A hopeful day is waking up feeling happy and empowered to crush it.

Reality is rolling out of bed, looking at your phone and seeing a string of emails from corporate, teachers, and coaches. Your brain immediately goes from SuperWoMOM to tireMOM. 

The next thing you know your day is triple booked with meetings and kid activities. Yet again, you end the day derailed from your wellness goals. 

You must give yourself permission to practice self-care to have a fulfilling life. Engaging in regular, high quality self-care is crucial; it has a positive ripple effect on our personal and professional success. Consider self-care as a high-leverage business tool, a tool which will help you climb the goal ladder. 

Participation in self-care will ebb and flow. The areas of your life that need balance will shift and the ways you want to fill those needs will change as well. How self-care looks in your life may change drastically from one chapter to the next, but it’s important that the routine –...

Did you grow up in the “low fat” era like me? I wonder how many low fat sugar loaded cookies I ate thinking, “these are REALLY good for me!”

I’ve wised up in my old age and have learned that fat is not bad and not all fats are created equal. 

The Skinny on Fats

Heavily processed, hydrogenated “trans” fats used in prepared, packaged foods can be extremely damaging to the body. They can compromise the cardiovascular system, immune system, and contribute to behavior problems. They can also lead to weight gain, skin breakouts, high blood pressure, and liver strain.

Our bodies need fat for insulation, vitamin and mineral absorption, and to protect our organs. High-quality fats can steady our metabolism, keep hormone levels even, nourish our skin, hair, and nails, and provide lubrication to keep the body functioning fluidly. 

By avoiding fat because you think you’re going to get fat is 1990’s thinking. Make it a habit to include healthy fats in your diet everyday. 

Where to Find Health...

I love sharing a good find! 

Quality protein powders are HARD to come by. Most powders are heavily and chemically processed and contain fillers which bulk up the powders so the manufacture can save money. 

Paleovalley Bone Broth Protein is one of the "cleanest" powders I've seen on the market. I love the fact that the under the supplement facts where is says, "Other Ingredients:" it states NONE.

BINGO!

Clinical studies indicated bone broth is one of the most nourishing, anti-aging and gut supportive foods. (Not yet evaluated by FDA).

Ingredients to raise your eyebrow at and conduct research:

• Casein + WPC
• Gluten 
• Dextrins/Maltodextrin
• Artificial sweeteners
• Skim milk powders/milk solids
• Soy protein
• Vegetable oils and fats 
• Thickeners and gums
• Fillers 

Schedule a Break thru the Gut Rut strategy call with me today to start understanding your reactive foods and how to balance your system to start feeling good. Schedule your session here-> BREAK THRU

Be Gutsy as a Mother,...

Kids aren’t picky, they just know how to put on a great act!

When my son was 6 months old he had a cough for a year.  What I soon realized, the cough wasn't from being sick, it was him craving attention. It was an, “attention cough.”  I noticed the only time he coughed was when I wasn’t paying attention to him!  He would cough and I would come running.  Kids are born to get their parents' attention. 

Kids will do anything to get their way. But here’s one thing I learned when my kids were little, kids are human and they will not allow their bodies to go hungry (Duh).  

It’s not that they won’t eat broccoli, it’s that they know you’ll give them junk food if they beg, cry and scream bloody murder. They are SMART!! I mean, isn’t that what you do when you don’t get wine?  

Remember you’re the parent and your kids will leave the nest eating how they were taught.  If their childhood is full of finger foods or convenient drive-by fast foods they will more than likely eat that type of food for life...

Tomatoes are Michigan’s summer fruit and our Fam eats a lot of them! 

As new gut health research evolves they’re finding more benefits in plant sources. The fiber in tomatoes promotes the growth of good bacteria and discourages harmful bacteria such as C. difficile, according to Canada’s GI Society. (1) Tomatoes are also an outstanding source of lycopene, a powerful antioxidant protecting cells from aging (Hello, nature’s natural anti-aging cream!)

A healthy gut can help you lose weight and much more. If you’re struggling to lose a pound because you are suffering from gut dysbiosis, an imbalance in healthy vs bad gut bacteria, you may want to boost probiotic activity with tomatoes. 

Signs of poor gut health include the inability to lose stubborn weight, constipation, and diarrhea. 

During the summer months take advantage of tomatoes because they are vibrant in color and bursting with flavor! 

Here’s a simple Summer Tomato Salad to dig into this week.

