Did you know that your regular toothpaste may be doing more harm than good?
WATCH MY QUICK VIDEO to learn one surprising ingredient you should avoid in toothpaste, and get my easy HOMEMADE TOOTHPASTE RECIPE.
Read More10 Tips for Eliminating Cellulite
Unfortunately, it's extremely common to develop some cellulite on our bod, particularly on the booty, upper legs and abdomen.
And while we shouldn’t be ashamed, it’s still something that no one likes. Let’s be real, we all want it GONE.
First - what causes cellulite?
Cellulite is essentially fat deposits just below the skin, and it can be attributed to your diet, lifestyle, hormones, and partly also age and genetics. Usually it’s a combination of these things, but the first two (diet and lifestyle) are always at least partially responsible. Certain diet and lifestyle factors can lead to a buildup of toxicity in your body, and these toxins are stored in your fat, and help contribute to the “dimples” of cellulite.
So it is incredibly important to start detoxifying your body in a gentle way to get rid of these stored toxins, and then implement healthier habits in your day to day to minimize further accumulation of toxins.
On top of that, it helps to strengthen the connective tissue of your skin, and reduce fat overall.
Here are my 10 BEST TIPS FOR ELIMINATING CELLULITE:
Read MoreMy Basic Guide to Essential Oils
Many people have asked me about my “DIY” recipes for self-care, and about what I do to stay “clean” (i.e. minimizing my toxic exposure) on a daily basis. And for me, both of those answers are centered around Essential Oils. So I figured it would be worth it to share with you a bit more info on Essential Oils and why I’m such a huge fan.
READ MORE to learn WHAT essential oils are, what they're used for, where you can buy them, and how I personally use them in my day to day to support my healthy, balanced lifestyle!
Read More5 LIFESTYLE TIPS TO HELP COMBAT HORMONAL ACNE
I am a big believer in treating problems from the inside out - addressing the root cause of your issues, instead of just covering them up with a temporary solution or medication. Of course there come times when medication is needed, but even then, I suggest accompanying the treatment with holistic remedies aimed at healing the root cause, that will help you both in the short and long-run. And that applies to hormonal acne, too!
Last week I dove into the key triggers related to hormonal acne, and wrote about healing hormonal acne with FOOD. If you haven’t read it yet, read it now!
Read More8 Ways to Heal Hormonal Acne with Food
THE KEY to preventing and healing hormonal acne is focusing on a diet (and lifestyle) that helps maintain stable blood sugar levels. This will help you achieve ideal levels of glucose and insulin, which will help stabilize your LH and your level of androgens to help eliminate your hormonal acne (and ultimately will help with all of your hormone related issues!)
So today, I'm focusing on the DIET part that will help you stabilize/lower your excess androgens and overcome your hormonal pimples.
Here are 8 DIET TIPS TO HELP WITH HORMONAL ACNE:
Read MoreHow to find Balance and Health as a Pisces
As it’s my birthday month, I wanted to share some tips for all my fellow Pisces on how to stay balanced and healthy. All of us Pisces have a lot in common, and we (generally) share certain characteristics that are important to take into consideration when it comes to staying healthy and building our healthy routine.
Here are 8 Health Tips for PISCES:
Read More7 Tips for Alleviating PMS
Do you ever suffer from PMS symptoms, and wonder WHY you feel so sh*tty, when others don’t? Or maybe you just accept it as “normal” and load up on pain killers and chocolate during that time of the month.
While roughly 75% of women experience headaches, bloating, difficulty sleeping, mood swings and other symptoms of PMS, there is a lucky 25% hardly feel a thing. And the most amazing piece of news that I’ll share with you today is that – YOU DON’T HAVE TO SUFFER FROM PMS. You can even overcome the acne, cravings and fatigue, and without drugs. PMS is not “a given” and you can avoid it through some natural modifications.
The key to eliminating your PMS symptoms is to focus on the right diet (and lifestyle) factors that help balance your hormones, in particular, to avoid estrogen dominance, excess cortisol, and insulin resistance.
Diets rich in sugar, refined carbohydrates, conventionally farmed (non-organic) meats and dairy products, caffeine and alcohol, all promote hormone imbalances. Stress, environmental pollutants and hormone-disrupting chemicals further disrupt your hormone. These diet and lifestyle factors contribute to inflammation and increased stress in your body, which get your hormones more out of whack, worsening your PMS symptoms.
So now that you know the key triggers of PMS, lets talk about all the things you can be doing to create more hormonal balance.
