Karen – Basic Template

WeGutHealthy started in August of 2017. I had high hopes of keeping the blog going, but ... as you know-- Life Happens. It's been quite a while, but I'm looking to get back into the swing of things. My question now is one I actually started with way back when. Where do I begin???? I guess it's best to start where I left off. In my last blog in 2017, I mentioned how we were beginning to explore Dr. Joel Fuhrman's Nutritarian diet. (He promotes a nutrient-dense, plant-rich diet, that naturally leads to weight loss, reverses disease, and results in lifelong health.) In his Eat to Live, Quick & Easy cookbook, he says, "What you eat determines your weight more than how much you eat." I certainly agree with that, but there's even more to the story.... During the past 2 years, I have read a lot of books, (as well as posts and listening to podcasts about health and nutrition on the internet.) Doctors and scientists are discovering new things about the body in relation to health all the time. The focus these days is on GUT health--in particular, because of it's affect on the brain. I'll get into that more in future posts. For now, let's focus on the fact it isn't just about what you eat--certain doctors are saying: "WHEN you eat" can have even more affect on your health than how much you eat. One of the books I read was by Dr. Jason Fung. His book is called, "The Complete Guide to Fasting." Fasting has been around for a very long time. Fasting is becoming extremely popular for various reasons. A few of the health benefits include: weight loss, fat loss, lowers blood cholesterol, reverses aging, decreases inflammation, increases energy, improves mental clarity and improves insulin sensitivity. Most people eat 3 times a day plus snacks between meals (and also before bed!). Studies have shown that it takes about 8 hours for your body to totally digest the food you've eaten. (Especially if it's a large meal.) Unfortunately, that means your body (and your brain) rarely have time to rest, much less find time to repair. For anyone interested in fasting, it is important to start slow and work your way up to longer fasts (if that is what you're interested in). In my opinion, based on what I've read, one should first examine the foods you eat. We realized, that by cleaning up our diet, we began to improve our health. We reduced (if not ELIMINATED) sugar and all of it's forms. Doctors agree that sugar causes inflammation, and that is something we all need to reduce to avoid chronic diseases. Simple carbs (like bread, crackers, chips, cookies, cakes, etc.) get converted into sugar very rapidly, so avoiding/reducing those will definitely help. This is where the WHOLE 30, PALEO, and/or a Clean KETO program are great ways to get started. That is what my husband and I started with several years ago. Our diet/nutrition continues to evolve as we discover new research in this ever-changing world of health. With this current COVID-19 outbreak, everyone is trying to stay healthy. I believe our immune system is the first thing to focus on. Avoiding sugar (as mentioned earlier) is the first thing various doctors have recommended. In addition, getting plenty of sleep, drinking lots of water, and exercising are all important right now. The most obvious thing is to wash your hands frequently, especially after being outdoors/touching surfaces. (And don't touch your eyes, nose, or mouth!) One of the suggestions I heard was-- you should drink warm/hot liquids throughout the day. (And if your throat feels dry or scratchy, you should gargle with warm water with either lemon, apple cider vinegar or salt at least once a day. This will flush the potential virus down your throat into your stomach (where the digestive acids will kill it). My husband and I started drinking warm, lemon water each day, and we really enjoy the taste and the warm feeling we get during this chilly weather here in New England. I am getting back into blogging after a long spell, and I would like to offer advice based on our experiences, so if anyone has a question, please don't hesitate to contact me. I've been cooking and baking throughout the last couple of years and have tons of recipes and photos to share in the coming blogs.