 When you are trying to lose, gain or maintain weight, it is important to understand and know what you are putting in and on your body. Food labels have become increasingly easier to read and more informative for even beginning label readers to know what they are consuming. Food labels provide all the information you need regarding the nutritional values of a particular food product. Reading the labels will make it easier for you to judge what type of food product is good enough to put in your body. With labels, you can easily compare the food products and select the best option for your diet. As necessary as it is, reading food labels can be a little tricky at first, but here are a few tips to get you reading them like a pro.
2. The total number of calories: The next thing you should check is the number of calories. It will tell you how many calories you are consuming per serving. You can easily calculate the number of calories that you have consumed based on the amount of the food product you have eaten. Calories are very important because the number of calories you consume or burn determine whether you are going to gain or lose weight. For instance, if you consume or burn 3500 calories, you are going to gain or lose one pound of weight respectively. 3. Nutrients to avoid: The number and type of nutrients listed let you know how much energy you are consuming and how are the ingredients of this food product are going to affect or nourish your body. While reading the label, check for things like saturated fat, trans fat, and sodium; these are things you need to completely avoid if you intend to maintain your health or lose weight. These 3 nutrients are notorious for contributing to heart disease and various types of cancers. 4. Nutrients to focus on: On the flip side, look for foods that have high amounts of fiber, calcium, iron, proteins, zinc and a variety of vitamins. These nutrients will nourish your body and get you through your day without draining you of energy. Most importantly though, is not the box with all that info, it is the actual ingredients. This is what most people miss. Most people focus on the front of the package, where it may say all natural, or whole grain……but what is really in the product. The preservatives, fake sugar, names that you can’t pronounce, that is where the unhealthy stuff lies, both in food, and personal products. Many of the preservatives are confusing our cells, and blocking cell receptors, and messing with our hormones……many times these are the things that move us toward weight gain, stubborn weight loss, or chronic illness. 5. Percent Daily Value, or % DV: This percentage gives you an idea of the number of nutrients that are available in a single serving. If you intend to avoid or limit a certain nutrient like cholesterol, sodium, trans fat or saturated fat, select food products that show less than 5% Daily Value. Similarly, if you want to start increasing the protein in your diet, look for food products that contain 20% or more of your daily value. If you would like to learn more about understanding and reading labels, just click here and mention labels, or pantry, and bathroom cleanouts…..these can be done virtually. Yours in health and wellness, Theresa
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 Sugar is nothing but empty calories, the calories that only make you gain weight and do not provide you with any benefits because they do not contain any nutrients. Cutting out sugar can be very hard, especially when you have a sweet tooth. Here is are some tips to help you stop eating sugar.
1. Start slow and take baby steps: If you try to cut out all sugar from your diet at once, you will fail, because those cravings will come back with a vengeance. It will feel more like a punishment than an accomplishment. Instead of completely cutting out all sugar from your diet at one time, start controlling the amount of sugar you DO consume. For instance, if you take three teaspoons of sugar in your tea or coffee, try cutting back to two for one week, then down to one. For that sweet tooth, start by just cutting out chocolate and candy before you abandon everything like baked desserts, or just save it for special occasions. 2. Use sugar alternatives: Instead of using sugar when you do want it, replace it with honey, or sugar alternatives like stevia. 3. Challenge yourself: Some people like to challenge themselves and love the feeling of accomplishment when they fulfill that challenge. If that is you, try to challenge yourself to not to eat sugar for a week (or for a day, if you have a serious addiction.) Gradually extend your time, and celebrate each milestone. 4. Try sugar-free gum: When sweet cravings strike, grab a piece of sugar-free gum. This will keep you occupied and satisfy the need to chew on something. 5. Choose fruits over desserts: Fruits are a sweet and a healthy alternative to desserts. If you feel like having cake or a favorite dessert, then grab some blueberries or another sweet fruit. The natural sugars in the fruit will help curb those cravings. 