Food & Nutrition

Do you dread that afternoon energy slump that leaves you reaching for a coffee or something sweet as a pick-me-up to get you through the rest of your day? We’ve all been there and there’s a very common reason why this energy crash happens that few understand.

It all comes down to your blood sugar. Now when I say blood sugar, I am not talking about Diabetes, which most people think of when I bring up this term. We all experience blood sugar fluctuation in response to what we eat, when we eat and influenced by certain lifestyle factors.

When you eat a meal (or have a drink or snack) your blood sugar will increase. How much it increases will really depend on what you ate and how quickly glucose is released from these foods and/or drinks into your blood stream.

Carbohydrates break down into glucose in our blood stream. The carbohydrates with short chains (a.k.a. simple Carbohydrates) reach the bloodstream much more quickly than those with long-chain (a.k.a. complex Carbohydrates), resulting in higher blood sugar spikes.

Simple Carbohydrates are things like your cookies, pastries, most breads and cereal products, processed grains and their flours, white rice, refined sugar, candy, soda, corn syrup and high-fructose syrup, fruit juice concentrate and many processed foods.

Complex Carbohydrates include things like legumes, whole grains, beans, vegetables, and fruit. A whole grain in it’s unprocessed form contains three parts and when it’s processed two of those parts are stripped away and you’re left with the blood-sugar spiking starchy part that is void of nutrients.

Repeated blood sugar spikes, over time, can lead to a condition called Hypoglycemia. I want you to think of it like a rollercoaster – your blood sugar spikes up after a meal, and then it crashes in a few hours, leaving you with low energy, cravings, and irritability. We all know that “hangry” feeling right?! Over time this also has a negative impact on your hormonal balance, especially your stress hormone Cortisol and sex hormones.

Learning to stabilize this blood sugar rollercoaster is really the key if you want to feel more stable energy throughout the day, have less cravings, support weight-loss and better hormone health.

Here are three simple tips that will help stabilize your blood sugar levels:

1. Eat Breakfast within 1 hour of waking up – ensure you have a good source of protein with this meal. A few great options may include something like Greek Yogurt (unsweetened) with hemp seeds and berries, Ezekiel toast with 2 eggs and hummus, Tofu (always chose organic non-GMO) veggie scramble made with high quality Olive Oil.
   
   
2. Don’t have your Coffee on an empty stomach ever – only have it after you’ve had your Breakfast or within 1 hour of another meal.
   
   
3. Prioritize Protein with each meal – this can be an animal-based protein or a plant-based (I typically like to mix up the two). Great choices include 100% grass-fed beef, organic/pasture raised poultry, pasture-raised eggs, wild-caught fish, hemp seeds, nuts, seeds, legumes, tempeh (great for your gut health) and tofu.

Navigating proper nutrition can be confusing in today’s day and age with so much conflicting information. It can leave you feeling overwhelmed and lost on what’s right for your unique body. If you find yourself in a place where nothing seems to be working for you, and you want to know which foods will support your unique needs, I encourage you to check out the Metabolic Balance Program. This is a fully customized nutrition program for women looking to support weight-loss, better hormone balance, energy levels and digestion. Best of all your plan will be entirely based on the chemistry of your bloodwork, taking out all the guesswork!

Ann is a Holistic Nutritionist, Metabolic Balance Coach, and thyroid guru who helps women gain confidence in how they look and feel in their bodies. Ann works with a scientifically backed metabolic approach to nutrition by using in-depth analysis of blood chemistry to develop truly unique plans to balance each client’s metabolism. The blood analysis reveals exactly which foods are right for each client to lose weight, and improve hormonal balance, energy levels, and gut health without any pills, shakes, or yo-yo diets. Analysis of blood chemistry + food chemistry = your unique metabolic prescription! Ann is also passionate about thyroid health, as she herself has experienced the lonely and confusing journey that came with the diagnosis of an autoimmune thyroid disorder, and loves supporting other women who may be struggling with thyroid related symptoms.

Visit Ann's Website

Follow Ann on Instagram

Bloating. This is a symptom that you probably have experienced at least once in your life and are familiar with. The discomfort when we experience bloating is real, and this can affect our ability to take part in social gatherings or even go to work. The question that comes up is, how do we beat the bloat? Remember that bloating is just a symptom, and is usually a small part of a bigger issue. So if we want to beat the bloat, we have to determine where the bloating is coming from.

