What you’ll need for 4 servings!

• 1 medium watermelon
• some blueberries
• some strawberries
• some cherries

Chill your watermelon overnight!

1. scrape all the watermelon flesh out with a spoon and pulse it couple of times in the food processor and strain
2. save the flesh for something else if you like
3. wash and slice the strawberries, put aside
4. wash the blueberries, put aside
5. wash the cherries and remove the stones
6. pour the watermelon juice into 4 soup bowls
7. add some berries and cherries and voilà

Stay Healthy and Enjoy!

Monika Baechler

Are you a Sucker for Barbecue Chicken Wings but don’t care for the fat, cholesterol and the belly fat that comes with it? Worried letting your small kids eat wings because of the bones and fat?

Let me show you a great Fake Barbecue Chicken Wing Recipe that wont leave you begging for a pack of Zocor and an appointment with a Cardiologist!

These “Wings” are not even wings, they’re actually deboned skinless chicken thighs. You wont hear any complaints from anybody if you serve up these “Tripple B’s” boneless bad boys!

Buy some deboned thighs from your butcher or at the market (buy the best quality you can afford).

1. clean the thighs (6 full thighs) and get rid of all the visible fat and joint residue
2. Cut in half, so they look like little chicken wings
3. place all of them in a zipper bag
4. mix the marinade

My marinade is not oily or fatty. This tasty marinade relies on  fresh ginger and garlic salt for it’s mouthwatering taste.

• 2-3 inch piece of fresh ginger (freshly grated)
• 1 tbsp garlic salt
• 2 tsp pepper
• 2 tbsp EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
• place in the zipper bag with the chicken
• remove most of the air from the bag, close the bag and massage the chicken with the marinade
• place in fridge for 1-2 hours or overnight

Let’s get cooking!

1. preheat your oven to 400/200
2. line a sheet with baking paper
3. place 1 tbsp of EVOO into a skillet, brown the chicken from both sides (work in two batches)
4. place the chicken onto baking sheet
5. I used Bull’s-Eye Barbecue Sauce, Sweet and Sticky
6. Brush the chicken with the barbecue sauce
7. bake for 20 minutes
8. remove from oven, turn the chicken and brush some more sauce over the thighs
9. back into the oven for another 20 minutes
10. remove and let stand for about 10 minutes
11. They are ready to enjoy!

You can also finish them on the grill, if you prefer! Enjoy

Stay Healthy!

Monika Bachler

P.S. Let me know how they turned out, Thanks!

If you love Sushi as much as I do and Millions of North Americans as well as Millions around the world, then you must know the bright green colored wakame salad.

My family always ends up fighting over the little wakame salad box because it’s so darn tasty! You probably wondered why you can’t find wakame seaweed in the Asian grocery stores to make your own seaweed salad at home.

What is Wakame?

Sea farmer in Japan and Korea have grown this healthy treat for hundred of years. Wakame is a sea vegetable which is mostly used in soups and salads.

It’s a bit tricky to find things at the Asian markets and grocery stores, everything is written in Japanese or Chinese. There is no sign on the wakame seaweed stating “This is the thing you need to make your own seaweed salad you like out of the sushi case”! And, they don’t tell you, that they mix the wakame with some Agar Agar. The chewy more translucent strand in your wakame salad are agar agar strands. Agar-Agar is a natural vegetable gelatin counterpart. White and semi-translucent, it is sold in packages as washed and dried strips or in powdered form. Agar Agar is made up of 80% fiber so it makes a wonderful intestinal cleanser and regulator. Most Asian gelatin desserts are made with Agar Agar.

Now that you know that seaweed comes in a dehydrated form, you’re ready to find the right kind of product.

You’ll go “Wakame” for this seaweed salad recipe!

