Family health history is often called the first genetic test. Genetic disorders typically involve the inheritance of a particular mutated disease-causing gene. Generally we’ve thought of this in terms of a mutated gene that is passed down through a family, and each generation of children can inherit the gene that causes the disease. Most are just carriers and every now and then someone is affected by that gene.

New research claims that environmental factors affect not just your individual genes ..but those of your offspring too. Diabetes, obesity – even certain phobias – may all be influenced by the behavior of our parents and grandparents.  I talk about epigenetics all the time.  Childhood Obesity is a very serious epidemic in North America, as well as around the globe. Disease that has never been seen in children before are starting to pop up across the nation. And overweight child will become an overweight adult. Even if the epigenetics started at the grandparent stage.

The even greater surprise is the recent discovery that epigenetic signals from the environment can be passed on from one generation to the next, sometimes for several generations, without changing a single gene sequence. It's well established, of course, that environmental effects like radiation, which alter the genetic sequences in a sex cell's DNA, can leave a mark on subsequent generations.

Likewise, it's known that the environment in a mother's womb can alter the development of a fetus. What's eye-opening is a growing body of evidence suggesting that the epigenetic changes wrought by one's diet, behavior, or surroundings can work their way into the germ line and echo far into the future. Put simply, and as bizarre as it may sound, what you eat or smoke today could affect the health and behavior of your great-grandchildren. Methylation patterns also hold promise as diagnostic tools, and there is one of my podcasts where I go into a little more detail on this issue.

Remove, Repair, Restore, Reduce, Re-establish… the priorities of health. So we need to remove the toxins, and start to repair our health. When we remove toxic foods {IE junk, processed, pesticides, chemicals}, toxic personal care products and toxic cleaning chemicals out of our homes, we remove the largest impact of epigenetic impactors and that is where I generally get started when working with a new client. Changing food purchasing habits, meal planning, organic fruits and vegetables, and if you aren't vegan using wild caught or pastured raised foods. As well you should be looking for and using nontoxic cleaners or making cleaners with essential oils. This is the practice that could reduce the impact on the future generations of children.

Changing our epigenetics doesn't change something like having the MTHFR mutation. Epigenetic changes offer support with gene expression, and what genes we pass on to our children and their children. If you think of this in terms of digestive enzymes. If you are lactose intolerant you have an enzyme you can take to allow you to digest milk. There is no supplement that will, at this time, give you the support with the missing methylation enzyme you do not have. That is why we eliminate those foods and supplements that have the unmethylated versions, and instead use foods and supplements that are body can readily use.

Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical and Clinical Research did research into how the Moringa Leaf Extract Prevents In Vitro Oxidative DNA Damage. What they found was that this extract has a strong potential as curative and therapeutic agent against oxidative stress originating from any source. So what is oxidative dna damage (besides being a part of that whole epigenetics cycle).. Well oxidative stress damages DNA.  Oxidative stress is essentially an imbalance between the production of free radicals and the ability of the body to counteract or detoxify their harmful effects through neutralization by antioxidants. When we over exercise, we create oxidative damage. With someone like myself with the MTHFR mutation, when you have oxidative stress it impairs methylation and our overall health. While I don't want to stop working out, I know that I can use fruits and vegetables to neutralize free radicals through their antioxidants. This is why I supplement every day with whole foods both as my main sources of diet, but also my main sources of supplementation as it has been proven to change over 1600 genes in just eight weeks of supplementation.

Oxidative stress is what happens as a result of an imbalance between free radical production and antioxidant defenses. This is why supplementation is so highly called for by integrative practice. As well, meditation can cause hundreds of genes to turn off or on including involved in cellular metabolism and in the body's response to 'oxidative stress'. Meditation can be the best sources to start using to offer your body brain-focused strategies. Our cells when they are out of balance, it is sort of like a game of tag, where one cell steals from another cell via electron robbery. Although the cell is once again complete, it will never be the same. Stress is the biggest generator of this imbalance in the body. Stress does so much to us, and impacts so many different areas of our biology. Glutathione, which I have talked a lot about over the years, and other major antioxidants are the cellular shields. Meditation raises your levels of glutathione, and along with your rich antioxidant foods and supplementation, can be a huge step in this Season of Becoming challenge.

- 

moringa oleifera leaf extract prevents in vitro oxidative dna damage
www.ajpcr.com/Vol6Suppl2/1708.pdf

Harvard Study finds that Meditation Impacts DNA | David R Hamilton ...
http://drdavidhamilton.com/harvard-study-finds-that-meditation-impacts-dna/ 

Day one for many or our resetters, and so as we continue this Becoming challenge, realize that there is a grand relationship between courage and self-confidence. One aspect of that was that we can use courage and doing things that scare us a little to boost our feeling of self-worth and confidence. This challenge will do that by increasing self-confidence because doing something like this takes a little courage along the way.

Why is this such great news? Because courage is a habit. It’s something that’s completely in our control and a habit we can cultivate. All it takes is a little awareness and the drive to make it happen. We just need to get the ball rolling for a little while. Over the course of this challenge, regardless of if you are doing the shred or the ketolicious program, is a great time to do that. If you can take small steps towards courage every single day for the remainder of this challenge, you’ll be well on your way to creating this new positive habit.

It doesn’t have to be anything big. Small acts of courage will work just fine to build this habit. Remember that as you take each next step your self-confidence will increase.  That bravery will make it easier to take another courageous move. Remember, it will become easier with each day as you practice this new habit.

