Medicinal Mushrooms

Interview with Tero on the Rich Roll Podcast

Healing Mushrooms and the Mysterious and Magical World

Click Here

Not “funny” mushrooms but Medicinal Mushrooms is what we are talking about today. In the last five years I have seen popularity of these powerhouses grow in the health market place. I first heard of these wonder shrooms on a Rich Roll Podcast where he interviewed Tero Isokauppila, the founder of Four Sigmatic a mushroom coffee, tea and elixirs company back in 2017. I remember driving through the mountains and being very taken with this man and his mystical wonder shrooms. Tero is from Finland, and grew up in one of the most fertile parts of the world where Mushrooms grow and flourish. Most of the country drinks mushroom coffees because out of need from the coffee shortages that started in WWII era. Tero grew up on a 13 generation owned family farm where foraging for mushrooms and berries and unique super herbs was apart of his everyday. He developed a specific interest in these mushrooms. Growing up in a place where the majority of the public consumes super foods on a regular basis and eating clean is a way of life made it easy to learn more. You can feel his passion for foraging and learning about these mushrooms and bringing them to the world in a safe and accessible way. He traveled country to country learning about these mushrooms and learned about the sacredness and the ancient holistic traditions of the Mushrooms.

Tero has gone so far as to develop a whole Mushroom Academy where you can learn all about these wonder shrooms and get the right information and how they can help in your daily life. The series is given by Danielle Ryan Broida a Registered Herbalist and a Certified Holistic Nutritionist. The class is free and fun! There are 13 lessons in the series and are so interesting. Click here to check it out.

If you want to dive in even further into Tero’s research he wrote a wonderful book as well called the Healing Mushrooms: A practical and culinary Guide to Using Mushrooms for Whole Body Health. Below I give you a short overview of these major mushrooms in the Medicinal Mushroom world. These are the most researched for safety and use.

Lion’s Main

Brain Booster- cognition, memory, concentration

Helps fight- Alzheimers, multiple sclerosis, parkinson’s, dementia, high cholesterol, depression, inflammation, ulcers, regeneration of damaged nerves, protects against cancer, stimulates digestion.

Chaga “The King of Mushrooms”

Antioxidant- anti-aging, inflammation, lower LDL

Helps- Lower cholesterol, combats oxidative stress, anti-cancer, recovery for athletes.

Cordyceps

Pre-workout Boost- energy, athletic performance, muscle recovery

Helps- body utilize oxygen efficiently and enhance blood flow, speeds up post workout muscle recovery.

Shiitake

Heart health- blood pressure, circulation

Helps- lowers cholesterol, fight infection, helps with cavities and oral health

Maitake

Immune system enhancer- antioxidant, longevity

Helps- lower blood pressure, cholesterol, prevents diabetes and obesity

Turkey Tail

Powerhouse Antioxidant- immune support, anticancer properties, prebiotic

Helps- prevent and treat many types of cancer, prevents tumor growth, digestive health

Reishi “the Queen of Mushrooms”

Multi tasker- sleep, anxiety, depression, focus, weight loss, calms nervous system

Helps- immune system, fights cancer cells, promote healing, protect the liver, blood suger balancer

Four Sigmatic has a very complete product line and you can be guaranteed that you will get great quality and safe products if you want to try and incorporate Mushrooms into you daily routine. There are other brands out there that have taken the time to properly source their Mushrooms and create safe products. Be careful though, these products are not regulated and you don’t want to buy something because its a good price. Look for quality, Non GMO, Organic and fair trade and hand foraged. Below are a few of my favorite brands.

Moon Juice is one of my favorite companies. This company is very picky about their ingredients and research they put into their products they have a great selection of powdered Mushrooms.

Laird Superfoods is a new kid on the block but they also cleared the lengthy process of getting vetted to be on Whole Foods shelves. The line includes coffees, creamers and much more.

Om is another brand that stands behind their products and cleared the stiff criteria that Whole Foods makes every brand they carry pass before it hits their shelves.

Wellmade by Thrive Market has quite a good selection of Medicinal Mushrooms mixes and other ethically sourced herbs and supplements.

I hope everyone digs in and looks into these wonder shrooms. They can help you deal with stress, be kinder to your circulatory system, brain health, heart, recovery, cancer prevention etc, etc… The list goes on and on.

Have a great Wellness Wednesday,

Shara

Archive

• Addiction
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• Ayurveda
• Ayurvedic Medicine
• Body Fat
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• Slim Down
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Sources:

https://us.foursigmatic.com, https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/best-medicinal-mushrooms-to-try#for-inflammation, https://www.culinarynutrition.com/guide-to-medicinal-mushrooms-types-best-uses-and-recipes/, https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/maitake-mushroom, https://www.verywellmind.com/the-benefits-of-lions-mane-89474, https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/chaga-mushroom, https://www.verywellhealth.com/turkey-tail-5093147,https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/best-medicinal-mushrooms-to-try, https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/biochemistry-genetics-and-molecular-biology/medicinal-mushroom, https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/cam/hp/mushrooms-pdq, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4684114/,

Ayurvedic Medicine

What is it?

