Amy Myers's Blog, page 49

6 Best Foods to Eat if You Have an Autoimmune Disease

The food you eat plays a HUGE role in the development of chronic illness, and by the same token, can be used halt or reverse disease progression. With simple changes to your diet, you can even find relief from autoimmune conditions, including lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and Hashimoto’s.

In fact, nutrient deficiencies are one of the main underlying causes of autoimmune disease and its progression. For example, if you are on the autoimmune spectrum, you’re also more likely to be deficient in vitamin D and B12, both of which are crucial for immune function and preventing your body from mistakenly attacking its own cells.

I have found in working with thousands of autoimmune patients that ensuring optimal nutrition is the #1 way to reverse chronic conditions and find relief from your symptoms. In this article, I’ll cover how to prevent nutrient deficiencies linked to autoimmune disease by eating the best food sources of essential vitamins and minerals. As you’ll see, eating these foods can also improve your overall health, giving you more energy and helping you to feel better in your body every day.

1. Grass-fed Lamb

Getting enough high-quality animal protein is crucial to build and repair tissues, make hormones, and support healthy muscles, cartilage, skin, and blood.1 It’s why I recommend eating meat to anyone with an autoimmune or thyroid condition, as animal protein contains the essential building blocks for immune function and thyroid hormones, which can be difficult to get from other sources.

Grass-fed lamb is a fantastic source of protein. It also contains the most vitamin D of all types of meat: a whopping 61 micrograms per kilo, which is three to six times the current RDA.2

Vitamin D stimulates your T cells and teaches your immune system not to attack your body’s own cells. This “sunshine vitamin” also helps you fight off viral and bacterial infections, which can trigger or make autoimmune conditions worse.

Medical experts dispute how much vitamin D you need each day to maintain optimal health. Studies show that 25-100 micrograms or 1000-4000 IU is required per day. However, the recommended daily allowance (RDA) is still set at a mere 10-20 micrograms, or 400-800 IU daily.

While studies show that grass-fed lamb doesn’t necessarily contain more vitamin D than conventional lamb, I recommend eating grass-fed and organic meat whenever possible because conventionally raised animals are fed an unnatural diet of GMO corn and soy.3,4

Lamb is also a good source of the following essential nutrients:

Iron
Amino acids (such as L-Tyrosine and L-Glutamine)
Choline
COQ10
Collagen/gelatin
Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA)
Alpha Linoleic Acid (ALA)

2. Wild-caught Fatty Fish

Fatty fish are an excellent source of Omega-3s. Omega-3s enhance B cell activation and antibody production, which can reduce the inflammatory response and help your immune system fight off pathogens.5

The Omega-3 content of fish varies widely. Cold-water fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, tuna, herring, and sardines contain high levels of Omega-3s, whereas fish such as tilapia, cod, and bass, as well as shellfish, contain less.6 So, to get the daily recommendation of Omega-3 fatty acids, you’d only need to eat about 5 ounces of salmon, yet 2 pounds of lobster!

Wild-caught fish and farmed fish also have different properties to consider when choosing the best food source of Omega-3s. In one study, though wild-caught varieties of salmon contained slightly lower Omega-3 levels, they also contained less saturated and polyunsaturated fats7. The quality of farmed fish is also dependent on the type of fish pellets they use. Farmers often feed young salmon pellets made from plant and animal sources, then add more fish-oil-enriched pellets later in the fish’s life to fatten them up. This means they spend more time eating a lower quality diet and provide you with fewer nutrients8. Contrast this with wild-caught salmon that eat a natural, healthy diet of insects, plankton, and other fish their entire lives, keeping them lean and packed with antioxidants including free-radical scavenging astaxanthin.9 Not only can you see the effects of this natural diet in the brilliant red color of wild-caught salmon, you can taste it, too!

3. Avocados

Avocados are unbelievably nutritious and delicious. They’re full of good fat, fiber, vitamin E, copper and potassium. Furthermore, they’re specifically beneficial for your immune system because they’re so high in B vitamins. One recent study showed that vitamin B6 increases immune response in critically ill patients.10 However, a variety of B-vitamins has been shown to be helpful for an overall boost in immune function.11

Even just one-third of a medium avocado provides a wide range of B vitamins, including:

4% of the RDA of thiamin (B1)
8% of the RDA of riboflavin (B2)
6% of the RDA of niacin (B3)
15% of the RDA of pantothenic acid (B5)
6% of the RDA of pyridoxine (B6)
10% of the RDA of folate12

I often carry an avocado with me in my purse when traveling so I can enjoy an autoimmune-friendly snack that comes in its own handy package!

4. Garlic

Garlic is a prebiotic, so it feeds good bacteria in your gut. This can be helpful if you’re suffering from an autoimmune disease because your gut and your immune system are intrinsically linked.13,14 Having plenty of friendly gut bacteria bolsters your immune system, and keeps bad bacteria and yeast in check.

Garlic also contains selenium, which is essential for regulating excessive immune responses and chronic inflammation in people with autoimmune diseases15. Selenium is also a vital mineral for supporting your thyroid. Studies have shown that people with Hashimoto’s who increase their selenium intake can decrease their thyroid antibodies by almost 64%!16 To ensure optimal selenium levels, add garlic, grass-fed beef and poultry, and fatty fish such as salmon to your diet.17

5. Grass-fed Beef

One of the most essential nutrients you need to prevent or reverse autoimmune conditions is zinc. Zinc supports your immune system in various ways, including regulating your lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell), and protecting you against pathogens.18

While following The Myers Way® zinc can be hard to come by, especially if you are not already taking a daily multivitamin. That’s because zinc is primarily found in foods such as whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds–all of which can cause immune flare-ups. One of the best autoimmune-friendly sources of zinc is grass-fed beef. A single serving of beef contains roughly half of your daily requirements for zinc.19

As with lamb, I recommend organic, grass-fed beef over conventionally raised meat to avoid GMOs, added hormones, and antibiotics that conventional livestock are exposed to. Plus, studies show that animals raised on a healthy, natural diet of fresh grass are higher in vital nutrients, including anti-inflammatory Omega-3s.20 The less inflammation you have, the lower you are on the autoimmune spectrum, and the fewer symptoms you experience.

6. Leafy Greens

Eating plenty of greens is a key part of an autoimmune-friendly diet. Leafy greens are rich in magnesium, which is important for healthy immune function. The average American diet contains barely 50% of the conservative RDA for magnesium, and it’s estimated that around three-quarters of the population may be deficient in it.21,22,23 Magnesium deficiency has been shown to increase the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, which raise inflammation levels, therefore contributing to autoimmunity.24

The current RDA for magnesium is 420mg.25 Just 1 cup of cooked spinach can provide 157 mg or 39% of the RDA, so it’s fairly easy to get enough if you make leafy greens part of your everyday diet. Other fabulous sources of magnesium include Swiss chard and kale, which provide 36% and 18% of your RDA respectively. My nutrition powerhouse Organic Greens Superfood Juice Powder is a surefire way to get all the benefits greens have to offer, including magnesium, B vitamins, and other essential nutrients, in a convenient powder that is delicious stirred into your smoothie or even just a glass of water with ice! Plus, it’s a cost-effective way to obtain these nutrients from all organic produce, without any of the GMOs that can exacerbate autoimmunity.

