Lowering Your Cholesterol

I came across this video that Mark Hyman did on lowering your cholesterol and triglycerides and was totally floored.

Here's the question... Could having higher cholesterol actually be good for you? Check out this video and listen to Doctor Hyman break it down for you in just 7 minutes.

CLICK HERE

Okay, but seriously... if you haven't clicked about.. just do it. You won't regret it.

Assuming you have watched the video... Here is some of the main take away's from the video.

Cholesterol is Important

It helps make hormones, brain cells, & cell membranes

Not enough cholesterol causes low testosterone (and what man wants that?), effects cell function, block the making of coQ10 enzyme causing brain issues.

Side effects of cholesterol medications:

Muscle damage

Brain damage

Memory issues

Parkinson's-like symptoms

Muscle pain and muscle aching

5 years, one drug, to prevent one heart attack

You have to treat 50 people to prevent one heart attack

You have to treat 890 people to prevent one death from a heart attack

Not a very good drug

The Truth

Get the right cholesterol test-that gives the number and size of your cholesterol particles.

Increase the right kinds of fats, decrease sugar and grains. It's not fat that causes your cholesterol to go up-- IT'S SUGAR

Sugar causes your cholesterol-producing factory in the liver to turn on.

Good fats to increase in your diet:

Avocado

Nuts

Seeds

Coconut butter

Olive oil

Fish oil

It's not about lowering your cholesterol... it's about having the right type of cholesterol.

(And this is not the right type of cholesterol)

Two other important factors:

Exercise

Deal with stress

Supplements that can help NATURALLY:

2-4 grams of fish oil daily

PGX-super fiber 5 grams before every meal

Red rice yeast

Phytosterols

This post might have turned your idea of cholesterol upside down and that's good! Hopefully, this post has brought you one step closer to reaching optimal health. 

Until Next Time,

Hope

xoxo

I Need A Coffee Break

I need a coffee break, seriously. After a night of nine hours of sleep (which is my sweet spot), a stressless week I feel like I'm walking around in a daze. I feel like I need coffee to really wake up and to avoid a 2:30pm nap. What is my deal?

As I have reflected on the last couple month of my life and beyond, I have realized a few things.

1. When I'm tired, I typically just drink coffee to give me a needed "pick-me-up"
2. If I know I have to get to wake up super early and/or will get to bed late resulting in little sleep, I typically don't worry about it and just tell myself I will get some coffee

For the most part this works. I will hit a wall eventually and end up taking one of my "famous" 3-4 hour naps but that's okay, that's just what I do.... right?

Wrong.

What am I really doing to myself when I participate in this behavior? 

I was recently putting together a budget for myself with my moms help (she's cool like that). As we were talking about my monthly spending I made an off handed comment about how I was going to have to start making my coffee at home to make this budget work. My mom looked at me and said, "But you don't need to drink coffee." I have heard this from her before but it just hit me differently based on what I had been thinking about the past week. You know, I don't actually need coffee, do I? I never drank coffee growing up and both of my parents have never drank coffee.

As I continued to process, I began to see our "coffee culture" and what it has really done. In Minneapolis, everyone meets for meetings or with friends at coffee shops. You do your homework at a coffee shop. You go on first dates to coffee shops and the list goes on. There is nothing wrong with coffee shops but let's dig a little deeper.

I think coffee has given us a good means of neglecting our health in some ways. We have gone to coffee as our fuel to get us through the day at the expense of what we eat (real food) and how much we sleep.

The biggest issue I see with this is the effect it has on our Adrenal Glands. Our Adrenal Glands play a big part in our hormone regulation. As you might have read in some of my previous posts, hormone regulation has EVERYTHING to do with weight-loss and metabolism. When our Adrenal Glands get fatigued, it can result in our hormones getting all out of balance leaving you tired and frustrated, especially if you are trying to lose weight.

There are some great health benefits from drinking good coffee. That is, coffee without all the artificial creamers and syrups, loads of sugar etc. Some of these benefits include lowering risks of different cancers and diseases, type 2 diabetes, and increases overall mortality.

There are some awesome benefits to drinking coffee, but we need to be careful we don't abuse it. 

With all this being said I am going to try something. I'm going to try to live without coffee (until the New Year). For me I think this will do a few things:

1. Make me be intentional about going to bed at a reasonable time.
2. Break any addiction I have to coffee (I really don't want to live addicted to anything)
3. Make me richer (I won't be spending all my pennies on coffee)
4. Give my adrenal glandes a chance to recover
5. I wonder if I'll lose weight? (That is more of a question based on the fact that I can't drink coffee black... ie I put lots of sugar and stuff in it...eeekkk!!)

If after reading this you have any desire to try and join me, let me know! (Leave a comment below) I find it so much easier to do things like this with others!

Until Next Time,

Hope

xoxo

P.S. I just want to reiterate that I LOVE coffee shops... I'm at one right now! :) It's not the WHAT, it's in the HOW. 

Rest

Rest. Sometimes, it can be as simple as that. The American lifestyle holds being busy in high regard. We must be involved with this and that and striving to continually reach such and such goals, climb the corporate ladder etc. Let's face it. As a culture we like being busy. It makes us feel important.

This is something I have struggled with myself. In the end it has left me run down and unhealthy. I used to avoid taking naps at all cost because I thought if I was asleep I would miss something exciting. Let me tell you, this is not the best way to live.

I struggle with an overachiever complex. I don't just want to DO everything but I want to be the BEST at everything. There have been too many days when I wished there were more than 24 hours in a day. Or I go to bed thinking that I didn't get half of the things done that I needed to. Thankfully, my perspective have changed a lot on this lately. 

Living a life of rest sometimes means not completing the "to do" list today. There is always tomorrow. It is easy to let little things in life (usually they seem big at the time) get the best of us causing unneeded stresses and anxiety. When in the end, it always works out. Maybe not exactly how we planned but it does.

I want to fully enjoy my life today. For me that means making sleep a priority. I am a much better/nicer/happier person when I've had a good nights sleep. ;) I also need to make people a priority. At the end of the day when I am old and laying on my death bed, all my projects, work, etc. wont be what is with me, but the people I chose to invest in.

Living a life of rest also has a TON of health benefits. Your gut is where your whole immune system comes from. When you are stressed you inadvertently put stress on your gut, leaving you susceptible to all sorts of sickness. It is also very harmful for you brain. Did you know that your brain only functions at 50% when you are under high stress? That is a scary thought..... 

