Women’s Health

Yellow Foods for Better Energy

Yellow foods are often overlooked in favor of their more colorful counterparts. But these vibrant fruits and vegetables can actually provide a major energy boost, thanks to their high concentration of vitamins and minerals. Eating yellow foods will boost your carotenoids naturally, which will also help boost your energy and help with your thyroid function. Here are just a few of the yellow foods that you should add to your diet if you want to increase your energy levels.

1. Lemons

Lemons are a great source of Vitamin C, which is essential for supporting the immune system. They also contain flavonoids, which have been shown to improve blood circulation and promote healthy skin. In addition, lemons can help to alkalize the body and promote detoxification. Simply add the juice of half a lemon to a glass of water first thing in the morning or drink it throughout the day as a refreshing beverage.

2. Yellow Bell Peppers

Yellow bell peppers are an excellent source of Vitamin C, carotenoids, and B vitamins. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that can help to protect cells from damage, while carotenoids can improve vision and reduce the risk of developing cancer. B vitamins are essential for energy production, so yellow bell peppers make a great addition to any diet if you’re looking to increase your energy levels. They’re also a good source of fiber, which can promote digestive health. Add yellow bell peppers to salads, stir-fries, or eat them raw as a healthy snack.

3. Pineapples

Pineapples are another fruit that’s high in Vitamin C. They also contain bromelain, a protein-digesting enzyme that can reduce inflammation. Pineapples make a great addition to smoothies, or you can eat them on their own as a tasty and healthy snack.

4. Yellow Squash

Yellow squash is a good source of vitamins A and C, as well as potassium and fiber. Vitamin A is important for vision and skin health, while Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant. Potassium can help to regulate blood pressure, while fiber promotes digestive health. Add yellow squash to soups, stews, or casseroles, or eat it raw with dip as a healthy snack.

5. Corn

Corn is a good source of fiber, vitamins B and C, and carotenoids. Fiber promotes digestive health, while vitamins B and C help the body to convert food into energy. Carotenoids are antioxidants that can help to reduce the risk of developing cancer. Enjoy corn on the cob as a healthy side dish or add it to salads or soups.

These are just a few of the yellow foods that can help to boost your energy levels. Incorporate them into your diet and you’ll be sure to feel more energetic in no time!

7 days to a healthier, more vibrant YOU!

Feed your body well, listen to it, and you will benefit in the long run. In my free meal plan, you’ll get 7 breakfasts, 7 lunches, 7 dinners and 7 snacks that help you do just that. Download my free 7 day meal plan and you’ll get an introduction to eating balanced meals and snacks.

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Why Am I So Tired? – Part II

Last week, I covered the main physical reasons why you are so tired. This week, we will focus on your mind and how it affects your energy levels. If you haven’t read last week’s blog post yet, catch up by reading it here first, then come back for part II.

You’re Focusing on the Negative

When you’re feeling like you can hardly function even after lying in bed for 10 to 12 hours, it can be really hard to focus on the positive aspects of your health — especially if you feel like you’ve tried everything and can’t find the help you need to feel better. Believe me, I can relate: I was literally given no help and support. I was told that this was my new normal, and I was just supposed to deal with it. This made it difficult to stay positive and caused me to focus on the negatives.

If you feel this way, I encourage you to focus on what you can do: What is one quick win you can achieve? This is how my programs are designed; we work on a few little things, and little by little, people feel motivated to keep going forward.

Your Nervous System Is Not Working Properly

Do you have anxiety? Are you overstimulated? Are you not getting the breaks you need throughout the day? Is your mind tired? If you’re just plugging away at things all the time, you’re going to stay in fight or flight mode. And if you’re constantly running from that proverbial saber-tooth tiger, you won’t be able to calm down and shut your brain off.

What you want is to get into that rest and digest state where your parasympathetic nervous system kicks in to help you achieve a state of calm. The way you do that is by stimulating the vagus nerve, which runs right behind the back of your ear, kind of at the base of your ear lobe on the mastoid bone right underneath on the back of your skull.

This is a whole other topic on its own, so if you’re curious to learn more, Google “stimulation of vagus nerve” to learn ways to calm yourself down. A few methods I recommend:

Use clove and lime oil on the mastoid bone
Practice deep breathing
Incorporate meditation and mindfulness
Walk in nature
Focus on restorative movement

You’re Not Getting the Support You Need

A running theme with the issues above is that they come about when people don’t have the resources and support, they need to find the right solutions for their fatigue. Ultimately, getting expert insights into your particular situation will help to identify the underlying causes of your fatigue.

My programs are designed to help people resolve their symptoms much faster than if they were to try addressing them on their own. With my new Health Reset Membership, people are able to reset their bodies in a short period of time while getting the support they need to stick with the program and make lasting changes to optimize their health.

