Leaky Gut Syndrome

Leaky Gut Syndrome...when the intestinal wall becomes leaky allowing undigested food particles and bacteria to enter into your blood system. It wears down your immune system and leads to disease, illness, cancer because 70-80% of your immune system is in your gut! 

Leaky Gut causes many problems:

•Depression •Dark circles under eyes
•Autoimmune •Edema
•Insomnia •Yeast infections
•Skin problems •Candida
•Sinus nasal congestion •Joint pain
•Indigestion •Headaches/migraines
•Digestive problems
•Mood swings

Understanding Cravings

Understanding Craving by Carolyn Akens on Scribd

Pumpkin Pie Spice Blend

Personalize and make it your own. I also add cardamom.

Mindful Eating

Food goes far beyond satiating hunger at meal times. Providing our bodies with the nutrients it needs to thrive is a very special ritual — one that should be treated special.

Creating your eating ritual to be one of mindfulness and honor is the key to a healthy relationship with food.

Practicing mindful eating not only transforms your health, but your relationship with the foods you ingest, as well. Follow the steps below for eating more mindfully...

• BREATHE 

In our daily hustle and bustle, we sometimes forget to slow down and enjoy our meals. Slowing down helps you to become more aware of your experience, increasing the mindfulness of your task.

Pay attention to your breathing throughout your meals. Take the time to breathe deeply. Deep breathing helps with combating stress, which is a crucial component to your overall health. Ingesting your food with mindfulness will aid in healthy digestion, which will in turn increase your eating experience.

• EAT WELL 

It is truly incredible the benefits our bodies reap when we eat well and mindfully.

The state of your mindset while eating holds as much importance as the quality of food you put into your body. Eating with sadness and anxiety will have a different impact on your digestion and nourishment as eating the same meal with gratitude and love.

While making healthy food choices is incredibly important — be mindful of the state of your mindset each time you eat.

• CHEW YOUR FOOD 

A great way to cut down on digestive issues such as bloating & constipation is to chew your food thoroughly. This practice also aids in mindful eating and assists in appreciating every bite to the fullest extent.

Chew your food well. Chew each bite until it is completely broken down, allowing your digestive tract to not have to tackle the job.

• FORGIVE YOURSELF WITH FOOD 

At times, we all make choices with our meals that we may not be proud of. It is crucial for you to forgive yourself, and move on. It is time to ditch the mindset that is not serving you!

To help with making less of these kind of choices, ask yourself before every meal if what you have prepared will serve you to reach your goal of optimal health. This worked for me in the past.

• LISTEN TO YOUR BODY 

When you feel hunger approaching, stop and ask yourself what your body is asking for. What does it need for nourishment?

Ask what would give you energy; what would sustain you, what would make you feel satisfied and well nourished. Is it asking for a raw salad, or something more warming?

When you get this tip under wraps, your eating experience will change tremendously. Your body knows what it needs deep within its core — listen to it.

Chromium Deficiency

Cravings for sweets is often caused by a deficiency of chromium. Chromium deficiency impairs the body's ability to use glucose to meet its energy needs and raises insulin requirements.

A few foods that contain chromium...

• Corn
• Sweet Potatoes
• Apples
• Tomatoes
• Broccoli
• Spinach
• Onions
• Garlic
• Basil
• Lettuce
• Beets
• Mushrooms
• Oranges
• Bananas

Sage...Beneficial Compounds

Often when you think of sage it's during the holiday season and especially Thanksgiving. You get visions of your grandmother's sage dressing or croutons, and the turkey or chicken that has sage on it that tantalizes every taste bud! Yet there is more to sage than cooking.

Few benefits of Sage:

• Sage is rich in beneficial compounds, which helps to slow down the aging process and minimize symptoms of arthritis and asthma.
• Sage is native to the Mediterranean and has been used for thousand of years as a medicinal herb. 
• Sage has a powerful antioxidant effect.
• Sage can neutralize cell-damaging free radicals that are thought to be linked with the aging process.
• Sage is a memory enhancer.
• Sage is is antibacterial.
• Sage helps to reduce the number of hot flashes in menopausal women.
• Sage is anti-inflammatory and is good for arthritis and asthma.

While we love grandma's dressing, croutons, turkey and chicken. Use sage for its medicinal purposes too!

Top Ten Tips for Weight Loss

1.  Drink Water – hunger is often confused with dehydration. Next time you feel like a sugary snack, have a glass of water. Mild dehydration can alter your body’s metabolism. Drinking water before meals can help promote weight loss.

2.  Eat Real Carbs – replace refined carbs like white bread, pasta, bagels, cereal and pretzels with complex carbs like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds and legumes (grains and legumes are optional). Fruits and vegetables are high in fiber, which slows digestion and promotes stable blood sugar levels. They’re also packed with antioxidants, which help reduce inflammation in the body.

3.  Choose Healthy Fats – a common misconception is that fats should be completely eliminated. Actually, we can’t live without fat. Good fats promote several health benefits such as protection against heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s, and depression, as well as reduced blood pressure and lower cholesterol. Plus, your brain is made up of 60% fat. Choose sources such as nuts, seeds, fish, avocados, coconut oil and unfiltered cold pressed extra virgin olive oil.

4.  Protein – contrary to belief, protein is not only in lean meat, but in leafy greens, beans and legumes, organic whole grains, nuts and seeds.

5.  Eat Breakfast – By eating a healthy breakfast, you’ll give your metabolism a jumpstart and be in better control of your cravings.

6.  Eat Frequently – it is important to balance your food intake throughout the day to help maintain normal blood sugar (cinnamon is good for balancing your blood sugar) and decrease the chances of binging when hunger strikes.

7.  Exercise your Spirit, Soul, and Body – exercise has enormous benefits for your spirit, soul, and body that boasts decreased body weight, smaller waist circumference, lower resting heart rate and blood pressure, and it boosts your mood! Strive to be active at least 30 minutes, your can always increase to a hour, every day to help keep your body strong and lean. 

8.  Sleep – research shows that those who sleep 5 hours or less, weigh 5 pounds more than those getting at least 7 hours of sleep each night. And, over time, weight increased more rapidly in those who get 5 hours of sleep when compared to those getting 7 hours.

9.  Learn to Cook – cooking meals at home allows you to control portion sizes, the quality of the ingredients, and cuts your intake of sodium, fat, and calories. Discontinue frying foods and roast, braise or grill, eat more raw foods to boost flavor and cut calories. Use herbs and spices to reduce salt intake.

10.  Watch what You Eat – become a food detective and investigate what you choose to put into your body. Read labels and avoid ingredients that are loaded with sugar, trans fats, high-frutose corn syrup or long chemical names that are hard to pronounce. The healthiest foods are those found just as nature intended…whole and unprocessed. You’ve never seen an ingredient list on a stalk of broccoli!