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Building Muscle, Increasing energy, Decreasing Snacking with Protein

Building Muscle, Increasing energy, Decreasing Snacking with Protein

Let’s talk protein! I have been learning about many benefits from consuming protein. Aim for 100 grams of protein per day as a minimum, that is necessary for us to function optimally. When we support our bodies with the proper amount of daily protein we will notice our energy levels rise, we feel more satiated throughout the day, not looking to snack regularly, and we will build muscle. Protein helps to balance blood sugar, support our immune and brain health, and regulate hunger hormones. There are many forms of protein that we can consume and timing does matter when it comes to building muscle. Read on to learn more about protein and it’s many benefits!

WHY YOU NEED PROTEIN TO BUILD MUSCLE 

Protein is one of three macronutrients your body needs in large quantities to function, the other two macronutrients being carbohydrates and fat. In particular, the role of protein is to build and repair your cells, including the cells of your muscles. Resistance training, also known as strength training or weight training, causes microscopic damage to your muscle tissue. This may sound bad, but it’s a good thing. When you consume protein after a strength-training session, the amino acids in the protein will get to work repairing your muscles. With the help of certain hormones in your body, protein creates new muscle cells. The result? Your muscles become stronger and bigger! (Note: Muscle gain happens when you perform resistance training to fatigue, meaning you get close to failure. You can gain muscle mass by performing a low number of reps at a high weight or a high number of reps at a moderate weight. The key is to push your muscles close to – but not over – their limit.)

 

WHEN SHOULD YOU CONSUME PROTEIN?

Many athletes and fitness folks tend to understand the importance of eating before a workout to give their body the fuel it needs to perform. However, it is equally important to replenish your body after a workout. Eating post-workout may seem less intuitive, however, an exercise session will deplete your energy stores, so eating allows you to refuel. Additionally, research has found that right after a workout, your body may be primed to use glycogen and protein to repair itself. How soon should you eat after a workout? Generally, you should try to eat something within 45 minutes of exercising. According to some, delaying your meal after working out could lower the rate of glycogen synthesis. If you aren’t looking for a full meal post workout, having high protein snacks available at home is convenient, or a protein smoothie is a great option as well without overwhelming your appetite.

WHAT TYPES OF PROTEIN FOODS ARE SUPPORTIVE PRE AND POST WORKOUT?

I find it to be helpful to have protein snacks on hand to keep consistent with my protein intake, pre and post workout.

PROTEIN SNACKS:

Grass fed jerky (no added sugar) – Hardboiled eggs (6-8 grams of protein each egg)  – Precooked chicken sausage – Rotisserie chicken pieces – Grilled chicken breast – Tuna or Salmon in a can or packet – Tinned fish like mackerel, sardines, or yellow fin tuna  – Nuts – Cottage cheese – Greek yogurt – Nut butter (no added sugar) – Smoothies with whey or hemp protein – Bars such as RX and Lara – Scoop of Collagen Peptides in your coffee or matcha –

HOW MUCH PROTEIN SHOULD YOU PUT IN YOUR pre/postworkout smoothie?

How much protein do you need in your post-workout smoothie? Try for between 0.14 and 0.23 grams of protein per pound of body weight. If you are looking to gain muscle mass, then lean toward the higher end of the spectrum. For example, a 170-pound person can add as much as 39.1 grams of protein to their post-workout smoothie. What happens if you add even more protein to your smoothie, will you get even greater muscle gains? Nope, your body can only process so much protein. Any excess protein that you consume will be passed through your urine. Reminder, 1 gram of protein is equivalent to 4 calories. One last thing to consider is no matter what the latest diet craze says, carbs are not the enemy. In fact, you need them to refuel your glycogen after your workout. When adding carbohydrates to your post-workout smoothie for muscle gain, look for complex carbs. Many vegetables and certain fruits can be excellent sources for low-glycemic index carbohydrates.

