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3 Elegant Holiday Strategies

Rommy Kirby — Tue, 17 Dec 2013 20:20:57 +0000

I love Thanksgiving, Christmas & New Years!

But these celebrations, long nights and short days can make for one really long, stressed out holiday season that can set us up for blues and flu. Bah-humbug and Yuck!

Because I know how brutal stress can be, the havoc it can wreak on your health, your skin, and your relationships so I want to share with you my Holiday Survival Kit.

First, there are 3 elegant strategies……that will help you enjoy this holiday season more, however you celebrate and what ever you do.

These are simple, easy, action steps.

But here’s the thing…they are just as easy not to do, okay, so you really must set an intention to keep it easy, do the easy and reap the benefits.

Stay Hydrated. You know I harp on this, I know I harp on this. For very good reason. Here’s what happened to me a few weeks when I let travel get the best of me and didn’t stay hydrated. I got a migraine…a full blown, throw my guts up, everything hurts migraine. Because I was so dehydrated, it took me a few days to fully recover. Click here for my tips.

Get enough sleep. Seriously, sleep is important. There is truth in the term Beauty Sleep. Click here for my tips.

Lighten your load. Look at your to do list for today. Chances are there is at least 1 thing you can take off. Delete it, scratch it off and don’t give it another thought. No one will ever know and if your mother finds out, she’ll forgive you.

Remember chronic stress adds pounds and inches to the waistline and it weakens our immune system. Because of the added stress, we all need a little more support and self care this time of year.

Tell me…

What is your #1 tip to thriving during the holiday season?

The post 3 Elegant Holiday Strategies first appeared on Manage Stress | Increase Energy |Simple Solutions | Rommy Kirby, Holistic Health Coach, Yoga Personal Trainer, Essential Oil Educator.

Bone Broth Made Easy

Rommy Kirby — Sat, 23 Nov 2013 15:57:11 +0000

“Good broth will resurrect the dead”…

In my quest for optimal health and vibrant radiance I learned about traditional healing foods. I kept hearing about ‘bone stock’.

Frankly, because it sounded like work I wasn’t truly intrigued until…friends took me to a Neiman Marcus restaurant.

We were in Chicago, it was cold, it was windy. I was chilled and travel weary. Sitting in the oh so posh restaurant was a welcome treat.

Once we placed our orders, the server brought each of us the most delicious cup of golden broth. It was warm, full of flavor and just what I needed to make it through the day. In that moment I understood the restorative power of bone broth.

I would have loved a quart that blustery yet sunny day! It revived me and gave me the stamina I needed to have fun and enjoy myself even though it was so very cold.

Then in my New Master Healers classes with my teacher Andrea Beaman, I learned that bone stocks are full of nourishing goodness.

A good stock is loaded with easily absorbable vitamins, minerals and collagen that can repair and heal the digestive tract, especially the lining of the small intestine. Vanity bonus is that it will also improve skin tone, strengthen nails and grow long lustrous hair.

Have you ever wondered why your grandmother gave you chicken soup when you were sick?

Briefly, there are two reasons.

First, traditionally, chicken soup is made by boiling the left over bones of Sunday’s roasted chicken. Remember, the entire animal was used and nothing went to waste. The bones are not only flavorful, they contain life giving marrow and trace minerals. The joints are loaded with collagen, the building block of protein.

The second reason is that chickens are an energetic animal. Because they are generally always on the move, they have a high metabolism. So energetically, chicken is what you want to eat when you feel the need for more energy. Chicken soup is loaded with vitamins and skin luscious minerals to give your body the energy it needs to heal and recover faster.

One of my favorite and fun Facebook status updates is ‘It’s a bone boiling kind of day’. Hubby likes to joke to his friends that if he ever disappears they should look in the soup.

Today, I am sharing with you my basic recipe for boiling beef bones. Use this recipe as a guide, make it yours by simply changing up the ingredients a bit. You can use it with chicken bones, fish bones or pork bone stock.

You can even saved bones in the freezer until I have enough…which, come to think about it, makes me a bone collector.

So why not just use the broth or stock that come in a can, jar or the tetra box at the grocer?

Because they are just not as nourishing. They are ‘from concentrate’ which means they are diluted with water. Most of the time there are added sugars, MSG and way too much salt to flavor it. And it is just so easy to make your own. (when you do need to resort to store bought, by the best you can and look for the USDA Certified Organic, that’s what I do)

Over the last 12 months, I have been experimenting with different bone brews…I mean recipes. I’ve finally found a base recipe that works.

