Make a plan: Making a plan is one of the most important steps in achieving your wellness goals. Start by creating a timeline of when you want to reach each goal and break it down into smaller, achievable steps. Write down the actions you need to take and be sure to include rewards for yourself when you meet each milestone. This will help keep you motivated and on track toward reaching your goals.
Set realistic expectations: It’s important to set realistic expectations for yourself and be aware that progress may come slowly. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t see immediate results; focus on the progress that you have made and stay consistent in taking steps toward your goal.
Find support: Reach out to others who share similar goals or who have already achieved their own wellness goals for advice and guidance. Having someone who can provide support and encouragement will make it easier to stay on track with your plan and ultimately reach your goals.
Monitor progress: Regularly review your progress so that you can adjust any strategies if needed or celebrate successes along the way. Keeping a record of your progress will also help you stay motivated as you continue on your journey toward achieving your wellness goals. In conclusion, setting wellness goals is an important step in taking care of yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally. To ensure success in reaching these goals, be sure to make a plan with achievable steps, set realistic expectations, find support from others, and monitor progress regularly throughout the process. All of these things together will help increase the likelihood of success in reaching all of your wellness goals!
Incorporate Movement into Your Day: Make sure to get in at least 30 minutes of physical activity each day. You could take a walk, go for a bike ride, or sign up for an online exercise class. Movement is key for both physical health and mental wellbeing.
Establish Healthy Routines: Creating healthy routines will help keep you on track and motivated to reach your wellness goals. It could be something as simple as making your bed each day or drinking a glass of water after waking up in the morning. Healthy habits lead to better outcomes over time!
Prioritize Self-Care: Make sure to take time out of your day for self-care activities such as reading, taking a bath, or journaling. These activities will help reduce stress and refresh your mind so that you can stay focused on your goal.
Your inner kingdom, your microbiome, your gut symbiosis, these are all different words for the same thing. How healthy your inner world is depicts what shows up health wise in your outer world.
Keeping your gut healthy and happy is one of the big secrets to good digestion, glowing skin and increased energy.
The more easy ways you have to incorporate recipes that reestablish a healthy intestinal flora, the better. Having a smoothie loaded with beneficial microbes is a daily addition to your diet that will get you awesome results over time. I know personally I can’t go without my gut smoothie a day. I find the biggest thing that changes is my mood. Gut health is directly linked to mood and brain health.
Gut Health Smoothie Ingredients
Ground flax – high in fiber and has a mucosal effect in the gut
Kefir or water kefir – contains diverse unique bacteria strains different from yogurt
Coconut yogurt or regular plain organic yogurt – high in beneficial bacteria
Berries – tasty, high in healthy fiber and antioxidants
Flax seed oil – for its ability to help lubricate the intestinal tract
Cod liver oil – for omega-3 and gut nourishing enzymes
Cinnamon – for its blood sugar stabilizing effects
Banana – for its prebiotic power
Put these together and you’ve got yourself a super powerful smoothie for helping your gut get strong and healthy. And in turn you help your whole body, and that’s what holistic health is all about!
One of the most persistent concepts surrounding fermented foods is that somehow they are related to mold. This was certainly what I was taught in 2000 when I was attending The Canadian School of Natural Nutrition. And it proves the old expression “a little knowledge is a dangerous thing” Nothing could be further from the truth
As people continue to joke that fermented foods are “rotting foods”, it is clear that some science education may help clarify the matter.
But first let’s discuss what Candidiasis is for those who do not know. We have naturally occurring yeast in our intestinal system along with beneficial bacteria (good) and pathogenic bacteria (bad). They all live as one big happy family as long as the good bacteria is in charge. Most of the yeast strains are harmless and some are even beneficial. One of them, though, candida albicans, is particularly nasty and worse, it is adaptable.
