That was my why for a long time. This is why I did my first Whole30. And then a few more rounds later on. And that’s why I drank slim fast for multiple meals all through college. And that’s why I’ve done every juice cleanse or “buy-this-protein-powder-and-do-this-30-day program-to lose-weight” that you’ve ever heard of. And that’s why I did Weight Watchers. And that’s why I started running. And that’s why I joined Crossfit. That’s why I exercised harder and ate less and jacked my gut and hormones all up and stressed out my adrenals back a few years ago.
It clicked for me when I realized its not really even about the food but my relationship to food; how I thought about food, how I thought about my body, how I was using food because it was the one thing (only thing) I felt I could control, using it as an emotional crutch, using it to soothe, to self-sabotage, to make me feel better temporarily, to distract me from my the bigger issues. When I shifted my mindset and my why, and stopped viewing Whole30 as just another 30 day diet, and when I actually followed the rules of Whole30 and not just the recommendations of eating compliant food for 30 days, that’s when everything shifted. Whole30 helped me change my relationship to food because I was avoiding foods that were jacking up my sleep, energy, and my mood. I was eating A LOT of food, real food, that was nourishing my body, improving my digestive issues, balancing hormones, lowering inflammation, clearing up my skin, and improving my mood. I slowed down and ate mindfully. And when I finally followed the program as it’s intended and put in the effort of asking myself the hard, not fun questions like: “why am I eating? Am I really hungry or am I sad or lonely? Why do I want to drink alcohol? Does sugar really make me feel better or is it just temporary and then makes me feel worse later?” #duh Or as Melissa Hartwig says in one of the Whole30 books, “Am I looking for a cookie or am I looking for a connection?” And secondly, when I COMPLETED the reintroduction to know and understand how the foods I was eating were affecting my hormones and my mood, versus what I had done in the past, which was come-Day 31-you-could -find-me-diving-face-first-into-any-and-all foods-just-as-quickly-as-I-could-because-hallelujah-it’s-over THAT’S when I truly changed my relationship to food and my relationship to my body and found food freedom. Food freedom is found in changing your mindset and changing your why. For me, for my personality and my behaviors, it was about finding discipline and then finding balance. I yo-yo’ed and obsessed about food for far too long, so I get it. If you’re struggling, just know that If I can do it, you can do it too.
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I’ve read stretch marks are hereditary, and while my mother nor grandmother got any while pregnant, I already have them on my hips and thighs from weight fluctuations throughout the years. So now that I’m pregnant, I’m going to support my skin health as much as possible. My game plan:
Plenty of water- our skin needs hydration to keep it soft and supple and we need extra water during pregnancy to help supply the fetus with essential nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and hormones; to support increasing blood volume; and to help fight fatigue, headaches, and swelling. ————- Vital Proteins Collagen---helps with: -Brittle nails- -Skin elasticity- hello, growing belly! -Wrinkles -Overall Skin health/appearance -Hair growth/strength -Bones -Joints -Tendons -Good source of added protein. ***I only use this brand because it’s sourced from grass-fed, pasture-raised bovines. I trust the quality, sourcing, and integrity of the product. I am an affiliate for this product and do make a small commission if you decide to purchase through the link below. I only recommend products I use and trust and not because I may be compensated. ———-- Motherlove Pregnancy Belly salve- I’ve been using olive oil as a body lotion/oil but it doesn’t absorb super well and it makes me smell a bit like olives. I wish coconut oil didn’t leave me feeling like a slip n slide bit it’s worse than olive oil as far as absorption (for me) This product had good reviews and clean ingredients I’m okay with schmearing all over me and essentially into growing baby and smells like chamomile and lavender, which is a hair bit more pleasant than olives. Only a hair though. It will depend how long this jar lasts if I’ll continue to use this throughout the rest of my pregnancy. I got it off Amazon for about $18 dollars so we shall see how long it lasts and if it will