Fiber Fueled

“Less than 5% of the US population gets the recommended amount of fiber, which itself is probably too low. We’re told we should be getting 35 grams a day, the average American is getting like 15.” – Ocean Robbins on the Darin Olien Podcast

What a wonderful week I’ve spent watching and learning at the 2024 Food Revolution Network Summit. Thank you to John and Ocean Robbins and team for putting together this incredible summit and docuseries, viewed by millions. I have been watching and rewatching the sessions and taking notes on my learning. One area of particular interest to me, as you know, is brain health. I shared some of my takeaways from the brain session in last week’s post found here, Fork Power.

Another interesting topic I’d like to share information on is the importance of fiber in our diets. This topic was extremely important for me when I started my journey toward whole food plant based eating this year. At my unhealthiest point, when I decided to retire and move, my eating was at its worst point. I’d moved away from any semblance of heathy and just gave in to convenience. In all honesty, I had no idea the importance of fiber in my diet and in all candor, it was likely nonexistent. I literally ate no vegetables and no fruit and lived on take out comprised of pizza, sandwiches, empanadas, Chinese food (with minimum vegetables) and when trying to eat healthy, dairy fueled flavored yogurts.

When we moved to our new house and my father was living with us, I had to cook three meals a day. I fell back on old habits and made eggs, pancakes and oatmeal for breakfast on rotation. Lunch consisted of cold cut meats on rye or white bread. Dinner was breaded and fried chicken cutlets, rice and a vegetable (I ate like one piece of broccoli and left them the rest.). I also made my famous Sunday sauce each week flavored and filled with sausage, short ribs, pork ribs and my meatballs. This sauce was served over pasta, or cheese filled lasagna. My father did eat fruits that he purchased every day, but I was not eating any. I knew I had to do better, I even had an idea what to do, but I just didn’t do it. Sadly, I am not unique. As stated by Ocean Robbins in a recent Darin Olien podcast, “Two-thirds of our population is overweight or obese. You think people don’t know that they need to eat less crap, less total calories, and more healthy food. Of course, we all know, but we’re not doing it. And so the issue isn’t so much knowing what to do, in some cases it’s doing what we know.”

Fiber

After six months of cleaning up my eating and losing weight, I had blood work taken. My LDL levels had not decreased as I expected and in fact had increased. I was devastated. I began googling how to lower LDL levels and kept coming back to articles on increasing fiber. I then began googling best ways to increase fiber to lower my LDL and kept getting articles on supplementation. It seemed Metamucil was the answer. Yes, I will say I began taking Metamucil gummy supplements daily, but they were expensive and I honestly knew there must be a more natural way to increase my fiber intake. This is when I took a deeper dive into fiber and why it is critical to our health.

What is Fiber

Fiber is found in the cell walls of plants and passes through our digestive systems whole when we eat it. Fiber acts as fuel for healthy bacteria in our gut and is critical for us to have in our diets. There are two types of fiber, soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber slows down digestion which can help with the absorption of nutrients, balance blood sugar levels and cholesterol. Insoluble fiber adds bulk to your stools and promotes healthy bowel movements. It acts like a broom, cleaning out your digestive tract.

Where is Soluble and Insoluble Fiber Found?

You can get both soluble and insoluble fiber in all vegetables and fruits, as many plant based foods have both. Soluble fiber is found in foods like whole grains, beans, nuts and seeds, as well as some fruits and vegetables. Insoluble fiber is found in whole grains, vegetables, and wheat bran. Where you do not find fiber is in the diet I was consuming, processed foods, meat, dairy products, eggs, fish and oils.

Benefits of Fiber

Fiber helps your body eliminate toxins through the digestive tract. It keeps things moving and can help you have regular bowel movements. Getting enough fiber increases the prebiotics, or good bacteria in our guts. Fiber can also help you lose weight, as the increase of fiber intake has been shown to increase your feelings of fullness, leading to less intake of food. As an added bonus, fiber rich foods are lower in calories than processed foods. Mainly, this week, they discussed that, fiber is an essential part of your waste removal system – constantly eliminating carcinogens before they become a problem.

Ways to increase Fiber Intake

The first thing I did to increase my fiber intake was add in more vegetables and fruits. I changed over to a whole food plant based diet and even then had to really think about how much I was eating to ensure I was getting enough. To ensure I am meeting my goals every day, I add vegetables and fruits to my smoothie each morning. I have a big salad every day that contains vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds. I also eat whole grains and beans every day. In all honesty, I wasn’t eating ANY of those things on a regular basis seven months ago. Other ways to increase fiber intake:

• Find out what foods are highest in fiber. Examples, kiwi fruit, dates, french lentils are all high in fiber, so I include them in my food rotation. Added bonus, they are all delicious!
• Choose whole grain instead of white flour products
• Choose beans over beef, chicken or fish
• Choose oatmeal in place of breakfast cereals
• Snack on fiber rich foods, such as popcorn (no butter or oil used or added), bananas with walnuts, sliced apples with peanut butter, or carrots and hummus

The possibilities are endless, the main thing is to research fiber content in foods you are eating. Here is a helpful list to check when going food shopping, courtesy of Web MD, https://www.webmd.com/cholesterol-management/features/fiber-groceries.

Learn More About Fiber

*This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. As an Amazon associate, I may receive a small commission, at no additional cost to you. This helps me offset the cost of running this blog and I only recommend items I use and love. Thank you for your support.

Fiber Fueled: The Plant-Based Gut Health Program for Losing Weight, Restoring Your Health, and Optimizing Your Microbiome – This book truly helped me understand, on a basic level, the importance of fiber in my diet. I honestly had no idea and having eliminated so many foods from my diet after trying all the latest diet fads, I was dangerously low on fiber intake. Excellent resource, even if you are not plant based, to learn not only the importance of fiber, but how to increase your intake of it

31-Day Food Revolution: Heal Your Body, Feel Great, and Transform Your World, by Ocean Robbins – This book introduced me to the wonderful team of Ocean and John Robbins of The Food Revolution Network. I’ve learned so much from them and this book opened me to the possibilities of changing my life, through changing what I was eating. I will be forever grateful to them. A great, easy introduction to the power of food to our health.

