tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-378378429897398082024-03-12T23:10:15.343-07:00Thrive on the BasicsJennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06719119386438808768noreply@blogger.comBlogger261125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37837842989739808.post-3388854778104522722023-03-22T13:54:00.002-07:002023-03-22T13:55:31.576-07:00Do You Intentionally get Hot?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA3PRtPg2Pu2k9SPak4aphEafBk5OfAPtXyCvaJRFdN9MYjKnsT5uyFFCbQZcNwl1gAJYOOQjqKIXN_ovYk8LDMnV5-Or9SzF9xtXC88I3C5wpr50U5--r0O8m4iZ7dywUVC1yLXsTvhL9hmivyP5MvrYZOpFRF8jUTvpgpRdtF73eN8tSB5BuEYE/s4080/PXL_20230226_022338753.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA3PRtPg2Pu2k9SPak4aphEafBk5OfAPtXyCvaJRFdN9MYjKnsT5uyFFCbQZcNwl1gAJYOOQjqKIXN_ovYk8LDMnV5-Or9SzF9xtXC88I3C5wpr50U5--r0O8m4iZ7dywUVC1yLXsTvhL9hmivyP5MvrYZOpFRF8jUTvpgpRdtF73eN8tSB5BuEYE/w226-h300/PXL_20230226_022338753.jpg" width="226" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Getting hot intentionally</div><p> Do you intentionality get hot through sauna, hot baths, infra red, steam showers?</p><p>We hear a lot of talk today about intentionally getting cold, cold plunges, for good reason. There are endless benefits to cold exposure. What about heat, sauna therapy? Are there any health benefits and should you be adding it into your healthy routine?</p><p>Here is a run down of some of the health benefits of heat therapy:</p><p>Muscle- blood is pumped into your muscles as your core temperature heats up, bringing nutrients, oxygen and takes out damaged parts of the cells, similar to exercise. If you aren't a big fan of exercise, or can't for some reason, heat therapy provides similar benefits to muscles as exercise. Unless you are unable to exercise, heat therapy shouldn't be a replacement for exercise, but an option, a way to get in a "cardio" workout.</p><p>Bone- blood is sent to the bones which in turn increases nutrients and the release of stem cells from the bones. These stem cells are able to self-renew and become other cells from muscle to brain to blood to other organs. An increase in the release of stem cells can help the body heal, repair and regenerate itself. Deep levels of healing.</p><p>Immune support- important heat shock proteins are released improving the overall immune system. Antioxidants are also increased throughout the body furthering the immune benefits.</p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p><br /></p><p>Brain support- reduction in cognitive decline.</p><p>Heart, blood flow- due to the increase in blood flow from the heat, helps the veins and arteries, small endothelial cells, dilates blood vessels, decreases high blood pressure. Increases heart rate variability, this the time between heart beats, the more variance the healthier you are.</p><p>Lungs- improvement in lung capacity, function and breathing, a great time to practice deep breathing exercises. You can increase the benefits of breathing by adding in essential oils such a s eucalyptuses, rosemary, frankincense, peppermint or any of your favorite oils. </p><p>Anti-aging and supports longevity. Improves skin health with the increase in blood flow.</p><p>Anti-inflammatory, reduce the amount of inflammation throughout the body. It also aids in moving the lymphatic system which further decreases inflammation throughout the body, improves circulation and immune health.</p><p>Anytime we work up a good sweat we are detoxing the body. Sauna/heat therapy can help in detoxing heavy metals from the body as well. If you are concerned about heavy metals and detoxing, be sure to add in heat therapy several times a week.</p><p>Aids in blood sugar control, increases insulin sensitivity, improves metabolic health similar to how exercise does. You are increasing your heart rate and shuttling blood into the muscle, the body is working hard to combat the heat, this helps our muscles better use the insulin, sugar, from the food we have eaten. Similar to waiting after eating before exercising for digestion, apply similar principals to heat therapy. You want your body to digest your food, keep the blood in your stomach not ship it out into your muscles due to getting hot. </p><p>Benefits are seen for up to 48 hours after your session. The more you practice heat therapy, the more benefits you receive from each session. Your body becomes more efficient and healthier the longer you practice heat therapy. </p><p>Helps your ability to deal with the heat of summer. </p><p>When using a sauna with friends, as is common in other countries, you are also receiving the benefits from being with others, having conversations, connecting, knowing and being known, time spent with others is extremely important to our overall health and well being. Maybe you and your friends aren't into hitting the gym together, why not hit the sauna together instead for all of the amazing health benefits of getting hot plus time spent together. </p><p>Yup, there is a list of health benefits from intentionality getting hot. I am sure as the years go on, we will discover even more health benefits to heat therapy. No reason to wait, go get hot and be with others. </p><p>In gratitude and kindness Jenn</p>Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06719119386438808768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37837842989739808.post-64158164012638164252023-03-01T16:22:00.002-08:002023-03-20T15:41:56.921-07:00Honoring Yourself <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvpOP2Y41XU7va_8FYqYaIYa49WzHrcfQHCTVTcpLQUUMy4XJ_kgszbxLnJQRhJM2nmEuizn2TidF49C6x5erOUzND9cIqaVqrXBYXvBjiEnj4tuX0BqE86AHaa3WRd4tS0OMYGxjYYWQCQuRSBE7v_sx-XrAqaQ7RyLXaVbVwlvDbYwtEU7gwvtk/s2048/IMG_20221220_114746.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvpOP2Y41XU7va_8FYqYaIYa49WzHrcfQHCTVTcpLQUUMy4XJ_kgszbxLnJQRhJM2nmEuizn2TidF49C6x5erOUzND9cIqaVqrXBYXvBjiEnj4tuX0BqE86AHaa3WRd4tS0OMYGxjYYWQCQuRSBE7v_sx-XrAqaQ7RyLXaVbVwlvDbYwtEU7gwvtk/s320/IMG_20221220_114746.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>What is the difference between those who make a decision to change, set a new goal in life, decide to lose weight, change a habit, implement a new virtue into their lives, who succeed and those who do not? </p>I believe one of the biggest difference is, those who succeed have committed to themselves, they honor themselves and the commitments they have made to themselves. They have an unbreakable bond with themselves. They also have the courage to continue to struggle, pursue, try, even when it doesn't workout in their favor immediately, takes a long time, even years decades to accomplish what they set out to do. They have a relentlessness deep inside themselves. It is different than motivation. <br /> <br />You can have all the motivation in the world. You can be as motivated as you want. Motivation is fleeting, it has an expiration period. You have this great idea, go to a conference and be all hyped up, be on fire, you are going to do this no matter what. The speakers were so motivated, high energy, cheer leader you up! You can do this! Go after everything you want! You come away on a motivation high! Then you find yourself at home a several days weeks later and where is that motivation? That fire that was burning so bright it could be seen from outer space? Motivation is a piece to accomplishing our dreams, goals, life changes. We need this motivation to begin the journey, see the possibilities. Once the motivation is gone, we need the commitment of honoring ourselves to see our dreams become the life we live. <span><a name='more'></a></span><div><br /><br /><div>Those who honor themselves, say, I am going to do this and they do it. There isn't hoopla, and raw raw, cheerleading that is needed for them once the commitment is made. It is a deep, quite commitment they make to themselves and every day they work at it in small and big ways. I am not saying it is going to be perfect, not extremely difficult, and potentially take years, decades, because if it is anything worth while it is going to take a long time. </div><div><br /></div><div>In honoring yourself, you are willing to continue on the path and journey long after everyone else has stopped. Others think you are crazy for continuing to go down the path, encourage you to just give up, you have already done enough, don't be crazy and lose yourself in pursuit of this. They don't have the courage to pursue their dreams so they don't want you to pursue yours. My dreams don't come true so why should yours? The idea of crabs in a pot, bringing others down with them. <br /><br />Even when it is tough and a struggle, nothing seems to be going the way you want it to go, others bringing you down, honoring yourself is saying, I am going to continue trying. Maybe I need to change the approach, the how, stop doing what isn't producing results and try something different, but the dream is there and I will continue on the path for as long as it takes. <div><br />This is beyond motivation. This is beyond a vision board. This is beyond dreaming and seeing yourself live this dream daily. This is committing to yourself, honoring yourself and your dream to relentlessly pursue the life you want to live. It is dreams in action. <br /><br /></div></div><div>I have lived this commitment of honoring myself many times. </div><div>When I realized I was physically addicted to the narcotics OxyContin, time released, and Oxycodone, you take this one more frequently, I was on both, it scared the hell out of me. To realize how deep this addiction was, the hold these drugs had on me, what this addiction could lead to, a life of drugs, I decided to stop them, cold turkey. That withdrawal was one of the most horrific things I have ever been through in life. The depths of this hell can only be understood by those who have gone through this. It was my commitment to myself that I was getting off them that help me through those many, long, horrific weeks. It was a battle from hell moment by moment until the end. </div><div><br /></div><div>My pursuit of my health coaching practice. Starting a business is not easy. It takes guts and courage. I have fallen more times than I remember. My dream of helping others find health, freedom from food struggles, body image issues, and the commitment to myself keeps me going. Is it easy. Nope. I want to give up more days than not. The desire and hope to help others pushes me forward. </div><div><br /></div><div>The same goes for coaching CrossFit. Learning more, gaining more understanding, continuing my education, desiring to help more induvial's find their health, it takes a commitment to myself, honoring my gifts and talents and pursuing, even at 0430. </div><div><br /></div><div>The practice of being committed to my dreams and life I hope to live has been hard fought. It is a muscle that has to be built and maintained. </div><div><br /></div><div>Do you honor yourself? </div><div>In courage and kindness</div><div>Jenn</div><div><br /></div></div>Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06719119386438808768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37837842989739808.post-88007980849066412532023-02-14T10:25:00.000-08:002023-02-14T10:25:08.962-08:00Recipe: Orange, Bourbon, Honey Sauce <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ-YNjGskNxIVHjavGTKbQh0a61HcxzOgoRQr3kTKVe0GUTZpqEyy_sWgf13-CsXIMcC_cS1oMDgFJTcHQqIvXh7P8IB5FkvhYN5OQ6mbTgfN8Sf2hnbrozcOqwNhHcmZtGgJEKRvax8ri_S6bBsAPFpCPePnrOGDKkrSKz1MQObY87lnbZGDPBt0/s4080/PXL_20230201_000533962.PORTRAIT.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ-YNjGskNxIVHjavGTKbQh0a61HcxzOgoRQr3kTKVe0GUTZpqEyy_sWgf13-CsXIMcC_cS1oMDgFJTcHQqIvXh7P8IB5FkvhYN5OQ6mbTgfN8Sf2hnbrozcOqwNhHcmZtGgJEKRvax8ri_S6bBsAPFpCPePnrOGDKkrSKz1MQObY87lnbZGDPBt0/s320/PXL_20230201_000533962.PORTRAIT.jpg" width="241" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Pork brisket </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>I picked up a brisket of pork the other day, I have never seen this cut of pork before had to give it a try. Definitely a fan. If you find brisket of pork, pick it up and give this recipe a try. This will work for any cut of pork, loin, chops, rump, it will also be good with chicken. <div><br /></div><div>Ingredients, these are rough estimates to what I used, always cook to taste </div><div><br /></div><div>pork, brisket or any cut you have</div><div>kosher salt, preferably, for dry brining </div><div><br /></div><div>Sauce</div><div>1/4 cup coconut amino</div><div>1/2 cup bourbon</div><div>1-2 TBPS, to taste honey</div><div>1/2 cup worcestershire sauce, I used homemade, it is heavenly</div><div>if using store worcestershire, several good shakes </div><div>zest and juice of an orange </div><div>salt to taste, remember your pork has been dry brined, there is already salt on the meat</div><div><br /></div><div>Compound butter</div><div>butter, room temperature, enough butter to cover your roast, begin with 4-5 TBPS </div><div>coriander, 1/2 TBPS per TBPS of butter</div><div><br /></div><div>This made about two cups of sauce</div><div><br /></div><div>Time for prep and cooking</div><div>Dry brine the meat overnight.</div><div>You want to place the butter coriander mixture on the meat for several hours to overnight. </div><div>Cook in the oven at a temperature of 225 degrees for about 4 hours, depending on the size of the pork brisket and cut of meat. This is a low and slow cooked meat dish. If you have a smoker, this would be divine smoked. </div></div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div><br /></div><div><span> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggsaG46GxZTEoLwEgQZavCDWCJFSD1kjpj_f6kHP7jgJE_U_XNHxsA-utV0JOFWLL_YR3LvfYZL2A6b7CBAWm8hfV0gVydvvB9OzHNcDW7eP-ddWrybmjoLaQ2vrt7Um42uCDPZ84idzR_7spsJjllIRbH4utlNbnmmf-tK9oAy__y6v1hwQZWuUI/s3998/PXL_20230131_185225046.PORTRAIT.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3998" data-original-width="2339" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggsaG46GxZTEoLwEgQZavCDWCJFSD1kjpj_f6kHP7jgJE_U_XNHxsA-utV0JOFWLL_YR3LvfYZL2A6b7CBAWm8hfV0gVydvvB9OzHNcDW7eP-ddWrybmjoLaQ2vrt7Um42uCDPZ84idzR_7spsJjllIRbH4utlNbnmmf-tK9oAy__y6v1hwQZWuUI/s320/PXL_20230131_185225046.PORTRAIT.jpg" width="187" /></a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div>Steps</div><div>The night before, dry brine your pork. Salt your pork well. </div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX6oAZpjy-unuKxI--HBD9xB2f_LhGkgAF1cvh7Z1aCJET4cnjTYvDNvZ_jRRyYFGBH56goXyJZR2Chqx1xvjuY0KpyztQceWaAYKKZeEwpg16JvjNbJejX7G-e28Ab7h6ST-n7sC2Rec0uYDRfxdODSoP47ohbSVLmcT2ifJP8COnEPbC7wj5rD8/s3659/PXL_20230131_190211546.PORTRAIT.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3659" data-original-width="3046" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX6oAZpjy-unuKxI--HBD9xB2f_LhGkgAF1cvh7Z1aCJET4cnjTYvDNvZ_jRRyYFGBH56goXyJZR2Chqx1xvjuY0KpyztQceWaAYKKZeEwpg16JvjNbJejX7G-e28Ab7h6ST-n7sC2Rec0uYDRfxdODSoP47ohbSVLmcT2ifJP8COnEPbC7wj5rD8/s320/PXL_20230131_190211546.PORTRAIT.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Take the room softened butter and mix in the coriander. I found it easiest to do this with a fork, keep mashing it in and mixing until it is well mixed through the butter.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP_jXwuOkBl3N6pmlGVR8J1m6mLgNTI1JrJIKl9EHhnk_BcFu-oFgNiSA7gLwTdsWX6R5p6_rE2HbVdF4_2UI-kmYUNnMHd39LiIaXI4RJZuGTjAUJOOnLTwc--ANWaGfeuS0jOpVscc--_bfugFdzPs87GXkmhxhMBaMz7WEXhiQL1ugNF_DEk0c/s3129/PXL_20230131_191352173.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3129" data-original-width="2736" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP_jXwuOkBl3N6pmlGVR8J1m6mLgNTI1JrJIKl9EHhnk_BcFu-oFgNiSA7gLwTdsWX6R5p6_rE2HbVdF4_2UI-kmYUNnMHd39LiIaXI4RJZuGTjAUJOOnLTwc--ANWaGfeuS0jOpVscc--_bfugFdzPs87GXkmhxhMBaMz7WEXhiQL1ugNF_DEk0c/s320/PXL_20230131_191352173.jpg" width="280" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Smear the butter mixture all over the pork. I would recommend doing this in the morning and allowing it to sit on the pork for several hours, even to overnight. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP_jXwuOkBl3N6pmlGVR8J1m6mLgNTI1JrJIKl9EHhnk_BcFu-oFgNiSA7gLwTdsWX6R5p6_rE2HbVdF4_2UI-kmYUNnMHd39LiIaXI4RJZuGTjAUJOOnLTwc--ANWaGfeuS0jOpVscc--_bfugFdzPs87GXkmhxhMBaMz7WEXhiQL1ugNF_DEk0c/s3129/PXL_20230131_191352173.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEileB4LD6dsTn9-5u5_6Unbpn7H46yc6Dad9j999gde7r29sNALvZr7yTYWyAxooL3z2d3N2kdWSUzzxicOZNwR9IX6F-bzXb4DzCkrPbGrEUCXc9IgPhQa_JzPrCIeEIiDLtbcYoYXNw32Ey1RxSvwriRT4j6PJpgol3c5ODmIEOHv0IB7myaLEG8/s2761/PXL_20230131_191447385.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2761" data-original-width="2079" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEileB4LD6dsTn9-5u5_6Unbpn7H46yc6Dad9j999gde7r29sNALvZr7yTYWyAxooL3z2d3N2kdWSUzzxicOZNwR9IX6F-bzXb4DzCkrPbGrEUCXc9IgPhQa_JzPrCIeEIiDLtbcYoYXNw32Ey1RxSvwriRT4j6PJpgol3c5ODmIEOHv0IB7myaLEG8/s320/PXL_20230131_191447385.jpg" width="241" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">For the sauce, place all of the ingredients for the sauce in a sauce pan and bring to a boil for several minutes. Then allow it to simmer for 15 minutes or so. You want the alcohol to cook out fully and the flavors to come together. Taste and adjust as needed. </div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrtXVb66tk5gBrHRFs1vMwoqmZG8LU4dmYUaqMp5jNC191Mu922PfwCDRb6H0DMgELDHMw-Rg4bwr41DTsbPY4yVIB_BGT1tDn_R6oGhFqJjfoHXAjB_U9KzewaDFPrCZxUOpPcVm1WfZywA6--HHDkGDgQT3NwSpcaLx3btNb9x6jqo6ztCrX4ZI/s2870/PXL_20230131_193310780.