My name is Theresa, I am a health coach, which, if you are reading this, you probably know that. I am 55 and in Perimenopause. I have been a coach since 2013, and I do ok. I know what to eat, how to help my clients lose weight and stay healthy and keep them on track. My goal has always been to stay a healthy weight, so that I look good in what I want to wear, and to live a long, healthy life without illness and to help others do the same. And I can do that, based on the nutrition knowledge that I have. Because I know how to eat, and also how bounce back if I do gain a pound or 2, and I suppose I have been lucky knowing how to do that. I used to be a sugar junky, and in my 20’s. I sure did drink a lot of coca-cola, and diet coke. So compared to what I used to do, with what I know, I eat pretty healthy. But, I And just so you know, just because I did that, as most young people do, as it seems as though when we are young, our bodies can handle it, then cn to an extent, but that is actually just setting us up for difficulties down the line, if not causing problems at the moment. Currently, I probably drink too much wine, and I still do eat too much sugarsometimes. Although I am at a decent weight, I still have too much fat on my body. I need to eat less sugar, drink less wine and exercise more if I want to stay fit, looking good, and live the long life that I want, and live it in the healthy way I want, without dementia or cancer. So, I am going to start being much more conscious of everything I do, and using more of what I know and teach. People think that health coaches and those in nutrition eat perfectly, and are sometimes scared to be judged by them, but we are human too, and understand the downfals, and just how difficult it is to stay on track. The difference is, we just know what to do, how to guide, and know a few things that the average person doesn't. Like I said, I am in Perimenopause, so I will be choosing a way of eating that will be besfor a woman’s body during this stage of life. I will commit to drinking more water, as among other things it helps us to have less wrinkles. I will exercise more, consistently, and drink less wine. Despite, what I have said about being able to lose weight when I want, I have for a long time been realizing I need to start more weight training, because as we age, we do lose muscle mass. I have been thinking about it for quite a while, planning it in my head. But, just never finding the time, as I am sure is the same for many. But, I recently noticed more fat on my legs, and realizing that more fat, and more difficulty losing weight comes with perimenopause, if you don’t take control. So, I need to start doing something more about it. Doing more includes, more time at the gym, more water, and cutting out many xeno estrogens and toxins that mess with our estrogen, and cause fat, and are stored in fat, and create a viscious circle. And changing my mostly healthy diet to one that will help balance hormones, and manage detox pathways to get toxins out of my body. Toxins in the body are stored in fat, and that creates more fat, and on and on in a cycle that eventually makes losing that fat very dsoifficult. So, I am being conscious of what I am eating and basing it on a 21 day whole foods hormone detox, which I will be turning into a course in the coming months. Meanwhile, I documented this journey, which I chose to carry out from Nov 1-21. I figured that it made sense leading up to Thanksgiving, making it more doable. I chose not to report while I was doing it, just in case………lol. But for the most part, it turned out ok, so…….stay tuned. ……….
