Do you have good metabolic health? — here’s how to find out!

  

There is now evidence that both poor metabolic health and poor gut health are connected to more severe COVID19 outcomes.  This pandemic is really because the virus has landed on a susceptible host. 

 

 

Dr. Ronesh Sinha, an expert on metabolic health, is now referring to COVID19 as a transmissible metabolic disorder. And I agree with him, and other experts, when they say that this pandemic is the result of the virus landing on a susceptible host. 

 

Metabolic health is a very important overall marker of how healthy you are and your risk for all type of illness and disease, or “dis-ease.” Poor metabolic health is most often associated with heart disease, diabetes and stroke.

 

Based on a 2009 to 2016 survey by the National Health & Nutrition Examination on the prevalence of optimal metabolic health in American adults, only 12% of the adult population in the U.S. is metabolically healthy. An individual was considered metabolically healthy if they did not have any of these markers of metabolic unhealth: increased weight circumference, elevated fasting glucose about 100 mg/dl (which is actually higher than the optimal range), HbA1c above 5.7 (which is also higher than the optimal range), systolic blood pressure >120 or diastolic blood pressure > 80, triglycerides >150 (while less than 80 is optimal) or HDL that was <40 for men and <50 for women, and they were not taking any related medication.

 

Since this study did not use the ranges associated with optimal health, according to functional medicine standards, this means that even less than 12% of American adults has optimal metabolic health.

 

So, how do you know if you’re metabolically healthy?

 

Here’s the best markers to assess your metabolic health (according to Dr. Mark Hyman):

 

  1. Waist-to-hip ratio: optimal is <.8 for women and <.9 for men
  2. Triglyceride to HDL ratio (<2 is optimal) Can indicate insulin resistance if >2. Low levels of the HDL (“good”) cholesterol and high levels of triglycerides in the blood result in a high ratio, which you don’t want! Optimal HDL in men is >50 mg/dL and in women >60 mg/dL. Optimal triglycerides in men and women is <70 mg/dL.
  3. Fasting glucose: optimal is between 70-80 – Note that this is not a great marker on its own since it’s just a snapshot in time and there’s a lot of things that can elevate it, such as stress, hormone levels, time of day, whether you’ve fasted.
  4. Hemoglobin A1c: optimal is 4.3-5.5% — This is an average of blood glucose over 2-3 months and used to help diagnose diabetes and see how well someone is managing their diabetes.
  5. Fasting insulin: optimal is <5 mIU/ml –This is one of the best markers for metabolic health. It’s the first marker that’s going to elevate in the disease process of diabetes. Insulin levels are usually out of order long before there are abnormalities in blood sugar levels.
  6. Post-meal insulin: This is even better than fasting insulin alone; an insulin response test will measure insulin response one and two hours after taking a sugar drink. Most doctors won’t run it, but Dr. Mark Hyman considers it one of the most important tests to see what’s going on with metabolic health and he runs it on all his patients. At one and two hours after sugar drink it should never go over 30.

 

Low insulin secretion is the secret to long life. One of the secrets to living to be 100 years old is having heightened insulin sensitivity and having lower insulin levels in your bloodstream. Higher insulin levels promote growth, promote fat storage, promote angiogenesis which allows tumor cells to grow and replicate too.” – Dr. Joel Fuhrman, MD

 

I have not yet tested my post-meal insulin, but I did these other tests this year and my fasting glucose was 75, fasting insulin was 2.6, HgA1c was 4.5%, and my triglyceride to HDL ratio was less than 1. Fortunately, I can call myself metabolically healthy! I wish the same for you!

 

If one or more of these numbers are out of the optimal range for you, don’t despair – be thankful that you found out now and not later! It’s actually quite simple to reverse insulin resistance (and type 2 diabetes) without medication, using diet & lifestyle modifications – and you’ll still being able to enjoy delicious foods! If you need support, I can help!

