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5 Tips for Your Sugar Detox: How to Fight the Cravings, Stay Sane and Feel Free.
Whether or not you have committed to a structured sugar detox or you are simply looking to cut your intake of sweets and manage the cravings – today, I am sharing my 5 simple tips for your sugar detox. It’s not about dieting or crazy rules or restrictive eating as punishment, it’s just about being smart, prioritizing your health and feeling in control of the cravings!
Hey Sweet Thing! Are you addicted to sugar? Do you feel trapped by your constant cravings for something sweet? If you want to break the addictive cycle to sugar, it’s totally possible, it’s not actually as bad (or as hard) as it seems and feeling like you are in control of your cravings – is truly priceless!! Trust me. Removing the addiction to sugar isn’t about extreme restrictions forever or never ever having a sweet again, rather this is about loving your body and your health enough to want to feel your bet, to get yourself out of the constant blood sugar roller coaster and to break free of the sugar cravings that hold you hostage!
I know pretty much all of us can relate and have been there, but I find it’s especially challenging for folks after the holidays. Whether or not you have committed to a structured sugar detox or you are simply looking to cut your intake of sweets and manage the cravings – today, I am sharing my 5 tips to drop the sugar – cuz friends, you are sweet enough already – haha!
Why Cut Back on Sugar?
Sugar at it’s best lights us up, it gives us pleasure in times of stress, depression and pain, but we all know those feelings are short-lived. At it’s worst, sugar in excess can make you feel sluggish, bloated, anxious and crabby – so why do you still crave it? Because it’s addicting. It triggers the same reward and pleasure centers in the brain, that some narcotics do. It’s addicting. Is sugar as bad for us as cocaine? NO – I am certainly not implying that, but I think it’s important to recognize that sugar definitely has the ability to have a very strong hold on us and it’s not our fault.
Excessive Sugar Can:
- raise our blood sugar (blood glucose), which requires our body to constantly be releasing insulin to manage, then we have the crash – it’s highly taxing to the body to be in this constant blood sugar roller coaster of up and down and it can affect other systems of the body, as a result.
- lead to weight gain from overeating, along with elevated triglycerides, insulin resistance, and other indicators of metabolic syndrome. Refined sugar has also been shown to reduce immune system efficiency.1https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/4748178, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0271531784800573.
- cause elevated blood glucose levels which has been shown to promote cancer growth 2https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0006291X85919308.
- feed bad gut bacteria. When we eat a high-sugar diet, the undesirable bacteria thrive and start to grow out of control, causing a waterfall of health issues, while our beneficial bacteria dwindle in number.
- cause inflammation which can affects our entire body, but very specifically our immune system and our digestion.
Does this mean we can’t have ANY sugar ever, nope! I am not insinuating that extreme, unattainable level of perfection with our eating, but of all the foods available to us, I would argue that sugar is the most pleasure-enducing and therefore the hardest to moderate. Limiting yourself around the sweets isn’t a problem with you or your willpower, it’s a problem with the sweets! They are hyper palatable and designed to make you want more. So, what can we do to break the addiction to sugar and begin to feel like we are the ones in control, rather than the sugar?!
References
1. ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/4748178, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0271531784800573 2. ↑ https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0006291X85919308 -
Between Meals Podcast. Episode 10: Keto Quick Start with Diane Sanfilippo
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On the first episode of 2019 I am joined by my guest and good friend Diane Sanfilippo and we are chatting all about her brand new book Keto Quick Start: A Beginner’s Guide to a Whole-Foods Ketogenic Diet
NOTES:
Buy Keto Quick Start: A Beginner’s Guide to a Whole-Foods Ketogenic Diet by Diane Sanfilippo
Peruse the article archives, watch videos, listen to the Balanced Bites Podcast, grab recipes and more at Balanced Bites
Join the Balanced Bites email list to find out about the Balanced Bites Spices, Meals and more: https://balancedbites.com
Follow Balanced Bites on Instagram
More about Diane and Keto Quick Start:
New York Timesbestselling author and health and wellness pioneer Diane Sanfilippo brings her own experience with a ketogenic diet to Keto Quick Start, a comprehensive and easy-to-follow road map to transitioning to a keto lifestyle.
There’s a good reason keto has attracted so many followers: it’s an effective tool for fat loss as well as a way of eating with proven benefits for many health concerns, including unstable blood sugar, neurological conditions, and epilepsy, to name a few. But getting started with keto and sticking with it can be tough. That’s where Keto Quick Start comes in.
In her signature practical style, Diane makes keto doable for everyone, whether you’re completely new to very low carb eating or you’ve tried it before and want to find a better way to make it work for you. Keeping the focus on real foods that nourish your body, she walks you through a gentle transition to keto and helps you figure out how to make it sustainable for the long term. Keto Quick Start targets everyday real-world concerns such as what to expect in the first few weeks and how to know if you’re on the right track, how to determine if you need more carbs and how to incorporate those carbs in a healthy way, how to customize keto for your personal goals (especially weight loss), and things to be aware of if you’re concerned about a particular health issue.
Keto Quick Start includes 100 delicious keto recipes, four weekly meal plans, more than a dozen easy meal ideas (no recipe required!), and troubleshooting tips and tricks. It also features a unique and easy-to-use template that makes tracking your food quick and simple.
