Beat Stress, Fight Insomnia, Get Energized...

Clever Combos...

Are you having problems with Stress, Insomnia, and Headaches???

Well I think it's time to deal with these issues in a Clever way...

Food, yes, certain foods help to deal and or release some of these issues.

Let's begin...

First Stress, it's so HUGE now a days. Everyone is dealing with some sort of stress. It's sad that so many people are getting sick, having Anxiety, depression because of stressful situations.

Of course I will recommend exercise to deal with stress but here are a few healthy options.

Sunflower seeds: Are a great source of folate, which helps your body produce a pleasure inducing brain chemical called dopamine. Try 1 or 2 Tbsp for a snack.

Spinach: Spinach improves your body's response to stress, studies show that Spinach has magnesium.

Try adding to smoothies, salads

Blueberries: Their antioxidants counteract the effect of stress hormones like cortisol on your body.

Try 1/2 cup with your morning cereal.

Clever Combo: Make a spinach salad add your favorite greens such as cucumber, lettuce, kale. Top with blueberries and sunflower seeds...

Next Insomnia...

Yikes, I can't imagine not sleeping. I don't know about you but if I don't sleep I feel crazy.

Check this out, did you know that Yogurt, bananas, and potatoes are good for Insomnia.

Yogurt: Calcium rich boost levels of serotonin, a calming hormone that promote sleep.

Try 6 to 8 oz of yogurt before bedtime.

Bananas: The are packed with vitamin B6 a vitamin that helps keep your internal clock ticking normally, signaling when to fall asleep and when to wake up.

Try a banana everyday.

Potatoes: Research shows that high glycemic index foods like potatoes have a sedative effect.

Try half a potato 4 hours before bedtime.

Clever Combo: I love adding yogurt to my fruit. Cut into small pieces strawberries, bananas, peaches and 6 oz. of Greek yogurt. Top it with 2 tbs. of granola, Enjoy!

Get energized....

After stress people look for ways to have energy, we are living in a crazy world, where we are constantly trying to deal with stress and have energy to do what we want to do. For this I suggest balance what's wild is when you exercise you have more energy. So go for it..also try these healthy alternatives.

Almonds or Almond butter: They help stabilize energy levels thanks to a mix of protein and healthy fat.

Try a small handful of almonds or 1 tbs. almond butter.

Coffee: Studies show that a cup of coffee may be even better than a power nap for a quick shot of get-up and go. 

Try one cup 8 oz. of coffee

Clever Combo: Add 1 tbs.of almond butter to slices of apples...

Last but not least Headaches..

Ouch, I remember when I was younger I would get so many headaches. It's ugly, every noise, smell bothers you. Let's see these awesome healthy ways to combat these painful headaches.

Kale: Magnesium rich greens help you have fewer migraines by fighting inflamation.

Try 2 or more cups a few times a week.

Black Beans: Several studies have linked unstable blood sugar levels to headaches. Black beans are high in fiber and high in magnesium. 

Try 1/2 cup several times a week.

Tuna and Halibut: They have healthy omega-3's, which may help halt the inflammation that leads to migraines. 

Try one or two 4 oz. serving per week.

Clever combo: For dinner make Tuna or Halibut steaks with a Kale salad topped with black beans and avocado.

I hope you enjoy reading my blog with healthy alternatives. As always, take care of your body. Love life, help people. Live life on purpose.

To our health

Angie Castillo

Lifestyle Coaching

Why detoxing is so important?

          Detox and why is it important???

Hello world, I am so happy sharing this with you all. This weekend I spent the entire weekend watching food documentaries..and holy cow, Ouch!!! I consider myself healthy but after watching these documentaries I feel inspired to share with everyone the importance of detoxing and juicing.

     I used to consider detoxing taking a pill for 10 days, and that was it. I thought I'm clean now, nope..I still had the re-occurring headaches, fatigue, & depression. I've learned a lot.

