It begins with a trigger. Maybe an infection, perhaps mold, maybe over dieting, an eating disorder, heavy metal exposure, or death that causes too much emotional stress.
The event is so big that your immune system gets triggered to product t and b killer cells. Overproduction of killer immune cells creates an imbalance in your immune system. Think of killer cells as proinflammatory and think of macrophages as an anti-inflammatory. You make too many killers and not enough macrophages. So your body spills over into hyper inflammation, and those immune cells steal your energy and are causing all your symptoms. Your body begins to make a lot of something called senescent cells that create even more inflammation because macrophages can't clean them out.
This won't show up on CBC Immuno panel because the population range on blood work is way too large to catch it. Also, overactivity can happen in specific tissues like the gut and not be in the bloodstream.
Through 4 step strategic process, you can remove immunosenescence. If you do, you balance the immune system and recover your life back.
You can learn more about OID at our Metabolic Mentor University or you can overcome it yourself with our expert OID coaches at Nutrition Dynamic.
Tracking your Heart Rate Variability may be the missing piece of the puzzle if you are looking for solid bio-feedback about how to train, eat, rest, and sleep. It shows how well your body handles all types of stress, from physical to emotional.
Your heart beat doesn’t beat like a ticking clock, there are subtle variations in the space between beats! That’s what Heart Rate Variability measures. If a person’s system is in more of a fight-or-flight mode, the variation between subsequent heartbeats is low. If one is in a more relaxed state, the variation between beats is high.
Your nervous system is constantly up and down-regulating your heart rate in response to stress. When your nervous system is functioning at a high level, variability is high– which represents a very responsive CNS (Central Nervous System). People who have a high HRV may have greater cardiovascular fitness and be more resilient to stress. A low HRV is associated with an increased risk of depression, anxiety, cardiovascular disease... even death.
Not ALL stress is created equal! Stress from a workout is positive stress because it is acute; the stress is over once the workout is over, and it stimulates muscle growth. On the other hand, stress from work can lead to chronic stress if left unchecked, which is horrible for your health and your nervous system over time.
The point is not to avoid drops in HRV completely but rather the point is to monitor your recovery afterward. Although a Whoop can’t help you avoid stress altogether, it can provide valuable insight to help you know when to better support your body (i.e. take a rest day or practice more self-care), thus helping it respond to stress in a healthier way.
I look at my HRV every morning to see how active I should be for the rest of the day. It’s changed the way I workout and helped me feel amazing because I focus more on recovery than ever before, which means my workouts are even better too! HRV also drops when I may have not eaten enough the day before, or I’ve eaten too much processed foods, so I know how to fuel my body for the day ahead, as well.
Bottom line: Information is knowledge! That is why I LOVE my Whoop Strap. The Whoop Strap is a fitness tracker that measures the quality of your sleep, how much strain is put on your body during exercise, and how well your body recovers from those workouts. To do so, Whoop relies on Heart Rate Variability (HRV), resting heart rate, and other subtle metrics.
]]>Are you confused by all the supplement information out there? It seems like there is a new “magic” pill or powder on the market every day, and it can be confusing to know which ones are essential, and which ones are just hype. Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered.
Here are the top 7 Baseline Supplements that everyone would benefit from taking daily (and specific supplement recommendations for each):
✅Multivitamin: Vitamins and minerals are key micronutrients required by the body for optimal health and longevity.
🔹NuEthix Formulations: Nu-Multi
✅Vitamin D3: Our bodies need this to modulate our hormones and support our immune system by influencing the production of white blood cells. The more you train, the more you need vitamin D (especially women) because it helps our body regulate testosterone production.
🔹Metagenics: Vitamin D3 10,000 +K
✅Magnesium: A mineral that plays a part in over 300 different reactions in the body and is arguably the most important nutrient for this very reason. Magnesium glycinate is the most absorbable form of magnesium and is not dependent on stomach acidity for absorption.
✅Probiotic: We all need healthy bacteria in our gut to keep our system working properly. The gut is considered our second brain, which is why it is so important to choose foods that keep it healthy and balanced--for our physical and mental well-being.
🔹NuEthix Formulations: Flora Protect
✅Prebiotic: The good bacteria inside our gut can’t grow without the right foods, and prebiotics feed our good gut buddies to keep them thriving so that the bad bacteria doesn’t take over.
🔹NuEthix Formulations: Gut Lining Pro
✅Calcium: The king of bone health goes to microcrystalline hydroxyapatite concentrate which is derived from whole bones, typically bovine. This is needed to keep our bones strong and prevent bone loss which happens naturally as we age.
✅EPA/DHA: These are OMEGA3 fatty acids that are essential to our health because they help fight off inflammation, support cardiovascular health, immune health, cognitive health, and support our musculoskeletal system.
🔹NuEthix Formulations: Fatty Acids Pro
All of these supplements are available for purchase on our website!
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Weeds are growing everywhere.
The grass hasn’t been mowed in weeks/months.
The grass is dead from not being watered.
The mulch needs to be replaced.
...You can probably get a pretty good image of that right?
I like to use this analogy with a lot of my clients with chronic gut issues. This is kinda what the inside of our gut looks like when we experience things like uncomfortable bloating, irregular BMs, stomach pain/discomfort, intolerance to foods, IBS, SIBO, etc..
]]>Have you ever had a neighbor with a really ugly looking yard? 👀
Weeds are growing everywhere.
The grass hasn’t been mowed in weeks/months.
The grass is dead from not being watered.
The mulch needs to be replaced.
...You can probably get a pretty good image of that right?
I like to use this analogy with a lot of my clients with chronic gut issues. This is kinda what the inside of our gut looks like when we experience things like uncomfortable bloating, irregular BMs, stomach pain/discomfort, intolerance to foods, IBS, SIBO, etc..
Now, we can’t go from a damaged, dry, brown lawn to a beautiful, luscious green lawn overnight. We’ve gotta do it in phases!
So, what does that look like?
This is what we refer to as a 5R Protocol. There’s 5 “Rs” we need to go through in order to get that nice, luscious green yard or a healed, happy gut! 🙌🏼
If you’re thinking you might need some attention and healing for your specific gut issues, no matter how small they might seem, please feel free to reach out to us and let’s chat about it!
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Before we discuss the why, let’s discuss the what. What is Reiki? Simply put, Reiki is energy healing through the hands. It was created by Dr. Mikao Usui and has been around since the early 20th century. The loving, healing energy of Reiki is truly available to anyone. That being said, to practice Reiki and provide this service to others, you should become a certified Reiki Practitioner. I am a Master Reiki. This means I’ve completed Reiki Certifications 1 and 2 first, applied the practice for some time, and then went back and had a Reiki Attunement to become a Master Reiki. Access to reiki energy is passed down from Reiki practitioners to others through attunement and via ancient symbolism. The idea is the healing energy of reiki stimulates the body’s natural ability to heal. There is existing research to support the therapeutic benefits of Reiki and it is being used in hospitals now across the US.
