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  • In Pursuit of Purpose and Rising Together

    In Pursuit of Purpose and Rising Together

    [ad_1]

    Do we start big? Dive right on it? Let’s do it.

    What is your purpose? Do you know? Asked another way – what gets you out of bed in the morning (and don’t say coffee or Wordle as the case may be).

    Did you think you were clear on your purpose and what made you feel of service and useful, and then 2020, 2021, 2022, whatever this year is bringing is happening and you’re not sure anymore? Or perhaps the events and experiences of the last several years made that purpose clearer?

    It can be very easy when we become overwhelmed by that which feels out of our control to attempt to go inward, to think about the self. Purpose? Who cares! This is survival, right?

    How do I protect myself and my family?

    How do we keep safe?

    Concerning ourselves primarily with the self is our lowest intuitive order.

    It is about our instinct of survival.

    When we are in this state it is impossible to see the big picture, let alone shine a light on the parts we can’t yet see or that haven’t made themselves known, let alone be in a creative state. This is where our blind spots are biggest, and our dissonance most dangerous.

    Creativity is shut off. Creativity, however, is where the healing happens and this is often when we need it most.

    find your purpose amidst the unknown

    The last time I felt this way was when I was diagnosed with an auto-immune disease in 2006. My priority, my only care, was about my own health– essentially, my survival.

    That unexpected diagnosis turned my entire vision of my future upside down. At 26, I realized all that I had been working towards, that I had been wanting and envisioning for my life, no longer made sense.  It was the first time in my adult life that I had no choice but to walk into The Unknown.

    Once again, the events of life are asking me to leap into The Unknown. I have a feeling that you’re reading this because, like it or not, you’re in it with me. Despite some semblance of ‘normalcy’ returning, none of us are coming through the last 4 years unchanged.

    As uncomfortable as it is, I am trusting the process. I’ve been here before. You probably have been, too.

    It was from my healing experience in 2006 that I found my way to the highest intuitive order – that of being of service to others. I did it through health education and cooking. This was my way in. I have no idea where or how the idea came to me to start teaching cooking classes. I didn’t even really know how to cook. But I trusted that inner voice and went for it.

    Our highest intuitive order is about supporting other people’s survival – the survival and thriving of the whole.

    Rise and Shine

    be part of the light

    We are seeing this play out all around us right now, the low and high actions, as the service and healing of the whole is what is needed desperately for humanity.

    There are those that have made themselves known to only be about their own safety, survival, and personal power and those that are taking the path of serving the whole, the greater greatness in the spirit of love, unity, connection, and community.

    Remember, the darkness enables us to see where the light shines, and also where the light is needed most.

    In Pursuit of Purpose and Rising Together QuoteIn Pursuit of Purpose and Rising Together Quote

    In case you didn’t know it yet, you are part of that light. You are here for it, like it or not.

    You can, of course, resist it – plug your ears and sing a song so you can’t hear that inner voice of your own. Or you can think it’s me or someone else and can unfollow, unsubscribe, even throw a nasty message on your way out, but none of those reactions have anything to do with anyone other than you. That’s just resistance or fear. Likely both.

    Little questions can quickly become big ones. We’re not always ready for the answers.

    Some are referring to what’s happening right now in our world as a mass awakening.  I am well aware of how terms like “awakening” can now be triggering or inspire others to shut down and back away. Stay with me. Words have been turned into weapons– let that go.

    Whatever you want to call it, it is happening.

    Over the last several years there has been a shift towards mass connection, and in recent months there has been a collective desire to grow stronger as a community – to be more loving, accepting, and kind. We missed each other.

    Of course, not everyone is up for the adventure or is going to be a part of it. We have to accept that.

    Opening our eyes, looking around, questioning things, seeking a higher purpose, and tuning into our intuition on all levels has nothing to do with anyone else. That is all you.

    Resisting it will create suffering. Don’t believe me? Try and find out. There are a lot of us in this camp right now.

    I am struggling in resistance mode. I’ve watched spiritually-inspired videos saying that we all asked to be here for this. I’ve heard us be called the “bridge generation”, and that we are raising little warriors. And I’m thinking– No. Both me and my soul want to be at the beach maxing and relaxing. Literally and metaphorically, I’d really, really like to get to a beach.

    But here I am. Here you are.

    surrender to your higher purpose

    I thought that asking that first big question waaaaay back in 2006 “Can I heal this?” was just going to lead me to some green juice and yoga classes.

    When I started my business in 2008, I wanted to show up, make some smoothies for you, get you to eat your greens, drink more water, get better sleep, and enjoy nature with a smile on your face and then retire at 35.

    Cute, right? Maybe that was preparing all of us for this.

    A couple of years ago, during the holiday season, I was hosting these free and open sessions called Wake-Up Wednesdays. They started small and then I had more than 200 beautiful humans joining me to meditate mid-day, mid-week.

    I facilitated conversations I didn’t feel remotely equipped to facilitate and yet, people kept coming and then flooding my inbox with love and kindness. And I recognized my resistance as my own fear.

    I often share this quote with my students from author and doctor Rachel Ramen: “Fear is the friction of all transition”.

    Dear friends, I feel it right now. I feel this friction deeply. I feel the transition. Do you?

    I am diving into a new calling, serving in a new way. I am not questioning my purpose so much as asking what is needed of me.

    The answer always comes back crystal clear: surrender. This isn’t surrender from a “giving up” perspective. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. It’s bowing to the truth of what is needed of me at this moment.

    trust in the unknown

    As such, I’m working on resting my nervous system while tuning in to what’s real and what matters in greater ways. It includes the following goals:

    Rise above the chaos, go with the flow, tune into the heart, seek out the light and the light seekers, let go of that which no longer serves (and that includes relationships), and see where The Unknown leads.

    Remember – there are plans unfolding. Big ones. Bigger than us all and bigger than we can ever know or figure out. Spending time down in the weeds of it all, only diverts us from the important urgent work that requires our energy, focus, and attention.

    We can look at plans and events unfolding and throw labels on them, and allow fear to penetrate our being, but ultimately our lesson here is to keep rising. To trust in The Unknown for it is in The Unknown that absolutely any and every outcome is possible.

    What if it all turns out dramatically more incredible than we ever could have imagined? That’s also possible.

    At least from my experience, trusting the process continues to prove this. It doesn’t however, get easier. That, of course, is where we just have to close our eyes, get quiet, and leap.

    Trust that higher intuition

    How can you serve the whole of humanity? The planet? You can’t — at least not if that’s your goal. You’ll quickly become overwhelmed and stop.

    It starts with you, your energy, where you put your time, how you engage and communicate with others, and most of all, by speaking, doing, and being in alignment with your heart. Not forever, just right now. And again in the next moment when you remember. And the next.

    Doing the work becomes the easy part when you’re focused on operating from that higher place.

    How do you get there? Start with a few deep breaths.

    Get quiet and choose love.

    We have to get quiet if we want to hear anything at all and it is the power of love that changes the world.

    Just as words can be weapons, words can also be our medicine. This is my offering for your peace and wellbeing.

    Lastly, if you want to tune in to that inner voice and take a low-risk dive into rising above the chaos, cultivating more peace and creativity in your life and tuning into your intuition, check out Rise and Shine, my newest instant-access course that will help you upgrade how you operate.

    On My Mind Episode 27: In Pursuit of Purpose and Rising Together

    Subscribe today on your favourite podcast app and never miss an episode.

    Photo credit: Nikki Leigh McKean

    [ad_2]

    Meghan Telpner

    Source link

  • In Pursuit of Purpose and Rising Together

    In Pursuit of Purpose and Rising Together

    [ad_1]

    Do we start big? Dive right on it? Let’s do it.

    What is your purpose? Do you know? Asked another way – what gets you out of bed in the morning (and don’t say coffee or Wordle as the case may be).

    Did you think you were clear on your purpose and what made you feel of service and useful, and then 2020, 2021, 2022, whatever this year is bringing is happening and you’re not sure anymore? Or perhaps the events and experiences of the last several years made that purpose clearer?

    It can be very easy when we become overwhelmed by that which feels out of our control to attempt to go inward, to think about the self. Purpose? Who cares! This is survival, right?

    How do I protect myself and my family?

    How do we keep safe?

    Concerning ourselves primarily with the self is our lowest intuitive order.

    It is about our instinct of survival.

    When we are in this state it is impossible to see the big picture, let alone shine a light on the parts we can’t yet see or that haven’t made themselves known, let alone be in a creative state. This is where our blind spots are biggest, and our dissonance most dangerous.

    Creativity is shut off. Creativity, however, is where the healing happens and this is often when we need it most.

    find your purpose amidst the unknown

    The last time I felt this way was when I was diagnosed with an auto-immune disease in 2006. My priority, my only care, was about my own health– essentially, my survival.

    That unexpected diagnosis turned my entire vision of my future upside down. At 26, I realized all that I had been working towards, that I had been wanting and envisioning for my life, no longer made sense.  It was the first time in my adult life that I had no choice but to walk into The Unknown.

    Once again, the events of life are asking me to leap into The Unknown. I have a feeling that you’re reading this because, like it or not, you’re in it with me. Despite some semblance of ‘normalcy’ returning, none of us are coming through the last 4 years unchanged.

    As uncomfortable as it is, I am trusting the process. I’ve been here before. You probably have been, too.

    It was from my healing experience in 2006 that I found my way to the highest intuitive order – that of being of service to others. I did it through health education and cooking. This was my way in. I have no idea where or how the idea came to me to start teaching cooking classes. I didn’t even really know how to cook. But I trusted that inner voice and went for it.

    Our highest intuitive order is about supporting other people’s survival – the survival and thriving of the whole.

