15 Health Principles

A short post, just to share an idea that has shown some success at our house, with the hope you may find this useful…
After recently attending a “Life Mastery” full immersion program where health (= body, mind, spirit) was in the center, I took an action to define my husband’s and myself “15 Principles of Health”. This consist of a list of 15 principles that we commit to live by to the best we can on a daily/weekly/yearly basis.
This list is hung at our house, well visible and also at work. It fulfills us to look at it and each time we accomplish one of the line and motivates us as we feel we are working on what is the most important to us, a healthy and fun lifestyle for our family. Yes, health IS fun !
If you are interested, take a look, and don’t hesitate if you have any question!

Post Pregnancy – Back to shape : tough for everybody but achievable by anybody.

So it took my a while to post this one and feel comfortable about it because it was first tough to admit how much my body had changed (and by change, I mean weight/fat gain ) with pregnancy. And yes, I got back into shape, and I think even better than before actually. However because I have always been active and healthy people think it was “all natural and easy” for me. Yeah…. well, No….
To tell the truth, I believe it is even harder when all your life you have been rather active and fit, regularly exercising to stay that way or trying to get better, and all it took is just a few months during which you were not allowed/able to work out + hormonal changes that made you hungry all the time and BOOM! + 18kg (~40 lbs) accompanied with the loss of muscles, which I had worked my butt off so hard all all my life to get to the point I was – and still not fully satisfied.
I would have people telling me “don’t worry, you were fit before, you will get back into shape in no time” – yay, well I was not in shape just out of good luck and sitting on my butt, so for me I knew I would have to work harder than ever before. However I was always convinced I would get back into shape – I never had a doubt about it – the hard part was not to loose motivation and stamina realizing all the muscle/physical endurance I had lost and had to gain back, within a year (that was my goal). Why a year? People say 9 months to make a baby, 9 months to lose the weight, and I had to have a C-section, so unfortunately recovery takes a bit longer and you have to be more cautious when you start working out again. So 1 year sounded good and achievable.
Honestly it is a slow process. I did breastfeed for a year, but that makes me laugh when people say that breastfeeding helps you lose weight. It is true that you do spend a lot of calories doing this, but damn that makes you so much hungrier as well! And it is not like I wanted to munch on a celery stick to fill up this hunger… I mean some people might, (unfortunately?) I just prefer ice cream and cookies .
Also, I did not go on a diet. I was reading about some women loosing it all super fast by strict diet, but honestly this does not seem smart to me. You need to have all the essential nutrients when you breastfeed: to pass on to your baby but also for yourself to be able to recover fully after giving birth. Strict dieting can lead to weak heir/teeth/nails, for the least. But maybe the most important reason to me that dieting to lose weight has never been my thing. It does not make me feel happy at all drinking those shakes made out of processed food powder. I would much rather make my own fresh smoothies. I do love to eat pretty healthy with lots of fresh raw greens, vegetables, and home-made food. I was focusing on having a balanced diet – while keeping my desserts
I truly believe that a healthy balance diet is the first step towards getting your body in shape. Second one: work-out.
It is hard when you have a baby, as your personal time becomes considerably limited, and when you do have a few minutes, you just want to rest. But an intense 30 min work out 5 days a week will take you a long way, plus some walks, quick opportunities to do a few toning exercises here and there… all these will pay off. And I will keep on giving some tips in this blog of what has worked for me.
To conclude, no matter where you are with your physical shape, how fit you were/are, I truly believe the body is an incredible machine mother nature has blessed us with, and that as long as you give it the means, you can achieve pretty much anything you envision. The key point is to have full faith about yourself, have the vision of what you want to achieve and share it with your partner so that he can support you. Then holding on to it is easier and results will show.

Special Edition: Couple Work-Out

During your lonely times together when baby sleeps and you do not know what to do (**cough, cough!..) OR.... in case you want to take advantage of this time being free to have some fun and sweaty time with your partner! (Yay! That's the spirit!)

We actually had a great time doing this video :)

Slow down, take the time to eat...

Anyone who has ever visited France or worked there would definitely agree with that: French love their food and they take the time to enjoy it!
When we eat in France it is not out of pure necessity: it is a real pleasure! Each of the 3 meals is important.

1. People take lunch breaks at work of at least 30 min, usually about 45 min, and they very rarely eat at their desk (that is NOT normal). 
2. They also take the time to have a full meal (it is rare for them to grab a sandwich or quick salad), I mean at least a 2 course meal: a hot plate, or a real full size salad filled with protein and veggies, and a "dessert" (yogurt, fruit, both,..). Almost all big corporations have a very nice cafeteria where you have the choice between plenty of appetizers (most of these being raw veggies), healthy hot meals (a selection of fish and meat, and sides), cheese/yogurts, desserts (fruits, or sometime cakes ;)
3. They love company when they eat: it is really a time to share stories and connect with your closed ones/colleagues or even a time to make new acquaintances. Similar like when you go to bars in the US, just way healthier ;) One interesting note: they like to talk about food when they eat, which is actually a healthy habit as it helps stimulate the brain captors and send the signal to the body in order to engage the full metabolism.

So yes, whether at home, at work, or outside, french people do take the time to eat their meal.

So what are the benefits of eating slow(er)? Because time is precious and it is not like if we are swimming in abundance here... Actually the return on investment for your mental and physical health is undoubtedly worth it.

