I hope y'all have been enjoying the summer, trying to stay cool and being careful in the sun!

With my Mom and Uncle here in July I just had too much on my plate and didn't have time to write the July newsletter. I was also struggling with the book I had wanted to talk about. It wound up not being what I expected and I was very disappointed. I'm still going to write something on the topic but need to do some more research.

The Dorm Room Diet by Daphne Oz

I got inspired the other morning listening to Daphne Oz (Dr. Oz's daughter) talk about kids going off to college and how to stay healthy and eat smart while you are away. I really found the book to be good for anyone so this was the direction I decided to take for August. Feel free to pass on this newsletter and help spread the news of good health. This would also make a great gift for someone who is heading out on their own for the first time.

This book is broken down into 10 easy steps - I obviously can't go over all of them but I will give you some tips along the way.

• Step 1 Get Inspired
• Step 2 Get Informed: The Freshman 15
• Step 3 Get Started: Healthy Eating 101
• Step 4 Get a Grip: Where and How to Eat Responsibly at College
• Step 5 Get Prepared: The Five Danger Zones and How to Survive Them
• Step 6 Get Moving: The Exercise Factor
• Step 7 Get Your Vitamins: Everything You Need to Know About Supplements
• Step 8 Get Happy: A More Relaxed, More Effective You
• Step 9 Get Conscious: Food for Thoughts
• Step 10 Get Cooking: Recipes You Can Enjoy

Although her book says this is a diet, it's really a lifestyle change. She is teaching you how to make better decisions and I like that it's not about deprivation, it's about making the best choice.

For example, do you have cookies or a piece of your friend's birthday cake? You have the cake because there is a sentimental attachment to it - you are celebrating your friend's day. She also recommends you take the last piece of cake because it will probably be the smallest. And we all know that there are parties and social meetings galore when you go off to school.

Here are 3 quick tips that you can start doing right away:

• Drink a glass of water (or 2) right before you eat any meal.
• Try not to eat while you're distracted - i.e. not in front of the TV or computer or at a party.
• Don't eat less than 2 hours before bed time.

Daphne gives tips on how to "survive" any situation in respects to food - whether it is tailgating, Frat parties or the cafeteria, she is full of tricks to keep you healthy. I am working on incorporating some of her tips into my life as well.

See Daphne on the following links to learn a little more about her book and health tips:

http://ask.doctoroz.com/search?query=Daphne+oz

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Books/excerpt-daphne-ozs-book-dorm-room-diet/story?id=11179231

There is a ton more tips and tricks to help you on your path of healthy eating so be sure to check out her book and follow her at http://dormroomdiet.com/

Getting Through College All-Nighters

Need some snacks for those all-nighters? Be sure to have the following healthy snacks on hand:

• Baby carrots
• Almonds
• Grapefruit
• Apples
• Pears
• Semisweet chocolate chips
• Rice cakes
• Soy crisps

Need an energy boost? Try Emergen-C packets - these are great and are fairly reasonable - they are effervescent single serving packets of energy. You just add a packet to your water.

So if you are pulling an all nighter every hour take a little break and have a small portion size of snacks - rotating them every hour so you are not eating the same thing all the time. It is a good idea to take out a serving and place it in a bowl so you are not eating the whole bag of goodies before you know it!

Care Packages with Healthy Treats

Want to send a care package? Here are some great ideas and be sure to check the price if you box yourself or use the flat rate boxes to see what is a better deal.

• Soy crisps (individual serving packages) -- a light snack that is high in protein and easily shipped and stored.
• Whole wheat or spelt pretzels. They're a better nutritional alternative to traditional pretzels.
• Individual baggies of chocolate chips (about 10-15 chips in each bag) to satisfy a chocolate craving without overindulging. (You can also send a box of small food storage bags so they can pre-measure their own treats.)
• Individual servings of walnuts in pre-packaged bags. They're easy to grab and run to keep fueled during the day.
• An apple peeler and corer, to make it easy to slice apples and put in baggies for on-the-run snacks or subtle snacking in class.
• A gift card to a local health food store or supermarket.

A Local Healthy Option: Jason's Deli

For those of us not college-bound but trying to eat healthy, here is my new tip to help me eat better. I don't know about you but I hate cooking for just me, I hate cleaning up the mess, I change my mind a lot, I am always running behind and when I buy food for meals at home it usually goes bad before I get it all eaten.

So last week Tina (A Better You) told me that Jason's Deli had a salad bar and most if not all of the ingredients were organic! Sweet and even better it is only $6.99 (not a lb just a flat $6.99!). So we decided to check it out. We order our salads to go - you get a "take out kit" with your standard large clear container, a small container which I guess is for your dressing if you want to but I have my own at the shop, and then a small soup size container. So I filled up my clear container with mainly salad and veggies, my small container with hummus and my soup size container with fruit. And you can also get ice cream but I was good that day. I had lunch, dinner and 2 snacks! SWEET!

On a side note Jason's also has gluten free breads and no trans fats. I was pretty impressed. You can also add soup for around a $1 and several meat options for around another $1 more. I did get the veggie soup - it was ok - and the chicken salad was a little plain and had pineapple in it. I am kind of funny about combining fruit and meats so I doubt I will get that again, but I went back the next day for other options and have plenty of food! So check it out!

Did You Know?

Raspberry Moon is a proud sponsor and/or participant of the following events:

Better Me, A women's network - August 21st - I will be speaking at this event and Brandy from Bellymuse will be giving a special performance, plus they'll be belly dance instruction afterwards - http://betterme-network.weebly.com/upcoming-events.html

Greenville Derby Dames - the next bout is September 4, please support your local ladies! - www.greenvillederbydames.com

The World of Belly Dance - presented by Bellymuse and Discordia on Saturday, September 25 at The Warehouse Theater in downtown, Greenville. This is like nothing you have ever experienced before in the Upstate! The show will feature Belly Dancers from across the East Coast with varying styles from Traditional to Electronic to Tribal, with live music and much more.

Doors open at 7pm and show starts at 8 pm with vending and after party. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door.

This is a family event so please feel free to bring the kiddies. Call the Warehouse Theater today at 864-235-6948 to get your tickets.

In conjunction with the show, workshops will be offered by Donna Mejia, a highly respected dance professor at Smith College. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit www.bellymuse.com/workshop for more information.

Instant Gift Certificates Available 24/7 on Our Website

Remember, you can now purchase gift certificates on line at http://www.RaspberryMoonST.com. Go to the store and then click on gift certificates.

Here, There, and Back Again

If for any reason you are unable to make your appointment please call me 24 hours in advance so I may offer another client your time. Take a minute to add me to your phone - 864-271-2710, then I will always be at your fingertips!

I will be out of the office:

I should be here the whole month of August!