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Archive for category: Nutrition

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Let’s Talk About Bowels, Baby!

May 13, 2014
May 13, 2014

~ by Kate Watson

bowels baby

Now seriously, our digestive and bowel habits aren’t issues that we bring up too often in every day conversation. And I’m not suggesting you necessarily start doing that. But I’ve come to find that so many people, in particular women, live with ongoing digestive issues, which they tend to ignore or just accept as normal. If you’ve spent any time in a grocery store lately, you may have observed that there is a definite trend out in the marketplace promoting products to improve digestive health. I think that is both because there is an increased incidence in gastrointestinal problems as well as an increased awareness of the important relationship between our gut health and our overall health.

Did you know that healthy women fart an average of 7 times a day and men 14 times a day? Good to know, isn’t it?! I do believe it is important to know what is considered normal as well as what is normal for you. I myself lived for years unaware that it was not normal to have abdominal pain, bloating, and gas immediately after eating. By the end of most work days, I needed to change into stretch pants to accommodate my expanding, bloated belly! I had frequent diarrhea, accompanied by urgency, so I never traveled too far from a bathroom and always had my Immodium on hand. Sometimes, I think we gradually adapt to feeling bad and forget what feeling good is like! But eventually, things kept getting worse, and the impact on my daily life was severe enough that I went to see my doctor to find out what was wrong.

Enter my long and frustrating journey with Irritable Bowel Syndrome. I ended up seeing various doctors throughout the years for it and had many medical procedures done to rule out any other serious illnesses, but the consensus was IBS. I was told it is not harmful, in that it wouldn’t cause any damage to my intestines the way something like Celiac disease would, and that was merely “inconvenient and annoying.” Most suggestions I received from doctors were trial and error- to find my food triggers, try medications, and to get my stress under control. I was finding out there is no single remedy that works for every individual with IBS. I tried everything I could over a period of years- I learned stress reduction techniques, used herbs, tried acupuncture, went to therapists, exercised, tried cutting out dairy, gluten, tried low fiber, high fiber, high carb, and low carb diets! But nothing made any significant or lasting improvement.

My symptoms would get better and worse seemingly with no rhyme or reason. I could find no link to any common food. A few years ago, a new GI doctor I started going to had the wisdom to test me for Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO), which I tested positive for. The treatment for it was an antibiotic, which provided me with a great deal of relief, for a while. I had another episode of SIBO after the first time, but was not able to tolerate the medications the second time around.

I found myself often becoming discouraged and depressed about my GI issues because I felt that no matter what I ate, I was going to pay for it afterwards with stomach pain. I could find no long term or sustainable solution. I was disappointed in myself because I am a dietitian for crying out loud, and I felt I should be able to help myself! And I became a dietitian in large part because I believed food was meant to heal, so it was quite disheartening to feel that all food seemed to be causing me pain!

About a year ago, I had an episode of abdominal pain that put me on the floor writhing in pain. I went to the doctor, fearing it was something serious. He thought it may be an ulcer so I started on proton pump inhibitors. I knew that something had to change drastically for me at this point because I didn’twant to merely put a band-aid on the issue with more medication again but I wanted to find a lasting solution! In my desperation, I started researching again and came upon the low FODMAPS diet. I had no idea what in the world FODMAPs meant and it certainly wasn’t something we were taught in college. Turns out it stands for Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disacccharides, Monosaccharides, and Polyols (hence the need for an acronym)! The FODMAPs are a group of carbohydrates that are poorly absorbed, which provides food for intestinal bacteria, leading to digestive discomforts. Too many FODMAPS in my diet very likely explained my episodes of SIBO and chronic abdominal pain. And so it made sense that a diet low in FODMAPs might help reverse the symptoms. According to all of the data I found, the low FODMAPs diet is the only scientifically proven diet to help relieve the symptoms of IBS, with almost 75% of patients showing improvement. That was the most promising information I’d ever heard for IBS sufferers and encouraging enough to make me want to try it!

I bought myself a great FODMAPs app for my Iphone, did a lot internet research for recipes and support, and completed a continuing education course on it to learn as much as I could. After just a week on the diet, my symptoms were drastically reduced and after a month on it, I felt like what a “normal” person must feel like. It seemed like nothing short of a miracle after nearly 15 years of stomach issues!

Although the low FODMAPs diet is not meant to be long term and is not exactly easy to follow, I learned a ton from it about what foods my body tolerates and I finally feel in control of my digestive health. I no longer need to be tethered to my toilet! I’m so excited that the discovery of FODMAPs offers real hope and I love empowering fellow IBS sufferers with this new and powerful tool!

