Many of us embark on diets with the primary goal of shedding pounds, often under the assumption that weight loss equates to improved health. However, it's time to confront a fascinating aspect of our bodies' intricate mechanisms. Contrary to popular belief, gaining weight, specifically in response to carbohydrate consumption, isn't necessarily a negative outcome. In fact, it can be a sign of your body's intelligent defense mechanism at work.

When we consume carbohydrates, our bodies convert them into glucose, which enters the bloodstream and provides energy to cells. However, excessive and rapid consumption of carbohydrates, especially refined ones, can lead to elevated blood sugar levels. In response, the body releases insulin to shuttle glucose into cells for energy or storage.

Here's where the "getting fat" part comes into play: When you consistently consume an abundance of carbohydrates and don't experience weight gain, it might seem like a blessing, but it's important to...

In the world of nutritional therapy, we often emphasize the importance of maintaining a healthy weight for overall well-being. However, a topic that is frequently overlooked in these discussions is the fact that two individuals can consume identical foods, yet experience significantly different outcomes in terms of weight gain or loss. This discrepancy can inadvertently perpetuate the misconception that a slimmer individual is inherently healthier than their overweight counterpart. In today's article, we aim to address this "elephant in the room" and shed light on the complex interplay of factors that contribute to diverse weight responses among individuals.

The Myth of One-Size-Fits-All

It's important to recognize that weight regulation is a multifaceted process influenced by a myriad of factors beyond simply the foods we consume. Our metabolism, genetics, hormonal balance, gut microbiome, physical activity levels, stress, sleep patterns, and even environmental factors all play...

 Leaky gut, or "intestinal permeability," is a condition in which the lining of the small intestine becomes damaged, causing undigested food particles, toxic waste products and bacteria to "leak" through the intestines and flood the blood stream. The foreign substances entering the blood can cause an autoimmune response in the body including inflammatory and allergic reactions such as migraines, irritable bowel, eczema, chronic fatigue, food allergies, rheumatoid arthritis and more.

With leaky gut, damaged cells in your intestines don't produce the enzymes needed for proper digestion. As a result, your body cannot absorb essential nutrients, which can lead to hormone imbalances and a weakened immune system.

What causes leaky gut?

In many cases, leaky gut is caused by a lack of stomach acid, and a lack of digestive enzymes, which cause undigested particles of food to irritate and permeate the gut wall. This is more likely to happen with foods that we consume on a regular basis,...

Did you know that excess levels of folic acid (folates) can increase fat storage and weight gain in people with the MTHFR gene variation?

That's because MTHFR  helps your body process folate, which supports your body's methlyation cycles, crucial for neurotransmitter and hormone balance. 

Before we take one step further, we need to understand the difference between folic acid and folates.

Folates are found naturally in foods such as dark green leafy vegetables, tropical fruit, seafood, beans, legumes, and dairy products.

Folic acid is man-made, e.g., synthetic. It’s commonly found in supplements and fortified foods (where a nutrient has been added to a food product).

For example, if you were to pick an orange from your garden and eat it, you would not be eating folic acid. You would be eating folates, unfortunately these terms are used interchangeably which is where the confusion often lies.

MTHFR contains the genetic code that helps your body make...

Good nutrition can play a helpful role during times of stress and anxiety. If you or a loved one is experiencing increased stress and anxiety right now, here are 20 recipes with four key nutrients that are scientifically proven to help.

Magnesium: Magnesium supplements are often used as a natural treatment for anxiety but many people do not even reach their daily recommended intake of magnesium through diet. Since magnesium regulates neurotransmitters, meeting dietary magnesium requirements can help prevent deficiency-related anxiety from occurring in the first place. 

According to the Food & Nutrition Board, the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of magnesium is about 420 milligrams per day for adult males and 320 milligrams per day for females.

These five recipes pack a major magnesium punch:

1. Chocolate Banana Cauliflower N’Oats. This breakfast (no oats) contains 175 milligrams of magnesium per serving.
2. Cream of Celery & Asparagus Soup contains 190...

