COLDNESS.

Summer is gone. I have to face the facts and put my gladiators and shorts away. It was 20˚ a few days ago but it was just a tease. Here are my top 3 tips to surviving the first bouts of cold.

1. Go and buy tea. Yes, I know you most likely have mint tea, and rooibos stocked up at home, but just go! Go and peruse, smell each tin, buy a new looseleaf or an old favourite flavour, and get excited about it. *if you are still white-sugarifying yourself, stop: go find an organic honey, a rock sugar, or a cinnamon stick and enjoy the flavour!

2. Start eating more dense foods. In July, surviving on watermelons, peaches, and figs was easy, not that it is nippy, you need a little more 'MPH in your belly. Choose a few root vegetables and steam them lightly, dice them up and create a salad. Remember to continue to fill up your plate with at least 70% produce. Refer to my beet salad recipe below.

3. Workout. If you have an apartment, take the stairs, if you have a house or a big room, do some HIIT and choose a workout from www.bodyrock.tv You will quickly be surprised at how a little extra jumping jack set with increase blood flow and warm you instantly.

Beet Salad: Dill, Cilantro, red pepper powder, chives, EVOO, 2 potatoes, 4 beets. 
Lasts a few meals if placed next to a bigger fresh salad.

 My mom, super-happy. 
We chose "Armenian Blend" with oregano, thyme, and mint.

Birthday Time!!

Warning: The following post contains accounts of a gluten contamination. 

It was my birthday! I turned 23. I have been 23 for a few days now and it feels amazing. I can honestly say that every year of my life keeps getting better, as it should! It was my first birthday spent in Armenia, and couldn't have been more amazing considering we won against Bulgaria 2:1 and the celebrations for Yerevan's 2795th birthday began that night, also helped that I was surrounded by people I loved. To health and happiness!

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined." - Henry David Thoreau

 Quickly addressing the cake in the picture. Yes.. it was glutenous, no, I don't know if it had dairy, thought it most likely did. I did eat it. I did feel sick. I did feel inflammation in my joints, a migraine in my head and neck and undisclosed further issues reflected in every other part of my body.