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Do You Struggle With Heartburn, Bloating Or Gas?

Making the connections between what you’re eating and how you feel is crucial for long term sustainability.

Most of us have never been taught to do this.

Diets will never be the answer. Making the connection between how you feel and what you’re eating is the key to staying motivated and integrating a healthier diet that will stick.

We’re a bit of a band-aid society.

By that I mean, we’re accustomed to squashing or covering up symptoms.

Rarely do we go further upstream and get curious as to why the symptom is showing up in the first place.

A good example are antacids.

Many people have this hate relationship going on with their stomach acid. Stomach acid isn’t the bad guy, it’s actually super essential. More on this some other time…

Antacid use is a perfect example of squashing a symptom, and they can be very bad for you if you’re using them on a regular basis.

If you’ve ever struggled with reflux, bloating or gas, I encourage you to investigate a couple of things before you reach for the Tums or the Gaviscon:

 

Are you stressed?

The hormones of stress turn off digestion. These hormones are designed to set you up to fight or to run for your life. Digesting your lunch isn’t a priority when you’re being chased by a bear.
You may not be encountering that many bears or tigers over the course of your week, but your body can’t differentiate between our (many, many) modern stressors and being chased by a large, toothy predator.

If you’re rushing, you’re likely not chewing.

It’s estimated that most people chew on average 7 times per bite.

That’s not enough.

When eating meat or raw vegetables, you should aim for 25-35 chews per bite. Chewing is one of the best things you can do for digestion. Test it out for yourself.

Did you overeat?

Our bodies secrete stomach acid and digestive juices to help breakdown our food. We have the capacity to secrete limited amounts of this juice.
Overeating overloads the capacity of those precious digestive juices to do a good job. Aim to stop eating when you’re about 80% full.

Are you carrying a few extra pounds?
For many people, bloating and reflux are the red flags that they’ve reached their critical weight. Bloating often precedes weight gain.

Are you getting your probies?
I train clients to get into the habit of incorporating a little bit of fermented (or probiotic) food every day (or with each meal if they’re weak digesters).

Every traditional culture has its own type of fermented food and there’s a reason why they’re making such a comeback.
These fermented foods go a long way to support the gut and digestion. If you find yourself reaching for antacids, you may want to experiment with these superfoods. A little goes a long way.

What did you eat?
Our bodies don’t do well with highly processed or chemicalized foods. Next time you feel reflux or heartburn or bloating, check out the ingredients.
Are there unpronounceables in the list?
Keep in mind that one artificial flavoring can contain up to 30 different chemicals that were not part of our diet as recently as 40 or 50 years ago.

If you can’t pronounce it, there’s a good chance that your body doesn’t know what to do with it.

Sometimes, despite our best efforts, we still struggle.

I’ve been trying to make legumes my friend for over 10 years now. Eating them would invariably cause painful bloating and gas despite doing all of the things I just listed.

I recently discovered this ginger drink that allows me to enjoy legumes symptom-free.

Ginger shot recipe:

-2 tbsp of roughly chopped or grated ginger
-1 tbsp of lemon juice
-1 pinch of sea salt
-1 cup of water.

Blend this together, store in a sealed jar for up to 1 month in the fridge.

Try taking 1 ounce of this magic juice before a meal and notice your symptoms.

The flavor will take some getting used to. My taste buds took about 3 or 4 days to adjust to the sharp taste of the ginger.

Give it a try, and let me know how it goes?

Reach out if you’re ready to move away from the diet mindset and move towards sustainable, healthy eating

Share this with a gassy friend.

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Nutrition L’Ecuyer Private Client Highlight; Meet Stephanie

Meet Stephanie;

meet Stephanie as she discusses working with Nutrition L'Ecuyer and Metabolic Balance on issues like weight loss and thyroid hypofunction

 

Stephanie is a very busy, very active mom of two amazing teens that works full time, travels a lot and manages her farm.

Stephanie came to me for weight loss and thyroid problems. She also presented with cravings, migraines, some bowel issues as well as recurring urinary tract infections.

Stephanie loves good food and is very in touch with her body.

She describes herself as a very driven, determined ‘all-in’ kind of person.

She demonstrated this superpower when it came to recommitting and staying aligned with her goals. More on that below 😉

Stephanie decided to follow Metabolic Balance in order to help her reach her health goals.

She started her plan 2 weeks before Christmas.

