Keep the Good Guys Happy – A Worthwhile Balancing Act

So many things in our lives rely on balance to thrive. Everything from our work/life balance to the bacteria living in our guts help to determine how well our body works and how we feel everyday.

The interesting thing about the body systems is that they all seem to thrive on the same kind of lifestyle, and when you make your gut happy you’ll also make your endocrine, cardiovascular, and neurological systems happier (not to mention your kidney filtration and your skin…). So whether you think you have candida issues, or if you just have some weird symptoms (or you just want to reach maximum health)…check out the recommendations here.

Why? Well, the story of my (career) life, is that I like to address issues and enhance health through real food and natural supplements—so they aren’t (if used correctly) going to create additional problems, like prescription and OTC drugs do. Your body has an innate wish to reach balance, and will always strive to do so. If you do as many things as you can to help balance be reached…it’s just more likely to happen. Then—->You feel good! Outrageous Joy anyone?!

What I do to try and make my bacteria happy:

• Take probiotics (Jarro is a good brand, but there are lots of them. Right now, I’m taking ESL3). Preferably before bed–for some reason, the bacteria are more effective when you’re resting and in the horizontal position. Do this and/or eat fermented foods at each meal (this does not include pasteurized sauerkraut), especially fermented veggies. Right now, I’m doing this once a day. Info coming soon on this.

• Eat less (or no) sugar. The average American consumes 22 teaspoons of sugar a day, when the recommended upper limit for women is 6 teaspoons. You need complex carbs to be maximally healthy. You do not need sugar. Bad bacteria thrive on sugar, and other body systems (especially the endocrine system, which is the main contributor to your metabolic functions) are taxed and don’t function optimally with a sugary diet (this includes artificial sugars). Note: Most fruit is high in sugar. Low sugar fruits include granny smith apples, and many berries. Lemons and limes are usually ok too in moderation. Right now, I’m not eating any fruit…barring an occasional lime in a smoothie.

• I cut out most grains. I could eat small portions of quinoa, buckwheat, amaranth, and millet (these are actually seeds, not grains). Note: I ate brown rice in a sushi roll last night, and I’m not sorry about it. Aside from that and a bit of buckwheat in some leftover soup last week, I have not eaten any grains since I started my Personal Improvement Plan (PIP).
• I do not drink alcohol or coffee, or caffeinated beverages (some green tea is ok). I’m drinking a lot of Dandy Blend…but I still would love a cuppa coffee right now!

• I’m not eating any processed food or oils, fried food (or any other crappy stuff), and sticking to cold pressed organic oils (especially virgin organic coconut oil).

• I take herbal and natural supplements: caprylic acid, garlic, oregano oil, Pau D’Arco, Chlorella…there are lots to choose from. I’m not as dedicated to this as I want to be.
• Exercise: My beloved AMT at the gym for cardio (interval training, no more than 30 min at a time…should I talk about workouts more? I have a degree in Exercise Science, and have been training a little more lately. I miss it!)
• Drink a lot of clean filtered water (I use a Pur water filter, and someday hope to have a household filtration system.  My next step is a shower filter. Did you know you absorb more water through your skin in the shower than you drink in a day?)
• Manage stress: I’m doing this mostly through working on my perspective, clearing my social calendar so I have ample time to teach my 7 classes, and going in my infrared sauna. I also need to amp up my yoga. I’m excited—my friend is opening a Yoga studio in Canandaigua! She’s so awesome and open-minded…and I am doing a smoothie workshop there in April.

Balance is worth it. We often think of our body health as the health of this container we’re in—from the outside. And although our skin, chub location, and cellulite can tell us a lot about our health, there is way more going on inside than we can be aware of. Doing just a few things differently (and believe me, it’s not so bad to eat salads for breakfast and switch to stevia), even gradually, can make a huge difference.

I find I need balance in every area of my life, or things start to go a little wild.

It’s funny, sometimes, how long it takes me to realize it! I lived in Boston for a while (loved it), and it was great…so when I moved back to upstate NY, a little bit of me went crazy inside and outside. People wore sneakers out to dinner there, and “out to dinner” meant something totally different than I was used to.

My LA cousin and I have a joke about going to a bar in our hometown—we went to meet her relatives there one Sunday, and there was a NASCAR party going on. Crockpots of crab bisque, a spread of food under the pool table lights (for hours)…and lots of Looney Toons t-shirts and NASCAR scrunchies. We also once spent an entire weekend drinking and eating our way through LA, Malibu, and the Sunset Strip.

Both scared me in their own ways.

Balance feels good. Comfortable. I’m reaching for more of it, inside and out. How are you balancing things to be happy and minimally stressed?

For candida, you can tailor your approach to your lifestyle and needs. I recommend getting help. Above you can see what I do based on my own research. I’m not a doctor—I’m educated about the issue and I feel like I know what I’m talking about, but you should always do your own research too and find a professional to help you who knows how.