January is all about new beginnings. We start the New Year off with the best intentions. Many of us make New Year’s resolutions that we are “absolutely going to adhere to this year”, but by the end of January, we have already fallen back into same old patterns. Studies have shown that only 8% of people actually keep their New Year’s resolutions. Weight loss has been recognized as one of the most popular New Year’s resolutions, along with staying fit and being healthy. A study done by CBS Philadelphia spells out the warning signs that your health goals are at risk using the acronym CLIFF:

Call, text or email me for more information:         kristin@cookingwithkristin.com                         925.786.0657

Sources: CBS Philly. ​http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2016/02/09/new-study-reveals-how-long-new-years-resolutions-usually-last/

I am not sure if you have heard about this new docuseries coming out on October 18, 2017, but I think many of you will be interested in it. It is hosted by Dr. Mark Hyman and he has asked that we, as healthcare practitioners, spread the word. The following is what Dr. Hyman wants to share:

"When I was at the start of my career, I woke up one day and suddenly went from being a healthy young physician to a dysfunctional, broken version of myself that I didn't recognize.

It was like depression, ADHD, and dementia all at once. While every doctor I met had good intentions, blaming it on stress or depression, I knew there was something real going on, something physical that they were missing. I felt that my body was affecting my brain, and that forced me into a deep journey to heal my broken brain.

My new documentary series Broken Brain is about my personal story, and my decades-long passion to create brain health and turn the tide for the BILLIONS of others facing this epidemic firsthand.

Today, I am grateful to share my very special “red carpet” screening of this documentary event with you, as my gift. Click here to join the guest list (and please share this with those you care about).

Here are the facts:

• 1 in 10 Americans are on antidepressants.
• Psychiatric disorders affect 26% of our adult population. (That’s 1 in 4 of us.)
• Over 40 million people have anxiety.
• Over 20 million more have depression.
• Alzheimer’s Disease will affect 30% (and some experts say 50%) of ALL people over 85 years old (which is the fastest growing segment of our population).
• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a label we now give 8.7% of children between the ages of 8 and 15.
• And the list (and impact) goes on and on.

After facing my own crisis with brain health, I went on a lifelong mission, culminating in the creation of Broken Brain.

Inside of this epidemic, we are losing our future - and our past. We are losing our stories. Our hopes.  And our loved ones.

And, if this wasn’t enough, the problem is getting worse.

Our toxic environment, nutrient depleted diets, and unrelenting stress affects our sensitive brains more than we can even imagine … EVERY day.
​
P.S. My #1 goal for this documentary is to raise awareness and spread the word far and wide about Broken Brain. To do that... I need your help. Would you please share this link to support the people you love? Just copy and paste this link and spread the word! Use your time to take better care of yourself and those you love. Start by marking on your calendar to watch Episode One of the Broken Brain docuseries starting on October 18, at 6 pm ET. Each live-changing episode will run for 24 hours and you won't want to miss any of it."

My friend, Carrie Vitt, posts a lot of wonderful recipes on her website Deliciously Organic. Since many of you have been asking for breakfast recipes, I thought I would share this one with you. ​You can serve this oatmeal cold, but it tastes really yummy heated with toppings like toasted pecans and chia seeds.

​Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes
Total time: 15 minutes

​Preparation:

1. Place the bananas in a medium-size bowl and mash with the back of a fork.
2. Stir in the oats, coconut milk, yogurt, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla.
3. Cover and leave on the countertop overnight. In the morning, pour the mixture into a medium saucepan and heat on low until warm.
4. Serve with toppings of your choice: sliced banana, chia seeds, toasted pecans, ground flaxseed, or unsweetened coconut flakes.

​Adapted from: Carrie Vitt, Deliciously Organic

I often talk about the dangers of sugar and how we should remove sugar from our diet. I am currently reading an interesting book called The Candida Cure by Ann Boroch and she lists fifty-nine reasons why sugar ruins your health.  Most of us know that sugar is not good for us. It increases fasting levels of glucose and insulin and it contributes to obesity and diabetes. After reading the thirty reasons that are mentioned below,  you will want to get this inflammatory substance out of your diet forever.

1. Sugar can suppress the immune system.
2. Sugar upsets the minerals in your body.
3. Sugar may cause hyperacidity, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, and crankiness in children.
4. Sugar produces a significant rise in triglycerides.
5. Sugar reduces high-density lipoproteins (HDL) – your “good cholesterol”.
6. Sugar can promote an elevation of low-density lipoproteins (LDL) – “bad cholesterol”.
7. Sugar can increase total cholesterol.
8. Sugar leads to chromium deficiency.
9. Sugar interferes with absorption of calcium and magnesium.
10.  Sugar causes signs of premature aging.
11. High intake of sugar increases the risk of Crohn’s Disease and ulcerative colitis.
12. Sugar can lead to arthritis.
13. Sugar can contribute to asthma.
14. Sugar can cause Candida albicans (yeast infection).
15. Sugar can lead to heart disease.
16. Sugar can cause appendicitis.
17. Sugar can lead to multiple sclerosis.
18. Sugar can cause hemorrhoids.
19. Sugar can contribute to varicose veins.
20. Sugar can contribute to osteoporosis.
21. Sugar can decrease growth hormones.
22. Sugar can lead to cancer of the breast, ovaries, intestines, prostate, or rectum.
23. Sugar can increase systolic blood pressure.
24. Sugar can cause migraines.
25. Sugar can interfere with the absorption of protein.
26. Sugar can contribute to eczema.
27. Sugar can impair the structure of DNA.
28. Sugar can cause free radicals in the bloodstream.
29. Sugar can lead to cataracts.
30. Sugar lowers the enzymes’ ability to function.

Boroch, A. (2009). The Candida Cure: Yeast, Fungus, & Your Health. Los Angeles: Quintessential Healing Publishing. 

Check out my fun upcoming events in the Bay Area. 

August 26th – 2-3pm  Free event
Back to School with Essential Oils
San Ramon, CA
           
Are your children anxious about going back to school? Do they have a hard time focusing on their studies? Are you trying to boost their immunity to keep them healthy throughout the school year? If you answered YES to any of these questions, then this essential oil workshop is for YOU! We will talk about oils that help with anxiety, focus, and immunity. This is a great workshop for moms, dads and teachers.
 
Although this is a free workshop, you must register to attend. Email me at kristin.osowski@gmail.com. Feel free to bring a guest. Once you are registered, the location of the event will be provided.

​September 12-October 3       $150 for all 4 weeks
Tuesday evenings   6:30-7:30pm
4 Weeks to Better Health
San Ramon, CA
The objective of this 4-week workshop is to replace the Standard American Diet of refined foods and beverages with whole foods. This is not a diet. You will not be asked to count calories or grams of fat. This is a lifestyle change, so the changes you make will stay with you and help you throughout your lifetime. Sounds fantastic, right? So what are you waiting for? This is the perfect time to make the change to a healthier and happier you! Location will be provided upon enrollment.