Need it, skip it, delay it, or not at all?

There is a lot of confusion about what to do after a workout. Based on our experience working with thousands of clients we have found that many people skip this meal altogether or delay it for hours.

A significant amount of data supports that eating the proper nutrients post-workout enhances recovery.

The thing that makes things not so streamlined is the type of goals, biomarkers, and workout timing that people have. All of these things make it a little more confusing to work around.

There is no question about the fact that recovery after a workout is essential. We should help our bodies in that recovery process by consuming nutrients post-workout.

While working out we are in a catabolic (breakdown) state. In addition, our muscle fibers are tearing as we contract and expand the muscles.

Filling the energy stores post-workout helps the building blocks rebuild and repair. Of the 3 energy macros (proteins, carbohydrates, and fats), two are especially helpful to the repair process: carbohydrates and proteins. These two macros are essential for protein synthesis as they bind together in the blood to help in recovery.

Fats tend to slow down the digestion of these two nutrients, so we suggest not adding fats to the post-workout meal.

Now that we’ve established the 2 key players in recovery we should break down the suggestions for the type of goals, biomarkers, and workout timing.

People who work out in the AM before they’ve had food should wait NO MORE THAN 30 MINUTES TO EAT.

People who work out after they’ve had food should wait NO MORE THAN 1 HOUR TO EAT.

Recovery meal example:
Protein Shake + Simple carbs

Protein:
Protein Shake with 1 to 2 scoops of protein with water.

Recovery carbs:
These should be easy for your stomach to digest and break down. Sugars are good or highly processed carbs. For example, in Gatorade, High Sugar Cereal, Dextrose (as the sugar) is an ingredient in candy or Fruit

_______________________________________________________________________

The Meal Prep Co offers Nutrition services without the commitment of meal preps. Sit with a Nutritionist for 60 minutes to review your body metrics, current diet, and physical activity, and strategize your goals for $179 to book:
https://the-meal-prep-co.appointlet.com/b/mai-branham
For more info: 619-415-0106 x 700 Email:
info@themealprepco.com

It is not about IF, it is about WHEN.

They WILL happen!

So what are your options when it happens?
Quit? Or go back to the drawing board to make the necessary adjustments.

You are considered very lucky to go on a 12-week program and see consistent results week to week without any adjustments in between and not plateau

Questions to ask yourself when you get to this point:

1. Am I hitting a legitimate plateau? Are you following the plan in 100% compliance?
2. Am I overworking my diet? Too much cardio / not enough rest or recovery
3. Am I giving this plateau period too little time? We recommend giving it 10- 14 days to discount any water weight changes and hormonal changes.

Another point to consider is that most bodies will see less of a plateau in their very first diet. Subsequent diets may not always go how the first one went.
You may think, “well, this didn’t happen with my first diet”, but that means very little to the current biological standpoint. Most people will find their second cut or following cuts harder to lose fat pounds, and that is NORMAL.

So if it happens and you are staying true to your workout routine:
1. Move more (this does NOT mean more cardio or exercise) it literally means get up and move more. Walk places, clean your house, park further away, take the stairs, just move more.

2. If you have been true to your diet after week 1.5 or 2 with no change, adjust your calorie intake. Reduce your calories BUT get the most of your calories. More volume, fewer calories. Go leaner but more mass in food.

3. Most diets should last about 12 weeks, and you MAY need to cut it shorter if you feel you cannot meet your original goal with no shame. Do it for you, and maybe going into maintenance earlier is better and then try again later.

An ending point to be realistic about is that the body will always challenge you in fat loss periods because it wants to be cautious with the amount of fat loss.

The Meal Prep Co offers Nutrition services without the commitment of meal preps. Sit with a Nutritionist for 60 minutes to review your body metrics, current diet, and physical activity, and strategize your goals for $149 to book: https://the-meal-prep-co.appointlet.com/b/mai-branham

For more info: 619-415-0106 x 700 Email: info@themealprepco.com

Why are macros so important you ask?

