Happy Nurses Week!!
Posted on May 9, 2019 2 Comments
Nurse’s Prayer
“God, grant me the compassion to give patient, loving care, to help the sick and injured, and bring comfort to despair. At the end of every busy day, as I lay my head to rest, Please give me peace within my heart to know I’ve done my best”.
Happy Nurses Week to my CCU Family and please remember to practice more self-care. God Bless you!!
Believe in yourself and you will be unstoppable. Trust in God.
Snacking Blog #2
Posted on May 7, 2019 Leave a Comment
- Fruits are always a great snack (I like to eat pears and apples because of high fiber content).
- Nuts are perfect for snacking (I like to combine reduced sugar cranberries , almond (no salt), and peanuts in a mix. I like to bring a bag of the nut mix to work or put it my purse for when I go on errands. Just remember to measure it out so you don’t overeat. I have realized nuts are very easy to overeat plus high in calories, but a good source of protein and help satisfies craving.
- Popcorn – Boom Chicka POP Sweet and Salty Kettle Corn – A delicious popcorn to satisfy the salt and sweet craving. 1 cup is 70 calories. Popcorn is high in fiber and lower in calories than potato chips.
- IWON Organic Protein Puffs – Planted based protein chips, 10g protein, 5g Fiber, 1 g sugar. They taste like Cheetos, but healthy version.
- Celery juice- Please check out my celery blog on the benefits and how to prepare it.
- I love Hummus because you add to fruits, veggies or salad.
- Cut up your favorite apples in pieces, add spoon peanut butter and sprinkle powder cinnamon.
- Outshine Fruit Bars are great substitute for ice cream because it’s made with real fruit.
- Peanut Butter Whole Wheat Wrap.
Peanut Butter Whole wheat wrap
Ingredients:
- 1 Whole wheat wrap
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter
- 1 Tsp ground powder cinnamon
- 1 yellow banana ( sliced)
Directions:
Whole wheat wrap (use a frying pot to warm up the wrap on both sides until brown). Add 1 tablespoon of peanut butter, yellow banana (slice) add to the peanut butter. Sprinkle ground cinnamon .Rolled wrap and slice and eat.
“Strength grows in the moments when you think you can’t go on but you keep going anyway”. I know most of my blog posts had been related to foods is because 80 percent of weight loss is related to diet and 20 percent is related to exercise. I am focusing on eating a balanced diet instead of hopping on and off diets.
What I normally bring to work for a snack!!
Peanut Butter Whole wheat wrap great for a snack or breakfast !!
I like hummus on veggies !!
Work lunch bag !!!
perfect snacks for work!!!
Meatless Monday Blog
Posted on April 15, 2019 2 Comments
Ingredients:
- Alexia Sweet Potatoes Fries- 1 serving
- Mix of colorful bell peppers- ½ cup
- Onion -couple of slices
- Corn – 1/2 cup
- Chickpea – 1/2 cup
- Spinach – 2 cups
- Original Blend Salt-Free Dash Seasoning – Sprinkle
- Drizzle of olive oil
Directions:
First drizzle some olive oil in a frying pan, sauté mixed peppers, onion, corn, and chickpea on medium heat. When the sauté mixes is slightly brown, add the spinach, sprinkle dash seasoning, stir and reduced the heat to allow the spinach to cook. When the spinach is cooked, mix is ready.
For sweet potato fries I used an air fryer, set the air fryer 400F for 15- 20 or until wedges are crisp. Also, you can bake sweet potato fries in the oven at 425 F for 20-25 minutes.
This meal contains about 16 grams of protein. I really enjoy this meal because I was craving for something healthy, light and satisfying.
“My thing is that I don’t give no person that much power over my path that I’m walking. Not one person can make or break what I’m doing, except me or God”.
Meatless Monday is a day he or she don’t eat meat which is a good idea to give your body a break from meat product and eat more fruits and vegetables. This can lead to better health in reducing heart disease and reduce carbon footprint.
