TCM Food Flavors for a Balanced Diet

☯️Chinese food therapy is wildly different from Western nutrition philosophy. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) focuses on food flavors, colors and temperatures to maintain a balanced, healthy diet instead of calories and macros. 🥗

Today I am going to focus on the flavors. The five flavors of TCM are:

☕ Bitter foods are considered beneficial for the fire element related to the heart and small intestine. A little bitter can clear excess heat, strengthen the stomach, promote salivation and benefit circulation.

Too much can disturb the heart and negatively impact sexual function. These foods include coffee, cacao, bitter melon, green tea, citrus peel, certain dark leafy greens, and dandelion.

🥝 Sweet foods nourish qi (life force), build blood and diminish worry (ever wonder why stress makes you crave sugar?). They belong to the earth element as well as the spleen and stomach.

Too much sweet can create a build up of damp and phlegm, and increase worry. Sweet foods include sugar, grains and fruits.

🧄 Pungent foods are spicy foods. They are related to the metal element as well as your lungs and large intestines. They can promote blood flow, improve lung function and dispel grief.

Too much however can damage the lungs and large intestines. Spicy foods include garlic, chilis, onion, ginger, and wasabi.

🧂 Salty foods are related to the water element and your kidneys and bladder. They can clear heat, decrease inflammation, soften masses, and resolve toxins.

Too much salt can dry fluids and lead to hypertension and dehydration. Salty foods include soy sauce, seaweed, salt, miso, celery and seafood.

🍋Sour foods belong to the wood element that rules the liver and gallbladder. Sour foods can strengthen the liver and promote digestion however too much will have the opposite effect.

Sour foods include pickles, lemons and limes, vinegar, sauerkraut, and other fermented foods.

STRESS AND BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS 😬

When you’re experiencing physical or emotional stress, hormones are released that increase your blood sugar.

Cortisol and adrenaline are the primary hormones involved.

This is a normal and needed response in life threatening situations but can wreak havoc on your health when it is a response to chronic stress.

For example, if you’re being chased by a barking dog or you’re in a dangerous situation, you need sugar to fuel your muscles to prepare for a “fight or flight” situation.

But when you’re stressed, your body releases these hormones, even if there isn’t a major physical threat involved.

This results in higher blood pressure, increased heart rate and a rise in blood sugar. The problem becomes more complicated. If you’re consistently under stress, your hormones and sugar will continue to surge. Over time, this can put you at risk for:

Heart disease
High blood pressure
Headaches
Sleep problems
Chronic anxiety
Depression

Some tips to counteract the effect of stress are:

1. Take deep breaths. Breathe in through your nose for a count of four, wait for a count of seven, and exhale for a count of eight. Try to do this a total of 8 times. This is amazing to reduce anxiety.

2. Exercise regularly. Gardening, dancing, and riding your bike all count as exercise.

3. Get plenty of sleep. 7-9 hours of sleep daily is recommended.

4. Try biofeedback. This can help with stress, anxiety, pain management and more.

5. Use adaptogen supplements such as rhodiola and ashwaganda to help counteract the deleterious effects of stress on the body and adrenals.

6. Try guided meditations. There are excellent websites such as www.monroeinstitute.com that offer several free short guided meditations. There are apps such as Headspace available as well. You can start with very short meditations only 5 minutes long and work up as you progress.

Please share if you have something that works well for you by telling me in the comments!

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Portion control is in the palm of your hand

Knowing what to eat is only half the battle when it comes to healthy nutrition…you also have to know how much to eat. Over time, food and drink portions have increased in size. And the more food we’re served on the plate, the more food we consume, which leads to overeating.

With this awareness, and by having a guide to manage portion sizes, we can eat foods in a healthy, balanced way; building a better relationship around what we put into our body.

A simple, effective and proven method is the Hand Portion Method. The idea is that you’re not measuring or weighing your food using technology, but rather using your own hand to gauge the size of the portion. Your hands are proportional to your body, and they go where you go. This makes them the perfect tool to quickly, and easily gage your portion size, even when you’re eating out.