We say it’s like trying to bake a cake without a recipe. So yes, that is right, macros are like that recipe. Most of us know what we want when we look at our fitness goals and we know we have to eat right and do some type of physical activity. Just like, we know we want a chocolate cake that tastes good, but there is far more to it.

Having the proper tools to cake the perfect cake along with the right recipe is very important. One thing that many people lack when starting a fitness journey is the right recipe. The recipe should consider age, weight, height, physical activity level, stress factors, body fat percentage, and gender. All of these factors will be considered when getting to know the right amount of calories one should consume. These factors will be unique to each individual and thus will result in a unique recipe.

So what are Macros? Macros are short for macronutrients. Macros consist of the most important nutritional values when it comes to our bodies energy systems, Carbohydrates, Fats, Proteins, Water. The micronutrients are also part of the system but are considered minor and refer to vitamins and minerals only.

The first thing to look at is how many total calories your body needs to sustain all of the functions needed including physical activity and outside stressors. This number could vary between a large scale of 1,000kcal to 5,000kcal more or less depending on the individual. Once a person knows how many calories are needed then we can move to the next step into breaking down the calories into those macros (carb, pro, fat).

It is useful to know that:

1 g of carbohydrates = 4 kcal

1 g of protein = 4 kcal

1 g of fat= 9 kcal

And for those that might want to know, 1 g of alcohol= 7 kcal

Let’s say that out of 1500 kcal a person wants 500 calories to come from protein, this would be the math breakdown:

500 divided by 4 calories = 125 g of Protein

You would do the same equation till all of the 1500 calories are accounted for with the carbs and fats included.

There are apps and websites online that can help people breakdown macros. The importance of this short blog is to show that knowing where your calories are coming from is imperative to the meaning of success. Reaching your goals is just simply one part to feeling success, the other part comes from the knowledge acquired along the way.

We have worked with thousands of clients, some just starting the journey, some professional athletes and some very well versed in health and fitness and all have either learned macros or know how to work with them. Macros open up another door of knowledge and understanding to nutrition labels. Being able to walk down the grocery aisle and making decisions on what to place in your cart based on the value of food versus the marketing packaging makes one feel strong and informed.

Macros work for any diet or meal plan. Whether a person is going from Keto to carb cycling, to bulking, macros can be applied to virtually any diet or calorie count.

One highly recommended Macro tracker is My Macros +. This app is a one time $2.99 purchase in the app store, but by far it is top notch when it comes to helping our clients and ourselves track macros.

It’s not too late to start the year off on the right track. There’s no steadfast rule that says you can only take back your health and set goals on January 1. It can happen any day, including today. While good health is important for everyone, seniors especially need to take control of their health in order to lead a longer, more fulfilling life. Here’s how to rein in your health this year so you can have many more years to come.

“Just what the doctor ordered”

One of the harsh truths about getting older is the need to see more doctors, but with a healthy lifestyle and preventive care, you should be able to keep some issues at bay. If you’re a senior age 65 or up, Medicare has you covered. Make sure you’re taking full advantage of Medicare insurance by accessing Part B for medical and outpatient mental health services and Part D for prescription drugs. There’s also the option to take out a Medicare Advantage Plan (Part C) from a private insurance company to supplement your health coverage. Plans vary by state, so check online to see what’s available to you.

“You are what you eat”

As your body ages, it’s important provide the right sustenance for good health and longevity. What you eat has an impact on how you feel and how your body functions. It can be difficult to develop good habits, stay on track, and find time for cooking healthy meals. A meal prep specialist like themealprepco.com can be the right answer to your clean eating needs. Why not take the guesswork out of what to eat and save time on food preparation?

“Just do it”

Nike’s slogan has the right idea on the brain. When it comes to getting your body moving, don’t think. Just do. Exercise is the yin to the yang of a balanced diet. Every little bit counts, even if it’s just a short walk. Try incorporating a safe exercise program to avoid causing injury. And don’t worry if you start out slow. With regular practice and training, you’ll get better over time. You’ll become healthier on the inside and outside, and you may even regain your youthful energy.

