Pumpkin Pie Energy Balls

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Pumpkin e'rythang, AMIRITE?!  So these are actually SERIOUSLY delish, you guys.  SRSLY.   Like, how can they be good for me and taste this good delish.  If you haven't gotten on the energy ball train yet, hop aboard.  I've made others in the past and just to reiterate.. they make great pre-workout bites and or snacks/desserts.  These particular ones are on the sweeter side, but it's pumpkin season and I have a lot of organic canned pumpkin left over so I gotta get creative and along came these...

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Ingredients:

-1/4 cup organic cashews

-1/2 cup oats

-1/4 cup organic canned pumpkin

-1/4 cup organic maple syrup

-2 scoops Vital Proteins Vanilla & Coconut Water Collagen Whey (click here to purchase)

-1/2 cup Nut butter/Peanut butter

-2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice

-1 tablespoon ground chia seeds

-1/4 cup almond flour

 

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Instructions: Blend oats and cashews until you get a powder (flour-like consistency).  In a large mixing bowl, combine pumpkin, maple syrup and nut butter.  Stir until combined and then add the oat/cashew powder.  Stir in chia seeds, protein powder, pumpkin pie spice, and almond flour.   Consistency will be stickyyyyy.  So let chill in the fridge for 30-60 mins.  Remove and roll into balls about 3/4" in size.  Store in the fridge and enjoy one before your workout or in between meals as a snack.  Party, party, party....

Stay Wild,

Danielle

MS, RDN, LDN

D's Go-To Green Smoothie

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Also known as the "Basic AF" smoothie.  I'll be honest, my breakfast and lunch during the week tend to stay prettyyyyyy boring.  I usually have just about the same thing every day during the week.  I do this for a couple of reasons... 1). It doesn't bother me at all.  I don't get bored.  2.) It makes my daily routine and sticking to a healthy game plan that much easier because it takes the "think" out of it.  I'm used to making my go-to smoothie. so I prep it the night before and blend it in the mornin' and off I go.  No time wasted in the AM. 

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I do occasionally make modifications to get some new nutrients in there, but for the most part I can trust on old faithful here to get the job done and be on the go.  So now I will share it with you. :)

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Ingredients:

-2 cups spinach or kale

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-1/2 cucumber

-1/2 green apple

-4-5 frozen pineapple chunks (option to use cauliflower chunks instead for less sugar)

-1 tbsp Spirulina

-1 tbsp maca powder

-1 tbsp ground chia seeds

-3 dashes turmeric

-1/2 tsp black pepper

-2 scoops collagen peptides

-1/4 cup water

Instructions:  Just chop veggies/fruits and blend ingredients.  Because I prep the night before I will add the spinach or kale, cucumber, apple, spirulina, maca, chia and Ashwagandha and leave unblended.  Then in the morning I add the water and blend that.  After blending I add the pineapple, turmeric, pepper and collagen and blend once more. 

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Now you may be asking yourself, what the hell is with all the potions and powders?  I'll briefly discuss the benefits of all of these little gems in more detail.

Collagen Peptides:

Collagen is the most abundant protein in the human bod.  As we age, we stop making enough.  Adding collagen into the diet can help replenish some we've lost and is beneficial for gut health, digestion, hair, skin, nails, joints and bones.  

Spirulina:

A high protein, very nutrient-dense algae powder.  It also contains fatty acids which have anti-inflammatory benefits and many antioxidants.  Some studies suggest Spirulina may help with heavy metal toxicity and with allergies.

Maca Powder:

Maca is a cruciferous vegetable and very nutrient dense.  It has been associated with several hormonal balancing benefits.

Chia Seeds:

Another nutrient-dense "superfood," as they say... chia seeds are associated with benefits related to healthier skin, aging, digestion, energy and heart health.

Ashwagandha:

An herb commonly used in Ayurvedic healing or Chinese medicine.  It is often compared to ginseng for it's adaptogenic properties.  Associated benefits range from improved immune system to reductions in stress and anti-inflammatory benefits. 

Feel free to use the "potions" or ditch 'em.  Get creative and add your own!  Feel free to share your recipes/modifications below. :)

Stay Wild,

Danielle

MS, RD, LDN

What the Hell, "What the Health?"

