Microbes!! Why we need to ensure their protection from extinction and how to feed them!

Posted on May 4, 2015 by bethgil

Microbes

What an exciting time when it comes to learning all about the bacteria or microbes that live within our intestines and how they impact our health and well being! Called the microbiome, these trillions of gut microbes help us extract nutrients from food and have a big influence on our metabolism, cravings, mood, and mental function.

Last week I listened to two interviews on the gut microbiome. The first interview was with Martin Blaser, MD, author of the book The Missing Microbes. The second interview was with Raphael Kellman, MD, author of the book The Microbiome Diet. I have high lighted below several key discussion points from the interviews which I found fascinating and which I hope you will find fascinating too. And the summary saves you a little time…kind of like cliff notes!

Dr. Martin Blaser pointed out that last year the CDC published a survey of antibiotic use in the U.S. In 2010, there were 258 million courses of antibiotics prescribed. That is a lot of antibiotics! Interestingly, the northern part of the U.S. and the midwest were at national average when it came to antibiotic use. On the west coast, there was way less use, in the south there was way more use. A cultural or educational component to antibiotics?

In summary, Dr. Martin Blaser is genuinely concerned about the overuse of antibiotics. The more we use them, the more we are selecting for resistant organisms. In other words, we are becoming antibiotic resistant because we are depleting our normal organisms that are part of our defense against invaders. He fears the extinction of bacteria in the human microbiome and the implications of this extinction.

A few of his key points:

•When you stop a round of antibiotics, everything just doesn’t bounce back to normal. Antibiotics change the microbe composition in the body. Some organisms increase, some decrease, and some go down to zero. When they go down to zero, they do not come back!

•The average child in the U.S. gets 4 courses of antibiotics by the time they are three. In Sweden the average child gets 1.4 courses. By the age of ten, the average child in the U.S. gets 10 courses of antibiotics. Do we need to think about using antibiotics more judiciously? Are we giving them for short term benefit without thinking of long term risk? And are we giving them when they are not indicated? For example, most ear infections are caused by viruses, not bacteria. If this is the case, does it make sense for a doctor to prescribe antibiotics for an ear infection when it is caused by a virus? Technology does exist today to determine a viral from bacterial infection, but it is not economically scalable right now.

•Do antibiotics contribute to obesity? Farmers have been feeding antibiotics to their livestock for years! Antibiotics promote their growth by helping the livestock to use their food more efficiently to convert food calories into body mass. Is overuse of antibiotics contributing to obesity in humans? Something to think about!

Dr Raphael Kellman’s interview focused on the importance of a diverse microbiome and how an altered gut microbiota play a huge role in disease. He also discussed way to feed your gut bacteria and promote diversity.

Several of his key points:

•An altered gut microbiota plays a huge role in type 2 diabetes, obesity, and autoimmune disease such as Rheumatoid Arthritis, Hashimotos, and Crohn’s. What alters your gut bugs? Pesticides, GMOs, NSAIDs, Proton Pump Inhibitors and antibiotics can all affect your microbiome.

•There is no one ideal microbiome. In fact, there are numerous good microbiomes. One bacteria may be healthy in one context and unhealthy in another context. We determine what is good and not good by how the host (you) reacts.

•Our genes have not changed much since the Paleo era, but our microbiome evolves quickly. In fact, it can change significantly in one week! It is a master key to solving the mystery of many chronic diseases.

•We need to feed the microbiome with prebiotics like inulin, resistant starch foods, and fermented foods such as kefir, sauerkraut, and kimchi. You can check out Dr. Kellman’s book for his specific microbiome diet. (My comment: Please note that folks with Small Intestinal Bowel Overgrowth, a.k.a. SIBO, may need to start very slowly with prebiotics or deal with the SIBO before adding inulin and other traditional prebiotics to their diet).

•How do you know if your gut microbiome is unhealthy? Certainly you may have symptoms ranging from bloating/gas to pain/inflammation to fatigue and brain fog. There are also simple lab tests that you can do to measure biomarkers. If you are interested in learning more about your gut health and if a less than optimal microbiome is contributing to unpleasant symptoms and even disease, please schedule a complementary strategy session with me now.

