REAL LIFE MEDITATION

Are you one of those people who can sit quietly on the floor, palms to the ceiling, with your eyes closed and ohm your way to peace and serenity?  If you are, I am envious as I am not one of those people . . . yet.  Quiet meditation is certainly something to work toward, but for now, I am still that person at the end of yoga class when everyone else sprawls out on their back for 5 minutes of relaxation during Shavasana who jumps up and heads out the door for my next activity or errand.

Does this make me a bad person or mean that I do not live a conscious life?  I say absolutely not.  If you can quietly meditate, then by all means continue what you are doing.  But, if you are more like me, find ways in your every day life to raise your level of consciousness and allow your inner most, sacred thoughts to surface.  A few months ago I attended a joint talk by Kris Carr, author of "Crazy, Sexy Diet" and Gabrielle Bernstein, author of "Spirit Junky".  You can guess who is the yogi and who is the health nut.  Of course I related to Kris Carr, who shares much of the same beliefs about food as I do.  Someone in the audience asked Kris Carr if she meditates like Gabrielle Bernstein.  Bernstein answered for Carr and said that Carr "meditates during her every day activities".  Of all the things these two amazing ladies talked about that night, this simple statement is what resonated with me the most.

I may not spend 20 minutes or even 5 minutes a day in quiet solitude alone with my thoughts in a meditative pose, but throughout the day I am raising my level of consciousness and living my life with purpose.  It is in my every day activities that I am able to invoke a feeling of connection to myself, to those around me and to my actions.  I am by no means saying that every moment of my life is filled with meaning and purpose, I am human after all, and certainly have many moments of craziness where I completely lose all sense of where I am or what I am doing.  But, what I am saying is that I meditate during many of my daily activities.   When I am running outside, I let my mind drift where it wants to and allow thoughts and ideas to flow freely.  I write most of my blog pieces in my mind, including this one, while running because that is when I find inspiration and think most clearly.  When I am cooking dinner for my family, I am aware of every ingredient that goes into that food, I pay attention to the smells in my kitchen, and I pour all my love and care into the dishes my family will eat.  When I am sitting on the couch with my children reading them a book and cuddling, I am conscious of the love and peace I feel at that moment.

Those who practice one form or another of traditional meditation may be thinking I have no clue what meditation is truly about.  But, when you are mindful of the activities you are engaging in and how they make you feel, I believe that is a form of mediation that everyone can practice all day long.  What daily activities can you participate in with a new level consciousness and intent?  

WHAT A REAL DINNER PURCHASED FROM A REAL STORE CAN LOOK LIKE

My Dinner Plate - Frittata With Crispy Kale

I do most of my shopping at Double L Market in Westport, CT.  I prefer not to shop in big supermarkets for a number of reasons, and because of Double L Market, I don't have to!  At Double L I know I am assured of getting quality food that is always easily traceable to it's source.  I love to walk into Double L and ask the owners, Lloyd and Michael, what they have in that I must have.  While Michael is usually busy doing a great deal of the behind the scenes work, Lloyd shows me around and passionately tells me stories of where the food came from.  His enthusiasm is contagious.  Imagine a store that can actually tell me where the food they sell is sourced from.

For dinner one night last week I chose a dozen mint green colored eggs from a local provider in Woodbridge, CT where having chickens and collecting their eggs is more of a hobby than a business.   I also purchased a container of local goat cheese, kale from Lloyd's brother's farm, and of course had to buy the ramps, which are wild leeks and can only be found seasonally.  As I am checking out Lloyd patiently listens to me venting about the latest news on GMOs and the efforts to get them labeled.  He always seems interested no matter how many times he has heard me complain about our government and how wrong it is that Americans are shopping blind.  At least I'm not shopping blind at Double L.  If you are local and have not been there yet, go now.  Double L has a loyal following and you can see why, once you start shopping there you won't go back to the big supermarket.

