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There are so many reasons for inflammation in the body, my job when working with my clients is to help figure out where the source(s) are coming from. One area I always discuss is industrial seed oils. Things like corn oil, soybean oil, canola oil, etc. are not only used for cooking but are commonly found in processed foods, which makes up a large portion of the typical American diet. Excessive intake of omega-6 oils contributes heavily to our imbalanced omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acid ratios, which promotes inflammation. While the recommended ratio is approximately 1:2 Americans commonly have a ratio of 1:20 or higher.

Stress can create many issues in the body, one of them showing up as weight gain or stalled weight loss. When we are stressed, the body releases a hormone called cortisol which assists in our “fight or flight” survival response. This is a good thing from an evolutionary perspective, but in today’s high stress environment, people are often feeling stress too much and the process can not shut off. This leads to too much cortisol in the blood, which in turn can lead to a slew of physical issues in the body. Often they present as blood sugar imbalances, a decrease in muscle tissue, and increased fat, most often in the abdominal area. It is imperative to manage your stress for overall health purposes as well as to maintain a healthy weight.

In order to have a healthy functioning thyroid gland, you need to give your body the raw materials so it can actually make thyroid hormone. Being deficient in these key nutrients will never be fixed by medications. Make sure you are getting enough of the following: Vitamin A, Chromium, Vitamin D, Iodine, Iron, Vitamin B-12, Vitamin B-6, Vitamin B-2, Selenium, and Zinc. These are not in order of importance, all are necessary in their own way in producing thyroid hormone.

High blood pressure is a condition that responds well to diet, lifestyle and nutrition. The mainstream approach is to treat with beta-blockers, diuretics, calcium channel blockers, etc. This may be helpful in acute cases or situations when the blood pressure is very high, but for most, a natural approach can reduce dependence on these medications, which do not come without significant side effects. Here are five things you can do to help either get you off medications or prevent you from having to go on them at all! 1. Reduce excessive refined carbohydrate and/or sugar intake Often times people who have high blood sugar and may be insulin resistant are more at risk the development of hypertension, so it is best to stick to whole-food carbohydrates like potatoes, sweet potatoes, and fruit instead of refined grains and sugars. Always try to have your carb intake match your activity levels (the more active you are the more carbohydrates you may need; individual goals and insulin sensitivity will also come in to play here). 2. Increase your intake of minerals Often times people who have hypertension are in need of minerals. You can start by adding more potassium, calcium and magnesium rich foods. potassium-rich plant foods like white potatoes, bananas, and tomatoes. increase calcium intake through dairy products, bone-in fish, nuts and seeds, and leafy greens magnesium intake can be increased through pumpkin seeds, almonds, dark, leafy greens, molasses, dark chocolate, and bananas Bring in LMNT to increase your potassium levels - Consuming fewer than 3 grams of sodium per day is associated with higher rates of adverse cardiovascular events and death. After all, electrolytes help send the signals that tell the heart to beat, and low blood sodium levels can stress the body (raising blood pressure). Adequate potassium intake can also improve hypertension by relaxing blood vessel walls. 3. Drink tea Certain types of tea are effective at lowering blood pressure; these teas include hibiscus, hawthorn, gotu kola, oolong, and green tea In order to see a benefit it is best to drink two to three cups per day (total; a combination of the above teas is most effective) to lower blood pressure 4. Eat beets Beets are high in nitrate, which turns into nitric oxide and can promote vasodilation and lower blood pressure Other foods high in nitrates include celeriac, chinese cabbage, endive, fennel, kohlrabi, leek, parsley, celery, lettuce, spinach, and rocket Beet juice has been shown to lower blood pressure in studies 5. Reduce stress Chronic stress is a well-known cause of high blood pressure and it is important to remember stress comes in many ways: environmental, physical, emotional, and nutritional. So, many times it is evaluating where the stressors are coming from that makes a big impact on hypertension. One way to reduce stress is through meditation and deep breathing. These are two incredibly effective strategies that can be used daily to lower blood pressure.

This dressing is light compared to most Caesar Dressing with lots of flavor. #basics Ingredients: ½ to 1 tsp dijon mustard 1 tbsp red wine vinegar 1 tbsp lemon juice 1 tbsp finely grated parmesan cheese ½ cup EVOO 1 egg yolk 2 anchovy fillets (pasted) 1 clove garlic, peeled and mashed Preparation: Place all ingredients in food processor or blender and blend until smooth.

