Chewing your food 100 times...seriously?- Week 22 of 52 Weeks of Wellness Continuing our journey down the digestive tract, here are a few more tips to assist with digestion. One of my downfalls is that I’m a fast eater. Remember, our stomach doesn’t have teeth so you need to chew thoroughly. The old rule that your grandparents or parents may have instilled to chew 100 times before you swallow is EXTREMELY important to assimilating nutrients. A few more rules of proper digestion is to not read or watch television while you eat. Focus on your food and the amazing wealth of nutrients it is providing (assuming it is!) and…

The KISS Rule for Digestion- Week 21 of 52 Weeks of Wellness Now that we know how the digestive system works and the importance of removing additives, preservatives, sugar, fats that the body can’t or will struggle to digest, here are a few Keep It SIMPLE Sweetie (not a fan of the other S word) tips to improve digestion and reduce symptoms connected with poor digestion. How to reduce or eliminate digestive issues: Avoid processed, instant, sugar-laden, chemical-laden, hydrogenated/trans fats, “lifeless” foods Avoid alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, soda Avoid antacids Reduce or eliminate drinking iced or hot liquids immediately before, during or 30 minutes after a meal. Consider drinking 4…

What you learned in 5th grade about Digestion - Week 20 of 52 Weeks of Wellness So, you may have learned how the body digests food in 5th grade but did anyone listen or care back then? I certainly did not!  Luckily, most children properly digest their food until their bodies are corrupted with excess sugar, fats, additives and preservatives. However, I'm seeing more and more digestive issues in young people that is frankly a bit disturbing! By the time we reach the age of 30-40, our bodies are really struggling to break down food. Then we start to experience gas, bloating, heartburn etc. that tells us something is not working. However, instead of…

Digestion and the link to Wellness- Week 19 of 52 Weeks of Wellness We used to say, “you are what you eat” and now we say, “you are what you digest.” You can eat clean, whole, natural and organic food all day every day but if your body can’t digest it, you are not going to experience optimal health. If your food is not broken down by chewing then your body will not be able to use it. When digestion isn't happening correctly your body no longer provides the appropriate amount of enzymes to break food down and you will not be able to use the food for energy…

Top (food) Toxins to Avoid- Week 18 of 52 Weeks of Wellness We’ve covered MSG and chemical sweeteners in the past few weeks but there are many others to be aware of. The food we eat could have one or more of the more than five hundred chemical pesticides routinely used in conventional farming. Pollutants in the air, water and soil including toxic levels of mercury and arsenic contaminate our waterways and impact our health. Anything that filters through the environment ultimatly infiltrates our bodies. Pollutants store in our tissues causing damage to our immune system impairing our ability to digest, absorb and utilize the nutrients we consume. Pesticides…

Hold on to those brain cells!- Week 17 of 52 Weeks of Wellness MSG or monosodium glutamate is an addictive flavor enhancer used in many processed foods. It can be listed under 20-30 different names so it is very difficult to detect. Those warm, fuzzy ingredient names such as natural flavorings, spices and seasonings can do some major damage to our body. One major concern with MSG is that it has been labeled an excitotoxin. You may remember reading in week 8 we learned that according to Neurosurgeon, Dr. Russell Blaylock, M.D., Neurosurgeon, says excitotoxins like MSG, overstimulate neural cells and cause other nervous system issues. MSG causes brain…