top 4 Building Blocks of a balanced plate for mood, energy and hormonal support

A balanced plate does SO much! Do you regularly suffer from fatigue? Mood swings? Painful periods? Irritability or headaches? Hair loss? Dysregulated blood sugar?

This one is for you! Listen 👂 up!

The 4 building blocks of a balanced plate should include:

1. ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS: did you know your body cannot make essential fatty acids on their own? They HAVE to come from your diet! Your body needs adequate amounts of EFAs to make hormones, balance and RESOLVE inflammation, and for the formation of healthy cell membranes. I REPEAT! YOUR BODY NEEDS ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS!

There are serious consequences when you do not get enough that include: hair loss, elevated risk of anxiety and depression, increased risk of heart disease, high cholesterol, insulin resistance, weakened immune system, vitamin deficiencies (fat soluble vitamins require fat) among many more.

My favorite fats include:

• Avocados

• Nuts and seeds; chia, hemp hearts, flax, almonds, cashews, Brazil nuts, pumpkin - think any and all!

• Eggs

• Olive oil

• Wild fatty seafood - salmon, mackerel, sardines

2. FIBER: my favorite “f,” word! Make fiber your best friend! Fiber has so many jobs from helping increase your microbiome diversity (hi, happy gut!), plays a HUGE role in the regulation of blood sugar (goodbye afternoon fatigue, inflammation and afternoon headaches!) and EVEN plays a preventive role in reducing the risk of colon cancer and heart disease. Fiber also plays a role in reducing excess estrogen by binding to excesses and helps with reducing the absorption of cholesterol. However, this only happens when you get ENOUGH which usually isn’t the case for 95% of Americans…

My favorite fiber sources include:

• Leafy greens

• Nuts and seeds; again any and all here as nuts and seeds are packed with fiber! Chia, hemp hearts, flax, almonds, cashews, brazil nuts

• Veggies

• Fruits

• Whole grains

3. COMPLEX CARBS: yes, you REALLY do need carbs! They’re your body’s favorite form of energy BUT it’s important to pick complex carbohydrates over refined carbohydrates to ensure proper blood sugar balance. Regular ongoing consumption of ultra processed carbohydrates (bagels, chips, candy, cookies) increases the risk of metabolic mayhem – inflammation, insulin resistance, high cholesterol, diabetes, elevated a1c among more which are all too common (not normal) in the US.

My favorite complex carbs include:

• Sweet potatoes

• Lentils

• Oats

• Quinoa

• Beans

• Broccoli

• Veggies

4. PROTEIN: protein, protein, protein! Did you know protein is made up of amino acids? Amino acids are the building blocks of neurotransmitters aka those feel-good chemicals. It’s safe to say that protein packs a punch for supporting a balanced feel-good mood. If you’re not getting enough, symptoms of fatigue, headaches, depressed mood and anxiety can creep in among a few.

My favorite protein sources include:

·       Eggs

·       Greek yogurt (full fat, please!)

·       Wild seafood; tuna, salmon

·       Grass fed beef

·       Chicken

·       Nuts

·       Lentils

·       Beans

·       Tofu

While the above is a just guiding tool for a balanced plate approach, it can drastically change with different medical diagnoses. If you’re looking to personalize your approach to nutrition, and create a balanced plate and integrative protocol I’m here for you! Schedule your free discovery consultation here: Schedule Free 15-min Discovery Call