Have you heard about Intermittent Fasting? There seems to be a lot of chatter recently about this way of eating. Are you wondering if it is something you should try? Then this guide is for you. What Is Intermittent Fasting? Let’s start with the basics of what Intermittent Fasting is: alternating periods of fasting and eating and there are many different ways to attain this. For example, one way is alternate-day fasting. An alternate day fasting plan would have you eat one day and then not eat the next day. Another is compressed food intake, where you restrict eating to a particular time frame (also known as time restricted feeding).......let’s say six hours. This could look something like a feeding window from 12PM to 6PM. I find this the best and most convenient way for most people to do intermittent fasting. Alternately you could expand your eating time to 8 hours with a fasting window of 16 hours (eat only between 12PM and 8PM). According to Jason Fung, M.D., fasting expert and author of the book The Complete Guide to Fasting, when it comes to fasting "there's actually infinite variability. It can be any time. Any time that you don't eat—that's fasting. It's the flip side, the B side of eating. It's really that simple." Benefits of Intermittent Fasting Studies show that intermittent fasting is an effective weight loss tool. It’s been shown to improve insulin sensitivity, reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, promote healthy brain function, increase athletic performance, increased longevity and energy levels. These are not the only benefits and most likely the one that should be getting the most attention regarding IF is that it is a hormetic stressor. This means that IF is a positive stressor, which is something that causes hormesis…. something that contributes to positive adaptations. Without going in to too much detail and getting too sciency, it basically promotes a process called cell autophagy, which is a cellular repair process. This is your body’s way of cleaning itself, it makes us more efficient in getting rid of the faulty parts. Which is probably why it helps with the symptoms listed above. Fasting gives your body a break from digesting and allows it to focus on other things. According to Dr. Gundry, this is especially important when it comes to the brain. "The brain needs huge amounts of blood flow. Digestion is incredibly energy-expensive and we divert all of our blood flow to our digestive system when we eat." Who should do Intermittent Fasting? Someone who suffers from the following issues may benefit; fighting a chronic infection has a weakened immune system is trying to lose weight Other good candidates would be, those who have type 2 diabetes or other metabolic problems, or neurological issues. Or you may just be someone who is trying to optimize longevity. Is there any reason not to do Intermittent Fasting? Since there are so many benefits, is there anyone who should not try this way of eating? The first group of people that should not do IF would be pregnant and nursing women. The key focus at this time should be to nourish a growing baby. Another group of people that may not be the best candidate for IF, are people who are suffering from adrenal fatigue, better known in the functional world as Hypothalamic-Pituitary Axis Dysregulation (HPA-D). These people are more prone to hypoglycemia, most likely have low energy, may not sleep well, or feel tired even after a good night’s sleep, basically a feeling of being worn out. Typically a person in this situation already has more than one stressor, so instead of IF playing a beneficial role, it can become another strain on the body, which can further them in the wrong direction. How to do intermittent fasting? The following are bullet points to help you: It is best to start on a day that is low stress; or at least not on a day you do a hard workout in the gym! During fasting periods, consume only water, tea, or black coffee. If desired, a small amount of ghee or coconut oil in a hot beverage is permitted during the fasting periods. Start with a 14- to 16-hour fast three to four times a week. This means all food is consumed within an eight- to 10- hour window, i.e., 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. or 10 p.m. to 6 p.m. each day. (Women tend to do better with slightly shorter fasts when compared with men.) You can try to progress to a 16-hour fast each day of the week where all food is consumed within an eight-hour window each day. If desired and tolerated, you may add a 40-hour fast once or twice a month. For example, if you eat between 12 and 8 p.m., you would finish your last meal on Friday night at 8 p.m. and not eat again until Sunday at 12 p.m. This is a more advanced strategy and should only be done by those who already have experience with fasting. It’s important to listen to your body and only fast on days when you feel up to it. You must take other life stressors into account and recognize that intermittent fasting, while often beneficial, is another stress on the body. When background levels of stress are low to moderate, this can be beneficial, but when they are high, intermittent fasting can cause problems. It’s also important to monitor sleep, energy levels, and cognitive function. If any of these start to decline, it may be time to reconsider how often to fast. Finally, while fasting is great, keep in mind that the way you break your fast is just as important. It's completely counterproductive to fast and then immediately binge on unhealthy foods. In other words, don't break your fast by going through the drive-thru or eating a bunch of processed foods. Create a meal that has protein, fiber, vegetables, and healthy fats to break your fast. Your body will thank you!

There is no rule saying you have to attack a new way of living a healthier life by doing all things at once. And, of course, some of us aren't even sure "what it is" that "we should be doing." I am always here to help with that!

Eggs! Thank you for being a easy and quick way to add protein to any meal. Here’s a guide to boiled eggs, from runny to crumbly hard-cooked. Place eggs in a medium pot and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil, then cover the pot and turn off the heat. Let the eggs cook, covered, for 5 to 12 minutes, depending on your desired done-ness. Transfer the eggs to a bowl of ice water and chill for 10 minutes. Remove the eggs from the ice bath and enjoy! Keep refrigerated up to 7 days.

My favorite bone broth is chicken. It's super easy and I can use the bones after I have roasted a chicken. Typically I will either roast 1-2 chickens, (Recipe for One Post Roasted Chicken, and Cast Iron Skillet Chicken) and save the bones from that. Once you have made your meal, you can save the bones to turn into an easy bone broth! Which can be used for adding to soups, stews, and replace water when making rice. Ingredients: 1 whole free-range chicken or 2-3 pounds of bony chicken parts such as necks, breastbones, and wings 4 quarts cold filtered water (16 cups) 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar 1 large onion coarsely chopped 2 carrots peeled and coarsely chopped 3 celery stalks coarsely chopped 1 bunch parsley salt and peppercorns to add some flavor Directions: Place chicken bones, from leftover meal, in a large stainless steel pot with water and vinegar, and all vegetables except parsley. Bring everything to a boil and remove scum that rises to the top. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 6-24 hours (the longer it simmers the more minerals it will absorb). The longer you cook the stock, the richer and more flavorful it will be. About 10 minutes before finishing the stock, add the parsley. This will impart additional mineral ions into the broth. Remove the whole chicken or pieces of bones with a slotted spoon. Strain the stock into containers of your liking and reserve in your refrigerator until the fat rises to the top and congels. Skim off the fat and reserve the stock in covered containers in your refrigerator or freezer. *** Bone broth can be kept in the fridge up to 5 days after making. If you don't want to use it right way, let it cool on the counter and move to the freezer, date it, and pull out when you are ready another day.