In Closing

Now that the word fiber is in your head, spend some time learning more about it and the importance of ensuring you are getting enough of it in the foods you currently eat. Begin to read labels and consciously think about the foods you put on your plate and in your mouth. Your life truly does depend on it. I know there are way more glamorous fad diets calling you with promises of quick results, but I also know that you will end up right back where you started after you do one of those. I know because I’ve tried them all. The best results I’ve had has come from educating myself on nutrition and understanding the important role our food choices play in our health and life. I hope you join me on this journey. As always, I am available for conversation and questions about my post, or wellness journey. You can reach me at laurakump@reclaiminghealth.blog, on Instagram or Facebook, or in the comment section below. Thanks for reading!

Fork Power

“What you find at the end of your fork is more powerful than anything you’ll find at the bottom of a pill bottle.” ~ Dr. Mark Hyman

Young Forever, Dr. Mark Hyman

This week, I’ve been watching the 2024 Food Revolution Docuseries, which brings forth information from many experts in the fields of medicine and nutrition. I’ve enjoyed all the presentations, but especially yesterday’s session on Brain Health. This episode discussed the latest scientific information regarding prevention of Alzheimer’s, memory loss and other brain related disease. Those who follow me, know this is a major driving force behind the personal work I am doing on this blog and in my life. Having witnessed first hand what Alzheimers does, to both the patient and the family, I am determined to do anything in my power to prevent this disease. One quote stood out to me during the summit, “you have the power at the end of your fork to delay, or prevent this disease.” The quote, I believe, is attributed to Dr Mark Hyman, well known functional medical doctor and author. His book, Young Forever, provides a simple blue print to live a healthier life, including nutritional changes.

When my grandmother and mother contracted Alzheimer’s, doctors said there was nothing we could do. It was uncurable and would run it’s normal course. When I started researching Alzheimer’s, too late for my mother, I learned that nutrition indeed plays a major role in the onset of the disease. For far too long, research has focused on the treatment of the disease, once the patient is diagnosed. Current research, shared in this docuseries, looked more at prevention of the disease, which is where success may be found. The staggering facts are that women in their 60s are twice as likely to get Alzheimer’s. And, the primary determinant is their diet and lifestyle, yes genetics play a role, but studies now show that diet and lifestyle have more impact than ever thought. Alzheimer’s is not inevitable!

We can all agree that food is a powerful tool in our health journey. Everyone agrees that poor nutrition has an impact on cardiovascular disease, diabetes and overall health and wellness. We now know that the brain is also heavily impacted by poor nutrition. Saturated fats have been linked to high LDL levels and an increased risk of Alzheimer’s. Polysaturated fats (not coconut oil) have been shown to lower risks of Alzheimer’s disease. Here are some of the takeaways from this episode.

Plant strong whole foods have been shown to improve brain health. Eating foods high in Omega 3 fatty acids are needed by the brain on a daily basis. Best plant based sources are chia seeds, hemp seeds, kale, flax and walnuts and these should be eaten daily. When eating nuts and seeds, you don’t need more than a handful a day. Healthy fat, such as avocado, is considered a brain health food. They shared that diets high in meat, especially red meat, have been linked to Alzheimer’s, followed by eggs and high fat dairy products. I’ve shared a lot about my personal journey to whole food plant based eating in past posts found here Change Our Thinking About Food and Sugar Sugar.

Supplementation

I am a vegan, so I do take a supplement to ensure I am getting enough Omega3 fatty acids, Vitamin B, D, Zinc, Magnesium and Iodine. I love the Essential Vitamins brand and take Complement multivitamins daily. I recently put my husband, who is not vegan, on them as well and he speaks often of the increase in energy that he feels. I highly recommend these and love that I don’t have multiple jars of separate supplements anymore.

Hydration

There was a discussion about the importance of hydration for brain health. Specifically, they discussed studies that showed the brain shrinks when dehydrated. We have a greater capacity for mental focus and wellness when we are properly hydrated. They listed water as the best choice for hydration, followed by green tea and coffee, but without dairy, or sugary add ons. I try to drink 80 ounces of water a day, I’m not always successful, but am definitely drinking more than I used to. I fill my 80 ounce container every morning with intention to finish it. I do use the water from this container when making tea. They also said it was more important to hydrate throughout the entire day and not to drink large amounts at one time.

Sleep

Sleep is most overlooked when it comes to its impact on our brain health. Many of us, myself included, struggle with sleep. When at my worst, I definitely became worried by my brain fog and began to question if it was something more. Sleep is the main means for our body to cleanse our organs, including our brains. Restorative sleep is critical to brain health and the major reason I started tracking my sleep. I can see the difference in how I feel on days when my sleep was interrupted vs days when I’ve had a deep and restorative sleep. You can read about my sleep routines on these past blog posts, found here Sleep Your Secret Weapon and Sweet Dreams.

Meditation and Mindfulness

Engaging in a regular yoga and meditation practice can help us manage stress. Living in a chronic state of stress has major impacts on our mental health and wellness. Yoga practices can deliberately activate our parasympathetic nervous system and ease our stress response. I can attest to this personally, as I have shared the negative impact my high stress career, couple with the pandemic had on my health. Living in a chronic state of stress, caused weight gain, brain fog and lack of sleep. I was likely one step away from a breakdown. You can read more about the impact of stress on my health in this post I shared, Stress.

Overall, the docuseries on brain health and research, was insightful and provided validation for life changes I have made. I found it uplifting and inspiring and motivated me to keep on this path I’ve chosen. Hearing the researchers say that Alzheimer’s is not inevitable, provided me hope that through dietary and lifestyle changes, I can indeed delay or prevent this memory robbing disease. I hope you too will spend some time learning about the power found at the end of your fork and on your plate. Your future self will thank you, as will your family.

Feel free to reach out if you have any questions, or comments, about this week’s blog. I do provide links to products I use and recommend, available at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon associate, I may receive compensation for any purchase made, which offsets the cost of running this blog. Thank you for reading and for your continued support of this blog. You can reach me via email at laurakump@reclaiminghealth.blog, on Instagram or Facebook, or in the comment section below.