 

To learn more about a low FODMAPS diet or to address your own digestive concerns, contact VIBRANCE at 206-227-1231 to schedule an initial consultation with Kate!

0 Comments/in Natural Medicine, Nutrition, Tips - Nutrition /by Aimee Gallo, Vibrance Nutrition

The 5 Supplements Everyone Should Be Taking

April 30, 2014
April 30, 2014

I’ll admit, I’m not a big pill pusher.

I am wary of any health professional that pushes something on everyone, and in response to not wanting to be ‘that person’ I’ve taken a very passive approach to supplement recommendations. I also hate, hate HATE taking pills myself. It wasn’t until I was pregnant just this last year that I was able to get on a consistent supplement regimen myself! Thankfully, knowing I needed to nourish my son was enough of a motivator to get me over my aggravation of swallowing pills and get the habit going. I’ve finally gotten over it, and am able to get my daily doses most if not all days of the week. Even though I’ve not pushed them upon others, I honesty believe we all need to be supplementing our diet. My own lack of consistency and concern for appearing to be a pill-pusher led me to be quieter on the subject than I should have been. I’m just coming to realize this now.

It’s a sad truth given the state of our lifestyles and our planet that supplementation has become necessary. For more in depth reasons why I believe you should be supplementing your healthy diet, check out this post I wrote on Why You Need Supplementation. There are several supplements that I believe almost everyone needs to be taking. They are as follows:

1) Vitamin D – here’s the deal. Unless you are supplementing with Vitamin D there’s a 90% chance you are deficient. Even if you live in Florida. We are not outside often enough and liberal use of sunscreen have caused our sun-stimulated vitamin D production to drop off significantly. The foods we consume which are fortified with Vitamin D are not supplementing enough to prevent deficiency. You’ll want to ask for a Vitamin D3 test from your doctor or Naturopath to determine your levels; don’t be surprised if it’s recommended you supplement with 4,000-10,000 IUs.

2) Basic Multivitamin – Given that the topsoil is sitting at the bottom of the ocean and most fields are only fortified with a few minerals and given that we all tend to gravitate to the same ten to fifteen foods and don’t get a wide variety of foodstuffs it’s safe to say that we’re probably low on one or more nutrients supplied by a multivitamin. Don’t go out and buy a one-a-day form Costco, though. You’ll want to make sure what you are taking is actually absorbable. Choose pharmaceutical grade supplements from companies such as Thorne and Pure Encapsulations. My personal favorite is from Thorne; they supply a form of folate that is absorbed even if you have a MTHFR gene mutation (up to 60% of the US population is believed to have this mutation); ensuring your vitamin is doing all it can to stave off high homocysteine, depression, and PMS.

3)Probiotics – I personally take a high dose probiotic (25-50 billion CFU) along with regular consumption of fermented foods (sauerkraut, kombucha, etc) to keep my gut flora balanced and happy. Depending on your own digestive health and lifestyle, you may wish to do one or the other. The role of probiotics in overall health is just beginning to be explored. In the future we will be able to recommend certain gut bacteria for certain conditions; in the meantime I believe it is best to get a wide variety from many sources. Choose a probiotic with varying species and begin at 25 billion CFUs. Probiotics which are kept refrigerated are often of higher quality and viability than those stored on the shelf. If you prefer to eat your live cultures you’ll find several recipes for Kombucha here, here, and here. As I get more skilled on my kraut and cultured veggies I’ll be posting more recipes on this blog and in our newsletter.

4) Omega-3 Fats – you can choose fish oil, fermented cod oil, or krill oil. I’m not yet sold on just one. Some of my mentors believe that krill oil is better absorbed, so smaller doses can be taken (some research indicates this); others prefer krill due to the overharvesting of fish species. Fish oil is more readily available. If you have no chronic inflammation taking 2-3 grams of omega 3s from fish oil daily is a great place to start. If you have chronic inflammation you’ll want more – talk to a healthcare practitioner for appropriate dosing. If you are on blood thinners or preparing for surgery it is important to consult with a healthcare professional about your omega-3 supplementation.

5) Magnesium – like vitamin D, most of the population is magnesium deficient. Lack of green leafies and poor soil quality is, I believe, the largest contributor. 200 mg, of a chelated form of magnesium (I like magnesium glycinate) is a great place to start and will not disrupt bowels. Prepare to find yourself sleeping better and more relaxed throughout the day! Adding these to the diet can go a long way in creating a body that has all the tools it needs for abundant health. If you have any questions about these supplements or wish to have a conversation about which may be right for you comment below or consider scheduling a complimentary consultation with one of our nutrition coaches!

