Mariana's BLOG page with her best health tips & recipes
Balance with Mariana's blog page, The Balance Journal, provides unique and useful tips on healthy living and holistic nutrition, delving into topics of digestive health, hormonal balance, weight loss, making healthier choices, improving body image and more!
Mariana also emphasizes eating healthier (yet delicious), more balanced, plant-based meals, and provides easy and delicious recipes.
October is breast cancer awareness month; a month to raise awareness about our need for Cancer prevention education, something I’m passionate about ESPECIALLY since we’ve discovered how much we can do with food and lifestyle to lower our risk
Today I’m sharing 6 important doctor recommendations to lower your risk of breast cancer, plus 8 more holistic tips to help reduce your risk of disease in general.
Read MoreToday I wanted to share 2 new recipes for an indulgent yet super healthy, nutritious morning when you’re craving chocolate - be it Valentine’s Day or any day that you want some extra comfort!
Plus, I’m sharing many of my previous favorite chocolate recipes - all VEGAN, DAIRY-FREE, GLUTEN-FREE, REFINED SUGAR-FREE and PRESERVATIVE-FREE.
Read MoreDates are packed with nutrition and provide lots of fiber and energy, plus are naturally very sweet, making them ideal for making healthy desserts.
Also, they’re said to be amazing for preparing your cervix for a natural birth, so with that “excuse” in mind, I’ve been making lots of easy, delicious date recipes to have in my last weeks of pregnancy.
Today I’m sharing 3 of my favorite date recipes– all of which are super nutritious, vegan, gluten-free, no added sugar and raw (no baking required!) - and don’t spike your blood sugar (as they’re packed with extra fiber, protein and healthy fats!).
Today I’m sharing one of my all-time favorite recipes (in both English and Spanish) - my super healthy, fiber-packed, gut-friendly Energy Balls. The recipe is super easy and I proved different options (including my favorite Chocolate energy ball version)! You can make them in 15 minutes, store them for weeks in the freezer, and you have the perfect healthy snack or dessert on hand - which is balanced, with healthy fats and plant-based protein that won’t spike your blood sugar.
Read MoreCacao is one of my favorite superfoods that's comforting, delicious, great for hormonal balance, and packed with antioxidants, magnesium and fiber.
Today I’m sharing my amazing (and super healthy) VEGAN CHOCOLATE MOUSSE recipe - which is a family and client favorite. It’s delicious, creamy, super nutritious, and my latest version is adaptable so that its detox-friendly and keto-friendly.
READ MORE for my new (date-free) yummy chocolate mousse recipe in both English and Spanish. Honestly, you’ll love it and so will your body!
Read MoreToday I’m sharing my newest recipe - a result of playing around with my organic dark leafy greens, attempting to find the best added sweet flavors to neutralize the slight bitterness of the greens, and I came up with this amazingly flavorful, nutritious dish.
Kale and Sweet Potato are two of my favorite SUPERFOODS, and they pair perfectly together.
This recipe is:
Extremely healthy and gut-friendly, packed with fiber and wide variety of nutrients
Vegan, gluten-free, and refined sugar-free
Ideal to prevent cravings as it contains all the different flavors to satisfy your palate
Comforting, warming, and filling (even without the optional protein addition)
Super easy to make – can be done in 3o minutes and all in one pot
Great for meal prep lunches and dinners; leftovers taste even better (keeps well in fridge for 3 days, tops 4)
Check out my recipe and give it a shot!
Read MoreWhen we’re spending more time at home, suddenly we find ourselves in the kitchen grabbing for a snack that we don’t really need. We mindlessly grab a handful of the not-so-healthy stuff that is insight – the chips/crackers, kids’ cookies, those chocolate covered almonds, etc.
And we KNOW this habit is not supportive of our health goals.
That being said, a small snack once a day is not a terrible thing, and we can make peace with it. We can even use snacks in our favor so that we then have a slightly smaller meal for our next meal.
But in order for the snack to work in our favor, it needs to be eaten consciously, sitting down, and the snack needs to contain fiber, healthy fats and protein (and no processed junk) in order to keep our blood sugar balanced.