PROTEIN POWDERS:

Whey – Transparent Labs, Naked Casein, Momentous

Non-dairy – Nutiva (hemp), Sunwarrior (hemp/pea), Garden of Life (pea)

REVERSE OSMOSIS WATER: HELPFUL OR HARMFUL?

REVERSE OSMOSIS WATER: HELPFUL OR HARMFUL?

I feel it is my responsibility to all of you to share what I have learned about reverse osmosis (RO) water through my own personal experience. Recently, a friend shared that they have been having health issues and that they only drink RO water. This is when I knew my story with reverse osmosis water was needed. I experienced numerous health issues after consuming primarily reverse osmosis water from January 2021 – September 2023. In the beginning, I had no idea that my drinking RO water without proper essential minerals was the culprit of many of my new health issues; fatigue, muscle cramps, headaches, neuropathy and weakness throughout the right side of my body. When these issues were surfacing, I assumed it must be symptoms of my multiple sclerosis, as they presented similarly in my body. I was seeing my acupuncturist, continuing to eat clean foods, seeing my chiropractor, trying to figure out why I was feeling weaker with less mobility as the weeks and months went on. My husband and I were headed to a friends wedding for the weekend. To say I was intimidated by the upcoming event is an understatement. I assumed my condition would continue to worse with not following my daily routine, staying up later than usual, engaging in lots of stimulation with people and events. The opposite wound up occurring, each day we were gone and I was drinking water from the hotel where we were staying for three nights, I felt better than I had in months. Once we got back home, after just one night of drinking RO water I started feeling terrible again. I met with my functional medicine doctor that week and he asked me what type of water did I drink. I answered, reverse osmosis water 98% of the time. I work from home and live on a farm with well water with a RO system. Through my research I discovered our RO system was not installed with a final stage of remineralization, which seems to be quite common for homes to not have this final filter stage. When my FMD asked me if I added minerals back to my water, I replied I do not. He immediately told me to look into adding essential trace minerals to my water. The word ESSENTIAL tells you everything you need to know, our body must have these to function. Fast forward to later that week, I decided to stop drinking RO water and started guzzling spring water. I even had a nurse come to our house with a mobile iv to rehydrate my body with all the minerals I had been lacking for a very long time. My husband and I left on a ten day road trip to rehydrate and nourish my body via hot springs. Every day we were gone, I continued to drink spring water and I felt better and better. My recovery did not happen overnight, it took days, then weeks, then months to recover completely. I am sharing my story to educate folks not just about the benefits of reverse osmosis water, but the dangers of reverses osmosis water if we do not add back the essential minerals that were removed during purification. This is an example of one product of essential trace minerals that you can add back to your water.  

Reverse osmosis filters water by using pressure to force water molecules through a semi-permeable membrane, which has tiny pores. This membrane allows smaller water molecules to pass through, but blocks larger dissolved solids, contaminants like salts, heavy metals, minerals, and micro-organisms. This is great for so many of us that do not have access to clean drinking water. Some systems may use additional post-filters to remove any remaining tastes or odors, or to add back healthy minerals. The addition of healthy minerals is not a standard in most grocery stores or homes. I also discovered that not only are these essential minerals being stripped through reverse osmosis, our body looks to where they can find these minerals in other ways which does include your food and supplements, but that also means that your body will leach these minerals from your bones over time. These is extremely detrimental. This is the issue that I am wanting to bring to people’s attention. Long term consumption of demineralized RO water without dietary compensation can potentially lead to mineral imbalances and health issues.

Some of these health issues are the following:

  • removes essential minerals like potassium, calcium, magnesium
  • fatigue
  • muscle cramps
  • neuropathy
  • osteoporosis/osteopenia
  • tooth decay

I am not telling anyone to not drink RO water. This is a type of filtered water that is accessible around the world and is beneficial in many ways once it is also remineralized. The fact that we can change salt water into safe drinking water is a win for humanity in many ways. RO water indeed filters out harmful contaminants like “forever chemicals” like PFAs, nitrates and sulfates, chemicals like chlorine and pesticides, heavy metals like lead and arsenic. While this is extremely important, we also cannot dismiss not adding minerals back into reverse osmosis filtered water, our health and well being is at stake. I have given you information of what I have been discovering through my research on reverse osmosis water, please make your own choices about what you will do with this information.

