Blog

  I call myself the “last chance” doctor because many of my patients are nearly out of hope by the time they come to my office. Merris, who described herself as a prisoner in her own home, was one of them. Merris has celiac disease, an autoimmune condition that affects the intestines. When people with celiac disease eat any food containing gluten, their immune system attacks the villi, tiny structures in the intestines. The result: diarrhea, constipation, abdominal pain, nausea, and absolute misery. The standard treatment for the disease is a strict avoidance of gluten. Merris had tried that for a year and a half, but it didn’t work. Her doctor suspected that she hadrefractory celiac disease—a severe and potentially fatal condition that’s treated with powerful immune-suppressing steroids and other dangerous drugs. Merris wanted a better solution. And when she saw me on TV one day talking about treating inflammation with food, she decided to give me a chance. After she’d followed my protocol for only four days, Merris’s severe diarrhea completely stopped. Within a month, her pain and cramps vanished. She no longer needed any drugs except her thyroid medication. After being unable to sleep for more than an hour or two at a stretch, she could sleep soundly through the night. At 66, Merris now says, “I feel like a teenager.” And she’s radiantly healthy, as you can see in this video. What’s the moral of Merris’s story? That when it comes to autoimmune disease, the wrong foods can hurt or even kill you—and the right foods can heal you. Before I talk about these good and bad foods, here’s a quick look at what autoimmune disorders are. What is autoimmunity? Autoimmune problems arise when your immune system mistakenly identifies certain tissues in your body as invaders rather than “self.” When this happens, the immune system releases chemicals that cause a cascade of destructive inflammation. There are more than 80 types of autoimmune conditions, and they strike in different ways.  In multiple sclerosis, for instance, the central nervous system comes under attack. In rheumatoid arthritis, it’s the joints. In Crohn’s disease and celiac disease, it’s the gastrointestinal tract. Autoimmune disorders tend to cluster in families, and they tend to affect women more often than men. Sometimes, symptoms of autoimmune disease are mild. But often, as in Merris’s case, they’re crippling or even potentially fatal. We can’t cure autoimmune diseases. However, we can often send them into remission. And that’s where diet comes in. The healing power of food Traditional doctors do realize that food plays a role in certain autoimmune conditions. For instance, they understand the damaging effects of gluten in celiac disease. But here’s something that few of them know: Diet plays a big part in worsening or treating virtually any autoimmune condition. Why? Because when you eat pro-inflammatory foods (for instance, sugar and flour), you exacerbate inflammation, the core feature of all autoimmune disorders. Unhealthy foods can also worsen intestinal permeability (“leaky” gut), throw your hormones out of balance, and lead to severe nutritional deficiencies—all of which can worsen the symptoms of an autoimmune disease. Conversely, by eating healing foods, you can reduce inflammation, balance your hormones, foster healthy intestinal flora that help heal a leaky gut, and correct severe nutritional deficiencies. When you do this, you can often drive an autoimmune disease into remission. So my autoimmune protocol doesn’t start with dangerous pills or injections. Instead, it starts in a patient’s pantry. My Autoimmune Protocol: Stage 1 My protocol for patients with autoimmune conditions begins with my 30-Day Reset. During this time, I ask these patients to eat a diet completely free of these foods:   Grains Dairy Beans and legumes Potatoes Corn Rice Soy Yeast Refined seed oils Sugars and artificial sweeteners Food additives and coloring Alcohol   Instead, I ask these patients to eat a diet of healing anti-inflammatory foods. These include fresh fruits and vegetables, pasture-raised meat and poultry, eggs, seafood, sweet potatoes, nuts, and healthy oils like olive, avocado, and coconut oil. I also have them eat sauerkraut and kimchi and take probiotics to optimize their gut flora. And daily bone broth is an absolute must, because of its healing collagen, gelatin, and other nutrients. In addition, because many people with autoimmune problems have nutritional deficiencies, I prescribe a good basic nutritional supplement. I also have these patients take omega-3 fatty acids, selenium, and zinc, which can calm inflammation. And I encourage them to include anti-inflammatory herbs and spices like rosemary and curcumin in their cooking. This is the protocol that Merris used to get her symptoms under control. It’s a basic, strict Paleo program. And often, it’s enough. But sometimes, it isn’t. My Autoimmune Protocol: Stage 2 If patients continue to have symptoms after a 30-Day Reset, then I know we need to take additional steps. So I ask them to cut out several foods and food groups that are healthy for most people but can cause big trouble for some people with autoimmune conditions. Here are the top culprits:   Nightshade fruits and vegetables. These include tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, artichokes, blueberries, goji berries, and okra, as well as cayenne pepper and paprika. (Black pepper is fine.) Here’s an interesting post about why these foods can be problematic, and here’s a complete list of them. Eggs. While eggs are a superfood, a significant number of people react badly to them—and especially to the whites. Here’s a good article on this topic. Nuts and seeds. Many people are allergic to tree nuts. In addition, nuts and seeds are hard for some people to digest—and that can be a particularly big problem for people who have a damaged gut due to autoimmune issues. So it makes sense to find out if these foods are causing symptoms. FODMAPS. FODMAP stands for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols. In plain English, FODMAPs are molecules that some people have trouble absorbing. When they aren’t completely absorbed and digested, they can ferment in the gut, causing symptoms like abdominal pain, gas, diarrhea, and constipation. Here’s a list of FODMAPS.   Now, all of this sounds like a lot to give up—but it’s only temporary. After several weeks, I gradually start reintroducing each restricted food. If a food causes problems, out it goes. If not, then it goes back on the good list. By the way, I also ask my patients to give up all “optional” medications. Many medications—for instance, NSAIDS—exacerbate gut problems. The Bottom Line: Easy, Effective, and Safe My autoimmune protocol is simple, straightforward, and easy to follow. Some patients do initially find it hard to give up grains, sugar, or dairy, but they quickly decide that it’s a very small sacrifice when symptoms ranging from joint pain to rashes to diarrhea quickly lessen or even vanish. What’s more, these patients enjoy benefits that go far beyond getting their autoimmune conditions under control. They lose weight. They often reverse metabolic syndrome. They feel younger and happier. They glow. And here’s something else: This protocol is safe. Compare that to the steroids and other immune-suppressing drugs that are the traditional first-line treatment for autoimmune conditions. I understand that sometimes these drugs are necessary. But many of my patients don’t need them at all—and many others are able to greatly reduce their dosages. So if you have an autoimmune problem, and your doctors tell you that the only treatment is medication, don’t believe them. Instead, try healing your body the natural way: through food. There’s no downside—and there’s an excellent chance that, like Merris, you’ll get your life back. Keep thinking big and living bold!

