My Digestive Journey

March 11, 2013 / ktbuchs87 / 1 Comment

When I decided to change my diet a little over a year ago, my main goal was just to have better health. As far as I knew I had no major illnesses, I wasn’t overweight, and I had no big complaints. I felt that I ate fairly well, but when I read about eating clean I realized that there was a lot more I could be doing for my health I had no idea how big of an impact this switch would have on my life.

Once I cut out all processed food and focused on eating real, whole foods, I saw a lot of positive changes. I had way more energy, my acne started clearing up, my periods were less painful (sorry men, us girls have uterus’, deal with it), my body started to become more toned, and I never felt that gross nasty “food-baby” after eating a meal. I was ecstatic. For the first time I felt like I had found a lifestyle that I could follow forever. Sure, there were rough moments of temptation, and the longing for the ease of just going to a restaurant and ordering whatever. But the positives outweighed the negatives ten-fold.

Then things changed. After about three months of eating a whole foods diet, I started to get acne again, I was rarely pooping (yup, still like to talk about poop), and occasionally I would have horrible stomachaches after a meal. Katie before would have ignored these problems, but new Katie refused to feel anything but her best and healthiest.

Into research mode I went. I looked at my diet and tried to determine what could be causing my problems. After some trial and error (and a very long and terrible night spent in the bathroom following a homemade pizza) I decided to eliminate dairy for awhile.

Within a few weeks I was back to feeling like my old/new self. Why did I choose dairy first? Well, like I said I did a lot of reading/research and felt that for me this was a logical first elimination. I didn’t consume much dairy to begin with and realized a lot of my symptoms occurred after eating some form of dairy. So out went dairy, and to be honest, I didn’t miss it as much as I thought I would. For me, I got more satisfaction feeling amazing and healthy than I did from devouring a grilled cheese sandwich.

What does this story have to do with you? Eliminating certain things from your diet can be one of the first steps to healing and strengthening your digestive system. Does this mean you have to stop eating dairy to have a healthy gut? Not necessarily. Remember, we all have different flora/microbes in our guts, meaning we will have different nutritional needs. For me eliminating dairy, as well as gluten, had helped put me on the path to better digestive health.

Take a look at your life and see what complaints you have about your health, whether it’s acne, achy joints, bloating or low energy. Then start to take notice when those complaints flare up and what you have eaten prior to that. Eliminate what may be your “trigger” food and give yourself a few weeks to test and see if your symptoms get better. I may just be a big nerd (ok, I am TOTALLY a big nerd), but it’s fun for me to be a food detective and figure out what might be doing me more harm than good. Don’t get frustrated if it takes awhile to pin point your problems. Just remember you’re doing this all for a healthier you!

Next week I’m going to talk about another step I’ve taken to heal my gut. I recently bought a kombucha tea starter and am in the process of growing (or fermenting) my own kombucha. I’ll share how that works and all the benefits I’m reaping from that! Until then, have a great week and see you next Monday!

Copy, Paste… Healthy?

March 4, 2013 / ktbuchs87

My past few posts have been about your digestive health. Your nutrition and health have SO much to do with the particular microbes you have in your digestive system as well as how healthy those particular microbes are. Many problems that people experience these days have to do with their digestive system not being in top performing mode. The obvious solution is to take steps to fix or heal your gut, right? The best way to do that is to follow a gut-healing diet, right? You can just find one on the internet or follow what your friend is doing, right?

WRONG! Just like your fingerprint, your digestive system is unique to you. No one else has one that functions in the exact same way that yours does, therefore you can’t just follow a “cure-all” or “blanket” diet. Sure, there are certain things that you can try that might be similar to someone else’s journey, like perhaps take probiotics. But the type of probiotics your body will need will be totally different than what your neighbor’s body needs. To really fix your gut, you are going to need to be a dedicated sleuth to your body’s functioning. This is tough! Who has time to constantly be monitoring how your stomach reacts to every single piece of food that they ingest? Who wants to deal with eliminating foods (maybe foods that you REALLY like) and having a “boring” diet? And who wants to slog through a bunch of boring research to find advice about where they should start their healing process?

