Nutrition Strategies to Consider for Long-Lasting Sustainable Results
There is so much information out there on nutrition and what the best approaches are. At the end of that day you have to find a system and strategies that work for you. What style of eating makes you feel energized, sleep better, think clearer and motivate behaviours that move you towards the happiest and healthiest version of yourself.
Here are a couple strategies I have found to be most effective for myself and with my clients.
Always consult your health care provider and seek professional advice before drastically changing your nutrition plan.
- Gut Friendly Living: The goal here is build a strong and healthy microbiome (your body's defence system against foreign invaders). You do this by eating foods that support the gut, not irritate it. Along with choosing gut friendly and anti-inflammatory foods, supplements can be used to support and enhance your results.
What many people don't realize is how strong the connection between your gut and your brain is. We house the majority of our neurotransmitters in our gut. So when your gut is unhealthy it drastically affects your mood, how you think and how you feel.
When living a gut friendly lifestyle you want to consider two things. How to decrease inflammation in your body and incorporating different types of juice cleanses.
a) Inflammation: Is the body's immune system's response to an irritant or foreign invader. When you focus on decreasing the inflammation in your body you will find symptoms such as bloating, aches, pains, skin irritations will get better.
This Anti-Inflammatory soup is a client favourite. Kids also love it!
b) Juice cleanses: Think of it like an oil change for your car. If you don’t do it regularly you get build up in the hoses and pipes and your car won’t work as efficiently, and eventually stop running. Same happens in your body. When you don't practice detoxification strategies and allow your body to fill with toxins, it will start to breakdown and you won't feel well.
Juice cleanses help you to heal and give your digestive system, liver and pancreas a break so they can focus on repairing and getting rid of old non- functioning, damaged cells, and replacing with new cells. There are a few factors to consider when choosing a cleanse so make sure to consult a professional before jumping right in.
Jim talks about learning how different foods affected him and his experience and take on his juice cleanse.
- Intermittent Fasting: Is one of the best health strategies you can do for your body, and it's free! Fasting is when you take a portion of the day where you refrain from eating. It gives your digestive system and organs a break and time to rest and repair. This allows them to work more efficiently.
There are different lengths of eating windows you can do that yield different results. Depending on your goals, your experience with fasting, and whether you're male or female, will determine the type of fast you should do. Women and men can't fast the same way, because of the difference in hormones, women have to take a different approach.
Autophagy: The processes of eliminating damaged cells and reproducing new more efficient cells. This starts around the 15 hour mark of fasting.
Mitophagy: Process of eliminating damaged mitochondria and reproducing more efficient mitochondria (powerhouse of your cells, where energy is made).
Rose talks about her mind shift from thinking she had to eat all the time, to learning the benefits of fasting and how good she feels doing it.
Try not to get overwhelmed by all the information you find out there. My advice is to seek out someone to help you figure out where to start. The best plan is the one that makes you feel, think and act your best!
