It's the day after Valentine's Day, so I'm naturally thinking about LOVE.

And thinking about LOVE, I'm reminded of a favorite quote of a cousin-in-law of mine, who was the type of person who lived large, always seized the day, had an insatiable curiosity, and could easily drop a Shakespeare quote into an otherwise mundane conversation.

So when I learned of his favorite quote, and knowing him, I was preparing myself for quite an erudite phrase … something profound and complex that I would really need to think about.

But instead, it was a simple quote … a quote that I thought I didn’t need to think about.

But do you know what? I’ve been thinking about it ever since.

While you know I'd much prefer to write about something that will put a smile on your face, I feel like lately I just keep coming across articles, books and podcasts with news on our toxic world.

So I figured I should address it.

It is a critical topic that impacts us all—the complexities of the world we navigate every day.

And while it's not the cheeriest subject, understanding it empowers us to make choices as informed, conscientious, smart and intentional consumers.

So let's get into it.

The Big Picture: A Toxic Load

In the past century, our country has seen an explosion of new chemicals —around 100,000 to be precise — present in various products.

Shockingly, most of these chemicals remain largely untested and unregulated, contributing to what experts call our "toxic load." This is particularly concerning given that babies born today carry an average of 200 toxins in their blood.

I like thinking about lifestyle habits …

Because, you know, it's our habits that make us who we are.

And it’s our habits that can make a huge difference in not only how we feel today, but our health trajectory.

I’d like to share a quick story.

The other day I was at a small gym that focuses on strength training. One thing I like about it is that it merges the idea of personal training with a community who is working together on their own personal goals.

I recognize that having a community of support, vs. me trying to figure it out on my own, is crucial to my success.

So up to six of us are working through the same routines at the same time, but obviously the weights are individually customized.

The ongoing casual banter, an energetic and fun trainer, and loud music certainly kick up the energy and motivation to get through a few routines. I leave feeling accomplished and happy that I’m making progress on a goal that I set for myself.

I also remind myself that building strength, stability and balance is one of the most important things I can be doing for my long term health.

But let me get to my main point here.

As we’re in the middle of a set, a guy across from me casually mentions the fact that about a year ago he was a hundred pounds heavier and confronting a diabetes diagnosis.

Fast forward to the present - he had recently left his doctor’s office, with no diabetes markers identified, and off all of his diabetes meds.

Longevity. It’s not something we think too much about when we’re young.

In fact, when we’re young, we just want to get older. And when we’re “old,” we just want to be young again.

Those middle years creep up fast … and come with the realization that we’ve perhaps lived more than half our life.

So logically, at this point in time, the idea of longevity might be something that enters our brain a bit more frequently.

And really what we all want is to live as long as possible, in a way that feels good and healthy.

Unfortunately, reality is harsh. Aging is the biggest risk factor for every chronic disease.

The statistics are staggering - 80% of adults over sixty-five have one chronic disease, and 77% have two chronic diseases.

And here we are again, at the start of the year … figuring out what our 2024 will look like.

There seems to be this pressure to start off the year strong, and in a new and better way … but honestly that’s a hard ask … especially coming off the crazy busyness of the holidays.

And let’s face it. At least my brain is scattered. The nagging in my brain is to push forward quickly, while I scan the utter chaos of a home with college boys in residence, and a bunch of Christmas decorations that need to be sorted out.

So I’m giving myself a solid two to three weeks to step back in … and gear up … in my own time, with a few experiments of trying out new things that I’ve been wanting to work on.

So I want to focus on the idea of navigating the chaos of our schedules, and share some ways of getting things back in control.

We all have a seemingly never ending long to-do list, with a little lack of focus sprinkled on top. That lack of focus typically comes from not finding the time to be proactive with daily planning.

Glyphosate.

Not my favorite topic, because it can be upsetting when you take into consideration the expansive exposure we all have to this chemical, as well as other chemicals, in our food system.

But awareness is important … so we can all make better choices when shopping.

Glyphosate is a chemical made by Bayer/Monsanto Company, and it is the most prevalent herbicide used on our crops. You may know its commercial name - RoundUp Weed Killer.

Unfortunately, glyphosate seems to be everywhere - our soil, our water, our air, our food, and in our bodies. It’s nearly impossible to completely avoid.

Even organic foods may have glyphosate, typically occurring when organic farms are close to conventional farms using herbicides and pesticides.

