Don Colbert's Blog, page 17

Holiday Weight Gain? Start Anew with a Detox and Fast for 2023

Did you know the average American likely gained about 6 pounds during the Holiday season? Not only is this 6-pound gain unhealthy, but it can destroy motivation and sabotage all the hard work done during the year beforehand.

Why do we put on weight? There are several reasons. Here’s the truth about Holiday weight gain and what you can do now to get back on track with Dr. Colbert’s 21 Day Detox and Fast Starter System.

Study Shows Average of 6-Pound Holiday Weight Gain

A study survey conducted in 2018 of over 2000 respondents found that (1):

45% planned on not trying to eat healthy during the Holiday season44% plan on eating multiple Holiday dinners in one day33% were okay with eating so much on Holidays they feel sick40% typical require looser clothes after a Holiday meal54% don’t plan on exercising at all through theOnly an estimated 12% will get through the end of the year without adding pounds33% have already decided on their New Year’s Resolutions; these include exercise, eating healthy, self-care, saving money, and learning a new skill

Unfortunately, this data tells a dismal story. However, you can start anew in 2023 and change your health!

The Truth About Holiday Weight Gain

Holiday weight gain typically occurs because many adults see the last 6 weeks of the year as a great excuse to overeat, slack off on exercise, and become more sedentary in general.

It’s 6 weeks of letting go of healthy habits that causes the weight gain, and not a couple extravagant meals.

Instead of finishing the year strong, many people are ready to cozy up and quit during December. They might order donuts or eat cinnamon rolls for breakfast on an ordinary day. Snacks may become Christmas cookies rather than a healthy choice. They often plan to undo any weight gain once they set their resolutions for the New Year.

New Year’s Resolutions Don’t Undo Holiday Weight Gain

The problem? There is a mountain of evidence that shows New Years’ Resolutions don’t work. Most people completely abandon them before January is over, often just after one week (2).

The mentality of feast now and resolve later, for 6 weeks, leaves many adults in a cycle of perpetual weight gain, year after year at worst. Or at best, a cycle of gaining and losing the same pounds over and over again.

(Instead of New Year’s Resolutions for 2023, try our small steps plan instead here.)

Stop the Cycle with Daily Habits and Detox

This year, you can stop the cycle and get healthier than ever. In fact, Dr. Colbert’s 21 Day Detox and Fast System can help you:

Feel energized, vibrant, and youthful rather than feeling like you want to quitAvoid eating toxic, fat-building and aging foods throughout the yearOmit starchy, belly-fat-adding refined carbohydrates and sugarsForegoSupport your body’s detoxification system of the toxins and harmful substances that build up throughout the yearOmit foods that drag down your energy and cause glucose peaks and valleys

Dr. Colbert’s 21 Day Detox and Fast Starter System is a kit that includes contains Divine Health’s Fermented Green Supremefood®, Divine Health’s Organic Red Supremefood®, Divine Health’s Fiber Zone, and Dr. Colbert’s Fasting Zone Book.

These 4 amazing products work together to support the health of your cells, immune system, mind, and body. In 21 days, you can feel lighter, energized, more resilient, and mentally clearer.

Bonus: Chlorophyll Green Detox Smoothie Recipe

Ingredients

1 scoop Divine Health’s Fermented Green Supremefood®1 scoop Divine Health Fiber Zone1/4 avocado1/2 cup berries (any kind)1-2 cups spinach1 tablespoon organic coconut oiljuice from 1 lemon (about 1/4 cup)1 cup of waterice, as needed for desired texture

Instructions

Place all ingredients, except sweetener and ice, in your blender or food processor. Process until smooth. Add sweetener to taste. Add ice until desired consistency is reached. Makes 1 serving.

Nutrition info (per entire recipe): 300 calories, 20 grams fat, 9 grams net carbs (24 grams carbs, 15 grams fiber), 4 grams protein

There are many outstanding ingredients in this smoothie that support detox. In fact, all 6 detox systems in the body can benefit from this smoothie. They include your liver, kidneys, digestive tract, skin, lymph system, and respiratory tract (3, 4, 5, 6).

Bottom Line

Ready to start 2023 with an amazing detox system? How about a daily chlorophyll detox smoothie? If you’d like to support your whole body, energy production, and metabolism, don’t wait. Get started today with Dr. Colbert’s 21 Day Detox and Fast System.

 

The post Holiday Weight Gain? Start Anew with a Detox and Fast for 2023 appeared first on Dr. Don Colbert.

5 Small Steps for Amazing Health in 2023

Are you ready for amazing health in 2023? But, do you also find it overwhelming to make huge health changes and resolutions?

No problem, this plan is for you! Let’s take small steps this year. Your small steps each day can lead to big, amazing health in 2023. Here’s how you can change your health. Let’s go!

5 Small Steps for Amazing Health in 2023Step #1: Have a Word

Instead of a resolution or a goal, start with one word.

Decide what your word will be for 2023. What do you want to get out of this year? How will you face challenges, accept blessings, and keep going strong?

Choose a word and repeat. If you want to take it a step further, memorize a bible verse that represents that word to you.

For example, your word might be COURAGE. You can repeat this word to yourself when things get tough, and when you have new opportunities.

A verse to memorize might be 2 Timothy 1:7 “For God did not give us a spirit of fear. He gave us a spirit of power and of love and of a good mind.”

Step #2: Go Beyond Keto

Next, take care of our diet with the best eating style available: Dr. Colbert’s Beyond Keto.

It’s not a diet. It’s an eating lifestyle and book that aims to ditch unhealthy processed foods, overflow the body with real, living, low-sugar, whole foods based on the Mediterranean Diet, and promote a healthy weight. In fact, Beyond Keto combines the best of the Keto Zone® diet with the Mediterranean Diet. Together, its food and lifestyle supports health from head to toe.

Through scientific study, experience, and decades of research, Dr. Colbert has formulated this eating plan and recipes to promote overall health, healthy weight, reduced inflammation via better gut health, encourage heart health, optimize blood sugars and metabolism, and more!

Don’t wait, take this important 2nd step with Dr. Colbert’s Beyond Keto in amazing health in 2023!

Step #3: Pick No More than 3 Additional Health Strategies

Once you have your word and your nutrition dialed, pick up to 3 more healthy habits on which to focus. Here’s a short list, but there are many you could choose!

8+ hours of sleep per nightadequate daily hydrationadding outdoor exercise 4-5 days per weeklifting weights and resistance trainingcold water therapy or plungedaily stretching and flexibilityfocusing on brain health and nutrients for your brain (see this article)stress reduction techniques and hemp oildaily laughterdaily immune-boosted Fermented Greens smoothie

For a month-by-month guide to healthy habits, see this post from 2022!

Step #4: Prioritize People and Experience over Materials

Next, take time to think about your relationships with the people you love, and the experiences you seek with them. God has created us for relationships, and they are important for overall health and healthy immune function. In fact, positive relationships can improve your mood and decrease stress. This, in turn, can promote a strong immune system and overall health (1).

To maintain healthy relationships:

Get together when you can.  Even though we are all busy, being together is one of the most important parts of the human experience.Invest in the relationships within your household, neighborhoods, and towns. Head to a park for a pick-up game, watch movies together, take walks, invite friends for simple gatherings, and create other ways to make great memories together. When you can’t always be with each other in-person: Stay in touch with loved ones however you can. Write letters and send cards. Use technology to video-call, send videos to friends, and keep in touch. Social media can be a negative addiction if left unchecked, but it can also be a great way to feel a sense of community if you’re away from loved ones. Be proactive and initiate re-connections if you’d like!

Maintain the relationships that are important to you. It’s good for your health and immune function!

Step #5: Choose Contentment and Optimism

Want better, youthful health in 2023?

Give gratitude, contentment, and optimism a try. Paul wrote: “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.” (Philippians 4:12).

