Iron
I absolutely LOVE this next mineral. IRON! Iron is a vital nutrient for so many reasons. It creates ATP in the mitochondria, which transports blood throughout the body. Iron cleans the blood, improves antioxidant function, and increases oxygen in the blood. Over 75% of Americans are not getting enough iron. More and more people are being diagnosed with iron-deficiency illnesses like anemia.
Symptoms of an iron-deficiency: (www.mayoclinic.org)
Extreme fatigue
Weakness
Pale skin
Chest pain, fast heartbeat or shortness of breath
Headache, dizziness or lightheadedness
Cold hands and feet
Inflammation or soreness of your tongue
Brittle nails
Unusual cravings for non-nutritive substances, such as ice, dirt or starch
Poor appetite, especially in infants and children with iron deficiency anemia
Food rich in iron:
Coconuts
Legumes (beans and peanuts)
Oats
Macadamia nuts
Quinoa
Sesame seeds
Raisins (look for no added sugar)
Watercress
Swiss chard
Sun-dried tomatoes
Lentils
Peas
Tofu
Tempeh (this also doubles as one of your prebiotic/fermented foods!)
Figs, dates, prunes
Eggs, beef, chicken, pork, oysters (among other animal products)
Dark, leafy greens
Potatoes
Broccoli, cabbage
Pistachios, pepitas, flaxseeds, almonds, cashews, hemp seeds
How much iron is needed per day?
Women: 18mg
Men: 8mg
Children:
Women who are pregnant: 27mg
Women who are nursing: 9mg
There are two types of iron: heme iron and non-heme iron. Heme iron is found in animal products, while non-heme iron is found in plants. Traditionally, doctors believed that heme iron was more bioavailable than non-heme iron, meaning that your body could use it more efficiently. However, we can have an excess of iron stored in our bodies, so non-heme iron is an extremely beneficial type of iron because our body does not store it in the same way. Too much heme iron can settle in your organs (pancreas, liver, kidneys) and cause joint pain, diabetes, kidney stones, heart failure, fatigue, abdominal pain, memory fog, and liver failure. Be careful about the amount of heme iron you’re consuming. If you believe you are consuming too much and have any of the above symptoms, begin focusing more on your non-heme iron through plants
More information about anemia symptoms can be found at: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/iron-deficiency-anemia/symptoms-causes/syc-20355034
Potassium
Potassium is essential for nerve and cell function. Potassium influences your pH level and maintains normal levels of fluid and electrolytes. Potassium can decrease the risk of high blood pressure, kidney stones, and osteoporosis. Men and women should try to consume 4,700mg of potassium per day. If you have lost a kidney or have impaired kidney function, please check guidelines before consuming this amount. Typically, you should consume less than 4,700mg.
Acorn squash
Broccoli
Cabbage
Carrots
Cherries
Currants
Kiwi fruit
Mushrooms
Peanuts
Sweet potato
Magnesium
Our next mineral is MAGNESIUM! I love magnesium because it has to do with POOP and SLEEP, two of my favorite subjects! Magnesium also aids in hormone and insulin regulation as well as metabolic functions! It’s a wonderful little mineral.
Women should shoot for around 310-320mg per day
Men: 400-420mg per day
Magnesium food list:
Asparagus
Avocado
Bananas (green bananas have more magnesium in them! Have one before bed!)
Beet greens
Brazil nuts (these also include your entire daily dose of selenium)
Brown rice
Cashews
Kiwis
Peas
Prunes
Squash
Almonds, cashews, flaxseed, peanuts, pumpkin seeds
Black beans, edamame, lima beans
Quinoa, shredded wheat
DARK CHOCOLATE! Make sure it’s 70-85% cocoa. 1 ounce has about 15% of your daily intake of magnesium! Hooray!
Signs you may be deficient in magnesium:
Fatigue
Decreased or loss of appetite
Nausea
Vomiting
Weakness
Crohn’s disease
Celiac disease
Chronic diarrhea
Alcohol use disorder
Type II diabetes
Numbness
Seizures
Tingling
Muscle spasms and cramps
Calcium
A few weeks ago, I posted about micronutrients! How many of you have been tracking micronutrients as well as your macronutrients? I know some of you have because we’ve spoken about it! That’s fantastic! Keep tracking!!
Over the next few days, I will be posting a variety of foods that meet each micronutrient requirement. Today’s focus will be on CALCIUM! Typically, when we say the word “calcium” the first thing that comes to mind is MILK or DAIRY. I’d like to change that today
Milk and other dairy items have been shown, in recent studies, to increase inflammation throughout the body and deplete calcium stores from the bones rather than increase them. Sounds crazy, right? Here’s how that works…
Dairy, by biological makeup, is acidic. When you consume dairy it increases the acidity level in your body. The best way to rid the body of acidity? CALCIUM. It alkalizes the acidity. Our largest stores of calcium are in our bones…see where this is going? When dairy enters the body, calcium stores from our bones leach out to stabilize our alkalinity. This removes calcium stores from our bones, leaving them more susceptible to damage (ie breaking, bending, thinning, etc.)
