Posted on Tue, Aug 28, 2012
Anita Capizzi RN, CHC
Anita's Healthy Tips
Have you heard the welcome news?
Last week Johnson & Johnson reiterated it’s pledge to slowly phase out the toxic ingredients used in their baby product line by the end of 2013 and announced that it will also reformulate their adult personal care products which include Lubriderm, Aveeno and Neutrogena products, by 2015.
A large coalition of health and environmental groups, called The Campaign For Safe Cosmetics started calling for the removal of several dangerous and possibly carcinogenic chemicals from personal care products in 2009. Formaldehyde, 1,4 dioxan, triclosan, phthalates and parabens are just a few of the “chemicals of concern” according to the Environmental Working Group who is part of that coalition. Their website, www.ewg.org/skindeep contains a database of 75,000 personal care products that they have rated from 0-10 for toxicity levels.
The FDA does not test personal care products for safety - they rely on the individual companies to do that. Personal care products fall under the “cosmetics” label, which includes deodorant, lotions, make-up, oral hygiene products and more.
The Campaign For Safe Cosmetics website www.safecosmetics.org includes articles of interest on various products and ingredients to help educate the consumer.
They state that many potentially hazardous chemicals are banned from personal care products in Europe and they are hoping the Untied States will follow suit. In fact, many American companies have two versions of the same product - one for the stricter European market and one for the U.S market.
There are well over 50,000 chemicals in use in the United Staes today and the majority of these have not been tested for safety, according to the magazine Scientific American.
ABC News reported on chemicals in personal care products in July. Watch here:
The Campaign For Safe Cosmetics announced plans for a consumer boycott of Johnson & Johnson products last November. Johnson & Johnson stepped up and agreed to quickly reformulate their baby products, effectively canceling the planned boycott.
Our bodies don’t know how to process those chemicals we take in on a daily basis. If we are not good at detoxifying ( which a lot of us aren’t ), those chemicals get stored in our fat cells, day by day, year after year. Should we be surprised then when disease develops? Toxins have no place in personal care or home care products!
How much do you know about the products that you use?
Please start reading labels and educuate yourself. Refer to the Enviromental Working Group site to check products, and check out the World Wellness Store for adult and baby Bausc personal care products that are free of toxins.
Anita Capizzi, RN, CHC, is a Certified Health Coach at National Integrated Health Associates and graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Her philosphy is to meet people where they are and upgrade their level of holistic nutrition and wellness, one step at a time.
Posted on Tue, May 29, 2012
Anita Capizzi
Anita's Healthy Tips
Rebounding, or gently bouncing on a Rebounder, similar to a "mini trampoline", is a great form of gentle exercise.
Rebounding is great for the lymphatic system and helps move toxins out of the body. The lymphatic system runs next to the circulatory system. The circulatory system has a pump to pump blood through but the lymphatic system does not have a pump. The lymphatic system is like the “garbage can” of the blood and takes toxins out of the bloodstream.
Why do we need to move more?
For health and our well-being, we are told to exercise for about 30 minutes a day. Exercise helps the lymphatic system move out the toxins so they are not reabsorbed back into the body. The type of up and down, vertical motion done on a rebounder is especially helpful for lymphatic drainage. It only needs to be done for a few minutes a day and is a good thing to add to your exercise regimen.
In this video I will demonstrate the motion and you can see for yourself how easy it is to exercise on a rebounder.
Posted on Tue, Mar 13, 2012
Anita Capizzi RN, CHC
Anita's Healthy Tips
Early Spring has begun in the Washington metro area! Temperatures are rising and the threat of a snow fall is diminishing.
Lighten Up with FRESH foods! 
The change in season should also bring about a change in the types of food we eat. Winter is a time for warming foods like soups, stews and casseroles. Spring lends itself to lighter fare that helps the body to cleanse and rejuvenate itself ~ vegetables, lean proteins, leaves and fruits.
The body cleanses or goes through a detoxification process via the liver, lungs, kidneys, bowel, lymph system and skin on a daily basis. We can help that process along in several different ways, but most important, in my view, is by taking out the foods that don’t serve us (processed food) and by including the foods that our bodies respond to in a favorable way (real foods).
In the Washington area, the foods that are abundant in the next few months include: asparagus, spinach, swiss chard, collard greens, scallions, radishes, arugula, broccoli, strawberries, cabbage, and eastern oysters.
