How do you know if you're healthy?

All right, check it.

Being healthy has nothing to do with having rock hard abs or a tight butt.

I mean, exercising/moving your body is of course an integral part of overall wellbeing. But being buff does not automatically equal health.

Running on the treadmill for hours while restricting caloric intake to cram one's body into an image of fitness is not healthy. 

So before you self-flagellate for enjoying dessert last night instead of making it to Zumba class, check out a few measures of optimal health.

SKIN: Your skin is the largest organ in your body. Processing toxins, operating from a state of inflammation, or hormonal imbalances are often at the root of acne and other skincare troubles (exzema, rosacea, etc). It doesn't matter how much junk you put on your face, if things are out of whack inside, your chronic skin condition probably isn't going anywhere. 

Is your skin clear of blemishes? Bright, and luminous? Ladies, can you make it through a menstrual cycle without breaking out? If your answer is "No" to one or more of these questions, there is something out of balance.

SLEEP: How is your quality of sleep? Do you fall asleep easily, sleep through the night, and wake up feeling refreshed? Physical repair happens between the hours of 10PM and 2AM, mental repair happens between 2AM and 6 AM...how often are these processes interrupted? Good sleep also helps offset stress--if you are regularly lying awake in bed, unable to sleep because of the stressors in your life, this is a big sign that something in your life is out of balance.  Sleep is an incredibly vital way to combat these stressors, give you some perspective ("everything seems better in the morning"), and regulate cortisol levels. So yeah, that means getting your ass to bed no later than 10:30 and waking up around 6. Give it a shot for a week and see what shifts.

DIGESTION (I was going to use another "S" word, but I'm not sure if we're quite there yet): This is quite an intricate topic, one that I will probably devote an entire series to, so let's keep it simple for the purpose of this post: When was the last time you were on antibiotics? Do you go one day (or even days) without eliminating? Do you have chronic constipation or diarrhea? Remember, you are what you don't poop!

Healthy digestion and gut function is also the number one way to boost immunity. Forego the flu-shot and eat whole foods (nothing that comes out of a box or package) and see for yourself if you get sick less.

Just eat real food!

Recipe: Italian Stuffed Peppers

These stuffed peppers rock my world. This is one of my preferred recipes from my hands-down favorite cookbook, Practical Paleo-it's easy, delicious, and every time I make it, I appreciate the gorgeous presentation. It's also good to bring to parties as it's pretty, easy to transport, and you only have to throw it in the oven for about 20 min to heat it back up once you're there. I also bring leftovers to work and eat them cold, no biggie, still just as yummy. My grandmother used to make them for my pops when he was growing up so it feels good to perpetuate a little family tradition, too.

Drool

*Italian Stuffed Peppers*

Ingredients:

*2 bell peppers, halved and cleaned

*1 tablespoon butter or coconut oil

*1 onion, diced. If you have a particularly large onion, use half

*Sea salt and black pepper to taste

*4 cloves garlic, chopped

*1/2 cup diced tomatoes, fresh or canned

*1 lb ground beef, bison, turkey, or chicken

*6 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped

*Extra basil leaves for garnish

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 375 F
• Place bell pepper halves in a roasting dish face down for 10-15 minutes. If you want the peppers extra firm, skip this step.
• While bell peppers cook, heat the coconut oil or butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Saute the onions, adding sea salt and black pepper to taste, until onions are translucent and slightly browned on the edges. Add the tomoatoes and garlic to the onions, and simmer for about two minutes. I reduce the heat pretty significantly when I first add the garlic, or else it will burn. 
• Add the meat and cook until fully done. Taste, and add more sea salt/black pepper to your liking. Mix in the chopped basil. 
• Remove peppers from oven and flip them over. They should be slightly softened. Spoon the meat mixture into each one. At this point they're ready to go--if you want the flavors to mix a little more you can put them back in the oven for another 10-15 minutes. Garnish with basil, and serve!

Hope you try this and enjoy! It looks kinda fancy but truly, surprisingly simple and easy to throw together. I'd love to hear how it works out for you.