There are 3 healthy habits everyone should take with them on vacation; even winter vacation!! 

1. Share all your meals! You want to taste everything and eat very little. This is so easy to do on vacation; goodbye bottomless pasta bowls, hello two bites of pasta, a few other items and done.

2. Slow down. American food culture tells us to order the largest portion possible, eat as fast as possible, and get on to the next thing. However, other cultures regard the meal as an opportunity to nourish the body, get a break from the bustle, and connect socially. Meals are often slow and extended, with many small portions. No one leaves stuffed, or feeling heavy or lethargic; in fact, it is often the break they needed to get through the day! So eat slowly, and enjoy the opportunity to nourish your body and connect with loved ones!

3. Throw food away. This is a tough one for many, including me sometimes! However, eating all the food in front of you when you are already past full does not...

Ask The Nutritionist is the newest addition to this page! Outside of my weekly show Wine About It (Facebook live on Thursdays at 5:30pmCST @Basically It Meals), I love answering your questions! Post them in the comments here or on Instagam I will answer them in this weekly post!

The first question is from Sherry; “why is it important to add flax seeds to your diet?”

Flax seeds may seem like one of those foods that you don’t want to buy because you don’t know how you will ever include it in your diet. BUT as far as health benefits go, it is one of my favorite seeds and I try to include flax every day. Flax seeds contain #omega3 fatty acids which are great for brain health as well as skin and nails. Studies have also shown them to reduce the risk of stroke and cancer. I always used to have nails that broke and peeled, but when I started adding flax to my diet, they changed to the most sturdy nails that would literally be as long as my arm if I didn’t cut...

An episode of Wine About It, my weekly Facebook live show @Basically It Meals Thursdays at 5:30, had me on my soapbox!

When it comes to living your life, you are way better off listening to your body than counting points, calories or macros.

Listening can be a challenge when most of us have been tuned out to what is happening in there since we hit puberty. It all starts with slowing down.

As a nutritionist, I know the power that supplements can have on your health. They can truly change your health when used properly! (which is also why we take a whole month to cover this in No-Diet Diet Club, which is launching in January!)

One of my all-time favorite supplements is this Krill oil from 1MD Health .

Not only is it high quality and full of the fats our brain loves, but it is full of one of my antiaging secret weapons, astaxanthin.

Astaxanthin is a super antioxidant that works at all levels to prevent aging! Clinical studies have shown it to:

• Increase skin moisture
• Increase moisture retention
• Increase skin elasticity
• Promote skin smoothness
• Decrease fine lines and wrinkles

It is really incredible. Click here to see the one I buy and like.

If this is the type of stuff you love to incorporate in your life, you must get on our waiting list for the launch of No-Diet Diet Club! The Club helps you put the secrets of a nutritionist to work in...

We don’t even realize how important what we put in our bodies is….

I am rarely so black and white about nutrition. For a lot of foods and lifestyle habits, there is a gray area; a lot of subjectivity.

But I also love it when things are super simple when they are really clear.

Ann Wigmore makes it really clear here; food is either medicine or poison. That’s it. No ifs, ands or buts. There is medicine, and there is poison.

Now, it’s ok to eat “poison” now and again. This isn’t the cyanide type poison that is going to kill you instantly, as you well know if you’ve had a Cheeto or a bowl of ice cream.

You don’t have to actively think before taking a bite of cheeseburger “my God, I’m about to eat poison!”, that would stunt your life, but you should have awareness around the food you eat. Acknowledge that a daily fast food run isn’t your medicine.

The message here is to really focus on our diets consisting...

I cannot say it enough....

Eating seasonally is a fantastic way to optimize your health!!

I won't write a lengthy post here because it is all in the video, but your body KNOWS what season it is. It knows that the foods growing around you contain the nutrients it needs now. 

Look for the seasonal foods in your produce section, try some new recipes and if you are St Louis local check out our fall menu here!

Unfortunately, those wrinkles you saw pop up last week, those aren't going anywhere.

Your body is aging...

All. The. Time.

That is science.

BUT it is preventable. We can slow it down, even reverse it, with a few small tweaks.

In this video I break down my 4 BEST TIPS to rewind and reverse aging, so you can look your best for a long long time.

This is actually one of my Facebook Live Wine About It that I do each week. I am there every Thursday at 5:30pm bringing you a nutrition tip that will give you fast results. Join me, won't you?! See you next Thursday!

A few sprinkles of cinnamon went into this almond milk latte and it was delish!!

It was also, secretly nutrish since cinnamon is anti-aging and great for weight loss, too!!

Are you asking yourself how this is even possible? I mean, I drink pumpkin spice lattes with a sprinkle of cinnamon all the time and I'm not squeezing into no bikini right now...

Well, yeah, no on the pumpkin spice front. BUT cinnamon itself does actually lower blood sugar, therefore reducing the weight gaining and aging affect of sugar. Ingesting it regularly (on top of a n unsweetened black coffee, for instance) is majorly beneficial.

Adding cinnamon to your coffee gives it a HUGE nutritional boost!

Cinnamon is...
High in antioxidants (hello, age reversal )
Reduces insulin which means easier weight loss
Full of phytonutrients to boost your health

You can add it to other things, too! How about that baked sweet potato, or your green smoothie?

Follow me on Instagram for more amazing tips

How often do you slow down and take a moment for silence?

If you're like most, chances are you don't.

When I suggest this, most people think it's stupid, a waste of time. They tell me they don't have time for it.

But taking this quiet time can have major benefits...way more benefits than you'll ever get from another 5 minutes of Netflix.

Meditation, as some call it, works on all systems of the body at the cellular level. This isn't just about getting peace and quiet so you don't yell at your kids, this is about altering your body chemistry.

Simply taking five minutes to be still can:

‍decrease inflammation
‍slow the aging process
‍reduce risk of heart attack
‍improve memory

I don't know where else you can get that many benefits out of five minutes...

I would love to know how include this in your day! Comment here and tell me:)