The PMS Diet!

Who else experiences PMS symptoms of existential dread and sadness which suddenly turns into rage and then after 5 minutes you realize you are on an emotional roller coaster and this is not how you really are?? I DO, and it used to be so much worse before I found out we could eat the right foods to lessen these manic feelings!! That’s just the emotional part of it, but the physical symptoms of cramps, acne, breast tenderness, lower back pain, BM issues, bloating, and fatigue can also be balanced with the proper nutrients.

When I was in college I knew nothing about nutrition. I moved away from my luxury of home cooked food, so my diet predominantly consisted of Wendy’s, a lot of prepackaged foods, and eating out a majority of the time. Definitely not the healthiest time period of my life, but we live and we learn! Since 2018 I’ve been implementing healthier dietary and lifestyle choices and now in 2023 I can say with confidence that what we put into our body and how we nourish it is so important.

My mood swings have severely reduced, they do occur on occasion but I can attribute it to my hormones and instead of being hard on myself, I’m trying to be understanding of it. The physical symptoms for me used to be so much more intense than they are now! In Traditional Chinese Medicine, they say if women feel discomfort it’s associated with an imbalance. Eating the right foods help bring your hormones and body into balance.

It’s key to limit and/or avoid high sugar, artificial/processed foods, and foods using white flour such as white bread, pastas, and pizzas. Focus on eating whole foods consisting of lean protein, healthy fats, fruits and vegetables.

Fruits and vegetables contain fiber, vitamins, minerals, flavonoids, polyphenols, anthocyanins that inhibit inflammation which can help with cramps and also protect against oxidative stress.

Omega 3 fatty acids from fish, nuts, and seeds promote a healthy inflammatory response as well and can help with mood.

Dark chocolate can curb the sugar cravings and is a source of iron and magnesium. Iron is necessary due to the loss of iron during our cycle and magnesium promotes a positive mood and relaxes the smooth muscles which can also be beneficial for cramps.

Lentils and beans are a good source of protein for those following a vegetarian diet. Avocados and ghee (clarified butter) are other fantastic healthy fats. Filling in nutritional gaps with food is essential for whole body health.

Skipping Breakfast Part 2

I’m back with part 2 of the skipping breakfast series. Here is part 1 if you need a recap! What else could happen if we skip breakfast?

It may cause irregular periods and worsen PMS symptoms. During these times its best to know which foods to eat and avoid to lessen those symptoms. (Blog on that coming out soon!)

It may increase obesity risk as it can lead to unhealthy cravings and binge eating during other meals. It can also increase the risk of hypoglycemia and cause a limitation of our daily fiber intake.

I’m not trying to scare you into thinking it is all negative if you skip breakfast. If done in a healthy way, intermittent fasting is a great way to get your body into ketosis (burning fat for energy). It activates autophagy which is the body’s natural pathway for clearing out cellular debris. Benefits to intermittent fasting include anti-aging, weight loss, and it can also regulate blood glucose levels.

It is all about what you choose to eat, eating a breakfast that is filled with sugar and white flour should be limited. Cereal, pancakes, waffles, and donuts are foods that lack adequate nutrition, and these foods don’t contain protein and are rich in simple carbohydrates that digest quickly causing hunger to happen more frequently. This can lead to unhealthy snacking choices. Foods that are rich in protein, complex carbs, and healthy fats are foods that will promote satiety until lunch time, which can help avoid overeating throughout the day.

Skin Wellness

Beauty begins from within! What if I were to tell you that skincare can be linked to our hormones, our gut health, and our diets. Did you know that psoriasis and eczema are skin disorders that originate from leaky gut?? Many skin issues can clear up if our hormones are brought into balance, we heal our guts, and make changes to our diets so we get more nutrients into our bodies.  A lot of topical products contain chemicals that can actually be detrimental to our health, so always look out for clean brands. Long term exposure to toxins that penetrate our skin (our largest organ!) and into our tissues can be a cause for certain cancers and illnesses such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Even prescription steroid creams and oral antibiotics can wreak havoc on our gut microbiome, which further exacerbates skin issues. In addition, those are only band-aid solutions to a bigger root condition that can be healed through diet and lifestyle.

