The post 6 Healthy Pregnancy Tips from a Dietitian appeared first on HUM Nutrition Blog.
]]>6 HEALTHY Pregnancy Tips FROM A DIETITIAN
As a dietitian and poop aficionado, I wanted to make sure I did as much as possible to create a healthy foundation for myself and my child. I approached this new journey in the same way I approach creating a healthy foundation for my clients in my private practice. Above all, I focused on:- decreasing toxic burden
- optimizing digestive health
- eating whole foods
- taking the right supplements
- managing stress
- incorporating movement
1. Decrease Toxic Burden
Our world is full of toxins. But fortunately, our bodies have many amazing systems in place to filter them out. However, when you’re pregnant, your baby is more susceptible to toxins because they’re able to cross the blood-brain barrier—something we have protection from as adults. The best place to start is by removing toxic products from your environment, such as:- nail polish
- hair dye
- beauty products (check the toxicity status on EWG)
- cleaning products
2. Optimize Digestive Health
Since immunity begins in the gut, having a healthy and diverse microbiome was a top priority for me when I was pregnant. To begin, eating a diverse diet with lots of colors can help feed different bacteria in the gut. Aim for 40 different whole foods per week and include lots of good fermented foods. Some of my favorite fermented foods to eat daily were:- coconut yogurt
- sauerkraut
- pickles
3. Eating Whole Foods
A balanced diet helps stabilize blood sugar levels and optimizes digestion. It’s important to remember that your body only requires about an additional 200 to 300 calories while you’re pregnant. (Read: the idea of “eating for two” is dated.) However, if you plan to breastfeed, you’ll need to eat around 500 additional calories per day. Next, between weeks 24 to 28 of your pregnancy, you’ll need to get more thorough blood sugar tests to rule out potential red flags. But again, all the while, eating balanced meals will help keep blood sugar levels stable. Make sure each meal contains fiber, fat, protein, and veggies. This balanced plate can help stabilize any blood sugar spikes and support your growing baby. In addition, try to keep processed foods to a minimum. Also avoid deli meats, sushi, and high-mercury fish like tuna and swordfish.
4. Take the Right Supplements
When you’re pregnant, you want to be conservative with the amount of supplements you’re taking. However, it’s essential to find a high-quality prenatal supplement. I always looked for one that had methylated B vitamins and iron (in the bisglycinate form to help prevent constipation). It’s also important to take high-quality fish oil, vitamin D, and probiotics.5. Manage Stress
Following this pregnancy tip is absolutely essential. Stress isn’t just a state of being; it’s also a physiological response that changes your body chemistry. In fact, stress changes the way we process sugar. It causes our bodies to store more fat, decreases the diversity of the microbiome, and can promote inflammation. High levels of stress during pregnancy can even decrease the baby’s birth weight and potentially cause early labor. The key to stress management is to find activities that you enjoy. If you don’t enjoy meditating, don’t force yourself to do it! (Though personally, I loved this guided pregnancy mediation and would do it in the morning before I started my day.) Instead, try:- coloring
- walking in nature
- creating boundaries around things/people that cause stress
- warm (not hot) baths
- essential oil diffusers
- putting your hand on your belly and breathing
6. Incorporate Movement
While pregnant, I wish I could say I worked out four times per week and loved every minute—but that just isn’t true. I felt extremely nauseated and tired throughout my first trimester. For that reason, I prioritized rest over pushing myself to workout. But once the nausea calmed down, I was able to incorporate more walking, prenatal Pilates, and light strength training (of just three to five pounds). Above all, it’s important to do what you makes you feel good and stay comfortable. If your body is calling for more rest, rest! Conversely, if you feel really good working out, then by all means continue working out. That said, the general rule is to not do anything where you can’t catch your breath. So when it comes to fitness and pregnancy advice, remember to be easy on yourself. Even though you may not feel it, your body is doing so much. It’s okay to allow yourself to rest!Final Thoughts
These are just a few simple pregnancy tips to get you started on your path to a healthy term. If you want to go even deeper, make sure to check out my Pregnancy Guide that outlines specific products, how to create a low-toxin environment in your home, recipes, and holistic remedies for common pregnancy ailments. It also has tips for postpartum recovery, my favorite products, and how to keep a healthy mindset. Last but not least, congrats on your pregnancy! I can’t wait for you to experience the joys (and challenges!) of being a mother.
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]]>The post What a Registered Dietitian Eats in a Day appeared first on HUM Nutrition Blog.
