37: Environment vs. Genetics, The Functional Medicine Difference, Create the Space for Wellness, Detox Soups, Build Immunity, Attract Like-Minds

🧠 Edition 37: All About Your Environment

Enjoy this week's tips, resources, and strategies all about creating the ideal environment for your health, wellness, and inner peace.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
❤️ Stephanie 🧠✨🤸‍♂️🌱

The Freedom to Live 5 things Friday 

Every Friday, 5 things of value from the integrative health sciences.
The best of the best functional medicine, educational resources, research, quotes, books, tips, advice etc. all from the key pillars of the integrative health system.

1. The Difference

I AM literally the PICTURE PERFECT IMAGE of HEALTH. 
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I eat, sleep, breath health, and am definitely considered above the average by my conventional medical doctor's standards:
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

• Bloodwork is normal

• Hormones are normal

• Tests are normal

• Lifestyle and Mindset on point

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
So when I walk in to my conventional medicine doctor appointments with a list of subtle digestive and hormonal dis-ease symptoms, I am left with either of the 3 options:
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

1. A prescription to band-aid my pains,

2. A referral to a specialist, or simply

3. "you're tests are all showing up as normal", there's nothing further to be done. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

I can walk away and accept this, or I can continue to seek answers.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
THE DIFFERENCE between conventional and functional medicine lab testing is that:⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

1. There is ALWAYS a reason WHY. 

2. Symptoms are not to be JUST accepted as a way of life, and 

3. What is NORMAL is not necessarily OPTIMAL.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

This healthy lifestyle, an integrative approach, and yearly functional lab testing is the path I chose to live the rest of my life and in the process I'm able to help guide my family, children, and others who are seeking answers.

If you or someone you know is struggling or still seeking answers, I invite you to set up a complimentary call today.
 

Book Now

2. Environment is Everything

The many LESSONS from plants.

My #1 lesson so far in this new gardening life and newfound love for growing plants 🌱 is that it's all about the ENVIRONMENT.  

Continuously cultivate and create the environment of health, wellness, and inner peace so that balance will be restored.  You will THRIVE.

3. Nutrition: Create a Detox Lifestyle with Soups

Soups are easy to digest, gut-healing, nutrient-dense, and full of delicious properties to aid in a constant detox lifestyle.

This recipe/method can act as a template to mix and match a variety of ingredients and spices to suit your tastebuds or to accommodate whatever you have on hand.

The Insta Pot Method

Since getting my insta pot, it has saved me so much time and money in the kitchen and I'm more inclined to make healthy batches of soups, stews, grains, legumes etc. from scratch

Sweet Potato Squash Soup

1. Choose a base: onions, garlic, fennel, leaks, celery
2. Choose some spices: turmeric, ginger, red pepper flakes, cumin, curry
3. **Choose main ingredients: sweet potato and kabocha squash
4. Add veg stock or filtered water
5. Choose some garnish: fresh herbs, hemp hearts 

• **Pressure cook the squash and sweet potatoes, 8-10 minutes, first to easily remove skins.

• Sauté step 1 ingredients 3-4 minutes

• Add in spices and sauté for another 3-4 minutes

• Add stock + cooked sweet potatoes and squash, pressure cook on soup mode for 15 minutes

• Remove lid and blend with a hand blender.

• Garnish with some basil and hemp hearts.

  • 3 TBS of hemp hearts = 10g of protein.

Let me know if you try this recipe or make up your own. 

4. Build an Environment of Immunity

5. Connect with a like-minded Community

This week we spoke about building the strength, courage, and bravery to live more in your truth.  Create the confidence to make any step towards your truth. 
👉   Click here to watch this week's episode 

Enjoy your week!

Wishing ✌️peace 💪 strength ❤️ love and  ⚖️ balance.

Stephanie

35: Restore Balance: Nutrition, Mindset, Technology

⚖️ Edition 35: Restore Balance

Enjoy this week's tips, resources, and strategies all about restoring balance and taking a step back from the noise.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
❤️ Stephanie 🧠✨🤸‍♂️🌱

The Freedom to Live 5 things Friday 

Every Friday, 5 things of value from the integrative health sciences.
The best of the best functional medicine, educational resources, research, quotes, books, tips, advice etc. all from the key pillars of the integrative health system.

1. Nutrition: 3 Balanced Meals/Day

3 Balanced whole food meals/day is what minimizes cravings, restores deficiencies, and maintains satiation, energy, and balance within the body and mind.

Sticking with 3 balanced meals is the perfect structure to the day regulating circadian rhythms for children and adults, especially during summer months. 

For our younger house guest this week, the strategy was to add in more vegetables to familiar foods.  We ended up adding cauliflower, spinach, and even sweet potatoes to our morning BF smoothies and they were loved by all! 

2. Wellness vs. Weight Loss: Reject DIET and adopt the LIFESTYLE

3. Remove/Limit Activities that Drain Energy

4. Mindset: The Law of Balance

The entire philosophy of functional medicine is based on balance. When a person's biochemistry, physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual body is out of balance, this is when dis-ease of the body occurs.⁣ ⁣
THE LAW OF BALANCE⁣
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⁣
Finding The Middle Way⁣
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⁣
If gravity is the glue⁣
that holds the universe together,⁣
balance is the key⁣
that unlocks its secrets.⁣
Balance applies⁣
to our body, mind, and emotions,⁣
to all levels of our being.⁣
It reminds us that anything we do,⁣
we can overdo or underdo,⁣
and that if the pendulum⁣
of our lives or habits⁣
swings too far to one side,⁣
it will inevitably swing to the other.⁣
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⁣
By Dan Millman from The Laws of Spirit, A Tale of Transformation⁣

5. Perspective: Take a step back from the noise.

Author of Dirty Genes, and one of my favourite Integrative Health Naturopathic Doctors, Dr. Ben Lynch, who isn't afraid to take a step back from the noice and voice a bigger and more positive perspective; Check out some of his videos here 👉  @drbenlynch 

Enjoy your week!