“Make love, not war”

Bitter resentment, regret, and unresolved conflicts can cause stress and anger in anyone. When you build it up over many years of family tension, neighbor disagreements, and workplace strife, it takes a toll on your mental health. When you’re imbalanced from a negative situation that you never resolved, you’re at war with your emotional self.

Rather than walking around for the rest of your life with underlying anger toward someone (or the world), resolve to bury the hatchet and put conflicts aside. Forgive others so you can be happy. Reconnect with friends that you fell out with, and mend broken familial relationships. Love yourself by walking away from relationships that don’t serve you right.

“Don’t worry, be happy”

Life is a series of stressful situations, but the way you choose to respond makes a difference in how you’ll feel. When life throws you lemons, do you curl up in a ball and cry? Do you get angry and throw them back? No. You make the best fresh squeezed, sugar-free lemonade that has ever touched your lips. It’s easier to panic or get upset than to let things roll off your back, but the only person who will be hurt by that reaction is you. Stress, high anxiety, and worry can actually contribute to the aging process, so it’s in your best interest as a senior to let things go and choose happiness.

Your retirement years should be your best years. The door has closed on your career, childrearing is over, and you now have all the free time to do things you love — whether it’s traveling, writing a memoir, or volunteering at a local nonprofit. It’s your life to live. In order to fully enjoy your golden years, get yourself into the best health possible, both mentally and physically.

Photo Credit: Pixabay

People who practice self-care by getting massages, facials and engaging in aromatherapy are onto a good thing because these are all excellent ways of relieving stress and relaxing. But sometimes, especially when our problems seem complicated and challenging, it can be easy to overlook a simpler, more fundamental form of self-care.

Self-care is a term that can mean different things to different people and, for some, fundamental habits like healthy eating, restful sleep, and regular exercise may take a back seat to other concerns including your career. In such circumstances, basic health hygiene may be neglected and one’s ability to fend off illness, focus at work and maintain a healthy weight suffers because good self-care should be addressed with the maintenance of your mental health and wellness.

Get your rest

Sleep is directly involved with the most important aspects of your health. It affects your metabolism, immune system, mood and ability to stay motivated during the day. That means you need a full seven to nine hours of sleep every night to keep from getting ill, maintaining a healthy weight and confronting many problem-solving challenges that await you at work every day. That’s why it’s essential to establish a bedtime routine and maintain a sleep-conducive bedroom environment, especially if you suffer from insomnia or some other form of sleep deprivation. Get to bed at the same time every night and begin winding down an hour or so before bed to accustom your body to a natural sleep rhythm every night. Take a hot bath and have a cup of warm milk at night and avoid all stimulants (i.e. caffeine and nicotine) before going to bed.

Eating smart

Following a balanced and healthy diet provides your body the nutrition it needs to function properly and getting portions from each of the five food groups helps keep your weight in balance. As a form of self-care, cooking can be a creative and engaging activity that helps you avoid becoming bored with your dietary choices.

Kicking back

If you have a hectic job you understand what it means to feel wired all the time. That can happen when things are really busy around the office and there seems to be no time for rest and relaxation with the pressure on high eight hours a day. After a while, you begin to feel burned out and less able to confront problems and think through situations like you normally would.

It means you need to find strategies for relaxing every now and then to recharge your mental batteries, and it’s even more important if you’re in a high-responsibility situation where performing well is essential. Find 15 minutes a day to just sit quietly and breathe deeply, to let your mind wander and disengage. Or make time for a lunchtime walk – an excellent way to ratchet down your stress level and get your metabolism up.

Getting to ‘no’

Sometimes, the most stressed-out people are those who have a hard time saying “no” to people at work and in their private lives. We want to please others and make a good impression, and that often means going the extra mile to help out. But it becomes an unhealthy trap when you fail to consider your own needs and what it’s costing you emotionally and mentally to keep agreeing to go out of your way to help, particularly when someone is using your willingness to their advantage. Learning to say “no” doesn’t have to mean being rude and stubborn. It can be done diplomatically and without ruffling feathers.