be cost effective. ————- Any tips/tricks/lotions/potions you used during your pregnancy that you loved? Shop Vital Proteins collagen and other products here. I also love and use the Beauty Greens and Liver pills. Right after college, I moved to Little Rock and met some new friends. We became Facebook friends, too, of course. (It was 2008. Facebook was so cool then.) They were all fired up about GMO’s and Monsanto and posted pretty frequently about the importance of buying non-GMO and organic, and how Monsanto was poisoning our food and our health was being affected. It was the first (that I recall) really hearing about GMO’s or Monsanto and I read their posts but never really dug into the issue myself and therefore continued to wonder what the heck the big deal was. And now look at me 10 years later; all fired up about the things I thought were crazy when I first heard about it. If you want to read more about GMO's and how they in fact do affect our health and our environment, this article here is a good start. A few weeks ago, I was talking with a friend. They’ve done a few rounds of Whole30 with me and have worked on cleaning up their diet for the last 2 years or so but have recently slipped back into old habits (too much sugar and processed foods) and are feeling the effects both physically and mentally. They were telling me that they believed me and trusted me when I started talking and sharing about nutrition several years ago and how it affects us, but admitted that they just didn’t really understand either. It all made sense that what you were putting into your body would affect the way you felt and affect your health, but of course the first time you hear anything, it sounds a little unbelievable or far fetched, right? Dairy isn't really good for you. Whaaa?? The grains you're eating multiple times a day could be contributing to your aching pain that won't go away or your stomach aches or your acne or eczema. Whaaat??? It wasn’t until this person changed their diet and realized how much better they felt, that the pieces started to come together for them. And now, years after hearing me yap about it, along with their personal experience, and along with their own research and just being more open to the idea of food being medicine, they totally get it. They ended the conversation with, “You can’t put cheap gas in a corvette and expect it to the run the same.” I was the same way about chemicals in our products. When I moved to Colorado, I was suddenly surrounded by all these people who were very conscience of the products they were using, and the food they were eating, and the water they were drinking, and the impact they were having on the environment. It was overwhelming but I listened and I slowly started to do my own research on the topics they so passionately believed in. Could the deodorant I was using REALLY be that harmful to me? Does my lotion really contain enough chemicals to affect my hormones? Like, that seems pretty intense and if that’s the case, then why are these products on the market in the first place?! But then I researched toxins, I researched hormones, I went back to school for holistic nutrition where we also covered all these topics and I read textbooks, and research, and science journals about how auto-immunity and infertility and heart disease and diabetes have all increased so significantly over the years and the pieces started to come together (Not to mention my personal experience with switching to a mostly whole food diet and switching to safer products). So my point is, you may not be ready to hear what I’m saying about how important nutrition is to your health, how the food you’re eating can literally heal you or make you sick, or how important it is to decrease your toxic load, or how important it is to learn to read labels of not only your food but your child’s shampoo and your skincare products, but I know how important it is. And that’s why I do what I do as a holistic nutritionist and a Beautycounter consultant. It may be years before you’re ready to start making changes or you may never believe the importance, but it’s my mission to continue to share and educate and hopefully the more you hear about it, the less crazy it will sound. **When looking for images to go with this post, I kept seeing ones that said, “The more you research the crazier you sound to ignorant people.” I didn’t choose that image because you don’t know what you don’t know! We all have to start somewhere and so my goal is just to encourage you to do your own research so you are informed to make the best decisions for you and your family.