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Breakfast
Breakfast is really important to me. I always think about three things: am I getting a good source of fiber, fat and protein? Those three things help keep me full so I can make it to lunch without getting hangry. Today, I’m having a Kite Hill non-dairy yogurt that I’m obsessed with. As a topping, I like to defrost frozen berries in the fridge overnight, or quickly in the microwave in the morning. The berries sweeten the yogurt, without needing any added sugar or honey. I also add some hemp seeds as a nice little omega-3 rich fat.Supplements
I like to take my supplements after breakfast when I have some food in my stomach. It’s the easiest time for me to remember to do it because I’m at home and I can see the bottles on my countertop. Today, I took OMG!, which is HUM’s fish oil that helps me keep my skin hydrated. I also took Skin Squad, which is a pre and probiotic. It helps increase diversity in the gut and just kinda makes me feel good, overall.
Lunch
After breakfast, I head into HUM. Today we’re having a probiotic lunch and learn. Lunch is being catered by Real Food Daily, which is all vegan. I’m not personally vegan, but I enjoy eating vegan for certain meals. There are lots of sandwich options. I don’t typically eat gluten in my diet, or a lot of bread. Instead, I go for the gluten-free, dairy-free grilled cheese. I also add a salad to get more vegetables on my plate – always very important. Then, I want a little crunch so I add some corn chips, as well. Also, there are brownies. I have a pretty big sweet tooth so I can’t resist these. But I only take half of one for a better portion size which I savor and enjoy very much. A lot of people assume that as a dietitian, I never eat sugar, I have this perfectly clean diet, blah, blah, blah… Not true! It’s all about that balance. I aim for an 80/20 diet where I can still enjoy things that I like occasionally, but primarily focus on getting nutrient-dense foods.Snack
After lunch, I work on my computer for several hours. When I get hungry, I grab a cut up bell pepper out of the fridge. I cut up bell peppers as soon as I get home from the store to keep in my fridge. If they’re not already cut up, I’ll never eat them. But if they’re cut up and I open the fridge and I see them, I’ll eat them. So I have a bell pepper and a glass of kombucha, and that’s my mid-afternoon snack.
Dinner
After my light snack, I work for a couple more hours, and then I’m starving. I often prep my meals in advance but today I don’t have anything ready to go. I do have some leftover roasted beets, fennel and carrots. So for dinner, I put that together, and make some eggs to add as my protein. I also add a little bit of this sauerkraut from this company called the Fermented Fairy – which is the cutest name ever. I have the apple cinnamon sauerkraut right now, which sounds kind of odd, but it’s actually delicious. It’s a little random but a pretty filling and delicious dinner.Dessert
After dinner, I get pretty deeply invested in some old Sex and the City episodes. I start to crave something sweet so I cut up some banana and spread some peanut butter over it. Still the best combination ever! That keeps me satisfied through another episode or two before bed. To learn more about what a registered dietitian is, read our article explaining all about it. To see more of Sarah’s daily food intake, follow her on Instagram.
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]]>The post The New Pre and Probiotic to Support Clear Skin appeared first on HUM Nutrition Blog.
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(previously Skin Heroes), our pre+probiotic supplement for clear skin. HUM Nutrition’s Director of Education, Sarah Greenfield, RD, tells us all about it.
What Is It?
Skin Squad is HUM Nutrition’s brand new pre and probiotic that is specially formulated to support the body’s defenses against breakouts and problematic skin.
Why Did We Make It?
The skin and gut are connected. In fact, you can think of the skin as an extension of our gut. When there is an imbalance in the gut, it can show up in the skin. As a registered dietitian, when the gut is out of balance I most often see it present in the skin as breakouts and dry skin. Conversely, the more balanced our gut, the healthier our skin.
While we already had a probiotic for general digestive and body health, we thought we could create one that spoke more specifically to skin needs. The result? A unique formula which combines the best clinically researched probiotic strains to help defend against breakouts and improve overall skin health.
Skin Squad Ingredients
POTENT & POWERFUL
Probiotics are measured in CFU which is short for colony forming units. That number on a bottle tells you the number of live, active organisms in the bottle at the time of manufacture. Skin Squad contains 40 billion colony forming units of nine different probiotic strains for a truly potent product.
