Blog

Every time I walk into a gym, I’m always shocked to see just how crowded the treadmills and ellipticals are. You know exactly what I’m talking about: the people who spend hours of their day running! Okay, I’m not entirely shocked...for years, many health experts have been telling us the wrong information about working out as it relates to weight loss. That’s a common misconception my patients fall prey to all the time. So listen up if you’re looking to go down a jeans size and slim that waistline...but you can’t stand the idea of doing 2 hours of cardio a day… Because I’ve got GREAT news for you: Long bouts of cardio is a waste of your time. So if you’re wondering why you’re not losing weight--even after an hour on the treadmill a couple times a week...it has nothing to do with your genetics. And you can take a big sigh of relief, because adding an extra hour on that treadmill will NOT get you better results. Instead, let me introduce you to HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training). It’s a fat-blasting method of cardio that turns your body into fat-burning machine. What is HIIT? Just as the name implies, HIIT involves short bursts of intense workouts--like sprints or weight training for thirty minutes. They key here is you’re doing 30 seconds of intense workouts (like sprints--my FAVORITE workout while I’m traveling), and 30 seconds of rest, for example...rather than 30 minutes of steady jogging. And guess what? Extra fat HATES this! That’s good news for you, because after you’re done with your HIIT workouts...your body continues to burn fat. Now that’s bang for your buck, baby! But that’s not all... Did You Know HIIT Has Anti-Aging Benefits, Too? There was a study recently published in the Cell Metabolism journal. Here’s what happened. They took 72 sedentary adults. Each participant was given a 12-week workout routine: 1) HIIT cycling, 2) strength training, or 3) a combination. At the end of the 12 weeks, the researchers biopsied tissue samples and analyzed cells from before and after the experiment. Turns out, the group with the HIIT cycling routine reversed many age-related differences. The group who did the HIIT got the biggest benefit at the cellular level. They had a 49%-69% boost in mitochondrial capacity--the ability to produce energy. Which means, they had that youthful energy from their 30s!   Plus, the group of older adults (ages 65-80) had cells that LOOKED much younger under a microscope. It's like they turned back time with this simple exercise routine! Different Types of HIIT I used running as an example earlier, but HIIT applies to ALL kinds of cardio. As long as you’re varying your levels of intensity in intervals, you can use HIIT with: Biking Hiking Sprinting Weight training Air squats Burpees Jumping lunges High knees Stepping Machines ...and so much more! You can get creative, as long as what you’re doing is intense and makes you sweat. The Best Part About HIIT: You only need 10 minutes Instead of going for a morning run for 1-2 hours, all you need is 10 minutes a day to reap some amazing results on your waistline. I typically recommend 2-3 times a week. Whenever I’m traveling, I make it a point to get my HIIT workout in--whether it’s sprints on the beach or squats in my hotel room. Keep thinking and living BOLD!   P.S. I can’t say enough about the amazing benefits of HIIT workouts and I love the Xiser for HIIT workouts. Xiser is a compact, portable stepping machine and the only stepper geared toward high intensity training. Learn more about this fat-burning, HIIT machine.

When you stagger out of bed in the morning, does that first cup of coffee bring you back to life? Well, guess what: It may actually be saving your life as well! According to two huge new studies, your coffee habit could be adding years to your life. Here’s what they found: One study analyzed coffee consumption over an average of more than 16 years among more than 185,000 people of different ethnicities. The researchers found that drinking one cup of coffee a day—either caffeinated or decaf—was linked to a 12% lower risk of death at any age, from any cause. People drinking two or three cups a day had an 18% lower risk. The researchers say, “We found that coffee drinkers had a reduced risk of death from heart disease, from cancer, from stroke, respiratory disease, diabetes and kidney disease.”  The second study followed more than 450,000 people in ten European countries, also for an average of just over 16 years. Controlling for many factors including age, smoking, physical activity, and education, the researchers found that men drinking three or more cups of caffeinated or decaf coffee per day had an 18% lower risk of death at any age than non-drinkers did, while women had an 8% lower risk. The researchers also found that coffee drinkers had healthier liver enzymes and better glucose control. The researchers in both studies do caution that there may be other factors involved here. However, these are just the latest of many studies showing coffee’s benefits. (I recently reviewed some of these benefits, including better health and faster weight loss,) And these new results are so amazing—especially since they involve hundreds of thousands of people, followed over many years—that I think coffee truly deserves the title of SUPERFOOD. How to get the most from your coffee There’s coffee, and then there’s good coffee. And to reap the most benefits from your coffee fix, you need to drink the good stuff. Here are two tips: At coffee shops, avoid that stuff loaded with sugar, milk, and artificial flavors, and go for straight-up black coffee—or add coconut milk or almond milk if it’s available.  At home, avoid buying super-cheap coffee (unless it’s all you can afford), and instead spend a few extra pennies on a better brand. Quality matters here. When you drink coffee, be sure to listen to your body. Some people can handle lots of coffee, and others can’t—especially if it’s caffeinated. If you feel jittery, can’t sleep well, get an upset stomach, or experience heart palpitations, cut back or switch to decaf. (And if you’re pregnant or nursing, ask your doctor how much coffee is safe for you to drink.) Also, pace yourself. I’ve learned the hard way to stop waiters from topping off my coffee every ten minutes. Otherwise, I wind up looking like that over-caffeinated squirrel in Over the Hedge. As long as you keep these tips in mind, coffee can be an awesome part of your daily health routine. So kick back and pour yourself a cup… it’ll give you a burst of energy, rev up your weight loss, and maybe even save your life! Keep thinking Big and living BOLD!

When it comes to organs, your heart gets all the love. Heck, we even exchange heart-shaped cards on Valentine’s Day. (Seriously… what other organ has its own holiday?) But you know which unsung hero also deserves a lot of love? Your liver. Odds are, you don’t think much about this hard-working organ. So today, I’d like to explain why it’s so amazing… and then I want to warn you about a new, dangerous, and preventable liver problem that’s becoming epidemic. What is the function of the liver? Every organ in your body works hard—but it’s fair to say that of all of them, your liver works the hardest. For instance, do you know which organ does the heavy lifting when it comes to sweeping toxins out of your body? Your liver. Since you’re exposed to hundreds of toxins each day in your food and water, that’s a huge task. But that’s not all your liver does. In addition, it converts nutrients in your diet into forms your body can use, stores nutrients until you need them, and ships your cells the nutrients they need. In effect, your liver processes everything you eat or drink, either prepping it for your body to use or getting rid of it. That’s a big job description, so you can see why this humble organ deserves a whole lot of respect. How does your liver start to fail? Because your liver juggles so many tasks, you need to keep it in great shape if you want to be in great shape. If you don’t give it some love, and it starts to get sick, very bad things can happen. A sudden insult (for instance, a big dose of acetaminophen) can cause acute liver damage so severe that a transplant becomes necessary. Ongoing insults, on the other hand—for instance, constant, low-level exposure to toxins—can lead to chronic liver disease that develops over time. This can make you sick all over, causing symptoms ranging from weakness, fatigue, headaches, and “brain fog” to jaundice, rashes, and fluid buildup in your belly and legs. Two of the most common problems that can affect the liver are: Hepatitis. This disease involves inflammation of the liver cells. Acute hepatitis can either heal on its own, lead to chronic hepatitis, or cause acute liver failure. Chronic hepatitis can lead to liver failure or liver cancer. While genes, autoimmunity, and infections are common factors in hepatitis, alcohol abuse and toxic overloads can also cause it. Cirrhosis. This occurs when chronic inflammation damages liver cells, which become replaced by scar tissue. Many factors, including alcohol abuse, can contribute to cirrhosis. What is the biggest strain on the liver? We all know that alcohol is a major cause of liver disease, and you may already know about the dangers of acetaminophen as well. So if you hear that someone has an acute or chronic liver problem, you may think “OD’d on Tylenol” (acute) or “drank too much vodka” (chronic). But now, there’s another culprit to add to your list. Today, the most common cause of liver dysfunction in the Western world is non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)—and it’s a huge and growing epidemic. NAFLD currently affects an estimated 64 million people in the United States, and people battling Type 2 diabetes or obesity are at especially high risk. NAFLD can progress to a serious condition called nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which occurs when fat and scar tissue accumulate in the liver. According to an article in Scientific American, “By 2020, NASH is projected to overtake hepatitis C as the leading cause of liver transplants in the U.S.” And that’s just the start of the bad news. NAFLD can also lead to inflammation, increased belly fat, insulin resistance, pre-diabetes, unhealthy cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and an increased risk for heart attacks. What causes NAFLD? A typical American lifestyle—and in particular, one loaded with sugar and other junk foods. Simply put, NAFLD is a lifestyle disease brought on by a sugary, highly-processed diet, a lack of exercise, and other poor health choices. While drug companies are always looking for remedies, the best way to prevent or reverse NAFLD—and to protect yourself from other types of liver damage—is by changing your diet and lifestyle. Liver repair diet Luckily, there are powerful strategies for keeping your liver going strong or healing it if it’s hurting. When you put these strategies in place, you’ll discover that you look better, feel better, and lose weight more easily. Here are my 12 favorite ways to love your liver: Cut out the sugar to repair your liver. One of the biggest culprits in NAFLD is fructose. As my colleague Dr. Mark Harman explains, “Fructose, the most detrimental sugar that heads directly to your liver, actually ramps up lipogenesis. That explains why sugar, especially fructose, becomes the chief cause of liver disease and the leading cause of liver transplants.” While fructose is the major villain in NAFLD, eating too much of any type of sugar will whack your liver. So reduce the amount of sugar in your diet—or better yet, cut it out entirely except for small doses of healthy fruits and very occasional servings of natural sweeteners like honey and molasses. Eat liver-healing foods. Here are some of the best ones to add to your diet: Eggs are high in choline. Choline is lipotropic, meaning that it helps to carry fat away from your liver so your body can break it down and metabolize it. Bone broth is rich in the amino acid glycine, which plays a key role in your liver detoxification pathway. Dandelion greens contain the chemical component taraxacin, which stimulates digestive organs and helps your liver and gallbladder release bile. Artichokes are loaded with the liver-nourishing compound silymarin. The glucosinolates in cruciferous veggies and horseradish increase your liver’s ability to detoxify carcinogens. Sulfur-rich foods are liver detox superstars. They include cruciferous vegetables, pasture-raised eggs, raw nuts, chives, garlic, leeks, onions, and scallions. Ginger and garlic are fantastic for your liver. I’m also a fan of turmeric, which contains curcuminoids that can protect your liver cells from cirrhosis. You will heal your liver faster when you buy organic whenever possible. This is a very effective way to reduce your body burden of toxins. If buying completely organic isn’t affordable for you, check out the Environmental Working Group’s Clean 15 and Dirty Dozen lists to find the least- and most-contaminated fruits and veggies. Eat clean meats to heal your liver. Conventionally raised beef, chicken, and even fish come from animals pumped full of hormones, antibiotics, and other potential toxins that—you guessed it—have to make their way through your already-overworked liver. When possible, opt for pastured meat and poultry and wild-caught fish. If that’s out of reach on your budget, cut the fat off meat and take the skin off poultry (since that’s where many of the pollutants wind up). Lifestyle changes to heal your liver. Heal your liver by managing your toxic load. The more toxins you eliminate from your life, the healthier your liver will be. So “go green” when you choose your makeup, soaps, shampoos, cleaning supplies, and other household products. Choose to add color to your life to heal your liver. When you pick fruits and veggies, select a rainbow of them. The more colors, the better! That’s because you’ll get a wider range of liver-protecting nutrients that will work synergistically. Drinking plenty of water will help heal your life. Water helps cleanse and detoxify your liver. Filter your water to remove chlorine and other contaminants that can make your liver work harder. Heal your liver with great sleep. Sleep helps your liver rest and repair itself. If you have sleep apnea, get it treated, because untreated sleep apnea can increase your risk for fatty liver disease. Acetaminophen is a culprit for destroying your liver. I know how tempting it is to reach for a Tylenol when you’re hurting. But whenever possible, lay off the acetaminophen and instead reach for natural anti-inflammatory, calming nutrients including curcumin, ginger, magnesium, and essential oils. Above all, DO NOT combine acetaminophen with alcohol. It’s one of the worst things you can do to your liver, and it can put you on the transplant list. Watching your alcohol will help heal your liver. An occasional drink can actually be good for you (I’ll talk about this in an upcoming post), but heavy alcohol use delivers a serious whammy to your liver. Exercise frequently to heal your liver. One recent study of patients diagnosed with fatty liver disease found that resistance training significantly decreased their liver fat. Animal research indicates that aerobic exercise can help protect your liver, too. Try to heal your liver with protecting nutrients. My favorites include: Lipoic acid. This rock star works as an antioxidant in its own right and helps regenerate other antioxidants. N-acetyl cysteine (NAC). This helps your liver build optimal amounts of the antioxidant glutathione. Hospitals give NAC for acute acetaminophen poisoning. Silymarin (milk thistle). This powerful anti-inflammatory, liver-protecting herb helps your liver cells regenerate. The more of these strategies you implement, the happier and healthier your liver will be. So show your liver some love, and make every day a holiday for this hard-working organ! Keep thinking Big and living BOLD!  