Now we can dive into the why. As a Nutrition Dynamic Registered Dietitian and Health Coach, a big part of the work I do with clients is on decreasing stress and tapping into the parasympathetic state. Reiki is an EXCELLENT therapy to bring into your regular self-care routine. Here are some reasons you may want to consider a reiki session.
Reiki can be done in person or via virtual sessions. Distance reiki has been around since long before current social distancing conditions and offers the same benefits as in person reiki. Sessions are typically 20-90 minutes long. It is important to be very comfortable during your session, so wear loose and comfy clothing. Make sure to have enough clothing to be warm or even use a blanket. Make your environment vibey. This means light meditative music, incense or essential oils and crystals are all welcome. After your session make sure to rest and drink plenty of water. Avoid alcohol, stimulants or physical activity following the session to allow the healing effects to settle. You may feel energized, peaceful or even tired. Any of that is normal.
Click HERE and schedule your free discovery call!
References:
The popularity of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) has been on the rise for years. HIIT is a workout that alternates between intense bursts of activity and periods of less-intense activity or complete rest. HIIT workouts can be performed during cycling, swimming, elliptical cross-training, sprinting, and are the basis of most group exercise classes. It can be done anywhere, even without equipment — and can be extremely challenging.
HIIT’s popularity is partly due to the post-exercise period— called “EPOC”, which stands for excess postexercise oxygen consumption. This is the 2-hour period after exercise where the body is restoring itself and thus using more energy to maintain homeostasis.
The vigorous nature of HIIT workouts increases the EPOC, adding about 5-15% to your daily calorie burn. Because of this, HIIT has gained a reputation as being a “magic pill” of exercise. With HIIT, you may see changes within a matter of weeks, which has most people thinking, if a little HIIT is good, then a lot of HIIT is even better!
With HIIT, you can burn a lot of calories in a short amount of time. Studies all show improved cardiovascular fitness and improved muscle tone. Positive physiological benefits from HIIT also include improved fasting blood glucose and insulin sensitivity. It’s easy to get addicted to the of post-HIIT endorphin high. It only takes a few intervals to experience your body’s heightened level of energy, which is influenced by a fluctuation of hormones, especially cortisol.
However, for those who suffer from an already stressful life or adrenal insufficiency, HIIT could cause serious damage and actually reverse physical progress! Intense exercise places additional stress on adrenal functions. Cortisol is released by the adrenal glands under conditions of high mental and physical stress and is the body’s primary catabolic hormone.
HIIT stimulates significantly acute cortisol response and chronically high level of this hormone can increase the risk of a number of health issues— including weight gain, depression, digestive issues, chronic fatigue, sleep problems and brain fog. Studies have found that excess cortisol can stimulate fat gain and cause poor quality sleep.
Cortisol is essential for your body’s fight or flight response; however, it causes fat storage in your abdomen when it’s in excess. Yes, cortisol can cause belly fat, but it’s not a direct reaction to its secretion.
When cortisol is produced, along with adrenaline, there is an increase in the body’s metabolic rate and energy production through glucose. This is to provide the body with extra fuel to get it through whatever the stressful event might be. When cortisol is chronically in excess, glucose/blood sugar that isn’t actually needed as fuel for the body is converted into fat stored in the abdomen; belly fat.
Both too much and too little cortisol can affect thyroid function. Elevated levels of cortisol can suppress the release of active thyroid hormone in a variety of ways. For example, high cortisol may suppress the release of thyroid stimulating hormone in HPA axis or cortisol is required for the conversion of T4 to T3 (active thyroid) and in adrenal insufficiency, cortisol is depleted.
This may lead to conditions such as hypothyroidism. This can cause depression, weight gain, and digestive dysfunction along with a variety of other symptoms. In other words, a person might actually end up gaining weight and ruining their metabolism in the attempt to lose weight!
Done correctly, HIIT can be a useful tool! But not for someone who is not in a healthy place, both mentally and physically. Adding physical stress (even well-intended exercise!) to an already high-stress lifestyle (due to work or personal reason) can actually lead to
dis-ease within the body.
If you are suffering from any health issues like gut problems, hormone imbalance, adrenal stress and the like, avoid HIIT until your body is healthy enough to handle it. Never exceed more than 2 HIIT workouts a week to ensure full recovery and avoid damage.
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The questions we ask ourselves are the key to unlocking our potential. The problem is, we fall victim to the same, low-vibe thoughts every day, without even realizing it.
]]>Humans have over 6,000 thoughts enter the mind every single day. Of those 6,000-- how many are we actually aware of? Or, taking it one step further, how many of those thoughts are on purpose?
The questions we ask ourselves are the key to unlocking our potential. The problem is, we fall victim to the same, low-vibe thoughts every day, without even realizing it.
“Why can’t I lose the weight?”
“Will I ever be happy?”
“What is wrong with me?”
The problem with these types of questions is that our brain, being efficient as it is, will automatically come up with an answer-- ANY answer-- to satisfy our ego. These types of questions are low quality, because they contain negative beliefs about ourselves within the question itself. When our brain goes into this automatic response mode, it computes answers to prove that the negative belief is accurate, even when it isn’t.
“You can’t lose weight because you are a fat slob.”
“You will never be happy because you are just a miserable human being.”
“You are a loser, and that is your problem.”
So what do we do? We need to choose better questions to ask ourselves! The higher the quality of the question, the higher the quality the answer will be. Change the question to contain an empowering belief, like “How can I lose weight permanently and have fun at the same time?” Your brain will come up with an answer for that as well. It may take some time to compute, but it will produce an outcome. After all, it is a powerful and efficient tool!
Even if you don’t know the answer right away, you can still rewrite the narrative. Don’t answer a question with “I don’t know, I’m confused, I can’t make a decision.” You are blocking yourself from your own wisdom. Open up your mind to the possibility of already knowing the answer. Instead, say “I’m learning, I’m figuring it out, I’m asking myself”.
Try this exercise to start asking better questions:
If you want great answers, ask great questions. If you are inquisitive about yourself, you can find ways to focus your brain and tell it what to think. It’s just a piece of machinery to serve you, if you figure out how to read the instructions.
]]>A lot of individuals who reach out to Nutrition Dynamic about thyroid issues are HYPOthyroid. But, we see a lot of HYPERthyroidism here as well. Regardless if you are hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism, here are the top 10 foods that help nourish your thyroid!
Some of these foods above may not be ones that you have incorporated into your diet up to this point. And we get it - sometimes it is hard to break out of your comfort zone when it comes to food. We ask that you have an open mind and pick a few new ones from this list to give a try! We like to incorporate these items into our meal plans for clients with thyroid issues, and clients end up loving a lot of them!
To good health,
Coach Kristen Smith
CLICK HERE to schedule your Free Discovery Call!References:
]]>PAUSE!
Where did you go wrong?
Exercise isn’t something you HAVE to do, it’s something you GET to do. It’s a privilege that is often abused. Privileges need to be earned.