My husband and I will be celebrating our 6th year of marriage in 2018. We had been throwing around the idea of kids for a few years so this pregnancy was completely planned and we are as ready as we’ll ever be. I have been preparing my health for this for many years, unintentionally, but it’s safe to say I’m the healthiest I’ve ever been and my husband is...well, more healthy than he'd be if I weren't around. =) Little back story- I originally was put on oral birth control for the same reasons that many young women are put on it, because the doctor said it would help my skin and lessen my cramping. I took it for many years, hating it and switching between different kinds because they made me so moody and sad, but feeling like I had no other option because the doctor wasn’t giving me any other options. And at this point in life, I didn’t know to do the research myself. I have not been on oral birth control since 2013-ish, once I began this journey into holistic living and realized that it was playing a role in wrecking my gut and my hormones, and that the long-term effects of birth control are less than desirable. If you’re interested in natural birth control methods, or preparing for conception and learning more about your reproductive health, I would highly recommend the book, Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler. The book explains cycles, tracking your cycles, tracking ovulation, signs of fertility, natural birth control options, how to maximize your fertility to conceive, and so much more. It’s just full of great information that we should be taught, but aren’t. (most of us aren’t anyway) I have also used an app on my iphone for many years to track my periods which was really helpful. I used Period Tracker, it’s free and super easy to use, but there are several options. Food aversions! I was really sick from about weeks 6-12ish. I had all day nausea and strong food aversions to pretty much my normal foods: meat and vegetables. I lived on nut crackers, gluten free bread with peanut butter, and fruit. I occasionally could choke down a smoothie packed with spinach and frozen fruit but that was rare. I drank Amazing Grass green powder when I get could get that down just to have SOME vegetables in my diet. I also went from eating 3 square meals a day to snacking and eating just small portions several times a day and that seemed to help with the nausea. Normally I limit my grain exposure, even gluten-free grains because I feel better without them. They take a toll on my skin and they take a toll on my mood. They make me really down and sad. Around week 10, after a month or so of being sick all day every day, I got pretty down. As an active person, with an active job, and another job that revolves around food, I wasn’t able to do anything that I enjoyed. I would go to work, and come home and go straight to bed. I didn’t cook, clean, do laundry, walk the dogs, see my friends, hang out with my husband, work on my business other that what I absolutely had to do, or anything really for about 6 weeks and it was hard on me emotionally. I live the way I live, and eat the way I eat, and exercise the way I exercise because I want to feel good, and have energy, and be in a good mood; and so for me to not feel well for weeks, was really tough for me. But I think it was also a good lesson and an eye opening experience for me to see what’s its like to not feel good, all the time. Like, dang. It’s hard not to be sad and cranky when you feel like that for days on end. It also makes me more hell-bent on doing what I do with nutritional therapy and educating people on the impact diet has on your whole health; mental, physical, and emotional. Around this same time was also during the holidays, where I was home in Arkansas with my families and eating what foods I could, which happened to also be foods that I don’t typically eat. So, I felt pretty rough, and my sleep was crap, and my skin was crap and I knew I needed to change what I could to feel better. After that week at home, I decided I was going to get my nutrition back on track, nausea or not, so that even if I physically felt rough, I would at least be supporting my mental health with foods that make me feel my best. I also started focusing on the fact that me feeling so badly was actually a good sign that things were progressing and growing with the baby, and I also remembered that there are just a million things for me to be grateful for and it was time to get out of my funk. I wasn’t really cravings food but the only food that sounded not disgusting seemed to be carbohydrates. I focused on listening to my body and feeding it what it wanted so I started eating more potatoes and starchy vegetables, and a good variety of fruit. (both good sources of carbohydrates) Frozen mango and grapefruit were two of the fruits I really enjoyed. I swapped my GF toast for sweet potato toast with peanut butter. I started cooking kale for breakfast even though it didn’t sound super great for the extra boost of calcium. Calcium helps with magnesium absorption, which helps with morning sickness (I supplement with magnesium. You can read the post about my prenatal supplements here. ) And then around weeks 11-12 I slowly but surely started to feel significantly better. Then the second trimester hit and