Healthy Gut = Healthy Body

This picture is small, but has powerful information. Click on the picture to be redirected to a larger view!

Our guts are the gateways to heaven, or quite the opposite, depending on how we treat them, and what we feed them. Did you know that between 60-80% of our immune system lives in our guts? Having a healthy gut will help us stay healthy! Now, in order to get a healthy gut, we first have to know what we are doing to damage it, and then how we can fix it and keep it healthy.

Our guts are comprised of good and bad bacteria. There should normally be a balance of about 80% good stuff to about 20% bad bacteria in there at any given time. As I had stated in a couple of my previous posts, (Damaged Intestines and What's Been Happening?) my gut bacteria have been in an epic war for the last 7 months. There have been many painful and uncomfortable battles, but I am happy to report that I think I am finally restored to normal (or pretty close) bacteria balance! So, what was causing all of my bad bacteria to take over? Here is a short run down.

The first mistake I was making was sugar intake. Now, of course there are healthy, natural sugars that are in fruits and things, but I am talking about the added sugars and junk pumped into foods. Thinking I was being healthy, and eating foods that I thought were good for me, turned out to be a false dream sold to me by the processed food industry. Even things like yogurt, that you think are great for you, usually hide more than 15g of sugar in one little container! YIKES! Sugar is not good for your health for so many reasons.

"Eating sugar actually nourishes the bad or pathogenic bacteria yeast and fungi in your gut, which may actually harm you more than its impact on insulin resistance.  One of the major results of eating a healthy diet is that you cause your beneficial gut bacteria to flourish, and they secondarily perform the real "magic" of restoring your health." 

Click the link above to see the full article! It is full of amazing information!

So, I needed to cut out the sugar. All those processed foods were horrible for my overall health. I noticed a difference in my stomach when I changed my sugar intake. I didn't feel as sluggish, and my stomach wasn't bothering me as often. Now when I have sugar, my body does not appreciate it. My intestines make it a point to remind me that it was not a wise decision to put those yucky sugar guys into my body. Steering clear is the best choice.

Another big thing that I have cut out, is meat with injected antibiotics and hormones. Growing up, we never really paid too much attention to the meat we were eating. As I started changing my diet, I started realizing that my body was so much happier when I ate meats that were free of those chemicals. Antibiotics kills bacteria....both good and bad. When the chemicals go in and kill all bacteria, it makes it pretty hard to have a large stash of healthy guys in your tummy army. The poor fellas are being destroyed when you eat meat dripping in antibiotics. I want, and need, those buggers strong and ready to fight bad stuff!

Now, how do we get the good guys some strength and some back up buddies? We supplement with good probiotics that can be found in supplement form, or in foods. CLICK HERE to see some foods that have pre and/or probiotics in them naturally. Below is also a graphic that gives you a few examples.

Most of us don't really realize just how important our gut health is. I certainly didn't understand the importance of a healthy tummy until I came to the realization that I was not supposed to be feeling so sick and icky every day. Balanced good vs. bad guy bacteria makes a huge difference! It not only helps me absorb the good stuff in food, it helps block fat, and also keeps me from getting sick. Watch the video below for a quick explanation of why a good probiotic is important.

Now, I needed some good guys, and fast. I needed them to be ready to go into battle, and I also needed them to have some major reinforcements. I had messed up my gastrointestinal system pretty bad. I knew I needed a GOOD probiotic, but where to start? CLICK HERE for four key points when choosing a good probiotic. As everything, they are not created equal!  I was referred to visit Dr. Osborne's page at www.glutenfreesociety.org and check out his high quality products. They are all gluten free, and not pumped with fillers. I take the one pictured below. It has helped speed my gut health along in the right direction. There are also a lot of other great products and information on that site. Check it out!

Here is a little graphic to represent the benefits of great probiotic health. 

Now that you know just how important these guys are:

It's your job to now take care of them, keep the strong, and give them new good friends to play with. 

Remember, now that you know better, you can do better. Happy tummy health!

