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

Do you have daily nutrition habits that are feeding your current level of stress? Here is the CliffsNotes version of what we need to keep in check!

Excess Sugar Intake

Not only can added sugar feed our cortisol levels,  but frequent intake of sugar can lead to changes in brain function which can alter our emotional state and subsequent behaviors.  

Caffeine

Many of us rely on caffeine to survive daily stress, but guess what? That big cup of Joe  might indirectly be defeating the whole purpose of why you are drinking it in the first place. While some research touts the benefits of caffeine consumption, many other studies suggest that caffeine can exaggerate the body’s stress response, specifically as it relates to blood pressure and stress hormone levels. This is especially critical to make note of if you are not an efficient caffeine metabolizer. Instead of going through the effort of genetic testing, listen to your body. Jitters, increased anxiety and insomnia post caffeine can be some of the biggest clues. 

Fasting in The Morning

Intermittent fasting is all the rage these days, yet when you dive into the research, this approach is oftentimes not very advantageous for women, particularly when the individual has fasted for a time span of 14 hours or greater. This is because our body is in such a catabolic state by that point in the morning that our body responds by secreting more cortisol. Add a shot of caffeine or a sugar laden snack/meal on top of that and you are blowing cortisol out of the water. High cortisol= major stress response.

What are some other daily nutrition habits you feel may add some extra unneeded stress in your life? Let me know, I'm happy to share my thoughts! 

With love, 

Kylene

We live in a world where stress can be found at every corner. 

You may think you are one of the lucky ones who is stress-resilient, however, cortisol dysregulation can get the best of us dealing with over-packed schedules on a regular basis.

Taking two steps back, cortisol is the queen bee of stress hormones and when your body produces too much, or too little, the body responds by trying its best to conserve energy and keep you afloat so to speak. Common symptoms of cortisol dysregulation include an accumulation of extra belly fat, feeling wired and tired at night, feeling restless or anxious for no good reason, and strong sugar cravings. 

Please also note that cortisol dysregulation exists on a spectrum and typically happens when multiple stressors are presented to the body at one time.

If this information strikes a cord, here are a few tips to get your cortisol back on track: 

1. Eat regularly throughout the day 
2. Eat macronutrient balanced meals (protein + carbs + fat)
3. Rule out hidden infections ⁣
4. Sleep 7-9 hours per night
5. Allow for adequate recovery time and nutrition between workouts

With love, 

Kylene

Did you know your skin is the largest organ in the body? Probably...but what's even more interesting is the fact that changing diet can dramatically change the health and appearance of your skin. This is because there are many receptors for our skin in the gut. 

We’ve discussed previously how the trillions of bacteria within your intestinal walls act like a control center for the body. This is known as the gut microbiome. If we dive a little deeper, we find that more than 500 bacterial species have been detected on healthy skin, potentially expressing more than 2 millions genes. Simply put, skin has its own microbiome and it acts similarly to a liver. When this microbiome is off balance, you may start to experience issues like acne, eczema, hives, dermatitis and psoriasis. 

Here are the best nutrition strategies to incorporate for clear, glowing skin:

• Omega 3: Flaxseed, chia seeds, salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines, anchovies
• Antioxidants and Inflammation Fighters: Ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, sweet potatoes, berries, broccoli, acai, goji berries
• Healthy Fats: Avocado, olive oil, walnuts, sunflower seeds
• Fluid: Drink at least half your bodyweight in oz of fluid. Don’t forget to incorporate naturally occurring electrolytes from coconut water or antioxidants from green tea.

Here's to that bright, beautiful, skin and a healthy, happy gut!

With love, 

Kylene

Alright ladies, it’s time to do a little Spring Cleaning!

But guess what...I’m not referring to an extra floor scrub or wardrobe swap. It’s time to clean the part of your home that will provide the most return.

A facelift for your pantry.

You may already be familiar with some of the basic principles:

• Store more nutrient dense snacks at eye level in your fridge and pantry
• Keep fresh fruit or nuts and seeds in a bowl on the counter for easy access
• Pre-chop and pre-portion your fruits and veggies for the week for grab and go success

This is a fantastic start, but let’s dig a little deeper and shed some light from a dietitian’s point of view. 