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So this will not be the most scientific of reviews, but more of me offering my personal, dietitian opinion (mini-rant) on this documentary since I’ve been getting a lot of questions about my thoughts on it. 

Within the first 22 minutes I wanted to pull my hair out, but nonetheless, I perservered on for review purposes.  “Documentary” is such a loose term.  The problem with “documentaries” like these, i.e., “scare tactics,” is that they can be done irresponsibly and with so much bias it makes my head spin.  I don't mean to pick on, "What's the Health?" in particular because many documentaries use this method, but this one is current so yeah.. I'm going to pick on it.

First of all, processed meat isn’t great for us… WHAT??!! This is brand new information to me!!  ::Sarcasm::

Sorry, but this should have been kind of a, “DUH,” moment for most of us. 

No, processed meat isn’t GREAT.  I think the consensus has pretty much been that nothing processed is GREAT for us.  As a whole, I agree that we could stand to limit the quantity of meat and dairy in our diets.  Should we encourage eating more vegetables and plant-based foods?  HELL YES.  However, this documentary OBVIOUSLY has an agenda to frighten people into becoming vegan.  I am NOT anti-vegan.  If you want to be vegan because of beliefs or values or the animals or you feel better eating that way… ALL FOR IT.   DO YOU, BOO. 

However, please give people accurate, unbiased information so that they can make an educated decision for themselves.  If I wanted to convince you that a specific food causes cancer, I could more than likely dig up some obscure article that backs those findings and it’s probably sponsored by that food’s competitor.  Not everyone realizes that when they watch something like this, though.  Some people take it for face value and don’t do their own research to see if what they’re being sold even makes sense.  This documentary is insinuating that other companies or organizations are biased in telling you to eat more protein and meat and yet, “What the Health?” is hypocritically doing the same thing for the exact opposite purpose.     

Pictured here: Eggs, aka, Cigarettes... SIKE.

Pictured here: Eggs, aka, Cigarettes... SIKE.

Second of all… No, I don’t always think the government recommendations are exactly “up to par” and, yes, I think conflicts of interest may exist between pharmaceuticals and the government which is why I encourage others to take a more holistic approach to their health and choose whole, REAL foods most of the time.  I’m not going to get into the statistics used in this documentary to scare people (such as, comparing eggs to cigarettes ::insert upside down smiley emoji here::) because other articles have already done a fabulous job of debunking those stats.  Hit up Google for those. 

Thirdly… Anytime in the history of diets ever that we have excluded entire food groups it realllyyyyy hasn’t gone very well for us.  Allow me to refresh your memory… The low-fat diet.  And now everyone wants to be Ketogenic and eat ALL THE FAT.  The low-carb diet which resulted in Atkins which made everyone want steak and bacon all day long.  Basically, all of these equate to us eating more of other shit we don’t need to eat more of (I disclaimered this wouldn’t be scientific so I can say, “shit”) or something that we would later say DID NOT WORK for the general population.  

BALANCE GUYS.  To insinuate that eating mass quans of sugar and carbs is all good as long as you don’t eat meat is frustrating to hear.   So, we can eat biscuits and skittles everyday and in any quantity we want and it’ll be all good?   C’mon, at least encourage healthful carbohydrate sources when you’re insinuating something like this.   You know what a good carb source to eat more of is… VEGETABLES.  What about taking an approach of encouraging people to eat more vegetables and the benefits of doing that rather than trying to create fear of meat? 

To re-emphasize, I am not saying it’s wrong to be vegan or vegetarian and exclude meat.  My philosophy is that there is no “one-size-fits-all” approach to nutrition and I know vegans and vegetarians who do so healthfully.  I know meat eaters who are healthy, too.  There are SO MANY factors that contribute to health outcomes.   A documentary supporting veganism is cool, but do so in a credible way.  This documentary almost discredits vegans by being over the top.

All this being said, "What the Health?" has been successful in doing what it set out to do.. get people talking.  The reason documentaries like these get so much attention is the same reason fad diets get attention.  Everyone just wants to hear that there’s a quick fix.  Stop eating meat and you’ll live forever (okay, I’m being dramatic, but this documentary is dramatic so we’re even).  The thing is guys… there hasn’t ever and there isn’t ever going to be a “quick fix.”  Eat whole, REAL foods MOST OF THE TIME.  Live an active lifestyle.  Take time to de-stress.  Work on building a healthy, long-term relationship with food through mindfulness. 

