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Eat this, sleep better – the best bedtime snacks revealed!

Do you have trouble sleeping after eating a rich dinner, sugary dessert or big snack? Me, too! So what can you eat close to bedtime without messing up your shut eye?

According to @mindbodygreen foods rich in magnesium are the answer for when the late night hunger pains hit. Here are some of your best bets, listed in order:

Bananas
Dark Chocolate
Nuts & seeds
Chickpeas (Hummus) with nut & seed based crackers

To make sure I get plenty of magnesium, I take a supplement every night before hitting the hay. Like anything else, you’ll want to ask your doctor before you add that to your routine. In the meantime, try a light snack from the list above and let me know how it goes!

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3 drinks that can improve brain health and none of them are water!

Did you know a well hydrated brain can help you sleep better, sharpen your mind and improve concentration? Wow! If that doesn’t make you want to reach for your water bottle! But what if you’re not a fan of water? Good news, you have some other options which might work just as well.

Neuroscientist @kwilleumier shared with @mindbodygreen her top 3 hydration helpers that aren’t water.

Near the top: Green juice, the kind without all the sugar, meaning little to no fruit. Willeumier explains why this works well for our minds:

“Green juice is also packed with chlorophyll, the pigment that gives plants their green color, which helps detoxify and oxygenate the blood and lowers inflammation.”

She notes green juice isn’t a substitute for eating vegetables, but it’s great when it comes to staying hydrated.

Coconut water, is another one she recommends. My husband, Scooter, thinks it’s amazing and loves this one from @vitacoco Willeumier didn’t endorse a brand, but here’s why she likes this option:

“Think of coconut water as nature’s original sports drink. The beverage, found naturally inside the coconut fruit, contains electrolytes without the synthetic sugar, artificial colors, and other additives found in commercial sports drinks.”

The easiest, most affordable and abundant choice is also my favorite: tea. Here’s why Willeumier digs it, too:

“Tea also has amazing benefits for your brain. Drink green, black, and oolong tea, and you may be able to thwart cognitive decline by as much as 50%, according to recent research. Other studies have shown that green tea can lower anxiety, boost memory, hone attention, and improve overall brain function and connectivity.”

I love tea in general and was thrilled to learn it’s also good for my brain. Lately I’ve been drinking a lot of bamboo tea from @ykb_bambootea now I’ll be reaching for more!

How about you?

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Pumpkin seeds may be the Fall treat full of great tricks

Pumpkin seeds are more just another healthy snack, they may also be the key to calming nerves this holiday season.

Ever feel like your anxiety is running a little high? One way to help balance things out is through food, focusing on superstar stress fighters. A standout, is seasonal favorite pumpkin seeds. Clinical psychologist and nutritionist @drnicolebeurkens explains to @mindbodygreen why there’s no trick to this treat:

“We’ve got zinc, we’ve got magnesium, we’ve got good amounts of iron….They’re a real powerhouse in terms of brain function”

Beurkens says foods with omega 3’s, like pumpkin seeds, help keep us level headed during the hectic holidays.

Whether you roast them from your freshly carved pumpkin or buy them already made, you can easily sneak these little guys into your diet: add to smoothes, on top of salads, in your soup, granola or just eat straight out of the bag.

DM me and let me know how you like to eat them!

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Think yourself younger! Yes, it’s a thing!

Wouldn’t it be great to feel a little younger? Add an extra spring to your step, sharpen your mind a bit? Well, there’s some new evidence out there suggesting we may be able to actual think ourselves younger!

We’ve known for a long time what we say to ourselves can affect our our psyche, even if we’re kidding, but having the ability to become more youthful through our thoughts? That’s ground shifting!

