Liver Loving Lifestyle

💁‍♀️We're all about that Liver Loving Lifestyle 💁‍♀️

It's no surprise after discussing Liver Health, and things that over load the Liver over the past couple of days, that we are following you up with an article about alllll the ways which you can show your Liver some love! If we can maintain our liver health - then the reward you will reap is Health!

In this article, I want to explore foods with you that will help to support liver function and in particular, aid in liver detoxification (getting rid of the nasties!) and therefore, helping your liver function at its best. The foods listed below are known to help with boosting liver function which in turns help with the general health of your liver and your body.

So lets have a look;

*Vegetables - Vegetables high in glucosinolates. Glucosinolates are converted into two types of reactive compounds which work together as powerful stimulants for the livers detoxification pathways. Glucosinolates are found in vegetables in the 'brassica' family and includes vegetables like Broccoli, Kale, Cauliflower, Brussels, sprouts and cabbage varieties. Eating these foods at least 3 times per week as advised by Dr Cris Beer, will help give your liver a much needed boost. Foods high in sulfur will also help your liver with the detoxification process. Sulphur is found in foods such as onions and garlic. Vegetables like red cabbage, pumpkin, carrots, beets and capsicum that have darker pigments are also suggested to help with liver health.

*Fruits containing Ellagic acid such as raspberries, grapes (red), oranges and lemons.

*Herbs & Spices - Rosemary, Fennel Seed, Celery Seed, Cumin, Dill & Turmeric. It is also suggested that Dandelion helps in the production of bile and therefore aids in liver detoxification.

*Proteins - Sources of protein like lean meats, sprouted legumes, and buckwheat are fantastic to support liver function.

🧘‍♀️Lifestyle🤸‍♂️

As well as foods to eat to help that amazing organ function at its best, there are also lifestyle changes we can make that can help our liver, instead of hinder it.

While Moderation is key, you want to avoid falling into a 'bingeing' style of moderation (refer back to our previous article 'Liver Overload' https://naturallynourishedcollective.com/…/26/liver-overload) - The best approach is to include the things that should be had in moderation (the things that you just can't give up) in small amounts. However there are things that should NEVER be incorporated, even in small amounts due to their toxic nature and are harmful for the body to have in any amounts. These are things such as Smoking and Illicit Drugs. If you or a loved one struggles with addiction abuse, consult your doctor to find the best way to approach quitting, safely.

Dr Cris Beer recommends following the 80:20 rule. "When it comes to food, think 80:20. 80% of your diet should be made up of fresh, unprocessed foods such as ... fruits, nuts & seeds, eggs and lean meats. The other 20% of your diet can be all the other things you love to eat but in moderation".

🤤Learn to Listen to your hunger cues! 🤤

Many people these days over eat due to the availability of foods. With marketing constantly shoving upsized meals in our faces, we have all fallen victim to 'eating more because its better value'. This places a massive over load on our liver. And in fact, this can actually contribute to liver disease without us actually even eating 'bad' foods.

Listen to your hunger cues to try and avoid becoming ravenously hungry which is when we tend to overeat. With this, also try to avoid eating when you are not hungry. This includes emotional eating - try and find a healthier outlet for dealing with your emotions such as talking to a friend, going for a walk, taking up a hobby or doing something you enjoy.

Hydrate Well!

One of the simplest and most effective things you can do to care for your liver is drink plenty of water. Drinking at least 2 litres a day of preferably filtered water (or more if its hot and you're perspiring) can help your liver flush away toxins and function better. As a gauge, check your urine. The colour of your urine can tell you how hydrated or dehydrated you are. The darker the urine is, the more dehydrated you are. It should be relatively clear. Keep in mind if you are taking various vitamins this may change the colour of your urine.

🐟Healthy Fats!🐟

So many of us have become 'fat-phobic' because of the governments previous understanding of nutrition. But its important to understand and accept that fats play a vital role in body function. everything from organ function, brain function, alllll the way to liver function (yes im aware they're all organs haha)

Surprisingly enough, you can actually become fatty acid deficient, symptoms of which include - dry & itchy skin, eczema, joint pain, low mood, reduced immunity, hair loss, and mild memory loss. It's important to remember that moderation is key though as you can certainly have too much of a good thing.

The best types of fats for liver function are Monounsaturated Fats and Polyunsaturated Fats (including omega 3's & 6's)

You can find Monounsaturated fats in;

*Avocados, *Olives, *Nuts (Almonds, peanuts, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts, pecans, cashews) *Natural Peanut Butter

You can find Polyunsaturated Fats in;

*Walnuts, *Sunflower Seeds, *Sesame Seeds, *Safflower Seeds, *Pumpkin Seeds, *Flaxseed, *Evening Primrose Oil, *Lecithin, *Spirulina, *Fatty Fish (Salmon, Tuna, Mackerel, Herring, Trout, Sardines). Polyunsaturated Fats are often deficient in Western Diets which contributes to a lot of disease, especially those that are based around cognitive function such as Parkinson's, alzheimers, dementia etc.

They play a vital role in cognitive function, prevent and reduce the symptoms of depression, ADHD and bipolar disorder, Protect against memory loss and dementia, Reduce the Cris of heart disease, stroke and cancer, Ease Arthritis, Joint Pain, and inflammatory skin conditions, Support Healthy Pregnancy, Help you battle fatigue, sharpen your memory and balance your mood.

🍻Alcohol🍻

So many of us overindulge and drink way too much. Binge drinking is excessively common around the world and generally starts from a young age. It is a good idea to familiarise yourself with safe drinking standards to ensure you are living your best life. For a woman the 'safe limit' as set by the government is no more than one standard drink per day (100mls) with two alcohol free days during the week and no more than 2 standard drinks for men (total of 200mls daily) with 2 alcohol free days in a row. Ideally these alcohol free days will be in a row to give the liver a good rest.

☕️Caffeine ☕️

There are some benefits to caffeine but there are also many drawbacks. Up to 200mg of caffeine can stimulate the liver to aid in detoxification however consuming above this can cause liver damage. So try not to exceed 2-3 cups per day.

⛹️‍♂️Exercise ⛹️‍♂️

Last but certainly not least is exercise.

Exercise has been shown to aid in liver function by improving the bodies usage of fats and glucose. This is ideally included into your weekly lifestyle. Try exercising for at least 30 minutes a day. Even a brisk walk can help.

Thanks for tuning in to our Love your Liver Articles. We hope that they have helped you understand and appreciate this amazing organ just that bit more!

If you think that you may benefit from a detox, we recommend heading over to Dr Cris Beers website and following her Liver Detox Plan. It is safe and researched.

Source: Dr Cris Beer BBioMedSci, MBBS (hons), FRACGP, member ACNEM, member AIMA, Cert IV in Fitn

Liver Overload

🤯LIVER OVERLOAD🤯

Following on from our last Liver post (https://naturallynourishedcollective.com/articles/2019/2/26/love-your-liver) here is Part 2 - Liver Overload!

In this chapter of Liver Care, we will go through everyday substances that can damage your liver, as well as foods and drinks that are known to contribute to a sluggish liver and even worse, liver disease. The most common issue with the liver seen in practice, is fatty liver disease, followed by acute liver inflammation and gallbladder disease. "The side effects of these diseases leave patients so unwell that they can often times be left debilitated" according to Dr Cris Beer.

So how can the liver be damaged?

There are three main categories of substances that can harm the liver which include Toxins, Overload Agents and Microorganisms.

TOXINS ☣️

When the liver is bogged down, it will purposely store fat on the human body so it has a place to store toxins in until such time as those toxins can be processed. These toxins store in adipose over time and can lead to a toxic load on our body as we age. This is also why as some people lose weight, they develop skin conditions such as acne - as these toxins can be expelled through the skin.

