3 Best Teas for Gut Health

I’m weird…

The taste and smell of coffee gag me! I’ve tried to love it but there’s something about it that I just can’t stomach. 

Unfortunately, I love wrapping my hands around a hot mug.

What I’ve learned in my gut healing journey is that tea helps to promote digestion. Tea also helps to relieve bloating or other digestive symptoms and can bring some instant sense of relief. 

Peppermint tea is my go to remedy for upset stomach, gas, bloating or simply helping the digestive process along. It provides quick refreshing relief and kicks in the sensory board. I also like to blend peppermint tea with other less yummy tasting herbs (like turmeric) to make them go down easier. 

Stress is a HUGE instigator of gut health deterioration. When you’re stressed your inner resources get diverted to deal with the lingering “threat” whether it’s real or perceived. The digestive enzymes stop working and blood is diverted elsewhere so digestion is placed on the back burne...

How L-glutamine Repairs Gut Health 

I use to think feeling 4 months pregnant after every meal was normal. I mean, don't you feel bloated after most meals???

Then I finally got sick of feeling sick and started digging into the details.  Ah ha!  Belly bloat is NOT normal it is just an effect of being a Modern Day Mom.  You know, triple booked meetings, a jammed packed schedule with family & social activities, and too busy to focus on yourself.

So if bloating is not normal than what's the deal.  Bloating can be a symptom of gut dysbiosis - when your good and bad bacteria become unbalanced. Bloating is also a symptom of leaky gut.

I discovered L-glutamine while repairing my own gut and recommend it in my Restore Your Gut Health program. L-Glutamine helped me to heal my leaky gut, strengthen my digestive system and recover faster because this mama needs to be fast on her feet to keep up with her family and career!  

What is Glutamine?

Glutamine is a non-essential amino acid. It’s avai...

Why are people talking about digestive enzymes???

When I started my gut health education, the same two words kept popping up. 

*Digestive Enzymes*

Ok, so what's so important about enzymes and why did people continue to tell me I needed them to help me solve with my chronic bloating issues? 

The answer in part, for me, was digestive enzymes!  

How Enzymes Work

Our organs produce digestive enzymes and different enzymes work on different foods. There are specific enzymes for starches and carbohydrates, proteins and fats. 

We can also access enzymes from external sources like raw fruits, vegetables, cold pressed oils and raw dairy. Yet when these foods are heated, the enzymes quickly denature and our organs are forced to carry the whole load. This is stressful to our over worked bodies. Mostly humans have had access to a certain percentage of raw foods but in the last 50 years we’ve transitioned into a highly processed=cooked diet.  

Since I was desperate for relief I quickly intr...

Have you thought about how many ingredients you consume in one meal?

Let's reverse engineer a typical standard American meal:

- Pizza & Salad (if they're lucky)

Simple pizza includes: dough, cheese, sauce, and pepperoni. A simple salad may have lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and dressing. 

In that meal there's roughly 30+ ingredients!  Wowzers!  

There's a lot work your body has to do to break down and digest all those ingredients and that puts a lot of pressure and stress on your system. Remind you, a system who is already stressed out and begging for an easy way out.   

Centuries ago our ancestors ate what they could find and it usually consisted of one ingredient...a berry, an animal, a leaf. Our bodies have adapted along the way but when our systems are over taxed by life demands the digestive system appreciates simple, simple meals. 

A mono meal has been found to be extremely beneficial if you're dealing with gut health issues.  

A mono meal is just a fancy way of saying, fill...

Need a POWER BOOST?

Are you crashing and burning during the day?  You know, the point where you need a double shot of espresso, a sugar boost, or a run around the block to wake yourself up?

I get it...

When you roll out of bed and your feet hit the ground running, it's non-stop until the kids go to bed. You should be tired by 9pm, look at everything you accomplished! 

Most often there's a point during the morning or afternoon where you need a pick-me-up.  Whether you're faced with chronic fatigue or just sleepy from a toddler's rude awakening at 3am, consuming extra caffeine or sugar may not be the best option for long term wellness. 

Keeping your gut healthy and happy is one of the big secrets to good digestion, glowing skin and increased energy (DING-DING-DING!) 

I'm all for easy when it comes to reestablishing a healthy gut because the process can be frustrating and time consuming. Having a smoothie loaded with beneficial good bacteria is a daily addition to your diet that wil...

Avocado Oil Benefits and How to Use it

Have you tried avocado oil?  We’re a household superfan! 

