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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!

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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.

Multi Tasking – Is it efficient?

Multi Tasking – Is it efficient?

Recently, I took a course to become a certified transformation specialist, I discovered so many wonderful tips on how to support clients to achieve their health goals. The subject of multi tasking was part of one of my units. I was surprised by all that I learned in the course and came to the conclusion that being a “great multi tasker” is not ideal. I had always prided myself on being able to multi task throughout my life, and now I am discovering that being a multi tasker does NOT mean that you are more efficient nor effective with your tasks.

Multi tasking is when you are working on multiple tasks and your brain must jump from one subject to another. The issue with this is that the human brain can only focus on two subjects at a time before losing cognitive abilities. Multi tasking has been proven to lead to lower levels of creativity and higher levels of stress. Your brain becomes taxed and you no longer have your full ability to be creative or solve problems. Multi tasking may help us to be more productive in the short term, but this is not the case in the long run.

Research on multi tasking has shown that people experience a 40% decrease in productivity when multi tasking. They also tend to have a higher heart rate and increased levels of stress. Higher levels of anxiety are associated with people who consistently multi task. Excessive multi tasking eventually leads to “burnout”, which can take months to recover from, setting you back from where you initially started. Technology multi tasking has become quite apparent in modern times. Think about how often you will be on a phone call or texting, then an email comes in, another person is phoning you, you have alerts coming through from social media or other apps all the while working on your computer simultaneously.

One solution to multi tasking is to focus on one task at a time and minimize interruptions. Having good organization systems in place supports your brain to manage one task at time versus going back and forth between multiple tasks. Prioritize your goals and tasks, avoid distractions, and make good use of calendars and lists are great ways to strengthen your skills. There are times when multi tasking is unavoidable, and then your skills that you use will have been sharpened and strengthened if you are not consistently multi tasking. Multi tasking may be utilized when dealing with low level tasks. Listening to a podcast or an audio book while you are cleaning your house or taking a work phone call on a walk are great examples of multi tasking with low level tasks.

What I concluded from my course is that multi tasking is not the preferred way to manage and complete tasks if you are looking for high productivity. Most times multi tasking wastes more time switching from one task to the next rather than staying focused on the initial task at hand. It is best to be organized and create plans and lists for the tasks you would like to accomplish, and focus on one task at a time. If it is a broader task, break it down in to smaller tasks and tackle each one of those one at a time to then complete the larger task at hand. Over time if you practice these habits, your stress and anxiety levels will decrease, and your production output will increase.

TRAVEL TIPS FOR STAYING ON TRACK WITH YOUR NUTRITION

TRAVEL TIPS FOR STAYING ON TRACK WITH YOUR NUTRITION

Planning ahead and being prepared goes a long way to staying on track with your healthy lifestyle when you are traveling. Traveling is typically out of the daily routine for most people. Many times we are on the run and following a schedule, and it always seems easier to grab something on the road, or at the airport on travel days. Unfortunately, many of the options available to the average consumer are typically not very healthy. I like to set myself up for success with my nutrition to nourish and support my body when going on vacation.

When most of us are on vacation, we like to allow ourselves food/drink items, that you would normally not consume on a daily basis at home. It is important to give ourselves grace, and enjoy these “treats” while doing something out of our normal life, while allowing them in moderation on vacation. To treat yourself at every meal with an alcoholic drink and/or a non compliant meal, would eventually add up in calories and inflammation. I suggest enjoying certain moments throughout vacation consuming what you desire, and then also maintaining balance with other food and drink items that you have purchased or brought with you.

                           

Many times my husband and I choose to stay at an AirBnb instead of a hotel so we have a kitchen to cook in for some of our meals. We do love to treat ourselves when on vacation, but it’s also nice to not treat ourselves every meal while we are on vacation. If hotels are your travel game, then at least load up on some healthier snacks like fruit, nuts, bars, yogurts, and waters for your room. It’s helpful to stop at a grocery store at the beginning of your vacation to pick up snacks, drinks, and/or food to cook for your vacation. Making sandwiches for your travel day is great whether road tripping or flying on a plane. If you happen to be flying to your destination and road tripping from there, I suggest packing a foldable cooler or buying a disposable one at your destination for your trip.

                                                 

My favorite travel snacks for road trips or air travel are listed below:

  • bars – RX, Lara, Thunderbird are some of my favorite grain free brands
  • cut up veggies like celery, bell peppers, cucumbers, baby carrots
  • cherry tomatoes
  • grapes, bananas, apples, cherries
  • jerky (no sugar added) – Chomps, Nicks Sticks,
  • nuts (dry roasted or raw)
  • dried fruit (no added sugars)
  • chocolate bar – Hu, Blue Stripe, Bronners
  • granola – Purely Elizabeth, Paleonola, Grandy Organics
  • yogurts (no sugar added) – Harmless Harvest, Culina, Laava
  • seltzers and water (no added sugar)
  • olives
  • hard boiled eggs
  • cured meats (no sugar added)
  • healthier chips like Siete – cooked in non seed oils
  • crackers like Simple Mills, Cult Crackers – grain free
  • nut butter (no sugar added) for apples and bananas
  • tin fish like mackerel
  • apple sauce in a pack – Once Upon A Farm, Santa Cruz,
  • fruit snacks – That’s It, Solely

Happy healthy travels! What do you like to bring to snack, eat, and drink on during vacation? Comment below!

