Healthy Recipe for Spaghetti Squash Casserole with Ricotta and Spinach

Prep 20min//Cook 40min//serves 8

31/2 lbs spaghetti squash, halfed lengthwise and seeded

1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved

2 large garlic cloves, chopped

1 (6oz) bag baby spinach (approx. 6 cups)

15 oz. part-skim ricotta cheese

1/2c shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

3 Tbsp grated Parm Cheese

1/4 chopped basil

1 tsp salt

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 400 F
2. Put squash halves on microwavable plate, cut-sides down, and micro on High 10-12 minutes or until tender and can be scooped with fork.
3. Heat olive oil in large non-stick skillet and cook onion over med/high stirring occasionally, until golden and tender (about 5 min.). Add tomatoes and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until tomatoes start to soften, about 3 minutes.
4. Add spinach and cook, stirring, just until wilted, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Scoop squash strands into skillet and toss with spinach. Mix in ricotta, 1/4 cup mozzarella, 2 TBS Parm, basil, salt and pepper.
5. Transfer to a 2-3 quart baking dish and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and parm.
6. Bake 15-20 minutes until bubbly around the edges and top is lightly golden.

Per serving (1 cup):  182 cal, 8 g total fat (4 g saturated fat), 481 mg sod, 20 g total carb, 2 g sugar, 1 g fib, 11 g prot

Recipe Credit goes to:  Sidoti, Claudia, “Gather ‘Round”, Weighwatchers  March/April 2017

The post Healthy recipe, instead of Lisa’s traditional spaghetti… appeared first on Fitness by Design.

Named after the Old English word for “life,” the liver is a critically important part of your body.  The array of functions it performs is staggering.  These include:

• Controlling blood sugar
• Regulating fat storage
• Producing proteins
• Cleansing the blood
• Metabolizing fat
• Producing energy

However, if toxins clog and overwhelm the liver, it will cease to perform its functions correctly.  If the liver cannot cleanse the toxins from the body effectively, those toxins can trigger an immune response which not only can burden the immune system but possibly lead to autoimmune diseases such as arthritis.

You may also find that weight control becomes much more difficult as a result of a backed-up liver.  Blood sugar control, fat storage and metabolism are all critical factors in weight management, and your liver is a key player in this delicate balance. A toxic liver cannot keep up with its metabolic functions if it is unhealthy.

Other symptoms of liver overload are food allergies, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, skin conditions and digestive problems such as heartburn and bloating.

What causes a toxic liver?

Every day our bodies are bombarded by many different toxins, and it is primarily the job of the liver to handle this toxic load.  These toxins can come from pesticides and chemicals used in the production of our food, environmental substances such as impure water and pollution, medications, artificial sweeteners, high amounts of animal fat and even caffeine and alcohol.

Cleansing the liver

While there is no escaping all exposure to toxins and poisons, there are some things we can do to not only lighten the load on our liver but also to cleanse and detoxify it.

• Exercise: When your circulation is enhanced, all of your organs perform better, including your liver.  Moderate exercise and deep breathing will stimulate your circulation and blood flow, and this in turn will deliver nutrients and oxygen to all parts of your body.  Aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise each day.
• Diet: Cleansing the liver involves avoiding the offenders such as artificial sweeteners, overly processed foods, chemical additives, pesticides, excess animal fat and medication (if possible).  It also involves adding in foods that are believed to help to cleanse the liver such as garlic, grapefruit, beets, carrots, green tea, filtered water, leafy green vegetables and olive oil.
• Environment: Try to reduce your exposure to environmental toxins whenever possible.  Moderating your use of strong cleaning chemicals, avoiding tap water and getting plenty of fresh air may help.  Using natural personal care products will also reduce the toxic load on your liver, as these tend to be absorbed through the skin into the blood stream.

Any effort you make towards cleansing your liver and taking better care of this vital organ will bring big payoffs in terms of your overall health, both short term and long term.  Consider participating in our 10 Day Detox as a jump start to a healthier liver.  Go here for details.

