Causes of Inflammation and Steps to Heal

/in , /by

 

 

 

 

Could you have inflammation? Click on the photo to take the quiz and find out.

15 Top Anti-Inflammatory Foods:

green leafy vegetables

bok choy

celery

beets

brocoli

blueberries

pineapple

salmon

bone broth

walnuts

coconut oil

chia seeds

flaxseeds

turmeric

ginger

 

 

Top Gut Healing Foods:

Bone broth

Plant based collagen

Fermented Foods – saurkraut, kimchi, yogurt, kefir, tempeh, nato, miso

Fruits high in fiber – apple, bananas, pears, strawberries, watermelon, avocados

Vegetables high in fiber  – beets, broccoli, cauliflower, Jerusalem artichokes, brussel sprouts

Sprouted Seeds

Legumes – lentils, chickpeas, beans, peas

Quinoa

Resistant starches from potatoes

Foods high in healthy Omega 3 fats

 

Remove Food Sensitivities:

Everybody’s body is different. Below I will list some of the most common food sensitivities but know that there are over 176 foods, spices, and additives that can cause your particular body to react and become inflamed. To learn which ones are reactive for you, you can do a Food Sensitivity Test like the ones we do here at JKLWELL Health Coaching which use your blood to see if it will react to the pure food proteins, spices or additives, or do a food elimination challenge. It is easiest to start a challenge such as this with the foods I will list below. Sometimes however, just having a “leaky gut”, ie gut permeability where proteins and undigested food particles leak into the blood system. Healing your gut can heal your food sensitivities. It is kind of a chicken and egg situation. Is it the leaky gut allowing the food particles into the blood stream where they are viewed as foreign bodies and are attacked thereby causing inflammation or is the food sensitivities causing the leaky gut in the first place. One of the best ways to help fix this is to learn what, if any, food sensitivities you have and remove those while eating to promote a healthy gut. Given time, your gut lining can and will heal. Then you can either retest for food sensitivities to see if you still have any or reintroduce foods slowly and watch for any reactions. The positive food sensitivities at this time will likely be your true food sensitivities and should be removed for a much longer period of time if not permanently.

 

Common Food Sensitivities:

Gluten

Wheat

Dairy (Casein and/0r cow’s milk)

Eggs (Whites and/or Yellow)

Soy

Corn

Peanuts/Legumes

Tree Nuts

 

Eating gut healing and anti-inflammatory foods,,and removing food sensitivities will help to reduce inflammation in the body and protect against chronic diseases like autoimmune diseases, heart disease, joint pain, and cancer. The ultimate goal is to return your body to homeostasis. Having a balanced microbiome, having a healthy gut lining, and reducing inflammation can all be achieved with the right food for your body, the right exercise for your body, stress management, and plenty of deep, restful sleep.

 

 

Protein Bars – A Quick Vegan Fix?

/in /by

As a food based integrative health and wellness coach, my first advice of course is to eat whole foods, organic when you can. Sometimes though we just need something quick and easy that does not involve a lot of prep work. A quick meal that contains veggies, fruits, fiber, protein, and healthy fats would be a smoothie. I have posted a video on how to make a simple one on my facebook page, JKLWELL.

On days though when I need an even quicker fix though, I will turn to a protein bar. Protein bars however are not always good for you, depending on what they are made of. I always check the ingredients, looking for added sugars, hidden sugars, artificial sweeteners, or any inflammatory ingredients. I prefer vegan based protein bars as I find whey to be more inflammatory.

The one I have been turning to lately is Garden of Life Organic Fit High Protein Weight Loss Bar. My favorite and the one I will link to here is the peanut butter/chocolate flavored one. It contains 14g of protein from plant proteins, organic ashwagandha, 13g of prebiotic fiber which is necessary to feed the good probiotic bacteria in your gut, green coffee bean extract, and no added sugars. It fills me up when I am on the go and keeps me energized until my next meal. You can check it out here:

I hope these work for you as a quick go to. As always, prep and whole foods are best at achieving a healthy balanced meal for your body. However, when time is of the essence, these can work as a quick and complete fix.