Every day, another health scare makes the headlines. And you know what? Sometimes, these alarming reports are misleading. The latest scary story is a good case in point. It focuses on a report from the American Heart Association saying that coconut oil is high in saturated fats (cue scary music) and may raise your LDL cholesterol. This all sounds very disturbing, especially if you’re worried about your cardiovascular health. As you all know by now, I’m a fan of coconut oil. So I’d like to take a minute to set the record straight when it comes to the saturated fat in coconut oil and the LDL issue. Is saturated fat evil? One issue raised by the new report is that coconut oil is very high in saturated fat. So the first question we need to address here is: Should you be scared of saturated fat? Fortunately, the answer is no. Here are two of the most recent studies to address this topic: A 2014 meta-analysis (a powerful type of study that combines data from many other studies) found NO association between saturated fat and all-cause mortality, coronary heart disease, ischemic stroke, or type 2 diabetes. The researchers concluded, “Current evidence does not clearly support cardiovascular guidelines that encourage high consumption of polyunsaturated fatty acids and low consumption of total saturated fats.” A 2015 study in the British Medical Journal came to the same conclusions: “Saturated fats are not associated with all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease, ischemic stroke, or type 2 diabetes.” Clearly, saturated fat isn’t a bogeyman when it comes to your cardiovascular health. As cardiologist Aseem Malhotra recently put it, “This idea that dietary saturated fats build up in the coronary arteries is complete unscientific nonsense.” Let me add three caveats here, however: First, it does appear that it’s not good to eat saturated fat along with huge amounts of carbohydrates and sugar, because this can increase the bad effects of the carbs and sugar. The solution here is obvious: cut out the carbs and sugar, not the fat! If you aren’t willing to do that, then you should limit your saturated fat intake. Second, saturated fats are healthy, but you don’t want to overload yourself with them. One problem I see in my practice is that many dieters interpret “low-carb” to mean “eat tons of fat.” That’s a bad idea with coconut oil or any other fat, no matter how healthy it is. Third, different bodies respond in different ways to foods, so the right amount of saturated fat for one person might be too much for another. One thing I stress as a naturopathic physician is to do what works for your own body. By the way, while we’re talking about saturated fats, one important thing to know is that coconut oil is different from other types of saturated fat. That’s because the saturated fats in coconut are primarily medium-chain triglycerides, which are easier to metabolize and are burned quickly as energy rather than stored as fat. Here’s what one group of researchers recently had to say about the beneficial properties of coconut oil: Unlike most other dietary fats that are high in long-chain fatty acids, coconut oil comprises medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA). MCFA are unique in that they are easily absorbed and metabolized by the liver, and can be converted to ketones. Ketone bodies are an important alternative energy source in the brain, and may be beneficial to people developing or already with memory impairment, as in Alzheimer's disease (AD)… Evidence is mounting to support the concept that coconut may be beneficial in the treatment of obesity, dyslipidaemia, elevated LDL, insulin resistance and hypertension— these are the risk factors for CVD and type 2 diabetes, and also for AD. Sounds remarkably healthy to me… how about you? Does coconut oil worsen your cholesterol? The AHA’s report is surprisingly out-of-date when it comes to cholesterol. That’s because here’s something the rest of us have known for years: It’s not your overall cholesterol but your ratio of good to bad cholesterol that matters. So let’s look at the evidence when it comes to coconut oil, cholesterol, and related health markers. In one study, 40 women with abdominal obesity ate soybean oil or coconut oil three times a day for 12 weeks. They also ate a low-calorie diet and walked 50 minutes a day. Both groups lost weight, but the coconut oil group reduced their waist circumference, while the soybean oil group experienced a slight increase. Moreover, the coconut oil group had increased levels of HDL (the “good” cholesterol) and a 35 percent decrease in C-reactive protein (CRP), an inflammatory marker. In another study, 11 women ate three different diets: a high-fat, coconut oil based diet; a low-fat, coconut oil based diet; and a diet in which most of the oils were highly unsaturated. The women ate each diet for about three weeks, eating their regular diets for one week in between. The result: Women who consumed the high-fat, coconut oil based diet had the largest reductions in markers of inflammation after meals, as well as the greatest reduction in fasting markers of heart disease risk. Still another study, this one of 116 patients with coronary artery disease, found that a diet rich in coconut oil increased HDL cholesterol (the “good” cholesterol) and decreased waist circumference and body mass. In short, while coconut oil may raise LDL levels, studies confirm that it also raises HDL levels—and it’s the ratio that matters here. In addition, the research shows that a diet rich in coconut oil leads to weight loss, reductions in body mass, and a drop in CRP (which is a very important marker for inflammation and cardiovascular risk). The bottom line... The evidence clearly shows that coconut oil is good for your heart. It optimizes your HDL, helps you shed excess pounds, and reduces inflammation—which is the #1 cause of heart disease. (Want a bonus? It even has anti-microbial properties.) As with any fat, you don’t want to overdo it—but adding a little bit to your diet is likely to do wonders for you. So my advice is: Ignore the AHA’s fear-mongering, and look at the facts. These facts clearly show that coconut oil is good for your heart, good for your waistline, and good for your health. Keep thinking Big and living BOLD!

It’s Father’s Day, and it’s time to tell your dad how much you love him for being your rock—your strongest protector, your biggest fan, and the #1 guy in your life. In an earlier post, I told you a little about my own dad. (That’s him in the photo; I’m the girl in front.)  I call him my “Dare to Be Great” dad because he never settled for good enough. My dad’s parents, who came from a small town in Italy, immigrated to America without a dime. No education, no driver’s license, no English, no nothing. My grandfather got a job working on the train tracks, and my grandma had a baby every year until the headcount was nine. As a kid, my dad got a paper route as soon as he was big enough to carry a sack of newspapers. Later in life, he worked for years at the steel mill—the best career in town at the time. One day, the owners offered him a prestigious position as a manager. The word spread like wildfire through the town: “Johnny’s getting the job!” And then he did something no one expected. He turned it down. Why? Because he dared to be great. He wanted to start his own business, and be his own boss. He wanted the American dream. So he left the mill, and took out a one-year lease on a butcher shop. Unfortunately, he was squeamish—and all day long, surrounded by bloody cuts of meat, he had to fight the urge to barf. At the end of the day, he couldn’t wait to get out of there. After the year was up, he opened a barber shop. It was a great idea—until the mop-haired Beatles came on the scene, and short haircuts went right out of style. Undaunted, my dad put a row of bowling balls in his shop window and started a new enterprise: drilling bowling ball holes and selling bowling balls, bags, shirts, shoes, and trophies. It became a family affair, with my mom engraving the trophies and me arriving every day after school to dust the trophies, clean the windows, and vacuum the floor. The sporting goods store took off, and my dad realized his dream: to be a successful entrepreneur. (Oh, and that steel mill? It folded.) Watching my dad single-mindedly pursue his vision, despite the risks and pain and hard work involved, inspired me to dare to be great myself. From his example, I learned that you need to roll the dice—sometimes over and over again. I learned that you can achieve huge goals through hard, HARD work. I learned that you can succeed honestly, rather than reaching your goals in an underhanded way. And boy, did I learn to be positive. I tell you, the man never has a negative thought. With my dad as my role model, I followed my own vision. Sure, sometimes I fell flat on my face. But like him, I kept going until I achieved my dreams. And he’s stood by me every step of the way. If your dad is a rock like mine, he’s encouraged you to work hard and dream big. He’s taught you to be honest, kind, and fiercely loyal to the people who matter to you. And through his example, he’s inspired you to become the best “you” that you can be. What’s more, he’s always been there for you. Over the years, he showed you how to peddle a trike, ride a bike, and drive a car. He tolerated your boy-band crushes, helped you with algebra, and tried to understand your teenage moods. He helped pay for the braces, the pizza parties, the prom limo, and college. And he hated every one of your dates, because he thought that not one of them was good enough for you. All that loving care deserves a great-big thank-you.  So don’t just buy your dad some golf balls or a gift card. Instead, go out of your way to tell your dad (or the father of your own kids) how amazing he is. Think about the things you love and appreciate most about him, and then TELL HIM about them. Better yet, write your words down so he can read them again and again. (While he may not admit it—after all, he’s a guy—he will treasure that piece of paper forever.) Remember, ties and gift cards are fine—but most of all, dads need to know that they matter. A letter that says “I love you because…” is worth more than any gift you can wrap. Also, instead of baking him a Father’s Day cake or taking him out for a fattening breakfast, tell him you care by giving him gifts that are good for him. Sometimes, a rock needs a little nudge to trim off those extra pounds and get healthy. So consider gifting your dad or the father of your children with a gym membership, a set of weights, or some of my protein powder. Your rock is always looking out for you, and this is a good opportunity to look out for him. Send him the message, “I love you—and I want you to be around for a long, long time!” From Team Kellyann to all the great dads out there: You’re awesome—and may your Father’s Day be awesome, too! Keep thinking Big and living BOLD!

