Megan Rand

Tag: health

  • My Morning Routine

    My Morning Routine

     

    You do that every morning?!

    This is what I hear whenever I share my favorite daily detox tools and personal care products. It sounds like a lot to fit into a morning, but once it becomes a part of your routine it is really very easy! Being able to do two things at the same time such as oil pull while I am taking a shower definitely helps speed up the process. I am always perfecting and changing my routine, but I will share with you what I am currently doing!

    My Morning personal care routine & detox tools:

    Lemon Elixir

    Depending on my mood, I start the day with either warm lemon water (half of a lemon in a full mug of water) or room temperature water from my Berkey. When I drink room temperature water I add a half of lemon and 1 -2 tablespoons of Raw Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV). This elixir will warm up your digestion to get you ready for your day and also aids in clearing any toxins that your liver has been working to eliminate throughout the night.

    Note: Because ACV is a ferment with live bacteria, do not heat the ACV or you may kill the live bacteria – be sure to add it to your room temperature water.

    Some people have an aversion to ACV because it makes them feel nauseous. This feeling may go away in a couple of days or it could be a sign that you have a candida or bacterial overgrowth. As always, test what works best for you! If that feeling doesn’t go away or you have a tightness in your chest, ditch the ACV and stick with lemon water. I recommend checking back in every so often to see if you are able to tolerate the ACV

    After my lemon elixir, I have some ME time. I try to wake up before my daughter so that I can do some stretching or writing. This is when I do my most creative work, so I avoid checking my email or social media until later in the day!!

    Tongue Scraper

    Next I head to the bathroom and start with my tongue scraper. I have a Dr. Tung’s Tongue Scraper which is such a good investment in your health at only around $7!

    All night long your body is repairing itself and getting rid of toxins. One of the exit routes for these toxins is on your tongue. If you notice that you have a thick yellow or white coating on your tongue, this is a sign that your body is working hard to try and get rid of extra waste. You can help your body out by scraping this film off instead of swallowing it again and having to get rid of it again the next night!

    Detoxification support is not the only benefit or tongue scraping. It is also great for oral health since you are removing a significant amount of bacteria that can lead to bad breath and dental issues. In addition, by removing this coating on your tongue you improve your ability to taste food, which makes it more satisfying. By reigniting your taste buds, you eliminate the need to add more sugar, salt and excessive spice to the food to make it more flavorful.

    Oil pulling

    Next I put one tablespoon of coconut oil in my mouth and literally pull it through my teeth. You can start with a few minutes and build up to the recommended 15 – 20 minutes. This is a long time to be oil pulling, so starting small and working up is better than nothing at all!

    The antibacterial properties of the oil will pull out bacteria and fungus, alleviating inflammation, congestion and even allergies. It helps with bad breath, bleeding gums, cavities, gingivitis, plaque, sensitive teeth and will make your teeth noticeably whiter. If you’ve ever had any dental work or root canals, this is something you should commit to for at least a month. Make sure you check with your dentist if you have crowns or loose fillings as this can pull them out.

    I leave the oil in my mouth and move on to…

    Dry Skin Brushing

    Dry skin brushing is an amazing detox tool. You can find watch my Periscope on dry skin brushing here  (as well as all my other Periscope broadcasts) or read a blog post about How to Dry Skin Brush. There is an in depth, how-to explanation of how to do this.

    In general, dry skin brushing is spectacular for losing weight, diminishing cellulite, flushing the lymphatic system and overall boost to your immunity.

    You can find a dry skin brush on Amazon or your local health food store.

    After I finishing dry brushing, I hop in the shower and continue to oil pull. When I’m done pulling, I spit the oil in the trash – not in the sink – so that I don’t clog the pipes with oil!

    Brush my Teeth -The Dirt

    I brush my teeth with The Dirt, which is a trace mineral tooth brushing powder. I love this toothpaste (or powder)! My daughter uses the MCT oil toothpaste from the same company which is another option if you can’t get into using powder on your teeth. Most toothpaste (even the “healthy” ones) contain glycerin, fluoride and other chemicals so this is a fabulous alternative. You can get 15% off with this link.

    Fatface Skincare

    Fatface offers clean skin care products that use healthy fats and organic ingredients. They are chemical and toxic free.

    Every day after my shower I use the Myrrhaculous Face Cream but while I am pregnant I use the one without myrrh (you can mark that on your order and they will send you one without myrrh!). After I give my face some love, I also rub Body Butta  all over your belly and body.  Last winter the Body Butta made all the difference in my skin since, because I HATE dry skin! Last winter was my first winter back East in almost 10 years, and happened to be the longest, driest winter in a while!!!  The Body Butta is also fabulous during pregnancy to help keep form getting stretch marks (if you are wondering about other tips for stretch marks, grab my free Holistic Pregnancy Guide) .

     

    Next it is time for my breakfast and my vitamins. That sums up my morning routine. Now I am off to workout with my trainer Jocelyn (well not really off to workout since she comes to me via Skype!). Don’t forget to keep your lymphatic system moving with some daily exercise!!

     

     

  • Virus Fighting Gargle Rinse

    Virus Fighting Gargle Rinse

     

    Last year when I started to feel like I was getting a cold, a friend suggested that I gargle with oregano oil. I was a little skeptical that it would help, but I was willing to give it a try! To my amazement the sore throat never developed into more than a little scratchy feeling. The next day I was completely back to normal because luckily I had caught it right in the beginning!!

     

    The only down side is that when gargling with pretty concentrated oregano oil, if you get a little too zealous it sprays onto your face it can really burn!

     

    Although the oregano oil by itself is one option, Alex at Digprimal.com has an even better recipe to use when you start to get a sore throat or feel run down. Since she works in a hospital it is very important for her to catch and get rid of any viruses that might want to take hold.

     

    {Alex is an anesthesiology resident with a passion for a whole foods and a holistic approach to health.  She’s the co-creator of the Healthy Hormones Group Program which helps women reclaim their adrenal, hormonal, and neurotransmitter balance. She also runs her blog, digprimal.com, which is all about natural living, DIY-ing, and fueling your body with nutrient dense food.  She lives in Chicago with her husband and two adorable (and goofy) cats.}

     

    Check out today’s guest blog post by Alex —>

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    Virus Fighting Gargle Rinse

     

    This recipe is what I reach for when I start to feel any sort of discomfort/scratchy-ness in the back of my throat or when I start to cough.  I do it up to 3 times per day the second I start to feel symptoms and, in my personal experience, it generally helps me from developing the full blown version of whatever was brewing.

