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Showing posts with label gut health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gut health. Show all posts
1.30.2014
My Top Secret To Staying Healthy + Somethin' New!
Are those resolutions starting to suck?
Has
Polar Vortex 2.0 got you feeling down in the arctic dumps, making you
want to cuddle up in your leopard print snuggie (actually exists... and i
want one) and sip on a heated box of tomato soup from 2 winters ago
because it’s too damn cold to go out and do groceries? I can hear the
collective grumbling...
While
staying on top of our health game can be challenging all year round,
the winter time has a way of making it seem impossible. The holidays
have come and gone, and most likely left us overstuffed, exhausted and
with really dry skin. With a trail of fruit cake, gingerbread cookies
and hot toddies behind us, we attempt to salvage what’s left of our
health by declaring our intentions for the rest of the year... the year
of transformation, of course.
That is, until Valentine’s Day rolls around and we conveniently forget our 5x/week gym commitment or the fact that the nutella graham cracker cheesecake we’ve been eating every afternoon is not actually #paleo #dairyfree or #glutenfree (denial is an ugly thing).
That is, until Valentine’s Day rolls around and we conveniently forget our 5x/week gym commitment or the fact that the nutella graham cracker cheesecake we’ve been eating every afternoon is not actually #paleo #dairyfree or #glutenfree (denial is an ugly thing).
So how the heck does one stay healthy all year round?
After many moons of self reflection and experience working with my clients, I have distilled all of the wisdom down into one bite size morsel. You ready for it?
After many moons of self reflection and experience working with my clients, I have distilled all of the wisdom down into one bite size morsel. You ready for it?
My top secret to staying healthy is...
Be tremendously kind & loving to yourself.
That’s it folks. The big ole secret that’s been keeping me going on a super space jam kinda health kick for years.
Don’t roll your eyes... I saw that.
It’s far too easy to dismiss this simple, and yet profound, statement.
Here’s why it works:
When you are tremendously kind and loving to yourself...
You are your biggest cheerleader.
You allow yourself to fall and make mistakes, then dust yourself off and try again.
You’re committed to yourself till the end.
You’ll give everything your best shot.
You want to take care of your magnificent mind, body and soul.
You’ll eat the foods that nourish and energize you.
You’ll do whatever it takes to grow and get happy.
You won’t sacrifice your health or well being for temporary fixes or destructive behaviors.
You’ll do the work.
Whether or not healthy eating is a resolution of yours, it’s an important piece in making lasting change. Why? Because when you feel good, have energy and mental clarity, and eat the right foods for your body, you’re more likely to stay motivated and invested in yourself. Staying positive is a huge factor in achieving goals and considering 95% of serotonin is manufactured in the gut, you want to make sure you’re keeping that area in tip top shape!
One of my favorite ways of doing all that is a seasonal detox.
A detox for me is more than adding juices or eliminating certain foods.
It’s a chance to show up for myself in a BIG LOVE kinda way - to give
my body a well deserved break and reset with the seasons.
Today I’m super excited to share a my new winter detox program:
This is a Do-It-Yourself Digital Detox....
That means YOU get to choose your start date.
Anytime. Anywhere. At your fingertips.
This detox is for you if...
✓ You're done with resolutions that get tossed by Valentine’s day and make you feel guilty.
✓ You're over the diets and programs that haven’t given you the results you were looking for and you need a program that works for your busy schedule.
✓ You're looking to uncover hidden food sensitivities and allergies that are contributing to resistant weight loss and stubborn health issues.
✓ You're tired of craving unhealthy foods that are sabotaging your weight-loss efforts and making those resolutions seem frickin' impossible.
✓ You want more energy and less trips to the coffee machine or the vending machine at 4pm.
✓ You're ready to actually feel the way you deserve to feel.
