Experience Nutrition

Author: Experience Nutrition

  • 9 Ways 90 Days: Organic Chia Pudding Recipe

    By Melanie Albert, Nutrition & Wellness Expert, Author, Speaker, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition

    Chia seeds are the rage today! But some of us remember when they were the green hair that grew on our Chia Pets when we were kids. Who knew that decades later we’d be eating them!

    Chia seeds come from a flowering plant in the mint family that’s native to Mexico and Guatemala, and history suggests it was a very important food crop for the Aztecs.

     Benefits of Chia Seeds

    •   Good fats. Chia seeds, like hemp seeds and flax seeds are a great ALA omega-3 healthy-fat rich seed, which is important for brain health and reduction of inflammation in the body.
    • High in protein. Great source of protein for vegetarians and vegans
    •  Stabilize blood sugar. Important for diabetics
    • Improve heart health. According to the Cleveland Clinic, chia seeds have been shown to improve blood pressure in diabetics, and may also increase healthy cholesterol, while lowering total, bad LDL and triglyceride cholesterol
    • Good source of calcium. 18% or the recommended daily intake for calcium.

    9 Ways 90 Days Organic Chia Pudding Recipe

    9 Ways 90 Days Chia Seed Pudding
    9 Ways 90 Days Chia Seed Pudding

     Ingredients

    •  1/3 cup chia seeds
    • 1 cup soy milk
    • 2 chopped bananas
    • 1 tsp vanilla
    • 1 Medjool date, if you desire more sweetness
    • Berries, nuts and seeds for toppings

     Simple Steps

    • Mix chia seeds, vanilla and date into the soy milk
    • Fold in the bananas
    • Refrigerate for at least 4 hours (or overnight)
    • Enjoy for breakfast, snack, or dessert with your favorite berries, nuts and seeds

    Post your Chia Pudding creations on our Facebook page!

     

     

     

  • 9 Ways 90 Days: Code Words for Sugar and Artificial Sweeteners

    by Melanie Albert, Nutrition Expert, Author, Speaker, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition

    Sugar is addictive. Eating a small amount creates a desire for more. And, when people suddenly stop eating sugar, they get withdrawal symptoms such as headaches, mood swings, cravings and fatigue.

    9 Ways 90 Days: Pile of Sugar
    9 Ways 90 Days: Pile of Sugar

    Sugar is Everywhere in Snack Foods

    Here is a list of some of the possible code words for “sugar” which may appear on a label. The words “syrup”, “sweetener”, and anything ending in “ose” can usually be assumed to be “sugar”. If the label says “no added sugars”, it should not contain any of the following, although the food could contain naturally-occurring sugars (such as lactose in milk).

    • Corn sweetener
    • Dehydrated Cane Juice
    • Dextrin
    • Dextrose, fructose, glucose, high-fructose corn syrup, lactose, maltose, saccharose, sucrose, xylose
    • Fruit juice concentrate
    • Invert sugar
    • Maltodextrin
    • Barley malt syrup, corn syrup, corn syrup solids, malt syrup, maple syrup, rice syrup
    • Sorghum or sorghum syrup
    • Turbinado sugar

     Good for you Sweeteners

    • Agave nectar
    • Black strap molasses
    • Honey
    • Maple syrup
    • Raw sugar
    • Stevia: an herb native to Paraguay, grows in Brazil, and cultivated in China; A few drops provide the sweetness of sugar

    Do Not Eat Artificial Sweeteners

    • Aspartame: Nutrasweet, Equal
    • Saccharin: Sweet’N Low
    • Sucralose: Splenda®

    Come over to Facebook and share your favorite natural sweeteners.

  • 9 Ways 90 Days: Organic Raw Kale Salad Recipe

    by Melanie Albert, Nutrition Expert, Author, Speaker, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition

    Recipe excerpt from book, “Enjoy Food & Life, 9 Ways 90 Days Step-by-step action plan for healthy eating and living.”