And most importantly… take information like this with a grain of salt (oooh… pun intended. I’m sorry, guys.  Lame joke.).  Do your own research.  Don’t jump on all the bandwagons.  And most importantly…

 

Stay Wild,

Danielle

MS, RD, LDN

Game Changer: Protein Pancakes

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Whose weakness is pancakes?! ::raises hand:: How can ya not love these fluffy, delectable little thangs? Well, I shi--- kid* you not... these protein pancakes are life savers.  IMO they're just as good, if not better, than the real deal. And they're EASY to make.  They contain literately THREE ingredients, although, ya know I gotta doctor mine up.  So here's my recipe! Enjoy and let me know how much better your life is. 

 

PS- sorry vegans.. this one contains eggs. You can make vegan pancakes w bananas, though. Perhaps I'll get to that another time... 

 

Ingredients:

 

-1/2c cottage cheese 

-1/2c oats

-3 whole eggs 

-1 tsp vanilla extract 

-cinnamon 

 

Toppings:

 

-pecans

-blueberries

-extra cinnamon

-1 Tbsp organic maple syrup (optional) 

 

Instructions: Blend all of the ingredients in a blender/nutribullet, etc. Spray or oil a griddle/frying pan.  I spray with coconut oil. Light the burners on medium heat.  Wait about 1-2 mins or until a drop of water sizzles on the griddle.  When the temp is right, scoop a 1/4c serving of batter and pour onto the griddle or pan.  When the pancake is bubbled up on one side, flip to the other side.  Recipe makes approximately 6 pancakes.  Top with toppings listed or toppings of your choice! 

Stay Wild,

Danielle

MS, RD, LDN

Avocado Acai Bowl

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Looks ain't everythang, eh?  Full disclosure here.  I F'd up.  My intention was to make a purdy purple acai bowl and here we have pea soup colored acai bowl.  All good, man!  Gotta roll with it.  Still delish and nutrish (totally a word). 

Ingredients:

-1 cup kale

-1/2 cup frozen red berries (raspberries, strawberries)

-1/2 frozen nana

-1/2 avocado

-2 scoops collagen peptides (optional, omit if vegan ;-) )

-1.5 teaspoon acai powder

Toppings:

-berries

-coconut flakes

-pepitas (pumpkin seeds)

-drizzle sprouted almond butter

Instructions: Blend 'er up.  Slurp 'er down.

Stay Wild,

Danielle

MS, RD, LDN

Pitaya Pretty

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Namaste in bed.  Siiike! I actually did go for a solid run today and made this delish post-run Pitaya smoothie.  Super simple.  Super tasty.  Super nutritious.  Easy like Sunday morning...  but now that I did all that I am legit going to go relax in bed.  SUNDAZE.

Ingredients:

-1 pack Pitaya Plus

-1 frozen banana

-1/4 cup frozen berries

-1/2 cup cashew milk

-1 cup frozen cauliflower

Toppings:

-Almond Butter

-coconut flakes

Instructions:  Blend that shiz.  Top with creamy almond butter and coconut flakes.  I use Manna Organics nut butters because they are TASTY.

 

 

Stay Wild,

Danielle

MS, RD, LDN

Mother of Dragon Bowls

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Sorry, but Game of Thrones is life.  Completely unrelated, Pitaya is on fire right now, right (more dragon references)??  TBH, I'm more of a purple person myself, but this hot pink has got me like ::heart eyes emoji::  SO PURDY!! Decided to get me some Pitaya Plus and have myself a pink party. 

Ingredients:

-1 Pitaya Plus smoothie pack

-1 cup frozen raspberries and strawberries

-2 scoops Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides

-1 cup Organic Cashew Milk

-1/2 cup frozen cauliflower

Toppings:

-pecans

-chia seeds

-Bee pollen

-Blackberries, blueberries, raspberries

-coconut flakes

Directions: Blend the ingredients.  Top with the toppings.  You're welcome. ;-)

NOM NOM!

