Antibiotics can kill good bacteria naturally found in the gut…

How do the bugs in your gut keep you healthy.

If gut health is poor, the result could be impaired immune and nervous systems.

And it can also wreak havoc with hormonal function throughout the body…

Dear Friend,

Several recent studies have found intriguing links between gut microbes, helping our bodies digest and absorb nutrients and protect against inflammation (rheumatoid arthritis).

This mass of microbes which live in the gastrointestinal tract affects our overall health.

Microbes are especially influential in the gut, which is host to two-thirds of your body’s immune cells.

The gastrointestinal tract (pathway for digestion), deals with a constant stream of food-related foreign microbes, when harmful microbes are found they’re eliminated. 

The gut flora promotes normal gastrointestinal function, provides protection from infection, regulates metabolism and consists of more than 75% of our immune system.

Did you know your gut contains 10 times more bacteria than all cells in your entire body?

In fact, is gut health critical to your overall health?

 There are over 400 known diverse bacterial species…

Scientists only recently begun to understand the full extent of gut flora’s role in health and disease.

And other key factors within gut flora which promotes normal gastrointestinal function…

Research is seeing how gut flora provides protection from infection, regulates metabolism and more than 75% of your immune system.

Dysregulated gut flora has been linked to diseases ranging from autism and depression to autoimmune conditions like Hashimoto’s, inflammatory bowel disease and type 1 diabetes.

Recent research has shown gut flora and health of the gut in general play a significant role in obesity and diabetes.

Nearly every patient with a blood sugar issue has been diagnosed with leaky gut or a gut infection and some other chronic inflammatory gut condition.

Scientists now know the composition of these organisms living in your gut determines to some extent how your body stores foods you eat.

How easy or difficult it is for you to lose weight and how well your metabolism functions…

Does processed foods screw up our gut and makes us fat and diabetic?

Research suggests healthy gut bacteria are crucial to maintaining normal weight and metabolism.

Unfortunately, lifestyle choices directly contribute to unhealthy gut flora:

• Antibiotics and other medications (birth control and NSAIDs)
• Foods high in refined carbohydrates, fats and sugar
• Processed foods (especially foods 50% sugar and 50% fat combo)
• Foods low in fermentable fibers
• Dietary toxins (industrial seed oils) 
• Chronic stress
• Chronic infections

Research shows infants that aren’t breast-fed and are born to mothers with bad gut flora are more likely to develop unhealthy gut bacteria.

And these early differences in gut flora may predict overweight and obesity in the future.

It’s interesting to note the diabetes epidemic has neatly linked with increased prevalence of factors which disrupts normal gut flora.

How to maintain and restore healthy gut flora…

First step in a healthy gut is to avoid all of the above suggestions.

As you probably already know that’s not always possible.

Especially in the case of prolonged or chronic stress and infections.

If you’ve been exposed to some of these factors, there are steps you can take to restore your gut flora:

• Remove all processed foods, especially highly refined foods from your nutrition
• Eat plenty of fermentable fibers (starches, sweet potato, yam, yucca, etc.)
• Take high-quality probiotic or foods for restoring healthy gut flora
• Treat any intestinal pathogens (parasites) which may be present
• Take steps to manage your stress, (relax and get plenty of sleep)

Find the most effective way to get your daily dose of good gut health.

Eat healthy and feel free to refer to other articles on probiotics. Everything from mood to weight to overall health and performance comes back to your intestinal tract,.

Quite literally, your gut is the epicenter of your mental and physical health.

If you want better immunity, efficient digestion, improved mental clarity, focus on your gut health and enjoy more energy with better quality of lifestyle…

Gut Health

Would You Believe It’s All About Fiber?

Want a surprisingly simple, yet healthy tip which gets results? Great, you cannot overlook the simplicity and importance of fiber…

Fiber is a natural substance found in plants.

And fiber can help lower blood sugar and cholesterol…

Keep reading for facts about fiber you probably already know about, yet aren’t using daily.