Hang out with your loved ones

Few things are as self-renewing as spending time with family. Your loved ones know you best and can help remind you of what’s important in life and why you work so hard every day. Sometimes, the most important outcome of self-care is a renewed sense of perspective that time with family can provide.

Take care not to dismiss the importance of fundamental health hygiene as you engage in self-care. A healthy diet, exercise and plenty of sleep are indispensable to good health and enable you to thrive in all parts of your life and make it possible to enjoy those enjoyable pursuits that make life worth living.

Courtesy of Pixabay.com.

everything-to-know-about-meal-prep-Recovered-1280x800.jpg

Meal Prep 101

“Failing to prepare is preparing to fail”

Preparation is key

Preparation makes perfection. Regardless of what your goals are, success will only be achieved when you are prepared. Not only does meal prepping help you achieve your fitness goals, it saves you significant amounts of money and time!

Pick your day

Pick your day for shopping as well as for cooking. Prior to your shopping day, make a list of everything you already have on hand you would like to use (proteins, veggies, etc.). Taking inventory of your pantry allows you to stretch your dollars and avoid excess food waste. Bringing a cooler or insulated bag with you allows you to stop at more than one grocery store or market per trip, so you can buy the freshest meats and produce at the best prices.

Calculate your macronutrients

To assess what ratio of protein, carbohydrates, and fats your body will need on a daily basis, visit http://www.iifym.com/iifym-calculator/ and enter your information as well as an accurate assessment of your physical activity. This will also help you determine the quantities of protein you will need to purchase.

A macro calculator of this sort will help you determine how many grams of Protein, Carbohydrates, and Fats you will need based on your goal. Take your totals and break them up into a minimum of four meals per day. Ideally, most meals should be broken down between 4 to 6 meals per day. This ensures that your body will metabolize and absorb nutrients properly while keeping insulin stable.

For example:

120g Protein divided by 4 = 30g Protein per meal

165g Carbohydrates divided by 4= 35g Carbs per meal + 25g Carb Snack

48g Fats divided by 4 = 12g Fat per meal

For certain workout days (cardio and heavy lifting, or lifting targeting larger muscle groups) carbohydrates must be increased to aid in muscle recovery. For just cardio days, carbohydrate levels should remain at the suggested amount for general lifestyle activity. If you want a closer ballpark, try entering different levels of activity in the above calculator to get daily macros for rest, low activity, and high activity days.

For a precise, custom assessment of your body fat percentage, resting metabolic rate, and v02 output, visit www.thefitlabsd.com today to schedule an appointment.

Storage

Choose containers that are appropriate for your lifestyle. Some people like containers with multiple compartments to separate foods with sauces or dressings. Containers that are too large should be avoided for individual meals, as having a surplus of space on your plate will trick your brain into thinking the amount of food present will not be enough. It is also important to look for containers that are BPA-free as well as microwave and dishwasher safe. If you travel frequently or eat more than one meal at work, investing in a well-insulated lunch box and several ice packs will ensure your hard work does not go to waste!

Get creative!

Think of ways to incorporate the flavors of your favorite foods into your prep. Make your own salt-free seasoning blends as well as dips and sauces that can be pre-portioned into their own containers ahead of time that will last several prep cycles, or order The Meal Prep Co’s salt-free secret recipe rub at www.themealprepco.com

Keep breakfast simple. Limit your items to 3 to 4 ingredients to make breakfast a habit. Egg whites are always a perfect source of a clean protein. If you will be working out within the next 1-2 hour of your breakfast, add a complex carbohydrate to the meal (oatmeal). If you will not be working out, pair your eggs with 2-3 servings of vegetables.

