Seamless Blog by Burgundy Fox — Health

We’ve all been there: do all you can to diet and overexert your body in grueling workouts to tighten up or drop a few pounds before vacation. Once you're there, you are so excited the diet is over, you go crazy!

When the day before you might be ending a juice cleanse, and the next you're overloading with pasta, margs and desserts. This brings our bodies into a state of shock, potentially leading to more bloating and diminishing all the hard work you did to prep! Thankfully, it’s totally possible to stay fit and healthy with tons of energy on vacay.

1. Stay Hydrated

Each morning aim to drink at least 12-24 oz of water. Do this before coffee (which we love, but is also a dehydrating diuretic) and before you eat breakfast. Water will aid with digestion and toxins, increasing your metabolism and reinforcing your natural electrolyte energy (hello, sodium and potassium). H2O also depresses bloating and will keep you more full throughout the day. Did you know that a common misconception for both exhaustion and hunger is dehydration? So before thinking you need another snack or espresso, down a bottle of water then see how you feel.

2. Move It and Groove It

Just because it’s finally time to relax, doesn’t mean it’s time to stop moving! Find adventures and take advantage of your healthy body while exploring! Make it a fun way to see even more of your destination: stretch out any post-plane tension with a yoga class, swim in the ocean, take a walking tour instead of a bus tour. Go for a morning run in your temporary hood and sweat it all out by dancing the night away.  

3. Appreciate the Local Food

Up your culture cool by eating like a local. Try their poke bowls, chicken pad thai, duck confit or classic margherita pizza. Eat and appreciate as locals do without the need to go overboard. Aim for greens each day, and protein with at least two meals of the day (eggs, fish, chicken, beans, tofu, etc). Notice the differences in how the food is prepared. Challenge yourself to mindfully awaken your senses to the spices, textures and flavors of cultural foods.  

4. Use Digestive Enzymes

74% of Americans suffer some sort of digestive issue, and this usually doesn’t get better while on vacations. Whether we pick up a bout of food poisoning, taking digestive enzymes with your meals are a sure way to keep things moving and help your food absorb. I highly recommend the brand Digest Gold. Take the supplement with lunch and dinner to ensure proper digestion and avoid inconvenient tummy troubles.

5. Have Gratitude

Vacation releases that feel-good dopamine and indulging while on vacation is nothing short of a double whammy. Order you want and take a silent moment to appreciate what you’re about to enjoy. Eat slowly and savor.

About the Author:

Natalie Holbrook is a wellness expert. You can follow her on Instagram at @Livinggypset.

The Vacation Proclamation

Hear Ye, Hear Ye… it is about time you took that trip and blissed out in some glorious and much deserved you time! Whether that means an adventure with the girls, your significant other, family or a solo journey, congratulations on giving yourself the time to do what life is all about: ENJOYMENT! To prep for a holiday to remember, we’ve got 3 tips to do pre-vacay to keep you feeling and looking your healthiest:

The Pre-Party

Sweat!

They say the best things in life make you sweaty, ain’t that the truth! Plus, there’s way more benefits to exercise than dropping a few lbs or tightening up. Sweating will not only detoxify and clear your organs, including your largest one, ahem, your skin, it will also help you to be more focused. It could be anything: running, weight-lifting, spin class, barre, whatever your forte. Just try to sweat once a day for one full week before your trip.

Detox Pre-Retox!

One of the best things about vacation is the food and drinks you’ll delightfully and guiltlessly indulge. To enjoy and still feel fantastic with absolutely no regrets, make sure your body is a clean slate prior to the trip. I recommend Dandelion Root Oil. The root of flower has been used in Korea, Mexico to detoxify the liver, improve digestion, strengthen your immune system and maintain blood sugar levels.I recommend adding 2-3 drops to full to a liter of water.

Also try out Lemon Oil. I suggest lemon oil vs. the actual lemon, because it is highly concentrated, and the pressed oil includes the peel, which includes more potent benefits. This will help your body eliminate toxins, add brightness to your complexion and even lift your mood. How do you think Queen Bey looks so fierce and called her album Lemonade? Add 1-3 drops into a liter of water for one week.

Hydrate!  

You remember that your body is made of 65% water, right? But what does that actually mean and why do we need to drink so much of it? Water builds your cells, metabolizes your food, regulates your internal body temperature, insulates your brain, spinal cord and organs and lubricates joints. If we get to just a 1% dehydration level, our mental and physical coordination becomes off balance. It’s important to stay as hydrated as possible before we gear up for a big event, and drinking water can be easy. You can follow her on Instagram at @Livinggypset.

Get a one-liter water bottle (I slurp my daily liters up with a bottle that has a built in straw like this) and aim for three liters per day. Add in fruits and veggies that are water based: greens like spinach, arugula and celery, and benefit glowing skin and improved joints with watermelons and cucumbers.  

*Bonus tip: Avoid alcohol for a few weeks leading up to your trip to remove bloat, have a clearer mind, increased productivity and all around healthier, happier you!

