Top 10 Supplements to Include

I read a great article this morning from Bulletproof Blog about the Top 10 Supplements one should consider taking and found it served as a powerful reminder to continue taking care of our body like a temple. A place that is sacred and treated with respect. See below on for the information to encourage transformation:

1. Vitamin D (this is an obvious one that directly correlates with your mood, it’s the sunshine vitamin, especially easy to come by today! Please do yourself a self-care favor and get out in the sun for 10 minutes today and then let me know when you do).

2. Omega-3 (which plays a vital role in Heart Health) Fat also facilitates the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins such as Vitamin D.

3. Magnesium (this one is critical for hundreds of enzymatic reactions within the body, DNA Repair, the relaxing of muscles. Majority of us are unconsciously tense, so magnesium really relaxes our body)

4. Vitamin K, A, B12, C (grouping these together because I’m running out of space), all work in complementary fashion to support immune, heart, and bone health.

5. Iodine (which is great for thyroid health, especially for women). A little goes a long way (one drop in your morning water is all you need).

6. Zinc & Copper (zinc is a key mineral for your immune system and copper works in conjunction with zinc for proper vascularity and heart function).

These all can be consumed from your natural daily diet (from greens, fruits, nuts, seeds, wild-caught fish, grass-fed beef, all sorts of various way) or can be taken from a supplement form. One brand I trust and use daily is Megafoods for my daily supplement needs. LOVE YOU ALL!

Conventional Beef vs Grass-Fed Beef

The meat industry as it currently stands is cruel, unsustainable, and frankly indefensible. In the case of beef, the industry produces meat that is unhealthy, from stressed out animals that are pumped full of antibiotics and fed a highly unnatural diet of throwaway grains and even candy!

However, I would avoid conflating factory farmed beef with the beef that comes from healthy cows that have been allowed to pasture on grass (their natural diet), and only experience as their farmers like to say, only one bad day.

Much of the debate surrounding the nutritional value of meat centers on protein (the most satiating macronutrient), but I believe it's critical to broaden the conversation to nutrients other than protein that come from choosing grass-fed beef. For example, grass-fed beef is a rich source of minerals such as iron and zinc (which is important for our immune system). Also, it's a great source of omega-3 fats (the heart healthy fat) as opposed to grain-fed beef. When livestock are fed grains the levels of inflammatory omega-6 fatty acid rise, while the levels of beneficial omega-3 fats plummet, resulting in a poor decision for our heart's sake.

Takeaway: Be Mindful of where your money is going with each dollar spent a vote is casted to what you approve of.

HEART HEALTH: Foods that support

“90% of heart disease is entirely preventable” - Dr Joel Furhman the author of The End of Heart Disease. 

After thorough investigation it boils down to the choices we make on a daily basis. REPEAT, THAT WE MAKE! We have the power to decide what to eat, how we’re reacting to certain things, or how we are treating ourselves, especially our body the only place we have to live. Are you treating it like a temple? A place that is sacred and respected? 

Of course you are, which is why this is good news about heart disease. The foundation of the principles of this book are simple: Literally he says “Keep it Simple”

1. Vegetable-Based (again smoothies are one of the BEST WAYS!)

2. Fruits, Beans, Seeds, and Nuts (Blueberries, Black Beans, Chia Seed or Hemp, and Walnuts!)

3. Oil (Extra Virgin Olive Oil preferred as it has a compound called Oleocanthal which stimulates our bodies repair mechanisms when we consume it!)

4. Animal Products 0 to 2 times a week (and ensure Grass-fed PLEASE! Grass-Fed beef has 5x the amount of Omega-3 fats (the heart healthy fat!)

FIBER: 35g Daily is the Goal

Below are three simple strategies to incorporate fiber into your life with a goal of 35g daily.