I have seen it time and time again after working with autoimmune patients from all over the world that eating foods rich in the essential vitamins and minerals you need for optimal immune function is the first step to reversing your condition. My bestselling book The Autoimmune Solution Cookbook is an excellent resource for learning how to create 100% autoimmune-friendly meals with the 6 foods featured in this article and other nutritional powerhouses. And, as you’ll find out when you read it, The Autoimmune Solution Cookbook is so much more than just a cookbook—it’s a roadmap for preventing and overcoming autoimmune disease. In its pages, I offer you step-by-step guidance for making The Myers Way® a way of life, while creating mouth-watering plates worth showing off!

Save 15% on The Myers Way® Bestsellers Now Through Thursday, December 20th at Midnight CST!

Achieving optimal nutrition is key to preventing and reversing autoimmunity and other chronic conditions. Let’s face it though–even the healthiest of eaters sometimes have less than optimal levels of essential vitamins and minerals for a number of reasons:

Sometimes you just don’t have the time to cook up complete, autoimmune-friendly meals
Our food isn’t what it used to be nutritionally thanks to soil depletion and environmental toxins
You may be struggling with leaky gut, SIBO, or another disorder that keeps you from absorbing all of the nutrients you get from food

Besides, you don’t want to just want to meet the minimum RDA needed to prevent deficiency-related issues, you want to exceed it! That’s where supplements come in!

My top four Bestsellers provide you with all of the protein, amino acids, B vitamins, and micronutrients you need to truly thrive! And, now through Thursday December 20th at midnight CST, you can SAVE 15% on my bestselling supplements:

Collagen Protein: packed with amino acids to help maintain and promote optimal gut lining health
Organic Greens: provides all the benefits of leafy greens, including B vitamins, magnesium, phytonutrients, and antioxidants in a convenient powder form
The Myers Way® Multivitamin: promotes optimal levels of selenium, zinc, iodine, and other essential nutrients for thyroid health, immune function, and general wellness
Paleo Protein (all flavors): contains a whopping 21g of protein to build and repair tissues, make hormones, and support healthy muscles, cartilage, skin, and blood

I personally swear by these products and use them every single day! So don’t miss out on this fantastic offer–take back your health TODAY with my Bestsellers!

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The post 6 Best Foods to Eat if You Have an Autoimmune Disease appeared first on Amy Myers MD.

Golden Milk Tigernut Oats

It’s the perfect time of year for warm and comforting oatmeal, however grains can trigger an inflammatory response in the body. Luckily, I have an amazing recipe for Golden Milk Tigernut “Oats” that ditches the grains and uses tigernuts, coconut, and turmeric to provide incredible, inflammation-fighting nutrients!

Tigernuts have fiber, magnesium, and potassium. These essential nutrients keep your gut in top form by keeping your digestion moving smoothly, giving your body lots of energy, and keeping your heart healthy by controlling blood pressure. Tigernuts are definitely a superfood worth adding to your diet!

Another one of my favorite AIP ingredients is coconut. It’s creamy, delicious, versatile, and full of healthy fat. In this Golden Milk Tigernut Oats recipe there’s shredded coconut, coconut milk, and I topped it off with coconut flakes. Yum!

Turmeric gives these “oats” their golden hue thanks to the phytochemical curcumin, known for it’s anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Plus, combining curcumin with a fat such as coconut makes it easier for your body to absorb. Enjoy!

Golden Milk Tigernut Oats






Course

Breakfast


Protocol

Autoimmune Solution (AIP), Elimination Diet, Paleo, Thyroid Connection




Servings

1 person

Ingredients

1/2 cup sliced Tigernuts1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut1 medium banana mashed zest of one orange1/2 cup coconut milk1/2 cup water1/2 tsp ground turmeric1/4 tsp ground ginger pinch of ground cardamom1/2 tsp cinnamon1 scoop The Myers Way® Collagen Protein1 scoop The Myers Way® Vanilla Paleo ProteinTopping1/4 cup chopped mango2 Tbsp unsweetened coconut flakes

Servings:
person

Units:
MetricUS Imperial

Instructions

In a bowl, combine all ingredients except mango and coconut flakes. Place in a food processor or blender and pulse until mixture is an "oatmeal" like consistency. Store in the refrigerator overnight. Serve topped with mango and coconut flakes. Enjoy either heated up or cold.

The post Golden Milk Tigernut Oats appeared first on Amy Myers MD.

4 Supplements to Repair and Recover from the Holidays

Can you believe the holidays are already here? I absolutely love this time of year, and I’m so excited for what 2019 will bring!

Gatherings with family and friends around the table are my favorite part of the holiday season. However, they are often positively rife with foods and drinks that many of you are avoiding! There are two scenarios I can imagine that would throw you off track during the holidays: getting “glutened” and other digestive mishaps; or overindulging in sweets and alcohol.

To help you navigate the holiday season successfully, there are four key supplements I recommend for repairing your gut and helping you recover from holiday slip-ups. These supplements are absolute lifesavers when I know I’m going to be at a party and eating food that I haven’t cooked myself, or even indulging in the rare alcoholic drink. I never travel without them!

In this article, I’ll walk you through my four favorite supplements for curbing sugar cravings, blocking the effect of inflammatory foods, detoxing from indulgences, and supporting your body’s ability to repair and recover from holiday-related setbacks.

Supplements to Help You Repair Your Gut
Digestive Enzymes

One of the reasons why the holidays can make you feel worse for wear is because you are likely eating greater quantities of richer-than-normal foods that your body struggles to break down. Digestive enzymes can be an invaluable ally this time of year, especially if you have lactose intolerance, casein and gluten intolerance, celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), or if you’re struggling with gut infections such as SIBO or Candida overgrowth.1,2,3

When proteins such as casein and gluten are completely broken down, they lose their capacity to cause an allergic or immunogenic reaction. And while I certainly don’t recommend eating food that will make you sick and then taking digestive enzymes to compensate, supplemental enzymes can help relieve occasional symptoms of intestinal distress and soothe your digestive system throughout the holiday season.