The post Liver Detoxification 101 appeared first on Fitness by Design.

The difference between food sensitivities and food allergies

Though on the surface food sensitivities and food allergies may seem like the same thing (they can even cause some of the same symptoms), they are, in fact, two different conditions.

The least common of the two is a food allergy.  A food allergy will bring about a response from the immune system that can impact several different parts of your body.  Food allergies can be life-threatening.  Food sensitivity or food intolerance symptoms are less serious but are more common, being typically confined to the digestive tract.

The gut connection

When you have a food allergy, your body essentially treats the food as something that is threatening to your body and therefore mounts an attack against it.  The reason for the attack is that particles of that food and other molecules have traveled from the intestines into the bloodstream; but they are not supposed to be there.

How did they get there?  Through what is known as a leaky gut.  A normal, healthy intestine has walls that are tight, allowing only small molecules such as vitamins, simple sugars and amino acids to pass through it.  But when the gut becomes overly permeable, larger molecules, toxins, bacteria and bits of undigested waste pass through into the blood stream.  These molecules are not supposed to be in the bloodstream at all.

The result is that this triggers a response in the body, and the large molecules are treated as foreigners, triggering an immune reaction leading to digestion problems, autoimmune diseases and additional food allergies.  If your body begins producing antibodies to certain foods and food groups, then those foods will be treated as pathogenic by your body.

What are the causes and symptoms of leaky gut?

There are many causes of leaky gut.  These include:

• Anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen and aspirin
• Alcohol and caffeine
• Antacid medications
• Food additives
• Allergies to food
• Stress
• Infections within the bowel itself
• Diets high in refined flours, sugars and other processed foods
• Candidiasis
• Antibiotics

If you have leaky gut, you may experience a range of symptoms such as fatigue, joint and muscle pain, pain and bloating in the abdomen, skin rashes, arthritis, fibromyalgia, and depression.

The solution

The good news is that if you think you have leaky gut, there are several action steps you can take to begin healing.  The key is to remove anything that may be contributing to your condition, while at the same time feed your body what it needs to begin repairing the damage.

Try the following suggestions to start on the road to healing and health:

1. Eliminate alcohol and caffeine from your diet.
2. Stop using all anti-inflammatory drugs.
3. Chew your food thoroughly and take a digestive enzyme to aid digestion.
4. Take probiotics to increase the number of friendly microbes in your intestines.
5. Eat at least nine servings of fruits and vegetables each day.
6. Stop eating refined, white flour, sugar and processed foods.
7. Drink plenty of filtered water.

The post Food Allergy vs. Food Sensitivity appeared first on Fitness by Design.

The Detox is January 4 – January 13th, 2017

Lisa Hudson and I are spearheading another 10 Day Detox. We start this one right after the New Year while intentions and resolutions are high.

I find that being healthier is a whittling away process. If I look back over my adult life I can see my progress as I tend to: eat slower, eat more greens and veggies, get more sleep, stretch more, move more, anticipate and plan healthier living into each day.
If you are ready to get out of your comfort zone and kick-start some habit changes, I invite you to JOIN ME, Steve Smith, and do the 10 Day Detox. Much of it will be self directed while having the support of others. The start date is Wednesday January 4th, 2017. That’s a little ways off, but as with any adventure planning is critical. Use this time to prepare by READING THE BOOK RIGHT AWAY.
Getting Started:
1) GET THE BOOK HERE: The Blood Sugar Solution 10 Day Detox by Mark Hyman
2) Sign up at the front desk, so we know who is participating.

The payoff will be whatever you discover as useful and helpful on journey towards being healthier.
If you have any questions feel free to ask me any time at Fitness by Design or text/call me at 317-490-7231.

The post 3rd Annual Detox Cleanse appeared first on Fitness by Design.

