Ahhh, the age old question – do I really need a Vitamix to “juice?”  Well, it’s a great idea to have one, there’s no doubt…but you can make some super awesome smoothies just the same (and with pulp, which has its own nutritious benefits – especially for kids!)  I get asked all the time about juicing recipes and “how to start” with juicing and smoothies.

The “Juice 101″ Five Rules:
1) Start slow and build up.  If you’re not used to wheatgrass & kale, don’t be throwing down a “super green machine” as your first juice.  Both your digestive system and your tastebuds need to start slowly – just like an exercise program. Think the juicier, the easier to start – celery, cucumbers to begin.  Then begin adding carrots, leafy greens.  Kale, collards and nightshades like beets should be your last additions.

2) Sweeten it up! Offset certain combos with a natural “sweetener” – most often pineapple, apple or banana.  It will not only cut the acids, it will help make those greens a little more palatable.

3) Think of juicing like “beauty for your insides.” Different facial creams for different maladies, right? Wrinkle cream, antioxidant cream, etc…same thing with juices.  Some will detoxify your body (like celery for post-athletic endeavors to detox lactic acid); others will alkalize (like alfalfa, parsley, wheatgrass).  So mix it up, depending on your flavor of the day!

4) Make it fun for kids (okay, and you too).  Try new things – especially with smoothies, since just about anything can be blended together.  What fruits are out there in season that you’ve never tried?  Google their vitamin benefits, and make sure to teach the kids along the way what they’re drinking.  My kids love to learn about their food – and yours will too!

5) A juice a day keeps the doctor away – no, really.  I get asked about flu shots, and no, I don’t take them.  It’s a personal decision, but my goal this year is to “superfood” my immunity to offset any environmental toxins.  The end result is hopefully an immune system that can not only ward off colds, but also train itself to create internal “supercells” to ward off bigger infections or strains.  While again, I’m not chastising folks for getting a flu shot – I’m just going off the shot grid this year.  I’ll let you know how it goes!  However, I will say that a daily glass of fresh citrus juices and greens will help that immune system!

Here are some great recipes to get you started:

JUICING (if you have a juicer, such as a Vitamix):

The Supergreen Machine: Parsley, spinach, kale, celery, cucumber, lemon, apple, wheatgrass

The Purple Flu-Eater: Beet, broccoli, kale, parsley, celery, grapes, apple

Superglow: Lemon, spinach, parsley, kale, carrot, celery

Detox Punch: Celery, carrot, ginger, cucumber, tomato, wheatgrass

Veggie Starbucks: Carrot, lemon, ginger, orange, wheatgrass - take juice and blend with 1 banana (bananas don’t juice well!)

SMOOTHIE VERSION:
Add the above to a blender to make a “smoothie” version – also add ice cubes (milk if it’s your preference, or almond milk); 1 teaspoon of Spirulina; and for green drinks above, also add 1/2 cup of pineapple.

Now get to juicing/smoothie-time…no excuses! Power pack your Fall!

It seemed poetic this week, as my blog topic, to write about something that stands for women. I start coaching my daughters in running this week, and I’m watching them grow up so fast. If I could encapsulate 35 years of experience into a letter for them, this is what I would say.

Dear Maizie and Willa,

You baffle me daily, at six and eight. The light that shines in your eyes, the exuberance of youth. The enthusiasm that adults forget to have – freedom to bang on drums with abandon one minute; to the quiet reflection of losing a pet for the first time, crying and burying it with solitude after only knowing it for six months.

It’s that gravity and honesty that drives me to write this letter. In 35 years, I’ve learned a lot – made a lot of mistakes; driven down the “wrong” paths (or just ones that weren’t right for me) on behalf of others; and also unearthed a person that I hope you are proud to know as your mom.

I stand before you, even as elementary schoolers, and see larger than life personalities (I should know, both of you fought to stay in the womb longer – past your due date!) Soon, you will learn to compete with your peers – a lot. Please don’t forget that they are your friends – and if someone is better in math, or science, or reading, or soccer – celebrate that triumph; whether they celebrate your triumphs in return doesn’t matter…you lifted someone else up. Don’t compare.

