Posted on Fri, Jan 15, 2010
by Eve Colantoni CHC
Unsure what else to do, I got down on my hands and knees and prayed. "I give up", I remember saying to no one in particular. "I just give up". Truth was, I felt defeated and utterly miserable. I had been sick for so long, I didn't really remember what it felt like to be well, to feel good, to be really happy.
At this point, I was on 14 different medications. That's quite a bit for anyone, much less for a 32 year old woman. And despite all the drugs, I still felt awful all the time. I had no energy, I was depressed, riddled with anxiety, would sometimes have full-on panic attacks, suffered from migraine headaches, allergies, asthma, chronic fatigue, insomnia, etc. etc. Really, I could keep going with my laundry list of symptoms, but I think you get the idea.
There came a turning point in my life though. A time when I realized I had had enough and I was truly ready for a change. I had reached the point where I had become sick and tired of being just that, sick and tired...
Have you ever heard the expression, "When the student is ready, the teacher will appear" ? Well, this is what ultimately happened to me. At the time, I did not see all the ailments I was suffering from as a gift. I didn't realize I was being presented with challenges to overcome with a greater purpose ahead of me.
One by one, as I overcame condition after condition, I was learning. I was learning what worked and more often what didn't. Today, looking back, I see my journey in healing as the greatest gift I ever could have received. The truth of the matter is that I could not have gained the knowledge that I have now if I had gone to any medical school in the country. My illness was my boot camp. My training ground. And now, everyday, I get to pass on to my clients all that I've been able to learn. How I spend my days has never been more rewarding.
Being able to "give back" makes it all worth while which is why I've decided to offer this scholarship. As I began on my healing path, it always seemed that just as I needed it, the right book would appear, the right lecture would come up, the right practitioner would come into my life to help me sort out the pieces I couldn't figure out on my own. Now, I'd like to offer the same assistance to someone out there as well.
I've designed my 2010 Weight Loss For Tired People Group Coaching Program to really provide the maximum benefit, with the easiest format and the lowest cost possible. Even at that, I know times have been tough for a lot of people out there and there are so many who could really benefit from a holistic nutrition program.
That's why I'm giving away a seat in this semester's Holistic Nutrition program. Here are the three easy steps you have to do to apply:
Step One: Take a minute to review the program completely to make sure it is the right match for you by visiting:
http://www.WeightLossForTiredPeople.com/blog
Step Two: Tell us your story! Below, in the comments section for this blog, leave a note about the weight loss or health challenges you've had and why you think you would benefit from my program. You can choose to leave your name, or just your initials.
Step Three: Click to Email your name and phone number to me so I can contact you if you're selected. I'll also need you to tell me which entry is yours.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: JAN. 19, 2010 DO NOT DELAY!!
APPLICATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED NO LATER THAN THIS TUESDAY, JANUARY 19TH, 2010 BY 6 PM (EST) FOR THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE WINNER THAT EVENING!!
I wish you all the very best in your health journey and look forward to reading your inspiring stories.
With warmth and gratitude,
Eve Colantoni, CHC
www.WeightLossForTiredPeople.com
www.NIHAdc.com Nutrition and Wellness
The Weight Loss For Tired People Group Coaching Program is a holistic nutrition program offered by National Integrated Health Associates, Washington DC's premier integrative medicine and biological dentistry center.
Posted on Thu, Dec 17, 2009
By Eve Colantoni
In my last article, I explained how eating baby carrots can make you FAT. We then discussed the proper way to make sure you're not adding any fat-creating elements into your system. (If you missed the article CLICK HERE to check it out)
Right after, I got an email from a young lady whom I admire for being so TRUTHFUL...
She wrote: "I hate to admit this, but I just can't get excited about eating a carrot when my friends and I usually go out for some really awesome, warming foods that feel rich and creamy and satisfying... like Loaded Baked Potato Soup or Creamy Sweet Corn Chowder. You know, those really rich, heart-warming soups that taste soooo good this chilly time of year, but are soooo bad for my growing waistline! Sorry, but a raw carrot just doesn't compare..."
I read her email and you know what? I get it!
I truly understand that it's easy to look at all our favorite "comfort foods" and then look at the "healthy stuff" and think NO WAY!
The truth of the matter is this: IF IT DOESN'T TASTE GOOD, WE'RE NOT GOING TO EAT IT. PERIOD.
So what good is that carrot to us if we don't want to eat it? Not much, right?
This is where things get good.....I'm going to share TWO really big secrets with you:
#1 We have to FIND ways that taste DELICIOUS to "sneak" the veggies into our system (if you don't love them) and ...
#2 This is the BIG one- Once we do start to get them back into our system, our bodies will actually start to CRAVE the good stuff once again!