 

Stay Wild,

Danielle

MS, RD, LDN

Bulletproof Golden Milk Latte Recipe

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This baby...  MMMM, mmm.  It's got the best of everything all rolled into one.  First, a little background.

I am a BIG coffee fan.  Not in the sense that I need it to wake up in the morning, because I don't.  I just dig it.  And depending how you have it, there can be solid health benefits.

I typically don't even have coffee until mid-morning.  Going along with my bod's natural cortisol circadian rhythm, I'll wake up and either work out or not (listen to your bod).  I won't sit here and say that I jump out of bed singing every morning, but quite honestly, once I'm up I'm pretty alert and feel good and ready for the day.  This is assuming I didn't stay up too late or have a night of indulgences, which happens.  I'm human.. GUILTY.  Within about an hour of waking or following my workout, I'll have breakfast that, generally during the week, consists of eggs and a green smoothie.  Healthy cortisol levels SHOULD be highest in the morning, allowing us to have the most energy at this time to prepare for our day and then steadily decline with some variations as the day goes on so that by the time we rest our pretty little heads on our pillows, we're ready for some quality sleep (1). 

That's in a perfect world.  Thanks to environmental factors, stress, etc., many people's cortisol circadian rhythm's do not function in this perfect way.  There are ways to reset your circadian rhythm and this dietitian here would be more than happy to help you out with this if that's you (Danielle@dietitiangonewild.com). *Shameless Plug*  ;-)  But anywhooo...

Since I've nourished my bod well, I wake up with natural energy and fuel myself with proper nutrients to keep that energy sustained and as the morning progresses and my cortisol levels dip down a bit, that's when I'll take my coffee.  During the week I'm pretty structured and weekday coffee for me isn't that exciting.  But the weekend.... OHH, the weekend coffee.  I dress it up.

I dig the bulletproof coffee (ghee, coconut oil, the works), I dig the Golden milk (turmeric, spices) and I love my Vital Proteins beef gelatin (gut health defender) so basically I combine all of these and I have myself a time.  ::insert nerd emoji here::

Weekday or weekend, I will use Bulletproof® Brain Octane Oil.  This is a very pure form of the Medium Chain Triglyceride, Caprylic Acid.  MCT's are VERY easily absorbed, even for those of us with gut probs and may even IMPROVE gut issues (2).  They are processed in the liver and provide a quick source of energy that can provide longer satiety.  Fats are big players in hormone production and immune function; therefore, having a readily absorbed fat on board (especially for those with difficulty absorbing fats due to gut health issues) can be a game changer (2).  Not to mention, gut health and immunity and brain function are all HUGELY intertwined (3).  If you're into podcasts the Bulletproof Radio podcast, "Connecting Your Gut and Your Brain with Dr. Perlmutter" is simply fan-frickin-tastic.  I'm not endorsed by Bulletproof in any way, btw.  It's just good stuff you deserve to know about.

As a holistic dietitian, I need to reiterate that just because I'm telling you what I like to take and the potential benefits, it does NOT necessarily mean I think you NEED it.  Everyone's different.  And depending on what's going on in your bod, this may not be for you.  You may very well not see any benefits incorporating this into your diet if there are other ish's (issue's) going on that need tending to first. 

That being said, if you want to give it a go, here's my weekend coffee party recipe.  CHEERS!

Bulletproof Golden Milk Latte Recipe:

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-10oz coffee (it's the weekend... treat yo'self)

-1 scoop Vital Proteins Beef Gelatin

-few dashes Turmeric

-few dashes black pepper

-few more dashes cinnamon

-1 teaspoon vanilla extract

-1 teaspoon vanilla bean ghee

-1 tablespoon Bulletproof® Brain Octane Oil

-Sun Potion Ashwagandha and Cordyceps optional**

Make your coffee.  Keep this coffee hot if you're using beef gelatin, as it WILL gel in cold beverages and.. ew.  Add all ingredients and blend.  Beef gelatin blended into your coffee will make it foamy like a latte without even adding any nut-based milks.  You may sub these in instead if you're not feeling the gelatin.  Pour into your coffee mug.  Maybe get crazy and throw a dash of cinnamon or turmeric on top for presentation and.. VOILA!  Enjoy with your favorite healthy breakfast.   

