4 Symptoms That Definitely Shouldn’t Be Ignored
I’m going to share a very personal story with you today. One that really drives home why you shouldn’t ignore the symptoms (aka signals) your body is giving you.
It all started a little over a year ago…
As a result of being on birth control for 17 years I hadn’t had a menstrual cycle in over 5. However, in November of 2015 my cycle all of a sudden came back accompanied with some fairly uncomfortable breast tenderness.
At the time I didn’t think anything of it, and my belief was confirmed when in December and January I resumed my “normal” life without a menstrual cycle or breast tenderness.
Then in February my cycle and breast tenderness came back again with a vengeance, and this time it stayed every month after.
By May I was at my wit’s end about it. This time my period lasted for 12 days and my right breast had a large red streak emitting heat that could be felt through two layers of clothing.
During all of this I also noticed that my skin was breaking out all the time and I had gained some weight. I felt as though I was having bouts of depression, was lacking motivation, was tired more than usual and I just didn’t feel like myself.
Frantically, I started looking for a doctor who specialized in women and breast health.
I went to a few of the “top specialist” in my area and this is that they said…
- I’ve never seen anything like that before, I think we should just wait on it
- I’ve never heard of that before, I don’t know what to tell you
- I’m not sure what it is but I would recommend using progesterone cream
It became obvious to me that my body was trying to tell me something wasn’t right.
I wasn’t going to “wait on it” and risk the worst case scenario or apply a band aid of progesterone cream if there was no solid reason as to how that would help an unknown issue.
In this week’s video and blog I share more details about how I deciphered my symptoms and the four symptoms you definitely should not ignore.
Our body is communicating with us all the time, we just aren’t always listening.
Symptoms are the body’s way of signaling that something isn’t right. Internally you have your own army or defense team who will sound the alarm whenever an invader enters or when a system is failing.
Think about when you start to get a cold. What are the first few signs you get letting you know it’s coming on – scratchy throat, sneezing, congestion, fatigue? When you acknowledge those signals and give your body rest you are able to fight off the cold and bounce back in no time. When you ignore them, you develop a full blown cold that can linger for weeks.
Getting a cold seems like a simple example but colds, flus and allergies are just a few of your body’s high alert signals that shouldn’t be ignored.
Here are 4 Common Symptoms that shouldn’t be ignored and what they might be trying to tell you…
1) Anxiety and/or Depression
Believe it or not, this is a sign that your gut isn’t happy. Your gut (not your brain) is where your body makes important neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine to keep your mood balanced. Leaky gut, eating inflammatory foods and/or gut invaders disrupt neurotransmitter production resulting in anxiety and depression. An imbalance in the ratio of estrogen and progesterone can also lead to feelings of depression as progesterone impacts the availability of serotonin. Ignoring these symptoms could lead to more serious conditions such as chronic depression, ulcers, autoimmunity, IBS, stomach cancer, breast cancer or fibroids.
2) Insomnia, Poor Sleep and/or Night Sweats
This could be a combo of signals both from your gut and your endocrine system. Your gut is also where your sleep hormone melatonin is made, so again if it’s not happy guess what gets impacted? In addition, the endocrine system oversees the the hormone balance of cortisol to melatonin, estrogen to progesterone and thyroid hormones T3 and T4. If any of these ratios are off, they play a major role in the ability to sleep and the overall quality of sleep. As for night sweats, those are a telltale sign of estrogen dominance over progesterone. Ignoring these symptoms could lead to more serious conditions such as breast cancer, fibroids and autoimmunity.
3) Allergies, Colds & Flu
Your gut is where 80% of your immune system is housed; your defense mechanism against allergens, infections and viruses. A leaky and/or an inflamed immune systems can’t function properly. Leaky gut and inflammation confuse the immune system, leaving it defenseless against true threats and you become more susceptible to common allergens, colds and flus. Ignoring these symptoms could lead to more serious conditions such as bronchitis, pneumonia, chronic illness, autoimmunity and even a shortened lifespan.
4) Excessive/Stubborn Weight and Fatigue
The endocrine system is all about energy production and availability, and metabolism. The hormone cortisol (produced by the adrenals as part of the endocrine system) is what gives you energy to get up in the morning, regulates inflammation and controls blood sugar balance. Thyroid hormones regulate body weight, temperature and cholesterol among many other vital functions. Because these hormones are all part of the endocrine system, if one is out of balance they will negatively impact each other resulting in excessive or stubborn weight gain and/or fatigue. Ignoring these symptoms could lead to more serious conditions such as chronic fatigue, high cholesterol, hyper or hypothyroidism, chronic inflammation, autoimmunity, diabetes and much more!
***
If I hadn’t listened to my body and mapped out my symptoms I would have never discovered that I had estrogen dominance and Hashimoto’s (an autoimmune disorder). I would have gone on suffering and searching for band aids to mask my symptoms.
Instead I sat down, mapped out my symptoms, connected the dots and was able to pinpoint exactly what my body was trying to tell me. From there I was able to take specific action to support my body, rebalance my hormones and get back to feeling like myself again!
Want to map your symptoms, connect the dots and get real answers about your health?
Join me next Thursday, January 19th at 6pm PT/ 9pm ET for my free class on how to Map Your Symptoms & Unlock Answers To Your Health
In this free online class you will:
- Decipher your symptoms and what your body is trying to tell you
- Map out and connect the dots to look at the big picture of your health
- Understand your healing opportunities related to adrenal, thyroid and gut function
- Get clear on exactly what you can do next to restore balance and start feeling like yourself again
It’s time to get clear on what’s making you feel fat, sick and tired all the time so you can finally fix what’s wrong and get back to feeling like yourself again, too!
The Million Dollar Question (and answer inside!)
If I had a magic wand to solve any health problem for you in 2017, what would it be?
To finally figure out what is making you so tired all the time and get your energy back?
To get to the bottom of your hormone imbalances and heal them naturally?
To find the root cause of your stomach aches, heartburn and/or irregular and unpredictable bowel movements?
To lose weight and actually keep it off this time without having to count calories or deprive yourself?
