Hey friends and happy summer!

One of my favorite things to do as a dietitian is to share wellness tips. However, as much as I love to teach, I’d also love to learn from all of you!

Here are my top 5 wellness tips for the summer:

1. Start your day off with 16 oz of lemon water. Have it by your bedside and don’t let your feet touch the ground until it’s gone. Not only is this a great way to ensure hydration from the start, but it promotes digestion, boosts your immune system and SO much more.
2. Go out on a limb and try a new form of exercise, even if it seems like a crazy trend. Running, riding and swimming will always be around, but bungee fitness, aerial yoga, and pole dancing may not!
3. Incorporate an adaptogen blend. Adaptogens are essentially plants used in herbal medicine for the stabilization of physiological processes and promotion of homeostasis. Examples include Ashwagandha, Lion’s Mane and Eleuthero. I cannot live without them or else I end up a stressed mess, double-fisting caffeine. Whether you chose to take them as a blend in supplement form or in via such as the Four Sigmatic Peanut Butter Superfood Protein blend. Adaptogens can be a game-changer for those looking for stress relief with an energy boost. 
4. Don’t forget to declutter! Not just your mind with daily mediation but your home, particularly your bedroom and closet. If there are items of clothing you have not touched in more than two years, it’s time to donate or consider selling on a site such as Poshmark. Then of course, treat yourself with the profit!
5. Floss daily! This is so not glamorous, but someone has to make its importance known. Daily flossing is one of the most powerful health tips because it reduces oral bacteria which thereby elevates the health of your entire body. If oral bacteria is low, your body has the ability to more readily fight hazardous bacteria in other parts of the body. 

What are your go-to wellness tips for the summer? Let’s swap!

With love, 

Kylene

Raise your hand if you’re ready to love your liver this summer! 

Check out this refreshing summer mocktail to get the ball rolling:

Ingredients:

• 12-16 oz bottle of your favorite watermelon juice (this could be cold pressed from your local grocery store or a name brand such as WTRMLN WTR)
• 1 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 2-3 mint leaves
• Optional garnishes: cubed watermelon, fresh mint (or any herb you love--basil is great too), lemon, orange or lime zest.

Instructions:

1. Pour all ingredients in a shaker with a small handful of ice and shake for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
2. Serve over Watermelon Cubes or ice. 
3. Enjoy immediately!

Fueling on the go is an important life skill, especially if you have specific health goals you are hoping to achieve.

While it may not be easy, practice makes perfect and when there is a will, I promise you that there is a way. I work with the busiest, most travel-centric people and once each person gets into their own snack groove, the fueling strategy just becomes second nature. You’re up next!

Here are my best pro tips for fueling successfully on the go.

Stop Packing the Simple Sugar Foods

 Foods composed predominantly of simple sugars (added or natural) and or carbohydrates will not leave you feeling satisfied or energized shortly after consumption. So for example, if you see a product with 2g protein, 1g fat and 60g carbohydrate, we have a problem!

Although these foods are not quite as bad when paired with protein and fat, they are still not ideal to keep on hand on a routine basis. 

Prime examples include: Granola bars, fruit snacks, fruit by itself (fresh and dried), candy, pretzels and crackers. Nothing tastes as good as healthy feels. Use them up or donate them and do not repurchase.

Ample Fat and Protein Is a Must

You’ve probably heard me say this before in regards to your meals, but your snacks definitely need to include fat and protein as well. It’s tough to provide a target number without knowing you or what else you are eating throughout the day but, generally speaking, we want to see at least 8g of protein and 5-15 grams of fat in your snack. 

Here are a few of my favorite examples:  

• Epic Bacon and Egg Yolk Breakfast Bars
• Epic Sesame Chicken Mini Bites
• Level Bars Banana Bread, Apple Crisp, Salted Brownie and Oatmeal Cookie for the win! (Bonus: Also packed with collagen and adaptogens)
• Aloha Portable Shakes-- Hello Chocolate Sea Salt!
• Vital Proteins Strawberry Lemon Collagen Water paired with a squeezable packet of cashew butter

It's also worth noting, many grocery stores are now selling cooked and peeled hard boiled eggs.

Get Rid Of the Chemicals and Funky Ingredients

Alright, so you found a bar or protein shake that’s high in fat and protein and low in sugar. Awesome! But, before we get ahead of ourselves, what are you reading in the ingredient list? If all you see is artificial sweeteners and foreign ingredients, you may feel full after the snack but the bloat, headache, sinus issues or farts that come 1-2 hrs later is not benefitting your long term health.