DOWNLOAD the FREE KEEP IT SIMPLE KETO ebook
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:
How to Stock a Healthy Keto Pantry
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(Listen on iTunes)
You can now subscribe to the Between Meals Podcast on Apple iTunes, Soundcloud, Google Play, Spotify and Stitcher
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING:
Since we are still pretty new on iTunes, please do us a solid and SUBSCRIBE and of course, we would be honored if you took the time to rate and review the show, this will help more people find us and help the show to grow! If you liked this episode or others, please share on social media and tag us, share with friends and family, etc – this means the world!
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9 Tips for Good Gut Health During the Holidays
This blog is sponsored by MegaFood®. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
9 Tips for Good Gut Health During the Holidays
The holidays are a busy, busy time full of hustle, bustle and go go go. It’s also a time where we are certainly exposed to foods that are a bit more rich and indulgent than our usual fare. Our gut is often at the receiving end of the worst discomfort. For some of us it may be accidental exposure to gluten or maybe a bit more sugar than the rest of the year, or even a couple of cocktails – it happens! This time of year can feel particularly challenging to our vitality due to the added stress, travel and lack of sleep. All of this combined can be a bit rough on our bodies and particularly our digestion.
For many of us, especially those of us that struggle with autoimmune disease and other health imbalances, it certainly doesn’t take much for the symptoms to arise. Rather than managing the consequences and putting band aids on the list of resulting symptoms, I want to offer you some of my go-to tips for supporting your gut during the holidays to avoid the discomfort and so you can feel your very best and enjoy this magical time of year!!
A Healthy Gut is a Healthy Body*
We all know by now that a healthy gut is paramount to a healthy body.* From a properly functioning digestive system to a strong immune system and well functioning brain – our gut is foundational to our vitality*. During the holidays, there are many things you can do to protect your gut and support your health.*
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Sacred Self Care Guide for December 2018
Sacred Self Care Guide for December 2018 from Rising River Wisdom SchoolIn all the worlds’ mythology and culture, there have been wisdom keepers, those who looked to the natural and the hidden worlds as a guide for life on earth. Within these seekers are stargazers, who ascribe meaning to the “stars” and their movements through the solar system.
Though Earth’s Moon is no star, it reflects the brightest light we can see in the night sky. Its phases are a part of human consciousness, and its movements affect systems on earth and sea. When we align our activities to the Moon’s cycles we find a greater connection to both our bodies and intuitive wisdom. Read on for some self care wisdom inspired by the new moon.
Rising River Wisdom School is an immersive program for those looking to step into their own power and carry wisdom for themselves and the world around them. Below you will find some Sacred Self Care insight for December from Rising River Wisdom School’s incredible teachers – we’ve got you covered for setting intentions with the upcoming new moon, to seeking insight from animal guides to plant medicine, plus lots of guidance for mindfully navigating the world with your vibrant well-being in focus.
New Moon in Sagittarius December 6th 11:20pm PST By Michelle Prentiss
As our days in the Northern Hemisphere become shorter and the darkness rises up, we have the light of Sagittarius Season to guide, illuminate and inspire us to move forward, to progress and endure. The element of fire infuses this conjunction of the Sun and Moon, as does the overlay of Sagittarius’s ruling planet Jupiter, now powerfully at home and beaming expansive energy into the birthing of the new. This is the very last New Moon of the year and an especially magical time to perform any intention setting ritual that centers on expansion and positivity.
Magical, Mystical Neptune in Pisces also plays a strong part in the cosmic party. Riding alongside Mars and newly in direct motion, this planet sends a shimmering and compassionate beam of light directly into our hopes and dreams. Our imaginations are sparked and our intuitions can be extra sensitive now.
Mercury also stations direct earlier on the 6th, joining every planet in the solar system other than Uranus – in strong forward motion. Jupiter, Saturn and Neptune are also situated in their sign rulers. This can bring us an opening to personal and collective energetic re-birth- much needed after the deep soul searching and shadow work of the last year.
Optimism and Faith are key words of the lunation – along with Courage and Expansion. Take the time to step in to the potentials you have, believe, trust and step into the light of the season!
Here is a New Moon Ritual To do for this Month, to add to your intention setting. I was inspired by the Goddess Hekate in her aspect as a guide through darkness and a purifier of spirit. This is adapted from archetypalwitchcraft.wordpress In Antiquity Hekate was strongly connected with purification of persons or the household – and in this ritual we will address Hekate in her roles as a Goddess of purification- but also in her aspects as the Goddess who has powers over the spheres of earth, sea and sky and who is the ensouler of the cosmos and the shining guide.
Read on for this month’s New Moon Ritual along with plant medicine and power animal guidance for this New Moon in Sagittarius….
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Between Meals Podcast. Episode 09: How to Make Tiny Changes, Master Your Habits and Live Your Best Life
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“Habits are the compound interest of self improvement”
In episode 09 of the Between Meals Podcast, I am joined by guest James Clear as we talk all about How to Make Tiny Changes, Master Your Habits and Live Your Best Life. James and I chat all about his recently released NY Times Best Selling book Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones and the importance of building systems that work for you!
In this episode James and I are chatting all about behavior change, how to investigate and design your environment, physically and socially, to support your desired identity changes, along with reducing friction to maximize your success. Plus we discuss how important it is to creating systems for implementing small habits each day that allow you to move in alignment with the person you believe you are meant to be. Whether it’s your health and nutrition, fitness goals or relationships, maybe it’s building your new business as an entrepreneur, you will learn the common mistakes most people make when changing habits but most importantly some simple tips for how to put all of these ideas into practice in real life!!