When the balance with good bacteria is disrupted, especially by antibiotics, the yeast has an opportunity to grow. Candida albicans are tricky because they can feed certain strains of bad bacteria, which they like to do after a course of antibiotics, to give the bad guys a helping hand to regain their numbers. But they do not help the very beneficial lactobacillus family of good bacteria. Why? Because the lactobacillus family can inhibit them and are a key factor at keeping the candida numbers low.
The other insidious thing about candidia albican is that it can morph, like a shape shifter, into a fungal form and this is when it causes us a lot of symptoms both in the intestines and throughout the body.
This is the subject of a lot of current research. Many MDs will tell you candidiasiss does not exist yet this fungal form is known to be prevalent several conditions such as yeast infections, sepsis and recently it was found in the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients.
Food sensitivities, headaches, joint pain, brain fog, immune and fungal problems are just a few of the possible issues that are not recognized as connected but do go away when the candida albicans are brought down to normal levels.
This brings us back to fermented foods. Because people assume that fermented foods have something to do with mold or fungus, people are told to not consume them on a Candidiasis protocol. The truth is many fermented foods are extremely beneficial for helping the body get rid of excess yeast and more importantly, mold and fungus are not part of the picture.
The beneficial bacteria found in fermented foods are anaerobic, meaning they live without oxygen. Bad bacteria, mold and yeast need oxygen to thrive. Most fermented food techniques seal out the oxygen allowing carbon dioxide to be produced by a specific strain of good bacteria. This creates a vacuum inside the container while the good bacteria strains develop over time. Bad bacteria, yeast and mold cannot grow in a vacuum. Hence, no mold or unwanted bacteria present.
Some might mention kefir, kombucha and sourdough as examples of yeast and good bacteria thriving synergistically together. Surely, these foods must not be good for those with Candidiasis. The truth is the yeast strains in these foods are unique to them and are not the yeast strains present in us. They certainly are not candida albicans – these do not exist in foods. More importantly, these yeast strains can help feed the good bacteria that is native to us, which is out of balance and this imbalance is the cause of the Candidiasis in the first place. So foods that may help the balance be restored are essential.
Milk Kefir, in particular, is helpful at inhibiting candida albicans. One study found that the kefir added to a sugar broth – that is right, I said sugar broth inhibited bad microbes. Candida albicans were added along with several strains of bad bacteria such as salmonella and e. coli and the kefir inhibited all of them.
Studies of kombucha and sourdough show that they do not aid the growth of Candida, but they also do not inhibit the way kefir does.
Sauerkraut is another fermented food that research has found to inhibit candida alibicans. There may be more but the research needs to be done. What is known is that they are all antimicrobial to some degree and are not connected to mold. More importantly, they can help support the health of the gut plus they all have major benefits for other aspects of our health.
This is not to say that fermented foods are a simple solution for Candidiasis. The truth is that without ingesting antimicrobials and antifungals such as oil of oregano or caprylic acid (found in coconut oil), it will be difficult to get the good bacteria back into the power position. It also takes time for the body to heal and restore the balance of the good bacteria
There are individuals who intestines are so messed up, that they react to many foods, including fermented ones. These individuals need to start with probiotics and antimicrobials supplements to give the intestines a jump start to better digestion.
There is only one way to know. Try the fermented foods and see how they make you feel. Eventually, as you know more about these amazing foods, not only will you want them in your diet consistently, you may even want to learn the simple techniques to make you own so they taste just how you like them. Just be assured, you are not ingesting mold or bad bacteria.
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References
Antimicrobial activity of broth fermented with kefir grains., Silva KR1, Appl Biochem Biotechnol. 2009 Feb;152(2):316-25
Current trends in Candida albicans research. Datta A1, Ganesan K, Natarajan K., Adv Microb Physiol. 1989;30:53-88.
Fermented Sauerkraut Juice as an antomicrobil agent + invitro studyPundir Ram Kumar et al, Int. Res, J. Pharm 203, 4(12)
Candida albicans and Bacterial Microbiota Interactions in the Cecum during Recolonization following Broad-Spectrum Antibiotic Therapy Katie L. Mason et al, Infect Immun. 2012 Oct; 80(10): 3371–3380.