STRAINS For Skin
We used two types of bacterial strains in this product: soil-based and live-strain. One of the beneficial aspects of soil-based, or spore-forming organisms, is that they can withstand environmental changes. This means they maintain their potency and are more shelf-stable. Our spore-forming strains include Bacillus coagulans, SNZ 1969 which enhances immunity and digestion. We also include Bacillus subtilis, DE111® which helps our bodies digest problematic foods, supports gut lining, and improves regularity.
Then, we included live-strain probiotics with clinical research to support their impact on skin health. To name just a few of the skin specific strains we include, there’s lactobacillus acidophilus, La-14 which can boost immunity and minimize inflammation. Also, bifidobacterium lactis, HN019 which studies show can help protect against dry skin.
For a full list of the strains in Skin Squad, click here.
Prebiotic Bonus
Unfamiliar with the difference between prebiotics and probiotics? Probiotics are the live bacteria and yeasts that live in your body and keep your gut healthy. These friendly bacteria patrol your intestines and keep your digestive system running smoothly. Prebiotics are like fuel for your probiotics. Taking them together ensures you feed the good bacteria in your body as efficiently as possible. Skin Squad uses konjac root as our prebiotic. Konjac root not only feeds the probiotics but increases good gut bacteria while decreasing bad bacteria on its own.
Superior Manufacturing
When it comes to probiotics you want to not only consider the formula – but also how it’s made. Our manufacturing process goes through exacting measures to ensure it’s as strong a product as possible by the time you get your hands on it. Because moisture and temperature can compromise the livelihood of probiotics, our state of the art facility uses 24/7 environmental monitoring to control temperature and humidity. The factory walls are even made with an antibacterial material to ensure no uninvited bad bacteria get in. Lab technicians perform quality checks throughout the manufacturing process and, of course, after the final product is bottled.
The Skin Squad Study
To really put our new pre and probiotic to the test, we invited women with breakout prone skin to try it for themselves. A dermatologist oversaw the study to measure skin hydration and breakout severity. After 60 days, 88% of study participants reported a decrease in the severity of their breakouts. As a bonus, 81% reported an improvement in GI-related symptoms. Hear from the participants who participated in the study as well as from the dermatologist who oversaw it here.
How To Use It
As with any of our products, consistent daily usage will get you the best results! Personally, I like to take probiotics at bedtime but whenever you can consistently remember to take your probiotics is great.
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]]>The post Get to Know Your “Transit Time” for Digestive Health appeared first on HUM Nutrition Blog.
]]>Here’s something you probably don’t consider often. After you eat something, how long does it take your body to process it and move it on out? And what can it tell you about your health? It turns out, quite a lot, actually. Meet your transit time.
What’s transit time?
If it sounds a bit like a shipping term, that’s because it’s not far off… The transit time definition in nutrition is the amount of time it takes for ingested food to travel through the body and be eliminated. In layman’s terms: how long it takes for your food to become poop! Our digestive tracts are about thirty feet long and include the mouth, esophagus, stomach, and small and large intestines. It can take food about 24-72 hours to fully move through our bodies. That means something you ate three days ago may just be making its way out of your system today.
So, what is a short transit time versus a long one? Transit time can vary from person to person. In fact, even men and women have different bowel transit times. Why? Well, women actually have a longer distal colon than men. Who knew?! For that reason, the average transit time for a woman is 47 hours while men average at 33 hours. This discrepancy could explain why women tend to have a higher rate of IBS than men.
What can impact transit time?
There are many things that impact the rate at which food moves through your body. Some of the more common things that can impact transit time are stress, the foods you eat, and an imbalanced microbiome.
Stress can decrease transit time as it causes the body to produce fewer digestive enzymes. With fewer enzymes, food isn’t broken down as efficiently and can sit for a longer time in the digestive tract.
Eating foods that your body is sensitive or allergic to can also decrease or increase transit time. Typically, a food sensitivity or allergy will irritate the gut lining, which can cause digestive distress like constipation and diarrhea. If you experience such digestive issues for more than three days, you should go to a doctor to get it checked out.
Finally, an imbalanced microbiome can also impact transit time. In a healthy gut, bacteria primarily break down carbohydrates, but when these strains of bacteria are lower, they begin to break down proteins. This process can slow down the rate at which food moves through the digestive tract for a much longer transit time.
How to Time It
Here’s a little trick to check your transit time: Eat corn! And then… er… keep an eye out. It’s a little gross, but you should be able to spot corn in your stool. From there, you can then calculate how long it took to travel through your system. All things considered, it’s a pretty simple way you can check in with your digestive health at home to know what’s going on inside.
