I hear from so many about salt intake and worrying that they are taking in too much. Recent studies recommend that you should be sticking to around 2,300 mg a day. You shouldn’t be eating salt without restraint— focus on limiting salty processed or restaurant food. Also reduce use or stop your use of the salt shaker. Be sure to eat plenty of potassium-rich fruits and vegetables to balance sodium in the body—but you also shouldn’t be obsessing about keeping your salt intake super low. Your body needs salt to function.

Over the past few months it seems as through a number of my clients are struggling with hormonal and/or thyroid problems. I’ve found myself doing a ton of research on this just to educate myself and to help my clients find some answers. If anyone has encountered the same, I’d love to hear about it.

Would you know if your thyroid gland slowed its production of thyroid hormone’ The symptoms of decreased thyroid hormone synthesis, known as hypothyroidism, are hard to spot. About 10 million Americans have thyroid disease and many others are undiagnosed, under-diagnosed, or under-treated.  Many times the symptoms—including weakness and fatigue, weight gain, persistent constipation, or thinning hair—are often mistaken as other illnesses or simply the progression of aging.

Our thyroids stores and produces hormones that affect the function of virtually every organ in our bodies. The hormones produced by the thyroid gland, T3 and T4, regulate the body’s metabolism by providing cells with energy they need to function. When your thyroid does not produce enough of these hormones, the balance of chemical reactions in your body can be upset and many times results in a slowed metabolism.

If levels of thyroid hormones are low, you burn fewer calories per day AKA clients will begin to put on weight and have no idea what’s happening even if they have been consistent with their eating and work out programs.  An underactive thyroid makes every calorie count more, sometimes double. It makes losing weight a slower and more challenging and frustrating process.

When helping your client(s) manage thyroid challenges here are 6 tips.

1. Check in with their doctors —  If they are experiencing the symptoms of hypothyroidism, it’s essential to they get proper treatment from your physician or naturopath. Diagnosis through a blood test will determine if what is needed to help normalize your thyroid. Your client may also want to ask to have their c-reactive protein and cortisol levels checked out  It’s important to note that doctors may help your clients normalize hormone levels, but they won’t necessarily cause you to lose weight. Diet and lifestyle changes must still be followed to help shed the pounds (more about this below).
2. Avoid foods that hinder thyroid hormone absorption — When taking thyroid hormones, it’s important to avoid certain foods and nutrients that can interfere with absorption. For example, dietary calcium or iron can inhibit thyroid hormone absorption. For this reason, many doctors recommend taking thyroid medication immediately upon rising and two to three hours apart from consuming calcium- or iron-containing foods. Be sure to do your research as some calcium- and iron-containing foods and supplements may be surprising such as antacids, calcium-fortified orange juice, and multivitamins.It’s also important to avoid foods that can interfere with thyroid function, which are designated as goitrogenic foods. Common goitrogenic foods include non-fermented soy foods, legumes such as lima beans, and raw cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts. Preparation methods, such as cooking or fermentation, reduce the amount of goitrogens in these foods.
3. Eat balanced meals with quality protein — The greatest contributor to basal metabolic rate (BMR)—the rate that your body burns calories—is muscle tissue. Even when you are at rest (such as sleeping), muscle requires energy to rebuild and restore. For this reason, it’s beneficial to preserve muscle when you’re trying to lose weight. Meals higher in protein compared to other macronutrients (carbohydrates and fats) have shown to help maintain muscle mass resulting in a higher BMR, faster metabolism, and greater energy expenditure (1;2). The thermogenic effect of food aka  the digestion and absorption of protein—requires more calories than both fat and carbohydrate combined (2).
4. Choose calories wisely — When trying to lose weight, every calorie counts. This is even more emphasized when dealing with a sluggish metabolism. It’s important to limit “empty” calories such as sugary drinks, white-flour pastas and breads, and other sources of refined carbohydrates that can quickly spike blood sugar and leave you feeling hungry and fatigued.Instead of refined carbohydrates, choose portion-controlled meals that are higher in dietary fiber to help satisfy your appetite and keep you feeling fuller, longer. In addition to curbing cravings, a high-fiber diet can help avoid hypothyroidism-induced constipation as dietary fiber is an important bulking agent for solidifying and softening stools.
5. Get moving, even if it is only for a short time — The fatigue that often accompanies hypothyroidism can hamper motivation to exercise; however, physical activity—especially resistance training— is a major contributor to metabolic stimulation and muscle growth, which can fuel weight loss. If time and motivation to exercise are challenging for your clients have them give high-intensity interval training (HITT) a try.
6. Make sure you are getting sufficient vitamins and minerals daily — A diet supplying sufficient amounts of minerals such as iodine and selenium is important for thyroid health. Sources of iodine include iodized salt and sea vegetables such as kelp. It may seem like we should be getting enough iodine from a typical salty Western diet; however, many processed foods do not use iodized salt. Sources of selenium include animal products, seafood, dairy, and Brazil nuts.Evidence has been showing that vitamin D is particularly important for those with thyroid problems and other autoimmune disorders. Those with thyroid disease may be at greater risk for low vitamin D levels (4,5). Because of the many roles vitamin D plays in the body—from  bone health to brain health—it’s important to be sure you are getting enough through your diet, supplementation, or by soaking up the sun’s UVB rays. If you choose the latter, be sure to practice safe sun exposure.
7. Get enough quality shut-eye — Getting enough quality sleep is important for anyone attempting to lose weight, it’s especially important for those with hypothyroidism. Too often, people who are sleep-deprived try to increase levels of alertness by eating and those foods tend to be high-calorie options. This cycle of fatigue and self-medicating with unhealthy foods can be disastrous for your clients waist line and health.In addition to feeling tired and making bad food choices, sleep deprivation can decrease insulin sensitivity and essentially cause a metabolic meltdown. On average, adults need seven to nine hours of sleep each night.