Ps: if you can’t find daikon ...

If you’re feeling blah from a weekend full of burgers, sexy cocktails, and chips & dips, kick off the week with a meatless Monday. This will allow your body to “Rest & Digest & Recover” so that you crave healthy food throughout the week.

CHICKPEA PATTIES & GRILLED PEACH AND CHERRY SKEWERS 

I get it, after a Summer Fun weekend you wake up Monday feeling bloated, foggy, and not motivated to get back in that bathing suit.

I’m pro protein but allowing your body to “Rest & Digest” by consuming a meatless meal is a great idea to help take the load off your overreacted digestion system. When you have a chronic health condition like weight gain or bloating you may need to first focus on consuming foods that are easy to digest. This may mean consuming mono meals (1 ingredient meal), slightly cooked veggies, smoothies, or soup.

Cherries are natural health bombs. They promote better sleep, because they are a good natural source of melatonin, (BTW, there is a higher level of melatonin in tart cherries...

A common food ingredient I see on my client’s food sensitivity & GI Map test results is GLUTEN. Gluten sensitivity can cause gut inflammation, intestinal permeability, weight management issues, and damage to the gut biome. 

Giving up any food even though you know it makes you sick can be difficult. Especially for an ingredient like gluten because it’s found in wheat, which is typically a big part of your normal diet. 

I mean, how does one live without these salad toppers or these morning kickoff foods??? No fear, it’s possible and you will learn to love it!

Foods that usually contain gluten:

• Bread, pita, bagels, flatbread, rolls
• Pasta
• Cakes, crackers, and biscuits
• Cereal and granola
• Croutons
• French fries
• Gravies and sauces
• Salad dressings and vinegars
• Processed meats
• Soy sauce
• Snack and bars
• Potato chips and tortilla chips
• Stuffing

Maintaining a certain diet or avoiding certain ingredients when you work at home can be easier to follow but as the world slowly breaks...

Did you know it's a good idea to change your eating habits each season?

Your body should naturally be craving seasonal foods like:

• Spring: Detox foods like leafy greens and citrus
• Summer: Cooling foods like watermelon
• Fall: Grounding foods like squash and nuts
• Winter: Warming foods like meat and fats

My son and I are little obsessed with carrots right now so if you're easing into the detox season this carrot salad is a must try. 

SHREDDED CARROT SALAD

Ingredients:

1 lb bag (16 oz.) organic carrots
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon umeboshi plum vinegar (or lemon juice + a pinch sea salt)
4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
juice of a handful of freshly grated ginger
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 cup dried currants (optional)
1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds (optional) 

Directions:

1. Shred/grate carrots by hand with a food grater (watch those fingers!) or in a food processor.
2. In a large bowl, combine apple cider vinegar, umeboshi plum vinegar (or lemon juice and  
...

The Aunt Flow rage, PMS mood swings, and days where you love & hate everything at the same time is blamed on hormonal imbalance but what exactly does that mean?

Hormonal imbalance is one of those phrases commonly used by the medical community but often misinterpreted by someone without a medical degree.

It wasn’t until I was studying to become a Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner did, I start to understand all the functions of hormones. And it wasn’t until I started my own journey of improving my gut health did I realize the negative impact of abnormal levels of hormones.

Hormonal imbalance can make you feel crazy. It can also be very frustrating if you’re on a path of becoming healthy and those results aren’t falling in place.

You don’t need a medical degree to have the basic understanding of hormonal imbalance. More importantly, you should be able to tell if you are having hormonal imbalance. There are five basic signs of hormonal imbalance. Once you know your hormones ...

Ditching the stubborn weight is a daunting task. You barely feel like you have time to fix your hair in the morning let alone meal prep and squeeze in a gym session.

In working with hundreds of clients on improving gut health for weight loss, I see a common denominator for the women who have long term success.  

1)     They get in a groove and stick with it

2)     Their healthy habits are non-negotiable

How to Get Your Groove On and Stick With It

You know you’re ready to focus on improving your gut health for weight loss when you light up about preparing and following through the protocol tasks. You don't feel pressure from outside sources. You only feel a strong inner desire because it’s what you want instead of being driven by trends, society, parents, etc.

Tips for sticking with it:

• Diet: Eat the right types of food for your body and eliminate your food sensitivities for 90 days 
• Rest: Core hours of rest are from 10pm-2am. If you really need to watch the reality show make sure you’re lights...