Concerns Raised by WHO and Health Professionals

Backing concerns, the World Health Organization (WHO) has cautioned against the excessive use of RO filters. In a statement dating back to 2019, WHO highlighted the detrimental effects of consuming water devoid of essential minerals. Dr. Anil Arora, head of gastroenterology at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, suggested opting for boiled water post-filtration to eliminate impurities like nitrates, as boiling effectively eliminates harmful microorganisms.

Adverse Health Effects & International Precedents

Drawing attention to international precedents, Dr. Aora mentioned the adverse effects observed in Czechoslovakia and Slovakia after 5 years of mandatory RO water consumption. Complaints of muscle fatigue, cramps, body aches, and memory loss surfaced due to mineral deficiencies. WHO guidelines recommend specific mineral content per liter of water to maintain optimal health.

Read more at:
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/healthcare/biotech/healthcare/why-pure-ro-drinking-water-is-not-healthy-for-you-doctors-who-raise-health-warning/articleshow/108808759.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst

 

https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9241593989

 

What is your morning routine?

What is your morning routine?

Even if you are not a morning person, it is important for numerous reasons to find yourself a morning routine that works for YOU. Treat your morning as your sacred space, your temple, your church. Lucky for me I am a morning person, always have been besides those early school mornings as an adolescent. Morning routines help to increase productivity and focus, encourage healthy habits, and reduce stress. Incorporating mindfulness first thing in the morning allows you to connect with yourself giving you a confident mindset of accomplishment for the day ahead.

Discovering a morning routine also allows you to practice consistency. This type of daily routine will support habit formation for achieving goals. Consistency provides stability and predictability. How would you like to greet your day? How do you set yourself up for success for the day? It may be a meditation practice, a walk or jog outside, reading a book with a cup of tea or coffee, stretching and/or yoga, a breath technique, a fitness session. I understand not all of us have the luxury to start our day exactly how we would like every day. We can create more time for ourselves in the morning, even setting your alarm 15/20 minutes earlier than it currently is to have a moment for yourself before the rest of your household wakes up. I challenge you to not sign on to social media, or check your email/texts, be with the quiet before the hustle of the day begins, take this time for YOU.

Currently my morning routine consists of starting with attending to my personal hygiene, I LOVE using my stainless steal tongue brush to remove bacteria and plaque that accumulates overnight on my tongue. Next, a large glass of water with my two Good Phyte Immunity capsules (enzymes and iron) and 2 Seed capsules (pre/probiotic). On to my meditation practice, welcoming my mental self to the day and focusing on my breath. After meditation it is to time to welcome my physical self to the day with a light practice of yoga and stretching. Many days I will practice an additional yoga session focusing on power/strength or a relaxing/restorative practice before bed. Once I have connected with my self; body, mind, and soul, I move on to greeting the day of all my loving beings. This consists of opening up the chickens and feeding them, feeding all 3 pups, Sophie, Suzy and Sally, our cat Oscar, attending to the mules Missy and Blondie year round. In the warmer months we are blessed to have a magical garden! I get to attend to my vegetables and plants during the summer months, how lucky we are! Once I come inside to start a protein, veggie rich breakfast for my husband and I, I make myself a hot matcha tea with collagen peptides. I look forward to this every morning!

 

 

Write your goals down, or they just remain dreams…..

Write your goals down, or they just remain dreams…..

While working with a client, I was reminded of how important it is not only to set goals for yourself, but to also write these goals down. At the beginning of the year, I decided to use a daily habit tracker for myself, what a difference this made for me implementing new habits consistently. Each day I check off the boxes of the goals and habits I attain each day. Some days I check them all off, and some days I only check one off. None of us are perfect, and in my opinion we should not be striving for perfection. What is important is showing up for yourself every day in a consistent manner. When I see the week unfolding and see those check marks grow, it motivates me to continue with the daily habits I am implementing. Examples of daily habits that I may track: 15 pushups, 100+ounces of water, meditation, no dessert, 10k steps, gratitude journaling, yoga, no food after 8pm. Below is an example of a habit tracking handout. Customize it to work for YOU! I have also found daily habit trackers to be available in most daily calendar planners.