So what can you do to begin your skin wellness regimen?

1. Eat less sugar and processed foods
2. Eliminate food sensitivities
3. Fix the gut imbalance
4. Eat an omega-3 rich diet
5. Optimize nutrient status
6. Exercise and sweat regularly
7. Get great sleep
8. Curb stress levels with active relaxation
9. Be careful with toxic skin products

Here is a list of clean cosmetic brands!

20 Best Clean Makeup Brands for 2022

Prebiotics!

What are prebiotics? They are plant fiber foods that feed the good bacteria in your gut.

Why is this important? We live in a society that is wreaking havoc on our gut health by the overuse of prescription drugs, alcohol, caffeine, processed foods and industrial toxins everywhere. Prebiotics are complex carbs that our bodies cannot digest so they go to the lower digestive tract where the magic happens.

It is so important in today’s day and age to eat foods that are rich in pre/probiotics and if that is not something you normally consume then at least supplement to get what you need. Dangerous agricultural practices and decreased diet quality have caused our food supply to be significantly lower in probiotics. 

Prebiotic rich foods include:

-artichokes

-berries

-bananas

-apples

-asparagus

-dandelion greens

-flaxseed

-barley

-chicory

-garlic

-leeks

-green vegetables

-legumes

-oats

-onions

-tomatoes

Not only does it help keep the cells in the intestinal lining healthy, it helps ferment foods faster to aid with digestion and in turn lead to healthier bowel movements.

Probiotic rich foods include:

-sauerkraut

-kimchi

-pickles (not the ones you find on shelves in the grocery store, it needs to be in a saltwater brine)

-yogurt

-kefir

-tempeh

-miso

-buttermilk

-kombucha

-natto

-apple cider vinegar

Why do we need probiotics? For the sole reason to bring our gut microbiome into balance which can help with mental health issues such as anxiety and depression, improved immune function, digestive health, weight management and even improving skins conditions such as psoriasis and eczema. After using 1 dose of antibiotics, your gut microbiome is dysregulated and antibiotics are prescribed like candy which is causing an alarming rate of individuals with gut health issues. If we don’t get a balance of good to bad bacteria, it can lead to autoimmune disorders, digestive disorders such as Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, IBS, it can also weaken our immune system causing more frequent colds and flus.

Tips for Managing Anxiety

Its wild times right now, the last 2 years have seemed like a bombardment of bad news one after the other. Anxiety is natural when a sense of impending doom looms, so how do we manage it?

We first got to remember that anxiety is a biological reaction that stems from fear. We physically feel nervous, shaky, sweaty, panicky, and shortness of breath all because we are EMOTIONALLY FEELING fear. Meditation is a helpful tool to separate the physical sensations of the body from the emotional triggers caused by the mind. Look within to discover the root cause of your fears and try to feel them to really heal them.

Secondly, a lot of things are simply out of our control. We cannot control what others do or say, or what is going on in our external world, for example, the weather will be something we can never control. So from that perspective it’s good to be aware of what you CAN control and what you CAN’T control. At the end of the day, the only thing we really have control over is ourselves, how we react to certain situations or current events. Our reactions to anxiety provoking news, which is inevitable in one’s lifetime, is how we manage our anxiety. If something in particular is triggering your anxiety, remove that trigger as best you can.

When life throws adversities your way, it ok to feel anxiety, because remember, feeling is healing. However, find the opportunities and learn lessons from that unfortunate circumstance instead of being a victim of your circumstance. You can either let something bad turn you angry, bitter, and depressed or you can let it empower you to make lasting change within yourself and help those around you. Let something negative allow you to grow mentally, physically, and spiritually. How can you solve the problem instead of dwelling on it?