To sleep through the night and wake up with an abundance of energy?
To make sense of and get answers about all the random illness, aches, pains and disease that you’ve experience, and put a stop to it?
I may not be a magician or a fairy godmother with a magic wand, but I do have the answers you’ve been searching for.
The simple answer is…everything you need to solve your health problems lies within you. Your body holds all of the answers and they are just waiting to be discovered.
You’ve probably known for a long time that something just wasn’t right with your body. You haven’t been feeling like yourself for a while but you can’t exactly put your finger it is.
You’ve tried going to the doctor but typically leave with a diagnosis that you don’t fully understand, a new prescription that only works for a short time, or you leave without answers at all. You try alternative solutions such as acupuncture, massage, personal training and various diets which get you some short lived results but don’t fully solve the problem for you.
All you want is a REAL solution to stop getting sick, to balance your body and get your energy back so you can think clearly, have more confidence and feel comfortable in your body, to find a partner or enjoy the one you already have more, to travel and explore, to truly live life and be the best version of you.
In this week’s video and blog I tell you why it’s so hard to find the answers to your biggest health problems and share my super secret health resources to get you what you want.
Did you know that on average it takes 18 years for new research to land on your conventional doctor’s desk?
Even then, you have to wonder if they are really taking the time to read the latest research and update their approach with their patients. After all, they have a lot on their plate already, like the rest of us.
This delay in receiving the latest information is one of the biggest reasons why most of your health problems go unanswered. Not because your doctor doesn’t care, but because they are stuck in a time warp using old and outdated information.
This is where I come in.
I help busy, health-minded professionals take back control of their health by looking at it on a deeper level, to find the missing pieces so they can actually fix what’s wrong and feel like themselves again.
Using my decade of personal training experience, training in Functional Diagnostic Nutrition and mastery of Transformational Coaching, I create personalized health-rebuilding programs using the latest research for clients that offer realistic, sustainable and long-lasting results.
If you’re ready to look at the “big picture” of your health (not just one disconnected piece at a time), to embrace healthy as a way of being, and to stop settling for anything less than you deserve when it comes to your health and happiness, then I’m your gal.
Test, don’t guess!
Using cutting edge functional (at-home) lab test and a series of questionnaires, I can help you look at the big picture, and connect all the dots so that you can fix what’s going on with you once and for all!
To help you get to the bottom of your most annoying health problems in 2017, to test and not guess, and to FINALLY get the answers you’ve been looking for I’ve created Three Special Packages At An Affordable Price!
Each of these three special packages are designed to include a top of the line, latest and greatest lab test to take a deep dive look at adrenal, thyroid and gut function which are part of the 2 most important systems of your body, the endocrine and immune system.
Why should you look at these things, you might ask?
The health of your adrenals and thyroid is and gut is where all of the answers are stored. Unfortunately these are the most overlooked healing opportunities by conventional doctors.
And you don’t have to take my word for it…
“Chris (my husband) made a comment that since I started working with you I am so much happier! I know I’ve been feeling better but I didn’t know it came across so dramatically in my personality. I just wanted to take a moment to say thank you and I’m so grateful to be working with you on my health journey!”- Jodi V., San Diego
“Yesterday I had a thyroid ultrasound which shows that I do have Hashimoto’s. So weird to actually see it – for me, this was a confirmation. I can take that. I can do something with that – a bit of clarity after over months and months of confusion. Honestly, if I left this to western medicine I wouldn’t even have a full blood panel of thyroid tests or the ultrasound as my MD did not want to treat. I’d be sitting with my symptoms as my body attacked my thyroid. So thank you Jenn Culver Malecha, because if I wasn’t working with you I would not have the information I have today and I’d still be struggling!! One more piece of the puzzle!” – Lisa R., San Francisco
Unlocking the answers about your adrenal, thyroid and gut health is like finding the magic pill that you’ve been looking for. The endocrine and immune systems influence almost every cell, organ, and function of our bodies.
These two systems of the body oversee some of the most important functions including:
- Energy availability, balance and sleep quality
- Weight gain or loss
- Ability to handle stress and mood regulation
- Metabolism and body temperature
- Fertility and reproductive process
- Inflammation, aches and pains
- Digestion and absorption of nutrients
- Hormone balance and sexual function
- And so much more!
In 2017 I’m going to wave my magic wand and help you find all of the answers to your biggest health complaints that you’ve been looking for. All you have to do is say yes!
I’m giving you access to the latest research and top of the line functional test to uncover your healing potential at an affordable rate.
You and your health are worth investing in. Take an empowered step towards realizing your full health potential and making your health a priority in 2017.
Test, don’t guess! Check out these new Special Packages designed just for you!
Health Inventory 2016
Can you believe that in just a few short days 2016 will be coming to an end??? Maybe it’s just me, but the older I get the faster the years seem to fly by.
Most of us start the New Year with the best of intentions – to finally get back on track again, to lose weight, to focus on our health, to make ourselves a priority, to feel like ourselves again.
But then, in a blink of an eye, the year is gone.
You get swept up in the chaos of the day-to-day things that distract us until one day you wake up, look in the mirror and barely recognize yourself.
The year has already almost passed you by and you wonder who is this person staring back at you? This person…
With bags under their eyes
Who feels tired all the time
Who gets wound up over the littlest things
Who feels like a stranger in your own body
Who lacks the energy or motivation to work out or socialize
Who takes more sick days than you can count anymore
Whose hair is falling out and midsection is getting thick
Who worries about where the closest bathroom is
You find yourself feeling hopeless about finding an answer to your energy, hormone, digestive, sleep or other most glaring health issues.
Today I invite you to make 2017 different, full of hope and health.
Today I invite you to show up for yourself. To take a moment to reflect and take inventory of all that has happened in regards to your health in 2016- to be present, and to make a conscious decision to change your health and how you feel about yourself in 2017.
In this week’s video and blog I walk you through taking inventory of your 2016 health and how to make the healthy changes you want to actually experience in 2017.
A lot can happen in a year. We rarely stop to reflect on what has happened and what choices we have made.
Being present is the most critical part of being healthy.
