Inflammation is one of the biggest buzzwords in health and for good reason. It plays a role in many chronic diseases, but it’s not always a bad thing. Here’s what you need to know, and how the food on your plate can make a real difference.

What Is Inflammation?

The Good: Acute Inflammation

Think of the swelling around a sprained ankle or the redness of a mosquito bite. That’s your immune system doing exactly what it’s supposed to do. Acute inflammation increases blood flow and delivers oxygen, nutrients, and immune cells to sites of injury or infection. Short-term inflammation is a healthy, protective response.

The Not-So-Good: Chronic Inflammation

When inflammation becomes persistent, it can silently damage the body over time. Chronic inflammation has been linked to serious conditions including heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, Alzheimer’s, kidney disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and depression. Over time, it may also contribute to autoimmune issues and accelerated aging.

What Contributes to Chronic Inflammation?

Several lifestyle factors can drive ongoing inflammation in the body, including:

• Highly processed foods and chemical additives
• Environmental toxins and pollutants
• Smoking and excess alcohol
• Chronic stress
• Lack of physical activity

Why It’s Hard to Spot

Chronic inflammation often has no obvious symptoms, which is part of what makes it so tricky. If you’re curious about your own levels, C-reactive protein (CRP) is a common blood marker that can be tested during a routine wellness visit.

What Can Be Done About It?

The encouraging news: chronic inflammation is not inevitable. Many of the contributing factors, especially diet and lifestyle, are within your control. It starts with your grocery list. Choosing whole-food, nutrient-dense meals can help support a balanced inflammatory response. Beyond food, regular exercise, better sleep, limited alcohol intake, quitting smoking, and stress management all play meaningful roles.

What Makes a Food “Anti-Inflammatory”?

Many foods help the body fight inflammation. Foods rich in antioxidants, polyphenols (protective compounds found in plants), omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, and pre- and probiotics can all help protect the body from chronic inflammation. 

If tracking all of that sounds overwhelming, here’s a helpful shortcut from our dietitian: the bolder and more vibrant a food is in color, scent, and flavor, the stronger its anti-inflammatory properties tend to be.

Look for:

• Aromatic alliums like garlic, leeks, onions, and scallions
• Bitter cruciferous vegetables like kale, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and bok choy
• Fragrant herbs and spices like oregano, thyme, basil, mint, cilantro, parsley, ginger, cinnamon, turmeric, and cumin
• Bright, colorful fruits like blueberries, raspberries, pomegranates, and cherries — plus beets
• Spicy, peppery foods like jalapeño, radish, and arugula

One of the most well-researched eating patterns centered on anti-inflammatory foods is the Mediterranean diet, which emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, fish, nuts, and healthy fats. 

We’ve developed meals that are built with this philosophy in mind. Every dish is packed with ingredients chosen for both their flavor and their inflammation-fighting properties, so you can feel good about what you’re eating without sacrificing satisfaction.

Do You Need to Change Everything at Once?

No, nutrition and health are not all-or-nothing practices. The idea of “starting a diet” can feel so daunting that it stops people from making any positive changes at all. Traditional “diets” don’t bring us health or happiness because they’re typically too restrictive to stick to long-term.

The great thing about the Mediterranean approach is that it isn’t a diet in the traditional sense. There’s room for everything on your plate. It’s about what you eat most of the time, not the treats you enjoy once in a while. A Saturday morning chocolate croissant? There’s absolutely room for that.

A simple place to start: try small swaps. Reach for whole grain bread instead of white. Scramble your eggs in olive oil instead of butter. Over time, these small choices become habits, and habits become a lifestyle. 

Good nutrition is really about finding balance, and joy.

Now Available: Anti-Inflammatory Premade Meals

Our new anti-inflammatory Prepared & Ready meals are hitting the menu starting March 29th!

This Ginger Citrus Beef Noodle Bowl supports your health goals with nutritious ground beef and a medley of stir-fry vegetables, served over a bed of chewy sweet potato glass noodles in a sweet and tangy ginger-citrus sauce.

The post Eating for Health: A Guide to Anti-Inflammatory Foods appeared first on Sunbasket.