❤️ Stephanie ⚖️

34: Physical Signs of Deficiencies, Medical Freedom, EMF, Black Bean Recipe, Plant the Seeds of Desire, Meditational Movement

Edition 34: Plant the Seeds

Enjoy this week's tips, resources, and strategies, a mix of body mind health from a root-cause level.  Everything starts by planting the seeds of desire...

❤️ Stephanie 🧠✨🤸‍♂️🌱

The Freedom to Live 5 things Friday 

Every Friday, 5 things of value from the integrative health sciences.
The best of the best functional medicine, educational resources, research, quotes, books, tips, advice etc. all from the key pillars of the integrative health system.

1. Physical Signs of Deficiencies (5 examples)

1. Hair 

• Brittle, Thin, Loss, Not growing can indicate overall B vitamins, B2, B5, Biotin, Zinc, Vitamin C, Collagen, Omega-3, and Protein consumption deficiency, as well as, a sign of Low Thyroid (iodine, selenium, iron.

• Grey Hair can be a sign of a lack of Zinc + Copper.  Copper is found in shell fish, nuts and seeds, dark leafy greens, and prunes which is what allows for Melanin production and the slowing of grey hair.  

2. Lips

• Cracking is a sign of B12, B vitamins, and/or Zinc deficiencies.

3. Nails

• Vertical ridges are a sign of weakened digestion.

• Horizontal ridges are a sign of fungal or bacterial overgrowth in the gut.

• White Spots can show up as a sign of a Zinc and/or Calcium deficiency.

4. Cold Sores

• Often triggered by stress or viral based, and are a tell-tale sign of low Vitamin C, Zinc, B vitamins (niacin, B12, Folate), and possibly the amino acid Lysine.

5. Dark Circles around the Eyes

• Typically indicate several things, such as a lack of sleep, stress, or allergies.

• This is a Vata imbalance, meaning poor circulation or some type of circulatory disturbance which is usually worsened with increased inflammation in the body. 

• Low B vitamins which are needed for stress and vitamin C and antioxidants which are needed for repair.  A good liver detox may also be beneficial. 

2. Real Dangers to Health and Freedom

Are you having a difficult time finding answers to your health questions that don’t involve drug-based treatments?

Dr. Joseph Mercola describes the many ways Google and other entities are chipping away at our personal freedoms and manipulating what we see and read on the Internet in this Living 4D podcast.

Listen here + Get all the show note resources: https://chekinstitute.com/podcast-episode-notes/ep-81-dr-joseph-mercola/

3. Nutrition: Upgrades (Black Bean Brownie Recipe)

Prep (5 minutes)
Cook (25 minutes)

Gluten-Free
Dairy-Free
Vegan

Ingredients

2 cups of black beans (1 can of organic black beans thoroughly rinsed/ or cooked dried beans)

2 Flax eggs = 2 Tbsp of ground flaxseed + 6 Tbsp of filtered water

3 Tbsp coconut oil

3/4 cup cacao powder

1/4 tsp sea salt

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

4 Tbsp of raw honey

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 cup chopped almonds (optional)

Method

Blend all ingredients in a food processor or pulse in a blender until mixed.
Lightly grease a square pan/muffin tins with coconut oil.
Cook for 25 minutes +/- at 350 degrees F

4. Mindset: Plant the Seeds of Desire

Everything starts with a seed of desire.

When you get clear on your core values and what you really want in life, this is your path.  Because the lessons in the daily human struggle of achieving your desires is your purpose.  

Everything you desire is meant for you.

5. Meditations + Movement

✨Daily Affirmations + Daily Movements🤸‍♀️⁣
⁣
"What's meant for you won't pass by you.⁣
You will not have to force something that's real,⁣
genuine and something that's meant to be.⁣
Everything is always happening for us in divine right time,⁣
in divine order.⁣
If it comes, let it come.⁣
If it goes, let it go."⁣
⁣
-Lukas Notes 

For more guided meditations, check out my favourite resource here by the Chopra Centre. 👉  guided meditations 

Enjoy your week!

❤️ Stephanie ☀️🌴

33: Reduce Inflammation, Nutritional Deficiencies, Heavy Metal Toxicity, Hormone Imbalance, Estrogen Dominance, Inflammatory Vegetable Oils, Gluten & Dairy Sensitivities

Edition 33 Beat Inflammation

Inflammation in the body equals inflammation in the brain which equates to imflam-aging.  Feeling and looking youthful is an inside job.  

Enjoy this week's tips, resources, and strategies all about minimizing inflammation from a root-cause level. 
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
❤️ Stephanie 🧠✨🤸‍♂️🌱

The Freedom to Live 5 things Friday 

Every Friday, 5 things of value from the integrative health sciences.
The best of the best functional medicine, educational resources, research, quotes, books, tips, advice etc. all from the key pillars of the integrative health system.

1. Deficiencies

One of the root imbalances to inflammation can be a deficiency in specific vitamins such as: C, E, D, and the B vitamin family.  The whole premise of functional and integrative medicine is to replenish deficiencies and remove toxicity to rebalance the body back to a state of health. 

Our food and soil systems are depleted even if you are literally doing the best at getting in a variety of nutrients.  I see this time and time again on reading functional medicine labs: people have systemic nutrient deficiencies and ratio imbalances.

