Listen to these podcasts now!

I’ve recently had the honor of being a guest on some extraordinary podcasts with experts who are doing important work so that people like you can access the info you need about health, well-being, and personal self-growth so that you can feel like your best self. 

In these podcasts, we’ve touched on everything from lab testing to mindset, mold, eliminating toxic exposures, effective exercise strategies, figuring out what foods are right for your body, the importance of sleep and so much more!

During the discussions, we share tips, tools, and resources to help you find the missing pieces of your health puzzle so you can fix whatever might be going on with your health, and get back to feeling like your best self again (or for the very first time!).

So this week, instead of my usual blog, I encourage you to catch all the info you can from one or more of my recent podcast appearances!

Check out some of my recent podcast interviews to explore topics such as…

The BIG PICTURE of Thyroid and Weight Loss with Dr. Amie Hornaman

In this podcast, Dr. Amie Hornaman interviews Jenn Malecha about her personal health journey and her thyroid and weight loss journey too. They dive into conversations and Jenn shares her knowledge with her extensive background. First, Jenn is a powerful woman. She has so much training and so much experience under her belt. This is really one that you are going to want to listen to. Her focus is on supporting health-minded individuals in taking back control of their health.

How to Balance Your Hormones

This week Tee was delighted to welcome Jenn Malecha to the show for an educational look at how fluctuations and changes in our hormones affect everything from our mood to our sleep cycle. Hormonal imbalances are common amongst women in the menopausal years. However, in recent years we have seen a surge in hormone disruptors attributed to an array of both environmental toxins and lifestyle factors. In this episode, Jenn helps to walk listeners through some of the steps that you can take to gain back the balance in your hormones and achieve a healthier happier lifestyle.

Connecting the Dots Between the Gut, Liver and Thyroid with Jenn Malecha & Evan Hirsch

In this episode, Jenn Malecha together with Evan Hirsch, talk about Connecting the Dots Between the Gut, Liver and Thyroid. Jenn Malecha supports busy, health-minded professionals in taking back control of their health by giving them access to the right lab tests and resources so they can find the missing pieces of their health puzzle, actually fix what is wrong, and get back to feeling like themselves again.

Listen & Learn Now! 

I would love to know what other health-related podcasts have been inspiring and helpful for you too.

Comment below and let me know what some of your recent favorites have been!

4 Simple fasting steps…

If you follow me closely on Instagram or Facebook, then you probably know I’ve done quite a few 3-day fasts over the years.

In fact, I completed my 12th one just last week.

But let me tell you, I didn’t just jump into fasting overnight. (Ha! No pun intended.)

Yes, fasting can produce some major health benefits, and it’s been used for a long time as a therapeutic tool to help reverse or prevent health conditions such as cancer, diabetes, and other chronic diseases.

However, without the right supervision, guidance, or preparation, fasting can do more damage than good.

There was a time when my body couldn’t even handle intermittent fasting for 12 hours, let alone 3 full days.

I eased into prolonged fasting over time, and I’m going to share the 4 simple steps I took to get there so you can use fasting as an appropriate health tool as well.

The reality is, that fasting isn’t right for everyone, regardless of how popular it is.  I’ve seen too many clients walk through my virtual practice door frustrated with the lack of results they’ve seen from their fasting attempts, or feeling wiped out and worse off after trying it.

In the midst of healing my Hashimotos and reversing mold illness, my body couldn’t tolerate fasting at all.  My body was too toxic, depleted, and dysfunctional at the time to metabolize fat for fuel and feel good while fasting, even for short periods.

Fasting has been a part of human existence probably since the beginning of time, as our ancestors roamed the earth alternating through times of feast or famine and hibernation during the winter months.

However, our modern-day culture has altered our fasting instincts with the introduction of fast food drive-thrus, processed foods with exceptionally long shelf lives, and high carbohydrate and sugar diets that leave you craving more food than ever before.

To top it all off, the majority of our modern-day food leads to blood sugar issues, hormone imbalances, and liver and gut dysfunction, which negatively impact your ability to utilize fasting effectively as a tool.

And then there are the toxins and stressors that our bodies encounter every day, which alter hormonal balance and other metabolic processes, leaving the body less equipped for effective fasting.

A body that was once born with a natural ability to tolerate fasting no longer can due to the evolution of the food industry and our environment.

In this week’s video and blog, I’m going to give you 4 simple steps you can take to get your body into fasting shape and to make fasting more effective.

Let’s break down what fasting is first…

When it comes to intermittent fasting (especially as it relates to the Keto diet), there are basically two schools of thought:

#1- Fasting means not eating anything containing calories or nutrients for a period of time (i.e. water fasting).

#2- Fasting means not eating any sources of immediate energy, such as carbs or proteins (i.e. sometimes fats are ok)

Both approaches focus on training the body to primarily utilize fat stores for energy to become “fat-adapted.” The standard American diet and even most other whole food or primal diets, such as Paleo and Whole30, constantly supply the body with readily available fuel sources in the forms of carbohydrates (veggies, fruits, nuts, etc.) and proteins (meat, beans, etc.)

Training the body to be fat-adapted requires limiting sources to these readily available types of fuel and forcing the body to tap into its own fuel storage – fat.

Then there are prolonged fasting periods, which typically exceed 24 hours and can go on for days.  At this point, one’s body ideally should be fat-adapted in order to access its own fuel source so you can feel your best during these longer stints.

With prolonged fasting, there are also multiple schools of thought. Some do “water only” fasts while others might include a daily cup of bone broth, like I do sometimes. Most approaches produce health benefits and you should choose one that works best for you and is in alignment with your goals.

I use prolonged fasting as a tool to restore and repair my digestive tract every few months. The cells of the intestinal lining have the ability to completely regenerate within 72 hours if you avoid consuming food, giving you a whole new, stronger, healthier digestive tract.

Having a cup of bone broth at night and taking daily supplements helps to restore the gut and maximize fat metabolism for additional benefits, such as toxin elimination, hormonal health, energy, and sleep.

But as I cautioned earlier, fasting isn’t for everyone, at least not in the current state of health you might be in.  It’s always important to consult with your health professional before trying any method of fasting.

