Author / tessbrennan

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Posts by tessbrennan

I've felt the pain, the frustration and the depression. I've fought the feelings of hopelessness and despair and have come out on the other side. Now, I help others do the same. Through diet and lifestyle choices I have improved my health, increased my energy levels, and eliminated the need for prescription meds. I've been over 200 pounds. I've lost over 60 and maintained it for over 8 years. I've also lost 6 prescription meds, depression, asthma, and frequent colds & bronchitis. Today, I help others to regain better health and exciting quality of life. I coach those interested in committing to a lifestyle of fabulous food, fun times, and healthier choices. I teach classes, group coaching sessions, one-on-one, and via teleconference. Contact me for additional information.
by tessbrennan

Heart Disease–Cancer–Sugar–> Tolerance=increased Sugar

I don’t believe sugar is the only thing to blame heart disease, cancer and other diseases. I do believe it is a significant factor.  When we look at the typical American diet today, it is full of sugar, and not just the sugars we see depicted in these photos and videos.  Today we’ll focus on this sugar and its effects and a way to prevent disease. 

I begin with the video from 60 minutes where Dr. Sanjay Gupta talks with leading experts and the effects on the body when sugar is ingested.

 

Dr. Sanjay Gupta reports on new research showing sugar’s effects on the body.

 

Amazing findings! One of the findings in this report was that as the body begins to eat more and more sugar, it takes more and more to provide the dopamine results. Just like an addiction of anything else.

I think about everything my daughter is enticed to eat on a daily basis, what my HUSBAND is enticed to eat on a daily basis… Mt. Dew, donuts, candy, cookies, cup cakes, processed food loaded with sugars to make us want them.  (My daughter is enticed by sugary fruit juices, cup cakes, candy, foods labeled “healthy” with sugar listed as the first or second ingredient) Sad smile

Our beverage of choice is water, an occasional rehydration drink (Performance) and occasional fruit juice with no added sugars.  I prefer whole fruit as a treat instead so that we are getting the fiber content with the sugars.  The way nature planned it.

Rethink your drink - sugar

Because of the information on the chart below, and other research, my family and I don’t begin our day with breakfast cereal, its not even in the house.  We prefer a healthy protein shake in the morning followed by our nutritional supplements and a tasty treat of craisins or something similar.

Breakfast Cereal sugar Content

I will admit, it wasn’t an easy transition the first time I gave up sugars. I went through with drawl and it was really pretty nasty.  The last time I gave up the bulk of sugars, it wasn’t as bad.  I used a balanced diet and nutrition to curb my cravings and assist me in my trek to a healthier life.

Today, I am blessed to be back on the lead lap of life.  You can be too.  For information, a consultation, or questions, feel free to contact me.

by tessbrennan

Make Every Day Earth Day

Earth day 2012 is rapidly approaching. All of the media will soon be touting all the great things we can do for Earth Day.  My family and I work to make everyday, Earth Day, in our home.

Yes, we drive V8 vehicles, we aren’t perfect, but we do maintain them very well and track their performance to be sure they are running at optimum levels.  What else are we doing in our household, you ask.

We work at not using disposable products, as much as possible. We wash our dishes in the dishwasher to save water, we recycle everything we can. Speaking of dishwashing…

Five years ago I switched all of our grocery store cleaning agents to non-toxic options that are highly concentrated.  This means we don’t pay to transport water AND we save tons of green. $$$

get clean kit Earth Day

For additional information on Healthy Homes click the above photo for a 30 minute video on home and family health.

Let me tell you a bit about ONE of these great products.  Basic H (Household)

Phosphate Free Non-Polluting
100% Organic Non-Toxic
Biodegradable Non-Irritating
Super-Concentrated Natural
Penetrates dirt on the surface No-Residue
Streak Free No-Rinse

 

Do you pay more than $0.01 per gallon of window cleaner?

Do you pay more than $0.03 per gallon of All Purpose Cleaner?

16oz bottle

= 5,824 – 26oz bottles of Windex (that’s a lot of windows…AND $$$)
=     380 – 26oz bottles of All-Purpose Cleaner (again…$$$)

 

 

 

It’s quick, it works, its simple, & it is safe enough for my young daughter to do the cleaning of her own messes without any chance of being poisoned. 

Different dilutions for different uses.