In 2023, what if you worked to truly be content with every small aspect of your life? Of course, this does not mean we aren’t motivated to change bad situations or aspects of our lives. But in the meantime, choosing to feel content with your life, and optimistic for healthy changes you can make, supports mental, physical, and emotional health. It encourages:

Stronger mental health: Amazingly, you can decrease cortisol (the stress hormone) by up to 23% by practicing gratitude (2). What’s more, healthcare practitioners have sustained lower perceived stress (decrease of 28%) and depression by keeping a gratitude journal (3). Controlling cortisol is crucially important to overall health.Healthier Hearts: In studies, gratitude is associated with better cholesterol levels, lowered blood pressure and decreased heart rate variability. This all works together to improve cardiovascular health and overall health (4, 5).Ease with Change and Healthy Habits: Some benefits of gratitude work in reverse. Researchers have found that those who practice gratitude also tend to make healthier choices. Specifically, there’s an association between those who are reportedly grateful for less use of tobacco, more exercise, and better food choices (6, 7). On the flip side, gratitude intervention shows promise when helping patients increase healthy habits. In one study, 31% of participants quit smoking and maintained abstinence after 6 months, compared to meta-analysis averages of 23% with a nicotine patch alone (8).Stronger Immune Function: Gratitude and optimism can actually improve your body’s response to inflammation. Studies have found that our bodies produce more disease-fighting cells when we are grateful and optimistic (9). In addition, anytime you reduce cortisol, you maintain a healthier balance with DHEA levels. This supports healthy immune function (10).Better Sleep and Healthy Aging: One key factor to healthy aging is brain health. One necessity for brain health is sleep. Fortunately, gratitude supports better sleep (11)! In one study, gratitude was linked to a 10 percent improvement in sleep and a 19 percent decrease in depression levels in patients with insomnia (12).BOTTOM LINE

Can small steps change your life and health in 2023? Yes, they can. Try our 5 small steps this year, and optimize your health without the stress of resolutions. Start with a word, revamp your diet, choose a few more habits, prioritize relationships, and learn to be content. You can do this!

The post 5 Small Steps for Amazing Health in 2023 appeared first on Dr. Don Colbert.

Take the Challenge: Your Best Brain Health this New Year!

Did you know that your brain changes every day, month, and year that you age? In fact, it exhibits both natural negative declines and positive gains concurrently. In addition, are you aware that your lifestyle, and specifically the nutrients you consume, have an impact on both these gains and declines?

There are many things you ask of your brain on a day to day basis.

First, you ask it to do all the daily tasks of thinking and sending signals to every other part of your body. You also ask it to exhibit extreme focus at times. What’s more, you want steady, stable moods. You ask all of this within an environment of inflammation and toxicity.

How can it handle all of this?

You must take care of it. Here are our 11 tips for your best brain health this New Year!

11 Tips for Your Best Brain Health this New Year1. NOURISH YOUR BRAIN WITH BRAIN HEALTHY NUTRIENTS

Specific nutrients can support your brain’s performance, focus, health, and longevity. In fact, these nutrients do so directly (working directly on neurotransmitters, etc.) and indirectly (reducing inflammation throughout the body and in the brain.

Fortunately, there’s a new line of nutrient-packed supplements that encourage your best brain health, in a convenient daily dose. They include:

Dr. Colbert’s Brain Zone Basic: This supplement boasts a nutrient complex that specifically supports brain health by supporting your brain’s natural aging strengths while attenuating cognitive declines. In fact, every Brain Zone Basic capsule includes B-vitamins, anti-inflammatory compounds, and healthy fats that encourage optimal brain health throughout your life. Specifically, Brain Zone Basic combines 4 brain-supporting B-vitamins, anti-inflammatory curcumin, and brain-supporting phospholipids (1, 2).  

Dr. Colbert’s Brain Zone Focus: If you’re looking for a more youthful, sharp, focused brain experience, take a look at Brain Zone Focus. This supplement combines powerful amino acids, vitamins, and compounds that encourage brain health, clarity, healing, motivation, and focus. In fact, it contains amino acids that have been found to support mitochondria health, memory, brain energy, detoxification, stress-reductions, and more (3, 4).

Brain Zone Advanced: Brain Zone Advanced is a wonderful supplement that encourages brain health, reduced stress, and neuroprotection. It combines naturally occurring compounds like citicoline, adaptogens, flavonoids, phytochemicals, and more. It can take your experience of feeling tired and anxious, and promote increased neurotransmitter activity, neuroprotection, stable healthy moods, and optimal cognitive performance, even under stress (5, 6, 7)!

2. REDUCE INFLAMMATION THROUGH FOOD CHOICES

Chronic inflammation is one of our brain’s biggest enemies. What fuels that enemy?

Modern, processed foods. Most of the packaged foods in our supermarkets are full of ingredients that promote inflammation in our bodies. These ingredients are cheap fats like soybean oil that compete with anti-inflammatory fats and hormones in the body. Some of the worst offenders include:

Commercial Dressings and Condiments with Soybean OilMargarineTV Dinners with unhealthy fatsSugary Energy DrinksFast-Food Deep-Fried Options

Many experts who have studied our current intake of inflammatory fats vs. anti-inflammatory ones are convinced that this dietary promotion of inflammation is a central cause to most of our chronic diseases. These diseases include degenerative brain disease. During the last decade, a new cause of Alzheimer’s has been identified: sustained immune reactions in the brain caused by chronic inflammation (8).

On the flip side, make sure to add omega-3 fats to your diet via foods and supplements. One of the most potent anti-inflammatory foods is omega-3 fats from seafood, and to a lesser extent, plant foods. Studies show that inflammation biomarkers improve as the relationship of omega-3s to omega-6s improves (9).

To truly make a difference, it takes two steps: reducing inflammatory foods while increasing anti-inflammatory ones.

3. HYDRATE WELL

Your brain is affected by your long-term and short-term hydration status.

In fact, mood, fatigue, and alertness are all impaired with dehydration (10).

Hydration also affects your digestive tract, skin, kidney function, and more (all tissues depend on it).

What should you drink?

Water: Purified water is your best choice for hydration. It offers all the benefits without any extra ingredients to bog the body down.Green and Black Tea: Green and black tea are youthful drinks! They can reduce age-expediting stress and cortisol, contain antibacterial components for oral health, support eye health, contain brain-boosting compounds, and can even promote healthy weights (11).What about coffee? Coffee is a healthful drink, and a great way to start the day. But its high caffeine level can act as a gentle diuretic, so don’t count it towards your hydration totals.

How Much? I recommend a minimum of 48-64 oz. fluid per day for most women, and 64-80 oz. per day for most men. But, many people feel great drinking more. Also, add more hydration if you exercise. Try to get in all fluids before 7 pm or so, so that it doesn’t disrupt your sleep.

Lastly, make sure to brush your teeth after drinking coffee and tea to avoid staining.

4. GET INTO THE KETO ZONE

When you take the sugars and most carbs out of your diet, your brain will begin to burn ketones instead of carbs as fuel.

Astonishingly, this change in brain fuel has been used successfully for decades to help children with epilepsy vastly reduce seizures (without medications) (12).

Now, there is promising research on ketosis and brain improvements for degenerative brain conditions such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease (13).

What’s more, many people in ketosis report greater brain clarity, focus, and function than before. You can take full advantage and support your brain and whole body health with Dr. Colbert’s Beyond Keto!

5. ADD FASTING TO YOUR ROUTINE

Many people fast for spiritual reasons, and this is great. But fasting also has benefits that manifest physically and mentally. In fact, there are numerous scientific studies that show its anti-aging benefits.

Fasting can increase insulin sensitivity, promote weight loss, decrease inflammation, increase mental clarity, normalize levels of the “hunger hormone” ghrelin, and even regenerate the immune system. All of this is good for the body and brain.

To add an easy intermittent fasting schedule, either choose to fast one 24-hour period per week, or try fasting 15-16 hours per day, from 7 pm to 10 am. You can drink water, tea, and coffee during the fast.

6. GET OUTSIDE, WORK ON FLEXIBILITY, AND STAY ACTIVE

You don’t have to run a marathon.

But, there are many benefits to staying active, flexible and being outside!

Here’s how each helps:

Get Outside for Activity: Cortisol levels naturally decrease when we spend time outdoors. What’s more, getting natural sunlight in the morning helps our bodies stay on track with wake/sleep hormones, promoting better sleep. All of this is good for the brain.Stay Active: A brisk walk, hike, or other activity that increases your heart rate is brain-healthy! The more you do to increase blood flow to the brain, the better for brain health.Work on Flexibility: Every year we age, our bodies become less flexible at the spine and trunk…unless you do something about it. Use stretching, yoga, or other flexibility exercises each day. Believe it or not, your trunk flexibility is directly correlated with blood pressure, and healthy blood pressure levels are good for the brain!7. FIGHT OXIDATIVE STRESS

Brains age and become impaired with increased oxidative stress. And, while this has been long-accepted with the development of degenerative diseases, now researchers believe oxidative stress may play a role with anxiety, depression, and more (14).

Oxidative stress is the accumulation and damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals are created by many biochemical reactions in our bodies. They occur from daily living, processed foods, alcohol, nicotine, and more.

They are “quenched,” or neutralized by antioxidants made by our cells (such as glutathione) and from foods. Foods and drinks that are high in antioxidants include bright and deeply colored vegetables, spices, raw cacao, green tea, nuts, seeds, and more.

