TESTIMONIES OF THE DAY

30 Day Advanced Keto Testimony: “Officially in the 120’s! Feel better than ever!” – Christie

30 Day Accelerated Meal Plan Testimony: “Hi Maria, You have been helping me get my life back by getting healthy. My main request was to help me get pregnant. Since starting your way less than 3 months ago I have lost 31 pounds and am off all my autoimmune disease medications. And today, I can tell you that I found out I am expecting. I am only a few weeks along and so I can’t share with everyone yet but I owe you my gratitude. After a year long emotional journey, your way restored my body back to health.” Carrie

Get started on your path to health today with the recently improved 30 day accelerated package! Now every day has calculations for percent of fat/protein/carbs. It has never been easier to follow the keto-adapted lifestyle.

PICKY EATERS and GUT HEALTH 

Do you have a picky eater in your home that only likes bland foods like butter noodles? They are most likely low in healthy gut bacteria. You have trillions of bacteria in your digestive tract. They are a major part of your immune system. A healthy lower intestine should have about 85% of “good bacteria” to prevent the colonization of disease causing organisms like salmonella or E. coli.When I ask someone if they take probiotics, I almost always get the response, “I eat yogurt.” Yogurt only contains acidophilus, but that is only one of hundreds of friendly bacteria we need. Our bodies should have somewhere between 400 and 500 types of bacteria. And the type of yogurt is usually Yoplait Low Fat which has more sugar than a Kit Kat bar… that kind is not going to help here:)Probiotics stop the growth of harmful bacteria which cause digestive problems (are you going #2??? You should every day!); they also improve digestion and absorption of vitamins; and enhance the immune system.The first 2 years of life are crucial for our long-term immune responses. Bacterial colonization patterns set up in the first years and continue to grow throughout our lifetime. The medications and foods that we give our kids totally affect this delicate balance.Probiotic supplementation promotes health in infants. They prevent eczema, diarrhea, diaper rash, and cradle-cap. They also decrease anemia and asthma. Probiotics lower the chances of food allergies and eliminate thrush.

Click HERE to see the supplements for babies and children.

In older children, probiotics have been found to reduce the severity and frequency of respiratory infections and prevent irritable bowel syndrome, diarrhea, and constipation. Kids with allergies, ADHD, Autism (entire Autism spectrum), Celiac Disease, Constipation, Diarrhea, Diabetes, Halitosis (bad breath), Eczema, Leaky Gut Syndrome can all benefit from healthy doses of probiotics. Acne would also be an indication of low good bacteria. Having a bought of diarrhea, taking an antibiotic, eating a diet high in refined carbohydrates and low in fiber as well as stress can all deplete a healthy intestinal flora. If a child has been on an antibiotic, it is extremely important to replenish the beneficial bacteria lost by taking a quality probiotics supplement.

When shopping for probiotics look for lactobacilli and bifidobacteria. Lactobacilli is found in the small intestine and bifidobacteria is found in the colon. Fermented foods contain healthful bacteria: Kombucha Tea, sour cream, buttermilk, sauerkraut, pickles, and many PLAIN yogurts (not yoplait:). But generally pasteurization has eliminated the flora found in modern food. As a result, companies are fortifying foods with probiotics in an effort to re-introduce this bacteria. To read more on probiotics and serotonin connection check out my book: Secrets to Controlling Your Weight Cravings and Mood.

I also have a 2-hour classes here:  Just Click HERE to watch.

Recipes and fun facts like this can be found in THE ART OF EATING HEALTHY!

Homemade TWIX

Biscuit:
1/2 cup vanilla whey (or egg white protein powder)
3/4 cup almond flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp Celtic sea salt
1/4 cup butter or coconut oil
4 TBS erythritol
1 tsp stevia glycerite
1-2 TBS vanilla almond milk OR water (just enough to hold dough together)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. In a medium bowl, stir together the protein powder, almond flour, baking soda and salt. Cut in the butter using a pastry blender or your fingers until the butter lumps are smaller than peas. Stir in the almond milk and sweetener to form a stiff dough. Take about 2 TBS of dough at a time to roll out long biscuit shapes (resembling a Twix bar). Place on cookie sheet. Bake for 7 minutes, turn off oven. Leave in oven for 3 more minutes to cool to crisp up. Place in freezer to freeze (frozen biscuits will hold the caramel better).

Caramel Layer:
6 tbsp butter
1 cup xylitol or Swerve
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Xylitol: Again have everything ready. Wear oven mitts; the caramelized sugar will be much hotter than boiling water. In a heavy-bottomed 2-quart (2 L) or 3-quart (3 L) saucepan, heat sweetener on moderately high heat. As it begins to melt, stir vigorously with a whisk or wooden spoon. As soon as it comes to a boil, stop stirring. You can swirl the pan a bit if you want, from this point on. As soon as all of the xylitol crystals have melted (the liquid should be dark amber in color), immediately add the butter to the pan. Whisk until the butter has melted.

Once the butter has melted, take the pan off the heat. Count to three, then slowly add the cream to the pan and continue to whisk to incorporate. Note that when you add the butter and the cream, the mixture will foam up considerably. Whisk until caramel sauce is smooth. Let cool in the pan for a couple minutes, then pour into a glass mason jar and let sit to cool to room temperature. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Place 2 TBS of caramel on the cookie layer. Set back in freezer to ‘set.’

Chocolate:
1 CHOCO-Perfection no-sugar added Chocolate Bar (or “healthified” homemade chocolate bar)
2 TBS vanilla almond milk

In a microwavable bowl, combine ingredients. Microwave for 30 seconds. Stir well. Drizzle over the caramel covered biscuit. Place in freezer to set. Makes 12 Twix bars.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per 2 biscuits:)
Traditional Twix = 290 calories, 37 carbs, 1g fiber
“Healthified” Twix = 235 calories, 5 carbs, 3.25g fiber