We need calcium to strengthen our bones, but also as neurotransmitters and in cell communication. Calcium also aids in fertility function and in muscle production. Rather than focus on dairy as your main source of calcium, try these instead!
Apricots
Brussels sprouts
Butternut squash
Cabbage
Chard
Dandelion leaves (yep, those)
Figs
Kelp
Pistachios
Plums
Sesame seeds or tahini (make your own hummus!)
Spinach
Turnips
More information can be found in the book Superlife by Darin Olien
MSG and Brain Inflammation
MSG, or monosodium glutamate, is a food additive and flavor enhancer. Many other countries have banned it from their food, although the US has no such restrictions. MSG can be found in many packaged foods and in restaurant meals.
People have reported having the following symptoms after eating something flavored with MSG:
Headache
Facial pressure or swelling
Feeling sick (nausea)
Diarrhea
Sweating
Fluttering heartbeat
Chest pain
We may have all experienced one of these symptoms after eating at our favorite Hibachi restaurant (guilty). However, the most concerning effect of all may not be apparent until much later.
MSG consumption has been linked to inflammation in the brain through numerous studies. It has also been linked to the suppression of leptin (the “satiation hormone”), meaning that after consuming a food with MSG the body continues to want more, even if you’re full. Think: eating the leftovers on the way home even after you’ve stuffed yourself.
In a study published by Obesity, researchers found that weight gain was “significantly higher” in participants that consumed MSG as opposed to those who did not. The study also found that MSG impairs the brain from receiving signals from the hormone leptin, meaning that participants said they were less satiated after meals.
So, which foods contain MSG?
Fast Food
Chinese foods
KFC
Chick-fil-A (I know it’s God’s food, but it’s loaded with MSG)
Chips and snack foods
Doritos
Pringles
Snack mixes
Potato chips
Corn chips
Seasoning blends
Frozen meals
Pizza
Mac and cheese
Frozen dinners
Canned soups
Campbell’s chicken noodle soup
Dry soup mixes
Processed meats
Hot dogs
Lunch meat
Jerky
Sausage
Pepperoni
Smoked meat
Condiments
Salad dressing
Mayo
Ketchup
Mustard
BBQ sauce
Soy sauce
Instant Noodle Products
Ramen
Thankfully, the US FDA does require that packages are labeled if they contain MSG. Some “health foods” even contain MSG! Be sure while you’re shopping this week to look out for MSG in the foods you consume, and do your best to avoid them.
The Set Point Theory
I recently listened to an Episode of the Model Health Show that completely changed my way of thinking about “dieting”. I have always hated that word. It implies restrictions, giving up things you love, and being miserable. I don’t know about you, but these things always come to mind when I hear “diet”.
The Set Point Theory book was written in the 1980s but lost steam when the dieting industry began pushing caloric restrictions for losing weight. Today, with more and more research going into gut health, brain inflammation, and hormone regulation, the Set Point Theory has growing support and evidence.
The Set Point theory states that your body is constantly trying to keep you within 15 pounds of your “set point weight”. Think of your set point weight in the same way you would think of your body temperature. Our body’s set point temperature is 98.6 degrees and we are always within a few degrees of that, unless we are terribly ill. Our setpoint weight is determined by our brain, our hormones, and our gut. Genetics do play a small part, but they aren’t the deciding factor in your weight and health. As the author, Jonathan Bailor says, “Genetics load the gun, but diet and lifestyle pull the trigger.” You do not HAVE to be overweight or ill just because your family was. Let that give you some control back. You have the power to BE HEALTHY! Isn’t that good news?!
The average nutritionist these days (and most doctors) suggest that losing weight comes down to “calories in, calories out.” All you need to do to lose weight is eat less food and exercise more. The Set Point Theory suggests that losing weight is more than that. Three things affect our weight: our hormones, our brain, and our gut.
Inflammation in our brain can interrupt signals coming from our gut that tell us to stop eating. Leptin, the hunger hormone, may not operate fully when our brain is inflamed. Inflammation in the brain is caused by chemicals in our food (MSG is a big one), chemicals in our environment (think cosmetics, cleaning products, etc.), and stress.
