A type of scheduled eating plan
where you restrict the time you consume food. The typical protocol involves
only eating within a window of 6-8 hours per day.
*while maintaining you caloric needs per day
What are the Benefits of Intermittent
Fasting?
Weight-loss
Improved Sleep
Helps promote insulin sensitivity – Insulin resistance or poor insulin sensitivity contributes to nearly all chronic diseases (diabetes, cardiovascular disease etc.) (1)
Normalizes ghrelin levels, A.K.A your “hunger hormone”
Increases the rate of HGH (human growth hormone) production, which has an important role in health, fitness, and slowing the aging process
Lowers triglyceride levels
Helps reduce inflammation in the body
Fights free radical damage and induces autophagy (4)
What Intermittent Fasting Is NOT?
Not a form of extreme
calorie restriction – You should feel good
while practicing intermittent fasting. If you have low energy, brain fog and
start feeling weak, then you need to re-evaluate your strategy.
It is not an excuse to
eat a diet high in processed foods. It
is critical to avoid processed and empty calorie foods, including refined
carbohydrates, sugar/fructose, and grains.
Who Should Avoid Intermittent
Fasting?
ALWAYS pay close attention to your body and your energy levels. People who are hypoglycemic, diabetic, or pregnant (and/or breastfeeding) should avoid any type of calorie restriction until your blood sugar or insulin levels are regulated.
Common 16-8 Fasting Protocol
Step
1 (Day Before Beginning Fast):
Have your last meal no later than 8 PM
Step
2 – Begin Fast (fast/sleep
time will depend on individual schedule)
Active
Fasting: 8 PM to 10 PM
Sleep
Fast : 10 PM to 5 AM
Active
Fasting: 5 AM to 12 PM
Eating
Window: 12 PM to 8 PM
Repeat
Cycle
Summary
There are a many variations of fasting protocols including The 5:2 Diet, The Warrior Diet, and Alternate Day Fasting. It’s important to first understand your body, and what it needs prior to undertaking any fasting protocol. Whatever diet plan, or lifestyle plan that you take on, always listen to your body. With that said, fasting has huge health benefits that go way beyond simply weight loss, and can be an effective health practice. If you have any interest in learning more or starting a program, please feel free to reach out to me.
According to the CDC, heart disease is the leading cause of death in men and women in America, and more than half of those are in men. 1 in every 4 deaths are due to heart disease, and every 40 seconds someone has a heart attack. Not to sound too morbid, but the facts are the facts.
Heart attacks have several major warning signs and symptoms:
Chest pain or discomfort.
Upper body pain or discomfort in the arms, back, neck, jaw, or upper stomach.
Shortness of breath.
Nausea, lightheaded, or cold sweats.
The good news is, heart disease is largely related to lifestyle habits and choices, and we all have to power to easily lower our risk. Below are 8 ways that can help to lower your risk of heart disease.
1. Emphasize a Whole Foods Diet
Major risk factors of heart disease are high blood pressure and diabetes, which are both significantly impacted by diet. You’ll want to avoid processed foods, sugar, refined carbohydrates, trans fats and fried foods, and foods that contribute to inflammation. Eat a diet based on whole-foods, grass-fed and pastured meats, healthy fats, vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds.
2. Exercise Daily
Exercise is considered one of the natural medicines for our bodies. It helps to enhance lymphatic circulation and filters out toxins from the body. Exercise helps to prevent and control weight gain and high blood pressure, both of which can stress the heart and kidneys.
Researchers suggest that resistance training affects your cardiovascular system differently than aerobic exercise, so a workout that includes both is a great combination (1). Training with weights increases blood flow to the limbs and has positive effects on your blood pressure. It also helps to change your body composition from fat to muscle. In the long term, maintaining lean muscle mass is good for heart health.
3. Get Adequate Sleep
A recent study by the National Institutes of Health showed that inadequate sleep can increase the risk of stroke or a heart attack. Getting too little sleep can increase inflammation and blood pressure. You should aim to get 7-8 hours of sleep per night. No more “burning the midnight oil”.