If you’re eating low-carb to lose weight, the pounds should be melting off like crazy. If they aren’t, don’t panic—just read the trouble-shooting tips I offer in my new MindBodyGreen article. If you want to lose weight and get healthy, low-carb is the way to go. After more than two decades as a weight-loss transformation expert, I can tell you that there’s no more effective way to take off pounds. Yet embarking on a low-carb journey can be tough, especially when you don’t see that extra weight coming off right away. I often receive emails from patients who say: “I feel good, but I’m not losing any weight on low-carb! What’s up with that?” If you’re experiencing the same frustration, know this: When your body gets totally healthy and you ditch the sugary high-carb foods that cause blood sugar swings, inflammation, and gut damage, you will eventually begin to lose weight naturally. You just need to give your body time to flip its fat-burning switch to “on” so you become a natural fat burner. The magic will happen! In the meantime, if you’ve been eating low-carb for a while and feel you still haven’t “taken off,” here are some troubleshooting tips. The first tips focus on what you’re eating, and the last few are all about your lifestyle. ARE YOU … Eating too much fruit? Eating too much fruit is easy to do. You push all the junk off your plate in your new eating regimen and replace it with an overload of fruit. Just because fruit is natural doesn’t mean you can go to town. Fruit has fructose, and although some fruit can be very nutritious, consuming too much high-carb fruit can create havoc in the insulin department. A good serving size is a closed handful of berries or chopped fruit, and half of a larger piece of fruit like a grapefruit or a large apple. Eating too many nuts? Just because nuts are on the low-carb “yes” list, doesn’t mean it’s time to scarf! A nut serving size is a closed handful. Period. Not half a bag. Nuts will pile on the pounds if you crunch away on them mindlessly. Also, many nuts have an off-balance omega-6 to omega-3 ratio, which won’t help you move toward health. Keeping foods on the “no” list in your kitchen? I think you know where I’m going with this. Don’t keep chips and cookies and other high-carb stuff in your pantry or fridge for a rainy day. Donate, or, better yet, toss them. No need to explain this one. Indulging in low-carb treats too often? I’m super glad you’re eating foods with healthy ingredients. Bravo! And if you want to eat low-carb packaged cookies, breads, treats, and sweets once in a while, go for it. Just don’t make it routine or the pounds will start creeping on. Low-carb pancakes, breads, muffins, and cookies are totally yummy, but make sure you’re aware of how much you’re actually eating. Skipping the fat? Many people have ingrained in their minds that fat is evil. Some fats may be, but healthy fats like coconut oil and avocado oil are anything but evil. Adding the right quantities of fat to your diet actually helps you lose fat. Try it; you’ll see. Eating too much healthy fat? Again, quantity is an issue here. I love coconut fats, olives and avocados, animal fats, nuts, and nut butters. They feed our bodies deep nutrition. But when I first started eating low-carb, I downed too many coconut chips and nuts, and was way too liberal with my drizzle oils. When I adjusted the quantities, I adjusted my weight.Here’s a good guideline: A serving size is no more than two teaspoons of fats and oils (including coconut oil, coconut butter, and drizzle oils like olive and avocado oils), or a closed handful of coconut chips, olives, or nuts. Count one-half of an avocado as a serving. Full-fat coconut milk is best, and one-third of a can is a serving size. Not measuring your food properly? You probably don’t need to think about portion control all the time, but you should get used to glancing at your food and making sure you’re not getting three times what your body needs. Figuring out how much food you actually need is a real eye-opener for most people. In addition to the guidelines for fats that I outlined above, here are some additional rules of thumb. Protein should be the size of the palm of your hand. You can fill the perimeter of your plate with non-starchy veggies. And if you need some starchy or dense carbohydrates, a good serving size is one to two cups, depending on your needs. Falling into an automatic eating habit? After you start feeling and looking better, you may start to relax a little too much and fall into some of your old patterns. Remember why you started this new lifestyle in the first place and make sure that you’re eating low-carb as a rule, not an exception. When you realize you’re having a gelato or a martini one too many times, be intuitive about it. Ask yourself why you’re doing what you’re doing, and shift back to the plan. Not completely letting go? Letting go of a lot of foods may be pretty easy, but clutching onto that one food or drink you struggle to let go of may be making it hard for your body to dump the weight. People commonly hold onto drinks and snacks with artificial sugars. These foods and drinks are destructive to your weight loss (and health) efforts. It’s time to let go! Not getting enough sleep? Sleep deprivation causes you to gain weight, while decent sleep helps you to lose weight. Not sleeping enough causes you and your body systems (including important hormones) to become sluggish and inefficient. When your body slows down, you gain weight. Not organized? If you don’t get organized with meals and pantry updates and planning ahead with regard to what you’ll eat at holiday parties, birthday bashes, etc., you’re asking for trouble. Have lots of “yes” foods on hand at all times. Remember, a starving body can convince you of almost anything and can even rationalize the benefits of a Twinkie! Avoid setting yourself up for grabbing foods on the run that are surely going to keep you from achieving your healthy weight. Expecting results too quickly? If you expect results fast or even at a moderate pace, you may be disappointed. For some people, it takes a while for weight to normalize. A low-carb diet is by no means a quick-fix diet. It’s a lifestyle diet that leads to forever results. Trust me on this one. It will happen. Not managing stress? If you or anyone you know is thin yet still has that “tire” around the waist, chances are it’s a cortisol tire. Too much stress means too much cortisol is released, giving you a middle-aged gut no matter how old you are! If your goal is weight loss, make stress management part of your plan. When you get a handle on all of the above, the magic will happen. Be patient and trust that your body will do what it needs to do. One final tip: As you dial in your low-carb strategy add in intermittent fasting to boost your weight loss efforts! Keep thinking big and living bold!  ** Article written for MindBodyGreen

Women: Is your hair getting thin and wispy, or are you even getting bald spots? If so, don’t despair—fight back. We tend to think baldness is a men’s issue. From the comb over to the buzz cut, guys’ ways of dealing with hair loss—and moving on—are all around us. But did you know 40% of women experience hair loss after menopause? And about 13% of us experience it way before that. Unfortunately, when a woman starts losing her locks, she typically thinks she’s the only one. Too many of us suffer over our scalps in silence, embarrassed, and sure we’ll never feel beautiful or sexy again. So I want to bring female hair loss out of the closet. If it’s happening to you, you’re in good company. And it doesn’t have to doom you to a life of low self-esteem and hiding in the shadows. There are natural ways to treat and deal with it. There is help, and there is hope! The first step is figuring out what type of hair loss you have. The Most Common Root Issue The majority of women who lose hair have female pattern baldness (FPB)—our much-less-discussed counterpart to male pattern baldness.  This is when your hair slowly thins on top. You probably won’t notice any shedding because it’s a gradual process of hair follicles shrinking, producing finer hair, and eventually producing no hair at all. For many women, this leads to suddenly realizing that your hair has gotten thinner. Not a good day! And it’s usually followed by many more days of obsessively examining your scalp in the mirror and panicking over how much worse it might get. FPB is actually a hormonal issue. Susceptibility to it is inherited, and stress can make the problem worse. The hormone DHT, which is a derivative of testosterone, seems to be the culprit.  As you probably know, women have male hormones, called androgens, just in much smaller amounts than men do. But though we have a lot less of them, they’re still critical to our health. (FPB is also referred to as androgenetic alopecia, with the word alopecia simply meaning hair loss.) Since hormonal imbalances drive FPB, it’s no coincidence that it often starts during menopause. Other FPB triggers include pregnancy, taking birth control pills, and ovarian cysts. So what do you do if you have FPB? Your first line of defense should be finding a doctor who knows about this condition and works with natural hormones. Underlying your FPB might be male hormones that are too high or female hormones that are too low. Countless women with FPB have taken natural hormones and found that their luscious locks returned—along with their youthful vigor, sex drive, and sense of well-being. Less Common Causes There are three other types of hair loss, or alopecia, which are much less common and primarily caused by autoimmune disorders. These are: Alopecia Areata: The loss of a patch of hair on your head. Alopecia Totalis: The loss of all the hair on your head. Alopecia Universalis: The loss of all your head and body hair. These are usually temporary, but they can involve hair falling out, re-growing, and then falling out again, over and over for years. That’s a trauma no woman should have to endure alone! If you’re experiencing this, your most important need is to find a doctor who will help you pinpoint and work with the underlying autoimmune problem. On the other hand, sometimes an event or situation (internal or external) is to blame. A type of temporary hair loss, resulting from physical or psychological stress or change, is called telogen effluvium. Triggers include: Anemia (Iron deficiency) A variety of prescription medications (including antidepressants and anti-inflammatory drugs) Big alterations in diet High fever and serious infections Intense emotional turmoil Massive weight loss Severe injuries Sudden hormonal changes (often brought on by childbirth or menopause) Thyroid issues Hair loss can also be caused by skin conditions such as psoriasis, and, of course, chemotherapy. So you see how many things can harm our precious hair. But there’s great news here. Most of the causes are highly treatable once you recognize them. And the less common types of hair loss are usually only temporary (often turning around spontaneously within six months). No matter what the cause of your hair loss, here are some things that have been shown to encourage healthy hair growth and scalp rejuvenation. Eat: Ground flax seeds, walnuts, fish (the best being wild salmon and sardines), and avocados to ensure you’re getting lots of omega-3 fatty acids. Plenty of nuts for biotin Iron-rich green leafy vegetables, cashews, figs, and berries Bone broth and high-quality collagen supplements Consider Supplementing With*: B-complex vitamins, vitamin C, and vitamin E Silica Zinc GLA (gamma linoleic acid) MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane) *Note: If you’re experiencing hair loss, consult with a qualified health practitioner before taking supplements. It’s critical that you pinpoint the causes and take exactly the right supplements and the right dosage for your specific situation. Supplementation should be just part of your overall treatment plan. Reduce Stress Stress can contribute to virtually all types of hair loss. And hair loss definitely causes a woman stress! So do yourself and your hair a huge favor by de-stressing in any and all forms that work for you. Things like yoga, mediation, long walks, hot baths, good books, or playtime will make you feel better and help you heal. If hair loss is an issue for you, just remember that millions of other women are experiencing it too. So stop hiding and start healing—it’s time for you, and your life, to feel beautiful again! Keep thinking big and living bold!

