Fermented Foods

Fermented Foods, good for the Gut.

There are numerous news stories in the media about our Gut Floral and how to get it.  The answer is by eating Fermented Foods.  Yes, fermented foods are very good for our tummies.

For example:  Miso is a fermented soy bean paste.  It has many supporting properties including 13-20 percent protein.  It copies an amino acid pattern, almost like meat.  It is special in the way that it contains live lactobacillus that is live food, and aids in the digestion process.  It adds flavor to our foods, and creates an alkaline balance in our system which promotes disease fighting properties. 

Rejuvelac is a fermented drink that contains friendly bacteria to our guts.  It is made from wheat berries.  It is used as a drink and added to sauces, breads, sauces and dressings. 

Kimchi is the most popular of the fermented foods.  It is made from cabbage.  It is a Korean dish that contains a variety of nutritional benefits.  It is made from Napa Cabbage, salt, garlic, ginger, and scallions.  The Koreans add a fish sauce and gochutgaru, which is a Korean type of chili flake. This is what gives it the spicy flavor.  It is then marinated and fermented for long periods of time.  It contains a spicy and savory taste.

Pickles are another vegetable that can be fermented.  They create an acid alkaline balance in our body.  They are brined pickles and are cured for several weeks.  This process produces the healthy fermentative bacteria that is good for our guts. 

Yogurt is everywhere!  But not all yogurts are the same.  Many that claim to be healthy for our guts, contain lots of sugar.  Yogurt can be very confusing.  Yogurt is made when bacteria change the Lactose in milk into lactic acid.  When shopping for yogurt that contains good bacteria, you should choose Plain Yogurt! Adding organic berries, a drizzle of high-quality honey, will make this a delicious and healthy choice.

Tempeh is a relative of Tofu, but the difference is that Tempeh is fermented and Tofu is not.  It is also high in protein.  It is often used in place of meat.

Kefir is a grain that is added to milk that promotes fermentation.  It tastes creamy and is great to add to a breakfast shake.  It is very high in the amino acid Tryptophan.  You can also purchase Kefir milk.

Sauerkraut, also made from cabbage is a delicious side dish that is high in vitamin C.  It is a very versatile fermented food.  You can top many dishes such as sandwiches, soups, side dish to any meal.  Try some avocado on top!  

Apple Cider Vinegar has been around for the ages.  It can be used is so many different ways.  It is good for kidney health, as well as our gut floral.  You can drink a shot, with your morning routine, or add it to dressings, marinates, salad dressings, and olive oil.

By eating badly, we create bacteria in our guts.  It makes our organs susceptible to disease.  Eating fermented foods are the best way to clear our guts of this harmful bacteria.  It also aids in digestion.   

Chicken, white bean and spinach.

Gazpacho Verde

Eating to become sicker🤮

What do you eat in a day?

Most people think that they are eating well, or pretty good. But I bet that if you took a look into your refrigerator, you might see a different story.

My suggestion is to make a list of what you are eating for breakfast each day. Be honest. Count the calories, and sugar amount for each meal and drink throughout the entire day.

For example: toast, 2 eggs, sausage, and or bacon. Or toast with 1/2 avocado, 2 eggs, orange juice. What ever it may be. Count your calories and sugar amounts. Men should only consume 35 g per day, and women should have no more than 25 g per day.

The goal to eating good is planning your meals I do most of my planning on Sundays. Make sure that you tally each item of food. For instance, if you have butter on your toast you must count it as calories, or if you cook the eggs in butter, same thing. Total it up!

Do this for each meal for 1 week, to see exactly how many calories you are consuming per day, you may be surprised.

Read all labels before buying the items at the grocery store. The new labels are much easier to understand. Look at bread labels, most bread has sugar, yogurt is a big one. Some contain 13 g of sugar! My suggestion is to buy plain Greek whole fat yogurt, add blueberries, strawberries, any berry you like, add stevia or honey, and some chopped walnuts! This is a much healthier choice.

Fruits have lots of sugar, even though it comes from nature, it’s sugar. It must be counted daily as sugar. You may be surprised at just how much sugar some types have.

All people should a good balance of lean proteins, lots of vegetables, cooked, or raw, beans, grains and good fats, oils, nuts, and minimal carbs, such as deserts and other sweets.

Calorie intake varies between individuals. This depends on your height and weight, and how active your throughout the day. I personally recommend walking at least a few miles per day. This is a great exercise for everyone. No equipment needed. Just your sneakers. you can look up your BMI on line and get an average for total calories per day. The goal is to lose 1 pound, reduce your calories by 500 calories each day, or exercise to burn 500 calories per day, or do 250 calories in exercise and reduce 250 calories from your total calories. This works!