–2 weeks later, she was down 8 lbs. Although she experienced some energy lulls during the first 2 weeks, her headaches went away and she stayed the course.

–6 weeks into her plan she was down 19 lbs. Her energy was coming back up and her bowels were regular.

Some small surrounding issues that Stephanie struggled with like finger numbness and her inability to digest certain foods like peppers, also cleared up.
Both are an indication that she was moving overall health in the right direction.

-5 months in, she reached her 40 lb. weight loss goal. Her cravings and migraines are gone and the frequency of her UTIs is significantly diminished.

CONGRATULATIONS Stephanie!

‘Where the mind goes, man follows’ is a saying that comes to mind as I’m writing about Stephanie.

Right from the get-go, Stephanie had NO DOUBT in her mind that she would achieve this for herself. Her self-talk was positive and aligned with her goals. A huge contributor to her success.

It’s always worth checking in with your self-talk and unconscious beliefs before undertaking any kind of major change.

Unconscious beliefs such as; ’’I’ve never been able…’’, ‘’I always fail…’’, I have no willpower‘’ end up creating self-fulfilling prophecies.

If those false beliefs aren’t noticed and addressed, you WILL prove yourself right and perpetuate your cycle.

It’s pretty surprising to see what the subconscious can come up with in order to reinforce those old stories if you aren’t aware that they’re playing on repeat in the background of your mind.

Most of us would never dream of letting our loved ones down once we make a promise. Yet, for many of us, promises to ourselves are not held in such high regard.

I never heard any excuses from Stephanie… she took full responsibility for herself and the outcome of her journey. She had a success mindset well installed before she even started.

Stephanie’s success underlines the importance of noticing your self-talk and your stories as well as refocusing and recommitting to your goals, sometimes on a daily basis.

Having a clear plan is also crucial to staying on course.

Here are some guidelines that helped Stephanie reach her goal:

  • She was always very precise with her quantities. She knew that she wouldn’t be doing this forever and chose the fastest, safest route. ‘Eyeballing’ or ‘guesstimating’ food portions is a maintenance thing!
  • She weighed-in daily and didn’t allow herself to go backwards. If she did regain a pound or two, she quickly adjusted her treat meals or assessed the other things that she had control over (water intake, bowels, exercise, starch and bread).
  • When eating out, she always asked for a to-go box right at the beginning, and put part of her meal aside . This allowed her the satisfaction of finishing her plate without the temptation of just one more bite.
  • She discovered that her body allowed her more leeway with deviating from her plan if she did her deviating at lunch.
  • She broke her goals down into 10 lb. increments which was less daunting than looking at the entire picture.

I sincerely thank Stephanie for allowing me to share her journey.

I’m always inspired by my clients. I hope this inspires you that change is ALWAYS possible with the right perspective.

Here are a few words form Stephanie:

Q. What surprised you the most?

A. After 5 years of struggling with a thyroid problem, changing my nutrition regulated all of the struggles.

 

Q. What is the big takeaway from all of this?

A. I learned to listen to my body and understand the powerful messages that your body can send you as well as the the connections with food.

 

Q. Share a few words about your experience working with Kim?

A. Kim is very understanding, knowledgeable and patient. She made it very easy to understand and follow the program.

Reach out to nutritionholistique@gmail.com or click HERE to book a free discovery call

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Nutrition L’Ecuyer Private Client Highlight: Meet Kiana

The young gal you’re about to meet is pretty special to me.

She’s my kid!

Meet Kiana as she describes her experience working with Nutrition L'Ecuyer, metabolic Balance and Holistic Nutrition on issues like weight loss, body image and focus

My kid!

When Kiana asked me about doing a Metabolic Balance plan to help shed a few extra pounds, I had my reservations.

Working with people you’re close to in a consulting role is hard.

I also come across so many people that have a pretty cruel self-image and a toxic relationship with their bodies and food. This was a cycle that I DID NOT want for my kid.

Folks that find it hard to love and accept themselves from the get-go (with their imperfections and their love handles) always seem to struggle and falter more. It’s as if resisting what is only gets them more stuck.

Clients that approach weight loss from a place of self-acceptance and self-love are always more successful.

After many, many discussions, she convinced me that she loved her body and her beautiful curves and that she was doing this to feel better and to prevent problems down the road.

She wasn’t looking for a quick fix or to fit into some type of social norm. She was looking for tools for the long haul.

Magic words for mom.

 

I generated Kiana’s plan and she was all set to go in January.