So feeling anxious? Try a grounding exercise where you use your senses to navigate back to the present. REMEMBER TO TAKE DEEP BREATHS! Observe how you breathe when you feel anxious, usually its shallow breaths, taking deep breaths helps with alleviating anxiety. Now look for 5 things where you are, touch 4 things, listen to 3 things, smell 2 things, taste 1 thing. When we feel anxious it’s generally because we are not in the present moment, we are either in the future or the past. When you’ve achieved a state of calmness, journal about your experience. Write about your anxious thoughts, how it made you physically feel and usually when you see your thoughts written down on paper its easier to see how far-fetched some tend to be.

Anxiety and depression has been linked to the state of our gut health. Our gut is connected to our brain via the vagus nerve, so if our gut is in dysbiosis, as will our mind. Serotonin and dopamine are neurotransmitters that give us the feeling of happiness and pleasure, and they both are created in the gut so it’s important we feed ourselves with the proper foods to make sure our gut is happy. Limiting sugar, caffeine, alcohol, processed foods, artificial flavors and replacing them with whole foods rich in lean proteins, healthy fats, and a variety of fruits and vegetables will take you a long way! We are what we eat, so if we are eating foods that cause chaos in our gut, then it will cause chaos in our minds as well. Eating fish, magnesium, and probiotic rich foods, or supplementing them will help with mental health in the long term.

Staying active, exercising at least a minimum of 30 minutes whether it be intense running, biking, weight training or tai chi, yoga, gardening, can significantly improve anxiety and depression by simply releasing endorphins that make us feel better. Getting a minimum of 8 hours of sleep is essential as well. Sleep debt is a real thing, if you are constantly losing an hour of sleep each night you will reach a deficit that will compound until it starts manifesting as anxiety.

These are simple habits that can be added each week to feel overall a better state of wellbeing. It’s not hard or expensive and doesn’t include a prescription, the hardest thing is choosing one good habit and sticking to it! Some supplements that are natural and can help with stress and anxiety include ashwaganda, L-theanine, lemon balm, and passionflower.

Remember to be kind to yourself, anxiety is natural and being aware of it and wanting to manage it is a huge step in helping yourself heal. When you notice feelings of anxiousness coming on, take a pause, limit the trigger, decide what you can control in that moment and do something you enjoy. Listen to your favorite song or read a book, dance, walk, jog, drink water, hang out with a friend, use aromatherapy, these will all help you flip the script by creating new neural pathways in the brain!

Magnesium

Magnesium is responsible for over 300 enzymatic reactions within the body and most people are magnesium deficient. This is due to our soils being stripped of essential nutrients because of industrial farming methods. Magnesium is vital for d3 absorption, and both are necessary for bone health amongst a plethora of other health benefits. Magnesium helps with restless leg syndrome, restful sleep, migraines, healthy bowel movements and cramps, to name a few. Are you getting enough magnesium daily?

It’s estimated that 64% of men and 67% of women in the United States are not receiving an adequate dietary intake of magnesium. In addition to soil depletion, excess sodium intake, high alcohol and caffeine intake, and proton pump inhibitors used for acid reflux can also contribute to low magnesium levels.

Here is a list of magnesium rich foods, and if you don’t generally eat these foods, supplementation is suggested to get your daily intake of magnesium. For men 420mg and for woman 320mg is the recommended dietary allowance.

-Dark Chocolate

-Avocados

-Almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, peanuts, and brazil nuts

-Legumes

-Tofu

-Flax, pumpkin, and chia seeds

-Wheat, oats, barley, buckwheat, brown rice and quinoa

-Salmon, mackerel, and halibut

-Banana

-Kale, spinach, collard, turnip, and mustard greens

-Swiss chard

-Lima beans

-Okra

Not all magnesium is the same either, so which one do you need?

–Magnesium citrate is easily absorbed and the most bioavailable form that’s used to help with constipation, it’s also used for mood disorders as well such anxiety and depression.

–Magnesium L threonate is a form of magnesium that crosses the blood brain barrier that’s beneficial for memory and cognitive health, it also supports positive mood and helps with cramp.

