Wellness Journey with Monica

before leaving for what will be several days of amazing training/coaching with Emily Ryan Gibson! Love adding new skills to my coaching program!

Where are my meal planners? With the holidays, my family finds that meal planning helps prevent fast food and grab and go foods that may not help us feel our best. We recently started planning meals out for a month to help keep costs lower and to do more meal prepping to allow more time for fun during this holiday season. Stay tuned for some tips and tricks for meal prepping during the holidays along with some time saving recipes!

With fall and winter coming, squash is a great in season veggie to try. Acorn squash that is roasted, delicata thinly sliced and cooked with garlic and olive oil, and butternut squash soup are some of my favorites!

Here are some other varieties.

A little Monday encouragement for you… you CAN do the hard things!!!

Even if you get off track, the amount of comebacks you can make are unlimited!

Change is tough. Commitment to new habits is hard. But, dedication and discipline are rewarding. I PROMISE!! 💜

It’s breast cancer awareness month and here are my top tips for prevention and avoidance, and what you can do to protect yourself more:

🍭 Stop eating so much sugar. It’s added to everything, and it creates an inflammatory state in the body, the perfect breeding ground for cancer. Your cute little sugar habit ladies….yeah, not so cute when it makes you sick.

😳Cut all vegetable oils and fake fats/butters and seed oils. These create massive amounts of inflammation. They aren’t natural oils and they are killing us and I’m so many processed or packaged foods, even “healthy” dressing and “clean” foods. It’s so dirty and toxic.

🚫Stay away from soy. Hardly any of it is good and clean- it’s mostly GMO and heavily loaded with pesticides.

🥰Eliminate toxic relationships and people that take, steel your joy, and have horrible intentions for you. Seeking healthy, loving relationships and friendships. Toxic ones can actually make you sick.

🙌🏼Move your body daily. Taking walks is even enough. Your body was meant to move to move the bad stuff along!

🥬 Eat a variety of real foods, from proteins (clean meats are good), to veggies and fruits (organic), and keep it more keto/paleo. You don’t have to go all the way, but your body breaks down all carbs into sugar eventually and if you’re eating a lot of healthy carbs it’s still becoming glucose in your body.

🦠 Get your gut healthy. It’s not a trend. It’s a fact. Unhealthy gut equals unhealthy immune system and higher risk for, well, anything. Eat for a healthy gut, supplement for a healthy gut, sleep for a healthy gut, and remove stress for a health gut.

❤️Balance your blood sugars. Yes, this is a huge factor. Impaired metabolism and insulin resistance equals increased risk. Foods, movement, and supplements are key here.

And interesting fact, in case you didn’t know. THE ONLY FOOD FOR CANCER IS GLUCOSE. So if you want it to grow, keep your ways. If you want to starve it, make changes. Glucose is the fuel for that beast.

This month I have special limited release products where a portion of the purchase goes to breast cancer research and I’m on board with that. If it’s not your thing, cool. But if you want to get healthy and support a good cause, maybe now is as good a time as ever.❤️

Looking to cut out some sugar? Take time to read the labels and compare different brands. Some might surprise you 😳 And remember, these can be made at home with zero sugar added!

This •was• me for decades. Many people are silently suffering with different health issues that NO ONE knows about.

No one can see the exhaustion, anxiety, pain, and so on that you feel on a daily basis. However, I'm here to tell you, that maybe JUST maybe gut health plays a role in your symptoms. Don't believe me? Look it up. Google your issue and gut health and I bet there will be a connection.

So what is “gut health?”
🌱 80% of your immune system comes from your gut.
🌱 The bacteria in your gut communicates with your brain via the vagus nerve.
🌱 The bacteria in your gut produces the majority of your serotonin - the "happy" chemical.
🌱 Everyone is born with Candida yeast - it becomes a problem when it over grows.
🌱 Candida can release 79 different toxins and is linked to over 100 health issues.
🌱 Candida can take on multiple forms making it nearly impossible to kill without an anti-fungal.

Heal your gut, heal your body! Gut health is real and it will change your life! It completely changed me!

How do you practice self care?

Sunday is for comfort food! But there are a few swaps you can make to this meal if you wanted a healthier option
1. Use veggie or lentil pasta
2. Add more veggies, peas are great in a dish like this
3. Swap out ground beef for turkey or chicken.
Little changes every day is how to make habits that will stick long term!

