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Would you believe that people crave chocolate more than any other food in the world? I do! And I’m not surprised. Chocolate is decadent and delicious. But maybe our bodies also know about all the ways in which it can benefit our health. Either way, I’m hooked! So let’s dive in further and explore what chocolate has to offer... But first, what is in chocolate? When we’re talking about the health benefits of chocolate, we’re really talking about the properties of cocoa beans–the seeds of the cacao tree. Cocoa beans are first fermented and then roasted and ground into a paste, which is also known as cocoa liquor. This liquor consists of both cocoa butter and cocoa solids. Cocoa butter is mostly fat. And the solids, used to make cocoa powder, contain minerals, fiber, and a ton of antioxidants. In general, chocolate bars and the like are made by mixing cocoa liquor with cocoa butter and some form of sweetener. And the percentage of cocoa liquor used is what determines how “dark” the chocolate is. Is white chocolate good for you? White chocolate contains only cocoa butter (at least 20%) mixed with sugar and dairy. So there’s very little nutrition, if any at all. The higher the percentage of cocoa solids, the more nutrients the chocolate contains. And the less sugar and other stuff. This is why dark chocolate is considered the healthiest chocolate as it has a minimum of 35% cocoa liquor. Right in the middle of the pack, milk chocolate contains only 10-12% cocoa. It has less nutrients and more sugar while also containing condensed or powdered milk. Cocoa powder is used to flavor many foods and beverages. However, how the cocoa powder is processed is important. Natural, unsweetened cocoa powder is best. And what you’ll find in my protein powders and collagen shakes. On the other hand, alkalized cocoa powder (a.k.a. Dutch processed) is chemically treated to alter its pH for certain culinary purposes. Essentially, it changes the color and makes it less bitter. However, the alkalizing process also diminishes the powder’s nutritional profile. What are the nutritional benefits of cocoa powder? We can learn a lot about the health benefits of cocoa from the Kuna Indians, an indigenous tribe of people from the islands of Panama. The Kuna enjoy a traditional cocoa beverage regularly, averaging 30 ounces a day. And this population has a low prevalence of heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, stroke, and cancer. Interestingly, Kuna who migrate to the main island of Panama and eat a less traditional diet (including less cocoa) show an increased prevalence of these Western diseases. We can thank cocoa’s impressive cocktail of nutrients for its health benefits. Here’s a more detailed look at the nutrient profile of cocoa: Fat content in cocoa powder A healthy mix of saturated and monounsaturated fats. In fact, cocoa butter is high in oleic acid–the same predominant fatty acid found in olive oil High fiber cocoa powder You’ll find approximately 2 grams of fiber in every tablespoon of natural, unsweetened cocoa powder. This is just one of the many reasons why it’s a great addition to protein shakes and smoothies. What minerals are in cocoa powder? Cocoa is a great source of magnesium, which deficiencies are common due to processed foods diets and constant stress. It also contains a good concentration of copper, iron, and manganese. And modest amounts of calcium, potassium, phosphorous, zinc, and selenium. Cocoa antioxidants Cocoa is rich in antioxidant compounds known as flavonoids, which are what gives it a bitter flavor. And cocoa has substantially more antioxidants than most other common plant-based foods. Why are cocoa antioxidants so important? Antioxidants protect your cells and other internal structures, including your DNA, from a never ending barrage of harmful free radicals. Compounds our bodies produce naturally, but are also derived from external sources, such as pesticides, processed foods, pollution, plastic chemicals, and more. Further, the flavonoids (the predominant antioxidants) in cocoa solids have been shown to exhibit many other specific health promoting properties. Let’s take a closer look…   Benefit of dark chocolate for skin with cocoa antioxidants Protect your skin from UV radiation with regular consumption of dark chocolate (with a high concentration of cocoa). It has been shown to offer skin photoprotective effects. How does cocoa antioxidants boost brain power? Flavonoids in cocoa have been shown to improve cognitive function (i.e., thinking, focus, memory, etc.) as well as protect the brain from degenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Using cocoa antioxidants to protect your heart Studies have associated cocoa consumption with significantly lower mortality rates from heart disease. In addition, flavonoids can play a role in decreasing your risk of cardiovascular complications by fighting inflammation and preventing oxidation (damage caused by free radicals). Because we now know that inflammation and oxidative stress play a significant role in the development of heart disease. Lower your blood pressure by consuming cocoa antioxidants Numerous studies have demonstrated that the intake of flavonoid rich cocoa foods and beverages can successfully lower blood pressure in those with hypertension. In addition, cocoa has been shown to improve the vascular (blood vessel) functioning. Enhance your insulin sensitivity with cocoa antioxidants There is scientific evidence suggesting that the antioxidants in cocoa may boost insulin sensitivity by means of improving vascular function, lowering oxidative stress, and enhancing your body’s ability to metabolize glucose. Is dark chocolate good for weight loss? If you’ve got extra pounds to lose, there’s a good chance your body is inflamed. And this inflammation must be addressed to successfully lose weight and keep it off. Therefore, when consumed responsibly–which I’ll get into in a bit–chocolate can actually help reduce inflammation and aid your weight loss efforts. In addition, while chocolate is often thought of as a splurge, studies have found no link between weight gain and cocoa or dark chocolate consumption in small amounts. Further, participants in this study that consumed dark chocolate (70% cocoa) experienced higher satiety and less cravings for sweet foods than those that consumed milk chocolate (30% cocoa). The dark chocolate group also consumed less food during their next meal. So...we can all have our cake, I mean chocolate, and eat it too! But, the key word is moderation. Too much chocolate as well as the wrong type of chocolate can be a bad thing. What makes a healthy chocolate? Bitter dark chocolate is better for weight loss As I mentioned earlier, flavonoids give chocolate its bitter taste. This means the more bitter the chocolate, the higher concentration of antioxidants. So, while dark chocolate may be an acquired taste, I say it’s worth acquiring. Quality dark chocolate over quantity for weight loss Stick to dark chocolate with a high cocoa percentage (70% or more). Or natural, unsweetened cocoa powder. And aim to eat no more than 2 ounces a day. Consider timing of dark chocolate Certain compounds in cocoa, such as theobromine and caffeine, may be stimulating for some. Therefore, if you’re sensitive to these effects, chocolate may be best eaten earlier in the day. The final word on health benefits in chocolate Mainly due to its high concentration of antioxidants, chocolate has many health benefits to offer. So go ahead and indulge, guilt free. But remember to keep it dark and in small quantities. Keep thinking Big and living BOLD!       REFERENCES Chocolate/cocoa and human health: a review Eating chocolate can significantly protect the skin from UV light The neuroprotective effects of cocoa flavanol and its influence on cognitive performance Cocoa and Chocolate in Human Health and Disease Eating dark and milk chocolate

Nobody likes wrinkles, right? That’s why we all shell out so much money for wrinkle-fighting skin creams and serums. But here’s the deal. It’s true that putting these formulas on your skin can work wonders, at least temporarily. However, feeding your skin moisturizers from the outside is only part of the solution. What’s the other part? Feed your skin wrinkle-fighting nutrients from the inside. And one of the most powerful wrinkle-blasters is hyaluronic acid. Today, I’ll tell you why your skin craves hyaluronic acid—and why your eyes and your joints love it, too. In addition, I’ll share ways to increase your body’s levels of hyaluronic acid so you can moisturize from the inside out and get the beautiful, youthful skin you deserve. What is hyaluronic acid, and what does it do for you? Hyaluronic acid is a gel-like substance in your extracellular matrix (that’s the fluid between your cells). Like a sponge, hyaluronic acid soaks up water; in fact, it can bind 1,000 times its weight in water. That’s why it “plumps up” your skin, making it smooth and dewy. Normally, our bodies are constantly making new hyaluronic acid and breaking down older molecules of it using an enzyme called hyaluronidase, which I’ll talk about more later. Unfortunately, as we age, we make less hyaluronic acid—but our bodies keep breaking it down at a rapid rate. The less of it we have, the drier and wrinklier our skin becomes. And guess what: Your skin isn’t the only part of your body that needs hyaluronic acid to stay young and healthy. Here are some of the other roles this crucial nutrient plays: It helps to keep your eyes healthy. There’s a jellylike tissue in your eye called the vitreous humor, which is rich in hyaluronic acid. When there isn’t enough hyaluronic acid in this tissue, your eyes get dry. (That’s why many eye drops contain hyaluronic acid.) It acts as a cushion in your joints and also helps layers of tissue glide easily over each other. In fact, researchers have dubbed it “the body’s WD-40.” That’s why getting extra hyaluronic acid in your diet can help to ease the aches and pains that come with aging. It promotes skin healing, which is why it’s often used to treat burns and surgical wounds. Clearly, if you want to look and feel your best, you need to optimize your body’s levels of hyaluronic acid. And you can’t do that simply by rubbing on a face cream—which will merely plump your skin temporarily, won’t help your joints at all, and may actually do more harm than good. To truly optimize your hyaluronic acid levels, you need to do it the natural way: by eating the right foods. The #1 food that boosts hyaluronic acid In general, it’s hard to get hyaluronic acid from foods. But there’s one big exception: my favorite food, bone broth! That’s because it’s made from bones and cartilage that are rich in this nutrient. Want more good news? Bone broth is also packed with collagen, which works hand-in-hand with hyaluronic acid to make your skin beautiful. And hyaluronic acid and collagen also work together to heal joints, so you’ll get a double dose of powerful nutritional medicine in each mug of broth. (New to bone broth? Here’s how to make it.) If you can’t get a daily dose of bone broth for some reason, you can take hyaluronic acid in supplement form. Research shows that oral hyaluronic acid supplements can effectively reduce wrinkles in just weeks. Additional foods that boost hyaluronic acid Also, eat foods rich in magnesium, which helps the body produce hyaluronic acid. Good sources of magnesium include leafy greens, avocados, broccoli, bananas, nuts, seeds, and sweet potatoes. In addition, eat foods that help to prevent the breakdown of hyaluronic acid. Citrus fruits and tomatoes are rich in naringenin, which inhibits the activity of hyaluronidase—that hyaluronic acid-destroying enzyme I talked about earlier.And don’t forget water. Hyaluronic acid soaks up water like a sponge, but only if there’s water available to begin with! So drink plenty of water every day, and eat water-rich foods like cucumbers and berries. Oh, and one more tip: Avoid excess sun exposure, because sunlight decreases levels of hyaluronic acid in your skin. A recipe to get you started! As I’ve said, the #1 dietary source of hyaluronic acid is bone broth—and that means you’ll want to get a bone broth fix every single day. However, on a hot day you may not want a steamy mug of broth. So instead, try this cool, hydrating, perfect-for-summer recipe. It’s rich in bone broth to boost your hyaluronic acid, it’s loaded with naringenin-packed tomato juice, and it makes about seven servings—so you’ll be good to go for a whole week.   GAZPACHO Prep Time: 10 min | Yield: 6-8 serving Ingredients:3 cups tomato juice1 pint purchased fresh mild salsa2 red bell peppers, seeded, chopped1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, chopped2 cups chicken bone broth1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro4 large garlic cloves2 tablespoons balsamic or red wine vinegar1 tablespoon olive oil1 teaspoon ground cuminHot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco) Directions:Working in batches, blend all ingredients except hot sauce in processor to a coarse puree. Transfer gazpacho to a large bowl. Season to taste with hot sauce, salt and pepper. Refrigerate until well chilled, about 2 hours. Ladle into bowls and serve. Optional: Top with sliced avocado, cucumber, red onion, fresh cilantro or grilled shrimp. Bon appetit! P.S. And for other fabulous bone broth recipes, check out my favorites here.    