This method is for anyone who struggles with the idea of using food tracking apps and meal logs. It’s the perfect way to build any meal, with a habit-centric approach. To get started, try each step below

Step 1: Start With Protein

Why is it the base of our meal?

Protein has risen to the forefront as the most important nutrient, not just for muscle building, but for support, transport of nutrients, as an enzyme, and many more!

In the western diet, it is very common for carbohydrates to make up the foundation of a meal. Unfortunately, these carbohydrates are often highly refined and have a high glycemic index, which will leave us hungrier two hours later.

How do I apply this step?

Raise your hand in front of your face. This will be your new portion measure. Here, we will apply a method pioneered by Precision Nutrition. For protein, one serving can be measured as one to two palm-sizes of meat, fish, dairy or plant based source of protein. Here are some examples:[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1629478379895{padding-bottom: 15px !important;}”][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]

Chicken Breast
Ground Turkey
Lean Beef
Beef Jerky

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Salmon
Tofu
Yogurt
Scoop of Protein Powder

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Male Portion

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Female Portion

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Step 2: Fill Half The Plate With Fruit Or Vegetables

Why?

We have all heard that fruit and vegetables should be the foundation of a healthy diet. But do we really know why? In short, they provide essential micronutrients (e.g. vitamins and minerals), antioxidants and fiber needed for:

Energy Production
Immune Function
Control of Inflammation
Healthy Digestive System
Overall Health

What are some examples of fruit and veg portions?

1-2 handfuls of spinach in stir fry
Mixed garden vegetables
Chopped peppers/carrots and hummus
Mixed fruit salad
Roasted sweet potato fries

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Male Portion

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Female Portion

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Step 3: Fill The Remainder Of The Plate With Carbs

Why does this step come last?

Carbohydrates are NOT BAD when portion control is implemented. However, it often comes as a surprise to see one true serving size of rice, pasta or bread. It is a lot smaller than one would think. That is why we recommend filling the plate up and adding the carb last!

What are some good sources of carbohydrate?

As a great rule of thumb, you should always try to prioritize wholegrain or “brown” carbohydrate sources such as:

Brown rice & pasta
Quinoa
Bulgur wheat
Oats
Wholegrain cereal
Whole meal bread
Legumes
Lentils
Potatoes & sweet potato

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Male Portion

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Female Portion

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Step 4: Add A Source Of Healthy Fats

Why should we include fat, I thought it was bad?

When we say healthy fats, we simply mean unsaturated fats, versus saturated. Dietary fat is not only perfectly OK to consume, but is essential. We need fatty acids for several crucial functions including the absorption of vitamins, production of hormones and cell protection.

How do I apply this step?

Raise your hand in front of your face again. Stick out your thumb. Depending on your size, try and incorporate 1-2 thumb sizes of fat into your meal.

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Cold pressed virgin olive oil (for cooking)
Coconut Oil
Small Handful of Nuts
Butter

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Seeds (flax, chia, sunflower, etc)
Avocado oil (for cooking)
Salmon
Avocado

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Male Portion

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Female Portion

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How Artificial Sugars Are Fattening Us Up – and Why

Just when you thought you were behaving and making healthy choices for your body, technology throws in another plot twist. Your favorite diet soda, coffee creamer or lemonade is kicking you right in the ass it’s making bigger!

All those artificial sweeteners that you have been consuming to cut down on your sugar intake are doing the exact opposite of what they’re supposed to. You thought you were making smart decisions to get lean and mean but really these fakers end up making you look like a cream puff. WTF? Right? This is especially evil if you are going through menopause and already noticing that buttoning your pants now qualifies as a mini cardio workout.

Get this: On April Fools’ Day 1998, the FDA announced its approval of the artificial sweetener sucralose,1611 sold as Splenda. It only took us an additional 20 or so years to get the joke. How could there be a ‘healthy sugar’? Irony at its finest. Since then, there have been a number of artificial sweeteners joining the market, including:

Aspartame (Equal, NutraSweet)
Acesulfame K (Sunett)
Stevia (Truvia, PureVia, SweetLeaf)
Advantame (no brand name)
Sugar alcohols, which include mannitol, sorbitol, and xylitol

What’s the “Skinny” on Sweeteners?