Ayurvedic Medicine is one of the oldest forms of medicine and healing practices in the world, originating over 5,000 years ago. The theory is that all areas of a persons life impact their health and are covered in detail in a series of sacred books called the Vedas:

Rig Veda (3000-2500 BCE)

Yajur Veda

Sam Veda

Atharva Veda (1200-1000 BCE)

Later in the eighth century medical books where written with clear instructions of how to practice Ayurvedic Medicine with a clear history to accompany and guide the reader of the “why” behind it. They call these text “the Great Triad” called Brhattrayi. The text are broken into three books called:

Charak Samhita by Charaka that goes into Ayurvedic medical theory

Sushurta Samhita by Sushruta focuses on surgery, blood and the description of the five subdoshas of Pitta

Astanga Hridaya by Vagbhata that defines the five subdoshas of Kapha

You can easily get lost or go down a rabbit whole with each of these ancient text. To try and make this easily attainable Ayurvedic Medicine is based off the belief that every person is made of five elements found in our universe: air, space, fire, water and earth. If your mind, body and spirit are in harmony with the universe you will always be in good health.

Once you combine these into the human body they form three life forces called Doshas. Those of us that are kinda familiar with Ayurvedic will be familiar with these terms. They are as fallows:

Vata Dosha (space and air) the most powerful of all three doshas and controls are body functions like breathing, blood flow and heart function.

Pitta Dosha (fire and water) controls digestion and metabolism

Kapha Dosha (water and earth) is your immune system, muscle growth, weight

The key to a balanced body and good heath is that these Doshas are in balance according to your unique body.

You can do some basic online quizzes to get a very basic idea of how your Doshas are in or out of balance. Here are a list of a few:

This is a pretty basic quiz to get a rough idea of where your body is in the current moment by the world famous Chopra Center. Click Link Here to Get Started

This test is a little more involved and defines things a bit more. Clink link Here

Of all the sites I have taken the Dosha Quizzes on the Joyful Belly is the most comprehensive. They start with the simple questions and then you can dig deeper and go into many other questionnaires to get a full picture. Click Here to Get Started

California College of Ayurveda has a pretty comprehensive list of certified practitioners up and down the west coast. They also offer classes and information. Click here to find out more

but to get a real sense of your imbalances you need to seek the advice of a certified Ayurvedic Medical practitioner. it just takes a few minutes to to look one up in your local area.

One of the major focuses in Ayurvedic Medicine is to cleanse your body of toxins and undigested food that can cause illness over time. The practice is called Panchakarma. This is usually the first step in finding a balance of the Doshas.

If this sounds too over whelming you can start slow with a few daily changes to cleanse your body of toxins in the Ayurveda tradition of Oil pulling. Yes, it sounds strange but this practice his been in use for a very long time. Detoxing usually starts in your mouth first.

Take a tablespoon of organic coconut oil and place in your mouth. Move around in your mouth and swish it around for about a minute and then spit down the drain. Coconut oil grabs all the bacteria out of your mouth and in between teeth.

You can take baby steps with the practice just by brushing your teeth with toothpaste that uses coconut oil as one of the main ingredients.

Tongue scrapping before bed and once you wake is another easy step into detoxification. Copper ones are proffered in Ayurvedic due to its anti-bacterial properties. This practice helps with bad breath and food cravings by getting rid of foods left over on your taste buds.

Click here to Listen to his Podcast

If you want to learn more information I have some podcast suggestions for you to listen to. One is by Dr. Cabral who I featured last week. Ayurvedic Medicine is what saved his life and he has spent many years studying the principles. He is a wonderful resource. In this podcast episode he gives a great introduction into the Doshas.

The Highest Self Podcast by Sahara Rose is a complete resource for information as well. Sahara is a huge name in Ayurveda who wrote the book the The Idiots Guide to Ayurveda. She is praised and is touted by Deepak Chopra as being the new face and voice of Ayurveda. Her podcast is amazing and has lots of information on Ayurveda.

Here is list of episodes that I think can give you a great collection of learning about the benefits of Ayurveda:

How to Cleanse the Ayurvedic Way (Its’ Not Juicing)

All About Ayurvedic TONGUE Analysis with John of Joyful Belly

Ayurvedic Facial Analysis to Assess Your Dosha with John Immel

Ayurvedic Nutrition Tips with Dr. Douillard

Enhancing Your Mood with Ayurvedic Herbs: Interview with Gunny of Youveda

Sahara has also recently published a great cookbook incorperating Ayurvedic principles and foods that you can confidently make you in your own kitchen. She wanted to create an approachable cook book that teaches even the beginner how to cook healthy Ayurvedic meals.

I hope everyone has a great Wellness Wednesday and takes this information and uses it to make a happier and healthier life!

Shara

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• November 2024
• October 2024
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• February 2024

Sources:

https://chopra.com, https://iamsahararose.com, https://ayurvedarejuvenation.com/dosha-self-test/, https://yogainternational.com/article/view/dosha-quiz, https://www.ayurvedacollege.com/california/?gclid=CjwKCAjwxuuCBhATEiwAIIIz0TByzFfg5Y8vNTAM1Pzg9adWFcTGa9RB3rMuRcJWbw0hjBNmVIfWIhoCrnsQAvD_BwE, https://www.webmd.com/balance/guide/ayurvedic-treatments, https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/ayurvedic-medicine-in-depth, https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/ayurveda, https://www.ayurveda.com/resources/articles/ayurveda-a-brief-introduction-and-guide, https://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/aclk?sa=L&ai=DChcSEwilorC1tsnvAhUBlIYKHemyB7EYABAAGgJ2dQ&ae=2&ohost=www.google.com&cid=CAESQOD2Y6B6-oc__XsK3DTWBQx975Ohdf2_9VmJV_bC-_GIlz1T46XEPPoRPYPxj95OmOinWkOSqNqlaAm4aA4bbgE&sig=AOD64_24kCRCLKbKd-4omo-pclIY0FlH3g&q&adurl&ved=2ahUKEwiQ16a1tsnvAhXkSjABHVCcDzAQ0Qx6BAgZEAE&dct=1, https://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/where-ayurveda-come-from