And before you jump right in, follow these 4 simple steps to get your body into fasting shape and to make fasting more effective…

1 – Test, don’t guess.  
It’s better to know about underlying hormone or nutrient imbalances before you dive into fasting. At a minimum, check your thyroid, cortisol, estrogen, testosterone, and melatonin levels, along with your vitamin and mineral balance before starting a fasting routine.  If any imbalances exist, lay the foundation to reverse them with a therapeutic diet, adequate sleep, appropriate exercise, stress reduction, and nourishing supplements before jumping into fasting.

2 – Fuel up with fat.
Slowly ease your body into the transition by fasting with fat as your primary fuel source.  Fat is not readily available as fuel when ingested so it still requires your body to tap into its own fat fuel sources. Allow yourself to have a fat-only meal in the morning, such as  coffee or matcha tea with ghee and/or full-fat coconut milk. This will deliver some of the essential nutrients your body needs so it can still function at its potential while staying away from carbs or proteins that can hijack fat for fuel metabolism.

Training your body to use fat for fuel is the key to having energy and sleeping well while fasting.

3 – Ease into it.
Don’t go for the gold right from the get-go. Start by making dinner your last meal, fasting overnight, and gradually extending out the time you eat breakfast in the morning a few days a week. This is basically what’s called Intermittent Fasting.

I started by having dinner by 7:30pm and my first meal around 9:30 or 10am the next morning, resulting in a 14-hour fasting period. As your body adapts, your energy will improve, letting you know when you can extend the length of your fasting window.

(NOTE: Women’s hormones are particularly sensitive to food deprivation, so it’s best to fast every other day instead of every day when getting started, and to honor your body’s needs around certain times of your cycle.)

4 – Salt and supplement.
When avoiding food, you’re also avoiding access to nutrients, so it’s essential to supplement what you’re missing. When fasting, supplementing with vitamins and minerals will help maintain sleep quality, keep your hormones happy, and your energy balanced, and support the process of fat metabolism. Our ancestors salted meats to cure them for food storage and ate every part of the animal (organs, cartilage, etc.) so the nutrient values in their bodies were much higher than ours, even when they were forced to fast.

While fasting, I continue to take my daily supplements to ensure my body has the nutrients it needs to get the job done.

Certain herbal teas, such as Pique Tea, also help support the body while fasting. During prolonged fasting periods, I’ll have 1-2 cups of black or green tea in the morning and one cup of green tea in the afternoon.

Plus, I add an extra packet of LMNT electrolytes to maintain hydration, balance cortisol, and boost energy.

I also take specific binders to help capture toxins being released from fat (where they are stored) as it’s broken down for fuel to make sure they are eliminated and not recirculated.

You’ll know your body is ready for fasting when your energy is even all day long and your sleep is spectacular, especially when you start to lengthen time between meals.

We want to think of the body as a well-oiled machine that is ready to adapt to anything we throw at it, but that’s generally not the case, considering all the variables that impact our health in this modern-day world.

With most diet trends, people have a tendency to dive all-in without considering if their body is ready for it, and when it “doesn’t work,” they give up.

Often, it’s not the diet that didn’t work, but something else under the hood that got in the way. This is why it’s always better to test, not guess, in order to figure out exactly what is right for your body so you don’t go spinning your wheels, wasting money or time on failed attempts or health improvement strategies that aren’t right for you.

If you want to assess your readiness for fasting or to figure out what foods are right for your body so it can function at its potential, then click here to get on my waiting list for a Discovery Call AND get access to a curated list of my colleagues who can help you right away!

Want to get your body back now?

I have been obsessed with planning all the details for our upcoming trip to Spain, including all of the cute and activewear outfits I need to pack along with the best shoes for long days of walking and exploring.

But it made me wonder…how are you feeling in your body?

I’ve had my fair share of body image and health struggles, but through all of it I learned how to love my body regardless of what it looked or felt like. Eventually, with the right lab tests and resources, I was able to get my body back to feeling like home again for good.

You deserve to look and feel your best too, and I’m proof that it’s possible for you.

Summer and travel plans tend to stir up all kinds of judgments, criticisms, wants, and desires related to how you feel in your body.

Would you love to feel like your old self again so you can live life to the fullest?

…the energetic, clear-minded, great skin, creative, in-shape, productive, pain-free and bloat-free person you used to be?

I know. I’ve been there, and many of the clients I’ve worked with have been too.

There once was a time when I felt like a stranger in my own body.

Acne took over the radiant skin I was always so proud of. Extra weight or bloating hid the muscle tone I worked so hard for and drastically reduced my outfit options. Low energy limited my ability to basically show up in life; to be the social butterfly I had always been, to be present or creative in my work and at home.

All I could think about was a time when I felt physically and mentally fit. I didn’t have any limitations. All I wanted was to find myself in that place again.

Do you ever find yourself wondering why you don’t have the energy to do the simplest tasks such as putting away the laundry, riding bikes with your kids, or paying attention to a conversation?

Does getting dressed every morning feel like internal warfare with yourself – you put something on, criticize yourself in the mirror, and change your outfit a million times until you find something that doesn’t make you feel like a stuffed sausage?

If you feel this way or have ever felt this way, can I get a hell yeah?

If so comment below to let me know!

I struggled for a while before I figured out how to get my body back for good – but I did get it back and you can too.

The first thing you need to know is, there is WAY more to getting your body back than changing your diet and exercising.

And the second thing you need to know is that it doesn’t have to be complicated.

Diet and exercise are just two pieces of the puzzle when it comes to feeling like your best self, but they are only effective when the body is running on all cylinders.

Think of it like this…

If you owned the highest-profile performance vehicle available in the world, filled it with the highest quality fuel, and tried to take it from zero to sixty in 30 seconds with a clogged air filter, empty oil canister, imbalanced tires, and sketchy electrical system, what do you think would happen?

The car wouldn’t perform as expected, right?

This is similar to what happens when you try eating right and exercising, but get little to no results. There’s something going on underneath the hood reducing the efficacy of your efforts.

In this week’s video and blog, I want to help you understand what is potentially going on underneath your hood so you can get your body back for good.

Have you ever caught yourself staring in the mirror, wondering how you got here?

Wondering…

…where did all the weight come from?

… is everyone else noticing the circles under your eyes?