Sometimes you can’t predict the future. For instance, who knew that cauliflower would be the hottest food trend of the decade? Well, it is… and right now, it’s everywhere. In fact, I just got back from a run to Trader Joe’s, where they’re selling everything from cauliflower gnocchi to cauliflower pizza to cauliflower “thins” you can use to make sandwiches and tacos. And when Trader Joe’s loves a food that much, you know it’s truly cool. Now, I don’t always jump on the bandwagon when it comes to food fads. But this time, I’m totally on board—and I hope it’s a trend that lasts forever. Today, I want to share three reasons why I’m a big fan of this versatile vegetable. I’ll start with the science lecture (it’s a nutrition-packed, cancer-fighting ninja) and then get to the good stuff—you won’t believe what you can make with it! It’s incredibly good for you. We talk all the time about “eating the rainbow,” because brightly colored veggies and fruits typically contain the most nutrients. But here’s the deal: Even though it’s usually white (although there are orange and purple variations), cauliflower is a powerhouse of nutrients. When it’s raw or lightly cooked, cauliflower is loaded with vitamin C. It’s also rich in vitamin K, folate, and fiber. And here’s the biggie: As a member of the cruciferous vegetable family, it gives you a huge dose of potent cancer fighters including sulforaphane and indole-3-carbinol. If you’re serious about cancer prevention, you need to make cruciferous veggies like cauliflower a cornerstone of your diet. (One caution here: When you’re buying cauliflower products, read the labels. Many also contain flour or other ingredients you might not want in your diet, so be skeptical until you’ve seen all the ingredients.) It’s a super “swap” if you’re going grain-free or low-carb. I’m a great believer in minimizing grains in your diet—or better yet, eliminating them altogether—and I’m also a big fan of limiting other carb-heavy foods. In fact, those are two of my biggest secrets for losing weight, staying young, and avoiding diseases like diabetes. But I’m also human, and I know it can be tough to give up the grains and other high-carb foods you love. (Hey, I’m an Italian girl. I love my pizza too!) Now, thanks to cauliflower “swaps,” you can enjoy the tastes you love, guilt-free. For instance, if you’re longing for pizza, check out my Perfect Pizza with a Cauliflower Crust. Once you’ve tried it, you’ll never go back to that greasy, cardboard crust again. Really. Trust me on this one. And are you missing mashed potatoes? Then try mashed cauliflower. Start with my basic recipe here, and then get creative with chives, parsley, or bacon. If potato salad is more your style, that’s a cinch, too—here’s a recipe courtesy of Elena’s Pantry. Or how about rice? Good news: It’s back on the menu, too! Just blitz cauliflower in your blender until the pieces are the same size as grains of rice, and go from there. You can use cauliflower rice to make anything from Cauliflower “Fried Rice” (scroll down the page to find the recipe) to a lovely, light Chicken and “Rice” Soup. And while I don’t eat dairy, I know people who do just fine with it—and if you’re one of them, you can even make your own cauliflower gnocchi. Here’s a recipe from Diet Doctor for Keto Gnocchi with Homemade Pesto. It makes awesome vegetarian/vegan entrees. If you like to entertain, like I do—or you have family members who don’t eat meat—you always want to have some vegan or vegetarian options up your sleeve. And here again, cauliflower shines. You can substitute cauliflower for meat in curries, make a spicy tandoori cauliflower (hat tip to NomMom Paleo for this version), or serve a roasted cauliflower steak (here’s a good recipe). I also like to serve a warm, hearty cauliflower soup, so I’ll end my ode to the amazing cauliflower with this fabulous soup from my 10-Day Belly Slimdown. My readers have voted this one of their all-time favorites from the book—and once you try it, you’ll see why! CAULIFLOWER VICHYSSOISE PREP TIME: 15 MIN. | COOK TIME: 25 MIN. | YIELD: 4 TO 6 SERVINGS 2 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter)1 garlic clove, minced2 leeks, white and pale green parts only, cut into thin rounds4 cups (1 quart) chicken bone broth1/2 cup canned full- fat coconut milk3 cups cauliflower florets1/2 teaspoon dried thyme1 teaspoon Celtic or pink Himalayan salt1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for serving1/2 teaspoon arrowroot powder, blended with 1 tablespoon water, plus more if needed In a large stockpot, melt the ghee over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and leeks and reduce the heat to medium- low. Cook, stirring, for 6 to 8 minutes, until softened. Raise the heat to medium-high and add the broth, coconut milk, cauliflower, thyme, salt, and pepper. When the soup begins to simmer, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until the cauliflower is cooked through. Purée with an immersion blender, blender, or food processor until smooth and creamy. Return to the stockpot and stir in the arrowroot mixture. Simmer for 3 to 5 minutes, until the soup thickens, adding more arrowroot if a thicker soup is desired. Serve warm, garnished with freshly ground black pepper. Bon Appétit  

Some diet changes are tough—but some are super-easy. And happily for us, the simplest changes are often the most powerful. Today, I’m hoping to encourage you to add one single food to your diet—a food that may dramatically reduce your risk for cancer. Want more? It can also help you build strong bones, detox your body, and stay slim… and that’s just for starters.  That food is broccoli sprouts—one of the tiniest and most powerful superfoods on the planet. Here’s why you want to add broccoli sprouts to your diet, along with my top ten easy ways to do it. Sulforaphane: The “magic ingredient” in broccoli sprouts All cruciferous vegetables (such as broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and kale) contain glucoraphanin, a substance that’s converted to a nutrient called sulforaphane during digestion. But broccoli sprouts provide you with much more sulforaphane than fully-grown cruciferous veggies—for instance, ten times as much as mature broccoli. Why is sulforaphane so important? First of all, it’s a potent cancer fighter. Sulforaphane reduces the ability of cancer cells to multiply, so tumors grow more slowly and are less likely to spread. In addition, it’s a potent detoxifier that can protect cells against damage that can cause cancer. It also reduces inflammation, which is linked to a number of cancers. And it may help to reverse destructive changes in gene transcription that lead to cancer. So it’s no surprise that research shows that sulforaphane may protect against breast, throat, lung, prostate, bladder, skin, and colon cancer. Newly published research shows that it can protect against liver cancer as well. All of this would be enough to make sulforaphane a super-star in anyone’s book. But—as they say in the TV commercials—there’s more! In fact, there’s a whole lot more. Human and animal studies indicate that sulforaphane has many benefits. What are the benefits of sulforaphane?  It appears to help reduce obesity by improving gut flora and by turning energy-storing white fat into energy-burning brown fat. It helps fight osteoporosis. It may reduce inflammation in ulcerative colitis. It helps to protect against the dangerous effects of air pollution. It lessens the damaging effects of high blood sugar. It can improve blood pressure. It may protect against cartilage damage in arthritis. It may improve symptoms in autism and Alzheimer’s disease. It has antidepressant effects. It may boost the ability of people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) to fight off bacterial infections. In short, those tiny little sprouts pack a big punch—and adding them to your diet could make you healthier or even save your life. And it doesn’t take much; according to researchers, eating just a little more than one ounce each week might do the trick.. Ten easy ways to use broccoli sprouts Broccoli sprouts have a peppery, radish-y flavor that’s similar to the taste of mature broccoli but milder. You can use them pretty much anywhere you’d use any sprouts. Here are my favorite ways to work broccoli sprouts into my diet: Add them to wraps and sandwiches. Toss them in green salads. Use them in green drinks. Toss a handful into scrambled eggs at the end of cooking. Add them to egg salad, chicken salad, or tuna salad. Blend them into dips. Throw them into stir-fries at the last minute. Sprinkle them on top of a mug of bone broth or soup. Add them to hummus. Eat them straight. However you eat them, chewing them well will help to give you the biggest possible dose of sulforaphane. One caution: Uncooked broccoli sprouts can be contaminated with germs that cause illness. Wash them thoroughly, and cook them or avoid them if you’re pregnant or immune-compromised. If you cook them, do it very lightly, because cooking will diminish the sulforaphane content. Where to find broccoli sprouts? Broccoli sprouts can be a little tricky to find in the stores—but Whole Foods carries them, and so do a number of other markets that specialize in healthy foods. If you can’t find them, you can get a broccoli sprout supplement, although the sulforaphane in supplements may be less bioavailable than in fresh broccoli sprouts. How to grow broccoli sprouts? Alternately, it’s easy to grow your own broccoli sprouts. Just follow my directions here, and before you know it, little sprouts will be popping up all over! Be sure to harvest them when they’re still tiny to get the most nutritional benefit. Stock up on broccoli sprouts Whether you buy your sprouts at the store, take them in pill form, or grow your own, I hope you’ll get in the broccoli sprout habit. It’s one of the easiest steps you can take to lower inflammation, fight cancer, detox your body, and get healthier from head to toe. These tiny greens truly are proof that good things come in small packages! With peace and love,

Imagine you’re watching TV, and you see an advertisement for a miracle drug that can help you sleep better, keep your bones healthy, and help protect you from cancer, depression, diabetes, and multiple sclerosis.  And that’s not all; it can even reduce your risk of catching COVID-19 or getting seriously ill if you do.  You’d jump at the chance to get a prescription, wouldn’t you? Well, guess what: You don’t need to! That’s because this “miracle drug” is vitamin D, and you can get it from sunlight, supplements, and the right foods. The key is to make sure you’re getting enough—and there’s a chance that right now, you aren’t. What is vitamin D?—and why is vitamin D deficiency so common? Vitamin D, nicknamed the “sunshine vitamin,” is a fat-soluble vitamin, which means that your body can store a little bit of it. It’s also a powerful hormone that affects the function of every system in your body, which is why it plays a role in everything from your mood to your bone health to your risk for cancer, diabetes, MS, or even COVID-19.  Your body creates vitamin D when you expose your skin to direct sunlight. That sounds pretty simple, but remarkably, in the United States, around 40% of people have a vitamin D deficiency—and even people who get out in the sun can have very low levels. What factors influence your vitamin D level? Geography. The sun’s UV-B rays trigger your skin to start producing Vitamin D, and if you live far from the equator, you’ll get lower amounts of UV-B rays than people living near the equator do.  Pollution. In busy metropolitan areas, pollutants in the air can block the sun’s rays from reaching your skin. In fact, pollutants can reduce ray availability by up to 60%.  Gut health. A sick gut absorbs less Vitamin D than a healthy gut. Conditions such as Crohn’s disease and celiac disease make it especially hard for you to get enough of this vitamin.  Age. As you age, your skin gets less efficient at synthesizing Vitamin D from the sun. Skin color. The darker your skin is, the less vitamin D you absorb.  Medications. Certain prescription drugs (for instance, prednisone or the weight-loss drug orlistat) can interfere with your body’s ability to absorb or metabolize Vitamin D.  How much vitamin D do you need? If you’re not able to get out in the sun every day, there’s a good chance you’re deficient right now. If that’s a possibility, I recommend taking about 5,000 IU of vitamin D each day in supplemental form to build up your levels, and adding vitamin D-rich foods to your diet. What is the best way to boost vitamin D? The best way to get that big daily dose of vitamin D is to go out in the sun without sunscreen for about 15 to 30 minutes each day. (Aim for the higher end of the range if you have dark skin, and the lower end if you have light skin.) As a bonus, that sunlight exposure will increase your production of nitric oxide, which is powerful medicine for your cardiovascular system.  Now, I know what you’re thinking: No sunscreen, Kellyann? What about wrinkles and skin cancer? Well, here’s the deal. Getting a big dose of sun is bad for your skin—but getting a little dose each day is totally harmless for it. So relax and enjoy the outdoors. Vitamin D-rich foods to add to your diet Fatty fish. Wild-caught salmon is one of the world’s best sources of Vitamin D, with one four-ounce serving giving you 124% of your daily value. And, hey—you know how I always talk about buying wild-caught fish whenever you can? Well, get this: Farm-raised salmon provides only 32% of the daily value in the same portion size. What a difference! If you’re looking for new ways to add salmon to your diet, two of my favorite salmon dishes are my Pecan Crusted Salmon Filet and my Mediterranean Salmon with Grilled Fennel and Olives. Fresh Atlantic herring is a great option, too, providing nearly 30% of your daily value of vitamin D in a four-ounce serving—and you can also get canned, smoked, or pickled herring. In addition, tuna, mackerel, and sardines are good sources of vitamin D. Free-range eggs. The yolks of free-range eggs are a rich source of Vitamin D. Pasture-raised chickens, given room to roam in daylight, produce eggs that are three to four times higher in Vitamin D content than eggs from caged chickens. To work more eggs into your diet, try my Bone Broth Egg Drop Soup with Spinach and my Veggie Bowl and Poached Eggs. Portobello mushrooms. Portobello mushrooms are the only plant source that can provide the daily recommended value of Vitamin D in a small serving, with one cup of sliced mushrooms providing more than 600 IU. Check out my Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms here. Final notes on vitamin D I normally recommend that my patients get their vitamin D levels checked, so they know exactly where they stand. But I know things aren’t exactly normal right now, and going to your doctor’s office might not be in the cards. So for now, get a little sunshine, take a supplement, and eat vitamin D-rich foods, so you can be confident that you’re getting a good dose of this miracle drug. You can test later… but start optimizing your vitamin D levels today! Keep Positive and Stay Healthy!

Dinner from a can? Yes, you can! Okay, I have to say… I never thought I’d write a headline like that. That’s because in the universe where we normally live, fresh is always best. But we’re not in that universe right now. Instead, we’re in a topsy-turvy world where even a quick trip to the grocery store is a little scary—and if we’re brave enough to go to the store, many of the fresh foods we normally grab are gone (along with the toilet paper—sigh). This means we need to follow the first rule of survival in a crisis: adapt. So I’m officially declaring that it’s just fine to change the rules a little right now. If you can’t find healthy food in the produce section or the meat aisle, go ahead and get it from a can. You totally have my blessing. In fact, today I’m going to share some of my own favorite canned-food suggestions. How do I safely buy canned food? When possible, buy food in BPA-free cans (or in cartons or glass jars). Choose lower-sugar and lower-sodium versions of canned or frozen foods. Steer clear of canned foods with artificial preservatives and ingredients. When it comes to processed food, the fewer ingredients, the better. Check the label and see how many you recognize. Preservatives like ascorbic acid and tocopherol are okay, but if you can't pronounce most of them, choose something else. What are the best foods to eat from a can?  Pumpkin Pumpkin is surprisingly low in carbs, and it’s packed with fiber and contains nutrients like vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin B-9, and potassium. Try it in shakes, pancakes, and even chili. Beans If you run short on proteins, you can substitute canned beans. As a bonus, these can help to boost your collagen production. Give them a good rinse before adding them to dishes.  Fish and Seafood Reach for canned salmon, tuna, sardines, oysters, crab, and other fish and seafood. These are high in omega-3 fatty acids and protein, and you can use them in everything from salads to soups to seafood cakes. If there are a few cans of crabmeat lurking in your pantry, try out these Savory Crab Cakes. Chicken I love to make chicken salad with homemade mayo—but if you don’t have the ingredients on hand, store-bought avocado mayo is just fine, too. Chickpeas and Tahini If you’re in the mood for a healthy snack, whip up some home-made hummus to use as a dip. This is a smart way to use up some of the veggies that are still fairly easy to find, like carrots and celery. Tahini is fantastic in salad dressing, too. Coconut Milk This is starting to be in short supply, but if you can find some, stock up on it. Canned coconut milk is an excellent source of healthy fat, and it’s fabulous in soups (like this Creamy Broccoli Soup), curries, and shakes. Bone Broth For the moment (knock on wood), chicken seems to be pretty plentiful in the stores. In fact, in some stores, your choices in the meat aisle are pretty much chicken, chicken, or chicken. So cook up some of your favorite chicken recipes, and then save the bones for a savory bone broth. If you don’t have the time to make chicken broth, or you’re in the mood for beef broth instead, I’m still shipping my broth. Olives These are my all-time favorite snack—super-healthy, and so easy to grab when you’re in a hurry. If your store still has fresh salmon and fennel on hand, and you’re in the mood to try a new dish, check out this luscious recipe. Pickles and Sauerkraut Choose pickles or sauerkraut located in the refrigerated section at your grocery store, because only the refrigerated versions have live cultures—and keeping your gut flora healthy by restocking it with probiotics is extra-smart right now. Look for pickles that are fermented rather than pickled in vinegar, because the latter don’t contain live cultures. Also, select pickles that don’t list yellow dye on the label. If you’re looking for a fun home project, you can ferment your own pickles or sauerkraut. And if you’re schooling kids at home, why not turn this into a science project? Homemade Dressings Have some olive oil, vinegar, collagen powder, and pantry basics on hand? Then whip up this Italian dressing. (It also makes a tasty marinade for all that chicken.) Fruit Go easy on this, because it’s high in sugar—but if you choose options that are packed in 100% juice, you can indulge in small quantities. Toss them in shakes for that sweet treat you deserve right now. Tomato Products Grab a good assortment of these if you can. They come in handy for making anything from soups, chiles, and stews to meatloaf and dips for meatballs. Be flexible! A few months from now (yes, I admit it) I’m going to be nagging you again about eating fresh foods from those outside aisles in the grocery store. But not right now—because this is the time for us to adapt to reality and be creative with what we have on hand. So go ahead and grab that can opener. I’m totally on board. And if you come up with any awesome canned concoctions, share your recipes with me! Keep Positive and Stay Healthy!