Make sure that you hydrate throughout the day. Water and no calorie drinks. Gatorade has a new one. I like this a lot. Gatorade Fit. 10-20 calories, per bottle, sweetened with stevia, and has A and B vitamins.

See what you think. If you really want to lose a few pounds. Let me know how it works for you.

“Remember to make a memory each day and don’t apologize for who you are…Rebecca

My Healthy Tips for the New Year

Dry Skin Brushing:

Dry skin brushing (use a natural bristle brush) is healthy for the lymphatic system. Start at your feet and brush upward toward your heart.

Saunas are great for eliminating congestion through the skin.

Full body exercise propels the lymph fluid around the body. Massage the throat, armpits, groin, chest to avoid congestion.

Message the reflex points for lymphatic drainage.  This is found on the top of each foot, between the base of the big toe and second toe.

Execute these steps while taking a shower.  Do not use a dry skin brush to wet skin. , and the most avundant trace mineral found in the body

Lemons and Limes:

They were used back in the goldrush days in 1848 to prevent scurvy.  They didn’t realize that it was the vitamin C not the actual lemon that provided protection from scurvy.  It wasn’t until 1932.  28 mg of C.  They are acidic when eaten and have a low chemical pH level.  They leave behind an Alkaline result, which is where our bodies like to be!

This helps reduce inflammation in our joints. 

Iron:

Iron is the most abundant mineral on Earth and the most abundant trace mineral found in the body.  The weight of a dime of Iron is equal to 2300mg of iron in a female that weighs 130 lbs.  It is a key component to our blood.  It is not secreted from our body stool or urine.  It is absorbed into the body and very little is left.  The way that we lose blood is through a women’s menstrual cycle, or being cut or bleeding.  Most iron is recycled and re used. 

To enhance Iron supplies in your body, eat iron rich foods with vitamin C.  They work well together.  For an example:  Saute’ spinach and red peppers in olive oil. Or a peanut butter sandwich and sliced peaches or bananas.

You can also enhance Iron supplies in your body by cooking in a cast iron skillet.  This increases Iron consumption by about 3%!

Pineapple:

Fresh Pineapple is sweet and delicious.  It has many health benefits.  Vitamin c, Manganese, and contains a special group of enzymes call Bromelain.  Bromelain is a unique group of enzymes that helps break down protein and aids in digestion.  It can also be purchased in a powder form.  Do not heat the pineapples.  This would deactivate the enzyme.  Eat with yogurt, or Pineapple salsa.  Great for sinus infections, bronchitis, pneumonia, and inflammation of RA.

 Quinoa:

Quinoa is a very popular whole grain that is high in protein.  It is related to spinach.  It is considered to be a complete protein because it contains all 9 amino acids.  Even though it is naturally gluten free, it can cause stomach pain for some people.  It has almost double the fiver of some grains.  It contains Saponin, a chemical compound found in plants.  The seeds can be toxic it some people.  If you eat quinoa for health reasons or just because you like it, and experience symptoms of bloating, or abdominal pain, you may have an intolerance to the grain. 

Clean and Organize:

Clean and organize a space.  It makes you feel good.  Pick a closet and organize it.  Purchase some clear plastic bins with lids.  Separate all of the items in the closet, then separate hanging and shelf items.  Place the shelf items neatly in the plastic containers, and hand the other items organized in color or summer to winter.  It is a time-consuming project, but the rewards are great!

Pickle Juice:

Pickle juice is a great choice to help replenish electrolytes, sodium and potassium.  Unlike sports drinks, pickle juice provides sodium without the sugar. It helps control blood sugars in type 2 diabetes, and aids in digestion.  Fermented foods act to do the same.  Dill pickles contain quercetin, a natural compound which helps out immune system endurance and longevity, and anti- inflammatory enzyme.

Oils:

Olive oils come from various parts of the world.  Spain, Greece, Italy, California Tunisia and Turkey.  You can find by reading the label which tells you the source of the oil. The best quality of oil comes from the juice of the best olives.  The term ‘cold press’ is the process of adding heat to the olives which allows more oil to be extracted from them.  On the other hand, this process destroys some of the flavor and aroma of the oil. 

Oxidation, is a chemical reaction in which the atoms are changed and causes the oil to become rancid.  Heat, light and shelf life can cause your oil to then become a carcinogen.  Buy oils in dark bottles, and store your cold press oils in the refrigerator as soon as possible.

Oils that can tolerate high levels of heat when cooking are:  Coconut oil, Butter, Palm oil, and Peanut oil. 

It is also used cosmetically in your hair and scalp to eliminate dandruff.  And to soothe sunburns, wrinkles, skin softener, brain function, and facilitates our liver process. 

…” don’t apologize for who you are,and make a memory every day.”..Rebecca

Synthetic Vitamins, are you taking them?

Hello and thank you for visiting.