For this post I'm turning over my blog over to Dr. Anna Cabeca, Emory University trained gynecologist and obstetrician and menopause and sexual health expert, so she can let you know more about keeping your "lady parts" healthy. Here's Dr. Cabeca... You can see the health of your face; the wrinkles, the dryness or irritation (such as breakouts from pH imbalances, toxins and stress), sunburns and more. The same thing can be said about your “lady parts”! Yes, it’s true! A doctor can look and easily see if your skin “down there” is dry and irritated. Is it a healthy color, is it a healthy pH? Is there discharge or a brewing infection? How is the vaginal musculature? But shouldn’t YOU know what’s going on “down there”? After all, it’s YOUR body! And the health of your feminine parts is so important to your overall health and happiness! I can’t tell you how many patients and clients come to me saying they can’t even go jogging, or enjoy a favorite sport, as they are in pain or need to wear a pad due to urinary leakage. As we age our hormones naturally decline and this has a direct impact on our lady parts. As a gynecologist, I always tell my female clients – even those who are not having sex – that they need to know what’s going on in their vagina and vulva, especially relating to their overall pelvic health. The reason? If your vagina and pelvic floor muscles are not continually cared for, you are likely to experience resultant symptoms. And those are going to get worse over time. That tiny leak of pee that occurs every time you laugh can turn into the need for surgery down the road! And increasing dryness and discomfort can make you shy away from things that have always brought you great happiness and pleasure. So grab a mirror and let’s check out those lady bits! You should assess your vulva and vaginal area just like you would check out those breakouts on your face. Learn what’s normal for you. Know when you need to ask your doctor questions!  Evaluate if what you are doing to care for your feminine parts is adequate. Know what causes irritations or other problems (is it that new bubble bath or fancy soap?). Are your folds red or burning? Wait? What’s a fold…? Well, maybe you need to know where to find things first. Where the heck is your vulva? The parts of your vulva can be depicted with an orchid You can view my short video to learn where your vulva is as well as learn a bit about the different aspects of your vulva. I like to use the analogy of an orchid when talking about the vulva as it is so appropriate! Just like with orchids, vulvas come in many variations, shapes and sizes; all completely normal. Know that “normal” is what is normal for YOU. Don’t get caught up in media depictions of “perfect” vulvas! So many women run to get their vulva “fixed” with surgery. I say, “Don’t do it!” The video also mentions a few things you should do to keep things healthy “down there.”   One important aspect of keeping your lady bits in top shape is exercise. But do you know which kind? Why a healthy hammock is so important Along with checking your vulva and understanding what’s normal for you, you need to focus on the musculature beneath this area. The muscles here will determine whether you experience urinary leakage when you laugh or cough. I refer to these muscles as a “hammock” as it a great visual similar to my use of “orchid” to depict your vulva… Your pelvic floor muscles are very much like a hammock, see the picture… and they very much hold everything up! Your pelvic floor and vaginal musculature needs to be strong or you are likely to experience incontinence as well as pelvic prolapse issues (as organs fall downward) Over time, natural hormone declines as well as “life” can weaken these muscles. Pregnancies, being overweight, improperly done exercises, squats or pilates for instance, as well as being sedentary affect our pelvic floor muscles. Darn! The best thing you can do to maintain these all-important muscles is to exercise them. And the best way to do that is through Kegel exercises. How to do the perfect Kegel (and keep that hammock strong!) A lot of women don’t do Kegels on a regular basis. And many women do Kegel exercises incorrectly! Do you? (and how can you know?) To be sure ask your gynecologist during your annual exam! This is the type of discussion you should already be having with your doctor! A self-test you can do is to try and stop your urine midstream when you are peeing. If you can’t stop your urine stream, your pelvic floor muscles are likely not as strong as they should be. Note that this isn’t a test you should repeat too often (and definitely don’t do this as an exercise routine!) as it can work against your muscle control. Just do it to initially self-test yourself…and maybe repeat in a month if you implement Kegels. And then test yourself infrequently after that. Again, doing Kegels is important so that, You won’t have urinary leakages when you cough, sneeze and laugh! Your pelvic muscles keep providing optimum support to your bladder, vagina and uterus. You will have more pleasure, intense orgasms. You can stay more active. You have increased healthy blood vessels and blood flow and nerve supply to your vital pelvic tissues. You have increased confidence and self-esteem to live your life fully. Here’s how to do the perfect Kegels Envision your perineal body, which is the general region between the vagina and anus. Pull up on an exhale and really feel those pelvic floor muscles come up and contract together. Initially, hold for a count of three. Eventually you'll get up to a count of six or a count of eight. Then relax. While you're holding your pelvic muscles up, I want you to practice continuing to breathe normally and relax—so you don't create counterproductive abdominal pressure that will work against your efforts. Repeat three sets of eight lifts, three to five times per week. I also created a helpful video that will give you a more in-depth explanation!   How to test that you're doing your Kegels correctly. An easy way to check is to put your fingers on the perineal body and as you contract your pelvic floor, pulling it up, you should feel it rise. Ideally, you should first do it lying down on your side, where you're not putting any abdominal pressure on your pelvic floor so you can relax and focus on the muscles. Remember my visuals for your feminine health! Orchids come in all variations, but all are beautiful and all need nurturing to thrive. One great way to nourish this area is with my beautiful new Julva® restorative feminine cream. Julva addresses so many issues women face as their hormones naturally decline, including vaginal dryness and discomfort (which can often be a problem for younger women, too). Hammocks are needed for strength (and to defy gravity!)! So when was the last time you did a Kegel? And as an added benefit, my Julva feminine cream contains DHEA which research has shown improves the musculature of all three layers - the deeper layers - of the vagina. This increases the density of collagen fibers in the vaginal wall and stimulates the muscle layer. So take care of the beautiful feminine you so that you can live a long, happy life without giving in to embarrassing and uncomfortable symptoms.   Dr. Anna Cabeca Bio: Dr. Anna Cabeca is an Emory University trained gynecologist and obstetrician, a menopause and sexual health expert and international speaker and educator. She created the top selling products Julva - an anti-aging feminine cream for women and online programs Magic Menopause, Women’s Restorative Health and SexualCPR. You can read more on her blog at DrAnnaCabeca.com, and follow her on Facebook and Twitter. 

Are you gaining weight? Feeling tired and achy? Craving sweet and salty foods? Battling “brain fog” or feeling moody and irritable? If so, there’s a chance that a single culprit underlies every one of your symptoms—and the good news is that there’s a fix for it.Today, I’m going to introduce you to this culprit. It’s called adrenal fatigue, it’s epidemic in today’s society, and it might explain every symptom you’re battling. In this post, I’ll tell you why adrenal fatigue happens and how you can recover from it. But first, since you might not have thought much about your adrenal glands since high school science class, here’s a quick look at what they are and what they do. What are your adrenal glands? Your adrenal glands are two small glands that sit on top of your kidneys, a little like mushroom caps. While they’re tiny, they play a powerful role in both your health and your weight. These glands have many important jobs, and one of the biggest is to step in when you’re stressed and tell your body how to react. When your brain sends danger signals to your adrenals, they respond by cranking out adrenaline, norepinephrine, and cortisol to prepare you for fight or flight. This job sounds tough enough, but that’s not all your adrenal glands do. They also produce a host of other hormones that affect every cell in your body. In particular, they play a big role in producing your sex hormones—and if you’re a woman, they pick up the slack in making these hormones as you hit perimenopause and your ovaries produce less of them. Your adrenal glands need to work hard to make sure you have optimal levels of all of these hormones, and that these hormones stay balanced. When they aren’t up to the task, bad stuff happens. How does adrenal fatigue occur? As I’ve explained, your adrenal glands play a big role in telling your body how to respond to stress. The problem is that they’re engineered to handle the acute stress that our ancient ancestors faced—for instance, being chased by a lion—but not the chronic stress we face today. While these glands can deal brilliantly with brief bouts of stress, they need “down time” to get back to normal. And guess what: These days, there’s no down time. It’s true that most of us don’t need to deal with lions these days. But think about a typical day: Driving in scary rush-hour traffic. Dealing with stress—a bullying boss, an impossible deadline, or the chaos of a crowded cubicle farm. Coming home to a crying toddler, a surly teen, or a partner who says, “We need to talk.” Desperately trying to finish the cooking, the dishes, the laundry, the kids’ last-minute homework projects, and the bills before falling into bed (too late) and then getting up (too early) and doing it all over again. That’s bad enough. Now, add in the morning newspaper, the radio updates we hear driving to work, and the nightly news on TV—all filled with stories about scary things, from new viruses to terrorist attacks. All of this is stressful, and it never lets up. Under siege from this chronic stress, our adrenal glands need to crank out cortisol constantly. They’re overworked, and eventually they “burn out”—a condition we call adrenal fatigue. They no longer crank out enough hormones, and they no longer keep these hormones balanced. As a result, you feel tired all the time. You’re unhappy, and you start snapping at everyone. Your blood sugar levels rise and your blood pressure goes up. Your immune system gets wonky. And you develop a classic symptom of adrenal fatigue: a “cortisol tire” around your waist. (If you’ve ever seen thin people with a big belly, this is their problem.) How to deal with adrenal fatigue to help weight loss? Luckily, adrenal fatigue is preventable—and if you develop it, it’s curable. If your symptoms are severe, find a naturopathic physician who can accurately diagnose you and guide your recovery. If your symptoms are mild and you think adrenal fatigue may be the cause, you can make some simple lifestyle changes on your own. Stress can cause adrenal fatigue that limits weight loss.  You probably can’t get rid of the bullying boss, convince the surly teen to start acting like an angel (hah!), or find a traffic-free route to work—but you can take steps to help your mind and body deal with your stress better. Every day, make time for stress-busting techniques like these: Meditating Journaling Doing yoga, Tai Chi, or any type of exercise you enjoy Gardening Playing games Reading Taking a hot bath with soothing Epsom salts A healthy diet helps adrenal fatigue that limits weight loss. Also, eat a healing diet that eliminates grains, dairy, sugar, soy, seed oils, and artificial ingredients. Instead, load up on high-quality proteins, veggies, and healthy fats like coconut, avocados, and ghee. And be sure to add a daily cup of bone broth to your diet—or better yet, two or three cups. How does bone broth help adrenal fatigue? Bone broth supplies a rich dose of conditional amino acids—glycine, proline, arginine, and glutamine—that your adrenal glands need to heal themselves. These are amino acids that your body can’t supply in adequate quantities if it’s run-down. The glycine and magnesium in bone broth are calming nutrients that help to ease your anxiety. Bone broth is loaded with gelatin, which helps to heal a permeable intestine (or leaky gut). A leaky gut, which allows toxins to escape into your bloodstream, leads to chronic, system-wide inflammation—and this raises your cortisol levels, contributing to adrenal fatigue. Bone broth soothes your gut (I compare it to putting aloe vera on a sunburn) and helps make it rock-solid, getting your inflammation under control. Get more sleep—or at a minimum, get better sleep to help adrenal fatigue Establish a bedtime ritual, whether it’s taking a warm bath, listening to soothing music, or reading a book. Go to bed at a regular hour, and leave your phone outside your room so you won’t be tempted to check your messages “just one more time.” Get blackout curtains to keep your room dark, and turn on a fan or a white noise machine. Avoid drinking alcohol or caffeine drinks in the late afternoon or evening, and instead have a cup of bone broth or chamomile tea. Take supplements to help weight loss because of adrenal fatigue take a supplement that provides you with B vitamins, magnesium, vitamin D, zinc, and vitamin C. If you don’t eat much fish, add a fish oil capsule as well. Sometimes you need to cut down on your commitments to help adrenal fatigue.  You’ve heard me say it before, and I’ll say it again: Strategize your yesses! Stop saying yes to every obligation, and be selective. When you do this, you’ll get back hours and hours of your life—and you can use those hours to take better care of yourself. It takes time to heal adrenal fatigue, especially if you’ve suffered from it for a long time, so don’t expect the magic to happen in the first few weeks or even the first few months. Instead, be patient. Eventually, you’ll wake up one morning and feel good again—and that brain fog and cortisol tire will start to disappear. When that happens, you’ll know that your once-tired adrenal glands are back in the game again! Keep thinking Big and living BOLD!

