IE

What if we could all accept our bodies in whatever shape or size we are? Think about how much time we spend thinking about food or thinking about how our bodies should look. What if we literally tuned out the noise that diet culture plays so loudly in our lives? What if we focused on what's inside all of us.

These negative and harmful thoughts are not our fault. There’s constant messaging (magazine covers, instagram, tic tok etc) and it makes a lot of sense that we’re going to feel this pressure. I would be lying to you if I told you if I told you I never had some of these thoughts. I have not always liked the way I look in certain outfits. And I have compared my body to others. I have also tried some “fad diets”.

But as I have started to practice Intuitive Eating, the more I am aware of these negative and harmful messages, the happier I am with the way I look! The magic of intuitive eating (and I really do believe it is almost magical), needs to be shared widely because of its power to radically change how we interact with food.

IE allows us to listen to our bodies when it comes to food choices and frees us to fully enjoy our food without judgment.

The more we can accept our bodies, inside and out, the healthier we are likely to be.

As a Clinical Behavioral Therapist and as a Certified IE Coach, I am here to help you to listen to your inner voice and learn positive ways to accept yourself as you are. Feel free to reach out to me for a consultation at rachel@livehealthynyc.com

Watermellon

Summertime is the perfect season to indulge in the delicious fruits it has to offer, and one fruit that stands out is watermelon. Not only does watermelon taste amazing, but it also has numerous health benefits. Whether you enjoy it sliced for a picnic or in a refreshing salad, watermelon is a versatile and nutritious option.

One of my very good friends has a knack for creating interesting and mouth watering salads, and her Watermelon and Feta salad is truly outstanding. The combination of juicy watermelon chunks and tangy feta cheese creates a delightful burst of flavors. Not only is this salad visually appealing, but as I watched her prepare it with care and love made it taste even better!

I believe that enjoying what you eat is not just about the taste, but also about how it makes you feel. Taking care of our bodies is essential, and enjoying what we eat is a part of that. Join me in exploring ways to nourish our minds, bodies, and spirits from the inside out. Contact me at rachel@livehealthynyc.com

Self

I am going to be brief as I write this week's blog:

As a tween I was tall and lanky with braces and I didn’t think of myself as cool. My 7th grade boyfriend called me a prude and my dad told me that was ok! But each step of the way I had a great support system (family and friends) and I developed a great sense of self.

I grew up with this mantra (and I hope I passed it down to my kids): DON’T COMPARE YOURSELF TO OTHERS!

Give your social media a rest. Get into the habit of recognizing that your journey is unique, and your path may look different from those around you. Focus on your own progress and remember that you are exactly where you need to be!

Let me help you learn ways to take care of your mind, body and spirit in ways that work for you! Contact me at rachel@livehealthynyc.com

Calm

While many get to travel during the summer months, others are rooted at home. When you physically can’t get away, it is important to find ways to refresh yourself. I have been discovering the pleasure of long walks and absorbing the beauty in nature. It offers a quiet in my head that brings my mind peace. I have been learning to breathe more evenly and practice patience and gratitude. Quieting my mind allows me to have a more balanced approach to eating, exercise and rest. It’s enabling me to be more “healthy”.

My aunt recently shared her love for CALM. It is an app that can be downloaded and it has become a great addition for peace and serentiy. Try it www.calm.com

I’d love to help you learn ways to take care of your mind, body and spirit in ways that work for you! Contact me at rachel@livehealthynyc.com

ME TIME

The other day I had a precious moment to myself and I found myself walking around town. A painting in an art gallery caught my eye and the next thing I knew I was deep in conversation with the owner who shared her expertise. She spoke about each artist and like a sponge, I soaked up the information she shared. She was curious as to how I saw the pictures in the frames and she asked me what I did. I said that I was a therapist. “Oh, you must be busy taking care of others,” she said. I said “actually, I help people learn how to take care of themselves”. She smiled. I said “it was lovely to meet you and talk with you, but now I must leave to take care of myself and continue my “me time”.