The World Health Organization in 2016 declared glysophate “probably carcinogenic” - but the EPA has yet to declare it unsafe.

”If you want to change the world, make your bed every morning.”

This quote by Admiral McRavin garnered some chuckles when he first offered this advice to graduating seniors at the University of Texas … later leading to the publication of his best selling book, “Make your Bed.”

I’ve always loved this quote (and repeat it to my teenagers often 😅).

The idea is simple. Start your day doing just one simple task. This will make you feel accomplished, and will encourage you to do another task, and so on, throughout your day. Have you read the book When you give a Mouse a Cookie? Then you get it. One thing leads to the next.

And the first thing you choose to do, matters. Obviously the mouse didn't make as good a decision as Admiral McRavin!

Making our bed is a strategy in productivity; a strategy in accomplishment. And we know, both of those things feel really good.

To set the scene for this fine salad making recipe …

I’m on the French Riviera in September with college friends …

And after a day of touring, rather than heading out into town for dinner, we decide to eat the French way …

At “home” relaxing - with a view of the sea - and some delicious french cheese, a simple salad that I made, and a roast chicken from the market.

When a couple of those friends recently reached out and said “WE NEED YOUR SALAD RECIPE!,” I thought that maybe my salad making story was newsletter worthy.

So here we go.

I do receive compliments on my salads quite frequently. And I have to laugh.

Because, bottomline, it’s basically just a salad with olive oil, vinegar and a little salt.

But, I admit, there are a couple strategies that I use that do take a salad to a new level. I like to call it the upside down way of making salad.

It’s how my mom always made a salad. So of course it’s what my sister and I have always done.

We’ve joked about bottling and selling it, because we do always get those compliments. But then we think, there’s nothing to it, and typically end up laughing.

Usually I make a big salad for lunch, and most often a dinner salad, sometimes at breakfast as well … and having that salad creates an easy way to account for a majority of those vegetable servings we require (see more on that below).

I just returned from a short trip to Maine … a place that I have traveled to almost every year of my life … and a place that is extraordinarily special.

This coast of Maine provides a connection for me above all else - a connection to family, my family’s history, and the ongoing beauty of our natural environment. 

It is like a magnet with a strong force field, always pulling me back, and I know it casts the same spell on so many connected to it.

What I also like about my visits there, is that it always seems to generously provide space to slow down and be grateful.  

And to be mindful in the moment of the beauty that surrounds me, and hopefully the beauty that any of us can find if we take the time to look around. But, I admit, Maine does make it easy.  

I know that one of the greatest fears held by many is that of developing some form of dementia. Some may even think that this disease is practically an inevitability that comes along with aging.

This prospect can feel daunting and overwhelming … but as most of you know that have been following me for awhile, I am constantly in “go mode” of curating content that can empower us to make good decisions.

Figuring out all the positive steps we can take can make a huge difference for our health - both our mental attitude and the way we feel.

So much of our health … and our health outcomes … are within our control. We just need to be aware.

So let's think about our brain.

If you're like me, there is just something about pumpkin spice. As soon as October hits, it's hard to not think about pumpkin spice lattes and pumpkin pie.

One way to satisfy this pumpkin craving is in a morning protein-rich smoothie, that includes all the goodness of pumpkin, plus some other critical ingredients to build up that protein level.

If you've been following my newsletters (and my anne.engelhealth Instagram), you know I like to talk about the importance or protein.

And this Pumpkin Pie Smoothie delivers a very adequate level of protein to get your day started the right way.

As a reminder, leading researchers around the world are indicating that our current RDA recommendations of protein are hugely inaccurate, and recommend that we should be consuming approximately 1 gram of protein per pound of ideal body weight.

As we age, sometimes a good night’s sleep becomes elusive.

We know how important sleep is for our health; in fact, many health experts believe it’s the most important thing to pay attention to.

Hitting a minimum of 7 hours of solid sleep is the goal.

Seems like it should be easy, but it’s not for many, including me.

And when it’s not, you have to really pay attention, and start experimenting with a long list of things that can help achieve a better night’s sleep.

Because we’re all unique, what works for one person, may not work for the next. But as it relates to me, I’ve observed that there are 3 things that can mess around with my sleep quality:

September is the notorious “Back to School” month. There's a palpable energy in the air. Everyone seems to be “starting up” again.

Did you know, according to organizational behavior experts, September and October tend to be our most productive months?