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2785" data-original-width="2870" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrtXVb66tk5gBrHRFs1vMwoqmZG8LU4dmYUaqMp5jNC191Mu922PfwCDRb6H0DMgELDHMw-Rg4bwr41DTsbPY4yVIB_BGT1tDn_R6oGhFqJjfoHXAjB_U9KzewaDFPrCZxUOpPcVm1WfZywA6--HHDkGDgQT3NwSpcaLx3btNb9x6jqo6ztCrX4ZI/s320/PXL_20230131_193310780.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div><br /></div>Take the meat out of the fridge and bring to room temperature before cooking, 1-2 hours, this helps not shock the meat so it is more moist, juicy and tender. <div>Place the pork in a pan with sides and a lid. Place tin foil or parchment paper in the pan, you need enough to wrap the pork fully. Pour the sauce over the pork, be sure to put it between the layers.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ijCXbB091RYN1_jfJdPDYQaXl1sg7-EZlRmMGN3dkgSAsSYmgu1wJZLfZMsWHuDEx5co_lyjgryDg21-0wR4FIOLx0E-_grhpJK6Whf8t_OwJegA2kkWvUxNWu2itB4zbdLd4F5j-lw-rqYGOnJStWHDNoHSB28xqUlLwEfDbEoywBmu9fmwzdM/s2824/PXL_20230131_193347183.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2824" data-original-width="2364" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ijCXbB091RYN1_jfJdPDYQaXl1sg7-EZlRmMGN3dkgSAsSYmgu1wJZLfZMsWHuDEx5co_lyjgryDg21-0wR4FIOLx0E-_grhpJK6Whf8t_OwJegA2kkWvUxNWu2itB4zbdLd4F5j-lw-rqYGOnJStWHDNoHSB28xqUlLwEfDbEoywBmu9fmwzdM/s320/PXL_20230131_193347183.jpg" width="268" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Wrap the pork well.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPZpcYDGbaDqbDz9Fl8aJzAqCJwy4yW19RnJDeeenfunbw2nuRsl3PbcnWek6R_-7x8U3-CaW4oC-FAq1I9d_NSE4w1vUQ35A4UWcGE5wCNGlSxi1EO0_Ho-jMxpQeEI1lZclWAaxV4E1Rg4k7O-XRcn6uSPZytueHpeOmsRE3hPghTNv0ap__X2Y/s4080/PXL_20230131_193407455.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPZpcYDGbaDqbDz9Fl8aJzAqCJwy4yW19RnJDeeenfunbw2nuRsl3PbcnWek6R_-7x8U3-CaW4oC-FAq1I9d_NSE4w1vUQ35A4UWcGE5wCNGlSxi1EO0_Ho-jMxpQeEI1lZclWAaxV4E1Rg4k7O-XRcn6uSPZytueHpeOmsRE3hPghTNv0ap__X2Y/s320/PXL_20230131_193407455.jpg" width="241" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Place in the preheated oven, 225 degrees, and cook, low and slow. At two hours, rotate the pan.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMi0TIMn2RvkNTCDxbqcM4ZHm8YqWfC0eUNIdcuq2tb1Hnt6LlI_FxNgMr6vtRxkkxM-vmXpKjQ_7IZJNn6JreccUzPZLlT0utdw_BFWTsZ2_LzvsHWNQEqmMGdzFIj3fIxWvo6Tb5Cfm2z_pduqdL5rOaQ1OhdSxifzmnMdfZcbrz03dB-mSny70/s2638/PXL_20230131_231633435.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2498" data-original-width="2638" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMi0TIMn2RvkNTCDxbqcM4ZHm8YqWfC0eUNIdcuq2tb1Hnt6LlI_FxNgMr6vtRxkkxM-vmXpKjQ_7IZJNn6JreccUzPZLlT0utdw_BFWTsZ2_LzvsHWNQEqmMGdzFIj3fIxWvo6Tb5Cfm2z_pduqdL5rOaQ1OhdSxifzmnMdfZcbrz03dB-mSny70/s320/PXL_20230131_231633435.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div></div><br /><br />Once the pork is fully cooked, reaching an internal temperature of 200 degrees take it out of the oven. Allow the meat to rest for 10 minutes. While the meat is resting, pour the juices from the pan back into your sauce pan and bring to a boil to begin reducing. <div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyFlna95Fku32B7BRdTRkNTLaIz1gkTeZn6AHcxMkIy0QjLsv_ueJjJDEUdMdItBYYx7EVlraEAMAk4nKfiSKYYqaV9geVT4FK85TmpLgiDlAqbAmurp_t-6Y2ZBKYkFKYyQCLYwSIaoXNrqgJ9Fxao2_LiSLYTiL8nf0uHTon5VcGrPUygEgZ4yI/s3053/PXL_20230131_230803598.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3053" data-original-width="2610" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyFlna95Fku32B7BRdTRkNTLaIz1gkTeZn6AHcxMkIy0QjLsv_ueJjJDEUdMdItBYYx7EVlraEAMAk4nKfiSKYYqaV9geVT4FK85TmpLgiDlAqbAmurp_t-6Y2ZBKYkFKYyQCLYwSIaoXNrqgJ9Fxao2_LiSLYTiL8nf0uHTon5VcGrPUygEgZ4yI/s320/PXL_20230131_230803598.jpg" width="274" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Heat up the broiler. Place meat on a greased pan and bast with the sauce. Put it in the oven, close to the broiler but not touching the coils. Broiler for 2-3 minutes per side or to your liking of searing. Take the meat out, turn over and broiler the other side.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB59wx3W4ax-EHNes7gZvCz2PbrCX-9Xr0JpgoF0VPYsxJmx358wiDpZFPK018gUx8zcsQqIX2v7uRf3rRZi_1gclxuz2ko47huekrgvjXJgTYkQGIzXn5CyTLljHITGbU0w-AnJyX0s0MezFSvH8zevt6J-gNddjERLm1EF6PZVh7m4rOwzpjdFo/s2873/PXL_20230131_235607766.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2873" data-original-width="2770" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB59wx3W4ax-EHNes7gZvCz2PbrCX-9Xr0JpgoF0VPYsxJmx358wiDpZFPK018gUx8zcsQqIX2v7uRf3rRZi_1gclxuz2ko47huekrgvjXJgTYkQGIzXn5CyTLljHITGbU0w-AnJyX0s0MezFSvH8zevt6J-gNddjERLm1EF6PZVh7m4rOwzpjdFo/s320/PXL_20230131_235607766.jpg" width="309" /></a></div></div><div> </div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLt0uKJj_p0NEVFZgGfr0OSCdBkuVBNtB1WI2d_kfHmG8mVPYRxepCalSgeP0eHv-Xf8nAo2yNpaznKqx9acrR8eG9YMDck9hXdQRTmcCTQs5AUBvLD_KhwmS690-RtcUMCDN_C02GL3DZwmF_L3bDEm-eLm2nZltFgbHgJBWkF3rs8EjyjPZ3af0/s4080/PXL_20230201_000526068.PORTRAIT.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLt0uKJj_p0NEVFZgGfr0OSCdBkuVBNtB1WI2d_kfHmG8mVPYRxepCalSgeP0eHv-Xf8nAo2yNpaznKqx9acrR8eG9YMDck9hXdQRTmcCTQs5AUBvLD_KhwmS690-RtcUMCDN_C02GL3DZwmF_L3bDEm-eLm2nZltFgbHgJBWkF3rs8EjyjPZ3af0/s320/PXL_20230201_000526068.PORTRAIT.jpg" width="241" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I served mine with potatoes, both sweet and red potato, butter, extra sauce and a great glass of wine. Simple and delicious. The leftovers were amazing!</div><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In gratitude and kindness,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Jenn</div><br /></div></div>Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06719119386438808768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37837842989739808.post-27611019554353619532023-01-26T12:51:00.003-08:002023-02-14T10:26:37.323-08:00As a Health Coach, I need Nutrition Help<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNhRvESdkqJKUicYRUi0KHX-okGhhRustO6bj1fV_fUVekWsd7_f8obD8uCctKKfc-aHl2modcdSOeSih7WVRZbBglmkKPlmKYNzypHlQcjy_wDuX-yP6MTmQwZt2izINBiUFRLz2j7ouzQc_8rxDhS3_JU6r22wFqYW11mpq5JKcIk_T4Poni7dg/s4080/PXL_20230125_164430853.PORTRAIT.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNhRvESdkqJKUicYRUi0KHX-okGhhRustO6bj1fV_fUVekWsd7_f8obD8uCctKKfc-aHl2modcdSOeSih7WVRZbBglmkKPlmKYNzypHlQcjy_wDuX-yP6MTmQwZt2izINBiUFRLz2j7ouzQc_8rxDhS3_JU6r22wFqYW11mpq5JKcIk_T4Poni7dg/s320/PXL_20230125_164430853.PORTRAIT.jpg" width="241" /></a></div><br />Back in December I began eating <a href="http://thriveonthebasics.blogspot.com/2022/12/into-deep-of-carnivore.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #01ffff;">carnivore</span></a>. This was not for the long term, I am going to be carnivore for the rest of my life because it is the only way to eat. It was to work on some health issues I was experiencing, fatigue and gut issues mainly, to see if this style of eating would have a positive impact. My plan from the beginning, I would eat this way until my body told me otherwise.<p></p><p>Over all I have been feeling great! More energy, most of the fatigue was lifting, leaned out from losing the inflammation especially in my mid section which was good weight to lose and my gut issues are better, work to do still, on the path.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The negative side effects I was beginning to experience: I began not sleeping good, too low in carbs for my Irish, Polish, Russian carb loving genes. several things were going into this, but I know my sleep is impacted when I don't eat enough and I am too low in carbs. My heart rate was higher than it should be. Fatigue, forgetfulness were beginning to come back. </p><p>The other big struggle I was having, back in my day, I struggled with anorexia. It was a response to stress and control of pain during some crazy times in life. I began experiencing the same pain I had in my stomach when I was deep in anorexia. It is not pleasant. It is a deep, empty stomach pain, beyond I am really hungry, it is true pain. Not because I was back in my anorexia struggles, I am not. It was something I was beginning to experience. I was also starving in the mornings. I would coach for several hours and then do my work out in this deep, fasted, stomach pain state, I was experiencing more soreness from workouts than normal and decreasing energy in the gym. No good.</p><p>I saw my functional medicine FNP-C, who is helping me with my thyroid and arm, and told him what was going on. That I was eating carnivore, feeling great, but here is some of what I was struggling with. The empty stomach pain, the fatigue coming back, soreness in the gym, not sleeping great. The conversation went something like this: </p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p><br /></p><p>Fantastic Jen you are eating that much protein. Protein is great for you, builds muscles, keeps you full for longer periods of time, provides vitamins and minerals. But do you realize that even if you are eating 125 grams of protein, which is around 1 gram per pound of body weight for me, I don't step on a scale guessing at my weight, you are only consuming 500 calories a day from that protein. </p><p>Yeah, that was my light bulb moment. I had never thought about this, how little actual calories this was. My goal was the protein, finding better health.</p><p>He proceeded to tell me I would need to be eating at least 4 times this amount of protein to get the calories in I need. I am not really wanting to eat that much protein. I love my beef, so tasty, but I don't want to eat that much meat. </p><p>I was instructed to begin weighing my food, which I do object to as a norm, and tracking it, which I frequently track, no big deal. Then let him know how far under I was.</p><p>Let's just say I was under eating significantly. Not intentionally, I am not back in my anorexia or ortho-orexia struggles. It was where I was ending up focusing on so much protein and all the fat I eat, butter, coconut oil, whole eggs. I am eating a good amount of food, it isn't enough for me or enough carbs, I was around 50ish grams if I was lucky, that isn't enough for me, with my genetics, being a woman and training load. </p><p>My goal is to maintain as much muscle mass if not grow muscle, especially being a woman in my 40's, I need to keep as much muscle on my body as possible for long term health. I have worked very hard for the muscle I do have, don't want to lose it by undereating. To maintain health over the long term, support my thyroid health.</p><p>With these goals and knowledge of my undereating in mind, we re-evaluated my food and came up with a new plan. I have begun implementing this new plan. It is going to take several weeks to build up and see how my body begins responding. I need to put on a bit of weight again which will happen with eating more food. After several weeks, we will re-evaluate, see how I am feeling, how my body is responding and what adjustments need to be made going forward, if any. </p><p>Luckily, we caught this early and I didn't lose too much weight, which I can do very quickly and end up in trouble. The symptoms were there telling me something was up, I wasn't tapping into them fully. I don't do good when I am left to my own demises. I need someone to help keep me in balance and objectively look at my food for me so I don't fall off the deep end. Even when doing something like eating carnivore. I have a "coach" who is helping me.</p><p>Yes, as a health coach, I need a coach, someone to be accountable to, who can look at things objectively and help me see where I am struggling and need to make changes. </p><p>I am still eating animal based, shooting for a higher protein intake, adding in more carbs and overall calories for my health. This is the benefit of having a coach work with you, we are objective on the outside and see things from a different perspective. Coaches are here to help. If you need a coach to help you with your food, I am here to help you. Let's talk. </p><p>In gratitude and kindness, </p><p>Jenn</p>Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06719119386438808768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37837842989739808.post-60130667355383906662022-12-29T12:05:00.002-08:002023-01-03T13:41:05.141-08:005 Habits for Better Health<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoMSHeRfIxdqSiZk0MI9IxZF8CMMaNAXt6Agi2abl7jOdMrj1z32dFFroZIkXhKGlAJXt1E6G0QHbDGvLc8BVfyK6niAzjx_YQw-ixFmbU2gCw6eAms9xVEIH1l9tTkfiDZE6XmdMwvKaC3aN8bJqckRpJXRghtqlEzlbLWZShG8sn3kOL8HAzO1w/s1787/IMG_20221220_114738~2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1787" data-original-width="1373" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoMSHeRfIxdqSiZk0MI9IxZF8CMMaNAXt6Agi2abl7jOdMrj1z32dFFroZIkXhKGlAJXt1E6G0QHbDGvLc8BVfyK6niAzjx_YQw-ixFmbU2gCw6eAms9xVEIH1l9tTkfiDZE6XmdMwvKaC3aN8bJqckRpJXRghtqlEzlbLWZShG8sn3kOL8HAzO1w/s320/IMG_20221220_114738~2.jpg" width="246" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">The beauty, serenity of the early morning</div><div style="text-align: center;">One of mine and Otto's favorite places, the beach</div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">There is
this prevailing thought today that health is very complicated. You have to do
some crazy things, weigh food, count macros, eat mostly plants, less meat and
animal fat, starve, that it has to be extremely difficult, you must suffer,
otherwise you aren’t getting “healthy”. I don’t believe any of this.
Rediscovering your health does not need to be difficult, a suffering fest that
you are miserable and can’t ever enjoy anything. I am not saying that it will
be a walk in the park and easy with no sacrifices, struggles, frustrations,
because that is not true. Changing your lifestyle involves creating new habits,
confronting your own demons, working through things, having the courage to take
new steps and take that step over and over until it is a part of who you are.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">These 5
steps are simple. Simple does not mean easy, they are not interchangeable. The
answers to life’s toughest questions are usually the simplest. Because they are
simple, we reject them because simple makes them approachable, doable, we can
implement them into our lives. When things are difficult, we can blame our lack
of achievement on the fact it is difficult. On the flip side, we view
simplicity as too easy, the answer cannot be that simple. If it is that simple,
it won’t work. Simplicity scares us. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">5 Habits for
Better Health:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Eat mainly
animal protein and fat<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Be in the
sunlight throughout the day, especially mornings<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Move your body
frequently, walk, lift heavy, sprint <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Sleep <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Put down the
technology, take it off, be with people you love and those who inspire you to
pursue your dreams and become a better version of yourself</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Begin
implementing these 5 habits into your life and live them for the next several weeks.
Notice how your health and life change with these simple habits.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">If you are
good to go, go forth and be a force of the awesome. If you need some more info
on these 5 habits, continue reading.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> <span></span></o:p></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">*Animal protein,
epically beef, should be at the base of your eating. 80-90% of your food consumption
should be meat.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Break your
fast with protein and fat, think steak, eggs, butter and salt. Eat a good first
meal, front loading your day with a significant amount of protein. Beef will
help you be satiated for the day, curb hunger and cravings for the day,
especially at night. This protein will also give your brain the signals it
needs that there are enough amino acids to keep it happy.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">There is a
war on meat and it is by design. Trying to convince us that meat is bad,
destroying the environment, you don’t need it. The lack of protein creates
sick, weak, unhealthy, humans, especially men. If we are weak, sick, unhealthy,
we can be overtaken and controlled. When men are not eating meat as the base of
their diets, their testosterone plummets. They become weak, don’t want to
fight, protect, defend, stand up and fight back against the evil. Infertility increases.
