Healthy Lifestyle Archives

Breast Cancer Awareness Part II – RISK FACTORS!

Hi friends! In a continuing effort to bring more real awareness to breast cancer.. I’m going to shine a light on some of my “aha moments” as I’ve come to learn why I cancered in the first place.. keep in mind.. I’m NOT a doctor or nurse.. I’m NOT here to diagnose, prescribe or treat.. I’m simply sharing what I’ve learned.. in hopes that my journey may open your eyes to some possible risks in your own life..

I flash back to the shocked looks on so many peoples faces when I first told them I had cancer.. and their instant response.. “but KIM! You are one of the healthiest people I know!! How could YOU get cancer?”.. and honestly.. I felt the same way..

I had cleaned up my diet about 4 years prior to diagnosis and was eating (still am) an almost exclusively organic (grass fed/pastured/wild caught) diet that follows a clean eating “mediteranian diet” approach mostly .. I worked out 5 days a week.. did yoga.. and was actively seeking out ways to minimize chemicals in my life by using natural household cleaning and skin care options. (I still do all that stuff btw..)

Funny thing is.. now that I’m part of the cancer community.. I find there are LOTS of women out there that fit that same description.. so how/why DID we cancer??

My first clue was at the initial diagnostic ultrasound, mammogram and biopsy.. wherein.. ALL the techs and doctors kept saying the same thing.. “well you do have VERY dense breast tissue”.. (I’d always known this.. but had NO clue that dense breast tissue is a risk factor for breast cancer.) The thing of it is… the size of our “girls” is irrelevant.. a woman can have an A cup and still have dense breast tissue.. there is nothing anyone does to “cause” the density.. it just is.. so ladies if you have been told you have DENSE BREAST TISSUE.. just know it’s a “check” on a list of risk factors..

As diagnosis hit me like a sucker punch to the gut.. I went into classic Kim mode and dove in to learn everything I could possibly learn about cancer.. why what how when etc..

This is where sucker punch two came in to the picture.. which is ALCOHOL.. (yep I’m going there.. its a HUGE risk factor!).. did you know that drinking alcohol of any type of any amount more days during the week than not increases the risk of breast cancer by at least 37%??? (EEEK!) I look at our social lives.. happy hours, birthdays, football parties, bbqs, girls night out, plus of course that glass of wine or three at dinner… and lets not forget the free glass of something when we get our nails painted.. ugh.. it ALLLLLLL adds up to yes.. alcohol more days a week than not.. sooo.. as HARD as it is.. we gotta stand back and decide what’s more important.. easier said than done.. but important! (Im speaking to myself here too! Cuz while I was REALLY good about staying away from alcohol during treatment..(dear lord my poor liver had enough to contend with the chemo).. now that I’m out of treatment… I still struggle with this EVERYDAY!)

From there I did some more looking and discovered a few interesting tidbits (keep in mind that science and what we know is ever evolving.. ) for now tho.. it appears that red meat is actually not as bad as its made out to be.. however the SOURCE of that meat can be VERY problematic.. in that commercially raised cows (feed lot cows) are LOADED with chemicals, antibiotics and hormones.. the meat is literally poison to our bodies.. and should be avoided at all costs.. (this includes pork, chicken and fish too.. its important for SO MANY REASONS.. to make sure your meat is sourced from grass fed (cows & dairy products), pastured (pigs, and chicken/poultry/eggs) and wild caught fish.) On top of all this.. is the topic of GRILLING (& those who know me, know I’m married to the GRILL MASTER!) … sadly.. its those CHARRED ENDS OF THE RED MEAT that are very problematic in setting up a cancer driver.. so as much as I know ya’ll love those crispy ends and blackened tips.. cut them off.. don’t sear them that hot.. cook the meat at a lower temp.. your health literally depends on it.

In addition is the question of ALKELINE vs ACIDIC (Acidic conditions in our body drive cancer) and most commonly people turn to Alkeline water.. at first I was drinking it by the gallon (literally).. but I’ve since learned that drinking the water doesn’t do much good. However our bodies will naturally alkalinize when we eat lots of fresh green veggies and steer clear of sugars and simple carbs.. (cool huh? Cuz that’s one of the best things you can do for your nutrition for lots of other reasons too!) You can also cut coffee (yeah I know.. but honestly that was the easiest thing to do! I switched to tea and have never missed the coffee!) and also you can squeeze fresh lemon into your water glass (which is good for lots of stuff including helping your body to alkalinize!)