For more information, or to get started saving $$$ and the planet EVERYDAY, contact me, Tess, and I will get you started.  (For a very limited time, I can provide you with a 15% discount on this and any other products we offer, just for giving us a try.)

Why should we spend all our money on cleaners that endanger and aggravate our health, save your money and your health.

by tessbrennan

Healthy Supplementation–Why add anything Artificial?

REAL vs Imitation FlavorsI’ve been noticing many new diet shakes popping up, and many people are excited about the promises made in those shakes.  What I don’t understand, is the need for anything artificial in a product meant to improve my health.  Why is it many consumers today feel its okay to demand natural lemon in their cleaning products, but will happily purchase and consume things with artificial lemon (0r other) flavorings that they EAT?

I’m not going to jump all over the diet shakes, today.  Today, I just wanted to bring attention to our vitamins, supplements, and our children’s vitamins.  I am attempting, at best, to raise a little girl.  It is important to me that the foods I feed her are all natural, whole, wholesome, and beneficial.  For this reason, I choose NOT to offer her foods with artificial sweeteners that can anger the pancreas, artificial colors that seem to be linked to hyperactivity, or any artificial flavorings. There are plenty of natural, organic things that taste as good or better WITHOUT side effects. Smile

Vitamin Comparison

Compare the ingredients.  Flinstone vitamin ingredients come from their website on April 16, 2012. Incredivites ingredient list is from their bottle label.

I don’t understand taking a vitamin to improve my health LOADED with it artificial sweeteners, flavors, and colorings that can accumulate in and harm my body.  This is why I READ LABELS!

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not raising my child in a bubble, she goes to school, she eats crap, she sneaks next door to the neighbors to bring home cupcakes half eaten before her arrival home. LOL  I just feel that in places I have a choice, I vote with my dollars to tell the manufacturers I prefer natural over artificial.

I have a choice, mainstream or search out healthy alternatives.

If you would like additional information on Food Based, High Quality Supplementation, contact me.  I’d love to talk with you, perhaps, what we have to offer could be a match for your needs.

High Octane Options for your Human Engine

by tessbrennan

Local Honey for Southwest Florida

honey

Allergies are rampant this year.
Many holistic practitioners recommend local honey to help combat those symptoms. Sort of nature’s “allergy shot” but instead of an injection, you just do a tablespoon or more of honey a day and allow the sweet nectar made from your local plants to do the job.  There are MANY healthy benefits of Local honey, here is where you can get some.

Today, I just wanted to provide some options for LOCAL honey in my area.

Locations where I know you can buy local honey:  (READ the labels before you buy)

More than Honey (all raw)– Fort Myers can be found:

Rabbit Run Farms in Ft. Myers, FL (Buckingham area)
The Planted Pot in Naples Florida

Walker Farms Honey of North Fort Myers can be found:

Oakes Market in Naples
Ada’s Natural Foods in Fort Myers
For Goodness Sakes in Bonita Springs
Hyatt Regency in Bonita Springs – chefs use all local honey

Naples Honey Company

This company produces bulk wholesale honey, I have been unable to locate where they can be found.

Southern Pride Honey Company, LLC

The Sweet Boutique in Fort Myers
The Skinny Pantry in Fort Myers

Harold P. Curtis Honey Co. – Labelle

Harold P. Curtis Honey Co. Store in Labelle

Alva Island Farms – Alva
Buy from them direct

My Neighbors – South Fort Myers
Buy direct from me!  $10 a pint or $20 a quart.  They’ve just harvested again. 2/27/13

Articles on the Benefits of Honey

Woman’s Health Mag
Global Healing Center
Alabama Cooperative Extension Service

As I receive additional information from my friends and other local Honey experts I will update this post!  Thank you for reading, and enjoy a big healthy dose of local honey!

by tessbrennan

Is your protein supplement potent or poison?

Many people choose to add a protein supplement to their diet. I do.  Many people spend good money for this protein, only find they are paying to poison themselves and to possibly give themselves health problems down the line.

Poison in your Protein

A July 2010 Consumer Report revealed a study they had done on protein supplements.  The unfortunate findings included levels of toxic metals in these “healthy replacements” that were right at or, in some cases, above what the US Pharmacopeia say are ‘safe’.  Not that you would want to ingest ANY of these toxins since they build up in your system.

toxic-protein-drinks

I think it is so sad that the products companies are advertising and touting as healthy alternatives are more concerned about their bottom dollar than they are about human health and safety.