    Rise and Shine

    be part of the light

    We are seeing this play out all around us right now, the low and high actions, as the service and healing of the whole is what is needed desperately for humanity.

    There are those that have made themselves known to only be about their own safety, survival, and personal power and those that are taking the path of serving the whole, the greater greatness in the spirit of love, unity, connection, and community.

    Remember, the darkness enables us to see where the light shines, and also where the light is needed most.

    In Pursuit of Purpose and Rising Together QuoteIn Pursuit of Purpose and Rising Together Quote

    In case you didn’t know it yet, you are part of that light. You are here for it, like it or not.

    You can, of course, resist it – plug your ears and sing a song so you can’t hear that inner voice of your own. Or you can think it’s me or someone else and can unfollow, unsubscribe, even throw a nasty message on your way out, but none of those reactions have anything to do with anyone other than you. That’s just resistance or fear. Likely both.

    Little questions can quickly become big ones. We’re not always ready for the answers.

    Some are referring to what’s happening right now in our world as a mass awakening.  I am well aware of how terms like “awakening” can now be triggering or inspire others to shut down and back away. Stay with me. Words have been turned into weapons– let that go.

    Whatever you want to call it, it is happening.

    Over the last several years there has been a shift towards mass connection, and in recent months there has been a collective desire to grow stronger as a community – to be more loving, accepting, and kind. We missed each other.

    Of course, not everyone is up for the adventure or is going to be a part of it. We have to accept that.

    Opening our eyes, looking around, questioning things, seeking a higher purpose, and tuning into our intuition on all levels has nothing to do with anyone else. That is all you.

    Resisting it will create suffering. Don’t believe me? Try and find out. There are a lot of us in this camp right now.

    I am struggling in resistance mode. I’ve watched spiritually-inspired videos saying that we all asked to be here for this. I’ve heard us be called the “bridge generation”, and that we are raising little warriors. And I’m thinking– No. Both me and my soul want to be at the beach maxing and relaxing. Literally and metaphorically, I’d really, really like to get to a beach.

    But here I am. Here you are.

    surrender to your higher purpose

    I thought that asking that first big question waaaaay back in 2006 “Can I heal this?” was just going to lead me to some green juice and yoga classes.

    When I started my business in 2008, I wanted to show up, make some smoothies for you, get you to eat your greens, drink more water, get better sleep, and enjoy nature with a smile on your face and then retire at 35.

    Cute, right? Maybe that was preparing all of us for this.

    A couple of years ago, during the holiday season, I was hosting these free and open sessions called Wake-Up Wednesdays. They started small and then I had more than 200 beautiful humans joining me to meditate mid-day, mid-week.

    I facilitated conversations I didn’t feel remotely equipped to facilitate and yet, people kept coming and then flooding my inbox with love and kindness. And I recognized my resistance as my own fear.

    I often share this quote with my students from author and doctor Rachel Ramen: “Fear is the friction of all transition”.

    Dear friends, I feel it right now. I feel this friction deeply. I feel the transition. Do you?

    I am diving into a new calling, serving in a new way. I am not questioning my purpose so much as asking what is needed of me.

    The answer always comes back crystal clear: surrender. This isn’t surrender from a “giving up” perspective. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. It’s bowing to the truth of what is needed of me at this moment.

    trust in the unknown

    As such, I’m working on resting my nervous system while tuning in to what’s real and what matters in greater ways. It includes the following goals:

    Rise above the chaos, go with the flow, tune into the heart, seek out the light and the light seekers, let go of that which no longer serves (and that includes relationships), and see where The Unknown leads.

    Remember – there are plans unfolding. Big ones. Bigger than us all and bigger than we can ever know or figure out. Spending time down in the weeds of it all, only diverts us from the important urgent work that requires our energy, focus, and attention.

    We can look at plans and events unfolding and throw labels on them, and allow fear to penetrate our being, but ultimately our lesson here is to keep rising. To trust in The Unknown for it is in The Unknown that absolutely any and every outcome is possible.

    What if it all turns out dramatically more incredible than we ever could have imagined? That’s also possible.

    At least from my experience, trusting the process continues to prove this. It doesn’t however, get easier. That, of course, is where we just have to close our eyes, get quiet, and leap.

    Trust that higher intuition

    How can you serve the whole of humanity? The planet? You can’t — at least not if that’s your goal. You’ll quickly become overwhelmed and stop.

    It starts with you, your energy, where you put your time, how you engage and communicate with others, and most of all, by speaking, doing, and being in alignment with your heart. Not forever, just right now. And again in the next moment when you remember. And the next.

    Doing the work becomes the easy part when you’re focused on operating from that higher place.

    How do you get there? Start with a few deep breaths.

    Get quiet and choose love.

    We have to get quiet if we want to hear anything at all and it is the power of love that changes the world.

    Just as words can be weapons, words can also be our medicine. This is my offering for your peace and wellbeing.

    Lastly, if you want to tune in to that inner voice and take a low-risk dive into rising above the chaos, cultivating more peace and creativity in your life and tuning into your intuition, check out Rise and Shine, my newest instant-access course that will help you upgrade how you operate.

    On My Mind Episode 27: In Pursuit of Purpose and Rising Together

    Subscribe today on your favourite podcast app and never miss an episode.

    Photo credit: Nikki Leigh McKean

    [ad_2]

    Meghan Telpner

    Source link

  • In Pursuit of Purpose and Rising Together

    In Pursuit of Purpose and Rising Together

    [ad_1]

    Do we start big? Dive right on it? Let’s do it.

    What is your purpose? Do you know? Asked another way – what gets you out of bed in the morning (and don’t say coffee or Wordle as the case may be).

    Did you think you were clear on your purpose and what made you feel of service and useful, and then 2020, 2021, 2022, whatever this year is bringing is happening and you’re not sure anymore? Or perhaps the events and experiences of the last several years made that purpose clearer?

    It can be very easy when we become overwhelmed by that which feels out of our control to attempt to go inward, to think about the self. Purpose? Who cares! This is survival, right?

    How do I protect myself and my family?

    How do we keep safe?

    Concerning ourselves primarily with the self is our lowest intuitive order.

    It is about our instinct of survival.

    When we are in this state it is impossible to see the big picture, let alone shine a light on the parts we can’t yet see or that haven’t made themselves known, let alone be in a creative state. This is where our blind spots are biggest, and our dissonance most dangerous.

    Creativity is shut off. Creativity, however, is where the healing happens and this is often when we need it most.

    find your purpose amidst the unknown

    The last time I felt this way was when I was diagnosed with an auto-immune disease in 2006. My priority, my only care, was about my own health– essentially, my survival.

    That unexpected diagnosis turned my entire vision of my future upside down. At 26, I realized all that I had been working towards, that I had been wanting and envisioning for my life, no longer made sense.  It was the first time in my adult life that I had no choice but to walk into The Unknown.

    Once again, the events of life are asking me to leap into The Unknown. I have a feeling that you’re reading this because, like it or not, you’re in it with me. Despite some semblance of ‘normalcy’ returning, none of us are coming through the last 4 years unchanged.

    As uncomfortable as it is, I am trusting the process. I’ve been here before. You probably have been, too.

    It was from my healing experience in 2006 that I found my way to the highest intuitive order – that of being of service to others. I did it through health education and cooking. This was my way in. I have no idea where or how the idea came to me to start teaching cooking classes. I didn’t even really know how to cook. But I trusted that inner voice and went for it.

    Our highest intuitive order is about supporting other people’s survival – the survival and thriving of the whole.

    Rise and Shine

    be part of the light

    We are seeing this play out all around us right now, the low and high actions, as the service and healing of the whole is what is needed desperately for humanity.

    There are those that have made themselves known to only be about their own safety, survival, and personal power and those that are taking the path of serving the whole, the greater greatness in the spirit of love, unity, connection, and community.

    Remember, the darkness enables us to see where the light shines, and also where the light is needed most.

    In Pursuit of Purpose and Rising Together QuoteIn Pursuit of Purpose and Rising Together Quote

    In case you didn’t know it yet, you are part of that light. You are here for it, like it or not.

    You can, of course, resist it – plug your ears and sing a song so you can’t hear that inner voice of your own. Or you can think it’s me or someone else and can unfollow, unsubscribe, even throw a nasty message on your way out, but none of those reactions have anything to do with anyone other than you. That’s just resistance or fear. Likely both.

    Little questions can quickly become big ones. We’re not always ready for the answers.

    Some are referring to what’s happening right now in our world as a mass awakening.  I am well aware of how terms like “awakening” can now be triggering or inspire others to shut down and back away. Stay with me. Words have been turned into weapons– let that go.

    Whatever you want to call it, it is happening.

    Over the last several years there has been a shift towards mass connection, and in recent months there has been a collective desire to grow stronger as a community – to be more loving, accepting, and kind. We missed each other.

    Of course, not everyone is up for the adventure or is going to be a part of it. We have to accept that.

    Opening our eyes, looking around, questioning things, seeking a higher purpose, and tuning into our intuition on all levels has nothing to do with anyone else. That is all you.

    Resisting it will create suffering. Don’t believe me? Try and find out. There are a lot of us in this camp right now.

    I am struggling in resistance mode. I’ve watched spiritually-inspired videos saying that we all asked to be here for this. I’ve heard us be called the “bridge generation”, and that we are raising little warriors. And I’m thinking– No. Both me and my soul want to be at the beach maxing and relaxing. Literally and metaphorically, I’d really, really like to get to a beach.

    But here I am. Here you are.

    surrender to your higher purpose

    I thought that asking that first big question waaaaay back in 2006 “Can I heal this?” was just going to lead me to some green juice and yoga classes.

    When I started my business in 2008, I wanted to show up, make some smoothies for you, get you to eat your greens, drink more water, get better sleep, and enjoy nature with a smile on your face and then retire at 35.