I remember one afternoon walking along the cobblestoned streets of Notting Hill, West London — the charming quaint town where I was so fortunate to have once lived. In front of a local pub around the corner from my flat, a ton of fancy cars were lined up. One had the American flag waving from its door. There were guys dressed in suits with funky earpieces and serious faces, (like the agents from the movie Matrix). I thought … wait a minute is that the President’s limo? I walked toward the pub on that empty alley and before I knew it a rope was put up in front of me and I was advised to stand back. In what seemed like a split second, a crowd showed up, standing behind me in a line all held back by a rope. I had a feeling it wasn’t the fish and chips everyone was waiting for. Since there were no smartphones yet, people actually started talking in line. I learned that the English gentleman standing next to me was an MD, who practiced alternative medicine on Harley Street in London (the main doctor-offices drag in London).  I refer to him as “Dr. Good-looking,” for obvious reasons. We had a nice chat about homeopathy, the Queen Mother and Wimbledon. Before we knew it, out walked President Bill Clinton with Hilary by his side. He walked over to the crowd and waved, and looked right at my new friend and me, and said “It’s a pleasure to see you today.” After he entered the limo, I turned to “Dr. Good-looking” and said, “Seriously, did that just happen?” That was crazy!  He turned and stupefied me by saying, “It’s a shame, isn’t it?” I looked at him clueless. He then said, “Your President is a sick bloke. He’s a heart attack waiting to happen.” I of course said, “How in the world would you know this? He then asserted, “Look at his face, his nose, his red eyes. He is loaded with Inflammation…” “Dr. Good-looking” wasn’t all good looks, but brains, too, because it wasn’t too long after that President Clinton was diagnosed with heart disease, and a quadruple bypass followed! I never forgot our conversation, the “face of inflammation” or lost the lesson. President Clinton had no idea he was living a lifestyle and had all of the secret markings of inflammation. How can inflammation affect your body? If we had our own personal full-body X-ray, we may be surprised at what we’d see, and we’d also make different choices, so why not pretend that you can see your entire body and its goings-on! I bet you even have an idea of what it looks like, based on your lifestyle choices. First, let me clear something up. There is good and bad inflammation. Your body has a pretty powerful defense system. The good inflammation, or the NORMAL inflammation, is imperative for survival. Definitely your friend. Normal Inflammation (acute inflammation) is your body’s rapid response to injury or illness. Think about this happening when you, for example, sprain your ankle, get a sore throat, a sunburn or a cut. What you don’t want is BAD inflammation (chronic inflammation), which causes your immune system to run amuck. Chronic inflammation becomes like a forest fire that you can’t put out. The biggest take-home and reason why you shouldn’t have chronic inflammation on your radar is hidden inflammation is the ROOT of all chronic illness, like heart disease, diabetes, autoimmune diseases, cancer and even obesity. What are the signs of chronic inflammation? Feeling “heat” like your joints are on fire Skin problem Allergies and asthma High blood pressure Continual bowel problems (constipation, diarrhea or bloating) Chronic fatigue Ongoing pain in the body Are there tests to determine if you have inflammation? Yes, there are several, but the most common for non-specific inflammation is C-reactive protein, which is a simple blood test. Doctors will look for Elevated High Sensitivity C-reactive protein (HS-CRP). Other tests and what doctors look for to determine inflammation: SED Rate High levels of homocysteine Elevated ferritin in the blood Elevated HDL Elevated monocytes can be a secondary indicator Elevated blood glucose How do my habits affect inflammation? Pro-inflammatory habits Stress out all of the time Eat like a fool as a rule and not as exception Eat inflammatory NO fats like refined seed oils (canola, corn, partially hydrogenated, sunflower, safflower, etc.) Work all of the time and find no balance Are in a paradigm where you are doctored up on modern medicine and don’t find a wellness outlet to manage health Think negatively (i.e., engage in “stinking thinking”) and are critical of others Running super low on vitamin D (most of us are, so PLEASE get your levels checked) Your diet is filled with sugar, gluten and dairy Don’t move your body (humans are designed to move a minimum of one hour daily) Live like a hermit without human connection (with all of the meet-ups, interest groups and clubs, there is a place for you somewhere) How do I reduce inflammation? Eat a diet that consists of real foods as a rule and not an exception (see more below) Create strong, healthy digestive health (more on this in future posts) Take a good quality fish oil Get enough sleep Have positive relationships Play and connect with others Exercise and find time for movement at least one hour per day Unplug from electronics once in a while Keep your toxins down where you can (cleaning supplies, air quality, make-up and creams, etc.) It all matters!  All of these lifestyle big hitters affect your molecules in such a way that you either create inflammation, or you don’t. That’s it. Foods that impact inflammation What are pro-inflammatory foods you should say ‘no’ to? Sugar Poor-quality “NO” oils Artificial sugars Refined natural sugar like agave Most grains Frozen yogurts Cheese sticks 100-calorie snack packs Most bottled salad dressings Most packaged spice mixes and dips Vegetarian meats (soy burgers, veggie loafs, soy dogs) What are anti-inflammatory foods you should say ‘yes’ to eating? Grass-fed meats (filled with a good ratio of omega oils and CLA’s — anti cancer fighters) Oily fish (like salmon and sardines) Extra virgin olive oil Fresh or frozen berries Fresh or frozen vegetables Avocado Bone broth and collagen Olives Dark chocolate Fish oils Red wine (in moderation) A food guide that will help you choose anti-inflammatory foods If you are interested in MORE Yes and No foods download my FREE Yes and No foods guide. And remember, the choice is YOURS. Keep thinking Big and living BOLD!

Don’t you just LOVE spring? The flowers and trees are blooming, the sun is coming out, and bright colors are in season. Plus, it’s perfect weather for picnics and playing outdoors. Except one thing: allergies. The runny eyes, the constant sneezing and sniffling….it’s not a pleasant experience. And most of us have been dealing with it since we were children. Now, we all know pollen is to blame for our hay fever…but did you know allergies are actually caused by inflammation?  Swollen eyes, stuffy noses, itchy throats…that’s all inflammation in its external form. I’ve talked about inflammation before, and how it stops you from losing weight and gives you a leaky gut. Turns out, even worse, it’s also to blame for your allergies! All the more reason to fight it off. To understand how to treat your allergies, let’s look at how it works. Starting with… What exactly is an allergy? An allergy is your body’s reaction of the immune system. When your body encounters something it’s allergic to (like pollen), it’s as though it’s under attack…and it releases antibodies, triggering–you guessed it–inflammation. Even though the allergen is harmless, your immune system sees it as a threat to your body. But before you reach for your Allegra, Claritin, Flonase…consider the natural, less harmful alternatives…and get to the root of the problem first and foremost. And what about histamines? When you go under an allergic reaction, your body produces histamines, which then causes inflammation. Histamines technically cause your allergy attack symptoms–watery eyes, sniffly nose, tiredness, and sneezing. Which means you should take an antihistamine, right? Not necessarily. Antihistamines don’t treat the root of the problem, only the symptoms you experience. Which gets rid of the sniffles and sneezes for the moment, but it will keep coming back and you’ll continue to experience these allergies. So what is the root of allergies, and how do you treat it? “All disease begins in the gut.” -Hippocrates Hippocrates had it right, ladies and gentlemen. Your immune system plays a huge role in your allergies. And remember, your gut is the main part of your immune system.  A healthy gut is the foundation for ALL of your health, since it’s such a major part of your immune system. Which means your gut makes the call whether something is harmful to your body or not, and whether an allergic reaction must happen. Studies show probiotics treat seasonal allergies and even prevent it. And remember, inflammation affects your gut the most. So if allergies are caused by inflammation, get rid of it by treating your gut with care. Once you treat your leaky gut, you boost your immune system and protect yourself from those pesky seasonal allergies. Eating the right foods and taking certain supplements can treat your allergies symptoms  (and it’s not just local honey!) Heal your gut with these delicious foods and natural herbs  Probiotic supplements aren’t the only way to heal your leaky gut. You can eat your way to a healthy, glowing gut, too! FIrst and foremost, bone broth is my favorite treatment for a sick gut. The gelatin (cooked collagen) in bone broth stabilizes your gut mucosa by decreasing damage from excess acid. It increases protective mechanisms such as gastric mucosal blood flow. Gelatin also heals and protects the gut with its anti-inflammatory, immune regulatory, and cell-protective activities. In addition, bone broth is rich in glycine, an amino acid with anti-inflammatory powers. Plus, it tastes a lot better than Benadryl! Secondly, get your daily dose of Vitamin D to support your immune system. The Children’s National Medical Center discovered children with severe asthma and seasonal allergies were 20 times more likely to have a vitamin D deficiency than children without. On top of that, The Endocrine Society says just about everyone needs a vitamin D supplement, even if you get plenty of sunshine everyday. So your chances of having a vitamin D deficiency are high! Finally, if you really want to treat your allergy symptoms, make sure you get natural antihistamines. As you age, your body stops producing as much glutathione, which is an antioxidant that prevents damage to your cells and is essential to maintaining a healthy, strong immune system. Plus, your glutathione levels can predict how long you’ll live. So, take your glutathione and keep those levels healthy. Another natural antioxidant that’s found in onions, apples, and even red wine is quercetin. It has antihistamine healing powers without the drowsiness of Benadryl. It even reduces inflammation in the airways to help you breathe with ease. You can take it as a supplement or enjoy a glass of red wine (but don’t go overboard). Cheers!   What NOT to Eat Just like there are foods that prevent allergies…there are also ones that trigger inflammation and a leaky, sick gut. First up is dairy, one of the most inflammatory foods. That means milk in your coffee, cheese on your charcuterie board, and yogurt. I know it’s delicious, and difficult to give up, but consider this. Studies have shown  those with significantly higher inflammatory scores ate more dairy products than those with lower scores. You don’t have to know your inflammatory score to know you should avoid dairy if you want to prevent your allergies and keep inflammation low! The second evil culprit is gluten. When you eat wheat (yes, even whole grains!), you’re essentially taking a blade and slashing the walls of your gut. Which makes your gut leaky, letting in harmful microbes to your gut and causing an inflammatory reaction. This happens to you even if you don’t have celiac disease! Hardly anyone is immune to the inflammation caused by gluten. So, skip that piece of bread and eat healthier carbs, like sweet potatoes or yucca. In my Bone Broth PLUS Diet 80/20 program, I show you delicious substitutes to gluten and dairy (even if you LOVE pasta and ice cream). You’ll fight inflammation, heal your gut, and melt away the pounds for good…with delicious recipes fad dieters DREAM of eating. Here’s to a beautiful, healthy spring season! Keep thinking Big and living BOLD!