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Let’s start by talking about what it means to detox, and why it’s important to consider doing a detox. First, it’s important to understand that our bodies already are using their natural detox process all day every day to keep our bodies healthy. It does this by flushing out chemicals and toxic substances through our colon, our lungs, our kidneys and even our skin. But, the reality is that we live in an increasingly toxic world and we are exposed to more toxins on a daily basis than we used to be. 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 might be 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. If you read my blog, "Why do we say, Good Health Begins in the Gut", you will see that many of the reasons for gut issues can be helped by a detox. 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 this means stored toxins have 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. 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. Why is that? Why does that seem like such a good solution at the time, even though you tell yourself you want to focus on taking better care of your health? 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 to help me hit the reset button and to help me up my game when it comes to what I’m putting in my body. But, if you’ve never detoxed before, or you’ve never had a successful detox before, you’re likely wondering how you can detox in a way that’s actually going to work for you. That’s exactly what I want to talk about here. I’ve noticed that when people aren’t successful with their detox programs, it’s usually because they are making at least one of three common mistakes. The funny thing about these mistakes is that they are not your fault! In fact, when I made these mistakes, I was doing something that detox and cleanse experts were telling me to do. The reality is that their models just didn’t work for me. The real learning here is for you to allow yourself to make the choice about detoxing that’s right for YOU, not matter what any expert, including myself, tells you. Mistake #1: Doing a Detox that’s Too Complex A detox is an incredible opportunity to look at your eating habits from an analytical perspective. Most of us have attachments to certain foods, whether it’s sugar, or potato chips, or a glass of wine at the end of the day. Many detox programs require you to give up a LOT of foods at once. Some even require that you give up food altogether and live on just juice for weeks. The reality is that dramatic shifts in our eating habits don’t usually stick. And, when we are being asked to change everything about the way we eat, it can be really hard to find the ingredients and to do the prep work we need to do to be successful. Plus, many of us don’t have time for a 21-day detox program - our lives simply aren’t set up to support that. But that doesn’t mean you can’t detox anyway! There are plenty of one, three and five day detox programs that are quick to administer and deliver REAL results. Even better, there are plenty of detox programs out there that take a lot of the work out of it for you. In fact, I no longer will do detox programs that don’t help me out by giving me recipes, shopping lists, and suggested meal plans. I need that kind of support to be successful. I remember I once did a program that lasted 7 days and I only got three sample recipes! What? I remember being so confused about what to eat and gave up halfway through because I just couldn’t figure out what was allowed and what wasn’t. If you’ve experienced something similar, I want you to know that it wasn’t your fault - you just didn’t have the support you needed. The moral of this mistake is that when you’re searching for a detox program, be sure to choose one that gives done for your recipes, checklists, and shopping guides, and enough information so that you’re set up to succeed, and not left feeling frustrated and stuck. Mistake #2: Going it Alone Have you ever tried to use willpower to get yourself to do something? How did it go? Were you able to get what you thought you needed or did you end up in worse shape than when you started off? I’ve tried to force myself through detoxes all on my own and it never ends well. When I rely on my willpower alone, I end up just feeling frustrated,, like a failure, and frankly, ticked off. When you really think about it, it’s kind of silly, but for me food is about inclusion and friendship and relaxation. When I’ve detoxed all on my own before, it’s felt like a punishment that I couldn’t wait to have end. It really stinks to be eating food that’s totally different from what your friends and family are eating! The solution: NOW, I’ve figured out that it’s really important to get a few buddies together so we can support each other as we detox. Or, more often, I join a group detox where there’s a leader and where I’m able to connect with other detoxers. Considering how easy it is to connect with people all across the globe these days, you can be part of a detox community whether you live in a really densely populated city or if you’re out in the country. Even