This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my Disclosure Policy for details.
August is National Peach Month, the perfect time to enjoy these fruits as they reach their delicious peak.
As I did last month, for National Blueberry Month, I wanted to create a simple, healthy dessert.
Check out last month’s Blueberry Crumble. And then enjoy Easy Vegan Peach Cobbler this month, with fresh peaches.
Benefits of Peaches
Peaches are a stone fruit…or drupe…that originated in China more than 8,000 years ago. With their fuzzy peels and yellow or white flesh, peaches are a summer favorite.
Peaches are rich in vitamins, minerals and beneficial plant compounds. This fruit provides vitamins A, C, E and K, niacin, potassium, copper and manganese. Plus they are packed with antioxidants that combat oxidative damage to cells and protect the body against aging and disease.
The health benefits from peaches include:
aids digestion
improves heart health
protects skin by helping it retain moisture
prevents cancer, especially breast cancer
reduces allergy symptoms
boosts immunity
removes toxins from body
lower blood sugar levels
Fresh peaches are higher in antioxidants than canned. For this recipe, use fresh peaches if possible. Or use frozen after allowing them to thaw.
Easy Vegan Peach Cobbler – sliced peaches and cinnamon
Ingredients for Easy Vegan Peach Cobbler
This simple dessert is vegan, gluten free, refined sugar free and oil free.
I used four fresh peaches, gluten free oats, oat flour, unsweetened applesauce, pure maple syrup and cinnamon.
Additionally, this recipe requires a couple of mixing bowls and an 8×8 or 9×9 baking dish.
Easy Vegan Peach Cobbler
This delicious dessert is vegan, gluten free and oil and sugar free.
This simple dessert cobbler is similar to a crisp, except it has a bottom crust. The texture of this crust resembles baked oatmeal making it ideal for breakfast as well.
Oats are naturally gluten free. However, they are typically processed in facilities with other products that contain gluten. Look for packages of oats that specify gluten free, if you have a gluten sensitivity, meaning they were prepped in a facility without contamination with other products. I use Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Oats.
I use gluten free oat flour as well. Any flour, gluten free or regular, is fine for this recipe. Unsweetened applesauce is available in packages of half cup containers, making them easy to use for recipes.
Leave the peeling on the peaches, for more a more rustic peach cobbler.
Cover leftovers and store on the countertop or in the refrigerator.
Ready to eat
Easy Vegan Peach Cobbler Taste Test
I love baking with anything containing cinnamon. The aroma drifting out from the kitchen is tantalizing.
After allowing the peach cobbler to cool slightly, I enjoyed a bowl with a cup of hot peppermint tea. The cobbler is slightly tart and so yummy. While the maple syrup adds a hint of sweetness, this cobbler is not very sweet at all. If you want more sweetness, add a bit more maple syrup, or add coconut sugar to the sliced peaches.
This cobbler is the perfect way to use peaches during their time of abundance and also enjoy a healthy, low sugar treat.
Do you love peaches? What is your favorite way to enjoy them?
Bowl of vegan peach cobbler
Baking helps from Amazon:
Journey With Healthy Me is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. This affiliate program provides a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com, all at no extra cost to you.
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my Disclosure Policy for details.
Doctors have said for many years that omega-3s and omega-6 fatty acids are good for us. They are especially important for gut, heart and brain health.
Recently there is even more evidence that omega-3s in particular are linked to longevity in life. In a study, published by The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers tracked 2,240 participants over 11 years. They analyzed the omega-3 levels in the blood. Higher levels of omega-3s resulted in lower mortality rates in people over the age of 65. Furthermore, people with high omega-3 levels who did not smoke had the highest survival rate of all.
The short moral of this health story is this: consume omega-3s for a longer life.
What are Omega-3s?
Omega-3s are fatty acids that are a good type of fat. The body does not produce them, meaning we must get them from foods or supplements.
Omega-3s help lower the risk of heart disease, depression, inflammation, dementia and arthritis.
