There are chemicals in our food, air and water that disrupt the endocrine system. We now cleverly call them endocrine disruptors. Trust me- if you want to feel good- you want a highly functioning endocrine system. 

Here is a link to a CBS News article about obesogens

 CBS News Story

I am personally inviting you to be a part of our next 

21 Day Metabolic Cleanse

Uncover the hidden obesogens and endocrine disruptors in your diet!

As Amber said so well in her success story…

“I highly recommend the cleanse to anyone regardless of health status or goals. Just sign up…challenge yourself, and you’ll be glad you did.”

 1. You always choose the low-fat or fat free options when grocery shopping

I am a farm to table nutritionist and I strongly believe in eating as close to nature as possible. Every cell in your body is made of a bi-lipid fatty membrane and guess what- it needs healthy fats to work well! Low-fat options usually contain more sugar, go through too much processing and are not very satisfying. Choose close to nature and as always, eat in moderation. Eat to nourish!

2. You eat plenty of fruits everyday, At Least your recommended 3 servings

Vegetables are much more important than fruits and honestly, fruits contain way too much sugar for many people. Eat your veggies! Stick to your dark berries as a good fruit source and let most other fruits be treats or to satisfy a sugar craving.

3.  You make sure you eat an early dinner and do not have anything else for the rest of the evening.  If you eat too late at night, you will gain weight.

For most people, especially with impaired metabolism, going that long without food will cause a blood sugar dip in the middle of the night…leading to a cortisol rush, insomnia and we know that adds up to weight gain! Most people do better by having a small, balanced snack in the evening.

4. You eat egg white omelets to avoid elevated cholesterol.

Egg whites and egg yolks go together-like a perfect marriage and they should be eaten together (unless you have a food sensitivity). Cholesterol from your food does not increase blood cholesterol and there are specific nutrients in the yolk that help you absorb the white. Remember- eat close to nature!

5. Soy is great for hormonal balance and cancer prevention so you incorporate it into your daily meals.

Soy is highly processed and allergenic for many people. It is something we eliminate during the cleanse. If you want healthy digestion and optimal thyroid health, avoid soy products like vegan “meats”, soymilk, soy protein shakes and bars. If you are not sensitive to soy, you can find health benefits from miso and tempeh.

The word “cleanse” is a buzzword. We hear it in the media from celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow and Beyoncé. The word invokes images of juices, powdered concoctions and frequent trips to the bathroom. For some it seems ridiculous. For others, it may seem glamorous, like a surefire fix when you need weight loss and clear skin for a red carpet event.

But what is a cleanse, really? And who needs a cleanse, really?

The word “cleanse” conjures up so many different images because there isn’t a unified definition of cleanse. People promote whole body cleanses, bowel cleanses, juice cleanses, raw foods only, and water cleanses. One of my professors used to say that a cleanse is different for everyone, depending on where they are in their health journey. For one of his patients, an older gentleman without much regard to his health at all, a cleanse meant stopping the nightly box of Oreos and starting to walk 2 times per week. All of this variety leaves the public confused about whether or not they need a cleanse.

In my practice, a cleanse is a concerted effort to eat and live in a way that supports health and vitality. It is about making conscious choices and being aware of how the foods, activities and environmental exposures affect every aspect of your health. It is about learning how to eat clean, unprocessed foods and eliminate inflammatory foods that cause vague symptoms like, fatigue, headaches, gas/ bloat, weight gain, allergies and skin issues. It is a learning process- food affects every aspect health.

Each one of us needs a cleanse because each one of us carries a body burden load. Body burden or toxic burden is the term scientists give to measure the amount of environmental chemicals found in the body. With increasingly high levels of daily chemical exposure, from the air we breathe, the food we eat, the water we drink and the chemicals we put on our skin, everyone has a body burden. As far as you can get from your body burden, or toxic load, the better you will feel.  A cleanse is about learning ways to reduce your body burden, creating a new and lasting level of health.

I recommend a cleanse, like the one I have described, at the change of each season, ideally 4 times per year.  We all get off track and this is a great way to help you re-focus and re-establish your health goals. Remember, a cleanse does not have to be extreme and it definitely does not have to be a “celebrity fad”  diet.  Choose a cleanse that has been around while, time tested with exciting testimonials. Make sure the cleanse offers support and guidance throughout and make sure it is something that makes sense to you. After all, you want to be healthy for a lifetime, not just for a red-carpet event!

Here is a great video about about the healing power of nutrition. I hope it motivates you to save your life!

With the overly red face and big belly, it is possible…however, I cannot say for sure..Santa is not a patient of mine (not yet, anyway!).

In our household, we decided to make him gluten free cookies..just in case!

And I have to share this amazing recipe with you b/c you simply won’t miss gluten (or any flour product at all) b/c they are amazing! Santa (and my 8 year old approved!)

- 1 cup ground almonds (almond meal)

- 50 grams melted butter organic, unsalted butter

-1/4 cup raw, unprocessed, sucanat or coconut sugar

-1/2 cup of  dark, naturally sweetened cocoa chips

- 1 egg- pasture raised

- 1tsp. cinnamon

-1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

- A pinch of sea salt

Preheat oven to 340 F

Mix together all of the ingredients, don’t add the butter while it is still hot – let it cool for a while before adding it to the batter.

Fold in chocolate.

Line a baking tray with baking paper.

Take one heaping teaspoon of batter at a time and place on to the baking tray.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until they are done. Take them out of the oven when the sides start to brown.

(adapted from glutenfreeday.com)

~How can a simple dietary intervention cause such a dramatic change?~

Glad you asked: Because osetoepenia and osteoporosis is a nutritional disorder. A highly acidic (unhealthy) diet causes the body to look for something basic to balance the acidity. And guess what-it gets the base from the minerals in your bone!

When I first started practicing, I would tell people we can definitely stop the progression of bone loss, but we cannot increase bone density. After years of practice, I now know this is not true! Not only can diet stop bone loss, it is possible to rebuild bone! Great news!

Here is a link to the study

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110818093048.htm

I admire his simple, real world approach to nutrition. He sums up his basic nutrition philosophy into a few words- eat real food. not too much. mostly plants. -pretty simple right?

When I give nutrition talks in the community, I like to interject a few of my favorite “Pollanisms.” They are guaranteed to get a few nods of agreement and smiles.

I wanted to share a few of my favorites with you..

1.If it was made from a plant, eat it, if it was made in a plant, don’t

2. Don’t eat anything your great grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food

3. Don’t but your food where you buy your gas

4. Don’t eat breakfast cereals that change the color of your milk

5. Pay more, eat less

6. Eat animals that have themselves eaten well

7. Consult your gut

8. Avoid products that have more than 5 ingredients

9. Eat only foods that will eventually rot

and my very favorite…

10. A treat is not a treat if you have it everyday!