Love Your Liver and The Rain Barrel Effect

Your liver is the largest organ in your body and is your bodies filter for chemicals, pesticides, toxins, drugs and alcohol. It processes food and helps your body digest and absorb nutrients. The Liver also Metabolizes and stores carbohydrates(sugars), proteins, fats and hormones, so your body can use them properly for their specific needs. As you can see your liver is extremely important role in your body functioning to keep you alive and healthy. In order for the Liver to function properly we need to Love It and treat it well. It doesn't take much to make the liver un-happy and damage it to create havoc and spiral into certain cancers, cirrhosis(scarring) which can lead to liver failure.

Symptoms your Liver is trying to tell you its not doing well:

• Pain and soreness in the upper chest region and mid back

• Dark Under Eye Circles

• Skin Rashes

• Psoriasis

• Constipation

• Anxiety

• Brain Fog

• Mood Swings

• Can’t loose weight

• Sluggishness

• Poor Sleep

• Dark colored urine

• Tendency to bruise easily

• Skin and eyes that appear yellowish

• Swelling of the legs and ankles

Female Centric Symptoms:

• Irregular Periods

• Fibroids

• Period Blood Clotting

• Hot Flashes

• Irregular Periods

In Chinese Medicine they have a saying about people that are normally even tempered that suddenly snap at people. They say that when someone has sudden mood swings it is that their Liver is angry. So sit back and take a minute and think “have I snapped at anyone lately?” If you have or have felt any of the above symptoms there things you can do to improve Liver Function and make your Liver happy.
Steps you can take to help your liver repair and perform at optimal levels:

• Sulfur occurring foods i.e. Cruciferous Vegetables like Brussel Sprouts, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Kale, Cabbage. Just make sure the foods are steamed, cooked, boiled and drained in a ice bath otherwise you get negative effects to your thyroid.

• Turmeric in supplement form also add to your dishes your create at home

• Avocados, Nuts and Fatty Fish high in antioxidants and great anti-inflammatory effects on the liver

• Grapefruit can help counter act the effects of moderate alcohol consumption and helps produce the enzymes in the liver that help burn fat

• Blueberries and Cranberries helps reduce the formation of cancer sells in the liver and gives the liver health power packed antioxidants

• Beets and Beetroot juice reduces oxidative damage to the liver and inflammation

• Milk Thistle in supplement form and in teas helps detox the liver for better performance

• B12 in supplement form

• Exercise to keep you Liver trim, not Fat! Sweating and getting oxygen through your body is a great way to detox your body.

• Drink decaf coffee(not the sweet Starbucks/Dutch Bros stuff) and black, green tea. Studies show drinking these beverages lower your risk of cancers and prevents the build up fat and collagen, two of the markers of liver disease.

What you can avoid or habits you can kick to help your liver repair and function properly:

• Number one is alcohol consumption. I know I love my wine and gin martinis, but even having a few drinks a week can cause serious long term damage. Keeping it to occasionally will keep your liver healthy and happy.

• Cut out anything processed or boxed, packaged shelf stable foods they are full of preservatives and chemicals that are hard on your liver to process

• Avoid Toxins including Pesticides sprayed on fruits and vegetables (wash your fruit well if you can’t get organic), synthetic scents like in air fresheners. Your liver has to work hard enough with all the smog in our air and toxins we cant avoid, so anything you can do to lighten the toxic load on your body your Liver will thank you.

• Dont over medicate like relying on Tylenol, Ibuprofen and Pain medications look for what is causing the pain before you over medicate to make the pain go away

• Dont over consume antibiotics. Antibiotics are hard on your liver and your gut. They wipe out all the good enzymes and bacteria that actually fight off disease. Take them for serious bacterial infections and conditions only.

• Use earth friendly non-toxic cleaning supplies, laundry and dish detergents in your home. Again we are trying to lighten the toxic load your liver has to filter for your body.

• Wash your hands not to just be clean, but one of the leading causes of getting Hepatitis A is not washing your hands!

• Be careful getting tattoos, sharing needles even razors and un-protected sex. You may have to learn a hard lesson by learning you have not only contracted a STD but Hepatitis B and C.

I wanted to give you more information about how important that you detox your body of toxins and keep your Liver happy. A few years ago I read this book called The Rain Barrel Effect by Dr. Stephen Cabral a Board Certified Naturopathic Doctor. The book is a in-depth look at Dr. Cabral’s life and what brought him to becoming a Naturopathic Doctor. Dr. Cabral’s health journey was a a long one. He suffered from multiple diseases caused by over use of Antibiotics and living in a toxic environment. He came to his theory that we our bodies are rain barrels on the sides of houses that collect rain water to be used to water plants in our gardens. The issue is the barrel keeps getting filled and never emptied and then over flows and the water never gets used for the garden but waisted. Our bodies take in everything from the air we breath, water we drink, drugs, alcohol, food and beverages we consume. We keep taking in more bad then good and the good stuff never gets to where it should and over flows and creates havoc on our immune system. Its a fascinating read and life changing.

Dr. Cabral has a thriving practice out of Boston and is not limited to that area. You can go to his website and actually order test and get consultations or Health Coaching directly from his team to figure out what is going on in your body or just to learn more about how your bodies is functioning. If you want to get to know more about Dr. Cabral I have a great podcast interview to share with you and a few others regarding Liver Health.