Ramp and Goat Cheese Fritatta  
1 dozen eggs
1 bunch of ramps
4 oz of goat cheese
butter or grape seed oil to coat the pan

Pre heat your oven to 350.  Use a 12" pan that can go from your cook top to your oven.  Chop up the stems and leaves of the ramps.  Coat your pan and lightly sauté the ramps on low heat until the leaves are wilted.  Beat your eggs and pour them over the ramps.  Cook eggs for one minute and ensure that the ramps are evenly distributed.  You do not want to cook your eggs through on the cook top.  Crumble the goat cheese on top of the fritatta and place in the oven for the eggs to finish cooking for approximately 10 minutes.  Slice and serve warm, cold, or room temperature.

Crispy Kale
2 bunches of kale
1/2 cup of nutritional yeast
celtic sea salt to taste
1/4 cup of olive oil

Remove leaves from stem, coat with the olive oil and add the nutritional yeast and salt, toss together.  If you have a dehydrator, place the kale on the dehydrator sheets, set the dehydrator to 115 and allow the dehydrator to do the work for approximately 3 hours.  If you do not have a dehydrator, place the kale on a baking sheet and set your oven to the lowest temperature possible and bake until the kale is crispy.      

REAL LIFE DEMOCRACY APPARENTLY DOES NOT WORK: WHAT HAPPENED TO THE GMO LABELING BILL IN CT?

If not us then who? If not now then when?

I always hate to be the bearer of bad news, but in case you haven't heard, the mandatory GMO labeling bill in CT was chewed up and spit back out by Governor Malloy and his attorneys in a closed door meeting on Friday.  The information was sent to myself and Analiese Paik, my partner in crime and co-founder of Right to Know CT, in an e-mail from a source deep within the administration with the simple words, "It appears that after meeting with the Governor, section 2 will need to be removed."  I had a terrible sinking feeling because I knew immediately what that meant.  Section 2 was the heart of the bill, the section that called for mandatory labeling of all products produced with the process of genetic engineering.  But, in hopes that the glass of wine I just finished over dinner was getting to my head, I quickly pulled up the bill on my iPhone hoping I was mistaken.  As I scrolled down to Section 2, I looked at my husband and said, "The Governor just killed the bill."  The Governor and his lawyers left the bill meaningless and without life.  In an official statement from Right to Know CT by Analiese Paik it was clear that "Right to Know CT will no longer endorse or support HB 5117, An Act Concerning Genetically Engineered Foods. Rep. Richard Roy is our hero and we supported his bill by advocating for its passage through our grassroots campaign. But it no longer reflects his intent to mandate the labeling of GE foods and we feel compelled to register our discontent by withdrawing our support for the bill."

GMOS as described by a child on his sign, Genetically Modified Out of Style Foods

Many people have asked me how I'm feeling about how all of this played out.  As you can imagine, after dedicating 99% of my time to the advocacy efforts for our right to know what is in our food, I was initially quite devastated.  I thought of all those hours I spent away from my children, all the time I spent sitting at my computer, and all the nights I chose not to go out with my friends because I needed to be working on the campaign.  But, after shedding some tears and expressing a lot of anger,  I, along with my fellow advocates came out on the other side feeling more passionate than ever before.  Not to sound melodramatic, but I am fighting for my children's future and the future of every child out there.  It may seem like we lost this battle, but in reality, what happened in CT has only strengthened our troops.  They don't realize it yet, but they woke a sleeping bear, or to quote Analiese, "They kicked the hornets nest."

Defend your constituents

Our government is choosing to put the interests of the monstrous biotech industry in front of the rights of the American people.  The reason given for removing Sec. 2 from the bill - it would violate the constitution and put CT at risk for being sued.   The biotech industry claims they have a constitutional commercial right to stay silent and not label foods as genetically engineered and our government is buying into this propoganda (i.e BS) and allowing the industry to trump our right to know.  Top attorneys from around the  United States who specialize in this area of the law made it very clear that states can mandate the labeling of products produced with the process of genetic engineering as long as the labeling law is reasonably related to legitimate state interests, such as health, economic considerations, protecting the environment, and giving the CT consumer the right to know what is in their food.