Since I mentioned it above.. I’ll take this opportunity to highlight SUGAR as a MAJOR driver of cancer! Sugar comes in EVERYTHING and is TOXIC to our cells.. it overloads our bodies and creates an imbalance everywhere.. this creates a prime environment for cells to mutate and fall to the cancering process.. and then of course… the sugar is a favorite source of fuel for cancer cells.. In conversation with friends, family and clients, this topic comes up constantly as people do not realize how much sugar is in food! There is an entire blog titled “lets chat about sugar” on my website that I encourage you to read through so you can start to see and understand how to identify sugar and keep it on the down low. Basically you don’t want to exceed 24g of sugar in a day.. this includes fruit, juices, energy or hydration drinks.. heck even bbq sauce and salad dressing is full of sugar! Simple carbs like chips, bread, cookies, tortillas etc also trun to sugar almost instantly and have little to no nutrition.. so steer clear of those too (AND DON’T TURN TO ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS (aspartame and sucralose)! They are even worse than sugar! Stevia and Monk fruit are safe natural sources of sweetness with no calories.)

Now I’m going to drop a bombshell on you.. did you know that STRESS is actually one of the biggest drivers of cancer?? Yep! Stress has this fascinating effect on our body.. part of which is the increase in cortisol.. which in turn does several things.. including getting our organs to produce excess GLUCOSE! (aka SUGAR!) .. and we recall the dangers of bathing our cells in sugar right?

so basically.. if you are not getting enough restful sleep (7-8 hours a night) this is stress!, if you rush to get out the door and drive in rush our traffic to work or hustle the kids to school or have a disagreement in the morning with a family member.. (all stress), then have a long day sitting (stress), worry about finances (stress), worry about aging or ailing parents (stress) have a boss who breathes down your neck or co-workers who don’t see eye to eye with you (stress), or work at home and are lonely (stress), or have a house to clean and not enough time to clean it (stress), or eat fast food on the go for lack of time (stress) or go to the gym and work out HARD to burn off stress but don’t stretch properly (or at all) or don’t drink enough water (stress), or don’t drink enough water thought out the day (stress), or get home and take advil for the headache/body aches (stress), or drink alchohol (stress), or have a rush to get everything done for the next day before bed (stress) or have difficulty going to sleep (stress) so you take a sleeping pill (stress).. and don’t get a good restfull night of sleep……………………

Can you hear me screaming? Stress surrounds us.. EVERYWHERE.. Mediating that stress is so critical! Mediation, yoga, making healthy changes in what you eat, going to counseling or working with a life coach to shift to healthier more productive less stressful patterns in your day to day.. getting outside for a walk in the sun, gardening, listening to music.. all of these are ways to get your body back into the rest and digest mode.. where cortisol is calmed and your body is given a break!

The last area I will touch on is genetics.. specifically GENE MUTATIONS (aka SNPs) .. I will start this section with the knowledge that your genes are NOT your destiny! (Read “Dirty Genes” by Dr Ben Lynch to learn more about this) .. we CAN inherit genes but that doesn’t mean they have to be “activated” .. and even if they are turned on and become “dirty”.. there are ways to balance them so that they don’t cause you grief (working with a trained naturopathic doctor that understands all this is valuable) .. Its fascinating to me that the western medical world “Only” looks for mutations in the BRCA gene.. (which certainly has value as there are definite links to breast cancer and BRCA.. in fact.. if you have family members who are BRCA.. you may want to consider getting yourself tested.. if you are positive for the gene.. there are many women who choose to have preventative mastectomies and even hysterectomies.. as the BRCA gene carries significant risk for breast cancer as well as uterine/ovarian cancer) Further to these tests tho.. there is an entire another world of genetic mutations that western med doesn’t even KNOW about ! MTHFR and COMT are two very common ones. And two that yours truly is positive for (yay me!).. interestingly these two (and several others that I carry..) have links to breast cancer! When I look back on my life before cancer.. the food I ate.. the chemical exposure I was open to, and the extreme levels of chronic stress I was exposed to for YEARS.. its obvious why those genes got “turned on” and got “dirty”.. and is a likely prime reason why I cancered..

The best test I’ve come across so far to determine these SNPs for YOU.. is something called Nutrition Genome.. It’s a one time test that comes back with the results along with about 60 pages of info.. including what foods to eat and avoid in support of your specific SNPs. Supplements can be helpful to get balanced also.. I’m in a cancer coach certification training program currently and will have access to a discount very soon.. so if you would like to run this test for your self.. reach out.. I’ll help you get access to it……. And in fact, I’ll be able to read it for you once I’m done with the training ☺

There are other tests that can be ordered as well.. The DUTCH test and the Great Plains lab Mycotoxin tests have been two of my favorites.. The DUTCH looks at all your hormones and cortisol over an 18 hour window.. this shows the ebb and flow of each and identifies where imbalance lies.. it also shows how your hormone pathways are functioning which is helpful in identifying areas that can be addressed with food, supplements, sleep etc .. the Mycotoxin test identifies mold that should NOT be in your body… (yes we all have mold in our body.. however our normal metabolic process should remove the ones that are harmful and don’t belong there.. if your metabolic process aka detox pathways are not working properly (return to genetic mutations/SNPs) your body can “hold” mold and THAT my friends is a PROBLEM! (I discovered that thanks to MTHFR (which means I don’t detox properly among other issues).. I was in fact holding 3 bad molds .. and you guessed it.. 2 of them are CANCER CAUSATIVE!) now knowing this.. I’ve been working with my integrative oncology naturopathic dr to detox that stuff out.. its been stubborn.. but its moving out slowly ☺ )