Even if you’re not familiar with the term (short for Standard American Diet), you know exactly what we’re talking about. Cheap, highly-processed, and packaged foods were designed to get as many calories as possible into homes across the country during the ‘40s and ‘50s. America got hooked on convenience (and refined carbs) and forgot what real food is all about!

Today, we’re uncovering the links between the S.A.D. Diet and hypertension, obesity, and much more. But research is also proving that food can be medicine, as the right balance of diverse, whole foods can help us live longer, stronger, and healthier lives.
So if you’re hungry for something better, you’re in the right place! Our team of chefs and dietitians has dialed up a list of 30+ delicious things that immediately lift your spirits and give you energy. And bonus: adding these healthy foods to your diet will set you up for even more good things to come:

• Better heart health
• Reduced risk of certain types of cancer
• Weight loss and lower BMI
• Decreased symptoms of depression and fatigue
• Less inflammation
• Stronger cognitive function
• Improved gut health
• Managing type 2 diabetes
• Healthier emotional connection with food

Once you start eating healthy foods every day, you’ll see positive shifts in your physical, mental, social, and emotional life — the whole package. So start today by eating one, two, or three of these healthy foods, keep it up (we can help with healthy meal and snack delivery), and the sky is the limit for how great you can feel in this year and beyond. Go, you!

Healthy diet foods

Start simple with these nutrient-packed foods, and you’ll have a solid foundation to build on. Here are our top picks for the healthiest diet foods and meals you can eat every day, rotate throughout the week, or mix and match to create different meals. (with our meal kit delivery, you can get all of these healthy foods delivered right to your doorstep!)

Eggs

It’s time to set aside old myths about eggs being bad for your cholesterol. In fact, health experts say that eggs (and yes, we mean the entire egg) can boost your “good cholesterol” — also known as HDL. They’re also packed with tons of protein, making them a perfect everyday go-to.

Salmon

High in omega-3 fatty acids, protein, and vitamins, salmon has tons of health benefits. Among the biggest perks: fighting off depression and anxiety, promoting healthy skin, and potentially reducing the risk of heart disease.

Olive oil

One of the most versatile healthy foods of all-time, olive oil can be used for drizzling, dipping, cooking, coating, marinating, and more. And on top of tasting delicious, it can also lower the risks of metabolic syndrome and weight gain.

Oats

Whether you’re struggling with inflammation, watching your cholesterol, or battling type 2 diabetes, oats are the perfect everyday food for you. High in antioxidants and fiber, they can help lower cholesterol and improve blood sugar levels. Plus, they keep you feeling full longer.

Beans

Packed full of fiber and protein, beans are a healthy option for those who are on plant-based diets. Between lentils, kidney beans, and black beans, you can reap the health benefits while adding a lot of variety to your meals.

Sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes are also a versatile superfood, and there are tons of delicious ways to prepare them. Whether you like them boiled, roasted, grilled, mashed, or as fries or chips, you’ll still reap the benefits of antioxidants and tons of nutrients.

Leafy greens

Chock-full of vitamins and calcium, leafy greens are the perfect way to add nutrient density to your diet without extra calories and fat. You can mix and match greens like spinach, swiss chards, and kale — using them as a salad base, mixing in with other soups and dishes, or complimenting other healthy meals.

Avocados

Avocados are one of the best-for-you fruits. That’s because they’re packed with tons of healthy fats (compared to other fruits that are a little higher in carbohydrates). Also high in fiber, avocados are great to eat on their own or add to virtually any dish.

Quinoa

Also great for plant-based diets, quinoa is filled with amino acids and fiber to promote regularity and energy. And if you follow a gluten-free diet — quinoa is a great alternative to other whole grains.

Chicken breast

Lean meat, packed with protein, incredibly filling…there’s really nothing negative to say about lean chicken breast. Another perk? There are virtually endless ways to prepare it, which makes it easy to add excitement and variety to your healthy diet.

Garlic

While we mostly think of garlic as giving us bad breath, the health benefits (and the flavor!) are totally worth it. Researchers have linked increased garlic intake to stronger immune systems, increased blood flow, and lower cholesterol.

Apples

Apples are not only nutrient-rich, but they’re also delicious and filling. With fiber, vitamin C, and numerous antioxidants, apples are an easy choice for adding healthy food to your diet.