Mother’s Whisper

Your mother is always with you…
She’s the whisper of the leaves
as you walk down the street.
She’s the cool hand on your brow
when you’re not well.
Your mother lives inside your laughter.
She’s crystallized in every tear drop.
She’s the place you came from,
your first home…
She’s the map you follow
with every step that you take.
She’s your first love
and your first heart break…
and nothing on earth can separate you.
Not time, Not space
Not even death
will ever separate you
from your mothe
You carry her inside of you

-Deborah Culver

Mother’s Day is rapidly approaching, I felt it long before I knew the actual date. Missing my mother is something I’ve grown into, but not something I adjust to. I know how much I was loved, but felt ill prepared for the day I’d go on without her. Yet, here I am four years into this journey.

I’m a very nostalgic person at my core. I have strong memories that live inside me and I try to share them here on this blog, especially in my older cooking posts. Here is one such example, Isn’t it Ironic. Or, This is Us which talks about holding on to those items that have memories connected to them. Finally, my Mother’s Day post from back in 2018. Not much has changed, except I won’t be serving meat based meatballs this year. I do have a nice vegan version of meatballs to serve over zucchini noodles though.

I’ve learned along the way, that the best gift to give, or receive, is the gift of time. Spending time together means more to me than any flowers you send, though I love flowers. I do, however, love giving and receiving gifts that carry special meaning and memories. When it comes to Mother’s Day gifts, I always tried to attach that sentimentality to my selections. These are a few of the things I’ve been looking at for myself this year, all connected to family traditions, memories and of course, health.

*I only share things I personally love, whenever sharing items, and if you purchase through these links, there is no additional costs incurred to you. I may receive a small compensation from Amazon, which offsets the costs of running my blog, so thank you for your support.

Mother’s Day Gift Guide 2024

A Loving Table:Creating Memorable Gatherings, Kimberly Whitman

A truly stunning coffee table book that carries such a beautiful testament to family traditions. Beautiful photographs and words, take us on a journey. Inspiring tables and entertaining styles of 34 tastemakers in their regions or society at large show how they keep traditions passed down from mothers and grandmothers alive in their families. Each style maker shares tips and lessons in entertaining that she learned from the women in her life. Tip boxes from each generation will help the readers learn from them and use their ideas, or even better create their own traditions. This book pulled at me from the start, but the fact it was published on my birthday, made me feel all the more connected.

Fitbit Versa 4 Fitness Smartwatch with Daily Readiness, GPS, 24/7 Heart Rate, 40+ Exercise Modes, Sleep Tracking and more

I’ve been wearing my Fitbit for years and truly think it is the best gift of health you can give to anyone in your life. What get’s measured, gets improved and this watch allows me to measure my daily activity, heart rate and more. The most important measurement for my health journey has been my sleep tracking. I have really improved my sleep through awareness. I have written about the importance of sleep on my blog several times. Consider visiting one of these posts to learn more – Sweet Dreams and Sleep Your Secret Weapon.

Ninja BL770 Mega Kitchen System, 1500W, 4 Functions for Smoothies, Processing, Dough, Drinks & More

I love this system so much, I’ve bought it twice. It was the first thing I purchased when I moved to my new home and I gifted one to my daughter in law. It’s truly the best gift you can give, or get, this Mother’s Day. It is a key component of my cooking and healthy lifestyle and one I use daily. I make morning smoothies, full of healthy vegetables and fruit to start my day off strong and I use the food processor almost daily to prepare my plant based recipes. I’ve had an expensive Vitamix, but the ease of use and especially cleaning of this machine makes it the winner, hands down! It is a must have for any home cook in your life.

Maman and Me: Recipes from Our Iranian American Family by Roya Shariat and Gita Sadeh

This is on my personal gift list this year, so I hope my family is reading. A gorgeous cookbook filled with 78 delicious cook-at-home Iranian American recipes from a mother and daughter. The authors welcome you into their home, as they share their family recipes that include soups and stews, main dishes, desserts, beverages, and so much more. The book takes a unique approach to Iranian cuisine, with recipes and twists that celebrate the evolution of Iranian food in America. I have been expanding my cooking repertoire to include more international recipes and this book looks so exciting. I cannot wait to try the garlicky eggplant dip!

Pasta Grannies: The Official Cookbook: The Secrets of Italy’s Best Home Cooks

In NYC, we often ate at a beautiful restaurant called, Nonnas. The chefs rotated and were all Nonnas from different regions. There is a Youtube channel put out by the Nonnas in this book. I highly recommend you check them out and this book as well. I mean, who doesn’t love pasta? I love making homemade pasta for my family. Fresh ingredients and homemade are so much healthier than processed pasta offerings in boxes at supermarkets. Give it a try, even if you limit your pasta indulgence, you’ll be glad you did.

Body Restore Shower Steamers Aromatherapy 15 Packs – Stress Relief and Effortless Self Care, Lavender Bath Bombs

I love these shower steamers and bath bombs, especially as a way to end the day. Totally relaxing and feels so comforting. Cannot go wrong with this gift for anyone in your life, for any gift event.

I hope you enjoy shopping for those you love as much as I do. I am honored to share my journey with you all and hope you get what you most want this year, health and happiness. In life, there is no gift we need more than that. I’ll close with a loving kindness meditation poem and hope it brings you joy this Mother’s Day.

May you be safe.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you live with ease.

As always, feel free to reach out anytime. I love hearing about your journeys. You can contact me via email at laurakump@reclaiminghealth.blog, or on Instagram or Facebook.

Move to Live

“…but I now consider exercise to be the most potent longevity “drug” in our arsenal, in terms of lifespan and healthspan. The data are unambiguous: exercise not only delays actual death but also prevents both cognitive and physical decline, better than any other intervention.”
― Peter Attia, Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity

When I was an educator, we had an initiative called, Move to Improve that was instituted by the city as a means to draw attention to health and wellness. The main focus was on the benefits of exercise to student health and its connection to improved learning. When I think of moving these days, my focus is still on the connection of exercise to my overall wellness, but also am focused on healthy longevity. Nutrition is often thought of as the most important of the health pillars, however, movement could actually be far more important. Dr William Sears, lists movement as a key component in his pillars for healthy living and states, “sit less, move more, live longer“.

Doing less sitting and moving more, can be tied to living longer. Replacing 30 minutes per day of sedentary time with 30 minutes of physical activity at a light intensity was associated with a 17% lower risk of early death in a study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology. Thirty minutes (30) would be your minimum movement per day and is a good starting point for many beginning a health journey, after long periods of being sedentary. It can be an simple as a 30 minute walk per day to begin. It is where I began my journey as well, and a commitment I made to myself, that no matter what the day brings, I would get at least a 30 minute walk every day outside in nature. I have kept this promise to myself for over a year now and it has had a huge impact on both my physical and emotional wellness.

