Get Active, Support a Great Cause

Why run? Bike? Swim? Race? I started doing it for a good cause. I was signed up to do a Girls on the Run race  

and realized, I don't know if I can run 3.1 miles with these girls. I enlisted one of my best friends and she and I began our running extravaganza from there. We signed up and ran/walked our first ever 5k in October and we have been doing races almost every month together since then for over a year. I am now the coach for GOTR at my school. This is an incredible program and it teaches the girls more than just running. It teaches them self confidence, healthy habits, inspiring others, all of those feel good moments that girls need to survive the school years and the "catty-ness" girls sometimes find themselves in with friends. This year we have an amazing group of girls. 
I have done a lot of races to support cancer research, child diabetes, autism, etc... It is a great way to show others that you care and to put your money toward a great cause. Along the way you meet others who are personally affected by these issues or who just want to connect and show support for others. 

I fortunately have not had any of these issues hit my personal family but I have several friends and I have taught tons of kids who are dealing with these issues. It is just my way of letting others know I care in a fun way! 

So why should you get to running, biking, swimming? Or donating to racers and events?

Check out a few of these other great causes:

Today a friend of ours was on Comcast news today sharing something that is near and dear to her family, her company LIST (she is the CEO of Brandon's company) and a lot of their friends. She shared information about a  group called Team in Training. This is a group of dedicated racers that get together, train for events and travel all over supporting and raising money for Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. They don't care what your level of activity is, a beginner, novice, advanced... they just want to raise money for their cause. I am hoping to do an event with them soon- maybe the Nike women's marathon? Check out Katie Sleep's interview about this fabulous group!

                                                  

I have a friend who is walking the Avon Breast cancer event. It is a 2 day event. 26 miles the first day and 13 miles the second day. She is walking in honor of her sister in law Holly who has been battling breast cancer for 8 years. Nanette, I am so proud of you. The time and dedication you have put in for training has been inspiring! Check out Nanette's page here and donate to her cause.

                                       

Another friend of mine is doing a race with her children to show support for her son who was born 24 weeks early. Through a lot of support and great groups, her son is an adorable, healthy and smart kid. Check out her page here and donate to her cause. 

                                           

Another great way to get started with racing is to just build relationships. I have made so many friends at school, church, better relationships with family, my husband and friends because of racing. Training together is a powerful bond and there is nothing like hearing encouragement and support from the people you love the most. 

        

      

   

So maybe you can't physically get up and run. Try walking a race (most 5k's are walk/run races). Try looking for a bike race or a swimming event. www.active.com Maybe you just aren't into exercising and being active but you would love to show your support. Check out one of the above teams and donate to them. 

BBQ'd Venison Roast and Dark Chocolate Clusters

    Today we got back from our mini- vacation and had a delicious dinner made my fabulous husband! He smoked   2 venison roasts on the grill and they were awesome. 

    First he marinaded them in a mixture of the following for about 2 hours.

• 1 TBS Coconut Aminos
• 1 C of apple cider vinegar
• 2 TBS sea salt, pepper to taste
• 2 TBS Chef Leo's meat rub
• 2 C Water 

 He started the grill, Brandon uses a charcoal grill and he prefers to use wood charcoal. He let the grill heat up to about 275 degrees. Before he put the meat on the grill he rubbed them with some seasonings. One of them he glazed with honey and rubbed it Chef Leo's Mesquite seasoning . (For honey, he just drizzled the top and brushed it in then sprinkled the top with a light seasoning.) 

The second one he rubbed with Cayenne pepper and Chef Leo's Mesquite seasoning. (Use as much seasoning as you like.)

He placed both roasts on the grill and allowed them to smoke and cook for about 50 minutes on each side. He basted them with the marinade after each flip. 

When he pulled them off the grill, I sliced them into thin slices and served them warm with some fresh green beans and a little Dijon~Horseradish mustard. The meat had a wonderful smokey spice flavor to it and I can't wait for leftovers tomorrow for lunch. 

I am the luckiest!