Getting Back in Touch with Nature at the Farmers’ Market – Why you should go to your local farmers’ market weekly

Posted on April 21, 2015 by bethgil

Nothing like a coyote encounter while walking through the Presidio on an early Sunday morning. It is not the first time, but this time was different. The coyote was walking very slow and right to-ward me, watching me closely. And with no apparent intention of moving off the path. So I moved off the path, giving the coyote as much room as possible. Just a minute later I ran into a couple who informed me that there was a new coyote den and mama was of course very protective. Although coyotes usually go after chickens, rabbits, and sometimes dogs, they are wild and I felt the wild in this coyote.

This made me think about a five part KQED series I watched called Earth, A New Wild, which explores the frontiers where man and wild animals meet. This is becoming more common as the human population grows and we lose land and forests to development. What I took away from this series is that we are a part to nature; we are NOT separate from nature. No matter how hard we try to separate ourselves from nature with our offices, vehicles, roads, technology, and grocery stores filled with processed foods, we still are a part of this huge ecosystem with all its delicate balances. And since we are a part of nature, we can also be a part of the solution when it comes to loss of forests, fish, animals, and clean oceans. And thankfully, there are so many great organizations dedicated to being a part of the solution.

There is so much that we CAN do, sometimes it feels overwhelming. Where do we start? What if we start simple with visiting a farmers’ market every week and shopping for fresh, local, organic produce, pasture raised eggs, local olive oil, and meats from pasture raised animals? Shopping at a farmers’ market has so many benefits for you and for our earth:

1. You get back in touch with nature by observing the seasons through the produce that is available in the summer, winter, spring, and fall. This is really hard to observe in a grocery store, since we import foods from all over the world!
2. You eat fresh and seasonal foods, which provide vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients to keep you strong, smart, and healthy. Nutrients were not lost in a long transportation process from another country.
3. You eat organic, which means that your body does not need to detoxify high amounts of pesticides found in conventional produce.
4. By buying foods at a farmers’ market, you support farmers who use sustainable practices, which is good for our earth!
5. You engage your senses: especially visual, taste, and touch. Love the free samples!
6. You score great recipes from the farmers and other folks just eager to share their recipes.
7. Going to the farmers’ market is a fun social activity, whether with your mate, friends or your family. And did I mention all the samples? 🙂
8. The farmers’ market provides good people watching too!

Part II: Brain Boosters!

Posted on April 17, 2015 by bethgil

As I mentioned in Part I of this blog series on brain health, you certainly cannot separate the brain from the rest of your body! Adequate sleep, blood sugar control, exercise, eating nutrient dense foods, managing stress levels, and staying away from excess sugar, caffeine and alcohol all positively impact your brain health. And the health of your gut also plays a big role in your brain health! I emphasize this again because we often forget to start with the basics, which more often than not make a dramatic difference!

Assuming that you have the basics down, and are still looking for additional brain power, let’s start with your brain’s massive requirement for energy! Mitochondria are often called the powerhouses in our cells that generate energy. Unfortunately, mitochondria are very susceptible to oxidative stress caused by poor diet, lifestyle, and toxins of all types. This oxidative stress can cause inflammation, including neuro-inflammation, which produces an unstable environment in our brains.

How do we support mitochondrial metabolism so that our brain feels energized? The B vitamins are closely involved in overall brain health. In fact, low levels of Vitamin B1 can result in poor concentration and attention. B1 is essential for energy production in the brain. Deficiencies of Vitamins B5 and B6 may lead to poor memory and increased feelings of stress. It is well known that B12 deficiency leads to impaired mental function and even depression. Most of the B vitamins are found in vegetables, beans, whole grains, and nuts/seeds. B12 is found in liver, meat, fish, and dairy. Supplementing with a B vitamin complex can be extremely helpful, especially if you are under a lot of stress like studying for finals, completing a major work project, or making a major life transition.