You may be wondering how you can start to cultivate this new habit. Habits take practice so try not to let 24 hours go by without doing something that scares you. Sometimes you need a reminder, and sometimes it can be as simple as letting on thing go, and adding one item in. What if you let go of your sugary coffee treat through the drive through, and made some coffee or turmeric tea that would help you in more ways than just waking you up?



We’re creatures of habit and comfort and we don’t like venture outside of our comfort zone unless we’re forced to. To make courage a habit, you have to actively look for daily opportunities to practice. What can you do to make that happen?

Share your journey. Sit down right now and start making a list of things you can share in the group or with your close family and friends to be courageous over the next ten days. Start by thinking of things that scare you or challenge you. When was that last time you took a full body photo? When was the last time you shared how you felt? Keep adding to this list as you go along. Refer back to it often and use the items on the list to keep you moving forward and connecting with others.

Start paying attention as you go about your busy day. Get in the habit of not shying away from challenges but embracing them and doing things anyway. You’re probably encountering a lot more challenges throughout your day than you realize.

Step out of your comfort zone and make friends, or spend time with people who will challenge you. We have an entire group of people looking to connect with you. As well, you can also encourage your loved ones to help you face your fears and step out of your area of comfort on a more regular basis. Ask for their assistance to help you fight the fear.

Last but not least, you can get a coach. Sometimes it takes something more. When you order your Ketolicious Reset this month, and get on the whole food capsules or gummies, you will get in addition a full month of weekly coaching with me through the month of November, both one-on-one and in an online video setting with a group. We will talk about life, nutrition, fitness or anything else you can think of needing support with. Having a coach forces you to test your limits, face your fears and help you to find your inner courage.

Every year I update this blog post because the knowledge in the industry is giving us better options. January is when most people start looking for supplementation, and that's almost always going to include green smoothies and protein powders. However anytime using a protein supplement can be a handy tool for a vegan, paleo vegan or keto vegan. Most vegan options lean to soy... but let me talk to you about the problems with this.


GMO Soy is not a Healthy Meal Replacement Shake... let's just start there. Let's start with what I believe to NOT be a healthy Paleo Vegetarian or Paleo Vegan (pegan) meal replacement shake, or really a healthy choice for anyone. GMO Soy or Isolated Soy protein are bad bad bad, and interfere with basic aspects of our own biochemistry. First among them are inhibitors that block trypsin and chymotrypsin, enzymes needed for protein digestion. They also contain haemagglutinin, which is a clot-promoting substance that causes red blood cells to clump together, and goitrogens that depress thyroid function. I know a lot of you have had problems with thyroid that I've worked with. Also gmo-soy protein has one of the highest phytate levels out there, and is run through five different chemically toxic phases of production before it hits your protein shake. Non-GMO pea protein and cold-washed soy and tofu protein are far superior to this in each and every way! Even the Whole30 vegetarian/vegan shopping list allows non-gmo soy in their program, although they only have about a half page on veganism in their book.

The process that many companies use to deplete the "dangerous" isoflavones from the soy is where they take the soybean slurry material after it's been processed with the solvent, and it's subjected to a centrifuging process to form a liquor that is subsequently pasteurized. Sugars and other small molecular weight components may optionally be removed from the liquor using membrane ultrafiltration or another separation technique to increase the protein content of the soy protein product. The resulting retentate from the membrane ultra-filtration process is subjected to an adsorption process in which isoflavones are removed by adsorption. The resulting isoflavones-depleted soy protein material is-pasteurized and then is optionally spray dried. Just take a look at
the patent and see why I have only one soy product I have ever recommended... EVER!

Before I share my choices I want you to know that I make a commission for purchases made through the links on this blog. It's one way that I am able to make some compensation for the research and time I take not only to write this blog, but to look up information and recipes to share on the Facebook page.

Since I know after the holidays a lot of us look for meal replacement shakes I wanted to make sure you have this information. So many people look at a shake and see, WOW... look at all of that protein, and comparably it may look like a better shake. That's not always the case. You need to consider the ingredients. GMO-Soy should not be one of them no matter if you are just vegan or paleo vegan (pegan). If you are going to use a whole foods shake with soy, then make sure it is cold-washed organic, very very minimally processed soy like this Vegan and Gluten-free Shake which is the shake that I use for meal replacements. I like it because it's just whole foods, and prebiotics, although many may not feel it's "paleo" enough. A great vegan shake daily along with my trio of whole foods capsules that I dump into water and drink, creates a bridge for where I may be lacking nutritionally. Bridging the gap where I need nutrition with my B Vitamin mutations. It's the only soy shake I will ever recommend. So you've heard it, and we'll move on.

Also for you athletes, stay away from sugar because it will inhibit the building of building muscles. Some of these shakes that claim to be healthy have 10 or more grams of sugar (like the Isagenix shake), and yet not one sign of real fruit, just fructose. Fructose can be worse for your insulin resistance than corn syrup is. This is why bodybuilding shakes generally have a maltodextrin instead of  sugar added, just to eliminate the fructose. And there are many different types of maltodextrin just as there are different types of dextrose, so please don't lump them all together. Shakes that are sweetened with items like stevia, Luo Han Guo, coconut nectar or actual real natural vanilla will make sure your workout is matched with the nutrition and not structured by the sugar.