Obviously, the hope is that you continue to increase your movement as you feel healthier and more able. I will share my journey to increase movement over the past year below. I would caution you to ease into any new routine and always have a physical with your medical professional before staring any exercise program.

Walking

Terribly out of shape, this former long distance runner needed to start slowly after a year and a half of not moving following a running injury. I made a commitment to myself to walk AT LEAST 30 minutes outside in nature every day. I simply walked my dog for 30 minutes every day. Being outside in nature is great for mental wellness, so please do leave the headsets home and enjoy the sights and sounds.

Tracking Movement

I’ve shared before that I wear a Fitbit tracker on my wrist every day. I now shoot for 10,000 steps each day, but when I started out I shot for 5,000, then increased to 8,000. It’s best to set goals that you will meet at first, because that will motivate you to continue. The tracker counts all movement, so even just walking in your house will get you credit. I never realized how sedentary I truly was until I wore the tracker. The one I linked is currently on a great sale now at Amazon at 25% off. I also wear this to bed to track my sleep (see my post on sleep here) every night, so it’s a win win device for wellness.

Yoga

I was far away from the shape I was in when I used to do daily power yoga classes, but that was just fine. I returned to my yoga practice, taking it slowly. I started out with very gentle Hatha yoga classes, which involved seated poses and stretching of muscles. As I improved, I moved to gentle flow classes and gradually increased the difficulty. Yoga is truly a key to my overall wellness program. It keeps my muscles supple, strengthens, improves breathing through breath work and improves my emotional wellness. I highly recommend yoga to anyone seeking to improve their wellness. It is accessible to any one, as you can modify it to suit your body. You can even take a chair yoga class when starting. Don’t hesitate to take yoga, you don’t have to be “fit” to start, just start. (Read my post on yoga here.)

Strength Training

As we age we lose muscle mass, strength and function, starting as young as 30 years old. The good news is that we can offset these loses through strength training. You don’t have to join Crossfit to build muscle, though it is a fabulous workout. Light weights, body weight movements, or use of circuit machines are a great option to add into your wellness routine. I try to do light weight training, combined with body weight exercises at least 2x a week. I did not start this immediately when returning to exercise, rather, when I felt ready, added it in. I use light dumbells, the Smith machine barbell at the gym, push ups and hanging pull ups mainly in my current routine. Start with a 3 pound dumbell and work your way up from there.

Aerobic Exercise

In order to improve fitness, strength, stamina, mood and cardiovascular health, I worked my way back to including aerobic exercise in my weekly exercise routine. It took me several months to get there, as I slowly increased my readiness. I love playing pickball and play at least 3 times each week, year round. I would love to get back to running regularly, but will never run long distance again. It’s just not necessary. I have been running one mile occasionally and it does feel good. Building our aerobic capacity is an important component of your wellness journey, so begin to think about what you enjoy doing. There are many options including, swimming, biking, interval training, running, tennis, pickleball, etc.

Balance

Balance is key. Do not overdo fitness, especially at first. Remember, we are in this for the long term, quite literally. Make a plan for your week and ensure you include rest days. That doesn’t mean you are sedentary, you still should have at least 30 minutes of movement. Remember walking is the easiest and most powerful tool in your fitness regime.

In his book, Outlive:The Art and Science of Longevity, Peter Attia, MD provides us with a guide to understanding why and what we should be doing to potentially offset chronic disease and live a longer and healthier life. He writes and explains in quite clear and understandable language. I am truly grateful to have come across this book and thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I highly recommend you become more informed about aging and longevity, even if you are under 30. It is critical to understand that the choices we make have implications on us in the future. Changing our stance from treating illnesses we develop later in life, to living better now to prevent their development will serve us all well. I for one have been on this path for quite some time now and am still far from an expert. I am just living my best life and planning for my future self. I hope you’ll take the time out to read this book, but if not, I hope you’ll take time out to reexamine your daily movement and exercise routines. Your future self will thank you, as will your family who will enjoy more quality time spent with you.

If you have any questions, or comments about my blog, please do feel free to reach out to me at laurakump@reclaiminghealth.blog, on Instagram, Facebook, or in the comment section below.

*As an Amazon associate, I may receive compensation for any of the links I have provided. This helps offset the cost of running my blog, so I thank you in advance.

Sugar Sugar

Sugar caused obesity, tooth decay, and diabetes long before anyone ever heard of a calorie. – Case Against Sugar

In the book, Case Against Sugar, Gary Taubes states, “Sugar is not just a delicious pleasure. It is a toxic substance that is wreaking havoc on our bodies and our brains.” Sugar is lurking in all foods, especially processed foods. When you start reading food labels for more than just the calorie counts, you find sugar has many fancy names to hide behind. Next time you go shopping, pick up any item you are buying and scan the food labels. Look down beneath where you usually look and seek out the list of ingredients. There you will likely find many words you cannot even pronounce and many different names for sugar. These include common names, such as sucrose and high-fructose corn syrup, as well as barley malt, dextrose, maltose and rice syrup, among others. Healthline Nutrition provides a list of 56 names for sugar on their website found here.

One of the good things about eating whole food plant based, or whole food diets is that by eliminating processed foods, we are eliminating a main source of sugar intake. There are different schools of thought on sugar intake when eating whole foods, but I believe in eliminating all refined sugars and natural sweeteners such as Stevia, honey and agave. There is research to support the use of those and also research that supports the dangers of using. For me, I made a personal decision to avoid them. You will make your own personal decisions regarding those sweetener options. The only thing I use for sweetening, when necessary in recipes, are fresh dates, date syrup and pure maple syrup. I don’t use them often and find myself using less and less as my taste buds change.

Just a word about fruit, as I know many people won’t eat fruit due to fructose. According to Michael Greger, M.D., only commercially-produced fructose, not whole fruit-derived fructose, associates with a decline in liver function and an increase in high blood pressure. This short video, If Fructose is Bad, What About Fruit?, shares his thoughts. Additionally, his ground breaking book, How Not to Die, has been deemed, “Absolutely the best book I’ve read on nutrition and diet” by Dan Buettner, author of The Blue Zones Solution. For a simple read on nutrition and food choices, I highly recommend this easy to understand and refreshing book, Chew on This, by Brook Bussard, MD.

