NUTRITION AND SLEEP

Fight or Flight    Nutrition   Artificial Sweeteners   PALEOHACKS   Carbs are Good for You!   Protein Sources    Dairy and PALEO    Organic Grass-Fed Red Meat  Healthy Oils and Fats   PALEO Supplements   Sleep and Quality Health

My Beautiful Souls,

It is a falsehood to believe when choosing to make a mind shift, one’s behaviors and lifestyle can stay in the status quo. Obviously, in order to live a life in the glow, one must choose to embrace all of it, not just pieces that fill certain gaps in one’s life. Letting go of certain elements of one’s life is very challenging to do, if not a mere arduous journey to aspire to when wanting to become holistic, happy, transformed, and healed after choosing to live in the glow. The task takes tremendous perseverance and a resilient spirit of the heart in order to shed the addictions, the torture, pain, trauma, abuse, and years of mental anguish of shame, guilt, distrust, and depression.

The anger and hostility I repressed for decades toward my father and mother for the abuse inflicted on me that came out during my PTSD, especially after both brain injuries, was shocking and mortifying. Additionally, those men who assaulted me, and emotionally and mentally beat me down with their narcissism, passive-aggressiveness, controlling behaviors, and demeaning overtures to hurt me, was also difficult to peel from my emotional layers of skin. Truly, living a life of uncertainty, fake personalities, hiding in the shadows, and never walking in the light was drowning to me, as I’m sure it is or was for you, my tribal members. I cannot even imagine the pain or suffering you have experienced. I only know my own, and yet, I do know, that once you are freed from the toxic poison we choose or chose to live in due to our past or present trauma, because those were and are the comfort zones that seem most familiar to us, jumping into the light is much more joyful and sweeter to glow into…

It is, however, uncomfortable and scary to move into the magic zone where living in the “glow” happens.? It’s not heaven on earth, yet, the pros outweigh the negatives by far! It offers exciting opportunities in healthy eating practices, and enables us to seek out fitness routines, new skill sets, culinary development, creative and delicious recipes, forge ideas of starting vegetable gardens, research certified organic foods, discern if a fitness trainer is for you, practice form and function in weight training, plan aspiring goals regarding triathlons, cycling, swimming, sport climbing, yoga, etc. This is where you can let everything go and free yourself from the prison you have put yourself in. REALLY! It’s the most incredible feeling of freedom! You literally get to CHOOSE who and what you want for your life. Your MIND IS YOUR PROPHECY! You decide what will be, so take your heart with you when you create your new journey…❤

One of the most important pieces in setting yourself free, is learning  to love yourself. FIRST without self-criticism, self-doubt, personal name-calling, a judgmental attitude, self-fulfilling prophecies, self-sabotage, and/or a toxic mindset. When we love ourselves, we are unconditional with grace and mercy, which is given to us freely by God. His spark is in every person, and each one of you can draw from it when you choose to. It is the light of the divine spirit and it can overcome any darkness! It’s a choice YOU must make when changing your life to one of glow. ? You have the power within you to overcome all odds, if you Believe and have faith. Your mind is the creator of YOUR reality. What you think will happen, WILL! You are the author of the next chapter of where your journey will take you.

I am here to guide and assist you so when you choose to live “in the glow”, it will be a healthy lifestyle choice, where new habits are formed, especially when it comes to nutrition and fitness. Your body is all interconnected, so What You Eat, is Really WHO AND WHAT YOU ARE!

FITNESS increases the chance of getting to your destination in a stronger, healthier, and more energetic way! What people see on the outside of you is literally a mirror image of the inside of what you ingested over time. This encompasses your glow, the energy that flames your enthusiasm, your positive attitude, a mind shift of inspiring perspectives, and the choices you make in living a healthy lifestyle. So what are you waiting for Love Bubbles? Get out there and JUST DO IT!✅

