Why Gut Health Matters for Moms

As a mom, you don’t get to take a sick day so maintaining a strong immune system is non-negotiable and a healthy gut plays a huge role in that. Instead of counting calories, one thing I like to have clients do instead is to count plants. Why? Experts agree: that eating a variety of plant foods each week is a strong predictor of overall gut health and can be the secret weapon for immunity for moms.

The Magic Number

Why 30? The goal of 30 different plant foods a week comes from a 2018 study by The American Gut Project. The research found that participants who ate more than 30 varieties of plants weekly had the healthiest gut microbiomes and higher levels of beneficial short-chain fatty acids.

I Think My Digestion Is Fine Though

Even if you don't have any obvious digestive issues, your gut could be craving an upgrade. Maintaining a healthy gut microbiome rich in good microbes helps with nutrient absorption and immunity. Maintaining this balance as a mom can help you feel more energized and keep you from getting every cold your kid brings home from daycare.

Why Plant Diversity Matters

Just like you have favorite foods, so do your gut bugs. Different microbes thrive on different types of plant fibers, resistant starches, and polyphenols. We all get into a routine and you can still meal prep and eat a lot of the same foods each week, but by eating a diverse range of plant foods you support the growth of a wide variety of beneficial microorganisms that improve your health.

Anything else?

It's not just immunity, but getting a variety of plants and improving gut health can also help with:

• Increased energy: The fiber, vitamins, and minerals found in a variety of plants help stabilize blood sugar levels and prevent energy crashes, keeping you more energized throughout the day.

• Overall improved health: Plant foods offer antioxidants, anti-inflammatory compounds, and essential vitamins and minerals that support heart health and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.

• Improved mental health: A healthy gut can lead to better production of neurotransmitters like serotonin, which can improve mood and reduce stress and anxiety.

What Counts Towards Your 30 Plants?

Hitting the 30-plant mark may be easier than you think. Here’s what can contribute to your count:

• Fruits

• Vegetables

• Beans & Lentils

• Herbs

• Spices

• Coffee

• Tea

• Grains

Portion Sizes and Practical Tips

Focus on getting at least the recommended minimum of 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day, though more is always better. Here’s a quick guide to serving sizes*

• 1 medium-sized fruit or vegetable

• 1 cup of leafy greens

• ½ cup of fresh or frozen fruits and veggies

*If you're following one of my meal plans, you're already crushing this goal! ;)

Try not to stress about keeping count, but an easy way to hit this is by focusing on a variety of colors on your plate. You can also make this fun and try a new fruit or vegetable each week and get your kids involved, do a fun taste test, or try cooking it in a new way. You got this!

Road Trip Snacks: Essential Food Prep Tips for Traveling with Small Kids

Are you traveling on the 4th of July? We'll be going on a road trip and if your kids are like mine, they basically don't stop eating for the entire drive. Sure, we will have packaged snacks, but I like to prep a lot more than that to make sure they are getting fruits & veggies, healthy fats, and protein to keep their blood sugar stable and meltdowns at bay.

Here are my favorite road trip snacks that are healthy, mess-free, and will keep your little ones satisfied from departure to destination.

Packaged Snacks

• Hippeas Nacho Cheese - love that these are made with chickpeas for more protein + fiber

• That's It Bars - These are just fruit with no additives

• Annie's Cheddar Bunnies - I like these as an alternative to Goldish

• Veggie Sticks - No, they aren't packed with veggies but they're a slightly healthier alternative

• Lesser Evil Popcorn - this one is my absolute FAVORITE

• Mama Chia Packets - a little more nutrient-dense than the typical packet with omegas and more fat

• Roasted Seaweed- fun crunchy, salty snack packed with B12 and iodine

• Cauliflower Everything Crackers - Like an everything bagel but with extra veggies

• Freeze-Dried Strawberries - These are a much less messy way to eat fruit on the go and so tasty with no added sugar

• Cerebelly Bars - Tasty fruit & veggie bars with lower sugar

Easy Whole Food Snacks

• Mandarin oranges

• Apples

• Nectarines

• Blueberries/strawberries

• Carrot sticks

• Snap peas

• Cucumber slices

• Bell Peppers

• Cashews

• Avocado

• String cheese

• Hummus packs

Homemade Snacks

• Chia pudding (duh - you know we love this stuff) from my recipe books :)