“ME TIME” is something I have been learning to take. For “me”, it is a conscious effort to take time out for myself. It can be time spent on my own, or with others, and the practice is done in order to reduce stress and restore energy. It can be as little as 30 min or it can be a full day. Like any behavior, it has to be practiced in order to be felt. Taking “ME TIME” is not selfish but rather it is a time to reset our mind and body. “ME TIME” allows me to find my strength as I work towards health and confidence.

Do you take “ME TIME”? And how do you take “ME TIME”? I’d love to help you learn ways to take care of your mind, body and spirit in ways that work for you! Contact me at rachel@livehealthynyc.com

Spending Time

Structure and routine in my day has always left me feeling with a sense of stability. Many of us are “creatures of habit” as we begin our days and end our nights. Thinking about having to ever give up my routine was not in my wheelhouse and the thought of it left me thinking not so happy thoughts. For someone like me, routine organized my thoughts and behavior. I didn’t think I was being rigid, but rather that “my way” suited me. But you know what? To my surprise, I have discovered that everything happens for a reason.. and really learning how to be adaptable and emotionally flexible has been the best thing for me!

I am a believer that emotional flexibility is the key to wellbeing. Learning to adapt to uncertainty and discomfort in a complex and ever changing world is vital to both mental and physical health. Have you ever realized that we are bombarded with messages that tell us to be positive all the time and that we should always see the bright side. We have been taught to force ourselves to feel happy, and avoid all the negativity in life. I have always been a realistically optimistic person however I believe that “living well” is not about feeling good all the time. It’s about being able to sit with and be comfortable with a variety of feelings in life and to move towards what matters to you the most, despite the discomfort. It is important to be able to shift perspectives into action without being overwhelmed. We are constantly learning and growing. It’s just as ok to feel vulnurable as it is ok to feel strong!

Your struggles are real! Connecting to your emotions without being defensive but by allowing yourself to be emotionally open and accepting of your experiences will help you to achieve the behavior you ultimatly want.

Want to learn how to achieve emotional flexibility? As a therapist trained to help you approach your life and relationships in a more open and flexible way, come work with me. Email me at rachel@livehealthynyc.com

Progress

Today on this marvelous Monday, I am keeping it simple:

Remember to celebrate your small victories. Progress is progress, no matter how small it may seem. As I wake up every morning, I really try to appreciate the people, experiences, and things that bring joy and meaning to my life. Sometimes, it’s hard to find, but if I allow myself to dig deep enough, I can find it!

I truly believe that gratitude can shift your perspective and bring more abundance into your world. It has mine!

As a relational therapist, if I can help you uncover the joy in your life, please reach out to me at rachel@livehealthynyc.com

Xx, Rachel

Fruit 2023

Someone asked me the other day if I eat fruit? Does a zebra have stripes?!? I am slightly obsessed with eating fruit especially when it’s in season! There is nothing worse than an underripe or overripe piece of fruit (and sometimes it’s hard to tell until it’s too late!). I love a sweet mango and juicy watermelon quenches my thirst in the heat of summer! I recently discovered that by adding fruit to my sandwiches (like apple with tuna and arugula) and salads (strawberries are a perfect addition to spinach) I get the benefits of sweet and savory in one bite! And adding dried fruit and nuts when I make my own dark chocolate bark is so good!

Here are a few simple seasonal recipes that you can try!

Summer Smoothie:

1 cup mango

1 cup pineapple

1 cup strawberries

2 cups orange juice

1 cup vanilla yogurt 

(can be frozen fruit or add ice)

Blend and enjoy!

Summer Salad:

1 ear of corn, roasted

1 long English cucumber, chopped

2 cups cherry tomatoes (vine-ripened if possible!)

1/2 an avocado, cubed

2 cups fresh strawberries, quartered

1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped

1/3 cup crumbled feta

1/2 a lemon, juice only

2 Tbsp olive oil

Salt + pepper to taste

In a large salad bowl, add the kernels of corn, sliced strawberries, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and avocado chunks. Sprinkle with crumbled feta, chopped basil, olive oil, freshly-squeezed lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Toss everything to combine.