6.Know the benefits of quitting sugar: There are so many benefits of cutting sugar that if you educate yourself on them or experience the negative side effects first hand, you will cringe at just the thought of consuming sugar. When you cut out sugar, your cardiac health improves, your skin begins to glow, and your acne starts clearing up. Furthermore, cutting out sugar will boost your mood and you will stop feeling cranky, moody or tired all the time. Your memory will improve and you may be able to lose the extra weight you always wanted to shed. 7. Add fennel seeds to your diet: If you just can’t shake off your sugar addiction, try adding fennel seeds to your diet. You can either add them while cooking or you can chew them raw. Fennel seeds do not contain any sugar or empty calories but they have a naturally sweet taste. 8. Don’t start your day sweet: According to a study by Brown, if you start your day by eating something sweet then you will crave sugar all day long. So, instead of having something sweet, have a savory breakfast. Don't even use the sugar alternatives in your breakfast. Sugar is an addiction, and it takes time, consistency, and determination to abandon it completely. Start small and take little steps toward removing it from your diet. If you would like to learn more check out my Free Class on Learn it Live Wed 8pm EST here https://www.learnitlive.com/class/16421/How-to-Kick-the-Sugar-Habit Check out also, my winter detox Yours in health and wellness, Theresa You
ou might be wondering what the difference is between a detox and a cleanse. By definition, detoxification is the metabolic process by which toxins are changed into less toxic or more readily excretable substances. You also might know of detoxes happening when people are getting off of addictive substances. Cleansing is defined in the dictionary as making something clean, but when thinking in terms of bodily function, the term cleanse is used more often when a program is specifically targeted toward cleaning out and toning certain organs in the body, and most often the digestive system. Many cleanses and detoxes use properties from both in their programs. Why Should I Cleanse? The reality is that we live in an increasingly toxic world. Now, we have a choice to bury our heads in the sand and pretend it isn’t happening or we have a choice to pay attention and do what we can to keep ourselves as healthy as possible. We’re exposed to toxins on a daily basis, and our bodies are built to process a certain toxic load each day. It does this by flushing out chemicals and toxic substances through our colon, our lungs, our kidneys and even our skin. We run into problems when we’re over-exposed to toxins and our bodies can’t keep up. Our livers are responsible for organizing the toxins that enter our system and then distributing them to one of the four channels of detoxification. In fact, if you notice that you have dull skin or breakouts, you’re likely in need of a detox because the skin is the body’s last-resort, and least efficient, detox organ. When things start coming out through the skin it’s because the body is starting to get desperate. What about Stubborn Weight loss? When the liver gets overloaded, its primary job is to keep you safe from the overflow of toxins because those, as you likely know, cause all kinds of damage to our bodies. The way the liver KEEPS you safe, however, is not so awesome: it actually wraps up those toxins in a ball of mucus and stores it in a fat cell. YUCK! The reason so many people have trouble getting rid of fat in certain places is because the fat cells can’t be burned while they are holding a toxin inside. A detox or cleanse program helps by letting your liver activate those toxins that are stuck in your belly fat and other fat cells throughout your body. Once those toxins are re-activated they move into the blood stream to be dumped out of the body. This is great because the toxin’s been removed from your system, AND your body is now able to burn up the fat cell that’s been storing the toxin. It’s a double win. Trying to Eat Clean in the New Year? Finally, and this is actually the reason that I think is the most important, and that is that a detox or a cleanse can re-set your eating habits. Have you ever noticed how once you start eating junk it’s really easy to let yourself keep eating junk? It’s like when you have something not so great at breakfast, then at lunch you think, well, I’ve already ruined the day so I might as well keep going. If you’ve EVER caught yourself doing something like that, then a simple detox could be a really good idea for you to get back on track with your eating habits. It’s something I do on a fairly regular basis – half-yearly to quarterly – to help me up my game when it comes to what I’m putting in my body. And it’s something I’m extra sure to be aware of as I’m heading into the long holiday season and cold and dark winter when sweet treats and fatty foods are more tempting than ever. To learn about the 3 mistakes most people make when Detoxing......go to my facebook page, and watch the videos. To check out my 5 Day Whole Foods Cleanse, go here And to learn more about Clean eating programs, and coaching, contact me here Yours in Health and Wellness Theresa Chabot  Happy, Healthy 2021!