4. Don’t Sit For Too Long
Sedentary jobs and lifestyles increase the risk for cardiovascular events and deaths. Sitting for long periods at a time can increases the risk of blood clots (2). The study linked here compares prolong sitting events such as air travel and bus. What’s insane is that the typical job most people have require the same, if not more hours of prolong sitting. Be sure to move throughout the day by taking regular breaks, walking at lunch, taking the stairs instead of the elevator and parking further from the office. Set a reminder on your laptop or smart phone for every 15-20 minutes, so you know it’s time to move.
5. Manage Stress
Stress is an underlying issue in all chronic disease, especially heart disease. Stress hormones (i.e. cortisol) narrow your blood vessels, making the heart work hard to pump blood through the narrowed pipes. Ways to manage stress include exercising, yoga, deep breathing, meditation, and even enjoying a healthy social life.
6. Stay Hydrated
Getting adequate water prevents your heart from working too hard. Water is essential and helps your heart pump blood through the blood vessels and muscles to remove wastes. A general rule of thumb is to drink half of your body weight in ounces of water per day.
For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, you should drink at least 75 ounces of pure, filtered water. An additional 4 ounces is recommended for every 15 minutes of intense physical activity. Stay hydrated!
7. Keep Your Mouth Clean
Dental health and overall health go hand-in-hand since most of the risk factors that are present for gum disease are also linked to heart disease. Bacteria in your mouth from gum disease may increase C-reactive protein, a marker for inflammation in the blood vessels, and a risk for cardiovascular disease. Brush and floss daily to prevent gum disease. Use an all natural toothpaste that doesn’t contain harmful chemicals such as fluoride.
8. Avoid Trans-Fat
Contrary to popular belief, we actually need fats in our diet, including saturated fats and polyunsaturated fats. However, one fat to avoid at all cost, is trans fat found in packaged baked goods, snack foods, margarine and fast foods. Trans fat is known to increase your risk for heart disease and stroke. Do your due diligence and read labels and avoid products with partially hydrogenated oils in the ingredients. Also be aware that as long as the product does not contain more than .5 grams of trans-fat per serving, the food manufacturer can legally claim 0 grams of trans-fat. So it’s very important to stay away packaged foods, and pay attention to serving size as well.
This list is by no means exhaustive. There are many other lifestyle practices and habits that can either reduce or increase your risk for heart disease. Make a conscience effort when choosing foods, personal care products and other lifestyle habits that can help reduce your risk for chronic diseases. Please reach out if you want help navigating the health and nutrition space, and guidance on reducing your risk factors.
As a health coach and nutritionist, I often deal with clients who have “high cholesterol”. They are told to avoid foods that have this “deadly” substance, and 9 out of 10 times those same foods have NEVER been apart of there normal diet. Cholesterol has be vilified in the health and medical industry for years due to out dated research, which has led to many people being prescribed cholesterol lowering medication that simply puts a band-aid on the real underlying issue. They are put on inappropriate diets, which further compounds the issue in the first place. Well, new research has shown that dietary cholesterol has no impact on the cholesterol levels in your body, and no association with heart diseases (1,2).
What is Cholesterol?
Cholesterol is an extremely important fat-like substances found in animals products, including beef, eggs and shellfish. Humans are also animals, which means our bodies naturally produce cholesterol. Our livers produce more than 80% of the cholesterol found in our blood, and less than 20% comes from the food that we eat.
Cholesterol is a key component of every cell in your body. It is needed for the formation of Vitamin D and vital hormones (testosterone, estrogen, cortisol, aldosterone, progesterone etc.). Cholesterol is also needed so that your body can actually absorb important fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) (3). Cholesterol does not mix well with liquids (blood), so it is packaged with lipoproteins, creating what we know as LDL “bad cholesterol” and HDL “good cholesterol”.
The production of cholesterol in the body is actually inversely related to the amount of cholesterol that you consume. The more cholesterol you eat, the less is produced from the liver and the less cholesterol you eat, the more is produced (4).
Generally, when someone has high cholesterol their doctor will prescribe them with the latest cholesterol lower drug. When you artificially lower your cholesterol, your also lowering your bodies ability to make important sex hormones (testosterone for men, estrogen for women), absorb essential vitamins and compromising the structure of your cells.