We can't expect to be healthy if we aren't willing to live a lifestyle that makes rest a priority. So don't forget, there is always tomorrow. Make sure to put truly important things first and leave margin in your life. You wont regret it. 

Until Next Time,

Hope

xoxo

P.S

Disclaimer: 

I know that this does not apply to everyone. Some of us need to get off our butts and get to work. This doesn't apply to you. ;) 

Cheers!

Getting Healthy For Dummies #1

For starters, I hope no one finds the title of this post offensive. I spoke on the phone with a dear friend and she expressed her desire to get healthy but didn't know where to start. She has a personality much like mine where you either do something all or nothing. There are some great things about this, but also some drawbacks. She told me I need to make a "Getting Healthy For Dummies" guide. Welp, here it is. 

When it comes to "getting healthy" many people make a New Year's resolution, stick with it for awhile and then go back to their normal way of living. What my friend wants is to get healthy and STAY healthy. She wants to change her lifestyle. I don't know about you, but most people are not able to change habit patterns, that have been with them the majority of their life, over night. That just doesn't happen. An all or nothing approach to changing a lifestyle habit no matter what it is, is usually not going to change over night. So why should we treat our "get healthy" mission otherwise?

After this talk with my friend I have decided to make a series, Getting Healthy For Dummies, for people who have no idea where to start and feel totally overwhelmed by all the information out in cyberspace.

Let's make this super simple.

Here is how we are going to do this. I will give you 2 maybe 3 things to work on. I want you to try and apply these things to your life for at least 6 weeks before trying to implement the next step. Comprendo? 

Here are 3 things to work on these next 6 weeks:

1. On either Saturday or Sunday PLAN. Try to have an idea of what you are going to eat for the week and go grocery shopping. You might think this seems super simple. It is. However, if you plan or even have some ideas as to what you are going to eat you will eliminate your fast food or should I say fake food intake. This also has a ton of other benefits but we will get to that later. 
2. No fast food. ^^^ If you must pick something up on the fly you can get a great salad bar at Lund's or Byerly's. Cub even has a salad bar although I prefer the first two.
3. Eat before you go grocery shopping. I ALWAYS buy things I shouldn't when I go grocery shopping on an empty stomach. EVERYTHING looks good. By taking your illogical, hungry brain out of the equation we can make better food choices at the grocery store. This will set us up to win. 

I may or may not post #2 before the next 6 weeks is up. BUT REMEMBER! You must complete 6 weeks of step #1 before moving on to step #2. This is about building a foundation for living a healthy lifestyle. It doesn't and it wont start over night. Give yourself time. Be patient, and don't let yourself live in condemnation. That won't get you anywhere.

Happy 6 weeks! Let me know how it goes! Leave a comment below or comment on our Facebook page!

Until Next Time,

Hope

xoxo

P.S. Helpful hints:

Try to do a little cooking at the beginning of the week or whenever you have time. It gives you a head start. Have salad on hand with some cooked chicken, dried fruit, sunflower seeds, carrots and such so you can whip up a tasty salad on the spot. I also love crockpot recipes. They are typically quick and delicious. Also, if you make some extra food, rather than having leftovers for a week, freeze some of the leftovers and have them ready for the future. 

The Abs You Always Wanted

As a personal trainer I am always asked, "How do I get nice abs?" Or, "How do I get rid of this belly fat?" I think most people are looking for a magical answer that doesn't exist. We can slave away in the gym for hours doing thousands of crunches but the truth is....

Abs Are Made In The Kitchen!

Yes, it is important to have strong core muscles but if you want to see abs like the ones in fitness magazines and on Pinterest, we have to take a closer look at what we are eating.

The truth is, our body fat percentage has a lot to do with our ability to see our abs. You can't target one part of your body, do a ton of exercises and expect to see results. The key to having nice abs is to have a low body fat percentage. For the average woman you need to be at about 14% body fat to really be able to see your abs like the girls on Pinterest... but who wants to look like the girls on Pinterest!?!? ;) However, you will have a nice flat stomach if you are around 20% body fat. (These percentages are all generally speaking.)

There are also two other components to having "the abs you always wanted" that I think are grossly overlooked. These being SLEEP and STRESS.

Both your sleep schedule and your stress levels have a large part in controlling your cortisol hormones. When you live under extreme stress and get little sleep (usually these things go hand-in-hand) your bodies cortisol gets WAY out of wack. Leaving you with excess cortisol hanging out in your body which in turn stores in your belly fat. That is a super simplified, nonscientific way of putting it. :)

To get The Abs You Always Wanted you need to mainly do these three things:

1. Eat clean i.e. Limited carbs, dairy, sugar and processed garbage. Increase protein, vegetables, and healthy fats. Eat the right, and just enough.
2. Get at least 8 hours of sleep every night.
3. Live a stress free life (you might think this is impossible.... but it's not... More on that later)

There is no magic exercise that will get you the abs you want. Abs are the result of living a disciplined life. Unless, you are one of those people who have a ridiculously high metabolism... which in that case.... I don't want to talk to you. ;) (I'm totally just kidding with that last part.)

Until Next Time,

Hope

xoxo

A Fat-Loss Lifestyle

I finished work at about 8pm and was hungry. Not hungry enough for a meal, but a snack. I walked to Lunds across the street. Nothing in the prepared food section is grabbing my attention.... so I continue wondering. I end up in front of this.... of course...

It would be really easy to justify getting a pastry. I had a great workout this morning, I haven't overeaten today, it's hot outside.... etc. BUT I recently read a great write up by my mentor Jen Sinkler talking about sustainable fat-loss and the problem with dieting. It's all about living a lifestyle that encourages fat-loss. The great part about lifestyle change is that it never ends. There is no end of the program, just tomorrow, the next day and the next. So I asked myself, does this fit into my fat loss lifestyle? The answer--NO. On top of that my gluten allergy would make this for a painfully sweet experience (pun intended). ;)

I continue walking--the thought of something sweet still on my mind. I end up in the produce section and decide to treat myself to a peach AND a plum. I grab some raw almonds on my way to the checkout line and am on my way.

I will have to say, that peach was one of the best I've had in a long time! I at my two pieces of fruit with no regret and I feel good. Had I eaten one of those beautiful pastries I would have regretted it. My stomach would have hurt and I would have felt lethargic the rest of the night.

I don't think the fat loss lifestyle means never having something tasty and sweet. However, what it does mean is that you have to pick and choose. I was able to curb my craving for something sweet with a piece of fruit that didn't wreak havoc on my blood sugar. I also grabbed some raw almonds to give me sustained nourishment (protein).