    Did you know you can eat raw kale? Simple, delicious healthy recipe to add this power food to your meals.  Kale is full of bone-building vitamin K, calcium plus, iron and vitamins A and C.

    9 Ways 90 Days Organic Raw Kale Salad
    9 Ways 90 Days Organic Raw Kale Salad

    Raw Kale Salad Simple Steps 

    • Finely chop a few handfuls of dinosaur kale
    • Add 2 TBS organic extra virgin olive oil
    • Squeeze ½ fresh lemon
    • Sprinkle sea salt (to your taste)
    • Massage the kale for about 3-4 minutes
    • Let the kale sit for 10-15 minutes
    • Add some fresh veggies, such as tomatoes, cucumbers or carrots

     

    Your Action

    Make a raw kale salad.  You will love it!

    Did you enjoy it?

    Come on over to Facebook and share a photo of your raw kale salad.

  • Alice Waters, The Edible Schoolyard in Berkeley

    “We can participate in the preservation of both the land and our health by buying directly from local farmers at farmers’ markets, asking for organic produce at our grocers, and requiring food labeling that is explicit about how it is grown.” – Alice Waters, The Art of Simple Food II

    I totally embrace the food philosophies of Alice Waters, and have had the pleasure to spend time at the more than incredible Edible Schoolyard in Berkeley, California. Founded in 1996, it’s a one-acre garden and classroom where students are given the knowledge and values to make food choices that are healthy for them, their communities, and the environment. Will definitely post photos of this beautiful school garden.

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    The Philosophy of Alice Waters, The Edible Schoolyard Berkeley

    Join us on Facebook and share which of these philosophies you resonate with.

  • 9 Ways 90 Days: Very odd: Craving Real Whole Grains today.

    by Melanie Albert, Nutrition Expert, Author, Speaker, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition

    While chatting with a friend on Facebook this morning,  I just realized that I must be craving real whole grains. This morning I have cooked and eaten steel cut oats with raw almonds and apples for breakfast. Kneaded organic sprouted spelt flour to bake flatbread, and am soaking brown rice to cook with dinner.

    9 Ways 90 Days: Please Eat Real Whole Grains
    9 Ways 90 Days: Please Eat Real Whole Grains

    Crazy. I have never craved whole grains like this. So, my body may be missing something. Real whole grains (not processed) are nutrient-rich.  Full of protein, fiber, B-complex, iron and magnesium. Whole grains balance sugar highs and lows. Due to the fiber in whole grains, they digest slowly, and produce more stable blood sugar levels than refined, processed grains.

    Be sure to consume whole grains. Do not eat grains processed or refined into bread, crackers or cereal.

     

    According to the Whole Grains Council (www.WholeGrainsCouncil.org) the benefits of whole grains most documented by studies include:

    • Reduce stroke risk by 30-36%
    • Reduce risk of type 2 diabetes risk by 21-30%
    • Reduce heart disease risk by 25-28%
    • Better weight maintenance
    • Reduce risk of asthma
    • Healthier blood pressure levels
    • Healthier carotid arteries
    • Reduce risk  of inflammatory disease
    • Lower risk of colorectal cancer
    • Less gum disease and tooth loss

    Come on over to Facebook and share a photo of your favorite whole grains.

  • 9 Ways 90 Days: Create Your Self Care Menu

    by Melanie Albert, Nutrition Expert, Author, Speaker, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition

    Self care is essential. Take time every day to do something wonderful just for you to refresh, renew, relax and rejuvenate. Since we are all extremely busy with responsibilities, it’s important to take time for you. In addition to yourself, it’s vital to enjoy all your relationships.

    9 Ways 90 Days Self Care Menu
    9 Ways 90 Days Self Care Menu

    What do you do just for you?

    We are all so busy with life, work, family and responsibilities that sometimes we forget about ourselves. I love selfcare. I consciously added it to my life a few years ago. To me selfcare is doing something nice for me. Doing what I love to do. Sometimes it’s going to an NFL football game, getting a massage, working out in the middle of the day at the gym, experimenting with new recipes and new local produce, or it’s a special outing with my niece.