    Cute, right? Maybe that was preparing all of us for this.

    A couple of years ago, during the holiday season, I was hosting these free and open sessions called Wake-Up Wednesdays. They started small and then I had more than 200 beautiful humans joining me to meditate mid-day, mid-week.

    I facilitated conversations I didn’t feel remotely equipped to facilitate and yet, people kept coming and then flooding my inbox with love and kindness. And I recognized my resistance as my own fear.

    I often share this quote with my students from author and doctor Rachel Ramen: “Fear is the friction of all transition”.

    Dear friends, I feel it right now. I feel this friction deeply. I feel the transition. Do you?

    I am diving into a new calling, serving in a new way. I am not questioning my purpose so much as asking what is needed of me.

    The answer always comes back crystal clear: surrender. This isn’t surrender from a “giving up” perspective. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. It’s bowing to the truth of what is needed of me at this moment.

    trust in the unknown

    As such, I’m working on resting my nervous system while tuning in to what’s real and what matters in greater ways. It includes the following goals:

    Rise above the chaos, go with the flow, tune into the heart, seek out the light and the light seekers, let go of that which no longer serves (and that includes relationships), and see where The Unknown leads.

    Remember – there are plans unfolding. Big ones. Bigger than us all and bigger than we can ever know or figure out. Spending time down in the weeds of it all, only diverts us from the important urgent work that requires our energy, focus, and attention.

    We can look at plans and events unfolding and throw labels on them, and allow fear to penetrate our being, but ultimately our lesson here is to keep rising. To trust in The Unknown for it is in The Unknown that absolutely any and every outcome is possible.

    What if it all turns out dramatically more incredible than we ever could have imagined? That’s also possible.

    At least from my experience, trusting the process continues to prove this. It doesn’t however, get easier. That, of course, is where we just have to close our eyes, get quiet, and leap.

    Trust that higher intuition

    How can you serve the whole of humanity? The planet? You can’t — at least not if that’s your goal. You’ll quickly become overwhelmed and stop.

    It starts with you, your energy, where you put your time, how you engage and communicate with others, and most of all, by speaking, doing, and being in alignment with your heart. Not forever, just right now. And again in the next moment when you remember. And the next.

    Doing the work becomes the easy part when you’re focused on operating from that higher place.

    How do you get there? Start with a few deep breaths.

    Get quiet and choose love.

    We have to get quiet if we want to hear anything at all and it is the power of love that changes the world.

    Just as words can be weapons, words can also be our medicine. This is my offering for your peace and wellbeing.

    Lastly, if you want to tune in to that inner voice and take a low-risk dive into rising above the chaos, cultivating more peace and creativity in your life and tuning into your intuition, check out Rise and Shine, my newest instant-access course that will help you upgrade how you operate.

    On My Mind Episode 27: In Pursuit of Purpose and Rising Together

    Subscribe today on your favourite podcast app and never miss an episode.

    Photo credit: Nikki Leigh McKean

    [ad_2]

    Meghan Telpner

    Source link

  • #109 Reed Davis – Stop Drugging your Boys – Functional Diagnostic Nutrition

    #109 Reed Davis – Stop Drugging your Boys – Functional Diagnostic Nutrition

    [ad_1]

    In this enlightening episode, Dr. Reed Davis shares valuable insights on holistic health, nutrition, and the importance of understanding the body’s metabolic balance. Topics covered include the impact of diet on children’s behavior, the dangers of neurotoxic foods, and the significance of a balanced microbiome. The conversation delves into the role of supplements, the science behind nutritional needs, and practical tips for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Explore the fascinating world of functional lab work and its application in uncovering the root causes of health issues. Discover how metabolic chaos can influence overall well-being and gain valuable perspectives on aging, longevity, and the interconnected nature of health.

    [ad_2]

    FDN

    Source link

  • The Safety of Fasting to Lose Weight  | NutritionFacts.org

    The Safety of Fasting to Lose Weight  | NutritionFacts.org

    [ad_1]

    Why should fasts lasting longer than 24 hours and particularly for three or more days only be done under the supervision of a health professional and preferably in a live-in clinic? 
     
    Fasting for a week or two can actually interfere with the loss of body fat, as shown at the start of my video Is Fasting for Weight Loss Safe?. But, eventually, after the third week of fasting, fat loss starts to overtake the loss of lean body mass in obese individuals, as seen in the graph below and at 0:14 in my video. Is it safe to go that long without food? 

    Proponents speak of fasting as a cleansing process, but some of what is being purged from our bodies are essential vitamins and minerals. People who are heavy enough can fast up to 382 days without calories, but no one can go even a fraction of that long without vitamins. Scurvy, for example, can be diagnosed within as few as four weeks without any vitamin C. Beriberi, deficiency of thiamine (vitamin B1), may start even earlier in fasting patients. And, once it manifests, it can result in brain damage within days, which can eventually become irreversible.  
     
    Even though fasting patients report problems such as nausea and indigestion after taking supplements, all of the months-long fasting cases I’ve discussed previously were given daily multivitamins and mineral supplementation as necessary. Without supplementation, hunger strikers and those undergoing prolonged fasts for therapeutic or religious purposes (like the Baptist pastor hoping “to enhance his spiritual powers for exorcism”) have ended up paralyzed, become comatose, or worse. 
     
    Nutrient deficiencies aren’t the only risk. After reading about all of the successful reports of massive weight loss from prolonged fasting in the medical literature, one doctor decided to give it a try with his patients. Of the first dozen he tried it on, two died. In retrospect, the two patients who died had started out with heart failure and had been on diuretics. Fasting itself produces pronounced diuresis, meaning loss of water and electrolytes through the urine, so it was the combination of fasting on top of the water pills that likely depleted their potassium and triggered their fatal heart rhythms. The doctor went out of his way to point out that both of the people who died started out “in severe heart failure, complicated by gross obesity; but both had improved greatly whilst undergoing starvation therapy.” That seems like a small consolation since they were both dead within a matter of weeks. 
     
    Not all therapeutic fasting fatalities were complicated by concurrent medication use, though. One researcher writes: “At first he did very well and experienced the usual euphoria…His pulse, blood pressure, and electrolytes remained satisfactory, but in the middle of the third week of treatment, he suddenly collapsed and died. This line of treatment is certainly tempting because it does produce weight loss and the patient feels so much better, but the report of case-fatalities”—the whole part about killing people—“must make it a very suspect line of management.” 
     
    Contrary to the popular notion that the heart muscle is specially spared during fasting, the heart appears to experience similar muscle wasting. This was “described in the victims of the Warsaw ghetto” during World War II in a remarkable series of detailed studies carried out by the ghetto physicians before they themselves succumbed. In a case entitled “Gross Fragmentation of Cardiac Fiber After Therapeutic Starvation for Obesity,” a 20-year-old woman successfully “achieved her ideal weight” after losing 128 pounds by fasting for 30 weeks. “After a breakfast of one egg,” she had a heart attack and died. On autopsy, as you can see below and at 3:44 in my video, the muscle fibers in her heart showed evidence of widespread disintegration. The pathologists suggested that fasting regimens “should no longer be recommended as a safe means of weight reduction.” 
    Breaking the fast appears to be the most dangerous part. After World War II, as many as one out of five starved Japanese prisoners of war tragically died following liberation. Now known as “refeeding syndrome,” multiorgan system failure can result from resuming a regular diet too quickly. This is because there are critical nutrients such as thiamine and phosphorus that are used to metabolize food. Therefore, in the critical refeeding window, if too much food is taken before these nutrients can be replenished, demand may exceed supply. Whatever residual stores you still carry can be driven down even further, with potentially fatal consequences. This is why rescue workers are taught to always give thiamine before food to victims who have been trapped or otherwise unable to eat. Thiamine is responsible for the yellow color of “banana bags,” a term you might have heard used in medical dramas to describe an IV fluid concoction often given to malnourished alcoholics to prevent a similar reaction. (You can see a photo of them below and at 4:53 in my video.) Anyone “with negligible food intake for more than five days” may be at risk of developing refeeding problems. 
    Medically-supervised fasting has gotten much safer now that there are proper refeeding protocols. We now know what warning signs to look for and who shouldn’t be fasting in the first place, such as those who have advanced liver or kidney failure, porphyria, uncontrolled hyperthyroidism, and pregnant and breastfeeding women. The most comprehensive safety analysis of medically supervised, water-only fasting was recently published by the TrueNorth Health Center in California. Out of 768 visits to its facility for fasts up to 41 days, were there any adverse events? There were 5,961 of them! Most of these were mild, known reactions to fasting, such as fatigue, nausea, insomnia, headache, dizziness, upset stomach, and back pain. Only two serious events were reported, and no fatalities. You can see the chart below and at 5:58 in my video
    Fasting periods lasting longer than 24 hr, and particularly those lasting 3 or more days, should be done under the supervision of a physician and preferably in a [live-in] clinic.” In other words, don’t try this at home! This is not just legalistic mumbo-jumbo. For example, normally, your kidneys dive into sodium conservation mode during fasting, but should that response break down, you could rapidly develop an electrolyte abnormality that may only manifest with non-specific symptoms, like fatigue or dizziness, which could easily be dismissed until it’s too late. 
     
    The risks of any therapy must be premised on the severity of the disease. The consequences of obesity are considered so serious that effective therapies could have “considerable acceptable toxicity.” For example, many consider major surgery for obesity to be a justifiable risk, but the keyword is effective. 
     
    Therapeutic fasting for obesity has largely been abandoned by the medical community not only because of its uncertain safety profile but its questionable short- and long-term efficacy. Remember, for a fast that only lasts a week or two, you might be able to lose as much body fat or even more on a low-calorie diet than a no-calorie diet. 
     