Gut health issues abound. Malnourishment is rampant because the foods we are
being told to eat, we are not designed as humans to be able to break down and
absorb the nutrients from these foods, thus disease abounds. We don’t have four
stomachs like a cow. We don’t digest our food for 23 hours like gorilla. I
don’t know about you, but I want to look like either one. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The
nutrients in animal protein, especially beef, are easily broken down and absorb
by the body. For our bodies to thrive, we need the amino acids, vitamins and
minerals from protein. These are vital for life, creating you. This is what the
signal for hunger is: our brains and cells telling us they need nutrients to
build and create you, organs, cells, dopamine, serotonin, thoughts, movement of
muscles, all of you. Respond to the call of hunger with animal protein.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmPVf_xs7ULa713x_wwd7Xvvv9MqSOqSfbgqENzUytZMebMBjUURNksFGQ5yQQywUsJqnALERuDh07X6HGepDg1_xmEXfxpsV4ial9petWyIPW3SkaYCTf8T1VMOtC6wbDtkJRlPFX1AlhZ1MH8yeLpRqaaTKd2uGKgxzvWQ-Ac07ubQevxpPQmW4/s2048/IMG_20221220_114746.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmPVf_xs7ULa713x_wwd7Xvvv9MqSOqSfbgqENzUytZMebMBjUURNksFGQ5yQQywUsJqnALERuDh07X6HGepDg1_xmEXfxpsV4ial9petWyIPW3SkaYCTf8T1VMOtC6wbDtkJRlPFX1AlhZ1MH8yeLpRqaaTKd2uGKgxzvWQ-Ac07ubQevxpPQmW4/s320/IMG_20221220_114746.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Otto and I love our early morning walks</span></div><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">*Sun
exposure, morning, noon and evening 5-30 minutes at a time, be out in nature as
much as possible</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">By exposing
your body and eyes to the morning sun, you are setting your circadian rhythm,
your 24 hour wake and sleep cycles and what time of year it is. We have clock
genes that have to be set daily by the sun. Morning sunshine ends the release
of melatonin, wakes us up. Signals a pulse of cortisol which is a good thing in
the early morning, this supports our immune system, aids in setting a time for
sleep 14-16 hours later, increases energy. Exposure to morning sun aids in
better moods, is anti-inflammatory, reduces the risk of sun burning later in
the day, the list of benefits for the morning sun are endless.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">High noon
sun is, depending on the time of year and your latitude, when our body produces
vitamin D. Viewing the sun throughout the day produces melatonin. Yes, the sun
signals our bodies to produce the hormone. Darkness triggers the release. Get
more sunshine.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Watching the
sunset tells the body the day is coming to a close and it is time to begin
winding down.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The sun is
extraordinarily important to our overall health. Be out in the sun as much as
possible, even if it is a cloudy day. The sun rays are coming through the
clouds and you will receive the benefits.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">*Move your
body frequently, walk, lift heavy, sprint once in awhile.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Don’t sit
for long periods of time. Even something as simple as standing when on a phone
call, texting someone, or even better, while you are scrolling through social
media, stand. Prolonged sitting is detrimental to your health.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Walking is
one of the best exercises we can do. The health benefits of walking 10,000
steps a day are endless. Begin a walking routine, taking a morning and evening
walk to be in the sun, have a time you go for a long walk, walk in nature on a
trail.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Muscle is
the organ of longevity. We build and maintain muscle by lifting heavy things,
our bodies, weights, weighted objects, don’t be afraid to lift heavy. Use your
muscles or you will lose them and your health will decline. One of the best
predictors of health into old age is the amount of muscle you have. Want to be
healthy into your late 90’s, build healthy muscle.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Sprint every
7-10 days. Nothing is more Primal than sprinting. Sprinting will naturally
increase testosterone, human growth hormone, trigger positive gene expression,
build muscle and bone, keep you young. It is also a way to intentionally do
something hard. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">*Sleep<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">We need the
courage and discipline to put ourselves to bed.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Here are a
few tips for better sleep:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Get outside
in the morning sun shine, as already discussed above. Morning sun exposure is
one of the best things you can do to improve your sleep.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Watch the
sunset and then keep the lights dim in your house. Watch the amount of blue
light you are being exposed to, wear blue blocking glasses. These have been a
game changer for me. I have Viva Ray’s Clip and Go, love them. I have no
association with them; I own and use a pair.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Eat beef. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">End your
last meal several hours before bedtime. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Watch the
time of day you are exercising, see how it impacts your sleep. As a norm, you
don’t want to be exercising intensely too close to bed time, this wakes the
body up. Maybe try a stroll around the neighbored instead.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Have a
bedtime routine. Your body won’t go from being awake and going, mind running to
falling asleep. Set a routine to signal to your body to calm down, prepare for
sleep. Gratitude journal, read a book, stretch, take a hot bath or sit in a
sauna, work on a craft or hobby that is calming, deep breath. Dim the lights
way down so your body will begin releasing melatonin. Your body and mind need
time to de-stress, relax, so you can sleep. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Strive to be
in complete darkness from 11pm - 4am for better sleep and mental health. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">*Put down
your technology; take it off if you have wearable technology. Spend carefree
timelessness with your loved ones just being. Surround yourself with people who
motivate you to dream, to go after your dreams, inspire you to become a better
version of yourself. Who will help hold you accountable to a better you, hold
high standards. Be around those who are pursuing their dreams and want you to
go after yours. These types of people will be a living example and
encouragement to you. You become who you surround yourself with, chose wisely.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">These 5
Habits have been a game changer for my own life. This isn’t advice I don’t
follow or do but recommend you do, this is a way I strive to live my life. The
more I adopt them, the better my life is. I hope they impact your life as
positively as they have mine.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In courage,
gratitude and kindness, <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Jenn<o:p></o:p></span></p>Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06719119386438808768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37837842989739808.post-17006071031376184122022-12-20T14:28:00.003-08:002023-01-03T17:45:57.151-08:00The Nostalgia of Christmas<p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 12pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijtUx3gF8bsRa3SSvxlgo7oIDWZUtHqaBS6F-HZQif7vDxp1Y3a3VXAhm0i1EaKsHeGmO1Oi4mgwIF9Y-6znOhaAXtBZmcFd_0dDbbc1ilaDBC5fZC8AqLuctrF7yhsen7wddVsVqj04KUWK6fRL8WWVAkpBKrQERNnmY49_JCE_G90rq6kl33WLY/s3494/PXL_20201223_223804201~2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3494" data-original-width="2663" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijtUx3gF8bsRa3SSvxlgo7oIDWZUtHqaBS6F-HZQif7vDxp1Y3a3VXAhm0i1EaKsHeGmO1Oi4mgwIF9Y-6znOhaAXtBZmcFd_0dDbbc1ilaDBC5fZC8AqLuctrF7yhsen7wddVsVqj04KUWK6fRL8WWVAkpBKrQERNnmY49_JCE_G90rq6kl33WLY/s320/PXL_20201223_223804201~2.jpg" width="244" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Cookie making with grandma </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">This is an article I wrote as a guest writer for the <a href="https://beefinitiative.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #01ffff;">Beef Initiative</span></a>. I hope you enjoy! Be sure to check them out, sign up for the substack, order some beef. Go shake a ranchers hand and take control of your health. </span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The
lights, sounds, songs, smells of Christmas bring us back to our childhoods,
memories of your children enjoying the magic of the season, good times had with
family and friends, those special moments this season brings. Why is this?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Our
sense of smell is connected to our memories. When we smell those fresh baked
cookies, cakes, Christmas dinner, we are taken back to those times. This isn’t
some trick from our bodies and senses. This is meant to help guide us to what
real food is, deeply nourishing our bodies, spirit and heart.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">When
we take the time to connect to our ancestors through food, we are feeding our
genes. Genes are passed down generationally and these genes remember. A part of
this memory is to help us know what foods are deeply nourishing and which ones
to avoid. When we nourish our genes they will express themselves optimally,
creating all aspects of health. We not only need deeply nourishing foods for
optimal gene expression, we also need to connect with our past through positive
memories or those special treats brought to us by our ancestors. These foods
are a connection to our pasts. This is a way to remember those who have gone
before us, where we have come from. Holiday meals and traditions go beyond
food. By skipping the cookies, cakes, grains, sugar, we are denying ourselves a
piece of our past.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">What
are we to do during the Christmas, holiday season when we are striving to
deeply nourish our bodies; maybe we have given up grains and sugar? Be
miserable and not have anything at all, deny ourselves any joy and pleasure,
forget the nostalgia of Christmas, the connections to our pasts, ancestors,
heritage, where we came from, suck it up and push through? I think not. This is
denying important aspects to what makes us who we are, where we came from,
simple joys and pleasures in life.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span></span></p><a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Bake
the cookies, treats, special desserts, side dishes you only eat during the
holidays. Remember your childhood, the fond memories, the joy, the crazy things
you and your siblings did, reminisce. Create memories with your children,
family, and friends baking those special foods. Then, enjoy the bounty of your
labors. Don’t gobble up everything in sight. Sit down, have something to drink,
tea, coffee, wine, whisky, truly enjoy the food you are eating. Savior each
bite, what all are you tasting, spices, seasoning? What is the mouth feel,
texture?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What memories are brought back?
What memories are you currently creating? Take a deep breath, enjoy and savior
each bite.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Use
the highest quality ingredients you can when baking, lard, butter, and farm
fresh eggs, for your spices, extracts and grains, source the highest quality
you can, make your own. Even though you are treating yourself, it doesn’t mean
you need to skimp on quality or taste. By using the highest quality ingredients
you can afford, you will be deeply nourishing your body along with everyone who
eats your goodies. No reason to skimp! Your cookies, cakes, and indulgences
will taste amazing. Food is always better when we use the best ingredients we
can.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Savior
the goodies that are most important to you, bring you found memories, the ones
the special rolling pins, cookie cutters, and dishes come out for, leave the
rest. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">This
doesn’t mean you need to stop deeply nourishing your body with food because it
is the Christmas season either. Your body will naturally crave the deep
nourishment of the food you have been feeding it. Honor those hunger signals
for food. Maybe, it is time to create some new traditions with our family and
friends for whole food, something special with beef maybe? Going to a party, why
not bring something healthy to the party? Introduce your family and friends to
deeply nourishing foods you love these days. It doesn’t have to be an indoctrination
into your style of eating. This can be a gentle, delicious way to help those
you love see how amazing real food is.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">As
a health coach, I grant you permission to slow down, live your life to the
fullest and enjoy some of those special desserts, traditions that are important
to you this time of year. Remember, this season only comes around once a year.
Slow down. Take a deep breath. Reconnect to what and who is important to you
through food, cooking together, laughter, family traditions, creating new
traditions. Savor the final cookie, bite of cake, knowing you have feed your
genes, connected to your past by being present and enjoying those around you
today. Tomorrow, begin your day with steak and eggs. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In courage, gratitude and kindness,</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Jenn</span></p>Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06719119386438808768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37837842989739808.post-71322130177517190172022-12-15T15:46:00.002-08:002023-01-03T17:46:24.300-08:00Liquid Gold, Bone Broth<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2xUmU0rtRgubhkS2KBJJNBGqqGRejwdSz4ju-VDD3qoUJXefsA6AUr33qxdBYiaAQgME9UEBRfmS5cuXA8ncWo_d6-lLvpnpyZDg3zv5F-A9JrtmKAAKStD9Os7v376j__1zVxLmrLv85-HaHTpFoZpbM-sQKw931xwc-umkCU2FJ2oxs3bZitaM/s1216/PXL_20221111_012320940.MP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1040" data-original-width="1216" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2xUmU0rtRgubhkS2KBJJNBGqqGRejwdSz4ju-VDD3qoUJXefsA6AUr33qxdBYiaAQgME9UEBRfmS5cuXA8ncWo_d6-lLvpnpyZDg3zv5F-A9JrtmKAAKStD9Os7v376j__1zVxLmrLv85-HaHTpFoZpbM-sQKw931xwc-umkCU2FJ2oxs3bZitaM/s320/PXL_20221111_012320940.MP.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Pho, one of my favorite meals</div><p>One of my most requested recipes is my bone broth recipe. When friends and other see on my social media feed me posting pictures of drinking bone broth or eating pho, I have multiple requests for my recipe. I have posted it before, it needs to be updated.</p><p>Broth isn't difficult to make, it does take time to figure out the spices and combinations you like, cooking times, pressure cook or allow it to simmer on the stove for days. Once you have it figure out, the time you spend actually "making" the broth is minimal. Most of the time is the broth cooking and cooling. It is a labor or love in some ways, but so worth it. Some of the deepest nourishment you can give your body is bone broth. </p><p>There are two ways you can cook bone broth, pressure cooking or long, low and slow on the stove, like 72 hours. I prefer my broth in the pressure cooker, Instant Pot. Once I used the Instant Pot and pressured cooked my broth, I didn't look back. It is more coinvent, safer, and I do truly like the taste better.</p><p>Ingredients:</p><p>variety of bones, I like to use beef, pork and if I have it on hand, chicken. I use pigs feet, knuckle bones for the collagen and bone with marrow, you can also use chicken feet, any bones work. I like the flavor better with a variety of animal bones.</p><p>2 cups white wine vinegar</p><p>half a large onion</p><p>4-5 cloves of garlic</p><p>3-4 inches of ginger</p><p>2-3 cinnamon sticks</p><p>small handful of whole pepper corns</p><p>7-8 whole cloves</p><p>2-3 star anise or 2 tsps anise seeds </p><p>2-3 TBSP salt</p><p>2-3 TBSP sugar, I use raw sugar</p><p>5-7 whole all spice</p><p>small handful of coriander seeds</p><p>3-4 whole cardamom pods </p><p>3-4 Bay leaves</p><p>Several shakes of fish sauce, if you like it saltier, add more</p><p>3-4 TBSP raw apple cider vinegar</p><p>glass of wine, optional</p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p><br /></p><p>How to:</p><p>Soak your bones overnight in the vinegar and water. You only need to do this with fresh bones. Where I use the Instant Pot, I can typically get 3 batches of broth and 1 batch for Otto, my dog, out of my bones.</p><p>In the soaking water, vigorously boil the bones for 10 minutes. Scum will come up to the top, this is the impurities, scrap it off if you like.</p><p>Allow to cool for a few minutes and then dump the water, be careful of the steam as you dump your pot. Rinse the bones and clean the pot.</p><p>Add the bones back into the pot.</p><p>I take the time to bloom my spices, heat them up on the stove top. This wakes them up, begins releasing the oils to add more flavor. It is not necessary to do this step, but I do highly recommend it. I also char the ginger, onion and garlic, again not necessary but adds so much flavor. This only takes a few minutes to do. I do this while the bones are boiling the first time and the next batches while I am straining the broth into containers. </p><p>Heat a pan on the stove top. Once hot, add the ginger, once charred on the first side, add the onion. Once these begin to char, add the rest of the spices, and garlic, accept the Bay leaves and anise seeds if using those. Stir every so often so not to burn everything. Once the spices become fragrant, turn off the burner and add the Bay leaves and anise seeds, allow those to heat up. Dump this into the pot of bones.</p><p>Add the sugar, wine, vinegar, fish sauce to the pot.</p><p>Fill the pot with water. You want to cover the bones plus a good inch or two over the bones.</p><p>Place the pot into the container for pressure cooking. The first batch I do about 80-85 minutes, the second 85-90 and the third 90 plus. Once it is finished cooking, the Instant Pot will go to low naturally and will sit for 10 hours. I allow the broth to go the full 10 hours of sitting. Then allow it to cool for several hours. Broth stays hot for a long time. Before putting it into container, plastic or glass, be sure it has fully cooled. </p><p>Once cooled, strain broth through a sieve. Discard the onions, ginger, garlic and spices, leave the bones. </p><p>If making another batch, begin again.</p><p>I generally start my broth in the late afternoon, evening so it cooks, sits and cools for the night and day. Then I can strain it and begin again. </p><p>When I make Otto's batch, I take out all the onions because these are toxic to dogs. I leave the ginger and cinnamon sticks in there. I cook his for 90 minutes. If there is any marrow left in the bones, I give this to him. He loves it!