This is really where the magic begins. You see when you start craving the GOOD stuff.... you get to satisfy all your food cravings WITHOUT ANY GUILT WHATSOEVER.
You get to eat stuff you ACTUALLY DESIRE!
The reason you'll start to CRAVE the carrots is simple. When your body is actually getting something it needs, like all the betacarotene and other phytonutrients that carrots provide, it will begin to want MORE of it.
So here's a way you can "trick" your body, your mind, and your taste buds into "loving carrots" - even if we really want the rich, creamy unhealthy Loaded Baked Potato Soup!
3 ACTION STEPS:
1.) Join me for a FREE Teleclass
"Delicious Foods and Fantastic Tips To Beat Holiday Weight Gain!" I'll teach you how to sneak good foods in, substitute better foods for all the "bad stuff" and give you the tools you need to make it through the holidays WITHOUT packing on any more pounds!! CLICK HERE To Register for free teleclass
2.) Finally make your New Year's Resolution To Lose Weight For Good! Beginning now, I'll be reopening my acclaimed program WEIGHT LOSS FOR TIRED PEOPLE: 3 MONTHS TO SLIM, SEXY & ENERGIZED FOR 2010!! Don't let this year be a cliche. Think of how good you will feel next year at this time IF you start now. Finally get slim and healthy, and regain the sexy body you deserve! Visit here for details: www.WeightLossForTiredPeople.com
3.) Try this great recipe. Make this awesome, simple, but oh so creamy, delicious soup!
Curried Coconut Carrot Soup
1 tablespoon coconut oil (you can substitute a good quality butter)
1 tablespoon mild curry powder
1 clove of garlic, chopped
1 (1/2 inch slice) peeled ginger, smashed
3 1/2 cups of carrots, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
3 cups chicken stock
1 cup coconut milk
Good quality sea salt to taste
Fresh ground black pepper
Heat the oil over medium and add the garlic, ginger and curry powder. Saute for 2 minutes over medium low. Add the carrots and onions and saute for another minute. Add the stock and bring to a boil. When the soup has reached a full boil, cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for roughly 20 minutes until all the vegetables are soft.
Remove from the pan and working in batches, use a blender to create a smooth soup.
Return to a saucepan and add the coconut milk, sea salt and pepper. Heat through. ENJOY!!
Eve Colantoni, CHC, is the lead Nutrition and Wellness educator at National Integrated Health Associates, NIHA, a leading integrative medical and dental center serving the Washington DC, Maryland and Northern Virginia metropolitan area, and founder and director of the Weight Loss for Tired People Nutrition Program.
Posted on Mon, Dec 07, 2009
by Eve Colantoni CHC
If you're like me, you're probably thinking, "OH COME ON! Carrots have got to be one of the healthiest foods around! How could they be destroying my efforts to lose weight?" I know this is what I was thinking before I learned the truth.
Please be warned: what you don't know could be killing any chances of successfully losing the weight and keeping it off permanently. All without you ever knowing! It's no wonder why you try so hard, and face frustration because you never achieve the results you want: a slim, trim, sexy, healthy body. It's like "invisible forces" are working against you.
It is time to shed some light on hidden "fat factors"...
If you've attended our nutrition program or weight loss classes, or heard Lisa and me talk before, you ought to know one of our core principles by heart and that is:
"It's not about the food, it's what we've DONE to the food!"
This is the case with baby carrots. Carrots ARE one the best foods you can eat, but here's a really important question for you.... Do you know where "baby carrots" come from? Guess what? They sure don't come out of the ground looking the way they do when you get them in the neat little zipper-locked baggies you find in the grocery store.
What happens is that during the harvesting, a number of the full-sized carrots that get pulled from the ground break in the process, or they may be deformed, or "runts" (not big enough).
The producers know that they can't sell you a bag full of half broken vegetables, or ones that look deformed or too stubby. Instead of wasting these, they simply find a way to "pretty them up" and sell them to you differently.
Hence, the birth of the baby carrot. These broken or deformed carrots get shaved down to the cute little pieces we're used to snacking on. Did you ever wonder why they look so perfect? They didn't grow that way.
Unfortunately, because we're now dealing with massive industrialized food production, harmful bacteria can enter the scene. In order to "protect" us from this potentially pathogenic bacteria, the food manufacturers will soak these little guys in BLEACH.
Yes you read that correctly: THEY SOAK THE BABY CARROTS IN BLEACH.
The reason this can lead to sabotaging your weight loss efforts is many. First, bleach is not something that is natural to the body. The body views it as toxic waste that needs to be immediately DETOXIFIED from your system.
Here's why this is so bad for weight loss:
You're probably working hard to get your metabolism in high gear so you have the energy to burn fat and lose weight. What's happening though is that your body will redirect the energy AWAY from fat burning and point it toward the goal of getting the chemicals out of your system!
