Healing from within

My Homemade Magic in a Mug: My Love Affair with Bone Broth

Hey there,, I'm diving into a topic that's close to my heart (and stomach): Bone Broth. You might have heard about this trendy yet ancient concoction, but let me tell you, it's more than just a passing fad. It's a nourishing elixir that has become a staple in my kitchen.

What is Bone Broth, Anyway?

Bone broth, in its simplest form, is made by simmering animal bones (chicken, beef, or even fish) for an extended period, often with herbs, vegetables, and spices. This slow cooking process extracts nutrients like collagen, amino acids, and minerals, turning it into a powerhouse of goodness.

Why I'm Hooked

The benefits? Oh, where do I begin! After incorporating bone broth into my daily routine, I noticed remarkable changes. My digestion seemed smoother, my skin felt more hydrated, my immune system stronger, and that afternoon energy slump? A thing of the past.

Now, let's geek out a bit on why bone broth is such a superstar for the immune system:

1. Rich in Minerals: Bone broth is packed with minerals like zinc, selenium, and magnesium. These are like the unsung heroes of our immune system, playing crucial roles in keeping our body's defense mechanisms strong and responsive.

2. Collagen and Amino Acids: Collagen is the star component of bone broth. It's not just great for our skin but also supports gut health. Why does that matter? Well, a healthy gut is essential for a robust immune system. The amino acids in bone broth, like arginine, glutamine, and cysteine, have been shown to boost immunity too.

3. Anti-inflammatory Properties: Chronic inflammation can weaken our immune system. Bone broth contains compounds like glycine and proline that have anti-inflammatory effects, helping to create a more balanced immune response.

Let's dive into why bone broth is a bit of a superstar for our digestive system:

1. Hello, Collagen!: Collagen, a key component of bone broth, is not just good for your skin. It plays a crucial role in repairing and strengthening the gut lining. A healthy gut lining is vital for preventing leaky gut syndrome, where toxins and food particles escape into the bloodstream, causing inflammation.

2. Amino Acids Galore: Bone broth is rich in amino acids like glutamine, which is a hero for gut health. Glutamine supports the integrity of the intestinal wall and can help with everything from leaky gut to overall gut maintenance.

3. Gut-Friendly Gelatin: When you simmer those bones for hours, they release gelatin. This gelatin is basically cooked collagen and is fantastic for gut health. It helps with digestion by binding to water in the gut, which can aid in moving food smoothly through your digestive tract.

4. Anti-Inflammatory Properties: Chronic inflammation is a no-no for digestive health. The glycine and proline in bone broth have anti-inflammatory properties, which can help calm down inflammation in the gut, leading to better digestive health.

Crafting the Perfect Brew

Making bone broth at home can be a therapeutic ritual. I love how my kitchen fills up with the earthy aroma (or as Shelby and Kelsey say, very smelly) as the broth simmers gently, blending the flavors of herbs, bones, and vegetables. Whether you're using a slow cooker or a simple pot, the key is patience. Let the broth simmer for hours to extract all the goodness from the bones.

When trying to decide on what I wanted from my bone broth, I knew I wanted to use beef and chicken. I have used just chicken bones before and I wasn’t impressed with the amount of collagen or taste. It was too bland. I always add in veggies; carrots, celery, parsley, onion, and garlic. Sometimes I will add in sweet potatoes or squash. I always add salt and apple cider vinegar and cover the ingredients with water. Just a few tablespoons of apple cider vinegar per gallon of water is all you need. It's like adding a pinch of magic to the pot. Add it right at the start with your bones and other goodies, and let the slow simmer do the rest.

Alright, let's chat about why we add a splash of apple cider vinegar when brewing up a pot of bone broth. It's not just for kicks; there's a method to this madness! The Magic of Apple Cider Vinegar in Bone Broth

1. A Mineral Treasure Hunt: Think of apple cider vinegar as the key that unlocks the treasure chest of minerals in bones. This humble kitchen staple is quite the hero when it comes to teasing out those valuable minerals like calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus from the bones into your broth. These aren't just any minerals; they're the ones that keep our bones strong and our bodies humming.

2. Collagen, Come Forth!: Here's where things get really interesting. The acidity of apple cider vinegar works like a charm in breaking down collagen and connective tissues in the bones. This is like turning the bones into a goldmine of gut-healing goodness. Collagen is the stuff that not only gives the broth its signature silky texture but also does wonders for our own connective tissues.

3. A Bounty of Nutrients: By coaxing these elements out of the bones, apple cider vinegar ensures our broth is brimming with a spectrum of nutrients. It's not just about minerals and collagen; there are amino acids and other health-boosting compounds joining the party too.

