The Nerdy Nutritionist

May the 4th be with you!!

WARNING: This post is SUPER image heavy.

Today is one of my very favorite holidays! And for it to fall on a saturday is especially wonderful--plenty of time to re-watch all of the movies! The originals obviously (yes, this links to the DVDs that include the original unaltered versions)...

Here are some awesome ways to celebrate May the 4th from NerdApproved, but this is also an awesome day for me to post my backlog of star wars internet gems (I try not to over-do it on link's day)...

1. I know I already posted this, but you really really should check out the crowd sourced re-make of A New Hope. It's awesome. 

2. Also watch Paw Warz! 

[Ol' Bengal Catobi]

3. Make an Admiral Ackbar bag puppet! Star Wars crafts FTW

4. Let's all try the new meme trend, vadering!

[images via know your meme] 

5. Maybe paint a Star Wars picture... 

6. Play with legos...

7. There are always so many awesome Star Wars things to buy on the internet!!!

[Return of the Jedi glasses from Fab]

[Death Star Heart necklace]

[I love you / I know mugs]

[Han Solo trapped in Carbonite dress from Black Milk]

[Anacat Fencewalker shirt!!]

[Star Wars cats Cards]

8. Look at these behind the scenes pictures from The Empire Strikes Back

9. Here are some rare Star Wars pictures

10. Gifs <3 

11. Star Wars and cats. I love the internet

12. Here's a collection of Storm Trooper pictures

13. Some Star Wars pictures and cosplay from uproxx

[image created by Rabbittooth]

Umm... I really really like Star Wars. I wish I could tell you that this was even a third of the Star Wars pictures I currently have saved to my computer. 

I am forever indebted to my father for showing me these movies when I was young, my wonderful friend Kyle for contributing to my love of Star Wars, and to all my awesome friends and family for humoring my obsession. <3 u guiz

Have a great May the 4th!!

<3 <3 <3 

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My Questline: Getting a schedule

*whines* being on a schedule is difficult! I wish there were more hours in the day, or at least do-overs.

For reals, yo. I am having the most difficult time adjusting to doing things at about the same time every day. At bedtime, there are cats, the internet, books, television, and my brain all conspiring to keep me awake! In the morning, there are cats, snooze buttons, a comfy bed, and my serious procrastination skills cooperating to keep me asleep! It's an uphill battle. 

And food! Mostly dinner is tricky, since I'm trying not to eat anything after 6pm (so that my body can spend sleep time repairing itself instead of digesting). This means I have to decide what to make and start cooking around 4! But at least I teach high school so I have about an hour to relax/ do chores (depending on how motivated I am) before I have to cook.

I'm also working on incorporating exercise into my routine. Yoga and calisthetics every day, and walking and swimming a few times a week. These unfortunately fall behind when I mess up my sleep schedule. 

It's a lot of things to think about! I'm sure eventually all this will become automatic and I'll be able to schedule in more fun things and getting things set up for my future career, but until then... I'll be whining. 

Got any helpful hints? :) 

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Link's Day! Better late than Never

Greetings Friend! We've missed a few Link's Days, so let me catch you up on what's been awesome on the internet lately...

1. Oba-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma ... Just an example of what happens over at Twitter the Comic! 

[image via]

2. If you're getting ready to plant your garden/ apartment garden, here are some tips on which plants grow well together and which don't! From Afristar. 

3. Favorite molecules and top food sources! A good way to read up on your physiology. :) 

[image via]

4. Spring is the time for liver detox! Get a liver plush to help you out. :) 

5. Or you can learn different signs of genius instead. 

6. Ever wonder what Zelda would look like if she were the game's protagonist? 

7. And here are the 25 funniest Grumpy Cat GIFS, yay! 

 

8. Have you seen Des Hommes et des Chatons? You are missing out if you haven't! 

9. And, to make up for all the time we've missed, here is a link to the crowdsourced remake of 'A New Hope'. You lucky dogs, you. The internets made the movie in 15 second chunks and I really really really appreciate the attention to detail this allowed. So cute, internets! 

I love you internets <3 <3 <3  

 

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On prioritizing

    Most of my friends and family members are aware that I am diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis, and it is something that I struggle with every day. I have had symptoms since I was 21 (I am now 26), and was medicated for the first several years. I am now medication free as a result of changing my diet, and am realizing that I need to be doing more than just avoiding certain foods. 