Dear Friend,

Dietary fiber adds bulk to your stomach and because it is light, fiber makes you feel full faster.

And can help with weight control (we’ll talk about the benefits in a minute)…

Fiber aids digestion and helps avoid constipation.

Dietary fiber is the type of fiber you can eat which is found in fruits, vegetables and grains.

Dietary fiber or roughage is the indigestible portion of food derived from plants.

Fiber has two main components:

Soluble fiber dissolves in water and fermented in colon as gases and physiologically active byproducts.

Soluble fiber can be prebiotic and viscous…

The main benefits you’ll readily get from dietary fiber includes improvements in the cardiovascular and digestive system along with providing a high degree of satiety.

Unfortunately, in today’s world of fast foods and over eating of processed foods.

Fiber is often overlooked or just plain hard to come by so do any of these sound familiar:

• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Embarrassing gas
• Painful bloating
• Stomach cramps
• Painful bowel movements
• Hemorrhoids from pushing
• Excessively bad smelling stool
• Burning acid reflux
• Excessive visits to bathroom

Fiber may be able to safely eliminate your problems and keep them away.

And even if you’re not currently suffering from any of those issues, fiber can help keep your colon healthy and free of toxins.

Want a healthy digestive system?

Fiber’s primary role in the body is going to be to help promote a healthy digestive system.

Fiber does this by helping to keep intestines in proper working order and slows down the accumulation of cholesterol along intestinal lining.

Do you really want to lower your bad cholesterol levels?

Another benefit to high fiber foods is they help decrease the level of LDL cholesterol.

You might be surprised at the scientific evidence with healthy effects achieved on reduced heart disease, diabetes and hypertension that’s seen in blood tests.

Fiber does this by binding with dietary cholesterol you eat and while it’s in the small intestine it’s doing it’s magic by removing it from your body.

Who knew a high fiber diet can actually be a very good defense against heart disease?

Fiber and weight loss for women…what is the connection?

Women which consume high fiber on a regular basis generally maintain a much lower weight than those who don’t.

The simple reason is these women typically eat fewer total calories as a result.

Eating fiber from various sources like seeds and nuts adds bulk to you digestive process.

You already know fiber takes a long time to be digested by your body, right?

And that means you’ll stay feeling fuller longer than if you would have done without fiber.

Bottom line, at the end of the day, total calorie intake determines weight gain or weight loss, so fiber is absolutely essential for weight loss.

Are you getting enough fiber?

It’s suggested, when it comes to being sure you’re getting enough fiber, see if you can add on average 14 grams per 1000 calories you eat…

Most women can tolerate between 1500 and 2000 calories, depending on your body weight and daily activity levels, so this translates to 21-28 grams of fiber total.

Tip: Increase your intake slowly…

There can be too much of a good thing, right?

Ddon’t go overboard with fiber because the results can move food through the intestines too quickly, which means fewer minerals get absorbed from foods you eat

Too much fiber can also produce in gas, bloating and cramping, especially when fiber intake is dramatically increased overnight…

Make sure if you have not been eating much fiber in your nutrition plan at all in the past few months, increase your daily intake slowly over time (spread it over 1-3 months). Why?

Because if you go from eating very little fiber a day to getting a very high dose, you most likely will suffer from extreme digestive upset and that doesn’t feel good at all.

Try and increase consumption over the period of a few weeks to ease into this process.

Soluble fiber is the type that plays the more predominant role in the lowering of bad cholesterol levels and is fully broken down the by the body.

It’s good to eat oat bran, oatmeal, beans, peas, rice bran, barley and fruits.

Insoluble fiber, on the other hand is not digested by the body, still it helps to slow down gastric emptying, causing a satisfying increased feeling of fullness as mentioned above.

This is what provides the biggest health benefit when it comes to weight control for you.

