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Allison Kamuf 8/25/20 Allison Kamuf 8/25/20

6 Ways to Balance Blood Sugar with Diet

1. Crowd out simple sugars and avoid High Fructose Corn Syrup and artificial sweeteners.

2. Eat protein and vegetables 15 minutes before simple carbohydrates.

3. Eat insoluble fiber (like vegetables!) before meals to stabilize insulin levels.

4. Rev up metabolism with spices like cayenne, cinnamon, turmeric, and cardamon.

5. Get a good night’s sleep! 7-8 hours is ideal.

6. Try interval exercise, and focus on building muscle.

Disclaimer: This information is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

Allison Kamuf 8/12/20 Allison Kamuf 8/12/20

9 Tips to Improve Digestion

EXERCISE: It takes healthy muscle tone all around the abdomen for food to digest properly. Muscle tone to help move food through our digestive tract. Increasing exercise can improve digestion, even if you don’t change what you eat.
DON’T OVEREAT: Overeating of any food is taxing on the digestive system and can affect the rate of digestion. It requires the body to expend a lot of energy, adds stress on the system and forces the body to try to use too many nutrients at once. Practice moderation and only eat until you are ¾ full.
TAKE TIME FOR GRATITUDE: When you take a few moments before you eat to pause and reflect, either with blessings or gratitude, you are activating the first phase of digestion. Your brain signals saliva to release and stokes your digestive fires. Both are key to proper digestion.
REDUCE OR ELIMINATE PROCESSED FOODS: These so-called foods are challenging for the digestive system. The body has to supply its own energy and nutrients in order for these products to metabolize, robbing the body of nutrients rather than supplying any. Stick to whole foods as much as possible.
CHEW YOUR FOOD: Chewing thoroughly will help any food digest. We complicate digestion whenever we eat on the run or gulp down our food. Slow down, savor your food, and chew it up! (Saliva contains lots of enzymes that aid digestion.)
EAT MORE FIBER: Fiber helps keep your colon healthy. It makes stool soft and bulky, speeds transit time through the colon, dilutes the effects of any toxic compounds and helps to remove bad bacteria from the colon. Make sure you get both soluble fiber, which absorbs toxins and unneeded cholesterol, and insoluble fiber, which hastens elimination.
BOOST STOMACH ACID:Many people have low stomach acid. Heartburn, belching or gas, fatigue, headaches and much more can all be a result of low stomach acid. Gently boost stomach acid by adding freshly squeezed lemon juice to your water or by drinking one tablespoon of raw fermented apple cider vinegar in water each morning.
DRINK WATER: It’s one of the top nutrients for digestion. The stomach needs water for digestion, especially for the health of the mucosal lining, which supports the small intestine bacteria for proper digestion and absorption of nutrients. Lack of water in the digestive system can result in ulcers, indigestion, heartburn, fatigue, brain fog, memory loss, and constipation.
ADD IN PROBIOTICS: We need good bacteria to strengthen the immune system, reduce chronic inflammation, help remedy leaky gut and more. You can introduce probiotics with raw fermented foods like sauerkraut or coconut kefier.

I am driven to empower you to take control of your health by gaining ownership of your everyday choices in relation to your signs and symptoms and ultimate wellness vision! The integrity of your digestive system is the root of most all chronic conditions.

Care for your soil and your roots will be well nourished!

Allison Kamuf 4/15/20 Allison Kamuf 4/15/20

5 Ways to Invite More Balance and Resilience to Help MODULATE Inflammation

During times of stress, we can take the opportunity to truly tune in to our own body and make modifications that work best for us. This means that you’ll have to look internally into what your body is telling you and less at the generic information suggested for a population larger than yourself.

Instead of a checklist, we MODULATE by asking ourselves some simple questions.

MODULATE SLEEP & RELAXATION
- How much am I sleeping?
- Is there a way to optimize my sleep right now?
- How is stress affecting my body?
- What’s happening in my gut right now?
- Am I taking time to make good food choices?
- What relaxation techniques work best for me and what can I do right now?
MODULATE EXERCISE & MOVEMENT
- Am I moving my body?
- Am I sweating?
- Am I exercising too much or too little?
- What exercise feels best for me?
MODULATE Nutrition & Hydration
- What food does my body really need right now?
- How many vegetables am I eating every day?
- Am I eating a variety of foods and colors?
- Am I drinking enough water and staying hydrated?
- Do I have concerns that I am digesting and absorbing my food?
- Am I pooping every day, and am I satisfied with the quality of my poop?
- Is there anything that I’m eating that I could eat less of right now?
MODULATE STRESS & ANXIETY
- How can I best honor the emotions I’m feeling?
- What helps me feel calm?
- What does my new routine look like?
- How am I taking care of myself during this time of change?
- What helps me feel most grounded?
MODULATE RELATIONSHIPS & NETWORKS
- Are there relationships or networks that I can “detox” right now that are causing me added stress?
- Am I staying connected with my community even with physical distancing?
- Are there any support groups or circles or resources that I feel I need right now?
Disclaimer: This information is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

Allison Kamuf 4/15/20 Allison Kamuf 4/15/20

6 Easy Ways to Boost Immunity and Fight Infection

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The purpose of the immune system, according to the National Institute of Health (NIH) is to have a network of cells, tissues, and organs, working together to protect the body against foreign invaders.

