are perfect for stabilizing blood sugar. They also provide support to the intestines, especially during the detoxification process.
Kale
Yes, it’s on my list all year long. LOL! This is one of the truest superfoods with a ton of detox-supporting nutrients. It has anti-oxidant, anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties and may even help improve your cardiovascular health.
Beets
Beets are an essential source of phytonutrients known as betalains. They provide detoxification support and anti-inflammatory benefits. Find a way to like them! While it’s taken me years, they are now a regular in my diet (have discovered I love them in juices with lots of extra lime).
Onions
Don’t over-peel these beauties because you might be tossing out their important flavonoids, which act as phytonutrient powerhouses. The flavonoids are actually concentrated right in the outer layer of the flesh. Moreover, these are high in manganese; vitamins C, B9 and B6; and they are an essential source of potassium. I LOVE ONIONS! And I’m thankful I have at least one kid that does too.
Limes and Lemons
Limes and lemons are loaded with vitamin C. These citrus fruits also contain flavonoid compounds that provide anti-cancer and anti-oxidant benefits. Add them to your water all winter long.
Cabbage
Cabbage’s antioxidant properties make it a must to eat for winter detox. It is an anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer food that is also a great source of vitamins A and C. The polyphenol content of cabbage is different and will depend on the varieties that you eat. That’s why you need to mix green, red and Savoy varieties.
These seasonal foods are easy to find, easy to prepare, and easy to help you detox. They are delicious by themselves or combine many of them in a soup. Take your winter comfort food to the next level with some detoxifying powerhouses!
My last winter detox group for this season kicks off THURSDAY March 1st, 2018. Who will be joining us? You can view the details and signup on my website.
by Heather Ferber | Aug 30, 2017 | Back to School, Detoxification, Eating for Energy, General Health, Immune System, Nutrition, Skin Care, Weight Management |
Hey busy moms it’s back to school season again! Have you found yourself a bit stressed? More irritable and moody?
There are probably times you just don’t understand where your mood is coming from, and it changes without warning.
Unfortunately, this is a common experience for many women! But fortunately, there are foods that can effectively improve your mood. YAY! Right?!
By simply eating the right foods, you can experience a big difference in your mood and energy level. A diet packed with highly nutritious foods can drastically reduce the symptoms of hormonal imbalance such as mood swings, irritability, depression, acne, and weight gain.
Below is a list of a few of my favorite hormone-balancing foods for women…
Are you familiar with the blue-green algae found in ponds and lakes? Well, turns out, this blue-green gunk, known as spirulina, contains high amounts of magnesium, calcium, and potassium. It is rich in hormone-balancing nutrients, which can help reduce mood problems, cramps, inflammation, and breast tenderness. Ultimately, it can help reduce the risk of blood sugar problems which is one of the root cause of hormonal imbalance.
Cod liver oil is a historically popular remedy for all sorts of stuff, based on it’s nutritional content. Fortunately, the contemporary variety is much tastier than its predecessors! Fermented cod liver oil is rich in essential concentrated hormone-balancing nutrients such as Vitamin A, Vitamin D, and omega 3’s that help address mood problems, depression, inflammation, and fluid balance.
Vitex is also called Chaste Tree Berry, which is a powerful medicinal herb. This is especially ideal for women’s health because it helps produce high progesterone levels. Vitex can help relieve PMS symptoms such as depressed mood, irritability, headache, skin disorder, fatigue, bloating, breast fullness or sleeplessness. Vitex tinctures give you the best results and can be added to herbal teas.
In traditional Chinese medicine, bee pollen is specifically used to increase energy, reduce cravings, improve digestion, and build iron. Bee pollen is considered a complete food and is a great source of proteins and other important nutrients such as folic acid and vitamin B. These nutrients are effective in balancing hormones, improving your mood, and stabilizing weight.
Avocados are great sources of the good fats that are essential for hormone synthesis. The nutrients from avocados help your skin release and circulate the hormones necessary to stay healthy. It is recommended to eat a half an avocado per day to get a beneficial amount of fiber, monounsaturated fatty acids, vitamins C and E, potassium and lutein.
Salmon is good for your brain and heart health. It also balances your hormones because it contains omega-3 fatty acids, which serve as a major building block for hormone synthesis. Its anti-inflammatory properties can help fight skin irritations, including eczema and acne.
