Resources
We’d like to share with you some tools and treasures to help you get started now on feeling better inside and out. Use the navigation on the left to enjoy our favorite links, monthly exercise, weekly recipe and daily affirmation!
Daily Affirmation
> Learn the hows and whys of affirmations by clicking here.
> Check out a super fun video of an affirmation pro by clicking here.
> Want to share a favorite affirmation? Let us know by clicking here.
Recipe of the Week
Eating dark, leafy greens is the very best thing we can start doing for our health right now. Romaine lettuce (not just the hearts!), spinach and arugula are common, darker greens that can be found in the produce section of most every market. If you’re ready to take the plunge and try out the nutritional powerhouses of dark, leafy greens, kale and collards, then start with this super-quick and easy recipe. The greens in the photo are a mixture of kale and collards and were made with black soy beans and balsamic vinegar — they’re perfect for breakfast (add an egg or piece of whole grain toast), and also make a great dinner side.
7 Minute Greens
Ingredients
1/4 cup diced onion
1/4 + 1/2 cup water
salt
2 cups kale and/or collards
1/2 cup beans
your favorite vinegar
nutritional yeast or cheese (optional)
Method
Add the onion, 1/4 cup of water and pinch of salt to a large skillet and cover. Cook over medium heat while you prepare the greens by removing the middle stem (simply hold the end of the stem in one hand, grab the leaves with the other hand and pull away), and cutting them into ribbons or other bite-sized pieces. Add the greens to the onion along with another pinch of salt and 1/4 cup of water. Mix thoroughly, and then spread evenly over the bottom of the pan. The object is to blanch the greens in the boiling water, so add more water, if necessary, so that it covers the bottom of the pan. Return the lid to the pan and cook over medium-high heat for no more than five minutes. Stir in beans and cook until they’re heated through (usually just a minute or two). Place greens in bowl, stir in a splash of vinegar, and add a couple tablespoons of nutritional yeast or sharp cheese.
Monthly Exercise
Standing Side Bend
Stand up straight and suck in your stomach. Keeping your legs straight and your arms at your sides, lean from left to right. Make sure you don’t rotate at the hips; rather, keep your upper body in a forward-facing position and simply tilt your body left and right. This easy ab exercise primarily works the obliques, but it also engages the entire abdominal wall and some of the lower back muscles. Perform 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps.
Useful Links
Gyms and Wellness Centers:
- North Penn YMCA | http://www.northpennymca.org/: One membership for three locations in Lansdale and Harleysville. Family-friendly facilities with childcare, many group exercise classes and Les Mills programs, swimming and raquetball facilities, spinning studio, gymnasiums, locker room facilities, and wellness centers with circuit training, cardio equipment and free weights.
- Snap Fitness | http://www.snapfitness.com/perkasiepa: The place for a fast, convenient and affordable workout. Offering a weight room, top-of-the-line Matrix cardio equipment and resistance machines, and 46″ High Definition LCD televisions. Tanning booth and massage chair use available. Your membership is good at over 1,045 Snap Fitness locations around the US.
Healthy Eats:
- Blooming Glen Farm | http://www.bloomingglenfarm.com/: Growing over 75 different varieties of vegetables, fruits, flowers and herbs, Blooming Glen markets their produce through a 225-member CSA, to restaurants and natural food stores, and at the seasonal Headhouse Farmers’ Market on Sundays in Philadelphia, and Linden Hill Farmers’ Market on Friday evenings in Ottsville.
- Local Harvest | http://www.localharvest.org/: The best organic food is what’s grown closest to you. Use this website to find farmers’ markets, family farms, and other sources of sustainably-grown produce, meats, dairy, breads and more in your area.
- Nutrition Data | http://www.nutritiondata.com/: Find detailed nutrition information, plus unique analysis tools that tell you more about how foods affect your health and make it easier to choose healthy foods.
