Good morning and happy Monday! Since it’s been as hot as hades lately across many areas, it would be a great time to talk about water and staying hydrated. Staying hydrated will help you regulate your body temperature, prevent infections, and keep your organs functioning properly. Staying hydrated can also improve your sleep quality, cognition and mood.

How Much Water Should You Drink?

At a minimum, you should drink half your body weight in ounces. For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, you should drink at least 75 ounces of water a day. You also need to consider the following factors and adjust accordingly:

• Your level of activity (how much you sweat) – if you exercise and sweat, you will need more water

• How much alcohol or caffeine you drink per day – both are dehydrating, so for every cup of caffeine/alcohol, drink an extra cup of water

• The temperature where you live – if you live in a very hot climate, you will require more water

• How Can You Tell if You’re Drinking Enough Water?

Here are a few ways you can tell if you’re drinking enough water:

• If your urine is light in colour, you’re doing well. If it’s darker, you need to drink more water

• Urine is abundant

• You empty your bladder every two or three hours – when you first start to increase water intake, you will need to go to the bathroom more often than you’re used to, but that will only last a few days, and your body will adjust

What if You Don’t Like the Taste of Water?

If you don’t like the taste of plain water, try the following:

• Add slices of lemon, lime, cucumber, or orange

• Add mint leaves

• Try sparkling water (make sure there are no added ingredients)

• Heat water and drink with lemon

• Try drinking out of a fancy goblet or wine glass

How to Increase Water Intake

Here are a few ways you can increase your water intake if you’re not drinking enough:

• Drink 20 ounces of water first thing in the morning. You’ve been asleep for 6 to 10 hours, so it’s time to hydrate! Rehydrating the body and brain will lead to clearer thinking and better energy

• Keep a pitcher of filtered water containing the amount of water you want to drink each day. Doing so will make it easy to remember to drink water and track your intake

• Drink 8 ounces of water before exercise

• Sip water slowly and at intervals during exercise

• Drink 8 ounces of water before each meal

• Keep bottles of water in your car, at the office, or around your work areas

If you’re feeling the heat wave, stay cool and hydrated! If you have any questions, feel free to reply to this message or better yet, let’s chat!

Sleep is often one of the first things to go when people feel stressed. For women, this can be especially true during midlife and menopause. Stress hormones like cortisol can keep you awake, and hot flashes or night sweats can make it challenging to get a good night's sleep. But there are other factors at play too. As we age, our sleep habits may change, and we may find falling or staying asleep harder. Our bodies also produce less melatonin, the hormone that helps us sleep. And getting a good night's rest can be even more challenging if we're dealing with health problems or taking medications that interfere with sleep.

If you have trouble sleeping, here are a few things you can try:

Watch Your Diet

What you eat can affect your sleep patterns. Eating a lot of sugar, fats, and carbohydrates in the evening may make you wide awake at night. A good rule of thumb is to stop eating at least three hours before bedtime and watch how much sugar you consume during the day.

Power-Down Hour

Turn off all electronics at least an hour before bedtime. The blue light from the devices simulates sunlight and tells your body to produce more cortisol and suppress melatonin.

Reduce Alcohol

While alcohol can initially make you sleepy, it can disrupt your sleep cycles, especially REM sleep. You need REM sleep to wake up feeling refreshed and ready to go.

Check Your Sleep Environment

Make sure your room is cool and dark. The optimal sleep temperature is 60-68° F or 16-20° C. A dark room will keep your circadian rhythm in check.

If you are ready to tackle your sleep issues, I want to invite you to my 5-Day Sleep Better NOW challenge starting August 8.

How to Balance Hormones Naturally

A hormonal imbalance can significantly impact overall health. Even small changes in hormone levels can put extra stress on our bodies.

Here are a few strategies you can try if you feel you may suffer from a hormone imbalance:

Get Enough Quality Sleep

If you know me, you know that I LOVE to talk about sleep! Sleep may be among the most important factors for hormonal balance. Hormone levels can fluctuate throughout the day in response to your sleep quality the night before. Poor quality sleep will affect hormones, contribute to obesity and diabetes, and affect your appetite.