it was like I had read it would be, night and day difference. I had energy, I didn’t feel sick, it was amazing. Other strange stuff: My sense of smell was super heightened. I could smell meat, vegetables, and alcohol from a mile away. Worse part of this was I couldn’t walk my dogs because no way could I stand to be that close to poop. Feeling exhausted all the time-I could sleep all day, or at least lay in bed for most of the day, but still feel like I just needed to rest. So weird for me. Bloat- I was the most bloated in the beginning and that’s normal from all the hormones, but I think it was also because of my diet and again, eating foods that I typically don’t eat. I looked more pregnant and my clothes were uncomfortable between weeks 6-9 then I do now at 4 months pregnant. Dry skin- hormones + Colorado climate= lots of dry brushing, sugar scrubs, and copious amounts of body oil. Also, lots of collagen. Luckily, it doesn’t taste so I could just add in my OJ/water mixture and drink it down. It was also a good source of protein for those days where I lived on bread and fruit. Very emotional- I’m a sensitive soul but not overly emotional. Now I cry all the time. Christmas songs, Ed Sheeran songs (he’s a smooth mofo), cute kids at the grocery store, the thought of how much I love my dogs. I just cry all the time now. Tips for the first trimester: Eat small meals, frequently. Even when you’re not hungry, to help with nausea. Keep food by your bed to eat first thing in the morning and in the middle of the night if needed. Keep healthy foods around. If I had donuts around when I was cravings carbs, I probably would have eaten them but since I didn’t, I snacked on fruit instead. Better for baby and better for my stomach. I tried to keep a variety of fruits and a few different kinds of potatoes, squashes, pumpkins and nut crackers or plantain chips around so I could feed my craving but also feel good about my choice. Eat starchy vegetables and fruit with a healthy fat to lessen the blood sugar dips and spikes which will in turn help with nausea. Keeping your blood sugar balanced is important for long-term health, but also to help prevent gestational diabetes. Eat plenty of healthy fats like nuts, nut butter, olives, seeds, coconut, and cook with coconut oil or use olive oil for salad dressings. Healthy fats support hormones and fetal development, particularly the brain. When you’re pregnant it’s important to eat a well-rounded diet of good quality protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats. Not only to support the health of your baby, but also your own health. Your baby will get what it needs from you and your stores of vitamins and minerals, so it’s important to nourish (I kind of don’t like that word because it sounds so boojee, but it’s used so often in my field, and it is used for good reason. Nourish= feed your body what it needs for physical and mental health. Whatever. Just had to get that off my chest.) your body so you can feel good. It’s also important to listen to your body. Are you craving protein? Eat some protein. Your body is really smart and will tell you what it needs if you will learn to listen. I love to tell people about one of my friends who had been a vegetarian for YEARS when she got pregnant. All of sudden, she was craving meat. So she ate it. Like, she went from only eating fish to eating ribs multiple times a week. And loved it and felt so good eating it. It’s what her body was lacking. I recommend that everyone eat animal protein for overall health; for it’s vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. (Unless you have a moral or ethical reason for not doing so, and then I totally get that and respect it.) Hydration-during those weeks of not feeling well, I didn’t feel much like drinking anything. The one thing that helped me get more water down was to pour about a quarter-half the glass full of juice and then fill the rest of the glass up with water. I couldn’t do my usual La Croix or other sparkling water because it made the nausea worse. Staying hydrated is important for you and for baby but it also helps with nausea. Things I tried for nausea: Sea bands Magnesium Milk thistle B6 Sparkling water Crackers Ginger chews, ginger tea, ginger everything. Peppermint oil, peppermint candy, peppermint tea Meditating Sleeping Sour candy (from the health food store because I try to avoid artificial colors and additives)- someone suggested this in my “First Trimester group meeting.” It didn’t really help but it’s not something I normally eat and it was really tasty! Candy is good! I had mostly forgotten. Chiropractic- Okay, so I only went once to see if it could help with nausea, it didn’t, but will start going regularly because it is so helpful during pregnancy and labor. Holistic pregnancy-