EDITED 09/2017

After experiencing unsettling discrepancies in supplements ordered off Amazon I have decided to exclusively use Fullscript when I cannot order directly from the company myself. Fullscript offers most of the pahrmaceutical grade supplements you are used to seeing in your NDs office: Thorne, Pure Encapsulations, Metagenics, and more! You’ll find all my recommendations here as well:

Purchase products through our Fullscript virtual dispensary.

0 Comments/in Natural Medicine, Nutrition, Reviews and Recommendations /by Aimee Gallo, Vibrance Nutrition

Eating for the Seasons – Spring

March 24, 2014
March 24, 2014

It’s the first weekend of Spring, and while the Midwest and Eastern sides of the country are still bundled up Seattle is in full bloom; cherry blossoms and daffodils are bursting onto the scene in a joyous visible choir of life.
The farmer’s market is still shelling out the last of the winter produce – lots of hearty greens, tubers, and carrots, but the larger grocery stores are reminding us of what is to come with berries and asparagus flown in from Latin America. Thanks, Whole Foods, but I think I’ll pass until I can get the home grown stuff!

Spring is a season of cleansing and renewing, when both the Earth’s natural abundance and our internal desires often turn to that which is energizing, fresh, revitalizing and alive. The allure of heavy stews and mashed potatoes fall away and, I at least, start fantasizing about finally buying that juicer and stay up too late exploring all the different ways I can prepare watercress on Google. Many people start sending in email inquiries or calls regarding cleansing and detoxifying; the extra daylight hours and warmer weather wake up the populace and stir motivation to take action!

This season is very supporting of a cleanse, and definitely the best time of year to take one. It can be very helpful for digestion, seasonal allergies, and also offer a mental shift for those who crave a program to get on track with healthier eating.

If you are unable or uninterested in taking on a formal detoxification program, you can still get a gentle ‘cleansing’ effect simply by focusing on the local produce this season. Berries, tender leafy greens and sprouts (omg – have you ever had garlic scapes?!? They are the sprouts off garlic and they are quite lovely – and only available about 2 weeks out of the year!) …where was I? Oh, yes – berries, sprouts and especially the tender greens of spring have a gentle cleansing effect on the lungs and liver; according to Chinese medicine, if the liver’s energy is sluggish or burdened it can show up as seasonal allergies. One of the ‘side effects’ we see with eating spring foods in our detoxes is a lightening or absence of seasonal allergies. The foods of spring are also low in calories and high in nutrients and fiber; this is a naturally fabulous combination to have when looking to shed excess winter fat from the body.

Spring greens are a great intro as far as green leafies go; their milder taste is better suited to an American palate (which tends to turn it’s nose at heavier, bitter winter greens). They also require very little food prep and are best enjoyed raw, and thus are easy to prepare.

Greens can be intimidating to work with if you are unfamiliar with them, but often keeping it simple is the best way to go – it eases the transition in introducing the vegetable to your palate and allows the green to retain some of it’s individual characteristics so you can get to know it better than you would were it drowning in butter or a heavy dressing (which spring veggies don’t typically do well with, anyway). Serendipitously, I came across the recipe book below while writing this post: Here are 18 lip-smackin’ recipes from our alma mater Institute of Integrative Nutrition, offered up with spring in mind!


Comment below and let me know what your favorite part of spring is! I’m excited for all the great produce heading into town; how about you?

0 Comments/in Nutrition, Produce, Recipe-Greens, Recipes /by Aimee Gallo, Vibrance Nutrition

Has the Natural Product Industry Gone Too Far?

March 12, 2014
March 12, 2014

One commonly asked question we get in our 21 day challenges is, “Is this healthy??” and attached is a photo of some food that is being labeled as such that a participant has found in their grocery store.
Chances are, if you have to ask, the answer is NO.

Kelly and I were at the Natural Products Expo West this last weekend. Imagine shuffling through nearly 400,000 square feet with 65,000 buyers, vendors, practitioners, and others interested in, producing, and pimping out their so-called natural products (of which over 3,000 companies are eager to share with you). The sampling is enough to make you physically ill (and in dire need of one of Kelly’s detoxes) and the stimulation of such an event rivals the streets of Manhattan or Vegas! As Kelly observed, it’s like Halloween for nutrition geeks such as ourselves.

Has the Natural Products Industry Gone too Far?

Everyone there claims to have a natural product. And, to present at the show, you must follow the standards deemed credible by NPEW. But what is natural? Legally, it has no definition. As an industry, we’ve adopted a standard that includes such buzzword definitions as ‘no artificial colors or flavors’, ‘no msg’, ‘no hydrogenated fats’ ‘no hormones added’ and beyond that….well, anything goes, really. That’s why you can go to such an event and get sick on too many gluten-free oreos and receive samples of chalky puffed chia chips reminiscent of styrofoam or a vegan meat that miraculously looks and feels miraculously familiar to the real thing.