After dinner Brandon headed off to his class and I got the house in order, did some grocery shopping and decided to try to make a little treat for him when he came home. While we were in VA beach, we got a sweet tooth and headed to candy kitchen to get some dark chocolate. While we were there we saw these dark chocolate cashew clusters. We really enjoyed them and I obviously got tons of inspiration on how I could make these. Tonight I attempted this with the ingredients I had in my pantry (it is the end of the month and getting scarce).  

Ingredients: 

• Shredded Coconut
• Chopped Walnuts
• Chopped Hazelnuts
• Raisins
• 2-3 TBS Honey
• 1/2 bag Dark Chocolate Chips
• *You could use anything so get creative*

1.) Mix 1/4 cup of each dry ingredient in a bowl.

2.) Add 2-3 Tablespoons of Honey. You want the mixture to stick together enough to put it into a cluster. 

3.) Place spoonfuls of mixture on a parchment paper lined cookie tray. Place in the fridge for about 10-15 minutes. 

4.)Melt half a bag of Dark Chocolate in a saucepan on low heat. Mix often so it doesn't burn. 

5.) Pull clusters out of the fridge and cover with dark chocolate. 

6.) Place them in the fridge again to harden for 20 min. . 

7.) Pull them out, flip them over and coat the bottom with dark chocolate. Place in the fridge again for 20 min or longer to get a cold hard shell

                                                                       Enjoy! 

I also did some with just raisins- also excellent! 

What can I do if I am stuck and can't lose any more weight?

A questions I  received when I was away for a long (much needed weekend). 


I am stuck at a weight and I can't seem to make the scale budge, what do I do?


-This is a common complaint that I have noticed. I too had this issue and realized that by cutting out fruits and natural sugars, my body began to drop the weight I was holding. Natural sugars store up in your body and turn into fat if they aren't burned quickly. People who do not exercise should try to limit or avoid fruits and natural sweeteners. If you notice the feeling of not losing weight, maybe a little bloating in the mid section, sugars are probably the number 1 cause. Try slowly cutting back to one sweet a day and see if that scale doesn't give you a big surprise. (Boy followers don't read the next part!) Girls- you probably notice that the scale is not friendly to us during that particular time of month. Don't let this week discourage you, stay off the scale and continue eating the same way. I am not a fan of the scale in general. I don't think it matters what the number reads, it is all in how you feel. If you notice your pants getting tight, cut out some of the junkier food. If you are dropping pant sizes, keep doing what you are doing!


If cutting out fruit and natural sweeteners doesn't work, try increasing your daily activity. The rule is "play an hour a day". Go on a walk, do some squats, sit-ups, push-ups, stretching. Basically get off the couch and move around. If I don't feel like going to the gym, I will vacuum my whole house, garden, walk up and down the stairs, play fetch with Sali or just walk around. KEEP the TV off and move. 


I am currently at a stand still with my weight. I like the size that I am and now I am working on toning and strength. I am running and doing Crossfit style workouts and I will begin swimming soon. Because of the amount of exercise I get, I eat a good amount of fruit to maintain carbs but I don't recommend this if you are only walking a few miles here and there or doing a few reps for strength and conditioning (that won't burn the natural sugars). 

Coffee is a great hunger stimulant. Try it black or just a little cream. We walked and drank coffee for breakfast every morning!

Check out this yahoo news article that I came across today. I agree with most of this article but remember- all things in moderation! Eating bags of chocolate chips and Pounds of cheese will make you fat but if you eat them in moderation, yes I believe they can be a fat release. It is kind of like the 4-hour body by Tim Ferriss, the small amounts of certain foods help your body to maintain a healthy weight and your body fights and burns these calories when done right. 

Brandon and I walked over 20 miles in 3 days while we were at the beach. The weather was cloudy but warm and we couldn't help but walk and explore every street!

Ginger, Lemon and Sea Salt Roast

On days like today, it was nice to come home to a roast in the crock pot!

After a long day of teaching inside in 74 degree weather, I decided to play outside in my front yard. I removed some rocks, re-structured some flower beds, transplanted some roses, re-built the rock bed around our maple tree and cleaned up some leaves. I even found a garter snake and named him Freddy- then I put him in the  flower bed covered him with a rock and some dirt and mulch. Naturally, I started a project and didn't stop until Brandon forced me to come inside because we couldn't see any more! (I HATE stopping in the middle of projects but... I don't want to meet a bigger snake in the dark.)