Can add any grilled protein (I love grilled shrimp!)

Dark Chocolate with Fruit and Nuts:

8 oz dark chocolate (try to find a good quality bar)

1/4 cup toasted cashews (or any nuts and seeds combo)

1/4 cup dried fruit of your choice

Line the baking sheet with parchment paper. Roughly chop dark chocolate and place all but the smallest pieces in a medium size glass bowl. Melt chocolate in microwave. Pour melted chocolate over toasted nuts and dried fruit on parchment lined baking sheet. Using a silicone spatula or metal spoon, evenly distribute melted chocolate over the fruit and nuts. Place chocolate bark in the refrigerator or freezer. And enjoy!

As always, if I can help you learn to eat intuitively or you just want someone to talk to help filter out all of the noise of diet culture (and other life “noise”) please email me at rachel@livehealthynyc.com






Do Nothing

My husband asked me on a Tuesday morning what I was doing today. He had no agenda for asking me this, he was just being curious. I looked at him and said “I am doing nothing”, and I went into the other room. Truth is, I had a few appointments but I had rescheduled them as I was moving slower and didn’t want to rush to get to where I really didn’t have to be on this particular Tuesday. And so, for a few moments, since I now had an entire day free to myself, I pondered what I “should” do. Should I reschedule some clients, should I call a friend and make a lunch or coffee plan, should I go do some of my errands. This list of shoulds could be honestly endless and exhausting. And so I decided, thoughtfully and purposefully, that I “should stay put” and “do nothing”.

To be honest, getting comfortable with my decision took a little bit of mental work- I felt like I was walking on a tightrope. Allowing myself time to just be present without physically doing something was not a place that I frequently go to.

Similarly, learning to eat intuitively, a path that I have been on, and how I work with my clients to help them find their own path is not always smooth. Learning to challenge the food police, the fourth principle of intuitive eating can be a difficult principle to overcome. Just like how hard it is to not have a plan for the day and be ok doing nothing, how can we learn to turn off the loudspeaker inside our heads that monitors the unreasonable rules that diet culture has created? Learning to identify food rules, questioning these rules and then reframing one's thought process is integral to living guilt free from food. It is important to evaluate what foods you think of as “good and bad” or “healthy and unhealthy”. And then reflect on where these beliefs came from. Challenging your inner critic can be liberating and you may just find that you can be at peace with your decision to stay at home and enjoy a piece of cake!

For help finding your path, contact me at rachel@livehealthy.com

Patience Again

As I recover from my back surgery, PATIENCE has become my motto. I have been dutifully “working” to make space in my life to be more tolerant of what I can change and what I can not change. And while I am acutely aware of the things I can do to help aid my recovery, I must be patient in both my mind and body as I heal. I have become well aware that “rest” is an active part of healing. I have to say, this slowing down is not an easy task for me. To some extent, regretfully, I have become a part of our society that has become less patient and very used to instant gratification- everything is a mouse click away! And in this same way, in efforts to live by the messages that society promotes, who of us hasn’t tried a specific diet or succumbed to food fads? However, in order to find our own happiness, we must learn to be mindful and focus and tune into our bodies. It is important to look inwards rather than letting social media dictate the “right” kinds of foods, exercise programs and even substances that can be detrimental to our own health and wellness.

Much in this way, the practice of Intuitive eating provides a way to reduce dieting patterns and enable more sustainable, long-term behaviors that are not controlled by society's norms. It is evident that the more appreciation we have for our bodies, the more happiness we tend to experience. Food gives us energy, it nourishes our cells from the inside out. Food is also something that brings us together with others. I love how it brings happiness, joy, and satisfaction when around others. In this way, food is there to also nourish our soul. Instead of thinking of foods as "good" or "bad", try to think in terms of "everyday food” and "sometimes food” - food based on what our body cues tell us. There's room for all foods; so let's make room to be patient with ourselves and peace with food. 