James Clear is a writer and speaker focused on habits, decision-making, and continuous improvement. He is the author of the New York Times best seller, Atomic Habits. His work has appeared in the New York Times, Entrepreneur Magazine, Time Magazine, and on CBS This Morning. More than 400,000 people subscribe to his popular email newsletter at jamesclear.com. He is a regular speaker at Fortune 500 companies and his work is used by teams in the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB.
Between Meals Podcast. Episode 09 with James Clear:
How to Make Tiny Changes, Master Your Habits and Live Your Best Life
In This Episode of the Between Meals Podcast, We Talk About:
- true behavior change is really identity change
- it isn’t motivation and there isn’t a need to push yourself to be somebody else, you are just acting in alignment with who you already believe that you are.
- how do we form our self image?
- outcome based habits vs identity based habits
- how social media and news perpetuate a results based society
- focus on the feeling of fulfilling our potential
- organize habits around your identity to reinforce your identity
- why we don’t want to lose sight of the 1%. The importance of the tiny curve.
- time magnifies the margin between success and failure. Show up and letting time work for you.
- habits are the compound interest of self improvement
- what to do when you aren’t seeing the changes?
- the ultimate form of immediate satisfaction is a reinforcement of your desired identity
- casting votes for your desired identity
- the importance of habits being satisfying
- choose habits that deliver more joy and satisfaction
- invisible factors for success
- the importance of “never miss twice”
- and soooo much more!!
I think you all are really going to love this episode – I truly feel like this is a MUST-LISTEN FOR EVERYONE looking to implement healthy habits!
AND SO MUCH MORE!
As always, we finish the show with a fun game of Would You Rather? and please be sure to stick around for the wrap-up portion where Mark and I chat about what we learned and ways
Show Notes + References:
- www.jamesclear.com/atomic-habits
- jamesclear.com – to sign up for James’ amazing newsletter
- Get Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones
Thank you to our sponsor:
How to Stock a Healthy Keto Pantry
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(Listen on iTunes)
You can now subscribe to the Between Meals Podcast on Apple iTunes, Soundcloud, Google Play, Spotify and Stitcher
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING:
Since we are still pretty new on iTunes, please do us a solid and SUBSCRIBE and of course, we would be honored if you took the time to rate and review the show, this will help more people find us and help the show to grow! If you liked this episode or others, please share on social media and tag us, share with friends and family, etc – this means the world!
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Between Meals Podcast. Episode 08: How to Find Your Happy Weight + Unlock Your Body Confidence
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“When we focus on a number on the scale, we are never going to find happiness and we are never going to find balance in our life”
In episode 08 of the Between Meals Podcast, I am joined by my friend and co-host Daniele Della Valle as we talk about how to find your happy weight and unlock your confidence.
In this episode learn how to show up for yourself and do the hard work, discover how to deconstruct toxic environments and relationships and most of all, learn how to be open to rebuilding, as needed, to live the life you were destined to live!!!
As we unpack this topic and dive into exploring what this has meant for both of us personally and in working with clients, I am not going to pretend that this is an easy shift or something that you just flip a switch on and suddenly boom, congrats girl, you are confident, proud and accepting of every bit of your body. This is an ongoing journey and hot damn spoiler alert –– it isn’t linear – there are ups and downs, there are set backs and there are tough lessons. It’s not about the end game or reaching some goal where you never struggle again, but rather it’s about honoring the work and the lessons we learn along the way.
But like so many things in life, this is also your reminder that this is a practice. It’s a practice that requires work, it requires you to show up and sometimes it requires you to dig deep into the shadowy parts of yourself that you may not be quite ready to face just yet – but like the work you put into your health, this too has incredible rewards!
Stay tuned to the end of the podcast, where I am sharing a beautiful practice that has been so powerful for me, to support you in your self love and body confidence journey and to remind you that you are perfect, exactly the way that you are, RIGHT NOW!
Between Meals Podcast. Episode 08: How to Find Your Happy Weight + Unlock Your Body Confidence
In This Episode of Between Meals Podcast, We Talk About:
- dealing with hurtful negative comments
- are you really in a relationship with your food?
- the problem with “cheat days”, treats, indulgences, foods that are “good” and “bad”
- the danger in our culture’s perpetuation of “you aren’t good enough – you need to change”
- exercise as a tool to feel good, not to obsessively fix “a problem”
- unpacking the narrative of “You Aren’t Enough”
- learning to love your body and find your happy weight
- where do you get started when you feel there are a million things in front of you
- trusting in and honoring your individual journey
- navigating change when not everyone is on board
- resistance and leaving toxic relationships – cling to those who are supportive and believe in who you are trying to become
- the importance of community
- what is your WHY? What are you trying to achieve?
- what can you do about self sabotage?
- unpacking the narrative and the external expectations of what “should” be
- society’s construct ideals of unattainable goals, “nirvana” “bliss” “perfection” and how it benefits from us constantly seeking to want to be “better”
- loving your body, without shame and apologies
- What are we trying to achieve?
- mission over metrics
- first steps as you start your journey of finding your happy weight
- managing the expectations of others and setting boundaries
- SAY YES!
AND MORE!
As always, we finish the show with a fun game of Would You Rather? and please be sure to stick around for the wrap-up portion where I share a beautiful practice to support you in your body confidence journey. I invite you to incorporate this super powerful, intentional exercise as part of your daily self-care routine. It’s an amazing opportunity to give yourself the space to shut out the noise of the world and to really listen to what your inner voice is saying.
