In my experience, having clear, radiant skin is an inside job. We can slather our faces with the best topical treatments out there, but if there is hormonal imbalance, liver congestion, and/or gut inflammation brewing beneath the surface, those fancy creams can only get you but so far. If you are struggling with acne and sense that something about your diet and lifestyle is inflaming your skin and causing your breakouts, start with implementing some of the tips outlined in this post.
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I know this is crazy, but before a couple weeks ago, I'd never been to Trader Joe's! Whole Foods has everything I need so I haven't needed to venture out of my cozy grocery store bubble....until I was asked to write a blog post about what I buy from Trader Joe's!
I must say, I was pretty impressed by TJ”s! First of all, it's pretty darn cheap! I got a ton of stuff and my bill was under $100 which rarely happens at Whole Foods. I found their private-label products to be high-quality overall and the layout of the store makes for an enjoyable experience. It's worth going there, at least every now and then, to see what fun new products they've released and pick up some great finds. If you're a regular at TJ's or a newbie like me, this post includes my top 10 picks!
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Intermittent Fasting, aka IF. You've likely heard of it but may be thinking it's just another wellness fad. While it may seem that way, IF really it isn’t a fad at all. It is what our ancestors naturally did before electricity, refrigeration, food delivery and microwaves! They would naturally go periods of time without food and their digestive systems would get a nice long break from the energy-intensive process of digesting food. In our modern world, food is never scarce. Actually, quite the opposite - we've got access to food around the clock! Eating late into the evening and again first thing in the morning doesn't allow our digestion/detox systems to work on removing metabolic junk and toxins that build up in the body over time so health problems, like weight gain, insulin resistance, inflammation, increased oxidative stress, impaired cognitive function, accelerated aging, etc. can ensue. In this post, I've outlined everything you need to know about intermittent fasting - including why and how to do it if you decide it sounds right for you. I also discuss gender differences and how to make it work with your exercise routine.
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Spring is the time when the earth comes back to life; everything gets green again and hundreds of beautiful plants begin to bloom. It is also the time when seasonal allergy sufferers have to stock up on their go-to allergy remedies. Symptoms such as a runny nose, itchy/watery eyes, sneezing, headaches and fatigue can put a real damper on the season and negatively affect quality of life. Antihistamine medications can provide some relief, but often come along with other unpleasant side effects like drowsiness. The good news is that allergy symptoms can be kept in check without medications. Read the full post for my natural allergy remedies!
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Mid-morning and mid-afternoon can be particularly challenging during the work-day. My clients tell me that these times are usually when they feel tired, bored, fidgety, frustrated, stressed and often get the urge to snack (even when they’re not hungry). One of my go-to suggestions is to get up from your desk and make a cup of tea. By choosing one that offers stress-relieving benefits, this ritual becomes even more productive! Fve medicinal teas for helping you cope with stress are up on the blog!
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Going out to eat is a great way to socialize and spend time with friends and family. It can be a bit anxiety-producing if you're working hard to clean up your diet and reach your health goals because you never know what's really in your food (was it sauteed in canola oil? was flour added to a sauce? was corn syrup in the salad dressing? etc.)! So how do you find balance and freedom while eating out without totally derailing your health and weight loss goals? Check out my newest blog post to learn how to navigate menus and eat healthfully when dining out...while still enjoying yourself!
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JERF. Just Eat Real Food. That's my motto and I hope it is yours too! Travelling can make JERFing pretty challenging. I've put together a list of my top 15 snacks that are as minimally processed as packaged food gets. Before your next trip, I recommend packing your bags with some of these so you’re never caught hangry and forced to resort to airplane fare!
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We all want a quick metabolism, right? When people are struggling to lose weight, they often blame their slow metabolism. The goal in speeding up your metabolism is to do things that make it easier for your body to burn energy instead of store it, and therefore lose weight instead of gain. I've put together my top 12 tips for supercharging your metabolism on the blog!
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A calorie is a calorie, right?..... WRONG. Food is much more than just calories; it is information for our cells. Every bite of food you eat sends out a specific set of instructions to the body–instructions that influence satiety, metabolic rate, brain activity, blood sugar and the way we store fat. The same number of calories from different types of food can have very different biological effects. For these reasons, for clients who want to lose weight, I rarely, if ever, mention calories. I know this might be blowing your mind right now, but it's true -- you don't have to count calories to lose weight! It’s not that calories don’t matter at all; it’s that nutrients matter more. Considering calories as the most important factor in how we choose what foods to consume is an overly simplistic view that doesn’t consider nutritional quality. Quality, balancing macronutrients properly, getting in touch with your hunger & satiety signals and paying attention to meal timing are all way bigger influencers on your weight. To learn more about how the weight loss equation of 'calories in versus calories out' is far oversimplified and what you can be doing instead, head to the blog!
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Collagen. You've heard of it. But in case you need a refresher, collagen is the most abundant protein in the body and it’s a key constituent of all connective tissues. It provides the infrastructure of the musculoskeletal system (considered the “glue” that holds the body together!) and it’s the primary building block of skin, hair, nails, tendons, cartilage, bones and joints. Our natural collagen production declines as we age - think wrinkles, thinning hair, brittle nails, achy joints, etc. We can provide the amino acids our bodies need to maintain the health of these structures by using collagen as a protein powder supplement, adding it to smoothies, coffee, soups, oatmeal, etc. In addition to supplementing these key amino acids, we can also include vitamins and minerals need to enhance our body's own natural production of collagen. Vital Proteins (my fave brand of collagen peptides) has formulated a few supplements that do just that, namely Spirulina, Beef Liver and Beauty Boost. Read this post to learn more about the benefits of each.