–Magnesium acetyl taurate was recently tested and has been shown to support PMS cramps and symptoms of stress which include nervous tension, anxiety, irritability, headache, fatigue, and depression.

–Magnesium oxide and chloride is beneficial for migraines, and digestive symptoms such as indigestion, constipation and heartburn.

–Magnesium sulfate also known as Epsom salts helps with muscle relaxation and stress relief.

–Magnesium glycinate is the best form for sleep and can also help with migraines, heart disease and diabetes.

–Magnesium orotate promotes heart health by supporting the energy production pathways in the heart and blood vessel tissues.

The best way to know if you’re magnesium deficient is to get tested for it!

How Can You Make White Rice Healthier?

Being an Indian, white rice is a staple in my household. I’ve been eating it since I was a baby but little did I know until recently that white rice is one of the most highly processed grains and contains a high glycemic index. White rice removes the germ and bran which is where the bulk of its vitamins, minerals, essential fats and fibers are found. So really, white rice is far from being healthy. Alternatives to white rice are brown rice which still has the germ and bran intact, so you obtain the vitamins and minerals we need to thrive. Also barley is a great alternative that contains beta-glucans which lowers LDL “bad” cholesterol. Quinoa and millet are awesome gluten free grains! So think about making the switch! However, if you’re a die-hard white rice lover like my dad who refuses to look at any other grain despite its health effects, there’s a wonderful solution for you!

When you add a tablespoon of coconut oil to white rice while it’s cooking, it completely changes how we digest it. Usually white rice digests quickly, that’s why we tend to feel hungry almost immediately after eating it. If coconut oil is added, it changes the rice’s chemical composition and the digestible starches turn into indigestible starches or more commonly known as resistance starches. What does this even mean? It means that the rice doesn’t readily metabolize into glucose (sugar). When glucose isn’t used by our body for energy, it eventually converts into body fat and is a contributing factor to gaining weight.

Coconut oil in white rice, being a resistant starch is considered a prebiotic. Prebiotic foods feed the good bacteria in our guts to help diversify the gut microbiome to aid our immunity and digestive system. This little hidden secret prevents body fat accumulation and cuts the calories of the rice itself. A cup of rice is usually around 246 calories, when adding coconut oil, it reduces to 147 calories! That’s quite a deal for those white rice fanatics who want to lose weight and take care of their overall health without removing something they love out of their diet.

Foods That Help With Depression

The following foods are the top foods to help fight depression. Why?

Watercress

Mustard, turnip, or beet greens

Collard greens

Swiss chard

Spinach

Chicory greens

Kale

Oysters

Nuts/seeds (flax and chia)

Lettuce (red, green, romaine)

Peppers (bell, serrano, jalepeno)

Fresh herbs (cilantro, basil, parsley)

Beans

Wild caught salmon, sardines, trout, mackerel, and (not canned) tuna

Probiotic foods (kimichi, kombucha, miso, sauerkraut, tempeh, tofu, yogurt, kefir)

Wild caught fish, nuts and seeds are a rich source of omega 3 fatty acids which is vital for brain health. It helps boost serotonin (our happy hormone) which is a neurotransmitter for mood regulation.

Beans are an awesome source of protein and fiber which stabilizes blood sugar levels. They also contain folate which is a B vitamin that helps the body produce DNA, RNA, blood cells and it also metabolizes proteins.

Dark leafy vegetables contain ALA (alpha-linolenic acid) which is one of the 3 main types of omega 3s, the other two are DHA and EPA. They also contain phytonutrients that nourish your body with a plethora of vitamins and minterals. FIBER FIBER FIBER! Having 30-50 grams of fiber daily does wonders for your gut health. Soluble fiber lowers cholesterol, blood sugar, and insulin, it prevents cancer, balances hormone levels, and removes excess estrogen which reduces the risk of breast cancer.

Eating whole foods allows our body to digest and assimilate nutrients effectively. The Standard American Diet consists of processed foods filled with artificial ingredients and preservatives which have 0 nutritional value. We need to consume wholesome foods that regulate our gut microbiome which in turn will positively impact our mental health.