Of interest is the potential connection to hypothyroidism and or autoimmune thyroid/hashimotos … I’m just reading now that there may be a link and interestingly enough, I was diagnosed with a slow thyroid about 5 years before my cancer diagnosis.. my integrative oncology ND now thinks I’m actually mildly hashimotos (autoimmune).. I’ve been on assorted thyroid meds to balance it since diagnosis. Mostly porcine based (more natural) for a time though, I was on a synthetic med. (and as part of my reading, there seems to be a connection between breast cancer and that type of thyroid medication too? hmmmmm)

At the end of the day.. as I now know all this.. I can easily see that despite my healthy eating and lifestyle.. I was still basically a ticking time bomb for cancer..

1) Very Dense Breast Tissue

2) Years of chronic stress

3) Alcohol more days a week than not

4) Charred red meat

5) Genetic mutations (SNPs) that are known to be linked to breast cancer

6) Cancer causing mold trapped in my body (thanks to the MTHFR)

7) Hypothyroid/Hashimoto

The way I am mediating all this now to reduce future risk is be ever aware of my stress response…when I feel my heart start to race to instantly turn to deep belly breathing to calm it back down, to keep myself out of stressful situations, to cool it on the alcohol, to eat red meat rarely and when I do make sure its grass fed sourced and not charred, and to continue to work with my doctor to ensure I’m supporting my SNPs (diet and supplements) and that I’m vigilant on keeping the mold gone (we all get exposed all day every day to that stuff) .. Naturally I continue with my thyroid meds (compounded porcine based), healthy organic eating, natural cleaning and skin care, and regular exercise.. I seek joy and positivity to keep my spirit light and thank God every day for the opportunity to live this glorious life!

My list is not complete.. as I know there are SOOO many variables and risks.. but this will give you a good start to identifying some areas in your life that might be problematic…… If you would like to make some healthy changes in your life.. or have interest in pursuing some of the testing reach out ! As your coach I’ll work with you to find the best ways so that you can reach your goals!

I say again.. I am NOT a doctor or nurse or nutritionist.. I will refer you to the health care providers as needed to fill those roles. I am however a Nationally Board certified Health and Wellness Life coach soon to also be certified as a Terrain Advocate (cancer) coach under the tutelage of Dr Nasha Winters author of the Metabolic Approach to Cancer.. as such.. I’m here for you!

PS.. Breast cancer is NEVER ANYONES FAULT.. I know I didn’t cause my cancer.. however.. I’m eyes wide open now.. so I’ll do everything I can to prevent its return and I’ll do everything I can to shine the light on this topic in hopes it is helpful for others!

Breast Cancer Awareness is important all year long (not just in October)

Good Morning and Happy October 1!

For many, this day starts a month long “pink” party.. ribbons, tutu’s, t-shirts, etc..

For many others however, this month is a frustrating or painful or thoughtful reminder of our fight because while there is so much “awareness” and money raised and LOTS of pink.. there is still not a real cure.. or better yet.. prevention.

I am one of those warriors. I am a Triple Negative Breast Cancer survivor. Having endured 5 long months of chemo (15 rounds), two surgeries and a month of daily radiation.. I am now celebrating just over one and a half years of “no evidence of disease”.. (and praying it stays that way for the rest of my long healthy life!)

The “Pink Washing” of October breast cancer awareness doesn’t cause me pain .. but it does make me much more thoughtful than it used to.. because now I understand so much more about the truth behind the pink ribbons.

Given this, I am going to attempt to share some tips, insight and ideas throughout this month to help you identify any risks you might face of developing cancer.. to share suggestions on how you can support friends and family who might be fighting cancer now.. and even some really neat organizations that if you are led to donate.. will be much better served with your donations than the huge machines that make more money off your donations than they spend on real research.

Today.. I will begin the conversation by saying that YES.. early identification is indeed very important..

So how to safely watch your body? Self checks and mammograms are the prime way.

That being said.. there is ALOT of controversy surrounding mammograms, in that… the radiation they put in our bodies is indeed mildly carcinogenic by itself.. BUT.. mammograms are the ONLY scan that can pick up on “micro-calcifications”.. which are for lack of a better term, “pre-cancer” and if left alone will likely lead to cancer. So.. it is valid to have yearly mammograms.. and 3-D at that (because you can see more).. and ladies.. if you are in your 20s or 30s. and have ANY risk factors.. you may want to SERIOUSLY consider starting your self checks and even scans sooner rather than later.. (I say this as there are SO many YOUNG women in my brest cancer support groups! BC is NOT just for “women over 40” anymore..)

Ultrasounds are an option too.. the benefit is they don’t cause radiation exposure.. the downside is.. they dont see micro-calcifications.