The citizens of fifty other countries are afforded the right to know what is in their food, yet here in America, we need to play detective to figure out what foods contain GMOs.  I simply want the right to know what is in our food so I can make the choice to feed GMOs to my family or not.  Without clear labeling, this choice is not ours to make.  I am disillusioned right now, and am uncertain whether we will ever get labeling laws passed in this country.  If CT couldn't make it happen with 90% of consumers calling for GMO labeling, a majority of the legislature poised to vote in favor of the bill, and an advocacy campaign that raised the level of GMO awareness to levels never seen before in this state, then I'm not sure where or when it will happen.  I am keeping my fingers crossed for CA in the fall.  But, in the meantime we need a plan.

I am calling on all of you to make the decision today that you will no longer support the industry behind GMOs.  The BEST way to do that is to STOP buying GMOs.  If not for the cause, at least stop eating GMOs because you care about your health and the health of your family.  Go to www.nongmoshoppingguide.com and familiarize yourself with how to avoid GMOs.  Watch out for corn, canola, soy, sugar beets, and cotton seed.  Some quick tips on avoiding GMOs include: (1) Avoid processed foods (2) Buy organic, (3) Look for the Non GMO project verified label (4) Avoid vegetable, corn and soy oil (5) Keep a list of all the aliases that GMOs hide under with you when you shop.  We have the power to make a difference with our own actions and by redirecting where we spend our money.  Join Jeffrey Smith's tipping point at http://action.responsibletechnology.org/p/salsa/web/common/public/signup?signup_page_KEY=2925.  It only took Europe three months to reach their tipping point from the time the public became aware of the dangers associated with GMOs, it's taking us too long.  The European people were able to kick GMOs out of their food supply and now manufacturers such as Kraft, Nestle, and McDonalds use GMOs in America but NOT in Europe.

Our dedicated legislators: Representatives Susan Johnson, Kim Fawcett, Richard Roy,
Jonathan Steinberg, Fred Camillo, Brenda Kupchick, Tony Hwang, and William Wadsworth

They did not want to give us the right to know so we need to give ourselves that right.  I know it's not easy to avoid GMO's, but dealing with disease, environmental problems and economic downfall are much more difficult.  Right to Know CT will continue our work to pass labeling legislation next year along with our dedicated legislators who are feeling equally as frustrated, but in the meantime, let's work toward total consumer rejection of GMOs.  To listen to June Stoyer's radio show today with myself, Analiese Paik, and Jeffrey Smith go to http://www.theorganicview.com/environment/connecticut-caves-to-biotech-ignores-consumers-right-to-know-about-gmos/.  Thank you all for your ongoing support.  Stay tuned.                 

WHOLE FOODS: A WOLF IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING???

When most people think of Whole Foods the words that come to mind are - organic, sustainable, local, fresh, and quality.  Well, I have some other words to add to that list; hypocrite, schizophrenic, and identity crisis.  Whole Foods has created a niche in the market for themselves as the go to store for individuals seeking healthier, more sustainable, and local foods.  Health food fanatics, moms, and environmentalists alike, all flock to Whole Foods for their grocery needs.  But, is Whole Foods living up to their potential and their reputation?  Absolutely not.

SHEEP'S CLOTHING
I frequent my local Whole Foods and actually shed tears of happiness the first time I walked through their doors at the opening this past summer.  You can certainly find an abundance of organic, sustainably grown, local food.  The staff at the Fairfield Whole Foods is kind, helpful, and, for the most part, very knowledgeable.  Whole Foods gives back to our community by donating food to the homeless shelter / social service agency, Operation Hope, where I sit on the board.  In addition, Whole Foods has supported the movement for healthier foods in the Fairfield school system and has held events and promoted initiatives to support this effort.  So, let's give credit where credit is due.