 

You can schedule a free consultation with me here to chat about your health goals, what steps I recommend you take to achieve those goals, and how I could support you.

 

Note: the optimal reference ranges I’ve provided are what Dr. Mark Hyman, a leading functional medicine doctor, and many other functional medicine doctors have found to be associated with optimal health.

 

Two of the main culprits of poor metabolic health in the American (and global) diet today are:

  1. industrial refined oils that are highly processed and high in omega 6 fatty acids (this includes: sunflower, safflower, canola/rapeseed, corn, cottonseed, soy, rice bran, and grapeseed oil) and
  2. processed refined sugar (stripped away from its food matrix); sugar within its food matrix such as whole fruits and raw honey is metabolized very differently in the body compared to refined white sugar.

 

Start by removing these from your diet – or at least start with removing them from your own kitchen. Always read labels because you’ll find that even that store-bought hummus or store-bought salad dressing that advertises on the front that it uses olive oil likely also contains refined canola or sunflower oil or soybean oil. And if you often eat out, start asking restaurants what type of oil they use for cooking.

 

How to Know If You Have Nutrient Deficiencies — The Right Testing to Do

 I think a lot of women accept common symptoms such as low energy and brain fog as simply a result of being over-worked or as an inevitable part of hormonal changes or getting older, or they don’t think there is any easy solution.

This is why testing is so important!

You might not know that the symptoms you’re experiencing, or just the way that you’re feeling could be linked to nutrient deficiencies that could be easily resolved, such as iron or B12 deficiency which a both critical for energy and brain functioning.

 

One of the frameworks I use when working with clients is called the 3 Tiers of Nutrition Mastery, and the second tier is all about uncovering and addressing nutritional deficiencies. Regardless of what symptoms you may be presenting with, its critical to ensure your body has the nutrients it needs to function optimally.

 

There continues to be a great deal of debate and confusion about what in fact is the healthiest diet to create health, maintain health and develop a really robust gut microbiome and a functional immune system. I think we can’t argue that eating real foods is always better than eating processed “foods” but beyond that there is no one perfect diet for everyone – I work with my clients to help them discover the best diet that works for their unique body right now.

 

If you want to know if your diet is working for you, it’s best to test not guess!

 

While nutrient sufficiency can often be achieved by simply switching to a nutrient-rich whole foods diet and optimizing digestion and gut health, I recommend having standard bloodwork done at least once a year as a good insurance policy if your goal is optimal health, vitality and disease-prevention.

 

Unfortunately, you can’t rely on your doctor to run all the right tests to catch early signs of deficiencies or dysfunction in the body. This is why I say you need to be the CEO of your own health.

 

I give my clients a “Labs Wishlist” to take to their doctor – it’s the same one my mentor, Andrea Nakayama uses with clients in her clinic. They always come back to me and say that their doctor won’t run many of the requested labs because they don’t think they need them. Doctors often run only the absolute minimum because that’s all that insurance companies are willing to pay for.

 

Unfortunately, the U.S. healthcare system is flawed, and I won’t get into that in this blog – lots of wonderful life-saving advances and good intentioned doctors doing the best they can within the current system, but I believe functional medicine is the future of true healthcare.

 

Fortunately, you can request labs yourself online – yes, you may have to pay out of pocket, but the standard lab work I’m recommending isn’t that expensive to run once a year and can actually save you a lot of money in the long-run – as you won’t waste money on unnecessary, ineffective supplements, and you’ll avoid the cost of doctor visits and other medical costs in the future as a result of nutritional deficiencies that went undetected until things got worse. If you want to see the Labs Wishlist that I use, just go to www.directlabs.com, click “order now,” search for “FxNA” and see the basic panel.

 

I use the results of these labs, in tandem with a client’s symptoms and health history to determine whether additional testing may be helpful in identifying root causes and to inform  personalized recommendations.