I formulated my Complete Enzymes after getting “glutened” at restaurants and friends’ houses more times than I can count! I made certain to include DPP-IV, a protease enzyme that actually breaks down gluten, as well as a wide range of proteolytic enzymes that help break down inflammatory antigens, such as lectins. They help tackle GI tract issues such as dysbiosis, parasites, and Candida overgrowth, and break down everything from the rich oils coating your cousin’s roast potatoes to the breadcrumbs your aunt forgot to make gluten-free.

Leaky Gut Revive

Sweet, sugary, and inflammatory foods are in abundance during the holidays and can be truly challenging to avoid when everyone else is indulging. That’s why taking a supplement that accelerates gut repair and curbs sugar cravings is an absolute must-have to survive this time of year.

Leaky Gut Revive is an excellent source of L-glutamine, which nourishes your gut cells and protects them from inflammatory foods, infections, toxins, and stress, all of which can lead to leaky gut.4,5 L-glutamine has also been found to suppress insulin levels and stabilize blood glucose, helping to alleviate cravings caused by low blood sugar.6,7

Additionally, Leaky Gut ReviveTM contains aloe vera, which has been shown to help your body replace the lost mucus associated with leaky gut and other GI issues, increase water content within your intestines, and reduce inflammation.8

It also includes deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL), arabinogalactan, slippery elm, and marshmallow root to help promote a healthy and protective mucosal lining, keep bad bacteria in check, promote weight loss, and reduce the symptoms associated with conditions such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.9,10,11,12

Supplements to Support Detox and Recovery
Acetyl-Glutathione

Immune support and detoxification are both absolutely critical around the holidays. The weather is colder, temptations abound, and it can be easy to forget to prioritize your health when there is so much else going on!

Enter super detoxifying, anti-aging, free-radical fighting glutathione, which has been shown to help your body regenerate antioxidant vitamins C and E, flush toxins from your body, and protect your cells from oxidation.13

Glutathione is made naturally in your liver. However, a poor diet, toxins, medications, stress, aging, and illness deplete it. Low glutathione levels are also a critical factor in the onset of autoimmune disease.14

Without glutathione, your body simply can’t detox properly, which means toxins can linger in your bloodstream or get stored in your fat cells, wreaking havoc on your immune system and setting you up for chronic illness and faster aging.15 In my opinion, there’s no better way to support your overall health than taking Acetyl-Glutathione every day, as it works on virtually every cell in your body.16

Coconut Charcoal

My other favorite supplement for supporting post-holiday detox is Coconut Charcoal, which acts as an incredibly effective binder and chelator. It has an extremely large surface area that traps toxins, gas, and chemicals within its millions of tiny pores, and binds with them so they can be safely and quickly transported out of your body.17 In fact, activated charcoal is so powerful that when I worked in an emergency room, we used it to help patients detoxify after the ingestion of chemical or environmental poisons.

Coconut Charcoal can be especially useful around the holidays if you’ve been indulging in alcohol and need a little help recovering. Because alcohol is a toxin, Coconut Charcoal can swiftly flush it out of your system to ease your hangover symptoms.

This must-have supplement can even “mop up” potentially irritating proteins such as casein and gluten. And, if you find yourself with gas, abdominal pain, and/or diarrhea during Christmas and New Year celebrations due to food sensitivities or other gastrointestinal disorders, Coconut Charcoal is for you! It has been shown to neutralize intestinal gas, reduce abdominal pain, and act as an antidiarrheal remedy that comes with few to no side-effects.18,19

My Coconut Charcoal encourages healthy detoxification pathways and is perfect for anyone who wants to recover from holiday missteps or indulgences. It is made from coconut shells that are heated and ground into an ultra-fine powder to maximize its surface area and its ability to bind with harmful toxins in your body. I recommend keeping a few on hand to grab when you know you’ll need some extra detox support.

 

With these tips, you’ll be sure to enjoy this holiday season to its fullest, while still keeping your gut in optimal health! By beginning your repair and recovery efforts now, you can set yourself up for success in the new year. Here’s to a safe and joyous holiday season!

Save 15% on My Holiday Survival Kits Now Through Thursday, Dec. 13 at Midnight CST!

Are you worried about getting glutened, off-track, and succumbing to sugar cravings this holiday season? Reclaim your holiday cheer by preparing for success with my Holiday Survival Kits!

My Repair Kit includes Complete Enzymes and Leaky Gut Revive, so if you DO get off track, you can get right back on without worrying about any major setbacks! This kit is crucial to have on hand for beating sugar cravings and repairing your gut after getting “glutened”. It’s also the ideal way to promote optimal digestive functioning a healthy mucosal lining all year round!

My Recovery Kit is perfect for when you need a little extra detox support from one too many holiday parties. This essential kit contains Glutathione and Coconut Charcoal , which help combat the damage from toxins, alcohol, and less-than-optimal food choices.

And, now through Thursday, December 13th at midnight CST, you can SAVE 15% on my Recovery Kit and Repair Kit! These ultimate detoxifying, gut-repairing supplements will help you survive the holidays and start 2019 off strong!

Grab your Holiday Survival Kits TODAY!

 

The post 4 Supplements to Repair and Recover from the Holidays appeared first on Amy Myers MD.

Caramelized Acorn Squash Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette

Who says salads are just for summer? My Caramelized Acorn Squash Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette is hearty, filling, and features in-season produce to help you thrive even in the depths of winter!

Slow-roasting acorn squash brings out its natural sweetness and gives it a rich, nutty taste that pairs perfectly with peppery arugula, creamy avocado, and sweet-tart pomegranate.

Enjoy this nourishing salad as your main meal, or divide into smaller portions to serve as a seasonal side dish at your next holiday dinner!

Caramelized Acorn Squash Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette






Course

Main Dish, Side Dish


Protocol

Autoimmune Solution (AIP), Candida Control and SIBO, Elimination Diet, Paleo, Thyroid Connection




Servings

2 people

Ingredients

2 Tbsp avocado oil1 acorn squash sliced into rounds, seeds removed salt and pepper to taste1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon6 cups baby arugula1 avocado1/2 cup pomegranate seedsDressing1/3 cup olive oil1/3 cup pomegranate juice1/4 cup apple cider vinegar1 clove garlic freshly grated salt and pepper to taste

Servings:
people

Units:
MetricUS Imperial

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 450 F. Line sheet pan with parchment paper. Lay rounds of acorn squash on parchment paper. Drizzle with avocado oil and season with salt, pepper, and pumpkin pie spice. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until tender and caramelized. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes.While acorn squash cooks, whisk together dressing ingredients together in a bowl.In a large bowl, toss together arugula, avocado, pomegranate, and acorn squash. Pour over dressing, toss and serve.

The post Caramelized Acorn Squash Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette appeared first on Amy Myers MD.