Avoid Blue Light at Night

Exposure to blue light from electronics can affect your sleep cycle and circadian rhythm by disrupting your melatonin and cortisol levels.

Manage Your Stress

Stress leads to an increase in adrenaline and cortisol. If levels of these hormones are too high, it can disrupt the overall balance and contribute to obesity, changes in mood, and even cardiovascular issues.

Exercise

Regular exercise and movement can help regulate the hormones that control your appetite. It can also reduce the risk of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.

Watch What You Eat

Keep insulin in check by reducing or eliminating sugar and increasing fibre in your diet. Including healthy fats in your diet can help maintain a balance of hormones involved in appetite, metabolism, and feeling full.

Quit Smoking

Tobacco smoke may disrupt levels of several hormones, including thyroid, pituitary, and steroid hormones.

Limit Caffeine and Alcohol

Consuming caffeine and alcohol can significantly increase cortisol levels. Alcohol abuse can also impact reproductive hormones in both men and women.

Want more information? If you need additional help balancing your hormones naturally, let's chat!

Do You Suffer From Constipation?

Constipation impacts millions of people every day. If you’re experiencing constipation, you’re not alone! Constipation is defined as a lack of regular (daily) bowel movements, straining during elimination, hard stools, incomplete bowel movements, or discomfort around elimination. If you’re not pooping 1-3 times a day, you may be constipated. The standard “go-to” for relief is usually over-the-counter laxatives, but more natural remedies are available. I’ve listed below a few things you can try that have worked for me.

Foods to Include in Your Diet

• High fiber foods

• Green leafy vegetables

• Flax meal

• Flax oil

• Chia seeds

• Soaked prunes or figs (along with soaking water)

Foods to Avoid

• Known food intolerances

• Processed foods

• Dairy

• Fried foods

• Refined wheat products

• Caffeine

• Alcohol

Supplements

• Aloe vera juice

• Psyllium husks

• Magnesium

• Probiotics

Here are a few remedies you can try if you are constipated:

Flax Cocktail

Add one full teaspoon of ground flax seeds in 8oz water. Drink quickly. Follow with a second glass of water to move fiber through the body. You can also do this with Chia Seeds.

Prunes

Soak 2–3 prunes overnight in 4–6 oz. of water. In the morning, drink the prune water before breakfast. Eating the prunes is optional.

Aloe Vera Juice

Choose a juice that is 100% aloe vera with no added sugars. Drink 1⁄4 cup in the morning and 1⁄4 cup in the evening. Aloe is known to help reduce inflammation and improve movement through the colon.

Flax oil

Consume 1 tbsp of oil per day. It can be taken alone, added to smoothies, or made into a salad dressing. Keep flax oil in the fridge and do not heat.

Magnesium

Magnesium is known for its ability to help get things moving and improve transit time. Start with 400mg taken at bedtime. (Consult with your doctor before starting any new supplementation).

Want some additional help with digestion? Check out my best-kept secret for better digestion.

Are You a Coffee Drinker?

I love my coffee! How about you? Coffee does have benefits and here are just a few:

• It stimulates the nervous system and brain to fight fatigue and enhance athletic performance

• It can help with headaches and migraines

• It’s loaded with antioxidants

• It contains magnesium

• It may even lower blood sugar and the risk of type II diabetes

• It may also lower the incidence of liver cancer and liver disease

But why don’t we see these benefits?

There are two main reasons; the quality of the coffee and what else is going into the coffee.

Coffee is often on lists of products high in pesticides, and roasting the beans only removes partial amounts of pesticides. Pick organic to improve your health, the health of the farmers, and the condition of the land in which the plants are grown.

If you drink decaf coffee, choose a brand that uses steam extraction, such as the Swiss Water Decaf process, because producers must use carcinogenic chemicals with other methods.

