Could My Symptoms Actually Be a Food Intolerance?

Food intolerances or “sensitivities” can affect you in so many ways.

And they’re a lot more common than most people think. Even if you don’t think you are sensitive to anything.

I’m not talking about anaphylaxis or immediate allergic reactions that involve an immune response. Those are serious and can be life-threatening.  If you have any allergies, you need to steer clear of any traces of foods you are allergic to, and speak with your doctor or pharmacist about emergency medication, if necessary.

What I’m talking about, is an intolerance, meaning you do not tolerate a specific food very well and it causes immediate or chronic symptoms anywhere in the body. Symptoms can take hours or even days to show themselves. And symptoms can be located just about anywhere in the body.

And this is exactly what makes them so tricky to identify.

Symptoms of food intolerances

There are some common food intolerances that have immediate and terribly painful gastrointestinal symptoms, such as lactose intolerance or celiac disease. These can cause stomach pain, gas, bloating, and/or diarrhea;  symptoms can start immediately after eating lactose or gluten.

Other more insidious symptoms may not be linked to foods in an obvious way.

Symptoms like:

Chronic muscle or joint pain;

Sweating, or increased heart rate or blood pressure;

Headaches or migraines;

Exhaustion after a good night’s sleep (7-9 hours);

Autoimmune conditions like Hashimoto’s or rheumatoid arthritis;

Rashes or eczema;

Inability to concentrate or feeling like your brain is “foggy”;

Shortness of breath.

If your body has trouble digesting specific foods, it can affect your hormones, metabolism, or even cause inflammation and result in any of the symptoms listed above. And these can affect any (or all) parts of the body, not just your gastrointestinal system.

In our house, when my kids eat foods they are sensitive to, one of the reactions that we have noticed is a cerebral one. After eating some foods, their behaviour changes – anger, lack of patience, irritability and inability to cope with regular occurances means lots of tears! It can be dramatic and every time it happens, we kick ourselves for letting them eat the offending food.

How to prevent these intolerances

Obviously, the main thing you can do is to figure out which foods or drinks you may be reacting to and stop ingesting them.

Simple right? Easier said than done…it can be SO HARD.

The goal is to get rid of those offending foods/drinks, all traces of them, for three full weeks and monitor your symptoms.

If you start to feel better, then you need to decide whether it’s worth it to stop ingesting them completely, or if you want to slowly introduce them back one at a time while still looking out to see if/when symptoms return.

Here are two of the most common triggers of food intolerances:

Lactose (in dairy  – eliminate altogether, or look for a “lactose-free” label). Yes, that includes yogurt, ice cream, and cheese.  Try nut or coconut milk instead.

Gluten (in wheat, rye, and other common grains – look for a “gluten-free” label – try gluten-free grains like rice, quinoa, millet, & gluten-free oats).

This is by no means a complete list, but it’s a good place to start because lactose intolerance is thought to affect up to 75% of people, while “non-celiac gluten sensitivity” can affect up to 33% of people.

I can hear many of you scoffing at this right now. You LOVE cheese and yogurt and have it everyday and/or multiple times a day…and giving it up seems impossible. But remember, this is only for 3 weeks! Imagine what life would feel like pain free, or full of energy, or less bloated…or without the negative symptoms that have been with you for so long, you consider them ‘normal’. Just imagine. And now tell me that that life isn’t worth 21 days.

So, if you can eliminate all traces of lactose and gluten for three weeks, it can help confirm whether either or both of these, are a source of your symptoms.

Yes, dairy and grains are a part of many government-recommended food guidelines (which are also supported by those same organizations), but you can absolutely get all of the nutrients you need if you focus on replacing them with nutrient-dense foods.

A reliable way to monitor how you feel after eating certain foods is to track it. After every meal or snack, write down the foods you ate, and any symptoms so you can more easily spot trends.

Click here to download a free copy of my Weekly Diet Diary/Food Journal to help you track.

And, as mentioned earlier, symptoms may not start immediately following a meal. You may find, for example, that you wake up with a headache the morning after eating bananas.

You might be surprised what links you can find if you track your food and symptoms well!

IMPORTANT NOTE: When you eliminate something, you need to make sure it’s not hiding in other foods, or the whole point of eliminating it for a few weeks is lost. Restaurant food, packaged foods, and sauces or dressings are notorious for adding ingredients that you’d never think are there. You know that sugar hides in almost everything, but did you also know that wheat is often added to processed meats and soy sauce, and lactose can even be found in some medications or supplements?

When in doubt you HAVE to ask the server in a restaurant about hidden ingredients, read labels, and consider cooking from scratch.

What if it doesn’t work?

If eliminating these two common food intolerances doesn’t work, then you can go one step further to eliminate all dairy (even lactose-free) and all grains (even gluten-free) for three weeks.