If you have an unhealthy gut, especially if you have leaky gut syndrome, your “bad” bacteria is requesting “bad” foods. I typically don’t say that foods are good or bad, but in this instance, it may be helpful at setting the stage. We have several pounds of bacteria living in our bodies and on our bodies, somewhere between 3 and 10 pounds (YUCK!) Some of the bacteria is helpful and we want it! Other bacteria are harmful and we’d like to get rid of them. Our harmful, or “bad”, bacteria sends signals to our brain to crave harmful foods…processed, fried, sugary foods. This is what they LOVE! Your cravings are coming from your gut and your brain! Our helpful bacteria craves fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, prebiotics, and probiotics. By healing your gut, you’ll find that you may begin craving more fresh foods. By healing our gut, our helpful bacteria can run off the harmful bacteria and begin sending the right signals to our brains. However, with brain inflammation impacting communication, those signals may get lost along the way.
The last thing that impacts our weight is our hormones! Our hormones are regulated both with our brains and our gut. They all work together. When one is not pulling its weight, the others fail to do their jobs adequately.
If you have found yourself eating right and exercising, but still cannot lose the weight you want, you may want to take a closer look at your brain, your gut, and your hormones! They could be the key to unlocking the health you’ve always desired. By lowering inflammation in your brain, regulating your hormones, and healing your gut, your set point is able to decrease, making it easier to maintain a healthy weight.
We will be discussing ways to lower your set point in later posts Happy Monday!
More resources:
The Set Point Diet by Jonathan Bailor https://www.amazon.com/Setpoint-Diet-21-Day-Program-Permanently/dp/0316483834
The Model Health Podcast with Shawn Stevenson, Episode 330: The Science of Hunger & the Set Point Diet with Jonathan Bailor
Fasting
For me, fasting has both spiritual and physical benefits. I decided to complete a liquid fast on Wednesday to heal my body from a recent beach trip and to focus on a day of prayer. There have been some heavy things on my heart lately, and I felt a nudge to spend a day fasting and praying.
“Fasting can heal and help rheumatism in the joints and muscles, diseases of the heart, circulation, blood vessels, stress-related exhaustion, skin diseases-including pimples and complexion problems, irregular menstrual cycles and hot flashes, disease of the respiratory organs, allergies such as hay fever and other eye diseases.” -Dr. Oda H. F. Birchinger; excerpt from the book FASTING by Jentezen Franklin
Fasting can be a normal part of the Christian faith. In Matthew, Jesus says, “Moreover, WHEN you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, WHEN you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” Matthew 6:16-18
Fasting can create holy intimacy with God. While we hunger for food, we can pray to be filled instead with the Holy Spirit. Instead of focusing on our bodily needs, we can put the focus on spiritual needs.
Each time that I felt a hunger pang throughout the day was a reminder to pray specifically for things I had written down that morning. I knew that each time I longed for food, it was a nudge to long for my Father in Heaven. “Hungering for God brings with it a much greater reward than satisfying the temporary hunger in my body.” -excerpt from FASTING by Jentezen Franklin
Fasting for physical reasons also has tremendous benefits. Fasting allows your body to detoxify, flush out fat, and create alertness in the mind. It can also impact your metabolic function and aging!
Whatever your reason for fasting, the benefits are boundless!
**This is different from fasting each day. If you choose to fast for a 14-16 hour window on a daily basis, you will still consume the same amount of calories and macros each day. For a day of fasting for health reasons or prayer, you will obviously consume less calories. This should not be done every single day. Fasting to lose weight for an entire day is not typically recommended. Please feel free to ask me questions about fasting. I’d love to discuss it further!**
More resources on Fasting:
Fasting by Jentezen Franklin
The Model Health Podcast with Shawn Stevenson, Episodes 96, 124, 465, 468, and 538
My favorite Supplements
Happy Friday! Today I'll be sharing some of my favorite supplements! Nothing beats the real thing, i.e. REAL FOOD, but if you do need to supplement, these are some great options. If you have a question about a supplement, let me know! I'll be happy to check it out for you
Garden of Life Probiotics https://www.gardenoflife.com/probiotics
Country Farms Organic Super Greens, Berry Flavor https://www.amazon.com/Country-Farms-Greens.../dp/B00YQS8ED2
KOS Spirulina https://kos.com/products/kos-organic-spirulina-powder
SunWarrior Plant Based supplements (protein, collagen, greens, etc.) Sunwarrior | 100% Plant-Based Proteins and Supplements
Orgain plant-based protein powder Protein Powder | Organic & Plant-Based Protein | Orgain
Ritual Women’s vitamins, Prenatal, and Men’s formulas Shop Multivitamins | Ritual
Mary Ruth’s organics for children Vegan Vitamins | Liquid Vitamins | Gluten Free Vitamins – MaryRuth Organics
JoySpring B12 for children Liquid Vitamins for Kids and Moms | Kids Multivitamins by JoySpring (joyspringvitamins.com)
Resources
Resources!
