Rejuvenating Your Body, Mind, and Spirit

by Kristin Fulmer

The month of May is a wonderful time to rejuvenate, revive, and rejoice in the return of enjoyable warmer weather. By May, I usually feel a sense of relief that I made it through the winter months, but also feel a need to shed my ‘winter skin’ in preparation for the hot summer months. 

What better way to transition to summer than to do a ‘spring cleaning’ of our homes, our bodies, and our minds. I encourage you to take advantage of this time of year to do your own springtime flush – to restore your energy and your mental and physical health. Here are a few suggestions for a springtime tune-up, to relax, rejuvenate, and enjoy life!

Spending time outside and exercising improves overall health for a happier, healthier and more alive you. Fresh air, sunlight, and exercise are nature’s best disinfectants, contributing to improved mood, increased energy, melatonin regulation for improved sleep, and heart health benefits. Moderately exposing our skin to sunlight enables our bodies to produce vitamin D, an important hormone-like vitamin that can help ward off depression and stress by aiding the production of the “happy” chemical serotonin.

Gentle detoxification techniques help the body to rid itself of toxins to support the liver, kidney, lymphatic and immune functioning. Try a few of these techniques to recharge and get the ‘winter bugs out’. Take a detox bath, preferable before bed. Sprinkle your bathwater with natural sea salt, baking soda, or seaweed powder and soak for 15 minutes. Do you live near a fresh and clean body of water? Lucky you! Clean natural bodies of water are filled with natural minerals. So, swimming in rivers, lakes, and the sea can be very rejuvenating and detoxifying to our health.  Try dry skin brushing with a natural bristle brush - starting at the soles of your feet, brush your skin with short brush strokes towards your heart. Also, consider a ‘short fast’ to give your digestion a break and jump start your metabolism. A 24-hour fast can be as simple as just consuming water or herbal tea with lemon for one day.

The month of May is also a great opportunity to reevaluate your diet before the hot summer months. In the winter our bodies tend to naturally crave ‘heavier and hearty’ foods, such as meat soups and stews, foods that tend to be more nourishing and healing. However, in the warmer months our bodies may need more of a ‘cleansing diet’ which includes incorporating more vegetables, grains, fruit, and liquids. Also, make sure you are consuming enough water through the warmer days of spring!

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Seriously Delicious Detox Salad

Source: https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/seriously-delicious-detox-salad 

This easy Detox Salad truly is delicious! It’s made with all sorts of fresh and feel-good greens, and topped with a sweet and zesty Carrot-Ginger Dressing.

Ingredients:

Detox Salad Ingredients:

• 3 cups finely-chopped* kale leaves
• 2 cups finely-chopped broccoli florets
• 2 cups finely-chopped red cabbage
• 1 cup matchstick (shredded) carrots
• 1 cup roughly-chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds
• 1/3 cup thinly-sliced green onions
• 1 avocado, peeled pitted and diced
• 1 batch Carrot Ginger Dressing (see below)

Carrot-Ginger Dressing Ingredients:

• 1 large carrot, peeled and roughly-chopped
• 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil (or any mild-flavored cooking oil)
• 1 tablespoon finely-chopped fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon raw honey (or your desired sweetener)
• 1 tablespoon white (shiro) miso
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
• Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions:

To Make The Salad:

1. Add all ingredients together in a large bowl, and toss to combine.  Serve immediately.  (Or if you are not going to serve the entire salad in one setting, the salad can be mixed without the dressing and refrigerated in a sealed container for up to 2 days with the dressing refrigerated separately in another sealed container.)

To Make The Carrot-Ginger Dressing:

1. Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor, and pulse until completely smooth.  Season to taste with salt and pepper, and/or add extra honey if you’d like a sweeter dressing.  Serve immediately or refrigerate in a sealed container up to 1 week.