I know it’s easy to feel helpless in the face of this pandemic. But I don’t believe in feeling helpless—I believe in being empowered. And I believe in focusing on what you CAN do, not what you CAN’T do.  That’s why I want to share some good news with you: You can take action right now to slash your risk of infection, or lower your odds of getting seriously ill if you do catch this bug. I know you’re already doing all the right things to avoid this virus: washing your hands, sheltering in place, and wearing a mask in public. But eventually, you’re going to go back out into that big world. When you do, this virus will still be out there—and there’s a good chance that it will sneak up on you sooner or later, even if you keep following safe practices.  So how can you strengthen your armor so you can fight off this bug if it attacks? Here’s the single biggest step you can take: commit to losing your extra pounds.  I know this means bucking the trend, because most people are tucked away on the couch loading up on chips and ice cream. But if you need motivation to start getting rid of those extra pounds, you can’t get a better incentive than this: it can help to save your life in this pandemic, especially if you’re obese or heading in that direction. (Better yet, losing just a little can make a big difference—something I’ll talk about shortly.) Here’s the deal. Being overweight or obese is one of the biggest risk factors for severe COVID-19 infection, especially among younger people. In fact, among people in this age group, obesity can increase the risk of serious symptoms more than six-fold. That’s scary, I know. But it’s no surprise to me, because the scientific literature shows a powerful link between excess weight and impaired immune function. What is the link between excess weight and impaired immune function? Both human and animal studies show that obesity can lead to “altered lymphocyte numbers and reduced lymphocyte responsiveness to mitogen stimulation, dysregulated cytokine expression, decreased natural killer cells, macrophage and dendritic cell functions” (translation: A highly impaired immune system, leading to a higher risk of infection or a worse outcome). Obesity increases the risk of hospitalization and death due to the flu. People who are overweight or obese also shed more virus particles and shed them for a longer time, endangering others. Hospitalized patients are also more likely to develop secondary infections—a problem we’re currently seeing with COVID-19— if they are obese. Why is extra weight dangerous?  Extra weight causes inflammation. Your subcutaneous fat (that’s “the inch you can pinch”) is healthy fat. But your visceral fat—the deep-down fat that wraps around your organs—is a witch’s cauldron that’s constantly brewing up inflammatory chemicals and releasing them into your body.  This is particularly dangerous if COVID-19 strikes, because the biggest offender in this virus is the cytokine storm that can overwhelm your body with inflammatory molecules. If you’re already chronically inflamed, this cytokine storm can hit you even harder. Leptin resistance can occur with excess weight. You might already know about leptin from my posts about how it helps to control appetite, but it turns out that it has another important job. Let’s start with the back story. Leptin, a hormone produced by your fat cells, tells your brain if you’re full or hungry. That’s why I call it your “hunger trigger.” However, if you’re obese, this trigger doesn’t work right anymore. That’s because your leptin concentration correlates with your percentage of body fat. So more body fat equals more leptin.  You’d think that would make you less hungry, right? But unfortunately, when your levels of leptin are always high, your brain stops listening to it. This is called leptin resistance, and it means that you’re hungry even when your body has plenty of food. So… what does this have to do with immunity? It turns out that leptin doesn’t just affect your appetite—it affects your immune system, too. We’re learning that leptin influences an incredible range of immune system responses—both inflammatory and anti-inflammatory. Leptin resistance throws a monkey wrench into this intricate process, wreaking havoc on your immune function. Extra weight can lead to diabetes. Being overweight or obese dramatically increases your risk for type 2 diabetes, and infections are more common and often more serious in diabetics. One reason is that high blood sugar levels cause the body to produce molecules that weaken its infection-fighting defenses.  How can I decrease my risk? Enough bad news—now for the good news! I know all this bad news is hard to hear if you’re overweight or obese. But here’s the very, very good news: every pound you lose right now will improve your immune function and help to protect you against COVID-19.  In fact, one exciting study shows that even a small amount of weight loss starts to reverse immune system damage. The authors of this study found that simply losing about 13 pounds was enough to “bring the pro-inflammatory nature of circulating immune cells back to that found in lean people.” This means that you can start healing your immune system fast. So here’s my challenge: While everyone else is using this pandemic as an excuse to gain weight, use it as your motivation to LOSE weight. And while the people around you are feeling helpless, feel empowered—because this is one COVID-19 threat you can face down and crush. Every crisis brings an opportunity to be braver than you believe, stronger than you feel, and greater than you think. Make this yours! Keep Positive and Stay Healthy!

When you’re sheltering in place, and you’re spending hours on the couch binge-watching Netflix (and who isn’t?), it’s all too easy for an extra ten pounds to creep on.  But sooner or later, your isolation will end, and you’ll be heading out the door again—and you’re going to want to emerge from your cocoon like a beautiful butterfly. So what can you do if you see the numbers on the scale going up and up and up? No worries! Just put Netflix on hold for a few minutes, hop off the couch, and do a little advance planning so you’ll be ready to take those extra ten pounds off FAST. Here’s how. Get real about losing 10 pounds. First, let’s start with a reality check. Right now, it’s hard to get even the most basic staples at your grocery store. Plus, who wants to venture out into a world that looks like the zombie apocalypse? So if you’re like me, you’ll probably need to get by for the next few weeks on whatever you’ve stockpiled. If that’s healthy food, great. If it’s frozen burritos and ramen, so be it.  At this point, simply do what you can. Minimize the carbs and junk food as much as possible, and eat healthy proteins and fats and veggies if they’re available. If you’re ordering meals for delivery, try to make smart choices. Otherwise, chill.  Get ready to lose 10 pounds.  While you’re chilling, prepare to fly into action—to turn into that beautiful butterfly—as soon as your isolation ends. Right now, while you’re in your cocoon, is the best time to chart your course. So here’s your next step: Choose the weight-loss plan that will work best for you.  What plans will help you lose 10 pounds? My 21-day Bone Broth Diet. On this easy plan, you’ll do two fat-blasting mini-fasts each week, sipping on bone broth all day so you won’t feel hungry. (I’ll talk about the power of fasting in a minute.) On the other five days, you’ll eat three full, luscious meals packed with protein, healthy fats, and veggies.  My 10-Day Belly Slimdown. On this quicker plan, you’ll sip on bone broth each morning and afternoon, enjoy a creamy shake for lunch, and then have a filling dinner of protein, healthy fats, veggies, and grapefruit or berries. You’ll eat all of your meals during a seven-hour eating window, revving up your weight loss (I’ll talk more about this eating window in a minute, too). My 5-Day Cleanse and Reset.  On this super-fast plan, you’ll have a collagen-packed green smoothie for breakfast, drink a rich collagen shake for lunch, have a second green smoothie in the afternoon, and finish off your day with a delicious, satisfying soup. What tips to follow when picking a plan? If speed is your top priority, go with my Cleans and Reset. It’ll slim, refresh, restore, and revitalize you in less than a week. If you have a few extra days, harness the power of a shortened eating window by doing my 10-Day Belly Slimdown. Research shows that simply reducing your eating window by a few hours each day can speed up your metabolism, lower your insulin levels and blood pressure, and make you feel less hungry—and it can even make your brain healthier! If you’re ready to sign on for 21 days—and especially if you have more than 10 pounds to lose—opt for my Bone Broth Diet. The bone broth fasts you’ll do on this plan burn fat like crazy, help protect you against diseases like diabetes and cancer, and make you healthier on a cellular level. To learn more about mini-fasts, check out my Guide to Intermittent Fasting here. Each of these plans can strip ten pounds off your body FAST—and as a bonus, each one is loaded with skin-smoothing collagen to blast your wrinkles and beautify your face as you lose the weight. So choose the plan that suits your lifestyle best. You’re in charge here. Get your game face on to lose 10 pounds. Once you pick a plan, commit to it. Read up on it so you know how it works. Figure out which foods are “no” foods, and which foods are “yes” foods. Be prepared to toss out the “no” foods and restock your fridge, freezer, and pantry. Next, go through the recipes for the diet, decide which ones you want to try, and make a shopping list. Order what you can online, and be ready to grab the rest at your grocery store once your self-isolation is over. Finally, write down the reasons why you want to lose your extra weight, and post your list on your bathroom mirror so you’ll see it every day. Do you want to look gorgeous for an upcoming event? Get healthier and happier? Hear your friends say “wow” when they see you in person again? When you write down your goals, it’ll encourage you to stick to your plan. Get started losing 10 pounds! When you’re finally free to leave the house, head straight for the grocery store. Get the supplies you need, prep your ingredients (you’ll find super-easy instructions for this in my books), pick your starting date, and stick to it. The sooner you get going, the more motivated you’ll be—and the easier it’ll be to shed those “shelter-in-place” pounds and spread your beautiful butterfly wings! Keep Positive and Stay Healthy!

Increasing focus and productivity levels can be a safe, healthy process. By implementing a few lifestyle changes, you can reduce brain fog and give your overall health and wellness a much-needed boost. If you're struggling at work or home and just don't see the same quality and effort you're used to giving, try a few of these natural tips to help restore your productivity Increase Productivity Naturally When successful people around the world share how they increase productivity, many credit their exercise routines and strict carefully thought out schedules. Also high on many lists are superfoods known to significantly increase productivity, stimulate the brain, and boost motivation. How’s that for eating wisely? Yep, the right foods indeed can increase productivity by supporting brain power by up to twenty percent. Choosing foods to help focus on tasks at hand can not only increase productivity but have an incredible impact on your overall quality of work. Finding natural ways to increase productivity, whether at work or home, doesn’t have to be an overwhelming challenge. With a few simple changes in your daily routine, like adding foods to help focus, you’ll not only help increase productivity but also: Strengthen your immunity Increase focus Boost your overall mood Support your mental health Foods That Help Focus and Increase Productivity Don’t think of implementing healthy eating into your daily routine as a restrictive dieting plan, think of it as a healthy lifestyle that will shower you with incredible physical and mental health benefits and undeniable anti-aging bonuses! Choosing foods that help focus your attention and increase productivity include: Avocados Always a tasty, healthy food choice, avocados are a natural stimulant and help:    Increase productivity   Increase focus   Maintain healthy blood flow   Support heart and brain health Bananas Bananas are an excellent source of glucose which provides energy. Did you know that one banana holds the amount of glucose your body needs daily? It makes the perfect snack, filling you up, and keeping your focus and productivity levels higher. Green Tea We all hear of the wonderful benefits green tea brings. But did you know it is a powerful antioxidant provider, leading to increasing productivity? Matcha is one of the more effective green teas, boosting energy production. It provides fiber and polyphenols in fine powder form, making it an excellent food to help focus and productivity levels.  Dark Chocolate Ok, my chocolate loving friends, this one’s for you. Dark chocolate is excellent for enhancing effects such as increasing productivity, reducing brain fog, and helping increase focus. It’s a great food to maintain focus when you have a bit of a sweet tooth. Its caffeine content boosts your energy so you can increase focus on your tasks. What you may not know is that dark chocolate contains magnesium, known as a natural stress reliever. Now, don’t take this as a green light to go crazy! Watch your portions and be mindful of your intake.  Salmon Salmon and other fatty fish options are among the best choices of foods to help focus and productivity issues. Salmon offers excellent omega-3 fatty acids content, which is useful in increasing productivity by improving your memory and overall mental performance. It's also known to decrease symptoms of depression, which can often be a culprit in reducing productivity.  Berries Berries offer antioxidants that are known to help increase memory, increasing productivity, and reducing brain fog. Berries also help prevent Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Generally, the darker the berry, the more potent the antioxidant, so load up on those blackberries and blueberries in your smoothies and snacks! Eggs Eggs, whether at breakfast, lunch, or as a protein-boosting snack, have many benefits. Eggs increase memory and even speed up your reaction time. Eggs contain the B-vitamin known as choline, known to stimulate your brain's reactive sensors. Pretty impressive and can be beneficial both at home and at work. Addressing Stress to Reduce Brain Fog There are other ways to incorporate foods to help focus, like addressing stress. Stress-relieving foods are not a myth and can significantly support your productivity. Certain foods are known to help boost serotonin levels, providing a calming effect to chemical levels throughout your brain. By choosing these foods, you decrease stress hormone levels, such as adrenaline and cortisol, while also boosting your immune system. Try a few of these go-to stress-relieving choices: Spinach and other leafy greens Spinach is fantastic for fighting stress, tension, headaches, and chronic fatigue. Adding one cup of spinach, kale, or any leafy green can boost your magnesium levels as well. Raw veggies Raw veggies help naturally alleviate stress levels. Tension in your jaw? Snacking on raw veggies can relieve it while filling you up and sending nutrients to your entire body. Oranges Fill up on vitamin C! They provide stress relief while boosting immunity, lowering stress, and increasing focus and productivity. You'll also support the production of your diminishing collagen, providing glowing skin and a long list of anti-aging benefits! How’s that for an orange a day?   Additional Ways to Make Improvements There are many natural ways to help reduce brain fog and increase your focus and productivity levels. Meditation Naturally improving your productivity can be as simple as a daily meditation. When your mind is calm and at peace, you can reach levels of clarity that promote wellness and reduce tension levels. Meditation helps heal the body and mind, creating positivity and helping increase focus you can take with you throughout your day. Maintain Your Water Intake Our bodies consist of over seventy percent of water. Your entire body and the ability to properly function relies on vital water levels. If you do not stay adequately hydrated, you decrease brain function, lose focus, energy, and essential functions throughout your body. Drink at least a full eight glasses of water a day to help boost brain function and increase focus and productivity levels. Benefits of Bone Broth Another food to help focus and reduce brain fog is bone broth. Bone broth contains all the vital nutrients your body and brain need to: Increase energy Increase motivation Support clarity Increase focus Increase productivity Flooding your system with bone broth provides crucial support to your health through an abundance of:       Clean protein       Vitamins and nutrients       Antioxidants       Collagen       Fiber       Amino acids  ­­If you’re ready to boost your performance levels, there’s no better time to start than the present. Find out how you can incorporate foods to help focus and turn your health around today!   Keep Positive and Stay Healthy!