A simple start is here:  Foundation Level 1.

A good quality, functional medicine, 3rd party-lab tested, made in Canada, endorsed by practitioners supplement.

Order Today

2. Heavy Metal Toxicity

Reduce Exposure in your food, air, and water systems.

1. Choose to eat wild caught small fish: Sardines, Mackerel, Anchovies, Salmon, Herring and avoid big fish with high Mercury content: Tuna, Sword Fish, Marlin, Sea bass to name a few.

2. Avoid drinking city tap water and have your well water tested.  Filtering your water is always a good idea.  I personally use a solid carbon countertop system by Berkey Filters.

3. Avoid using Aluminum cookware, aluminum cans, and personal care products that contain aluminum. 

4. TEST your levels of toxic metals and mineral balance with the Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis. 

5. Complete a Heavy Metal Detox Protocol that includes alkalizing Vitamin C, cilantro, chlorella, and biofilm disrupters. 

3. Hormone Imbalance (Estrogen Dominance)

Make the UPGRADES and get rid of Plastics and other Xenoestrogens from your life.

8/10 of the people I work with experience some type of Hormone Dysfunction that holds them back from feeling and showing up to life at their best.⁣
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⁣
🎈 Irregular or missed cycles⁣
🎈 Bloat ⁣
🎈 Adult acne/ cystic acne⁣
🎈 Hair thining⁣
🎈Unwanted weight loss or Inability to lose weight⁣
🎈Unexplainable body aches/ joint pain⁣
🎈Heightened PMS⁣
🎈Challenging pre/post menopause symptoms⁣
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⁣
These are all signs of some type of subclinical imbalance in the body, which can be the start of a dis-ease based process in the body. Getting regular hormone tests done are the best way to prevent female dis-eases of the body because we can rebalance the body back to health.⁣
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⁣
Thorugh functional medical lab testing, these are the lab markers that we look at from a functional medicine (education on your personal health) non-diagnostic perspective. ⁣
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⁣
We deliver the FULL picture all in ONE LAB:⁣
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⁣
👉The cortisol curve C1, C2, C3, C4 (saliva taken 4x/day)⁣
👉Estrogen, Progesterone and the E:P ratio (for estrogen dominance/in men too!!)⁣
👉 Androgens: DHEA, Testosterone⁣
👉Thyroid: TSH, T4, T3, TPOab, insulin, HbA1c⁣
👉Vitamins D2, D3⁣
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⁣

Book a Free Consult today

4. Low Omega-3 : High Inflammatory Vegetable Oils

Aim to increase healthy Omega3 from either fish or plant foods;

🐟SMASH (Sardines, Mackerel, Anchovies, Salmon, Herring)

🌱Flax seed, Chia Seed, Hemp Hearts

An example here above of an upgraded Mediterranean style fish and chips lunch.  Home-made organic oven roasted potatoes with wild caught sardines in olive oil.  

5. Chronic Food Sensitivities: Gluten & Dairy

The easiest way to reduce inflammation is through diet.  If you haven't already downloaded, saved, and have my 3-day reset posted in your kitchen.  Today is the day to get started. 😁

Get the 3-day Reset here. 

Enjoy your week!

❤️ Stephanie ☀️🌴

32: Boost Brain Health, Sleep Tips, Gratitude, Best Exercise for Brain Health

Edition 32 🧠 Brain Health
Get your brain right and health will follow. - Dr. Daniel G. Amen

Enjoy this week's tips, resources, and strategies all about prioritizing brain health.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
❤️ Stephanie 🧠✨🤸‍♂️🌱

The Freedom to Live 5 things Friday 

Every Friday, 5 things of value from the integrative health sciences.
The best of the best functional medicine, educational resources, research, quotes, books, tips, advice etc. all from the key pillars of the integrative health system.

1. Brain Health

The TOP 5 detriments to brain health include:

1. Smoking, Alcohol, Drugs, Prescription Drugs

2. Caffeine (Stimulant) over 300 mg/day.  

3. Processed, High refined sugar foods and especially **chemical sugars: sugar alcohol, Splenda 

4. Low omega 3 + High Saturated Fat + Processed Diet

5. Physical inactivity and being overweight or obese

Nutritional and Lifestyle Factors to Boost Brain Health

Diet (80/20) 

1. Eat Smart:  Low inflammatory, quality protein, low-glycemic, high-fibre, antioxidant-rich food.

2. Redefine treats.  Dark chocolate is rich in flavonoids, unless you have histamine issues, a dark chocolate treat greater than 75%  can be very beneficial.

3. Swap out occasionally the coffee with a green tea/matcha. Caffeine/coffee isn't entirely bad, just know what amount works for you avoiding levels over 300mg/day.

4. Wild blueberries (dark berries) are low glycemic and high in antioxidants which are good for nervous and brain health.  

5. Focus on the good fats (Omega-3) to balance saturated fats.   EPA found in small fatty fish counteracts Arachidonic acid which is the highest in peanut oils and animal products.  Look at consuming SMASH fish (Sardines, Mackerel, Anchovies, Salmon, Herring) or a high-quality fish oil supplement.

Lifestyle

1. Sleep; Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep time.  

2. Manage Stress;  Herbal adaptogens can help tone down the stress response in the body ie) Rhodiola, Ashwaghanda, L-thenanine, Phosphatidylserine, Adrenal soothe; Ginko, Ginsing, Magnesium.

3. Moderate Exercise; Overexercise can be neurodegenerative causing more stress and inflammation.  

Upcoming Topic with Chef Collin, Mondays at 11EST on Instagram Live.  
Follow me on Instagram here to tune in to our weekly conversations.  

