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Enzymes Baby

Its all about enzymes!

Enzymes are organic compounds that I like to call our body’s spark plugs.

Enzymes help us digest our food and fight off disease.

Our immune system relies on enzymes to function.

Enzymes can, and do become depleted.

In fact, when we’re deficient in enzymes to help break down our food, our body can actually rob the immune system of enzymes to aid in the digestive process.

That means that eating enzyme-depleted food puts a huge burden on our digestive organs and it can lead to a weakened immune system and allergies.

Some of the symptoms of enzyme deficiency are gas, bloating, indigestion, constipation, diarrhea, allergies, catching everything that goes by…

How are enzymes destroyed?

Cooking, heat treating, pasteurization, milling, refining, canning, irradiation, adding chemicals such as preservatives, flavoring agents, artificial colors, pesticides, herbicides… all severely deplete or inhibit enzyme activity.

For example, seeds that have been cooked or boiled will never sprout. That’s because the enzymes have been destroyed.

The solution:

1) Chew your food.
We naturally have enzymes present in our saliva. Careful chewing makes good use of these enzymes and helps lighten the load on digestion.

2) Incorporate a little more raw food
Make sure you have a little bit of raw with every meal. I’m not saying that you need to eat salad all day every day. Just consider a small raw garnish, side salad, or have a piece of (alive) fresh fruit instead of that (dead) cookie.

3) Incorporate fermented foods
Fermentation is a natural method of preservation that brings along a lot of enzymes,

Kefir, a fermented milk, is considered to be one of the richest sources of enzymes.

Some other examples of fermented foods are good quality yogurt, sauerkraut, raw apple cider vinegar, kimchi, miso, kombucha…

4) Get more sprouts into your diet
A little goes a long way. Throw some sprouts into your salads, on sandwiches or into smoothies

5) Select raw, unpasteurized honey

6) Select raw unpasteurized dairy whenever possible
Many clients that cannot tolerate conventional cow dairy, do fine with cow cheese that is made with raw milk.

7) Consider supplementing with plant enzymes if you struggle with digestion.
You’ll want to look for ingredients such as protease, amylase and lipase on the ingredient list. Your local health food store will be able to help you.

There are no magic bullets or quick fixes when it comes to healthy weight management or prevention. It’s all of the little changes that add up.

Reach out  if you’re ready to take the reins.

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The Valley Of Dissapointment

Have you ever started something, not gotten results right away and then quit?

If you answered yes, you’re not alone.

The truth is that with any new endeavor, there is almost always a lag period where it feels like the effort you’re putting in isn’t equivalent to what you’re getting in return.

Meet the valley of disappointment.

This is why change is hard.

It isn’t because your new healthy habits aren’t paying off.

Its because many of us aren’t sticking with them long enough.

The efforts aren’t being wasted – they’re just being stored. It WILL pay off. If you just stick with it.

 

I was interviewed by a podcaster that discusses entrepreneurship and business.

When she asked me what I was most proud of in relation to my business. My answer was that I was proud to have stuck with it.

There were many, many times when the payback felt much less than the amount of energy going in.

The valley of disappointment applies in many different realms.

 

One of the key advantages of having a coach is to help you navigate the inevitable slumps.

Eating healthier and prioritizing yourself will always pay off.

Reach out if any of this resonates.

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Ebb And Flow

I know about all of the stuff.

The smoothies, the sprouting, the fermenting, the bone broth, the meditating, the exercise, the journaling…

Do I do all of the stuff all of the time?

No.

I’m learning about gentleness and choosing to do what feels light.

So, I’m not making my own ferments right now. I can purchase delicious, readymade ones until the urge strikes to make some of my own.

I’m not into green smoothies these days. I’ve been trying to incorporate more leafy greens into my meals, which just feels easier right now.

My daily meditation has been out the window for a few months. I’ve replaced it by a conscious nature walk around my pasture…

 

I know that I WILL do the things again. These are all important tools in my tool belt.

If I start berating and ‘shoulding’ myself to do it all perfectly, (I should meditate, I should get back into making daily smoothies…) it just builds up a bunch of resistance, I get overwhelmed and I shut down.

I can’t – and don’t want to – do it all.

 

What do you berate yourself about most?

 

What if you let up on the ‘shoulding’ for a week?

My experience is that when I honor myself, the good habits come back much sooner without the push-back.

Life is about ebb and flow.

 

What do you really need right now?

 

Is it rest? Maybe the gym can wait until you’ve recharged.

Is it more play? Maybe it isn’t the right time to tackle that big serious project.

Is it more introspection, more time alone, more self acceptance, less outside noise…?

If it feels light – it’s right.

If it feels heavy or hard, it’s likely not the right time – even if the thing makes sense on a cognitive level.

 

Any sustainable, healthy weight loss program will involve working with the flow and tuning in to what you really need right now.

Weight loss and healthy weight maintenance isn’t about doing it all or doing things perfectly.

It’s about showing yourself some grace and self-kindness and going with the flow.

 

ox

Kim

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