The Cholesterol Myth
For a long time now, the consensus has been that if you consume foods high in cholesterol, you will have high LDL “bad cholesterol” which leads to clog arteries and heart disease.
The Truth About Cholesterol
Another one of the very important rolls of cholesterol is to heal and repair damaged cells. Where ever there is inflammation or damage, you will find cholesterol at the site helping to repair and rebuild new cells. So the real culprit is actually damaged arteries and chronic inflammation. In a healthy person, when there is injury or damage in the body, a signal is sent to the liver to release cholesterol. The cholesterol works to “cover” the damaged site and form a scar, or “plaque”.
Cholesterol is also important in the formation of fat, in a process known as lipogenesis. Lipogenesis is the process of creating fat in your body, and is stimulated by a high carbohydrate diet (5).
So, when your body is under constant stress and chronic inflammation your liver is constantly producing cholesterol to help heal and repair the damage that is occurring to your arteries. In the early research, doctors saw a patient with heart disease and noticed a bunch of cholesterol in the blood and arteries. In earlier research, doctors made the conclusion that cholesterol is causing heart disease. It’s the same conclusion that we can make when we go to the scene of a burning building. The building is on fire, there are a bunch of fire fighters in and around the building, so we can conclude that the fire fighters started the fire. Does that make sense??
Foods that Cause Inflammation
Foods that cause inflammation and damage to our bodies should be avoided at all cost. If consumed on a regularly bases, you’ll be contributing to inflammation and increased levels of cholesterol in your blood. Below are a few of the major culprits, and actually make up a majority of the foods that are typically consume by the average american.
Sugar
Fast Food
Fried Foods
Processed Foods (Snacks, Meats)
Cereals
Dairy Substitutes (margarine, “can’t believe it’s not butter” etc.)
Summary
The real culprit of many chronic diseases, including heart disease is chronic inflammation and damage to our cells. Cholesterol plays a vital role in keeping our bodies healthy and functional. Humans can not function without cholesterol, and artificially lowering this important component leads to many life threatening issues. The underlying issues that need to be addressed when dealing with elevated cholesterol levels are lifestyle habits. We need to look at a person stress level, eating habits, environmental factors, quality of drinking water, access to healthy foods, etc. What have you heard about cholesterol? Is this your first time hearing that we actually need and benefit from it? Leave a comment below!
Who does not love a delicious healthy nutrient-packed smoothie!? Did I mention it was delicious??? This high fiber, protein packed smoothie can be enjoyed as a snack throughout your day or can even sub as a meal replacement if you’re busy and on the go. A little dark chocolate on top as an added bonus and treat, you just can’t go wrong! This smoothie packs protein from collagen powder and hemp seeds, fiber and omegas from chia seeds, antioxidants and the deep purple from wild blueberries. How many calories? Macro-nutrient breakdown? Doesn’t matter, eat clean and healthy, move a little and forget about the details.
Ingredients
1 Cup Organic Almond Milk
1 Cup of Wild Blueberries
1 Tbsp. Organic Chia Seeds
1 Tbsp. Organic Hemp Seeds
1 Scoop Grass-fed Collagen Protein Powder
1 Serving of Amazing Grass Green Powder
2 Squares Organic 85% Dark Chocolate ( shaved for garnishing)
Instructions:
Throw all ingredients into high powered blender, and blend on high. Pour into mason jar, top with dark chocolate and enjoy.
Try out this recipe and leave a comment below to let me know what you think!
Today more than ever, everyone seems to be focused on which diet is best for you. Is it plant-based, paleo or keto? What’s interesting is that the main stream consensus seems to be set on plant-foods being absolutely essential and good for you. On the other side of the spectrum is a majority consensus that your level of meat, cholesterol and saturated fat consumption are the absolute factors that determine whether or not you basically die!
What you won’t hear about is the actual effects that consuming plants have on your body, and that specific plant-foods consume regularly are actually harming you. Say it ain’t so!? Just think for a minute…did the creator of the universe actually put plants on this earth merely to be eaten by humans and other animals? Are plants just these organism that have absolutely zero defense mechanisms? The answer is NO, they do have defense mechanism that can killYOU! Now, we are all well aware of things like poison Ivy and poisonous berries. Even the traditional Jamaican breakfast made with a fruit named ackee, can make you really sick if eaten before it’s ready.