References:

1. Soenen S, et al. Normal Protein Intake Is Required for Body Weight Loss and Weight Maintenance, and Elevated Protein Intake for Additional Preservation of Resting Energy Expenditure and Fat Free Mass. J Nutr. 2013 Feb 27. doi: 10.3945/jn.112.167593
2. Westerterp-Plantenga MS, et al. Dietary protein – its role in satiety, energetics, weight loss and health. Br J Nutr. 2012 Aug;108 Suppl 2:S105-12. doi: 10.1017/S0007114512002589.
3. Shiraev T, Barclay G. Evidence based exercise – clinical benefits of high intensity interval training. Aust Fam Physician. 2012 Dec;41(12):960-2.
4. Kivity S, Agmon-Levin N, Zisappl M et al. Vitamin D and autoimmune thyroid diseases. Cell Mol Immunol 2011;[8:24]3-7. doi: 10.1038/cmi.2010.73
5. Bozkurt NC, Karbek B, Ucan B et al. The Association Between Severity of Vitamin D Deficiency and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. Endocr Pract 2013;1-14.

Try a new good fat oil Good fat oils helps your metabolism. Plus ti gives you nice skin, hair and nails a nice shine. Good fat oils are yummy. Any oil works except veggie or corn. PS — there is more to life than olive oil and nut butters.

Do 30 min of strength training. Many of you focus on cardio. It’s the strength training that will give you the lean and tone physique that you crave.

Starting Monday, May 27th through Sunday, August 4th purchase anyone of the following Isagenix package and 2 boxes of e+shots receive FREE shipping.

• Energy and Fat Burning system –ideal for those individuals who want to lose weight using a long-term, flexible program.
• Energy and Performance — perfect for someone like to build muscle, get lean, recover from their workouts and increase their performance.
• Healthy Aging — ultimate system for creating great health and defying age.
• The Family Pak — trying to get your whole family healthy’ This will give you enough products for your entire family to try.

*No coupon is necessary.
Have 2 friends that want to change their health’ Refer them and save even more, Isagenix will give you an additional $50.

If you have questions, please contact me. I’d love to help you get started.

Do 30 min of cardio today — pick any piece of equipment, jump rope, kettlebell, outdoor running

During beach week I will be giving you daily tips for the next 10 days that will help you kick off this summer. Here are a few things you need to get started.

Strength training — 3 sets 12 reps/ exercise treat it as one giant circuit.

• Squats
• Pushups
• Alternating dumbbell curls
• Overhead press
• Stability ball jack knives

Cardio

Hit any piece of cardio. Warm up for 5 min. Then go as fast as you can for 45 sec and rest 30 and keep that going for 30 min.

Stay tuned — each week you’ll get a new healthy tip.

Whether out for a run, grilling your favorite meats on a hot summer day, or spring-cleaning the house, our bodies are exposed to over 167 different toxins every day.  These toxins in our environment (exotoxins) and that our bodies produce (endotoxins) have the ability to disrupt the essential biological structures needed for the body to function such as DNA, cellular membranes, and protein. Repeated exposure to various toxins can contribute to adverse health effects in the short-term such as headaches, nausea, and fatigue; and in the long-term can contribute to weight gain and chronic health outcomes.