Artificial sweeteners are sweet like sugar but have a low glycemic index.This means that they don’t interact with our bodies the same way that sugar does. They don’t spike your blood sugar. Sounds dreamy, right? Finally we get to have our cake and eat it too! Um, no. Nope. Uh-uh.

These sweeteners are marketed to the health-conscious as a clean-eating alternative to sugar. They have been touted as a safe way to cut calories for those that need to lose weight. They even have been promoted to diabetics and individuals with other illnesses as a way to enjoy food and beverages without destabilizing your sugar levels.

The zero-calorie rug has been ripped out from underneath us all.

How Artificial Sweeteners Work:

Artificial sugars are recognized by “sweetness receptors” on the tongue. This causes them to taste pleasant, while tricking your body into thinking it’s getting the real thing. In the last 10 years, these types of “sweetness” receptors have now been found in the bladder, lungs and bones. It makes you wonder how much your body is really being affected by fake sugars.

Your body can’t break them down, the same way it does sugar, and this is why artificial sweeteners “contain zero calories”… This is also why they don’t raise your blood sugar – or so it would seem….

What is Really Going On Here?

Scientists discovered an insidious side effect of artificial sweeteners: sucralose (Splenda) causes an insulin increase by triggering sweet taste receptors in the mouth (Pubmed). This effect is called cephalic phase insulin release. This release of insulin causes a drop in blood sugar levels. Recent research suggests the other sweeteners have the same effect.

“What’s wrong with that?” You might say. When your blood sugar decreases, it signals to your brain that it is time to eat! Artificial sweeteners are the catalyst to a vicious cycle that causes your body to believe it needs more calories (aka more food), which leads you to eat more and store more fat. Research suggests that fake sugars may prevent us from associating sweetness with caloric intake. As a result, we may crave more sweets, often choose sweet food over nutritious food, and gain weight. As a bonus, when insulin levels are high it triggers our bodies to store fat.

As if it couldn’t get worse….Further studies suggest that artificial sweeteners may be just as addictive as some hard drugs. In one study, rats were exposed to cocaine and then given the choice between cocaine and saccharine, they chose the artificial sweetener a majority of the time.

The Trickery Continues

These chemicals can also affect how we taste food. “Overstimulation of sugar receptors from frequent use of these hyper-intense sweeteners may limit tolerance for more complex tastes,” explains Dr. Ludwig, an obesity and weight-loss specialist at Harvard-affiliated Boston Children’s Hospital. In layman’s terms, people who often use these sweeteners might find other “less-sweet” foods like fruit less appealing. As if anyone needed another barrier to their daily intake of spinach, fake sugar can potentially make you lose your appetite for vegetables (Gasp!). It can cause you to opt for foods with more sweeteners and less nutritional value.

Stop Faking It:

Artificial sweeteners have a plethora of negative side-effects, from insulin release to sugar addiction to causing the body to store fat. These sweeteners are more deceitful than they might seem- affecting your bodies ability to self-regulate calorie intake, and changing your taste for healthy foods. Fake sugars cause cognitive distortions, tricking us into eating more than we should. Though it might be tempting to reach for your next “0 calorie, 0 carb, 0 sugar” beverage or sweetener, your body will thank you if you think twice.

When life hands you lemons, your lemonade might as well have real sugar in it. Cue “Pour Some Sugar on Me” soundtrack.

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What Is Mindful Eating?