…how are you going to make it through all your meetings today?

…what would happen if you just went back to bed and hid under the covers?

You see, so many others have felt this way too, myself included, but we have also found a way to get their bodies back for good with the right lab testing and guidance.

What you’re experiencing did not happen overnight. Feeling out of place in your body is something that has occurred over time amongst the shuffle of work, kids, responsibilities, travel, stress, and anything else going on in your life.

Feeling uncomfortable in your own skin happens when…

  • Your hormone system goes haywire
  • Your immune system gets weak
  • Your digestive system is dysfunctional
  • Your detoxification system doesn’t work
  • Your energy system gets slowed down
  • And your nervous system sends mixed signals

In order to get your body back for good, you’ve got to get all of the systems of the body running right, just like a high-profile performance vehicle.

If your expensive, high-profile performance car wasn’t running right, what would you do?

You would take it to the best specialist around for a thorough evaluation that would include a variety of diagnostic tests to check every aspect of the engine, fuel lines, tires, pumps, and more.

To get your body back for good, you’ll want to do the same thing so you can understand what is going on underneath the hood; what’s happening with your hormones, immune, digestion, detoxification, energy, and nervous system so you’ll know exactly what steps to take to restore function and feel your best again.

Here’s the caveat though…

Running typical blood tests with your general practitioner, or even some specialists won’t get you the answers you’re looking for.

In order to REALLY see how your body is functioning, you’re going to need to run functional lab tests that provide deeper insights about function!

The good news is, these functional lab tests are super easy to do. Most of them are urine, saliva, and stool-based, making it convenient for you to do them in the comfort of your own home.

And when working with the right health expert (like me!) you can use the data from these lab tests to guide:

  • What foods are right for your body
  • How much sleep you need and when
  • What type of exercise will get you the best results
  • Which stress-reducing tools would be most effective for you
  • And what toxins or other environmental factors you should minimize to boost your health

To get all of your body systems running right to operate at your highest potential!

Now doesn’t that sound pretty straightforward?

Instead of guessing about what you should be doing to feel good in your body again.

Using the data from functional lab tests to guide recommendations for diet, rest, exercise, stress reduction, supplementation, and toxin removal is exactly how clients of mine such as…

…Leslie, lost over 20 lbs in 6 months bringing her back to pre-college weight and has an abundance of energy all day long…

…Kristine got rid of stubborn excess pounds, daily pain, sugar cravings, and was able to stabilize her energy levels

…Jene, was finally able to control her Muscular Sclerosis symptoms naturally and can now keep up with her grandson…

…David, lost 40lbs without engaging in a structured workout routine and is able to sleep through the night…

Running functional lab tests is also what gave me the insights to get my energy back, get my weight under control, clear up my skin, and think clearly again when I wasn’t getting the results I wanted from diet and exercise, or my doctors.

Running these types of lab tests is what has helped so many of my clients uncover hidden healing opportunities, such as:

  • Estrogen dominance
  • Insulin resistance
  • Cortisol dysfunction
  • Liver congestion
  • Poor thyroid function
  • And intestinal parasites, bacteria, and yeast overgrowth

These things were standing in their way of feeling like their best selves despite their diet and exercise efforts.

With the right lab tests and resources, it is possible to feel good in your body and like yourself again!

LAST CALL – If you’re ready to get your hands on the right lab tests and resources so you can get your body back for good now…

There’s still time to apply for one of my two open client spots by August 24th.

Apply to explore working with me by August 24th HERE!

(NOTE: My client openings are filled on a first-come-first-serve basis, so make sure you apply and schedule ASAP)

As the (W)holistic Health Boss, my mission is to support busy, health-minded people like you in getting access to the right lab tests and resources so you can find the missing pieces to your health puzzle and get back to feeling like yourself again (or for the very first time!).

Here’s to you achieving your ideal health and weight, no matter what life throws at you!

Apply to explore working with me by August 24th HERE!

Don’t you want to feel like yourself again?

How many times have you said out loud or in your head, “I just want to feel like myself again?”

I remember waking up every morning wanting to feel like myself again so clearly….

…wanting to bounce out of bed instead of dragging myself to the coffee pot
…wanting to feel comfortable in my own body and clothes
…wanting to be free of severe seasonal allergies and able to think clearly
…wanting to not have to work so hard to maintain my weight
…wanting the acne to disappear from my face
…wanting the weird hormonal stuff to just go away
…simply wanting to feel my best so I could live life to the fullest

If you wish you could feel like yourself again, I’m here to tell you it is possible.  With the right tools and resources, you can find the missing pieces to your health puzzle and get back to feeling like yourself again, or for the very first time.

I’m living proof. I’ve done it, and have helped so many of my clients do the same thing too.

I bet you know something deeper is going on with your body, but it feels like no one is listening to what you have to say.

You’ve probably seen specialist after specialist and been recommended a laundry list of supplements, medications, and therapies but nothing has really helped you get YOU back.

You understand there’s a place for specialists and medications, but you think there’s a better way to get your health and self back so you can enjoy your life to the fullest.

You crave answers like a kid craves candy (and you probably crave foods too for unexplained or uncontrollable reasons!).

Am I right?

I’ve been there; I’ve been told my blood work looked normal even when I didn’t feel that way, or that my hormone issues were a part of aging when I knew better.

I was searching for answers that no one else could seem to give me.

In this week’s video and blog, I’m going to help you find the missing pieces of your health puzzle and get real answers so you can get back to feeling like yourself again (or for the very first time).

 

What you need is a new way of looking at your health, one that focuses on education not medication, and then you’ll have the keys to unlock the answers you’ve been searching for.

Here are the 3 exact steps I took and that I guide my clients through to boost energy, balance hormones, achieve weight goals, and overcome just about any other health issues that might be ailing you.

#1 – Figure out what foods are right for your body so it can function at its potential.
You are unique and therefore your diet should be too.  What works for one person won’t necessarily work for you and yet you’re trying to fit yourself into a specific framework with most dietary approaches.

There’s a difference between eating healthy and eating right for your body. Eating right for your body may include healthy foods, but not every healthy food is right for your body.

So how do you figure out what is right for your body?

You can do this by testing to see which foods your body responds best to, and then dialing in your macronutrient (protein, carb, and fat) ratios.