 

One of the good things about living in Turkey is that I can just go directly to a laboratory and request the tests I want – it’s quite inexpensive and I have results the next day! So, if you want to visit Turkey – which is a popular medical destination for hair implants as well – you can get your labs run while visiting. I’d love to have you visit me as well here in Alanya!

 

What would it be worth for you to just feel incredible? Full of energy, super focused and productive at work, pain-free, have clear and youthful looking skin, and a well-functioning immune system that keeps you from getting sick?

 

I think investing in your health is the best investment we can make! Do you agree??

 

A lot of people brush off symptoms as “normal” just because they are so “common” such as headaches, feeling tired, PMS, irritability, anxiety, etc. Or they think that it’s just a result of getting older.

 

You really have to pay attention to even subtle signals your body is giving you to let you know that something is off so that you can address the root causes(s) before symptoms worsen and you put yourself at risk for more complications in the body.

 

For example, having sub-optimal levels of key nutrients such as your B vitamin, Vitamin D, magnesium, iron and/or zinc – which are all so common these days — has a big impact on your energy, mood, cognition, immune function, and much more!

 

Let me share a personal store here…

 

I recently had some bloodwork done, not because of any problem I had, but just for a check-up, and I found out that I have low ferritin (well below the optimal range) and slightly low hemoglobin. Ferritin is the storage form of iron. Based on how I was feeling I never would have suspected an iron deficiency, and this is likely not a test my doctor would have run since I wasn’t presenting with obvious symptoms of iron deficiency like extreme fatigue, weakness, pale skin, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, headaches, dizziness, etc.

 

However, after I got my results and looked at the full list of possible symptoms associated with iron deficiency I realized I did have some signs, such as cold hands and feet, brittle nails, occasional lightheadedness, irritability, difficulty concentrating, and hair loss (more hair coming out when brushing or washing it). And I realized that perhaps my energy wasn’t what it SHOULD be, but I had just gotten used to it. And perhaps my struggle with concentrating wasn’t all in my head! Now that I’m working on increasing my iron I suddenly find it much easier to go for a run – it feels like I’m flying compared to before. In fact, I found this article that talked about he association between low iron and runner’s performance. I’ve also noticed that my concentration and mood have improved!

 

Now, I haven’t re-tested yet (I plan to do it after 3 months), so after I do I’ll write a blog post to share my results and talk about what I did to increase my levels, and what things you need to consider – it’s not always as simple as increasing meat intake or taking an iron supplement – optimizing iron absorption is key!

 

Oh, and low iron can also lead to hypothyroidism, which I also found out I have from my blood work!

 

According to Dr. Jolene Brighten, Functional Medicine Naturopathic Physician specializing in the treatment of hormone disorders,checking iron status is at the top of the list in women who have heavy periods, fatigue, hypothyroidism, or hair loss.” (Learn more: Hypothyroidism & Iron Deficiency + 4 Steps to Boost Iron)

 

I’ll talk about my thyroid test results in a separate blog post but just know that if you’re a woman, it’s important to test not only TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone), but have a full thyroid panel that includes thyroid antibodies to rule out hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s (an autoimmune condition that is the cause of 90% of hypothyroid cases). Most conventional doctors will only test TSH, but it’s possible to have normal TSH but sub-optimal levels of Free T4 and/or free T3 and the presence of thyroid antibodies; using TSH as the only marker of thyroid health if very inadequate and leads to many cases of hypothyroidism going undetected for a long time until they become much worse. If you have symptoms of hypothyroidism request a full thyroid panel, and if your doctor won’t run it, you can order for yourself via Directlabs. (Learn more: Why I Require a Full Thyroid Panel and Your Doctor Should Too)

 

The other important nutrient everyone should test at least twice a year is Vitamin D. Vitamin D is actually a hormone and it regulates our calcium level and bone density, supports the immune system, reduces inflammation, and has a big impact on overall health!

I live in in the south of Turkey by the beach and we have lots of sun, and while I don’t spend a ton of time at the beach in the afternoon, I thought I was getting a good amount of sun exposure without sunscreen. Plus, I was supplementing with Vitamin D (not consistently, but enough that I expected to have higher levels). My vitamin D level was low at only 29. Hence why you want to test not guess!