When we aren’t present, that is when the weight slowing creeps up, energy progressively gets worse and the connection with the body slips away.
To create change you have to be present.
To create this presence, start by taking inventory of your health for 2016…
What are all of the things, good and not so good,
that happened in 2016 in regards to or as a result
of your health and wellbeing?
Take 2 minutes to write it all down.
Here are some of the highlights of what happened for me…
- I had a scary encounter with what I thought was breast cancer but it turned out to be estrogen dominant hormones
- I quit birth control after 17 years to balance my hormones
- I discovered toxic mold in my house which was contributing to my hormone imbalances and weight gain
- I traveled to 7 different countries and returned home with an abundance of energy every time in comparison to past years
- I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s
- My mother passed away
- I created a daily meditation practice to reduce stress and support health
- I cut back on the intensity of my workouts to help my body heal
- I upleveled my diet by moving towards an autoimmune paleo diet to reduce inflammation and heal Hashimoto’s
- I continuously connected with my body to see what it needed from me
In 2016 I experienced a lot in regards to my health and wellbeing. Being present is what has allowed me to learn from my experiences and to make conscious, educated decisions about what I want to change or experience in the coming year.
As you look back on what has taken place in regards to your health in 2016,
what do you want for yourself in 2017?
Take 2 minutes to it all down.
For me, it’s all about continuing my health journey. I would like to…
- Make sure my home is free and clear of any mold residues so I can stop the toxic assault on my body that was taking place
- Work on cleansing the mold toxins from my body as part of re-building my health, balancing my hormones and losing weight
- Continue strengthening the relationship with my body to support my health
- Keep traveling the world and maintaining my health so I can do so!
Next, ask yourself, what will having all of this in 2017 do for you?
Or why is this important to you?
Take 2 minutes to write it all down.
When we have a “why” or an emotional connection, this is the glue that makes the motivation stick.
My big “why” is because I want to live a life without limitations, and I want to empower others to do the same. There is SO much beauty in this world and having my health is what grants me the freedom to enjoy it all. I also know that by overcoming my own health challenges I can helps others find a solution to their suffering too.
Once you’ve created presence and clarity about what you want and why you want it, putting the actions steps together to get there becomes much easier. Lack of presence and clarity will only fuel overwhelm.
Now that you have set your sights on what you want in 2017
what resources or support do you need to get there?
In order to have what I want in 2017 I need to…
- Complete an ERMI mold spore test
- Run a few more blood tests to look at how mold has affected my body
- And check in with my body daily during my meditation to honor its needs
Maybe you need to find the right health practitioner, get the right tests done, and have some accountability to follow through. Be humble, set aside your ego and get clear on what you need.
Last step – come up with your plan and start taking action!!!
One of the biggest resources that has helped me has been testing, not guessing. When I run lab tests for my clients and myself we are able to identify missing pieces of the puzzle and put a plan of action together. We can pinpoint specific hormone imbalances, root causes of digestive issues, contributors to weight gain and fatigue, and so much more.
If this is one of the resources you think you need in 2017, then keep your eyes peeled for some of the special programs I’ll be rolling out in January!!!
Until then, wishing you a happy and safe New Years Eve full of presence and clarity!
Answers About Autoimmunity
First off I would like to give a big thanks for the overwhelming response I received from last week’s email as I shared my story about recently being diagnosed with Hashimoto’s. I am sincerely grateful for the loving response from this community and the inquiries about how to help others struggling with health issues such as autoimmunity.
There were a LOT of question last week in response to my email about Hashimoto’s and overall autoimmunity…
What puts me at risk for autoimmunity?
How would I know if I had an autoimmune disease?
What are the best tests to run?
What can I do to prevent an autoimmune disorder?
The American Autoimmune Related Disease Association (AARDA) estimates that 50 million Americans suffer from an autoimmune disease, most of them unknowingly.
To put this more in perspective, women are more likely to develop autoimmunity (likely as a result of having higher estrogen levels already than men) and the statistics are alarming…
- 10 females for every 1 male are expected to develop Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis
- 9 females for every 1 male are expected to develop Lupus, Sjogren’s Syndrome, Antiphospholipid Syndrome or Biliary Cirrhosis
- 8 females for every 1 male are expected to develop Autoimmune Hepatitis
- 7 females for every 1 male are expected to develop Grave’s Disease
And that’s only 7 of the 80-100 different conditions out there! These statistics don’t even touch some of the ones we most commonly know about such as Muscular Sclerosis, Crohn’s, Celiac, and Rheumatoid Arthritis.
What’s even scarier is that most autoimmune conditions are being overlooked or misdiagnosed, and once you have one autoimmune condition your chances for developing multiple increases significantly.
The big question is, what is causing autoimmunity to become SO widespread?
As I mentioned in last week’s email, in order to have an autoimmune disorder, three things must be in place. You must…
1- Have the gene for it
2- Have leaky gut, resulting in a lot of inflammation
3- Encounter an environmental trigger, signaling the immune troops to attack
In this week’s blog and video I talk more about what puts you at risk for autoimmunity, how to assess and test for it, and what you can do to prevent or manage it better.
In 2012 Virginia Ladd, the president of AARDA, explained “With the rapid increase in autoimmune diseases, it clearly suggests that environmental factors are at play due to the significant increase in these diseases. Genes do not change in such a short period of time.”
Processed food, toxins and gut bugs are the top factors increasing risk for autoimmunity.
Environmental toxins mimic estrogen in the body, creating xenoestrogens. This, in turn, imbalances the hormones, overloads the liver, and produces more inflammation. Having these imbalances and chronic inflammation from regular toxin exposure leads to an overworked immune system which starts to get confused about who the ‘bad guys’ are. As a result, the immune system begins attacking healthy tissue that may resemble the bad guys.
The biggest food factors are gluten and dairy, when it comes to triggering autoimmunity. These foods, along with processed foods full of additives, preservatives and GMO’s also contribute to the accumulation of inflammation and a confused immune system which starts to attack healthy tissues.
In fact, gluten closely resembles the same structure as thyroid tissue.