REALLY A WOLF
With all those kind words above, you may be wondering, what's my beef with Whole Foods?  Well, it will come as no surprise that my frustration with Whole Foods evolves out of their policy toward Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs).  While Whole Foods claims that their store brand, 365, does not contain GMOs and they have even gotten many of their products verified as Non GMO through the Non GMO Project, Whole Foods has not taken a strong position on GMOs to say the least.  Products with GMOs can still be found throughout their store.  Their already prepared food items contain GMO corn, soy, and vegetable oils.  Whole Food's own policy on GMOs states, "Clearly labeled products enable shoppers who want to avoid foods made with GMOs to do so". http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/values/genetically-engineered.php  I ask you Whole Foods, if this is your policy, why are you not advocating for GMO labeling in CT and other states who are trying to clearly label packaging???

When I approached the local Whole Foods to do a GMO education event with me back in March, despite the local store being in favor of the idea, corporate Whole Foods struck down the idea and told the local Whole Foods employees to hold off on ANY non GMO education at this time.  Really?  No GMO educational events at the most critical time CT has ever seen in the fight to give consumers the right to know what is in their food?  This position is simply unacceptable.  Forget the fact that Whole Foods could probably do away with GMOs altogether in the American food supply by taking a stand and refusing to allow GMOs in their stores, but I would think it would be in Whole Food's best interest to support a bill that would give their consumers the transparency that they expect when shopping at Whole Foods.  We deserve the right to know what is in our food.  The citizens of fifty other countries, including all of Europe, Japan, China, Brazil, Australia and New Zealand all already enjoy this right because of mandatory GMO labeling laws.

The CT GMO labeling bill is running out of time.  If it is not called for a vote before May 9th, the bill will die a fast death.  Call the corporate Whole Foods regional offices in NJ and tell them to speak out publicly in favor of CT HB 5117, 201-567-2090.   Tell Whole Foods to live up to their reputation with the public and be a leader in our right to know what is in our food.    

SUPPORT THE CT GMO LABELING BILL TIME IS RUNNING OUT

CT NEEDS IMMEDIATE HELP TO PASS A MANDATORY GMO LABELING LAW

Currently there is a bill in front of the Connecticut legislature that would mandate GMO labeling.  This bill would give us the transparency that citizens of 50 other states, including all of Europe, Japan, Brazil, China, Australia, and New Zealand already enjoy.  We want the right to know what foods contain GMOs so that we may have the ability to choose whether or not to feed GMOs to our families.  GMOs are in 80% -90% of all the processed foods in America, yet most Americans have no idea when they are eating GMOs because of the lack of labeling.  If you are eating processed food with derivatives of soy, corn, canola, cottonseed, or sugar beets, and that food has not been certified organic or verified as Non GMO by the Non GMO Project, then you are consuming GMOs.  Through several animal studies GMOs have been linked with the following health problems:  allergies, gastrointestinal disease, pre cancerous cell growth, infertility, changes in major organs, and accelerated signs of aging.  The American Academy of Environmental Medicine urges physicians to advise their patients to eat a GMO free diet.    

If CT HB 5117, the mandatory GMO labeling bill, is not called for a vote before May 9th, the bill will die.  Righttoknowct.org needs YOUR help to get this bill passed.  Regardless of what state you live in,  HB 5117 will affect you! If CT can lead the way for GMO labeling legislation, other states will follow.  If this bill is defeated, it will deter other states from attempting to pass similar legislation and the Biotech industry will have yet another victory.  

BELOW ARE ACTION STEPS YOU CAN TAKE TO SUPPORT THE CT GMO LABELING BILL.  TIME IS RUNNING OUT.  RIGHTTOKNOWCT.ORG NEEDS YOUR HELP NOW.