New Year, New You, right? Want to start this year of right, and also have it last? Everyone wants to lose weight quickly, but there is no magic pill that can make you thin in a month. However, there are several ways that you can jumpstart your weight loss by increasing your metabolism. 1. Keep yourself hydrated: This is the most basic and easiest way to jumpstart your weight loss. Drinking a lot of water and detoxifying herbal teas will help you flush all the harmful toxins from your body, boosting your metabolism by improving the efficiency of your thyroid functioning. Drink five glasses of water daily at the very least to keep your body at its best. Drinking a lot of water and herbal teas, especially first thing in the morning and before meals, will also curb your hunger and prevent you from binge eating. 2. Get enough sleep: Your diet, your workout, and all the water that you consume will go to waste if you fail to get enough quality sleep. Good sleep help to keep your hormones and your mood balanced. If your hormones and your mood are balanced, then your body will function more efficiently and will keep all your unnecessary cravings at bay. Make sure to give yourself a peaceful night of at least eight hours. 3. Hot lemon water: Drinking hot lemon water early in the morning before breakfast helps fire up your metabolism. 4.Health shots: Another way you can fire up your metabolism is by having a health shot of lemon, honey, ginger, and turmeric first thing in the morning. It might taste disgusting, but it has a dramatic impact on your metabolism. 5.Pre-workout hydration: Drinking loads of water or green tea before a workout is an easy and efficient way to burn twice the amount of calories that you usually do. 6.Cardio: Exercises that keep your heartbeat up are another way to burn a lot more calories and jumpstart your weight loss. You can add exercises like planks, burpees, and jumping jacks to get your heart pumping. 7.Fidget: Some studies have shown that people who have a habit of fidgeting or bouncing their knees can burn up to 500 more calories a day. 8.Spice is the key: Spicy food burns more calories during digestion because it can fire up your metabolism. Add a few more spicy foods, like hot peppers, to your diet. You can add jalapeno in almost any dish you like, even in your eggs. Spices also add a ton of flavor with little to no calories. 9.Graze throughout the day: Another trick is to eat five or six small meals throughout the day instead of eating three large meals. If you keep eating small amounts, your body will be constantly functioning to break down that food into energy. Your body will learn to work more efficiently and will burn more calories. 10.Drink black coffee once a day: Drinking pure black coffee at least once a day will boost the rate at which your body burns calories. Losing weight is not meant to be an expeditious activity; your body does not function that way. These tips should be practiced along with a healthy diet and exercise for best results, but they may be able to give your body that little extra boost it needs to power into weight loss mode. If you would like to learn more about my 1:1 Coaching, Click here, or 5 Day Whole Foods Detox, just click here. If you would like to learn more about kicking the sugar habit, check out my class on January 12, at 7pm EST Yours in health and wellness, Theresa  So, why am I talking about hormones? Well.....my passion as a health coach is really to help people prevent Chronic disease. Sure, weight-loss, and more energy are part of that, but what I see as a huge influence on disease are hormones. Hormones are influenced by many things, toxins, and stress to name a few. And, they are responsible for so many more things, so many bodily transactions and chemical reactions. If they are not working correctly, that makes so many other things out of whack, such as weignt losss, energy, emotions, stress, sleep. Really it is all interconnected, and hormones play a huge part. If you regularly feel like something is just not right with your body, that you are just not yourself more often than not, you may be suffering from a hormone imbalance. Here are a few signs and symptoms to help you determine if your hormones may be out of whack: 1. You feel tired all the time.Consistent fatigue may be the cause of an imbalance in our stress hormones that are produced when your body releases cortisol. Your body tends to release excessive cortisol in response to a bad or unhealthy diet, especially one with excessive daily consumption of sugar. This fatigue may even make you feel a little depressed and lethargic and cause brain fog or brain fatigue, a temporary condition in which your brain is simply exhausted and cannot perform the simplest task. 2. You are unable to lose weight.The stress hormone cortisol not only makes you feel tired but can also hinder your body's ability to maintain or lose weight. Your hormones control your metabolism. An imbalance in your hormones can result in a slowed or inefficient metabolism. Furthermore, hormonal imbalances promote fat storage that can lead to weight gain. 3. You suffer from insatiable cravings.An increase in cortisol can cause you to have crazy and insatiable cravings for sugary foods. You may feel ravenous and get abnormally cranky if you are unable to satisfy those cravings. 