How to Lose Weight

Without Even Thinking about It

By Tracey Kamm MH, RH(AHG), CR, NBCR(ARCB), CNT, CEHC

Clinical Reflexologist, Herbalist, and Nutritionist

Wyoming’s 1st and only Registered Herbalist (American Herbalists Guild)

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Hey, Gorgeous! I’m Tracey.

Weight loss can be an emotionally painful and difficult

struggle. I know, because I went through that myself

for years. But I was finally able to lose 90 pounds and

keep it off without dieting or even trying to lose

weight. And in this ebook, I’ll share with you exactly

what I did because it’ll work for anyone.

When I was a teenager, I discovered I could lose

weight very quickly by starving myself. Like many other girls in the 80’s,

I thought I needed to be pencil thin. At 16 years old, I just didn’t get the health consequences

of those choices, and it “worked” for me. So that was the start of about a decade-long

struggle with eating disorders that cycled between anorexia and being seriously underweight,

and binge-eating junk food and being very overweight.

Of course, years of this took their toll, and my health began to decline. During my two

pregnancies with my sons, I began to develop serious symptoms such as debilitating fatigue

and joint pain. When my sons were just 5 weeks old and 19 months old, I woke up one morning

in 1995 to a health crisis that would forever change the direction of my life. By that night I was

hospitalized, and eventually I’d be diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus.

The next few months were a nightmare as I was in and out of hospitals while the inflammation

spread to almost every joint and organ in my body. I could no longer walk, and even lying

down was impossible due to the extreme pain. The worst part was the inflammation in the

lining of my lungs. If I took a normal breath, it would feel like a thousand hot knives were

stabbing into my chest. There’s no way to describe the relentless pain.

And lupus was only getting worse, in spite of all the medical treatments. Eventually, after 9

months of high doses of prednisone and other heavy-duty meds, I was so depressed about how

I looked. I had terrible acne, my face was severely swollen, and I was about 90 pounds

overweight. Lupus had turned my whole world upside down.

So I courageously made a decision one day that I was going to do whatever it took to beat

lupus and get healthy again and be the mom I wanted to be for my sons. I had no idea how I

would make that happen, but I was determined to figure it out.

I turned to alternative medicine and started making lots of healthy changes – diet, lifestyle,

herbs, supplements. I made good progress, but I knew very little about how to do it right, so I

went through the same experiences that others often do including fad health diets, trendy

supplements, and spending a lot of money on things that didn’t really help.

At times it seemed like I took one step forward and two steps back. I was eventually diagnosed

with two more diseases – fibromyalgia and ankylosing spondylitis. I realized that if I were going

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to get completely well, I would have to learn alternative medicine myself. So I spent several

years studying holistic therapies with the best schools and teachers in the country. Reflexology,

herbs, nutrition, emotional healing, coaching.

Now I’m 50 years old, and in the best health of my life. All the auto-immune diseases I had are

totally in remission. I’m healthy, happy, fit, and strong. And I’m a 3rd Degree Brown Belt in

Kenpo Karate. I lost over 90 pounds without ever once thinking about it and have kept it off for

almost 20 years!

How did I do that? I realized that my weight, like all the other symptoms I was experiencing with

auto-immune diseases, was just my body’s way of telling me that different functions weren’t

working the way they should be. So rather than trying to focus on losing weight or beating

lupus, I completely shifted my approach and started working instead on becoming healthy,

physically and emotionally – a genuinely holistic approach to changing my life.

The beautiful thing I discovered as I started to take this approach was that it all began with

loving myself, something I’d never done before. I had to let go of the fear-based motivations

that had driven me in the past with eating disorders and unhealthy diet and lifestyle choices. I

started measuring what I should or shouldn’t do based entirely on whether or not it was loving

and nurturing and healthy for me. This changed my whole life!

It wasn’t something that happened overnight. It was consistent efforts - continually improving

one small thing after another every day - that took me down a healthy path and led me to

where I am now. And this is something I still work on. Because the course of our lives is rarely

determined by one single decision or action, but instead by all the many little forks in the road

that we face moment by moment every day and which direction we go each time.

So by choosing to intentionally make each micro-decision based on what’s loving and healthy

for ourselves, we begin to create a life that‘s healthy and vibrant! And through that, we also

discover our gifts and a passion for sharing them with others and the world becomes such a

better place because of it. What starts as a commitment to loving ourselves and being healthy

and whole creates ripples in the pond that spread out and touch so many lives.

And now I’d like to share with you the specific steps you can start making today to shift your

weight loss mindset and change your life, and, yes, even make the world a better place

because of it.

Imagine how you’ll feel, how different your life will be, when you’re healthy, energetic, and

vibrant. Making these changes transforms people’s lives! What will you be able to do that you

haven’t been able to do yet? What are your dreams and goals? Think of how it will touch the

lives of everyone around you as you get strong and healthy. Anything is possible!

You are worthy of the best self-care. Focusing on taking good care of you and your health will

help you lose weight effortlessly and naturally. And that’s what this book is all about.

With so much love,

Tracey –xx-

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It’s All About Calories, Isn’t It? What makes us gain weight in the first place?

This is so important to understand, but how often

do we actually hear about that? Almost every

weight loss program instead focuses on just two

things: reducing calories and exercising.

But how many of us have reduced calories until

we feel like we’re starved and exercised until we

can’t take it anymore without any weight loss?

The reason diets don’t work is that they seldom

address why we’re gaining weight. But in order

to lose weight and keep it off, this is one of the

key things to understand.

There are many reasons why we gain weight,

and they’re the source of the problem. Think of

this like a houseplant. We can tell a lot about

the health of a plant by looking at its leaves.

But if something’s wrong with the leaves, just

trying to fix the leaves alone will rarely take care

of the issue. The leaves are just pointing us to a

problem that’s going on somewhere else,

perhaps even underground with the roots - the

“root cause.”

Then What Are the Root Causes?

We’ll talk about a few of the more common

ones here, but there are so many of them. And

you can have any number of combinations of

these going on, too. And your special “root

causes” can even change from time to time.

It’s always unique to each individual. So the real

key to losing weight and keeping it off is

knowing which ones of these are issues for you.

Common Causes Just a few of the culprits to get us started:

Toxic overload

Nutritional deficiencies

Blood sugar imbalances

Hormones

Stress

Poor diet

Lack of sleep

Fatigue

Slow metabolism

Emotions

Side effect of medications

Too little exercise

Too much exercise (Say WHAT!!!?)

I’ll go over each one of these and give you

some really helpful tips for how to approach

them.

First, though, let’s get an understanding of

how these problems began in the first place.

Anyone else a “Princess Bride” fan? It’s one

of my all-time favorite movies, and if you’re a

fan, you know it’s one of the most quoted

movies ever.

One of my favorite lines comes from the

character Inigo Montoya, “When the job

goes wrong, you go back to the beginning.

Well, this is the beginning.”

So true! When something goes wrong in our

bodies, it’s good to go back to the beginning

as well, and that means understanding some

basics about how things work, a little

Anatomy & Physiology 101 so we can

troubleshoot what’s going on with these root

causes a little better and find solutions.

Why Do We Gain Weight?

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While the body has many organs and glands,

let’s just talk about the ones that most directly

influence weight.

Your Liver

I’m starting with the liver for a reason. This one

organ does more functions than just about any

other organ or gland in the body – over 500

known functions! If your liver’s unhappy, you

can experience a huge variety of health issues.

Here are some of its main jobs:

Produce bile which is necessary to digest fats

in the small intestine and helps carry away

toxins; bile goes through the bile duct to the

gallbladder where it’s stored until we eat fats

Store and release glucose (sugar) as needed

Store some vitamins and iron – a lack of iron

(anemia) leads to fatigue and other issues

Store blood – scanty periods?

Remove excess hormones like estrogens

Fight infections by producing immune factors

and filtering bacteria and viruses from the

blood

Take out the trash – removes impurities,

detoxifies

Produce cholesterol – did you know we have

to have cholesterol to survive and that about

75% of our cholesterol is produced by our

own bodies?

Emotions - In Chinese Medicine, the liver is

responsible for anger; the liver helps us to

“go with the flow” instead of feeling irritable,

frustrated, or stuck

Your Stomach

It makes sense that when dealing with a

function of the body like weight that is so

interwoven with what we eat, that the

stomach, the first place food goes when we

eat, plays a big role in all of that.