Along with a few extra pounds, she presented with digestive issues, brain fog and increasing fatigue.

2 weeks in, she was down 6 lbs.  Her digestion improved a lot. She did struggle with some headaches during the first 2 days which quickly cleared up.

Kiana is in the final semester of a Bachelor’s degree in political science. So she’s pretty familiar with how her mind works and her studying patterns.

She also struggles with a mild case of social anxiety.

Anxiety and depression are so prevalent in society today. I think Kiana’s story offers a glimmer of hope.

Something significant that she noticed after starting this work was that she was turning on her camera during zoom classes and found herself participating and interacting more. She also noticed that she was able to focus on her work longer. (Read what Kiana has to say below)

This is a perfect example of the gut-brain connection. When we work at streamlining digestion, cleaning up the diet, replenishing beneficial bacteria and soothing the gut, shifts do happen.

Check out this link on the gut microbiome’s effect on mental health.

One month in, she was down 10 lbs.  In her words, things were getting ‘mundane’ but she stuck with it.  Her energy was good, she was walking daily and noticing that she was able able to recover from anxiety-causing situations quicker.

3 months in and she reached her weight loss goal of 20 lbs. YAY!!

She’s officially in maintenance phase for the next 6 months.

Maintenance will require vigilance and applying all of her new tools. 

Her body will be extremely reactive during this phase. Losing 20 lbs. in a short period of time is actually like knocking the body out of equilibrium. It’ll be natural for her body to want to return to it’s ‘normal’ weight for a certain period of time.

Going back to old ways and habits is out of the question otherwise she will gain back quickly… And if that happens, she’ll have to pay me a gazillion dollars – That’s our deal.

Maintenance is about integrating the new tools and habits while testing and playing and continuing to tune-in.

I know she will be fine 😉

Here are a few words from Kiki:

Q. What was your experience like doing a Metabolic Balance plan?

A. It was not too hard to take the leap because I had already heard a lot about MB, but the first few days were still somewhat of a learning curve.

It didn’t take long before I got the hang of things like weighing the food and cooking with no oils. I actually found myself enjoying the routine and structure that come along with doing the plan, so phase 2 was quite enjoyable for me.

I wanted to do MB because I was experiencing low levels of concentration, brain fog and sugar cravings and I wanted to lose the few pounds that I had gradually gained over the years.

I didn’t lose too much in the first two weeks, but my brain fog disappeared, and my energy levels were crazy. I found myself wanting to exercise and do yoga, things I had previously seen as a chore. This was the best part for me.

Unexpectedly, I began noticing that my struggle with social anxiety was fading. Things that used to be hard, like contributing to class discussions, became a task I (almost) enjoyed.

My grades and relationships with professors and classmates were being positively affected, which increased my confidence and my mood. I was studying for 8 hours a day with no issues and my sugar cravings disappeared right after the initial cleansing phase.

I got to discover foods that I was not used to eating and found myself enjoying them as well. Although I did miss my ramen, I knew I would be able to indulge in the future. The benefits outweighed the occasional craving.

After 3 months, I lost 20 pounds and MB has become ingrained in my routine. I don’t think I would ever go back to eating the way I did before.

I’m confident in my body but also in my brain: It has never performed so well, and my grades and relationships have never been better.

In a few months I will be moving to another country, this will be my greatest challenge yet: To keep up the habits I’ve picked up with MB despite the drastic change to my daily life.  But I’m confident I’ll be able to maintain what I’ve achieved so far.

Kiana

Congratulations Kiana and thank you for sharing some pretty personal stuff.

I hope Kiana’s story inspires you to be mindful of your gut health.

Needless to say, I’m a pretty proud mama ❤

Get more information on the program Kiana worked with HERE

Reach out at nutritionholistique@gmail.com or click HERE to book a free discovery call

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What Self Care Looks Like For Me

The pandemic was hard on my business like so many others.

Apparently people aren’t into overhauling their diet when they’re just treading water.

The good news is that business has picked up.

With a busier schedule, I’ve found myself having to practice what I preach.

As many of my clients know, a holistic approach involves looking at the whole person, and I’m constantly preaching self-care and stress management.

What I recently noticed was, I stopped taking the time to batch cook and my freezer started looking bare.

The result: more takeout, frozen pizza, store bought dumplings and quick pasta meals…

The result of that: A few (8) extra pounds, a little more sluggishness, a little more brain fog, sore stiff joints which lead to less activity, less motivation, more scrolling, more Netflix.