Are you continually searching for new ways to up your skincare game? Do you find yourself trying a variety of anti-aging remedies, methods, and gadgets? Red light therapy may be for you if you are seeking natural health, wellness, and skin benefits. And if you’re anything like me, weighing the pros and cons is a must when it comes to health. So, how beneficial is red light therapy, and what makes it worth considering? What is Red Light Therapy? Known for its remarkably powerful form of energy, red light provides incredible benefits to your body. Red light therapy is known to make improvements to the way you look, feel, and even behave. Anti-aging skin benefits are typically the most sought-after results with this method. Through the use of a red light lamp, device, or laser, exposure allows a portion of your cells, the mitochondria, to soak in the light and produce more energy. Health experts believe this safe method supports cells in becoming healthier and able to repair themselves, offering tremendous anti-aging skin benefits. In the 1990s, NASA began utilizing the fantastic effects of red light to support the growth of plants in space. It wasn’t until much later that this technology was available as a therapeutic treatment in various clinical settings. Lamps for these settings began to help reduce oxidative stress while stimulating cellular energy production. In other words, it helps improve cell functioning, resulting in a variety of anti-aging skin benefits you’ll love! You’ll be in awe of the results you’ll see with red light therapy, from a long list of skin benefits to anti-aging effects, muscle tissue repair, and mood. It’s a natural health treatment that provides you with an option to make use of a noninvasive natural light method that will benefit you both inside and out. And who wouldn’t benefit from that? Is Red Light Therapy Safe? It’s a valid question, especially when you’re looking for anti-aging skin benefits, so let’s dive into the safety of using red light therapy. Not to be confused with tanning bed methods, using red light therapy is a safe and effective way to attain a variety of health and skin improvements. The lack of UV rays makes red light therapy ideal for reliable anti-aging skin benefits. The FDA has given its approval for several red light therapy (RLT) devices, noting fantastic health benefits. Short periods of exposure to low levels of red or near-infrared light provide healing. By setting aside five to fifteen minutes of your day for treatment, you’ll see incredible results from this concentrated, natural light without sacrificing time. I bet that raised a few eyebrows. I think we can all agree squeezing in fifteen minutes is doable when we're talking skin benefits, right? If you’re still a bit skeptical, think of it this way; we all face exposure to and absorb red and near-infrared light more often than you realize. However, the sun is unable to deliver the necessary wavelengths of light in nanometers or the proper intensity we would need to see therapeutic results. You won’t run the risk of skin cancer with RLT either. So, for all my sunbathers, don't run out to the pool expecting to see anti-aging skin benefits with your tan! Red light therapy can penetrate deeper within our body and work its magic at the cellular level. Pretty impressive, isn’t it? You may also hear red light therapy referred to as: Photobiomodulation (PBM) LED light therapy Low-level light therapy (LLLT) Soft laser therapy Cold laser therapy Biostimulation Phototonic stimulation Low-power laser therapy (LPLT) The Benefits of Using Red Light Therapy Red light is a form of therapy that helps boost your production of collagen, a known anti-aging force, and enhance your overall health and wellness through:       Improving your quality of sleep while reducing insomnia       Reducing joint pain and inflammation       Enhancing muscle recovery       Supporting stronger, healthier hair regrowth       Skin benefits including improvements to overall clarity, tone, and texture       Supporting your weight loss goals       Reducing signs of scarring and stretch marks Red Light Therapy as an Anti-Inflammatory Treatment I’m a firm believer in the crucial need for anti-inflammatory methods. Inflammation can cause all forms of illness, disease, as well as a decline in mental health, and battles against chronic fatigue. Not to mention, it negates all your hard, anti-aging work.  Red light therapy goes right to the source of your inflammation and provides an increase in your blood flow circulation. This allows repairs to be made to areas with tissue damage while boosting the regeneration of your cells. Targeting inflammation with red light therapy reduces pain as well as recovery time while supporting the healing process of your body. This therapy method is also beneficial in healing injuries that may be affecting your tissue and bones. That’s why red light therapy is often the sought-after choice of many athletes and weight trainers. Its ability to stimulate muscle growth, help reduce muscle fatigue, and enhance strength and endurance levels make it ideal for any fitness enthusiast.  Anti-Aging Skin Benefits of Red Light Therapy Anti-inflammatory methods, such as red light therapy, are fantastic for anti-aging skin benefits. In fact, many dermatologists use red lights for their incredible healing benefits, including eczema treatment. The red light offers the ability to deliver its power source directly to your skin cells. It improves the overall health of your skin by increasing circulation, the production of energy, and reducing inflammation. Red light therapy helps support your overall skin health and improvements by diminishing the appearance of those fine lines and wrinkles we all want to get rid of. Skin benefits also include reducing the healing time for cuts, burns, and scars, including those from acne. You’ll experience anti-aging skin benefits like younger, glowing skin and a brighter, more even skin tone. And what if I told you there were health and skin benefits, including an increase in skin moisture, skin rejuvenation, and full-body hyperpigmentation? Red light therapy promotes the regrowth of hair and prevents additional hair loss. You’ll experience thick, healthy hair growth and significantly reduce male and female pattern baldness. One study shows those with androgenetic alopecia, a genetic disorder causing the loss of hair, grew thicker hair by using an in-home red light for twenty-four weeks. Participants using a placebo did not show signs of denser hair growth. Not bad for spending only minutes a day under a red light, right? RLT can also help clear up pesky acne and acne scars by increasing lymphatic drainage. This method supports the clearing of toxins from your body. The light also works to penetrate deep into your skin to target sebum production and reduce inflammation and irritation. Your sebaceous glands produce sebum but tend to have a clogging effect on the pores. This causes issues with acne and scarring for many. While sunlight helps to calm your overactive glands, we know it isn’t the healthiest option. Red light therapy allows those with acne-prone skin to combat these issues and enjoy clear skin benefits. Additional skin conditions like eczema and rosacea can also benefit and offer an excellent option for all skin types. By supporting the production of collagen, RLT rejuvenates your skin, giving you a plump, radiant look and feel. Anti-aging methods, such as RLT, stimulate elastin and collagen production without side effects, leaving you with a healthy, desirable glow and suppleness. And don’t worry, you won’t need to wait to show off your fresh face and skin benefits. There are no areas of redness, tenderness, or bruising you typically find with other anti-aging treatments. Who’s excited to hear that? Additional Benefits of Red Light Therapy Other benefits include successful treatments for Seasonal Affective Disorder, depression, and anxiety. An improvement in mood, motivation, and overall mental health are all positive findings. The light tends to offer a healing alternative to our need for natural outdoor light to boost our levels of mental wellness. While studies are still on-going, researchers have seen vast improvements to many areas of the body with the use of red light. Beyond the incredible anti-aging skin benefits it offers, red light therapy may help you with: Tendinitis Red light therapy has shown improvements for people with Achilles tendinitis by lessening pain and inflammation. Dental Pain Patients with Temporomandibular dysfunction syndrome, or TMD, report feeling less pain, jaw tenderness, and clicking sounds after using red light therapy. Bone Health Study results are supporting the benefits of RLT use in bone healing. Red light may help accelerate bone healing after facial bone defect surgeries and treatment. We know that RLT supports the reduction of pain and inflammation and certainly plays a role in the bone healing recovery process. Brain Health In one study of people with dementia, a method of using near-infrared light therapy through their noses and on their heads ran for twelve weeks. Patients began reporting better memory recall, improvements in sleep quality and quantity and were typically experiencing better moods. Brain health also includes the preservation and renewal of your brain cells and tissues while stimulating the mitochondria. High-quality RLT devices can penetrate your skull, allowing an increase in cerebral blood flow and oxygen consumption. There have also been studies showing amazing benefits of red light therapy for patients with brain injuries and disorders. Cellulite How does a little cellulite reduction sound to you? By incorporating exercise, and even massage techniques, increasing circulation through the use of RLT sessions can support fading of cellulite and stretch marks. Yes, please! Osteoarthritis A study with osteoarthritis patients using red light therapy shows related pain was more than fifty percent less than the pain before treatments. Hashimoto Hypothyroidism A lack of hormone production from your thyroid gland can wreak all sorts of havoc throughout your body by slowing various functions down. Red light therapy supports your thyroid by picking up the speed again, bringing relief from pain, and alleviating additional symptoms.  Improvement in sleep A huge issue for so many of us, sleep disturbances affect over seventy million Americans. Lack of sleep can lead to serious health issues, including poor mental health and heart disease. By using a red light every evening, we can benefit from healthy sleeping patterns, restful hours, and an overall feeling of rejuvenation each morning. Chronic fatigue battlers rave about red light therapy and improvements to their overall mental and physical health from countless nights of good sleep. Where Can I Get Red Light Therapy? Curious about where you can get your hands on this wondrous anti-aging device asap? I thought you might be. While you should always consult your doctor before any health treatments you're considering, your doctor’s office may even be offering RLT. You may also find many salons and dental offices in your area are offering red light therapy services. Purchasing your red light therapy device is also an option well worth exploring. By using the link provided, you'll receive a free gift with your red light therapy device by using code KELLYANN at checkout! If you choose the personal device route, be sure to research and review light use carefully to ensure safe use. Safety should always come first! Concerns of Red Light Therapy But what, if any, are the concerns you should be aware of when seeking anti-aging skin benefits or other health improvements from RLT? While many researchers have known about the incredible effects of red light therapy for quite some time, in-depth studies are still limited. With an impressive list of health benefits from use, there are still on-going studies comparing RLT to alternative methods in each instance. There is also a lack of concrete guidelines to follow. Some professionals suggest five minutes per session, while others prefer twenty minutes or more. A common suggestion of three days a week is a typical practice, while other recommendations vary. You may find tips of use from eight to twelve weeks, while many studies follow a twenty-four-week guideline. It’s important to note that too much red light may irritate or damage skin tissue, while not enough may not yield the results you desire. You must also use care when under an in-home red light. Relaxing it may be, but falling asleep leads to too much exposure and the risk of burns.    It’s hard to deny the incredible list of benefits red light therapy has to offer our bodies, both inside and out. With proper research and careful use, red light therapy may just be a worthwhile addition to your health and beauty routine. Find out more on how to fight inflammation, create healthy habits, and reward yourself with anti-aging skin benefits.   Keep Positive and Stay Healthy!