TRUST YOUR INTUITION, TAKE 2, PART 2

/in , /by

Since my diagnosis, I have seen an oncologist, a breast surgeon, my plastic surgeon and the nurse practitioner who is very nice but has yet to do anything she said she would, no follow up, no checking in, no guidance.  I have been told I need radical surgery to remove the rest of my breast skin and some muscle, no more implant, that I will have the axillary nodes removed from my armpit to make sure the cells have not migrated beyond the breast, and that I have to have chemo, just not sure which one yet. I was sent for a PET scan where they inject you with heavy steel thick case carrying nuclear radiation and glucose but then told, thank goodness, that the cancer has not spread however, PETs can’t pick up small cancers so I still need chemo. But at no point did anyone stop and look at what may have caused this. When we asked, they dismissed the question. No idea why it’s back, if it’s recurring or new, just that I have it and it needs to be treated. That does not sit well with me. None of this does. 

The breast surgeon did say I was an anomaly. Most people she sees with a reoccurrence are usually within a few years, not 7.5 years later. Maybe, I thought, it’s because I changed my diet enough to keep these little suckers at bay, but the stress of the past 1.5 years starting with my sister’s diagnosis, my father’s passing, my foot surgery, my sister’s downward spiral, and my training for 2 marathons in that time all proved to be too much for my immune system and the little buggers took full advantage of that to start growing. Maybe if I find a way to reduce my stress, we can make the rest not grow.

Sometimes I think how strong I am that I ran a marathon with breast cancer, other days I feel like my life is a marathon causing my breast cancer.

Trust your intuition – Take 2, Part 3, Treatment #1

/in , /by

My port was placed Feb 15, 2019, and after a quick trip to San Francisco to tour colleges with my daughter, chemo began Feb 26, 2019. The worst part for me through the entire process was the IV benadryl, the rest went through fine. I had read a study and listened to a talk given by an oncology nutritionist that suggested fasting for 48 hours, a water fast, before and through the day of chemo. I fasted on the 25th with just water and a cup of black coffee, continued the fast on the 26th through treatment, ate a small meal of under 500 calories after treatment per the protocol, and then fasted through to the next morning when I broke my fast with a smoothie. The  nurse thought I was nuts and that it was a bad idea, she laughed at it but then I showed her the research. She asked the other nurse who had actually taught my chemo class, and that nurse said I was the 3rd or 4rth person to ask about it and encouraged me to try it and see if it works for me. I really believe it did.

They started me with Decadron, a steroid, which I was unaware of. I was supposed to have been called to pick up an order of it to take before chemo day, and the morning of chemo day. As mentioned earlier, my nurse manager has not been in contact with me at all. Neither has my oncologist other than the day she rambled off the treatment protocol. I had to stop her and ask her why we were going with the new route, if she thought it made sense to her based on what Dr. Isaacs had discussed with her, which she said she did. As soon as she answered my question though, she went right back to where she was in her memorized rant. I listened as well as I could and caught on to most of what she was saying. I don’t recall the Decadron though and was never told by anyone that an order was placed for it and that I had to take it before chemo. So frustrating. 

They ended up giving me the Decadron via IV, then the Zofran for anti-nausea, then the Benadryl which I felt coursing through my body, up the back of my head, making my arms and legs ridiculously heavy, my hands useless, but after all that, I was fine. I still have the back head headache though which I think is a result of the benadryl. After that we started with the perjeta, a 60 minute drip, then a 60 minute break to monitor for reactions. There were none other than almost getting sick at the beginning but I think that was still from the Benadryl. Break over, we started the 90 minute drip of Herceptin. Through both of these I had my feet in frozen booties and my hands resting on gloves of ice, as much as I could, to try to constrict my blood vessels in my hands and feet so the meds would not go there and cause nerve damage, ie neuropathy. After Herceptin, we had another 60 minute break then started the Taxotere for 60 minutes. No probs. So we went right in the Carboplatin after that for 30 minutes, though the first 15 were a slow drip. When all was done, she said I did great. Maybe the fasting helped!