Link to Podcast interview with Dr. Cabral

The first Podcast I want to share is by The Skinny Confidential. The podcast by Lauren and Michael Bosstick is a married power couple. They get into the life story of Dr. Stephen Cabral and you find out how he came to become a Physician and his dedication to helping people with unexplainable health conditions. Lauren has a huge fallowing because of her blog called the Skinny Confidential that over time turned into a social media platform. Michael is a successful entrepreneur that has developed many brands. He and Lauren together have created a Digital Media company that is Female-Focused called Dear Media. Don’t let this couple fool you they are cheeky, but they interview some heavy hitters and do a good job getting the information that will help develop you into a better and more informed person.

Next I wanted to give you a curated list of podcast by Dr. Cabral about the liver. His Podcast the Cabral Concept has been around for years and has longtime, loyal and international fallowing. He talks about the liver in actually quite a few podcast episodes which shows how important having a healthy liver is and how extremely important in creating a healthy and balanced body.

Below is a link list of Dr. Cabral’s Podcast that focus on Liver Health:

Using Exercise & Detox to Combat Weight Gain & Liver Issues

How to Clear Toxic Estrogen from Your Fat & Liver

How to Do a Liver & Galbladder Cleanse

The 9 Vegan Foods to Fix Your Liver

High Eosinophils, Kidney Filtering, Elevated Liver Function

Have a wonderful Wednesday and love your Liver!

Shara

Sources:

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/5-ways-to-be-kind-to-your-liver, https://www.sfadvancedhealth.com/blog/6-simple-ways-to-detox-your-liver, https://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/picture-of-the-liver, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279393/, https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/liver-problems/symptoms-causes/syc-20374502, https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/11-foods-for-your-liver#TOC_TITLE_HDR_1, https://www.healthline.com/health/hepatitis#diagnosis,

This week we focus on the Liver. Extremely important for Women to learn about for hormones and for all of us with how much daily damage we do to it with our lifestyle choices. #liverhealth #liverhealing @stephencabral @tscpodcast #cabralconcept #toxicload #therainbarreleffect

This week we focus on Sugar Addiction. #sugaraddiction #wellnesswednesday #addictivebehaviors @drmarkhyman @chalenejohnson @shawnmodel @jj.virgin @tom.hopperhops @keeoone

Fiber Fueled.. one under rated part of a healthy fueled disease resistant diet #wellnesswednesday #guthealth #fiberfueled @plant_proof @theguthealthmd

For the month of February I am doing a series of post highlighting Black Wellness and Health Influencers. The first installment is featuring Nutrition and Food individuals that are making a big impact in this space! Enjoy! @bryantterry @fitmencook @shawnmodel @foodheaven #blackhistorymonth #blackpowerfulwomen #blackhealthmatters #blackhealthlifestyle #vegansoulfood

You probably are deficient in Magnesium. Hit link in bio to read more. #magnesium #migraines #magnesiumdeficiency #wellnesswednesday @bulletproof @dave.asprey @bulletproofradio @moonjuice @megafood @thorneresearch #megafood #thorneresearch #readybyshara @readybyshara

Everyone have a wonderful day! @richroll @shawnmodel @theguthealthmd #microbiome #microbiomehealth #guthealth #guthealing #podcastroundup #wellnesswednesday #wellness

Check out this weeks blog post! Featuring @edmylett @shawnmodel @sonyalooney1 @drcaseyskitchen @levels #wellnesswednesday #metabolism #metabolichealth #glucosemonitoring

Hi all! This is a test blog post. Just getting my website up and running🥂🍾. There is good info in the test blog post though! #wellnessmama #skinnyconfidential #macros #dietcoaching #wellnesscoach link to site and blog post in bio. @shawnmodel @wellnessmama @theflexible.dieting.coach @tscpodcast

Archive

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• Interesting People
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• Medicinal Mushrooms
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• Omegas
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Sugar Addiction

Did you know Sugar is as addicting as Cocaine! People often enjoy the dopamine release sugar brings just as Cocaine. Sugar consumption can create a short-term high and a spark of energy in the body which for most becomes addicting. Similar to other addictive behaviors, sugar addiction can severely effect people already suffering with anxiety, hormone imbalances and stress. People will use Sugar treats to give them a fix of happiness that is short lived and more harmful than good. Sugar just like alcohol consumption creates long term effects that most of us know about like weight gain, but there are so many more.

Signs you are addicted to sugar:

You binge sweet treats

You crave Salty foods

You hide sweet treats

You feel shame after binging sweets

You feel a high after eating sweets and then feel depressed and worse off then before

You constantly crave sugar

You have brain fog if you don’t consistently consume sugar

You are constantly dehydrated

You eat sweets when you are upset or stressed

Most Americans are addicted to Sugar and don’e even realize it. The average american consumes 22 teaspoons of sugar a day and we are only suppose to have max 6 teaspoons. One Grande Mocha latte has 35 grams of sugar that equels 8.4 teaspoons. So with one drink you have surpassed your daily allowance and combined with the caffeine you have beat your adrenal glands to death. When you go back to work after your Latte break your body can’t deal with any stress that comes your way the rest of the day. You become, tired, overwhelmed, depressed and hungry which turns into hangry.

