Eating sexy

She’s the perfect poster girl for her own “Nutrition Is Sexy” seminar. A statuesque six-footer with all the right curves in all the right places, Margaux J. Rathbun, a certified nutritional therapy practitioner and founder of the website Authentic Self Wellness, had women (of all ages, shapes, and sizes) hanging on to every word she said at the Healthy Options seminars she conducted recently at Edsa Shangri-La Hotel and Marriott Hotel in Cebu.

Yes, nutrition is sexy — you can eat yourself sexy. In her A Guide to Looking and Feeling Fabulous with Food, Margaux confesses, “Before I was a nutritional therapist practitioner, I suffered from acne and weak nails, I struggled to fall asleep at night, which made me rely on coffee and harsh stimulants to get me through the day. When I discovered the benefits of eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, eggs, fish, and organic meats, my health instantly improved. My skin began to clear and show a healthy glow. My hair would shine naturally and my nails started to grow longer. I felt energized and I found myself sleeping well at night.”

You, too, can look and feel sexy like Margaux. For instance, take this tip: “Feeling sexy is about feeling amazing internally and externally. It’s about having the energy to get through your busy day and getting a good night’s sleep. It is also about incorporating the right foods into your diet that encourage beautiful skin, hair, and nails.”

If you’re tired of always feeling tired, Margaux prescribes rethinking your diet and incorporating foods full of nutrients that promote energy. She also recommends her favorite Healthy Options supplements that are guaranteed energy boosters like spirulina, ginkgo biloba, phyto-based B veggie capsules, iron complex, etc.

In her EBook, Margaux shares assorted valuable tips that will help you fall asleep, get your rest or get healthy skin, hair, and nails.

Margaux has more to share in the following Q & A. Bon appetit!

PHILIPPINE STAR: What’s the best basic health advice you can give?

MARGAUX RATHBUN: I would say, getting back to a whole lifestyle change, don’t beat yourself up if you slip up. If you have some chips or some candy, it’s okay; don’t get into a pattern of guilt, that horrible cycle, because tomorrow is another day, it’s a journey we’re on. That’s the best way to keep it going, to keep yourself inspired to eat healthy foods.

You’re not recommending dieting?

No, not necessarily. Detoxes are good, with the help of a primary care naturopath provider, but  a lot of the diets out there are just scary.

The South Beach Diet is quite popular here. What can you say about it?

A lot of the diets out there have a lot more nutrients. I know a lot of people who adopt the South Beach Diet and then they stop, and the weight comes back.

What for you is a balanced diet?

A balanced diet is a good balance of protein, good carbs from fruits and vegetables, and fats (like from avocados).

So, not all fats will make you fat?

Fat is not necessarily the enemy — not all fats. We need good fats for information, healthy skin, hair, and nails, and for energy.

I know a girl who was afraid to eat avocados because she thought they would make her fat. Avocados are definitely good. There’s actually a big campaign in the United States by the National Avocado Commission just educating people about the nutritional value of avocados, that it’s okay to eat avocados. They’re amazing and they taste good, too.

What would you personally recommend for the skin, to keep away the wrinkles?

Goji berries are really good! Or even just a balance of nutrients,  even raspberries, foods rich in essential fatty acids; chia seeds are awesome, spirulina is another great food.

What about vitamins? Should you take vitamins?

Get your vitamins from food first. If you’re gonna take a supplement, you gotta take in some type of digestive aid because you’re gonna digest  the food that you’re eating. That’s what I recommend because digestion is the foundation of health. And also fats, essential fatty acids — a lot of times we don’t get those.

Is aloe vera good? It’s supposed to help with acid reflux.

Some people don’t like the taste, but you know, it’s good for you.

You used to be a model?

Back in the days.

How was it?

It was interesting, I never did it professionally like any of the big fashion weeks. It was fun for a while  and then I started to see a lot of the eating disorders and the girls who were just sick and it wasn’t fun. I felt just a shell of a person, I didn’t feel like a real person.

I was modeling two-three years. Back then, I was  a lot thinner, I weighed 140 lbs.  For being six-foot tall, it’s pretty thin.

How does your day go? What do you have for breakfast, lunch, and dinner?

For breakfast, I have a smoothie, which is real easy to make. For lunch, I typically have some kind of a salad or a sandwich wrap with hummus, I love hummus. And for dinner, my fiance is actually a chef so I’m very fortunate with that. His name is chef John Almirall, he’s American, and he and I are working together now creating recipes, which he creates and I put the healthy ingredients in, so at night, we come up with all these cool stews, salads, soups. Those are on Facebook now, under The Authentic Kitchen with Margaux and chef Almirall.

Margaux’s sexy recipes

CRAZY CUCUMBER SMOOTHIE

1 Japanese cucumber

1 C  blueberries

1/2 C chopped fresh mint

1/2 C chopped flat leaf parsley

1 Tbsp. Healthy Options 100% Organic Flax Seed Oil

1 C plain yogurt

Wash the ingredients thoroughly. Cut the Japanese cucumber into pieces that will fit into your blender. Add all ingredients to your blender and process until smooth. Pour into a glass and serve.

Dill-icious potato salad

2 C red skin potatoes, cut into halves

1 Tbsp. whole grain mustard

1-1/2 Tbsp. chopped dill

1/4 C red wine vinegar

1/3 C olive oil

1 tsp. lemon juice

Steam or boil the potatoes for 20 minutes or until tender. Drain and leave to cool slightly. Mix the mustard, dill, and vinegar together in a small bowl. Using a fork, whisk in the olive oil to make a dressing. Toss in dressing and serve.

Sleepy-time salad

1-1/2 C romaine lettuce

3/4 C organic, raw walnuts, shelled

3 Tbsps. cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil, divided

1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

1 tsp. honey

2 Tbsps. cold-pressed virgin olive oil

Sea salt to taste

Wash and dry the lettuce. Whisk the apple cider vinegar, honey, and 2 Tbsps. of olive oil together for the dressing, and sprinkle in sea salt to taste. Mix the walnuts with the remaining olive oil and a pinch of sea salt before lightly toasting them under the grill or in the oven (until fragrant). Toss the lettuce in the dressing, season, and arrange in a bowl. Scatter the walnuts on top.

‘Apple of my eye’ juice

1 C baby carrots

2 or 3 apples

2 sprigs of fresh mint

Wash the ingredients thoroughly. Cut the carrots into small pieces and slice the apples into six to eight pieces. Place the ingredients into the hopper, one at a time, until all ingredients have been juiced. Pour juice into a glass and stir well before serving.