So look out for those foods rich in vitamins and healthy fats to nourish your body and mind. Avoid those highly sugary and processed foods, which are high in omega 6 fats that lead to inflammation.

What Can You Do To Reduce The Risk Of Alzheimer’s Disease?

What Foods Reduce the Risk of Alzheimer’s disease?

Alzheimer’s disease is a neurological disorder that is caused by the brain shrinking and brain cells dying. It’s the most common type of dementia and affects 5.8 million people aged 65 + in America. It leads to progressive cognitive decline and memory loss. Being a holistic health coach, I’m all about that prevention method, there may be no cure for Alzheimer’s disease but there is a way to prevent it from happening to you or your loved ones!

What are the 4 key factors for a healthy brain?

1. Diet and supplementation
2. Stress management
3. Exercise
4. Spiritual fitness

A holistic approach to any disease is viewing the imbalances throughout the entire body. Nutritional deficiencies, heavy metal toxicities, hormonal imbalances, and inflammation should all be taken into consideration. American’s have a processed diet high in unhealthy fats, sugars, and salt. This leads to numerous health issues including hypertension, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease to name a few.

These foods are all part of an anti-inflammatory diet which will help your body in other ways as well! Replacing unhealthy foods with healthier options is the easiest way to start eating healthier. 

• Eat a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables, it provides the body with the phytonutrients, vitamins, and minerals needed to boost brain health.
• Quality proteins such as pasture raised chicken and/or grass-fed beef
• Healthy fats such as omega-3 which can be found in salmon, nuts, and seeds
• Complex carbs such as sweet potatoes and other non-starchy vegetables as well as grains like quinoa and barley
• Fiber (include prebiotic foods into your diet to feed gut bacteria)
• Anti-inflammatory herbs such as turmeric

Sugar Addiction!

How many people know that sugar is a real addiction?! Our ancestors did not have access to as much sugar as we have to today. Sugar is everywhere and it’s honestly scary what it’s doing to our society. Brain scans show the dopamine release of a cocaine user and high sugar consumer –an obese person, and the results are not that shocking. Sugar and cocaine do look similar so why wouldn’t they have the same effect on the brain? So if you think you don’t do drugs, think again… you are getting the same dopamine release through SUGAR!!!

Artificial sugar is toxic, inflammatory, and it has 0 benefits for our body, it actually hurts our immune system. Just consider how much sugar you consume in 1 single day! How many spoons of sugar do you put in your coffee? 1 teaspoon of sugar = 4.2 grams of sugar so knowing that you can calculate how much you are consuming. The recommended amount to limit per day is 4 tsp for kid, 5 tsp for women and 9 tsp for men. Anything over this is now just hurting your mind and body. A pillar of good health is awareness, being aware of what you are putting into your body, how much, how it makes you feel etc. Knowing this helps you accommodate for feeling your absolute best.

Replace the sugary juices and sodas for water. There is nothing more refreshing than water!! I grew up never drinking water, I drank a disgusting amount of sugar now that I think back on my childhood years. I drank so much mountain dew, lemonade, Coca-Cola, ugh just thinking about it makes me cringe! I drank so much soda that when I went to the dentist she asked me why my teeth were soft… that was eye opening! Yet I still didn’t change because I had never drank water and I wasn’t going to start now!

It wasn’t until I was 21 that I started drinking water because I would’ve died of dehydration in Ecuador if I didnt! I was building a staircase for a community on a mountain in Esmeralda while on a medical mission trip and I was hauling concrete for hours, if I didn’t drink water because I was craving sugar I would’ve certainly perished!

My issue was that I didn’t like water because it had no taste, that’s where the sugar addiction part comes in. Our brains crave that sugary drink for that hit of dopamine! A good way to convert to a water lover is by almost dying doing what you love HAHA. It was after that life or death experience (or so it seemed!) that made me a water drinker. I try to drink 55oz a day as per recommended for my weight but I have to admit that I don’t always meet the goal. There’s always room for improvement I say!