I’m not talking about a Benjamin Buttons transformation like super cute Brad Pitt underwent in that movie, however, shaving off a couple years might be possible. But how? It’s way more simple than I had imagined, according to researchers the answer: just start thinking you’re younger! @mindbodygreen explains:

“According to a study measuring 68 healthy adults between 59 and 84 years old, those who “felt younger” actually had the structural characteristics of a younger brain—they were more likely to score higher on a memory test, and they had more gray matter in their brain, which is associated with better cognitive function.”

“ …if you truly convince yourself that you’re younger, your body may actually start to play along.”

Now, I’m not suggesting we all hop on a skateboard, but studies show a morning mantra can help. Longevity expert @SergeyYoung200 (yes, his last name is YOUNG, so fitting) shares his:

“I’m going to live for 200 years in a 25-year-old body and mind,” he says. “This is what I repeat every morning.”

I’m inspired, how about you? I’m giving Young’s mantra a try, let me know yours!

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Outstanding In The Field is also outstanding on Paramount Studios backlot

Have you ever had a meal on the streets of New York City? Or any street for that matter? Last night was a close as I’ve ever come to either! Thanks to an incredible group called @out_inthefield and a little Hollywood magic on the backlot of @paramounttelevisionstudios kid #1 and I had the dinner of a lifetime!

Outstanding in the field has been traveling the world for over two decades creating incredibly unique dining experiences in the most beautiful spots on earth. The founder @jimdenevan travels the country in their vintage bus brining these destination dining events to life.


Since every event is custom to the city they’re in, each dining experience is different. But what remains the same is their farm to table dedication and their BYOP which stands for “Bring Your Own Plate”. It’s a nice homey touch and all pretty neat to see all the different plates representing all the different attendees. Bonus: they wash your plate for you before you leave.

From truly cool ice cubes to insanely good food, I can’t say enough about this magical night! It was thrilling to share with our oldest daughter…she’s camera shy, so enjoy this rare pic of us, it was like capturing a unicorn, love you, girl!

Fun fact: back in the day, my news station was on the Paramount lot. I worked on Stage 21 as a reporter for years. It’s also where the old Lucy Show was shot. It was fun to be back at my old stomping grounds, especially with kid #1 who also worked on the lot for Dr. Phil right out of college.

As you might imagine, it takes a village to pull something like this off. Special thanks to all of these amazing chefs and sponsors for creating a once in a lifetime event:
@out_inthefield @paramounttelevisionstudios @jimdenevan @theafrogypsy @lafoodbowl @guyfrenkel @ceorbread @djwes @angryegretdinette @guerrillatacos @BurtBakman

@Slab @Shikulosangeles @Baroolosangeles @ValerieConfctns @chefbrianbornemann @Crudo_e_Nudo @Jitlada_la @justinwine @landmarkwine @citynationalbank @lafoodbank

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Skip the rides and go for the churros at Disney Parks

Are you team churro? Or does the hype surrounding them leave you scratching your head? Personally, I’ve never really cared for churros, I’ve always thought of them as burnt donut sticks, but the last two days has changed me forever!

I don’t know if I just didn’t give them a chance or if it’s Disneyland’s perfect placement of churro carts all over their parks that finally twisted my arm!

Today we ate 6 churros, yes, 6! Now, we’re not talking Costco quality donut sticks, no offense, Costco, these are a whole new level of taste sensation! Here they are, in no particular order:


The Maleficent Churro – rolled in chocolate cookie crumbles and green colored sugar. I highly recommend getting the optional marshmallow creme dipping sauce, I mean, you’ve come this far, right?
Find it near Sleeping Beauty’s castle.

Senor Buzz Caliente churro – rolled in crushed cinnamon red hots, this is both hot and sweet. Pick it up on the Pixar Pier.

Chocolate & Matcha Churro – rolled in chocolate cookie crumbs then covered in matcha cream cheese buttercream, strawberry sauce and gummy worms. Served at Willie’s Churro cart near Soarin’ Around the World.

Bride Churro – Dusted in vanilla powder, you can find this ghostly beauty near the Haunted Mansion.