The brain is partly composed of billions of nerve cells, known as neurons. Neurons allow the brain to communicate within itself and throughout the rest of the nervous system. Messages, called neurotransmitters, are passed back and forth. Neurotransmitters are made from amino acids, which often must be derived directly from the diet. For example, the neurotransmitter serotonin, which is involved in feelings of contentment, is made from the amino acid tryptophan. Adrenaline and dopamine, neurotransmitters that are involved in helping us feel motivated, are made from phenylalanine. Acetylcholine, another neurotransmitter, is very involved in memory and cognitive function. And guess what, B vitamins are very important in the process that converts amino acids to neurotransmitters. In fact, B6 is involved in the manufacture of all amino acid neurotransmitters! Vitamin C and Magnesium are also involved in helping amino acids convert to neurotransmitters. I personally take Magnesium and Vitamin C supplementation on a daily basis. It is important to note that magnesium and Vitamin C are easily depleted by stress!

And what about Omega 3 essential fatty acids? A large percent of the fat in our brain is made from the essential fatty acids. They are termed essential as they cannot be made within the body, so must be derived directly from the diet. Each fatty acid performs vital functions in the structuring of brain cells, ensuring that smooth communication is possible within the brain. DHA, one of the Omega 3 essential fatty acids, is an important component of neuronal cell membranes. DHA promotes optimal brain formation and function, vision and psychomotor development in infants. This is why it is a natural component of breast milk! DHA may also improve adult brain function, by improving brain ATP production and mental task performance. The Omega 3’s, including DHA, are found in higher amounts in fatty fish like salmon and halibut. If you are not a fish eater, consider a DHA supplement to give you a brain boost for a specific time period.

One of my favorite brain nutrients is Acetyl-L-Carnitine. It is one of the most extensively researched brain nutrients with a proven ability to enhance mental energy. Specifically, acetyl-l-carnitine energizes the brain, increases levels of neurotransmitter chemicals needed for memory and focus, and repairs damage done to brain cells by stress and poor nutrition.If you are experiencing mental fatigue or short attention span, acetyl l-carnitine may be very helpful for you.

I referred to neuro-inflammation earlier in this post. Antioxidants are very important to combat inflammation. You can find antioxidants in large quantities in fruits and vegetables. Spices are also a good source of antioxidants. Curcumin is one of my favorites, found in the Indian spice turmeric. It has been shown to tame neuro inflammation, thus having a protective effect on the brain. Tumeric is a fun spice to experiment with in cooking your meals. You can also take it in supplemental form.

Here’s to optimal brain health!!

Boost Brain Power without Adderall

Posted on March 26, 2015 by bethgil

Several months ago, while driving to a meeting, I was listening to a NPR radio segment about college students and their off label use of the prescription drug Adderall, also known as Addy. This medication is used to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), on the premise that it may help to increase ability to pay attention, concentrate, and stop fidgeting.

Adderall is a combination of stimulants (amphetamine and dextroamphetamine) and is thought to work by restoring the balance of certain neurotransmitters in the brain. Dosage is based on the recipient’s medical condition and response to treatment.

According to WebMD.com, this medication may cause withdrawal reactions, especially if it has been used regularly for a long time or in high doses. Withdrawal symptoms include severe tiredness, sleep problems, and mental/mood changes such as depression. Adderall, in rare cases, may cause addiction. Symptoms while taking Adderall include loss of appetite, weight loss, dry mouth, stomach upset/pain, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, headache, diarrhea, fever, nervousness, and trouble sleeping. It can also raise your blood pressure. Not a pleasant list of side effects!

Adderall has been adopted as a cognitive enhancer at college campuses. Students who want to perform better, get better grades, and also have a social life during their college years can get Addy from their friends or buy it very easily on college campuses. The New Yorker published an article back in 2009 that reported that anywhere from 4.1 % to 25% of American undergraduates had taken prescription stimulants for off-label use.

And of course, stimulant drugs like Adderall have also made their way into competitive work environments where crazy long hours are encouraged. The pressure to use these off label stimulants is high in certain environments. What does one do to stay competitive without Addy? How do you support your brain without the use of prescription drugs?

I have a complete fascination with the brain and how it works. There are days when my brain feels like it is powering on all cylinders and days when it feels foggy. Since there is so much we can do to support our brain, this will be a two part article!