These anti-agers work at the cellular level. Their antioxidants are so potent at the cellular level they go beyond the normal reduction in oxidative stress to promote longevity and health in the body. What’s more, ginger and turmeric are also strong anti-inflammatory foods that reduce joint and muscle pain (15).

8. TRADE IN STRESS FOR LAUGHTER

There’s little doubt that chronic mental stress is a brain ager.

In fact, according to a 2018 study, researchers found that increased blood cortisol levels are correlated with impaired memory and lower brain volume in mid-life (16). What’s more, after studying 2231 human participants, they found the effects were more pronounced in women participants than men.

To reduce cortisol and support your best brain health:

Eat foods and drinks that may reduce cortisol naturally. Try fatty fish like salmon, dark chocolate (70% or higher cocoa), fruits and vegetables, or superfood fruit and vegetable powders.  You can also drink cortisol-busting green tea and black tea to lower cortisol levels. Great for hot summer days!Make time for laughter every day. First, identify your most stressful time. Is it the morning? The commute? The first hour back home? If you’re able, work in laughter during these times. Listen to comedy on the commute. Make time for a friend. Enjoy a funny book. Laughter has the opposite hormonal effect of stress.For  more ways to cut cortisol naturally , read our full list here.9. KEEP CHALLENGING YOUR BRAIN

Your brain was made to do challenging work. From the time we are born, our brain reacts and grows due to new challenges.

Don’t stop now. You can use mental challenges or new activities to keep your brain sharp and young. Try puzzles, photography, dance lessons, yoga, memorization, reading and more.

Never stop learning!

10. PRAY AND PRACTICE GRATITUDE

Pray and practice gratitude. At the end of each day, take time to practice gratitude and pray. Put down the screens and write three to five specific things for which you are grateful.

Believe it or not, studies show lower cortisol circulation immediately when subjects focus on things for which they are grateful.

Immediately. This is your secret weapon against daily stress and brain degeneration.

And, it’s completely free.

When you pray, you improve mental health and build your relationship with God. Pray with thanksgiving, releasing things you cannot control and the stressors you face.

11. GET  CONSISTENT, GOOD-QUALITY SLEEP

For a sharp, young brain, aim to consistently get at least 7-8 hours of good sleep per night. It’s truly one of the most potent brain healers and anti-agers.

In fact, lack of sleep is associated with increased anxiety, slow brain performance, increased blood sugars, hormone disturbances, and more. These all lead to expedited and unhealthy aging.

To age well, you don’t need just any sleep…you need “good” sleep.

So, if you suffer from snoring, sleep apnea, or anything else that disturbs sleep, it’s worthwhile to speak with your doctor and explore treatments.

BOTTOM LINE

We all ask a lot from our brains. All of our brains face a tough environment, aging, and natural decline every day that we age. But, we can use our dietary and lifestyle habits to support brain health, while protecting it. Take the challenge and make 2023 the best year yet for your brain health!

 

The post Take the Challenge: Your Best Brain Health this New Year! appeared first on Dr. Don Colbert.

13 Fun Unique Keto Christmas Treats

Looking for unique, fun, giftable Keto Zone foods to enjoy and share this Christmas Season? Yes, please! Keto Christmas treats are all the rage, and we have a great list sure to please your friends, family, and taste buds.

Give these fun treats a try, and let us know what Keto foods make the biggest splash for you this Christmas!

13 Fun, Unique Keto Christmas Treats1. KETO HOT CHOCOLATE MIX

Hot Chocolate is one of the best parts of winter and Christmas. However, most commercial mixes have dangerous hydrogenated fats, sugar, or unhealthy fake sugars like aspartame and saccharin.

Skip those.

Instead, mix up a jar of our Keto Hot Chocolate Mix, add a ribbon, and gift-away. It contains health-promoting real cacao, cinnamon, and black pepper. In fact, black pepper’s compounds are anti-cancer and reduce the pain of arthritis (1).

For even more deliciousness and brain-supporting fats, add in a scoop of Hazelnut MCT Oil Powder!

Find the recipe here.

2. KETO CHRISTMAS COOKIES

Everyone loves Christmas cookies…until you realize just how much sugar is in each bite. Instead, make Keto Christmas Cookies! At only 1 gram of net carbohydrate per the entire cookie, you can eat or gift these and stay in the Keto Zone.

Find the recipe here.

3. KETO PEPPERMINT MOCHA

Much like Christmas cookies, mochas are often packed with body-degrading sugar. Don’t drink it this winter! Instead, make delicious Keto Peppermint Mochas for a healthy morning treat.

Find the recipe here.

4. KETO FUDGE

There’s possibly no better Christmas gift than fudge, especially nourishing Keto fudge! This decadent fudge is one of the most perfect keto gifts for Christmas.

Find the recipe here.

5. KETO ZONE TRIPLE SPICED NUTS

Triple Spiced Nuts are truly loaded with 6 superfood ingredients. Each serving only contains 4 grams of net carbs, and they are a great Holiday snack and one of the easiest keto gifts for Christmas.

Find the recipe here.

6. KETO ZONE NO-BAKE CHRISTMAS PECAN TOFFEE

After you make this toffee, you can simply crack it, pile it on a festive plate, and give it to friends and loved ones. Toffee is one of the all-time best keto gifts for Christmas.

Find the recipe here.

7. BIG BOWL OF POMEGRANATE SEEDS – PERFECT CHRISTMAS APPETIZER

Pomegranate seeds are beautiful red jewels of delicious nourishment. Sound poetic? It is, and much more! They are packed with antioxidants and nutrients that support health.

If you’re intimidated by getting the seeds out, never fear! Our link has easy no-fail step-by-step instructions.

Find the recipe here.

8. KETO ZONE ELDERBERRY SYRUP

Keto Elderberry syrup is easy to make and is a gift that will keep on giving all winter long. The elderberries, apple cider vinegar, Keto Zone Hydrolyzed Collagen, turmeric and ginger are true flu and cold fighters (2). This syrup is low-carb and effective.

Find the recipe here.

9. KETO ZONE SUPER CHOCOLATE BROWNIES

Nothing says love like a super chocolate brownie. Except one that is healthful and won’t spike blood sugars and inflammation! They support heart health, fight inflammation, and deliver antioxidants to the body (3).

And while these are a bit time-intensive, they are worth the wait and work.

Find the recipe here.

10. KETO CINNAMON ROLLS

This is a fair warning. Like most cinnamon rolls, these rolls take some time and love to prepare. Another warning: they are so delicious you won’t be able to resist.

The good news? You don’t need to. These keto cinnamon rolls not only have just 4 net grams of carbs so you can stay in the Keto Zone, but they also boost health-promoting ingredients like cinnamon. Cinnamon is a spice with potent antioxidants that fight free radicals and oxidative stress in the body.

Make these rolls and delight guests, friends, and loved ones.

Find the recipe here.

11. CHOCOLATE COVERED BACON

Really? When you mix 2 incredible flavors, bacon and chocolate, there’s no way you’re going to end up with anything less than delicious.

Your friends will think so too.

Find the recipe here.

12. WHIPPED WINTER FRAPPE’ FOR HEALTH JOINTS

The best Christmas, New Year’s, Valentine’s, or anytime gift? How about healthy joints! This delicious whipped frappe’ is an easy way to add in joint supporting collagen and spices, like turmeric, every day (4).

Want an extra-pick-me-up each morning along with joint health? Add Hazelnut MCT Oil Powder to your morning frappe’!

Find the recipe here.

13. KETO HOLIDAY BREAD/FRUIT CAKE

You’ll want to make more than one of these. One to gift, and one to eat. This Keto Holiday Fruit Cake combines the refreshing flavors of lemon and berries, and uses great keto-friendly flours and sweeteners. What’s more, its ingredients promote great health such as cellular detox, reduced free radicals, and optimal blood pressure (5).

Find the recipe here.

BOTTOM LINE

Keto Christmas treats are anything but boring with our list. Not only will you skip all the sugar, but you’ll flood your body with nutrients that will help it keep going strong through Christmas and into the New Year! Enjoy!

The post 13 Fun Unique Keto Christmas Treats appeared first on Dr. Don Colbert.

Replace Holiday Anxiety with Holiday Joy this Year

Holiday anxiety or holiday joy? What characterizes this time of year for you?

For too many people, the Holidays have become busy, stressful, and even disappointing. They fly by in a rush of too many activities, and leave us exhausted as we head into a New Year.

This year, you can replace holiday anxiety with holiday joy. Here’s how.