Life is about the little choices. A sustained lifestyle of fat-loss is about the little choices. I can't change the food choices I made yesterday but I have control of today. :)

Until Next Time,

Hope

xoxo

If Granny Can Do It... Deadlift

Sandra Foli, mother of three and 73 years of life under her belt just went on to score a powerlifting recorded. She completed a clean deadlift of 181.5 pounds. WOW!

(Sandra Foli, 73 years old)

Foli started exercising just 5 years ago after suffering from septic shock and look what has happened! I listed to an interview she did and something she said struck me. She said many people her age are beginning to lose their mobility, having to use walkers and wheelchairs. She said she doesn't want that to be the case in her situation. If she continues what she's do I'm sure it wont!

Here are three points I would like to make:

1. It's never to late to start Deadlifting--or lifting heavy weights in general
2. What you do know will determine where you end up later (walker, wheelchair, nursing home)
3. The benefits of deadlifting

Foli was 68 when she started lifting. The article wasn't very specific but I'm pretty sure she had never lifted weights like that before. If a 68 year old woman can pick up weightlifting in her spare time, I think it's safe to say just about anyone can. No matter your age, gender, or athletic ability--you can and you probably should start lifting. It could be what keeps you moving and healthy in your later years.

Turning around your lifestyle NOW is better than later. If you are young in years you can potentially save yourself from experiencing an illness like Foli did. If you are farther along in years the great news is it is never too late. There are so many health benefits to lighting weights which include increased muscle mass and bone density, decrease in stored fat and improved cardiovascular function. The lists go on and on and on....

Lastly, but definitely not the least, why should you deadlift? Deadlifting is a great lift to make you strong, and who doesn't want to be strong? You can lift heavy things around the house and yard and not have to worry about not being able to lift it and getting hurt. Being strong is convenient. Deadlifts predominately strengthen your hamstrings, glutes, and lower back. I don't think I've ever met anyone who didn't want a strong, firm backside, men and women both.

Increased strength in these three areas will not only increase athletic performance but will also help prevent back and knee injuries such as ACL tears, patello-femoral pain, and patellar tendinosis to name a few. 

So, if you want to look good, move well and keep yourself from injury... start deadlifting. 

Until Next Time,

Hope

xoxo

P.S. Here is a great article by Mike Robertson giving you all the information you need to start deadlifting like a champ! Check it out!

http://robertsontrainingsystems.com/blog/deadlift/

Juicing Vs. Blending

Here are my thoughts

In theory, juicing sounds like a great idea. You can get all the fruits and vegetables you need in just one drink! Here is the problem with this:

1. When you go out and buy all that beautiful, organic, expensive produce and put it through the juicer you will realize that you just wasted a ton of it. This translates over to lost $$$. Who wants that?
2. When fruit is juiced, it takes out all the fiber and just leaves the natural sugars. If you were to eat a whole apple, you blood sugar levels would stay even, when you eat a juiced apple your body doesn't get the fiber needed to blunt the sugar, leaving you with elevated blood sugar levels. This is not good.

(My dad is a master at making delicious Vitamix smoothies)

What then is a better solution? My answer.... a Vitamix! A Vitamix is a high powered blender that will mix up anything (excluding rocks). You can make smoothies, add nuts, lettuce leaves, fruits, vegetables and not have to worry about your drink coming out chunky. You will get all the nutrients from the vegetables, and you wont waste anything! These drinks will also be much more filling if you are going to have one as a meal replacement. And of course, all the fiber in these drinks will also help with your bowl function. :)

So rather than giving into the juicing fad that's going around, go buy a Vitamix or a high powered blender to make your drinks. You wont regret it! 

Until Next Time,

Hope

xoxo

P.S. You can even make your own nut butters and hummus in the Vitamix!

A Girl & Her Ice Cream

A few years ago, or even a year ago, I would have never imagined that I would be writing a blog. It’s just never been something I’ve done. I can’t even manage to write in a diary/journal. What I have found is that I need to write when I am inspired. The only problem with this is that I typically get inspired at very odd times. Like now for instance. It’s currently Friday night at 11:30pm. I just got done sitting on the couch for a couple hours doing a whole bunch of nothing. Obviously, I live a very exciting life that you should be very jealous of. Anyways, to my point. I am inspired. Very inspired… to write about ice cream. Yes, ice cream.

Confession… I really really really like ice cream. And I need to apologize to all my past, present, and future roommates. If you have ice cream sitting in the freezer… Welp… I probably have, did and will help myself to a little bit of it, in a very common moment of weakness. I am truly sorry.

I know many women can relate... and probably men too.. but I don't know about it because I'm not a man... There are just those times when you need something sweet. For me, ice cream hits the spot every time. BUT recently, I have gotten on this kick of reading food labels… and has been devastating! I found that a high percentage of the ice cream on the shelves have high fructose corn syrup in them. This, I cannot stand for.

With a heavy heart, I decided to go on a mission, a mission to find my favorite flavors of ice cream… without high fructose corn syrup.

Thank God for Ben & Jerry’s ice cream! They have my FAVORITE ice cream and it doesn't have high fructose corn syrup in it! God is good! 

I hope this post has made you chuckle or even smile a little bit. The main point that I would like to share with you is this. I think it is very important to make sure that you are giving your body the nutrients it needs to function at its best. However, we are all human (me especially), and just want something sweet sometimes. I don’t think it’s wrong indulging once in a while BUT with these indulgences why not choose the ice cream without high fructose corn syrup versus the one with it? Do your body that little favor while you enjoy your treat.

These are the thoughts of a 23 year old, on a Friday night, sitting at home. I am now going to go to sleep because I just spelled "cherry" wrong. Good night!

Until Next Time,
Hope
xoxo

P.S. I never buy the half gallon of ice cream because it will be gone within 24 hours. They've recently come out with these super small ice cream containers! Perfect for your little indulgence! :)

Dream Big, Set Goals

Dream big, set goals. I feel like that is the story of my life right now. Granted, I am a semi-recent college graduate, with a just enough of a taste of corporate America to know that I would rather skip the endless hours in a desk, and ladder climbing as my fast track to success and a decent salary.

It has been about eight months now, since I resigned from my job as a recruiter and started this adventure. This is not the path I had planned for myself. I have always been a planner. My plan had always been to graduate college, get a good corporate job, work for about seven years, save money, then start my business. Needless to say, my "plan" is so far from my currently reality I have to laugh, but I would have it no other way.