The army of cells in the immune system performs 3 key tasks in order to function.

Identify a foreign invader
Generate a series of communications
Launch an attack

Let’s explore our Immune Super Heroes:

A- GAME
Found in fermented cod liver oil, liver and beta carotene-rich vegetables like carrots, spinach, and yams; vitamin A protects against infections by increasing white blood cell production.
SUN LOVER
Vitamin D has been shown to decrease the severity of autoimmunity and enables our body to effectively fight viruses. Best source is sunlight, liver, grass-fed butter, fatty fish, egg yolks, and fermented cod liver oil.
COLD BUSTER
Vitamin C is antibacterial, antibacterial, and antihistamine, boosts antibody production and improves antibiotic therapy. Enjoy papaya, red bell pepper, strawberries, and oranges, plus superfoods like goji berries and incan berries for a vitamin C boost.
MINERAL MAGIC
Zinc and selenium both boos immunity. Favorite foods to include to amp up these immune supporting minerals are liver, beef, oysters, scallops, lamb, oats, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, and brazil nuts.
GET HERBY
Turn to plant power to boost immune support; depending on the ailment and inner terrain, herbal favorites to explore are black elderberry, garlic, echinacea, turmeric, astragalus, goldenseal, and cat’s claw.
MAGICAL MUSHROOMS
Best known for fighting cancer, medicinal mushrooms contain beta- D-glucan which helps modulate the immune system; the most common are shiitake, maitake, chaga, reishi, and turkey tail; take them as a tea, or food.

The human immune system is complex and possesses extensive “plasticity”. In this way, it has the ability to adapt and respond to a variety of circumstances and external influences. We can support this balance by adding in some of our Immune Super Heroes to our diet.

Allison Kamuf 4/15/20 Allison Kamuf 4/15/20

9 Easy Ways to Show Your Liver Some Love

The liver is the largest internal organ in our bodies and is responsible for many vital tasks including filtering blood, disassembling compounds for detoxification, and synthesizing and secreting bile.

Symptoms of impaired liver function can be as broad ranging as:

Digestive troubles
Constipation
Low energy
Allergies
Hay fever
Arthritis
Diabetes
Hypertension
Obesity
Infertility
Hypothyroidism

BYE, BYE BAD FAT
Good fat is good, but bad fat is really bad! If the food is fried, it likely has unhealthy, oxidized oils. Skip it! Stick to good, clean fats like coconut oil, olive oil, avocados, & salmon.
SKIP THE LATE NIGHT SNACKS
The liver’s regenerative cycle is between 11pm & 3 am. If your body is busy digesting food at this time, it disrupts your sleep and the detoxification process. Aim for a 10 pm bedtime and 10-12 hours between dinner and breakfast (small bedtime snack allowed to support blood sugar balance).
BE A TOXIN AVENGER
Make it easier on your liver by reducing the toxins coming into your body. Buy organic foods, drink filtered water, use glass containers for food storage instead of plastic, and choose less toxic skin care products.
FABULOUS FIBER
Foods rich in soluble fiber help support your liver by binding toxins and moving them out. Add in chia, flax, fruits, vegetables, beans, and oats for a fiber- fueled toxic flush every day.
GET ZESTY
Lemon zest has a phytonutrient called d-limonene that supports the liver detoxification enzymes. Invest in a microplane grater and make it a breeze to add zest to your morning smoothie or favorite dressing.
PERFECT PROTEIN
You need protein, but excess amounts can put extra strain on your liver. Choose high quality protein like wild-caught fish or grass-fed meats and aim for a little bit with each meal instead of making it your entire meal.
GO GREEN
Your liver really loves greens, especially herbs like cilantro, parsley, and bitter greens such as mustard, dandelion, and arugula. Add them to salads, soups, or smoothies. Your taste buds will adjust to the bitter bite in no time and your liver will thank you for the support.
BEAUTIFUL BEETS
Beets have betaine, which helps the liver cells clear toxins and protects the liver and bile ducts from damage. Raw, roasted, or juiced, you can’t beat beets.
GET OILY
A castor oil pack is a traditional remedy, perfect for our modern world. It helps to open the detoxification pathways and it’s relaxing. Rub castor oil over your upper right portion of your abdomen where your liver is located. Cover it with a cloth and relax for 20-30 minutes.

FINAL THOUGHTS FOR A HEALTHY LIVER:

Let’s stop harming the liver and start helping it by cleaning up our external environment as much as we can by using fewer toxic- laden substances. When it comes to supporting the liver, avoidance of toxins is key. And this comes down to the importance of eating organic, avoiding microwaves, plastics, and pesticides.