5 Ways to Replace Holiday Anxiety with Holiday Joy 1. Start By Energizing Yourself

During the hustle and bustle, it’s easy to forget to eat well, drink enough water, and to get enough sleep. These are your body’s power sources! Don’t let them slip. Here are a few tips to help:

Start with Keto Coffee in the morning. There’s no more delicious way than to use Keto Zone Eggnog MCT Oil Powder. It can promote energy, optimal brain function, mental focus, and health (1)! Don’t skip meals during the middle of the day – this is when you need energy the most! Then, you can lighten up or use intermittent fasting from evening through mid-morning.Hydrate! Get at least 64 ounces water per day plus any other fluids you enjoy.Get enough sleep. Aim for 8-9 hours per night. Adequate sleep is dire for mental health, emotional health, and physical health. In fact, inadequate high-quality sleep is associated with increased risk of mortality in middle age and older adults (2)!2. Overscheduled? Clear It Out!

If the holiday season is rush, rush, rush, choose to say “no” more often. Busy schedules almost always increase holiday anxiety.

The extra activities bring joy to some, and stress to others.  If it’s stress for you, choose a simpler peaceful holiday season rather than a busy one. It’s okay to say “no” to extra activities.

3. Tame Your Stress

Unfortunately, the holiday season has become one of the most stressful times of year for many people. This year, tame the stress. A few ways to reduce your anxiety are:

Realize that the holiday season is prime time for seasonal depression, and sometimes our anxiety and stress stem from this shift in hormones. To help, get outside for 20-30 minutes in sunlight. Sunlight improves moods and gives increases Vitamin D production, a vitamin linked to mood and health. Next, if you live at a latitude north of Atlanta, you likely need supplementation. In research, just 1000-2000 IU Vitamin D per day can improve blood levels, mood, and health outcomes (3).Add Nature’s Best Stress Relief:  Dr. Colbert’s Nano-Science Hemp Oil! Hemp oil supports healthy, stable moods, promotes stress relief and normalized cortisol levels, supports comfortable, healthy joints, encourages healthy sleep habits, promotes healthy skin with fewer irregularities and blemishes, supports healthy brain and nervous system functions, and encourages healthy cardiovascular functions and normalized inflammatory actions (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9).Begin your day with prayer, continuously pray through your day, and end it with gratitude to God. Staying tapped into God throughout the day is a great way to deal with our daily stressors.Want more? Try our 9 Habits to Decrease Cortisol.4. Savor the Experiences, People, and True Meaning of Christmas Rather than Unrealistic Expectations

One of the biggest joy-killers in life is unmet unrealistic expectations. In fact, they often make us miss the amazing experiences we are actually living since we are so focused on what “should be.”

How can you avoid this pitfall?

First, let go of the perfect Christmas images you may have from childhood memories, stories, or films. Then, set your expectations based on your own life, in the present tense, and on things you can control.

Take time to truly enjoy the people and experiences in your life. If needed, get out of your comfort zone and go to a new church service, charity or volunteer opportunity, club, or group to meet people.

Lastly, focus on the true meaning of the season, the birth of Jesus Christ!

5. Commit to Optimism About the Future

The holiday season is not the end. Instead of thinking of it as a time to quit on your healthy habits, use it as a springboard into the New Year instead. Not only will this attitude make your holiday season better, optimism is amazing for your mental, physical, and emotional health. In fact, it may just be the actual fountain of youth (10). What a great way to spring into another year!

Bottom Line

You can experience true Holiday Joy this year. While the holiday season can be rife with anxiety, use our simple habits to choose joy instead. Make sure to energize yourself daily, don’t allow yourself to become overscheduled, use healthy stress busters, savor people, experiences, and true Christmas meaning, and focus on optimism for the future. Christmas joy is here.

 

The post Replace Holiday Anxiety with Holiday Joy this Year appeared first on Dr. Don Colbert.

Fats That Heal vs. Fats That Kill. Do You Know the Difference?

It’s not hyperbole. In many foods you eat, there are fats that heal, and there are fats that kill. Some dietary fats promote systemic inflammation, artery plaques, and disease. Some dietary fats fight inflammation, fight oxidative stress, and promote health in your brain, eyes, heart, and throughout your body.

As you look down a grocery store aisle, or even in your own pantry, can you distinguish the fats that kill vs. fats that heal? Do you know which foods are loaded with them? Do you know easy steps to avoid the killers and nourish your body with the healers?

If you don’t know yet, you certainly will by the end of this article. Take a look, and choose fats that heal while avoiding the ones that kill.

Fats that Kill

Let’s get the bad news out of the way first.

Fats that kill are everywhere in the modern diet. They promote inflammation, high amounts of dangerous oxidized cholesterol in your arteries, and modern health conditions. They also have another thing in common. The primary offenders are found in processed foods and fast foods.

Which fats kill?

Transfats

You may think you have a good handle on transfats. Thankfully, this is becoming more and more true. During the last decade, many Americans have become more aware of transfats, or partially-hydrogenated fats, and have begun weeding them out of their diets. Here’s what you need to know about deadly transfats.

Transfats are produced when food chemists take a fat that is naturally liquid at room temperature, and add hydrogens to make it solid at room temperature.  You can think of oil becoming margarine or Crisco. Beyond the obvious sources, through, these shelf-stable man made fats can be found in many processed foods. Look for “partially hydrogenated” or “hydrogenated” fats on your ingredient lists.Transfats can be listed as zero grams on a nutrition label anytime it only contains 0.4 grams or less per serving. Unfortunately, transfats cause harm even in very small amounts. So, do not trust the nutrition label. Look at the ingredient list and weed out all sources of transfats.Transfats cause harm to the human body by promoting inflammation and becoming oxidized. Inflammation is at the root of many modern health conditions.  Furthermore, when cholesterol is oxidized, it becomes “sticky,” and sticks to artery walls and other cholesterol units, forming plaques.Soybean Oil

Technically, soybean oil could be categorized as a transfat since it’s often hydrogenated, or as a polyunsaturated fat (below), since it is polyunsaturated in its natural state. However, it deserves its own “Fats that Kill” entry because it is incredibly detrimental to health, and it is found virtually in every processed food. Why? It’s cheap.

The biggest issue with soybean oil is that it is a concentrated source of omega-6 fats. Omega-6s fats, while necessarily in small amounts, become dangerous as our diets are loaded with them compared to omega-3 fats. These 2 types of fats are antagonists. The more omega-6 fats, the more problems. Soybean oil and concentrated omega-6 fats affect:

Metabolic Health. Lab studies show that soybean oil is one of the most detrimental foods to metabolic health (1).Cardiovascular Health: Soybean oil has been shown to cause harmful abnormalities to cholesterol and triglycerides (2).Overall health and inflammation: Many studies have concluded that concentrated sources of omega-6 fats increase inflammation in the body (3).Polyunsaturated Fats in Fried Foods

Polyunsaturated fats are vegetable oils that become easily oxidized in the arteries (again, these form plaques). They become especially dangerous when they are first used at very high heats when deep frying. Almost all deep-fried fast foods, chips, and fried snack foods are loaded with these harmful fats.

What’s more, they are also concentrated sources of omega-6 fats and contribute to the same problems listed above for soybean oil.  Here is a list of polyunsaturated vegetable fats you should avoid and the amount of omega-6 fats in each of them per 1 tablespoon (in grams). For reference, a good goal for omega-6 fats in oils is no more than 2 grams, used sparingly.

Safflower oil (10.1 gm Omega-6 per 1 tablespoon oil)Grapeseed oil (9.5)Vegetable Oil (7.9)Wheat Germ Oil (7.5)Corn Oil (7.3)Walnut Oil (7.3)Cottonseed Oil (7.0)Soybean (7.0)Sunflower Oil (5.4)Canola Oil (3.0)Fats that Heal

Now, for some good news. There are many fats that heal your body, fight inflammation, and support health from your brains to your eyes to your heart. Here are the fats that heal:

Omega-3 Fats

Omega-3 fats come primarily from seafoods (specifically krill, fatty fish, seaweed, etc.) and to a lesser extent, vegetarian sources such as hemp seeds, flaxseeds, chia seeds, walnuts, and more.

