Secrets to Vitality in your Thirties
Lately there's a question that I've been asked by numerous patients, friends and acquaintances - "What have you been doing?" I've had established patients comment on how youthful I look. One remarked that I look younger than a photo I had taken last year! I've had others comment on how much clearer my skin is. I've also have several people comment on my slender physique and muscle tone. Here's the long awaited post revealing some of my secrets.
Nutrition is the foundation of optimal wellness. If a body isn't properly nourished it doesn't perform well. Food is the fuel that gives me the energy I need to thrive as a busy holistic OB/GYN, wife and blogger. The core of my nutritional focus is an emphasis on real food. I chose organic, high quality foods and avoid foods with ingredients that I cannot recognize or pronounce. Through my personal wellness journey, I've discovered that different bodies have different needs. I've also recognized that those requirements can change at different stages. The ability to listen to your body and the flexibility to respond is critical.
Over the past 6 months I've gradually added more healthy fats to my diet. I did this for a number of reasons. As detailed in an earlier blog post, one of my health challenges is leaky gut. I am also working through multiple food sensitivities and recovering from intestinal candidiasis. To aggressively eradicate candidiasis I needed to be more consistent with limiting my carbohydrate intake. Achieving this on a low oil plant-based diet was a challenge. While I got leaner by reducing my carbs, I had a hard time remaining satiated. I also was unhappy with loss of some of my muscle mass.
I become more comfortable with the idea of consuming more healthy fats by making small changes. I started eating more avocado, which I would add to salads or sometimes eat with sprinkled sea salt. I occasionally added nut butter to smoothies. I also began to blend grass-fed butter into coffee or hot drinks. Ghee or coconut oil became my cooking oils of choice. I also added fatty fish such as salmons, sardines and anchovies to my diet. Overtime my skin began to have more of a glow and my muscle tone improved. My chiropractor, who sees me every other week, was the first to notice, followed by my Pilates instructor.
High quality fats are essential for healthy hormone balance. After a period of time I decided to experiment with reducing some of the supplements that I took to support my hormones. I found that my cycles remained regular without this additional support. I attribute this to the availability of the cholesterol that my body need to create essential hormones. As my hormones became more balanced, my skin began to clear. My acne pigmentation also began to significantly diminish.
I had noticed a pattern of fatigue around my menstrual cycle even though my flow was not particularly heavy. I knew that I needed more iron. My food sensitivities limited my ability to make use of typical plant based sources of iron. I decided to start eating grass fed red meat around the time of my cycle. I avoided red meat earlier in my wellness journey since it can contribute to menstural discomfort as it is inflammatory for some. Through further research, I found that the type of meat makes a difference. Conventional red meat tends to be pro-inflammatory and whereas grass fed beef actually has a beneficial nutritional profile. Since add some red meat to my diet, my energy now remains constant throughout the month. Additionally, I haven't had any return of pain during my cycle. Less fatigue also means less temptation to consume the typical high sugar "quick-fixes" for energy.
Intrigued by how I transformed my wellness through nutrition? Contact me to learn how you can revitalize your health through nutrition. Follow me on Instagram to learn what meals, beverages and treats I enjoy. Stay tuned to learn my work out secrets.