if it’s just you and your spouse or you and your best friend agreeing to do the detox together, having a support system in place increases your chances of success so much! You’re so much less likely to ‘cheat’ if you know that you’ve got someone on your side. And it’s even easier to stick to a detox if you’re using an easy to follow program with real food, with connection to a group, and with to be supported along the way by a professional facilitator. Regardless of what kind of detox feels right for you, give yourself the benefit of having a cheer ing section to help you keep going when the going gets tough. I’m also going to be sharing with you how you can get a really great supportive program after we talk about mistake #3. Mistake #3: Punishing Yourself I’ve had so many people tell me that they are nervous about what’s going to happen to them if they detox. They worry about being hungry, or getting too tired, or frankly of spending too much time in the bathroom. Let’s be really clear about one thing: detoxing has a negative connotation in some circles that doesn’t have to be there. It is absolutely NOT necessary to do a hard core cleanse or detox that forces you to suffer to get a benefit from detoxing. Many detoxes are in my opinion, actually far more dangerous and damaging for most people than effective. Gentle and whole food based detoxes are incredibly effective and they are more likely to help you make a lasting change that impacts your health over the long term. Because seriously, what’s the point of doing a lemon juice cleanse if you’re so miserable halfway thru that you just give up and dive into a bag of tortilla chips? This is actually one of the worst things you can do because with the lemon juice cleanse you’ve pushed your body into believing you are starving. And guess what happens when you eat something when your body thinks you’re starving? That’s right – your body stores that food as fat immediately to protect you from impending starvation and death. I also want to address that if you choose to do a detox or cleanse, you should do a program that you WANT to do. Not one that you SHOULD do or your FRIEND did or your mentor did. Choose one that feels right for you and your needs. Allow yourself the opportunity to work up to a bigger cleanse or detox program. Listen, very few people are capable of taking on difficult physical challenges like running a marathon without a lot of TRAINING AND LEARNING. Let your detox experience be the same, and I promise you won’t feel like you’re deprived and suffering. #4. Also, we must support our bodies while doing a detox. As I mentioned in the beginning, toxins are stored in our fat. When the detox gets going, and the toxins start coming out, we want them to be able to get out of our bodies. If our pathways for detoxing are not open, and there are too many toxins floating around in our blood stream, it's not going to feel great. That is also why Hard Core Detoxes that contain no food, or go on for too long are not really great for our bodies. We have been thought to believe that the more sacrifice the better, or the harder, the longer, the more intense, the faster weight loss, the better, but no. Can you see why? There are clean ways of eating and certain foods that can help your body function more optimally, and going super all in, as few calories as possible, doesn't necessarily help your body perform better. And detox should be done with a coach, or with the guidance of someone who can answer your questios and be there. I want to take a minuter here to talk about the what I mentioned earlier and that is how you can go deeper into a super supportive, gentle, and effective detox program I offer. You may already know that I’m uniquely qualified to talk about what beginners need to do to detox because I’ve had many clients who had never tried a detox program before successfully complete my detox program. And I have to tell you, it’s been so fun! I remember what it felt like to start my first detox – I was worried I wouldn’t be able to stick to it, wondering what on earth I would eat, and frankly, I worried that I was going to cheat. If your curiosity is piqued about detoxes now but you’re nervous about trying your first one on your own, then you’re in the right place. I’d like to invite you to join me for my Five Day Detox for Beginners. There will be a virtual group detox starting on January 22, 2024 You can find out more about it at and sign up at Winter Detox The 5-Day Detox for beginners is different from other programs because it focuses on real, whole foods. You’ll be eating foods that are familiar yet will help your body increase it’s natural detox capacity, and you’ll be able to use these recipes again and again. The 5-Day Detox I’m offering is perfect for you if you have noticed that your eating habits are off track, if you can tell that your body is feeling sluggish, or if you know that it’s time for you to hit the reset button on your eating habits. Since the program is just 5 days, it’s a really great way to get into better habits in less than a week. The 5-Day Detox for Beginners also includes tons