  The first piece of advice most people get after gallbladder removal surgery is: “Don’t eat fats.” But today, in Part 2 of my two-part series on gallbladder issues, I’m going to tell you why you should make healthy fats a part of your post-gallbladder life (and give you advice on how to do it). Can you still eat healthy fats if you’ve actually had your gallbladder removed? Normally, your gallbladder stores bile produced by your liver. It releases this bile when you eat, so you can break down fats. If a surgeon removes your gallbladder, bile will drain continuously into your small intestine instead. However, it’ll be less concentrated than the bile that your gallbladder previously stored. Obviously, this will dramatically change how your body digests fat. To help your body adapt to this change, mainstream doctors typically recommend a low-fat diet after gallbladder removal. To a limited degree, this diet advice works. However, you’ll pay a high price for eating this way, because you’re cutting down on the healthy fats your body needs to build strong cells, make hormones, use fat-soluble vitamins, and keep your brain functioning optimally. And to keep from going hungry you’ll need to greatly increase your intake of carbs, increasing your risk of diabetes and heart disease. Moreover, an interesting thing happens when people disobey the conventional wisdom: After a period of adjustment, many of them feel better. In fact, in my two decades in practice as a naturopathic physician and certified nutritional consultant, I’ve found that people without a gallbladder typically get healthier, and have fewer issues with digestive discomfort and diarrhea, when they give up grains—not fats. However, this doesn’t mean that if you’re missing your gallbladder, you should immediately boost your intake of fats. Your body isn’t ready for that, and you could suffer painful consequences. Instead, change your diet step-by-step and give your body time to adjust after gallbladder removal.  What are the best tips for a diet after removing your gallbladder? Get rid of gluten in your diet after removing your gallbladder.  Cut out wheat, rye, durum, spelt, graham, semolina, triticale, and kamut flours, as well as wheat bran and wheat germ. Cook from scratch as much as possible—and when you can’t, read labels to make sure there’s no “sneaky” gluten in the food you buy. After removing your gallbladder, phase out other grains in your diet.  If you’re like many people dealing with the side effects of gallbladder removal, you’re going to discover that grains are a big cause of your digestive problems. Add fats very cautiously back in your diet after removing your gallbladder.  Coconut oil is a good fat to emphasize at first. Be sure to choose healthy fats—butter or ghee and coconut, avocado, and olive oil. If you go for a long stretch between one meal and the next, go easy on fats at the second meal so you don’t overwhelm your system. Add bone broth to your diet after removing your gallbladder!  A cup a day will help you heal your gut After removing your gallbladder, add fermented foods to your diet. Fermented foods like kimchi and sauerkraut, which help optimize your gut flora. All of this will help you digest food better. It’s important after removing your gallbladder to eat carby fruits and veggies every day.   Going too low-carb isn’t a good idea if you don’t have a gallbladder. Be patient with your diet after removing your gallbladder.  Over time, your ability to digest fats is likely to increase. Are you still experiencing problems with your diet after removing your gallbladder? If you’re still experiencing problems, try taking a beef bile supplement. If you follow these steps, you’re likely to discover that stubborn problems like diarrhea—a huge issue for many people after gallbladder surgery—start to clear up. In addition, I’m betting you’ll feel healthier, stronger, and more energetic overall. Give it a try—carefully—and see what happens! Keep thinking Big and living BOLD!   LEARN MORE ABOUT HEALTHY FATS >  Have a History of Gallstones? Then Say Yes to Dietary Fats! — Why healthy fats matter with gallstone history.  

Today, I’ll tell you why the standard advice doctors give people with gallstones—to eat more carbs and cut down on fats—is flat-out wrong. Instead, science shows that cutting carbs and eating healthy fats can slash your risk of a future attack. If you’ve experienced the excruciating pain of gallstones, what I’m about to say will probably sound like heresy. But here it is anyway: Don’t avoid fats. Now, I’m betting that’s not what your doctors are telling you. If they’re like most physicians, they firmly believe that to avoid developing new stones, you need to eat a high-carbohydrate, low-fat diet. So they’ll tell you to center your diet around foods like cereal, bread, rice, and pasta. Here’s my response to this advice: It’s dead wrong. In fact, the evidence shows that adding fats to your diet will reduce your risk of gallstones, while loading yourself with carbs will put you at higher risk. To understand why, you need to know a little about how the gallbladder works—and how things can go wrong. The facts about bile, carbs, and fats Your liver makes bile, which is mostly water but also contains cholesterol, some fats, and bile salts. When you’re not eating fats, your bile gets stored in your gallbladder. When you eat a food that contains fat, your gallbladder contracts and squeezes bile out through a duct. This bile goes into your small intestine, where it helps break down big fat globules into tiny ones that are easier for your body to handle. Now, if you eat a significant amount of healthy fats, like coconut oil or fish oil, your gallbladder empties out pretty often. But what if your diet is mainly wheat, rice, and corn, and contains almost no fat? Then that bile can sit around for a long time. And as it sits, the cholesterol in it can get more concentrated, eventually forming a gallstone. Then, if your gallbladder does need to squeeze out some bile to handle a load of fat, and that stone whooshes into the duct and gets stuck—you’re in big trouble. As anyone who’s had gallstones knows, the pain is horrific. So what’s to blame here—the fat that caused your gallbladder to squirt out bile (which is its job, after all), or the low-fat diet that caused the sludge to collect and form stones in the first place? In my view, the answer is obvious. Here’s what it boils down to: Giving your body a moderate, steady supply of fats helps clean out your gallbladder regularly so crud doesn’t collect. Conversely, eating a diet low in fats turns it into a sludgy breeding ground for stones.  So it makes sense that a high-carb diet is risky, while a low-carb diet isn’t—and that’s exactly what science is proving. What the research shows Researchers are looking into the effects of diet on gallstone risk, and their results clearly contradict the low-fat advice most doctors hand out. Here are some of the most important findings: Yo-yo dieting or very-low-calorie diets put people at higher risk for gallstones. A 2014 study of dieters concluded that in this high-risk group, “Diets high in fat content reduced gallstones, compared with those with low fat content.” Pregnant women also are at elevated risk for gallstones. A 2011 study found that eating a diet high in carbohydrates during pregnancy—and, in particular, a diet high in fructose—increases this risk significantly, while eating fats does not. A large-scale 2005 study reported that a high intake of carbohydrates increases the risk of symptomatic gallstone disease in men. The researchers concluded, “These results add to the concern that low fat high carbohydrate diets may not be an optimal dietary recommendation.” In another study, researchers followed obese patients eating very-low-calorie diets that put them at increased risk for gallstones. They reported that gallstones developed in 6 of 11 participants eating a lower fat diet, “but in none with the higher fat regimen.” These findings are consistent with an admittedly less scientific but very interesting survey by a Swedish LCHF (low-carb, high-fat) diet group. Their 2012 survey found that of 145 people with a history of gallstones, 68% said their problems completely disappeared on the LCHF diet and 17% said they had fewer problems. Only 3% said their problems increased. (The remaining 12% experienced no change.) My advice? Eat fat… but start slow If you have a history of gallstones, and you’ve been eating a diet high in carbs, I hate to say it—but you’re in a tricky position. Why? Well, here are your two options. If you keep eating carbs and avoiding fats, you’ll keep forming stones. Those stones won’t bother you initially, but eventually they’ll get bigger and more numerous and cause a crisis that’s likely to result in surgery. If you start eating more fats, your gallbladder will start sending more bile to your small intestine. And in the process, any stones formed during your low-fat phase may pop out and get stuck in the duct. So in the short run, you could have a problem. My advice? Since the high-carb diet causes the problem, go for the solution that solves it at its source.  Even though there’s a risk that adding fats may precipitate an attack at first, it’ll lower or even eliminate your risk of future attacks. And here’s one more word of advice: Gradually increase fats. If you’ve been living on carbs, give your gallbladder time to adjust to your new game plan. As I’ve said, your doctor may consider this outright heresy. If so, ask your doctor for actual evidence that a high-carb diet actually helps prevent gallstones, rather than increasing your risk. And then let me know what your doctor says. Frankly, I’m expecting… crickets. This is Part 1 of a two-part series. In Part 2, I’ll talk about how to go low-carb if your gallbladder has been removed. Keep thinking big and living bold! 