Good sources of this fiber include whole-wheat breads, whole-wheat pasta, brown rice, wheat bran, cabbage, beets, carrots, brussels sprouts, cauliflower and apples.

So, be sure you do not overlook the importance of fiber in your nutrition plan.

The best high-fiber foods?

Tip: The amount of fiber in these foods can vary slightly between the raw and cooked versions.

Split Peas
Fiber: 16.3 grams per cup, cooked.
Suggest: Spinach and Yellow Split Pea Soup

Staple in Indian cooking, split peas form a terrific, protein-rich base for soups, stews and dhals.

South Asian is the best kind of comfort food: healthy, satisfying and super filling.

Lentils
Fiber: 15.6 grams per cup, cooked.
Suggest: Lentil Quinoa Burgers with Sautéed Mushrooms

Lentils are kitchen all-stars, take less time to cook, are more versatile than other legumes.

This takes advantage of their slightly meatier taste and turns them into a juicy patty that’s held together with lemon juice, cilantro and walnuts.

Black Beans
Fiber: 15 grams per cup, cooked.
Suggest: Black Bean and Sweet Potato Chili

Sweet potato pairs perfectly with smokiness of chipotle peppers, adds even more fiber to this hearty bean dish.

Loaded with complex carbs, protein, great cold-weather stew is perfect post-workout meal

Lima Beans
Fiber: 13.2 grams per cup, cooked.
Suggest: Leek and Lima Bean Soup with Bacon

Lima beans might sound unappetizing, yet when cooked in bacon fat, paired with leeks, puréed into a soup and topped with sour cream, they’re pretty darn delicious.

Artichokes
Fiber: 10.3 grams per medium vegetable, cooked.
Suggest: Roasted Artichokes

Packing more fiber per serving than any other vegetable, artichokes are curiously underused in most kitchens (perhaps because they look a bit prickly).

Get creative and try this simple recipe with lime, garlic and black pepper.

Peas
Fiber: 8.8 grams per cup, cooked.
Suggest: Scallops on Minted Pea Purée with Prosciutto

Puréeing veggies is a great way to squeeze extra nutrients into any meal.

This comes together lightning-fast, is filled with protein, omega-3s and plenty of fiber.

Broccoli
Fiber: 5.1 grams per cup, boiled.
Suggest: Broccoli Fritters

This is a family-friendly dish and is pretty simple.

To make the fritters, just combine onion, garlic, broccoli, eggs and almond meal.

Once they hit the table, you’ll be surprised how much broccoli gets finished in one sitting.

Brussels Sprouts
Fiber: 4.1 grams per cup, boiled.
Suggest: Hoisin Glazed Brussels Sprouts

Try this Asian twist on the old standard as this meal carries tones of ginger, sesame and peanut which really helps keep you coming back for seconds and maybe thirds.

Raspberries
Fiber: 8 grams per cup, raw.
Suggest: Raspberry, Coconut and Oat Macaroons

Raspberries aren’t a hard sell, they’re basically nature’s delightful candy.

Simply add coconut, oatmeal and vanilla for a healthy dessert that pleases any palate.

Blackberries
Fiber: 7.6 grams per cup, raw.
Suggest: Blackberry Lemon Salad

This salad successfully mixes sweet and savory and makes use of blackberries, lemon, scallions and dill to great effect.

Avocados
Fiber: 6.7 grams per half, raw.
Suggest: Chicken, Black Bean, Avocado and Radish Salad

Very few foods deserve the title of “super food” more than the humble avocado.

Jam-packed with vitamins, fiber and healthy fats.

Pile it on top of this low-carb, Mexican-inspired salad to add some creamy goodness.

Pears
Fiber: 5.5 grams per medium fruit, raw.
Suggest: Herb-Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Pears

Simple and inexpensive way to experiment with an unusual flavor combination.

Pork works well with sweeter flavors and high sugar content of pears makes them easy to caramelize.

