Tea Time with Rachel from The Conscious Dietitian

Tea Time with Rachel from The Conscious Dietitian

Hi, hi! Good morning everyone and happy hump day.! I hope you are all having a great week so far, and that you are excited that we are halfway through the week. I am still trying to get a few last minute things organized before my move next week and honestly, it is a bittersweet feeling but also I am EXTREMELY PUMPED for my move to Denver.!  So I am super excited today to have the wonderful blogger behind The Conscious Dietitian, I met Rachel via Instagram (what else is new) and honestly LOVED her page and just everything that she is about.

Hi Rachel, I am so glad you are joining us today on Tea Time! Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I have been working as a Registered Dietitian for the last seven years. I specialize mostly in diabetes, weight management, and plant-based nutrition. My blog aims to bring the health of our bodies in alignment with the health of our planet.

BTW LOVE that Rachel. We should all strive for that. 

I am also working towards completing my Herbal Apprenticeship and look forward to the day I can marry the two professions together. In my spare time, I LOVE to travel, and especially food travel. I leave for Indonesia next week and am looking forward to Gado Gado every day (peanut sauce on veggies!).

Oh man, that is so exciting.! 

What are you drinking right now, tea or coffee? Oh, and how do you take it? I love adding warm coconut milk to my tea sometime. 

That sounds delicious! Right at this moment, I am drinking a homemade herbal tea which consists of a blend of skullcap, lavender, chamomile, lemon balm, and rose petals. It was one of the first creations in my herbal class. We call it a ‘calming tea’ and can be used to aid with many disorders of the nervous system disorders including poor sleep, anxiety, depression, irritability and it is also used to help calm inflammatory conditions. I drink it to ensure I get a good night’s sleep, up to four cups per day, and also because it is so delicious.

I am gonna have to take that recipe and make some, I am down for any natural ways to calm my nervous system. 

What made you want to learn more about herbs and eventually become an herbalist. BTW I totally want to learn more about becoming a herbalist. 

Working in the traditional healthcare model, I am aware of the gaps in the system. Too often we treat the symptoms and not the condition itself. We treat headaches with meds instead of addressing the deeper issue, whether psychological, nutritional or emotional. We take medication for gastrointestinal upset, instead of identifying that life’s stressors could be the cause and instead focusing on them. If caught early enough, Type 2 Diabetes can be well managed through diet and exercise, as well as addressing any emotional component. Herbs can be used as a gentle way of stimulating the system and have been used long before we had availability of medications.

I totally agree with you and one of the main reasons I started FOP was because I wanted to change the way we view health. 

What is your favorite wellness trend and what trend do you wish would just end already?

I love adding turmeric to everything. Not only does it add amazing flavor to drinks and meals, but it is also well researched for its role in inflammation.

I am not a fan of recent fad diets that demonize legumes. Legumes are such an important food. Not only do they provide powerful nutrients in plant-based nutrition, they are one of the most sustainable sources of protein we have. As global citizens, we do need to be conscious of how our food choices affect the planet. Plant-based protein offers a smaller carbon footprint and has the ability to feed more of the world’s population.

I totally agree. 

Is there one ingredient you feel is often underused and underrated and totally should be used more often?

Miso – this is one of my personal favorite flavors. I love the ‘umami’ or 5^th taste of savory. Miso is also very high in live-active cultures which can help replenish our gut flora with friendly bacteria. I often encourage clients to aim for one fermented food per day for a healthy gut. Just made sure the miso isn’t boiled to obtain the maximum bacterial benefits. I love adding it to salad dressing with tahini and ginger.

That sounds so good, and I agree it is def, not used enough. 

Your favorite herb and what is your go-to recipe for it?

For culinary herbs it is dill. I love adding dill to salads, on popcorn and dressings. This is one of my favorite dressings.

For herbal remedies, I am really into Dandelion Root at the moment. It can play such an important role in women’s health and helps our body metabolize and eliminate excess estrogens. I love making Dandelion Root Lattes

Go to recipe for breakfast?

I love peanut butter for a dose of healthy fats and protein in the morning. I add it to smoothies, smoothie bowls or oatmeal. Here is one of my go to’s Steel Cut Oats with Banana and Oatmeal 

Savory or sweet? What are you eating?

Both! Popcorn with nutritional yeast and dill. Or lately, I have been into making my own chocolate from whole cacao beans (so easy!).

Can you share your thoughts on balance with us and how you stay balanced and true to yourself on a day to day?

My job has me sitting in front of a computer screen all day so I make sure to spend at least 30 minutes outside, even in the winter. I always keep my phone on silent so I can only be distracted by it if I choose to. I limit internet/blog time to max 30 minutes per day during the week. I also do not own a TV or have wi-fi at home. In this era of over-stimulation, I think it is important to set boundary’s around screen time. 

I would love to say that I meditate on a daily basis but I don’t (yet). I find cooking to be very meditative, and I think other people may find another hobby helps relax their mind (surfing, listening to music).

I totally agree, cooking for me is meditative and relaxes me. Funny you mention the no TV in your home, I decided to stop watching TV until the fall so September and really enjoy spring and summer. 

Tacos or Pizza?

Tacos. They are simple and versatile and really easy to make healthy.

Avocado Toast or Matcha Latte?

Matcha all the way! Green tea is packed full of polyphenols and catechin flavanols, an important antioxidant that has been linked to cardiovascular health. 

Pineapple or Blueberries?

Blueberries. I am always conscious of recommending a more sustainable approach to eating which includes eating locally. Blueberries are also one of the highest food sources of the powerful antioxidant anthocyanin. 

Favorite mantra?

“Be the change you want to see in the world.”

Instagram or Snapchat?

! 

Rachel, thank you so much for joining us on Tea Time today! I really enjoyed talking to you virtually and also getting Registered Dietitian point of view when it comes to healthy eating and living. I hope you enjoy your trip!

Alright my loves, there you have it, another wellness guru joining us on Tea Time! Who else would you all love to have on here.? Have an incredible weekend!