Monday, June 15: 👉 Top 5 causes of inflammation⁣
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⁣
Upcoming Topics:⁣
Physical signs of Vitamin D deficiencies⁣
Histamine Intolerances and 5 main causes⁣

2. Sleep is #1 to rebalance health

🧠 "One of the fastest ways to hurt your brain is to get fewer than 7 or 8 hours sleep at night. People who typically get 6 hours or fewer of sleep have lower overall blood flow to the brain, which hurts its function.⁣
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⁣
Researchers from the Walter Road Army Institute of Research and the University of Pennsylvania found that chronically getting fewer than 8 hours of sleep was associated with cognitive decline." ⁣
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⁣
Unleash the Power of the Female Brain by Dr. Daniel G. Amen⁣

5 tips

1. Dark Room (blackout blinds)
2. Cool Temperature
3. Remove/Reduce Technology: No screens 2 hours before bed; or use blue blocker glasses. Turn off wifi router for the night.
4. Magnesium or other sleep support supplements
5. Stop eating 3-4 hours before bed

Bonus: Shut down the Monkey Mind: Celebrate daily wins (I did do list), gratitude, write down 3 intentions for the following day

3. Mindset: Always Return to Gratitude

The Best Exercise for Brain Health

Moderate Exercise Daily for life is the best for long-term brain health!  

Simply just walk.  

A steps prescription is commonly specifically used as part of a treatment protocol in traumatic brain injury recovery.  Increased steps has shown to increase neuroplasticity (brain growth) whereas a sedentary lifestyle shows bad blood flow to the brain.  

Aim and work up to a daily goal of 10 000 steps.

Enjoy the upcoming week.

❤️ Stephanie

31: Grounding, Cold Water Therapy, Metabolism & Weight Balance, Toxicity Quiz, Exercise Planning

Edition 31 ⏚ Staying Grounded

How to stay grounded in a perceived world of chaos.
Enjoy this week's tips, resources, and strategies.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
❤️ Stephanie 🧠✨🤸‍♂️🌱

The Freedom to Live 5 things Friday 

Every Friday, 5 things of value from the integrative health sciences.
The best of the best functional medicine, educational resources, research, quotes, books, tips, advice etc. all from the key pillars of the integrative health system.

1. Grounding!

Literally and Simply! kick off your shoes and socks and connect your feet to the ground.   Sand, dirt, pavement, it doesn't matter, but, preferably pesticide free grass! 

Grounding, or Earthing is one of the simplest overlooked practices out there to simply have skin contact with the negative ions of the earth. Just being grounded, changes our nervous system state from sympathetic mode (fight-flight) to parasympathetic (rest, recover, digest), it lowers your heart rate and energetically calms the body.  

In the electrical world, everything is grounded for safety.  I think we need to visualize this for ourselves, and start a daily grounding practice to the physical earth.

The first morning dew is a perfect time and place to get started!!! 

Maybe take your morning routine outside this week.

More on grounding here: Grounding the Human Body: The Healing Benefits of Earthing

2. Cold Water Therapy

This is one of the fastest ways to literally throw yourself in to the present moment and get out of your head is with a cold plunge.  It forces you to breathe.  Once you get past the first 20 seconds, the initial shock of it, you can begin to breathe through it using a variety of breath techniques, or simply, box breathing: breathe out to the count of 4, breathe in to the count of 4 and repeat. 

The cold is always uncomfortable, it never gets easier, and there is always the desire to escape it.   But overtime it strengthens the mind with a physical and mental practice.  

Cold water therapy has been used for decades in athletic training recovery to calm sore and overworked muscles, reduce inflammation, but also helps with immunity, circulation, aging, cellular-energy, and much more.  

Cold plunging, however, is not for everyone especially for individuals who are in a heightened stress nervous system state.  It can do more harm than good.  It isn't a good idea to further shock the body.

Like anything, this is a graduated process and practice.  Start small and build.  

Cold showers are also a good way to get started.

Check out my outdoor DIY garden hose shower! I'm using this as part of my morning routines (faster than filling a tub), for post-workouts, or rinsing off on hot days. 

3. Nutrition Factors: Improve Metabolism & Weight Balance

Low calorie are low-energy diets and they are not a long-term solution. These “solutions” are often nutrient deficient and/or are missing major food group categories. ⁣
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⁣
The main danger of the low-cal “lifestyle” over the long-term is that metabolic rate can be significantly affected. Because energy intake below needs can depress resting metabolic rates by 10%-20%, or the equivalent of 100-400 kcal/day. ⁣
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⁣
This drop in basal needs, as a consequence, decreases the amount of energy needed to maintain weight.

The discussion almost always involves more than calories in calories out, sure this is important, but how are nutrition plans supporting these 5 important factors below? ⁣
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⁣
1. Thyroid;⁣
2. Iron;⁣
3. Blood Sugar and Cholesterol;⁣
4. Liver;⁣
5. Cortisol and Stress.⁣

How is thyroid being supported? Have you tested the full panel including antibodies?  What about Iron?Often symptoms of low energy, low motivation, low thyroid can be related to a deficiency in iron.  Then what about vitamin C! this vitamin helps the absorption and bioavailability of iron.  See how there are so many factors, always the "fix" is not one thing, but a collection of lifestyle and nutritional practices.  
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⁣
If you are unsure about where to start, I invite you to book either a 30 minute nutrition consult, or a 1hour integrative health assessment.  Both services include a detailed symptoms questionnaire done prior to the session to really dive into underlying imbalances to help you build a plan and blueprint to live by.  