    Fasting for a week or two can actually interfere with the loss of body fat. For more background on this, see Is Fasting Beneficial for Weight Loss? and Benefits of Fasting for Weight Loss Put to the Test.
     
    If you’re wondering what the best way to lose weight is, I wrote a whole book about it! Check out How Not to Diet
     
    Interested in learning more about fasting? See related videos below. 

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    Michael Greger M.D. FACLM

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  • Menopause Moves: Pivoting Your Fitness Strategy for the Change

    Menopause Moves: Pivoting Your Fitness Strategy for the Change

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    Menopause Moves: Summary

    In this episode on Menopause Moves, Detective Ev speaks with Debra Atkinson, a fitness expert specializing in helping women navigate menopause with effective exercise strategies. They first discuss Debra’s background and her innovative approach to exercise for women in menopause, challenging traditional fitness ideas. 

    They cover issues such as the mindset and societal narratives around aging and fitness, the importance of adjusting exercise type and timing, especially during and post-menopause, and the impact of hormones on fitness and overall well-being. Debra discusses how she guides women to rethink exercise, specifically focusing on shorter, less intense workouts and emphasizing rest and recovery. 

    They delve into the challenges women face accepting the aging process, societal expectations, and the need for continued advocacy for strength training. Detective Ev and Debra highlight the important role sleep plays in fitness and overall health, with Debra advising strenuous exercise to be done early in the day to foster better sleep habits.

    They discuss a client success story, where a woman, Jennifer, managed to lose weight and drastically improve her health by adopting Debra’s approach of eating more while exercising less. They noted how such changes required a shift in mindset as well as behavior. The podcast ends with Debra’s adamant recommendation for everyone to integrate strength training into their fitness routine.

    Menopause Moves: Topics

    – Disrupting the fitness industry’s traditional approach to fitness with focus on hormone balancing and fitness tailored specifically for women in menopause

    – Focusing on the effects of exercise during midlife and menopause 

    – The importance of having a personal health story and being inspired by others’ health journeys

    – Teaching marketing and sales strategies to fitness professionals

    – “Restore before more”: focusing on recovering properly and optimizing energy levels before increasing intensity or volume of workouts

    – Higher intensity workouts: moving to earlier in the day to align more with natural circadian rhythms

    – Fitness Priority: not calories burned but rather type and timing of exercise impacting hormones, in turn determining fat storage or fat burning

    – Changing mindsets around aging, weight, fitness, and health 

    – Using lab testing to ensure data-driven approaches 

    – Strength training:  an important aspect of fitness no matter the age of the individual

    – Success story: losing a significant amount of weight and improving overall health 

    Where to Find Debra Atkinson

    More About FDN

    You can always visit us at functionaldiagnosticnutrition.com, on YouTube @FDNtraining, on Instagram @fdntraining, or on Facebook @FunctionalDiagnosticNutrition.

    For more informational and functional health-oriented podcasts like this one, go to functionaldiagnosticnutrition.com/health-detective-podcast/.

    To learn more about us, go to functionaldiagnosticnutrition.com/about-fdn-functional-testing/.

    Try FDN for free! functionaldiagnosticnutrition.com/tryfdn/

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    Functional Diagnostic Nutrition

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  • Does Fasting Benefit Weight Loss?  | NutritionFacts.org

    Does Fasting Benefit Weight Loss?  | NutritionFacts.org

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    Like the keto diet, fasting for one or two weeks can actually slow the loss of body fat rather than accelerate it.

    Fasting obviously causes consistent, dramatic weight loss, as shown in the graph below and at 0:09 in my video Is Fasting Beneficial for Weight Loss?, but how do fasted individuals do long-term? Some research groups reported “extremely disappointing long-term effects,” as you can see in the graph below and at 0:19 in my video

    Average subjects started at about 270 pounds and, in the six months before the fast, continued to gain weight as obese persons tend to do. After 24 days of “inpatient starvation,” they experienced a dramatic 27-pound weight loss. Then, what do you think happened?

    They gained it all back and more, though one could argue if they had not fasted, they might have weighed even more at that point, as seen in the graph below and at 0:45 in my video
    In another study with follow-ups ranging up to 50 months, only 4 out of 25 “superobese” patients achieved even partial sustained success. Based on these kinds of data, some investigators “concluded that complete starvation is of no value in the long-term treatment of obese patients.” 
     
    Other research teams reported better outcomes. One series with about 100 individuals found that 60 percent retained at least some weight loss at follow-up or even continued losing. The follow-up periods varied from 1 to 32 months with no breakdown as to who fasted and for how long, though, making the data hard to interpret. In another study, 62 patients were down an average of 16 pounds after fasting for 10 days. After one year, 40 percent of the group had retained at least 7 pounds of that weight loss. 
     
    As you can see below and at 1:37 in my video, when you put together six such studies, hundreds of obese subjects fasted for an average of 44 days and lost an average of 52 pounds. And, around one or two years later, 40 percent retained at least some of that weight loss. So, most gained back all of the weight they had lost, but 40 percent is extraordinary for a weight-loss study. 

    Following a hundred obese individuals getting treated at a weight-loss clinic with a standard low-calorie diet, researchers found that only one out of a hundred lost more than 40 pounds and only about one in ten lost even 20 pounds, with overall successful weight maintenance at only two patients over two years, as seen below and at 2:08 in my video. That’s why having a control group is so important. What may look like a general failure may actually be a relative success compared to more traditional weight-loss techniques. 

    Researchers new to the field may find it “clearly disappointing” that the “overall results of follow-up for 12 months or more” found that “two-thirds of the patients were ‘failures’ and more than one-third actually regained all the weight lost.” But, 12 percent were labeled successes, maintaining 59 pounds of weight loss two years later. As you can see in the graph below and at 2:42 in my video, the subjects lost massive amounts of excess weight and kept it off. 

    In a direct comparison of different weight-loss approaches at the same clinic, five years after initiating a conventional low-calorie approach, only about one in five was down 20 pounds compared to nearly half in the group who instead had undergone a few weeks of fasting years previously. By year seven, as you can see in the graph below and at 3:03 in my video, most of those instructed on daily caloric restriction were back up to their original weight or had even exceeded it, but that was only true for about one in ten in the fasted group. In an influential paper in the New England Journal of Medicine on seven myths about obesity, fallacy number three was identified as: “Large, rapid weight loss is associated with poorer long-term weight-loss outcomes, as compared with slow, gradual weight loss.” In reality, the opposite is true. The hare may end up skinnier than the turtle.  

    As shown in the graph below and at 3:39 in my video, researchers set up a study comparing the sustainability of weight loss at three different speeds: six days of fasting, three weeks on a very-low-calorie diet of 600 calories a day, or six weeks on a low-calorie diet of 1,200 calories a day. 

    The question is: What happened a year later? At one year, the fasting group was the only one that sustained a significant loss of weight, as you can see below and at 3:55 in my video

    What happened nine years later? “Therapeutic Fasting in Morbid Obesity” is the largest, longest follow-up study I could find. At least some of the fast-induced weight losses were maintained a year later by the great majority. After one year, 90 percent remained lighter than they had started, but after two years, three years, four years, and seven years, fewer and fewer patients maintained their weight loss. By nine years later, that number dropped to fewer than one in ten. By then, almost everyone had regained the weight they had initially fasted away, as you can see in the graph below and at 4:17 in my video. “Many patients thought that the temporary loss was worth the effort,” though. As a group, they had lost an average of about 60 pounds. They described improved health and quality of life and claimed that “reemployment was facilitated and earnings increased” during that period of time. But the fasting didn’t appear to result in any permanent change in eating habits for the vast majority. 
    The small minority for whom fasting led to sustainable weight loss “all admit to a radical change in previous eating habits”; indeed, fasting only works long-term if it can act as a jumpstart to a healthier diet. In a retrospective long-term comparison of weight reduction after an inpatient stay at a naturopathic center, those who fasted lost more weight at the time, but they were back to the same weight at around seven years, as you can see in the graph below and at 5:14 in my video

    It’s no surprise since most reported returning to the same diet they had been on before. However, those who were placed instead on a healthier, more whole food, plant-based diet were more likely to make persistent changes in their eating and, seven years later, were lighter than when they started, as you can see in the graph below and at 5:36 in my video

    Why can’t you have it both ways, though? Use fasting to kickstart a big drop, then start a healthier diet. The problem is that the big drop is largely illusory, as you can see in the graph below and at 5:48 in my video

    Fasting for a week or two can cause more weight loss than caloric restriction, but, paradoxically, it may actually lead to less loss of body fat. How can eating fewer calories lead to less fat loss? Because during fasting, your body starts cannibalizing itself and burning more of your own protein for fuel. Emperor penguins, elephant seals, and hibernating bears can survive by just burning fat without dipping into their muscles, but our voracious big brains appear to need at least a trickle of blood sugar. If we aren’t eating any carbohydrates, our body is forced to start turning our protein into sugar to burn. Even getting just a few grams of carbs—from adding honey to water when fasting, for instance—can cut protein loss up to 50 percent.  

    What about adding exercise to prevent the loss of lean tissues during a fast? That may make it worse! At rest, most of your heart and muscle energy needs can be met with fat, but if you start exercising, some of the blood sugar meant for your brain starts getting snatched up and your body may have to break down even more protein. 
     
    As you can see in the graph below and at 7:00 in my video, less than half of the weight loss during the first few weeks of fasting ends up coming from your fat stores. So, even if you double your daily weight loss on a fast, you may be actually losing less body fat. 