Now what causes bloating?

1. Low stomach acid or inadequate digestive enzymes: Our bodies require stomach acid and digestive enzymes to digest our foods thoroughly, as well as absorb the vitamins and nutrients obtained from those foods. With inadequate stomach acid, we can’t break down our foods thoroughly, which can cause those foods to be fermented in the gut; exacerbating bloating, gas, and other abdominal symptoms. 
2. Dysbiosis: Our gut microbiome is the community of microorganisms that live in our digestive tract. This gut microbiome needs to be in balance for our bodies to function optimally. If we experience an overgrowth of particular microorganisms (ex. yeast) or lose some of our beneficial bacteria, this can cause dysbiosis to be present. If we do not have an optimal gut microbiome, this can cause inflammation in the digestive tract, affect the integrity of the intestinal lining, and contribute to abdominal symptoms such as bloating.
3. Food sensitivities: Food sensitivities can cause poorly digested foods to move through our digestive tract and trigger an immune mediated response. This response can increase inflammation in the digestive tract and contribute to bloating.
4. Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO): SIBO is a digestive condition that involves the presence of bacteria in the small intestine, which can increase fermentation and cause gas, constipation, diarrhea, and bloating. 
5. Altered mind-gut connection: Our mind and gut talk to one another consistently, and therefore influence each others’ functions. When we feel stressed or anxious, it can cause stool retention, increase inflammation in the digestive tract, affect the integrity of the intestinal lining, negatively affect the microbiome composition; which are all contributing factors to bloating. 
6. Visceral hypersensitivity: This involves heightened sensitivity of the abdominal organs to stimuli such as distention and inflammation. When we experience visceral hypersensitivity, we perceive normal or mild stimuli to be intense or painful. This condition can be associated with IBS and functional dyspepsia as well. 
7. Endometriosis and hormonal imbalances: Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory condition where endometrial tissue that lines the uterus starts growing on other parts of the body, such as the ovaries and abdomen. This condition can cause symptoms such as very painful menstrual cramps (especially those that are not fully alleviated with pain medication), pain during or after intercourse, pain with bowel movements, pain with urination, low back pain, and bloating. Bloating can also be associated with thyroid imbalances (ex. hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism), high cortisol, and estrogen dominance. 
8. Poor eating habits: Overeating, eating too quickly, not eating mindfully, eating while working or driving, and not chewing your food thoroughly can affect our digestive process, affect stomach acid and digestive enzyme secretion, and increase fermentation; which can all cause bloating. 

Now what can you do about it?

1. Consume a nutrient dense diet, especially fiber-rich foods: Consuming a diet rich in plant fibers increases the diversity of our gut microbiome. Fiber is important because it feeds our gut microbiome. Some great fiber sources are oats, flax seeds, psyllium seeds, raspberries, broccoli, and apples. As a general recommendation, you want to try to consume 25-30 g of fiber/day. While adding in fiber, you also want to reduce your intake of processed foods, refined foods, sugars/sweeteners, and carbonated drinks because they can exacerbate bloating. 
2. Drink at least 2-3L water/day, with minimal water intake with meals: Optimizing your water intake is important to help ensure stools are moving in your digestive system, therefore preventing constipation. One recommendation I provide my patients is to start your day off with 1 tall glass of lemon water to set good intentions. 
3. Engage in regular physical activity: Movement helps support regular bowel movements, reduces the underlying inflammation in the gut, and helps support the growth of an optimal gut microbiome. Start off small by doing an exercise you love 1-2 days/week, and build from there!
4. Support your mental health: If you are experiencing chronic stress, anxiety, or depression, it is crucial to support your mood and the mind-gut connection. When you feel happy, your gut feels happy! As a starting point, consider mindfulness strategies such as yoga, deep diaphragmatic breathing, and self-care.
5. Eat mindfully: How we eat significantly impacts our mind-gut connection. Eating mindfully stimulates our parasympathetic nervous system, which supports our mood and digestive functioning. Don’t forget to chew your food thoroughly, take at least 20 minutes to eat each meal, eat with minimal distractions, sit down at the table while eating, and be present with the food in front of you.
6. Consider starting a good quality probiotic: Probiotics can be a great option to consider if you have a personal history of multiple antibiotic use or you are experiencing dysbiosis. While probiotics can be helpful for some individuals, it may not be the best treatment for others with bloating. Before consuming, always double check with your health care provider to ensure it's the best option for you.
7. Consider bitters if your digestion is sluggish: When you ingest bitters, the moment it touches your tongue it sends signals to your vagus nerve to stimulate digestion. It helps stimulate the release of stomach acid and digestive enzymes, provides anti-inflammatory benefits, supports liver function, and calms down the nervous system. Before consuming, always double check with your health care provider to ensure it's the best option for you.

