TIPS to Spring Clean your body

TIPS to Spring Clean your body

by | May 4, 2021 | Asheville, Healing, Health, Women

By Veena Somani, MD

We as a family are embarking on a big adventure (an international move) this summer and have been in the midst of some major spring cleaning. Everything from selling the “can’t live without” Honda Odyssey to pulling weeds in the backyard to make room from fresh growth.

As a Lifestyle Medicine physician and holistic nutrition coach, I find myself having the conversation of “spring cleaning” often. In light of an ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, and the ramifications of it that we have seen particularly in the US, I know we have some work to do to improve the wellness of our overall population. According to the CDC, almost half of our population is obese, and as we well know, obesity alone increases the risk of the top causes of preventable death – heart disease, cancer, diabetes and stroke. Those with obesity have also been the hardest hit with the virus, whether in post-COVID syndrome or increased hospitalizations and death.

But why aren’t we talking more about rehauling our food and healthcare system and not just about the short term importance of mask wearing and handwashing? Why are physicians still reimbursed on the number of patient visits and medications prescribed? Why are public schools still serving antiquated GMO-laden lunches where high fructose syrup ketchup is counted as a vegetable? That is likely worth another article altogether, but of course it comes down to politics and money. 

My passion in medicine has been to help transition people to become more empowered with their own health, to peel off prescription medications and to mostly avoid needing conventional “sick care” clinics altogether. Now as we start to open back up to get back to “normal” post-pandemic, I urge you to step back and take a birds eye view of your overall health.

Here are 4 nutrition tips you can institute today to start to spring clean your body:

Hydrate Aim for 0.5-1 ounce of water per your weight in pounds. Ideally on first awakening, drink 1-2 glasses of room temperature water with lemon for an alkaline detox.

Eat slowly This is a lost art but so important for proper digestion, better nutrient absorption and less overeating. Take a 5-10 minute pause in between servings to allow yourself time to feel satiated.

Remove processed foods If it has more than 5 ingredients in it, or ingredients that you can’t pronounce, don’t eat it. Eat as much as you can from food without labels or packaging at all.

Eat more plants Every “diet” in the world agrees that eating more plants will improve brain, bone and overall health. Make it pretty and eat the rainbow!

Remember, small steps lead to big steps. Pick one and stick with it for a week, then move on. And don’t beat yourself up. After a few months, you will start to see bigger changes that you never thought were possible. You will improve your energy, increase the quality of your sleep, enhance your mood, and just have more “spring” in your step. If you are on medication maybe you see them fall away.

I am always excited to chat with motivated people about next steps, if you want to chat about your health journey and if you are ready to start the path to feeling your best. You’ve got this!

Veena Somani MD, ABIHM, ABLM
Integrative Nutrition and Lifestyle Coach

veenasomanimd.com

Email: [email protected]

Instagram:@veenasomanimd

Facebook: Veena Somani MD

For the Love of Raspberries

For the Love of Raspberries

by | May 4, 2021 | Asheville, Business, Raspberries, Women, Women Empowerment

For Stacy Fields, life is all about family, faith, and raspberries. Her Hendersonville based farm, Raspberry Fields, is in its fifth growing season.  It provides organic and fresh raspberries, fruit preserves, raspberry vinegar, and delicious baked goods to tailgate market shoppers, local CSA’s, wholesalers, restaurants, cafes, beer and cider brewers, bakeries, and other local merchants in Henderson and Buncombe Counties. Their offerings typically include pies, cobblers, muffins, sourdough bread, spiced pumpkin cheesecake, pinwheels, cookies, and pastries galore. They even cater to vegan and gluten-free diets!

Stacy’s agricultural roots began in Crumpler, N.C., where as a child she tended to her grandmothers’ raspberry patches. Her family also grew Christmas trees, tobacco, and had large gardens that provided nourishment for the entire family. Being in nature and having a green thumb has always been a part of Stacy’s identity. In fact, her most loved activity is growing flowers and hiking through the wondrous Appalachian Mountains.

Although being in the garden has always been one of Stacy’s passions, she wasn’t always in the business of raspberries. Both she and her husband, Chris Fields, had been in the construction industry for many years, but during the financial crisis of 2008 to 2009, their sector had been hit hard. As a result, they decided it would be wise to diversify their streams of income and explore the farming industry. In 2015 they purchased 10.5 acres of land in Good Luck, N.C. (15 minutes from Asheville), and sowed nearly 3,000 raspberry plants, and thus, Raspberry Fields was born. They pride themselves on their organic and sustainable farming practices, as well as their beloved variety of Autumn Bliss raspberries. This bright red berry has a superior flavor profile, a long growing season, and endless health benefits.

Raspberry Fields operates all year long. They start harvesting their berries in mid to late June, and the growing season lasts all the way through October. When their fresh berry season is over, they continue selling all of their preserves, vinegars, and baked goods at the holiday markets from October through December. January is typically the month to catch up on paperwork and taxes. February, March, and April are all about the pre-season work ensuring a healthy harvest for the rest of the year. This includes cutting the briars back down while they are dormant, replacing water lines, weeding beds, adding mulch, maintaining irrigation systems, and conducting soil testing.