It's a start to a lot of much needed curb appeal!

We came in and dinner was already warmed and waiting to be eaten. I made a Roast and a simple side salad to go with it. Might even eat a piece of pie again for dessert.

Before I post the recipe, I also wanted to share this interesting article that Brandon sent me today. It talks about the 10 most commonly prescribed drugs and how they don't fix the problem, they only mask the symptoms. *This is especially common with a lot of Thyroid medications, Osteoporosis and Pain medications. The article explains how we could be using natural cures rather than spending thousands of dollars on medications. My personal favorite advice was as follows: "Here is another tasty heart-smart move: Eating a small square of dark chocolate three to four times a week may be 25 times as effective as taking statins for preventing heart disease, says Dr. Teitelbaum." Yum! OKAY! Check it out, learn something and share it with others.

Ginger, Lemon and Sea Salt Roast

• 1 Ginger Root, Peeled and Diced
• 2 Tbs Chili Powder
• 1 Tbs Sea Salt
• 2 cloves Garlic, whole
• Half a lemon, juice only
• 1 1/2 LB Venison Roast (or any roast)
• 2 Cups of water
• 1 Tsp Coconut amino's (you can use soy or Worcestershire sauce)

Place all of the ingredients in a crock pot and cook for 6-7 hours on low heat. This is a fresh, herbal roast and perfect for an early spring meal. Enjoy

I will leave you with this quote that a good friend sent me tonight:

"It's impossible" said pride. "It's risky" said experience. "It's pointless" said reason. "Give it a try" whispered the heart!

Sunday Funday!

Yesterday Brandon and I received our first order of Thunderbird Energetica Bars. They were good and definitely filled us up until our late lunch. We tried one while we were setting up at church this morning. We split the Cocoa Hemp Walnut bar with a cup of coffee!


After church, we came home with every intention of working in the yard and cleaning house but I got in the kitchen and started experimenting. While Brandon grilled us some asparagus and Old Bay Tilapia, I made Rosemary Garlic Mashed Cauliflower and a Double Chocolate Cookie Pie. 

Crust 
1 Cup Almond Flour
1 Tbs Raw Honey
1 tsp Palm Sugar
2 Tbs Grass- Fed Butter, melted

Mix well and roll into a ball. Grease a 9" Pie plate. Place the ball of dough into the pie plate. Hand form the dough into the shape of the plate. Place in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.

Filling

1 1/2 Cup Almond Flour

2 Tbs Raw Honey

2 Tbs Grass- Fed butter, melted

1 Tbs Dark Cocoa

1/2 Cup Dark chocolate chips

1/4 cup walnuts (optional)

1 Egg

1 tsp Sea Salt

1 tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Mix the dry ingredients in a mixer until well blended. In a separate bowl, combine all the wet ingredients. Add to the dry and mix until well blended.  Add Chocolate Chips and walnuts (optional)

Pour mixture into the pie crust.

Bake in the oven on 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until a knife comes out clean.

Pictured here with some SO Delicious Coconut Milk Coconut Ice Cream! It was so good :)

After a delicious meal like this, we had the energy and stamina to go out and get the yard cleaned up. Work inside for spring cleaning: vacuum, dust, laundry and dishes. Brandon even got time to go to a wetsuit demo in Leesburg while I ran/walked 5 miles with my cousin! What a way to enjoy this beautiful March day.

Tuna Fish and Tea

Had I planned ahead, I would have gotten some purple grapes or Beet chips to go with this but... it was an on the fly meal for a picnic on the patio. The weather was so nice yesterday that I stayed outside almost the entire afternoon. On the menu: Carrots, celery, tomato, Tuna Fish. The sun and warm days always make me crave Tuna fish but I haven't made any since I can't have Mayonnaise. (I've always hate Mayo but it is the only way I knew to make Tuna!) So I decided to get creative and try my hand at an approved Tuna Fish dish.

Tuna Fish

• 2 cans of Tuna Fish
• 2 Celery Sticks, diced
• 2-3 TBS Dijon~ Horseradish Mustard (Add it slowly and mix until it is as moist as you like)
• Sea Salt and Pepper to taste.

