Are You Listening To Your Gut?

Did you know that over 70% of your immunity is housed in YOUR GUT (aka your digestive system)?

Confused? Let me explain: Our gut is a 16-24ft long tubular set of muscles that run from the mouth to the anus, and, according to Elizabeth Lipski, Ph.D., author of 'Digestive Wellness', it's a self-running, self-healing miracle, sloughing off and renewing its lining every three to five days. 

Inside is a host of bacteria, comprising 99 percent of the DNA in our bodies! In fact, we have approximately 10 TIMES more bacteria in our gut than cells in our body. A healthy person's gut will contain mostly good bacteria (aka beneficial bacteria) and it's the good bacteria that we need in order to keep our immune systems running like well-oiled machines, #keeping us healthy and vital!  

But that's not all. Having a healthy gut, full of good bacteria doesn't just increase our immunity; it also helps: 

• control our weight

• makes us feel happy (smiley face)

• help us sleep (love that!)

• prevent diabetes

• combat certain cancers

• lessen the likelihood of cardiovascular disease

Sounds really good, doesn't it! However, there's a catch!  

We can sabotage our gut friendly bacteria if we do any of the following: Get stressed out, eat a nutrient deficient diet, take medications, ingest chemicals, drink too much alcohol, pick-up a bacterial or microbial disease and a number of other factors that are too many to name! Of course, all of us are doing one or many of these self-sabotaging events on a regular basis!  So what we need to understand is that this tips the delicate balance of good bacteria and we end up with a proliferation of bad bacteria that takes up residence in our gut like bacterial squatters. The result:  A heap of long term negative health issues, most notably a significant drop in our overall immunity.  

But before you get panicked about 'nasties' wiggling around in your gut, I have happy news for you!  If we feed our gut with probiotic-rich foods, we can help tip the balance back to the good side. Why? Because probiotic foods are FULL of good bacteria. Actually, probiotic foods are the good bacteria in a jar.  It's that's simple. 

Which are these probiotic-rich foods, you ask? Really any food that is fermented or cultured because it contains Probiotics - aka the good bacteria! These foods have been used for hundreds of years by many cultures  for their health giving benefits - sauerkraut in Europe, kimchi in Asia and yoghurt in the form of a lassi in India: Fermented and cultured foods are gaining in popularity in north America and you need to get on that probiotic immunity train.  Not sure what foods are fermented and cultured?  I've got you covered.  Here's a shortlist of the more common ones at your local health food store:   

• Chocolate (great start!)

• Kefir (diary or coconut)

• Kimchi (I love LIVE brand)

• Kombacha (delicious tea-like concoction)

• Miso (go for the lighter colors for a mellower flavour)

• Olives (who doesn't love an olive or two)

• Pickles (brine-cured, not vinegar)

• Sauerkraut (favourite lunch addition)

• Tempeh (more of an acquired taste)

• Wheat grass juice

• Yoghurt (unsweetened, naturally!)

Always opt for glass bottles and certified organic, when possible. Most of these item you will find in the fridge section of your local health food store. 

One final BRIT BEET tip: Since the good bacteria do not stay permanently in our gut, we need to eat fermented and cultured foods regularly. So on that note, how often do I eat them? I indulge in them EVERYDAY and my immune system has never felt or been so strong.  I've even got my husband hooked... in fact he couldn't wait for me to finish this blog because it's time for our daily helping ... someone's been listening to their gut!

Jumpstart Your New Year's Detox with this Superfood

Chlorella Pond: Courtesy of Sun Chlorella Company 

With SO many superfoods being touted daily by the mainstream media, it's hard to keep up!

But have you paid attention to one of my favorites - Chlorella? 

Sure ... it's not as sexy as cacao, or as on-trend as kale, but this velvety green whole food has unreal nutritional superpowers that you need to know about.    

What is it exactly?

This superfood is a single-cell, water-grown algae (sounds gross, but don't be put off) that contains a nutrient vital to our health - Chlorophyll, not to be confused with Chloroform - a toxic substance that can seriously depress the respiratory system and heart.