     

    Ingredients:

    Steps:

    1.  Place your warm water into a large mug.
    2. Add in your salt and baking soda, then stir until dissolved.
    3. Add in your oregano oil and tea tree oil and mix thoroughly. (The oil will not want to mix with the water so you may have to stir several times throughout the process.)

     

    I use this recipe most often as a gargle but I’ve also had quite a bit of success when I’ve used it in a Neti Pot.

     

    We hope that this helps you out during the long winter months!

     

  • Autoimmune Basics: 5 Simple Steps to Transform Autoimmunity

    Autoimmune Basics: 5 Simple Steps to Transform Autoimmunity

     

    I love collaborating with and learning from other practitioners!  Today we have any extra special treat because Toréa from www.torearodriguez.com is going to give us a little lesson on autoimmunity.  In my personal practice, my number of clients with autoimmunity is on the rise and I know this is becoming more and more common in the general population as well.

    [image url=”http://gingernewtrition.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Torea-300×300.jpg” raw=”true” alignment=”left” margin_left=”0″ margin_right=”10″ margin_top=”0″ margin_bottom=”0″ width=”300″ height=”300″]Toréa is a Functional Diagnostic Nutrition® Practitioner who has first-hand experience with autoimmune diseases and how to regain health.

    Combining her scientific knowledge, risk-assessment and leadership skills along with her love for adventure, community and service, Toréa delivers a very unique experience when working to transform autoimmune disease into long-lasting vitality. Toréa Rodriguez is a former biochemist, Silicon Valley executive, and professional pilot. After diagnosis and healing of her own autoimmune diseases, she is now a certified Functional Diagnostic Nutrition® Practitioner and Vitality Transformation Coach.

    Check out today’s guest blog post by Toréa —>

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    What is Autoimmunity? Autoimmune disease is characterized as the body attacking itself in an immune response. It’s one of the top ten causes of death in women and the elderly, and now affects one in 10 people worldwide. In fact, the incidence of autoimmune disease has skyrocketed over the past few decades and there are now more than 700 million people around the world are now affected.

    Unfortunately, conventional medicine and treatments have little to offer except for yet another prescription or more drastic measures such as surgery to try to negate the effects of autoimmunity in patients.

    Over 100 distinct autoimmune disease have been identified to date. These can affect at least one, but usually several, of the organ systems and tissues in the body. Further, at least 40 other diseases are suspect of having an autoimmune component. For example some diseases, like endometriosis, weren’t traditionally classified as autoimmune in origin but are now viewed that way by some researchers and physicians.

    It may, or may not, surprise you to find out that the incidence of autoimmune disease is commonplace in the industrial worlds, but rare or non-existent in contemporary cultures that still practice hunter-gatherer traditional lifestyles. The other suggested contributors to the dramatic increase are environmental factors; autoimmunity is not necessarily dictated solely by genetics. These factors can include: environmental toxins, chronic stress, minimized sun exposure (vitamin D deficiency), changes in GI microbiota, hidden infections, sleep deprivation, SAD (Standard American Diet)… I’m sure there are more too!

    So what can you do about it? Perhaps you have been diagnosed with, or suspect you have, an autoimmune disease. The good news is that there are several things that you can do to lead towards a significant reduction in symptoms or even complete remission!

    When I work with clients we always start with diet. It’s helpful to make sure that the diet achieves several things, most notably:

    1. Maximizing nutrients – we want to maximize the nutrients that will promote optimal immune function. This includes micronutrients such as selenium, zinc, omega-3 fatty acids, glutathione and vitamins A, D, & K2.
    2. Calming the immune system – often times we may not know we are inducing an immune response just with the foods we eat. So I start with an Autoimmune Protocol type of diet to remove foods that may trigger or exacerbate an already overactive immune response.  Follow this elimination diet for 30-60 days before reintroducing foods again to build a custom diet template for my clients moving forward.

    From there we will look at lifestyle factors which include sleep quality, movement, recovery/rest and most importantly stress. Stress, and chronic levels of stress can damage the body and further exacerbate autoimmunity. In fact, in working with many clients, they discover that stress is the one element that will make or break their recovery from autoimmunity!!

    And of course it helps if you can find a functional practitioner to help you run some labs to find out what is happening at the biochemical level of your own body. When I work with autoimmune clients, almost all of them have some sort of hidden gut infection, that until dealt with, no amount of elimination diet or stress reduction will make them feel better!

     

    5 Simple Steps

    So here are 5 simple steps that you can start doing right now to help you transform your autoimmunity today! Remember, big issues like transforming autoimmunity, require little changes and little changes will take care of big issues. So it’s just about chaining together those little changes to make a huge impact!

    1. Take a day off! – do what ever you can to take a day off, or two or three! You may not be able to do this all the time, but try to schedule as much time as you can to devote that time to your self-care: nourishing, healing, resting, recovering, rejuvenating. Maybe that looks like booking a massage or acupuncture appointment for yourself. Or perhaps its as simple as taking a bath with some epsom salts and lavender essential oil.
    2. Get out in nature – a lot – “Weekend warrior-ing” in nature may be beneficial, but it’s not enough. I have found that I need to get out in the sunshine, feel the wind on my skin, or the earth/grass under my feet on a daily basis. Plus, regular sun exposure raises Vitamin D levels which is beneficial for those with autoimmune diseases [1, 2]
    3. Go Deeper – Investigate with a health professional (like an FDN practitioner) if you have any hidden infections or malfunctions. Functional lab testing is like having a window into the underlying biochemistry. It provides clues to how your body may be malfunctioning and the health professional can then help steer you back on track.
    4. Consider an elimination diet – I say consider because taking this on takes a bit of preparation and reading.  If you want to be walked through a program like this in a step-by-step manner with recipes and a group for support you can join the next seasonal detox with Ginger Newtrition.  Good places to start reading about it are here and here. If you are the book type, then The Paleo Approach is pretty much the best resource out there to date.
    5. Detox your environment – Yes, you could live inside a bubble, but that’s not practical to go to the grocery store in a huge bubble (which would have to be BPA free and non-toxic, right?). But you can start simply by looking in a few areas. I have written about detoxing your kitchen and bath to have a huge impact on reducing environmental toxins in your life (it’s all about the small changes taking care of big issues, right?). And if you have not grabbed Megan’s outstanding Toxic Home Makeover Guide yet, I suggest you do that right now! Its fantastic!!