I’m sharing some of my favorite resources today! Listed below are some podcasts, Instagram accounts, and books that have changed my life. I wouldn’t be where I am today without them! Happy Thursday!
The Model Health Podcast with Shawn Stevenson Home - The Model Health Show
The Darin Olien Show Darin Olien - The Darin Olien Show
Plant-Based Juniors Plant Based Juniors - Plant Based Juniors
Lillie Eats and Tells Lillie Eats and Tells - Lillie Eats and Tells- A blog with macro-friendly recipes
Deliciously Ella deliciously ella · delicious ways to feel better
Mastering diabetes Reverse Insulin Resistance | Diabetes Nutrition | Mastering Diabetes
Fiber Fueled Book - Dr. Will Bulsiewicz | The Gut Health MD (theplantfedgut.com)
SuperLife by Darin Olien Superlife - Darin Olien
Sleep smarter by Shawn Stevenson Sleep Smarter – The Ultimate Guide To Maximizing Your Sleep And Health (sleepsmarterbook.com)
Eat Smarter by Shawn Stevenson Home | Eat Smarter (eatsmarterbook.com)
Simnett Nutrition Home - SIMNETT NUTRITION
Amoila Ceasar, health and fitness expert, Beachbody Coach Amoila Cesar – Work Out with Me
Mary Shenouda Eat Play Crush | | Eat Clean. Play Often. Crush Life. (paleochef.com)
EatMoveRest The Stanczyks | EatMoveRest
Food Babe Food Babe
Sleep and Micronutrients
We all want better sleep, right? What if you could lose weight while getting better sleep? Sounds too good to be true, but it's not!
Often, our focus is on reaching our macronutrients throughout the day and we forget about our micronutrients. These cannot be overlooked.
"Nutrient deficiency will lead to persistent overeating (which will lead to poor sleep and overall health)." -Shawn Stevenson, Sleep Smarter, 2016.
When we are hungry and craving unhealthy foods, our bodies are crying for help (i.e. more nourishment)! Typically, those missing nutrients are B12, potassium, magnesium, Vitamin C, and selenium. We continue to eat because our bodies are signaling a nutrient deficiency, but we aren't eating the right things, so we get stuck in this vicious cycle.
**Poor nutrition choices lead to poor sleep, which then leads to poor eating choices.**
How to we break free of this cycle?
Focus on your micronutrients! Set a goal to hit your major micronutrients each day. The hardest ones to reach, that make the most impact, are magnesium, selenium, calcium, iron, potassium. Log your meals in a program like Cronometer or MyFitnessPal to see how much you're getting, then shoot to have a bit more each day.
Healthy, nutritious foods stimulate leptin production, a hormone that regulates the balance of energy and has the ability to limit hunger signals. Add in as many whole foods to your diet as possible. Fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains (when tolerable), nuts, seeds, and spices are all excellent options!
When you begin to feel hungry, think about WHY you're hungry. Did you have a well-rounded meal for breakfast/lunch/dinner? You may have missed some key nutrients and your body is signaling for help.
Include FATS in each meal, but make sure they're HEALTHY fats! Avocados, coconut, seeds, nuts, nut butter, extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil are the best. These fats will aid in sleep, getting fuel to your brain and regulating sleep hormones. Fats can also keep you feeling full longer, quieting some of your hunger cues.
Better sleep is within reach. We will revisit better sleep habits in the coming weeks and months, but for now, try these tips for improved snoozing
More information can be found in the book Sleep Better by Shawn Stevenson, 2016.
Too much of a good thing…
How many of you have heard that the more you exercise, the healthier you'll be? Sounds easy, right?
Recent research has uncovered that too much exercise can actually HARM you rather than help you! WOW!
I am all for lifting weights, walking, swimming, and yoga, but too much of a good thing can be bad. Let me explain
When you exercise, we put STRESS on our bodies. In moderation this can be a great thing! We need movement to strengthen our bodies and our immune systems, but we must have the right amount. This may also help explain why some extremely fit people were hit hard by covid. Their bodies were so overrun with stress management because of intense workouts that their immune system wasn't able to fight back.
Take runners for example:
When you run, your body is thinking one of two things:
This person is chasing something and they're way too slow to catch it. We are going to starve.
This person is running from something and they're way too slow to outrun it. We are going to die.
Either way, your body is in stress mode. Stress breaks down our immune systems worse than anything else we could do to it.
Another example is lifting weights. Each time we lift, light or heavy, we create tiny tears in our muscle fibers. They cannot repair themselves if we continue lifting and tearing. Our muscles repair, grow, and strengthen DURING REST. How amazing is that? We must allow our bodies to REST so that they can repair! God created our bodies to do miraculous things!
So, what's the takeaway in all of this?
