Grass Fed Beef Heaven

So have we covered all the basics? Eat only food our earliest ancestors had access to; check. Walk around a lot; check. Sprint sometimes; check. Lift heavy things; check. Spend most of your time outdoors; check. Sleep long nights; check. Fabulous. Knowledge is power, people, and with a stronger understanding of why and how we can better ourselves we are more likely to do it. Who has cleaned up their diet? Who has taken a stroll outdoors? Who has made a commitment to 8 hours? I bet all of you have taken at least one step towards betterment. And It's okay if you haven't taken the plunge into all of them yet. Baby steps. We gotta crawl before we can walk.

Zzzzzsleep... Fennel & Cabbage Slaw

**YAWN** Sleep. Who doesn't love it? Remember when we were kids and we could sleep for hourssss?!? Or when we were in college and took naps like they were going out of style? So why is it that now, as adults, we are so deprived of sleep? We typically spend less than 7 hours sleeping at night, when we really should be getting 8 hours or more. Why? Well, where should I start? "Muscle repair, memory consolidation and release of hormones regulating growth and appetite" are the major phases the body goes through during sleep. But that's just the tip of the iceberg, my friends. It can help improve your mood and reduce stress, which is something more people in this world need.

Outdoors If You Do & Sauteed Mushrooms with Onions and Garlic

August is the time of year that reminds me of why I love the great outdoors so much. The temperatures are starting to give way in the morning and evening while remaining bright, sunny, and warm in the middle of the day. Fall crops are really taking hold and coming to the peak of their season. School is just a few weeks away and fall sports are starting, if not well into, their pre-seasons. So, fellow healthy-living enthusiast, stand up from your desks and couches, back away from your keyboards and remotes, turn off that AC and STEP OUTSIDE!

London Broil with Seared Swiss Chard

Perfect topic for tonight seeing as I just got off the phone with my brother and one of our discussions was about lifting. Being female, I apparently am not allowed to carry heavy boxes, move large shelving units, or slug bags of stone into customers vehicles. Well let me tell ya something, sweetheart, I lift weights as a hobby. Why? For starters, I enjoy the fact that I'm not helpless. If something is in my way, chances are, I can move it. If someone faints in front of me and they need to be picked up, I can move them. If I have children I will be able to pick them up and carry them whether they skin their knee or are being chased by a monster. And, on a final note, my physique is rather enviable (oops, is that a bit forward ;).

Roasted Beets, Kohlrabi, and Collards in Garlic and Oil

Next topic, sprint sometimes. The theory behind this is that back in the day our ancestors walked around a lot (gather) and sprinted to catch their food, or run from it (hunt). Now I am going to take a completely different approach to this topic, seeing as we aren't running for (or from) our dinner. But we do need to sprint sometimes. To the bank before it closes, to the kid's soccer game after a long day at work, to get that proposal in before the deadline. However I want to stress the "sprint sometimes", ironically because stress plays a huge factor.