     

    Ready to Go Deeper?

    As a special gift to the readers of Ginger Newtrition, Toréa is offering you a FREE 30-minute Vitality Discovery Session where we focus entirely on you… discovering areas where you might be stuck and developing a plan to investigate deeper with some functional lab testing.  Please take advantage of this offer as Megan is headed on maternity leave soon and Toréa is ready to fill in as needed!!! These sessions are normally $129 and, for a limited time, she will be offering these sessions FREE if you redeem the coupon code: GingerDeepDive. (Offer expires 30 Sept 15 at midnight PT)
  • Why Adrenal Fatigue is not just about the Adrenals

    Why Adrenal Fatigue is not just about the Adrenals

     

    When Hayley of Primal Palate recently posted a picture of her Adrenal Cocktail on Instagram a flurry of requests came to my inbox. What is this drink? Should I try this? What else can I do for adrenal fatigue? The popularity of such a post magnifies how real the struggle and how far reaching. I created this blog post as a guest post on Primal Palate but wanted to share here as well!

     

    [image url=”http://gingernewtrition.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/untitled-7758-800×533-300×200.jpg” raw=”true” alignment=”left” margin_left=”0″ margin_right=”20″ margin_top=”5″ margin_bottom=”5″ link=”http://www.primalpalate.com/paleo-blog/my-take-on-adrenal-fatigue-from-a-recovered-burnout-guest-post-by-megan-rand-of-ginger-newtrition/” target=”_parent” width=”300″ height=”200″]

    I know the struggle is real from first hand experience. I have been there. When I first tested my adrenal function, I was in was in the worst phase of adrenal dysfunction. My daily cortisol output had tanked to nearly nothing and my sex hormones were depleted as well. I know what it is like to have a 1 year old and feel like you don’t think you can muster up enough energy to brush your teeth!

     

    Let’s talk a little bit about the term adrenal fatigue.

     

    I was taught to use the term adrenal or hormonal dysfunction, since the idea of adrenal fatigue makes it sound like the adrenal glands are actually tired. In most cases the adrenal glands are not tired at all, but they just might not be receiving the correct message. Here is an analogy. The adrenal gland is a teenager sitting on the couch watching TV. The reason that the teenager is sedentary could possibly be because he is fatigued, but more likely than not, that is not the case at all. He just hasn’t received the message “ Hey, get up and get outside it is beautiful out there!”

     

    This is also what happens in our body, we have many complex systems, one of them being the Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis. The hypothalamus (in the brain) is supposed to tell the pituitary to alert the adrenals that it is time to make cortisol (or other stress mediators). It is like they are a bunch of 6 year olds playing telephone and sometimes there is s a breakdown in the chain. The adrenals may not end up getting the message or get the wrong message. You want a hot cross bun? No, I said I want to go for a RUN!

     

    Seems crazy that a game of telephone in the body could be regulating all the crucial tasks of digestion, energy, sex drive and immune function, but it is true. In our high stress world the inputs are coming into the hypothalamus at rapid speed, all while environmental toxics and endocrine disruptors and pumping through the body just to add a few more obstacles. It is not surprising that the signals get crossed.

     

    So what happens when the signals get crossed? Well, a whole slew of symptoms can occur. You can read the list of signs & symptoms here.

     

    Why I was excited to find out that I had severe adrenal dysfunction?

     

    Seeing my functional lab work that showed I was barely producing any cortisol, very little estrogen, progesterone and melatonin was the first time that my results on paper lined up with my symptoms. Up until this point, I had been to multiple doctors complaining of my vague but annoying symptoms. I was tired all the time, lightheaded, constantly sick and just basically miserable.

     

    My first relief upon seeing my lab work was soon followed by more questions.   I realized that although I had found an imbalance and yes it was causing these symptoms, I still didn’t know why I had imbalances.

     

    Maybe you suspect adrenal dysfunction, or even better if you have done a salivary cortisol and hormone test and know that you are either producing way too much cortisol (tired and wired) or have ended up in a state of low cortisol (downright exhausted). Or maybe your test showed that you have an inappropriate level (high or low) of hormones such as estrogen, progesterone and testosterone. What’s next?

     

    What to do if you suspect Adrenal Dysfunction

     

    • Check the numbers – I am a girl who likes to see my progress on paper and have the data and numbers to work with. The Biohealth 205 Adrenal/Cortisol panel is going to be a part of the Group Adrenal Program that Alex of Dig Primal and I will be offering in the Fall. This is an opportunity to see your hormone levels and then learn how to correct any imbalances found. Otherwise you can visit a Functional Medicine Doctor, Naturopath or Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner to get a salivary cortisol and hormone panel or another good option is a urine test (DUTCH). Choose a lab that includes cortisol, DHEA, progesterone, estradiol, estriol, testosterone and melatonin.

     

    • Start with the basics – I think we often (myself included) really want to find that one genetic defect that is the root of all of our misery. We look around and see the neighbors chowing down on McDonalds and they seem to feel great. We work hard to stay away from toxins, follow a strict paleo diet and eat 3 cups of greens a day. It just doesn’t seem fair that we still have health problems, so there must be ONE THING that we are missing. Although genetics of course play a role, don’t bother going down that rabbit hole until you have covered all of the basics.

     

    Do you have good Stress Management techniques? Are you getting adequate sleep, ideally going to bed a couple of hours before midnight? Are you hydrated and is your water from a good source (void of the metals, bacteria & fluoride but still has the minerals that your body is craving?) Are you exercising enough or are you over training?

     

    • Don’t stop at the adrenals – yes adaptogenic herbs and licorice root tea might be helpful, but use these tools to get some relief and then you can dig deeper to really correct and restore the imbalance from the root cause. You can read more about the steps I take with my clients in this

     

     Find your food sensitivities – Undiagnosed food allergies or sensitivities can raise cortisol histamine levels in the body, thereby taxing the endocrine system. Be a detective and make sure you are aware of your allergies and intolerances. Join the group detox program if you need help following an elimination program.

