WRITTEN BY JAMIE DUVNJAK, NASM CERTIFIED PERSONAL TRAINER & HEALTH COACH

Do you know what your Dosha type is?  If not, that's okay.  Prior to my health coaching schooling, back in 2011, I wasn't aware what mine was either.  In Ayurvedic medicine, each one of us can have either a dominant or unique mix of mind and body principles/doshas.  These doshas (Vata, Pitta and Kapha) determine our specific physical and mental characteristics. 

If you’re interested in learning more, take this short quiz to determine what your dosha is: https://lifespa.com/ayurvedic-health-quizzes/body-type-quiz/

Once you figure it out, you can read which exercises and foods are beneficial for your body.  For example, I'm a Pitta type.  I have a medium frame, dislike extreme heat, do well with moderate forms of exercise and need to choose cooling foods over spicy and salty flavors. 
 
Here are exercise suggestions based on your results:

Vata:  Walking, strength training which focuses on balancing exercises
Pitta:  Swimming, skiing, yoga and pilates
Kapha: Jogging, aerobics, HIIT classes (high intensity interval training), Zumba and plyometrics

Nutrition suggestions to maintain balance in the body:

Vata:  Naturally sweet foods such as root vegetables, in-season fruits, organic eggs, ghee, olive oil, nuts, seeds and lean meats    
Pitta: Cooling foods such as salads, steamed vegetables, in-season fruits and coconut oil
Kapha: Lighter fruits such as apples and pears, beans, steamed vegetables and lots of nourishing spices that help with digestion/metabolism.  Think pungent, bitter and astringent foods.  Sweet, sour and salty should be reduced or avoided.  

If you’re a combination body type, you’re lucky!  You’ll have more variety of exercises and foods to enjoy.  Search online to gather a complete list of everything according to your type.  I’m interested to learn what you discovered.  

If you're in need of personal training/healthy coaching, feel free to contact me.  I'm happy to work with you in person, phone or Skype!

​Have a great week,

Jamie

BY JAMIE DUVNJAK, CERTIFIED HEALTH COACH & NASM PERSONAL TRAINER

I’ve always had a love for peanut butter.  Just the smell of it creates an overwhelming feeling of happiness within.  I’d eliminated it for several years after reading it’s not a beneficial food for my B+ blood type.  It reappeared about 3 years ago when I started dating my current husband.  The craving for it came back in full force.  It’s a must-have staple in his diet, which also became mine again until last month.  

My skin had been blemish-free for most of my life, but after reintroducing peanut butter a few years ago, I’d noticed multiple ones simultaneously popping up and never healing.  One day back in January, I counted 15 just on my forehead.  As a health coach, I knew all about the food-body connection, but was in denial.  I didn’t want to admit that tasty stuff was most likely the cause of my adult acne. 

On March 14, I rolled out of bed and had another look in the mirror.  Both my forehead and hairline were covered in zits and that little voice inside told me to stop eating it immediately. 

Numerous online articles discuss how peanut butter is one of the main trigger foods for adult acne.  It causes an inflammatory effect in the body.  I already knew this, but didn’t want to believe it had that effect on MY body.  I told myself I would omit it for the time being just to test it.  Sure enough, all of those nasty blemishes disappeared in less than a week!  It’s more than a month later and I haven’t had a breakout.  For the first time in a few years, I also didn’t get menstrual cramps or breast tenderness before my most recent period. 

Since nut butters are a nice spread and keep you satisfied for several hours, I’ve opted for cashew butter.  It doesn’t produce that same inflammatory response.  I bought a jar at Target which is basically sodium-free and tastes great!  I’m not depriving myself of the rich, delicious creaminess each morning. I spread it on my gluten-free waffle and savor each bite!  If you want to read more about the effects of peanut butter, here is a good article:  http://www.clearskinforever.net/peanut-butter-acne/

Do you have foods that create an inflammatory response or any other reaction in your body?  I’d love to hear your story!  Please feel free to share this with others you feel may benefit. 

Have a great rest of your week!

Jamie

BY JAMIE DUVNJAK, CERTIFIED HEALTH COACH & NASM PERSONAL TRAINER

Several of my health coaching and personal training clients ask what to eat after their workouts.  I thought I’d share my go-to meals when I need something prepared in a pinch.  Just so you know, I only measure things when I feel I need to (such as with maple syrup, pumpkin seeds, olive oil, etc.).  I’ll eye everything else and go by how hungry I feel.  I stop when I’m 80% full. 

MY LIST:

1) Protein shake made with 1 heaping scoop of pea or brown rice protein powder, ½ frozen banana, a few handfuls of blueberries/strawberries, ice and a ½ cup or so of a milk alternative such as cashew.  I like to make mine pretty thick to where I can hold the blender upside down and nothing moves! 

2) 1 whole egg with 2 egg whites and sautéed veggies (onions, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, etc.) with a heaping tablespoon of hummus on the side.  I cook them until the yolk is just semi-soft.  I add a little parmesan cheese towards the end.  It adds a nice flavor to the meal.  For carbs, I have a small handful of sweet potato or organic tortilla chips on the side.  It may sound like a strange combination, but give it a try anyway!

3) Brown rice with beans (kidney or chickpeas) on a salad.  I usually have about 2-3 tablespoons of rice with ½ cup of beans on top of a variety of greens/other veggies.  My dressing is a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, freshly squeezed lemon, a pinch of sea salt and sometimes a bit of parmesan cheese.

4) A ½ cup of hot cereal such as gluten free (GF) oatmeal with a scoop of pea or brown rice powder, cinnamon and a teaspoon of organic maple syrup- if it tastes too plain without. 

5) Kashi GF Cinnamon Waffle with unsalted butter, a tablespoon of nut butter/pumpkin seeds and a teaspoon of maple syrup.  I toast my waffle for about 5 ½ minutes.  Any less and it doesn’t have the crunch I like.

I hope this list helps.  Feel free to share it with anyone who’s in need of post-workout meal ideas! 

If you’d like a food makeover, I’m happy to clean out your fridge/pantry and offer healthier alternatives to incorporate into your daily routine. 

Keep me posted!

Jamie