Salmon blog
Posted on April 9, 2019 7 Comments
Ingredients:
- Olive oil (I used small amount of olive oil to rub the salmon)
- Thyme – I used fresh dry thyme
- Bell peppers red and yellow -Use as much as you like
- Salt – sprinkle
- Original Blend salt -free Dash Seasoning or Badia Sazon Tropical Seasoning – Sprinkle
- Tomato – 1 cut in pieces
- Onion -half pieces
- Basil, parsley, – Sprinkle
- Garlic – 1 crushed
- 1 Salmon fillet fresh
- Ginger – small piece of fresh ginger
- Scallions -half of scallion cut in piece
- Reynolds foil
Directions:
Start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees. After cleaning the salmon, put it in a bowl with salt, basil, parsley and the preferred seasoning. Rub a little bit of olive oil on the front and back of salmon (please do not use too much oil because when the salmon is cooked it produce a lot of oil). Add the salmon to foil and top the salmon with bell peppers, thyme , tomato, garlic, ginger, scallions. Cover the foil and twist the ends. Bake for 15- 20 minutes until salmon flakes easily with a fork. Remove from the oven, cool, ready to eat.
“Don’t ever let someone tell you that you can’t do something. You got a dream, you gotta protect it. When people can’t do something themselves, they are going to tell you that you can’t do it. You want something, go get it. Period”. Please check out my blog on how to bake salmon in foil. Salmon is my favorite protein because it’s rich in omega 3 and fatty acids, great for your heart and body. Served the salmon with baked sweet potato or quinoa rice!!
Acne Blog
Posted on March 27, 2019 2 Comments
Breakouts are caused by
- Hormones
- Taking or discontinuing birth control pills
- Consuming protein shakes such as isolate whey and whey protein
- Being stressed out
- Consuming foods that are high in saturated fats and high in sugar
- Consuming too many dairy products
- Sleeping with makeup on
- Not washing your face after a workout
This is what I have been doing to reduce my acne
- Go see a dermatologist and find the right products for your skin type because I found my acne is based on hormonal acne, so I have been focusing on balance my hormone the natural way.
- Wash your face after workouts because the sweat will clog your pores which lead to more breakouts.
- Drink water
- Limit your sugar intake
- Reduce stress in your life
- Do not squeeze your pimples because they will leave black marks on your face.
- Stop touching your face
- Change your pillowcase once a week
- Wash your face with benzoyl peroxide wash
- Apply acne on the spot treatment on pimples
- Do a mask treatment weekly
- Exfoliate your face 2-3 times a week
- Clean your cell phone/ Iphone daily
- Find out which foods are causing your breakouts
- Add vitamin C serum to your face care because vitamin c serum promotes collagen.
- Limit dairy products
- Take probiotics
- Use sunscreen daily
- Drink celery juice – check out my blog post on celery juice benefits and how to prepare it.
- Follow a healthy diet that contained complex carbohydrate, zinc, vitamin A, E omega- fatty acids. Balance diet is the best one because foods are full of nutrients and vitamins that are beneficial to our well-being. A diet high in fat increase sebum production.
To eat dairy or not eat dairy
I have always thought about going dairy free, but I did not think I would be able to do it. I was scared because so many foods contain dairy products. I decided to go dairy free because of my dermatologist’s recommendation. She told me to limit dairy products because the hormones that are found in milk can over stimulate oil glands and cause overproduction of oil. Also, she told me to stop drinking protein shakes because isolates whey or whey protein cause breakouts. Protein shakes increase the oily serum production. She recommended vegan protein shakes if I absolutely must have one.
I have been dairy free since the end of August. The only dairy product I still use is cream for my coffee and the reason why, is because I don’t like dairy free cream. I am still on the hunt for a good one, so let me know if you come across one.
My tips to go dairy free are:
- Milk – almond milk, cashew milk or coconut milk – I use almond with vanilla
- Regular cheese – daiya cheese or vegan cheese (dairy free cheese and taste great- I love daiya cheese
- Yogurt – Almond based yogurt or coconut based dairy free yogurt (So delicious) – I try both almond based yogurt and coconut but I am not a big fan of these products.
So delicious and daiya food is a dairy free company that carry delicious dairy free products from milk, cheese, frozen dessert, yogurt and creamers.
Essential oils that has helped my acne
My two favorite essential oils to use for acne are use Tea Tree Oil and Jojoba oil. Jojoba oil regulates sebum production similar to the sebum the body produces. It helps the body not to produce more sebum. If you have oily skin and breakouts, Jojoba oil can help balance the sebum production. It can help reduce pimples and control blackheads. You can apply a small amount of oil and apply with your fingertips and pat onto face. You can use Jojoba oil with Tea Tree Oil. I love Tea Tree essential oil. It’s anti-inflammatory and it helps prevent and reduce acne scars and leads to clear skin. You drop a few drops onto a cotton swab and dot directly on blemishes. If you feel it’s too strong for your face, you can dilute the oil with carrier oil such as Jojoba oil, coconut oil or almond oil. I normally add Tea Tree Oil into my mask treatment and I have experienced great results.
