I get some pretty interesting google search terms/questions that direct people to my website. Sometimes people ask some pretty good questions, so here I am to address those. Below are search terms or questions real live people have asked that have landed them on this site.
1) hormones/why am I so tired?
Good question. When you are under stress, your cortisol levels shoot up to get you through it (think fight or flight). When you continue to conduct life at a frenzied pace, your body can no longer maintain the production of so much cortisol, so you begin to “burn out,” hormone levels drop, and you experience fatigue.
2) low estrogen/alcohol cravings.
dropping estrogen levels can cause alcohol cravings, yes. You may notice increased alcohol cravings in the week leading up to your period as hormone levels begin to drop, more noticeable if you have imbalance in the ratio of estrogen to progesterone.
3) quinoa on holistic detox?
sure! quinoa is fine on a detox. It’s a gluten-free grain (a seed, actually, that is quite high in protein). If you are carb/grain sensitive (read: if you have problems with alcohol, binge-purge, have a weight loss goal, or sugar cravings), avoid, but otherwise, fine.
4) can antacids make gastritis worse?
yes! well, let me clarify: if by “gastritis” you mean “reflux,” then yes. I have written quite a bit about the connection between antacids and stomach acid. Antacids are often prescribed to combat too much stomach acid, but in most cases, reflux is caused by LOW stomach acid PH, and the food begins to ferment because it is not being properly digested, and the gas from the fermentation creates the burning & reflux. So yes, antacids will work to quell the burning, but over time, they only make the problem (low stomach acid PH) worse.
5) eat this not that lunch for work
here’s what NOT to eat at lunch for work: a sandwich and chips (the flour in the bread will cause fatigue later in the day; chips are fried in unhealthy oils, and this creates a toxin called acrylamide). For maximum energy, choose a protein like chicken breast or grass fed beef over leafy greens and a cup of lentil soup.
6) protein powder
avoid soy protein isolate and whey protein that has been heated. Whey protein from grass fed cows that hasn’t been heat processed is a good choice; I also recommend hemp, pea, or rice protein.
6) nutrition flat ab
why yes! good nutrition can give you flat abs! To achieve this result quickly, avoid gluten, dairy, and soy, and take a probiotic supplement, drink green tea & lots of water, and eat plenty of leafy greens to accompany organic proteins.
And yes, eating a lot of spinach could potentially turn your poop green.
Mary Vance is a Certified Nutrition Consultant and author specializing in digestive health. She combines a science-based approach with natural therapies to rebalance the body. In addition to her 1:1 coaching, she offers courses to help you heal your gut and improve your health. Mary lives in San Francisco and Lake Tahoe in Northern California. Read more about her coaching practice here and her background here.