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Have your allergies gotten worse over the years? Do you react to foods that you have been able to eat in the past without problems? There is a chance you have Leaky Gut Syndrome also known as intestinal permeability. 

Leaky Gut Syndrome can start a cascade of problems in many other body systems. It is a condition in which the lining of the small intestine becomes damaged.  

Leaky gut is caused by refined and toxic foods damaging the lining of the small intestine and breaking down its ability to filter out toxins and undigested food particles. Instead of being filtered out of the body, these irritants dump directly into the blood stream and can lead to a host of weird, vague symptoms, including:

• Food sensitivities and intolerances - not just symptoms, but actual reactions to foods - including diarrhea, bloating, nausea, allergic symptoms, and stomachaches
• Increased inflammation and all the ills it can bring: aches, pains, swelling and fever, even autoimmune diseases like RA, lupus, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, celiac, or Crohn's
• Insomnia, depression, ADD/ADHD, brain fog
• Unhealthy food cravings
• Skin problems, like rashes, acne, or dry, scaly patches

 
Some undetected symptoms drive people to seek medical care. The problem is, apart from indicators like positive allergy tests or blood work that's off, there's no particular diagnostic for leaky gut. Symptoms can wax and wane depending on the foods being consumed, and most people do not keep an ongoing food or symptom diary.  Leaky gut can cause a lot of problems for sufferers and their medical providers.
 
The medical profession recognizes the basic mechanism of leaky gut, but because there's no specific diagnostic or treatment they can recommend, they don't have tests or treatment for the root cause of all the problems, only for the various results listed above. Some experts recommend supplements to help heal leaky gut, but one thing that's easy and safe is to eat clean. If you've given up crazy New Year resolution diets, now's the time to try a simpler plan and make "clean eating" a daily habit.
 
Not only can you lose weight, but eating right - eating "clean" - can actually heal your body if you suffer from  leaky gut.

What does eating clean mean in the leaky gut world? Essentially, it's avoiding the foods that commonly cause insult to the small intestine. The easiest thing to do - and it's not really easy if you're addicted to these foods! - is to cut out certain foods for a few weeks and see how you respond. If you start feeling better, you know that some of the foods you've eliminated are causing problems. Once you have eliminated a food or several foods for a few weeks, gradually re-introduce one food at a time.  Journal any reactions, such as digestive issues, joint pain, excess mucus or skin irritations.  Some foods may cause reactions so gradual that you may not notice. The more faithful you can be to the elimination diet, the less inflamed your body will be, and the faster your leaky gut will heal.
 
Foods to consider eliminating:

• Dairy
• Soy
• Refined sugar
• Alcohol
• Caffeine
• Wheat/ gluten
• Corn

In general, the more processed foods are, the less nutrients they can provide to your body and the more inflammation they cause.
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You can try adding some foods known to be helpful to the gut as well as the rest of your body, including:

• Healthy fats like those found in fish and certain plant oils (coconut, flax, avocado);
• Probiotic supplements to help improve your gut flora, now known to have a huge impact on health and weight. If you don't like taking supplements- kimchi, saurkraut, coconut kefir and other fermented foods are rich in healthy bacteria, which will help your gut and your overall health;
• Foods high in fiber to keep your digestive tract moving;
• Nut or seed milk (almond milk, cashew mild, hemp milk, etc) in place of cow's milk;
• Anti-inflammatory herbs and foods, like turmeric, ginger, nuts, beans, and colorful vegetables (orange and dark green especially).

Even if your current medical practitioner doesn't address leaky gut, you can't go wrong with eating a healthy, low inflammatory diet!

Wouldn’t it be more effective to address your uncomfortable feelings? The best, most thorough, most divinely perfect way to do that is forgiveness.

Forgiving is not easy, even for the most enlightened among us. If you’ve been allowing your present health to be controlled by past hurts, I urge you to commit to forgiving. These steps can help:

• Talk to sympathetic friends and family about your desire to forgive. Chatting with others is tremendously comforting.
  
• Write a letter to the person you’d like to forgive. You can decide whether or not you send it.
  
