Welcome to my first official Nourishing Byte!
First I’d like to say how thrilled I am to have finally completed a long and arduous journey ~
My PhD in Holistic Nutrition!
This great educational journey took me down some difficult paths at times, which inspired in me the strength and perseverance that has now given me an incredible sense of accomplishment. Thus, I would not change ANY of it. When I started with my first course in Clinical Nutrition, almost 20 years ago, my children were quite young (7 & 10 years old), and I was working full time at my natural food market (then called Seed-N-Sprout), while my husband was running our natural market in East Rutherford called The Third Day. Well, let me tell you ~ juggling between marriage, parenting little ones, keeping up with the housework, creating nourishing meals for my kids and my husband (& MYSELF), helping the kids with their schoolwork, preparing all the orders for the store, taking care of the ins & outs of the store & the employees, the purchasing & the renovation of a building to house our new and updated Healthy Thymes Market, manufacturing Private Label products, writing & being published in magazines, teaching Whole Food Cooking Classes & Adult Education Courses on Herbs, Homeopathy and more, as well as trying to keep up with my own coursework (papers, exams, etc.) ~ well, you get the picture! Sometimes not a pretty one! There were times when my dear friends would “kindly” tell me that I looked like I had been run over by an Organic Produce Truck! ~ A BIG TRUCK! OY!
I thank my husband Dan, along with my children for being patient while I was in school and allowing me to use our dining room table for years as my “desk”! I know that it was not easy on many levels for them. My gratitude to them is HUGE!
I completed my Masters with a concentration in Homeopathy, and my Doctorate with a concentration in Sports Nutrition! (Who knew?) My interest in VIBRANT, GLOWING SKIN FROM WITHIN was the reason I wrote my dissertation on Sea Buckthorn and Skin Health. Writing that paper brought me into the fascinating world of Omega 7 and palmitoleic acid, and how they may affect the health of our skin as we age. And boy was I AGING! (That thing called “LIFE” kept getting in my way!) Thank goodness for Sea Buckthorn ~ helping me to look better (and FEEL better) as I struggled through my coursework & my life! (One of “my little secrets” for achieving great, radiant skin!)
During the past 19 years I travelled near and far to get the education I desired and needed. I took courses at Columbia University’s Rosenthal Center with Dr. Andrew Weil, Dr. Tieraona Low Dog, Paul Stamets the “Mushroom King”, Mark Blumenthal (American Botanical Council Founder), and many more giants of the Integrative Health World! I ran to seminars at other Universities as well, such as the lecture at The University of Bridgeport, Connecticut given by Anne Marie Colbin, founder of The Natural Gourmet in NY.
I love, love, LOVE being educated in the Holistic Nutrition Field and will absolutely continue to participate in ongoing coursework, which will lead me down many more exciting trails, I am sure of it! I tell you all of this, not so you will feel sorry for me (oh, please ~ NO!), but because I want you to realize the excitement that I have felt and STILL feel about being educated in the Holistic Field! I definitely would not have worked so hard towards my goal (with numerous life challenges getting in my way!) if I was not passionate about healing with the wisdom of nature and if I did not find it extremely fascinating & fulfilling! And, aside from being with my loved ones (pups included),YOU are the best part of my day…I truly am passionate about YOUR well-being!
I just finished facilitating a Dr. Weil workshop called Spontaneous Happiness Community Workshop. It was a learning experience for me, as it was the longest workshop I had facilitated (2 months). I loved it and immensely enjoyed the “community” feel of the group. Also, I was invited to talk at a Breast Cancer Awareness Lecture at Newton Hospital’s Conference Center on the healing properties of chocolate ~ this was awesome! Organizing, prepping and facilitating these courses, workshops, lectures absolutely “stretch” me and help me step into MY spotlight as a Holistic Practitioner! And workshops, lectures, seminars, etc. are the best way for you to learn more of what may be available for embracing a healthy lifestyle, so take advantage whenever you can! You will be able to find out about any classes, lectures, workshops & seminars that I will be facilitating in my Nourishing Bytes Newsletters, as well as through flyers and emails from Healthy Thymes Market ~ so stay in touch!
Also, in my Nourishing Bytes Newsletter I am very excited to be able to bring to you many great recipes, the “best of the best” food choices (that you will happily find on our shelves at Healthy Thymes Market) and wonderful information on Nutraceutical Supplements (SUPPORTS, as I call them!) that will enhance YOUR life & offer well-being for numerous health challenges! This is such an appropriate time of year to be introducing my new newsletter ~ Nourishing Bytes from Dani’s Holistic Kitchen.