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1628475467629{margin-bottom: 10px !important;}”]Mindful eating is a simple method of becoming hyper-focused on the present moment, and being aware of your senses while eating food. It can help manage eating habits, and make people feel better about their body. The purpose is not counting calories, or tracking macros (carbohydrates, fat, or protein), and mindful eating has little to do with weight loss, although it is proven to help with losing weight. The intention is to help individuals understand and enjoy the food they eat, and remove stresses associated with overeating unhealthy foods. Mindful eating can be a fun way to make meal times social, or a time to reflect and savor the moment as a solo experience.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1628458871088{margin-bottom: 10px !important;}”]

Benefits of Mindful Eating

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1628474933307{margin-bottom: 10px !important;}”][vc_column width=”2/3″ css=”.vc_custom_1628474924037{margin-bottom: 10px !important;}”][vc_column_text]There is much research associated with the benefits of mindful eating, most notably the pioneering works of Jon Kabat-Zinn (leader of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program at the University of Massachusetts Medical School). The mindful eating method helps us understand why ‘diets’ aren’t effective in the long-term…Simply put, diets fail to focus on behavior change.

Since its introduction into dietary behavior change programming, mindful eating has become a successful strategy that improves individual success. Some of the key benefits include:

Reduced gas and bloating after meals
Reduced binge-eating
Reduced stress-eating and anxiety
Improved digestion
Improved self-control around foods
Improved nutritional intake
Improved weight loss results

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Habit 1: Try the Raisin Exercise

The raisin exercise is a good starting point for mindful eating. It’s a sensual food experience that helps tune sight, touch, smell, and taste; becoming fully aware of the moment. This exercise is designed to introduce your senses into the act of eating, helping you savor and experience the foods you eat. raisins

Give it a try: Take a raisin and hold it in the palm of your hand or between your finger and thumb.

Sight: Take time to really focus on it; gaze at the raisin with care and full attention—imagine that you’re an alien from outer space, and have never seen anything like this before in your life. Let your eyes explore every part of it, examining the shape, colour, texture, and any imperfections.

Touch: Move the raisin around between your fingers, feeling the texture. Try this with your eyes closed to enhance your sense of touch. Is it hard, soft, sticky, dry? Does it make a sound as it moves between your fingers? Notice what you are feeling about this object.

Smell: Hold the raisin near your nose. Inhale the aroma and notice how your body reacts.

Taste: Place the raisin between your lips and just hold it there for a few seconds. How does that make you react? Move it into your mouth, but don’t chew yet…is there a taste? What’s happening inside your mouth? How does that make you feel?

Finally, slowly begin to chew, noticing what each bite feels, and taste like. Move it around your mouth. Chew the raisin into mush before you swallow. How does it feel as the raisin travels to your stomach?

Sense how your body as a whole is feeling after you have completed this exercise.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1628475390395{margin-bottom: 10px !important;}”]

Habit 2: Just Ask “Why?”

The human body creates many prompts to tell us when to take action. One of these prompts can be described as a ‘rumbly stomach’ or ‘hunger pangs’, which tells us that we are hungry, and our body needs more energy. If we don’t respond to the natural ‘hunger’ prompts we may experience low blood sugar levels and feel unwell. Because hunger is a physical feeling, we can satisfy the prompts easily with any type of food source.

However, things become complicated when our psyche gets involved. Psychological hunger, as it is known, pushes us towards snacking and overeating. It comes from the emotional desire to eat, with no physical signs that your body needs energy. This is associated with cravings, boredom and emotional eating.

Research suggests that boredom is the most common reason for psychological hunger. Why do you think cinemas sell popcorn and other snacks? To entertain you through the boring parts of a movie! But with the help of behavior change and mindfulness, we can fight back. The act of removing yourself from the boring situation that prompted the desire to snack, will satisfy your psychological desire to eat. This can be as simple as going for a walk or changing the playlist or asking ‘why do I want to snack?’.

Try this simple habit:

When I feel like a snack, I will fill a glass with water.

The act of walking to get a glass of water, and drinking the water to satisfy the craving, will help you become more mindful of the prompts around snacking.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1628475021332{margin-bottom: 10px !important;}”]

Habit 3: Slow Down

After you start eating it can take up to 20 minutes for your body to decode the signs of fullness. Slowing down when consuming food will allow enough time for your gut and brain to communicate. This will also help reduce overeating, and aid in better digestion.

Here’s our top picks for a more satisfying feed:

Set a timer – Before you begin dinner in the evening, set a timer on your phone for 20-minutes. Take a few deep breaths to center yourself and try to take 20-minutes to eat your meal. Relax, and focus on your food.