Here are 7 effective tips to start implementing now to avoid PMS:
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Stressed? One Easy & Effective Tool to Melt Away Stress
Do you sometimes feel like your to-do list is never ending? Like every time you're finishing one thing, something new pops up, and there's just never enough time in the day to do everything you want to do? Are deadlines freaking you a bit? Maybe your boyfriend/ girlfriend/ husband/ wife are driving you nuts. Or maybe you secretly want to murder your boss or a coworker!
Whatever it is, it's sometimes hard to control the stress and anxiety that builds up from time to time. It happens - we're human, and we're busy people these days. But it is ABSOLUTELY CRUCIAL to find ways to manage your stress and not let it have a catastrophic impact on your health - because it will.
Luckily, there are many things one can do to help manage stress (read more HERE), but this one simple technique that I'm sharing with you today, almost instantly tells your body that you're not in danger and everything is OK; it stops the production of stress hormones and allows your body to relax.
WATCH MY VIDEO TO SEE THE ONE TECHNIQUE THAT I FIND MOST USEFUL, AND HOW I DO IT.
Read More8 Ways to Activate Your GENES For Better Health & Weight Loss
One of the most fascinating studies that I've come across is regarding how we can program our genes to improve our health through food and lifestyle choices. YEP. If you eat poorly and live in stress, you make yourself even more susceptible to gain weight, but when you feed your cells the right way, that can start changing the behavior of your genes so that you (and your children) will have a tendency to be thinner and live longer.
We are all born with a FIXED set of genes (aprox 23,000) that determine our physical characteristics such as hair/eye color, and certain childhood diseases. Then we have many more gene mutations, which affect how genes express themselves in your body. And while we cannot change those 23,000 genes, new studies (called epigenetics) show that we CAN change the expressions of these genes, that direct our biochemical processes, and make us more/less likely to get certain health disorders.
Healthy aging is mostly due to how we “communicate” with our genes through our diet and lifestyle. OUR FOOD IS INFORMATION to our bodies, constantly giving “instructions” to our genes. If we eat nutritious, real food, it sends “good health” instructions to our genes. If we regularly eat foods loaded with sugar, trans fats and chemicals, its simply “bad data” for our genes that will stop our body from properly functioning.
Read More to learn 8 of the most important steps that you can take every day to optimize how your genes behave, helping to “turn on” the genes that promote good health (and “turn off” the genes that promote illness):
Read MoreWhat Oils Should You Be Using in the Kitchen?
I find that one of the biggest topics of confusion is what oils are the healthiest to cook with. And I won’t lie – its confusing for everyone. New discoveries keep arising, and its hard to keep up.
Given all the confusion, I have done my own extensive research on the topic, and wanted to share with you my conclusions and what I apply in my own life to stay healthy. Plus, I’ll clarify a few points for you to keep in mind when choosing your own cooking oils.
First, let me share a few facts / basic tips to keep in mind:
- DIFFERENT OILS ARE BETTER FOR DIFFERENT COOKING METHODS. Some oils are better for high heat cooking than others, and that depends on their “smoking point” (the temperature at which oils start to break down and lose nutrients) and on how easily they oxidize. When oils are heated, they react with oxygen and go through a process of oxidation, which can then create harmful compounds – so you want to limit this. Examples of oils with a higher smoking point (can withstand higher heat) and less sensitive to oxidation, include: coconut oil, ghee and grass-fed butter, avocado oil, sunflower oil, and sesame oil.
- GET YOUR OMEGA 3’s. Getting the right balance of Omega-3 to Omega-6 fatty acids is important for your health, as too much Omega 6 and not enough Omega 3 leads to inflammation in your body, which is a precursor to almost all disease. And sadly, most of us are getting a lot more Omega 6 fatty acids than Omega 3, so you want to emphasize increasing the omega-3-rich oils in your diet, such as: flaxseed, walnut, avocado and olive oil.
- AVOID TRANS FATS. Different oils have different types of fats, including: SATURATED FATS (solid at room temperature), UNSATURATED FATS (liquid at room temperature) and of course, TRANS FATS (artificial fats created from vegetable oil to make them more shelf-stable). When it comes to saturated vs. unsaturated fats – its hard to generalize whether they’re good or bad for you as it varies per type of oil, but one thing is for sure: Trans fats are BAD, have no nutritional benefit, and should be avoided. Trans fats are found in most: deep-fried foods, store-bought cookies, cakes and pies, in shortening (Crisco), frosting, pancake mixes and refrigerated dough, non-dairy creamers, margarine, and even crackers. So always read ingredient labels and be wary of anything labeled “partially hydrogenated oils”.
Is Your Gut Keeping You from Balanced Hormones and Weight Loss?
