Five Quick Tips for Healthy Eating

If you can learn kitchen shortcuts to delicious and healthy meals, you can change your lifestyle.

Try these tips to cut salt, fat and calories:

Add flavor without adding salt. A bit of lemon juice can make a small amount of salt seem like more. Or perk up bored taste buds with vinegar and pepper.

For dips or spreads that call for cream cheese, substitute half a cup of ricotta cheese blended with half a cup of fat-free cream cheese. Serve with raw veggies.

Add evaporated fat-free milk to soups and casseroles in place of heavy cream. Bulk up casseroles, stews and soups with beans and vegetables.

Cradle your pie filling with a crust of graham crackers instead of pastry dough.

Use applesauce instead of butter and oil in baked goods. A half cup of applesauce equals one cup of butter or oil.

Treat your employees to a healthy cooking class or a wellness workshop right in the office.

Contact us for more information about scheduling services for your organization.

As If You Don't Already Have Enough To Do...

Okay, Okay...we know you're busy. We know you have a ton of stuff going on in your life
AND we're going to add something else to your plate? YES!


Need a bit of a jump-start to help with your (hopefully) new-found eating habits? We've compiled a list of some of our favorite, and not so well-known, books that you may just get some pretty cool ideas from. If anything, a couple are pretty entertaining!

Some of our favorites:
Be Lean: How to get the body you love and love the body you have (by our very own Romy!)
Fast Food Nation - the dark side of the all-American meal (also a movie for you people who read cliff notes in school!)
Skinny Bitch - a no-nonsense tough-love guide for savvy girls who want to stop eating crap and start looking fabulous!
Ultra-Metabolism - the simple plan for automatic weight-loss

Our goal is to help you meet your goals, and have fun doing it!

12-Week Weight Loss Challenge

Losing weight is often a personal goal after the Holidays. Make it a company goal to have employees who are within their healthy weight range.

Our signature 12-Week Weight Loss Challenge allows employers and peers to motivate and support each other as they strive for healthier lifestyles.Participants learn:
label reading
effective exercising
smart grocery shopping
healthy meal planning
and much more

The Challenge focuses on assisting employees with simple and effective changes in everyday habits to keep the weight off for life! Our weight management team consists of dietetic technicians and registered nutritionists accustomed to working with corporate populations.

Schedule a Weight Loss Challenge through 1/31/11 and participants will be entered to receive a FREE one-on-one nutrition and fitness consult with our weight management expert! We conveniently bring our classes to your office or group. For more information on our on-site programs please call 480-330-2066.

On-Site Workshops in the Spotlight

4-Week Jump Start

Are you feeling tired or sluggish? Do you have lack of focus or "brain fog?" Do you get frequent headaches or muscle aches? Our 4-week Jump Start Program is a great way to start your transition into healthy living.

Topics include:

• Cleaning out your pantry
• Health assessment questionnaire
• Elimination-diet guidelines
• The "Dirty Dozen" of produce
• Reducing exposure to home toxins
  

Feng Shui in the Workplace

Hang a wind chime to boost popularity. Never sit at your desk with your back to the door. These are just a couple of tips from the ancient Chinese philosophy used to create harmony with our environment and bring balance into our living and work spaces.

This workshop focuses on creating optimal office spaces designed to increase your success and enhance your career. Learn where your personal auspicious locations are and how to maximize energy flow.

Greener Homes & Gardens

Are there toxins in your home? Learn how to reduce your exposure to chemicals and toxins in and around your home by making informed choices about the products and services you use.

For more information and to schedule one of the above workshops please contact The Back Rub Company at 480-330-2066.

Workshop Spotlight - Nutrition for a Healthy Heart

Heart disease is still the #1 cause of death in the U.S. However, it is possible to reduce your risk of heart disease - by eliminating the risk factors you can control, and managing the risk factors you cannot control.

This workshop will discuss ways to reduce your risk factors such as blood pressure, cholesterol, exercise, lifestyle and weight management.

