STRESSED???? This can help :-)

Stress Management

The primary role of your adrenal glands is to produce hormones that control stress, sex hormones and neurotransmitters. These hormones and neurotransmitters regulate your metabolism and communicate with other organs, like your brain, kidneys, and reproductive system. However, chronic stress can cause your adrenal glands to release insufficient amounts of these necessary hormones and excess amounts of cortisol. Over time, high levels of cortisol can lead to insulin resistance, weaken your immune system, and eventually cause muscle wasting.

Using complete hormone panel testing, we will be able to assess how well your adrenal glands are functioning. We use dietary protocols and supplements to support your adrenal health and return your energy level to normal.

If you eat the right foods, you can help your body cope with stress and you will actually feel less stressed which will help you deal with your stress better!! Do you see what I’m saying here?? It’s all interconnected. Go to Main Line Integrative Nutrition for your complete hormone panel test!!

Autoimmune troubles????

Autoimmune Disease

Autoimmune diseases are conditions where the body’s immune system attacks it’s own tissues. The incidence of autoimmune disease has tripled in the last few decades. Recent research has indicated that a disruption in the gut microbiota (collection of organisms) has been linked to autoimmune disorders.

Treating autoimmune disease with proper nutrition to re-balance the gut microbiome, along with lifestyle and supplement recommendations can help support your immune and digestive   systems. People with one autoimmune disorders are prone to getting other autoimmune disorders, many of which begin with nonspecific inflammation.

With conventional and specialized testing, we are able to monitor inflammatory markers, micro-nutrient status and the development of food sensitivities.

If you want to learn more about autoimmune diseases and how to help improve the symptoms through nutrition and a healthier lifestyle, please click on this link and set up a consultation – Mail Line Integrative Nutrition

What’s for lunch?

Salad!! Doesn’t sound very exciting, does it? Well how about if we redefine what it means. When I think of salad, yes, I think of lettuce, but that’s where my conventional thinking stops! I could eat salads every day of my life and never have the same salad twice. Take yesterday for instance, I went home for lunch and wanted something spicy. I took out my pie plate (yes, I make salads in a pie plate, because I love lettuce and use a ton of it) chopped up a whole head of romain and threw it in the plate. Then I put in cukes, raw broccoli, carrots, cannellini beans, and instead of dressing, I just used hot sauce!! It was amazing, see:

IMG_2963I know this is a pretty conventional salad but what I’m getting at is that with a salad, you can have whatever you’re craving. Start with the basics and then add whatever, chicken, beef, cheese, beans, tofu, seeds, nuts, anchovies, you get the picture. If you really want to know what YOU should be putting on your salad, let Main Line Integrative Nutrition do a lifestyle analysis and not only will you be eating what you want, you will be eating what you need as well.

Peel or don’t peel?

I grew up watching both my parents cook. One of the greatest joys of childhood, at least mine, was to be asked to help in the kitchen!! The first task of any “sous” child is usually the peeling of the carrots, or potatoes or whatever it is that needs peeling. But why?! Why are we peeling our veggies? I’m pretty sure the answer is “because that’s just what we always did”. Here’s a new train of thought. STOP IT!!!! Put the peeler down.

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Buy organic, pestiside-free produce so you don’t have to worry about what’s on the outside of your fruits and veggies. You should rinse and brush off any dirt but other than that, use them the same way you would the peeled ones. There are times of course when you DO want to peel them. Steaming, boiling, or if you have a particular presentation in mind that would be ruined by an unpeeled tuber 😦 We don’t peel our apples or plums, or tomatoes (usually) or squash or zucchini, so the same idea should be applied to your other fruits and vegetables. If you would like to know more about making fruits and vegetables part of your everyday lifestyle, visit Main Line Integrative Nutrition.

READ THE LABELS!!!!

By now, we should all know what NOT to eat, right? Right!! So why do we still eat it? Because it’s in almost everything that is made 😦 Why? Because it way more profitable to use HO’s (Hydrogenated Oils) than it is to use non-hydrogenated oils. Most companies care more about their profits than your health. There are no health benefits to hydrogenated oils, NONE!! If you read the label and see the word hydrogenated (partially or otherwise) put it back and opt for one without the word hydrogenated in it. I’m not going to bore you with the hydrogenation process of oils, let’s just say that if hydrogen was supposed to be in the oils, nature would have included it in the oils natural dna!! Having said that, if you consume these products once in a while, you will be fine. It’s more of an immediate health concern for those consuming these oils on the daily. There are a few other label red flags you should opt out of:

HFC (High Fructose Corn Syrup) – NASTY!!

Enriched White Flour – All the nutrients are destroyed in the making of this product

refined sugar – just use something else. I LOVE coconut sugar, it’s amazing, try Agave nectar, made from the same plant as Tequila so it has to be good, right!!??

Saturated Fats (animal, butter, cream, 1/2&1/2) – Again, once in a while, these fats are harmless in the long run (assuming you exercise and have a somewhat healthy lifestyle) but if you consume them daily, you are probably going to die earlier than you normally would had you not eaten these fats every day and I’m conservatively saying at least 10 years earlier!!

Look, i’m no certified expert on this stuff but I’ve done enough research and watched enough Oprah’s and Dr. Oz’s to feel pretty comfortable putting this out there. If you do however want some expert advice on a healthier lifestyle and want a “rest of your life” plan to feel good about, please visit Main Line Integrative Nutrition.

 

You need Nutritional Advice – They have answers

There is a brand new Nutritional Tour de Force on the Main Line. It is Main Line Integrative Nutrition. Their motto:

Eat Well. Be Well.

Life is dynamic. Your diet should be too.

         Medically Supervised Integrative Nutrition

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Here is their mission:

We empower you with the resources you need to create a sustainable lifestyle plan.

Integrative nutrition integrates your overall physical and emotional wellness, medical conditions, medications/supplements, desires, goals and preferences into your evaluation and plan.

At Main Line Integrative Nutrition we offer medically supervised nutrition counseling and testing to help our patients prevent and treat nutrition related medical conditions and achieve and maintain a healthy weight.

We use your bio-individuality to create healthy options that work for you. We’ll help you choose the optimal foods taking into account your tastes, preferences, goals, cultural & religious beliefs and lifestyle to create a lasting, sustainable plan that will maximize your wellness.

Pomegranates – a go to Super-Fruit

Pomegranate seeds (arils)!! One of my most favorite foods on Earth. If you have not tried them, please do, they are Wonderful 🙂 Most people don’t know what to do with the arils because of the “seed” in the middle. You eat it!!!!! Yep, they are crunchy and delicious and I have been eating, and crunching, them my whole life. Yeah, but how do I get the seeds out of the whole fruit you ask?? EASY!!! You cut it into 4 sections, fill a big pot or bowl with water and start “excavating” the seeds in the water. The seeds will fall to the bottom and the pith and other stuff will float. Try it, you will be glad you did. They are high in antioxidants, may help reduce weight, boost immunity, lower cholesterol, and get rid of free radicals in your body. Pomegranates are a “super-fruit”!!!! Now that you have a few basics, google it, you will be surprised at how something so delicious can be so good for you. You have just read my very first blog post for my new nutritional blog!! 🙂 Thanks for reading and if you are interested in learning more about a healthy nutritional lifestyle, please visit Main Line Integrative Nutrition.