Sweet Spiral Ration – this looks more like a fluorescent cinnamon roll than churro, but it’s insanely good! It’s described as pineapple flavored, but everyone in my family agreed it has zero pineapple taste, so don’t let that stop you from grabbing this one, it was actually my favorite! Found near Guardians of the Galaxy.

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Horchata churro – rolled in Horchata powder and served with a side of sweetened condensed milk dipping sauce. Near Goofy’s Sky School.

A special shout out to our guide and friend Philander Bulter for another incredible trip! If you’re not following him, you need to be! His knowledge and passion for all things Disney is unmatched. We’ve been blessed to have Philander for the past few years, can’t say enough about him! Disney is lucky to have him on board and we’re blessed they share him with us.

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From cereal topped lattes to QuesaBirria tacos, here’s a list of must try foods at Disneyland & California Adventure

Forget the rides and go for the food! If you’re like me, the snack experience at a Disney park is just as important as the entertainment. Today we discovered 2 new items that have skyrocketed to the top of our favorites list at Disneyland.  We also have an old favorite on here you may not be familiar with that we’re still digging after all these years.

 

Cold Brew Black Caf – Whether you’re a fan of Star Wars or not, Disney’s new coffee creation is worth the trek to that section of the park! Head to Docking Bay 7 and order this super fun coffee drink. It’s a fantastic cold brew topped with a sweet cream cheese foam and Cocoa Puffs cereal. It’s like a iced latte and your favorite childhood breakfast cereal had a baby and dipped her in cream cheese frosting! Words cannot describe this one!

Loco Moco Bao – this little nugget of goodness just might be the best kept secret in the park! It’s hard to explain how good it is and honestly, the menu description might cause you to pass, but trust me ORDER THIS! On the outside it’s a traditional soft bao bun, while on the inside a combo of spiced ham, egg and ground beef come together in a way that’s hard to describe. It’s served with a side of mushroom gravy that you must dip it in! You can find it in Disneyland at The Tropical Hideaway tucked between the Jungle Cruise ride and Enchanted Tiki Room.

Spicy Mac ‘n’ Cheese Cone – without question, my kids all-time favorite Disney food item. Mac ’n’ cheese is piled into an edible bread cone and topped off with what I describe as spicy Cheetos dust. You can only find this guy at California Adventure in the Cars Land section.

Saving the best for last! You’re eyes aren’t deceiving you, I’m dipping a taco like it’s French dip! They’re called QuesaBirria tacos, basically like a taquito, quesadilla and taco all morphed together! They’re filled with stewed meat and cheese and served with consomé for dipping. Here’s the crazy part, the consomé is the juice created by the meat as it cooked for hours upon hours. These guys are not to be missed, in fact, hey are so incredibly popular you can only place 2 orders at a time, essentially 2 plates of 2 tacos each, for a total of 4. The reason for the limit, they’re in such high demand, the kitchen was overwhelmed trying to keep up, causing the line for these tacos to be a long as a ride! Mobile ordering is a must here, as the wait for counter ordering continues to be daunting. If you’re with a large group, plan on placing several different orders. Find these at Cocina Cucamonga Mexican Grill in California Adventure’s Pacific Wharf area.

What do you prefer, the rides or the treats? Let me know!

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THE perfect bedtime, yes, there is one!

A sweet spot for sweet dreams? Sleep experts believe they have cracked the code on the perfect time to turn in for the best sleep! @ellenvoramd recently explained to @mindbodygreen THE optimal time for shut eye is around 3 hours after sunset:

“If we push past that point, we get what’s called ‘overtired,'” she says, adding that this causes the body to catch a second wind. “Your body says, ‘There must be some good reason we’re staying awake past the point of being tired,’ so we release our stress hormone cortisol.”

“Cortisol causes us to feel wired and tired at the same time and makes it hard to both fall asleep and stay asleep, she says.”

