Fall Foods

How do you decide what foods are best for you when you are inundated with so many differing philosophies on intake? Personally I extract what I like from various professionals, friends and clients. This month I asked a few colleagues to recommend some food and snacking ideas for energy and for staying healthy. I hope you will learn and try something new! Acupuncturist Janis Feichtmeir, co-founder of Clouds Rest Healing Center (www.cloudsresthealing.com) approaches food recommendations based on the principles of Chinese medicine. According to Jan, lungs are the organ associated with the Fall season. The Lung system corresponds to our immune system, our skin and sinuses. Do you know anyone who gets rashes when the cold and dry of autumn set in? This would indicate that their Lung system is weakened. Ditto if you get sick frequently. Your Lung system is showing signs of weakness. The weaknesses of the Lung system show up more in the Fall. But Fall is also a time when the Lung system responds most to strengthening. How to strengthen Lungs? Eat apples and pears, preferably cooked. If you're eating them raw, eat them at the end of a meal, when the digestion has been warmed up by other cooked foods. Add a little spice to your foods, like ginger and cinnamon. The change of seasons are considered crucial times in Chinese Medicine. A lot of change is happening. How well we adapt to change is a sign of how strong our Lung system is. So, if you're under a lot of stress going into the Fall, do your best to get enough rest, exercise and eat well in order to help your body deal with not only the stressors in your life but the stressors of seasonal change. Make an appointment with Jan to learn more and get through this time of year by calling 415-661-0608. Shona Curley is officially back from maternity leave and looks phenomenal! She credits her minimal weight gain to snacking on foods high in fiber and protein. Here are her favorites (good for the non-pregnant as well): Greek yogurt with honey and ground flaxseed Sprouted Manna Bread toasted with almond butter "Active Greens" Organic Food Bar . Shona is now working just three days a week, Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays and has a few coveted openings in her schedule. Shona is looking forward to teaching more pre and post natal work after having such a positive experience with Pilates during and after her pregnancy. Ami Jampolis, owner of Focus Fitness Personal Training (www.focusfitnesspersonaltraining.com) recommends the following snacks because they are well-balanced and help stabilize the blood sugar: *cup of 0% greek yogurt, fresh berries, and 1/4 cup Kashi Go Lean (add Splenda to taste) *Apple with 18 almonds or 2 pcs of light string cheese *Protein bar - Luna, Dr. Melina.....(Look for bars with at least 5 g of fiber) *Celery with 2 Tbsp peanut butter *Raw veggies with 3 Tbsp hummus Ami is available to see clients at Informed Body by appointment. For more information, click through to her website. Katie McMahon is constantly on the go. Between teaching three mat classes and taking two semi-private sessions each week at Informed Body she works full time for Starbuck's Coffee in Corporate Sales and Marketing. As if this doesn't keep her busy enough, she is training for her first full marathon after completing four half-marathons. Katie's office is often her car and she knows what it is like to not have time to eat. To keep herself from becoming "homicidally hungry" Katie keeps the following snacks on hand at all times: - A huge bottle of Crystal Geyser Sparkling Water - A piece of whatever transportable fruit is in season - Handful of raw almonds - Lara Bars. Larabar is a delicious blend of unsweetened fruits, nuts and spices - energy in its purest form. Made from 100% whole food, each flavor contains no more than six ingredients. All bars are dairy free, gluten free, soy free, vegan, kosher, non-gmo, unprocessed, raw and contain no added sugar. They come in amazing flavors such as chocolate coconut, cherry pie, lemon bar, key lime pie and peanut butter cookie. You will swear you are eating the real thing! It is always a good idea to keep a few healthy staples around to prevent you from overindulging. A few of my favorites are: Sugar Free Hot Cocoa Zen Bakery Apple Cranberry Cakes (80 calories) Apples Almond Butter Laughing Cow Light Wedges Light String Cheese Low Fat Cottage Cheese Akmak Crackers Whole Wheat Pita Bread Instant Oatmeal (pay attention to sugar or buy the heart healthy Quaker version) Walnuts Baby Carrots Snap Peas