What you’ll need:

• 1/2 of the 2oz pack of Wakame (dehydrated sold in bags in the nori section)
• 2 tsp Toasted Sesame Oil
• 1 tbsp and 1 tsp of vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup less 1 tsp Rice Wine Vinegar
• 2 tbsp Toasted Sesame
• little Red Pepper Flakes (optional)
• 1 tbsp Sugar
• 1 tsp or to taste Sea Salt
• Agar Agar (optional)

Prepare your salad:

1. soak your Wakame in some warm water (please use drinking water, not tap)
2. keep the wakame submerged in water for about 5 -6 minutes, the seaweed will expand enormously
3. meanwhile, prepare your dressing
4. mix the rice vinegar, oils, salt, sugar, sesame seeds (red pepper flakes optional) and set aside
5. drain the wakame and press the water out.
6. take the drained wakame and cut into strips with a very sharp knife.
7. mix with the prepared dressing and let it cool in the fridge for at least 30 minutes
8. adjust your dressing to taste, more sugar or more sesame seeds or oil…

Wakame Salad is perfectly fine on its own or with lunch or dinner and sushi of course. It keeps in the fridge for 3-4 days and freezes well too.

Stay Healthy and Enjoy!

Monika Baechler

P.S. Let me know how your wakame salad turned out and what you pared it with, thanks.

What you’ll need:

• 1 1/2 cups Dried Apricots
• 1 cup chopped Raw Almonds
• 4-5 fresh Strawberries
• 1 tbsp honey

Put it all together:

1. Soak the apricots in water for 2 hours
2. Soak the almonds as well
3. put the soaked apricots with the soaked almonds in the food processor
4. mix until it forms a paste, use some of the soaking liquid from the almonds if needed
5. add honey and  2-3 strawberries, mix
6. use the leftover strawberries for decoration

This raw apricot jam would be delicious on whole grain toast, crackers or mixed in with your yogurt or muesli. It tastes so sinfully good without being spiked with white sugars.

Enjoy and Stay Healthy!

Monika Baechler

P.S. Let me know about your recipe ideas for raw jam and post them here.

Finally the “30 Day Juice Fast” eBook is available for download.

Thank you for the pre-orders and I hope you enjoy reading and fasting with the eBook as a detailed guide. This 52 page eBook about fasting and juice fasting is written with you in mind. No nonsense info you don’t need and all the detailes you always wanted to know about fasting and detox.

Special Content you will appreciate.

• herbal supplement list to relieve your detox symptoms and support your body, all explained in detail and with added links if supplement is not available in regular health food stores
• Shopping list, recipes for transition days and build-up days
• tips on how to eat after you end your fast and how to stay on track

I hope you’ll enjoy reading the eBook as much as I loved writing it for you. Try the guide for 60 days, if you’re not 100% satisfied, I will refund your full purchase price, no questions asked.

Download the “30 Day Juice Fast” eBook! (don’t forget to add your pre-order code!)

Stay Healthy and Keep Juicing!

Monika Baechler

What you’ll need:

1 1/4 cup almonds, divided 1 cup and 1/4 cup (raw unsalted)

3/4 cup dates (pitted)

3 rounded tbsp carob powder

1/2 cup coconut milk

To make it easier on your food processor, chop the almonds lightly and put 1/4 cup aside for rolling the truffles in.

1. Mix all the ingredients together and add some more coconut milk if you need to.
2. Place the truffle mix in the fridge and let it harden for about two hours or overnight.
3. Form little truffle ball and roll in the chopped almonds you set aside.

Enjoy!

Stay Healthy!

Monika Baechler

P.S. you can also use different nuts or dry coconut flakes (unsweetened) in the mix, or add some spices if you like. Send me your recipe combination.

What you’ll need:

• Fennel
• 2 Granny Smith Apples
• 2 Carrots, grated
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Celtic Sea Salt
• Herb Salad Mix

Salad Dressing first:

1. Prepare a dressing with EVOO,
2. Apple Cider Vinegar
3. Celtic Sea Salt
4. and any seasoning you like (salad herbs)
5. mix and set aside

Get the produce ready:

1. Wash and cut fennel, carrots and apple
2. cut fennel and apple in half, core
3. slice into thin strips
4. mix with dressing
5. grate carrot directly into dressing
6. add Herb Salad Mix
7. toss gently and Enjoy!

You will love this fresh summer salad for lunch, dinner or even as a starter. Post your favorite, fab fennel salad recipe for others to enjoy.

Stay Healthy!

Monika Baechler

We all agree that complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is nothing new to North Americans. Do you also agree that we are not utilizing CAM sufficiently enough?

How to talk to your Health Care Provider about CAM

Key Points!