If you have implants, MRIs are an important scan to fold into your yearly looksies too (every 3 years or so).. because they can “see” things beyond and under and behind implants that mammograms and ultrasounds cannot. And yes.. you’ll want contrast.. because that makes even the smallest tumor “light up like a Christmas tree” (had I had contrast in March.. my tumor would have been visible)

Thermography is an emerging option… while at first blush it sounds like the perfect scan option.. as there is no radiation and it covers alot of area.. However, I’ve personally known too many women who had thermography scans.. and were given the “all clear” .. only to discover shortly thereafter (a month or two) that they did indeed have breast cancer. One friend actually had known and diagnosed breast cancer.. and was curious if the thermography scan would pick up on it… so had the scan done.. and was told… “all clear”.. (I say again.. she knew she had breast cancer.. knew where the rumor was.. yet the thermography scan did not “see” it).. so this method is obviously flawed. Perhaps in time it will become more reliable.

Ultimately.. Mammograms really are the best bet… so if you have not had one in a while… you may want to go get scheduled and make it a yearly habit. (btw.. there are integrative methods to protect against radiation exposure.. reach out if you would like to know how.. )

In addition and in fact monthly.. is the critically important practice of doing self exams.. the idea of “feel it on the first” is a great habit to get into..

Self breast exams are easy to do in the shower.. and is in fact how I found my tumor.

(I had a 2D mamogram in January (clear), a MRI (without contrast- clear) in March, and I found my lump the end of July.. by the time I was ultrasounded in August.. it was 3cm. Had I not known my body.. I would not have recognized the tumor as “something wrong”.. given how fast it was growing.. the cancer would have been everywhere by the time my next annual mammogram was scheduled. As it was.. I found it “just in time” as the cancer had not yet entered my lymph nodes)

Given this.. my missive to all women is to know your body & wash your body with your hands (not a sponge, loofa, washcloth.. ) and if something doesn’t feel right.. go get it checked out asap

So ladies.. (and guys too.. cuz yeah.. men get breast cancer too).. please take today (& every first of the month) to give your breasts a good self exam.. and if its not already on your calendar.. go get your mammogram scheduled!!

Ps.. if you are in the fight already, or know someone who is.. please consider me a resource.. I have so much information on how to fight the demon cancer.. and am happy to support you in any way I can. I am also in training to be a certified cancer coach.. so in short order.. I’ll have even MORE options available to serve you!

Pss to continue the discussion on breast cancer awareness please read “Risk Factors”

Let’s Chat about Sugar….

It seems I’ve had a conversation about sugar in some form with just about EVERYONE I’ve talked to recently!

The biggest driver is questions surrounding “what’s ok” and “what’s’ not”.. there is also a lot of confusion about how carbs and sugar go hand in hand.. what type of sugar comes from what source.. and how all this plays in with the micro biome (gut health) and inflammation within the body.. so.. since I suspect there are LOTS more of you out there with these same questions.. lets dive into it!

Sugar by itself is NOT BAD! In fact it is the driving force of energy within our bodies! The problem comes in when we pump our bodies with TOO MUCH ADDITIONAL sugar.. and sadly .. our mass produced .. (Intentionally engineered to be addictive) food supply is LOADED with WAAAAYYYYY TOO MUCH SUGAR!

So.. YES.. you have to be VERY AWARE of EVERYTHING you put in your mouth..

How much is too much? This part is easy.. the guiding number is 24 g.. as in.. do everything in your power to not exceed 24 g of sugar in a day (that’s 6 teaspoons).. more than that and you will begin to introduce toxic loads to your system.. (ie.. your cells cant function with too much sugar.. )

So where does sugar in our food come from ? Well obviously we all know about table sugar, cane sugar and the incredibly evil (I’m not kidding) high fructose corn syrup (more on that later) and we all know about reading nutrition labels and seeing how much “added sugar” is in a product.. and really.. that’s your first step.. READ THOSE NUTRITION LABLES.. every single one.. if its in a bag, box, jar, can, bottle or some other container.. it should have a label.. and its your job to READ IT!

Once you start reading those labels.. and I’m going to remind you here and now that the nutrition label part is not the only thing to read.. because the cold hard truth lies within the INGREDIENTS LABLE!!! So READ THAT TOO! Once you start reading all those labels… you will begin to realize the scope of what we are dealing with here.

Example.. 1 8oz serving of orange juice (pick the brand, pick the quality..) ONE serving contains 23g of sugar!!! (HELLO! THAT’S AN ENTIRE DAYS WORTH OF SUGAR IN ONE GLASS!!!!)

Example.. The first ingredient in “Louisiana” brand cocktail sauce (good quality brand right?) is HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP (wait.. Kim.. you said that stuff was pure evil?!?! And it’s the FIRST ingredient?? EEK!).. but WAIT.. there’s MORE.. one serving of cocktail sauce is ¼ cup.. and that contains 17g of SUGAR! (lord have mercy all I’m doing is dipping my shrimp and I’m almost maxed out on sugar for the day again?) Double whammy!

