Clean Living Blog

In category: Nutrition Education

Nutrition Education

Gut Health Supercharge: Unleashing the Power of Bone Broth for a Vibrant You!

Bone broth is well known for its gut health benefits.

Bone broth is different from soup stock because of the time that’s spent simmering. The longer the bones and vegetables are allowed to cook, the more nutrients and minerals are pulled from them.

Some of the great ways that bone broth benefits your body include:

  • Heals leaky gut
  • Further protects the lining of your gut
  • Contains glucosamine, which protects your joints
  • Great source of collagen
  • Contains glycine, which promotes better sleep and wards off fatigue
  • Supports a healthy immune system
  • Increases bone strength
  • Supplemental source of amino acids, which are important for muscle recovery and energy

Luckily, there are many ways to incorporate bone broth into your diet – whether you’re a vegetarian, pescatarian, or aren’t sure where to start. Check out this list and try a few to see which suits your lifestyle the best.

For more information on how your gut health affects all other processes in your body, contact our office today!

Nutrition Education

Why is Vitamin D so Important?

Vitamin D is an essential nutrient that supports a number of critical physiological functions in the body.

  • Supporting thyroid health
  • Improving immunity
  • Building strong bones

These are just a few of the key processes vitamin D help support.

It’s arguably one of the most important vitamins for whole-body health, though most people don’t get enough of it. In fact, 29% of U.S. adults are deficient in vitamin D, and an additional 41% are insufficient, even though we can get the vital nutrient through multiple sources (namely: sunlight, food, and supplements).

A deficiency in vitamin D can result in a long list of less-than-ideal physical and mental symptoms, including:

  • Poor bone health
  • Brain fog
  • Weakened immune system
  • Mood swings

In addition to plenty of daytime sunshine, you can get vitamin D from foods like yogurt, eggs, and salmon; you may also need high quality supplementation depending on your diet, lifestyle, or genetic factors. If you rely on food sources for Vitamin D, make sure you aren’t eating anything that triggers inflammation in your body.

Contact our office to see if supplementation is the right choice for you!

Nutrition Education

What are antioxidants?

When people hear the word “free radicals,” they often associate them with harmful substances that damage our bodies. However, there are certain compounds known as antioxidants that play a crucial role in promoting overall health! Antioxidants are substances that help protect our cells from oxidative stress and support various bodily functions.

You can find antioxidants in a variety of foods, including:

  • Berries, such as blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries
  • Dark chocolate
  • Leafy greens, like spinach and kale
  • Nuts and seeds, such as almonds, walnuts, and flaxseeds

Incorporating foods rich in antioxidants into your diet can provide many health benefits:

  • Cellular health: Antioxidants help neutralize harmful free radicals, reducing the risk of cell damage and promoting cellular health.
  • Anti-aging effects: The presence of antioxidants in your diet may help combat signs of aging and support youthful skin.
  • Immune support: Antioxidants contribute to a strong immune system, protecting your body against infections and diseases.
  • Heart health: Studies suggest that antioxidant-rich foods can help maintain cardiovascular health by reducing the risk of heart disease.
  • Cognitive function: Some research indicates that antioxidants may play a role in preserving cognitive function and reducing the risk of age-related decline.
  • Overall well-being: By incorporating antioxidant-rich foods into your daily meals, you can support your body’s natural defense systems and promote a sense of well-being.

If you’re looking for ways to incorporate more antioxidants into your diet, don’t hesitate to call our office today to set up an appointment. We can provide you with guidance and tips on how to boost your antioxidant intake and promote a healthier lifestyle.

Nutrition Education

Dr. Nancy’s Favorite Green Juice

Green juice is simply vegetable juice made from green vegetables. Mix it with carrots or a little fruit to cut the green flavor. Lemons are a great way to remove excess green taste as it can be unpalatable initially for some to drink vegetables instead of eat them.

It is incredibly energizing to start your day with green juice, but sometimes it’s too cold to think about freezing juice on a freezing day. Detox broths are great in winter months. Simply put the green veggies in water and boil, strain the veggies and eat later, sip the broth in the morning. Dr. Nancy’s favorite detox broth is 1 cup parsley, 1 cup celery, 1 cup carrots, 4 cups water, pinch of salt, boil 30 min, strain and sip! Talk to our team if this is right for you. Some individuals are on blood-thinners and cannot have too much Vitamin K. There are other options for you to help give virtually intravenous vitamins to your system. Book a consultation with our expert team today.

Nutrition Education

Green Tea Matcha Latte

Matcha is powdered green tea. You can also consume green tea by using a tea bag in hot water for a similar effect. Green tea and matcha are powerful antioxidants. They’re a great way to wean off acidic coffee if you’re like most Americans that drink too much. It’s anti-cancer and fantastic for Lyme disease.  Green tea can help fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome as it’s energizing but not anxiety-inducing. Some individuals are recommended to have 1-3 cups per day, some can’t handle any caffeine at all due to anxiety or reflux.  If you have trouble sleeping, avoid caffeine after 12pm or all together.  Talk to our team to see if this superfood is right for you.