If you’re looking for a program that’s tailored to your needs to overcome your fatigue, thyroid issues, or other health problems, this program could be exactly what you need to get on track. Right now, you can take advantage of founding membership pricing of $2,000 for a limited time. To learn more and get started, message me at hello@tiffanyflaten.com or visit https://tiffanyflaten.com/.

Why Am I So Tired? – Part II Read More »

Why Am I So Tired? – Part I

In this two-part series, I am going to share the 7 main reasons why you are feeling so tired right now and provide you with information to help you tackle these issues so that you can start getting your body and your mind ready to fight fatigue. This week, I am going to share the top physical reasons why you may be feeling so tired right now and next week I’ll conclude the series by sharing with you the top mental blocks that are contributing to your fatigue.

The pressure of everyday life is starting to get to you. You feel tired all day, tired before bed, and tired the next morning. As time goes on, you’re feeling more and more fatigued. But does your fatigue have a physical cause?

Here are the top physical reasons why your fatigue isn’t getting any better, no matter what you’ve been doing.

You’re Eating the Wrong Foods

Oftentimes, people tend to eat for reasons other than fueling their bodies, focusing on things like calories, macros, or a certain way of eating, like keto, intermittent fasting, paleo, or vegan, for example. The problem is, we don’t know if those foods are actually healthy for you.

And it’s a little bit of a guessing game, because there’s no shortage of information about diets and nutrition out there. People will Google everything and look at all the information to try to find the best diet, not realizing that if they have other underlying conditions, symptoms, or medications they are taking, a particular way of eating could be causing things to get worse. And when they don’t get the results they want for their fatigue, weight loss, or other issues, then they quit doing anything altogether.

You’re Not Drinking Enough Water

If you’re not drinking enough water, you’re going to be more fatigued. But what if you’re also running yourself ragged and consuming a ton of caffeinated beverages? You may wind up drinking more of the things that are actually dehydrating and not compensating with enough water.

A good starting point is to take your weight in pounds by half and drink that in ounces daily. So, if you weigh, for example, 100 pounds, then you should drink 50 ounces of water. You may need to up your intake even more based on other factors like your exercise routine, the climate where you live, and the number of caffeinated drinks you’re drinking throughout the day.

Your Exercise Routine Is Working Against You

As humans, we are meant to move and not be sedentary. Some people make the mistake of thinking if they exercise more, they’ll build up endorphins, lose weight, and have more energy. However, in reality, certain kinds of exercises could actually be making your fatigue worse.

For example, if you’re doing CrossFit regularly, this is very hard on your body and causes more inflammation, more oxidative stress, and greater nutrient and hydration demands — going back to reasons #1 and #2 about proper nutrition and water intake, along with about being reactive versus proactive. Not to knock CrossFit and the like, but if you’ve had ongoing fatigue for many years, then this is probably not the workout for you.

Instead, I recommend moving your body in a way that’s more restorative and functional. If you’re fatigued, start with just walking every day and adding in some stretches for your body. Get your body moving in the morning and drink a glass of water before you even think about coffee.

You Are Reacting Rather Than Responding

I tell clients all the time: If you actually listen to your body and just get out of its way and let it do what it needs to do, then you’re going to be much better for it. Instead, many people will go into reactive mode — they’ll start Googling symptoms, listening to someone who has similar symptoms, and self-diagnosing the best treatment plan for themselves. Generally, this means loading up on a bunch of supplements or trying a certain diet plan that someone said worked for them.

What I advise instead is to take a proactive approach: Respond to what your body is telling you versus being reactive. That’s the premise of all the programs and services I offer. Using fatigue as an example, we’ll look at the underlying causes of that fatigue. If you’re not sleeping well through the night, why is that happening? We’ll look at the hormones, deficiencies, and nutrients that might be at play to get to the root of issues so you’re not just taking an Advil PM or a sleeping pill as a quick fix to get to sleep.

Don’t forget to check back next week for the conclusion of the 7 main reasons why you are so tired.

If you need more help creating a plan for your specific needs, book a free 30-minute call with me so we can talk through your goals, one step at a time.

Why Am I So Tired? – Part I Read More »

What are the Root Causes of Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis?

Hashimoto’s disease is an autoimmune condition where your immune system attacks your thyroid. The condition causes chronic inflammation, and it is the most common cause of an underactive thyroid.

The first things you may notice are symptoms like fatigue, anxiety, and even depression – long before the diagnosis. But what causes Hashimoto’s thyroiditis? In this blog, I want to take a closer look at six of the root causes of this disease.

Gut Health 1: Gluten Sensitivity
Epstein-Barr Virus
Stress
Gut Health 2: H. pylori
Gut Health 3: SIBO
Nutrient Deficiencies

Gluten Sensitivity

Gluten sensitivity is not the same as celiac disease where your body can’t break down gluten at all, but you may have similar symptoms. Those symptoms can be connected to your thyroid. Reducing your gluten intake allows you to see whether your symptoms clear up as well.