You may need to see a qualified healthcare practitioner (like me) for help, and that’s OK. I don’t want you to continue suffering if you don’t need to!

Recipe (dairy-free milk): Homemade Nut Milk

IMG_2487

Cashew milk is by far the easiest (and quickest) nut milk to make. Cashews are a naturally softer nut so if you are pressed for time, you don’t even need to soak them overnight. When I forget to soak them, I simply throw them in a glass of water for a few minutes while I am prepping other things, then I get to making my milk! Oh, and the best part – no straining so there is no waste!

Makes 3-4 cups

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup raw cashews (These are the ones I use)
  • 3 cups water
  • pinch of salt
  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup or 1-2 dates (optional)

Directions:

  1. Soak nuts for about 4-6 hours (optional, but recommended).
  2. Dump soaking water & rinse nuts.
  3. Add soaked nuts and 3 cups water to a high-speed blender and blend on high for about one minute until very smooth.

Serve & enjoy!

Tip: You can double (or halve) the recipe and store the milk in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days.


Haven’t Changed Anything in Your Diet But Still Gaining Weight?

You are positive that you’re not eating MORE food or “junkier” food but you’re still gaining weight. Is this even possible?

The answer is Yes! You are NOT crazy (not about this anyway)!

And here’s why.

We both know that the whole “calories in, calories out” argument is an overly simplistic view of weight and doesn’t ever tell the whole story. And in my opinion, what sometimes causes people to fail at their desire to lose weight or change their body composition is becoming fixated on the ‘calories in, calories out’ adage without taking into consideration the other factors that play a role in weight loss and health.

There’s definitely more to the story than just what you’re eating.

A lot of this comes down to your metabolic rate which is affected by things like your activity level, history of dieting, body composition, and even what you eat (read more about that here).

But, today, let’s go beyond the “eat less and exercise more” advice and dive into some of the less obvious but crucially important, underlying reasons why you may be gaining weight even though you’re eating the same.

Things like:
Aging;
Hormones;
Sleep;
Stress.

Let’s start with aging.

Funny things happen the older we get. We get older (hee hee) (my husband thought this was a terrible joke but I’m still laughing). People also commonly experience lower energy levels, more digestive discomfort, weight gain, as well as general aches and pains (boo).

Aging can also result in hormonal changes for both men and women. And these can contribute to loss of some lean muscle mass, as well as increases and changes in fat storage on our bodies. All this means more weight gain…and maybe in places it wasn’t before.

The good thing is that this is very common and steps can be taken to help slow down/reverse the process.

Hormones

Your thyroid is the master controller of your metabolism and can be a massive contributor to your weight gain. There are several things that can affect it and throw it off course.

When your thyroid gets off course and produces fewer hormones your metabolism slows down. And when your metabolism slows down you can gain weight. Even though you’re eating the same way you always have (read more about that here).

Pro Tip: Talk with your doctor about having your hormones tested.

What about sleep?

There is plenty (TONS) of research that shows the influence that sleep has on your metabolic rate.

And as we age, it can become harder and harder to get a good night’s sleep. More outside influences, more use of stimulants (coffee, sugar) and more stress.

The general consensus is to get 7-9 hours of sleep every night to help avoid weight gain (you probably know how I struggle with sleep…but if not, learn why here).

It’s true! Lack of sleep is linked with weight gain. Soooooo, it’s important to take the time for a proper amount of sleep to help keep the weight off. Think of it as sleeping off your weight!

Pro Tip: Try to get at least 7 hours of sleep every night. The first place to start is by implementing a calming before bedtime routine.

Stress

Its everywhere and at times, it can be overwhelming! Coupled with the fact that there isn’t just one thing that can cause a stress responses in your body, it can be difficult to maintain your weight when you are being bombarded by long bouts of heightened stress.

And you know that stress hormones are not going to help you sustain healthy habits or maintain a healthy weight, so what are you to do?

While you can’t necessarily change your stressors you can try to adjust your stress response to them. And it’s understanding what stressors cause you a response and determining how best to manage those. I tend to hold stress in my stomach and neck/shoulders so I like to move ‘my energy’ by standing with my feet shoulder width apart, thrusting/tilting my pelvis forward while also audibly ‘ahhhh-ing’. It looks funny and writes even funnier but it works. Helps me reduce that tension and literally push it up and out of my body. Try it and let me know what you think! (my kids laugh and ask me my why I’m twerking)….

Pro Tip: Try meditation or yoga. Or even mindful eating. Or those new adult colouring books that are all the rage now. Or if you find you need something more physical besides weight training, consider trampolining. SO MUCH FUN!