As I have taken time to reflect, I am not sure that I would have ever taken the leap of faith and stepped out to do my own thing if I hadn't been in a job that made me miserable. I had no idea how I was going to make ends meet. Businesses don't usually start over night. The day I walked out of my job for the last time I felt that I had just stepped off a cliff, I was in free fall. I wasn't even sure if I had a parachute on, but I knew I had to jump. If there was a time to do it, now was that time.

The great thing about being miserable is that it really has a unique way of making you realize what makes you happy. 

I've realized that there are a lot of things I want to go out, do and experience. The question I have been asking myself is why shouldn't I do ALL these things? By the grace of God and a hale Mary (as my grandmother would say) I have a good 60 years left in me and I don't want to look back wishing I had taken a few more chances. I realize I'm not going to be able to do all these things at once, but if I take them one at a time, set attainable goals, they will happen. Some of these things will take longer than others, but if I'm patient, one by one I'll be able to start checking them off.

A few of the things I would like to do/experience are:

1. Have my own successful business
2. Compete in ballroom dancing
3. Master a form of martial arts (Brazilian Jiu Jitsu or Muay Thai)
4. Travel the world (I'm trying to get a side job with Delta)
5. Go skydiving
6. Set a world record (Probably a variation of the deadlift)
7. Become proficient at surfing
8. Be a part of fashion week NY
9. Start a Non-profit

These are a few of the things I would really like to experience/learn. Now I just have to figure out how I can make them happen. For instance, traveling the world is expensive... unless you work for an airline. Which is why I'm trying to get a part-time job with Delta. I would be totally okay traveling the world on standby. :)

It's never to late to make a list of dreams. But if you make the list, you have to make a second list mapping out how you plan to accomplish them. Set goals, whether that be saving money, signing up for a class, or looking for that part-time job with an airline. 

I think it's important to realize you don't have to look successful from the worlds outlook. Every persons journey doesn't look alike. From a worldly perspective I would say my life looks pretty sad right now... but, I have decided that that doesn't matter. What matters is that I am doing what I feel God has called me to do. I'm going after my dreams one at a time. 

Here is a Chinese fortune I got recently:

"Talk is cheap, barbers give it away free with haircuts."

Let's stop thinking and talking about what we want to do and go do it! 

Until Next Time,

Hope

xoxo

Read Your Labels

Nothing pains me more than seeing people get tricked into weight loss products. There are many companies that have done their job well and have pulled the proverbial "wool" over the eyes of your everyday consumer. Some of these products include diet sodas, vitamin water (Check out my post Drinking Fat Is Gross), slim fast and the list continues. 

How can we escape the traps set for us by very clever marketing departments?

The Answer...

READ YOUR LABELS

As I have become more educated I have begun reading labels much more frequently. I have been shocked. The amount of foods that have chemicals in them and the amount of sugar just astounds me. So, today's mission is to make sure you are not a gullible consumer. Let's learn how to read our labels and UNDERSTAND what we are looking at.

Let's start by taking a look at the ingredients list for a Slim Fast product.

(click to enlarge the image)

When looking at the nutritional value of a product I immediately skip down to the ingredients section on the bottom. It is too easy to manipulate the nutrition facts of a product based on serving size. However, more importantly the ingredients section will tell you exactly what is IN the product.

When we look at the ingredients for Slim Fast, do we really believe it's going to make us slim? Our first ingredient is fat free milk. I haven't written on this topic yet, but I believe it is important to avoid "fat free" products because to make a product "fat free" typically the product is modified and there are additives in them. Our next most present ingredient is water--no problem with that. The third ingredient is sugar. Now, it is important to note that ingredients are listed in the order from most present to least present. Meaning that besides milk at water, sugar is the third most predominate element in this drink. I don't believe drinking milk, sugar water is going to have a slimming effect on your body. I think we can all agree on that.

However, this is not were the problem stops. There are 43 ingredients (I think I counted right) in this Slim Fast shake. In my post The Many Names Of Sugar, I show 50 names of sugar you may not know. Among many ingredients I can't pronounce, I see a few different names for sugar--one of which is high fructose corn syrup, one of the worst forms of sugar/sweetener you can consume.

Here are four keys to becoming an efficient label reader overnight: 

1. Skip the nutrition facts and look at the ingredient list
2. The shorter the ingredient list, the better
3. Look for hidden sugars--sucrose, fructose, syrups (cane, corn, high fructose, etc.), fruit juice concentrates etc. (see my post The Many Names Of Sugar for a full list)
4. If you can't pronounce it, you probably shouldn't eat it

Reading and understanding labels doesn't have to be complicated. You don't need to understand everything that is on a label. Just know, that if it has a weird name it is probably made by chemists in a food lab.Your body won't be able to break it down and digest it as easily and efficiently as it should. Additionally, it probably doesn't have any nutritional value. 

Next time you are in the grocery story, pick up some of your favorite products and read the labels. You might be shocked by what you find! :)

Until Next Time,

Hope

xoxo  

Rethink Your Dinner Plate

Today, I would like us to rethink our dinner plate. If we look at the food pyramid that is given to us by our government, we see something that looks like this...

A rising health concern in America is the increasing number of type 2 diabetes cases along with obesity. What causes type 2 diabetes? Mainly, diet. I know a number of people with type 2 diabetes. When they changed their diets and start getting the proper nutrition their diabetes was reversed as quickly as one week. Isn't that crazy?? No drugs, no surgery. Mainly, a balanced diet and sometimes added nutritional support with natural supplements. 

So what is a balanced diet and why is this pyramid leading us astray? In my opinion, and others with many more credentials than I, believe that there is a need for restructuring of the food pyramid. Dr. Bob Rakowski came up with a plate that I believe will help you achieve optimal health. 

As you can see, this plate is very different than the food pyramid above. I believe this approach to your daily eating will do a couple of things for you:

1. It will increase your intake of plant nutrients. This will feed your cells, promote gut health (keep your regular), and they are fat burning foods.
2. Increased protein will give your body the fuel it needs to balance your blood sugar and nourish your body. 
3. This diet has a low glycemic index. When you eat grains, even when they are "whole wheat," your body quickly converts them into sugar. When you get too much sugar in your diet from eating sugar OR grains you may become insulin resistant. This is where a number of health problems start.