With that in mind, I wanted to offer today 3 EASY snacks to satisfy your mid-afternoon sweet craving. Snacks that are healthy yet satisfying and will keep your blood sugar balanced, which supports weight loss. They’re also HIGH-PROTEIN, VEGAN and relatively LOW-CARB. Lastly, they’re super easy (require minimal to no prep) and are totally family/kid-friendly.
Read MoreNow is a hard time for almost everyone. So much has changed, and we’re facing so many unknowns. So it’s totally understandable that our previous healthy routines and self-care habits have been on the backburner.
But it’s been almost two months of this new reality, and I feel that most people are now ready (even borderline desperate!) to reestablish a healthy routine.
So I wanted to share 7 tips to get you back on your feet, back to that routine and healthier diet, back to feeling a little bit more in control and a lot more healthy.
Read MoreGreen smoothies can be the ideal breakfast when prepared right.
One of the most common mistakes is adding way too much fruit , which can actually reverse many of the benefits of your smoothie. Too much fruit can spike your blood sugar, then lead to a blood sugar low two hours later, not to mention it will make your smoothie a calorie (and carb) bomb. So the key lies in keeping your smoothie LOW-GLYCEMIC while still making it delicious and filling.
HOW? There is one ingredient that I find can be a game changer to make your smoothie nice and thick and creamy without having to add all that fructose. And when you add a vanilla or chocolate flavored vegan protein powder, you won’t miss that banana at all!
Read MoreAre 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 MoreEvery day, more studies are proving that SUGAR plays a crucial role in the development of many of those illnesses we fear most, including heart disease, cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s and obesity to name a few.
And I see it.
In my health coaching practice and in my detoxes, I continually find that sugar is one of the main problem causers in people, keeping them from reaching their health goals.
While small, infrequent amounts of processed sugar is not a health risk for most people, studies show that refined sugar may have addictive properties, and many of us struggle with limiting our sugar intake.
The problem is that refined sugar is found in virtually every processed food on the market, and you may be consuming more than you think...
Read more to learn about the benefits of quitting sugar and how to get started today on your "no-sugar" plan!
Read MoreMany people have asked me about my “DIY” recipes for self-care, and about what I do to stay “clean” (i.e. minimizing my toxic exposure) on a daily basis. And for me, both of those answers are centered around Essential Oils. So I figured it would be worth it to share with you a bit more info on Essential Oils and why I’m such a huge fan.
READ MORE to learn WHAT essential oils are, what they're used for, where you can buy them, and how I personally use them in my day to day to support my healthy, balanced lifestyle!
Read MoreLet’s be thankful today for what women do every day, for what we give to the world. Because we offer a special gift, with our open and vulnerable hearts, our motherly instincts, our caring nature, our desire to always offer love and support. And of course, we bring new lives into this world.
As part of my practice as a Health Coach, I like to remind every woman that I work with to be PROUD of who they are, and to remember that even though we as women always struggle to be and look perfect, we’re already perfect inside. And that beauty gets reflected most once we recognize it and fully love ourselves. So today, ladies, be grateful for exactly who you are, and accept all of your flaws and love them too.
Now I’d like to share with you 5 HEALTH TIPS FOR ALL WOMEN:
Read MoreDo you ever suffer from PMS symptoms, and wonder WHY you feel so sh*tty, when others don’t? Or maybe you just accept it as “normal” and load up on pain killers and chocolate during that time of the month.
While roughly 75% of women experience headaches, bloating, difficulty sleeping, mood swings and other symptoms of PMS, there is a lucky 25% hardly feel a thing. And the most amazing piece of news that I’ll share with you today is that – YOU DON’T HAVE TO SUFFER FROM PMS. You can even overcome the acne, cravings and fatigue, and without drugs. PMS is not “a given” and you can avoid it through some natural modifications.
The key to eliminating your PMS symptoms is to focus on the right diet (and lifestyle) factors that help balance your hormones, in particular, to avoid estrogen dominance, excess cortisol, and insulin resistance.
Diets rich in sugar, refined carbohydrates, conventionally farmed (non-organic) meats and dairy products, caffeine and alcohol, all promote hormone imbalances. Stress, environmental pollutants and hormone-disrupting chemicals further disrupt your hormone. These diet and lifestyle factors contribute to inflammation and increased stress in your body, which get your hormones more out of whack, worsening your PMS symptoms.
