The KB Wellness Blog

Fasting has been receiving lots of attention in the media these days. US News and World Report lists “intermittent fasting” as one of the top 10 most popular diets of 2020, and chances are, you likely know of at least one person singing its praises. But before you write off fasting as just the latest fad diet, you should know that its use is nothing new. Even Hippocrates, widely considered to be the “father of modern medicine,” was said to be a proponent of fasting. Fasting has also been in use as a spiritual tool in religions around the world, including the Greek Orthodox Christians, a religion that dominates the regions of Greece studied for their healthy “Mediterranean diet.” 

In recent years, fasting practices have gained popularity as a tool for weight loss and fat-burning and are even thought to have beneficial effects for diabetics and others suffering from chronic inflammatory diseases. So what is fasting, and why might it be...

 Is It Worth The Hype? 

 Buzzwords like superfoods, antioxidants, and the ever-popular new kid on the block, the Reishi mushroom, are thrown in the face of every consumer looking to uplevel their health these days. The cacophony of noise in marketing can make it incredibly hard to discern what’s truly helpful for your health and what’s just hype. 

One product that has lived up to the hype for me is Organifi, but every product they make might not be right for everyone! So I’m going to give you an honest product review, complete with the benefits and full breakdown of some of Organifi’s top products. This way, you can find the products that are right for you as a unique individual with unique health needs! 

I feel confident drinking and recommending Organifi because their company is dedicated to testing for glyphosate, is always organic, and also always gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, goitrogen-free, vegan, and keto...

A 2020 study by Transparency Market Research reports that the Gluten-free market is expected to reach $4.9 billion by 2021! Gluten-free is a BIG trend. But why? Is gluten bad for you? Or is it just hype? 

 What Is Gluten

 Gluten is a protein found in some grains like wheat and spelt. This protein substance helps foods maintain their shape, acting as a glue that holds food together. There are foods that naturally contain gluten and foods that do not naturally contain gluten but are commonly cross-contaminated with gluten due to processing.

 In fact, A study by Columbia University published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology in 2019 found that up to 50% of foods labeled as “gluten-free” actually contained gluten.  Why does this matter? Even tiny amounts cause problems for those that are reactive to gluten or have celiac disease (Lerner et al., 2019).  

Gluten-containing grains: 

• wheatberries...

Quick Healthy Eating Hacks for Busy Moms

Are you super busy and feel like you have no free time to focus on eating healthy? Me too. I get it. Who isn’t?! Seriously. 

The good news is that you don’t have to sacrifice healthy eating just because you’re busy. These time-saving tips can help you reach all your health and wellness goals with time to spare. 

Time-Saving Tip #1: Batch Cooking

 We all know batch cooking saves us time in the kitchen, but are you intimidated by the idea of it? No need for intimidation. It can be as complex or as easy as you wish! For starters, there are two main ways to batch cook. One is what I call “buffet style,” and the other is traditional meal prep batch cooking. 

 With buffet style, you’re going to cook multiple options to mix and match throughout the week. You can cook several pounds of chicken, steak, or tofu all at once, as well as a few pans of roasted or steamed veggies. Now...

 Artificial Sweetener Roundup

 Everyone knows sugar isn’t good for them, but are artificial sweeteners safe? The sugar replacements on the market can feel incredibly confusing. And marketing tactics just make matters worse! Are you confused about which is best? Stevia? Monk fruit? Xylitol? Erythritol? Aspartame? Agave? And More?? You’re not alone. There are pros and cons to each and every one of these, and the one that's best for YOU may not be the one that is best for someone else. I’m going to break it all down for you here, so you can choose which sweetener will work best for you and your body. 

 The Worst Artificial Sweetener

 The Little Packets

 Let’s start with the worst first. Artificial sweeteners like those little pink and blue packets are the absolute worst option. I’m not going to spend too much time on these because, by now, most people already know these are terrible for you. These little packets have been...

B vitamins are incredibly important for your overall health. And side effects of deficiencies in these vitamins can lead to anything from megaloblastic anemia to miscarriage and diarrhea, and more.

