9 Healthy Living Tip, Trick and Trend Articles

Each day I try to make healthy choices.

From the food on my plate, to makeup on my face and cleansers in my home, I choose to go with simple, natural options. For me Whole Foods Living truly is a lifestyle.

Spring Salad. Photo by Angela Tague

Each morning I wake up and tackle writing assignments (yep, that's my day job) for several health and environmentally friendly focused clients. And, I love it.

So, this week I thought I'd share nine articles (not just one!) that I've written with my Whole Foods Living frame of mind at the forefront. Enjoy!

1. Five Healthy Snacks for Work
2. Vegetable Juicer Recipe: Super Vitamin Cocktail
3. Home-Gardening Trend Growing: 1 in 3 Households Digs It
4. How To Pick The Best Fruits and Vegetables
5. Natural Shampoo for Dogs Will Please Eco-Conscious Pet Owners
6. Celiac Disease Diet: Gluten-free Food List
7. Trying Aluminum-Free Deodorant: What’s the Hype?
8. Tired of PB&J? Lunches for Adults on the Go  
9. Scott's Miracle-Gro Focuses on Sustainable Clean Water Advocacy

Have you read any great healthy living articles lately? Please share the links with me in the comments below. I'd love to check them out too!

Until Next Time,
Choose Healthy!

Angela Tague
Whole Foods Living

Going Paleo? Diet Tips and Paleo Effect Cookbook Review

Today you're in for a treat. Recently a copy of The Paleo Effect by Meghan Little and Angel Ayala Torres crossed my countertop and I've been giving it a good read and test run.

Yes, I read cookbooks front to back.

First of all, what is paleo, or a paleo diet (actually it's a lifestyle!) and how does it fit into a whole foods living frame of mind?

All About Paleo
In a nutshell a paleo, or paleolithic, diet focuses on natural, unprocessed foods. A paleo diet is naturally gluten free. Paleo diet followers don't eat dairy, grains, legumes, beans, processed sugars or processed fats.

Why? The health benefits are too good to dismiss. The authors of the book, Meghan and Angel, claim that within a month of going paleo they slimmed down, said goodbye to migraines, no longer experience insomnia and got rid of annoying joint pain. Sounds pretty good doesn't it?

So, what do paleo people eat?

• unprocessed meats and fish 
• fresh fruits and vegetables 
• herbs and seasonings 
• nuts, roots, oils
• animal products including eggs and honey

I know you're wondering about dessert. Yes, this cookbook also tempts your sweet tooth with recipes for everything from chocolate chip cookies and banana bread, to apple pie and maple-glazed pear cheesecake.

Is Paleo Food Any Good?
So, how does this style of cooking/eating/living taste? Pretty darn good! Here's a recap of a few of the recipes I've tried. (Note that since I'm a vegetarian, I didn't venture into any of the meaty offerings. But I will let bacon lovers out there know that yes, bacon is included in a paleo lifestyle!)

Lemon Garlic Asparagus (pg. 115): As a kid I never liked asparagus. As an adult, I'm trying to enjoy it more. So, when I saw a new simple recipe to "spice" up this green veggie, I was ready to try it. The combination of baking asparagus in olive oil with garlic, cayenne and lemon juice is simply perfect.

Blackened Salmon (pg. 161): The hubby made this recipe all by himself to try salmon for the first time. He did swap out a few of the suggested seasonings to fit his palette, but the cooking instructions worked perfectly for his first-time fish cooking experience. He loved it and has asked for salmon to frequent the grocery shopping list!

You can find out more about following a paleo diet on Megan and Angel's website, Paleo Effect. Or, pick up the book The Paleo Effect and study the first 12 pages of the book which guide you through the dos and don't of going paleo. Then dive into the recipes!

So, have you tried the paleo lifestyle? What do you think? Tell me in the comments below or give me a shout on Facebook!

Until Next Time,
Choose Healthy!

Angela Tague
Whole Foods Living

Disclosure: The Paleo Effect by Meghan Little and Angel Ayala Torres mentioned in this blog post was provided free of charge from Skyhorse Publishing, Inc. for review purposes. No monetary compensation was sought or awarded in exchange for the review. All thoughts expressed on Whole Foods Living are solely my own. ~Angela

Why is My Weight Fluctuating When I Eat Healthy and Exercise?

I've been on this healthy, whole foods lifestyle mission for several years now.

Is exercising making you gain weight? Photo Credit: SXC

But unfortunately, I've been getting lazy.

Sure, I still choose fresh vegetables and cook from scratch as much as possible. But with the hubby getting on the healthy bandwagon, it's time to ramp up my healthy lifestyle and cut out the convenience processed foods that had crept back into my life little by little.

I need to use less canned beans and soak my own.

I enjoy making salad dressing from scratch, so why am I not doing it?

*sigh*

Ironically, over the last few months, the numbers on my scale have been creeping up. What?? I'm watching my portions closer than ever, exercising more frequently and eating even more healthy than when I started this blog. Something isn't right!

But my clothes still fit and some of my jeans are even getting a little loose.

Apparently I'm building muscle while losing fat! I can tell I feel stronger since I've started swimming and walking on a treadmill regularly. But, I never thought about the fact that my weight might creep up during this process.

So, if you're on an adventure to a healthier lifestyle, don't get upset when the scale doesn't plummet. If you're diligent with your nutrition and exercise, you might just be increasing your muscle mass!

Have you noticed your weight fluctuating despite making healthy decisions? Tell me I'm not alone in this discovery!

Until Next Time,
Choose Healthy!

Angela Tague
Whole Foods Living