Remember: you are perfect, exactly the way that you are. RIGHT NOW!
Show Notes + References:
- www.danieledellavalle.com
- Grab Daniele Della Valle’s book Happy Weight
- Follow Daniele on Instagram
- Pat Bailey’s The Hell Yes Academy
- Mirror Gazing
Thank you to our sponsor:
How to Stock a Healthy Keto Pantry
LISTEN NOW ON ITUNES
(Listen on iTunes)
You can now subscribe to the Between Meals Podcast on Apple iTunes, Soundcloud, Google Play, Spotify and Stitcher
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING:
Since we are still pretty new on iTunes, please do us a solid and SUBSCRIBE and of course, we would be honored if you took the time to rate and review the show, this will help more people find us and help the show to grow! If you liked this episode or others, please share on social media and tag us, share with friends and family, etc – this means the world!
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THE DIRTY DOZEN: 12 Harmful Ingredients to Avoid in your Cosmetics and Skincare
I would be willing to bet that, like me, most of you subscribe to the notion – YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT. But, I truly feel that we should add to that, YOU ARE WHAT YOU PUT ON, too. The products we apply to our skin, hair, nails and teeth – these can affect our health, just the same as the food we eat.
Rather than food, today we are talking all about cosmetics, skincare and personal care products. Like my journey with food and nutrition, I got into all of this because I wanted to educate myself and be empowered with the knowledge to make better choices for myself, but I also really want to continue to share what I learn and educate all of you, to give you that same empowerment to navigate this world and most of all – I want to ensure that safer options are accessible to ALL, not just the privileged. Today, I want to share with all of you some of the reasons I have chosen to include all of this in the work I am doing, both on Tasty Yummies and with my one-on-one nutrition and health coaching clients– I want to share WHY I believe we should ALL care about safer skincare, cleaner cosmetics and better personal care products.
The American dermatological research has shown for over 40 years that it’s not only what we put IN our body that’s absorbed, but also what we put ON it, and the chemicals in cosmetics do way more harm than good to your body.
U.S. researchers report that one in seven of the 82,000 ingredients used in personal care products are industrial chemicals, including carcinogens, pesticides, reproductive toxins, and hormone disruptors. Many products include plasticizers (chemicals that keep concrete soft), degreasers (used to get grime off auto parts), and surfactants (they reduce surface tension in water, like in paint and inks). PLEASE JUST STOP AND THINK ABOUT ALL THAT FOR A MINUTE and imagine what that does to your skin, and to the environment.
In the US there has not been any major law in beauty product regulation since 1938. In the US there are only 30 banned ingredients in our cosmetics, in Europe there are over 1400!
CYBER MONDAY DEAL:
Today is the final day to save 15% of ALL Beautycounter products along with FREE shipping on all purchases over $50!! This is a really great way to make the switch, plus there are 4 new limited-edition travel-sized products, that just launched today, which is a great way to dive into the brand!
THE DIRTY DOZEN:
12 Harmful Ingredients to Avoid in your Cosmetics and Skincare -
Between Meals Podcast. Episode 07: Navigating the Holidays with Ease and Grace
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The holidays are upon us once again and wooo buddy, there’s a lot of noise right now. People telling you HOW to create the perfect guilt-free holiday menu and the best workouts to burn off ALL those calories. There are the warnings about not “going off track”, “what to do when you fall of the wagon” or “have ruined everything you have worked so hard for all year long” – ya’ll spoiler alert – this is not how it works!!
I have been there, the holidays can certainly bring up feelings of fear and it can trigger concerns that you will be sent into an unending spiral after one indulgent meal or that in one day you can undo all of your progress. Then of course, there is the other extreme, the binge eating, the feelings of scarcity, the removal of responsibility and the urges to eat things that you KNOW will make you feel bad – just because it’s “one day”. In both extremes it’s important that you recognize you are giving up your power.
The most important thing to remember is that YOU are in control. You hold the responsibility to make the choices that are right for you. Whatever those may be. There is no right or wrong answer or some perfect formula for how to do it all correctly. But, if you can slow down, listen to your intuition and remember that YOU hold the power to choose what is worth it for you and what isn’t. From my own personal experiences, with that realization and in knowing that ultimately I get to CHOOSE what I want – comes an incredible amount of relief to just navigate the holidays like any other day.
Join Cristina Curp of The Castaway Kitchen and I as we have an honest conversation as we share how we personally navigate the holidays, sharing our tips on how to avoid the extremes of total seclusion and the fear of destroying it all or the other end of the spectrum – totally letting the feelings of scarcity win and just full-on binging, forgetting everything you know about paying attention to and honoring your body. Listen to learn how to navigate this busy, often triggering season with ease and grace so that you can stand in your power, remain in the driver’s seat and most importantly have a HAPPY holiday season filled with LOVE!
This should be a magical time of year, where you deserve to relax, enjoy yourself, to be happy and merry while you celebrate old traditions and create all new memories!!!
SHOW NOTES & REFERENCES:
Grab Cristina’s book Made Whole
Download the Holidays Made Whole FREE eBook
Follow Cristina on Facebook and Instagram
Cristina on Growing Up Fat: How I Experience the Health and Wellness Space
AND MORE!
And of course, as always, we finish the interview portion of the show with a fun game of Would You Rather? and stick around for the wrap-up with my producer hubby, Mark!