Dark Chocolate

This may seem like cheating on your diet but dark chocolates are one of the most powerful sources of antioxidants. Dark chocolate contains relatively high concentrations of flavanols which improve blood flow and arterial elasticity.

Healthy snack foods

Whether you’re looking to stave off hunger, kick a craving, or get a quick energy boost, there are tons of healthy snack foods to reach for. Our favorites are simple, delicious, and packed with protein, fiber, healthy fats, potassium, and antioxidants:

• Bananas
• Nuts (particularly walnuts and almonds)
• Greek yogurt (steer clear of low-fat or fat-free yogurt, which can be packed with sugars)
• Cottage cheese and tomatoes
• Peanut butter
• Hard-boiled eggs and egg bites
• Berries (think any kind here: strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries)
• Veggies and hummus (use carrots, celery, or cucumbers for dipping!) 
• Carrots
• Edamame

Healthy foods that can be frozen

If you’re on-the-go a lot or don’t have time to shop or prepare all of your meals, consider stocking your freezer full of these healthy, nutrient-packed foods for no fuss access any time: 

• Whole grain waffles or pancakes
• Frozen fruit (mix them with yogurt or pop them into a smoothie!)
• Frozen veggies
• Grass-fed meat
• Lean soups (think ingredients like veggies, beans, chicken, quinoa, kale, etc.)
• Frozen salmon
• Frozen egg scrambles
• Frozen burritos or enchiladas (you can pack these with protein like lean meat, beans, and cheese in whole grain tortilla)

Add healthier foods to your diet with Sunbasket’s customized meal plans

One of the best ways to eat healthy foods every day? Have them delivered straight to your door. With a meal plan from Sunbasket, you can choose from the highest quality recipes — all crafted by award-winning chefs using health-boosting foods and ingredients. So, no matter your health resolution for the year ahead, we’re here to help every step of the way.

Ready to see this one through? Pick which meal plan is best for you and start today!

The post Eat Right, Feel Bright: 30+ Healthy Foods for Your Diet appeared first on Sunbasket.

What is a plant-based diet?

In simplest terms, a plant-based diet is exactly how it sounds: a diet that focuses primarily on eating plant-based foods. Those foods typically include:

• Veggies
• Fruit
• Legumes
• Whole grains
• Nuts
• Seeds

The overall goal of a plant-based diet is to concentrate on eating whole foods. That means minimizing foods that are processed, contain refined ingredients (like white flour and added sugar), or come from animals, like:

• Meat
• Dairy
• Eggs
• Seafood
• Poultry
• Honey

Like with any diet or lifestyle change, how you approach this is entirely up to you. After all, it’s called a plant-based diet, not a plant-only diet. Meaning, you can decide to minimize the amount of processed and animal products or eliminate them altogether, as with vegan or vegetarian diets.

Although vegan and vegetarian diets may seem similar to plant-based, they’re quite different. That’s because vegetarians typically eliminate meat products but still eat things like dairy, eggs, and fish. Vegans, on the other hand, stay away from animal products entirely.

Benefits of a plant-based diet

There are tons of reasons people choose a plant-based diet—reasons that go way beyond just a healthier lifestyle. But first, let’s talk about the initial health benefits you’ll get from eating more natural, plant-based foods:

• Getting more vitamins and minerals
• Increasing your fiber intake
• Consuming less cholesterol and saturated fat
• Boosting your protein and calcium intake

All of those benefits are just the beginning. That’s because they build a solid foundation for an overall healthier diet, which we know can enhance so many other aspects of our health.

Heart health

One of the biggest perks of a plant-based diet is better heart health. More specifically, studies have found that eating a plant-based diet—compared to one that focuses on animal-based foods—can help lower your risk of:

• A heart attack
• Cardiovascular diseases
• A stroke

It’s important to note that this particular study focused on people who didn’t eliminate animal products; they just ate smaller portions.

Cognitive health

Just as important as taking care of our bodies, we also need to take care of our brains. And lucky for us, science has proven healthy diets can help us do just that. One study found that those who eat higher amounts of fruits and veggies can reduce their risk of cognitive decline by up to 33%. Another study found that plant-based diets can lower or slow the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

Type 2 diabetes

Because a plant-based diet reduces the amount of processed foods, it can help those with type 2 diabetes control their blood sugar better — by about 3x times. One study that focused on type 2 sufferers discovered that those who followed a plant-based diet saw:

• Improved insulin sensitivity
• Decreased HbA1c levels
• Weight loss

The short of it? For those who have type 2 diabetes, a plant-based diet can lead to significant health improvements that help manage, prevent, or reverse the disease.

