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Weight Loss

Going Gluten Free? These Recipe Hacks Will Help

Gluten is a common cause of inflammation, leading to leaky gut, which in turn makes the body susceptible to developing chronic disease. (Source) The effects of gluten on the body extends way beyond the gut! That’s why I recommend that most people go gluten-free — you’ll feel better in the long run and reduce your chances of developing an illness. You don’t have to go cold-turkey if you love to bake and cook, however. Below are some ways you can still use your favorite recipes, but with some substitutes to make them friendly for a gluten-free diet. 1. Ground flaxseeds for bread crumbs Ground flaxseeds are wonderful with a little coconut flour to “bread” homemade chicken fingers. Not only does this eliminate gluten, but flaxseeds are high in omega-3 essential fatty acids, which are good fats that have been shown to have heart-healthy effects. Plus they’re high in fiber! You can buy flaxseeds pre-ground, but I actually prefer to grind my own in a coffee grinder or food. Once the flax seeds are ground up, the oils in them tend to spoil more quickly so you may be purchasing rancid flax seed meal. I like to minimize that chance and

October 11, 2018

Inflammation

6 Simple Food Swaps You Can Make to Reduce Inflammation (even wine & chocolate!)

I understand the need to not feel like you’re depriving yourself. Not only is it intimidating to think you have to cut out your favorite treats, but it’s just plain not fun. However, if you think about how much your quality of life will improve if you can lessen the inflammation in your body, it is totally worth it! Not only can inflammation cause uncomfortable symptoms like joint pain and intestinal problems, but if it is allowed to go on unchecked, it can create chronic diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, or worse. Even low-grade inflammation can have no obvious symptoms! (Source) I don’t want that for you. I want you to be able to enjoy your life and live it to the fullest. Thankfully there are ways you can have your treats without the negative effects of inflammation-causing ingredients. All we have to do is get creative and do a little extra research. Enjoy Biodynamic wines from Dry Farms Wine instead of glyphosate-laden wine Attention: Wine Lovers!! Glyphosate is the most commonly used herbicide worldwide. This is concerning since, in 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer classified glyphosate as “probably carcinogenic to humans.” Yikes! Most wines are

October 4, 2018

General

My Top 5 Tips for Fall Wellness

I love the changing seasons! How about you? Along with seasons changing however, comes a different list of wellness concerns to focus upon. Fall can bring new allergies, more frequent exposure to sickness (especially with school back in session), and less sunlight and outdoors time. Of course, where you are in the world affects how much your seasons are changing right now. Here in California, our seasons don’t change a whole lot. The temperature only drops slightly and most days remain sunny. It’s important for everyone to keep these changes in mind, but if you live in (or are traveling to) a place where the temperature drops, weather changes, and the amount of daylight gets significantly shorter, these tips are especially important for you. Consider Taking a Vitamin D Supplement Most of our bodies’ vitamin D is derived from the sun. If you live in a location that gets a lot less daylight in the fall and winter, or if you simply spend less time in the sun during these colder seasons, it’s a good idea to consider adding a vitamin D/K2 supplement to your daily regimen. It’s also important to note that seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is linked to

September 27, 2018

Inflammation

Supplements to Boost Your Body’s Ability to Heal Leaky Gut

The first and most necessary step to healing your leaky gut is simply to remove the foods that are irritating your body and add in foods with healing properties. Reducing inflammation is the name of the game so your body can begin to heal itself. Did you realize that the cells in the lining of your intestines regenerate completely in five to seven days?! This continual cell renewal is what allows your gut to withstand the constant wear and tear of breaking down food, absorbing nutrients, and eliminating waste (that is, until we expose it excessively to inflammatory foods and chemicals). Wow! Our bodies’ ability to heal themselves is truly miraculous. However, there are supplements you can take to support this healing process. What Supplements to Incorporate into Your Routine Turmeric The powerful anti-inflammatory effect of turmeric should not be underestimated. After all, it’s been a staple in Ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years! And since it’s a spice that is relatively easy and affordable to access, there’s almost no excuse for not incorporating it into your diet. The active component found in turmeric is called curcumin, so if you aren’t a fan of the spice, you can jump straight

September 24, 2018

Chronic Illness

What to Eat to Heal Your Leaky Gut

People often ask me: What is the optimal diet to resolve chronic conditions such as leaky gut? As we discussed in the last article, leaky gut doesn’t only affect your digestion as it might sound. Since leaky gut essentially means that toxins and undigested food particles can escape the gut and enter the bloodstream, it understandably can cause a hoard of other issues. The good news though is that you can take steps on your own to heal your leaky gut, and consequently, alleviate the widespread symptoms it causes. The biggest thing you can change right now is your diet. I won’t say it is easy! It takes willpower, but it’s not too complicated. What to Remove from Your Diet There are a host of foods that irritate your gut causing inflammation and eventually leaky gut. Simply by removing these foods from your diet, you’ll see an improvement over time in your symptoms because the chronic irritation is removed! Our bodies have the power to heal themselves if we can remove the obstacles. You will want to remove: Carbohydrates like wheat, rice, spelt, soy, and legumes contain certain types of lectins, prolamin and agglutinin, which are proteins that can be

September 14, 2018

Chronic Illness

What is Leaky Gut Anyway?

