digestion

Beyond Skin Deep: Holistic Health for Glowing Skin

Health & Lifestyle

Presented by Rhiannon Lytle, RHN with Organika (source)

The skin is a reflection of what’s going on inside the body. 

What’s causing my skin issues?

Some common triggers for skin issues include:

  • An unbalanced gut
  • Sluggish detox pathways (i.e., liver)
  • Food intolerances/sensitivities
  • Hormone imbalances
  • Lack of sleep
  • High-stress lifestyle
  • Hydration 
slices assorted fruits near water bottle

Balancing Your Gut

  • Your gut is made up of good and bad bacteria
  • When it’s imbalanced, we can have trouble absorbing the right nutrients and getting rid of toxins
  • When it shows up on your skin, you’re not moving it through your body (extra toxins, additional hormones)
  • Skin is another organ of elimination

What to look out for:

  • Acne, eczema and/or rosacea 
  • Mental fatigue/brain fog
  • Inability to focus
  • White coating on the tongue
  • Digestive issues 

Keep Things Moving 

  • Regular bowel movements are KEY – at least one daily
  • Constipation can lead to poor skin health as we are unable to rid toxins and excessive hormones
  • Constipation can also create an imbalance of our good and bad bacteria (dysbiosis) 

Gut Disruptors

  • Sugar intake (refined sugars)
  • NSAIDs (like Advil)
  • Excessive alcohol
  • Nutrient deficiencies 
  • Inflammation
  • Stress
  • Yeast overgrowth
  • Antibiotics (can wipe out good bacteria) 
  • Certain medications (Birth Control Pill & PPIs)
  • C-sections 

What does detox have to do with my skin?

  • Our skin is our largest organ of elimination
  • When we’re not working optimally inside, this can show up in skin issues like:
    • Acne
    • Early signs of aging
    • Eczema
    • Rashes
    • Rosacea 
woman in black shirt holding white towel

The Liver

  • Detox pathways need to be working well for good skin health 
  • Drinking isn’t the only thing that can affect your liver
  • What else should you look out for?
    • Environmental toxins 
    • Cleaning products
    • Beauty products 
    • Food sensitivities 
    • Poor diet 

What does my liver do?

  • Primary detox organ 
  • Removes toxins and flushes out excess hormones 
  • When it’s overburdened, toxins and hormones may be re-circulated back through your body
    • Regular bowel movements are also essential
  • Our liver deals with a lot of additional pollutants that we are surrounded by every day 
  • Since our skin is another detox organ, we can see signs of liver congestion with skin issues 

Foods to Include

  • Plants: high in antioxidants to combat free-radical damage
  • Cruciferous vegetables: cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage to support liver detox
  • High-fibre foods: slow carbohydrate, leafy greens, low-sugar fruit 
  • Probiotic-rich foods: kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, tempeh, miso paste
  • Clean protein sources: legumes, eggs, unprocessed soy, meat, collagens, bone broth 
white ceramic bowl with yellow liquid

Foods to Avoid

  • High sugar-foods
  • Dairy (can be inflammatory for some people)
  • Alcohol
  • Coffee
  • Foods you are sensitive to
    • If you’re unsure, take a food sensitivity test or do an elimination diet

Lifestyle Tips 

  • Use natural homemade cleaning products
    • All-purpose cleaners
    • Hand and dish soaps
    • Laundry detergents
  • Check your beauty routine and products
  • Add in some stress-management practices
  • Get quality sleep
  • Move your body daily  
set of natural reusable cosmetic products

Collagen

  • Is the most abundant protein in mammals
  • Makes up:
    • 70-80% of our skin
    • 80% tendons
    • 60% muscle mass
    • 60% cartilage 
  • You need Vitamin C to create collagen in your body 

Do I have to supplement?

  • Our body makes collagen on its own
  • As we age, our body doesn’t create collagen like it did when we were young
    • This starts to happen at around 25 years old
  • Supplementing with collagen as we age is extremely important
    • Collagen can also help repair our gut lining
    • Collagen and bone broth contain glutamine

Choosing the Right Collagen

Enhanced Collagen

Marine Collagen

  • Comes from Canadian, wild-caught fish in the North Atlantic ocean
  • Great option for pescatarians
  • Bio-available: body absorbs it a little differently 
  • Hair, skin, nails, gut support 
  • Organika’s Marine Collagen

Plant-Based Collagen Booster

Bone Broth (Chicken)

  • Comes from cage, hormone & antibiotic-free chickens
  • Contain Type 2 collagen which is primarily found in cartilage
  • Bone broth is high in glutamine, which also supports better gut health
  • Organika’s Chicken Bone Broth

Pre + Probiotics

  • Prebiotics: feed and nourish good bacteria
  • Probiotics: provide beneficial bacteria 
  • Together they help to provide and nourish our guts with beneficial bacteria 
  • Organika’s Probiotic + Prebiotic Powder

Better bacteria = better bowel movements and less toxins re-circulating in our body. 

Tremella Mushroom

Chlorophyll

  • What gives leaves their green pigment
  • Helps to activate liver detoxification
  • High in antioxidants
  • Pair with lemon for extra detoxifying and digesting 
  • Can also reduce body odor
  • Can help boost energy as it “oxygenates” our blood 
  • Organika’s Chlorophyll

Organika Recipes

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WEBSITE DISCLAIMER

This website is provided only for informational purposes and not intended to be used to replace professional advice, treatment or professional care. Always speak to your physician, healthcare provider or pediatrician if you have concerns about your own health or the health of a child.