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You’re starting a new weight loss program and you feel certain that your lack of exercise is what typically holds you back. You wake up at 430am to squeeze a workout in before the kids wake up even though you only got 5 hours of sleep. You feel exhausted, but you shrug your shoulders and tell yourself this is the only way to achieve your goal. Once at the gym, you realize you forgot to grab something to eat. Your mind wanders off and you begin to think about how well you did keeping your meals under 400 calories yesterday. You complete the workout and leave the gym feeling proud that you made it there but confused why you still feel so drained.
PAUSE!
Where did you go wrong?
Exercise isn’t something you HAVE to do, it’s something you GET to do. It’s a privilege that is often abused. Privileges need to be earned.
If you want to workout and have your body respond positively, then you need to prioritize these three things first.
Chronic insufficient sleep has repeatedly been associated with obesity, poor blood sugar control, increased food cravings, dysregulation of caloric expenditure, inflammation, hormone imbalance and more.
Rule #1: If you didn’t prioritize sleeping for 7 hours minimum, you didn’t earn the privilege to workout that day.
Have you ever heard “abs are made in the kitchen?” You can bust your butt in the gym all you want, but if you don’t take the time to learn how to fuel your body appropriately, then you’re wasting your time. Here’s the catch – this does NOT mean eating as little as possible and avoiding food groups. This means learning how much protein, carbs and fat your body needs to get through a day, let alone a workout.
Rule #2: If you didn’t prioritize fueling your body, you didn’t earn the privilege to workout that day.
There is some evidence to suggest that water intake plays a role in weight loss. When you lose fat, it doesn’t just miraculously vanish from your body. There is a science to how it actually gets metabolized and exits your system. While most fat that is lost is expended through the lungs, a small portion becomes water and is excreted through urine, stool, sweat, tears, etc.
Proper hydration also plays a role in your body’s ability to function on a cellular level which is crucial to supporting a healthy metabolism! Being dehydrated can cause muscle tightness and imbalanced temperature regulation which also will negatively impact you during your workout.
Rule #3: If you didn’t prioritize drinking between ½ - 1 oz water per pound of bodyweight, then you didn’t earn the privilege to workout that day.
Markwald RR, Melanson EL, Smith MR, Higgins J, Perreault L, Eckel RH, Wright KP Jr. Impact of insufficient sleep on total daily energy expenditure, food intake, and weight gain. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2013 Apr 2;110(14):5695-700. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1216951110. Epub 2013 Mar 11. PMID: 23479616; PMCID: PMC3619301.
Bracamontes-Castelo G, Bacardí-Gascón M, Jiménez Cruz A. Effect of water consumption on weight loss: a systematic review. Nutr Hosp. 2019 Dec 26;36(6):1424-1429. English. doi: 10.20960/nh.02746. PMID: 31657610.
If there is one thing I’ve learned about New Year Resolutions… it’s that they don’t work. Year after year, I see myself, friends, colleagues, and family members set specific resolutions to work out more, eat more vegetables, lose weight, make more money, etc.
The problem with New Year's resolutions is that, not only are most of them very unrealistic (as if you are going to wake up on January 1 a brand spanking-new person), they typically lack both the innovation and flexibility it takes to make them fun and sustainable long after January is gone.
This New Year, I invite you to set intentions for the year rather than goals or resolutions. What's the difference you ask? They are very similar in nature… but there is a slight variation. Intentions dig deeper and hone in on the feeling you want to embody, not just the act..
For example, your goal or resolution might be to meditate every single day. That in itself is a great goal to have! But what if you got less rigid and set the intention of becoming a more calm and centered person? Isn’t that what you really want? That intention leaves the door of opportunity open for other ideas and activities that might result in a similar outcome that meditation has to offer, without all the rules and rigidity.
What if dancing every morning made a world of a difference in your mood for the rest of the day? What if taking a bath at the end of your work day made you feel like a Buddhist monk by bedtime? Do you see the difference?
Instead of going to the gym 5 days a week, you could set the intention to be more active. That could look like more walking, hiking, using the stairs over elevator, practicing more yoga, dancing more, roller blading, surfing… whatever calls to you! You are achieving the same goal but with a different energy put into it.
Try this method of intention setting for the New Year. Make it a rituat; light some candles, put on some good music, grab a pen and paper, maybe get a group of friends together. Journal about how you want to feel next year, what that could look like and visualize yourself become that person! Have fun, and see you in 2022!
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Did you know that over 95 million people in the U.S deal with digestive problems?
The majority of those people are given medication as a solution to mask the symptoms with no real guidance on how to FIX the issue(s). Which is frustrating!
Anti-acid medications can help with immediate symptoms, but over time can impact the balance of good and bad bacteria. Over time, if this bacteria becomes off balance, gut/digestive/bloating often become worse. We see this a lot here at Nutrition Dynamic.
Gut issues such as:
…can all be tied back to one of 3 things - stress, triggering foods, and lifestyle.
Here is what makes our process here at Nutrition Dynamic different when it comes to healing digestive issues:
We don’t just address the symptoms. We address the source of what’s causing the discomfort!
This means, we help heal the damage to the gut lining, support healthy microbes in the gut, address underlying yeast overgrowth, and calm inflammation.
Try decreasing stress levels at home either by adding in more walking to your day, doing some breathwork practice, journaling, etc. can all really help decrease stress levels!
Avoid triggering foods such as gluten and dairy for a little while. These are two very common gut irritants.
Give these things a try for a few weeks and see how you feel. Tackling these 3 areas - stress, food triggers, and lifestyle - make a HUGE difference in our gut function. If these don’t help with your symptoms, you might need some one-on-one coaching to find the root cause of what’s going on with your gut symptoms. We would love to help in any way here at Nutrition Dynamic.
If you’ve tried addressing these factors and are ready for some coaching from us, please fill out one of our discovery call forms for a FREE 30 minute phone consultation with one of our Guides. You’ll be able to ask questions about our program(s) and see if it’s a good fit for you!
Coach Kristen Smith
References:
American College of Gastroenterology
Metagenics
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WHAT IS NORMAL “DURATION” of a cycle? (just a super common question I get and thought I would address here!)
Day 1 of the whole menstrual cycle (28-34 days), is when the “bleed STARTS”…. But what is actually happening? The uterine lining is shedding!
WHAT IS CHANGING IN YOUR BODY THAT YOU MAY NOTICE OR TRACK (other than a monthly bleed happening)? There are several physiological changes happening throughout the phases of your cycle. This is why FEMALES HAVE GREAT POWER in how we can really optimize our nutrition, training, work mode, and more based on some physiological changes happening in the body throughout the cycle (more on this later). A few things CHANGING physiologically:
TRACKING + APPS
Tracking you’re the symptom changes throughout a female menstural cycle is incredibly powerful and empowering! I always thought I was tired, or was frustrated about feeling bloated, I was confused why sometimes I was a little more irregular in bowel movements. And once I started tracking I realized it was only on certain days of the month and there was a cyclical pattern. Once I recognized that, I learned how to lean into my body’s natural rhythms and work WITH my body rather than against it (Alissa Vitti has some fantastic work on this like her book FLO living!).
