Dr. Weil is No Joke

Is it coincidence that the word "mental" can be found smack dab in the word "supplemental?" I don't think so, peeps, and here's why.



Last year, after a recommendation from my ladydoctor, who is fellowing with Dr. Weil, I decided to check him out. I think I bought his book, 8 Weeks to Optimum Health, but never committed to getting 'er done. Did I lend this out to one of you? K? I did however check out the Vitamin Advisor arm of his site and brand. You answer basic questions on your medical history, etc., your concerns, and then it recommends vitamins and supplements which it will package for you in daily packets and ship to you monthly. They're pricey, no doubt. And I'll tell you, I took it upon myself to compare the contents and dosages to what's available through swansonvitamins.com who sells much of the same at a discounted price.

I was able to source a few from there (Fish Oil, Calcium, B-50 Complex, Gingko Biloba, Valerian Root), which really cut down the price that I was going to have pay Dr. Weil every month. Even then, it's still probably more expensive then most people would like to pay for vitamins, but he's so plain about the benefits and why his sources are better for you, and he's open to alternative medicine, so I go with it.

Another con? You're taking a morning packet, a noon packet, and it can get hard to keep up with. Before you know it, you might skip your noon packets, and now you're left with extras even though a new batch is on its way! There's no ease way online to tell them, hey, only send me the morning packets next month, okay?

In spite of the cost, the potential extra bounty of packets/pills, and I didn't even mention the vitamin breath, you're probably wondering - is it worth it? Ah yes, the big reveal.

I have to tell you that yes, it is. I'm trying to get back into the routine of taking both my packets and all of my extras from Swansons every day, which I've managed the last two days. Yay me! And having come from taking them all regularly for weeks, and then falling off the wagon, and now being back on again, oh yes - there's a difference. I find in particular that the B-50 Complex along with the Gingko Biloba really get me mentally in the game at work. Dare I say my verbal agility and vocabulary is increased? Well, it is! Coming from someone who has a fear of repeating herself, forgetting who I've told what to, and the possibility of early-onset Alzheimers, this is a huge feat for me. Not to mention I really feel like I have that extra boost of energy and get things done like crazy.

I would recommend for anyone who doesn't want to part with anywhere from $30-50/month on Dr. Weil's site, just fill out the assessment form, and get the recommendations and then source what you want elsewhere. I've not seen prices cheaper than Swanson, either.

more chicken please

So, I wanted to add another recipe to the "fried" chicken arsenal. I tried the citrus-y chicken recipe of Dana's and it was quite tasty. There's one chicken recipe that Brian and I have been making fairly regularly that is really, really good, plus it's totally guilt free because it's from the Ultrametabolism cookbook, therefore totally whole foods. Here it is:

Raspberry-Pistachio Crusted Chicken

Makes 4 servings (Brian and I cut it in half and it's no prob)
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes

1 cup fresh or frozen (unsweetened) raspberries (just thaw the frozen ones in the microwave for 20-30 seconds on high)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 cup whole-grain bread crumbs
2 tablespoons coarsely ground pistachio nuts (we just buy what we need from the bulk section at Central Market, so it's not so expensive)
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley (we've made it with and without the parsley and it's good either way)
Dash of freshly ground pepper
Pinch of sea salt

Combine the raspberries, mustard, and lemon juice in a small food processor or blender. Process until smooth. Transfer to a shallow pan or plate and set aside. In another shallow pan/plate, combine the bread crumbs, pistachios, parsley, pepper, and salt. Dip each chicken breast in the sauce to coat both sides. Roll the chicken in the breadcrumb mixture to cover completely. Bake in the oven at 400 degrees for 20 minutes*

*The recipe actually calls for pounding the chicken to 1/4" thickness and sauteing in olive oil over medium heat until the chicken is cooked through and the crust is slightly browned, 5 minutes on each side. We found that it was easier and slightly healthier (no oil at all) to just bake in the oven (plus no need for pounding the chicken). We put the chicken on a rack over a jelly roll pan. It makes it really crispy and keeps the crust on the best. I found that half the crust came off when trying to flip the chicken and then getting it out of the saute pan with a spatula.

We have served this with steamed kale, which is really quite yummy. If you haven't tried it, this is how we do it:

From one head of kale, separate the tough stems from the leaves. Meanwhile, bring an inch of water in a big soup pot to a simmer. Once the water is simmering, put the kale in the pot and add salt and pepper to taste. Cover the pot and let steam for about 5-7 minutes until wilted and bright green. Remove with tongs and serve. So good!

Sociables.

Do they still make those crackers? Anyhoot, I thought I'd hip yall to a running column from Jezebel called, Social Minefield. It pretty much helps you make your way through this thing called life, or rather how to always appropriately handle a variety of social or life situations. Maybe this is "whatever" for those who might have life on lock, but for those of you who, like me, find yourselves overthinking and just generally being way too neurotic, then maybe this column can be of service. Granted I don't always agree with every single piece of advice, but I don't necessarily disagree with any of it either. Overall, it's all pretty sound.

So yeah...wondering how to be a well-behaved drunk? Or how to quit your job? Or how to give the perfect gift? Go here .

I love this idea.

It's no surprise that Gwyneth and her e-newsletter, GOOP, get poked fun at quite a bit. I personally cringe over the name. Obviously not everyone can afford to live exactly as she does, but many can choose one thing here or there to embrace the same message she purports - healthy, stylish, mindful, simple, inspired, and good, whether it be where you go on vacation, what books you read, what culture's medicine you consider for your ailments, how you stay active, or what food you eat.