See the pattern?

Let’s be clear; I have nothing against takeout once in awhile and I never want to divorce pasta but it’s about the balance.

Correcting that involved a couple of tough decisions, some prioritizing and a little more discipline with the scrolling and the screen time.

I’m working at building up my meal reserves again because I know that:

Cooking my own food is a giant part of self-care and it does pay off in the long run.

I’ve gone back to making one batch cooking recipe per week. It usually goes like this:

-Monday after work, I grocery shop and gather up my ingredients. I also take an inventory of containers and labels and make sure I have everything I need . I may do a little prepping such as taking stuff out to defrost, washing the greens, soaking beans, chopping some of the veggies.

-Tuesday is usually my big recipe day and I try to book myself off around 4:00 or so and go straight to the kitchen.
It’s much less overwhelming because I’ve already been to the store and everything has been laid out the day before.

I even plan a light lunch on my cooking day because I know that if I have a little edge, I’m more motivated to taste, season carefully and really work at making my masterpiece delicious.

Golden Rule: It doesn’t go into the freezer unless it’s absolutely delicious. Working at seasoning carefully and making your food delicious is ESSENTIAL.

Committing to doing this on a weekly or bi-weekly basis ensures that I always have some healthy delicious go-tos when things get busy.

Some weeks it’s as simple as making a giant batch of homemade salad dressing, getting some sprouts sprouting or starting a batch of ferments…

What I know for sure; cooking my own food is foundational and key to staying the course and being at my best.

My gift to you:

This pea soup recipe is a regular part of my rotation. This recipe makes a large batch so you’ll have enough to freeze for busy days.

I sometimes struggle with getting enough legumes into my diet. This recipe is one of my solutions to that problem.

Legumes are super-foods providing beautiful fiber, prebiotics and protein. Eating legumes has been shown to stabilize blood sugar levels for the meal when they’re consumed and well into the next meal.

This is called therapeutic for folks with blood sugar issues.

This recipe includes some bacon. For folks that are in the early stages of their Metabolic Balance program and don’t want to mix proteins, or if you prefer going full-on plant-based, the bacon can be replaced by a few drops of liquid smoke.

For folks that worry that bacon has no part in a healthy diet. I say, first of all, source your bacon carefully (naturally raised without antibiotics and without preservatives). Secondly, rest assured that some saturated fats are beneficial when part of a balanced, nutrient-dense diet.

Top this soup with a generous helping of raw sauerkraut and you’ve got all your bases covered. A perfect quick, delicious lunch.

Reach out if you’d like to build on your self-care routine.

Cheers to making healthy delicious.

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Nutrition L’Ecuyer Private Client Highlight; Meet Stephanie

My clients are my biggest source of inspiration. I hope this gorgeous young gal’s story inspires you.

Meet Stephanie,

Stephanie describes her journey with Nutrition L'Ecuyer, Holistic nutrition andf Metabolic Balance for issues like weight loss and digestion

Stephanie is a 26 year old veterinary technician. Her warm smile and bubbly personality never fails to light up the room. She works full time, has several fur babies as well as a boyfriend and family that she’s devoted to.

Stephanie came to me for help with bloating, cramping and fatigue. She also struggled with cravings and continued weight gain.

She noticed that certain foods, particularly cow dairy, would trigger painful cramping and affect her bowels.

We decided to get her a Metabolic Balance plan.

Her personalized meal plan was put together based 30 of her blood values, her measurements as well as her health history.

11 days into her plan, she was down 9 lbs. Her bloating and cramping were significantly reduced although she was still feeling somewhat tired. She struggled with occasional headaches during the first (strict) part of her plan.

8 weeks into her plan, she was down 17 lbs. Her bloating and cramping were gone and she was awakening feeling more rested (when her fur babies behaved and let her sleep)

5 months after starting her plan she was down a total of 22 lbs and was within about 3 lbs of her target weight.

During that time, she integrated all kinds of new foods and habits and most importantly, learned how to make her new healthy food delicious.

She no longer experiences any pain after eating, even when she has cow dairy.

Cravings are no longer a thing and she’s continuing to prioritize sleep.

Stephanie’s journey is a perfect example of the case for real food. So many foods are demonized and removed from diets when often, the problem isn’t the whole food at all but rather the sufferer’s digestion and gut.

In Stephanie’s case; cleaning up the diet, supporting the gut and digestion along with the science behind Metabolic Balance, resulted in her tolerating ALL foods.