I’ve really become pretty crunchy over the years. I’m not even sure how it happened. Sometimes I even surprise myself at how crunchy I have become. But the more I learn, the more I know, and the more I steer away from, well, we’ll say the more I steer TOWARDS more natural and holistic alternatives. So, I knew I didn’t want a typical hospital birth (if possible) and fortunately I live in a state where alternatives are plentiful. I’d love to have a home birth but am afraid it would be too much for my dogs, so I found this lovely birthing center not far from my house that is just like a home birth but in someone else’s home. That just so happens to have a birthing tub, big open showers, and midwifes, and whatever other medical things are needed for birth. And they do all the clean up, which sounds pretty great to me. My dogs would probably be all over that placenta. Just saying. Why I chose a Birth Center “The midwifery model of care recognizes the importance of good nutrition as the best way to prevent the most common complications of pregnancy. The midwifery model of care includes: monitoring the physical, psychological, and social well-being of the mother throughout the childbearing cycle; providing the mother with individualized education, counseling, and prenatal care, continuous hands-on assistance during labor and delivery, and postpartum support; minimizing technological interventions, and identifying and referring women who require obstetrical attention” from another book I highly recommend, Ina May's Guide to Childbirth, by Ina May Gaskin. Other benefits to birthing centers are: they use movement for pain management rather than drugs, the rate of C-section is exponentially lower, the stay is much shorter-generally 6-12 hours total, it’s a much more calm, peaceful and homey environment, you can pretty well have whoever you want in the room with you (is that a benefit? I’m undecided at this point), and most importantly, there’s just more freedom of choice and it’s a more holistic mindset. This is really important to me to have a natural birth the way nature intended without the intervention of drugs or someone telling me I’m taking too long. Just my personal opinion though. You can read more about the differences between hospital births and birth centers here and here. And so this birthing center, Baby + Co, is where I get all my prenatal care done and it’s where I’ll deliver, assuming all goes well. If not, they are partnered with a nearby hospital and I’ll be transferred there if needed. And if that happens, then that’s cool, too. One of my all time favorite quotes is, “Attitude is the difference between and ordeal and an adventure” and so I’m treating this like my greatest adventure. I just want to fully experience it all. The good, the bad, the hard, the intense and scary parts. I’m in awe of what’s happening with my body. It was made for this. I was made for this. And I LOVE adventures, so bring it on. Glucose screening testing- Stephanie over at Whole30 Healthy Mama Happy Baby wrote a great blog about all the options you may not know about when it comes to glucose tests. I took my test a few weeks ago and agreed to the early testing because multiple women in my family had gestational diabetes. But mostly I agreed because I was able to drink 100% juice instead of the glucose stuff that’s full of artificial junk, food additives, and genetically modified corn. The downfall of that much sugar was I craved sweets for the rest of the day but my test came back fine, and it was reassuring to know that I’m already managing my blood sugar well. #thatskindofmyjob
Side note- there is a whole program, Whole30 Healthy Mama Happy Baby, dedicated to Whole30’ing (and special modifications) to help with planning to have a baby, during pregnancy, breastfeeding, and post partum. It’s full of pretty amazing information beyond just nutrition, like an awesome community of supportive and encouraging women. Since I’m a Whole30 coach, I have a discount code if you’re interested in joining that program. Shoot me a message if you have questions and let’s chat. Stephanie’s article is below https://mamas.whole30.com/2016/08/11/glucose-testing-options/ Nutrition- Nutrition is a huge piece of the puzzle when it comes to balanced hormones, fertility, and overall health. If you’re preparing to get pregnant, it helps for you and your partner to be as healthy as possible, because your health determines the baby’s health, and not just at birth, but for its whole life. Hashtag-no pressure. I recommend eating a whole food diet and minimizing or avoiding processed foods for optimal health and hormones. I have been dialing in my nutrition (and overall healthy lifestyle) over the last 4-5 years and I know that was a big reason that we did not have any issues conceiving when we were ready, regardless of the fact that I have genetic pre-disposition (or genetic marker. I'm not even sure if that's the correct word but you get the point) that could have affected not only my ability to conceive but also my ability to stay pregnant (more on that below). I have been Paleo-ish since about 2014, but started really focusing on eating whole foods back in 2012. I mostly eat vegetables, fruit, nuts, meat, eggs, and fish. I very rarely eat any type of grains or dairy and I avoid soy and gluten as much as humanly possible. I rarely eat any processed sugar but do get a fair amount from fruit, and natural sweeteners like honey and maple syrup. This is what works for me. This is the “diet’ that makes me feel my best because it’s anti-inflammatory, is healing to my gut, and therefore supportive of hormone balance, and mentally I feel my best eating this way. My husband’s diet has changed pretty drastically over the years as well, his first round of Whole30 was pretty eye opening for