Words like beauty, fitness, skinny, fat, pretty and ugly will enter your vocabulary. Make sure that when you use them, they aren’t in judgement of others, especially yourselves. Your mother spent 15 years trying to live up to a girl who never looked back at her in the mirror – one who was always 10 pounds thinner; fit into the jeans on the cover of Vogue; and had the face of a movie star. She was never meant to exist, just like an alternate you is not meant to exist. Please look at that mirror, every time, and say at least one thing about yourself that you love – and then say two more. Then take that love and self-confidence, and tell another girl. Otherwise, smash the mirror.

You will learn over the years, the term “mean girls.” You might even be tempted to become one. Please don’t, fight the urge. Because no matter how popular, or “cool,” or elevated they may seem, they are hiding their own deep, dark secrets from the world that masks their pain. When they make fun of you or others, it isn’t to be cool – it’s to take the attention away from that hurt place inside themselves. Be the person that supports their growth to heal.

Significant others – you don’t need a white knight, or a knight in shining armor. You can be a princess, but make sure that you can use your OWN bow & arrow against evil; just don’t trip over your cape. Maybe you’ll save a few “misters/mistresses in distress” along the way. One day, you’ll be surprised – there’s that one person who stands by the sidelines while your star shines in megawatts, and he or she claps the loudest. The one who takes your calls and texts; understands that not every woman wears makeup every second of the day; would live in poverty or riches to do the dishes next to you; and loves your family. That’s the partner I hope either of you marry.

Over time, you will be benchmarked by your peers. High school superlatives, college acceptance letters, finding the perfect person to marry, or landing the best job of anyone in your graduating class. Again, you’re not competing in life. The only benchmark that matters to your mom is how swollen your heart becomes by life.

Do you feel compassion for others? Are you compelled to act to make this world better? Do you go to sleep at night knowing, with gratification, that you are a better person than when your alarm went off at 6am that morning?
If so, you have made your mother very, very proud. At six and eight, you already define why I’m on this earth – to help support my dreamers, my star-gazers, the ones who want to save the world.

I love you so much,

Mom

Okay, so I’m no Jane Greenthumb – everyone who knows me, knows that I’m a die-hard vegan who buys her fruits and vegetables. That’s right – as in purchase from a farmer’s market or grocery store. Dating back to college, I have always somewhat “dared” plants to stay alive under my tutelage – and it hasn’t been for lack of trying!

I’ve also given in to the “excuse train” by blaming my backyard – a small, postage-stamp-sized plot in our neo-traditional neighborhood. Since the family spends time in the parks and outdoors, we’ve rarely focused on the backyard (as evidenced in the picture!)

This month, I had no choice (or better way to put it – no excuse!) Being a Food Revolution ambassador for my home state, we have monthly challenges to help spread the word about real food & whole food.

This month? Start an herb garden! My daughters and I started small enough, buying the seed packets and seed starters – thinking that I’d create a windowsill garden for cooking & juicing herbs.

The sprouts – starting the seeds

After being inspired by the seed outing, as well as sprouting our little buds – I kickstarted our raised bed project in the backyard. I’ve always dreamed of having this “bounty from the backyard” – to give to friends; use in cooking and juicing; teaching my kids how things are grown; and even to give to shelters or those who need it. We put down landscape fabric to help clean out the grass (I say grass, it was more like weedtown, ha!) Next step, this week we’ll get the mulch.  Slow & steady, in this case – hopefully, brings the worms!

I’m finding that it’s much less overwhelming – and less daunting – to take it in stages. While our little “sproutlets” take root on our front porch in the next ten days, we can get our mulch & raised beds in for their happy growing.

The start of our gardening – putting down landscaping fabric before laying mulch and a path. Next, the raised bed!

Despite my husband’s and my travel schedule with work; busy family fall activities gearing up; and all the rest of “life” that crops up to give myself more excuses – I’m sticking to this one. The reward is too great to find other things to do – and I’ve got to “walk the walk” before I “talk the talk” of real food to others.

