Change your food, change your life
Lindsay Melvin

Easy Butternut Squash Soup (gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free)

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Here’s a few things that might surprise Northerners about living in Texas in November.

We have trees that change color, we have to rake leaves and it gets cold.

Ok, it’s not like New York cold, but when it’s 98 degrees for most of the year, 60 feels downright frigid!

It’s all relative, right?

Anyway, even if the Weather Channel disagrees, I feel like winter is coming!

Which means I’ve got a cauldron-sized pot of soup going nonstop.

At the moment, my favorite is this Easy Butternut Squash Soup.

It’s so rich and full of flavor, sort of a healthy Thanksgiving sneak preview.

It’s also the perfect detox soup for after you’re done with holiday indulging.

I like to fill up my insulated Yeti knock-off-tumbler and sip it throughout the day.

It's the perfect lunch.. because 60 degrees is waaay too cold for a green smoothie!

Easy Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients
2 Tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 medium or large onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
Optional: 1 teaspoon of fresh ginger, grated
1 cup celery, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
4-6 cups of fresh butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed(buy it pre-cubed for shorter prep time)
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of ground sage
1 teaspoon of ground thyme
5 cups of vegetable or chicken bone broth

Directions
1. Heat oil in large pot and cook onions until they are translucent.

2. Add garlic, ginger (if using), celery, carrots and butternut squash. Stir until vegetables soften.

3. Season with salt, sage and thyme.

4. Add broth and bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn down heat and put lid on pot. Let simmer for 20 minutes. 

5. Use immersion blender to make the soup silky. If you do not have an immersion blender, carefully ladle the hot soup into a regular blender. You may have to do this in two batches. Return to pot and salt and pepper to taste.



Lindsay Melvin

Is coconut oil bad for you?

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You may have heard the American Heart Association’s report on how coconut oil is not healthy and never has been.

Mind you, this is the same organization that labeled Cocoa Puffs heart healthy.

The AHA also demonized fats in the 1970’s, including avocados and flaxseed, helping to push more processed food loaded with sugar and refined carbs into the American diet.

In a recent USA Today article, it claims that coconut oil, which is high in saturated fat, is dangerous to cardiovascular health.

Maybe because the AHA receives millions of dollars from large pharmaceutical companiesit has decided to ignore the overwhelming research from the last ten years showing there is no link between saturated fat and heart disease.

The AHA argues coconut oil raises LDL cholesterol, the “bad cholesterol” and should not be consumed.

But diagnosing someone with a high LDL level is only looking at part of the story.

LDL is actually broken down into two parts, large particles, which are good for you and small particles that are linked to health problems. 

So your overall number doesn’t necessarily predict your heart health.

In fact, inflammation from sugar and refined carbs plays a much bigger role in deteriorating heart health than saturated fat.

Coconut oil actually reduces inflammation, improves digestion and brain function. 

I almost fell off my chair when the author of the AHA research recommended using vegetable oil instead!

So now highly-processed, industrial vegetable oil like corn and soybean oil are healthy but unrefined coconut oil that was eaten by our ancestors is not?

For an organization built to protect people from heart disease, it spends a lot of time promoting foods that do the opposite.

In short, this was headline grabbing research that is out-dated and won’t help anyone get healthier.

Do your health a favor, continue to enjoy the benefits of saturated fat from organic butter, egg yolks and coconut oil.

Lindsay Melvin

How to get the best sleep ever

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Quick, tell me what makes you look younger, have less sugar cravings, more energy and makes you happier?

Answer: a good night's sleep.

When you consistently give yourself enough sleep your brain and body heal in extraordinary ways.

Ever notice after a late night your skin has more wrinkles?

It’s because lack of sleep saps the moisture from your skin, making those fine lines more noticeable, while getting more sleep creates more collagen that plumps up the skin.

Getting your beauty sleep is no joke!

Multiple studies have also shown the connection between sleep and weight gain.  

Which makes sense since when you’re tired you crave more calories… usually the junk food kind.

People who don’t get enough sleep are also more likely to suffer from anxiety and depression, while those who get more sleep are calmer, happier humans.

But getting more sleep isn’t easy for most of us.

Maybe you battle insomnia, wake up and can’t get back to bed or are getting up to use the bathroom.

Whatever it is, you can follow these tips to start getting the best sleep ever.

How to get the Best Sleep Ever:
Reset your internal clock
Aim to go to bed when the sun goes down (between 7-10 pm) and get up when the sun comes up (5-8 am). You should get roughly eight hours of sleep a night.

Screen time
Limit screen time one hour before bed. Start dimming the lights in your home to simulate natural light.

Magnesium 
Stress can deplete your magnesium, which helps your muscles relax and is essential to getting a good night sleep. Try eating more magnesium rich foods like dark leafy greens, nuts, seeds and wild caught fish. Before bed you can also try taking between 200-400 milligrams of magnesium. If you are prone to digestive issues, stick with a lower dose.