 

According to Dr. Mark Hyman, the optimal level for Vitamin D is between 50-80 ng/ml. I’m now intentionally sunbathing on my balcony for 20 minutes in the afternoon, and when I don’t I take 4,000 IU of Vitamin D. You can use this Vitamin D calculator to see how much you need.

 

I will re-test again after 3 months to see how I’m doing. If you re-test and your level hasn’t increased much, you could have an absorption issue. This is why so much of my work with clients is focus on digestion and optimizing nutrient absorption in the body as I think it’s a big reason for so many nutrient deficiencies these days!

 

When I work with clients I actually take the time to educate them on how to read and interpret their own bloodwork from a functional medicine perspective, using optimal lab ranges. One of my goals is to empower my clients with the right knowledge to have an informed conversation with their doctor about their health – knowing the right questions to ask, and knowing when it’s time to find a new doctor.

Another inexpensive and very useful tool for uncovering nutrient deficiencies is Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA). If you’ve had bloodwork, tried supplementing and you’re still feeling tired, struggling with focus, and feeling irritable or anxious all the time — HTMA is a great test to do. However, you can’t read it at face value — its only useful if you have someone who knows how to interpret the patterns. And you’re in luck!  I have just added this to the list of functional testing that I can offer interpretation of (along with the GI MAP and Organic Acid Testing). I am currently going through an HTMA Expert training course (as of December 2021) so starting January 2022 I’ll be offering a special HTMA test + protocol and support package.

 

If you would like to know which of these tests is the best next step for you in uncovering potential nutrient deficiencies, schedule a free discovery call with me here

If you already know that you want to do

Markers of Health: Chronic symptoms & signs of imbalance or dysfunction in the body

Do you experience regular headaches? Do you need caffeine to get going in the morning? Do you crave sweets? Do you have PMS and cramps during your period? Do you often have gas and bloating after meals? Do you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep through the night?

 

These are just a few of the common symptoms people experience that are often considered “normal” because so many people experience them. It’s like the difference between the “normal” and “optimal” reference ranges on your lab tests – normal doesn’t equal truly healthy.

 

Just because something is common, doesn’t make it normal. Headaches are not normal. PMS and painful periods is not normal. Feeling tired after meals is not normal.

 

“MOST PEOPLE DON’T KNOW how poorly they feel until they feel better. In fact, most of us don’t recognize that fatigue, digestive problems, aches and pains, allergies, headaches, and more aren’t just annoying symptoms. They are early clues to impending diseases that can disable and kill us.”

– Dr. Mark Hyman (1)

Your body is always striving to heal and to function at its best, despite all the hurdles we through at it that make its job much harder.

 

Listening to your body is one of the best metrics of health. If you have chronic pain, or chronic low energy – the solution is not just to take some ibuprofen or Advil and drink coffee to get through your day.

 

Masking symptoms is like clipping the cable for the emergency light in your car – you aren’t annoyed by the constant beeping sound anymore, but over time your car may suddenly break down since you didn’t address the root cause of the emergency light beeping.

 

I ended up at the doctor back in 2010 after one month of constant congestion and throat clearing and was told it was just allergies and given some allergy medicine. That is the type of “quick fix trap” you want to watch out for. Fortunately, I had started my health coach training at the same time and was learning about dairy and how it can be very mucus forming in the body and also contribute to inflammation and acne. So, instead of continuing the allergies meds I cut out dairy, and POOF the chronic congestion and throat clearing was gone! If I hadn’t dug deep I would have been ignoring something that was causing inflammation in my body. Now I do eat certain types of dairy sometimes, but it was whey protein shakes that were the tipping point for me I believe. That’s a topic for another blog post.

 

Listen to your body and don’t ignore it’s messages!