As a gut-focused naturopathic doctor, when I am addressing bloating I initially complete a thorough assessment, order relevant laboratory blood work, and collaboratively work with my patient to create a personalized treatment plan specific to their root cause of bloating. Addressing bloating is not a one size fits all approach. So if you experience bloating let’s create a sustainable plan to beat your bloating for good!

Dr. Ishani Patel is a board certified Naturopathic Doctor who has a clinical focus in women’s health, hormones, digestive health, and autoimmunity. She is dedicated to helping her patients determine the root cause of their health concerns, help them find balance in their lives, prevent disease or a worsening of their health conditions, and help them live their optimal state of health.

You can connect with Dr. Patel through her website drishanipatelnd.com, by email at ishanipatelnd@gmail.com, or by reaching out to her on Instagram @drishanipatel.nd.

I just celebrated my 4th full year as a vegan - and I've been reflecting on all the amazing change that has taken place as a result. While the changes have affected every area of my life, I thought I would share 7 HUGE differences the change has made in my body alone. Can you relate to any of these?

1. Inflammation dropped away and the shape of my body totally changed. This was a change I started to notice right away. It was as though my body was saying "Thanks for giving me more of what I need and less of what I don't. I can be ME!"

2. My hair grew back. For a long time, I carried an embarrassing bald spot on the top of my head. My hair was thinning and I knew it was hormonal, but nothing I tried worked...until I stopped eating meat and dairy and started filling up my plate with more nutrients. My hair is thicker now than it's ever been.

3. Menstrual Cramps disappeared! I'm 100% serious.

4. My skin cleared up. Face and body. Healthier, softer, clearer skin.

5. My digestion improved. I used to not feel well a LOT. Tummy trouble was a normal occurrence and I just thought ...."meh, it happens to all of us". Truth is - meat and dairy are REALLY hard on our digestion and our body will often let us know it's not happy.

6. I sleep like a baby and am energized like a bunny! I can accomplish a LOT in a day, and thank goodness because - big goals...but my sleep is soooo much better too.

7. Mental clarity. Say goodbye to brain fog and hello to clear, intuitive, inspired action. Eating closer to the earth means you get your head out of the clouds and become so very grounded.

Like all things, these changes didn't happen overnight - but I truthfully wasn't expecting them to happen at all. I got so used to the way I was feeling, I didn't know any different...and I'm so so glad I listened to the nudge.

Where are you on your health journey? Ever thought about adopting a more plant based life? Maybe you've been vegan for years too? 

In our Wellpreneur 30 program, we dive into plant-based nutrition, and business success for 30, amazing days. When you feel great, your business does too. Join our next group here!

Natalie Colalillo

Natalie Colalillo is the founder and CEO of Happy Healthy Women, a global collective of women entrepreneurs who see happiness, health and success as one full circle.  Her heart's calling lies in bringing amazing women together and empowering them to step into their greatness. With over 20 years of experience in both wellness and business, Natalie is also a Plant-based Lifestyle & Business Coach specializing in empowering Solopreneurs to establish and succeed in their dream business. Starting Happy Healthy Women and coaching others to success has been the most fulfilling of her projects, as she feels fortunate to work with such incredible women who are living their dreams and changing lives.

Diets tend to promise losing a large amount of weight in a short time by removing a mass number of calories/foods from our diet.  

Lifestyle changes are about adding in new habits that are sustainable and bring joy into your life. To me a ‘diet’ is about having an end game in sight – as in you can stop at some point whereas a lifestyle is about making it a habit for life! Small steps, small habit changes and consistency is the key. This is different for everyone, so we all must figure out what works best for us and slowly change up our habits. Meal planning and prep are my life savers!

If you're about to start a program of some sort and you're asking yourself:

Can I sustain this?

Keep going at such low calories, depriving myself, and shelling out so much cash?

What do I think will happen when I stop following it?

Am I happy during the process?

Do I still love food?

Chances are you've started a diet, and maybe it's time to start a change in lifestyle. I have found meal planning to be one thing that helps me maintain a healthy lifestyle and I love to share how to do it with others as well. 