I still drink lemonade here and there but I am conscious about my water intake now because I can feel my body is more tired and in pain on days that I drink less. Water to me now is so refreshing, I feel alive!!!

Remember sugar just isn’t in beverages, it’s also hidden in A LOT of packaged and processed foods. Always read the ingredient list and nutritional label before you eat or drink anything. Personally I like to know what I’m putting into my body. Here are ways to kick your sugar addiction today!

The Beginner’s Guide to Cutting Out Sugar

Breaking Sugar Addiction!

What Happens When You Skip Breakfast? Part 1

I was an avid skipper of breakfast in high school, not because I wanted to but I would have to be there at 7:20am and my tummy was NEVER ready to eat at 6:45am. I bet there are a lot of people that can relate… Now that I reflect back on those times… I can clearly remember starving my entire morning and not giving my full focus to whatever I was learning, I was just waiting for lunch. I didn’t have lunch until 12:12pm, and until then I was just starving myself and I can see how it impacted my motivation to be in school and learn.

Fast forward 10 years… Ever since I became a responsible adult with a full time job I HAVE to eat breakfast, no ifs, ands, or buts about it. Breakfast is the fuel that gets me going to have a productive day, to stay focused and it regulated my entire eating schedule to stay energized throughout the day. So what happens when we skip breakfast??? Let’s find out!

When we don’t eat breakfast we increase our chances of getting type 2 diabetes due to insulin resistance and hormone regulation. When we are hungry our body releases a hormone called ghrelin, this stimulates our appetites. When we are full, our body releases leptin, which is the satiety hormone and a huge component in weight loss. When we neglect the messages our body is telling us, something is bound to happen. In this case, not giving nourishment to our body with food when it needs it, is like not giving a car gas when it’s about to run out of fuel. Hormonal imbalances are a leading cause of so many other diseases such obesity, autoimmune diseases like type 1 & 2 diabetes, PMS, and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) are to name a few.

Insulin is a hormone our body uses to convert glucose (a sugar found in carbohydrates) into energy. When we don’t eat food our blood sugar levels drop and obviously we all know what happens when we don’t eat… we get mean! HAHA! Over time our pancreas keep releasing more and more insulin until we become insulin resistant which is when our cells don’t respond to insulin anymore, resulting in type 2 diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and high cholesterol levels AKA heart disease.

Another negative side effect of not eating breakfast is increased levels of the stress hormone, cortisol! It also increases acid reflux. When our body feels hungry it releases acid for digestion and if there is no food to digest it’s just going to sit in your gut causing further issues.

As seen with holistic medicine, when one part of the body is affected by disease, it could be linked due to the neglect of another part of the body. So pleaseeee eat breakfast!!! I know it can be hard, I’ve been there and as I made it an everyday routine to eat in the morning it became easier and easier to do. Even something small like fruit, yogurt, oatmeal, (watch out for excess sugar!), or eggs, will get rid of that brain fog, fatigue, lack of concentration and will replace it with lots of energy, motivation and good health!

Did You Know Okra Is Related To Hibiscus?!

As you know, I am growing okra in my garden and I decided to try eating the leaves because I felt bad throwing them away when I cut them off. So turns out they are edible and as any other leafy green vegetable, it’s filled with nutrition our bodies could use. Remember that the food we eat nourishes our cells, muscles, tissues and organs. So we need vitamins and minerals to replenish our body from living in an industrial world, exposed to toxic chemicals every day.

The okra leaf contains insoluble fiber and has trace amounts of vitamin A and K, iron, and magnesium. What is insoluble fiber you ask? It’s fiber that cannot be digest by our body so it regulates gut function by keeping food and waste moving through the body. It helps repopulate the gut microbiome with good bacteria. When we have the beneficial gut bacteria, it assists with breaking down food and absorbing its nutrients.  It helps relieve constipation so if that is something you struggle with… add sources of insoluble fiber in your diet which besides dark leafy vegetables, includes carrots, potatoes, legumes, cauliflower, zucchini, green beans, broccoli, brown rice, barley, and couscous.