Let me revisit insulin resistance for my previous post Too Much Good?:

The relationship between your blood sugar and insulin is sensitive. Let me introduce insulin resistance to you--this happens when you continually eat foods that spike your blood sugar (soda, donuts, candy, bread, etc.). When you eat these foods you actually down regulate your blood sugar receptors (they become desensitized)--making your body produce excess insulin. Here is the problem, insulin is your main fat storing hormone.  When your body produces too much of any hormone it stores in your fat, because there is no use for it. Ever looked in the mirror and noticed your love handles or that you might have some excess upper back fat? Yep, that is the favorite place for your excess insulin to dwell.

In conclusion, increasing the amount of fruits, vegetables and protein you consume and decreasing the amount of "carby" foods you eat with promote health and help shrink your waistline. Who doesn't want that? Hopefully, this post will help you load up your plate differently and help you see the results you're looking for!

Until Next Time,

Hope

xoxo

Make Sure To Eat Your Carbs

I'm back! After 3 weeks of constantly running life is starting to slow down a bit and hopefully allow me to get back to writing more consistently. My gypsy lifestyle can be pretty crazy at times but thankfully, as much as I've enjoyed this season new things are just round the corner and I'll make sure to update all of you soon.

So, I hope the title of this post grabbed your attention. As a athlete in high school we would have team meals before games and these meals almost always consisted of spaghetti or lasagna or some other type of pasta. I'm not sure where or when people begain to think we need to eat a bunch of carbs before a big event such as a basketball game, tennis match or marathon but I believe this mentality is flawed.

When we eat breads and pastas, even if they are "whole grain," our body quickly metabolizes these carbs into sugar within our blood stream. This increase insulin levels and will give a short burst of energy due to high sugar levels but then there is the inevitable crash post sugar high.

It is true, your body does need carbohydrates, however, contrary to popular belief, these carbs do not need to come from pastas or breads. Fruits and vegetables in your daily diet will not only give your body the carbohydrates it needs to run efficiently but will also keep your blood sugar and insulin levels balanced, giving you sustained energy, and fueling your fat burning machine.

I would like to challenge all of you to start to rethinking your carbs. Making small changes in this area over time can produce big results and over time your craving for starchy carbs will decrease.

Best of luck! Please feel free to leave any questions in the comment section below.

Until Next Time,
Hope
xoxo

Sleep

Sleep. I would like to start by saying, I LOVE sleep. Last night I got to bed at 3 a.m. which is a very bad idea for me. I slept till 1 p.m. and literally had to drag myself out of the house so that I could make an attempt at being productive. If I had stayed home I would have most likely spent the afternoon on the couch doing a whole lot of nothing. Can anyone relate?

Sleep is one of the main pillars of optimal health. It was included on my post The Magnificent Seven. Think right, eat right, drink right, move right, talk right, poop right, and SLEEP right! I have found for myself that I am an eight hours a night type of girl. If I get any less than that I have trouble functioning. I typically make horrible decisions in regard to my eating and forming sentences that make sense can be an issue.

There isn't an exact number that I can give you for the perfect amount of sleep. It's generally excepted that most people need somewhere between 6-8 hours. However, there are definitely people who need more that. This can fluctuate depending on your age, vocation and stress level, etc.. Dr Naiman, who is a sleep specialist says that you have found the perfect amount of sleep when you have slept enough hours to have sustained energy through the day without having to use artificial stimulants, with the exception of a mid-afternoon nap.

There is research suggesting that getting less than six hours of sleep a night can increase your chances of becoming insulin resistant. As I talked about in my post, Too Much Good, insulin resistance can prevent weight loss and cause you to gain weight and develop type 2 diabetes.

I have also found from my own experience that my quality of life is SO much better when I get sleep. Especially, if it is within a consistent sleep schedule. Sleeping from 3 a.m. to 1 p.m. does not leave me feeling refreshed despite being 10 hours. When I get good sleep my outlook is more positive, my productivity increases and I am able to enjoy conversation with the people in my life. So experiment with the number of hours you sleep until you find the right number for you. This could take awhile but it will be worth it.

Some keys to getting good sleep include:

• Maintain a regular sleep schedule
• Avoid watching TV before bed--it has been shown to be over stimulating to your brain which causes you to struggle falling asleep
• Keep you house no warmer than 70 degrees Fahrenheit
• Make sure to eat protein within a few hours before bed to increase melatonin (your sleep hormone) and avoid hypoglycemia (high blood sugar) which will cause you to wake up

I would like to end with some of the side effects of not getting enough sleep. Some of them include:

• Increased risk of getting sick and developing severe health issues
• Constipation
• Stomach Ulcers
• Depression
• Heart Disease 

I hope this post will help you see the benefits of making sleep a priority, no matter what stage of life you're in.  Feel free to leave a comment in the section below with additional questions!

Until Next Time,

Hope

xoxo

Why Being Strong Is Important--Ladies...

Being strong is awesome. I could end right there but I wont. As some of you know, I have been training and competing in Olympic lifting tournaments for the last seven months and really enjoying it! I am the strongest I have ever been. In my last competition I was able to Clean & Jerk my body with, 72kg or 158lbs. I was very excited to say the least. Here's the video:

In all honesty, it is really funny being a "competitive weightlifter." When people either find out or I tell them, some of the responses and looks I get are down right hilarious. The looks of horror, awe and bewilderment are very entertaining. I think most people think that I will look like this.... but that just isn't the case... AND IT NEVER WILL BE!

 (this is not a picture of me....)

Being strong is important for your health, but it's also very convenient. Going through daily life, moving things, carrying groceries, kids, carrying luggage through the airport and rough housing with my brothers, I have noticed that things are just easier. A couple of weeks ago I was walking to meet some friends in down town Minneapolis at 11pm (I don't recommend this). I was by myself and started to feel very uncomfortable in regard to my safety. Thankfully, nothing happened. My point in sharing this story is that I feel like because I am strong I was able to walk with my head up. Also, if I had been attacked, my chances of getting away/surviving are much higher because I am strong.

(Right before I broke 575lbs off the ground. Okay, that's a lie.)

 Being strong is also very important for your health, especially as a woman. Increasing muscle mass increases your metabolism, and helps you burn fat. Less fat is good for reducing heart disease, lowering blood pressure, and decreasing insulin resistance to name a few. Increasing muscle also increases bone density. This is very important to prevent the onset of osteoporosis which is common in older women.

Now, if you are a women reading this, I know what you're thinking....

"If I lift heavy weights I'm going to get man arms and look bulky."