Here are some simple steps I used to reduce sugar:

• Read Labels – Look for added sugar in the ingredients list to ensure no sugar has been added during processing. Products are considered to be high in sugar if they have more than 22.5g of total sugars per 100g. They are considered low if they have 5g or less of total sugars per 100g.
• If it’s in the house it’s in the mouth – Don’t buy any refined sugars, or sweet treats that contain high levels of sugar. If you have it you will use and eat it. If you need something sweet after dinner, have a few black grapes or piece of fruit instead.
• Coffee Creamers & Nut Milks – I don’t buy any coffee creamers or nut milks. I have been making my own for the past 6 months and can’t believe how easy and delicious it is. The important piece here is I have full control over what goes in my coffee and nut milks and it’s not chemicals or sugar! This machine was a bit pricey, but I like that I can also make smoothies and purees in here. I’m also saving money on store bought milks. Very versatile machine and super easy! No need to strain or soak the nuts. 8 in 1 Nut Milk Machine
• Eat Plant Based Diet – I am eating 100% plant based, but that is my personal choice, based on science. If you are not ready for that, just increasing your plant and fruit intake can have an impact on your sugar reduction. That is because plant-based diets are low in saturated fat (a culprit behind insulin resistance) and high in fiber, which helps the body to regulate blood sugar and properly absorb nutrients. Plant-based diets also reduce the risk of being overweight or obese, a primary risk factor for Type 2 diabetes. Get a free plant based guide from Forks Over Knives.
• Drink More Water – I drink half my body weight in ounces each day. It’s not always easy, but I do my best. Currently, I fill and use this 80 ounce jug to ensure I meet my goals. I hated having all those plastic bottles and often lost count of what I was drinking. Just a note, I do use the water in it for any coffee, or tea I consume in the day. I don’t drink any other types of drinks, including alchohol.
• Cook – I’ve long advocated home cooking for healthier options and ingredient control. Here are two recent blogs on this topic. Cooking to Nourish Your Mind, Body & Soul and Cookbook Recommendations.

I believe reducing refined sugar intake has had a positive impact on my health and weight loss. Becoming more aware of what I am putting in my body has been a true help. The weight continues to come off, but more importantly, I feel better. I hope you’ll consider looking at your current intake of sugar. You will be surprised at all the places it is hiding. Let me know how it goes and if you have any questions, reach out to me at laurakump@reclaiminghealth.blog. If you find sugar lurking on a food label, take a photo and tag me on Instagram, so we can learn together. I’d love to hear how you do!

*This post may contain affiliate links and as an Amazon Associate, I may receive compensation for them. This helps offset the cost of running this blog, so I thank you for your support.

Cookbook Recommendations

“I cannot stress a greater importance than to teach the young generation about the risks of unhealthy eating. A great way to pique their interest in nutrition is to involve them more in the cooking process. They not only will learn to cook for themselves, but also develop a lifetime of healthy habits.” – Marcus Samuelsson

I have found that the best way for me to take control of my health has been to cook my own meals. I know it sounds like a huge undertaking, but it is so worth the investment of your time. How better to control what we are putting into our bodies, than to be the person selecting the ingredients used?

There are many ways to make cooking work with our busy schedules and I too have struggled with that. The easiest way to make things work, is to keep things simple. You do not have to spend hours in the kitchen. If you are not sure where to start, I will share some of the cookbooks I use on a daily basis. They are my go to for easy meals, with minimum ingredients and time needed. These recipes are simple, yet delicious. Sometimes, less is more.

PlantYou: Scrappy Cooking – The newest cookbook from highly popular author Carleigh Bodrug is packed with over 150+ whole-food, plant-based recipes that show the reader how to make the most of the food they have in their fridge and pantry with easy and approachable vegan recipes anyone can make. It is my newest addition and I am loving her fresh ideas and that it helps me avoid wasting food. Truly worth exploring, especially if you are new to plant based cooking.

Plant You – Also, by Carleigh Bodrug, this book is a ridiculously easy plant-based, oil-free cookbook with over 140+ healthy vegan recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, cheese sauces, salad dressings, dessert and more! It’s actually so good, I accidentally bought it twice! Very accessible to use and recipes are simple, yet delicious!

Joyfull – This newly released cookbook by Radhi Delvukia-Shetty, soared to the top of the NY Times booklist in it’s first weeks. The book includes, more than 125 plant-based recipes and a practical approach to making deeply flavorful food for feeling your best. I absolutely love this book. The recipes have a few more steps thank the Plant You series, but they are worth the time. Perhaps use this for weekend meals, or nights where you have a bit more time.

Big Vegan Flavor – This book, by Nisha Vora, will be released on September 3, but I have already preordered it. I love ever recipe Nisha shares and am anxiously awaiting this book. The benefit of preorder is that I am guaranteed a copy on the first release. Trust me this will sell out as Nisha is wildly popular on social media, under the name Rainbow Plant Life. These recipes provide us with restaurant quality meals that I use often. Highly recommend, especially if you love to cook like I do.

Those are the books I use daily and recommend you have in your collection. I am aware you can get many recipes online, but as a home cook, I have grown tired of the computer constantly going to sleep in the middle of preparation. I find it so much easier to have my cookbook out and open. If you’d like a cookbook stand on the counter that can hold your book, or ipad, this is a nice option.

I hope you get excited about cooking through these books. Please let me know if you try one. Even if you are not vegan, adding in plant based meals to your weekly rotation can help improve your health. Many of you actually do Meatless Mondays, so these books can give you some new ideas. Please share photos of anything you cook on Instagram and tag me @ReclaimingHealthBlog.

*As an Amazon Associate, I may receive compensation on any links provided. This helps support the running of this website and I thank you for your support.

Sweet Dreams

“AMAZING BREAKTHROUGH! Scientists have discovered a revolutionary new treatment that makes you live longer. It enhances your memory and makes you more creative. It makes you look more attractive. It keeps you slim and lowers food cravings. It protects you from cancer and dementia. It wards off colds and the flu. It lowers your risk of heart attacks and stroke, not to mention diabetes. You’ll even feel happier, less depressed, and less anxious. Are you interested?”
― Matthew Walker, Why We Sleep: The New Science of Sleep and Dreams

During my time as a school leader, I worked with many talented professional developers. One thing we always did was, “get our house in order” before making change. You can’t just add new initiatives without taking stock of what you already have in place. We call this cleaning our house to prepare for the work. The same premise holds true as we move through our health journey. Before adding new initiatives, we need to take stock of where we are at, and see what we already have in place. It can be less complicated to build upon what we have, or make simpler changes. Other times, we need to do a deep cleaning and just start over. In order to know which direction you need to go, you need to take stock of your current state of health.