With this DIY digital detox, you're getting:
- A complete detox guide book
- Winter season recipe book
- Suggested meal plan and shopping list
- Daily email support from me
- AND a *new* success kit to help you achieve your New Year goals (so many tools you can use for a lifetime up in there...priceless)
And because I want you to have the best detox experience ever, you'll also get a free 30 min. post-detox breakthrough session
with me where I'll coach you on any questions or challenges you may be
having to ensure your transition is a healthy one. I'm here to support
you!
This DIY detox is only available thru Feb. 21, so be sure to check it out before it goes *poof*.
To your health & some seriously big self love!
♥ ✌ ♫ ∞
12.27.2013
The Truth About Dairy: Everything You've Always & Never Wanted To Know
When I was a wee little one, I remember I couldn’t wait to get home from school, catch some Zoobilee Zoo action and satisfy my addiction to Chips Ahoy cookies and a big fat glass of whole milk (with the cookies mashed into a milky chocolate chipy soup, of course). This is around the same time when celebrities started walking around with milk mustaches and the National Dairy Council made sure that every parent in America knew that they were practically committing child abuse if they didn’t feed their offspring the stuff. Talk about pressure.
Interestingly enough... this is also around the same time when I was diagnosed with asthma. And allergies. And then came the acne. And when I was a little older, the bad pms. And acid reflux. And that gross cough that never seemed to go away. And.... sigh. You get the picture.
Something was not right. And it took me YEARS to piece it all together.
The biggest culprit... Dairy.
The Chips Ahoy didn’t do a body good either. Cleaning up my diet and focusing on real whole foods was nothing short of a Christmas miracle for my body... but I’m telling you friends, my life changed when I cut out the white stuff. All those ailments GONE! {Ok, so I still get some acne when I'm out of balance. I am human after all.}
Today, I am 97% dairy free - exceptions include occasionally using grassfed ghee, really good quality organic whey protein and raw goat cheese as a treat (I'm no purist!). But tell me why no one in my string of doctors, nurses, specialists, childhood mentors (I'm looking at you, Mr. Rogers) ever suggested anything about the possibility of dairy being a problem for me?
It’s either because they couldn’t imagine the darling of the food world being bad for anyone OR they feared the Agent Smiths of the NDC would come after them (with good reason...I've heard stories).
If you haven’t noticed, dairy tends to spark some controversy. Some claim that pasteurized, low-fat dairy is healthy, while others say that raw, full-fat dairy is a health food. Some, however, insist on no dairy at all.
If you’re trying to deciding whether or not dairy is right for you, here are the facts you need to know:
You don't have to eat dairy to make sure your diet is complete.
Here are the pros and cons when it comes to dairy and your health...
Bone Health
Pro
- milk and other dairy products are high in calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, protein and vitamin D, which are essential for bone health
Con
- high levels of retinol (vitamin A) can weaken bones
- dairy is not the best or only source of calcium or potassium
Calcium-rich foods include dark green, leafy veggies (spinach, kale, bok choy, collards, mustard greens, broccoli); almonds; beans (edamame, kidney beans); sardines; and canned salmon, particularly with the bones mashed into the meat.
For potassium, great options are coconut water, bananas, avocados, potatoes, tomatoes, oranges, kiwis, papayas and mangoes.
Vitamin D
Pro
- processed dairy in the US is fortified with 100 IU vitamin D per glass
Con
- processed US milk is fortified with vitamin D2, a form that the body does not utilize as well as D3
- dairy alone is not enough to meet daily vitamin D requirements
- dairy is not the best or only source of vitamin D
A 3.5 oz serving of wild salmon contains 360 IU vitamin D; canned tuna and sardines are also good food sources; supplements are great sources as well but the best is exposure to the beautiful SUN of course :)
Chronic Disease
Pro
- dairy is high in protein and is therefore very satiating, which may help those trying to control their appetite for weight loss
- yogurt and kefir are excellent sources of “good” bacteria that have been shown to promote a healthy gut
Con
- consuming animal protein and dairy may promote prostate and ovarian cancer
- reducing animal products can reverse other chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes
- increasing research finding that milk in western countries like US are higher in natural growth hormone due to the earlier timeframe in which lactating cows are milked
- dairy found to spike insulin levels due to sugar content, cottage cheese demonstrating the worst spikes
- 30 to 50 million American adults are lactose intolerant (that we know of); 95% of Asians, up to 80% of African Americans, Hispanics, and Ashkenazi Jews, and nearly 100% of American Indians are lactose intolerant. Continued consumption of lactose in those who are intolerant and have symptoms of diarrhea or loose stools may suffer vitamin and mineral deficiencies or other long term health implications.