Something else very important I want you to keep in mind is that inflammation adds up. In other words, you may not feel terrible immediately after consumption of the snack, but the inflammation in your body may manifest itself in other forms i.e. it is not normal to have painful period cramps and clotting. It is not normal to need caffeine to survive the day. You get the idea…

Find Your Magic 5

This means that at all times, you will have 5 nonperishable items on hand or stocked somewhere that you can easily access. A balanced shake, a form of pure protein, a balanced bar, nuts or seeds of choice, and a “legal” dessert. 

Here are my personal top picks:

1. Shake: OWYN Cold Brew Coffee Shake
2. Bar or snack consisting of a pure protein source: Korean BBQ Chicken Jerky or for those who are plant-based, two Go Umami Baked Tofu Bars
3. Nuts or seeds: Superseedz Spicy Pumpkin Seeds or any nut that you love. I vote for organic, roasted pistachios. 
4. Energy Bar:  Oatmeal Cookie Level Bars 
5. Legal Dessert: Eating Evolved Hazelnut Butter Cups

Hopefully this helps you to kick off your snacking in the right direction. Questions? Please shoot below!

With love, 

Kylene

Looking for a little pick-me-up without caffeine? Perhaps a gentle rebalancing of the hormones?  Look no further than this delicious Cinnamon-Almond-Maca shake.

Maca is an edible plant, native to the Andes Mountains of Peru. This magical vegetable has been cultivated for over 3,000 years and is used to support everything from hormone health  to sports performance. I often incorporate maca root in my meal plans to help the body fight stress while providing an energizing boost. Maca provides such a boost, it is informally known as Peruvian Ginseng. 

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp almond butter (or cashew butter! Sunflower seed butter works great for nut allergies)
• 1 tbsp ground flaxseed
• 2 tsp maca root powder
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1.5 cups vanilla unsweetened almond milk (vanilla hemp for nut allergies)
• 2 medjool dates, pitted
• Handful of ice cubes (more or less according to your texture preference)

If you prefer this to be more of a meal than a snack, add your favorite protein powder. The serving should equal 20-30g of protein to make this a meal. If you are looking to use this as pre workout fuel or post workout recovery, increase carbohydrate intake by adding ½ frozen banana or ¼ cup old fashioned oats. 

Instructions:

1. Add all ingredients in a blender
2. Mix until smooth and enjoy!
3. This recipe makes one serving

Let me know how you enjoy this..it's one of my absolute favorites! 

Probiotics are the real MVP. The true underdog, just waiting to guide you to victory. 

We’ve spent so many years focusing on low calories, artificial sweeteners and fad cleanses to feel more energetic, think more clearly, have glowing skin, but at the end of the day, the real answers and long term solutions are found in the gut.

Here is the quick and easy version of everything you need to know about the gut and probiotics. 

What Is the Gut Microbiome and Why Is Gut Health so Important?

The gut microbiome is very similar to the Amazon Rain Forest. It is composed of trillions of microorganisms including bacteria, archaea and fungi that live in our digestive tract. The microbiome in our gut is essentially its own ecosystem and when that ecosystem is thrown out of balance by stress, medications, junk food - you name it, our health begins to decline. 

Now, when we dive deeper into those trillions of gut bacteria, we will find approximately 1,000 different species, represented by roughly 5,000 bacterial strains. More and more research is emerging suggesting that specific strains relate directly to our ability to lose weight, feel depressed, acquire autoimmune disease, experience bowel issues and more.

We know that each individual’s gut microbiome is unique, but there are certain combinations and groupings of bacteria that are found in healthy individuals.

Moral of the story: Our goal is to try and achieve that magic bacterial balance that mimics that of what is more commonly seen in healthy individuals. 

Taking a daily probiotic can sometimes be one of the most effective ways to accomplish this task.

Why Might You Consider Taking a Daily Probiotic?

There is so much hype these days around probiotics, and for good reason!

In a dream world, we would all be showering our prebiotic-rich meals each day with probiotics such as kimchi and sauerkraut. Prebiotics are essentially carbohydrates that our body can’t digest and for this reason, they serve as fuel for probiotics. 

Probiotics are the bacteria that act as food for our “good” bacteria in the gut to help the little guys grow. Probiotics can also help crowd out “bad” bacteria and yeast that are known to wreak havoc on the immune system.