Do you know that Chlorella is:

• One of the most ancient forms of life - it has been in existence for nearly 2 billion years. (2)
• Currently being investigating by NASA as a source of nutrition for its astronauts. (1)   
• Used daily in Japan as a food supplement by 4 million people, to such an extent that the Japanese government has declared it a functional food of national interest. (2)
• A superfood because it contains an almost complete range of vitamins (apart from vitamin D), all the main minerals, large amounts of iron and calcium, 19 amino acids and 50-60% of vegetable protein. (2)
• Mighty, with 10 times more vitamin A than beef liver per gram, 40 times more protein per gram than soya, rice and wheat. (2)
• The champion in the chlorophyll world, with the highest amount of chlorophyll of any plant in the world. In fact, that's how it got its name!
• An algae that quadruples itself every twenty hours, growing faster than any food crop know to man (8)

According to *Paul Pitchford, M.S., author of the landmark nutrition book, Healing with Whole Foods: Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition (2002),  these are just some of Chlorella’s many amazing benefits: (3, 4, 5,6,7)

• Detoxification of the body (heavy metals, PCB’s, some pesticides/herbicides).
• Stimulation of the immune system (stimulates production of our immune ‘T’ cells).
• Improvement in bowel and digestive function (causes the Lactobacilli bacteria in our stomachs to multiply at four times their normal rate and helps reduce constipation).
• Promotion of longevity without desirable side-effects (Highest known food source of RNA).

How To Consume Chlorella?

It's a potent detoxifier, so it's best to introduce Chlorella very gradually into your diet to allow your body to adjust. A slow introduction helps avoid unwanted headaches, lethargy and brain fog - if you get these symptoms, reduce your dose. It's your body's way of telling you that you are detoxing too fast. 

You'll find Chlorella in tablet and powder form (1 teaspoon of powder is equal to 5 grams).
Tablets – Chew them up thoroughly at the end of your meal for optimal digestion.
Powder – Great in smoothies but be pre-warned - Chlorella has a ‘fishy’ taste so best to mix it with citrus flavors or chocolate to mask the taste.  

Dosing

3 grams daily is a generally recommended as a good maintenance dose.

For detoxification purpose, I recommend you consult a Certified Nutritionist as it's vital that all your detox pathways are ‘open’, with your bowels moving well and that you are well hydrated.  
Note: Since Chlorella is high in iron, it is not recommended for those with elevated iron blood levels.

What Do I Look For when Buying Chlorella?

Chlorella is ubiquitous – however some products have been known to contain substantial quantities of contaminants such as mercury and aluminum. Also be aware of chlorella products that contain fillers, binders and other preservatives; these only lessen its nutritional effectiveness and rob your wallet.  

Instead, look for companies that offer ‘organic, broken cell’ chlorella that improves digestion and assimilation.

*Paul Pitchford, M.S.,  recommends Prime Chlorella TM, and uses it clinically for its ‘unsurpassed purity and effectiveness’.  I have not used it in my practice so I cannot guarantee it authenticity.

References

(1) http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/1813.html

(2) http://chlorellagrowthfactor.co.uk/research-on-cgf/

(3) Yamaguchi, Shimizu, et al.  "Immuno Modulation by Single Cellular Algae (Chlorella Pyrenoldosa) and Anti-tumor Activities for Tumor-Bearing Mice," a paper presented at the 3rd International Congress of Developmental and Comparative Immunology, Reims, France, July 1985.

(4) Yamada, Yoshio, et al.  "School Children's Growth and the Value of Chlorella." Nihon III shimpo, No. 2196, 1988.

(5) Frank, Dr. Benjamin, "Dr. Frank's No-Aging Diet." B of A Communications Co., Baton Rouge, LA (1981).

(6) "Changes induced by Chlorella on the Body Weight and incidence of Colds Among Naval Trainees." Midorf, 1, 1970.

(7) Yamagishi, Yoshio.  "The Treatment of Peptic Ulcers by Chlorella." Nihon III Shimpo. No 1997, 1962.

(8) David Wolfe, “Superfoods. The Foods And Medicine Of The Future”. Pg. 234

Anti-Inflammatory Healthy Breast Daily Diet Guide

This anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, nutrient-dense daily diet includes healing foods that help prevent breast cancer or the recurrence of breast cancer, such as omega-3 fats, fibre, probiotic-rich fermented foods, sea veggies, phytonutrients, and cancer-busting phytochemicals.   