Pause – If you find it difficult to sit down and make a meal last for a whole 20 minutes, put your fork down between each bite. Swapping the fork for chopsticks can help you slow down, too. If you still struggle to pause, leave the table to fetch a glass of water. Or step outside and take three deep breaths, then return to your meal.

Chew for 20 – Chewing breaks down food into smaller pieces. This aids in better, easier digestion – making us feel fuller quicker. In the first 5-minutes of your meal, take smaller bites than usual and try to chew 20 times before swallowing.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1628475109176{margin-bottom: 10px !important;}”]

Habit 4: Remove Distractions

Whether it’s wolfing down subway in the car or crunching on chips while watching YouTube in your lunch break, distracted eating is not uncommon. A review of 24 studies by The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that distracted eating encouraged people to consume more food throughout the day, and led to a poor relationship with eating. Applying the mindful eating principle, we can avoid the distraction trap. Try one of these simple habits to assist in a distraction free eating experience:

When I finish plating up dinner, I will turn the TV off.
When I sit down to eat dinner, I will turn my phone onto airplane mode.

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Habit 5: Predict The Future

Mindful eating can help you understand the types of emotions that surround your relationship with food. Being able to visualize how we might feel after a meal, before its happened, can help us connect better with the food we eat, and avoid any negative feelings.

Before you start eating, ask yourself these question:

Will eating this food evoke any emotions? If so, which ones?
Why do you think these emotions are surfacing?
Are you eating to satisfy hunger or cope with a specific emotion or issue in your day?
Will this meal feel nourishing? If not, why?

The goal of this activity is to become more aware of your emotional responses to food and develop a better understanding of how feelings can effect how we eat, not just what we eat.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Sources And Further Reading:

Mindful Eating: The Art of Presence While You Eat:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5556586/

Mindful Eating: A Review Of How The Stress-Digestion-Mindfulness Triad May Modulate and Improve Gastrointestinal And Digestive Function:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7219460/

An Exploratory Study of a Meditation-based Intervention for Binge Eating Disorder:

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/135910539900400305

Today’s Dietitian – Mindful Eating — Studies Show This Concept Can Help Clients Lose Weight and Better Manage Chronic Disease

https://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/030413p42.shtml

Eating when bored: revision of the emotional eating scale with a focus on boredom:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22004466/

Eating attentively: a systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect of food intake memory and awareness on eating:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3607652/[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Do you know why Popeye ate spinach? It’s because the cartoon creator, E.C. Segar, was #vegetarian and wanted to let people know that veggies were fire. ⁠

Popeye was woke AF when it came to spinach. He popped a can and next thing Brutus knew was “Bye Felicia!”. One cup of raw spinach contains only 7 calories, 30 mg. of calcium, just under a gram of iron, 24 mg magnesium, 167 mg potassium, 2813 IU of Vitamin A and 58 micrograms of folate. No wonder Popeye felt so savage! ⁠

And ummm…what did Wimpy eat? ‘Nuff said. In addition, spinach contains Vitamin K, fiber, phosphoros, and thiamine. Brutus never stood a chance. ⁠Spinach made Popeye swol.⁠

LMFAO…I am gonna switch back to English now. Just thought I would write a few paragraphs my kids could understand ⁠

Spinach is more than 90% water and for that reason, 1 cup will turn into 1/2 tsp after you cook it. There are 3 basics types of spinach; savoy – dark, crinkly, and curly leaves, flat or smooth leaved, and semi-savoy that has slightly crinkled leaves. We tend to see the smooth, broad leaf variety most often in stores because it is easier to clean.⁠
⁠
Spinach Factoids:⁠
⁠
1. Spinach is native to Persia, which is modern day Iran, and in China they still refer to spinach as the Persian green.⁠

2. March 26th is national spinach day.⁠

3. The reason dishes containing spinach are referred to as “Florentine” is because it was the home of Catherine de Medici, a lover of spinach.⁠