Book Now!

Upcoming Topic with Chef Collin, Mondays at 11EST on Instagram Live.  Follow me on Instagram here to tune in to our weekly conversations.  

👉 How to boost brain function with 5 foods and lifestyle factors⁣

4. Toxicity Quiz

The whole premises of my practice is the Functional and Integrative Medicine approach: Remove Toxicity and Replenish Deficiencies to Rebalance the body. 

1. Remove
2. Replenish
3. Rebalance

Start here with taking 10 minutes to look at your toxicity load with this questionnaire.  

If you need help with your results, please set up a complimentary call by emailing, or texting back.

stephanie@thefreedomtolive.ca
647-838-7833

5. Exercise: Plan it. Set Up. Do it. Enjoy it. 

This is the conclusion. The more I set the intentions, plan, physically get the gear ready the night before. Actually do it and stop "awefulizing" it in my head....lol It's a never ending journey.  Might as well fall in love with the process and so I repeat:   Enjoy the journey!

I hope this email newsletter blog has inspired you to go in to next week with more grounding techniques.  

The world is definitely a little cooky right now and more then ever we need to get back down to earth.

Enjoy the upcoming week.

❤️ Stephanie

28: Liver Health, Alkaline vs. Acidic Foods, Graduated Exercise with Kettlebells

Edition 28: Spring Cleaning the Body

Focus on what you CAN do and not what you can't do.

This week is all about spring cleaning the body and looking at supporting our LIVER HEALTH. 

Enjoy this week.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
❤️ Stephanie 🧠✨🤸‍♂️🌱

The Freedom to Live 5 things Friday 

Every Friday, 5 things of value from the integrative health sciences.
The best of the best functional medicine, educational resources, research, quotes, books, tips, advice etc. all from the key pillars of the integrative health system.

1. Liver Health: WHY this concerns EVERYONE.

For the the last two weeks on Chef Collin's channel, every Monday, Live at 11:00AM EST we’ve been discussing the WHYs of eliminating gluten and dairy to reset immunity and overall health.  Naturally, the next phase to this conversation is looking at liver health.

Traditionally liver detoxification is done in the spring and fall when temperatures are moderate and fresh greens are plentiful.

On detox plans we avoid anything inflammatory, processed or white: sugar bread, alcohol, aged, pickled or spices that can trigger allergies or histamine reactions.

A good way to start is to look at food in terms of Alkaline vs. Acidic and to aim for a ratio of +/- 80% alkaline 20% acidic.

Section 8 of my integrative health assessment asks about liver and gallbladder health specifically.

These symptoms are communication messenger that your body/liver is telling you that it needs support.  

How many boxes do you check here below: ?

2. What is Liver Detox? How to Reset?

The word Detox, has been so overly mis-marketed as a quick-fix product or crash diet plan.  

Truthfully, detoxification is a very in-depth and scientific process that the body does naturally to release toxins through our 4 main detox pathway channels: breath, sweat, urine, faces.  But in order to expel toxins out of the body through our kidneys, colon, lungs, and skin, most toxins being fat-soluble, need to be converted over to water-soluble toxins to then be released with the help of different nutrients as shown in the image above. (phase 1 + phase 2).

A lot of "detox" products on the market do not contain these nutrients, therefore there is really no assurance that your body is properly getting rid of toxins.  Toxins can actually get stuck between phase 1 and phase 2, an intermediate phase if the proper phase 2 nutrients are missing from diet as well as a detox formula.

Just removing a toxin, like sugar, doesn't mean you are detoxing. The proper term would be a "sugar elimination".  Although eliminations are good, by just removing the triggers, this can still be a band-aid approach by not actually getting at the underlying root cause of the issue.  

Detoxing is a true physical, chemical, mind, and emotional process of releasing toxicity. 

Most toxins are stored in our adipose (fat tissues) because toxins are mostly fat-soluble compounds, and this shows up predominantly in the mid section.  

As a protection mechanism, our bodies will hold on to toxic water or fat weight as opposed to just dumping these toxins into the blood stream.  This is one of the main reasons no matter how much calories in/calories out, the body will not release this weight. 

By choosing a detox nutrition plan and formulation (functional medicine detox) that includes all these nutrients, we are setting the body up to be able to safely remove any stored toxic water and fat weight.  

Remember the 3-day reset? That is the basic detox nutrition plan that I use with clients on our 15-day integrative detox.  Click the image below to save/print a copy.

If you are interested in completing this 15-day plan, email us to get started.

stephanie@thefreedomtolive.ca

 

3. Mindset: Perspective

https://www.instagram.com/p/CAImTA6j3qH/

Graduated Exercise: Bringing in the Kettlebells

Kettlebells are so versatile and easily incorporated into daily functional full body workout flows. ⁣They are a perfect tool to increase weight and resistance into your workouts, and they are a fun novelty.

The goal of any GEP: Graduated Exercise Program is to gradually increasing the number of reps, sets, and weights weekly or biweekly without burning out or overtraining. ⁣
⁣
🙏


Have a good week and Happy Spring Cleaning your Health.