Before I even start with how to support the brain, it is important to note that the brain requires a HUGE amount of energy (as much as your muscles and much more than your heart). One of the top things you can do to support your brain is to get enough sleep. This may be six to seven hours for some people and eight to nine hours for others. Study after study shows improved memory and focus after a good night’s sleep. Although college students and people at very competitive work environments will argue that they cannot possibly get that much sleep due to their work load, one needs to look at how sleep might reduce the amount of hours needed to complete papers or a big project. If a person makes it a priority to get seven hours of sleep per night, they will most likely be more productive in the fewer hours that they are awake, make better decisions and prioritize more effectively, and make less mistakes. Ariana Huffington wrote about this in her book Thrive and studies have certainly demonstrated that people who work less hours are more productive in the hours that they do work. Having problems sleeping? Think about not drinking caffeine after 2:00 pm!

Stay hydrated with water. Even mild dehydration slows down your body’s metabolism, and this includes your brain! Even though it might be useful once in awhile to separate your brain from the rest of your body, it just isn’t going to happen!

Supply your body with the building blocks it needs to support the brain, such as animo acids from protein, slow release carbs to supply glucose, and good fats like the Omega 3 essential fatty acids to reduce inflammation. What does this look like in your diet? Make an attempt to get some protein in each meal; this will help regulate blood sugar levels so you don’t get that crash and burn feeling two hours after you eat. Make it easy and start your day with a quick protein smoothie (recipe below). Avoid the carbs that raise your blood sugar quickly (like bagels, pastries, and candy) and then cause a subsequent crash in your brain energy. Instead, get your carbs from whole fruits, starchy veggies like sweet potatoes or beets, or a higher protein grain like quinoa. (By the way, quinoa is botanically a seed).

Load up on antioxidant rich foods! Oxidative stress in the brain causes an unstable environment! Who wants that when trying to write a paper or meet a work deadline! In fact, I recently learned that oxidative stress and neuro inflammation = new definition of depression. While studying or working late hours, snack on blueberries, a couple squares of 70% or higher chocolate, or a big handful of almonds, walnuts, or pecans. Or blend up a quick protein smoothie with antioxidant rich berries and greens. Or how about a cup of decaffeinated black or green tea, also loaded with antioxidants? Just be sure not to add sugar!

I learned from Brendon Burchard to get up and move around every 45 to 60 minutes to keep focused and on task. Jump up and down, do a few push ups, whatever works for you. This really does make a difference!

In Part II, I will review specific nutrients that you can take to support your brain that you don’t have to buy on the black market!

To eat gluten or not?

Posted on February 12, 2015 by bethgil

For years I have debated whether or not I should completely eliminate wheat/gluten from my diet. I eat gluten free at home and mostly stay away from it when I go out to eat. However, I am not so strict that I only go to certified gluten free restaurants. And I don’t always check with the chef if the sauce used in a recipe is gluten free. And yes, I do partake in a few bites of desserts every once in awhile that are not gluten free! Years ago I did testing that indicated that I was not genetically predisposed to get celiac disease. I have also tested for blood, saliva and stool antibodies to gluten which resulted in very little reaction. But technology for testing gluten sensitivity has advanced dramatically within the last five years or so… so I began to doubt the sensitivity and accuracy of the results of my previous tests.

I finally broke down and shelled out a significant amount of cash to do the Cyrex Laboratory Array #3 test. To date, this test offers the most comprehensive analysis available for determining gluten sensitivity. It shows the reactions to several gliadins and other wheat proteins. This test has set new standards for assessing gluten sensitivity.

You see, wheat is made up of many proteins and peptides. In fact, it has been discovered that wheat is made up of more than 100 different components that can cause a reaction. Gliadin is a class of proteins present in wheat and several other cereals within the grass genus Triticum. Gliadins and glutenins are the two main components of the gluten fraction of the wheat seed. Most labs test for alpha gliadin, but not all the other gliadins! So you might not respond to alpha gliadin, but instead react to one or more of the other gluten proteins. Make sense?

I was very eager to receive my test results once I did the blood draw. Test results finally came in: Twenty four markers tested and I did not react to one! And I did expose myself to gluten in the month before the test several times so that I would not come back with false negatives. It should be noted that I have completely eliminated gluten in the past (I was really strict for 2 months) and did not notice any difference when I added gluten back into my diet. Maybe that was why my test results did not surprise me. I received my test results right before the holidays. I had a free pass to enjoy all those glutinous holiday treats! Or did I?