So I figured, why not put our best foot forward and figure out how to seize that opportunity of productivity and activate it for ourselves.

For those who have been on my mailing list for awhile, you know I write about goal setting from time to time.

Because it is easy to get lazy with goal setting, I like to occasionally tee it up, and offer new ways of thinking about how to achieve our goals.

While most of us are probably not headed back to school, the “back to school” mentality provides a tidy process for enabling us to think through and activate our goal planning process.

If you recently tried out the Mexican Fiesta menu from my last newsletter, there's a good chance you now have an open can of chipotle peppers sitting in your fridge.

For many, including me, that can of peppers probably ends up in the trash because, let's face it, how often do we really need chipotle peppers?

Frankly, this bothered me enough to seek a solution.

So, here's what I've started doing: I wrap each pepper in plastic wrap (I wish I could find a more eco-friendly alternative, but that's a challenge for another day) and pop them into a freezer bag.

Problem solved.

The next time I have a recipe calling for chipotle peppers, I can simply open the freezer and grab one or two peppers.

Did I have you at Mexican Fiesta? 🌮🎉

I know! If you’re like me, it’s hard to walk away from the flavors, spices and heat of southwestern cooking.

Now, picture this: You've had one of those exhausting days where you get to the end of it, and open your refrigerator door only to find it is empty, with no promise for inspiring dinner plans.

What do most of us do in that dire situation? Reach for the takeout menu or make dinner choices that are not satisfying or healthy.

But, fear not! There's a solution that doesn't involve culinary acrobatics or sorcery. It's a simple trifecta of time, thought, and planning - otherwise known as meal prep.

SOOOO many of my clients struggle with this - and it's not hard to understand why. Most of us lead pretty busy, jam-packed lives. It’s also easy to get lazy.

When all those things come together, we end up blankly looking into our refrigerator door at the end of the day.

As I was thinking about what to write about this week, reviewing the benefits of the timing of our meals seemed to be … timely.

This “timing” is sometimes referred to as Intermittent Fasting or even Time Restricted Eating.

Neither of those term descriptors are award winners in my book. And both sound technical and painful to bear for a gal who always looks forward to her next meal.

But if we just drop the monikers and think about what it really means, it’s quite simple.

We’re talking at least a 12 hour break from eating (mostly when we’re asleep), and even better, a 14 hour break (or 10 hour eating window) may be optimal according to Dr. Satchin Panda who has conducted groundbreaking research on circadian rhythms and eating patterns.

Brain health alert … as it relates to one simple habit you can add to your morning routine: 16oz glass of water, half a squeezed lemon and a pinch of salt, before that cup of morning coffee.

And then maybe one more glass of lemon water with salt - side by side with your cup of coffee.

And then you're free to sip just plain ‘ole water for the rest of your day.

I just came back from a bucket list trip to Southern France, celebrating “SIXTY” with college friends for a week, and then “THIRTY-FIVE” years of marriage with my husband Mark.

Both momentous occasions, and so worthy of celebration. So grateful for my friends who got the ball rolling, which enabled me to step right into one of the best trips of my life.

Turning “60” … “50” … “40” or sometimes even “30” can come with some trepidation.

I think I’ve always felt that trepidation with every new decade.

When I look back at the past decades, each was defined by many different wonderful things, as well as challenges … all kind of unique to that state of age … but what was promising was the realization that life was continuing to deliver the goods.

When we think about getting older, many of us think of life as a bell curve. We are walking up to a precipice, and at some point, probably in mid-life, we reach the peak, and start walking down the other side.

This lentil salad, obviously has as its shining ingredient - lentils.

Lentils pack in 18 grams of protein per cup. I'm always looking for ways to add more protein to my diet, since the amount we eat is so critical for muscle synthesis. They are also a great source of soluble fiber which helps decrease LDL and total cholesterol.

Lentils also provide iron, although plant sources of iron are harder for us to absorb. This is where lemon enters the picture. The Vitamin C in lemon helps us absorb iron in plant foods.

On a recent day of pouring rain, my extended family both mourned and celebrated a life well lived.

A cousin-in-law of mine, a Brit by birth, who adopted New England as his home in adulthood, was the type of person who lived large and always seized the day, had an insatiable curiosity, and could easily drop a Shakespeare quote into an otherwise mundane conversation.

He was definitely one of those people who didn’t waste a minute of life.

So as a throng of people celebrated and toasted his remarkable life, one mentioned a quote that was his favorite.