5 Diet and Health Myths - Debunked

All of us read stuff on the internet, and hear things from friends and family that convince us that this food is bad for our health, or that food makes us gain weight.

We end up listening more to outside noise instead of listening to our own bodies. Not only that, we often go to extremes.

For example, we hear everywhere that carbs make us gain weight, so then we go cut out all carbs and next thing we know, we’re faced with constipation and a horrible hormonal imbalance.

So before you go to extremes, check out these common mistakes that many of us are making nowadays.

Read More

Balance with Mariana's CLEAN EATING Shopping List

Healthy eating starts with stocking your kitchen and pantry with the right foods.

Today I’m sharing my CLEAN EATING Grocery List with 90 of the foods that I buy; foods that will put you on the path toward a healthier, happier, more balanced and confident self.

Read More

Your Shopping Guide To A Healthier Life

The importance of the QUALITY of your food is truly underestimated by most people. Your life will change once you begin to really understand and appreciate what you're putting into your mouth. Remember, it's your body, and it's your job to take care of it! Stop feeding it junk, start feeding it real, high-quality foods, and you'll see a shift in your body, skin, hair, your energy, mood and sex life!

So what does that mean?

READ MORE to learn my TOP TIPS for choosing better foods and accomplishing a healthier supermarket shopping trip; an incredibly important step in your health journey.

Read More

I'm a Health Coach. Here is What I Eat in a Day.

As a certified holistic Health Coach (and barre teacher), I practice what I preach; I live a healthy lifestyle and get my daily fill of greens.

Making smarter, healthier food choices is tough at first, but it gets easier with practice and consistency, and I strongly believe that everyone can change the way they eat to feel better inside and out.

I still sometimes struggle with balancing my long days of work, social life, and making time to cook, not to mention that my sweet tooth keeps me from having a perfectly healthy diet.

But I strongly believe in finding a good BALANCE that works for you, while always prioritizing your health and making sure you’re getting the highest quality ingredients on your plate possible.

I’ll take you through my typical day of meals.

Read More

An Easy, Probiotic Mask for Clear, Hydrated, Glowing Skin

Natural DIY face masks are a great "facial" option that can work wonders on your face in just minutes, and are especially helpful when you can't make it every month to your facialist. Plus, you can do them while multitasking!

Today I wanted to share one of my favorite face masks – great for all skin types - that will help you keep a healthy skin microbiome and restore a healthy glow in your skin. I've been doing it a lot recently and am always AMAZED by the instant boost I see in my skin.

This mask is soothing, refreshing and cooling (hello yogurt!), moisturizing, helps balance your pH, remove dead cells, brightens your overall complexion, and fights off any blemishes, leaving your skin feeling baby soft and CLEAN.

Read More

I Just Finished the Whole30 Challenge - Here are my 10 Takeaways

I am a believer in avoiding fad diets. Instead, I believe in finding the eating style that works for you longer-term. One that helps you reach and maintain your health goals.

But on top of that, when you feel you need a short-term boost to your health (and waistline), food-based detoxes are optimal.

In the toxic world we live in, we can all benefit from a light cleanse here and there. While they may not be necessary if you already eat a very clean diet, I find that the benefits outweigh any negatives, for almost everyone.

And, if you do have a particular health concern, doing a longer-term detox – like a 30 day elimination diet – can be EXTREMELY beneficial. And that’s what led me to trying the Whole30.

READ MORE to learn more about the Whole30, my takeaways, recommendations, and lessons learned!

Read More

The Healthiest Chocolate Cupcakes - a delicious & easy recipe for you and the kids

Are you interested in trying a healthy yet delicious sweet treat for you and your kids that 1) isn’t filled with sugar and 2) actually contains healthy ingredients that supports your ( and your kids') overall health?

Check out my awesome, yummy and easy cupcake recipe that will satisfy your sweet tooth yet keep you healthy!

Read More

Why You Should Try a 30-day Alcohol-Detox

I strongly advocate for living and enjoying a balanced life, and that means giving in to your guilty pleasures (in small, safe amounts) from time to time.

