Calendula: The Herb For Digestion, Immunity & More!

/0 Comments/in /by

Hi there!

Today I’d like to share with you how calendula is an all-around health-boosting herb.
 
Well, calendula officinalis or the common pot marigold is appreciated not only for its bright beautiful addition to the garden but also because of its culinary and medicinal benefits.
 
Calendula is native to the Mediterranean but is now found almost everywhere. Composed of bright petals in orange or yellow, calendula grows up to 1-2 feet tall.


 
But this flower isn’t just pretty–it has anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-inflammatory properties.  No wonder it has long been made into oils, creams, and ointment to be used to heal wounds and skin problems.
 
The FDA has actually approved the use of calendula both as a spice and as an ingredient for cosmetics, body creams, soaps, and shampoos as well as wound treatment.
 
Let’s look more closely at some of its benefits!
 

Calendula is good for your skin

  1. Calendula hydrates dry skin. If you are suffering from dry, itchy, or irritated skin, relieve it by applying cream or ointment with calendula as an ingredient. It promotes the production of collagen, which is an essential protein that keeps the skin tissues strong and elastic. If you have eczema, dermatitis, or dandruff, calendula will soothe your skin and keep it hydrated. For babies, who have the most sensitive and delicate skin, calendula prevents and heals diaper rash and other skin irritations.
  2. Calendula heals wounds. This is why calendula or a cream or ointment made from it is a must in the medicine cabinet. Otherwise known as a healing plant, calendula promotes wound healing when applied topically to the affected area. This really comes in handy for insect bites, bruises, blisters, cuts, sunburns, burns, and so on. Its anti-inflammatory properties, antimicrobial components, and collagen formation ability really work wonders.
  3. Calendula reduces scarring. When you use calendula to treat your wound, it reduces scar tissue formation. By speeding up wound healing and encouraging a healthy healing process, calendula allows the growth of healthy new tissue (so your wound heals cleanly).
  4. Calendula prolongs onset of wrinkles. Protect your cells from oxidative stress with the aid of calendula. Its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds help with this. Oxidative stress plays a big role in the aging process and disease development. So, by protecting your cells from this kind of damage, calendula helps your skin stay healthier.

Calendula assists with digestion

Calendula’s healing powers not only apply to external wounds, but also internal ones. People with ulcers, heartburn or even irritable bowel syndrome can benefit from calendula because it protects the stomach lining and repairs the gut wall. This results in improved digestion and temporary relief of discomfort.

 
Calendula boosts the immune system

Calendula has the ability to fight infection because of its antimicrobial properties. This is why it is attributed to strengthening the immune system.
 
Calendula tea can be used for relief from coughs or nasal congestion.
 
Next week, I’ll discuss further how calendula is used so stay tuned!
 
It is my passion to work with people like you whose health symptoms are getting in the way of you living life fully and with a sense of freedom in your body. I can help you to regain your health so you can feel great and free to enjoy life fully.
 
If you’re ready to discover where your best health has been hiding, I’d love to connect with you!
Apply for a complimentary Unstoppable Health Discovery Session. http://bit.ly/schedulinghealth (subject to availability).

Until next time, I’m wishing you unstoppable health!

~Rebecca

Phytate–Friend or Anti-Nutrient?

/0 Comments/in /by

Hi there!
This week, we’re going to talk about phytate or phytic acid and whether it’s healthful or harmful.
 
Phytate is a unique natural compound found in seeds, nuts, grains, and legumes. This compound stores phosphorus.  Once the seed sprouts, that phosphorus is released and used by the young plant for survival.


 
Phytic acid has been labeled as an anti-nutrient because it hinders the absorption of some minerals such iron, zinc, and calcium. It’s possible that this can cause mineral deficiencies among people who don’t eat a balanced diet.
 
So is it really an anti-nutrient?
 
Yes.
 
Is it totally bad for your health?
 
No, it’s not. In fact, it has a number of benefits!