Basic Bone Stock Recipe

2 Pounds of Bones – the highest quality available to you
1 Large Onion
1 Garlic Bulb
4-6 Stalks Celery
2-3 Carrots
2 Bay Leafs

Other spices I use…

Peppercorns
Cloves
Cardamon Pods

7 Simple Steps

Step 1 – If bones are raw, roast in a 400 degree oven for 1 hour. I like to salt and pepper them. I will even, time permitting, roast the onion (quartered) and garlic (whole) at the same time but it is not necessary.

Step 2 – Place bones, vegetables and spices in 6 quart stainless steel pot.

Step 3 – Cover with fresh clean water to within 2 inches of rim.

Step 4 – Bring to a soft boil over medium high heat, then lower heat to low gently rolling simmer uncovered for 4-24 hours.

Step 5 – Remove from heat, allow to cool. Using tongs remove bones and large vegetables.

Step 6 – Carefully strain into large glass bowl. Cover and place in refrigerator until fat solidifies. About 4-6 hours.

Step 7 – Using a ladle, carefully place your golden elixir into glass jars or even ice cube trays for easy measuring. (I’ve recently found out that you can freeze glass jars as long as you leave room for expansion at the top.)

How to use your liquid gold…

Warm it in a sauce pan and drink it from your favorite mug.

Use it as a soup base.

Add it to stir fry, saute or sauce.

My Number 1 use and favorite quick meal…

Simple Egg Drop Soup

Notes…

You know you have made a truly magical brew if your bone broth congeals. It’s the gelatin that grows strong healthy nails, radiant skin and lustrous hair and heals the digestive system. That’s why hospitals serve jello, though, what they serve has no resemblance to life giving gelatin given to patients in the old days.

I’ve tried using vinegar to pull the collagen from the bones, but have not had success and my broth has been to brightly flavored. I use the French method of per-roasting and long simmers.

You can experiment with your vegetables.

Be open to experimenting with your vegetables and spices. Remember that cooking, unlike baking, is as much art as science. Have fun!

Add additional water as necessary throughout your simmering process.

Every good and thorough detox or cleanse program has a component to rebuild the digestive tract.

The post Bone Broth Made Easy first appeared on Manage Stress | Increase Energy |Simple Solutions | Rommy Kirby, Holistic Health Coach, Yoga Personal Trainer, Essential Oil Educator.

The Smart Person’s Guide to Water – Stop The Every 20 Minute Pee Break Cycle

Rommy Kirby — Mon, 14 Oct 2013 14:43:44 +0000

Stop the “Every 20 Minute Pee Breaks”

courtesy of signicturesdotnet

You know irritating it is…

…you get ready to leave your house and you think ‘oops, what if traffic is bad’. So you stop, turn around and head to the toilet just to be sure.

…or how about when you’re on that deadline, and , you’ve been sipping water all day to keep you brain functioning at optimal…but…grrr…have to pee AGAIN!

…you’ve been on hold for 30 minutes and finally reached a real, live person…and bummer, you have to ring off to use the loo

…and most irritating…you’re just about to drop into the land of nod and, suddenly…‘no, surely not, no, I’ll make it through the night, oh yeah, I better get up and go pee’…you throw the covers back, leave your comfy spot and stumble to the toilet with half closed eyes hoping you will be able to fall back to sleep.

It happens to all of us. Especially, when we are focused on health, cleansing, weight release, optimal brain function or anti-aging.

All the experts tell us, drink water. Drink half your weight in ounces as a maintenance level. It’s so easy to give up on ever being well hydrated because all those pee breaks seem to eat away time.

Try this trick for staying optimally hydrated for optimal brain function, high productivity and H2-Obviously Better Skin.

Chunk It

Just like you chunk together errands and tasks, drink your water in chunks throughout the day.

Sipping water all day will make you need to pee every 20 – 30 minutes. Your hard working kidneys will feel like they are running a marathon every single day because they don’t get a chance to recover.

Instead, drink your room temp or warmer water in 16-24 ounce chunks 3-4 times a day.

Drink 16-24 ounces of water in 3 – 10 minutes for optimal results.

Benefits

kidneys will begin to flush out sediment
digestion will be stronger
increased productivity because of fewer pee breaks
better brain function because its easier to stay hydrated
boosts immunity
decreases inflammation
speeds recovery and healing

Optimal times to drink

Upon rising ~ Drink 24 ounces of water within 10 minutes of waking because your body is dehydrated when you wake up.
1 hour before meals ~ This will help to stimulate peristalsis in the digestive system without diluting precious digestive juices.
2 hours before bed ~ No one wants to wake up to pee. Take control and plan to avoid it and you will be able to process water through by bedtime.
1 hour before workout ~ Do this and you may not have to carry water or stop for that water break…unless you are over exercising…in that case, consider working with your body instead of against it.