It was such a pleasure working with Stephanie. She is self-responsible and she was enthusiastic and open to all of the changes.

Currently, she’s working at consciously maintaining her new healthy weight and deepening the important connections and red flag symptoms that her body gives her.

Here are a few words from her:

Since I was a young teen I was ALWAYS experiencing cramping and bloating after every meal.

I consulted my family doctor and their response was always ‘’you need to cut this out of your diet’’ or ‘’maybe you are lactose intolerant, try this supplement and see’’.

As a teen that was hard, especially since I am someone who LOVES to eat, especially cheese, and I thought that it was honestly not worth it for me because I would NEVER want to eliminate dairy from my diet.

So at this point I was just dealing with the pain because there was no way I was going to cut out the foods that I love.

It was only recently, after hearing about Kim and Metabolic Balance from a friend, that I finally decided that I needed to do this, that I was done dealing with this discomfort and I wanted to find the root of the problem.

Since my first appointment with Kim I could tell how caring and dedicated she is to nutrition and showing everyone that ‘’food is not the problem’’.

We got started right away and I was amazed to see how my blood could tell me what foods are best for me and that dairy was something I COULD eat.

The first two weeks were rough but Kim was there to guide me through every step of the journey and my boyfriend, family and friends were there to help and support me as well.

Once I was able to experiment with more foods I was amazed about how great I was feeling, and how I was able to eat and not suffer any consequences later on.

Throughout this journey Kim helped me understand that good food is never the problem and how important it is to feed your gut!

Ever since I have been putting my gut first and always providing it with some gut friendly foods.

I am extremely happy that I finally decided to start this journey and I can’t imagine doing it with anyone else but Kim. She is a real GUT saver 🙂

 

I want to congratulate Stephanie on achieving her goals and for allowing me to share her story.

Stephanie has gained tools that will support her for a lifetime and most importantly the conviction that eating should not hurt.

Reach out at nutritionholistique@gmail.com or click HERE to book a discovery call.

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The Case For Real Food

I find myself constantly arguing the case for real food.

Moving away from preparing our own nourishment hasn’t been good for us.

We’re a culture that pride ourselves on being hyper busy.

So why should you waste your time cooking your own food when there are so many convenient and tasty options?

Because food manufacturers don’t care about your health.

Read a label someday. If you can’t pronounce an ingredient, there’s a good chance your body doesn’t know what to do with it either.

Processed foods are linked to several metabolic diseases as well as anxiety, depression and mood swings. They’re inflammatory, disrupt the gut bacteria and contribute to fatigue.

Yet they’re still staples in our pantries, on our breakfast tables, they’re in every vending machine, drive through and part of most celebrations.

Let’s be clear. I’m not expecting anyone to get rid of all convenience foods all the time. But recognize that when the ingredient list is as long as your arm and may just as well be a foreign language, it may not be a gift to your body.

The 80:20 rule is a good rule of thumb. Try to aim for 80% natural foods that don’t have labels or very short, simple ingredient lists, 20% is all the other stuff

Processed foods are engineered to override our homeostatic mechanisms that normally tell us when to stop. They cause cravings and bingeing which lead to shame, hateful self-talk and then the weight roller coaster.

Real food nourishes you and lifts you up. Engineered foods are designed to keep you coming back for more.

So how do you begin to shift and change those patterns?

They key is to tune in.

Simply noticing what’s going on in your mind and in your body when you crave and eat this kind of food will be your best way through it.

This isn’t just about willpower. These foods are powerful in a bad way. They’re engineered to mess with your hormones and your brain and they are addictive.

If any of this is resonating with you, here’s something you can play around with:

Allow yourself to have whatever it is you crave without labelling it as bad or naughty.

BUT, you must eat it in a fully present way, without distractions and you must continuously come back to your body.

That means; eat consciously, chew thoroughly… make a friggin’ meditation out of eating your favourite treat and get really curious about it.

What’s the texture, the temperature, the flavour? How many chews until it dissolves in your mouth? Are you still feeling hunger? How do you feel afterwards? How do you feel the next day…?

You can’t do this in front of the T.V., scrolling on your device or driving your car. And again, guilt can’t come in to the equation.

My weakness is wine and pasta. Not that these foods are overly processed but I NEVER want to have to give them up, so it’s especially important for me to bring in mindfulness around these foods.