To stay healthy as well as balance your hormones, you need to eat the right foods!!!
The foods on this list can produce amazing results!!
Back to school month should be a time of happiness, organization, and new found freedom for moms. Time to take back your health and make mama #1 this month!
Join me for the Love Yourself Fall Detox, kicking off September 28th! Details coming soon on my website.
Heather Ferber is a Certified Holistic Health Coach, AADP who helps busy moms get fresh, focused and energized. She is a detox specialist helping women to rebuild gut health, balance hormones and thrive. She enjoys empowering moms to take back their health and feed their families better with simple, everyday advice and suggestions that can be easily integrated into today’s modern family’s hectic lives. You can find her on Fox 6 Real MKE once a month, speaking and teaching classes in the community, cooking in her kitchen for family and friends, playing her piano to relax, or out running with the family dog.
by Heather Ferber | Mar 16, 2015 | General Health, Nutrition, Skin Care, Weight Management |
Winter and spring are very popular times of year to reset your metabolism, balance your hormones, and increase your energy by participating in a whole foods, seasonal detox. Detoxing is another word for “cleansing” where the main goals of the program are to increase the efficiency of your digestive system and stimulate other organs in the body that are responsible for elimination (i.e. the liver, kidneys, skin, etc). Detoxification also works to improve your underlying health so you are less prone to infection.
The most important way of strengthening your body’s natural defense, combating the daily onslaught of toxins, and increasing your energy is to improve your diet. Food can provide an amazingly rich source of antioxidants and other powerful chemicals which improve and optimize your body’s functioning. For women on the go, it’s often snacking that can interfere with our clean eating plans so here are a few of my favorite simple snacks for busy moms during detox time:
Simple Snacks During Detox:
- Raw veggies/crudités (if you prep at the beginning of the week they are ready to grab and go)
- Homemade Guacamole (mash an avocado and mix in onions, cilantro, garlic, and lots of fresh lime juice)
- Beet chips/Parsnip chips (slice thin, toss in bowl with tablespoon of olive oil, sea salt, garlic powder and cayenne; bake at 425* for 15 mins, flip and bake an additional 15 minutes)
- Protein Date Energy Bars (a huge hit with the recipes below)
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PROTEIN DATE Energy Bars
1 cup pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup soft Medjool dates, soaked for 1 hour
1/4 cup flax seeds
pinch of sea salt
2 Tablespoons raw cacao powder
In a food processor, combine the pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds. Pulse for 30 seconds to a minute. Place the ground seeds in a separate bowl and set aside. Add the soaked dates to the food processor and process until there are no large pieces. When the mixture resembles dough, stop and stir with a spoon.
Add the ground pumpkin and sunflower seeds back to the food processor along with the flax seeds, sea salt, and cacao powder. Pulse together all the ingredients again until everything is well incorporated. DO NOT OVERMIX!
Spread the mixture evenly into a pan to make bars. You can also make into protein orbs by using an ice cream soccer and placing each ball on a cookie sheet. Place the bars into the refrigerator for one hour before serving.
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During a detox or cleanse, you should not feel hungry or deprived. Having the proper snacks on hand can make your experience a huge success!
More fabulous detox recipe and ideas are found in my Love Yourself Winter Detox which is kicking off March 19th. You can learn more about this program on my website.
Heather Ferber is a Certified Holistic Health Coach and detox specialist helping busy moms to get fresh, focused and energized so they can enjoy better health, balanced hormones, healthier kids and more calm in the kitchen. She has appeared on WISN Channel 12’s morning news to share her kitchen tips, tricks and recipes. You can find her on FB at www.facebook.com/betterhealthbyheather or on the web at www.betterhealthbyheather.com
by Heather Ferber | Aug 29, 2012 | Cancer Prevention, G.I. System, General Health, Immune System, Juicing, Nutrition, Skin Care, Weight Management |
I have a couple of friends who are doing a juice cleanse this week (driven by a viewing of Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead – check it out if you have not seen it). Apparently, my friends have been getting a little flack, and limited support, for their decision to take on this project. Well, way to go J & L! I’m behind you 110%. The movie spoke to you, and I commend you for taking action to improve your health. This week is probably going to be a bit tough as you get rid of the coffee, sugar, alcohol, etc.; however, in the end, you will feel great, look great, and it will all be worth it. Based on some of the feedback J & L have been getting, it sounds like there’s an opportunity to educate here, so I decided to blog a bit about juicing.