Example 3.. (and this one still blows my mind!) One medium McDonalds vanilla shake contains SEVENTY TWO g of sugar.. and worse even (can it get worse? YES) .. Their seasonal “shamrock shake” (comes out in march..) contains no less than NINETY THREE g of sugar in ONE medium shake!!!!!!!!!!! That is INSANITY!!!

So when I tell you that sugar is EVERYWHERE.. I’m not kidding! Read your labels!

Here’s another sad truth.. because our delightful food manufacturers are just itching to keep us addicted.. they are adding sugar to “healthy” food too.. things like fruit yogurt, almond milk and salad dressing and so much more!. guess what.. all LOADED with sugar!

Its ok tho.. I PROMISE! There are SAFE and DELICIOUS alternatives to all of the above that do NOT have added sugar! You just have to be intentional and read those labels!! For example.. PLAIN ORGANIC Greek Yogurt, UNSWEETENED ORGANIC Almond Milk.. and certain brands of salad dressings are just fine! (I like Annie’s brand among others.. or better yet. MAKE YOUR OWN!!)

Anyway.. I think you get the idea…..

“BUT” (you excitedly say) “I don’t eat/drink anything with extra sugar Kim.. I ONLY get “sugar free”, “diet” “zero calorie etc..”so I don’t have to worry about any of that”!! J

Sorry to burst your bubble.. we now enter huge massive enormous monster problem number two.. because when you see that packaging.. or if you see “0 sugars’ on the nutrition label.. I want you to send your eyes to the ingredients label (remember that cold hard truth part?) well.. there it is in black and white.. I’ll be willing to bet you’ll find “ASPERTAME” or “SUCRALOSE”.. (aka splenda, sweetNlow, and equal)

Sometimes you’ll get lucky and see “stevia” or “monk fruit” (these are both FINE AND SAFE! More on that later)

The other two tho (aka “artificial sweeteners”… aspartame and sucralose).. are right there in the PURE EVIL category with High Fructose Corn Syrup!

The biggest (and this is a BIG deal).. the biggest issue with artificial sweeteners.. is that while they are marketed to “leave the body unchanged.”.( so supposedly they don’t ‘do anything” inside the body) the reality is that as they pass through the intestinal tract (where all our very important “good guy” bacteria lives.. ) .. the artificial sweeteners KILL OFF ALL THIS SUPER IMPORTANT GOOD BACTERIA!!!

(why do I care Kim? Well.. since you asked.. the nutshell is that this Good gut bacteria is CRITICAL to how our bodies metabolize, absorb and use the nutrients in our food! Without this GOOD gut bacteria we literally cannot function like we’re supposed to.. we cant make the vitamins and hormones that our body needs without this good gut bacteria!!! And furthermore, since nature abhors a void.. BAD Gut bacteria will over populate and proliferate and take over .. and guess what? This BAD bacteria.. is REALLY bad.. because.. not only does it NOT do the job that the Good gut bacteria is supposed to do.. but it also sends up CRAVINGS FOR MORE SUGAR & MORE PROCESSED REFINED JUNK FOOD!!!

I may have hit a nerve there for some of you? YES GUT HEALTH IS SO IMPORTANT!!! If you experience sugar cravings.. or cravings for junk food.. Id be willing to bet your gut bacteria is out of whack!

So.. a SUPER important component of helping to get your gut health on track is to absolutely refuse and I mean NEVER EVER ingest, drink, eat or chew on ANYTHING with artificial sweeteners. (yes.. that means your diet coke! KICK IT TO THE CURB!!!)

“But But BUT!!! I “NEED” my diet coke!” (or whatever other product you are addicted to)..

My friend.. I’m gonna stop you right there.. cuz the truth is .. 1) you DON’T need it.. an 2) those “diet” products make you gain weight (yup).. make you crave more junk (hello unstoppable munchies.. )… and create inflammation in your body that wont ever stop till you clean up what you are putting into your mouth… sorry kids.. that’s your truth..

Now.. lets move onto some SAFE ways to sweeten your life!

Remember how I mentioned Stevia and Monk Fruit? Well.. guess what? They are both PLANTS! In fact I grow stevia in my herb garden.. and WOW are those leaves SWEET! (like putting a mint leaf in your mouth.. its SOOO MINTY! Well stevia is the same experience. You put a leaf in your mouth and WOW! ITS SOOO SWEET!)

For stevia (granules, liquid etc).. the extraction process requires some distilling.. which creates a “slight’ aftertaste that does not exist in the plant itself.. for monk fruit there is no aftertaste.. however its EXTREMELY Sweet. (even more so than stevia) so a little goes A LONG way!!! Both work great as substitutes for sugar and are commonly used in healthier products as an alternative to sugar. Happily both Stevia and Monk Fruit do no affect the glycemic index and so the label will read “0 sugar”.