Now you know if you are addicted to sugar or not, so what can you do about it. Well, you can start to cut back on your sugar consumption by reading food labels. There are many types of sugar and the food industry hides them or makes you feel like you are eating a “healthy” type of sugar. Here are some terms for “Hidden” sugar:

• Agave nectar

• Honey

• Brown rice syrup

• High-fructose corn syrup

• Dextrose

• Evaporated cane juice

• Glucose

• Lactose

• Malt syrup

• Molasses

• Sucrose

• High fructose corn syrup

**Also any white starch you eat turns into sugar, white potatoes, white rice, white flour, pastas, any white starch

**Dairy is also high in sugar and can process to a higher level of sugar once consumed

Hidden sources of Sugar:

Tomato Sauce, Bar B Q Sauce, White Bread, Pasta, Salad Dressing, Flavored Instant Oatmeal, Breakfast Cereals, Yogurt, Milk, Pizza Crust, Chips, Granola bars, Energy Drinks, Sport Drinks, Canned Fruit, Dried Fruit, Protein Bars, Ketch Up, Boxed and Processed Foods, pre bottled Smoothies.

Sugar can also cause a lot of issues in your body such as Heart Disease, Liver issues, Kidney Issues, Diabetes, Cancer, Hormone Imbalances, Obesity, Depression, Anxiety, Infertility issues in Men and Women!

Go Deeper, Learn More….

I have a few podcast that I think may interest you if you want to learn more about Sugar Addiction. How to break the Sugar Addiction and the effects of sugar in your life.

The first is hosted by Dr. Mark Hyman, MD a very well know figure in the Health and Wellness Space. He is trusted and a huge proponent of the Pegan diet. He has written two great books: one called Food Fix, Vegan Diet, and Food- What the heck should I Cook? He talks with Keegan Allen and Tom Hopper about their addiction and what brought them to their breaking point and how they broke the addiction. The interview is entertaining very informative. You may know Keegan Allen from the hugely popular show Pretty Little Liars. Tom Hopper is most know for Game of Thrones and Merlin. They both dive deep into where their Sugar addiction began and how they realized they both had an issue. They go into what they did about it and how they keep sugar clear from their diet and how it changed their lives.

Click Here to Listen to the Podcast

Next are two different interviews on one Podcast called The Chalene Show by Chalene Johnson who has a huge fallowing and is a New York Times best selling author. She is a celebrity Fitness Trainer and believes in straight talk and wants to get to the truth in what makes you healthy and happy. She interviews JJ Virgin in the first podcast. JJ is a wealth of knowledge and goes into Sugar Addiction in a way that makes it easy to understand in how it effects the body. She gives solutions and guidance to kicking the habit as well. The next Podcast features one of my favorite guys Shawn Stevenson. This interview goes into more of the addiction and emotional side of Food and Sugar Addiction. Most of us know about Shawn, but if you don’t he is also a huge force in the Medical Research, Health, Fitness and Wellness. He just published the now best seller Eat Smarter.

Click Link to JJ Virgin Podcast Interview

Click Link to Shawn Stevenson Interview

Have a wonderful Wednesday and skip the sugar and mid day sugary coffee drink today and hopefully forever! It may just save your life!

Shara

Sources: https://www.webmd.com/diet/ss/slideshow-how-cut-back-sugar, https://www.addictioncenter.com/drugs/sugar-addiction/, https://health.clevelandclinic.org/break-your-sugar-addiction-in-10-days-infographic/, https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/how-to-break-the-sugar-habit-and-help-your-health-in-the-process, https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/experts-is-sugar-addictive-drug, https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/3-step-plan-to-stop-sugar-cravings

Fiber Fueled

If you have gas after eating vegetables and beans its a huge sign you are not getting enough fiber and your gut is extremely out of balance with good bacteria, and is struggling to digest food. Your body most likely is not getting nutrients it needs and using more energy and loosing nutrients and not properly being fueled. Fiber is probably one of the most under rated part of the Medical and Nutrition World. I guess its just not as sexy as Protein or Carbs but Fiber is extremely important to your body running on all four cylinders. I think people have a mental image of Metemucil that is prescribed to people later in life to get their bowls moving but Fiber is so much more then that.

Do you suffer with any of these symptoms:

• Inflammation

• Depression

• Acid reflux

• Mood Swings

• Ulcers

• Low Energy

• Poor Sleep

• Stubborn Acne or Cystic Acne

• Lack of stools (Chronic Constipation)

• Weight Gain

• Hemorrhoids

• Bloating and Access Gas

Do you have any of the chronic diseases:

• Diabetes

• Heart Disease

• IBS

• Auto Immune Disease

• Leaky Gut

• Colon Cancer

• Dumping Syndrome

• Diverticular Disease

• Breast Cancer

All of the these symptoms and Diseases are linked to not having a diet that is filled with whole food fiber sources. Scary right? You could be suffering with skin issues and have taken rounds of acuetanine, and if some one said “hey lets try a high fiber low animal protein diet for a while before we do this” you would have happily have tried it first before going though such a serous medication protocol. Also you are depressed, not sleeping well and are sluggish maybe before we prescribe a medication you could do some diet changes and see how you feel first maybe you would, wouldn’t you? Your body gives you signs its in jeopardy we just need to be able to pause and take notice and start asking questions and doing some research.

Daily Recommendations for Adults according to the Mayo Clinic Recommendations:

Men 38 grams per day ( Older then 51 is 30 grams a day)

Women 25 grams per day ( Older then 51 is 21 grams a day)

Th average that most Americans get is around 10 per day to 12 per day. So we are all pretty lacking and this can explain the high rates of many issues effecting Americans today. People talk about Probiotics and Gut health but the subject of Fiber and what are the types of fiber you should be eating and how much are never brought up. Fiber is crucial to making your gut health and full of good bacteria that protects you against Disease, makes your skin clear and your immune system strong to fight off invaders.

