Confused by all the supplement advice online? In this blog, I share my practical approach to supplementation, and teach you how to cut through the noise to build a supplement routine based on your personal needs.

If you’ve been feeling tired, weak, short of breath, or have noticed you’re getting dizzy, low iron may be one possible reason. Iron deficiency is one of the most common nutrient deficiencies worldwide, especially among women of reproductive age, vegetarians, vegans, pregnant women, and endurance athletes.

The good news? In many cases, nutrition and lifestyle can play a powerful role in preventing - and even helping improve - iron deficiency. Building an iron-rich diet is one of the best ways to support healthy iron stores over the long term.

Remember…

Every meal is an opportunity to nourish our bodies with the nutrients they need to thrive.

And even though the most “obvious” sources of iron are from animal proteins, it is possible to get plenty of iron from plant-based foods, too. So today I’m sharing two of my favorite iron-rich recipes - both vegan (no meat!) - for all the “plant-forward” eaters, or even for any carnivores that want to boost their iron levels with more than just meat. These recipes are great for everyone!

Today is a personal note. I felt compelled to share a little bit about me, so you know who is behind this newsletter, my blog, my detox programs, health coaching and my healthy recipes.

Some of you know me as the owner/creator of Balance Market (in Managua), some of you know I’m an ex-finance Wall Street gal turned into a borderline hippie yogi, barre lover and healthy food fanatic. Some of you know me as a mother of 2 children who loves them to death, but struggles with all things motherhood (as almost any other mom!). And many of you know me as the health coach, founder of Balance with Mariana, and health & wellness obsessed girl who loves to write.

I’m all those things. I’m also normal, imperfect, but what I can say with total conviction is I am passionate about what I do, and there’s a rhyme & reason to what I do.

I LOVE what I do, and I love sharing everything with you.

But I also realized that many people don’t know much about ME as a person, so today I thought it would be fun to share 10 things I LOVE that I think are part of who I am. So here goes!

Whether you’re looking to ease digestive discomfort, improve your energy, boost immune and nervous system health, or support your hormones (ex. to boost fertility or alleviate menopause symptoms), building supportive daily “gut-healthy” habits can make a meaningful difference.

First, make sure to read my previous blog with the 5 foods you should be eating regularly to support gut health.

Today, we dive into the eight foundational habits that, when practiced regularly, support long-term gut health.

If you’ve followed me for a while, you probably know that I have been talking about the utmost importance of gut health since I started my health coaching career over 10 years ago, as it was one of the first discoveries that prompted my career shift (when I started healing my gut and realized the power of food as medicine), and to me its the #1 area of focus with 95% of my clients. When someone wants to lose weight or just “get healthier”, I first start them with GUT HEALTH basics.

So thats what I want to talk about today!

Our gut is the foundation of overall health - from immunity and energy, to mood, skin, and of course digestion and even weight loss, our gut plays a role in nearly every system in our body.

One of the absolute key drivers of optimal gut health is the food we eat DAILY, in particular, getting enough plants filled with FIBER, pre- and pro-biotics, and antioxidants. So today I dive deeper into the top 5 foods for a healthy gut microbiome (for optimal gut and overall health).

Recently, GLP-1 medications like Ozempic have gained significant attention for their dramatic weight loss effects (and other inflammation-reducing benefits). But did you know that you can naturally increase your GLP-1 levels with simple, science-based hacks? Let’s have a look at how GLP-1 works, why it’s important, and natural hacks to enhance its levels without medication.

Taking creatine supplements is all the rage now… but is it worth the hype?

I personally do believe in the enormous benefits of creatine, as I have seen many clients (and myself!) FEEL the positive shift after starting their daily creatine supplements. Mostly in terms of increasing muscle (of course I recommended creatine in combination with strength training 2-3/week minimum) and some also noticed an improvement in anxiety (again, we added daily breathwork and meditation, too!).

First, what is Creatine? What exactly are the benefits? And how can you easily incorporate it into your daily routine?

I go over all of this in my blog, and share my go-to morning smoothie recipe with creatine!

When I get asked about what foods to eat and supplements to take to burn fat, I first reminder people: We have to first focus on the fundamentals - on building healthier food, exercise and sleep routines, and on developing a healthy relationship with food and with our bodies so we can identify the foods, supplements and lifestyle habits that make us feel better, healthier and stronger, instead of just obsessing over dieting and being skinny.

Once you start prioritizing these 9 “metabolims boosting” principles that i share in this blog - and make them HABITS - you’ll finally be able to release that search for the magic fat loss pill. Adding “fat-burning” foods and supplements will just be added bonuses.

Read more for my 9 Metabolism Boosting Principles to help promote Fat Loss.

It feels like everyone is always commenting on what they believe works and doesn't work in order to boost their metabolism and burn fat. I’m constantly getting asked for my recommentations, while others just share what is and isn’t working for them, and so many people come into my store - Balance Market - and ask me what supplement or superfood I sell that can help them burn fat.

This is when I am compelled to remind peopl that there is no miracle pill, there isn’t one food or supplement that’s going to magically make you lose weight; results come from consistency, from your daily habits and what you’re doing with your body 90% of the time.

Having said that, here are the top 4 diet & fitness myths that I’ve been hearing a lot, and my take on what really works.

Progesterone is the wonderful hormone that’s secreted during the second half of your menstrual cycle whose main role is to help prepare the body for pregnancy (and if you don’t get pregnant, progesterone drops, as does your estrogen, and you menstruate). When pregnant, progesterone stays elevated during pregnancy (which is why we are often more “nonchalant” during pregnancy; I know I was!). Progesterone is one of the main reasons why we have a stronger instict to rest and relax in that week before our period when its highest (same applies during pregnancy). It also helps support your mood and optimal thyroid function.

If your progesterone is too low, you’ll likely have irregular cycles and/or heavy periods, you may fail to release an egg during ovulation, and if you’re pregnant, low progesterone can lead to a miscarriage. And overall, when progesterone is low, we are more likely to be stressed and anxious (exactly what we don’t want, especially during pre/post menopause which is stressful enough!)

So even if you no longer care about PMS nor fertility, boosting your progesterone during pre and post menopause is absolutely KEY, and while yes taking replacement hormones can help, so can your daily diet and lifestyle! In today’s blog, I share many tips on how to boost progesterone with your food and daily habits…

If there is ONE thing that I strongly believe is that the #1 step we should all take to reach our weight goals - and boost our overall health - is to COOK MORE FROM HOME.

I share why it’s so important, and of course, some useful tips to make it easier for you to proritize.