Weight loss

At its core, weight loss typically comes down to a healthier lifestyle. One that incorporates more whole, nutrient-packed foods and less processed foods that are high in fat and cholesterol. This is backed up by several studies, one of which compared five different diets and found that plant-based ones can lead to more weight loss than others.

Sustainability

There’s another awesome benefit of a plant-based diet that goes beyond your body and mind: helping the environment. Because you’re eating less (or eliminating) foods that are processed, you’re personally reducing your carbon footprint. Researchers even discovered that if the population adopted more plant-based diets, we could reduce greenhouse gases by up to 70% and water use by up to 50%. All of which would significantly better our planet.

Other additional benefits

Beyond the major health benefits of a plant-based diet, there’s a chance you can see some additional positive effects, like:

• More regulated digestion (because of all the fiber)
• Healthier skin (because of the increased antioxidants)
• Better or more stable energy levels (from more regulated blood sugar and less “sugar crashes”)

How to transition to a plant-based diet

As with any lifestyle change, it’s much easier (and more sustainable) if you transition into it instead of diving in headfirst. Slowly building tools that help you transition is not only a great way to start but also a great way to make sure you stick with it. So, how do you start a plant-based diet? Here are some tips for beginners to do just that.

1. Build a solid plant-based foundation.

In other words, start to see plant-based foods as your base for every meal or snack — not as a side dish. Foods like:

• Vegetables (including starchy ones like potatoes and squash)
• Whole grains
• Fruits
• Legumes (like beans, lentils, and chickpeas)
• Nuts, seeds, and nut butters

2. Slowly minimize animal-based products.

As we mentioned before, a plant-based diet doesn’t mean you have to eliminate animal products from your diet entirely. But whether you plan to minimize or remove them altogether, it’s easier to start with a slower transition. 

• For your first couple of weeks, still include a small number of animal products. Do this until you reach a point you’re most comfortable (and that’s sustainable). 
• Try to make animal-based products a compliment to your plant-based meals, not as a main dish.
• Look for opportunities to substitute animal-based products (like swapping out a cup of dairy milk for oat milk or adding tofu to a salad instead of chicken).
• If you opt to include animal products in your diet, purchase high-quality ones (like pasture-raised eggs, free-range chicken, and grass-fed beef or pork).
• Remember, you don’t have to eliminate animal products – just make sure they aren’t the focal point of your meal.

3. Remember which foods to eliminate or avoid.

As with any diet or lifestyle change, remember that it’s not about restriction, and what you choose to eliminate or avoid is up to you. That said, to reap the full benefits of a plant-based diet, try to stay away from these foods:

• Packaged foods
• Refined grains (like white bread, pasta, and rice)
• Added sugars and artificial sweeteners
• Fast food
• Processed meats (think deli meats, bacon, and sausage)
• Processed vegan foods (because while they technically qualify as plant-based, they’re usually processed, fake, and filled with a lot of unknown ingredients)
• Candy
• Game meats
• Sodas
• Ice cream

As a general rule of thumb, stick to the outside aisles of grocery stores (where produce is usually found), and try to purchase items with the lowest number of ingredients — and ones you can actually read and understand.

4. Use a Sunbasket meal delivery plan to get started.

Creating new lifestyle changes (and sticking to them) can sometimes be a little overwhelming. Where do you start? What meals should you plan? How do you make time for it? 

Our answer: let our award-winning chefs and amazing dietitians help you get started with plant-based weekly menus and meal delivery. Our chefs make eating plant-based meals easy and supremely delicious. 

When you sign up, you’ll have a choice of meal plans. Our plant-based meal plans are Vegetarian/Vegan, Pescatarian, and Mediterranean. You can always add meals from other meal plans to your basket to keep things flexible. Another helpful feature is that you can often choose which protein you’d like with your meal. Impossible Burger and Daring chicken are two delicious plant-based options.