Gut invaders (parasites, bacteria, yeast) produce their own waste products that are toxic. And just like environmental toxins or processed foods, the accumulation of waste results in more inflammation and confusion for the immune system.
You can be on the spectrum for autoimmunity long before it fully evolves and is diagnosed.
If you have been seeking treatment for health issues with little to no resolve, this could be a clear indication that you have an autoimmune condition. Most autoimmune symptoms look like other health issues such as hypothyroidism, IBS, anxiety or depression, adrenal exhaustion, and general weight gain.
The first thing you can do (which doesn’t cost you anything!) to assess your autoimmune risk is start asking about family history. Remember, you must have the gene for autoimmunity to take place. Even if family members haven’t been diagnosed, if you notice a string of people who have had thyroid, arthritis or other chronic health problems, that could be a sign. Remember, autoimmunity often goes overlooked or is misdiagnosed.
For lab testing, the best place to get this done is with a Functional Health Practitioner, a Naturopath or someone like me. We know the right tests and things to look for. One of the reason why autoimmunity is overlooked is because mainstream doctors are abiding by old standards of outdated reference ranges or measurement. On average it takes 18 years for new research to reach mainstream doctors.
Controlling the triggers is your best bet for prevention and management.
You may not be able to control what genes are handed down to you, or the fact that you didn’t know you had leaky gut, but you can control the majority of the triggers to prevent autoimmunity or to manage it better.
Reducing inflammation is key for silencing the attack on healthy tissue.
To reduce inflammation in order to prevent autoimmunity, or to manage it better if you already have it, here is what you want to do…
Eat an anti-inflammatory diet free of gluten, dairy, soy, GMO’s and for some people that also includes corn, rice, white potatoes, quinoa, legumes, seeds, eggplant, tomatoes and peppers.
Minimize your exposure to toxins by purchasing non-toxic cleaners and personal care products, getting a HEPA air filter for your home and office, and eating organic.
Make sure you get good quality sleep, exercise regularly to help flush out toxins you can’t avoid or don’t know about, and take any supplements that your body needs to support its optimal function.
And finally, check your gut for any unwanted parasites, bacteria and/or yeast that are constantly putting out toxic waste and contributing to leaky gut.
The best part is that by doing all of these things, you’re also healing any degree of leaky gut that you might have!
To learn more about your risk of autoimmunity or how to manage it better, I invite you to schedule a complimentary Ideal Health & Weight Discovery Call with me here.
Car Insurance Has No Guarantees
“Just because you have car insurance doesn’t mean you’ll never get in a car accident, there are no guarantees. Car insurance does help you recover quicker from the car accident, physically and financially which is why it’s so important to have it.”
This is the analogy I gave my friend as she asked me how I was doing after receiving my recent diagnosis, Hashimoto’s, an autoimmune thyroid disorder, just a few weeks ago.
She asked me “are you upset at the fact that you live such a healthy life and with everything you do to prevent this in yourself, and clients, you now have it?”
I immediately replied, “absolutely not!”- and gave her my car insurance analogy. I don’t drive around expecting not to get in a car accident because I have car insurance, I know it’s there to protect me when I do.
This is life. It’s unpredictable, which is why it’s SO important to take care of our health as much as we can.
I’ll admit, when the results of my recent blood work and my Hashimoto’s diagnosis was revealed I was taken back a bit.
Hashimoto’s, like other autoimmune disorders, is when the body is essentially attacking itself. It views normal tissues as invaders or toxins, and thus declares war sending out the firing squad in the form of antibodies to take down the perceived threat.
In order to have an autoimmune disorder, three things must be in place. You must…
1- Have the gene for it
2- Have leaky gut, resulting in a lot of inflammation
3- Encounter an environmental trigger, signaling the troops to attack
Like a lot of clients I work with, I had no idea what my family history of autoimmune disorders was and therefore I had no idea if I had the gene for it.
This is just one of the motivating factors I have for living a healthy life. If I don’t know, I might as well protect myself against it anyways. Same as we don’t know if or when we might get in a car accident ,so it’s best to have car insurance just in case you do.
Here I am living this uber healthy life and yet I still end up with Hashimoto’s, what gives?
In this week’s video and blog I give you the breakdown on what lead to my Hashimoto’s, how I’m ensuring I put this autoimmune disorder into remission and what you can do to prevent it as much as possible.
As I mentioned earlier, besides having the gene for an autoimmune disorder, two other things must also be in place: leaky gut/inflammation and an environmental trigger.
Environmental triggers can come in all kinds of forms and it just so happens that they contribute to leaky gut and inflammation too. Triggers can be…
- Gluten and dairy
- Certain species of parasites, bacteria, yeast
- Mold, heavy metals and chemical or toxin exposures
- Chronic, unrelenting stress
- Other hormones that are out of balance in the body
My known triggers are mold and estrogen dominance.
I started working from home full time about 2 years ago and it wasn’t until May of this year that I discovered mold in our house. I have no idea how long I had been exposed to it but I can tell you that looking back now my body was giving me signs as early as a year ago.
Only one quarter of the population will display symptoms of mold toxicity, which is why it can be so hard to diagnose. Four people can be living in the same house and only one of them could be showing physical symptoms of mold exposure.
Mycotoxins (aka toxins from mold) lead to an increase in inflammation, contribute to leaky gut, a depressed immune system and elevated estrogen levels.
Elevated estrogen was my first clue. I thought estrogen dominance was causing my recent weight gain, acne and bouts of low mood. I tackled the estrogen issue and everything went away except for the weight and the occasional pimple that I thought was just a part of PMS.
Still feeling frustrated about my weight, I dove in deeper and decided to run some routine lab work and to re-check my thyroid although it had been normal back in February.
Out of the 11 pages of results, absolutely every marker looked perfect, except my thyroid antibodies, they were elevated just enough to be considered Hashimoto’s.
The great thing about autoimmune disorders is that with the right healthy lifestyle factors in place you can put them into remission.
This is where my car insurance comes into play.
Luckily I’m already practicing 90% of the lifestyle factors that keep autoimmune issues at bay.