       I continue to study, read and expand my awareness to health and fitness. One thing I realize is that juicing to detox your body is so important. Juicing will detox the  heavy metals in your body, the junk and gunk in your body. So many people ask why they can't loose weight?. Mostly because there is so much gunk in the body that needs to be cleaned out to start loosing the weight. 

There are so many diseases in our day in age, you go to a Doctor and they prescribe medication, where basically they are not curing the disease. Juicing will begin to re-boot your body. 

You need colors in your juice for nutrition.

It's so important to add variety, also adding aloe vera, chia seeds, seaweed, parsley, cilantro to your juices will make a big difference.

Aloe Vera:

Aloe helps in Detoxification

Aloe Vera is a gelatinous plant food, just like seaweeds and chia. The main benefit to consuming gelatinous plant foods in your diet is that these gels move through the intestinal tract absorbing toxins along the way and get eliminated through the colon. This will help the proper elimination of waste from your body and help the detoxification of your body.

Chia Seed:

Help weight loss. Chia seeds are popular for weight loss. They reduce food cravings by preventing some of the food that you eat from getting absorbed into your system. This blockage of calorie absorption makes them a great diet helper. You feel fuller faster, reduce blood pressure. They are the richest plant source of Omega-3.

Seaweed:

Seaweed's best-known benefit is that it is an extraordinary source of a nutrient missing in almost every other food: Iodine. Consuming healthy levels of iodine is critically important to maintaining a healthy thyroid, a gland in your neck which helps produce and regulate hormones. A malfunctioning thyroid can result in a wide range  of symptoms such as fatigue, muscle weakness and high cholesterol.

Parsley:                                                                 Cilantro:

                                                          

        I'm adding a few recipes for juicing, for more information on juicing, please feel free to add your name to the right, workshops soon to be scheduled...Also please check the following movies...
"Food Inc.", "Fat, sick & nearly dead", "Engine 2 Kitchen Rescue", "Vegucated".
There are many food documentaries, but just watching these your world can change. 

 

Remember stay healthy, stay fit and live a good life....

 Angie Castillo

Lifestyle Coaching

Living a fabulous fit life....

Yoga vs. Pilates what's better for you???

What is the difference of Yoga and Pilates and which one is   better for you???

The word yoga itself means "union": of the individual consciousness or soul with the Universal Consciousness or Spirit. Though many people think of yoga only as physical exercises — the asanas or postures that have gained widespread popularity in recent decades — these are actually only the most superficial aspect of this profound science of unfolding the infinite potentials of the human mind and soul.


The mind-body practice is frequently touted for its ability to reduce stress and boost well-being, but it also offers wide-ranging physical health benefits that rival other forms of exercise.

Hatha: This type of yoga is slow-paced, gentle, and focused on breathing and meditation.  To introduce beginners to yoga with basic poses and relaxation techniques. Relieves stress, provides physical exercise, and improves breathing. Beginners and people wanting to learn the basics of yoga

Vinyasa: This variety of Hatha yoga emphasizes on the Sun Salutation, a series of 12 poses. To link the breath with movement and to build lean muscle mass throughout the body. Helps improve strength and flexibility, tones the abdominal muscles, and reduces the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes. Beginners and advanced yogis alike seeking to strengthen their bodies

Ashtanga: Considered a form of power yoga, Ashtanga is fast-paced and intense with lunges and push-ups. To help improve one’s spiritual self. Relieves stress, improves coordination, and helps with weight loss. Fit people looking to maintain strength and stamina, and those who want to get in touch with their spiritual side

Iyengar: Different props like straps, blankets, and blocks are used to assist in strengthening the body. Standing poses are emphasized, and are often held for long periods of time. To strengthen and bring the body into alignment. Helps improve balance, speeds up recovery from an injury, and builds up body strength. Beginners who want to learn the correct alignments in each pose and those with injuries, balance issues, and chronic medical conditions like arthritis