• Pre Breakfast: Glass of green veggie juice: kale, carrots, bitter greens, beets, apple, lemon
• Breakfast: Plant protein smoothie, kefir, ground flax/chia/hemp, flax oil, turmeric, cinnamon
• Snack: 1 cup berries/apples/cherries (remember to eat the 'rainbow')
• Lunch: 1 cup beans/lentils, dulse, raw veggies, sauerkraut, kimchi, pumpkin seeds, sprouts
• Snack: 1-2tbsp raw pumpkin seeds, almonds, sunflower seeds
• Supper: Wild salmon, whole grains, stuffing mushrooms, leafy salad with avocado, brassica veggies
• Liquids: Green tea, herbals teas - dandelion, milk-thistle or ginger,  clean water. Reduce/eliminate coffee!

Inflammation is at the root of disease so by increasing your consumption of these anti-inflammatory foods on a daily basis, the better protected you will be from developing breast cancer or from breast cancer recurrence. 

Grains ... Are they Messing with your Health?

Warning: Read This BEFORE You stock-up on those bran muffins!

Do you remember being told what a good source of fibre bran muffins, whole grains, and cereals are?

Well…. That might be true, but it may not be the whole story.

According to a growing number of experts, including Dr. Loren Cordain, a professor at Colorado State University and an expert on Paleolithic lifestyles, humans are NOT designed to eat grains, and doing so may actually be damaging to our gut and our long-term health.

Dr. Cordain explains: 

"There's no human requirement for grains. That's the problem with the USDA recommendations. They think we're hardwired as a species to eat grains.

You can get by just fine and meet every single nutrient requirement that humans have without eating grains. And grains are absolutely poor sources of vitamins and minerals compared to fruits and vegetables and meat and fish."

Ironically, the high-fiber bran portion of grain – a key part that makes it a whole grain and is meant to be so healthy for us – actually contains anti-nutrients.

Two of these anti-nutrients are protein substances called gliadin (it's what gives wheat bread it’s dough texture) and lectins (a built-in survival mechanism by which plants protect themselves from being eaten).

However, both these protein substances can interfere with our absorption and digestion processes and may alter the bacterial make-up in our gut, leading to gas, bloating, cramps and other chronic health issues, such as autoimmune diseases. (1)

So be your best judge.  Do you feel bloated, gassy, suffer from abdominal cramps, headaches, aches and pains or just don’t feel yourself after eating your morning muffin or lunch-time bagel? If so, you may want to stop eating grains and seek guidance from a nutrition professional. 

References

(1) http://scorecard.goodguide.com/health-effects/explanation.tcl?short_hazard_name=immun

How to Go to the Next Level of Living with Performance Nutrition

When people hear the term performance nutrition, they will often confuse it with either sports nutrition or think of it only as something competitive athletes need.  In fact, performance nutrition is for anyone.  That is, anyone who wants to get the most out of life.  You see, in order to get the most out of life, you will need to get the most out of yourself.  Performance nutrition can help you do that.

I define performance nutrition as the strategic planning and tactical use of food and supplements to help you improve both your work and adaptive capacity. 

What does that mean for you? 

Well, having a great work capacity means you will be able to get more done.  Whether in the gym or at work, you will have the energy you need to thrive at a higher level of productivity.  Having greater adaptive capacity means that your body can take on more demands, continuing to be healthy without breaking down. 

For example, with training, it isn’t so much what you do in the gym that helps you improve your performance.  It is how your body adapts to the demands of training that will ultimately determine your rate of performance.  And if you are not adapting to the demands you place on your body, well, that just ends up likely becoming an injury. 

Performance nutrition is a mindset shift in which you focus your intake of food and supplements to help you feel and perform at your best in all you do. 

In my two decades of working with some of the world’s top performing teams, Olympians and business professions, there is a common thread with how most people think about nutrition.  The typical thought process is, "how can nutrition help me look better and loose fat."  This pattern typically plays out like this.  Food choices and dietary planning is focused around changing your body composition so you can look better.  More often than not, this ends up making you not feel good and ultimately robs you of your performance and your health. 