I eat an anti-inflammatory diet
I get plenty of sleep
I exercise but don’t over-train
I’ve been taking supplements to support balance in my body
I practice meditation daily to offset any stress in my life
I use non-toxic lotions, make up, hair and cleaning products
These are the simple things you can do too in order to prevent an autoimmune gene from flexing its power.
While I’m not always perfect at those things, I will be focusing on tightening up my healthy habits and eating an autoimmune Paleo diet for the next few months to heal my body.
In addition, I’m also in the process of eliminating the known triggers in my life; mold and toxins.
Eliminating or minimizing toxin exposure is HUGE for autoimmune issues.
I will be investigating the mold situation in our house to make sure it’s completely removed, and in a non-toxic way.
I’m also running a few more tests to take a closer look at the toxins that might be built up in my body so I can better support the elimination process with some strategic supplements such as acetylated glutathione.
I’m determined to not let this Hashimoto’s get the better of me; I’m committed to getting to the root of the problem and fixing it. This is what a Health Boss does.
I was hesitant to share my story with you at first because I was worried about what people might think of the “Wholistic Health Boss” getting sick, that maybe you would question my credibility.
I decided to share my story with you because I’m only human. I hope that by sharing my story it might help you uncover what could be affecting you or a loved one. If you’re just not feeling like yourself, I want you to feel empowered to find an answer.
If you want to learn more about your risk for autoimmune disorders, thyroid function, how mold and other environmental triggers can can be affecting your health, or anything else related to your health, schedule a complimentary Ideal Health & Weight Discovery Session with me here.
P.S. Want to read more about autoimmunity and thyroid? Check out two of my favorite books The Autoimmune Solution and Thyroid Connection by Dr. Amy Myers (and you can get them as audio books to breeze through them in the car!)
Natural Pain Relief To Minimize Medication Usage
Would you believe me if I told you I haven’t taken any over-the-counter or prescription pain medications in over 3 years?
I can remember exactly the last time I took an OTC (over-the-counter medication), it was September 7, 2011 during the widespread Southern California power outage and I was on my deathbed with a debilitating ear infection.
That was also the last time I ever had an ear infection. The pain I experienced with that ear infection was the last straw for me. I vowed to never have to go through that kind of excruciating pain again, and I committed myself to healing my body no matter how long or how much it would take.
Part of healing my body meant eliminating my exposure to toxins and chemicals, a lot of which can be found in some of the most regularly used OTC’s and prescription medications including painkillers (aka NSAIDS), birth control and anti-histamines.
We tend to think that just because these medications are FDA approved they are safe for us and that’s not exactly the case. All you have to do is look at the LONG list of side effects to get an idea of how potentially dangerous they can be.
OTC’s and prescriptions provide immediate relief, but they also cause long-term damage.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) such as Motrin, Aleve and Advil are huge contributors to leaky gut because they violently inflame the intestinal lining. Over time, this regular assault of inflammation from these types of medications (and prescription ones too) wares down the gut, destroying healthy bacteria and leaving it unable to fight off other infections.
The biggest long term side effect of these meds is leaky gut, and when your gut is leaky that means you’re even more susceptible to…
Allergies, infections, colds and flus
Chronic inflammation and pain
Depression, anxiety and mood swings
Adrenal and thyroid dysfunction
Insomnia, fatigue and just poor quality sleep
And more…
In this week’s video and blog I talk more about the long term side effects of OTC’s, prescriptions, and natural pain relievers to help you get off these medications to heal your gut, adrenals, thyroid and promote optimal health!
The root of all disease and pain is inflammation, so the first thing you can do to reduce any pain you’re experiencing is to work eliminating the factors contributing to your inflammation.
Since over 80% of your immune system is located in the gut, you want to reduce inflammation in the gut so your immune system can effectively do its job. By doing this simple thing, inflammation will start to decrease everywhere in the body.
You can reduce inflammation using food, sleep, by avoiding toxins and healing your gut.
When my clients are experiencing pain, I look to provide them what I call “relief care”- some type of holistic or homeopathic remedy to ease their pain in the short term while we work on the lifestyle factors that will give them long term relief.
These are some of my top tips for natural pain “relief care” to address the most common types of pain and to kick the use of OTC’s, NSAIDs and potentially prescriptions that are causing more long term damage and pain….
Migraines/Tension Headaches
- Peppermint essential oil – diffuse or rub a small amount under your nose and temples- this opens up blood vessels delivering more blood flow and oxygen to the brain
- Meditation – a minimum of 10 minutes can make all the difference
- Arnica – a homeopathic remedy for muscle tension/soreness- you can ingest it or apply it topically to the area of tension
- Try all of the above together for super strength pain relief
Joint or Muscle Aches/Pains
- Cold & Hot Shower – alternating cold and hot water for 2 minutes at a time, get inflammation moving out of the body
- Arnica – a homeopathic remedy for muscle tension/soreness, you can ingest it or apply it topically to the area of tension
- Magnesium – start with 200mg and you can slowly increase to 400mg for pain relief and muscle recovery (be careful, too much at once can cause diarrhea)
- Try all of the above together for super strength pain relief
Menstrual Cramps
- Caulophyllum Talictroides – a homeopathic supplement found at your local health food store that can be ingested
- Magnesia Phos – another homeopathic supplement found at your local health food store that can be ingested
- Arnica – a homeopathic remedy for muscle tension/soreness, you can ingest it or apply it topically to the area of tension
- Exercise – believe it or not, getting up and going for a walk or moving your body helps to balance your hormones to alleviate cramps and other PMS symptoms
- Try all of the above together for super strength pain relief
Allergies
- Quercetin and Nettles – these two herbal supplements are packed full of anti-histamine power, you can usually find both of them as ingredients in a holistic allergy relief supplement
- Lemon Water – lemon helps to thin mucus, to relieve congestion and to remove toxins created by allergens
- Avoid Gluten & Dairy – both of these food groups are HUGE contributors to inflammation, leaky gut and mucus production
- Try all of the above together for super strength pain relief
Give some of these things a try the next time you’re struck with pain. In the beginning they may not have as powerful of a punch as the medications you’re used to taking, but starting to make the shift will make a difference over time.