Although I must say that I did enjoy a few gluten containing holiday treats in December, I knew that I would go back to limiting gluten in my diet. Gluten is just difficult for the digestive system to break down. Its difficult-to-digest qualities are due to the high levels of disulfide bonds it contains. And my digestive system needs all the help it can get!

In addition, most foods containing gluten are processed and completely devoid of critical vitamins and minerals (unless they have been added back in). And add to that the “anti-nutrients” found in grains such as phytates, enzyme inhibitors, etc.

And to top it off, most gluten containing foods are going to be high in simple carbs! I don’t know about you, but I need to watch my carbs to maintain my weight and regulate my blood sugar! Avoiding gluten for the most part over the past years has done something else for me: it has lowered my intake of carbs and processed foods. Which is a good thing… even if my test results show that I can tolerate it! 🙂

Special Note: Even the most advanced testing can sometimes produce false negatives. The best way to assess food sensitivities is to do an elimination diet. When completely eliminating a food (like gluten containing foods for example) from your diet, it must be completely eliminated! For example, if you go to a restaurant during your elimination phase, you need to make sure that the restaurant is not using the same pans to cook gluten containing foods and gluten free foods. Cross reactivity occurs; and even tiny amounts of gluten will set off an immune system reaction! If you are interested in learning more, please apply for a complementary strategy session.

Need Motivation? Start with Creating Sustained Energy!

Posted on January 27, 2015 by bethgil

I love to listen to podcasts while I am driving…and one podcast I particularly enjoy is Dave Asprey’s Bullet Proof Radio. Dave recently interviewed Brendon Burchard on the topic of motivation, following the release of Brendon’s new book: The Motivation Manifesto. Which I highly recommend! As they were discussing motivation, the topic of taking care of your body came up, as it is really hard to sustain motivation when you have no energy and struggle to get out of bed in the morning!

A quote I love from Brendon’s new book: “Most people would feel guilty for destroying someone’s else’s property. Yet they wreck the very temple their Creator gifted them.”

Five simple tips for you to create sustained energy (and motivation):

1. Drink at minimum 2 liters of water per day.

I know, this sounds boring, but even mild dehydration slows down your metabolism! And you can add lemon, lime, cucumber or orange slices to your water to make it more exciting. Or how about combining some mint and cucumber? Very tasty.

2. Taper down on caffeinated drinks in the afternoon.

Although caffeine temporarily gives you energy, it can actually cost you energy by impacting deep sleep at night, resulting in waking up tired in the morning and needing more caffeine. If you love coffee, consider Dave Asprey’s Bullet Proof coffee made with MCT oil and grass fed butter. But just in the morning!

3. Cut way back on refined sugar and processed foods.

Sugar acts like a drug, temporarily raising your feel good neurotransmitters, but then resulting in a mental and physical crash. Try replacing a sugary or processed snack in the morning or afternoon with a hard boiled egg, a couple pieces of clean beef jerky**, a quick protein smoothie (if purchasing, make sure that it is not loaded with sugar!) If you need sweet, savor a square or two of dark chocolate (70 to 80% cocoa).

4. Eat a nutritious lunch.

What about your lunch during the work day? Does it give you energy or do you feel sluggish after you eat? Take note of how many carbohydrates you are getting at lunch time. Are you eating a sandwich? Or a noodle/pasta dish? Or a burrito? Instead, what about a salad with grilled beef, chicken, or fish? Or grilled or steamed veggies with a side of protein? Your body needs vitamins and minerals from nutrient dense foods for sustained energy. And sorry, most commercial breads, noodles, and tortillas just don’t offer much in the way of vitamins and minerals.

5. Take a high quality multi vitamin mineral supplement each day…

…to ensure that you are getting all the essential vitamins and minerals to support energy production and mental focus! A multi vitamin does not replace a good diet, however it can support your efforts as you make dietary changes to maximize your energy potential!

** Primal offers a clean beef jerky. Find Primal at a discount at the online Thrive Market!

Ready to Dump Holiday Excess and Get Back on Track?