Nutrition Education

Sprouts

Sprouts are an amazing adjunct to any diet. They are a super food that’s rich in vitamins, enzymes, life, and antioxidants. They’re easily digested and packed with protein.  Sprouts help fight cancer and are very energizing. Try them on sandwiches, salads, or as a garnish to soups.  They are flavorful and fun! Sprouts help with chelation, which is removal of toxins from the body. Cleaning our body is important as it gets dirty, just like our house does!

Talk to our team about the right sprouts for you as some contain lectins which can be hard to break down for some people. Book a consultation today to learn more.

Nutrition Education

Hormone Health

Hormone health is crucial to overall health. Hormones control everything. Avoiding plastics is very important as these reach hormone havoc on the body. They cause the body in men, women and children to up-regulate estrogen receptors. This promotes growth of tissues: fatty tissue, tumors, cysts, fibroids and more. Use glass bottles and containers. Avoid microwaving food, especially in plastic! Use glass tupperwares and a toaster oven. Try mushrooms, like Lion’s Mane, to absorb the toxins that mess up hormones. Maca is a great adatogenic hormone regulator for men and women.

Hormone Health Tips:

  • Avoid plastics
  • 1-2 cups veggies at meals
  • Sleep 8-9 hours per night
  • Reduce stress
  • Focus on the adrenals
  • Consume maca & mushrooms

Talk to our team about how to help your hormones today, naturally and effectively.

Nutrition Education

Lemons – A Life Line for Your Health

Lemons are a great part of most healthy lifestyles. They help you to drink more water, help you to avoid retaining water, and help with digestion. They help the gall bladder do its job to break down proteins, fats, and remove toxins! If you don’t have a gall bladder, lemons are a great adjunct for you. 1-3 lemons juiced per day in water or on food is great. If you have reflux, lemons can actually help reduce it by triggering the gastroesophageal sphincter to close. If lemons feel too acidic for you, try licorice, as long as you don’t have high blood pressure.  It can be hard to know if lemons are right for you, but talk to our team to see.  We look forward to helping you to feel your best and customize what’s right for you.

Nutrition Education

Why is Vitamin C so Important?

“Oh you’re getting sick? Just take some vitamin C.”

I’m sure you’ve all heard or been told that at one point in your lives, but does anyone really know or understand why vitamin C is so important?

For one, yes, it supports immune function; it’s a protective antioxidant against damaging oxidative stress.

It also plays a significant role in collagen synthesis for connective tissues, bone, teeth and joints. Your body needs vitamin C to produce collagen a.k.a. hello youthful, radiant skin and goodbye achy muscles and joints.

It’s also known to improve the absorption of iron from plant-based foods–for all my vegetarians and vegans out there and also benefits skin health–I think you got the message by now.

Vitamin C is super important especially because it can’t be produced naturally in the body.

This makes it essential to get the vitamin through dietary sources.

Instead of reaching for the vitamin C packets or shots, focus on incorporating some of these vitamin C-rich, whole foods into your meals daily.

Vitamin C Sources

Save this post for later when you’re looking for ideas for your daily dose of vitamin C!

Our nutritional team at The Holistic Wholeness Institute is here to help you. Call our office today to set up an appointment.

Nutrition Education

How Much Water Should You Drink?

Are you drinking enough water in a day?

Drink About 1/2 Your Body Weight in Ounces (150lb = 75oz)

Gettin’ back to basics here — your body needs enough water every day for several reasons, especially as the weather gets warmer.

Water helps to:

  • regulate body temperature, bowel movements, healthy digestion
  • protect tissues, the spinal cord, and joints
  • rid the body of waste through urination, sweat, and bowel movements
Simple Ways to Increase Water Intake

Water regulates:

  • prevent dehydration and regulate body fluid balance
  • is needed for nutrient absorption of water-soluble vitamins A, D, E & K
Hydrating Foods

And so many other reasons…

Moral of the story: you need water and ENOUGH of it to best support your body.

So, ask yourself, “are you drinking enough for your needs?”

Save this post for helpful tips to increase your water intake throughout the day!

Our team at the Holistic Wholeness Institute is here to provide you with what you need to sustain your active body. Schedule a consultation with us today to get started on your nutrition plan!

Nutrition Education

Take Care of your Calcium Needs!

Calcium is the most abundant mineral found in the body, making up the structure of bones and teeth, and plays a role in muscle function, blood clotting, nerves and hormones.

A deficiency of calcium can lead to reduced bone strength with the possibility of developing fragile bones, bone softening and increased fracture risk.

Read More
Nutrition Education

Why You Should Care About Magnesium

Magnesium is an important electrolyte that plays a part in several different processes in the body!

It’s needed for:

  • Insulin sensitivity – releases insulin, clears insulin, improves insulin resistance
  • Energy production
  • Good gut health
  • Supports Vitamin D status – you need magnesium to active and use Vitamin D
  • Important for recovery and sleep

Unfortunately it’s one of the first minerals to go when we’re under stress & I can imagine that’s the case for most of us!

Read More
Scroll to the top of the page

Free Wellness Webinar