Essential Oils
At bedtime, place 2-3 drops of wild orange and/or lavender essential oil into an electric diffuser. You can also rub a few drops on the bottom of your feet and cover with socks. Another oil blend I like is PastTense. The smell is a bit stronger, so it’s not for everyone. I roll it behind my ears and the back of my neck. I’ll reapply it if I wake in the middle of the night and it puts me right back to sleep.

Coffee and alcohol
If you drink coffee, limit it to the morning. Even drinking in the afternoon can keep you awake at night.
If you're waking up to use the bathroom, resist drinking any liquids an hour before bed. Instead, hydrate earlier in the day.
Even if you’re not going to the bathroom at night, liquids before bed can make your stomach feel full and it difficult to sleep.
You might feel a glass of wine or a quick drink relaxes you but alcohol does not make for a good night sleep. It might make you tired but it actually reduces the quality of your sleep. Skip it and get a great night's sleep instead.

Lindsay Melvin

Action plan to clear up acne: It’s not a skin issue, it’s a gut issue

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Sometimes I feel like my entire 20's were spent in a dermatologist's office.

I used to bounce from one to another searching for the magic cure for my rosacea and adult acne.

It never happened.

Instead, I got creams that dried out my skin, tons of pills (which destroyed my good gut bacteria) and a self-esteem beating.

Why my skin was a mess was a mystery to me.

It wasn’t until training to be a health coach that I learned skin health is really about gut health.

Knowing which foods made my skin happy and which ones made me erupt like a teenager changed my life.

Anyone who's dealt with skin issues knows how out-of-control it can feel. 

But taking back my skin has been totally empowering.

Start following the acne action plan now and take back your skin!

Acne Action Plan
Foods to avoid:

Dairy
Cow’s milk is an inflammatory food filled with hormones. Those toxins get dumped out through your skin. Try cutting dairy out for 2 weeks and see if it makes a difference.

Wheat/Gluten
Wheat and foods containing gluten are inflammatory for the gut. Try cutting these out for 2 weeks.

Foods to eat:

Bone Broth
I can’t say enough amazing things about the benefits of this amazing ancient food. Collagen-rich broth helps with skin elasticity and to look more hydrated. But more important for acne, it helps repair the lining of your gut, often damaged in people with IBS, Crohn’s Disease and other digestive issues.

Probiotics
Introduce good bacteria back into your system with probiotic supplements or naturally probiotic foods like fermented sauerkraut, kimchi and organic miso paste.

Topical:

Essential oils
Melaleuca or tea tree oil is nature’s zit cream. Use this antibacterial as a spot treatment or mix a drop or two in with your night time moisturizer.
Frankincense oil is an anti-inflammatory and amazing for keeping your skin looking healthy and youthful.
I mix one or two drops of Frankincense in with my moisturizer at night. I add a drop or two of the melaleuca only when I have breakouts. Keep all oils away from your eyes, nostrils and mouth to avoid stinging.
Both can be purchased through doTerra or Young Living.


Lindsay Melvin

Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chili (gluten free, dairy free)

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I would never have guessed when I moved here more than a year ago, that living in Texas wouldn't be that different from living in New York.

What I wasn’t prepared for was the insane football culture that has consumed my 6-year-old.

As I write, Graham is gleefully being crushed into the crunchy winter grass of my lawn by a Texas-sized boy yelling, “Touch down!”

This love for football is totally foreign to me.

But when your kid is into something this much, you go with it.

It's also a great excuse to eat chili and cornbread in front of the TV!


I don’t like football but I do love this Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chili. 

It's super tasty and perfect for Super Bowl Sunday...even if you're not really watching!

Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chili

Ingredients
:
1 Tablespoon of olive oil
1 medium onion chopped
3 garlic cloves minced
3 medium sweet potatoes cubed bite size (3-4 cups)
½ chopped red bell pepper
1 ½ 16 oz. cans of black beans, rinsed
1 ½ 16 oz. cans chopped tomatoes
1 Tablespoon ground smoked paprika
2 teaspoons ground cumin
½ teaspoon salt
3 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth
1 cup of water
Optional for serving:
Cilantro chopped
Cheddar cheese shredded
Corn bread

Directions:
1.     In a large pot heat oil on medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic and stir until onions are translucent.
2.     Add the potatoes and peppers and stir for 3 minutes.
3.     Add the tomatoes, beans, paprika and cumin and stir well.
4.     Pour in the broth and water and let it all come to a boil.
5.     Cover and place on low heat, letting it simmer for 20 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are tender.
6.     Serve with shredded cheese, chopped cilantro or cornbread on the side.

Refrigerate or freeze leftovers in airtight container