You might be tempted to skip the warm up when you work out.  After all, you only have so much time to exercise—“Let’s just get on with it already!  I’m in a hurry!”

But warming up is a critical component of your fitness routine, and skipping it could have unpleasant and even dangerous results—such as muscle strain, muscle injury and pain.

Oh yeah, and a proper warm-up will actually IMPROVE your workout performance!

The Warm-up:  Basics

A warm up is a short workout period at the beginning of your exercise session.  It is generally low intensity and prepares your body for the upcoming exertion.

The purpose of a traditional warm up is to slightly increase your heart rate. This raises your core body temperature and increases the blood flow to your muscles.  Cold muscles and other connective tissues do not stretch very easily.  A warm up session literally warms them up and relaxes them, making them more supple and ready to work.

Without a warm up, you will be more susceptible to sprained muscles, cramps and injury.  Ultimately, these effects could keep you from exercising for an extended period of time as you recover, which is not conducive to the healthy lifestyle you desire.

It takes about three minutes for your body to realize that it needs to move more blood to your muscles, so the ideal warm up time is between five and ten minutes.

There is no set prescription for what your warm up should consist of.  You can choose a set of preparatory exercises (such as squats, lunges, toe touches, etc.,) or you can do a light intensity version of your upcoming workout (a brisk walk to prepare for a run, for example, or lifting light weights before increasing the load).

The Warm-Up:  Advanced Strategy

Now with all that being said about a “basic” warm-up, let me share with you how I personally prepare myself, as well as every one of my personal training and small group clients.

For long-term health and fitness combined with your weight loss training efforts it’s imperative to understand that a proper warm-up is about more than just “warming up the body.”  It’s a about preparing the body for an all-out training assault that’s going to boost your metabolism through the roof.

Therefore, we look at the warm-up as a Preparation Phase for the workout to come.  Through research and practical experience we’ve determined that best results are typically seen when an exercise prep routine incorporates up to these 3 key components:

1. Mobility & Activation
2. Corrective Exercie
3. Tissue Quality

Mobility & Activation

More than just a typical warm-up, a mobility and activation circuit truly prepares your body for a maximum performance workout.

Mobility describes the ability of a joint, or a series of joints, to move through an ideal range of motion.  Though mobility relies on flexibility, it requires an additional strength, stability, and neuromuscular control component to allow for proper movement.  Activation is often paired with mobility because many mobility exercises activate key, and often dormant, pillar stabilizers in your hips, core and shoulders.  Basic calisthenics and yoga warmup postures are great tools to achieve mobility and activation.

Corrective Exercise

We all have unique “issues” with our body mechanics and functional movement capabilities.  For some it’s a lack of flexibility, while others there may be a balance or mobility issue.  Perhaps there’s an asymmetry – one side is significantly “stronger” than the other leading to muscular imbalances, postural distortions and overcompensation injuries.  Your trainer has a very good idea regarding your muscular mobility and balance issues, but you can also find out your individual corrective needs by going through a movement screen such as the Functional Movement Screen (FMS). Sean, our intern, would be happy to take you through the screen.

The FMS is a ranking and grading system that documents movement patterns that are key to normal function.  The FMS generates the Functional Movement Screen Score, which is used to target problems and track progress. This scoring system allows us to target the most beneficial corrective exercises to restore mechanically sound movement patterns.

Tissue Quality

Almost all chronic joint pain or overuse injuries are caused by tightness and restrictions in the muscles above and below the joint in question.  In other words, it’s not about PAIN SITE… it’s about PAIN SOURCE!

Knee pain is often caused by restrictions in the tissue of your calves and front/inner/outer thighs.  Back pain is often caused by restrictions in your glutes and hamstrings.  Shoulder pain is often caused by restrictions in your thoracic spine (T-Spine), chest and lats.

Tissue quality describes the general health of your muscles and the interconnected web of fascia that surrounds them all.  Over time, we develop scar tissue, adhesions, knots and trigger points due to high-intensity training, overuse, and/or extended periods of sitting.