Me at 21 (I had long purple hair for two years!)

    I am gluten-free and try to limit my sugar intake, but now that I've learned more about food, and how wonderful it is for not only preventing disease but healing it, I know that I need to do more. I've also realized that years of waiting tables and working in coffee shops have left me with some pretty bad routines--in that I have none. 

After college, I moved back to MD, cut off my hair, and traded a lip ring for a nose ring

    The past two weeks I've spent training myself to go to sleep and wake up at about the same time every day, and eat my meals around the same time. These very simple changes are incredibly difficult! But are already helping me to feel better. I've started doing yoga daily, and am trying to drink less coffee. 

 Cats help. This is Patches <3 

    I obviously in no way have it all together! I write level ups and recipe quests because thats how I've had to think about change in order to get to where I am, and it's how I'm going to keep going. 

    Now that I've gotten the hang of things, I can make time for blogging again and I am so excited! Let's continue our epic quest to health and wellness!!

<3 <3 <3 

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Go Go Gadget: Immersion Blender

[image via]

What wonders of technology we have available to us! Gone the days of carefully ladeling scalding hot soup from pot to blender! No more the tedious washing of a stand blender for just a simple smoothie! Never again the revulsion towards recipes that require use of a blender!

For we have THE IMMERSION BLENDER!!

He got her the wrong blender, that's the real problem. 

If you like to blend things, an immersion blender will totally change your life. I know that I can't even imagine trying to make a blended soup or smoothie without mine! I have a KitchenAid 2 speed immersion blender; most basic models run about $30- $40. There are some good models by Cuisinart. 

[image via]

Some models have different attachments, usually a mixer. From what I can find, only the more expensive options actually work very well (running from $50- $100). If money were no object, I would buy the Calphalon 3-in-1 Immersion blender, ITS SO FANCY. It has a little plastic guard piece to protect your pots and pans from the whirling blades.

[image via]

Speaking of those whirling blades, apparently people hurt themselves with this thing. Use common sense, don't try to mess with the business end while the immersion blender is plugged in.

[image via]

And yes, that pretty much applies to all electronics; I know this is the future but safety rules still apply! 

Happy blending!!

<3 <3 <3 

 

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Link's Day! Surprise snow day

For those of you in the Annapolis-Baltimore-DC area, you woke up today to some beautiful, fluffy snow!

[image via]

Perfect day for staying inside, watching the extended version of Lord of the Rings, and looking at all of the things on the internet! 

1. If you don't have THIS version of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, then you are severely missing out my friend! Blu-ray, extended, with commentary by EVERYONE, tons of bonus material... it's worth the money. 

2. Read about why Tolkien called the Hobbits' home 'The Shire', and also about how totally awesome he was. He really really thought about the meaning and context of words, and how to best convey emotion and history with his word choice. What a role model! 

[image via]

3. Get inspired by those hobbits and get your cook on! Here is an awesome spice set. 

4. If you're into it, Hulu has every episode of Star Trek available to watch for free this week (until April 1st!). 

[image via]

5. And for your viewing pleasure, here's a video shot at the school I went for my undergrad, Boston University. They obviously were asking the wrong girls.

 

6. And speaking of girls that went to Boston University, here's one of Jenna Marbles first videos, in which she reveals that she got her Masters there. 

 

Have a wonderful week! 

<3 <3 <3 

 

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Thanks for coming out to the Nutrition Expo!

The nutrition expo was a huge success! Thanks for everyone who came out, it was great getting to meet you. ^_^

 

My presentation, "Better know a brassica" will be a new category of blog posts! We will go through the family members of the brassica vegetables, their health benefits, their energetics, and I will have a recipe for each one of the vegetables. IT'S GOING TO BE LEGEND(wait for it)DARY!!!!

Once again, thanks to everyone who came out this week.

<3 <3 <3 

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Go see a nutritionist? But Susan, don't I read your blog for nutrition advice? Why should I go see someone in real life?

1. Because they can make a plan that is special for you.

Believe it or not, what you should eat is not necessarily a "one-size-fits-all" kind of thing. You might have food preferences, food allergies, particular health concerns, energy and body goals, etc, that are very different from just anyone who is googling "how to lose weight/ eat better/ have more energy". A nutritionist can help you figure out what would be best for YOU, not for the whole internet.