What we put in our coffee often negates the benefits. Poor quality sugars and sweeteners add unwanted chemicals and calories. If you watched my “How to Kick the Sugar Habit” workshop, you know that artificial sweeteners contain chemicals that affect the body’s detoxification process. It’s the same with milk, cream, and non-dairy creamers. They add extra calories and extra unwanted ingredients that our bodies may not like (casein, whey, lactose, hormones, hydrogenated oils, artificial flavours, and so on)!

The Bottom Line

Look for organic and fair-trade coffee. Drink it black or add more natural ingredients like coconut or MCT oil and grass-fed butter for a bulletproof coffee. Try more natural sweeteners like stevia or monk fruit if you like sweeteners.

Eating foods that are “in season” has many benefits. It’s healthier for you, more flavorful and fun. Here are five reasons why you should start eating seasonally:

It’s More Nutritious

Seasonally fresh produce picked when fully developed and at the peak of the season contains higher nutrients.

It’s Better for the Environment

When obtained locally, produce is less likely to be subjected to pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides. These compounds deplete the soil, contaminate the water, and cause health issues.

It Supports Local Farmers

Local produce equals less transportation, less forced ripening, less refrigeration, and few chemicals.

It Tastes Better

When produce is shipped globally, and out of season, farmers must use post-harvest treatments to control ripening, spoilage, and quality, affecting the crop’s taste.

It’s More Affordable

It’s all about supply and demand. When a crop is abundant, the cost will be lower.

The Bottom Line

Eating with the season is a great way to improve your health, help the environment, and enjoy delicious food all at the same time!

If you're having trouble with your digestion, you're not alone. It can be a tricky problem to fix, but there are plenty of ways to get help. Here are some tips to get started:

Exercise

Exercise builds muscle tone, and muscle tone helps move food through the digestive tract. Aim for 20 minutes a day, and any movement will help.

Don't overeat

Overeating can be taxing on your digestive system and affect the rate of digestion. We tend to eat until full when we should eat until satisfied.

Reduce or eliminate processed foods

Processed foods are challenging to digest, and your body needs to supply more nutrients to metabolize processed food, robbing itself of those required nutrients.

Chew your food

Digestion starts in the mount, and saliva contains many enzymes to break down food. Try to chew 20-30 times per bite.

Boost stomach acid

Add freshly squeezed lemon juice or fermented apple cider vinegar to water each morning to give your stomach a boost for digestion.

Eat more fibre

It makes your stool soft and bulky and speeds transit time through the colon.

Drink water

Water is my answer to almost everything! Your stomach needs water for digestion. Lack of water can result in ulcers, indigestion, heartburn, fatigue, brain fog, memory loss, and constipation.

Probiotics

Good bacteria strengthens your immune system, reduces inflammation, and helps with leaky gut. You can get it in supplement form, but make sure you store it properly. Some probiotics need to be refrigerated! You can also find in food like yogurt, Kefir, Kombucha, Sauerkraut, dark chocolate, Kimchi, tempeh, pickles, raw cheese, miso

Digestive Enzymes

You need three enzymes to break down food properly:

1. Lipase for fat

2. Amylase for carbohydrates

3. Protease for protein

Without sufficient digestive enzymes, the body cannot digest food particles properly, which may lead to food intolerances. Digestive enzymes can be obtained from supplements or naturally through foods. Foods that contain natural digestive enzymes include pineapples, papayas, mangoes, honey, bananas, avocados, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, miso, kiwi and ginger.

How often do you read the nutrition labels on ingredients at the grocery store?

The FDA requires every manufactured food in America to have a nutrition label, which is fantastic because it allows us to make intelligent choices regarding food. But what information is most valuable on the nutrition label?

First of all, don’t judge an item solely by the front label – it can be wildly misleading. Just because it says “healthy” doesn’t mean it is healthy! You still need to read the labels to get the correct information. Here are the basics to get you started.

Serving Size

Knowing the serving size will vastly impact the other information on the label.

Did you know that the serving size of peanut butter is only two tablespoons? That’s almost 200 calories of peanut butter - and most of us consider a “serving” to be way more! Similarly, the serving size for butter is a tablespoon, but many of us use more on our morning toast. Be mindful of what a “serving” is so you know how many calories you are consuming.