# 1

PLEASE CALL AND E-MAIL THE CT HOUSE LEADERSHIP URGING THEM TO CALL HB 5117 FOR A VOTE THIS WEEK

Speaker of the House: 

Christopher Donovan, 

Christopher.Donovan@cga.ct.gov

860-240-8500, 1-800-842-1902

House Majority Leader:

J. Brendan Sharkey (D) 

Brendan.Sharkey@cga.ct.gov

1-800-842-1902 | (860) 240-8500

House Republican Leader:

Lawrence F. Cafero, Jr. (R)

Larry.Cafero@housegop.ct.gov

1-800-842-1423

# 2
TELL CONNECTICUT LEGISLATORS TO SUPPORT OUR RIGHT TO KNOW

Tell your legislators to vote in favor of CT HB 5117, a mandatory GMO labeling bill.  Go to www.righttoknowct.org to send letters to CT legislators asking them to support the bill. Click on the link and it will only take minutes.

# 3 

E-MAIL AND CALL GOVERNOR MALLOY
Governor Shumlin of Vermont has already succumbed to the pressures of Monsanto and is refusing to support Vermont's GMO labeling bill, we CAN NOT allow this to happen in CT.  E-mail and call Governor Malloy in CT and tell him to support our right to know and support CT HB 5117.  Tell Governor Malloy that CT is not alone, the country stands behind Connecticut's efforts to mandate GMO labeling.  

Governor Malloy

www.governor.ct.gov (click contact link to send e-mail)

1-860-566-4840 / 1800-406-1527

# 4
SIGN THE PETITION
http://www.change.org/petitions/speaker-donovan-president-of-the-senate-williams-governor-malloy-support-our-right-to-know-what-is-in-our-food-and-enact-hb-5117-into-law

# 5
ATTEND THE RALLY ON FRIDAY, MAY 4TH, FROM 11:30 AM - 1 PM AT THE CAPITOL IN HARTFORD
For more information go to www.righttoknowct.org

# 6
FORWARD THIS TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW

WHAT IS IT LIKE TO DINE OUT WITH A MOM WHO KNOWS TOO MUCH? An Essay By Beth Beisel

From Left: Beth Beisel, Representative Brian Becker, Representative Bill Wadsworth, Tara Cook-Littman

Below you will find a passionate, heartfelt, brilliantly written essay by my good friend Beth Beisel.  On February 22nd I showed up in Hartford to offer testimony in support of the GMO labeling bill.  This being the first time I ever testified at something like this, naturally, I was a little nervous.  But, I had the universe on my side that day because standing right in front of me was Beth, who immediately calmed my nerves with her kindness and positive energy.  We introduced ourselves to each other and I immediately felt a connection.  Clearly synchronicity at work,  Beth and I knew we would be working together going forward.  Two weeks ago Beth and I did a successful talk at the Farmington Library.  After Beth read my vacation blog a couple of days ago, she was reminded about this essay she wrote when reflecting about her dinner out with her son.  I asked her if I could share it with all of you because it is a very powerful piece.  Enjoy!    

A registered dietitian/ non-GMO activist/ loving mother describes a dinner out, with her son.

“Mom, when are we going to go out for Hibachi?  You promised me 9 months ago.”

Well, life has been busy and hectic, but he did have a point and I did have guilt.  It seemed like tonight would be perfect; just my 10 year old son and me.  My two daughters and husband were away for the weekend.

I called a new hibachi restaurant in town to make reservations.  I asked the manager if I could bring my own oils, because we avoid soy.  His response was “we don’t use soy oil, we use vegetable oil”… (mix of genetically modified oils: soy, corn, canola, cottonseed – but most of you already know that).  Anyway, he said they would accommodate my own condiments.

When we got there, I took my bottles out of the back seat and my son said, “oh mom, no…please!”  Again, I would be an embarrassment to him.  I explained that the manager had already told me that it was ok. (The look of distress on his face didn’t change.)