    Gut dysfunction – Just as Hippocrates said “all disease begins in the gut”. Whether you have traditional digestive symptoms or not, this is still an area of utmost importance to explore on your journey to balanced hormones. Just think about the dysfunction that will occur in the body if you are not able to absorb or assimilate the food that you are eating and therefore cannot turn those building blocks into hormones?

    Liver health – Often we need to cleanse the liver in order to get hormones working again. The liver has over 500 jobs, and keeping the hormones happy is one of them.

    Thyroid health – This is a great place to start with your physician and another important piece of the puzzle.

    Heavy metals – Do you have a mouthful of metal fillings? Heavy metals toxicity is one of the known causes of intestinal permeability (leaky gut) and also puts a burden on the liver.

    Parasite, bacteria, fungus – Make sure to look for possible pathogenic infections that may be depleting your nutrients, taxing you liver or raising your cortisol.

     

    So What Can I Do?

     

    I love to use food as medicine as much as possible to help balance hormones. While we make an effort to minimize the stress in our life, we can also help support our body with the best nutrients available.

     

    5 Tips for Healthy Hormones

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    • Eat lots of good fat – We need dietary fats in order to make hormones! Make sure each meal has a healthy fat such as avocado, fish, nuts, coconut oil, avocado oil, olive oil, grass-fed butter (if you tolerate dairy), ghee (clarified butter), duck fat and tallow for ex.

     

    • Add some salt; Pink Himalayan Sea Salt – I put this on everything. Himalayan pink salt has 84 essential minerals that the adrenals need to function properly (very different from iodized table salt which can be harmful). You can even try sprinkling some in your water to see if it tastes better!

     

    • Don’t forget your Vitamin C – Healthy adrenal function requires vitamin C. Tissues in the body use more vitamin C during times of stress. Vitamin C is found naturally in a lot of foods such as citrus fruits, leafy greens, tomatoes, sprouts, kiwi, papaya, red pepper, and cauliflower. One teaspoon of Camu Camu powder added to a smoothie has the same amount of vitamin C as eating 6 oranges, so this is a good option for those of us who really need a boost!

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    • Daily Bone broth – You knew this on was coming right? Bone broth made from organic raw chicken or beef bones (all of the bones!) that is cooked over a 24-hour period helps with gut repair, has highly absorbable forms of calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus and sulfur and is an easily digestible protein. I add a Tbsp. of coconut oil, Tbsp. of collagen and pink salt to my mug and this becomes the perfect food for someone with adrenal dysfunction to maximize the nutrients with minimum effort.

     

    • Be aware of magnesium deficiency – Magnesium deficiency is incredibly common, some studies estimate 75% of Americans are deficient. Magnesium is important for stable energy, so this small change alone can have a big impact on those who are deficient. One way to increase your magnesium intake is by adding 2-4 ounces of Magnesium oil or 1 cup Epsom salts to a bath and soak before bed. The same thing can be accomplished with a foot bath while you read a book or watch TV. It is a great way to help your body relax while you are also absorbing your way to feeling better!

     

    • Adrenal Cocktail – This Orange Juice creamsicle offers a boost in energy and helps regulate blood sugar. This is great for those of you who are feeling pretty depleted and have low cortisol levels.

     

     The most important change that I see clients make in order to restore hormonal balance is a mindset change. When you discover that your fast-paced lifestyle is depleting your vital reserve it is time to reconsider your priorities. What activities or people are recharging you and which of those are stealing all of your energy? Can anything be re-arranged in your schedule or life to minimize the things that are depleting you?

     

    I hope this helps!! I would love any feedback on what else has worked for you.

     

    NEXT GROUP PROGRAM STARTING SEPTEMBER !

     

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    Want to look at your hormone and neurotransmitter labs and have a group for support? Alex of Dig Primal and I are going to be offering a 3 month group program starting September 15th. You will have receive a customized protocol but all of the coaching will be done in group. Put your name on the Adrenal Fatigue Group Program update list for more information.

  • Tongue Scraping and Clues to Health

    Tongue Scraping and Clues to Health

     

    Today I have my first guest post on my blog by Alex, founder of Dig Primal. I love Alex’s take of health because she has an amazingly detailed understanding of the body since she is anesthesiologist in training, but also has a passion for looking at health from a holistic standpoint.  By combining her traditional medical training with her own journey to find the root of her chronic health conditions she has the tools to help others really find optimal health. I participated in her Nutrient Bootcamp last month and I LOVE the concept.  We focused on adding in a certain number of diverse nutrients per day instead of focusing on what we couldn’t have.

     

    [image url=”http://gingernewtrition.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Untitled-design-2-860×645.png” raw=”true” alignment=”center” margin_left=”0″ margin_right=”0″ margin_top=”0″ margin_bottom=”0″ width=”860″ height=”645″]

     

    Check out today’s guest blog post by Alex —>

     

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    I got a tongue scraper a while back and I was super excited to use it, but it hasn’t been that satisfying.

     

    How come? I’ll explain that in a minute.

     

    First, I want to talk about why tongue scraping matters.  You can just use a brush, right?  Meh, I guess you can theoretically,  but it’s kind of like using paper towel to push the dirt around on your floors when a good old-fashion mop and pail clean so much better.

     

    What’s the idea behind tongue scraping?  The tongue is another source of toxin removal from the body.  Although this is not commonly discussed, your tongue is simply a part of the digestive tract. As we know, our digestive tract functions to collect and expel waste from the body.  In addition to toxins, the tongue collects food debris, bacteria, and the byproducts of metabolism. (A collective “ew” on the count of 3?)  Whether it’s our gut, kidneys, our armpits, or our feet, our bodies have ingenious ways of collecting expelled waste and getting rid of it in a safe way. The tongue is simply one of the venues.

     

    The problem with the tongue is that in order to rid the body of the toxins that it has collected, often these toxins are re-swallowed in hopes that the gut and liver will get rid of it.  In an ideal world, we would have a minimal toxic load entering the body and a robust GI tract that would make this process smooth like butter…but let’s face it, that’s not most of us.

     

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    I’ve recently become some a huge fan of tongue scraping because it is an easy resource to help your body function optimally.  It is a metal or plastic object that costs about $6 on average, takes up virtually no room in your bathroom, and is widely available.

     

    As a bonus, when you’re talking about removing toxins, fighting bad breath (halitosis is one of my top 10 favorite medical words), and promoting good gum and dental health, using a tongue scraper for 1 minute a day seems like a pretty high-yield thing to do for your health.