Again, two days is the average transit time for women. If you do find that your transit time is lagging, you might benefit from supplemental support. Check out HUM’s Flatter Me, a digestive enzyme that can help your body break down large food particles, or Gut Instinct, a probiotic that can support a healthy microbiome.To ensure your gut is healthy and you have an optimal transit time, you can also aim for these important signs for healthy digestion:
- Pooping daily.
- Your poop is well-formed and doesn’t break apart upon flushing.
- Your poop sinks to the bottom of the toilet and doesn’t float.
- You don’t experience any painful bloating.
- Not having visible pieces of food in your poop (aside from corn for transit-time testing).
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]]>The post Mini Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe appeared first on HUM Nutrition Blog.
]]>Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake Bite Recipe
20 min
20 min
12
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup pitted dates
- 1 1/2 tbsp melted coconut oil
- 1/2 cup soaked cashews
- 1/2 cup vegan cream cheese
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 tbsp melted coconut oil
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 cup coconut yogurt
SUPPLIES
- food processor or blender
- non-stick silicone mini cupcake baking pan
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Blend almond flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, dates and the one and a half tablespoons of coconut oil in a blender or food processor until well combined.
- Spoon the mixture into the mini cupcake baking pan. Press into the bottoms of each mold evenly with the back of a spoon – or your fingers.
- Bake crusts in pan for five minutes.
- Combine soaked cashews, vegan cream cheese, pumpkin puree, tablespoon of coconut oil, maple syrup, cornstarch and pumpkin pie spice in a food processor until smooth.
- Pour pumpkin filling over cooked crusts and bake for another 20 minutes.
- Allow bites to cool and then top with coconut yogurt and cinnamon to garnish.
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]]>The post 8 Things That Can Mess with Your Microbiome appeared first on HUM Nutrition Blog.
]]>What Is Your Microbiome, Exactly?
Did you know there are more bacteria cells in your body than human cells? The term microbiome refers to the group of bacteria, viruses, and fungi that call the shots behind your health. The bulk of your microbiome is located in your large intestine. But there’s also a crucial balance of bacteria throughout the rest of your intestines and even on your skin! These bacteria are hard at work keeping you healthy. A healthy microbiome can improve your digestion, immune system, and even your central nervous system and brain health. Eating a diet of whole, healthy foods can go a long way in making sure your microbiome is happy. But beware of these unsuspecting disrupters that can throw your microbiome off track!8 Pesky Microbiome Disrupters
1. Antibiotics
First, let’s be clear. We’re not suggesting you never take antibiotics again. But it’s important to understand that taking antibiotics kills off a lot of the good bacteria in your body along with the bad. Your microbiome may not be able to supply nutrients, produce vitamins, or protect against pathogens as efficiently. In one clinical trial in Sweden, researchers found that after only a week of taking antibiotics, some participants had compromised microbiomes an entire year later! Be sure you’re taking antibiotics only as needed and not as a preventative measure.
Also, be careful about where you buy your meat! Antibiotics help farm animals grow fatter faster so they were considered a profitable option for a long time. Although the FDA banned using antibiotics for that purpose last year, the New York Times reports there’s still misuse in the industry.
2. Birth Control
Say what?! That’s right. The gut microbiome is indeed impacted by taking hormones like oral contraceptives. It may even decrease the effectiveness of the immune system and the way the body is able to process estrogen. If it’s an option for you, try switching to a low-dose estrogen pill, or even a copper IUD that doesn’t have synthetic hormones.3. Your Water
Chlorine was originally added to our water to decrease our risk for getting typhoid fever. Sadly though, it can also decrease your gut’s microbiome diversity which is no good. Similarly, fluoride was added to strengthen our bones and teeth, but may kill off good bacteria in the process. To avoid this microbiome disrupter, invest in a good water filter!
4. Processed & Packaged Foods
The more processed foods we consume, the more sterile our diets become. Processed food decreases the amount of good bacteria in our bodies. Studies show that eating ultra-processed foods provides the perfect environment for bad gut bacteria to thrive and cause inflammation. To combat this scenario, try preparing your own meals from fresh, whole foods as often as possible. (We’ve got some great meal prepping tips if you need them!)