Posted on January 7, 2015 by bethgil

Happy New Year! I am looking forward to an exciting year ahead and wish you happiness, good health, and your heart’s desires in 2015! I thoroughly enjoyed the holidays (even with an annoying cold) and certainly indulged in holiday treats! I must say that it was fun to partake in foods that I normally do not eat; knowing that I would be ready to get back on track in early January! And I was ready…started on Sunday and already feeling more energetic and sleeping better!

For those of you who would like a short and structured program to get you back on track and clean out the excesses of the holidays, I highly recommend the Designs For Health 14 day PaleoCleanse Plus detox program. I did it in September and loved it! The program is SIMPLE and CONVENIENT! It comes in a kit with an easy to follow guidebook…nothing confusing to this program! The PaleoCleanse Plus meal replacement powder tastes great and is free of soy, dairy, gluten, and artificial sweeteners. And you don’t have to deal with canisters or scoops, the meal replacement powder is conveniently packaged in single serving drink mix packets that you open and blend with water or your choice of an unsweetened dairy alternative like coconut milk. Of course, you can gat fancier and add fruit or greens to enhance your smoothie!

Two meal replacement smoothies a day along with specific capsules to support digestion of the protein powder and to support your liver in the detoxification process! If you are not much of a cook or just don’t have the time to put together meals, you will love the fact that you only have to deal with putting together one healthy meal per day. You drink your shakes for the other two meals. And if you are pretty active or just have a high metabolism, you can eat whole food snacks! If you love to cook, then you can get creative with the one meal that you put together each day and you can also get creative with your shakes. I love adding spices to my smoothies!

So if you do well with simplicity, structure, and want an easy program that you can fit into your busy schedule, check it out! And if you want to “clean out” and feel like a NEW person in 2015, this is for you!

Oh Joy, traveling during the holidays!

Posted on November 24, 2014 by bethgil

The joys of traveling during the holidays! A lot of deep breathing and patience is required. And trying not to sit next to the person who is coughing and sniffling on the plane! And there are a lot of folks with runny noses and coughs traveling this time of the year.

What can you do while traveling to stay healthy? My favorite tips:

Drink at least 1 liter of water on a 1 to 2 hour flight (more if the flight is longer) and avoid alcohol. Alcohol is dehydrating and so is the air on an airplane! If you drink alcohol while flying to calm the nerves, try Magnesium or a calming herbal formula instead. I have lots of great calming formula recommendations as I am a nervous flyer myself! Please email me if you need a suggestion!

Take your own snacks for your day of travel. Although San Francisco International Airport actually has healthy food options, most airports still serve up the usual fast food and high carb/high sugar/high damaged fat fare. Easy snacks this time of the year: apples, walnut-raisin mix, Epic bars, beef or turkey jerky, and cut up veggies.

One week before you travel, take a little extra Vitamin D, Vitamin C, and zinc. It helps to “load up” before you travel. And be sure to continue to take your immune support supplements while on holiday.

I am a big fan of taking PaleoGreens when I travel. Since it is more challenging to get in greens while I travel, PaleoGreens is an easy and convenient way to supplement my green intake while on the road to keep me energized. All you have to do is mix them with water! I am into the Mint flavor right now.

If you still get sick and end up being the annoying person on the plane who is sniffling and coughing, know that you tried your best and we are human and get sick sometimes!! It happens!

Happiness is a discipline and it starts each morning

Posted on November 5, 2014 by bethgil

Happiness is a discipline…

I first heard Sara Avant Stover say this during a teleconference interview. I wrote it down and it registered… but I didn’t do a whole lot more with it at the time.

Fast forward a few years and Brendon Burchard is talking about the power of routine to increase happiness, improve health and reach high levels of productivity at his High Performance Academy event that I attended.

Well, I have been disciplined with certain things important to my health and productivity: exercise, eating nutritious foods, taking my vitamins, writing in my journal, and setting my goals for each week.

But I arrived at the High Performance Academy event feeling out of sorts — definitely not on top of my game. I was getting into the pattern of staying up too late responding to emails and catching up on social media forums, and then getting up 15 to 30 minutes past my alarm in the morning and missing my sacred morning time.

I needed to make a change. As I heard Brendon talk about his morning routine, I was inspired to reinvent mine. The first thing I had to do was get in bed by 10:00 pm, or 10:30 pm at the very latest. This was no easy feat, but I did it! Then I set my morning alarm 30 minutes earlier. The first few days were tough, especially since it was so dark in the morning. To get me out of bed, I just repeated over and over again: “Happiness is a Discipline.” It actually worked!