The leaves are huge and they do have little hairs on the surface that can irritate the skin. My recommendation is to boil the leaves to soften the hairs so it’s not noticeable when eaten. I sautéed mine on the stove with olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper, thinking it would turn into something comparable to sautéed spinach. However, it turned into the okra leaf version of kale chips, still delicious! I know that not everyone has the ability to grow okra, but if you can and you’ve ever questioned if you can eat the leaves… now you know!

The Health Benefits of Sweet Potato Leaves!

So I decided to do what I’ve never done before and I planted 2 sweet potatoes from my kitchen into a pot of soil. What ensued was a beautiful lush plant that came into existence! This easy to grow spud literally has 0 maintenance and not only is the final product a delicious delight, but the leaves are very healthy to eat too!! I harvested them and my momma sautéed them with garlic, salt, ghee and red chili flakes and added it to lobster ravioli, soooo soooo good!! The leaves grow relatively quick, I saw the first growth maybe 2 weeks after I first planted it. The sweet potato itself takes 110-120 days to harvest.

Sweet potato leaves are a great source of calcium, magnesium, iron, folic acid, riboflavin, thiamin, niacin, antioxidants, vitamin C, K, E and A. It contains higher nutrients and dietary fiber compared to other leafy greens, in particular it has 88% of vitamin K. So if you don’t know how to get your vitamins and nutrients from food, look no further!

Anyone can grow this, it can be grown in a small pot, and all you will need is a pot, sweet potatoes, soil and the sun! It’s excellent at reducing inflammation, maintaining eye, brain, digestive, and heart health. It helps lower blood sugar levels, it boosts the immune system and is a great source of protein. Vitamin A is necessary for healthy hair and skin by contributing to collagen production. It also lowers inflammation which lowers the risk of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease.

Vitamin K helps prevent the arteries of the heart from calcifying which is one of the main causes for heart attacks. It takes away plaque cells from lining of the blood vessels and reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease. It’s also necessary for calcium absorption for optimal bone health, vitamin K along with vitamin D reduces the risk of osteoporosis. Check out my post about the health benefits of vitamin K. This vitamin is crucial for blood clotting and treating various cancers, so we need it daily for vital health.

Like I mentioned, sweet potato leaves are great for inflammation which is a key factor in digestive health. Excess inflammation leads to numerous digestive disorders, so by lowering inflammation gut health is easier to heal. The leaves help with nausea, diarrhea, stomach aches, and constipation. There are many more health benefits associated with eating this leafy green but I don’t want to bore you! I’d imagine it would be hard to find these greens in a store. That’s why I’d recommend growing it yourself because it’s fun and easy, just buy an organic sweet potato and plant it. You can cultivate a new hobby too!

Welcome To My Garden!

Hey guys!! I know it’s been quite a while since my last post, I’ve recently been focusing my attention to my newest project… gardening!! If you follow me you’ll know I recently moved and was blessed with a bigger yard to pursue my passion in gardening. So right now I’m growing quite a few fruits and vegetables, it’s definitely hard work, but its soooooo totally worth it!!!

Every morning I enjoy waking up and taking a walk around the garden to look at any progress, pests, and diseases. I will pull any mushrooms from the raised bed and keep up on any maintenance. Having the garden has given me a sense of routine to uphold every morning, which forces me to meditate and exercise or at least stretch to get my day going! Then I will go to work and when I come home I love to go straight to the garden to see the growth that has developed over the day!!! It’s so amazing to see the fruits of your labor! Today my mom and I harvested okra, fenugreek and cilantro. We also saw the cucumber fruiting, after it combated a nasty worm infestation about a month ago.