So now that you know the key triggers of PMS, lets talk about all the things you can be doing to create more hormonal balance.
Here are 7 effective tips to start implementing now to avoid PMS:
Read More
Most of you know the negative effects of excess sugar. Sugar is empty calories that can lead to hormonal imbalances and weight gain, not to mention it’s addictive!
And hopefully, you also know that artificial sweeteners are just as bad for you. They’re filled with potentially harmful chemicals, have no nutrition, and in my experience, trigger more sugar cravings.
But what about all the natural sweeteners that are being marketed as “healthier” alternatives to sugar, such as honey, maple syrup, agave, coconut sugar, stevia, etc.?
Read MoreHalloween is around the corner, and many of us are worried about the temptation of all the candy and chocolate all around us.
But the good news is – you CAN indulge in chocolate and stay healthy! Dark Chocolate is loaded with fiber, protein and important minerals (including magnesium and iron) and contains an ideal fatty acid profile. Having about 1 ounce of organic dark chocolate (75-90% cocoa) and/or adding some raw cacao and cacao nibs to your homemade healthy treats - is a healthy and delicious addition to your diet.
READ MORE for some awesome benefits of consuming dark chocolate, and to learn what to look far and brands I recommend!
Read MoreAs a holistic health coach and foodie (yes I love eating!), I am a true believer in eating WHOLE FOODS as much as possible, and avoiding most pre-packaged foods. Even for snacks, I find that there are a ton of easy options based on primarily whole food sources that one can easily put together at home the night before and take with you to work/on your trip. (See my previous blog for more on healthy, homemade snacks).
But sometimes, we haven’t had the time to make your own snacks, we’re hungry, and need a healthy option to buy at the local deli market or airport vendor. For those times, I wanted to share some options that are nutritious and “clean” (have little-to-no junk/bad ingredients), and won’t ruin your healthy efforts. Because believe me, most of the snacks you’re used to buying are terrible for your overall health, and even those occasional snacks (unfortunately) add up!
I find that so many people are making an effort to eat healthier meals, but still have a hard time achieving their health goals. And when I look at their food journals, I see it...it’s in their snacks!
I KNOW it’s hard when we’re always on the go. We get hungry when we’re at work or on the road, and the only things we can easily grab are processed, packaged options (filled with sodium, sugar and/or artificial ingredients). And unfortunately, they add up, and make it difficult (if not impossible!) for us to stay healthy and slim.
Making the effort to be prepared and keep healthy snacks on hand will make a HUGE difference in your health.
For a boost of sustained energy (and to support a healthy weight), your snacks should be small, high in protein and fiber, and relatively low in sugar and carbs.
Nowadays, we're eating more and more sugar without even realizing it.
Sugar is being added to EVERYTHING these days (in packaged foods, supplements, restaurants, etc). It's often disguised as different names, including: honey, agave, cane sugar, date sugar, beet sugar, turbinado sugar, but also less obvious ones like: malt (barley malt or diastatic malt), syrup (corn syrup, maple syrup, carob syrup, rice syrup), evaporated cane juice, maltose, sucrose, dextrose, fructose, glucose, maltodextrin, and more!
And natural sugars also add up. So even if you're not big on desserts, chances are you're still consuming a lot more sugar than you think. (I bet that if you were to actually count the grams of sugar that you eat in a day, you’ll be shocked!)
And the hard truth is - sugar is bad for everyone, not just people at risk of diabetes.
Staying healthy at the office is a challenge for everyone. There is always someone who brings in sweet treats from recent travel, or it's someone's birthday and cakes are in your face. And then there are the catered lunch meetings where it's just sandwiches and cookies!
I've worked in offices for most of my career, so I can relate. But somehow, in the last few years, I have been able to master the art of staying healthy regardless of where I am. It's not about perfection, but it's definitely about being prepared.
Here are my best tips to keep you healthy at the office:
Read MoreBalance With Mariana is a holistic Health Coaching practice that works with individuals looking to lose weight, overcome their food addictions and improve their digestive issues, by teaching them new healthy lifestyle habits that help them reach their specific personal goals. Clients of Balance With Mariana develop not only a better relationship with food, but also an overall more balanced and happy life.
Balance With Mariana | , Miami, FL