So how do omega-3s help us live longer? Their heart health benefits and anti-inflammation properties combine to keep disease at bay. Heart disease is one of the leading contributors to death, while chronic inflammation causes serious diseases of all kinds.
Omega-3s are found in nutrient rich foods. The three main omega-3 fatty acids are alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Omega-6s are also important, however they are more readily consumed in a typical western diet, through unsaturated fats. Increasing omega-3s, which are often lacking in a typical western diet, are needed to balance the ratio of omega-6s to omega-3s.
Fatty fish such as salmon, sardines and mackerel are rich in omega-3s. However, on a plant based diet, what foods supply this vital fatty acid?
Here are the top six plant based foods that supply omega-3s.
Chia Seeds
These small but mighty seeds are an excellent source of ALA omega-3s. They also provide fiber and protein.
Studies suggest that chia seeds decrease the risk of chronic disease, lower blood triglycerides and reduce inflammatory markers. Just one ounce of chia seeds daily meets or exceeds the recommended requirement for omega-3s.
It’s simple to add chia seeds to smoothies, smoothie bowls and salads. Or create a delicious chia pudding, topped with fruit.
Ground chia seeds make a great egg substitute as well. Combine one tablespoon of of chia seeds with three tablespoons of water. Allow to set up, for five minutes. Use in place of eggs in baking recipes.
Consume omega-3s for a longer life – chia seeds
Brussels Sprouts
These cruciferous vegetables are high in omega-3s, vitamins C and K and fiber. An increase of Brussels sprouts in the diet significantly lowers the risk of heart disease by providing ALA omega-3s.
Half a cup of cooked Brussels sprouts contains about 135 mg of omega-3s.
Try them steamed, with onion and garlic powder, stir fried with other veggies or roasted in the oven. This Garlic Brussels Sprouts is so good!
Consume omega-3s for a longer life – Brussels sprouts
Walnuts
Walnuts are packed with healthy fats, including ALA omega-3s. In fact, by weight, these nuts are 65% fat.
Including walnuts in the diet improves brain health, while also boosting learning, memory and motor development and reducing anxiety.
Just one ounce of walnuts daily fulfills the requirement for omega-3s.
Add walnuts to oatmeal, homemade granola or simply eat a handful as a snack, which is my favorite way to consume them. I eat a small handful of walnuts every day.
Consume omega-3s for a longer life – walnuts
Flaxseeds
These little powerhouses of health provide fiber, protein, magnesium, manganese and omega-3s.
Flaxseeds boost heart health and also reduce cholesterol and blood pressure. One ounce of flaxseeds contains more than the recommended daily amount of omega-3s.
It’s easy to incorporate flaxseeds into the diet. Add to smoothies, smoothie bowls, oatmeal, soups or salads. And like chia seeds, flaxseeds make a great egg substitute in baking. Make a “flax egg” by combining one tablespoon ground flaxseeds with three tablespoons of water and allow to thicken for five minutes before using.
Consume omega-3s for a longer life – flaxseeds
Hemp Seeds
Hemps seeds are an excellent source of protein, magnesium, iron and zinc, along with omega-3s.
Studies show that hemp seeds improve heart health by preventing the formation of blood clots and helping the heart recover after a heart attack.
An ounce of hemp seeds contains more than a day’s serving of ALA fatty acids.
Sprinkle hemp seeds on oatmeal, salads and soups or add to smoothies and smoothie bowls. Or mix hemp, chia and flaxseeds for a healthy granola mix.
Consume omega-3s for a longer life – hemp seeds
Algal Oil
Algal oil is derived from algae. It is one of the few vegan sources of both EPA and DHA fatty acids. It’s nutritional value is similar to seafood.
One study found that algal oil capsules, taken as a supplement, compared well to consuming cooked salmon.
Algal oil is helpful for improving memory.
It’s readily available as a supplement, in a softgel form. In liquid form, algal oil may be added to smoothies or other drinks.