Mix it all up in a bowl and serve with whatever you desire. In the spirit of St. Patrick's Day, I chose to serve mine in a pot with a rainbow of colorful veggies.

                                

This was a great meal before we headed off to our friends wedding. Brandon was the DJ and I got to dance the night away (Love). My dad got us these great Honest Tea (unsweetened) and we've been really enjoying them. They are delicious and only made with Tea. We were also excited to find a salad bar, Baked chicken and roast beef (all foods we can eat!) While the cake looked awesome, we passed on that and rolls. What a great wedding!

                                

                              

Corner Bakery Anaheim Scrambler and Happy St. Patrick's Day

Anaheim Scrambler is my go to meal at our local corner bakery. I love the little peppers and tomato pieces. I think it is pretty with all of the colors and  it tastes delicious. This morning  I couldn't make it to Corner Bakery but I was excited when I saw some green pepper in my fridge. I fried up a pound of bacon and made it as crispy as I could get it (I love my bacon almost burnt! MMMM). Then I made my own version of the Anaheim Scrambler.

• 2 eggs
• 1/4 Green pepper,diced
• 1 on the vine Tomato, diced
• a little salt and pepper to taste
• *Normally Avocado slices if I have some for Garnish- I used apples instead

Mix all of the ingredients into a bowl. 

Pour into a preheated, oiled pan. I cooked mine in the leftover bacon grease- hence the brownish coloring to my eggs! (I totally recommend this, little bits of bacon in your scrambler!) 

Stir eggs constantly until they are cooked to your liking.

Since we don't eat real toast anymore- Enjoy this little Irish toast while eating or make this

Here's to your roof,

may it be well thatched

And here's to all

under it -

May they be

well matched.

        ~Irish Toast 

Birthdays, Going Aways, Parties... Oh MY!

My dad's 50th Birthday, Sophie's going away party, Dinner guests- Whoa! We have had a busy week.
We ate pizza, chocolate, Sour Cream cake, Lemon bars and a few corn chips. Not going to try and pretend like I didn't enjoy it. Most of it was awesome.

My theory is- You have to enjoy life, try foods on your tummy and figure out what works for you. I figured out that pizza and cheese- not my best friend (major tummy cramps-couldn't even finish my wine!) Chocolate is fine (YAY!) Sour Cream cake (not sure because it was on the same day as the pizza but I couldn't pass up daddy's cake) Lemon bars, while delicious, my tummy can't handle the sugar.If you can handle a pizza, enjoy it every once in a while but if you are like me- stick with the salad and some meat! :)

What I noticed the most about eating this way was that my energy was low and I was more anxious than I had been in a long time.  

I had a blast this weekend but I am going to have to limit my partying and sugar intake. Sugar is too much for my body- I am going to try and stick to natural sugars for now since my stomach likes that much more.

Pizza- I don't care to eat you anymore- Let's not even talk about it!!!

The good news: Brandon and I are 3 weeks into our training for a 10 miler and feeling great. We ran 4 miles in Fair Hill, Maryland on Sunday and it was beautiful. Perfect weather, great views and we even saw deer and birds along the way. We both decided we liked running outside way better than the treadmill. We are looking forward to our race in Philly- only 7 weeks away.

Sour Cream Cake that I made for my Dad- his favorite

Goodbye Sophie!

Loved the warm weather at Granny and Poppy's pond!

                                     

School Lunch- It's what makes kids Crazy!

Today I got really angry at parents who allow their children to eat Government school food! Really? Do you know what your kids are eating? I am angry at the Government for thinking that a Corn Dog makes a nutritious BREAKFAST!

Don't get me wrong, I have enjoyed corn dogs in my day- at a fair or for dinner but for breakfast at school when teachers need the kids to learn. These kids are starting out their day on a sugar high and we wonder why behavior problems in schools are at an all time high.

Let me share with you the school lunches that we are currently providing children in schools.
Breakfast:

• Corn dog (renamed Turkey sausage wrapped pancake)
• Sugary cereal
• Cinnamon Roll
• Graham Crackers
• Flavored sugary yogurt

Lunch:

• Chicken tenders with a fruit roll (this is a chunk of dough with some apple pie filling)
• Taco Salad- the meat they used is really gross- not really beef. Check out this article in the Washington Post
• Pink Slime
• Spicy Chicken on Bread
• Fried Egg Roll

And if the kids don't have any lunch or money- they give them two pieces of bread and a little cup of PBJ mixture.