 

CHECK IN WITH YOURSELF

CHECK IN WITH YOURSELF

As we are approaching July 1st, six months after the calendar year has begun, it is a wonderful time to check in with yourself and see how you are doing so far this year. How are you really? How are your intentions for this year coming along? Have you set goals and started working towards them, or maybe even achieved them? Have you started implementing healthy choices or rituals in your life to support your lifestyle? Take this time to reflect on the past year, write down and acknowledge your achievements thus far, write down the intentions you are currently working on and the ones you have not yet acted on.

If you struggle with setting intentions for yourself, I wrote an in depth blog in January earlier this year on exactly how to do this for yourself, check it out! Looking over my intentions this year, I am proud to see some that I have already accomplished, and new rituals that I have implemented in to my daily lifestyle. I also see intentions that I am currently working on, and other that I have not yet started to implement. I am looking forward to tackling some of these intentions throughout the rest of this year. Acknowledge yourself and be proud of the intentions you have set forth and completed this year, I am proud of you! Also, be sure to give yourself grace for the intentions you have not yet implemented.

One intention of mine was to drink more water and track it. I was tracking my daily water consumption, and was able to increase the amount so regularly that I no longer need to track it, drinking more water has now become a habit for me!

Another intention of mine was be the best version of myself and show up for myself. This is an intention that I continually work on, and do need to remind myself from time to time to check in with myself.

I am excited to start learning how to play my new crystal sound bowl, as I had an intention for this year, to learn a new activity or hobby. I have yet to learn how to play this bowl, but I will this year as I am one step closer having acquired a crystal sound bowl this year on Mother’s Day from my husband Dave.

I look forward to working on other intentions I had for this year and implementing them into my life. We grow as a person when we try new things and step out of our comfort zones. Learning and dreaming do not have to stop once we are no longer an adolescent. A mantra I wrote to myself on January 1, 2024 was this, my mind and body are strong and healthy, i am strong and healthy. Writing down this mantra reminds me that I have already been implementing another one of my intentions, it’s become second nature for me to incorporate a second meditation or yoga practice in to my day. I am grateful for my intentional growth in my journey, I truly hope the same for you.

 

 

The Good Phyte

The Good Phyte

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I have heard about enzymes over the years and the importance of them. Only recently have I started to dive into the why and how. Enzymes are primarily proteins, though some are RNA molecules which translate the information from DNA to proteins. Each cell contains thousands of these enzymes, providing specific help with functions throughout your body. Enzymes speed up chemical reactions within cells. They provide support for many processes within the body. Some examples of these processes are the digestion system, DNA replication, hormone production, nerve function, and cell regulation.

For the purpose of this blog I will be focusing on a particular digestive enzyme called phytase that I discovered recently through a post from Mathew Embry, founder of MS Hope, about the company The Good Phyte. But before we dive into phytase, let’s talk a bit about digestive enzymes in general. This type of enzyme helps break down food into nutrients, these in turn give you energy. Digestive enzymes are a protein that speeds up metabolic processes within our body. These enzymes move out of the body with digested food 2-5 hours after ingestion. Below you will find a list of the most common digestive enzymes.

Not listed on this list is phytase a digestive enzyme that breaks down phytates. I recently discovered the company The Good Phyte, they produce two different supplements that contain phytase. As mentioned, phytase breaks down phytates, if these phytates are not properly broken down they become anti-nutrients, depleting your body of minerals that it needs to thrive. Phytates are found in numerous whole foods, primarily nuts/seeds, legumes, and grains are the main culprits. Not only does phytase make minerals in food more bioavailable, it also allows vitamin supplements to reach their full potential. I also have found my bloating to go down around meals that contain phytates when I take the supplement IB Defense from Good Phyte. In addition to my digestion improving, I have found an increased amount of focused energy throughout my day since taking Immunity from the Good Phyte. The phytase allows my body to access the vitamins and minerals I consume more efficiently, along with the added iron and zinc in the Immunity product, I have more overall energy. My strength workouts have been consistently improving along with running. I had not been a runner for many years, but last moth after starting to take Phytase, I decided to sign up for a 10k at the end of May. My training is going great and I am looking forward to the race!

For those of us who have chronic conditions, it may be essential to consume digestive enzymes. As for those of you with no chronic conditions, I still would suggest looking in to digestive enzymes, more specifically phytase. Before taking these types of supplements be sure to consult with your medical provider to see if enzymes are a right fit for you!

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