And don’t tell me ‘nothing’ because I don’t want to hear it! Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day folks, and it gives your body the fuel it needs to start the day off right and keep you going all day long. So, on that note, what are the best breakfast foods for sustained energy and brain power throughout the day? Here’s the key: high fiber and high protein.

This week, I want you to really take a look at your breakfast and see where you can make some healthy changes. Let’s start with some common mistakes that people think are smart choices, but that are really just filled with things your body doesn’t need:

• Fruit Smoothie. Ah, the seemingly healthy fruit smoothie. This high-sugar breakfast may give you a good ‘sugar high’ boost to begin with, but it only sets you up for a hard sugar crash later on—causing you to reach for more sugar and carbs mid-morning, and that dangerous cycle can last all day long. 
  • A Better Option: Replace the sugary fruit juice with almond milk, and add some almond butter or a protein/fiber powder like the Fiber35 FitSmart shakes.
• Bowl of Sugary Cereal. Breakfast eaters, beware! This could be another high-carb disaster if the cereal is low in fiber and high in carbs and sugar.
  • A Better Option: Choose a high-fiber cereal and be sure to add plenty of nuts! Fiber helps to regulate blood sugar levels as well as get your digestion moving, and protein provides amino acids that our brains need for optimal function. 
• Coffee as Breakfast. I don’t even like to think about all you coffee-for-breakfast people out there, but you know who you are, so listen up! Making a breakfast out of coffee just creates another vicious cycle of having to replenish that caffeine all day long just to get through the day, and that can put added strain on your adrenal glands, which are important for regulating stress responses in the body. Those are two glands you don’t want to wear out!  
  • A Better Option: For some people, one cup of coffee a day isn’t the worst thing in the world. But please, don’t replace your breakfast with it. Take a few extra minutes to do breakfast right.  You absolutely need a high-fiber, high-protein breakfast. Take it from me—it will go a long way toward maintaining energy and brain power throughout the day. 

So there you have it –take a good look at what you’ve been eating for breakfast, and if it’s not high in fiber or protein, make a healthy change starting now!

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It’s a subject you’ve heard me talk about before, but considering new research it’s definitely worth repeating. A recent CBS news segment revealed that not one but five new studies showed that using acid-blocking drugs called proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) can be potentially dangerous to your health, and that “more than half of prescriptions for these drugs are unnecessary”. Folks, this is an eye-opener if there ever was one!

Every year more than 100 million Americans are prescribed PPIs to help relieve symptoms of heartburn and acid reflux, but what many people don’t know is that these drugs often come with some pretty serious side effects—including a nearly 75 percent greater risk of developing a severe intestinal infection known as C. diff, according to new evidence. Essentially, taking PPIs upsets the healthy bacterial balance in your intestines (which is where the majority of your natural immune defenses can be found), leaving your body vulnerable to illness and infection.

Widespread PPI use has also been linked to higher rates of pneumonia, as well as esophageal candidiasis (yeast overgrowth), inflammation of the stomach lining, increased permeability of upper GI tract lining, and even osteoporosis-related bone fractures due to the fact that PPIs block calcium absorption in the body. Because long-term PPI use also leads to hypochlorhydria (low stomach acid secretion), bacterial overgrowth and acetaldehyde production, PPI users have an increased risk of developing gastric cancer. 

The good news? There are simple things we can do every day to help prevent heartburn and acid reflux without relying on harmful drugs. Diet changes like limiting our intake of caffeine, alcohol, chocolate and fatty or spicy foods can make a big difference, along with maintaining a healthy body weight, getting plenty of exercise and quitting smoking—all pretty good advice if you ask me! Natural supplements made with ingredients such as ellagic acid (from raspberries and pomegranates) can also provide soothing relief for occasional heartburn, and digestive enzymes with added HCl can help ensure complete digestion and reduce the chances of heartburn and acid reflux happening in the first place.

The bottom line is this: why take a potentially dangerous drug when smarter, safer alternatives exist? My hope is that the more people learn about PPIs and their side effects—including why they may not even need them in the first place—the more people will take steps to improve their digestive health naturally.

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Are you one of the millions of people suffering from irritable bowel syndrome? Do you sometimes find yourself wondering “Why me?” or wishing there was something you could do about it? Well, all month long we’re focusing on IBS, and today we’re going to take a look at what causes IBS. Now keep in mind that there are many contributing factors when it comes to IBS, but here are some of the most common:

• Irregularities in intestinal hormones and nerves responsible for bowel motility (muscle contraction)
• Bacterial, fungal or parasitic infection
• Food sensitivities
• Inadequate enzyme production
• Imbalanced gut flora
• Inadequate diet
• Stress

And because there are so many contributing factors, treatment for IBS can sometimes be difficult. BUT…the more you know, the better chance you have of finding relief, especially if small changes in your diet or lifestyle could be the answer.

Ruling out an underlying food sensitivity is an important step in dealing with IBS, which is why most experts recommend following a “food elimination diet.” This just means that the most common dietary offenders are eliminated from the diet for a period of time, and then reintroduced one by one to determine if a reaction occurs because of a certain type of food. The following is a list of the top foods shown to cause sensitivity:

• Dairy products
• Wheat and gluten
• Eggs
• Corn
• Citrus
• Caffeine
• Alcohol

Keeping a food journal during this process is also extremely important. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had people tell me, “Wow! I had no idea what I was really eating until I started writing it down!” So grab a pen and start keeping track of what you eat and drink throughout the day—along with any digestive symptoms that might occur after eating. Eventually you’ll begin to notice patterns when you eat certain foods. 

Now I know the food elimination diet can be difficult, but it really is the best way to determine if you have a food sensitivity, which believe me is very common in people with IBS. And remember—if you can get to the bottom of your IBS symptoms, relief will come…so good luck!

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