2. Because they can help you to make a plan.

Even if you know what changes you want to make, it can be difficult to figure out how to implement them. A nutritionist can break the steps down for you and make it easier than just overhauling your whole life all at once. 

3. Because they can get you swag.

Nutritionists have access to tons of useful materials to help you. We've got handouts! We've got recipes! We've got information about cooking and education classes in your area! 

4. Because we WILL hold you accountable.

Sometimes it's easier to stay motivated if you've got someone keeping tabs on you. We also have neat ways of measuring your progress. We have special scales that measure your body fat percentage and muscle mass, we can measure your blood pressure, and we can track your energetics (if we're into that kind of thing). 

5. Because we're fun! 

Nutritionists can help make this process easier and more exciting! 

Tomorrow evening (March 21st, 2013), there is a Nutrition Expo at my school, Maryland University of Integrative Health (formerly Tai Sophia Institute) from 6:30- 8:30 pm. I will be there along with several of my wonderful classmates. We're doing poster presentations of many different health and nutrition topics, and we'll have food, recipes, and lots of awesome people. 

Here are links to the blogs of some of my classmates:

Sharon Chan Forever Well

Victoria Behm Nutrition for Vibrant Living

Kathy McNeely Hearty Nutrition

Katie Habib Salute the Sun

Nancy Campbell Radiant Health NYC

 

Hope to see you there!!

<3 <3 <3 

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Happy Monday! Hopefully you're over your hangover from St. Patrick's Day! But if not, here are some wonderful links to peruse while you nurse that headache...

1. How about some new Star Wars bedsheets to snuggle into? Or, get them for your favorite nerd (y nutritionist).

2. Watch some videos of the time that Mr. Rodgers met the Hulk.

3. "Life will not break your heart. It will crush it" --Henry Rollins. 

[image via]

Offset some of that heart crushing by drawing some tattoos on Henry. 

4. Offset it even more by reading Henry and Glenn Forever. 

5. And here is a Japanese pop song about vegetables (by Kyary Pamyu Pamyu!), featuring adorabawesome dancing. 

 

Have a good week! 

<3 <3 <3 

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Science Forever: Higgs boson

It's looking like we've found the Higgs boson! You know how scientists are though, we need a TON of information before we're ready to declare anything is what we think it is. This is a very exciting time for science and physics! This discovery could open new horizons for research and our understanding of particle theory. 

[image via]

CERN found a "Higgs-like particle" using the Hadron Collider in July, and with more research they've just tentatively confirmed it's existence. Scientists! So cute! Amiright?!?

Right now research is ongoing whether this boson matches that predicted by the Standard model of particle physics, or if there are multiple types of Higgs, or if there even is a Higgs. THIS COULD CHANGE EVERYTHING!

[Standard Model of Elementary Particles]

Ok nerd, big deal. What is this thing about anyways? So we have all these different types of particles that form atoms, and explain electromagnetic and nuclear interactions. Gauge invariance bosons were found to explain interactions between particles, but required that either (a) particles with mass had to be massless or (b) that other massless particles had to exist. The theory of the Higgs field then came about to explain why certain particles (electrons, quarks, W and Z bosons) have mass, while others don't (photons and gluon). By existing, the Higgs field would give off particles, the Higgs bosons. Finding these particles would prove the exisistence of the Higgs field and validate the Standard Model of Particles! But, if the particles found by CERN can be determined as NOT Higgs bosons, a new theory of particles might need to be developed. 

So how do they know that what they've found could be a Higgs? Based on some very complicated theoretical math that I am not equipped to explain, a Higgs would have no spin, no electric charge, no color charge, and would decay almost immediately into other particles. The particle they found appears to have all these things! But of course we need to run more tests to determine ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY (which of course nothing is in science, a.k.a. the beloved Theory of Gravity)

[the Hadron Collider]

What does this mean for you? Sure, sure, it would only confirm the Standard model... but if it ISN'T a Higgs, we'd have to re-think the whole model and this would affect many current technological assumptions. Kinda a big deal. For background, current quantum theory is what lead to the invention of transistors, and lasers, and MRIs and a lot of other neat things. 

Other implications? New research, new technology, new information about the universe, and maybe, MAYBE TIME TRAVEL. 

Unfortunately the Hadron Collider is down for maintenence for the next two years! Guess we'll have to wait for more information on the Higgs boson AS WELL AS the new Star Wars movies. Coincidence???

You tell me. 

 

<3 <3 <3 

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