Ask the nutritionist!

Each week, we are doing #askthenutritionist, where we will answer your question of the week, and also take your questions for future editions!

This week's question: “My iron levels are low, should I be taking an iron supplement?”

The answer is not necessarily. There are a few reasons why your iron might be low and you may be able to make tweaks that allow you to bypass iron supplementation. If you have a heavy menstrual flow, you may consider an iron supplement around your time of the month (but no more! Heavy iron supplementation can reduce your absorption of iron from food).

It is also possible you have an issue with absorption in your gut. You may try a few things for this: cutting out gluten (super easy if you use a gluten-free meal service), drinking aloe vera juice, and taking a probiotic. A few dietary tweaks you can make to up your dietary iron include: steamed dark leafy greens (broccoli, spinach, sprouts), red meat, organ meats, and...

If you aren’t keeping it clean at lunch, you are probably feeling pretty sleepy by 2 pm. Perhaps the only thing you are looking forward to is your next meal, it doesn’t have to be that way. Here are 4 ways to keep it clean at lunch and thus keep your energy up the rest of the day!

1. Pack it with you!! One of the easiest ways to ensure you don’t fall to temptation at lunchtime is to pack your lunch ahead of time. If you don’t have time or don’t know how let Basically It Meals do the work and delivery for you, or join No-Diet Diet Club here and learn how

2. Skip the beverages. Do not fall victim to lunchtime special drinks (soda, diet soda, sweet tea, fancy coffee drink or milkshake). All that sugar is going to leave you feeling blahhhhhh

3. Large portions will also leave you feeling BLAHH. When you overeat, your body has to do a lot of work to process it all and this often results in lethargy. Order the lunch-sized portion, OR go with Basically It Meals...

There are 3 healthy habits everyone should take with them on vacation; even winter vacation!! 

1. Share all your meals! You want to taste everything and eat very little. This is so easy to do on vacation; goodbye bottomless pasta bowls, hello two bites of pasta, a few other items and done.

2. Slow down. American food culture tells us to order the largest portion possible, eat as fast as possible, and get on to the next thing. However, other cultures regard the meal as an opportunity to nourish the body, get a break from the bustle, and connect socially. Meals are often slow and extended, with many small portions. No one leaves stuffed, or feeling heavy or lethargic; in fact, it is often the break they needed to get through the day! So eat slowly, and enjoy the opportunity to nourish your body and connect with loved ones!

3. Throw food away. This is a tough one for many, including me sometimes! However, eating all the food in front of you when you are already past full does not...

I just found this quote and I am so obsessed with it!!!

Such a great reminder...

It doesn't matter how good your doctor or how good the meds you are on...

Nothing will work to improve your health if you are not eating healthy!!! 

Even with the incredible advances in modern medicine and science, our bodies still need good nutrition from food. 

Cooking at home (there are many ways to learn!), hiring a meal delivery service (holla, St Louis!), or making a daily smoothie (tons of recipes on this blog) can do so much for your health.

If you have questions on how to feed your body, please comment here!

Hayley

I cannot say it enough....

Eating seasonally is a fantastic way to optimize your health!!

I won't write a lengthy post here because it is all in the video, but your body KNOWS what season it is. It knows that the foods growing around you contain the nutrients it needs now. 

Look for the seasonal foods in your produce section, try some new recipes and if you are St Louis local check out our fall menu here!

Healthy fats are super dense in nutrients, but they also have the highest calorie count of any other foods!

Is that bad? No, not at all! Fats are very satiating, and can help our body burn fat. Not to mention, all the great nutrients they contain.

Healthy fats include:
Nuts and seeds
Avocado
Fish
Oils
I love eating them with every meal!

Healthy fats nourish your

• Brain
• Gut
• Skin (they are totally anti-aging!)
• Mental health

Add them to each meal to feel full and satisfied for a long time!

Hey, I would love to connect with you on Instagram, click here and find me!

We are all trying to find that healthy balance, but it can be tough, right?

Sometimes we overdo it at the nacho bar, miss our workouts, get sick on ice cream....

So what is a healthy balance? How do you find that in a world full of temptations?

A great rule of thumb for healthy living and eating I use and my clients use is 80-20. 80% of all that you do serves your health:
Healthy meals full of plants (fruits and veggies!)
Plenty of rest (6-8 hours a night)
Getting in movement on a regular basis (it can be just walking)
Plenty of water (at least half of your body weight in ounces per day)

The other 20% is "free". 

It sounds like it could turn into an all out binge/rager...but I like to plan mine ahead of time. This helps the 20% become my choice. A lot of times when we eat poorly, it is out of control, unconscious and comes with a whole lot of guilt and shame. Planning ahead of time makes it our choice and eliminates the need to negative emotions around it.

What does your 80-20...

Unfortunately, those wrinkles you saw pop up last week, those aren't going anywhere.

Your body is aging...

All. The. Time.

That is science.

BUT it is preventable. We can slow it down, even reverse it, with a few small tweaks.

In this video I break down my 4 BEST TIPS to rewind and reverse aging, so you can look your best for a long long time.

This is actually one of my Facebook Live Wine About It that I do each week. I am there every Thursday at 5:30pm bringing you a nutrition tip that will give you fast results. Join me, won't you?! See you next Thursday!

Healthy food shouldn't feel like a punishment.

Yet, so often it tastes like one!

Why does healthy equal boring?

Plain chicken with steamed broccoli...

Raw cauliflower dipped in air...

Plain brown rice, hold the salt...

It doesn't have to be that way!

• Open your spice cabinet
• Put garlic on everything
• Grab the pink Himalayan salt
• Squeeze lemon over the top
• Grab some fresh herbs to finish

All of these enhance flavor while also enhancing health! It doesn't have to be complicated or time consuming, just delicious.

To learn more about how to cook healthy at home, check out the No-Diet Diet Club!

If you are in St Louis, click here to see about having your healthy meals delivered from our delicious kitchen!

A few sprinkles of cinnamon went into this almond milk latte and it was delish!!

It was also, secretly nutrish since cinnamon is anti-aging and great for weight loss, too!!

Are you asking yourself how this is even possible? I mean, I drink pumpkin spice lattes with a sprinkle of cinnamon all the time and I'm not squeezing into no bikini right now...

Well, yeah, no on the pumpkin spice front. BUT cinnamon itself does actually lower blood sugar, therefore reducing the weight gaining and aging affect of sugar. Ingesting it regularly (on top of a n unsweetened black coffee, for instance) is majorly beneficial.

Adding cinnamon to your coffee gives it a HUGE nutritional boost!

Cinnamon is...
High in antioxidants (hello, age reversal )
Reduces insulin which means easier weight loss
Full of phytonutrients to boost your health

You can add it to other things, too! How about that baked sweet potato, or your green smoothie?

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