Nutrition has always been a big hobby of mine. If I wasn’t starving myself to death, I was overeating because of being so hungry from not eating. As an oxymoron, I chose for my bachelor’s degree, Dietetics at Whitworth University, in Spokane, WA. I was “anorexic” for most of my years there, yet, that was a topic no one knew about yet, and I had no idea I was a victim of such devastating proportions. The chaos and abuse from my parent’s constant demands for being “perfect” finally showed it’s ugly face in my frail body, hair, skin, and nervous system from malnutrition. I had lived in overalls while at Whitworth, so most people were unaware of my skeleton figure, except for my “adopted” family who I spent most weekends with. I could not even visualize my image in the mirror, as my mind was so skewed from lack of nutrition and so brainwashed from continuous abuse that I had become depleted of body and brain nutrients, fats, and proteins. My insides were screaming for someone to help me, yet, no one knew my plight, and I was too ashamed to share my story with anyone.

After two years at Whitworth, I transferred during my junior year to the University of Arizona into a new program, Health Education. At the UofA I became immersed in EMT and medical courses, gleaning practice in epileptic seizures, heart attacks, diabetes, dehydration, and throat obstructions.

While at Whitworth, I read “Diet for a Small Planet,” and became more aware of how food was processed, manufactured, and packaged for consumers. It focused on organic farming, good fats, oils, and plant based foods for a lifestyle of healthy living.

Although I didn’t know it at the time, both universities offered me quintessential courses for living a healthy lifestyle. Because of this knowledge, I chose a healthy footprint to follow in search to my quest for healing from past trauma, abuse, and extensive medications since childhood.

Making a lifestyle choice is a daily walk that is never easy when other types of food brands can be so tempting. However, it is worth it, because You are Worth it! Changing your eating habits and fitness lifestyle is something to aspire to. If you want a finely tuned running machine, then YOU CAN DO THIS! Change your mind, change your life…!

While at Whitworth, I took biochemistry and learned how the body chemically changes at the molecular level with the proteins, lipids, and organelles, especially when fighting off a cold, etc. This is critical because everything in your body happens at the molecular level. When we eat poorly, the molecules can’t talk to each other to fight off viruses and bacteria. They can’t keep your body running smoothly for energy, building bones, skin, neurons, synapses, and develop healing antibodies for fighting off toxic cells, bacteria, and/or viruses in the blood. In order for the cells and organs to function seamlessly, our bodies must function like a  well oiled machine. During my anatomy and physiology courses, I learned what foods you put in your mouth truly mirror how well your body will work for you. We are perfectly made and everything inside of us works in harmony to each of the systems in our body.

FIGHT- FLIGHT-FREEZE (F3) RESPONSE

When one part of our body becomes hurt, traumatized, terrified, or suffering, the body is quick to respond in a “fight, flight, or freeze (F3) physiological reaction”, sometimes known as the acute stress response. The heart rate increases the adrenaline to pump oxygen to the muscles. The blood floods in your body through dilated veins, causing it to heat up dramatically. The oxygen from the lungs rushes into the muscles, as the flood of oxygen can cause hyperventilating. As a result, cortisol released turns off the stomach and immune system so that all body parts can function at high capacity for escape or to ward off the enemy.

Photo by Tension Stress and Trauma Releasing Exercises, (TRE®)

Our instincts automatically turn to fight, flight, or freeze mode when buttons or triggers are pressed. Post traumatic stress disorder has many forms, and the reactions sent throughout our bodies can be as unique as our finger prints. Our minds cannot process quickly enough how to respond to these sudden turn of events, therefore our bodies try to react on auto pilot, not realizing the body’s trauma has influenced how the brain’s response system is triggered. We become confused, have flashbacks, are paralyzed with fear, and desperately want to find a way out. At night time, during our sleep, nightmares may wake us, as we relive horrific manifestations of the experiences we had in reality, only to awaken to find it was only a nightmare. The mind stores unresolved memories within the subconscious that reminds us that there is still healing and recovery within us before we can let go and move on to live in the glow…

Nutrition plays a huge part in supporting our mind, body and spiritual connection to each other when trying to let go of past events to heal and recover. I learned of this while examining the body’s of healthy and unhealthy cadavers while reviewing parts of the body during an anatomy class. Eating nutritiously and how it impacts one’s organs, cannot be overstated as when we were shown a brain immensely damaged by alcohol, as well as the liver. The magnitude of damage is remarkable!

