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Strengthen Your Gut Lining

Recently I was listening to a podcast about leaky gut and they mentioned a product called Restore. Both speakers praised this product. Since I have had some gut issue of my own I decided to do some research and purchase a bottle.

Most of our immune system is in our gut. So if we have gut issues or leaky gut it can impact our health in many ways. With leaky gut the tight junctions in our gut become weak. This can allow toxins and undigested food to leak into our bloodstream where they are not intended to be. Disruption of the tight junctions is associated with inflammatory diseases processes.

Glyphosate is an herbicide commonly used on crops to kill weeds and grasses. Hundreds of millions of pounds of glyphosate are used on US farms and more than 1.2 billion pounds are used worldwide each year. Glyphosate has been shown to increase gut permeability. A study was done to see if lignite extract could block glyphosate from causing injury to the gut lining. They found that lignite caused the tight junctions to strengthen even in the presence of glyphosate. Hence allowing fewer toxins to leak through into the bloodstream.

Restore is a soil-derived supplement that helps protect and strengthen the gut lining. It is a carbon-rich, alkaline liquid, composed of Terrahydrite. By strengthening the tight junctions in the gut there will be a decreased amount of toxins that leak into the bloodstream thereby relieving the immune system from working overtime. Restore has also shown to create a beneficial shift in the gut bacteria.

The office I just started working for sells Restore so I bought a bottle to try. There is no taste. I’ve been using it for a week now and have seen improvements in the skin issues I have been dealing with. My nephew even takes it because there is no flavor and it tastes like water.

While we cannot live like a hermit and should be able to enjoy life and food! Glyphosate is unfortunately in most of our food supply so Restore is a great option to help combat it and protect your gut.

Gildea JJ, Roberts DA, Bush Z. Protective Effects of Lignite Extract Supplement on Intestinal Barrier Function in Glyphosate-Mediated Tight Junction Injury. J Clin Nutr Diet. 2017, 3:1. doi: 10.4172/2472-1921.100035

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Whipped Body Butter!

I recently starting making my own body butter and it has done wonders for my skin! I’m all for using more natural ingredients but only if it doesn’t require a long list and all day to make. When I started looking at all the additives in common lotions it made me think twice about applying it to my skin. Luckily this body butter does not require a long list of ingredients, it is not time-consuming, and it is healthy for your skin! You can use this base recipe and substitute any essential oil you would like!

What you will need:

  • 1 cup coconut oil
  • 1 cup raw shea butter
  • 1/8 cup jojoba oil
  • 20-30 drops essential oils, I mixed geranium, frankincense, and lavender

Jojoba oil has many benefits for healthy skin. It is rich in vitamin B and E. Jojoba oil along with coconut oil and shea butter are great moisturizers. Frankincense contains Boswellia that is an anti-inflammatory compound. Lavender is very calming and helps reduce stress. Geranium is great at helping relieve skin irritation and can also tone! You can switch these oils out to create a different scent in the lotion.

You will add your coconut oil, shea butter, and jojoba oil into a glass container and place inside a pot filled with water. Heat until mixture melts. Now place into the refrigerator until solid (usually 1-2 hours). Remove from refrigerator, add essential oils, and use a mixer to blend all ingredients together. Now enjoy and feel the difference in your skin!

 

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Essential Oils

I recently received my essential oils in the mail! It is like Christmas day again. I also ordered some all-natural organic face cream. I have used it for two days and can already tell a notable difference in how soft my skin is.

You can use essential oils for so many things. You can use them as chemical free cleaning products; diffuse them; skincare; hair care; and natural remedies etc.

For example, Geranium, Frankincense, and Lavender are wonderful for the skin. Frankincense is the most referenced oil in the bible. It is great at helping boost the immune system. Frankincense contains Boswellia which is an anti-inflammatory compound.

Lemon oil is great for cleaning, natural detoxification, and can even be used with raw honey to sooth sore throats.

Lavender is great to help reduce stress and lower cortisol levels. Just add a couple of drops in a diffuser and place it close by.

Essential oils are 10-70x more concentrated than when in the plant form. This means that 15 ml bottle of lavender oil is equivalent to 150 lbs of flowers! You do have to do some research to make sure the brand you are using is organic therapeutic grade oils.

Do you use essential oils?! If so, what are some of your favorite ways to use them?

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Did you know chiropractors are primary care providers?

Chiropractic approaches health by relying on the body’s natural healing ability. We believe that the relationship between the spine and nervous system contribute to many disease processes. Doctors of chiropractic are physicians who see the body as a whole and give special attention to: spinal mechanics, musculoskeletal, vascular, neurological, and nutritional connections.

 

A chiropractic physician is considered a primary health care provider and also a portal of entry to the health care system. Chiropractic physicians appreciate the demand for intervention with doctors in a different specialty, when needed. If a patient’s condition needs an allopathic physician then a referral is made.

 

Chiropractic physicians must pass four national board exams and a physical therapy exam in order to be eligible to sit for state board examinations. Training between doctors of chiropractic and medical doctors are very similar in regards to basic science course work. Where the training differs is with chiropractors having nutritional classes and spinal adjusting whereas medical doctors have pharmacology.