5. A Sugary Acidic Diet
We know, bummer. We’re big dessert fans, too. The good and bad news is that your diet can rapidly shift your microbiome. It’s good news because you can quickly improve the situation. But it’s bad because you can just as quickly throw your system off. Unfortunately, for most of us, sugar is way too prevalent in our diets. In fact, the average American eats 152 pounds of sugar per year. That’s about three pounds per week! Sugar can create an acidic environment in the body which promotes disease and allows bad bacteria to flourish. Keep it in check by avoiding sugary foods, sodas, and other sweetened beverages. (Pro tip: The processed foods from the point above are also acidic!)
6. Pesticides
Pesticides were designed to keep bugs off our crops. Most recently, glyphosate has been the topic of conversation. Originally deemed as safe, this pesticide has now been linked to cancer and may even have neurologic effects due to its ability to change the balance of the gut microbiome. Shop organic whenever possible to keep your microbiome happy!
7. Stress
Even a small amount of stress can trigger the release of hormones and compounds in your body. Over time, stress can negatively impact your microbiome. Interestingly enough, it works both ways. Certain strains of bacteria in your gut can also impact the way neurotransmitters in the body. So having a diverse microbiome can actually help your body manage stress more effectively! Help the two work together by incorporating meditation or another stress management practice into your routine.
8. Eating The Same Foods Everyday
Lastly, if you find yourself buying the same ingredients all the time, your microbiome may get a bit bored. Having a diverse diet directly correlates with a diverse microbiome. I recommend getting at least 40 different types of whole foods into your diet throughout the week for maximum gut diversity. It’s also a good idea to shop at farmers’ markets, which forces you to switch things up with whatever’s in season.The post 8 Things That Can Mess with Your Microbiome appeared first on HUM Nutrition Blog.
]]>The post 5 Lessons from the Harvard Probiotics Symposium appeared first on HUM Nutrition Blog.
]]>Once a year, Harvard Medical School brings together the top microbiome researchers to share their key findings at the Harvard Probiotics Symposium. (Think of it like Comic Con for the probiotic world! Okay, minus the sweet costumes…) This year, Harvard invited me to attend and learn all about the latest microbiome research. What an honor!
Harvard is exactly how you’d expect it to be. It’s historic, brimming with intelligent people, and feels like you’re about to take part in something very important. Armed with my notepad and intense curiosity, I sat in a lecture room for two days straight feverishly taking notes.
As with most scientific presentations, the research is very specific and usually leads to the conclusion that more research needs to be done. However, here are my key takeaways.
5 Microbiome Lessons From Harvard
1. Our society has shifted from dealing with infectious diseases to chronic diseases.
Over the past century, the medical profession has been working hard to combat infectious diseases. Polio, mumps, sepsis, pneumonia, and many more diseases, although once deadly, are now manageable with modern medicine. However, now we’re seeing a rise in chronic diseases like asthma, diabetes, and obesity. In fact, about 41% of the population has at least one chronic disease. Yikes!
But why? Many physicians are trained with the philosophy to kill the “bad bugs” and keep things as sterile as possible. However, enacting this methodology threatens the diversity of gut microbiome—and consequently, our overall health. Science is finding that the microbiome plays a protective role when it comes to chronic disease. So as we decrease gut diversity, we also increase the likelihood of developing a chronic disease.
2. Probiotic substrates may be more important than the number strains.
What surprised me most from the entire conference is that while the diversity and strains of bacteria in our gut are important, it’s not as important as what our gut bugs are making! Bacteria produce a number of beneficial compounds like short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), proteins, vitamins, and even neurotransmitters, all of which impact different aspects of our health. You can help your gut bacteria be even more proficient at producing these compounds by increasing the amount of fiber in your diet. While our bodies don’t digest fiber, the bacteria in our microbiome converts it into things we can use, so it’s crucial to get lots in your diet.
3. We don’t need to mega-dose on probiotics.
Until recently, I was under the impression that the greater variety of probiotic strains, the better. Now I understand that the variety isn’t as important as targeting the outcome you want to achieve with specific strains. For example, Erika Isolauri, a pediatric physician in Finland, found that giving mothers the specific strain of lactobacillus rhamnosis GG increased the efficiency of their babies’ immune systems. Similarly, it’s important to familiarize yourself with what strains will help you meet your health goals. Need help navigating which probiotic strains are right for you? Check out our helpful article all about how to choose the right probiotic strains for your health and beauty goals.
4. Celiac disease and food allergies are on the rise.
The first case of celiac disease was documented in 1938 and has been on the rise every year thereafter. Since 1974, celiac disease has doubled every 15 years. Why are we seeing this rapid increase in celiac and other food allergies? It seems that the lack of gut diversity and permeability may have something to do with it.