Those who have suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI) have brains that differ dramatically from non-inured brains. In fact, new research suggests that those whom have been at war and suffered from war blasts causing Traumatic Brain Injuries, have found the sound blasts cause a new type of TBI that is being documented as more severe than a CTE, found in sports injuries. However, all types of traumatic brain injuries are devastating, yet, each one has a finger print all its own due to the way the brain responds to the injury it is exposed to. Needless to say, your brain controls everything in your body, so when it is damaged, many of the control centers’ pathways for speech, cognitive processing, communication, dialect, memory, executive functions, word finding, emotions, movements, connections, and other physio/psycho-social functions become disconnected, stretched, or broken. The brain is still a mystery to the medical world and as they fine tune their incredible documentation in how the brain suffers from trauma, along with how it fights to survive, people at all levels of severity will be celebrating the victory of winning the war on TBIs! Yet, this should give people an even better reason why nutrition and fitness are so critical to maintain after trauma or abuse. Your body survives on how you feed it and treat it. Your healing and recovery process will only be as good as what you put into it. YOUR CHOICE, YOUR LIFE, YOUR FUTURE!

As an old gym rat, even after my first brain injury, I lived and breathed the gym. Nothing could stop me from going to the gym except when I became ill with bronchitis. After my second brain injury, I lost the use of my legs for jogging due to pinched nerves that went into my sciatica causing horrific pain that radiated throughout my leg, back and neck muscles. I never really thought about why the gym was so addicting to me, yet, it had everything I needed.

From friends, to aerobic and spinning classes, weights, a climbing wall, yoga, and sometimes, even a swimming pool for swimming laps or swim classes. While there, I was able to shed my energy, learn new fitness skills, close the gaps from fear of heights, and feel the “burn”! Every morning, around 5am, I ran with my golden retriever, Aspen, for 40-45 minutes over the valleys and through the hills. While in Colorado, it could be snowing, raining, sunny, or just plain gorgeous! It didn’t matter. I ran every single day, and never missed a beat! It was considered my “Perk” since I was unable to drink caffeine during that time in my life due to fibroid cysts in my breasts that were a potential for breast cancer. I had found my new addiction for caffeine, and it was running daily. Who knew?! With this also came the release of endorphins, stress, built up frustrations, and just a real “high” before going to work! Who says getting high is bad for you?! 🙂

NUTRITION

Believe it or not, YOU are a miracle and should LIVE and EAT like one! It would be like buying a $75,000 car and flooding the engine and gas tank with the wrong kind oil and gasoline, then wondering why it drove so badly. This is what we do to our bodies when we eat highly processed, packaged, chemically sweetened, fried, and the wrong fatty foods. The body can’t metabolize what you have ingested so it stores the unknown material as fat and continues to do so for as long as you do.

What people don’t realize is eating healthy is a lifestyle CHOICE! No one says you HAVE TO eat the junk food that has zero nutrients in it. But, people do because it’s easy to buy, quick to fix, cheap, tastes good, and can be bought on “the fly.” What people don’t understand, is these high fat, high cholesterol, high corn syrup, chemical sweeteners, packaged foods, fried foods, and foods with zero nutrients cause arteriosclerosis, high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, strokes, weight gain, shortness of breath, cancer, and other serious health diseases. Consequently, why would anyone want to practically kill themselves when they have such wonderful nutritious foods to choose from, even foods they like and are good for them?!

I will be touching on three diet plans that will help jump start you in offering knowledge and understanding about foods and how they impact your health, allergies, brain fog, fatigue, digestive issues, and a myriad of other chronic health problems. All three diet plans focus primarily on organic foods that are rich in nutrients and how they affect you on a holistic level. The foods you ingest are key to how your body functions and feel.

