3 Things That Ease That Bloated Belly Feeling

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Guess who’s back? Yes, it’s me. I know, I know. It’s been a minute since you’ve seen me post but I promise you more consistent posts are on the way. Now that, that’s out of the way. Can I say that bloating really sucks? I mean really, really sucks! It’s uncomfortable and really takes away from my day. There’s a number of reasons why people suffer from bloating and it can take a long time to figure out what personally triggers you. I recently found out that gluten is not my friend and a major cause for my bloating. Unwillingly, I must give up my french fries, red velvet cake and breads of any kind.

Let’s just say, I’m not a happy camper.

If you suffer with bloating like I do, there are three simple steps that help me reverse that bloated feeling and helps my digestive system get back on track. It may just help you to.

1. WARM WATER & LEMON: this is pretty much my tea of choice, even when I’m feeling great. Squeeze half of a lemon (or lime) in warm water and drink quickly. Drinking it quickly helps flush out your system at a faster pace.  The mixture helps with the flow of digestion at the start of the morning before you have your first meal of the day. For a little taste, you can add some cayenne pepper (which also helps to speed up your metabolism) and a bit of maple syrup. This almost immediately gives me some relief.

2. MORE WATER: after I finish my warm water with lemon (lime) I drink another glass/bottle of water (500 ml bottle at room temperature). It seems to help the unwanted stomach stuff pass thru my system (I’m trying to keep it clean here) and supports the flushing I mentioned previously.

3. GREEN SMOOTHIE: I replace my breakfast with an all green smoothie. You can use any combination of green veggies or fruits of your choice but I tend to add celery, spinach, kale, lettuce, avocado, cucumber and a pear or kiwi for taste. I did recently learn when juicing or making smoothies, veggies and fruits should not be mixed together, keeping them separate allows for better digestion. With that said, you know your body better than anyone else, so choose what works for you and stick with it.

TIP: I usually keep to this routine for at least a few days (along with a healthy diet) to continue to feel better for longer periods of time.

Let me know what works for you, Cheers!

When I Need To Unplug

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The past few months have been hard as a community. Our timelines have been bombarded with racially motivated acts that make the online world a difficult place to be at times.

If you’re anything like me, I find the internet an excellent place to get inspired by positive information, but on the other hand, it can be emotionally draining too.

So what do you do when it’s time to take a step back from what’s going on in the world? You find ways to unplug, clear your thoughts and take care of yourself.

Many of us don’t know how to take care of ourselves because we’re too busy taking care of others. Personally, I struggle with keeping still and worrying about what I have to do next, so I try my best to log off and log out from my online world — even for one full day.

Not sure how to escape the online madness? I use these simple “unconventional ways to unplug, log off and log out”— even for just a little while:

PHONES OFF NOW! I know this seems obvious to all of us, but you’d be surprised how many people are unable to willingly turn off their phones and leave it off. What works for me? I don’t recharge my phone when my phone battery is low. I do my best to wait until the next day to charge my phone, and I make sure to give myself some “me time” since I’m not constantly charging my phone.

YOU BETTER DANCE, GIRL! Music is a huge part of my life. Different styles of music are important to my overall energy for different reasons. I’m not saying to go pay for a dance class, I mean get off of that phone, put some music on and dance! Whenever I need to relax, release and think, I’m often twirling in my living room all by myself. If dancing isn’t your thing, then listen to calm music while you rest your mind and your heart.

CREATE SOMETHING. I’m a crafty person, I like crafts and I dabble in a little painting now and then. Sitting and using your hands to do anything that will force you to be patient, is a beautiful way to detach yourself from distractions. Grab one of your child’s (if you have any) colouring books and try staying within the lines. You will find this quite relaxing.

WRITE! At this very moment, I’m writing as I’m sitting on a Greyhound bus from a mini vacation in Montreal. I’m in the most relaxed state right now. Journaling is a big part of releasing good and bad emotions. Get a notebook or a piece of paper and write down the first words that comes to mind and then wait a second and expand on it. Don’t stop your flow. For the perfectionist out there: don’t check for spelling errors and mistakes etc. Just write whatever comes to mind and then expand on it. Consider what you really want to get out of your system.

How do you log off, log out and unplug?

My Top 3 Blogs That Help Me Eat Clean

Posted by Karen Bishop | Leave a Comment

Photo courtesy @minimalistbaker

Good Monday Morning to you.

Well, it’s a new week with new goals and hopefully some new ideas. And what better way to get your week started off right by eating well. I’m sure I’ve mentioned this before but I’ve struggled between consistent healthy eating and wanting to devour anything dipped in batter and drowned in sugar. I’m much better at saying no to salt, sugar, fast foods etc. But I’m a sucker for rich foods.

My two biggest challenges in eating well: what to make that actually has taste and how to make it in less than 30 minutes. Luckily, I have really nice friends and they shared some of their favourite vegan bloggers who now make my healthy living choices a little bit easier.

Have a great morning folks!

Link Love:

Minimalist Baker

The Real Caribbean Vegan

Oh She Glows

How I Stop Those Empty Calorie Urges

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Making a conscious effort to snack in a good way isn’t always easy. That’s why I make it a habit to keep a few healthy snacks around to help minimize my cravings for junk food. My go to snacks tend to be nuts (almonds, walnuts, pecans) berries (strawberries, blueberries) and apricots (dried or fresh).

Nuts: I often buy my nuts in bulk, raw, unsalted and eat a handful throughout the day. I’ll throw a few in my salad to make a heavier side salad. Recently, I started buying grounded nuts to sprinkle in my breakfast cereal (with almond milk and uncooked oatmeal) or over a bowl of fruit.

Berries are a simple solution for snacking. They’re another go to fruit in my breakfast cereal, shakes and salads.

Apricots: Is it just me or is apricot the less liked of the fruit bunch? It was never my go to fruit but I’ve taken a liking to them over the last little while, especially since they are really sweet and great for skin, hair and nails. I tend to eat dried apricots more so than the fresh fruit since a handful of dried apricots is the most filling. Eating them alone or with a little almond butter makes for a great afternoon snack.

What’s your favourite snack to stop those empty calorie urges?

My Sweet Substitute

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A little before Christmas, I started watching what I ate. Not dieting, just mentally taking note of what I put in my mouth. It doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy a Twix (my fav chocolate bar) or some ice cream occasionally. I’m simply more aware of what I eat now, than I have been in a while.

A major change to my diet was trying to find a healthy substitute to all the starchy foods that I like so much. You know; rice, bread, pasta etc. That’s when I found a life saver in sweet potatoes. Not only is it filled with an entire list of good stuff but it’s done wonders in helping me eliminate those fatty, starchy foods I like so much. Not to mention, it helps with my never ending sweet tooth cravings.

FACT: in every 100 grams of sweet potatoes you will find: 0.1 g of Fat,  337 mg of Potassium, 1.6 g of Protein and tons of Vitamin A, Vitamin B-6, Magnesium etc.

But really, eating sweet potatoes in place of just about anything starchy has helped me not only lose weight but maintain my current weight. And that my friend is a complete bonus!

HOW I EAT THEM: cut them in squares, add a little bit of extra virgin olive oil (or coconut oil), sprinkle some thyme, bake for about 30 minutes and tada! I have my rice, bread, pasta substitute for the week.

Sweet!