Tomatoes are Michigan’s summer fruit and our Fam eats a lot of them! 

As new gut health research evolves they’re finding more benefits in plant sources. The fiber in tomatoes promotes the growth of good bacteria and discourages harmful bacteria such as C. difficile, according to Canada’s GI Society. (1) Tomatoes are also an outstanding source of lycopene, a powerful antioxidant protecting cells from aging (Hello, nature’s natural anti-aging cream!)

A healthy gut can help you lose weight and much more. If you’re struggling to lose a pound because you are suffering from gut dysbiosis, an imbalance in healthy vs bad gut bacteria, you may want to boost probiotic activity with tomatoes. 

Signs of poor gut health include the inability to lose stubborn weight, constipation, and diarrhea. 

During the summer months take advantage of tomatoes because they are vibrant in color and bursting with flavor! 

Here’s a simple Summer Tomato Salad...

If you’re feeling blah from a weekend full of burgers, sexy cocktails, and chips & dips, kick off the week with a meatless Monday. This will allow your body to “Rest & Digest & Recover” so that you crave healthy food throughout the week.

CHICKPEA PATTIES & GRILLED PEACH AND CHERRY SKEWERS 

I get it, after a Summer Fun weekend you wake up Monday feeling bloated, foggy, and not motivated to get back in that bathing suit.

I’m pro protein but allowing your body to “Rest & Digest” by consuming a meatless meal is a great idea to help take the load off your overreacted digestion system. When you have a chronic health condition like weight gain or bloating you may need to first focus on consuming foods that are easy to digest. This may mean consuming mono meals (1 ingredient meal), slightly cooked veggies, smoothies, or soup.

Cherries are natural health bombs. They promote better sleep, because they are a good natural source of melatonin, (BTW, there is a higher level...

A common food ingredient I see on my client’s food sensitivity & GI Map test results is GLUTEN. Gluten sensitivity can cause gut inflammation, intestinal permeability, weight management issues, and damage to the gut biome. 

Giving up any food even though you know it makes you sick can be difficult. Especially for an ingredient like gluten because it’s found in wheat, which is typically a big part of your normal diet. 

I mean, how does one live without these salad toppers or these morning kickoff foods??? No fear, it’s possible and you will learn to love it!

Foods that usually contain gluten:

• Bread, pita, bagels, flatbread, rolls
• Pasta
• Cakes, crackers, and biscuits
• Cereal and granola
• Croutons
• French fries
• Gravies and sauces
• Salad dressings and vinegars
• Processed meats
• Soy sauce
• Snack and bars
• Potato chips and tortilla chips
• Stuffing

Maintaining a certain diet or avoiding certain ingredients when you work at home can be easier to follow but as...

Did you know it's a good idea to change your eating habits each season?

Your body should naturally be craving seasonal foods like:

• Spring: Detox foods like leafy greens and citrus
• Summer: Cooling foods like watermelon
• Fall: Grounding foods like squash and nuts
• Winter: Warming foods like meat and fats

My son and I are little obsessed with carrots right now so if you're easing into the detox season this carrot salad is a must try. 

SHREDDED CARROT SALAD

Ingredients:

1 lb bag (16 oz.) organic carrots
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon umeboshi plum vinegar (or lemon juice + a pinch sea salt)
4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
juice of a handful of freshly grated ginger
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 cup dried currants (optional)
1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds (optional) 

Directions:

1. Shred/grate carrots by hand with a food grater (watch those fingers!) or in a food processor.
2. In a large bowl, combine apple cider vinegar, umeboshi plum vinegar (or...

The Aunt Flow rage, PMS mood swings, and days where you love & hate everything at the same time is blamed on hormonal imbalance but what exactly does that mean?

Hormonal imbalance is one of those phrases commonly used by the medical community but often misinterpreted by someone without a medical degree.

It wasn’t until I was studying to become a Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner did, I start to understand all the functions of hormones. And it wasn’t until I started my own journey of improving my gut health did I realize the negative impact of abnormal levels of hormones.

Hormonal imbalance can make you feel crazy. It can also be very frustrating if you’re on a path of becoming healthy and those results aren’t falling in place.