of support. As I’ve already mentioned, this is one of the biggest mistakes I made when I first started out – going it alone. Although this works for some people, I just happen to be one of those people who does better when I’m held accountable and when I have a place I can go to get support and ask questions when I’m stuck. That’s why the 5-Day Detox program includes an online members-only community, along with a suggested meal plan, tons of recipes, and done-for-you shopping lists. If you happen to be on your computer right now, you can go ahead and go the registration page for the fall 5-Day detox for beginners here....Winter Detox I’ll say it again: (detox sales page link or instructions on how to register) As you can see, there’s a LOT of information on this page, but I want to make sure I quickly share a couple of the most important pieces and then I’ll open up the line for questions. OPTIONAL: Now, one thing that’s NOT on this page is a really awesome bonus that you’ll get if you sign up by Jan 15. by Midnight. As a special bonus, I’ve put together a Make it Last Post-Detox Handbook just for you that details the exact strategies I use to make my post-detox glow last as long as possible. You’ll get the Make It Last Handbook when you sign up for my 5-Day Detox by midnight on January 15. A lot of my clients understand that transitioning back into the ‘real’ world post-detox is often the toughest part because they feel so great and don’t want to take any steps backward! I’ve created an action plan for you which you’ll get as part of the Make It Last Handbook when you register for the 5-Day Detox by January 15 at midnight. Doors close on registration on January 19, but to get the bonus handbook, you have to sign up by January 15. To register, just go to Winter Detoxand click “sign up now” So let’s do a quick recap. Mistake #1: Don’t take on something that’s too complex just because you think you should or your friends are doing it. Instead, find a program that meets your needs and timeframe. Mistake #2: Going it alone. Misery loves company, right? Hahaha. Just kidding. But it DOES help to have a partner in crime or two when trying something new. And joining my 5-Day Detox program is the perfect way to go through a detox with a cohort of people who will totally get what you are going through each day of the program. Let’s recap mistake #3 which was to not punish yourself. If I had to say this in just one sentence, it would be this: Trust yourself and your body enough to know that your body will tell you what it needs. That means, if you find yourself really struggling or hungry or light headed when detoxing, do what you need to do to take care of yourself. DON’T force yourself to go through a program that just isn’t working for you. And really aim to detox with programs that have the right blend of support, real food, and real-life flexibility that will make so that you are set up for success instead of set up to struggle and feel inadequate. #4: Go slow......smaller, gentler whole foods detox is the healthier way to go. In Wellness......Theresa DID YOU KNOW? Over 2,000 years ago, Hippocrates stated that 'All disease begins in the gut. Today, two millenniums later, we know that statement was pretty darn accurate. While not every disease literally begins in the gut, imbalance of the gut microbiome is linked with many chronic metabolic, autoimmune, and cognitive disorders. YOUR GUT INFLUENCES EVERY ASPECT OF YOUR HEALTH
SIGNS YOUR GUT MAY BE IN TROUBLE
WHAT CAUSES GUT PROBLEMS? STRESS: Anxiety and stress are notorious for bringing on (and in some cases, worsening) gut problems. Stress affects your gut because the gut and the brain send signals to each other through the gut-brain axis. Several studies have shown that stress worsens conditions such as IBS, inflammatory bowel syndrome, peptic ulcer disease, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) . EATING ON THE GO: When you eat on the go, you are more likely to eat your meals fast. When this happens, you may not chew your food thoroughly. This, in turn, will affect the process of digestion and the absorption of nutrients, which could lead to digestive discomfort and poor gut health. Too MANY PROCESSED FOODS Eating too many processed foods, foods with high sugar content, and foods with high fat will result in gut problems. When you do not incorporate enough fruits, vegetables, and fiber in your diet, you starve your gut bacteria of essential nutrients that they need to thrive. TOO MUCH SUGAR: A high-sugar diet decreases the population of good gut bacteria while increasing the numbers of bad gut bacteria. These bad bacteria will then increase your sugar cravings, which leads to a vicious cycle. ANTIBIOTICS: Antibiotics work by eliminating disease-causing bacteria or stopping them from increasing in number. However, they can’t tell the difference between the good and bad guys - especially in the gut. As a result, antibiotics negatively affect the gut microbes, lower microbial diversity, and affect general functioning. HOW TO EAT FOR GUT HEALTH EAT REAL FOOD!
You canalso incorporate cultured/fermented foods.