• Ice Cream and sugary cobbler thing

Good things about the breakfast:
The kids aren't going hungry but the nutritional aspect is ZERO

Good things about the lunches:
They are always offered great side dishes:

• Raw or cooked Veggies
• Fresh or dried fruit

Check out the nutrition facts online. It shows total carbs but it doesn't give specific sugar intake.

I have mixed feelings:

1.) If you are going to send your kid to school and let them eat school lunch, don't ever complain about their health or behavior

2.) I am sad that there are families who can't afford lunch and their kids have to eat this sugary crap and then they get in trouble for behavior (it's a sugar high!!). I wish that the Government would wake up and realize that just because you stick brown rice and a whole grain label on something- it doesn't make it healthy. Turning a corn dog into "Turkey Sausage"- it still doesn't make it better.

3.) Invest in some Tupperware, boil some eggs and pre-cook come bacon, make a salad and some grilled chicken and send your kid to school. Check Out Every Day Paleo for some good ideas for packing kid lunches. Send Fresh Fruit, Jerky, veggies, water or nuts/seeds.

 4.) When packing your kids lunches these items are not okay:
 

                                                                                                                                                                            There is a reason there is a fat kid on here!



 Remember that if you choose to eat Gluten, and Sugars it should be eaten in Moderation especially with children. Gluten is linked to so many behavior issues in children- You might want to eat healthy for weight loss but your kids need to eat healthy for brain development! 

KIDS FIRST- Think before you grocery shop or buy a school lunch!

What to Expect When You Start Eating Healthy

I had a lot of questions come in today about problems/ intesting things people are noticing when they start eating healthier and more natural.

1.) I have headaches, is this normal?

~Yes, your body is re-learning what to eat. Your brain is telling your stomach it needs breads, sugars, caffine and junk food. Your body is basically on "reset" mode and you are teaching it what it NEEDS rather than what it WANTS. I found that the best thing to do is have some safe carbs- Fruit, sweet potatoes etc. I experienced this at first and my fix was a juicy burger and some sweet potato fries! This may last 2 days or 3 weeks. Every one reacts differently. It took me a month to adjust my body to my new routine. Even 4 months in, I am still readjusting my portions and food intake.

2.) I have Diarrhea and an uneasy tummy, what should I do?
Read my previous blog on Troubleshooting your tummy Part 1 and  Part 2. This is very normal because you have drastically increased your fiber and protein intake. Most people who start paleo eat a lot of seeds and fruit- these can cause Diarrhea and/or constipation- make sure you are eating all the food groups in moderation. If you are looking to lose weight, try to replace some of your fruits with vegetables. You have to find out what eating habits work for you!

3.) I can't do that Paleo thing because I have kids.
I can't comment on this but I can assure you that it is possible to eat healthy and have children. My family ate healthy with us (5 girls) and I know several families that eat Paleo  with children.
Check out :

http://weserind.blogspot.com/ - They are a family of 6 and they eat Primal

http://www.paleoparents.com/eat-like-a-dinosaur They wrote an adorable book called "Eat like a Dinosaur"

4.) I eat all the time now, why am I always hungry?
This question was from a friend who is currently training for a full marathon. I told her that I (who is also training for a race- not a marathon!) am constantly eating. Most of it is boredom and habit but there are a few things that could cause the need to eat.

•  When you are training for intense races, you need to be eating a post work out meal within 30 minutes to keep your body healthy and fueled. Try to stick to high protein and safe carbs. After my long distance runs I have sweet potatoes or a bowl of fresh fruit. I've also been shown Zico coconut water this is better than a sugary Gatorade and it works well to refuel your bodies nutrients.
• Don't eat just fruit and seeds, you need to be eating protein. Make sure you have high protein at breakfast, lunch and dinner. You need to be eating and skipping meals, especially when training, will only damage your body. Read!
• Remember that you are eating 100% natural healthy foods. It is okay to eat because you are getting so many good nutrients. Some days I walk around my classroom with a bag of sunflower seeds or trail mix and I munch on them all day long. You will have days when you are hungry but don't worry- just eat! Try to stick to veggies, jerky and meat when you get hungry. For a while I was hitting the Dark Chocolate pretty hard (like an entire bag of chocolate chips at one time) and I have been slowly cutting it out because it was my go to snack when I get hungry. Try cutting up veggies so they are snack ready in your fridge or lunch box.