Basic Types of Fiber:

Soluble- dissolves in water and forms a gel like material and helps lower blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose levels, weight loss, skin issues etc.

Foods that have this type are: oats, peas, beans like lentils, apples, citrus fruits, carrots, asparagus, radishes, psyllium,

Insoluble- does not dissolve in water and promotes the movement of material through the digestive track. Helps with constipation and irregular bowls.

Foods that have this type are: whole-wheat flour, what bran, nuts, certain beans, cauliflower, green beans and potatoes.

But there is more…

Fermentable Fiber- fibers that the friendly gut bacteria are able to digest and use as fuel these are soluble and are in inulin a popular supplement. A whole food source is in Legumes and beans.

Viscous fiber- these are the gel-like fibers that sit in the gut and slow digestion so your food can actually absorb its nutrients and another benefit is feeling full longer and reducing your appetite. You can find this type of fiber in Psyllium, beta-glucans, guar gum and in whole food sources in certain types of Legumes, Asparagus, Brussel Sprouts, Oats, Oat Bran, Flax Seeds and Chia Seeds, Citrus Fruit, Mango, Avocado, Pineapple, Apples.

Resistant Starch- this means that the starches that you eat are resistant to digestion so it passes through you unchanged. This type is great for digestion and enhances and lowers insulin sensitivity, lowers blood pressure. Great sources are Green Bananas, certain legumes, Cashews, Raw oats. If you like rice and potatoes they have to un fried and cooked for long periods of time and completely cooled to attain the good starch in these foods.

Dr. Will Bulsiewicz is a MD and a Gastroenterologist and has written a guide to Gut Health through a Fiber filled diet. He goes in to peer-reviewed scientific evidence that he poured over to write his book called Fiber Fueled. In America we focus on diets about Keto and Paleo and eating like our Ancestors, but our Ancestors really didn’t eat a lot of Meat and Fat. Our Ancestors where always trying to just survive and not get eaten by the animals that we where “supposedly” to be feasting on. Remember, we where the hunted not the other way around so Fiber was key in our survival. Any meat and fat that we ate was a treat and rare except in places that smaller easily hunted and fished animals where available. Dr. Will’s book is compelling and worth the read or the listen in Audio format. He also gives recipes and plans to start your journey in repairing your gut and body as a whole. His website is full of information if you want to dive in and learn more about him and how he came to write his book and the work he is doing in his local area.

If you rather take in his research in a Podcast form I highly suggest you listen to his interview with Simon Hill. Dr. Bulsiewicz has been interviewed on many podcast and I have listened to quite a few, but this interview is probably the best of the best. Simon Hill is an Australian Physiotherapist and has a Masters Degree from Cornell University in Nutrition. He is a Plant based advocate and is a world renowned figure on the Health and Nutrition stage. He has quite an international fallowing on his web site called Plant Proof, Instagram and Podcast. Also his voice is amazing! He just has a way of understanding things and asking the right questions to help the listener get the most out of the information.

Click here to go to the Interview

Have a great week everyone and eat your Fiber!

Shara

Sources: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates/fiber/, https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/4-warning-signs-your-diet-may-lack-fiber, https://www.eatingwell.com/article/7871141/what-happens-to-your-body-when-you-don-t-eat-enough-fiber/, https://healthyeating.sfgate.com/problems-can-not-getting-enough-fiber-7557.html, https://blackdoctor.org/7-things-that-can-happen-when-you-dont-get-enough-fiber/, https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/fiber/art-20043983, https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/different-types-of-fiber#TOC_TITLE_HDR_4,

Spotlight on three Powerful Female Black Health and Wellness Professionals

Lestraundra Alfred of Balanced Black Girl

Interview on The Wellful

Lestraundra Alfred started in the Wellness space as a fitness trainer while she was working in the corporate world of Finance. She was burnt out by doing both but wanted to stay in the Wellness space to help people be at there best. She started a blog called The Balance Berry and went to training people full time. After observing that there was a huge hole in the Wellness space, especially the podcast world, she decided that is where I need to be. Well, her vision has come to life and is hugely popular. Her listeners get to know each other and even have a book club that has been born from her vision. Les’s work has become so powerful in the Wellness Space that Michelle Obama chose her book club to do a book reading before her Seattle tour date for the book Becoming. It’s exciting to see where she will go with this and what her platform will turn into. Check out her next Podcast where she covers Mental Health, Wellness, Nutrition and Fitness.

Podcast Link Instagram Link Website Link

Dr. Jackie Walters

Interview on Black Doctor.org

You may know Dr. Jackie Walters from the show Bravo’s Married To Medicine, but her real claim to fame is being one of the best OB-GYN’s in the country! She is considered top in her field winning many awards in her field. She is a Women’s advocate and a two time brat cancer survivor. She believes the key to health is Mental health and is a huge advocate that the Mind/Body connection is key in any health crisis. You don’t have to make an appointment to hear all of her knowledge either. Dr. Jackie has started a podcast that covers OB-GYN advice and Mental health also sharing her personal experience with leading health professionals and some of her exiting and interesting friends. Her life story is compelling and her advice and information is spot on. I know you will become addicted to her to!

