 I finally whipped up one of my very own recipes. Recipe testing here in Cayman isn’t very fiscally responsible so it’s rare I have a recipe of my own and I’m very lucky this one came out so well on the first try. PHEW!
Before I share the recipe I just wanted to share a bit about how swapping out refined sugar with more natural sugars like honey, coconut sugar and maple syrup has made such a difference! Most of the time when I’m feeling something sweet I choose a paleo baked good, this isn’t because I am trying to lose weight or restrict myself but more so because they don’t make me feel horrible afterwards and it’s harder to binge on because they actually fill you up (cause they actually have nutritious value).  Hey! As you may know by now, my name is Ashleen. I am the co-founder of the Not So Sugar Coated which is an Online Health Coaching business. If you’ve known me before I moved to Cayman you might be asking me how the heck I even got involved in all of this and fair enough, my life has taken a complete 180 from where it was 4 years ago! Let’s get into how it all started… But before we do, if you want to get a quick little insight into all the magical steps, strategies and foods that got me here you’re going to want to check out the Gut Calm Blueprint online membership that I created just for you!
 We’ve all done a diet or ten in our lifetime. Fad diets specifically are a tempting, quick fix for weight loss which is something we (“we” being western culture) have been trained to desire; however, they can be pretty detrimental to our physical and mental health if they’re frequently used.
Fad diets are known for recommending nutritionally deficient foods or only eating one kind of nutrient dense food for a period of time all while promising fast weight loss and nonsensical health improvements. Think of things that read, ‘lose 10 pounds in one week by only eating eggs ’ and other silly claims that have little or skewed scientific evidence for working (like obviously eating 500 calories a day will get you to lose weight but you’re also hurting yourself).  Gut health issues are extremely common especially if you are eating a Western diet. If you’ve ever experienced; excessive gas, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, heartburn, regular discomfort after eating, exhausted all the time for seemingly no reason, anxiety or depression, skin issues, weight fluctuations, poor immunity, hormone imbalances, brain fog, food intolerances and even autoimmune issues it’s likely you have or have experienced poor gut health.
Many of these symptoms are often confused as normal but they’re not and it’s important that you take the necessary steps so you can have optimal gut health and begin living a fuller, happier life!  Getting clean beauty products can be a daunting and overwhelming task. It’s hard to know what is clean and what’s not especially when beauty ingredients are not often things we are familiar with. That’s why the “Think Dirty” app is so awesome! You no longer have to wonder or research your own products and ingredients you can just simply scan the barcode! Even if the product you are looking at isn’t in the system you can request it to be added by answering a few simple questions! It’s super cool and takes the hassle and time out of learning what’s what.
 *You've NEVER heard of #2*
So, I see my therapist once a week and she tells me to write down things I’m grateful for and I’m like yeah… yeah… I’ve heard it before Susan *this is not her actual name haha* but being the good little student I am, I committed to trying it out longer than a day because I mean… what else do I have to do?! And nothing I’m doing on my own is working to help me through my anxiety *shocker* This was three years ago… and I’m still writing my gratitude lists almost every single day because SURPRISE… they work! Why else would a therapist who went to school for 6 years and gets paid bookoo bucks be telling me to do it?!  If you are a meat eater and you are looking after your health you probably think you’re doing okay with your grilled chicken breast and steak but if the quality isn’t there you aren’t doing yourself many favors.
You are eating “clean” and somehow your toxicity is still high, you’re still feeling sluggish or worse you’re having full-on health issues. Some of these symptoms can be attributed to meats that are fed weird diets, given antibiotics, or are given hormones to make them larger & grow faster. If you think about all that stuff going into your body, that you didn’t ask for, it's pretty repulsing and can actually cause a whole heck of a lot of issues.  Sugar has a pretty bad rap in the health field and not for nothing, as you'll read below! However, glucose is needed for our cells to thrive. The problem is, most people are eating the wrong kinds of sugar. Complex carbs like; sweet potatoes, quinoa, legumes, and vegetables as well as fruits are an important part of a healthy diet. These complex carbs don't spike blood sugar as quickly as simple carbs do which is what makes the biggest difference. This is why a donut and a piece of fruit don't compare - not to mention the difference in fiber and vitamins and minerals! I am a big advocate for decreasing sugar not eliminating. This also helps you to not feel deprived which often leads to binging - no, thank you! If you're looking for a way to manage your anxiety you should first find out if your gut is healthy or not! Find out by taking this free quiz!
 I spent part of 2017 and all of 2018 actively trying to answer this question. What I found out was, it's different for everybody. So, for me, a healthy mind meant controlling my anxiety / anger and to slow down the negative thoughts that were running rampant in my brain 24/7. I wanted life to be happy and fun not dreadful and boring (which is how I felt a lot of the time). If you want to learn more about how your food affects your mental health make sure to check out this post HERE. Moving to an island gave me that slap-in-the-face I needed to realize that life didn't suck and that I was making it suck.
 Often, when I talk to people about getting healthy their first response is, "it's so confusing, I would just rather not". I get where they're coming from I was there too, BUT it's so much easier than people make you believe. You don't have to go nuts counting calories and macros or working your ass off at the gym for 6 hours a day , you just have to do what you already know how to do... make better choices.
Everyone knows how to eat healthy, more fruits and vegetables right? So why does everyone make it so complex?! Well, I can answer that too! Not everything works for everyone. |
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December 2021
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