3 health concerns most women ignore

Hey Hey Diva friends!

Quick update for you :) January is off to a rocking' start!! I launched my very first Gut Health program #GetGutsyWithMe on January 15th and I'm already getting AMAZING feedback on the program, information, and recipes! This fills my heart with joy and happiness since it's my life's mission to help people make healthy changes in a doable, pleasant, and maintainable way!!

Stay tuned - Get Gutsy will be launching 2-3 times each year and you can expect edition #2  in a few months!

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I also chose to jump into the 80Day Obsession program by Autumn Calabrese! This is a beachbody program from the creator of 21 day fix. YES I'm a personal trainer, YES I could create my own workouts...YES MLMs like beachbody have a bad name (because of poor representatives I might add - not because of the products).... but I have seen GREAT success using at home programs, so have many of my clients and friends and heck...it saves me time and sanity to follow a program that's already designed! As I grow and focus on my OWN business, I enjoy popping down in my basement and not having to think about what to do next. #stressrelief If you want to join me just say the word!

I'm VERY pleased to announce that The Tiny Fit Diva podcast will be up and available to stream in February. We are currently working on a few last minute tweaks as well as preparing a few extra episodes for you to be on top of the game before we open it to the public :) GET EXCITED because Patrick and I share our best tips on this weekly show!

 I have many goals for 2018 and one habit I'm slowly beginning to implement is an organized morning. Last year I read miracle morning and I loved a lot of the ideas but didn't implement them right away. As I'm getting busier, I want to make sure my priorities don't slip, so in the evening I have been making a list of to-dos the next day and that includes the first few things I want  to get done in the morning which includes meditation, reading my Bible, and reading a personal development book! 

All in all, January is shaping up to be a pretty darn awesome month and I have more goals, dreams, and visions for the next few years that I can't wait to share with you as they come to fruition.....

Today's topic:

3 health concerns most women ignore

1) Poop. 

Man, it seems like this is all I'm talking about these days! Between Get Gutsy With Me, my podcast, personal conversations and now this blog....shew! I need t find another topic ;)

A common complaint that many of my clients have is inconsistent stools. Some may be constipated, some have diarrhea, or some fluctuate between the two. If you aren't having regular bowel movements and/or you have stomach pains that accompany inconsistent bowel movements you need to get it checked out! Consider ordering up a comprehensive stool test and/or a food sensitivities test. Often the two compliment each other well.

When you are constipated, your stool is literally putrefying in your body. Yuck! Stool is full of toxins that your body has broken down, processed, and passed through to successfully eliminate and get it out of your system. When it's held in, those toxins are getting reabsorbed which can cause an excessive toxic load on your liver, pain in your abdomen, and even issues with your mental clarity and energy, not to mention the potential damage and inflammation to your colon the longer this goes on!

If you regularly have constipation, diarrhea or a fluctuation between the two it can be an indication of food sensitivities, a bacterial imbalance or even a parasite. Ignoring these can lead to disease, chronic pain, chronic inflammation and even stomach cancer in the case of the H. Pylori an wildly common stomach bacteria. When inflammation and damage goes on too long in the body it can eventually lead to a suppressed immune system compromising your future health as well as your ability to recover.

2) Too much coffee during the day...

I almost titled this point "Fatigue" but when we rely on stimulants all day many people don't realize how tired they actually ARE. Many people will say " oh yes I feel fine, I get through my work day great!" but if you were to take away the caffeine, coffee or sugary beverages throughout the day these same people would crash and burn around 10am and have a tough time mentally and physically recovering to complete the rest of their day.

Limit yourself to 1 cup of (preferably black) coffee a day and keep that before noon. While extra caffeine throughout the day may give us the sensation that we have more energy, it's actually taxing on our body's natural energy production systems and can give us misinformation on how energized we actually are. The longer (later) caffeine is in out system the more it affects are ability to get to and stay asleep. We need to be able to rest when we are fatigued so that we can naturally reset and not rely on stimulants throughout the day.