Life can throw you a lot of curve balls. But if you know what inspires and drives you, and you just show up every day and do you, you’ll eventually hit your home run. I just finished a wild week. I had a firm goal in mind, but life took some crazy twists and turns—and then an unexpected phone call handed me a fantastic opportunity, right out of the blue. All of this got me to thinking about how unpredictable life can be. And it got me to thinking about the value of simply hanging in there. Unless you’re incredibly lucky, you’re going to experience a zillion strike-outs before you start hitting it out of the park. You truly have to understand that you are going to get bruised by life. You must get bruised. The key is to understand that these bruises are a blessing. My brand strategist is a powerful and magnificent woman who’s built some of the biggest brands and careers in the world. Recently, she told me something incredibly important. She said, “No’s and disappointments are only making room for the greater vision—one that you may not even see yet.” And she’s right. The longer I live, the more I’m learning that there is beauty in curve balls. That’s why it’s crucial to be fluid and open to whatever comes your way. When you stay in this growth mindset, new opportunities will appear out of nowhere. Here’s the thing about life. Life is almost never what you expect. One phone call, one chance encounter, one conversation can take you anywhere. People come into your life for a reason and can change your life in ways you can’t always predict at the time. So my advice for weathering the bruises of life is to be bold. Show up every day doing you. Listen to what thunders through you. Know what moves and inspires you—and then show up for your part of the job. And don’t let your fear of getting bruised get in your way. Creativity can—and always will—survive failure. When you come undone, remember things come through you, and to you, from a source you can’t always identify. The “no’s” and disappointments that seem unfair just may be for your own protection. No matter what happens, just keep showing up every day with a diligent devotion to doing you and the job you are put on this earth to do. As my wild week proves, positive energy and sheer grit will pull good things to you… even if they aren’t always the things you’re expecting! Keep thinking big and living bold! ** Article from HuffPost

A hot night starts with a seductive dinner—so in today’s post, I’m serving up a three-course meal of aphrodisiacs. With this menu, a bottle of wine, and a little black nightie, you’ll be ready to light your lover’s fire. Are you setting the stage for a Valentine’s Day seduction? Then start with the basics: Candles in crystal holders. Soft music. A sexy red dress—and a black negligee hiding in the bedroom drawer. After that, turn your attention to the next and most important detail: your menu! After all, what’s Valentine’s Day without a romantic dinner? And to make sure that dinner leads to a steamy night, center it around aphrodisiacs that will spice up more than just your meal. Here are some sexy menu ideas. Setting the Stage: Arousing Appetizers In the appetizer round, my first choice has to be a classic: oysters. No food is more legendary as an aphrodisiac—and could that many generations of lovers be wrong? Besides, there’s some hard science behind that reputation. Oysters are loaded with zinc, which is associated with male potency. They also contain two compounds—D-aspartic acid and NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate)—that may help to release sex hormones. Need a recipe? Here’s an easy one from my friend Mark Sisson. Don’t like oysters? Watermelon contains the nutrient citrulline, which has Viagra-like effects. Jalapeños, in addition to revving up circulation, can stimulate nerve endings. And here’s another idea: a spicy crab papaya salad. This combines the zing of jalapeños with the sweetness of papaya, which is rumored to increase female libido. No matter which appetizer you choose, uncork the wine at this stage. Because… well, really. Do I need to tell you that wine is an aphrodisiac? Turning Up the Heat: Sultry Main Dishes For your main course, here’s an idea: Go Mediterranean. One great choice is lamb—an elegant entree with a long reputation as an aphrodisiac. Rumor has it that in the Middle East, it’s the dinner of choice for getting bridegrooms ready for their wedding nights. And like oysters, it’s loaded with that “sexy” mineral zinc. Here’s a super-easy, super-sexy recipe—or, if you have more time, here’s a Greek-inspired leg of lamb. Prefer seafood? Then try scallops, another Mediterranean favorite with the same sexy properties as oysters. Here’s a recipe that goes from pan to plate in minutes. (You’ll have just enough time to pop open some champagne!) Either lamb or seafood pairs beautifully with a casual Mediterranean salad of tomatoes, basil, pine nuts, and vinaigrette. How sexy is this simple salad? Well, women used to dust themselves with powdered basil so the scent would attract their lovers. And back in the second century, the physician Galen recommended eating pine nuts with honey and almonds to enhance lovemaking. While we’re on a Mediterranean theme, here’s a side dish with a kick: Sardinian saffron-smothered cauliflower. Queen Cleopatra bathed in saffron-infused water before making whoopee—and who would know more about seduction than her? On the scientific side, saffron appears to have mild Viagra-like effects. Lighting the Fire: Sensual Desserts Here, you have plenty of sexy choices. There’s chocolate, of course. (I’ll talk more about that in my next post.) Chocolate contains phenylethylamine, which causes your body to release the feel-good chemical dopamine. And how fabulous are these healthy low-carb chocolate nut truffles? But chocolate isn’t your only romantic choice.  Bananas contain bromelain, believed to boost testosterone (and you can’t go wrong with this take on bananas Foster). Honey and figs are legendary aphrodisiacs too, and they pair beautifully in a recipe like this. And finally… With your dessert, have a little coffee. Research suggests that a quick dose of java puts women “in the mood.” Besides, it’ll clear your head after all that wine… so you’ll be able to remember where you tucked away that black negligee. Keep thinking big and living bold! 

It’s sweet, it’s healthy, and it’s an aphrodisiac. What more could you want on Valentine’s Day? Valentine’s Day is coming up, and you know what that means: chocolate. Happily, this is one of those times when I can tell you, with a free conscience, to indulge yourself. That’s because chocolate isn’t just fabulous… it’s also good for you. In fact, it’s a bona fide health food. Just how healthy is chocolate? Here’s what the research says: It can lower your bad cholesterol, raise your good cholesterol, and take off belly fat. It’s loaded with antioxidants that can reduce your risk of diabetes, improve your immune function, and protect your skin against oxidative damage. It can lower your blood pressure. It helps protect against “fatty liver.” It can lower your stress hormones. And it’s not only healthy—it’s romantic. In fact, chocolate is a well-known aphrodisiac. It contains phenylethylamine, called the “love drug”  because it causes your body to release chemicals that make you feel happy and… well… randy. So on Valentine’s Day, enjoy the fabulous food that the famous lover Casanova called the “elixir of love.” It’ll make you feel sexy and make you healthier, all at the same time! However, not all chocolate is alike—so make sure you choose the right chocolate. The secret here is to check out the number on the front of the bar. Most bars will say something like 72% cacao or 85% cocoa. These numbers tell you how much chocolate bang you’re getting for your buck—and the higher the number, the better.  (White chocolate, by the way, has no cocoa at all.) Dark chocolate is healthier for another reason as well: It has less sugar than milk chocolate. If you’re avoiding sugar entirely, you can find brands sweetened with honey or coconut instead. If you’re used to sugary milk chocolate, it may take you a little while to truly fall in love with dark chocolate. Before long, however, I think you’ll start swooning over its deep, rich flavor. Start out with chocolate that’s 72% cocoa, and work your way up to chocolate that’s 80% cocoa or higher. But don’t limit yourself to store-bought chocolate! If you’re a baker, it’s fun to make your own sexy Valentine’s Day goodies. Here are three of my own favorite seductive and healthy recipes:          My Italian Torte Caprese With Chocolate-Covered Bacon Ribbons. (How sinful and sexy is that?) My sweet and sassy Chocolate Nut Truffles . My fabulous Chocolate Souffle, sweetened with coconut sugar. I guarantee that any one of these—followed by a bottle of the bubbly—will set the stage for sparks to fly later. But don’t take my word for it; take Casanova’s! Keep thinking big and living bold! 

