All tagged Mood

The One Food to Help You Be Happier

The One Food to Help You Be Happier

Chelsea Gloeckner

You know the expression, “Happy Wife, Happy Life?”

Well, I’m proposing an updated version of that:

Happy Gut, Happy Life!

You’re right, it doesn’t quite have the same ring to it…

But it does happen to be more accurate.

That’s because the happiness hormone, serotonin, is mostly made in our gut.

In fact, it’s a whopping 90% of serotonin that is made in our gut!

Serotonin is the “feel good” happy hormone that affects our:

  • Mood

  • Sleep

  • Appetite

  • Digestion

And if we’re low on serotonin, we:

  • Feel low

  • Have trouble sleeping

  • Feel anxious

  • Have cravings for sweet and starchy food

And chronically, low serotonin can increase the risk of:

  • IBS

  • Heart disease

  • Osteoporosis

So how do we make sure our bodies are producing enough serotonin?

Well, it all starts in the gut.

The microbes in our colon determine whether our cells make enough serotonin.

If we have a healthy and diverse group of microbes, then our cells can make serotonin.

And how do we make sure we have a healthy and diverse group of microbes?

We feed the good bugs in our gut!

And what do the good microbes eat?

FIBER!

Now, fiber comes in many shapes and sizes (soluble, insoluble, resistant) but there’s one type I want you to focus on:

PREBIOTICS!

Prebiotics are the specific fiber-rich, fermentable foods that feed the good microbes in our gut. 

Here’s your must-have list of prebiotics to add to your meals:

  • Bananas

  • Onions

  • Garlic

  • Artichokes

  • Soybeans

  • Oatmeal

  • Flax

  • Barley

  • Greens

  • Berries

When the microbes eat these foods, they grow and multiply and thrive.

And why is this all important?

Remember, Happy Gut, Happy Life!

When we feed the good microbes, they repay us by helping cells make serotonin.

And that serotonin, in turn, helps us live happier lives.

Need a few prebiotic-rich recipes to put in your meal rotation?

Try one of these to get you started:

>>Zero-Added Sugar Zucchini Muffins

>>Vegan Raspberry Muffins

>>Swiss Bircher Muesli

>>Rosemary White Bean Cauliflower Soup

>>Sweet Potato, Red Onion, and Spiced Chickpea Salad

 Your Action Step: Choose one prebiotic from that list that you will add to one of your meals this week!

The Anti-Inflammatory Diet: What You Need to Know and 5-Step Plan to Make it Work For You | + FREE Gift! |

The Anti-Inflammatory Diet: What You Need to Know and 5-Step Plan to Make it Work For You | + FREE Gift! |

Chelsea Gloeckner

Chances are you’re either stressed out by work or by kids.

How’d I know that?

Well, those are the two most common stressors in America, where striving for work-life balance seems to always be the goal (and always a struggle)…

And maybe you feel anxious, irritable, or especially tired from all the responsibilities you carry.

The chronic inflammation caused by daily, excessive stress can definitely take its toll:

·        Suppressed immune system

·        Colds

·        Illness

·        Increased risk of cancer

·        Increased risk of food allergies

·        GI issues

·        Increased risk of autoimmune disease

·        Depression, sadness, anxiety, fatigue, irritability

Ok, so what can you do about it?

It might seem obvious at first glance, but the Anti-inflammatory Diet is a surefire way to reduce inflammation in the body.

The Anti-Inflammatory Diet is based on the Mediterranean Diet, rated the Best Overall Diet of 2019 by US News and World Report.

But when you research the Med Diet, the amount of information out there is seriously overwhelming!

Information overload!

And when there’s too much information and overwhelm, we simply won’t take action.

How do you sort through all the research, tips, strategies, shopping lists, food lists, and recipes?

Well, that’s why I’m here 😉

Let’s first break this diet down into its simplest lessons!

Then I’ll give you an actionable step-by-step plan for you to do this week.

From information to action plan, let’s dive in!

The core tenets of the Med Diet:

·        Frequently eat a variety of plant-based foods (fruits, vegetables, whole grains like farro, barley, and bulgar, lentils, beans, peas, nuts, and seeds)

·        Focus on fiber (fruits and veggies galore)

·        Switch to healthful fats (avocado, nuts, seeds, olive)

·        Get omega-3’s from fish, walnuts, and flax

·        Season your food with an abundance of herbs and spices

·        Frequently consume tea

·        Enjoy two servings of fish per week

·        Moderately eat dairy and eggs

·        Have the occasional poultry (if you choose)

·        Get your sweet craving itch scratched by antioxidant-rich dark chocolate

·        Infrequently eat red meat

·        Infrequently indulge in sweets

·        Limit processed, refined food

·        Exercise daily

Ok, easier said then done. 

I mean, that’s a lot of “core tenets” to focus on if you think about it!

To avoid information overload and inaction, follow this actionable step-by-step plan to successfully reduce inflammation:

Step 1: Choose one of the two goals listed below:

1.      Eat one entirely plant-based meal this week at home

2.      Eat plant-based for an entire day

Which did you choose? 

Step 2: Look at your calendar for this week and choose either the meal or the day that you commit to eating plant based.