Caring for our health is something we often tend to neglect. With our ever-growing list of demands and responsibilities, it can be easy to let our wellbeing slip through the cracks. But it’s important to remember that your health impacts the health of those around you as well. With a few simple additions and changes to your daily routine, you can:       Avoid nutritional deficiencies       Spot the signs of vitamin deficiencies       Monitor symptoms of mineral deficiency       Seek tests for deficiencies and maintain optimal health and wellness Besides, a happy, healthy body brings the extraordinary benefits of incredible skin, boosts in energy and motivation, and yes, even a slimmer, more fit body. Ahh, the benefits of a healthy lifestyle! Make yourself more aware of possible signs of vitamin deficiencies, symptoms of mineral deficiencies, and additional nutritional deficiencies. By utilizing tests for deficiencies, your body will thank you for supporting its natural efforts. What is a Nutritional Deficiency? Nutritional deficiencies may occur when your body is unable to receive or absorb the necessary amounts of nutrients a food has to offer. These deficiencies can lead you down a dark road of various health concerns, illnesses, and harm to your mental health. Nutritional deficiencies may include: Eczema, acne, early signs of aging, and additional skin concerns Improper bone growth, including stunting and increases in healing time Digestive issues Cognitive issues, including dementia Your body requires a variety of essential vitamins and minerals that are vital for ongoing development as well as prevention of illness. These crucial vitamins and minerals, known as micronutrients, are a must to maintain your health and wellbeing. Your body is unable to naturally produce these micronutrients, so ensuring a proper balance to your daily diet is a must. Introducing Fortified Nutrients But sometimes eating the right foods is still not enough. Yep, you read that right. Even when you think you’re doing it all right, you may still be depriving your body. Your body is unable to absorb certain nutrients adequately, causing nutritional deficiencies you may be unaware of. It's a global issue that affects more than two billion, and children are more at risk. Thankfully, in the 1930s and 1940s, fortified foods hit the market to help boost the public’s vitamin and mineral intake. These were beneficial changes seen in cereals, bread, and other grains and dairy products.  Knowing the Signs of Vitamin Deficiencies So, what can you do to ensure and maintain your health? Knowing the signs of vitamin deficiencies is the perfect place to start. By raising your awareness and educating yourself with the various signs of vitamin deficiencies, you can establish proper eating habits, boost your immune system, and support your overall health both inside and out. If you lack in vitamins, especially vitamin A, you’ll want to keep an eye out for signs of vitamin deficiencies    What are the signs of vitamin deficiencies?  Brittle Nails and Hair due to Vitamin Deficiency The lack of biotin, which causes unhealthy hair and nails, is a noticeable sign of vitamin deficiency none of us wants to experience, am I right? Also known as vitamin B7, biotin helps your body turn its food into energy. When you suffer from a deficiency, you’ll begin to notice splitting, breakage, and all-around brittle hair and nails. Low B7 levels are also responsible for muscle pains, cramping, and chronic fatigue, to name a few. Slow Healing Wounds If you've been noticing wounds that just don't seem to heal as quickly as they used to, you may be showing signs of vitamin deficiency. Vitamin A is particularly helpful in treating various injuries and surgical wounds. Vitamin A is known for its ability to boost and support the production of collagen, vital for healthy and quick healing skin. If you haven’t been with me long, you should know that I'm a massive fan of the never-ending list of benefits collagen has to offer the skin, including incredible anti-aging benefits! Some skin studies have even shown remarkable wound healing improvements up to 50% of those who were deficient in vitamin A, so stock up and keep that skin radiant!  Respiratory Infections Keep an eye out for signs of vitamin deficiencies that cause respiratory trouble, including infections in the throat and chest. This is a particular concern in children who have already shown delays in growth, especially if they are currently underweight. Acne While there are many signs of vitamin deficiencies relating to skin concerns, acne may often be one you overlook. Did you know that a deficiency in vitamin A can cause acne breakouts all over your body? Think about it; we already know vitamin A helps to boost your skin’s fight against inflammation, a significant player in your acne breakouts. It’s no surprise that many studies on acne have shown that a deficiency in vitamin A leads to an increase in breakouts. So, if you’re one of those acne sufferers, it’s time to step up your “A” game for clearer skin. Growth Delays from Vitamin Deficiencies Children need to consume the required levels of vitamins to prevent signs of vitamin deficiencies such as a stunting of growth and poor bone development. Infertility and Vitamin A Another sign of vitamin deficiency is infertility or issues relating to conceiving. This can affect both men and women and can even lead to health issues, including abnormal development of your baby and miscarriages. Research suggests vitamin A helps boost fertility and helps prevent congenital disabilities, so if you’re experiencing difficulties, consider taking stock of your vitamin A consumption and speaking with a fertility specialist. Skin Dehydration Vitamin A is also responsible for repairing your skin cells as well as creating them. It keeps issues such as eczema at bay by calming and preventing inflammation. Signs of vitamin deficiency lead to itching and cracking, while potentially leading to additional, more serious skin health issues. Poor Eye Health Another sign of vitamin deficiency is eye dryness. Trust me when I tell you, you don’t want to play around with a vitamin A deficiency when it comes to your sight. We’re talking night blindness, drying of the corneas, and the possibility of complete blindness in extreme cases. If you begin to notice unusually dry eyes and difficulty producing tears, it’s time to up your vitamin A intake and consult your doctor. Go-To Foods Rich in Vitamin A To rid your body of these dreadful signs of vitamin deficiency, I recommend keeping your fridge stocked with some of my favorite go-to foods for delicious bone broth soups, smoothies, salads, and more. Favorite Foods for Vitamin A: Eggs Green vegetables, such as  Broccoli Kale Lots of spinach Orange vegetables, such as  Pumpkin Carrots Sweet potatoes Fruits, such as Apricots Peaches Papaya Tomatoes Symptoms of Mineral Deficiency Knowing the symptoms of mineral deficiencies is as crucial as recognizing the signs of vitamin deficiencies. Common symptoms of mineral deficiencies may include an array of issues from hair loss to restless leg syndrome. Let’s take a look at a few of these symptoms of mineral deficiencies:        Mouth Lesions and Sores       Seborrheic Dermatitis and Dandruff       Hair Loss       Weakness or Extreme Fatigue Mouth Lesions and Sores If you begin to see an increase in canker sores or other lesions in and around your mouth, these may be symptoms of mineral deficiencies. Iron is essential for healthy mouth hygiene and can also cause those painful cracks that form in the corners of your mouth. To prevent splitting and bleeding on top of an already uncomfortable situation, try increasing your iron levels for relief and prevention of further occurrences. And did you know that soreness or inflammation of your tongue can be a symptom of mineral deficiency? Yep, a lack of iron can cause this too. Seborrheic Dermatitis and Dandruff There are two additional symptoms of mineral deficiencies that can be both irritating and embarrassing. Seborrheic Dermatitis, also known as SB, is a skin disorder affecting the areas of your body that produce oil. Typically affecting the scalp, it can also lead to issues on or around your:       Face       Groin       Armpits       Upper chest Seborrheic Dermatitis causes flaking and itching of the skin, and occurrences are more likely to peak during a child’s first three months, during puberty, and around mid-adult years. Dandruff, while in the same family of skin issues, results in the itching and flaking of the scalp. Both symptoms of mineral deficiencies tend to occur due to lower blood levels of zinc, as well as a variety of signs of vitamin deficiencies. Hair Loss from Mineral Deficiencies  I know I have everyone’s attention with this particular symptom of mineral deficiencies. And trust me, hair loss has many culprits, so you may want to take a few notes if you love those luscious locks! While hair loss is common, it is high on the list of symptoms of mineral deficiencies. If you're one to experience hair loss that seems more frequent or the quantity of hair loss has become a bit alarming to you, you may be experiencing a symptom of mineral deficiency. The lack of iron in your diet can have detrimental effects on your hair’s health. Iron plays a role in your DNA synthesis, including areas such as your hair follicles. When your body is deficient in iron, you risk damaging effects such as the constant loss of hair or hair that stops growing. When your zinc levels are low, you interrupt your body’s role in protein synthesis and cell division. These are two essential processes in the growth of strong, healthy hair.  A lack of essential fatty acids also causes hair loss symptoms of mineral deficiency. Two vital fatty acids include Linoleic acid, or LA, and alpha-linolenic acid, or ALA. Niacin (vitamin B3) and Biotin (vitamin B7) deficiencies play their part in hair loss, so boosting these vitamins is effective in restoring your hair’s health. Weakness or Extreme Fatigue We all know that low levels of iron can play a critical role in our energy levels, so why is this vital mineral often lacking? Low levels of iron cause extreme weakness and fatigue, significant symptoms of mineral deficiency. Leading to anemia, iron deficiencies negatively affect the health of red blood cells. These cells become unable to carry adequate oxygen, or hemoglobin, to tissue throughout your body. If you’re noticing shortness of breath, chronic fatigue, and an overwhelming lack of motivation and umph, low levels of iron may be your answer. Ask yourself if you’ve been noticing these additional symptoms of mineral deficiency, known to be common with anemia:       Lightheadedness or headaches       Rapid heartbeat       Shortness of breath       Skin more pale than usual       Cold feet and hands       Poor appetite ­­­­ Iron-Rich and Zinc-Rich Go-To Foods My favorite recommendations for battling symptoms of mineral deficiency include:       Poultry       Fish and other seafood       Meat       Dark, leafy greens       Eggs       Green vegetables       Starchy veggies Testing for Deficiencies It's vital to be proactive with your health, and utilizing tests for deficiencies is a fantastic way to begin. A blood test is a quick and effective way to test for deficiencies. So, where can you start your search for tests for deficiencies if you’re experiencing symptoms of mineral deficiency? Your General Practitioner can order a blood test for deficiencies, which will include essential vitamins and minerals. Home kits for vitamin and mineral tests for deficiencies can be found online and are relatively simple to perform yourself. With a quick finger prick, your blood sample can undergo a professional evaluation with results viewable online. Pretty convenient, wouldn’t you agree? The Many Options for Tests for Deficiencies  Tests for deficiencies evaluate many factors, including the overall appearance and number of red blood cells. For instance, tests for deficiencies resulting in low red blood cell count will reveal anemia in patients lacking appropriate iron, folate, and vitamin B12 levels. Red blood cells tend to take on a more significant yet more underdeveloped appearance. B12 tests for deficiencies include an Antibodies Test for deficiencies, indicating pernicious anemia. You may also undergo a Methylmalonic Acid Test for deficiencies of B12 that may cause the presence of Methylmalonic Acid levels in your system. If you have already been experiencing symptoms of mineral deficiency or noticing signs of vitamin deficiency, it may be time to take a long, hard look at your lifestyle. From your dietary habits to stress and sleeping patterns, your health should be your number one priority. And don’t hesitate to contact your health care provider to ask about tests for deficiencies if you feel your signs of vitamin deficiencies and symptoms of nutrient deficiencies have become more worrisome. If you’re ready to make changes to your lifestyle and work on a healthier, happier you, start with a few of these incredibly healthy and delicious recipes full of the nutrients you need!   Keep Positive and Stay Healthy!

There's nothing worse than waking up after a restless night's sleep. Lack of sleep can significantly affect your mood, performance, and overall quality of health. While there are many excellent natural remedies out there to enhance your quality of sleep, changing your eating habits is one of the most beneficial ways to make adjustments. Keeping a handy list of the best foods for sleep is one way I ensure I’ll get my rest. Foods for Better Sleep Almonds  Almonds are a great go-to sleep inducer. They contain the hormone melatonin, a sleep-regulating hormone that your body naturally produces. When your body struggles to sleep, a boost in melatonin levels is both safe and effective. Almonds also provide an excellent source of magnesium, which is known to promote better quality sleep. Magnesium may improve sleep by reducing inflammation in your body. It also reduces your levels of cortisol, the stress hormone known to cause sleep issues. Kiwi Who would have thought a little kiwi in your diet would be near the top of the foods for sleep list? These little guys seem to support sleep through their serotonin content. Serotonin is the brain's chemical that helps regulate sleep cycles. It's also likely that the antioxidants in a kiwi, like carotenoids and vitamin C, are partially responsible for promoting sleep. This may be due to their anti-inflammatory properties.  Turkey Another go-to food for sleep is turkey. It seems that the amino acid tryptophan boosts the production of melatonin. Turkey also contains a protein that may play a role in causing sleepiness. Some studies have shown that eating a moderate amount of protein right before bed promotes a better night’s sleep with fewer episodes of waking throughout the night. Chamomile Tea While most of us are familiar with chamomile tea’s reputation as a sleep inducer, many don’t know the why behind it. The tea contains apigenin, which is an antioxidant that binds to particular receptors in the brain. These receptors seem responsible for promoting sleep and reducing bouts with insomnia. Chamomile may also reduce anxiety and depression, which are often reasons for sleeping disorders. Milk While I tend to caution against milk due to allergies and intolerance levels many have, it does offer sleep support. Tryptophan in milk improves sleep, particularly in the elderly. When taken with melatonin, sleep quality tends to increase. Vitamin D for Sleep Research shows that vitamin D for sleep is useful and healthy. Vitamin D receptors in some regions of the brain are responsible for controlling sleep. The levels of your body’s vitamin D seem to affect your sleep through binding to these particular receptors. For instance, lower levels of vitamin D would possess less vitamin D binding in the brain. Vitamin D for sleep is in fatty fish, including tuna, salmon, and mackerel. Vegetables rich in vitamin D include:       Kale        Spinach       Collards       Okra Bone Broth for Sleep Bone broth for sleep improvements offers a healthy way to reduce inflammation and lower levels of depression and anxiety. While these are all contributors to poor sleeping habits, it makes bone broth for sleep the perfect choice. Toss in your favorite vegetables rich in vitamin D, and you're sure to get your sleep habits back on track. Collagen for Sleep Bone broth is rich in collagen and provides a variety of health and beauty benefits. Using collagen for sleep promotes healing benefits throughout your body. By soothing inflammation, your body is free to rest and repair. Collagen for sleep works by helping to reduce signs of fatigue and enhancing your mood. Ready to prepare for a good night’s sleep? Grab a few of my sleep-enhancing bone broth recipes and say goodbye to sleepless nights! Keep Positive and Stay Healthy!  