Additionally, when you wake up your cortisol levels are at their highest for aproximately the first hour of the day. Cortisol (a steroidal hormone) gives you that energy to wake up and roll out of bed. Consider waiting to drink that cup of coffee until 1-2 hours after you wake to really maximize your body's utilization of the cortisol and the caffeine together.

3) Resistant weight loss

Many women thing "I'm just getting older", or "this is my life now" and lose hope when they struggle to lose weight in middle age ( or any age!). I'm here to tell you that weight loss IS possible and your body DOES want you to lose that stubborn belly fat. Weight loss resistance is a SYMPTOM and it's your body's way of telling you that something isn't right. Typically it's related to a stress response. 

When your body is stressed whether mentally, physically, or emotionally, it releases cortisol which increases insulin levels and therefore affects your ability to gain or lose weight efficiently. When your body is chronically stressed, in it's desire to survive it stores fat and shuts down non-essential functions such as proper digestion and fertility ability. aka - it messes with your hormones man!

Weight gain or the inability to LOSE stubborn fat is generally a signal to you that there is a hidden stressor somewhere in your life that needs to be removed. This could be anything from an emotionally stressor like a bad relationship, chronic stress like business at work or lack of proper sleep, or physical stressors like over exercising and/or food sensitivities causing inflammation and damage to your gut lining.

All 3 of these are problems that MANY women encounter and therefore many women consider them "normal". These are not normal and by no means are you meant to struggle with them for life. In fact, with some digging there may be a relatively simple answer. It may take time, and it may take work. I never said changes would be EASY, but they may be SIMPLE. 

Be your own health advocate, know your body, and don't "let it go" :)

Have you, or are you struggling with one of these? I'd love to hear from you - leave a comment below!

#YOUtrition

Hey hey Diva friends!

I was trying to think of a fun way I could refer to my personal food philosophy and YOUtrition is what came to mind. I kinda like it, what do you think?

So what IS #YOUtriton? (that's right, I aded a hashtag....get out there and share this post - I want see #Youtrition everywhere because when you embrace it your life will CHANGE!) :P

Simply put, #YOUtrition is the nutrition that is right for YOU. It's as wonderful, unique, individualized and special as you are. Everyone's genes, life history, mental/physical/emotional stresses are different and so the right combination of foods to fuel your body is just as unique. Just because a food is healthy doesn't mean it's healthy for YOU.

#Youtrition has 2 main steps: 

1) Eliminate the garbage. This covers everyone regardless of genes, environment, lifestyle, age, gender....and is beneficial for any lifestyle.

If the "food" is processed, modified, hybridized, ditch it. If it has chemicals, sugar, or words you don't recognize on the ingredients list, pass it over. Focus on REAL, whole, unprocessed, organic-as-much-as-possible food. 

2) Once you have #1 under control, this is where it gets fun. Personalize your diet to fit YOUR body and YOUR life. For example: How do you feel on low carb? How do you feel on high carb? What about high fat or low fat? How do you feel with squashes or tomatoes? Do you feel energized and awesome or do you get gassy or tired? What about Dairy (raw, organic, pasture raised of course)...do you tolerate it or not?

Just because butternut squash is packed with nutrition and could be an amazing source of carbs for Jim down the street doesn't mean that's the right food for Sandra next door. She may experience a headache, gas or bloating. In that case, put it on the no-fly list and move on.

You have to DISENGAGE to make this fun!

Drop the mentality that because something isn't right for you the world is OVER ha! Trust me, I've been there. I got sad for a minute when I realized I couldn't have cinnamon or mint this year. HELLO holiday EVERYTHING :) But your mentality is super key in making this enjoyable. Take a "can do" attitude and make it an adventure. For everything you CAN'T eat there are tons of new foods, flavors and spices you CAN. Be open to trying new things, experimenting and expanding your palate. 

If you have trouble with your mentality - WORK ON IT. This is not something innate to people. In fact, people are naturally pessimistic, fearful and negative. Positivity, productivity, and discipline take practice and personal growth. Some awesome books you might like to check out are:

Extreme Ownership

The Mind Connection

Eat That Frog

Finding the right #YOUtrition can take some time, but it's rewarding!