Here’s my biggest takeaway from ExpoWest 2014 – the natural products industry has gone too far.
Really, I knew this, but being in Anaheim last weekend was like having a gluten-free vegan breaded codfish product slapped in my face repeatedly. I got the hint.
Among all that product, all that sampling and all the genuinely exciting hullabaloo coming to a natural food store near you the product that stuck out the most, that had the strongest resonance and most powerful influence for me was a cucumber slice sprinkled with Herbamare.

Best of Show- Expo West 2014THIS was all natural. It was like a fresh spring breeze upon my tongue. It lifted my energy and I’m certain it put a joyful twinkle in my eyes and a skip in my step. The sampler said she said many people who stopped by said it was the only vegetable they’d had all day. That gives one pause, doesn’t it?

At the end of the day, if you eat packaged good, natural or not, organic or not, GMO-free or not, you are more likely to fall ill than if you eat something that is not packaged. The devil is in the processing.

What then qualifies as a processed food? Think you know? Think again! Click here to read about food and processing, and what the processing of even the most natural foods does to the body.

0 Comments/in FoodPolitics, Nutrition /by Aimee Gallo, Vibrance Nutrition

What is a Processed Food?

March 11, 2014
March 11, 2014

Which of these is a processed food-

Trick question! The answer is B,C, and D.

Surprised? You are not alone. This goes against all marketing, advertising, and even what nutrition experts are saying. Let me explain myself: technically speaking, any food which has been altered from it’s original form is a processed food, so the carrots pulled from the ground with tops on (A) are the only unprocessed food shown above. The degree to which processing occurs has the greatest influence of whether or not that food is health-supporting.

When we think of processed foods we automatically think of a food like C or a food like twinkies, which is so far removed from what it looked like growing on a farm we have no notion of where it originated. And so a ‘processed food’ becomes a ‘bad food’. This notion is significantly encouraged by the media, which has 10-30 seconds to educate us on what we should or should not be eating for health. REALITY IS NEITHER BLACK NOR WHITE. A food that has undergone processing is not necessarily a ‘bad food’ (see option B in graphic above).

To find our way back to health, we must think critically and discern our own truth from what advertising.

Let’s look at the notion that a processed food is not necessarily a bad food. Both baby carrots and carrot juice are great examples of this. A baby carrot has been shaped, lightly bleached to kill bacteria, and packaged for convenience. Carrot juice probably started as option A, but went through a juicer and had the pulp removed. The carrot juice contains a boatload of vitamins and antioxidants – way more than you’d get consuming whole carrots themselves, as well as a lot of sugars that will cause insulin levels to rise due to the lack of fiber to offset them. Carrot juice is an amazing food for rebuilding and renourishing the body. It is not so great for fat loss. Which is healthier? That depends on who you are and what you need.

It’s pretty obvious that C is the most processed of these four choices. This carrot has been sliced, fried or baked in oil or dehydrated, seasoned, and packaged in such a way that it is shelf-stable for about a year. Does that make it unhealthy? Not necessarily, but it’s more likely to be unhealthy than the other. The less a food looks like it would had you harvested or killed it yourself, the more processed it is. The more processing done, the less likely it will be health supportive.

A simple truth of living in a technological age is that it is unreasonable and unsustainable to live without processed foods. But we do have a still have a choice in what we put into our bodies, so we can rely on the notion that the more unprocessed a food is, the more likely it will act as an advocate for your health. At VIBRANCE, our fat loss plans tend to center around large amounts of vegetables, leaner proteins, with carbohydrates and fats that come from minimally adulterated sources (beans or yams instead of whole wheat pasta, for example, or nuts/seeds rather than flax oil in another). These foods do a better job at providing the one-two punch of nutrient density and satiety that the body needs to thrive and melt away excess weight. There are some shifts in this plan for those seeking greater energy or those training for a marathon, but generally speaking, all bodies do better on a minimally processed diet.

This is not to say that we are not advocates of baby carrots, protein powders, greens supplements, pre-cut veggies, or vitamin supplementation. Far from it! With soil depletion, overtaxed bodies and minimal time allotted for preparation of whole, fresh foods, we welcome what industry can do to make health-supportive nourishment more accessible to the population.

Finding our ways back to health and vibrancy requires a discerning eye and keeping a finger on the pulse of our own unique needs. Because there is so much information so readily available and so many voices and companies clamoring for your eye, you must step up and become your own advocate to get what you want. Frankly, it sucks, but no one knows you better than you do! And becoming the advocate for your personal wellness empowers you to get the most out of the time and energy you devote to it.