LIFESTYLE TIPS FOR GOOD GUT HEALTH SLEEP WELL: Sleep disturbances have been shown to impact our gut microbes. This is because your gut also exhibits a sleep-wake cycle. Try improving your sleep quality by setting a regular bedtime routine with relaxation exercises, limiting caffeine after 3 pm and scheduling ‘worry time’ during your day to write down your thoughts and free up your headspace before bed.” MANAGE STRESS: As we already discussed, if you are stressed, that can affect how your gut functions. Mindfulness strategies such as yoga, micro meditations, and journaling can help calm the mind and ease stress. EXERCISE REGULARLY: We all know exercise is good for us - and our gut microbes’ benefit from it too. Exercise helps relieve constipation and increase the diversity of your gut microbes, which is linked to better overall health. Continued exercise is critical, so move your body regularly, getting your heart rate up for at least 30 mins most days. WANT MORE HEALTHY GUT TIPS? Contact me here Eating the right foods can make a world of difference in your overall health. One area that isoften overlooked is gut health. While probiotics have become an increasingly popular way toimprove gut health, prebiotic foods should not be overlooked. Prebiotics are foods that feed thebeneficial bacteria in our gut, which can help promote good digestion and regular bowelmovements. Let’s dive into what you need to know about prebiotics and how they can benefityour gut health. What Are Prebiotics? Prebiotic foods are special kinds of dietary fiber that feed the “good” bacteria in your digestivesystem—known as probiotics—that are already present in your intestines. By feeding thesegood bacteria, prebiotics help them grow and multiply so they can do their job properly. Ahealthy balance of “good” bacteria helps keep your digestive system functioning well, makingprebiotic-rich foods a great addition to any diet. Where Do I Find Prebiotic Foods? Prebiotic foods come from many different sources, includingplants and animal products such asdairy. Plant-based sources include fruits, vegetables, legumes (beans), grains, nuts and seeds.In general, unrefined carbohydrates with a low glycemic index will provide the most benefitwhen it comes to prebiotics. Someexamples of pre-approved plant-based sources of prebioticsinclude artichokes, garlic, onions, leeks, asparagus, bananas, and whole grains like oats orbarley. Dairy products such as yogurt and kefir also contain natural probiotics that help promotegut health. (Always choose organic dairy!) How Can I Incorporate Prebiotic Foods Into My Diet? Incorporating more prebiotic-rich foods into your diet doesn’t have to be difficult! Start by lookingfor recipes that use some of the common sources listed above,like onions or garlic for flavoringor adding banana slices to breakfast cereal or oatmeal for extra sweetness and nutrition. Youcan also add cooked beans and legumes such as lentils or chickpeas to salads or soups foradded texture and additional fibercontent (which is beneficial for digestive health). Adding plainGreek yogurt containing live active cultures on top of fruit makes a great snack too! Takeaway Eating more prebiotic-rich foods is an easy way to support your gut health without having to takesupplements or pills! By focusing on incorporating more plant-based sources such as fruits,vegetables, legumes (beans), grains, nuts & seeds into meals & snacks throughout the day, youcan easily get enough prebiotic food into your diet while also enjoying their delicious flavors!And if you don’t eat dairy products like yogurt & kefir, there are still plenty of other optionsavailable that contain naturally occurring probiotics–so there really issomething for everyone!So don't forget about adding some tasty prebiotic foods into your daily routine today-you'll beglad you did!. For more help with gut health, or just overall health and weight-loss contact me here Theresa If you’ve ever experienced an upset stomach, bloating, or other digestive issues, you know how uncomfortable and inconvenient they can be. While there are many potential causes of digestive issues, one of the most common is poor gut health. Many people experience chronic gastrointestinal symptoms without realizing that it could be a sign of something more serious. To help diagnose and treat your gut health problems, here are five signs you may need to support your gut health. The 5 Signs You Should Look For 1. Abdominal Pain - Abdominal pain is a common symptom of poor gut health, but it can also have other causes, such as food allergies or stress. If your abdominal pain has no identifiable cause and persists for more than a few days, it could be a sign that your gut needs some extra attention. 2. Bloating - Bloating is another common symptom of poor gut health and can range from mild discomfort to severe pain. If you experience persistent bloating after eating certain foods or if your bloating does not go away after several days, it may be time to consider supporting your gut health with dietary changes or probiotics. 