• Ask your health care provider how he/she feels about complementary and alternative medicine
• If you find out that your health care provider doesn’t support CAM – you need to find yourself a new, more advanced health care provider even if you have been with your current doctor for years or decades.
• Once you both agree about complementary and alternative medicine you can move forward and tell him/her about all the supplements and therapies you’re incorporating into your own health management. Give him/her a list of all the supplements and the amount that you are taking so if there is a interaction or allergic reaction he/she can address that issue promptly.
• Be proactive! Don’t just sit on your bum and wait for your health care provider to first bring up CAM!
• Be  prepared! Go see your HCP (Health Care Provider) with a note pad. Make sure you put all your questions and key points on paper. You only have a couple of minutes at the time to chat with your HCP, so be prepared with questions ahead of time and note all his/her answers

Why do I need to tell my health care provider about the alternative treatments I’m considering?

1. Some herbal supplements, acupuncture, chiropractic manipulation and other CAM treatments could have an affect on the medication you are taking. It is vital that you inform your HCP about all CAM practices.
2. If one of the treatments work for you and you do feel more energetic, you can go back to your HCP and discuss and evaluate the positive outcome. With that information your HCP might suggest your successful treatment and approach to other of his patients.
3. Your research and involvement in your own health will make you more powerful and more involved.

What could be some important points to note on your list for the HCP

• My reason to take the supplements
• The research I have done
• Is it safe to take and how will the supplements interact with my current medication
• Will I have to reduce my current medication
• Is there something else I could try
• Do I need to do more research or ask somebody else

If you are not a fast writer you could take a tape recorder with you. Some newer phones have voice recording as well. Let the conversation with your HCP play out and listen back to it at home. If your HCP doesn’t have the answer to your question he/she will direct you to another HCP or a source on the internet that could help you with your answer.

Be proactive and take control of your own Health!

Stay Healthy!

Monika Baechler

As a Cert. Nutrition Specialist and a huge advocate of Whole Foods and whole food lifestyle, I just can’t sit still and let you be fooled by this gigantic food manufacturer, because this is the biggest diet scam of the last couple of years. The last idiotic diet scam was Slim Fast – what a garbage! Do you really expect to get healthy by eating and drinking Nutrisystem’s foods? How could you?

One Month on Nutrisystem!

Let’s look at a typical Nutrisystem Day as described by Nutrisystem on their website:

Typical breakfast foods choices are:

Typical lunch menu choices:

• Beans & Ham Soup
• Black Bean Tortilla Soup
• Black Beans and Rice
• Cheese Tortellini
• Cheesy HomeStyle Potatoes
• Chicken and Pasta in Cacciatore Sauce
• Chicken Noodle Soup
• Chicken Salad
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Bar
• Chocolate Raspberry Bar
• Cream of Broccoli Soup
• Creamy Caesar Salad with diced Chicken
• Creamy Tomato soup
• more Double Chocolate Caramel bar
• Fettuccini Alfredo
• Fudge Graham bar
• would you really want me to go on?

Typical dinner choices:

• BBQ Sauce over Beef, Beans and Rice
• BBQ Sauce with Pork Wrap
• Beef and Noodles in Teriyaki Sauce
• Buffalo Chicken Wrap
• Cajun Style Chicken & Sausage with Rice
• Cheese and Spinach Ravioli with Meat Sauce
• Cheese Ravioli with basil Tomato Sauce
• Chicken Pasta Parmesan
• Chicken with Dumplings
• Chili with Beans
• Flame Broiled Burger
• Grilled Chicken Breast
• Italian Flatbread Pizza
• Lasagna with Meat Sauce
• macaroni & Cheese with Beef
• Macaroni & Cheese
• are you kidding me?

and you haven’t seen the snack list yet:

• Almond Biscotti
• BBQ Soy Chips
• Blueberry Lemon Dessert
• Carrot Cake
• Cheese Puffs
• Chocolate Cake
• Chocolate Chip Cookie
• Chocolate Chip Pudding
• Chocolate Crunch Bar
• Chocolate Fudge Bar
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Bar
• Chocolate Candy
• Coconut Almond Bar
• Double Chocolate Almond Cookie
• Fudge Brownie
• Goden Pound Cake
• and these aren’t all of the desserts!

What REAL Food looks like!

Where are all the vegetables and fruits, where are the vitamins, minerals and enzymes?