• Healthier breakfast cookies from Ambitious Kitchen

• Zucchini Egg Slice from Yummy Toddler Food

• Blueberry Chickpea Balls from Plant-Based Juniors

• Good ol PB & J on sprouted bread

The goal here is to have lots of options and a variety of more nutrient-dense options, things that are packed with protein, healthy fats, and fiber to keep the kiddos and ourselves full. We like a lot of savory and sweet options and obviously bring lots of water for the car ride.

What are your favorite car ride staples? Let me know!

I LOVE Thrive Market for all of our snack needs, and their prices are way cheaper for organic, healthy snacks that I can find locally. I love to do auto-ship to save even more and I'm always surprised at how quickly my box arrives. If you want to check it out - you can get $40 off when you sign up with this link. I'm not an affiliate - just love the company :) Happy snacking!

Should You Try Intermittent Fasting?

One of the things I get asked about the most is intermittent fasting. It's become a pretty popular approach for people who want to lose weight or improve their health. A lot of my clients have tried this before working with me, and none of them have seen significant success or stuck with it. Why is that?

Here is why I don't recommend IF for my clients, and what I recommend instead.

First things first, intermittent fasting (IF) typically involves restricting your eating window to a certain number of hours each day. Sounds simple, right? Wrong. Here's the science, mama: our bodies crave energy. We're constantly on the go, fueling little monsters, wrestling toddlers, and keeping the house from becoming a disaster zone. Skipping meals can leave you feeling hangry, struggling with brain-fog, and running on fumes, and that's exactly what I hear from moms who have tried it. Not exactly how we want to conquer motherhood, right?

But it goes deeper than just feeling grumpy.

1. Hormonal Imbalance: Women are more sensitive to changes in calorie intake and fasting, which can disrupt hormonal balance. Research indicates that intermittent fasting may lead to irregular menstrual cycles. No thanks, if you're navigating postpartum hormone fluctuations, don't add this to the mix.

2. Increased Stress: Navigating motherhood is already stressful, and intermittent fasting can add stress responses in the body for women, including increased cortisol levels. When the body is in 'fight or flight' mode non-stop and then we add something like IF, it just exacerbates things, hindering our ability to feel more energized and our best self.

3. Energy Levels and Cognitive Function: Studies suggest that intermittent fasting might impair cognitive function and reduce energy levels in women more than in men. This could affect productivity, concentration, and overall well-being - does that sound like something you want on top of trying to think of what to make for dinner and remember where your kid left their ballet shoes?

4. Metabolic Adaptation: Women's bodies may adapt differently to intermittent fasting compared to men, potentially leading to metabolic slowdown or other metabolic disturbances. This could hinder weight loss efforts or even lead to weight gain in some cases.
   

It's not really sustainable long-term from what I've seen in practice. Another problem?, if your goals are to increase muscle (they should be!) and to stabilize your metabolism, skipping breakfast or delaying it, which most people who do IF typically do, works against you. During the night we go into a fasted state, and our first meal of the day breaks that fast and stimulates our metabolism again. Starting your day first thing with protein supports muscle recovery and growth and weight management.

Here's what I recommend instead: focusing on nourishing your body, not depriving it. Think regular meals and snacks packed with protein (keeps you feeling fuller longer!), healthy fats (hello, sustained energy!), and whole grains (fiber for the win!). All of my clients who have started prioritizing this instead have seen more energy throughout the day, less hunger and less brain fog.

The bottom line? Trendy diets can be a recipe for stress and yo-yo dieting down the line. Instead, let's focus on making small, sustainable changes for long-term health. Maybe it's swapping that third cup of coffee for water or fitting in a quick 10-minute walk during nap time. These tiny wins add up, mama, and before you know it, you'll be feeling like your most radiant, energized self again.

So ditch the intermittent fasting for now, mamas. You've got enough challenges to tackle. Let's focus on fueling our bodies for the amazing things we do every single day.

If you want even more guidance, check out my group & one-on-one coaching options, let's navigate this journey together!