I work with a lot of people that are seemingly healthy, but struggle to lose those last few pounds. Often, they get tired most afternoons (and rely on coffee), have occasional skin issues, and some digestive issues. That’s when I usually detect that its related to their hormones. The problem then becomes that most doctors just have people treat these hormonal imbalances by taking more hormones, instead of figuring out WHY their hormones are off in the first place. (For ex., you have acne so you get prescribe the pill). But almost always, when there is any hormonal imbalance, there is an issue with the gut.
The first step to achieving optimal health and healing from the inside out is improving your gut health.
An unhealthy gut affects your body’s ability to produce the right quantity of hormones - including cortisol, thyroid hormone and sex hormones. A healthy gut is needed to fully absorb and metabolize nutrients from the foods you eat, which are necessary for the proper production of hormones (and for stress reduction!).
And if you're stressed and your hormones are off (for example, you're producing too much cortisol and/or not enough thyroid), this leads to symptoms such as: weight gain, anxiety, fatigue, as well as imbalances in your sex hormones, menstrual health and infertility.
So what can you do to improve your gut health and achieve hormonal balance, get more energy, better skin, stronger immunity, and weight loss?
Read MoreWhat I Eat to Keep My Hair Healthy, Strong, Long and Shiny
I love that I’m always getting compliments on my hair, and while part of it is definitely genetics (and luck!), I have come to realize that what I eat has a big impact on the health of my lovely locks.
Do you want to have shinier, thicker, stronger, sexy hair (that doesn’t easily break or fall out)? Instead of spending a ton of money on products (that are possibly damaging your hair in the long run), focus on increasing the foods in your daily diet that are key for nourishing your hair. (Note: this applies for men, too!)
Here are 7 nutrients (and foods rich in these nutrients) that will help you get fabulous hair:
Read MoreAn Effective Way to Overcome Your Sugar Addiction
Nowadays, we're eating more and more sugar without even realizing it.
Sugar is being added to EVERYTHING these days (in packaged foods, supplements, restaurants, etc). It's often disguised as different names, including: honey, agave, cane sugar, date sugar, beet sugar, turbinado sugar, but also less obvious ones like: malt (barley malt or diastatic malt), syrup (corn syrup, maple syrup, carob syrup, rice syrup), evaporated cane juice, maltose, sucrose, dextrose, fructose, glucose, maltodextrin, and more!
And natural sugars also add up. So even if you're not big on desserts, chances are you're still consuming a lot more sugar than you think. (I bet that if you were to actually count the grams of sugar that you eat in a day, you’ll be shocked!)
And the hard truth is - sugar is bad for everyone, not just people at risk of diabetes.
Why You Should Add Turmeric to Your Diet
Turmeric is a yellowish-orange colored spice, most commonly used in Indian curries, and is one of the most powerful anti-inflammatory and disease-fighting agents on the planet!
It has been used as a medicinal herb in India for years, and recently has been discovered worldwide for its medicinal properties. Studies have shown the benefits of Turmeric to be just as effective (and MORE effective in some cases) than Ibuprofen, Advil, and many prescription medications.
Here are some the proven benefits of curcumin, the most active ingredient in Turmeric:
- Help lower inflammation. (This is HUGE because low-grade chronic inflammation has been linked to many common diseases, from heart conditions to Alzheimer’s and cancer)
- Controls blood sugar spikes and insulin resistance
- Helps regulate high cholesterol
- Boosts immunity and the antioxidant capacity of our body
- Helps manage Arthritis symptoms (and generally, works as a pain reliever!)
- Can lower the risk of heart disease
- Has anti-cancer properties, helping to prevent the growth of cancer cells
- Can improve many skin conditions like Eczema, and more!
It's amazing, and a little goes a long way. Plus, it's so easy to incorporate into your diet. Here are some of my favorite ways to use turmeric:
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What I Eat and Drink to Help With a Hangover
Sometimes we all have a bit too much to drink. It happens to most of us. And dealing with the effects the next day are not great, but there are ways to make it easier on your body, so that you suffer a bit less!
The key is staying hydrated and getting some extra targeted nutrition to help your body deal with the loss of fluids and the extra load of metabolizing the alcohol and chemicals.
Unfortunately, the beer, greasy pizza, burger and fries can make it worse! Instead, here are some of the best drinks, foods and supplements that help me beat my hangover symptoms.
Read More5 Hormones That Affect Your Weight Loss
I come across many people (women in particular) that feel they have tried everything to lose weight – they’re “eating healthy” and working out like crazy, but they get stuck. And frustrated. Because the scale won’t budge.
They’re exercising intensely 5 days a week, they’re often skipping dinner to cut out calories, maybe even skipping breakfast on occasion, opting for just a coffee pre-workout, and having just a salad for lunch… but clearly the “calories in-calories out” is not working!