 

To help you do this, I recommend keeping a Food/Mood/Poop Journal for at least 5 days. This is something I have all my clients do before we start working together and I have them do it again after we make some diet and lifestyle modifications so they become really self-aware.

If you’d like the template that I use, just send me an email (larissa@larissapopp.com) and I’ll send it your way with more guidance on what signs and symptoms to take note of.

 

But sometimes we don’t realize we have brain fog until its gone and we get to experience what it feels like to be really focused and productive at work.

 

Or we don’t realize just how low our energy is until we resolve mitochondrial dysfunction and get to experience what normal mitochondria function actually feels like!

 

This is why relying on symptoms alone, isn’t enough, we also need to use testing, which I’ll talk about next.

 

References:

1. 7 Keys to Ultrawellness, by Dr. Mark Hyman

 

Markers of Health: Vital Signs

 

When I moved to Japan years ago after finishing undergrad I started gaining weight for the first time in my life but didn’t notice it at all because it was gradual. It wasn’t until my brother visited me and then said something to my mom, who then mailed me a scale – from the U.S. to Japan! Entirely out of love (and I am thankful to her for it!), as a gentle message that I perhaps needed to give more attention to my health.

 

Tracking your weight can be one vital sign to assess your general physical health status, but here are the best vital signs you should be tracking regularly according to Dr. Mark Hyman, and the optimal values for each, according to functional medicine.

 

 

Remember, most standard reference are based on 95% of the population — that is what’s considered “normal” in conventional medicine. You want to strive for optimal!

 

Heart Rate

Optimal is 60-80 beats per minute, Normal is 60-100 beat per minute.

How fast your heart is beating is both a reflection of your cardiovascular health as well as stress. It can tell you whether you’re in a constant state of “fight or flight” (your sympathetic nervous system) which doesn’t allow you to rest, digest and repair. 

Most doctors will only flag this if you have a heart rate above 100; however, if you have a heart rate higher than 80, that also puts you at increased risk for heart disease. (1)

Besides poor cardiovascular health and stress, other potential causes of a high heart rate are: too much coffee, an overactive thyroid, dehydration, anxiety, low magnesium, or being out of shape.

Dr. Hyman considers a heart rate between 60-70 to be ideal. 

Heart Rate Variability

This reflects the health of your autonomic (or, automatic) nervous system, which controls all the subconscious processes of your body such as digestion, heart rate, breathing, etc. You want lots of variability, the higher your HRV the better.  Most doctors will not measure this, but you it yourself with different apps and devices. Exercise, meditation, yoga, saunas, hot-and-cold therapy, all will improve your heart rate variability. One device I’m planning to get on my next trip home to the U.S. is the Oura ring — which is best known as a sleep tracker, but also tracks HRV. (1)

According to Harvard Health, the easiest and cheapest way to check HRV is to buy a chest strap heart monitor (check out Polar or Wahoo) and download a free app (such as Elite HRV) to analyze the data. The chest strap monitor tends to be more accurate than wrist or finger devices. (2)

Check your HRV in the mornings after you wake up, a few times a week, and track for changes as you work on improving your health.

Blood Pressure

Optimal is 110/60-129/79, Normal is less than 130/80.

Normal blood pressure limit keeps changing because what we keep finding is that what we used to think of as normal, first 140/90, then 130/80, is still correlated with higher risk of stroke and heart attack. Therefore, if your doctor takes your blood pressure and says you’re okay, make sure you ask what your reading was as he/she may only mention your blood pressure if it’s over 130/80 which is still not optimal, and may not say anything if your blood pressure is too low. 

Blood pressure is an important marker of health because when it’s elevated it puts extra pressure and demand on your arteries and heart, which can lead to heart disease, or stroke, or heart failure, or even kidney failure. Your blood pressure can also impact your brain, kidneys, and eyes.