him, so where his diet isn’t as “Paleo” as mine, he, too, eats mostly real, whole foods. If there is ever a time for you to focus on your health, it is now- before you are trying to conceive and then after you’re pregnant, the second best place to start is with your nutrition. Stress/mindset- Stress affects your hormones. It’s important to your overall health to reduce stress, whether it’s physical stress from over exercise or mental stress from your job, finances, relationship, etc. Try deep breathing, meditating, walking, hanging out with friends; whatever you need to do to reduce stress. Shift your mindset about what’s stressing you. Shift your mindset about what healthy is. Shift your mindset about your relationship with food and why you struggle to eat foods that support good health. Mindset and reducing stress is the best place to start on improving your overall health. Sleep-our hormones need adequate sleep. Our bodies need adequate sleep, and our organs need adequate sleep. This is the easiest way to improve your health… just get more sleep! Go to bed earlier. Don’t watch TV before bed. Don’t play on your phone in bed. Turn down the temperature. Use black out curtains or a sleep mask. Practice deep breathing to help relax your mind. Pay attention to your nutrition because it affects your sleep. Toxins- we are exposed to toxins in the form of stress, pollution, from our water, from our food, from our household products, and from our personal care items. It is essential for hormone health and fertility, that we reduce our exposure to toxins. Look into water filters, reduce stress, and check the EWG website to see how your current cleaning products, candles, detergents, lotions, deodorants, shampoos, soaps, etc rate and start switching over to safer, chemical free brands. Everything you put onto or into your body while pregnant goes into your bloodstream and straight to baby. Supplements I love supplements and I admit that I take a fair amount. BUT it’s because I’ve experimented with what works best for me, coupled with my education in holistic nutrition and I know what’s lacking in our food and therefore know what I (we) need. Especially when it comes to conception. I’m a researcher; I LOVE to learn and you can bet I’ve done a boatload of research on this topic since I’m going through it myself. My midwife also confirmed at my first appointment with her at 12 weeks, that I was taking all the supplements that she would recommend. I kept nudging my husband every time she listed one off, and was like, “See, already taking it. I’m on top of this.” It was a proud moment for me. I like reassurance. I started taking prenatal vitamins instead of my usual multivitamin back in early 2017, as advised by my midwife. She recommended taking it anywhere from 6-8 months prior to conception. I only recommend for any type of vitamin, a whole food form. There are synthetic vitamins that are manufactured in labs or there are vitamins that you can extract from actual food. Your body will recognize and use the form from food much better than the form from the lab. Also, it’s important to get methylated B vitamins, which only come from whole food forms, not synthetic forms. Synthetic vitamins can also make you sick to your stomach if not taken with food, or sometimes even with food, which is yet another reason to take the whole food form. If you’re going to spend your money on supplements, then you might as well buy ones that are going to be absorbed and utilized, right? You can find all these at health food store or online- you can find most of the brands I recommend on my website under “recommended products”- here Prenatal vitamins- Again, only take a whole food form with methylated B vitamins. You need methylated B vitamins and folate, not folic acid. (If your doctor is old school, she/he will likely argue that but do your own research. Nothing against doctors but their specialty is not in nutrition.) I recommend Garden of Life or Mega Food Brands. I have been taking Garden of Life’s Raw Prenatal. *Why no folic acid? Because 40-60% of people cannot convert folic acid into folate, or convert b vitamins into the useable form, so therefore these vitamins are not useable and can actually get hung up in the body, like a toxin would, since the body does not recognize it. That’s why I recommend skipping those vitamins and only purchasing ones that are already in the useable form. This is also why I advocate for a whole foods diet because many processed foods are fortified with folic acid. I have MTHFR, a genetic mutation, which affects this methylation process I’m speaking of, so I’ve done a considerable amount of research on it over the last few years. It also affects mood, detoxification, and fertility, and did I mention that 40-60% are affected by it, yet not many people know about it or are tested for it? It’s more commonly known in the functional medicine world. My naturopath tested me for it but when I asked my OB/GYN about it, they had no idea what I was talking about. Just another reason to be your own advocate, and don’t stop asking questions and seeking answers if you feel something is not right. You can read more about MTHFR here or here. Probiotics- I also take and recommend a daily probiotic for gut health, improved digestion, hormone support, mood