Quality Protein Does a Body Good

I have learned how important quality protein daily intake is. It is essential for many reasons. When we think of high protein, most people automatically think of protein shakes. With the thought of protein shakes, we see a mental image of a beefcake man, muscles bulging, gym rat. You already went there in your head, I know. However, it is in everyone's best interest to put plenty of quality protein into our bodies on a daily basis. 

Protein does many things. As stated in THIS article, protein helps build muscle that burns fat. Pretty awesome if you ask me! As we talked about in the "Strong is Sexy" blog post, muscle burns fat while at rest. So, eating high quality lean protein throughout your day will only benefit you! It not only burns fat, but it helps keep our hunger at bay and keeps our blood sugar at normal levels. 

As I am sure you've noticed, I have said the word quality multiple times. This is where it gets sticky. People reach for things in the grocery store that they think are going to help them shed those pounds, build that muscle and keep them full for hours. A lot of those protein shakes and bars on the shelves that promise to build your muscles are full of protein that can not even be fully digested or absorbed into our bodies. They are also so completely full of sugar, soy, carbohydrates, and other yucky stuff. Pretty much all of those protein shakes, or bars are not helping us build muscle, burn fat, or do anything of the sort. They are actually not healthy at all. The protein is not quality, and there are tons of fillers.

Whey protein is a great protein that can be absorbed into the body. We talked earlier about grass fed cows, and how much more healthy these cows are, which means the products that come from their milk are also healthier. The health and wellness of the cows is not usually a component that we think about when looking at the different protein products on the shelves, but it should be. Healthy cows produce healthy products! 

So what is whey protein anyway? Whey protein is the byproduct of cheese production. In the late 1970s, Dr. Gustavo Bounous realized the nutritional benefits of this byproduct, and then began the protein frenzy.

What is important to know about your whey protein is how is it processed? There are fragile molecular structures with this protein, and many can be disrupted or destroyed in a denatured process. When looking for a quality whey protein, look for some that have been through an undenatured process. 

"High quality undenatured whey protein is the protein extracted from milk through the process of cold filtration which carefully preserves the molecular structure of bonded cysteine leaving it intact throughout the entire manufacturing process under stringent pharmaceutical grade conditions. Undenatured whey protein can thus serve as a cysteine delivery system for boosting glutathione levels and improving immune health"  immunehealthscience 

I have added some high quality whey protein shakes into my world, and have seen an amazing change in my lean muscle tone, and my decreasing fat levels. Isagenix IsaLean, IsaLean Pro, and IsaPro shakes have made a large difference in my journey. I see the results of quality protein before my eyes daily. Contact me for more information on these nutritional gems! 

Ok, so it is 2:00pm and you are sitting at your desk, and you're starving. Instead of reaching for chips or a candy bar, reach for some natural protein! There are lots of foods that are high in protein naturally that you could snack on and keep that hunger at bay. I personally love hard-boiled eggs! YUM! Here is a little list of great snack choices, along with links to some more suggestions! You should always include lean protein in all of your meals as well. My hard-boiled eggs fill me for about 4 hours every morning. I add some avocado to my eggs and take in that healthy fat as well! When you are planning out your week's meals (remember that meal prep post?) plan ahead for your protein intake. Check out these yummy choices

1. Greek Yogurt (watch out for the sugars and other things added. My suggestion is to buy plain greek yogert and add your own bits of fresh fruit to it)

2. Cottage Cheese (be mindful of the sodium content. You can add your own fresh fruit to this as well)

3. Eggs (remember, healthy chickens produce healthy eggs)

4. Steak (remember, healthy cows make the best lean, nutritious meat!)

5. Ground Beef (of course I choose to eat the grass-fed/finished variety. YUM)

6. Lean chicken breast (animals with no antibiotics and hormones injected into them are the best choice!)

7. Tuna (fresh from the fish counter is best!)

8. Beef Jerky (be aware of the sodium levels)

9. Peanut butter (all natural is the best. All natural almond butter is great too. These all natural versions have less sugar in them, and have healthy fat in there too, as nuts naturally do. Most of the popular brands are full of added sugars and junk, be careful)