It’s important to track your blood pressure year after year so you can see if your blood pressure is starting to creep up. According to Dr. Hyman, the ideal blood pressure is now thought to be under 120/80, but it may turn out to be even lower. He has a blood pressure of 110/70 which he considers good — he actually practices what he preaches (unlike some doctors). 

But what if your blood pressure is too low?

A blood pressure below 100/60 may be problematic if there are symptoms associated such as fatigue, dizziness when you stand up, feeling weak, brain fog. Both chronically low blood pressure and chronically high blood pressure may contribute to an increased risk of dementia. You need enough blood pressure to get adequate amounts of blood to your brain, which means adequate oxygen and nutrients. (1)

And in case you’re wondering what the two numbers mean: the top number is systolic, that’s the pressure when the heart is contracting, and the bottom number is diastolic, the pressure when the heart is at rest, or relaxing.

Waist-to-Hip Ratio

Optimal is <.8 for women and <.9 for men. Measure your waist around your belly button and measure your hips at the widest part. Divide your waist measurement by your hip measurement to get your wait-to-hip ratio. This is a much better metric than BMI.

The earlier that you become aware of changes in these vital signs out of the optimal range, the easier it will be for you to course correct.

 

And when I say “course correct” I DO NOT mean focusing on weight loss to “get healthy” (and simply limiting calories without any change in food quality, such as weight watchers), but you should be improving the QUALITY of your foods to get healthy with weight loss following naturally.

 

I recently helped one of my client lose 19kg (42lb) over 8 months, using this approach – and she never felt deprived. She also had way more energy and focus and a better mood! She came to me with weight loss as her #1 goal, but was surprised by all the other positive changes she experienced! She had struggled to lose weight since she was a teenager through diet changes and sports, but nothing ever worked. She had tried many “diets” in the past and apps like Noom, and none of that worked.

 

She shared that the support and accountability from me, as her coach, and the different approach I took — which focused more on adding in more health-promoting foods and habits, and focusing on gut health and hormonal balance, along with education — enabled her to finally create a new lifestyle that she’s confident she can maintain. Now that she has experienced how good it feels to be healthy, she isn’t tempted by the unhealthy foods she used to eat. 

 

If you’d like my support as well, you can schedule a free consultation with me here to learn more.

 

And if you’d like to hear her full testimonial, you can watch it here.

 

References:

1. Hacking your Healthcare, Commune Course with Dr. Mark Hyman, MD

2. Heart Rate Variability  – A new way to track well-being, Harvard Health Blog, by Marcelo Campos, MD

 

Are You Truly Healthy? 6 Ways to Assess Your Health Status

Often we (as a society) associate being thin and fit with being healthy. While that is ONE of the signs of good health, it doesn’t mean that you’re healthy just because you’re in good physical shape and not overweight.

 

A friend of mine was diagnosed with breast cancer last year. While this would be a shock for anyone, it was especially shocking for her because she considered herself very healthy — she was 37 years old, physically active and not overweight, eating a mostly whole food vegetarian diet, practicing yoga and meditation, getting to bed by 10pm most nights and sleeping for 8 hours. 

 

However, while she had a lot of really healthy habits, no one is perfect. We all have our vices.

 

And you likely know someone who lived to be 90+ years old while drinking alcohol, smoking, and/or consuming sugar.

 

Sure, genetics play a part, but it’s estimated that at up to 95% of illness is due to diet and lifestyle and only 5% genetics. 

 

Each person is unique and there is not one RIGHT diet for the whole population. 

 

Therefore, habits and weight are not good markers of health on their own.

 

In fact, according to Dr. Mark Hyman imbalances in seven key systems in your body contribute to breast cancer and every other disease.

1. Environmental inputs

2. Inflammation and Immune Balance

3. Hormones and Neurotransmitters

4. Gut and Digestive Health

5. Detoxification

6. Energy, Mitochondria and Oxidative Stress

7. The Mind/Body and Body/Mind Effect

 

I believe if we want to get out of this coronavirus pandemic, we need to start looking at health in a different way — and we need to stop seeing vaccines as the solution and instead, better health as the solution. Sure, the latter might not be as easy for entire population, but does that mean that we shouldn’t try? While vaccinations for COVID19 may provide some protection, we know they aren’t 100% effective either and they may come with side effects. We’re also seeing that there will always be another virus that comes along!