I didn’t. It was so much easier to ignore my problems or tell myself that it wasn’t such a big deal. I wasn’t dying of a terminal illness, I could function fairly well and I was intimidated by trying to “heal” myself. Especially since there was no way to copy someone else who had done all the work already (admit it, we’re all a little lazy). But the more and more I read, and dealt with my not-that-bad issues, the more I realized I needed to practice what I preach. I needed to put in the effort and work towards getting my best health. How can I keep telling you to to step it up if I won’t step it up? Hypocrite much? So I’ve started the task of healing myself and I want to be able to help you start yours. While I won’t be able to tell you exactly what to do, I can offer help and suggestions.

A few things I CAN tell you are a few what not to do’s. These were some of the pitfalls that I fell into and to be honest they are pretty easy to avoid.

Ignore. This is pretty self-explanitory, and I mentioned it earlier, but please do not just ignore what can become a serious problem. Whether it be because you don’t want to deal with it or don’t know how to deal with it, neither are a good enough excuse for turning a blind eye to your health. If you feel crummy, you need to FIX IT! If only someone had shouted that at me years ago, I would have had a much easier go at this!

Be a lemming. You can not just follow the crowd on this one. There is no band-aid that is going to fix your problem just like everyone else. Fad diets or pills or drinks or magic potions or whatever are not going to make you better. They might just do the opposite and wreck your digestive system even more and that is so not cool. You obviously have to start somewhere and it is ok to see where others have started. But remember, just because they eliminated dairy from their life and are tons better doesn’t mean that it will cure you as well.

Obsess/Worry/Stress. Yes, this can be a daunting task. Some of you are probably saying, “I’m not a nutritionist! I have no clue what’s going on inside me or how to fix it!” I felt the same way too. Take a deep breathe and focus on little changes you can make. Don’t try to completely overhaul your diet/lifestyle overnight. That will just cause you to freak out and that doesn’t help your problem at all. The more calm and stress free you remain, the easier it will be to stay in tune with your body and figure out what direction to take. Take it from someone who stresses over LOTS of things, it is much easier to take it slow and save yourself the headache.

My next few posts will be about steps that I have taken to make my digestive system healthier I think it helps to read through someone else’s journey and know that while it is different for each individual, in the end it is just about trying to get healthy so you can enjoy life to it’s fullest. If you would like to read more about gut health and the research that is behind it I would suggest reading this article from Mark Hyman, MD, as well as this article by Dr. Elizer Ben-Joseph. Both are really great scientific articles that can help you understand a little more about what’s going on inside your body. I also encourage you to head over to the purely twins blog. This is a blog written by twin sisters (go figure) and they have been writing about their day to day experiences with healing their guts. I have been following them since day one and it has been really helpful in my own journey.

Next week I will have more about my personal experience as well as some things I have done (look for a post about kombucha tea coming soon!). Remember, this is going to be a very individual experience. But that doesn’t mean you can’t gain strength and insight from others! I hope you have a great week and I’ll see you soon!

food for thought!

Someone’s in the Kitchen with Dinah….

February 11, 2013 / ktbuchs87

It’s probably no shock that I love to be in the kitchen, cooking and creating delicious (and healthy!) meals. For me, there is something therapeutic and fulfilling about the whole process of putting a meal on the table. I love searching through recipes, gathering the ingredients, tying my apron around my waist and getting down to business. I’ll be the first to tell you that I am not a gourmet chef by any means. I wouldn’t even claim to be an amateur chef. Just a gal who likes to cook and serve meals.

I’ve heard many times that people would love to be able to cook all their meals, but they aren’t good cooks or don’t have time, or (gasp!) hate to be in the kitchen. All of these (except for that last one!), are legitimate problems when it comes to eating healthier. One of the best ways to make sure you are getting proper nutrition, is to be the one in charge of all the food that goes into your body. Easier said than done right? I understand that not everyone will share my love of all things kitchen/cooking. I do however have a few tips that can help you navigate your way through the kitchen maze and start to take your health into your own very capable hands!

Have some confidence! My mom always told me that if you could read you could cook. At it’s very minimum, cooking is being able to read a recipe and follow the instructions. Of course there are some exceptions to this and cooking does have a lot more involved, but don’t second guess yourself. You are at the top of the food chain! You are an intelligent being (I assume!). You are more than capable of tackling that chicken noodle soup recipe!