LISTEN NOW ON ITUNES
You can now subscribe to the Between Meals Podcast on Apple iTunes, Soundcloud, Google Play, Spotify and Stitcher
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING:
Since we are still pretty new on iTunes, please do us a solid and SUBSCRIBE and of course, we would be honored if you took the time to rate and review the show, this will help more people find us and help the show to grow! If you liked this episode or others, please share on social media and tag us, share with friends and family, etc – this means the world!
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Body Scan Meditation for Sleep
Get ready for some serious shut-eye with this 15-minute guided meditation for sleep. Meditation offers an effective, natural solution for anyone looking to get a more restful night’s sleep.
In this guided meditation for sleep you will utilize the breath and physical sensation in the body as an opportunity to let go of the day and soothe your body and your mind to help you drift off with ease into a peaceful slumber.
I hope we all know by now the incredible importance that sleep plays in our health, it’s just as important as our food and nutrition, movement and hydration. Prioritizing your sleep is crucial to living a vibrant, healthful life – but our busy minds and stress-filled days can make drifting off a challenge. If we can climb into bed without the stimulation of phones or laptops, if we can take the time to relax our busy, cluttered monkey minds, we are rewarded with a peaceful slumber that will rejuvenate our next days. Because when we settle the mind and rest the body, that restfulness is what makes it easier to wind down and drift off.
With 7-9 hours being the recommended duration for healthy, restful sleep, we have to actively work to prioritize our sleep and create habits and rituals that support a healthy sleep environment and encourage synchronization with our natural circadian rhythms.
Meditation has been shown to improve the quality and efficiency of sleep, how quickly you fall asleep, and how long you can stay awake during the day. Meditating just prior to bed can help you to fall asleep faster and once you are asleep, you’re likely to sleep much more soundly, too.
In addition to this nightly bedtime meditation, I suggest a daily meditation practice earlier in the day, as well, as this can continue to support mindfulness, stress management and create a more rested mind that is primed and set for a restful night’s sleep. Even just 5 or 10 minutes a day. You can also try a pre-bed daily gratitude practice. An attitude of gratitude promotes longer, sounder sleep 1https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/minding-the-body/201111/how-gratitude-helps-you-sleep-night.
For more on the Science of Sleep along with tips on improving your sleep, along with bedtime rituals, supplements, recommended approaches for managing insomnia and more, check out Episode 06 of the Between Meals Podcast with Dr. Param Dedhia.
Process and Progress NOT Perfection.
Remember, if this is a new practice for you, when it comes to meditation for sleep, the most important thing to get you started is making an effort to meditate and to get quiet before you try to sleep; like most things in life – practice, practice, practice. Getting comfortable with your meditation style, learning to silence the busy noise of our minds and breath work will happen the more you do it.
LISTEN NOW ON ITUNES
(listen now on iTunes)You can now subscribe to the Between Meals Podcast on Apple iTunes, Soundcloud, Google Play, Spotify and Stitcher
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING:
Since we are still pretty new on iTunes, please do us a solid and SUBSCRIBE and of course, we would be honored if you took the time to rate and review the show, this will help more people find us and help the show to grow! If you liked this episode or others, please share on social media and tag us, share with friends and family, etc – this means the world!
References
1. ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/minding-the-body/201111/how-gratitude-helps-you-sleep-night -
11 Natural Ways to Boost Your Immune System
A healthy body is dependent on a strong immune system. Rather than just strengthening our immune system we want to train our immune system to do it’s job correctly. Today I am sharing just some of my favorite natural tips for supporting and building a strong immune system that have worked for me. Here are 11 Natural Ways to Boost Your Immune System…
11 Natural Tips to Boost Your Immune System
Simple, holistic tips to fight illness and strengthen your immunity PLUS what you can do if you do get sick, to fight it quickly.
Go With Your Gut
I can tell you from personal experience that the very best way to ward off chronic illness, colds, flus, infections, allergies, food sensitivities and controlling / avoiding autoimmune disease is to heal and strengthen the gut! With 70-80% of our immune system’s cells occupying our gut, this is home base for our vitality and wellness. Our gut bacteria helps the immune system’s T cells develop—teaching them the difference between a foreign substance and the body’s own tissues. Without these important immune soldiers doing their job to protect us, the nasties get in, they slip by the troops, invade, wage war, take over and it’s not fun!
With years of comprised digestion, intestinal bacterial overgrowth and finally being diagnosed with a parasite, I personally spent a solid decade to 15 years, getting terrible sinus infections, several times a year, every year, most times it then eventually evolved into bronchitis and upper respiratory infections. I got every single strain of every cold, flu and stomach bug that passed through town – I even battled the Swine Flu when that was a thing. On top of all of that, I suffered for many, many years with a variety of environmental allergies – ALL of this stopped when I finally healed my gut and prioritized proper digestion. It’s magical really. But, it’s not. It’s simple.
As you’ll hear echoed many times throughout this article, and if you spend more than about 5 minutes chatting with me at any given time, our gut is vital to our immune health and it’s the control center for our bodies to decide what is friend and what is foe. I highly encourage you to prioritize optimizing your gut, both for the cold and flu season ahead, as well as the future of your overall health and wellness. If you want to learn more about how to heal your gut – GRAB THE FREE GUT HEALTH 101 GUIDE BOOK
Along with tips for strengthening and healing your gut, here are some tips to Naturally Boost Your Immune System:
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How To Create a Daily Gratitude Practice
How To Start a Daily Gratitude Practice
Rather than one single day centered around gratitude, I want to invite you to make practicing gratitude a daily habit.
And what better way to implement your new habit than to practice, practice, practice. You can experience true abundance and contentment, in just a few minutes a day.