These incredibly healthful fats are a potent source of healing in the body. First, they tip the balance in favor of omega-3 fats versus omega-6 fats, which fights inflammation. They encourage great eye health and heart health. They also specifically support brain health. Omega-3s encourage:

Cognitive Function: Researchers have found improved outcomes in at least one aspect of cognitive function studied (working memory, executive function, verbal memory, short-term memory, perceptual speed, etc.) when omega-3s are added to the diet. They concluded that omega-3 supplementation might have a positive effect on cognitive function and could be used as a preventive or therapeutic tool for cognitive decline in aged or older adults (4).Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Protection: TBI increases the levels of brain cell death and damage. A recent animal study found that omega-3 supplementation before traumatic damage offered neuroprotection (5). Additionally, it’s been established that dietary supplementation of omega-3s can reduce the oxidative stress and inflammation developed in the brain due after TBI by improving the survival of brain cells (6).Reductions in Cognitive Decline: Another recent study found that omega-3s may improve the immune factors that are important to brain function in those with cognitive decline (7). A study from 2017 found that omega-3 supplementation increased the unfolded protein response and improved amyloid-β phagocytosis by macrophages of patients with mild cognitive impairment (8). Lastly, another 2015 study found that omega-3 supplementation reduced brain inflammation in those with mild cognitive impairment (9).Omega-9 Fats

There are 2 great oil options for omega-9 fats in your diet rather than omega-6 fats. Olive oil and avocado oil.

Olive oil can be used as a dressing/sauce over vegetables and other foods, as well as cooking at low and medium temperatures (it cannot be used to deep fry as it will reach its smoke point). Why use olive oil? It contains:

Antioxidants Galore: Olive oil contains vitamin E, vitamin K, and hydroxytyrosol (HT). Hydroxytyrosol is a nutrient with potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties (10).Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Bacterial Compounds: Chronic inflammation is at the root of many modern chronic diseases, including cancer, heart disease, metabolic syndrome, Type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s, arthritis, obesity and more. Olive oil contains an antioxidant called oleocanthal, which is strongly anti-inflammatory. In fact, it works similarly to anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen (11).Heart Protection: To support heart health, olive oil reduces inflammation and cholesterol oxidation in artery walls (12). It can also lower blood pressure and reduce the need for hypertension medications by up to 48% (13). What’s more, studies have found that those who consume olive oil have a significantly lower risk of stroke than those who don’t (14).Anti-Aging Nutrients: The most prominent fat in olive oil, oleic acid, is strongly anti-aging. What’s more, vitamin E, olive oil’s polyphenols, and vitamin K all support youthful cells, strong bones, improved gene expression and more (15).Brain Health Compounds: Olive oil may help remove Alzheimer-associated plaques from the brain, beta-amyloid plaques (16). In addition, studies have found that olive oil may improve cognition (17).

When you need an oil for higher temperature cooking, or for baking, use Avocado Oil.

Small Amounts of Medium Chain Triglycerides

Medium chain triglycerides (MCTs) are special fats, found in foods like coconut oil, that are medium in length, easy to digest, and offer benefits to the brain and body. What’s more, MCTs support ketone production and energy for those in the Keto Zone.  The 2 main fatty acids in MCT oil and MCT oil powder are C8 and C10. These are readily converted to ketones and produce many beneficial health effects.

MCT Oil has been studied at length. Studies show it supports:

Heart Health. The amazing MCTs in MCT Oil Powder have been shown to improve cholesterol profiles by decreasing LDL cholesterol while increasing HDL cholesterol (18).Reduced Inflammation. After a diet with MCTs, researchers have found significantly reduced C-Reactive protein, a marker for inflammation (19).Brain Health. Ketones produced from MCTs can reduce brain degradation from aging and improve brain function (20).Weight Loss. Consumption of MCTs has been correlated with reduced weight, body fat, and BMI in studies. What’s more, you won’t go hungry since they also increase satiety (21, 22).Blood Sugar Balance. MCTs can improve blood sugars and decrease insulin output, thereby improving health and fat breakdown (23).Healthy Digestion. Amazingly, MCTs can fight unhealthy yeasts while supporting an increase in healthy bacteria and absorption in the digestive tract (24).Energy and Athletic Performance. MCTs increase the energy output of the mitochondria in the cells in your body, significantly improving overall energy ( 25 , 26).Simple Ways to Choose Fats that Heal

It’s important to first recognize which are fats that heal and fats that kill. Then, take simple steps to improve your diet.

Avoid processed foods at much as possible. Make as much of your food as you can at home. This is simple and important, but not easy. We all have busy schedules and homemade foods take time. But, you will know what ingredients go into your foods, and you can easily avoid the harmful ones.When you do buy commercial foods and condiments, look at every ingredient.  Be on the lookout especially for soybean oil, any hydrogenated oils, and the concentrated omega-6 oils listed below.Avoid fast food, especially deep fried items, like the plague. Ask what oils are used in restaurants. Avoid foods that are fried or made with soybean oil specifically.When cooking, be careful what oils and fats you use. Use olive oil and avocado oil. Avoid the oils listed on the high omega-6 list.When taking omega-3 supplements (such as Krill oil), avoid supplements that are omega-3/omega-6 complexes. These complexes were first designed to deliver a healthy omega-6 to omega-3 ratio, but did not consider that most modern diets are already overloaded with omega-6 fat! There’s no need to add more omega-6s!Listen to Dr. Colbert

Want to hear more? Of course you do! Check out our recent podcast on good fats and bad fats to hear insight from Dr. Colbert!

Bottom Line

Now you know: there are fats that heal and fats that kill. Use our guide and simple steps to consume fats that heal each day. Avoid the ones that are detrimental to your health. Take time to listen to Dr. Colbert speak on this subject. You can make a big difference with these small steps!

 

The post Fats That Heal vs. Fats That Kill. Do You Know the Difference? appeared first on Dr. Don Colbert.

Pumpkin Spice MCT Oil Powder! 3 Ways to Enjoy Today

Sometimes, you just can’t get enough of a good thing. Take Pumpkin Spice. Simply, pumpkin spice is a mix of nourishing, delicious spices that provide a taste and aroma perfect for Autumn, Winter, and the Holidays. Next, take MCT Oil Powder. This incredibly healthy fat and brain-boosting nutrient should be an everyday part of an energizing, healthy diet. Put them together, and get more good things: Pumpkin Spice MCT Oil Powder!

This decadent Keto Zone® MCT Oil Powder flavor is delicious and incredibly healthy. Here’s how to use it (3 ways!), and why you should. 

Keto Zone® Pumpkin Spice MCT Oil Powder – 3 Ways

Holiday Pumpkin Spice Bread 

Ingredients:

2 cups almond flour1 scoop Keto Zone® MCT Oil Powder (Pumpkin Spice)3 tablespoons cup granulated keto-friendly sweetener 1 tablespoon baking powder1/2 teaspoon salt1 cup organic canned pumpkin puree3 large eggs, organic

Instructions:

Prepare a loaf pan (9″×5″) by greasing with butter or lining with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients until completely smooth. Pour mixture into the prepared loaf pan. Bake on the oven’s center rack for 60 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool COMPLETELY. Then, separate the bread from the pan by scraping along the sides with a knife. Pop the loaf out onto a serving plate.To store, cover loosely overnight on the countertop, or store covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Makes 12 servings. Enjoy!

Nutrition info (per slice): 118 calories, 10 grams fat, 2 grams saturated fat, 2.5 grams net carbohydrates, (6 grams carbohydrates, 3.5 grams fiber), 4 grams protein

Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

8 ounces organic cream cheese4 ounces organic butter (grass-fed)1 1/2 – 2 cups keto powdered sweetener1 scoop Keto Zone® MCT Oil Powder (Pumpkin Spice)

Instructions: 

Set the cream cheese and butter on counter and allow to warm to room temperature.Using a hand mixer, beat all ingredients until smooth. Add a bit of water or almond milk, as needed, to get to desired consistency.Adjust sweetener to preference.Enjoy on pies, breads, desserts, or in coffee!

Nutrition info (per 2 tablespoons): 90 calories, 10 grams fat, 7 grams saturated fat, 1 grams net carbohydrates, (1 grams carbohydrates, 0 grams fiber), 1 grams protein

Pumpkin Spice Mocha

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons pumpkin puree, organic if possible1 scoop Keto Zone® MCT Oil Powder (Pumpkin Spice)1  scoop Keto Zone® Hydrolyzed Collagen Powder (French Vanilla)8 ounces strong coffee1/2 cup almond milk, heatedInstructions: Stovetop: In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, mix 1/2 cup water, pumpkin puree, Keto Zone® MCT Oil Powder (Pumpkin Spice), and Keto Zone® Hydrolyzed Collagen Powder. Heat and stir until melted and combined to form a syrup, about 1-2 minutes.Microwave: Combine all ingredients in a large microwavable mug. Stir well. Heat on high in 30-second intervals, and stirring in between, until melted and combined to form a syrup. Typically, it will take 1.5-2 minutes, or 3-4 intervals of heating and stirring.Add coffee and heated milk to syrup. Stir very well or place in a blender to combine and froth. Of note: when blending hot liquids in a blender, make sure to allow the steam to vent while blending by opening lid slightly. Blend with care at low speed. Make sure to not allow the hot liquid to explode out of the blender.