In this first “byte”, as we end 2012 and embark on the New Year of 2013 (how did THAT happen?), I would like to introduce you to an incredible nutritional analysis test that may easily help support your body with what YOU may need to live more healthfully.
It is called a Hair Analysis.
I really cannot say enough praise about this opportunity to “see” what may be going on with your body! I am always amazed at what this analysis shows, whether heavy metals or an imbalance of minerals that may be pushing someone towards a health challenge. It is safe, non-invasive, and VERY EASY to do! I believe this analysis is invaluable! When you choose to do a Hair Analysis with me, included is a 2 hour consult to go over the results from the lab report. We discuss EVERY detail! And together we work on your nutritional plan. We are a TEAM, working together!
My gift to you for the New Year ~ as this is a time that many Americans reflect on their past unhealthy habits and begin to take stock and RESOLVE to make changes towards HEALTHIER choices in their diet, exercise program & lifestyle in general ~ I am happy to offer a DISCOUNT on a Hair Analysis! If you are interested, pick up a flyer at HTM and please contact me at my HealthWorks Office 973-764-8486, or at Healthy Thymes Market 973-209-8555 and mention:
“I RESOLVE to be HEALTHY…one bite at a time!”
to get your discount gift from me!
Now for some YUM! Enjoy this recipe below, with my blessings! It may be a little involved to make, but believe me, it’s well worth the effort! And by using your slow cooker, you can easily make up a big batch to keep the family happy all chilly week long!
It is a great recipe for this time of year ~ warm & invigorating, anti-inflammatory and the spices offer a gentle detox! It is one of our favorite soups to order at a Vegetarian Indian Restaurant, but ALWAYS better to make it at home with lots of love. Mm mm…I can smell it already…
Mulligatawny Detox Soup Recipe ~ Vegan Style!
Pronounced muhl-ih-guh-TAW-nee, the name comes from 2 Indian words meaning ‘pepper water’ and curry is what gives this incredible soup such uniquely wonderful flavor!
This is a Gluten –Free recipe. The chickpeas offer great protein, and the apples give it a nice kick.
Serves 4-6 (Double up for larger group!)
And since ‘TIS THE SEASON TO SEASON, the wonderful spices (ginger, cayenne, curry, garlic) will delight!
Ingredients: use only ORGANIC! Yes, you can find these items at HTM!
1 tablespoon avocado oil
4 cloves minced garlic
1 inch fresh ginger, grated
2 teaspoons organic curry powder
1 teaspoon organic turmeric
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste)
1 medium onion, peeled & diced
1 cup organic cauliflower florets, chopped
2 large organic Granny Smith apples, cored & diced (I like to leave the peel on for added goodness!)
1 medium organic sweet potato, peeled & diced
2 cups thinly shredded organic cabbage
2 organic carrots, diced
1 quart fresh water
2 cups fresh organic veggie juice (or use organic bottled veggie juice)
1 14-oz. can organic chickpeas, drained
A small pinch of sea salt, to taste (or Miso to taste, added into bowel AFTER soup is done. I love to use the Garlic Red Pepper Flavor!)
1 14-0z. can coconut milk, stirred
Juice from 1 organic lime, or 1 tablespoon organic lime juice from bottle (or to taste)
1-2 teaspoons gluten-free brown rice syrup or agave syrup.
For Garnish:
Chopped fresh organic cilantro (a must for Detox!)
What you need to do:
Combine all ingredients into the slow cooker except the coconut milk, lime juice and brown rice (or agave) syrup. Cover and cook on high. When the veggies are tender, add in the coconut milk, lime and syrup to taste. Heat for another 15 minutes.
If you desire a smooth soup, puree the soup with a handheld immersion blender until smooth. Or mash with a potato masher until you have the consistency you like.
After ladling the soup into bowls, add Miso to taste.
Garnish with chopped fresh organic cilantro.
YUM! ENJOY!
I hope that my future Nourishing Bytes will be a great inspiration to you, and I wish everyone ALL THE BEST in 2013 and BEYOND! So, before you take another bite….please be conscience of what food choices you make, do a Hair Analysis and step into YOUR healthy life! (And look RADIANT while you’re at it!)
PS ~ Don’t forget to receive your discount gift on a Hair Analysis…I look forward to hearing from you!
To your NOURISHED health,
Dr. Dani Segal, PhD
Certified Holistic Practitioner ~ HEALTHWORKS at Healthy Thymes Market