The keys to creating a daily practice, that is effortless, sustainable and part of your routine is to understand how to set yourself up for success.
Below are a few tips to implementing a your new daily gratitude practice, plus how to make it a daily habit and the benefits of doing so.
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Between Meals Podcast. Episode 06: The Science of Sleep and How to Fix It.
There are very few things that are as crucial to our health as a good night’s sleep. On this episode of the Between Meals Podcast we are joined by sleep expert Param Dedhia, MD and we are talking ALL about the science of sleep and how to fix it. Disordered sleep or a lack of sleep are serious stressors on the body that can affect heart health, insulin resistance, cognitive function and moods, fat loss and more. If you have trouble sleeping or simply want to optimize or better prioritize your sleep – this episode is for you.
Dr. Dedhia is a Physician, Weight Loss Program Leader & Director of Sleep Medicine, Canyon Ranch in Tucson, Arizona where he championed the re-launch of the Weight Loss Program at the Life Enhancement Center and actively serves as Director of Sleep Medicine. He specializes in internal medicine, executive health, preventive cardiology, longevity, mind-body medicine, integrative medicine, weight loss and sleep.
SHOW NOTES, TOPICS & REFERENCES:
- The importance of making sleep a priority, how many hours of sleep is enough?
- Sleep quantity vs quality – which is most important?
- The Sleep Heart Health Study (sleep apnea and it’s affects on heart health)
- Correlation between metabolic syndrome and sleep apnea
- Are you cheating yourself of sleep for more hours of “productivity”? How a full night’s sleep can benefit your work, creativity and productivity.
- The importance of the timing of your sleep, does it matter when you go to sleep and when you wake up?
- What can you do if you are alert and awake at bedtime.
- Understanding circadian rhythm.
- Your day time sets up your night time – tips for setting up a day that will encourage a better night’s sleep.
- The importance of bedtime rituals.
- How sleep can scrub out negative thoughts from the day prior.
- Why you might be waking up in the middle of the night.
- Understanding the various sleep cycles and what happens in each.
- Stay curious – 6 common signs that your sleep is not normal.
- If you have sleep apnea – do you NEED a CPAP machine?
- Is severe disordered sleep equivalent to smoking a pack of cigarettes?
- Why do some people sleep deeply and other people are more light sleepers?
- Sleep supplements and other natural remedies.
- A sleepy brain is a hungry brain.
AND MORE!
And of course, as always, we finish the interview portion of the show with a fun game of Would You Rather?
Be sure to stick around for the wrap up portion of the show where we talk briefly about:
- different types of magnesium, which are best for sleeping?
- bed time rituals and practices + things to consider for better sleep.
- why your low carb diet may be affecting your sleep.
LISTEN NOW ON ITUNES
References:
- How to Stock a Healthy Keto Pantry
- More Resetful Sleep Bedtime Yoga and Boosted Sleepy Time Yoga
- 10 Minute Grounding Meditation
- How to Take a Break from Coffee and Why You May Want to Consider It
- 14 day Caffeine-free Challenge
LISTEN NOW ON ITUNES
You can now subscribe to Between Meals on iTunes or Soundcloud.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING:
Since we are still pretty new on iTunes, please do us a solid and SUBSCRIBE and of course, we would be honored if you took the time to rate and review the show, this will help more people find us and help the show to grow! If you liked this episode or others, please share on social media and tag us, share with friends and family, etc – this means the world!
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Sacred Self Care Guide for November 2018
Sacred Self Care Guide for November 2018 from Rising River Wisdom School
In all the worlds’ mythology and culture, there have been wisdom keepers, those who looked to the natural and the hidden worlds as a guide for life on earth. Within these seekers are stargazers, who ascribe meaning to the “stars” and their movements through the solar system.
Though Earth’s Moon is no star, it reflects the brightest light we can see in the night sky. Its phases are a part of human consciousness, and its movements affect systems on earth and sea. When we align our activities to the Moon’s cycles we find a greater connection to both our bodies and intuitive wisdom. Read on for some self care wisdom inspired by the new moon.
Rising River Wisdom School is an immersive program for those looking to step into their own power and carry wisdom for themselves and the world around them. Below you will find some Sacred Self Care insight for November from Rising River Wisdom School’s incredible teachers – we’ve got you covered for setting intentions with the upcoming new moon, to seeking insight from animal guides to plant medicine, plus lots of guidance for mindfully navigating the world with your vibrant well-being in focus.
New Moon in Scorpio November 7th, 2018 8:02 am PST
Sabian Symbol: A Girl’s Face Breaking into a Smile – “Faith” By Michelle Prentiss
November’s New Moon of 2018 comes on the heels of Election Day, and is complex, surprising and powerfully regenerative. Strong feelings surround the lunation and the themes of faith, strength and the power and courage to move on in our lives, despite disappointments – are highlighted.
This Sun/Moon conjunction is in strong aspect to its planetary rulers Mars and Pluto – bringing a kind of stability to the unpredictable forces at work in the collective now, even in the face of the ongoing challenge of integrating and processing change.
Mars is also in a positive relationship to Venus Retrograde now in Libra, also supporting the energy of harmony.
Just prior to the lunation the revolutionary planet Uranus, (retrograde in Aries) squares the Nodal Axis of our Moon, moving now to Cancer/ Capricorn. Uranus is freedom loving- anything goes this week! The wild card energy of friction that we feel however, does point to a resolution from the trine from Neptune, actively beaming into the collective imaginative ways of creating our future.