Snacks

Stock up on snack size Ziploc bags or get small Tupperware containers to pre-portion snacks for grab and go convenience. Purchasing large containers of items like yogurt is cost-effective and eliminates overeating when it can be pre-portioned with toppings like seasonal or frozen berries, nuts, and granola. Preparing smoothie ingredients ahead of time makes it effortless to combine fresh or frozen fruit and veggies in individual servings, which can be put in a blender with a scoop of protein, and almond/coconut milk or water.

Make a plan

Plan a specific number of meals to stretch across a certain number of days. This is useful if you are carb cycling so you don’t end up overeating carbs on a rest day. Plan to use the same side, whether it be your carbs (rice, beans, potatoes, etc.) or your veggies (crispy broccoli, roasted Brussel sprouts, sauteed green beans, etc). For multiple proteins significantly reduces the opportunity for waste.

Execution

Timing is everything: it will take you twice as long as you plan to execute. Start by defrosting your proteins in the refrigerator. Fire up the rice cooker, and then begin cooking your proteins and veggies, since they will require more attention.

The freezer is your friend! Placing meat in a ziplock bag with marinade and freeze until ready to cook. Protein staples such as meatloaf, meatballs, and burger patties can be cooked ahead of time and frozen until ready to use. Making your own chicken stock or bone broths and freezing in ice cube trays will also make any last minute dishes you’d like to whip up a breeze. These are great for the end of the week “kitchen sink” stews or soups- toss any leftovers in a pot and let the flavors meld together- shredded chicken, quinoa, onions, tomatoes, zucchini or seasonal squash, asparagus, and mushrooms make a beautiful cold-weather stew and can be topped with cilantro and avocado.

Find your tribe

Staying on track is easier when you are accountable to someone other than yourself. Add meal preppers to your social feeds to get ideas. Create a private facebook page and invite friends that would also like to share recipes and success stories. Find workout buddies or hiking partners through meetup groups, or organize them yourself!

Recipes to get started

Inflammation Elimination Smoothie

-¼ cup fresh or frozen raspberries

-A handful of spinach, or kale

-¼ cup of parsley

-½ tsp ginger paste or a few slices of fresh ginger

-Juice from ½ a lemon

-One Persian cucumber (or about ½ a regular cucumber)

-Two stalks of celery

-One pear or apple

-One scoop of protein powder of choice

All of the ingredients in this recipe can be cut up and bagged or placed in a container ahead of time, except the protein powder and almond/coconut milk or water!

Our Services

So if you’re on our website right now, I’m assuming you know a little bit about who we are. Our name, after all, is “The Meal Prep Company”; so I’m guessing you know at least that we do meal prep. And as you can imagine, our meal prep is pretty healthy since that’s the main reason for someone to meal prep; prep healthy meals for your week so you don’t eat fast food every day for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Some people only do meal prep for their breakfasts or lunches and that’s great! Any time you’re making healthy choices you’re one step closer to a healthy lifestyle.

In the next few paragraphs, I’m going to list out the different types of meal prep services we offer; meal prep can be from super simple to extremely detailed and counting macros. The Meal Prep Company does all of the in-between! So Let’s start out with the basics and work our way down!

The Meal Prep Company

We started several years ago as a dream to give people healthy meals that are simple, whole foods made with good ingredients. If you eat our meals then you’ll automatically start shedding some pounds because you’re giving your body what it needs. We evolved into a little more specific of a meal plan program since then. You come in for a consultation where we go over your specific wants and macro plan. If there’s anything you don’t like we’ll take it off the menu for you. We go over what you’re going to be eating throughout the day; when to drink a protein shake if you need it, what to eat for breakfast, how to eat food other than our meals made for you, things like that. Then we’ll make your plan! You can have as many meals per day as you want (min 10 meals per week) and they’ll be dropped off every week to your front door or at a local pickup hub.

On top of our main meal prep program, we offer a lot of other programs that no other meal prep does in San Diego! Let’s run through them real fast so you can get a feel for each of them and maybe find a program that fits you!

~Paleo: a great option for tasty food while living the Paleo lifestyle- also another great way to lose weight.