4. Flavor's Little Helper: Now, if you're worried about your broth tasting like a salad dressing, fear not. The amount of apple cider vinegar we're talking about here is just enough to do its job without stealing the flavor show. It adds a subtle zing that rounds out the flavors beautifully.

It's More Than Just a Health Drink

What I adore about bone broth is its versatility. It's not just a drink; it's a fantastic base for soups, stews, and even cooking grains. I've experimented with various recipes, adding my twist here and there. Whether it's chicken chili, beef stew, rice pilaf, or a classic chicken soup, the possibilities are endless.

So there you have it, my little love letter to bone broth. It's not just a trendy health drink; it's a nurturing, healing, and delicious addition to anyone's diet. If you haven't yet, I encourage you to try it. Who knows, it might just be the thing you didn't know you needed!

Stay healthy and happy sipping!

Xoxo,

What I have been up to lately....

I am so excited to share what I have been doing lately. I am sure you know that I have been working as a Health Coach with FASTer Way. April of last year, FW started hiring for HC to work along side the Head Trainers to bring the another benefit to all of our vip clients. I help our VIP clients feel better and get the most out of our program as they push toward their goals. As a FW HC, we work on balancing blood sugar, hormone regulation, strengthening the digestive foundation and help with decreasing inflammation. I see on average around 40 clients a month. It definitely keeps me busy and fills me with such joy to help so many people.

I also completed Mastering the Art and Science of Optimizing Hormones. This course has given me the tools to uncover and correct the imbalances that drive hormone dysfunction by using saliva and Dutch testing. It is one of my favorite areas to help clients! And I didn’t want to stop there, just this last week I enrolled in Level 3 Mastering the Art and Science of Nutritional Blood Chemistry. This intensive will round out all of my training and bring it all together to be able to give you the best outcomes in healing. We will be focusing on blood chemistry panels from a nutritional perspective. Whether it is blood sugar dysfunction, thyroid disorders or inflammation, I will be able to help clients feel better. I am super excited about this!

The rest of the family is moving on the same! Kelsey is enjoying life in Charleston, exploring the city and making new friends. Shelby is finishing up her sophomore year at Acton Academy and Stephen is counting down to retirement. Hugs!

Why I Chose Beautycounter

With the changes I had made to my diet, it was only time that the products that I used on my face and my hair would change as well. I have never been a big make up user and to be quite honest, not big on washing my face or washing my hair. No don’t go running to the hills, I shower, but I loathe washing my hair and it seems to grow faster when it isn’t washed regularly. If you are still reading this, you must know what I am taking about, or you are waiting to hear about more of the gross things I do.

I found Beautycounter in Nov 2016 in the aisles of Target, they were doing a little “targeting” month. I found it, bought it and used it all and then went to get more and it was gone! I researched on line where to get it and found that it was a direct selling companying. I though awesome I can do this. Signed up and then nothing. I started another nutrition class at the time, so my focus was somewhere else.

Fast forward a year, and here I am jumping right back in. Why you ask? Well, did you know that there are 1,500 toxic ingredients that are used in our personal care products and make up. That is a lot. And to be honest, I don’t want that shit on my face or on my girls faces. So, I changed the way I use products. Yes, they are a little pricier than some other items, but let’s be honest we spend a shit load of money on coffee and crap every day and why go cheap on crappy harmful things we put on our skin. Why not invest in ourselves?

I love Beautycounter. I am not saying that because it is a form of income for me (putting the kids through school). I was using it way before I started promoting it. My fav hands down are the masks, oils and cleansing balm. The cleansing balm is the most magical silk like texture will leaving you wanting to smother it all over your body. I may just do this!

Beautycounter has its hands in so many wonderful things. Not only does the company invest in making safer beauty products, but they are changing the way products are made and regulated in our country. You will often see Beautycounter consultants running the stairs of Capitol buildings or phoning their local government officials. How cool is that!

So if you are in the market to change the way you use personal care products or just want to see what all the fuss is about, let me know! I would love to share my favorites with you.

Xoxo

The FASTer Way.

Why I chose the FASTer Way

In the fall of 2017, I was feeling pretty uncomfortable in my body and spending a lot of time reflecting how my weight had jumped up so fast. I had depleted everything I had 2 years prior on a low cal diet, and now was feeling the effects of it. As a nutritionist I was pretty embarrassed that my body was not reflecting my healthy way of eating, and I was no longer physically strong and my body hurt.