At the start of each year my husband and I both take time on January 1st to write down our intentions for the upcoming year. We then share these intentions with each other and purposely keep these handy so we can see and read them throughout the year, We have found this to be important because as we all know, life gets busy as we move from day to day, week to week, month to month quickly, and creating and sticking to new intentions and achieving our goals is challenging. When I can see and read these from time to time, it is a good reminder for me throughout the year. Writing goals provides clarity and focus. Dreams and thoughts in your mind become real, tangible items to achieve. Seeing this goals written down and reflecting on them regularly reminds us to stay on track.

Throughout my coaching experience I have been taught the concept of implementing SMART goals. SMART is an acronym for: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound. Following SMART goals generally increases the likelihood of success. They are used to help set and guide goal setting. This is another example of how writing helps to support us in achieving our goals. In order to understand our progress in achieving a goal, it is important to write down and track our efforts.

Lastly, but not least important is journaling. This may mean different things for different people. I encourage gratitude journaling for my clients to enhance mindfulness. Some days we are down in the dumps, life happens and it it is not always in our control. I have found that starting and ending my days journaling about gratitude shifts my perspective. Even when we feel like we did not accomplish what we wanted in the day or are feeling sorry for ourselves, taking a moment to write down a couple of sentences of what you are grateful for goes a long way. It may be as simple as saying you are grateful that you woke up today. You are grateful you have a roof over your head. You are grateful for your pets and family. You are grateful to be able to move your body. Feel free to use these gratitudes when you journal, and play around with gratitudes that are specific to you as well! Journaling opens our creative pathways and provides a space for self expression. It also may help to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. By reflecting on our thoughts and feelings, we may find a deeper understanding of what motivates us and what our behavior patterns are. Aim for daily journaling, even if just for a few minutes each day. Choose a time and place when you feel relaxed and can focus on writing without distractions. Journaling is not supposed to be perfect, or striving for an A, it is more about honesty and self expression. I enjoy writing in a particular journal that I purchased at a local bookstore. Taking just a few moments each day in reflection has supported me to grow even more on my health journey.

Fasting

Fasting

Fasting, many people do not love hearing this word, or look to incorporate it into their regular life. It should not come as a shock that there are countless benefits to fasting. Whatever type of fast you decide to do, it is extremely important to stay well hydrated during your fast. This includes upping your water consumption prior to beginning your fast for at least 3 days. Many clients will seem intimidated by a fast for their first time, claiming they will be hungry and not able to do the fast. I tell my clients that most of the time when one feels “hungry” it is more likely that they are dehydrated and need to drink more water. If you are pregnant, take medications, or have diabetes type 1, please check with your doctor before attempting a fast.

Let’s break it down to a few different types of fasts. A water fast, where one only consumes water for a period of time. A bone broth fast, one of my favorites, is when one consumes water and bone broth. I enjoy a bone broth fast since it allows your body to have nutritious support from the bone broth while you are abstaining from food. A juice fast is consuming water and pressed juices (not smoothies). The length of time to fast is up to the individual but every hour you continue to fast, your body indeed benefits! Intermittent fasting has become popular in recent years. This is a great option for many folks who are intimidated by a longer period of fasting.  16/8 is an example of intermittent fasting, this means you fast for 16 hours and you have 8 hours of eating available to you within a 24 hour period. I do suggest that all participate in a 12/12 fast daily. This period of 12 hours fasting is technically a “digestive rest”. It is important for your body to have rest time. Another example of intermittent fasting is the 5:2 approach. This involves eating regularly for 5 days, and limiting the remaining 2 days to a total of only 500 calories each day.