This will instantly boost your energy, reduce bloating, and provide the nutrients your body needs to function at its potential.  When I discovered what foods were right for my body, I instantly started feeling more like myself again.

#2 – Find the missing pieces and restore balance to all body systems.
The body is a complex network of systems, each doing an important job that the other systems depend on.  When one system goes down, they are all affected.

Functional lab testing will help you find the missing pieces so you can see what systems of the body are out of balance and how they are impacting each other, revealing your healing opportunities!  These are NOT your typical blood tests.  They are usually saliva, urine, and stool-based to show the physiological aspects of the body and how it’s working, or not working.

Functional lab tests will take a deeper look at your hormones, immune, digestion, detoxification, energy, and nervous system. In turn, this data will guide recommendations for for right diet, rest, exercise, supplementation, stress reduction, and toxin removal you need to feel your best.

#3 – Tune into your body and give it what it needs to feel your best all the time.
Your body holds all of the answers you need, and it always has, but we’ve been conditioned to disconnect from our bodies and to search externally for solutions. When something doesn’t feel right in your body, it’s your body asking you to pay attention, to tune into what it’s trying to tell you. When you do, you’ll know what to do to feel your best all the time.

Have you ever noticed that when you have a stressful day you experience the following: your stomach gets upset, you experience joint pain, you can’t sleep, or your skin breaks out?

Or when you eat certain things, your body reacts in some way?

This is your body talking to you, telling you to pay attention to something.

For a long time, I dealt with and ignored joint pain, severe seasonal allergies, weight struggles, migraines, cyclical breast tenderness, fatigue, and much more.

Hindsight is always 20/20 though. Looking back, I can clearly see that these symptoms were my body’s way of waving the red flag to get my attention and let me know something was wrong.

We’ve become accustomed to accepting things that are common as normal, but just because something is common does NOT mean it’s normal.

Now if my body feels “off” in any kind of way, I tune it; check to see what it needs, and give it just that.

This could mean eating something differently, canceling obligations to rest, getting some fresh air, doing meditation, or simply drinking some water.  Whatever my body needs, I’ve got its back, and it’s got mine.

The health and aging concerns you are facing today are not your destiny.  They are an accumulation of things that have happened over your lifetime which have slowly chipped away at that “feel good” feeling until you barely recognize yourself anymore.

With these 3 steps, you can unravel the doings of time and reveal the REAL YOU, and I’m here to help you do it!

I currently have two client spots open to work with me one-on-one so you can find the missing pieces of your health puzzle and get back to feeling like yourself again!

Apply to explore working with me by August 24th HERE!

(NOTE: My client openings are filled on a first-come-first-serve basis, so make sure you apply and schedule ASAP)

As the (W)holistic Health Boss, my mission is to support busy, health-minded people like you in getting access to the right lab tests and resources so you can find the missing pieces to your health puzzle and get back to feeling like yourself again (or for the very first time!).

Are you ready to feel like your best self?  If so, let’s do this!

Apply to explore working with me by August 24th HERE!

Slow down to drop pounds and boost energy [I’m back!]

Slow down to drop pounds and boost energy - 8.10.23

When was the last time you sat down and did nothing? I mean, literally did nothing – just enjoyed the sun on your face, the cool breeze, listened to the birds chirping, and let all of your thoughts just drift away?

It’s HARD for me to sit still, but after realizing years ago that my busy Type-A ways were part of what drove my energy into the ground and weight up, I have progressively worked towards allowing myself to take more time off not only for health benefits but also for professional ones. ⁣

Dr. Ben Hardy and Dan Sullivan’s 10x is Easier Than 2x book inspired me to finally bite the bullet and take a semi-sabbatical for July with the intention to…⁣

  • Have more space to just BE⁣
  • Do only deep focus work to 10x my health and biz⁣
  • Rest & restore all parts of me to be my best physically, personally, and professionally ⁣

After taking a month off, I feel AMAZING physically, mentally, and professionally!

We underestimate the impact always having “to do something” has on our health.

Being in constant movement, or always doing something, triggers the body’s stress response without us even realizing it.

The American Medical Association once stated that stress is the basic cause of more than 60 percent of all human illnesses and diseases.

This study even notes the correlation between stress, weight, and other health issues…
(paraphrased to highlight key takeaways)


“The relationship between stress and illness is complex…chronic stress has a significant effect on the immune system that ultimately manifests an illness….Stress increases the risk for diabetes mellitus…since psychological stress alters insulin needs….Stress also alters the acid concentration in the stomach, which can lead to peptic ulcers, stress ulcers, or ulcerative colitis. Chronic stress can also lead to plaque buildup in the arteries (atherosclerosis)…The correlation between stressful life events and psychiatric illness is stronger than the correlation with medical or physical illness…recent studies found a link between stress, tumor development, and suppression of natural killer (NK) cells, which is actively involved in preventing metastasis and destroying small metastases”


From the moment we get up, we are constantly moving, always doing something and soliciting a stress response or pattern…

Checking email and texts first thing in the morning then every five minutes.
Rushing to get ready for work and the kids to school.
Back-to-back meetings, appointments, or errands to run.
Multi-tasking at stop lights and in traffic on our way home.
Cleaning the house, doing yard work, and marking off our mile-high list of responsibilities.

The to-do list that keeps us going is never-ending. And I don’t know about you, but it seems like the older I get, the more responsibilities and commitments I have.

As I like to tell my clients all the time, “You don’t work in an emergency room. No one is going to die if you don’t respond to that email or text, empty the dishwasher before bed, or don’t pick up your dry cleaning today.”

Learning to live a slower-paced life is what will heal us all.

In this week’s video and blog, I dive into more detail about how a fast-paced life impacts your body and why slowing down will help you shed pounds and boost your energy!

The truth is, your body can only heal in a relaxed state.

And contrary to what we’ve been conditioned to think, you have to get healthy to drop pounds and boost energy, not the other way around.

If you struggle with energy and/or to lose weight despite your “healthy habits” it’s because there are more pieces to your health puzzle waiting to be uncovered.

My Type-A ways used to run the show: running from task to task, constantly on the go, getting high by checking things off my to-do list. I never slowed down. That was until I realized just how much damage my fast-paced life was doing to my health.