0 Comments/in Nutrition /by Aimee Gallo, Vibrance Nutrition

My Second Favorite Kitchen Tool

July 17, 2013
July 17, 2013

In the last 18 hours, I’ve pressure cooked gumbo and slow-cooked my first batch of applesauce from an early-fruiting tree in the backyard, with only a cleaning of a single pot between projects.

Now that’s what I call kitchen bliss!

One Pot Happiness

My now favorite kitchen tool in the world is the Instant Pot IP-DUO60 7-in-1 Multi-Functional Pressure Cooker. It gets pulled out multiple times a week for bone broth, homemade beans, stews (quick or slow!), and now applesauce. I’ll use it for plum jam, too, I imagine; the plum tree is almost ready and quite abundant this year. I batch cook chicken, dairy-free saag, and roasts as well.

If I am pressure cooking or slow cooking, I just chuck everything into the pot and press a button. 30 minutes to 19 hours later my meal is complete. Roasted chicken, chile verde, 3 day marrow broth….so much deliciousness in one little machine!

I love that this single device cooks grains, beans, stews, roasts hunks of meat, makes wicked broth, cultures yogurt, cooks apples to mush and infuses flavors deeply into my food whether it is in quick or slow mode. One machine with several uses is always worth having around! The keep warm function lasts forever, so I can have hot food on hand and not worry about it turning off in the middle of the night (a great feature when you want overnight oats hot and ready at 6am!).

So inspired am I by the last day of effortless yet delicious cooking that I had to share. Be sure to search the blog for recipes I post here and subscribe to my newsletter to receive secret recipes from my upcoming Instant Pot cookbook!

 

What’s my Number Two Favorite Kitchen Tool, you ask?

My Vitamix. Mainly because it has stood the test of time after 20 years of love. My InstaPot gave it a run for its money, and came out ahead after about two years of consistent use.

0 Comments/in Nutrition, Product, Reviews and Recommendations, Tips - Nutrition /by Aimee Gallo, Vibrance Nutrition

Chocolate Milk is Crap! (and other blasphemous thoughts on sports nutrition)

April 1, 2013
April 1, 2013

Yes – I think chocolate milk is crap. The recovery food hailed by the world as being the perfect post-workout replenishment falls far short of it in my book. Before I fully step upon my soap box – again! – let me explain why chocolate milk rose to fame:

The key nutrition components to a complete recovery can be summed up in two categories: 1) food and 2) hydration. Here’s why the Dairy Council and many coaches and sports nutritionists are pimping milk at the finish line:

  • Chocolate milk contains the ideal* ratio of carbohydrates to protein – the 1:3 – 1:4 ratio that not only replenishes glycogen but also provides protein for tissue repair and transport of the carbohydrates more effectively into the cell walls. *ideal if you are male. Women do better on a 1:2-1:3 ratio
  • Chocolate milk is liquid – therefore it contributes to rehydrating the body
  • Chocolate milk is tasty – I mean, really! Who the heck doesn’t like chocolate milk?!?!
  • Chocolate milk is cheap, convenient and accessible. You can find it anywhere – even along a highway in rural Kansas at a truck stop or gas station.

The above facts are exactly why you are thinking chocolate milk sounds good right about now! However, I take the viewpoint that the human body is a miraculous vessel. When you think about all it does for you and all it puts up with it’s easy to understand that it is an incredible machine – not unlike a Ferrari or a Tesla or a Lamborghini. Chocolate milk is like putting the cheapest unleaded fuel you can find into your half million dollar sports car. Here’s why:

  1. Chocolate milk is a dairy food – and dairy foods come with a host of potential problems. They are difficult for many to digest (an estimated 60-75% of the adult human population exhibits signs of dairy intolerance) and often laced with excessive hormones from the conditions in which cattle are raised. Excess estrogen is already of great concern in many individuals and is linked to hormone imbalances and possibly cancer in humans. Dairy only exacerbates that. (My former teacher Dr. Mark Hyman has a compelling piece on dairy and the Food Guide Pyramid here if you want more info).
  2. Chocolate milk’s carbohydrate source comes exclusively from lactose (potential allergen) and high fructose corn syrup or sugar. HFCS is strongly suspect as being a contributor to diabetes and non-alcohol related fatty liver due to how it is digested in the body. It also must be metabolized through the liver before getting into cells so it is not appropriate for optimal glycogen replenishment. Corn syrup and table sugar, are of course, the most nutritionally devoid form of carbohydrate on the market. Regardless of where any nutritionist or dietitian is on our highly political food spectrum,  we all agree that sugar and corn syrup are not ideal sources of carbohydrate. So my question to you is, are they the sources you want to be pumping into your cells to repair them after a hard workout? Do you want the construct of your muscle tissue to come from vitamin-devoid  sweeteners?
  3. Chocolate milk doesn’t have enough protein to repair muscle. Period. We need about 25-30 grams of protein post-workout (that includes at least 3 grams of leucine) to stimulate muscle building and repair. Chocolate milk does not provide this.