I hope this blog helps you to have an acne free face. Please remember to be patient with yourself on your journey to have a clean face. It’s easy to become frustrated because your face is not cleaning up fast, but continue your face routine. When we think about clean skin, it does not only apply to external skin, but the internal routine is very important as well, such as what he or she eats, stress level, and sleeping. As Jennifer Lopez said “Beauty is only skin deep. I think what’s really important is finding a balance of mind, body, and spirit”
“Beauty begins the moment you decide to be yourself”. Please check out my acne blog about how I reduce my acne and what I have learned along the way.
Herbal Tea Blog
Posted on March 19, 2019 Leave a Comment
I love herbal tea for all the benefit it provides to the body, such as antioxidants and vitamins, relieve stress, reduced inflammation, and great for skin, improves digestion and boost the immune system. These are my favorite tea Fennel tea, Dandelion / Roasted Dandelion, Green Tea and Cerasee Tea, but I still like a nice cup of coffee.
Fennel Tea
- Helps reduce inflammation
- Helps lower blood pressure
- Help relieves colic from babies
- Help digestion
- Help balances hormones levels
- Help weight loss
- Reduce bloating
- Natural diuretic
- Reduce craving
Dandelion / Roasted Dandelion
- Reduce bloating
- Liver and kidney cleanse
- Have high antioxidants
- Help your blood sugar
- Help reduce inflammation
- Boost immune support
- Natural diuretic
- Lower cholesterol
- Help acne
Green Tea
- Antioxidants
- Help you to burn fat
- Good for your heart
- Immune system boost
- Calm the stomach
- Reduce inflammation
- Good for skin
Cerasee tea – Jamaican tea (taste bitter tea)
- Blood purifier
- Help remove toxins from the blood
- Help circulation problems
- High in antioxidants , vitamins and nutrients
Sleep Tea
Celestial Seasoning Sleepytime detox (help me to sleep)
- Help me to relax and to sleep
- Natural cleansing
- Sleep tea contains Aloe, Green Rooibos and Dandelion Root
Chamomile Tea
- Improve sleep
- Relieve stress
- Aid in digestion
- Alleviates cold symptoms
- Treat inflammation
Ginger Tea
Ingredients:
Saucepot
2-3 cups of cold water
Fresh ginger
Raw honey – optional to sweet tea
Wash the ginger, you can peel or not peeled but cut it into small pieces. Add the ginger into the saucepan with 2 to 3 cups of cold water. Bring the ginger water to boil on medium heat; After that, turn down the heat and simmer for 20-40 minutes. When the tea is done, remove the ginger. The taste will be strong, so you can add honey.
- Natural anti- inflammatory
- Helps with nausea and stomach aches
- Aide in digestion
- Help relieve sore throat
- Help reduce cold, congestion and sinus problems.
“I believe everyone in the world is born with genius-level talent. Apply yourself to whatever you’re genius at and you can do anything in the world”
Keisha’s Grocery List
Posted on March 6, 2019 1 Comment
The future belongs to those who prepare for it today”. To help you guys prepare to go to grocery store I created Keisha’s grocery list because let’s be honest, who like to go food shopping it can take hours from finding the right products and reading the food label. Keisha’s Grocery list makes it convenient because it includes fruits, vegetables, meats, grains, bean/ nuts and my favorite pantry essentials to create a balance meal. Plus, my grocery list can help you meal prep for the week because it’s better to have a plan than nothing. In life we cannot expect success; we have to prepare for it.
Simple Fresh Salad
Posted on February 5, 2019 4 Comments
Ingredients:
- 1 packaged of carrot shred or use one carrot to peel and shred
- 1 Cucumber peel and slice
- Organic Spinach
- 1 can of Corn ( I used less sodium and natural sea salt)
- 1 Red pepper
- handful of Dried Cranberries ( reduced sugar)
- Kale fresh
- 1 Beets fresh , wash / peel / shredded ( you buy the shred beet already)
Get a bowl; add the kale, corn, red pepper, spinach, cucumber, carrots, cranberries and beets. There is no special order to add the ingredients in the bowl. You can add any other veggies you like in the bowl. Use a big spoon and mix the salad up. I like the salad because it’s quick and simple to make. I love eating salad because I use that as my way to load up on my veggie intake for the day. Breakfast is an easy way to get in veggies in your diet by making an omelet. The Omelet is full of protein, fiber and water intake to keep you full for the day.
“Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained”.
The Benefit Of Stretching
Posted on January 30, 2019 4 Comments
Do you stretch before a workout?
Stretching is very important before a workout because it helps to warm up the body and improve circulation. Stretching prepare the body for the workout ahead. Stretching before a workout prevents he or she from injuries and muscle sores. It helps flexibility and range of motion. If you decide not to stretch before a workout you are increasing your risk for injuries and your calf will be aching and cramp up more.
What about after a workout, do you stretch?
After the workout stretching is my favorite stretching because I get to stretch out the muscle me kind of workout to reduce muscle sores and prevent muscle strain. After workout stretching helps lower my heart, help me focus on my breathing, help me center myself. Also, stretching help me recover back to normal so, I can workout again. As you get older, it’s important to stretch in the morning when we get up reduces sores and prevent stiffness of our joints to increase mobility because we do a lot of walking and our bodies’ experiences a lot of wear and tear as we age. Please remember to stretch before and after a workout.
“Success is due to our stretching to the challenges of life. Failure comes when we shrink from them”. On Monday, I was dressed in multiple layers because it’s very cold outside. I went to my neighborhood Laundromat to wash my clothes and while my clothes was being washed I decided to do some random stretching. I made up some workout exercise because I was bored. My stretch and Laundromat workout were so good that I ripped my old jeans. He or she don’t need a special place to workout, just your body and whatever equipment is available at the time; don’t be afraid to move your body.
My Thoughts
Posted on January 15, 2019 2 Comments
We are all different people, which means when we do the same exercises as other people, we get different results. Find an exercise that works for you.
When you go on Instagram and look at a person’s photo, that person’s results depend on many things, for instance: his or her calorie intake, body type, motivation, genetics, workout types, and what they are willing to give up. Also, they could have gotten surgery or have been taking weight loss supplements. Stop comparing yourself to other people because you have no idea what their journey is all about.
Find the right diet for you.
My advice is to do your research on the diet you want to do because I have seen people start diets from intermittent fasting to the keto diet but they go too extreme with their chosen diet. Or they do not know anything about the diet but just follow friends or somebody who is doing it. Please research the diet, find out how to apply it to your life and whether or not the diet is safe because you do not want a diet that will cost your life. Find a diet that can adapt with your lifestyle so that you are successful at it. For example, if a person does a very strict diet, which is different from their norm, the success rate will be less and the person will gain back their weight.
We shouldn’t be on the sideline, just hoping and wishing, we should get in the game. Please go find out what diet works for you. You cannot say you have tried everything to lose weight or to be healthy if you are still in the same condition or situation. Just remember if one diet or exercise does not work, there are still many others to try.
So, try new diets or exercises but give your body time to adjust. Give it at least 2-3 months and you can measure your results to see the pros and cons to your exercise workout or diet change.
Here are my tips
- Know why you want to lose weight.
- Schedule your exercise.
- If you mess up your diet one day, just continue, don’t give up
- Don‘t focus on your feelings because if we act on our feelings, most of the time nothing will get done.
- Form good habits – whether it is eating salad with every meal, drinking more water, or exercising 30 minutes a day.
- Motivation is a choice because you are not going to be motivated everyday to workout but you have to make the decision to do so.
- Eat more whole foods.
- Do not focus on the scale, find other tools to measure your progress, such as taking before and after pictures, using measuring tape to measure areas of your body, or using tight clothes that you are unable to fit as you track your progress.
- Find what works for you.
- Please remember slow and steady win the race
I leave you guys with a quote from my new favorite book ‘What I Know For Sure’ by Oprah Winfrey
“Wherever you are in your journey, I hope you, too, will keep encountering challenges. It is a blessing to be able to survive them, to be able to keep putting one foot in front of the other, to be in a position to make the climb up life’s mountain, knowing that the summit still lies ahead. And every experience is a valuable teacher.
Happy New Year and God bless you !!!
“Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time”. This year, let’s focus on changing habits than making big resolutions goals. When we think of goals we always think we need hours to complete, but instead we just need 15 minutes to 1 hour or any much time we can dedicate to each day. This year, let’s focus on making small changes that can add to a big difference in the long run. My number one goal for me this year is not to give up on myself.
Lose Weight Not Faith Blog 