A lot of us live in a fight-or-flight-stressed state all of the time, whether we recognize it or not, simply because of our modern fast-paced world. In this state, all of our energy is diverted outward for quick thinking and quick moving, instead of internally for healing, weight loss, and energy.

When in a rested state, our energy is focused inward on digestion and healing.

These biological responses are quite brilliant if you think about…

The classic textbook example of this is to imagine being chased by a lion.  Your body’s brilliant fight or flight response would act quickly to send all resources and blood flow to your arms and legs for running and to your brain for quick thinking.

Although we do not face lions in our typical day, on a biological level our body does not know the difference between a lion chasing you and the sense of urgency you feel to respond to email, the stress of traffic or your job, and the constant worrying about life’s daily responsibilities.

This consistent state of fight or flight triggers the body to release the stress hormone, cortisol. Cortisol not only responds to stress but it also regulates inflammation (the root of all disease), blood sugar levels, and sleep cycles and plays a major role in balancing the thyroid and many other bodily functions.

Even low-grade stress triggers the fight-or-flight response and the output of cortisol. Over time, this constant output of cortisol creates imbalances in the other body systems that it controls, in addition to taking a toll on other hormones such as estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA, and thyroid.

Aside from cortisol and overall hormone dysregulation from constant low (or high) grade stress, the fight or flight response also impacts your digestive health.

Beneficial and bad bacteria in the gut respond to stress by creating something called biofilm.  The accumulation of biofilm can alter the internal environment of the gut, contributing to internal toxicity, inflammation, and leaky gut.

Alternatively, when we are in a rested state, the body is able to focus its resources on healing, digesting food, and nutrient delivery for cellular functions which all help to promote weight loss and more energy!

With this in mind, I’m continuously looking for ways to slow down in life to allow my body to heal in order to maintain my ideal health and weight and feel like my best self.

Here are examples of simple steps you can take to slow down and allow healing to happen:

  • Technology Breaks: Put all devices on do-not-disturb from 7am to 7pm.
  • Deep Breathing: This flips the body switch from a stressed to a relaxed mode.
  • Sit Outside: Take 5 minutes to sit outside and just be one with nature.
  • Politely Decline: Be mindful of how much is on your plate and polite decline or ask for help.

It’s common to feel guilty about taking time and space for yourself, but we actually show up better in the world when we do.

When we invest in slowing down, more healing happens, lending us the ability to be more productive in life instead of being slowed down by low energy, weight, and illness, so we can be more present for our family, friends, and loved ones.

Even though I actively try to practice a slower-paced life, I still get that sense of urgency bubbling up from time to time. But I can quickly diffuse it by breathing deeply or stepping away from the “busyness” of what I’m doing and resetting my mindset around the priority to heal and support my body.

I challenge you this week to look for where you can add more rest, even if it’s only for 5 minutes, and where you can slow down in your life to allow the healing to happen.

Comment below to share one action you can take to slow down this week for some accountability!

Hair loss solutions [encore weekend]

Hair loss summit - Adrenal Fatigue Leaky gut Thyroid Jenn Malecha

Did you know that there is a huge connection between your digestive health and your hair quality?

Yet most people are told or think their hair struggles are related to genetics or other health issues out of their control.

But this simply isn’t true.

Genetics was not related to the hair loss I experienced years ago. 

Yes, there might be a genetic component at play, but the study of epigenetics has shown us that our lifestyle choices actually dictate the expression of genes.

Women who experience temporary hair loss after childbirth are great examples of how changes in hair can be related to metabolic shifts in the body.

And if your hair challenges are related to a health condition, then what you should know is that inflammation is at the root of all health issues. 

Therefore, healthy hair growth begins from the inside out and is hugely dependent on good digestive health. In fact, digestive problems often show up externally as skin irritation, breakouts, and hair loss.

Your digestive system is essential for breaking food down into usable nutrients for bodily functions, and so gut health has a significant impact on your overall well-being, including your hair health.

Digestive problems such as constipation, bloating, loose stools, and indigestion can all be related to hair loss, dry itchy scalp, dandruff, overly oily hair… and even more severe issues down the line if left unchecked.

These are all ways your body could be telling you that something out of balance in your body needs to be addressed.

Even if your hair issues correlate with a thyroid condition, which is very common, the health of your digestive system plays a major role in the expression of BOTH of these health challenges. 

Digestive health is just ONE piece of your health and hair pizzle. 

Different people experience different types of hair loss that require different methods to resolve them.

For some people, the answer might be as simple as giving the body extra nutritional support…

For others, it could mean addressing inflammation, food sensitivities, hormone imbalances, AND gut dysfunction…

Unfortunately, the common treatment options for hair loss can be as devastating as losing your hair. Most are costly, ineffective, and don’t produce long-term results. 

So before you commit to lifelong medications, pricey painful procedures, or expensive hair products, learn how to determine your type of hair loss and why (and how!) you must address it ASAP.

To help you do this, my dear friend and fellow Functional Health Professional, Julie Olson is hosting an encore of her summit this weekend…Healthy Body, Healthy Hair: The Truth About Hair Loss.

 

This weekend, you can access over 45 expert talks revealing the latest scientific research on resolving hair loss, sharing comprehensive and long-lasting approaches that don’t rely on lifelong medications, painful treatments, or expensive hair products that only provide temporary solutions.

As part of the event, you’ll also get access to my expert talk about the best lab tests to find the missing pieces of your hair loss and health puzzle along with Julie’s Stopping Hair Loss Guide!

Click here to save your seat for the encore this weekend and free access to the most up-to-date insights about reversing or preventing hair loss!

And once you attend (or if you already did), I would love to know what your biggest hair health takeaway is!

Comment below to let me know

P.S. Feel free to share this hair-liberating event with anyone else who could benefit from it!

 

Hair loss confessions and solutions…

Losing your hair is never fun; not for men or women.

Your hair is part of your identity so it’s not an easy thing to lose. It’s what makes you look like who you are. It’s part of how you identify with yourself in the mirror and even how others identify you.

It gives you confidence, makes you feel sexy, attractive and good about yourself. Even if baldness is your thing, it still defines you.