Meditation has been around for centuries but continues to gain popularity as more praise of meditation benefits in the health and wellness community appear.  Meditation is the process of learning how to train your mind to focus as well as redirect your thoughts. It offers a way to increase awareness of yourself as well as your surroundings. It supports stress relief, a reduction in inflammation, and support to many illnesses throughout your body. If you’re searching for incredible natural remedies for your health or wellness concerns, meditation may be for you. Let's discover some of the fantastic benefits it has to offer and how you can get started on your journey. Learning how to meditate takes patience and practice, like any other skill. It's essential to be consistent in your efforts to achieve the most benefits. So, what are some of the significant meditation benefits that people are raving about? A World of Meditation Benefits While some people turn to meditation to relax, others are searching for powerful healing meditation benefits. There is no right or wrong reason, be it stress relief or heart health. Some unique meditation benefits include:       Lower heart rate       Lower blood pressure       Improvements to blood circulation       Slows respiratory rate       Supports stress relief and lowers anxiety levels       Lowers blood cortisol levels       Supports wellbeing       Supports sleep Let's take a more in-depth look into some of the more common meditation benefits people are seeking: Meditation for Stress Relief Stress relief may be one of the top reasons people turn to meditation. Meditation benefits for stress relief include both mental and physical healing. Cortisol, known as the stress hormone, increases the likelihood of various illnesses, disease, and mental health concerns. Without stress relief measures, high cortisol levels can promote an influx of inflammation throughout your body. Inflammation-producing chemicals are known as cytokines, and can wreak havoc on:   Healthy sleeping patterns   Energy levels   Cognitive processes Meditation benefits for stress relief can help clear brain fog, battle chronic fatigue, and boost your mood. One eight-week study reports stress inflammation reduction by implementing mindfulness meditation. Stress relief from meditation benefits may also support the healing of fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Helps Control Anxiety Stress relief directly relates to less anxiety, adding to the long list of incredible meditation benefits. Meditation helps reduce the symptoms of anxiety disorders, including:       Obsessive-compulsive behaviors       Phobias       Social anxiety       Panic attacks       Paranoid thoughts Yoga helps provide stress relief and meditation benefits to help significantly reduce anxiety levels. So, if you’re experiencing additional anxiety at work, socially, or due to health concerns, meditation may provide the stress relief you are looking for. Meditation Promotes and Supports Emotional Health Meditation benefits may also increase your self-image while supporting a more positive outlook on your life. Through various meditating techniques, a reduction in stress and depression levels were of significance, including long-term relief reports. For those of you wondering how meditation benefits self-image in such a tremendous way, think of it in terms of what we know about inflammation throughout the body. We release cytokines in response to our stress levels, affecting our mood, and leading many of us to depression. But studies have shown the adoption of various meditating techniques has shown significant reductions in depression by decreasing the harmful inflammatory chemicals. Ultimately, we see a boost in spirits, self-image, self-worth, and outlook on life. We become more positive and optimistic through these meditation benefits. Enhance Your Self-Awareness through Meditation Along the same lines, meditation benefits include a variety of meditating techniques that may help you appreciate yourself, understand yourself, and strive to be better. And let’s be honest, who wouldn’t love these improvements? Through self-inquiry meditation, you can learn to develop a greater understanding of yourself and how you may be able to relate to the people around you. Other meditating techniques teach you how to recognize harmful thoughts and how you can change these thought processes. Improves Attention Span Focused attention meditation is a meditating technique that supports improvements in your attention span. Sounds pretty intriguing, right? Think of it as a mini workout for your brain. This meditating technique can help increase stress relief and the endurance and strength of your attention, keeping your focus in tune with tasks at hand for a longer period of time. It even reduces daydreaming and mind-wandering at inopportune times, worry, and brain fog. Studies have shown that you may experience the meditation benefits of improving attention span after your first several days! You’re pulling out that yoga mat now, aren’t you?   Meditation can Assist in Reduction in Age-Related Memory Loss Meditation benefits may also include improvements in cognitive thinking, clarity of thought, keeping your mind healthy and young. Kirtan Kriya, a meditating technique that combines a mantra, practices a repetitive motion with your fingers to help focus your thoughts. It has shown improvements in:       Attention       Mental quickness       Memory       Coping skills  Improves Sleep Are you one of the millions who suffer from insomnia or have at one point? It's a horrible struggle that affects all aspects of our health and lives. Through stress relief, you may achieve better sleep, making meditation an ideal choice. One significant meditation benefit is sleep improvement. Various meditating techniques support falling asleep more easily, staying asleep longer, and experiencing more restful sleep. While racing thoughts and the inability to turn off thoughts are often a complaint, many studies found that participants were able to control or significantly reduce these issues through meditating techniques. It helps the body and mind relax, provides stress relief, and removes tension so you may rest more comfortably. Great news for many of us searching for remedies! Decrease Blood Pressure through Meditation Meditation benefits include reducing strain on your heart, supporting your health. This may also be in relation to stress relief from meditation techniques you commit to. High blood pressure causes your heart to work harder when pumping blood, leading to poor heart function. Meditation seems to help control your blood pressure by relaxing the nerve signals that coordinate your heart function. It also relieves the tension in your blood vessels and your "fight-or-flight" response that tends to increase in stressful situations. As always, talk with your healthcare provider if you are considering meditation for heart health concerns. Meditating Techniques There is a variety of meditating techniques to try, and experimenting is strongly encouraged. Not all meditating techniques suit everyone equally, so it's vital you find the right fit for your goals and needs. While all techniques can help with stress relief, one may be more effective for you than others. Meditate Anywhere One highlight is the ability to practice different forms of meditation anywhere with ease. Time, space, and level depend on your comfort level and what you are hoping to accomplish. If you are just starting out, choose a meditation technique according to your goals. There are two major styles of meditation:  Focused-attention meditation: This meditating technique puts attention on one single object, thought, or sound. It emphasizes getting rid of your distractions. You’ll learn to focus on breathing, using a chant or calming sound. It's terrific to achieve stress relief. Open-monitoring meditation: This technique encourages you to broaden your awareness of your environment. You’ll focus on your sense of self, your thoughts, impulses, or those feelings you usually suppress. Stress relief is also an enormous benefit. The Many Ways to Meditate Mindfulness Meditation Mindfulness meditation allows you to be fully present with your feelings and thoughts. Being mindful helps you become aware of where you are and what you do. Relax and sit in a quiet space, close your eyes, and focus on the sound of your breathing. Eventually, you will be able to achieve a level of mindfulness meditation throughout the day, even while working on tasks. It promotes observing your thoughts and emotions, taking them in, then releasing them for peace. Chakra Meditation Chakra meditation is an ancient Sanskrit word that means “wheel.” It refers to the centers of energy and the spiritual power that resides within your body. Each chakra, thought to be seven, is found in a different part of your body and has a corresponding color. Chakra meditation includes relaxation techniques that help you focus on bringing or restoring balance and wellbeing to all your chakras. These meditating techniques may consist of visualizing each chakra in the body and its color. Some even incorporate light,  incense, or crystals. Yoga Meditation Utilizing yoga meditation is a popular choice among many. With a variety of styles of yoga, they incorporate performing a series of postures, controlling breathing exercises, meditating to help promote: Flexibility Stress relief Self-awareness Yoga poses require practice in balance as well as concentration. It encourages you to focus, free yourself of judgment, and distractions while opening your mind and senses.  Concentration Meditation Concentration meditation helps you learn to focus on a single point. This may mean following your breath, repetition of a single word or a mantra, listening to a repetitive sound, or counting the beads on a mala. It takes patience and practice, so remember to practice and remain consistent. Concentration meditation refocuses your awareness. It turns your attention to your chosen object, and when you notice your mind wandering., you return to your selected object to regain focus. It encourages you to let go of all other thoughts and worries. This method conditions your mind to improve concentration, lifting brain fog, and relieving additional stress throughout your body. Transcendental Meditation Transcendental meditation is excellent for beginners because it is one of the more simple techniques. After choosing a mantra, which may be a word, a particular sound, or a short phrase, you will repeat it in a certain way as you relax. This meditating technique is typically meant for periods of twenty minutes a day, twice a day, preferably as you sit with your eyes closed. This relaxing and easy to learn technique allows you to focus inward, find yourself in a state of relaxation, and learn to relax, breathe, and rest your mind. Your goal is to open your mind to levels of consciousness while focusing on your wellbeing.   How to Meditate Beginning Meditation at Home Find a quiet place to practice your meditation daily. Make sure you are free from distractions and choose a time that is usually free every day. Relax and open your mind to new possibilities as you begin. Focus on Your Breathing Technique Your breathing should be slow and natural. Don’t force what doesn’t feel right.  The goal is to be consistent with your breaths while calming all thoughts in your mind. As your thoughts slow, your breath will naturally follow, so just be patient.  Take this time to observe your breathing patterns. What does your natural rhythm sound like? How does this make you feel? Continue to focus on your breathing, allowing your mind to open. If you find your thoughts wandering, it's healthy and will stop over time. Allow thoughts to pass, bringing your focus back to your breath, the feeling of your body, and the calm that has come over you. Be Consistent in your Meditation Being consistent is the key. As you adapt to finding peace, begin to experiment with various meditation techniques until you find most beneficial to your goals and needs. Adopt the habit of practicing in the same place, at the same time each day for consistency. Your body and mind will soon begin to anticipate this precious time you have set aside. Remember to be present in each moment and take note of how each technique allows you to feel and grow.   Meditation Guidance What is the Ziva Technique? Meditation guidance can be found through many forums, including self-help books, streaming videos, and classes. One method I love to share is Ziva Meditation. After realizing that meditation was not enough to help her students perform at the top of their personal and professional game, creator Emily began to develop The Ziva Technique in 2017. The Ziva Technique is an incredibly powerful trifecta of:   Mindfulness   Meditation   Manifesting to unlock one’s full potential The multitude of proven meditation benefits from practicing The Ziva Technique includes a reduction in stress levels, reduction in anxiety, an increase in sleep quality, improvements in your immune function, increases in your productivity, and support in performance.   If you’re ready to introduce yourself to the incredible meditation benefits, there is a world of health and benefits awaiting you. Find out how you can start your journey to a healthier you, both inside and out, today. Keep positive and stay healthy.

Caring for your mental health and wellbeing is just as crucial as your physical health, yet we often neglect it. And with stress being one of the leading factors in poor heart health, why do we do this to ourselves? While there are many incredible changes you can make to your lifestyle, including journaling and meditation, let’s take a look at stress relief diet changes you can implement to help boost your overall health: Stress Relief Food Stress Relief Supplements Stress Relief Teas What are the effects of stress on your health? Stress affects our health both inside and out. From physical symptoms, including chest pain and headaches, to emotional strain and changes in behavior, stress extends to all areas of our lives. When stress becomes too overwhelming, we risk suffering from:       Muscle tension       Pain       Chronic fatigue       Poor sleeping habits       Loss of motivation       Isolation and withdrawal from loved ones       Depression       Drastic mood swings While the list goes on, I think you see what I’m getting at – it’s time for a lifestyle overhaul, my friends! But don’t panic. It’s easier than you may think. By making conscious stress relief diet changes, such as incorporating stress relief foods, adding stress relief supplements, or enjoying a cup of stress relief tea, you take steps to ensure a natural and healthier way of living. What foods are best for stress relief? A healthy diet is vital for a wide array of reasons, but did you know there are powerfully effective stress relief foods you can add to your daily meals and snacks to help make stress relief diet changes today? You may be wondering how that can be true. Some foods help boost your serotonin levels, which provide a calming effect on the chemical levels in your brain. If you ever use the term "comfort food," then you can probably relate. Other stress relief foods help decrease stress hormone levels, including adrenaline and cortisol. Making changes through a natural stress relief diet change through these stress relief foods can also support lower blood pressure while boosting your immune system. Take stock of your fridge and pantry and see how many of these stress relief foods you may already have:  Raw vegetables are great for stress relief. We all know the importance of eating our veggies, right? But here's a tip that you may want to consider when implementing stress relief diet changes: munching on your favorite raw veggies helps physically alleviate stress, on top of the added nutrients you’re getting. That’s right! That tension you feel, or maybe don’t notice, in your clenched jaw finds relief through snacking on those raw carrots, cauliflower, and more. So, stock up and grab a raw veggie when you feel the need to relieve some tension with a quick-acting stress relief food that’s good for your overall health too. Eat avocados for stress relief. Did you know that half an avocado contains a higher source of potassium than a banana? If you’re looking for an easy, tasty way to spruce up a salad or omelet, while adding a positive stress relief diet change, avocados are your answer. While you do want to be conscious of your fat intake, they make ideal stress relief food additions. Oranges can help you relieve stress. Full of vitamin C, oranges are an ideal stress relief food. Incorporating them into your stress relief diet changes will help to boost your immune system and lower stress hormone levels. Of course, one of my favorite bonuses of vitamin C is the support it provides to collagen, offering healthy, radiant skin and fabulous anti-aging benefits! Studies have even shown adding this stress relief food, or even vitamin C in a stress relief supplement, was able to lower cortisol and blood pressure levels quicker than those who did not implement this stress relief diet change. One of my favorite foods that reduce stress is spinach. Load up on spinach for amazing results! If you battle stress and tension headaches or chronic fatigue, this stress relief food can make a world of difference. Just one cup of spinach can boost your magnesium levels to restore balance and prevent headaches and fatigue. Now, if you’re turning up your nose at the thought of spinach, you can always substitute with other stress relief diet changes, including: Salmon Soybeans Kales and other leafy greens Fatty fish is an incredible stress reducing food. And speaking of salmon, this naturally fatty stress relief food contains omega 3 fatty acids that help curb stress hormone levels. Salmon and tuna are high go-to stress relief foods that are known to help battle depression, poor heart health, and yes, ladies, even PMS! If you don’t fancy fish, add an omega 3 stress relief supplement to your daily routine instead.   Almonds for stress relief! If you don’t already keep almonds around as a snack, it’s time to make them a part of your regular and stress relief diet change. Almonds provide a boost of energy, keep you satisfied when you feel hunger or cravings rise, and are a great stress relief food to have handy. Almonds offer a rich source of vitamin E to support a healthy immune system and vitamin B, which may help you fight spells of anxiety and depression. Some health experts even recommend snacking on a half a cup of almonds each day as an easy stress relief diet change.   What are the best stress relief teas? It’s not a myth, friends. A cup of stress relief tea is a powerful thing. Not to mention, it’s a fantastic way to sneak in ten minutes of me-time to relax, reflect, and just be. I highly recommend a cup of stress relief tea after a long day, since black tea is known for speeding up the recovery time from stress-inducing activities and events. Even as much as four cups a day of this stress relief tea has shown calming effects and lower levels of cortisol in those who drank for six weeks or more. There are many wonderful flavors to incorporate in your stress relief tea collection, including chamomile and dandelion. Still, black tea has proven to be the most beneficial stress relief tea with quick-acting results.   What are the best stress relief supplements Adding stress relief supplements to your daily routine is another simple way to maintain a healthy balance and lifestyle. Be sure to incorporate vital stress relief supplements such as:       Calcium       Omega 3       Vitamin C       Vitamin E       Potassium       Magnesium How to relieve stress with calcium? If you know my background on inflammation, you know how I feel about milk. Many of us may even suffer from lactose intolerance without realizing it, and the inflammation raging throughout your body may be due to your dairy intake. But calcium is a vital source of nutrition and a massive supporter of stress relief. So, instead, incorporate calcium as an overall health and stress relief supplement. Calcium helps lower anxiety levels and ease those moody moments we have.  Use bone broth for stress relief  The healing powers of bone broth not only include healing an unhealthy gut, alleviating joint and muscle pains, and reducing skin irritations. Bone broth contains all the essentials your body and mind need for stress as well. Adding a scoop of bone broth protein is a healthy, delicious, and easy to implement stress relief supplement choice. Stress relief diet change is necessary to ensure your health and wellbeing. With simple tweaks to your menu, as simple as adding a stress relief tea, you'll begin to enjoy incorporating these natural stress relief habits into your new healthy lifestyle. So, sit back and relax with a cup of your favorite stress relief tea and get to work on your list of stress relief supplements and foods you’ll be adding to your changes today.  Keep Positive and Stay Healthy,