Here are some of the stomach’s tasks:

Stores and mixes foods, liquids, and

digestive juices, and then empties it into

the small intestine for further processing

Produces hydrochloric acid and

enzymes necessary to break down food

Emotions – in Chinese Medicine, the

stomach is responsible for feeling

grounded vs. experiencing worry,

anxiety, and overthinking; it does more

than just digest our food, it processes our

thoughts and emotions, too.

Your Small Intestine What in the world could our intestines

possibly have to do with our weight? Well,

quite a bit actually.

We have two different parts to our intestines,

and they have very different roles. When

the stomach is finished with its job in the

initial stages of digestion, it passes the

broken down and processed food into the

small intestine for the next phase.

The small intestine is basically like the

professional organizers you see on tv who

help people go through all their stuff and

figure out what’s worth keeping and what

should be discarded.

It receives even more digestive juices from

organs like the liver and pancreas to further

break down the food, so that all the

Easy Peasy Anatomy & Physiology 101

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nutrients from the food can be absorbed

into the bloodstream where they’ll go to the liver

for further processing, storage, and distribution.

Here are the small intestine’s main tasks:

Receive more digestive juices to finish

breaking down food

Sort the good stuff to keep and the unusable

stuff to throw away

Pass the nutrients to the bloodstream and set

the garbage out for disposal (passing the

waste on to the large intestine)

Emotions – in Chinese Medicine, the small

intestine is the sorter; it helps us have good

“gut instincts” to determine what’s good for

us and what isn’t; process the past and

move on

Your Large Intestine

When the small intestine is finished with the last

tasks of breaking down the food and has

passed all the nutrients and valuables on to the

bloodstream, it takes everything in the discard

pile, like the bulk fiber, and sends it on to the

large intestine, aka colon, for removal.

The tasks of the large intestine are:

Absorb water through the walls of the large

intestine into the bloodstream to be taken to

the kidneys for processing. (Did you know

that’s what hydrates you?)

Some vitamins such as K, B1, B2, B6, B12, and

biotin are also produced here by the gut’s

friendly bacteria that live in the large

intestine and are absorbed along with the

water.

Turn what’s left into poop and send it away

Emotions – In Chinese medicine, the

large intestine is associated with grief,

regret, and loss; letting go

Your Pancreas

The pancreas is an organ with two main

jobs that are tremendously important

when it comes to our weight:

Produce insulin -

- When your sugar level (blood glucose)

in your blood rises (high blood sugar), the

pancreas secretes insulin into the

bloodstream. The insulin moves the

glucose from the blood into muscles and

other tissues for use as energy.

- Insulin also helps the liver absorb

glucose and store it as glycogen in case

the body needs energy during stress or

exercise.

- Problems arise when the pancreas

either doesn’t produce enough insulin, or

the insulin receptors can’t handle the

overload of blood sugar anymore, and

they can no longer receive the insulin, a

condition known as “insulin resistance.”

- When your blood sugar level falls (low

blood sugar), the pancreas releases the

hormone glucagon which causes

glycogen in the liver to be broken down

into glucose to bring the blood sugar

levels back up to normal again.

Produce digestive enzymes – the

pancreas produces more digestive juices

that are sent to the small intestine to help

with the final breakdown of food.

Emotions – in Chinese Medicine, these

are the same as those for the stomach.

Easy Peasy Anatomy & Physiology 101

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Your Thyroid

One of many glands that all together make up

your endocrine system, the thyroid is one of the

major players in maintaining healthy weight.

An under-functioning or hypo-thyroid can slow

our metabolism way down, and we can gain

weight easily without having made any

changes to our diet or our routines.

And an over-functioning, or a hyper-thyroid,

can speed our metabolism way up which can

cause unhealthy weight loss and lots of health

problems, including some very serious ones.

You don’t want an over-functioning thyroid!

Here are some of the thyroid’s tasks:

Major player in regulating your metabolism

Body weight

Breathing

Heart rate

Muscle strength

Menstrual cycles

Body temperature

Cholesterol levels

Your Adrenals

Another component of your endocrine system,

your two adrenal glands sit one on top of each

kidney and are big players in so many

functions throughout our bodies including

metabolism and the “flight or fight” response.

Here are some of the hormones they make:

Aldosterone – maintains the right balance

of salt and water and helps control blood

pressure

Sex hormones – produces small amounts of

male and female hormones

Adrenaline – helps the body react to

physical or emotional stress, including

after the sympathetic nervous system has

triggered the “flight or fight” response

Cortisol – regulates blood pressure; helps

your body respond to stress; controls the

body’s use of fats, proteins, and carbs;

increases blood sugar, controls

inflammation and immune responses; can

decrease bone formation

Your Brain and Its Glands

The brain sends us signals regarding when

to eat and how much.

The brain is also where two of your

endocrine glands, the pituitary and

hypothalamus, are housed, which run

most of the endocrine system by

constantly looking at how the different

glands are performing and signaling for

them to speed up or slow down or to

release certain hormones.

The brain controls the sympathetic

nervous system which controls the body

during stressful times

The brain also controls the

parasympathetic nervous system which

controls the body during ordinary times

Your Sex Hormones

For us women, estrogen, progesterone,

menstrual cycles, and PMS play a huge role in

our food cravings, our mood, and our weight.

Easy Peasy Anatomy & Physiology 101

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A Closer Look at Those Roots

So on page four, we took a look at a list of

common root causes for weight gain. Now

that we’ve got some knowledge of anatomy

and physiology to draw from, let’s look at why

those roots matter and why counting calories

isn’t the answer for weight loss.

1. Toxic Overload

In our modern industrialized and polluted

world, it’s hard to escape having a toxic

overload to address. Our food, water, beauty

products, cleaners, fragrances, and homes are

full of toxic chemicals.

This puts a big burden on our liver which is

supposed to be helping us digest fats, process

and store vital nutrients, handle sugar, and

remove excess hormones, contributing to

dysfunction that causes weight gain.

Diets high in refined carbohydrates like sugar

white flour and low in fiber can cause a back-

up of waste in the colon which translates into a

bigger burden on the liver and kidneys.

2. Nutritional Deficiencies

One of the leading reasons why we can have

food cravings is that our body is sending us a

signal that it’s deficient in some nutrients –

protein, vitamins, essential fatty acids, minerals

– something is missing for optimal health.

Did you know that even if you’re eating the

most nutritious diet possible, full of organic fruits

and vegetables, whole grains, etc., you still

most likely have nutritional deficiencies?

Why? Because our soil has become

nutritionally depleted from many decades of

poor farming practices. So even the best

Additionally, though, we can put the best

nutrition there is in our bodies, but then we

organic food is nutritionally inferior to foods

grown a hundred years ago.

But even if you eat the most nutritious food

available and the healthiest possible diet,

and you’re getting all the nutrients your body

wants, your body has to be able to perfectly

process and assimilate everything it takes in.

And for most of us, there are aspects of our

digestive function and liver function that

need to be improved for that to happen.

3. Blood Sugar Imbalances

Think “Hangry.” Remember that the liver

plays a big role in blood sugar handling AND

is the organ responsible for anger.

Low blood sugar sends a signal to the brain

that the body needs a “pick me up.” This

causes cravings for sugar and other simple

carbohydrates. This isn’t a lack of willpower

or even something you can consciously

control.

Sugar or refined carbohydrates help release

a burst of serotonin, so you feel good for a

little while. But almost as quickly, you “crash”

and return to your low-serotonin state, and

the cycle starts all over again.

Unfortunately, the more sugar you eat, the

more you crave it because over-consumption

of sugar can lead to insulin resistance. Refer

back to the discussion about this under

“Pancreas.”

4. Hormones

The balance of estrogen and progesterone

and how they affect our menstrual cycles

and create any PMS difficulties for us, are big

factors in our weight.

This is about more than just how well our body

is

Get Back to Your Roots

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Is producing these hormones, it is also about

how well it’s disposing of them, one of the

liver’s jobs.

Imbalances of these hormones cause some of

the different types of PMS and menopause

problems, which can include cravings,

bloating, and weight gain

5. Stress

Stress triggers the body to go into “flight or

fight” mode which causes an increase in the

hormone cortisol. Your body believes it’s

expended a lot of calories to deal with the

stress and signals you to eat more. As the stress

becomes long-term and chronic, this turns into

poor eating habits.