So when my hair started falling out a few years ago, I was in denial.

My hair has been a treasured part of me since I can remember. As a little girl, I loved styling it my own way, and I’ve never had the guts to cut it any shorter than my shoulders because I love my luscious locks.

But for some reason when my typical hair shedding increased, I shrugged it off and made excuses for it…

It was because of the change in seasons
I went too many days without washing my hair
I wasn’t brushing it enough
I was working more and under more stress

You know, the usual things.

I just kept thinking, “if I just give it time, it will stop.”

As the months went by, and my hair continued to clog up the shower drain in larger quantities than I had ever seen before, I started to question what my body might actually be trying to tell me.

Because hair loss might be common, that doesn’t mean it’s normal.

I’ve had countless clients who have experienced hair loss due to thyroid disorders, autoimmune conditions, stress, nutrient deficiencies, and more.

There are many types of hair loss and over 50 root causes, many of which go overlooked by doctors.

Many people facing hair loss suffer in silence, with feelings that can make it difficult to seek help because they are embarrassed or ashamed to admit that they are experiencing hair loss.

But the truth is, hair loss is not a sign of weakness or a lack of self-care…

Some of the most common causes of hair loss are:

  • When thyroid hormone T3 is low
  • Changes in estrogen and progesterone
  • Alopecia (an autoimmune condition) is activated
  • Vitamin and/or mineral deficiencies
  • An increase in mental, physical or emotional stress
  • Toxic exposures such as mold and heavy metals
  • Drastic changes to your diet
  • Low-quality or toxic hair products
  • Poor circulation

The quality of your hair is a measurement of your health.

Telogen Effluvium was the official diagnosis of my hair loss, which is a condition that can be triggered by a variety of things, such as drastic changes in diet, deficiencies, toxins and low-quality hair products.

Thankfully, with the right tools and resources, I was able to turn my hair loss around and get my luscious locks back again.

I’m sharing my secrets to personally stopping hair loss and helping others do the same as a speaker at the upcoming Healthy Body, Healthy Hair Summit.

My dear friend and fellow Functional Health Professional, Julie Olson is hosting this summit to reveal the latest scientific research on resolving hair loss, with over 45 experts sharing a comprehensive and long-lasting approach that doesn’t rely on lifelong medications, painful treatments, or expensive hair products that only provide temporary solutions.

You’ll gain insight into over 50 root causes of hair loss, and learn safe, effective methods to help regrow your hair naturally. This knowledge, that not many practitioners share, will inspire and give you the ability to make informed decisions for a healthier body and a happier head of hair!

If you or someone you know has been struggling with hair loss, you must attend the Healthy Body, Healthy Hair Summit happening June 12th-18th.

When you register for Healthy Body, Healthy Hair: The Truth About Hair Loss, you’ll also unlock early-access interviews, complimentary guides, and helpful eBooks about resolving hair loss and living your most luscious locks life!

CLICK here to register and add it to your calendar!

I know this event will help you find the missing pieces of your health puzzle to stop, reverse, and prevent hair loss, and I can’t wait to hear about your biggest takeaways!

P.S. Feel free to share this hair liberating event with anyone else who could benefit from it!

 

Get a flat stomach for summer [start now]

Is your body ready for Summer?

Summer is supposed to be carefree, fun, and full of adventure!

If a little extra fluff around the middle or belly bloat has you feeling down, insecure, or uncomfortable in your own skin, then I’ve got you covered.

The Summer Solstice is just 6 weeks away, so there’s still time for you to get a flat stomach so you can feel carefree to fully enjoy all that the Summer season has to offer.

And it doesn’t require counting calories, crash dieting, or spending hours at the gym.

Because the truth is, belly fat or bloating is NOT always from eating too much and exercising too little. In fact, calories-in versus calories-out is a dying school of thought.

I previously wrote a calorie-counting blog showing just how broken the calorie-counting and crash-dieting approaches are.  In fact, cutting calories and crash dieting can actually cause weight gain in the long term.

Everywhere you turn, you’ll see all kinds of marketing, promotional products, and advertising geared towards the calories-in versus calories-out method for weight loss and finding that flat stomach.

And yet, people still struggle to lose or regulate weight, even when they’ve tried almost every diet and exercise routine out there.

And what about the people who have stick-skinny arms and legs but are round in the middle? – What’s their story?

What’s up with that belly fat or bloating that just won’t budge?!

The accumulation of fat, particularly around the midsection, and bloating is way more complex than what is portrayed in mainstream health.

Calories and exercise actually play a small role in your overall health when all things are considered. In some cases, eating “healthy” and exercising can even contribute to fat accumulation and bloating.

The biggest contributors to pudgy tummy and bloating are:

  1. Inflammation
  2. Digestive upset
  3. Stress
  4. Toxins

Eliminating these contributors is exactly what you’ll focus on my 28-Day Cleanse Challenge that you can join right now for just $28

As I said before, calories aren’t the culprit, but the foods you’re eating and who you’re being when eating could be.

The first two steps to a flat stomach do involve your diet as it relates to inflammation and digestive upset, which alone can cause bloating but also contribute to inflammation. And step three is to explore who you’re being while eating and how that relates to a fluffy tummy.

When I work with clients, figuring out what foods are right for their body so it can function at its potential is the first thing we focus on.  And as a result, they always immediately notice a reduction in their waistline and an increase in energy.

Step #1: Avoid Inflammatory Foods.
You are unique; therefore, the foods that cause inflammation for you would be unique too.  Doing a food sensitivity test is the best way to pinpoint foods that aren’t doing you justice.

But there are some foods out there that are commonly inflammatory for everyone and should be avoided based on their molecular structure, how they interact with the body, and the load of toxins they contain.

The top inflammatory foods for everyone (regardless of sensitivity) to avoid are:

  1. Gluten
  2. Dairy
  3. Sugar
  4. Soy

Cutting these foods out completely will quickly get you one step closer to that flat stomach for summer. Keep in mind it can take a few days to get these toxic and inflammatory foods out of your system completely, but once you do you’ll definitely notice a difference!

Step #2: Eating the Right Ratios for Your Body.
Eating the wrong ratios of proteins, carbs, and fats for your body can cause digestive upset, leading to bloating and inflammation, resulting in that spare tire feel. Plus, this could be a big source of energy and sleep struggles, which doesn’t help your flat stomach game either.