Moving forward lets look briefly at a few other safe sweeteners.. these all do affect the glycemic index tho and so should be used mindfully.. (remembering that no more than 24 g of sugar in a day bit)

Honey – Raw, unfiltered (try to get it from local farmers markets and or seek out organic) because unfortunately there are a lot of unscrupulous manufacturers out there that will put all sorts of things into a bottle and label it “honey”.. so stick with the real stuff.. that’s actually good for you! (assorted vitamins and amino acids abound in honey not to mention all the anti allergy help if its local!) I personally use honey in my coffee, make salad dressing with it, and top my musleix/kefir and blueberries with it (just a teaspoon at a time and not every day)

Maple syrup – again.. I’m talking about the “REAL” stuff (not log cabin!) nature makes its own sugar so why not take advantage of it? You can cook with this, put it in your coffee.. all the places you would use table sugar!

Agave Syrup – this one is a little bit of a double edge sword so you have to be more cautious.. Agave can be used like sugar, honey, maple syrup.. its got a slightly different sweetness and so works well when sometimes the others don’t.. From what I gather.. Agave syrup originated somewhere in the desert reaches of central America.. Basically its from a cactus.. and the sweetness has been extracted to make a tasty syrup.. (and tequila!) .. the locals in these areas used agave syrup as their sweetener for generations.. and then somewhat recently.. the north American manufacturers figured out that more and more people are looking for “healthy” alternatives and so started making this stuff and selling it.. Here enters the problem.. and you may have already picked up on this.. American manufacturers do NOT have our best health in as their priority.. they have profit as their priority.. and so these manufacturers have figured out how to over process and over refine this simple natural sweetener into something the body does not recognize (just like high fructose corn syrup! EEEK!) .. so.. I DO use and support the use of Agave Syrup.. with the caveat that it be organic (no chemicals) .. and as minimally processed as possible..

Xylitol and erythritol are two other names that pop up constantly.. these are “sugar alchohols” and as such teeter on the edge of not so great.. further that.. Xylitol if its NOT organic is made from GMO corn which is loaded with glyphosate (roundup) and is therefore on the NEVER EVER eat list.. (glyphosate is showing up in non hodgkins leukemia patients.. so avoid anything made with GMO corn and all the other mass produced crops like the plague!) Sugar alchohols don’t affect the glycemic index and so are “0 sugar”.. the biggest issue with these is that they “trick” the brain into thinking its super sweet sugar and so cravings get created for more excessively sweet sugar.. in addition, these sugar alchohols also trick the brain into thinking that it hasn’t eaten.. and so the hunger hormones persist and people end up eating more than they need….. all of that is obviously a very slippery slope.. Xylitol and Erythritol do bake pretty well .. so I do use ORGANIC (no chemicals/no glyphosate) Xylitol to make things like buttermilk pie and peach cobbler .. these are also better than the alternative options for people who are dealing with diabetes.. (Stevia and Monk Fruit are much better options tho!)

So now that we have a list of “KIM APPROVED” sweeteners.. lets hit the list of RUN SCREAMING IN THE OPPOSITITE DIRECTION if you see these on the ingredients label..

The top of the chart is HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP.. (just keep “pure evil” in mind when you see it!) .. this stuff starts out life as corn.. (duh).. but the type of corn that is inedible.. because its engineered to grow specifically for corn by-product processed ingredients. (I actually have a book with a list of over 200 ‘things” that this type of corn is made into.. things like dextrose, xantham gum and caramel color are all corn derivatives! But I digress).. these corn crops are also engineered to be “round up ready” .. as in the fields are sprayed / drowned in roundup in order to keep the weeds at bay.. while the crop grows on.. the roundup absorbs into the meat of the plant and becomes part of it.. so issue number one with HFCS (and any other ingredient that comes from this type of corn).. is that you are filling your system with glyphosate! (as mentioned above.. this is showing up in cancer cells.. and there is a dramatic increase in this type of cancer as well..) Issue number two is that the body has NO idea what this over processed, over refined, chemical filled substance is.. and so as it passes through the body.. our immune system reads it as an “invader”.. and attempts to protect the body by surrounding the molecules of HFCS with inflammation .. which creates an environment of systemic inflammation.. (aches/pains, insomnia, brain fog, stubborn weight, autoimmune conditions, skin issues, allergies etc are all influenced by this type of inflammation) naturally HFCS also affects the microbiome supporting and feeding the growth of “bad gut bacteria”.. AND it also “Tricks the brain” as its way more sweet than our systems know how to process and so our brain wants MORE of this sweetness at the same time that the bad gut bacteria is sending up cravings for more junk food..

Now that we have the granddaddy of evil food exposed.. I’ll touch on other not good sugar..

Table sugar being the most obvious.. sadly .. what started out as a good product (hey cane sugar is a plant too right?) has become something bad. This because unfortunately those food manufactures got their hands on it and bleached it, chemicalized it, refined it, processed it, and stripped it of anything recognizable as “natural”.. leaving a product that the body has no idea how to identify and once again.. you are set up for systemic inflammation.. so given all the other easy “better/good” sweet options out there.. just stop using the stuff.. it is not serving your body..