Bikram: Also known as hot yoga, Bikram is practiced in a 95 to 100 degree room. It’s typically a series of 26 poses that allows for a loosening of tight muscles and sweating. To flush out toxins and to deeply stretch the muscles. Speeds up recovery from an injury, enhances flexibility, and cleanses the body. Beginners and advanced yogis alike who want to push themselves and those with physical injuries

PilatesThe focus of Pilates is physical. It’s a conditioning program that improves deep core strength, muscle control, flexibility, coordination, and body tone, while producing long, lean muscles. It has six principles, which have been modified since Joseph Pilates first created the method in the 1920’s:

Pilates can be completed on a mat, or on specialized equipment such as the Reformer, which utilizes pulleys, springs and weight resistance to build strength. The regimen involves calisthenics that isolate and work each muscle group without creating bulk. 

1. Centering (strengthening The Powerhouse—abdominal muscles, pelvis, buttocks and lower back)
2. Concentration (bringing full attention to each exercise)
3. Control (utilizing total muscle control)
4. Precision (every movement has a purpose)
5. Breath (exercises are coordinated with the breath)
6. Flow (movements are smooth and graceful)

Pilates 
on a Reformer  uses springs, pulleys, bars & straps to perform over 500 exercises in a variety of positions. The equipment was originally developed to offer movement & rehab to the injured, but today it offers a more                   challenging version of the matwork.

Pilates also enhances respiratory and circulatory function, both helpful in managing arthritic pain and reducing muscle and tendon soreness. And, through the development of a stronger core, and emphasis of neutral spinal alignment, Pilates helps prevent and allay back pain, and improve overall spine health.

Pilates is known to stretch, strengthen, gain flexibility and balance your body, while connecting the mind with the body.  Strengthening the ‘Powerhouse’ which includes the abdomen, lower back, hips and buttocks is the biggest benefit that you will get while practicing Pilates.

So after all this information, how do you choose..Simple what is it that your body needs? What are you looking for to achieve and what do you want your body to look like?
 In simple words...Yoga will give you a body that is muscular and strong. The poses are held for seconds and/or minutes..
Pilates will give you a long lean look, the poses are repetitive never really holding them. Lot's of repetitions. If you have back injuries I prefer Pilates. I have over 15 years of lifting weights and for me holding a yoga pose is very excruciating pain. Pilates are easier on my body. 

Thank you for taking a look at this week's blog

Stay healthy, strong, be fit and love life.

Angie Castillo

Life Style Coach

More goodness for your health...

Did you know Beets are good for you?

Did you know that beets have several health benefits???

Red beets are known by a whole host of names, including the garden beet, the table beet, and just the plain old beet. One of the most popularly encountered types of beet in all of the continent of North America as well as Britain, red beets are just one of the many cultivated types of beets. Most of the time, the roots of red beets are boiled and then consumed as a cooked vegetable or eaten cold as part of a salad, after you have cooked them and added vinegar and oil.

Beets have been proven to be a source rich in essential vitamins like vitamin C. Vitamin C is widely known as a potent combatant against the common cold, and while it has been shown to reduce the frequency with which people catch that illness, vitamin C.The juice from red beets, beetroot juice, has been actually shown to reduce high blood pressure, a godsend for people with hypertension and those looking to avoid cardiovascular dilemmas.

Don't Forget the Greens....

After beets are harvested, the leaves, or greens, are often removed because they pull moisture away from the beet. If you find fresh beets with the leaves still intact, cut them off when you get home and store the greens separately from the beet. Healthy leaves should be crisp, green and void of slime on the surface. Beet leaves are very perishable and won’t last more than a few days in the refrigerator. One cup of raw beet greens has 8 calories, 1.4 grams of fiber and 0.84 grams of protein. The same serving size of cooked beets has 39 calories, 4.2 grams of fiber and 3.7 grams of protein. Dark, leafy greens, including beet leaves, are the best sources of vitamin K. This vitamin is needed to make proteins that stop bleeding by clotting blood. These hearty leaves look very much like Swiss chard, and not surprisingly, they cook and taste like chard too. Better yet, they're incredibly nutritious. One cup of beets contains 220 percent of your daily allowance of vitamin A  and vitamin C.