When you eat in the right ratios, you can avoid digestive upset, boost your energy, and ensure your body is getting the nutrients it needs to achieve your health goals.

Step #3: Reduce Stress, Especially Around Meals.
Stress, in general, can lead to a pudgy tummy, especially stress around mealtimes.

Stress of any kind triggers your body to release the hormone cortisol, and too much cortisol causes your body to deposit fat right where you don’t want it, around your midsection.

And if you’re eating while stressed, then you can’t adequately digest your food, resulting in uncomfortable belly bloat, food cravings, and low energy.

Stress de-activates the digestive system as your body’s way of conserving resources to deal with the stressor, which is a brilliant mechanism if there was a true threat trigger you needed your fight or flight response for, but even low-grade stress from watching the news, sitting in traffic, or having a tough conversation with a loved one sends your body into stress-fighting action.

The cool thing is that you can turn off the stress response to aid in digestion, banish bloating and flatten your stomach just as quickly as it was activated. All you have to do is adopt the deep, rhythmic breathing patterns of a relaxed person, and voila!

To do this…

Inhale for the count of 5 seconds
Hold for the count of 5 seconds
Exhale for the count of 7 seconds

And repeat 5-10 times. 

Not only will these three steps help you achieve a  flatter stomach before Summer, but they also support the body’s natural detoxification process to promote long-term results.

And this is EXACTLY why these steps are addressed in my 28-Day Cleanse Challenge that you can join right now for just $28 by CLICKING HERE. 

All so you can…

  • Have more energy to enjoy life and keep up with its daily demands
  • Lose those last few pounds, get trim, and stay that way
  • Blast away the belly bloat for good
  • Improve your memory, learning ability, and mood
  • Sleep better so that you can wake up feeling rested
  • Be more productive at work and in life
  • Have higher-quality workouts because you’ll have the energy to do so
  • Improved the conversion of thyroid hormone Free T4 to Free T3
  • Boost your immunity and digestion to heal leaky gut
  • Increase your ability to handle stress to lessen anxiety and depression
  • Look younger and have clear skin!

Here’s how the Cleanse Challenge works. Over the course of 28 days, you will…

  • Learn what ratio of proteins, carbs, and fats that are best for your body to boost your energy, weight loss, balance hormones, reduce belly bloat and inflammation
  • Incorporate the highest naturally detoxifying foods (beets, grapefruit, dandelion greens) into your daily routine to promote the body’s natural cleansing systems
  • Focus on minimizing your intake of the top inflammatory and hormone-disrupting foods: gluten, dairy, sugar, soy, and alcohol
  • Receive weekly workout routine video tip – sweat out those toxins!
  • Get accountability to work out regularly, drink plenty of water, and get quality sleep in order to support the body’s cleansing and healing process
  • Receive 30-minute weekly educational webinars and be part of a special Facebook group for support
  • Receive recipes and a checklist to guide you along your journey
  • Get exclusive resources and discounts to help you along your journey and beyond!

AND I’m including a special BONUS ASK THE EXPERT SESSION with one of my health expert team members!

Your 28-day Cleanse Challenge to feel your best starts as soon as you enroll.

Remember, Summer is right around the corner, so this is the perfect time to take action so you can feel your best this Summer season!

Will you join me and many others to shed pounds and boost your energy naturally?

CLICK HERE TO GET STARTED NOW!

When diet and exercise don’t work [answers inside]

For years I counted calories, tried diet after diet, and exercised excessively; yet I always felt tired and frustrated trying to shed pounds, just like so many of my clients…until I found the missing pieces of the puzzle.

I hear so many people talk about how frustrated they feel with their body, energy, and health – “I eat healthy and exercise so I don’t understand why…” 

  • I can’t drop weight
  • I don’t have any energy
  • My health isn’t improving

The truth is, there’s more to health and weight loss than just diet and exercise.

The body is a complex system, and most people are ignoring some really important pieces of the puzzle, one of which is cleansing the body of toxins that contribute to a sluggish liver!

The liver plays a HUGE role in eliminating toxins, and when it’s overloaded with this work, it can’t convert hormones or regulate our metabolism like it’s supposed to in order for us to shed pounds and have energy.

Do you struggle with shedding pounds, energy, and feeling comfortable in your body?

I used to get so frustrated with the scale when I was counting calories and putting in hours of cardio. I would tell myself it was “just water weight” that I was hanging onto or that my genetics were holding me back. In reality, the age-old strategy of calories in vs. calories out just wasn’t doing the trick.

So what gives? At what point are diet and exercise, not enough?

Age and genetics do play a small role, but I’ll tell you that I’ve seen many clients successfully lose weight at any age and with all different genetics.

So what’s happening with people like us who diet like crazy, go to Crossfit daily, yet still don’t lose weight as we want?

When diet and exercise aren’t getting you results, you have to look at the other pieces of the puzzle, and quite possibly the biggest key player is your liver.

To help you with this critical piece of the puzzle, I’ve opened my 28-Day Cleanse Challenge…and the first 50 people to enroll get it for 50% off, that’s just $14!

In this week’s video and blog, I talk more about the role your liver plays and how to boost its function to shed those pounds and boost energy!

We are exposed daily to high levels of toxins through food, water, air, home, and personal care products. These toxins get filtered through the liver, kidneys, and lymphatic system and are stored in fat tissue. This toxic build-up interferes with the uptake and utilization of nutrients, carbohydrates, and proteins.

When your liver is so busy working to filter out all these toxins, it has very little energy left to filter blood, drugs, and hormones; let alone do its other job as a digestive organ. Thus, many find shedding pounds more difficult, finding energy a struggle and generally don’t feel comfortable in their body.

Your liver is also in charge of converting and excreting excess hormones. If liver function is sub-optimal, then hormones such as estrogen can build up. This can lead to estrogen dominance, which can cause excess weight, hot flashes, and even increase the risk for cancer.

The liver is also where a huge chunk of thyroid hormone conversion takes place, and an imbalance in the thyroid slows your metabolism, resulting in weight gain or weight loss resistance and low energy levels.