Gut permeability is when your gut lining becomes inflamed and things from your gut end up in your bloodstream where they shouldn’t be. You may be more familiar with its other name: leaky gut syndrome. As a result, your immune system kicks into overdrive, which may result in reactions such as eczema, inflammation, psoriasis, etc. Gut permeability usually coincides with a lack of gut diversity. To avoid triggering these types of reactions, eat a rich diet of diverse whole foods, healthy fats, and fiber.
5. Our diets are too sterile.
This concept had me shook. Robert Hutkins, PhD—a professor, food scientist, and expert in fermentation—commented that he was only eating sterile foods while in Boston. The problem with eating sterile foods is that we don’t get any good bacteria from them in our bodies. Historically, we’ve have been able to maintain gut diversity through consuming small amounts of dirt and bacteria on produce, but now everything is sterilized. If you buy bags of pre-washed greens, they’ve been bleached and washed three times. Similarly, our apples have been washed and coated in a layer to prevent bacteria that can cause spoiling. Pasteurization is another common technique that kills bacterial strains.
I’m not suggesting we go out and eat dirt or only get unpasteurized foods. But, if you look back through history, many cultures have had fermented foods as diet staples. Kimchi, kefir, sauerkraut, miso, and borsht are all prime examples. Fermented foods help keep our immune systems strong and our gut bacteria diverse.
Final Thoughts
I was very honored to be invited to the Harvard Probiotic Symposium, where great minds met to discuss the microbiome’s complex role in our health. I hope you’ll incorporate at least one thing you learned from this article into your daily life. Remember that we’re not searching for the perfect diet, but rather trying to eat a little bit better than we did the day before.
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]]>The post The 6 Best Supplements You Need for Fall to Support Immunity, Hydrate Skin, and Improve Sleep appeared first on HUM Nutrition Blog.
]]>The transition between seasons always offers a good time to reevaluate your routine, whether it’s changing your workouts, switching it up for more seasonal produce, or choosing a new thing to tackle from your bucket list. It’s also an important time to change up your supplement routine.
Your body’s needs will naturally change throughout the course of the year, and supportive herbs and supplements can ease the seasonal transitions so you feel your best year-round. Some of the top health and beauty concerns moving into fall include:
These are the best supplements for fall to help ease seasonal transitions.
BEST SUPPLEMENTS FOR FALL
To really conquer the season with gusto, here are the four supplements for fall I recommend most:
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
As the weather cools down, you may notice drier skin. This happens most frequently because there’s less moisture in the air. We also spend more time with the heat on, which can further contribute to dry skin. Next, we’re not sweating as much, so our skin produces less oil. Finally, if you tend to eat more fish in the summer, which has hydrating fatty acids for the skin, skimping on fish in the colder months can leave skin drier. Likewise, we may drink less water throughout the day because we’re not as hot as we are in the summer.
To combat dry skin, consuming healthy fats can help. A fish oil supplement full of anti-inflammatory fats can help hydrate skin from within. Look for one with the ideal ratio of the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA.
If you’re vegan and can’t take fish oils, another hydrating option for healthy skin and hair is a supplement with fats derived from black currant seed oil. Opt for one that contains the omega-3 fatty acid ALA.
Vitamin C
As a kid, you may have heard that playing outside in the rain would lead to “catching a cold.” But the real reasons you’re more likely to get sick in colder months are actually quite different. Temperature and humidity play a role in virus transmission, research shows. For instance, dry, cold weather was the most favorable for transmission of the seasonal flu, research finds. Another reason things like the common cold tend to spread more in cooler months may be because we spend more time inside in close quarters.
Cold weather may also impact the body’s own immune system, making you even more susceptible to picking something up. In a study that looked at mouse cells taken from the lining of the nose and the other airways, lower temperatures changed the cells’ ability to mount an immune response against the common cold.
While vitamin C can’t directly prevent you from catching a virus, it may decrease the length and severity of a cold, shows research.
Vitamin C can also boost the innate and adaptive immune responses and help with histamine breakdown if you suffer from allergies.
Elderberry
Elderberry is another standout supplement to support your immune system. As we’ve previously covered, scientists believe elderberry can give you a boost by improving white blood cell activity.
Elderberry also contains anthocyanins, a type of antioxidant, which may play a role in regulating the immune response.
A safe way to consume elderberry extract is in the form of a gummy supplement.