This stance alone has some of you wanting to squeeze the remainder of your milk carton in my face. I get it. I’m not taking a popular stance here! If milk judgement were my only offense, you might forgive me. But I have more blasphemy for you.

You Know You Want To.

 

Carb loading. Our mainstay and go-to: the absolute foundation of endurance sports nutrition lies in carb loading. I cannot tell you how many hundreds of pancake feeds, pasta feeds, thai food feasts and other meals I’ve had after long runs in the last decade. This was a myth I bought hook, line, and sinker. It made sense. It was widely backed by research. The entire sports nutrition community did it and backed it. And pancakes and pasta sound AWESOME after 2-3 hours on the road. Another easy sell!  I began to question this logic though when it became more and more challenging to maintain my weight. I struggled to prevent weight gain when my training was at its highest – 10 hours a week or more! At 5’2″ my stomach doesn’t hold enough food to make up for the calories I was losing, yet I was still challenged. Working with other endurance athletes – I saw the same struggles in them. It wasn’t until I understood the hormonal impact of carbohydrates in relation to fat burning and left the caloric model completely that I was able to lose the 7 pounds I gained for my last races in 2010 AND be able to help other runners and triathletes lose the spare tire that refused to go away. Looking around we all know that some people stay slender and others have to fight for it. The answer, however, isn’t in hours logged and miles run so much as it is in the food choices we make on an hour to hour basis. I, and other endurance athletes like myself, find better results in carbohydrate moderation rather than carbohydrate loading. I discovered that there was no need to carb-up or recover to the extent that I had been taught. Many runners will only lean out when they start moderating the quantity and timing of their carbohydrate intake. If you are burning loads of calories and still struggling with weight you’ll want to explore this possibility immediately.

My final blasphemy for the day is a hybrid of the above two. The pre-race spaghetti feed.  For races less than 2 hours long, it is unlikely you will need to consume extra carbohydrates than you typically do unless you are on a carbohydrate restricted diet. For many events, such a feed is simply unnecessary. Events lasting longer than two hours are best fueled with moderate carbohydrate consumption the day before and with amino acid and carbohydrate replenishment during the event. Your pre-race meal is to top off the tank, not fill it to overflowing.

Another consideration with the pre-race pasta meal again lies in food intolerances and digestive upset. Gluten intolerance is very common in my practice and increasingly common in the general population. Thus the pasta feed can lead to digestive upset during the race, increased inflammation and decreased recovery, poor moods, decreased alertness and motor skills (I kid you not!) and overall lowered performance. Many clients have had a significant shift in performance simply by shifting the pre-race meal to sushi, brown rice pasta with loads of vegetables, or including a baked yam or potato with dinner the night before. Give it a try before your next race and see if you feel a difference! If you already have a gluten-free pre-race meal, I’d love to know what it is so I can share with my gluten-free athletes!

It is not my intention to create enemies with this post – only to open up the possibility for alternatives if what you are currently accepting as appropriate is, in fact, not working for you.  Each person is unique and therefore requires a unique formula to achieve success on and off the trail.

What fueling strategies have you found to be successful for your long workouts?

1 Comment/in Exercise, Fitness, Food Sensitivities, Nutrition, Tips - Nutrition, Weight Loss /by Aimee Gallo, Vibrance Nutrition

Spring Cleanses – are they right for you?

March 25, 2013
March 25, 2013

 

 

Every spring I get many requests for cleansing programs or kits. Cleansing is a fantastic way to mentally and physically discard the heaviness of winter and step into the new season refreshed and ready to go. It’s a great tool to bring awareness to all the things that have slipped into your diet since the new year and since it is usually a gentler diet than what we normally eat it can do wonders for keeping seasonal allergies and illnesses at bay. There are, however, times when cleansing, even gentle cleanses, are not a good idea. Before you invest in a detox kit or a program, review this checklist to make certain you will not do yourself a disadvantage by cleansing:

Reconsider cleansing if:

  • you are underweight
  • if your body has been weakened by disease, illness, or severe stress
  • if your job is very physically or psychologically demanding
  • if you are training heavily for a sports event or physique goal (6 hours a week or more)
  • You score higher than 150 on the Holmes and Rahe Stress scale
  • You’ve recently had a significant cleanse (in the last 3-6 months)