Ladies, I hate to burst your bubble, but this just isn't the case. We lack the muscle swelling, strength building hormone called testosterone. If you are scarred of looking like the lady pictured above, FEAR NO MORE! To achieve that type of "look," you would have to extremely intentional about your lifting program, diet, and supplementation. Even with that, it could take years. I love picking up heavy things and putting them back down. I do it about five times a week. If you saw me walking down the street you might think that I go to the gym regularly, but by no means would you think I'm a competitive weight lifter or extremely strong. I actually think I look pretty normal. 

I would love to hear your thoughts on this post! Feel free to leave comments or questions in the comment section.

Until Next Time,

Hope

xoxo

4 Tips To Lowering Your Blood Pressure Naturally

According to the Center For Disease Control (CDC), 1 in 3 America adults have high blood pressure. This is a rather large number. High blood pressure can lead to heart disease and stroke which are both in the top three for leading causes of death in the U.S.

Needless to say, this is a relevant health concern for many people, AND the CDC estimates it costs the United States 93.5 billion in health care costs. Wowza! (This was a 2010 projected estimate.)

So what are some ways we can combat this issue naturally? Here are 4 tips that will help lower your blood pressure naturally:

1. Eat Real Food And Avoid Foods That Raise Insulin: When I say real food, I mean food that is minimally processed and that will decay over time. Vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds, legumes, meat (minimally processed... so salami doesn't count.)--these are all great whole foods that will nourish your body and also bring healing. Also, avoid foods that raise your insulin. These include foods that are high in sugar and sugar substitutes. Carbs are also insulin raising foods--including organic whole grains. Carbs are rapidly broken down into sugar in your body. Foods to avoid would include: breads, pasta, rice, cereal, and potatoes. A food to add to your diet that has been linked to lowering blood pressure would be raw garlic.
2. Exercise: Regular exercise consisting of strength training, core, sprint-burst type exercises have shown to be effective in reducing your insulin levels and blood pressure.
3. Stress Management: Mild stress is all it takes to increase your blood pressure. Keeping stress levels under control is very important. Some recommended stress management techniques include: exercise, praying, meditation, and verbal processing.
4. Optimize Vitamin D Levels: Vitamin D is a vitamin that is essential to many parts of your health. It has been shown to help lower your blood pressure. Make sure you have the RIGHT amount of vitamin D in your system. Too little or too much can be harmful to your health. 

(The Hulk probably suffered from high blood pressure and could have benefited from this blog post) ;)

These are just four EASY and inexpensive ways to lower your blood pressure and/or keep it under control. Many blood pressure drugs (beta-blockers) have been found to cause type 2 diabetes by decreasing your insulin sensitivity. I am not a drug advocate and would encourage you to try a natural approach to lowering your blood pressure before looking to drugs. HOWEVER, sometimes it is necessary to take drugs. I am not a doctor, so if you need to take medication because your blood pressure is super high--take your medication! If you are taking medication you can implement these lifestyle changes and potentially, with the help of a doctor (I would recommend a natural healthcare practitioner) to slowly wean yourself off medication.

Until Next Time,

Hope

xoxo

Preparation = Success

I am currently living the gypsy lifestyle. I couch surf at least three nights a week! I moved back in with my parents while I work on creating and starting my business(s). Let's just say, it has been quite the adventure. With all that being said my home-base is about an hour from Minneapolis which is where I am doing an apprenticeship (I say apprenticeship because it sounds way cooler than intern) at an amazing gym. I also do some odd jobs up in the cities for extra income. With all that being said, I am on the move a lot!

Okay, now I'll get to my point.

Many of us are VERY BUSY. Probably too busy. If you have every tried living a healthy lifestyle, you most likely found that it takes time and preparation. I found this for myself when I was working my corporate nightmare--I mean job, and now while I live the gypsy lifestyle.

I would like to say, when in doubt eat Chipotle... but then I think--oh yeah, they are owned by McDonald's. Watch out. So how do I manage to maintain my healthy lifestyle when I usually don't have a kitchen handy and am on the fly?

Planning

From my own personal experience, and watching and talking to people, PLANNING is the only way that you are going to be able to achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle. My mother is amazing. She not only had seven children, but she also managed to home school (shoot, the secret is out... I was home schooled), taxi, love, feed, clean, and support us! Talk about a full-time job. She fed us little... or not so little Sevlie children very well! The key? Planning. To put it nicely... My family eats a LOT.

(I wish this picture showed how tall my brothers are: 6'9", 6'8", 6'5", 6'3", 6'3")

Here are some tricks that I have learned that make planning EASY! Let me introduce crockpot cooking. If you haven't already tried crockpot or slow cooker cooking I highly recommend trying it. Two of my favorite crockpot cookbooks are the Slow Cooker Bible and Fix It and Forget It cook books. There are hundreds of recipes and a good number of them are delicious. It is pretty easy to modify them to gluten and dairy-free. Also, when feeding big eaters you can always add beans to make the dishes go farther (this is a trick my mom uses). You can also serve a lot of these dishes on rice or potatoes if you are trying to feed growing hungry boys for cheap! 

Another great thing about slow cooker recipes is that you can freeze them and heat them up at a later time and they still taste really good. When I go up to Minneapolis for extended periods of time I try to freeze enough food throughout the week so I can keep it in a cooler in my car over the weekend. It saves me money and I feel so much better when I eat good food.

Another Tip: Have Healthy Easy Snacks Around

If you have healthy snacks ready to be eaten you are much less likely to eat something that you will regret eating later. Some of my favorite healthy snacks that I try to have around at all times include:

• Homemade hummus--You can make this in a blender, I prefer my Vitamix.
• Any green veggie (broccoli, green beans, snap peas, celery, etc.) to dip in the hummus--also carrots
• I also like making almond/cashew butter in the Vitamix and dipping carrots in it
• A small handful of nuts or seeds is great quick snack if you are on the go (I avoid peanuts)
• Hard boiled eggs

So, let's start planning to be healthy! Think ahead, and prepare for your week. You wont regret it. 

Until Next Time,

Hope

xoxo

Why Looking Good Is Important

Looking good is important. There it is, I said it. My whole life I have lived on the tomboy side of things. In high school getting dressed up consisted of wearing jeans rather than sweatpants with my t-shirt and hoody. Even when I was a little girl my mom would try to put me in dresses and I would wearing basketball shorts under my dress and tennis shoes--who knows, I just might need to climb a tree. 