I hope these answers are helpful. Comment below if you have any advice or have more questions that didn't get answered tonight!

Bloating, Achy, Gassy Feeling and How to Troubleshoot!..Part 2

I hope you got something of of part one. I know it was a lot but it is all so helpful. Here is the last of what I learned from Dr. Allison Siebecker . Remember that these tips aren't for eating Paleo or Primal they are for anyone who struggles with IBS, bloating, gas, etc... Even if you aren't on a low carb diet- these steps will help you find out what is hurting your stomach problems.

What do I do if I have a sweet tooth and what would the best Sweeteners be for cooking and eating?

Here are some sweeteners and a blurb about what they do and where they go in your body.

• Honey- would be the best because it is ready to be absorbed –monosaccharide. There are tons of benefits in honey. Try to buy local honey because it can help fight allergies.
• Pure glucose (dextrose)-  will absorbs in GI tract
• Stevia- Difficult to bake with, may be packaged with insulin (prebiotic)
• Maple Syrup

Try to limit or avoid:

• Agave-very high in fructose, contains prebiotics
•  xylitol and erythritol, table sugar-limit amount

Here is what Dr. Allison Siebecker says about sweeteners: “My patients do better with a little bit of honey in their diet."

Dairy seems to be a controversial topic among health food gurus. I am always seeing mixed reviews but on thing that seems to be consistent is that you need to do what feels best for you. If you drink milk and get cramps- DON'T DRINK MILK!!!

Troubleshooting Dairy:

Problem: Lactose- bacteria can feed on (milk sugar)

Troubleshoot:

Eliminate dairy for several days and see how you do. It is different for everyone.

Try lactose free dairy

Use lactose free dairy products

Make your own yogurt

Choose aged cheese- Gouda, brie, cheddar, monetary jack

Choose Ghee and butter

If dairy is a problem avoid:

• fresh cheeses- mozzarella, chev, creamed and cottage cheese
• Store bought yogurt is NOT lactose free but if you must have it choose greek yogurt. 

“Majority of my patients can tolerate lactose-free dairy. In fact, their health improves when they include it.” Dr. Allison Siebecker

Another thing I hear is: "How do you eat so much fat in your meet yet you still lose weight?" "Doesn't fat make you fat?" No! That is not the case. Fat burns Fat!

Fat Factor-

-Fat stimulates bowel movements

-reducing fat consumption may benefit those with diarrhea

-increase fat consumption to help with constipation

The basics of Troubleshooting:

-Try lactose Free dairy

-Avoid starchy tubers

-Avoid beans

-Avoid raw veggies and fruits

-Adjust levels of Fat accordingly

For more information do your research and check out the following links:

www.siboinfo.com (your phone/skype consultations available

SIBO class (7 hours) available at www.SIBOinfo.com/learning-more.html

BLT and Egg Breakfast Sandwiches

A few posts ago I posted about President's Day tortilla's. Since then I was really trying to think of how I could use them for other meals. Tonight it came to me that they were kind of like an English Muffin or a Pita when I didn't flatten them and fry them to make them crispy. So tonight I made delicious BLT Egg Breakfast Sandwiches and they were delicious. 

Ingredients:

2 C. Almond Flour

2 Eggs

1 tsp Salt

¼ tsp chili powder

6 drips of Tabasco Sauce

For Frying: 1 tsp Olive oil or coconut oil

Process: 

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl, mix well.

Roll into a ball (about the size of a golf ball. Hand flatten into a nice circle- You don't want them to be paper thin (as thick as an English Muffin or thin pita) 

Heath Coconut Oil in a skillet until it is warmed (about mid to low heat- 3.5ish). 

Place flattened dough into the coconut oil for about 30 seconds on each side (should be lightly browned).

*You don't want them too thin or cooked too long because then it will make a chip rather than a soft pita. 