Detoxification is essential for ridding the body of toxins and preventing their “health robbing” effects. Although all cells have the ability to detoxify toxins, the most important organ for detoxification is the liver–known as the body’s filter and purification system.

Most of you say that you liver can handle the toxin load, but most of the toxins are not processed by the liver because the liver doesn’t know what to do with it. So.. it’s sent to your fat cells.

Fat Cells House Toxins

Toxins enter the liver as either water- or fat-soluble molecules.  Water-soluble toxins are rather easily metabolized and excreted into the urine. Not all toxins make it out of our bodies, some toxins are stored in fat cells where they are protected from the body’s detoxification systems. This protection causes inflammation. Most of us see this inflammation in our mid section.  

Excess fat stores, especially organ-bathing visceral fat, are linked to several diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic dysfunction. The addition of toxin exposure to an overweight or obese individual may only serve to increase these risks (1). We’ve talked about this an earlier session.

Three Phases of Detoxification

1. The toxin is broken down by enzymes during a several phase process . The breakdown process makes the toxins more water-soluble. More water-soluble, less toxic molecules are easily transported into the blood, through our kidneys, and out into the urine for elimination.
2.  If we’re exposed to excessive amounts of toxins they could rapidly deplete our ability to make toxins water soluble and protect us from free radicals.
3. In the final step, toxins in the cells are pushed to bloodstream for elimination.

Proper Nutrition Essential for Detoxification

To ensure optimal functioning of our detoxification systems it is essential to have an adequate dietary intake of vitamins (B vitamins, vitamins C, and E), minerals (selenium, zinc, copper), and other nutrients such as CoQ10 and polyphenols. These nutrients bolster our detoxification defenses either through their roles in phases I, II or III of detoxification or by providing antioxidant support (3). Nutritional support is essential in the detoxification process because some toxins are produced as the result of free radicals. Plus, nutritional support is needed to counteract the oxidative damage caused by toxins.

Plant botanicals including ashwagandha, aloe vera, and turmeric (Cleanse for Life), milk thistle (Product B), resveratrol, and other antioxidant vitamins and botanicals (Ageless Essential Daily Pak) have all been shown to improve detoxification.

Calorie Restriction and Intermittent Fasting Stimulate Detoxification

Although not yet extensively examined in humans, subjecting animals to calorie restriction (CR) or intermittent fasting (IF) has also been shown to increase efficiency of detoxification pathways. The precise mechanisms responsible for the benefits of CR or IF on detoxification are unclear, but it’s thought that these two cleansing protocols “turn on” genes that increase detoxification. By Day 2 of a cleanse your natural source of human growth hormone has spiked and you are in fat burning mode.  Women experience a 1300% increase and men experience a 2100% increase.

Additionally, the reduction of fat mass—the primary target for toxin storage—stimulates the release of these fat based toxins into the circulation. Once broken down these toxins enter the bloodstream toxins and are more easily excreted from the body. When the body has the additional nutritional support of amino acids, vitamins, polyphenols, and other ingredients, the detoxification enzymes can perform at peak function.

This isn’t your maple syrup and lemon juice diet. This cleanse supports you nutritionally and you won’t feel hungry or deprived. You also won’t be spending quality time in the bathroom.  I typically do a 2 day cleanse 1x quarter to help my body to rid itself of the toxin load.

The best about cleanse of life is that it’s gentle enough to use every day. So.. I will also take 1/4 cup every evening before I go to bed.

Want to give this a try’ Give the Detox and Fuelprogram a try.

Today’s challenge:

• We talked about body cleansing, the same can be said about life cleansing. Is there anything you need to get rid of’ Is there a person in your life that causes you angst’ Do you have clutter around you house’ What about your gym bag’ Today is all about getting rid of the junk that maybe holding you back!

Don’t forget Leave a comment below. Write a facebook post on the Fabulous Fit Squad. If you have a personal blog, write a blog post. Make sure you link back to the site so we can cheer you on and hold you accountable.

Just joining now” Don’t worry you can catch up.
Day 1 — Intro the challenge
Day 2 — Getting your mind straight 
Day 3 — Goal setting 
Day 4 — What’s on your plate
Day 5 — Lift
Day 6 — Cardio
Day 7 — Living on your own terms
Day 8 — Rest day
Day  9 — Forming a habit
Day 10 — Just Breathe
Day 11 — Fat loss secrets revealed
Day 12 — Can you pinch an inch
Day 13 — Dedicated and Focused 
Day 14 — Doubt
Day 15 — Rewards and Consequences
Day 16 — Damn Hormones
Day 17 — Pre and Post Workout Meals
Day 18 — Successful Weight Loss
Day 19 — Know Before You Go
Day 20 — Courage and Strength
Day 21 — You Can’t Out Run A Bad Diet
Day 22 — 10 Days To Go!