Whether you are a bone broth user or not, you probably have consumed foods made with some for of broth. There is one study – a negative one – claiming that bone broths contain high amounts of lead – made from organic chickens and tap water and I would like to address this.
Lead is a naturally occurring metal so it should not be surprising that some would be found in food and it has been suggested more of it stores in bone
The “high” levels in the study were in comparison to tap water which is, of course, very low in mineral and metal content
The recommended levels for tap water should be below 15 ugL per day. The highest amount of the tested bone broths was 9 ugL and that is per litre and generally, no one consumes that much broth in a day
What was not tested is the other minerals presents like zinc which can help remove lead. Bone broth also contains amino acids that help the liver detox out lead
Broth made with chicken meat and bones had the lowest levels of lead which means that there would also be lower amounts of the beneficial nutrients found in bone.
Our gut bacteria also can help detox out heavy metals by binding them and preventing them from entering into the body – how much we do not know yet, as research for this potential is in its early stages.
The problem with this type of research on food is researchers only analyze one element or aspect of the food and forget all about the synergy of all the nutrients in the food.
There is a lot of tradition in the making of bone broth. It soothes the gut and supplies valuable nutrients for the gut and the body. Is there too many hyped claims being bone broth, Of course, that is just the world we live in. So, don’t belief all the hype but you should also not be misled by any negative reports about bone broth either. If bone broth is something you enjoy or are interested in trying to see if it benefits you, then go for it. At the very least, your body will love the nutrients and you may experience extra health benefits along.
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References:
The risk of lead contamination in bone broth diets., Monro JA1, Leon R, Puri BK, Med Hypotheses. 2013 Apr;80(4):389-90
The binding characters study of lead removal by Lactobacillus plantarum CCFM8661, Ruijie Yin et al, European Food Research and Technology 242(10) · March 2016
Sequesteration of lead, cadmium and arsenic by Lactobacillus species and detoxication potential, Marc A. Monachese, The University of Western Ontario, 2012
If you love chocolate and have you been waiting for someone to tell you that chocolate is good for your gut? Well, then today is your lucky day!
Chocolate is a significant prebiotic and feeds the good bacteria. There it is. The news you have been waiting for. The best possible news for those who want to improve their gut health and also want to continue to enjoy their love of chocolate.
It seems that bifidobacterium and lactobacillus bacteria in the gut love to gobble up chocolate as much as you do. In return for the feast, the good bacteria turn the phytonutrients in chocolate into anti-inflammatories that help with heart health. It seems that the credit that chocolate has had for being good for the heart really belongs to the beneficial gut bacteria.
Without the gut bacteria playing this role, the phytonutrients in the chocolate known, as catechins and epicatechins are poorly absorbed. The fermentation process breaks them down into smaller metabolites that allow them to be absorbed and lower inflammation in the body. They also act as antioxidants. This is all based on new research presented at the 247th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS),
What about craving chocolate? Is this a craving for magnesium like so many people have speculated? Apparently not. Your gut microbes can control what you eat. I bet you thought it was you but it is not. Both good and bad bacteria can manipulate the vagus nerve – the key connection between the brain and the gut, to make you think that you want to eat certain foods and that includes chocolate.
Different bacteria want to eat different foods and whatever bacteria have an advantage in numbers, determines what you crave. By having you eat more of a given food, they help keeps their numbers strong. The gut bacteria can even manipulate you to feel anxious and depressed and signal you to eat a given food “to feel better”
There is still a lot of research to be done, including how we are influenced to overeat and under eat by gut bacteria. In the meantime, the next time you crave chocolate, you do not have to feel guilty, knowing that it is your good bacteria talking to you to give them a good meal.
