Health & Fitness: Food For Thought

Maplewood Village is known for its wide variety of restaurant choices. If you are in the mood for sushi, head to Samurai. If you want something fancy, head to Lorena's. But what if you need extra help? As in, what if you need help deciding what healthy foods you should be eating?

Turns out that Maplewood also has the answer to your question.

Aarti Aziz worked in Research and Product Development for over 10 years prior to becoming a Certified Holistic Health Counselor. Having grown up in India, she was surrounded by natural forms of healing. "I was given various concoctions of food, herbs and syrups for common ailments and they always worked," said Aziz.

After becoming a mother, Aziz decided to take her passion a step further. "I wanted to learn more on how I could raise my daughters to be individuals who make the right food choices going forward and be able to listen to their body and mind as they grow into young ladies."

Aziz received her training to practice at the Holistic Health Counseling at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in New York City. She is currently affiliated with Motion Fitness, Baker Street Yoga, and Core Pilates and also sees clients privately in her home.

Aziz's clientele consists of everyone from working men and women, to stay-at-home moms, to people with overall health issues, and healthy people who just want to learn more on how they can get healthier. "I incorporate a holistic approach to people's needs for alternative health care solutions, render it in good faith, with humor, compassion, and have a passion for their success," said Aziz.  After having her clients fill out an extensive questionnaire that asks about family history and their objectives, Aziz will create a program, which may include a trip to Whole Foods or food samples, that is tailored to their specific needs.

Randy Rabney is another Maplewood resident who offers locals nutritional advice. Rabney, whose business card reads Conscious Food Expert, Teacher and Chef, said she combines her training as a chef and health counselor with her love of really good food.

"In my heart, I am a cook and I went into this business to share my love of food with others," said Rabney. "In my classes, I focus on teaching people how to make delicious food that they enjoy and can make at home quickly and simply by using minimally processed and unprocessed ingredients. I want to show that it is possible to prepare really nourishing food that tastes great. I use the same standards when I cook for clients. My prepared meals are made from mostly organic and sustainable ingredients and are made to taste delicious while supporting the clients' health."

Rabney trained as a chef at the Natural Gourmet Cookery School in New York City. She has cooked in the kitchen of the Golden Door Spa in California and now teaches cooking classes, including at Whole Foods and the Maplewood/South Orange Adult School. She also offers customized classes privately in New Jersey. Rabney has a degree as a Certified Holistic Health Counselor.

Since this is prime time for New Year's resolutions, Aziz and Rabney know that many are looking to begin 2010 hoping to shed a few pounds. However, Aziz feels that there are two common mistakes that people tend to make before they even start to make their New Year resolutions: "They think about what they 'should' do, rather than what they really want to do. And worse, they think about what they should stop doing, rather than what they actually want to achieve," said Aziz.

But all is not lost. Advises Aziz, "The irony of it is that New Year's resolutions have the potential to be very powerful because they are such a well-recognized practice. The key is to setting resolutions that you really want to achieve, to be realistic, to be flexible, to write it down, track your progress and to reward yourself."

Rabney shared similar sentiments. "I think that any time someone is ready to make a positive change in their life, it is a good thing. The start of the New Year is a traditional time, but it can just as easily be one's birthday, the fall when kids go back to school or any day that someone is just ready to make a decision. The essential thing is that they are committed to it, have the tools to succeed and if they ever feel like they want to quit, they can and that they also have the support to continue."