One diet plan, The Elimination Diet, examines an approach to eliminate foods that may be the root cause of your chronic issues. There are four stages that engages elimination of discrete foods from which your body may have withdrawal symptoms, such as removing products high in corn syrup, fructose, and refined sugar, packaged foods, gluten, and/or grains which may be indicative of what your diet plan has been for years. It takes the body time to adjust to the elimination of these bad foods and nutrients, which have been stored as empty calories and fat that could not be digested nor broken down in the body. Once the body is introduced to organic nutrient rich foods, the body can use these complex rich nutrients as energy sources, proteins, and carbohydrates to restore cellular balance. The results in your body’s glow, energy, and wellness is phenomenal!

As with all diet plans, ensure you talk to your doctor before starting one. It’s critical that your heart health and physical stamina can withstand a new, holistic diet, especially if you are on medications that demand certain foods. Due to writing space, I will only focus on one diet plan specifically, as the depth of information is rather extensive. Yet, these diet plans are very much aligned in their nutritional background and sources.

These nutritional diet plans mentioned below offer on their websites detailed education about organic versus non-organic foods, milk allergies, cage-free versus free-range, thyroid problems, healthy treats, voluminous recipes, and how to keep your sugar cravings down, etc. They also share great fitness advice, which you can decide if its a good “fit” for you and your needs. Let’s face it, diets don’t work. Yet, having an eating and fitness lifestyle of nutritional value and heart health does.

The good news, as Isabel De Los Rios, the Owner, Nutritionist, and Fitness Trainer of Beyond Diet, purported, “My years as a nutritionist have taught me that weight loss is 80% what you eat and 20% how much you move…” Her diet plan has been around for ten years and has helped millions of people lose weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle balance of nutritious food plans and fitness programs that “fit” individual needs. Her Beyond Diet nutrition videos gives the background knowledge behind what drives weight gain and which foods are responsible in causing the body to hold excess fat, be lethargic, and complacent. She also shares thousands of recipes filled with goodness, and fit into all four food groups! Sweets and fast foods are even made possible! Isabel’s signature fitness videos and articles are also a source of essential fat burning, body sculpting techniques that perpetuates a synergistic effect when used with her nutritionally based Beyond Diet plan.

With this in mind, do not underestimate the importance of fitness for maintaining body endurance, strength, and increased health. Fitness offers you a positive outlook on life, a glowing attitude, and reduces fat, calories, which in the long run, encourages a more healthier YOU. Of course, for change to happen, YOU MUST CHOOSE ACTION and DO IT or Nothing Will Change! So let’s get those juices flowing!:)

Artificial Sweeteners

Artificial sweeteners, alone, cause horrible side effects, not to mention, cancer, since they are made up of materials used to make asphalt. They’re a chemical and your body can’t break them down, so it stores it over and over again until the body rejects it with cellular toxic poisons, like cancer. Other side effects include digestive problems, seizures, blurred vision, weight gain, bleeding gums, acne, and depression. If you don’t know which sweeteners are toxic in the U.S., I have provided a list of those that should be avoided at all costs.

Five toxic artificial sweetners have been approved by the FDA: sucralose (Splenda), aspartame (Sugar Twin, Equal), saccharin (Sweet’N Low), acesulfame-K (Ace K, Sweet One), and neotame (NutraSweet) even though they cause poisonous bacteria in the digestive track.[1] The most recent Multiethnic Study of Atheroschlerosis[2] concerning diet drinks using artificial sweeteners showed drinking them daily caused a 36 percent higher risk to metabolic syndrome and a 67 percent greater increase for type 2 diabetes.[3]

What I am proposing to those of you who wish to live in the glow, is to choose a healthy lifestyle for yourself that YOU have control over. Eating healthy is NOT a diet nor a fad. It IS, however, a LIFESTYLE  you can choose for yourself! Living a life that is healthy means choosing foods that keep your body from craving junk food, one that heals your digestive system, increases your energy, offers you an exploration of delicious meals and foods you like and can eat without starving. By doing this, your sugar addictions are reduced, you learn to “taste” fresh foods as opposed to packaged dried foods, and you realize what foods you’ve been eating that you may have been allergic to from day one! Obviously, control CAN be inspiring!!