The best way to address this is to self-massage sore, tight, and restricted muscle groups of the body to regenerate tissue both pre and post-workout to promote injury reduction and allow for a smoother, more productive workout.

In addition, self-massage before stretching allows for a better, more complete stretch by smoothing out the knots. You should always precede flexibility work with tissue quality for best results.

Massage is one of those counter-intuitive things whereby you are actually actively searching for pain. In fact, it’s the only time to ever do so when it comes to proper training.

The best analogy I can give you is this:

If it hurts that much when you put pressure on your muscles, just imagine how bad your joints must feel!

More Than Just a Warm-Up…

So, as you can see, a warm-up is much more than just a warm-up when you’re training smarter for long-term health, fitness and fat loss goals.

Think twice before you skip the “warm-up” in your next workout…

The post Upgrade Your Warmup appeared first on Fitness by Design.

How can I possibly NOT GAIN weight?

Let’s face it:  it is hard to stick to a healthy eating and exercise plan during the holidays.  Everywhere we turn there are tempting foods and drinks—from treats at office parties to our own traditional family favorites.  When you add in a busy schedule filled with shopping and get-togethers that make it tough to squeeze in exercise, you have a recipe for disaster as far as our scales are concerned.

The good news is that you really can get through the holidays without gaining weight.  It will take some effort, but you will thank yourself a thousand times when January 1^st rolls around and you have no regrets!

Your Goal:  Maintenance

In order to greet the New Year without tipping the scale, it is wise to try to maintain your weight during the next few weeks instead of trying to lose.   Remember:  you want to enjoy the holidays, not be miserable from deprivation.  This means that you will allow yourself occasional treats and splurges and keep the scale where it is rather than trying to actually decrease your weight.

There are several ways to accomplish this:

• Don’t skip your workouts. Even moderate intensity workouts can burn 300-400 calories per hour.  You need this calorie-burn to keep up with the richer food that you will be eating.  You will also be less likely to overeat if you have just sweated through a hard workout!
• Eat breakfast. People who eat breakfast consume fewer calories throughout the day than those who skip this important meal.
• Keep a food diary. Write down every single thing you eat—even if it is only one bite of shrimp cocktail.  It is a proven fact that keeping a food journal results in better weight control than not keeping one.
• Monitor your hunger. Never show up at a party or buffet ravenous—you will most certainly overeat.  Drink water and have a protein-filled snack (such as nuts or cheese) before arriving. This will help you to have more self-control around the temptations.
• Weigh yourself twice each week. Normally it is not a good idea to step on the scale too often, but during the holidays it’s a great way to stay on track with your goals. If you see the scale start to creep, you can immediately take steps to correct it, such as backing off your calories for a day or two, drinking more water and adding in a little more exercise.
• Watch your portion size. If you have an idea of how much food you are putting on your plate, you will be less likely to overdo it.  Take a look at the chart to familiarize yourself with portion sizes as they compare to your hand.
• Deal quickly with leftovers. If you have unhealthy leftovers in your home, you are likely to indulge. Don’t leave them sitting around.  Freeze them, give them away or toss them.  It’s not worth the temptation!
• Check in with your future self. Every day, speak to yourself from the future—say, from January 1.  Thank yourself for doing the tough work of self-discipline during these holiday weeks.  You might say something like this:

“Thank you!  I feel great!  I’m no heavier than I was in November, I’ve stayed on track with my exercise, my energy is incredible and I’ve got the momentum to spend the rest of the winter getting in even better shape before spring gets here!”

• Go public. Sound scary?  It’s supposed to!  Let others know what your current weight is and check in with them each time you weigh yourself.  That kind of intense accountability will give you will power when the cheesecake and fudge starts showing up at the office!

You can survive the holidays with no added weight gain.  Remember these tips and keep a vision of what you want to feel like on January 1 in mind.  It’s going to be a great holiday season!