Brown sugar/cane sugar are basically less bad than white table sugar. They have not been refined as much and so are slightly more recognizable to the body.. but still not great options.. if my only choice is white table sugar or brown sugar.. I’ll go with the brown every time..

What about all those other “sugars” that I see Kim?

You are right! Nature is FULL of sugars naturally. It is the “energy” of the system that it comes from..

Glucose is the sugar that the human body needs for energy.. it is created within our systems from the carbohydrates that we ingest.. carbs can come from “simple” sources like bread, cookies, crackers, simple pasta, white rice, tortillas, chips etc.. These sources have no nutritional value and break down to sugar upon entering the body.. creating a load of sugar that the body does not need and setting up for toxic levels and systemic inflammation.. so you are best off not eating these things or at a minimum limiting yourself to rare occasions.. Added sugar falls into this category.. so candy and other overly sweet things should be very limited.. the body after all only needs so much glucose.. excess gets stored as fat and who needs that?

Complex carbs on the other hand are NOT BAD and are in fact NEEDED! Things like sweet potatoes, organic oats (non organic are packed with chemicals! So get organic only!) Brown rice (not white!), quinoa etc are all great sources of these good carbs.. they have lots of fiber within them as well which is also very important for good digestive health.. the fiber helps to slow the digestion which helps slow the sugars so your body is not overwhelmed with too much too fast.

Fructose is Fruit sugar… lets jump back to that glass of orange juice.. when you drink the juice it is extracted from many pieces of fruit.. with none of the fiber that is in that fruit.. so all you get is the sugar.. alternatively.. if you eat an orange.. yes you are eating the fruit sugar contained within that ONE orange (vs many). however you are also getting all the fiber.. which helps the body to digest it all more slowly and so the sugar does not have the same crazy affect on the body.. furthermore.. not all fruit sugar processes in the body in the same way.. things like blueberries and cantaloupe have much lower glycemic index affect.. while grapes and mango are much higher. So YES eat your fruit (vs drinking it).. just limit how much and when.. 2 or so servings of fruit a day is excellent.. preferably in the earlier part of the day (so your body has time to use all the sugars as energy!).. Smoothies are great because you get all the fiber in the fruit .. The rest of your “fruits and veggies” ought to focus on the veggie side.. (it is recommended that our daily intake should be 7-9 servings of fruit and vegetables a day!)

Lactose is “milk sugar” – so when you buy milk.. or dairy of any kind.. you will see naturally occurring sugar.. this is not bad.. what is bad is when the manufacturer has “added sugar’ which you will be able to see on the nutrition label .. when you see that. Put the container down and find a different brand with “no added sugar”..

People who are “lactose intolerant’ do not have the enzyme needed to break this type of sugar down.. so some people are better off with out dairy. Others can tolerate it but may chose to avoid dairy anyway (the dairy industry is rampant with chemicals too.. so if you do drink milk, eat cheese, yogurt, ice cream , butter etc.. ) seek out organic (no chemicals), grass fed/pastured cows (these are happy cows that are raised in humane ways in a sustainable way..) better for your body.. better for the cows <3

So here we are.. a little brain weary and probably craving some chocolate? J

(btw.. small amounts of occasional Dark chocolate 85% or greater is actually “good” for you!)

Ultimately the point of this message is to give you some clear direction to help your body help itself! So much chronic illness is tied to too much sugar.. don’t you think that’s an easy problem to solve??

So your challenge, if you choose to accept it.. is to read your labels, kick all the artificial, processed and simple sugars to the curb, seek to stay at or under 24g of natural sugar a day and eat your veggies!!!

If you would like some accountability in making these changes in your own life.. contact me! As your healthy life coach we can uncover where your bad habits lurk, the cause of them, how to break those old habits while we seek to understand and cure the causes and then create new awesome healthy life happy life habits!!!

Lifestyle shifts to naturally lower blood pressure

I’ve talked with so many people who are dealing with elevated blood pressure.. so I felt that perhaps there are more of you out there looking for some ideas to get your own blood pressure under control!

I just wrote this list of ideas for an upcoming workshop and am sharing it with all of you here too.. read on for all sorts of easy ideas!

Ask if you have questions.. I’m here for you!

(PS.. working with me as your own personal health coach is a great way of figuring out how to make these lifestyle changes permanent in your own life! 🙂 ) Contact me and lets talk about how I can partner with you!

<>Diet is a key element in lowering blood pressure.. & following “clean eating” standards is the first step.

Clean Eating naturally removes “simple carb” sources, encourages minimally processed whole grains, seeds and complex carbs, as well as healthy fats , lean meat choices and of course includes eating lots of veggies (7-9 servings per day!) The Greener and the Leafier the better (see the blog titled Clean Eating 101 on this site for more specifics)

“Clean Eating” also supports the DASH recommendations “which may help prevent or help normalize high blood pressure”. DASH also encourages a diet low in sodium, and rich in foods containing potassium, calcium and magnesium.