Does this sound like the healthy diet you should be eating to avoid diabetes, cancer, heart disease, allergies, high blood pressure and all of the degenerative diseases we all are trying to avoid. What the hell is Nutrisystem doing to all the overweight people out there? What is their motto? We will help you lose weight with low calorie, low nutrition food if you pay us, but you will die of all kinds of degenerative diseases in the long run anyway! Holly cow? Shame on you, Nutrisystem! This is a big diet scam, the biggest diet scams out there! Stop lying to North Americans and Stop selling your crappy manufactured toxic laden garbage which you call food.

Are you asking yourself what your diet SHOULD look like? I bet you already know!

Your diet should be filled with

• vegetables, raw and steamed or baked
• whole grains – brown rice, millet, sprouted grains etc.
• fruits
• some lean natural meats and fish – natural, organic, no antibiotics added
• maybe if you have to, a little whole and organic dairy (I don’t suggest it)

You should be juicing every day and supplementing with green juices, because vegetables and fruits are life food – life food is health and nourishment. North America, start cooking your own darn foods! How did we become so lazy as a continent? You can’t spare 30 minutes to cook dinner but you can call take-out and wait on your butt while watching TV for up to 45 minutes? And go broke doing it!

This has to change! Take these steps and yo WILL lose weight – you WILL get healthy – you WILL be a role model to your children – Because you deserve to live a long and healthy life!

Easy lifestyle changes to become healthier and lose weight:

1. Start juicing
2. Detox
3. Add green food supplements
4. One juicing day per week
5. Follow the Baechler Food Pyramid
6. Exercise
7. Start walking
8. Cook your own food
9. Eat raw salads before lunch and dinner
10. Cut sugars, white flours, saturated fats and cheap meats
11. Cut MSG

I’m working on a very special eBook that contains all these suggestions and describes them in detail. Until then, please refer to the Baechler Health and Nutrition Blog for juicing tips, exercise recommendations and information about green foods and detox.

Eat 80-90% clean and 10-20% treats or sweets a week – That is about 4-8 treat snacks a week! (of 35 meals a week)

Follow the Baechler Food Pyramid to reach your weight and health goals easily. Not in a week – but a steady and safe weight loss. Add some light weight-training as well as walking and you are that much closer to your healthy goal weight.

The Baechler Food Pyramid

Keep Juicing and Stay Healthy!

Monika Baechler

9- by 5-inch (2l) loaf pan, buttered

• 1/2 cup sweetened almond milk or whole milk, 125ml
• 2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice, 10ml
• 2 cups sifted unbleached all-purpose flour, 500ml
• 1 tsp baking powder, 5ml
• 1/2 tsp salt, 2ml
• 1/2 tsp baking soda, 2ml
• 1 cup granulated sugar, 250ml (I used only 3/4 cups or even less, it’s still great)
• 1/2 cup (1 stick)  unsalted organic butter, softened, 125ml
• 2 eggs
• 2 very ripe bananas, mashed (1 cup or 250ml)
• 1 cup roasted almonds, chopped

1. In a small bowl combine milk or almond milk and lemon juice. Let it stand until milk curdles, about 1 minute. Put it aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Set it aside.
3. Place sugar and butter into mixer bowl. Mix for about 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time and beat until combined. Add bananas and beat until combined. Don’t worry if mixture looks a bit curdled. Beat in flour mixture alternately with milk mixture, making 3 additions of dry and 2 of wet. Stop mixing and scrape the bowl down. Add the roasted and chopped almonds and incorporate.
4. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake in middle of preheated oven for 45 to 60 minutes and let it cool for 10 minutes after it has tested done with a tester. Let it cool completely on a rack after removing from pan.

Enjoy!

Stay Healthy!

Monika Baechler

Original Recipe from the Mixer Bible, second edition (I changed the the recipe to almond milk and added almonds not pecans)

Peanut butter: Children can be allergic to peanuts or develop reactions like skin disorders. Don’t give peanut butter to small children under 2. Peanuts are heavily sprayed with chemicals and are grown on land saturated with synthetic fertilizers and it might also have a carcinogenic fungus aflatoxin. Only use organic peanut products sparingly or avoid all together to be safe.

Keep your children safe and…

Stay Healthy!