We conveniently bring our classes to your office or group. For more information on our on-site programs please visit The Back Rub Company or contact us to schedule.

Pomegranate Packs a Punch

I love Pinkberry! Unfortunately, there aren't any Pinkberry locations in AZ. But every time I visit my friend and fellow holistic healthcare provider, Jason, in Los Angeles, we make daily trips to the place. Just yesterday, Jason called to brag that they Pinkberry launched a new flavor: Pomegranate!

Although I won't be eating their pomegranate yogurt anytime soon, I can still enjoy the many benefits of the whole fruit. Pomegranates have been found to have antiviral and antibiotic effects. The fruit (and juice) can destroy cavities and help ease the effects of food poisoning instantly!

Although pomegranate season typically runs from October - January, you may still be able to find some of the fruit at your local Farmer's Market, grocery store or your neighbor's yard!

Healthy Nutrition Tips

OK, how are you doing with those New Year's Resolutions? We're almost positive that you had one on your list like, "Eat healthier" or "Lose weight," right? March is National Nutrition Month and it's the perfect time to revisit your goals, evaluate your current nutrition program and make some healthy changes to help you stay on track.

Here are six tips guaranteed to help you shed a few extra pounds and feel more energized:

1) Don't go anywhere without food!
Always carry a healthy snack like a handful of nuts or protein bar for that mid-day pick-me-up. It will get you through until your next meal and ensure that you don't reach for anything unhealthy.

2) EAT!
A common misconception is that skipping meals will help you drop unwanted pounds. This is entirely untrue. If you skip meals, your metabolism slows and your body goes into 'starvation mode,' holding on to whatever energy it can to sustain. Eat 4-6 small, healthy meals throughout the day and you'll burn calories more quickly and efficiently.

3) Skip the soda!
If you have a limit of 1,500 calories per day, make sure that 1,500 calories consists of food. Soda and coffee drinks rack up the calories (200+ in each drink). It's much better to eat your calories rather than drink them. If you can't skip your morning mocha, count it as one of your small meals.

4) Organic or no?
While it's always better to eat organic, it can really add up. Buying produce that's farmed locally is more important than buying organic in your local grocery store. Produce that's harvested closer to home retains more nutritional value than produce that has to be shipped across the country, or worse, overseas. Visit your local Farmer's Market to get the best produce (it's usually cheaper than the store!).

5) Cut back on processed foods!
Try to eat as fresh as possible. Add more lean meats, fresh fruits & veggies and whole grains to your diet. Avoid white sugar, white flour and boxed foods as much as possible. When grocery shopping, start by filling your cart up with items on the outside perimeter of the store first (produce, meat, dairy sections) and then go through the middle sections for healthy condiments, grains, etc.

6) Watch the sodium!
The natural foods section may lead you to belive that the items you'll find there are super healthy, but watch out! Those 'healthy' soups and frozen foods are oozing with sodium. Here's a guideline: don't eat over 300mg of sodium per small, healthy meal. Look for low-sodium condiments like salsa, to season food.

If you'd like additional health tips, please feel free to e-mail us and one of our nutrition experts will be happy to answer your questions.

National Nutrition Month is a great time to schedule an on-site Nutrition Lunch-and-Learn Workshop or Healthy Cooking Class. Contact us for details!

Upcoming Events and more reasons for Massage & Wellness!

Anytime is a good time to get a massage or participate in a health-related activity. Performance, whether at home or in the office, depends on your physical, mental and emotional abilities. When you take time to recharge your body, mind & spirit, everyone whose lives you touch is better for it.

March is National Nutrition Month - idea: schedule an on-site healthy cooking class!

April 22nd is Administrative Professional's Day - idea: give a chair massage at the office or a gift certificate for a relaxing table massage!

April is Physical Wellness Month - idea: offer an on-site fitness class to encourage physical fitness!

April is Stress Awareness Month - idea: schedule a guided meditation day to help employees de-stress and relax!