The optimal amount of working out will depend on your body, metabolism, age, and gender. However, many experts agree that 20 minutes per day 4-5 days per week is ideal. 10-minute HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) has been shown to be more beneficial at burning fat and regulating insulin than long cardio sessions! This is great news!
Movement doesn't have to be weightlifting and running. A 20-walk per day has been shown to drastically decrease your chances of heart disease and stroke. Yoga is also considered movement and is a fantastic way to incorporate mindfulness practices into your day.
My workout schedule looks something like this, and I've found that it gives my body ample time to rest and recover. I workout at the same time each day, which I know isn't always possible for everyone. Keeping my schedule the same (for now) works well for me because I stick to it.
Monday: lifting and HIIT
Tuesday: 20-30 minute morning walk
Wednesday: mobility and flexibility
Thursday: 20-30 minute morning walk
Friday: lifting and HIIT
Saturday: 20-30 minute walk
Sunday: yoga
Final thoughts: find something that works for you and do it! Your ideal schedule may not look like mine and that's ok! Just be sure to let yourself REST so that you're at your best.
Happy Friday!
More information about this topic can be found here:
The Model Health Podcast with Shawn Stevenson, Episode 545: How to Use HIIT for Fat Loss
Immune Health
Immune health has been on the forefront of many minds over the last few years. Before Covid, most people didn't think about their immune systems until they got sick.
This is really how our "health" care system works...WAIT until you're sick, then treat (no offense to some AMAZING doctors I know and love, but it's true). Around our house we call the "sick-care system". It's reactive rather than preventative.
But what if we PRE-TREATED disease and illness by strengthening our immune systems DAILY instead of waiting to get sick to do something about it?
Below are some interesting facts about the immune system:
The majority of our immune system is housed in our....GUT! The food we eat literally makes up our gut and in effect, our immune system. Unhealthy gut=lowered immunity
A vast majority of people who were put on a ventilator during the coronavirus pandemic had low levels of Vitamin D. Vitamin D is typically associated with bone and joint health, but it also has a huge impact on immune health. Vitamin D also helps to absorb calcium, so if your Vitamin D is low, you can bet that your calcium is also.
Most Americans (over 75%) have a FIBER deficiency. Fiber is fermented in our bodies by bacteria, which feeds short-chain-fatty-acids, which then strengthens to the lining in our gut. All of this is to say...if fiber is low, there's a good chance that your gut is not operating at optimum efficiency, leading to a weakened immune system.
Inflammation is a HUGE immune system destroyer. Inflammation literally means "ON FIRE", so if your immune system is on fire, it is not functioning properly. Inflammation can be caused by environmental stress (pollutants, chemicals, food, MAKEUP, etc.) and mental and emotional stress.
Practical tips for strengthening your immune system:
Eat more fiber! Women need a minimum of 25 grams of fiber per day and men need a minimum of 35 grams. Your homework today is to track your fiber intake. I'd love to know how much you're eating! Fiber builds resilience in your gut, strengthens cell walls, and prevents leaky gut syndrome. Leaky gut is the root of numerous diseases and illness.
Get Vitamin D the natural way! You can get almost your full daily intake in 15 minutes of direct sunlight (no sunscreen). This sounds scary because of skin cancer and wrinkles, BUT upping your intake of other nutrients can actually counteract the effects of damaging rays (more on this topic at a later date).
Get fresh air. Breathing in stale, recycled air all day in our schools and offices is not beneficial for a healthy immune system.
Exercise! Combine the last 3 in a quick 20-minute walk each day!
Up your intake of fruits and veggies, especially raw! Raw vegetables and fruits are filled with antioxidants to combat free radicals in the environment. More fruits and veggies means more fiber also!
Laugh! Laughing actually does strengthen your immune system!
There is so much to know about the immune system that I cannot fit it all in to one post. The bottom line is that gut health should be a priority as it effects countless other organs and cellular function. Here is another resource for more information!
Podcast: The Darin Olien Show, "Solving the Mysteries of the Immune System", April 6, 2022.
Meal Planning Tip #2
One of my favorite things to do is plan menus for other people. I enjoy the creativity and science behind planning meals that meet specific nutritional requirements. Today, I'd love to give you some tips on how to plan a menu for the week that meets your recommended daily intakes and macro nutrient needs.
Tip #1: make a list of what you eat for about 3 days. You can plug your food into an app like Chronometer or MyFitnessPal to see about how many calories, carbs, fats, and grams of protein you consume. What I'm most interested in is your MICROnutrients. Things like iron, potassium, fiber, folate, and calcium can make or break a healthy eating lifestyle.
Tip #2: Once you've made a list of the foods you typically eat, look at your micronutrients to see which ones you're lacking on a daily basis. (This week I'll include a food list that can help you decide which foods to eat to meet nutritional requirements.)