The idea of blending opposing factors and creating something new is the key image of this Moon. An awareness of control in order to master our goals and objectives is also highlighted.
The development of a mature strength and faith in our ability to connect our wild and instinctual self with our civilized and cultured selves, to center our lives in love and trust learning to re-imagine and re-birth our lives graciously, to blend and harmonize is essential now. To do this we must be centered in what we appreciate in our lives, even as we wish for our ideals.
Here is a small New Moon Ritual To do for this Month, adapted from the Goddesscircle.net:
GIVE THANKS
As we open to the possibility of what is coming into our lives, this is a good time to offer thanks for all that has come in the last cycle. You can offer thanks to the Universe, to the deities or guides you work with, to your spirit animals, or anyone you want to give a special thanks to during this powerful time.
You can leave out an offering of your choosing somewhere outside like a piece of bread, some flowers, a crystal and say a few words of thanks such as:
“I give thanks with open arms For all that there has been
I open still for all that flows And comes from the unseen.” ~AraNew Moon affirmations are potent phrases of intent which you can use to anchor your work during the New Moon. You can light a candle before you say them and then speak ones that resonate with you or you can create your own as you are called. Here are some for Wednesday’s New Moon:
- “I am reborn with this New Moon”
- “I embrace the new beginnings opening to me this New Moon”
- “I am open to the unfolding path and synchronicity that flow into my world”
- “I let go of what is no longer serving me and open to what is”
- “I am open to receive”
- “I am wholly rooted in my truth”
You may write or speak wishes and goals. This lunation has the power to birth strong new life for many of our creative seeds. Blessed Be!
Read on for plant medicine and power animal guidance for this New Moon in Scorpio….
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Between Meals Podcast // Bites Episode 07: How Do You Get Started?
Between Meals // Bites Episode 07 is the final in the 3-part series all about Motivation, Priorities and Small Steps. Based on your feedback and requests on these topics, we pulled together this series that I am so excited to share with you all.
In the first episode we talked specifically about motivation, what exactly that means and some ideas on how to critically investigate what you are doing that IS working and what you are doing that IS NOT working, so you can have some clarity in the process of getting to whatever it is that you seek for yourself and have an understanding of what exactly is acting as a barrier. In the second episode we talk all about priorities and making time so there is less pressure on seeking external motivation and needing willpower and there is more focus on creating systems and a process. It’s about creating habits that can one day be effortless, no negotiations needed.
After the checks and balances of the first two episodes, in this final episode we are chatting all about small steps and just diving in and getting started! All it takes is one small step. One step is action and action is momentum and this is what creates movement, shifts and change.
We are talking about the small steps, just doing a little something. Not always focusing on results or goals and instead creating habits.
ARE YOU READY TO COMMIT TO A FEW SMALL STEPS?
WHAT IS ONE SMALL STEP YOU CAN TAKE TODAY?
Don’t forget, be sure to listen to the first two part in this series Part One: How Do You Stay Motivated? and Part Two: How Do You Make Time for It? and head back to the archives, for more conversations similar to this, like Episode 02 we talk about finding our WHY, Bites Episode 04 we talk about Shoulding All over Yourself and even within the Bites Business Mastermind Series we have plenty of discussions surrounding perfectionism and comparison that pertains to this conversation, too.
Mark’s Podcast Episode: My Greatest Tip for Productivity
LISTEN NOW ON ITUNES
(listen on iTunes)You can now subscribe to Between Meals on iTunes or Soundcloud.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING:
Since we are still pretty new on iTunes, please do us a solid and SUBSCRIBE and of course, we would be honored if you took the time to rate and review the show, this will help more people find us and help the show to grow! If you liked this episode or others, please share on social media and tag us, share with friends and family, etc – this means the world!
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How I Support My Immune System + a New Supplement
How I Support My Immune System with a New Supplement*
This post and recipe were created in partnership with MegaFood®. I am proud to work with brands that care about the health of its consumers and the planet. As always, all opinions, ideas and text are my own. Thanks for supporting the sponsors that allow me to create new and special content like this for Tasty Yummies.
As the seasons change, the kiddos are back to school, the holidays loom and the temperatures drop, this is an especially perfect time to prioritize foods, habits and supplements that will help to keep us healthy and take the necessary steps to support our immune health, when we need it most!
I am a firm believer in turning to our diet and nutrition first, when possible, to support our body’s natural processes and efforts. However, when it comes to acute treatment and support, along with deficiencies that may be hard to manage and remedy exclusively through our diet, I think supplementation is an incredible and super helpful option. Even the healthiest of eaters can’t always obtain essential nutrients from diet alone; this is when I turn to and recommend supplemental support. And I’m not alone – according to a recent survey distributed by MegaFood®, pioneer of premium supplements made with whole foods, 80% of respondents take vitamins and supplements, with 73% taking them on a daily basis.
Those who indicated they do not take vitamins and supplements say it is because they’re not sure they work (30%) or they don’t know what to take (27%). However, they did agree on one thing – an overwhelming majority of participants (87%) would take vitamins and supplements if they were made with real, whole foods. MegaFood is leading this trend by delivering essential vitamins and minerals in a way that nature intended, with REAL foods.
With all the buzz around non-GMO and organic certifications, and recently with news of the harmful chemical glyphosate being found in common foods, consumers will continue to look to brands like MegaFood that produce products that are GMO-free and tested glyphosate residue free and truly transparent. MegaFood was actually the first supplement brand to have its entire product line certified Glyphosate Residue Free by The Detox Project, and products boast additional certifications such as non-GMO, gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian, among others.