There are lots of factors that can affect your weight – aging, hormones, stress, and sleep are all interconnected to each other and can all contribute to weight gain, even if you’re eating the same way you always have. The key is supporting your hormones to allow them to work optimally, finding balance where you can, and taking time for restful, rejuvenating sleep.

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Recipe (Thyroid friendly iodine): Seaweed Sushi Bowl

Sushi Seaweed bowlServes 2

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup cooked rice
  • 1 avocado (thinly sliced)
  • ½ cucumber (diced)
  • ½ red pepper (thinly sliced)
  • 1 green onion (chopped)
  • 2 tablespoons dried seaweed (arame, wakame, or crumbled nori sheets)
  • 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
  • 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons gluten-free tamari sauce
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • ½ garlic clove
  • dash salt and pepper

Directions:

  1. Split the first seven ingredients into two bowls.
  2. Mix the rest of the ingredients together to make the dressing.
  3. Pour the dressing over the sushi bowls.

Serve & Enjoy!

Tip: This is a great lunch to take on the go. Keep dressing in a separate container so you can give it a shake before adding it onto the sushi bowl.


3 Supplements You Should Consider If You Are Over 40 (or close to it)

If you’ve ever spoken to me or worked with me, you know that I  promote getting your nutrients from food first but, the reality is, supplementation is sometimes necessary.

Even when people are eating well, there seem to be some all-too-common nutrients that we simply don’t get enough of. And they’re absolutely critical to optimal health and wellness. Especially as we age.

Today, I’ve sifted through the supplements that are available on the market and boiled them down to 3 that can have a great effect for you.

 

Supplement #1: Vitamin D

If you live in North America chances are you are low in vitamin D. It’s the “sunshine vitamin” and we just aren’t able to hang out in shorts every day of the year (or risk frost bite)…but man, oh man, I’m FOREVER jealous of those of you who live in warmer climates. Not just for the warmth, but also the ongoing health benefits that come from having sun on your skin 365 days a year!

Vitamin D is very important for everyone but especially women over 40. Want to know why?

It helps to protect our bones!

Vitamin D helps our body absorb and keep the calcium we get from our food and drinks. And we all know that calcium is one of the main things our bones are made of.

Want to know something else interesting about vitamin D? People who get enough vitamin D tend to fall less frequently. Especially as they get older.

Seriously!

Vitamin D can help your bones stay strong and help you fall less. That’s a win-win in my books!

 

Supplement #2: Magnesium

Magnesium is an essential mineral needed for over 300 reactions in your body.

Yup, 300!

As with vitamin D, it’s very common for us to simply not get enough. Not even the 320 mg per day that’s recommended.

Low levels of magnesium have been linked to high blood pressure, diabetes, low bone density, muscle cramping, and even migraines.

Magnesium is found in so many healthy whole foods like beans, nuts, seeds and green leafy vegetables. In fact, the magnesium element is central to a plant’s chlorophyll – it’s actually what causes green plants to be green! The issue here is that most of us just don’t get enough green plants into our bodies on a regular basis. (You know I have a recipe with green leafies for you below, right?).

Magnesium is a very common supplement and is best absorbed by the body when it is chelated and has multiple forms of magnesium in the same capsule.

 

Supplement #3: Omega-3s

We’ve all heard that we need to get more omega-3 essential fatty acids, right? They’re good for our hearts, brains, and help to reduce inflammation.

And, these are all good things when it comes to our health and wellness.

But, if you are like me, you may not be ready, willing, or able to eat fish three times per week (fish is not high on my list of favourite foods…or even in the top 10 so I have to make a conscious effort to include it in our meal planning. And then when I do make it, I eat it first so it’s not the last taste I have in my mouth. #truestory)!

While fish oil supplements contain the “brain healthy” fats called EPA and DHA, those two are not technically the “essential” fats. The plant omega-3 known as ALA is essential and that is because our bodies can convert ALA into EPA and DHA when necessary.

Omega-3 supplements can be found in forms of flax oil, algae oil, fish oil, or even fish liver oil.

Pro Tip: Fish liver oil (e.g. cod liver oil) also contains vitamin D so check your labels and add the amounts together to know how much vitamin D you’re actually getting.

If you want strong bones, less falls, healthy brains, less inflammation, and better health, vitamin D, magnesium, and omega-3s are three supplements to consider including in your health toolbox.

Always read the supplement labels to see if there are warnings that would make them inappropriate for you. And, of course if you have any medical conditions or take medications or other supplements it’s always a good idea to speak with your doctor before starting anything new.