After coaching thousands of women over the years, here are my top pantry-revamp foundational strategies that actually work. Sure, this is one more thing to add to an already lengthy to do list BUT my #1 goal is to improve your health and longevity....and it all starts with your fork. 

1. Color me Healthy. At all times, there should be at least 5 different colors of produce in your fridge or freezer. Three vegetables and two fruits is a great mix, but if you prefer all vegetables, that is great too, as long as there is visible variety. The research is incredible at this point on the antioxidants and polyphenols found in produce and their ability to reverse damage from irritable bowel disease to cancer and everything in between. Perhaps this week we can start with blue, red, orange, purple and green: blueberries, cherries, orange cauliflower, purple potatoes and spinach. 
2. Keep it Plain, Jane. Even if you don’t love being naked (or maybe you do!) your food feels best in its birthday suit. Avoid buying vegetables packaged in pre-made sauce or fruit canned in syrup. Beans should not include anything other than water and salt. Now, that’s not to say you shouldn’t eat these foods “naked”. In fact, I strongly encourage the exact opposite, but let’s talk about how we can create our own sauce and seasonings to add to the basic goodness.
3. Count Chemicals, Not Calories. For many of us, it is not realistic to live a life with zero packaged food or convenience items. Instead, use up or donate all of the boxed food in your pantry that contains unrecognizable ingredients. For example, many of your traditional snack bars,  boxed crackers or boxed muffins and cakes are full of chemicals and preservatives. Instead, try a brand like Simple Mills for crackers and cake mix or a brand like Overeasy for your bars. Try not to exceed having more than 1-2 packaged snacks on hand each week. 

Now, let’s bring it all together for success. Here are my favorites in each category and in my dreams, this is what your pantry looks like!

Protein: Lamb, grass-fed/finished beef, organic free range chicken and eggs, pastured turkey and pork if you enjoy it,  organic non GMO tempeh or tofu, fatty fish like salmon, tuna, mackerel, anchovies and sardines. Bonus round: game meats such as elk, bison, venison, and wild boar. 

Fat: Avocados and avocado oil, olives and olive oil, coconut oil, flakes and chips, chia seed, grass-fed butter, ghee, ground flaxseed, and really any nuts or seeds as well as nuts or nut butters that you enjoy!

Carbohydrate: Black rice, steel cut oats, purple or sweet potatoes, green lentils, teff, millet, canned beans of your choice, glass noodles.

Veggies: Broccoli, kale, red cabbage, eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, carrots( purple and yellow!), spinach, leeks, sweet onion, Brussels Sprouts, Swiss Chard, asparagus, and don’t forget to try cauliflower “rice!”

Fruit: Cherries, blueberries, blackberries, apples, pears, lemon, lime, kiwi, pomegranate. 

Spices: The more vibrant spices you are willing to have on hand, the better! Turmeric, ginger, cayenne, garlic powder, cinnamon, sea salt, black pepper etc. 

Boxed crackers/muffins/cakes: Simple Mills

Pre-made tortillas: Siete

Best bars: Rx or Overeasy

Best Chip: Terra Vegetable Chips

Chocolate: Evolved or Hu

Most versatile baking flour/breading flour with nutrient density: Almond flour

Nut butter: Artisana cashew butter

The Sleepers: AKA the snacks you didn’t know existed or were afraid to try, but totally should: 

• Superseedz - Flavored Pumpkin Seeds  (Spicy or Cinnamon Sugar!)
• Oloves - Cute, pre-packaged and flavored olives
• Epic or Tanka - Humanely raised and delicious animal protein bars (Chicken Sriracha or Sesame Chicken for the win in my personal book)
• Dang Coconut Chips
• Barnana Plantain Chips

Questions? Comments? Pictures of your pantry?! Please share below. I can’t wait to swap ideas.  