 

Stages of Fasting by Hour:

 0-4 Hours (Anabolic Phase):

  • Your body digests and absorbs nutrients from your last meal.
  • Insulin levels are high, promoting muscle growth and repair.

4-16 Hours (Catabolic Phase): 

  • Your body starts using stored glycogen (glucose) for energy.
  • Insulin levels decline, and fat burning increases.
  • Autophagy (cell recycling) begins.
16-24 Hours (Ketosis): 
  • Ketones become the primary energy source, leading to weight loss and improved metabolic health.
  • Growth hormone levels increase.

24-72 Hours (Prolonged Fasting): 

  • Ketone production continues and intensifies.
  • Muscle breakdown may occur if not supplemented with protein.
  • The body enters a state of deep ketosis and autophagy.

Beyond 72 Hours (Starvation): 

  • Extreme physiological changes occur, including organ damage and electrolyte imbalances.
  • Medical supervision is crucial during prolonged fasting.

My husband and I enjoy a longer fast multiple times throughout the year for a multitude of reasons. When I am not feeling connected with my mind and what I am consuming it is time for a fast. Fasting allows me to realize when I reach for food, is it because I am hungry, or is it purely out of habit or boredom. Whenever I am in need of a “reset” I do a 40-60 hour fast. This seems to be when we get back from a vacation and we have indulged in foods we generally do not consume. When I feel bloated or “thick” I like to fast to get a handle on what I am consuming while dropping a few pounds. This helps me to continue to make heathier choices in the future once I have gone without food. It is important to plan and be prepared for your first meal after a fast. Whole foods with protein and healthy fats is essential. I generally like to break my fast with a glass of water, eggs, sautéed kale, and sliced avocado.

 

Fasting benefits may include:

  • autophagy – cellular repair where damaged cells are removed and cellular renewal is supported
  • improves metabolic health – may reduce risk of diabetes type 2 by enhancing insulin sensitivity & improving blood sugar control
  • increases mindfulness around food and beverage consumption
  • reduce inflammation
  • weight loss and fat reduction
  • increased mental clarity
  • may improve cardiovascular health by lowering blood pressure and lowering “bad” cholesterol LDL
  • from a religious standpoint it may cleanse the body and soul, deepen your connection with God.

Fasting is common around the world in many religious communities and has been practiced for centuries. Islam, Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism all practice some sort of fasting throughout the year. Many religions consider fasting a way to connect with the divine, a way to express humility, and focus on spiritual matters. The act of fasting can be a form of self discipline and self control.

Whatever the reason may be for you to try fasting, you can see from above that there are many benefits to fasting. This is a not a new age idea, millions of people have been practicing the act of fasting for eons. Give one a try and see how you feel! I also offer a 10 day program, REFRESH, that kicks off with a guided 40 hour bone broth fast. Reach out if you have interest in my program, or just have general questions in regards to fasting. Happy healing!

15 years …..

15 years …..

When I received the call confirming my multiple sclerosis diagnosis on April 1, 2010, my immediate reaction was wondering if the neurologist was playing a bad April fools joke on me, he was not. I was 29 years old and recently had broken off my engagement when I started experiencing vision issues. Since I wear contact lenses on a regular basis, I assumed that my prescription needed an adjustment not anything more. I went to the local eye glass shop and the optometrist did her evaluation of my eyes. She instructed me to make an appointment with an ophthalmologist as the vision impairment seemed to be more than just adjusting my prescription. I made an appointment with a local ophthalmologist in Boulder and did not think twice about the upcoming visit. For those of you unfamiliar, as I was, the key difference between an optometrist and an ophthalmologist lies in their scope of practice and level of training. Optometrists are primary eye care providers who focus on vision care, prescribing glasses and contacts, and managing common eye conditions. Ophthalmologists, on the other hand, are medical doctors specializing in eye diseases and surgery, able to treat a wide range of eye conditions. I went to my appointment with the ophthalmologist, and as I sat on the stool reading letters on the wall, having my eye balls inspected in detail, he stated that he felt I was suffering from optic neuritis. I had never heard of this before and figured it was a condition and he would tell me what I needed to do to make it better. I was not ready for him to say, this may be a symptom of multiple sclerosis, you should make an appointment to see a neurologist. Whoa, back it up! How did I go from thinking I needed a new prescription for my glasses to my possibly having an autoimmune disease, multiple sclerosis?! Ironically, I was familiar with this disease. When I was growing up, my mom was a social worker and I remember one patient she worked with having multiple sclerosis. We participated in Walk MS in the mid 90s, little did we know that 15 years or so later I would be diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.