What we resist persists. Ending an obsession with food or anything, is all about the ability to come back to your body and the present moment.

Life’s about choices and it’s all the small choices we make that add up to big change. You’re worth it.

Reach out if you’re ready to try something different 😉

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Tapioca Meditation

When we owned the retirement home, we used to do something we called the tapioca meditation.

Making tapioca for 30 people took at least 45 minutes of almost constant attention and very boring stirring.

There was just no way around it, not making tapioca was out of the question, it was one of our resident’s favourite desserts. So we learned to just accept it and eventually, make the most of it.

The tapioca meditation.

I probably spend a little more time preparing food and make more dishes than most people. I’m conscious of that and it’s something that I find myself constantly negotiating with clients.

Taking the time for YOU.

The thing is, I wouldn’t do all this stuff and invest the time if I didn’t feel like there was a SOLID payoff.

Payoff as in; less inflammation, nice stable energy, clear skin, a looong run of no sick days. I even think that my outlook and mood is better when I take the time and do the stuff…

It’s been almost 10 years since I cracked open my first textbook on holistic nutrition and really started diving into this stuff.

I am more convinced than ever that IT IS WORTH THE TIME!

Getting sick will suck up a lot of time without the payoff.

It’s up to you.

If this holds a glimmer of truth for you, you may want to check this out.

If I made you cranky it’s probably not the right time 😉

Cheers to great health,

oxo

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DIY Liver Detox

My utopian world has commercials on TV touting the benefits of wholesome natural foods the same way we now hear endless drug commercials.

Only the vegetable and whole food commercials won’t have the laundry list of side effects where the announcer has to speak at warp speed to fit them all in.

Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower and kale, contain a phytochemical called sulforaphane

Sulforaphane is a ROCK STAR. It should be a household word. Here’s why.

Sulforaphane:

neutralizes toxins which means it’s good for the liver
has anti cancer and anti-tumor properties
is an antioxidant which means it protects the heart
has anti-inflammatory properties
helps with diabetes by stabilizing insulin

So along with a regular intake of cruciferous vegetables, I’ve been getting my sulforaphane from broccoli sprouts.

It turns out that that broccoli sprouts can contain up to 100 X more sulforaphane than broccoli.

Translation. That means that eating 1 ounce of sprouts gets you the same amount of sulforaphane as eating 6 lbs of broccoli.

Broccoli sprouts have a slight peppery flavour that’s more similar to radishes than mature broccoli. Use them as a garnish, throw them into salads, sandwiches or smoothies.

Sprouts are easy to grow at home, check out the easy sprouting procedure HERE.

Sulforaphane is just one tiny example of the power of real food.

ALL whole foods contain their own signature blend of nutrients that has their own role to play in a healthy balanced diet.

Metabolic Balance relies exclusively on regular food that can be found in your grocery store.

Over 20 years of ongoing research has resulted in an extensive databank of what each specific food brings to the table in terms of nutrients.

Your meal plans is tailored to your individual needs based on your blood values, measurements, health conditions… even what you do for a living is factored in.

This type of advanced preventative nutrition has been used in agricultural animal nutrition for decades because prevention is cost effective, calling the vet and treating is not. I think it’s time for a little more prevention don’t you?

 

Join me for a free info session to see if Metabolic Balance is the right fit for you.

Cheers,
Kim

References:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9294217/
https://www.mdanderson.org/publications/focused-on-health/sulforaphane-benefits–how-leafy-veggies-like-broccoli-and-bruss.h13-1593780.html
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.3109/09637486.2012.665043
https://www.verywellhealth.com/sulforaphane-5083128
https://blog.metagenics.com/post/2021/01/22/tips-for-daily-detoxing/

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Client Highlight; Meet Anne

A few years ago, when I was going through a bit of a rough patch, I remember wishing for some positive role models; people that would inspire me, not make me dread each new birthday.

Running a retirement home and my dad’s long, drawn-out illness were taking a toll. I knew I needed to change the lens through which I viewed aging.

Clients like the one you’re about to meet are my wish come true.

Meet Anne;

Anne was referred to me by her family doctor. At age 75, her blood sugar, blood pressure and weight had all been gradually creeping up. This was especially worrisome since she has a family history of coronary artery disease and went through a quintuple bypass at the age of 55.

Saddled with new diabetes diagnosis, increasing cravings and dwindling energy, she decided it was time to give her diet a serious overhaul.

She started her Metabolic Balance plan in May.