Remove and place on a paper towel to dry.

Next cook Bacon and eggs, slice tomato, lettuce, veggies of your choice, for Brandon I sliced some Cheddar Cheese. 

Plate your Sandwich and enjoy! This was a great pre-gym meal, it had a lot of protein and it gave me energy boost I needed to Kick box while Brandon swam a mile in the pool! 

MMMM! It doesn't even crumble when you bite into it! 

Bloating, Achy, Gassy Feeling and How to Troubleshoot!

I have been really into learning about the foods we eat, why we eat them and how they help or hurt our bodies. I've noticed a lot of the foods that Brandon and I have cut out have helped my stomach to feel better. I used to get stomach cramps, feeling of being bloated and let's not even talk about Brandon's gas ;) 
As most people who eat Paleo know, everyone does it differently. What works for  one persons body, does not work for the other. I can't handle too much cheese or dairy but Brandon is okay with it. We consider Brandon- Primal and I consider myself Paleo. Paleo and Primal also look different to each person.

• Swiss Paleo (Primal- consume dairy)
• Slow Carbers (consume beans)
• Athletes (consume starches)

So how do you know which one is right for you? Troubleshooting!!!!
I listened to the Paleo Summit last week and I tuned into a session by Dr. Allison Siebecker
She talked about IBS and even people who eat right, still struggle with IBS. If you want to know if you have IBS, get straight to the answer and get tested. Your doctors might only give you the basic Colonoscopy. But research your issues and ask for some of these specific tests. 

• Breath test- Small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) lactose/ fructose intolerance
• Endoscopy- will test for Reflux and GERD or Celiac disease
• Heidelberg test- tests the amount of stomach acid when a meal is consumed
• Gluten sensitivity testing
• Cross Re-activity testing, colonoscopy- helps rule out Chron's and Cancers
• Stool testing- tests for parasites and yeast overgrowth in the colon.

Okay now that we know how to get tested- let's learn a little about our body and how it functions: 

Small Intestine:                              

SIBO- Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth-84% of people with IBS have SIBO. It damages the small intestine, bacteria destroy disaccharide(lactose, sucrose, maltose) enzymes lining the small intestine and this  creates inability to properly process disaccharides.

Properly Process Disaccharides- “when we don’t have these disaccharide enzymes, the carbs we eat can’t finish being digested. The bacteria EAT those improperly digested disaccharides. They are food for them! They eat the sugars and then they make GAS!”

Large Intestine:                                

Gas causes IBS symptoms: bloating, constipation, diarrhea, pain, visceral hypersensitivity.

Constipation: Decrease in fiber because of lack of grains, slow down the transition, soluble fiber feeds bacteria, insoluble fiber adds bulk to stool. You need to increase in fiber with veggies, nuts and seeds

What do we do to avoid these symptoms in our intestines? 

Low Carb diets:

GAPS diet, Low FODMAP diet, Paleo, Primal, Slow Carb,  You need to troubleshoot your digestive track and see what the main cause of your symptoms is. 

Trouble shoot constipation:

Issues: Can't got to the bathroom, Cramps, Bloating, Gas

Troubleshoot: Try taking Magnesium- 1000mg before bed. The Magnesium will draw water into colon via osmosis.

*Adjust dosage appropriately

Fat Digestion:

Symptoms: nausea, feeling overly full

 Troubleshoot: Increase fats slowly to avoid symptoms

Slow Carb Troubleshooting:

Issues: Beans and sweet potatoes contain starch, starch breaks down maltrose and isomaltrose (disaccharides), bacteria consumes disaccharides, beans contain prebiotics that feed bacteria.

Troubleshoot: Fix beans by soaking overnight prior to cooking, beans and tubers are high in soluble fiber(bacteria food)

Specific Carb Diet Troubleshooting:

Avoid if IBS- Potato, sweet potato, yap, parsnip, turnip. These tend to bind you up!

Try: Rutabaga, Beets, Carrots, Celery, Squash. These tend to be more tolerable! 

Troubleshooting veggies:

Veggies can be troublesome for those with IBS.

 Troubleshoot: Peel, de-seed, and cook them. Don’t eat raw veggies if you have digestive problems.

