Weekly Meal Plan: Week of April 16th

This week was kick started with sweet sugary beans and chocolate shaped like little eggs and bunnies.  Time to get it back in gear Monday.  We have a couple one pan dishes on the agenda for this week as well as a salad, and we will be re-visiting one of our favorites, the zoodle.



Sunday- Easter (Chocolate, Sugar and Ham)

Monday- One Pan Sausage and Potato

http://www.chelseasmessyapron.com/roasted-garlic-potatoes-and-sausage/

Tuesday- Kung Pao Chicken Zoodle

http://www.skinnytaste.com/kung-pao-chicken-zoodles-for-two/ 

Wednesday-One Pan Chicken Fajitas

 http://www.cookingclassy.com/sheet-pan-chicken-fajitas/


Thursday- Apple, Blue Cheese, Pecan Salad with Chicken

http://kitchendreaming.com/apple-pecan-and-blue-cheese-salad-with-apple-vinaigrette/
We add Roasted chicken to this salad to make it more filling

The Jury's In: Drinking Apple Cider Vinegar

So 8 weeks ago, we took a challenge with a patient to drink apple cider vinegar daily to see if the benefits we had read so much about were actually true.

One of the things we had read was that it takes 60 days to see the full benefits of ACV. So we buckled down for the long haul and here we are. Was it worth it? and will we continue to drink it?

The answer is 100% yes.

Since we've started our daily drink neither of us have gotten sick. This says a lot, during what is traditionally known as "cold and flu season," and having a toddler bringing super kid germs home everyday.  We definitely believe in the immune boosting power it brings.

Both of us feel like its definitely helped with our gut health. Dr. Chris describes it as more of a "stable stomach" and for me its been more fighting acid reflux and burning stomach. I have a history of ulcers and when I started to feel stomach burning coming back on, I stopped drinking it for a few days. But after a little bit of research I learned that it might actually be the best thing for it and when I started drinking it again, along with a few other smart eating decisions, the burning stopped. And has stayed away with starting my day with ACV.

I'm not sure if anything can really curb sugar cravings completely, but we have both noticed a decrease, and honestly, any decrease I can get is a good thing! In terms of weight loss, there's nothing dramatic to report, but definitely a sense of overall feeling better.

It's also worth noting that we've been doing pretty well at sticking to our eating and workout plans while doing this. Both of those, I'm sure have played a part in all of the benefits we've experienced, but also can't say that one or the other is all to thank. Just another reminder that one thing won't fix it all. I still think that there's something about starting each day doing something that's great for your health, that sets your frame of mind, and day, up for a healthy success.

So, I encourage you to do your own research to see if apple cider vinegar is right for you, and this is a great place to start. We'd love to know what you think of apple cider vinegar and how you chose to enjoy it!

- Kristen

One week update: Apple Cider Vinegar Challenge

If you follow us on Instagram, you might have seen us post about incorporating apple cider vinegar into our health routine every day. We had a patient in the office and we got to chatting, as we do, and she asked us if we had ever tried it. It was funny she brought it up at that time because I felt like everywhere I was reading, I was learning about different benefits of drinking apple cider vinegar. It seemed like fate, so we agreed to try it and compare notes two weeks later when she was in to get adjusted.

All of the research I had done before starting was a little inconclusive. It seems that there is actually little science to back many of the claimed benefits. The benefits people say they experience range from less bloat, curbed sugar cravings, weight loss, immune system boosting, improved digestive issues, and more. It sounds too good to be true, but with 1 bottle costing $5.50 at my local Vitamin Cottage, I figured we really didn't have that much to lose. If I experienced even one of those benefits it would be worth it! Also worth noting, I had thought you could just take a shot and call it good, but thankfully my reading also advised diluting it with water (I also added a touch of honey!) to avoid burning your throat. Whew! There are fancy concoctions you can create as well, but I figured if we were actually going to do this the more simple we kept it, the better.

So, today marks one week of drinking the apple cider vinegar. How are we feeling? Actually, pretty great. BUT, I can't say that it's because of only the ACV. This week we've also happened to do really well with our eating, sticking to our plan, and really only putting good fuel in our bodies. At the same time we've also been doing great at sticking to our workout plans. So is the ACV helping? Maybe! Chris had read that it takes 60 days to really notice a difference, so I'm sure that time will tell. As much as we would like, our eating will not stay perfect every day over the next couple of months.

I do think ACV is responsible for us starting everyday with the intention of doing something great for our health. And do I think when you start the day focused on that, you are more likely to make smart, healthy decisions throughout the day. We'll post again in a couple weeks to let you know how it's going, but so far, so good!

- Kristen