Health Tips

Written By Julie Paiva, CHHC   Eggs are highly nutritious and are wonderful addition to our diets, but not all eggs are created equal.  An egg contains about 6–7 grams of protein as well as choline, biotin, vitamin B12, and even a small amount of vitamin D in its yolk. At typically less than $5 per dozen, eggs offer a lot of nutrition for a fairly low price.  Shopping for eggs is not always an easy task.  It can be confusing with all the options in the market.  Below is a guide to help you understand what each label on your egg carton means.   Cage-free:   Cage-free means that...

Written By Julie Paiva, CHHC   Summer is quickly approaching and for many of us that means – it’s vacation time.  Although vacations are supposed to remove our stress, traveling can put excess stress on your body.  Here are some ways to make sure that you stay healthy while embarking on your vacation journey.   Prioritize Sleep If you’re jet-lagged from traveling or just not prioritizing sleep in those hours when you’ve hit your destination, you run the risk of getting fatigued and sick.  Make sure that while you are enjoying all that your resort amenities that you are allowing time for proper rest. While on vacation,...

Written By Julie Paiva, CHHC   You may find at certain points the world and the people in it place greater demands on your time, energy, and emotions than you might be able to handle. When school lets out and moms have more of their time occupied with children at home, it can be awfully hard to get in any self-care time.  Between all the responsibilities busy moms have these days, it is amazing that moms get any time to themselves as it is.  It is important to remember that with out proper self-care, it is harder to get done all that needs to...

Written By Julie Paiva, CHHC   People often ask, “What is a healthy snack?”  Before we talk about some healthy snacking options, lets look at what your motivation is for snacking.  There are a few different reasons why you might feel the need to munch.  Once you figure out why you want to snack, then you can look at ways to satisfy your snacking impulse.   Here are four of the most common ones:   You are not satisfied with your meals   Something may be missing from your main plate like flavor (sweet, sour, salty, pungent, spicy), or texture (smooth, crunchy, crispy, creamy), or nutrients (both macro and micro),...

Written by Julie Paiva, CHHC   One great thing about spring is the return of farmers’ markets. There’s nothing better than admiring local produce from various vendors while enjoying the beautiful spring sunshine. Farmers’ markets provide you with a place to shop for fresh, seasonal produce and can also give you some amazing deals.  Many times, grocery stores sell produce at higher prices and it usually isn’t as fresh or locally grown.   Find the closest market near you   Farmers’ markets have become more popular and are now popping up in urban areas as well as suburban areas.  You might be surprised when looking for one...

Written By Julie Paiva, CHHC   With Spring's arrival, temperatures warm up, and many of us start to feel stressed as we put away our bulky sweaters and bring out our swimsuits.  Which is why this is the perfect time to talk about body positivity!  Body positivity refers to an acceptance and love of all body types, including your own. It is starting to make a shift in industries such as fashion.  Many fashion brands are beginning to feature more diversity and body inclusivity in their advertisements and among their models. This is a significant step toward cracking the concept of an...

Written By Julie Paiva, CHHC   There are many benefits to using technology.  In many ways technology has made our lives easier.  We can now google anything instead of heading to a library to research.  Navigating is easier than ever with GPS apps and voice directions that guide us to a destination in the quickest manner without stopping to read a map and hoping there isn’t traffic on the route chosen.  We can even stay connected with loved ones who live far away. However, like anything else, too much of one thing is never good. Technology can be overused and even abused.   Our culture relies on...

Written By Julie Paiva, CHHC   Often people comment that eating healthy is too expensive.  Processed foods are largly what goes on sale in our local grocery stores, and dollar value meals draw customers to their drive-thru windows.  However, what are the long term costs to your health by pinching your pennies when it comes to the food you choose to eat?  The truth is healthy eating doesn’t have to be more expensive if you’re a smart shopper.   Here are some tips to make your healthy eating journey more pocket book friendly.   Have A Strategy   Have you heard that old saying, “Never shop...

Written By Julie Paiva, CHHC   Are you an “early riser” or does it take everything inside of you to drag yourself out of bed in the morning?  Life can get crazy. It's often hard to find any moments to spare in your busy schedule. If you're always rushing around in the morning, it's difficult to imagine being able to spare any time to have a quiet moment.  It is often said, “The early bird gets the worm.”  But just because you might prefer to get up early doesn’t mean that you are productive.  Being an effective early riser isn’t just about waking up...

Written By Julie Paiva, CHHC   Did you ever pass out little candy hearts to your friends as a kid? "Be Mine", "Love Me", "You're The One", "Hug Me", "Top Dog", "Cool Cat" and "Purr Fect" are a few of the sayings on them.  It is often so easy for us to say these things to our loved ones or even someone we are interested in getting to know, but how often do we say these things to ourselves.  For most of us, the answer is rarely.   Self-love is important to living well.  Many of us don’t even know what “self-love” is.  Self-love is so much more than...

Written By Julie Paiva, CHHC   Do you or people you know say this time of year "I need to eat better"? Making changes in your food intake can make a huge difference in your health and general well-being. However, it can be overwhelming to start a whole new eating program. Don't stress about being "perfect." Be gentle with yourself as you begin changing the way you eat. Wellness is a marathon, not a sprint.   "Eating Better is a Choice."   When it comes to wellness, you'll likely come across a wide spectrum of advice, products, and methods for how to do it "right."...

Written by Julie Paiva, CHHC   Everyone loves a tasty plate of guac and chips.  Good guacamole doesn’t take a lot of time or ingredients to make but can be easily jazzed up in a variety of different ways to create new and exciting flavors. These twists on the traditional guacamole can be eaten as dips, spread for raw veggies, mixed in salads, and as toppers to your fish and meat. You can even choose your favorite to serve on Super Bowl Sunday coming up. Here, are some versions that you might want to stash in your guacamole repertoire...   Guac-Kale-Mole   Roughly chop up some...