The increased levels of cortisol also cause

increased levels of insulin which makes your

blood sugar drop. So your body calls for more

sugar which means that it’s already told you

that you need to replenish lost calories when

really you don’t. And as if that weren’t already

working against you bad enough as it is, now

it’s going to tell you to reach for carbohydrates

instead of vegetables or protein.

This is why stress makes us want high carb

“comfort foods.” Once we eat the carbs it’s

telling us to, it releases serotonin which makes

us feel calmer. But that soon wears off and the

cycle repeats.

6. Poor Diet

This one in particular can lead to just about

every other type of root cause on this list.

The nutritional deficiencies that go with this will

cause the brain to send signals that it wants

more food because it needs nutrients.

The chemicals in processed foods will burden

the liver and interrupt the hundreds of

functions it does.

A poor diet is almost always high in refined

carbohydrates and sugar and will bring about

the undesirable results we’ve talked about that

come with eating those foods, including more

sugar cravings.

Usually we get much less fiber in our diet when

we’re eating nutritionally poor foods, too, and

this causes additional toxic build-up in the

body.

7. Lack of Sleep

Naturally we won’t have the energy to keep

up a healthy lifestyle if we’re sleep deprived.

Sleep deprivation also causes our body to go

into stress mode, the “fight or flight” response

we talked about earlier which signals it to

release the stress hormone cortisol, triggering

that vicious cycle which promotes weight gain.

But also, the fatigue that comes with not

getting enough sleep causes us to reach for

the unhealthy foods and drinks that give us

quick energy bursts from caffeine and sugar.

8. Fatigue

This can cause weight gain because it feels

very stressful to the body and triggers that

cortisol stress response. Those pesky stress

hormones again!

But root causes like this one can start to look

like those nesting dolls that stack one inside the

other and inside the other, and here’s why.

Because we have to figure out, too, what is

causing the fatigue before we can really

address this.

Fatigue has many possible sources – chronic

Get Back to Your Roots

10

inflammation, viruses, sugar balance problems,

sleep deprivation, hormones, stress,

depression, anemia, alcohol or drug use,

medication side effects, etc.

9. Slow Metabolism

Our metabolism is much more than the rate at

which we burn calories. It’s all the chemical

processes that occur in our bodies to maintain

life.

It’s the buildup and breakdown of substances,

their assimilation, and their transformation into

energy which keeps us going. If any of these

processes become sluggish, it can result in an

undesired accumulation of body fat.

This is another area where those root causes

are like nesting eggs because if slow

metabolism is present, then you have to dig

deeper to find out what is slow and why. The

thyroid, for example, plays a big role in this.

10. Emotions

From my own personal experience and those

of the clients I’ve worked with, I actually

believe this is one of the beginning sources of

all the root causes most of the time. I had

weight issues because of my emotions and

past traumas. I believe those were the real

roots of my auto-immune diseases, too.

The emotional roots of weight issues really

speak to why weight gain is so much more

than how many calories we eat and burn.

Every ancient healing tradition takes emotions

into account when looking at what’s physically

wrong. We’re holistic beings, and all the many

physical, emotional, and spiritual parts of us

are constantly working together and

functioning together, and any disruption

anywhere affects everything else.

The common emotions that are associated

with organs are these:

Grief, regret, loss – lungs, large intestines

Anger, being unforgiving – liver/gallbladder

Fear, trauma – kidneys

Brokenhearted – heart, small intestines

Worry, overthinking – stomach, pancreas

While this is a little oversimplified, it does

illustrate the point that our emotions have

long been recognized as having a real

physical effect on us.

One of the most common examples of this

goes back to the stress hormones we’ve

been talking about. Now that you know a

little Anatomy & Physiology, as well, you can

look at this list and see how various emotions

begin to pull down the function of some of

the organs that play a role in healthy weight.

For example, if we have churning thoughts

that keep going round and round, and we

just can’t process them, chances are we’ve

now got the same thing going on in our

stomach -food churning round and round

and not getting digested. Why? The stress

hormones.

The “fight or flight” response developed as a

survival mechanism to get us humans away

from the saber-toothed tiger that was

chasing us on the savannah, so we could run

away and climb up a tree to safety.

Survival is the top priority to the body. If we

need to run fast from danger, the

sympathetic nervous system kicks into this pre-

programmed “flight or fight” response to get

us away from this immediate danger. At

Get Back to Your Roots

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that moment nothing else matters. The

sympathetic nervous system intentionally

shuts down any functions unnecessary for

escape and focuses every available resource

on the functions that are needed for escape.

Do we need to digest food while running

across the savannah from the tiger? Nope.

What about the immune system. Should we

worry about fighting off that virus that’s been

trying to take hold for the last two days? The

virus won’t matter if we’re eaten by the tiger,

right?

How about getting pregnant? Should we

send some energy to the reproductive organs

while we run? Of course not. Should we relax

and try to catch up on sleep? Most definitely

not!

What we do need is blood, oxygen, glucose

for energy - and lots of it! We need it going to

the muscles and every body part involved in

getting ourselves up that tree immediately!

We better be very hypervigilant, too, so we

know exactly where that saber toothed tiger

is at all moments and can adjust our direction

in a flash without even thinking about it.

Our body does all of this for us automatically,

and we safely get up that tree. We have to

wait a little while until the tiger gives up and

goes away, but when he finally does, we can

come down and go back to the safety and

comforting welcome of the tribe.

The body gets the message that all is well

now. The sympathetic nervous system which

operates to get us out of danger shuts down,

and the parasympathetic nervous system

which operates during ordinary times kicks

back in again.

If you haven’t already puked up your

breakfast during the run, the body resumes

digestion again. The immune system fires up

and continues to go to work on that virus

that’s been trying to turn into a head cold for

two days now. And you start to feel

exhausted from your ordeal. Your body lets

go, and you sleep deeply and recover.

Fast forward a few millennia to our modern

world. The saber toothed tiger is extinct, but

we have more perceived dangers now than

our ancestors ever did! We turn on the news

to see images of wars, school shootings, and

natural disasters.

Maybe we have a high stress job, and there’s

no shortage of the continual supply of

stressful situations there. Even when we come

home from work, we don’t really leave those

stresses. We worry about them all night long.

What does this ongoing stress do? It makes

our bodies think that we’re running from a

saber toothed tiger for years and years on

end without ever finding a tree to climb. It

stays in “flight or fight” mode and the

sympathetic nervous system’s stress response.

We never get the safe and comforting

reunion with the tribe and the peace of

knowing the danger is completely gone.

So the body keeps calling for more sugar

because it believes the muscles still need

glucose to get away. It keeps digestive

function to a bare minimum, and we begin to

have ulcers, heartburn, and mal-assimilation

of nutrients.

The immune system stops fighting bugs, and

Get Back to Your Roots

12

we succumb to every virus that goes around.

Reproductive issues begin to show up like

infertility, menstrual issues, hormonal

imbalances, PMS, and more. Insomnia

becomes the nightly norm.

All these things can happen from the body

being controlled by the sympathetic nervous

system’s response to perceived danger. And it

goes on and on for years without us ever being

able to feel the relief of the danger being

passed and letting the parasympathetic

nervous system resume the ordinary time

functions again.

So this is why our emotions can actually be the

prime root of just about everything that ails us,

including weight gain.

11. Side Effects of Medication

Many times when we pick up our medications,

we don’t read through the paperwork that

comes with it to learn about the side effects.

That’s a habit that we really should develop

just to be very informed consumers and really

be in charge of our health. And weight gain

actually is a side effect of some medications.

I always ask my clients if they are aware of the

side effects of their medications, and many

times, they aren’t.

Medications are outside the scope of what I

do, but I do recommend to my clients to read

up on each medication thoroughly and talk

about all of their concerns with their doctor.

If you’d like more info on your meds, there are

trustworthy medical websites where you can

learn all about them.

12. Too Little Exercise

So this one isn’t a surprise. We do know that

we need to move and get sweaty to be

healthy and manage our weight.

If you haven’t exercised in a long time, be

sure to check with your doctor before you

begin a new program.

But really, any new steps you can take (pun

intended) to make improvements will bring

results.

Start by walking to the mailbox every day,

then walk around the block every day, then

two blocks, and pretty soon, you’re walking a

mile. Consistency will get you there!

Most important, keep it fun. If I had to go to a

gym and work out in a fitness boot camp

every morning, there’s almost zero chance I

would be successful because I know already I

wouldn’t enjoy that at all. We’re so much

more likely to stick with something that’s fun!

For me, that’s karate! Find what’s fun for you.