We went in and sat down.  There was another couple sitting at our grill.  The woman’s eyes widened and she said, “you bring your own condiments?”  I tried to play it down for my son’s sake, but wanted to answer her the way I usually do – with a passionate explanation about genetically modified poisons, etc.  Instead, I told her the olive oil I brought was not extra virgin, and the flavor was so mild it shouldn’t change the flavor of the food too much; in case she got some of ours mixed in on the grill.  Luckily she was accommodating.  My son looked a little sad, and asked me if we could just this once eat the regular stuff like everyone else. (I guess last night’s dinner discussion about the GMO-fed rat’s testicals, that were shriveled up like raisins, didn’t have as much of an impact as I had intended.)  I told him someday he would look back and be proud that he had a mother who had convictions and was an activist fighting protect the health of her family and friends.

On the chef’s prep tray, I could see a bowl full of yellow fat.  He asked me about my oils and I said yes, I would prefer it if he used them, but that his butter would be fine. He said, “That’s margarine”.  “Oh, that’s not fine”, I said.  But I wanted to say, “You mean partially hydrogenated, genetically modified, heavily pesticided plastic???”  (At this point, I wanted to run across the street to the grocery store and buy some butter, but I couldn’t leave my little boy alone.  Only last week, when my family was out to breakfast and ordered pancakes, did I leave the restaurant to buy some real maple syrup – so they wouldn’t pour high fructose corn syrup all over their pancakes.) 

The chef began to prep the grill and realized it wasn’t hot yet.  He apologized, and left us, so the grill could heat up.  A few minutes later, he came back with a conciliatory bowl full of edemome – roasted SOYBEANS.  My son’s mouth was watering.  He was starving.  He had just run around the basketball court for an hour and he was looking forward to a fun dinner out with his mom.  How could I not let him eat those things?  As I watched him pull the beans out of the ROUND-UP laden pods with his teeth, I closed my eyes and uttered this prayer:  “Dear God, please don’t let this evening out with my baby cause him infertility, development of some horrific allergy or gluten sensitivity, brain, pancreatic, or colon cancer, or any other problems we might not know about yet. And God?  I really don’t want to get sick either, especially while my children are still so young.  I love my life with them and want to continue raising them with strength and good health.  Also God, my beloved husband is in Pennsylvania with our two daughters.  Can you please make sure no one is feeding them genetically modified foods?  Thank you so much.”

“Are you ok mom”?  I told him I was fine, just saying grace.   Once the exciting part, the grilling/show got started, I tried to relax for his sake.  (The sake the chef squirted into my mouth helped, and so did the fact that we caught the chopped pieces of (?GMO?) zucchini he tossed into our mouths.) I wondered about all the spicy sauces he put on everything, and hoped the ginger and garlic would somehow offset the harmful effects of the other stuff we were eating.

The rest of the night went well.  We paid and went home.  He still lets me cuddle with him before bed.  I try to take advantage of it, knowing it will end all too soon.  I uttered more prayers, asking God to protect my family from evil people like our current “food safety” czar, and held him until he went to sleep.  I left his room and sighed, knowing that tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow he would be at some friend’s house or a school function, and some kind, unknowing person would share something with him – something that I would never let into my house.  I sighed again, knowing that all I can do is my best; that the rest is out of my control.  Then I took a deep breath and turned on my computer to the webinar I had missed – the one IRT is promoting on becoming a non-GMO speaker.  This is a fight I will not lose.

By Beth Beisel

KEEPING IT REAL ON VACATION

If my suitcases were searched by TSA agents on my way to Mexico last week, they would have been quite puzzled when they came across my suitcase filled with bags upon bags of Organic, Non-GMO Project Verified Tortilla Chips.  Well, they were either confused or they questioned the sanity of a person who would schlep tortilla chips from the United States into Mexico, the mother ship for tortilla chips.  That's right, I actually brought my own tortilla chips to Mexico.  I will be the first to admit this may have been a little extreme.   I had every intention of making sure my family did not touch a GMO tortilla chip the entire time we were there.  However, when it came to preventing my children, my husband, my sisters, my brother-in-law, and my parents from eating those homemade chips that arrived warm at our table at each and every meal, I realized my intentions were not at all realistic.  Despite being tempted, I personally stuck to my bagged chips and did not touch a homemade chip the whole week, but, when it came to my family I had to take a deep cleansing breath and just let go.  