By early June, she was down 17 lbs. Her blood pressure and blood sugar responded quickly to her new diet and she only needed to take her sleeping meds occasionally.

By mid June she was reporting significant improvements in her energy levels. More movement and longer walks came about organically as she began to feel better.

We worked hard on digestion and she was able to reduce her need for antacid medication.

Acid reflux is a sign of weak digestion that is often made worse by sugar, processed food and stress. Antacids and other acid-blocking medications come with a slew of dangerous side-effects if used long term . When you block natural stomach acid that is REQUIRED to digest food, you are only putting a band-aid on symptoms as well as setting yourself up for a whole list of other problems down the road.

By August, most of Anne’s lab values had improved, (including blood sugar and blood pressure) and she was able to reduce her cholesterol medication. Her doctor was impressed with her new results.

She lost a total of 30 lbs. on the program. She has since regained a few pounds because she feels better at her current weight. Tuning in, listening to her body and adjusting is something Anne does very well.

She’s currently maintaining her new weight and is conscious of not falling back into old habits. She is also playing around with finding her balance between eating well, feeling good and enjoying life.

Anne is authentic, brave and funny…she kept me in stitches the whole time we worked together.

I admire her determination to take responsibility for her health and her refusal to sit in the victim seat. She symbolizes what living on purpose looks like.

I hope she inspires you as much as she’s inspired me ❤

Here are a few words from Anne:

”Metabolic Balance. These are the words that caught my attention in a local newspaper when I was at a desperate low. By early 2021, I was extremely fatigued and depressed and unable to stay awake for more than 3 or 4 hours.

With a recent diagnosis of type 2 diabetes on top of many other health issues I felt ready to die. I could not seem to stop gaining weight and started having angina for the first time in 20 years since my coronary artery bypass surgery.

I did not just need a weight-loss plan, I needed someone to walk the journey with me. I thank God for Kim. She made this awesome recovery possible through her daily coaching and and continuous support.

It is now December 2021 and I honestly feel healthier than I have in 30 years. I have energy and I can walk without stopping to catch my breath. I no longer have cravings for sugar and carbs and even though I have gained back a little weight I feel very balanced.

My body is working in wonderful ways that I did not think possible. With my doctor’s permission and encouragement I have decreased my statin drugs for cholesterol and halved my proton pump inhibitor for acid reflux. I have been on these medicines for years.

Thank you Kim!!”

Reach out if you feel ready to take the first steps on your health journey.

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Frittata Recipe

Switching to a healthier diet and changing habits has to be a win – win.

By that I mean it has to be delicious and it has to be easy, doable and sustainable.

I hear the same story a lot… ‘’I got busy and the wheels fell off the bus’’ or ‘’the stress level went up and all the new habits went out’’

Stressful times are when our bodies crave good nutrition the most. Having a plan in place and a couple of easy go-tos is a game-changer and crucial to staying the course. Because…

LIFE WILL HAPPEN.

I’m sharing one of my old favourites with you.

It’s loaded with greens that supply a ton of nutrients (and don’t interfere with the flavour).

Nutritional yeast has a delicious cheesy flavour and it provides a ton of B vitamins (we burn through the B’s with stress). If you can’t find any, just add a bit more cheese.

For my clients that are following their plan and don’t want to mix proteins, you can omit the cheese and increase the amount of nutritional yeast.

This is a recipe I make ahead when I know the week will be extra busy.

I enjoy it best at room temperature or just slightly warmed but I have to confess it gets eaten straight out of the fridge sometimes.

It’s great for breakfast with a nice fruit platter or pair it with a tossed salad or some fermented vegetables for lunch or supper.

I also like to have some in the freezer as a quick, decadent breakfast when I have guests, especially around the holidays.

Get the recipe HERE

picture of frittata ingredients; eggs, vegetables, milk, flour and seasonings.

picture of frittata ingredients; eggs, vegetables, milk, flour and seasonings.

(I often stock up on eggs and greens and make a double or triple batch to have some on hand in the freezer.)

When I make a single recipe, I bake the frittata in the same cast iron pan that I used to sauté the veggies. I’m a fan of parchment to make cleaning up easier.

picture of frittata about to go into oven

picture of frittata about to go into oven

I hope you have fun with this and make it your own by switching up some of the veggies and adjusting the seasonings.

Once you get it right, scale it and make that precious kitchen time count.

Here’s to making healthy delicious.

Cheers!
oxo

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