With Love,

Kylene

Cancer and other hormone related diseases are on the rise. As time passes, we are finding a lot of this is not genetic, but in fact more environmentally and lifestyle driven. It seems like everywhere we turn to learn about balancing hormones, there’s someone telling us to scarf down vegetables..but, why?

Cruciferous vegetables actually play a major role in disease prevention, specifically as it relates to disease fed by chronic hormonal imbalance. This is because vegetables, specifically cruciferous vegetables, contain phytochemicals known as isothiocyanate. These phytochemicals change the way estrogen is metabolized and broken down by the body. This in turn decreases the risk for hormone or estrogen related health complications such as uterine or breast cancer.

The formation of these bioactive substances begins when you chew or chop cruciferous vegetables. If you are looking to maintain the fullest array of nutrients, consider eating raw, lightly sautéing or steaming. Make it a goal to eat a serving of cruciferous vegetables daily. 

Here is a list of some of the top cruciferous vegetables: 

• Arugula
• Bok Choy
• Cauliflower
• Collard Greens
• Kale
• Mustard Greens
• Rutabaga
• Brussels Sprouts
• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Daikon
• Kohlrabi
• Radish
• Turnips

What are some questions you have around this topic? Here's to healthy, happy, eating!

With love, 

Kylene

Colder weather + less sunshine + global pandemic = recipe for disaster when it comes to your mood.

Looking for a little boost? Check out this Dark Chocolate Cherry Pistachio Energy Bark. 

For many women, dark chocolate releases a cascade of euphoric feeling compounds such as n-acylethanolamine, theobromine and caffeine. N-acylethanolamine is a chemical compound that is structurally similar to cannabinoids. Therefore, it's no surprise we gravitate towards a few servings when we are feeling down.

Ingredients

• 1 lb dark chocolate, 70% cacao or above, coarsely chopped
• ½ cup crushed pistachios
• ½ cup chopped macadamia nuts (or pumpkin seeds, cashews, whatever you enjoy!)
• ½ cup dried cherries
• Option to sprinkle a little sea salt

Bonus: Some of my clients like to mix one tsp of powder for an extra kick of flavor such as cinnamon or espresso while the chocolate is melting.

Directions:

1. Line the bottom and sides of a baking pan with parchment paper; grease the paper and set aside.
2. In a metal bowl over hot water, melt chocolate; stir until smooth. Option to stir in powder and then half the cherries and nuts. Spread into prepared pan; top with remaining cherries and nuts. Sprinkle with salt if desired. 
3. Refrigerate for 30-40 minutes or until firm.
4. Break into pieces according to your liking. 
5. Store in an airtight container or keep in freezer.
6. Enjoy!

Sources: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24117885/

A client  walked into my office last week complaining of low energy, achy joints, irregular menstrual cycles and chronic sinus issues. She asked “ What is your best nutrition tip to help me turn my health around?”

Whether you’re suffering from a myriad of health issues or you feel like Superwoman the second your toes hit the floor each morning, there is one nutrition coaching tip every one of us can benefit from starting today. The answer?

Learn how to support your body’s natural detoxification system with your fork. 

Chemical-laden beauty products, scented candles and plug-ins, smog, junk food, cigarette smoke, stress- you name it. Toxins, both physically and mentally surround us and they are not going away any time soon. Sure, our liver and kidneys are meant to filter the gunk but what happens when they are too backed up to perform their job efficiently? We need to do our best to come in with reinforcement. Making sure your body runs like a well oiled machine is one of the most effective ways to prevent serious issues down the line such as depression, cancer and autoimmune disease.

Contrary to popular belief, supporting detoxification is more than just chugging water and downing veggies. 

