We thought it would be encouraging to check-in with our RISE Expert Faculty, Dr. Mark Hyman and glean a few of his favorite ways to strengthen and fortify your health for the journey ahead. Here are a few recommendations he prioritizes to support your immunity and energize your life…

1. A whole-foods, nutrient-dense diet.
Our immune system relies on nutrient-dense whole foods to function well. Vegetables are the foundation of a nourishing diet, and they provide so many immune-supporting nutrients like vitamin C (red bell peppers, broccoli, and spinach) and carotenoids (carrots, sweet potatoes, and kale). Aim for two servings of fruits and eight or more servings of vegetables a day! (A serving is half a cup.)

Berries, pasture-raised meats, and nuts and seeds are also nutritional powerhouses that will hold up great in the freezer, so you can stay stocked without going out.

2. Cut out sugars and refined starches.
There has never been a better time for a sugar and junk food detox....

At RISE we focus on keeping wellness simple, and when it comes to food we know it’s essential to have a few strategies that work for your taste buds and your budget.

So imagine this scenario: you open a fully stocked fridge brimming with delicious and fresh, high-quality foods that are chocked-full of the nutrients you need. And the best part is that it was super affordable and you have cash to spare.

While organic superfoods may cost more than your weekly food budget allows, you can still load up on the good stuff at an affordable price having a few tips in mind. Eating healthy doesn’t necessarily require expensive ingredients and your recipes don’t need to be overly complex.  

If you’re ready to add high-quality ingredients to your diet without breaking the bank, follow these four easy tips...

#1 Keep Your Kitchen Stocked
It makes cooking so much easier if you stock up on canned and dry goods, like tomato puree, tuna, chickpeas, kidney beans, rice,...

Looking for some solid strategies and top tips to curb your cravings? Well know you are not alone in this quest as 90% of people report experiencing food cravings for sweet, salty and fatty foods!

And unsatisfied cravings are a main reason sticking to a healthy lifestyle can get derailed. We love Chef Sally Cameron’s top 12 tips as she provides a great combination of food solutions and practical lifestyle changes you can integrate today!

12 Tips on How to Conquer Your Food Cravings

1. Drink Water

What seems like a craving could be dehydration. Check your water intake for the day and drink water before you eat food. Aim for half your body weight a day in ounces of water. And if you’ve sweated a lot, be sure to include electrolytes in your water to replenish critical minerals.

2. Move

When cravings hit, get outside for a walk and get some fresh air. If the weather is bad, do laps in your house, turn on music and dance, turn on a fitness video, do jumping jacks or pushups....

Try this incredibly tasty and hearty lentil soup full of delicious plant-based protein from Chef Sally Cameron. Choose between Instant Pot or Stovetop as your preferred cooking method and garnish with your heart’s content - yum! And for more incredible recipes check out all the goodness from Chef Sally at A Foodcentric Life. 

Click here to view the recipe. 

Do you find yourself suffering with joint and muscle pain, always being tired, have gut issues like cramping, bloating or putting on weight or carrying extra weight? Then, you might be experiencing a vicious cycle of weight gain and inflammation. We learn from Dr. Cole’s article, the relationship with inflammation and weight gain is complicated causing bacteria in our gut to have a powerful ability to increase or decrease cravings.

“We used to think that maintaining a healthy weight was a simple equation. If you needed to lose weight, you were told to simply “eat less and exercise more.” These days, however, we know that it’s way more complicated than that. In fact, there are almost endless factors affecting our ability to lose weight, including underlying health conditions, food allergies, chronic stress, and gut microbiome issues—just to name a few. And all these barriers to weight loss have one thing in common: they produce chronic inflammation...

Ingredients

• Add all ingredients into your blending container.
• Blend for 1 minute or until the mixture has a smooth consistency.
• Enjoy and serve!

Are you super clear on what you want and why you want what you want? Do you consider yourself revolutionary? When we become clear, our mind shifts and things seem to fall into place. We are not just reciting another resolution or setting an unattainable lofty goal. There is something that makes each of us unique as a S.P.A.R.K. is lit. We strategize with a wish, pinpointing our why, activating a system to cast a vision, refining our next steps by design, knowing we live and expand into a bigger calling for our lives.

We’ve just been reading some stats about New Year goals and resolutions. It’s hard to believe, but over 80% of people who make these resolutions ditch them by February. And many don’t even make it until then.

The good news is that doesn’t need to be you!

Let’s dive into 4 keys to make changes that last…  

1. Dream Big!
It’s essential to take a step back from your life and imagine what significant changes you’d...

Ingredients

For the crust

4 cups raw pecan or walnut pieces
1 cup raw agave nectar
2 Tbsp cinnamon
2 tsp sea salt

For the filling

8 cups of avocado
11/2 cup raw agave nectar
1 cup raw cacao powder
2 Tbsp cinnamon
2 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp sea salt
3 cups water

1. In a food processor process the nut crust until a dough ball forms.

2. Press the crust into the bottom of a 10-inch cheese cake pan evenly.

3. In a high-speed blender combine all the filling ingredients and blend until rich and cream.

4. Pour the filling into the pan evenly over the crust.

5. Freeze the pie for 8 hours.

6.Remove from the freezer and let thaw for 7minutes.

7. Cut into slices and serve.

A question was posed out of Yale University: How long does it take to get a dose of nature high enough to make people say they feel healthy and have a strong sense of wellbeing? Stress and anxiety are common experiences for many of us. Minimizing the chronic stress of daily life as much as possible is important for overall health.

10 WAYS TO ENGAGE WITH NATURE AND REDUCE STRESS

1. Add plants and nature pictures to your space.

Whether you’re at the office or home, adding plants and/or pictures of nature may calm your stress. In one study, people who looked at real plants or posters of plants experienced less stress waiting for medical procedures.

2. Listen to nature sounds.

Listening to the sounds of nature may reduce your stress, whether that is live or a recording. One randomized controlled trial recognized stress-reducing effects from listening to water sounds.

3. Take a walk in the park.

Yes, believe it or not, a simple walk in the local park can take your stress levels...