I finally found a tofu recipe that everyone likes and that you can’t screw up! I found it in the Kripalu Cookbook. You don’t need to cook the tofu, so it’s quick and easy to make, and it tastes so good even my 6 year old likes it. The last time I made it it, [...]

Probably one of the simplest changes I’ve ever made was to drink a big glass of lemon water first thing in the morning. When I first began doing this years ago, I couldn’t believe the difference I felt in my energy and alertness early in the morning. You probably already know it’s important to drink [...]

Raw foods and/or greens do not have to be boring! How you “dress” your food is so important, it can make or break a dish. I love dressings on quinoa, veggies, greens, as a dip, or even a spread. There’s usually some oil in dressings, which provides some healthy fat, and you can even blend [...]

Greens are great for so many reasons. I know they are not the first choice for many of us, but they are SO packed with nutrition. And by greens I’m talking dark, green, leafy veggies like kale and collard greens, swiss chard and spinach, even escarole. Here’s a few good reasons to eat them, as [...]

I’ve been making this extremely fiber rich smoothie for breakfast lately. Many of us don’t get enough fiber. Fiber is so important because it helps keep your bowels moving regularly (a good thing, right?), lowers blood cholesterol and helps with losing weight. That’s why I wanted to share this breakfast smoothie, since it’s a quick [...]

Last Thursday, April 15, I had the pleasure of being one of several judges at the 2nd annual Teen Iron Chef Invitational in Brooklyn NYC! This event was held at the Urban Assembly School of Music and Art, and was hosted by FamilyCook Productions and Dr. Oz’s Healthcorps. This cook-off, which brought teens from all [...]

I’ve been whipping up smoothies all week since I last posted, experimenting with all kinds of greens and fruits, mixing and concocting and blending and drinking. I basically throw in whatever fresh greens or fruit I have around. A banana or apple is great to add just enough sweetness to cut the bitter “green” taste, [...]

I love a green juice. Really I do. But greens in a smoothie? I wasn’t sure until I recently came across a book called “Green for Life” by Viktoria Boutenko. Viktoria is a long time raw food enthusiast who healed herself and her family from multiple illnesses with raw food. She recommends blending lots of [...]

Going green can be really easy, but even I don’t always remember these small ways to help reduce our impact on the earth. But every little bit helps, and it’s the little things that add up to the big results. So if your home watching the news wondering what you can do to help solve [...]

I love food, and I’m obviously quite fascinated by how different things affect our health. For years now eating organic food has been something that I’ve just been really passionate about. It may sound really hokey and corny, but to me organic food tastes more delicious, digests better, and I feel good about feeding it [...]

This is a busy time of year, and it’s likely the last thing on your mind (unless you’re already in a routine) is when you might start an exercise program.   But New Year’s resolutions are just waiting to be made in a few weeks!  During my years as an exercise trainer, many people have come [...]

When I bought the book Baby Greens: A Live Food Approach for Children of All Ages by Michaela Lynn and Michael Chrisemer, N.C., I was looking for some good ways to get more vegetables into my kids’ diet. They seemed to prefer raw veggies as opposed to cooked anyway. So far this is the first [...]

Garlic-Chili Flax Chips By now you know fruit and cut up vegetables are healthy snacks. But what about when only the crunchy, salty, tangy taste of a chip will do satisfy your craving?  As a crunchy food lover, I know the importance of a good chip and dip!  The thing is, unless you are really [...]

How often do you really eat a good breakfast….really? Of all the meals, it’s probably the easiest to skip because we usually eat it on the run if at all. “Breakfast” literally “breaks the fast” from when you last ate the night before, but it also jump starts your metabolism, helps you sustain energy and [...]

I recently saw the movie “Food Matters” and was blown away by what I learned. I highly recommend this movie to anyone who really wants to take responsibility for their health, and have the most concious, healthy, ALIVE life possible. What we eat DOES matter, and unfortunately the majority of people (especially in western medicine) [...]

It seems that more people these days are not only noticing, but experiencing the very real connection between the mind and body. Any modality that increases awareness that helps to prevent injuries is a very valuable, since we often do not even realize how much tension we create in our bodies through stress. A friend [...]

We all want our kids to be healthy, but (I’m a mom too, so I know) we can get into ruts where we slack off a little here and there, and next thing you know, the kids are not eating so great. Here are some tips and things that have been working for me lately. [...]

When was the last time you cleaned out your basement? Or that drawer filled with junk in your kitchen? Even the neatest among us has a cluttered spot somewhere! Spring is a time for everything new, clean, and fresh….but anytime is a good time to refresh your home by getting rid of old stuff. How [...]

I actually asked my friend Jen Gatz, an amazing athlete and coach if she would mind writing a few tips for those of us fair weather runners who go gangbusters at the first sign of spring and wind up either burnt out or injured in just a few days. Here’s what she had to say: [...]

Most people do the best they can to get enough sleep. It’s not easy as most of us are busy with work, families and kids, as well as travel and social activities. If you find yourself sometimes burning the candle at both ends, go for quality over quantity. Here are some ways to get deeper, [...]

Green Foods The power of green plants in healing has been recognized throughout history. Many indigenous peoples, and all mammals except modern humans, live primarily on grasses and green plants especially for healing and balance. In the past thirty years, a number of green food supplements have become popular, two of which are known as [...]

As a mom of a 3 year old I know the importance of doing the old “Oh, that was your idea!” routine. (At least I don’t think I’m the only one that has to do this!) Especially when it comes to mealtimes and snacks. I must admit lately I’ve gotten into a bit of a [...]

If you are just beginning to use herbs and spices for the first time, start out by just buying a few to start—anywhere from 5 to 10 that you think you might enjoy and would like to learn more about. If you can go somewhere that sells fresh herbs or to a health food store [...]

The Pilates method was created by Joe Pilates with aspects of many other types of physical activity in mind: yoga, acrobatics, Tai Chi, and gymnastics, to name a few. However the main thing that makes Pilates unique and different as compared to other styles of exercise is the fact that there are several specific guiding [...]

Anyone who knows me has heard me say this more than once: Pilates is like learning a foreign language. Just as you wouldn’t expect to know German or Chinese after just one class, you can’t expect to have mastered the Pilates method after only one or two sessions. It sometimes takes several sessions to just [...]

For those of you visiting Urbanwellness.com for the first time, I am Danielle O’Connell and I am a Pilates teacher, a yoga teacher, nutrition counselor and a mom to Claire, 3 and I have another on the way. I am due in September with #2! We are very excited, coming down to the final weeks. [...]

Feeling physically bogged down? Find out how to rejuvenate your body by adding foods that will give you energy and nutrients, as well as help you get rid of toxins. Just take a stroll in any department store or pharmacy past the familiar rows and rows of bottles and jars, shampoos, facial and body cleansers, [...]

Your skin is the body’s largest organ and the body’s first line of defense. It makes sense, then, that what we do to it and what we put on it affects other organs in the body. Dry skin brushing is one of the simplest, cheapest, easiest things that you can do to help cleanse and [...]

The Pilates Method of Body Conditioning is a complete system of exercises specifically designed to strengthen and stretch the body at the same time. Joe Pilates called this concept “Contrology” because it demands focus and teaches awareness as well as total control. He believed that the mind should have the ability to control the body. [...]

What is Fasting? Fasting is simply a rest from food. Our bodies spend a great amount of energy just digesting our food. When we give the digestive system a break, it allows the body to heal. (Think of when you are sick and lose your appetite…..your body is asking for a fast.) Many animals in [...]