Let’s take it one step further. Postbiotics, otherwise known as metabolites - are byproducts of the fermentation process that occur after probiotics feast on prebiotics. Postbiotics are essentially the “waste” of probiotics, that when released, are immunologically beneficial to the human body.

Needless to say, a proper balance of pre and probiotics leads to a happy, calm gut, more energy  and a strong intestinal barrier. A strong barrier means that we have extra protection from disease and toxins from the outside world. 

What questions do you have for me about probiotics? I'm happy to answer them!

With love,

Kylene

How many of you have experienced a skin flare up or breakout? Eczema, psoriasis, hives? We've all been there in some way or the other and no, it's not fun. Have you ever actually paid attention to what you ate around the time of a flare? Sure, food is not always the culprit, however it can be a trigger more often than we realize. In my practice, I see an incredible amount of skin conditions that are exacerbated by gluten. 

How does that make any sense? Well, there is something called tissue transglutaminase in our gut and after gluten is ingested, it cross-reacts with the epidermal tissue’s transglutaminase. Simply put, gut tissue transglutaminase is what helps us digest gluten and this enzyme also exists in the skin. When our body experiences that cross reaction, that is when annoying skin issues arise like red tiny bumps on the back of our arm, a strange rash or sore, eczema, psoriasis etc. 

If you have an inkling that gluten or any food in particular is causing your skin to be unhappy, consider its removal for 2 weeks and see what happens. Be sure to take before and after pictures as this tends to be the best measurement of progress! 

With love,

Kylene

Ingredients:

• 1 cup raw cashews
• 1 cup filtered or distilled water
• 1 tbsp yogurt (dairy or non dairy) to use as a starter. Be sure to use one with live, active cultures

Directions:

1. Place the cashews and water in a blender and blend into a smooth paste.
2. Pour the cashew paste into a glass bowl. Microwave for 10-15 seconds or until slightly warm.
3. Stir in the starter or, if using probiotic pills, open the capsules and empty the powder into the paste. Cover the bowl with cling wrap and place in a warm spot, like a cold oven with the pilot light on, or, in warmer climates, on the countertop.
4. Let it stand for at least six hours or, ideally overnight. The final product should be thick and tangy.
5. Serve in your favorite cup layered with nuts, seeds, fresh fruit and chocolate.

A recipe you and your gut will be sure to enjoy!

Our gut microbiome is essentially the cockpit or control center for the human body. Approximately 100 trillion bacteria live in our gut- both bacteria that helps our body function optimally and bacteria that does the exact opposite. 

One of the best things we can do when it comes to our health is to keep a proper balance of bacteria within our gut microbiome. 

Here are 5 eating strategies that can promote the health of your microbiome and change the status of your bacteria for the better:

Diversity is Key

While eating the same foods each day can be so convenient, it is not always the best idea when it comes to gut health. The more diverse the bacteria in our gut, the stronger our immune system will be. How do we achieve diverse gut bacteria? By eating a wide variety of foods! If oranges and apples were on your grocery list last week, lets try bananas and kiwis this week. Peppers and broccoli last week? Let’s shoot for onions, carrots, and asparagus this week. 

Keep Track of Added Sugar Consumption

Try to keep added sugar in check at 25g or less each day. Excess added sugar can feed bad bacteria and yeast in a way that leads to fatigue, brain fog and bloating.

Consume Probiotics Daily

Whether it be in food or capsule form, a daily dose of probiotics is one of the absolute best ways to fuel the good bacteria in the gut. 2 TBSP of kimchi or sauerkraut, 6-8 oz Kombucha, or a few ounces of tempeh or natto is a great start.

Don’t Forget the Prebiotics

Prebiotic rich foods serve as the food for probiotics. Incorporating a serving or two of prebiotic rich foods with probiotic rich foods is a match made in heaven for gut microflora. Try adding dandelion greens to your salad with sauerkraut on top or sip on Kombucha with a meal that contains beans, asparagus, garlic or onion!

Monitor Stress Levels

Although stress does not always relate directly to eating, it can definitely alter the balance of bacteria in your gut. Your diet can be absolute perfection but if you are under a state of chronic stress, your gut bacteria will never be truly happy. 

How do we begin to tackle chronic stress? Begin to wean off caffeine. Avoid blue light two hours before bed and begin a stress reduction modality that suits you. Daily meditation, acupuncture, yoga, and Tai Chi are among the most favorite of my clients.

With love, 

Kylene