It’s simple: if gluten is causing inflammation in your body, it may also cause an autoimmune condition like Hashimoto’s to flare up.

Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV)

Most of us remember EBV as the cause of the common childhood illness mononucleosis or mono. It’s a type of herpes virus, and experts estimate that 80% of adults carry the virus in its dormant form.

However, if it is reactivated by food, illness, or another stressor, it can lead to other problems. You may not notice it, but you may be carrying a low-level EBV infection, making you more likely to develop an autoimmune condition.

Stress

It’s impossible to talk about thyroid conditions without talking about stress. We have become so used to being stressed that we’re almost considering stress to be normal. But remember stress affects us physiologically, too. Consider rushing through traffic to pick up your kids when you’re already late. Or maybe getting up and speaking in front of people, even if it is remotely like on a Facebook Live. Or a stressful family situation. All of those cause an acute stress reaction. The more time you spend this stressed, the more likely you may be to develop an autoimmune condition.

Gut Health: H. pylori

Have you heard of helicobacter pylori? It’s a bacterial infection that can cause gastric ulcers. Not only are those painful, but they affect the functioning of your stomach. You start struggling to absorb foods and nutrients, so no matter how good your diet is, your body can’t take advantage.

As a bacterial infection, it often needs to be treated with antibiotics. Before they take hold, the infection may have triggered Hashimoto’s.

Gut Health 3: SIBO

Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) is hard to diagnose. Symptoms include general malaise, constipation, and bloating, among others.

While the condition itself is treatable, it may cause Hashimoto’s or other autoimmune diseases. As you can see, there is a theme here: gut health is closely related to autoimmune conditions and thyroid problems.

Nutrient Deficiencies

The thyroid can’t produce its hormone when you are lacking nutrients. Selenium, zinc, and magnesium are hugely important. I have also seen a connection between deficiencies in asparagine, ferritin, and iodine in people with thyroid conditions.

If you are suffering from Hashimoto’s or you think you may have a thyroid condition, it’s important to understand your nutrient status and perhaps improve it to address your symptoms.

To find out more about the connections between these reasons and autoimmune reactions, keep on reading. Nutrition can go a long way to help resolve your thyroid symptoms.

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How to Work Out When You Have a Thyroid Problem

Is getting fit on your list of New Year’s resolutions? How is it going so far? When you have a thyroid problem, working out is not easy. If your condition is well controlled, you are likely feeling full of energy and just getting on with your days. However, chances are you’re reading this blog because all is not so well, and you’re experiencing a range of thyroid-related symptoms. Here is my advice on how to incorporate workouts and exercise into your routine.

Choose Your Favorite Type of Movement

First of all, if you’ve decided that this is the year to get in shape, I applaud you. Humans were designed to move. Our bodies work better when we are active.

However, if you are suffering from thyroid problems, you need to consider the type of exercise you choose and how it affects you. Your thyroid issues may have caused you to gain weight, or perhaps your body is resisting weight loss? Conventional wisdom would tell you to exercise more and eat less. However, for thyroid patients, that’s not always the right answer.

Intense exercise stresses your body. Don’t get me wrong – I love high-intensity workouts. Crossfit, anyone? Or how about exercise boot camps? I love the adrenaline rush you get when you’re reaching your workout goals.

The trouble is, by exercising intensely, you may be making your thyroid symptoms worse. Tough exercise causes your body physiological stress. If that stress is prolonged, for example, if you are in the gym doing two or three classes in a row, it can cause your thyroid to regulate down even more. As a result, your metabolism slows further.

Also, if you are on full replacement medication, this hardcore exercise may not work for you. Keeping your heart rate up for this long, stressing muscles and joints may leave you feeling worse.

Remember that slower classes like yoga, stretching, or pilates are just as beneficial.

How About Restorative Exercise?

If you are well optimized and your thyroid condition is under control – go ahead and exercise to your heart’s content. On the other hand, if you struggle with fatigue, sleep quality, or your diet is not that great, it’s worth rethinking your approach.

Restorative types of exercise like Pilates or yoga are great alternatives to get you moving and build up strength. How about going for a walk? Depending on where you live, now may not feel like the best time to head out, but bundle up and try a short walk. Exposing yourself to the cold may help lower your body temperature and contribute to healing. Once you are feeling stronger, take it up a notch with yoga workouts.

Love spin classes? Look at the intensity. If you are in a class, it’s really hard to resist the instructor’s cheers and sit out the intense bit, but perhaps an exercise bike at home is a solution?

Making it Work for You

Avoid getting stuck on prescriptive exercise programs and never be afraid to adjust a training routine. Plus, remember resistance training is at least as beneficial as cardiovascular exercise when it comes to burning calories. High-intensity interval training may work well for you, too.

Most importantly, check-in with yourself. How is your exercise making you feel? If it’s leaving you more fatigued, adjust it to work better for you. No two people are the same, so why should exercise regimes be?

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