13. Too Much Exercise

Ok, this one really is a surprise, right? But think

about it. Too much exercise is a stress on the

body, and we’ve learned all about stress,

and the troubles it causes.

So when does healthy exercise become too

much exercise? There’s no one-size-fits-all

answer for this. That tipping point is unique to

each person’s physiology and current state of

health.

One way to evaluate this is to check your

heart rate while you exercise. A target heart

rate chart can help you to make sure you’re

getting enough exercise to receive good

benefits, but not too much to cause stress.

Get Back to Your Roots

13

I spent so many years dieting and trying new workouts

or exercise programs, and I never once succeeded in

getting to a healthy weight and staying there. And I

have so many friends and clients who have ridden the

diet and exercise roller coaster.

There’s so much of a feeling of failure when we do that

because we think we’re either on the wagon or we fell

off of it. Why do we do this to ourselves?

I think it’s because our reason for doing it isn’t something

that makes our heart sing. It doesn’t feel right to us, and

so at a deeper, subconscious level, we’re not really that

into it, in fact, often times we reject it.

I know for me, my reasons were all things that were

outside of myself and very fear-based: how I would look

in a swimsuit, what others would think about me, and so

many other disempowering beliefs.

The change came for me when I decided I was going

to get healthy – physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

And I was going to do it for me from a place of self-love

and because the greatest gift I could give to my sons

was the example of a healthy mom.

So that became something I could put my whole heart

and soul into, and I did! It became a joy and a passion.

I didn’t expect perfection from myself because

perfection isn’t a healthy mindset. I didn’t worry about

what others would think about how I looked, because if

I got healthy for me, why would that even matter? It

gave me freedom and self-respect.

One of the best things I did for myself when I chose this,

was I threw my bathroom scale away. I started to listen

to my body and my feelings and what they needed

from me and no longer paid attention to a number on

the scale or the size tag on my clothes. I wanted to feel

energized and excited about who I was again. And

that was all that mattered! And I began to lose weight.

Have you thought about why you want to lose weight?

What’s Your Why?

And I said to my body

softy, “I want to be your

friend.” It took a long

breath and replied, “I

have been waiting my

whole life for this.”

– Nayyirah Waheed

14

Self-Love

I totally believe that if we can begin to love ourselves, everything else in our lives will begin to

naturally fall into place, including our weight. Let’s talk about how the benefits of self-love can

set us up for success by putting us in the frame of mind we need in order to consistently make all

those little choices that over time help us naturally and effortlessly become healthy and fit.

Research has actually shown that extending love, acceptance, and compassion to ourselves

can bring amazing improvements in health and well-being. Should that really surprise us,

though? Plants, animals, children, adults…every living thing thrives on kindness and acceptance

received from others. It’s only natural that we would benefit from our own kindness as well.

But earlier experiences in our lives can condition us to believe that we are unlovable, that there’s

something wrong with us. Those harmful messages can have an equally negative affect on our

well-being, and especially our weight.

Those patterns have been programmed in us, but we’re in charge of that programming, and

self-love is a powerful tool for change.

You are worthy of everything good in this world including love and kindness. You can make a

commitment today to choose to love yourself like you deserve to be loved.

What is self-love and why is it good for us?

Self-love is giving the same kindness and compassion to ourselves that we would show to a dear

friend or family member.

And I want to emphasize this. Self-love is not at all selfish because it doesn’t seek to have

something at the expense of someone else. Instead, it can actually help us to be able to give

more to others because we can’t pour from an empty cup.

Self-love is authentic, kind, and compassionate, accepting everything about ourselves without

judgment, comparison, shame, or guilt. It’s about believing that we are inherently worthy and

deserving of all that is good for us and treating ourselves as if we believe that.

Self-love helps us make healthy choices

This one has been so important for me! I made so many choices that were based on reactions

to fear. But self-love helped me to recognize that and gave me a different way to think about

things. When fear and negativity started to take hold of my thoughts, I would make a conscious

decision to stop and repeat loving affirmations until I was more centered and calm again. Then I

could choose what to do based on what was healthy and not simply react out of fear.

We’re constantly bombarded with messages of everything we’re supposedly missing out on by

not being skinnier. It can be so easy to make fear-based decisions because of that, even doing

things to lose weight that we know aren’t in our best interest. It takes courage and strength to let

go of the fear and just focus on doing what’s good for us and becoming healthy.

15

Self-Love, continued

Self-love helps us relate to ourselves better

We hear about the importance of self-esteem, but trying to experience high self-esteem can

actually make us feel worse about ourselves because it usually involves evaluating ourselves

positively and feeling a need to be special and above average. This is where struggling with

weight can really hurt. I hope you can see that self-esteem and self-love are not the same thing.

Self-love is a kind, accepting way of relating to ourselves at ALL times, even when we feel like a

failure or inadequate or imperfect. It’s simply learning to love ourselves unconditionally,

including in our thoughts and self-talk. And self-love can actually help us be more emotionally

resilient and happier.

Self-love encourages self-care

Because self-love is a conscious choice to do what’s good for us, it changes our habits – eating

healthier, going to bed earlier, exercising, etc. - all become more natural. For the same reasons

that we wouldn’t let our kids eat a gallon of ice cream and stay up until midnight playing video

games, we make the same healthy choices for our own well-being, too.

It also allows us to take time to unwind and relax and do things to promote less stress and better

well-being. It allows us to enjoy the things that bring us pleasure and happiness.

Self-love lets us give ourselves permission to fail and make mistakes, too, setting us free to explore

new hobbies, make new friends, create, laugh, and have fun, all of which are so good for our

health and well-being.

These things are all important pieces of the different facets of our health and wellness, and

although often over-looked, they do indeed play a big role in our weight.

Self-love promotes healthy relationships

An 80-year Harvard study showed that the secret to living longer and being healthier and

happier was healthy relationships. A good measure of the health of our self-love is the quality of

people we have around us because they reflect what is going on inside of us. Are they angry,

toxic, disrespectful, manipulative, or critical? Do they drain our energy?

When we love ourselves, we aren’t shackled to a need to please others or a fear of

disappointing them or being criticized. We can set boundaries and keep out toxic behaviors

and experiences without fear or guilt.

The better we feel about ourselves, the more we will want to choose acquaintances and friends

who will support us, respect us, be loving and kind to us, accept us as we are, and help us grow

to be better. And the more we engage with these types of people, the better we feel about

ourselves and the less we will be willing to put up with disrespectful behavior.

16

How do we begin practicing self-love?

Begin with resolve

Place your hand over your heart or give yourself a hug and say, “I love myself.” Pause

throughout the day to assess how you’re doing and come back to this as often as you need. It

may sound cheesy, but I know from experience it’s very important!

Develop a habit of planning rather than reacting

Plan your week of healthy meals and snacks. Cook healthy foods ahead of time. Develop an

evening routine that sets you up for a good morning. Have a strategy for excusing yourself from

a toxic situation. Look for other areas where you can set yourself up for success by planning

ahead.

Control the messages you receive

Music, television, radio, and social media are filled with negative, unloving, and destructive

messages and images. Examine carefully what you’re taking in. Look for music, podcasts, or

audio books that are inspirational and uplifting. You might be wondering how this can possibly

help with losing weight, but it really does!

Remember the stress hormones? So much of what’s in the media is very stressful. Unplug and

purposefully choose what you listen to with all the same loving care and attention that you put

into choosing what you eat. It’s an essential part of mind-body wellness. And you’ll find it

contributes to self-growth, developing new hobbies and interests, and more!

Be mindful of your thoughts

The messages we listen to the most frequently, though, are the ones we tell ourselves, that go

around and around in our minds. Find some positive affirmations you can memorize and say to

yourself over and over to break those cycles when it’s happening. Change the programming. It

may take time and work, but you can retrain your brain to believe you are lovable and worthy.

You can even try music with subliminal messages which repeat positive phrases over and over in

a way where you can’t hear them but your brain can. I listen to music and meditations with

positive subliminal messages all the time!

Be responsible for getting your needs met

Many of us have a helpless child locked inside of us, unable to identify or express our needs,

feelings, desires, preferences, and interests. Learn to assert yourself. Make your own decisions,

especially about physical and emotional health. Choose what’s good for you. Becoming an

adult includes taking conscious control of our lives, claiming our power, and not feeling helpless.

Self-Love, continued

17

“Loving the self, to me, begins

with never ever criticizing

ourselves for anything. Criticism

locks us into the very pattern we

are trying to change.