3. Fatigue - Fatigue can often be linked to poor nutrition and/or inadequate absorption of nutrients due to improper digestion in the stomach and intestines. Poor digestion can also lead to nutritional deficiencies, which can contribute to feelings of fatigue throughout the day. 4. Skin Problems - Skin problems such as acne, eczema, psoriasis, and rosacea have all been linked to poor digestive health because the skin is responsible for eliminating toxins from the body that are not eliminated through normal digestion processes in the intestines or liver. Improving your digestive health will help eliminate toxins from the body more efficiently and reduce skin problems associated with poor digestion. 5. Weight Fluctuations - Unstable blood sugar levels caused by improper nutrient absorption in the gastrointestinal tract can lead to sudden weight fluctuations even when maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle habits such as regular exercise. Supporting your digestive system by taking probiotics or consuming fermented foods will help stabilize blood sugar levels throughout the day, making it easier for your body to maintain a healthy weight over time. Takeaway: The importance of having good gut health cannot be understated; it goes beyond just avoiding an occasional bout of indigestion or bloating – it’s about overall well-being! By being aware of these five signs you may need to support your gut health, you can take proactive steps towards improving your digestive system so that you can enjoy life feeling fit and energized! If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, talk with a physician who specializes in functional medicine—they will work with you on an individual basis to find solutions tailored specifically to your needs! Here's to your health. As mentione a few weeks ago....Stress is a normal part of life, but when it spirals out of control, it can have a huge impact on ourwell-being. Fortunately, there are many things we can do to manage and reduce stress. Breathwork is one such approach that combines focused breathing exercises with mindfulnesstechniques to help us relax and cope with the pressures of everyday life. What is Breathwork? Breathwork is an umbrella term for several different types of breathing exercises designed to help people relax and ease their stress. It typically involves slow, deep inhales and exhalesthrough the nose while focusing on your breath and body sensations. This type of breathing helps to activate your parasympathetic nervous system, which calms the body down andreduces stress levels. Manypeople also find that breathwork helps them gain insight into what they’re feeling or why they’re stressed in the first place. The Benefits of BreathworkThe benefits of breathwork are numerous, ranging from improved physical health to bettermental well-being. Regular practice can help reduce anxiety and depression, improve sleep quality, increase energy levels, boost immunity, reduce inflammation, improve focus and clarityof thought, promote feelings of calmness and relaxation, and overall just makeyou feel good!Additionally, since breathwork doesn't require any special equipment or training, it's easy to doanytime and anywhere—it's a great way to relax after a long day at work or before an importantex am. How To Get Started With Breathwork Getting started with breathwork is easy! All you need is a comfortable space where you won’t be disturbed for 10-20 minutes (you may want to set aside some time every day for this). You can Start by simply sitting in a comfortable position with your eyes closed (or open if you prefer) and taking deep breaths through your nose for several minutes until you start feeling relaxed. Thereare lots of online resources available that will walk you through more advanced techniques like alternate nostril breathing or pranayama if you're interested in exploring further. Takeaway: Stress affects us all at some point in our lives, but luckily there are ways we can manage iteffectively without relying on medication or other drastic measures. One such approach isbreathwork—a combination of focused breathing exercises and mindfulness techniques thathave been proven to reduce stress levels significantly when practiced regularly over time. It'seasy enough for anyone to get started right away, so why not give it a try today?Who knows—it might just be the key to unlocking better mental well-being Here's to your health Theresa Fruits and Veggies That Help to Burn Fat For a well-balanced diet, you need to have plenty of fruits and veggies in addition to your lean protein and whole grains. Luckily, they are not only low in fat and nutritious, but many of them actually help to burn more fat. High Fiber Fruits There are many fruits that are nutritious and good for, which most of them containing vitamins and minerals that will be good overall. However, not all fruits are equal in terms of how well they burn fat and help you lose weight. When you want to burn more fat with your fruit, look for ones that have a lot of fiber, as this is going to help fill you up, improve your digestion, plus burn more of your body