❤️ Stephanie

26: Hidden Sources of Gluten

Hidden Sources of Gluten

Gluten is often added to foods as a stabilizer, thickener, and keeping it from falling apart. ⁣
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⁣
Here are some possible hidden sources of Gluten to look out for:⁣
Ice cream⁣ (mainly with regard to the flavour such as cookie dough, kit Kat etc.)
frozen yoghurt⁣
brewers yeast⁣
dressings⁣
mayonnaise ⁣
canned soups⁣
soy sauce⁣
ketchup⁣
condiments in general⁣
toothpaste⁣
cereal⁣
pudding⁣
French fries and Potato chips (as a non stick cooking coating)⁣
Wheat starch⁣
shampoo/conditioner (gluten is used as a thickener)⁣
malt, barley malt, malt syrup, malt extract, or malt flavoring⁣
triticale⁣
graham flour⁣
triticum vulgare⁣
hordeum vulgare⁣
secale⁣
hydrolyzed wheat protein⁣
brewer’s yeast⁣
oats, unless specifically labeled as gluten-free⁣
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⁣
Many other foods prepared or processed outside of the home may also come into contact with gluten products resulting in a cross-contamination.⁣
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⁣
Hope this list helps. ⁣

19: 3-Day RESET, Zinc to Copper Balance, Energy Draining Habits, Jordan Peterson Mindset Wisdom

On The Other Side Of The Challenges Is The Life You Desire.

Welcome to Edition 19 bringing another 5 important topics this week highlighting the importance of BASICS.

Get your food right! You body and mind will follow.

❤️ Stephanie 🧠

The Freedom to Live 5 things Friday 

Every Friday, 5 things of value from the integrative health sciences.
The best of the best functional medicine, educational resources, research, quotes, books, tips, advice etc. all from the key pillars of the integrative health system.

Although the mineral copper is vitally important to many aspects of our health, it has become way too common to see this in excess on a person’s lab results…

It is at this point we consider it a problem and copper begins to act as a metal that causes a variety of brain, neurological, immune, skin, allergy, and other health issues…

If you’re dealing with “mystery symptoms” it may be time you look into a potential copper overload…

Copper is one of the first mineral imbalances to look at with any MOOD, EMOTIONAL, and NEURO based disorders and significant in:

Anxiety, Leaning disabilities, Cholesterol, and mind-racing.

Causes of High Copper

Chronic Stress and Adrenal exhaustion
Environment: Water, Copper Pipes, Copper Pans
Copper IUD, Birth Control, Pregnancy
Vegetarian Diets 
Zinc deficiency (because it works as an antagonist to copper, low levels of zinc can drive up copper and vice versa)

Learn more about our Functional Medicine Lab Testing Service or contact us with your questions/book a complimentary call to see how and where to get started for yourself or a family member.

FM Lab Testing Service

Contact Us!

3. Mindset and Emotional Balance: Cultivate the habits that cultivate better Energy.

5. Exercise Philosophy: The life you desire is on the other side of the Challenges.

What would life be like if you just DID the things that you keep putting off.

• Exercise

• Meal Prep

• Taxes

• Cold calls

• Certain conversations

What are the things (usually Hard) that you keep putting off or avoid.
Maybe you need to work up to it.  Gradually increase the hermetic stressors in life builds the resilience to DO the HARD things.

• Gradually increasing exercise reps and resistance

• Learning new things

• Doing that elimination food plan 😆

• Making the decisions

• Having the conversations

Monday Motivation shows of the Cabral Concept are some of my favourite episodes, check out this one: https://stephencabral.com/podcast/1494/

PS. Podcasts are also on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Google Podcasts.

Have a good weekend! Focus on the basics and stay calm amongst the hype out there. 

17: Pack a Lunch, What Others Think, Cold Water Therapy, Breaking Down the Supplement Cost, Vitamin C, SuperSets.

Edition 17! Introducing a NEW Practice and my current obsession that I love hate: COLD WATER.  I can't wait to share with you all the benefits, but also the whole story.  It's not right for everyone, read on to learn more.

❤️ 🥶 Stephanie

The Freedom to Live 5 things Friday 

Every Friday, 5 things of value from the integrative health sciences.
The best of the best functional medicine, educational resources, research, quotes, books, tips, advice etc. all from the key pillars of the integrative health system.

1. Nutrition: Make your Lunch!

Making a healthy lunch is one way to assure that you know exactly what ingredients are going into your body.

If you make kids lunches, make your own at the same time. 

2. Mindset Perspective: What others Think

3. An Integrative Perspective on COLD WATER therapy and the Wim Hof Method: the whole picture.

Before you submerge yourself in a bath of ice cubes, step # 1: Learn HOW to BREATH

I wasn't breathing for 35 years of my life.  I didn't know how.  I couldn't consciously activate my belly breath.  It was foreign.  I was the class demo in our JOGA training 2 years ago, precisely a real-life example of someone who had spent the last 35 years in a constrictive, restrictive state, a chest breather, not delivering enough oxygen to my body and brain.

I see it in my 10 y/o son, he has difficulty activating his diaphragm breath.  He stores a lot of anxiety and tension in his body.

So breath is the first step to changing the physiology. This is step one before you even begin with cold water training and I suggest easing into it.

Ease into it with cold showers, try to get to a state of calm.

There are 4 stages:
Stage 1: Initial Shock which takes your breath away and usually lasts 30 to 45 seconds.
Stage 2: Calm where you can control your state with your breath.  This is where we get the neurological response and control over our autonomic nervous system
Stage 3: The body will shake and go into nervous convulsions, this is a survival state notifying you that you don't want to push it any further.
Stage 4: Danger Zone, hits when you've gone for too long and organ systems start to shut down. 

*If you are in a state of burnout, adrenal fatigue, have a heart condition, or a weakened nervous system, this therapy is not for you.  

In any case, and with anything extreme, the key is GRADUATED training.  Take it all in levels and strides.  Our Western-based mindset often thrives on novelty and pushing things to the extreme.

Ease-in.
Start with cool showers.
Build up your vitamin and minerals.
Build resistance and resilience over time.
Start indoors.
Use a bathtub.