Understanding and being gentle

with ourselves helps us to move

out of it. Remember, you have

been criticizing yourself for

years, and it hasn’t worked. Try

approving of yourself and see

what happens.”

― Louise L. Hay

Self-Love, continued

Make time for you

Give yourself a break. Go for a walk, take a hot bath, watch your favorite movie, cook a

special meal, get reflexology (my personal favorite), but the important thing is set aside

uninterrupted quality time for yourself. And believe that you are worth it, that you are important

enough to do that for yourself.

Make peace with old wounds and traumas

Although these will be with us for life, self-love can help us heal by changing our perception of

them. Much of what makes them so painful is the shame and guilt and feelings of unworthiness

we carry around because of them. Those stories may have their share of weakness, faults,

sufferings, and fear, but they are also filled with strengths, perseverance, joy, and courage. Your

story will be a powerful inspiration for others going through the same thing.

Practice meditation

Meditation is a great way to let go of stress, clear your mind, and get centered and grounded

each day. It trains our brains to quiet the thoughts and worries and to just be calm and still.

Guided meditations and meditations with affirmations are especially helpful, and there are

many free versions of both of these on YouTube.

I’ll talk about some of these strategies a little more and how they can help us lose weight, but I

want to emphasize how important self-love is and to encourage you to take some time every

day to work on this. This is where all the change begins! You can’t be healthy without it!

18

I’m about to challenge most of everything you’ve ever heard about food and dieting.

Nourishing, healthy foods are the best allies our bodies ever had! But dieting gives us the idea

that food is something that can be very harmful to us – causing diseases and obesity - and

therefore we have to mitigate the damage it can do by restricting how much of it we let in.

This is where I think the entire concept of dieting and many of the restrictive, healthy-lifestyle

type of fad diets have really gone wrong. I want you to think about this from a holistic

standpoint - how the body, mind, and emotions all work together.

Our thoughts affect every single cell in our bodies. If we believe food is bad in any way or that

we’ve done something to feel ashamed of or guilty about when we eat, how do you think our

bodies will respond to that?

I think that if we have those beliefs, the mind body connection will respond accordingly, and

it’s very likely that the digestive process isn’t going to work well when we eat. The food won’t

be digested and assimilated properly, and we’ll experience all the health problems that come

with that, including weight gain. Could this mind/body connection even contribute to why we

have food sensitivities and have to avoid more and more foods such as gluten, dairy, or meat?

I want to invite you to have a new relationship with food, to realize that the only foods that are

“bad” are those which really aren’t food at all, and that all the wonderful, nourishing foods are

your best friends for having a healthy weight. Let every cell in your body believe that and

know that you deserve to feel nourished, strong, and healthy, and that your body will thank

you by feeing and looking amazing. Focus on eating to be healthy and treat food as your ally.

“Fat isn’t the problem.

Dieting is the problem.

A society that rejects

anyone whose body

shape or size doesn’t

match an impossible

ideal is the problem. A

medical establishment

that equates ‘thin’ with

‘healthy’ is the

problem.” Linda Bacon

Our Relationship with Food

19

So What Foods Are Healthy? When it comes to what’s healthy to eat and

what isn’t, there are as many opinions out

there as there are books on the subject. And

quite a bit of it is based on old

misunderstandings about food and health. When I first was changing my diet and

lifestyle, I was very drawn to books that

advocated removing all sorts of foods from

the diet. Being a recovering anorexic, that

came naturally to me.

To hear that perfectly good foods were my

enemy made sense to me because I had an

unhealthy relationship with food.

I became a strict vegan for many years, and

even eliminated a lot of foods many vegans

would eat, all the while thinking this would

help me regain my health. But it actually

caused me a lot of harm including causing

chronic anemia, protein deficiencies, and

many vitamin and mineral deficiencies.

There are times when people really do need

to eliminate even some healthy foods due to

serious health issues such as inflammatory

conditions and food allergies. Their body has

developed a reaction to the foods for various

reasons.

But this is usually because something isn’t

functioning properly in the body, and not

because there’s something inherently wrong

with the food. This is often just a temporary

situation that can resolve once health and

balance are restored.

For now, let’s just talk about in general, what

foods are healthy and good for us.

Focus on Nourishing, Not Restricting I hope that you can see from the anatomy

and physiology and root causes that we’ve

talked about, that our bodies have to be

functioning optimally to easily and consistently

stay at a normal weight.

It’s impossible for that to happen unless we’re

well-nourished. This means eating foods that

are healthy, alive, and full of vitality, containing

ample amounts of protein, good fats, vitamins,

and minerals.

We can’t nourish our bodies with refined and

processed foods including the weight loss meal

kits that people subscribe to. There may be

some temporary weight loss from restricting

calories, but the body isn’t being fed, and this

will eventually add to the problems.

However, when we do nourish our bodies, not

only do we set ourselves up for naturally

maintaining a healthy weight, we can

experience all sorts of serendipitous side effects

we never anticipated such as improvements in

our hair, skin, complexion, and nails! Health is

beauty!

I can’t emphasize enough that success is

going to depend on developing this healthy

relationship with food, viewing food as the best

friend your body ever had.

Believe that you deserve to be well-nourished

and well-fed. Trust that food is what makes

you beautiful, healthy, and fit.

Get excited about indulging in healthy snacks

and treats, finding new recipes, and planning

delicious, satisfying meals. Pause before

eating to feel gratitude for your food.

Eat to be Healthy, Not to Lose Weight

20

content and makes great yeast breads. Flour

from the soft spring wheat, pastry wheat flour,

is lower in gluten content and works well in

quick breads, pastries, cookies, and other

baked goods.

Some will say that gluten is inherently bad for

health, but people have been eating gluten

for millennia and enjoyed good health.

There are some people who do have a real

disease that makes it impossible for them to

eat gluten, such as those with Celiac’s

Disease.

But for most people, it’s not the gluten that’s

causing them problems. Nearly every

product that contains wheat and other

sources of gluten has other issues that are the

real source of the trouble. Usually those foods

are highly processed, refined, non-organic,

and full of chemicals.

So when people eliminate gluten and feel

better, it’s probably because they’ve

cleaned up their diet which is the case most

of the time when people eliminate foods and

feel better.

Be careful when reading labels. Many

products will say, “wheat flour” on the label

which can look like it’s made from whole

wheat when actually it’s made from refined,

white flour. If it doesn’t says, “whole wheat

flour,” it’s refined.

And when it comes to refined sugar, the best

thing you can do for your health, if you can

only make ONE change right now, is to get rid

of the sugar - 100% gone, no more forever!

This includes other sweeteners like fructose,

high fructose corn syrup, and brown sugar.

The Qualities of Healthy Foods

Foods that are healthy, vibrant, and alive share

these traits:

1. Healthy foods are organic. Organic foods

are grown without toxic chemical pesticides

and fertilizers which add to our body’s toxic

burden and create health problems.

The same chemicals that kill bugs on crops also

kill the good bacteria and yeast in your gut,

and when the gut flora balance becomes

unhealthy, all sorts of problems begin such as

immune issues, poor digestive system function,

malabsorption of nutrients, emotional

imbalances, and mental fogginess.

And because organic foods are grown in soil

that is much more nutrient dense than the soil

that non-organic crops are grown in, they’re

more nutrient-rich than non-organic foods.

Organic foods are labeled as organic, and

almost all supermarkets carry some organic

fruits and vegetables. They cost a little more,

but you deserve to be well-nourished.

2. Healthy foods are whole. Whole foods are

still the complete package that nature meant

them to be. They haven’t had the fiber, bran,

or any other part taken away.

The most common types of foods that aren’t

whole is refined carbohydrates, especially

white flour and sugar, and they are at the root

of numerous health problems from diabetes to

heart disease. These aren’t food.

Fresh, 100% whole grain flours are full of all the

nutrients nature intended. Flour that comes

from the hard winter wheat is higher in gluten

Healthy Foods Made Simple

21

Now don’t panic! Desserts are still on the

menu. Lots of them! Sweets are just fine as long

as they are actually food and not something

nature never intended like refined sweeteners.

There are lots of yummy, wholesome

sweeteners, and you can make almost

anything with them that you could with sugar –

cookies, brownies, cakes, fudge, etc.

If you have a sweet treat that you like, just

Google to find a recipe for a healthy

alternative. Google, “Healthy Chocolate Chip

Cookies, recipe.”