About the Author:

Natalie Holbrook is a health and wellness contributor for Burgundy Fox. She has a background in nutrition and on her way to becoming a health coach. She is a trained reiki healing practitioner and is undergoing her 200 hour yoga teacher training where she resides in San Francisco, California. Her lifelong passion has been to help others thrive by finding their authentic selves through practiced intuition and healthy living. Look out for her wellness retreats coming at the end of 2017! You can follow her on Instagram at @Livinggypset.

Summer breeze, makes me feel fine…we’ve rounded up five of our favorite dairy and gluten-free recipes to keep your body and mind lookin’ and feelin’ just as fine.

Coconut Water Berry Popsicles

Rehydrate, feed your skin, and chill – serves 6  

• Grab some popsicle molds (we love these BPA-free kind!) and fill with your favorite coconut water, blueberries, raspberries and chopped strawberries.
• Check the nutrition label for a coconut water that does not have added sugar
• Freeze overnight and impress your guests with this berry festive treat  

Recipe courtesy of Back to the Book Nutrition

Watermelon Vodka Cooler

Detox while ya Retox – serves 6

• 1 large watermelon
• ½ cup preferred vodka
• ¼ Triple Sec
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• ½ cup water
• 6-8 ice cubes
• 6 mint leaves for garnish

Blend sliced watermelon pieces with ice and ½ cup of water, option to strain blended smoothie to a juice into a large pitcher. Stir in vodka, Triple Sec and lime juice. Serve chilled and garnish with fresh mint.

Recipe courtesy of Epicurious

Grilled Veggie Quinoa Salad

Get your red, white and green on – serves 4

• 5 ounces arugula
• 2 med. red peppers, seeded and quartered
• 2 portobello mushroom caps
• 2 lemons, halved
• 5 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup cooked quinoa
• Black pepper
• Sea Salt
• 4 oz. Pecorino cheese – optional

Heat grill to medium high. Brush red peppers, portobello mushroom caps, and lemons with 2 Tbsp. olive oil and sprinkle with ½ of salt. Grill mushrooms 15 minutes or until tender, turn once. Grill lemons, 8 minutes. Grill peppers 6 minutes or until softened, turn once.

Mix arugula, cheese, quinoa, the rest of the olive oil and 1/4 tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper. Thinly slice peppers and chop mushrooms; add to arugula along with juice from lemons. Toss vigorously with pride!

Photo courtesy of Cookie + Kate

Sweet Potato and Plantain Chips + Pineapple Guac

How Sweet it is to Dip You in Guac – Serves 2-3

• 2 avocados, cut in half, pits removed
• ½ pineapple, diced
• 1 skinny yam or sweet potato, sliced thin into chips
• 1 plantain, ends removed, peeled and sliced into ¼ inch pieces, smashed with the bottom of a mug (use a ripe one-brownish color)

• ½ jalapeno, finely diced

• ¼ red onion, finely diced

• 2-3 tablespoon cilantro, diced

• 2 garlic cloves, finely diced

• 1 teaspoon granulated garlic

• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• 1-2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted

• Aluminum foil

Heat grill to low-medium. Place sliced sweet potatoes on aluminum foil and brush coconut oil on each sweet potato and sprinkle with salt. Place on grill to let cook and flip them after about 8-10 minutes, keep a close watch to ensure you don’t burn the chips!

Heat up a large skillet under medium heat and coat the coconut oil at the bottom on the pan. Once oil is very hot, add plantains and let cook for 3-5 minutes per side. Once they are cooked brown on both sides place on a paper towel and soak oil.

Mash avocados then add pineapple, jalapeño, red onion, garlic, cilantro, spices, and salt and pepper.

Credit: PaleOMG

Berry Fruit Tarts

Because it isn’t a holiday without dessert – Makes 3

• ¼ cup dates
• ¼ cup raisins
• ¼ cup dried figs

• 1-2 bananas
• 2 tablespoon chia seeds – optional

• ¾ cup chopped strawberries
• 1 cup blueberries
• ¾ cup chopped kiwis
• Any of your favorite toppings!

For the crust – Mix dates, raisins, figs in blender or food processor and pulse until everything is in small pieces that stick together – let it get to a crust-like consistency and watch that it doesn’t get too sticky. Press into three lined tart tins and refrigerate.

For the filling – Mush the bananas with a fork and add the chia seeds.

For the topping – Take the crusts gently out of the tins. Spread the banana chia mix into the crusts and top off with blueberries, strawberries, kiwis and any other toppings.

Credit: This Rawsome Vegan Life

About the Author

Natalie Holbrook is a health and wellness contributor for Burgundy Fox. She has a background in nutrition and on her way to becoming a health coach. She is a trained reiki healing practitioner and is undergoing her 200 hour yoga teacher training where she resides in San Francisco, California. Her lifelong passion has been to help others thrive by finding their authentic selves through practiced intuition and healthy living. Look out for her wellness retreats coming at the end of 2017!