• See the situation from the other person’s perspective – your own perspective may change.
  
• Don’t forget to forgive yourself. Sometimes we can be harshest with ourselves.
  
• Understand that you are responsible for your own attitude. Don’t let holding a grudge keep you from feeling free, open, and powerful in your own life. 

Forgive and watch how much easier your relationship with eating becomes. 

Picture a big glass goblet filled to the halfway mark with water. How do you see it – half-full or half-empty?

Consistently finding the glass half-empty – and the world as a difficult place – is a hallmark of negativity.

Research has found that a negative outlook can contribute to everything from depression to heart disease to lowered immune system function. It can affect sleep, weight maintenance, the quality of your relationships, your social life, and even your ability to hold a job.

Now imagine what it would feel like to approach life from a place of positivity, fun, connection, health, and possibility. Sounds good, doesn’t it?

Here are Simple Tips to Make a Positive Switch

To help wipe out negativity, try one or more of the following action steps:

• Go complaint-free. Try going an hour without complaining and see the positive things in your life. Next, try a day, a week, and so on. 
• Keep a gratitude journal. Each evening, list 10 or more things that you are grateful for.
• Give compliments freely. Notice the good in others. Praise every person you interact with.
  
• Find beauty everywhere in your world. Notice its gorgeousness.
  
• Share your good news. Studies show that sharing happy events brings even more happiness.
• Focus on what you want, not what you don’t want.
• Appreciate  yourself.  Look in the mirror and say out loud to yourself "I am fabulous" each day.

Maintaining a positive outlook takes practice, and the more you do it, the easier it gets. The payoff – a happier, healthier life – is absolutely worth the effort.

Did you know mung beans or often called bean sprouts, are a legume, related to a bean and a lentil?  Mung beans are loaded with potassium, magnesium, folate, fiber, and vitamin B6.  They are easy to sprout and provide the body with lots of energy.  These are my favorite beans to sprout.  I hope you will give it a try yourself.  
Here’s how:

1.     Buy Mung Beans special for sprouting
2.     Rinse beans under water
3.     Place beans in a mason jar or glass bowl
4.    Cover beans with cold water  (about 2-3 times the volume of beans)
5.     Soak for 6- 12 hours (change out water 1-2 times during that time)
6.     Drain the water after 6-12 hours.  You can eat them or let them grow a bit by letting them rest in a dark place (counter top or refrigerator is fine), covering the bowl or jar with a cheese cloth or paper towel.  Don’t let them dry out completely or they will turn hard. 
7.     Rinse the sprouting beans with water 1-2 times during the day to prevent them from drying out or getting slimy.
8.     You can eat them between 2-5 days -  any time after the skin has split or when a little white tail has started grow (your preference).
9.     Enjoy.  Put them in salads or soups, add them to smoothies or pop them right in your mouth!

*Note- I sprout the amount of beans I will eat in a two day period.  I eat half the amount one day and the rest the next and then start sprouting again for the next 2-3 days.

"Harmony" is an easier goal than balance. 

Harmony means everything is co-existing in a spirit of cooperation. But whatever you want to call it - harmony, balance, or "fitting it all in" - there is a secret to doing more of what you want and less of what you don't want.

Want to hear it?


I just need to warn you that although the equation sounds simple, it actually takes massive willpower to execute. It also requires that you get absolutely clear on what you want your life to look like, and what you do not want in your life.

Ready? Okay, here's the secret: 

• First ask yourself what isn't serving you. What doesn't need to be in your life? What is dragging you down? Keeping you awake at night?
• Have you identified a few things? Now get rid of them (or fix them - now). 
• Next, ask yourself what you want in your life - or in this week or day? What do you want to accomplish? What do you want to do? Who do you want to be with? Focus your energy on these things. Anything that doesn't fit into this larger scheme... let it go (or learn how to say "no").

Ready to dive in and make a few changes? Give these tips a try and see how much more harmonious your life can be. No balance required.

Thanks to much of what we hear in the media, cleansing has earned a reputation for being unhealthy and even unsafe. When you hear the word “cleanse”,  you immediately think of all-liquid diets, expensive supplements and short-term deprivation for short-term gains?