 Identify tolerable veggies by paying attention to your body after eating them, if you notice symptoms.

Trouble shooting Fruits:

Fruits contain high levels of sugar alcohols. Sugar alcohol tolerance depends on the person (figure out what works for you- I personally get very gassy when I eat too much fruit!)

Troubleshoot: Peel, de-seed and stew fruits. Eat in moderation (especially if you are trying to lose weight). Pay attention to your body and note how you feel after the different types of fruit.

Troubleshooting nuts and seeds-

Veggies, Fruits and nuts all contain prebiotics (non digestible food ingredients) 

Troubleshoot: Eat nuts and seeds raw, dry roasted, soaked over night, remove skin, cook with Blanched Almond flour, Coconut butter/ oil

Avoid- nuts soaked in Vegetable oil, Canola oil, and Peanut oil.

IBS friends-Coconut can be troublesome, use in moderation and note how your body feels after eating. 

In general Eat all things in moderation, try about 4 oz of seeds/nuts a day.

Okay that is enough for you to get started. In part two, I will share Dairy, Sweeteners and an overall idea of our diets. I hope this is as helpful to you as it was to me! Happy Troubleshooting.

I can't eat Carb free...I am running a race!

• How do I eat Carb free when I need carbs in my body for my running, biking and training?
• What do you eat for you 10+ mile runs?
• I would love to eat healthier but I can't I need to eat pasta and bread before my work outs.

These are all the questions that have gotten the past few weeks. Luckily for you, I have some helpful answers.

This week I have been taking a few online "classes" with a Paleo Summit! One of the guest speakers was a woman named Amy Kubal. She is a runner and previous marathon winner (which she won while eating Paleo). She offers fitness and nutrition help through her website.
I was listening to her seminar in order to find some answers to the above questions. As a runner, I too had the same questions. Runners are trained to think that they need their "Carb load dinner- 5 cups of pasta and loaves of bread" the night before a run. Negative, this has been blown out of proportion (no pun intended). While these carb load dinners are a blast, eating all of this the night before a run, doesn't really help you run any better.

Yes! We need carbs to burn during our long distance training but we do not need to get it in one quick shot the night before a race.
Here is what I learned:

For Optimal performance:

No one plan works for everyone- all athletes are different. You have to figure out what works for you through training, trail and error.

If your goal by training is to lose weight- avoid liquid nutrition (Gatorade and sugary juices). Instead try Zico- coconut water. We get ours from Target!

Carb loading- Slowly gain carbs throughout your entire training process from Sweet potato, veggies, fruits.

Slowly building up your glycogen stores rather than packing it all in at once will allow your body to stay nourished and recover faster.

Long distance (marathoners, ultra and ironman)- Use corn tortilla chips, white rice or white potatoes after a run to rebuild your nutrition.

Short events- (5k, daily gym workouts) No need to get extra carbs

Moderate events- (1/2 marathon, 1-3 hour workouts) Focus on slow carb building

Long (marathons, 3-4 hour) Focus on Carb loading and protein building

Ironman, Ultras- add healthy fats, Carbs and proteins (be careful not to over do it and have a gastro fail!-gross)

Common Mistakes:

Over Eating- You won't slim down during training if you are over eating on foods. Think of your health through the 80/20 method. 80% is what you eat 20% is your exercise. You will also feel tired, could be sick, bloated and this will make you feel like NOT working out.

Under Eating- neglect pre-workout meal and start training on an empty stomach. This puts your nutrition in a "hole" and the longer you train under-fed, the deeper the "hole". This causes your body to shut down and you are at great risk for heart problems, dehydration and injury. This can cause muscle injuries and it will take your body a lot longer to heal up and get healthy

Bikers, runners- Amy has some recipe's for goo, power balls, and cookies that you could take with you on your runs for during nutrition. Also consider Jerky.

Don't wait too long to consume a post workout meal. Should be within 30 minutes of your workout.



Last Key Tips:
-Keep hydrated and listen to your body!
-Keep your diet clean
-Good carbs/ high protein
-Baby food- gross but helpful
-veggies
-Good fats
-"If you put crap in, you are going to get crap performance out"- Amy Kubal
-"You can't out train a sucky diet"- Amy Kubal