Monika Baechler

You are the parents and you only make the decision what to feed your kids. Not the other way around. “But I feel so guilty if I don’t take her/him to McDonald’s for lunch”. Is that your final answer? You feel guilty? Don’t you think you should feel actually guilty for taking your child there in the first place? I do get it, It’s so much easier, faster and more convenient to drive up and let them eat what they want. At least they leave you alone for a while. Right?

What about, “I’m just not a great cook! I have no idea how to prepare a nutritious meal from scratch!” This answer is unacceptable as well, with all the different cooking shows out there and youtube videos you can not be serious. Better yet, ask your neighbor, your friend, your mom or aunt to teach you. It is so simple to take action and responsibility. If your mother didn’t teach you how to cook homemade meals – shame on her too. Don’t make the same mistake.

Would you let your kids eat from a garbage pile? Why not? You’re already feeding your children dead food. You heard me “DEAD FOOD”. There is nothing nourishing in a burger with fries. It has been processed, poisoned and killed. Oh, excuse me, you are feeding your kids the chicken nuggets with apples and milk. Well of course, that does sounds much better! The nuggets are all leftover garbage meat (if you actually can call it meat), filled with poison like antibiotics and other medicine, shaped in a neat little shape and then fried in hot, rancid, carcinogenic oil bath. The apples are soaked in chlorine so they don’t turn brown and the milk is filled with lots and lots of more chemicals, antibiotics and hormones to really make sure that your kids get the daily toxin and poison requirement of the day. There you have it! The perfect meal for your precious little one, a child you brought into this world  whom you promised to take care of with all your strength and means.

Whole foods are simple, inexpensive, wholesome and a necessity to our and our children’s health. Period.

Whole foods are simple, inexpensive, wholesome and a necessity to our and our children’s health. Period. Most behavior problems arise from malnutrition and deficiencies. What about learning difficulties or social problems. Even allergies like asthma will be gone by providing our children with home made foods from whole foods, the way mother nature made them. (not your local fast food chain)Now you can argue with me about this topic all you want, and if you do argue with me, that means that you are feeding your children manufactured crap and you are trying to defend your actions and thoughts.

The only right thing to do here is to acknowledge your mistakes and work towards a healthier and more nutritious home for your kids and family.

With that said, I do believe that mothers can make a change if they are organized and are taught how to do it right. Why do I say Mothers? Well, Mom is the Head of the household. She buys the food, brings it home and cooks the food (zapping it in the microwave). Not only does the Mother buy the groceries but she also budgets the food money (sometimes anyway).

Every time you’re thinking about the next meal, I want you to have one thought: Would Monika approve of this meal I’m about give my family? If the answer is “no” or “maybe not”, I want you to rethink your menu. Wholesome meals are very easy to prepare, they sometimes take less time and money then ordering from your local pizza delivery place. Think about it! Sometimes I spend less then $20 on three days of groceries. Vegetables, whole grains and fruits are not more expensive than manufactured crap that comes in a box. Take out all the processed foods off your grocery list and only add whole grains like millet, brown rice and whole wheat pasta (there is more), vegetables and fruits. Your bill will be much, much less.

Eating healthy, nutritious home cooked meals is less expensive

This morning for example: it was fast, delicious and inexpensive

Breakfast Banana Smoothie with dates

• 2 bananas
• 2 cups almond milk
• 3 dates
• 2 tbsp silken tofu
• add 2 servings of green+ (green food supplement)

blend everything until smooth, done! The boys gobble it up in seconds, and I mean seconds!

Grain and vegetables dishes and fruit dessert are not only feeding the mind and body, they also feed the soul. If you feed your children’s soul, you will experience a more balanced family life without frustration and conflicts. Some kids are very angry and troubled because of malnutrition, deficiencies and toxic livers. Whole grains and vegetables will balance hormones and toxic blood from over acidity.

One more thought. If you’re still using dairy products, make sure you are only choosing organic whole milk. Organic means without any antibiotics or hormones given to the cows. Just to be clear, dairy is not a necessary food group. Not even for children – specially not for children. Milk is mucus forming and very hard to digest for little tummies. Children get many ear infections because of milk products as well as other allergic symptoms, but that is a topic for another blog.

Today I would like to leave you with this:

“Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it.” Buddha

Stay Healthy!

Monika Baechler

P.S. Your pediatrician got 6 hours of Nutrition Education and I studied Nutrition and Asian Nutrition since 1999, who are you going to trust? Think about it!