You don't need to take the highest level right away, or EVER by going outside into the 30 degree Fahrenheit glacial water.  

Wim Hof did get frost bite when he did his barefoot adventures; his ability to endure pain and the cold is at a record, but perhaps at a long-term cost to health.  

This is the question people need to ask before doing anything extreme, an extreme diet, an extreme sport, extreme physical stress.

No matter what, anything extreme will impact the survival stress state response in the body-mind.

You don't just sign up for a full marathon without training.  
Cold water training is the same.  

In this video below, it's a mashup of some of my influencers, mentors, and teachers.

Lessons from:

Angie Fletcher @angigreene how she uses this therapy to combat physical PMS pain, mental depression, and anxiety to overcome and be more present.

Wim Hof himself, showing us how to breath.

An interview with Wim How and Lewis Howe,  and of course, before anything on the extreme, I consult my Doc.  Dr. Stephen Cabral 

Enjoy this video! (10 minutes) below: How to Breath

https://www.instagram.com/p/B9AMcqAn_6H/

4. Nutritional Supplements: But What is the Cost?

Let's address the cost factor first. This is based on the standard dosage and amount of product in each.

Retail (CanPrev) $1.50/day for 45 days
Practitioner (NFH) $1.50/day for 90 days
Practitioner (Designs for Health) $1.80/day for 72 days

So there you have it! It's all relative and the actual cost should not be a deciding and determining factor, but rather:

1) What is your health goal.
2) What are you currently taking.

Vitamin C is part of a foundational general health requirement for:
Repair
Collagen Formration
Iron Absorption
Bone/Body Maintenance
Immunity

All 3 are amazing.  For a balanced and healthy individual looking for maintenance, we can go with CanPrev.  The NFH brand I will use for people who need more rebalancing, used:

In management of common cold, acute upper respiratory infections, and asthma.

To promote iron absorption, especially in patients with iron-deficiency anemia and hemodialysis-induced iron deficiency.

To improve inflammatory conditions, allergic conditions, and stomach ulcers.

To help support the management of cardiovascular disease and cancers.

To improve wound healing, capillary fragility, and bruising.

If I want to take a higher therapeutic dosage, I will do the Designs for Health.  Many nutritionists argue the body's need for vitamin C far surpasses the RDA recommendations. Dr. Linus Pauling, who pioneered extensive research on vitamin C, believed optimal amounts exceed 2,000 mg daily.

C + BioFizzTM offers 2,569 mg (per teaspoon) of vitamin C in the combined form of ascorbic acid, calcium ascorbate, and magnesium ascorbate. Mineral ascorbates are buffered and less acidic and can benefit people who experience gastrointestinal problems with plain ascorbic acid.

So here it is.  Sharing with you my Integrative Health Practitioners notes with you.

Check out episode #3 of the podcast for our interview discussion on Vitamin C + Zinc at the Health Shoppe Niagara.

5. Exercise: Take it UP a notch with SUPERSETS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8VHPD2l4hUStrength Training with Supersets

A superset is a form of strength training where you don't take a break and move up in difficulty.

Here in the above video, I take the basic strength exercises below and add 5 reps of super strength sets directly after.

• 5 reps classic push ups + 5 reps ring push ups

• 5 reps goblet squat + 5 reps bar squat

• 5 reps each side bent over rows + 5 reps ring rows

• 10 second hang + 3 pull ups

• 5 classic glute bridge + 5 bar glute bridge

Typically, I aim to have at least 1-2 days of formal strength-based exercise, but this of course depends on your goals, body type, etc.

Remember, always graduated.  If the above is too hard, start with just the basic 5 exercises and move up gradually increasing reps, sets, and weight every week. 

14: Micro Nutrition, Magnesium, Exercise & Blood Sugar, EMFs

The Freedom to Live 5 things Friday 

Every Friday, 5 things of value from the integrative health sciences.
The best of the best functional medicine, educational resources, research, quotes, books, tips, advice etc. all from the key pillars of the integrative health system.

1. A focus on Micros: Track your Micro Nutrition

Here is a chart from Health Canada that outlines the Required Daily Values needed from our daily nutrition.  

These reference numbers assume that the person is already healthy and at adequate and sufficient levels.
 

This week, I researched Apps, there must be an app that tracks micro nutrition since there's a million already out there to track macros, food, water intake, weight loss etc.  

The best I came up with is Nutrients (formerly known as Foodle).  On here I can track my meals and micro nutritional value.

It's less about counting calories and macros (yes important), but to a point. 

Let's track the value of our food and then we can see where exactly we need to supplement the diet. 

After a day of tracking, as you can see below, I didn't meet my Daily Required Nutrition.  I'm low in critical nutrients like my B vitamins, Iron, Zinc, Magnesium.

Try it out!  

If you want to discover in how much detail you are getting, here is a great example.  1 cup of cooked unsalted broccoli. 
The Macros, Micros, Amino Acids, so much information!

2. Magnesium & Stress

When the body is under chronic stress (emotional, mental, physical), this impacts our levels of key nutrients in the body.

Magnesium specifically is rapidly lost under stress.  One study in Kosovo found that those under chronic war stress lost large amounts of magnesium in their urine.  

Excess alcohol, salt, coffee, sugar, phosphoric acid in pop/soda, profuse sweating, chronic diarrhea, excessive menstruation, diuretics (water pills), antibiotics, other drugs, as well as some intestinal parasites.  