For apps - There are MANY apps out there, here are just a FEW of my favorites! If you are new to tracking, you might just start with writing down when you bleed every month. But I highly encourage to start tracking maybe 1-3 of some other items (most apps have a place to check in extra notes.. I use CLUE app and so I can see the rhythm of when my weight goes up, or when I a craving carbs, or when I am more tired). Here are some things you might track in your app (or just the good old calendar pen/paper works too!)
BOOKS I RECOMMEND FOR FURTHERING YOUR EDUCATION – don’t be overwhelmed, just start with one but these are some of my favorites!!!
Taking Charge of your Fertility, Toni Weschler
Period Repair Manual, Lara Briden
WomanCode, Alisa Vitti
In The Flo, Alisa Vitti
Fix Your Period, Nicole Jardim
No Period Now What, Dr. Rinaldi
The Fifth Vital Sign, Lara Briden
Beyond the Pill, Dr. Jolene Brighten
The Hormone Cure, Dr. Sara Gottfried
I sincerely hope this is helpful for wherever you are in your journey! Comment below or take a screenshot and SHARE on your stories – tag me @KDWELLNESS – I would love to connect and answer any follow up questions! More on this topic to come, as I LOVE to support and educate!
XX,
Kristen
Kristen’s Favorite Hormone Support for improving hormone detoxification and pathways? I LOVE EstroFactors, and the Medical Food Hormone Plus Complete to help shift things in a positive direction! Again, you can learn more about your specific hormones by taking a DUTCH COMPELTE which I highly recommend!!
]]>Okay, I’m being a bit dramatic, but I think you get the point. I’m a coffee lover. So I write this with love. Sure, coffee has many associated health BENEFITS. However, in some cases it’s doing more harm than good and today that’s what we’re talking about. So here are some reasons to consider a coffee break.
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This has been a real hard break up for me. Having to wake up and look at my Nespresso machine every morning knowing we can’t be together right now.. Driving by a Starbucks with a longing look, since we’re so close, but so far from one another…
Okay, I’m being a bit dramatic, but I think you get the point. I’m a coffee lover. So I write this with love. Sure, coffee has many associated health BENEFITS. However, in some cases it’s doing more harm than good and today that’s what we’re talking about. So here are some reasons to consider a coffee break.
For what to have instead of coffee, check out my article Coffee Alternatives For When You Must Part With Your Beloved Cup O’ Joe.
References:
You felt a little off and thought it might be your hormones. You did some googling and found a few articles on hormone balance and began implementing a few things. A couple months go by, but you don’t really see much of a difference. Where did you go wrong?
With hormones, you need to TEST, don’t guess! Let me introduce you to QUEEN of lab work – the DUTCH Hormone Test.
If you don’t have data to show your hormonal strengths and weaknesses, then your protocol won’t be targeted enough to produce results that you can see & feel.
The DUTCH test can seem very overwhelming for a first-time viewer. What you need to know is it covers all your major sex and stress hormones (estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, cortisol) and their downstream metabolites.
When it comes to balancing hormones, this is more helpful than standard bloodwork due to the depth of the test. For example, It doesn’t just show estradiol; rather, it shows all three types of estrogen AND the pathways of estrogen detoxification.
Like your body, hormones are dynamic. This means the levels are constantly changing, adapting, converting and moving through elimination pathways. The DUTCH doesn’t give you one point in time, it paints you a story of how your body works.
If you’re looking to balance your hormones, achieve optimal health or simply just understand your body on a deeper level – let’s test! When you purchase a DUTCH test through us, you’ll get a 30 minute review session with me where we can talk all things lifestyle, diet, exercise and supplementation to better support your hormone health.
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How do you prioritize your days? Your weeks? Do you find yourself constantly rushing around to the next thing without a second to spare while feeling that heightened sense of stress every moment of each day?
It may be time for you to look at what your priorities are.
Time management is a skill. This means that you do have the opportunity to perfect this skill. This can look like ensuring you get to bed at a decent time to wake up with enough time to start your days off on the right foot.
One thing that I do as well as recommend to my clients, is keeping their phones in the living room and investing in an alarm clock. I know, I know. It SEEMS silly, but the minimized distraction of not surfing social media for an hour before bed will help you fall asleep quicker and improve the quality of your sleep by being exposed to less blue light right before bed.
Another small but effective habit is not looking at your phone for the first half hour to hour of your morning. Wake up, do some breath work, go for a morning walk, come back, make a nutritionally dense breakfast and get yourself out the door before you decide to check your phone. That way, you’re starting your day off with parasympathetic activity, undistracted by the stresses of this world via your phone.
If you’re interested in building healthier habits, constructing a healthier lifestyle for yourself, and optimizing your health – then it may be time for you to set up a free consultation with Nutrition Dynamic!
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Cold therapy has been getting a lot of hype recently due to one man named Wim Hof (aka the “Ice Man). But is all the hype backed by Science? Let’s break it down.
Cryotherapy or cryogenic therapy is a form of treatment using freezing temperatures (usually around -250 degrees Fahrenheit) applied to the body for therapeutic benefit. Cryo chambers have become the most popular, where you stand in a tube-shaped enclosure that covers your body with your head popping out the top. Clients stand in the chamber and are exposed to liquid nitrogen for 2-4 minutes on a regular basis to reap the benefits.
Cold hydrotherapy is similar to cryotherapy, where you are exposed to cold water that is usually around 40- 60 degree Fahrenheit. Ice baths are the most common practice, and they have been around for a long time— especially in the athletic space, used for muscle recovery. Now, even non-athletes are taking the cold plunge due to the recent rise in interest.
Cold exposure, especially when preceded by exercise in water that’s 64° F, increased counts of white blood cells and natural killer (NK) cells in one study. The researchers behind the study concluded that cold exposure has immuno-stimulating effects, but even more so when preceded by the water-based exercise (Brenner, 1999). An earlier study found that repeated immersions in cold water—one hour of immersion three times a week for six weeks—did appear to activate the immune system to “a slight extent” (Janský, 1996).
According to anecdotal evidence, blasts of cold significantly improve the quality of life for patients suffering from phantom limb pain. Cold compression therapy provides more pain relief than popular, alternative interventions. Cold application alone may be effective in reducing pain associated with migraine attacks. Another study showed a reduction in the frequency and degree of pain perception in patients with osteoarthritis, which reduced the number of analgesic medications needed by these patients. Cold exposure can increase the neurotransmitter norepinephrin in the brain, which lowers pain and inflammation in the body.