Isn’t it funny how Easter traditions change over time… and how they stay the same? When I was a kid, Easter meant dressing up, going to church, and having relatives visit. But for me, I confess, it was really about the candy. (In particular, I loved those neon-colored marshmallow chicks—I could eat a whole package in one sitting.) Of course, once I grew up and became a nutritionist, I wasn’t about to let my own kiddos binge on all those artificial colors and flavors. But as a good Italian girl, I’m a big believer in holiday traditions—and in our family, Easter isn’t complete without Easter baskets and a good, old-fashioned Easter egg hunt. So I tweaked the rituals a little. I filled my boys’ baskets with the healthiest treats I could find or make from scratch, along with non-candy treats like toys and books. Then I loaded half of the plastic eggs for our hunt with jelly beans, and stuffed the other half with coins and a few dollar bills. I admit, I was a little worried about how my sons would react to me tinkering with tradition. But as it turned out, they were fine with their Easter baskets being less junky than their friends’ versions. (I guess you learn to expect this sort of thing when your mom is a nutritionist!) Better yet, they loved the new “money egg” idea. In fact, the Easter egg hunts around my house got pretty intense once there was money on the line. Yes, my boys and all their cousins scattered across the yard looking for candy... but cold hard cash was what they really wanted. I was thinking back on these memories the other day, and it made me laugh. Then it made me think about holiday traditions. We all need to tinker with these traditions a bit as time goes by—and even when we’re doing it for a good reason, it can give us a little twinge. For instance, if you’re slimming down and getting healthy on my diet right now, I know you may be missing your Nonna’s famous Easter bread or your mom’s pastiera. Or if you grew up with the Standard American Easter Basket, you may be pining for Peeps and Cadbury Eggs. But think back, and you’ll realize that the best holiday moments aren’t about food. For me, Easter brings back memories of watching that herd of kids chase after plastic eggs as if each one contained a million bucks. It reminds me of precious moments of spiritual renewal. Above all, it reminds me of how lucky I am to be part of a fun, crazy, love-you- no-matter- what family. And I know that it’s fine to tweak our Easter traditions to make them healthier, as long as we’re all together to enjoy them. So this Easter, focus on the real treasures—not the chocolate and sugar and food coloring that you’re passing up, but the memories you’re making right now with the people you love. And from my family to yours, Buona Pasqua—Happy Easter!   EXPLORE MORE HOLIDAY IDEAS >  Dr. Kellyann's Christmas Traditions and Memories — Holiday recipes and Dr. Kellyann's favorite Christmas traditions. >  Here’s wishing you a perfectly imperfect Thanksgiving! — Thanksgiving ideas that balance enjoyment with health. >  Paleo Snacks - Halloween Trade-Offs and Caramel Apples — Healthy Halloween snack swaps for kids and adults. >  5 Tips for Keeping Your New Year’s Resolutions — Five strategies to make New Year's goals stick. >  Be Prepared to Crush Your New Year’s Goals — Preparation work that determines your success. >  Turn Your New Year's Resolutions into Habits — The science of habit formation for lasting change. >  Why You Should Make Your New Year’s Resolutions NOW — Starting now increases long-term success.  

You know what I always say: What goes on your skin also goes THROUGH your skin and into your bloodstream. That’s a little scary, isn’t it? And it means that in addition to thinking about what’s in your food, you need to think about what’s in those skin care products you slather on so liberally. Today, in particular, I want to talk about soaps and creams. Most people simply grab common brands of these at the grocery store, but that’s not a good idea because there are nasty things hiding in many of them. For instance, grocery-store soaps and creams frequently contain: Parabens. These are estrogen mimics that mess with your hormones and may increase your risk of breast cancer. Phthalates. These chemicals are endocrine disruptors that can throw your hormones out of whack. Sodium lauryl sulfate. This additive can irritate your skin, eyes, and lungs. Worse yet, it can bond with other common soap ingredients to become nitrosamine, a carcinogen. Diethanolamine (DEA): This foaming agent bonds with other chemicals in soaps to create a powerful carcinogen called NDEA. Synthetic fragrances. “Fragrance” is an innocent-sounding word, but the aromas in soaps and creams are often created by adding very toxic chemicals. And as for those unnatural blues, greens, and purples—if you don’t trust artificial colors in your food, don’t trust them in your soaps and cream, either. The great news is that today, you have choices—and you can choose not to buy soaps and creams that contain toxins like these. In fact, stores like Whole Foods and Sprouts, and online marketers like Amazon, now carry dozens and dozens of brands billed as toxin-free. However… it’s one thing to say that your products are non-toxic, and another thing to prove it. And when it comes to calling soaps and skin creams safe, not everyone is telling the truth. That’s why you need to do your homework. Luckily, thanks to the Skin Deep database created by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), this is easy to do. In addition to rating skin care products from best to worst, the EWG now offers a “verified” designation to manufacturers who go above and beyond to create products are safe for you to use. In the soaps and creams categories, here’s a sampling of the EWG-verified winners: Attitude Natural Body Wash. This apple-scented soap is hypoallergenic as well as toxin-free. Be Green Bath and Body Gel. This gel comes in three versions: calming lavender, uplifting orange, and unscented. Makes 3 Bar Soaps. These are made from organic oils, and come in scents including lavender vanilla, orange blossom, and coriander ginger. There’s also an unscented version. Sally B’s Skin Yummies Foaming Hand Soap. These come in lemongrass, lavender, citrus vanilla, and peppermint, and you can get unscented as well. Opas Bar Soaps. These are available in scents ranging from classic chamomile and French lavender to frankincense, holiday spice, and (really!) beer. Desert Farms Camel Milk Soaps. Luckily, these soaps don’t smell like camels at all. Instead, they come in citrus, lavender, and peppermint scents. Cocoon Apothecary’s Rosey Cheeks Facial Cream. This anti-aging cream is loaded with natural ingredients including rosehip oil, avocado oil, and shea butter. Sonage Soufflé Cream. This fluffy skin cream is packed with natural antioxidants. Be Natural Sea Kelp Daily Moisturizer. In addition to kelp, this moisturizer contains ingredients including red raspberry seed oil, aloe vera, and anti-inflammatory aspen bark extract. Finally Pure Hand and Body Lotion. Rich in jojoba oil, avocado oil, and other nutrients, this lotion comes in a range of scents including pink grapefruit, almond vanilla, and rosemary mint. There’s an unscented version as well. Each time you say no to toxic soaps and creams and choose clean versions like these instead, you’ll lower your body burden of harmful chemicals. This is even more crucial if you’re pregnant, because a number of chemicals in soaps are especially dangerous to unborn children. By the way, if you’re currently using products labeled as safe and non-toxic, check them out anyway. I was surprised to discover that a few popular brands got poor ratings. How to get quality on a budget Now, I’ll be totally up-front with you: None of these soaps and creams are as cheap as the stuff you can get on sale at the grocery store. But getting sick isn’t cheap either, right? So if you ask me, toxin-free products are a wise investment. Besides, even if your budget is really tight, there are still ways you can afford quality. Here are a few tips: Buy a high-quality liquid soap and dilute it with water so it goes further. Use bar soaps rather than bottled soaps, because they last longer. Shop the sales. If you’re willing to explore a variety of brands, you’re likely to find some deep discounts. Go back to basics and use coconut oil or olive oil. Coconut oil is an awesome skin cream, loaded with skin-nourishing lauric acid and other nutrients. Olive oil also is a good choice; it works best if your skin is slightly damp when you apply it. Oh, and here’s one more tip for getting the good stuff without shelling out lots of money: Go the “gift” route.  Put natural creams and soaps on your birthday and holiday wish lists, and get your friends and family to buy them for you. It’ll make shopping easy for them… and you’ll get the gift of smooth, clean, toxin-free skin! Keep thinking Big and living BOLD!

One of the biggest “perks” of a healthy lifestyle is that you boost your immune system. I spend half my life in airports (absolutely the worst place in the world to be if you want to avoid germs), and I can go for years without getting sick. However, I also know that sometimes, a healthy diet and lifestyle aren’t quite enough to keep the bugs at bay—and that’s why I also keep powerful immune boosters on hand. These include every-day supplements to boost my immune system that help me stay healthy, natural medicines I turn to when a bug does lay me low, and food that can both prevent and heal illnesses. Here’s a look at all of them. What are the best immune system boosting supplements? Fill your body with vitamin D to boost your immune system   If you can’t always get a daily dose of sunshine, a vitamin D supplement can be a lifesaver. Research shows that vitamin D can cut your risk of getting a cold or the flu by about 10%, and up to 50% if you’re deficient when you start taking it. Build your immune system with bone broth  You knew this would be on the list, right? It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of bone broth, which is rich in gelatin that keeps your gut strong and healthy. Bone broth is also packed with glycine, which has bacteria-fighting powers. And if you do get sick, grandma is right: Drinking bone broth can help to clear up inflammation and get you back on your feet faster. Take probiotics to naturally boost your immune system  Your gut bugs play a big role in modulating your immune function—and the happier they are, the healthier you’ll be. That’s why I recommend keeping your gut’s ecosystem strong by taking a high-quality microbiome-supporting supplement every day and eating probiotic foods like kimchi, sauerkraut, and coconut kefir. Get a powerful immune system with Congaplex by Standard Process  As I said, I almost never get sick—but when I do, I immediately reach for this which I think is one of the best immune system boosting supplements. It’s a combination of vitamins, minerals, and plant and animal extracts designed to promote the health of the thymus gland, a key player in the immune system. The powerful antioxidants in Congaplex also help protect your cells from damage while they’re under attack from viruses or bacteria. Oil of oregano naturally builds a strong immune system   This is another great go-to if you’re battling a bug. Oil of oregano has powerful antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties and it can help you tackle all sorts of problems, including urinary tract infections, colds, and flu, and even toenail fungus. You can buy oil of oregano in capsule form or opt for drops. If you choose drops, put a little bit in a vaporizer or diffuser, or add a small amount to a glass of water or juice. You can also combine one part oregano oil with three parts coconut or olive oil to make a healing skin cream. Oil of oregano is very powerful, so never use it straight, either internally or on your skin. Also, do a “spot test” with a tiny amount to make sure you’re not allergic to it. One important caution: Do not use oil of oregano either orally or topically if you are pregnant or nursing. Zinc’s role in building a boosting your immune system  If you come down with a cold, a tiny dose of zinc may get you back on your feet faster. Zinc appears to work in two ways: by interfering with a cold virus’s ability to reproduce, and by blocking its ability to attach to cell membranes. Use zinc with caution, however, because it’s harmful in excess. — Add these seven immune boosters to your health regimen, and it’s a good bet you’ll have far fewer illnesses in the future. What’s more, if you do get sick, you’ll probably get well much faster. As a result, you can be fearless in that busy airport, a crowded mall, or germy preschool. Salud! Are you still wanting to do more? Check out these tips.  Keep thinking Big and living BOLD!