Ultimately what is going to help you be pain free like me (eventually), is adopting a healthy lifestyle centered around eating an anti-inflammatory diet, getting adequate sleep, reducing your toxic exposure, and having an outlet for stress.
This type of healthy lifestyle is what I’ve committed to and here I am- 5 years ear infection, OTC, NSAID and prescription pain med free 🙂
If you want to explore more ways to relieve your pain naturally, then schedule a complimentary Ideal Health & Weight Discovery Session with me here.
Is Gluten Sensitivity Real?
Gluten free foods are starting to take over the shelves at the grocery store and even popular kid’s cereal brands are investing in gluten free commercial marketing campaigns these days.
But most people still make fun of or still wonder if gluten sensitivity is even real.
Today I’m here to settle the argument once and for all, and to give you the inside scoop on what gluten sensitivity really is and if it could be affecting you. There is new research available that is putting these myths to rest, finally.
First, I want to clarify the difference between Celiac Disease and the term “gluten sensitivity.”
Celiac Disease is an autoimmune condition. In order to be diagnosed with Celiacs you must have the gene for it. If you do, your body would violently react to any kind of gluten exposure- so extreme sometimes that even if a piece of bread touched the same plate that you ate from it would make you sick.
Gluten sensitivity, on the other hand, means that your body is sensitive to gluten which results in a more moderate reaction in the form of inflammation. You could think of it like an allergy to gluten, but one that you would never get rid of.
Symptoms of gluten sensitivity can include but are not limited to…
- Anxiety
- Brain fog
- Leaky gut
- ADD/ADHD
- Depression
- Weight gain
- Bloating and gas
- Hormone imbalances
- Fatigue or energy crashes
- Autism or being on the spectrum
- Joint/muscle aches, pains or inflammation
- Stomach aches/pains, constipation, diarrhea
- Autoimmune disorders (i.e. Hashimotos, Lupus, Rheumatoid Arthritis, MS, etc.)
How many of these symptoms have you had or do you experience? And has anyone ever told you that they might be because of a gluten sensitivity?
A lot of people don’t associate these symptoms with a reaction to gluten because the concept of gluten sensitivity has not crossed over into our mainstream medicine yet. Doctors are still chasing symptoms and prescribing medications instead of paying attention to diet.
What if eliminating one food could solve all of your health and weight problems?
In this week’s video and blog I unveil the truth about gluten sensitivity from the most recent research and whether it’s affecting your health or not.
One of the reasons people question whether gluten sensitivity is real is because wheat has been a staple in our diet for ages, so they wonder “why is it all of a sudden a problem now?” However, what most people don’t realize is the wheat and grains we eat today look much different than what our great-grandparents were eating.
In fact, wheat is even different in other countries than it is in the United States. Over time, gluten has become an issue as a result of the industrialization, genetic modification and chemicalization of our food.
To put all of the questioning about gluten sensitivity and its effects to rest, Columbia University Medical Center recently did a study to evaluate how gluten impacts the everyday person.
So what did they find?…leaky gut!
The participants in the study showed signs of leaky gut AND systemic immune activation, indicating a chronic inflammatory response to eating gluten.
So what does that mean for you?
It means GLUTEN AFFECTS EVERYONE NEGATIVELY regardless if you know it or not.
I can attest to this personally and so can all of my health coaching clients. Once I started living a gluten free lifestyle my joint aches and pains dissipated, my weight became more manageable, my anxiety went away and my skin was glowing.
Even if you don’t have the Celiac gene, gluten is still wreaking havoc on your system. The chronic inflammation and leaky gut that gluten contributes to causes your immune system to eventually tank, disrupts your hormonal balance and negatively impacts your health over time.
Gluten has even been identified as a trigger for underlying autoimmune issues. Meaning if you have an autoimmune gene that hasn’t been expressed, gluten can trigger the disease to present itself.
Other health conditions such as alzheimer’s and autism have been linked to gluten as well.
The research doesn’t lie. Gluten sensitivity is real for all of us. It’s time to start re-thinking the way we’ve been eating in this new age world. Next time you reach for that piece of bread, plate full of pasta or slice of pizza, be aware of the harm you’re doing to your body – there are plenty of other foods to choose from that taste just as good and have more nutritional value to support your body in the ways it needs most.
If you’re curious to learn more about how gluten has affected you, about leaky gut or any other gluten sensitivity related health issues schedule a complimentary Ideal Health & Weight Discovery Session with me here.
4 Health Lessons I Learned In Europe
I just got back from the most amazing 23-day trip through Europe. I journeyed through Croatia, Italy and the Netherlands. I met up with old friends and made some new ones.
While I certainly was expecting an abundance of adventure, I wasn’t exactly expecting to return home with some very important health lessons.
Sometimes it takes getting out of your space to realize the most important things in life.
We have a tendency to get stuck where we are, to constantly criticize, to under appreciate and not even recognize what our current state of normal is.
This becomes so apparent when I work with new clients. Feeling fat, tired and sick all the time and a victim of their circumstances is their current normal when we start our work together. They have no idea what it feels like to “feel good” and be empowered.
I’ve even had some say to me “ I don’t know if I’ve ever felt good before.” And after a week or two into our work they are singing their praises about how amazing they are feeling just from some small shifts in their diet and a few supplements to support their body.
The first 30 to 90 days of a client’s health rebuilding program is what I call the “honeymoon phase.” They are naturally high and lit up about how they are feeling because they’ve been living in the dark for so long and now they know what it’s like to feel different.
We only know what we know until we know something different.
Shortly after the honeymoon phase passes, when feeling good becomes the new normal, for some reason we start to take for granted how good we are feeling. I say ‘we’ because I’m guilty of this, too.
Eating healthy, taking supplements, going to the gym, meditating, drinking water, and getting to bed at a reasonable time start to feel burdensome. Logically we know that these things are essential for our health, but we start to rationalize not doing them as consistently because we are feeling so good.
Consistency is crucial, and this was one of my biggest takeaways from my trip.
In this week’s video and blog I dive more into how consistency is so crucial and my other top health takeaways from my 23-Day trip to Europe.