For those of you unfamiliar with multiple sclerosis (MS), it is an autoimmune or immune mediated disease that attacks the central nervous system. The central nervous system (CNS) is comprised of your spine, brain, and optic nerve. When one has MS, the immune system attacks the myelin sheath, the protective covering of nerve fibers, within the CNS. This damage disrupts the communication between the brain and body leading to a variety of symptoms. MS may be a progressive disease over one’s lifetime, and it may even progress in a matter of days, weeks, months. Being given this diagnosis at 29 with no other prior health issues, proved to be quite a shock. With the support of family, friends, and doctors I navigated the steps with my diagnosis. For years, I followed the traditional path of meeting with neurologists that specialized in MS, and going on a disease modifying therapy (DMT). I tried one medication for the first three years, I seemed to do alright mostly during this time. Then I started going downhill  with the disease in 2013, having heavy fatigue, brain fog, and tore my ACL skiing. That spring my doctor and I decided I should try a new DMT that had recently been approved by the FDA. I did quite well mostly on this new medication for 9 years, though I never accepted being on a daily medication indefinitely. I had yet to learn about the importance of lifestyle and how it affects our mental, physical, and emotional states of being, this would come.

January 2020, right before COVID hit, I decided to start trying to heal myself from the inside out. I discovered so many people who had been researching how to heal yourself from MS naturally, holistically, without medication. This clicked with me and I threw myself into the ring. My husband and I started to follow a strict nutritional ketogenic diet for 6 months, within 2-3 months I had noticed significant positive changes and felt like myself again. Fast forward to the fall of 2022 when I decided to stop taking any DMTs and continue to heal and support my body through holistic and homeopathic modalities. It is amazing what our bodies are capable of when we give it what it needs. Healthy clean food, movement, strength training, detox from toxins, limit stress, meditation, stretching, laughter, community to name just a few essentials to have a thriving lifestyle. I became a health coach throughout this journey because I want to help others heal themselves and support themselves now and in the future no matter what they may or may not deal with in the present. I want to encourage people and support them knowing they have the power to improve their health each and every day. It may not always be drastic measures depending on your situation, but consistency is a key factor that I have discovered along the way. I have learned so much in my health journey and I look forward to seeing what I continue to learn and discover. 15 years ago I was diagnosed with MS and I can honestly say that I am thriving in life. I look forward to seeing what the next 15 years hold!    

A GIRLS BEST FRIEND

A GIRLS BEST FRIEND

I never understood the bond, the relationship, that people have shared with animals until I met Suzy. Suzy came to us, my husband Dave and I, the summer of 2020, little did I know this little fluff nugget would be the light of my life for the next few years. Suzy is a Colorado mountain dog, white fur with grey markings on her butt, side, tail, head and neck, I especially love her third eye. She has deep beautiful, brown eyes that can connect to your soul. That’s exactly one of the reasons why I connect so deeply with Suzy, she is my heart and soul, she feels all of me and connects to me deeply. Suzy has a sweet, kind, chill, loving, fun demeanor, so many words to describe the SUZ!

 I

I am grateful that Suzy has had an amazing life on the Pharm. She was born here, still has her grandmother Sophie living by her side, and her daughter Sally in tow. Sal and Suz are best of friends these days, they love to guard together, play together, lay around together, it is so special. Lately I catch the three of them playing around outside together, I absolutely love it and them!!