Podcast Link Instagram Link Website Link

Dr. Jess (Jessica Clemons, MD)

Interview with Forbes Magazines

Dr. Jess is a board certified Psychiatrist based out of New York City. Some of you may already know Dr. Jess from her wildly popular Instagram fallowing. Dr. Jess has done something not many could or have! She has made caring for your mental health cool! Her mission was and is to break the stigma in the Black community to seeking Mental health help and to all people in general. Starting her Instagram that focuses on Mental health was a huge step and made her reach so great that she currently has over 78.5 thousand followers. She host live Q/A therapy sessions on her Instagram every Sat/Sun 2@ 12pm EST with a playlist that is inspired by the topic of the day. She has taken her platform and made Mental Health accessible and stripped the embarrassment from seeking help. Below is a interview by The Black Girl Bravado Podcast to get to know Dr. Jess better then check her Live Therapy session on her Instagram Account!

Podcast Interview Link Instagram Link Website Link

Spotlight on Black owned Health and Wellness Businesses

Dr. Sebi’s Cell Food

The nutrition company was started in 1960 by Dr. Sebi. A world renowned Herbalist. The company has quite a cult fallowing over the years and is respected for the quality of ingredients and research.

“Dr. Sebi studied herbs in Africa, the Caribbean, North America, and Central and South America. In Mexico he met an herbalist who alleviated all of his health complaints and explained to him that being from Africa, he should follow an original African diet!

Inspired by the mighty healing potential of herbs, Dr. Sebi went on to create natural vegetation cell food compounds that clean and replenish the body, the first prototypes of Dr. Sebi’s Cell Food.”

The line has everything from Medicinal Teas, Extracts, Supplements and Essential oil blends. His Bromide Plus capsules are consistently sold out. The website is full of information and you can learn more about Dr. Sebi. Dr. Sebi’s research has also been published into many books on nutrition and herbs as well. You can also find some podcast that he was interviewed in when he was alive as well.

Partake

Denise founder and CEO of Partake and her Daughter Vivienne

I can personally put my seal of approval on this yummy brand. I first found them in my local Trader Joe’s. These yummy cookies maybe small in size but have a lot of flavor with a crunch without crumbling like a lot of Gluten Free and Vegan products. The company is run and started by Denise Woodward a fed up Mom that could not find clean and tasty ready made snacks for her Daughter that was diagnosed with multiple food allergies. The cookies are certified Gluten Free, Non GMO, Vegan and Glysphote Residue Free. The cookies are also free of: peanuts, eggs, dairy, gluten, tree nuts, artificial flavors, preservatives and GMO’s. Denise has used her platform and her previous corporate knowledge to advocate for Black Female run and owned businesses. She created a mentor ship within her company to bring more opportunities for Black women into the Food industry. She is also a part of a food the Food Equality Initiative:

“Food allergies affect 1 in 13 children across our country, and according to Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE), Black children are at a significantly higher risk of developing these allergies. Getting safe food into the hands of food insecure families with food allergies is a top priority for Partake. We are partnering with Food Equality Initiative to ensure families in need have access to the food, education and advocacy they deserve.”

Black Zen

Black Zen co-founders Jasmine and Stacey Johnson

Black Zen Podcast

Co-founded by sisters Jasmine and Stacey Johnson is a company that seeks to bring the art and practice of Meditation to the Black and Brown community by “removing any and all social and financial barriers that restrict Black and Brown communities from discovering the benefits of meditation, and to make all communities feel included and seen in the wellness space” These ladies have been going strong for over 15 years and have been featured in the likes of Fastcompany, and Essence publications. You can listen to them on their podcast that usually post weekly. Check out their website to get more information on their services and learn more about meditation.

Ailey Extension

ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN DANCE THEATER CELEBRATES 60 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE WITH THE PHILADELPHIA PREMIERE OF RENNIE HARRIS’ NEWEST WORK "LAZARUS" AND OTHER ACCLAIMED WORKS, MARCH 1-2, 2019

Ailey Extension is an online and in person dance studio that brings the world famous Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater to you. Currently you can sign up for online Dance and fitness classes: Afro-Brazilian/Samba, Afro-Cuban, Contemporary, Barre Fitness, Jazz, Modern, Mambo, Salsa, Yoga, Stretching, Hip Hop, Ballet, Tap, Pilates and West African movement classes in live form. If you don’t know who Alvin Ailey is you should for sure look in to him and his Dance Company. The company is a New York City staple and the first world renown Black dance company of its kind. I have taken many master classes with his company members over the years and it was an experience of a life time. So if you are tired of the fitness apps out there or want to try something new then sign up and experience the world of Alvin Ailey.

Spotlight on Black Health and Wellness Influencers

For the month of February I wanted to focus and high light Black people that are making a difference in the Health and Wellness community that are breaking through a very White predominate space. This will be for the whole month of February and possibly you will discover a new brand, Chef, Podcaster, Researcher, Physician or Specialist that you didn’t know was out there making their contribution to keep us fit, healthy and looking and feeling our best!

For our first installment of this series we focus on Food and Nutrition. These five individuals are breaking bearers in the Nutrition and Food space.

Kevin Curry, famous for his blog, app, book called Fitmencook. Kevin is a very energetic guy that loves to cook and loves to make food taste good and be easy to make in the most healthful possible way. I love his app and quite a few people I know use his app daily. He has something for everyone and with just about any dietary need you can imagine. Click on any of the above links in Blue to learn more about his recipes and advice.

Jessica Jones and Andy Lopez of the popular Food Heaven Podcast are telling it like it is! These two are all about living more healthy balanced lives without restrictive diets and quick fixes. They are real world experts as registered dietitian nutritionists. They give the science and the facts in a real world approach. Click here to learn more.