Nutrition Info: 192 calories, 16 grams fat, 8 grams net carbs (14 grams carbs, 6 grams sugars – naturally occurring, 6 grams fiber), 28 grams protein

7 PROVEN BENEFITS OF MCT OIL POWDER1. Supports Healthy Heart and Cardiovascular Function

Medium-chain triglycerides in MCT oil have been shown to improve cholesterol profiles by decreasing LDL cholesterol, decreasing the number of LDL particles, and increasing HDL cholesterol (1, 2).

There are three primary ways MCT oil improves cardiovascular health.

First, MCTs improve cholesterol profiles by decreasing LDL (bad cholesterol) while increasing HDL (good cholesterol). In turn, this improves the total cholesterol ratio.

In one recent study, 17 overweight women were given MCTs for 27 days.  When tested, their LDL cholesterol decreased, HDL increased, cholesterol ratio improved, and plasma glutathione increased (a powerful natural antioxidant). Researchers stated that their cardiovascular risk profile was improved (3).

In another 2018 study, 96 adults consumed butter, coconut oil, or olive oil. When tested, LDL remained unchanged with coconut oil and olive oil. HDL significantly increased with coconut oil. This change improved the cholesterol profile in the coconut oil group (4).

2. Fights Inflammatory Responses

Inflammation is at the center of most chronic diseases, and is linked to heart disease, diabetes, cognitive degeneration, and more.

MCTs can reduce inflammation in the body. In 2014, 30 adults with high cholesterol and inflammation consumed MCTs for 30 days. When retested, scientists found significant reductions in LDL, increases in HDL, and reductions in C-reactive protein (a marker for inflammation) (5).

3. Supports Brain Health, Energy and Focus

When you’re in ketosis, and you consume MCT oil, your body is able to produce increased ketones.

Currently, scientists are studying the effects of ketones, like those from MCTs, in preserving healthy brains and inhibiting degradation from aging (6).

Additionally, researchers have found that ketones are usable fuel for the brain in those with Alzheimer’s disease, similar to young healthy brains. (7). In Alzheimer’s disease, there’s an impairment in the use of glucose by the brain. Utilizing ketones in the brain rather than glucose may result in memory improvements and brain function (8).

Here’s what researchers found: Ketones are associated with many benefits, including reduced brain degradation from aging and improved brain function (9).

4. Promotes Healthy Weights

Amazingly, MCTs can promote healthy weights and BMIs. This is great news since even moderate weight loss can improve cholesterol, triglycerides, blood sugars, and inflammation.

What’s more, since MCTs and fats, in general, improve satiety you also won’t feel too hungry even while trying to lose weight (10, 11).

5. Encourages Optimal Blood Sugars

MCTs can improve blood sugars and decrease insulin output, thereby improving health and fat metabolism (12).

In fact, MCTs can help reduce the risk of diabetes by:

Decreasing insulin resistanceProviding an alternate energy source to carbohydratesPreserving beta-cell health (decline in these cells contributes to diabetes)Promoting weight loss

In one recent study, scientists concluded that MCT oils provided benefit to beta cells in both mice and humans. One key to combating diabetes is improving the health of these cells (13).

Additionally, a 2016 animal study showed that MCTs improved both insulin resistance and inflammation. (14).

While more human studies are needed, MCT oil powder is a promising supplement to help improve diabetes outcomes.

6. Supports Healthy Digestion

Amazingly, MCTs can fight unhealthy yeasts while supporting an increase in healthy bacteria and absorption in the digestive tract (15). Unhealthy yeasts plague many people and cause a myriad of digestive and health issues.

Digestive diseases can affect the body in many ways, including:

Poor absorption, stunted growth, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, and low energyDirect digestive symptoms such as constipation, bloated, and crampingDeclining digestive tissues with the risk of ulcers, hemorrhoids, decreased healthy bacteria growth, fungus and yeast overgrowth, and diverticular diseases

MCT oil powder eases digestion, since bile isn’t needed to digest MCTs. In fact, MCTs go from the intestines directly to the liver, and the body quickly uses them as energy or storage. MCTs can nourish those who can’t digest nutrients well.

In one 2018 study, MCT supplementation decreased intestinal candida overgrowth in preterm infants. The candida decreased during supplementation, then increased again once it was stopped (16).

MCTs can improve healthy bacteria levels, fat-soluble vitamin absorption, and energy metabolism (17).

7. Promotes Youthful Energy and Athletic Performance

If you’re looking for a fuel that increases energy, MCTs are one such fuel. Once delivered to the liver from the intestines, MCTs increase energy output in the mitochondria, which are the energy producers in cells (18).

In addition, athletes typically look for ways to decrease lactate levels. When recreational athletes consumed MCTs, they experienced lower lactate levels during moderate and intense workouts than they did with other fats. This may lead to improved endurance and performance (19).

Other researchers found that MCTs reduce high-temperature exercise performance issues and improve overall performance (20).

BOTTOM LINE

It’s never a bad time to add more pumpkin spice to your life. Enjoy our delicious Keto Zone® Pumpkin Spice MCT Oil Powder with these 3 recipes this year. And, let us know your favorite ways to enjoy it!

The post Pumpkin Spice MCT Oil Powder! 3 Ways to Enjoy Today appeared first on Dr. Don Colbert.

The Most Important Thanksgiving Recipe

What is your most important Thanksgiving recipe? Your amazing turkey recipe? Your favorite mashed potatoes? The family’s secret-ingredient pumpkin pie?

How about a grateful heart? A content attitude? How about peace and joy for Thanksgiving, the Holiday Season, and into the next year? God’s given us a recipe for these as well.

In fact, you can start today with the most important Thanksgiving recipe. It can set your tone moving forward. This year, let’s focus on different ingredients. Ones that can change our lives.

The Most Important Thanksgiving Recipe1 Part Gratitude

We’ve talked at length about ways to practice gratitude during the last few years. In fact, one of the best ways is to simply keep a gratitude journal to document things for which you’re grateful, big and small. You can write your gratitudes throughout the day, at the beginning of the day, or before bed. Thank God. Make this your lifestyle.

What’s more, you can bless others with your gratitude by writing a note to someone. Let them know why you’re grateful for them. This may spur a whole circle of gratitude around you. It’s a great first ingredient!

1 Part Contentment

Gratitude and thanksgiving are great, but what if we went beyond the blessings and truly learned to be content? Paul wrote: “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.” (Philippians 4:12).

While you’re listing the things for which you are grateful, what if you continued the list with “I am content with” and listed the things in your life with which you are wrestling? The things that make you anxious. The things that are troubling.

What if, instead of glossing over the hard things, we listed those, lifted them in prayer to God, and determined to be content in our trust in Him? Of course, this does not mean we aren’t motivated to change bad situations. Paul was an incredibly motivated, active person. But perhaps listing the bad alongside the good and trusting God is the key to changing our hearts and our situations.

God never asked us to fake it and pretend everything is great. In fact, Jesus instructs us to give our anxieties to Him. We can acknowledge them. There’s power in this. In fact, Paul, after stating that he has learned to be content in everything, proclaimed: “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” (Philippians 4:13).

1 Part Peace

Oftentimes, as we spend more time being grateful and becoming content, as we give our burdens to God, peace and joy follow.

Miraculously, this can happen even when our circumstances don’t change. Peace is a condition of our hearts, not our environment. God tells us how we can experience peace:

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7).

Within the most important Thanksgiving recipe, may you receive the amazing gift of peace.

1 Part Joy

What gets mixed in after we are grateful, content, and peaceful? How about joy? This last ingredient is the outward expression of all that God has done in our hearts. He can change us from anxious and negative to gracious, content, and peaceful. Even joyful!

As He does, let your joy burst forth.

What Can Gratitude, Contentment, Peace & Joy Do For Your Body?