Keep it simple. Master step #1 first and you may find that's the only step you need. Your weight, rosacea, mood swings, and bloating may disappear when you get ride of the junk. 

If you have other goals or specific complaints that stick around then move on to step #2! Break it down, keep lists or a journal and give each change you make at least a few days to really determine it's effectiveness if not longer.

During step #2 you might find you need some guidance of WHERE to start. I know that I was surprised to learn of "healthy" things that were not healthy for me (At least not at this time) like yellow squash, and chicken! 

The MRT Leap food sensitivities test helped me a LOT and gave me a strong foundation to build my own #Youtrition from the ground up. I've adjusted and modified since taking the test and it has helped so much. Now I'm helping my clients do the same!

Be your own health advocate and discover whats exactly right for YOUR unique body.

If you're ready to take YOUR health to the next level and you want some FREE recipes, fun, and accountability along the way, join my Facebook group "Stop Dieting and Live Your Life!" I'm running my FREE Holiday Survival Guide event now through December and you can download that here!

If you really want in-depth support, 1:1 attention and guidance on gut health, balancing your micro biome and restoring your heath from the inside out, check out my new 8 week program "Get Gutsy With Me" Launching January 15, 2018!!! You will have access to additional testing including the MRT Leap food sensitivities testing to personalize your experience! 

I'd love to hear YOUR story! Comment below with any thoughts or questions!

Sneaky Food Allergies

Hey hey Diva friends!

Well I'll be a butternut squash...wait...that makes no sense....if I WAS a butternut squash I wouldn't have a food sensitivity to it. That's right...add it to my list! :)
 

If you want to know more about the Food sensitivity testing process read my blog here!

To learn more about how food sensitivities, gut health and more, click here!

Let me start with the positives....since embarking on my journey of testing I have seen marked improvements! More energy, bloating gone (THANK YOU!!!) anxiety lowered and sense of wellness UP! WOOHOO!

What to look for

Much of this began to come together once I eliminated the food sensitivities on my MRT Leap test and began treating a bacterial overgrowth found on my stool test. It's very important to balance the environment in our gut. When there is an imbalance or dysbiossis of any sort, it can lead to:

• Bloating
• Fatigue
• Skin issues
• Hormonal imbalances
• Mood swings
• IBS
• malabsoprtion
• food sensitivities
• pain
• headaches
• foggy thinking
• etc....

We are more susceptible to bacteria, yeast, parasites and fungal growth (or overgrowth) with any of the following:

• Food sensitivities ( they can be a result, OR, triggering even for gut imbalance)
• birth control use
• prescription use
• antibiotic use
• stress
• poor sleep habits
• exposure to chemical or environmental toxins ( aluminum in deodorant, bleach, hair/skin/beauty treatments)
• etc....

The longer I think about my history the more I come to understand the struggles my body has had to overcome and...well...detox from! I am constantly amazed at this efficient machine that God has created to heal from within! Without our help our bodies do a LOT to detoxify and protect us on a daily basis. There comes a point however where knowledge is key and taking action on the knowledge can help reverse disease, prevent disease, and help you live your happiest, most energetic and mentally present life!

Personally I have a history of:

• Antibiotic use
• Birth control use
• Excessive Nsaid use ( excedrin and advil cold and sinus DAILY at some points)
• processed foods, sugars and wheat consumption for years
• Chronic stress for many years in young adulthood
• Traumatic event in early childhood
• etc....

Over the past few years food sensitivities has been and ever evolving journey as I become more aware of, test, and listen to my body. As my body adjusts and changes I am able to identify more easily the foods I'm sensitive too.

Think about it this way - when you are eating 20 foods your body is sensitive to and it's totally overwhelmed, it's really hard to pinpoint the problem. Once you've eliminated the main stressors however, it becomes way easier to go "oops! this food must be a problem".