[Click link to getcha self some]

[Click photo link above to getcha self some]

Stay Wild,

Danielle

MS, RD, LDN

References:

1. Chan S, Debono M. Replication of cortisol circadian rhythm: new advances in hydrocortisone replacement therapy. Therapeutic Advances in Endocrinology and Metabolism. 2010;1(3):129-138. doi:10.1177/2042018810380214.

2. Rial SA, Karelis AD, Bergeron K-F, Mounier C. Gut Microbiota and Metabolic Health: The Potential Beneficial Effects of a Medium Chain Triglyceride Diet in Obese Individuals. Nutrients. 2016;8(5):281. doi:10.3390/nu8050281.

3. Purchiaroni F, Tortora A, Gabrielli M, Bertucci F, Gigante G, Ianiro G, Scarpellini E, Gasbarrini A. The Role of intestinal Microbiota and the Immune System.  Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci. 2013 Feb;17(3):323-33.

 

Energy Ballin'.

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DISCLAIMER:  NO DOGS WERE HARMED IN THE MAKING OF THESE BALLS.  NOR WERE THEY PROVIDED ENERGY BALLS.

They were provided treats, though, for their short-lived cooperation and cuteness.

Discovering energy balls was a little life changing for me (I'm a dietitian, these nerdy things excite me).  Need a pre-workout snack?  Energy ball.  Craving something a little sweet, but want to stay on track with your healthy eating?  Energy ball.  Late night dessert that won't break your diet bank?  Energy ball.  They are universal.  Taking the time to make them one day out of the week is 100% worth it in regards to the amount of time you'll save when you're trying to eat healthy and you're a busy human ('busy human' is kind of redundant). 

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There's TONS of recipes out there so I encourage you to play around with them.  You can make these vegan or add in Collagen Peptides; make them sweeter or make low-sugar options.. whatever you like!  You do you.

I've tried a variety.  Some of these balls are inspired by other food blog babes and some are my own experiments, but here are a few different recipes to try to get you started.

Little Bits of real Food's (IG: @littlebitsof-realfood) Vanilla Shortbread Energy Balls with Vital Proteins (modified):

- 1 1/2 cups almond flour

-1/4 cup Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides (I used these, the original recipe used the vanilla collagen peptides)

-1 teaspoon vanilla extract

-8 pitted dates

-pinch of salt

-2 tablespoons of water

Combine all ingredients and blend.  Mix in water and pulse again for doughier consistency.  Scoop out the dough into balls whatever size you prefer.  I rolled mine in coconut flakes.  Put in the fridge or freezer to harden and eat throughout the week, as desired!

**LOW SUGAR OPTION: Omit or use less dates.

 

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Balance with B's (@balancewithb) No Bake Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites (modified):

-1 cup gluten free oats

5 medjool dates

-2 teaspoons vanilla extract

-3 tablespoons creamy almond butter

-1/2 tablespoon of warm water

-sprinkle in a few pinches of salt

-sprinkle in Cacao Nibs

Pulse the oats to get a flour-like consistency.  Add dates and pulse until combined. Add in the vanilla, almond butter, sea salt and pulse to get a dough-like consistency.  Add the warm water in, as needed, to get the mix to stick together.  Add Cacao Nibs in and pulse or sprinkle into the dough.  I sprinkled them in.   Roll into balls and store in the fridge/freezer in an air tight container.  Enjoy!

D's Cinnamon Maca Balls

-1 1/2 cups almond butter

-1 tablespoon maca powder

-1/4 cup oats

-1 scoop Vital Proteins

-1/2 cup dates

-1/4 cup cashew milk

-dash of Himalayan pink sea salt

-1 teaspoon vanilla extract

-cinnamon (generously)

Blend all ingredients to form dough-like consistency.  Roll into balls.  Easy peasy.

 

Woohoo! I made it through the whole thing without making a bad joke about "balls!"

 

Stay Wild,

Danielle

MS, RD, LDN

 

 

Hello Wonderful, Wild World...