With the days becoming shorter as we head into the fall, it means our bedtime needs to come sooner than it does during the dog days of summer, where late sun means later bedtimes. It makes sense, as we’ve long known our circadian rhythm is based on the sun rising and setting.

Since it’s not always possible to nail this magic time slot, Vora notes, no matter when you hit the hay, aim for at least 7 hours of sleep a night.

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Guilt Free Game Day Brownies

Guilt free game day treat: Macadamia Nut Brownies! What better way to celebrate National Macadamia Nut Day AND college football than with this treat? The best part: they’re paleo (meaning: no gluten, dairy or refined sugar) with a healthy hidden ingredient your family won’t pick up on ?Special shout out to @alisafairbanks for the inspiration. She has a great paleo website that’s worth a look: paleoinpdx.com

Paleo Macadamia Nut Brownies

Wet Ingredients:
15 oz can sweet potato puree
1/3 cup maple syrup
3 eggs
3 Tbsp coconut oil (or MCT oil)
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
3 Tbsp unsweetened nut milk, I used @milkadamia Mac Nut Milk

Dry Ingredients:
1/2 cup cacao powder
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/4 cup blanched almond flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Extras:
1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350F and line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the coconut flour, almond flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and sea salt. In a separate large bowl, mix together sweet potatoes, maple syrup, eggs, coconut oil, vanilla, nut milk and apple cider vinegar. Whisk the dry ingredients into the wet, then fold in the macadamia nuts and chocolate chips.                                                                                                                                                        3. Pour batter into prepared baking pan. Bake 30-40 minutes.

Fun fact: I graduated from California State University, Northridge, which no longer has a football team, so I toss my support to other colleges I have a tie to. Today, it’s William and Mary, saluting my 6th great-grandfather’s connection to the school. Go Tribe Football!

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Boost your brain with this simple trick!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Boost your brain health today with this simple trick: Practice writing with your non-dominate hand. For me, that means flipping the pen to the left. Even by doing small things with your opposite hand, you can help create new connections in your brain. @kwilleumier explains the benefits to @mindbodygreen -“when you start writing with your nondominant hand, you will start drinking with your nondominant hand, you’ll start brushing your teeth with your nondominant hand,”…”New learning is about stepping outside of your comfort zone. We like to call it stretching your neurons.” Keep in mind, you’re just writing for fun, for an activity, this shouldn’t be stressful. I love writing in my lettering book from @handlettereddesign it’s also very therapeutic, no matter which hand I’m using. ✍️@tombowusa

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Book Review Time: The 30-Day Alzheimer’s Solution

I’m a huge fan of nutrition books, whether I end up agreeing/liking the advice o not, I just love knowing what’s out there. The latest one I’ve picked up is The 30-Day Alzheimer’s Solution by @sherzaimd It’s part guide, part cookbook, with the goal being suggested in the title: better brain health. All the recipes are vegan, which is a tough sell for me, but I do love the idea of having more easy plant based recipes on my shelf and they have some good ones. The desserts don’t contain any regular table sugar, which is a home-run on its own and I’m anxious to try making the Fermented Cashew Cheese With Herbs. They have some great advice, like eating homemade meals and more greens, but overall, it’s too carb heavy for me. Bottom line: I’m a fan of the book as a vegan cookbook, which by default makes it dairy free – a big plus, but will be altering and substituting in their recipes which call for wheat or soy.

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Currently Watching: HGTV’s Bargain Block – binge this now!

Currently watching: Bargain Block – I seriously dig this @HGTV series! If you’re looking for a quick 30 minute feel good show, this is it! Hosts @keithbynum_ and @emuralit pick up dilapidated homes in Detroit, sometimes for as little as 1,000 bucks and transform them into affordable housing masterpieces. Each home on @bargainblock is given a theme like Calm Minds, Dark Moods, Safari and Schoolhouse which sets the tone for the restoration. The design duo does all the work themselves, usually for around 35k, their creativity on a budget is amazing!

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