Foods To Avoid

Hippocrates, the famous Greek doctor, once said, “All disease begins in the gut.” There is no greater influence on your health than what you put into your body 3-plus times a day every single day of your life. There is so much confusion and misinformation around food… what to eat and what to avoid, how to read labels, how to navigate the aisles in the grocery store, and how to create simple meals from farm to table. Instead of focusing on what the scale says, learn how the quality of the food you eat matters most. Understand the connection between organization in your home AND kitchen and how they are related to health and fitness.

From the time I was in my teens, I've been a very nutrition-conscious person.  Working as a professional organizer has allowed me to see the wonderful opportunity I have to help clients think not just about what goes where, but also about what goes in the fridge and pantry, which ultimately goes in our bodies!  My passion for nutrition and wellness led me to purse a degree in Holistic Nutrition, which I received from Hawthorn University in 2010. I am certified as a Holistic Nutrition Consultant.

There is a strong connection between organization and nutrition, but there is no obligation whatsoever to utilize both services.  It’s simply important to understand that if you struggle with clutter in your kitchen and/or with health, I have found there is usually little to no motivation to improve eating habits.  This may be the missing component.  It’s called fast food or grabbing whatever is easiest, regardless of health, which takes precedence over simple, tasty, healthy, and intentional meals.

Making your home a sanctuary, a place you want to be, is a fundamental key to happiness.  It's the first step before one can focus on making important changes to their food choices, health, and nutrition.  Here's a simple example:  if your kitchen is organized, you are much more inclined to reach for healthy food items vs. quick-fix, canned, processed, and refined foods with hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup, and genetically modified ingredients, to name just a few! 

Organize your home and eat sensibly.  They are powerful pathways to a healthier and happier life.

M. “Super Wolf” Jesmer , Marina Del Rey:

There are so many wonderful things about working with Cheryl, but I will summarize as follows…The overall thing that I really liked was that she is hands-on, and takes the time to not only meet with her clients to formulate plans and deliver information, she actively shows how to shop in the stores, read labels, make healthy meals, and so on. Cheryl delivers her knowledge both through consultation and practical application.

Cheryl has a wealth of knowledge for her clients not only through nutrition, but also many other, often overlooked aspects of health. These include stress management, personal and family histories, behavioral patterns, and organizational skills, among many others. I was very happy with how thorough her approach was, both in what you put in your body, but also in your mind and soul.

I think a lot of attempts at lifestyle changes fail because people adopt too many new activities, and get rid of too many familiar ones in a short period of time. Cheryl teaches balance and moderation. Being proud of the positivity you are bringing into your life, and conversely, when challenges arise, as they always do, to not focus on them. She teaches getting back on track and not looking back.

I lost 15 pounds in 3 months working with her, and it is still coming off. Most importantly, I lost a lot of stress, and gained more self-confidence. I feel less interested in what my scale tells me, and more interested in my life and overall happiness, and she played a major role in that transition.

R. Abbasi, Palos Verdes:

I have always considered myself to be well-informed about health and nutrition issues as I am an avid reader of books, articles, and other literature on these topics. So frankly, I thought I knew most of what there is to know about health and nutrition … until I met Cheryl Perkins. After a few meetings and upon reviewing the literature that Cheryl provided to me after her in-depth interview about my health and eating habits, I found out I had much to learn.

Modifying my diet based on Cheryl’s suggestions (but still enjoying many foods that I like) and adding a bit more exercise to my weekly regimen has made a large difference in my health, appearance, energy, and weight. I have lost 15 pounds in about 3 months and that is not from being on a “diet” but, instead, from making permanent lifestyle changes that Cheryl has taught me. Aside from the above benefits, there were some other (unexpected) positive effects … the stomach aches that I would get from time to time (weekly) went away due to the modification of my diet; and perhaps the biggest surprise was the near eradication of my heartburn issues.

I was taking two Prilosec pills a day to stem heartburn problems. With the modification of my eating habits as recommended by Cheryl, I no longer need to take these drugs (which are highly detrimental to having a healthy “gut”) that I had been taking for many years. In short, Cheryl’s excellent listening skills, genuine interest in my health, and deep knowledge of health and nutrition matters led to her great recommendations for my general lifestyle – mind, body, and spirit – and I have seen a significant positive difference as a result.