Phytate Benefits

Phytate only blocks the absorption of the aforementioned minerals at the time it is ingested and doesn’t affect the absorption of minerals in subsequent meals.
 
And besides, the benefits of high-phytate foods far outweigh its anti-nutrient ability. The following are some of the health benefits of phytate:

  1. Phytate is anti-cancer. Not only does phytic acid stop the growth of cancer cells, but it also boosts the immune system so that the natural killer cells are able to get rid of cancer cells without hurting the normal cells. They cut down blood supply to tumors so that the tumor is starved and not able to thrive. What’s better news is that phytate allows cancer cells to go back into normal cells. It’s that fascinating?!
  2. Phytate protects from osteoporosis. In a study, women who had high phytate levels had the lowest levels of bone loss in the hips and spine.
  3. Phytate prevents kidney stones. The presence of phytate inhibits or stops the crystallization of calcium salts and thus prevents the formation of renal or kidney stones.

So generally, phytic acid isn’t bad for your health just because it is an anti-nutrient. Unless, of course, you don’t eat a balanced diet.

For example, meat is a heme source of iron and is more efficiently absorbed by the body in contrast to non-heme iron which is derived from plants. It’s the same with zinc.

So it’s ideal if your diet consists of both plant and meat sources of these minerals to avoid having problems with mineral deficiencies. Plus, you can try these 3 strategies to lessen or degrade phytate in your plant sources:

  1. Soaking. Legumes and cereals can be soaked in water overnight so that their phytate content can be reduced. 
  2. Sprouting. Also known as germination, sprouting degrades the phytic acid in seeds, nuts, and legumes.
  3. Fermentation. This process allows the formation of organic acids that break down phytate.

 Overall, your body receives more benefits than harm from phytate. It only becomes significantly a problem if your mineral sources are not varied. However, there are techniques that can reduce the phytate content of your food, such as soaking, sprouting, and fermentation.
 
It is my passion to work with people like you whose health symptoms are getting in the way of you living life fully and with a sense of freedom in your body. I can help you to regain your health so you can feel great and free to enjoy life fully.
 
If you’re ready to discover where your best health has been hiding, I’d love to connect with you!
Apply for a complimentary Unstoppable Health Discovery Session. http://bit.ly/schedulinghealth (subject to availability).
Until next time, I’m wishing you unstoppable health!


~Rebecca

7 Herbs and Spices that Boost Gut Health

/0 Comments/in /by

Your gut microbiome plays an important role in keeping your immune system healthy as well as in managing your mood.

Eating the right diet is essential for keeping the microorganisms that make up your microbiome healthy and happy. Foods that keep the gut lining intact and help in the proper movement of food through your digestive tract are necessary to keep your gut healthy.

Today I’ll share with you 7 herbs and spices that boost gut health.

Ginger

Ginger is famous for its culinary value and use in folk medicine. Ginger stimulates the migrating motor complex, the movement of the smooth muscles of the digestive tract that propels residual food forward. Without the migrating motor complex, food sits in your gut and ferments…and eventually causes bloating, gas, and stomach aches.

Ginger also promotes tissue repair in the gut lining and prevents symptoms of inflammatory conditions. In addition, ginger protects the liver from alcohol-induced damage. Most importantly, ginger feeds the beneficial bacteria in your gut!

Try this yummy recipe of ginger beef to help you kickstart a diet with more ginger (can substitute for other proteins if you don’t eat beef).
 
Turmeric

Turmeric is a natural carminative–meaning, it relieves flatulence. As early as 600BC, people already used turmeric for its medicinal properties. It helps in preventing indigestion and inflammation so that incorporating turmeric in your diet can be part of an approach to preventing leaky gut from happening.

Check out the 37 turmeric recipes for vegetables, meats, and more. Turmeric supplements can be hard to digest so using the spice in your cooking is a great way to access its health benefits.

Dandelion

Dandelion is not your ordinary flower. This plant is considered as an herb because all of its parts are used for medicinal purposes. The roots are rich in a soluble fiber and prebiotic called inulin–making it suitable to ease constipation and to nourish the gut microbiome.