4. In 1937, Crystal City, Texas, erected a statue of Popeye, due to it’s spinach growing roots.⭐⁠

5. Spinach leaves are a mild diuretic/laxative. ⁠

My favorite detox shake: ⁠

1 c. Spinach⁠
Handful of Dulse⁠
1 c. Frozen Wild Blueberries⁠
Handful of Cilantro⁠
1/2 tsp Lions Mane⁠
1/2 tsp Spirulina⁠
1/2 tsp Chaga⁠
1 Tbsp Hemp Seeds⁠
1 Tbsp Ground Flax Seed⁠
1 to 2 cups of Water⁠
Stevia⁠

Oh honey! How sweet you are! Who doesn’t love honey? Humans have used honey for over 8000 years. It has so many uses. And no, I am not talking about slathering it on your partner during sexcapades. (Pro tip: sounds better than it actually is. Think sticky! Very, Very sticky!!)

Got a booboo or a burn? Slap (or gently apply) some honey on that and watch it heal twice as fast. Bonus….honey has antibacterial properties to keep infection at bay. One of the most potent anti-bacterial forms is Manuka honey.

Manuka has been found to be effective at killing MRSA! I know this personally. It was the only thing that got rid of a nasty MRSA infection I caught (long, long embarrassing story). I also had a family member use it to get rid of a horrible C-diff infection (horrendous diarrhea) she got from using strong antibiotics for a UTI. Adding insult to injury, the antibiotics didn’t touch the UTI. But Chinese herbs did!

Honey heals rashes, even diaper rash! But don’t ever give honey by mouth to a baby. It can contain botulism that their immature digestive systems can’t fight off. I usually don’t give honey until they hit two years old.

Got dandruff? Mix equal parts of honey and water to condition the scalp. Within two weeks see your flakes go away. ❄️

Morning sickness? Add honey to lemon juice to help eliminate nausea and vomiting.

Got acne? Honey can give it a lustrous glow AND kill the bacteria that cause acne.

Allergies? Local honey pollen has been used for centuries to beat allergies.

Nagging cough? Honey mixed with coffee is an effective cough syrup for even the most stubborn, lingering coughs. Personally I prefer mixing it with lemon and Jack Daniel’s to knock out the most horrific coughs. It was the only thing that would stop my bronchitis when I was a kid. Yeah, my mom gave me JD.

Poor Digestion? It improves digestion by killing off bad bacteria living in your GI.

Bad breath? Massage honey into your gums for 3 to 5 minutes daily to improve stinky mouth.

Honey may be beneficial in battling cancer and heart disease. It even helps with weight loss when used to replace sugar.

Now you can enjoy some sweetness in your life guilt free. You’re Welcome!

Macadamia nuts are one of my absolute favs. Right up there with pecan and hazelnut. Turns out I can enjoy these delish morsels guilt free because there are soooo many health benefits.

One recent review associated a diet high in tree nuts with decreased risk of metabolic syndrome which is a cluster of symptoms that include high blood pressure, high blood sugar and high cholesterol levels.¹

In another study they had people eat 1 to 3 ounces of tree nuts per day. They saw a significant improvement in their hemoglobin A1c levels. Hemoglobin A1c levels are an indicator of blood sugar control^.2

There was a study that looked at 71 young Japanese women. They had them eat a slice of bread daily with either macadamia nut, coconut or butter spread. At the end of 3 weeks the women eating the bread with macadamia nut lost 0.9 pounds while the other groups weighed the same.³

Macadamia nuts contain antioxidants that may protect against cancer, heart disease and stroke. The tocotrienols they contain may even protect the brain against Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.⁴

I know when I think of macadamias, I think of Hawaii but guess what? They are actually native to Australia and not Hawaii!

They became a staple in Hawaii because some smart business dudes started growing them commercially and marketing the nuts to tourists. They became so associated with Hawaii that the Chinese name for macadamia is “volcano beans”.

Here is a delicious, nutritious shake I make with macadamia nuts:

1 cup macadamia milk

2 tbsp macadamia nuts

1 tbsp chia seeds

1 tbsp hemp seeds

2 tbsp cacao powder

3 pitted dates

1 frozen banana

2 scoops of protein powder or detox shake mix

Enjoy!