10. Nuts (all natural and raw w/o added sugar, salts or other gunk. Cashews have a good amount of protein, as do almonds and peanuts)

11. Edamame (this is a soy bean, women be mindful of how much soy you take in, this will affect your estrogen levels)

I am hesitant to say protein bars because almost every single one on the shelves are not actually healthy, but Quest bars are actually not too bad. Of course there are delicious and nutritious options offered through Isagenix that I love to eat, but if on the run, Quest bars have protein isolate which is the best protein you will find in any of those yuck bars on the shelves. They also don't have a huge sugar content. When in doubt, grab for them, if you don't have an IsaLean bar handy.

CHECK OUT this big list.

There was a lot of information in this post, but the bottom line is to be sure you have quality protein in your life every day. Protein-packed days are healthy days! 

I had always said that knowledge is power, but I recently heard that applied knowledge is power. Having the knowledge means nothing unless you apply it!

Dirty Dirt

My last entry talked about the harmful effects of pesticides on our produce, however I don't think I delved quite deep enough. Let's take a quick look into a little bit of the information I didn't touch on.

Pesticides are used to kill the buggies. Now, being that I taught a bunch of fourth graders how horrible it is to disrupt the ecosystem this year in science class, we all should know as adults how horrible that is. Of course, if I were a farmer, I am sure I would feel differently. I would want to protect my crops and my livelihood from those little buggers. However, those little guys serve a purpose. 

Below the surface, in the soil are some good bacteria and awesome microorganisms. These little fellas help keep the fruits and veggies full of nutrients and vitamins. Seems pretty awesome. Nature will produce food that will nourish us if the soil is properly nourished and healthy. Makes perfect sense. However, when we start spraying toxins and chemicals all over the produce, not only does that mean we ingest the gunk and funk, it also means that the little friends down there in the dirt that were helpful in creating healthy food for us, are dead. If they are dead, they cannot help to make the produce optimal...what does this mean? We eat "healthy" produce not realizing that the nutritional value of it is near zero. We are eating a piece of fruit or a veggie that has no nutritional value whatsoever! We are actually starving ourselves of vitamins, minerals and nourishment! WOAH! I was just as surprised as you! Not only are the pesticides killing the bad stuff, they're killing the good stuff too.

www.toxicsaction.org  outlines pretty clearly the damages that occur to not only the soil, and the food, but potentially to us. Take a few minutes to check out this site. 

The bits of information that I neglected to put into the first blog entry was the fact that by eating those non-organic things and thinking we are healthy is sadly not the truth. We are essentially starving our bodies of key nutrients, minerals and nourishment. I chose to take action. I now get all of the nourishment that my body desires and needs to function at it's proper level. Take control of your bodies and your knowledge on the topic. Knowledge truly is power. 

Clean Vs. Dirty....The More You Know

Now this may sound crazy to some, but if there has to be a sign posted like the one above......or workers that are spraying need to wear a whole suit with protective gear (as seen below)....why would we willingly put those fruits and vegetables in our bodies? Pesticide ridden produce are a majority of the produce you find in each and every grocery store around the country. 

I have learned a lot from the EWG (Environmental Working Group) website and also Jen's (Jen is a friend and a health and wellness coach) blog. Jen outlines the findings of the EWG study in her blog. CLICK HERE to read her response and analysis of the report. CLICK HERE for the abbreviated summary of the report straight from EWG.

My extremely brief version of the situation is that the EWG says 2/3 of the produce in our stores have extremely high levels of toxins on them....yuck! They are usually covered in not just one type of pesticide, but multiple. When learning about the toxins and the junk I was putting in my body, I had to educate myself on which foods I needed to buy organic and which ones I could get away with buying non-organic. It boils down to understanding and buying according to the "Clean Fifteen" vs. the "Dirty Dozen". You want to always buy the produce on the dirty dozen list organically. The clean fifteen contain low amounts of yucky stuff and are ok to buy non-organically. Here is a quick snapshot from the EWG website:

The EWG website, as I stated before has a ton of information on produce and how to keep your family healthy when buying fruits and veggies. I highly recommend browsing their website to get all of the current research.