As I mentioned, supplementation during the fall and winter seasons can be a good way to fortify your immune system.* That’s why I’ve recently added MegaFood Acute Defense™ to my vitamin cabinet. This new product is made with Vitamin C, Zinc and Black Elderberry, together with bitter and phytonutrient-rich herbs, including echinacea and andrographis. When you feel the need, take two tablets three times per day for five days. Your immune system will thank you for the support!*
The active ingredients in Acute Defense™ are among my favorites for supporting immune health:
- Vitamin C and zinc are nutrients essential for healthy immune function*
- Black Elderberry fruit can be used in the early stages of seasonal challenges to support immune function*
- Echinacea and andrographis are herbs known for powering the immune system*
My Immune System Story
I have shared with you all many, many times the struggles I have faced throughout my entire lifetime with my underperforming immune system. It’s been a very long road of working to support and heal. It wasn’t until I went to school for nutrition and spent time reading, studying and researching the immune system that I finally got hold of my immune health.
Today I want to share the top 5 things I did to build up and boost my immune system, all 5 of which I still prioritize for the continued support of my healthy immune function! *
5 Things That I Did and Continue to Do to Support my Immune System:
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Between Meals Podcast // Bites Episode 06: How Do You Make Time for It?
Between Meals // Bites Episode 06 is the second in a three-part series where we are chatting all about Motivation, Priorities and Small Steps. Based on your feedback and requests on these topics, we pulled together this series that I am so excited to share with you all.
In the first episode we talked specifically about motivation, what exactly that means and some ideas on how to critically investigate what you are doing that IS working and what you are doing that IS NOT working, so you can have some clarity in the process of getting to whatever it is that you seek for yourself and have an understanding of what exactly is acting as a barrier.
In this second part, I am excited to be sharing a tool that I recently implemented into my own life for prioritizing the things that I want to accomplish and felt I never had time for. Plus, we talk about getting systems in place for finding the time to develop new habits that will become as effortless as the ones that are just part of every day life. No negotiations or motivations needed. Again, I think it’s important to remember when we look to create habits and focus on the small steps of forward momentum, it really becomes so much less about a reliance on motivation and it isn’t about looking for the magical super powers needed to reach huge, unrealistic goals. Ultimately you have the freedom to worry less that you are ON or OFF track and it simply becomes about living the life you’ve cultivated for yourself by prioritizing what is most important to you RIGHT NOW.
Stay tuned for next weeks final episode in this three-part series, where we will talk all about small steps and getting started!Ultimately, I have to say that think the idea of willpower, self control and relying on motivations are kinda B.S., because to me when we rely on these as the means to get to where we want to go, it seems as if you are placing all hope in the idea that these strike right when you need them to and ultimately you aren’t taking responsibility for the process or for creating systems that will make the life you want to be living sustainable, effortless and simply just that, living. Not on track, not on the wagon, not on a diet.
I think just like your health, we really need to get to the root cause of what is stopping you from developing the new habits in the first place, as those are the true catalysts of making lasting change. In my opinion, also like your health, when it comes to your behaviors you need to be approaching things on a foundational level, rather than symptomatically. You just need to get systems in place that work for YOU, rather than beating yourself up for not reaching a goal or reverting to old habits because of a lack of future plans, when you finally do hit a goal. Because it then leaves it to either you did it or you didn’t, “you win” or “you lose”. Black and white. Right or wrong. When you don’t meet the goal, what is almost never acknowledged is that the problem actually isn’t you, the problem is the process (or the lack there of).
Some of what we investigate in this episode was actually quite hard for me to wrap my brain around as I began to implement them, myself. As a true Rebel (see Gretchen Rubin’s Four Tendencies), at least when it comes to my work, I always hated the idea of systems, habits and time blocking – the idea of it all always felt restricting and like I would lose my freedom to go with the flow in the process, but I have come to realize that in developing the habits and the systems, I finally have clarity in what I am doing. By creating daily habits and systems it has opened up my life and given me more freedoms than I ever knew, because I know what I am doing and I know when I have the space to just exist without flailing and feeling like I should be doing more. When I looked at my health journey and how I prioritize my wellness and vibrancy, those systems and those habits are exactly what has allowed me to be so successful, so it’s no different.
ARE YOU READY TO ASK YOURSELF IF YOUR GOALS /WANTS ARE A PRIORITY?
WE’D LOVE IF YOU SHARE YOUR PRIORITIES ON SOCIAL MEDIA – PLEASE TAG @TASTYYUMMIES!
Stay tuned for next weeks final episode in the series, all about small steps and getting started!
Don’t forget, be sure to listed to the first part in this series How Do You Stay Motivated? and head back to the archives, for more conversations similar to this, like Episode 02 we talk about finding our WHY, Bites Episode 04 we talk about Shoulding All over Yourself and even within the bites business mastermind series we have plenty of discussions surrounding perfectionism and comparison that pertains to this conversation, too.
LISTEN NOW ON ITUNES
(listen on iTunes)You can now subscribe to Between Meals on iTunes or Soundcloud.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING:
Since we are still pretty new on iTunes, please do us a solid and SUBSCRIBE and of course, we would be honored if you took the time to rate and review the show, this will help more people find us and help the show to grow! If you liked this episode or others, please share on social media and tag us, share with friends and family, etc – this means the world!