Yes, I know I say it all the time. But I’m going to say it again: The best medicine isn’t in your medicine cabinet, it’s in your pantry! And guess what: Some of the most powerful medicine comes in the smallest packages. I’m talking here about herbs and spices, which can have a big effect on your health even when you use them in tiny amounts. Think of your spice rack and your herb garden as a natural pharmacy. In particular, many herbs and spices have amazing anti-inflammatory effects. Here are some of the seasonings you should definitely have in your kitchen if you’re serious about kicking inflammation out of your life. Turmeric If you aren’t familiar with turmeric, it’s the warm, peppery spice that gives curry its yellow color—and when it comes to fighting inflammation, it has superpowers. Much of turmeric’s magic comes from the curcumin it contains. Research shows that curcumin is a huge inflammation fighter. A 2015 study, for instance, focused on the effects of curcumin on metabolic syndrome. (Metabolic syndrome is a combination of excess belly fat, high blood pressure, high blood glucose, and unhealthy cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and it’s linked to high levels of inflammation.) In the study, researchers asked 117 people with metabolic syndrome to take either curcumin supplements or a placebo every day for eight weeks. They measured C-reactive protein (CRP) and two other markers for inflammation before and after the experiment, and discovered that curcumin lowered all three markedly. That’s just one of dozens of studies highlighting the anti-inflammatory effects of curcumin. Other studies show that it helps fight everything from gum disease to joint pain to cardiovascular disease. Because curcumin makes up only a small part of turmeric, many people take curcumin in supplement form. That’s a good idea, especially if you have diabetes (because curcumin also lowers blood glucose). But I recommend using turmeric as well, because—in addition to its curcumin content—this spice has other components with anti-inflammatory, antibiotic, cancer-fighting, and antioxidant properties. That’s why I include it in my Bone Broth. Want more ways to get the benefits of turmeric? Use it in curries, sprinkle it on eggs or avocados, or make an ancient healing drink called “golden milk”. Whenever possible, eat turmeric along with black pepper, because the piperine in black pepper makes the turmeric up to 2,000% more “bioavailable”! Cloves Cloves are one of my favorite spices, because they’re cute as a button—and what would the holidays be without their delightful scent? Moreover, they contain eugenol, a potent anti-inflammatory. Like drugs such as Celebrex, eugenol is a COX-2 inhibitor. Think of cloves and you think of baking, but they’re good for so much more. I add ground cloves to butternut squash soup and pumpkin smoothies—and needless to say, ham and cloves are a great combo. You can also make clove tea by adding a tablespoon of ground cloves to a quart of filtered water and letting the mixture steep for 20 minutes before straining out the cloves with cheesecloth. (Add a touch of honey or stevia if you’d like.) Cinnamon This warm, fragrant spice also conjures up memories of the holidays—and that’s not the only reason to love it. It’s also high in cinnamaldehyde, which has powerful anti-inflammatory effects. Research shows that cinnamaldehyde can do everything from protecting against cardiovascular disease to inhibiting h. pylori infection. Cinnamon is fabulous in smoothies, shakes, and soups, but you can also use it in savory dishes. Cayenne It may seem surprising, but fiery cayenne can help put out the fire in your gut! That’s because it’s rich in capsaicin, a potent anti-inflammatory substance. Capsaicin affects the gut in ways that protect against ulcers. It’s also an inhibitor of substance P, a neuropeptide associated with inflammatory processes. It’s easy to incorporate cayenne into your diet. In addition to adding it to soups, stews, and curries, sprinkle it on veggies and eggs, and even try it in green drinks. If you’re not used to cayenne, start slowly and see how much you can handle. Basil As an Italian, I couldn’t live without basil! I use fresh basil in everything from pesto to soups to salads, and I love dried or fresh basil in tomato sauces. Like cloves, basil is rich in eugenol—so while I love how it tastes, I’m even more crazy about its anti-inflammatory power. It’s also easy to grow, both indoors and out, so you can always have fresh basil handy. Rosemary Rosemary is known as the herb of remembrance—and interestingly, one study showed that simply sniffing rosemary oil can temporarily improve your memory! More importantly, research shows that rosemary has anti-inflammatory powers. Rosemary pairs beautifully with roast chicken, salmon, beef roasts, or even beets, and I also love it in bone broth. This is another herb that’s easy to grow, so try keeping some on your windowsill. Ginger Ginger is loaded with gingerols—and these natural chemicals, in turn, are packed with anti-inflammatory power. Ginger can lower inflammation throughout your body, and in particular it’s fantastic for your joints. To get more ginger in your diet, add it to smoothies, veggie dishes, and salad dressings. You can also make a ginger tea by steeping a little grated ginger in water and adding a touch of honey or stevia. Check out this recipe from my new cookbook, contributed by Good Morning America chef Karen Pickus. Ginger-Poached Asian Pears with Coconut-Cardamom Cream These pears simmer gently in a vanilla-and-spice bath. When they’re tender, you’ll drizzle them with syrup and top them with a dollop of the cream. Prep Time: 5 minutes  |  Cook Time: 45 minutes  |  YIELD: 4 servings INGREDIENTS 1⁄2 vanilla bean 8 slices fresh ginger (each 1⁄8-inch thick) 8 whole cloves 2 cardamom pods 1 cinnamon stick 1 star anise 2 Asian pears, peeled, halved, and cored 1⁄3 cup coconut cream (see Tip) 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cardamom 1⁄8 teaspoon ground ginger DIRECTIONSIn a medium saucepan, combine 3 cups water, the fresh ginger, cloves, cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, and star anise. Split the vanilla beans and scrape the seeds into the pan, and throw in the vanilla pod. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium low, and add the pears. Cover and simmer, turning the pears occasionally, until a paring knife slides easily into the thickest portion, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the pears to a dish and cover with foil. Strain the spices out of the poaching liquid and return the liquid to the pan. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat and cook until the syrup is reduced to 1⁄2 cup, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, with an electric mixer or a whisk, beat the coconut cream, ground cardamom, and groundginger until thick. To serve, spoon the syrup over the pears and dollop with the spiced cream. Tip: Coconut cream is available wherever canned coconut milk is sold. If you can’t find it, chill a can of regular full-fat coconut milk and scoop out the solid white part that solidifies at the top.   How to “power up” your herbs and spices As you can see, herbs and spices pack a lot of anti-inflammatory power into a tiny package. Here are a few tips for maximizing that power: Keep dried herbs and spices fresh. To do this, buy them in small quantities, or buy them in bulk and freeze them. If possible, replace your spices every year. Keep dried herbs and spices in a dark, dry place, and avoid putting them close to the dishwasher or the oven because the humidity and heat are bad for them. If you buy your herbs and spices in bags, keep the bags sealed as tightly as possible. If you buy them in jars, don’t open the jars until you’re ready to use the spices. Buy the highest quality organic herbs and spices you can find. Low-quality spices can be loaded with contaminants you don’t want. If you’re a serious cook, buy spices whole and grind them yourself. Whole spices keep fresh much longer than ground ones. Also, get adventurous with spice blends. For instance, try classic spice blends such as Chinese five spice and Ras el Hanout. The spices in blends like these work synergistically, giving you even more healing power. Just check the labels and make sure that spice blends contain only spices—not additives like sugar or MSG. Above all, think of ways to work herbs and spices into every meal—not just dinner. Each day, see how many new foods you can add them to—from eggs to bone broth to salad dressings to smoothies. The more anti-inflammatory spices you add to your diet, the more delicious—and healthy—it will be! Keep thinking Big and living BOLD!

If there’s anything I know, it’s that life is expensive! Every month, some big-ticket item breaks in my house—the fridge, the water heater, the dishwasher. And every time I hit the grocery store, the prices are creeping up, up, up. It’s tough to get ahead, or even to break even. So I save pennies wherever I can… and that goes for food shopping as well. I read the ads, shop the specials, buy produce in season, and hit the farmer’s markets. But you know what I don’t do? I don’t cut corners when it comes to quality. And that’s why I spend extra money on grass-fed meat and free-range chicken and eggs. I know that some people think that grass-fed and free-range are just synonyms for “overpriced.” But here’s the truth: The difference between factory-farmed and naturally-raised animals is HUGE. Here are four big benefits you get for that extra money: More omega-3 fatty acids. Today’s typical diet is far too low in these key nutrients, which your body desperately needs. Grass-fed meat contains a bountiful supply of them, and it’s also lower in omega-6’s than conventional meat. Similarly, eggs from pastured chickens have a much better ratio of these fatty acids than eggs from caged chickens. More vitamins and minerals. Grass-fed meat is richer in B vitamins, zinc, iron, potassium, phosphorus, and beta carotene than factory-farmed meat. As for eggs, one study comparing the eggs of free-range and caged chickens found that the free-range eggs had twice as much vitamin E. More CLA. Conjugated linoleic acid supports overall wellness and helps keep extra pounds off, and in addition, it may markedly lower your risk for breast cancer. Grass-fed beef is an outstanding source of CLA. Cleaner, less contaminated food. Grass-fed and free-range animals are living the way they’re meant to live—not stressed, crowded together, loaded with antibiotics, and fed an artificial diet based on corn, soy, and even garbage. This means that grass-fed and free-range animals are healthier all-around, which translates into higher-quality meat and eggs. In short, you’re getting more than your money’s worth when you opt for grass-fed or free-range. However, I’m not going to kid you: Meat and eggs from naturally-raised animals are indeed pricier. So how can you work them into your budget? Here are some easy ways to drive the cost down: Shop the big-box stores. Believe it or not, the same stores that are famous for selling super-sized junk food are now carrying lots of high-quality grass-fed and free-range products as well. You can buy them in bulk and save a bundle. Buy direct from farmers. You don’t need to live in a farm community to buy straight from the farm! Many farmers deliver to cities now; simply place your order online and pick it up close to your home on the delivery date. Order online. Consider having your meat delivered monthly from a subscription service. Oftentimes these services partner with a collective of small farms so they can get a much better price. Ordering online also saves a ton of shopping time. Eat more eggs for dinner. Eggs are less expensive than meat, so save money by making frittatas, omelets (you got to try my Kimchi Omelet), or crust-less quiches for dinner once or twice a week. Eat organ meats. Liver, heart, and kidneys are all nutrient-rich and inexpensive. And if you’ve heard that liver is filled with toxins, here’s good news: Liver from pastured animals is purer, because these animals are raised in a cleaner environment. “Cowpool.” Go in with friends and buy a half or whole cow (or pig) that a farmer raises, butchers, and freezes for you. To find farms that do this, go to eatwild.com. Save your bones. The bones from grass-fed beef and pastured chicken are ideal for bone broth—so freeze those bones, and when you get enough, toss them in the stockpot and make “liquid gold”! Finally, when you’re calculating the cost of grass-fed and free-range meat and eggs, factor in the cost of being sick vs. being well. The better your diet is, the healthier you’ll be—and the less you’ll spend on doctors’ visits, medications, and sick days. In my book, that’s worth a few extra dollars at the checkout stand any day! Keep thinking Big and living BOLD!