Fall is when we start taking more vitamins to try and help boost our immune system. I firmly believe that taking supplements are needed when your immune system is compromised. My best, and only suggestion is to try to eat food to get all of your vitamins.

Last week, a client asked me what kind of vitamin D to take? She said that she had not been seeing results. I preceded to asked her what kind of vitamin that she was taking, she said that she just gets them over the counter, they were Synthetic!

This is what prompted me to write this blog. You are about to be educated. There are no replacements for nutrients, except from whole foods. But if you are truly lacking a specific nutrient in your diet, a supplement can help.

Synthetic Vitamins are made from chemicals. And if you are taking them, you are taking more chemicals than vitamins. Synthetic Vitamins are difficult to absorb. They mimic the natural way that your body absorbs nutrients from our food. Natural Vitamins are obtained through whole food sources. Synthetic Nutrients are usually made artificially in an industrial setting. Many synthetic vitamins lack the transporters and cofactors associated with naturally occurring vitamins. They also lack the trace minerals that control the way the body recognizes and metabolizes and uses them to make what it needs. They are made artificially in a laboratory setting. Synthetic nutrients from supplements and fortified foods may have a deleterious effect on our health, especially when used in high dosages.

To know if you are using natural vitamins, just read the labels. Look for the words “100 % natural”. Now beware that manufacturers may claim that their vitamins are natural, if at least 10% of the product comes from natural food sources. This is an example of how we can be fooled from labeling on food and vitamins, so beware of reading the labels.

1- Look at the ingredients label and look for the food source list on the products label. if the product label does not contain a list of natural food sources, then the product is synthetic. Look for food sources such as yeast, fish, vegetables, and citrus.

2- Look for salt forms on the product label, a synthetic added to supplements for increasing the stability of the vitamin or mineral. Other names for salt could include: acetate, bitartrate, chloride, gluconate, hydrochloride, nitrate, and succinate.

3- Words that end in “ide” or “ate” indicate that the product contains salt forms, which are synthetics.

4- Also, the letters “di” that appear before the name of the ingredient indicates that the supplement is synthetic. An example of would-be fish oils the word “palmitate” means that it is a synthetic vitamin, usually A.

5- Here are some tips. Talk to your pharmacist before purchasing a vitamin or mineral supplements. A pharmacists can identify a natural or synthetic vitamin supplement, and help you learn how to identify them yourself.

Source link: http//:www.globalhealingcenter.con/natural-health/synthetic-vs-natural-vitamins

Remember to make a memory each day, and don’t apologize for who you are…..Rebecca

Our Digestive System is Important to our Health

Hello everyone and thank you for visiting.

We are fast approaching the holiday season. Parties, family, food and fun, equal anxiety, stress!

When our bodies are under these types of stressors, we lose sight of our regular schedules of exercise and nutrition. Our digestive system is responsible for many parts of our health. It starts at our mouths and ends in the bathroom. It processes our food. It absorbs nutrients into our bloodstreams. It eliminates the indigestible parts from our food and turns it into energy.

The most common digestive issues are usually diarrhea, constipation, acid reflux, bloating, vomiting.

When feeling any of these symptoms, fill your plate with fiber rich vegetables, and grains such as oatmeal. They are digested slowly and prevent bloating, and reflux. Bloating effects people in many different ways. Some people have an extended belly, gas, and burping. To counteract these symptoms, try eliminating carbonated beverages, sodium, beer, alcohol, coffee and try to eat slower.

Oh Crap! Diarrhea and Constipation. These are two different problems. If it’s diarrhea, stick to the BRAT Diet. Bananas, rice, apples, toast and tea. No butter on the toast! Crackers are good too. These foods are easy to digest and easy on the digestive system.

Constipation is a “i wish that I could” Crap. The CRAP Diet is a combination of cranberries, rasins, apricots, and prunes. These foods contain lots of fiber to help move things through the digestive system. It can easily help move all of the unnecessary waste through your system. Combined with drinking water helps the process move more efficiently.

Reflux, the problem with reflux is that it travels upwards in your gut and into your stomach. The acid in your stomach burns, then you feel like you need to vomit. If this happens, don’t lay down. This can help increase dangerous inflammation. Wait until you have started to or have digested your food before going to bed. Also avoid foods such as peppers, spicy foods, caffeine, alcohol and reduce eating chocolate. Tomatoes and citrus fruits are also not good and acidic.

Try to enjoy the holidays. Restrict alcohol, spicy foods, and overall, eat smaller plates of food. Load your plate first with vegetables, then add a little protein and some berries, salad and some grains. This will keep you on track for the holidays. And it will satiate your cravings for sugar.

Lastly, sugguest a long walk after your big meals, this also helps with the process of digestion.

Stay healthy, and eat healthy, just not too much and the right things.

Remember to make a memory each day, and don’t apologize for who you are….Rebecca