This week's newsletter mentioned an olive grove, Nudo, where you can either purchase their olive oils or you can, wait for it...adopt an olive oil tree for one year. They support small farming, cutting out the big mechanical processes wherever possible that lead to soil erosion and blander flavors. They don't use pesticides, either. To adopt a tree you start out by identifying which of the ten groves you'd like to adopt within, or you let them pick one for you. Throughout the year you receive two separate packages made from the fruit of your tree (and technically blended with it's nearby neighbors in the same grove). And they even allow people to visit their groves, even see their adopted tree, if they'd like. How freakin' cool is that? Receiving this awesome oil from a grove that you hand-picked and then taking a trip to Italy to see the grove?! Yes, please! While it is a bit pricey, at $105, I think this is such a neat concept! It would make a great gift for the spouse or significant other who's a foodie or amateur gourmet chef. Or a gift to oneself, even. A gal can dream, can't she?




- d.

it's like starting over.

Good morning! Today is my, ehem, 31st birthday. And since I've yet to post on our little "collective" here, I thought today should be the day! Since, I'm another year older today, this is about skin care products. Now, I'm not a member of that beauty review site, so I'm not sure if these get a good grade or not, but here are some pros and cons I've found. I swear this isn't a promo for St. Ives.

First up we have the St. Ives Renewing Collagen Elastin body lotion. It's nearly fragrance free, which I like, it's got some good minimal ingredients and the bottle states "not tested on animals"* I've only been using this for a week or so, but I like it, I can tell a difference in the feel of my skin, not only smooth but in the "bounce back test" it passes, with flying colors!

Next up, we have the St. Ives Daily Microdermabrasion. This little gem was actually brought to my attention by Dana a while back. The ingredients are not as minimal as I'd like, and the bottle does state "not tested on animals"*. First off let me state that I do NOT use this daily, my skin cannot handle anything other than daily face washing, therefore I cannot attest to the daily powers it may or may not offer. I use this product about three times a week, usually after I run outside to assist in removing any outside dirt and bacteria. The first thing one will notice about this product is the fineness of the "scrubbers", its very fine and for those with sensitive skin, that is a good thing, the smaller they are the less harsh they are on your face! I can immediately tell a difference on the feel and see a more youthfulness look to my skin after I use this. Does this offer the same type of long-term effects of an actual microdermabrasion treatment at your local spa, obviously not, but it's a great, cheap way to get you through.

* This is a bit of a side bar on the whole "Not Tested on Animals" I truly do try and look for these on products I purchase, as do I also try to purchase products from the ever-growing list of companies that DO NOT test on animals. But I'd like to point out something on this statement, as it can be slightly misleading. The "Not Tested on Animals" label only means that that product, that is bottled/packed up nice and neat as is for you was not tested on animals. It does not mean that some of the ingredients (of which the majority of animal testing occurs) used in the product were not tested on animals, nor does it mean that previous versions of the product were not tested on animals. The only way to be sure a product is totally cruelty free is to look for this label or purchase products from the companies listed on the those that do not test list, better yet are vegan products which not only are not tested on animals, but use no animal ingredients (I'm well aware of the price of these things though, and for those of us on a budget it may not be an option) but this label is! (I'm removing myself from the soap box now!)

Green Johnson

Jack Johnson, that is.

So, Max and I really wanted to go to his concert a few weeks ago, but we weren't able to get away that evening. I thought that it was really cool that 100% of profits from his To The Sea tour are going to different earth/green charities! If any of you haven't listened to his stuff, it's kind of surfy-acoustic-goodness. He writes amazingly good songs and his committment to Greenery is something that all artists should aspire to. His newest album, To The Sea was recorded in a solar powered studio and printed on 100% recycled paper, which I think is pretty cool. Since he is, at heart, a surfer boy, it would make perfect sense that his cause is to give back to his community and to the environment.

So, I thought I would post a link to his website in case any of you are interested in learning more about these particular charities/causes:

http://jackjohnsonmusic.com/home

And here is a video for one of my favorite songs!

Kind of Obsessed With Fried Chicken.

Seriously, I love it. I have fond memories of my grandma and my mom frying it up in a skillet when I was growing up, and my first job was even at a (love-that-chicken-from) Popeye's. We've been committed to eating better as much as we can at home, lately, and have been hard core with the Weight Watchers recipes. I've been reluctant to try their "fried" baked chicken variations using corn flakes or bread crumbs up until this last week, fearing that they could never compare to the lovely golden crispy greasy pieces of heaven I know and love, aka fried chicken...but now I'm sorry I waited so long! Here's one of the two recipes we tried this week, Orange-Crumbed Chicken, and I highly recommend it. Total deliciousness in your mouth, and with only 179 calories per piece you could actually have two and not feel guilty.


2 Tbsp. orange juice

2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

1/4 tsp. salt

3/4 cup whole-wheat cracker crumbs

1 Tbsp. grated orange zest

1 shallot

1/4 tsp. pepper

4 skinless boneless chicken thighs



Heat oven to 350 degrees F; spray nonstick baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. In small bowl, combine orange juice, mustard and salt. On sheet of wax paper, combine cracker crumbs, orange zest, finely chopped shallot and freshly ground pepper. Brush chicken on both sides with mustard mixture, then dredge in crumbs, firmly pressing crumbs to coat both sides. Place chicken on baking sheet.

Bake 15 minutes; turn over and bake until cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes longer.

Servings: 4

Nutritional information, per serving: 179 calories, 4 grams total fat (1 gram saturated), 59 mg cholesterol, 518 mg sodium, 20 grams carbohydrate, 3 fiber, 16 protein.



Enjoy!


D.