Jump-start your plant-based diet with Sunbasket

At Sunbasket, we’re not just about making your transition to a plant-based diet easier. Our goal is to deliver the best ingredients that help bring our award-winning, chef-designed meals to life. On top of that, we want you to actually feel happier and healthier, and give you the options you need to make the most of your new plant-based lifestyle.

Ready to start your plant-based journey? Explore how Sunbasket works, then get started with your own meal plan delivery now!

The post Transitioning to a Plant-Based Diet Like a Pro appeared first on Sunbasket.

Also known as the Standard American Diet, it took off after WWII as a cheap and convenient way to get enough calories into homes across the country. But generations later, cheap and ultra-processed foods are majorly overrepresented in our diets, with strong links to obesity, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease.

With that said, we don’t believe in a “one diet fits all” solution. The perfect eating plan for you is the one that keeps you strong, satiated, and satisfied, with a strong focus on diverse, whole foods.

So, here’s some umbrella advice to get started with, no matter what you choose:

• Love what you eat. Your taste buds gotta be in on this. 
• Create good vibes around food. Guilt and food shaming be gone. 
• Eat with your peeps. Connecting over food is good for you.
• Make eating well easy. If a diet is way hard, it won’t last.

Here’s a nugget of research to think about. There’s just no nice way to say it: ninety five percent of diets fail (oof!). But five percent succeed, and we know that’s going to be you. So what’s the secret to success? 

Habit experts have identified that we repeat what feels good. The key to the best diet for you is that it has you eating foods that taste great and make you feel vibrant, alive, nourished, and energized. Luckily there’s no shortage of exciting and healthy recipes out there. When you like what you’re eating, what starts as a new way of eating transforms to a long-term healthy lifestyle—and that’s the real win, because it builds habits that last. 

Below are 10 eating plans to consider to help you feel amazing this year and beyond.

The Mediterranean Diet

Based on the traditional eating styles of Italy and Spain, the Mediterranean diet is the most recommended diet for overall health and longevity by experts year after year. The Mediterranean diet includes lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, poultry and fish, with only moderate quantities of eggs, dairy, and red meat. Red wine is often included, though in small amounts. The diet does not require calorie counting or number crunching. It is a flexible, holistic approach to eating that focuses on enjoying nutrient-rich whole foods and letting them work their synergistic magic.

The DASH Diet

Short for “Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension,” the DASH diet was designed to reduce high blood pressure. It focuses on low-sodium foods as well as increasing fruits and vegetables and emphasizes good sources of calcium, magnesium, and potassium. The National Institutes for Health found that this approach lowered blood pressure and LDL cholesterol (the type associated with heart disease), and it has also been found to lower body fat.

The MIND Diet

Short for “Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay”, the MIND diet was designed to prevent dementia. Combining the largely plant-based approach of the Mediterranean diet with the low-sodium and unprocessed leanings of DASH, the MIND diet simply lists ten foods known to provide anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits that are connected to improved mental function. People who follow the diet try to get recommended amounts of each food every week.

The Flexitarian Diet

This plant-based approach is for people who want to eat less meat, but still have the flexibility to enjoy animal products occasionally. Flexitarian eaters try to increase their overall intake of fruit, vegetables, legumes and whole grains by adding some meatless or vegan meals into their routines.

The Vegan Diet

A 100% plant-based diet, vegan diners eat no animal products whatsoever for health, environmental, or ethical reasons. For many years, health professionals worried that this style of eating made it impossible to take in enough protein for your daily needs. However, recent research on vegan athletes has proven that even extremely active individuals can meet their high protein needs by eating a good variety of fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts, and seeds.

The Vegetarian Diet

Vegetarianism is similar to the vegan diet but can include eggs and dairy products. This makes it easier to get enough calcium, iron, and B vitamins, which are especially important for women. Choosing a balanced vegetarian meal plan is the key to success with this diet.

The Pescatarian Diet

Pescetarianism is a mostly plant-based diet that allows non-meat proteins, including eggs, dairy, and fish. Finding a pescatarian meal plan can help you mix up your daily regimen of fish and dairy.

The Paleo Diet

The Paleo diet is a relatively low-carb, high-protein diet designed to mimic what people ate in Paleolithic times, namely meat, eggs, fruit, vegetables, seeds and nuts, but no refined sugar, grains or dairy products.