My top choices of paleo meal replacement shakes, and why:

For those with any sort of major inability to detoxify, my first choice would be Mediclear SGS. This shake offers "enhanced liver support by adding sulforaphane glucosinolate (SGS) a natural substance from the seeds and sprouts of select broccoli varietals for effective up-regulation of the body's natural phase II detoxification enzymes". And for those with CFS, Autism, Fibromyalgia, MTHFR... I recommend a shake that will push your body to actually support detoxification - maybe even for the first time in your life. Like many of the vegan shakes this one has a sprouted brown rice protein in the mix, and so if you don't tolerate rice, then this may not be the shake for you. It does really detox so make sure you are up to it before you go in for it and have detox support. I also really love that it has no added gums, as I have been working hard at battling underlying mold allergies this year.

Because of the mold issue my current favorite vegan protein shake is the Perfect Plant Protein shake. This shake is what I want when resetting my body. It has no added sugars, so it's ketolicious perfection. It has a blend of organic beet, carrot, spinach, broccoli, tomato, kale, cabbage, parsley leaf, brussel sprouts, green bell pepper, cucumber, celery, garlic, ginger root, green onion, cauliflower and asparagus. It also has a digestive belend of ginger root, papain, peppermint leaf powder and bromelain. The protein blend is pea, hemp and sacha inchi. That along with vanilla and stevia is it. The whole thing, which means you can add in some healthy fats and it's a wonderful shake to give you lots of nutrients with just three net carbs and fifteen grams of protein.

Second up, and a little bit less money would be Pure Food. It does have a very gritty texture, and can taste sour to some people because of the digestive additive. It has all of the proteins, and it has amazing bio-availability, but it's not the flavor a lot of people like. My husband uses plain old non-GMO NOW brand pea protein most of the time. It's easy to pick up down the street on the way home. or since he isn't vegan he will use pastured collagen. Just unflavored and unexciting. To the point. He's also the guy that just likes to lift heavy stuff, totally functional. It's very easy to digest, and so it makes it a good non-bloating morning shake.

My third favorite meal replacement shake is Shakeology. It has all of the great super food nutrition, digestive support, hormone balancing, and is really tasty.  {Unless you are using the Vegan formula I no longer recommend this after seeing the FAQ below buried deep on their site ... which has now been replaced with just the Vegan Shakeology information. Here is an saved image}

" For those customers who do not want vitamin/mineral fortification, the Shakeology vegan formulas are an option as they are not fortified with added levels of vitamins or minerals."


Fourth up is the undenatured whey products for vegetarians. If you want just the undenatured whey and nothing more, get OnlyProtein Undenatured Whey. It is honestly just happy New Zealand undenatured whey, nothing more and nothing less. They also have a version called the Fat Burner with added added a South African Hoodia, CLA, Carnitine, and Garcina Cambogia with the undenatured whey. I am allergic to hoodia, so it is something I can't speak to as far as flavor.

My husband also sometimes likes the non-denatured whey, coconut and egg protein shake, KetoFuel. It gives him a quick path into ketosis. It is specially formulated to support the body’s natural ketogenic metabolic processes. They created the macros with a delicious creamy taste with macronutrient ratios that support ketosis using A2 whey (cold processed). Bioavailability and absorption are keys to a good whey protein supplement. A supplement is not a food. Unlike food it should be absorbed quickly and efficiently. Try to remember when looking at products on the market that concentrates vary in quality. When a whey concentrate is non-denatured or undenatured then it has a full array of natural proteins because it wasn't overheated during processing. Because it is non-denatured, it is absorbed quickly and bio-availability matters. 

I get asked all the time about MCT powder. It is created using gum arabic to protect the lipids from the attack of lipoxygenase and free radicals by adsorbing at the oil droplet surface. The reason for the maltodextrin is to make MCT powder you have to mix the oil with tapioca maltodextrin, which apparently hates water and absorbs and thickens fats. Most whey producers add lecithin to make their proteins easier to mix with water. So you will have to make that decision to add it in or not on your own.

When combined with a healthy diet and exercise, a healthy meal replacement shake promotes high-impact fat loss, energy production, blood sugar support, and better mental and overall health. A serving is 2 heaping scoops. Most guys are probably doing that, but most of the women I know find that they feel better if they do 1 scoop in a shake twice daily while trying to lose weight. So it's up to you. 

My favorite recipe is:
2 cups full-fat homemade hemp milk
1 cup berries
2 scoops protein powder
¼ cup cacao powder
1 tbsp finely ground flaxseeds
1 tbsp algae oil
7 ice cubes (or 1/2 cup of frozen riced cauliflower)

Instructions
Add all of the ingredients except for the ice cubes to the jug of your high-powered blender.
Blend on high for 1 minute, until smooth.
Add the ice cubes, one at a time. Continue to blend until smooth, about 30 seconds.
Divide amongst two glasses and enjoy with a friend or put half aside for later.



Looking for something that is more of a program, Designs For Health (company that makes PaleoMeal and PurePea) also has a 14 Day Detox Kit. This kit includes:

- 28 - single serving VegeCleanse Plus™ functional food powder drink mix packets

- 28 - capsule packets containing:

• 3- Amino-D-Tox™ capsules
• 1- Hydrolyzyme™ capsule
• Program Guidebook - detailed patient guide which includes a supplement schedule, sample menus, and suggested food and snack options
• DFH Branded BlenderBottle®

Made with non-GMO ingredients, of course. They've used a combination of carefully selected products and a methodical, step-by-step diet plan in their design in order to introduce people to a healthy cleansing process without having to commit to a longer regimen. It is ideal for those with busy schedules or anyone new to the concept of detoxification.

