Dare You To...

The following post is sponsored by FitFluential LLC on behalf of Grain Brain. As always, the opinions expressed are all my own!

So last month I told you I was starting theGrain Brain Challengebased on Dr. David Perlmutter's book: Grain Brain: The Surprising Truth about Wheat, Carbs, and Sugar--Your Brain's Silent Killers.
Check out the initial post to learn all about the surprising effects carbohydrates may have on your brain health, and what the challenge entails.  It also contains some photos of foods that helped get me through!


Now, after four weeks have come and gone, the challenge is over and it's time to recap the experiences and outcomes regarding food, fitness, sleep, and general health:

Food:  As I discussed last time, the food didn't have drastic changes in selection; I just was more careful about my non-paleo, grainy/glutenous treats (namely, not choosing them), as well as carb-dense foods. About twice I went ahead and had a snack I wouldn't have usually c…

You heard me right.


If you'd told me three years ago--or even three months ago--that I'd be writing these words, I'd have laughed, too.  In fact, recently my mother was visiting and came across them in my pantry. She was shocked and... well let's just say she wasn't excited or eager to open up a box.  I told her not to worry and she'd soon read about my foray into the world of sardines.

Why:

You can thankthese ladies (Diane Sanfilippo and Liz Wolfe) for putting sardines on my radar as a health food.  Yes, apparently sardines are incredibly nutritious!  Further research revealed that they're rich in many vitamins and minerals.  They contain vitamins A, B, C, D, and E,  and even provide about 32% of your recommended daily intake of calcium and half the daily value for DHA and EPA, two crucial types of Omega-3 fatty acids.  All this nutrition in such a tiny package... it's no wonder that they made it onto a 2008 New York Times Well list of The 11 Best Food…

If you found Grain Braininteresting and began avoiding or limiting grains, then there's a valuable cookbook out there, ready to help you plan all your grain-free meals.  Even if you're NOT following a grain-free lifestyle, this cookbook has recipes that are savory, sweet, scrumptious, and sure to satisfy any taste buds.

Against All Grain

Danielle Walker's recipe book, Against All Grain: Delectable Paleo Recipes to Eat Well & Feel Great, just came out inSeptember.  I frequently checked her website as she traveled the country on her book tour, watching and waiting to see someplace in my vicinity appear on the list.  Last month, Danielle finally took her book tour to New York City, where I joined others in a cooking lesson at Sur La Table.  All day, I'd been looking forward to my grain-free meal, and Danielle did not disappoint.


It was thrilling to see the real Danielle in person!  Her pictures and demo videos came to life, her smile radiating the whole time.  She was …

Dare you to watch this video from Shots of Awe by Jason Silva.

Dare you to hear his message.

Dare you to love harder, hold tighter, and refuse to let go: