GUT HEALTH : HOW TO REBUILD WITH PROBIOTICS AND PREBIOTICS

The importance of Gut Health has really exploded. Probiotics are a household name and prebiotics won’t be far behind them. And to be fair, rightly so. There pretty much isn’t a single condition that in some way can’t be linked back to the health of the gut.

My recent little bout of “Welcome to Byron Bay” gastro bug, reminded me of how important building gut health up is and hence I decided to share a little how to guide that turned out to be not so little. So feel free to skip ahead to the, Love Your Guts Banana Omelette recipe….

Just incase you haven’t heard the word on the street or you missed this blog: , let’s do a little recap.

• We are finally starting to develop a deep appreciation for the trillions of microbes that inhabit our small and large intestines.
• Most of these little guys have co-evolved with humans, relying on us for their survival and we relying on them for health and wellbeing
• We feed them nutrients through the foods we eat (or we should) and in return they digest carbohydrates that would otherwise be indigestible to us and make vitamins and other important substances like short chain fatty acids (butyrate, propionate) that we otherwise cannot make. Microbes protect us against infections, regulate metabolism, and host the majority of the immune cells in our body.
• This symbiotic relationship is what makes up a persons microbiome. If all is well this hopefully harmonious collection of microorganisms looks after so many vital functions in our body.
• So hence, unless you have been living under a rock for the past several years, I am sure you have heard that a disrupted gut microbiome is associated with an overwhelming large amount of common conditions.
  To name a few: acne, antibiotic associated diarrhoea, asthma/allergies, autism spectrum disorder, autoimmune disease, cancer, dementia, dental cavities, depression and anxiety, diabetes, eczema, fibromyalgia, gastric ulcers, heart disease, inflammatory bowel disease, neurological disorders, parkinson disease. This is a partial list and new ones are added almost monthly.

I would go as far as saying that gut dysfunction is one key underlying mechanisms that contributes to almost all disease. Hence, supporting it’s diversity and abundance will make you more resilient against infection and disease.

How do we support gut diversity and abundance ?

Probiotics? Yes certainly this is a good starting place otherwise supplement companies would not be creating new products with different strains and different combinations of microorganisms everyday.

It’s difficult not to notice how many different brands of probiotic supplement are available on the market today ? All claiming to have a zillion times more live cultures than the next. I can remember when it was just good old “Have you had your Inner Health Plus today?” and that was it. Times are a changing.

The important things to know about probiotics are:

• Most probiotics do not quantitatively change the composition of the gut microbiome over time. That means that if you take a capsule of a zillion Lactobacillus acidophilusone day, then on the second day another zillion, you don’t increase to two zillion. Feeling a bit ripped off? Not so fast
• Probiotics do however play a primary role in immune regulation , helping to regulate and balance the immune system (remembering that over 70% of our immune cells reside in our gut) AND reduce inflammation in the gut. Two very important factors for health.
• A good strategy with probiotics is to take a wide spectrum of microorganism like lactic acid producing bacteria (Primal Defense Ultra by Garden of Life), soil based organisms (Prescript Assist) and beneficial strains of yeasts (Saccharomyces boulardii) . And rotate them.
• The best and most cost effective way to get a diversity of beneficial microorganisms is to become a fermenting extraordinaire or seek out locations that sell fermented foods (Byron Bay is winning in this departments). And again the key word being “diversity” so ensure you are getting the full spectrum of fermented foods; kefir, sauerkraut, kombucha, beet kvass etc.
• For example, if you look at the content of the amount of beneficial microbes in a glass of kefir, it is far greater than any commercial probiotic you can get. Mother nature will always win out.

What about abundance?

Well it turns out there is a second part to the story, enter, the new (but not so new) kid on the block; prebiotics . Prebiotics are a food source for beneficial bacteria that already live in our gut and DO increase the number of beneficial microorganisms significantly over time.

A simple way to look at it is – Probiotics and fermented foods which contain them are the bugs themselves, and prebiotics are the food the bugs need to survive and multiply. In technical terms, they are indigestible carbohydrates (note indigestible to us humans) that make their way intact to the colon (large intestines) where they selectively feed beneficial bacteria (which is what we want).

Note that ONE of the side effects of a long term low carbohydrate diet, where people limit the amount of starchy vegetables, fruits, white rice, and other grains, is that it can potentially starve off beneficial bacteria in the colon. This can give rise to a host of gastrointestinal symptoms (namely constipation or diarrhoea) and actually cause issues when the person tries to reintroduce these foods back into the diet. Often the reintroduction issues are mistaken as “not able to tolerate” those foods as oppose to lack of those foods being the problem of the distress in the first place.

What and where are prebiotics found?

In short in a variety of plant foods.

1. Fermentable fibers such as resistant starch (eg. unmodified potato starch, green banana flour or plantain flour)
2. Non-starch polysaccharides such as inulin, FOS, FODMAPS, pectin, cellulose
3. Soluble fiber (psyllium husk, acacia fibre, glucomannan, guar gum)

Food sources of prebiotics include:

1. Resistant Starch:

• Cooked and cooled potatoes, sweet potatoes and yams
• Cooked and cooled parboiled rice
• Cooked and cooled properly prepared (soaked or sprouted) legumes
• Dehydrated plantain chips

***** Allow these foods to cool completely in the fridge or freezer. They can be warmed up for eating, but the temperature should stay below 130 degrees in order to provide the beneficial prebiotics.

Resistant starch has been touted as the next big weight loss supplement. It does have some impressive health benefits such as improved insulin sensitivity, decreased blood glucose levels in response to meals, reduced appetite and reduced fat storage in fat cells. Move over Garcinia Cambogia.

2. Non Starch Polysaccharides:

• asparagus, garlic, Jerusalem artichoke, chicory root, onions, radishes, leeks, tomatoes, turmeric, pears, kiwis

3. Soluble fibre

• carrots, winter squash, potato, sweet potato, turnips, parsnips, beets

Eating a combination of uncooked (usually has more prebiotic fibre) and cooked versions of the above.

Examples of supplemental powders to increase your prebiotics intake:

• Prebiogen: Start with 1/8 scoop daily and increase to 1/2 to 1 full scoop
• Unmodified potato starch (Bob’s Red Mill All Natural) or Green Banana Flour (Mt. Uncle’s brand): Start with 1/4 teaspoon daily and gradually increase over the course of a couple of months to 1-3 tablespoons
• Glucomannan powder (Now brand): Start with 1/8 teaspoon once daily mixed in 30ml of water and very slowly increase up to 1/2 teaspoon daily
• Psyllium husk powder (Now brand): behind with 1/4 teaspoon mixed in 30ml of water and gradually increase to 1 to 3 teaspoons taken at separate dosesor Acacia Fibre

Just like with fermented foods, different types of fibre stimulates the growth of different beneficial bacteria, so getting a variety and rotating them will be key.

A BIG CAUTION:

• In the case of starting prebiotics, MORE is not better. It is SO important to start with a really small dose and very slowly work your way up as tolerated
• Know that some gas and bloating is expected, particularly as you begin taking prebiotics (as it is stimulating the growth of bacteria in the colon). However people have been hospitalised from taking too much too soon, so start super small.
• Prebiotics are best AVOIDED if you have Small Intestinal Bowel Overgrowth (SIBO), fungal overgrowth or a parasite infection. Hence, if you are getting a lot of gastrointestinal symptoms and haven’t found out why, consider getting a stool test done before experimenting with prebiotics.
• If you have noticed after reading this that you get a lot of gastrointestinal complaints after eating foods rich in prebiotic fibres that may be sign that you need to do some investigating.

So next time you do the shopping, make sure you are thinking about feeding your now known “extended family”.

If you’ve got their back, they will have yours. If not, expect some disharmony. I warned you here first ;).

Symbiosis (from Greek “together” and “living“) is close and often long-term interaction between two different biological species.

Now for the long awaited recipe.

LOVE YOUR GUTS BANANA OMELETTE

It’s “gut loving” cause I pimped it with some prebiotic fibre to feed the little guys and some gelatin to support a healthy gut lining.

What you need for omelette : 

1 x banana
2 x eggs
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1 tsp maca powder
1/4-1/2 tsp Mt. Uncle’s banana flour
1 Tblsp Great Lakes Gelatin Powder

What to do:

1. Smash the banana with a fork in a bowl.
2. Add 2 eggs and mix together.
3. Add cinnamon and Gelatin powder to the mix.
4. Heat butter on a pan on a medium to high.
5. Once the pan is heated, add mixture to pan.
6. Allow it to seal on one side, sprinkle banana flour onto the mixture, and then flip in half and allow it to further cook though
7. Garnish with kefir/yoghurt and nuts and seeds.

****Original version of this recipe is courtesy of the talented @theholisticnutritionist. You know it’s a good recipe when it’s still a staple meal some four years on.

Gut Loving Banana Omelette with goats milk kefir and Eros brand activated nut and seed mix

Hope you enjoy it for years to come too.

Love Chantel x

IS FEAR AND FAILURE HOLDING YOU BACK

Here I am, one month in…….

Just in case you haven’t been following, I moved to Byron Bay from Airlie Beach one month ago. I know I know, a hard life, one perfect destination to another. That is the typical reaction I get. And while I totally understand that with this next statement I am going to expose myself to some possible, eye rolling from some people, moving here and starting in a new place is the second hardest thing I have had to do in my life. Maybe, I have been lucky and spared a lot of hardship, and for that I am grateful.

But it has really got me thinking a lot about fear and failure. Two very foreign emotions for me.

Fear is defined as an unpleasant emotion caused by the threat of danger, pain, or harm

Pushing through fear is still a constant daily chore for me. And let me give full credit, for Jan to bear witness to this journey, I think it must feel like a 4 year war like battle.  Fear of the unknown, fear of failure, fear of judgement. I have it all. And anyone who reads or follows successful people knows that FEAR is stifling to growth and development and FAILURE is essential to success. I know this stuff. That doesn’t mean it makes it any easier. If anything it makes it even more frustrating.

Today I was reminded again, that I am not alone in this feeling.

And from an outsider it pains me dearly to see the mental internal struggles that people are facing within themselves day in and day out. Because I know I need not remind you, that we only get ONE chance at this.

So I wanted to write and let people in on a little secret….

The only difference between the people you think have it all together, and you, is their willingness to be vulnerable. 

To acknowledge your struggles to your loved ones, to ask for help, to have someone to support you and for you to commit to yourself a daily practice that you are not going to give into fear, but acknowledge it and push through it. The truth is, you really owe it to those around you that care about you and most importantly you owe it to yourself to be the best version of yourself.

Even if you have forgotten what that best version looks like. I am 300% confident they are in there, maybe buried deep but waiting patiently for you to uncover it. It won’t be comfortable but holding onto that feeling of what it will be like when you are there, should keep you moving forward.

Now let’s get this clear. Your best self is not a lighter version of yourself, a prettier version of yourself, a taller, smaller, fitter, stronger, musclier, smarter, funnier version of yourself.

The best version is YOU, unapologetically YOU. With all of your flaws, troubles, your worries, your laughter, your sadness, your fears. I cannot express to you enough, how heartbreaking it is for those who love you, to watch you become a smaller version of yourself.

There is a reason why when we watch a small child in all their innocence, your heart lights up and you cannot help but to smile. They dance in public until they see people are watching them or not, sometimes they dance more, they cry, they laugh, they say exactly what is on their mind, they’re loud, when they are tired they get cranky and need to sleep, sometimes all they need is a good hug from their parents and above all else, they need to feel LOVED. And as adults we listen to these cues almost instinctively.

Yet when it comes to ourselves we don’t listen at all. As we get older and the world teaches us to become harder, through disappointment with ourselves and others, we build up a barrier and we let fear and failure take over us. Stopping us from feeling worthy of LOVE.

Vulnerability is not for the weak, but for those brave enough to want to know happiness. Said me 🙂

I beg you. Stop living small, right now. Don’t wait for something significant or tragic to happen to make you regret all the time you have spent living in your own fear of not being good enough.

If you are totally lost and don’t know where to start, these are a list of things that can help:

• Acknowledging that fear is limiting you
• Talking to people, friends, family, loved ones. This is one of those times where alcohol is advisable. Go for a glass of wine with a girlfriend and tell her your fears (these people aren’t there to judge you, but support you, and if they do judge, I guess they weren’t really your friend).
• Clear things up in your life. If you are holding onto emotion from years ago, deal with it. Especially guilt, you have to get rid of this in order to move forward. Write a letter, see a counsellor do whatever it takes to let it go.
• Having someone in your corner, to lift you up. There is nothing wrong with needing to be told you are worthy. If you don’t have anyone, I am volunteering and putting my hand up.
• Meditation. I really like Melissa Ambrosini’s mediations.
• Spend more time doing things you LOVE, things that make you feel better. BUT don’t let that become your obsession or escape. People so often use exercise to make them feel good only to end up obsessed and in a body image war.
• Listen to motivational talks, speakers, people that really get you questioning yourself. In order to grow you need to be challenged.
• Follow people who inspire you, not who make you feel worse about yourself. Anyone thinking they need a social media overhaul?
• Don’t let yourself get caught up in your head with the negative talk, shut that sh*! down and quick
• Don’t project too far forward or into the past.Stay present.
• Be grateful for things, and don’t just say you’re grateful, actually show gratitude for things. Say thank you, send a message, give with acts of kindness
• Be kind, but actually genuinely kind. Not just to get things in return.
• Smile, laugh, have fun. Don’t take life so seriously. One day it will be just a memory.
• Remember the best things in life are free, don’t let financial woes stop you from enjoying your time – spending time in nature, with loved ones, sitting still, chatting with friends, laughter, being intimate.

Most importantly, know that someone out there, your mother, your father, your daughter, your son, your husband, your wife, your grandma, your friend & me – think  that there is something pretty freaking AMAZING about you and wishes that you saw it!

DON’T EVER FORGET IT ….. RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW….

Love Chantel 

WHY I DISLIKE THE WORD P A L E O

Most people around me know I eat this weird “PALEO DIET”. So much so when I mentioned eating a whole “bunny” for dinner on Sunday night my work colleagues actually thought I meant a WHOLE WHITE FLUFFY BUNNY –  Talk about taking nose to tail to the next level. After we discovered I was in fact talking about the brown, cadbury variety we agreed that if I did in fact eat a whole rabbit describing it as a bunny may have been a little masochistic.

Too cute to eat!

I have eaten a Paleo-Template-Diet (really hate the word diet) for the last 4 years (pretty long diet wouldn’t you say?). I also got introduced to it prior to it becoming the most searched diet in google, associated with Crossfit or a widely publicised “thing”. Before Pete Evans, before paleo bars and paleo granola. The persons who introduced it into my life are extremely intelligent and people I trust.

Eating this way helped me significantly with my health complaints; namely skin issues, energy, mood, and body composition. Although these health improvements also came in conjunction to managing stress, exercising more smartly, prioritising sleep and having more pleasure in my life.

So I strongly suspect it wasn’t one single change from pasta to grass fed steak that paved the way to improvement but rather a combination of lifestyle factors.  Which is actually really at the essence of a good Paleo Diet.

However, over the last two years I really purposefully distanced myself from the wording “Paleo”. Reason being is it got so confusing and muddled with peoples opinion that the word conjured up so much misinformation and opinions . So I thought – hey its better to lose the label and focus on what really matters – eating anutrient dense, anti-inflammatory, real food diet that supports how MY body functions AND enjoying life and that includes sometimes eating foods that aren’t necessarily healthy but are pleasurable – and I am talking the “non paleo” kind.

This article from Chris Kresser, who is one of the most respected practitioners in his field especially when it comes to evaluating research, explores some of the most common Myths about Paleo Nutrition. He is someone I trust and value his opinion in high regard. Please READ. 

When it comes to being healthy, we are really bombarded with informations mostly from sources that don’t have our best interests at heart – so please remember to tune in and use some logic people!

1. If it comes in a bag or a box – is it fresh, real living, and going to provide you with every thing you need for life?
2. Your body requires and uses amino acids and protein to build structures inside of you – do you really think eating the most viable form of protein (animal products) is a bad idea for our long term survival?
3. We preferentially use glucose and fat for fuel, we have the ability to manufacture glucose inside us, hence it is important for survival. Low blood glucose is a bigger threat to our life than high blood sugar. Eating enough quality carbohydrates is essential to fuel our body and keep body systems working well.
4. Fat forms the core structural unit of a cell and many other important functions in the body, so eliminating a whole food group (low-fat era) may potentially cause some issues for us.
5. If you house an animal in an unnatural environment, it gets sick, depressed and usually fat. The environment and what an animal eats and is exposed to affects the quality of its produce. Pasture raised, grass fed cows have a higher amount of omega 3 fatty acid (has anti-inflammatory properties), a higher amount of Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) a fatty acid which has recently been studied for its anti-cancer properties and higher amounts of Vitamin E, zinc, iron, phosphorus, potassium and sodium, than grain-fed meat.  So next time your butcher gets stroppy if you ask if it grass fed – tell them the reason you are asking is a cow is designed to forage and roam freely and eat grass! And that’s the type of meat you want to consume, and politely walk out the door. Note: this hasn’t ever happened to me, I find butchers to be overly friendly :). But I have heard it happens !!!! Sigh.
6. Did your Grandparents have access to baby formula, ready made pasta sauce, microwavable dinners? No. And they had better health than us.
7. Did children eat perfectly mashed “baby food” and packaged rice cereal as first foods back in the day before food intolerances existed? Did they go on to eat le-snacks, little chippies, muesli bars, pop tops, weet-bix, zoopa-doopas as a part of their staple diet? Did they have behavioural disorders?
8. Does eating quality and a variety of animal parts (meat, bones, offal), eggs, fish, seafood, vegetables, fruits, herbs, nuts and seeds, unprocessed dairy, white rice, properly prepared grains and eliminating excess sugar, packaged and processed foods, and seed oils that were originally used to make industrial products like soaps and plastic sound dangerous to you?
9. Is eating some chocolate or a piece of cake made with flour and sugar going to send your body into a spiral and cause it to breakdown or gain 5 kgs?- unlikely!

My message is – don’t get caught up in all the drama. Be self informed

Start making small changes with your nutrition that feel right to you and that makes sense to you.
That may look like cutting back on your sugar in your coffee, reducing takeaway dinner to once a week, incorporating more vegetables into your main meal or finding a local butcher.
It is these small steps that you implement daily into your life that you can sustain for the long term that will yield the greatest results overtime for your health and your families health.

Here is a super simple recipe to get you started.

Super-duper Salmon Patties

Ingredients:

1 tin of John West Wild Caught Alaskan Pink Salmon(strained)
1/2 clove of garlic (grated/crushed)
2cm of fresh ginger (grated)
2cm of fresh tumeric (grated) – you could use powdered
2 stalks of shallots (or 1/4 onion)
1 stalk of leek (cut finely)
1/2 zucchini (grated)
2 eggs (pastured raised)
1/4 cup of Gouda cheese (grated)
Salt and Pepper
1 Tbsp coconut oil for frying

Method:

1. In a large mixing bowl place the tin of salmon and mash with folk.
2. Grate garlic, turmeric, ginger, zucchini and cheese and place in bowl
3. Add finely chopped shallots and leek to the bowl.
4. Crack 2 eggs, and mix
5. Add salt and pepper. If mixture is to runny thicken with 1/2-1Tbsp of arrowroot powder, coconut flour
6. Heat coconut oil on a pan.
7. Add 1/4 cup dollops of mixture. Allow to brown on one side then flip using a spatula and fork.
8. Serve with a side of kimchi/sauerkraut and white rice.

Enjoy

Love Chantel

IS GLUTEN FREE A NEW FAD DIET

I have spent the last 3 weeks reviewing real life case studies of “Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity or NCGS” – which is typically defined as a reaction to gluten that is not autoimmune (which is the case in Celiac Disease – CD) or allergic (wheat allergy).

It is also often referred to as gluten intolerance. 

These people are producing antibodies to many different components of wheat (beta-gliadin, gamma-gliadin and omega-gliadin, glutenin, wheat germ agglutenin, gluteomorphin, deaminated gliadin), not just the one typically tested for in Celiac Disease (alpha-gliadin).

What’s more is people can react to other types of tissue transglutaminases (enzymes in the digestive tract that help breakdown the wheat compound), other than tGT-2 (which is the one tested for in Celiac), including Type 3, which is primarily found in skin, and type 6 which is primarily found in the brain and nervous system tissue.

Most people assume gluten intolerance only affects gastrointestinal symptoms but this is not the case. Gluten intolerance can affect nearly every tissue in the body, including the brain, skin, endocrine system, stomach, liver, blood vessels, smooth muscles and even the nucleus of cells. And is associated with dermatitis, psoriasis, Hashimotos hypothyroisim, peripheral neuropathy, schizophrenia, Autism Spectrum Disorder and more.

A lot of people diagnosed with NCGS or CD look to the “gluten-free” alternatives like gluten-free breads and pastas and a whole shopping isle of other processed foods made with rice, corn, tapioca, quinoa, teff etc.

The problem is there is a high chance they can be producing antibodies to these foods too. We know thatabout 50% of people with CD show signs of casein intolerance, the protein in milk. So in this case going gluten free isn’t enough.

There are many pros and cons to intolerance testing and there is only one test that I would recommend for screening for gluten intolerance and that is Array 3 from Cyrex Labs in the US (working on getting it offered here in Australia). But for now doing a gluten free challenge is still the best test for gluten intolerance. That is remove it for 30 days, then add it back in and note what happens and how you feel.

Next time you hear a story in the media about, “Wasting billions of money on gluten free” or “gluten free as a fad diet”  and “gluten in tolerance may be completely fake” – please know that these stories are completely inaccurate and irresponsible journalism.

And whilst I do agree that food manufacturers have cottoned on to “gluten-free” being the next big thing and hence are taking advantage of it by producing packaged, processed gluten free foods it doesn’t mean that Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity is not real. It is actually very real – complex – and very under diagnosed due to lack of accurate testing.

So the answer is: don’t replace gluten with gluten free crap but rather eat real foods – like quality meat, seafood, vegetable, fruit and nuts and seeds.  

Love Chantel

IS HEALTHY EATING MAKING YOU SICK?

This article explores an emerging condition, not well talked about termed Orthorexia – it is defined as an unhealthy obsession with healthy food.

I think it is important to raise awareness about this in light of the healthy eating movement that is amongst us. Especially because the most influenced people are younger females, much like myself.

As the article explores it can be an easy trap to fall into – you start eating healthy, start exercising, your body starts to change for the better and before you know it, all your girlfriends are envious of your body and telling you how good you look.

Finally, you feel confident enough to start posting selfies in your bikini, with a green smoothie of course and the explosion of comments on social media lifts your spirit. This scenario is very common. And is saddens me for a few reasons.

     1. In the early days, it did happen to me. Luckily I have a straight talking husband who doesn’t mind giving me a slap in the face (not literally) and tellingme when I am being “too much or too crazy”. There is a saying that helped me a lot: “It is better to eat the wrong food with the right attitude than eat the right food with the wrong attitude.”

     2. The importance that we as females place on our body image and how consuming it is.

If only we placed the same about of importance and got the same amount of attention for our unique ability, be it our intelligence, our creativity, our caring nature, our generosity, our humour, whatever else it is that makes us who we really are.

We all have unique things to offer the world. Everyone of us. You just have to find out what it is you value in life.

You can be a good wife, a good mother, a great writer, have a beautiful voice, be giving, be caring, be loving, make a real difference and leave a huge mark in peoples lives.

Do you get it – you aren’t good legs, nice but, shiny hair. They are a part of you but they don’t have to define you. You are much more than that. You just have to believe it. And that sometimes requires consistent work on yourself.

Or if you are lucky enough, like me to have some straight talking, best friend that sees you for more than your exterior, you have to start listening to them. They LOVE and SEE you in a different light.

The people who really matter will love you regardless of how you look. Remember that, don’t shrug it off. Because life if full of tragedy and joy. And it is short. So if you are consumed with your appearance life is going to whiz on by while you are still looking in the mirror. And in the end people don’t miss someone with a nice body they miss “that” person who was something so much more to them.

     3. Diet/Food/Nutrition is not the wholly grail for health. 

Don’t get me wrong I post my food – for a reason. I DO NOT want to show off my bone broth/my kitchen/or myself to make you feel worse about yourself, quite the opposite actually (P.S. If this happens to you, I highly suggest to unfollow me and those else who make you feel this way and concentrate on yourself, I truly mean this, comparing yourself to others on social media is a total waste of time).

I want to inspire and give people tools and ideas to create healthy meals for themselves and their family. Because food is a necessity for our survival. And when we get it right for our body it has the ability to nourish and allow us to flourish.

However nutrition is one of many pillars to create optimal HEALTH -and one that is getting a lot of attention. But let’s not forget about the other equally important PILLARS to health – Like SLEEP, RECOVERY, MOVEMENT, PLEASURE, STRESS MANAGEMENT, FUN, PLAY and SOCIAL CONNECTION.

These things also dictate and have a direct effect on positive or negative outcomes in your body.  So please keep a balance. If you find yourself obsessing over food and exercise maybe reevaluate what is really important in life and ask for help.

     4. Health is so much more than EAT WELL ,TRAIN MORE, REPEAT. 

I recently read an alternative definition of what “health” really is from Chris Kresser that I really love.

“Health is: the ability to live your dreams.”

I love it – Plain and simple. What more can we really strive for.

Love
Chantel