The Intuitive Eating (Anti-) Diet

More anti-diet than diet, Intuitive Eating dissociates health with body size, honoring the differences of our genetic blueprints, and rejecting the thinner-is-better mentality. Intuitive Eating embraces a holistic view of well-being that includes emotional, mental, social, and physical needs. Ten principles of Intuitive Eating include relying on your body’s cues for hunger and fullness rather than external rules, exercising for enjoyment, and rejecting food shaming by yourself and others. Studies show Intuitive Eating raises self esteem, wellbeing and optimism, HDL (good cholesterol), psychological resilience, and life satisfaction.

The Anti-Inflammatory Diet

The Anti-Inflammatory diet focuses on reducing foods that cause inflammation in the body (e.g. salt, sugar, processed foods, and red meats) and eating more foods known to reduce inflammation (e.g. fruits, vegetables, whole grains and healthy fats). The Anti-Inflammatory diet  helps decrease the risk of heart disease, depression, arthritis, and diabetes.

What are the best diets for men?

Although men and women’s bodies have obvious physical differences, the overall recommendations for their best diets are relatively similar: eat lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats, and lean proteins, and stay away from too much salt, sugar, processed foods, and alcohol.

The main difference between most recommendations for men’s and women’s nutrition comes down to different amounts of nutrients for their different body sizes.

One notable exception is with regard to reproductive health. There is a Prostate-Protective Diet recommended for men, which focuses on cruciferous vegetables, berries, fish, cooked tomatoes, coffee, and tea. Male fertility is also a unique concern, with special requirements of zinc, selenium, omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, magnesium and calcium, copper and manganese (in moderate amounts), and fiber.

However, the recommendations for men’s fertility line up neatly with the Mediterranean diet, including oily fish, fruit, vegetables, and whole grains.

What are the best diets for women?

In spite of their superpowers, women generally don’t require gender-specific diets. The universal recommendations for whole foods, fresh produce, and lots of lean protein, healthy fats, and fiber usually serve women well.

The main areas where women’s nutritional needs differ from men’s are with regards to their reproductive health. Women are more prone to iron deficiency than men, particularly during menstruation, pregnancy, and breastfeeding. In general, experts do not recommend that women follow any diet that eliminates entire food groups during these times.

One surefire way to yum yourself to a better you:

With Sunbasket meal delivery service, eating how you want to eat is as easy as opening your door.

Sunbasket meal plans:

• Mediterranean 

• Paleo

• Carb-Conscious

• Vegetarian

• Pescatarian

• Gluten-Free

• Lean & Clean

• Diabetes-Friendly

You simply choose the Sunbasket meal plan for the way you want to eat, pick meals and snacks for the following week, and we’ll deliver everything you need to your doorstep. From healthy cooking kits to heat-and-eat meals to grab-and-go bars to healthy treats, Sunbasket has everything you need for keeping it real and feeling your best all year long.

The post The Best Diet to Start in the New Year appeared first on Sunbasket.

In these trying times, we understand how essential it is that we all come together. One great way to embrace unity is by celebrating healthy lunch recipes from cultures around the world that are unique and delicious. We have compiled our customers’ favorite recipes that feature cuisines from around the world. These carefully-crafted, international lunch meal prep ideas make it easy to eat healthy, delicious meals. Planning and preparing your lunch for the week reduces the time spent cooking during the week, freeing time to enjoy doing the things you love. Celebrate cultures around the world this week with these healthy meal prep ideas!

The post Healthy Lunch Meal Prep Ideas That Celebrate Culture appeared first on Sunbasket.

