Here's a radical thought. I always look at sickness as your body telling you to slow down. Well, Maybe the whole darn World needs to pause and come together in a way we have not been able to. So a virus was presented. Now it's what we do with it.

The following are intention setting daily practices and also some on-the-fly oh-my-goodness I need to calm down strategies:

LOL!: Laughter, it is indeed one of the most potent and best medicines. Frowning takes more muscles than smiling, which translates to energy being slowly sucked from our soul, and for what? Wrinkles? However, laughter has been proven to relax muscles by increasing circulation in your body. Throw on an episode of I Love Lucy, she is my go-to, or download a fave comedian podcast to get the chuckles flowing.

Walk Outside: As a fitness teacher, I, too, use exercise as a way to get the serotonin high. Heartwarming feel-good chemicals are floating around in our body, but sometimes we can't quite get to them. Lately, I have found that walking outside to be extremely therapeutic. It's almost trance-like when I get my pace and each step more relaxing than the next. Physically speaking breathing fresh air stimulates your cells, cleanses your lungs, and helps your immune system stay well. Mindfully speaking, it is relaxing to be in nature, revel in the beauty and magnificence of creation, and get into gratitude.

Get Present/Grounding Mantra: I learned this "where are your feet" mantra when I first got sober almost thirteen years ago, and to this day, I still use it. You can do it anywhere you can put your feet on the ground, even in shoes. Feet flat on the floor (barefoot even better). Take deep breaths inhaling through the nose and out through the mouth. Feel your feet on the ground and repeat in your mind as you breathe "I am here, where am I, where are my feet, I am here, where are my feet, they are on the floor." As you say, the words notice sensations, feel connected, focus on grounding each toe to heel.

Unplug: For the love of peace-of-mind, disconnect yourself from the TV, internet, news, social media, and all of the electronic thingy-ma-bob-its. I cannot speak for you, but for me, this is a stress trigger. It is THE gateway to the opposite of calm. You may not even realize what your mind is processing when you are not even paying attention to background chatter. The subconscious brain is smarty pants and can latch on to just about anything disruptive and take over your happy place. Detach from the pods, phones, and pads to give your soul a fighting chance to reboot, ahhhhh, relax, and welcome the calm back in.

Visualize the Calm: Conscious creation is a technique where you can be purposeful about what we see in our minds, including our moods by visualization. Write in a journal every day about how you want each day to begin. See every moment and how you will feel, visualize the joy. Visualize how effortlessly your body will respond to each situation. Create a vision for your home filled with healing energy, being able to move each limb freely with a feeling of strength. Visualize your family and friends healthy and happy.

Just like viruses, energy is contagious. Positive energy, aka good vibes, is just what this bright, beautiful world needs now to spread love and light.

Take care of yourself, friends; we are all in this together.

xo Jessi

Seasons Greetings Food Athletes!

Another decade has come and almost gone. Whew, did it go by fast or slow for you? Well, good news, here is an opportunity for another ten years to get healthy. It's never too late to start, but what lots of us struggle with is time. Not enough, what to do with it, how to spend it, time is always ticking. Don't panic. What keeps my food juices flowing is the ever ebbing and flowing of seasons, flavors, and the unique needs of my Food Athletes. We must find joy in what nourishes us — the purpose of food so-to-speak. Whether you are cooking for one or a family team meal prep is usually an obstacle stumbled across eventually. Even me, the girl who makes a living out of wellness has a mental block now and again. Coming up with recipes with simple ingredients, that's a snap to prepare, and packed with health benefits doesn't always come to me in a pinch or a dash, haha, so I can imagine what it's like for you, the regular foodie. This recipe is perfect for a holiday party; meal for family night, or have it a few days leftovers. You can add any protein to it because it's so light and won't leave you feeling stuffed. It's festive in color, seasonally appropriate, so you will find the squash waiting for you at the market (ask your fave produce person to cut it in half for you and most will be happy to do so.) Pomegranates are ruby red, shiny, and gorgeous to display before eating. The sweet and slightly sour pom mixed with toasted pumpkin seeds pops with the pesto squash, and each bite will be a holiday celebration in your mouth!

Pesto Spaghetti Squash

(total transparency, I don't measure much when cooking, only baking. So I'm giving you my best guestimate. Believe in yourself, rely on tastebuds, and alter recipes to suit your flavor palate.)

1/2 Spaghetti Squash

Large Handful Basil

Large Handful Pine Nuts

A Few Twirls around the Processor of Olive Oil

A squeeze of Half a Fresh Lemon

Salt & Pepper to taste

However Many You Want of Pomegranate Seeds

Ditto for the Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

COOKING:

1/2 Spaghetti Squash cut lengthwise- you can scoop out the seeds prior, but make sure not to over scoop flesh cause this is the spaghetti too. You can leave them in and roast and pick out the top seeds and some of the gooey part.

Drizzle with Olive Oil and fresh cracked Pepper. Roast about 1 hr in a 375 oven.

Start face down and put some foil over to protect skin from burning. Flip over 1/2 way and keep the foil on so the squash kind of steams itself.

Test with a fork, and it can be toothsome, aka al dente', it's up to you. Mushy spaghetti squash or even the real deal pasta is yuck, so be cautious not to overcook.

the squash skin makes a cute serving bowl too.

In a food processor, blend 1/2 cup basil & 1/2 cup pine nuts with olive oil & 1/2 of freshly squeezed lemon juice. If you want it greener, add more basil, less fat don't use as much oil, want more acid add lemon — pinch of salt and fresh ground pepper to taste as you like.