Experiment with adding the word “paleo” into

your Google search. I’m not necessarily

advocating a paleo diet, however the

parameters of paleo eating often lead to

some great recipes for sweet treats that are

super healthy.

For example, “Paleo fudge recipes” can give

results for recipes that are so nutritious, made

with almond butter and other healthy goodies,

that you can eat them as a nourishing snack

any time you please!

Honey, stevia, blackstrap molasses,

evaporated cane juice, Sucanat (a whole

brown sugar) – are all sweeteners that are

good for you and high in valuable nutrients.

And please stay away from artificial

sweeteners. These aren’t natural, and studies

have shown how very toxic these are to us and

linked them to numerous health problems.

Now that we’ve talked about how healthy

foods are whole foods, let’s move on to the

next quality that healthy foods share.

3. Healthy foods don’t contain chemical

additives. Artificial flavors, artificial colors,

preservatives, MSG, and other chemicals that

are added to food are quite toxic and have

also been linked to numerous health

problems. It’s important to read labels and

avoid products that contain these. If an

ingredient on the label sounds like a

chemical and not a food, then don’t eat that

product.

4. Healthy foods are ethically produced. The

energy of the people and company who

produce a food definitely affect its nourishing

capacities. While it’s not possible to maintain

a standard of perfection here, there are

things you can do to get pretty close.

Buying local and at farmer’s markets can

help support small business owners, and more

care and TLC often goes into their farming

and food preparations.

Buy poultry and eggs from cage-free

companies. Buy beef and dairy products

from cows that are grass fed, no antibiotics,

hormones, or vaccinations, and if possible

processed by the humane livestock handling

standards developed by Temple Grandin. If

you haven’t heard of her and her work, I

highly recommend you read some of her

books. And if you’re a vegan or vegetarian

struggling with the idea of eating meat for

ethical reasons, I would really encourage you

to read her writings on that subject.

Look for foods labeled, “Fair trade.” This

means the foods were not raised by forced

labor or in poor working conditions for the

laborers. It also means the crops are

sustainably raised and non GMO.

5. Healthy foods are not GMO. Many studies

have linked health issues to GMO foods.

They’re not foods as nature intended.

Healthy Foods Made Simple, cont.

22

Allrighty, now you’ve got a good

understanding of what healthy foods are, so

let’s talk about how to use those to plan a

healthy diet that’s balanced and full of good

nutrition.

Fruits and Vegetables

This should be the main foundation of your

diet. A general recommendation is to have

twice as many vegetables as fruits each day

and to aim for nine servings. So that would be

six servings of veggies and three servings of

fruit.

Buying fruits and veggies fresh is best. Frozen is

also an acceptable option. Remember to buy

organic. I don’t recommend canned, though,

because most of the nutrition is destroyed in

the canning process. Dried fruits can be very

difficult to digest.

And this is just simple, single-ingredient foods

here, not fruits and veggies that are in

products containing sauces or any other

ingredients. This also doesn’t include white,

golden, or red potatoes and corn. Those are

starches, not veggies. Yams and sweet

potatoes are veggies, though.

Nuts and Seeds

These are great added to salads and other

foods or just eaten alone. Buy organic and

raw, or slightly roasted, nothing added to

them. Store them in a cool place to keep

them from going rancid. The freezer is great.

Chia seeds, hemp seeds, poppy seeds, sesame

seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower

seeds, flax seeds, almonds, walnuts, cashews,

pecans, pine nuts, almond butter, and tahini

are especially great.

Grains and Pseudo Grains

If you have any troubles with regular grains

like wheat, these can be a little easier to

digest. Two or three servings a day is plenty.

Quinoa, buckwheat, teff, millet, amaranth,

brown rice, oat, and wild rice are all good.

You can even buy breads made from these.

Legumes

Lentils, split peas, and other beans all fall in

this category. They’re a good source of

protein, vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

Meat and Eggs

Most women don’t eat enough protein. If

you have a drop in your energy in the

afternoons, protein is especially important.

Switching your meals around so that you

have your meat and protein in the morning

and your oatmeal in the evening can do

wonders for having more sustained energy in

the day and sleeping better at night.

Cage-free, free-range poultry and eggs, cold

water deep sea fish that aren’t farm raised,

wild game, and grass fed beef are great.

On average, it’s recommended to have at

least half your body weight in grams of

protein each day, but this can vary

depending on your age and activity level.

Nutrition

23

Fats and Oils

We’ve all heard that fats, especially those from

animal products, are the cause of heart

disease, high cholesterol, and weight gain and

that a low fat diet is a healthy diet. But good

fats and cholesterol are vital for health. Our

bodies have to have them to be able to make

hormones and for good brain health.

Our brain is about 60% fat, and we have to

have good fats for proper brain function. Fats

are also essential for absorption of fat-soluble

vitamins A, K, D, and E.

Thankfully just in the last few months

information that’s been known for decades is

finally being brought to the public’s attention -

that sugar and refined carbohydrates were the

real culprits in heart disease, and not fats. It’s a

myth that fats make us fat and that low-fat

diets will make us skinny.

What really matters for health and naturally

maintaining a normal weight is the types of fat

we eat. Processed, refined, hydrogenated,

and trans- fats are all very bad for our health.

You want to buy organic, extra virgin, cold

pressed oils.

Butter, ghee (clarified butter), avocado oil,

olive oil, and coconut oil are very healthy. Fish

oils are full of essential fatty acids vital for good

health.

If you haven’t had these healthy fats, or have

been eating a low fat diet, or haven’t been

able to assimilate fats due to digestive issues,

you can probably benefit from several

tablespoons a day.

Fermented Foods

These are some of my very favorite foods and

some of the best food allies we have for good

health! You can buy these in most natural

food stores, and you can also easily make

them at home.

If you don’t know what fermented foods are,

this may sound a little yucky, but trust me,

they’re quite tasty and very good for you.

And don’t worry, the fermentation process

that makes these foods doesn’t produce any

alcohol.

Fermentation has been around for thousands

of years and was developed because

people needed a way to preserve foods so

they wouldn’t spoil.

The fermentation process creates lactic acid,

a natural preservative that inhibits putrefying

bacteria. Starches and sugars in vegetables

and fruits are converted to lactic acid by the

many species of lactic-acid-producing

bacteria and yeasts.

But we have refrigerators and freezers now to

prevent fermentation, so why do we need to

ferment our foods to prevent them from

putrefying?

Well, we don’t need to ferment them to

preserve them, but we do need the digestive

and health benefits these organisms provide.

If you’ve taken antiobiotics or if you drink

chlorinated water or even if you eat foods

with pesticide residue, you can wipe out

these helpful organisms in your gut.

Even the effects of stress or acid-blocking

drugs can reduce stomach acid production

and can cause you to lose these valuable

organisms because as we produce less

stomach acid, the pH of our gut becomes

more alkaline, and that alkaline environment

kills the good microorganisms and causes the

bad ones to thrive and multiply.

Nutrition, cont.

24

The beneficial bacteria and yeasts that are

produced in the fermentation process help our

digestion by breaking down the starches and

sugars we eat and turning them into lactic

acid.

So when we eat these fermented foods that

are rich in these good bacteria and yeasts,

those organisms help our digestion by

processing carbohydrates and the lactic acid

creates an environment that promotes

absorption of nutrients and is unfriendly to bad

bacteria and yeasts.

A recent study showed that people who were

ridiculously healthy in their 90’s all had one

common trait – very healthy gut flora. (Gut

flora is the term used to refer to the

microorganisms in our gut, all the good ones

and the bad ones.)

So what foods are fermented and full of these

good bugs? Some of the most common ones

are kefir, yogurt, kombucha, cultured

vegetables like sauerkraut, miso, apple cider

vinegar, and sourdough.

Just be sure they haven’t been pasteurized

after fermenting because the heat of the

pasteurization process kills the beneficial

organisms.

Be sure to read labels when you buy these

products. Look for organic foods with no

added sugars or chemicals. Even most people

who are sensitive to dairy can handle

fermented dairy products because the lactose

has already been digested and turned into

lactic acid by the beneficial organisms.

And many people who have trouble digesting

grains or gluten can often handle sourdough

products for the same reason.

For thousands of years before the current

bread-making practices which use baking

yeast, sourdough was made with the

bacteria and yeasts of fermentation. This

process takes several days and breaks down

the components of the grain including

gluten, yielding a product that is much easier

to digest.