Is your mirror becoming your enemy? If wrinkles are making you look old, then it’s time to fight back. In my new MindBodyGreen article, I introduce you to eight wrinkle-blasting foods that can make you look younger fast. It's possible to erase years from your face simply by changing your diet. I know this first-hand because ten years ago, I didn't look younger than my age. In fact, I was starting to look wrinkly, washed-out and old. So I changed my lifestyle and cut out pro-aging foods like sugar and grains, and started eating a natural, primal diet to slow the aging process. And when I focused on eating anti-aging superfoods, I started to reverse the signs of aging — especially in my face. What's more, I've seen this same transformation over and over again in my patients. When they add these superfoods to their diets, they start looking younger almost immediately and over time, they often reverse more than a decade of aging. Here are the most powerful wrinkle-fighting foods I've discovered through my clinical and personal experience. If you want soft, young-looking skin, I recommend making them the core of your beauty ritual. 1. Bone broth Wrinkles form when your skin breaks down. To erase these wrinkles, you need to boost your collagen levels not by rubbing on creams, but by mainlining collagen directly to your cells. How? With collagen-rich bone broth. Bone broth is better than wrinkle creams or Botox because it lasts. 2. Foods rich in omega-3s Think of aging skin cells as slightly deflated balls. Omega-3 fatty acids plump up the walls of these cells, making them bouncy again. To get plenty of omega-3s, eat fatty fish and walnuts, or take a high-quality omega-3 supplement. 3. Amino acids Amino acids are the building blocks of collagen and elastin, which are both vital to healthy skin. A diet high in essential amino acids (which the body can't make on its own) helps keep your skin firm and elastic, while a deficiency makes it thin and dry. Meat and eggs are your best sources for essential amino acids. 4. Potassium-rich foods Here's a tip I give my patients: Switch from regular table salt to sea salt. Why? Regular salt pulls water out of your cells, leaving them flabby and prone to promoting wrinkles. But sea salt, which is high in potassium, does just the opposite. It pulls water into your cells, making them firm. You can also get skin-hydrating potassium from fruits and veggies, nuts, meat, poultry and fish. 5. Fermented foods A radiant gut translates into radiant and wrinkle-free skin, while a bad gut is a leading cause of skin aging. That's because good gut bacteria help keep your body well supplied with the nutrients your skin thrives on. Bad bacteria, on the other hand, can cause a leaky gut and allow toxins to escape your intestines and create inflammation throughout your body — including your skin. The result? Sick, blotchy, old-looking skin. To improve your gut health, eat fermented foods like kimchee and sauerkraut. Make sure you buy refrigerated brands, which contain large amounts of live bacteria. 6. Green and yellow vegetables Vegetables are loaded with antioxidants, helping prevent oxidative stress (damage to cells caused by free radicals). So it's not surprising that a study of Japanese women found that a higher intake of green and yellow vegetables (along with a higher intake of healthy fats) reduces wrinkling. 7. Green tea Like veggies, green tea is loaded with antioxidants. Research shows that it protects your skin against sun damage — the primary cause of wrinkles. 8. Phytoceramides Phytoceramides are a naturally occurring constituent of skin and help to keep it hydrated. Found in beets and spinach, they offer similar benefits. Recently, the FDA approved phytoceramides in nutritional supplement form based on research showing that they can help heal dry, rough, wrinkle-prone skin. Wrinkle-fighting foods protect your skin in a variety of ways. Some them hydrate your skin, some build strong cell walls, some guard against sun damage, while others protect against free radicals. What's more, these foods often work together, boosting each other's power. Combine them, and you'll get far more wrinkle-fighting power than each one offers on its own. So if you're serious about looking younger than you are, add all of these foods to your diet — and eat them daily if you can. My guess is that within days, you'll start to see a difference and within months, your skin will look so much younger that people may start asking: "Did you have a facelift?" Keep thinking big and living bold!   ** Article from MindBodyGreen

Pam and Drew felt invisible. As she put on weight over the years, Pam started to hate being in photos. Instead, she hid behind the camera. Drew, a star athlete in school and a guy famous for his vivacious personality, turned inward. He was too tired to deal with anything, had trouble breathing, and had constant aches that got in the way of everything he enjoyed. One day, it all changed. Pam called me crying from a hospital parking lot. She told me that doctors had just diagnosed Drew as diabetic, that he was severely overweight, and that she was deathly afraid she was going to lose him. What Pam and Drew found out amazed them. The answer to their health crisis wasn’t in a bottle, a jar, or an elixir, but in their pantry. And the best part? It was way easier than they ever imagined. Flash forward to today, and between the two of them, they’ve knocked off over 240 pounds. Now they literally radiate. More energy, lean, strong bodies, and—after years and years of marriage—amazing sex. 

Going grain-free doesn’t mean giving up baking! In my new Huffington Post article, I introduce you to the grain-free flours you can use to make everything from cookies to crepes to cheesecakes. Yum… There are lots of good reasons to go grain-free. For instance, cutting wheat and other grains out of your diet can help you normalize your blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels. But I won’t lie: Giving up grains is a big lifestyle change. And at first, it can be hard — especially if you love baking. So if you’re hesitating to let go of grains entirely, I understand. But the good news is that you can still eat the foods you love! In fact, I think you’ll be amazed at what you can make with grain-free flours. The trick is to stop thinking that flour equals grains. There’s a whole world of flours and thickeners that don’t contain grains, and they’re all delicious. Once you know how to use them, you’ll be able to make just about any food you want – -from pancakes and waffles to crackers and breads. Here are some tips on how to use the most popular grain replacements. Use blanched almond flour for grain-free baking This flour, made from skinned almonds, is excellent for everything from muffins and quick breads to cookies, brownies, and graham crackers. In addition, you can make a killer pizza crust with it. The fineness of almond flour’s grind varies from brand to brand, and the finest grind will typically give you the best results. To keep your flour fresh, store it in the freezer–but make sure you bring it to room temperature before you bake with it, or it’ll be “clumpy.” You can try substituting it on a one-to-one basis for wheat flour in your recipes, but you’ll get much better results with recipes specifically designed for almond flour. In addition to baking with blanched almond flour, you can bread meat with it. (I use it to bind fritters, too.) Just watch carefully when you brown coated meats, because they can burn easily. Grain-free baking with almond flour Almond flour is made from whole almonds. It’s very different from blanched almond flour, so make sure you don’t confuse the two. Regular almond flour is more heavy and “mealy” than blanched almond flour, so it’s best to save it for breading, pie crusts, or cookie recipes that specifically call for it. Try grain-free baking with other nut and seed flours If you want to be adventurous (and you have a little extra cash) try substituting hazelnut or chestnut flour for almond flour. It’ll give your baked goods a whole different nutty dimension. And if you’re allergic to nuts, try sunflower seed flour instead. There’s just one thing to know ahead of time: Sunflower seeds contain chlorogenic acid, and if you mix sunflower seed flour with enough baking soda or baking powder, your baked goods may develop green speckles when they cool. This is totally harmless, but it does look strange! Coconut flour is a personal favorite for grain-free baking This is a great go-to flour for waffles, cookies, cakes, and muffins. I also use it to replace bread crumbs in recipes like meatballs and crab cakes. It’s so versatile that it should definitely be a staple in any grain-free kitchen. Coconut flour soaks up liquids like a sponge, so use it in recipes that contain a large amount of wet ingredients. You’ll generally need one cup of liquid and several eggs for each cup of coconut flour you use. Sift the flour before you use it to remove any lumps–and let a batter made with coconut flour “rest” a bit before putting it in the oven, because it’ll thicken up. Cooking with coconut flour is an art, and tiny changes in your measurements can lead to big changes in your results. So I recommend sticking with simple recipes until you get the hang of it. Use arrowroot powder as a thickener in grain-free baking Want to make gravy or thicken soups and sauces without using wheat flour or corn starch? Then this is your answer. However, don’t use arrowroot powder with dairy products, because it’ll turn slimy. To thicken a sauce with arrowroot, mix it with an equal amount of cold water. Then whisk the mixture into a hot liquid for about half a minute. (Don’t mix it directly into hot liquid, or it’ll clump.) Avoid overheating sauces that contain arrowroot powder, because they’ll break down. You can replace flour with arrowroot powder on a one-to-one basis. If you’re replacing cornstarch, use a little less. You can also add arrowroot powder to baked goods containing almond flour or coconut flour. It acts a little like gluten, making them spongier and less crumbly. Tapioca starch is great for grain free baking Tapioca starch makes breads containing coconut or almond flour “bouncier” because it adds elasticity. You can also use it on its own to make terrific crepes, pancakes, and flatbreads. Plantain flour and plantains are perfect for grain free baking Plantain is another fun flour for crepes or pancakes, and some people use it to make tortillas. It has a distinctive taste that most people like. It’s not easy to find this flour in stores, but you can order it online. You can also use pureed green plantains in baking. Plantains aren’t bananas–but they look like them, and you’ll find them in the banana section of your store’s produce department. The greener they are, the better, because they’ll taste more neutral and less “banana-ish.” Grain-free baking requires some trial and error Baking with grain-free flours and thickeners takes practice, so start your new adventure with the right attitude. You may have a few flops, but pretty soon you’ll find that it’s just as easy as baking with grain-based flours. You’ll also discover that the Internet is loaded with grain-free baking recipes. So experiment… and have fun. Start with simple recipes, like crepes and crackers and cookies, and work your way up to tortes and soufflés (yes–soufflés!). As you master each new ingredient, try another one. Before long, you’ll be a pro–and you’ll never miss grain-based flours again. Keep thinking big and living bold!