Does this sound like you?
The good news is, it’s not just you. There is a solution, which lies in BALANCING YOUR HORMONES.
Read MorePROBIOTICS - WHAT THEY ARE AND WHY YOU NEED THEM
As a Health Coach, I often bring up the topic of PROBIOTICS with my clients, as I find that a large majority of people, especially those with signs of inflammation or digestive issues, could benefit massively from including more probiotics in their diet.
But I’ve come to realize that the knowledge about these good bugs is still not wide-spread; most people just associate them with yogurt. So I wanted to shed some light, as this topic is one that I personally feel very strongly about and have spent lots of time researching, for both myself and clients.
FIRST, WHAT ARE PROBIOTICS?
The word itself is a compound of two Greek words, ‘pro’ meaning “of’ and “biotic” meaning “life”, so essentially, the very definition of probiotics affirms life and health! But in very basic terms, probiotics are strains of “good bacteria” that support our native beneficial bacteria and help control the “bad bacteria” from getting out of control. You can get them from fermented foods or take them as a supplement.
Some examples of probiotic-rich foods include:
- Yogurt (best to buy plain/unflavored and organic!)
- Kefir
- Sauerkraut
- Kimchi
- Miso
- Tempeh
- Kombucha tea
WHY ARE THEY IMPORTANT?
Read More12 Tips to Overcome Insomnia
Are you having trouble falling asleep or wake up in the night and can’t fall back asleep?
You’re not alone! It’s a common problem, but the good news is, it can be helped with a few diet and lifestyle tweaks, and may not require popping meds.
You need to focus on changing your eating and lifestyle habits to nourish your adrenals, reduce stress and promote proper melatonin and cortisol balance.
Here are 12 tips:
Read More10 Foods That Fight Inflammation
Inflammation in the body is one of the biggest issues leading to chronic disease, such as obesity, arthritis, heart problems and even cancer.
But inflammation doesn’t necessarily show up through puffiness and redness. Most often, we have internal inflammation that isn’t visible to us, but is present inside our bodies (aka silent inflammation). It’s building up, and it’s causing (for now) just minor things such as digestive issues, allergies, and basic skin problems. And if you don’t work NOW to control this inflammation, it will leader to more serious illnesses down the road.
The easiest and most effective way to taper inflammation is through your diet. After all, food is your best medicine. Start by eliminating processed foods, and then adding in naturally anti-inflammatory foods, including a variety of high-quality spices and herbs.
The following 10 foods, herbs and spices are among the best natural sources for reducing inflammation. I’ve also included tips for easy way you can start incorporating them into your day-to-day diet.
1. Omega-3 fatty acids – from fatty fish like wild salmon, krill, as well as vegetarian sources like flaxseeds, chia seeds & olive oil. You can also consider taking a fish-oil supplement.
Tip: Try adding 1 tbsp of ground flaxseeds to your morning oatmeal / yogurt / smoothie.
2. Dark Leafy Greens – These are some of the healthiest foods period, and among other things, they help with your body’s detoxification, flushing out some of this inflammation. They also contain lots of fiber and water which help with weight loss and contributes to beautiful skin and hair (among so many other benefits)! These greens include leaves such as: kale, spinach, arugula, swiss chard, collard greens, mustard greens, escarole and watercress.
Tip: Start having a fresh or cold-pressed green juice once a day, either with breakfast or as a snack between meals.
3. Berries – Berries contain flavonoids which contribute to their blue/purple/red coloring and have powerful anti-inflammatory benefits. These include goji berries, blueberries, blackberries raspberries, cranberries, cherries, and less common ones such as bilberries, mulberries, elderberry and gooseberry.
Tip: Add a handful of berries to your breakfast porridge or yogurt, to your green smoothies, and/or enjoy them as a snack with a few raw nuts.
Read More11 Natural Remedies to Fight a Cold
It’s that time of the year when the seasons are changing, and for many of us (in the northern hemisphere), the days are getting shorter and the temperature is dropping. So it’s especially important during these times to nourish our bodies, in order to make the seasonal transition easier and keep ourselves from getting sick.
The healthier you are and stronger your mind-body connection, the easier it is to detect an oncoming cold in its earliest stage - which is key. Its important to take action at the first sign of sickness by drinking tons fluids, getting plenty of rest and incorporating some additional natural remedies.
So in lieu of the season, I want to share my top 11 tricks to beat an oncoming cold. These are natural remedies that are focused on giving your body the extra nourishment it needs. These tips are easy, more affordable than medicine and also better for your body (no negative side effects!).
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