BONUS Daily Detox Tip
Add a drop of lemon essential oil for added detox support. If you’re using essential oils, be sure that you have the best quality. Send me an email and I’ll tell you the oils I trust.

Tell Me Beautiful…

How much water to you drink a day? What is your best hydration tip?

The post The Smart Person’s Guide to Water – Stop The Every 20 Minute Pee Break Cycle first appeared on Manage Stress | Increase Energy |Simple Solutions | Rommy Kirby, Holistic Health Coach, Yoga Personal Trainer, Essential Oil Educator.

3 Simple Upgrades to Improve Your Diet

Rommy Kirby — Sun, 08 Sep 2013 01:54:58 +0000

Are you

ready to

upgrade

your

health?

Your body is pretty awesome! It’s also as elegant in it’s simplicity as it is intriguing in its complexity. An absolutely lovely work of experiential art.

It always responds perfectly…to whatever we give it.

If we give it higher quality food and nourishment today than we did yesterday, on a continual basis, it will respond with increased energy and vitality, until we reach our optimal health.

Here’s where ‘responds perfectly’ isn’t as glamorous as it sounds. Because the same is true if we give it lower quality food. It will respond with bloat, sinus drainage, stiff muscles and joints along with mental fog, energy dumps and fatigue. Until eventually, we are in a constant state of decline into disease.

So…if overtime we continually give it higher and higher quality food and nourishment, it will give us greater vibrancy, increased energy and more radiant skin, eyes and hair. It doesn’t have to be hard, just take baby steps to upgrade your health.

Commit to your health. Allow yourself to upgrade one step at a time so your lifestyle will support the long term results you desire.

Here are 3 Simple Upgrades you can make in your food choices…*

If the majority of your food comes in a crinkly wrapper or box, upgrade to canned food.
If the majority of your food comes from cans, upgrade to frozen fruits and vegetables.
If the majority of your food comes from the freezer aisle, upgrade to fresh fruits and vegetables.

Bonus Upgrade – For every 3 meals that come from restaurants and drive thrus, upgrade to at least one additional home cooked meal a week.

*Choose Organic whenever available to you.

Don’t be so hard on yourself. Changing your lifestyle is the way you improve your health and get the results you want.

Change, even desired change, is challenging and sometimes stressful. Decide to do just one thing today that you know will move you towards the body and health you desire.

Tell me, comment below…what did you like best about this article? What upgrade will you make today that will bring you one step closer to the result you want? What is the biggest challenge you face when you start a new health or fitness plan?

Previous Comments (7)

I love the upgrades you offered. Taking one step at a time and trying not to be so hard with ourselves!

Thank you, Keren! Being hard on ourselves is a symptom of overwhelm, right? When I start in on that, I know it’s time to get back to taking just one step at a time…life really isn’t a Hop Scotch game even though we play it like that.

I believe I’m in category 3. I would love to upgrade to relying less and less on frozen foods. This week I plan on trying a new fresh vegetable that I normally don’t make! My biggest challenge is usually time management and fitting in the extra cooking time.

That is a wonderful plan Shawne! What are you going to make? My new vegetable this week was a Rutabaga. Wasn’t sure about it, it tasted close to a turnip, but I did like it. And, yeah, I get the time management with the extra cooking. I try to bulk prep as much as possible.

Such great advice

WOW! Thank you Rachel! Sooooo glad you stopped by!

I love your advice – impactful, yet direct and one step at a time approach makes things like big dietary changes seem not so big!

I agree, Aliza. I’ve struggled with sweeping changes and just ended up frustrated. One step at a time suits me, and my clients so much better! xo

I love the concept of the ‘upgrade’. We can all apply it somewhere in our eating!

Thanks Marie! Traveling with my hubby has really opened my eyes to the value of ‘upgrades’.

Awesome. I like the 3 simple upgrades

Thanks so much, Richard.

Great advice from an amazing woman and Health Coach, Rommy it was a pleasure training with you. You are an inspiration. Lucie.

Reply by Rommy Kirby on Fri, 08/30/2013 – 04:01

OH LUCY! Thank you so much! It is a blessing to be sharing this purpose with you!

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