For me, enjoying a glass or two of wine is part of my balance, and luckily, there are tons of benefits that come along with small amounts of wine consumption.

However, there are even more reasons to go on an Alcohol Detox for a month. This means not one drop of alcohol for 30 days. Which YES is hard for most of us, but 100% worth it.

Read more to learn 6 Benefits of a 30-Day Alcohol Detox, and a few tips to get you started and help you commit!

Read More

A Digestive-Friendly Hormone Balancing, Energy Boosting Smoothie (+ Ayurvedic Smoothie Tips)

Today I’m sharing my DELICIOUS, hormone-balancing, digestive-friendly, energy-boosting smoothie - which takes into consideration Ayurvedic wisdom to make it extra healthy, balancing, warming and easy-to-digest. This smoothie is filled with superfoods, and is vegan, paleo-friendly, gluten free, dairy free, grain-free, contains no added sugars, is filled with fiber and plant-based protein, and is super yummy and easy to make.

Read More

Recovering from Post-Vacation Blues: 6 Tips For Getting Back on Track

Are you just back from (or maybe still on) your Spring Break / Holy Week vacation, and feeling a bit anxious about returning to your routine?

It’s totally normal to feel a bit anxious. I personally felt it this time more than ever. So on my plane ride back to Managua, I took out my iPad and jotted down what tools I could use to help me bounce back into the routine, and what tips I could share with you if you’re also struggling with these post-vacation blues.

Here are 6 tips to apply NOW, right after your vacation, to make the most of this new quarter and get back into your healthy productive routine:

Read More
In , ,
Comment
Share

Own Your Inner Goddess: 14 Simple Tips

The more CONNECTED you are to your gut and to your womb, the easier it is to take the (right) decisions for yourself, including what you should eat and when, what type of exercise is best for you, when you should rest, etc. The less you’ll need to rely on confusing outside noise and the easier you can reach THE BEST VERSION OF YOU, your ultimate healthy state, without overthinking it.

Here are 13 tips to help you reconnect and cultivate your feminine power (all on my current to-do list):

Read More

Going with the Flow.... Why Its Key For Your Health

Staying healthy is often times more about STAYING PRESENT and enjoying the little gifts of life, than getting your daily workout and green smoothie.

When we're relaxed and tuned-in, our bodies find a way to stay healthy. While if we're stressed about that gram of gluten and obsessing over whether our belly is expanding, then our bodies react negatively; stress takes priority over digestion, and that's when we accumulate fat (not to mention the guilt overpowers our happiness).

Read More

Did You Know....? Best Exercise for a Healthy Pregnancy

Working out (safely) while you are pregnant is extremely beneficial for both you as an expecting mom and your baby.

As a woman, and even more as a mom (and mom-to-be), I strongly believe in the importance of you getting some “me time” everyday, to zone out from the daily to-do’s, to give yourself some self-love, and rebuild your inner and outer strength. Plus, we all know that when a woman is feeling good and happy, she's a better mom/better wife, etc., so everyone benefits when "mom" has her time to workout and “recharge”.

There are many benefits to practicing safe exercise during pregnancy, but there are definitely some workouts that tend to be better than others. In my experience, 

Read More to find out which exercise I recommend, why, and some tips for exercising during your pregnancy.

Read More

Did You Know....? Dangers of Dryer Sheets

I recently discovered how bad laundry DRYER SHEETS are, so i wanted to share with you some info to make you more aware and help you reduce the toxic load in your life.

READ MORE to learn healthier alternatives that will leave your laundry clean and soft without affecting your health!

Read More

3 Tips For a Successful New Year

This is one of my favorite times of the year, when work is slow, there is more time to relax and enjoy time with friends and family.

With the year almost over and a new one about to begin, it's also the best time to REFLECT and get organized for an even better new year.
 
It's been an amazing year, so it's worth it to take a second and EMBRACE that and be thankful.