Which day did you choose?

Step 3: Schedule your plant-based meal or day in your calendar.

Did you schedule it?

Step 4: Choose the recipe(s) that you will make for that meal or day.

Need a few anti-inflammatory, plant-based ideas?

Try one (or all!) of these:

Green smoothie for breakfast

Anti-inflammatory pasta salad for lunch

Red lentil stew for dinner

Energy balls for snack

What recipe(s) did you choose?

Step 5: Complete your goal!

Did you eat plant-based for your planned meal or planned day?

Woohoo!  Celebrate! You took intentional action to lower inflammation in your body.

Which is what you wanted to do in the first place, right?

Yep, I’m right there with you 😊

Want even more meal and snack ideas that are quick, easy, and anti-inflammatory? 

Meals that you know can help you on your journey of eating healthier and living your best life?

I’ve got a FREE gift for you!

Download your FREE PDF of 21 Simple, Quick, & Easy Meals now! www.victae.com/cheatsheet

I’ll show you 21 meals (and snacks) that you can make in 15 minutes or less!

Oh, and you’ll only need 10 ingredients TOTAL to make ALL 21 meals and snacks 😊

Cheers to anti-inflammatory eating that doesn’t take time and energy!

How Do You Take Your Coffee?

How Do You Take Your Coffee?

Chelsea Gloeckner

My morning starts at 5 AM each day, and the first thing I do before my mind even starts to work is make a pot of coffee.

It’s muscle memory to me after years of making coffee every single morning.

My iPhone alarm rings every morning at 5 AM.  I roll out of bed, walk downstairs, turn on my fireplace (yes, I love how a gas fireplace starts with the flip of a switch), grind fresh coffee beans, and make a pot of coffee for Matthew and me.

We drink it black in our favorite speckled coffee house mugs that we collect on our travels.

I find I drink it less for the energy jolt, and more because I love the coziness of my hot bitter drink every morning.

I frequently get asked is healthy coffee, which is a great question!

But I think an even better question may be, how do you take it?

Let me walk you through everything you should consider when reaching for your cuppa joe:

Should You Eat Breakfast? Or Should You Be Skipping It?

Should You Eat Breakfast? Or Should You Be Skipping It?

Chelsea Gloeckner

You’ve probably heard that breakfast is an absolute must-have for young children and adolescents. 

But do adults need breakfast? 

And if they do, why?

Let’s take a look at what the research says:

Why you’re likely skipping breakfast:

Only about 30% of people eat breakfast!

Eating breakfast is a challenge for many people.

Do you resonate with any of the following reasons for skipping?

·        You don’t have enough time to eat breakfast.

·        You’re too busy to make breakfast. 

·        You’re trying to lose weight, so you don’t want the extra calories of breakfast. 

·        You think eating breakfast will make you hungrier throughout the day. 

·        You’re not hungry. 

·        You’d rather sleep those extra minutes

·        And then breakfast is controversial…

·        Should you be putting grass-fed butter in your coffee?? Well, that’s a whole ‘nother blog post…

If you’ve ever skipped breakfast or are in the habit of not eating breakfast, you’ll definitely want to keep reading. 

Once you see the benefits, you may just be motivated to become a breakfast eater 😊

Why you should NOT skip breakfast:

You ready for this? Here’s we go!

Want To Feel Healthier? This One Habit Could Change Everything

Want To Feel Healthier? This One Habit Could Change Everything

Chelsea Gloeckner

Want To Feel Healthier? This One Habit Could Change Everything

Happy Friday!

In less than 3 weeks, it will be January 2019!  Each year, most of us wake up on January 1 with some pretty hefty resolutions:

I’m going to eat healthy every single meal! And I’m going to workout for an hour every single day!

Then sometime mid January, we totally fall off the bandwagon. 

And when we stop eating healthy every single meal, and we miss a few workouts, we give up.  And feel guilty.  And sometimes feel like a failure.

But what if there was one small habit that could make other good habits fall into place?

Small wins lay the foundation for other, bigger wins. 

One healthy habit can lead to a better mood, more productivity, less stress, a healthier weight, better sleep, fewer junk food cravings, and more focus and clarity.

These habits that lead to other good habits and positive side effects are called “keystone habits.” 

A keystone habit is the first domino that makes all the other dominoes fall into place.  Here are a few examples:

  • Exercising for 20-30 minutes regularly

  • Practicing daily gratitude

  • Journaling daily

  • Reading for 30 minutes

  • Making the bed each day

  • Making a healthy breakfast

Let’s lay the groundwork for developing a single healthy habit NOW so that when 2019 arrives, we hit the ground running, feeling our best, with other healthy habits falling into place!

To learn my 3 tips for a healthy holiday season, and what my keystone habit is for the next 3 weeks, watch this video>>

And to track your keystone habit, download the free app, HabitBull.  It will be the key to making your keystone habit stick!

Action Step: What’s your keystone habit for the next 3 weeks?  Comment below and let's hold each other accountable with our keystone habits! 

I'll be posting daily on Instagram stories if I did my keystone habit, so come join me over there>>

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.
— Aristotle