My first year after high school I lived in a city and state where know one knew who I was. There were no preconceived notions of who Hope Sevlie was supposed to be. I decided that I was going to start dressing like a girl. It was a turning point for me. First of all, it was great not having people ask me why I was so dressed up all the time... because they had no idea that that wasn't how I normally dressed. Secondly, I was very uncomfortable at first. I felt as if I was trying to draw extra attention to myself... however, I persevered and now I can wear four inch heels (putting me at 6'2") and I don't feel self conscious or weird about it!

What I have noticed for myself is that I perform better, work harder and walk taller if I have put myself together. I think this is applicable to all areas of life--work, school, the gym etc. In college I heard a professor say that if you get dressed up for a test you will score better. I'm pretty sure he said it was a proven statistic... but I don't have a reference so believe it at your own expense! 

I think this concept crosses over into our time at the gym and how we feed ourselves. I think if you walk into the gym feeling good about how you look you are more likely to have a better workout and perform better. It is purely physiological but I have seen the truth of it in my own life. In regard to how you feed yourself, I think it has to do a lot with respecting yourself. If you take the time to put yourself together I think you will be more likely to take the time to feed yourself well. I've noticed that sweatpants almost always = ice cream. I think other ladies can relate...

I realize this post it quite a bit different than my usual posts but I think it is relevant! Living a healthy lifestyle is about loving yourself. If you love something, you take care of it. If you "love" your car, you don't only put the right type of gas in it, you also clean it out, get it detailed and waxed (no pun intended).

Try dressing for success this week. Let me know if you see a difference in your attitude and outlook! 

Until Next Time,

Hope

xoxo

The Smelly Truth

Today I am going to share a little information about everyone's favorite topic. Poop. If you read my previous post, the Magnificent Seven, you will have found that as uncomfortable as it may be to talk about, making sure that you are having regular bowel movements is very important for your health.

The fact is that Americans spend over three-quarters of a billion dollars a year on laxatives. This statistic was put out by the American Gastroenterological Association. In 2004 it was reported that about 1 in 7 adults were constipated (Ref 3).

If we are going to take a very simplistic approach to our bowel movements, what goes in and isn't used as fuel, must come out. I have talked to people who only poop sometimes once or twice a week. When on vacation and not in a comfortable place to "go number two," they might go over a week without having a bowl movement. 

Conventional medicine considers less than two or three bowel movements a week constipation. However, one to three bowel movements a day is considered healthy.

Why is it important to be having daily bowel movements? Bowel movements are your bodies way to excrete toxins and waste. If you are not having bowel movements on a regular basis, this waste is staying in your body. Think of it as the waste basket in your bathroom. It is typically filled with all sorts of gross things which I wont name. If you don't ever take out your trash it overflows onto your bathroom floor. Gross.The same concept happens within your body. When you don't "take out the trash" or have a bowel movement, the toxic waste sits in your body and is partially reabsorbed into your blood stream. Don't think about it too hard... it's really gross.

Here are a few ways you can naturally make sure you are having regular bowel movements:

• Drink more water!! As I talked about on my post on hydrating, your body is over 70% water. If you aren't drinking enough water your body will pull water from different organs to make sure your vital organs, i.e. your brain and heart, get enough fluid... If your bowels are all dried up, they aren't very likely to move very well. 
• Eat plenty fiber rich foods. Vegetables are a great source. I personally enjoy eating large amounts of salad. 
• Exercising is also a great natural way to increase circulation in your body improve bowel function. 

For additional help: 

• A high-quality probiotic will help make sure you have healthy gut flora and balance the bacteria in your gut. 
• Magnesium is also a supplement that can help naturally help soften stool and help bowel movement. 

Hopefully, rather than avoiding this topic, I have helped you see the benefit of making sure pooping is a priority (I really just wanted to say that).

Until Next Time,
Hope
xoxo

Reference
(1) http://www.jr2.ox.ac.uk/bandolier/band130/b130-3.html below

The Progression of Choice

The progression of choices. A conversation I had last week got me thinking. All the choices I make on a daily and hourly basis have brought me to were I am right now. This is true for every area of my life. My job, my health, my finances and my relationships.

As sad as the video above is, I love what it shows. We didn't get sick or unhealthy overnight. Choices that we've made brought us to where we are at this moment.

So then the question becomes, what will it take to change? If we focus in on just changing one thing will we really be able to be successful in long-term, sustainable change? I think some would argue that you wouldn't be able to. Changing eating patterns goes far beyond just changing the food in your cupboards. What is the root cause of your unhealthy eating habits? There is no cookie cutter answer. People eat because they are stressed. They eat for emotional reasons. They for social reasons... the list goes on.

It is important to identify what is the main cause of unhealthy habits, because this will need to be addressed. However, I think to truly make lasting change not just one thing in your life changes, but a large portion of it. If it is true that all your past choices have brought you to this point, major changes are going to be implemented so that a year from now you can look back at the thousands of choices which hopefully lead you to a point of living a healthier life.

To try and wrap my thoughts up, I don't believe someone is going to change their whole way of living overnight. That just doesn't work. The key is to try and start a domino effect. One change that will domino into a whole lifestyle of change. This happens one choice at a time.

Until next time,
Hope
xoxo

Inflammation

Yesterday, I wrote briefly about how our lifestyle choices either create the perfect storm for disease and sickness to flourish in our body or are creating that "sunny beach day" in your body and promoting health and eliminating the ability for sickness to grow.

I believe I only said the word "inflammation" once yesterday, and today I want to expound on what inflammation is and what it does within your body.

Have you ever twisted your ankle and watched is swell before your eyes? This is called acute inflammation and it is a healthy process within your body which triggers a series of biochemical reactions. Your body sends white blood cells and other chemicals to the site of the injury or infection to fight off infection and promote healing.

The other form of inflammation is called chronic inflammation. Unlike acute inflammation there are often no symptoms until the sight of inflammation stops functioning. Chronic inflammation can be the result of a mal-functioning and/or over-reactive immune system.  It also may be caused by an unknown infection or allergy that your body is trying to get rid of. Chronic inflammation can go on for years without being detected resulting in neurodegenerative and autoimmune diseases. Studies have shown that chronic inflammation is mainly due to an unhealthy lifestyle.