This Wonder Woman wears many hats. In addition to tending to her raspberries, you can also find her selling specialty windows and doors for Morrison Millwork by day, and baking pies and hand-crafted goodies for the farmer’s markets on evenings and weekends. Her most beloved job of all is being a full-time wife to Chris, and a mom to a big family of 4 children; Ashley, Jacob, Lydia, and David.

One of the most pivotal moments of Stacy’s life was when she and Chris had experienced the same dream. “We both had a dream that we were going to give birth to our son, and his name was going to be David.”  The dream was a profound experience for them both because at that time they had already had children who were in their teens and twenties. “We thought that we were passed that stage of our lives”, she said.

Little did they know that it would take them 3 years until their dream of baby David would come to fruition. Stacy had struggled with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, which had made it difficult to conceive, and after lots of heartache and struggle, they finally found a supportive and compassionate team of healthcare practitioners at Carolina Fertility and Asheville Integrative Acupuncture. Stacy was finally able to become pregnant with the son that she had dreamed of, literally!

David is now two months old, and her journey to get him here has given her the insight that everything happens exactly when it’s meant to happen. “I’ve learned that timing is everything and it always works out the way it’s meant to. If we had gotten pregnant with David right away, we wouldn’t have had the time to build this network of love and support that we have today. It would have been much more difficult to do everything that we do on a day-to-day basis, without the friendships we have built over the past few years.” Stacy’s favorite bible verse, one that she refers to often, is Isaiah 40:31, “Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint.”

“Our family trusts in the gospel, that Jesus came to pay the debt we could not, and all the promises of God. We attend Biltmore Church and attempt each day to live in a way that brings honor to the Lord”, Stacy said.

You can find the Raspberry Fields bounty at the Hendersonville Farmers Market on Saturdays, the Etowah Farmers Market on Wednesdays, and the Flat Rock Farmers Market on Thursdays. Be sure to savor the taste of the fresh raspberries, jams, vinegars, breads, muffins, cobblers, and cheesecakes. Stacy’s berries are also included in the CSA for TRACTOR, a nonprofit food hub in Burnsville. You can also pick up some products at Swamp Rabbit Café and Grocery, a sustainable grocery store in Greenville, S.C. Raspberry Fields has big plans for the future and they hope to open up their farm for events, which will be perfect for all the destination weddings in the Asheville area.

Raspberry Fields

[email protected]

raspberryfieldswnc.com

Facebook and Instagram
@raspberryfieldswnc

The Rewards of Mindful Cooking

The Rewards of Mindful Cooking

by | Apr 2, 2021 | Asheville, Cooking, Food, Women

Monkey Mind is what the buddhists call the agitated state when our thoughts restlessly dash from idea to idea. Mindfulness can help us tame that habit.

Cooking offers a wonderful opportunity for us to train the mind to be present.  Instead of using the breathe to anchor the mind – as you would in a meditation.

The art of mindful cooking focuses our attention on the senses. Tuning them into the sights, sounds, and smells of the culinary task at hand. In applying your attention to the details of what you are doing, no matter what the task is, you will likely discover a feeling of calm:  Which will have you become a better cook, as you will start to connect to your intuition.

Even if you love to cook, where is your mind while preparing the ingredients, or stirring the soup?

Cooking does not have to be a rushed experience, or something we do on autopilot, without presence. My personal mantra in the kitchen is: put your mind where your hands are. I say it out loud to be sure I have heard it. This creates space for  presence.

Moreover, cooking is an act of self care, and reminds us we are worthy of a home cooked meal.

To your good health…

For scheduled Cooking Classes in Asheville, Visit: LaurieRichardone.com

Why Sharing Stories Have Measurable Health Benefits

Why Sharing Stories Have Measurable Health Benefits

by | Mar 1, 2021 | Asheville, Cooking, Health, Women

Hello friends,

I write about food… You might pose the question?, what does story sharing and the health benefits that go with it have to

do with food?

For over a half million years food and the search for it have influenced both human and historical development.

Food has meaning for each of us. It evokes nostalgia for days gone by, and those memories can be as nourishing to our spirits as a warm cup of hot cocoa on a winter night.

Food is an imperative element of human survival, and feeds our very soul. As such, anecdotes have taken their rightful place in our kitchens. We all have a memory, a story, that’s connected to food that brings a warm smile. In turn, makes us feel happy…

A memory that comes to mind is making ricotta pies at Easter with my grandmother. Rolling out the sweet

stretchy dough that hangs over each pie pan, pouring in the sweetened creamy ricotta, then dropping in maraschino cherries, before gently folding over the dough.

This brings me back to happy days. I can still smell the perfumed bubbling of pies in the oven, as the crust turns into a light golden hue.

It brings a feeling of connection, calm, and great pleasure.