The past few days I was super annoyed because I felt very fatigued, had a headache, and got really gassy (embarrassing!!!). Nothing in my life patterns had changed, and as I was thinking about it my food was basically the same as well UNTIL.....

I remembered I had added in a homemade pumpkin pudding. Seemingly innocuous, I had eaten a large portion for breakfast one day and had had a few servings 2-3 days in a row. The only major change in my foods, I thought it through and realized the last time I at butternut squash I got gassy as well, and on my food sensitivities list is yellow squash. It seems that I am actually sensitive to winter squash and all the varieties! Guess what went away as soon as I stopped eating the pudding....the reactions!

Be Patient

As you go through a process of healing, it may seem that you become more sensitive to more foods...and this can be disheartening. But don't feel bad! In reality, you are just becoming more AWARE. Once we know how to identify things and listen to our bodies the amount of information our bodies give us is incredible! It's like flipping a switch and suddenly receiving and processing information we never acknowledged before. Or think of it this way....your body is a printer and has been printing and printing analytical reports on what it needs and how to treat it but we never turned the printer on, so we were never receiving the reports.....when we begin to eliminate stressors and really listen to our body it's like turning that printer on and receiving all those pages of information that had been stored in the printers memory....overwhelming at first, but it's been there all along.

What to do next

It's important to remember that our bodies change. They change as we age, and they change as we heal. There is a high probability that you are more sensitive to something NOW than you were BEFORE. There is also high probability that as your lifestyle changes and your nutrition becomes more...well....nutritious...that your food sensitivities list changes as well!

1) Keep a food journal - it's tough sometimes to think about what we've had to eat the past 24  hours. Making it even a little more tricky is the fact that many food sensitivities can show up within 24-72 hours. This means something you ate Saturday may affect your your mood, your digestion, or your skin on Monday! It's important to look back so you're able to make correlations.

Join  the health revolution and download my free Holiday Survival Guide today!

2) Build up your gut strength. When we have multiple food sensitivities the lining of our gut becomes inflamed and the tight junctions in that lining that protect the blood from large or unwanted particles becomes compromised. This is why you can have external symptoms like skin rashes, mood swings or neurological reactions to an unhealthy gut ( toxins are crossing the blood brain barrier!). Consider bringing in fermented foods like sauerkraut and kombucha while also supplementing with a digestive enzyme and quality probiotic.

3) Consider getting tested. There are so many nutritional approaches out there - paleo, primal, whole30, grain free, autoimmune protocols, specific carbohydrate diets etc....while all are valid and effective, getting tested gives you specific information on your own personal body chemistry.  It also allows for you to work with a practitioner that can guide you, encourage you, and provide supplementation to help your body heal more quickly as you go through the process!

Take Action Now!

Gut health is incredibly important to me and that's why I'm launching "Get Gutsy With Me" January 15th of 2018!!! It's an 8 week program that will include:

• 4 bi-weekly, jam-packed eBooks overflowing with every piece of information you need to get the results your body craves—think of it as the ultimate go-to resource guide for your gut!
•   A mouthwatering Recipe Guide packed with over 59 chef-approved food and drink recipes to keep you nourished, satisfied and toxin-free!
•   8-Weeks of suggested meals to make gut rebuilding easy as 1-2-3. for the entire 2-month period—yes, you heard that right—no need to plan for 8 weeks (go ahead and take a deep breath)! I made life easy for you.
•   8 Shopping lists to make your trips to the supermarket 110% hassle-free!
•  Email support from yours truly—I’m here to make sure you succeed!
•   Handouts with simple reminders for your gut health journey
• · A Food Diary so that you can reflect on how your meals make you feel and unleash your maximum potential!

PLUS online support from me through the whole program AND the option to personalize and improve your results through your own gut testing at a discounted rate! If you sign up before January 1st, you'll receive the early bird discount of $199. Don't wait, because it jumps to $247 in the new year! 

p.s. not sure you want to work with me yet? Or simply want to start NOW? Download my FREE Holiday Survival guide first and get to know me over the holiday season! 

p.p.s. Do you have gut troubles? I'd love to hear your story, thoughts, comments and experiences below - leave me a comment! 