The post Holiday Survival Guide: How to Get Through the Holidays With No Regrets appeared first on Fitness by Design.

Why is it so hard to resist something as small and seemingly innocent as a doughnut?  It has to do with habit—and mind set.

Hardwired habits

The draw you feel from that doughnut goes way beyond just a mild interest:  you are wired to want it, and resistance is hard.  In his book, The End of Overeating, Dr. David Kessler MD explains the breakdown:

When you taste foods that are highly palatable (such as foods containing excess sugar, fat and salt), your brain releases opioids into your blood stream. Opioids are brain chemicals that cause you to have intense feelings of reward and pleasure, as well as relieving pain and stress.  The pleasurable effect is similar to the feelings that morphine and heroin users experience.  The desire may be so intense that you keep taking one bite after another:  it can be hard to stop.

That explains why you keep eating.  But why do you give in and approach that doughnut box in the first place?  Why not just refuse to take that first bite?

The answer is another brain chemical called dopamine.  Dopamine is responsible for motivating you to seek out the doughnut so you can get the opioid release.  You remember how good it tasted and how great it made you feel.  Dopamine energizes you to work for that doughnut.  It causes you to concentrate on it and drives you to seek it out.

Once this process happens a few times, the whole cycle becomes a habit that is very reward focused, very ingrained and very hard to break.  Your brain’s circuitry has become mapped and wired to want the doughnut.  And you don’t even have to be near the doughnut for this process to start–the dopamine can kick in even when there are no doughnuts in site:  ever made a run to the store for a treat that you just had to have right then?

The result

Over one-third of all adults in our country are obese.  We live in a society in which we are surrounded by highly-palatable foods (think restaurant foods and processed foods).  The deeply ingrained habit of eating unhealthy food and too much of it is widespread. Everywhere we turn we are bombarded not only with unhealthy food, but also with a neural circuitry that drives us to pursue that unhealthy food.

Remap your brain with mindset

And now the good news:  you can start right now to change the trajectory that you are on.  You can rewire your brain and begin reducing the power that those opioid-producing foods have over you.  You can draw a new map in your mind that will have you passing by the doughnuts on your way to better pleasures.

The secret is mindset.  You must want something else more than you want those fleeting moments of pleasure that the doughnuts bring you.  What is it?  What do want?  Maybe you want to drop a couple of jeans sizes.  Maybe you want to be off your blood pressure medication.  Maybe you want to be known as an ‘athletic’ type person.  Maybe you want to keep disease at bay.  Or maybe you just want the immense satisfaction of being in control of yourself!  People who can’t resist a doughnut have given away power over their own lives!

Once you know what you want, go after it with the following strategies:

1. Stop. There is no other way to say this: you must stop eating foods that are not in your plan.  In the beginning, this will be difficult.  When everyone around you is tossing back pizza and soft drinks, you will struggle.  You will smell the pizza, you will be in the emotionally charged atmosphere and dopamine will be flowing in your bloodstream.  Think about what you want more than that doughnut; think about what you can only have by resisting the doughnut.  Sheer will-power is what you have to use at this point.
2. Savor the victory. Once you come out on the other side having successfully won the battle within your own mind, you will have accomplished much more than just saying no to a piece of pizza.  You will have begun ‘cooling’ the stimulus, as Dr. Kessler puts it.  You have taken the first step toward weakening the circuitry in your brain that drives you to habitual patterns of behavior.  The next time, it will be easier.  And after that, even easier.
3. Focus on new rewards. As you remap your brain, you are creating new neural pathways that in time will be stronger than the weakening, “doughnut-centered” pathways.  Make sure these new rewards are life-giving and energy-producing, such as the thrill you get when you can run a 5K or set a PR in your weight-lifting.

You can have power over habits:  it’s all about mindset.  You can do this!  For additional help with accountability make your goals known to your trainer or contact Kara Paris, Nutrition Consultant at Fitness by Design.