I hope I’ve been able to talk you into

including abundant amounts of these

fermented foods in your diet. It’s one of the

best things you can do for your health.

Spices

Far more than just flavoring for foods, spices

have loads of health benefits, especially for

improving digestion. Add these abundantly

to your recipes!

A few of the most common ones are – basil,

bay leaves, cardamom, cayenne, chili

powder, chives, cilantro, cinnamon, cloves,

coriander, cumin, dill, fennel, garlic, ginger,

lemon grass, mint, mustard, nutmeg,

oregano, paprika, parsley, black pepper,

rosemary, sage, tarragon, thyme, and

turmeric.

I really encourage you to use lots of ginger,

onions, and garlic. In Ayurveda, the oldest

healing tradition in the world, these beneficial

foods are called the “trinity roots.”

Trikatu is an Ayurvedic blend of three

pungent herbs – pippali, ginger, and black

pepper – used in cooking, traditionally to

enkindle the digestive fire, aid in assimilation

of nutrients, support the digestion of fats and

the burning of body fat and a healthy

metabolism, and aid the elimination of toxins.

Nutrition, cont.

25

Apple Cider Vinegar

Since most of us don’t produce enough

stomach acid, taking a couple teaspoons of

apple cider vinegar with each meal is great for

our digestion and a good support for health. It

helps keep our gut pH acidic so we can

assimilate nutrients and have healthy gut flora.

Sea Salt Sea salt is the most nutritious of all salts and

contains dozens of trace minerals we don’t get

in the table salt from the grocery store.

Sometimes people think that because we hear

so much about reducing salt, that the healthy

way to approach salt is to just eliminate it

altogether.

Our bodies have to have salt. And salt is a

valuable source of iodine, which our thyroid

needs to function properly. Eliminating salt can

often lead to the development of a goiter,

hypothyroidism, and adrenal gland issues.

What about Dairy?

So many of the problems people are

experiencing with dairy really aren’t about the

dairy. If we’ve lost our gut flora, we’ve lost our

most important ally for helping us digest the

milk by turning the lactose in milk into lactic

acid.

And milk that isn’t organic can contain

hormones that were given to the cow it came

from, which cause us troubles. The processes

of homogenization and pasteurization change

the milk and make it harder for us to digest.

In general, healthy bodies can handle

healthy milk. Even those with some issues with

milk can often handle fermented milks like

kefir and yogurt because the lactose has

already been broken down.

If you can handle milk, I really support

including it in your diet. Most ancient healing

systems like Ayurveda make regular use of

milk.

If you know that you aren’t able to digest milk

well, then you might want to consider a dairy-

free alternative like almond or coconut milk.

Beverages

Water - A general guideline is half your body

weight in ounces of water every day. If you

live in a dry climate or at a high altitude, you

need more than that. I’m in a very dry

climate and altitude over 6,000 ft., and I find I

nearly have to double that recommendation

every day to stay hydrated. If you can use a

filter to get rid of the chlorine but still keep the

natural minerals, that’s best.

Coffee - I don’t think people have to

eliminate coffee for good health, in fact the

bitter nature of it is good for the digestion.

However, if you have trouble sleeping or your

energy crashes in the afternoons, it may be

necessary to eliminate it or greatly reduce it.

Green tea – This is super healthy and makes a

great weight loss support. The caffeine in it

doesn’t have the same effect on us nearly

like coffee or soda does.

Alcohol - An occasional glass of red wine is

ok, too. I suggest buying organic.

Nutrition, cont.

26

Healthy Food Habits

1. Plan a week of menus: I like to do this during the week after next week’s sales ads for my

favorite grocery store become available. This way I can have my shopping list all ready to

take to the store by the weekend.

2. Shop for a week at a time: If you have a refrigerator full of a week’s food, it makes it easier

to resist the urge to take shortcuts like eating out during the week.

3. Sign up to have recipes sent to your email every day: Find some blogs or healthy recipe

websites that you like and have emails sent to you every day. Try something new.

4. Don’t aim for perfection: Please let go of the idea that you’re either on the wagon or

you’ve fallen off of it. It’ll never be possible to follow a perfectly healthy diet. Just let it be

your goal to make the most loving choice you can for yourself every moment. Learning to

eat healthy is something we keep fine tuning and mastering our whole lives.

5. Include lots of desserts: Nearly every sweet treat can be made in a way that’s so healthy

and nutritious, that it could almost take the place of a meal. Find some healthy recipes and

enjoy them often!

6. Keep “healthier” processed foods on hand: Sometimes you just need crackers or ice

cream or snack bars. Instead of reaching for something really unhealthy at those moments,

find some healthy upgrades to your favorite comfort foods at your natural grocery store. Just

make sure the ingredients are in line with what we’ve talked about, and even though you’ll

be eating a processed food, you’ll still get some nutritional benefit from it and most

importantly, you’ll avoid a whole bunch of the damaging ingredients in the usual junk food

options.

7. Cook ahead: Plan for those days that you know you can’t cook. Make a bigger batch of

something else earlier in the week or put something in the slow cooker that morning.

8. Always support your digestion: Foods that are raw or cold in temperature are actually

tough on the digestion. Our bodies can’t handle a whole lot of them, and if we’re working on

being healthy to naturally achieve a normal weight, then we’ve probably already got some

aspects of the functions of our digestion that aren’t up to par. Slightly steaming veggies, using

plenty of warming spices, letting smoothies come to room temp before drinking them – all of

these ideas can help to counter this. (Tip: Add some grated ginger root or cinnamon to your

smoothies to really warm them up!)

Keep the seasons in mind, too. In the cold times of winter, we really can’t handle cold and

raw foods. We need warm, hearty, strengthening foods. However, in the hot days of summer,

our bodies like to have foods that are lighter, cooler, and even raw. Spring time is when our

body wants to lighten up, detoxify, and shed pounds. In the fall, it wants to store up for winter,

not detox. By working with these cycles, we can keep our digestion at a more optimal level.

27

Reducing your toxic exposure is an important lifestyle change to make for good health!

Most people have no idea that when it comes to their weight, chemicals count more than

calories! They don’t realize that the chemicals in their perfume, laundry products, and home air

fresheners are creating a toxic burden on their bodies.

The American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine recently published a study that

claims that regularly using household cleaning products can have the same effect on your health

as smoking a pack of cigarettes every day!

The good news is that most of the products we use that have harmful chemicals in them can

easily be swapped out for greener products that are better for us and the environment.

Cosmetics, skin care, soaps, cleaners, air fresheners – even regular supermarkets are beginning to

carry greener alternatives to these.

Years of exposure to these take a toll on our liver especially, and we’ve seen the important role

that the liver plays in naturally maintaining a healthy weight. It’s important to do a little spring

cleaning on our bodies periodically to help get rid of the toxic buildup of chemicals. Remember

spring is when our bodies want to lighten up and do a little detoxing.

I have a toxicity questionnaire I have my clients fill out. It shows all the different symptoms

associated with digestion, ears, emotions, energy, eyes, head, lungs, mind, mouth and throat,

nose, skin, heart, joints and muscles, weight, and more that can be caused from a toxic overload

and looks for ways that they could be exposing themselves to toxins.

I like to use a 21 Day Purification Program for myself and my clients at least once a year. I love

the results from it which can include increased energy and vitality, better digestion, less bloating,

improved weight management, clearer skin, shinier hair, better sleep, and clearer thinking.

Studies have been done on people going through this program that show the benefits included

reduced weight, cholesterol levels, blood pressure, triglycerides, and more.

Toxins and Purification

“Health is the thing

that makes you feel

that now is the best

time of year.”

Franklin P. Adams

28

Exercise

The very word “exercise” can make us cringe. I think that we’ve gotten this idea wrong just like

we have with dieting. Why does it have to be something punishing that’s difficult to look forward

to? This is why I know I wouldn’t have what it takes to complete a “Fitness Boot Camp.” That

might be super fun for some people, but it wouldn’t be for me. And It needs to sound fun if I’m

going to stick to it. I absolutely LOVE karate, so it’s no problem for me to be consistent with that!

Bottom line, we just need to move and use our muscles and get sweaty. There are so many

different ways we can do that and have fun at the same time! And maybe after you’ve done

something you enjoy for a few months and feel like you’re conditioned enough to try something

a little more difficult. It might be easier to do some intense cardiovascular training. But start with

something you’ll really look forward to. Just get moving and stay consistent with it.