I feel so blessed to have found a source for my nutritional supplementation that, in over 50+ years, has NEVER had a negative market incident.  A company that does so much testing, issues like this would never make to the public.  Thank you Shaklee for keeping MY best interest and health at root of your being.  Thank you, for keeping nutrition balanced and safe for my family and I.  Thank you!

If you, or someone you know is looking for an alternative to these tainted products, please feel free to contact me.  I am here to serve and to keep your human engine happily, humming along on the lead lap of life!

Tess

by tessbrennan

Obesity & Autism–a link???

I just turned on the news this evening and happened on the news report about women who are obese during pregnancy have a 67% greater chance of having a child with autism.

http://www.winknews.com/Eye-on-Health/2012-04-09/Autism-and-Obesity-Research

This is a new report, just released, and it raises many questions in my head.

  • Is it the diet of these mothers?
  • Is it the environmental conditions of these mothers?
  • Is it something triggered by the strain on the body from carrying the visceral fat?
  • The questions just keep popping into my head.  WOW

This just boggles my mind!  Since 1/3 of all expecting mothers are obese, and this seems to raise a woman’s chances of giving birth to an Autistic Child from 1 in 88 up to 1 in 53!  WOW!

One more reason why I am so glad to have found the difference healthy choices make, before I gave birth to my daughter.

I am happy to work with anyone who would like to commit to shedding these pounds before conception.

Not that obesity is the only factor here, we know there are more factors involved in Autism. I have many colleagues working with me to assist those dealing with autism, but it helps to have one more tool to fight back.

 

Autism linked to Obesity

 

Contact us to schedule your personal and confidential consultation.

by tessbrennan

Your body needs time to De-Stress, let it.

Recently, a girlfriend and I decided to make Friday mornings our time to de-stress.  Our time to recharge, bounce ideas off each other, soak up some vitamin D and let life, just be.  Here is a tale of today’s not so typical trip to the beach.  The moral of the story is, take it, as it is, but not too seriously, and find the joy in all situations!  If you have the time to read it, enjoy our adventure from today.

IMG-20120406-00702

Today, was a day that we really needed it, and we TOOK it.  Life didn’t give me a stress free morning, I took it.  Let me explain.  On the way to the beach, I carefully merged into the next lane, already occupied by a beautiful blonde lady with a very foul mouth.  I tried to apologize, but I don’t think she could hear me through the rolled up windows and over her 4-letter words. (Very much, my bad) No one injured, no cars damaged or touched, all is well, my heart raced for a couple of seconds, then I let it go.

DSC02357DSC02362

We continued to the beach, the clouds were dark, but nothing more than a sprinkle hit the windshield. We got out, had GOOD parking, and walked our 1/4 mile trek down the beach to our favorite spot.  Momma got things set up while CLB got a good start on her mud pie. It began to sprinkle…

CLB curled up between my feet and knees and hunkered down over my thigh, while I curled over her to protect her from the stinging rain, and attempted to keep her warm. All was well, she was protected from the rain and was warm, then 3 kayakers (obviously as crazy as we were) paddled by right next to the shore.  The big guy got caught on the sand bar in front of us & couldn’t get off, so I stood up and ventured out into the surf to assist him in getting off the sand bar.

DSC02348IMG-20120406-00704

Now she was cold!  I dug out a towel, wrapped her in it &  put her tiny chair over her head to try to keep some of the pelting rain from hitting her.  She never made a sound, just snuggled up and said, “what an adventure mommy”.  The rain didn’t let up. The surf, already at high tide, was coming up farther and threatening to wash away the blue crab claw we had found on our way down the beach, so she jumped up to go save it… then I had to move everything farther up the beach to keep us out of the surf. LOL

For a fleeting moment I thought a tsunami might get us. I laughed at my silliness, settled down in my sandy chair while my 5 year old quickly returned to her position on my lap with her beach chair over her head.  (What a site we must have been.)

Fourty-five minutes have now passed.  We’ve watched lines of pelicans drafting each other on the wind currents, fish jump out of the water, the skyline from Ft. Myers Beach come and go and come again.  Ahh the beauty of nature.  It’s still raining, and LOOK!  My friend, her son, and her sister-in-law are walking toward us, down the beach, in the pelting rain!  LAUGHTER AND PURE HAPPINESS – we are not the only crazies out today.