Peppermint with Peppermint Tea Bath Bomb Recipe 

Makes 6 large (depending on size of molds) bath bombs

Ingredients:

5 tablespoons coconut oil

1 cup baking soda

½ cup citric acid

½ cup corn starch

½ cup Epsom salt

1 teaspoon almond oil

2 teaspoons peppermint essential oil

1/4 cup peppermint leaves 

¼ cup of dried Calendula Flowers 

Optional add-ins for color:

2 teaspoons beet powder 

5 to 10 drops natural food coloring

Coconut Rose with Lavender Bath Bomb 

Makes 6 large (depending on size of molds) bath bombs

Ingredients:

5 tablespoons coconut oil

1 cup baking soda

½ cup citric acid

½ cup corn starch

½ cup Epsom salt

1 teaspoon almond oil

2 teaspoons rose essential oil

2 teaspoons lavender essential oil

1/4 cup lavender flower

¼ cup dried rose petals 

Optional add-ins for color:

2 teaspoons beet powder 

5 to 10 drops natural food coloring

Tangerine and Orange Bath Bomb Recipe 

Makes 6 large (depending on size of molds) bath bombs

Ingredients:

5 tablespoons coconut oil

1 cup baking soda

½ cup citric acid

½ cup corn starch

½ cup Epsom salt

1 teaspoon almond oil

2 teaspoons tangerine essential oil

2 teaspoons orange essential oil

1/4 cup dried orange peels 

‘Optional add-ins for color:

2 teaspoons beet powder 

5 to 10 drops natural food coloring

Materials

Clear Ornament of any size . Find them here

Tools

Small saucepan, large mixing bowl, spatula, optional, bath bomb molds, cupcake tin, or silicone ice cube trays

1. Melt the coconut oil over medium heat.
2. In a large mixing bowl combine all dry ingredients.
3. Add the coconut oil, almond oil, essential oils, dried flower petals, if using, and any optional add-ins, if using. With clean, dry hands or a spatula, mix until well combined. Tightly pack the mixture into the molds. Freezer until set, 15 to 20. To remove the bath bombs from the mold, warm the outside of the mold with your hands and pop the bomb out. Drop the bomb into the ornament and give it to a friend to enjoy.Bath bombs can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one month.
   

Ingredient IQ: 

Almond oil: Nourishes and moisturizes the skin.

Baking soda: Helps relieve skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis.

Coconut oil: Antibacterial and antifungal. Soothes irritated skin.

Corn starch: Soothes inflamed skin and can help with allergic reactions.

Epsom salt: Can aid in detoxification, relax sore muscles, and gives the body a magnesium boost.

The post DIY Holiday Gifting Spa Ornament appeared first on Sunbasket.

A Paleo Snack Pack

The Plant-Based Pack

Some Carb-Conscious Options

Kid-Friendly FTW

The post Yes, Snacking is Good For You appeared first on Sunbasket.

Zbar describes how he hit bottom at the age of 40 and put his life back together again by changing his relationship to food, exercise, work, and the people he loves. 

Relationships feed our basic need for connection, belonging, security, and sense of purpose. Healthy relationships reduce stress and improve overall happiness, which empowers healthy choices, positive habits, and life-enhancing behavior. Zbar’s three-step plan helped him find the people who help him thrive. 

1. It starts with you

The process began with Zbar looking at his relationship with himself. After years of ignoring his diet, he found himself facing a down a potentially fatal health crisis and a failing marriage. By taking the time to consider what his values were and where his passions lay, Zbar was able to strengthen his relationship with himself. And by addressing the health of his mind and soul, he built a foundation for healthy living.

2. Find your tribe 

Part of becoming your best self is building a support group around you. Zbar writes that for years he was oblivious to the world around him. “It never occurred to me that I wasn’t the center of the universe,” he writes. That sense of self-centeredness created a distance from his family and friends. Zbar’s path back to himself came with the realization that “investing in and nourishing your tribe is as important as nourishing yourself.” 

3. Connect to the people who support you

Zbar came to realize that the key to having great friends is not to have a ton of them but to have a few to really invest in. To truly thrive, he found that it’s important to cull the friends who drag you down and, in his words, “…make new friends who, like you, are positive, passionate fellow dreamers grounded by concrete goals and [have] the action plans to achieve them.”

Implementing these lessons in your own life can be daunting. After all, all relationships are complicated, and all are some mix of good and bad. But what you can start with is observation: How do I feel when I’m with this person? How do I talk to myself after I make a mistake or have a difficult day? 

Once you take inventory of the positive and negative aspects of the major relationships in your life, then you can begin to invest more time and energy into those positives ones and work on ways to remedy the negative forces in your life.