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References:
Prebiotic evaluation of cocoa-derived flavanols in healthy humans by using a randomized, controlled, double-blind, crossover intervention study1,2,3, Xenofon Tzounis et al, Am J Clin Nutr January 2011 vol. 93 no. 1 62-72
Is eating behavior manipulated by the gastrointestinal microbiota? Evolutionary pressures and potential mechanisms, Joe Alcock et al, BioEssays, Volume 36, Issue 10, pages 940–949, October 2014
If you want to improve your gut health or maintain the good gut health you already have, there are two things you must do. Consume probiotic foods and prebiotics foods and they are best consumed together, creating what is now being called “synbiotic” foods. This is easier than it may sound and can actually be fun.
Probiotic foods contain beneficial organisms that help our gut perform its duties and have amazing health benefits for us. Prebiotics are types of fibre like inulin, resistant starch, GOS and FOS that help feed our good bacteria.
We have two types of bacteria strains in our gut: residential and transient. Residential bacteria strains are the bacteria that live in our gut naturally and we must have them re-populate to stay healthy. Transient strains of bacteria pass through us (usually within 3 days) but while they are there, they help the gut do its work and keep us healthy.
Probiotic foods contain transient bacteria. We need prebiotics to help us feed and increase our residential bacteria.
Getting some prebiotic and probiotic foods on a regular basis is the key and that is quite easy to do. Some examples of probiotic foods are sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha, yogurt, kefir, miso, natto, pure apple cider vinegar (with mother), true balsamic vinegar, wine, unpasteurized beer, crème fraiche. In order to deliver beneficial organisms from fermented foods to the gut as well as the enzymes these foods also contain, do not heated past a temperature of 118 degrees F (48 C).
Prebiotic foods are Jerusalem Artichokes, chicory, garlic, onions, beans, lentil, citrus fruits, pears, apples, bananas, berries, almonds broccoli which contain soluble fibres like inulin and FOS. Resistant starch found in legumes, potatoes, wheat, corn, rye, barley, rice, spelt, kamut, and other grains and GOS is found in dairy products. The list of foods that are prebiotic is going to expand as research continues to discover more foods containing elements that are probiotic. It could turn out that all whole foods have some prebiotic benefit but we do not know that yet.
Prebiotics are not just food for good bacteria. They also enhance the absorption of calcium and magnesium and are involved in appetite regulation as well as lipid metabolism. As research continues, it is even more fascinating how these simple substances in food, and together with our good bacteria, are involved in a complex relationship to help us be healthy.
Consuming prebiotics with probiotics can be as simple as mixing banana slices into your yogurt or serving sauerkraut with a meal that contains garlic and onions. Maybe this is why we traditionally constructed meals as we did.
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References:
Inulin-Type Fructans: Functional Food Ingredients1,2 Marcel B. Roberfroid, 2007 American Society for Nutrition
2.Health effects of probiotics and prebiotics A literature review on human studies, Henrik Andersson, Nils-Georg Asp, Åke Bruce, Stefan Roos, Torkel Wadström, Agnes E. Wold, Food and Nutrition Research, Vol 45, 2001
Probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics: approaches for modulating the microbial ecology of the gut 1,2M David Collins and Glenn R Gibson, 1999 American Society for Clinical Nutrition
Lowbush Wild Blueberries have the Potential to Modify Gut Microbiota and Xenobiotic Metabolism in the Rat Colon
Alison Lacombe,Robert W. Li,Dorothy Klimis-Zacas,Aleksandra S. Kristo, Shravani Tadepalli,Emily Krauss, Ryan Young,Vivian C. H. Wu mail Published: June 28, 2013 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.006749
A Systematic Screening of Total Antioxidants in Dietary Plants1, Bente L. Halvorsen et al, Institute for Nutrition Research, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo; Akershus University College, Bekkestua, Norway; †Agricultural University of Norway, Ås, Norway; and the ‡Division of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota
Current knowledge of the health benefits and disadvantages of wine consumption, John F. Tomera, Trends in Food Science & Technology – TRENDS FOOD SCI TECHNOL 01/1999; 10(4):129-138. DOI: 10.1016/S0924-2244(99)00035-7