I’ve been at this health game as I currently teach and talk about it now for over 3 years. I’ve had my fair share of ups and downs. I haven’t been perfect, but I have always been committed to improving my health and to learning from my slip-ups.
During my journey through Europe there were a lot of realizations I had about my health and here are the most important ones I wanted to share with you:
#1- Meditation Is A Must
I’ve had a consistent meditation practice now for almost a year. However, without my regular routine, moving from place to place every few days and wanting to get out early for sightseeing, I hardly meditated at all and I felt it in a big way.
Being calm, cool and collected had become my new normal once I started consistently meditating. So when my old, shorter-tempered, more irritable and anxious self showed up on my trip, it brought to light just how important it is for me to meditate regularly. Living with a short fuse means shortening your life. It triggers the flight or fight response, disrupting hormones and causing the body to age rapidly.
I had become so used to being at peace I forgot what it was like to be any other way. I am so grateful for this reminder that mediation is non-negotiable, as my friend and colleague Molly Hamill would say.
#2- I’m Better Off Without Gluten And Dairy
I had a ball eating pasta, bread and mounds of cheese in Europe! It was delicious. I’ve spent the past few years creating a consistent gluten, dairy, sugar and soy-free lifestyle to heal my leaky gut, rebalance my hormones and improve my health but this was a once in a lifetime kind of trip.
I was able to eat these foods in abundance and not experience the usual digestive upset and anxiety I would get in the past (a sign my gut is healing!). However, that doesn’t mean that gluten and dairy didn’t affect me. I still experienced nasal congestion and some mild joint pain from my indulgences. It was a friendly reminder that even while my digestion might seem fine, gluten and dairy are still disruptive and inflammatory to the body, so I shouldn’t be fooled.
#3- Make Time To Metabolize
It was a miracle if we finished a meal in under 2 hours. And not because we were stuffing our faces, but because the culture in Europe is to take your time with your meals, to enjoy the food – there is no rush.
Sometimes even when I eat the healthiest of foods I can experience a little bit of digestive upset, and it’s almost always associated with stress or eating too fast. In Europe I experienced NONE of this, no matter what I ate, and likely because I was relaxed at each meal,giving my body time to actually digest. I’m bringing back a little bit of Europe’s slower pace of eating to honor my body and give it the time it needs to properly metabolize in a conscious effort to let the healing continue to happen.
#4- This Is Working!
My newest normal has been in a “feeling good” place. Once you start feeling well, it’s easy to forget how crappy you used to feel. It’s easy to lose sight of how far you’ve come and the gratitude that goes along with that.
During my trip, I returned to some of the places I had been 3 years ago and it brought back memories of how much I was struggling with my health before. I remembered feeling bloated, exhausted and wanting to nap all of the time, and completely drained from jetlag.
This time I was pleasantly surprised – I didn’t have an ounce of jetlag, I didn’t get sick, my energy was good all of the time, I was able to sleep just fine and re-entry into reality upon my return went smoothly. All of the work I have invested in my health and the consistency I’ve been creating with this healthy lifestyle is really starting to pay off!
You might be wondering why am I sharing all of this with you.
I’m sharing it because I know what it’s like to feel stuck, to feel like every day is a struggle, to know you have more potential but you don’t know how to harness it.
And I want you to know that even those of us who “appear” to be healthy have to work at it daily.
Healthy is a way of being, not doing.
I want you to know that truly being healthy means living into it consistently. It is a journey. No one is perfect, but every day is a new day to try, and over time you’ll be there before you know it.
HIT REPLY! – I would love to hear from you about what resonated most with you from my sharing my experience. Hit reply and let me know 🙂
Are Estrogen And Mold Making You Fat?
Working from home definitely has its perks. But after working from home full time for two years, I realized it was also making me fat, sick and tired.
Let me tell you a little story about how working from home, estrogen and mold were all working against me…
It all started November of 2015. I began to notice a little extra weight around my hips, waists and thighs.
It was strange, though. Although the scale said my weight was starting to climb, I was still able to fit into all of my clothes, so I dismissed the signs thinking it must be broken.
As we rolled into 2016, I noticed more things that just didn’t feel right…
I was feeling tired all the time
I couldn’t think as clearly as before
I had adult acne and I never had acne before
I wasn’t motivated to work, be creative, or be social
I was easily irritable, sensitive and emotional
My weight continued to climb to numbers I had never seen before
Then my menstrual cycle went really wonky, and I developed a breast issue which four doctors I went to had never seen or heard of before.
I started to freak out a little. Here I am, the Wholistic Health Boss suffering from something that not even a doctor could put his/her finger on.
I talked myself off the ledge and put my health detective hat on yet again…
Nothing had changed in my diet, I was eating cleaner than ever
I toned back my exercise intensity thinking maybe I had over trained myself
My sleep was on point, in bed by 10pm and awake with the sun, as usual
Stress was less working for myself and all was good with family and friends
I racked my brain over and over again. What could this be? I knew had to be hormone related in some way but I was having trouble putting all the pieces together since nothing in my lifestyle had changed significantly, except for working from home.
Then it struck me! I had Estrogen Dominance.
Estrogen Dominance can affect men and women, and it’s characterized by looking at the ratio of estrogen to progesterone.
But what was causing this imbalance in my body so suddenly? All of a sudden the 2nd piece of the puzzle practically fell in my lap.
I opened the closet door in my office and I found MOLD!
In this week’s video and blog I share more of my story, and how estrogen and mold could be making you fat, just like it was doing to me.
I’ve had a few clients, men and women, who have suffered from estrogen dominance. They have experienced symptoms similar to mine such as:
- Unexpected or rapid weight gain
- Migraines and headaches
- Trouble falling or staying asleep
- Fatigue, can’t think clearly or just unable to focus
- Constantly feeling bloated, puffy or retaining water
- Feelings of mild depression or lacking motivation
Estrogen dominance can be caused by several different factors, but the most common one is from exposure to toxins.
There are over 700 known toxins in our environment that can mimic estrogen in the body, and mold toxins happen to be one of them.