Take a look in the mirror. Do you like what you see—or are you starting to look old? If you’re “hitting the wall” between young and middle-aged, turn back the clock with my 30-Day Detox. What would you pay to take 10 years off your body and face, and to feel like you did 10 years ago? If you're like most people — especially women — you'd cheerfully write out a check for thousands of dollars. But here's my challenge to you: Do it for free! As a naturopathic physician, I routinely "de-age" my clients — not with Botox or surgery, but through diet alone. And one of the primary keys to this transformation is removing pro-aging foods. When people give up these foods, rapid de-aging is the rule, not the exception. I've seen it happen hundreds of times. However, when I used the word challenge earlier, I didn't use it lightly. That's because the three foods that age you the most — making you tired, washed out, obese, and sick — are foods you probably love. Initially, giving them up will probably be excruciating, for two reasons: You've been eating them all your life. Biologically, you're addicted to some of them. What's more, this isn't a temporary "diet." It's a new way of life. You can have an occasional cheat, but if you want optimal results, you'll cut out these foods completely for 30 days, and then eat them only on rare occasions. Are you still with me? Then here are the three foods you need to kiss goodbye. Sugar Sugar is one of the hardest foods for people to give up. That's because it's actually addictive. But eating sugar is one of the fastest ways to make yourself old. Here's why: Each dose of sugar makes your blood sugar skyrocket, causing your body to pump out more insulin. Eventually, you develop insulin resistance. That leads to a fat belly, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Sugar causes inflammation, which affects every cell in your body. In particular, inflammation can make your skin look old and blotchy. Sugar accelerates aging by increasing oxidative stress (cell damage caused by renegade molecules called free radicals). Fructose — one form of sugar — is linked to cancer, liver damage, increases in "bad" cholesterol, and even changes in skin collagen that can cause wrinkles. The bottom line: Sugar gunks up your body and makes your cells old, sick, and sluggish. And until you exorcise your "sugar demon," you're not ever going to feel — or look — your best. Wheat and other grains (including whole grains!) When it comes to grains, the first thing to know is that your body doesn't need them. You may feel like you need them — but that's partly because highly processed grains, much like sugar, are addictive. The second thing to know is that all grains — even supposedly "healthy" whole grains — are packed with carbohydrates. These carbs age you by raising your blood sugar levels, forcing your body to produce more insulin and leading to the insulin resistance I talked about earlier. Moreover, grains contain high levels of two anti-nutrients: phytic acid and lectins. Phytic acid binds to minerals, cutting down on the anti-aging nutrients you get from food. And lectins damage the lining of your intestines, causing leaky gut and allowing toxins to leak into your bloodstream, where they cause pro-aging inflammation throughout your body. Finally, most grains contain gluten, and many people are gluten-sensitive or gluten-intolerant. For these people, eating gluten can trigger autoimmune disorders, digestive problems, arthritis-like joint pain, and a host of other ailments that make people look and feel old. Industrial seed oils If you think that seed oils like corn and soybean oil are good for you, think again. Even canola oil — billed as a health food — belongs in a landfill, in my opinion. Why? First of all, seed oils (even canola) contain high ratios of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids. In fact, because our Western diet is heavy in seed oils, we now consume 10 to 25 times more omega-6 fatty acids than our early ancestors did. That's bad, because omega-3 fatty acids fight inflammation, while omega-6 fatty acids are pro-inflammatory. So it's no surprise that we're seeing an epidemic of "aging" diseases linked to inflammation, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, autoimmune disease and cancer. Second, seed oils are heavily processed. They undergo caustic refining, bleaching, and degumming processes, and the end result is hardly food at all. They also go rancid quickly, making them even more toxic to your cells. What are better choices? Coconut oil, olive oil, avocado oil, and butter (or ghee, made by removing the milk solids from butter). These healthy, natural fats contain nutrients that nourish your cells and make their membranes strong and "bouncy." They also make you feel full and satisfied, leading you to eat less and lose weight. Back to my challenge … Are you still with me? If so, I know you're probably thinking that giving up these three pro-aging foods — sugars, grains, and seed oils — sounds hard. And I won't lie: It is. (That's why I used that word challenge!) But if you're fed up with feeling old, draggy, and fat, this is the fastest way I know to look and feel young again. So if you're seeking a real transformation, cut out these foods for 30 days. Instead, eat lean meats, fish, eggs, healthy fats, fruits, veggies, and nuts. In particular, eat anti-aging superfoods like coconut, butter, blueberries, and grass-fed meats. Then see if the benefits make you want to continue. It's hard to break old habits and food addictions, and you may often feel like quitting during your 21-day "detox." But tough it out — and when you're done, I'm betting you'll feel revitalized, recharged, and rejuvenated. That's because when you get toxins out of your cells, those cells will begin to glow with energy once again … and so will you. So here's my challenge: 21 days to a new you. Are you game? Keep thinking big and living bold! **Article from MindBodyGreen

When new challenges and opportunities arise in 2015, will you be ready for them? If you follow my primal rules, you can make smart choices and avoid big mistakes. I went totally dark this past week, meaning I shut everything down completely for the first time in – well, too long. I focused on nothing but what I love the most: my kids, cooking, exercising, relaxing, journaling, and planning my future. In addition, I spent precious time connecting with friends and family. And you know me… I also spent time thinking. At the beginning of a New Year, with new paths opening up to me and lots of choices to make, here’s what I was thinking about: mistakes. I’ve made my share of mistakes. It’s impossible not to, especially when you really want to live out your fullest purpose. That drive you have to get where you want to go in life – whether it’s to be a great mom or dad, a loving partner, a business owner, a successful executive, or just a truly happy person – will push you to go beyond what’s comfortable and make you take risks. There is a cost-benefit ratio to this. The benefit is bigger rewards. The cost is sometimes you take a nose-dive. However, as I’ve listened to countless stories, I’ve come to realize that many mistakes come not from aiming high but from trying to take short-cuts. Short-cuts almost never work. Here’s what does: getting very clear on who you are and what you stand for. That’s the key to avoiding pitfalls in life. Get super clear. What are your values? What do you stand for? What do you really want? This makes yes/no very simple. If you haven’t thought about your values, then I highly recommend that you do so. Figure this stuff out. Write each value down on an index card, look at it every day, and most importantly – speak it! Say it out loud every day. If you want a promotion, write it, think it, speak it. Who cares if someone may hear you? Do it anyway. If you want to find the love of your life, your dream girl or guy – get clear. Then write it, think it, speak it. You WILL attract it. When you meet celebrities or top executives, you’ll spot common threads. For one thing, they are more alive than most people are. They have unusual energy. Second, they know exactly what their next move on the chessboard will be. They know who they are and where they are going. There’s a reason for this – because this is how you avoid mistakes. This is how you carry out your vision.