Click photo to order Algal Oil Supplements
Are You Getting Enough Omega-3s?
As you can see, it’s easy to get enough omega-3s in your diet. It just takes awareness and intentionally including one or more of the above foods daily.
If you struggle with incorporating these foods, try adding a plant based omega-3 supplement that includes ALA, EPA and DHA. Check out the links below for supplements I’ve tried and can recommend.
Which of the above foods do you regularly consume? And which ones will you add to your diet now?
Vegan Omega-3s from Amazon:
Journey With Healthy Me is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. This affiliate program provides a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com, all at no extra cost to you.
I am not a medical practitioner. I study health and wellness related topics and share experiences from my own personal healing journey.
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my Disclosure Policy for details.
For National Wellness Month, celebrated each August, I’m sharing different posts highlighting what wellness really means.
Last week’s post, available HERE, shares the eight dimensions of wellness. They include: emotional, environmental, intellectual, financial, occupational, physical, social and spiritual.
Wellness encompasses the whole body plus it’s an active process of making healthy choices that support a fulfilling life. Because daily habits play an important role in wellness, I’m offering 31 wellness ideas. Include these wellness tips…one a day or multiple ideas a day…to build robust wellness in your life.
And even though August is Wellness Month, these tips can be practiced every day, of every month, year after year.
A Month of Ideas
My intention, for creating this post is to show how easy it is to incorporate wellness habits into your life. All eight wellness dimensions are included in these activities. Over time…a relative short time…daily habits build a healthy lifestyle.
Pick a starting date and try one of these ideas every day for the next 31 days.
Choose Wellness
The whole point of National Wellness Month is to encourage people to choose wellness. Show your intention of following through on your commitment to wellness by creating a simple declaration that states “I choose wellness” and then sign and date it. See my “wellfie” at the end of the post for my signed declaration.
DIY Beauty Treatment
Enjoy a DIY beauty treatment at home, using ingredients from your kitchen. Make this experience a pampering one. Try this easy DIY Natural Skin Serum or check out Pinterest for other ideas.
Go For a Walk
Walking has so many benefits. It’s a great way to increase physical wellness and also clears the mind, boosts mood and fosters creativity.
Meditate
Meditation quiets the mind and body by focusing on breath. And it not only eases stress and relaxes the body, it also balances emotions, boosts memory and increases productivity at work.
Spend Time in Nature
We know being outdoors is good for us…fresh air, vitamin D producing sunshine and peaceful nature…however some of the benefits are lesser known. Spending time in nature also sharpens focus, supports graceful aging, reduces inflammation, relieves stress, anxiety and depression and increases overall life satisfaction. Check out more reasons to get out into nature HERE.
31 Wellness Ideas – spend time in nature
Night Out With Friends
Have a girls’ or guys’ night out, doing something fun. If COVID is keeping you home, do a virtual dinner together, connecting through ZOOM or Facetime. Or watch a movie simultaneously and discuss. Social interaction is important to wellness, perhaps now more than ever.
Pick Up Trash
In your neighborhood, along a stretch of beach or in a local park, take time to pick up trash. Wear gloves and carry a small trash bag that can be disposed of after clean up. And check out the plant based trash bags at the end of the post.
Eat Plant Based for a Day
Rather than a meatless Monday meal, try eating vegan for a whole day. No meat, dairy products or eggs allowed. It will not only give your digestive system a break and your health a boost, it’s good for the planet too.
Have a Smoothie for Breakfast
Start your “vegan for the day” with a fruit smoothie, or pick this activity for another day. Start with fresh bananas, then add frozen fruit of choice, filtered water and chia seeds. Blend in a high speed blender until thoroughly mixed.
Write Out 31 Affirmations
Affirmations are positive statements that can help you overcome negative thinking and self sabotage. They also help to create change. Write 31 affirmations that encourage you to live a healthier life. Begin each affirmation with “I am…” and write it in the present tense, not future tense. Example: “I am creating wellness in my life.”