4. You feel as if you are on an emotional roller coaster.When your hormones are out of whack, you may feel as if you are on an emotional roller coaster. One minute you are happy and having the time of your life and in the next, you may feel incredibly depressed. Hormonal imbalances can cause you to experience extreme, inexplicable highs and lows in your emotions. 5. You have digestive problems.Hormonal imbalances can also contribute to digestive problems like abdominal spasms, diarrhea, constipation, bloating, excessive flatulence and burping, nausea and discomfort. 6. You sweat excessively.Your hormones can cause you to sweat excessively when they are out of whack. This is due to a swing of hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism, which are caused by hormonal imbalances in your body. This symptom is usually overlooked but should be discussed with your doctor in the event your excessive sweating leads to axillary hyperhidrosis, which is profuse sweating over your entire body and underarms. If you would like to learn more about my balancing hormones naturally program starting in 2021, or any of my other programs to help you lose weight, have more energy, and have an amazing, long, healthy life, just click here Yours in health and wellness, Theresa  What are adrenal glands and where are they located? Your adrenal glands play a very important role in maintaining your health. They are incredibly small, about the size and weight of a coin. They are located above your kidneys, just below the muscle tissue of your lower back. What do adrenal glands do? Our adrenal glands are responsible for many things that assist in regulating our body and hormones, including thyroid and reproductive hormones. They are also responsible for managing stress, the amount of inflammation in our body, our immune system, our blood sugar levels and the electrolytes in our blood. They influence all the physiological functions processes of the body and help stave off physical fatigue. Signs your adrenal health is bad When there is something wrong with our body, it will start to signal us that something needs to be addressed. Here is how your adrenal glands will signal you that something is wrong.
How to improve your adrenal health If you suspect your adrenal glands may need some care and attention, try some of the following tips.
2.Daily exercise: Set aside at least 30 minutes a day for exercise, no matter how busy or tired you may be. 3.Add these to your diet: To improve your adrenal health, add proteins, healthy carbs, zinc, calcium, and amins (especially C and D) to your diet. Also increase foods like coconuts, avocados, olives, chia seeds, bone broth, nuts, vegetables and fish, but make sure you do all of this in moderation. If you would like to learn more about just click here. Yours in health and wellness, Theresa  Or do you believe that as we get older, our quality of life needs to go downhill?
I am passionate about this I am going to share with you a step-by-step process for changing your life in the next few blogs......stay tuned. Food plays an essential role in everybody’s life. It feeds body cells so your organs can work properly. Food and exercise are also critical factors in the process of aging. They can either accelerate it or delay it. If your objective in life is to live a quality life for a long span of time, then you need to know what to eat and the right exercises. I have been so inspired by my clients and my own journey to turn back time. I feel passionate about my health and self-care. I want to share this love and passion with you too. Close your eyes and imagine: Jumping out of bed in the morning without hitting the snooze button Maintaining your energy and enthusiasm throughout the day, so you’re not even tempted to hit Starbucks or the vending machine Finding yourself smiling and having deep belly laughs, thanks to more balanced moods Having clear, radiant skin, leading people to wonder what you’ve done to look younger Let's start with food. There are a few helpful foods in the previous blog, but here are a few more What to eat to slow down the process of aging:
Tomato Tomatoes are abundant in lycopene, an antioxidant that produces the red color in vegetables and fruits and helps protect your skin from cancer and sun damage. Avocado Avocados are good for your heart because their healthy fats help lower the level of bad cholesterol. They also contain Vitamin E, making them a perfect food for healthy skin.
It would be my honor to work with you. Feel free to set up a strategy session and let’s talk about your health and wellness goals. If you would like to learn more about Theresa  Is aging of concern to you?