~Pescitarian (Fish Only): we create meals with different kinds of fish as the protein.

~Low Carb/ No Carb: Still getting all the delicious food without the added carbs. This is a great option for a quick shred, and extra veggies give you the added boost of fiber to keep you feeling full.

~Carb Cycling: If you want to lose fat ASAP- this will have you shredding that extra weight in no time. If you want to gain muscle while losing fat at the same time, this is your best option! We sit down with you and write out the schedule that matches your lifestyle. Higher calories for the days you do heavy lifting, low calories for the days you are resting.

~Performance Meals- High Protein, High Carb: for our athletes; NFL players, MLB players, MMA fighters, etc. For better recovery, we add in extra protein and carbs so your body has all the nutrients it needs.

~Custom Meal Prep: Anything you can think of; diets for medical conditions, diabetes, specific diets to cut weight, do a clean bulk, etc.

~Competitor Meal Prep: for anyone doing bodybuilding, bikini competition, physique competitions, etc. If you have a plan already, shoot us an email and we’ll give you a price quote!

~Bulk Food: We make bulk protein and carbs! Almost every kind of meat you want we can make it and season it to your specifications! Email us anything you have in mind and we’ll give you a price quote! We’re one of the most reasonably priced bulk food providers, and we’re known for our juicy chicken!

~Organic Protein: All of our meat is hormone free, and we can swap out any of our menu protein for the organic protein- just let us know!

Try us today by booking today https://themealprepco.com/consultation-booking/

Meal Prep To Go

I know you’re probably wondering why I started talking about The Meal Prep Company (MPC) and why you’re on the MPC website, yet I’m talking about Meal Prep To Go?…… Because we’re the same! We started MPC, but we realized there’s a demand for meals ready for pickup. With Meal Prep To Go, you can either go into one of our local retailers and buy meals for that day/week, or you can go online and order which meals you want for that week. They’re delicious, healthy, ready to eat meals that are delivered to your door or local pick up every Sunday.

We’ve got so many different options to choose from! So what are you waiting for?! Let’s get you started on your journey to a healthier lifestyle!

Hamilton Heart Foundation

We’re taking a break from our usual health blog to let you know a fun thing that we’ve been lucky enough to be involved with, The Hamilton Heart Foundation!

If you haven’t heard of Hamilton’s Heart Foundation, we encourage you to look it up. They’re doing great things in the community and they have some great events coming up that will be a fantastic way to give back to the community while having a fun night out!

Lynell Hamilton started this foundation to get kids off the street, give back to the community, and to get the youth in San Diego active and involved in sports all over the city. They have started football leagues for different ages in the communities to get families and kids participating in sports, and for the kids to have positive role models in their lives. Lynell has his friends in the NFL come and play with the kids, teach them how to act on and off the field, and reinforce how important school is.

“In today’s society, our youth are plagued with a variety of obstacles. Single parent homes, forced fed materialism, obesity. Our goal with the Wellness program was to address these issues and offer our service to right this wrong. Knowledge is the key, let’s improve the way we deliver the message, make it irresistible to our listeners.” -Lynell Hamilton

What is Hamiltons Heart?

This foundation has started a program that goes around to all the different schools in San Diego, and does a little lesson about overall health, and then does a mini sports camp for the kids, doing drills that the NFL does, and having players come and do the drills with the kids. The Chargers used to do something similar when they were in town, but with their move, it left a huge hole in the San Diego school system that the Hamilton Heart Foundation stepped up and filled.

The Meal Prep Company was fortunate enough to be apart of the educational side of things. We brought our knowledge of nutrition, simplified it, and taught the kids the basics of what you should eat, and how your body uses the food.

We often think that the school system teaches everything the kids need to know; unfortunately, that’s not the case, especially regarding health. When I (Kimmy) worked for the San Diego school system, I heard teachers saying that one soda a day is ok for kids, and my mouth dropped. I would hear things like this all the time because teachers just aren’t given the information and tools to know otherwise. Thankfully, Lynell has stepped up and the Hamilton Heart Foundation is changing the lives of our kids and helping our teachers get the material they need to successfully teach our young ones what they need to have a healthy, happy, active childhood. We are blessed to be able to partner with them and support them any way we can.