As we were checking out, I had all my drugs ordered and picked up, Decadron for the next time, Zofran for nausea. But no Zarxio…..that was one thing I heard the oncologist say to me in her rant because it terrified me. I knew I would have to give myself a shot daily for 7 days to keep up my immune cells. The worst time for neutropenia is 7-10 days post treatment. For some reason it was not included on the order. The oncologist was shocked and said of course I have to have it. Again someone  not following through. Her ears must have been burning because she just called as I am typing  this to see how I am doing, go over everything, let me know that she was upset the Zarxio was not included in the order form and made sure to have it put on all future orders, and asked if I had any questions because she knew that the last time we spoke everything was really a whirlwind for me with the change of plans (I initially was supposed to start with surgery). Would have been nice if she made this call before I started chemo, especially knowing how much I did not want it, but at least she called. So I get to start the fun of self-inflicted needles tonight…..

Trust Your Intuition, Take 2, Part 2

/in /by

Since my diagnosis, I have seen an oncologist, a breast surgeon, my plastic surgeon and the nurse practitioner who is very nice but has yet to do anything she said she would, no follow up, no checking in, no guidance.  I have been told I need radical surgery to remove the rest of my breast skin and some muscle, no more implant, that I will have the axillary nodes removed from my armpit to make sure the cells have not migrated beyond the breast, and that I have to have chemo, just not sure which one yet. I was sent for a PET scan where they inject you with heavy steel thick case carrying nuclear radiation and glucose but then told, thank goodness, that the cancer has not spread, however, PETs can’t pick up small cancers so I still need chemo. But at no point did anyone stop and look at what may have caused this. When we asked, they dismissed the question. No idea why it’s back, if it’s recurring or new, just that I have it and it needs to be treated. That does not sit well with me. None of this does. 

The breast surgeon did say I was an anomaly. Most people she sees with a reoccurrence are usually within a few years, not 7.5 years later. Maybe, I thought, it’s because I changed my diet enough to keep these little suckers at bay, but the stress of the past 1.5 years starting with my sister’s diagnosis, my father’s passing, my foot surgery, my sister’s downward spiral, and my training for 2 marathons in that time all proved to be too much for my immune system and the little buggers took full advantage of that to start growing. Maybe if I find a way to reduce my stress, we can make the rest not grow.

Sometimes I think how strong I am that I ran a marathon with breast cancer, other days I feel like my life is a marathon causing my breast cancer.

Trust Your Instincts – My Story, Take 2, Part 1

/in /by

I always talk about intuition, knowing your body, trusting your gut and being your own advocate. A lesson I learned in 2011 when I was told cancer does not cause pain, and yet there I was with a DCIS diagnosis, and here I am learning that lesson yet again. Back in December 2017, I went to my plastic surgeon complaining of pain in my breast. I didn’t know which doctor to see but thought it had something to do with the implants from my bilateral mastectomy and reconstruction 6 years earlier. He checked, saw nothing, and sent me for a CT. The CT did not show anything. I was disappointed that I could not  get an explanation for my pain. It was not nothing, I knew it. But I let it go because there were so many other things going on. By August, I couldn’t deny or hide the pain anymore. It became so intense that it forced me to slam on the brakes with 3 of my girls in the car and grab my breast and try not to cry in front of them. It scared them nonetheless. I knew I had to get an answer. My husband and I went to see my GP. She could not feel anything or see anything but she trusted my pain. She took the steps necessary. She sent me for an ultrasound that came back clean. She then sent me for an MRI. I was set up for one in October, having to wait until I got my period to schedule it, with and without contrast. I made sure both were back to back so I did not have to make two trips. I went for the MRI only to find out that the radiologist canceled my contrast one. I was irritated because I specifically had to wait the extra month to be able to get both done and I really felt I needed the contrast to see what was really going on. I was told if the MRI came back clean, they would have me come back the following Monday (this was a Thursday) for the contrast. Ugh! I called my doctor the next day for the results. She was told that both my implants had ruptured, the right side right where I was showing the pain. So off to the plastic surgeon I went again. He was surprised, said that ruptures usually don’t present with pain. He really believed it had nothing to do with the implants. Regardless, they had to come out. I was torn with the decision of replacing them or not, fully believing there was something causing the pain. My concern was if it was BIA-ALCL, or an infection, do I really want them back in….but it was the easier procedure, quickest recovery. So I made a deal with him, they could go back in unless he saw evidence of mold, infection, BIA-ALCL, or anything suggesting that the implants were the cause of my pain. He agreed, stating that he did not believe that would be the case.