Time to Eat More Greens
Greens appear in the spring as nature's reminder to us that it is time to clean out the body after a winter of storing fat. Do you know what else gets stored in those fat cells? Toxins...from the air we breathe, the food we eat, and the products we use. Leafy greens like swiss chard, kale and collard greens are the foods of choice for cleaning out those toxins! Whether in salads, smoothies, steamed or sauteed, dark greens contain the micronutrients that help us to detoxify on a cellular level. Dark leafy greens are super alkalizing and contain chlorophyll which floods the body with oxygen making it difficult for most diseases to thrive in the body.
Spring cleaning is for ALL the houses that we live in!
Smart Choices to Lighten it Up
Now is the time for cleaner eating. Ditch the sugary breakfast in favor of a protein smoothie with greens and fruit. Change up your usual lunch to include local vegetables that are in abundance now (you can include these in a delicious salad). When planning for dinner think lean proteins like pasture raised chicken or wild caught fish and steamed or grilled asparagus and a salad for a perfect dinner.
This spring, eat cleaner, feel lighter and reap the rewards!
Anita Capizzi, RN, CHC, is a Certified Health Coach at National Integrated Health Associates and graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Her philosphy is to meet people where they are and upgrade their level of holistic nutrition and wellness, one step at a time.
Posted on Mon, Feb 27, 2012
Anita Capizzi RN, CHC
Anita's Healthy Tips
Recently, my husband and I hosted a wonderful engagement party at our home for our son and his girlfriend who will be married in the fall. My house was filled with out of town family who stayed for the weekend.
My normal routine and eating habits were put on hold from Thursday to Monday!
Can anyone relate to “I haven’t exercised in days and I have eaten my way through the weekend” feeling? Well, that was me a few weeks ago, let me tell you! I thoroughly enjoyed my family, the party was a huge success AND I was completely satisfied!
Enjoy the Moment
Completely satisfied??? Why?? How?? Because I didn’t beat myself up for enjoying foods that I don’t normally eat. I knew that this food “time out” was a temporary indulgence and that my enjoyment of the celebration would have been dampened by any feelings of guilt!
There was no reason to feel guilty. 90% of the time....okay, maybe 85% of the time my diet consists of foods that I know will give me lasting energy and nourish my body on a cellular level. I am a nutrition coach AND I enjoy party foods ( as long as they are not processed!) but I do so with a conscious mind.
When your everyday diet is one that provides nourishment from nature and not from packaged, processed junk, then the occasional indulgence can be “sweet” and thoroughly enjoyed, not laden with guilt.
Get Back on Track
I was back to my normal routine after the weekend with a greater appreciation for myself and all that I do for my own health. And I loved every minute of the celebration with family, friends and food.
What can YOU do in support of your own health?
Anita Capizzi, RN, CHC, is a Certified Health Coach at National Integrated Health Associates and graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Her philosphy is to meet people where they are and upgrade their level of holistic nutrition and wellness, one step at a time.
Posted on Tue, Jan 31, 2012
Anita Capizzi RN, CHC
Anita's Healthy Tips
Yesterday I gave a talk at a local school about health and wellness. I was speaking to the teaching staff who work long hours and some of whom are big on “convenience” foods.
Convenience foods make life easier in the short run, don’t they? Pop a frozen dinner in the microwave, get some take out food.
We have turned into a society that no longer waits for anything....instant news, instant information on the internet, instant oatmeal. And then when we do have to wait for something we are super inconvenienced!
Does it make sense to forego our wellness because processed food is so much easier to prepare? I’m sure you have heard me talk about this before but I do so again here because it’s THAT important:
Processed foods do not contribute to wellness, they contribute to illness.
Most packaged foods contain highly processed vegetable oils, sugar, plenty of additives and artificial dyes made from petroleum. Inflammation is at the heart of almost every chronic disease process and the ingredients in processed foods cause inflammation.
Am I suggesting that you throw out everything in you pantry and refrigerator? No! I’m asking you to choose 
health over illness with the future choices that you make. When you make that mind set shift, it becomes easier to find the foods that promote health.
What food can you swap out for something healthier?
Nuts instead of chips?
Baked chips instead of fried?
An apple instead of apple juice?
Oatmeal instead of sweetened cereal?
One foot in front of the other, concentrating on the next baby step instead of the next mountain will produce amazing results for you on your journey to vibrant health!
Anita Capizzi, RN, CHC, is a Certified Health Coach at National Integrated Health Associates and graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Her philosphy is to meet people where they are and upgrade their level of holistic nutrition and wellness, one step at a time.
photo via lovingfit.com
Posted on Mon, Jan 09, 2012
Anita Capizzi RN, CHC
Anita's Healthy Tips
Life certainly doesn’t come with a guide book and we all do the best we can with the tools we have. That being said though, when we see a better way or when we gather more information we are inspired to make changes.