(*if you are on the medication warfarin(Coumadin), make sure to double check with your doctor on potential drug/food interactions.. Warfarin (Coumadin) is the only anticoagulant that has these drug/food interactions. The other (newer) anticoagulants available do not have any food restrictions. )

In keeping with all of the above and the idea that “food is medicine” there are specific foods that naturally help to balance and lower blood pressure too!

Salmon (wild caught)
Olive oil (extra virgin organic)
Beets and Beet juice (organic no sugar added)
Pomegranates and pomegranate juice (organic no sugar added)
Flax seed
Pistachios
Hibiscus tea
Berries (organic)
And DARK CHOCOLATE!! (Like 70% or more “dark”.. get at sprouts or central market as they have a good selection)

*watch the sugars in the beet and pomegranate juice.. consider drinking half a serving or less to keep sugar intake low

To help balance salt/potassium in your body seek foods that are particularly high in potassium which include:

Vegetables, especially leafy greens, tomatoes, potatoes and sweet potatoes
Fruit, including melons, bananas, avocados, oranges and apricots
Dairy, such as milk and yogurt (grass-fed cows)
Tuna and salmon (wild caught)
Nuts and seeds (raw, no salt added and sprouted seeds)
Beans (soaked and rinsed)

As a reminder, Clean Eating also points to lessening your sugar intake to 24 g or less per day . (so watch sugars in all foods/drinks including fruit.. of note, melon and berries are lower glycemic index fruits)

And the marker for salt is to keep sodium intake less than 2300mg/day is key. (less is even better! In fact, some guidelines point to less than 1500mg/day)

*(read those nutrition labels and pay attention to serving sizes .. Salt & Sugar is in EVERYTHING!)

<>If you are not already, incorporate physical activity into your life. 30 minutes of walking a day is a good example of level of effort and quantity of time to aim for at a minimum.. more is always a good thing! Water aerobics & swimming are excellent low/no impact exercises. (Whatever you choose, just remember to work it at a level that gets your heart rate up!)

<>Managing stress is a BIG DEAL.. the truth is that its very seldom that we can do anything to change the source of many stressors in our lives.. however we CAN change how we process and deal with that stress! Meditation, yoga, deep belly breathing & journaling are all super methods to look to.. or how about listening to calming music on that 30 minute walk each day? J Find what works for you and make it a regular habit..

<>Weight is another area.. and this gets more and more difficult with age.. however a loss of even 5% of your excess body weight has a big affect on lowering blood pressure! Happily… regular physical activity, decreased sugars and refined foods, and increased whole natural foods all help move toward healthy weights.. so this becomes a win win! J

<>Alcohol is an issue in elevated blood pressure.. and no.. drinking more alcohol is not a healthy way to deal with stress!!! So limiting your alcohol consumption will help to get your blood pressure levels back to a health range (120/80 or less)

<>Quitting smoking will naturally help lower blood pressure (as well as helping your entire body’s health!)

<>There is evidence that a healthy gut microbiome helps to balance blood pressure.. (honestly, a well balanced microbiome is critical to so many body system’s proper function that its worth your time and effort to help it along!) To get there, the first step is to understand that you just cannot ingest artificial sweeteners anymore.. (sucralose, aspartame, splenda, equal, sweetnlow etc).. these are all conclusively linked to killing off good gut bacteria and feeding bad bacteria.. to have “even a little artificial sweeteners“ will undo so much good work that you have done.. its just not worth it! To help your gut bacteria get healthy look to add in probiotics to your life.. whether by supplement *, food or both.

Sources of food that contains probiotics are “fermented foods and drink” .. like REAL sauerkraut and pickles (not vlasic! I’m talking about the home made kind!), kimchee is another source and also fermented dairy like kefir and yogurt (you can get coconut based of both if you are dairy intolerant) and drinks like Kambucha.. Also add in prebiotics (which feed the good gut bacteria) like onion, garlic, artichoke, asparagus, leeks, bananas, apples, oats, flax seed & seaweed to name a few).

*If you would like trusted sources of pharmaceutical grade probiotic supplements please see the resources tab on this site as I have 3 professional accounts that all offer excellent probiotics, plus other supplements and vitamins.

This is a “short list” of ideas .. while nothing is a guarantee… by following these suggestions.. you will be giving your body a fighting chance at healing in so many ways! I’ve taken all of this information from a myriad of sources and tried to condense it down for you. If you have questions, please ask!.. While I am NOT a doctor, nurse or dietician.. (& I encourage you to discuss any changes that you want to make with your doctor.) I AM a certified health coach and as such am available to you to be your sounding board, your accountability partner, your mirror and your guide as you seek to set goals and make these healthy shifts in your life! Call me! Lets talk!

Ps.. Some of the reference sources I used are:

Previous training from the Institute of integrative Nutrition Medicalnewstoday.com – 15 ways to naturally lower your blood pressure Healthline.com – 13 foods that are good for high blood pressure Hopkinsmedicine.org – natural ways to lower blood pressure