I also love hemp protein, but I'm one of those that doesn't mind the "green" flavor of it. I do admit I like the dark chocolate hemp protein more than the others, but it's better in a mix of other items, like a big green smoothie. Lots of blueberries and more.

Finally I can't forget the Boku Super Protein. I originally ordered it last year from OpenSky. I love that place, I have gotten coconut charcoal for bbq'ing in the summer, and so many other amazing sustainable items. The Boku is made with organic pea protein, organic sacha inchi protein, organic cranberry protein and organic red dulse now that they have removed the fermented rice from the mix. It's got a nice flavor and blends well, and is kosher. They used to sweeten it with the maple syrup, but now they are using Organic Coconut Blossom Nectar.

A Superfood Mix I really like is this plant-based Wild Protein blend. It contains just Organic Pea Protein Powder, Organic Hemp Protein Powder, Organic Mesquite Powder, Organic Freeze-Dried Coconut Cream Powder, Organic Spirulina Powder, Organic Cinnamon Powder, Organic Moringa Powder, Organic Milk Thistle Powder, Organic Burdock Root Powder and Organic Stevia Powder... organic, organic, organic. It's a great alternative for someone looking for a very simple, and yet supportive  with no added sugar to give you that nourishment without spiking blood sugar. It is formulated for optimal digestion, and is loaded with vegan protein, omega-3s, vitamin A, iron, fiber thanks to the selected herbs and superfoods. Each ingredient is minimally processed at low temperatures to deliver a treasure-trove of nutrients to your body the way nature intended. Built on the hemp, moringa, and spirulina (which is like added vegan bone broth to the mix), this formula gives you that cleansing milk thistle and burdock root and the ketogenic medium chain triglycerides from the freeze-dried coconut milk.

However I want to end with what I use with my shred group because of the support it really does give to rebalance your body. Now if you can wrap your head around it, the vegan, cold processed soy, chickpea, pea and rice protein shake I talked about at the beginning is a very nutritionally biased shake. Even Whole 30 says non-gmo soy and tufu are okay to eat. Complete is gluten-free, it's certified non-gmo, and it's whole foods. It is my go to meal replacement shake to initially get a client in a better position because it is nutritionally balancing, affordable and tastes really good. When clients stop using it they miss it for so many reasons, and so I have realized it truly improves the way you feel. It's also why I use the ecapsulated whole foods. They are encapsulated in vegan capsules, and the folate comes from lemon peel. I open them and dump the contents into a little warm water and drink them for quick available nutrients, although my husband adds it to his smoothie or just takes them with his coffee. I don't recommend taking these with green or black tea as those will block the absorption of those much needed folate nutrients. For my keto clients, I have them filter out the cane sugar... oh yes you can do that!! They are larger crystals and will filter right out of the shake. This process gives you exactly what you want with no added sugars.

The Organic Super Protein shake is newer to the market and has just 4 grams of carbohydrates and is a great resistant starch with the fermented starch for those following a Vegan Keto style of diet. Every serving provides 18g of superfood protein for filling, satisfying energy. A blend of organic pea, organic fermented rice, and organic hemp provides complete proteins rich in branched-chain amino acids for muscle growth and maintenance, and again only 4 grams of carbohydrates. Add in your vegan algae oil for additional fats and you're lean and clean!

Another daily protein shake is this Plant Protein Shake because it is grain-free, vegan, non-gmo and purely made. The best plain paleo protein shake I have ever had... and as you can see I have tried them all! This protein is ideal for pre or post workouts, first thing in the morning is when I use it, or whenever you need a healthy boost of energy from protein or a quick on-the-go snack like when I know I have to run errands after taking my daughter to swimming. If you are looking for a good non-gmo, gluten-free & grain-free vegan protein, this has only 6 grams of carbs, but offers protein powder along with coconut oil powder which is more aligned to someone looking for a basic powder.



It really does have the most amazing taste and texture.. which is unlike most other vegan shakes I have seen. With the blender bottles it mixes easily with water into a silky smooth snack. I use it in my coconut yogurt recipe, it can be used in your protein pancakes as an additionally delicious way to increase protein.

So there you have it... you know the shakes that have rotated through my pantry in 2018... usually there is at least one of the above in there.

You can't out exercise a bad diet. And you can't outrun your hormones or check ✔ out when life sends you stress. All of these cause a chronic inflammatory cycle.

The movement to accumulate less...eat food with less ingredients...take in less toxins.... balance your happiness with less stress....and of course less sugar, less gluten and less dairy are truly growing so rapidly for big reasons and I have to tell you that if you're looking to make some changes it's easier than you think.

Less ingredients is as simple as adding more whole foods into your diet.

Now is the time for you to join us to change your food choices, your movement and your mindfulness. It can be so complicated because wouldn't you agree that our world is more toxic than it was ten years ago (both in environment, nutrition and emotionally/socially)? And wouldn't you agree that our foods are more toxic than they were... heavy on the herbicides? the sugar content? And the foods we just can't digest well.

The truth is simple. Nutrition is power in your life. There is no short cut, there is no secret path to go around this truth. You will learn it when it's your time, and until then realize it will be a journey. When you get to the destination of wellness... I'll be here with pom poms at the finish line!!

If you aren't addicted to sugar, there is no need to fear. What if you gave it up for three days... what could possibly happen?

Here’s what’s going to happen. You’re doing fine and think you’re just about ready to prove me wrong about this sugar addiction. Sure, a bowl of cereal would be nice and that cup of coffee tastes better with flavored creamer, but you’re doing just fine without it.