Tip #3: Begin planning your meals and snacks around your MICROnutrients instead of your MACROnutrients (fat, carbs, protein). See which foods pair well together to optimize the absorption of nutrients into your body. You may think you're getting enough iron, but if your Vitamin C intake is low, your body is not able to absorb the right amount of iron, and vice versa.
Tip #4: Plan your meals and snacks to include your macronutrient requirements, filling in the gaps of your micronutrient meals and snacks.
Most people are concerned with how many calories they're consuming, when the focus should be more on micronutrients, vitamins, and minerals. These are the things our cells need to function at their highest levels. You can have a diet full of protein, healthy carbs, and fats, but still be missing nutrients that can improve memory, mental clarity, and immune health.
This may all sound confusing and difficult to accomplish, which is why my mini lessons will come in handy over the next few weeks! I'll be posting more information about meal planning, nutrient absorption, and food pairing to put your mind at ease and make menu planning easier than you can imagine.
Happy Monday friends!!
Here's one of my favorite recipes for your meal plan this week Enjoy!
Roasted corn and black bean salad with quinoa and cilantro-lime dressing
1-2 cans of sweet corn (no salt added) or 2-3 cups of frozen corn; drained and rinsed
1-2 cans of black beans (no salt added); drained and rinsed
6-8 small tomatoes (grape, cherry, Roma, etc.) chopped into small pieces
1/2 purple onion, diced. The longer you let this sit, the better your body will be able to absorb the benefits of the onion.
1/2-1 green, red, or orange pepper, chopped
1-2 garlic cloves, minced (or 3-4 T minced garlic)
1-2 c cooked quinoa (plain, organic quinoa. cook according to package instructions)
salt, pepper
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. chili powder (or more to taste)
1/4-1/2 c fresh cilantro, chopped (or 2 T dried cilantro)
juice of 1 lime
1/2 -1 jalapeno, sliced and deseeded (the amount of jalapeno you add will depend on how spicy you want your dressing)
1/8 c nutritional yeast
1 c cashews, soaked overnight or soaked for 10 minutes in hot water
save 3/4 c water from cashews for the sauce
Instructions
Begin by sautéing the corn in 1 tsp. of water or vegetable oil until it begins to brown. The corn will have liquid in it so you won't need much additional. Add in minced garlic. Season with cumin, salt, pepper, and chili powder. Add in black beans, tomatoes, peppers, and onion. Sauté for just a few minutes. I still like my veggies to be crisp to give this dish texture.
Cook quinoa according to instructions and set aside in a large serving bowl.
When veggies are finished, add them to the bowl with the quinoa and stir. Taste. Add additional seasonings to your liking.
Set salad aside and make the dressing.
Dressing: place drained cashews, nutritional yeast, lime juice, jalapenos, and cilantro in a blender. Add salt and pepper. Blend ingredients until smooth. You can add some water if it's too thick. Set in the fridge to chill.
When ready to eat, top your salad with avocados and some of the dressing (the amount can vary based on your macro and micronutrient needs). Add another squeeze of lime to brighten everything. Stir together and enjoy warm or cold. For an added crunch, crumble 2-3 tortilla chips for the top!
This is a great lunch you can prep ahead of time and put into containers for the week
This meal is loaded with Vitamin C, Vitamin A, iron, potassium, fiber, folate, and Omega-3s. It also has a healthy blend of fats, carbs, and protein to give you energy, build muscle, and burn fat.
Brain Fog
Do you ever feel like you have brain fog? Trouble focusing? Are you concerned that you may already being showing signs of memory loss or dementia? Do you have trouble recalling names of places, events, or dates? Believe it or not, these have become more and more common in the younger generations...but there's a simple explanation.
Much of our brain fog comes from lack of sleep, poor food choices, or limited access to sunlight. HOWEVER, studies have shown that DIGITAL dementia is a REAL THING!
***Digital distraction leads to Digital overload, which leads to digital dementia.***
Here are 3 simple hacks for improving memory TODAY:
Abstain from using your cell phone for the first hour each day. During the first hour our brains are highly malleable and impressionable. How we start our days can determine how we finish them. Cell phone usage (in any form) at the beginning of the day can cause brain fatigue and rewires our brains for distraction. In other words, it's programming our brains to focus LESS throughout the rest of the day. YIKES.
Stop multi-tasking. Your brain should only take on 1 mental task at a time. Studies have shown time and time again that multi-tasking leads to increased mistakes, lower rates of productivity, and greater chance of errors. Walking and talking on the phone are not considered multi-tasking because you're doing a physical act and a mental act. However, reading a book while listening to the tv is considered multi-tasking because both are mental acts.
No more cramming. This relates mostly to studying. Our attention span is around 20-30 minutes. Studying for hours at a time inhibits us from retaining the optimum amount of information.