How to get started with meal planning: Start with one step at a time.

1. Plan your meals for the week on a piece of paper
2. Track your food to see what works for you
3. Shop from home first – see what you can create from what you already have
4. Only buy what you need for the week
5. Get rid of the guilt

Don’t get me wrong I do fall back into my old habits too.  It usually has to do with stress which leads me down the spiral of eating junk and then causing more stress on my body.  My strategy is to have an accountably buddy who checks in on me and a food journal has done wonders. The signal for me is getting a migraine, once I feel one coming, I know I need to stop and reset myself again!

I have learned a lot about myself during this journey with food and continue to do so every day! Happy to share more with you!        

Kandice-Lee Doucette

doucette.kandice@gmail.com

Meal Prep Whiz

Independent Epicure Executive Consultant

kandiceleedoucette.epicure.com

Happy Healthy Women Trailblazer 

https://happyhealthywomen.ca/

Follow me on  Facebook & Instagram - Kandiceleefiredup

Check me out on YouTube

One of my biggest tips for those looking to make meal prep easier, is to shop at Home!

No I don’t mean online shopping. I mean actually gathering your ingredients to make a delicious meal, but to do so, you'll need a stocked pantry, which is easy enough to accomplish.

I am a big believer in having items in your pantry that you can easily create a meal for when you didn’t get to the store either for yourself or when you have guests over!

We have all been there…

Home from a trip and the fridge is empty…

The day before getting groceries…

Guests drop by and you didn’t have time to make anything…

Now you might just order in or run out for take-away!! I say try stocking up on some simple staples!! When I speak staples I mean more than flour and olive oil!

1. Cans of Black, White, kidney or chickpeas

You can add any one of these beans to a sauce or salad to give you fibre, protein and vitamins when you don’t have fresh produce available. 

Check out the 5 minute Black olive salsa or 3 Bean salad!

2. Olives are perfect for a quick snack as Tapenade.

3. Coconut milk for your one pot wonders or making a rich pudding!

4. Canned tomatoes – great for salsa, soup, BBQ sauces and Chili

5. Lentils – keep on hand the small lentils as they cook faster and even can dissolved into the meal you are making

6. Spices and seasonings – These make great idea creators too!

For example I keep a basket full of Epicure’s meal solutions on hand to give me ideas for the ingredients I have. One of favourites is this Butter chicken. All you need is a can of beans, coconut milk and some frozen veggies. Dinner would be ready in less than 10 minutes.

There is a lot of information out there on what to do during the Christmas season regarding food and alcohol consumption and how to handle the extra load of sweets.  Today,  I will give you some extra tips but I would love for you to consider using them even after the holidays. 

If you want to see changes in your lifestyle, weight, energy, well-being, etc. start practicing good habits everyday and not "some" days.

The more you apply good habits, the more you will understand how your body reacts to those changes,  and the more you will be in charge of choosing how to make things work for you to feel great, confident and energized.  And remember that it is ok to say NO when you can't attend an event, fulfill someone's expectations or complete all the overwhelming tasks you impose yourself.

Consider applying the tips below all the time you go out to socialize or when help is needed at home and remember we are talking during and after the festivities :)

• Avoid holiday chocolates before bed: A rapid increase in blood sugar levels can energize the body and disturb your sleep.

• Hydrate well before every party: Drinking a big glass of sparkling water (rich in bicarbonate), or a glass of water with lemon can help you avoid eating too many high-caloric snacks. Extra points if you also nosh on an apple before you leave – the extra fiber and antioxidants will keep your blood sugar levels steady and your adrenals happy, so you can enjoy the event without the stress.

• Finish your meal with a detox tea: there are many herbal teas that can help you detox. My favorite combination includes rosemary, black radish, artichoke leaf, dandelion root, and lime.

• Reach for shellfish: It’s full of protein, vitamins, and essential trace minerals (and made even healthier, and tastier, by a few drops of lemon). If allergies are not an issue, reach for these healthy snacks rather than any bread-based snacks, like pizza and canapes.

• Ask for help: Holidays are demanding, and too many of us try to do too much all on our own. It’s okay to ask for help from family and friends! Whether it is decorating, shopping, cooking, or you simply need a shoulder to lean on, ASK.  You will free your time and have opportunities to relax! Plus those who love you will have a chance to show you how much they care – it’s a win-win for everyone.