Melatonin and B6
If you’re affected by the time change when Daylight Savings ends and feel that your sleep is thrown off, you may want to try a supplement to help get you back on track and ensure you get all the benefits of adequate sleep.
Not enough sleep affects just about everything in the body, from hormones, to digestion, to stress and immunity. Sleep is when our bodies repair damaged cells and detoxify, so it’s crucial to get enough.
Taken 20 minutes before bedtime, melatonin can promote more restful sleep, while B6 helps normalize circadian rhythm.
Vitamin D
During the fall and winter months, you’re likely getting less time outdoors in the sunlight, which means your body produces less vitamin D. Vitamin D is made in the skin when it’s exposed to UVB light. Because vitamin D supports your immune system, low levels of vitamin D have been associated with recently-onset upper respiratory tract infections.
Vitamin D is also an important nutrient for mood. Researchers observed that people who experience seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a mood disorder with symptoms such as fatigue and depression, had lower levels of vitamin D.
Adding a vitamin D supplement can be a way to support your overall health, especially during months you’re not getting as much sun.
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]]>The post Perfect Healthy Plate Portions for Every Diet appeared first on HUM Nutrition Blog.
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General Healthy Plate Portions
If you’re not on a specific diet, these portions will help you get the most of your meal while keeping blood sugar stable. Cover half of your plate in veggies, one quarter with protein, one eighth with complex carbs, and the last eighth with a healthy fat. In this example we used spinach, broccoli and tomatoes for the veggies. Chicken was added as a lean protein. Finally, we used whole-wheat pasta for a complex carbohydrate and pesto for the healthy fat. HUM Pairing: OMG! Omega The Great is a great source of anti-inflammatory fats, which can be beneficial while on a regular diet.
Healthy Plate Portions For A Vegan Diet
The biggest mistake I see with the vegan diet is eating too many carbohydrates, processed vegan foods, and nuts. Why can an excess of nuts be a problem? Nuts have enzyme inhibitors that can decrease our body’s ability to break down foods, causing an increase in gas and bloating. Instead, I recommend filling half of your plate with vegetables, a quarter with plant proteins, and another quarter with complex carbs. Focus on plant-based sources of protein instead of processed soy products. Next, cut down your carbs to just an eighth of the plate if your plant protein already contains a high level of carbohydrates. HUM Pairing: Flatter Me is a great digestive enzyme that supports vegans in breaking down the increased fiber and carbohydrate intake of their diet.
Healthy Plate Portions For A Paleo Diet
With a paleo diet, you want to be careful that you’re not eating too much protein. It’s important to get enough complex carbohydrates. After all, it’s not a low carb diet as much as a more balanced approach to eating. For this diet, your ideal plate portions are half veggies, one quarter protein, one eighth healthy fat, and one eighth complex carbs. These portions will help you feel more satiated throughout the day and prevent cravings and overeating come mealtime. HUM Pairing: Gut Instinct is a great addition to the paleo diet because you’re already eating more vegetables and prebiotics, which help the probiotics thrive in supporting your microbiome.
Healthy Plate Portions For A Keto Diet
With a keto diet, the idea is to switch your metabolism from burning glucose to burning fat for energy. This is called “becoming fat adapted” and provides a more consistent source of energy. People report more mental clarity and endurance while following a ketogenic diet. The most common mistake I see with a keto diet is not getting enough vegetables. Because keto is a carb-restricted diet, it’s easy to forgo vegetables because of their carbohydrate content. However, it’s critical for your body to get the nutrients and fiber it needs from vegetables. With that in mind, I recommend filling half of your plate with healthy plant-based fats like these avocados and macadamia nuts, one quarter of your plate with protein, and the last quarter with non-starchy vegetables like kale, spinach, asparagus, and zucchini. HUM Pairing: Ripped Rooster contains 7-keto, which helps the body more efficiently use fat for fuel, which is the overall goal of the keto diet.
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]]>How Healthy Is Kombucha?
Kombucha is a great way to get an additional boost of probiotics (aka the good gut microbes in your body). However, it really depends on the brand you choose for the best benefits. Some commercially available kombuchas are loaded with sugar. It’s tricky because sugar is an important part of making kombucha. The bacteria feed off sugar and convert it into vinegar, which supports the health of probiotics in the gut and can help slow down the rate at which carbohydrates are broken down in the body. But if there’s too much sugar in the fermentation process, not all of it will be converted and it’ll be left in your kombucha. Then again, over-fermented kombucha can also lead to negative side effects.
How Much Booch Is Too Much Booch?