There’s been quite a buzz the past year about juicing as Dr. Oz, Dr. Weil, and many others have introduced their favorite green juice recipes to mainstream America. Recent studies have shown that consuming raw, living food can have a significant impact on reducing one’s weight and improving one’s other health challenges such as digestive issues, allergies, chronic illness, immune issues, eczema, skin eruptions, and more. Freshly made “juice” is the ultimate in raw food. When you are committed to consuming live juice on a daily basis, you too, can experience these amazing health benefits.
Regular juicing can change your internal environment and rainforest. Raw juices, especially those made with lots of dark leafy green veggies, are rich in antioxidants and they help the body get rid of stored toxins and wastes. Sometimes, toxins may interfere with cellular function, so it’s important for our bodies to get rid of them. In addition to antioxidants, your “garden-in-a-glass” also offers an abundance of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, phytonutrients, and biophotons (the light rays of energy that plants get from the sun that are destroyed by pasteurization).
Raw juice is concentrated with tremendous nutrients, that when introduced into the body may aid in weight loss when one has not been successful with other weight loss endeavors. This maybe due to the improved detoxification process. In addition, juicers may experience a significant increase in energy, improved mood, and an overall feeling of lightness, mental clarity, and creativity. These benefits, accompanied by a possible improvement in chronic conditions, encourage juicers to continue with their green drinks.
So, my friends are taking a brief period of time – about two weeks – to eliminate all the crap in their diets right now (sugar, caffeine, alcohol, processed foods, dairy, wheat) to give their bodies a chance to detoxify. After this brief period of time, I’m sure they will continue juicing as they are going to LOVE their newfound energy and mental clarity. In addition to the juicing, they will begin to introduce other food items back into their diet (i.e. grains, nuts, eggs….whatever else they choose to add back in…I’m sure there will be some wine involved too). This will be a great opportunity for J & L to re-introduce one new food group at a time to ensure they continue to feel great.
Kuddos to you J & L for taking on a challenge that many are not comfortable with. You are giving your bodies a wonderful opportunity to re-boot and heal while using the powerful tools of nutrition. By the way, the cleanse J & L chose to follow can be found here.
And to be fair, juicing is not the only way to incorporate green drinks into your everyday life. Many health nuts, myself included, are proponents of blending. Stay tuned for my next blog on blending. And J & L, start saving your $$$’s for that Vitamix fund. You will love it as much as your juicer!
by Heather Ferber | Mar 25, 2012 | Cancer Prevention, G.I. System, General Health, Heart Health, Immune System, Nutrition, Peds Health, Skin Care, Weight Management |
“I’m on the hunt I’m after you…” only in my situation, I am not pining over a lovely lady, I am ravenous for FOOD! Two weeks into my training program and I have noticed a HUGE increase in my appetite. At this rate, I will be 10 pounds heavier by July instead of a few pounds lighter!
Have been working to fuel my fiery appetite with healthy choices – more veggies, a bit of extra lean proteins, an extra snack of nuts or Greek yogurt here and there and some SUPERFOODS. I’ve made the move to incorporate these “Superfoods” into my diet based on one of the fantastic speakers I heard at IIN Mega Conference a couple weeks back.
David “Avacado” Wolfe is the “rockstar of the superfoods and longevity world.” David works and cooks with “America’s TOP CEOs, Global Ambassadors, Hollywood celebrities, busy professionals, and even the most powerful buying influence in the nation—Moms—all look to him for expert advice in health, beauty, herbalism, nutrition and chocolate!” David has dedicated 16 years of studying the inner workings of the human body and he “walks his talk” which was clearly evidenced by his natural beauty, vibrant health, and unparalleled energy on stage!
David’s philosophy is that I am a “gastronaut” (not a wolf) – experimenting with flavor and food in my body to gain health benefits. And there are superfoods that can assist in my journey to obtain optimal health. According to “Superfoods: The Food and Medicine of the Future,” (a book by Wolfe published in 2009), David preaches about his top 10 Superfoods, and he went into detail about most of them during his IIN talk. So what are they? And what do they do? Well, keep reading for the first five…
1. Goji Berries – boost immune function, increase alkalinity & vitality, provide liver protection, improved eye sight & blood quality, deliver anti-aging compounds, and more!
