5 Hormones That Affect Your Weight Loss

I come across many people (women in particular) that feel they have tried everything to lose weight – they’re “eating healthy” and working out like crazy, but they get stuck. And frustrated. Because the scale won’t budge. 

They’re exercising intensely 5 days a week, they’re often skipping dinner to cut out calories, maybe even skipping breakfast on occasion, opting for just a coffee pre-workout, and having just a salad for lunch… but clearly the “calories in-calories out” is not working!

Does this sound like you?

The good news is, it’s not just you. There is a solution, which lies in BALANCING YOUR HORMONES. 

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PROBIOTICS - WHAT THEY ARE AND WHY YOU NEED THEM

As a Health Coach, I often bring up the topic of PROBIOTICS with my clients, as I find that a large majority of people, especially those with signs of inflammation or digestive issues, could benefit massively from including more probiotics in their diet.

But I’ve come to realize that the knowledge about these good bugs is still not wide-spread; most people just associate them with yogurt. So I wanted to shed some light, as this topic is one that I personally feel very strongly about and have spent lots of time researching, for both myself and clients.

FIRST, WHAT ARE PROBIOTICS?

The word itself is a compound of two Greek words, ‘pro’ meaning “of’ and “biotic” meaning “life”, so essentially, the very definition of probiotics affirms life and health! But in very basic terms, probiotics are strains of “good bacteria” that support our native beneficial bacteria and help control the “bad bacteria” from getting out of control. You can get them from fermented foods or take them as a supplement.

Some examples of probiotic-rich foods include:

  • Yogurt (best to buy plain/unflavored and organic!)
  • Kefir
  • Sauerkraut
  • Kimchi
  • Miso
  • Tempeh
  • Kombucha tea

WHY ARE THEY IMPORTANT?

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12 Tips to Overcome Insomnia

Are you having trouble falling asleep or wake up in the night and can’t fall back asleep?

You’re not alone! It’s a common problem, but the good news is, it can be helped with a few diet and lifestyle tweaks, and may not require popping meds.

You need to focus on changing your eating and lifestyle habits to nourish your adrenals, reduce stress and promote proper melatonin and cortisol balance. 

Here are 12 tips:

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10 Foods That Fight Inflammation

Inflammation in the body is one of the biggest issues leading to chronic disease, such as obesity, arthritis, heart problems and even cancer.

But inflammation doesn’t necessarily show up through puffiness and redness. Most often, we have internal inflammation that isn’t visible to us, but is present inside our bodies (aka silent inflammation). It’s building up, and it’s causing (for now) just minor things such as digestive issues, allergies, and basic skin problems. And if you don’t work NOW to control this inflammation, it will leader to more serious illnesses down the road.

The easiest and most effective way to taper inflammation is through your diet. After all, food is your best medicine. Start by eliminating processed foods, and then adding in naturally anti-inflammatory foods, including a variety of high-quality spices and herbs.

The following 10 foods, herbs and spices are among the best natural sources for reducing inflammation. I’ve also included tips for easy way you can start incorporating them into your day-to-day diet.

1.  Omega-3 fatty acids – from fatty fish like wild salmon, krill, as well as vegetarian sources like flaxseeds, chia seeds & olive oil. You can also consider taking a fish-oil supplement.

Tip: Try adding 1 tbsp of ground flaxseeds to your morning oatmeal / yogurt / smoothie.

2.  Dark Leafy Greens – These are some of the healthiest foods period, and among other things, they help with your body’s detoxification, flushing out some of this inflammation. They also contain lots of fiber and water which help with weight loss and contributes to beautiful skin and hair (among so many other benefits)! These greens include leaves such as: kale, spinach, arugula, swiss chard, collard greens, mustard greens, escarole and watercress.

Tip: Start having a fresh or cold-pressed green juice once a day, either with breakfast or as a snack between meals.

 3.  Berries – Berries contain flavonoids which contribute to their blue/purple/red coloring and have powerful anti-inflammatory benefits. These include goji berries, blueberries, blackberries raspberries, cranberries, cherries, and less common ones such as bilberries, mulberries, elderberry and gooseberry.

Tip: Add a handful of berries to your breakfast porridge or yogurt, to your green smoothies, and/or enjoy them as a snack with a few raw nuts.

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11 Natural Remedies to Fight a Cold

It’s that time of the year when the seasons are changing, and for many of us (in the northern hemisphere), the days are getting shorter and the temperature is dropping. So it’s especially important during these times to nourish our bodies, in order to make the seasonal transition easier and keep ourselves from getting sick.

The healthier you are and stronger your mind-body connection, the easier it is to detect an oncoming cold in its earliest stage - which is key. Its important to take action at the first sign of sickness by drinking tons fluids, getting plenty of rest and incorporating some additional natural remedies.

So in lieu of the season, I want to share my top 11 tricks to beat an oncoming cold. These are natural remedies that are focused on giving your body the extra nourishment it needs. These tips are easy, more affordable than medicine and also better for your body (no negative side effects!).

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