Cold therapy helps produce adaptive, beneficial hormetic responses (Vosselman, 2014). Thermogenesis is a way to produce heat to keep the body warm. Cold thermogenesis kicks this process into overdrive. When exposed to colder environments, the body works harder to maintain homeostasis (the body wants to always stay at 98.6F degrees or 37C degrees) and its core temperature. In order to do this, it produces more energy to stay warm, burning calories to produce heat. This in turn stimulates and increases metabolism. Cold thermogenesis becomes a fat burning aid by activating the body’s built in stores of brown fat.
Humans have stores of active brown fat tissue (BAT). Unlike white fat, which stores energy and comprises most body fat, brown fat is active in burning calories and using energy. BAT can essentially turn calories from food into heat. Indeed, studies show that cold exposure increases BAT activity which leads to increased calorie expenditure. Researchers concluded that frequent cold exposures might be an acceptable and economical complementary approach to address the current obesity epidemic. According to preliminary research, a lack of BAT has been linked with obesity.
You can begin cold therapy starting with your showers and work your way up to ice baths. Don’t attempt an ice bath by yourself for your first time. At the end of your hot shower, turn the dial all the way cold for 30 seconds. Then increase to one minute, 2 minutes, and up to 3 minutes over the span of a few weeks!
Happy Chilling!
Ready to sign up for health coaching? CLICK HERE to schedule your free Discovery Call today!
]]>Yep, it’s true! Most people assume that only diabetics have blood sugar issues, but that’s just not the case.
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Did you know that you can have high blood sugars even if you aren’t a diabetic?
Yep, it’s true! Most people assume that only diabetics have blood sugar issues, but that’s just not the case.
A lot of people don’t check their blood sugars, but our blood sugars can give us such an amazing look at how our body responds to stress, food, our hormone function, and overall health!
Here are some possible reasons WHY we might have high blood sugars:
Here is ONE thing you can start doing today to decrease your blood sugars...get just ONE extra hour of sleep per night. You’ll be surprised how much your blood sugars can come down!
Our coaches here at Nutrition Dynamic help clients closely monitor their blood sugar levels to get them functioning at their best. If you have questions about any of our programs, or are ready to get started working 1-on-1 with a coach, please get in touch with our team! We would love to help you on your health journey!
PHASE 2: LUTEAL PHASE or “PROGESTERONE PHASE”
In a nutshell: YOU JUST OVULATED + NOW PROGESTERONE IS RELEASING
After ovulation, (where the egg was released from the follicle), the follicle now collapses on itself creating the “corpus luteum” and remains in the ovarian wall and starts releasing PROGESTERONE.
*To re-iterate, progesterone rises from the ovaries after ovulation (egg release and follicle collapse)
At this stage, Progesterone does a few important things: 1) It causes the uterine lining to thicken to support the corpus luteum 2) prevents the other less dominant follicles from releasing and 3) it causes a few changes in the female body: cervical fluid, waking basal body temperatures and cervix changes/cervical position
Progesterone has MANY important benefits, everything from serving as our body’s natural anti-anxiety, it helps with sleep, and of key importance is it helps to balance out ESTROGEN… if you are not having a strong ovulation, you are not producing adequate progesterone, and you may be left feeling highly anxious/mood swings, watery/bloated, struggle with insomnia and have a hard time losing weight… yes estrogen is high but also progesterone is too LOW. In addition to working on nutrition and stress to improve these ratios (more on that in future post!), some of my favorite products are EstroFactors and Hormone Plus Complete … and if you know from labs you’re consistently low in progesterone, you may benefit from supplementation – I love Progon B by Bezwecken!
After ~2 weeks of progesterone rising it starts to drop off a few days before you get your “period” where your uterine lining starts to shed. Some women may get slight spotting, some may feel a little PMS-y at this time, and others may actually feel like they start to have a change in energy (whether it’s up or down – depends on the individual!)
FOODS TO SUPPORT PROGESTERONE?
NOT SURE WHERE YOU LIE ON THE MAP? If you’re interested in learning more about YOUR cycle and hormones… whether you’ve got some symptoms that you want to be efficient and effective in your protocol – I highly recommend to order the DUTCH COMPELTE test for comprehensive hormone analysis – the cost of the test on our site comes with a full lab review session and action points with myself or one of our Lab Review Dietitians!!
Want to learn how to manage your cycles? Click HERE to schedule your free Discovery Call today!
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Fat soluble vitamins are present in fatty foods and like their name suggests, they dissolve in fats and are stored in body tissues for use when needed. Here’s what you need to know about Vitamins A, D, E and K!
VITAMIN A
Vitamin A is a group of fat-soluble compounds known as retinoids. It plays a key role in maintaining your vision, strengthening your endothelial linings, supporting your immune system and reducing gut inflammation. Animal food sources are going to have the most concentrated forms of vitamin A, as well as the most bioavailable forms (most easy for your body to absorb and utilize).
Find this nutrient in: liver, fish liver oil, butter, egg yolk, and red/yellow/orange vegetables.
VITAMIN D
Vitamin D is in your diet in 2 forms: vitamin D2 (plants) and vitamin D3 (animal sources). Vitamin D3 is also produced by our skin when exposed to UV light. Vitamin D is important for bone growth and maintenance and immune system regulation.
Find this nutrient in: fish liver oil, some mushrooms, salmon, egg yolks, fatty meat, fortified dairy products.
VITAMIN E
Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that fights against free radical damage. Alpha – tocopherol is the most common form of Vitamin E. Its properties are enhanced by other nutrients like Vitamin C, vitamin B3, and selenium. Vitamin E also provides a variety of cardiovascular benefits like improved circulation, reduction in blood pressure, blood thinning effects and reduction in LDL cholesterol.
Find this nutrient in: nuts & seeds, avocadoes, fatty fish, fish liver oil
VITAMIN K
Vitamin K also comes in two forms: vitamin K1 (plants) and vitamin K2 (animal sources and fermented soy products). It plays an important role in blood clotting, supporting bone health, reducing the calcification of blood vessels and potentially reducing heart disease risk. Unlike other fat soluble vitamins, vitamin K isn’t stored in the body in large amounts. Those who struggle with digesting and absorbing fat are at a much greater risk of deficiency.
Find K1 in leafy greens, brussels sprouts. Find K2 in high fat animal sourced foods like egg yolks, butter, liver and fermented soy foods like natto.
Interested in hiring a health coach to get your nutrition back on track? CLICK HERE to schedule your free consultation call!
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When paired with whole foods, proper training, and lifestyle, the right supplements can help achieve the outcome you’re looking for. If you want results, this is not an area to cut corners. There’s a big difference when it comes to the quality of that $8 bottle of prenatal gummies on Amazon vs the $50 bottle from your healthcare practitioner. When you choose to buy your supplements from Wal-Mart, Amazon, or CVS, you are flat out taking a gamble. You’re choosing price and convenience over your health. A choice like this puts you at risk for:
Counterfeit Product – I’m sure you didn’t imagine your supplement could be fake. This is something Amazon has had trouble with for years. A quick Google search will show all the times Amazon has put out warnings. They’ve been known to receive counterfeit products. This means you have no idea what you’re putting in your body. Best case scenario, you got a product filled with corn starch for 10 bucks. Worst case scenario, you end up really sick with something contaminated with heavy metals or pharmaceuticals.