Dried dandelion roots make a great tea. You can also mix dandelion greens with other greens for an even healthier salad.

Parsley

Parsley also holds a lot of powerful health benefits for the gut. Adding some parsley in your daily meals could help prevent indigestion and gas. Parsley is pretty versatile. Use it in your salad, soup, stews, garnish, and more to give your gut a health boost.

Basil

Basil leaves, interestingly, have a lot of gut benefits. It has been actually used in traditional medicine to treat indigestion, bloating, and water retention. But above all, basil leaves feed the healthy bacteria in your gut.

Chamomile

Aside from the calming effect of chamomile tea, it is also good for the gut. It has been used to comfort upset stomachs, indigestion, and abdominal gas.

Chamomile tea comes from the dried chamomile flowers and contains flavanoids and antioxidants that make it an ideal herbal remedy.
 
Bay Leaf

Bay leaf is an aromatic leaf famous in the culinary world, but it is also effective in the relief of indigestion. It also helps in decreasing our bodies’ level of toxicity and soothes symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

You can use bay leaf in pickling, marinating, and adding flavor to your dishes. I love to use it in soups, chili, and spaghetti sauce! Check out different bay leaf recipes here.

So I hope you will use this information to make your meals both delicious and gut healing.

It is my passion to work with people like you whose health symptoms are getting in the way of you living life fully and with a sense of freedom in your body. I can help you to regain your health so you can feel great and free to enjoy life fully.

If you’re ready to discover where your best health has been hiding, I’d love to connect with you!
Apply for a complimentary Unstoppable Health Discovery Session. http://bit.ly/schedulinghealth (subject to availability).

Until next time, I’m wishing you unstoppable health!
~Rebecca


How to protect your cells & boost immunity!

/0 Comments/in /by

Glutathione is your body’s master antioxidant and detoxifier of cells. This means glutathione prevents damage to your cells brought by free radicals (unstable molecules that damage healthy cells). Glutathione also boosts your immune system.  Having the right amount of glutathione helps protect you from disease and infection.
 
Luckily, your body actually produces its own glutathione supply. Your cells produce glutathione from protein building blocks, namely cysteine, glutamine, and glycine.


 
Every cell of your body has glutathione, but it is much more concentrated in the liver because this is where most of the detoxification process occurs.
 
Unfortunately, your glutathione supply can be depleted by poor diet, pollution, toxins from the products we use, medications, stress, trauma, aging, infections, and radiation.
 
If you are prone to infections or anemia and feel sluggish and tired, chances are you have low glutathione levels. 

So how do we amp up glutathione in our body?

 Here are some tips:

  • Get enough sleep – Oftentimes we ignore getting enough sleep but it always backfires on your health. Lack of sleep leads to oxidative stress (cell aging and damage), hormonal imbalance and depleted glutathione levels.
  • Exercise regularly – Exercise is no surprise tip as we have been talking about its health benefits countless times, but a combination of cardio and circuit weight training has been proven effective to increase the body’s glutathione levels. Find that “Goldilock’s spot” for you when it comes to working out so that you aren’t overdoing it and causing fatigue.
  • Use milk thistle oil – Milk thistle is an herb that has been known as a natural remedy for problems in the liver. There are other food and food supplements that can be taken to increase glutathione levels but milk thistle stands out. According to The Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine, milk thistle is able to increase glutathione levels in the liver up to 35%! The higher the glutathione in the liver is, the greater the ability of the liver to detoxify your body!
  • Unfortunately, though, the body has a hard time absorbing milk thistle supplements. Alternatively, you can eat the plant itself, use it for tea, or take milk thistle oil.
  • Eat foods that boost glutathione production – So in addition to milk thistle, you can add to your diet foods that are high in selenium, sulfur, vitamin C, vitamin E, and alpha-lipoic acid. Eggs and dairy, especially whey protein, and spices like turmeric are also great.