1. Eat Slow to Eat Less - It is usually the first reason invoked. If you eat too fast you do not leave time to the brain to send the signal of satiety. Our brain first needs time to receive the signals from the stomach to inform it that we are eating, and then it is said that it needs about 20 minutes to make us feel that we have eaten enough. This is also interesting as some people expedite their meal when on a diet because they feel guilty eating, while this is actually what makes one gain fat/weight.
2. Eat slow to improve digestion - The digestion process starts in the mouth, with the action of the saliva (1). Taking the time to masticate prevents stomach irritation and helps transit, as otherwise you will ask for the stomach to do most of the work. A good mastication also prevents bloating as it minimises the quantity of air ingested with our food. Good mastication + calm, 2 factors to improve digestion.
3. Eat slow to "meditate" and reduce stress - Focus on the present time, the different tastes, textures, smells, the various sensations. In meditation we call this full awareness. Since we have to eat, why not use those 30 minutes to make them a oasis of serenitude during our busy days? Turn off your TV, put away your phone or computer and turn your attention on your plate. You will find yourself a lot less stressed that way.
4. Eat slow to connect with your closed ones - Meditation is OK when you eat alone, but if at home or at a restaurant/cafeteria this is not the best time. However it is a GREAT time to setup good and healthy family practices (and teach this to your kids who will later reproduce them) by spending time together. Whether you are with your loved ones, friends, family, colleagues, it is the occasion to ask about how they are doing between mouthfuls. Laughs, complicity and trust are easily developed this way.

Points 1. and 2. are actually proven to be linked with obesity. So next time you eat with somebody who just seems to be taking his/her sweet little (TOO MUCH!) time, take a deep breath, relax, realize that he or she has it right and take him/her as an example :) I am telling you will find it a lot more enjoyable, and will put a lot more attention this way on what you put on your plate --> a great way to eat healthy.


(1) Amidon based food (e.g. bread, pasta,...) for instance, are half digested with the action of the saliva if you take the proper time. 

Wheatgrass: The Liquid Sunshine

You may have heard of this plant as it is gaining more and more notoriety as researches show more and more its healthy benefits.
Wheatgrass (herbe de ble) is the young grass from the wheat plant and is harvested very young when its nutrients and vitamins are at its apogee (1).

Nutritional benefits:

This Superfood is called "Liquid Sunshine" due to its high amount of chlorophyll (about 70%), which makes it a high alkaline food. Alkalines food are found to help balance the PH (acidity) in the body (blood, urine) and can therefore be used to prevent or even treat diseases. Researches have found chlorophyll to be of exceptional virtue to the body (cells and blood).
Wheatgrass is a complete food and an excellent source of vitamins A, B-complex, C, E and K. It also contains plenty of minerals and is extremely rich in Iron, Zinc, Copper, and Manganese.
This miracle grass also holds a long list of amino-acids and enzymes the body needs.

Where to find it and How to use it

So what do you do with this grass, you'll ask me, cook it? Well it would be a shame to cook it as you would lose a lot of those benefits, so it needs to be taken RAW. The best and easier way is to juice it. You can get it fresh of course, but nowadays you can easily find it in powder in major health stores. Check that it is raw and organic (not "natural" please, check for real organic certification label), preferably air-dried (frozen or heated will diminish its properties). It does not taste super good, so myself I usually mix it into my morning smoothie (see 'In The Kitchen' page for this recipe). Or just mix it with water and a bit of lemon.

Wheatgrass is thus a good superfood and an effective mean to clean, regenerate and energize the body. (2)
--> Try it for a month, every day, and you will see for yourself :)


(1) For this reason it is naturally Gluten Free (harvest before the gluten forms).
(2) Some (unproven?) well-known facts associated with wheat grass include: leaver purification, blood pressure decrease, elimination of medical drugs residues in the body as well as toxins, helps fight high-glucose in the blood, helps with constipation, acts like a disinfectant for the body, helps in slowing down the aging process.

The power of walking...

I will start this blog with a first post that might seems like "common sense" but I keep on being amazed by seeing how little people walk on a regular basis, and how much we love those cars...
French people are used to walk outside, go for a walk, it is part of a daily routine. Cities are made so that you walk to the center to do your grocery shopping, go to a restaurant, a museum, catch your bus, etc... and this is a big secret of why french women are skinnier in general.

Walking - and by walking I mean outside, not on a treadmill -  helps you maintain your cardio-vascular system and to gently tone your entire body. If practiced on a regular basis it helps you evacuate the stress and tension, purify the organism by improving your intestinal transit. This will also get you outside and breathe some fresh air: that office, the mall, that store is filled with that A/C that everybody is sharing and exhaling CO2 in such a limited area. Noting better than the fresh air, even if you live in a big city.

Now what kind of walking? I would say: any is better than none!!! Of course walking 30 minutes at a fast paced will get you a better exercise: idealistically  you should walk dynamically without being out of breath. What we are told all the time in France is that you should walk at least 20 min /day (dynamic walk).

I love to walk with my baby in the stroller and my dog - and they both enjoy it as well - whether it is with a target destination or just for the fact of getting some fresh air, I always come back home regenerated.

Bottom line: anywhere you can go for less than 30 minutes walk = put on your walking shoes and leave your car behind! (unless of course you have some medical contre-indication or you have to cross/walk along a highway ;) It can start by little things: go to your neighbor, go to that grocery store 2-3 blocks away to get your dinner, park you car further away when you go to the store, avoid going back to your car once your done with one store to drive 1500 feet to the other store. Just use those feet!!!
If if you tell me "I am not young, I am tired, I do not have time, I am not in shape enough" ; I will tell you "My great great parents were walking daily 2-3 miles until they died - around 90 years old, walking will re-energize you, make time for your health (and your kids': bring them along!), man was made to walk, turn it into a habit again". Plus, it might get useful when that Zombies invasion happens... lol.. just kidding ;)