*I recommend chopping the salad ingredients by adding each to a food processor and pulsing until chopped.  Or, you’re also more than welcome to chop them by hand.

https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/seriously-delicious-detox-salad

Kristin Fulmer, MS, LPC, NTP, is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Certified Nutritional Therapist and Certified GAPS™ Practitioner, providing individual and family counseling. Kristin utilizes an integrative and functional whole-person, mind-body approach with an emphasis on nutritionally-dense, whole foods to improve emotional and physical wellbeing. To learn more about her practice and to schedule an appointment, contact Kristin at (267) 843-4888 kristin@healthybody-happybrain.com or website: [Insert link to: www.healthybody-happybrain.com]

From SAD to Glad . . . Giving grace through nourishing the self and others

by Kristin Fulmer

One of the greatest ways to express loving kindness to yourself and others is with preparing and enjoying eating wholesome, nutrient dense foods. Unfortunately, living in Western society we are often inundated and encouraged to eat quickly and for convenience, a Standard American Diet or SAD. A typical Western diet or SAD is full of unhealthy fats, refined sugars, processed foods, pasteurized dairy, and genetically modified foods that can play havoc with our physical and emotional health causing us to feel SAD, MAD, and overall just plain BAD.

During this holiday season, allow the wisdom of your body and the compassion of your spirit to rejoice with eating a more traditional wholesome diet - a diet rich in pastured meats, wild fish, vegetables and fruits, nuts and seeds, and whole grains, a natural remedy for diseases of body and mind.  

Here are three delicious ways to go from SAD to Glad:

1. Increase your consumption of whole unprocessed nutrient dense foods sourced from healthy and happy animals and organic (if possible) produce. Keep it simple - pastured meats and eggs, wild fish, cultured or raw dairy, vegetables and fruits, healthy fats, properly prepared whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds.

2. Reduce the consumption of packaged ‘food-like’ products. If you can’t read or recognize the ingredients then don’t eat it! Here’s another clue, if you served this food to your grandmother or great grandmother would she recognize this food? If not, don’t eat it!

3. Get back into the kitchen. Cooking more meals at home means spending more time with family and involving other family members in the meal choice and preparation. There’s no hidden ingredients to worry about and recipe modifications are easily accommodated. Yes, preparing meals at home may take more time but your health and the health of your loved ones are worth it!

Here’s to your health, harmony, and happiness!

Kristin Fulmer, MS, NCC, LPC, NTP, is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Certified Nutritional Therapist, providing individual, family, and group counseling. Kristin utilizes an integrative and functional whole-person, mind-body approach with an emphasis on nutritionally-dense, whole foods approach to improve emotional and physical wellbeing. To learn more about her practice and to schedule an appointment, contact Kristin at (267) 843-4888 kristin@healthybody-happybrain.com and visit her website [insert link to: www.healthybody-happybrain.com]

It’s Harvest Time!! Autumn – A Perfect Time to Nourish the Body, Mind, and Soul

by Kristin Fulmer, Certified Nutritional Therapist

Autumn is officially here, the days are getter shorter, the leaves are changing, and the kids are busy with school and activities. And if you are like me….perhaps you may have indulged over the summer on way too much barbeque, beer, and burgers. Thankfully, the Fall provides us with wonderful opportunities to get back into a routine, reevaluate our needs and make some healthy improvements.

Our body, mind, and spirit flourish when we can appreciate and experience the changing seasons while also being aware of our changing seasonal needs both physical and emotional. For me, one of the greatest joys of Autumn is visiting the numerous local farmers markets and enjoying the bountiful selections of delicious produce, meats, cheeses, teas, and chocolates. As a nutritional therapist, I encourage my clients to become more nourished by eating seasonally, cooking locally produced real food, and sitting down with the friends and family to enjoy lovingly prepared meals. Frequenting local farmers markets also means supporting local economies, local farmers and food artisans, which can enhance our individual health while contributing to a thriving community wellness. It’s a yummy win-win proposition!

Happy harvesting!