If there’s ever an opportunity that you would like The Meal Prep Company to come to, please email info@themealprepco.com ! We love spreading our knowledge of health and nutrition!

When you think of drinking something fermented, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Beer? Delicious fermented grapes called wine? Also referred to as elixir from the gods? But other than that, then you think of something fermented, it’s usually something that you throw away because it’s gone bad. So naturally when I heard of Kombucha, this fermented drink that has nothing to do with my happy grape juice, there was no way I was going to try it. Besides, the smell was similar to the communal trash bins at my condo during the middle of the summer after a good rain.

Through my health journey I’ve had a lot of different setbacks. Mostly originating from my tummy. I’ve become intolerant to gluten, I can’t drink very much of my happy grape juice, and overall I just don’t feel healthy. I’ve drank asodophilis a lot of mornings to see if it makes a difference, I’ve drank more aloe vera juice than the normal human, and yogurts are a staple in my life. My tummy should be happy right? Not really. So, begrudgingly, I decided I was going to try this stuff that smelled like something died in the jar. And I was shocked. I had to hold my breath while I drank it, but I kept telling myself that it was flavored so it wouldn’t be that bad. I got a few good gulps down, and I sat back and thought about how I felt. About 5 min later, my tummy actually felt good!! I couldn’t believe it! I was sold. Since then, I’ve been chugging this stuff down and I really feel like it’s made a huge impact. When I go on vacation I miss it, and when I come back I go straight to the store to buy my favorite flavor. But, enough about my story and let’s dive into why this smelly stuff that strangely tastes decent, is REALLY good for you.

1: The bacteria in kombucha actually goes all the way down to your intestines. Fun fact I learned from my PHD Nutritionist father, yogurt and asodophilis bacteria only gets to your stomach, and then doesn’t go much further. This bacteria goes past your stomach and helps keep your large and small intestines happy, because they never really get much attention even though they’re the most important part of your digestive system. They also have good bacteria that needs to be replenished often and the stuff we eat does more harm that good for those little guys (*cough*cough* like soda and sugar).

2: Kombucha detoxes your liver; and, on top of detoxing one of the most important organs you have, it has cancer fighting properties that are proven to prevent and also kill cancer cells. There’s a lot of stories about people taking the holistic method of treating their cancer and winning, and a huge part of that is Kombucha.

3: It has probiotics, antioxidants, glucosamines, boosts your energy levels, balances your mood, and is basically like a magical drink that fixes almost everything. But in all seriousness, there is every reason to start drinking this stuff ASAP.

4: Lastly, on top of it helping everything in your tummy, it has outward effects. Studies have shown there is a direct correlation between gut health and acne. So, you take care of your gut and it will show on your skin. I’ve personally noticed a huge difference in my skin and the random breakups that I don’t get as much.

If I haven’t convinced you yet to jump on the bandwagon, I encourage you to do your own research. The Chinese have been making and drinking this for over 2,000 years and they called it the “Immortal Health Elixir” . Honestly with a name like that, you’ve got to try it. I personally suggest the brand Kevita, and I prefer the flavor Pineapple Peach. I buy mine at Vons but pretty much any grocery store in Southern California will have some kind of Kombucha There’s 40 MG of organic caffeine in each serving of this brand (about 2 servings a bottle). This brand tries to use as many things that are organic which I really like, so if you read the back of the label you’ll see how many of the ingredients that are certified organic. It’s lightly carbonated so you get that bubbly taste which is satisfying without the horrible ingredients as soda.

As many weird and crazy things we consume for our health (and just the weird things we consume in general!), drinking this fermented drink shouldn’t be that hard to incorporate into our daily routine. If we can take shots of basically rubbing alcohol (yes I’m talking about cheap vodka), then we can chug this weird drink for our health!