Plants absolutely have defense mechanisms built into there structure, designed to keep predators (like humans) from eating them. One of these possible defense mechanism are called oxalates.
What are Oxalates?
This compound first starts out as oxalic acid, which comes from plant-foods that we eat. Our bodies also make it based a few contigencies (i.e. levels of B6 in your body, levels of vitamin C). When consumed, it binds with minerals and becomes Oxalates. It crystalizes and forms salts; sodium oxalate, potassium oxalate, magnesium oxalate, calcium oxalate. Most kidney stones contain formations of calcium oxalate.
As mentioned earlier, kidney stones are one of the notable concerns surrounding oxalates. But, this only scratches the surface and research is continuously being done to fully understand the negative affects. Oxalates are known as mineral thieves, because they bind or lock up minerals as they move through your body. High Oxalate foods prevent mineral absorption
For example, spinach is high in calcium and oxalates, so when we eat it our bodies do not absorb a majority of the calcium (1). When high oxalate foods are consume with high fiber foods, the absorption of key mineral are also very limited.
Mineral deficiencies causes bones loss, reproductive issues, and even heart problems (2).
According to health educator and nutrition researcher Sally K. Norton, MPH consuming foods high in oxalate can trigger inflammation. Inflammation in the body is responsible for a whole host of issues including:
Nerve cell damage, pain, and functional problems associated with the brain and nerves
Dysfunction of cells, organs and glands
Cell communication problems (autoimmunity, hormonal issues, neurological issues).
Joint pain & aches
What Can You Do About It?
For anyone concerned with the affects of oxalate rich foods, below are strategies that can help limit your exposure and the toxicity of certain foods:
Limit oxalate to 50 mg per day: Choose a variety of nutrient-dense animal and plant sources that are low in oxalates (see list here).
Boil high-oxalate vegetables: Boiling vegetables can reduce their oxalate content from 30% to almost 90%, depending on the vegetable (17). After you boil, be sure to throw out the water immediately.
Drink plenty of water: Aim for a minimum of 2 liters daily. If you have kidney stones, drink enough to produce at least 2.5 liters of urine a day (6).
Get enough calcium: Calcium binds to oxalate in the gut and reduces the amount your body absorbs, so try to get about 800–1,200 mg per day (1, 16).
There is still a lot of research that is being done on the affects of oxalates on human health. The professionals that are leading the charge are within the functional medicine field, which isn’t as mainstream as conventional practices. This concept challenges popular beliefs and goes against the norm. But, I’m here to offer both sides or multiple sides when it comes to nutrition, so that you the reader can make educated decisions about your health. I AM NOT against plant-foods, and I actually feel great and enjoy eating a big fat salad everyday! But, it’s important that I bring you information that you otherwise wouldn’t hear about.
Thanks for reading, and please leave a comment, tell a friend and follow for more nutritional knowledge bombs. Also, if you need help navigating the nutritional jungle or losing weight, please reach out and set up a free consultation.
Health and fitness is not only about what you do in the gym, and what kind of foods you consume. It’s also about being fit mentally and emotionally. In today’s society, there are a lot of things that demand your energy and attention. We are constantly on the go, constantly working towards a promotion, a degree or just trying to get ahead in life. We sometimes forget to stop, take a few deep breathes and slow down.
Being overwhelmed and stressed all the time can absolutely hinder any weight loss goals that you may have, and even physically break your body down and promote sickness. There is a little hormone called cortisol, known as the stress hormone, that is responsible for this. But, we’ll get into the details on that in a later post. For now, here are 5 things you can do right now to cleanse your mind and spirit.
1. Positive Affirmations
An affirmation is sort of like a pep talk that you give yourself everyday. It can be a phrase, or simply words that reflect something you want to achieve. For example, “I am strong, motivated, determined and I WILL lose weight”. Whatever your affirmations are, take a few minutes in the morning before you get your busy day started to internalize this.