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Okay, here goes…  HI GUYS!!  I know what you’re thinking.. ANOTHER girl with a blog.  I know.  In my defense, since I’m constantly sharing nutrition, yoga and other wellness-related info, I’ve been playing around with the idea of starting a blog for a while and finally decided to just go for it.  I mean, why the heck not?  “YOLO,” as the kids say…   Joking aside, I feel like I have things to share with the world that other like-minded folks out there would dig and we could share ideas back and forth and be inspired by one another.  So I’m going with my gut on this one.

A lot of what held me back from starting this adventure sooner was simply not knowing where to begin.  How do you start something like this?   So I decided to just start at the beginning with the “why” of this Dietitian Gone Wild blog and where I hope to take it.  If you wait for everything to be perfect before you begin, you’ll never begin and, to be honest, I’m kind of a spontaneous, risk-taker type anyhow.  I take pride in that.  That’s why it’s Dietitian Gone WILD and not Dietitian Gone Timid.   

So, that’s where I want to go first with you...  The name.  Why “Dietitian Gone Wild?”  Well.. a lot of reasons actually:

The first reason is related to "wild" foods.  By this I mean whole and natural foods.  If you read the Nutrition Philosophy on my site, you’ll know I believe in Holistic Nutrition and, for me, that means replacing the processed, hormone and pesticide containing foods in our diets with more whole, clean, REAL food because that is what leads to a more optimally functioning body.  I mean, why would we assume we could feed ourselves crap and expect our bods to function optimally?  Seems kind of like a "duh," right?  Still.. easier said than done and that's where I want to be available to help.  If you’re looking for a calorie count, I’m probably not your girl.  I’m all for listening to our bodies and healing our bodies and then seeing the positive rewards.

The second way “wild” resonates with me piggybacks on the holistic nutrition philosophy I mentioned above.  To achieve positive health outcomes, I believe we need to look at the entire picture.  Not just our diets or our exercise routines, but mind, body and soul.  In today’s society we are STRESSED O U T.  Like, really stressed out.  And workaholics.  And over-stimulated by the increase in communication thanks to technology.  We do NOT stop and just… chill.  We don't get out into nature enough.  We don't PLAY enough.  And unfortunately,  our bodies respond to this in a big way.  More research is beginning to look at the benefits of mindfulness and mediation on reducing stress and improving our physical health outcomes and I strongly believe incorporating these into our lives can help our bodies function optimally.  We need to find what it is that lights up our soul and fires up passion within us and do more of those things!  I WON'T believe we’re on this earth to work hard and die.  I believe we need to find that wild within us (which is unique for all of us) and embrace it fully!

And the final way “wild” speaks to me has to do with my personality, which you'll get to know a lot better if you (hopefully) continue to check out Dietitian Gone Wild.  Most Registered Dietitian’s are very strong Type A’s.  And in a lot of ways, I am.  I've always been a good student/dedicated employee, picked things up quickly and paid attention to details.  However, in a lot of ways, I am NOT Type A.  I am very go-with-the-flow and adventurous and spontaneous and all that good stuff.  Blame it on the Gemini, if you're into that sort of thing.  I believe in being healthy and that it’s hugely important, but I acknowledge that we’re human and sometimes you may just need a pizza and a beer and that THAT’S OKAY.  That’s part of the “feeding our souls.”  We need to have FUN and let loose every now and then.  Letting loose and having fun looks different to everyone, so I’m not suggesting everyone needs pizza and beer sometimes (even if I want to), but I’m just saying we need to find the balance.  Embrace your wild and learn how to balance it out.  And if you need help with that, well… I know a dietitian who's up to the task (wink, wink). 

So hopefully by now you’ve caught on that sarcasm is one of my favorite pastimes, but in all sincerity, I am VERY passionate about health and wellness.  I believe my calling is to share this passion and help others via this route.  I created Dietitian Gone Wild for that purpose and with it I hope to share recipes, health tid-bits, holistic concepts, yoga talk, travel and how that can feed our souls and lots, lots more!  I want to use this as an outlet to inspire and get inspiration back, because generally what we put out into the Universe, we get back.  So feel free to chat me up!  Leave comments, follow on social media, email me.. WHATEVER!  Looking forward to beginning this adventure and hope to have you along for the ride.

 

Stay wild,

Danielle

MS, RD, LDN