It’s fast, easy and oh so good for you! Children in particular love anything that can be “consumed” with a straw, it’s a fact! Drinking smoothies is also sweet, why would you start your day with a horrible bitter black liquid that turns your stomach acidic? Just wondering sometimes about the choices people make.

Now to our fruity glass of deliciousness. What you will need for this particular recipe is:

• 2 ripe bananas
• 4-7 strawberries
• 1 small cup of organic apple sauce
• some organic soy milk (original, not sweetened)

Put everything in the blender and mix. You can even add raspberries or leave the applesauce and add instead some frozen peaches. It’s all up to you. This recipe is just a suggestion because everybody has their own favorite fruits, milks and juices they like to add. No matter what you put in your smoothie it’s going to be a delight every time you drink it.

Now go and make yourself a nice fruity smoothie! Enjoy.

Monika Baechler

“Death Begins In The Colon”

Look at the picture on the left. How would you feel if long pieces of old toxin-filled fecal matter were stuck to the inside of your colon for months?

Would you feel constipated, bloated and lethargic? Would your bowels be irritated by this build-up day in and day out causing what we call G.I. dysmotility. Just think about what other problems toxic build-up like this can cause? Stomach pain and occasional constipation? Tiredness, Gas and bloating? Indigestion? Large protruding belly? Lack of sleep, irritation and restlessness? The list is almost endless. As the Vegetarian Times so aptly wrote:”Of all the polite topics of conversation, the state of one’s intestines is probably at the bottom of most people’s lists. Let’s face it: Irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, gas, diverticulitis and colon cancer are simply not things we like to discuss. And yet, as the old expression goes, death begins in the colon. Don’t believe it? Ask any coroner. Autopsies often reveal colons that are plugged up to 80 percent with waste material.” – Vegetarian Times, March, 1998 The Truth About Colon Cleansing

You can stop suffering in silence by learning how body pollution and a toxic colon can be the cause of many common ailments.

1. Why it is crucial to cleanse and detoxify your body regularly?
2. How to properly cleanse your colon and detoxify your organs?
3. What benefits you will experience and how your life will change for the better?

What you’re about to find out is absolutely amazing, and the information offered on DrNatura.com may be the answer to your prayers, as so many here will testify. DrNatura.com is the most visited Colon Cleansing and Body Detox Resource in the world. In the past decade, it has already improved the lives of over 1 million Americans and Canadians, and many more worldwide.

Ref: Dr.Natura Website

I’m a huge fan of DrNatura and I do use their products every day! I will even sign my name

What you will need:

• 1/2 Celeriac
• 1 Juicing Orange
• couple of tbsp of home made mayo (or bought)
• sea salt
• garlic salt to taste
• Optional add some diced pineapple

The easiest way to do this is with a food processor. If you don’t have one, I really encourage you to invest about $160 into a good quality food processor for quick lunches and last minute dinners.

Here we go. Clean the celeriac first. The fastest way is to cut the tough stuff off with the knife and switch to a peeler after that. It takes some practice to wrestle with the celeriac root, but it’s so worth it.

Prepare the dressing first. Take 2-3 tbsp of the mayo and mix it with the orange juice. Cut the celeriac into manageable pieces. Grate them in the food processor or by hand (I do not recommend this, too dangerous). Immediately mix the celeriac with the dressing and season to taste with some garlic salt and finish off with sea salt.

Serve this delicious salad as is or with fresh whole grain bread. This is also great for kids lunches and for afternoon snacks. I love this recipe with some grilled salmon fillet or with grilled chicken. Talking about low carbs!

If you like this recipe and would like to get more suggestions like this, sign up with your email address. Share this with your friends if you enjoyed this post.

Monika Baechler

The use of the walking poles is as old as Methuselah.  Why people started to use them is unknown. Was it because as human beings aged they developed rounded shoulders and sunken chest and became afraid of falling over, so needed an extra support when walking?

Fact is, that in prehistoric times, sheppards and pilgrims used one or two sticks to make it easier to walk on uneven surfaces. Unloading the joints and extra stability were some of the early benefits of walking with sticks. On long treks, walks in the mountains or hills, the walking pole found its rightful place in walking.

Another forerunner of Nordic Walking was the use of the poles in the training methods of the cross country skiers in summer time. This application of training is written in literature as ‘pole training’ and has been used since the beginning of the 20th century.  After the fall of the iron curtain in Germany, trainers from the west compared their training methods to those of the Eastern bloc and it revealed that the Eastern bloc trainers had also been using this training method for several years. Their training with poles in summer was important in order not to lose coordination and muscle power of the arms and trunk over the summer.

Nordic Walking is one of the fastest growing recreational fitness sports in the world and has its roots in the early 1930s in Finland as an off season training method of the competitive crosscountry skiers. Development of Nordic Walking in its present form as a recreational physical activity for all started in early 1980 in Finland, and in 1997 the first official Nordic Walker poles were introduced to the public by one of the world’s largest pole manufacturers, Exel plc. The estimated population of Nordic Walkers at the end of the year 2007 was over 7 million.

Nordic Walking for Fitness and Cardio

Nordic Walking is fitness walking with specially designed Nordic Walking poles to engage the upper body during walking. It offers a very efficient, aerobic and easy way to improve your physical condition irrespective of age, sex or physical condition.

Nordic Walking can be up to 46% more efficient than regular walking (Cooper Institute Research 2000) depending on the intensity of the exercise.

The science behind Nordic Walking

There is a lot of scientific evidence about the benefits of Nordic Walking. INWA collects worldwide research concerning Nordic Walking and also consults actively with scientists, institutions and universities about new research projects. If you are interested in Nordic Walking studies or you are planning Nordic Walking related research project, please contact the INWA office.

General benefits of Nordic Walking are:

• Heart rate is higher than in regular walking (at the same speed) and calorie burn is increased
• Energy consumption increases when using poles by an average of approximately 20% compared with ordinary walking
• Reduces muscle tension and pain in the neck and shoulder region
• The mobility of the neck and spine may increase
• The muscles most actively involved are the forearm extensor and flexor muscles the rear part of the shoulder muscles, the large pectoral muscles and the broad back muscles.
• Does not aggravate joint and knee problems; may reduce load on knees
• Can improve cardiorespiratory fitness and improve muscular endurance
• Poles are a safety factor on slippery surfaces
• Is a fun and safe activity

As of 2009,  approximately 8 – 10 Million people do Nordic Walking on a weekly basis.

Ref: International Nordic Walking Federation, Founded in Finland 2000

ANWA, American Nordic Walking Association

We got married in 1996. As Newlyweds we moved to the US and had our first son in 2000.

I gained some weight during pregnancy. In my third trimester I got diagnosed with borderline gestational diabetes. With keeping meals balanced, I was able to control my blood sugar naturally.

Pregnancy was a beautiful experience for me and I had enough time to study for my Nutritionist Certification.

After having a healthy little boy in 2000 – with the doctors OK in week 6 – I started to hit the gym. The baby weight came off surprisingly fast and I was back in shape in a couple of months. Thinking that I did the work and now I’m safe, I stopped working out – not sure why.

On a 2002 Asheville summer vacation, I realized that I gained close to 20 pounds. I was so mad and unhappy. My husband and I decided to try the EAS Transformation Challenge. Just days after getting back from Asheville we got ourselves into the gym again and started eating balanced meals.

The EAS 12 Week Transformation Challenges

Placing in the first 6% of all competitors was a great personal accomplishment.

The Nutritionist Certificate was a great idea and I loved helping others like me. Everything was going great and I was never happier in my life.

Then in 2003 we decided to have another baby.

This pregnancy wasn’t going as smoothly as I hoped. I developed gestational diabetes again. This time they had to give me oral blood sugar lowering medication. Most of my third trimester I felt sick and low on energy. As a side effect, I gained lots of weight, the scale showed 221 lbs.

My second son had to be delivered by C-section. We are very thankful that the little guy was as healthy as can be, even though I had medical problems during pregnancy.

The baby weight put me in a dark depression and I couldn’t really cope with being overweight. At the same time, my dad was diagnosed with Colorectal Cancer.

Even though I was miserable, I managed to lose 20 something pounds for a beach wedding in Key West. After attending the wedding, my weight kept creeping back up again and I didn’t have the strength to stop it from happening. Meanwhile my dad was getting worse.