OVERLOAD AGENTS 🤯

You may not think that overindulgence creates an issue for anything else except your waist line, but over eating actually has the capability to bog down your liver function as well. Food is extremely accessible in todays society which sees many of us constantly indulging in overload agents such as sugar, excess carbs, unhealthy trans fats and excessive red meat consumption.

Eating in extreme excess, or even small excess daily, overloads the liver's ability to breakdown and process food nutrients. Some other common overload agents are; *Fructose *Refined Carbohydrates *Unhealthy Fats *Iron Rich foods

MICROORGANISMS - Viruses, Bacteria & Food poisoning. 🤢

Some organisms in our environment have the potential to impact our liver and contribute to damage by either directly attacking the body or via the chemicals that some microorganisms release. Some examples of these microorganisms are; *Blood-Borne Hepatitis Viruses *Food Borne Hepatitis Viruses *Food Borne Bacteria *HIV *Malaria *Tuberculosis *EBV, CMV and Glandular Fever viruses.

LIVER HATING FOODS ❌

*Beans & Legumes - avoid flavoured or salted canned beans. Always choose Uncanned Varieties.

*Starches & Grains - Wheat, Rye, Barley, Spelt, Couscous, Triticale, Chips (all types)

*Some Vegetables - Pickled, Tinned & Frozen. Always opt for fresh and raw when possible.

*Fruit - Canned, Dried, Candied, Concentrated Fruit Juice.

*Dairy - Cheese, Cream, Ice-Cream, Sweetened Yoghurts, Custard

*Nuts & Seeds - Peanuts, Roasted and Salted nuts, Candied or Chocolate Covered nuts

*Oils - Butter, Canola Oil (AVOID), Duck Fat (Moderation), Ghee (Moderation), Mergerine (AVOID), Peanut Oil (AVOID), Vegetable Oil (AVOID)

*Herbs, Spices, Dressings & Condiments - AVOID - Sugar, Sweetened Spices, Artificial Sweeteners

*Drinks - AVOID - Alcohol, Soft Drinks, Fruit Drinks, Coffee & Tea (except herbal), reconstituted juice.

*Meat - Excessive consumption of Red Meat, Processed Sausages, Bacons, Hams & Processed Meats, Fish high in mercury content, Meats high in Nitrates (smoked Salmon, Ham etc)

Other Every day substances that can damage your liver are;

*Energy Drinks, *Alcohol Intake *Excessive Workload *Smoking *Prescription & Over the counter medicine *Infection/illness *Stress *Processed Foods *Environmental Toxins *Soils *Allergies/Food Intollerances *Poor Nutrition.

Removing the things named above will see you be kinder to your liver and help it do its job.

Don't stress, you don't have to do it all at once. Use this as a guide to making healthier choices and over time this will become your new way of living.

Stay tuned for our next Liver Post on Liver Lovers and all things good for your liver ✌️

Source: Dr Cris Beer BBioMedSci, MBBS (hons), FRACGP, member ACNEM, member AIMA, Cert IV in Fitness

Love your Liver

💚LOVE - YOUR - LIVER 💚

Most people are unaware of how vital their liver actually is to feeling well and living a healthy life. 

This amazing organ, located on the upper right hand side of the abdomen, just below the diaphragm and neatly tucked away under the ribs on that side, has over 500 hundred imperative functions to keep your body healthy. FIVE. HUNDRED. FUNCTIONS. 

It's sad to think that its role and our general well being are often over looked. 

Liver health is determined by a bunch of markers from blood serums, but there are some other ways you can check your function and get a vague idea on how your liver is doing - and we will discuss some of those ways below. 

In todays society with drinking, general environmental insults, toxins and chemicals in our foods and drinks, it's easy for this amazing organ to get bogged down and not be functioning at its peak resulting in various conditions, and leaving you not feeling your best. 

So - what does it do? Its basically your internal chemical and nutrient processing factory in your body. While processing food nutrients to maintain supply to our tissues etc, it also enables chemical reactions that rid the body of toxins and internal cellular waste. 

Along with nutrient absorption and detoxification - the liver also does the following:
*Produces Bile *Filters the Blood *Breaks down unwanted and harmful hormones *converts carbohydrates in the diet into glucose for energy *synthesises cholesterols and lipoproteins *metabolises fat *produces body proteins *regulates blood clotting *Produces immune system cells used in fighting infections

This is just the tip of the ice berg - its clear to see how much we rely on our liver for day to day functions and why it should be on the top of our list of body organs to look after. 

✅CHECK YOUR LIVER FUNCTION AT HOME✅
(Survey copied from Dr Cris Beer's Book - Healthy Liver)

*You feel tired despite getting a good night's sleep?
*Your skin becomes itchy at night?
*You have dark circles under your eyes?
*You experience pain in your right upper abdomen?
*You have dark coloured urine?
*You have pale chalky stools?
*You bruise Easily?
*You have noticed red freckle-like skin spots appear?
*You find it hard to lose weight?
*You have reddened skin, particularly on your palms?
*You have yellow tinge to your skin or to the whites of your eyes?
*You often feel nauseated?
*You have swollen feet/legs?
*You often have diarhorrea?
*You have lost your appetite?
*You have a coating on your tongue?
*You drink three of more alcoholic drinks in one sitting?
*You experience frequent headaches?

Have a think about these questions, and place your answers into a category of -NEVER-SOMETIMES-OFTEN-DAILY.

If most of your answers are sometimes to daily - then it may be worth while following up with your doctor for a liver function test and following a safe liver detox to help clear out your liver of toxins and chemicals. 

Stay tuned over the next couple of days to learn about safe Liver Detoxes (created by a medical practitioner) as well as foods that Hate your Liver and LOVE your liver - to help you love your liver better in future! xx

***Source - Dr Cris Beer - BBioMedSci, MBBS (hons), FRACGP, member ACNEM, member AIMA, Cert IV in Fitness***

The Colors We're Dyeing For...

Food Colouring and it's side effects.

A lot of people I come across, know that food colourings can contribute to behavioural changes in their children... but still so many people are unaware of the degree to which food additives can harm the human body.

While it is true that you would have to eat a lot of these ingredients over a long period of time to have ingested enough to trigger things like various cancers and contribute to chromosomal damage, don't forget that consumption of these things, along with consumption of other known carcinogens, and additives, daily exposure to pollutants, other food additives and chemicals, cleaning chemicals, chemicals and toxins in personal care products etc - all of these things added together shorten the time line in which cells mutate and trigger life threatening reactions.

To read more information about food additives, chemicals and toxins, check out these reliable sources:

The Chemical Maze - BILL STATHAM (Sources of info - ATSDR, American Academy of Dermatology, "Cosmetics Unmasked" - Dr Stephen, Thorsons, Australian Consumers Association, Cancer Prevention Coalition, CSPI, CSIRO, UK Department of Food Science and Technology, "Dangerous Beauty" - Peter Dingle and Tony Brown, Environmental Defense, EPA (USA), European Food Safety Authority ESRA, Food & Drug Administration FDA, Food Standards Australia & New Zealand FSANZ, Journal of the American college of toxicology - And More)

Therese Kerr - http://theresekerr.com/category/toxin-free/

From Bowel -to- Behaviour

🥺😁😫🤣💩From Bowel - To - Behaviour 💩🤣😫😁🥺

Most of us know that the microbes in our gut play a much more vital role in our health than previously known. Research has confirmed the ability of our gut flora to communicate with the brain and influence behaviour through a two way street of communication transmitted via the enteric nervous system, the vagus nerve and the central nervous system. This is known as the gut-brain axis. 