Then those sugar cravings start to get a little stronger and you’re feeling a headache come on. This is getting a little uncomfortable but manageable. Maybe there is such a thing as sugar detox, but you’re sure you’re only having a mild case of it and will get through this in no time.

A few more hours pass and things start to get a lot harder. You’re starting to feel the real detox side effects including body and joint aches, chills, nausea and that headache is getting a lot worse. It’s hard to focus on anything. That’s when it hits you that there may be something to this whole sugar addiction thing.

Here’s the thing; consuming that much added sugar isn’t natural for us. A hundred years ago, we consumed a small fraction of the sugar we eat today. Our food wasn’t as sweet and sugar was a rare treat. Today, it creeps into everything we eat including a lot of foods we don’t think of as sweet like bread and salad dressing for example.

Sugar used to be an occasional treat. People would eat ripe fruit or use it to make jelly or the occasional cake. The human body could handle the occasional bit of sugar just fine. What it can’t handle well is the 160+ pounds of sugar the average American now consumes.

We’re addicted to the sweet stuff and average consumption is still going up. And as it goes up we see more cases of obesity, Type II Diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. And each of those bring with them a bunch of other health conditions. Sugar is making us fat and sick (and dead) and since it’s so addictive, it’s hard to quit it. The only way is to realize and truly understand just how bad it is for you. That will give you the willpower to break free from your sugar addiction, say no to that cookie and opt for a healthier choice instead.

When you start order and start the Ketolicious Reset you will start to see just how much of your being is relying on those carbohydrates and driving the sugar need. Just don't forget to order your JP to make sure that you get all of the dense nutrition your body needs.

Today's challenge was about figuring out the who, what, where of this body journey - and having gratitude for your gift.

So what is the formula for this success in life?

S=(d+g+a)p2
or
Success = (Desire+Goals+Action) Personal Development squared

Desire - You want it {success}
Goals - You are open to it {to be successful}
Actions - You live it {engage in the awareness of opportunity daily}
Personal Development - You become it {open and accept the possibilities every day}

Discovery is the first level of coaching that I go through with clients. Who are are? Where have you been and where are you now? What are you doing that's great, or needs to be changed? What are you lacking?

This is how you need to start thinking.
Who are you?

Where have you been and where are you now with this challenge of change?

What are you doing that is great (really works) and what do you need to perhaps change?

What are you lacking? Is it nutrients? Is is the right macros? Is it the support team?

Think about what it all means to you.

What do you desire?
What are your goals?
What actions are you willing to take?
What personal development can help you really increase the benefits??

Look at these words. What visual word are you going to use to move your forward today. Maybe it is one of these, and maybe it is another.

Accessible, Alive, Authentic, Calming, Connected, Desired, Dynamic, Effective, Empowering, Energizing, Enlightened, Focused, Gentle, Genuine, Grounded, Harmonious, Healthy, Healing, Holistic, Hopeful, Inspired, Intentional, Invigorating, Limitless, Mindful, Natural, Nourishing, Positive, Purposeful, Refreshing, Reliable, Safe, Serene, Strengthening, Valued, Vibrant, Vibrational, Whole, Wholesome, and WONDERFUL!!

Share your visual words and the answers to the questions below challengers. You only GET what you GIVE in this challenge.

We all have a story. Today I was so very blessed to see a video my cousin had done for Soul Pancake. The journey most of his siblings went through was very difficult. However, he not only lived through it, but he fought through it and is changing the lives of so many children as he is growing and just being his truth. So I leave you with his video, and I promise it will change how you are looking at who you are becoming. As you change, you change others. Find your moment!!

Cutting all the added sugar out of your diet is much better for your health, but while your body adjusts to your new diet; you can experience some unpleasant sugar detox side effects. They may include headaches, joint and other body aches, nausea and of course higher intensity cravings for all things highly refined and sugared. They key is not to give in and have a piece of candy. Learning this now is essential with all of the Halloween candy around the corner. Rather than beat yourself up, try these three tips to help you make it through the relatively short detox period.

First and foremost make sure you drink plenty of water and are properly hydrated. Electrolytes are so essential to our bodies, and water in general is needed to help with those water soluble nutrients. Not only will staying hydrated help alleviate many of the detox symptoms you may have, it will also help keep you full.

When you feel that detox headache coming on, grab a glass of water. Want a cookie or donut? Get a glass of water, and maybe add a tsp of olive oil to it. One of my favorite strategies when I don’t think I can make it without another sweet treat or when the plate of danishes in the break-room are calling my name is to pour myself a big glass of tea. I drink it slowly and then make myself wait 15 minutes. By then the craving has usually passed, or at the very least, I’m so full with water that I can pass on the sugary stuff. In the morning I have two cups of tea. One is my turmeric and ginger and the other is usually green matcha tea. However caffeine is either a help or a hindrance when you are releasing sugar. It may actually help the headache, or just make it worse.

Vitamin C, B vitamins, and Zinc are all known to help with cravings. Taking a good whole food supplement may be just the thing to help reduce detox side effects and make it through the few not so pleasant days of getting used to consuming a lot less sugar. When my clients shred each month, this is the key essential to make it easier. In addition, you can talk to your medical care provider about supplementing with a few of these micronutrients in higher doses, like magnesium or for those with genetic mutations B-12. However please don’t do this without medical supervision or the advice of your doctor though.