Here are my top 5 tips to support your body’s natural detox process:  

1. Be sure to consume enough calories AND protein. The most critical step to the process is often the most overlooked step. If you are not eating enough to support your body’s physiological process AND you are not consuming enough protein, your liver will struggle greatly to filter toxins (Hence why a juice cleanse doesn’t truly work for detoxification). Adequate amino acid intake is critical, particularly for phase II of detoxification. In other words, be sure to incorporate a palmful of a high quality protein  source at every meal- plant or animal based!
2. Strategically choose foods that boost your detox pathways. Sure, colorful fruits and veggies will never go out of style, but phytonutrient rich brassicas like cabbage, bok choy, collards, broccoli in addition to garlic, onion, pomegranate, watercress, green tea, cilantro, artichoke and cacao have the ability to enhance our natural detoxification pathways.
3. Incorporate high quality fat on a daily basis. Ample amounts of Omega 3 fatty acids and monounsaturated oils can support your liver in flushing toxins out of the body. Your new best friends? Salmon, flaxseed, olive oil, almonds and avocado. 
4. Drink enough fluid. Perhaps this goes without saying but there are a few of us out there who would benefit from a friendly reminder. Adequate fluid intake will help our kidneys more efficiently flush toxins. Aim for at least half your body weight in ounces of fluid each day. (Yes, tea and smoothies count)!
5. Choose a modality to increase blood and lymphatic circulation. Keeping our circulatory and lymphatic system running and draining is key to supporting a whole foods eating regimen. Stay consistent with your favorite exercise routine and consider regular massage or body work. Sauna therapy, rebounding (think mini trampoline) and dry brush therapy can be helpful. 

Cheers to longevity!

With love,

Kylene

Looking for a heart healthy recipe that also supports detoxification? We’ve got you covered! 

In fact, if optimal heart health had a baby with optimal liver health, the end product would be this coconut ginger soup. Plant-based, loaded with phytonutrients, high quality fat, fiber and most importantly: flavor!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups lentils of your choice, sorted and rinsed well
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 7 cups organic vegetable or chicken broth
• 2 cups diced butternut squash
• 1 can full fat coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon lemongrass paste
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely grated
• 1 tablespoon fresh garlic, chopped
• 1/2 tablespoon curry powder
• Salt, to taste
• Optional garnish: a handful of fresh cilantro, chopped scallions, pumpkin seeds or a squeeze of fresh lime

Directions:

1. Place lentils, onion and broth in a 3-4 quart pot. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook until lentils start to soften, about 15-20 minutes.
2. Add squash, coconut milk, lemongrass paste, curry powder, ginger, and garlic.
3. Season with salt, to taste.
4. Bring back to a low simmer and cook until the lentils have completely broken down and squash is tender.
5. Taste and adjust any seasonings as desired.
6. Garnish then enjoy the soup alone or poured over cooked rice.

Enjoy!

Probiotics are the talk of the town these days, and for good reason!  However, the influx of information can be so overwhelming at times. So, let’s focus on understanding one key item: the balance (or imbalance) of bacteria in our gut combined with a bit of lifestyle and genetics can dictate everything from mood, to weight loss, pain, bowel habits and beyond. 

While it is always best to consult with a licensed practitioner before beginning a probiotic, here is the quick and dirty cheat sheet of the most heavily researched probiotic strains as they relate to human health.

• Irritable Bowel Syndrome: In a 2018 clinical trial, 113 patients demonstrated that a combination of L. acidophilus CL1285, L. casei LBC80R, and Lactobacillus rhamnosus CLR2 is effective at relieving symptoms of IBS including abdominal pain, bloating, and gas.
• Acid Reflux: A 2010 study published in the European Journal of Clinical Investigation proved this theory when supplementing formula milk with Lactobacillus reuteri accelerated gastric emptying and improved reflux in infants. Another study in China, involving 80 premature infants also found that probiotics reduced the number and length of reflux episodes.
• UTI: Clinical trials have shown that a weekly capsule of freeze-dried Lactobacillus strains L. rhamnosus GR-1 and L. fermentum B-54, in addition to a daily capsule of Lactobacillus strains L. rhamnosus GR-1 and L. reuteri RC-14 can repair the vagina’s normal lactobacilli-dominated flora.
• Anxiety: A 2009 8-week study, found a statistical difference between anxiety scores in those taking active Lactobacillus casei compared to the placebo.

What questions do you have about probiotics and how they can support you and your health needs?

With love, 

Kylene