Diluted Ingredients – Regulation of over-the-counter supplements is pretty bleak. Many of these products go through limited testing to ensure quality. Did you know that these supplements are allowed to have +/- 20% of the nutrients or herbs listed on the label? That means if your doctor sends you to buy 5,000 IU of vitamin D, you may only be getting 4,000 IU. Since they aren’t often tested, the variances can be even worse. Meaning you won’t get the therapeutic effects as quickly.
Lack of Disclosure – Consumer grade products also lack ingredient disclosure, because well, they don’t have to list any ingredients that make up <1% active ingredients. This is a nightmare for those with food sensitivities.
Fillers – Those over the counter supplements will often contain fillers and proprietary blends. Fillers are generally used to fill-out a capsule or stretch a product further. They contain anything from starch, calcium, salts, sugars, silicon dioxide, or maltodextrin. Proprietary blends are created by the manufacturer. The blend will disclose the ingredients used, but not how much. This protects the manufacturer, but not you. You can see what’s in it, but it’s difficult to assess how much of each ingredient you are getting.
Bioavailability – Bioavailability is how well your body can breakdown, assimilate, and absorb a nutrient. The bioavailability can be affected by numerous things like the type of coating used and how compacted the pill is. Over the counter brands tend to over fill products and use the wrong type of coating which renders the pill undigested.
Degradation – Have you ever received a supplement shipment with a cold pack? This is to protect the quality of certain supplements. While that’s a more extreme example, I can almost guarantee many of your drugstore supplements are not temperature controlled. Many supplements require a stable temperature to prevent degradation. If your product is spending weeks or months on a hot warehouse shelf, the product won’t be as potent as you hoped.
When you lay it all out, it’s crazy and scary to think you don’t know what you’re getting in some cases. This is why we always vet our supplements at Nutrition Dynamic. We will always choose quality. Aside from being effective, there are a few qualities we look for in our supplements:
Now that you understand why supplement quality should override convenience, you can make an educated decision when it comes to your supplements. If you’re still not sure where to start, our team at Nutrition Dynamic can help guide you. To find out how we can help, hop on a free discovery call with our team.
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The first reason you should avoid taking folic acid is because it’s a synthetic version of vitamin B9 (aka folate). This leads into the second reason, that this is the inactive form of vitamin B9. Our body cannot use this unless it is converted to an active form, which requires an enzyme by the name of methylenetetrahydrofolate (see MTFHR article).
While some of us can convert folic acid easily, there are some people who have a harder time with this. You may be supplementing with folic acid, but this doesn’t mean you are not deficient in B9. Well how does that work? If your ability to convert it to a usable form is impaired, then THAT’S how! This is estimated to affect 40-60% of the population, so keep that in mind.
Another reason to stop using folic acid is because it doesn’t exist in nature. As with many man made synthetic compounds/chemicals – efficiency and low cost do not always equate to quality, don’t forget that. It’s far more cost effective for supplement companies to use folic acid because the estimated cost of ingredients of Quatrefolic (an active form of folate) costs over 200 times as much as folic acid.
Last but most definitely not least is that unmetabolized folic acid has been shown to accumulate. If you know anything about excess chemicals/compounds/hormones accumulating, then you know that this is not ideal for the optimization of your system.
If you’re currently taking folic acid and/or struggling with an MTFHR variance and you would like more assistance in managing this, our coaches are available to take you on! Sign up for a free consultation with Nutrition Dynamic now.
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Do you remember the first day you ever brushed your teeth? Probably not, but I bet it started with your parents teaching you how to do it and perhaps rewarding you after you finished. Nowadays, you don’t even think twice about brushing your teeth. If you are like most hygienic people, brushing your teeth has become embedded in your morning routine. It’s not even much of a decision anymore, it’s something that you do without thinking. In fact, according to Wendy Wood, 45% of our decisions that we make every day aren’t actually decisions at all-- they are habits.
This model can be applied to anything you wish to establish as a habit in your life-- from meditating, to ordering a salad over a cheeseburger at a restaurant. I bet you're thinking to yourself “I’ve tried to create healthy habits in the past but they never stuck”. That’s because you didn’t understand the science behind how it really works!
Author and Pulitzer-Prize winner Charles Duhigg explains that every habit has three components, nick-named “The Habit Loop”.
Most people focus on the routine itself, but studies show that it is actually the cue and the reward that are the most essential to establishing any habit. It’s imperative to premeditate the cues and rewards for yourself to make any habit stick!
For example, if you are trying to exercise more frequently, you may choose to lay out your workout clothes where you will see them in the morning (the cue). You also decide that after you workout (routine), you are going to reward yourself with something small like a piece of chocolate (reward). This may sound counter-intuitive when trying to get healthier and lose weight, but sometimes we need to trick our brains in the beginning.
Over time, the endorphins from exercising will take over as the reward and our willpower will become stronger so that eventually, we don’t even need the chocolate anymore-- and we haven’t deprived ourselves of anything throughout the process. The “decision” to workout will become just another thing we subconsciously do.
In fact, this exact study was done in Germany-- which concluded that the participants who were rewarded with a piece of chocolate after exercise were 58% more likely to exercise even 6 months later, compared to the people who were just told to “exercise more”.
This is how you teach yourself willpower and create powerful, healthy habits. We first have to become aware of the nearly subconscious negative behaviors (where our brains basically turn off) and then reroute them to something better. You now have the ability to change any habit in your life!
Do you need help implementing healthy lifestyle changes within your own routine? Sign up for your free intake call today and see how ND can help change your life!
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Did you know that 1 in 3 Americans have cardiovascular issues? It’s becoming more and more common in our society.
A lot of clients come to us saying they have a family history of Cardiovascular issues, and don’t want that to be them.
So, let’s go over some of the basic nutritional and exercise considerations for proper cardiovascular health:
Basic exercise for cardiovascular health:
The American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes a week of moderate exercise (walking, dancing, hiking, bike ride). That’s 30 minutes, 5 days a week!
Exercise can help reduce blood pressure, reduce body weight, improve cholesterol levels, and more!
If you or someone you know is concerned about cardiovascular health and are interested in some individualized coaching, please reach out to us here at Nutrition Dynamic. We would love to help you optimize your health!
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When allergy season hits, many turn to their allergy pill of choice to try and gain back some control. And sometimes, this seasonal habit turns into a year-long habit. With increasing awareness around the potential negative side effects of using some medications long term, you may have thought about trying to find a different way. Long term, some allergy meds (antihistamines, decongestants, steroids, etc) can potentially lead to stomach ulcers, trouble sleeping, headaches, digestion issues, osteoporosis, hyperglycemia and hypertension. Here are some tips to try to get through allergy season a little more naturally:
These recommendations are very general guidelines and I’d strongly suggest working with a Health Coach at Nutrition Dynamic to find the best regimen for YOUR specific needs. You can book a free Discovery Call with us here: https://calendly.com/healthguide/discovery and feel free to mention you’d like to work me as your coach! Or grab any of the above supplements here: Nutrition Dynamic Products
It’s important, of course, that I disclaimer that I am not a physician. These tips should not be taken as medical advice. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. This is not intended to replace the advice of a physician. Always consult your physician or qualified health professional on any matters regarding your health and before physical activity or diet changes.