Create a Beet smoothie

Ingredients

• handful of fresh spinach
• ¼ cup red beetroot, peeled
• 2 small apples (what’s in season), quartered
• 1 medium banana, peeled
• 1 mandarin, peeled (make sure it has no pits)
• 1 cm piece of ginger
• juice of ½ big lemon (I used Meyer)
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 1 TBSP chia seeds
• 1.5 to 2 cups water
• Optional: more chia seeds to serve

Instructions

1. Put all to ingredients into blender until you get a creamy, smooth consistency. Serve in glass and enjoy!

Sweet Corn with Baby Beets and Basil

The vegetables in this side dish are simply tossed in olive oil, allowing the earthy-sweet summer flavors and bright colors to shine. SERVINGS:4..Martha Stewart Recipe

INGREDIENTS

• -Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• -2 ears of corn, husked and halved
• -8 baby beets (about 1 pound), trimmed and scrubbed
• -Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• -1 to 2 tablespoons torn fresh basil
• Garnish: basil sprigs

DIRECTIONS

1. STEP 1

   Bring a medium pot of water to a boil; season with salt. Cook corn until tender, about 4 minutes; remove with a slotted spoon, and transfer to a plate.

2. STEP 2

   Add beets to water, and simmer, partially covered, until tender when pierced with a knife, 30 to 35 minutes; remove with a slotted spoon, and transfer to a plate. Let cool slightly. Peel, and cut beets into halves or quarters.

3. STEP 3

   Carefully cut kernels from corncobs using a sharp knife, and transfer to a large shallow bowl. Add beets, and drizzle with oil. Season with salt and pepper, and stir in torn basil. Garnish with basil sprigs.

I hope that the information I've shared helps you to include beets into your diet. As always Enjoy. To your health and happiness.

Angie Castillo....Intuitive Life Coach, Life Style Coaching....www.accessyourdreamlife.com

Why should I do squats??!

To squat or not to squat..

Front squats vs. Back Squats

Squats should be a staple in any lifter’s routine looking to build muscle and strength or just enhance quality of life.

What are the benefits of squatting:

Squat exercises are great for a total lower body workout. They work most of the major muscle groups of the butt, hips and thighs. Squats are also a versatile exercise. They can be done in almost any location.

Tones the Legs;  Squat exercises thoroughly engage the quadriceps, hamstrings and calf muscles, which helps to tone and strengthen the legs. 

Lifts the Butt; Doing squats gives the glutes a powerful workout, helping to tighten and lift the butt. To increase this effect, give your glutes an extra squeeze when returning to a standing position.

Strengthens the Core; Squats engage the core muscles of the body. Abdominal and back muscles are needed to keep balance during the movement. The result is a tighter, flatter abdomen and a stronger lower back.  Make a conscious effort to hold in your abdominal muscles while squatting down to increase this effect.

Front squat vs. Back squat

Front squats put the bar in front of the body, while back squat puts the barbell on the upper back. Front squats put a greater emphasis on your quadriceps( front of the legs) while back squats require more from your glutes(butt). Because front squats force you to stand taller, they require more hip flexibility than back squats.

 

Back squats place more emphasis on the  glutes and hamstrings(back of the legs) Since the weight is loaded almost directly down the spine, they also place compressive forces on the vertebra meaning they force the core to do more work to protect the lower back.

How to Do a  Squat Exercise

-Stand with your feet hip width apart.

-Tighten and pull in your abdominal muscles.

-Lower your body as if you were going to sit in a chair. Keep the motion slow.

-Stop when your legs are parallel to the floor.

-Stay in this position for a few seconds.

-Now press down onto your heels and slowly rise back up to a standing position.

-Repeat the exercise for a total of 2 to 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps.

-Be sure to rest for 60 to 90 seconds between sets.