fat. To start with, have more apples. These are low in sugar, high in flavor and high in fiber. You can also have your fill of berries, which are loaded with antioxidants and burn fat as well. These also happen to be low-carb approved, so if you are on a low carb diet, you can still enjoy them. Go for strawberries and blueberries first, then raspberries and other types. Avocadoes often get confused with being a vegetable, but they are actually fruit. They also boost your metabolism and are a good healthy fat to enjoy. Finally, add grapefruit to the list, which helps you to burn fat and has loads of vitamin C. Nutrient Dense Vegetables Now for the best fat burning vegetables. You definitely want to add as many veggies to your diet as you can, opting for frozen or fresh whenever possible. Try to avoid canned vegetables as they typically have a lot of sodium that you don’t want or need. The vegetables with the best fat burning abilities are those that contain the most nutrients. To start with, try adding more chili peppers and bell peppers to your diet. They have a high amount of fiber and plenty of vitamin C and vitamin A. Broccoli is also high in fiber and contains the same nutrients. Kale is one of the best leafy greens to add to your diet, helping to burn fat and providing you with calcium, protein, and fiber. Don’t forget about lentils, which are going to help improve your digestion and improve weight loss at the same time. Luckily, all of these veggies are delicious and easy to add to your meals. To your Health, Theresa Stress can cause a whole host of issues to your health. Different types of stress, relationship stress, work stress, worrying about children stress, pregnancy stress, exercise stress, stress that certain foods put on the body, financial stress. Then there is happy stress, buying a new home, a new baby arriving, planning a wedding, etc. But, stress isn’t just what happens in life, it’s what happens in the body. From head to toe, stress impacts every system, ultimately impacting our health and wellbeing. From the beginning, stress effects us on every level. We may not realize it at first, or we may. When stressed, our body does things to protect us, such as shutting down digestion, or creating more blood sugar, and cortisol. Our body prepares us during stress for that fight it thinks we are about to have, or to help us run faster. It puts all it’s energy into protecting us, therefore there is nothing left for digestion, or other normal bodily functions such as conceiving, or nutrient absorption. Our bodies produce cortisol during stress. All these things are okay if the stress is just short lived, but if the stress persists and becomes chronic stress, then everything takes a toll. The production of extra cortisol is huge. Think of it as adrenalin, to help us do whatever we need to protect ourselves. But if that cortisol is continually produced, it can affect everything. It affects the health of our gut for one, and the health of our gut is the basis for most of our health. It effects our good bacteria, it effects whether we have leaky gut, which can cause food sensitivities, and autoimmune issues. Extra cortisol is stored in our fat cells, this storage creates extra fat. Fat is where toxins are stored creating extra fat, and around and around it goes. Constant cortisol production also tires out our adrenal glands creating possible adrenal fatigue. I have also experienced this in my life, chronic stress, creating both health concerns, as well as extra weight gain. I know this because as soon as the chronic stress ended, so did the pain and weight-gain. So as you can see, it is very important to reduce the stress in our lives. As I mentioned abover, there are different kinds of stress, there is short term stress, or happy stress, such as buying a new home, or the birth of a child, and those types of stress, are ok. We can’t avoid stress altogether, but we need to realize when it is happening, and have the tools to take care of it so that it doesn’t become chronic. And of it already is chronic, we need to recognize that as well, and have the tools. So this is why I have enabled you to access free, my guide to reducing stress. To health and happines..... Theresa Why do people run detoxes? What does that mean? Call it a cleanse, a detox, the names are not too enticing, and I don't think people really understand the purpose. What is the purpose? The term may even seem a bit scary. Can I do it? Will I be hungry? So first, what is the point? Well the point is…. After reading some of my blogs, and posts, you probably realize that our health is affected by everything that we take in. We take in a lot of toxins, and things that our bodies don’t really know how to process, and shouldn’t have to process. This affects the way our bodies run, and ultimately, our health. So what is a toxin, and were do they come from? A toxin can be anything that is foreign to our body. Anything that gets in the way, such as sugar, pesticides, preservatives, air pollution, pollen, chemicals in items that we put on our skin, even stress, etc. So we