Do you know the Vitamin B deficiency signs and what to do about it? 

 All About Vitamin B1

• Vitamin B1: Also called thiamin, helps convert food into energy and has neurological benefits. 
• Symptoms of low B1: loss of appetite, fatigue, irritability, tingling in the arms and legs, muscle weakness, and blurry vision.
• Severe deficiency: can lead to a condition called Beriberi. 
• B1 can be found in Beef liver, Black beans, Lentils, Macadamia nuts, Edamame, cooked Pork loin, and Asparagus. 

All About Vitamin B2

• Vitamin B2: Also called riboflavin, helps convert food into energy and helps maintain proper eyesight.
• Symptoms of B2 deficiency: Skin issues, swollen cracked lips, lesions at the corners of the mouth, sore throat, itchy...

What is MSG? 

MSG stands for monosodium glutamate. Glutamate is actually an amino acid naturally present in the body, but MSG is a man-made chemical compound designed to give food an umami flavor. 

Is MSG Dangerous?

Some of the negative symptoms of MSG ingestion that have been reported are: Hives, rashes, irritability, seizures, forgetfulness with simple words, mood swings, achy joints, pain, headaches, and migraines have been associated with MSG consumption. 

So what does the science say? 

We know that MSG acts on the glutamate receptors in the brain and releases neurotransmitters that play a vital role in normal physiological as well as pathological processes. Glutamate receptors have receptor types that are present across the central nervous system. They are especially numerous in the hypothalamus, hippocampus, and amygdala, where they control autonomic and metabolic activities. 

Now here’s the deal: Results from both animal and human...

Do you have stiff joints, muscle pain, soreness, headaches, or migraines? These are all signs of inflammation in the body. Read on to check out my top 5 anti-inflammatory foods you can add to your diet to help fight inflammation naturally. 

 Anti-Inflammatory Foods

#1: Fatty fish

Fatty fish are a great source of the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA. Your body metabolizes these fatty acids into compounds called resolvins and protectins, which have anti-inflammatory effects. EPA and DHA reduce inflammation that can lead to metabolic syndrome, heart disease, diabetes, and kidney disease. In fact, studies have found that people consuming salmon or EPA and DHA supplements experienced reductions in the inflammatory marker C-reactive protein (CRP). (Setty et al., 2019) 

 How to increase your Omega 3’s: 

Although all types of fish contain some omega-3 fatty acids, these fatty fish are among the best sources:

• salmon
• sardines
• herring
• mackerel
• anchovy
...

Do you have health goals or weight goals you want to maintain during the holidays? Do you want to avoid holiday weight gain WITHOUT feeling deprived?  

It can be really tough to do if you don’t have a plan, but with a few simple tips and tricks, you can breeze through the holidays and maintain your health goals WITHOUT feeling deprived.  

 The Mindset Shift

My goal around the holidays is to enjoy the friends and family I’m around and enjoy the food, but to do it in a way that makes me feel good...and overeating until I feel like I’m going to throw up and feeling so bloated I can’t button my pants, does NOT make me feel good, and I’m guessing it doesn’t make you feel good either. So let’s flip the script for a minute. It’s easy to get so focused on what we can eat and what we can’t eat that we completely lose track of what’s most important: family, friends, and connections. Going into the holidays...

You’ve probably been told that saturated fats and trans fats are bad…but the truth is, there’s a lot more to the story than that. I’m going to break down which fats are healthy, which are not….and out of the fats that are actually healthy, how to store them, and how to use them properly so they STAY healthy! 

  When I work with my one-on-one clients, I use bloodwork to make even more informed decisions when it comes to their diet, especially when it comes to saturated fats and animal fats, but even without bloodwork, there are some basic recommendations I can give you about cooking oils that will go a long way towards improving your health. 

 Cooking Oils to Use and Avoid

Let’s start with the bad oils first. These are oils that have been highly processed using loads of chemicals which turns them into a sort of Frankenstein molecule that is extremely damaging to the body. 

Avoid these cooking oils at all costs.

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