What is your biggest concern about aging? Lack of energy? Pain? Stiffness? Wrinkles? Cancer? Forgetfulness? Something else? Best Foods for Anti-Aging.......These of course, are just a few. Early aging has a lot to do with your diet and your lifestyle. Our body is like a machine—good input leads to good output. What you ingest and put in your body has a huge impact on your biological system and your long-term health. A natural lifestyle does not have instant effects, but the long-term benefits are invaluable. Staying active and eating a nutrient-packed balanced diet can help slow the aging process and even prevent numerous diseases. Here are a few foods that can help you live a long and healthy life with great skin and a great body. 1.Olive Oil Olive oil has many anti-aging benefits. The monounsaturated fats in olive oil are can have a huge impact on the prevention or delay of heart disease and cancer. Olive oil also has polyphenols, which are powerful antioxidants that may help prevent age-related diseases. It is also rich in omega-3 fatty acids and the protein, minerals, and vitamins you need for healthy skin and hair. It has vitamins B and D to prevent the appearance of wrinkles and oleic acid and polyphenols to help smooth skin. 2.Pomegranate Packed with vitamin C, pomegranates are great for softening skin and guarding it against sun damage. The juice in pomegranate seeds contains punicalagin and ellagic acid, which is a polyphenol compound that combats damage from free radicals. Punicalagin is a super nutrient that improves your body’s ability to preserve collagen, a subdermal connective tissue that makes skin look smooth and plump. 3.Yogurt Yogurt is rich in calcium, which plays a huge role in staving off osteoporosis, and contains good bacteria that help in the maintenance of gut health. Yogurt contains live bacterial cultures, such as Lactobacillus acidophilus, that fight the growth of harmful intestinal bacteria and help restore balance in the intestine. These probiotics result in better health and can help prevent age-related illnesses. 4.Blueberries Blueberries contain more antioxidants than almost any other food. These give your skin an extra defense against skin-damaging free radicals that result from exposure to sun, over-exercise, and even emotional stress. Half a cup of blueberries every day can help in the prevention of the cell-structure damage that can lead to fine lines, wrinkles, and loss of firmness. Anthocyanin is also found in blueberries and functions just like an anti-inflammatory and can help maintain healthy brain function. 5.Fish Fish is an abundant source of omega-3 fats, which helps prevent cholesterol buildup in the arteries and provides protection against abnormal heart rhythms. Fish oil and fish proteins are used in the beauty industry worldwide. They promote healthy looking skin and the omegas found in fish are essential for regulating blood clotting, body temperature, body pressure and the immune system. If you would like to learn more about my anti-aging programs click here, or 5 Day detox , Click here. Curious about products that could help you out? Yours in health and wellness, Theresa  Did You Know?
Seventy percent of your immune system is located in your digestive system. It's True...... Therefore, poor gut health affects not only your gut but every organ in your body. It can affect the pancreas and result in blood sugar imbalances. It can affect the functioning of liver, which is responsible for detoxifying your body, and lead to malabsorption, poor nutrient assimilation, and reduced bile flow (key for breaking down fats and proteins). It can also cause intestinal dysbiosis, SIBO (small intestinal bacteria overgrowth), and many other issues like IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), colitis, Chron’s, leaky gut, etc. The health of your gut depends on a healthy 80/20 ratio of good bacteria versus bad bacteria. However, taking birth control pills regularly, taking an antibiotic even once, stress, pollution, and a diet high in sugar and processed foods will wreak havoc on your body’s healthy gut flora. Just a side note: Many times when we eat dairy, and meat with growth hormones and other things in them, or are eating pesticides on food, we are taking in antibiotics without even knowing. That is a huge reason for eating organic. One huge thing that I didn't realize was affecting my gut was wine. Did you know that 95% of conventional wines tested, tested positive for glyphosate, the main ingredient in the pesticide Roundup? Now if you are drinking that wine, even a few times a week, think of what you are doing to your gut......so, am I saying don't drink wine? Not necessarily, but what I am saying is find a better wine. Click here for a great option Without good bacteria in your gut, you could experience:
Probiotics - The Good Guys Consuming probiotics, either in supplement form or through probiotic-rich food and drinks, is an ideal way to restore the good bacteria in your gut. Let’s talk about probiotic supplements first. When choosing a probiotic, make sure it has at least eight billion live cultures. Personally, I prefer at least 10 or 15 billion. You also want it to have at least two different strains of bacteria. This is because our guts are home to many different strains of bacteria, so you want to nourish them all! An important factor to consider when choosing your probiotic is whether or not it needs to be refrigerated. As a general rule of thumb, if you bought it while it was in a fridge, you should store it in a fridge. If you travel, it is great to have a probiotic like Garden of Life Primal Defense, which does not need to be in the fridge. I actually believe non refrigerated are best. Think about it, your body is not refrigerated. Some of my favorites, which you can find on Amazon or at natural health stores, are:
You should also switch out your probiotic every three months. If you have significant gut issues or an autoimmune issue, you can follow a 3-day rotation schedule. This means you want to have three different probiotics on hand and rotate to a new one each day. This prevents your probiotic from becoming resistant to any antibiotics you are taking. If you have an overgrowth of candida or severe digestive issues, you should start off at a slow pace with probiotics. The changing gut ecology brought on by an “overdose” of probiotics is going to send your system topsy-turvy and can lead to many issues, including diarrhea or constipation, fatigue and/or brain fog, body aches, flu-like symptoms, rashes, and possibly a worsening of the symptoms you already have. This happens when probiotics start destroying the bad pathogens in your gut. As they are destroyed, they release toxins that cause unpleasant symptoms. You need to get through the symptoms to get to the other side. I am not saying it is easy. But do not be alarmed. It will pass. To Learn more about my Gut Healing Programs, products, or 1-1 Coaching, click here or for my upcoming Fall Detox Here To your Health Theresa  Inflammation is your body’s way of protecting you from harmful stimuli or potential injury. Inflammation can appear in many forms, including pain, heat, swelling, redness, and a slowing down or complete halt of an organ’s function Inflammation may be either acute or chronic. Acute inflammation is the initial protective response of your body tissues and is most likely to be transient. Chronic inflammation, on the other hand, is prolonged and can become severe. Inflammation may be caused due to an imbalance of fungi and healthy bacteria in your body see previous blog on Foods to Improve Gut Health. It can also happen as a result of food allergies, toxic environment, stress, and bad diet. Your diet pays a huge role in decreasing or increasing inflammation in your body. If you consume sugary foods, processed foods, or if you are regularly dehydrated, your body is more prone to inflammation while trying to heal itself. Here are some foods that may help reduce the chances of inflammation or relieve any existing symptoms.
2. Blueberries: Blueberries can significantly reduce inflammation if consumed on a daily basis. Blueberries are rich in flavonoids, polyphenol, resveratrol and Vitamin C, all of which are well known for reducing inflammation. Blueberries consist of anti-oxidants which can easily turn off and block all forms of body inflammations. 3. Ginger: Ginger is used in a variety of organic medicines because of its anti-disease, anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. You can add it as a spice in your foods, drink ginger juice, or blend it with honey and drink as a health shot. The most pleasant way to consume ginger, however, is a daily cup of hot ginger tea. 4. Dark Chocolate: Dark chocolate is one of the healthier varieties of chocolate. You can add some to your oats or combine it with fresh fruit to help reduce inflammation. 5. Turmeric: Turmeric is also widely used in organic and all natural medicines. You can add to food as a spice or stir in a pinch to your milk or smoothie. Turmeric helps slow the production of the two most inflammatory enzymes, 5-LOX and COX-2. There are a variety of foods you can add to your diet to help reduce or avoid inflammation. These are a few of the easiest and most accessible. If you are experiencing severe, chronic inflammation, however, be sure to consult a physician before making significant changes to your diet. If you would like to learn more about my Fall 5 Day Detox, to help you rid the toxins from your body, and help rid inflammation, just click here. Yours in health and wellness, Theresa |
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January 2021
Categories nutrition, healthy eating, clean eating, detox, kick the sugar, weightloss |
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