Your Gut Is Essential For Your Health

Your Gut Is Essential For Your Health

The holidays can be a time when we indulge in more than we normally would. More food, most likely more alcohol, more activities, and less sleep. All of these can contribute to feeling behind the curve as we enter the new year. Do you know what’s at the root of this feeling? It’s your gut. Your gut is essential for your health.

There are many things that influence your gut health. These are primarily related to what you put in your mouth – whether solid or liquid – as Dana learned recently when she reached out for my help.

Dana, a young wife and mother to a 4-year-old daughter, realized she was spiraling downward and knew she needed help. She reported that she wasn’t doing well even before the holidays, but since Thanksgiving had been feeling like it was all getting worse.

Her gut was not happy – indigestion was a common experience – so she often avoided food. She also wasn’t sleeping well, which made her groggy throughout the day. All the added Christmas festivities were making things worse, so she picked up her phone to send an SOS to me.

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Bloating – A Call For Action

Bloating – A Call For Action

Are you one of the 20-30% of our population dealing with gas and bloating on a regular basis? It is an uncomfortable signal that your body – specifically your digestive tract – needs your help. Though it may seem to be your norm, bloating is a call for action on your body’s behalf.

Many experience this as abdominal distention after eating throughout the day. Some of my clients have called it their “food baby.” If this is you, do you find you need to loosen your belt or choose to wear an elastic waistband for greater comfort?

Or are you reluctant to eat very much because you get bloating and discomfort afterward? Yet lack of nutrition causes malnourishment and can lead to loss of muscle mass.

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The Value of Ancient Healing Practices

The Value of Ancient Healing Practices

Science has transformed many aspects of our lives, touching agriculture, medicine, communication, and more. My life now is quite different than it was twenty years ago, and I’m sure you would say the same. Yet, our scientific advances do not negate the value of ancient healing practices.

I have encouraged my clients to consume bone broth to benefit their digestive systems. Bone broth has historically been made from roasted bones and fresh ingredients.

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Pain From A Different Perspective

Pain From A Different Perspective

None of us enjoy pain. It adds to the challenges we already experience by adding both physical and emotional stress. The typical response to pain is to open a bottle and pop a pill (or two), washing it down with whatever liquid is at hand. What would happen if we viewed pain from a different perspective?

Since our goal is usually to stop the pain, popping a pill can succeed … for the time being. What about identifying the root cause of the pain? If the pain returns and you need to repeat the process daily or multiple times a day, you may actually be adding fuel to the fire in your body.

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Restore Your Gut Health with the 5R Approach

Restore Your Gut Health With The 5R Approach

You may have been able to ignore digestive distress in the past, but I’m guessing that Thanksgiving made it a little more difficult. What are your digestive symptoms? Bloating, gas, indigestion, hiccups, pain, burping, or disrupted elimination? Many will simply take a medication for temporary relief, not realizing that their body is sending a cry for help. Let’s review ways to restore your gut health with the 5R approach.

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Move Your Lymph

Move Your Lymph

Most everyone is familiar with the cardiovascular system that helps to pump blood to the body’s tissues. Did you know there is another series of vessels that carry a clear liquid called lymph? It’s important to move your lymph to improve your health.

Move Your Lymph

While nutrients and oxygen are delivered to the body through blood, lymph has the task of collecting waste, toxins, and debris while also distributing immune cells through the body. Keeping your lymph flowing smoothly is critical for your body’s wellbeing.

Your lymphatic system is a network of vessels and lymph nodes working together to carry fluids from your tissues to your blood. It is basically your body’s inner drainage system.

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Bile Is As Important As Probiotics

Did You Know Bile Is As Important As Probiotics?

When digestion works, we tend to go through life oblivious to what’s happening in our bodies. And when it doesn’t work, we look for relief. In this case, I’m pretty sure you don’t think much about bile, yet bile is as important as probiotics. 

Bile has many important roles in our bodies. It emulsifies and digests fat, breaking it down into small particles that can be absorbed by the small intestines. It also helps escort toxins and excess hormones from the body and protects the health of the digestive system. Read more

You’ve likely heard of food referred to as fuel. But that falls short of reality. Food is far more than fuel, it is also information.

Food Is Far More Than Fuel

You’ve likely heard of food referred to as fuel – I’ve even spoken that way in the past. But I’m realizing that it’s an analogy that falls short of reality. Food is far more than fuel, it is also information.

Food is what gives your body the energy and nutrients it needs to function. Your body requires fats, proteins and carbs, along with lots of micronutrients – vitamins, minerals and other compounds. All these help it functional properly. Read more

Do you battle with stubborn weight? Perhaps you have tried different diet plans with some success, but don't realize hormones are at play.

The Battle With Stubborn Weight

Do you battle with stubborn weight? Perhaps you have tried a number of different diet plans with some success, but you still hit a wall.  So you visited your doctor and were told to eat less and exercise more. I’m sure you have discovered that’s not your answer either.

While calories can influence weight gain or loss, it’s a more intricate system than most realize. There are a variety of hormones that influence the function of your body and the way it uses the food you consume. Read more

There is a whole ecosystem, a world, in your belly and it influences your body's function, even contributing to weight gain.

There’s A Whole World In Your Belly

Are you aware that there is a whole ecosystem residing inside your body? Occasionally it gets our attention with uncomfortable symptoms in our gut. Oh, you didn’t realize that was the ecosystem talking, did you? You could actually consider it a whole world in your belly, and it influences your body’s function, including weight gain. Read more