So to all those plants that didn’t make it over the years – here’s to you motivating me to do it right this time, and hopefully to inspire a few other little herb gardens on the block. My kids’ smiles were priceless, not to mention how their eyes lit up to pick out different seed types – “What, I can grow a pumpkin? Mommy, what are chives?”

I always thought the Food Revolution ambassadorship was a chance to teach those in my community about whole foods and the real food movement. I’m quickly finding out that it’s also an amazing way to connect with my kids on a level that will benefit them for their lifetimes in good eating (and growing!)

I’ll keep posting this month on the “Clark garden” – it’ll help keep me honest. If you want to find out more about creating your OWN herb garden or backyard garden (remember, start small – have an achievable goal, which is why a windowsill herb garden is a great place to start), visit Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution movement here: www.FoodRevolutionDay.com.

Happy growing!

Reverse Your Age by Adding the Weights

Have you practiced yoga with additional hand or ankle weights? If not, it might be time to “shake up” your yoga routine. Yoga purists aside (egads, we’re changing “yoga!”) – it’s an evolution to help balance, core strength, alignment…and also to add resistance to certain “kinked” muscle groups during balance poses.

What’s another benefit? Anti-aging! Not only does it “rev” your metabolism, SELF magazine also attests that it reverses the clock – in bone density, energy, vitality and appearance.

Want to try it and you’re local? Come see me this Sunday at the Baxter YMCA in Fort Mill, South Carolina.

Yoga with Weights Demo – Sunday September 9th

Not local but still want to check it out? Watch this video from SELF for some great guided asanas to get you started!

Yoga with Weights from SELF.com

Hair.  For women, it can be a sensitive topic (and from what I found when I changed from blonde to red, men as well!)  When we cut it, curl it, style it differently – or in my case, change the color completely – it challenges the norms & values we associate with women.  Why does this happen?  I’ve got my own ideas – of course, the opinions I state here are my own (albeit a little sassy).

I dyed my hair red about eight weeks ago now.  Red has a long history in my family – my trailblazing grandmother had it, as well as my uncle and his family (sons & daughter).  My grandmother was somewhat of a renegade to me – one of the first female Marines, she is honored at the Women’s World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C.  She also raised three kids on her own in a time when single parenthood wasn’t exactly the cat’s meow – until she met her match in my grandfather, a tall Idaho norwegian.

My whole life, red signified independence & individuality thanks to her – a waving of some feminine flag of “my age, my status, my name doesn’t matter.” In some way, I knew I’d always go red at some point, just to try it.  Identified as a blonde for 35 years, it was time for a change.

The day I dyed it was so immensely freeing – it was a fun experience, and I’ve uncovered a different side of myself (hey, everyone has layers, right? Life’s about identifying which layers to you build again versus the ones you peel off and discard).  The funny thing was the variety of reactions – everything from, “You’re a blonde. You’ve always been a blonde” to “wow, that’s…a change for sure.”  Some positive, none overtly negative but with a twinge of “good Lordy!” in the back of their voice.

To me, it’s a great study in what we associate hair with in society.  Yes, I’ve been a blonde for 35 years, but it has been from a hair stylist for a good 15 of those years.  Is that any different?  My personality is no different, and I hate to break it to those who think that blondes might have more fun (while I did kick up my heels for several years)- redheads, brunettes and black-haired ladies can rank.

So enough about me – what is the greater picture here? I learned a lot about my own sense of self (something I thought was strong to begin with, but it was a good test). Is it important to hear, “you look beautiful?”  From some (ie, family) – absolutely.  From those you know – while it’s gracious to compliment (and just a nice thing to do), we should be careful not to hang on those words.  For when we rely on those compliments, we lose a little bit of that strength.  For women, our strength is our banner for other generations – our daughters, other girls we might influence.

In October, the United Nations celebrates the independence of women during the “Day of the Girl” celebration.  I choose to fly that banner by helping with a Proclamation (red hair and all), and you can too. It’s part of the #SuperFitWomen pledge that I’ll be talking more about this fall in my blogging.

For more information, VISIT: http://dayofthegirl.org/2012/08/11-reasons-to-pursue-a-day-of-the-girl-proclamation/.

Here’s to raising your banner, ladies!

Good reminder as we open new doors!

I’ve re-read that quote several times in the last few weeks.  GRATITUDE.  Wow, that’s something to remember, isn’t it?  During times of change, it’s hard to proverbially hold your breath, close your eyes, and “jump off the cliff.”  Something I’ve found that works AMAZINGLY well is just what Karen says above – giving gratitude and acknowledgement to the things/people you DO have in your life as changes happen.

I’m so excited to continue my journey in life as a student at Duke University’s Center for Integrative Medicine.  Over the next several months, I’ll be updating you on the “pigtail coed” as she completes coursework towards a certification as an Integrative Health Coach.

What’s an Integrative Health Coach, you might ask?  GREAT QUESTION!  Integrative Health Coaches help individuals, groups, corporations, sports teams, clubs, etc – visualize, realize and go after their optimal health goals.  It is founded in a proven model of the “Eight Wheels of Health” by Duke University – and clinically-proven to garner results in many, many facets of life.  From weight loss, to fitness, to stress reduction or addiction control, to personal and professional development or nutrition – the Integrative Health Coach layers over traditional medicine, working with allied health professionals either in private or corporate settings to put the “patient” (and in our case, “client”) in the driver’s seat.

What does that mean for me?  Well, as an athlete;  yoga instructor; a “working road warrior” with the NASCAR and ARCA motorsports circuits; and a busy vegan mom and wife, I have a lot of passions.  None of which is more prevalent than wanting to HELP people, inspire them, and to get them to realize their dreams (in any arena…training, nutrition, fitness, job, new beginnings, etc).  So while I will keep working in PR, I’ll also specialize in sports performance, nutrition, exercise, movement and rest for those in athletic endeavors, teams, clubs, or heavy travel professions.  I’ve lived that life and know the obstacles, and I’ve conquered the mountain!

Does that mean that I will ONLY coach athletes?  No, of course not!  I love to help people, it’s that simple.  There is nothing prouder than a moment where I’ve listened, or helped inspire someone to make a step they’ve always wanted to make, HAPPEN in their lives.  So if you need me, call Girl Friday.

After all, it’s not just Girl Friday PR anymore – good ol’ “Pigtails” is also Girl Friday Health!

Stay tuned for the updated website…and the T-shirts.

For more information about Integrative Health and the changing face of healthcare, visit www.DukeIntegrativeMedicine.org.

Peace, happiness, pigtails and pigeon pose – Demi

Duke Integrative Medicine is a portal to the vast spectrum of scientific advances at Duke Medicine, and an open door to your innate healing power. Our focus is on you, the individual, and how cutting edge medical research and the powerful impact of your knowledge, your choices, and your spirit can transform your health and healing.

Learn more

The Upper Palmetto YMCA was first established in February of 1913. The headquarters were located in the offices of J.P. Hollis (above the Rock Hill Hardware Store). After several moves and efforts to raise funds for the building, the Charlotte Avenue YMCA opened its doors on December 22, 1950. Today, the Upper Palmetto YMCA includes nine branches and Camp Cherokee, a summer resident camp, serving York, Chester, and Lancaster counties.

Official Site

Frank James Kimmel is an American stock car driver/owner. He drives the #44 Ansell Gloves/Menards Toyota in the ARCA RE/MAX Series. Kimmel has won the ARCA championship nine times, including eight consecutive. Official Site

The ARCA Racing Series powered by Menards is an American stock car series, the premier division of the ARCA. It is considered a minor, but professional, league of stock car racing, perhaps two steps down from the top-level NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and one step down from that series’ minor league, the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Though some events occur the same weekend as NASCARevents, the Series is in no way affiliated with NASCAR.

ARCA Series News | ARCA Team News | ARCA Events

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