On December 11, 2018, he prepared for a 3 hour surgery. All marked up, I was wheeled off to the surgical room in tears, still not happy with my decision. Less than 3 hours later, not only was I out of surgery, I was awake. The surgery only took a little over an hour. He told Dave that all looked good but he removed a large amount of scar tissue and sent a big chunk off to pathology. He saw me briefly and told me that the implants were not even ruptured, he does not know what they saw on the MRI but the implants were intact. He replaced them anyhow, adjusted my chest wall to make more room, in hopes of alleviating whatever may have been causing the pain. He asked me at my follow up if I felt better. I told him I don’t know. There was all the obvious pain from surgery, which actually was not too bad and I was off the pain killers after a day, but I don’t know if I feel better, emotionally or physically. Something was causing that pain and I had no answers for it. That never sits well with me. He repeated that ruptures don’t cause pain, that there were no ruptures, that everything looked clean and that he didn’t see any concerns but we would wait for the results of the pathology. I still felt something was wrong. I did not feel relieved, I actually felt like my sister with my raspy voice from the surgery, under my blanket, not being able to shake this feeling. I tried though, I hoped it was just the scar tissue causing the pain, or the tightness of the skin from the radiation like he suggested though it made no sense that it only started to hurt 6 years, now  7 years later……well, today, Dec 18, 2018, what is supposed to be luck in the Jewish world because it is double chai, my poor plastic surgeon had to call, while on vacation, at 8 o’clock at night, to deliver news he probably never had to deliver before, that I had cancer. You know, the whole first round, they never called it cancer. Initially a radiologist told me I had to stay for an ultrasound because they thought I had cancer,  but after that it was always DCIS. This time he called it invasive cancer. He said the tissue he sent to pathology looked abnormal, it was part of the encapsulated part of the breast (he actually never told me that and only told Dave  that he sent a big chunk of scar tissue off), and that was what came back as invasive. I have invasive ductal carcinoma, grade 3, poorly differentiated. That is all we know right now.

So, I was right in knowing something was wrong, again, I trusted my intuition, I 

pushed, I advocated for myself, I got answers. I just hope they did not come too late…

My First Debut Being Interviewed On Workout Do Yoga

/in /by

What Are Some of the Services I Offer as a Health Coach

https://serenaandjosh.com/health-coaching-is-it-right-for-you/

Breast Cancer Awareness Month – Thoughts on Prevention

/in /by

Today marks the first day of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I am a 7.5 year survivor of the earliest stages of breast cancer. Though I live with the daily reminders of having had a bilateral mastectomy and reconstruction that is starting to show some negative side effects, I consider myself lucky. I also worry about reoccurrences and spend a lot of time researching and applying my knowledge to my daily life so as to try to prevent that from happening.

After 5 years of walking in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer, I have heard many stories of those who we lost to this disease and those of survivors. What shocked me was the number of survivors who went through more than one battle with this disease. It made me realize that I will always be at risk for a reoccurrence and I may not catch it as early the next time.

What I have learned in my education and research is that there are many factors that may have caused my breast cancer, but there is also a lot of conflicting information. The following is what makes sense to me.