Taking Stock

When taking stock of your health, I recommend you start with a complete physical from your health care provider. If you prefer, seek out a functional medical expert in your area and make an appointment. Sadly though, most of these practitioners don’t take medical insurance making it unaffordable for many of us. In any event, you want to have a full panel of bloodwork done to check in on your cholesterol, glucose, hormone and nutritional levels. This testing can give you a clear baseline and idea of your current state of health.

Another, critical measure of our health is our sleep patterns. Most of us are not aware of the importance of sleep to our well being, I know I wasn’t. Sleep is so foundational to our health, that a lack of sleep can wreak havoc on it. It’s not just about the amount of time we sleep we get each night, rather it’s about the quality of that sleep.

Matthew Walker, in his New York Times bestselling book, Why We Sleep:The New Science of Sleep and Dreams lays out clearly for us the true scope of the importance of sleep. He examines how sleep affects our physical and mental well-being, including how to prevent disease and slow the effects of aging, while increasing longevity. Further, he provides actionable steps that will help you sleep better every night.

In all honesty, nothing I have done in my eight (8) year journey to reclaim my health, has had more of an impact than improving my sleep.

How to Assess and Measure Sleep

They say, what get’s measured, gets improved and this applies to your sleep as well. Without some form of measurement, how would you truly know the quality of your sleep. I assessed and measured my sleep in two distinct and different ways.

• Sleep Study – I went to a sleep doctor at the beginning of last year to have a sleep study conducted. You can have this done at the center, where you spend the night and they monitor your sleep. I chose to do the study in my home, in my own bed. The doctor provided me with a ring, that was worn on my finger throughout the night. The data went through my cellphone and the doctor then provided me with a report on the quality of my sleep.
• Daily Monitoring – I wanted to continue monitoring my sleep on a regular basis to notice patterns in my sleep, specifically disruptions. This has helped me immensely, in that I can identify what impacts my sleep each night. Identifying these conditions can help me make changes to improve. I wear a Fitbit Versa 3 watch to monitor my daily activity and health. This watch provides me a comprehensive report on my sleep each night, along with monthly reports that identify trends. I have worn the watch for over 5 years and not had any issues with it. It has been one of the best purchases I made. If you want a smaller faced version of this watch, I recommend the Fitbit Charge 5. That will be what I purchase when it’s time to upgrade, but since mine is working well I’m keeping it.

What Keeps Us From Sleeping Well

Interrupted sleep, or lack of sleep, can be caused by many factors. For me personally, I was living with constant stress from my professional life, especially during and post COVID. This stress caused me to be unable to fall asleep and stay asleep. Each night, my mind wold be racing with worry over tasks to complete, or concerns over children and their families. I would lay awake each night and it would be common to find I sent an email, posted on Twitter, or Instagram at 3 AM. It was eye opening to see how many colleagues and friends were also awake to interact with at that time.

Each of us has a unique experience with sleep, including the cause for any sleep disturbances.

Impact on My Health

The inability to get a good night’s sleep for extended periods of time took a huge toll on my health. I was exhausted physically, mentally and emotionally. I started to get serious brain fog and began to wonder if I was showing early signs of dementia. It was frightening to me when I felt this confusion, especially given our family history of Alzheimer’s. I had great difficulty losing weight and my doctor told me point blank, if I didn’t get my sleep in order, I wasn’t going to see results. It was so frustrating to me and only caused more anxiety and worry for my brain to go over each night. I felt like I was on a merry go round ride and couldn’t get off.

Ways I’ve Improved My Sleep

1. Daily Routine – Consistency in our rhythms and routines can foster predictability to our body. I have a specific bedtime each night, 10 PM, and stick to it whenever possible. I wake at the same time daily, generally around 5 AM these days.
2. Sleep Routine – I turn off electronic devices, including phones, an hour before going to bed. I do not watch TV in bed and try not to watch news, or violent shows before going to bed.
3. Food Routine – I eat my main meal of the day at lunchtime. My dinner is lighter and this helps me sleep better. I have a cup of Organic Chamomile Tea after dinner to begin winding down my body. Before I get into bed each night, I drink 4 ounces of Rootcology Magnesium supplement. This helps me relax and provides needed minerals to my body.
4. Room Routine – My bedroom is kept cool, quiet and dark, with no nightlights. This is important, as being comfortable is a critical component of sleep. My phone is face down on my night table and set to Sleep Mode. If I wake at night to use the bathroom, I do not look at the phone to see what time it is. This only caused anxiety and lack of sleep in the past.
5. Alcohol – This really needs its own blog post, but I will mention it here. I do not drink alcohol anymore. When tracking, it was clear as day that it impacted my sleep in a huge way. Yes, you may fall asleep easier, but you won’t sleep well. If I do have a drink, I won’t have it later in the day and I will have no more than one.
6. Massage – I use Banyan Sleep Easy Oil every night and apply when I get into bed. I massage a small amount on my temples and the soles of both feet each night. You only need a very small amount of this oil and I put on when I get into bed to avoid getting it on my floor. Banyan makes very high quality Ayurvedic products that I personally use.

Matthew Walker’s book gives other specific ideas from which you can choose. These are the main areas I personally worked on this past year and I have seen strong improvement in the quality of my sleep and overall health. I have lost 60 pounds and my LDL cholesterol went down 30 points. I have made nutritional changes as well, but know from past experience, without sleep improvement I would not have had these results. I hope you consider reading the book and making some improvements to your sleep. It will be worth the investment!

If you have any questions, or want to discuss more ideas for better sleep, do not hesitate to reach out to me via email at, laurakump@reclaiminghealth.blog, on Instagram or in the comment section below.

*As an Amazon Associate, I may receive compensation on any links provided. This helps support the running of this website and I thank you for your support.