Write affirmations on slips of paper and drop them into a jar. Draw one out each day for the next month. Or create your own flip calendar, using spiral bound index cards, adding an affirmation on each card.
31 Wellness Ideas – examples of affirmations in a jar…and a DIY flip calendar. This one has favorite quotes.
Do Something New
Trying new experiences is good for the brain. Plus they help us move beyond comfort zones, conquer fears and ramp up creativity. The something new can be as simple as using the non-dominant hand to brush your teeth or as complex as climbing a mountain for the first time.
Read
Pick out a new book, either one you purchase, a library loan or an ebook downloaded on your tablet. Commit to reading a chapter a day. Ramp up the fun by reading a book in a new to you genre.
Watch a Documentary
Are you a movie fan? Try switching to a documentary instead. Watch one on a topic you like or mix things up and pick one you’d not typically watch. Amazon Prime is a great source of documentaries, of all kinds. Start your free membership by clicking HERE.
Netflix offers a broad selection of documentaries as well. I highly recommend My Octopus Teacher. You must have a Netflix subscription to watch.
Encouraging Texts
To boost your social wellness and encourage others, send positive, affirming texts to friends and family members. Doing something kind or helpful for others brings tremendous benefits for the giver as well.
Stretch the Body
Try a series of stretches first thing in the morning. Or move through yoga poses. If you aren’t familiar with yoga, look for step by step videos on YouTube.
Wellness Date
Go on an intentional wellness date with a significant other, family member or even on your own. Some ideas: healthy dinner date, walk in the neighborhood, massage, yoga class, meditate outdoors together or alone, financial class, concert in the park, business class, volunteer for a good cause or find a quiet place to sit and talk.
31 Wellness Ideas – wellness date
Wellness Pie Chart
Create a pie chart (see this post for an example) and divide it into eight sections. Label each section with a wellness dimension. Rate your level of wellness in each area, with 1 being very low and 10 being very high. Commit to working on the areas with a rating of 7 or below.
Journal
Write in your journal about each of the eight dimensions of wellness in your life. What can you do to improve wellness in each one?
Hot Bath
Light some candles in the bathroom, play soothing music and enjoy a long soak in the tub, with or without bubbles. Or, if you prefer a shower, take a long, hot shower and wash away stress. Use sugar scrubs scented with essential oils.
Declutter
Pick a room, a closet or a drawer and declutter it. Use the Marie Kondo practice of only keeping the items that bring you joy. Clutter clogs up energy, in a home and in the body. Decluttering allows energy to flow again.
Hydrate
Drink at least eight glasses of water during the day. Most people are chronically dehydrated. Find out if you are by checking these symptoms. If you prefer, add fresh, unsweetened fruit, lemon or lime juice or veggies such as cucumbers to your water.
31 Wellness Ideas – drink eight glasses of water
Donate
Rather than tossing unwanted clothes or items, donate them to a shelter. It benefits the shelter and it keeps items out of landfills. Make sure items are in good repair and undamaged.
Toad&Co provides a Clean Out Kit, in partnership with ThredUp, for clothing cleared from your closet.
Go Beyond Your Comfort Zone
Moving out of your comfort zone brings growth and fresh opportunities and can help you feel more accomplished and happy in life.
What scares you a little bit? Speaking in public? Performing a song you wrote? Standing up for yourself? Pick one thing and do it.
Promote Sleep
Create a peaceful atmosphere in your room that is conducive to sleep. A dark, cool, quiet room is best for a good night’s sleep. What needs to shift in that environment, to help you sleep better?
Deep Breaths
Practice several minutes of slow, deep breathing to reduce stress, ease tension and reset the body. Close your eyes, inhale to a count of three, hold your breath for two seconds and then exhale to a count of six.
Create a Healthy Treat
Have fun in the kitchen, creating a healthy treat. It can be as simple as a sliced apple with dates and walnuts or something like this blueberry crumble. Let your inner chef shine through.