Avoid These 4 Things for a Healthy Gut This Holiday Season

The holidays are approaching, and amidst all of the celebrations there are also a great deal of obstacles to navigate to keep your gut as healthy as possible. Even if you’ve been following The Myers Way®, you know how easy it is to have your progress derailed when faced with the array of stresses and indulgences of the holiday season. Trust me—it happens to the best of us!

As you know, your gut health affects your overall health. Without some extra TLC to keep your microbiome balanced, the holiday season can wreak havoc on your gut. The combination of alcohol, indulgent desserts, and seasonal stress leaves you susceptible to inflammation and gut infections, particularly Candida overgrowth.

Luckily, I have four tips for you so you don’t have to worry about the holidays setting you or your health back! “Be prepared” is my motto! By preparing for success and being aware of the top seasonal culprits behind Candida overgrowth, you can keep your gut in tip-top shape through the holidays, into the new year, and beyond. Here are four danger zones to watch out for, so you can make smart choices and maintain optimal health this holiday season.

1. Alcohol

Even if you abstain for the rest of the year, holiday celebrations might tempt you to indulge in a few glasses of wine or a cocktail or two. After all, you think, what’s the harm in one day of “letting loose”? It turns out, even a single episode of overindulging (having a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08g/dL or more) can cause leaky gut and a significant increase of bacterial toxins in your bloodstream.1 When your gut is leaky, inflammatory food particles and yeast can also permeate your gut lining, leaving you open to immune flare-ups and Candida overgrowth.

What’s more, alcohol is essentially liquid sugar. Sugar in all its forms feeds the bad bacteria and Candida in your gut. Alcohol can also impair your judgment and willpower, so you are more likely to reach for a second or third holiday sugar cookie when imbibing. And what’s worse, beer and wine are fermented by yeast. So if you suspect you may already have Candida–or are hoping to avoid it this holiday season–drinking beer or wine would be akin to throwing fuel on the fire.

Of course, you don’t want to miss out on all the holiday fun! If you’re content with having a tasty beverage to sip on that’s got a little zing to it, a “mocktail” can be a great way to celebrate without the negative effects of alcohol. I’ve got a number of tasty mocktail recipes in The Autoimmune Solution Cookbook that will keep your gut happy and you in high spirits, including my delicious Blackberry-Basil Mule, Strawberry Mojito, and wine-free Sangria!

And if you do choose to celebrate with alcohol, my recommendation is to stick with a clear liquor such as vodka, mixed with soda water and a squeeze of citrus for flavor. The key is to keep it to just one drink a day for women, and two for men. This is the amount of alcohol that your body can safely detox without any serious consequences. After that, switch to mocktails for the rest of the night!

2. Sugar

During the holidays we are surrounded by an overload of sweet treats made with refined sugar. Sugar can adversely impact your health in multiple ways, including changing the way your gut functions.

Like alcohol, sugar is an inflammatory food that can cause leaky gut and put you on the path to autoimmune disease.2,3 Consuming sugary foods and beverages leads to increased production of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) (which cause oxidative stress), and spikes levels of inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein (CRP). As you likely already know, inflammation is at the root of almost every chronic disease, including Type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Sugar even has the power to alter bacterial communities in your gut, determining what types of bacteria and the amount of each that take up home there. This can affect your weight and cause a whole host of issues related to an imbalance of microflora.4 As mentioned above, sugar also directly fuels Candida overgrowth, which leads to its own host of related health issues.

Even overindulging in gluten- and dairy-free gingerbread cookies can wreck your gut health if you’re not careful! In fact, gluten-free and dairy-free desserts often have even more sugar than conventional treats to make up for the missing weight in flour and other ingredients. So it’s important to be mindful of hidden sources of sugar.

My best advice is to make your own holiday treats, and opt for more natural sweeteners such as those featured in The Autoimmune Solution Cookbook. Some of my favorites are coconut sugar, maple syrup, monk fruit, and stevia.

3. Gluten and Dairy

If you’re eating many of the traditional holiday foods such as eggnog, gingerbread, pumpkin pie, and stuffing, it’s quite possible they are filled with gluten and dairy. Gluten and dairy are two of the most inflammatory foods I recommend everyone avoid for optimal gut health.

Studies have linked gluten to a wide range of chronic health issues including eczema and other skin rashes,5 Alzheimer’s and dementia,6 irritable bowel syndrome,7 and, of course, autoimmune disease.8

Refined grain products are especially dangerous. Found in abundance at holiday parties in the form of cookies, breads, cakes, and crackers, refined flour can spike your blood sugar, disrupt your delicate gut balance, and create a breeding grounds for Candida to flourish.

Gluten-filled treats often contain dairy as well, which is inflammatory for a large percentage of the population. That’s because around 70% of the population stops producing lactase–the enzyme needed to digest lactose–once they have finished breastfeeding.9

Even if you aren’t lactose intolerant, you might still be sensitive to casein and whey and therefore could be damaging your gut lining without even being aware of it. These two dairy proteins may be difficult for you to digest, creating inflammation in your body and triggering your immune system in the same way as gluten. In fact, it’s a common scenario for both sensitivities to turn up at once: 50% of patients in one study were found to react to both casein and gluten.10

To protect your gut health this holiday season, it’s best to avoid gluten and dairy at all costs. Because these two foods seem to be ubiquitous at holiday parties, I recommend making your own gluten-free, dairy-free dish to bring so you are prepared with something you know you can eat without causing a flare-up and destroying your gut health.

For mouthwatering, seasonal, and autoimmune-friendly recipes to bring to your next holiday gathering check out a copy of my AIP & Paleo Holiday Recipes eBook! This eBook contains 47 amazingly delicious gluten- and dairy-free recipes, including Dairy-Free “Egg” Nog, a gut-friendly version of my mom’s famous Gingerbread, and No-Bake Pumpkin Pies!

4. Stress and Sleep Deprivation

Even though the holidays are meant to be relaxing and enjoyable, they often end up being a source of stress for many people. Family conflicts, overspending, and the pressure of preparing meals and entertaining large groups of relatives can all add up to a less-than-peaceful occasion.

Though it may seem counterintuitive since alcohol is often used as a stress-reliever, drinking alcohol can actually compound that stress, activating your HPA axis and increasing levels of the “stress hormone” cortisol.11 All that holiday cheer can also lead to one too many late nights, resulting in sleep deprivation. Increased cortisol levels due to excess stress and a lack of sleep triggers your immune system to produce inflammation in response to acute or chronic stress, which means stress isn’t just a feeling–it’s an inflammatory state.12,13

Stress also deeply affects your gut because of the way your brain and your gut interact.14 Studies show that your gut bacteria literally change when you are stressed out. Stress can also increase gut permeability and decrease motility in your GI tract, making digestion less effective.15 This, along with the way chronic stress impairs your immune system, creates the perfect environment for Candida to flourish.

