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                                                              Good to Know!



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Why Cleanse?

4/7/2018

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First of all, let me address something that I, as a health coach, struggle with: the term “cleanse.” As you read on, you'll see that while I wholeheartedly believe in the concept and practice of a cleanse, the misuse and overuse of the term is cringeworthy. The definition alone lends itself to all kinds of extremes of deprivation.

The programs I run are based on anything but deprivation— far from it. To the contrary, they're focused on an extreme abundance of nutrients; those that are most likely missing from people's day-to-day eating habits. 

Cleansing is an age-old practice with tremendous benefits. Taking a period of time to eliminate addictive substances such as processed foods, caffeine, and alcohol, while at the same time maximizing nutrition, creates a valuable opportunity for your body to heal, rejuvenate, and thrive.

Our body's detoxifying organs — the kidneys, liver, lungs, skin, and colon, as well as our lymphatic system — all perform specific functions that share a common goal: removing harmful substances to keep us healthy. Reducing incoming offenders helps support these vital detoxifiers by lightening their load and revitalizing their ability to perform optimally. Think of it as cleaning the filters in your home or car. 

The 2018 Spring Cleanse considers all channels of detoxification by first minimizing incoming harmful substances such as chemicals from pesticides, skin care products, preservatives, and additives. At the same time, the program maximizes an abundance of live, nutrient-dense (and did I mention incredibly delicious?!) foods like bitters and cruciferous vegetables that facilitate cleansing. Building on this foundation, we further focus our awareness on prioritizing digestion, sleep, and stress reduction, so that we're creating an environment for thriving -- not merely surviving. 

I hope you'll join me for this exercise in abundance. Create an environment that supports your body's ability to achieve balance, function optimally, and live more peacefully. ​

Spring Cleanse
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Building Immunity and Resilience

11/26/2017

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This year, I came down with a cold just before the holiday. Coincidentally, I spent last year's Thanksgiving with one as well. I'm always a little curious (and indignant) why I succumb to a cold with all I do to stay well.  However, my friends and family are the first to remind me of what I know to be true: lack of consistent sleep is my pitfall. I'm working on it…shutting it down and going to bed. Truth is, I am getting better at it, but this is the change that I resist and struggle with the most.

This leads me to the point of this post. Building immunity and resilience. So, lets start with my nemesis, and perhaps our best ally in creating health and building our immune system ... sleep!

During sleep our immune system releases proteins called cytokines. Cytokines aid in sleep quality as well as work to fight off infectious diseases you may have been exposed to. Lack of sleep decreases the production of cytokines and thereby your ability to ward off infection.

I believe all of us understands the importance of eating a healthy whole foods diet and the elimination of processed foods in building health and immunity. I'd like to point out some of our super heroes that serve to build immunity and resilience to getting sick.

Ginger; expels cold, induces sweating, thereby removing toxins from the body
Turmeric; is one of the top antioxidant, anti-inflammatory containing foods. Curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric and is anti-viral and anti-fungal making turmeric a super, super hero in your diet.
Garlic; contains allicin which fights infection and bacteria. Try rubbing it with olive oil, wrapping it in  parchment paper, then foil and roasting it in the oven until soft and sweet.
Coconut oil; contains beneficial lauric acid, not common to many foods, but prevalent in human breast milk and proven to enhance immunity. Coconut oil is also anti-viral, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial.
Sweet Potatoes; high in beta-carotene, which your body converts to Vitamin A, vital to skin health, your body's first defense against infection!
Vitamin D; is essential for proper immune function. Optimally your level should  be between 50 and 70ng/ml. Checking your level through blood work and supplementing with D3 to maintain adequate levels is one of the most important things you can do to ward off sickness. 
Probiotics and Fermented Foods; boost your immune system by adding healthy, friendly bacteria and balance gut flora. 70% of your immune system is housed in your gut!

Fortunately, while there is much we can do nutritionally to build our health. However, stellar eating may not be enough to override the impact stress, lack of sleep (go to bed Beth), autoimmunity, multiple attacks and even digestive issues may have on our immune system.  Our bodies ability to ward off infection is multifaceted. So, when we do fall sick, our best response is with additional sleep, reduction of stress and nurturing ourselves. These are my most trusted and relied upon rituals. 

Go to bed; sleep is what is most needed now and your best chance for shortening the length of your illness
Chicken soup; is not just an old wives tale. Soup (made with bone broth is even better!) is comforting, soothing, healing and nutritious 
Warm to hot baths; is my most comforting and healing tool. At the first sign of sickness, I'm in that tub with 2 cups of ACV. If you're experiencing body aches, 2 cups of epsom salts will bring you relief and great comfort. Add a little lavender essential oil to your tub and head straight to bed after for better sleep and more healing.
Hydrate; it is easy to become dehydrated if you are running a fever, so extra water is essential. Extra water and herbal teas will also help to detoxify your system.
Morning Elixir; contains useful ingredients that fight fever, infection and even headaches. I used my morning elixir off and on all day to help my body fight the fight. I boost my elixir with additional ginger, ACV and fresh turmeric root. I don't strain my mixture after blending and drink any pulp left behind.
Zinc; helps to reduce the severity and shorten the duration of colds and flu's. Research shows that supplementing with zinc in the months prior to and during cold season, greatly reduces your risk of becoming sick. 
Elderberry syrup; is well known for its ability to aid the body during cold and flu season. Particularly soothing and effective for coughs.
Run your humidifier; when the heat kicks on in our homes, it dries out the air and consequently, our skin, lips, throats and nasal passages. Rehydrating the air will also help to ease sinus congestion, and assist your body in fending off viruses and bacteria. 
Use a Neti Pot; An Ayurvedic practice dating back thousands of years, that irrigates your nasal passages and flushes out toxins. 