Serving size is based on a 2,000 calorie diet. The FDA says that, on average, an adult human needs 2,000 to live healthfully, but you might need more or fewer than that. It will be different for you when you see the % daily value for a certain vitamin or mineral. Keep that in mind as you read labels.

Ingredients

Always ask yourself if you would recognize the ingredients in nature. For instance, did it fly, swim or grow? Is it a plant, or was it made in a plant? Are there words on the label that would knock you out of a spelling bee? You want words like “pepper”... not words like “Butylated Hydroxyanisole.”

Nutrients

Know your personal limits are for sugar, fat, salt, and calories to help you decide if a product is right for you.

When you start reading nutrition labels, you might be disappointed to discover that many of your favourite packaged foods aren’t so healthy. If you find that one of your favourite foods contains too much sodium, take a photo of the ingredients and challenge yourself to make a better version at home with wholesome ingredients!

Bottom Line

When considering an item at the grocery store, ask yourself, “Did it fly, swim, or grow? Did it have a mother?” Try to make the bulk of your diet consist of foods that don’t have a label, like fruits and veggies.

When you learn to enjoy foods with simple ingredients, your body will thank you with more energy, clearer thinking, and longer life.

Want to learn more? Check out my upcoming workshop, Kick Your Sugar Habit, where I talk about nutrition labels and other ways to kick your sugar habit permanently.

Do you want to curb your sugar cravings? Here are a few tips to get you started.

Drink Water

Sometimes, the craving may be a sign of dehydration. Drink a big glass of water and wait five minutes and see if you still have the urge to eat something sweet.

Eat Sweet Veggies, Fruits, and Spices Instead

Add naturally sweet foods and spices to your diet like squash, yams, carrots, beets, berries, figs, apples, cinnamon, coriander, nutmeg, and cloves.

Sleep!

You’ve heard me say this many times, but sleep is essential! If you are constantly tired, your body will look for energy in the form of sugar or caffeine. Start working on a regular sleep schedule to ensure you get enough hours of rest.

Check Your Protein

Keep an eye on what type and how much protein you are eating. Eating too much or too little animal protein can lead to massive sweet cravings. You’ll want to find the best amount that works for your unique body.

Watch Out for Low-Fat Foods

When manufacturers take the fat out of food, they typically add more sugar. You may be eating more sugar than you think!

Movement

Movement reduces stress and makes you feel and look great. When you don’t get enough exercise, your body starts to look for other ways to blow off steam, like binging on carbohydrates.

Create New Post-Meal Rituals

If you like dessert after your meal, ask yourself why. Is it a ritual or habit? What are some other post-meal rituals you can try?

If you want more tips and tricks on curbing your sweet tooth, check out one of my upcoming Kick Your Sugar Habit workshops.

https://www.ntlrx.com/sugar-workshop

Who doesn’t love sugar? We get pleasure from eating it. We may even get the “sugar high” only to crash shortly afterward. If you love sugar and can’t seem to stop eating it, you are not alone. Sugar is one of the most addictive substances in our food today. Approximately 75% of Americans consume an excessive amount of sugar.

Are you addicted to sugar? Here are a few common signs that typically point to sugar addiction.

Do you juice or blend? Both or none? Here’s an infographic on the difference between the two.

As you settle into the new year, it’s not too late to make a few minor changes in your diet and lifestyle to help reset your health. A health reset will help you develop healthy habits, kick out bad habits, sleep better, gain energy, improve digestion, reduce inflammation, and feel your best.

If you answer yes to any of the following questions, it’s time for a health reset.

• Have I gained a few extra pounds that I can’t seem to lose?

• Do I get bloated after eating?

• Do I feel sluggish and tired during the day?

• Am I addicted to unhealthy foods?

• Do I have cravings for sugary or starchy foods?

• Do I have difficulty focusing or experience a foggy brain?

If it’s time for a reset, here are a few tips to help you get started.