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEFul3Yc3PKuuiTDcVePhXwpF0LmGqor1m6G5hWPzAsFz4nOYmyiB5UZPkRTMZSZFiY3prkgRYlE9a78xKxcWkyV_FVostmDJbAK09mjy913m7yjQbLpLfNAWegNETOt0DfP-j3GHkKXcvUzU83_z5xO6CLFFqz1CcfMhXkNmG9ienG8RWs1mGeTE/s1821/PXL_20221214_002056367.MP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1821" data-original-width="1446" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEFul3Yc3PKuuiTDcVePhXwpF0LmGqor1m6G5hWPzAsFz4nOYmyiB5UZPkRTMZSZFiY3prkgRYlE9a78xKxcWkyV_FVostmDJbAK09mjy913m7yjQbLpLfNAWegNETOt0DfP-j3GHkKXcvUzU83_z5xO6CLFFqz1CcfMhXkNmG9ienG8RWs1mGeTE/s320/PXL_20221214_002056367.MP.jpg" width="254" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">variety of bones, beef and pork feet</div><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXWlU_Vgdd-Dfk4tBnc4L0v5SltWXtp9yWxMPNuhjZ5iBaIrQKwNg8h3-gqkXBtqafTKaZEPMqqI10Sdzz5Po-ZLxNcetea6zDNfHZIe2B5c23NYROih72BENHD0YdNI-CPolcpknWYdjwzgkVAhsnILgmSHNIpQh_l5OZj996vRKnMq0xDgT2nmg/s1444/PXL_20221214_002311067.MP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1444" data-original-width="1245" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXWlU_Vgdd-Dfk4tBnc4L0v5SltWXtp9yWxMPNuhjZ5iBaIrQKwNg8h3-gqkXBtqafTKaZEPMqqI10Sdzz5Po-ZLxNcetea6zDNfHZIe2B5c23NYROih72BENHD0YdNI-CPolcpknWYdjwzgkVAhsnILgmSHNIpQh_l5OZj996vRKnMq0xDgT2nmg/s320/PXL_20221214_002311067.MP.jpg" width="276" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Bones soaking for the night in vinegar and water</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiVjEEOnEAcgV_UenQMZL3iRXrekzpofv5zrWffYHz7LHzsqFmCVvugz4Eoc9rRY70bClKwPguCDdT4z_YsIxB2euntIJaABD9B-Fqs48_PVzwF6nI9vArsv4HlkEkhASeFl25t9R0K9KMCjQloJ6IstnZCrEH7zhHI4qvRfkNVtAnC_7dr4xOpnw/s2229/PXL_20221214_202102145.MP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2229" data-original-width="1984" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiVjEEOnEAcgV_UenQMZL3iRXrekzpofv5zrWffYHz7LHzsqFmCVvugz4Eoc9rRY70bClKwPguCDdT4z_YsIxB2euntIJaABD9B-Fqs48_PVzwF6nI9vArsv4HlkEkhASeFl25t9R0K9KMCjQloJ6IstnZCrEH7zhHI4qvRfkNVtAnC_7dr4xOpnw/s320/PXL_20221214_202102145.MP.jpg" width="285" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">as the bones boil, the impurities will come to the top, </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">you can scarp this off</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhsRAToEzwNngIxi7_qFea_mX4-zPj3IeswqRSVk6gIGNFeQlK7c5x5--urL6MboSFy76QxsLgYHol9ugjRs8j5wNrSyzmT81tgf1IdY9MgKBCzP8WOAzrW0bZvI2IWXv1xw0lvq0W1BtY3rocZ3FaZ-1129f8tdO09VMmDIqndcCuZ39_8GNWBQE/s2110/PXL_20221214_202358376.MP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2110" data-original-width="1772" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhsRAToEzwNngIxi7_qFea_mX4-zPj3IeswqRSVk6gIGNFeQlK7c5x5--urL6MboSFy76QxsLgYHol9ugjRs8j5wNrSyzmT81tgf1IdY9MgKBCzP8WOAzrW0bZvI2IWXv1xw0lvq0W1BtY3rocZ3FaZ-1129f8tdO09VMmDIqndcCuZ39_8GNWBQE/s320/PXL_20221214_202358376.MP.jpg" width="269" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">boil vigorously for 10 minutes</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0-m7uySJb2KCKLc9cLa3GdkIilmqQR_kbklSAzsJEa_kR_zByujtWj0sCpoN2BT0S-iobfoaqPHF0iMim1ROO6ZNVdD5D7one9GyAG19O-a1TbpqcV2l2HuNAUUt2Y7-SOT1159qNpNH-C2Xn_PAUdvHv84T79unLcc2S5HiMEJMu7swHnk_FLbs/s2155/PXL_20221214_203753552.MP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2155" data-original-width="1595" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0-m7uySJb2KCKLc9cLa3GdkIilmqQR_kbklSAzsJEa_kR_zByujtWj0sCpoN2BT0S-iobfoaqPHF0iMim1ROO6ZNVdD5D7one9GyAG19O-a1TbpqcV2l2HuNAUUt2Y7-SOT1159qNpNH-C2Xn_PAUdvHv84T79unLcc2S5HiMEJMu7swHnk_FLbs/s320/PXL_20221214_203753552.MP.jpg" width="237" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">dump the water, vinegar</div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhKQLT3pMI23IOPCE66CTBpc3j9i6wJ5imAs4xvIUX8rzxSUXGERfO-DGXXyMAM29zfXTUGYzW9ArRO8wdzELJj_ok4HTUCWedwFmTqLaDobSUmpc9SWrgp0xOngUxj2LHqD64tsXczItbw9so4oEf3NQjW4hzRhCeeM39PWGnLB1IUUnr7TC_PtU/s1689/PXL_20221214_203939575.MP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1689" data-original-width="1383" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhKQLT3pMI23IOPCE66CTBpc3j9i6wJ5imAs4xvIUX8rzxSUXGERfO-DGXXyMAM29zfXTUGYzW9ArRO8wdzELJj_ok4HTUCWedwFmTqLaDobSUmpc9SWrgp0xOngUxj2LHqD64tsXczItbw9so4oEf3NQjW4hzRhCeeM39PWGnLB1IUUnr7TC_PtU/s320/PXL_20221214_203939575.MP.jpg" width="262" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">clean the pot well and rinse the bones off</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzAzN4y5X538f-7xYtKPibWuLF4Y3CMOrW0Pq96lYJVf3fs3J8INBTtzduTD6PHlznfSxKlmeNvIVJO9yxrQ19UTRu39amrliRoIUTVq671vspskMmxLidYdiNBbfEyDz7_5t6t7kzAqcKbvRhXTk5cfFlZz_kFx4WQFhRk5ogr7VhZbZrOiOGc6Q/s1925/PXL_20221214_203004817.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1925" data-original-width="1630" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzAzN4y5X538f-7xYtKPibWuLF4Y3CMOrW0Pq96lYJVf3fs3J8INBTtzduTD6PHlznfSxKlmeNvIVJO9yxrQ19UTRu39amrliRoIUTVq671vspskMmxLidYdiNBbfEyDz7_5t6t7kzAqcKbvRhXTk5cfFlZz_kFx4WQFhRk5ogr7VhZbZrOiOGc6Q/s320/PXL_20221214_203004817.jpg" width="271" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I begin with the ginger once it begins to char, </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">add the onions and garlic</div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEQRikdvhj1Ve6B0h84V4-Rld0ygo68muYMhkNKU_yekPxiT-nIsNuKjrQ-qOuRdayJouQUgV_at9VXhuFqfT5LW4i5N9Xr458s81SHuuieXK1WuUAGZSNacxztItN_xStdcniqvJkME84tanjyr1Y49aINSGtIb4DKOq3NdNJlgRxchdLLgZ7EPY/s1948/PXL_20221214_204328337.MP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1948" data-original-width="1502" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEQRikdvhj1Ve6B0h84V4-Rld0ygo68muYMhkNKU_yekPxiT-nIsNuKjrQ-qOuRdayJouQUgV_at9VXhuFqfT5LW4i5N9Xr458s81SHuuieXK1WuUAGZSNacxztItN_xStdcniqvJkME84tanjyr1Y49aINSGtIb4DKOq3NdNJlgRxchdLLgZ7EPY/s320/PXL_20221214_204328337.MP.jpg" width="247" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">add the rest of the spices and heat until fragrant,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">worth the few minutes it takes to bloom the spices</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkpbAhGSZLfPDLLIflkpcITn5T2-4qZ4u0J0zacXAx56oMKCTVLJbFrn_4AQt0lzVL4-P9gGLinBW6CYRLvrX8agiJruUez8PMK5_ejycNPmkOYmbYvLIxQMZ1_RnV3dQU8ynnAEaQH4Bc4b3e_Oe1h0tAZZTQMtRFmo9HUY0LPSNACS4XHG5956Y/s1555/PXL_20221214_211444290.MP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1555" data-original-width="1351" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkpbAhGSZLfPDLLIflkpcITn5T2-4qZ4u0J0zacXAx56oMKCTVLJbFrn_4AQt0lzVL4-P9gGLinBW6CYRLvrX8agiJruUez8PMK5_ejycNPmkOYmbYvLIxQMZ1_RnV3dQU8ynnAEaQH4Bc4b3e_Oe1h0tAZZTQMtRFmo9HUY0LPSNACS4XHG5956Y/s320/PXL_20221214_211444290.MP.jpg" width="278" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">add the bones and spices, seasonings back to pot</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">add sugar</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2fPn_GWY24wjlxJbwH2LxT0qEMjnxF8sz8RXSAXbii8X27OVyeRGVAHC2Vp67olQkgyUWRHMZPGZ5ziB6a8f3H0lTfKLKKxTAOVtZOUnR9cj_ds_ggZUi4t5Jm55O-dKu00vTqTqvkMmakJSH6RJUqEukwAWZOq6UimxPmRkr1TY1eRMIjOwFMzQ/s2326/PXL_20221214_211546861.MP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2326" data-original-width="1570" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2fPn_GWY24wjlxJbwH2LxT0qEMjnxF8sz8RXSAXbii8X27OVyeRGVAHC2Vp67olQkgyUWRHMZPGZ5ziB6a8f3H0lTfKLKKxTAOVtZOUnR9cj_ds_ggZUi4t5Jm55O-dKu00vTqTqvkMmakJSH6RJUqEukwAWZOq6UimxPmRkr1TY1eRMIjOwFMzQ/s320/PXL_20221214_211546861.MP.jpg" width="216" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">add the wine, if using, fish sauce</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">and raw apple cider vinegar </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJgGKknTxomLqn3AvfiMCp1ewOpFBd41rHUJhNPVG7ghpnDN6ueaU4R7SoXH5-GXJBw9KsQso6LQrIHdv-5TB-EzuOrAi7c0QK-qzSh2I6ZidzZ1yskvWp0Va6sJ6a9EbrC23KoDAJwkNAjhYVqnsYeMqSlkRtkChHi2D-U5Y8mVCGuQaZk-wXRgM/s1801/PXL_20221214_211745856.MP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1801" data-original-width="1437" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJgGKknTxomLqn3AvfiMCp1ewOpFBd41rHUJhNPVG7ghpnDN6ueaU4R7SoXH5-GXJBw9KsQso6LQrIHdv-5TB-EzuOrAi7c0QK-qzSh2I6ZidzZ1yskvWp0Va6sJ6a9EbrC23KoDAJwkNAjhYVqnsYeMqSlkRtkChHi2D-U5Y8mVCGuQaZk-wXRgM/s320/PXL_20221214_211745856.MP.jpg" width="255" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">cover the bones with water</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggXe3Z65owLV-QKqodMY4IB-2o00UDx7hBrX1brD__R902mAQnjtwjWLV7cGWGm1nMidBkw9P17-V_yEseC0oE1Ayxj0agC5Y5jtvpI22bpLuDbOWLDvWy_NKJIXqhYTlUhTonIHmwcXV0l3xbTxG4GxxUSA_DPLSTMjyMZIoO-5UVJBKisdtlkQM/s2420/PXL_20221214_211848301.MP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2420" data-original-width="2036" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggXe3Z65owLV-QKqodMY4IB-2o00UDx7hBrX1brD__R902mAQnjtwjWLV7cGWGm1nMidBkw9P17-V_yEseC0oE1Ayxj0agC5Y5jtvpI22bpLuDbOWLDvWy_NKJIXqhYTlUhTonIHmwcXV0l3xbTxG4GxxUSA_DPLSTMjyMZIoO-5UVJBKisdtlkQM/s320/PXL_20221214_211848301.MP.jpg" width="269" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">the first batch I pressure cook around 80-85 minutes, </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">depending on the bones</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">the second batch, 85-90</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">third batch 90 plus</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5cfBJ0wOeApilrkUDrjVdayM2kmwZYkA3USN99sN698YMNUpG0P1bbIL8_gy_rb6FDe2FMyO0C6eX9SclO2Q13VFMgvJVPcLHzio6JSdaoZ_w6M4YnKbLBIWiLxtNhInK7qJ05_6Be5M3j5io67-B1xlOUit2GnhpJKa9hn6hasogBuYYBrQ4jBI/s3264/PXL_20221215_183359632.MP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5cfBJ0wOeApilrkUDrjVdayM2kmwZYkA3USN99sN698YMNUpG0P1bbIL8_gy_rb6FDe2FMyO0C6eX9SclO2Q13VFMgvJVPcLHzio6JSdaoZ_w6M4YnKbLBIWiLxtNhInK7qJ05_6Be5M3j5io67-B1xlOUit2GnhpJKa9hn6hasogBuYYBrQ4jBI/s320/PXL_20221215_183359632.MP.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">After pressure cooking, I allow my broth to sit in my pot for the 10 hours on low, then it turns off. I allow it to cool for several hours. By the end, it is in the pot for about 16-18 hours.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL4d2zw2UOnljGxndBNVCG3YR_fMQAYNnVUb2imTGKmVPGELwkgUnCgDZQl6ZmRws6Ok4QipYQkkCGKOx0X2ls0dn3Sc7ZKCo_tW71jcYgcp4S6mi2WtWDV-rIZbpPCTRGwgT3_YZdCjQibEVJU-4Hz_XR8BwH1y_R8Jq97BpYD2re-jMN56YqsfQ/s2744/PXL_20221215_183513649.MP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2744" data-original-width="1574" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL4d2zw2UOnljGxndBNVCG3YR_fMQAYNnVUb2imTGKmVPGELwkgUnCgDZQl6ZmRws6Ok4QipYQkkCGKOx0X2ls0dn3Sc7ZKCo_tW71jcYgcp4S6mi2WtWDV-rIZbpPCTRGwgT3_YZdCjQibEVJU-4Hz_XR8BwH1y_R8Jq97BpYD2re-jMN56YqsfQ/s320/PXL_20221215_183513649.MP.jpg" width="184" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Once the broth has cooled, strain it into a </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">container, discard everything but the bones, </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">begin again. I usually do three batches with the </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">bones, then make a batch for Otto.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>I use my broth in a variety of ways: <div>I drink it in a mug, best way to warm up and stay warm on a cold winter day.</div><div>Pho, one of my favorite meals.</div><div>Soups, stews, roasts, any recipe that calls for broth, stock, I use my bone broth.</div><div><br /></div><div>It does freeze well. I don't recommend freezing in glass. There is so much density to the broth it expands significantly and breaks glass. Personal experience. Food grade plastic, collagen containers , or yogurt containers work very well. Make sure the broth is fully cooled before putting it into the plastic. Leave a good headspace for expansion, several inches. </div><div><br /></div><div>Enjoy this liquid gold and all the health benefits. Your gut, joints, bones, hair, skin, nails, everyone of your trillion cells will thank you for eating bone broth.</div><div><br /></div><div>In courage, gratitude and kindness</div><div>Jenn</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06719119386438808768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37837842989739808.post-78300217583384365292022-12-12T13:59:00.005-08:002023-01-03T17:47:23.124-08:00Into the Deep of Carnivore <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFjTBYjJ4yLVQPNH6TsvLF4Wamz2NErwT5KcNmZdbppWdzXI6iAgIxMkMH13CqZxGyGTC7VetAm9VutsR1oLPOtEDA2xQaVFs6dtrVuAyTjEx36-lOkTsOhT2e9Zo3dwQ9RNHOIANPlJhhliATCIoodlc6hUgq0FmRHp_Dcgpd1hgfGJqNgrC1YXk/s1190/PXL_20221027_204937854.MP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1190" data-original-width="1001" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFjTBYjJ4yLVQPNH6TsvLF4Wamz2NErwT5KcNmZdbppWdzXI6iAgIxMkMH13CqZxGyGTC7VetAm9VutsR1oLPOtEDA2xQaVFs6dtrVuAyTjEx36-lOkTsOhT2e9Zo3dwQ9RNHOIANPlJhhliATCIoodlc6hUgq0FmRHp_Dcgpd1hgfGJqNgrC1YXk/s320/PXL_20221027_204937854.MP.jpg" width="269" /></a></div> Mug of bone broth in one of my favorite mugs from my sister-in-law<div><p>If you have been spending anytime around nutrition's latest trends, you have been hearing and seeing a lot about the carnivore diet. It is the new trend. Or, is is a new trend? This is how our ancestors ate.</p><p>What is the Carnivore diet?</p><p>In it's strictest sense, it is eating animal protein and fat, nothing else. </p><p>Everyone who does carnivore is going to do it slightly different. If you are strict with carnivore, you will only eat meat and fat from animals, beef and eggs is pretty typical.</p><p>Others will add full fat dairy to their eating. </p><p>Seasonal fruits, berries and melons, raw honey, bone broth, organs </p><p>Some use carnivore as a base of their eating habits, eating 80% meat and fat, then having the other 20% for other foods. </p><p>There are many ways of doing carnivore. To me, it is about what is right and best for your body and going forward with that. </p><p>Some of the reported benefits of those who go carnivore:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>relief from pain, if not all of their pain is gone, there is a significant reduction in pain</li><li>elimination of multiple types of arthritis, especially rheumatoid</li><li>reversal of autoimmune struggles </li><li>gut issues, constipation, diarrhea, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's clears up</li><li>reversal of all types of skin issues, eczema, psoriasis, acne, wrinkles, rough skin patches smooth out, skin clears up and is healthier</li><li>Reversal of metabolic health issues, blood sugar, insulin stabilization </li><li>High blood pressure reversal</li><li>Reduced inflammation throughout the body</li><li>Effortless weight lose</li><li>Improved sleep</li><li>Stabilization of hormones</li><li>Increase in energy</li><li>More clear focus, elimination of brain fog, other mental health benefits </li></ul>I have decided to give this eating style a go for a time.</div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div><br /><p>The reason I am diving into the world of carnivore:</p><p>Over these last several months, I have had some gut issues and dry skin that have popped up that aren't going away. My gut issues I could say are getting worse. I still struggle with more fatigue than I would like, despite the CRPS, brain fog, knowing I can feel better than what I do already. Seeking more clarity, focus, less brain fog and increase in energy. Following a Primal lifestyle of eating has been amazing for me. It is just time to take it up a notch and be carnivore for a time. My body is craving the deep nourishment of eating only animal protein and fat. </p><p>I will be focusing on beef as my main source of protein intake, gelatinous bone broth, collagen, eggs and butter. If I feel like, I will eat some full fat dairy as well, such as yogurt. I will let my body guide me. </p><p>It has been three days since I started. I am already feeling better, a noticeable difference in my energy levels, more focus, my gut is settling down some, my body is already happier, calmer, more stable. </p><p>No drops in energy. No headaches, Primal/keto flue. Because I am walking into this already fat adapted, doing some fasting, mainly eating protein, low carb and pretty healthy, I am seeing results very quickly. If you are not in this position of health going into carnivore, your results might take a little longer to begin to be seen and felt. </p><p>I am not doing this to lose weight. I am deeply nourishing my body when it gives me the hunger signal. I am eating until I am good and full. When not hungry, I simply don't eat. This isn't a weight lose plan for me. It is about deeply nourishing my body so it can heal and thrive. I am also curious to see what it will do for the CRPS and arthritis I have, achy body from so many years beating it up as a competitive gymnast. </p>I will continue down the road of full carnivore until my body says differently. That it needs something besides meat and fat. This is apart of the beauty of this lifestyle, my body is the guide for what I eat, when, how much. It gets to decide and inform me what it needs to be healthy, thrive, heal itself. All I have to do is listen and give it what it needs. <p>Have you thought about going carnivore?</p><p>Have you been carnivore? What results did you see?</p><p>In gratitude,</p><p>Jenn</p></div>Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06719119386438808768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37837842989739808.post-63354234103541191602022-12-03T10:32:00.004-08:002023-03-15T14:31:18.866-07:00My Food Journey<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKPG1qAdRMq8SBEzXLpQsN7MXwueI-apl2jd8Ea4rWfg4yptoIZJ8iqtt7PpHOrZ_-egnzXJBu6eHcZOA0oiR-X0zcOR66D3pc1Tnpp2fI_eXEfgexWKZsDCv-PKmOb3GEFz5ZGOWAxu_NCEmBrStY3n0tU0IQ1NoOGux-4pnMZ-T39OYu0ZZgfXk/s951/Screenshot_20221130-112243~2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="951" data-original-width="614" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKPG1qAdRMq8SBEzXLpQsN7MXwueI-apl2jd8Ea4rWfg4yptoIZJ8iqtt7PpHOrZ_-egnzXJBu6eHcZOA0oiR-X0zcOR66D3pc1Tnpp2fI_eXEfgexWKZsDCv-PKmOb3GEFz5ZGOWAxu_NCEmBrStY3n0tU0IQ1NoOGux-4pnMZ-T39OYu0ZZgfXk/s320/Screenshot_20221130-112243~2.png" width="207" /></a></div><br /></div></div><p>As a general norm on the anniversary of the snow boarding accident that forever changed my life, I usually go out and do something crazy, PR a lift, try something new with one arm, give it all the middle finger and say, watch me live my life to the fullest despite you trying to destroy me. This year, for the big 13 years, I decided to do something different. Talk about my story and the power of food in my journey. </p><p></p><p>To truly understand the power of food in my world, I have to talk about the accident, the CRPS, complex regional pain syndrome, let you into my world. I don't do this. I don't talk about it. I have become good at being able to nonchalantly say I have a disability, CRPS, very little use of my arm and go on. Watch me live my life. You would be hard pressed to know I have what I have by watching me live, that is intentional. Time to change this. I don't talk about my journey or what it has taken to survive these last 13 years. This is so much more difficult than PRing a lift. </p><p>Here is my vulnerability. Putting myself out there, hoping to inspire others.</p><p>I went snow boarding 13 years ago trying to save the marriage I was in. In less than a year it had broken down and I set about to rebuild our friendship. This is the only reason I went snow boarding. I fell trying to figure out how to slide and move on the board. I landed on my hand and rolled over my wrist. Once I was no longer going to puke, pass out or both, knowing my wrist broken and I would end up the O.R., I got up and snow boarded the rest of the way down the mountain. NOT a smart choice. I made snow patrol and my doctors day by doing this, while changing my life forever. </p><p>I had four different breaks, shatter my radius into a puzzle and a compressed fracture, put the bone into my joint. On my ulna, I had multiple fractures and a styloid fracture. I was in the O.R. the next day to have the shatter put back together, plated and screwed and the compressed fracture pulled out. It was decided to allow the styloid fracture to heal on it's own. Better idea than more hardware. No fault of anyone, my shattered radius did not heal properly, I lost a lot of bone and it moved because of this. 18 months after the accident, my wrist had to be fully reconstructed again. Bone grafting was taken out of my hip and placed in my radius, I have no clue how much hardware sits in my wrist any longer, enough that it has not moved in the years since, that was the only goal. They also found significant damage to my TFCC, shredded it along with all my joints, tears throughout my arm tissue from the fall, arthritis and other damage from losing so much bone in my radius. Let's just say, it was a big mess. </p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDZpxkyq9t1oRcdWuQg5RaYVA9aPAYAHfklt-DlKVJqNn0w6a6hOs2Y-WIbvgsXaWQUYu36Fi-Obn7aGNZrmEU1L7wJmYo6WIXttk7V9h-_qKq06HoFM38I2LwDHVVxtbhlxVmCxkHTbX9-BIT-ygctb2PwiaLAOdQ5FLXOabRSr6I8cfIiNYMO-8/s960/FB_IMG_1607046425365.