When working with clients I always emphasize the importance of tuning into your body so that you can become more aware of what it is telling you.
For example, when symptoms appear such as:
Acid reflux, bloating, gas
Problems with elimination (diarrhea, constipation or both)
Loss of taste for meat
Skin reactions
Headaches and irritability
Fatigue, trouble concentrating
Depression, anxiety
PMS
Poor sleep
Food cravings
Intense hunger or thirst
... they should not be chalked up to a “normal” part of your everyday life. When experienced on a regular basis, these symptoms are signs that you should pay attention to. They are often signifying imbalance within your body’s organ systems and if left unaddressed can evolve into worsening symptoms and illness.
How to be more in tune with what your body is telling you:
Digestive Upset:
If you experience digestive symptoms on a regular basis such as acid reflux, bloating, gas, stomach pains and difficulty with elimination, this can mean that your digestive system is struggling to break down food. If you are unable to properly break down food, you will not b able to absorb nutrients that are essential to keeping your body systems running properly. Poorly digested food can also be the catalyst to intestinal inflammation, leaky gut, IBS, autoimmune diseases, skin issues and the list goes on...
You can possibly benefit from:
Slowing down when eating, chewing more thoroughly: "Rest to Digest"
Loss of taste for meat: Do you find that eating meat causes digestive discomfort? Does it feel like it's just sitting in your belly and not moving? You may think that meat "just isn't good for your body." But in reality, a loss of taste for meat is often indicative of a deficiency of stomach acid!
This is because the protein fibers in meat can be more difficult to digest. And thanks to your high stress lifestyle plus eating too quickly without chewing properly, your digestive system is often not primed with enough digestive enzymes to break down these complex protein fibers. By supplementing with stomach acid (Betaine HCL) you can help your body to break down protein so that you can reap the benefits of these essential nutrients without the digestive discomfort.
Betaine HCL is available at supplement/health food stores or you can purchase it online HERE
**When starting Betaine HCL begin with a low dose (150-300mg per capsule) and perform the HCL Challenge to determine your proper dose.
Food Cravings: When you find yourself with rabid cravings for certain foods, pay attention! Cravings for specific foods are often signs that you need certain nutrients or body system support.
For example:
Chocolate = magnesium
Fatty foods = calcium
Alcohol = protein
Starchy carbs, soda or juice = low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) or indication of insulin resistance, hyperglycemia & diabetes.
Sugar = fungal or bad bacterial overgrowth
Skin Reactions:
Breakouts, eczema, rash and rosacea are common indications of underlying food sensitivities, imbalance of gut bacteria and leaky gut. Ensuring that your digestive system is working well, and that your gut microbiome is balanced can be very helpful in alleviating these symptoms. However if they persist you likely need to do a gut healing protocol and identify your food sensitivities in order to heal your leaky gut. Contact me to learn more about how I can help.
Headaches, fatigue & irritability:
Hydration & minerals are key to avoiding and alleviating headaches, increasing energy and feeling good. Your cells and tissues require water & minerals to perform just about every single task required to keep your body systems functioning.
Be sure to drink 1/2 your body weight in filtered water per day.
Add a few shakes of quality sea or himalayan salt, or a couple drops of Concentrace Minerals Drops to filtered water to replenish the minerals that are lost during the filtration process.
Poor sleep:
Many factors can affect our sleep however I always begin by considering blood sugar & sleep hygiene when first accessing what might be throwing someone's sleep.
When your blood sugar is out of balance it can cause blood sugar spikes & stress hormone production throughout the day and night, which will throw off your sleep circadian rhythm. If this happens continuously it can result in a perpetual cycle of sleep disturbance, stress, anxiety and fatigue which will lead to further imbalance and dysfunction of body system's down the line.
These days, your mind is go-go-going all of the time. Even when you feel like you are relaxing, depending on what you are reading or watching on your devices will contribute to your mind never getting the opportunity to relax and unwind. This keeps your central nervous system in a continuously heightened state of survival mode. Such a high-paced & high-stress lifestyle is relatively new to humankind and your body has not evolved to deal with all of the emotional, physical and external toxic stress that it is exposed to on a daily basis. Giving your mind and body a chance to truly rest by avoiding stimulating activity and content will go a long way in rebalancing your circadian rhythm so that you can sleep more soundly.
Here are a few things that you can do to help to have a better night's sleep:
Limit starchy & refined carbs to 1/2 cup per meal.
Enjoy a whole foods diet. Avoid processed & fried foods.
Avoid eating at least 2 hours prior to bedtime.
Reduce or eliminate caffeinated beverages.
Enjoy a cup of herbal tea, bone broth or hot water with lemon in the evening.
Disengage from & turn off all electronics at least 1 hour before bed.
Remove all wifi signals from your bedroom - phone, router, computer, bluetooth speakers, etc...
Practice meditation or deep breathing exercises: Try Calm app or Sleep Oasis podcast.
PMS, aka Premenstrual Syndrome:
Symptoms of PMS typically show up 5-14 days prior to menstruation and often include mood swings, breast tenderness, bloating, break outs, depression, cramps, constipation, sugar cravings and anxiety.
PMS is caused by fluctuating hormones that are out of balance during your cycle, specifically excess estrogen and/or insufficient progesterone during the luteal phase.
The root causes of such hormone imbalances are due to a combination of factors:
Digestive dysfunction
Poor diet - high in processed & refined foods
Environmental toxins - pesticides, chemicals, plastics
Chronic stress
Poor detoxification & liver congestion
Medications
Blood sugar dysregulation
Aging
Here are a few tips for helping to promote hormone balance:
Commit to a gut healing protocol with me!
Drink plenty of water.
Enjoy quality proteins and fats.
Always choose organic produce, pasture raised poultry & eggs, grass-fed meat & wild caught fish.
Avoid processed and refined foods.
Enjoy lots of cruciferous veggies - broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, arugula, cabbage, bok choy. If you experience digestive upset from eating raw veggies - it's time for a gut healing protocol!
Exercise! At least 30 min, 5x per week.
Only use clean beauty products that are free from toxic chemicals & preservatives. Click here for a few of my favorites brands.
Avoid using plastic whenever possible. Switch to a reusable glass or stainless steel water bottle and glass food containers.
Practice deep breathing. Try this wonderfully calming (and quick) Come to Your Senses Meditation.
If you would like to learn more about how I can help you to heal your gut, optimize your sleep, balance your hormones & mood so that you can feel and look your absolute best >> schedule a free discover call!