You've decided to lose weight, you read up on how to do it, you select a plan, and you purchase exercise clothing. The first week goes well, and you see the scale dip down slightly. Woot!

You decide to keep going with the plan, but at some point, during week two, you catch yourself sitting on the sofa watching television in your workout clothing, gobbling down a pint of ice cream.

Sound familiar?

If so, you've fallen into one of the most common weight-loss traps: self-sabotage. It's sneaky and often difficult to pin down. It's also confusing, and it's completely derailing your weight loss efforts.

By definition, behavior is sabotaging when it creates problems and interferes with long-standing goals.

In other words, you know what you need to do, but you don't do it. Or you know what you shouldn't do, but you do it anyway. That's the simplest way to understand how self-sabotage works.

Are You Ready to Stop Self-Sabotage?

You say you want to lose weight, but you're not successfully doing it. Chances are you're feeling discouraged, ashamed or confused. Perhaps you also have diet fatigue or lack confidence because you don't believe in your ability to lose weight.

The harsh reality is that you're sabotaging your weight loss efforts because of those feelings. To overcome sabotaging behaviors, you first have to look at what's causing the behavior in the first place, which can be difficult.

If you're willing to make a change in your life, then I'm willing to offer you one laser-coaching session at no charge.

During the session, I'll help you:

Identify how you sabotage yourself. Self-sabotage might look like procrastination, avoidance, over-eating, not getting enough sleep.

Name your fears about weight loss. Remember, fears are usually irrational, so when you put them down on paper, they might seem silly, and that's okay!

Create a weight loss plan. We'll lay a solid foundation to get you started on your successful weight loss journey.

All you have to do is schedule the session. You'll be amazed at what one coaching session can do to jumpstart your weight loss.

Do You Count Calories?

If you do, here are some things you should know:

You can’t account for every single calorie

Even if you weigh your food, it’s challenging to count the unused milk in your cereal bowl or the extra teaspoon of oil you used when cooking. You should also consider how the spices you cook with can alter caloric absorption and how your body utilizes calories. Also, the type of food determines how your body absorbs calories. The more processed the food, the easier it is for your body to digest and absorb the calories. Eating whole (less processed) foods requires your body to expend more energy to digest, therefore absorbing fewer calories. It’s safe to say… it’s a very complex process!

Food and exercise can affect caloric value

100 calories from spinach is very different than 100 calories from a donut. Each food can affect satiety, digestion, metabolism, and hormones differently. It’s the same with exercise. Different workouts can result in the same caloric burn but may not have the same effect on health. When choosing foods and exercise, consider the long-term impact.

Labels can be misleading

The FDA allows food labels to be accurate within 80%. That’s a lot if you are counting calories!

Bottom Line

Calorie counting is a small part of the larger health equation. I believe most people don’t need to count calories as there are many other ways to track overall health if you are trying to lose weight.

Water is essential for the functioning of our bodies. Today, we have many choices of tastes and types of water, including carbonated water. But is carbonated water just as hydrating as still water?

Plain carbonated water is simply water pressurized with carbon dioxide. As long as the water is free of additives, it's just as hydrating and healthy as still water.

However, there are many different types of carbonated water on the market:

• Club soda contains ingredients like salt, sodium bicarbonate, or potassium bicarbonate.

• Flavored Sparkling Water may contain added natural sugars, citric acid, sodium, or caffeine.

• Mineral water comes from mineral springs and contains minerals, including salts and sulfur compounds.

• Seltzer water is just regular water that has been carbonated. Some bottled seltzer water may contain added flavors and ingredients.

• Tonic water contains added sugar, sweeteners, and flavors.

What about other benefits/risks?

Research has shown that carbonated water may help aid digestion, help improve swallowing ability, and increase feelings of fullness.

Side effects may include gas and bloating, and carbonated water high in sugar can cause tooth decay.

The bottom line is to read the label. If you're worried about sodium intake or tooth decay, stick to plain carbonated water with no additives.