 The truth is, a cleanse doesn’t have to involve any of the above—and if you cleanse in a healthy, supportive manner, you can achieve lasting results in weight loss, energy gain and full-body health.

 The following are four myths you may have heard about cleansing. Understandably, these myths may cause you to be  hesitant to try a cleanse.

Keep reading to find out the truth behind these myths and why cleansing might be just what your body is craving.

Myth # 1: You won’t enjoy anything you’re eating while on a cleanse.
While you might have to eliminate certain foods that you enjoy, cleansing isn’t all about eating lettuce with a drizzle of olive oil. There are many delicious recipes that can be prepared using healthy ingredients that not only taste amazing, but nourish and cleanse your body.

The best part is, many of them don’t involve any fancy ingredients and can be prepared even by a cooking novice. In fact, my cleanse participants always discover new foods and recipes that they absolutely love that have become staples in their diets long after the cleanse ends.

Myth #2:  You’ll constantly be hungry while cleansing.
While you might end up consuming fewer calories while following a cleanse, you shouldn't feel deprived or hungry. Going on an extremely low-calorie diet can actually disrupt your hormones and metabolism, making your body less efficient in the long run.

Everyone’s caloric needs are different, so a cleanse should never dictate how many calories you consume. By consuming whole foods that provide you with the right nutrients, you help cleanse your body while feeling satisfied.  My participants are always amazed that they never feel hungry during my cleanse.

Myth #3:  You need to do an all-liquid cleanse to remove toxins from your body.
Liquid-only cleanses have had more than their fair share of popularity. These types of cleanses can backfire: Not only do people often gain the weight back as soon as the cleanse ends, but such restrictive eating for several days can be detrimental to your health. An effective cleanse will include a variety of whole foods to help nourish your body and produce long-term results.

Myth #4: Cleanses are just a way for people to make money on expensive supplements.
Supplements involved in a cleanse should be just that, a supplementary part of the program, not the primary source of your nutrition.  While on a cleanse, you get most of your vitamins and minerals from whole-food sources.

Supplements may be recommended to help your body make the most of the nutrients it receives from these foods.  For example, by including probiotics in your diet, you help your body produce vitamins, absorb minerals and remove toxins from the body.

Aside from the benefits discussed above, cleansing is an incredibly effective way to identify if you have any food sensitivities, balance your hormones, and establish healthy habits for the long term.

I’ve worked with cleanse participants who not only have lost weight and kept it off, but who have also seen their energy level skyrocket, their skin clear up and even their allergies disappear.

Are you ready to discover the benefits of healthy cleansing for yourself?
Click here to learn more about my online 7-Day Cleanse.

What questions or concerns do you have about participating in a cleanse? Email me at mona@bodybalancecoaching.com. 

Leafy greens are some of the easiest and most beneficial vegetables to incorporate into your daily routine. Densely packed with energy and nutrients, they grow upward to the sky, absorbing the sun's light while producing oxygen. Members of this royal green family include kale, collard greens, Swiss chard, mustard greens, arugula, dandelion greens, broccoli rabe, watercress, beet greens, bok choy, napa cabbage, green cabbage, spinach and broccoli.

How do greens benefit our bodies? They are very high in calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorous and zinc, and are a powerhouse for vitamins A, C, E and K. They are crammed full of fiber, folic acid, chlorophyll and many other micronutrients and phytochemicals. Their color is associated with spring, which is a time to renew and refresh vital energy. In traditional Asian medicine, the color green is related to the liver, emotional stability and creativity. Greens aid in purifying the blood, strengthening the immune system, improving liver, gall bladder and kidney function, fighting depression, clearing congestion, improving circulation and keeping your skin clear and blemish free.

Leafy greens are the vegetables most missing from the American diet, and many of us never learned how to prepare them. Start with the very simple recipe below. Then each time you go to the market, pick up a new green to try. Soon you'll find your favorite greens and wonder how you ever lived without them.

Click here for Sautéed Kale with Shiitake Mushooms recipe