You don’t need a medical degree to have the basic understanding of hormonal imbalance. More importantly, you should be able to tell if you are having hormonal imbalance. There are five basic signs of hormonal...

Ditching the stubborn weight is a daunting task. You barely feel like you have time to fix your hair in the morning let alone meal prep and squeeze in a gym session.

In working with hundreds of clients on improving gut health for weight loss, I see a common denominator for the women who have long term success.  

1)     They get in a groove and stick with it

2)     Their healthy habits are non-negotiable

How to Get Your Groove On and Stick With It

You know you’re ready to focus on improving your gut health for weight loss when you light up about preparing and following through the protocol tasks. You don't feel pressure from outside sources. You only feel a strong inner desire because it’s what you want instead of being driven by trends, society, parents, etc.

Tips for sticking with it:

• Diet: Eat the right types of food for your body and eliminate your food sensitivities for 90 days 
• Rest: Core hours of rest are from 10pm-2am. If you really need to watch...

ELIMINATION DIETS AND GUT HEALTH

To eliminate or not to eliminate, that is the question.

I get a lot of questions about elimination diets.

• Do elimination diets work?
• What foods should I eliminate?
• How long do I need to eliminate those foods?
• What foods can I eat?

Elimination diets can be extremely effective and informative. BUT, can you stick it out?

Pros to elimination diets:

• Help you discover which foods you may be sensitive or intolerance to. During this diet period it allows your body time to restore from the constant inflammatory response from certain foods triggering in your digestive and immune system.
• Add in nutrient-dense and anti-inflammatory foods which help accelerate rebuilding & restoring a healthy internal environment for the digestive system.
• Typically eliminate gluten, grains, dairy, soy, nightshade vegetables, all processed foods, added sugars, peanuts and tree nuts, alcohol, and eggs.
• Typically eliminate foods for at least 30 days and then are slowly...

My obsession with bone broth is REAL!

I walked into my functional medicine doc 8 years ago with high heels and booshie corporate clothes. On the outside I had it all together. A “highly successful young professional mom” living the Super WoMOM “she does it all” type of life.

“You’ve got it together Mar!” “How do you do it all Mar?” Common questions from others.

On the inside I was a wrecking ball. My brain was mush, I was drained constantly searching for energy boosting sugar sources, and my stomach was plagued with painful bloat and gas.

When I discovered I had an imbalance in my gut bacteria, leaky gut, food sensitivities, and brain fog my Doc placed me on a lifestyle protocol to reduce my symptoms naturally instead of turning to pills to fix a specific issue.

One of my favorite products for restoring the body has been Bone Broth. It's also been been an integral product in most of my client’s personalized protocols.

Bone...

It was a teaser!

We had a day or two of 50-degree weather in Michigan and then BAM – SNOW!

We expect those random snow days until May but they're never easy. The length of gray skies, bone chilling temperatures, and lack of fresh air is depressing. The Winter Blues can keep you from starting your “I want to feel good and get healthy” program.

Instead of delaying your “get healthy” program one more day because you’re not in the feel good mood, make a commitment to include these super mood boosting nutrients in your diet.

B12: A vitamin essential for brain and central nervous system function, forming red blood cells and converting food into energy.

Iron: A mineral which plays a significant role in your moods, attention span, and overall health.

Magnesium: A mineral which facilitates brain electrical activity and aids in calming the nervous system.

Omega-3: A fatty acid which provides essential DHA to support brain development. 

Probiotic: Good...

Have you fallen victim to a diet trend because your friend had major success? You tried it and your results were “meh,” at best. Or maybe you spent $$$ only for it not to work.

In order to lose weight and feel great, you NEED the 6-Step Protocol. 

1. Diagnose
2. Diet
3. Rest
4. Exercise 
5. Stress Management
6. Supplements

Most often as a busy professional mom you skip about 80% of these steps because you’re overwhelmed with doing it all. 

When it comes to losing weight, you need to eat the “right foods”. Finding the “right” foods is more important than eating “less” food. Your body needs food for fuel, but it also needs the right fuel mixture for your unique gut blueprint.  

In my practice, I focus on helping you find the foods with diagnostic testing and metabolic typing analysis. You know you have the right fuel mixture when you start shedding the stubborn weight and your chronic symptoms fade away.  

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