It’s finally spring, and this year it’s arriving with one heck of a bang. More than ever, we’re all concerned about decreasing our chances of getting sick.  Of course, we all know the first lines of defense by now: Wash your hands Cough into your elbow Don’t touch your face Practice social distancing Stay at home if possible  If you follow all of these rules, you’re going to have a good shot at avoiding the coronavirus, as well as the flu and colds.  But that’s just part of the story because, in addition to having a good defense, you need to have a good OFFENSE—and that means fine-tuning your immune system so it can fight off any germs or irritants that get through. Now, there’s one unsung hero of the immune system that I want to talk about right now: MUCUS. I know that when you think of mucus, you think, ICK.  But here’s the deal. Mucus plays a vital role in your immune and respiratory systems because it coats the inner surfaces of your body like a protective blanket. To do this job, this mucus has to be the right consistency. Otherwise, it can hinder your ability to fight off germs—and if you have seasonal allergies, it can also cause a sore throat, nasal stuffiness, and even difficulty breathing. These are all uncomfortable… plus, a cough or a dribbling nose will make you a social pariah these days! Luckily, according to the Lung Institute,  the lifestyle choices you make can make a big difference when it comes to keeping your mucus flowing just right. Here are five of my best tips.   Five ways to decrease and thin mucus production Increase the humidity in your home At the very least, ramp up the humidity while you’re sleeping. Better yet, keep your humidity optimal both day and night.  By the way, my patients frequently ask me if they should use a cool-mist humidifier or hot steam. Steaming does decrease the production of mucus, but when you’re looking at adding long-term humidity, I prefer cool-mist humidifiers, which are safe to run all day or night. Do make sure you clean cool-mist humidifiers regularly. Stay hydrated with warm drinks My readers know that I start my day with warm lemon water. This is my mucus-thinning superhero because it starts me off with a big dose of hydration. And here’s a bonus: Lemon contains a large amount of vitamin C and soluble fiber that can also help with that belly bloat.  Bone broth is also a multitude of fantastic health benefits from daily bone broth. The vitamins, nutrients alone offer tremendous health benefits and give you a healthy happy gut.   Add anti-mucus foods to your diet Foods rich in antioxidants can improve your body’s immunity, ramp up your ability to heal, and optimize your mucus production. Here are some of the best foods to reach for when you want to flood your body with phytonutrients.  Fruits, vegetables, and spices that will boost your immunity and decrease mucus Bone Broth Berries Citrus Fruit Cantaloupe Kiwi Tomatoes Leafy Greens Bell Pepper Radishes Cayenne Hot Mustard Garlic Bonus, check out this immune-boosting smoothie!  Think anti-inflammatory foods for an anti-mucus diet  Healthy fats reduce inflammation, which helps to prevent excess mucus production—and if you eat foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, you’ll also boost your immunity. So I recommend adding the following foods to your diet: Salmon Tuna Trout Sardines Flounder Olive Oil Flaxseeds (great in smoothies) Walnuts  Pumpkin Seeds Buy the highest quality your budget can afford. However, if the coronavirus crisis is taking a bite out of your budget—and I know that’s true for millions of us—don’t hesitate to shop the bargain brands. Gargle with saltwater When I was young and I had a sore throat, my grandma always told me to gargle with saltwater. What can I say? Grandma was always right! A salt solution reduces inflammation, easing throat pain and loosening thick mucus. Gargle with Celtic sea salt or Himalayan salt, and you’ll also get a dose of immune-boosting minerals. Eucalyptus Eucalyptus is an ancient treatment for coughs and excess mucus. You can apply it directly to your chest or add eucalyptus oil to a diffuser or warm bath. I love adding eucalyptus Epsom salts to a relaxing bath at the end of the day.   I know it’s easy to overlook the importance of mucus, which is one of the humblest heroes of the body, but now is the time to give it the respect it deserves.  When you keep your mucus at just the right consistency, it can protect you from infections—something that’s more crucial than ever right now—and also help you get through allergy season with fewer coughs and runny noses. So give that icky snot some love!   Check out my segment on Fox 2 Detroit where I talk about how to decrease mucus in your body.   Keep Positive and Stay Healthy, Check my recent blog on how to boost your immune system.

At this time of unprecedented uncertainty, I feel it is appropriate to reach out to each of you with some thoughts and, suggestions on how to navigate through these next few weeks or months. Consider finding at least one constant in your world. Is it a family member, your spouse, a child, a pet? Is it an activity—meditation, yoga, board games with your kids? Is it your business, or taking the time to journal, write, or read a blog or a book—or is it a combination of several of those things? The most important thing you can do right now for yourself and your health is to maintain a sense of calm. I realized today that I was experiencing a complete bombardment of my nervous system. All of a sudden, I had all of these moving pieces in my life as the world began to change—and I thought, “What do I do?” Rather than go outside to help reduce my stress, I realized I needed to reflect internally to gain calm. In a quiet moment that I was able to take today, I realized I was craving a moment or a sense of constant. Maybe you can find several sources of constant in your world. I know I did once I took some time to look around. You may find some complete surprises, you may have an “aha” moment, or you may realize your constant was right under your nose all along. Tonight I saw my boys—who have been cooped up now for several days—no longer vying for their screens but playing together creatively in a way that I haven’t seen for a long time. What I realized at that moment was that despite what was going on in the outside world,  in their inner world, their stress was lifting. They were able to begin to pull away from the pressures of school, homework, and activities to find their creative side again. It was such a wonderful sight.   Can you rely on a hug from your spouse, significant other, or family member? I know...social distancing… so how far you go is a personal decision. But we need to be touched, we all do.  Do you have someone in your life who can give you that extra feeling of connection and stability that we are all craving right now? If you do, ask for what you need. If you can’t ask, can you show them what you need by providing it for them as a reflection?  We all need to be touched, so consider if this simple act can be a constant for you. Do you have a pet? I have three dogs. Their constant is us—their family—and ours is their unconditional love and devotion. If you have the means and the room in your life, consider helping a pet, because they are in need right now, too. What a difference it can make for you and for them. They will be there for you, full of unconditional love. They don’t care about your bank account, your social status, or your job. They just want to be your best friend, and of course, they want and need food, shelter, safety, and love. Can you help an elderly neighbor or loved one? They are our most vulnerable right now. Studies show that contributing and giving of yourself reduces your anxiety and boosts your sense of safety and community. Look around you and see what you can do to make a difference or keep someone at home who shouldn’t be going out to the stores but should be safe and in their home. Find a project you have been wanting to start and do it!   Can we take this time of uncertainty and funnel it into something positive? Find our constant or our true north? I urge you to take a quiet moment and reflect. We don’t often get this time. Do what my boys did—find yourself again.  When I mentioned the way I was feeling with my team, they all related. Helping others is one of our missions and our community is in great need right now. Today we are donating close to 3000 meals to Grace Centers of Hope in Pontiac, Michigan. Grace Centers of Hope was established in 1942. Grace Centers of Hope (GCH) provides help and hope to those in need. They offer life skills programs for individuals who are seeking shelter and healing. Shelters across America are in need of toiletries, food, and books. We are trying to help in any way we can.  The team here at Dr. Kellyann would be honored to be even a small source of constant for you over the next few months and beyond. If there is anything we can do to be of support to you, please reach out to us anytime at info@drkellyann.com. Sending you my best, Dr. Jennifer BondeCEO, Best of Organic and drkellyann.com

Our immune systems are hard at work, protecting us every day. Fighting off viruses and defending our bodies against disease and illness is a tough job. But to keep yourself and your loved ones as healthy as possible, there are several ways you can boost the immune system function naturally. When you do your part to strengthen immune system abilities, such as filling your body with foods for immunity, you protect your health and the health of those around you.  Six simple ways we can all work together to strengthen immune systems: Wash your hands! Stay home when you’re ill Get plenty of sleep Find ways to manage your stress levels Fill up on foods for immunity boosting Focus on your gut’s health and make bone broth a part of your regular diet Wash Those Hands Often! We’re all familiar with the lesson of washing our hands. Use soap and water, scrub thoroughly and keep hand sanitizer handy for those in-between times. We've been taught this from a young age, but how many of us are genuinely following this simple yet imperative advice? The CDC provides statistics on hand washing and basic hygiene to prevent the spread of germs and keep our bodies guarded against the spread of illness.  It’s the simplest way to help protect and boost the immune system, so let’s all do our part by getting back to the basics of simple hand washing practices. Stay Home When You’re Ill Nobody likes venturing out when they’re feeling under the weather. Even more so, nobody wants to be at work, the store or dropping their little ones off only to be put in the line of germ fire. While you're doing your body an excellent service by staying in and nursing yourself or loved ones back to health, you're helping others maintain their health. It may sound easy enough, but how many of us have been guilty of this? Stay in and fill up on beneficial foods for immunity and strengthen immune system health before heading out or dropping your sick kiddos off to avoid further or longer illness and protect others in the process. Good Sleeping Habits to Strengthen Immune Systems Healthy sleep habits are a must for a variety of reasons. When your body suffers from a lack of sleep, you increase the hormone, cortisol. Over time, an increase in cortisol leads to suppression of your immune system. Ensuring a consistent and restful night’s sleep not only helps boost the immune system but helps alleviate:       Stress and anxiety       Chronic fatigue       Weight gain       Moodiness       Depression       Illness and disease Find Ways to Manage Your Stress Levels Stress plays an enormous role in our ability to maintain and strengthen immune system health and function. Our immune systems consist of billions of cells that travel throughout our organs and tissue. Our B cells produce the antibodies that work to destroy those pesky, invading viruses and bacteria that wreak havoc on our system. Our T cells come to the rescue by acting as the guardians, locking onto an infected cell, multiplying and destroying it. When we are under stress, and honestly, who isn’t these days, our immune system is weak, and its ability to fight off antigens is no longer at its best. This allows us to become much more susceptible to illness and infection. Lowering your stress level helps boost immune system functions and strengthen immune system health and fight against:   Headaches   Flu and additional infectious illness   Asthma   Diabetes   Gastric ulcers   Cardiovascular disease Managing stress can be as simple and enjoyable as talking time for a walk, yoga or meditation, finding a new hobby, or relaxing in a bath. We all need a little me-time and pampering, so make it a part of your routine while helping to boost immune system health at the same time! Fill Up on Beneficial Foods for Immunity You know what a believer I am in eating the right foods. When searching for ways to strengthen immune system health, choosing the right foods for immunity is vital. Making healthy foods part of your lifestyle rather than a once-in-a-while diet plan will serve your body well. You’ll boost immune system functions, fight belly fat, boost energy and mood levels, and fight off those dreaded signs of aging. Now, who doesn't want that? Garlic, one of my go-to’s for everything, is known to help boost immune system health. As a broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent, garlic will strengthen immune system abilities, keeping your body healthier and your food more flavorful! Additional foods for immunity that are favorites of mine include: Broccoli It's an excellent food for immunity, full of vitamins and minerals. Broccoli is full of immune-enhancing vitamins A, C, and E, antioxidants, and fiber. Spinach Spinach is so rich in vitamin C and an excellent food for immunity. I toss it in my sandwiches, salads, soups, and more. It's full of antioxidants and beta carotene, which help increase the ability to ward off infections and continue to strengthen immune system functions. Citrus Fruits We've all heard of the fantastic potential vitamin C provides, right? It's no myth. Loading up on your vitamin C will help strengthen immune system health, boost immune system function, and keep your skin looking youthful and radiant at the same time. So fill your fruit bowl with grapefruit and oranges to keep your body healthy both inside and out! Focus on a Happy, Healthy Gut If you’ve been with me for any length of time, you’ll know why gut health, immune systems, and bone broth go together. Incorporating foods for immunity is crucial. Maintaining a healthy gut frees our systems of the toxins that often lead to an unhealthy immune system and health conditions, including:       IBS       Bloating       Constipation       Inflammation throughout the body       Joint and muscle pain       Diabetes       Early signs of aging By changing our lifestyle to include beneficial foods for immunity, we support boosting the immune system. And one of my favorite foods for immunity is bone broth. Through a variety of foods for immunity, you’ll fill up on healing collagen, nutrients, and clean proteins to strengthen immune system functions and quickly boost immune system health. Not to mention, you’ll fill up on delicious foods that are great for your entire body. Let’s all do our part in keeping each other healthy. Strengthen immune system health for yourself and loved ones for a happier, healthier you! Keep thinking Big and living BOLD!