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDZpxkyq9t1oRcdWuQg5RaYVA9aPAYAHfklt-DlKVJqNn0w6a6hOs2Y-WIbvgsXaWQUYu36Fi-Obn7aGNZrmEU1L7wJmYo6WIXttk7V9h-_qKq06HoFM38I2LwDHVVxtbhlxVmCxkHTbX9-BIT-ygctb2PwiaLAOdQ5FLXOabRSr6I8cfIiNYMO-8/s320/FB_IMG_1607046425365.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Reconstruction fun</div><p>In the midst of all of this, I was diagnosed with an extremely severe and completely uncontrolled case of CRPS, complex regional pain syndrome. Medical science will tell you there is no pain greater than the pain of CRPS. How they figure and decide this, I don't know. It impacts your brain, nervous system, bones, tendons, ligaments, joints, every system in your body. Most who have CRPS have many, many other health issues and struggles. It is a devastating disorder/disease. It is ravaging my entire arm, from fingers into my chest, back, shoulder and sometimes my face and ear, the cold gets it. The case I have is rare in that mine freezes along with all the other pain. Burning pins and needles, being flawed off layer by layer with burning pain, bone pain that is deep, throbbing, shooting, feels like someone is taking a hammer to my arm and beating it. Muscle pain, never pain, changes colors, swells terribly, freezing pain. It is pretty bad when it is burning like hell and freezing at the same time. Nothing can touch it due to the burning, but it has to be wrapped up to keep it warm. Sometimes I can't get it to warm up because the bones are deeply frozen, my whole arm freezes. No one, including me can touch it. Look, but don't touch. These are some of the symptoms I deal with.</p><p>Through the years, there was no such a thing as pain control. The disorder ate through everything that was given to me or any procedures that were done for it. Plowed through anything like it was nothing. The CRPS has even obliterated ketamine, woke up towards the end of an infusion, I was being given the maxima amount of ketamine for my weight I could be given, at a 10 on the pain scale. You are not supposed to do that my doctor told me. I laughed and told him to tell that to the CRPS. It didn't care. I have walked through deaths doors twice from the pain. I have survived 11 months straight of a 9-10 on the pain scale every day. Maybe 6-7 weeks of relief and back to new levels of a 10, each cycle was worse than the last. I have lived through none-functioning states of pain multiple times. One of the worst cycle was when I was in the midst of my separation and divorce. Pretty scary when you look yourself in the mirror, knowing you can't put cloths on or off, couldn't even move my head without severe pain, can't walk without dying of pain with each step, not sleeping, if anything touched my arm, it was instant hoarrying pain, no job, no income, walking through a divorce. Not the best time in life.</p><p>After my last surgery, I found myself physically addicted to oxycodone and OxyContin, I was on both due to the severity of the pain. I was losing the battle of my life from the pain. Pain can kill you. I did a really stupid thing, I decided I was done with both of these drugs, hated how they made me feel and it wasn't helping with the pain enough to continue the nightmare from hell. I told one and cold turkied the drugs. Stopped taking them. Depths of hell is an understatement for what this withdrawal is. Please, please, please, please, seek help to come off any drugs/medications you are taking. Do not do this alone. It is very dangerous to deadly. There is no reason to go through this type of hell, there are other medicines and treatments to help with the withdrawal. Seek help. There is hope and a life on the other side of these addictions. This withdrawal left me utterly depleted. My body was ravaged. I already had nothing from the last 2 years of pain and surgeries, walking through deaths door, this withdrawal about did me in. I was exhausted, depleted, could barely function, I had nothing left. I was at the bottom struggling to survive.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbJvtSn6t8iyCT570u_nWCghYlPrQKyYwYuwCnI0pMAyRhV2HfTOiSWDvGWLYAclotAnUyqMYoURZXR7e4sRsXA5vrmAlhfNnmj5jsG9mEiq9RTaJt-9B8-UpL5YoQa3OlMwAxvW2ELSB3NgX59yxF2HkVkGLL5wNDzl3G2Jdtssd72Gvx5lAzQKA/s4032/IMG_20190227_140158.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbJvtSn6t8iyCT570u_nWCghYlPrQKyYwYuwCnI0pMAyRhV2HfTOiSWDvGWLYAclotAnUyqMYoURZXR7e4sRsXA5vrmAlhfNnmj5jsG9mEiq9RTaJt-9B8-UpL5YoQa3OlMwAxvW2ELSB3NgX59yxF2HkVkGLL5wNDzl3G2Jdtssd72Gvx5lAzQKA/w240-h320/IMG_20190227_140158.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">spinal cord stimulator battery </div><p></p><p>My body has been ravaged for the last 13 years managing extremely severe CRPS and everything it is doing to my body, surgeries, plates, screws, spinal cord stimulator, broken bones, arthritis, healing, cold turkey withdrawal from oxycodone and OxyContin, it hasn't been a good 13 years for what my body has had to deal with and manage. </p><p>Here is where foods comes in.</p><p>My food story isn't so much about how I have found healing through food, all my alignments went away and I am living the best life. The success story most are able to talk about. Yes, I did correct my hypoglycemia, blood sugar issues, being pretty sure I was going to end up a diabetic doing everything they told me to do, along with the debilitating struggles from leaning vegetarian and very low fat for so many years, fatigue was rampant. I corrected these issues with a Primal lifestyle. I would have a great story of healing if this is all that I had. </p><p>But it is not.</p><p>I began eating more ancestral, Primal about a year before the accident. I was struggling with crushing chronic fatigue and nothing was working. I read Dr. Weston Price's book "Nutrition and Physical Degeneration" and found Mark over at <a href="https://www.marksdailyapple.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #01ffff;">https://www.marksdailyapple.com/</span></a> reading everything I could get my hands on in ancestral health. I began drinking raw milk, full fat cream in my coffee, then switched over the bullet coffee, I was eating more and more meat, cut out the grains, and began making bone broth. I was well on my way in my Primal health journey. Then the accident. </p><p>As much as I could, having other making meals, I continued eating Primally through all the surgeries and procedures I went through in the first years. Sometimes, I had to eat what was provided for me by others, it was generally good food, I can't complain. When I had the energy and ability to cook, it was Primal, lost of meat and fat, I craved meat as my bones were healing. As time went on, I began figuring out how to work through and with the pain, a lot of this included asking for help with cutting up food and then I would cook it. </p><p>Foods that have had some of the greatest impact on my healing, recovery, and ability to be where I am health wise 13 years later:</p><p>Bone broth and collagen: I have been making bone broth and taking collagen before it was ever popular, 14 years ago. Bone broth is one of those deeply nourishing foods. Giving my body the minerals from these bones to help build and repair my bones after being broken and keep them healthier as the CRPS is eating my bones. I am fighting back with the minerals from the bones. Collagen from taking collagen as a supplement but also from making gelatinous broth, I am helping my joints that I shredded, muscles, tendons, ligaments, connective tissue throughout my body heal, repair and strength. The benefit to my skin and hair is awesome!</p><p>Adding protein back in: I did the mostly plants, leaning towards vegetarian thing, it left me depleted, sick and getting worse. I was miserable. There is no way my health would be what it is today by not adding in all the meat I have. In recent years, it has been more and more red meat, beef. I am giving my body the basic building blocks it needs to create me, build, repair muscles, nerves, bones, and give my body nutrients it needs to combat the evil CRPS is doing to my body. Animal protein provides the basics building blocks of amino acids that is needed to build, create, repair, along with key vitamins and minerals, and other nutrients that we don't even know are there to be healthy. </p><p>Animal fats: butter is one of the most amazing foods, edible gold, along with egg yolks. I eat these in abundance along with other full fat dairy, coconut oil, fatty cuts of meat, avocadoes, olive oil. All those healthy fats are needed to create hormones, our brains are mainly saturated fat, by eating all this fat, I am giving my body the nutrients needed for health, hormones, brain tissue, protecting my nerves. Animal fats are vital for health and longevity.</p><p>I do eat veggies and fruits. I strive to be more seasonal with these, not perfect. Berries and winter squash are some of my favorites. Great ways to add in more fat with fresh whipped cream and butter. </p><p>My food journey isn't about how food healed me, I overcame this disease. Endless amount of energy. No more struggles, pain is gone, I am healed. I did correct my blood sugar issues, overcome a large portion of chronic fatigue, have lots of energy, feel better in my 40's than I did in my 20's, effortlessly maintain my weight. My food journey is on the other side. Yes, I still have CRPS. My eating hasn't taken that away. Food hasn't taken away the pain or swelling. Food has kept my body healthy, thriving even despite having CRPS. Food is giving my body the energy and nutrients required to fight back against something striving to destroy it. Sometimes it is not about taking away what it is that ails us, that isn't always possible. Sometimes we have to learn to live with what we have and make the most of life and support our health through food. This is what I have been doing for the last 13 years.</p><p>I hear about others who have CPRS and they have this health problem, that health problem, something else is breaking down in their body constantly, the laundry list of what is happening to them is insane. It is so sad. Every time they turn around it is something else. It is mind boggling. I don't have any of it. Nothing else but the CRPS. That is what food has done for me. I am giving my body the basic building blocks it needs through food, whole, nutrient dense, rich, real food, animal protein, especially beef these days, bone broth, collagen, lots of fat, butter, cream, whole eggs, and fruits and veggies to keep me healthy as I battle CRPS. Because my body is being deeply nourished and given what it needs through food, it can build, repair and keep me healthy so I can go chase my dreams, live my life to the fullest I can, despite having severe CRPS. Food is powerful. Food is healing. Food is life.</p><p>After massive doses of ketamine through an infusion and months of hell, the cycle finally broke. I have been living these last couple years at more manageable levels of pain, with bad days and periods. I am also taking LDN, low does Naltrexone, which has been a tremendous help in the battle of pain control. It might sound crazy, but I have said, if I could live between a 4-7 on the pain scale, I can live a great life. Most of the time, this is where I am currently. I am fighting like hell to stay here. No guarantees. It could all change tomorrow. I strive to make the most of where I am and live to the fullest for today.</p><p>We live in a fallen world. Sometimes damage is done that cannot be undone. Eating healthy, deeply nourishing our bodies is about being as healthy as we can be despite what life has thrown at us. For me, it is saying, I am healthier today after 13 years of managing uncontrolled and severe CRPS and a month shy of 40th Birthday than I was in my 20's. I am healthier despite walking a road that has gone deep into the depths of hell. I have managed to stave off my body falling apart through deeply nourishing it. Food is medicine. It has the ability to heal to the best it can and fight back from what the world throws at us. This is the power of food, mindset and choosing to live life to the fullest I can no matter what has been sent my way. </p><p>All my best,</p><p>Jenn</p>Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06719119386438808768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37837842989739808.post-19869383559678895022022-09-21T19:25:00.001-07:002023-01-03T17:48:06.668-08:00Meat Balls, 2 Ways<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9pUK3UlRFNIliFTjMKCM0SkfShez94O0wDkr6IBM_UUiUXwdVXATvkSHOxtXgvC-cut_RbhrC2fo9dY7WEfyGpLdss_KPZEQx3CBSrc3PeC1jAEXRuXgRhdbLrxF5bDRFjLqbQickN3sKFEfHMzm_Dk8jQ0Yyx-V26JpfKjdUY8Soc3eewcYBG-s/s1152/PXL_20220922_000248764.MP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="975" data-original-width="1152" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9pUK3UlRFNIliFTjMKCM0SkfShez94O0wDkr6IBM_UUiUXwdVXATvkSHOxtXgvC-cut_RbhrC2fo9dY7WEfyGpLdss_KPZEQx3CBSrc3PeC1jAEXRuXgRhdbLrxF5bDRFjLqbQickN3sKFEfHMzm_Dk8jQ0Yyx-V26JpfKjdUY8Soc3eewcYBG-s/s320/PXL_20220922_000248764.MP.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The meatballs and marinara that made me "Italian"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Meatballs, such a great, simple food to batch cook and keep on hand. A true protein ball. <p></p><p>Here are two recipes for meatballs. One is more labor intensive and will take longer to make. The other is a more basic recipe and comes together quick, easy and tasty. It is the second recipe. </p><p>What you need:</p><p>ground beef</p><p>ground pork</p><p>eggs</p><p>chia seeds, ground, 1/4 cup</p><p>onion, diced</p><p>garlic, diced</p><p>fresh herbs, basil, thyme, oregano </p><p>balsamic vinegar </p><p>salt and pepper</p><p>butter</p><p>Tools needed:</p><p>baking sheet</p><p>parchment paper, makes clean up easy</p><p>bake at 400 degrees</p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGvwNgnClAWUnEpNYyj1JIkJ5pQK_wHjhdPE1haeMWW41hMzP7oZtqoAheYZ2ttJzuoOsm8OJRQT3PaYszmC5tbPZtulxovc70aSBh_dQUUM-A821bzS5bADiBo7YLv7bs9hmqC2ikxZttQ0vn0wmZiE_71axjyCt7R2c9eXUYvpLWQtIY-6VlcoQ/s1954/PXL_20220919_154746334.MP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1954" data-original-width="1640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGvwNgnClAWUnEpNYyj1JIkJ5pQK_wHjhdPE1haeMWW41hMzP7oZtqoAheYZ2ttJzuoOsm8OJRQT3PaYszmC5tbPZtulxovc70aSBh_dQUUM-A821bzS5bADiBo7YLv7bs9hmqC2ikxZttQ0vn0wmZiE_71axjyCt7R2c9eXUYvpLWQtIY-6VlcoQ/s320/PXL_20220919_154746334.MP.jpg" width="269" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Ingredients coming together.</span></div><p>How to:</p><p>Begin preheating oven to 400 degrees.</p><p>Place parchment paper on baking sheet.</p><p>Place beef and pork, eggs, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, ground chia seeds and fresh herbs into a large mixing bowl. </p><p>Heat butter with salt and pepper in a sauce pan. Once melted, add the diced onion and garlic. Sauté until the onion and garlic are browned, some crisp to them. Add to the mixing bowl. </p><p>Mix all the ingredients well, easiest way to do this is with your hands. Get in there. Mix thoroughly. </p><p>Form into about 1 to 1 1/2 inch balls. Place on a baking sheet covered with the parchment paper.</p><p>Bake for 20-25 minutes. Half way, rotate the pan. </p><p>Take out of the oven. Allow to cool for a few minutes and indulge in yumminess. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhCPBokUiBGSWSgqiNFpOL6m1gk_Nf2wa89d5NPwXzqb7N2rstJvnePJ0ggLjZGS4embhrt47gpBcvmu3FRQntKLec_BoSEbuJz_vWjXrHVD0SfDh3Bg_Qlk9XuGHULyBYG5SI1U3d7tItyAFzAOX23eR-xCHxxbg4qBzQZ9myegkWJPDIMa4DsPE/s2285/PXL_20220919_170752194.MP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2285" data-original-width="1712" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhCPBokUiBGSWSgqiNFpOL6m1gk_Nf2wa89d5NPwXzqb7N2rstJvnePJ0ggLjZGS4embhrt47gpBcvmu3FRQntKLec_BoSEbuJz_vWjXrHVD0SfDh3Bg_Qlk9XuGHULyBYG5SI1U3d7tItyAFzAOX23eR-xCHxxbg4qBzQZ9myegkWJPDIMa4DsPE/s320/PXL_20220919_170752194.MP.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Meatballs ready to hang out in the dry heat.</span></div><p>Simpler version:</p><p>ground beef</p><p>ground pork</p><p>eggs</p><p>ground chia seeds, 1/4 cup</p><p>balsamic vinegar</p><p>dried Italian seasoning, 2-3 tablespoons</p><p>garlic powder, good shakes</p><p>onion powder, same amount as the garlic powder </p><p>salt and pepper to taste</p><p><br /></p><p>How to:</p><p>Preheat oven to 400 degrees</p><p>Place parchment paper on a baking sheet.</p><p>Place all the ingredients in a large bowl. Mix well. The best way to do this is with your hands, get in there. once mixed, form meat into 1 to 1 1/2 inch balls, place on the baking sheet. </p><p>Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes. At the half way point, rotate the pan. Once cooked, take out of the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes. Indulge in yummy goodness! </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqy15YOx57-meynJz9Esdnu-jHAZl6wbtp6WQjqSLQtB5pkGq77AusfwGP-6-2z8SzIeNBKFwOuQ-XNlyV47aHx1Agib88k_dz8Q4kKergD3T5GLDsSYEgMhSmUY2uqDrrBZ-wGA4rQEZmYo-bcj2y4goFWvoqJ98VQ_vv1Zzo0gr7F0yA9nYuKZY/s1903/PXL_20220919_174251646.MP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1903" data-original-width="1736" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqy15YOx57-meynJz9Esdnu-jHAZl6wbtp6WQjqSLQtB5pkGq77AusfwGP-6-2z8SzIeNBKFwOuQ-XNlyV47aHx1Agib88k_dz8Q4kKergD3T5GLDsSYEgMhSmUY2uqDrrBZ-wGA4rQEZmYo-bcj2y4goFWvoqJ98VQ_vv1Zzo0gr7F0yA9nYuKZY/s320/PXL_20220919_174251646.MP.jpg" width="292" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">All baked and resting.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvoafMUPHqRZ9Y5jcuuPOQosxx0kM7cUU89B8Fc8UfRpgpyjvohjqycFujl96Saq74hrdfm7fZIIFtPKCBsDhjYJtTS9xW3oxf_fWeJWHP4SFs1iJ7MELO14bsrB9WaBzYS8mvpPrbrclzoQTJXvZiaT-FYAeWefmAa1rOnm5luksW0FhQ1iJ2jwM/s1544/PXL_20220922_000159982.MP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1457" data-original-width="1544" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvoafMUPHqRZ9Y5jcuuPOQosxx0kM7cUU89B8Fc8UfRpgpyjvohjqycFujl96Saq74hrdfm7fZIIFtPKCBsDhjYJtTS9xW3oxf_fWeJWHP4SFs1iJ7MELO14bsrB9WaBzYS8mvpPrbrclzoQTJXvZiaT-FYAeWefmAa1rOnm5luksW0FhQ1iJ2jwM/s320/PXL_20220922_000159982.MP.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">One more picture for drooling purposes.</span></div>Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06719119386438808768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37837842989739808.post-6875896040064584462021-07-06T15:25:00.001-07:002023-01-03T17:48:49.475-08:00July's Eye is on How You See Yourself, Body Image<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFKnHXGDCunixqJj9aWyl3stmY_kC3Qv0PyQ03k9tHW7TN7E7OQMIWnqe2Zhg-hZrM8Tmoij4tS2wAmGX9VOdiDJiDIJvL-yYuGuekVvyrstGKL89VcYI7rADZACpDhktuT2tL6PPK6A/s1369/Screenshot_20210705-190344%257E2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1369" data-original-width="1143" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFKnHXGDCunixqJj9aWyl3stmY_kC3Qv0PyQ03k9tHW7TN7E7OQMIWnqe2Zhg-hZrM8Tmoij4tS2wAmGX9VOdiDJiDIJvL-yYuGuekVvyrstGKL89VcYI7rADZACpDhktuT2tL6PPK6A/s320/Screenshot_20210705-190344%257E2.png" /></a></div>Photo from the vulnerable video I posted</div><br />On my social media last week, I put up a post being vulnerable and alluding to my body image issues, struggles with food, some of the dark places I have been in regards to my relationship with myself and my body. If you go back through old posts on my blog, you will read several posts where I talk about my struggles with hating my body and some steps I took in overcoming these struggles. Here is <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/preview/37837842989739808/5579939514810021375" target="_blank"><span style="color: #01ffff;">one such post</span></a>. For the month of July we are going to explore body image issues and the real struggles that exist with eating disorders and body dysmorphia, I am not talking at you, these are roads I have walked. This is a part of my journey. It has helped shape who I am today. Walking the road and being willing to put in the work and overcome these demons is a life's journey for me. <br /><br /><div>In many ways, I have removed myself from the influence of social media by doing the work to overcome my demons, I don't notice the body images issues as much these days outside of myself. I know orthorexia is still rampant in the fitness industry, I hope to have a positive influence over this. Are others still pushing a super lean, anorexic model/actress still being used? Maybe we have grown from 10-20 years ago when things seemed to be so crazy? Maybe because I removed myself to such lengths for my recovery, I don't notice what is going on? I have changed what is happening in my own head so things don't impact me the same way as much. I choose to get some help. I put in the work. If you are struggling, you can have a healthier relationship with yourself and your body. It takes work. It takes being willing to see things differently. Face your demons and struggles head on and fight like hell. It is a journey and a long road. Recovery is a lifetime. It is 100% worth the fight. The freedom on the other side is a beautiful thing.