As some stress is inevitable during the holidays, it’s important to arm yourself with stress-relieving strategies for when you’re feeling overwhelmed. In the moment, deep breathing exercises can be very centering and help ease your sympathetic nervous system (which controls your fight or flight response), while simultaneously activating the “relaxation response” of your parasympathetic nervous system.16

To help manage stress throughout the holiday season, scheduling in some “me-time” can be extremely valuable. Since you’ll be spending so much time at holiday gatherings with friends and relatives, it’s essential to block off time each day when you can focus on YOU: do some yoga, get a massage, or just enjoy some time “vegging out” to unwind from the hectic holidays.

How to Recover from a Setback & Beat Candida for Good

Being mindful of the root causes of Candida overgrowth and making smart choices is the best way to keep your gut healthy this holiday season. However, if you’ve already gotten off track and suspect you might be dealing with Candida overgrowth, I’ve got some great news for you! Now is the perfect time to join thousands of others who have successfully beat Candida with my Candida Breakthrough Challenge, beginning in the new year!

This LIVE challenge provides you with the resources, support, and accountability you need from me, my team, and hundreds of others just like you who are working to overcome Candida overgrowth. Sign up now* for my Candida Breakthrough Challenge so you have a plan in place to start 2019 off strong, and you can enjoy the rest of the year in optimal health and Candida-free!

*Early enrollment begins Tuesday, December 4th and runs until Thursday, December 6th at midnight!

The post Avoid These 4 Things for a Healthy Gut This Holiday Season appeared first on Amy Myers MD.

The Myers Way® Gingerbread Men

This recipe is a sneak peek from my AIP & Paleo Holiday Recipes eBook.

There’s nothing that says “the holidays are here!” quite like Gingerbread Men. Normally though, these cute little treats are full of refined flour and sugar, butter, and eggs.

My Gingerbread Men are made with all 100% autoimmune-friendly ingredients and natural, nutrient-rich sweeteners. You can have a lot of fun baking these traditional holiday cookies with your kids or grandkids. They also make a great gift!

Happy holidays!

Gingerbread Men






Course

Dessert


Protocol

Autoimmune Solution (AIP), Paleo, Thyroid Connection




Servings

12-18 cookies

Ingredients

1/4 plantain1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp molasses2 dates2 tsp vanilla extract7 Tbsp coconut oil1 cup coconut flour plus 1/4 cup for dusting1/2 cup tigernut flour3/4 tsp baking soda1/2 tsp ground cinnamon2 tsp ground ginger1/8 tsp ground cloves

Servings:
cookies

Units:
MetricUS Imperial

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In food processor, combine plantain, molasses, dates, vanilla, and coconut oil. Slowly add remaining ingredients to food processor until dough is formed. Place in refrigerator for 10 minutes. Place cold dough on working space (you may need to dust space with coconut flour to prevent sticking). Roll out dough to ¼ in. thick. Cut dough into desired shapes.Place cut out dough on parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Let cool for a couple minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

The post The Myers Way® Gingerbread Men appeared first on Amy Myers MD.

The Stress-SIBO Connection

Modern life is full of chronic stressors. These are often subtly present in your life, from smart devices and increasingly long working hours, to a steadily growing to-do list and a range of commitments that bombard you from all angles.

These increased stress levels affect your mind and your body more than you may even realize. Emotional stress is a major contributing factor to the six main causes of death in the US: cancer, coronary heart disease, accidental injuries, respiratory conditions, cirrhosis of the liver, and suicide.1

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention of the United States estimates that stress accounts for around 75% of all doctor visits.2 These patients report having heart problems, an upset stomach, ulcers, insomnia, fatigue, back pain, and headaches, among other complaints.1 Stress also increases your risk of diabetes, especially in overweight individuals.

Stress can even lead to Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO), as it directly affects your digestive system. SIBO is a gut infection that occurs when bacteria begin to colonize your small intestine and multiply. Normally, the majority of your gut bacteria reside in your large intestine and colon, whereas your small intestine is typically quite sterile. However, certain factors such as a high-carb diet, nerve or muscle damage in the stomach, dysmotility, and some medications can cause an abnormal backup of bacteria in the small intestine. SIBO can lead to a number of uncomfortable symptoms including gas and bloating, diarrhea, fatigue, and rosacea or other skin rashes.

Think you might be dealing with SIBO? Take this quiz to find out!

Now let’s take a deeper look into how exactly stress causes SIBO, and then I’ll share some simple strategies you can use to protect your body from stress and prevent (or overcome) SIBO.

Stress Stops Your Body From Producing Gastric Acid

When your body is healthy, gastric acid is secreted by your stomach in order to kill ingested bacteria before it enters your small intestine. However, if your HPA axis—the hormonal subsystem in your body that controls stress hormones—is out of balance due to increased stress, your body doesn’t produce enough stomach acid to kill the necessary bacteria.3 This is a protective mechanism your body has in place to guarantee sufficient energy reserves for a fight or flight situation. However, in our modern-day world, the constant stress we endure can transform this protective mechanism into chronic, ongoing low gastric acid production, allowing bacteria to enter your small intestine, proliferate and promote the development of SIBO.

Stress Causes Dysmotility

The muscles in your digestive tract have a way of sweeping residual undigested food and other matter through your GI tract between meals, a type of peristalsis known as the migrating motor complex.4 However, when stress hormones are released into your bloodstream, these muscles simply stop doing their work, or do that work less efficiently,5 allowing bacteria to build up and causing food to stagnate, which ferments and further feeds the bacteria in your gut.

On top of that, when you are stressed out, you’ve probably noticed yourself reaching for unhealthy snacks or “stress-eating”. That’s because stress drives your body to produce more cortisol, which causes your blood sugar levels to fluctuate and leads to frequent snacking and overeating. This constant influx of food prevents your digestive tract from ever fully completing its “housekeeping”, which adds to the problem by creating a breeding ground for bacteria.

Stress Affects Your Mucosal Immunity

I often talk about the relationship between your gut and the autoimmune spectrum. However, you may not have heard me discuss secretory Immunoglobulin A (IgA) before. This antibody serves as the first line of defense in protecting your intestinal wall from toxins and pathogenic microorganisms. It blocks their access to receptors in your gut lining, traps them in mucus and aids their physical removal from your gut.6

However, can you imagine what happens when you’re stressed? Yes, your body produces less of this antibody to save energy, which may increase your risk of bacterial overgrowth within your intestines.7

Stress Increases Your Risk of Infection

Did you know that stress hormones actually make life very easy for bacteria? Stress promotes bacterial attachment to your tissues and increases your risk of infection.8,9

Stress Promotes The Development of Biofilms

Biofilms are a community of microorganisms that share nutrients and DNA.10 Unfortunately, biofilms also protect bacteria from the herbs and antimicrobial supplements used to help repair your gut and keep conditions like SIBO at bay, so preventing their buildup is essential for optimal health.