Did you know that you cannot successfully heal any chronic condition if your gut is not functioning properly? The good news is that we can choose to make significant diet and lifestyle modifications so your body can start to heal itself. I know that making lifestyle changes can be difficult, but honestly, that’s the difference between those that heal and those that don’t heal. What is Leaky Gut Syndrome? Leaky gut syndrome, also known as “intestinal permeability,” happens when the lining of the small intestine becomes damaged, allowing undigested food particles, toxic waste products and bacteria to “leak” through the intestines and into the bloodstream. Sounds gross, huh? It is gross and leaky gut can also lead to major health issues. These toxins in the bloodstream can cause a autoimmune diseases and various responses in the body like migraines, irritable bowel, eczema, chronic fatigue, food allergies, rheumatoid arthritis and even depression. (Source) Why is the gut important? The gut is actually the biggest immune system organ. It houses more immunal cells than anywhere else in the body. We want our gut lining to have tight junctions which helps to keep our immune system strong and fight off any “bad bugs”

September 6, 2018

Weight Loss

How to Balance Your Hormones Naturally

It can be incredibly frustrating when searching for a solution to imbalanced hormones. Most common “solutions” involved synthetic hormones as a replacement therapy. It’s important to address hormonal imbalance at the root cause, however, so we aren’t just masking symptoms of a bigger problem. Not to mention that the side effects of synthetic hormones can be as bad as the original problem! (Source) When you use natural methods to balance your hormones, you are creating an environment that enables your body to heal itself. By eliminating obstacles to hormonal balance, it clears the way for your body to do what it was designed to do. Limit Your Exposure to Toxins as Much as Possible Purchase organic food and hormone-free meats when you can so you won’t be ingesting pesticides. We all know the dangers of pesticides, but in relation to hormonal imbalance in particular, they have a lot of xenoestrogens, which we explored the dangers of in my last blog. Not only does it cause estrogen dominance, but it’s been linked to various cancers. (Source) Limit your use of plastic. For instance, use glass or ceramic dishes to store your food. Plastics can contain xenestrogens like bisphenol A (monomer for

August 24, 2018

Emotional Health

What Could Be Causing Your Hormonal Imbalance

In our last blog, we talked about our bodies’ hormonal systems and what can happen when they’re out of balance. This week we’ll go deeper to understand why those imbalances happen in the first place. It can be easier sometimes to learn to live with uncomfortable symptoms — they become your new normal. But to experience full health, it’s worth it to dig and find out what’s truly going on so you can begin to address it. Aging Hormone levels naturally change as we age. Our metabolism starts dropping as early as age 20! Hormone levels that decline with age include estrogen, testosterone, growth hormone and melatonin. Hormones that increase include follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, norepinephrine, epinephrine, and parathyroid hormone. (Source) So what does this mean for us? Lower levels of estrogen and testosterone may weaken bones and your sex drive, and furthermore, lower estrogen-to-testosterone ratios may trigger hair loss and heart disease. As the thyroid gland slows down, controlling metabolism, weight gain can happen and we can get cold easily. Cells become increasingly insensitive to insulin, which leads to rising blood sugar in the morning. However,with proper nutrition, sleep, exercise, and stress reduction, hormone levels can be balanced out

August 17, 2018

Chronic Illness

Are You Experiencing Unexplained Symptoms? Your Hormones Tell a Story

Hormones are responsible for all communication between glands and cells—hormone receptors are actually found on every cell membrane. Think of them as messengers, controlling and coordinating activities throughout the body. For instance, hormones control the function of entire organs, determine the way the body uses and stores energy, and control the volume of fluid and the levels of salts and glucose (sugar) in the blood. It makes sense then that when hormones are out of balance, all sorts of uncomfortable symptoms can occur. That’s why when you’re noticing unexplained symptoms, it’s a good idea to get your hormone levels checked. That will give you a bigger picture of what’s going on with your body! Understanding the Endocrine System The glands of the endocrine system are the pituitary gland, the hypothalamus, adrenals, thyroid, ovaries, and testes. These glands are responsible for regulating hormone levels in the bloodstream. The hormones that these glands produce do everything from helping to control blood pressure, to controlling your appetite, to regulating your sleep-wake cycle. (Source) The glands, in turn, are controlled by stimulation from the nervous system, as well as by chemical receptors in the blood and hormones produced by other glands. By regulating the

August 10, 2018

ARTICLES

Going Gluten Free? These Recipe Hacks Will Help

6 Simple Food Swaps You Can Make to Reduce Inflammation (even wine & chocolate!)

My Top 5 Tips for Fall Wellness

Supplements to Boost Your Body’s Ability to Heal Leaky Gut

What to Eat to Heal Your Leaky Gut

What is Leaky Gut Anyway?

How to Balance Your Hormones Naturally

What Could Be Causing Your Hormonal Imbalance

Are You Experiencing Unexplained Symptoms? Your Hormones Tell a Story

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