When we think about nutrition, we tend to think about vitamins and minerals—or about protein, fats, and carbs. But guess what: The most important nutrient of all is water! You can go for a long time without food, but cut out water and you’re in big trouble. What’s more, you need plenty of water to feel good AND look your best. Here’s why drinking at least eight glasses of water a day—and more if you exercise or you’re out in the heat—should be part of your health and beauty regimen: It makes your skin smoother. Dehydrated skin cells are flabby, deflated, and wrinkle-prone, while hydrated skin cells are plump and “bouncy.” It keeps your skin healthier. Dry skin leads to itching, and itching can lead to infections. Dry skin also puts you at greater risk for flare-ups of eczema and psoriasis. It helps you avoid cravings. Thirst often leads to “signal confusion,” making you think that you’re hungry instead. So before you reach for a snack, drink a glass of water and see if you’re satisfied. It keeps your breath fresh and your teeth healthy. Each time you drink a glass of water, you whoosh away loads of mouth bacteria and pesky food particles that can cause plaque and make you unkissable. It optimizes your performance. If you’re an athlete, as little as a 2% decrease in your body’s level of water can hurt your performance. Even if you’re a desk jockey, mild dehydration can make you cranky and tired and give you a bad case of “brain fog.” It revs up your metabolism. When you drink water—especially ice water—your body needs to warm that water. As a result, you burn off a few calories, and that can add up over time. It keeps your muscles and joints happy. Do you frequently fall prey to painful leg cramps? If so, drinking more water can help prevent them. In addition, water keeps your joints lubricated so you can move more easily. It keeps you regular. When you’re dehydrated, your body needs to shunt water away from your GI tract to keep other tissues healthy. As a result, it’s harder for you to “flush the pipes.” That’s why one of the easiest cures for constipation is simply to drink more water. It keeps your electrolytes balanced. Electrolytes are minerals in your body that carry an electric charge. They affect everything from your heartbeat to your muscle function, and when you’re dehydrated, they can get out of whack. It’s especially crucial to drink plenty of water if you’re sick and suffer from diarrhea or vomiting. It helps prevent kidney stones. If you’ve ever suffered from kidney stones, you know how excruciating they are—and if you haven’t, you don’t want to find out. Drinking plenty of water helps to flush out the crystal-forming substances that create these nasty little stones. These are plenty of good reasons to reach for that glass of water—and maybe you’re ready to do that right now. But before you do, let’s talk about one more thing: the quality of the water you’re putting in your body. What’s in your water? A few months ago, I wrote about the terrible tragedy in my own back yard—in Flint, Michigan, near the town where I have my medical practice. The water in Flint is heavily contaminated with lead, a toxin that can cause catastrophic damage to a child’s developing brain. While the danger in Flint is extreme, I have bad news: No matter where you live, your tap water is toxic. The EPA has identified more than 100 chemicals and microbes that can be present in tap water, from perchlorate (rocket fuel) to MTBE (a gasoline additive). Your water even contains traces of pharmaceuticals like Prozac and birth control hormones! And the chlorine in tap water, while it kills lots of bad bugs, is bad news itself if you drink it. It’s linked to higher rates of everything from cancer to birth defects. Filtration pitchers and refrigerator filters will remove some of these toxins, but not all. Bottled water isn’t the answer either, because those bottles are terrible for the environment. And under-the-counter systems are a pain, with their installation and maintenance costs. I’ve used all of these, but I’ve been looking for something better for my home and my office. So I was excited when I learned about something entirely new: a countertop reverse osmosis (RO) unit called AquaTru that’s a fraction of the cost of other RO units. It doesn’t require any installation fees, and maintenance is minimal. (The filters last for two to three years.) What’s more, it really works. Mike Adams at Natural News tested it in his own lab and found that in addition to getting rid of chlorine, it removed 100% of cadmium, cesium, mercury, and uranium, and 99.9% of lead and arsenic. It also removed 98.8% of strontium, 99.79% of copper, and 92.99% of aluminum. Overall, the system removes 128 toxic chemicals and heavy metals from your water. Faucet filters remove only about 58, and typical pitcher filters remove only about 13. Keep thinking Big and living BOLD!        

These days, bone broth is all the rage for adults. (There are even bone broth bistros and bars featuring bone broth cocktails now!) But the powerful nutrition in bone broth is every bit as good for kids and teens. The trick, of course, is getting them to eat it. I know lots of kids who love a warm mug of bone broth on a cold winter day. However, some children say “ick” if you offer them broth in a cup. Luckily, I’ve discovered ways to get kids, or a reluctant spouse, to eat bone broth without even knowing it. Here are my best sneaky tips, along with some gems from fellow bone broth fans. Try bone broth popsicles. I know it sounds weird, but with the right flavor combinations, these can be a huge hit—and kids don’t need to know that there’s broth in them. Here’s a fun recipe from Paleo on the Go. Slip broth into tomato sauces. Tomato sauces are so hearty and bold you can hide a good dose of bone broth in them. Add meatballs to this recipe from Savoring Joy and serve over zucchini “zoodles,” and you’ll have a hearty and healthy dinner that any kid will love. Make “bone broth brittle.” This is an awesome idea on converting dehydrated broth into crunchy chips. Admittedly, it takes some work… but if you’re into cooking, it’s a fun project. Sneak broth into BBQ sauce. Barbecued chicken is a favorite with both kids and adults. Here’s a recipe from Real Food RN that adds a bacon-y twist. Young or old, who can resist that? Make bone broth gravy. Everybody loves gravy! And if you think your gravy needs to be loaded with flour, think again. Here’s an easy, grain-free recipe from Elena’s Pantry. Hide a little bone broth in other drinks. Add a third of a cup or so of unseasoned broth to a green drink, or mix it into a smoothie. (Banana and chocolate smoothies work well.) Or use my Bone Broth Protein to make chocolate or vanilla shakes… yum. Use it in soups, stews, chili, and other dishes. The simplest “sneak play” is to replace the water or regular broth in your kids’ favorite entrée dishes or veggie sides with bone broth. For instance, check out this easy, kid-friendly recipe from my new book, Dr. Kellyann’s Bone Broth Cookbook. CHICKEN CACCIATORE Prep Time: 10 minutes • Cook Time: 30 minutes • Yield: 4 servings 2 tablespoons olive oil 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs 2 cups sliced mushrooms 1 medium onion, minced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes 1 cup chicken bone broth 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon dried basil 1⁄2 teaspoon Celtic or pink Himalayan salt 1⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Fresh basil, for garnish In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the chicken thighs and cook until golden, about 6 minutes per side. Remove from the skillet and set aside. To the same skillet, add the mushrooms, onion, and garlic and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, broth, capers, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper and bring to a simmer. Return the chicken to the pot, reduce the heat, cover, and cook until a thermometer inserted in a chicken thigh registers 165 degrees, about 20 minutes. Serve the chicken with the tomato broth and veggies, garnished with fresh basil. Try these fun and easy tricks, and I’m betting you can sneak a healthy dose of bone broth into your child’s diet without anyone but you being the wiser. To make your chances of success even better, here are two more tips: Use chicken bone broth rather than beef bone broth in popsicles, smoothies, and shakes, because it has a milder flavor. Make onion-free broth with little or no seasoning for these treats. Start by adding only small amounts of broth to recipes. If you get away with it, try adding a little more. I hope these tips and tricks work for you… and if you have any of your own, I’d love to hear them! Keep thinking Big and living Bold!

Has this ever happened to you? About two weeks into a diet, you look in the mirror and say, “OMG. What’s happened to my face?” Suddenly, your skin looks saggy, dull, dry… and old. Some weight-loss professionals will tell you that it’s inevitable for your skin to take a hit when you diet. But you know what? It’s not. When you diet the right way, your skin will actually start to look smoother, brighter, and younger. What’s the secret? Do the right things, and avoid doing the wrong things. It’s as simple as that. Here are nine ways to get beautiful skin as you shed those extra pounds. 1. Drink plenty of bone broth. Yeah, you knew this would top my list! And it deserves the #1 spot, because bone broth is loaded with collagen building blocks that smooth and nourish your skin. As I like to say, it’s like mainlining collagen to your skin. 2. Don’t skimp on the fat. Coconut oil, avocado oil, nuts, and fatty fish like salmon are loaded with fats that smooth and plump up your skin. And remember: Eating fat helps you burn fat. So in addition to doing your skin a favor, you’ll lose weight faster if you add some healthy fat to each meal. 3. Drink plenty of water—and green tea, too. Your skin craves moisture, so drink at least eight glasses of water each day. Add some green tea as well, because it’s rich in polyphenols that protect against aging. 4. Eat berries. Blueberries, in particular, are loaded with antioxidants that protect your skin. They’re also packed with vitamin C, which your body uses to help form collagen. 5. Reach for tomatoes. The lycopene in tomatoes offers powerful protection for your skin’s mitochondrial DNA, keeping it young and healthy. 6. Enjoy grass-fed beef. Pastured beef is high in skin-smoothing omega-3 fatty acids, as well as high-quality protein that builds strong skin. 7. Skip the grains. As you probably know, grains are taboo on my Bone Broth Diet. That’s because they pack pounds on you—and in addition, they’re murder on your skin. Grains are pro-inflammatory, so they make your skin look rough, old, and blotchy. The carbs in grains are also linked to acne. 8. Use the right salt. Regular table salt draws water out of your cells, making them saggy and creating bags under your eyes. Mineral salts, on the other hand, draw water into your cells, making them bouncy. 9. Get your circulation going. Exercise revs up your circulation, pulling nutrients into your skin cells and cleaning out debris that makes your skin look dull and old—so move for at least an hour every day. Also, try this great tip from my good friend Kathy Smith, the world-famous fitness expert. Each day, spend a few minutes on your bed with your head hanging over the edge—or get down on the floor and stand on your head if you can. This will bathe your skin in healing nutrients. When you baby your skin in these ways during your diet, you’ll look in the mirror and say, “Hey—I look awesome.” People may even ask you if you’ve had work done. And when you lose your extra weight, you won’t just want to show off your new, slim body; you’ll want to show off your spectacular skin as well! Keep thinking Big and living BOLD!