A little encouragement for you… you CAN do the hard things!!!

Even if you get off track, the amount of comebacks you can make are unlimited!

Change is tough. Commitment to new habits is hard. But, dedication and discipline are rewarding. I PROMISE!

Good ol’ insulin resistance.
I had to learn a thing or two before I dove head first into gut health and all the things.

This is why I drink my “pink” drink everyday!

Insulin resistance is when cells in your muscles, fat, and liver don't respond well to insulin and can't use glucose from your blood for energy. To make up for it, your pancreas makes more insulin. Over time, your blood sugar levels go up...and that is harmful to your health.

"Did you know insulin is the fat storage hormone?

It is impossible to lose weight when insulin levels are high. 🤯

💥Did you know Omega 3 fatty acids make your cells very sensitive to the hormone insulin, and so your insulin levels lower? So, how do you get your Omega?

💥Protein keeps your blood sugar very stable.

💥Whole foods also helps your body become more sensitive to insulin. It nourishes your body so it turns off the FAT programs.

By adding these things on a daily basis, you’ll keep your blood sugar as stable as possible."

My heart goes out to that mom that is feeling less than whole because she doesn’t look and feel her best. That dad that is so busy that he feels he can’t make his health a priority. To my friends losing hope or hitting plateaus because they have tried everything and aren’t getting the results they want. To the person trying to fall back in love with themselves or maybe loving themselves for the first time.
Everyone deserves hope. Hope for whatever their goals and dreams are to achieve rather it is in life or health.
What does it really take to make a change? Small steps and learning to be consistent. It is that simple. I don’t know if this is for you, but I do know that you and your family deserve the best version of you. The version of you that shows up happy, renewed in mind and spirit and on a path to better health.
Let’s chat about how I can help you!

You are not defined by a number. Your worth is not defined by the number on the scale.

It is HOT outside y’all!!!!🥵🥵

It’s so important to stay hydrated! But make sure you read your labels! Don’t just grab something that says zero sugar…. If it contains aspartame or sucralose…. It’s not good for you!

Check out my favorite hydration drink ⬇️

Low glycemic, low calorie, portable, and cost effective when compared to store bought drinks!

Hydrate is also the 1st step in the Reset system…😀can’t wait to start mine!!

I drink a Hydrate every single day and I truly believe it helped me recover from😷 quicker!😁I am in love with the Lemon Lime flavor!!!!🍋

Who loves avocados? They have so many health benefits including good heart healthy fats! But mine always seem to go ripe the same day and then go bad by the next. I was told that if store them in water they will stay ripe longer. I will let you know if it works!

So glad I prepped this cantaloupe yesterday so I could enjoy it today! Did you know that cantaloupes can help with hydration? When the temps are triple digits outside this is a great alternative to help stay hydrated. Antioxidants in cantaloupe help to fight inflammation in the body. They fight free radicals that cause oxidative stress and cell damage, reducing your risk of developing serious health issues such as diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, and more.

I often get asked questions like these…
❓“So HOW does it work?”
❓“What exactly do you do as a Holistic Health coach?”
❓ “Can you just send me a link?”
So I thought it might be helpful to tell you a bit about what I DON’T do….
1. I don’t do easy. I don’t offer quick fixes. No magic potions. 🧪
2. I don’t do fads. I believe in assisting you to change your habits so that the hard work you put in will last. 💪🏻
3. I don’t do diets. They don’t work. I am more interested in you maintaining the weight you lose than losing the weight itself. 👊🏻
4. I don’t do free. Bottom line: If it doesn’t cost you......you won’t take it seriously. I’m proud to say that most of the clients I work with actually SAVE money monthly!💰💰I just help them redirect how they spend the money they are already spending on food that helps them reach their goals and improve their health vs food that is making them more unhealthy! 😳
5. I don’t just give out a website. I have conversations. Why? Because you are an individual! And you have individual needs! Our mission is to get you what YOU want. And I can’t help you get what you want until we know what you want...... SPECIFICALLY!😊

So now that you know what I don’t do...... let’s have a private conversation, just me and you, about your goals and what this program IS about!