 

Chiropractic
Class Hours		 Subject Medical
Class Hours
520 Anatomy-Embryology 508
420 Physiology 326
271 Pathology-Geriatrics-Pediatrics 335
300 Chemistry 325
114 Microbiology/Bacteriology 130
370 Diagnosis 374
320 Neurology 112
217 Radiology 148
65 Psychology/Psychiatry 144
65 Obstetrics-Gynecology 198
225 Orthopedics 156
2,887 TOTAL HOURS 2,756
1,598 Specialty Courses 1,492
4,485 Total Class Hours 4,248

NOTE:   Adapted from: Chapman-Smith, D. The Chiropractic Profession. NCMIC Group Inc. 2000.

 

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This week was on point!

Okay so this week was definitely one of my favorite! Meal prepping has just made my week so much easier! I admit Sunday it feels like a lot to prep it all but it’s so nice to just grab and go all week! This week I made Spinach and ricotta pie for breakfast, Turkey burgers with broccoli slaw, and zucchini lasagna :). I added some fresh salad or veggies with each meal and was good to go all week.

I love chocolate. It’s one of my biggest weaknesses. I found a recipe for peanut butter cup fat bombs and they are the bomb! Below are the recipes, enjoy!

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Spinach Ricotta Pie (I used Spinach instead of chard)

http://www.ibreatheimhungry.com/2012/12/swiss-chard-ricotta-pie-w-sausage-crust.html

http://www.skinnytaste.com/zucchini-lasagna/

Peanut Butter Cups (I used almond butter instead of peanut butter and 1 packet of stevia instead of splenda. These made 12 and each have less than 2g carbs!)

http://screwedonstraight.net/keto-diet-peanut-butter-cup-fat-bombs/

 

 

 

 

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Low Carb Pizza Casserole!

I love pizza! This recipe was super easy to make and it was so yummy! Best of all its low carb! I found this website and its awesome. There are so many low carb recipes and even menu plans.

Here’s what you need

  • 1 medium head of cauliflower
  • 2 Tbsp Heavy Cream
  • 1 Tbsp Butter
  • 20 slices pepperoni
  • 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • salt and pepper to taste

Clean the cauliflower and break  it into medium sized pieces. Place in a bowl and microwave with 2 Tbl of cream and 1 Tbl of butter. Microwave, uncovered, on high for 10 minutes. Remove and stir to coat cauliflower with cream/butter mixture. Microwave for another six minutes on high (or until tender.) Remove from the microwave and put into a high speed blender along with the 8 slices of pepperoni and ¼ cup mozzarella cheese. blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper

Spread the cauliflower puree into an 8 x 8  dish.  Cover with ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese, and layer with pepperoni. Bake at 375 degrees (F) for about 20 minutes.

Enjoy!

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http://www.ibreatheimhungry.com/2013/05/pepperoni-pizza-cauliflower-casserole-low-carb-and-gluten-free.html

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Food Junkie

Everyone loves food right? I do! It’s hard to juggle eating semi healthy and life. I’ve dabbled with meal prepping but never really stuck with it. When things got busy I went back to my old eating habits. If I don’t meal prep I don’t cook during the week which equals junk food for me! I’ve been doing solid meal prep for about 3 weeks now and it’s so easy to just grab food and go during the week. I’ll be sharing some awesome recipes I find along the way :).  I do mostly a low carb diet to eliminate food sensitivities.

My favorite so far is a Honey Balsamic Chicken and Veggies and its a one pan and done! You can modify the recipe with different vegetables to change it up a bit.

For the Sauce

  • mix  balsamic vinegar, honey, Dijon, garlic, oregano and basil together
  • In large bowl, combine balsamic vinegar mixture and chicken
  • marinate for at least 30 minutes to overnight. Drain the chicken from the marinade.
  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  • I used coconut oil to coat my pan.
  • Now place any vegetables you want in the pan. My favorite is zucchini, grape tomatoes, bell peppers, kale, and broccoli but I’ve also used asparagus, and squash too!
  • Place into oven and cook until the chicken is completely cooked through,  about 25-30 minutes. If you use asparagus add it during the last 10 minutes of cooking time.
  • Enjoy!
For the chicken
  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

I found the recipe from Damn Delicious and it really is delicious! Let me know if you try it and what you think!

http://damndelicious.net/2015/07/10/honey-balsamic-chicken-breasts-and-veggies/

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Graduate School

It’s been a while since I’ve posted… A long while… I’ve just completed my first year of chiropractic school! I’m in Port Orange, Florida and I love it.

1yr

I’m so excited for the future and to know I’ll be helping people daily. Here’s a link to an awesome video showing how chiropractic helps people. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IU9emzBDRA

I miss taking pictures! I took some of the lighthouse we have here a while back. My camera has been calling me so we’ll see what the future holds 😉

lighthouse

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I’m an official graduate of UNCP :)

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I graduated on May 5th 🙂  It was an awesome day!  God has been so wonderful to my family.  He has sent so many blessings, and guided us each step of the way.  I now have my BS in Chemistry and I graduated with honors.  I’m half way to my goal now.  Now I just have medical school left 😉

My family has been a wonderful support system, and so supportive of everything i’ve done.  I’m so grateful for them.

I’ve made some wonderful lasting friendships during college and will definitely miss seeing everyone everyday.  I wish all my classmates the best of luck!Image