More tips for reducing brain fatigue:
Eliminate distractions. When you're trying to learn something new, get rid of distractions. Turn off your phone, TV, and find a quiet spot. This may be difficult when you have young children. Reading early in the morning or later at night could be beneficial.
Practice mindfulness each day. This doesn't have to be a long yoga session or meditation. These can be small moments of awareness throughout your day.
Practice deep breathing.
Allow movement into your life on a regular basis. Make it a goal to move every 30 minutes to an hour. Movement includes walking, standing on one foot, calf raises, playing with your child or pet, stretching, etc.
Excellent resource for more information: The Model Health Podcast with Shawn Stevenson, episode 572 with guest Jim Kwik.
Sleep!
If you're a parent of young children like I am, sleeping in on a Saturday may be a distant memory or a goal to which you aspire! Maybe you're a parent of older children who you can't drag out of bed. Maybe you don't have children yet and you wish you had someone waking you up at 5am each day. Any way you look at it, sleep is something we probably all think about on a daily basis.
What kind of sleeper are you?
Do you fall asleep fast, but wake often in the night?
Do you have trouble falling asleep, but sleep through until morning?
Do you toss and turn and wake frequently?
Do you feel like you get enough sleep, but you wake still feeling exhausted?
Are you an excellent sleeper or somewhere in between?
One of my favorite new books is Shawn Stevenson's SLEEP SMARTER. I would recommend this to anyone who desires better sleep.
I am planning on hosting a Sleep master class this summer to address the most common sleep issues and how to get deeper, more restful sleep. More information will come to my Gold Members first, then will be opened up to everyone else at a later date. Gold Members will, as usual, benefit from a discounted rate.
To get you started, here are a few of my favorite tips to SLEEP better!
Be sure to get unfiltered morning sunlight within 30 minutes to an hour of rising. You can drink your coffee outside, go for a walk, or drive with your window cracked to get those rays. This will help start your circadian rhythm and will let your body know that it's time to wake.
Get moving! Workout at some point during the day, preferably in the morning. This can be as short as a 5–10-minute yoga video before work. I always recommend at least 20 minutes of exercise per day. This can be a walk, bike ride, weightlifting, or time spent playing with your children/dog/grandchildren. The more you move throughout the day, the better you'll sleep. (Working out 2 hours or less before bed, however, can have the opposite effect.)
Eat clean. The cleaner you eat, the better your body can function. Plain and simple.
Get enough protein.
Stop eating at least 2 hours before you go to sleep. Your body can then focus on sleep rather than digestion.
Implementing these into your daily routine will help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer without the help of medication. I hope these tips help you get some shuteye!
**These are not always immediately effective and should be implemented for several days or weeks before changes may be seen. There could be other issues pertaining to your gut health that will need to be addressed to give you optimal sleep.**
Threshold Theory
Today's mini-Nutrition lesson will help you understand why restricting calories, crash diets, and eliminating foods from your diet only works for a short period of time. These diets are not sustainable, therefor, once the "diet" is finished, people tend to gain weight back (usually more than they lost).
Why restricting calories doesn't work (in the long run):
When calories are restricted, your body believes that it is starving. Historically, we had times of feast or famine. Now, with food literally at our fingertips, our bodies aren't used to the "famine" stage. Limiting calories can have the opposite effect. Instead of losing weight, your body rebels and holds onto any calories coming in. It is literally afraid that it will starve to death. Your body will then alter your metabolism, slowing it down, turning food into storage fats. When you begin eating normally again, your body has already lowered the metabolic threshold, so you will gain weight at a faster rate. It will then be more difficult to lose weight when you try again. For example, if you restrict caloric intake to 1,400 calories to lose weight and confuse your metabolism, the next time you try to lose weight, you will need to consume fewer...such as 1,300. It gets more difficult each time.
Most restrictive eating diets limit fat, which is essential to brain healthy and energy. As stated in a previous post, brown and beige fat are essential for metabolism and fat loss. Also, when you begin eating again, you'll often crave fattier foods to make up for what was lost during the diet. Your body will also hold onto the fat in case it enters another famine.
Crash diet weight loss is often water or muscle loss rather than fat loss. As your body believes it is starving, it will use water and protein first, and hold onto fat for energy.
If you're interested in losing weight, the best way to do it is slow and steady. Evaluating gut health, immune function, and hormone stability first is vital to losing the weight you desire. Instead of focusing on the "weight", we will focus on health and longevity.
As we partner together in this health journey, you'll learn more about making small changes that will last a lifetime. Through counseling, accountability, and concrete steps, you'll be able to lose the weight you desire, improve your immune system, and balance hormones. I'm here to help!