The post Power Over Habit: Why Mindset Matters appeared first on Fitness by Design.

The adrenal glands are located above the kidneys and are responsible for secreting more than 50 different hormones that are essential for life.  Among these are adrenaline, cortisol, progesterone and testosterone.  Because they regulate so many important hormones, their proper function is critical for many functions essential to life such as producing energy, balancing electrolytes and storing fat.

These glands also help you deal with stress.  When you are under stress, the adrenal glands engage many different responses in your body to make it easier for you to handle that stress.

But during periods of intense, prolonged stress or chronic illness, the adrenal glands begin functioning below the level needed to maintain health and well-being in the body.  They still function but at less than optimal levels.  The result is adrenal fatigue.

Symptoms of Adrenal Fatigue

There are some symptoms that are common among people who are suffering from adrenal fatigue.  These include:

• Feeling tired for no reason
• Craving salty or sweet snacks
• Morning fatigue
• Mid-afternoon sleepiness
• Increased energy in the late afternoon
• Decreased sex drive
• Mild Depression
• Weight gain, especially around the waist
• Forgetfulness
• Low body temperature

If you are experiencing these symptoms, you may be suffering from adrenal fatigue.

Treatment

Treatment for adrenal fatigue focuses on making changes to your lifestyle and diet.  If you have minor adrenal fatigue, you can expect to be better within 6-9 months.  Moderate to severe adrenal fatigue can take between 12-24 months to heal, and severe cases can take even longer.

Stress:  One of the first things you should do is reduce the stress in your life.  This may mean clearing your schedule, reworking some relationships or learning time management skills.  In order for your adrenal glands to heal, the demands placed on them should be lightened.

Sleep:  Sufficient sleep is also important.  The main repair work on your adrenal glands takes place between 10 pm and 1 am.  If you are prone to late nights, consider training your body to go to bed earlier.  It is also a good idea to reduce or eliminate caffeine from your diet in order to help you sleep more soundly.

Exercise:  Adrenal fatigue can also be helped by exercise.  Exercise regulates cortisol, relieves depression and increases blood flow.  Each of these benefits will contribute to your recovery.  Try to exercise at least 20 to 30 minutes each day.

Supplements: Finally, adding supplements to your diet can speed healing of adrenal fatigue.  Calcium, magnesium, vitamin C, E, and B complex are recommended. Also try to avoid ‘junk’ food as much as possible.  Rather, add plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables to your diet.

If you suspect you are suffering from adrenal fatigue, don’t be discouraged.  You can start the recovery process by making the above changes to your diet and lifestyle.

Sources:

http://www.naturalnews.com/019339_adrenal_fatigue_chronic_stress.html

http://www.healthremedies.com/adrenal_fatigue.html

The post What You Need to Know About Adrenal Fatigue appeared first on Fitness by Design.

All holidays have their peculiar food traditions, but Halloween perhaps wins the prize for being the most focused on candy and other sweet treats as the center of attraction. And no matter how hard you try to avoid it, you will undoubtedly find yourself staring down a confection before all is said and done.

Will you give in? 

While one piece of candy won’t make or break your health, few of us stop at just one.  In fact, most of us see Halloween as we see every other festive occasion from Thanksgiving to our neighbor’s cookout:  as a perfectly good time to indulge in whichever kind of sweet temptations are presented to us.

But that indulgence takes its toll and is manifesting itself more and more in the current epidemic of Type 2 Diabetes. It is called an epidemic because of the shocking increase in new cases of diabetes.  Less than 5% of the population had diabetes in 1990.  That figure is now up to 7%:  a 40% increase.

Every 21 seconds someone is diagnosed with diabetes.

What is diabetes?

Much of the food that you eat is turned into glucose for your body to use as energy.  After a meal, your pancreas produces the hormone insulin which helps the glucose, or sugar, move from your bloodstream into the cells in your body where it can be used for energy.