    In an NIH-funded study, obese individuals were placed on an 800-calorie-a-day diet for two weeks and steadily lost about a pound of body fat a day. They were then switched to about two weeks of zero calories and started losing more protein and water. On average, though, they only lost a few ounces of fat daily. When they were subsequently switched back to the initial 800-calories-a-day diet for a week, they rapidly replaced the protein and water, so the scale registered their weight as going up, but their body fat loss accelerated back to the approximate pound a day. The scale made it look as though they were doing better when they were completely fasting, but the reality is they were doing worse. So, during the five-week experiment, they would have lost even more body fat had they stuck with their calorie-restricted diet rather than completely stopping eating in the middle. They would have lost more body fat by eating more calories. Fasting for a week or two can interfere with the loss of body fat, rather than accelerate it. You can see a series of graphs depicting this from 7:13 in my video, including the one below. 

    This is the follow-up to Benefits of Fasting for Weight Loss Put to the Test. It seems fasting may only work long-term if it can act as a jumpstart to a healthier diet, and just fasting for a week or two can be counterproductive, like the keto diet. Is it even safe to fast longer than that? Find out in Is Fasting for Weight Loss Safe?
     
    For more on the keto story and more on fasting for weight loss, see related videos below. 
     
    I’ve done my third live webinar on fasting, Fasting and Cancer. Those videos are also on NutritionFacts.org

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    Michael Greger M.D. FACLM

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  • EAT Lancet diet adherence – Diet and Health Today

    EAT Lancet diet adherence – Diet and Health Today

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    In January 2019, the EAT Lancet diet was launched, which provided specific dietary guidelines intended for the world. Upon reviewing the recommendations, I found them to be deficiencient in many nutrients. In November 2023, a paper titled “Adherence to the EAT-Lancet reference diet is associated with a reduced risk of incident cancer and all-cause mortality in UK adults” was published in the journal “One Earth”. The lead author was Karavasiloglou. The study, which used data from the UK Biobank cohort, claimed a connection between adherence to the EAT Lancet diet and reduced cancer incidence and all-cause mortality.

    The study included 473,836 participants, excluding those with cancer or cardiovascular disease at baseline, pregnant women, and those with missing dietary information. Participants were followed for an average of 11.5 years, during which 46,594 cancer cases, 7,530 cardiovascular events, and 34,438 deaths occurred. Adherence to the EAT Lancet diet was grouped as low, moderate, or high based on points assigned by the researchers.

    The study reported statistically significant associations for cancer and all-cause mortality, while cardiovascular events showed no significant association.

    However, there was a critical flaw in the study’s methodology. The study did not examine the EAT Lancet diet, rendering any conclusions invalid.

    The study allocated points based on criteria such as avoidance of wheat, dairy, eggs, sugar, limited meat and fish intake, and high fruit and vegetable consumption. However, it failed to include essential components like tubers, legumes, nuts, palm oil, dairy fats, and lard or tallow fats. Additionally, the study awarded points for avoiding grains and added sugars, whereas these were supposed to account for almost half the EAT Lancet diet.

    Nine out of 15 EAT Lancet diet components could not be matched, as they were absent or excluded in the UK Biobank data. Consequently, the Karavasiloglou et al. diet accounted for only one-fifth of EAT Lancet calories, making any claims about disease and adherence to the EAT Lancet diet invalid.

    You can read the full article below

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    Zoe

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  • Putting the Benefits of Fasting for Weight Loss to the Test  | NutritionFacts.org

    Putting the Benefits of Fasting for Weight Loss to the Test  | NutritionFacts.org

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    For more than a century, fasting has been used as a weight-loss treatment.

    I’ve talked about the benefits of caloric restriction. Well, the greatest caloric restriction is getting no calories at all. Fasting has been branded “the next big weight loss fad,” but it has a long history throughout various spiritual traditions, practiced by Moses, Jesus, Muhammed, and Buddha. In 1732, a noted physician wrote, “He that eats till he is sick must fast till he is well.” About one in seven American adults today report taking that advice, “using fasting as a means to control body weight,” as I discuss in my video Benefits of Fasting for Weight Loss Put to the Test
     
    Case reports of the treatment of obesity through fasting date back more than a century in the medical literature. In 1915, two Harvard doctors indelicately described “two extraordinarily fat women,” one of whom “was a veritable pork barrel.” Their success led them to conclude that “successive moderate periods of starvation constitute a perfectly safe, harmless, and effective method for reducing the weight of those suffering from obesity.” 
     
    The longest-recorded fast, published in 1973, made it into the Guinness Book of World Records. To reach his ideal body weight, a 27-year-old man fasted for 382 days straight, losing 276 pounds, and managed to keep nearly all of it off. He was given vitamin and mineral supplements so he wouldn’t die, but no calories for more than a year. In the researchers’ acknowledgments, they thanked him “for his cheerful co-operation and steadfast application to the task of achieving a normal physique.” 
     
    In a U.S. Air Force study, more than 20 individuals at least 100 pounds overweight and most “unable to lose weight on previous diets” were fasted for as long as 84 days. Nine dropped out of the study, but the 16 who remained “were unequivocally successful” at losing 40 to 100 pounds. In the first four days, the subjects were noted as losing as much as four pounds a day, which “probably represents mostly fluid,” mostly water weight as the body starts to adapt. But, after a few weeks, they were steadily losing about a pound a day of mostly straight fat. The investigator described the starvation program as “a dramatic and exciting treatment for obesity.” 
     
    Of course, the single most successful diet for weight loss—namely no diet at all—is also the single least sustainable. What other diet can cure morbid obesity in a matter of months but practically be guaranteed to kill you within a year if you stick with it? The reason diets don’t work, almost by definition, is that people go on them, then they go off of them. Permanent weight loss is only achieved through permanent lifestyle change. So, what’s the point of fasting if you’re just going to go back to your regular diet and gain right back all of that lost weight? 
     
    Fasting proponents cite the psychological benefit of realigning people’s perceptions and motivation. Some individuals have resigned themselves to the belief that weight loss for them is somehow impossible. They may think “that they are ‘made differently’ from those of normal weight” in some way, and no matter what they do, the pounds don’t come off. But the rapid, unequivocal weight loss during fasting demonstrates to them that with a large enough change in eating habits, it’s not just possible, but inevitable. This morale boost may then embolden them to make better food choices once they resume eating. 
     
    The break from food may allow some an opportunity “to pause and reflect” on the role food is playing in their lives—not only the power it has over them but the power they have over it. In a fasting study entitled “Correction and Control of Intractable Obesity,” a patient’s personality was described as changing “from one of desperation, with abandonment of hope, to that of an eager extravert full of plans for a promising future.” She realized that her weight was within her own power to control. The researchers concluded: “This highly intellectual social worker has been returned to a full degree of exceptional usefulness.” 
     
    After a fast, newfound commitment to more healthful eating may be facilitated by a reduction in overall appetite reported post-fast, compared to pre-fast, at least temporarily. Even during a fast, hunger may start to dissipate within the first 36 hours. So, challenging people’s delusions about their exceptionality to the laws of physics—thinking they are “made differently”—with “short periods of total fasting may seem barbaric. In reality, this method of weight reduction is remarkably well tolerated by obese patients.” That seems to be a recurring theme in these published series of cases. In the influential paper “Treatment of Obesity by Total Fasting for up to 249 Days,” the researchers remarked that the “most surprising aspect of this study was the ease with which the prolonged fast was tolerated.” All of their patients “spontaneously commented on their increased sense of well-being, and in some, this amounted to frank euphoria.” They continued that, although “treatment by total fasting must only be prescribed under close medical supervision,” they “are convinced that it is the treatment of choice, certainly in cases of gross obesity.” 
     
    Fasting for a day can make people irritable and feel moody and distracted, but after a few days of fasting, many report feeling clear, elated, and alert—even euphoric. This may be in part due to the significant rise in endorphins that accompanies fasting, as you can see in the graph below and at 5:48 in my video. Mood enhancement during fasting is thought to perhaps represent an adaptive survival mechanism to motivate the food search. This positive outlook towards the future may then facilitate the behavioral change necessary to lock in some of the weight-loss benefits. 

    Is that what happens, though? Is fasting actually effective over the long term? There are articles with titles like “Death During Therapeutic Starvation for Obesity.” Is fasting even safe? We’ll find out next. 
     
    This is the sixth in a 14-part series on fasting for weight loss. In case you missed any of the others, see the related videos below. 

    My book How Not to Diet is all about weight loss. You can learn more about it and order it here

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    Michael Greger M.D. FACLM

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  • Mesh Implant Illness – A Silent Killer?

    Mesh Implant Illness – A Silent Killer?

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    Mesh Implant Illness: Summary

    Dr. Sharon Surita, a certified Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner and environmental engineer who has had experience battling chronic illness due to complications from a hernia mesh implant,shares her own battle with complications from a hernia mesh implant and what she has learned about the potential danger associated with these synthetic implants. She explains how her health deteriorated after the implant procedure which led her to extensively research and join support groups to understand her situation. Additionally, she discusses how she found relief through removal surgery and functional medicine interventions.

    She goes ahead to discuss the need for patients to advocate for themselves before, during, and after such surgeries. By understanding the complications and informing themselves about tissue-based repairs or specialist surgeons as alternatives, patients can make better decisions. 

    Moving on, she emphasizes the importance of continuous detoxification processes and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. She also suggests following a holistic approach to health and a daily routine of diet management, exercise, adequate sleep, and rest, maintaining hydration, and eating organic food as much as possible.

    Lastly, she talks about her career shift from environmental engineering to Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner. She shares her newfound mission to help others experiencing chronic symptoms from synthetic implants, using her personal experience and discipline in both fields to provide support and a roadmap to recovery for her clients.