Where is that happy place in time for you? We know from decades of studies, that centenarians live a long healthy life because happiness, and eating well, are at the core. If you are lucky enough to have a wise elder in your life, you know they love sharing their stories…

I like to call this narrative medicine, food for the soul.

To your good health…

For scheduled Cooking Classes in Asheville, Visit: LaurieRichardone.com

Women Making Music – Spotlight on Mary Kay Williams

Women Making Music – Spotlight on Mary Kay Williams

by | Mar 1, 2021 | Asheville, Music, Musician, Women

Mary Kay Williams is one motivated woman! She’s living her life so loud, that for many days after our interview, I was inspired to get some stuff done myself! Born and raised in the part of upstate New York “where they pronounce their ‘r’s’ ” she grew up in a house of technical engineers and science- minded family members in Rochester.  She credits her mom, Maureen, and her side of the family for passing down the creative gene.

One of the longest interviews I’ve ever conducted, we discovered we have a few things in common. She warned me up front that she is fancifully erratic; preferring to jump around and joyfully succumb to her A.D.D. We both love to talk about ourselves, and boy did we do just that!

From our respective zoom call rooms, the first thing I noticed was her headwear; A darling black chapeau with gold buttons.  Turns out, she made it using material that was originally meant for another item she decided to scrap and reconstruct. Not one to waste fabric, this college educated fashion illustrator repurposed herself a modern take on the kicky bucket hat! I knew I was in for an amusing sit-down!

A large chunk of her Mary Kay Arts business was formed to promote her artistry as a retail caricaturist. She manages a successful career within the festival, amusement park and cruise ship circuit.  With a bubbly exuberant vivacious personality, it’s no wonder her lines are notoriously the longest.

But, all this happened in what she refers to as “the before times.” Like most of us, she’s shifted and pivoted and realigned strategies to find her virtual sweet spot, taking on custom orders and the like, making her way around the financial constraints the pandemic has caused.

Fortunately, her brain provides a ceaseless supply of ideas and keeps her bucket list continuously full. There’s a steady pen-stroke of items crossed out and accomplished on that list besides! Her zealous re-imagining, re-inventing and repurposing all things art, manifests through awareness and alignments with like-minded collaborators and colleagues. She has spearheaded consortiums with other artists and formed lasting partnerships.

“Here’s my list, in order of how much I love doing them: Singing! Lindy Hop Dancing! Art of all kinds! Writing! Acting! I’m the sort of person who is able to see patterns; I bubble around things. I’ve created a lifestyle and a path that is multifaceted to honor all my interests and talents. As it turns out, I attract and look for people who have attention deficit! I’ve met transplant surgeons who are piano virtuosos for instance. Multi-talented people are everywhere!”

Now that she’s matured into her late fifties, she feels this pull to harness and focus her “goddess powers” toward inspiring and guiding others. Creative people, people who don’t think they’re creative, are the people she aspires to attract and bring together for a creative workshop weekend event. She’s proven time and time again during her self-made cosmopolitan existence, that she can do whatever she sets her mind to!

As we swing around to the subject of music, I learn that she played Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz in 5th grade. She slayed the part and she slayed THE song! I discovered that the stops and starts with music were for her, deliberate and necessary.  Still, she can’t believe there ever was a time in her adult life that she didn’t sing.

In her 30’s she began to pursue music in earnest. Her Uncle Billy is a Blues singer and after they performed together at a family reunion, he encouraged her to start going to Blues and Jazz jams around Rochester.  The domino effect that committing to these weekly sit-ins realized was a female music group she and her late sister, Terry, formed called “Twisted Covers.” She also met a guitarist and singer whom she would perform with as a duo for two- plus years. She found great pleasure and was darn good at arranging harmonies and what a thrill it was to perform them at coffee houses and small café’s.

The Barley’s Jazz Jam is where Mary Kay and I first met in early 2020. Her reputation for having all the right vocal chops preceded her, and boy did she not disappoint! With a full house on a chilly night, the warmth from her lighthearted and goofy demeanor brought us together in laughter and sway. As she seduced us with her pitch perfect ballad, the lushness of her voice made me and everyone present respond in kind with lauding applause and whistles. I took out my phone and set a reminder to contact her for an interview.

“For at least a decade now, my absolute number one love has been music.” So now, as the pandemic gives her new time (because she doesn’t lack energy, believe me!) she is making music the centerpiece. This feature, I dare say, is just what the Minstrel Doctor ordered! 

Whether it’s singing or speaking or acting in front of an audience, Mary Kay is fearless and brilliant. “The feeling of singing, in and of itself, makes me yearn to do more of it.”

Though there’s not much out there in TV or computer land to evidence her creamy, ample and expressive song renderings, take it from me; she’ll be producing, arranging and recording at least an LP, just in time to release in the after times!

“I have a mission in life to blaze a trail and do everything! I can’t imagine that I was given this much talent if my purpose is not to use all that I was given.”

www.marykayarts.com

Peggy Ratusz is a vocalist, vocal coach, writer and booking manager

www.reverbnation.com/peggyratusz

www.loveisaroselive.com

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