This is yet another reason why you need to keep your stress levels in check. Stress hormones and other substances involved in the stress response, including cortisol and catecholamines, promote the formation of biofilms by helping pathogenic bacteria access the nutrients they need to stay in your body.11,12,13

Fortunately, there are lots of ways to prevent these biofilms from forming, as well as help your body to combat SIBO and keep you healthy long-term, and I am going to guide you through several solutions that you can start implementing immediately.

Beating SIBO Through Stress Management

There is no one best way to manage and relieve stress. You will quickly find out what works well for you personally, so you can design the perfect de-stressing routine for you. Here are some of my favorite stress-relieving strategies:

Infrared Sauna Therapy

I love spending time in my infrared sauna at home. You may prefer to go to one at a natural spa or another facility. They are located in most towns and cities. Infrared saunas help you relax and detox your body. I recommend using them at least twice per week for stress relief.

Gentle Exercise & Bodywork

Whether it’s yoga, going for a long walk, or taking your bicycle out to the park on the weekend, gentle exercise can melt away stress. Massage and bodywork can also easily be added to your monthly routine, and can even improve gut function and help with constipation.14

Practice Mindful Time Management

Do you ever feel overwhelmed by your to-do list? Prioritization is very important now because it’s so easy for your commitments to build up and become a source of everyday stress that only gets worse over time. This isn’t an easy exercise for many of my patients. However, I have found that choosing carefully what I spend my time on and eliminating unnecessary obligations is the key to a more tranquil, restful lifestyle.

Turn Off The News

While staying informed can be beneficial, watching too much news can bombard your brain with distressing information unnecessarily. Try to keep your exposure to this negativity to a minimum by disconnecting from all devices and social media on a regular basis. Keeping all screens out of your bedroom each evening is a wonderful place to start. As a bonus, you will be avoiding late-night blue light exposure which can disrupt your sleep–and as you know, a good night’s sleep is essential for stress-relief!

Combating SIBO With Stress-Reducing Adaptogens

Adaptogens are a class of herbs that help your body adapt to internal and external stresses, normalize your body’s functions, and can be used safely over the long term. They can help you prevent and ward off SIBO by addressing stress directly, as well as improve how your body’s digestive system responds to it.

Ashwagandha

This Ayurvedic herb has been shown to calm your mind and boost immune function.15 By boosting adrenal function, it can also balance stress hormones, relieve anxiety and help with adrenal fatigue, as well as prevent stress-induced ulcers.16

Maca

This Andean herb has been shown to improve the absorption of iron in your digestive tract, as well as balance your entire hormonal system and increase your overall energy levels and vitality.17 My Clean Greens Superfood Juice Powder contains both maca and ashwagandha, along with folate- and magnesium-rich greens, making it the ultimate stress-reliever! Simply stir a scoop into a glass of water or your morning smoothie for an instant mood boost.

Ginseng

This herb has been used for centuries in China, and is one of the most revered roots in Traditional Chinese Medicine. It has been shown to help with weight loss, stress, depression, and anxiety, among many other benefits.18,19

Rhodiola Rosea

This powerful plant actually prevents the secretion of cortisol, as well as offering antidepressive and heart-protective effects.20,21,22

Eleuthero

As well as being Chinese herb that boosts energy levels and helps you burn fat for energy, Eleuthero helps you stabilize your blood sugar,23 preventing overeating and reaching for sugary snacks between meals.

All of these adaptogenic herbs can be found in The Myers Way® Adrenal Support supplement, along with Vitamin C, L-Tyrosine, and key B vitamins to help your body deal with physical and emotional stressors with greater ease and prevent them from leading to SIBO.

 

Managing stress is such a key part of improving your health, which is why I recommend ways you can combat it at every turn. Not only will this help you repair your gut, it will also help you achieve lifelong, vibrant health and wellness through the prevention and reversal of chronic illness.

The post The Stress-SIBO Connection appeared first on Amy Myers MD.

The Myers Way® Travel Tips

I travel a lot, so I know firsthand how tough it can be to stick to The Myers Way® while away from home. I have been following TMW for 7 years now and can say that it is getting easier and easier to travel as healthier options are becoming more widely available. Preparation is the key to making this way of life work for you–in fact, I always have a suitcase packed and ready to go for last-minute travel. Here are my top five tips for traveling on The Myers Way®.

1. Do your research.

I always look up the menus at the hotel where I’ll be staying and make sure I have options. That way, if I have questions, I can call ahead and talk to the staff and come up with some options for myself while I’m there. Apps like Find Me Gluten-Free have been really helpful for me in big cities like NYC. I also use Google–just google “gluten free [city name]” to find nearby restaurants. When you do dine out, use these great tips on healthy restaurant dining.

2. Bring your own food.

This one is a must, and has been an absolute lifesaver for me. Plenty of healthy foods don’t require refrigeration and are completely portable. Some of my favorites are unsweetened organic applesauce, , , , , and organic dark chocolate.

To make things easier, I’ve partnered with Thrive Market, a revolutionary online marketplace on a mission to make healthy living easy and affordable for everyone. Thrive offers thousands of the best-selling organic and non-GMO foods and products, always at 25-50% below traditional retail prices. Plus, when you use my special link to sign up for a Thrive Market membership, you’ll get 25% off your first order and FREE shipping!

Before your next trip, you can create your own care package of delicious, travel-friendly snacks that are all The Myers Way®-approved and have it sent straight to your hotel room or Air BnB!

3. Pack your supplements.

When you’re traveling, the last thing you want to do is worry about forgetting your essential supplements. Make sure to pack all of the supplements you take on a daily basis, plus some additional “safety” supplements. I highly recommend taking a complete digestive enzyme anytime you eat out. Restaurant food is often richer than food you would eat at home, and digestive enzymes help you break down and more fully digest your meal. Plus, enzymes that contain dipeptidyl peptidase (DPP-IV) minimize the symptoms of being “glutened” because they help your body break down the gluten faster.

Protein powder is a great supplement to pack for meal-replacements or snacks, and an especially good option for kids–they are great tasting and are perfect in a pinch. When I’m traveling I use The Myers Way® Paleo Protein Single Serve Packets. These handy packets are SO convenient–all I do is mix one in a shake bottle with some coconut milk, and it’s ready to go!

4. Bring ice packs and insulated containers.

Ice packs are super useful–I put them in the hotel fridge or freezer, and then I pack them into an insulated bag with veggies, fruits, or last night’s leftovers to enjoy later! Another great option is to carry bone broth or soup in an insulated thermos (I like Klean Kanteen).