I have learned that I carry the KRAS genetic mutation which, according to Joanne Weidhass’ research, puts me at a greater risk for developing both breast and ovarian cancer. I have learned that I was likely in an estrogen dominant state that may have contributed to my development of breast cancer. I have learned that eating soy, which I ate a lot of as a vegetarian thinking it was a healthy form of protein, likely put me into an estrogen dominant state. (There are arguments being made that eating soy can actually protect your risks of breast cancer but that is a separate debate for me to tackle in another post).  I have learned that eating sugar of any kind, in excess, can create a positive environment for the cancer cells to grow and thrive. I have also learned that eating sugar can put a person into an inflammatory state so that the immune system is weakened thereby allowing the cancer cells to grow. I have also learned that eating any foods that a person may have a personal sensitivity to can put the body into this same inflammatory state and thereby compromising the immune system.

My personal conclusion is that there had to be a flurry of circumstances, all coming together at the right time, to have allowed my preexisting cancer cells to express themselves. Due to my KRAS variant, I had existing cancer cells, but it was my lifestyle that caused their expression. I believe that eating soy, sugar, and white carbs all worked together to put my body into both an inflammatory state and estrogen dominant state. I have since learned that I have Celiac Disease which means that every time I ate gluten, I damaged my GI system, inflamed it, and thereby weakened my immune system so it could not fight off the cancer cells that should have died through apoptosis but instead were thriving because I was feeding them. It was my epigenetics brought on by my dietary lifestyle that I believe caused me to develop early stage breast cancer, and it was my self-advocacy that helped me discover at its earliest stages.

As I mentioned earlier, I still consider myself lucky. I caught it early, I went extreme with surgery and radiation, and I am 7.5 years out. But I know the risks of reoccurrence are real so I work every day to try not to replicate that host of circumstances that led to its original growth. I have learned which foods are inflammatory for me and have removed them from my diet. I have significantly reduced the amount of sugar I eat, well below the recommended 6tsp a day. Most days I don’t have any added sugar but there are days that I eat out or I am in the mood for a little sweetness, but I still stay under the recommended amount. I avoid soy at all costs. I drink my recommended amount of water daily. I try to eat as well as possible for my diet, including as many veggies, proteins, and good fats that I can.  I supplement my diet with chemical, gluten, soy, sugar, and food dye free vitamins based on my personal needs, to fill in the nutritional gaps I have. I exercise 5 days a week and I try to handle my stress as much as I can when in a house of 5 children and multiple pets. I also make every effort to get 7-8 hours of sleep each night, not always successfully, but I try. These are all actions I can take to ensure that I am doing everything I can to prevent a reoccurrence.

I share this because I truly feel that these actions will help me thrive and I believe it can help others as well. Learning which foods may be putting you into an inflammatory state and then removing them from your diet can be one of the best actions you can take for your body. Removing added sugar is another actionable item anyone can take.  Eating foods that are anti-inflammatory, and filled with healthy macro and micronutrients, is key to building up a healthy microbiome and strengthened immune system. Adding vitamins to fill in those nutritional gaps that we all have for one reason or another will help provide a complete diet plan. Learning how to reduce stress and increase sleep also helps balance your hormones to keep you out of a state of inflammation. Getting enough sleep will put all your actions into effect.

Want to learn more on how you can help protect your health? Please feel free to reach out to me and we can talk more.

Common Weight Loss Myths Busted

/in /by

Weight loss advice is so common (and contentious) now. There are competing opinions everywhere.

I say, forget about “who’s right” and let’s focus on “what’s right.” Because what gets results is what I’m focusing on in this post.

I respect you too much to make empty promises and try to sell you on something that doesn’t work.

There are too many weight loss myths out there. I’m going to tackle the top ones I come across in my practice.

Myth: Calories cause weight gain, and fewer calories are the path to weight loss

Calories are important for weight loss. If you eat and absorb a ton more than you use, then your body’s wisdom will store some for later. Calories matter.