Cooking for One

When I am home alone (unless I order sushi), I always cook for myself. I will most often make a piece of salmon, some roasted veggies, a salad or scramble some eggs. More important than knowing what I am putting into my body (will anyone really know if I ate a pint of peanut butter ice cream from Snowflake-IYKYK!), it is taking time to say “I AM WORTH THE EFFORT”!. So, put down the bowl of cereal (or the ice cream) and let’s take time for ourselves!

Honor yourself by cooking for yourself. Cooking and eating are all about nourishing yourself. You can also cultivate self-love by savoring every bite of a meal through mindfulness. And you don’t have to be a Michelin chef! It doesn’t need to be time consuming either. Stock your fridge with fruits and vegetables and your freezer with fish and meat in easy to thaw out packages. Have your pantry stocked with grains such as rice, pasta, quinoa and farro. Keep dried seasoning and good olive oil and vinegar and mustard. And yes, have some ice cream and chocolate in your freezer and pantry too!

Click on this link for what I consider an easy meal for YOU (it’s mushroom and asparagus cauliflower risotto). It’s perfect for spring as asparagus are in season and I love mushrooms for all of their health benefits. And you can use white or brown rice or farro or barley if you prefer! Enjoy this dish!

And of course, if you want to learn to take time for YOURSELF, reach out to me at rachel@livehealthynyc.com to set up some time to talk!

Noise of Diet Culture

Living in the heart of NYC I find the noise of the cars, construction and sirens to be overwhelming. When I am home alone in my apt, I hardly listen to music as the sound of silence is soothing to my mind. But, noise is everywhere-my friend asked me if I meditate (she was trying to tell me that mediating will help me quiet the noise) and sorry to say, I do not. Maybe I will learn to practice this.

In the meantime, the noise inside my head has to do with many things, but what I eat is not part of the noise. While my relationship with food is far from perfect, it doesn’t take up space in my mind. As I work with clients who struggle with various issues, and in particular with disordered eating, I wonder how I can help them silence the noise about food and body image that they hear all day. Recently, the diet industry has adapted its messaging to be less blatantly about appearance and more about the in vogue ideals of health and wellness. But, the idea that we have to be “healthy” is also damaging. It is confusing as thinness and health are not the same, and fatness does not necessarily equate to being unhealthy. And these are the very messages we have been consumed with over the years. The saddest aspect of diet culture is that it sets consumers up for failure and disappointment because, truthfully, the “perfect body” does not exist.

So how do we dismantle the noise?

Reject the diet culture- Get rid of things that keep you stuck in the diet mentality like low-calorie cookbooks and your scale. Stop restricting yourself and stop getting caught up in the newest food fad. Practice letting go of your internalized food rules.

Be Mindful of the language you use- words like good, bad, clean, naughty, sinful, cheating, cheat day are buzzwords that we use and they do more harn than good. Also, saying to a friend “you look great, did you lose weight?” focuses on bodies which perpetuates the diet culture.

Learn to eat intuitively- By learning to eat intuitively, you’ll be able to reconnect with your hunger and fullness cues, focus on satisfaction, and stop restricting.

Nurture your relationship with exercise as a form of self care- Can you think of movement as a way to make you feel good inside rather than making you look a certain way.

Build a community- friends are very important and social media can be very discouraging (as we all know). Link up with like minded people who share your interests and beliefs!

For help with all of this (and it’s alot!), feel free to reach out to me at rachel@livehealthynyc.com

Pasta

A younger version of myself only ate pasta when I went to Italy (which was not so often) and I admit even then, I had certain restrictions about the meal I ate. Since becoming a Certified Intuituve Eating Counselor (and adding this to my resume!) I have  learned more about Intuitive Eating, and began my own journey towards making peace with food. I have learned to  trust myself  and follow my own internal cues about food and exercise rather than relying on external rules.

The past few weekends my husband and I have been making shopping trips to Italian neighborhoods in NYC to shop for Itailan ingredients. I follow a chef on Instagram, Chef Max Mariola. He makes easy meals that are easy to replicate! He used shrimp, asparagus, green onion, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper and fresh linguine. We did a pretty good job of replicating this pasta and if you are a user of instagram, I suggest you look him up. 