I share this story to illustrate the point that when you are on vacation sometimes you just have to let go and be a little flexible . . . when in Rome.  Stressing about food and trying to eat healthy while you are supposed to be relaxing and decompressing from the stressors in your life would be completely counterproductive and harmful to your overall wellness.  However, with that said, it does not mean you need to completely throw caution to the wind.  Below I have shared some tips on how to make the best choices when on vacation while still being able to enjoy yourself.  Remember eating should be fun!

(1) Prepare For Your Travel Days
Whether traveling by car, railroad or plane, food and snack options are almost always highly processed, tasteless, fake, and will make you feel terrible.  Have you noticed how awful the food in airports or at the mini marts on the side of the road are?  Pack some easy to carry snack foods with you so you are not caught unprepared and starving.  Nuts, seeds, apples, bananas, popcorn, pure bars, lara bars, cut up vegetables like peppers and carrots, dehydrated fruit, crispy kale, Mary's Gone Crackers,  chia seed bars by Health Warrior, and avocados (bring a plastic knife and spoon, cut open and enjoy) all make great options.

(2) Fuel Up With Veggies
Always fill yourself up on salads and vegetables.  Be sure to start your meal with a salad and order extra veggies with your entree.

(3) Do Your Research
Familiarize yourself with which restaurants are known for fresh, local food.  Also, seek out the local vegan, vegetarian, health food stores and restaurants.  http://www.happycow.net/

(4) Ask For A Refrigerator
If possible, request a refrigerator in your room.  That way you can easily keep some fresh fruit, yogurt, and other items around for breakfast and snacks.  If you have children, fresh cut fruit in the morning or afternoon is a perfect way to keep them happy.  While traveling, breakfast can be one of the most challenging meals of the day.  I always bring some Sun Warrior protein powder with me and then buy some rice milk to leave in my refrigerator.  That makes for a great breakfast or afternoon pick me up.

(5) Take A Walk
If you are like me, you will enjoy your vacation more if you keep up the exercise routine.  At a minimum, you should take a nice walk every day.  It will help you take in the sights and also burn up some of those extra calories you might be ingesting.

(6) Keep Things Moving
Have you ever noticed that your bathroom habits change when you go away?  You have to keep that digestion and elimination working.  Make sure you eat plenty of food with fiber.  Vegetables, flax seeds, and chia seeds are all great options.  I always bring chia seeds with me and drink them in rice milk or water.  Eat plenty of fruit, our body's natural cleansers.  Also, drink a lot of water.   Also, a very helpful tool is "Smoothe Move" tea, a senna based tea that you can buy at Whole Foods and other health food stores like Mrs. Greens.  Another great tip is to bring some magnesium supplements with you, it keeps things soft if you know what I mean.  Magnesium is a great supplement in general because it relaxes your muscles.


(7) Treat Yourself
Deprivation is not my thing, especially on vacation.  Be sure you treat yourself and indulge a little, but go in with a plan that works for you.  Maybe you allow yourself one treat a day or maybe you have a "treat day" where you let go a little more.  I tend to stay fairly controlled until the last day when I reward myself a little knowing I have limited time which can minimize the damage!


(8) Customize Your Meals
When dining out on vacation, or at home for that matter, don't be afraid to ask the chef to reduce or eliminate the use of butter, oil, and salt.  If there is a piece of fish on the menu but it is smothered with a sauce, you can always ask to keep the sauce on the side or hold the sauce altogether and opt for a plain piece of grilled fish instead.  Substitute less healthful options with better ones, for instance, swap out the french fries for rice, baked potato or extra veggies.    

(9) Water, Water and More Water
Make sure you drink plenty of water especially in those hot climates.  Water will keep you hydrated, feeling full, prevent water retention,  and help your movements stay regular.

(10) Have Fun!
Most importantly, enjoy your food and your meal times.  Savor every bite of your food, cherish the people you are with, and take in the scenery!