What gardening has taught me is that loss will occur but great things are yet to come. I have a really hard time cutting plants, but what I need to realize is that cutting it, allows it to flourish!! I am so excited to be growing my own produce. I’m currently growing radishes, beet root, asparagus, brussel sprouts, okra, sweet potato, tomatoes, napa cabbage, cucumber, malabar spinach, a plethora of assorted chili peppers, bananas, moringa, mango, jackfruit, sapote, ivy gourd, curry leaves, and an assortment of herbs such as basil, thai basil, sage, dill, tarragon, oregano, thyme, cilantro, parsley, rosemary and chives.

It’s always something I’ve wanted to do since I was a young child, most likely from watching my mom, grandma and grandpa always in the garden, made me naturally want to follow in their footsteps. There will be days I will feel a bit overwhelmed thinking I’ve bitten too much than I can chew, however, thus far when the garden has experienced any foreign invader threats in the forms of pests and diseases I’ve gotten advice from friends that have prevented any heavy damage. So thank you to those who give me advice on maintaining my garden, yall know who you are!!

Gardening is work, yet somehow it doesn’t feel like work to me. I absolutely enjoy the heavy lifting that goes along with maintaining a garden because as seen in my last post about The Blue Zones, the exercise that we get from gardening helps with increasing our life expectancy! It’s helped me cultivate even more patience, diligence, and a grateful mindset for what goes into growing the food we eat. It’s so easy to go to the grocery store and buy our produce, but does anyone really think about what goes into growing what we eat? Farmers don’t get enough credit for how much hard laborious work they put into producing your food.

Also a lot of the produce we get from grocery stores are sprayed with pesticides because yes, pests on produce is a real problem, but do you really want cancer causing chemicals in your food supply? It really makes you question what you are putting into your body and I stand by organic gardening and using only organic pesticides like neem oil, chilies, and garlic.

The whole point of consuming food is to nourish our bodies and if our produce contains toxic chemicals that are hurting us, I’d rather pass on grocery store produce and grow my own while I get a work out doing it!! On that note here are a few pictures of my garden and what I am currently growing. Follow me on Instagram @thevitaqueen1 for daily posts on gardening updates and general holistic wellness facts!!

The Blue Zone Regions Of The World!

Did you know there are 5 cities in the world where the people residing within that community live to be centenarians, that means they live into their 100’s!!! These cities are:

• Icaria, Greece
• Okinawa, Japan
• Nicoya, Costa Rica
• Loma Linda, California
• Sardinia, Italy

I learned about the “Blue Zones” while I was taking courses at the Institute of Integrative Nutrition, and thereafter I kept seeing/reading about it everywhere! What’s unique about these zones, residents only suffer a fraction of the diseases that commonly kill people in other parts of the developed world. The common habits that were shared amongst these individuals were healthier lifestyle choices including spending time outside in nature, gardening, social circles/family engagements, constant moderate physical activity, and no smoking or alcohol.

In addition, these communities practice their faith (spirituality or religion), don’t have a “time urgency”, and also tend to know their life purpose which all in turn directly relate to stress reduction. The diets consist of a plant-based or semi–vegetarian diet, legumes, nuts, soy, whole grains, high polyphenol wine, and turmeric.

So even though we may not live in these geographical regions, or if you do, lucky you! That’s not to say that we can’t pick up these healthy habits and incorporate them into our daily lives to achieve longevity and reduce the rate of chronic diseases. Chronic diseases are high blood pressure (hypertension), certain cancers, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, etc. diseases that are preventable!

In Icaria which is a Greek island, the people eat a Mediterranean diet which is rich in olive oil, red wine, and home grown vegetables. In the Ogliastra region of Sardinia, the region is mountainous where the residents work on farms and also consume lots of red wine. In Okinawa, Japan the people eat a lot of soy based foods and practice tai chi (WHICH IS TOTALLY MY JAM!!!), the oldest women in the world live here. In Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica the Nicoyan diet is based around beans and corn tortillas. The residents perform physical jobs into their old age and also have a sense of life purpose known as “plan de vida”. The Seventh-day Adventists in Loma Linda, California are a very religious group that are strict vegetarians and live in tight knit communities.