New Year’s Day is my time to look back, reflect, and give thanks. And above all, I’m grateful to all of you who’ve visited my website, joined my online community, and lifted me up with your comments and support. Here’s a gift to say THANK YOU! What I love about the end of the year is reflecting back and realizing that everything I’ve experienced in the past 12 months is now part of my life’s story. Good or bad – it’s part of my life’s quilt. Every meaningful experience I had, every friend I spent time with, and every challenge I overcame is a new piece of fabric sewn into place. And to all of my friends out there, THANK YOU for being a part of my quilt! The growth at DrKellyann.com has been tremendous. Hundreds of thousands of you have visited my website every month, and thousands more of you in the social media community have reached out to me. I’m thankful for all of your letters, comments, and support. I also want to thank everyone on my team who puts up with my day-to-day demands and my “tiger-like” personality. I’m not easy to keep up with, catch up with, or nail down. They all lovingly understand my quirks and work around the clock to support my vision. I appreciate and love you all! Wishing you a happy, healthy 2015 xoxo Thanks to my AMAZING team:   Jen, Julie, Patti, Cindy, Alison, Mark, Jason, Kathy, Megan, Bobbi, Alicia, Amber, Karen, Aileen, Krystle, Jeanne, Kelly, Joshua, Fran, Cartier, Margot and Sam. Thanks to all of the “behind the scenes” people I have worked with this year. You are tremendously important to me. Love you. And to all of you in my community and on my team: Happy New Year!     My Gift to You: As a way of saying thanks, and to help you start 2015 out on the right foot, I’m giving to you – totally on me – my Crush Your Sugar Rush ebook. It’s beautiful, and it’ll help you free yourself from the sugar demon once and for all! Definitely a “worth it” read. Click below to download and enjoy! Keep thinking big and living bold!

Are you in pain right now? If a breakup, loss, or betrayal has you reeling, I have advice that can turn your life around. It’s all about saying “NEXT….” I know I’ve asked a lot. The past two weeks I’ve asked you to approach your 2015 New Year with a different perspective. A different mindset that I know will shift your life and help you lean into whatever junk comes your way. These are mental tips I wish I had learned early in life, but sometimes it’s just not supposed to happen that way, so you can appreciate the lesson.  I can tell you since applying these principles to my life I’ve been able to live bolder and more peaceful. Discovering to Live in Your Truth, Say “So What” and NEXT…. Are all powerful tools that will help you to evolve to the best version of you and have the life of your dreams. While you’re hanging out this New Years, you may want to throw together one of my best recipes for just taking it down a notch. Check out my Paleo Pizza – this pizza is different. You wont feel like you swallowed a bowling ball after you eat a slice. You can enjoy and still totally rock your New Years dress. Promise. Keep thinking big and living bold! -Dr. Kellyann

If you’re trying to lose those holiday pounds, fructose may be sabotaging your efforts. Read my latest MindBodyGreen article to find out why this sneaky sugar makes you want to snack. You just ate a bowl of cereal for breakfast two hours ago. Now you're starving. And when you see the glazed doughnuts in the break room, you can't resist. Should you kick yourself for having low willpower? Or maybe … just maybe … should you blame that bowl of fructose-sweetened cereal? It might surprise you to learn that more and more evidence implicates the cereal — not you. In two separate studies, Kathleen Page and her team at the University of Southern California uncovered evidence linking fructose — the type of sweetener used in many cereals, as well as sodas and thousands of other processed foods — to increased hunger. In their most recent study, Page and her team asked 24 people to drink a beverage containing either glucose or fructose. Then the researchers performed functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans of the participants' brains as they viewed pictures of a variety of foods (for instance, chocolate cake) and described how hungry they were. The researchers say participants who drank the fructose drink reported higher levels of hunger. In addition, fructose caused a stronger reaction in the nucleus accumbens, a "reward" center of the brain, increasing the participants' desire to eat. In earlier research, Page and her team asked 20 people to drink beverages containing glucose or fructose. Then the researchers measured changes in blood flow to the hypothalamus, which plays a key role in regulating hunger. Glucose, but not fructose, caused a significant slowing in the activity of this brain region. The same study also showed that people drinking the fructose experienced a much smaller surge of insulin, a hormone that promotes a feeling of fullness. Page says, "These studies have important public health implications in a society that is inundated with high-sugar foods and tantalizing food stimuli." While she stresses that her team's findings are preliminary, this is just the latest research indicating that fructose — and especially high fructose corn syrup, or "fructose on steroids" — is bad news. Here are some other good reasons for cutting fructose-sweetened processed foods out of your life: Fructose causes changes in your skin collagen that can result in saggy skin and wrinkles. Researchers have linked fructose to pancreatic cancer. Their findings showed that "cancer cells can readily metabolize fructose to increase proliferation." Fructose increases your "bad" cholesterol and impairs your liver function. Epidemiological research suggests that high fructose corn syrup is a prime culprit in the current epidemic of diabetes. High fructose corn syrup also causes the formation of high levels of substances called advanced glycation end products (AGEs), which speed up aging. And here's one final reason to say au revoir to fructose: You don't need it. It has virtually no nutritional value, so there's no biological downside to giving it the boot. The only time fructose is worth eating is when it's contained in natural foods, which also provide you with fiber, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients your body needs. So here's what I suggest: Go fructose-free, except for the natural fructose in fruits and honey. In particular, avoid foods containing high fructose corn syrup. (Read labels carefully, because manufactures sneak fructose into the most surprising places.) At a minimum, you'll be healthier when you do this. You'll also look younger. And if you're lucky, you'll find it far easier to resist the siren song of those break room doughnuts. Keep thinking big and living BOLD! -Dr. Kellyann **Article from MindBodyGreen

Want to lose that belly fat and get back into your skinny jeans? New research from Harvard says the secret is resistance training. Here’s more about the latest findings—along with tips for getting the most out of a resistance training workout. I lift weights four times a week. The rest of the time I may do yoga, ballet barre, walk, hike or sprint. But to get the results I'm shooting for, my weight training days are non-negotiable. Here's why: Is your waistline expanding a little bit (or a lot) each year? And is it getting harder and harder to fight that belly fat even if you diet and exercise every day? If so, you’re not alone. In my medical practice, “waistline creep” is one of the most common complaints I hear.  And it’s a serious problem, because belly fat isn’t just unsightly; it also increases your risk of diabetes, heart disease and even breast cancer. But new research points to a simple solution—and it doesn’t involve cutting calories or doing hundreds of sit-ups. Instead, it involves resistance training. What the research shows In a large-scale study, researchers at Harvard followed more than 10,000 healthy men, aged 40 or older, for 12 years. The men provided information on the types of exercise they did and the amount of time they spent exercising. It turns out that men who did 20 minutes of weight training every day had a smaller increase in belly fat than men who spent the same amount of time doing moderate to vigorous aerobic activities. (And not surprisingly, the men who were sedentary had the biggest increases in belly fat.) Combining weight training and aerobic exercise led to the best results. Why weightlifting works Why does resistance training target your “muffin top” so effectively? Here are the two primary reasons: Muscle burns far more calories than fat. So when you add lean muscle to your body with resistance training, you burn more energy all day long—not just when you’re exercising. And that means burning off belly fat, which is easy for the body to mobilize when it needs fuel. Resistance training builds strong core muscles in your abdomen and back, and a toned core takes inches off your waistline. Moreover, weight lifting doesn’t just strengthen your core; it makes you stronger all over. When you get stronger, you have more energy, and that means you do more and you sit less. So again, you’re burning more calories—and that whittles off more abdominal fat. The right way to do resistance training Obviously, it’s smart to add resistance training to your regimen if you want to win the battle of the bulge. While the men in the Harvard study exercised every day, I recommend doing just three or four sessions a week. That way, your body can rest and recover in between. Here’s how to get the maximum payoff from your weightlifting: Pick a heavy enough weight. Here’s a good rule of thumb: If you can easily lift the weight for more than five repetitions, it’s too light. Do “low reps.” That means repeating each exercise five times or less. Do multiple sets. Start with two sets if you’re a beginner, and gradually work up to twelve. And remember that resistance training doesn’t just mean lifting weights; it also means using your own body weight. Try these three powerful core exercises, which will rev up your metabolism and really burn off belly fat: Planks. To do a plank, hold your body in a “pushup” position, with only your toes and your hands on the floor. Squats.  Start with the “goblet” squat, which is easy to do correctly. Hold a dumbbell or kettlebell in front of your chest like a goblet. Stand with your feet slightly wider than hip-width, and point your toes slightly outward. Continuing to hold the weight in front of your chest, sit down as if you’re trying to plant your fanny on the ground. Go as low as you can while keeping good form (heels on the ground, knees in line with toes, flat back). Then stand up, keeping your back vertical. “Mountain climbers.” Start in a plank position. Pull one knee at a time to your chest and then return to the plank position. Repeat with the other leg. These exercises can be a little tough when you’re just starting out. The trick, however, is to do them for only 15 seconds in each repetition. That doesn’t sound like a lot, but believe me: You’ll feel it the next day, especially in your core. Boosting your belly-fat-fighting efforts If you take up resistance training to battle your belly fat, get more bang for your buck by combining it with a low-carb diet. Sugar and grains are the biggest dietary culprits when it comes to visceral fat, because they cause metabolic syndrome—and metabolic syndrome leads to a big belly. Also, add in a few minutes of meditation each day. Research shows that mindful meditation can actually reduce belly fat. And get enough sleep, because sleeping less than five hours a night can add pounds to your waistline. Put all of these elements together, and you have the perfect recipe for melting off that belly bulge. I’m betting that within weeks, you’ll see a difference… and within a few months, you’ll be zipping up jeans you never thought you’d fit into again. Keep thinking big and living bold! -Dr. Kellyann