- There are many more people that have a food sensitivity to dairy due to other health issues such as leaky gut, autoimmune disorders, etc. causing dairy to wreak havoc in their systems as well
Joseph Keon, nutritionist and author of Whitewash: The Disturbing Truth About Cow's Milk and Your Health has said this about dairy:
"I believe that for optimal health and maximum reduction of risk for chronic illness, all dairy should be eliminated from the diet... Some of the conditions I have seen improved or resolved with the elimination of all dairy (are) stomach cramps, bloating, intestinal gas, diarrhea, joint pain, migraine headaches, runny nose, chronic congestion, excess weight and menstrual cramps. I've also seen extensive eczema resolved in two weeks after elimination of all dairy."
Ok... so now what the heck do I do with all that information??
If you suspect you have a problem with dairy, try a 2 week elimination of all dairy products and see if any symptoms go away or you start feeling better overall. It’s only 2 weeks of your life and sooo worth it.
If you feel better in any way - give D the boot.
If you are apart of the small population that can consume dairy with no problem and opt to drink it, please also consider the following (cuz I keep it real up in here):
Milk is a meal - it’s meant to make a newborn calf grow rapidly in only a few weeks, people. Think about it. Take it easy on the portions.
Dairy is the leading source of our dietary estrogen intake, since we milk cows through late-stage pregnancy when hormone levels are highest. Hello PMS symptoms and estrogen dominance - a growing phenomenon among women of all ages! Not good stuff.
Consider the treatment of animals - Some small farmers treat their cows humanely and allow a more natural relationship between mother cow and calf while still being able to collect milk for human consumption. However, large industrial milk factories often subject their cows to filthy living conditions. Animal mistreatment at factory farms is well documented. Some also question the ethics of impregnating a cow for milk production and taking away her calf shortly after birth (often for slaughter to sell veal) in order to maximize economic profits.
Sustainability: Healthy Planet, Healthy People - Animal agriculture is a major contributor to global warming and the pollution of our water and air. In addition, vast amounts of land, water and fuel are used for cattle feed, grazing and processing. By researching companies, buying from small, local farms and choosing your suppliers carefully, you can help support the farms that are producing dairy more responsibly.
SOURCES (FOR ALL YOU RESEARCHERS I LOVE :)
- FAQ – Dairy. The Weston A. Price Foundation.
- The New Four Food Groups. Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. Available at: http://www.pcrm.org/health/veginfo/vsk/4foodgroups.pdf.
- 4 Release No. 0059.10. United States Department of Agriculture. February 10, 2010.
- The Dangers of Raw Milk: Unpasteurized Milk Can Pose a Serious Health Risk US Food and Drug Administration. May 5, 2011.
- Why Does Organic Milk Last So Much Longer Than Regular Milk? Scientific American. June 6, 2008.
- Calcium and Milk – Wha’s Best for Your Bones and Health? The Nutrition Source. Harvard School of Public Health. Available at: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/calcium-full-story/index.html.
- Dhiman, T. R., G. R. Anand, et al. Conjugated Linoleic Acid Content of Milk from Cows Fed Different Diets. 1999. J Dairy Sci 82(10): 2146-56. Available at: http://www.journalofdairyscience.org/article/S0022-0302%2899%2975458-5/abstract.
- Vitamin D and Chronic Disease – Your Nutrition Questions Answered. The Nutrition Source. Harvard School of Public Health. Available at: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/questions/vitamin-d-and-chronic-disease/
- Lactose Intolerance: Information for Health Care Providers. National Institutes of Health. January 2006. Available at: http://www.nichd.nih.gov/publications/pubs/upload/NICHD_MM_Lactose_FS.pdf.