<div><br />I want to focus this month on how you see yourself. Begin working on loving yourself, not in some self centered, your better than everyone else way or the other end of the spectrum, I love myself just as I am and I don't need to change. True love of yourself is willing to be brutally honest with yourself, your good, faults, failings, what is staring you back in the mirror, stop making excuses for yourself and deciding you want to become the best version of yourself. This is true self love. Until you truly love yourself, you cannot make lasting change. We have to truly love ourselves to make lasting, life long changes to overcome our darkness. These are hard things to hear, but it is the only way to work on yourself, face your demons head on. Facing your demons begins with facing the truth about yourself. It is how I have worked through my struggles. I stopped playing the games, wishful thinking, excuses, mind games, seeing things that weren't really there, all of it. I faced these demons head on. It is hard. You can do hard. </div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div><br /></div><div><br />For each week of the month, we will talk about different topics in this world and have a mini challenge for you to work on yourself. You might not have an eating disorder or body dysmorphia, but we can all work on our selves. This first week's mini challenge, I want you to be conscious and aware of how may times you put yourself down, say negative things about yourself, negative thoughts, tear yourself down, how often do you say no. How do you see yourself? Your body image? <br /><br />Once you have begun to identify these negative images of yourself, here are some ideas to help you begin re-programing your brain.<br /><br /><ul><li>When you begin to talk/think negatively about yourself, stop the thoughts, comments and say three positive things about yourself. You have to recognize the behavior, stop it and then change it into something positive.</li><li>If you have body image struggles, limit your time looking at pictures of really fit, unnaturally skinny, photo shopped images. Even fitness "inspiration" on sites like Pintrest, FaceBook or Instagram can be a trigger. Scrolling through image after image of "perfect" in-shape bodies, and comparing yourself to them, wishing you had that body are damaging. This could be unhealthy for your body type and even for them. Remember it is about <a href="http://thriveonthebasics.blogspot.com/2012/09/how-skinny-is-too-skinny.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: cyan;">real health, not destroying your body</span></a>. </li><li>Begin removing the triggers that send you down of path of self hatred, body loathing, the negative image you have of yourself and replace these with positives influences.</li><li>This isn't about denial. We all have areas of our selves we need to change, grow, become better in. True self love is about being brutally honest with the things we need to change, but not in a negative manner. Identify your struggles and decide if you are going to work on them or not. Identify your strengths and decide if you are going to pursue them further.</li><li>Once you have identified the struggles, spend some time reflecting on where these came from, how they have impacted your life, and a deep reason why you want to overcome them. It will take an insanely big why to overcome the struggles. </li><li>Enjoy the beauty around you.</li><li>Be around others who have self confidence and love of self, positive influences. Being around others who constantly talk about or demonstrate how much they dislike themselves, their body, finding the wrong and fault in everything, negative will rub off on you. Find others who will help you up level your life, pursue your greatness. </li></ul><br />These are just a few ideas. You know where you need the most "love of self". Take the time to reflect on where these emotions and feelings came from, other underlying factors and work through them. Until you work through the hurt and pain, you will walk the same path. Let's tackle these demons together.<br /><br />Love yourself enough to change.<br />Obesity is a disease of malnourishment. <br /><i>Jenn</i><br /><br /><br /></div></div>Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06719119386438808768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37837842989739808.post-8301977064274692482021-06-28T14:58:00.000-07:002021-06-28T14:58:36.893-07:00Wrapping up June's Challenge, Insulin<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXcSgO_RQYXymgtGbXZAU-zmbK8jzaoSlkgVnAoHn02iK5vIb-PqeRBsIea3X3TF7LSCI_9TnsTduNTxNGGoFPElYciRKHWtbNvNhtQy-Gmt-B99c60VTLy0xHZQNtYIt9cx35aDkuIQ/s2048/PXL_20210624_023325090-01.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXcSgO_RQYXymgtGbXZAU-zmbK8jzaoSlkgVnAoHn02iK5vIb-PqeRBsIea3X3TF7LSCI_9TnsTduNTxNGGoFPElYciRKHWtbNvNhtQy-Gmt-B99c60VTLy0xHZQNtYIt9cx35aDkuIQ/s320/PXL_20210624_023325090-01.jpeg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Cool, refreshing summer drink</div><p></p><p>To wrap up these last several days of June and begin heading into July I thought I would give you some more ideas of foods that will help keep your insulin stable, deeply nourish your body to celebrate this 4th of July! Are you excited to celebrate America's Birthday?!!!!</p><p>Food you can bring and not be the weird one bringing healthy food to a party, is meat. Beef, chicken, pork, fish, lamb, goat, maybe you are the odd one for lamb and goat. The point remains, by bringing meat to a party you have food you can eat that is satisfying, satiating, deeply nourishes your body, doesn't cause much ruckus with your insulin levels, will give you energy to party the night away. Most parties have meat anyway. American food, hamburgers and hot dogs, we are celebrating America after all! Eat an extra hamburger patty and hold the bun and chips.</p><p>Fruit. The great thing about fruit is the water and vitamins, minerals in fruit. This will help replenish the water you are loosing from sweating, plus the electrolytes being lost. It isn't only about drinking your water, eating your water brings more nutrients to the party and helps this water get into your cells as well. Watermelon and your other melons are great options. Have you ever been so thirsty but water just didn't quench your thirst? Then you eat some watermelon and your thirst is quenched. That is the benefit of eating your water, you are getting the water plus vitamins and minerals your body needs to rehydrate. Put some salt on it for better results. Who doesn't love seeing a large bowl of watermelon on a hot summer day at a party?! Instead of being the crazy healthy eater, you will be everyone's favorite for bringing cold melon.</p><p>Veggies, the thing to be mindful of with veggies is what you are putting on them. Be sure to avoid dressing that have hydrogenated oils, vegetable seed oils. You can slice cucumber and tomatoes and put them in olive oil and vinegar with salt. Grill veggies and put butter, salt and fresh herbs on them. </p><p>There are healthy options for deserts, berries and fresh whipped cream with dark chocolate shavings. Frozen fruit sickles. I will link a few desert recipes for you.</p><p>Fresh, cold cantaloupe and full fat yogurt </p><p><a href="https://www.marksdailyapple.com/paleo-brownies/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #01ffff;">Primal Brownies</span></a></p><p><a href="https://www.marksdailyapple.com/keto-angel-food-cake/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #01ffff;">Keto angel food cake</span></a><br /></p><p><a href="http://healthyindulgences.net/2016/06/real-food-rainbow-popsicles-no-sugar-added-made-with-natural-sugar-free-sweeteners-stevia-erythritol/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #01ffff;">Real Fruit Popsicles</span></a><br /></p><p></p><div><a href="http://www.thriveonthebasics.com/blog/2014/06/strawberries-marinated-in-pon" target="_blank"><span style="color: #01ffff;">Marinated Strawberries with Fresh Whipped Cream</span></a><br /></div><p></p><p>Alcohol if you are choosing to drink, don't drive after drinking. Drink responsibly. If you are a beer drinker, go for the micro beers, beers that have been fermented. Use carbonated waters without sugar as a mixer instead of the sugar laden mixers. Freeze fruit and put that in drinks to keep them cold and add flavor. Blend frozen fruit into drinks for a cool treat, these can be alcohol free. Sangrias are another great option. Use fresh fruits and teas made from flowers in place of the sugary juices. Sparkling wine is a thing, use these for the fizz instead of sodas or top off with a spritzer. </p><p>Just because you are eating healthy and minding your insulin doesn't mean you have to sacrifice everything or be the crazy one eating "healthy". You can enjoy, nourish your body, lead others to healthier eating and celebrate.</p><p></p><div>Obesity is a disease of malnourishment.</div><div>Happy 4th of July!</div><div>Love you guys</div><div>Jenn</div><p></p>Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06719119386438808768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37837842989739808.post-76809755495330169422021-06-23T15:51:00.005-07:002023-01-03T17:49:22.621-08:00A Different Way to Look at Stabilizing Insulin<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjsSzyuZikqnt0QL0auDGGl3MWgYIA6GK6nEgnHXI3HOpZyMcf-9IRuLW2vth-xrfeOdlgClqGEjiKxuo3qrLPvy9hGhMH0WyrXkS-vS1rfJ-VQtr7gVY8McmndfX9MZ_YVf0_hxwRYg/s2048/PXL_20210623_163426906.MP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjsSzyuZikqnt0QL0auDGGl3MWgYIA6GK6nEgnHXI3HOpZyMcf-9IRuLW2vth-xrfeOdlgClqGEjiKxuo3qrLPvy9hGhMH0WyrXkS-vS1rfJ-VQtr7gVY8McmndfX9MZ_YVf0_hxwRYg/s320/PXL_20210623_163426906.MP.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div> With all this talk about insulin and what it does in our bodies, the good and not so good, what can we do? Is there anything we can do to correct the issues? <p></p><p>Why yes there is! We are not helpless and bound to be stuck in a raging ocean of insulin levels. </p><p>Here are several simple and effective steps you can take. I did say simple, not necessarily easy. It is worth it:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>become fat adapted </li><li>stop eating so many carbs, they shouldn't make up the largest majority of your food intake</li><li>eat more protein</li><li>move frequently at a slow pace</li><li>lift heavy things</li><li>sprint once in awhile</li><li>supplement smartly, there are some great supplements to help the body through this to better deal with carbs. </li></ul><div>How do you become a fat burning beast? We have to remind the body how to burn fat for fuel again. Remember this is our natural setting as human. The best way to do this is taking the 21 Day Primal Challenge. For 21 days you are going to eat like our ancestors, deeply nourishing fats, proteins and some carbs from seasonal berries and veggies. You want your carb load below 100 grams but probably not far below 50 grams. The majority of your food intake is going to come from animal proteins and fats. Avoid all processed foods. </div><span><a name='more'></a></span><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMSz96maPUZGm8MVHxwib-nYS_7AusZQXcgL7ZNwjsh-3P0QpRV4GFUdOkhd13tSk2mpTy_7cVGvgItSJU81pcwGJsPJw1-zxLpaF2AqHp-Y2fxT7x8C8w2stt1TtMmWM9JzSBmb0CJA/s2048/Screenshot_20210311-143449.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1977" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMSz96maPUZGm8MVHxwib-nYS_7AusZQXcgL7ZNwjsh-3P0QpRV4GFUdOkhd13tSk2mpTy_7cVGvgItSJU81pcwGJsPJw1-zxLpaF2AqHp-Y2fxT7x8C8w2stt1TtMmWM9JzSBmb0CJA/s320/Screenshot_20210311-143449.png" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Primal Bluprint Carb Curve</div><div><br /></div><div>In a short 21 days you can return to your natural factory setting of fat adaption and be on your way to freedom from insulin crashes and spikes, all day energy, effortless weight lose and maintenance, healing your body. This doesn't mean in 21 day you will have lost all the weight you want and be in prefect health. This 21 days is a kick start to taking back your health. You will have to continue putting in the work of deeply nourishing your body, allowing it to heal and recover. The body wants to heal it's self, we have to give it the means to do so. </div><div><br /></div><div>This doesn't mean you will not ever be able to eat high carb days or have a splurge. You absolutely can! 80/20 principle, 80% of the time feed your body whole, nutrient dense foods and then you have your 20% to indulge. </div><div> </div><div>If you have any questions or need help with this process, please reach out to me!</div><div>Where your mitochondria go, your health goes.</div><div>All my love,</div><div>Jenn</div><p></p>Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06719119386438808768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37837842989739808.post-76985551255123435832021-06-15T19:48:00.008-07:002023-01-03T17:50:11.131-08:00Insulin and Our Mitochondria<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7iVe3IpZTFVG02ghEIBc4QOIEMn8BQ_Bf64ch7YG01NnoDWkCjS6oCQT24WC3LX_fB2v1RnpEA-He8ZNXFiQwB594yXbpkw4w6S3QZORZ3fZQmmcqWhz7MD98BAg1UQwQ7mGwdrffHA/s1420/Screenshot_20210426-095322%257E2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1420" data-original-width="1152" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7iVe3IpZTFVG02ghEIBc4QOIEMn8BQ_Bf64ch7YG01NnoDWkCjS6oCQT24WC3LX_fB2v1RnpEA-He8ZNXFiQwB594yXbpkw4w6S3QZORZ3fZQmmcqWhz7MD98BAg1UQwQ7mGwdrffHA/s320/Screenshot_20210426-095322%257E2.png" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">Inside our cells</p><p style="text-align: justify;">We couldn't have a series on insulin without talking about the mighty mitochondria and roles it plays in insulin. Go google this and you will be reading per reviewed medical journals. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Our mitochondria are absolutely vital to our health. Without them, well we wouldn't be able to survive. They are pretty important. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">What are mitochondria? Simply put they are our energy source, our power plants in our cells. They take nutrients we eat and convert them into ATP, adenosine triphosphate, energy. ATP generates energy for cellular function. We need the energy from ATP for thinking, brain function, sprinting, walking, lifting heavy things, pumping blood through out our bodies, reading this post you are using ATP. We need ATP for pretty much everything. Without this process of our mitochondria producing ATP from our food, we wouldn't be alive. A good reason to be fascinated with them.</p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">After this, our mitochondria also play a role in insulin/glucose regulation, production of other hormones, regulation of calcium in the cell, among many other things. I am sure we do not fully understand or know everything our mitochondria do for us. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">As soon as we say mitochondria role in insulin/glucose regulation, we are deep into the weeds. I think what is important to know is our mitochondria play a role in this process. How we take care of our mitochondria will impact their ability to better do their jobs, insulin/glucose regulation, energy and everything else. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">What can we do to impact the health of our mitochondria and in turn impact insulin?</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Eliminate hydrogenated oils, vegetable oils, soy, corn, canola and the others.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Become a fat burning beast</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Move frequently at a slow pace.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Sprint once in awhile.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Lift heavy things.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Get adequate sleep, deep and enough hours.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Sun exposure</p><p style="text-align: justify;">CoQ10, Vits A and C, magnesium, zinc, iron, among several others</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Eating whole foods, animal fat and protein with preferably seasonal fruit and veggies, the carbs you need and smart supplements </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Become a fat burning breast!</p><p style="text-align: justify;">As you can see, if you have been following my blog for any time, these things we can do to impact our mitochondria and insulin are what I have been talking about from the beginning. Nothing new here. What we do for one area of our health impacts the rest of our health. It doesn't take anything crazy to impact our insulin and mitochondria. Let me know how I can help you.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Where our mitochondria goes our health goes. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Alll my love to you Jenn</p>Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06719119386438808768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37837842989739808.post-29852960602948100132021-06-08T09:04:00.007-07:002023-01-03T17:51:36.530-08:00Why Insulin is Important for Nutrient Absorption <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyyZzPYUUfjBT6xVmzPwZCtGb2ZWP_JKweXhreFIabbs0zHu1UJWBOkBQvASMcrasHxz3we0Ps3raYkTIL5PtHILDanu-KW1LGSrX2ETe9dxm5Bv3zoxIp3UsuVUs2M_N2uRe9QpL2wA/s4032/MVIMG_20180430_130923.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyyZzPYUUfjBT6xVmzPwZCtGb2ZWP_JKweXhreFIabbs0zHu1UJWBOkBQvASMcrasHxz3we0Ps3raYkTIL5PtHILDanu-KW1LGSrX2ETe9dxm5Bv3zoxIp3UsuVUs2M_N2uRe9QpL2wA/s320/MVIMG_20180430_130923.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>A recap from last week, when insulin levels are high or low, we are stressing the body, causing it to be in fight or flight. High insulin is fat storage signal to the body. More specifically, when we are consuming more sources of sugar from carbohydrates or other sugar forms than we are able to burn and use in the cells, the excess is converted to fat and stored on the body. Locked and trapped away by these high levels. When insulin is low, our bodies send signals of distress needing to raise those insulin levels causing a host of issues. These are not good times for the body. Who wants to live in a raging ocean all the time?</p><p>Today we are going to discuss another role of insulin, signaling the cell to intake nutrients.