References:

1.    Holtcamp W. Obesogens: an environmental link to obesity. Environ Health Perspect 2012;120:a62-a68.

2.    Liska DJ. The detoxification enzyme systems. Altern Med Rev 1998;[3:18]7-98.

3.    Yang YM, Noh K, Han CY, Kim SG. Transactivation of genes encoding for phase II enzymes and phase III transporters by phytochemical antioxidants. Molecules 2010;[15:63]32-48.

4.    Vinson JA, Al KH, Andreoli L. Effect of Aloe vera preparations on the human bioavailability of vitamins C and E. Phytomedicine 2005;[12:76]0-5.

5.    Kim BH, Hong SS, Kwon SW et al. Diarctigenin, a lignan constituent from Arctium lappa, down-regulated zymosan-induced transcription of inflammatory genes through suppression of DNA binding ability of nuclear factor-kappaB in macrophages. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2008;3[27:39]3-401.

6.    Ahmad MK, Mahdi AA, Shukla KK et al. Withania somnifera improves semen quality by regulating reproductive hormone levels and oxidative stress in seminal plasma of infertile males. Fertil Steril 2010;[94:98]9-96.

7.    Krikorian R, Shidler MD, Nash TA et al. Blueberry supplementation improves memory in older adults. J Agric Food Chem 2010;[58:39]96-4000.

8.    Bounous G, Gold P. The biological activity of undenatured dietary whey proteins: role of glutathione. Clin Invest Med 1991;[14:29]6-309.

9.    Sekhar RV, Patel SG, Guthikonda AP et al. Deficient synthesis of glutathione underlies oxidative stress in aging and can be corrected by dietary cysteine and glycine supplementation. Am J Clin Nutr 2011;[94:84]7-53.

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Now that I have your attention. Many of you have been sucked into the marketing hype that when I drink an alcoholic beverage as long as it’s sugar free, skinny, no carb, low carb etc that is good for me. Well.. sorry when you combine alcohol with ANYTHING you still need to account for the alcohol calories. One gram of Alcohol has 7 calories. When you drink an alcoholic beverage your body doesn’t know what it is, it consider alcohol to be foreign object, a toxin that your body sends to the liver to be processed. As alcohol is absorbed it reaches the liver it broken down into a substance called acetate.
Our bodies are lazy and it’s like to burn the stuff that’s the easiest. Acetate is like lighter fluid to your body. It can easily burn it so it will go there first before it will tap into your bodies fat storage. Plus — your body is always looking rid itself of toxins so it will keep burning the alcohol until it’s all gone. For just one drink your fat burning could be halted for 24 hours. So if you have a high alcohol intake this could turn off your fat burning switch for a number of days. Yes, I said A NUMBER of days!! In a nutshell alcohol prevents weight loss.

Beside the obvious side effects of alcohol. Consuming alcoholic beverage alters the balance of reproductive hormones and cause the body to produce excess estrogen causes bone deterioration. We also know that alcohol increases our actual hunger level and your resistance to tempting foods is zero.  So.. between the booze and the excess food you are taking a few steps back in the weight loss game.

Now I’m not saying that booze is the devil! What I am saying is weight loss and alcohol don’t mix well.  You must pick your battles. If you are going to be drinking alcoholic beverages make smart food choices — you are to avoid overly carby, cheesy, fried or non lean protein sources.

For years my husband has always said your friends are crazy. I like to say my friends just like to have fun! Here is my friend Monifa and her husband having fun. For me I will always have to look good when I pump gas from now on.

2nd part

The best part is that Jon Bon Jovi got in on it to.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/’set=vb.7220821999&type=2

Many of us react badly to foods.  They make us sick to our stomach or give us digestive issues.  However, some people have more severe allergies to food which are actually much less common.  Here are five of the more common food items people can be allergic to.