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Cold and flu season is in full force. Add in flying on planes with recycled air, stress about going back to work, kids going back to school and bringing home the latest bug, etc. and you've got yourself primed for getting sick. The best strategy for making it through winter without getting taken out is to ensure you're supporting your immune system all season long. If and when you do feel that tickle in the back of your throat, there are a handful of things you can do to fight off the cold before it takes hold, or at least reduce the duration and severity of symptoms. In this post, I give you with my top 8 immune-boosting and cold-fighting tips to get you through the next few months unscathed!
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Keto. The diet everyone is talking about. The diet that is based primarily on healthy fat…including some adequate protein and very little carbs. The high-fat ketogenic diet was originally designed to treat epilepsy, however studies now show that this way of eating can be beneficial for those suffering from obesity, cancer, type-2 diabetes, as well as people looking to increase energy, lose body fat and enhance cognitive function. The goal of the keto diet plan is to shift the body’s metabolism in favor of burning fat instead of sugar for fuel. While being in ketosis has many benefits, adhering to this diet is pretty tough for most people as it requires measuring/tracking food consumption and very careful monitoring of your body’s ketone production. To learn more about what exactly ‘going keto’ means and if it might be a good fit for you, check out my post!
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Ever wondered why you can’t drink a cup of coffee past 11am or you’ll be staring all the ceiling all night, while your husband can have an espresso after dinner and sleep like a baby? The way your body breaks down and responds to caffeine is actually influenced by your genes! As a result of gene variants, some of us are fast caffeine metabolizers while others are slow metabolizers. Fast metabolizers can guzzle coffee all day and feel great – these lucky dogs get a whole bunch of benefits too, like increased metabolism, mental clarity, etc. Slow metabolizers are better off drinking green tea (which has about half the caffeine as coffee) or even skipping caffeine altogether, otherwise they get jittery, anxious and have disturbed sleep. To learn more about caffeine genes, fast/slow metabolizers, as well as the health benefits of coffee and green tea, check out my post!
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We all know we should be eating less sugar for optimal health. But for many of us with legit sugar additions (the struggle is real!), that’s easier said than done. Lowering your sugar intake doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice taste or feel deprived from your favorite foods. In this post, you’ll learn some savvy swaps and health hacks so you can start detoxing from sugar, recalibrating your taste buds and controlling your cravings.
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MCT oil is my go-to healthy fat for adding to smoothies, matcha lattes, and as the base of homemade salad dressings. MCT stands for medium-chain triglyceride. MCTs are a special class of fats that are derived from coconut oil and/or palm oil. These triglycerides have a unique chemical structure so your body metabolizes MCTs differently than short-chain and long-chain triglycerides.
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Apple cider vinegar has a claim to fame as a health and longevity elixir. Its benefits are extensive: improves digestion, provides relief from heartburn, reduces blood sugar levels, increases energy, eliminates cravings and supports fat burning and weight loss. So it's no wonder people are getting on the ACV bandwagon! But, for many, once they try it, they struggle to incorporate it into their daily routine due to the intensity of the tartness! Over on Hello Glow, I go into detail about all the health benefits of consuming ACV regularly PLUS I give you eight recipes for hiding it in drinks, smoothies and salad dressings so you can get more into your life! Check it out by clicking the button below.
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My amazing friend and fellow health activist, Clara Wisner of revolutionary lifestyle, is currently traveling around the world on an epic adventure. You might know Clara from the Living Rising podcast which I was on a few weeks ago chatting about Ayurveda. If you missed it, you can listen to it here. In addition to being a nutrition therapy practitioner, Clara is also a self-love guide. What does that mean? She specializes in helping women ditch toxic habits and release self-sabotaging beliefs that keep them stuck. As part of her travels, she's exploring self-love practices and spiritual theories all over the world and compiling the incredible knowledge she's garnering into a book about self-love. Soooo basically, she's a legend and I wanted to let y'all know about a super cool online course she's offering all about self-love....
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Hey everyone! Just wanted to give you a heads up that I was on Love Rising podcast this week chatting with Clara from Revolutionary Lifestyle about all things Ayurveda! As you guys may already know, I am a Certified Ayurvedic Lifestyle Counselor and often integrate Ayurvedic wellness practices and diagnostic tools in my holistic nutrition practice. On the podcast, I explain what Ayurveda is (hint: it's India's 5000 year old medical system, translated as the "science of life") and talk about the primary doshas (vata, pitta and kapha) and how to juggle all three to maintain health and balance. A big part of this is having a solid daily routine which I go through in detail, i.e. sleep-wake cycles, meal timing, etc. And finally Clara and I catch up about our respective experiences at Vaidyagrama which is an Ayurvedic detox retreat center in India. I was there about four years ago and my time there was instrumental in my personal healing process. You can read more about my time at Vaidyagrama here and here. So, if Ayurveda is at all interesting to you, head on over to iTunes and have a listen to the new Love Rising podcast! You can click the photo above or here is the link! Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or want to learn more!
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