    My Self Care Menu

    • Cooking new foods
    • Farmers markets in new cities
    • NFL football games
    • Art projects with my niece
    • Walking Bruno, my niece’s dog
    • Lunch at True Food Kitchen
    • Beach walks in Cocoa Beach
    • Sunset golf course walks in my backyard
    • Matcha tea ceremony with myself
    • Massage anytime
    • Practice flow and yin yoga
    • Read nutrition and cookbooks
    • International travel
    • Week at a spa
    • Breathe deeply

     Action: Create your self care menu. Take a few minutes to write 15-20 different things you love to do just for you. What do you really enjoy doing that do not pertain to your responsibilities with family or work? Pick one item from your self care menu every day and do it.

    Visit us on Facebook and share the “top 5” on your self care menu.

  • 9 Ways 90 Days: Fats Are Essential

    by Melanie Albert, Nutrition Expert, Author, Speaker, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition

    Excerpt from “Enjoy Food & Life. 9 Ways 90 Days step-by-step action plan for healthy eating and living.”

    Fats Are Essential

    While the media has made us afraid of fats, they are actually required in order for our bodies to function properly.  For years during the low fat, no fat craze I thought fats were bad and I stopped eating some of my favorite foods, nuts and olives. Now I’ve learned that fats are good for us and that our bodies require about 30% fats in our diet each and every day, for each and every meal.

    9 Ways 90 Days: Fats are Essential
    9 Ways 90 Days: Fats are Essential

     

    Eating the right fats helps to:

    •      Reduce inflammation

    •      Reduce risk of heart health

    •      Decrease your risk of diabetes

    •      Boost brain health

    •      Reduce joint pain

     

    Plant based fats like nuts, seeds, avocados and olives are a healthy fat source.

     

    Visit us on Facebook and describe the fats you’ve been eating the last few months.

  • 9 Ways 90 Days: Food Quotes

    9 Ways 90 Days: Food Quotes

    9 Ways 90 Days Food Quotes

    Visit us on Facebook and share your thoughts on this quote. Think about it, what does the food you eat, eat?

  • 9 Ways 90 Days: What snacks did you love when you were a kid?

    by Melanie Albert, Nutrition Expert, Author and Speaker, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition

    Take a Look at the Snacks You Loved as a Kid

    As a kid, I loved ice cream. Now, I really love healthy thick fruit smoothies. And, as a kid I ate red licorice. Now, I enjoy trail mix, goji berries and dark chocolate. I notice that the fruit smoothies I enjoy today are a lot like ice cream; cold and creamy. And, I think one of the reasons I love goji berries is because they are red and chewy, just like the licorice I used to love as a kid.

    Superfood Snack: Organic Goji Berries
    Superfood Snack: Organic Goji Berries

    Come over to Facebook and share your responses to the following 3 questions.

    • What snacks did you love the most when you were a kid? __________
    • What snacks do you now eat as an adult?_________________________________
    • Describe the similarities in these snacks__________________________________

  • 9 Ways 90 Days: Yin & Yang of Exercise

    by Melanie Albert, Nutrition Expert, Author, Speaker, Founder and CEO Experience Nutrition

    Excerpt from book, “Enjoy Food & Life. Step-by-step action plan for healthy eating and living.”

    Why Exercise is Vital

    Exercise has been an important part of my life. But it is important to note that my exercise routine has changed overtime depending upon my age, where I lived and what was going on with my life. In college I was a runner and played tennis. During corporate days I taught aerobics, did strength training and played a lot of golf. Since I’ve been an entrepreneur, I’ve practiced yoga and a few years ago added the gym back to my life for weight training and cardio. Walking on the beach or golf course has always been part of my life.

    Yin and Yang of Exercise
    Yin and Yang of Exercise

     

    Yin & Yang

    I’ve noticed that when my life is very yang with lots of intense meetings and speaking engagements and when I’m around crowds of people, I prefer a more yin calm exercise, like yoga or a quiet walk on the beach. On the other hand, when I’m quietly writing or thinking about strategy, I prefer a more yang workout such as cardio and weight training.