I wasn’t sure what the issue was, and just about that time, I stumbled on Amanda Tress’s FWTFL. I watched her live videos and instagram posts and watched her followers change their bodies. I was pretty skeptical at first. I know a lot about nutrition, the body and weight loss and it didn’t seem so easy. So, I sat and watched and at the same time grew larger, unhappy and weaker. What the hell!

It wasn’t until I was about to turn 42, when my husband had asked me what I wanted for my birthday. My first response was a stool test. Let me remind you, that I am a Nutritional Therapist and Restorative Wellness Practitioner, stool tests are cool to me. He didn’t like that gift, so instead opted to sign up for the June 18th FWTFL group. I was going to jump in with two feet and see if it would work for me.

I thrive on structure so the daily low carb, reg macro, and low macro days paired with workouts were exciting to me. I knew I could stick to the nutrition schedule, the exercise though I wasn’t sure I would be able to. Not that I didn’t like exercise, moving my body has never been my favorite. When I was kid, whenever I exercised or became over heated my pulse would get really high and my blood pressure would drop. I would end up fainting and it felt TERRIBLE. So I trained my brain to fear movement and working out the body. It has only been in the last 10 years that I could effectively move without fainting.

I started working out slow, then each day I was able to push a little harder and then each week I was lifting more and doing more. I was enjoying the exercise. Each day is a little different, paired with strategic nutrition we did two days of HIIT or Sprint workouts and on regular macro days we did strength workouts. 3 days of muscle building, these were my fav! Especially leg day, this is the day that we incorporate a treat into our daily targeted macros. It really turned out to be the most important day. Incorporating a treat or fun food was very helpful for me, I never felt deprived and I knew if I indulge, it wasn’t going to hurt or stall my progress, but really keep me on track.

Carb Cycling

Carb Cycling is a variation of carbohydrates through out the week. Some days will be low carb, meaning you will only consume a certain amount of carbohydrates. This will help the body deplete the glycogen storage and allow fat storage to be used as fuel. Each of us needs a certain amount of carbohydrates to function, and when I say carbs I am talking about all the vegetables. So it is really important to eat your carbohydrates, trust me you will feel better.

Three days out of the week we had regular macro days and the carbohydrate intake was much larger. This was to replace our storage for the remainder of the week and to help with muscles building.

Not only does carb cycling help with achieving weight loss goals and platues, there are also some incredible health benefits.

Benefits to Carb Cycling

• Regular carb days help refuel muscle glycogen

• May improve hormones leptin and ghrelin with are weight and appetite regulating hormones.

• Low carb day the body utilizes fat based energy to help with metabolism and the bodies ability to burn fat as fuel. Switching from a predominate sugar burner to fat burner.

• Improvement of insulin sensitivity and resistance.

Intermittent Fasting

The scary “F” word. Don’t let this part scare you! The structured 16/8 schedule is an also an effective way to rest your digestive system giving your gut a break and letting it recover from the previous days worth of food. So when we eat your last meal of the day, the countdown starts. So if you finish you dinner at 7pm, you will break your fast around 11am the next day. Totally do able, right?!

Fasting has been around for a long time. Many cultures and religions have been using this eating practicing and there are many benefits to fasting.

Some benefits of Intermittent Fasting

• Improves hormones

• Helps maintain skeletal muscle mass

• Decreased blood glucose levels

• Decreased insulin levels and insulin sensitivity

• Helps the body breakdown fats and fat oxidation

• Increased growth hormone levels

Tracking Macros

While counting calories was never my strong suit and frankly I found extremely difficult, counting macros makes more since to me. Calories are not created equal and though I do feel as though you should be aware of the energy you are putting in your body, where that energy comes from is more important than how much energy. While we do track macros we don’t track calories. Using MyFitnessPal has made the process so easy and to be honest toward the end of the 6 weeks, I found that I knew what my totals were going to be before I logged them.

If you find that using the app is difficult, there is a video for that! There is a video for just about everything with the FASTer Way To Fat Loss! Amanda easily broke down how to set goals and log in your food that it made the transition effortless.

I love this program, it is inline with my nutritional beliefs as a Nutritional Therapist and Restorative Wellness Practitioner. It utilizes the cutting edge techniques to maximize your daily eating and workouts. I felt comfortable in my body and importantly I felt strong! I was loving the workouts and eating schedule. I found something that felt effortless and that is what I needed. With so much of my time being pulled in so many directions I wanted and needed easy and effortless.

Don’t get me wrong the first couple of weeks was a challenge, a good one, and with the help from my coaches I never felt alone and always had a someone cheering me on.

I loved it so much, I became a coach! I found this to be another way to help my clients really get the most our of their efforts with weight loss and fitness.

If you would like more information on the program, sign up for my free guide and get on my waiting list for the next round!