5. Ask for a small hotel fridge or buy a cooler.

On The Myers Way®, most of the foods you rely on are fresh vegetables, meats, and fruits. It definitely helps to have some sort of refrigeration where you’re staying so you don’t have to depend on restaurants. Call ahead and make sure your hotel room comes with a small fridge that you can use for storage. If not, ask if you can have one–most hotels will accommodate you if you explain that you need a fridge for medical reasons. If they can’t provide one, buy a cooler from a grocery or hardware store and use ice packs to keep your food cool.

Check out these products I rely on when I travel!

Now tell me below: what are your favorite tips to stay on track while traveling?

The post The Myers Way® Travel Tips appeared first on Amy Myers MD.

10 Things You MUST Do if You Are Going Through Menopause

Are you experiencing hot flashes, night sweats, weight gain, or mood swings? Chances are you are on what I like to call “the menopause spectrum”.

Of course, menopause doesn’t happen from one day to the next. The months or years leading up to it are known as perimenopause, during which you can experience menstrual changes and irregularities, as well as an array of symptoms. This roller-coaster of symptoms is a sign of declining estrogen and other hormonal fluctuations, and can be tiresome, frustrating, and anxiety-producing.

The journey from perimenopause to menopause is a rocky road, to say the least. I’m currently going through perimenopause myself, so I know how you feel! Everything started changing when I turned 46, and even now at 49 I still go through plenty of ups and downs with symptoms coming and going erratically.

However, I have some good news for you! By supporting your health with changes to your diet and lifestyle, you can ease the transition and decrease uncomfortable symptoms during your menopause journey.

How Do I Know When I’m in Menopause?

Menopause is a natural biological process that happens when your ovaries stop producing estrogen and progesterone, marking the end of your menstrual cycle. When you experience 12 months without a period, you have officially reached menopause. Menopause can happen in your 40s or 50s, usually after age 45.1,2

Symptoms of the Menopause Spectrum:3,4

Irregular periods
Hot flashes
Night sweats
Chills
Sleep problems
Vaginal dryness
Mood changes
Weight gain
Slowed metabolism
Thinning hair
Dry skin
Loss of breast fullness
Bone loss

Menopause may also increase your risk of thyroid dysfunction and autoimmune conditions.5 Many of my female patients tend to experience an onset of these conditions during this turning point in their lives.

While menopause is an inevitable and natural part of your life, it doesn’t mean that you have to deal with uncomfortable symptoms and other health issues during and after this time. The following lifestyle strategies and powerful supplements can reduce or even eliminate your symptoms, and support your hormonal and overall health during menopause.

10 Tips to Support Your Health During Menopause and Perimenopause
1. Repair Your Gut

Your gut is the gateway to health. An imbalance of gut flora, known as dysbiosis, along with gut infections such as SIBO and Candida overgrowth can lead to a leaky gut which increases inflammation and compromises your body’s ability to absorb nutrients. This can lead to hormonal imbalance, exacerbating the hormonal changes you are already experiencing due to menopause. All this imbalance leads to increased menopausal symptoms.

Repairing your gut is essential to reduce inflammation and improve your ability to absorb nutrients properly, and as a result, reduce your menopausal symptoms and support your overall health.

To repair your gut, I recommend using the 4R approach, which you can learn more about here.

2. Remove Toxic & Trigger Foods

If you are eating a diet high in refined sugar and processed foods, it can lead to sharp rises and dips in blood sugar leading to fatigue and irritability. According to research, eating too many refined carbohydrates can even increase depression in postmenopausal women.6 Processed foods can also lead to poor bone quality among women aged 50 to 59.7 These toxic foods increase inflammation in your body that disrupt your hormonal health and increase your menopause symptoms. Certain foods, including sugary and spicy foods, alcohol, and caffeine can also trigger hot flashes, night sweats, and mood swings.

In addition the above toxic foods, I also recommend eliminating gluten and dairy from your diet. These highly inflammatory foods can trigger an autoimmune condition or thyroid dysfunction, and should be avoided at all costs.

There are also a number of seemingly harmless foods (such as nightshades, citrus, or eggs) that you could potentially react to if you develop a food sensitivity during this time. Keeping a food journal to track the food you eat and your symptoms can help you identify your personal trigger foods. Once you identify your triggers, remove them from your diet. An elimination diet can help you discover underlying food sensitivities and foods that are triggering your menopausal symptoms.

3. Eat Regular Meals

Many women experience weight gain or difficulty losing weight during menopause. This is not the time to restrict and skip meals, however. Irregular eating can hinder your weight loss efforts and may make your other symptoms worse as well.8 Eating regular meals is very important to keep your body in balance, energized, and healthy. Taking digestive enzymes can help improve slowed digestion you may be experiencing during menopause.

Eating protein throughout the day will keep you full and satisfied, and can help you achieve your weight loss goals and slow down muscle loss that comes with aging.9,10 I recommend grass-fed, pastured meat, and wild-caught fish in order the ensure you get plenty of high-quality protein. My Paleo Protein Powder is another quick, convenient way to meet your protein needs, and can be easily added to add to your smoothies, shakes, and recipes.

4. Choose Hormone-Supporting Foods

During menopause, your body is going through some serious hormonal changes that can lead to hot flashes and other uncomfortable symptoms.

Some of your symptoms may also be a result of thyroid dysfunction which, as I mentioned above, is very common during menopause. Your thyroid is a gland that secretes hormones that control your metabolism and support important bodily functions, including breathing, heart rate, muscle strength, and your menstrual cycle.11 It is your body’s engine that powers you and helps keep everything working smoothly. When your thyroid is not functioning optimally, your metabolism slows way down and you can experience weight gain, fatigue, low libido, and brain fog.

Many women also experience estrogen dominance during the years leading up to menopause. This is when your progesterone levels have dropped significantly and your estrogen levels have not yet decreased, causing an imbalance of these key reproductive hormones. You can read more about estrogen dominance here.

Eating hormone-balancing foods and supplementing with essential nutrients that may be depleted during this time is a simple and surefire way to reduce or even prevent uncomfortable menopause symptoms.12

Hormone-balancing foods:

Healthy fats, such as avocados, coconut oil, coconut butter, and olive oil
High-quality protein, such as grass-fed, pastured meat, and wild-caught fish
Fiber-rich vegetables
Leafy greens, such as kale13
Cherries14
Cranberries
Maca root
Passionflower
Black cohosh
Motherwort

Nutrients that support your thyroid health:

Iodine
Selenium
Iron
Zinc

During menopause, maintaining hormonal balance is crucial. My Organic Greens powder is an easy way to get plenty of these hormone-supporting foods into your diet. This superfood juice powder is filled with hormone-balancing foods such as kale and maca, along with 12 other powerful, certified organic plant foods.

If you are dealing with estrogen dominance, you may also benefit from taking EstroProtect, a supplement I designed to support healthy estrogen balance and immunity.