Although our spiritual Thanksgiving Recipe is the most important, it affects our physical health as well. In fact, we see in research that gratitude and contentment, which bring forth peace and joy while reducing anxiety, improve our health. They encourage:

Stronger mental health: Amazingly, you can decrease cortisol (the stress hormone) by up to 23% by practicing gratitude (1). What’s more, healthcare practitioners have sustained lower perceived stress (decrease of 28%) and depression by keeping a gratitude journal (2). Controlling cortisol is crucially important to overall health.Healthier Hearts: In studies, gratitude is associated with better cholesterol levels, lowered blood pressure and decreased heart rate variability. This all works together to improve cardiovascular health and overall health (3, 4).Ease with Change and Healthy Habits: Some benefits of gratitude work in reverse. Researchers have found that those who practice gratitude also tend to make healthier choices. Specifically, there’s an association between those who are reportedly grateful and less use of tobacco, more exercise, and better food choices (5, 6). On the flip side, gratitude intervention shows promise when helping patients increase healthy habits. In one study, 31% of participants quit smoking and maintained abstinence after 6 months, compared to meta-analysis averages of 23% with a nicotine patch alone (7).Stronger Immune Function: Gratitude and optimism can actually improve your body’s response to inflammation. Studies have found that our bodies produce more disease-fighting cells when we are grateful and optimistic (8). In addition, anytime you reduce cortisol, you maintain a healthier balance with DHEA levels. This supports healthy immune function (9).Better Sleep and Healthy Aging: One key factor to healthy aging is brain health. One necessity for brain health is sleep. Fortunately, gratitude supports better sleep (10)! In one study, gratitude was linked to a 10 percent improvement in sleep and a 19 percent decrease in depression levels in patients with insomnia (11).What About Thanksgiving Food?

Of course, the food is great too. Let’s celebrate with some of our favorite Keto Zone Thanksgiving favorites:

Keto Zone Thanksgiving Menu:

Keto Zone Stuffed Mushrooms

Keto Zone Pumpkin Soup

Keto Zone Thanksgiving Turkey with Gravy

Keto Zone Cranberry Jam

Keto Zone Cranberry Walnut Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Keto Zone Cauliflower Mashed “Potatoes”

Keto Zone Green Bean Casserole

Keto Zone Thanksgiving Stuffing

Keto Zone Pumpkin Cheesecake

Bottom Line

This Thanksgiving, consider a new recipe with new habits (ingredients). Start with daily gratitude and add daily contentment. Give your thanksgivings and anxieties to God. Then, notice the peace in your heart. Finally, let your joy shine through. Let’s make this entire Holiday Season a springboard of God’s goodness into next year.

The post The Most Important Thanksgiving Recipe appeared first on Dr. Don Colbert.

Top Tip for Strong Immune Health (Smoothie Recipe Included)

These days, there are a lot of tips out there for strong immune health. There are supplements, vitamins, minerals, superfoods and activities for strong immune health. These are all great.

However, one of the best tips is to focus on your gut. You see, your digestive health is at the center of your immune health. What’s more, your digestive health is at the center of all your health. Here’s a wonderful strong immune winter smoothie recipe, and tips to keep your gut, and therefore immune system, in tip-top shape.

Strong Immune Health Winter Smoothie

Ingredients:

3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt or canned coconut milk1 scoop Keto Zone® Fiber Zone1 scoop Divine Health® Fermented Green Supremefood®1 scoop Keto Zone® Hydrolyzed Collagen1/2 medium grapefruit (peeled and seeded)1/2″ slice ginger (skin removed – use side of a spoon for easy removal!)1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric1 tablespoon organic raw apple cider vinegarwater and ice as needed for desired consistency

Instructions:

Place all ingredients in a blender. Mix well. Make sure to add water as needed. Add ice to desired consistency. Drink immediately.

Makes one serving.

Nutrition info: 367 calories, 12 grams fat, 5 grams net carbs (29 grams carbohydrates, 24 grams fiber), 27 grams protein

Why Drink A Strong Immune Health Smoothie this Winter?

Our smoothie supports your gut and immune system in more than one way.

First, it utilizes the incredible nutrients of grapefruits. Grapefruits, which are delicious winter fruits, are high in vitamin C and fiber. Vitamin C is associated with strong immune function, and fiber supports gut health.

What’s more, our smoothie includes both ginger and turmeric. These amazing ingredients contain potent antioxidant and anti-inflammation compounds. How do anti-inflammatory nutrients help? They reduce inflammation. Inflammation directly affects the immune system by changing the course of hormones and impacting the immune response (1).

But, the stars of our smoothie are the ingredients that specifically encourage healthy gut bacteria, strong gut tissues and barriers, healthy hormone function, and more. Here’s how they help.

How A Strong Gut Supports Immune Health

One system in your body is responsible for the health of all other systems. Sure, all systems are important. However, it’s this one system that nourishes the whole body, and impacts it through immune hormones and signals. It’s the digestive system.

Unfortunately, it’s estimated that 60-70 million Americans suffer from chronic digestive issues each year (2). Some are severe. Some are more minor. All impede everyday life to some extent and affect every other system in the body. In fact, unhealthy compositions of gut bacteria have a direct impact on the immune system and the modulation of immune responses (3).

It’s for this reason that Dr. Colbert has created an amazing system to help you care for your digestive health: Dr. Colbert’s Healthy Gut Zone System. This complete kit includes the best probiotics available, a two-fiber supplement powder for complete digestive health, and Dr. Colbert’s Gut Zone book.

With the Healthy Gut Zone System, you’ll learn how digestive health affects your entire body and what you can do to keep yours in top-notch shape!

5 Strategies for a Healthy Gut and Strong Immune Health 1. Take Care of Your Healthy Bacteria

How can you take care of your healthy bacteria? Start with a great probiotic.

Within Dr. Colbert’s Healthy Gut Zone System, you’ll receive Dr. Colbert’s Beyond Biotics Ultra Blend. Beyond Biotics is a probiotic supplement that contains live, viable probiotic bacteria in pill form. It is specifically beneficial to modern-day humans since we have many food-supply, environmental, and chemical compounds that harm our digestive tracts and bacteria.

Both anecdotal reports and studies show that probiotics help acute digestion symptoms. They can also produce beneficial effects on the bacteria in the gut (4). What’s more, they can affect other health issues within the body as they improve digestion comfort, nutrient absorption and microbiota (5).

In addition, Dr. Colbert’s Gut Zone Book emphasizes healthy foods you can consume to fortify your digestive tract’s healthy bacteria. These include Divine Health® Fermented Greens Supremefoods, plain yogurt, kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir, kombucha, tempeh, and more.

Don’t leave your healthy bacteria to fend for themselves. Fortify them with probiotics each day.

2. Fortify with Fiber

Next, you can fortify your digestive tract with fiber. Dr. Colbert’s Keto Zone® Fiber Zone is included in the Healthy Gut Zone System.

Dr. Colbert’s Keto Zone® Fiber Zone is a delicious fiber powder specially formulated using 2 of the most powerful, important fibers available.

First, it contains psyllium husk. Psyllium husk is made of both soluble (70%) and insoluble fibers (30%).  This means twice the benefits. It acts as a prebiotic, feeding and fortifying healthy gut bacteria. Its insoluble fiber passes through the digestive tract, providing bulk and softness to stools. This encourages digestive health, reduced inflammation, and a healthy gut-brain connection (6).

Next, Fiber Zone contains inulin. Inulin is a prebiotic fiber. Like psyllium, it feeds the healthy bacteria and cells in our digestive tracts, making them stronger and healthier (7).

Together, these fibers work to reduce hunger cravings, support healthy digestion, encourage optimal weight, support bone health and optimize the gut-brain connection (8).

In addition, following Dr. Colbert’s Gut Zone Book, eat healthy high fiber and prebiotic foods. These include berries, artichokes, asparagus, broccoli, greens, onions, garlic, leaks, cacao, flaxseeds, hemp heart seeds, nuts, and more.

3. Nourish Your Gut Barriers with Collagen

Collagen is another great food for your digestive health!

In fact, collagen supports healthy digestion, joint health, vibrant skin, healthy weight, and more!

In particular, those who suffer from leaky gut syndrome can find relief by adding collagen to their diets. With this digestive issue, toxins, allergens and large particles are able to pass from your gut into your bloodstreams, causing negative reactions. Collagen can help fortify connective tissue in the protective lining of the digestive tract. It heals it and helps it seal out the offending particles. Further, it supports better digestive health in those who suffer from inflammatory digestive issues, acid reflux, and more (9).

Keto Zone® Collagen Powder is a great source of collagen. It is enzymatically hydrolyzed, or predigested, for effortless digestion and full absorption into the body. It is derived from chicken and marine peptides, and contains Types I, II, and III collagen. This combination of collagen supports the formation of elastin in the body, which is critical in fighting against wrinkles and sagging skin.