IMG-20120406-00703IMG-20120406-00715

After an hour and a half of rain, the beautiful sunshine came out, warmed us up, and allowed us a bit of time to talk with each other and laugh about our WONDERFUL ADVENTURE ON THE BEACH!  Memories to laugh about.

The goal today was to think of nothing else, and just relax and enjoy our surroundings.  I definitely thought of nothing but our surroundings as my motherly instincts to keep my child warm set in. I enjoyed the joy and laughter of my die hard friend who walked all that way in the rain to join me.

We got our vitamin D for the day, we got our time on the beach today, and we got memories!  It definitely was NOT your typical day at the beach.

IMG-20120406-00706IMG-20120406-00713

LOVE WHAT YA GOT — WHEN YA GOT IT!!!

Thank you, Heather & family for braving the weather and enjoying the morning with us!

http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/AuevdfTwjdI?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0

by tessbrennan

How do You Judge Weight Loss Success?

Health is not all about this number

In racing and cars, we use the dynamo-meter to measure our success or failure – where our horsepower and torque are – how fast and strong our vehicle is.  It helps, when rebuilding an engine, to know where you are beginning  and what your goals are for that engine.  The same is true with our human engines.

With healthy weight loss, it is NOT always about the number on the scale!  It is, in fact, about many different numbers.

  • Inches measured around (waist, arms, hips, chest, thighs)
  • The way your clothes fit
  • Your energy levels
  • Other issues plaguing you (HDL, LDL, Blood Sugar, etc.)

When you decide you are ready to begin, here’s a good place to start.

Tess, the Healthy Grease Monkey is here to support you when you are ready to stage and begin your race to better health, and we will be here to continue to support you in not only attaining that new found health, but also in maintaining that new lifestyle, for the long haul.

Weight Loss Finish Line

I’m so happy to be back on the lead lap of life, won’t you join me?  Contact me for your consultation and to see if what we have is a match for what you are looking for.

by tessbrennan

Healthier Chicken Lasagna–Didn’t have Ground Beef

Healthier Chicken Lasagna

I’ve been cutting way back on our beef consumption. In doing so, I haven’t purchased ground beef in a lllllloooonnnnnggggg time.  Therefore, when I began making lasagna for dinner, I discovered I had no ground beef.

ENTER GRILL AND CHICKEN BOOBS!

2 chicken boobs, grilled and cubed small
1 zucchini shredded
1 jar of Ragu Spaghetti sauce (I use mushroom since it’s the only way I get mushrooms in my home)

Mix these 3 things together in a bowl.

In a separate bowl, mix:

1.5 cups of 6 cheese Italian mix
2 cups of small curd cottage cheese
1 egg
1 cup of parmesan cheese

Prepare 1/2 box of high fiber penne pasta (7 g of protein per serving)

Spray a lasagna dish with olive oil
Drop a cup of sauce mix into bottom of dish
Layer penne pasta on top of sauce mix
Smooth 1 cup of cheese mix over penne pasta
Sauce
Pasta
Cheese
Sauce
Cheese & sprinkle with parm.

Cook in 375 oven for 30 minutes – allow to cool for 5-10 minutes & serve!

Awesome, easy switches for improved health!

(Hubby didn’t even realize it wasn’t beef!)  So, in this meal, we have increased fiber and protein content by switching out brands of pasta, reduced fat and red meat by switching out beef for chicken, AND added veggies by adding a shredded zucchini!

Switching brands can save your life!

So can switching little things in our daily life!

by tessbrennan

Healthy Peanut Butter Cup Shake

This protein shake rocks my world!  I Love it! Tasty way to start my day, boost my blood sugar and keep it from dropping later in the morning. I consider this one of my Fun Foods. Its fast, easy and starts my day off right! Everything I need, nothing I don’t.

Chocolate-Peanut-Butter-Protein-Shake

You will need

8 ounces (1 cup) Lowfat milk/Soy Milk/Almond Milk (even water)
2 scoops of Chocolate Life Protein shake (with Leucine)
1 heaping teaspoon of natural, organic peanut butter
2 ice cubes

Blend in mixer, Pour in Cup, & ENJOY!

(Almost posted a photo of my Fast Food Mustache – then decided NOT)

Smile