Challengers, I need you to realize that a lot of the cravings and "not feeling well" is in our head. The more we focus on negative side effects of detoxing from sugar, the worse they will get. What else is possible for you today? The best way to avoid this mindset is to stay busy. No, not with a donut in your mouth. The best way to stay busy is to connect with others. Take a walk, or a hike, visit a friend, or visit a retirement home. When we connect with others we can help ourselves in more ways than we can imagine. Sometimes, though, we sabotage ourselves by calling on our friend that we know is baking up a storm for an event. Or we meet up at a coffee shop with lots of sugary treats available. Don't set yourself up to fail because this process feels uncomfortable. This sugar release is just the first part of the equation, but it's the most important part.

While I don’t recommend doing a sugar detox when you’re working, particularly during a busy or stressful time, staying busy is a good idea, and work happens for many people five or more days per week. Stay strong by preparing healthy food and snacks for work, and then make some plans to head out with friends into a safer space during breaks or even just step out to your car for a meditation. At home you can reorganize your closet, let go of those clothes that no longer serve you, or just settle in for a Netflix marathon. Changing your behavior plays into this season of becoming. You are becoming someone that you've always been, just hiding in plain sight.

Here’s a scary fact. When scientists took MRI images of the brains of people consuming sugar and highly addictive drugs like cocaine, the same pleasure centers in the brain started lighting up. Sugar and gluten stimulate those same receptors, and so that is why the best opiod clinics will focus on eliminating those from the diet. Sounds pretty, scary, doesn’t it? But what does it actually mean to your brain and your overall health?

In fact, many of those living with addiction are likely to have underlying acidosis. This is where the pH of the body is too acidic. Being overly acidic causes inflammation inside our stomach and GI track, near our heart and brain, and it causes an increase of various chronic health conditions. Drinking your alkaline water in the morning during this challenge, which is water that is left overnight with lemon slices in it, can be a good beverage option to help as you are working through this overwhelming brain chemistry. You can also use raw apple cider vinegar in your water and do the same, let it sit in the water overnight, stir in the morning and drink. If you are doing intermittent fasting, I have found that both of these items in the morning actually enhance the effects of your fast.

Sugar is truly addictive. That means that it will alter your brain chemistry and over time you start to crave more and more sugar. The urge for your next sweet fix comes more frequently and you need to consume it in larger quantities and like any other drug, it comes with some pretty scary side effects. Not being able to fit into your favorite pair of jeans because of your "seasonal" sugar addiction is going to be the least of your problems.

Yes, there will be weight gain, but with it, and particularly because this weight gain is brought on by consuming too much sugar, you’ll increase your risk of developing Type II Diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and with it, an increased risk of stroke. Add to that the extra stress the added weight puts on your joints and tendons and how much harder it is to get enough oxygen pumping through your body, it’s no wonder you feel crappy as you put on weight. All these various health conditions are referred to as metabolic syndrome and it’s just one of the things you can look forward to as you continue to feed your sugar addiction.

But like with a cocaine addiction, harming your body and compromising your health doesn’t really matter all that much when you’re faced with a box of donuts. That’s a serious problem. Then, as with any highly addictive drug, there will be unpleasant withdrawal symptoms as you start to wean your body off of sugar. Don’t believe me? Give it a try.

Cut out all added sugar for a couple of days. No more soda, no more sugar in your coffee, no candy, no cookies, no donuts. That’s just the beginning.  You’ll also want to avoid all foods with added sugars like bread, most salad dressings, ketchup etc. Cut all those foods out and don’t eat anything without checking the label for added sugars. See how you feel after a few hours.

It will start with a little headache and then the headaches will begin.  You’ll start craving something sweet. We’re talking serious cravings. Next, that little headache will start to grow into a full blown pounding head along with joint aches. You may also experience some nausea and don’t be surprised to experience mood swings, too.  Some people will even have flu like symptoms and start to shake a day into their sugar detox.

Doesn't that sound a lot like the withdrawal symptoms of a “serious” drug addiction? That’s because sugar addiction is just that. A serious addiction.

However researchers have shown that overconsumption of highly palatable foods (high fat and high sugar) enhances opioids in the brain. Opioid system dysregulation has been observed in both genetic and high-fat diet (HFD)-induced models of obesity.  So that means that even though very high fat can replace the sugar in your craving brain, too high fat long term isn't great for you either. There is a balancing act of micronutrients and macronutrients that so many factors play into.

When was the last time you went keto? Did you fall back into sugar when you stopped eating high high fat? When was the last time you did a sugar detox? Was is completely miserable?



So today I want you to make sure you eat enough olives, olive oil, avocado, any of those healthy monounsaturated fats and see if it makes a difference.

How often do you you get too caught up in the things you don’t like? When this happens it’s easy to lose sight of your goals and the path to achieving them. Once you begin to indulge in your emotions, you quickly begin to feel worse each day by continuing to fuel all the wrong emotions, and often time then grab all the wrong foods.

If you wake up in the morning only thinking about the things you don’t like and how angry or disheartened that makes you, then you’ll live the rest of your life in a negative mindset, which is bad for your mental and physical health. Often times we start with social media... and although my Season Of Becoming challenge is being held online, it's the way we start thinking about ourselves based on social posts, pictures.... those comparisons of happiness that move us into a state of emotional imbalance and low vibrations.

Staying in a constant state of anger or sadness or any low vibrational emotion is bad for your health in many ways. You might find yourself experiencing more frequent headaches, fatigue, stomach problems, and other physically harmful feelings.