If you walk into any health store, you’re guaranteed to see the words “flax seeds” and “chia seeds”. But what exactly are they, and why should we eat them? Is it just a fad that will go away after a while, or is it something that you should grab at your local health store to incorporate into your life?

We’re going to break it down for you so you can walk into any health place and know what you’re eating and why.

Flax Seeds:

My dad has his PHD in Nutrition. My entire life I’ve been told to eat these little brown seeds that look way too similar to those mini beetles that somehow burrow their way into your cereal boxes; and when you pour milk into your bowl of cereal, the dead ones float to the surface. It’s pretty traumatizing to a little girl who just wants a bowl of bugless cereal. (Is that too much to ask?!?) So when my dad would try and pour some of these bug-seeds onto whatever we were having for dinner, I was mortified. I didn’t care how important flax seeds were, nothing was worth eating those things! Now, as an adult, I still have a hard time eating them. But, knowing how important they are, I just close my eyes and throw them down the hatchet.

But let’s really dive into why these little guys have so much nutrients packed into such a small package, and how we get their nutritional properties into our bodies.

Inward benefits: (2 tablespoons)

Copper: protects all kinds of tissue in your body (9%)

Vitamin B1: (15%)

Potassium: (3%)

Magnesium: fights cancer (14%)

Antioxidant: contains the antioxidant selenium (5%)

Omega-3s: 4 grams of those good fats!

Outward benefits: Flax will keep your skin looking youthful and flexible. If you have eczema, psoriasis, dry skin, any of that, these little guys will help you out.

Pro Tip: As amazing as these little guys are, in order to get the most out of them, you’re going to need to do some work. You need to buy them whole but smash them before you eat them. If you have a little grinder, a food processor or even a blender will work. Anything to break open that hard outer shell so that your stomach can break them down completely and they won’t go straight through you. A little more work but completely worth the effort.

Chia Seeds:

Chia seeds haven’t left an emotional scar on me like flax seeds have, although they do look funny in certain things. Personally, I like throwing them in my yogurt in the morning. A lot of people make them into pudding which can help curb those sweet cravings while also helping you feel full. It’s a better option than eating a few of those sugary pudding cups that we ate as kids growing up. Realistically speaking, who really eats only one of those in one sitting?!

Inward benefits: (2 tablespoons)

Fiber: (20%)

Magnesium: fights cancer (12%)

Antioxidant: contains the antioxidant selenium (5%)

Omega-3s: 4 grams of those good fats!

Phosphorus: helps make your bones strong (12%)

Outward benefits: it has anti inflammatory properties that help with everything in your body, including acne, and helps promote moisture in your skin. And since they expand when placed in any kind of substance (yogurt, milk, smoothies, etc) they help fill you up without filling up your calorie count. Chia seeds are great little additives to your lifestyle. Their health benefits aren’t as amazing as flax, but they’re easier to incorporate and they pack a lot of important micronutrients that it’s hard to get in other places. Also, they get bonus points since they don’t look like little brown beetles.

Older Posts

Meal Prep Tips - The Meal Prep Co.

Post Workout Meal

Need it, skip it, delay it, or not at all?

Have you hit a plateau?

It is not about IF, it is about WHEN.

They WILL happen!

Why are Macros Important?

Steer Your Way to a Healthy Senior Life

Basic Self-Care Health Habits Are Vital to Your Mental Health

Get your rest

Eating smart

Kicking back

Getting to ‘no’

Hang out with your loved ones

MEAL PREP 101

Meal Prep 101

Preparation is key

Pick your day

Calculate your macronutrients

Storage

Get creative!

Snacks

Make a plan

Execution

Find your tribe

Recipes to get started

The Different Services We Offer

Our Services

The Meal Prep Company

Meal Prep To Go

Hamilton Heart Foundation

Hamilton Heart Foundation

What is Hamiltons Heart?

Kombucha: Why we need it

Flax and Chia