But, they are not the “be-all and end-all” of weight loss; they’re important, but they’re the symptom, not the cause. Let’s think about the reasons people eat more calories. Let’s focus on the causes.

People eat too many calories, not because they’re hungry, but because they feel sad, lonely, or bored. Or maybe because they’re tired or stressed. Or maybe even because they’re happy and celebrating. And all these feelings interact with our gastrointestinal, nervous and hormonal systems; all of which influence our calorie intake.

Myth: “Eat less move more” is good advice

Well, then we’re all in tip-top shape, right? Because people have been doling out this advice (myth) for years.

The premise of this is based on the above myth that calories in minus calories out equals your weight. So, eat fewer calories, and burn off more calories (because human physiology is a simple math equation, right?).

Even if people can happily and sustainably follow this advice (which they can’t!); it completely negates other factors that contribute to weight problems. Things like the causes of overeating we mentioned above. Not to mention our genetics, health conditions we’re dealing with or our exposure to compounds that are “obesogenic.”

Myth: A calorie is a calorie

Can we please put this one to bed already?

Science has confirmed several caloric components of food differ from others.

For example, the “thermic effect of food” (TEF) is that some nutrients require calories to be metabolized. They can slightly increase your metabolism, just by eating them. For example, when you metabolize protein you burn more calories than when you metabolize carbohydrates. Proteins and carbohydrates both have 4 calories/gram; but, the TEF of protein = 15–30%; and the TEF for carbohydrates = 5–10%.

Here’s another example of a calorie not being a calorie. Different fats are metabolized differently. Medium chain triglycerides (fats) (MCTs) have the same 9 calories/gram that other fats do; but, they’re metabolized by the liver before getting into the bloodstream and therefore aren’t utilized or stored the same way as other fats. #acalorieisnotacalorie

Myth: Buy this supplement/tea/food/magic potion to lose weight

There is no magic pill for weight loss. No supplement, tea, food, or other potion will do the trick. Some can help with supporting your weight loss efforts while curbing cravings, providing energy, and focus. #slimplus

But the real magic is in adopting a sustainable holistic and healthy approach to living your life. What you need is a long-term lifestyle makeover.

Conclusion

Weight loss is hard! There are too many people out there trying to make it sound like they have the simple solution (or the latest and greatest!).

Don’t fall for the myths that say:

  • Calories cause weight gain, and fewer calories are the path to weight loss.
  • “Eat less move more” is good
  • A calorie is a calorie.
  • Buy this supplement/tea/food/magic potion to lose weight.

Now check out my magical “weight loss salad” recipe below (just kidding!)

Recipe (Myth-free salad, filling and nutritious):

Kale Cucumber Salad

Serves 2

Salad

  • 4 cups kale, divided
  • 1 cup cooked beans of your choice (white beans, chickpeas, etc.)
  • 1 cup cooked quinoa, divided
  • 1 cucumber, sliced and divided

Cucumber Dill Dressing

  • ½ cup tahini
  • ½ lemon, juiced
  • 2 tbsp dill
  • ½ cup cucumber, chopped
  • 1 green onion, chopped
  • ½ tsp maple syrup
  • 2 dashes salt
  • 2 dashes black pepper
  • ¼ tsp garlic, minced

Instructions

Divide salad ingredients into two bowls. Add all dressing ingredients into a food processor or blender and blend until creamy. You may need to add water to thin. Add it slowly, a tbsp at a time until desired thickness is reached. Add dressing to salads and gently toss. Serve & enjoy! Tip: Extra dressing can be stored in the fridge for a few days

References:

https://authoritynutrition.com/top-12-biggest-myths-about-weight-loss/

https://authoritynutrition.com/metabolism-boosting-foods/

https://authoritynutrition.com/5-chemicals-that-are-making-you-fat/

To Breakfast Or Not To Breakfast, That Is The Question

/in /by

Three Must Eat Break-Fast Foods

Many question whether breakfast is as important as we hear it is. Those who practice intermittent fasting say it is ok to bypass the breakfast meal. Others will argue that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and you can’t function properly without it. I am in neither camp. I do believe though that your first meal of the day, whenever you choose to eat it, is the meal that will break your fast, hence, breakfast or break-fast. What you eat when you choose to break your fast is very important.