When we consider that the most urgent health problems we face globally are mental and emotional health, immunity-based diseases and diet related diseases, the gut sits among all of them as a part of the cause. In the last 15 years, a good deal of research has indicated that certain types of depression can have a link to gut flora imbalances, inflammation and therein may lie the cure as well. 

The link between high-sugar diets and alterations in gut bacteria has been established in research conducted by Dr Joseph Mercola, who found tat microbial changes leg to cognitive impairments such as learning difficulties and worsened memory. 

A study published in PLOS ONE has found that autistic children have a distinctly different gut microbiome compared to children of similar age. Notably, they tend to have fewer beneficial bacteria such as bifidobacterium. 

🍏WAYS TO OPTIMISE YOUR GUT FLORA 🍎

***Remove Processed foods, sugar enhanced foods, and grains from your diet

*** Replace grains with lots of seeds and sprouted legumes

***Consume 4 servings of probiotic enhancing foods per day (Kombucha, Saur Kraut, Kimchi, Kefir)

***Sip on Hot Bone Broth to heal and seal the gut lining so that probiotics and microbiota have a healthy, sealed and inflammation-free environment to set up a home. 

***Consume Pre Biotics and Fibrous foods to continue to feed your microbiome and keep them full and happy. 

🍠SUPER FOODS FOR DIGESTIVE HEALTH🥭

***Cultured Coconut Yoghurt

***Apple Cider Vinegar

***Fermented Vegetables and Pickles

***SauerKraut 

***Kefir

***Miso

***Tempeh

😍SEROTONIN😍

It is also now known that serotonin - a neurochemical chiefly responsible for maintaining a positive mood, among other things - is made in the brain and remarkably IN THE GUT TOO. Although 80-90% is actually made in your intestines. 
Not surprisingly, serotonin also affects your digestion, bowel movements and appetite. 

In contrast, dopamine, another happy neurochemical, makes you feel proud and elated when you accomplish and achieve, thus causing a feeling of self-gratification. Signs of serotonin deficiency include depression, sugar cravings, low self-esteem and insomnia. 

🥣HOW TO MAKE SEROTONIN🥣

To manufacture serotonin in our bodies, we need adequate amounts of the amino acid tryptophan, which is found in most protein-based foods or dietary proteins. it is particularly plentiful in:
***Eggs
***Chickpeas
***Buckwheat
***Spriulina
***Pineapple
***Chocolate
***Oats
***Dried Dates
***Seeds and Nuts.

Source: SARAH NANCLARES - psychobiologist, Business life coach, chronic illness nutrition specialist - equilibrio.com.au NATURAL HEALTH MAGAZINE

The Man who ate himself Thin - Ketogenic Success

For most of us, the idea of losing weight means dropping that extra 5-6 kilo that we gained over Christmas when we were unthinkably stuffing our faces with roast meats, vegetables, cakes and creams. It's a dream that most of us share, and achieve throughout the year. But if you're like Chris, 30 from Melbourne, Australia, a 5-6 kilo weight loss wouldn't have scratched the surface of his hefty 160 Kilo weight, and the health concerns that came with it. That was then... but this is now...

The new face of the man who ate himself thin.

"I was always the chubby kid through school, and that continued into high school" he told The Naturally Nourished Collective in his interview. Struggling with his weight since he was a young child, Chris found his weight soaring to 120 Kilos at the young age of 15. "For a brief period from 16-18 years of age, I managed to lose a lot of weight, getting down to around 78kg and hitting the gym regularly. Unfortunately not too long after that, I fell back into old habits and put the weight back on tenfold" he said. As time went on, Chris found himself inevitably getting heavier and heavier which came with an array health concerns. At his heaviest, he tipped the scales at a hefty 160 kilo and found himself struggling with severe denial of his weight gain and health issues, and began to shut down and change the topic of conversation whenever his health or weight was bought up by concerned loved ones. Chris battled with an unhealthy relationship with food for most of his adolescence, "and limiting myself to salads is just something that never worked for me" he explained. 

On the journey with Chris to regain health, was his partner in crime Megan, 30, Melbourne Australia, who also struggled with her weight for most of her life. Growing up in a family that consumed takeaway multiple times per week took it's toll on Megan's young body and saw her become a chubby child. She found herself restricting caloric intake in high school to lose drastic amounts of weight at a time in a desperate bid to fit in. Managing to maintain a 60 kilo weight for the last few years of high school, the wheels fell off the bus when she was working as a store manager at a Pizza shop. Megan tells The Naturally Nourished Collective that she then gained 40 kilo in one year. "That was when I was 19, I have been around 100kg ever since."

Soon after meeting the love of their lives, Chris & Megan fell pregnant, and in April of 2016, they welcomed their beautiful baby boy Lincoln to the world. "Not long after the birth of our first son, I decided I needed to make some changes If I wanted to be a part of his life in the long run and going the way I was, I'd of been lucky if I hit the age of 40" states Chris. 

For Chris, the penny dropped when he did his regular jump on the scales, and instead of his regular reading of 140-150kg, (which he figured was ok, provided he wasn't still gaining weight) he tipped the scales which just began to read 'Overweight' instead of giving him a figure. "I looked in the mirror and saw what I had become. The man staring back at me looked completely different to the man that had been standing in that same mirror for the last ten years. I have been in denial about my weight for so long that I barely recognised myself anymore and this was the Life Changing moment for me."

Meanwhile, Megan found herself at the young age of 22 sitting in the office of her ObGyn being told that "as an Obese smoker, you aren't doing much to help your health" which was later amplified by her diagnosis of Cervical Cancer. "That year I quit smoking and lost 25kg" and while her weight has fluctuated in the last few years, she hasn't looked back at cigarettes since.

Megan was 105kg when she fell pregnant "which I was really unhappy with." Megan told us that she gained 23kg in her pregnancy which saw her balloon to 128kg at 38 weeks pregnant (April 2016). She remained at 119kg until October 2016. 

When the challenge in front of you is health, knowing that you have an unhealthy attachment with food, finding the right lifestyle that fits with your personality, likes & dislikes, family, time, work schedule is something that needs serious thought. Common fad diets often see those that follow them lose weight in the short term and then gain even more in the long term which can be extremely detrimental to long term health. "I tried a few diets including Lite'n'Easy and even prescription medication, and while they all helped in bits, I ended up putting the weight back on and then some" Chris told us. This time "I'd read about Ketogenic Diets on Reddit a while back, and people seemed to have great success" so Chris and Megan spent the next few weeks, if not months, researching the ins and out of the Ketogenic Lifestyle. The benefits, drawbacks, risks and rewards and September 17, 2016, Chris and Megan both took the plunge!

Chris mentioned that he has always been a big meat lover so the Ketogenic way of eating seemed perfect for him. "I could literally have my steak, and eat it too." Chris owes a lot of his success to his lovely wife Megan who committed herself and their kitchen to prepare Keto-Friendly meals for Chris to help him shed all of the excess weight. For those of you unfamiliar with Keto, this means that Megan was weighing and portioning meals to the gram to make sure that Chris's body was utilising his own fat to burn as energy resulting in weight loss. In the beginning, following a Low Carb - High Fat version of Keto saw the pair reach some success but "I was eating a mountain of calories in fat, and often they weren't very nutrient dense" Chris told us.

After reaching a weight-loss stall caused by the butter-chuggers that provided information for medical ketosis (low carb high fat), Chris stumbled across a facebook group called Ketogains, and after further research and utilising the groups scientifically backed information, and seeking help of other members, Chris re adjusted his Macros as set by Ketogains for Nutritional Ketosis, which placed a larger emphasis on Protein and consumption of less fat - and before he knew it the weight was melting off! The Ketogains group on facebook are a low carb, moderate fat and high protein focused Keto lifestyle. Focusing on a higher protein form of Keto helps the body retain lean body mass which aids in further fat burning long term and ensures the 'weight' you are losing is Fat, and not wasted muscle and bodily tissues. This also means instead of consuming large amounts of fat for energy, the body will utilise its own fat stores. 