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Recipe (Vitamin D, Magnesium & Omega-3s): Salmon Quinoa Buddha Bowl

Quinoa-Salmon-BowlServes 2

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups baby spinach
  • 1 cup quinoa (cooked)
  • 1 can wild salmon
  • 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
  • ½ red onion (diced) (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • dash salt and pepper

Directions:

  1. Split spinach, quinoa, wild salmon, sesame seeds, and onion (if using) between two bowls.
  2. Mix sesame oil, rice vinegar, and lemon juice together and pour on top of prepared Buddha bowls.
  3. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  4. Serve & Enjoy!

Tip: When looking for canned salmon try to get the ones with the most vitamin D and make sure cans are BPA-free. Good quality canned fish is usually in the “natural foods” section of many large groceries. And make sure it’s only WILD!


3 Must Eat Breakfast Foods

I LOVE breakfast!

Do you love your breakfast?  Do you have a short list of “go-to” recipes or do you find yourself grabbing the same, carb-rich, energy dropping one on a daily basis? Who could use a bit of inspiration to start eating breakfast again?

I’m sure that you remember that getting some protein at each meal can help with blood sugar management, metabolism and weight loss.  This is because protein helps you feel fuller longer and uses up a bunch of calories to absorb and metabolize it.  I’m going to show you how to get the protein, as well as some veggies and healthy fats for your soon-to-be favourite new “go-to” breakfasts.

Breakfast Food #1: Eggs

Yes, eggs are the “quintessential” breakfast food.  And for good reason!

No, I’m not talking about processed egg whites in a carton.  I mean actual whole “eggs”.

Egg whites are mostly protein while the yolks are the real nutritional powerhouses.  Those yolks contain vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and healthy fats. Together, an egg is the perfect “whole food”!

Eggs have been shown to help you feel full, keep you feeling fuller longer, and help to stabilize blood sugar and insulin.

Not to mention how easy it is to boil a bunch of eggs and keep them in the fridge for a “grab and go” breakfast when you’re running short on time.

And…nope, the cholesterol in eggs is not associated with an increased risk of arterial or heart diseases.

(One thing to consider is to try to prevent cooking the yolks at too high of a temperature because that can cause some of the cholesterol to become oxidized.  It’s the oxidized cholesterol that’s heart unhealthy.)

Breakfast Food #2: Nuts and/or Seeds

Nuts and seeds contain protein, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, and fibre.  Nuts and/or seeds would make a great contribution to breakfast.

Don’t be fooled by “candied” nuts, sweetened nut/seed butters, or chia “cereals” with added sugars – you know I’m talking about the real, whole, unsweetened food here.

Nuts and seeds are also the ultimate fast food if you’re running late in the mornings.  Grab a small handful of almonds, walnuts, or pumpkin seeds as you’re running out the door; you can nosh on them while you’re commuting. It’s also easy to add a spoonful of nut/seed butter into your morning breakfast smoothie.

Hint: If you like a creamy latte in the mornings try making one with nut or seed butter.  Just add your regular hot tea or coffee and a tablespoon or two of a creamy nut or seed butter into your blender & blend until frothy. Stay tuned for a post with my frothy cashew milk coffee….soooooo yummy!

Breakfast Food #3: Veggies

Yes, you should get protein at every meal including breakfast; but have you ever thought that this also applies to veggies? It does! 

Veggies are powerhouses of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytochemicals, fibre, and water.  You can’t go wrong adding them into every single meal of the day so if you don’t already, you should definitely try them for breakfast!

And no, you don’t need to have a salad or roasted veggies for breakfast if you don’t want to…but you totally can!  It’s time to ditch the old way of thinking – cereal, pancakes, bagels for breakfast and embrace all types of food for breakfast. In our house, we avoid the “breakfast food” trap. Nothing is off limits for the first meal of the day!

Adding some protein to leftover veggies is a great combination for any meal.  Including breakfast.

I’ve included a delicious recipe below for you to try (and customize) for your next breakfast.

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Recipe (Eggs & Veggies): Veggie Omelet

egg-veggie-omeletServes 1

Grab a handful of your favourite nuts and this meal is sure to keep you feeling satisfied and energetic all morning long!

Ingredients:

  • 1 teaspoon coconut oil
  • 1 or 2 eggs (how hungry are you?)
  • ¼ cup veggies (grated zucchini and/or sliced mushrooms and/or diced peppers)
  • dash salt, pepper and/or turmeric

Directions:

  1. Add coconut oil to a frying pan and melt on low-medium heat (cast-iron pans are preferred).
  2. In the meantime grab a bowl and beat the egg(s) with your vegetables of choice and the spices.
  3. Tilt pan to ensure the bottom is covered with the melted oil.  Pour egg mixture into pan and lightly fry the eggs without stirring.
  4. When the bottom is lightly done flip over in one side and cook until white is no longer runny.
  5. Serve & Enjoy!

Tip:  Substitute grated, sliced, or diced portion of your favourite vegetable.  Try grated carrots, chopped broccoli or diced tomato.