I would be honored to help you reach your health goals!! 👊🏻👩🏼‍🤝‍👩🏻

10 pant sizes down and my goal is another 6 😊🙌🏻

Self-care is not just about pedicure and facial mask. Same as your body, our mind needs constant attention to function properly.
If you find your mind jumping around and just can’t seem to focus, mental self-care activities can help to bring calmness back.
And taking care of your mental health doesn’t have to be expensive or time-consuming.
*Create a self-care kit
Put together things that calm your mind. Photos with your family, affirmation cards or your favorite scented candle.
*Wake up earlier
Make yourself a cup of coffee. Sit down and make plans for the day before breakfast.
*Meditate for 10 minutes
Meditations don’t have to be a 30-minute session. Schedule 10 minutes a day to sit down with your thoughts and see how it feels.
*Take a warm bath
Soak your stress and anxiety in warm water. A soothing bath will boost your blood flow and enhance your energy level as well.
*Make a gratitude list
Practice gratitude by listing 10 things you are grateful for at the moment. Stick it to your vision board or the mirror. It will shift your focus from unfinished to-do items to the great things in life.

Having stress-busting snacks such as fresh berries, dark chocolate, yogurt, walnuts or pistachios, or even a fruit smoothie with avocado and leafy greens in it can help you to feel better in both the short and long term when it comes to stress. When it comes to combating and dealing with stress in the long run, it’s important to make sure that for the most part, you are eating a diet which is healthy and balanced. In order to stay on track, it’s a good idea to make a meal plan for your week and plan ahead to make sure that you have a good selection of these stress-busting foods in your kitchen to make meals and snacks from when you’re feeling like stress-eating. Making sure that the majority of your meals include foods such as lean proteins and leafy green vegetables will not only make you feel healthier overall, but can improve your mental health and stress levels, too!

If you’ve been feeling more stressed out than usual lately, it’s important to know which foods are best to choose and which to avoid when it comes to combating stress and helping you to deal with feelings of stress and anxiety. The best way to fight stress is to have a healthy, balanced diet which includes a moderate amount of each of the different food groups. Filling up on foods such as whole grains, leafy vegetables, and lean proteins as the basic staples of the diet is the best way to ensure that your body gets the optimum amounts of nutrients to fight both physical and mental health problems. When it comes to choosing the foods to eat, some have a range of great properties which help the body to combat stress. Choosing these stress-busting foods will help to heal and calm your mind permanently, rather than providing a temporary x. Some of the best stress-fighting foods include:
*Avocado
*Blueberries
*Chamomile Tea
*Chocolate
*Beef
*Oatmeal
*Walnuts
*Pistachio
*Green leafy veggies
*Fermented foods

WOW Facts About YOU:
Blood Sugar Balance = Hormone Balance!!
📝 The law of the body is that it must keep a certain level of sugar/glucose in the blood at all times...it fights hard for BLOOD SUGAR BALANCE.
If your sugar level gets to high you’ll die and if it gets to low you’ll die...that’s why keeping your blood sugar levels in check is the body’s main job!
When you eat, even healthy foods, your blood sugar level goes up.
Your pancreas will secrete a hormone called
🌱 INSULIN to deal with the excess sugar in your blood and bring it back to balance.
Remember that word...💥 INSULIN 💥 .
Insulin removes the sugar out of the blood and stores it in your cells. If your cells are full INSULIN stores the sugar as FAT! 😬
Insulin is a FAT STORAGE hormone!
Fun fact: your body cannot burn fat when insulin is around.
Here’s another thing...
💥 INSULIN 💥 is the MASTER HORMONE in the body!!
There is not a hormone in your body that is not effected or directly controlled by Insulin!! It also helps your cells store nutrients.
🌱 Your other hormone systems and your cells NEED to respond to insulin to do their jobs correctly and stay nourished.
🛑 BUT...and here’s the kicker...the more insulin your body has to put out (to balance your blood sugar levels) the more resistant your
cells become TO INSULIN! 📷
✅ We want/need our bodies to be SSSUUUUPPPPEEERRRR sensitive to insulin.
To “listen” quickly when insulin “speaks” to it.
But because Insulin is so powerful, if we have to much pulsing through our system, our body gets worn out and stops “listening” to it.
🧬 Our cells literally down regulate and stop reacting to Insulin.
So what does your body do? It starts pumping out EVEN MORE insulin trying to get your cells to respond which creates more problems!
Let’s recap...📝
To prevent fat storage, hormone imbalance, fatigue, weak cells and degenerative diseases our goal is to HAVE AS LITTLE INSULIN AS POSSIBLE IN OUR BODIES!!!
Annnnddddd remember WHY our body produces 💥 INSULIN 💥 ???
To keep our blood sugar levels balanced!!
If we can keep our blood sugars stable, not swinging up and down, our bodies can release less insulin and become more sensitive to it!!