     

    But this post is about more than just tongue scraping and really about how we can become an amazing health detective by learning to watch for changes and signs.

     

    The very helpful, albeit sometimes frustrating, thing about the body is that no processes are ever without signs.  There is almost always something visible that manifests when an inward process is happening.  If we are paying enough attention we can use that information to intervene and make a difference in our health. The downside to these clues is that it takes effort.  It is so much “easier” to wait until we develop overt diseases and try to band aide a solution together later (of course, this rarely works).

     

    There are many ways that our body can clue us into what is going on inside the body.  A lot of the long-term manifestations are ones that we talk about all the time, things like fatigue, changes in bowel habits, acne, sugar cravings, etc.

     

    What I wanted to touch upon today are the changes in our bodies that we can observe in the short-term.  It’s like getting a quick snapshot into our health right now.

     

    Turns out, our mouths can be a really good source of quick feedback. (Of course, our mouths can tell us a lot in the long term as well as evidenced by the links between gum disease, dental carries, and cardiovascular disease…but that’s for another post.)

     

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    Here are My Top 4 Oral Cues to Monitor for Your Health:

     

    1.) Tongue Coating. First, and in the context of talking about tongue scraping, it makes sense that we address the coating on our tongue.  Traditional Chinese Medicine focuses on this quite heavily (this is a particularly comprehensive article on the subject).

     

    I tend to break it down much more simply: is a coating there or not?

     

    I’ve noticed that when I’m in a healthy state, the coating on my tongue goes (or nearly goes) away. This is why I said above that tongue scraping has been a bit unsatisfying lately. My efforts with maintaining major nutrient support through Nutrient Boot Camp, detoxing, maintaining good gut health, and managing stress levels have all been been paying off.

     

    On the other hand if I get exposure to a little bit of gluten at a restaurant, get majorly stressed out at work, or skimp on sleep a couple nights and drink too much coffee to compensate, my tongue always shows me that something is going on. Since I use my tongue scraper every day, regardless of what my tongue is doing, I’m forced to pay attention to what that coating is telling me.

     

    2) Check Your Tongue Veins. Next, I’ll check out under the hood of the car, so to speak. There are two big veins that run along the underside of the tongue that can often become swollen when there is an acute process happening.  It can mean a myriad of things but traditionally, the engorgement of the veins has been viewed as a sign that the liver isn’t functioning optimally.  Personally, I have found this to be true and I use it as a barometer for my general detoxing efforts.  (Next time you choose to imbibe, if enjoying a few drinks is your thing, check out under your tongue the next morning and see what you find.)

     

    I have also found that allergen exposure in my food will trigger this effect.  This is extra helpful because since I get both acute and delayed reactions from certain foods, checking out under my tongue is a quick way to see that something I’ve recently eaten is bothering me.

     

    3) Tongue Swelling.  This is a less common sign but can still be a good tool to keep in your arsenal.  I check this when I’m tongue scraping so it really isn’t any more work to keep it on my radar.  I’ll notice that my tongue gets swollen because I can see the indentation of my teeth along the edges.

     

    For me, this is usually a sign of stress. Now, most of us know when we’re stressed…but it’s so easy to lie to yourself and ignore what’s going on. A physical manifestation can be a kick in the pants reminder that the stress you’re pretending to ignore is not going unnoticed by your body.  Even if the stressor can’t be removed, a good session of troubleshooting about how I’m dealing with the problem(s) goes a long way for me.

     

    4) Cracks in the corner of the mouth. Lastly, cracks in the lips and corners of the mouth can be a marker of internal health.  For some, this can be a long-term manifestation but I’ve found that when I’m having a problem with malabsorption of nutrients (example: if I had a gluten exposure and it killed off a whole bunch of my intestinal villi), my lips definitely let me know pretty quickly.  When I see this, I jump wholeheartedly into my go-to gut healing protocol, complete with tons of homemade bone broth, l-glutamine, gelatin and probiotics.

    ————————————————————————–
    Let me make clear that this list is just a few signs that that our oral health can show us about our current state.  You may have some, all, or none of the above signs…but it is my hope that by thinking through some of the thing that I’ve noticed for myself, you can begin to pay attention to what your body is signaling to you and use it to improve your health overall.

     

  • The Adrenal Cocktail Creamsicle

    The Adrenal Cocktail Creamsicle

     

    Adrenal dysfunction is a very popular topic right now.

    I have recently been working with Hayley at Primal Palate to support her on her health journey (you can read about that here). We are making small upgrades and tweaks in her life to try to support her adrenal health and hormone balance and one of the additions to her life is a daily Adrenal Cocktail.

    [image url=”http://gingernewtrition.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Screen-Shot-2015-04-07-at-2.24.39-PM-300×300.png” raw=”true” alignment=”right” margin_left=”5″ margin_right=”0″ margin_top=”0″ margin_bottom=”0″ width=”300″ height=”300″]
    When she posted a picture of her Adrenal Cocktail on Instagram it spread like wildfire. It has affectionately been named the “dreamsicle” and the instagram community has already started upgrading the recipe by adding carrot, tangerine or ginger to the juice as well! The Feisty Kitchen even used her fabulous photography skills to make this look like the most appetizing drink there is!

    Here is a little bit of background about this recipe.

    I learned about the Adrenal Cocktail from my mentor Christa at The Whole Journey. Her recipe is a slightly modified version of the traditional Adrenal Cocktail (the original recipe is orange juice, cream or tarter & Himalayan pink salt).

    When I was in the depleted phase of adrenal dysfunction, this dreamsicle saved me! I drank the Adrenal Cocktail every morning for about a month while I was balancing my hormones. The most notable difference was my energy and the ability to finally regulate my blood sugar. I found that I wasn’t crashing mid afternoon, craving sugar or getting light-headed as much as I used to.

    Adrenal Cocktail recipe:

    • 4-6 oz OJ (fresh squeezed or cold pressed like Evolution brand)
    • 2 Tbsp raw cream (or coconut cream)
    • 1 Tbsp Collagen
    • Himalayan pink salt as much as you can stand

    Blend it up into a delicious creamsicle and drink 1-2 times a day an hour before or after food.