These are all side effects of stress out cells, which is always present with negative emotions. Mentally, you’ll find yourself being more irritable and upset, which can affect your loved ones.

Most importantly, you won’t be focused on the goals you want to work towards. You won’t ever feel that sense of satisfaction that you crave if all of your days are spent being upset.

If you go to bed and wake up worried that you’re not good enough to be a niche leader online, then it detracts from the happiness you could be feeling from achieving the goals you tackled that day. That confidence will lend to more success the following day, whereas anxiety will cause it to stall.

If you’re a 9-5 worker, instead of waking up thinking about how you’re going to dread seeing that one coworker of yours, think about how happy you are to have a stable job. Focus on the things that you love and the things that you need to do.

Complaining about your coworkers every day isn’t going to help you accomplish your goals. It’s absolutely useless, and it only causes you issues, not them. Instead of complaining about everything that’s wrong, focus your efforts on fixing the things that are wrong that you can fix, and spend some time focusing on the things that you enjoy or are pleased with.

When you start to spend your time and energy working towards things that you want and things that you enjoy, you’ll lose that feeling of stress. You’ll wake up feeling energized and excited to start your day rather than dreading another useless day of getting nothing done.

Get on a good sleep schedule if you’re not already on one so that you can spend more time doing the things that you love. You’ll find that your mind is more at ease and you feel much healthier.

You’ll gain a sense of satisfaction just knowing that you’re taking control of your own path, that you’re living life how you want to live it rather than letting someone (or something) else turn you into an unproductive mess.

Share how you feel when you aren't all tied up in those spaces... and if you feel an inability to break away from that.

I will be posting all of the Season Of Becoming main posts here on the blog... however if you want to get a more interactive engagement... I recommend just joining us as it's free to join.

As we are nearing October, it's the time of year that I see people that have really embraced their wellness, dive into all of the emotions, all of the sugars, all of the things that make us think a New Year's detox is needed. Although we can't break free of some of that... like dysfunctional family togetherness or holiday parties... we can change ourselves through letting go of beliefs, and letting go of some of our dietary choices .... You are a season of becoming. But what will you become?
Fall is when we start feel comfortable, and sick. It's no secret that the average person consumes 22 teaspoons of “added” sugar per day. Between parties and trick-or-treating, the average child consumed 3 cups of sugar on Halloween. Parents, how much do you have leading up to Halloween, and on Halloween, and moving into the brisk holiday season.

The time to challenge your beliefs and change your season is now. The time to become what you wish for the New Year starts now. Celebrate with this event and you will open an opportunity to challenge what celebration is truly about.

You can follow along on the blog as well if Facebook isn't your thing. I am so excited to help you unlock some of the inner emotional knots and open you up to something you crave.

Shopping to replace items that I am no longer going to use in order to heal myself really isn't as easy as it seems. If it doesn't have gums, it has aloe, or shea, or etc etc. Then add in the items I am very allergic to like the nuts, avocado, sunflower and my list just gets shorter. However I have found a few items to give a try to. I will keep you updated in this post after we have used these items for a while. As an affiliate if you decide to purchase any of these, I will get like a 2 - 4% kickback, and I thank you if you do.

Now, I did start a few weeks ago with Dr. Bronner's All-One Hemp Tea Tree Pure - Castile Bar Soap because I wasn't sure if my rash was maybe candida. I can say that it has not been harsh on my skin at all. I have been also using a konjac sponge rather than a washcloth as my face and neck just couldn't take it. I rinse it really well when I am done, and just hang it up. I love it.

Shampoo and conditioner were very hard to find. I ended up with the Dr. Bronner's Lavender and Coconut conditioner since I enjoyed the bar of soap so much, and then the raw soapberry shampoo. For a body wash since my daughter isn't big on using a bar of soap, I bought the Mom's Co coconut wash. I feel like if it is gentle enough for a mom's pregnant body, it should be great for her.

On to replacing all of my expensive Perricone MD makeup. I am going to start with All Good Organic Sunscreen Butter for most days, since I don't always wear makeup. It is coral reef safe and can slide into my bag for on the go. I thought about doing one of the powder sunscreens, but for now this will do.

When I do wear makeup I am going to try the bareMinerals bareSkin Pure Brightening Serum Foundation, with the Invisible Bronze Powder Bronzer. Who knows. I may find that with the sunscreen this bronzer will be all I will need. I grabbed the EMANI Mineral Hybrid Cream for eyeshadow, and the Cupuacu Tinted Lip Balm for my lips. Cupoacu is a great shea alternative for those with latex or nut sensitivities looking for something different. I had thought about using some of the non-toxic companies that my friends work with, but looking at the ingredients I just wasn't that impressed overall with what I saw. As well, there were a lot of allergens, and so I went to where I end up often... Amazon. Sorry rest of the world business shops. Sometimes you need the big bad online retailer to get things done.

And of course because of my fear of the mold issue, I am going to try the Homebiotics spray because my bathroom always smells musty. I tried the Airbiotics but really wasn't a huge fan. Let's see how this one works out.