1. Nuts: While nut allergies are not the most common food allergy, they are often the most known because they are the most severe.  People with severe nut allergies must be especially careful because they will often react not only to nuts, but also foods that have been prepared in the same facility as nuts.  They can react to very small amounts and can have reactions from nut residue transferred from other people.  Unlike many other food allergies, kids don’t usually outgrow their nut allergies and have to remain alert about what they eat for their whole lives. While most people associate nut allergies with peanuts, you can be allergic to other nuts as well; however, because of how the allergens differ, people who are allergic to one are often not allergic to the other.
2. Milk: When most people think of a milk allergy, they’re actually thinking of lactose intolerance.  While we often use these synonymously, lactose intolerance isn’t actually an allergy; it simply means that your body cant properly digest milk so you feel sick to your stomach.  A true allergy is often much more dangerous.  Milk allergies usually occur among young children and are outgrown by the time they reach adulthood.  People with allergies can sometimes eat soy products; however, you should be careful because many people are allergic to soy as well.
3. Eggs: This is another allergy common among children that generally disappears when they get older.  The good news is that, just like milk, there is a product on the market called egg replacer that can be used as a substitute.   You cant scramble it or fry it easily like normal eggs, but you can use it in most baking recipes to achieve a similar texture and flavor without fear of reaction.  It is a powder, so you may have to play a bit with the other ingredients but with a little effort, it can make a great substitute.
4. Fish/Shellfish:  Just like allergies with peanuts and other nuts, most people aren’t allergic to both fish and shellfish.  However, if you are allergic to one type of shellfish, it’s fairly common to be allergic to two or even all types of shellfish.  This is another allergy that many people don’t outgrow, so you will have to be careful your whole life.
5. Wheat: This is actually a fairly common allergy and can affect up to six percent of children under three.  This is often confused with a disorder called celiac disease, where someone cannot digest wheat and other gluten’s, but that is not a true allergy.  While there are many foods that need to be avoided because wheat is a common ingredient, most people with wheat allergies can simply replace the wheat with another grain to avoid a reaction.

If you find that when you eat these foods take them out of your diet one by one and see which causes your pain and/or inflammation to go away.

Here in New England it’s the time of year where all the nursery’s are putting out their annuals, perennials, seeds and tress.  I don’t know about you but it gets me thinking maybe I might have a green thumb and try to plant something. Then I think, I ‘m fairly lucky that I have kept 3 plants alive. Let me just add these plants are like 10+ years old. So I have ever reason to be a product plant mamma.  Now.. when I think of getting a green thumb, I also think small like herbs.

If you go to the spice section in the grocery store, you will see many types of herbs.  I am the queen of spice and I see many spices that I could probably grow.

Herb gardens are great for cooking purposes, but they can also be home to medicinal and fragrant plants. Let’s break them down.

Cooking Herbs
There are many cooking herbs that you can grow in your garden.  Basil, bay, dill and chives are just a few of the many delicious spices that come from easy-to-grow herbs.  Most plants grow large enough to provide a bountiful harvest that you can share with friends and family.

Fresh herbs are much tastier than the store-bought ones because they haven’t sat around long enough to lose flavor.  So a little bit goes a long way.  Some cooking herbs are perennials, so they will come back for you to enjoy year after year.

Medicinal Herbs
Many herbs are known for their medicinal qualities.  Yarrow, St. John’s wort, and hyssop are some of the most used medicinal herbs.  Herbal remedies can be found for almost any common ailment, and they are less expensive and often have fewer side effects than traditional medicines.

Fragrant Herbs
Many herbs have a pleasant fragrance in addition to culinary uses and medicinal qualities.  So some people grow herbs simply for their beauty and scent.  Some fragrant herbs mingle well with regular flowers to add beauty and fragrance to a traditional garden.

Culinary, medicinal and fragrant herbs make thoughtful and useful gifts.  You could give entire plants or cuttings so that recipients can grow their own.  Or you could dry and grind culinary herbs that they can use in cooking.  For a friend or family member who is sick, you could prepare an infusion or tincture and deliver it to him or her.

Another great way to present culinary or medicinal herbs is with recipes.  You could print the recipe on some pretty stationary or a note card, package the other ingredients with it, and present it to someone who loves gourmet food or enjoys using home remedies.

There are many benefits of growing a herb garden.  It puts the things you need for cooking and herbal remedies right at your fingertips.  It allows you to use the ingredients fresh instead of buying them from the store, where it’s hard to tell how long they’ve been sitting on the shelf.  And it allows you to make money from the herbs or give them as gifts.  The many uses for herbs make herb gardening well worth the time spent.
Here are 3 ways you can get started with your indoor garden.

1. Go here is you want to start them inside and then replant them outdoors.
2. Go here if you want an indoor self sustainable garden.
3. Go here if you want a little fun — remember the chia pet”

If you’ve ever planted a herb garden, I’d love to hear your results, leave a comment below.