Bran Flakes
Fiber: 7 grams per cup, raw.
Suggest: Vanilla, Honey, and Yogurt Smoothie with Bran Flakes

Short on time? Whip up a nutritious smoothie and take breakfast to go.

This shake is a healthy and delicious way to get plenty of fiber and a hefty amount of protein, all in one glass.

Whole-Wheat Pasta
Fiber: 6.3 grams per cup, cooked.
Suggest: Avocado Pesto Pasta with Peas and Spinach

Use the right sauce, whole-wheat pasta is indistinguishable from its high G.I., white-flour cousin. Mix in avocado to add a wonderful creaminess to your pasta without using dairy.

Pearled barley
Fiber: 6 grams per cup, cooked.
Suggest: Pearl Barley Risotto with Roasted Squash, Red Peppers and Rocket

Barley is a chewy, nutritious grain which contains more fiber than oatmeal and brown rice.

Barley can be used in soup, salad or tea, try tasty risotto with seasonal fall vegetables.

Oatmeal
Fiber: 4 grams per cup, cooked.
Suggest: Carrot Cake Oatmeal

Use one tablespoon of maple syrup per serving for a guilt-free way to indulge in breakfast and great start to the morning.

Plus this is packed with fiber-friendly oats, carrots and coconut.

If you do get your fiber consumption levels in line, you will most definitely notice a change in how you feel and more than likely a change in how you look as well.

Fiber is a type of carbohydrate your body can’t digest.

When you eat carbohydrates, most of the carbs are broken down into sugar molecules, fiber cannot be broken down into sugar molecules.

And instead it passes through your body undigested, (fiber acts like a digestive tract broom, sweeping and moping up at the same time).

Fiber helps regulate the body’s use of sugars, helping to keep hunger and blood sugar in check.

Fiber along with adequate fluid intake moves quickly and relatively easily through your digestive tract, so knowing what you know are you going to add more fiber to your diet?

Fiber

Is it a Case of Mind Over Matter to Win the Mental Game of Stubborn Fat Loss?

We all understand the far reaching benefits of healthy eating and regular exercise, right?

Did you know as women our hormones play a key role in every aspect of our lives?

Dear Friend,

Allow me to start by being totally up front and saying I’m NOT an endocrinologist and I do NOT claim to be an expert…

You do NOT necessary have to become one either.

But the truth is unless you address your hormones in context to your nutritional plan as a key factor in weight loss, you’re most likely going to continue to gain weight and struggle.

Many so called experts don’t really cover the basics and true importance of your body’s chemical makeup on how and why hormones produce fat.

And how hormones influences how much fat your body burns and stores.

The goal is to keep this as simple as possible while providing you with sound research.

Why does it all start with hormones?

Hormones don’t often get talked about, yet are vitally important.

You see, whatever body type you are it comes down to much more than just how much and what you eat or exercise.

Hormones and body muscle content play a very big role in your ability to stay lean and healthy (not talking about becoming a body builder)…

So understanding how hormones work for or against you means you can only get better control over your waistline if you know what is happening, even if it is at a very basic level.

Hormones are the driving force behind the body you see in your mirror.

If your body produces the right hormones, your body thrives.

If not, your body suffers…

There is a BIG reason why America is approaching 70% overweight.

The signals women send their body through food they eat and exercise they do is detrimental…

And yes the results do show what’s happening.

If you want to transform your body, it starts with your hormones.

And that doesn’t mean via supplementation.

You see, the best and most effective way is through living a healthy lifestyle, eating the right foods and exercising consistently.

As Weight Loss Coach, I’m often asked about hormones and how they affect us?

Hormones are a complex topic, hopefully this short article explains it all in a really simple, easy to understand way…

Hormones affect the way we feeling during adolescence and continue to play a key role throughout our lives.

Hormones affect your metabolism, stress levels and reproductive system.

There are many hormones which influence your own health.

So how do these hormones affect your overall health…

A major hormone which is influenced by what you eat is called insulin.

Insulin is one of the biggest influences for many health areas.