References:
⚡️The GOAL of a healthy menstrual cycle is not the “PERIOD”, it’s actually OVULATION ⚡️ !!!
Ovulation is the 👑 QWEEN , it’s the big event. And then the period is just the breakdown of that big show.
➡️Remember, Your period is a vital sign for health (just like heart rate, blood pressure), but so is the actual OVULATION itself. We can ovulate every month, but how “strong” that ovulation is can dictate how your luteal phase symptoms, length, and period are there after.
▪️Timeline to note: when you pass ovulation, PROGESTERONE rises - a key hormone for period health.
The biggest purpose or Progesterone? It’s for Pro-Gestation, aka it’s made to help hold & support a pregnancy to term. However it’s VERY important for more than just pregnancy!
🤔WHY IS PROGESTERONE SO IMPORTANT?
1. It’s our calming hormone
2. It balances out estrogen & other hormones(which is rising in the 1st half of a cycle). When Estrogen>Progesterone, we run into problems, anxiety, PMS, Acne, Moodiness, in some cases fibroids, endo, and it’s often something to work on for PCOS population
3. It protects against breast cancer
4. It has a stimulating effect on thyroid (so if your P is low, you’re not ovulating well, likely your Thyroid is off too)
5. Reduces Inflammation
6. Builds Muscle
7. Promotes sleep and relaxation
8. Protects against heart disease
9. Calms the nerves system and supports ability to cope with stress (it converts to a ALLO which is a calming neurosteriod that acts like GABA In your brain. So if you know you love GABA supps, you might actually want to look at how much progesterone you’ve got instead)
10. Acts like a BANK to store up progesterone to help ease Menopause in later years when we DONT ovulate and therefore rely on what progesterone we’ve stored up.
➡️FUN FACT: Hormonal Birth Controls do not give you actual progesterone they give you a synthetic version called PROGESTIN - which does NOT convert to ALLO and therefore does not have GABA like calming response - instead this is why some women feel MORE anxious when taking BC.
⚡️Stay tuned in NEXT post for SYMPTOMS of low P! 📸
Interested in a free consultation with our team? CLICK HERE to get scheduled!
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The American standard diet is filled with inflammatory foods. Many of which have oils, sugars, or GMO’s in them which literally destroy the mitochondria of your body. That’s right, remember fourth grade science class when your teacher told you the Mitochondria was the powerhouse of the cell? Turns out it’s much much more than that and the foods our nation glorifies is not conducive to optimal health.
What can we do to counteract some of the inflammatory foods we are constantly coming into contact with? First of all, do your own research. It’s important that you don’t take anything at face value and you spend your own time really digging into what is and is not healthy for the human body. I don’t mean grabbing a McDonalds salad instead of a McChicken. I mean really reading evidence based nutrition articles and understanding how you can fuel your body with nutrients.
I’d like to briefly cover one of the most densely antioxidant packed vegetables there is. The artichoke. Often times, I will implement artichoke hearts into my smoothies (texture can be an issue with these so I find it easier to blend it in a smoothie). Not only is the artichoke extremely high in phytonutrients, including antioxidants (to combat some of the cellular damage) but it is also filled with fiber, Vit K, folate (see MTFHR article), Vit C, and last but definitely not least magnesium (which by the way is involved in more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body). At the end of the day the choice is yours, but I would strongly recommend implementing some antioxidants into your diet to ensure you are achieving optimal health. If you have struggled with managing your lifestyle previously, then it might be in your best interest to set up a free consult with Nutrition Dynamic and see if this program could be a fit for you.
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I was introduced to this amazing healing modality a few years back during a hypnotherapy session that absolutely changed my life, and now I teach this “secret weapon” to all of my health coaching clients. That secret is EFT, which stands for Emotional Freedom Technique, commonly referred to as “tapping”. It is a simple somatic technique that has the power to instantly calm your body and mind in a matter of minutes. It works by tapping with your fingers on specific meridian points on the face, hands, and body used in Eastern medicine, similar to acupuncture.
EFT has been nicknamed “acupuncture for emotions” because you can address any specific problem in your life that is causing you stress--- such as anxiety, panic attacks, body image, phobias, depression, physical pain, anger, and even weight loss resistance. While performing EFT, you are tapping on various parts of the face and body and simultaneously focusing on the emotion you are experiencing that needs resolving. By stimulating these pressure points, you send messages to your amygdala (your fear center in the brain) that it is safe to relax and get you out of the fight-or-flight response. Stress is arguably one of the biggest contributors to ill health, and over time can cause a myriad of diseases in the body. EFT has been proven to lower the stress hormone cortisol in your body by up to 43% after one hour of tapping (1).
EFT is not just a quick fix, but a powerful long-term solution. When you focus on your problem while tapping on it, you are actually capable of rewiring your brain around the way you perceive the issue. Repetition of this process will eventually program your brain and body to relax while being confronted with the issue that once made you upset. When you are less triggered by the problem, you no longer have the physiological cortisol response to it, creating an environment more conducive to healing.
One study was done on PTSD veterans, who found significant relief using EFT (2). Over the course of 6 weeks, each participant received one 60 minute session of EFT per week. After the 6 weeks were over, 90% of the participants no longer met the criteria for diagnosable PTSD. Even more amazing was that 3 months later, 86% of participants were still in remission, and 6 months later 80% were still in remission. These results came from ONE 6 week period. Imagine what could happen if you tapped every day!
The best part about EFT is that once you learn the method’s simple steps, you can use it anytime, anywhere! You no longer have to rely on anyone else (like a therapist) or anything outside of yourself to bring you back to a state of peace and contentment-- and it’s free! I personally have used EFT for years to combat anxiety and panic attack (which I no longer have!) and more recently have been using it to work on my body image issues. There are many other theories out there around how EFT actually works, and there is still more research to be done. But if you speak to anyone who has tried EFT, they all say the same thing-- they don’t know how it works, but it works! It may feel silly at first, but there’s no harm in giving it an honest try. What do you have to lose (except the stress that is preventing your body from healing)?
Want to learn more about the functional nutrition & holistic healing practices available to help you? CLICK HERE for a free consultation with our team!
Stapleton, P., Crighton, G., Sabot, D., & O’Neill, H. M. “Reexamining the Effect of Emotional Freedom Techniques on Stress Biochemistry: A Randomized
Controlled Trial” Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy. 2020 Mar 12. Advance online publication. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/tra0000563
Church, Dawson, Yount, Garret, & Brooks, Audrey. “The effect of Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) on stress biochemistry: A randomized controlled trial.”
Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease 200 (2012): 891-896. doi:10.1097/NMD.0b013e31826b9fc1.
Reference: Journal of Nervous & Mental Disease
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In Period Health 101, we discussed the basics of why your period is so important to your health, along with what phases happen throughout the month. In this blog, we're discussing Phase 1, the Follicular Phase.
PHASE 1: FOLLICULAR PHASE or “ESTROGENIC PHASE”
In a nutshell: YOU GET YOUR PERIOD + THEN ESTROGEN STARTS RISING UNTIL YOU OVULATE.
THE ESTROGEN RISE:
DAY 1 (of when your bleed starts) - until ovulation ~ day 14-18.
Every cycle, by means of FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormone), about 15-30 eggs start to mature to the ovaries (each egg is enclosed by a follicle).
Follicles produce ESTROGEN, and estrogen is needed for ovulation to eventually occur (so if you aren’t getting a period or ovulating, you may not have adequate estrogen to reach the peak needed for ovulation to occur!)
The follicle race begins! The question is, what follicle will become the largest to dominate the pack?! This “race” typically takes ~2 weeks to release the egg but can be longer or shorter depending on several factors like stress, training, caloric intake, or really any drastic shifts in your body or environment.
*For those with ovarian cysts, these can happen when follicles continue to grow beyond normal size – (read follow-up post on ovarian cysts and PCOS)
*As I mentioned, estrogen is rising in this phase. And ESTROGEN is the primary factor that triggers luteinizing hormone (LH) to spike, which triggers ovulation.
MID CYCLE: OVULUATION “THE MAIN EVENT”
LH surges, triggered by estrogen buildup from the follicles, and the largest (most dominant) follicle at this point, gets released from one of your ovaries.
SIDE NOTE: Did you know it takes 90-100 days for a follicle to fully mature and finally get to this peak of ovulation. If you were really stressed 2-3 months ago, it can totally affect your ovulation! Who knew?!
LH is literally causing the egg to pass through the ovarian wall (for some this may result in slight pain or discomfort, known as Mittelschmerz), some may not feel this at all but just notice a change in digestion, slight bloating, or change in energy/mood. *If you are someone who notices major mood swings or feeling extremely emotional around ovulation, it may be an estrogen issue because estrogen is reaching a buildup at this time right before the egg is released. (I often recommend a combination of EstroFactors and Hormone Plus Complete to help improve a more balanced ratio of hormones and their detox pathways to help with major mood swings related to hormones!)
*PSA: NOT all women ovulate on day 14 of their cycle! Our ovulatory day varies based on the individual (this is why you can’t just go by the prediction of an “app” that has no data other than when you bleed). Typically it’s anywhere between day 12-18. *If you are trying to regulate your cycle, or suffer from Hypothalamenic Amenorrhea, you may benefit from Vitex Chasteberry – I love Liposomal Chasteberry , seed cycling, and also working on stress, adrenal support, and supportive nutrition.
After ovulation, the egg travels to the pelvic cavity and is swept up the fallopian tubes, where the egg stays alive for 24 hours (THIS IS THE TIME IF YOU WANT TO GET PREGNANT IT’s GO TIME.. if you are using natural contraceptive methods like Fertility Awareness Method, FAM (see post on this later!) and DO NOT WANT TO GET PREGNANT, this is the time to NOT engage in intercourse – you’re fertile mama!)
After 24 hours if the live egg is not met up with sperm, it will pretty much just disintegrate.
*NOTE: If fertilization DOES occur… that means the sperm has made it’s way to the fallopian tubes and will then travel to the uterus to continue it’s development.
Need help with amenorrhea or fertility issues? CLICK HERE for a free consultation with our team and request Kristen DeAngelis!
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With so much conflicting nutrition information out there, juicing has become a bit of a controversial topic. Some have grown scared of juice or dubbed it as “bad” because of the sugar content while others claim juicing is the cure to almost anything. When it comes to nutrition, we love to gravitate towards an “all or nothing” mentality for attention grabbing headlines, but the truth often lies somewhere in the middle. However, whole foods are not inherently “bad.” It’s typically what us humans do to food or how we use food that makes it “unhealthy.” In the case of juice, 100% fruit juice can be beneficial if it isn’t modified by us humans to have a boatload of added sugar in it. Paired with a balanced diet including proteins, healthy fats and plenty of fiber, juice can have several added benefits in the diet. Here are a few:
FUN FACT from our Flush Guide at Nutrition Dynamic: Roughly 6 lbs. of produce are in 16 oz. of juice - they help your gut easily extract a high volume of key phytonutrients & micronutrients without having to do the extra work to break down fiber.
Interested in our program and how the flush protocol can help you detox? CLICK HERE for a free consultation with our team!
References:
After college, I ran a meal prep company out of my kitchen for about a year and quickly became a grocery store guru. Even when buying food for 50+ meals per week, I was able to get in and out of the store in under 45 minutes. I have all the tips and tricks to make your grocery buying high quality, cost efficient, and not a total time sucker!
1. A cliché rule of thumb… plan ahead!
Find 3-5 meals you want to make and write the ingredients down. This should only take about 15 minutes – don’t overthink it. This prevents waste, helps you choose foods that work well together, and gives you specifics to look for at the store.
2. Organize your grocery list for maximum efficiency.
Categorize all foods into the store section location (i.e. eggs, milk & yogurt go under dairy, but bananas, spinach & potatoes go under produce). If you frequent a grocery store, then you probably have the layout memorized. Write your grocery list in order of the sections you walk through. Maybe you hit produce first, then go to dairy, meat, then freezer section, etc. This prevents wasting time doing laps around the store to search for items you forgot the first time around. Try downloading a grocery list organizer!
3. Get really comfortable with the clean fifteen, dirty dozen.
The BEST way to ensure quality without breaking the bank. Many people feel they need to buy organic everything and that’s truly not the case. You can save money by only buying the dirty dozen organic. See an updated list here https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/clean-fifteen.php and check out our blog on this topic (insert Kristen S. blog on clean 15/dirty doz here)
4. Choose from the back.
When choosing food items, reach and grab the farthest item possible. The items with the closest expiration date are in front. While no magic fix, this can keep some foods fresh longer.
5. Buy in bulk.
Foods with a longer shelf life will save money in the long run if you buy in bulk. Things like rice, potatoes, oatmeal and apples can last awhile, but if you buy too many bananas you’ll be throwing some away at the end of the week.
6. Check the cost/oz on the price tags!
Bigger is better for foods that your family eats large amounts of. The example below shows a 50% reduction in cost/oz when you buy the larger tub. If you bought five of the small containers, you’d spend $3.60 cents for 30 oz, rather than $1.62 for the 32 oz container. Beware: don’t just choose the largest tub overall, make sure to compare cost/oz between different brands.
Want to work with a professional to get your diet & nutrition back on track? CLICK HERE for a free consultation with our team!
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