To your health!

p.s. the advice contained in this article is not meant to diagnose or treat any diseases and does not take the place of a qualified medical practitioner or physician.  

All about food sensitivities and getting tested...

Hey Hey there Diva friends!! 

Many of you may have seen my recent video talking about my MRT blood test results that showed me several SURPRISING food sensitivities that I have....if not keep reading! (or watch here-->)

"Whyyyyyyy??", "Are you KIDDING me?", "I can't believe I have a reaction to that""waaaahhh that's my favorite." Were just a few thoughts that ran through my mind as I read my results. But THEN it gave me hope. Hope that this is another piece to my puzzle of health...a missing link so to speak that can take me a few steps closer to where I want to be. Let me explain why...

When you are ingesting food that your body then has a negative reaction (sensitivity) to, this causes inflammation and a cascade of stress inside your body whether you can recognize it or not! The thing about food sensitivities is....you often don't "see" them. We are so used to looking at the dramatic examples with anaphylactic shock, hyves, swelling, etc....the only difference with a food sensitivity is it's you can't SEE it, so we often don't put 2 and 2 together, and/or we write it off as unimportant.

See how eating foods you are sensitive to can affect your gut here

For example...since it's not life threatening, shows up within DAYS instead of MINUTES, and can be related to what we consider "normal" things like gas, bloating, a day of bad poop, acne, etc....we often don't think about it or recognize the connection....but long term these "little" sensitivities can affect your hormone balance, immune system and potential, or susceptibility, for chronic disease!

What's even CRAZIER is that the most seemingly benign foods can be causing this which, in my case, is EXACTLY what was happening.... 

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This (potentially) explains SO MUCH! I had already eliminated the major common allergens - wheat and dairy. I was even pretty low on my consumption of grains and beans! But...after all that, I would still have some issues of bloating, fatigue, etc.... now granted, I've come a long way from the debilitating stomach pains, the kill me now PMS cramps that lasted for HOURS at a time and render me completely useless for the day, the rosacea on my face etc etc.... BUT even with all those amazing improvements I'm on a journey and want to see HOW healthy I can be! Feeling fatigued at the most inopportune times, struggling with getting my hormones back to a desired level.... those are things I am determined to solve...These things brought me to my FDN certification which in turn brought me to the MRT food sensitivities testing and I'm happy it did.

Come to find out, food I NEVER would have considered as being reactive are top on my list when I got the results back. Chicken, carrots, cinnamon, vanilla,  blueberries, and avocado were all reactive foods (as were several others but these ones really hurt!). These are foods I eat not just regularly but weekly if not DAILY!!! Even MANY times a day!!! No WONDER I still have some recurring issues... my goodness!

So then - that gives me HOPE! While I have to eliminate everything on my reactive list (including BANANAS and mint!) for 90 days, I also expect to see some great results from that.

Another thing to keep in mind with food sensitivities is that they aren't always forever. When I get retested in 3 months or so, there is the potential that after fully eliminating the irritants and adding some things into my lifestyle and diet to HEAL my gut, the list may be much smaller. That's the goal!

One major reason I think EVERYONE should get this test is because of how HIDDEN these stressors can be! It's tough to detect on your own because not every sensitivity you have would be an obvious or even common one (hello chicken?!), so getting tested gives you a clear path forward.

It's not necessarily an easy thing to do - the test is an investment and if you aren't willing to put in the work I wouldn't waste the money. You HAVE to be willing to go through a mental transformation as well as a physical one because trust me - it can be overwhelming at first. But this I know. You CAN do it, and if you're willing to, I can help you get through it! 

If you are interested in getting this test done make sure to send me an e-mail! Or go to my FDNP link at the top of the page to set up your FREE 30 minute discovery call to find out if working together is the right choice for you! 

I'm looking forward to helping YOU reach YOUR optimum health goals too!

Bye for now!

If you didn't see my video check it out here! See my reaction, my results, and my PLAN!