My last client was a 37-year-old woman with PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome)  who came to see me because she was having trouble losing weight, and getting pregnant.

She was overweight but reported she exercised at least three times per week and ate “healthy.” She was frustrated because she felt like she was really trying but couldn’t move the needle on the scale and desperately wanted to have children.

Her recent bloodwork came back normal, so she came to me seeking a personal nutrition plan. However, on close inspection of her bloodwork, I noticed that her fasting insulin was not measured.

Insulin is the hormone released by our pancreas to lower glucose. However despite the rapid increase of obesity and diabetes insulin is rarely tested. 

Why is fasting insulin important?

Standard lab tests measure glucose and A1c, however, the third thing that needs to be measured is fasting insulin, which is a key indicator for insulin resistance syndrome, which is the...

Was dieting on your list of new year goals AGAIN?

Whilst most people look forward to the holiday period a growing number of us have one thing on our mind. How can we survive the holiday period without ruining our waistlines? With this script running in the background, the pleasure of eating with family and friends is replaced with stress, worry and guilt.

And we unknowingly replace our feel good hormones, (endorphins) with inflammatory stress hormones (cortisol); which actually cause us to gain weight!!

How do we break this cycle, and find peace around food? 

One minute we are told that a low carb diet is the way to go, yet the latest research suggests that a low carb diet is the thyroid’s worst enemy?

Given that the thyroid is pretty much running the show when it comes to keeping our metabolism fired up it makes sense to bow down to its needs.

If you’re a woman of a certain age, 40+ (ahem!), then you know what I’m talking about, it’s even worse for us!!...

If we want to have a great life and achieve our goals, we have to be intentional. 

The old saying "you snooze you lose", may have a much deeper meaning than any of us realize.

When you delay waking up consider that you're resisting your life. So, to help you resist pressing that snooze button… Move your alarm across the room.

This forces body movement and motion creates energy, so it helps you wake up. However, you'll still likely be feeling sleepy so...

Brush your teeth. The point is that you're doing a mindless activity for the first few minutes and simply giving your body time to wake up.

Since you're in a bathroom, splash some water on your face, it will wake you up even further.

Drink a glass of water. After 6-8 hours without water you'll be naturally dehydrated, and dehydration causes fatigue. The objective is to rehydrate your body and mind as fast as possible, to replace the water you were deprived of during the hours you slept.

Alright so you're up...What...

Commit for a Month, and Transform your Health!

Yes, it’s a big BOLD promise….

So, to be clear, I’m not saying that all your ills will be magically over…but what I am saying is that you will “look” and, “feel” much better, as you take a deep dive into your health status and address the cause and focus on your top priorities. 

And, it starts with YOU knowing what to prioritize and focus on first.

So yes, I can confidently promise that you can absolutely transform your wellbeing if you say “Yes” to focusing on your health for ONE month.

It’s widely acknowledged that it takes an average of 21 days to break or make a new habit, so after just one month of focusing on your health, it’s entirely possible to see and feel positive changes happening within your body. On your journey to wellness, you will discover and make new and lasting lifestyle changes…that you enjoy!

But here’s the kicker…

...

 Successful slimmers’ don’t diet. Take that in for a second.

Doesn’t, seem right, does it?

In fact, you may be thinking the opposite – that losing weight, by eating a certain number of calories and exercising over a certain period of time is EXACTLY what successful slimmer’s do.

So, if they aren’t “dieting” what’s their secret? Their magic? Their special sauce?

Well, it’s not calorie-controlled food, expensive gym memberships, shakes or some sort of magical unicorn.

Nope, it’s simple:

Successful weight loss folk understand the need to take a deep dive into their nutritional status and deal with or address any or all of the following:

1. Food intolerances
2. Leaky gut
3. Hormone imbalance
4. Blood sugar imbalance
5. Environmental toxins 
6. Nutritional deficiencies
7. Virus, Bacteria or Parasites - aka Pathogens
8. Inefficient fat metabolism
9. Diet low in vitamins and minerals
10. Vagus nerve damage.

If you've...