Think outside of the box here. Maybe you just can’t get motivated to exercise, but you love to

volunteer and help others. How about combining those two ideas? Sign up to help

organizations that build homes for low income people on the weekends. Building houses will get

you lots of exercise! What other ideas like this can you come up with?

There are many people who aren’t able to get out and walk their dogs. You could be a

volunteer dog walker for the elderly or those with handicaps. And it would be great for

everyone involved due to the friendships and connections you’d make with others.

Think of what your hobbies are or activities you always wanted to try and then see if there’s ways

to turn that into exercise opportunities. Find a photography group that hikes into the mountains

on the weekends. Join a yoga-in-the-park group. Learn belly dancing. Ride your bike at the

park with friends. Start gardening. Hook up with history buffs and walk through areas of historical

interest. There are endless possibilities! Get creative and think of something fun and exciting!

All that matters is, get some fresh air and sunshine and move around…preferably with others!

“Few people know how to take

a walk. The qualifications are

endurance, plain clothes, old

shoes, an eye for nature, good

humor, vast curiosity, good

speech, good silence and

nothing too much.“

Ralph Waldo Emerson

29

Rest and Relaxation

“It’s our collective

delusion that overwork

and burnout are the

price we must pay in

order to succeed.”

Arianna Huffington

Sleep is one of the most important but neglected aspects of good health and naturally

maintaining a healthy weight. If this is a problem for you, there are some things you can do to

set yourself up for a good night’s sleep:

1. Maintain a regular sleep routine - go to bed and wake up at the same time each day.

2. Avoid naps if possible

3. Don’t stay in bed awake for more than 5-10 minutes – if you can’t sleep, get out of bed and

do something different until you feel sleepy again. This conditions your brain to associate

being in bed with nothing but going to sleep.

4. Don’t watch TV or read in bed

5. Drink caffeinated drinks with caution – you might need to avoid them at least after 2 p.m.

6. Exercise regularly

7. Keep your bedroom quiet and dark – room darkening curtains and white noise can help

8. Turn off electronics two hours before bedtime – screen time is very stimulating to the brain

9. Have a comfortable pre-bedtime routine - a warm bath, meditation, reading, or quiet time

Health is all about balance. We need downtime every single day to keep our bodies from

permanently going into stress mode like we’ve talked about. Taking 30 minutes each day to

do something relaxing and enjoyable is equally as important as making time to exercise.

One of my very favorite ways to do this is with meditation. We all get thoughts that play over

and over in our minds like chattering monkeys as we worry and stress and stay busy each day.

Meditation simply gives us a way to clear all that out and calm down our stress response.

Relaxing bodywork like massage or reflexology is great for this, too! The stress-relieving and

health-promoting benefits of reflexology have been well-studied. Getting healthy never felt so

fantastic! If you haven’t given reflexology a try, I highly recommend you do!

Hobbies, too, are a fantastic way to unwind. My favorites are crocheting and gardening!

30

Your Mindset Matters Most

“The thoughts we

choose to think are the

tools we use to paint

the canvas of our

lives.”

Louise Hay

I saw an optical illusion on Facebook recently that really illustrates how important our mindset is.

It was a train that speeds along either forward or backwards and changes directions when you

change your thoughts as to whether it’s going forward or backwards. So if you think it’s moving

forward, then you see it moving forward, and the instant you think it’s moving backwards, it

changes direction and moves backwards.

Amazing! But what a powerful reminder! Our mindset is everything, and it’s one of the most

important tools I used for beating lupus and losing weight and overcoming every other

challenge I’ve faced.

Taking charge of our thoughts controls what direction our lives take. I had to do this to pull

myself out of some dark places as I healed. Positivity and gratitude were key to changing the

direction of my train which went where my thoughts went. So I had to learn new thoughts.

I would carefully choose positive, empowering, and grateful mantras and affirmations and say

them over and over to myself when my mind wanted to go down a negative path. I found

something to be grateful for at every moment and would even say out loud how lucky I was to

have so many amazing things in my life. I’d list everything I could think of to be thankful for and

then repeat my positive and power affirmations over and over. That worked MIRACLES! I’ve

been able to get to the point now where I instinctively don’t allow one negative thought. The

instant one tries to take hold, without even thinking about it, my mind starts on my mantras.

I learned, too, that I had to set action goals rather than results goals. Focusing on losing 5

pounds in a month didn’t work. Instead, if I set goals on what actions I would DO to be healthy,

that was something I was in control of and could be completely successful with.

I also began living as if I already were what I wanted to be. So for losing weight and getting

healthy, I begin to live as if I were already fit and healthy, practicing all the habits of fit and

healthy people. This, too, reprogrammed everything! Here’s a power question: How would you

behave if you were already fit and healthy?

31

Using herbs and nutritional supplements was one of the most effective things I did to help regain

my health. I’m certain I couldn’t have healed and lost weight without them. These are known to

be some of the most powerful supports for holistic wellness that there is and for good reasons.

The use of herbal medicine has a history over 5,000 years old, and has been the world’s primary

healing modality.

Herbs are excellent support for the different “root causes” we’ve talked about. From toxic

overload to hormone imbalances to digestive dysfunction to food cravings to stress and

emotions to insomnia, or any of the health challenges that contribute to weight gain. Herbs can

help promote the body’s own innate ability to heal and restore balance.

I used herbs for several years early on, very ineffectively, which was my primary motivation for

studying to become a master herbalist. I knew I wasn’t going to get well unless I knew how to

properly use herbs and adjust them to my body’s needs at all times.

There’s so much misinformation on the internet about how to use herbs. There are abundant

articles, blogs, and even memes that promote taking this single herb for these conditions. But for

herbs to be effective you have to have the right herbs that are a match for your unique

physiology, energetics, and condition and your specific root causes for your condition.

This is why you can’t just look up in a reference resource and see what herb is the one to take for

a certain condition. Herbs also need to be properly formulated, or combined with other herbs,

and the quality of materials, dosage, and preparation are also important.

Whole food nutritional supplements give additional support by providing the missing nutrients

needed to help the body build and repair and function optimally in the whole food package of

all the other phytonutrients and trace minerals and other factors needed to maximize absorption

and utilization.

This nourishes the body and supports its functions at a cellular level, something that’s hard to do

just by eating right. It provides the nutritional building blocks the body needs to perform the work

that the herbs are helping the body to do.

A consultation with a qualified clinical herbalist/nutritionist like me can help you be sure you’re

taking the right herbs and nutritional supplements for your needs.

“A wise man ought to

realize that health is his

most valuable

possession.”

Hippocrates

Herbs and Nutritional Supplements

32

Well done! You’ve made it all the way through this e-book, and now you’re ready to start making

some specific changes that will begin to create better health and well-being and help you

achieve and maintain a healthy weight naturally.

This is a healing process that takes time and consistency. It can take years for chronic health issues

and imbalance to develop, so naturally it takes time for the body to become well again. It

doesn’t happen overnight. There are no magic bullets. This is a completely different approach

that works with your body by focusing on lovingly feeding it, nourishing it, and building optimal

health instead of dieting. The rewards are holistic and life-changing!

I want you to understand, too, that you most likely will notice an increase in weight when you start

working on becoming healthy because your body finally has the tools and building blocks it’s

been wanting for a while to rebuild and repair. You’re also probably going to start building

muscle, and that weighs more than fat does. This is exactly what you want.

This is why I really encourage you to get rid of your scale! That number is not a measure of your

health or your progress. Trust that when you take care of yourself, the results of those actions are

always for your greatest good. Healthy actions always yield healthy results. You will reap all the

amazing benefits.

If you’d like to have professional support, I do work with people one-on-one to help them save

money and time and build their health most effectively by taking the guesswork out of trying to

figure out which herbs, nutritional supplements, diet, and lifestyle changes can best support their

needs and goals. I help people locally in my office and long distance.

Please above all else, remember that you are worthy of all the love and care and nurturing that

you need to be physically, emotionally, and spiritually at your very best. I absolutely believe that

you are here for a reason and that you have amazing gifts to share with the world to make a

difference that no one else ever can! The world needs a strong and healthy you!

All my love,

Tracey -xx-

www.spiritofthebearllc.com

Tracey Kamm – Certified Reflexologist, National Board Certified Reflexologist (ARCB), Master

Herbalist, Registered Herbalist (American Herbalists Guild), Certified Emotional Healing Coach

© 2018 Spirit of the Bear LLC – No part of this document can be copied or reproduced.

Congratulations!