    Mesh Implant Illness: Topics

    The Impact of Hernia Mesh Implant

    Struggle with Chronic Pain and Symptoms

    Finding a Solution: Mesh Removal

    Journey to Recovery

    Understanding the Role of Mesh in Surgery

    The Prevalence of Mesh Implant Illness

    Preparing for Hernia Surgery: What to Consider

    Pre-Surgery Tips: Supporting Your Abdomen

    Importance of Advocacy in Medical Decisions

    Post-Surgery Phase: Dealing with Symptoms

    Exploring Options for Mesh Removal

    Becoming an FDN Practitioner: A Personal Journey

    Role of Detox in Recovery

    Turning Personal Experience into Advocacy

    Power of Advocacy: Helping Others Through Personal Experience

    Where to Find Sharon Surita, PhD, FDNP

    More About FDN

    You can always visit us at functionaldiagnosticnutrition.com, on YouTube @FDNtraining, on Instagram @fdntraining, or on Facebook @FunctionalDiagnosticNutrition.

    For more informational and functional health-oriented podcasts like this one, go to functionaldiagnosticnutrition.com/health-detective-podcast/.

    To learn more about us, go to functionaldiagnosticnutrition.com/about-fdn-functional-testing/.

    Try FDN for free! functionaldiagnosticnutrition.com/tryfdn/

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    Functional Diagnostic Nutrition

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  • A Healthier 2024 Australia Day Celebration – Body Fusion

    A Healthier 2024 Australia Day Celebration – Body Fusion

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    Australia Day is a time for friends and family to come together, and often, this celebration involves outdoor activities and delicious barbecues. While it’s a time to enjoy good food, it’s also an opportunity to make smart choices that align with your health and wellness goals. As a dietitian, I’m here to share some tips on how to make better smart food choices this Australia Day.

    1. Prioritize Lean Proteins:
      Why not replace the T-bone steak and sausages for lean protein options like skinless chicken tenderloins, turkey mince burger or fillet of fish on the barbecue. These choices are lower in saturated fats which are beneficial for heart health.
    2. Load Up on Colourful Veggies:
      Make your barbecue vibrant by incorporating a variety of colourful vegetables. Add to the barbeque bell peppers, zucchini, eggplant, and mushrooms for a delicious and nutritious side. Make a refreshing and exciting salad with fresh vegetables, crunchy roasted nuts and a delicious vinaigrette dressing.
    3. Mindful Portion Control:
      Enjoying your favourite foods doesn’t mean overindulging. Listen to your body’s hunger and fullness cues to guide your choices during the celebration. Fill up your plate with 50% vegetables, 1/4 plate protein and 1/4 plate carbohydrates!
    4. Hydrate with Care:
      Stay hydrated by choosing water as your primary beverage. If you’re looking for something with a little more flavour, opt for Kombucha, flavoured mineral water or diet tonic water. Be wise with your alcohol intake

    This Australia Day, make mindful and smart food choices that contribute to your health and happiness. By incorporating these tips, you can have a fantastic celebration without compromising your well-being. Cheers to a healthier and happier Australia Day!

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    Tatiana Bedikian

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  • Are vegetarians & vegans less likely to get Covid-19? – Diet and Health Today

    Are vegetarians & vegans less likely to get Covid-19? – Diet and Health Today

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    Introduction

    A year after discussing the unconventional “COVID Vaccine Hesitancy and Risk of a Traffic Crash,” I came across another attention-grabbing title: “Vegetarians and vegans ‘less likely to get Covid.’” I took a look at the study (published in BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health) to scrutinise its methodology and findings.

    The Study

    Conducted in Brazil by lead author Acosta-Navarro, the study comprised 702 participants recruited through social media networks and the internet between March and July 2022. A basic food frequency questionnaire served as the tool for collating self-reported dietary patterns. The study divided participants into omnivorous, flexitarian, and vegetarian/vegan groups.

    On first glance, I spotted a number of flaws with the methodology:

    1 – Dietary Questionnaire Reliability: Dietary questionnaires are notoriously unreliable. This one was described as “basic”, so probably even more unreliable than usual.

    2 – All groups consumed animal foods: The definition of the so-called “plant-based” group included flexitarians (who consumed animal products – including meat), and vegetarians (who consume eggs and dairy). There was no pure plant-based group in this study ostensibly about a plant-based diet.

    3 – Self-Reported Data: The reliance on self-reported data, including COVID-19 incidence, introduced subjectivity into the findings, raising questions about the accuracy of the reported results.

    4 – Healthy Person Confounder: Adjusting for variables like BMI and pre-existing conditions does not eliminate the possibility that individuals with healthier lifestyles self-reported COVID-19 less often, independent of their diet.

    5 – Covid-19 risk factor bias. The omnivore group were far more likely to have higher BMI, non-white ethnicity, pre-existing conditions – all known risk factors for Covid-19.

    Despite a high vaccination rate amongst participants (98%), the study reported a 47% self-reported COVID-19 incidence. The adjusted results indicated a 39% lower incidence in the plant-based group compared to omnivores. However, the lack of significant differences in severity of illness or preventative measures raised questions about the validity of the claim.

    The study needed a plausible mechanism for the claimed findings. It proposed that plant-based diets meant enhanced immunity. However, the data contradicted this hypothesis, not least because there was no consistent relationship between higher plant consumption and lower COVID-19 incidence within diet groups. Additionally, the nutrients that the body needs are found in animal foods, so the immunity claim doesn’t make sense.

    Conclusion

    While the study suggested a link between plant-based diets and reduced COVID-19 incidence, there were a number of methodological flaws, confounding variables, and a lack of a plausible mechanism to support the claim. A more plausible explanation would be that people with more Covid-19 risk factors would be more concerned about Covid-19, more likely to test for it, more likely to think that they have symptoms of it etc. These such people happened to be mainly in the omnivore group. The plants or otherwise had nothing to do with it!

    You can read the full article below

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    Zoe

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  • Winter Recipes That are High in Protein and Healthy Fats | Healthy Nest Nutrition

    Winter Recipes That are High in Protein and Healthy Fats | Healthy Nest Nutrition

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    Winter Kale Salad with Lemon & Walnuts
    A Healthy Nest favorite. So good every single time.

    Modified from EatingWell
    Serves 4

    1 small clove garlic, minced
    1/2 tsp salt
    1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
    2 tbsp lemon juice
    1 tsp dried oregano
    1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
    10 cups thinly sliced kale (from 2 large bunches)
    1/2 cup coarsely chopped toasted walnuts
    1/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives, quartered
    2 tbsp grated lemon rind
    1 tbsp capers

    Dressing: Mince garlic and combine with salt. Stir in oil, lemon juice, oregano and pepper. Add chopped kale and massage the dressing into the kale for about 3-4 minutes. The kale will soften. Top with pan-toasted walnuts, olives and lemon, capers and crispy chickpeas.

    Add: Crispy Roasted Chickpea Croutons
    1 can cooked garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained, rinsed and patted dry
    2 tsp avocado oil
    1 tsp sriracha
    1 tsp curry powder
    dash or two garlic powder
    salt and pepper, to taste

    Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Put all ingredients on a roasting pan in a single layer. Mix well. Bake for about 30-35 minutes mixing them around every 15 minutes or so until chickpeas have a nice roasted look and are crispy.

    Mediterranean Quinoa Bowl
    Warm and crunchy, and filling, rich and delicious all at the same time. A great make-ahead lunch recipe for the week.

    Modified from loveandlemons.com
    Serves 4

    3 cups cooked quinoa, from 1 cup uncooked, follow package directions
    2 cucumbers, thinly sliced
    1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
    2 avocados, diced
    Pepperoncini slices
    Parsley leaves, chopped
    Tzatziki sauce, optional, can sub out for balsamic dressing

    Add: Smoky White Beans: 1½ cups cooked navy beans, drained, rinsed and patted dry; olive oil, 1 tsp smoked paprika, ½ tsp ground cumin, ¼ tsp salt, pinch of cayenne pepper

    Preheat the oven to 425°F. Cook the quinoa according to this recipe. Then, make the beans. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the beans on the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with the smoked paprika, cumin, salt and cayenne. Toss to coat and spread evenly on the baking sheet. Roast for 10 minutes so they are still soft, but getting a little brown, not necessarily crispy.

    Assemble bowls with the quinoa, beans, cucumbers, tomatoes and avocado. Top with pepperoncini and parsley. Drizzle with tzatziki or a basic vinaigrette.

    Customize it your way:

    1. Sub another whole grain for the quinoa: brown rice, black lentils, a different color quinoa, etc.
    2. Make your own garlic sauce instead of using store bought tzatziki: Stir together Greek yogurt, garlic, olive oil, and fresh lemon juice.
    3. Add any fresh herb instead of the parsley — basil, cilantro or mint would be great.
    4. Add more protein: tofu, chicken, sautéed shrimp, etc.

    Curry Honey Mustard Chicken & Veggies Sheet Pan Dinner
    Easy chicken and veggies with great spice to pull it together. A new family favorite over here.

    From ambitiouskitchen.com
    Serves 4

    Chicken + Veggies:
    1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, can easily sub breasts or tofu
    2 cups baby red potatoes (or feel free to sub sweet potatoes), 1-inch chop
    3 large carrots, sliced into ½-inch-thick chunks
    1 yellow onion, cut into chunks
    8 ounces Brussels sprouts, cut in quarters

    Sauce:
    ¼ cup honey
    ¼ cup dijon mustard (grainy or smooth works)
    2 tbsp olive oil
    1 tbsp yellow curry powder
    ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
    Generous salt and pepper

    Preheat oven to 425 F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Add chicken, potatoes, carrots, onions and Brussels sprouts onto the baking sheet. In a medium bowl, combine honey, mustard, olive oil, curry powder, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Toss with the chicken and veg mixture. Bake for 35-40 minutes, stirring vegetables halfway through to encourage even cooking. You’ll know it’s done when the carrots and potatoes are fork tender and chicken is no longer pink ~ internal temperature of 165 degrees F.