Today I want to share with you 3 common mistakes that could be sabotaging your best efforts at maximizing your health:
- Too much sugar
- Too much white flour
- Not enough “real” food
We all know that sugar isn’t good for us, but out taste buds tell us otherwise! Having something sweet every now and then is very different from consuming sugar on a daily basis. One of the biggest offenders is fruit juice. And the worst part is that many of us are starting out the day with this extreme sugar shock!
When you start the day with sugar, the roller coaster ride begins. Insulin causes a drop in blood sugar which creates more desire for more sugar throughout the day. If you want orange juice in the morning, eat the whole orange!
White flour products (cookies, bagels, crackers, pasta) produce the same insulin highs and lows as sugar. Our bodies strive for balance and when our blood sugar gets too low we look for a quick way to bring it back up which translates in to desire for more cookies, bagels and crackers!
The best way to transform your health from lackluster to blockbuster is to include more “real” food in your diet. Foods from nature like nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables provide our bodies with superior nutrition and help to stabilize blood sugar, thereby giving us longer lasting energy and decreasing the desire for sweets!
With such easy access to empty calorie junk food in our country, we are filling up, filling out and powering down with chronic disease. Poor diet is a very preventable cause of illness.
Anita Capizzi, RN, CHC, is a Certified Health Coach at National Integrated Health Associates and graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Her philosphy is to meet people where they are and upgrade their level of holistic nutrition and wellness.
Posted on Wed, Jan 04, 2012
Anita Capizzi RN, CHC
Anita's Healthy Tips
Happy New Year !! 
So, by now, 4 days in to 2012, you are either going strong with your new year’s resolutions, or you have thrown in the towel, vowing to do better “next time”. My personal experience has taught me never to make resolutions...they don’t work out so well for me!
Try Just One New Healthy Habit
If that’s the case for you why not focus on adding in ONE new habit? Today, I make the case for the addition of one apple a day. And, no, I’m not going to use the old cliché that we all know! I will just say that sliced with freshly ground almond, peanut or sunflower butter gives me the sweetness and the crunch that I love! Plus, it allows me to add in a little extra fiber without thinking too much.
Apples are the Perfect Snack
Apples are complex carbohydrates which provide us with more energy than snacks made from white flour or sugar. Complex carbs low in sugar and high in fiber provide the best source of energy. Granny Smith green apples have the lowest sugar content of all the apple varieties. Medium size apples have about 4 gms. of fiber. Pectin, a soluble fiber found in apples helps with digestion and might help to reduce heart disease. Looking for different foods that may help with osteoporosis? Apples contain boron which helps to increase bone density.
Apples are among the richest food source antioxidants, phytonutrients and of the flavonoid quercitin which helps with inflammatory conditions. Vitamin C and beta-carotene are also found in good quantities in all types of apples.
The Environmental Working Group now ranks apples as #1 in pesticide residue, (see NIHA article, The dirty dozen fruit and vegetable list ) so it makes a lot of sense to buy and serve organic apples, especially when feeding them to children!!
Anita Capizzi, RN, CHC, is a Certified Health Coach at National Integrated Health Associates and graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Her philosphy is to meet people where they are and upgrade their level of holistic nutrition and wellness.
Posted on Tue, Dec 13, 2011
Anita Capizzi RN, CHC
Anita's Healthy Tips 
How many parties/holiday events are you attending this season? Are you done with your shopping or have you not even started yet? Do you have a plan for what to do when you are faced with all nature of sweet treats and drinks?
In the spirit of giving this holiday season, I’d like to offer some tips on maintaining your weight as you shop and attend parties throughout the holidays this year.
Parties and Events:
- plan to ask for water first thing - there are so many ways in which we dehydrate ourselves from soda to alcohol, so water is an excellent way to start the evening
- plan to eat a snack beforehand ( and make sure you have these items at home )- avocado, thin slices of turkey or chicken, nuts
- if you are having alcohol, there are 2 things that come to mind for calories and for keeping a clear head
1. have a wine spritzer (cuts calories in half)
2. for every wine or cocktail you consume have a glass of club soda in between
- look over the buffet table before it’s your turn to grab a plate; see what is being offered so that you know what you will put on your plate
- small plates are better than large if you have a choice
- look for vegetables, green salad and protein and have those occupy the most space on your plate
- if anything else looks good, use it like a condiment - a little taste - that way you wont be depriving ourself and you’ll be making smarter choices
- if dessert is on the menu, share it with a friend or a spouse!