    Benefits of the Adrenal Cocktail: 

    • Fresh squeezed OJ gives liver the glucose it needs to regenerate
    • Perfect balance of fat/carb/protein ratio for adrenal health and blood sugar balancing
    • Collagen is loaded with the amino acids and building blocks for health
    • Himalayan pink salt has 84 essential minerals that the adrenals need to function properly (very different from iodized table salt which can be harmful)

    This might not be for everyone.

    You always need to consider your personal situation when implementing a dietary or lifestyle change. I have had clients try the cocktail and feel horrible because of an issue with bacterial overgrowth!!

    What else can I do?

    Drinking a daily creamsicle is just one of the many life changes that I made and by no means a quick fix for your adrenal glands. You can find some other steps to start taking here.

    If you have been “diagnosed” with Adrenal Dysfunction (often called adrenal fatigue) don’t stop there.  Start digging for the root cause.  What caused the imbalance?

    Adrenal Dysfunction is an imbalance of hormones.  The problem is very rarely actually the adrenal gland itself, but instead there can be a breakdown anywhere in a complex relationship between the Hypothalamus Pituitary Adrenal (HPA) axis.  Anything that helps “restore the adrenals” is really just a way of helping to balance hormones and blood sugar, and therefore puts let stress on the thyroid, detoxification and every other function in the body.

    In the meantime, while you are doing the deeper work, you can replenish your body with this cocktail.

    Cheers!

     

    Do you feel like you need a group for guidance and support on your Adrenal balancing journey?

     

    The Healthy Hormones Group Program starts September 15th!!

     

    This 12 week program will get you access to the hormone and neurotransmitter labs and a customized protocol.  With biweekly videos, emails & support in your inbox we will go step by step through how to support your adrenals and balance your hormones.

     

    [image url=”http://gingernewtrition.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Ginger-Newtrition-Group-Coaching-Program.png” raw=”true” alignment=”center” margin_left=”0″ margin_right=”0″ margin_top=”0″ margin_bottom=”0″ link=”http://gingernewtrition.com/work-with-me/” target=”_parent” width=”900″ height=”360″]

     

    Photo credit: The Feisty Kitchen – check her out for her fabulous recipes!!

  • Top 10 Reasons Why My Dad is a Health Rockstar at Almost 70 Years old

    Top 10 Reasons Why My Dad is a Health Rockstar at Almost 70 Years old

     

    My dad, Steve Rand, is about to turn 70 next month but you would never guess it. On a recent visit to NH I had an interesting encounter with a family friend. She asked “What has your dad been doing in the last 6-9 months? He looks and acts 10 years younger. I want to know what tricks he has up his sleeve.”

     

    What changes has he made lately?

     

    We started off the summer with a so-called “cross-country cleanse” when he joined me and my 3 yr old on a drive from Arizona to Chicago. This involved a drastic cutback on his coffee intake, no gluten, and a lot of ginger green juice. He ended the summer following the official Ginger Newtrition 15 day elimination plan, finding exactly what foods do and do not work for him.

     

    Is it his diet that makes him so healthy? Nope.

     

    As much as I would love to take credit, the truth of the matter is that the lemon water, coconut oil and green smoothies are really only a small piece of the puzzle. Here are the real reasons that my dad is such a healthy guy at 70 years old.

     

    1) Exercise. When my dad turned 67 he ran his first 10K and now runs consistently 3-4 times a week. When he is not running, he is golfing, hiking or swimming. Finding movement that you love helps maintain a healthy weight, regulate your sleep and gives you some extra endorphins to boost your mood.

     

    [image url=”http://gingernewtrition.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Ginger-Newtrition-babysitting-Lily-219×300.jpg” raw=”true” alignment=”left” margin_left=”0″ margin_right=”8″ margin_top=”0″ margin_bottom=”0″ width=”219″ height=”300″]2) The Power Nap. Want to have enough energy to take on a new project mid afternoon? 20 minutes is all it takes. The trick is to sit upright in a chair so that you aren’t too comfortable, otherwise you might enter deep sleep and end up feeling groggy.

     

    3) Community & Volunteering. Recent research shows a strong correlation between volunteering and health: those who volunteer have lower mortality rates, greater functional ability, and lower rates of depression later in life than those who do not volunteer. My dad is so involved in the local community that some people like to call him the Mayor of Plymouth. He is always working on a new project in town, from the local Rotary, Historical Society, Christmas Parade to raising money for the Youth Center.   I believe, that the strong connection he has to his town and many organizations is the biggest secret to his health.

     

    4) Master of the Tuck and Roll. Being able to fall and not hurt yourself is an important strategy in my dad’s long term health.

     

    5) Laughs a lot. Like father, like daughter. Laughter is fun and infectious but also has deep health benefits such as relieving stress, boosting the immune system and increasing blood flow to help protect the heart.

     

    6) Tries New Things. Can’t teach an old dog new tricks? Not true here. At 67 my dad started running races and now at 70 he is taking up sculling. How many almost 70 year old men do you know are willing to try their daughter’s hippy new-age detox? Being flexible and adventurous in life keeps the brain active and you feeling and looking young.

     

    7) Eats the whole plant. My dad takes eating the whole plant to the next level. When eating an apple finishes the entire thing off, core and all! (note: I am not suggesting anyone start eating the whole apple!)

     

    8) Social Connection. I am not talking about Facebook. My dad has strong ties with many groups of very different types. Every other Monday you can find him hosting a men’s group at his house, discussing philosophy or religion, and on Sunday he is out bonding with his golfing buddies. Social capital is an important predictor in health and longevity, especially as we enter the senior age. Stay connected, in person.

     

    9) Laid Back Attitude. He is a go-with-the-flow kind of guy. Oops, we are driving the wrong way down a one-way street? He won’t let that mess with his mood or cortisol output. Since I routinely check my client’s cortisol levels, I can attest that being uptight and stressed out daily will lead to hormone imbalance and most likely chronic diseases.

     

    10) Family & Love. My dad has a lot of love for his family and his family has a lot of love for him. Having a partner that motivates him to stay healthy, try new things and just be the best that he can be keeps him young and happy daily.

     

    Bonus secret weapon? He had a ginger mother AND has a ginger for a daughter. Being surrounded with that much red-headed love has to be good for you!!

     

    What do you think is the biggest predictor of living a long and healthy life? We would love to hear your ideas!