     

    Why Exercise and Movement is Vital to Life

    • Combats health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and benefits bone health and brain health
    • Controls weight
    • Improves muscle strength
    • Increases flexibility
    • Increases energy
    • Enhances mood
    • Reduces stress
    • Promotes better sleep
    • Improves quality of life
    • It’s fun

    Visit us on Facebook and share how you incorporate Yin and Yang Exercise into your life.

  • 9 Ways 90 Days Recipe: Organic Lentil Soup with Greens

    by Melanie Albert, Nutrition Expert & Author, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition

    Excerpt from book, “Enjoy Food & Life. 9 Ways 90 Days Step-by-step action plan for healthy eating and living”

    This process of cooking soup gives us the foundation for making any type of bean soup. To make quick, delicious soups you will use a mix-and-match of beans, veggies and greens.

    •       Beans: protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals

    •       Any roots: Carrots, sweet potatoes, parsnip, and/or turnips

    •       Whole grains: Brown rice, Quinoa

    •       Greens: Kale, collards

    Image

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup lentils
    • 3-4 carrots and/or sweet potatoes
    • 2-3 cloves garlic
    • 1 onion or 5-6 green onions
    • 3-4 celery stalks
    • 2 TBS organic extra virgin olive oil
    • 5” strip of kombu seaweed (Seaweed is high in minerals and improves digestibility of beans)
    • 1 cup brown rice
    • 4-5 cups water
    • 1/2 tsp cumin
    • 1 tsp black pepper
    • 1/2 bunch kale

     Simple Steps

    • Saute carrots, garlic, onions and celery with extra virgin olive oil
    • Add about 6 cups water to pot
    • Wash lentils and add to pot
    • Add brown rice
    • Add kombu to pot (to tenderize the beans)
    • Add cumin and black pepper
    • Bring to a boil
    • Skim off foam
    • Cook at moderate-low heat for about 30 minutes
    • Sprinkle chopped kale to top of soup and cook 5 more minutes

     Your Action

    Cook and enjoy a basic home-made lentil soup. Visit us on Facebook and share a photo and what you used in your soup:

    Beans__________________

    Roots__________________

    Whole grains_____________

    Greens__________________

  • Why We Must Hydrate

    Hydrate All Day. Every Day.

    by Melanie Albert, Nutrition Expert & Author, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition

    Why We Need Water

     Our Systems Need Water

    Hydrate All Day. Every Day.
    Hydrate All Day. Every Day.
    • Every system in your body needs water to function properly
    • Your body is made up of 75% water and your brain is 85% water
    • Water carries nutrients to cells
    • Essential for good digestion
    • Lubricates joints and is an important part of all movement
    • Necessary to excrete waste and toxins from the body
    • Helps regulate body temperature

    Stay Hydrated

    Heart: Dehydration lowers blood volume, requiring your heart to work harder to provide enough oxygen to your cells

    Brain: Staying hydrated keeps memory sharp and mood stable – even slight dehydration reduces our ability to recall new information

    Exercise: Being hydrated makes exercise and even walking more difficult, and reduces the amount of aerobic exercise you can do

    Visit us on Facebook and SHARE Why YOU Hydrate.

  • Happy New Year 2014: Create Your Happiness Basket

     What a wonderful day to start fresh. 

     “Year’s end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us. Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right. “ – Oprah Winfrey

    2014 Happiness Basket
    2014 Happiness Basket

    To start the New Year, I just created a “Happiness Basket”, and invite you to create one for you and your children. Based on the concept of a Daily Gratitude Journal, take a moment every day in 2014 to write your happy thoughts or experiences.

    Your Happiness, Your Successes, Your Celebrations, Your Joys.

    Reflect on all areas of your life.

    • Health
    • Relationships
    • Career
    • Exercise
    • Home Environment
    • Healthy Cooking
    • Finances
    • Self Care

    Visit us on Facebook and share a photo of your Happiness Basket or Jar and throughout the year we will celebrate our Happiness together.