It wasn’t until the end of 2005 that I realized my dad is losing the fight with cancer and I needed to get my act together. At this time we were traveling in Australia and decided to cut our journey short – I had to see my dad.

Sadly, 10 days after we arrived my dad died in the hospital.

Nothing made sense after that and nothing was important anymore, not even my health. It took me about two and a half years to get out of that funk.

Slowly but surly, I kept reducing my weight and started to see the end of the tunnel. During hard times, Tae-Bo and Chalene’s Turbo Jam kept me motivated to stick to my workouts.

With my Personal Trainer and Nutritionist Certificate, I felt ready for almost anything that would come my way.  Just before moving back to North America in 2007, I managed to get back to my healthy self.

This is me from pregnancy in 2004 to 2007

You see, I went through every possible hurdle you can imagine.

• Death of a Parent
• Depression
• Moving (two times)

The most important things I learned:

1. Never give up!
2. Even if it might take years to come around!
3. The Knowledge alone doesn’t mean success – determination is the key!

Now, I wish you all the success and determination you need to make it through your weight loss challenge.

Stay Healthy!

P.S. everybody has a story, what’s yours!

That sounds like the absolute best thing in the whole world. Healthy and slim by eating what you want and not having to move at all.

Slap…Wake up!

This dream you have set up so nicely in your head is not going to happen – EVER!

• Your body is not made to eat crap and junk.
• It’s not made to do “nothing”!
• Not made to sit in the same spot all day long!

Your body is a very precise engine that needs tuning and fuel and maintenance as well as tender loving care.

• Listen, are you just waiting around until somebody comes up with the newest and latest in weight loss drug?
• Are you waiting for the most technological weight loss machine on the planet?
• A weight loss machine, where you get hooked up and sit on the couch and lose inches?

Don’t wait any longer. There is no magic weight loss pill and for sure no magical machine that is going to help you lose weight without “sweat-equity”! I just saved you hundreds of dollars and years of yo-yo dieting.

Do you want to hear the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth?

• In order to lose body fat you have to eat whole foods and exercise!

There it is, this is the real plan to lose weight. I know it’s nothing new but people are always willing to spend hundreds of dollars every month to lose weight fast. Every time a new bottle of magic pill hits the weight loss market people just give up their hard earned money and buy into it. Most of the testimonials are fake or bought from other companies that actually had results with exercise and diet! Don’t be fooled by these people and companies. People who do lose weight do it with nutritional changes and adding exercise to their daily program. Sometimes they do supplement with weight loss aids to keep hunger down and energy up, I get that, but the real outcome is because they added exercise and changed their eating habits.

You don’t need any manufactured products or Over-the-Counter Drugs to lose weight!

Do this:

1. Clean, Healthy, and home cooked whole foods (80% of your success)
2. Exercise three times a week – maximum five times (20% of your success)
3. Socialize with like minded people!
4. cut out people who criticize you for who you are or for who you want to be!

I sure hope, I helped to open your eyes about weight loss pills and diets in general. It took me year and lots of money to finally give up my hope for a magic-pill and to realize that I had to hop onto the nutrition and exercise train.

After years of riding the nutrition – exercise express, I have arrived at pit stop “Health”, and I’m well on my way to destination “Lean and Fit “

Stay Healthy!

Monika Baechler

Wondering around in my kitchen I found a jar of roasted eggplants, which I neglected for a while. Since eggplant dip is very low in fat and has no nonsense put into it, I thought I give it a try in my tuna salad.

This is what you will need:

• 1 can of tuna in water, drained (of course you knew that!)
• 4-5 black Spanish olives, pitted
• 1/2 red bell pepper
• 1 stalk celery
• herbs or salt free seasoning
• some garlic salt to taste
• 2-3 tablespoons of roasted eggplant dip

Just mix everything together. You can even add a green salad or more vegetables. Add black olives to taste, but remember that about 4-5 olives have 1g of fat. This tuna recipe is very low fat but creamy and delicious because of the added eggplant. Even if you don’t like eggplant, you should give it a try!

Why not wrap it up in a whole wheat tortilla and take it to work or give it to the kids for lunch. Kids like anything in a wrap, specially tuna salad!

I hope you enjoy this recipe, I know I did.

Once a week or so I will try to post one lean-mean recipe, so keep an eye out for that.

Bon Appetit!