As at 14th August, 2017, eleven months after Chris commenced a Ketogenic diet, Chris hit the 60kg loss mark. He weighed in at 96.6kg. "My eventual goal is to maintain around 95 kilos but get lean by continuing to eat Keto and lifting." Meanwhile, Megan has lost an amazing 21kg from commencing a Ketogenic Diet in October 2016 and reaching her lowest weight of 99.6kg on the 14th August 2017.  While the pair say that losing weight on the Ketogenic Diet has been 'easy' (within reason), it hasn't always been this way. Megan says "I've always struggled and tried to maintain a healthy lifestyle for the last 6 years or so. I was clean eating and exercising as much as I could, but the weight just wasn't budging. I watched Chris do keto for about 6 months before I was game enough to try it for myself. Now, we have completely changed our lifestyles around and aren't going back to old habits."

When you have been 'battling the bulge' for such a long time with failures mounting up behind you of previous tried an failed 'diets', it would be easy to become discouraged and let the weight take over and spiral even more out of control. Chris recalls the day before his transition to this way of life and he was feeling "Excited, racked with nerves and scared of failure" - but the most important part, he recalls being Optimistic that this was the right change for him. Optimistic that this would be the leap that would finally help him make the biggest step toward changing his life, and most importantly, his health.

While Chris was generally lucky that his Obesity didn't have more dire effects on his health, he did spend time battling debilitating, gut wrenching Migraines that completely wrecked his quality of life, and even put strain on his relationship with Megan, and effected his parenting when it came to his beautiful little boy, Lincoln. "One of the unexpected benefits of changing to this way of eating has been the complete curing of my migraines" Chris told us, proving yet again that Food certainly is medicine. Only young, Chris was suffering from 3-4 headaches a week that left him in debilitating pain, and often times saw him end up in the Emergency Room at the nearest Hospital. "I'd seen multiple doctors, had MRI's, CT scans, Blood Tests..." he recalls, and his diagnosis was "Maybe you're just someone that suffers from Migraines". In a world where we treat symptoms instead of the root cause of illness, Chris was left taking fistfuls of heavy painkillers just to get through each day. Not only has the Ketogenic Diet taught the young family of 3 how to eat better, it has also taught Chris how to listen to his body, "I still get the occasional headache, but they seem to generally be after a few drinks, or just a lack of sleep", and that in itself we think is a major gift. 

Chris Enjoying his new active lifestyle out fishing with the family.

Like anyone, making a change on as large of a scale as this when you've been over weight most of your life, the family stated it was daunting and required amazing time management skills. "Researching low carb foods, weighing and tracking food and cooking dinner is almost impossible with a Sooky or Crying Baby" Megan told us. But that didn't stop them from completely jumping head first into the change in lifestyle. "I do as many 'fast' meals as possible, but always try to maintain variety. And feeding a toddler toast and fruit while we went without was really hard. We wanted to eat it so badly...Growing up I've always been told that eating fruit is good for you, now all of a sudden we can't eat it, but can eat bacon. It was really hard to comprehend for a while".

On top of all of these amazing changes to better their health, Megan took the reigns and before long, they were becoming a chemical free household as well. "I Make my own baby wipes and cleaning products, and we use essential oils in the bath and use cloth nappies". The pair have spent their time since making these changes becoming more active as well, getting out and about and even restricting TV usage.

There's a lot of misinformation when it comes to Diets like Paleo, Keto, Primal etc which often deters people from making changes to their health and lifestyle. Being scared of 'missing out' on certain foods, and even thinking that it is unhealthy to live without certain foods as a result of marketing,  are also among the reasons many people continue to live an unhealthy lifestyle. The world is at a point now where if you eat proper clean Wholefood's, people will criticise you and tell you "eating excess fats or limiting carbs isn't healthy" but yet, they won't comment and think its completely fine if you sit down and eat a whole pizza chased with a litre bottle of coke. So we asked Megan and Chris what they thought of the food choices on a ketogenic diet, they said the claims couldn't be more wrong, "We eat Wholefood's - Plenty of fresh vegetables, meat and poultry, fish & eggs etc and our meals are always delicious and never boring. Lincoln eats everything now and isn't picky and we think its because of the variety of foods he has access too".

It's no secret that what the two of them have done is nothing short of amazing, so we thought we would ask them for any advice they had for other people wanting to make a positive change in their lives an this is what they said: Chris - "There are no excuses, every decision is a choice, choose to be better. I've lived the last 11 months by that mantra, and the results speak for themselves." Megan - "Keep it real. If you aren't enjoying it, you won't stick to it. Slip ups happen, you can undo any damage you do".

For anyone wanting to begin to better their health and change their life, you can join the facebook communities for information and support. Click HERE for the Keto for Beginners Australia - support group, and click HERE for Wholefood Keto - support group. To follow Chris on his journey, you can follow @cmarico on Instagram. For more articles like this and healthy easy recipes to help you regain your health, follow us on instagram - www.instagram.com/naturallynourishedcollective and facebook www.facebook.com/naturallynourishedcollective

Removing the Hull - The Truth about Gluten

There is so much information out there now about what is and isn't good for you. So it's no wonder why so many people that are trying to regain health and lose the kilos end up giving in and getting over whelmed. I mean, on a day to day basis, the amount of information we are bombarded with is absolutely astounding. On top of this, majority of it is conflicting... It has caused a lot of people to take charge of their health and search for their own answers, but it means a lot of people have been left sitting and wondering what on earth to do when it comes to their health. As individuals we will all browse hundreds of articles scouring for the information we seek, but at the end of the day, we take away from what we read - what we WANT to take away from it. In fact, we can believe in things that have no science behind the reasons WHY we believe in it, and yet, if we see something that goes against that belief, even if it is founded and backed by solid science, we disregard it as incorrect. This is because we don't WANT to take any information from it because it differs from what we already think we know. This is why I am going to try and give you the most unbiased information relative to Gluten and it's effects on our bodies and in what forms it should be avoided, so you can weigh up the information provided and make a decision that is right for you. 

Now most people will cite their information when writing an article like this. However, I have been studying for nearing four long years now, and to cite all the information that I know, will take me a lifetime. And quite frankly, most of you won't read it anyway. So I'm not going to do that and waste my time. What I am going to do though is tell you in advance that you can find this information through Kathy Ashton (amongst other sources if you get your investigative hats on) who is a medicinal nutritionist (as I am not yet qualified). While I knew the way gluten somewhat reacted in the body in regards to Thyroid Disease, I was not 100% on all the specifics of it until I met Kathy at the last Mind Body Spirit festival in Melbourne. I sat in on one of her seminars that she gave, and the explanations were understandable, in depth and really explanatory as to why it effects us the way it does. To make things even better, this information was then confirmed by my lecturers at Uni and it just so happens that I jumped the gun as we will be studying the process more in depth at a later date. 