Miracle Morning

“Good morning is not just a word. It’s an action and a belief to live the entire day well. Morning is the time when you set the tone for the rest of the day. Set it right!” — Fain Blake

In his book, The Miracle Morning, Hal Elrod argues that everyone is capable of achieving their dreams in every area of life. The answer is found through committing yourself to a morning self care routine, which can empower anyone to transform any area of their life in a surprisingly short time. Mornings have long been my favorite time of day, especially early morning before the sun rise. I just love the quiet and stillness of the morning, before the world has awakened. I’ve witnessed so many beautiful sunrises, especially here at the beach and I’m most productive in the morning.

Hal Elrod, in his book, describes a specific morning routine you can follow each day. I have followed that routine for many years effectively. Lately, I’ve made some tweaks to my morning routine, to reflect my current exploration and learning about health and nutrition. I’m leaning into Ayurvedic teachings and exploring some simple morning routines. The Little Book of Grounding: Seventy-Five Simple Ways to Restore Balance to Your Mind–Body–Spirit Using Ancient Ayurvedic Teachings for Today’s World, by Karen Sibal, is a great place to start if you want simple information and advice about Ayurvedic teachings. It is currently being offered digitally for free on Amazon.

What is Ayurvedic Nutrition

Translated from Sanskrit, Ayurveda means “science of life.” Ayurveda is a complete system of medicine in India, which includes the prevention and treatment of disease. One focus is on nourishing the body through food, eating for balance and harmony with nature and using nutrition to address health concerns, along with conventional care.

Ayurvedic Eating Principles

In her new cookbook, JoyFull: Cook Effortlessly, Eat Freely, Live Radiantly, Radhi Devlukia-Shetty shares in a practical manner, principles of an Ayurvedic lifestyle, with a focus on food and simple morning wellness routines.

Ayurvedic Principles:

• Eat Seasonally – Nature provides us with food for every season. Eating from these seasonal foods will help balance your energy. When we eat seasonally, we are said to be better nourished.
• Eating Organic – Buy locally grown foods which are organic. Realistically, this can be challenging depending on your location. Frozen fruit and vegetables, along with no salt canned bean options can fill any gaps. Also, if you cannot afford organic, use guides for the most important produce to spend the extra money on. One such list is known as the Dirty Dozen shopping guide, found for free on EWG’s website.
• Cycles of Nature – Our bodies follow the circadian rhythms of nature. Eating your meals in alignment with this rhythm is important. Breakfast is the warm up for the day and your digestive fires. A warm breakfast such as stewed apples, or a smoothie are good to get your body moving. Lunch, is the beginning of our highest energy part of the day and we should consume our largest meal at this time. Dinner time finds our body getting ready to transition towards sleep. This meal should be a light meal, so as not to interfere with this transition, or the quality of our sleep.
• Snacks – It is believed that we get all our nutritional needs from our meals during the day, making snacks unnecessary.

Morning Routine

After reflecting on my morning routine, coupled with these ideas, I made a few changes. The new self-care routine, is based on information provided in the Joyfull Cookbook. Here is my current daily routine:

• I wake each day at 5:00 A.M.
• Self-Care & Reflexology Routine :
• I stand on my Daiwa Felicity Foot Massager Reflexology Mat with Magnetic Therapy Acupressure Disc while I wash my face, brush my teeth, dry brush my skin and apply massage oil. This disc is used for reflexology, which is a therapy that applies gentle pressure to specific points along your feet to help you feel better. The theory is that this will ease stress, and help your body work better. I wear thin socks when doing this and am working towards being barefoot on it.
• Mouth care – I use a tongue scraper to remove the film from the night off my tongue. It is believed that tongue scraping removes debris and bacteria from the tongue, improving mouth health and bad breath. It may also improve your sense of taste. I then brush my teeth and follow this up with oil pulling, using a perfect blend of oil, vitamins and herbs that leaves my breath, teeth and gums invigorated for hours.
• Skin & Body Care – I wash my face. I then begin to dry brush my entire body, using upward strokes towards the heart. I make circular motions with the brush on joints and the stomach area. Dry brushing is said to exfoliate and detoxify skin. Once I have dry brushed my entire body, I apply massage oil , working it into the skin, using massaging strokes. This oil moistures your skin and has a warming effect on me. If I am going out early, I shower following dry brushing and apply the oil after my shower.
• Breakfast – When I enter my kitchen, I light my scented candle on the stove and begin to prepare my food. Most days, I have a smoothie because it’s easy, but I do rotate in some Chai Oatmeal (Recipe found in Joyfull).
• Morning Movement – I go for an early morning walk, often the sun is just starting to rise. Some days, I go a little bit later after journaling, reading and reflecting. It really depends on the events I have planned for the day. If journaling and reading, I sit in my chair with my scented candle nearby. I plan to add some breath work here, but have not started yet.

This morning routine really is very simple, but powerful, my favorite kind of routine. It helps me enter the day in a great frame of mind and energy. I have been far less stressed, so it definitely is easing stress and anxiety for me. If I didn’t say this already, I do not have the morning news on during any of the routine. I like to sit in the quiet of my home. I’m very excited to see how the new skin routine helps my dry winter skin!

If you’d like to try any of the routines mentioned above, I highly recommend you consider purchasing the Joyfull Cookbook as a great tool. The recipes are fantastic, nourishing and easy to prepare. Radhi’s simplicity in explaining her beliefs and morning routines are an added bonus. The cycle of the body aligned with nature, really made sense to me. I had been eating my main meal at lunch for years, but it was helpful understand why it is important.

If you have any questions about my morning routine, or where to start, please do not hesitate to contact me via email at laurakump@reclaiminghealth.blog, on Instagram or in the comment section below. Let’s make use our morning routines to capture the energy, strength and beauty of the sunrise.

*All items are linked in the post, and as an Amazon Associate, I may receive compensation for any purchase made. I thank you for the support as it helps cover my expenses for running this website.

Growing Wings

“There is freedom waiting for you,

On the breezes of the sky,

And you ask “What if I fall?

Oh but my darling,

What if you fly?”

– Erin Hanson

When I was teaching, I absolutely loved being in the classroom. I was first asked to be an Instructional Coach back in my early years of teaching and didn’t want to leave the classroom. My Principal at the time said to me that within my classroom, I would impact the lives of my students for the year they are with me, maybe beyond. If I stepped outside the classroom and worked with educators, I’d have impact on many more students through this work. In the end, I made the transition and loved it, going on to become a Principal a short time later.