Think you can't afford to buy organic? I thought so too! Jen also wrote about this topic, so CLICK HERE to check that out. 

What I've found is that if I stick to the clean 15 and dirty dozen lists, buying organic isn't that expensive. Being on an extremely tight budget, the thought of buying organic scared me a lot. However, once I broke it down, it wasn't too bad. One thing that I eat a lot of are bell peppers. I started out making that one change. I started buying my peppers organic. After that, I made sure to get my potatoes, and also my cucumbers because those were the two things I ate a good amount of as well. I tried organic strawberries and blueberries and fell in love! They just seem to taste better without the waxy, yucky gunk on them! They tasted like the ones we used to pick right from the bush as kids! Imagine that!

Here is a family that was part of a recent experiment in Sweden. They were like most families, and ate mostly, if not completely, non-organic foods. Watch the short video below to see how it affected them (and how it is affecting all of us!) This video was posed by CoopSverige on YouTube and was picked up by a lot of different media outlets. It popped up on my Facebook feed a few weeks ago. For more on this study CLICK HERE.

With how busy everyone's lives are these days, grabbing whatever is closest to you in the store seems like the best idea at the time. Buying fruits and veggies seems like the healthy choice, however, when they are soaked in toxins and pesticides, the health benefits of those foods are lost. With knowledge comes change. I have started seeing more a push for organic produce in grocery stores, and hopefully that will become more of a norm. You can always check out your local Farmers Market for great organic produce as well! With our produce providing low levels of health benefits, we need to rid ourselves of the gunk and keep our bodies healthy.

Surviving Summer BBQs

It's that time of year! Everyone is planning out their summer BBQ parties! It's arguably the best time of the year! The weather is warm, and people want to party outdoors and cook some good food on the grill. Given that I have only been eating organic and grass fed/finished meats for about 6 months, the BBQ dilemma never really crossed my mind; that is until Memorial Day came around. 

Lucky for me, my first experience was one in which we were the ones responsible for cooking. We even had a brand spanking new grill! The possibilities were endless! We ended up cooking delicious organic chicken wings, grass fed/finished hamburgers, organic and gluten free hot sausage, and some amazing vegetables. Perfection. This was a picture perfect scenario, but it won't always be this easy. I have already been invited to a few BBQs looking into the summer, and I will not be in control of the food choices. I won't be able to prepare the menu, or check the kinds of meats my friends have bought.....I don't want to be that preachy friend! So what to do? I have a few ideas that I think will get me through those fun parties without a hungry, rumbly tummy. 

My first approach: I will buy my own meat and turn the party into a BYOM party. I mean, we all BYOB already, why not BYOM? Of course, in order to not look entirely weird or rude, I will have to have a conversation with the host before I show up with a package of meat. Lucky for me, my friends are all supportive of my food sensitivities and how I have to eat. I am confident that they will be completely understanding of my request to throw my own meat onto the grill and cook myself up a yummy meal that will agree with me, and essentially keep me at the party longer. Now if I really plan things out right, I can try to get there a little early, and get my meat cooked up first so mine isn't touching any left over marinades or sauces. Sounds a little extreme, but over time, I have become more sensitive to small exposures to things like that. If I can't seem to make it early, I can always throw down a small little piece of tin foil or something of that nature. I'll find a way to make it work! You can also bring your own veggies to throw on the grill too! So many options of things to bring and enjoy! You could even get real fancy and make some amazing skewers to bring with you. You'll be the envy of the party! Grill on my friends! I'll have my safe food, be full and happy, and be able to spend more time with the people I love. Now, what if you are going to a party where you don't know the host that well? Here's what I do.