support, immune support, and energy. I trade off between Bio-K, Garden of Life, or Inner Eco brands. Vitamin D3- d3 is the active form of vitamin D, “active” meaning it’s in a useable form and no conversion is needed inside the body to uptake it- we need vitamin D for pretty much all metabolic processes in the body, and it’s particularly important for fetal development. Even if we spent adequate time outside each day, exposed, and at just the right time between 11-2pm, we still would be deficient on vitamin D, so I recommend that everyone supplements with it. I take Natural Factors brand. I take a higher dose in the winter than in the summer, but take it year round. I also like Garden of Life, but it is quite a bit pricier. Fish oil-we need EPA and DHA, but especially so when pregnant as these two are crucial in fetal development, specifically visual and cognitive development. Fish oil is also great for inflammation, brain health, heart health, and supports a good mood. It has also been shown to reduce the risk of allergies in infants. I recommend Nordic Naturals or Carlson’s brand. Fish oil quality is very important. The way the oil is sourced, the fish used, and the processing all determines its bioavailability. If you’ve ever taken fish oil and had the “fishy burp back”, it means you were taking a form that was not being absorbed. Again, don’t waste your money on junky supplements. Magnesium- most people are deficient in magnesium and it is also needed for most metabolic processes within the body. During pregnancy, magnesium helps with fetal development, specifically strong bones and teeth, and also helps strengthen the uterus. Magnesium also can help with digestion, which can be beneficial during the stages of pregnancy when constipation is common. It also promotes relaxation so I would recommend taking it in the evening before bed. I like Garden of Life powder form or Nature’s Life- a blend of 3 forms of magnesium: oxide, citrate, and malate. I also supplement with a whole food form of B complex by Garden of Life, due to being deficient in b vitamins. I think this is mostly due to methylation issues, but blood tests confirm that I’m low and I feel better when taking a B complex. Early on in my pregnancy, I was super sick from weeks 6-11-ish, and I took milk thistle to help support my liver and its’ processing of all the extra hormones. It helped a little but didn’t completely alleviate the nausea. You can google "milk thistle and pregnancy" to find more info on this. Most of what I read was from other bloggers, but knowing I don't detoxify as I should, I thought it made pretty good sense that the influx of all these hormones and a sluggish liver, could be part of my morning sickness problems. Disclaimer- this information is not intended to be taken as medical advice. Always consult your doctor before supplementing. I advocate for a whole food, minimally processed diet for optimal health and that’s what Whole30 advocates too, which is why I like the program. I briefly skimmed an article recently about how Whole30 was the “worst diet” of the year (along with Keto) because it was too restrictive and excluded entire food groups. (First off, “food groups” is just a term used for classification and ease of communicating. They are in no way categorized by health needs.) It is restrictive because it eliminates entire food groups, food groups that are likely causing health issues and promoting cravings, BUT without the elimination part, you will never know how these foods affect you. That is the whole point.
You don’t eliminate these “food groups” forever. Doing a Whole30 doesn’t mean you’ll never eat cheese again. I mean you might, because you may realize it’s causing this sinus issues you’ve had your whole life. You may give up gluten forever because you have an auto-immune disorder and realize how much better you feel without it. The purpose is to teach you to listen to your body, to change your habits surrounding food, and to recognize your emotional and psychological patterns around food. It’s a specifically individualized science experiment that will teach you invaluable information about yourself. Information that can help you determine a “diet” that will help you live your best life while focusing on real, whole foods , not shakes, pills, or calorie counting. And the best part about it, is that will look completely differently for everyone. The initial 30 day experiement looks the same for everyone, but life after Whole30 looks different for everyone. (This is the where the whole “it’s not a diet, it’s a lifestyle” thing comes in.) . So, if you have zero health concerns or health risks, no inflammation issues, no desire to become healthier, no GI issues, no struggles with weight loss or habits of yo-yo dieting, no habits around food you’d like to improve, then yes, Whole30 is probably not right for you. For the rest of though, it’s worth a shot. I’ve been chatting with several clients about this lately, about whether it’s really necessary for people without an allergy or sensitivity to go gluten-free. I think so for a few reasons: it’s a highly inflammatory, it’s hard to breakdown and therefore hard on our intestinal lining, it’s too easy to overconsume (along with all grain products), and there is no nutritional need for it.