Don’t know where to start? Here are a few great places to begin…

Local Harvest, https://www.localharvest.org, connects people looking for good food with the farmers who produce it. For Local Harvest, the goal of the local food movement is to create thriving community-based food systems that will make high quality local food available to everyone.

Farm to City, Real Farmers, Real Food, https://farmtocity.org/find-local-food/farmers-markets/ manages 13 weekly, outdoor farmers’ markets. These markets provide neighborhoods with fresh foods produced in the region.

The Food Trust, http://thefoodtrust.org/farmers-markets , in partnership with Get Healthy Philly, operates 22 farmers markets in Philadelphia, including Clark Park Farmers Market, Philly’s oldest year-round market and The Headhouse Farmers Market the city's largest outdoor market. Many of The Food Trust's farmers markets are located in neighborhoods that otherwise lack access to healthy foods; these markets accept SNAP (food stamp) benefits and Philly Food Bucks to make fruits and vegetables more affordable to everyone.

Pennsylvania Farmers Markets Directory is a helpful search for open air markets in PA,  http://www.farmersmarketonline.com/fm/Pennsylvania.htm

Kristin Fulmer, MS, NCC, LPC, NTP, is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Certified Nutritional Therapist, providing individual, family, and group counseling. Kristin utilizes an integrative and functional whole-person, mind-body approach with an emphasis on nutritionally-dense, whole foods approach to improve emotional and physical wellbeing. To learn more about her practice and to schedule an appointment, contact Kristin at (267) 843-4888 kristin@healthybody-happybrain.com or website: www.healthybody-happybrain.com

Stuffed Heirloom Squash with Sausage, Bacon, Caramelized Onions, and Sage

Recipe by Kristin Fulmer, adapted from MyHumbleKitchen.com

The flavors of the roasted squash with its filling seasoned with sage and cardamom complimented each other well. Sweet and savory filled with spice.

Ingredients:
2 heirloom or acorn squash (suitable for stuffing)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and pepper to season
3 thick sliced pieces of (pastured, nitrate-free) bacon, diced
1/2 large sweet onion, diced
1lb ground (pastured, nitrate-free) chicken, pork, beef, bison, or lamb
2 cups market greens or veggies – use whatever you bought at the market (kale, chard, spinach, zucchini)
1 tablespoon, chopped fresh sage
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp sea salt
1 tbl apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup sliced preferably raw cheese (omit if problems with dairy)

Method:
Cut the squashes in half, scraping out all of the seeds. Brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. (reserve the seeds to toast later with some fats and salt)

Place on a baking stone or sheet, cut side up, and roast at 375F for 1 hour or until its soft and can be pierced with a fork.

Once the squash has been roasted:
In a small cast iron pan or skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until its fat has been rendered and the meat is brown and crispy. Set aside.

In the bacon fat, saute the onion until it's soft and begins to turn brown and caramelize, add market greens and saute lightly. Set aside.

In a large cast iron skillet or pan, cook the ground pork over medium heat.

Once it's cooked through, add the onion, 1/2 of the bacon, sage, cardamom, 1 tsp salt, and apple cider vinegar. Mix through.

Cook on medium low heat for about 5 minutes allowing the flavors to incorporate.

Stuff the Squash.

Divide the mixture into the four squash pieces.

Garnish with cheddar cheese, fresh cut sage, and the remaining bacon pieces.

Return to the oven for an additional five minutes, allowing the cheese to melt.

Adapted from: http://www.myhumblekitchen.com/2012/10/stuffed-heirloom-squash-with-sausage-bacon-caramelized-onions-and-sage/

Kristin Fulmer, MS, NCC, LPC, NTP, is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Certified Nutritional Therapist, providing individual, family, and group counseling. Kristin utilizes an integrative and functional whole-person, mind-body approach with an emphasis on nutritionally-dense, whole foods approach to improve emotional and physical wellbeing. To learn more about her practice and to schedule an appointment, contact Kristin at (267) 843-4888 kristin@healthybody-happybrain.com or website: www.healthybody-happybrain.com