31 Wellness Ideas – create a healthy treat
Create a Budget
Use a spreadsheet on the computer or an app to track income and expenditures.
After tracking income and outgo, set up budget categories for set expenses. Include a plan for paying off debt and saving for emergencies. And set aside an amount for fun or for a travel fund.
Love What You Do
Write out all the things you love about your current occupation, even if it’s not your dream job. Focusing on the positives rather than the negatives helps to shift attitudes about work and also opens possibilities for change.
Dream Job
Dream though, without creating negative feelings about your current job. What is your dream job? What does it look like and how does it make you feel? Write in great detail, in your journal, about your dream job. What action steps, no matter how small, can you take now to get you to that dream?
Gratitude
Write out ten…or more…gratitudes. These can connect to the day or they can be gratitudes in general. What are you grateful for?
Writing and expressing gratitude frequently can powerfully shift your life.
Take a Wellfie
Take a wellfie…a selfie holding your “I choose wellness” declaration. Post it on social media.
31 Wellness Ideas – post a wellfie
Ways to Play
I believe that play is an important part of life.
So have fun with these ideas. Let them inspire wellness ideas of your own. And try these two ways of practicing wellness activities.
Schedule out the activities in your planner or monthly calendar. Write each on on a different day, in any order that pleases you. And then do the activity listed as you move through the month.
Or, write the activities on strips of paper, fold them and drop them into a jar. Randomly select one each day, for the next month, and do the activity you draw out. No backsies. This is one of my favorite games to play. I love how the perfect activity appears on the perfect day, even if I don’t at first think so.
I hope these 31 ideas help you create more health and wellness, in all areas of your life!
Wellness Helps from Amazon:
Journey With Healthy Me is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. This affiliate program provides a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com, all at no extra cost to you.
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my Disclosure Policy for details.
August is National Wellness Month. What a wonderful opportunity to explore what wellness means. Plus, we can discover ways to create a lifestyle that supports wellness in our lives.
The whole theme for this month long celebration is choosing wellness.
I’ll post several times in August, with information, suggestions and fun activities, all centered around Wellness Month.
What is Wellness?
Wellness is the active process of raising awareness and making choices that support a healthy and fulfilling life. It encompasses more than preventing illness or eating a healthy diet. It’s a process that includes change, growth and a commitment to living the best life possible. Wellness is something to actively pursue, through awareness, goals and daily habits.
Last year, I explored National Wellness Month for the first time, setting five goals for myself, to pursue during August. Read that post HERE.
This year, I’m even more aware of how crucial wellness is to my overall health and wellbeing.
Consider these eight dimensions of wellness.
Emotional Wellness
Understanding feelings and accepting them, without latching onto them, forms the core of emotional wellness.
Other important emotional health aspects include managing stress, remaining in the present moment without dwelling on the past or worrying about the future and adapting to and dealing with challenges and changes in constructive ways.
Tips for maintaining emotional wellness include:
self love, self acceptance, self care
relaxation techniques
meditation
shifting negative thoughts to positive ones
connecting with others
establishing a solid sleep routine
creating boundaries
mindfulness
recognizing that challenges bring growth
Environmental Wellness
Environmental wellness is two fold: caring for and living in harmony with the planet and creating personal environments that support who we are.
Creating an environment in your room, home, yard or workspace that supports who you are and your needs and desires contributes to overall wellness.
And equally important is caring for the earth. It is, after all, home to us and many, many other species. I found that my awareness of my own environment and caring for the planet increased as my own health improved.
Tips for improving environmental wellness include:
decluttering spaces
creating beautiful, peaceful places to relax and play
keeping objects nearby that bring joy and encouragement
protecting the earth and all her inhabitants
living sustainably
interacting with nature
raising awareness about practices that are damaging the earth
Choosing Wellness – I created a beautiful space (environmental health) that supports my emotional health
Intellectual Wellness
Intellectual wellness combines nutrition and mental exercises that strengthen the brain with participation in scholastic, cultural and community activities. Additionally, intellectual wellness expands knowledge and skills and boosts creativity and learning, helping us to live a more fulfilling life.