- an honest question to ask yourself at intervals throughout the night : is this decision (re: food, seconds, thirds, drinks) in alignment with the kind of person I want to be?
Shopping
When are we tempted to eat on the run? When we’re tired and hungry!
Shop early in the day - after breakfast is a great plan.
Late afternoon shopping, after work, is probably the worst plan ever in my opinion - UNLESS you have eaten something beforehand.
Make plans to take a day off and shop or go early on a Sat. or Sunday before it gets so crowded. After dinner shopping is another option.
Whenever you do go, make sure that your stomach is satisfied before you walk out the door!
And remember that if you stop for coffee, get a coffee - not a dessert! Starbuck’s #1 selling holiday drink is the Peppermint Mocha, weighing in at 470 calories for a 16 oz. cup!!
Anita Capizzi, RN, CHC, is a Certified Health Coach at National Integrated Health Associates and graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Her philosphy is to meet people where they are and upgrade their level of holistic nutrition and wellness.
Posted on Tue, Dec 06, 2011
Anita Capizzi RN, CHC
Anita's Healthy Tips
We’ve all heard it before.......breakfast is the most important meal of the day.
I agree with that , IF your breakfast fuels you and doesn’t fool you.
The word breakfast comes from “breaking the fast”. We fast all night long while we sleep (at least I hope we all do!) and in the morning we need to give our bodies fuel for the day. Foods that fuel us give us energy to keep us going until lunch time. Foods that fool us give us an initial energy surge only to leave us hungry and looking for food an hour or two later.
Try eating different foods for breakfast and see which ones leave you feeling good and energized throughout the morning. Don’t forget those leftovers from last night’s dinner! Nobody says that you can’t eat dinner for breakfast!
Sugary breakfasts will undoubtedly give you a mid-morning blood sugar drop leaving you feeling irritable and hungry. Anything that quickly turns to sugar inside the body - cold cereals, bagels, doughnuts, pastries and sweet coffee drinks are examples of foods that fool us because they satisfy us initially and let us down later.
We are all creatures of habit but sometimes our habits need to be changed. Find the foods that are right for you; foods that give you lasting energy and foods that will fuel your mornings!
Anita Capizzi, RN, CHC, is a Certified Health Coach at National Integrated Health Associates and graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Her philosphy is to meet people where they are and upgrade their level of holistic nutrition and wellness.
Posted on Tue, Nov 22, 2011
Anita Capizzi RN, CHC
Anita's Healthy Tips
The holiday season starts this week and that means travel for a lot of people. I started thinking about weather and airplanes and trains and crowded terminals and delayed flights. Imagining all the ways in which stress could get the better of us, I thought that this week I would talk a bit about how to avoid “personal and family meltdowns”.
Prepare for the Unexpected
Last winter in Washington, D.C. we had a January storm that came upon us fast. I left my job at 3 p.m. and due to the amount of snow falling and the amount of people driving on the roads, a trip that usually takes me 45 min. took me 10 hours!! Talk about your possible meltdown! All of us were in the same boat that day, never going above 10 mph for hours on end.
What saved me?
I had provisions in my car. I had a full bottle of water, a banana, some nuts and best of all, music, a full tank of gas and a cell phone.
PLAN to Reduce Stress
None of us wants to imagine the worst scenarios for our holiday travel adventures, but extra planning can help to make the most of any delays. Water, food and activities to distract you help to eliminate the irritation of the situation. Stress is implicated in so many disease states! Don’t let the annoyance factor play over and over in your head until it has escalated past the point of no return!
Pack or buy extra water, make sure your phone is charged and bring the charger in your backpack (not your suitcase) pack an extra day’s worth of necessary medications (super important to prevent stress!) and make sure to bring healthy snacks like trail mix and fruit. Eat a meal with protein or healthy fats in it before you leave the house. That way no matter what else happens that day, you will have started it out on a good note. Take some Vitamin C before you travel and take some in your backpack to protect you against airborne microbes in a crowded terminal. If delays should occur and you are stuck in a freezing airport or train station, you’ll be a lot happier if you have extra sweaters to keep yourself and your family warm.
Holidays can be stressful in the best of situations. Be kind to yourself and have everything you need to feel comfortable should you get delayed. Just in case, you want to be prepared for YOUR version of a 10 hour ride home!