Source: The UltraMind Solution by Dr. Mark Hyman

Implement More Magnesium Rich Foods:
Sea Vegetables
Nuts
Greens
Beans

Remove/Reduce Stress and Magnesium Depleting Foods:
Coffee
Alcohol
Sugar

Image source: Integrative Health Practitioner Course

3. Mindset: Words from Tiny Buddha . com

4. Exercise and the Blood Sugar Connection

I've been testing blood sugar at the gym for people and teaching how to use an at home glucometer.
🧠Blood Sugar balance is one of the cornerstones of health.⁣
⁣
I'm surprised at how much of this is a reality⁣
⛈THE PERFECT STORM:⁣
⚠️Skip breakfast⁣
⚠️Skip meals (long fasting) ⁣
⚠️Just coffee breakfast⁣
⚠️Combined with hard workouts and lack of sleep. ⁣
⁣
👉Long-term low carb low calorie diets are essentially nutrient deficient diets. "It's the only thing that has ever worked".⁣
⁣
You may get short term results and win a challenge, but at what cost? 😓⁣
⁣
In fact this is the perfect recipe to keep weight on and train your metabolism to survive within these conditions instead of thrive. ⁣
⁣
This IS survival mode. 🧪⁣
👩‍🔬Cortisol and glucocorticoids are released singling for sugar to be sent into the blood stream as a response to this biologically perceived famine, physical exertion, lack of nutrients; aka perceived danger or threat to your existence. Over time, this constant release of sugar leads the body to stop responding (insulin resistance).⁣
⁣
5 Steps to get back to balanced blood sugar and metabolism:⁣
⁣
1. Have a smoothie breakfast⁣
2. Eat 3 balanced meals with enough protein, healthy fats, and good carbs (fibre) to be satiated for 3-4 hours.⁣
3. Give yourself 3-4 hours in between meals without food.⁣
4. Fast overnight from after dinner to morning (no evening snacking)⁣
5. Do some steady state cardio like walking, biking, low rep push, pull, squat, lunge sequences, or stretching to help lower blood sugar after your last meal of the day. ⁣
⁣
**This last step is super important to lower blood sugar and get into a deeper rest.⁣
⁣
Try this for 30 days. 👊🌷⁣

5. Toxicity Exposure: EMFs

REDUCE EMF EXPOSURE ⁣⁣⁣is a known mutagen aka carcinogen. 
Linked to brain troubles, mood disorders, heightened anxiety and depression; plus all the other symptoms in the above info graph.

1.Turn off WiFi at night
2. Don't sleep with your phone by your head or in your room.  Use Air Plane mode.
3. House Plants and Salt lamps help absorb toxins and naturally filter the air.
4. Avoid using wireless ear buds.
5. Opt Out of your home energy smart meter.  


*** Apple ear pods emit between 0mV/m – 10 times the level of a mobile phone call.  They continue to transmit even when the phone is in airplane mode + turned off.  The only way to stop them from transmitting is to shut them in their case. 

Check out this article here to see how to test EMF transmissions in your environment.

13: Melatonin and Sodium: Potassium significance & Keeping perspective

🧠 #brainhealth 🧠✨

At the root of healing, the first step is to balance the nervous system and get back to a normal natural biological cycle between cortisol and melatonin production.

The opposite of the stress hormone (cortisol) is melatonin.  In functional medicine, we look at everything in ratios and balance.

Most of society is in a cortisol dominance, sympathetic nervous system SNS, or chronic Fight Flight stress-based state.  

Often this state of being is very unconscious because we get used to this "just a way of life" mindset.

Here are 3 lifestyle steps that you can implement TODAY to regulate your natural biological rhythms.

1. Set consistent wake and sleep times.
2. Wear blue light blocker glasses (amber glasses) starting at 6:30pm daily.
3. Create an electronic power-down (sunset) in your home.  Switch off electronics, wifi, screens ideally a few hours before the set sleep time (step 1). Opt for (unscented natural) candle light or the soft glow of salt lamps.

7 days a week might be a stretch.  Everything starts in levels and graduated steps.  Aim for one day and one thing and build forward. 

Consistent action and consciousness over time. 🔑✨

2. Mineral Balance: Potassium to Sodium

The 4 Minerals: Potassium, Sodium, Calcium, and Magnesium need to be balanced to maintain proper bodily systems.

WHYs: Potassium needs to be balanced with Sodium:

❤️Circulatory - Helps lower heart rate, dilate arteries, and reduces blood pressure

🚽 Digestive - Keeps things moving properly 

🍠 Metabolic - Needed in carbohydrate metabolism

💪 Muscular - Contraction (prevents cramping)

🧠 Nerve and sensory activity

A low potassium dietary (unbalanced diet) intake can contribute to low levels of potassium in the body.  Long-term use of diuretics, laxatives, licorice, as well as, tobacco and excess caffeine can all be factors that deplete potassium and interfere with absorption. 

Signs of Potassium Deficiency:

• Allergies

• Constipation

• Fatigue

• Irregular Heart Beat

• Low blood Sugar (hypoglycaemia)

• Low or High blood Pressure

• Muscle Weakness

• Skin Problems

• Water Retention

• Sweet Cravings

• Salt Cravings

Signs of Excess Potassium:

• Depression, mental

• High blood sugar (diabetes)

• Muscle spasms

• Muscle weakness

🥥*note: Coconut water is super high in potassium, but if you are deeply fatigued it may be too much (not balanced) add sea salt to it.

🌴If you have high blood pressure = we often use 16oz. x2/day fresh pressed green juice for 30 days + coconut water. 

Monitor your blood levels before and after with your primary health care physician to see how diet and lifestyle are directly related. It takes about 90-120 days to see results.

Tracking and measuring results are 🔑 key to long-term and long-lasting habits.

3. Mindset: The Natural Healing Process is not linear.