If I have been invited to a BBQ where I do not know the hosts, or they are just acquaintances, it does throw a little wrench into the BYOM mindset. I generally take one of two approaches in this situation. I either a) eat before I go or, b) bring already cooked food with me. It depends on the BBQ party and how well you know the people that will be there. If you're going there to socialize, I suggest just eating before you go. It's so much easier. You can always munch on some veggies and sip your beverage politely. I have taken this path a billion times. It is more relaxing, and you don't have to stress about what there will be to eat if you go with a full tummy.

If you know the people that are hosting a little better, or you are comfortable, bringing your own cooked meat in your cooler is also a great choice. You can always wrap it in tin foil and toss it on the back of the grill to warm it up. This way, you can sit, eat, and chat with the group and still be completely in the crowd when they sit down to enjoy their food; if that's your preference.

No matter which option is best for you and your party, get out there and enjoy grilling season! Grilled foods are healthy, and oh so delicious! Eating with food sensitivities can seem a little frightening when you have to venture to someone else's house and entrust them with your food. However, you should always be the one in control of the food you put in your mouth. Take the reins, get out there and spend a ton of time with those most important to you (and even with those who you are just meeting.) Together, we'll all survive, and really enjoy BBQ season. Grill on my friends, grill on!

Food Prep Queen...Well, I Am On My Way

Since I have changed so many things about the way that I eat, it is not an option for me to grab something quick on the go, eat processed foods, OR be unprepared for a meal. The days of flying by the seat of my pants with dinners, lunches, and even breakfast are over. It was a big adjustment at first, but looking forward at the week ahead and planning things out actually has proven to be so helpful in many ways. 

By planning out the week, I am setting myself up for food and health success. I am making sure that the food I put in my body is safe, after all, I've cut it all up and separated it all out! I am also not spending as much money running back and forth to the grocery store. If I already know exactly what I'll need for the week, I can now avoid that annoying mid-week trip to the store. 

No one has the same routine, eats the same foods, or does food prep the same way. I take a super duper basic approach and plan to add to it as I continue on my food prep journey. Here are links to a couple other people's ideas of how to do food prep:

For you beginners, CLICK HERE

For more tips of the trade, CLICK HERE

Of course, there are always lots of great food prep insight on Pinterest as well, so check that outlet out also.

Here's what I do.
Sunday is my shopping day. I know, it's stressful to make Sunday the day you venture into the store, but I've found that if I can make it in there before the after church crowd, I'm not playing bumper carts with quite as many people. I also go to the Farmer's Market on Saturdays so going to get the remainder of what I need on Sunday makes the most sense for me. Tip: Some stores have discounted, and still healthy meats on Tuesdays or Thursdays because that's when they get their shipments in, so it is always worth it to scout out your favorite grocery store to see when you can save some money here and there. I know Whole Foods here has cheaper meats on Tuesdays. Do a little homework and it could help you in the wallet!

Ok, so when I go into the grocery store, I stay on the perimeter. I know that you've probably heard that before, but it's worth listening. Notice what is in the middle isles? Junk. Processed, sugar-filled yucky stuff. I will be physically ill if I even look at those foods these days, but for all of you non-gluten free/grain-free friends, my advice is to steer clear of those scary middle isles....unless you're searching for rice, or something else that isn't actually that scary.