So what I am trying to do here for you all, is to write an unbiased article on Gluten, what is it, the way it reacts in the body and most importantly WHY it has become a bigger issue now that it has ever been. I hope to shed some light on the question "Why is intolerance and Celiac disease on the rise?" which is a question I get asked SO much these days and hopefully put your mind at ease when it comes to the food related information we now see on the news. I'm not going to say my real thoughts on the information that is provided to the public by the Dieticians Association of Australia (DAA) because I was always taught if you have nothing nice to say then don't say it at all.... The information they provide is usually the information we often see on the news with the headline "Going Gluten Free could be bad for your health!" and then this causes mass debate amongst the people that choose to believe any information they are fed, and then those like my self that study and research the metabolic effects of certain things. So without going into huge detail and attempting to change your mind (when most likely you already have your mind made up about the DAA) I will just say I am 100% skeptical of an organisation that is funded by the very companies that are contributing to making us all sick... *cough cough Amatil cough cough*. If you want to look into the DAA further and actually see the types of companies that fund their research, you can click HERE where you will see that its comprised of companies like Nestle and Campbells. So if you're not yet a skeptic of the information they provide, ask yourself this: Would Nestle, fund a company to advise AGAINST consuming products of Nestle? In Short, No.

So anyhow... moving onto what we are here to talk about and what you are interested to learn about - The truth of the matter is, Gluten is bad for you. However Wheat, is not necessarily bad for you. 

Now stay with me because I know you are reading that and thinking "Well that doesn't even make sense you crazy beast!" - so stick with me through the next few paragraphs and let me show you the difference between those two statements. 

First, we need to differentiate between the two. Wheat is a grain, and in its whole form is comprised of a Kernel, Bran, Germ and Endosperm. Gluten, is a small part of wheat, found in the endosperm which is the inner part of the grain. Wheat is a whole product comprised of an inner endosperm (where the gluten proteins are), Germ (Where the nutrients are), Bran (Where the fibre is) and the Kernel (The case of it all, which also contains fibre). Here is a basic picture of a grain of wheat to help you understand where everything sits and how the grain is constructed. *Picture Courtesy of Singaporecoeliacs.com*

As you can see, one grain of wheat is made from Several parts and the truth is the Bran and Kernel are filled to the brim with Fibre, and while the Germ also contains fibre, the germ is where the nutrients of wheat are found. This leaves the endosperm in the centre, comprised of Gluten. This is what we don't want. So I feel like some of your brains are going "How can half of a single grain of wheat be good and the other half be bad?" and the short answer to that is : Fibre. Plain and Simple. Fibre. 

Fibre is the helpful friend we all rely on to pull indigestible matter and excess food through our bowel and out the colon. Fibre is our friend and without Fibre, well... no toilets would be being bashed. As my dad used to say " If you don't eat, you don't shit and if you don't shit, you'll die".... as charming as that is, it's true... when it comes to fibre. 

Gluten (as you can possibly tell by it's name) is a very sticky substance. It is made up of Glutenin and Gliadin. These are the two proteins that make up Gluten as a whole and they hold onto each other. When we knead dough... it is these proteins that stretch to make dough elastic-like, and it is these proteins that are what is wreaking havoc when it comes to our health. Like the name suggests, these proteins resemble glue, and they're sticky. 

Now that we have explored Wheat as a whole and you now know what gluten is and what it is made of, we can start to put the bigger picture into play. 

Providing we have adequate fibre in our diets, almost anything can pass through our digestion. However, through evolution and the years of manufacturing and processing of foods, we have begun to make 'things' 'Edilble' that aren't necessarily food. The reason why I call what humans have manufactured and processed 'Things' is because the definition of Food is: "Any Nutritious substance that people or animals eat or drink or that plants absorb in order to maintain life and growth". Therefore, a lot of the things we now see lining our super market shelves can't even be classified as 'Food' because they don't hold nutritious value to sustain life.... that's why we are all getting Overfed and Undernourished. And breads, Pastas and Cookies are ALL on this list. 

Before mass production took over, and your great Nonna's Mum was baking bread in her kitchen, the only thing she had to use was Wheat. Wheat as a whole. Wheat that contained in itself enough fibre to carry the gluten like substance through the bowel and out the colon causing no issues. The evolution of bread stems from here. Bread was dense. Dry. And tough to eat. So mankind thought - "lets make a change to wheat to make it softer and more pleasurable to eat" and he took the wheat and the germ from the endosperm and kept them separate. Now we have two products, Endosperm (White Flour) (Gluten) and Wheat Bran & Germ and we started to manufacture white bread that was soooooo soft and fluffy and was a complete pleasure to eat! For some, this was great. But like with all things, humans get bored and we want and demand more variety! So we thought - "We will add back some of the Bran to make 'Wholemeal Bread'. HEALTH AFICIONADOS OF THE WORLD REJOICE! A HEALTHY ALTERNATIVE TO BREAD! ...... sad to say.... nope. And this is the way bread processing has stayed. 

Now bakers buy White Flour, and Wheat Bran SEPARATELY, and dependent on the type of bread thats being made will depend on the amount of bran that is added back into the milled white flour. Seems harmless right? Wrong! A big fat WRONG! God, or Mother Nature (whom ever you believe in) made things on this earth perfect... they way they were intended. This means that Mother Nature provided an adequate amount of bran and fibre per grain of wheat to be able to efficiently and safely carry the endosperm and it's gluten through the bowel and out the colon. Now when we manufacture bread, we put only a % of the fibre back to the white flour which still doesn't ensure adequate fibre to aid in the digestion of the gluten proteins. 

This isn't just bread. This is the same now with Pasta, Cookies, Pastries, Rolls - you name it. It all starts from White flour now, and even when you buy Wholemeal Flour to make 'wholemeal cookies' you are getting majority white flour with a percentage of bran added back to classify it as wholewheat... however it couldn't be further from being 'whole'.

So the next time someone says to you "Well back in my day we never had these issues with Gluten and Bread and it didn't affect people like it does today" - here is your answer. As man kind progresses, so do our manufacturing processes and our human desire for more variety means we keep messing with the structures of Wholefood's. This is why Gluten sensitivity is on the rise and why Coeliacs are becoming more and more common. Without Adequate fibre to carry the glutenous bi product of wheat through our system, it is left in our small intestine to rot. 

Completely aside from the rise in gluten intolerance and celiac disease, we also note the rise in inflammatory diseases, cancers, skin conditions, breathing and respiratory conditions and disease and a range of syndromes. We have processed a near perfect product to the point where it IS hurting our health, and the company that is supposed to be advising us what to eat and how much, is funded by the very companies that make these products in the first place. It is no wonder we are so mislead when it comes to our health. 

We now know the reason why gluten never used to be an issue and why it is more common now, but lets look at what actually happens when we eat gluten, in the form it is so readily available today. 

As mentioned above, Gluten is Sticky like Glue, and without adequate fibre to carry the sticky proteins through the bowel it sits in the small intestine. Once consumed and indigested, it sits in the intestine awaiting a way to be expelled from the body. However because the bowel can't move the proteins along without fibre, it's stuck. The Digestion can't do anything. But the body is smart. Too smart! Or is it? 

When the body can't move something through the bowel, it releases a hormone called Zonulin. The lining of some of our major organs like our lungs, skin, bowel etc are comprised of cells called Enterocells. Enterocells hold onto each other with little fingers. To get a good idea of what im taking about, place your hands in front of you with both your palms facing you. Move your hands horizontal so your fingers are pointing to each other, and then entwine your fingers together with your palms still facing you. This is a good example of Enterocells. Imagine your palms are the cells, and your fingers are the little fingers that each cell holds onto the next with. The hormone Zonulin causes the fingers holding each cell together to become loose. To envision this, place your hands back where they were with your fingers entwined. Now loosen your fingers, without completely letting go, so you can see little gaps between where your fingers are connected. This is what Zonulin does and this is called 'Permeable Intestine' or the more commonly known, 'Leaky Gut'. 

