A New Year, A better me
What’s stopping you from attaining this new lifestyle? How do you see yourself? Which daily activities and decisions will bring forth this “new” or better you?
Foods best for your body
How do you know which foods are best for your body?
Well, as simple as seeing how well your body responds. Lets talk macros; carbs…If I eat a croissant (which is made with wheat flour and butter) and if my stomach bloats then that food is not good for my body. Bloating (amongst other symptoms) is the digestive systems reaction to foods that aren’t necessarily digesting properly. If I have a sweet potato and my body feels energized then most likely that food is good for my body. Also, I can get in a few more reps in on leg day!
Certain foods promote hydration, like cucumbers (which is like eating water) lemons detoxify and broccoli has fiber. Of course there are many lean proteins to consume as well.
Eating foods that focus on hitting your macro counts, are important because they help you reach your weight goals and fuel you in the right way.
Keeping a food journal helps. Remember it takes 24 hours for a food serving to pass through your system and for symptoms to alleviate.
Remember staying away from foods that work against your body means calming inflammation, bloating, digestive issues and skin issues. We want nothing to hinder our health or movement and it begins with what you eat!
Sweet gut health, Samantha
Successfully gluten-free for events & parties
I have learned a lot being gluten free for over 10 years. Eating before or bringing something to the event is important. Preparing ahead of time by bringing protein powder or snacks are another option. If you are not in a position to bring a dish, make sure you eat before.
Take a look at our YouTube video from a recent vacation. This is how I stayed gluten free while traveling.
What is Gluten?
What is gluten exactly? What ingredients is gluten found in?
Lots of time people approach me at Events or Farmers markets and ask me “…So what is gluten exactly” And I explain that it is a protein found in foods such as wheat, rye & barley. It creates a glue like elasticity so breads, pastas and other foods maintain their shape. Gluten creates a pull apart elasticity for breads and pastas as well as makes sauces thicker. Most people can not digest gluten. According to Hopkins Medicine, stomach acids help our bodies to breakdown proteins but no one can completely digest gluten. According to Cleveland Clinic 6%-7% of the U.S. population is gluten intolerant. It's more common than celiac disease which affects about 1% of the population.
Why are some people more sensitive to gluten than others? Severe sensitive cases to gluten are individuals with Celiac Disease. When gluten is consumed by someone with Celiac Disease an immune response occurs and the small intestines attacks gluten which leads to malnutrition. Left untreated this can cause pockets in the lining of the intestines to fill with undigested food which is malabsorption. The function of the small intestines is to break down food and absorb most of the nutrient into the bloodstream.
If the small intestines function is to bring nutrients into the bloodstream, if damaged by the effects of gluten through inflammation then the body doesn’t get what it needs to function properly. Some cases are more severe which is why it is important to pay attention to all negative symptoms and consider an elimination diet.
Sweet gut health, Samantha
See the link below for more content on a Gluten-free lifestyle.
Is there such a thing as good sugar?
Sugar, honey pie…. sugar can be addictive. I use to be addicted to sugars but they were the bad kinds of sugars. Bad sugar to me is defined as sugar that is addictive, causes inflammation, candida & hormone issues, weight gain and most importantly digestion issues. White sugar, corn syrup and sugars found in processed foods.
When I began losing weight in any season, I knew sugar was the first thing to manage. I focused on healthy sugars. Healthy sugars are made from nature. A friend of mines named Darcy K used call it “natures candy”. Healthy sugar swaps start with every food you choose to consume. Ask yourself…. “Will this help me reach my goals? Will this fuel my body?”
Sugars made from nature such as coconut sugar, date sugar, monk fruit, stevia and honey are less habit forming and less craved. They don’t spike the blood sugar levels (as known in processed sugars) .
Another thing to notice with natural sugars is the way your body feels after having them. You will notice less bloating, less joint pain, less dry skin, feeling less sluggish afterwards.
Listen to your body. I will always let you know what makes it feel better or worse. Keeping a food journal is a huge help! Also, the foods you eat will fuel your next walk, cycling or weight training session.
Sweet gut health, Samantha