I get my eggs, and then loop around to the meats. I still get excited to see that grass-fed/finished meat on the shelf. Now I do try to get the meats from the Farmer's market, but the prices do vary there, so if it happens to be a week where the ground beef prices at the market were up, I grab some from the store. I'm on a budget after all! After the meats, I head to the produce. This is a tricky area. Everything looks so yummy. I also try to get as much produce as I can from the Farmer's market, but do sometimes need some from the store.
I make sure to get the items that are on the "dirty dozen" list from the organic section. It can get a little pricey if you try to buy everything organic, but chances are, you aren't going to be buying everything on the dirty list in the same week. You can start off organic on those things that you are going to be eating a lot of. For me, it's the bell peppers. I eat those almost daily in my salads, so I need to have those organic. I'll go into more depth on the "dirty dozen" and "clean fifteen" in an upcoming post!
After I get all of the things I need, it's back to the house to begin chopping up veggies and fruits. The picture at the top of the post were some of the things I cut up and prepped last week. Knowing that I had to pack 2 meals instead of one because I wouldn't be home until later was something I needed to plan for on Thursday. I made sure to have two things made for that day. Knowing that I needed to adjust  my shopping for the week because of that doubled up Thursday helped to keep the process seamless, and helped me get ready for the week ahead. Here is another amazing resource from Jen. She has put together a GROCERY GUIDE that was super helpful to me during my food journey. It's worth the look! Very helpful!

The bottom line is, being prepared will keep you healthy and on track. I know it's not easy, but the time put in is beyond worth it. I never have to worry about what I am going to eat, or if the food I am eating will make me sick. I have taken the time to ensure my health, my body reaps the benefits daily. Invest the time in your own health. No week will be the same, but that is part of the fun. Get creative! Try new things, and remember that feeding your body the right foods is vital to your health. Take care of yourselves, and happy prepping!

What's Been Happening?

I've been on this better health journey for about 4 months now, and people have started to notice a change in me. Not only physically but in other little aspects of my life. I've been asked by a few people in the last couple weeks what I am doing that is different because I look like I've lost weight, and I look like I feel good. My answer has been threefold. 

First and foremost, I have educated myself on the things that were making me so very sick. I took the information that Jen gave me, and continued to research things on my own. I want to understand the body better, but more specifically, my body. I have learned a lot so far about what I should be putting in my body and what I definitely should not be putting in my mouth. I've realized through research that food is medicine, and should be treated as such.

The second change was the food I have been eating. I have made some big changes with both meat and produce. Processed anything is out of the picture for me. I have become better at food prep, but am still mastering it. (Look for a post on food prep coming soon!) I understand better what my triggers are and what I need to avoid. I know now that meats with antibiotics and hormones injected in them make me very sick. This has made eating out virtually impossible, and makes date night that much harder, but the benefits of eating better meat has outweighed the inconvenience of not being able to grab something fast on the run. I eat fresh, wild fish, organic chicken, and grass fed/finished beef. I do my best to buy organic veggies, especially the ones on the dirty dozen list (more on that in a future post.) It's not always easy, but the farmer's market has been a life saver in that department. The veggies are so much cheaper there! I am still learning about food, but I would say I am well on my way to understanding. 

My third puzzle piece has been Isagenix products. The products have supplemented my body with the nutrients that I never was getting in the food I was eating, and still wouldn't get no matter what I put in my body. The products have made me feel better, given my body vital probiotics to heal my gut, energy to get through the days that I used to struggle through, and even helped me build lean muscle. So, those people who have been asking how much weight I've lost, or commented on how I am getting smaller......little secret.....I'm not! I actually haven't lost more than about 2-3 pounds. The reason I look different is because I have more lean muscle now. My body is transforming due to the food, exercise, and for sure the Isa products. The products feed your body what it needs. Many people go on the system and lose a lot of weight, but that's not what my body needed to do. My body is healing. My gut is under construction. The holes I created are being patched up, and I am on the mend. I couldn't do this without the Isa family I have inherited, or the Isa products I put in my body each day. This third puzzle piece has been imperative to my healing process.

All in all, I am definitely on the up and up. My body had some rough times with the probiotics because the bad bacteria was in a battle with the good, but I am happy to say that most days lately, the good guys have prevailed! I am feeling less and less sick. My bad days are fewer and farther between. I am feeling better. I know that I still have a long way to go on my journey to ultimate health, but I couldn't be more grateful for the steps I have taken in the right direction. I have had the support of friends, family, and even you wonderful readers. A journey this complicated isn't easy, but reinforcement makes it tolerable, and gets you through those hard days. Thank you for filling the role you play in my journey!