When normal foods are being digested, enzymes in the small intestine break down the food particles into their nutrients which are then absorbed through the Full EnteroCell (not the gaps) and are packaged up and sent around the body via the blood. There is not one human on this earth that has an enzyme to break down gluten protein. Not one. No where. Not anyone. So while other foods can be broken down small enough into things like Amino Acids etc, gluten remains in its larger form that can't be broken down which is why it needs to escape through the gaps in the intestine, instead of being absorbed into the cells. 

So for us not good, but for your digestion this is awesome, because there is now a place for the gluten to go! So thanks to the hormone Zonulin, our small intestine now has minuscule gaps in it that the gluten can pass through, into the blood stream. It now hitches a ride on all of your blood cells and sticks to them, and then that blood runs through your organs and the gluten sticks to your organs until eventually enough time has passed that the blood goes through the liver and kidneys and then the gluten gets excreted as waste. 

BUT WAIT, THERES MORE! 

That was breakfast.. it's now lunch time and you have more bread, so this process happens all over again!

This is a prime example of how these proteins build up in the body and cause issues. Sticking to our cells, our blood, our organs, waiting to be processed and be excreted as waste and THIS is why it causes issues. You see, once gluten is in the blood stream, the Immune system goes "WOAHHHH got some foreign matter here dudes" and it sends out its Army to attack the foreign proteins that are hitching a ride on our cells without paying cab fair. The immune system therefore has to attack organs as well to rid the proteins from them. This is where disease, conditions and syndromes start and all get their name dependent on the part of the body being attacked by your own immune system because it has foreign particles stuck to it. The continuous build up of these proteins is why it can take up to six months for your body to rid itself of all gluten once embarking on a gluten free diet, and why you need to stick to being Gluten Free for at least 3 months before deciding if it has made a difference to how you feel, or any symptoms you may have. 

Sadly, this isn't just limited to Gluten. We now live in extremely toxic environments, which get into our blood streams and does the same thing... waiting to be excreted through the kidneys and liver. 

The types of conditions we know that can be attributed to gluten consumption are : IBS, Eczema, Athsma, Hay-fever, Psoriasis, Auto Immune Disease and Some Cancers, all the way down to mental health concerns like Depression and Anxiety. 

So Now What? 

If you are going to eat it, find a PROPER Baker (generally German bakeries have full wheat bread... I've not found it anywhere else) or don't eat it at all. At the end of the day, it's your choice, but just remember, what you put in your mouth will either fight disease or feed it. 

Dry Brushing for Keratosis Pilaris - Vol. 3

Well! Another week of brushing has passed!

I'm sad to say that two days this week (Monday & Tuesday) I wasn't able to do my dry brushing. And when I say I wasn't able too, of course I mean I forgot. This week has been so hectic. I turn 30 in two weeks, we have a dear friends wedding in Blairgowrie this weekend, next weekend is Hubbo's Christmas break up for work, and the babies are teething, one is sick, and little Mr 3 has decided to enter the stage of 3 nanger all at once. I feel like I haven't stopped. So admittedly my self care slipped for a couple of days. 

I have to admit, I am absolutely loving dry brushing. Every morning it means hubbo looks after the kids before he goes to bed (night shift worker) and I get to go to the bathroom, brush, shower and get ready for the day. It's actually really nice to have that time to myself and have somewhat of a routine!  The last two mornings I have really missed it. Today I stopped with the excuses and was straight back into routine, but I have to admit that my skin has suffered. 

It isn't bad like it was, but it isn't great. I still put the Jojoba on my affected areas while I wasn't dry brushing, and I'm not sure if that was the right call. I assume not removing the dead skin and keratin didn't help because my arms especially are a little more rough today than they have been the whole two weeks so far. So I'm disappointed and very grateful I chose a dress with long sleeves for the wedding this weekend!

So after brushing today, I'm feeling energised and back on track and motivated to not let this happen again as I've already seen the undoing that can be done by not exfoliating. 

I have taken some photos again for you guys so you can understand the difference between week one and this week and hope you can see the draw backs from stopping brushing from this week to last. It goes to prove if you do have keratosis pilaris, you NEED to be active in it's treatment of exfoliation and stick to it to remove the dead skin and over produced Keratin. 

It's a bit of a pain, but I guess in the long run, I would prefer this to something like Eczema or Psoriasis. It's the lesser of all evils. 

I guess having this set back really shows the improvement dry brushing makes to skin! I would also like you guys to have a close look at the colour in my skin. Apart from the Keratosis Pilaris and it's red scarring, take note of my legs and how purple they used to be. I have noticed that Dry brushing has really helped with my circulation and improved it DRAMATICALLY! So not only would I recommend this treatment for skin conditions, but I would also recommend it if you suffer poor circulation. 

So here we go! Pics from completed Week Two - Heading strongly into week three. 

I still can't get over the difference from week one. It was SO bad!

Still pretty happy with my arms given the car wreck they were before, however notable lumps came back from stopping brushing. 

This week I notice more on my forearms than I have during the period I have been dry brushing.

The colour difference on my thighs are amazing! I don't actually look purple anymore! 

As you can see in all the pictures, my circulation has improved dramatically! and while my keratosis pilaris is still better than it was at the start, it isn't as good as it could have been if I made sure to dry brush every day!

If you want to get in contact with Rebecca from Bodecare, just Click HERE to view or purchase their products and reach out to Bec with any questions you may have!

Dry Brushing for Keratosis Pilaris Vol. 2

Hello Again!!!! Week One is now over and we are at the start of week two of using Dry Brushing and Jojoba Oil to hopefully improve my Severe Keratosis Pilaris. 

I have been excited ALL WEEK to write this blog post, and the reason for that is I have noticed a difference in my skin from the 3rd day! My skin didn't feel like Chicken Skin from the 3rd session of body brushing. It didn't feel like my skin could be used as brail in books for the Blind! To anyone that's reading this that's blind and got offended by that, I'm sorry..... HAHA just kidding because you can't read this because you can't see. (That was bad taste I know... I think the hot weather is getting to me).

Anyway! So I have even had my partner rubbing my skin on a daily basis to check how it's going.... not in a sexual way... just as a second opinion... and even he has been amazed by the results and how quickly they happened. 

He's already demanded a dry body brush and Jojoba oil for Christmas to help with his eczema. I was confused at the start. He doesn't normally believe in my 'hippy ways' (he calls it) and loves to lather up that cortisone cream good and thick when the itching gets bad and the bad get itching. But after seeing the difference in my body he is jumping at the chance to have a natural approach to his eczema (aside from my constant badgering to quit sugar, dairy and gluten *sigh*) so it's a win all around!

After the first couple of days I honestly couldn't believe how soft my skin was. I have actually worn a singlet shirt and shorts or a dress this WHOLE WEEK of insane hotness! I'm not ashamed of my skin. Well actually, I still am! But no where near like I used to be! I say used too like it was years ago when it was actually just last week. 

It has definitely been a change to my morning ritual. I think I am lucky I am on Maternity Leave because I can do it whenever I get the chance once the kids are ready. I couldn't imagine doing this in the morning before work... But I'm one of those people that set about 1,657 alarms in the half hour leading up to wake time on a work day and I leave myself juuuuuuust enough time to run super fast to the train whilst looking like a complete wreck and make it in those train doors juuuuuust as they're closing. So I will probably have to change the routine to a night time 'thang' when I return to work. But where there's a will, there's a way. 

One thing I will note apart from the time it takes to brush, is that your skin gets quite warm as the blood circulates and comes to the skins surface. This is going to be amazing in winter. But it's about a bajillion degrees in Melbourne Lately and so I find myself needing to do this under the air con. I possibly also get hot because I'm somewhat unfit and it's a work out.