No fair, right?
Isn't it maddening to know that a food you're eating is actually creating more work for your body, so it can't focus on the job you want it to do: SHED THE POUNDS!
But here's where it gets worse: If your body can't detox all the chemicals you're ingesting, it feels the need to protect your vital organs from them. To create this protection, it will take the chemicals and STUFF them into your fat cells!
That's right.... this food you've been eating, thinking it will help you lose weight can actually contribute to your FAT GAIN.
So, here's what you need to do right now to avoid destroying your weight loss efforts...
ACTION STEPS:
1.) Remember our core principle, "It's not about the food, it's what we've done to the food!" The carrot is not the enemy! It's the mass produced "food production" we need to steer clear of. Chemicals in processed foods (preservatives, pesticides etc.) may slow our metabolism and sabotage weight loss.
2.) When you go to the store, reach for the bag of FULL sized, organic carrots. All you need to do is scrub them off and chop them up! You'll find that they taste better and are usually sweeter than their bleach-soaked "baby" relatives.
3.) To hear more great tips and get some answers to your weight loss questions join Lisa Wilson and me next Thursday, December 10th for a FREE teleconference: "Why Diets Don't Work!" Click here for more details....
4.) Don't think you need to "go it alone".Starting in January 2010 we'll start a new class of our acclaimed WEIGHT LOSS FOR TIRED PEOPLE PROGRAM. Stay tuned for details! We'll be giving you a TON of extra tips between now and the new year, and let you know how you can get onboard with our LIFE-CHANGING PROGRAM FOR FREE!
Eve Colantoni is a certified health counselor at National Integrated Health Associates, NIHA, an integrative medical and dental center serving the Washington DC, Maryland and Northern Virginia metropolitan area, and founder and director of the Weight Loss for Tired People Nutrition Program.
Posted on Mon, Nov 02, 2009
by Eve Colantoni, CHC
Root Vegetables
The roots of any plant are its anchor and foundation; they are the
essential parts that support and nourish the plant. As graduates of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in New York, Lisa Wilson and I both had the opportunity to learn about Chinese Medicine dietary theories and other theories like the Energetics of Food. In both these traditions, it is thought that root vegetables lend their "grounding" properties to us when we eat them, making us feel physically and mentally "rooted", increasing our stability, stamina, and endurance.
Roots are a rich source of nutritious complex carbohydrates, providing a steady source of necessary sugars to the body. Instead of upsetting blood sugar levels like refined sweet foods, they regulate them. Since they absorb, assimilate, and supply plants with vital nutrients, roots likewise increase absorption and assimilation in our digestive tracts.
Long roots include carrots, parsnips, burdock and daikon radish. Round roots include turnips, radishes, beets and rutabagas. Long roots like burdock and daikon are excellent blood purifiers and can help improve circulation in the body and increase mental clarity. Round roots are nourishing to the stomach, spleen, pancreas and reproductive organs and can help regulate blood sugar, moods, and alleviate cravings.
To begin experimenting with food and how it effects your mood and well-being, simply follow the action steps below.
ACTION STEP #1
Try the recipe below for a quick and delicious way to get root vegetables into your diet:
Recipe of the Month: Roasted Root Vegetables
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 25-35 minutes
Yield: 4-6 servings
Ingredients:
1 sweet potato
2 parsnips
2 carrots
2 turnips or 1 large rutabaga
1 daikon radish (or substitute/add in your favorites, like squash)
olive oil
salt and pepper
herbs: rosemary, thyme or sage (fresh if possible)
Directions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Wash and chop all vegetables into large bite-sized pieces.
3. Place in a large baking dish.
4. Drizzle with olive oil; mix well to coat each vegetable lightly with oil.
5. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and herbs.
6. Bake uncovered for 25-35 minutes until vegetables are tender and golden brown, checking every 10 minutes to stir and make sure veggies are not sticking.
Note: Any combination of vegetables will work. Roasting only one kind of vegetable also makes a nice side dish.
ACTION STEP #2
Watch an easy "how-to" video created by my teaching partner Lisa Wilson to see how easy it is to make Roasted Root Vegetables.
Watch Lisa Wilson's Video of the Month: How To Make Roasted Root Vegetables
ACTION STEP #3
Discover the right foods to heal your body and control your weight by joining our coaching program Weight Loss For Tired People. Enroll by the end of December to get 2009 prices. Prices will be going up in 2010. Classes begin January 12, 2010.
For more information go to the NIHA Nutrition and Wellness Program. Or, for a free consultation to see if the program is right for you, call me directly:
Eve Colantoni (202) 297-3707 or send an email to eve.colantoni@NIHAdc.com
www.WeightLossForTiredPeople.com
www.UrbanAlchemyWellness.com
www.NIHAdc.com