If you’re exercising, your muscles need fuel, and your liver helps produce that fuel. However, a congested liver can’t do this very well, and when that happens, excess glucose gets stored as fat.

Here are 10 common signs your liver needs cleansing:

  1. Abdominal bloating
  2. Menstrual irregularities
  3. Abdominal fat; pot belly; that “spare tire” effect
  4. Joint and muscle pain
  5. Low energy or fatigue
  6. Acid reflux/heartburn
  7. Body odor
  8. Overheating of the body & excessive perspiration
  9. Acne/Rosacea or itchy, blotchy skin
  10. Unexplained weight gain and inability to lose weight even with calorie restriction

Keeping your liver working well is a matter of reducing its stressful toxic load AND supporting its natural detox ability.  You can do this in several ways…

  1.   Reduce your exposure to toxins
  2.   Eat powerful detoxifying foods; beets, grapefruit, dandelion greens
  3.   Do a detox cleanse 1-2 times per year

If you’ve hit a wall with your body or suspect that your liver could use some love, then you are in luck!

You’re invited to cleanse your liver and feel like your best self again…

28-DAY CLEANSE CHALLENGE ENROLLMENT IS NOW OPEN!!!…and the first 50 people to enroll get it for 50% off, that’s just $14!

CLICK HERE TO GET STARTED!

This challenge will help you boost your liver function naturally using foods and gentle cleansing methods so that you can:

  • Lose those stubborn pounds
  • Boost your energy
  • Enhance your hormones and overall health

Your 28-day Cleanse Challenge to feel your best starts as soon as you enroll.  If you’re one of the first 50 to enroll you’ll get it for just $14.

Summer is right around the corner, so this is the perfect time to show your liver some love and get back to feeling like your best self.

Will you join me and many others to shed pounds and boost your energy naturally?

CLICK HERE TO GET STARTED!
(For just $14 if you’re one of the first 50 to enroll!) 

The thyroid liver connection

According to the American Thyroid Association, “more than 12 percent of the U.S. population will develop a thyroid condition during their lifetime…an estimated 20 million Americans have some form of thyroid disease… up to 60 percent of those with thyroid disease are unaware of their condition.”

Those are some alarming numbers. You could be sitting here reading this right now and not even realize that you could be part of those statistics.

Thyroid conditions are one of the most common health issues that I see in the clients I work with, and one of the most overlooked because the symptoms can look like so many other things…

Symptom: Weight gain – typical thought, you’re not exercising enough or eating too much.
This is also a thyroid symptom.

Symptom: Hair loss – typical thought, this is this part of aging or genetics.
This is also a thyroid symptom.

Symptom: Constipation – typical thought, is it something you ate or IBS.
This is also a thyroid symptom.

Symptom: Fatigue – typical thought, is it lack of sleep, over-scheduled life, or insomnia?
This is also a thyroid symptom.

This list goes on and on.

But is the thyroid really the problem?  Or could it be something else…

We have to ask the question – what is causing all of these thyroid conditions in the first place?  Why do the numbers keep rising?

Bear with me while I set the stage for you…

Two of the most important thyroid hormones are T4 and T3.  These two hormones control everything from your metabolic rate, energy, body temperature, hair growth and loss, and weight.

Your thyroid gland produces thyroid hormone T4, which is then converted into T3, and T3 is the active form of thyroid hormone that is actually used by your cells.

Here’s the kicker, the majority of T4 is NOT converted in the thyroid gland.

About 20% of T4 is converted to T3 in the liver.

Twenty percent is a lot in the big scheme of things. If your liver isn’t converting thyroid hormone like it is supposed to, that means you could see a 20% decrease in the availability of T3.  

Low T3 levels can lead to symptoms such as:

  • Constant fatigue not relieved by sleep
  • Depression and anxiety
  • Feeling bloated, puffy, or weight gain
  • Dry skin and hair, and hair loss

So again I’ll ask you, is the thyroid really a problem?  Or could it be the liver?

In this week’s video and blog, I dive into more detail about how supporting your liver can greatly impact your thyroid function and help you feel like your best self!

With 20% of thyroid hormone T4 relying on the liver to be converted to T3, there is certainly a huge healing opportunity here if you are already suffering from a thyroid imbalance, or even if you’re trying to prevent one.

But we must dig deeper…

Why wouldn’t the liver be able to convert T4 to T3 optimally in the first place?

It’s estimated that 25% of the global adult population and over 34% of U.S. adults have non-alcoholic fatty livers.

This scenario slows down the function of the liver, which means it can’t convert thyroid hormone or do any of its other important functions very well.

The liver is also important for balancing cortisol and sex hormones, both of which can trigger thyroid issues if they are out of balance.

Let’s look at some of the top lifestyle factors that slow down liver function:

  • Eating foods high in sugar, simple carbs, or processed foods
  • Exposures to environmental toxins that burden the liver
  • Waking up in the middle of the night disrupting liver detox
  • Intestinal parasites, bacteria and yeast waste products

The biggest liver offenders are toxins that we come across daily. Aside from converting hormones, the liver’s number one most important job is keeping the body clean by breaking down harmful substances, such as toxins, to be excreted by way of stool and urine.

Since the 1940s, over ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND toxic chemicals have been released into our environment. Could you imagine taking on 100,000 new tasks without any extra pay or hours in the day? That’s basically what we have asked our livers to do.

If you want to improve your thyroid health or prevent a future thyroid condition, it’s crucial to start paying attention to the burden you’re knowingly or unknowingly placing on your liver.

The good news is that you do have some control over the toxins you are exposed to AND there are some simple daily activities that you can do to support your liver function naturally!

Want to learn more about toxins – how they impact your thyroid, and liver, and what you can do about them?

Stay tuned and follow me closely.

I’ll be sharing more information soon to help you explore these missing pieces of your health puzzle so you can feel like your best self again, or for the very first time.

P.S. I created a program called the 28-Day Cleanse Challenge that gives you a step-by-step formula for increased energy, weight loss, hormone, and digestive balance while decreasing belly bloat, allergies, and other symptoms of poor health. It’s specially designed for health-minded people like you who want to take their health to the next level, naturally.

The Cleanse Challenge will be opening again soon. To get exclusive offers and hear about it first, click here to join the waiting list.