Typically when there is excess estrogen in your body, it should be able to get rid of it. However, excess estrogen must be flushed out through the liver. If your liver is clogged or sluggish then a backup of estrogen starts to occur just like a traffic jam.
In my case, being exposed to mold in my house for who knows how long was playing a major role in the buildup of estrogen and decrease in progesterone creating an estrogen dominant ratio for me…
Mold toxins were overloading my liver AND they were mimicking estrogen.
Part of the problem is that we can’t always see, hear or feel the toxins that we are being exposed to that are causing chaos internally in our body. They hide in our air, water, food, cosmetics, cleaning products, and in our work and home.
Mold is one of the most elusive ones. It hides in the walls, on our furniture, fabrics and even our pets.
Since we can’t always detect these toxins, it becomes imperative to protect ourselves from them.
Certain foods can boost our liver function and balance estrogen to minimize the impact from exposure to these disruptive toxins.
To support your liver in excreting excess estrogen and toxins, eat the most powerful naturally detoxifying foods such as:
- Beets
- Grapefruit
- Dandelion Greens
To balance your estrogen eat cruciferous veggies such as:
- Broccoli and cauliflower
- Cabbage and kohlrabi
- Kale and mustard
- Brussels sprouts and bok choy
- Rutabaga and turnip greens
And incorporate foods high in phytonutrient indole-3-carbinol, such as 1 tablespoon of flaxseed daily.
Once I got rid of the mold and started eating more foods to support my liver’s natural ability, my body began to balance estrogen. I immediately started feeling better.
Right away my skin cleared up, I wasn’t irritable anymore, I was more motivated and got my energy back!
For weeks now you’ve been hearing me stress the importance of supporting your liver for various reasons – to promote weight loss, improve thyroid function, increase energy, and to rid the body of toxins.
I CAN’T EVEN BEGIN TO STRESS THE IMPORTANCE OF YOUR LIVER!
Tomorrow marks the last day for you to enroll this fall’s Seasonal Cleanse Challenge where you will have the opportunity to show your liver some love, to promote your own weight loss, and balance your hormones for optimal health.
Don’t let this opportunity pass you up!
Learn more and sign up for the Seasonal Cleanse Challenge Here
(Enrollment ends 10/14, only 50 spots available on a first come first serve basis)
P.S. If you want to find out if you have Estrogen Dominance you can take a simple at-home urine test – schedule an Ideal Health & Weight Discovery Session with me here to get more info. And to learn more about mold exposure and do an inexpensive test, check out www.survivingmold.com
Striking A Balance
Health is about balance – striking a balance between what you eat and moving your body, a balance of hormones, finding balance between work and life, how much water you need daily versus how much you eliminate, a balance of indulgence and healthy choices.
I like to call myself a realist when it comes to health.
I aim to live in the 90/10 zone and coach my clients to do the same; 90% of the time minding healthy habits while reserving 10% of the time for special occasions and indulgences.
This is why I’m writing to you today while on my 23-Day trip to Europe. This is my work life balance, and I’m fully taking advantage of my 10% indulgences.
I’ve had wine every day for over a week at this point, bread or pasta almost daily, and I’ve only been in bed by 10pm a handful of times.
Although I’m not being perfect, I’m still being mindful about my health.
I’m striking a balance and not completely sacrificing my health in the name of fun…
I’m still drinking at least 70 ounces of water a day.
I’ve packed healthy snacks from home to take with me everywhere.
I brought my most important supplements to support my liver, digestion and my sleep.
I make sure to have a nourishing breakfast every day free of gluten and dairy, and packed full of proteins, fruits and veggies.
For me, striking a balance is all about controlling what you can and minimizing the impact from the things you can’t.
For example…
If pasta is the only option on the menu then take a digestive enzyme to help your body metabolize it and add some gelatin or collagen to your water to help repair the damage.
If you’re exposed to unknown toxins or have more alcoholic beverages than usual during vacation, aim to eat more greens and take a liver support supplement to help your liver flush those toxins out.
This is exactly why I personally participate in and offer a Seasonal Cleanse Challenge twice a year (learn more and sign up here).
In this week’s video and blog I talk more about how I strike a balance while traveling and why my Seasonal Cleanse Challenge is such a critical component to maintaining my own health.
Our bodies are hard at work for us all the time. They are constantly filtering out toxins that we unknowingly or knowingly expose them to, they are digesting and converting food to energy for us, they are running on little sleep or pushing through overworking.
This is what inspired me to start doing a monthly cleanse twice a year as part of healing my hormone and gut, to refresh my body, boost my energy and maintain my weight.
It’s a way for me to give my body a good tune up just like you would a car.
For me, the Seasonal Cleanse Challenge is an opportunity to recommit myself to my healthy practices.
I get re-aligned with my diet by cutting out the crap and focus on high-energy, nourishing and naturally detoxifying foods to help my body cleanse itself.
I look forward to catching up on any rest that has been lost during the months in between my cleanses and by the end feel fully refreshed.
For me, the Seasonal Cleanse Challenge is the “reset button.”
Because I’m not perfect (and I don’t expect myself to be), because I can’t control all the variables in my life or my health all the time and because my body works so hard for me every day; It’s 28-days of my undivided attention to reset myself for success.
Over the years, doing a seasonal cleanse has become a cornerstone to my health. It makes me feel alive, energetic and vibrant again. It puts be back on the right path to taking care of myself like I know I should if I’ve gone astray. It helps me shed any unwanted weight that has crept up and heals my body from the inside out.
Previously, I desperately bounced from different diets and workout routines, chiropractors and acupuncturists trying to find the magical combo to relieve my pain and struggle with weight, energy and my hormones.
The body is a complex system and I had been ignoring some really important pieces of the puzzle, one of which is cleansing the body of built up toxins! Toxins clog the liver, which plays a HUGE role in converting hormones, metabolism and weight loss.
So many people are missing this crucial piece, so I’m on a mission to stop the frustration and teach more people how to take back control of their health and weight by cleansing the body naturally.
Will you join me and many others in the Seasonal Cleanse Challenge to get back on track with your ideal health and weight?
(Enrollment officially ends Oct. 14th and space is limited)