 

If we each focus on our own health first, we can serve as a role model to those around us to influence their health as well.

And if we each share the knowledge we acquire (like I’m sharing in this blog) with those in our circle of influence, we can start a ripple effect.  

 

The best solution, and the long-term solution to protect yourself from any virus or pathogen, as well as all kinds of chronic disease – from heart disease to cancer to autoimmune disease – is to assess whether you are truly healthy, and then take steps to improve your health.

 

You need to be the CEO of your own health if you want to be truly healthy!

You can’t rely on annual doctor check-ups to be sure you’re healthy. If they do run labs, the reference ranges they use are based on 95% of the population (not a very good measure of health!) – so just because your numbers look “normal” doesn’t mean they are “optimal.” And they likely aren’t assessing all the 7 key areas of your health mentioned above.

 

If you’re not overweight, and you don’t have a chronic disease — even if you have symptoms like frequent headaches, trouble sleeping, anxiety, or PMS — most doctors would consider you healthy.

 

But does the absence of disease mean you’re truly healthy?

 

No.

 

In fact, I don’t even consider myself truly healthy.

 

Sure, I’m healthier than the vast majority of the population, but that’s a really poor comparison metric.

 

What does it mean to be truly healthy?

 

Here’s 6 ways to objectively evaluate if you are truly healthy:

  1. Vital signs
  2. Nutrient sufficiency
  3. Chronic symptoms and signs of imbalance/dysfunction in the body
  4. Metabolic health markers
  5. Your gut microbiome, which influences your immune function
  6. Inflammation

 

Honestly, the world we live in makes it hard to be “truly healthy” because of all the processed foods, EMFs, sedentary work, and thousands of environmental toxins we are exposed to!

 

However, we still have a lot of tools that we can utilize to be truly healthy, despite the challenges the modern world presents.

 

If you need support, schedule a free discovery call with me. I’ll help you discover the potential root causes of you chronic symptoms, and what’s getting in the way of you looking & feeling like your healthiest self. Whether it’s digestive issues, fatigue, an autoimmune or diabetes diagnosis, difficulty losing weight, sleep issues, or simply sticking with healthy habits — I can help!

 

Click here to schedule your FREE call.

 

 

 

References:

1. 10 Strategies to Prevent and Treat Breast Cancer 

 

The ONE Thing For Better Gut Health - Diversity of Plants in Your Diet

If improving your health is one of your goals, I urge you to make improving your GUT HEALTH your ONE THING to focus on first, esp. if you are after any of these benefits that come with improved gut health….

– improved digestion (no more bloating, stomach pain, heartburn, constipation, irritable bowel, etc.)

– be able to eat more diversity of foods without digestive problems!

– more energy

– improved mood & mental clarity, less anxiety

– improved immunity so you don’t get sick

– disease prevention and reversal (gut health is esp. key if you have an autoimmune disease)

– slowing the aging process

– clearer skin

– weight loss and getting rid of stubborn belly fat

 

If you want to make GUT HEALTH your ONE THING for improving your health, DO THIS ONE THING:

The ONE thing I challenge you to do starting this week to improve your gut health, is to eat at least 30 different types of plants (fruits, veggies, whole grains, nuts and seeds all count, and even spices if you use a good amount!). Diversity of plants in your diet is the #1 thing you can start doing today to improve your gut health, if you’re not already doing it.

 

And if you’re interested in having me help you on your journey, please schedule a free discovery call with me.

We will discuss your goals and find out if my 1:1 coaching program would be the right next step for you. Trust me, I am not interested in just getting paid for my time; I like to guarantee results. So I will be honest if I think there is a better option for you based on our discussion and offer your guidance.