The Friday 5 – When Guacamole Changes Your Life

1. Smoke

The smoke has been clouding our week, literally. It is so heartbreaking to think of our neighbors and animal friends who have lost their homes and are dealing with such a scary and difficult time, not to mention the firefighters who are battling the raging fires for everyone’s safety. I’ve heard that many of the fires were started by human causes, so I hope that in the future, everyone can be mindful and be careful about how we interact with nature! If you are currently staying indoors and want to learn more about how to further improve the quality of air in your immediate environment, take a look at our recent blog post for some simple tips!

2. 21-Day Pilates Challenge

One upside to being stuck indoors while the smoke clears out is that we now have no excuse not to start working out again! Prior to COVID-19 and the quarantine, I was hitting the gym at least three times each week to get back in shape. With all gyms closing and Alight opening, exercise had taken the backseat, but not anymore! I’ve happened across a Pilates instructional video on Youtube that includes a free 21-day challenge to strengthen the core.

I can’t say I recommend it as we’re only on Day 4 and because it is crucial to check with your chiropractor before attempting certain exercises in case it aggravates any existing conditions – but I personally do feel my core being engaged. If you are interested in Pilates or other types of exercise, please check with Dr. David beforehand to make sure it is safe for your current condition! He also may have some other helpful exercises for you to try.

3. The Best Authentic Guacamole Recipe!!!

So, my life has been CHANGED! I kid you not, starting this week I’ve become a changed woman, all thanks to a single, amazing guacamole recipe! That’s right – good, authentic guacamole can and will change one’s life. It is chock full of fresh, vibrant ingredients, but it’s also an easy and delicious snack that is great with blue corn chips, Mexican-inspired meals, and even as a quick food gift. The most difficult part of this recipe is waiting for the avocados to ripen so I can hurry up and make the guac! It’s honestly a struggle to find a healthy snack that does good for my body AND satisfies that savory snack craving, so this recipe is a gift.

Without further ado, here is the Life-Changing, Authentic Guacamole Recipe!

Ingredients:

-3 RIPE avocados

-juice of 1 lime

-2 ripe Roma tomatoes, diced into 1/2″ pieces

-1/2 small red onion, diced into 1/4″ pieces

-1 small jalapeño, deseeded and diced (adjust to taste)

-3tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

-2 cloves garlic, minced

-1tsp salt

-freshly cracked pepper, to taste

Directions:

1.) Cut avocados open and remove pits. Use a spoon to scoop the flesh into a medium size mixing bowl. Mash avocados with a fork until your desired consistency.

2.) Add lime juice and stir until incorporated.

3.) Add all other ingredients and stir until incorporated.

4.) Serve right away and/or refrigerate in air-tight container.

Recipe adapted from here.

4. Sleep, Sleep, Sleep

I know I’m not alone in feeling tired after the eventful Labor Day weekend. With the festivities and the smoke in the air, I found myself needing to recuperate so I’ve been sleeping an hour or more earlier than I usually do! I’ll be honest – I haven’t really noticed a huge difference in my energy levels, BUT I think that’s actually a key sign that I’m recovering! When I feel off or sick, that’s all I can think about – how awful I feel, but when I’m healthy and functioning normally, I don’t pay attention to or notice how my body feels at all. I just go about my day! I’m working toward helping my body to eventually feel AMAZING every day, but right now, I’ll take the quiet normalcy without pain or fatigue!

5. Wellness Podcasts

With my recent exhaustion, I’ve been inspired to take my wellness education into my own hands! Dr. David is my primary source of knowledge and wisdom on these matters as he actively studies and keeps up, but I’ve also been gaining interest in learning about various areas of health and wellness myself. Along with reading books, I’ve also taken to listening to podcasts whenever I can and they have been great for being introduced to new and interesting topics in the wellness world! Here are some of the episodes I recently listened to:

-“362: A Cardiologist Takes on Common Health Myths with Dr. Jack Wolfson” on the Wellness Mama podcast

-“369: Lessons from Gaining & Losing 75 Pounds of Fat with Fit2Fat2Fit Drew Manning” on the Wellness Mama podcast

-“Nick Polizzi | Exhausted No More” on the You Can Heal Your Life podcast

-“#22: My Journey with Chronic Fatigue” on the High Vibe & Healthy Podcast

-“#34: 8 Daily Action Steps for a Healthy Gut” also on the High Vibe & Healthy Podcast

If you’re interested in learning more about health and wellness, feel free to check out the rest of our blog or contact us at Alight Chiropractic to meet our Gonstead chiropractor!

That’s all for now, have a wonderful weekend!

xoxo – Joyce