When your immune system triggers an inflammatory response when there is no threat in your body, this leads to inflammation. Depending on which organ the inflammation is effecting, there will be a number of different symptoms that you can look for. Such as:

• Inflammation in your large intestine: Cramps, excessive gas, constipation and diarrhea
• Inflammation of the small tubes that bring air to your lungs: Asthma attack
• Inflammation of your heart: fluid retention or shortness of breath
• Inflammation of your kidneys: High blood pressure or kidney failure

You are probably wondering what the main causes of inflammation are. Here is a short list of factors that promote chronic inflammation:

• Being obese or overweight
• Eating a poor diet
• An existing heart condition
• Poorly controlled diabetes
• A sedentary lifestyle (little, or no exercise)
• Smoking
• Long-term infections
• Stress

If you struggle with any of the eight listed above it might be time to start taking steps to make sure your inflammation is under control. Here are some of the best, natural ways to make sure your insides are not inflamed.

1. Eat a healthy diet. Eating a diet that includes real food--vegetables, fruits, seeds, nuts, legumes and meat. Avoiding pro-inflammatory foods such as sugar, fried foods, processed foods, trans fats and junk food (we all know what that is.)
2. Increasing omega-3 fats. Many people in the U.S. are have a ratio of 15:1 omega-6 to omega-3 in their bodies, leaving them prone to inflammation. The recommended ratio is 3:2. Taking high-quality omega-3 supplements (also known as fish oil) can greatly help this deficiency. High-quality krill oil is also a great way to get omega-3 fats.
3. Exercise regularly. I think this one is pretty straight forward. ;)
4. Quit smoking. Smoking increases inflammation and hardens your arteries. The good news is, that you can revers the damage done to your arteries within 10 years of stopping. Making healthy lifestyle choices is a huge part of this.
5. Make sure your waist size is normal. I didn't say it, the doctors did. If your waist size is over 35 inches for a women or 40 inches for a man, you most likely are inflamed and should take steps to lose weight. (Please note that I do recognized that everyone is built differently. I feel that this one could make for some heated debate...)
6. Control stress. Excessive stress can leave your body with excessive stress hormones. These excess hormones can lead to the release of inflammatory chemicals. Make sure you are dealing with your stress in a healthy way. Exercise is an excellent way to deal with stress and is also anti-inflammatory!
7. Vitamin D. Make sure you are getting enough vitamin D. This is especially important in cold winter months.

I will revisit this topic in my next post and talk about some of the foods that are great for decreasing inflammation.

Until Next Time,

Hope

xoxo

References:
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/09/08/what-you-need-to-know-about-inflammation.aspx

The Perfect Storm

When does a hurricane happen? When the conditions are just right.

When does a tornado happen? When the conditions are just right.

When does disease happen? When the conditions are just right.

When does cancer happen? When the conditions are just right.

My instructor from my nutrition program used to say this all the time. How we treat our bodies through what we ingest, what we expose our bodies to, and what we do to our bodies is either setting our body up for a sunny beach day or a hurricane.

VS.

"It's easier to STAY out of trouble then GET out of trouble." -Rakowski

The fact is we all have cancer cells in our bodies. However, this doesn't mean we are all going to get cancer. Through our lifestyle choices we can create an environment in our bodies which will allow those cancer cells to thrive or we can create an environment that will shut them down.

I had a women ask me today about genetics. Her idea was that we are given a set of genes at birth and we have to live with it. We have no control. Thankfully, this is not the case. Just because you have a family history of cancer, alzheimer's, etc. doesn't mean that has to be your future. Let's talk about epigenetics for a minute. Epigenetics is the study of gene expression and how our environment has the ability to actually change our genetic expression! Now that is something to get excited about. Dan Buettner, the auther of the book Blue Zone, finds that 90% of our genetic express comes from our lifestyle and only 10% comes from our parents. Also, the English Journal of Medicine published in 2008 with the findings only 10% of breast cancers are due to hereditary mutations (or what we inherit from our family history).

Hopefully, my point is made clear. We have the power to choose how our genes are going to express themselves. We doesn't have to live in fear of getting cancer, disease, and sickness because we have a family history of it. Every time you decide to eat a side of vegetables rather than deep fried french fries, you are working toward that "sunny beach day" in your body, decreasing inflammation, not allowing those cancer cells to grow, and giving your body the ability to thrive and beat the odds of your family history.

I hope you find this as interesting as I do! Let's either start or keep making healthy choices BECAUSE we have control of our destiny. (Yes, I know that sounded super cheesy.)

Until Next Time,

Hope

xoxo

Ahhh Gluten-Free?

If you know me at all, you most likely know that I've been eating gluten free for about 6 years now. I am happy to say I was on the "gluten free band wagon" before it was cool. ;) Over the years I've gotten a lot of strange looks when I tell people I don't eat gluten and that it makes me sick. Back in 2007 people didn't even know what gluten was. There were no gluten free sections at any of your local grocery stores (maybe at a health food store), and there was no chance that you would find gluten free food on a restaurant menu.

When I went off gluten in 2007 I lost 20 pounds. It was great! I was a senior in high school and in the best shape of my life. I had been experiencing exercise induced asthma while playing basketball and would cough up mucous. Just two weeks after taking gluten out of my diet I went from playing a maximum of 8 minutes before having to a rest to being able to play a solid 16 minutes! Needless to say, I was floored. All my asthma and mucous issues were gone, I had a tone of energy and I felt amazing.

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, rye and some oats. Our bodies have a hard time digesting this protein which causes our bodies immune system to attack the lining of our small intestine. This can cause abdominal pain, diarrhea and nausea. Unfortunately, the side effects don't stop there. The graph below from a Mercola article shows the varying types of symptoms. The symptoms can reach past gastrointestinal issues to these listed below:

Osteoporosis or osteopenia	Tooth enamel defects		Vitamin K deficiency
Central and peripheral nervous system disease	Dementia, and impairments in mental functioning that could cause or aggravate autism, Asperger’s syndrome, ADD or schizophrenia		Dermatitis Herpetiformis (DH), a skin condition that causes intense itching and blistering
Anemia of various types	Infertility, and earlier menopause		Organ disorders
Weight loss or gain	Depression		Fatigue

If you don't feel well and can't seem to figure out what the problem is, I would encourage you to try going gluten free for a month. You can also have blood testing done to see if you are gluten intolerant or have celiac disease. There are multiple people in my family who are gluten intolerant and we all have different symptoms from eating it.

There is a lot more I could say about gluten, so I am sure we will revisit this topic, but that is all I'm going to talk about tonight!

Until next time,
Hope
xoxo

References:
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/07/23/Why-is-Wheat-Gluten-Disorder-on-the-Rise.aspx