2. Surround Yourself With Positive People
I know you’ve heard the various terms, “birds of a feather, flock together”, or “you are the average of the five people you hang with”. There are dozens of other little sayings like this, and they couldn’t be more true. Stop making time for people who are not on the same page as you, or that don’t have the same mindset as you. Remove the people who always negative, have “bad energy”, still with the same mindset and attitude that they had a year ago. These people are toxic, and you’ll find yourself being a part of the complaining, the stagnation and making zero progress in life and your goals.
3. Gratitude
All too often we are in the always wanting more frame of mind which is great, but we must also be grateful. Every morning when you wake up, take about 5 minutes to think about the things that you are truly grateful for. Even the little things like having a glass of water to drink. Don’t take it for granted, and realize how lucky you are to have it.
4. Deep Breathes
Next time that you are around a sleeping baby, take a look at how they breathe (you definitely do not want to be a creeper staring at a strangers baby). Notice how when they breathe, they’re bellies expand first and then their chest. That is actually the proper way to take a deep breathe. Try taking 6 deep breathes when you feel anxious, or stressed and watch how your energy shifts. When you take these deep breathes, think about the anxiety or stress you want to release and visualize it leaving your body as you exhale. Do it now!
5. Journal
I know some of you used write in a diary about your special crush back in middle school, or about the girl/guy you just can’t stand. Well, writing your thoughts and emotions that you experience throughout the day in a journal is actually extremely helpful. At the end of your day, grab a journal and write down some emotionally charged events that happened that day. This allows you to reflect on your reactions and really be able to determine whether they were appropriate and aligned with your true character, or if you could have handled it differently. You’ll be able to detox your brain and bring closure to the day.
So there you have it, 5 things you can do right now to help cleanse your mind and spirit. These are simple, yet extremely effective at helping you channel your energy to the right places. Try at least one of the practices listed, and see how you feel. This list is by no means exhaustive, and there are many other techniques that you can employ to help deal with the stresses in life. Leave a comment and let me know what practices or activities you do to help calm your mind and spirit.
If you haven’t heard yet, the new craze in the coffee world has been what is called “Bulletproof” coffee. What in the world is “Bulletproof” Coffee?. Basically, you take some high quality coffee, some grass-fed butter or ghee, and some MCT oil and blend it all up into a delicious frothy cup of magic. There are many variations that can be done to spice this up, but for starters you’ll want to keep it simple.
Why add all of this to your coffee?
I’m going to give my view on the subject matter based on the original company “BulletProof” and there product. I say original because I was first introduced to this special concoction about a year ago, walking through my favorite place on earth..Wholefoods. So, below are some of the benefits that you can expect to experience, after sipping one of these bad boys!
Suppressed hunger. Brain Octane Oil balances ghrelin and CCK, your hunger hormones, keeping you feeling full longer. You can read more about the science behind BP Coffee and hunger suppression here.
Steady lasting energy. The saturated fat in grass-fed butter slows the absorption of caffeine, which gives you even energy for several hours instead of a caffeine spike and crash. No jitters, either.
Mental clarity. Brain Octane rapidly converts to ketones, a type of molecule that your brain uses more efficiently than carbs or sugar. Pair ketones with the slowly releasing caffeine and you can literally feel your brain turning on.
For the full article, and more information about BulletProof coffee click here. If you decide to try out a “BulletProof” coffee, comment below with your thoughts! Let me know how you felt, and if you added any other ingredients to spice it up.
To exercise or not, that is the question. I read a post from Dominique Gummelt, PHD on acefitness.org which was very telling of the importance of movement. I deal with this dilemma a lot when coaching my older clients. They sometimes wonder if exercise is going to get them injured, and what they can do instead. This article shed some light on the significance of both physical activity and exercise, and also the difference between the two. What’s important is that we all get moving in whatever way we feel comfortable. Whether it be dancing, gardening, bodybuilding or jumping through fire at a Crossfit event… just move!