1) DRINK YOUR VEGGIES

Even if you love your fruits and veggies, chewing all those veggies takes time, more than likely leaving you full after a couple of servings. Instead, consider blending them with water or a nut milk to make a delicious SMOOTHIE – it’s quick and easy to prepare and a great way to get a healthy dose of fiber (among countless other nutrients and antioxidants!)

2) LAYER UP WITH BEANS

Thanks to companies such as Fillo's or Dozen Cousins, delicious beans, especially the Cuban black beans are available and ready to eat right from the package. They can easily be layered into a Mason jar salad, homemade taco bowl, or a collard green wrap for an effortless, nutrient-loaded meal. Along with the fiber, they also pack in protein!

3) GO NUTS

Almonds, pistachios, and walnuts contain the most fiber of all the tree nuts and make for an uncomplicated yet delicious snack. Plus, they’re perfect while on the go. Eat them plain to hold you over until dinner or sprinkle them onto your in-flight side salad or Greek yogurt.

To switch things up, flax and chia seeds are incredible sources of fiber and are versatile ingredients that can be added to smoothies, salads, desserts, etc.

Heart Health: Saturated Fat & these 3 Heart Healthy Foods

Healthy Heart Topic!

Look for foods high in Nitric Oxide! Nitric oxide dilates blood vessels and expands your arteries improving blood flow.

After this past weekend’s Foundation of Wellness Podcast Wellness Summit we learned the importance of Nitric Oxide for your heart. Top 3 natural food choices that contain Nitric Oxide:

1. SPINACH (see my Green Morning Smoothie Recipe)

2. BEETS (I have a delicious Beet & Macadamia Nut Soup recipe that you can whip up in your vitamix!)

3. Arugula (a classic recipe, add arugula, balsamic vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil, toss, and enjoy!)

Another hot topic that is usually up for debate is Saturated Fat! Saturated Fat is all about context. Its role on your health is dependent on a few questions: 1. Do you eat a lot of sugar (or still drink a coke?) 2. Is your diet heavy in processed foods? (do you eat kraft mac n cheese or a jacks pizza?) 3. Do you consider ketchup a vegetable? This is because saturated fat can magnify the deleterious effects of a high carb, low nutrient diet. When consuming saturated fat do so in absence of any sugar, for example in your morning coffee when you are in a fasted state still. The real culprit is trans fats (we'll discuss later).

What's for dinner? PIZZA NIGHT (7/16/2019)

Today’s dinner is homemade pizza! Ingredients and recipe below:

• 1 Simple Mills Homemade Pizza Dough (what I love about this crust is it’s derived from Almond Flour and to make it you need Apple Cider Vinegar, Extra Virgin Olive Oil (or Avocado Oil), and water!

• Rao’s Pizza Sauce (I found this jar is exactly enough to make 2 pizzas and it is delicious)

• Chop (red onions, red peppers, tomatoes, basil, and mushrooms)

• Almond Mozzarella Shreds by Lisanatti Foods

• SECRET INGREDIENT: Frontier Co-op Pizza Seasoning! (Sprinkle this everywhere)

• OPTIONAL: 1 Italian turkey sausage

Instructions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 and make the dough as instructed. (I replace the vegetable oil with EVOO). Bake the dough first for 8 minutes (package says 5 minutes however I like my crust a bit crispier and the 3 extra minutes makes a huge difference and comes out perfect!).

2. Once crust is done baking, now it’s time to load up our delicious pizza with toppings. Start with the sauce and then sprinkle about 2 teaspoons of the frontier co-op pizza seasoning on there. Add your vegetables and crumble the raw turkey sausage. Note: leave the basil off until the last 2 minutes of cooking.

3. When you’ve loaded up with the toppings, now add the cheese on top to cover ingredients.

4. Lastly, top the pizza with the frontier co-op pizza seasoning one more time (I add about 3 tsp because I love herbs!)

Bake for 16 min, then add the basil and bake for another 2 min and let cool for 2-3 min before cutting and enjoy!