The above factors do not not mean you cannot cleanse, but they do indicate you should be cautious if doing so. Very gentle dietary changes which support healing can be implemented instead of juice fasts, limited diets, or strong herbal preparations. If you want to get a  jump start for spring in a more gentle, supportive way, try these options:

 

  1. Increase your water consumption to 2-3 Liters per day (apx. 1 oz. per pound of body weight)
  2. Go on a ‘sugar fast’ where you eliminate all sweeteners for 10-30 days.
  3. Have one meal a day be made exclusively of vegetables – stir-fries, vegetable stews, salads, and the like. See which way your body prefers to eat its veggies!
  4. Pull caffeine out of your diet for 30 days; taking 10 days to wean it out and 20 days to abstain completely. Observe how you feel.

 

If you want a more structured plan, you may enjoy VIBRANCE Nutrition’s spring detox diet. This 10 day detox plan was designed for the athletic population, so it is gentle, nourishing, and effective. It is a great option for those who are not limited by the above indicators (if you are beginning a training program you are fine, but if you are peaking in marathon or triathlon training this is not a  good time to cleanse). This is a food-based cleanse that has optional supplement support, but they are not needed to experience great results. This detox has been effectively used in my practice to discover food intolerance, get off coffee or sugar, improve digestion and sleep, and get deeply in touch with one’s body. Some people experience significant weight loss, others may experience none. It is not designed as a weight loss diet, so it is not appropriate for those seeking weight loss as a primary or exclusive outcome. Included are two 30 minute consultations to answer questions, discuss outcome and next steps, as well as email support while you are cleansing. If you are interested in exploring VIBRANCE’s Spring Detox Plan, email me at aimee@vibrance.dev to learn more!

 

 

0 Comments/in Nutrition, Reviews and Recommendations, Summer, Tips - Lifestyle/Wellness, Uncategorized /by Aimee Gallo, Vibrance Nutrition

The Miracle of Bone Broth

February 3, 2013
February 3, 2013

Bone broth has been used in most cultures as a restorative and healing food. It is used to heal the sick, mend injuries, restore strength and  promote health. As the values of processing became associated with purity in the early 20th century America potent medicinal foods such as organ meats and bone broth became passé. There are some schools of nutritional thought that point to the loss of “scraps” from the diet as contributors to disease and tooth decay that are the norm in modern culture.

Mineral Rich Bone Broth

 

After much experimentation, I have found a bone broth of my own making that I am very excited about. It is dark, rich, and flavorful. It includes ingredients long forgotten but highly valuable in healing. And, it’s very easy to make, requiring little prep or clean-up.

 

  • 2 pounds of scrap bones (soup bones, chicken carcass, marrow bones, etc)
  • 3 chicken feet (I completely understand if you choose to omit; but these add high amounts of collagen and other nutrients to the broth)
  • 3-5 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 2 carrots, sliced lengthwise and coarsely chopped
  • 2 parsnips, cut lengthwise and coarsely chopped
  • 3 stalks celery, leaves included, coarsely chopped
  • 1 inch piece of ginger, sliced
  • 1/2 onion
  • 3 pieces of wakame (sea veg that is rich in iron, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and other trace minerals)
  • 1/4 cup dulse flakes (sea veg that is rich in iodine, trace minerals and  fucoidans for healing injuries and tissues)
  • 1/4 cup nettles (optional)(western medicinal herb rich in iron and silica as well as vitamins C and K, soothing to GI tract and beneficial for building strength and robust health in a stressed or injured body)
  • 6-8 peppercorns
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 8 cups of water
  • 2 tbsp. vinegar (critical – it’s acidic nature is key to pulling minerals from deep within bones)
  • 1 tbsp. fish sauce (adds a nice depth of flavor)

 

OPTIONAL: Roast bones in 400 degree oven until browned – 5-10 minutes. This roasting will add depth of flavor to the broth.

1) Crush garlic and set aside to allow allicin to form.

2) Place veggies and bones into slowcooker pot. Add herbs, sea vegetables and spices.

3) Cover with water and vinegar.

4) Set slow cooker on low for 24-36 hours.

5) Strain broth, discarding vegetables. Bones may be saved and reused if desired.

Makes 2 quarts of broth.

 

For maximum healing, consume 1 -2 cups of broth per day, as a liquid, soup, or through cooking it with other foods. To learn more about using foods to speed healing of injuries or for post-surgical recovery, visit www.nutritionforinjury.com

0 Comments/in Natural Medicine, Nutrition, Recipe-Stews and Soups, Recipe-Winter, Recipes, Tips - Nutrition /by Aimee Gallo, Vibrance Nutrition

Best Health Apps of 2012

October 8, 2012
October 8, 2012

Sleep Cycle – This iPhone app sounds amazing! It actually monitors your movement and uses this data to determine an appropriate time to wake you so you are not in deep sleep. I’ve heard first hand accounts of its effectiveness, and is very highly rated. To learn more, and purchase this app, click here.