When you have diabetes, your body either does not make enough insulin or it cannot use the insulin that it produces.  The result is a buildup of glucose or sugar in the bloodstream.

High levels of blood sugar cause extensive damage in the body such as heart disease, kidney failure, blindness and even amputations.  Adults with diabetes are twice as likely to die early as those without diabetes.

What’s the connection?

The connection between Halloween and Type 2 diabetes is simple: the more sugar you eat, the harder your pancreas has to work to produce insulin and keep your blood sugar within a safe range.

But the cells in your pancreas that produce insulin are the only cells in your body that actually wear out from use.  If you overwork them, they will eventually cease to perform in a way that can keep up with the demand.

Your body can also become resistant to the insulin that your pancreas produces.  The more resistant your cells become to insulin, the more your pancreas has to make in order to have an effect.

When these situations develop, you have Type 2 diabetes.

Prevention

The good news is that Type 2 diabetes is completely preventable.  By adopting a healthy lifestyle, you will never have to experience this disease.  And if you already have Type 2 diabetes, you can do much to control it naturally.

The best strategy is to keep your weight within normal range, eat a healthy diet full of whole foods and very little sugar, and exercise at least 30 minutes, 5 days per week.

These simple lifestyle changes are the enemies of Type 2 diabetes.

This Halloween, choose future health over present pleasure.  Enjoy one or two treats, and then stop.  It’s not worth the price you will pay later.

Sources:

http://diabetesinformationhub.com/HistoryandStatistic.php

http://www.vaxa.com/diabetes-statistics.cfm

http://www.cdc.gov/media/presskits/aahd/diabetes.pdf

The post What’s Scarier than Ghosts & Goblins? How about Type 2 Diabetes! appeared first on Fitness by Design.

The reason lies in the strength of the immune system.  And the strength of your immune system is largely dependent upon the condition of your digestive system.

When you are exposed to bad bacteria or viruses, it is up to your immune system to protect you from being infected.  If your immune system is strong, your body will fight off the threat.  If your immune system is weak or compromised, you may end up sick.

Microbes:  the good, the bad, and the ugly

Inside your digestive system are many microbes.  Microbes are live organisms that affect your overall health.

Some of these organisms are beneficial and protect you from disease.  These good bacteria recognize when illness-producing intruders enter your body; they promptly attack the intruders so you do not get sick.  If you do not have enough good bacteria in your gut, you will be more susceptible not only to infections such as colds and stomach flu, but you will also be at risk for autoimmune diseases such as colitis, rheumatoid arthritis and Chron’s disease.

Ideally you have a large supply of these good microbes living in your gut.  But they can easily become depleted.  If you have recently taken antibiotics, you have had not only the bad bacteria wiped out, but also the good bacteria.  Antibiotics are not selective in their destruction.

Antibiotics are not the only way that good bacteria become depleted in your digestive system.  The chlorine in your drinking water can destroy them, as can the pesticide residue on the food that you eat.

Once the supply of beneficial microbes in your intestines dwindles, bad microbes such as yeast, fungi and disease-causing bacteria begin to take up residence.  When the scale tips in favor of the bad, your immune system becomes compromised.

Enter Probiotics

If you think you might be deficient in good microbes, it is not difficult to remedy the problem.  The solution is to take probiotics.  Probiotics are good microbes that you can consume in your diet.  They then settle in your digestive system and get to work protecting you from illness and destroying the bad bacteria that may be living there.

Probiotics are available in capsule form, but you can also replenish the good microbes by eating yogurt. Check the label on the yogurt that you buy to make sure it says that it contains active cultures—those are the good bacteria that you need to eat.

Take action now and get a head start on this year’s cold and flu season.  You can get ahead of the game by improving your gut function and fighting illness.

The post Cold and Flu Season is Upon Us: How’s Your Gut Function? appeared first on Fitness by Design.