What are your most trusted remedies and rituals? I'd love to hear about anything that you find helpful dealing with colds and flu's. 

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Chew, Chew, Chew!

8/11/2017

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I can hear my grandfather, "Bopie",  saying those words as he opened and closed his mouth, clanking his teeth together: "chew!, chew!, chew!" … we'd all laugh and mimic his actions without the least bit of understanding of what he was emphasizing, or why, with his funny faces.

This simple, important act of chewing holds incredible powers.  Properly and efficiently done, you will lighten the stress on your digestive system and  will increase your bodies ability to "have at" all that nutrition you just fed it.

digestion really begins with smell
Yup, with smell! - which wakes up your salivary glands, located under the tongue, and starts the production of saliva.  Saliva  contains vital substances, like ion producing electrolytes, protective mucus, pathogen fighting, antibacterial compounds and crucial digestive enzymes.  

so, chew longer  
Allow your food to liquify and mix with these importance substances that set the stage for efficient digestion, better health and reduces the work load and stress on your hard working digestive system.  The mechanical process of chewing thoroughly, combined with the chemical breakdown by enzymes allows for the food, now called a bolus, to easily slide down your esophagus and into your stomach for further breakdown.  

dry, unchewed food will have a less glamorous journey 
That means, Hello gas, bloating and possibly abdominal pain. Chewing your food better means your digesting your food better and that means you're getting more nutrition from it.  Studies show that longer chewing increases the amount of protein, vitamins, minerals and amino acids we are able to absorb.  It also means less energy and stress expended on digestions and more energy available for doing the things you love.

ok, so how do I get better at chewing?
Ah, old habits die hard, you know?  Start by slowing down.  Consciously chew each bite until it is in a liquid state.  Use your tongue to move that food around and keep it in your mouth before its time to swallow.  

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Grass-fed Steak Salad

8/5/2017

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recipe of the month!
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does salad really need to be so boring? i think not. fantastic, fresh (local and organic!) ingredients are key. add to that a bit of crunch and a wee bit of creativity, and your salad becomes a thing of beauty ... and craving worthy.

here's what i used this time:

grass-fed steaks from Maine Meat, in Kittery, Maine.
spring mix greens from Ironwood Farm.
organic cherry tomatoes
raw, sliced almonds
shredded pattypan squash
Bragg's dressing
French salt
a squeeze of lime



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Kale: it's great, but there's a catch

4/12/2016

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Did you know that there's a little something potentially making those green smoothies a little less awesome?  It's called oxalic acid or oxalate. Oxalate is an anti-nutrient organic acid that is found plants. Foods high in oxalate include spinach, chard (silverbeet), watercress, leeks, okra, purslane, parsley, beets & the leaves (beetroot), cacao, nuts such as almonds and cashews, buckwheat, some fruits such as starfruit, rhubarb, plums, figs, most berries and some pulses. Most of the foods that contain oxalates are very important for good health. The root and leaves of rhubarb contain dangerously high concentrations of oxalate and should not be consumed raw.
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Many charts show varying levels of oxalate in vegetables, fruits and other plant based foods. Growing conditions, such as the season foods are grown effect oxalate levels.  Oxalate has been shown to bind with calcium and other minerals in the intestines, thus making it an anti-nutrient. Research studies confirm the ability of oxalic acid in foods to lower availability of calcium and other minerals, the decrease is relatively small. This is also outweighed by the fact that there is so much more calcium, magnesium and iron in oxalate rich vegetables like spinach than the average vegetable in the first place that there will still be plenty of these minerals available to be absorbed!
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It is also suggested that the body adjusts its natural manufacture of oxalic acid in response to fluctuating dietary intake. This study supports the small effect that oxalic acid containing foods have on oxalate urinary excretion. Only spinach, almonds and peanuts caused a small increase in urinary oxalate excretion.

It is now generally believed that the body can dispose of oxalic acid at even relatively high dietary quantities without trouble. Trouble arises for people who may have a genetic predisposition that impairs their bodies’ ability to process oxalic acid, so they may need to regulate their intake of it.  Studies suggest that people with a history of heavy antibiotic use are at increased risk from oxalate consumption.  Many antibiotics can kill the flora that degrades oxalate such as oxalobacter, and lactobacillus acidophilus and bifidus. Oxalobacter is a human intestinal bacteria that can reduce the urinary oxalate concentration following an oxalate load.

Those with kidney disorders, gout or rheumatoid arthritis, are typically advised to avoid foods high in oxalic acid, though increased water consumption may also help to mitigate potential risk.  For a normal healthy person developing kidney stones from a high volume of oxalic acid in foods is very unlikely.
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Since dietary oxalate accounts for only 10-15% of the oxalate that is found in the urine of individuals who form calcium oxalate stones, many researchers believe that dietary restriction cannot significantly reduce risk of stone formation.


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