Davey and I have built a beautiful life here on the pharm with many magical beings that come and go. Suzy not being here for a full life is tragic, it truly is. She is only 4 and we were told today by the neurologist that Suzy has cancer. How is this possible we ask ourselves? How come Suzy will be taken from us too soon? She is an amazing dog, the best we have ever met. There is no replacing this bond or love that we share with Miss Suzy, mama suz, baby suzy…… She and I do not waste any days together, we always get out for our walks, I sing to her, we lay together, always give her yummy treats (little piggie) generally we just love on one another every day. I will not stop doing this, and I will also not stop living my life or caring for our other animals. Suzy has taught me many things already in just four and a half years. Staying present, life is precious and unknown, to be loved and to love is truly a gift, I am so grateful for Suzy and her never ending love and loyalty to me. Her tail wags so excitedly whenever she sees me come into a room or drive down the driveway. She loves pushing her snout up towards you for some love. She loves to press her butt into you for some butt scratches. She loves to flop on the floor and be pet rather than sitting up right. One of her favorite positions which all the dogs seem to possess, is laying on her back with all 4 paws pointed towards the ceiling, then she curves her body into a C shape. So many things to say about the Suz, she is a one of a kind dog, she is a loving soul, and she is damn strong, also has endless love and support from her parents, and her best friend me. Suzy I have loved you since the day I met you and I will love you always, never will you be forgotten.

Eating our way through Argentina!

Eating our way through Argentina!

What a fabulous vacation my husband Dave and I enjoyed over Thanksgiving! We were grateful for one another and the time we spent together traveling in Argentina. We spent the majority of our trip in northern Patagonia, Bariloche Argentina. This picturesque town reminds you of a European mountain town littered with chalets and delicious food. Northern Patagonia is also known as the lakes district. A beautiful area with the Andes Mountains for your backdrop and numerous lakes in the foreground. We enjoyed all the outdoor activities while we were visiting. Hiking, white water rafting, and trekking were some of our adventurous highlights!

                            

Not only did we enjoy all the outdoor activities, but we also enjoyed the indoor activity of dining! This was truly a treat for us, as we generally eat paleo back in the United States. While in Argentina we enjoyed all the things, gluten, dairy, you name it! I have heard from folks over the years that eating flour in Europe is not inflammatory like here in the states, the same goes for Argentina. We ate whatever we desired for the week in Bariloche and had zero issues. Typically, if I were to enjoy more than one meal that included gluten or dairy, I would not feel well and my skin and joints would be telling me that food choice should have been a no.

It was truly a treat to be able to sample all the beautiful cuisines that were served in Bariloche. Grilled meats and vegetables are their staples, typically served at restaurants called parrillas, these are the types of foods we generally eat on a paleo diet already, but the many different types of meat along with them being grilled over a fire really sets their food apart. Chimichurri is a delicious condiment used on steaks and whatever else you would like, similar to a pesto and it consists of herbs and olive oil. We were able to purchase a bag of herbs from the local spice market and we plan to make our own chimichurri in the states. Two of my favorite items that we indulged in, that I would not have if we were in the United States were their empanadas and provoleta de vaca (grilled cheese in a cast iron pan). Our favorite restaurant from our trip was Alto el Fuego, 5 stars, zero complaints and if you find yourself in Bariloche, you MUST visit this restaurant!

                          

Bariloche is also known at the chocolate capitol of South America, and they were not exaggerating! Our favorite chocolate was from a shop called Rapanui, highly recommend! Folks tend to eat quite late in Argentina, 10/11 pm for dinner, so it makes sense that there are not a lot of restaurants that offer your typical breakfast. We did find this beautiful, delicious spot called Bruncherie. They made everything in house, and had dairy alternative milks along with sourdough breads, yum!

     

We highly recommend checking out Argentina for your next international adventure! You can eat your way through the country, and work it off with all the outdoor activities available. Reach out to me directly if you would like more recommendations on what to do and where to eat in Argentina!