Getting some protein at each meal can help with blood sugar management, metabolism, and weight loss. This is because protein helps you feel fuller longer and uses up a bunch of calories to absorb and metabolize it. So I’m going to show you how to get the protein, as well as some veggies and healthy fats for your soon-to-be favorite new “go-to” breakfasts.

Breakfast Food #1: Eggs

Yes, eggs are the “quintessential” breakfast food. And for good reason! No, I’m not talking about processed egg whites in a carton. I mean actual whole “eggs”. Egg whites are mostly protein while the yolks are the real nutritional powerhouses. Those yolks contain vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and healthy fats. Eggs have been shown to help you feel full, keep you feeling fuller longer, and help to stabilize blood sugar and insulin. Not to mention how easy it is to boil a bunch of eggs and keep them in the fridge for a “grab and go” breakfast when you’re running short on time. And…nope the cholesterol in eggs is not associated with an increased risk of arterial or heart diseases. One thing to consider is to try to prevent cooking the yolks at too high of a temperature because that can cause some of the cholesterol to become oxidized. It’s the oxidized cholesterol that’s heart unhealthy.

Breakfast Food #2: Nuts and/or Seeds

Nuts and seeds contain protein, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Nuts and/or seeds would make a great contribution to breakfast. You won’t be fooled by “candied” nuts, sweetened nut/seed butters, or chia “cereals” with added sugars – you know I’m talking about the real, whole, unsweetened food here. Nuts and seeds are also the ultimate fast food if you’re running late in the mornings. Grab a small handful of almonds, walnuts, or pumpkin seeds as you’re running out the door; you can nosh on them while you’re commuting. Not to mention how easy it is to add a spoonful of nut/seed butter into your morning breakfast smoothie. Hint: If you like a creamy latte in the mornings try making one with nut or seed butter. Just add your regular hot tea and a tablespoon or two of a creamy nut or seed butter into your blender blend until frothy.

Breakfast Food #3: Veggies

Yes, you already know you really should get protein at every meal including breakfast; but this also applies to veggies. You know I would be remiss to not recommend veggies at every meal, right? Veggies are powerhouses of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytochemicals, fiber, and water. You can’t go wrong adding them into every single meal of the day so if you don’t already you should definitely try them for breakfast! And no, you don’t need to have a salad or roasted veggies for breakfast if you don’t want to but you totally can! You wouldn’t be breaking any “official” breakfast rules or anything like that. Adding some protein to leftover veggies is a great combination for any meal. Including breakfast. I’ve included a delicious recipe below for you to try (and customize) for your next breakfast. Recipe (Eggs Veggies): Veggie Omelet Serves 1 1 teaspoon coconut oil 1 or 2 eggs (how hungry are you?) ¼ cup veggies (grated zucchini and/or sliced mushrooms and/or diced peppers) dash salt, pepper and/or turmeric Add coconut oil to a frying pan and melt on low-medium heat (cast-iron pans are preferred). In the meantime grab a bowl and beat the egg(s) with your vegetables of choice and the spices. Tilt pan to ensure the bottom is covered with the melted oil. Pour egg mixture into pan and lightly fry the eggs without stirring. When the bottom is lightly done flip over in one side and cook until white is no longer runny. Serve Enjoy! Tip: Substitute grated, sliced, or diced portion of your favorite vegetable. Try grated carrots, chopped broccoli or diced tomato.

References:

http://www.precisionnutrition.com/eggs-worse-than-fast-food

http://www.precisionnutrition.com/encyclopedia/food/eggs/

https://authoritynutrition.com/eating-healthy-eggs/

https://authoritynutrition.com/12-best-foods-to-eat-in-morning/