I propose taking a performance nutrition mindset in which you focus on what will help you feel your best, so you can perform at your best.  And when you perform at your best, you will end up looking your best, without compromising your long-term health. 

Performance nutrition is made up of what I call the inner zone and the outer zone.  The inner zone is what you do before, during and after a workout to help your body energize, repair and protect itself for the demands of training.  The outer zone is what you do the rest of the day to maximize your energy, resilience and adaptive capacity. 

Specific strategies that are typically employed when following a performance nutrition approach include determining your energy balance equation, strategic nutrient timing and leveraging the use of supplements to help you get what your body needs and nothing it doesn’t.  

As an example, we can look specifically at the post exercise part of the inner zone of performance nutrition.  Right after you workout, your body is primed for repair and restoration of the energy you expended while working out.  This is a crucial window that your body uses specific nutrients to help build stronger, healthier and more resilient tissues. 

The two most important macronutrients during this post exercise time are carbs and protein.   Protein to help with rebuilding stronger, leaner muscle tissue, and carbs to replace depleted energy stores.  This post exercise window last about 30 minutes but I recommend you take a combination of protein and carb right after you stop training. 

There is a strongly held believe out there that not having anything after a training session will help your body burn more fat and this is a myth.  In fact, studies have proven that maximizing this recovery window with protein and carbs can increase your body’s ability to burn more fat and help you feel better all day long. 

I recommend pre-formulated supplements that are created specifically for this recovery window.  They are more convenient and ready to use without any preparation. 

This is a small glimpse of how performance nutrition can help you get the most out of yourself each and every day. 

For more information visit, www.feelingprettyremarkable.com or to check out the full line of CrossFuel high performance supplements, visit www.mycrossfuel.com

Hot Summer Looks: Nails

PAINT THE TOWN RED... OR PINK... OR ORANGE...

With the warmer weather, it’s time for pretty open-toed shoes and that means, nail polish! 

According to the David Suzuki Foundation 2010 report, 80% of nail polishes contain at least 3 chemicals linked with health and environmental concerns, including cancer, reproductive disorders, asthma and severe allergies.

There are  3 toxic chemicals/main offenders we need to watch out for:

• DBP (Dibutyl phthalate)  - Used as a solvent for dyes and as a plasticizer to prevent nail polishes from becoming brittle, this phthalate is classified by the EU as a suspected endocrine (horomone) disruptor and as toxic to reproduction. 
• FORMALDEHYDE – Used as a nail hardener, The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies formaldehyde as a known human carcinogen.
• TOULENE - According to the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety, toluene is a moderate skin irritant that can cause dermatitis with prolonged contact. It is also a developmental toxicity hazard and has been identified in human milk. 

SO WHAT'S A GIRL TO DO? 

Below are 5 companies that got rid of these 3 toxic chemicals and now market their brands as '3-Free' so you can feel better about what you are painting on your nails:  

• BUTTER LONDON (my personal fav). Find it at Whole Foods, Noah’s Health Food Store or www.well.ca 
• PIGGY PAINT FOR KIDS (Also water-based). Find it at www.well.ca 
• SCOTCH NATURALS - Scotch Naturals water based nail polish is vegan, gluten free, fragrance free, toxin free, paraben free, hypoallergenic, and biodegradable. They also have a safe and fun Kids line called Hopscotch Kids. Find it at www.well.ca
• ZOYA – Find it at selelct Wholefoods or at www.nailpolishcanada.com/categories/zoya.html
• DEBORAH LIPPMAN (also they don't do animal testing). Find it at Sephora or at www.deborahlippmann.com

BRIT BEET Tip:  If you are thinking of acrylic nails - think twice.  Acrylic nails are popular due to their longevity but they contain Toulene (one of the 3 toxic chemicals we have already identified) and may also contain MMA, a chemical banned by the FDA. Due to a lack of industry regulation however, this chemical could still be used at your local salon. What you need to know is that It can cause respiratory problems, eye and skin irritation and neurological issues.  Worth thinking twice about... probably.