5. Eat a Nutrient-Dense Diet

According to research,eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can help reduce menopausal symptoms, build strong bones, and prevent bone loss, which is extremely common during menopause. A nutrient-dense diet can help you maintain a healthy weight while effectively fighting menopausal weight gain. It can also prevent heart disease, which is much more common among women after menopause than before due to reduced estrogen, weight gain, and age.15,16

For simple yet delicious recipe ideas to support your health during menopause, I recommend my Autoimmune Solution Cookbook, which is filled with delicious, nutrient-dense, autoimmune-friendly, and thyroid-supporting recipes.

6. Supplement with Vitamin D and Calcium

Hormonal changes due to menopause can weaken your bones, increasing your risk of osteoporosis.

Vitamin D and calcium are both essential for bone health. Research has shown that having an adequate level of vitamin D is associated with lower risk of weak bones and hip fractures in postmenopausal women.17

While a daily dose of sunlight ideally should be your main source of vitamin D, if you spend a lot of time indoors or live in a less sunny climate, chances are that you are not getting enough. I have done nutritional testing on thousands of patients and of those who were not supplementing, virtually all were deficient in vitamin D. For this reason, I recommend a vitamin D supplement, such as my Vitamin D3/K2 Liquid, which includes vitamin D3 and K2. These two nutrients work together to ensure that calcium finds its way into your bones where it belongs, rather than remaining in your bloodstream.

Conventional wisdom would have you believe that dairy products are the best source of dietary calcium. However, considering dairy is chock-full of hormones that would only exacerbate your menopausal symptoms (among other harmful side-effects), I don’t recommend eating dairy for your calcium. So unless you are eating tons of leafy greens, it can be challenging to get enough calcium levels from diet alone. To ensure optimal calcium levels, my Bone Health Kit includes a bottle of super bioavailable calcium from grass-fed New Zealand cows, along with my Vitamin D3/K2 Liquid.

7. Drink Plenty of Water

Women in menopause often experience dryness as a result of decreased estrogen levels. You may also experience bloating due to hormonal changes. Drinking eight to twelve glasses of filtered water a day can help with these symptoms. Drinking plenty of water can also speed up your metabolism, increase the feeling of fullness, reduce overeating, and consequently help you maintain a healthy weight.18,19

8. Exercise Regularly

Research has found that exercising only three hours a week for one year improved the physical and mental health, as well as the overall quality of life, of menopausal women.20 Further research has found that yoga is particularly beneficial for reducing menopausal symptoms.21

Exercise can provide you with many health benefits, including reduced stress, better sleep, and healthier bones and joints.22,23 Staying active can also lower your risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, obesity, osteoporosis, diabetes, and cancer.24,25,26

9. Support Your Mood and Mental Health

The hormonal changes associated with menopause can lead to mood imbalances. The good news is that you can support your mood and mental health with food and lifestyle strategies.

Nutrients and food that support your mood:

Vitamin D: fatty fish, grass-fed or pasture-raised meat, organ meats, spirulina, wild mushrooms, and bee pollen
Omega-3s : grass-fed meats, wild-caught salmon, flax and chia oil
B Vitamins : leafy greens, root veggies,fresh and dried fruits, seafood, and avocados
Magnesium: dark leafy greens, seaweed, figs, fish, avocado, and bananas
Amino Acids: Paleo Protein and collagen
Zinc: oysters, seafood, lamb, grass-fed beef
Iron: red meat, shellfish, organ meat, dark leafy greens
Selenium: garlic, turkey, liver, red meat, spinach, and bananas

In addition to nutrients in food, there are a number of supplements that contain nutrients to help support your mood and mental health. I recommend supplementing with Complete Omega-3 Softgels, Methylation Support, and NeuroCalm Magnesium for promoting optimal stress relief. Ashwagandha in my Organic Greens Superfood Juice Powder also encourages stress relief by enhancing relaxation and supporting your mood. In addition, Organic Greens is also rich in nutrient-dense vegetables and superfoods that can support your mental and physical health.

Lifestyle changes that support your mood:

Exercise regularly.27
Relieve your stress. Yoga, tai-chi, meditation, journaling, coloring, affirmations, and relaxation exercises are all beneficial.
Spend time in nature.
Cultivate quality relationships through family, friendships, and community.
Develop hobbies you enjoy.
Volunteer.28
Get plenty of sleep.

10. Support Your Sleep

I can’t stress enough how important sleep is for lowering your stress levels, supporting your mood, and maintaining a healthy weight. These are areas in which menopausal women often struggle. Getting regular sleep of seven to eight hours a night is important to support your health through menopause and to reduce your menopausal symptoms.29 You can read about my personal evening routine here for some ideas on how to support your own sleep.

If you find that you are STILL tired even after getting a full night’s sleep, it may be the result of your diet, stress, or adrenal fatigue.

Eating processed sugar and drinking coffee throughout the day can lead to sugar crashes and fatigue. And, if you are not eating a diet rich in nutrient-dense foods, such as vegetables, fruits, lean protein, and healthy fats your body won’t be able to support you for a full day activity.

Chronic stress can also be to blame for low mood and tiredness. Aromatherapy can be a powerful ally to combat stress and encourage restorative sleep. Lavender has been shown to be an effective treatment menopausal symptoms that can keep you up at night, such as hot flashes and depression. Using lavender as aromatherapy reduces restlessness and disturbed sleep, and can enhance your general well-being and quality of life.30

Finally, if you think you might be dealing with adrenal fatigue, I recommend my Adrenal Support supplement, a cutting edge blend of adaptogenic herbs, to support a healthy stress response, mood, sleep, libido, immune system, blood sugar, and more.

Menopause is a natural part of a women’s life that comes with many hormonal changes (and challenges). Fortunately, by following these ten hormone-supporting dietary and lifestyle strategies, you can reduce or even eliminate your menopausal symptoms, and achieve optimal health during and after menopause.

The post 10 Things You MUST Do if You Are Going Through Menopause appeared first on Amy Myers MD.

No-Bake Pumpkin Pies

This recipe is a sneak peek from my AIP & Paleo Holiday Recipes eBook.

Still searching for something to serve for dessert this Thanksgiving, and can’t seem to find a pumpkin pie recipe that won’t set you back and knock you off your clean-eating protocol? The great news is, there’s no need to compromise!

My No-Bake Pumpkin Pies are the perfect seasonal treat, and come together in just minutes! These individually-sized desserts are made with just a few simple ingredients, and contain NO added sugar (aside from the optional spoonful of nutrient-rich molasses), letting the natural sweetness of the pumpkin shine through!

And, as the name implies, there is no need to bake them, which will save you space in the oven for the turkey and roasted vegetables! You can even make them the day before to get ahead of the game.

Go ahead–have a second helping.