My Principal was right in his advice, sometimes we have to step outside our comfort zone and share our knowledge and learning with others. It has been said, that the knowledge we gain, if not shared or used, is knowledge wasted. That’s one of the reasons I started this blog years ago, as both a source of strength for me on my journey and to engage with others on similar paths. It is through these connections that I both learn and share my learning.

Over the past year, I have engaged in the study of nutrition and wellness. I am now a Certified Wellness Coach. I am finishing up my 200 hour yoga teacher certification to become a Yoga Alliance Certified Yoga Teacher and taking an additional 20 hour course on Somatic Yoga for Therapy. Additionally, I am completing an 8 week deep dive into Whole Food Plant Based Nutrition. I know it sounds like a lot, but I have always been a certified knowledge junkie. I love to learn and would have chosen full time student as my best career! I am now beginning to think of ways I can share my learning with others. I’m developing plans to begin sharing my learning in a more systematic way.

What I believe I can offer to the conversation on health and wellness, is a deeply rooted understanding of what high stress, example, from executive level positions, can do to one’s health and wellness. I have lived through that journey and know that most corporations don’t offer plans, or take into account how to provide continuous systems to address wellness. Merely offering discounts on outside plans, or apps is truly not enough, as most people don’t take advantage of them. I am hesitant to dip my toes in the wellness water, as I feel the imposter syndrome voice raising her voice in my ear, but will push through those doubts.

I’d also like to work with women like me, who have tried many times to get this right and failed. I’ve lived that journey as well, starting over time and again. I have learned so much this past year, that I wish I knew during the past eight years of my health journey. Perhaps I would have had more success along the bumpy road. Perhaps, I was meant to fail over and over to push me to learn more and find my way. Perhaps I am right where I’m supposed to be. Many of you have reached out and shared your connections to my journey and that has fueled me forward. I’d love to get some groups going and will launch one in the coming months on my Instagram page. I will offer fully online groups, as well as in person for local people.

I’d like to deepen the sharing of my personal journey and use that as the vehicle to help others get started. Most of us are afraid to put ourselves out there and ask for help. We fear judgement from others who are in optimal shape and fear we are too far gone to be able to make this journey. I am living proof that it is never too late to try again. I am going to put together some specific content to help others get started on their path to reclaiming their health.

As you know, I am a small steps, big results person. I know full well that if it feels complicated, it likely won’t happen. In the coming months, I’ll be working on building some content and will be sharing information here and on my Instagram page. I hope you’ll take this journey with me in some form. I always learn from your journey and feedback. Even if just one person is helped by something I share, I will consider myself successful.

If you have any questions, feedback, or comments on any of my blogs, reach out to me via email at laurakump@reclaiminghealth.blog, on Instagram or in the comment section below.

Svadhyaya – Study of Self

“Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.” – Aristotle

The word svadhyaya means to engage in the study of self. It is deep work that seeks to go beyond the mind’s explanation of who we are, to find the true essence of ourselves at our core. It is work that can help us realize who we truly are, through recognizing our habits and thought processes.

Throughout our lives we are guided by voices inside that seem to know right from wrong. Some call this our conscience, others the divine. I call that inner voice our ego as many times we are acting out of a sense of self preservation, proving we are indeed deserving and good enough. I also call it the inner critic, the voice that criticizes, doubts and causes us endless anxiety. We live our entire lives with these conversations going on in our minds, but rarely take the time to study them. It is, however, through engaging in the study of self, we can become more aware of the things we do that harm us, and also those which serve us on our journey to reclaim our health. 

Ways to Engage in Self Study

The practice of svadhyaya requires complete honesty in our reflections when we view ourselves. We need to stand strong throughout this journey, because the work is not always comfortable. We also need to remind ourselves daily to give ourselves grace and not revert to self criticism. As with anything, we are not seeking perfectionism in self study, but rather the freedom that truly knowing ourselves can provide. Here are some basic ways to get started on your study of self:

Being a Witness

This is an important stance to take at the start of our journey. We spend most of our lives reacting to situations without thinking. Being a witness means we take a step outside ourselves, to witness from a nonjudgemental stance. Our work is to notice how we are acting, feeling and what we are thinking. The point right now is just to notice, not judge or seek to change. It helps to write down what you notice so you can begin to see the patterns of you. For example, I noticed that I avoid conflict in my relationships. In looking at how I engage with others, I noticed that when I perceived conflict of any kind, I avoided the relationship. I believe this is done for self preservation, as a way to avoid being hurt, but I am still exploring this pattern.

Reading to Learn

You can choose what you want to read to grow and become more self aware. There is no shortage of great texts to learn from including, scripture, self-help books, websites, podcasts, etc. As you read, or listen, reflect upon how these words and messages resonate with your beliefs and actions. The work is not the reading, but rather the act of reflecting on the messages. The first books I read, back at the beginning of my learning, were The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz and When Things Fall Apart, by Pema Chodron. I also read The Secret Thoughts of Successful Women by Valerie Young. I joined a women’s book club to grow and learn about new books. I read so many great books over the years as part of this online club. You can check it out here – https://www.badasswomensbookclub.com/

On the Yoga Mat

I’ve found I learn the most about myself on the yoga mat. When I engage in a practice, I witness patterns that parallel how I respond to life situations. For example, when I experience discomfort holding a pose I notice my mind races as it seeks to get me out of that pose. Pigeon pose is one that I am most uncomfortable in and one that I avoid in my practice whenever I can. This avoidance mirrors my avoidance of conflict in relationships as I seek to avoid discomfort. Additionally, when I practice yoga and focus on my breathing, I notice how often I hold my breath, leading me to wonder how my breathing works throughout the day. You will notice all the places that your body is holding tension and begin to unravel those.

These are just a few ways to get started on your journey of self study. I am at the beginning myself, though I’ve practiced yoga for years on and off. I have long focused on the exercise aspect of my yoga practice, but now feel ready to dive into the inner work that comes with it. I hope you will consider joining me on this journey to self.

If you have any questions about this post, or how to get started, please do not hesitate to reach out via email at laurakump@reclaiminghealth.blog, Instagram or in the comment section below. Namaste

*As an Amazon Associate I may receive compensation for any affiliate links provided. This helps me offset the cost of running this website, so I thank you for your support.