_____________________________
Want to know more? For more fascinating info on blood sugar and insulin watch this video!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=iTjDi2ZO0n8

Happy first Monday of the year! I have had several people ask me recently about the benefits of intermittent fasting so I wanted to share this article with you. Let me know if you are interested in joining an IF group!

https://dofasting.com/blog/gut-health/?fbclid=IwAR2GkkH-zcfOucU5HCd0EpD-4WCqu6iXUHbqmrLl_O5kFcr9hNbhfFLhrL8

5 Ways: Improve Your Gut Health with IF | DoFasting A slew of studies reveal intermittent fasting (IF) could hold key to your gut health and keep various serious diseases at bay. Find out more here.

My practice focuses on gut health, and healing the root issues of health issues. Here is an interesting article on the link between gut health and Fibromyalgia. https://www.technologynetworks.com/neuroscience/news/fibromyalgia-linked-to-gut-bacteria-for-first-time-321033?fbclid=IwAR33JzoLAQWE4Cp47k9BlQdVR0ENNGQGpCcwRUHKKd2lFHwBmSlenRswgtg

Fibromyalgia Linked to Gut Bacteria for First Time

I am always looking for a great health based podcast so I wanted to pass along one of my favorites to you! I became familiar with Thomas Hemingway and his wife while on my own health journey. Thomas is an ER Physician and has an amazing podcast. Check out the link to listen: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/modern-medicine-movement/id1504283429

‎Modern Medicine Movement on Apple Podcasts ‎Nutrition · 2020

Are you aware that the health of your gut is connected to so much more than your bathroom patterns? The state of your gut and its has the greatest potential to promote wellness, but also to obstruct your health.
Here are some of the conditions in which an unhealthy gut might be the source of the problem:

🌿Bloating after every meal, or even in between meals
🌿Frequent abdominal pain, indigestion, heartburn, diarrhea, and/or constipation
🌿Mental fog, constantly or after meals, or migraine headaches
🌿Seasonal allergies or asthma
🌿Diagnosis of an autoimmune disease, such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, or psoriasis
🌿Skin issues, such as acne, rosacea, hives, rashes, or eczema
🌿Depression, anxiety, ADD, or ADHD
🌿Recurrent yeast infections or candida overgrowth

I read this great article that talks about the importance of eliminating bad food, adding digestive enzymes, probiotics and prebiotics to your health routine. The most important part to remember is to utilize the education that you gain and get quality, clean supplements and foods that help you get on the right track!

Autoimmune disease is essentially when the body’s immune system, that is supposed to be protecting us from foreign invaders, turns and attack the cells in our body instead. 😞I know this because I’ve personally suffered with an autoimmune disorder for years. 👎🏻

There are more than 100 confirmed autoimmune diseases, with a about 40 more diseases suspected to have roots in autoimmunity. 🙀 There is an estimated 50 million Americans suffering from at least one autoimmune disease, 80% of which are women. To put that statistic into perspective, the NIH estimates there are roughly 9 million people suffering from cancer and 22 million people affected by heart disease in the United States. 😢

Needless to say, we have an enormous epidemic of autoimmune disease in our culture today. Sadly, Autoimmune disease is very under diagnosed and oftentimes conventional medicine does not have the tools to get to the root cause of the condition. 🌱

The development of autoimmune disease is complex, but there are 3 key factors that contribute to these conditions:
1️⃣Genetic susceptibility
2️⃣Infection or environmental triggers
3️⃣Diet & lifestyle

Some of these factors we can have control over, some we cannot. Doesn't that make you want to cultivate a health-promoting, non-inflammatory diet and lifestyle? 🤩

Our family has been focusing on changing so much to our own diet and I love helping my friends break down what is actually causing them to feel bad. Gut health and elimination is usually the first focus. 💪🏻 And I love partnering with a company that focuses on Gut Health and addressing the root issue of wellness. It’s made a drastic difference in my own battle against autoimmune disease and I know it can help you or someone you love! 😍”

Sleep is one piece of the wellness puzzle that is often overlooked, but is so necessary for healing to take place! A recent article in Family Circle (August 2018) answered some important questions about supplementation and sleep.