Keep it simple. Going along with the first point, keep your cooking simple. Don’t make your kitchen debut with a fancy schmancy recipe that has hard-to-find ingredients and will chain you to the oven all day using crazy techniques like braising or caramelizing. Find simple, short recipes that have a few steps and common ingredients. You will feel so much more calm and proud of yourself when you can place a complete meal on the table as opposed to a failure when your souffle deflates half way through cooking! As you cook more and more you will get better and be able to “graduate” to more complicated meals.

Read the whole recipe BEFORE you start. It’s a rookie mistake (one that I have made at least once…) to not read through the whole recipe before you dive right in. There is nothing worse than being halfway through your cooking and realizing you need fresh basil and there is none to be found in your kitchen. By making sure you read through all the ingredients and all the steps, you will be able to make sure you have everything and save yourself a big headache later on.

Schedule out your meal. What I mean by this it make sure you time out your cooking. If you are preparing a whole meal (entree and side dishes), you’ll want to make sure everything will finish generally around the same time. I still struggle with this sometimes, and estimated cooking times aren’t always right. Create a rough time table of when you need to start preparing the food, then when you need to start cooking. I find it’s easiest to decide when you want to eat and work backwards from there.

Have fun! Yes. I know this is a cliche piece of advice. But in all seriousness, you will enjoy your time in the kitchen a lot more if you have fun. Don’t stress if something doesn’t turn out perfectly the first time you make it. You’ll have to eat again in the very near future and have your second chance at getting it right! Pick recipes with foods and ingredients you know you will like, involve your family or friends in the prep work, have music playing in the background, dance! The more fun you have while in the kitchen the more motivated you will be to keep practicing and the better you will get!

I know this is just a short list and that it probably won’t be enough to convince some of you that cooking can be simple and fun. Humor me though and give one meal a shot. This would be a great way for those of you who made the resolution to eat better to take charge of your nutrition! Trust me, I know you will feel super proud of yourself when put that plate of yummy food down on the table with the knowledge that YOU put in all the work and love it to took to create that dish. So throw on your aprons, fire of the stove, and get cookin’!

If you need some ideas for quick and healthy recipes, follow me over on Pinterest! I pin recipes pretty much everyday and they are all fairly easy to follow! Katie Buchanan http://pinterest.com/ktbuchs87/

There might be a line crossed about how much fun I have in the kitchen…. Oh well!

Baking + smiling = winning combo!

And of course the best part about cooking… EATING!!

Your amazing body

January 21, 2013 / ktbuchs87

Do you really know how intelligent and efficient your body truly is? Sure, you know that it is an amazing vessel that can do hundreds of tasks (often at the same time) and on top of that it sustains life. Pretty impressive. But did you also know that your body can actually tell you when something is not totally right? Yup, your awesome body has plenty of warning signs to let you know when something is amiss. Unfortunately most of us don’t pay attention/don’t know how to interpret these signals. I believe that part of a healthy lifestyle, besides eating well and exercising is being able to tune in and really listen to what your body is telling you.

I ran across this article the other day and I was amazed at some of the warning signs that your body will give you to clue you in to what’s going on. It wasn’t until recently (the past six months or so) that I really started to try and listen to what my body needed. Before that I pretty much only listened to the “normal” signals i.e. Go to the bathroom fool! Get some food, you’re getting hangry (hungry + angry = not a pleasant Katie), Maybe you should go to bed since you’re falling asleep while studying! I think that most of us are pretty aware of those basic signals, but we all really need to work on some of the more subtle hints that our bodies are dropping.

Because I am interested in health, I am fascinated with all the ways that my body lets me know what I need to do nutritionally. Who knew that cracks around the corner of your mouth could be sign of a vitamin B-deficiency? Or that cold you can’t seem to shake indicates a lack of good bacteria in your gut? Most of us wouldn’t think much of these things, but they are important keys to your best health.