Here are 3 ways to maximize your year-end and set yourself up for another amazing year. 

Read More

WINE.... Healthy or Unhealthy?

We all have our guilty pleasures, even those of us in the health and wellness industry. For me, it’s a glass or two of red wine, and dark chocolate. A glass of wine makes a good meal that much better, and nothing makes me happier than finishing my meal with a piece or two of rich, dark chocolate. 

I’ve already shared with you the BENEFITS OF DARK CHOCOLATE and why I happily continue to include it in my regular diet, and today I want to share some not-so-known benefits of WINE.

New studies are constantly backing up the health benefits of drinking wine (for moderate drinkers). But like most things, the quantity, quality, and timing (when you consume it) all play a role. 

Read more to learn BENEFITS, RISKS, and some suggestions as to WHEN and HOW MUCH to consume.

Read More

3 Tips for a Healthier Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hopefully you're super psyched about this awesome and meaningful holiday. I now live in a new country that doesn't formally celebrate Thanksgiving, but I was secretly happy to learn that my new family here celebrates this American holiday.

So on top of many other things, I am grateful for that this week.

Thanksgiving is, after all, about GIVING THANKS. It's a time to be with loved ones and celebrate all the awesome things in life. And of course, it's a great time to enjoy delicious food. Who doesn't love Thanksgiving food, wine, and family time?

Problem is, many of us health-conscious people simultaneously slightly dread the holiday because we usually wake up bloated and feeling heavy the next day, and possibly even gain weight in just one weekend.

Luckily I've discovered that doesn't need to be the case. IT IS TOTALLY POSSIBLE TO ENJOY A HEALTHY THANKSGIVING, while staying guilt-free. Of course indulging a bit is OK, but if you balance it out with some healthier (and even more delicious) recipes, and a few more tips (that I share with you), you can fully enjoy the holiday without any negative consequences.

Read More

Why I Am NOT a Vegan

I’m a HUGE fan of eating tons and tons of vegetables, as well as other nutritious plant-based foods including fruits, nuts, seeds, and small amounts of legumes and whole grains. And most people ASSUME that being such a "health-freak" that I MUST be vegetarian.

But that’s not the case.

In my years as a health coach, I’ve learned (and keep proving, to myself and others) that no one diet works for everyone. We are all different, and while many people do best on vegan diets (the benefits are numerous!), many people do best with some animal protein.

But GOOD-QUALITY ANIMAL PROTEIN is one of those variables that I believe is not necessary for everyone, but in small amounts, can be HUGELY BENEFICIAL for many people.

Read More

8 Tips for Relieving Headaches

Do you ever get bad headaches? Maybe you had too much wine last night? Maybe its “that time of the month” or you’re going through hormonal changes? Maybe you’re detoxing from sugar and coffee (or other addictions) and you’re feeling the effects with a pulsing headache? Maybe you’re not sure what it is, but come mid-afternoon, you get an annoying headache….?

Many of us are used to just popping a pill and praying it subsides. However, as most of you know, I’m no longer a fan of popping a pill because you’re not addressing the root cause and that headache will keep coming back. Plus, all pills have side-effects. Instead, I’d like to share with you some more natural tips when you’re suffering from headaches.

Read More

Healthy Guide to MANAGUA

Staying healthy everywhere you go is always a challenge, particularly in those cities where it’s still hard to find healthy food on-the-go. Even if you have the luxury of always eating at home and cooking your meals, finding a good variety of healthy ingredients is not always easy. Even more challenging is when we’re pressed for time, or have a lot of social events, and are forced to eat out a lot. Staying healthy and slim becomes extremely difficult.

So I’ve made it a point to explore every place around me that can help to keep my life a bit healthier! I now make a list of my go-to “healthy spots” in every city where I spend a lot of my time - including markets selling fresh organic produce, specialty health stores, restaurants serving good quality healthy items, and of course, places where I can go to burn it all off!

Today I want to share with you my healthy guide to MANAGUA – my new home town. Check out my list below, and feel free to comment/share!

Read More