4. Avoid Substances that Harm the Gut

Did you know some substances you consume actually harm digestive health? Some foods, drinks, and environmental contaminants harm or destroy digestive cells, healthy bacteria, and more. These include:

Sugar: Sugar can harm the digestive tract in a few ways. First, it promotes the growth of harmful Candida albicans which can lead to leaky gut and other digestive issues (10). Next, high-sugar diets increase gut permeability, degrades healthy gut barriers, increases spleen weight, and increases inflammatory immune response in animal studies (11).Man-Made Artificial Sweeteners: Chemical artificial sweeteners have been widely used in “diet foods.” Unfortunately, they can have negative effects on gut bacteria.   Animal and human studies have shown that aspartame, saccharin, sucralose, and other artificial sweeteners can impair gut bacteria (12) allowing other microbes to take over (13). If you use sugar substitutes, make sure they are natural ones like sugar alcohols: xylitol is safe and does not seem to affect gut bacteria (13).Antibiotics: In recent years, there has been a push to drastically reduce the use of antibiotics in humans and animals. Most doctors have been urged to only prescribe antibiotics only when necessary, and with much less frequency than in previous decades. The overuse of antibiotics has been shown to 1) hurt the gut by wiping out healthy bacteria, and 2) lead to antibiotic-resistant bacteria. In fact, the World Health Organization is also working to reduce the antibiotics that humans consume. It is recommending that routine antibiotic use in animals is stopped and reserved only when the animal is sick (14).Alcohol: Unfortunately, alcohol, especially in large quantities, can negatively affect the bacteria colonies in the gut. In fact, many people who abuse alcohol have impaired nutrient absorption, poor digestion, and discomfort. When used in moderation, bacteria colonies can remain healthy. But, overuse of alcohol can destroy them (15).Nicotine: Nicotine is harmful to digestive health. It has been associated with excess reflux, peptic ulcers, and a decrease in colon strength. What’s more, smokers experience higher Helicobacter pylori infections (16).

While you use the tools in Dr. Colbert’s Healthy Gut Zone System, you will learn to also avoid these compounds that harm your digestive system.

5. BE ACTIVE, HYDRATE, AND REDUCE STRESS

Your lifestyle choices make a difference in the health of your digestive system.

First, exercise can improve digestion. Movement and gravity helps food naturally move through your intestines. On the other hand, a sedentary lifestyle actually harms the digestive system. When we sit all day, our digestive tract is kinked. This makes natural, healthy digestion more difficult. Make sure to get up frequently and include physical activity each day to support healthy digestion.

Next, healthy digestion depends on the presence of fluids. Water helps break down food, lubricates the digestive tract, reduces constipation, and keeps your cells healthy. Make sure to drink water throughout each day.

Lastly, chronic stress can have a negative effect on digestion. In fact, chronic stress can decrease the blood flow to the intestines, slow nutrient absorption, and even change how the bacteria in your gut function. One way to reduce stress? In addition to daily de-stress strategies, make sure you stay hydrated! Dehydration is linked to elevated cortisol levels.

BOTTOM LINE

Are you ready to fortify your gut and enjoy strong immune health? There’s no better time than now as we head into the winter seasons.  Try our delicious Strong Immune Health Winter Smoothie. Learn how to take care of your digestive system every day. Get what you need with Dr. Colbert’s Healthy Gut Zone System today!

 

The post Top Tip for Strong Immune Health (Smoothie Recipe Included) appeared first on Dr. Don Colbert.

Scary Halloween Candy Swap – Keto Peanut Butter Cups

Halloween can be an especially scary time if you are trying to stay in the Keto Zone. High-sugar, high-processed candy is seemingly everywhere; on countertops, in bowls, in offices, at hand. What can you do? Swap it! How about a Keto Peanut Butter Cup?

This would be an okay choice, but for an even healthier keto version, make one more swap. Instead of peanut butter, use almond butter.

Why? Peanuts, as legumes rather than nuts, present a few issues for those in the Keto Zone®. On the other hand, almonds offer many health benefits and great nutrition!

Keto Zone Halloween Almond Butter Cups

Ingredients

Chocolate layers:

10 ounces sugar-free dark chocolate, divided (such as Lakanto or Lily’s)5 tablespoons organic coconut oil, divided1/2 teaspoon real vanilla extract, optional, divided

Almond Butter layer:

3 1/2 tablespoon almond butter, creamy2 teaspoons organic coconut oil4 teaspoons powdered erythritol, to taste1 1/2 teaspoon almond flour1/8 teaspoon real vanilla extract, optional1 pinch sea salt

Instructions

1.  Prepare a muffin pan by lining each cup with parchment paper liners or candy cups.

2. Start with the bottom chocolate layer. First, heat half of the chocolate (5 ounces) and half of the coconut oil (2 1/2 tablespoon) in a double boiler on the stove. Stir frequently until melted. Alternatively, use a microwave to melt chocolate by heating in 20 second intervals and stirring in between until melted.

3. Optionally, stir in half of the vanilla (1/4 teaspoon).

4. Next, fill the bottom of the parchment cups evenly with chocolate. It should be about 2 teaspoons in each cup. Freeze for approximately 10 minutes until the top of the chocolate is firm.

5. Meanwhile, prepare the almond butter layer. First, heat the almond butter and 2 teaspoons of coconut oil in a double boiler or microwave (use the same method as step 2). Stir in the powdered sweetener, almond flour, optional vanilla, and sea salt until smooth. Adjust sweetener and salt, to taste.

6. Next, take firmed chocolate cups out of the freezer. Spoon one teaspoon of the almond butter mixture onto the center of each cup over the chocolate layer. Allow it to spread into a circle in the middle without reaching edges. Return to the freezer and freeze for another 10 minutes, until the top of almond butter is firm.

7. Then, make the top chocolate layer. Heat the remaining chocolate (5 ounces) and remaining
coconut oil (2 1/2 tablespoons) in a double boiler or microwave as described in step 2. Stir in the
remaining optional vanilla (1/4 teaspoon).

8. Remove the muffin pan from the freezer once again. Pour the chocolate into each cup, over the almond butter layer (about 2 teaspoons per cup). The chocolate should reach the sides of each cup and cover the top of the almond butter to form a solid candy.

9. Return cups to the freezer for at least 20-30 minutes until the candy is completely firm. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Enjoy! Makes 12 cups.

Nutrition Facts (per cup): 187 calories, 18 grams fat, 3 grams net carbohydrates (14 grams carbohydrates, 11 grams fiber), 3 grams protein

Why Make the Keto Peanut Butter Cup Swap?

When comparing our Keto Zone Almond Butter Cups to commercial Peanut Butter Cups, the first nutrition issue stands out is sugar. As you likely realize, regular peanut butter cups are overflowing in sugar. In fact, sugar is in 3 of the first 4 ingredients of a regular peanut butter cup!

Why is this an issue?

First, this much sugar will absolutely knock you right out of the Keto Zone! In order to make ketones, your blood cannot have high amounts of glucose in it.

Next, over-consumption of sugar is simply unhealthy for your body. Not only can overeating sugar cause elevated blood glucose, resistance to insulin, weight gain, inflammation, and elevated triglycerides, it’s now linked to harmful abnormal cell growth in breast tissue (1).

Why Swap Almonds for Peanuts?

Next, almonds are a great swap for peanuts.

First, peanuts are legumes rather than nuts (2). They are higher in carbohydrates, and lower in fiber than almonds. Next, peanuts have a fat composition that is high in omega-6 fats. Consuming a high ratio of high omega-6 fats compared to omega-3s is associated with increased inflammation and unhealthy body weight (3). Lastly, peanuts can contain a toxin called aflatoxin. Aflatoxin is a mold toxin that can contaminate peanut crops. Thankfully, our crops are tested. However, aflatoxin is a serious toxin with negative consequences for human health.

On the other hand, almonds are incredibly nutritious for those in the Keto Zone. To start, they are high in antioxidants and reduce oxidative stress and damage in the body (4, 5). Next, almonds favorably affect both LDL and HDL cholesterol (6, 7). Moreover, almond consumption promotes blood sugar control, reduced inflammation, and healthy body weight (8, 9).

that caffeine may interfere with insulin release and result in related metabolic issues when mixed with sugar. It makes the sugar spike more intense. (10, 11, 12).

And, that’s not all.

Sugar in liquid form makes its way especially quickly through the digestive tract, having a strong impact on blood sugars. For those with pre-diabetes or type 2 diabetes, blood sugars are often high in the mornings. A morning caffeine and sugar latte can spell disaster.

What Else Should You Swap this Autumn?

Along with swapping peanut butter and commercial peanut butter cups this Halloween, here are a couple more great swaps:

Pumpkin Spice Latte

Pumpkin Cheesecake

With our Keto Zone swaps, you’ll enjoy great flavor and amazing nutrition benefits!

Bottom Line

Halloween doesn’t have to be so scary. Make the swap from high-sugar processed foods and make Keto Zone ones instead. Start with our Keto Peanut Butter Cup swap (using almond butter!). Then, look for other opportunities to take the sugar out, while adding more nutrients in!

The post Scary Halloween Candy Swap – Keto Peanut Butter Cups appeared first on Dr. Don Colbert.