PALEOHACKS DIET PLAN

One Diet Plan, in particular, that has been around for ages, hence its name, Paleo, is rooted in ancient principals. If you think about the cavemen in ancient times who gathered their foods, they chose ones that were easy to digest, unprocessed, and were basic to the human diet. These included healthy animal products, fruits and vegetables, seeds, nuts, and foods rich in healthy fats and oils.

The best part about this diet plan is that it embraces a healthy lifestyle along with a sound nutritional diet that caters to foods rich in nutrients, yet are easier to digest than current diets, which focus on processed, grains, dairy, and fortified foods. Since we no longer need to hunt for our meals, the Paleo diet’s fats are also supportive to our body’s health through enriched products such as bone broths, animal fats, and organ meats.

PALEO Food Groups

• Animal Products:   Quality lamb, beef, chicken, turkey, pork, bison, fish, shellfish, game meats
• Healthy Fats: Coconut oil, ghee, grass fed butter, tallow, lard, avocado oil, nuts, seed
• Fruits: All of Them!
• Vegetables: All of Them! However, corn is not a vegetable, but a grain.
• Nuts and Seeds: All of Them!

Gut Health and Digestion

“PALEO, can in fact, be rich in carbs that contain tons of beneficial nutrients. Vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds are the most balanced sources of carbs—with extra emphasis on veggies. Sure, there are PALEO eaters who get through a day with just a handful of token vegetables, but they’re missing the point of PALEO. It’s not meat, meat, and all meat. It is meant to be a balanced, nutrient-rich diet, and frankly, you can’t get that without vegetables and carbohydrates.” PALEOHACKS

Legumes are a source of carbs and protein for vegetarians or vegans. But beans, chickpeas, lentils, peanuts, and soy are all legumes that contain high amounts of phytates and lectins, making them difficult to digest.
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Phytates are naturally occurring compounds found in all plant life found in beans, grains, nuts and seeds. In large quantities, phytates will bind with minerals, and which can, for some, make nutrient absorption more difficult. This is especially true in people who have leaky gut or other digestive issues, since phytates can impact enzymes that promote proper digestion. Phytates and Phytate Acid
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Lectins are a type of protein. They allow molecules to stick together, which influences cell-cell interaction. Lectins are found in legumes and grains. They are also found in certain dairy and vegetables. Their function is suppose to be with the immune system with cell function, cell growth, cell death, and controlling body fats. Lectins are actually resistant to human digestion, whereby they enter the blood stream unchanged. Unfortunately, since we can’t digest them, the body creates antibodies for them causing distress and intolerance to certain foods due to the side effects. These include nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting. All About Lectins

Besides carrying phyates and lectins, grains also contain gluten. Gluten is made up of two distinct classes of proteins that can potentially wreak havoc on gut health and digestion, especially if a person is gluten sensitive or gluten intolerant. About 18 million people are gluten intolerant according to the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness. One reason grains aren’t popular in the Paleo diet is because certain grains are nutrient poor. Whereas, vegetables and fruits are much purer sources of carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals, not to mention fiber.

Protein-Rich Plant Foods

Without Soy, Grains, Gluten & Legumes

• Hemp Seeds, raw, shelled, 3T – 10grams
• Pumpkin Seeds, ¼c. – 10 grams
• Quinoa, cooked, 1c.  – 8 grams
• Almonds, raw, whole, 1c. cooked – 8 grams
• Avocado, raw, Florida, 1 – 7 grams
• Sunflower Seeds, raw, ¼c. – 6 grams
• Pistachios, ¼ c. – 6 grams
• Chia Seeds, 2 T. – 6 grams
• Tahini, 2 T. – 5 grams
• Walnuts, chopped, ¼ c. – 4.5 grams
• Kale, raw, chopped, 2 c. – 4 grams
• Spirulina, dried, 1 T. – 4 grams

Dairy and PALEO

In today’s highly pasteurized dairy economy, most of the diary products are put through rigorous processing that, unfortunately, loses much of the good nutrients in dairy products. Obviously, raw dairy products are more closely aligned with the Paleo Diet Plan, since they haven’t been processed. Yet, with so many young and older adults intolerant to dairy due to lacking the enzymes to break down and digest pasteurized milk, other types of dairy seems more appropriate to use.