"Q. Which supplements can help me get a good night's rest?

If you're not breaking any of my cardinal sleep sins--like consuming caffeine after 2pm--I can understand your wanting to move things to the next level. Just keep in mind that it takes about 30 days for supplement benefits to kick in.

When getting to sleep is the issue, try magnesium. Nearly half of all Americans are deficient in this mineral. If you are one of them, you'll notice a difference in less than a month. Magnesium can trigger a neurotransmitter in your body that supports deep, restorative sleep.

Q. What does my gut microbiome have to do with sleep, and how can I improve it?

Researchers have experimented with this and it turns out that when the delicate balance of bacteria in your gut (your gut microbiome) is off, it impacts your ability to recover from stress and disrupts your circadian rhythms. What's more, impaired sleep contributes to inflammatory states and metabolic diseases, which can, in turn, rob you of a good night's sleep. But if you feed your microbes well, they will treat you right. To do so, stick to a consistent eating schedule and limit fat consumption. You'll also want to keep calorie intake the same but make your meals smaller and more frequent.

Finally, consider adding either prebiotics or probiotics to your diet. Prebiotics are non-digestible carbs that act as food for probiotics. Probiotics are live active bacteria that reach your gut and help out as well. Both can give you the boost you need.

I often hear people say, "But I already eat clean/healthy and exercise, why would I need vitamins & supplements?!"

It's easy to forget to take into account things like: soil depletion, exposure to toxic products and environments. Also, how about the large amount of sugar and antibiotics that are in just about EVERYTHING!?
& the enormous stress and lack of sleep most of us get! 😮Our bodies are up against a lot!

I love how my friend, Brooke explains it:

“🌻WHY SUPPLEMENT AT ALL? 🌻
One of the questions I had before I began taking supplements was “Why supplement at all? Can’t I get everything I need from food?” Now I’ve heard this question about a thousand times. 😂I used to be a nutrition 🍎and exercise 💪only girl, so I get it! But the truth was, even though I tried hard, it fell far short of what I needed to feel good. Here are some reason why:

🥦Our food sources are not the same they were a few decades ago. With soil depletion, convenience foods, food picked before the peak of their ripeness or sitting in a warehouse for over a month before consumption, we’ve lost quite a bit of nutrients. Plus, in the last 15 years our daily requirement for produce has doubled, but many aren’t keeping up with that.

❤️Supplements provide anti-oxidants that you can’t get 100% from food. Antioxidants decrease oxidation and free radical formation, equaling less cell destruction which means slowed aging and less disease.

🥴Supplementation is an easy way to boost your immune system for a small cost. Boosting your immune system keeps you healthy throughout your life! That means less sick days, doctor visits, meds, and all the costs that go along with it, not to mention it’s no fun being sick!

💊Most medications cause depletion of essential nutrients and if we look at the state of our nation, most people take at least 1 prescription medication. Simply research drug-induced nutrient depletion and you’ll see the long list. Sometimes we need medication and it is not the enemy, but with it, we need to fortify our bodies with supplementation.

🙍🏻‍♀️🙎🏼‍♂️Hormone balance- When it comes to hormones, the food and supplements we consume, along with the lifestyle we choose, greatly effect our mood, sleep, memory, and emotions. B vitamins, omegas, Vitamin D, E, C, adaptogenic herbs, and trace minerals are especially helpful in balancing hormones, all of which are found in our various supplements.

🍉Good supplementation, like the ones I rave about, in the natural form is easy for your body to absorb. Supplementation helps improve the body’s internal environment, such that it strengthens cellular protection, repair, regeneration, and renewal.”

Did you know that bananas are a superfood? Check out some of the health benefits of bananas!

https://www.therealhealthything.com/2020/04/grab-a-banana-before-you-sleep-7-things-bananas-can-do-for-your-health/?fbclid=IwAR0xPCQxtcE7H8uSSj4kl7eO87RQ6GNtGMzzSb1lI3dZswoDqJKTO_j06P0

Grab a Banana Before You Sleep – 7 Things Bananas Can Do For Your Health We’ve written about bananas several times… They are great for slicing and adding to cereals, making into smoothies, putting in bread and muffins and even eating plain. Because they are fruit, they must be healthy – but how healthy? This seemingly insignificant fruit is an incredible source of ...