  • 6 Ways Juicing Can Help You Lose Weight

    6 Ways Juicing Can Help You Lose Weight

    Juicing is all the rage lately!  There is a juice bar on every corner and $8 cold pressed green juices are flying off the shelf.  Is this a silly fad?  Why not just eat the fruits and vegetables?   Juicing provides a high level of quality nutrition that many people may not be able to otherwise absorb. By bypassing the need for stellar digestion (which is uncommon nowadays!), we can help build our vitamin and minerals stores. Having optimum nutrient levels will naturally assist in weight-loss.   Read on to find out how adding in a juice can help you slim down.

    1) Easy Digestion

    One of the best benefits of juicing fresh fruit and vegetables is that drinking them (as opposed to eating them) makes them really easy for your body to digest.  Many of my clients find through functional lab work that they have “leaky gut” or intestinal permeability.  With a compromised GI tract, it can be hard to digest and absorb the same amount of raw vegetables found in a juice. But by juicing those vegetables, you can absorb a dense quantity of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients really easily.

     2) Reduction in Cravings

    When you drink a glass of freshly made vegetable or green juice, you are loading every cell of your body with detoxifying minerals. By drinking your veggies and fruit, you are giving your body all the amazing nutrients that it needs to heal, stay healthy, and reduce the risk of illness. In turn, you will also find that you experience a reduction in cravings, particularly for sweets or processed foods. Often when we eat junk foods, we confuse the body.  After eating, a message is sent to the brain announcing that it is still needing certain minerals and vitamin causing cravings.  After drinking a nutrient dense juice your body is getting all that it needs and has no need to signal the brain. And it is pretty obvious how not having cravings can help someone losing weight.

    3) Tasty Fuel

    It is also handy to know that green juices taste great! You can make your juice really flavorful by adding in lemon, mint or ginger to add a tasty punch. You may enjoy the flavors of the juice so much that you choose to make a juice rather than eat another less healthy snack food. It is also worth noting that juice you make at home is a much better option than that which is store bought. Fresh juice made with a base of vegetables is going to contain much more nutrition than the kind that comes from a carton. Even fresh, store-bought juices often have sugars and other additives as well as preservatives added to the juice. On the other hand, a homemade vegetable and fruit juice delivers nothing but goodness that is healthy fuel for your body.

    4) Crowding out

    This is a principle we learned at the Institute of Integrative Nutrition and is my favorite approach to weight loss.  By adding fresh juices into your daily regimen as either a snack or a meal, you are crowding out the junk that you would have otherwise eaten.  Instead of focusing on what you cannot have which leaves people feeling deprived and just wanting that forbidden junk even more, we focus on adding in the good.  Over time you start to realize that your body chemistry has shifted and you don’t reach for the junk food as often.

    5) It is not a fad diet

    Once you start making juicing a regular part of your lifestyle, and start to experience all the health benefits and begin losing weight without a struggle, you will realize that incorporating fresh juices into your life is definitely not a diet fad. Unlike regimented diets that are difficult to follow and which can often make you gain weight, juicing works in such a remarkable way that you will want to include juicing in your life forever. You will never feel deprived or hungry. Not only that, but other aspects of your health will also improve. You might notice your skin is clearer, your eyes are brighter, and your nails and hair grow more quickly. You will also have more energy and you will start to feel amazing. Juicing will become a way of life you will want to follow forever!

     6) Fun and Variety

    In order to lose weight and to stay motivated, life needs to be fun, right? Juicing is the ideal way to bring this into your life. As you start to get into juicing, you will find it great fun making new combinations of fruit and vegetables cocktails. You will make all kinds of unique and interesting drinks, and you will find that you never get bored from the endless variety of beverages that you can make for yourself and others. You will also want to share these drinks with others, which will mean getting encouragement and support from those around you as you continue your weight-loss goals. Support is extremely important when it comes to making, and sticking to, healthy changes in your life.   Really, juicing is a fabulously fun, easy, and healthy way to shed those unwanted pounds without any struggle or deprivation. You have nothing to lose by starting to make green juicing a regular part of your lifestyle. To get you started, here is a delicious and easy juice to kick-start your weight-loss:

    Green Ginger Juice

    4 carrots

    2 apples

    1 cucumber

    ½ beetroot (peeled)

    1 rib celery

    1 lemon

    1-inch piece of ginger (or more!)

    Run the vegetables through your juicer and enjoy!

  • 5 Cheap At-Home Health Tests That Don’t Require A Doctor

    5 Cheap At-Home Health Tests That Don’t Require A Doctor

    Have you been searching for a reason that things aren’t quite right or wondering why those annoying symptoms keep popping up? Or do you feel great but are curious how you are doing on the inside? These 5 tests are a great place to start as you search for clues and gather information. The cost of functional lab work that we use to check hormones, detoxification, intestinal permeability (leaky gut) and food sensitivities can cost a lot of money! Although they are often needed, why not start with the basics? Read on to find out how to use these cheap (or free) tests in the comfort of your home. Great tools for monitoring your own progress!

    To test at home: Blood Sugar Levels

    Did you know that balanced blood sugar is the common attribute of people who live to be over 100? Keeping blood sugar from fluctuating is extremely important to health and longevity. Monitoring your levels can give insight into how your body reacts to the foods you eat.

    1)   Buy an inexpensive glucometer. Glucometers can be really expensive and the strips can be even more expensive (I pay $1.00 per test strip since I didn’t have this handy information before!). Amazon has the Tru 2 Go for only $13.25 and the test strips that go with this are $17.50/100 (17.5 cents ea).

    2)   For 7 days – test your blood sugar first thing in the morning before having any food (ideally 12 hours since your last meal) for your fasting blood sugar level. An ideal level is less than 86 mg/dL. Although this is not the number that is considered “normal” at the doctor’s office, this study shows that a person with a fasting glucose level of 90-94 has 49% greater risk of developing diabetes compared with a level less than 85. While testing, I highly suggest that you keep a detailed food journal to watch the patterns. For my more advanced testers you can check blood sugar levels 1,2 & 3 hours after a meal to see how you are reacting to a food. If you want more information about this topic Chris Kresser has an awesome article Why your “normal” blood sugar isn’t normal (Part 2).