Now, in the first blog I wrote about Keratosis Pilaris and I tried to explain to you why Dry brushing works as Rebecca from Bodecare had previously explained to me. I think we will all agree that I did a truly shocking job at the explanation! So as promised, I spoke to Bec and she sent me through some information on Keratosis Pilaris, what it is, and why Jojoba works with Dry Brushing.  So here we go! This is the email that I received from Bec and instead of trying to explain it in my own words, I thought I'd save us both the heart ache and just WHACK it in how it was written for me because it really is easy to understand. 

-Basically speaking, Keratosis Pilaris is an over production of keratin which is the glue that binds our skin cells together.  Over the course of a month, the cells in our outer layer of skin (called the epidermis) will go through their life span and be shed.  If your skin is dry and you have excessive keratin your skin will not shed as quickly or as much as you need it to.  Sadly as we age the rate at which our cells reproduce and shed also slows down.  This is not  good thing for people with dry skin.  And that is why dry body brushing daily is awesome for these people, it helps to rid the skin continually speeding up the cellular renewal and keeping the skin soft and hydrated.  So thats the dryness and the bumps.. but what about the redness…..

So, the redness is an issue of inflammation in the skin.   When the skin is not shedding it can block the follicles so the skins natural oils can’t escape (sebum).  The oil is produced by the body to nourish the top layer of the skin and form a barrier from anything entering the skin that shouldn’t.  Its called the acid mantle.  If the oil cannot escape the pores, then it forms a blockage.  This is a breeding ground for bacteria which then causes inflammation, which in turn causes the redness in the skin.   The overproduction of oil in the pores can be a factor of dehydration in the skin.   The skin needs a balance of oil and water, when the oil levels are low you can get lots of flaking and itchiness,  when water levels are low you can get tightness and the start of fine lines and wrinkles.   When your water levels are low in the skin, your body will try to compensate by producing more oil.  This is why it is super important to make sure you are hydrated from the inside out.

Another issue you might come across is post inflammatory scarring.    This is the red spots after the bumps have gone.  It kinda looks like red pigmentation/freckles instead of brown freckles.  Increasing cell turnover will help to fade these scars over time.

You need to soothe any inflammation, kill bacteria in the skin and hydrate the skin from the outside to get the oil level production balanced and this is why Jojoba oil is recommended. 

Dry skin brushing is the best for exfoliation because it is rough enough to really remove all those dead skin cells, but it also helps with lymphatic drainage which will help to drain out any nasties through the bodies waste system.  By stimulating the blood circulation to the skin ( “burning” sensation or heated feeling of the skin…  the skin will tingle a bit when brushing but it is just the blood coming to the surface of the skin and it is a very good thing!)   the blood will bring with it nutrients, oxygen and water to the skin cells so you will notice much healthier skin in the weeks following starting a dry brushing routine.

The Jojoba oil  is anti-inflammatory, and anti-bacterial, so it will help to calm the skin and reduce redness in the bumps.  The oil is also the closest in nature to our skins natural oil so it absorbs really quickly into the skin.  It also has the ability to dissolve sebum, so it will help to unblock the pores.  It is also high in Vit E which is a fantastic anti-oxidant for the skin. -

Did I not tell you in the first blog that Bec knows her stuff?! huh? huh?

I hope this has clarified for you what we are actually dealing with, and give you some options for tackling this issue. It's so nice to know that there are answers to our questions as to why our skin is so ugly. Well, mine is less ugly now. So answers to our questions as to why your skin is still ugly and mine sort of is but sort of isn't anymore... 

If you want to check out some of Bec's products, click HERE and have a browse! (***This is an affiliate link which means we may earn commission if you buy something, but that’s ok because we only endorse products and businesses that meet our strict guidelines anyway… we just thought you should know xx***)

So I won't make you wait any longer.....

Results after one week of Dry Brushing

So this is the back of my arms where Keratosis is usually the most severe... I know what you're thinking right! WOW!

This is the front of the top of my arm. The bumps are noticeably smaller and the redness has reduced

This is the forearm. Surprisingly hard to get a good picture of your forearm on your own so the pics aren't the best. But the difference is dramatic. 

These are the tops of my thighs near the buttox where Keratosis is also prominent.

Clearly from the pictures above you can tell that the changes are already dramatic! Let me know your thoughts below and if you have any questions, don't hesitate to get in contact with Rebecca at Bodecare. I can't wait for the next update. Hopefully there is even more good news to share!

Dry Brushing for Keratosis Pilaris - Vol 1

I am going to start talking about something ugly. I am going to talk about something that so many women and men deal with and is the cause of a lot of people's insecurities. Keratosis Pilaris. Also known as 'Chicken Skin'. 

When I began writing this, I wanted to choose a picture of raw chicken skin for those of you that don't really know what this skin condition looks like and why it's referred to as chicken skin. However, I know we have a strong Vegan, Vegetarian and Pescatarian following and I wanted to be sensitive to those that may get offended or upset by seeing an image like that. But as you can see from the image above, the bumps on the skin are where it gets it's name from. That feral skin above by the way, is mine.... I know right.. how gross. 

Anyway! so lets start at the beginning. Keratosis pilaris is a condition of the skin, usually affecting the upper arms, upper legs and buttox. However in different people, it can appear in other places as well. My doctors reasoning for me getting Keratosis Pilaris, is because it's hereditary and I have it 'just because'..... pfft. Yeah the body desperately wants to be ugly so is all 'oh yeah let's just go all gross and feral looking for the fun of it'. No. After a lot of research on my behalf, I have learnt that the main cause of Keratosis Pilaris is actually undiagnosed Coeliacs disease and/or gluten intolerance. Makes sense. I was an undiagnosed Coeliac for nearing 30 years and my skin is SEVERELY ugly.... felt like it made more sense to say severely ugly than severely keratosis'd? polarisid? Yep see... nothing else makes sense. So, to give you an example of what my skin looks like and how it affects me mentally and physically, I have taken some photos (aren't you lucky) of my upper arms, fore arms, thighs and calves. As I said, mine is Severe and has graduated from just being on the backs of my upper arms and thighs, to now covering my forearms, arm pits, calves, whole of my thighs, knees and bum.. oh and my hips. I'm So lucky. It's gross. It affects me every day and I dread heading into spring and summer. While I see all these ladies wearing beautiful sundresses and outfits, I usually don long sleeves and pants. I hate it. I was once asked not to try clothes on in a clothing store because the attendant didn't want me to put my skin on the clothing in the store in fear of someone else trying the top on after me and 'catching' my skin condition. **insert eye roll here**actually... add some heart ache and crying too**. So as you can imagine, it's horrible. 

I'm explaining this like you don't have it, but if you're a reader that does have Keratosis Pilaris, know that I know what you're going through and I'm sorry you have to deal with it as well. It is so horrible. But hopefully you will share my journey with me and see if dry brushing could be the answer we have been searching for!

When I started this business, I met some amazing people! People that created the businesses that are in our collective. People that feel the same way I do about the world and what it has done to make us sick. And all of these people created their businesses to help make people feel better and contribute to making the world a happier, healthier place. One of these beautiful people I met is from Bode Care, and her name is Rebecca. 

Rebecca is a beautician by trade and fell in love with Dry Brushing and it's effects on the skin and over all well being. When she fell in love with Dry Brushing, she fell in love with Bode Care and decided she would start to sell the products, so took a big leap of faith and created her own business. Rebecca is the type of person that even though I've only known since august, our conversations are as if we have known each other a long time. So you can imagine how personable she is. 

In one of our recent conversations, she asked me about my skin and I told her about my Keratosis Pilaris and how severe it was. It was SO nice to speak to someone that actually understands what happens in the body to cause it, and also some things that can be done to help reverse it and improve it. The first thing she told me was to make sure I stay hydrated. Now! That conversation I had with her was quite long and there was a lot of information. So I am going to do my best with what I remember, and I will clarify with her the next time we have our 2 hour long conversation. 