I think it’s important to drink kombucha once in a while and not make it a daily habit. In some cases, if you’re experiencing digestive discomfort, the carbonation from kombucha can exacerbate bloating. I like to drink kombucha if I’m craving something sweet or if I’m at a social event and don’t want to have a cocktail.
Kombucha Rankings
A little bit about my process: I start by purchasing every kind of kombucha available at Whole Foods. To try and make things even, I stick to all lemon flavors whenever possible. Then, to decide which kombucha reigns supreme, I look at the sugar content, the list of bacterial strains included, and all other listed ingredients.
1. Revive Kombucha (Lemon Refresher)
This one comes in first for the very low sugar content: only three grams of sugar per serving (or 4.5 grams per bottle), which is much lower than the others. It uses white tea as its base, which is lower in polyphenols, so there are benefits there. But you also get L-lysine, raw lemon juice, and vitamin C, which can help boost immunity. Their website also says that they source certified organic, fair-trade, non-GMO ingredients. I approve!
2. GT’s Kombucha (Lemonade)
This one uses a mixture of spore-forming and non-spore-forming probiotic cultures. The bottle conveniently includes this fact, so points there! Spore-forming probiotics are more shelf-stable to ensure the good bacteria make it alive to your gut to do their thing. It uses black and green tea as the base, both of which are high in polyphenols. I also like that they use real lemon juice for flavoring and kiwi juice as a sweetener. That said, it has six grams of sugar per serving (or 12 grams of sugar per bottle), which is more than some of the others.
3. Brew Dr. Kombucha (Ginger Lemon)
This organic kombucha is fermented in green tea, which is high in polyphenols. Polyphenols are good because they can help reduce inflammation in the body. The recipe also includes cayenne pepper and ginger, both of which are powerful antioxidants. The bottle doesn’t list the specific strains of probiotics, so it’s hard to tell what the probiotic benefits are. As for sugar content, it contains five grams of sugar per serving (or 10 grams in the bottle).
4. Health-Ade Kombucha (Ginger Lemon)
Fun fact: A dietitian developed this brand! Health-Ade is also a favorite in the HUM office. Nutritionally speaking, this recipe is fermented with black and green tea—again, both rich in polyphenols. The combination of lemon and ginger is excellent for gut health and immunity, and I love that they include real cold-pressed juices of both ingredients as opposed to an extract or flavoring. Each serving contains seven grams of sugar (or a total of 14 grams of sugar per bottle).
5. The Bu Kombucha (Lemon Ginseng)
This one uses green and guayusa teas, the latter of which is known for its stimulating effects. Organic ginseng is great for memory and brain health, and they actually list the amounts of live strains at the time of bottling, which is really helpful. From that, we can see they include bacillus coagulans, which is a spore-forming probiotic that has a much slower die-off rate for more benefits. Still, I ranked this one a little lower for including agave along with cane sugar. Agave is higher in fructose, which the liver processes. It isn’t necessarily bad on its own, but if you already have a diet high in sugar, it can tax the liver. Each serving contains five grams of sugar (or 10 grams per bottle). Lastly, this one contains lemon flavor, which shouldn’t be confused with actual lemon juice.
6. Better Booch (Citrus Sunrise)
They didn’t have a lemon flavor available, so we had to make do with a comparison to the next-closest flavor profile: grapefruit, sage, and pu-erh tea. Pu-ehr tea is interesting since the tea itself is fermented. Making kombucha with pu-ehr tea adds a second level of fermentation, so it’s possible there’s a greater diversity of good bacteria. That said, without the specific strains listed, it’s hard to tell. Also, I prefer a glass bottle to metal cans, as metal cans sometimes contain BPAs that may disrupt hormonal health. It’s a bit lower in sugar with only five grams per serving (or 10 grams per bottle).
7. Kevita Master Brew Kombucha (Citrus)
I like that Kevita is organic! It also contains two different varieties of spore-forming probiotics that are good for your gut. But at eight grams of sugar per serving (or 16 grams per bottle), it’s the highest in sugar in our batch. It also lists natural flavors in the ingredients. For now, there are no regulations on natural flavors, so its hard to know what those actually are. They also list cane sugar and stevia in the ingredients. The stevia makes it taste sweeter than it really is, which I personally don’t find a need for. Finally, it contains black- and green-tea extracts, which aren’t as potent as the actual tea itself.The post Is Kombucha Actually Good for You? appeared first on HUM Nutrition Blog.
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