    Tip: Keep everything in one layer. Make sure not to overcrowd your pan!

    Customize it your way:

    1. Sub out red potato for sweet potato-will add color and give a hint of sweetness.
    2. Sub chicken for salmon or a white fish, shrimp or tofu. The fish and shrimp will take less time to cook than the chicken, so be careful and take it off when done to let the veggies continue cooking.
    3. Sub IN whatever veggie you have in the fridge-peppers, broccoli, chopped cauli or cauli rice, would all be great.
    4. Serve with a grain on the side, or turn into a bowl. Multi-colored quinoa or a rice blend would be good here. Make on the stovetop at the same time you’re roasting.
    5. This recipe is a great make-ahead lunch for the week.

    For more whole food, full-flavor recipes and help planning your nutritious week, visit our blog at healthynestnutrition.com/blog and reach out for a complimentary consultation with a holistic nutritionist.

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    Robin

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  • A Balanced Gut for Health + Vibrancy | Healthy Nest Nutrition

    A Balanced Gut for Health + Vibrancy | Healthy Nest Nutrition

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    When your body is well functioning on all systems, you feel strong and inspired to do what you love. Solid stable energy, confidence, well-rounded health and vibrancy all allow you to move around your world in a way that makes you feel connected and content.

    Your gut impacts all of these things.

    It Begins with the Gut

    I’d like to dig into the notion of health and vibrancy and how it all begins with a healthy gut. The gut-cornerstone philosophy at Healthy Nest is one that has stood the test of time and has been increasingly researched (and researched and researched) with depth and interest.

    What we normally refer to as your gut is the trillions of bacteria that live in your large intestine. Sometimes it is referred to as gut flora or microbiome. We are talking hundreds of different types of bacteria, some better for you than others, but their presence and balance is important for all kinds of body functions, including how the body metabolizes food.

    The large intestine used to be thought of as an empty tunnel that byproducts passed through to leave the body. Now we know that it is WAY more complicated, populated by literally pounds of beneficial or friendly bacteria that creates vitamins, sends messages (similar to hormones) for the body to DO things, including proper digestion. In fact, bacteria has its hand in most of the systems of the body. There is also opportunistic bacteria, which is important, but needs to be checked, and kept in balance.

    Overall, it’s safe to say that the gut plays important roles in health, including how the body functions, metabolizes food, and how it reaches and maintains set weight.

    Food + Gut Inflammation

    Inflammation rightfully assists when there is an acute problem, like a cut finger or a sprained ankle. Inflammation is not good on an ongoing basis. Too much opportunistic bacteria may cause inflammation. Also, it’s no secret that there are foods that you SHOULD eat and those that you SHOULD NOT eat (detailed lists later) to lessen inflammation. But, what is relatively new info is that the YES food list promotes the bacteria strains in the gut that reduce inflammation. Specifically, we know that the bacteria Bifidobacteria and Akkermansia are proven to help prevent inflammation-causing chemicals from passing through the gut lining into the bloodstream. Good news — These bacteria strains can be made from foods eaten as well as supplemented.

    An unhealthful diet, like the standard American diet, with too much sugar and processed food, can negatively impact your gut. These types of foods lead to the production of inflammatory chemicals called lipopolysaccharide. These chemicals pass into the bloodstream and fat tissue and research suggests may contribute to weight gain and insulin resistance. Not good.

    Eating for less inflammation is better for the gut bacteria composition, body functioning and health including weight and blood sugar balance. I’ll talk more about what to eat and what to avoid at the end of this post.

    Food + Gut Bacteria + Your Weight

    Specific gut bacteria can influence HOW you digest food and how FULL you feel after eating. This is partly because of food’s fiber composition. Fiber can be broken down into soluble and non-soluble. Non-soluble fibers do not feed gut bacteria but DO help bulk up your bowels to provide healthy regular movements. Beneficial gut bacteria feed off soluble fiber, which creates chemicals that benefit gut health. One recent study found that increased levels of Prevotella bacteria, which is good at digesting fiber from carbohydrates, helped participants to lose more weight (5.1 pounds more) compared to a bacterium that is found in animal proteins, or Bacteriodetes, at the same levels. More research is needed, but this does point to increased soluble fiber promoting gut function as well as weight loss.

    Other studies found that composition of gut bacteria (again, certain strains present) can influence how dietary fats are absorbed, which may affect how fat is stored in the body. Again, this is ongoing research, but interesting, nonetheless. The food with soluble carbohydrates are showing to be powerful in new ways, including weight loss.

    Food + Gut + Hormones + Weight Loss

    Your body produces several different hormones that affect your appetite, one is called leptin. Leptin decreases your appetite. We know that bacteria in the gut affects how much leptin is produced and how full you feel. In studies, gut bacteria that feeds leptin production shows promise in contributing to how much weight is lost in study participants.

    Here’s What You Can Do

    Knowing about gut bacteria, gut flora composition and microbiome balance (all the same thing) is increasingly important for understanding how the body works. From the examples above, you can see that gut influencing body is a multi-step process, breaking down food which impacts gut bacteria. Bacteria goes to work in positive and negative ways. Getting from food metabolism to feeling healthy and vibrant is something to watch for best health. So far, here’s what we know to eat and avoid. Hint: It closely resembles the Mediterranean Diet.

    WHAT TO EAT
    To feed beneficial gut bacteria

    • Whole grains: Focus on grains that haven’t been refined and are high in fiber
    • Fruits and vegetables: Eat lots of variety with an emphasis on pre-biotic foods: lentils, chickpeas, beans, bananas, oats, artichokes, asparagus, garlic, leek, onions
    • Fermented foods: Yogurt, kimchi, kombucha, kefir and sauerkraut all of which contain beneficial bacteria like lactobacilli, or take a probiotic
    • Nuts and seeds: Again, lots of variety
    • Polyphenol-rich foods: Dark chocolate, green tea and red wine
    • Proteins, plant and animal: High-quality wild-caught and grass-fed

    WHAT TO AVOID
    To minimize opportunistic (bad) gut bacteria

    • Sugary foods
    • Artificial sweeteners
    • Foods containing unhealthy processed fats
    • Overuse of antibiotics
    • Too much alcohol
    • Smoking
    • Lack of sleep
    • Too much stress

    Want to chat about your gut health? Reach out for a complimentary consultation with a holistic nutritionist.

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    Robin

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  • Happy New Year! What’s Your Guiding Word? | Healthy Nest Nutrition

    Happy New Year! What’s Your Guiding Word? | Healthy Nest Nutrition

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    My word for last year was consistent, which was a beacon for my decisions until spring. Then life got messy and I went into ‘bare bones’ mode which was a salad a day, some kind of movement and lots of water (my default when things get complicated).

    This year, my word is Strong. Strong in my kitchen game, exercise routine, and inner strength to make the decisions that are best for me, my family, and Healthy Nest Nutrition. I have a feeling this year is going to be one of change/shifts (some intentional and some not), so I am going to need strength to have enough confidence to shift as needed so that I and all around me can grow and grow strong.

    We have lots of exciting news (coming soon) at Healthy Nest. Personally, I know myself and you well enough to recognize how important it is to have intention and strength to make good decisions. It’s going to be the little decisions that add up to big progress this year.

    What’s your word? I find it to be a gentle guide when making decisions — ones that are in line with my overarching goals for the months ahead. You’re welcome to borrow mine: STRONG. Or, feel free to find a word that speaks to you.

    The Year of the Veggie

    The NY Times just slid into my inbox and declared this year the YEAR OF THE VEGGIE. That is so great. I believe in the power of a plant-forward diet. Lots of plants give us plate beauty, interesting texture and flavors, vitamins, minerals, proteins, phytonutrients, powerful fiber, both soluble and insoluble, all of which work on strong digestive health, regularity, blood sugar balance, metabolism, skin, bone, nervous, heart, immune health. They are anti-inflammatory and so much more. Veggies are a really important component to feeling good and strong today and lots of tomorrows. START with your favorite vegetables and build delicious meals around them.

    How to Prioritize Your Veggies?

    I normally start my meal planning with the primary veggie(s) and build the meal around that, adding proteins, healthy fats and whatever pizazz will pull the meal together. It’s a way to INCLUDE veggies at the beginning of meal planning and NOT tack it on as an afterthought (like a simple green salad or quick cut-up carrots tossed on the plate).

    Try This Instead

    • Make sure you BUY enough veggies at the store, so you have some in the fridge.
    • Use all cooking techniques to help make it happen (chop fresh, roast frozen, serve salads or roasted sheet pans, soups that are chunky or pureed).
    • Choose variety. Try different lettuces each week. This week broccoli, next week cauliflower. This week red onion, next week scallions or leeks. This week fresh chopped tomatoes, next week tomato sauce.
    • Keep stretching your dishes. Make a goal to try one new recipe per week (or a slight variation of an old favorite that includes new vegetable combos).

    Why?

    My why is circling back to STRONG. More veggies in my daily diet will ensure my body composition is solid. All veggies are under the macronutrient of carbohydrates, which, again ultimately help us stay healthy and give us good energy. Getting most of your carbohydrates from vegetables crowds out the less healthful choices you could make in the category.

    Carbs are found in veggies, fruits, grains (processed and whole) and then lots of standard American diet items: cheez-its, pizza, cookies, cakes, and candy. If you focus on vegetables, you’re naturally less likely to focus on the whites (white flour, sugar, pasta and rice). Arguably, the whites are not as good for you as the veggie colors.

    The goal: Keep working at crowding out the “whites” by adding more color to your plate. Your waistline, your brain, your bones, your energy, and overall health will be stronger for it.

    Happy New Year!