Insulin is a hormone which is secreted by the pancreas after you eat carbohydrates.

When you eat carbohydrates, the sugars are absorbed into bloodstream, naturally causing your blood glucose levels to rise.

The pancreas secretes insulin in order to help your body process blood glucose.

Insulin helps to move glucose from blood into cells of your body so cells can use glucose for energy…

When you eat food, in particularly carbohydrates, your body releases insulin to lower the increase in blood sugar right?

You can never lose fat in the presence of insulin.

When you eat protein with carbohydrates, it slows the sharp release of insulin so you never have a spike of insulin. Try to always include some protein with every meal…

Insulin also helps to change any excess glucose your body does not immediately need into a stable form of energy called glycogen.

Glycogen is produced in the liver…

Leptin and ghrelin are hormones which tell you when to eat and when to stop eating.

Ghrelin is produced in the stomach and pancreas…

Ghrenlin alerts your brain when your stomach is empty.

Leptin is secreted by fat cells and triggers appetite suppressing hormones when you’ve eaten enough.

Both hormones are affected by sugar…

In other words, how much sugar you eat.

Eat too much sugar and the result can mean reduced leptin production, which leaves ghrelin to send out unnecessary hunger signals (pangs and cravings).

Cortisol is a stress hormone which is released from the brain into your bloodstream.

Now, in times of stress and anxiety, cortisol licks in to help accelerate your heartbeat, feeds your brain extra oxygen and releases energy from your fat and glucose stores.

Your mood and memory are partly controlled by serotonin…

Serotonin is often produced in the gut.

Serotonin is commonly known as the feel-good hormone or neurotransmitter.

Female sex hormones…

The most important hormones made by the ovaries are known as female sex hormones and the two main ones are oestrogen and progesterone.

The ovaries produce both testosterone and estrogen…

Women’s ovaries produce a minimal amount of testosterone, which drives sexual desire, muscle strength, bone density and metabolism.

Relatively small quantities of testosterone are released into your bloodstream by the ovaries and adrenal glands.

Too little testosterone can affect a woman’s energy level, libido and mood health.

Too much testosterone in women can contribute to acne and facial hair.

Oestrogen and progesterone are female sex hormones produced in the ovaries.

Oestrogen is primarily a female sex hormone…

Oestrogen enlarges breasts, widens pelvis and oestrogen is what gives women the curvy appearance.

Oestrogen stimulates a female’s instinct, increases alertness, lowers body fat levels, increases insulin sensitivity and improved glucose tolerance.

Symptoms of low oestrogen can occur at any age, more prominent in menopause.

Progesterone increases sleepiness, helps to build and maintain bones, slows digestive process, promotes appetite and helps breast tissue mature.

Progesterone stimulates production of breast milk during pregnancy.

Symptoms of low progesterone include premenstrual migraines, irregular or heavy periods and anxiety…

Hormones from PMS to menopause these are messengers of womanhood which can affect your mood, weight, food cravings and even your desire for sex.

Some women experience normal “smooth sailing” and other women metabolize hormones differently…it just might feel like a roller coaster ride at every turn of the hormonal bend…

Eat fresh, nutritionally dense foods as often as possible.

If you can, avoid food from a box or bag; especially any ingredient you can’t pronounce.

Keep ingredient lists to fewer than five recognizable ingredients and you’ll experience fat loss with fewer cravings because your body is properly nourished.

Generally white or bleached carbohydrates have a high glycemic index.

Essentially it means food is broken down quickly and your blood sugar will spike.

This results in a dump of insulin…

And as you remember, you can’t lose fat in the presence of insulin.

So do yourself a favor and eat low glycemic complex carbohydrates and you avoid the roller coaster of peaks and valleys in blood sugar.

You won’t feel crazy hungry an hour after eating…

You’ll stay full longer and it’s easier to make healthy choices if you don’t feel starved or deprived.

Fat Loss for Females