Blog

Written By Julie Paiva, CHHC   We all know that recycling is a good thing to do, but many of us get too busy with our daily lives to take the few extra steps to be more earth-friendly.  We can become blind to how much not recycling adversely affects our environment.  Like with everything in life, you don’t have to turn your world upside down and become a “Recycling Master” overnight.  It is important to take small, incremental steps, rather than make big, drastic changes, to create transformation. By taking baby steps, you are more likely to successfully establish a new (and lasting!) habit....

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   It is asparagus season!  These fat or thin, green, white or purple, tender stalks are a great way of welcoming the spring season.  Asparagus gives us plenty of reasons to fill your plate with this elegant superfood. The bright-green veggie is packed with vitamins and minerals like A, C, E, K, B6, folate, iron, copper, calcium, protein, and fiber. Thanks to all these nutrients, asparagus offers some serious health perks!   Asparagus has serious health perks!   Not only is asparagus low in fat and calories (one cup sets you back a mere 32 calories), but it also contains lots of...

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   Have you ever asked someone if they like Brussels sprouts?  If you have, you will know that you always get a quick and clear yes or no answer.  Brussels sprouts don’t seem to be a vegetable that people kind of like or don’t.  They tend to be ones that people either love or hate.  If you are a Brussels sprouts lover, then you will reap in the many benefits of this small, cabbage-like vegetable.  If you haven’t been a fan in the past, perhaps learning about Brussels sprouts might get you to take a second...

Written By Julie Paiva, CHHC   Spring brings us a new batch of seasonal vegetables.  Bright flavors and colors are obvious reasons to embrace the produce of this beautiful time of year. Spring's first vegetables like crisp lettuces, slender spears of asparagus, leafy spring onions, and fresh peas and green beans join year-round staples like garlic and beets as well as winter favorites nearing the end of their season.  Now, since the weather in the spring can be so unpredictable – with some regions still up to their eyeballs in snow and others enjoying significantly warmer weather – this link, www.seasonalfoodguide.org, can tell you, based...

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   If you have a busy lifestyle, then stir frying is the way to go because it is one of the quickest cooking methods. It is originally a Chinese cooking technique that involves cooking the ingredients at a high temperature in little or no oil. It doesn’t require lots of fancy equipment.   If you have a large, thick, frying pan or wok and a wooden spoon, you will have everything you need to start stir frying tonight.   Stir frying is versatile.   Now that we have an extra hour of sunlight each night, who wants to spend extra time in the...