My goal with getting more people to reduce or eliminate gluten isn’t just to switch all of your wheat products over to gluten-free brands. The goal is to get you to switch over to a predominately whole food and nutrient dense diet. The goal is to reduce or eliminate ALL inflammatory foods from your diet and replace with more vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds and quality protein for improved overall health. While there are plenty of gluten-free options nowadays, literally you can find any of your beloved wheat products in a gluten-free option, ideally you would be eating those occasionally and not relying on them daily. Gluten-free products are less inflammatory but actually have a greater impact on your blood sugar, so they still affect your energy, and promote overconsumption. It’s hard to overeat broccoli but not so hard to overeat GF pizza or GF cookies. Recap: More whole foods=less processed foods. Reduced inflammation= better health, better brain function, and less pain and less skin issues. A healthy gut= better digestion, better nutrient absorption, better health, better mood, better energy, better hormone balance. We are a few weeks into January; The month where most people have set resolutions and intentions of getting healthy and “getting back on track” after indulging over the holidays. But a few weeks in is also where the newness and excitement of starting a new “diet” has started to wear off and we’re wondering if it’s even worth it and maybe we should just binge eat some tacos and margaritas and start back on Monday. Or in March because that’s still time to “get in shape” before summer.
There is nothing wrong with wanting to improve your health and setting goals to do so, but what’s most important is not necessarily how you’re trying to improve your health but why. Is it because you indulged all through the holidays (reward) and now it’s time to restrict (punish) your way through January? Are you back in the gym and moving because it feels good to sweat or are you there on the elliptical trying to “burn off” all the Christmas cookies you ate? If you want to get off the yo-yo diet train, and stop the reward/punish cycle, then you have to start with mindset. Shift your mindset about your why. Eat healthy foods because they make you feel good and give you energy, and a positive mood. (It’s important to find out which foods make you feel this way. ) Find healthier recipes for your favorite foods and eat those. Don’t eat food you don’t love. Between Pinterest and all the healthy food bloggers on the web, there is no reason to not eat delicious food that is also healthy. I’m doing Whole30 (which can be viewed as restrictive but I choose to view it as eating in way that makes me feel my best, because it does) and I am eating foods I love for every single meal. Move your body because you love meeting your girlfriends at Zumba and laughing at each other, run because you like the peace and time for podcasts or good music. Find things you enjoy doing that will get you moving and do those and stop doing exercise you hate. (Punishing yourself) Shift your mindset. Shift your perception of what “healthy” is because it is NOT deprivation, restriction, or punishment. Shift your reasoning for why you’re doing what you’re doing to her healthy. Do it for overall health, do it for a long term solution to health problems, do it for your children. Find a reason that’s more sustainable than just wanting to be smaller or get ready for summer. Those moments of “I can’t do this. I want to quit.” are the moments when change happens. Change happens when you push yourself past your comfort zone. And I’m not just talking about pushing yourself physically, although personally, I reap the rewards of pushing myself in the gym, and up the mountain, in all areas of my life. The mental strength and confidence carry over into everything for me. Change happens when you change your mind about who you want to be and how you’re going to show up in the world.
Push through because you are worth it. Push through because you have the desire to be better. Push through because that is your potential. |
AuthorChloe is a holistic nutritionist, certified Whole30 coach, certified personal trainer, and Beautycounter consultant who loves all things: food, fitness, wellness, outdoor, dog, and non-toxic living related. (especially people) She's on the hunt for optimal, yet sustainable health and happiness, and enjoys sharing her learning's and experiences with everyone who wants to listen. And some who don't. Archives
April 2018
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