take all of these things in, and our liver is responsible for processing them and getting them out. But our liver has like 300 other jobs to do, so sometimes it needs a break. When it doesn’t get that break, and the toxins start to build up and become too much, that is when things start to go wrong inside our bodies, causing pain, and illness, and things that doctors may not be able to explain, all the way up to chronic illness, and premature aging. Even excess hormones, like Estrogen become toxins, because one of the jobs of the liver is to filter excess hormones out of out body, but if the liver is overloaded, again, it can’t do it’s job effectively. We can help our liver a number of ways, including a detox/cleanse, intermittent fasting, taking in less toxins, etc. A cleanse can be done any number of ways, many people when they think of a cleanse, they think of juice, and just drinking for a few days, but the truth is, there are a number of foods and spices that can actually help your liver. I too am pretty scared to have to go without food for a number of days, and feel deprived. That is totally unmotivating for me. So when I put together detoxes they are full of healthy, and satisfying food where you will not feel hungry, but these foods not only give your liver a break, but they help give you some recipes, and put you on the path to seeing what healthy eating can look like. I am putting together a detox/cleanse, or whatever you would like to call it, I would love it if you would join me. A cleanse can help you lose weight, and even though that is a benefit, because when our bodies are working properly, a healthy weight is a side effect, and even thought weightloss can be secondary goal of doing a cleanse, the primary benefit is overall better health. Check it out here, and please ask me quetions if you have any. The purpose of this particular blog wasn't just to try to sell you on my detox program, but to really help you understand. And as I feel that everyone should do a quarterly detox, I'm just here to help you be your healthiest self! veryone around me is drinking I was sitting in a meeting the other day, and everyone around me was drinking soda and monster and eating candy….. Most people seem to complain about not being able to lose weight…. Do they know? Is it the will power or lack of knowledge? Is it mindset? Emotional eating? Or maybe not realizing that whether it is a drink, or food, it is still sugar. I mean, I didn't used to realize that. It could be all of those things…. but yet I think there is an element of thinking we are eating healthy when we aren’t. For one, because we don’t really know what healthy actually is, and two, because we are fed untruths through advertising. Maybe we don't know what healthy is because of advertising. Some of us know that high-fructose corn syrup is bad…… but did you know to look for it in bread? We are taught to read that chart on the product above the ingredients. Carbs, sugar, sodium. But do we read ingredients? Both are important. There are things hiding in food that you would never expect. Sometimes, reading the ingredients can be frustrating because we can’t pronounce the words and don’t know what to look for. Those words that we can’t pronounce, we shouldn’t eat…… simple as that. Did you know that if you read ingredients, you can find many similar items where one product has lots of words we can’t pronounce, and another that may have as little as 3-5 ingredients and is healthier. Sometimes eating healthier is as simple as that. It doesn’t always, or should not really ever mean dieting or being deprived. It just means being smarter and more educated about our food. I realize this reading ingredients on everything takes time, and is inconvenient, and needs practice to create a habit. But going to the doctor, and not being able to find the problem, or constantly trying to lose weight and being frustrated about it takes time as well. I am happy to help anyone with ingredients, or answer any questions on what brand or products are a better choice. I am not sure if this is helpful, I hope so. So the bottom line is that we really need to look at ingredients. And also, one thing that really effects our health, that many people do not even think about is sugary drinks, such as soda, and most juices. And I realize cutting these things out may be difficult, but if you drink more than one a day, maybe cut down slowly, by one, or a few. How about searching for an alternative with a little less sugar......That also brings me to another topic for another day, .....if you are looking for alternatives, please don't think that artificial sugar is better. There are all kinds of side effects with these, and even though it may not make sense to us, these artificial sugars because they are chemicals, and the way they are processed, can even prohibit weight-loss. Yes you heard me.....prohibit it. They are not better. Here's to your Health! Theresa |
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April 2024
Categories nutrition, healthy eating, clean eating, detox, kick the sugar, weightloss |