Wow! Having that extra 30 minutes in the morning to breathe, stretch, drink lots of water, and sip my green tea while writing or reading has made such a difference for me.

As I began to enjoy my mornings, I realized I had really let that morning routine slip away and it affected my happiness. I felt rushed and grumpy most mornings, my body felt stiff, and my internal GPS was off. Instead of handling the day gracefully, I felt like I was fighting each day from morning to night!

Do you have a morning routine? I would love to hear what type of routine sets you up for a great day! If you do not have a morning routine, perhaps you have an evening routine that really works for you. Please share in the comments below!

Why We Fear Change

Posted on October 24, 2014 by bethgil

I had the opportunity to attend Brendon Burchard’s High Performance Academy event in Santa Clara, CA last weekend. Wow, it left me inspired and ready to make some changes! I spent last Sunday afternoon de-compressing and reviewing all my notes. One topic that Brendon covered which intrigued me was why we fear change. He outlined three main points which I discuss below. I thought to myself how often this comes up when I talk to people about doing a 14 or 21 day cleanse. Or just making changes in their diet.

Why do we fear change?

Loss: We are scared that we are going to lose something. We choose not to participate in a cleanse program because we are afraid of losing the foods that we feel connected to and that give us emotional comfort like cookies or chips. I can totally relate to that one. Yikes, have to give up my dark chocolate for 21 days?! We are afraid of losing our friends who might not understand why we are making a change, afraid that we will not feel comfortable attending social activities that involve alcohol or foods loaded with sugar, dairy, and gluten. Or that we will miss out on those activities all together.

How many times have I used the excuse that the timing for a cleanse is not right for me because I have a social dinner or birthday celebration coming up, a weekend away, and the list goes on! Can you relate? I have to remind myself that the the timing is never going to be perfect; there is always going to be something on my calendar! Or, on a deeper psychological level, we are afraid of losing that chronic pain, low energy state, lack of focus and clarity, or extra weight that has been giving us an excuse not to move forward with our lives; to stay exactly where we are.

Process: We are afraid of the process, which we equate to hardship. When I talk to people who are interested in doing a cleanse, this fear of process is big. We are afraid of committing to a cleanse or overall dietary changes because we think that it will be too hard, inconvenient, we won’t have the time to make the changes, go shopping, and learn new ways of eating.

Fear the Outcome. What if we make all these changes and we don’t achieve our health goals? We fail and don’t lose the weight, we don’t feel more energy, we don’t feel better? We put all that time and effort into a cleanse and we don’t get the results we wanted.

What if we replace LOSS with GAIN?

What can we gain from doing a cleanse or changing our overall dietary habits? This is feedback I hear all the time from participants that complete my cleanse program. They gain an appreciation and a taste for new foods that they have never tried before (and remember, the brain likes new!) and they meet new friends that are on the same journey to feel better, have more energy, and take their lives back in their own hands. They discover new grocery stores, farmers markets, delivery services and restaurants that offer delicious and nourishing foods. They find new activities that don’t involve food that are fun! And they find that they can enjoy social activities without alcohol, sugar, dairy, and gluten!

What if we replace the process (which we normally equate with HARDSHIP) with FUN and JOY? Can we find joy in the process of doing a cleanse? Absolutely! Trying new foods and recipes, writing about our cleanse experience and sharing our experience with others, checking out new places, and engaging in fun activities to replace going out to eat and drinking alcohol can all be fun if we approach the experience from a joyful attitude! Will we have enough time to do the cleanse? As Brendon said last weekend, when you remove old things, new and good things arrive to fill up that space!

If you are committed to making a change to reach your ideal body composition, increase your energy, feel mentally on your game, then you will achieve your goals, even if not within your initial timeline. Your hard work will never go to waste. The process is part of the learning experience that allows you to grow. Instead of fearing the outcome, we can EMBRACE the outcome, knowing that we have learned so much along the way. When you make dietary changes to improve your health, you will always be rewarded, even if you cannot see or feel the benefits right away.

Nutrition with Beth

Beth Gillespie

Author Archives: bethgil