Avocado oil is a nutrient dense oil great for cooking, skin care and digestive health. Any product to help my gut health I’m all for! 

Benefits of using avocado oil:

Oleic acid - Oleic acid is a fatty acid good for the immune system and can withstand oxidation. This makes it last longer without going rancid and has the properties to withstanding high cooking temperatures. 

Vitamin E - An essential vitamin for healthy skin, hair and nails. Vitamin E helps prevent against the oxidative damage caused by free-radicals (aka, STRESS.) 

Digestion - Cold pressed avocado oil is rich in enzymes and healthy fats that help stimulate your body to repair itself and help to digest nutrients.  

A Few Simple Ways to Use Avocado Oil 

Homemade Mayonnaise 

1 egg

1 Cup avocado oil 

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

½ teaspoon salt 

Add all ingredients to a wide-mouth mason jar, use a...

BOOST the IMMUNE SYSTEM

In the day of avoiding global diseases, I get a lot of questions about, "How do I boost my immune system?"

Here's one simple trick...AVOID SUGAR! 

Oh no, she did not just say that! 

Unfortunately, I did.  UGH!

And yes, that includes alcohol.  DOUBLE WHAMMY! 

Even sugars from natural sources, such as fruit and honey, can cause sugar imbalances. Sugar, at the end of the day, is still sugar, even when there is some fiber in it, and even when it is a natural source of sugar. 

The Sugar Blues

• Sugar inhibits the immune cells responsible for destroying pathogenic microorganisms (bad bacteria)
• Sugar can knock out vitamin C from cell receptors
• Having high blood sugar can mean less vitamin C from entering the cells
• Excess sugar converts in fat

Craving for Sweetness

Try curbing your sweet tooth with a variety of non-sweet foods or a few of the lower sugar items listed below.

• Maple syrup
• Date sugar (raw dates)
• Raw honey
• Pure stevia 
• Proteins (good at
...

The stores are LINED with probiotics supplements which leaves you confused and empty handed.  It can be a grueling task to choose the right probiotic supplement.  So which probiotic is right for you? 

Here are some tips that will help guide you to select the best probiotic supplement. 

Colony Forming Units (CFUs)

CFUs, or Colony Forming Units, are the measuring unit of probiotics. This number must be clearly displayed on the probiotics bottle. A probiotic should be in the range of 3-50 billion CFUs to best suit the digestive system. 

A lower range would be sufficient as a maintenance product. This potency will allow you to recover the probiotics lost due to the modern lifestyle when otherwise you have a completely healthy digestive system.  

The higher potencies are recommended for specific instances, including the following:

Stress and Travelling: Raise your hand if you’re a professional working parent living a high stress life (RIGHT HERE, HERE I AM!!) Most of our immune cells ...

WARNING - video contains inappropriate mom language! :) 

5 simple tips on creating a clear vision:

1. Think BIG - real big, where you're too scared to start.  If your mission doesn't require the feeling of being uncomfortable than your vision is too small.
2. Make it positive - stop thinking about the "risks" or the "fails." Think about what your life will look like after you follow through. 
3. Don't ask "How?" just dream - pretend you're sipping on gin & juice on the beach. You're in lala land and you allow your mind to drift.  I get excited for you thinking about it! 
4. MAKE IT REAL by writing it out. There's something about pen to paper which makes you commit. 
5. Shout it out! Make it real by sharing it with someone you love. 

Your #1 Working Mom Fan!

Mary

 Ps: For instant mom hacks, join us live here -> THE SUPER WOMOM HUB

“Set your phone down.” 

“Can you look at me when I’m talking to you or is the phone more important?”

“Why can’t you just switch it off?”

“Hello, I’m over here!!”

Sometimes good things in excess can be dangerous.

Can you even fathom the idea of not having a phone for the day?  No emails, no dings, no notifications. Writing about it sounds freeing but scary as hell! I mean, I’ll be so far behind if I don’t have a connection.  

You’ve probably heard and seen the multiple warnings to turn off your devices. If you’re like me you’ve rolled your eyes at the studies and at the people telling you. Devices have opened up the possibilities for communication, information at your fingertips, allows for quicker response times and prying into other people’s lives. HA!

Is it really that dangerous to stay connected to our devices 24/7?

The answer is a resounding YES.

The Effects of Always Being On

Electronics do make our lives better in many ways, including keeping us in touch with friends an...