Raw Milk

Forbes magazine has identified raw milk as one of the healthiest foods on the planet. Such high profile media is an indication that this most traditional of foods is increasingly displacing pasteurized milk, which triggers allergies and lactose intolerance for many. Contrary to myths, raw milk is one of the safest foods to consume. This is evidenced by the benefits of modern technology by flash refrigeration and sterilization, to automatic milking machines, which have reduced the level of food borne pathogens.

When raw milk is produced from grass-fed, healthy cows, the nutrition is far greater. In fact, when raw milk is produced ethically, the results of the nutrition and benefits are exponentially higher than pasteurized versions.

Raw milk has such a rich formula of enzymes and probiotics and basically digests itself with little help needed by the digestive process. Therefore, it’s no wonder grass-fed raw milk was used conclusively by the Mayo Clinic to bring clients on the raw milk program back to health!

Raw Milk vs Pasteurized Milk

Pasteurization destroys the probiotics and enzymes in raw milk making it much more difficult to digest. Milk that lacks enzymes can trigger symptoms of lactose intolerance in some people, because lactase, the enzyme to digest lactose, has been removed from the milk. This leaves a person with an inability to make the enzyme, thus, bloating and other uncomfortable symptoms emerge.

Raw milk contains up to two-thirds more of vitamins A, D and E than heat treated milk. There is also up to a 50% or more loss of Vitamin C from heat pasteurization than with raw milk. Other water soluble nutrients destroyed by pasteurization include B6 and B12. Unfortunately, for them, this means they are deficient in these vitamins regardless of their consumption of pasteurized dairy products.

The controversy still continues to this day in Wisconsin and other states regarding raw milk vs pasteurized milk. Some states are regulated from farm to farm and others are not. One thing is certain, error on the side of caution if giving raw milk to children, elderly, or those with fragile immune systems that may not be able to generate antibodies for those bacteria that may be ingested from raw milk. Anything unpasteurized has a chance for E. Coli and Salmonella bacteria. Real Raw Milk Facts

Organic Grass-Fed Red Meat

This type of meat is leaner compared to its counterpart and contains higher nutrients, including antioxidants, vitamins, and a fat known as linoleic acid that assists with an increased immune system and anti-inflammation benefits. It also packs 50% more Omega 3 fatty acids than standard beef, which mirrors the amounts found in fatty fish like Salmon.

Grass-fed beef is not the same as organic. The USDA standards for organic beef specify the animals cannot be treated with hormones or antibiotics; and they must be given access to the outdoors, and organic, vegetarian feed. However, that feed can include grains, which aren’t part of a cow’s natural diet. It is possible to find beef that’s both grass-fed and organic, yet it is pricey. However, it’s worth it when you realize the vast amounts of B vitamins offered from animal proteins that are quintessential in digestion, reproductive health, and neurological wellness.

Natural Sugars and Paleo

Most noticeably, the PALEO diet discriminates between natural and refines sugars. It is devoted to keeping anything refined and processed from entering your body, as they inhibit the body’s natural digestive processing of natural foods and the absorption of healthy rich nutrients your body needs to function at peak performance. Additionally, refined sugars have zero nutrients in them and are therefore, stored as fat. Those naturally occurring sugars present in our environment include, raw honey, maple syrup, dates, coconut sugar, and raw Stevia.

Healthy Oils and Fats

As a person who loves to cook various dishes with oil, there are a variety to choose from, and not all of them contain nutrients that will make the final cuisine healthy when completed. Additionally, each oil differs in smoke points when cooking with them, so it is to a person’s discretion in finding the one that works with the recipe you plan use that is also unrefined and nutrient rich, such as, olive oil, avocado oil and coconut oil. The key is, as with all foods, to use in moderation so as not to lose the true flavors of the food being cooked.