Resources for post:
https://www.askdrsears.com/.../5-reasons-why-crash-diets.../
The Model Health Show with Shawn Stevenson (podcast)
Oils
Did you know that OILS are one of the leading causes of disease in America?
Not cold-pressed olive oil, avocado oil, or coconut oil. These are excellent to incorporate into your diet.
However, corn oil, vegetable oil, canola oil, sesame oil and all of the other blends have now been linked to heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer's, and obesity! These oils are highly inflammatory and toxic!!
1 serving of large McDonald's french fries (fried with an oil blend) has the same amount of toxicity as 20 cigarettes due to the molecular compound. WOW!
You may not think that you're consuming much oil, so do me a favor… this week, check the labels on all of your packaged foods. Check for oil ingredients and make a tally of how many you've consumed. It may be more than you think!
Detoxifying your food and your body from these harmful oils can do a world of good for your body. Replace cooking oil with vegetable stock or plain old water when sautéing.
Olive oil is best consumed once cooking is complete. Heating the oil may cause it to lose some of its healthful benefits.
Excellent resource for more information: The Model Health Podcast with Shawn Stevenson. Episode 565: Get Better Skin, a Healthier Brain, and Smarter Metabolism with Dr. Kate Shanahan.
Meal Planning Tip #1
Tip #1:
When meal prepping, choose a family favorite and then modify it to make it healthier.
For example, my family loves tacos! (Who doesn't, honestly?!)
Instead of making tacos with ground beef, choose lentils, ground turkey, ground chicken, or black beans instead.
I always replace ground beef with 1-2 cups of cooked lentils, combined with taco seasoning (recipe below). I will also be sharing an excellent walnut-lentil taco meat recipe later!
Look for whole grain tortillas or serve tacos over a bed of greens. Heating whole grain tortillas in the oven or microwave before serving helps soften them.
Toppings to include: chopped tomatoes, salsa, guacamole, roasted corn. I do not ever recommend dairy, but if you must have it, sour cream and cheddar cheese can be replaced with plant-based options.
For a filling taco bowl, roast small potatoes, peppers, and onions and serve alongside greens, meat (or meat substitute). Top with anything you choose.
Taco seasoning: (original recipe from tosimplyinspire.com)
4-6 T chili powder
4 tsp ground cumin
3 tsp. paprika
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. black pepper
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
Mix together and store in an airtight container. Use 2 T with 1 pound of meat or 1 c lentils/beans.
Happy planning!
Transformation: Brown Fat
Today’s transformation spotlight is on…BROWN FAT!
Brown adipose tissue, or brown fat, is one of 3 types of fat contained in our bodies!
White fat is the fat around our middles that can cause extensive damage if we aren’t careful. It’s most linked to heart disease, diabetes, and stroke.
Beige fat has the ability to transform into white or brown fat depending on what we feed it!
Brown fat is located mostly around our back, clavicle, and spine. It protects us from injury. Brown fat also plays an important role in insulin regulation and metabolic function. 50g of brown fat has the ability to burn 300 MORE calories per day!! This is the fat we WANT!
How can we TRANSFORM our beige fat into brown fat? Here are a few things we can do:
1. Take a cold shower! I know, that doesn’t sound like fun, but even 1-2 mins of icy cold water can begin transforming beige fat to brown.
2. Exercise! This activates brown fat, which in turn activates beige fat
3. Sleep! I cannot say enough about the importance of great sleep! More tips will come on this later
4. Eat whole, natural foods. We are what we eat. Literally. Our cells are made up of the food we eat and we have the capacity to make or break our cells. Choose foods that nourish rather than foods that defeat.
What’s for Dinner?
Today, I'd love to share two recipes with you! In our home, we love Mexican and Asian dishes. Although in their most natural form, there is nothing "bad" about those foods. However, in our true American fashion, we typically add harmful oils, excess sodium, and preservatives that aren't necessary.
Here are two healthier versions of fan favorites. Enjoy!
For this recipe, feel free to add chicken breasts (hormone-free, humanely raised) if you're missing the meat. Sauté your veggies in vegetable stock or water, then add a tiny bit of oil (if you want) at the very end. Change out any veggies you prefer but try to get at least 2 different vegetables in this dish. Whole wheat angel hair pasta, zucchini noodles, or Asian rice noodles can be exchanged for Ramen if you desire. This is a quick dish and satisfies all! https://thestingyvegan.com/ramen-stir-fry/
For this recipe, feel free to sub the lentil-walnut taco meat for ground beef (hormone-free, grass-fed), ground turkey (same), or black beans. However, I'll tell you...this "meat" is to live for! My entire family loves it! Take it easy on the toppings like guac. I am a huge fan of avocados, but too much fat can topple your macros for the day. https://sweetpotatosoul.com/ultimate-vegan-burrito-bowl/