    To test at home: Food Sensitivities

    An elimination diet is a good test to find out if you have a food sensitivity. According to Dr. Mercola, food and chemical sensitivities are estimated to affect up to 50% of Americans. Sensitivities are much harder to pinpoint than a true food allergy, because sensitivities cause a slower and more subtle response. The top 5 Food sensitivities are corn, soy, gluten, dairy and eggs. But, your sensitivity could be to any food. If your gastro-intestinal tract is compromised or has been under attack for a long time, you might have devolved sensitivities to many foods. To test: Remove most common food sensitivies corn, soy, gluten, dairy, eggs, nuts, and processed foods, alcohol, sugar and anything else that you suspect might cause a problem (I also have my clients remove most beans & grains since this can be hard on digestion for many people) for 2 weeks. Add one new food back in every 2 days and watch for any reaction. Reactions can include digestive problems, skin issues, headaches, or low mood and energy.  A food journal of mood as well as physical symptoms is imperative in this process.

    To test at home: pH

    An Acid-Alkaline balance in the body is an important factor for your health.   Just as we know it is important to keep your pool at a certain pH or funky things will grow, this is the same within your body. Cancer thrives in and acidic environment but cannot survive in an alkaline environment. Maintaining a proper pH will help the body be able to detoxify and will increase our immunity.

    6 days in a row

    1)     Buy pH strips from your local drug store or health food store in the supplement section

    2)     Upon waking (before eating or drinking anything) put one strip in your mouth to test your saliva

    Should be 6.8 to 7.2

    3)     Test 1st urine between 5 am and 8 am – this should be more acidic because during the first 4 hours of sleep your body removes acid from the joints.

    4)     Test 2nd urine (before eating if possible) – This is the most important reading to give you a good baseline of where you are for the day

    Should be 6.8 to 7.2

    To test at home: Candida

    6 days in a row

    Spit in a glass of water 1st thing in the morning when you wake up before eating, drinking or brushing your teeth. Check the glass over 45 minutes. If after 45 minutes your spit is floating on the top, you are good to go. If the spit has formed legs and traveling down, we need to work on your balance. If the spit has completely dropped to the bottom, then candida is planning a major takeover and we need to take care of the candida to improve your health.  

    To test at home: Thyroid Health

    3 days in a row

    Take your temperature first thing in the morning when you wake up. Put your thermometer under your armpit and then get back into bed for 10 minutes. You can also take your temperature before you go to bed and 20 minutes after each meal. If you are consistently under 97.4 then you might have a sluggish thyroid.

  • Top 10 daily Superfoods (and some of my other favorites)

    Top 10 daily Superfoods (and some of my other favorites)

    Superfoods are a special category of foods found in nature. By definition, they are sparse in calories and dense in nutrients, meaning they pack a lot of punch for their weight. They are superior sources of antioxidants and essential nutrients that we need but cannot make ourselves.

    The most important thing for everyone to know is that superfoods are easy to find in every local supermarket. They’re worth looking for!

    Top 10 Daily Superfoods:

    1)     Apples

    2)     Blueberries

    3)     Beets

    4)     Avocados

    5)     Kale

    6)     Kiwi Fruit

    7)     Lentils

    8)     Sweet Potatoes

    9)     Walnuts

    10)  Wild Salmon

    These nutritional, powerhouse foods are loaded with nutrients crucial to a healthy, long life.  If you can include a variety of them in your diet every day, I promise they will change your life!

    I have also included a few of my favorite superfoods that you may or may not have tried:

    Maca:
    Maca is a potent, ancient Peruvian superfood highly prized by Incan warriors to increase stamina, boost libido, and combat fatigue. The maca root was prized throughout the Incan empire for its adaptogenic-like qualities that enable it to nourish and balance the body’s delicate endocrine system and to help cope with stress. It also energizes naturally, without the jitters and crashes of caffeine, and it can aid in reproductive function, helping to balance hormones and increase fertility.  Add maca to smoothies for an extra energy boost.

    Chia Seeds:
    Ancient cultures throughout Central America have long enjoyed chia seeds as a key part of their food and medicine. The seeds were even used as currency. Chia seeds are loaded with omega fats, protein, antioxidants, and dietary fiber. These are a hot commodity among my running friends who would like to be more like the Tarahumara; the Native American people of northwestern Mexico who were known for their long-distance running ability.  They have a mild nutty flavor and, since they absorb liquid, they’re ideal for hydration and feeling full.  Check out this recipe for Chia Pudding:

    Hemp Seeds:
    Hemp is a well-balanced, vegetarian protein source that includes all of the essential amino acids. Not only is hemp one of the best veggie sources of protein, it’s easy for the body to digest and assimilate. Hemp also features plenty of other nutrients, including abundant fiber, chlorophyll, vitamins, and omega-3 and -6 essential fatty acids. Sprinkle hemp seeds on salads or add them to smoothies for added protein. Just 3 tablespoons of hemp seeds will add 11 grams of protein to your smoothie.

    Raw Cacao Nibs:
    Nature’s chocolate chips

    Cacao nibs are made from pure cacao beans that come straight out of the tropical cacao fruit. Cacao was a culinary treasure to Mesoamericans for thousands of years and touted as the “Food of the Gods” for its superior nutritional profile and exceptional flavor. Make a trail mix with shredded coconut, raw cacao nibs, dried cranberries, and a nut of your choice.

    Goji Berries: Goji Berries provide a number of important macronutrients, including carbohydrates, protein, healthy fats, and soluble fiber. There’s even more to this sweet, little, red berry including 18 amino acids, free-radical fighting antioxidants, carotenoids, vitamins A, C, and E, and more than 20 other trace minerals and vitamins including zinc, iron, phosphorus, and riboflavin (B2). Ounce-for-ounce, goji berries contain more vitamin C than oranges, more beta-carotene than carrots, and more iron than soybeans and spinach. Munch on these goodies as your afternoon snack.  At our house we call these “goji berry vitamins”. The solution for my 3 year old who wanted to take her daily vitamins, with a mom who wanted to avoid colorings and additives that were in the gummy vitamins.

    Maqui Powder:
    The purple Chilean maqui berry is one of the most antioxidant-rich foods. It contains an abundance of vitamin C, calcium, iron, potassium, anti-aging anthocyanins and polyphenols, and anti-inflammatory compounds. Navitas Naturals Maqui Powder has a tart, fruity flavor that’s a delicious addition to juices, smoothies, and desserts.

    What is your favorite? Is there anything new you are willing to try? Leave a comment below to let us know!