Have you come to a dead-end and feel you are at the brink of burnout? How often do you find yourself feeling as if your efforts just aren’t getting you anywhere? Do your typical, everyday tasks seem too daunting to face while dragging yourself out of bed has become a miracle? Your body may be in a critical state of burnout. Recognizing the signs of burnout is essential to your health and wellbeing. The good news is, there are ways to battle burnout and work towards restoring the balance in your life. How often does the thought of socializing seem like a dreaded chore? Do life's simple pleasures now cause you high anxiety or moodiness? Are you battling uncomfortable gut health issues daily? If you said yes to the above questions, it may be time for a different course of action. It’s time to stop blaming last night’s lack of sleep or too many responsibilities for your current state. It may be time to take a hard look at just how long you’ve been stuck in this rut and begin to take note of all the areas in your life that are feeling the effects; physically, emotionally, and cognitively. Taking back the control will allow you to learn more about yourself, your triggers, and how you can find your path to you again. So, how can you recognize the warning signs and symptoms of chronic stress? And where do you start to regain your emotional and physical freedoms once again? Let’s talk about beginning your journey back to health. If the constant stress in your life has you feeling helpless, disillusioned, and utterly exhausted, it’s time to veer off this destructive road to burnout. The Many Faces of Burnout It can be challenging to recognize and even harder to bounce back from, but burnout doesn’t have to keep you from enjoying life. Today’s world of hectic schedules and long, demanding hours at work, home, and play can lead to chronic stress. Your regular tasks become too overwhelming to face; your stress levels begin to rise to the point of physical and emotional turmoil. The typical responsibilities of your daily routine can start to take their toll on your health. Work demands seem unrealistic and unattainable, while social engagements seem easier to avoid than to face. Your responsibilities at home and school begin to take on a whole new meaning and bring on anxiety and frustrations at the very thought of your long to-do lists. Burnout sets up camp in every aspect of your life and often creeps up on you in a time of chronic stress. Excessive levels of prolonged stress begin to wreak havoc on your body, causing widespread inflammation resulting in poor gut health, sleep disturbances, and weight gain. While emotional feelings of unworthiness and a sense of helplessness take over, your physical and mental wellbeing rapidly decline. Burnout may cause feelings of overwhelming pressure to meet demands you no longer find unattainable. As you continue to pull back from your usual pleasures, all areas of your life continue on a downward spiral.   Recognizing Stress and the Road to Burnout Stress is your body’s reaction to various demands, including situations that may potentially be dangerous. How you react and adjust are part of the beneficial role stress plays. When your body senses a possible threat, an automatic stress response creates a “fight-or-flight” reaction to help ensure your safety.  But it isn’t always a benefit. Stress does have the ability to be harmful to your health, and it can happen before you know it. You may find it brings down your mood, lowers productivity, and hinders relationships. When stress takes its toll on your body, you can expect inflammation to spread, creating issues such as: Depression Anxiety Muscle and joint aches and pains Digestive problems, including poor gut health Skin irritations, including acne and psoriasis Heart disease Weight gain Cognitive problems, including memory loss Exhaustion Transitioning from Chronic Stress to Burnout As time goes on, chronic stress sets in, plunging you further into turmoil. Your nervous system suffers greatly, and your health and wellness continue to deteriorate. You are on a dangerous road to burnout and placing yourself at a higher risk for heart attack and stroke. The problem is, it can be challenging to differentiate between what has now become "normal" stress and official burnout. Ask yourself these crucial questions which span across all areas of your life: Do you find yourself disengaging rather than excessively engaging in duties and activities? Are the majority of your symptoms emotional rather than physical? Have your emotions become numb instead of a constant state of feeling hypersensitive? Do you view the world and your role in life as hopeless and lacking meaning? If you find yourself answering yes to these questions, it’s time to take actionable steps to decrease the effects of burnout. Burnout Recovery Mode Recognizing your burnout triggers is a step in the right direction. Actively taking those baby steps towards reducing stress and anxiety can save you from further health issues. Journaling: Try keeping a journal of your moods, eating and sleeping habits, and health concerns as they arise. You may begin to notice patterns that may help you pinpoint triggers and warning signs. Use journaling to relieve stress, plan your tasks, and track your progress. Journaling is a helpful release and an insightful way to recognize and reduce stress-inducers. Practice self-care: You spend the majority of your day catering to others. At work, school, and home, your responsibilities are part of your daily routine. So why aren’t you taking a little time for yourself? Finding a bit of “me-time” is essential in reducing and even avoiding burnout. While it may seem difficult to add one more thing to your list, a little exercise or a good book can make a world of difference. Make changes to your diet: Ensuring your body receives the essential vitamins and nutrients is vital to your health. Burnout is no exception. When you fill-up on the right foods, you take steps to reduce inflammation, support gut health, and boost energy levels. With the proper amounts of clean protein and healthy fats, you help cleanse and rid your body of the toxins that are weighing you down and plaguing your health. A Cleanse to Promote Burnout Recovery What if I could introduce you to a cleanse that could reset and restore your body and mind, pulling you out of the burnout darkness? Combatting multiple health symptoms, including burnout, has never been so simple. By implementing a quick yet safe 5-day cleanse, I can help you reduce inflammation throughout your body. After all, inflammation is the root of all your health woes, right?   A Rejuvenating Cleanse to Restore Your Health When my own health took a nosedive, I set out to create a nutritious, revitalizing cleanse that would flush toxins, repair damage, reduce inflammation, and restore my health and wellness. With a nourishing cleanse that floods your system with vital essentials, your body will no longer have to work overtime to keep inflammation at bay. This means that in just five short days, you can begin to experience burnout recovery by enjoying clean proteins, the proper fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, and the perfect amount of fiber.  Improve Your Gut Health to Reduce Signs of Burnout When you choose to cleanse your body with the right ingredients, you target the very health issues that are holding you hostage and drowning you in the symptoms of burnout. How do I know this? Because inflammation is an evil that spreads throughout your body, upsetting the balance and keeping you in a state of disarray. As inflammation declares war on your gut health, your body begins to fall victim to many of the same signs and symptoms caused by burnout. But when you provide your system with the healing properties of bone broth, you begin to experience improvements, targeting: Increase in blood glucose Stubborn belly fat Rheumatoid arthritis Sleep issues Premature signs of aging Depression and anxiety Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Gut health, including gas and diarrhea Irritable Bowel Syndrome Allergies Dry skin, acne, eczema, or discoloration  The Link Between Inflammation and Gut Health When inflammation takes over, your health is severely compromised, leading to a long list of illnesses and diseases. Your body aches, you weaken your immune system, and handling stress becomes a daunting task. As the inflammation worsens in your digestive tract, it has the potential to destroy your gut health and spread rapidly throughout your body. It begins to reach out to other areas of your body, spreading inflammation and illness throughout. Relief From a 5-Day Cleanse Opting to be proactive with your gut health is also a step towards burnout rescue. Committing to a collagen-packed cleanse will flush toxins and reset your gut health. You’ll have access to resources to achieve a successful cleanse.  Your digestive system will combat waste and toxins, heal areas that have sustained damage, and defend your body against additional threats. By flooding your system with nutrients, this cleanse will restore, soothe, and replenish your missing essentials. My collagen-filled bone broth is exactly what your body needs to ward off chronic stress and burnout. From my delicious soups, smoothies, and shake recipes, I will quickly target your gut health, soothe inflammation, and rid you of toxins the healthy way. Within the first day, your mood will begin to lift, your energy will start to return, and you’ll correct those depleting sleep habits. My Cleanse and Reset plan will heal through foods, including: Fruits and vegetables Clean proteins Healthy fats Fiber With this safe, gentle, and revitalizing cleanse, you’ll also see the signs of premature aging diminish. How’s that for a bonus? And that stubborn belly fat? Just watch it melt away before your eyes! Your aches and pains will begin to subside as inflammation dies down, and your mood swings become a distant memory. You will start to engage once again and find joy in your work, friends, family, and school. Five-days full of my delicious collagen-packed bone broth soups, juices, and smoothies will repair and restore you from the inside out. Why the Cleanse Works It’s simple. Bone broth. It conquers and heals. What more can I say? It’s game-changing and hard to ignore. Rich essentials, including collagen in liquid form, give your digestive system a break from digesting solids. The liquid offers your gut the necessary time to rest and recover. The healing powers of this broth send a flood of vitamins, amino acids, and nutrients to coat and repair any cell damage. Bone broth also offers your system: An Abundance of Collagen The collagen in bone broth provides a tremendous source of nourishment. It coats your intestinal lining while reducing inflammation. It is also known for regulating your acid secretions while healing stomach ulcers.   Glycine and Glutamine You will find an abundance of these two incredible amino acids in bone broth. Glycine and glutamine are an influential duo that works to stimulate your acid secretions, helping your tissues repair themselves naturally. They also work to combat IBS and acid reflux and regulate blood cholesterol, improve fat digestion, and more. Pretty impressive, wouldn’t you agree?   Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) GAGs create a healing mucus to calm inflammation. In a nutshell, GAG’s strengthen the good bacteria while blocking the effects of the harmful bacteria.   Combining my delicious bone broth benefits with a new exercise routine, a little overdue me-time, and persistent efforts to reduce stress will open up a path to burnout recovery. You have the strength inside you to turn your health around. Taking that first step towards starting your health improvement journey will get you back to feeling like yourself again in no time! When you choose to cleanse and reset your digestive system, you trigger an incredibly strong chain reaction. While I firmly believe inflammation is the root cause of your burnout troubles, I know firsthand that it can be a struggle to take those first steps to a healthier you. Cleansing is necessary to repair your health and wellness while working to restore the balance from burnout. And when you glance in the mirror, you will be in awe of the results! Who knew it could only take a 5-day cleanse to detox your gut and set off a chain of events leading to a youthful glow, firm, hydrated skin, and the fading of those dreaded fine lines? Find out more so you can start preparing your cleansing tools and resources today. Keep thinking Big and living BOLD!

Light is a powerful form of energy that provides incredible benefits to how you feel, look, and behave. With thousands of studies to back the long list of benefits it offers, it’s no wonder people are flocking towards this natural health treatment option. If you're looking for a way to improve your anti-aging habits or target inflammation, red light therapy may be for you. What does red light therapy do? Red light therapy is a noninvasive natural light treatment that benefits your skin and cells. In just a short five to fifteen minutes of this concentrated natural light every day, you'll help deliver powerful results and lasting benefits. One such advantage of using a red light to note is the lack of UV rays, keeping this a safe and effective way to gain health and beauty improvements. What are the benefits of red light therapy? This type of therapy provides a remarkable way to enhance your collagen and overall health and wellness by: Supporting hair regrowth Improving the overall tone, texture, and clarity of your skin Supporting weight loss Reducing the signs of stretch marks and scars Enhancing muscle recovery Reducing pain and inflammation within your joints Improving your quality of sleep while reducing insomnia Red light therapy is a natural anti-inflammatory treatment You know what a firm believer I am in anti-inflammatory methods. Red light therapy targets the source of your inflammation while providing an increase in blood flow circulation. This helps repair tissue damage and boost the regeneration of cells. You'll experience a reduction in pain and recovery time as it supports your body's healing process. You may also find this therapy beneficial in healing injuries affecting your bones and tissue. It makes red light therapy the perfect go-to choice for athletes or gym enthusiasts. It reduces muscle fatigue, stimulates muscle growth, and enhances your strength and endurance levels. What are the beauty benefits of red light therapy? The anti-inflammatory benefits work wonders for your skin. Often used by dermatologists for its noticeable healing benefits, red light can deliver its source directly to your skin cells. It improves the health of your skin by supporting increased circulation, increasing energy production, and reducing areas of inflammation. And just like the wonders of bone broth, red light therapy will improve your overall skin health by reducing the appearance of those fine lines and wrinkles, reducing healing time for scars and burns, and stimulating collagen production. You’ll experience a younger, more refreshing overall look and feel, while creating better anti-aging habits for your skin.  And not only will it promote hair regrowth, but prevention of hair loss as well. Your hair will grow in healthy and thick, while male and female pattern baldness will see a significant reduction. How does that sound for a mere 10 minutes a day out of your busy schedule? And how about: Skin rejuvenation Reduction of dryness Full-body hyperpigmentation treatment Additional benefits include successful treatments for Seasonal Affective Disorder and depression. The light bridges the gap between the healing benefits of natural outdoor light and our need for natural light to thrive.  At-home red light therapy There are many places you can go for red light therapy, but you can also reap the beneifts of red light therapy from the comfort of your own home. I recommend Joov for my at-home red light therapy practice. They offer informational videos to walk you through how to use red light therapy. Check out Joovv here. Use my code KELLYANN for a free gift with purchase!  It’s never been easier to start using red light therapy! Find out more about how you can fight inflammation while creating healthy, anti-aging habits today. Keep thinking Big and living BOLD!

As life becomes increasingly more hectic – longer work hours, additional family responsibilities – we tend to lose sight of how important it is to take care of ourselves. Sound familiar? Believe me, when I say, I know exactly how you feel. I remember pushing myself, wanting to do it all, and convincing myself to take on the world. Until the day of my crash. My body was unwilling to continue sending me warning signs and trying to keep up with the demands I was putting on it. I was neglecting my responsibilities to my health, feeling physically and mentally drained. I was now taking a step back to examine the destructive path to burnout I was on. Let me tell you; there's nothing like a health crash on a coast to coast flight to put you in burnout recovery mode.   Watch for Signs of Burnout Many stressors lead us down the path to burnout. Physical and mental symptoms may include:  Weight gain Chronic fatigue Poor gut health Lack of motivation Inflammation Difficulty sleeping   Taking Steps to Recover from Burnout While it may sound like a simple solution, many of us overlook the importance of getting to know what our burnout triggers are. Take steps to eliminate or at least reduce these stress-inducing culprits. If you don’t already, try adding a bit of self-care to your daily routine. You deserve a little pampering, don’t you? Schedule a little exercise or meditation into your day. You’ll help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression while calming and clearing your mind. Even when you can’t seem to squeeze in a quick walk on your lunch break, find a quiet spot that allows you five to ten minutes of meditation time. It can make a world of difference!   An Effective Cleanse for Burnout Recovery If you’re looking for a way to combat multiple symptoms of burnout with a quick yet safe method, I have just the thing! From my health crash came a nutritious, revitalizing cleanse.  I’m talking about a toxin-flushing, inflammation-reducing cleanse that floods your system with the essentials your body craves for a healthy lifestyle. It’s five days of energizing clean proteins, the right fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats, and the perfect amount of fiber to keep you satisfied.   Bone Broth Benefits for Improved Gut Health and More But that’s not all this rejuvenating cleanse has to offer! How do firm, radiant skin and diminishing signs of again sound? You’ll be in awe of your reflection when you see those fading fine lines, wrinkles, and a slim tummy. Five-days full of my delicious collagen-packed bone broth soups, juices, and smoothies will repair and restore you from the inside out. My game-changing cleanse provides bone broth benefits beyond burnout recovery, including: Healing a leaky gut, IBS, and overall gut health Relief from bloating Improvements in skin irritations, such as eczema and acne Combing my tasty bone broth benefits with a new exercise or meditation routine, some me-time, and efforts to reduce stressors will put you on the road to burnout recovery. You have the power to turn your health around. Find out how to get your hands on all my cleansing tools and resources to start your journey to improved health today. Keep thinking Big and living BOLD!