Hope this is helpful, I know as women we want the benefits of looking good and feeling good. Squats encompass the whole body and your mind pushing you beyond limits. You can get amazing results that can last years of benefit. I was a huge squatter in my day, I stopped squatting for two years and still reaping the benefits of toned legs and butt. Squats can be your best friend, Enjoy!!

To your happy and healthy bootie, squat away...

Angie Castillo

Life Style Coaching

Intuitive Life Coach

www.accessyourdreamlife.com

accessyourdreamlife@gmail.com

Why am I not loosing the weight??!

Why am I not loosing the weight?

The struggle of losing weight can become a nightmare, What's worse is not knowing how to.

We all think let's go on a diet, go to the gym, Zumba...Weight Watchers, detox, cleanse, eat lettuce, do the Cayenne liquid drink. EAT CHICKEN!!!
                                                                              Ahhhhhhh, nightmare right!
God, if I had a dollar for every time I heard a woman attempt to lose weight only to not succeed I would be a Millionaire right now.
 It saddens me to see this phenomenon of weight loss. So I am going to get brutally honest. Are you ready? Good, now I do have to tell you that I am not a Nutritionist and what I state is based only on what I have experienced in myself and clients. 
Now to begin, Adrenal Fatigue? Huh is right.! What is it? How does it affect loosing weight?
How does it affect cortisol levels? 

     In 2009 I was working as a Personal Trainer, the recession hit gyms first and I was down to a few clients holding on to the very few I had left. I was tired and stressed.  My father died late that year causing my stress to go through the roof. For the first time in my life I was starting to get Fat on my body. I had been a gym rat and previously skinny. So fat on my body was NO bueno...
Soon I left the gym to find better income, the stress was still high and became worse, as I struggled to find work, my body went into overload causing my adrenals to shoot sky high. I wasn't sleeping well, moody, emotional, a train wreck to say the least. I couldn't figure out what was going on..
On a sunny Summer day, a friend I had not heard of for a while calls me. As I shared what was happening with me, she mentions to be, "Sounds like your Adrenals are out of wack". Know what?
 I soon looked into getting myself some help. 
In the first month I dropped 10 pounds. After 2 years of not being able to figure out why I was not dropping weight.
In the first two weeks I began to notice  I felt better, sleeped better and had more energy. Yes I also added  multi vitamin. 
Exercise was a part of my life already. I'm grateful today for that phone call from my friend. 
Like I said I am not a Doctor, but if you are having trouble loosing weight look into having your Adrenalins checked .  





Here is some information on Adrenal Glands: 

The adrenal glands sit over the kidneys, where they play a significant role in the body, secreting more than 50 hormones necessary for life, including epinephrine (adrenaline), cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), progesterone and testosterone. Since they produce so many essential hormones, the adrenal glands are responsible for many of the functions we need to stay alive and healthy, including:
         
   -Energy production -- carbohydrate, protein and fat conversion to blood glucose for energy
                                                      - Fluid and electrolyte balance
                                                                  -Fat storage

Unfortunately, the adrenal glands' are the "glands of stress," but are also the first glands to fail during prolonged or intense periods of stress. The problem with stressors is that they are "cumulative," in the sense that their impact tends to add up in the body over time until your adrenal glands (and probably your mental state) just can't take anymore.

Treating adrenal fatigue is as easy as:

Laughing

Exercising

Minimizing stress

Taking negative people out of your life

Eating regular meals

Doing something fun each day

Combining unrefined carbohydrates with protein and oils

Avoiding junk food

Eating five to six servings of vegetables each day

Taking calcium and magnesium supplements

Adding Sea Salt to your diet

Taking 2,000 to 5,000 milligrams of vitamin C each day

Taking B-complex supplements that are high in B6 and pentatonic acid

Adding licorice root extract to your dietary supplement regimen

I hope this helps, please feel free to email me for questions. 

Thank you, many blessings to your health and healing.

Angie Castillo

Life Style Coaching

www.accessyourdreamlife.com

accessyourdreamlife@gmail.com