- Mitigating the Greenhouse Gas Balance of Ruminant Production Systems Through Carbon Sequestration in Grasslands. Food and Agriculture Organization. Vol 11-2010; p 121.
- Greenhouse Gas Emissions from the Dairy Sector: A Life Cycle Assessment. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. 2010.
10.08.2013
Preventing Breast Cancer: Your 5-Step Action Plan
1. EAT AN ANTI-INFLAMMATORY DIET!
Studies have shown that a diet
full of whole natural foods including lots of greens, veggies, fruits
and good quality fats are effective against cancer. The key players?
Your Brassicacae family, which includes kale, broccoli, collard greens,
brussel sprouts and cabbage, helps detoxify and eliminate estrogen as
well as other toxins. And don’t be afraid of the good fats, which
include olive oil, omega 3s from fish, as well as coconut oil.
2. DON’T BE A SUGAR MAMA!
With any cancer prevention,
it’s super important to manage your blood sugar balance and healthy
weight. Sugar is a major culprit in so many diseases, but sugar leads to
insulin spikes, leading to storage of body fat and stressing out your
liver! This means excess estrogen and toxins… Make sure you keep that
blood sugar in check by avoiding sugar and processed carbs, while eating
fiber rich foods, good sources of protein and quality fats.
Remember —you’re sweet enough! :)
3. SHAKE WHAT YOUR MAMA GAVE YOU
Movement and exercise is huge!
Exercise not only keeps your weight in check, but it increases your
detox ability thru sweat, keeps your blood sugar and insulin levels in
check, gets rid of excess hormones and improves sleep. And that’s just a
short list of the benefits! So find your favorite way to move your body
and do it everyday.
4. SLOW THE FAST TRAIN: DE-STRESS AND REST
In our fast-paced world, most
of us are constantly on the go-go-go. Well here’s a good reason to slow
down and rest—it prevents against cancer and so many other diseases!
Have fun and explore what de-stress and rest means to you… find
stillness with meditation and breathe work, dance to your favorite song,
take a hot Epsom bath with lavender and some green tea. There’s just
one caveat: make sure you do it regularly!
5. DETOX THE STICKY ICKIES!
I said it once and I'll say it
again: Balance is our true nature. But the barrage of toxins we face on a
daily basis (and even before we are born!) get in the way of achieving
that balance. In a recent article from the Chicago Tribune,
a study shows the rise in breast cancer among young women. Experts are
looking at environmental factors, including carcinogenic chemicals, the
use of hormonal birth control, lifestyle habits such as diet and lack of
exercise, and increased body fat as potential culprits.
So for prevention, it's super
important to make sure we are optimizing our body's detoxification
systems to give them the best chance of doing their job. Doing a safe
cleanse or detox routinely can be really helpful, and of course reducing
your exposure to toxins in every area of your life is a must.
6.01.2013
Be A Good American: Swipe Your Poop
If you haven't read Michael Pollan's latest article in the New York Times Magazine, you should. In it he talks about a new project underway called the American Gut Project,
a new "citizen-science initiative" that's sequencing the genome in your
gut and other places. Wanna see how your "inner ecosystem" compares to a
raw foodist in Omaha, Nebraska? Or your sister that does Weight
Watchers?
This is wicked stuff people. We are just at the brink of a whole new world in there... finding incredible things like how your gut microbiome makeup has power over your weight, metabolism, immunity and a million other things. This is also why tending to your gut health is one of the most important things you can do for your body! I'm totally swiping my poop in the name of science. How about you?
This is wicked stuff people. We are just at the brink of a whole new world in there... finding incredible things like how your gut microbiome makeup has power over your weight, metabolism, immunity and a million other things. This is also why tending to your gut health is one of the most important things you can do for your body! I'm totally swiping my poop in the name of science. How about you?
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