     

     

     

  • Motivational Quote: Time to Sail

    “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain.

    Sail from your safe harbor.
    Sail from your safe harbor.

  • 4 Simple Steps to Create Your 2013 Accomplishment Board

    By Melanie Albert, Nutrition Expert and Author, Founder & CEO Experience Nutrition

     Melanie Albert: 2013 Accomplishment Board

    Melanie Albert: 2013 Accomplishment Board

    Within the 9Ways90Days program we focus on goal setting and taking step-by-step action every day to achieve our goals.

    This year I decided to create a visual board of my 2013 for both life and business before starting to set goals and create my vision for 2014.

    4 Simple Steps to Create your 2013 Accomplishment Board

     1.      Sit quietly in your favorite place, light a candle, pause, inhale and exhale fully a few times.

    2.     Now intuitively write down the top 10 accomplishments in your life in 2013.  Make one for your personal life and for your business or career. Personally, you may include great experiences like traveling, fun times with family or friends, your wedding, birth of a child or grandchild, even positive affirmations from your year. For business, it could be experiences (like speaking engagements or video shoots for me), rewards, promotions or a job change.

    3.      Favorite Photos. Next, go through your favorite photos from each of your accomplishments and put them into a simple document (Powerpoint works great).

    4.     Enjoy. Print out the document, share with your family and enjoy re-living the wonderful experiences.

     Visit us on Facebook and share your 2013 Accomplishment Board.

     

  • Get Clear on Organic

    by Melanie Albert, Nutrition expert & author, Founder & CEO, Experience Nutrition

    How much organic do you eat?
    How much organic do you eat?

    I’ve been eating organic food for decades, way before it became trendy and in the news. In my mind it made intuitive sense to eliminate pesticides from my body. At times it was challenging to shop for organic food; I was shopping at very small co-ops which did not have a large organic variety. I’m glad that there are so many places to buy organic in Phoenix, where I live and that farmer’s markets, many which grow without pesticides and herbicides, have grown so much across our country. I love supporting local farmers and eating delicious, local, in-season produce.

    How much of your food is organic? Come over to Facebook and share.

     

    What does organic mean?

    The important aspects of organic, as defined by the USDA National Organic Program are:

    •      No synthetic chemicals or fertilizers

    •      Not genetically engineered

    •      Not sterilized by irradiation

    •      Not fertilized by sewage sludge

  • Confusion about What to Eat: Too Many Food Pyramids and Dietary Theories

    by Melanie Albert, Nutrition expert & author, Founder & CEO, Experience Nutrition

    Today, there are so many different food pyramids and 100’s of different dietary theories; no wonder people are confused about what to eat.

    Come on over to Facebook and share your experiences with different ways of eating  www.facebook.com/9Ways90Days

    Too Many Food Pyramids & Diets
    Too Many Food Pyramids & Diets

     

    Some Food Pyramids available include:

    • USDA My PlateTM
    • Harvard School of Public Health
    • Andrew Weil, MD Anti-inflammatory
    • Mediterranean Oldways
    • Michio Kushi Macrobiotic
    • Atkins
    • Okinawa
    • Vegan
    • Paleo
    • South Beach
    •  Zone
    • DASH
    • Biggest Loser
    • American Heart Association
    • American Diabetes Association
    • Dr. Furham’s Nutritarian

    100s’ of Dietary Theories

    In addition to confusion with so many different food pyramids, 100’s of dietary theories are in the media. A few of the current dietary theories include:

    • 3-Season
    • 5 Element
    • Abs Diet
    • Anti-Aging
    • Atkins
    • Ayurveda
    • Blood Type
    • Body Ecology
    • Calorie Restriction
    • Curves
    • DASH
    • Dorm Room Diet
    • Dr. Phil’s Diet
    • Dukan
    • Eat More Weigh Less by Dr. Dean Ornish
    • Engine 2
    • Fat Flush
    • French Women Don’t Get Fat
    • Gluten-Free
    • Glycemic Index
    • High-Carbohydrate
    • High-Protein
    • Jenny Craig
    • LA Weight Loss
    • Low-Carb
    • Low-Fat
    • Low-Protein
    • Macrobiotics
    • Maker’s Diet
    • Master Cleanse
    • Mayo Clinic
    • Mediterranean
    • Metabolic Typing
    • Okinawa
    • Perricone Prescription
    • Plant-Based
    • Pritikin
    • Raw Food
    • Sonomaa
    • South Beach
    • Traditional Chinese Medicine
    • Vegan
    • Vegetarian
    • Volumetrics
    • Wheat Belly
    • Zone Diet

  • Our Country is Sick & Confused About Food

    by Melanie Albert, Nutrition & Food Expert & Author, Founder & CEO, Experience Nutrition

    America is Sick & Confused about What to Eat
    America is Sick & Confused about What to Eat

    America is Sick & Confused about Food. Our country is sick with epidemic levels of obesity, heart disease, and diabetes and many live in pain. An estimated 45 million people are on diets each year. The food in our country has changed dramatically with processed food and fast food over the last 50 years. Many in our country today do not eat at home and do not know how to cook. People are also confused about what to eat. There are so many different food pyramids and 100s of different dietary theories in the media.

    Status of Health in America Today. There are huge problems in our country today. Our country is sick with epidemic levels of obesity, heart disease and diabetes with many people living in pain. An estimated 45% of people are on diets, which do not work.  Even professional athletes experience many of the same health concerns as the general public.

    Growth of Processed Foods. The food in the U.S. has changed dramatically with the consumption of processed foods and fast foods negatively affecting the health of our nation. McDonald’s opened in the U.S. in 1955 and today one-fourth of the population of our country eats fast food every day. Furthermore, Americans eat 31 percent more packaged food than fresh food, and they consume more packaged food per person than their counterparts in nearly all other countries.

    Changed Eating Habits. In addition to the food eaten in the U.S., people’s eating habits have changed dramatically. Today, people are eating while watching television, driving or working and many do not know the basics of eating at home.

     Confusion About Shopping and Preparing Food. People are so accustomed to eating out, eating on the run, grabbing quick processed foods or microwaving a meal, that we have lost our skill of shopping for and preparing real food.

  • 9 Ways to Enjoy Food & Life

    9 Ways to Enjoy Food & Life

    The 9 Ways to Enjoy Food & Life
    1. Hydration
    2. Organic Roots & Greens
    3. Snacks, Superfoods & Smoothies
    4. Right Fats
    5. Plant Protein
    6. Whole Grains
    7. Be Active
    8. Self Care & Relationships
    9. Live your Passion

  • Enjoy Food & Life: 9 Ways 90 Days Step-by-step Action Plan for Healthy Eating & Living

    9 Ways 90 Days Step-by-step Action Plan for Healthy Eating & Living, by nutrition and food expert, Melanie Albert, featuring former NFL players.

    NEW BOOK: January 2014

    9 Ways 90 Days Step-by-step action plan for healthy eating & living
    9 Ways 90 Days Step-by-step action plan for healthy eating & living

    9 Ways 90 Days Action Plan is based on the successful program which positively affects the health and nutrition of former NFL players and their families. The book offers nutrition education with a simple step-by-step action plan to integrate good nutrition with a healthy lifestyle into life. The program is designed to help you achieve good nutrition and health to reach your personal goals, including reducing the risk of heart disease and diabetes, weight loss, reducing joint pain, increasing energy and reducing stress. 

    Our country is sick and people are confused. They are confused about what to eat, how to shop and how to prepare healthy food. The 9 Ways 90 Days Action Plan, created from sound science and a variety of nutrition theories with hands-on interactive learning and cooking experiences, is a solution to these problems. It also includes simple ways to prepare easy meals with recipes, nutritionrecommendations, and the 9 Ways 90 Days Action Plan to incorporate learning into life.