Archives for June 2014

Are You Eating the Right Fats?

AvocadoDid you know that 60% of your brain is made up of fat?

For that reason alone, the fats you include in your diet can directly impact your brain.

Of course, that doesn’t give you license to go out and consume a fast food diet of French Fries and overly processed foods.

(That will fry your brain in no time).

What you do want to focus on, is the so-called Essential Fatty Acids (aka EFA’s) – which include the all important omega-3’s.

These EFA’s are so named because they are so essential to your well-being – and also because your body doesn’t make these essential fats on it’s own.

They have to come from your food.

The bottom line is that, to be truly healthy, you definitely need a certain amount of fat in your diet.

In fact, one of the major culprits associated with the recent rise in autoimmune disease (what some are calling a national epidemic), has been the “fat-free” diet – a fad that has been extremely popular in recent decades.

Turns out we were all mis-informed – if not totally mis-led.

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What’s Going On In There?

Heartburn SmallI was deep in conversation recently with a young woman, as she explained to me in earnest, how she was struggling with an over-production of stomach acid.

This had been causing her all kinds of problems.

(Since we were at a party, I’m actually not sure how we go off onto that tangent, but we did.)

After listening intently, I gently explained to her that high levels of stomach acid are actually exceedingly rare.

And I went on to explain that the likely culprit was more likely low stomach acid.

She was confused.

It’s a common myth, one you’ve likely heard yourself.

After all, the media bombards you all the time with messages of what you should do for heartburn.

And they always recommend an over-the-counter medication, to ease your symptoms.

The key word here is “symptoms”.

Because in the end, all that medication actually does is ease your symptoms – without addressing why you have this problem in the first place!

In order to find the problem, you need to first back things up – and look for the cause.

After all, there’s a reason you’re experiencing heartburn.

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Going Gluten-Free? Don’t Make This Mistake!

PackagesDo you know what most people do, once they receive a diagnosis for Celiac Disease – or it’s better known cousin, Non-Celiac-Gluten-Sensitivity?

They go shopping, of course.

And that’s perfectly understandable.

For most of us, the first inclination is to purchase suitable replacements for everything we’re used to eating.

Things that include:

  • Bread
  • Crackers
  • Cookies
  • Cereal

 After all, a girls gotta eat, right?

Then again, a number of people have been known to go into a sort of hibernation – dreading that first trip to the market.

Instead, they focus on foods that are naturally gluten-free – things like nuts and seeds, all manner of fruits and vegetables, dairy (if permitted), eggs (again, if permitted), meat and poultry, legumes and a few safe grains.

And you know what?

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Let’s Chew On This

Bread CrustDid your grandmother (or a parent) ever admonish you to adequately chew your food?

(In my husband’s family, his grandmother had a hard and fast rule to chew each bite exactly 33 times).

Well, it turns out your grandmother was right!

Chewing your food thoroughly is a critical part of the digestive process, priming your stomach and your digestive juices for the task ahead.

Not only that, this entry point – i.e. your mouth – is also where the Gut-Brain connection happens.

Translation – your gut and your brain are so closely connected, that the gut is often referred to as your “second brain”.

In fact, proper chewing does all of the following for your body:

  • Helps to eliminate gas and bloating (gluten sensitivity, anyone?)
  • Helps to eliminate abdominal pain
  • Helps to reduce the load on the rest of your digestive system
  • Actually helps with weight loss!

 

Are you curious about the last one?

Properly chewing your food can actually help with weight loss (and weight maintenance) simply because you’ll end up feeling satisfied on less food!

So, here’s the thing.
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