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Zbar was running a Silicon Valley tech venture, and to counter his stress-induced late-night pizza binges, he’d skip breakfast in order to limit his calorie intake. The result? A hangry, foggy state of mind that led to more stress and inevitably, more poor food choices. Though he was only 39 years old at the time, Zbar’s doctor told him if he didn’t make some changes to the way he was living, that he might not make it to 50. That moment came as a wakeup call. Zbar knew it was time to replace processed foods with nourishing, whole foods instead. 

The best decision Zbar made was to resist the temptation to go on a diet. He wasn’t looking for a temporary fix. He wanted a new set of habits he could sustain for a lifetime. Zbar set out to make small, simple changes that delivered slow, steady, lifelong results. 

1. Do You

Instead of searching for the latest diet, Zbar simply did what felt right. “Not having a life coach to help me learn how to exercise and eat right, I just did what seemed and felt right to do. Like few times before in my life, I let my inner voice guide me.” 

2. Eat What Makes You Feel Good 

The first thing Zbar did was rethink his diet. A longtime breakfast skipper, he started eating oatmeal every morning. Instead of a fast-food burger, fries, and soda, Zbar found an Indian restaurant where he could get dal and chicken tikka for lunch. For dinner, he rediscovered broccoli, a vegetable he once hated, with a piece of fresh fish. Soon Zbar noticed that he was more productive, had more energy, and felt much happier. He slept better and was more energized to exercise. 

3. Slow Down 

Zbar had a bad habit of shoveling food into his mouth without thinking. But once he changed what he was eating, he realized that he needed to change how he ate, too. To help him slow down, Zbar, who is left-handed, switched to eating with his right hand. He also came up with a strategy that he would chew each bite 20 times. While he felt ridiculous at first, Zbar writes that he “…found that it was an amazing way to slow down and actually enjoy food.” He also discovered that when he ate more slowly he got better at recognizing when he was full and was less likely to overeat. 

Of course, making healthy choices is easier said than done. The key is to start small. Slow down when you eat and focus on how your food makes you feel. Listen to what your body is telling you and make adjustments as needed. In this way, you’re using food as a form of self-care that serves you far better than counting their calorie or macro-nutrient content.

The best part of making these small changes is that they have a huge positive impact on how you feel. And when you feel great, you’re likely to make more and more healthy choices. 

Zbar found his kind of healthy, not by going on a diet or focusing too harshly on calories in versus calories out, but by making lasting changes that enhanced his entire life. 

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1. Find your fit fam 

The benefits of building a fitness community are plenty: new friends and strong relationships, plus, increased accountability and motivation. But, when you’re not part of a tight-knit CrossFit box or on an intramural soccer team, it’s not always easy. With the help of community-based fitness apps, you can find like-minded people in your area who can help you reach your goals and have fun doing it.

Try: My Crew to start a new run club or BVddy to find your new activity BFF

2. Flow your heart out

Yoga studios are great, but they’re usually pretty expensive or have schedules that don’t always match our own. And you can only repeat sun salutations by yourself so many times before you give up in favor of a 20-minute savasana. Enter: yoga apps–a perfect way to bring your practice with you, whenever and wherever you need to get your asana in motion.

Try: Asana Rebel for a fierce flow or Serenity Yin Yoga for a calm mind/body reset

3. Get outside

When was the last time you saw the sun? Were exposed to the elements? Breathed some fresh air? If you’re like most people, the answer is “not recent enough.” Lucky for you, REI has A TON of apps geared to help you get outside on the best trails, slopes, and rock walls in the country–from your neighborhood running trail to national parks.

Try: REI’s Collection of apps for hikers, bikers, trail runners, climbers, and more

4. Make the most of your gym membership

So you paid the initiation fee, bought a new pair of sneakers, and got yourself in the door. Do you just go in, pick some things up, and put them back down? Charge full speed ahead on whatever treadmill is closest to the door? A gym without a guide, trainer, or class can get boring, unmotivating, and even make you prone to injury. For anyone who’d like a little guidance, these apps have you covered.

Try: Peloton for cardio routines and Stacked for weightlifting tips

5. Synergize your health routine

Although physical activity is an essential component of healthy living, it takes more than a workout regimen to feel your best. This app pairs fitness, nutrition, and lifestyle tools to help you find your kind of healthy, holistically.

Try: 8fit for a “fitness and nutrition companion”

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