D. Davenport, Scottsdale, AZ:

Cheryl Perkins has demonstrated herself to be an exceptionally knowledgeable, caring, and dedicated holistic nutrition professional. Her proactive approach to wellness through proper nutrition has made profoundly positive changes in my overall health and well-being. After taking the time to fully understand my questions and concerns, Cheryl conducted intensive research to identify the most ideal dietary plan for my specific physiological make-up. By following her expert advice, I’ve seen dramatic improvements and could not be happier with my new nutritional plan. Most important, the education I received from Cheryl is something I would have never received from traditional healthcare providers who typically treat symptoms with drugs. Through proper diet and nutritional support, the body is able to function as it’s designed to do without harmful side effects and the masking of symptoms. I wholeheartedly recommend the services of Cheryl Perkins for anyone wanting to pursue natural and healthy alternatives to wellness through nutrition.

A. Jackson, Los Angeles:

The space and clutter in my house were out of control and in dire need of assistance! Cheryl — organizational guru that she is — came over, offered practical ideas for organizing my books, CD’s, shoes, and kitchen cabinets. Thanks to Cheryl, I doubled my linen closet space, my bedroom closet space, and kitchen cabinet space! I literally, and figuratively, had more space in which to operate — so much so that I organized a nice dinner party, which I had not done in over a year! I’m so grateful to Cheryl for the organizing systems she helped to implement in my home! Cheryl is the quintessential organizer!

L. Beltran, Redondo Beach:

If you want to save time, be more organized, and less frustrated, then I highly recommend contacting “The Professional Organizer.” Cheryl Perkins can accommodate your needs, whether it be an entire household or one small project. I spent an afternoon with Cheryl on what was my biggest morning frustration — my closet!! Now my entire closet is organized and in a way that I can maintain it. The highlight is the shoe organizer that Cheryl helped me purchase and implement so I can see all of my shoes at once. Now picking out what I am going to wear in the morning is a breeze. I can see and access everything I need; and when you are in a rush in the morning, that extra 10 minutes that I got back means a lot! Call Cheryl and invest a couple of hours, and you will definitely get that and more time back!

K. Duffy, Cambria:

I am truly amazed at how much I’m able to get done now. Before, I had to look in 15 different places to find one document. Now I just go right to the place where I know that document lives. The day after Cheryl left, I was able to sit down and bust out work that had been held up for months by the chaos in my office. Thank you so much for creating the systems that help me work more quickly and efficiently. As they say, time is money. We have gotten our money back many times over just in this first week. Thanks again!

S. Rifelli, RE/MAX Beach Cities Realty, Los Angeles:

If you are interested in getting yourself organized, please consider hiring Cheryl Perkins to help you do this. She is efficient, helpful, and nonjudgmental. I am a realtor and will refer Cheryl to all of my clients for packing and unpacking and closet organization, etc. She is a lovely person to work with.

C. Steinberger, Lake Balboa:

My husband and I just moved into our new home. We both were working full-time. I am expecting twins and in a fragile condition. I was finding it very stressful to find all of our items that were packed away in boxes, and making a decent meal was out of the question. Our kitchen was a mess. Things were packed away, we had tons of wedding gifts in boxes, we had old stuff we wanted to get rid of and new stuff we wanted to take out and use. Everything was everywhere, and none of it made sense. I called Cheryl one night and asked her to be at my place the very next day. She agreed, asked me what my goals were, and showed up on time. Together we unpacked, put away, threw away, organized, and actually had fun while the kitchen became functional in just one evening. I highly recommend Cheryl’s work any time in one’s life, but especially during stressful transition times.

M. Fernandez, Los Angeles:

For many years, I tried organizing my classroom. I got rid of books, materials, etc., but I would hang onto some stuff, books. This year, I wanted to mainstream my systems, being more effective and leaving work before 4:30 PM. Also, I committed to teach science and to have daily science in my classroom. I needed some encouragement. Cheryl, with your support, now I have the space to teach science every day. Your support encouraged me to look at my space differently, and I had lots of organizing work done with ease. My students get to learn in a specially organized science classroom, which also requires organizing, experiments and science observations.

Getting organized and eating sensibly are powerful pathways to a healthier and happier life.

If your kitchen is organized, you are much more inclined to reach for healthy food items versus those canned, quick-fix, processed and refined foods with hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup and genetically modified ingredients, to name just a few.

If your closet is organized, it’s such a joy to find things in a flash.  It can profoundly shape your day.

If what's in your refrigerator is rushed and haphazard, the energy you need to stay organized does not exist.

Being disorganized is not healthy.  And "unhealthy" is a costly way to live in more ways than one.

Organize your home and eat sensibly.  It is integral to enhancing your health, relationships, finances, career and more.