My understanding so far is that the oil in the skin, as well as the over production of Keratin (a protein that is created by the body to stop bacteria) somehow blocks the water in our bodies from hydrating our skin. Excess dry skin also contributes to blocking the pores, as well as oil and bacteria. See - I need to speak with her. The minute I do I'll add all the information in the next volume of this blog. Some other reading I did explained that it commonly effects people with dry skin which makes sense as the dry skin clogs the pores and therefore explains that those that have Keratosis need to exfoliate and use a great moisturiser or make sure their soap has a good fat in it. Rebecca told me that jojoba oil (actually a wax) is amazing for hydrating the skin. 

Since Dead skin is a contributing factor, she explained to me that by removing this dead skin through dry brushing, we can help to stop the pores clogging. In addition to this, dry brushing brings blood to the skins surface which brings with it Oxygen and Water. This helps to hydrate the skin which also is thought to help.

After Rebecca explained this, she offered to send me a Dry Body brush suited to my skin type, and I agreed that I will blog my results with my skin. I have every confidence that this will work. I am positive. I have to be. It's the only thing I haven't tried. 

So here we go, I devote myself to Dry Brushing once a day to help my keratosis pilaris, and blog once a week for the next 12 weeks updating you all on the progress of my skin. I am doing this because if it does work, I want you to see the results and feel assured that this is definitely something you can get behind and try for yourself!

This is my beautiful Dry Body Brush and Oils that Bec sent me. I have the Detox FSC brush with a Medium Bristle

Without further a-due - Here we go! Week one has commenced!

 

Back of Upper Arm

These are the photos of my skin on Day 1 before dry brushing. This is my upper arms, fore arms, thighs, and calves. Since I took these pictures this morning, I did my first dry brush and applied Jojoba oil after my shower as directed by Rebecca. 

Forearm 

Rebecca mentioned that Jojoba oil is amazing for Keratosis Pilaris, so I did a bit of research. I found a woman that swore Jojoba oil on it's own cured her keratosis... I guess we will see. 

Bec explained that it's actually a wax! Not an oil! So that's pretty cool! 

Something else I learnt about jojoba oil, is that it feels SEXAYYYYYY on the skin! Honestly, after I applied it, it felt like I had been draped in silk. It was SOOOOO Nice. 

Upper Thigh 

After I did the dry brushing, well, my skin felt a little on fire.

I guess that's because I'm not used to it. I watched the instructional video on the Bode care website, they make it look so easy. 

Not that it's hard, but it involves brushing toward your lymph nodes to help in lymphatic drainage. It was hard to brush and watch the video at the same time... so I'm looking forward to dry brushing tomorrow now that I kinda know what I'm doing a bit more. 

Front of Arm

You know those people that can pat their head and rub their belly at the same time? Yeah well I'm not one of those. I'm the one that Rubs the belly and then the head at the same time and then my hair goes frizzy and it's just a disaster. So watching the video was interesting while brushing. I probably should have watched it first.. cause I'd bend down to do my thighs and then the video had moved on and then I had to rewind and then I rewound too far and so had to go forward and then had to rewind again and well, you see where I'm going with this. The instructional video was actually really good I will add.... it's honestly the user in this situation... I'm about as co-ordinated as an inflatable arm flailing tube man. 

So here it is for all to see. My feral skin. 

While the weather is warm, I guess I'm lucky because using the jojoba is forcing me to wear short sleeves as I need it to stay on my skin and soak in... so short sleeves it is! Apparently that's also good for Keratosis is to let the skin breathe. 

So! here we go. Counting down until next Tuesday and I will update you guys with more pictures and what my skin feels like. You can subscribe to a specific blog.. just head back to the main screen for 'Blog' and press the Subscribe-a-blog button and type in the name of the blog you want to subscribe too, and then I'll flick you an email when this thread has been updated! 

Wish me luck! And I can't wait for next weeks post! Hopefully there is much improvement!

If you want to have a look at dry brushing and watch the Video, or purchase a dry body brush and do it along side me, click HERE, you can also get in contact with Rebecca and she will be able to discuss finding a brush that's right for you. 

Welcome to The Naturally Nourished Collective!

To all our beautiful followers and extended Soul Mates, Welcome!  

Opening this business has been a long time coming for me after being in the world of Natural Health for nearing over three years now. I am doing my BHSc Nutritional Med and my major is Naturopathy through ACNT. It is what I live, breathe and love. It has become my biggest passion and something that I feel very greatful for being involved in. So the fact that you are here, experiencing and sharing your journies with me warms my heart more than you will ever know.  

So what are we about at The Naturally Nourished Collective? We are about providing you with as much information related to Natural Health as possible. I wan't this place to become your 'Go To' when you think - I wonder if I should change my Toothpaste to a natural one? We are heading out this weekend, lets find a nice place to eat (That won't hurt our hip pocket or our hips!), or when you say - Today is hard and I need help, support and or motivation. Our aim is to support you regardless of what part of the Natural Health Journey you are on.  

We have a growing directory of Businesses that are in Natural Health. Now this isn't a list I'm aiming at making 10,000 businesses strong. This is a list of businesses that I wholeheartedly love and believe in. And most importantly, I believe that they will do right by you!  These businesses have been chosen specifically for their amazing products, and services but also for the relationship that I have with them. I refuse to purchase anything from somewhere with bad customer service. Therefore I most certainly will not refer you to them, and I stake my reputation on this. 

On our website, I will also be housing and referring you to some of the products that I use and absolutely adore! I would also love your input! If you find a product that you consider a must - have - let me know so we can add it to our database and help others find it! 

You will also have access to my recipe blog. These are all recipes I have formulated myself based on my years of eating Paleo, Ketogenic, and Whole Food Plant Based meals. They are all anti inflammatory, Gluten Free and Dairy Free and I would absolutely love to hear your feedback! Whenever I use an item, please know that we always use Organic produce and meats, and condiments are almost ALWAYS Organic. I Hope along the way that I can teach you going Organic doesn't have to be so expensive. So stick with me and I'll hook you up!

I will also be providing you links to people that I believe you need to know in your quest to better health. This list will also be ongoing as I find more figureheads. So while we are up and running and you might be thinking 'is this all this is' please keep checking back because as time progresses and we try new things, learn new things and meet new people, I will be adding to our wonderful database here - to benefit you.  

You will also see a 'Collective Blog'. This is my own personal story of putting Auto Immune Disease into remission, a long with articles myself and my super fantastical journalist sister has written on people who have made the change to a natural life, or are in the crux of making the change. I want you to have people you can relate too. The ups, the downs, the successes and the losses. It is important that you know that everything is relative, and the best form of learning I believe is from listening to those that are on the same trail - but perhaps just a little bit ahead of where you are. We will also have some amazing guest bloggers from our Collective of businesses - this is surely to keep you guys in the know on the latest and greatest!

So I hope you love us, and when you don't love us I hope you tell us so we can improve.  

In a world that is so quickly changing, and growing up so fast, it's hard to know when we are actually making our own decisions, or when they are being made for us. I hope you are as excited to be here as me and I truly wish you and your loved ones all the health, happiness and prosperity this world has to offer.  

I am happy to answer any questions you may have. I have put two out of three auto immune diseases into remission ( However I only began to show my Lupus Antibodies ) and I am always happy to share what I've learnt through my journey, as well as through my schooling. So if you have ANY questions please inbox me and I'll do my best to help. If I can't, I'll try and find someone who can!

So on that note, Welcome and remember, Eat Food, Not too Much, Mostly Plants.