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4282306/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4116170/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15649284/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4333972/

You may not realize it but your gut is usually the first thing that needs attention in most states of dis-ease. Gut imbalances are top priority for balancing your hormones.
.
Say what? Yup! Your belly is one of the first priorities in reclaiming your hormone health, or your health in general!
.
Why? Because your liver loves you and takes the time to break down all those excess hormones, xenoestrogens and toxins. It gets rid of this garbage by dumping it into the bile which gets released when you eat. ☠️
.
If the gut is leaky then all that garbage gets absorbed right back into your bloodstream. So it’s like throwing all your trash into a garbage can only to find out there was a massive hole in the bottom.
.
The first step is REMOVE. Remove what? Stress, crappy food , constipation, nasty microbes, food sensitivities, and foods that feed the bad guys in your gut .
.
Step two is REPLACE. Replace enzymes, stomach acids, bile acids, minerals and vitamins, and add herbal remedies to help boost an insufficient immune system, thyroid and adrenals.
.
Step three is REINOCULATE. Add probiotics, prebiotics, fiber and cultured/fermented foods to help re-establish a healthy gut microbiome.
.
Step four is REPAIR. Repair the gut lining (villi and mucosal layer) by increasing short chain fatty acids, glutamine and herbs such as aloe and marshmallow that help soothe and rebuild.
.
Step five is REBALANCE. Rebalance your life! Your stress levels, your dietary choices, your activity level, your thought patterns, your beliefs, and your spiritual practices.
.
The ORDER is very important! If you jump steps you could make your issues worse. For example, adding probiotics before doing the first 2 steps can worsen symptoms and instigate mad dashes for the toilet! Trying to repair before removing will just leave you with some expensive poop!
.
If you are confused about what to do then you can always start with improving your dietary choices! You can also get professional help if you are really serious about taking control of your health but don’t know where to start. I am available for virtual consults. You can call 954.228.3445 ☎️ with any questions or to set an appointment.

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]You may not realize it but your gut is usually the first thing that needs attention in most states of dis-ease. Gut imbalances are top priority for balancing your hormones.
.
Say what? Yup! Your belly is one of the first priorities in reclaiming your hormone health, or your health in general!
.
Why? Because your liver loves you and takes the time to break down all those excess hormones, xenoestrogens and toxins. It gets rid of this garbage by dumping it into the bile which gets released when you eat. ☠️
.
If the gut is leaky then all that garbage gets absorbed right back into your bloodstream. So it’s like throwing all your trash into a garbage can only to find out there was a massive hole in the bottom.
.
The first step is REMOVE. Remove what? Stress, crappy food 🍕, constipation, nasty microbes, food sensitivities, and foods that feed the bad guys in your gut 🍦.
.
Step two is REPLACE. Replace enzymes, stomach acids, bile acids, minerals and vitamins, and add herbal remedies 🌱 to help boost an insufficient immune system, thyroid and adrenals.
.
Step three is REINOCULATE. Add probiotics, prebiotics, fiber and cultured/fermented foods to help re-establish a healthy gut microbiome.
.
Step four is REPAIR. Repair the gut lining (villi and mucosal layer) by increasing short chain fatty acids, glutamine and herbs such as aloe and marshmallow that help soothe and rebuild.🌿
.
Step five is REBALANCE. Rebalance your life! Your stress levels, your dietary choices, your activity level, your thought patterns, your beliefs, and your spiritual practices.
.
The ORDER is very important! If you jump steps you could make your issues worse. For example, adding probiotics before doing the first 2 steps can worsen symptoms and instigate mad dashes for the toilet! 🚽 Trying to repair before removing will just leave you with some expensive poop! 💩
.
If you are confused about what to do then you can always start with improving your dietary choices! You can also get professional help if you are really serious about taking control of your health but don’t know where to start. I am available for virtual consults. You can call 954.228.3445 ☎️ with any questions or to set an appointment.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]