Tips for Holiday Sips

The holiday season brings family gatherings and festive events. It also brings extra calories in the form of food and drink. Adding alcohol to the equation makes it difficult if you’re trying to maintain your weight over the holiday season.

One gram of alcohol is approximately seven calories. It’s more than carbs and fat (4 calories) but less than fat (9 calories). The issue with alcohol is that our bodies don’t burn calories while metabolizing it as we do with carbs, fat, and protein.

Alcohol is easy to absorb, so it enters our bloodstream without burning any extra calories. It’s seen as a toxin, so our liver metabolizes before anything else. Our liver can only metabolize about one ounce of alcohol per hour, which is why we get tipsy if we drink too fast.

If you’re looking to indulge over the holiday season, here are a few tips that may help:

Pour half as much

If you’re drinking wine, pour 3 to 4 ounces at a time instead of 6 to 9 ounces. With liquor, opt for a smaller shot in a tall glass with a lot of ice.

Avoid higher-calorie mixed drinks

Eggnog is usually the go-to for many holiday parties, but one 8-ounce pour can be over 350 calories! Opt for lower-calorie options like:

• Red or white wine: 5 ounces | Calories; 125, Carbohydrate: 4g

• Light beer: 12 ounces | Calories: 100; Carbohydrate: 5g

• Champagne: 5 ounces | Calories: 100; Carbohydrate: 1g

• Vodka, whiskey, rum, or gin: 1.5 ounces | Calories: 96; Carbohydrate: 0g

Alternate between alcohol and water

Drinking water in-between each glass of alcohol will help you stay hydrated, and you’ll drink less.

Sip Slowly

Enjoy that beverage! Drinking slowly will allow you to savor the taste, and you will also drink less.

Have you ever woken up on January 1st a bit disappointed in how you treated your body during the holiday season?

Without a plan in hand, it’s tough to stick to your healthy living goals with all the eggnog and sugar cookies floating around, not to mention the food pushers and saboteurs lurking in the shadows.

Here are seven ways to stay healthy over the holidays.

Do you find there are some days where you can’t get enough food into your belly? Hunger is the way your body tells you it needs food. However, there may be other reasons why you are constantly hungry.

You are not eating enough protein

Protein plays a vital role in appetite control by regulating hunger hormones. Eating protein with each meal or snack, rather than all at once, may help keep appetite steady throughout the day.

You are not getting enough sleep

As you’ve heard me say many times, sleep is essential for our overall health. Sleep regulates ghrelin, our appetite-stimulating hormone. Lack of sleep leads to higher ghrelin levels, which explains why you may feel constantly hungry when tired.

You are eating too many refined carbohydrates

Refined carbs lack fiber and cause blood sugar fluctuations, which are the primary reasons why eating too many of them may leave you feeling hungry.

Your diet is low in fat

Fat plays a role in slowing digestion and increasing the production of fullness-promoting hormones.

You’re not drinking enough water

When you are dehydrated, you will feel hungry. Often we mistake dehydration for hunger and reach for food instead of water.

Your diet lacks fiber

Fiber plays a role in reducing your appetite and keeping you full. High-fiber foods will take longer to digest than low-fiber foods.

You eat while distracted

Eating while distracted makes it difficult for you to recognize feelings of fullness.

You exercise a lot

Individuals who regularly exercise at a high intensity or for extended durations tend to have larger appetites and faster metabolisms. Thus, they may experience frequent hunger.

You drink too much alcohol

Alcohol is well known for its appetite-stimulating effects. Alcohol may inhibit hormones that reduce appetite, such as leptin, especially when consumed before or with meals.

You drink your calories

If you consume many liquid foods, such as smoothies, meal replacement shakes, and soups, you may be hungrier more often than you would be if you ate more solid foods.

One reason for this is that liquids pass through your stomach more quickly than solid foods do. Also, liquid foods do not have the same effects on keeping you full and satisfied as solid foods do. For this reason, you may feel hungry frequently if liquids are a significant part of your diet.

You are over-stressed

Stress increases cortisol levels, a hormone that is known to promote hunger and food cravings. During fight or flight mode, cortisol floods your body, which convinces it to eat, even if you don’t need the calories.