Biohacking

Biohacking

Recently I went to a wellness summit in Boulder, Colorado where I learned a bit about biohacking. You may be like myself and have heard of the word and understood what it means, or this may be the first time you have even heard of the term.  Let me first share what my understanding of biohacking is; the practice of employing methods drawn from fields like biology, genetics, neuroscience, and nutrition to enhance your mental and physical performance.

But how do we go about incorporating biohacking into our lives? First off, nutrition is a method to enhance performance that I currently work on with clients as a health coach and nutritionist. Some examples of this are intermittent fasting and time restricted eating. When our bodies are in a state of fast, the body has time to regenerate cells, detox what does not serve us, and improve the body’s mitochondrial function. Infrared light therapy is another modality that I have been familiar with prior to attending this wellness week. Infrared light therapy promotes cellular repair and is used often to improve recovery time from an injury. It also may reduce inflammation, acute and chronic, improve the appearance of skin as well. I personally use an infrared light therapy machine at my gym 3x per week.

I have been discovering that there are many types of “biohacking” out there, and I learned about quite a few of them at the Dragonfly Wellness Week in Boulder. Leela Quantum Tech is a company that manufactures products that help to balance your energy, enhance performance, and neutralize harmful EMF’s. I bought a necklace for my husband and I, and we wear them every day and have both felt an overall state of calm and peace when we wear them, it’s incredible! Up next, I attended a panel on the benefits of crystals. I was excited to attend this seminar as I have not had much experience with crystals prior to this event. Well, after all is said and done, I purchased this incredible blanket from Crystal Blanket, you also can on their website. This blanket also protects you from harmful EMF’s like Leela, it also supports the body’s metabolic energy balance and amplifies the body natural healing abilities. Honestly, when I wrap this blanket around myself it feels like an instant hug to my para sympathetic nervous system. Lastly, I met a wonderful woman, Alexandra Cochrane the founder of Scandilabs, who introduced me to the Wellness Week in Boulder. She was a brilliant source of information, vibrant and had great energy! Scandilabs’ liposomal immune formula provides a simple yet highly effective means of strengthening the immune system and preventing illness. The immune formula has essential vitamins and antioxidants that are absorbed efficiently to optimize overall well being. This product is in liquid form and has elderberry formulated in it giving it a tasty flavor.

I hope I have inspired you to look into the world of biohacking and see about some modalities that may interest you and support you on your health journey! Please comment below about any modalities you are currently employing and enjoy. Happy Healing!

BRUSH AWAY DEAD SKIN

BRUSH AWAY DEAD SKIN

Our skin sheds layers throughout the year which tends to be dry. Our skin needs to be brushed and exfoliated, this is a great way to rejuvenate our skin. Dry brushing is an ayurvedic practice that believes when removing the dead skin you are improving your skins ability to eliminate toxins through the pores. The course bristles on the brush stimulate the pores and open them up allowing for efficient elimination of toxins.
Dry brushing also creates movement and motion, which in turn activates your lymphatic system and improves circulation. The lymphatic system helps your body fight off infections. Fluids flow through the lymphatic system and are filtered through the lymph nodes. It is essential to support our health to move our lymph fluid effectively to eliminate toxins. If you’re sick or exposed to a lot of toxins, the lymphatic system may become backed up and clogged, leading to sickness and compromised health.
Dry brushing should be practiced year round, though I find myself doing it more in the colder months due to the drier climate. Plus, my favorite time to dry brush is before a bath. I personally find dry brushing to be relaxing and I love it before taking a relaxing, nourishing bath. It is wonderful to incorporate a ritual into your routine with dry brushing. Many people will enjoy dry brushing in the morning before taking a cool shower as the dry brushing may be stimulating for their body and the shower washes off the dead skin.

Always remember to clean your dry brush with soap and water, then allow it to dry in an open, sunny area to avoid mildew, I aim for once per week. Dry brushing may be done multiple days per week, I like to suggest to my clients to dry brush 3-5 times per week depending on their skin sensitivity.  Dry brushes are available at health food stores or online.

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