Health Tips

Choosing to embark on a new path toward optimal wellness takes a lot of dedication, hard work and breaking some of your old habits. But how do you cope when your friends, family and colleagues begin to sabotage your new lifestyle?

I began my wellness journey during college when I moved down the street from Evanston’s Whole Foods. I explored new foods (aka vegetables and fruits) and bought countless health books. I became instantly drawn to Dr. Andrew Weil’s masterpiece Spontaneous Healing.

Do you spend a lot of time worrying about other individuals’ wants and needs, and in doing so, neglect your own??? We live in a society where this is extremely common place on both a career and personal level. But to live a healthy and fulfilling life, we must put ourselves first and not allow stress and anxiety to overpower us.

Place chicken breasts in the crockpot with onion, carrots, red potatoes and two garlic cloves. Cover with chicken broth, cream of mushroom soup and black pepper. Add in sliced mushrooms the last hour of cooking.

Mix beef with garlic powder, pepper, Italian seasoning and parsley. Shape into 4 patties. Cook over medium-high heat, either in a skillet coated with olive oil spray, grill pan or on a grill, for at least 4 minutes on each side.

Combine all the ingredients except the olive oil in a large mixing bowl and shape into about 30 meatballs 1 inch across. Spray a large nonstick skillet generously with olive oil. Cook the meatballs for 5 to 6 minutes, working in batches if your pan is not large enough to fit them all, occasionally moving them around to brown all sides.

Need an emotional lift or simply to blow off some steam?! Getting in a little exercise can be just what you need to turn that frown upside down. Regular physical activity stimulates various brain chemicals that make you feel happier, and is also a key factor in maintaining your overall health, weight and energy levels.

Healthy fats are pivotal to achieving optimal wellness. Monounsaturated fats (olive oil, avocados, nuts) and polyunsaturated fats (Omega-6 and Omega-3) have a tremendously positive effect on your health, when eaten in moderation. Omega-6 (sunflower oil, corn oil, safflower oil) and Omega-3 (salmon, flax seeds, walnuts) fats are called “essential” fatty acids (EFAs) because our bodies need them, but cannot manufacture them.