So what should you do with this information? Become a body detective (preferably of your own body… some situations could get awkward otherwise…)! Take a few minutes each day to really assess your body. Does it feel different than yesterday? Do you notice something a little off or have a funny feeling? It will take time to really be able to interpret your bodies signals and know exactly what to do. But with a little dedication and some research, you should be able to really know your own body That is so important for your health because you only get this one body to work with. Now it goes without saying, that if you think something is terribly wrong go and see your doctor. I am not advocating self-diagnosis when it comes to serious illness, I just think that being able to interpret your bodies own unique signals is a healthy and helpful skill to have.

I hope that you all have a fantastic week and you are able to maybe tune into your amazing body and learn what it truly needs. Next week I am going to talk a little about SAD or Seasonal Affective Disorder and different ways to cope. See you all next Monday!

How I’ve benefited from Mindful Eating

January 14, 2013 / ktbuchs87

Hello Readers! I hope that everyone had a fabulous week! I know I did but that might have something to do with the fact that I spent it in Jamaica on my honeymoon… Not bragging… ok I am. Both Adam and I had the best time ever in Montego Bay and were able to spend some quality time resting and relaxing and enjoying each other’s company. Ok, as much as I know you would all love to hear more about my honeymoon, I’ll get on with today’s post!

I talked last time about some easy ways that you could start to eat more mindfully. Even if you incorporate one or two of those techniques into your eating habits, you can start to reap the benefits of mindful eating. But what exactly are the benefits to mindful eating? Why should you care about the way you eat? Glad you asked and happy to answer! Now keep in mind, this is the way that I personally have benefited from mindful eating. While it will probably be similar, you may experience different results. That is totally cool, because we are all different!

1) More aware of the food that I eat By slowing myself down and really taking the time to consider the food that I am about to eat I have noticed that I am able to really see how different foods affect me. For example, over the past few months I have noticed that whenever I eat wheat I feel bloated and my skin tends to break out. Or when I have an egg and some type of nut butter for breakfast I am able to feel fuller for longer. Mindful eating has really allowed me to hone my diet so that I can feel and look as good as possible. The practice of slowing down and savoring every bit of my food has also helped to train me to tap into what my body is trying to tell me.

2) New appreciation for food Now that I try to use all of my senses while eating, I have really come to love different aspects of food. For instance, I have come to love the sound of garlic sizzling in a cast iron skillet. I love the smell of sweet potatoes roasting in the oven with Italian spices. I really like the look of roasted beats next to a pile of broccoli. While it might seem silly to feel this way about food, this has allowed me to really appreciate all the ways that healthy food nourishes my body, not just with nutrients but also with sounds, smells, and visuals.

3) Allows me to know when I’m full Before I started to eat mindfully, I could finish a meal in about 5 to 10 minutes flat if I had to. The problem with that (besides indigestion) was that I never knew when I was truly full and would end up eating way more than my body needed in that short time frame. Now that I take at LEAST 20 minutes to eat a meal (most of the time, longer than that) I can feel when I am approaching full. Let me tell you, it takes a lot less food than you would think to fill you up. Plus because I am savoring every bite, I feel much more satisfied after I am done eating.

4) Helped me to connect with others around me While this might not seem like a health benefit at first glance, it really is. Taking the time to sit down and turn off all distractions has allowed me to connect and bond with whomever I am sharing a meal with. Adam and I try to at least eat one meal together and sitting at the kitchen table and it has really opened up a new way to connect. We talk about each other’s day, interesting things we read, or movies/books we are looking forward too. Some of my best memories are family meals where we all would take the time to prepare delicious foods, turn off our phones, and sit at the table and chat. Mindful eating not only is good for the body, it is good for the relationships around you.

These are just a few of the bigger impacts that mindful eating has had on my eating habits. There are others, such as an excitement/eagerness to create new dishes just to experience a new sensation food-wise. Or just the simple fact that I know that I am doing something really healthy for my body and that is always a good thing!

If you have any questions or comments about mindful eating, I would really love to hear from you! Let me know how it has helped you or if you have any questions as how to get started, give me a shout! Also, check out this website for more tips and history on mindful eating. Next week, I want to talk about how our bodies are really great at letting us know exactly what we need nutrition wise. So have a fantastic week and I’ll see you soon!