</p><p>Insulin signals our cells to intake amino acids, the basics building blocks of protein, and fat into the liver and muscle cells. These are needed in the cell to do the work of creating you, your body, muscles, organs, energy and so much more. Absolutely important for these nutrients to enter the cell and insulin helps facilitate this. Like I said in last weeks post, we need insulin, can't live without it. It is the excess we have flowing throughout the body because of glucose causing the issues. </p><p>As you can imagine, if one way our nutrients are brought into our cells and our cells cannot hear insulin's signal from our cells being full of glucose or an over whelming amount of insulin constantly knocking on the door of the cells, our cells can't function like they should. You could be hitting your protein goals of eating your body weight in ounces or more every day. If that protein cannot get into the cell and be used for growth and repair your diligence in hitting the protein numbers is diminished. Not waisted but doesn't have the full impact it could have by being insulin sensitive, your cells can hear and respond to insulin's call. Insulin resistance is a source of cell malnourishment. </p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p><br /></p><p>Another important aspect of insulin and our cells is division and growth. Insulin plays a role in telling cells to divide and grow. Important for a growing child but not so good when we are talking about cancer. Having cells go through their natural life cycle is normal and important, a whole new you is created about every seven years! We need cells that are sick and not functioning well to be signaled to die, apoptosis. This is important for our overall health and longevity. However, when those cells are out of control dividing and growing we have a problem on our hands. Not all cancers or tumors are caused by insulin and feed with sugar, it is something to be aware of. Another reason it is important to have stable insulin, lesson our risks for cells to divide and grow rapidly. </p><p>Here is a more in-depth article on <a href="https://www.marksdailyapple.com/diabetes/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #01ffff;">inulin and blood sugar</span></a>. I promise you will be able to understand it!</p><p>Where your mitochondria go your health goes.</p><p>Love you all</p><p>Jenn</p>Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06719119386438808768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37837842989739808.post-17075923146311922162021-06-02T16:06:00.003-07:002023-01-03T17:51:56.952-08:00June's Challenge, All About Insulin<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEgS8D7xSnQnceaEn-9wENCjHhD2u3kKk48Tj89OY0FWowoAuZF-2t98XGDyBrNIZXRNr8NvpIdihPiDpZ7yA7ITI2rQqhXL58Y046V5t3TxXjXp9sci5vmkqzUbgODrWXRVl4_8EOWQ/s2048/PXL_20210530_003326258.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEgS8D7xSnQnceaEn-9wENCjHhD2u3kKk48Tj89OY0FWowoAuZF-2t98XGDyBrNIZXRNr8NvpIdihPiDpZ7yA7ITI2rQqhXL58Y046V5t3TxXjXp9sci5vmkqzUbgODrWXRVl4_8EOWQ/s320/PXL_20210530_003326258.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Elk burger</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><p>For the month of June we are going to spend time learning about some of the roles insulin plays in the body and why having stable insulin and being insulin sensitive is important to our over all health.</p><p>Usually when we hear about insulin is it is in regards to diabetes. However, insulin is responsible for many other roles within the body. It is an important hormone that plays a major role in storing or using body fat, nutrients entering the cell, inflammation, and so much more. Insulin is vital for life. Insulin is produced by the pancreas in response to our eating carbohydrates, these turn into sugar in the body referred to as glucose. Insulin's role is to whisk this glucose out of the blood stream because if left in the blood stream, glucose becomes extremely toxic to the body. Let's talk about insulin's other roles.</p><p>We are going to discuss insulin's role in the body in regards to energy and fat burning today.</p><p>When we follow the norm today, we are told carbs are our primary source of fuel, the body prefers to burn carbs. In my opinion this has had devastating impacts on our health and I disagree. Does this mean you have to agree with me, no. I do hope you are willing to see another side of health and be open to different thoughts and learning.</p><p>I prefer to be fat adapted, metabolically flexible. Meaning my body is able to use the glucose it is given through my food and once this is dealt with, it can begin to burn fat for fuel, either from food or my stored body fat. This is the natural setting of the animal, human and otherwise. When we look to our ancestors, animal protein and fat were their main food sources. Think about it, they did not have mass food production facilities, acres of planted crops, no grocery store to pick up all this processed food, grains, fruit and veggies available year round. They ate what they could hunt, gather and preserve. If you need to eat every 2-4 hours to maintain your energy levels you wouldn't last long in the wild. This makes carbs as the main energy source not likely.</p><span><a name='more'></a></span><p><br /></p><p>When we are sugar burners, the body cannot as easily burn our stored fat for fuel. Again for our ancestors this would spell death not being able to use their stored body fat for fuel, energy. They might have gone several days without food or very little food. Being able to access their stored body fat was essential for survival. </p><p>When our insulin is like an angry ocean of waves it leaves the body exhausted, fatigued, burnout, inflamed and in fat storage, among other things. Carbs go in, the pancreas produces insulin in response, recall excess glucose in the blood stream is toxic, it has to be removed. The body maintains about 5 grams of glucose in the blood, too high is toxic, too low and you die. Insulin's roll in removing glucose is important. Glucose is put into the cells to burn as energy, along with storage, between 350-500 grams can be stored in the muscles. A couple of hours worth of energy is all. If the muscles are full, glucose is also stored in the liver, a couple hundred grams at best. If the cells are full of glucose or the cells can't hear insulin's signals, these carbs are turned into fat and stored on the body. You continue to gain weight. If I just eat less, I should lose weight? Isn't that what it is all about, eat less calories? I hope you are beginning to see the answer to you just eat less and you will lose weight is a fighting battle with insulin and it is no.</p><p>With wild and crazy insulin, the body is being given the signal to store fat, high insulin tells the body to store fat. Low insulin puts the body in a stress response, the body needs to get those insulin levels back up or you will die. The brain and body are in constant battles of where the next meal is going to come from. The brain is an enormous fuel hog. When it begins to think it is not going to have enough glucose to survive, it signals the body to get food and get it fast, hangry, hypoglycemia issues, fatigue, brain fog, poor sleep, weight gain, flood of health issues follow. What our bodies do in response to this signal for hunger and carbs aren't given to keep the brain happy, the body begins to break down our precocious muscle tissue and turn it into glucose, a processes called gluconeogenesis. This is NOT a good thing. We want and need that muscle for longer and healthier lives. No reason to go breaking it down for the body to burn as sugar, especially when there is stored fat on your body. We will talk more about this in the weeks to come. For now, it is important to begin understanding why it is about more than eating less to truly lose weight, keep it off and maintain health. Insulin plays a direct role and it is about stable insulin levels not crashing waves.</p><p>These crashing waves of insulin also cause: </p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>fatigue</li><li>poor sleep quality</li><li>keep the body in a fight or flight, stressing the adrenal glands </li><li>brain fog, mental clarity struggles</li><li>emotional distress</li><li>hangry, hypoglycemia and so many other health issues.</li></ul><p></p><p>If we are constantly eating high carbohydrate meals forcing our pancreas to produce more and more insulin, our pancreas can burn out and stop working. On the flip side, if we are constantly producing insulin and it is knocking at the cells doors all the time, the cell begins to have selective hearing and not listen to insulin any longer. You might have heard of insulin resistance, where the cell stops hearing the signal of insulin. When the cells stop listening, the body responds by making more insulin. Gotta get that glucose out of the blood stream and nutrients into the cells for you to live. Vicious cycles that can lead to diabetes and many other health issues. </p><p>This is where being fat adapted and metabolically flexible comes into play. Our natural setting as humans is a fat burning beast, meaning we are easily and efficiently able to use fat for fuel, fat that we eat and stored body fat. Protein is high on this list as well. When our bodies re-learn how to burn fat for fuel what happens in our bodies at every levels improves. Our goal is calm, stable insulin levels, like a calm ocean, gentle waves whispering to our cells to intake protein, vitamins, minerals, nutrients and once glucose is used, go back to burning fat for fuel and energy.</p><p>Fat and protein are stable forms of energy, give us amino acid, more nutrient dense and clean burning source of fuel. To create our bodies, organs, nerves, DNA, we have to have amino acids and the best sources that our bodies are able to easily absorb come from animal protein. Vital vitamins are found in fat, fat soluble vitamins A,D,E, and K2, we need these vitamins in abundance. Other vitamins and minerals that we need are found in animal protein as well. Our cells are able to more easily clean up after themselves while burning these fuels unlike carbs. Burning carbs causes significant more stress on the body and damage, aging, wrinkles, inflammation and so much more. Our brains, hearts and other organs prefer to burn fat for fuel, getting into ketons that we aren't going to talk about here. This helps us have more stable energy, there is more energy in fat and think about all that stored body fat you have. If the body is able to tap into this fuel source it has an ample amount of energy. </p><p>I know this will be a question, our brains need glucose to function. There is a positive side to gluconeogenesis, converting protein into glucose. From the protein we eat our livers can make all the glucose our brains need to function. Truly, you could not ever eat carbs again, as long as you are eating enough protein, the body will do it's thing and make glucose. I am not suggesting you don't ever eat carbs or stay very low all the time, I don't believe this is healthy unless being medically supervised. The point is carbs are not needed in the amounts we are told to eat them in. Carbs have their place but shouldn't be taking up the base of our eating. The base of our food consumption should be animal protein and fat.</p><p>I know this was a lot of information. I hope it has given you some food for thought and a better idea of the importance of insulin in our bodies and a glimpse into it's role in storing or burning fat for fuel. We will discuss these ideas more in the weeks to come! </p><p>Where your mitochondria go your health goes.</p><p>Love you guys!</p><p>Jenn</p>Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06719119386438808768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37837842989739808.post-9208697537568955362021-05-17T18:00:00.004-07:002021-05-17T18:00:37.913-07:00May Challenge, Where Do Your Nutrients Come From?<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcxnrCwelPzm_hCKgNEMk1IuZfb63PrZGpL0Kq8ko8KEvRuK4r4ZveIJLWYQVJu_B5PR2026loDuNvoGIaC16bLYa9H8TxMiyTVsdrqFtCVMX0W95gF_LZDVtyvo6M0P5h2me3YCWbMQ/s2048/PXL_20210515_234541802.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcxnrCwelPzm_hCKgNEMk1IuZfb63PrZGpL0Kq8ko8KEvRuK4r4ZveIJLWYQVJu_B5PR2026loDuNvoGIaC16bLYa9H8TxMiyTVsdrqFtCVMX0W95gF_LZDVtyvo6M0P5h2me3YCWbMQ/s320/PXL_20210515_234541802.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>It is pretty awesome when you can go back to a post years later and still agree with what you wrote all these years later. I wrote this in May of 2013. I might have a different analogy to say the same thing, but the rest still holds true all these years later. </p><p>"Challenge yourself to eat healthier and healthier because the better your food, the healthier you will be. What we eat, becomes who we are. So, if you are eating, processed, dead, pseudo food that is lacking in vitamins, minerals, nutrients, the building blocks for life, protein, how can you expect your body to function at the best? It cannot. When our food is lacking nutrients, we are lacking those same nutrients and then our bodies begin to fall apart. Disease, fatigue, not sleeping well, hormones not function properly, brain fog, depression, the list goes on.... For the thousands of reactions that take place in our bodies, we have to have the right chemicals to make it happen.</p>For example, if you were going to build something, we will keep it simple, say a table, and you do not have everything you need to make said table, it is not going to turn out well. What if you were missing nails or screws, something to hold all the boards in place? Maybe you have a few, but not enough to hold the table secure, it is not going to be able to support itself and will fall. How about the tools to build the table, like a hammer, screw driver, sand paper, a tape measure, it will make it very difficult to build that table wont it?<br /><br />For us, the raw materials and tools to build our bodies, is the food we eat. When something is missing or not there, our bodies have to try and make due with what they have. The results can be devastating. The best way to make sure our bodies have everything they need so we can Thrive is eating a nutrient, dense, rich diet of real, whole food."<div><br /></div><div>Where your mitochondria go, your health goes.</div><div>All my love</div><div>Jen<br /><div><br /></div></div>Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06719119386438808768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37837842989739808.post-25437162212217785122021-05-10T17:08:00.008-07:002021-05-10T17:08:47.121-07:00May's Challenge, Building a Recipe Box Hacks <p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguN3a-T3ouGSSPgGSkXZweQw9nYeT1zkZtMLIJPEL1oMa2pVOBnnK1E5sHNP1-fhF2NW3CHf65B_t6YcJiR_AsuMXqNzjlzZWQ2vV9SI2U0NGwonXDVDPrkuts2eK9F7OqOniynzg8SQ/s1600/DSCN1731.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguN3a-T3ouGSSPgGSkXZweQw9nYeT1zkZtMLIJPEL1oMa2pVOBnnK1E5sHNP1-fhF2NW3CHf65B_t6YcJiR_AsuMXqNzjlzZWQ2vV9SI2U0NGwonXDVDPrkuts2eK9F7OqOniynzg8SQ/s320/DSCN1731.JPG" width="320" /></a></p><p style="text-align: left;">Guilty as charged. I am a junky, reading and collecting recipes. I have hundreds saved in my Pinterest account, magazines, boxes, one might say it is a problem. I call it research. I love sitting down with a glass of wine and going through <a href="https://www.bonappetit.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #01ffff;">Bon Appetit</span></a>! A simple joy and pleasure of mine. There are great benefits to reading recipes, you learn about combinations of seasonings, spices, acid, sweet, heat, new ways of cooking food, new ideas to try. It is fantastic research and learning. If you want to improve your cooking skills I suggest spending some time reading recipes. </p><p style="text-align: left;">The struggle when you have hundreds, thousands of recipes, too many can be too many. They do begin to run together, sound similar and can overwhelm you. Find recipes you like and read through others to learn.</p>Two things I do to help with meal time prep and building a recipe box:<br />weekly menu<br />have themes for each day:<div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Monday- Grill/Bake</li><li>Tuesday- Tacos</li><li>Wednesday- Soup/Salad</li><li>Thursday- International day</li><li>Friday- Fish</li><li>Saturday- Try a New Recipe</li><li>Sunday- Steak</li></ul><div>I truly made most of this up, a few of them I do follow. Come up with themes that will work for your needs, this is an idea to get you started. The benefits of this, you have an idea already each each day what you are going to make. It takes less time to prep and make a menu than if you come up with different things each day. Or you don't plan at all and are left going out to eat consistently. </div><div><br /></div><div>This will also help you with pantry and freezer items to keep on hand. You are low on taco seasonings, pick some up the next time you are at the store. You will begin to learn what you need to keep on hand. When you have items on hand you cook with and meal ideas already planned, you are less likely to be left with nothing in the fridge or no time because you don't know what you are going to make and have to go to the store because you don't have ingredients on hand. Easier at this point, order pizza. </div><div><br /></div><div>Sitting down and making a menu for a week or two, going shopping once saves time in the long run. Yes, it is some work up front, but you save time by already having the menu and ingredients on hand. </div><div>This also helps with batch cooking. Say on Monday when you grill or bake meat, cook extra meat. Use it for leftovers at work but also on your salad/soup, or tacos. This will help make these meals even faster for you. Meat is already cooked, bring out the tacos ingredients and in 15 minutes or less you are eating dinner. Cooking more meat upfront takes some of the load off for other days. You are already baking or have the grill fired up, it doesn't take much more time to cook several extra pieces or add another protein to the cooking for another meal later in the week. Time saver. </div><div><br /></div><div>What tips do you have for building a recipe box? Have you tried any of these before, have they worked? </div></div><div><br /></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"></blockquote>Where your mitochondria goes, your health goes.<br /><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"></blockquote>All my love<div>Jenn</div>Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06719119386438808768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37837842989739808.post-34474881505710674352021-05-04T15:36:00.000-07:002021-05-04T15:36:30.289-07:00Tuesday Recipe: Primal Granola<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ45e_8pPGrW09tVtxG-73kFkrkKkPrGEEge1eHu8atbtzhCnCgsVP3cdeFCgGPFgVguJPEHz89dg8JmXWmdgOtejhktJOzGzzxKI8E4zFjye6RBdIrUVhqKHf2FCZBAI1w6IBkD7NmA/s2048/PXL_20210504_193357021.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ45e_8pPGrW09tVtxG-73kFkrkKkPrGEEge1eHu8atbtzhCnCgsVP3cdeFCgGPFgVguJPEHz89dg8JmXWmdgOtejhktJOzGzzxKI8E4zFjye6RBdIrUVhqKHf2FCZBAI1w6IBkD7NmA/s320/PXL_20210504_193357021.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Grain free granola, full fat yogurt</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Primal Granola<br />Ingredients:<br />A variety of nuts and seeds, what you like<br />Almonds<br />Hazelnuts<br />Cashews<br />Walnuts<br />Pecans<br />Flax seeds <br />Chia seeds<br />Sunflower seeds<div><br /><div>Seasonings and spices<br />Cinnamon, couple of teaspoons<br />Cloves, 1 teaspoon<br />Ginger, 2 teaspoons<br />Nutmeg, shake or two, optional<br />Allspice, shake or two, optional<br />Salt, 1 teaspoon<br />Coconut oil, 2-3 tablespoons<br />Honey, to taste <div>Egg</div><div><br /></div><div>Equipment:</div><div>Baking pan, one with an edged</div><div>Parchment paper to line the pan with</div><div><br /></div>Instructions:<br />Preheat oven to 375.<br />Blend the nuts, seeds and spices together. You don't want to grind it into powder, leave junks of the nuts. Place in a bowl.<br />In either a double bowler or in the microwave, melt the coconut oil, honey and salt together. Once melted, beat in the egg and all spices/seasonings, blend well. Pour over the nuts and seeds and mix well. Spread out on the lined baking pan.</div><div>Place in the oven. It needs about 20-30 minutes to bake, depending on how much you have in the pan. If you made a larger batch, you can split it between two pans to bake faster and more even.