Shawn Stevenson is a long time fitness and nutrition expert and founder of the Advanced Integrative Health Alliance. He is an author of a New York Times best selling book called Sleep Smarter and Eat Smarter. His wildly popular The Model Health Show is always at the top of the Apple’s Podcast charts. His information is well researched and shares only per-reviewed studies, so you can count on what he is educating us on is of great value. His personal story is inspiring of how came to the Nutrition and Fitness space. You can click here to read more about him.

Bryant Terry is a James Beard Award-Winning chef that specializes in Plant based recipes. I have been cooking from his cookbooks for years. To me he is basically a food god with the likes of Thomas Keller! He takes being Plant based to another level of pure YUM! He has published several cookbooks and is an activist for a sustainable food system. His current home is in San Francisco were he is the Chef-in-Residence for the Museum of the African Diaspora. Click here to read more about this wonderful and inspiring Man.

I hope you all take time to dig in and learn more about these amazing people. I know Bryant Terry has been a huge influence in my life and maybe one or all them will be for you to!

Happy Wellness Wednesday!

Shara

• Cooking
  • Jan 31, 2022 Sakara Life Jan 31, 2022
  • Jun 29, 2021 Summer Series- Tools and Gadgets to get you through a Hot Summer in the Kitchen Jun 29, 2021
• Happy Home
  • Jun 29, 2021 Summer Series- Tools and Gadgets to get you through a Hot Summer in the Kitchen Jun 29, 2021
• Health
  • Jan 31, 2022 Sakara Life Jan 31, 2022
  • Jun 22, 2021 Summer Series- SkinCare Jun 22, 2021
  • Jun 15, 2021 Summer Health Series- Barbecuing Jun 15, 2021
  • Jun 2, 2021 Summer Kick Start Cleanse Jun 2, 2021
  • May 4, 2021 Performance Recovery Series for the Month of May May 4, 2021
  • Apr 27, 2021 Smoothies that Keep You Full Apr 27, 2021
  • Apr 19, 2021 Seasonal Allergy Remedies Apr 19, 2021
  • Apr 13, 2021 Omegas- Essential Fatty Acids Apr 13, 2021
  • Mar 30, 2021 Medicinal Mushrooms Mar 30, 2021
  • Mar 24, 2021 Ayurvedic Medicine Mar 24, 2021
  • Mar 17, 2021 Love Your Liver and The Rain Barrel Effect Mar 17, 2021
  • Mar 9, 2021 Sugar Addiction Mar 9, 2021
  • Feb 23, 2021 Spotlight on three Powerful Female Black Health and Wellness Professionals Feb 23, 2021
  • Feb 18, 2021 Spotlight on Black owned Health and Wellness Businesses Feb 18, 2021
  • Feb 3, 2021 Spotlight on Black Health and Wellness Influencers Feb 3, 2021
  • Jan 27, 2021 Signs of Magnesium Deficiency Jan 27, 2021
  • Jan 19, 2021 Wellness Wednesday-Microbiome Jan 19, 2021
  • Jan 13, 2021 Wellness Wednesday- Metabolic Health Jan 13, 2021
  • Jan 10, 2021 Eat smarter... Jan 10, 2021
• Skincare
  • Jan 31, 2022 Sakara Life Jan 31, 2022
  • Jun 22, 2021 Summer Series- SkinCare Jun 22, 2021
• Wellness Wednesday
  • Jan 31, 2022 Sakara Life Jan 31, 2022
  • Jul 5, 2021 Summer Series- Book Recommendations for a Summer Spent Indoors Jul 5, 2021
  • Jun 29, 2021 Summer Series- Tools and Gadgets to get you through a Hot Summer in the Kitchen Jun 29, 2021
  • Jun 22, 2021 Summer Series- SkinCare Jun 22, 2021
  • Jun 15, 2021 Summer Health Series- Barbecuing Jun 15, 2021
  • Jun 2, 2021 Summer Kick Start Cleanse Jun 2, 2021
  • May 11, 2021 Cross Training for Recovery and Performance May 11, 2021
  • May 4, 2021 Performance Recovery Series for the Month of May May 4, 2021
  • Apr 27, 2021 Smoothies that Keep You Full Apr 27, 2021
  • Apr 19, 2021 Seasonal Allergy Remedies Apr 19, 2021
  • Apr 13, 2021 Omegas- Essential Fatty Acids Apr 13, 2021
  • Mar 30, 2021 Medicinal Mushrooms Mar 30, 2021
  • Mar 24, 2021 Ayurvedic Medicine Mar 24, 2021
  • Mar 17, 2021 Love Your Liver and The Rain Barrel Effect Mar 17, 2021
  • Mar 9, 2021 Sugar Addiction Mar 9, 2021
  • Mar 4, 2021 Fiber Fueled Mar 4, 2021
  • Feb 23, 2021 Spotlight on three Powerful Female Black Health and Wellness Professionals Feb 23, 2021
  • Feb 18, 2021 Spotlight on Black owned Health and Wellness Businesses Feb 18, 2021
  • Feb 3, 2021 Spotlight on Black Health and Wellness Influencers Feb 3, 2021
  • Jan 27, 2021 Signs of Magnesium Deficiency Jan 27, 2021
  • Jan 19, 2021 Wellness Wednesday-Microbiome Jan 19, 2021
  • Jan 13, 2021 Wellness Wednesday- Metabolic Health Jan 13, 2021
  • Jan 10, 2021 Eat smarter... Jan 10, 2021