Through the years we all will be together… Family get-togethers at the holiday season can be loads of fun… but there are always a few relatives who’ll do their best to drive you nuts. Here’s my advice for making sure these annoying people don’t put a crimp in your festivities. Does that line warm your heart or strike fear in it? If you’re like most people, maybe a little of both. On one hand, there’s grandma, who seems to adore you no matter what you do. Can’t wait to see her! On the other hand, there’s that brother who just doesn’t get you and always sounds so judgmental. Hope I don’t have to sit next to him! We all have our own versions of these scenarios. That’s the person you only talk to if you must! And sometimes when you see that person approaching, the best you can do is silently say to yourself, “I’m so grateful that this holiday only happens once a year!” If you're looking for the ultimate family tie, try these Paleo Holiday Sugar Cookies. Perfection! Keep thinking big and living bold! -Dr. Kellyann

Happy Holidays! Are things as busy around your household as they are around mine? If so, check out my 20 best tips for enjoying the festivities without overeating or over-stressing. When you were a child, the holiday season might have felt magical—truly like “the most wonderful time of the year.” But now, as an adult? Probably not so much. Has your “most wonderful” season turned into the most stressful? If it has, you’re in good company. In addition to the strain of never-ending social obligations, add in all those tempting, not-so-healthy foods that are always right under our nose. Is it any wonder most of us end the season fatter and totally exhausted? But it doesn’t have to be this way! Taking good care of yourself doesn’t have to wait until after New Year’s. Here are 20 suggestions to help you get through the season without regret or the need to spend all of January at the gym.  Be Mindfully Merry This starts with setting a new intention for the season. Instead of seeing this as the season to endlessly indulge, think of it as a chance to be extra mindful. Use this time to slow down and eat consciously. Truly taste and appreciate your food rather than eating out of stress or just because it’s there.   It’s Not All About the Food Think of social events as a way to really connect with people, not just to eat. Practice being present and genuinely listening to others you find yourself talking to. You’ll see how this leads to deeper connection, more enjoyment, and greater fulfillment. Healthyish is Better Than a Set Up to Fail Most people can’t eat perfectly over the holidays, and trying for perfection can make it hard to socialize or relax. That’s why letting yourself indulge a bit is better than forbidding yourself to eat certain things and then breaking down and binging. So when you enter a social situation where there are going to be lots of temptations, don’t think, “I’m going to resist everything.” Instead, think of being “healthyish.” That means making the best choices you can overall while allowing yourself just enough indulgence so you neither harm your body nor come away still dreaming of all the things you craved but didn’t touch. Guidelines: Relaxed, But Still in Place Even though you’re not going to try to be perfect, that doesn’t mean you develop amnesia about what is and isn’t healthy. Calories, carbs, salt, and sugar don’t take a break for the holidays! So, for the most part, continue to avoid dishes high in salt, processed sugar, or refined carbs. Continue eating plenty of protein, healthy fats, and fiber. Get Watered Up Here’s an easy way to set yourself up to eat less. Drink water before a large meal and take many sips of water during the meal—maybe even a sip between each bite. This will keep you present as you eat and fill your stomach while decreasing the calories you consume. Ask Yourself Whether It’s Worth It Only indulge in less-than-healthy foods when it’s something your really want. Don’t eat it just because it’s there and it’s sweet. Ask yourself, “If I don’t eat it, will I dream about it tonight?” Smaller is Better—and so is Slower The truth is, if you’re eating something because you really want it, you don’t need much to satisfy you. So try eating smaller amounts of indulgent foods—maybe even just three bites. And to make those three bites seem like more, chew slowly. If you’re using a fork, put it down between each bite. You’ll savor your food more, digest it better, and even feel fuller. Just Once a Day Can Keep the Pounds Away Another way to avoid overdoing it is to limit yourself to just one indulgence a day. This isn’t the easiest thing to do at a buffet. But it will train you to really make that indulgence count. Keep Your Wits at the Buffet Speaking of buffets, let’s face it, there’s no place easier to simply lose it and go crazy with food.  It’s basically just one big dare to leave restraint at the door and gleefully stuff your face.  But there are strategies for ensuring you don’t succumb. First, choose the smallest plate you can find. Second, load up on the healthiest things being offered, primarily fruits and vegetables. Then take just a taste of whatever decadent treats you’re allowing yourself. Avoid Packing On Pounds Over the Holidays Before you head out to an event where you know there’ll be temptations you want to resist, make yourself a healthy treat to bring along. Then you can discreetly eat it in place of all those destructive goodies staring you down. Don’t Drink Away Your Health For many people, drinking over the holidays is just as big an issue as eating. Limit your intake of alcohol. Choose drinks that are gluten free (these days, it’s not hard to get gluten free beers, hard cider, vodka, tequila, and rum). And avoid sweetened drinks that are full of sugar. Say no to soft drinks, and take only a sip of eggnog (if you love it). Wake With a Workout Working out in the morning does a number of good things. It ensures you get your exercise in before the day derails your best intentions. It kick starts your metabolism for hours to come. And it makes you less likely to choose unhealthy foods later. These things are important any time and even more important this time of year. Don’t Show Up Hungry All these food-centered events make it especially critical to eat regular, healthy meals. Don’t skip meals and plan to have a big blowout at the party—talk about a setup for disaster! Instead, make sure you eat lots of salad and healthy fats on your own time as you usually would. Then arrive at the party with a stomach that’s ready for reason. Don’t go anywhere hungry! Keep Watching Your Weight—Somewhat One of the tricks to keeping things in control over the holiday season is to find a balance between ignoring your weight and obsessing over it. For most people, the best approach is to hop on a scale just a couple times a week. That’ll help you keep weight concerns in mind, but not constantly on your mind. Make Tasty Treats Without Too Much Tasting For some people, one of the great holiday joys is preparing decadent delights for friends and family. If that’s true for you, have at it, and have a great time! But as you’re cooking, limit the amount of tastes you take. Otherwise, you could end up feeling full—and fat—before you even leave your kitchen. Let Leftovers Leave If you entertain, don’t keep all those tempting, decadent leftovers in your home after the guests leave.  Instead, have Tupperware containers ready, and encourage your guests to take leftovers. (On the flip side, if you’re the guest, don’t take leftovers that you know you won’t be able to resist and will regret eating later.) Know When to Go When you’ve finished eating a scrumptious meal, it’s time to get up from the table. Instead of sitting around talking until you suddenly find yourself eating more, go take a walk. And invite your fellow diners to join you. You can continue socializing while burning off some of what you consumed. You’ll all feel better. Find Fullness Without Food During this season, it’s especially helpful to take time to meditate, do yoga, or practice other stress reduction techniques. When it comes to social events, this will make you a better guest and a better host. And when it comes to eating, you’ll find it’s much easier to resist all those treats if you’re centered and not resorting to stress eating or relying solely on food to make you feel full. Engage Without Eating Recognize that not every holiday activity has to center around food. Look for other ways to celebrate and connect. Schedule activities that involve singing together, decorating, or other creative endeavors you can enjoy sharing. Before You Take More, Take 20 Should I have seconds? That’s a question this season forces you to confront again and again. One voice in your head tells you you’ve had enough. But another says, “Mmmm…delicious…let’s keep going!” What do you do? A great strategy is to wait 20 minutes before deciding. That’s how long your brain needs to receive the message from your stomach that it’s full. Then you can at least make an informed decision rather than an impulsive one. Remember that despite what advertisers have tried to make of this season, the point isn’t consumption. Behind all the pandemonium—and at the core of whatever holiday your background or beliefs lead you to observe—the purpose is to celebrate love. I wish you the best, most love-filled holidays ever! Keep thinking big and living bold! -Dr. Kellyann 

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