Android users do not have this app available, but Sleep as Android is available. I downloaded the trial of this app and tested it out – it very effectively measures movement in the bed as an indicator of depth of sleep. Data collected showed what percentage of my sleep was ‘deep sleep’, the average amount of sleep debt I accumulated each night as well as total sleep debt during the course of the trial. Using this app I discovered that some reliable, consistent factors that were inhibiting sleep and used the data to make some changes. There is now an add-on for $1.79 that is called Sleep Stats and has more in-depth tracking as well as advice to gain more deep sleep. Well worth checking out if this is a concern for you.

my Fitness Pal – I hate calorie counters. Like nearly all other food trackers, My Fitness Pal focuses in on the archaic “calories in, calories out” model (which is really dieting and which we all know doesn’t work). This is the most comprehensive app I have found, however, for tracking food intake, water and exercise intake. What I would LOVE to see is the ability to adjust the nutritent ratios on the app so that I can focus more on protein and carbohydrates rather than calories. The only reason I was compelled to download this to test it out is the scanner option that allows you to scan the barcode of that food bar or box of cookies you just picked up to add it to your daily food log. That saves oodles of time searching through a comprehensive database on the phone, and consequently makes this app a winner. My advice: log your food, water and exercise as a tracker, ignore the calorie warnings, and use the info you gather to meet your goals. By clicking on the “daily” assessment you can take a look at a pie chart which gives you a breakdown of your protein, carbohydrate and fat intake by percentages, which I find much more useful. Because the app syncs with an online site, you have the ability to use the information from your PC and laptop as well as print out your logs. Click here to download MyFitnessPal for an Android phone, and click here to download it to your iPhone

Out of Milk – I am using this all the time – I can keep track of what’s in my pantry, what I need to purchase, AND create additional lists – to do lists for business, restaurants to try out, movies to see, etc. The big sell on this is you can scan the barcode of an empty box to add it to your shopping list AND sync your list with your partner’s or email it to him or her so that you both don’t go to the store and double up, or you can make sure everything on the grocery list gets purchased! There is also an option to set reminder alarms for those items on the list, move things between lists, and see what you previously had on your grocery list so you have a running idea of frequent purchases, as well as their cost. Price: FREE, with $1.99 for an upgrade that allows online syncing and back-up, list sharing on multiple devices, and a coupon tracker. Out of Milk is free, then click here to upgrade to Out of Milk Pro for Android users. Apple users, fret not – Out of Milk is developing an iPhone app; in fact, they are looking for beta testers if you want to be one!

Period Tracker – I have been using this app for over a year, and can subsequently geek out on knowing the exact day and length of my menstrual cycle. This tracker also allows you to log mood changes and PMS symptoms, weight, and body temperature and uses the last three cycles to fairly accurately determine your upcoming cycle date. This is PERFECT for what I call “PMS amnesia”, or that time of the month when you don’t know why you’re so cranky and irritable and sensitive…until you know EXACTLY why. 😉 It is also an excellent tool to monitor your fertility to prevent or facilitate pregnancy.

Back in the day, when we just had calendars, my mom taught me to track my cycle by putting little flowers on the calendar when my cycle began. Seeing the flowers bloom on this app reminds me a little of that, and endears me to this app even more. My only request of Period Tracker: that it also track the lunar cycle so women can begin to see how the lunar cycle corresponds to their own menstrual cycle. Click here to download Period Tracker on the ‘droid for free and click here to download it from iTunes!

There are tens of thousands of health apps on the market now – these are just a few I have come across that I believe offer great value and have proven useful to me personally. What are YOUR favorite health apps? I’d love to hear what else is out there, especially for iPhone users, since I have less exposure to those apps. Comment below and share which apps you find most useful!

2 Comments/in Fitness, Nutrition, Primary Food, Product, Reviews and Recommendations, Self-care, Tools /by Aimee Gallo, Vibrance Nutrition
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A Vibrant Life

I've studied nutrition and fitness from a variety of experts for over 20 years. In this time I've come to understand that no diet, nor exercise plan, is right for every body. Your body has a unique set of needs, and by listening and exploring, you and I can learn the language of your body and begin giving it what it needs, so that greater energy, vibrancy, health and happiness can be yours!

A healthy body is a platform for an abundant, vibrant life. It's all yours for the taking. Are you ready for it?

-Aimee

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Aimee Gallo
Seattle: (206) 227-1231
aimee@vibrance.dev
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