Olive oil

Health Benefits: Extra virgin olive oil is rich in good monounsaturated fat (75.9 percent), which reduces the risk of heart disease and exhibits strong anti-inflammatory properties. With this comes a reduction in swelling and even pain, and keeps your arteries functioning properly. “Extra virgin olive oil consistently comes out on top as an important part of some of the world’s healthiest diets,” Wright says. “It’s so versatile, lending a great flavor to any food, whether it’s drizzled on bread or salads, or used to sauté vegetables or any kind of protein—you really can’t go wrong!”

Nutrition: One tablespoon has 119 calories and 13.5g of fat (1.9g saturated, 1.4g polyunsaturated, 9.9g monounsaturated fat), per the Everyday Health.

When to Use: There’s a bit of a debate about using extra virgin olive oil in high-temperature cooking. It has a relatively low smoke point (325 to 375 degrees F), which means you may not want to use it for frying or roasting at temperatures above that smoke point. Additionally, cooking at a higher level will break down its structural integrity that will hinder the validity of both its flavor and nutrition. Thus, you may want to save your fancy bottle for drizzling and finishing dishes. Audrey Bruno

Avocado oil

Health Benefits: Avocado oil offers Omega nutrients similar to olive oil. It also makes nutrients like carotenoids more readily available for our body’s absorption (anywhere from two to 15 times). It is also packed with heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, and has a high smoke point (375 to 400 degrees F). Without being chemically processed like canola and vegetable oil, it has a neutral flavor. It’s a bit more expensive than those more processed oils, but if you’re interested in avoiding refined foods, want that high smoke point, and don’t mind the splurge, then this is a great alternative. Research shows avocado oil is most beneficial when it comes to cardiovascular health, healthy aging, and better eye health.

Macros Per Serving: One tablespoon has 124 calories and 14g of fat (1.6g saturated, 1.9g polyunsaturated, 10g monounsaturated), per the USN.

When to Use: Avocado’s high smoke point makes it ideal for frying and searing meat. It it also used when making bruchetta, toasting breads, drizzled over salads, and grilled salmon.

NUTRITION AND SLEEP SOURCES

Brain

• Brainline Blast Injuries
  

• U.S. Dept. of Defense 0318 BIAM

Diet Plans

• Beyond Diet

• Elimination Diet

• What is the PALEO Diet?

Gardens and Vegetables

• Home Community Gardens

• How to Start an Organic Garden

• 41 Sneaky Ways to Eat More Vegetables, (With Recipes)

Good Sleep

• (1)Obesity in Children and Adults

• (2)Association of Sleep Time With Diabetes

• (3)The Relationship Between Insomnia, Sleep Apnea, and Depression

• Sleep, Immunity, and Inflammation

• Ten Reasons Why Good Sleep is Important

• Why People Get Fat

Grains

• All About Lectins

• National Foundation for Celiac Awareness

• Phyates and Phyate Acid

Heart Health

• Eating Right for Your Heart

• Exercise and Heart Disease Statistics

• Depression After a Cardiac Event

• Depression and Heart Disease

• How Does Depression Affect the Heart?

• The Heart Smart Workout Plan

• What are the Organic Heart Diseases?

Oils and Fats

• 8 Healthy Oils You Should Be Eating & Cooking With

• Harvard Health Letter

• Healthy Oils and Fats

• How Saturated Fats Affect Your Body

• Ten of the Healthiest Cooking Oils

Protein

• Is Grass-Fed Beef Really Healthy For You?

• Kris Carr Vegan Protein Sources

Raw Milk

• Raw Milk Facts

• Real Raw Milk Facts

Supplements

• The Best Supplement Brands

PHOTO SOURCES

• Beyond Diet, Apple Cider Vinegar Photo

• Burger Photo by Tae In Kim on Unsplash

• Cover Photo by Alexander Schimmeck on Unsplash

• Baby Photo by Karen Salmansohn

• Fruit Bowl Photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash

• Pasta Photo by Janko Ferlič on Unsplash

• Sleep Photo by Zohre Nemati on Unsplash

• Supplement Photo by freestocks.org on Unsplash

• Veronica Walsh Fight or Flight Photo