This obviously looks different from my regular nutrition + recipe posts, but the magnitude of everything that has happened in the year and these past few weeks pushed me to gather up all my thoughts in a way that reminded me of why I initially wanted to start blogging almost 8 years ago – to share a perspective from my own lived experiences that might be different from you, in hopes that it serves you in some way. You can take or leave what you need from this. I don’t believe we all need to agree on the same things. Perspective is a beautiful thing and so is having the respect to acknowledge somebody different from you. The election brought something up that I felt like I needed to share – the topic of representation in the media.
This post is written in partnership with New Chapter vitamins. Thanks for supporting partnerships that allow me to speak about topics I love and make Nutrition Happen!
If there’s one thing we all occasionally struggle with, it’s probably stress. Stress is a normal response from our bodies, regardless of whether it’s physical or psychological. In fact, if you exercise in any way or enjoy workouts that involve high intensity interval training, stress on the body is inevitable. As a result of the physical stress, inflammation kicks in to help rebuild tissues that help the body get stronger. I know inflammation often has a negative connotation but it’s technically a natural (and healthy) response by the body to protect us. Inflammation is not necessarily negative because it’s usually temporary and clears up quickly once the stress subsides. However, stress that builds up over time can contribute to the type of inflammation that leads to injury or pain.
As much as I love throwing together a new recipe, it’s easy to get into a routine or stuck in a rut for those weeks when life gets BUSY. And for those times where life happens and you just need some default inspiration (that you know will be good), the world of food blogs can be a beautiful thing.
I’ve gathered up a few (EASY!) recipes from some of my personal favorite food blogs to make for the month of April:
Admit it: we all love a good list with anything Trader Joe’s, right? It’s a favorite grocery store for many people because the prices are reasonable, the food is fun and straightforward, and the employees are honestly the nicest around. I love how they make somewhat “trendy” food a bit more accessible for everyone looking to try new things. There are so many great quality items you can find here for a much better price comparatively to other health stores.
I’m sharing a few items that I’ve loved since my first day in a Trader Joe’s (circa maybe like 2012? If you’ve been following Nutrition Happens since it started in May of 2013…..then you know!!) – all items with a simple + minimal ingredient list:
This post was written in partnership with New Chapter Vitamins. All opinions reflected are my own. Thank you for supporting projects that make Nutrition Happen!
It’s not a new year without getting slammed with nutrition messages that push all liquid “cleanses” or “detoxes” without substantial, nutritious food. News flash: your body can detox with real food that’s good for you. It’s been proven again and again that diets that are too extreme or unsustainable over the long-term does NOT work.
Healthy eating should make you feel good in a way that fits into your current lifestyle in a natural and maintainable way. But between all of the different “healthy” eating plans buzzing around the media today, I know how confusing it is to pick the best one for your personal lifestyle. Dietary preferences will always look different on everyone because there are no two genetics, habits, and health priorities that are the same. However, the one underlying similarity between all of them is this: making wholesome, delicious, and real food choices a priority (or, at least 80% of the time!).
This post was written in sponsorship with Handsome Brook Farm. Thank you for supporting continuing projects that make Nutrition Happen!
Brown eggs are better than white eggs.