Vegan Health Tips Archives - Page 6 of 7

Posted on July 28, 2014July 24, 2017 by Kelly Gibson — Leave a comment

What Supplements Should I Take to Lose Weight?

I am a Certified Nutrition Coach in Tempe Arizona and I get this question all the time. In fact, I’ve had clients come to me saying that they specifically sought me out because every other Personal Trainer recommends supplements that they do not care to take, and tries to push product and meat-based diets on them. Luckily, as a Personal Trainer who runs my own business, I have chosen to NOT sell supplements for my own benefit. Instead, I promote good healthy products found at the grocery store that don’t make me a dime; the results sell themselves! Ask what supplements should I take to lose weight?

Simply put, supplements are not the (only) answer to your weight problems; 99% of the time, they are gimmicks and not necessary. And a lot of the time, nutrient-based supplements are taken without need. For example, drinking a protein shake when 35% of your calories already contain protein from food. If there is not a defined problem that yields a need for supplements, you probably should not be taking supplements. For example, if you have a known or suspected deficiency that cannot be treated with food, a supplement would be beneficial. If you are taking Garcinia Cambogia supplements because Dr Oz recommends it this week, you might be using supplements as a “diet pill”.

what-supplements-should-i-take-to-lose-weight — *What supplements should I take to lose weight? Book an appointment to find out!*

There are certainly times where adding supplements and foods to your diet can actually help trigger weight loss, but not usually. If you want to achieve long-term health where you don’t have to try a new supplement every month, it’s time you start working on your nutrition. Specifically, I recommend a whole foods plant-based diet, because you get all the nutrients you need from natural plant-based foods – not from pills. Of course, if you don’t have access to certain nutrients such as sufficient sunlight, you might need to supplement with a Vitamin D tablet daily. Check www.cronometer.com to log your food for a few days to see what nutrients you might be missing from your diet. If you can’t get enough omega 3 fatty acids, for example, you might want to try adding a whole food source of omega 3s (like chia seeds) or consider a daily omega 3 supplement.

For more information on how you could benefit from supplementing or choosing a whole foods plant based diet, get ahold of your Tempe Personal Trainer (Kelly Athletics) who can help you plan a proper diet. I offer online skype and in-studio Nutrition Coaching. Stop falling for the marketing schemes and get healthy with me!

If you’re still wondering “What Supplements Should I Take to Lose Weight?”, try Nutrition Coaching with Kelly Athletics to find out!

Written by Kelly Gibson on Aug 25, 2014

Posted on July 3, 2014July 20, 2017 by Kelly Gibson — Leave a comment

Drinking Cows Milk Weakens Bones

Hip fractures can be caused by osteoporosis. Can you believe cows milk weakens bones?

Milk is aggressively promoted to Americans as the best & only source of calcium for improved bone health and reduced risk of osteoporosis. It is time we look at the scientific facts before believing in these false marketing claims. A new study by the British Medical Journal shows a link between milk consumption and increased hip fractures and a higher mortality rate. Specifically, three or more glasses of milk per day lead to 93% higher death rate in women. This wasn’t just ANY study; and there have been multiple studies indicative of milk causing osteoporosis in recent years (for example, The China Study). This was an 11-year multivariable study that examined the effects of drinking milk in over 60,000 women and 45,000 men. The science shows that lactose in milk create compounds in the body that inflame blood vessels and increase oxidative stress on our cells. Inflammation can lead to heart disease, stroke, and cancer, all of which could be the reason the death rates are higher in those who consume more milk. So, how does milk cause osteoporosis? The answer is calcium carbonate (the end result of pasteurization). This compound causes the body to pull calcium from bones and other tissues of the body in order to filter calcium carbonate from our blood. So all that calcium we think we’re getting? We’re not. It turns out that cows milk weakens bones.

What we know now: Milk has a deteriorating effect on human health. It is time America takes the appropriate steps to change our nutrition paradigm to exclude dairy products from the American Diet, and replace with healthy alternatives. Just because a food contains healthful nutrients like calcium, it does not mean that our bodies can metabolize the whole food containing specific nutrients without harmful side effects. If you are concerned about getting enough calcium in your diet, worry no more because you can get more than enough calcium in your diet from beans, nuts, leafy greens, and even non-dairy milks. Some alternatives to try include soy milk, hemp milk, rice milk, coconut milk, or hazelnut milk. Be sure to start reading food labels as milk is a leading ingredient in most processed foods. Contact me for more information on how to transition to a dairy-free diet.

Written by Kelly Gibson, Online Vegan Coach and Plant Based Trainer, on Oct 31, 2014

Contact Me for More Info:

Resources for Cows Milk Weakens Bones:
1. http://www.bmj.com/content/349/bmj.g6015
2. http://pcrm.org/health/medNews/drinking-milk-associated-with-fractures-and-death
3. http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/does-milk-really-do-the-body-good/
4. http://www.realfarmacy.com/100000-person-study-reveals-pasteurized-milk-people-drink-likely-die/

Kelly Gibson is an Online Personal Trainer & Plant-Based Nutrition Coach, helping people transition to dairy-free diets

Posted on March 28, 2014July 20, 2017 by Kelly Gibson — Leave a comment

Can I Get Too Much Calcium?

Can I Get Too Much Calcium or Should I drink more Milk?

We are all taught to drink milk for calcium. We hear it on the radio, at school, from our parents, and all of the milk advertisements. After years of hearing the same thing over and over again, you’d think we get the hint right? But the latest research raises the question Can I get too much calcium or do I need more?

It turns out, cow’s milk isn’t all that great for us after all. Tons of people have stopped buying milk and are now getting almond milk, coconut milk, rice milk, and other dairy-free alternatives. You may have noticed this trend the past few years is that more and more people are going dairy-free. I’ve written about how drinking cows milk weakens bones, and consuming more than 600mg of Calcium has NO benefit to bone health. Even more interesting, dairy products don’t seem to improve bone health in children, prevent stress fractures in adolescents or women. Osteoporosis is, in fact, best prevented by reducing sodium intake and consuming more plant-based sources of calcium like leafy greens, beans, fruits, and vegetables (NOT milk). So by asking the question can I get too much calcium, the answer is yes.

Unfortunately, milk is in many of our processed foods, put in our meals at restaurants, and even slipped into some of our multi-vitamins and protein shakes. How will we ever manage to go completely dairy-free? Luckily I am a fully committed vegan who knows about all the cool vegan options! Just contact me below if you need more ideas or guidance on your journey to a plant-based or dairy-free lifestyle.

Here are 3 dairy-free alternatives to standard cow’s milk products:

Tofutti: Cream Cheese

Follow your Heart: Vegan Gourmet Sour Cream

Earth Balance: Organic Whipped Buttery Spread

For more dairy-free or plant-based ideas, Contact Me:

Written by Kelly Gibson on 3/8/2017