Today, around six o’clock, millions of us are going to do exactly the same thing. We’re going to open the fridge and stare into it. Then we’re going to open the freezer and stare into it. And then we’re going to open the pantry and stare into it. And then we’re going to realize there’s absolutely nothing for dinner–at the very same moment that our kids, spouses, or roommates hit the front door and say: “I’m starving – what are we having tonight?” I can’t tell you how many times I’ve faced this moment of panic. I have two boys, and do you know how hungry boys get after school and baseball practice? Just try telling them that dinner isn’t ready yet. Trust me – they don’t take it well. I’m betting that the six o’clock panic frequently happens in your house, too. And if you’re committed to feeding your family real food, like I am, this isn’t a problem you can solve with a box of macaroni and cheese or a frozen pizza. You can’t dash out for burgers and fries, either. So what can you do? THE SOLUTION: Batch Cooking Luckily, dinnertime panic happens less and less these days around my house. That’s because over the years, I’ve come up with a solution: batch cooking.  A couple of times a month, I schedule a whole day (or at least a good chunk of one) to do nothing but cook. Then I pack everything up in freezer containers, and voila: I have a dozen or more ready-to-go meals that I just need to thaw. Batch cooking takes a little planning and organization, but it’s well worth the effort. Here are some tricks that can help make this approach successful.  Stock up on different sizes of freezer bags. Also, buy tons of containers of different sizes. Go with glass if you can, so you don’t need to worry about any chemicals from plastics leaching into your food when you store or microwave it.  If possible, get one of those gadgets that shrink-wrap your food. This way, precooked chicken or hamburger will stay fresh longer. Create a menu plan and a shopping list. Aim for at least four recipes that you can cook in quantity. When you recalculate the ingredients in your recipes for double or triple batches, double-check your math.  Be careful with spices, because they don’t always react like you’d expect when you double or triple a recipe. Err on the side of under-seasoning, and correct later. On cooking day, start by assembling the ingredients for every recipe ahead of time – that French mise en place or “putting in place” technique. This way, if you’re missing an ingredient, you’ll know before you start and you can dash to the store or borrow it from a neighbor.  Figure out ways to multi-task. For instance, cook up a crockpot full of butternut squash soup while you roast meatballs in the oven and simmer spaghetti sauce and boil eggs on the stove. Invest in two or three kitchen timers. That way, you can easily keep track of different cooking projects. If you wind up setting several timers, put a sticky note next to each one so you’ll know which recipe it’s timing. Date everything when you put it in containers. HERE’S WHAT I LIKE TO MAKE…. Here are some of my favorite things to cook in batches. I just double or triple the ingredients in these recipes (but remember my caution about spices). Beef and Broccoli Chicken Cacciatora Meatballs Chili recipes Soups In addition, I save time by prepping ingredients for other recipes. For instance, I brown two or three pounds of hamburger with onions and garlic and freeze the meat in one-pound packages. That way, I can quickly make zoodle spaghetti or chili later on. Or I’ll boil one or two dozen eggs so I can devil some, toss some into salads, and still have enough left to make egg salad for lunches. I also cook chicken ahead of time. The trick here is to keep it moist, so it doesn’t taste stringy when you thaw it out. Here are some good instructions from – of all places! – the Betty Crocker website.  I’ll grant you, “batch day” is a big project. However, it’s also a fun time to share with kids (even the littlest ones can help stir or mix) or with your significant other. It’s also sort of sensual to stand in the middle of a kitchen where wonderful things are simmering, sautéing, roasting, and slow-cooking, and the smells of basil, garlic, onions, cilantro, sage, and roasting meat are enveloping you. And trust me: Even though it’s a lot of work up front, you’ll be glad later on that you did it. Because one day, not too long from now, you’re going to come home exhausted and starving, and realize that you don’t need to cook dinner. So instead of panicking, you’re going to pour yourself a glass of wine, put your feet up, and relax – and say a big thank-you to yourself. Keep thinking Big and living BOLD! This article first appeared on HuffPost.

What do the holidays bring to your life? I know for me, it's memories. Some of the most fun and funniest memories I have are holiday memories. To understand this, you have to get a clear picture. Imagine this: My dad was the oldest boy of nine. If you were ever in a room with this bunch, you would fall off your chair laughing. Tears would be streaming down your face. Your sides would hurt. I'm not even kidding. Imagine a bunch of VERY Italian brothers and their wives. You think Seinfeld was funny.... This was unscripted, unadulterated, side-splitting humor live, right before your eyes. The best part, no one was even trying to be funny.image Now picture this: I grew up in a very small house, and every year of my childhood my parents had a Christmas party. My siblings and I (there are four of us) and my entire extended family would cram into this house. If you know anything about Italians, then you know--we are talkers, we are eaters, and there WILL be drama. But the best part, and the part where all my special memories came in, was our annual "talent show." Every year the kids would perform. There was singing, comedy skits, dancing--you name it. My aunts' and uncles' chairs would be crammed in the living room, the kids performed in the kitchen, and my dad would hold a brush as a microphone and MC. So, I was literally performing since I was born. This is probably what led me to become a classical dancer, with years of dancing lessons under my belt. This is what helped me in my career to be so comfortable in front of a camera or a crowd. I even choreographed and was the lead dancer in my high school play, Annie Get Your Gun. People who have known me for years will reference my spitfire Annie Get Your Gun energy. If I were not so passionate about transforming people, dancing and choreography would have been my destiny. I truly believe it was that time I had performing in my kitchen at Christmas that sparked that love.Everything you do leads to something else. Everyone you meet means something. Every memory you have leads to your next memory. Take some time and do this exercise: Backtrack. Think of what in your life helped you get to where you are today. Was it someone you met? Was it someplace you went? Take some time this holiday to "backtrack" and relish building your relationships and memories. For me, I get to sit in the first row watching my kids and their cousins in this year's Christmas talent show as my brother MC's with a real microphone, and I will appreciate every moment and every memory.   MORE HOLIDAY INSPIRATION >  Here’s to Tradition & Change | Bone Broth Diet | Dr.Kellyann — Enjoying Easter while staying committed to health goals. >  Here’s wishing you a perfectly imperfect Thanksgiving! — Thanksgiving ideas that balance enjoyment with health. >  Paleo Snacks - Halloween Trade-Offs and Caramel Apples — Healthy Halloween snack swaps for kids and adults. >  5 Tips for Keeping Your New Year’s Resolutions — Five strategies to make New Year's goals stick. >  Be Prepared to Crush Your New Year’s Goals — Preparation work that determines your success. >  Turn Your New Year's Resolutions into Habits — The science of habit formation for lasting change. >  Why You Should Make Your New Year’s Resolutions NOW — Starting now increases long-term success.

The holidays are here, and once again it’s time to hit the shopping malls, enjoy family get-togethers, and party, party, party. All of this is a blast, but it also exposes us to tons of germs—and nothing can dampen a festive occasion like coming down with a cold or the flu. Luckily, there are ways to lower your chances of being laid low by a bug. Here are eight powerful strategies to protect yourself from getting sick during the holidays. The more of these strategies you adopt yourself, the more likely you’ll be to stay sniffle-free through the New Year. Get some daily D. Vitamin D deficiency is epidemic these days, and it’s even more common in the winter because we’re all bundled up in coats, scarves, and sweaters. That’s why I strongly recommend taking a vitamin D supplement, especially if you don’t get out in the sun during the day. Research shows that having enough vitamin D may help protect you from the flu or at least make your symptoms less serious if you do come down with it. Keep zinc lozenges handy. If you do come down with a cold, a little dose of zinc may banish your symptoms more quickly. Zinc appears to work in two ways: by interfering with a cold virus’s ability to reproduce, and by blocking its ability to attach to cell membranes. Don’t overdo it, though, because taking too much zinc can alter your sense of taste. Eat probiotics and prebiotics. Eighty percent of your immune system is in your gut—so if you truly want to ward off winter bugs, you need to keep that gut healthy! Get in the habit of eating probiotic foods like kimchi, sauerkraut, refrigerated pickles, and coconut kefir to load your gut with healthy bacteria. Also, eat prebiotic foods like asparagus, onions, garlic, bananas, and Jerusalem artichokes to provide a healthy “mulch” for those bacteria. Make time to de-stress. Are you constantly feeling stressed? If so, your body is cranking out large amounts of cortisol. We tend to think of cortisol solely as a stress hormone, but it also plays a key role in fighting infection—and a constant overdose of cortisol is bad news when it comes to fending off germs. Researcher Sheldon Cohen explains, "Stressed people's immune cells become less sensitive to cortisol. They're unable to regulate the inflammatory response, and therefore, when they're exposed to a virus, they're more likely to develop a cold." To lower your stress levels, set aside a little time every day to meditate, do yoga or Tai Chi, or simply relax in a warm bath with a good book. Even a few minutes of de-stressing can have a major impact on your health. Work out. According to a Flu Survey conducted by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, doing at least two-and-a-half hours of vigorous exercise each week can dramatically cut your risk of getting the flu. The researchers who analyzed the survey data estimate that 100 cases of flu per 1,000 people could be prevented this way. Drink bone broth. Bone broth is loaded with gelatin and anti-inflammatory nutrients that keep your gut strong and healthy—and as I said earlier, a healthy gut is one of the best defenses against cold and flu germs. Besides, what’s cozier than a steaming mug of bone broth on a cold winter day? Eat your fruits and veggies. The phytochemicals in fruits and vegetables help keep your immune system working at its best. Include non-starchy veggies like spinach and kale in every meal, and add nutrient-rich fruits like berries and apples to shakes and smoothies. Remember, however, that fruit is high in carbs, so don’t overdo it. A serving size is half of an individual piece (for instance, half an apple or orange) or a closed fistful of berries, grapes, or tropical fruits. Do what grandma said! We all know the grandma rules when it comes to staying healthy: Wash your hands. Don’t share glasses or utensils. Get plenty of rest. Keep your kitchen and bathroom clean. There’s a reason why this advice gets passed down from generation to generation: It works! — I can’t promise that these eight strategies will keep you cold- and flu-free, but they’ll definitely improve your odds. And even if you do catch a bug, they’ll help you recover quickly so you can get back to shopping and partying faster. So put them all into action—and best wishes for a happy and healthy holiday season! Keep thinking Big and living BOLD!