You know “they” say, a salad a day keeps the doctors away, right? Seriously though, if you want to make sure that you get your 6-8 servings of veggies a day, you might want to consider having a big “fat” salad. I honestly don’t like the word salad, because it carries a non-appealing connotation with it. When people hear “salad”, they think lettuce and maybe some tomatoes. But, I want to change that word to something more a long the lines of “vegetables bowl”. Because veggie bowls should be colorful, nutrient dense and filling. I sometimes challenge myself and throw in as many different vegetables, nuts and seeds that I can. So let’s take a look at 3 of reasons why you should include “a salad a day”.
1. Quick & Convenient
Making a “salad” requires virtually zero culinary skills, and can be prepared in as little as 5 minutes. You can get creative which makes it less likely to become boring and redundant. Just grab some of your favorite veggies, slice and dice, toss some home-made dressing and your good to go. You throw a salad in a glass bowl, in a mason jar and even in a bag if that’s your thing. The point is it’s quick and convenient, and you can take it on the go.
2. Nutrient-Dense
Eating a big fat salad everyday can ensure that you are getting a variety of nutrients in one shot. Depending on what you put in it, you’ll surely get a heavy dose of fiber, micro-nutrients and macro-nutrients. The salad pictured above contains a base of arugula, which is loaded with vitamins A, K and C, folate, calcium, iron, potassium, and magnesium. Orange bell peppers contain healthy doses of vitamin c and B6, as well as fiber to help things move along. And let’s not forget the super-food known as hemp seeds, which contain an array of minerals and great protein rich food. The point is, having one of these bad boys a day will give your body the raw material it needs to function at its best.
3. Satiating (a.k.a very filling)
People tend to think that they’ll be hungry after eating a salad. But, when done properly with a bunch of “fats” tossed in there, you get a highly filling and satisfying meal. What I mean by fats? I’m talking nuts, seeds and good old extra virgin olive oil. My salad pictured above contains pumpkins seeds, which add great texture to your salad and are also good sources of magnesium, potassium, and calcium. Nuts and Seeds are also high in essentially fatty acids, omega-3 and omega-6. Normal consumption of these fatty acids have been linked to reduced risk of heart disease, diabetes and liver diseases (1).
The best use for extra virgin olive oil is drenching your salad with it! Olive oil contains compounds with antioxidant, anti carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and anti-hypertensive properties (2). This seems to be one of the Holy Grail fruits that we should all regularly consume. Adding healthy fats like nuts, seeds and olive oil will have you feeling fuller longer after your meal.
Summary
In today’s world, everything is about convenience. You can order virtually anything at the click of a button, especially food. But let’s be honest, if you’re going to use Uber Eats or Seamless, the last thing you’re probably ordering is a salad. So I challenge you to take a day, head to the grocery store, pick up some of your favorite veggies and prepare a big “fat” salad. You’ll be able to get a large amount of raw material that your body can use to help you in a number of ways. Making small healthy changes every day, can lead to major benefits over time. It’s super important that you do your best to give your body the things that it needs to function optimally. Comment below with some of your favorite salad recipes and ingredients. Let me know how you get your daily dose of nutrients!
One key to maintaining a healthful eating habit and lifestyle is to add variety and flavor! Get creative in your kitchen when you have the time, and try new recipes. Below is simple, but delicious sweet potato hash brown recipe that you can have for breakfast, lunch or dinner. ENJOY!
Here’s a real picture of how mine came out…delicious!
Servings: 1(makes about 3 small hash browns)
Ingredients:
1 medium sweet potato,
grated
1 tbsp unrefined
coconut oil
Sea salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Cumin, to taste
Cinnamon, to taste
1 pastured egg on top
Directions:
In a large bowl, grate sweet potato and place in napkin to squeeze excess liquid
Add sea salt/black pepper/cumin/cinnamon & egg…mix well
Heat skillet on high heat for 2 minutes and reduce to medium heat
Add oil to skillet and let it get hot
Add about 1/3 sweet potato mixture and spread thinly
Cook 5 minutes on each side, continuing to flip every 2 minutes until golden brown and crispy on both sides
Place on a plate and ENJOY!
Add other flavorful ingredients that you like when trying this recipes out. Comment below after you’ve tried the recipe, or with your version of sweet potato hash.
Nutrition & Lifestyle Coach 