What's New & Good at IIN This Fall?

There are some exciting new developments in Institute for Integrative Nutrition's health coach training program. I just attended a teleseminar to learn all about them and am so happy to share them with you. It's awesome to see a great program like this one get even awesomer!



You can watch me talk about the new and good at IIN on YouTube or read about it below.

New live web class format.
Starting with the October 2014 class, some of the classes taught will be live so you can see the faces of your classmates and teachers and interact in real time!

IIN Learning Center launched in June 2014 and streamlined access to course materials.
All the video and audio lectures, lecture notes, discussion boards, and reference library are accessible via the new IIN Learning Center. You can hop on the learning center via your desktop, laptop, or any type of mobile device with an internet connection.

Best part: All of the content will be synced so if you start watching a video lecture on your iPhone (or Android) while you were on line in the supermarket you can pick up where you left off on your laptop during your lunch break at work the next day.

Awesome Plastic Free Water Filter: Kishu Charcoal Review

I just got Kishu charcoal, the only completely plastic free water filter. It is fantastic!

Kishu is a sustainably harvested oak tree branch that has been transformed into activated charcoal by Japanese artisans using a centuries old method. Activated charcoal is what is inside of plastic water filter cartridges and makes them work. Kishu stick is like a naked Brita!

Simply drop Kishu into a pitcher of water. Immediately toxins like chlorine begin to bond with the activated charcoal stick, leaving your drinking water better tasting and healthier. (If you have serious water contamination concerns, you should probably test your water after using Kishu to make sure it's a safe option.)

Vegan & Vegetarian Food in Cape May

I just spent three days in Cape May, NJ with my husband and his family. I almost didn't go because generally touristy seaside towns and healthy vegetarian food do not coexist. Usually the only food on the beach is of the deep fried and seafood variety. Also, #realtalk, I simply hate the beach. However, determined to both spend some quality time with my new family and not starve, I scouted out these vegan-friendly restaurants.

Empanada Mama's Cantina

This was my favorite place. We went here twice. The food was fresh and cheap ($5 for 3 tiny, tasty empanadas, $4 for a colorful red cabbage salad). It also had the most adorable kitschy decorations. There were vegan, vegetarian, and meaty empanadas making it a pleasing lunch for eaters of all stripes. I overheard that they make gluten-free empanadas too. Everything is super casual and served in take-away containers but you can eat inside or outside the restaurant

600 Park Blvd, West Cape May, NJ 08204 // (609) 972-3977 // Website // Empanada Mama on Yelp

Bliss Homemade Organic Ice Cream
Bliss makes all of their ice cream in their tiny oasis-like shop located in a touristy outdoor mall. I enjoyed their blueberry lavender coconut-based vegan ice cream. It was creamy and just sweet enough. While I was there, several smiling people left holding green smoothies.
326 Carpenter's Ln, Cape May, NJ 08204 //(609) 884-3350 // Website // Bliss on Yelp

3 Life Lessons My Wedding Taught Me

I got married on Saturday! Here are three things my wedding taught me that I think can be applied to any life situation.

Everyone has a different idea of what's awesome. 

If you're planning a wedding, or any other major life event, most people are more than willing to share this idea with you, sans solicitation. Generally, I'm not a fan of giving or receiving unsolicited advice, but it was interesting to hear what makes other people happy. There's a pretty big diversity of dreams out there. Hearing them helped me get a clearer and stronger sense of what I wanted. It also reminded me how important it is to ask questions and listen to others when they are floundering and seeking guidance. The answers are inside of them. It's just up to us to support and empower them to find the answers that will fit their definition of success and joy. 

People love to help others.

They really do. One of the nicest things you can do is let others help you. For me, that's pretty dang hard. I have a natural inclination to "sweat the small stuff" and worry about things being done my way. I chant everyday to help my use my attention to detail for good as well as to be able to take a chill pill sometimes. 

You can't do everything yourself. Sometimes you've just got to let other people help you. Yeah, they won't do it exactly as you would've done it. (Perhaps they'll do it better!) In the end, those details don't really matter as much as the loving bonds that are strengthened. In this age of automation, a time when almost any service can be purchased, it's rare and precious to have an occasion when people can really show up for you. Let the love rain in, feel the abundance, and let that give you the energy to pay it forward. 

Don't expect to be happy just because you're getting what you wanted.