 It is my passion to work with people like you whose health symptoms are getting in the way of you living life fully and with a sense of freedom in your body. I can help you to regain your health so you can feel great and free to enjoy life fully.
 
If you’re ready to discover where your best health has been hiding, I’d love to connect with you!
Apply for a complimentary Unstoppable Health Discovery Session. http://bit.ly/schedulinghealth (subject to availability).

Until next time, I’m wishing you unstoppable health!

~Rebecca

How to Manage Anxiety through Gut Health

/0 Comments/in /by

It’s normal to become anxious when there is something you fear or when you face an unfamiliar situation (like this pandemic!). Your fight-or-flight response gets activated and so your breathing quickens and gets more shallow, your heart rate increases…these 2 reactions alone can lead to feeling anxious!

While this anxiety response is normal every now and then, anxiety disorder is a whole other story. It happens when a person stays in fight-flight and fails to go back to the rest-and-digest response. When this happens, the feeling of anxiety interferes with a person’s daily life so much that it feels very challenging to maintain even basic well-being and productivity.


 
There are a lot of things that can trigger anxiety: A traumatic experience, health problems, work or personal relationships, financial stress, or school challenges are common triggers. When we experience anxiety, inside your brain, a chemical imbalance occurs. The hormones that are responsible for mood, energy, and how we handle stress (neurotransmitters) can get thrown out of balance.
 
Cutting-edge research tells us another culprit plays a role in anxiety: Your gut microbiome.
 
Yes, your gut and nervous system are interconnected.
 
Have you experienced “butterflies in your stomach” during a presentation?
 
A “gut-wrenching” experience?
 
A “knot in your stomach” when facing an uncomfortable situation?
 
Well, your gut and brain are in constant communication.
 
In fact, the gut has this mesh-like network of neurons along its walls, called the enteric nervous system (ENS). It receives and sends signals from and to both the sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight) and the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest). It sends signals to the brain via the vagus nerve.
 
So how does your gut microbiome cause anxiety?
 
Consider your ENS as your second brain.  It has profound influence on your emotions. How? It produces and moves serotonin, the neurotransmitter that maintains mood balance.
 
95% of serotonin is produced by the gut microbiome.
 
The health of your gut microbiome definitely influences your mood, how you deal with stress, and in the development of anxiety disorder.
 
So how do you keep your gut microbiome healthy so that it becomes a source of happiness and ease?

Boosting Your Gut Health

The goal is to increase the good microorganisms in your gut while decreasing the bad ones. Your diet plays a key role in helping you achieve this.
 
Your diet is not only a source of nutrition for your body: It also feeds the trillions of bacteria, fungi, and other microbes in your gut.
 
Here are some changes you can apply to your diet to improve your gut health:

  1. Eat varied foods with plenty of good quality protein and plants at each meal.
  2. Reduce or totally get rid of highly processed food.
  3. Eat fiber (because your gut bugs eat it too!).

Please note that an abrupt switch to fiber-rich foods can make your stomach bloated, so just take it easy by doing it gradually and drink more water.
 
Since antibiotics are hard on your gut microbiome, make sure to compensate by eating more plant-based food if you are on antibiotic therapy.
 
Taking probiotics is also important for gut health, especially ones containing Lactobacillus (L.) rhamnosus. Studies show that this particular strain of probiotic greatly lessened anxiety on test subjects. This bacteria is naturally occurring in Parmesan cheese.
 
Your gut is at the root of your health. Today we focused on the gut/mental health connection and I hope what I shared here is helpful for you.
 
It is my passion to work with people like you whose health symptoms are getting in the way of you living life fully and with a sense of freedom in your body. I can help you to regain your health so you can feel great and free to enjoy life fully.
 
If you’re ready to discover where your best health has been hiding, I’d love to connect with you!
Apply for a complimentary Unstoppable Health Discovery Session. http://bit.ly/schedulinghealth (subject to availability).

Until next time, I’m wishing you unstoppable health!

~Rebecca