<div>Every 10-15 minutes, take the mixture out and stir around. Place back into the oven. Continue to bake until golden brown and crispy. When baked, let cool. Break it up. Store in an airtight container. <br /><div style="text-align: left;"><p style="text-align: left;">Serve with fruit, full fat yogurt, milk or eat it by itself. </p><p style="text-align: left;">When I went mostly grain free with Primal eating and realized my body did not tolerate most grains well and I did better on a lower carb lifestyle, I started to miss granola. It is worth the benefits of not eating grains to me to keep it out of my eating though. In my quest to have something similar, nut and seed "granola" came into my world. This is my take on it! I hope you enjoy deeply nourishing your body with this recipe.</p></div></div>Where your mitochondria go your health goes.<br />All my love<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><p style="text-align: left;">Jenn</p></div></div><div><div><p><br /></p></div></div></div></div>Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06719119386438808768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37837842989739808.post-86882739045913553712021-05-03T13:25:00.001-07:002021-05-03T13:25:18.982-07:00May's Challenge: Building a Recipe Box, Dry Brining <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirLlnahMkcjeqyDh8B8Vyop2xVfM3KRjuxBZHx-TnDugOLyHP0bDea10g8_wOZmujPEgVr8T18t9pdtWrlGBq6vpiKF6QHa376J2xCoRf_Z4_Merl8KSwwMe5yqrYLOsCtiRlSmPpqQg/s2048/PXL_20210430_230407182.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirLlnahMkcjeqyDh8B8Vyop2xVfM3KRjuxBZHx-TnDugOLyHP0bDea10g8_wOZmujPEgVr8T18t9pdtWrlGBq6vpiKF6QHa376J2xCoRf_Z4_Merl8KSwwMe5yqrYLOsCtiRlSmPpqQg/s320/PXL_20210430_230407182.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Simple meal of wild salmon and mango salsa</div><p>I am a fan of May. The bitter cold of winter has loosened it's grip, we can still get snow but spring snow is different than winter snow. Flowers are in bloom! The bees are buzzing and pollenating. It begins to warm up, longer days, cool evenings. The heavier winter foods are being replaced by lighter foods. Grills come out. It is a month of transition in my neck of the woods.</p><p>With a new month, brings a new challenge! This month we are going to focus on cooking skills, building a recipe box, finding routines to bring simplicity to our lives. </p><div>One of the struggles I uncovered and have set out to solve, too many today do not know how to cook. The generational skill of cooking has all but been lost. </div><div><br /></div><div>When it comes to food and cooking, I think there are some ideas we need to put to rest:</div><div>Every meal does not need to be a "foodgams".</div><div>Meals do not need to be complicated to be nutritious and give our bodies the basics building blocks they need to create us.</div><div>Simple meals with whole foods are amazing and can come together quickly.</div><div>As a general norm, items from a box with a long list of ingredients are not food.</div><div>Food is about nutrient density, intaking the building blocks for health, growth, repair, life, should be the focus.</div><div>When you learn some basic cooking skills, how to put flavors together, recipes aren't as important.</div><div><br /></div><div>Take for example that piece of salmon in the picture.</div><div>I use a technique called dry brining. I use it on all meats, keeps them moist, juicy, tender and naturally flavors the meat with salt.</div><div>Dry brining in it's simplest terms is simply salting a piece of meat generously on all sides and allowing it to sit for a time. Simple and oh so tasty.</div><div>With the salmon, this day I put it with a simple mango salsa.</div><div>Other times I make a ginger, lime and honey mixture or a honey, paprika and lemon mixture and cook it in that.</div><div>I cook it on the stove in a hot pan and some butter. Sometimes I put in a splash of wine. Simple.</div><div>The base stays the same, dry brining. I bring flavors, added nutrients and fun with other whole foods. Bringing in acid, sour, sweet, spicy, savory, what ever floats your boat. </div><div>This meal can be put together in about 20 minutes, depending on your knife skills which can be improved. The salmon does do better in the brine when it has sat longer, a couple of hours. When time is short, you can do it.</div><div><br /></div><div>For this weeks challenge, try dry brining some meat, beef, chicken, pork, fish, turkey, they all lend nicely to a dry brine.</div><div><br /></div><div>What you need:</div><div>Choice of protein</div><div>Kosher salt, preferably, any salt works</div><div>Time</div><div><br /></div><div>Salt the meat generously, you want to be able to see the salt. Be generous, meat loves salt. </div><div>Allow the meat to sit, preferably on a wire rack until the surface is dry. Large cuts of meat can sit and do best in the fridge, uncovered overnight. Cook your meat to your liking.</div><div><br /></div><div>This technique takes a few tries to get the hang of and how you like it, play with it. The only way you learn something new is to keep trying. </div><div><br /></div><div>Where your mitochondria goes your health goes.</div><div>All my best</div><div>Jen</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06719119386438808768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37837842989739808.post-71123742438569281292021-05-01T09:03:00.001-07:002021-05-01T09:03:26.270-07:00I Am Verses I Have<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bQqQ_oCTo1A" width="320" youtube-src-id="bQqQ_oCTo1A"></iframe></div><br /><p></p><p>I am verses I have. Maybe an odd thing to think about, maybe you never have. Very early on after my diagnose of CRPS and disability, this was a distinction I was able to make for myself. This has made all the difference in the world through this journey. I was able to say, I have CRPS and a disability. I am NOT either. Yes, they shape me and have a dramatic impact on my life, but they are not who I am. By not taking them on as who I am, they don't define me. It is not who I am in my core, my soul. The CRPS and disability have stayed external instead of being internalized, becoming who I am, consuming me and destroying me. When we become these things, they have the ability to destroy us, consume us and turn us into someone we are not. </p><p>Who are you verses what do you have?</p><p>I hope this can help on your journey.</p><p>Where your mitochondria go your health goes.</p><p>Love you guys</p><p>Jenn</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p> </p>Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06719119386438808768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37837842989739808.post-34777050722374686752021-04-26T12:55:00.000-07:002021-04-26T12:55:35.999-07:00April's Challenge, Tasty Fat and Insulin<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0nCkDQTFRPWx9LinDVj6zEvItpvj_FxNl_8AAKE0i0-qHCsS6xVbSKg__dtFmIdGEr3hFdanwLGkdSKSelocmOrOZ-dr6iIQ4j8UCJ_gWQkC86lUD4Y5WiUNpvY_DpVfgTSnLKcG9YA/s4032/PXL_20210419_161002832.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0nCkDQTFRPWx9LinDVj6zEvItpvj_FxNl_8AAKE0i0-qHCsS6xVbSKg__dtFmIdGEr3hFdanwLGkdSKSelocmOrOZ-dr6iIQ4j8UCJ_gWQkC86lUD4Y5WiUNpvY_DpVfgTSnLKcG9YA/s320/PXL_20210419_161002832.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Breaking fast meal, fat and protein</div><p>For the last week of April's challenge on fat, I am going to focus on insulin levels. Maybe seems crazy, but as I say, there is a method to my madness. </p><p>What is insulin? Insulin is a form of a hormone that is produced in the pancreas. Insulin plays many important roles in the body. It is vital to life. Without it we would die. Too high, too low and havoc is wreak throughout the body. If insulin is consistently elevated, our health begins to unravel at the cellular level and beyond. Insulin is kinda a big deal. </p><p>One of the roles of insulin to regulating blood sugar, glucose, in the blood. When you eat carbs and sugars, insulin is produced in response to the glucose. The body uses insulin to take the glucose out of the blood stream and push it into the cells to be used for energy, stored in the muscles or liver, if your stores are full, it is converted to fat and stored on the body as fat. Shuttling out the glucose from our blood stream is important because glucose left in the blood stream can become toxic. We need to flush it out, use it or store it. </p><p>Another role of insulin is regulation of fat storage or break down. Yup, insulin tells your body to either store fat or burn fat for energy. If glucose levels are high in the blood, the insulin being produced and released by the body, keeps fat safely locked away on your body to be burned later for fuel. When insulin levels come back to stable levels, the body can begin to use your fat stores as a source of energy. You have to use glucose first, if it is left in the blood stream it can become toxic to the body. If you continue inputting sugar laden foods, your insulin levels remain high and fat continues to be stored on the body. </p><p>There are many other roles insulin plays in the body, very important roles. We are going to stick with these two for today.</p><p>Remember, insulin is important in the body. We have to have it. It is about the levels we have it in. We need enough for all the roles insulin plays in the body, seamlessly rising and falling with in a narrow range for the vitality of life. We want to avoid the big waves, crashes, and consistently high levels. We want more of a whisper.</p><p>Insulin is triggered by the level of glucose in the blood stream. Eat a lot of carbs, insulin levels go up to shuttle this glucose out of the blood stream, then plummet. This triggers hunger. The more unstable and higher your insulin levels, the more hungry you are. Your body is trying to keep you alive here, too high or too low of insulin levels and we are in trouble. Mood swings, hangry, exhaustion, inability to think, focus, weight gain..... Getting the picture? </p><p>If carbs, increase the amount of insulin produced in the body, what do we eat? Protein and our good friend fat. The bulk of your nutrient intake should be coming from fat and protein. How much? An idea is a gram of protein per pound of lean body mass, ideal weight. More than you are eating. How much fat? Copious amounts of healthy fats that we have been talking about these last several posts. Protein has some impact on your insulin levels. For most, this impact is not a big deal, be sure to eat it with fat. Eat more protein. Fat on the other hand. well is basically is a free food. It doesn't impact our insulin levels. Keeps them nice and stable. Eat more fat. </p><p>One more important thing, stable insulin levels leads to effortless weight loss and maintenance. Go eat some fat and protein.</p><p>More resources:</p><p><a href="https://www.marksdailyapple.com/diabetes/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #01ffff;">A Guide to Insulin </span></a><br /></p><p><a href="https://drcate.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #01ffff;">Dr. Cate</span></a> Her book the "Fat Burn Fix" is fantastic.<br /></p><p>Where your mitochondria go, your health goes.</p><p>Jenn </p>Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06719119386438808768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37837842989739808.post-80533633803467929122021-04-21T15:17:00.000-07:002021-04-21T15:17:04.238-07:00A Trip Back in Time<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-sEJ0eY_SAFABsS87lavXxdDwwzBIoGjcgSeLzMhG7VIb_2z2hLSzLEVOzkLeK3YD6X12B61jFe1q9cY4ISPiAK-v04GLTCY_7Lt6MbGnUuedpXHL83Qi-tQq_ltQ9jh3sLSsMjD4vw/s2156/PXL_20210421_211045980.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2156" data-original-width="1617" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-sEJ0eY_SAFABsS87lavXxdDwwzBIoGjcgSeLzMhG7VIb_2z2hLSzLEVOzkLeK3YD6X12B61jFe1q9cY4ISPiAK-v04GLTCY_7Lt6MbGnUuedpXHL83Qi-tQq_ltQ9jh3sLSsMjD4vw/s320/PXL_20210421_211045980.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">New Beginnings </div><div><br /></div><div>I began my blog in August of 2011. Crazy. I consistently blogged for many years, weekly to multiple times a week. I put together challenges, monthly ones, year long challenges with monthly and weekly smaller challenges to go along with the greater goal of better health. I poured a lot of love into my blog for several years. It never went anywhere, but I did enjoy it. By the end of 2016, I wasn't as consistent and pretty much stopped other than a post here and there. Typing destroys my hand and arm. It causes tremendous bone pain, my arm will scream bloody murder for days to weeks if I type. It wasn't worth the pain I was in to continue typing. I stopped blogging and began using Instargram for a "blog". Went through a divorce. Began working on me, there was hell to heal from. Recently, from the encouragement of my business coach, I began blogging again a couple of months ago. She kept reminding me how much content, love I had in this blog, I shouldn't let it go away. If nothing else, reuse content, there is so much here. She reminded me of my joy of doing this. I am loving it! Typing still sets my arm to hell. Sometimes I type with one hand, other times I push through and type with both hands, gets the thoughts out better. It is a work in progress, lets be honest.</div><div> </div><div>I was browsing old drafts, see what I had began as ideas for posts and never did. I originally began this post in July of 2013. I need to ask myself these questions today, all these years later. </div><div><br /></div><i>What are you holding onto that you need to let go of to achieve this goal/dream?<br />
Sometimes the thing we are holding onto the tightest is the thing we need to let go of to fulfill our dreams. This "thing" is what is keeping you from reaching your dreams/goals, new heights, being the person you want to be.<br />
What steps are you willing to take to begin letting go of this controlling fear? This fear that is stopping you from reaching the heights?</i><div><br /></div><div>Some powerful questions.</div><div><br /></div><div>Where your mitochondria go, your health goes.</div><div>All my love</div><div>Jenn</div>Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06719119386438808768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37837842989739808.post-81099176330811370062021-04-19T11:58:00.000-07:002021-04-19T11:58:28.849-07:00April's Challenge, Fat is the Preferred Energy Source<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ4zPxw-X_98fz_nufcvbV_9xRtPLSRJpFDV65IH51GTLs6SQiyllQScGq1VeKwKrwtnFn6yeB8kBAGL8QLLgDVdQw8twhouKw2_x964bmy9wCpz36ytET1CZZeIT9Mr-Q6B1ZSIXf6A/s4032/PXL_20210419_160650789.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ4zPxw-X_98fz_nufcvbV_9xRtPLSRJpFDV65IH51GTLs6SQiyllQScGq1VeKwKrwtnFn6yeB8kBAGL8QLLgDVdQw8twhouKw2_x964bmy9wCpz36ytET1CZZeIT9Mr-Q6B1ZSIXf6A/s320/PXL_20210419_160650789.jpg" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">The color egg yolks should be deep orange</p><p>One of the beautiful aspects of Primal living is the switch in the paradigm of the body's preferred source of fuel. It is not carbohydrates it is fat. The body loves to burn fat for fuel. The heart and brain thrive on ketons which are produced by the body when we eat fat and protein. Yes, the brain needs some glucose. The liver is able to create enough of this to supply the brain with it's minimal need for glucose. For most of it's energy source the brain prefers ketons. This energy source is long lasting and there is ample supplies of it on our bodies. This reassures the energy hogging brain it will have all the energy it needs to thrive. It quiets down. Fat is clean burning, long lasting and stable source of energy and nutrients the body needs to function. The fat I am talking about is natural fats, animal fats, butter, full fat dairy, eggs, beef, pork, fish, lard, olive oil, avocadoes, nuts and seeds, foods our ancestors would have recognized and known what they were hundreds of years ago. </p><p>What do I mean by clean burning energy? When the body breaks down nutrients to use an inevitable side effect is oxidative stress, free radicles are created. A part of the process no way around it. Different foods create differing amounts of free radicles. Sugars, carbohydrates, hydrogenated oils, these cause significant amounts of oxidative stress. We need more antioxidants then to clean up these free radicles. However, when we eat protein and healthy fats like I mentioned above, there is significantly less free radicles created in the break down processes. The body is able to more readily clean up after itself when fat is the primary source of fuel. We need less antioxidants to clean up after eating. Instead of putting those precious antioxidants to use cleaning up from our food choices, the body is able to put those to use in other ways protecting us from other damage, chemicals, toxins, stress. </p><p>Another reason we prioritize fat for fuel is the amount of energy availed in fat. It is stable, fat doesn't disturbed our insulin creating peaks and valleys, high and low levels of insulin. This peak and valley in insulin leads to crashes in energy levels. With fat and protein insulin remains stable. Stable insulin relates to higher, consistent energy levels, fewer energy crashes, better mood, greater focus and higher quality sleep. </p><p>For endurance athletes, you know bonking all to well. When your body is able to burn fat for fuel and you are able to dig into your body's fat stores, you have abundant energy available to you. You become virtually bonk proof. </p><p>Your body has to come back to it's God given natural state of being able to burn fat for fuel. Your mitochondria, the power plants of your cells, where your energy is produced, they have to readapt to burning fat. When you eat sugar and carbs as your energy source, your body changes at a chemical, cellular, physiological level. It has to relearn how to be a fat burner. Once it has gone through this period of time, around 21 days, you are on your way to better health, effortless weight loss or weight maintenance, stable moods, better sleep, mental health improvements and so much more.</p><p>The benefits of burning fat for fuel are endless, You have more bang for your buck when eating fat, there is a lot of energy in fat. It helps keep stable insulin levels leading to increased energy and more stable moods. It tastes amazing! How could eating a steak dripping in butter not be one of those most amazing things to eat?! </p><p>Where your mitochondria goes your health goes. </p><p>All my best</p><p>Jen</p><p><br /></p>Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06719119386438808768noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37837842989739808.post-71543079789275531302021-04-14T14:50:00.000-07:002021-04-14T14:50:18.632-07:00April's Challenge, Eliminating the Not so Good<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwVUGu2aGe5FuGSaT1R9hLGQcJ_jBAxIi0KgJHQHEeFtenZjT3QT-KqZvdPHC7vmZV3Be-h4tW-02TsZRM7uSA0Y0SqwxxpE2ZqJSVjBtjUNDVN-zGdrdOEWjhRR8nz_8vQLQCs5lZPQ/s594/kyf-conola-oilchart.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="594" data-original-width="471" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwVUGu2aGe5FuGSaT1R9hLGQcJ_jBAxIi0KgJHQHEeFtenZjT3QT-KqZvdPHC7vmZV3Be-h4tW-02TsZRM7uSA0Y0SqwxxpE2ZqJSVjBtjUNDVN-zGdrdOEWjhRR8nz_8vQLQCs5lZPQ/s320/kyf-conola-oilchart.gif" /></a></div><p>To continue from lasts week's post in regards to eliminating hydrogenated oils, I believe this is an important graph and article attached describing the chemical process rape seed goes through to become canola oil. It isn't pretty. I know for me, if something has to go through this many steps to become "edible" it isn't something I am putting in my body.</p><p>The article is a bit lengthy, but worth the read. </p><p><a href="https://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/know-your-fats/the-great-con-ola/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #01ffff;">The Great Con-ola</span></a><br /></p><p>Where your mitochondria go, your health goes.</p><p>All my best,</p><p>Jenn</p>Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06719119386438808768noreply@blogger.com0