And so now I don’t save pasta for Italy! 

If I can help you make peace with food, please contact me at rachel@livehealthynyc.com

Spring Clean your Mind and Soul

Spring is finally here in NYC and the trees and flowers are blooming in spectacular happy spring colors! When the weather gets nice like this, I put my winter clothes to the back of my closet, bring forward my lighter weight jackets and tops-ultimately cleaning out those items that are covered with dust. It's sorta like clockwork: Every spring, I declutter my home, booting all the things I don't need from my space.

This leads me to think, so when do I take the time to cleanse my mind and soul? Well, TBH, I have had a lot of time this past fall and winter season to slow down and make space for my mind and soul. A few short weeks ago I had back surgery and I am in the process of recovering. I tell you this not for sympathy but to say that my “time off” has allowed me to make space and to be more psychologically flexible. Being more psychologically flexible allows me to approach situations from new perspectives, be open to emotions, and to let go of old versions of myself and step into new ways of being. While physically I still can’t do all of the stuff I used to be able to do, I have learned to explore new ways of being mindfully active. For example, I am loving some online psychology classes. And reading novels during the day! And taking walks through the park and exploring nature. And, yes, binging movies and television series! As I reflect on spring cleaning I encourage you to make space for not only your clothes and tupperware but yourself!


Vitamin D

We have all been witnessing the crazy effects of global warming as the weather (no matter where you live) is like being on a roller coaster- some days sunny and warm and some days blustering cold! But, no matter what the temperature outside is, are you getting out enough on a daily basis to breathe in the fresh air and get your Vitamin D?

Vitamin D is dubbed the “sunshine vitamin”. Actually, vitamin D is not a vitamin nor a nutrient; it is a hormone produced by the body in the skin from a photolytic reaction with ultraviolet light.

Vitamin D is synthesized in the skin after exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet B rays, and is crucial for calcium absorption and the maintenance of strong, healthy bones. But, while I love the crisp weather in the fall and winter and long for warm temps in spring and summer, the winter sun isn’t strong enough to help us out. And even in the summer months, depending on your skin type, you will need more of the sunshine vitamin than you can get from just being outside.

So, what do you do to obtain this nutrient that we don’t want to be lacking in? Well, first off, there is not one blanket recommendation for how much vitamin D we all need. It depends on skin color, age, health conditions and sun exposure during warmer months. And you should definitely consult with your health care provider on how much your body needs.

While vitamin D comes in a pill form at your local health store or pharmacy, it can also be retrieved in the foods we eat. For example, fatty fish (like salmon, tuna and sardines), cod liver oil, beef liver, egg yolks and some mushrooms are great sources. But, it can be challenging to get as much of the “vitamin” you need through these foods. And that is one reason you see so many foods (like dairy products fortified with vitamin D). But, all in all, eating foods, not too much, just the “right” amount for your body”, and your mind and soul, will do your body right!

Shoppers Tips

I have something to share with you that I hope you will find useful!

When I am at the grocery store, I  always sneak a taste of a blueberry before I buy them-especially if they are charging $12 a box! Well, after reading CNN’s Health report, which puts blueberries on the dirty dozen list of non-organic produce with the most pesticides I will think before I taste from the crate! 

Farmers use pesticides to control insects and fungal diseases that threaten the healthfulness and safety of fruits and vegetables. There is some misinformation about pesticides and various growing methods. This undoubtedly breeds hesitancy and confusion, resulting in many consumers opting to skip fresh produce altogether. 

Truthfully, many fruits and veggies with higher levels of pesticides are critical to a balanced diet, so don’t give them up. You can avoid most pesticides by choosing to eat organic versions of the most contaminated crops. But, if organic varieties are not available or are too expensive (like the $12 box of blueberries that I came across!), you should peel and wash thoroughly with water which is your best cleaner (no need for those expensive products that are sold in the stores).

If you want more information, you can click on here for the list put out by the EWG (Environmental Working Group) that shares the list of the dirty dozen and the clean 15. And as always, you can reach me at rachel@livehealthynyc.com