    XO
    Robin

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    Robin

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  • Flavonoid Benefits from Apple Peels  | NutritionFacts.org

    Flavonoid Benefits from Apple Peels  | NutritionFacts.org

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    Peeled apples are pitted head-to-head against unpeeled apples (and spinach) in a test of artery function. 

    Regularly eating apples may contribute to a lower risk of dying prematurely. “Moderate apple consumption,” meaning one or two apples a week, “was associated with a 20% lower risk of all-cause mortality”—that is, dying from all causes put together—“whereas those who ate an apple a day had a 35% lower risk of all-cause mortality compared with women with low apple consumption.” 
     
    You’ll often hear me talking about a lower or higher risk of mortality, but what does that mean? Isn’t the risk of dying 100 percent for everyone, eventually? As you can see in my graph below and at 0:40 in my video Friday Favorites: For Flavonoid Benefits, Don’t Peel Apples, I present some survival curves to help you visualize these concepts. For example, if you follow thousands of older women over time, nearly half succumb over a period of 15 years, but that half includes those who rarely, if ever, ate apples—less than 20 apples a year. Instead, those averaging more like half a small apple a day lived longer; over the same time period, closer to 40 percent or so of them died. And, those who ate one small apple or about a quarter of a large apple a day survived even longer. 

    Why is that the case? It seems to be less the apple of one’s eye than the apple of one’s arteries. Even a fraction of an apple a day is associated with 24 percent lower odds of having severe major artery calcifications, a marker of vascular disease. You may think that’s an obvious benefit since apples are fruits and fruits are healthy, but the effect was not found for pears, oranges, or bananas. 
     
    Both of these studies were done on women, but a similar effect (with apples and onions) was found for men. We think it’s because of the flavonoids, naturally occurring phytonutrients concentrated in apples. As you can see below and at 2:02 in my video, they’re thought to improve artery function and lower blood pressure, leading to improvements in blood flow throughout the body and brain, thereby decreasing the risk of heart disease and strokes. You don’t know, though, until you put it to the test.


    When I first saw a paper on testing flavonoid-rich apples, I assumed they had selectively bred or genetically engineered a special apple. But, no. The high-flavonoid apple was just an apple with its peel, compared to the low-flavonoid apple, which was the exact same apple with its peel removed. After eating the apples, flavonoid levels in the bloodstream shot up over the next three hours in the unpeeled apple group, compared to the peeled group, as you can see below, and at 2:36 in my video. This coincided with significantly improved artery function in the unpeeled apple group compared to the peeled one. The researchers concluded that “the lower risk of CVD [cardiovascular disease] with higher apple consumption is most likely due to the high concentration of flavonoids in the skin which improve endothelial [arterial] function”—though, it could be anything in the peel. All we know is that apple peels are particularly good for us, improving artery function and lowering blood pressure. 
    Even compared to spinach? As you can see in the graph below and at 3:14 in my video, if you give someone about three-quarters of a cup of cooked spinach, their blood pressure drops within two to three hours. If you instead eat an apple with some extra peel thrown in, you get a similar effect. The researchers concluded that apples and spinach almost immediately improve artery function and lower blood pressure. 
    What’s nice about these results is that we’re talking about whole foods, not some supplement or extract. So, easily, “this could be translated into a natural and low-cost method of reducing the cardiovascular risk profile of the general population.” 

    For more about apples, see the topic page and check out the related videos below. 

    What about dried apples? See Dried Apples vs. Cholesterol. What about apple cider vinegar? Check out Flashback Friday: Does Apple Cider Vinegar Help with Weight Loss?. And what about apples going head-to-head with açai berries? See The Antioxidant Effects of Açai vs. Apples.

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    Michael Greger M.D. FACLM

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  • Gut Health, The Adrenal Fatigue Myth and Andropause with Reed Davis – Functional Diagnostic Nutrition

    Gut Health, The Adrenal Fatigue Myth and Andropause with Reed Davis – Functional Diagnostic Nutrition

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    In this week’s episode, I had the pleasure of interviewing one of my teachers, Reed Davis. Reed is a Double Board-Certified Holistic Health Practitioner (HHP) and Certified Nutritional Therapist (CNT) and a popular expert in functional lab testing and holistic lifestyle medicine. Reed is the Founder of Functional Diagnostic Nutrition®  and the FDN Certification Course […]

    The post Gut Health, The Adrenal Fatigue Myth and Andropause with Reed Davis appeared first on Functional Diagnostic Nutrition.

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    FDN

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  • When in Sydney this restaurant is a must! Three Blue Ducks

    When in Sydney this restaurant is a must! Three Blue Ducks

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    When in Sydney this restaurant is a must!  A favorite place to eat in Sydney is Three Blue Ducks.  Here with their Schezuan pepper & salt squid, roast chilli & lime, fried garlic, coriander which is gluten-free and dairy-free and insanely tasty!  it’s rare to find a gf salt & pepper calamari anywhere so I would visit for just this alone! 

     

     

    The 12-hour slow-cooked lamb shoulder, olive & preserved lemon, rosemary lamb jus was exquisite. And the Hiramasa kingfish ceviche, citrus dressing, herbs, and radish (gf, df) were incredibly delicious! 

     

     

    Three Blue Ducks in Sydney stands out as a compelling destination for those seeking a healthy dining experience. One of its key attractions lies in the establishment’s commitment to utilizing fresh, locally sourced ingredients. The restaurant embraces a farm-to-table philosophy, ensuring that each dish on the menu is crafted from high-quality produce that not only enhances flavor but also contributes to a nutritious and well-balanced meal.

     

     

    What sets Three Blue Ducks apart is its dedication to offering a seasonal, organic menu. By incorporating seasonal ingredients, the restaurant not only delivers a variety of flavors but also ensures that the dishes are at their peak in terms of nutritional value. 

     

     

    Moreover, the emphasis on using organic produce underscores the restaurant’s commitment to health-conscious dining. Organic ingredients are grown without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers, providing a more wholesome and nutrient-rich dining experience. For individuals who prioritize not only the taste but also the health benefits of their meals, Three Blue Ducks becomes a noteworthy choice.

     

     

    In essence, Three Blue Ducks in Sydney stands as a beacon for those who appreciate the fusion of culinary excellence and a health-conscious approach. The combination of locally sourced, seasonal, and organic ingredients creates a dining experience that goes beyond taste, offering a holistic and nourishing encounter for visitors. Well done to the chefs! 

     

     

    Three Blue Ducks also has a farm-to-table restaurant in Byron Bay, and now also have ready-made curries available at Woolworths! So you can take some home with you! 

     

     

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  • Holistic Solutions for Optimal Mental Health in Kids, Teens, and Parents – Functional Diagnostic Nutrition

    Holistic Solutions for Optimal Mental Health in Kids, Teens, and Parents – Functional Diagnostic Nutrition

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    Functional Diagnostic Nutrition expert.  We dive into exploring biohacking techniques for mental wellness and the critical need for personalized health strategies.  Our conversation also focused on the unique challenges of children and teen mental health and offers insights on fostering a nurturing, supportive environment for them in the home. Tune in to discover the transformative […]

    The post Holistic Solutions for Optimal Mental Health in Kids, Teens, and Parents appeared first on Functional Diagnostic Nutrition.

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    FDN

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  • Tahini Miso Covered Cauliflower Steaks

    Tahini Miso Covered Cauliflower Steaks

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    Add these Tahini Miso Covered Cauliflower Steaks to your menu!

    You can enjoy these Tahini Miso Covered Cauliflower Steaks as an entree with a side of protein, greens, and maybe some grains/carbohydrates or as a side dish — regardless of how you enjoy it, the star of the show is really the tahini miso sauce.

    What Is Miso?

    Let’s talk about this fermented umami paste made from soybeans and mold called koji (Aspergillus oryzae from soybeans, barley, or rice). Miso is traditionally used in Japanese cooking and used for its health benefits and delicious umami taste.

    Additionally, there are nutrients and things that make you feel good in this delicious paste! Miso contains probiotics, phosphorus, manganese, copper, vitamin K, and a variety of B vitamins.

    Miso can be fermented for weeks and sometimes years depending on the brand and type, which lends itself to containing bacteria: probiotics. We know probiotics (good bacteria) are so important for creating a healthy microbiome and digestive function.

    The great thing about miso is you can use it in so many ways from adding it to a simple salad dressing, a broth to make you feel good, a paste for roasting vegetables with, marinade, hummus, and the list goes on. I love adding miso to dressings and sauces because it creates this creamy texture without doing anything laborious to achieve it.

    One thing to keep in mind when you’re purchasing miso is the color, in a nutshell, the darker the color miso the bolder the flavor which is great for hearty soups and stews. This is due to the time it’s been fermenting versus the lighter-colored misos which are slightly sweet and perfect for dressings, sauces, and even desserts.

    FOUNDATIONAL FIVE

    Learn how you can nourish your body at each meal by creating a Foundational Five Nourish Meal.

    Our Foundational Five system supports you in nourishing your physical body so you can learn what to eat, which is the first step in mindful eating. The remainder is knowing how to eat and to experience your food positively.

    Eating in this way supports your physical body on a cellular level ensuring you’re consuming the nutrients you need to have a sharp focus, calm digestion, lasting energy, sound sleep, and vibrant long-term health.

    Here are the following Foundational Five Elements in this recipe:

    1 • Non-starchy Carbohydrate

    2 • Starchy Carbohydrate

    • Serve with grains, legumes, or potatoes

    3 • Healthy Fat

    4 • Protein

    • Serve with a protein of your choice

    5 • Flavor Factor

    • Miso
    • Garlic
    • Salt and pepper
    • Lime juice
    • Ginger
    • Gluten-free soy sauce

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    McKel (Hill) Kooienga

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