Tips for expanding intellectual wellness include:
following curiosity
reading, for fun and for information
learning a foreign language or a new skill
adopting a fresh perspective
playing games or working crossword or sudoku puzzles
Learning to manage money well is a key aspect of financial wellness. Think of creating a budget as putting your finances on a healthy diet. When you take control of your money, it doesn’t control you.
Financial wellness encompasses budgeting, building a savings account, planning for the future…including emergencies, spending within means and healthy borrowing. It’s an important component of wellbeing. Money issues are a leading cause of stress, personally and in relationships, and chronic stress creates disease.
Tips for increasing financial wellness include:
creating a workable, doable budget and sticking to it
saving for future expenses, including emergencies
growing funds through investments
spending less than you earn
reducing expenses when necessary
borrowing responsibly
getting out of debt
Choosing Wellness – financial wellness
Occupational Wellness
You’ve no doubt heard of the expression, “Do what you love, love what you do.” This quote perfectly captures the foundation of occupational wellness.
Doing work that’s fulfilling, interesting and motivational contributes to overall wellness. Feeling inspired and challenged is important too. Life is enriched through the work we do or it can feel stressed when we don’t enjoy our jobs.
Tips for creating occupational wellness include:
finding benefits and positives in current occupation
creating connections with co-workers
writing out goals and creating action steps to get there
working towards the career path you most want
increasing skills and knowledge
writing out dream job in great detail
Physical Wellness
The most commonly known of the dimensions, physical wellness is about taking care of the body and fueling it with highly nutritious foods. Maintaining a healthy body gives us the energy to do what we want to do and helps manage stress. A body already under attack from disease or illnesses can’t easily handle additional challenges.
Physical wellness involves making excellent choices about nutrition, exercise and body movement, sleep, disease prevention and food or alcohol addictions.
Tips for improving physical wellness include:
eating a nutritious diet rich in fruits and vegetables
exercising and moving the body
strengthening muscles
paying attention to signals from the body
eliminating foods that create allergic reactions in the body
maintaining a healthy weight
staying hydrated
creating healthy habits
Choosing Wellness – physical wellness
Social Wellness
We need positive connections with others. However, it’s also important to balance social and personal time. Being absolutely who you are, and not who others want or expect you to be, builds healthy social interactions as well.
Destructive relationships are never healthy. Counseling may help with family or spouse relationships. Don’t fear walking away from other relationships that are negative, demeaning or energetically draining.
Tips for maintaining social wellness:
engaging with people in your neighborhood, community and city
valuing diversity and treating others with respect
creating boundaries in relationships
having fun
developing good communication skills
finding your tribe, a supportive group of people who “get” who you are
Spiritual Wellness
Building spiritual wellness involves values, beliefs, meaning and purpose. Spirituality grounds us, connects us to God, strengthens trust and helps us find purpose and meaning in life. Following a spiritual path brings bigger perspectives on life situations and comforts during challenging times.
It can feel overwhelming to make changes in all eight areas of wellness. Instead, gauge your wellness level first, in each area.
Draw a circle and divide it into eight segments. Label each section of the circle with one of the wellness dimensions: emotional, environmental, intellectual, financial, occupational, physical, social and spiritual. Write a number in each segment, with 1 being a low wellness score and 10 a high level of wellness.
Work on improving the areas with a 7 or less.
Pick one area and start there. Make small, positive changes by setting doable goals. Don’t set yourself up for failure by trying to do too much at once. Practice self care during the process and focus on gratitude and growth.
Check in with yourself frequently, to see where your wellness level is. The wellness dimensions are all connected. Improvement in one area often leads to improvement in another. Enjoy the process. Play. It’s your life…not an assignment.
And come back next week, for a month of fun activities to help raise wellness in all areas!
Wellness Finds from Amazon
Journey With Healthy Me is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. This affiliate program provides a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com, all at no extra cost to you.