2. Cacao (raw chocolate) – YES! CHOCOLATE IS ON THE LIST! contains the highest concentration of antioxidants of any food in the world! Helps protect us from age-related health conditions and illnesses and protects our DNA from free radical damage. Contains many great things including magnesium, iron, chromium, manganese, zinc, copper, vitamin C, tryptophan, serotonin, and more! WARNING: EATING CACAO MAY CAUSE YOU TO HAVE THE BEST DAY EVER!!! (according to Mr. Wolfe).
3. Maca – a powerful adaptogen which can help the body stabilize its hormonal, nervous, and cardiovascular systems. It is also a powerful aphrodisiac – A NATURAL VIAGRA!
4. Bee products (honey, pollen, propolis, royal jelly) – another great antioxidant which has also been shown to increase strength, endurance, and energy. However, if you have a blood sugar problem, or cancer, it may be a good idea to stay away from honey.
5. Spirulina – are freshwater, microscopic algae that have been living on the planet since the appearance of life on Earth. They are green-blue in color (the green from chlorophyll and the blue from phycocyanin). The benefits of spirulina include: it’s a complete protein source, rich in vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, E and K; and it’s a great source of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), an anti-inflammatory essential fatty acid that is needed to build and maintain a healthy nervous system.
I can honestly say, I have been consuming all 5 of these Superfoods for the past few weeks (and some of them over the past few years); however, I don’t do a lot of honey because of my sugar issue. Spirulina and maca are amazing! My hubby is addicted to cacao. My boys like Goji berries in their homemade granola bars. And who does not like honey?!
So while I try to tame the wolf in me, I am using “the Wolfe’s” suggestions to improve the nutrient quality in my life, especially during training time. If you are interested in learning more about these superfoods, I strongly recommend reading David Wolfe’s book. I am here too, if you want help in regards to incorporating these amazing additions into your daily life.
Stay tuned for the second five superfoods later this week! A few more things from the ocean as well as an ancient healer…
by Heather Ferber | Nov 20, 2011 | Cancer Prevention, G.I. System, General Health, Heart Health, Immune System, Nutrition, Peds Health, Skin Care, Weight Management |
Wanted to take a moment to share with all of you a very special project I am working on.
Over the past few years, my family and I have been repeatedly touched by stories of cancer, many of them very close to home. We continue to watch several friends and acquaintances fight their personal battles. Last month (October), I was seeing “pink” everywhere to call attention to the fight against breast cancer. While on a Frontier Flight, in early October, I heard the stewardess offer pink candy bars for $4 to aid in the fight against breast cancer. What?! Since when does eating more candy help with the fight against cancer?
That’s when it dawned on me that many people do not realize the importance of nutrition in their ability to live a happy and healthy everyday life. So I decided to do something about this.
Hypocrates said, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be they food.” I truly believe he penned one of the greatest concepts in all of medicine, but one that is so often forgotten. It’s my desire to remind others of this great medical concept. Presently, I am collecting and compiling original recipes from family, friends, and colleagues to include in my first e-book that will be about fighting/preventing cancer with nutrition. The recipes will focus on a select group of foods that have been shown to have anti-cancer (anti-angiogenic) properties.
The book will probably sell for around $10 and the majority of the proceeds (everything except the expense to produce the book, if there is any) will go to charities that are involved with cancer prevention and treatment.
Would love to have more original recipes to add to the book. Please think about a secret family recipe that you may be willing to share. If your recipe is selected to appear in the book (after it passes our family taste test), you will have a “personal spotlight” on the page with your recipe where you may wish to write a sentence or two about yourself or how cancer has impacted your life. You may even want to include a website or blog address.
My ultimate goal is to raise the awareness surrounding the power of nutrition. It’s also to raise some great funds for charity in a way that does not require others to give lots of money, as many are struggling during this tough economy. This book “costs” only a few moments of your time. You can help make a difference in the battle against cancer – and in the battle for better food.
If you are interested in participating, please post a comment with your email address and I will send you a list of the anti-angiogenic foods I am trying to focus on as well as some additional information.
Thanks so much for considering my request! Eat and be well.
