The more I learn about nutrition and health, the more excited I am to be able to share it with you! I just finished my first quarter at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN) and was so happy to start off my second quarter with a lecture from NYC Nutritionist, Keri Glassman. Her eight pillars of a nutritious life are beyond empowering and I hope you find them helpful, too.

Drink Up

Did you know our bodies are made up of 50-75% water? As we age, that decreases and since water keeps our metabolism up, guess what? We need to drink more of it.

Sleep Deep

Value sleep! They say eight hours per night is substantial, but are you getting anywhere near that? Confession: I need eight to ten hours of sleep per night to function! You can exercise all you want, but if you're not sleeping well, you're 23% more likely to be overweight.

Exercise Steady

Exercising not only helps keep us healthy and in shape, but it also releases endorphins, which put you on a natural high. Try creating a pattern of exercising in the morning. It will help you eat better all day.

Stress Less

Get this: 90% of Americans believe stress affects health and weight, but only 30% think it’s affecting them. Unless we practice releasing stress (through exercise, meditation, reading) we are pretty much in a chronic state. Try doing an 8 count breath for 8 minutes per day. Glassman says that when you’re breathing and relaxing, the response can’t exist with the stress response.

Eating Empowered

Say it outloud before you feel it. ‘I don't want the chocolate cake. I want the blueberries bc they’re good for my skin and heart health.” Don’t let food control you, control the food. Have the cake in the conscious, controlled manner. I want to put these healthy things in my body.

Living Consciously

Clean up your sh*t. Organize where you live and work and you'll immediately feel refreshed and less frazzled. After hearing this I tore through my closet and donated so many pieces that have been just sitting there. It helps me be on time and less stressed since I always have a hard time finding something to wear.

Love More

Some of our most valued relationships can cause stress. Actually, all of them. Did you know that the average person burns about 200 calories during a 30 minute romp?