You’re taking medications

Certain medications cause increased appetite as a side effect. In turn, they may cause you to experience frequent hunger.

The most common appetite-inducing medications include antipsychotics, antidepressants, mood stabilizers, corticosteroids, and antiseizure drugs.

You eat too fast

Eating too quickly doesn’t allow your body enough time to recognize fullness, which may promote excessive hunger. It can take upwards of 20 to 30 minutes for your brain to realize you are full.

You have a medical condition

Medical conditions like diabetes, hyperthyroidism, hypoglycemia, depression, anxiety and premenstrual syndrome may cause excessive hunger.

If you suspect that you may have one of these conditions, talk with your doctor to receive a proper diagnosis and discuss treatment options.

You are on a calorie-restricted diet

Consuming fewer calories than the body burns can cause the body to produce a hormone called ghrelin, our “hunger hormone.” A low-calorie diet can increase ghrelin production and cause hunger, even if you have just eaten.

You consume a lot of sugar

A high-sugar diet may cause the body to produce more ghrelin and affect activity in specific brain regions to make a person feel less full.

You are bored

Some people may confuse boredom with hunger, causing them to eat more.

You are going through menopause

A decline in estrogen during menopause may lead to an increased appetite.

You are obese

Leptin is a hormone that tells the brain when the stomach is full. Leptin levels usually rise after a person eats a meal. Overweight or obese individuals may develop leptin resistance, which can make them feel hungry more often.

You Drink Diet Soda

Soda is one of the sugariest foods you can consume. And while you may know sugar makes you crave sugar, artificially sweetened products, and sugar alternatives can ramp up your appetite even more than natural sugar, causing increased calorie consumption over time.

You skip meals

Skipping meals can make you feel hungrier when it’s time to eat. When you don’t eat, your body can deplete its blood glucose stores, promoting an uptick in the hunger hormone ghrelin, ramping up your appetite.

Your Gut Health Is Off

Unhealthy eating or meals centered on saturated fats and sugars can disrupt your digestive system. As a result, an increase in harmful bacteria in your gut may inhibit the good bacteria from regulating your hunger hormones.

Now that it’s getting cooler out, I’m starting to crave soups and stews. A base for many soups and stews is a good bone broth. It’s easy to make from scratch using the bones of a cow, chicken, turkey, and even fish.

There are so many health benefits to bone broth:

It’s nutritious

Bones are rich in vitamins, including calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus. Bone marrow contains iron, vitamin A, vitamin K, selenium, and zinc.

It helps your joints

Bone broth is a source of collagen, which is so essential for our joints. Our cartilage tends to wear down over time through continuous use, which adds stress to our joints. Adding collagen to your diet will help protect the joints from constant wear and tear.

It may help fight osteoarthritis

A 2016 study in the Nutrition Journal found that type 2 collagen (from the connective tissue of chickens) helped improve pain and stiffness in people with osteoarthritis.

It may help reduce inflammation and heal the gut

Not only is bone broth easy to digest, but an amino acid also called glutamine found in the gelatin of bone broth can help maintain the function of the intestinal wall and is known to prevent and heal leaky gut. Gelatine can also bind with water to support the healthy transit of food through the intestines.

It may help you sleep better

The amino acid glycine found in bone broth may help you relax, and multiple studies have also shown that this amino acid helps promote sleep. You may fall asleep faster, maintain a deeper sleep, and wake fewer times during the night!

It may support weight loss

Bone broth is high in protein, which helps the body feel full longer. It’s low in calories but can still satisfy hunger.

The holidays are a time for celebration and festivities, but they can also mean weight gain, stress, and total overwhelm. Thankfully, my 6-Week Happy Healthy Holidays challenge will give you strategies to maintain a healthy lifestyle while also enjoying the magic of the holiday season.

Let this be the year you "maintain, not gain" while enjoying some planned indulgences. We begin on November 26th. Click the link below to learn more and enroll in this 6-Week challenge.