This will be a very interesting year.

via IFTTT
What are you the most passionate about right now? Is it your business, your family, your products, your fitness... if things aren't going your way maybe it's not that you haven't done enough. Maybe it's just that you haven't been aware of what is available to get you to the next level. People aren't always crystal clear when they are moving at hyper speed, and from what I have found, from about age ten to age 80 there is nothing but hyper speed. But the truth is, we get comfortable in being uncomfortable. When another year passes and you still haven't hit the next level, you have to ask why. Is it my website? It is my macros? Is it the burn out? Is it that I am just not open? Stop lying awake at night trying to figure out who you are, and instead just let it be. Let it be and watch and listen. Ask questions? What is it that your body really is craving? What is it that your customers are looking for? What is it that will make your relationship sing? Listen and then follow what feels right. ps: If you want to dive deeper into how to listen into yourself, or find out if there are some intuitive guides wanting to get a message across to you... just let me know. you can find some nutritional answers at the Paleo Vegeo website, or even schedule your appointment. I work with everything from design, to diet, and all that falls in between. Trust that the timing is right for you. Let me help you breakthrough the baggage, and listen to your soul. #bijacoaching #paleovegeo #intuitivecoach #thetruth #timingisalwaysperfect
Here's a little instamood from my day. Joy, Food, Paleo Vegeo, Vegan joy I hope.

So what is it about these wonderful products that is just causing inflammation on my skin? Could it be the latex connection? Both shea butter and cocoa butter contain a latex protein that people with  Latex hypersensitivities might react to. You may also react to avocado oil, mango butter and castor oil. When you have a latex hypersensitivity it can be as serious as a peanut allergy, although it isn't taken nearly as serious by others because they just can't seem to wrap their head around what you are going through. Aloe is a latex plant and the allergy is called an aloin allergy. Many aloe gels have not done enough to keep the latex portion of the plant out of their gels, and as such many people react to aloe vera in their skin care products.

Shea nuts are also related to Brazil nuts, which in some cases can be a cross reactive allergen with other common tree or plant nuts. The fact that it comes from a fruit makes people often feel good about it how it isn't a nut. Although a US research team found some protein content remained in shea nut butter, FARRP’s research indicates that refined shea nut butter does not contain any detectable protein residues and they are saying that the risk is zero. They say, however, that it is unknown if breastfeeding your child after using a nipple cream that contains shea butter could predispose to sensitization toward other tree nuts or peanuts. So even though the industry still says that they haven't been able to find any proteins in shea butter, you can find post after post after post on the internet of personal experiences that would say otherwise.

When you have a topical reaction to anything, including an essential oil, it is important to note that there is a correlation between people with seasonal allergies and those prone to skin allergies that may be due to immune-reacting cells migrating from one part of the body to another. This is no different than someone that reacts to the nickel in their cell phone. There was a case where a child reacted to the nut-derived oil in her dad's shaving cream hours and hours later when he returned from work. We cannot say that there is no risk because the proteins have been removed in the oils, because experience tells us otherwise.

The first big topical reaction I had was when my daughter was about six years old. I had used a skin care product with macadamia nut oil in it, and ended up in the ER. All of this has to do with our mast cells and they way they are reacting, which seems to go against what we would believe would happen. This mast cell dysfunction can even cause exercise-induced anaphylaxis, and they really don't know why. However what we do know is that viral, fungal and bacterial infections can all cause mast cell activation. Perhaps it starts with the bacteria influence as infants.

Most infants and young children infected with EBV have absolutely no symptoms or only very mild ones. If your child had EBV, you probably didn't even know. Almost everyone you meet has Epstein-Barr virus in their system, and it has recently been connected to several autoimmune disorders. Mast cells can detect those viruses, but also fungus and mold. Mold-related chronic inflammatory response syndrome (CIRS) is a mast cell disorder. Mast cells have a leading role in so many diseases including postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis. Mast cells are coated with IgE, which is produced by plasma cells and the half-life of IgE may be weeks to months, where the plasma is usually just days unless it is bound to the mast cell receptor. Ig3 is the antibodies produced by the immune system, like when your system overreacts to an allergen.

In Japan in the 2011 - 2012 influenza season there was a high rate of influenza vaccine-associated anaphylaxis in people with no egg allergy. They determined that it wasn't the mercury that was causing this issue, as you may have thought. It was related to the way the body was reacting to the 2-phenoxyethanol (2-PE). This substance is one of the ingredients that has been replacing parabens and formaldehyde-releasing ingredients in skin care products now for years, although Korean companies have been selling 2-PE-free products for some time. This replacement preservative is used in the inactivated polio vaccine. The conclusion of the Japanese study was that "The 2011-2012 IVA spike in Japan was caused by specific IgE antibodies to influenza vaccine components. Excipients could not be implicated, except for a modest effect of 2-PE."

In fact, 2-PE can cause contact dermatitis in some individuals with allergic susceptibility. Your allergist may be able to patch test you for this chemical, and I may have myself and my daughter tested this fall, even though our allergist uses preservative-free flu vaccines. The reason I wanted to discuss this is that if contact dermatitis is a chronic T cell–driven inflammatory skin disease, and that there are increased mast cells in a majority of these dermatitis patients, could so much of this be started as early as those first months of life? Some skin care product producers think so. If the FDA treats cosmetics and foods differently when it comes to allergen labeling requirements, the best thing you can do is to start to educate yourself about what is actually in your products, and what they may do as far as your immune system is considered.

If you put "Phenoxyethanol-free" into your Amazon search, almost all of the products that come up are shea, avocado, aloe and sunflower based products. I found one wash that was coconut based, I also found one newborn Soothing Gel because the CeraVe that my allergist recommended has gum in the ingredients. I have also found an organic, coral reef safe sunscreen butter to try. I may see if I can use that and some minerals and make my own BB cream out of it. I'll keep you updated.

Researchers are finally uncovering more of what mast cells have to do with asthma. Maybe now it is time for us to dig even deeper into this connection.