Sleep & Stress Management

Health & Lifestyle

Presented by Rhiannon Lytle, RHN with Organika (source)

How Much Should I Sleep?

  • Adults should get 7-9 hours daily of quality sleep for proper repair
  • It’s important to sleep more, especially during times of stress or illness
  • Don’t hit snooze!
    • Your body re-enters a REM cycle and gets ready to sleep
    • Tip: Set alarm 1.5 hours before you want to wake up; go back to sleep for a 90-minute REM cycle (the average REM cycle for most people) 
man in crew neck t shirt lying on bed

When Should I Sleep?

  • According to the Traditional Chinese Body Clock, our body has certain hours targeted at certain organs
    • E.g., 1 a.m. to 2 a.m. is the time our liver is functioning at its highest;
    • If we’re staying up until 2 a.m., our liver is not getting the support needed to detox the things in our body which can cause inflammation, our immune system to not function at its best, and/or poor bowel movements 
  • In Western culture, we recognize the natural cortisol curve
    • Should be highest first thing in the morning and tapers off mid-day (groggy feeling we experience)
    • Can shift with your body, such as if you work nights
  • Ideally, you should be asleep by 11 p.m. and wake around 7 a.m. (at least 8 hours; can be adjusted depending on your schedule) 
  • Why?
    • Detox support
    • Works with our natural cortisol curve 

How to Practice Good Sleep Hygiene 

  • Nighttime routines are essential to prepare for bed 
    • Putting phone away 1 hour before bed 
    • Turning off notifications while sleeping 
    • Sleep with phone outside room 
      • Quality is just as important as quantity 
    • Have room as dark as possible (e.g., eye mask, blackout curtains) 
    • Try white noise or ear plugs
    • Avoid alcohol close to bed so body can digest it before you sleep
  • Supplement support:
    • Magnesium
    • Herbal teas (chamomile, passionflower, valerian root)
person pouring liquid into brown ceramic cup

Magnesium 

  • An essential mineral for overall health 
  • Involved in hundreds of body functions 
  • Allows body tissues to relax, from the muscles to digestive tract and the nervous system
  • Commonly found types of magnesium supplements:
    • Magnesium Citrate
      • Magnesium bound to a salt, like citrate 
      • 30-40% is absorbed, relaxing muscles and nerves 
      • Used for issues with constipation
        • Helps the digestive system 
    • Magnesium Bisglycinate 
      • Magnesium combined with the amino acid glycine 
      • High absorption, less digestive side-effects
    • Magnesium L-threonate 
      • Another magnesium + amino acid combo 
      • Most effective at reaching the nervous system 

Stress & Immunity

  • Sleep and stress are linked
    • When stressed, increases in cortisol can shut down body functions that aren’t deemed “essential”, such as:
      • Digestion
      • Reproduction
      • Immune function

Short vs. Long-Term Stress

How to make stress your friend (TedTalk)

  • Short-term stress
    • Natural – we’re supposed to experience it 
    • Beneficial to our immune system and can boost inflammation response
      • E.g., Inflammatory response helps to heal wounds faster 
    • Can boost energy (fight-or-flight response)
      • In fight-or-flight mode, your body shuts down functions that aren’t deemed “essential” (digestion, reproduction, immune function)
  • Long-term stress
    • More apparent in society today
    • Can lead to:
      • Chronic inflammation
      • Poor digestion
        • We need a lot of nutrients to ensure our immune system is in shape
        • If we’re not digesting properly, we’re not absorbing properly (supplements can be helpful)
        • Develop stress management techniques before eating 
      • Imbalanced hormones
    • Adaptogens may help support chronic stress
      • Helps us to adapt and find “homeostasis” (balance)
      • Needs to be taken consistently to see the affects 
      • Powders absorb better than capsule 
    • What to look out for:
      • Feeling “wired but tired”
      • Having no energy to do anything
      • Unable to focus
      • Crashing extremely hard
      • Physically fatigued 
depressed black man touching face in frustration near window

Simple Tips to Manage Stress

woman doing cobra pose
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WEBSITE DISCLAIMER

This website is provided only for informational purposes and not intended to be used to replace professional advice, treatment or professional care. Always speak to your physician, healthcare provider or pediatrician if you have concerns about your own health or the health of a child.

Eating Mindfully

Health & Lifestyle

Presented by Jason Wrobel with Commune

Glossary

photo of vegetable salad in bowls
Photo by Ella Olsson
  • Macronutrients – a class of chemical compounds which humans consume in the largest quantities; carbohydrates, protein, lipids.
  • Fletcherizing – a term introduced by Horace Fletcher, also known as “The Great Masticator,” in which one thoroughly, and slowly, chews their food making it easier to digest, as chewing creates more amylase in the mouth, which is the primary carbohydrate-digestive enzyme.
  • Amylase – the primary carbohydrate-digestive enzyme found in saliva and pancreatic fluid, that converts starch and glycogen into simple sugars.
  • Digestive enzymes – substances produced by our bodies that help us to digest the foods we eat. These enzymes are secreted by various parts of our digestive system and helps to break down food components such as proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. 

What is a Food Journal?

  • Taking inventory of what you’re eating each day
  • Recognizing diversity is important when it comes to nutrition (“eating the rainbow”: as many colours in each meal; vitamins, nutrients, phytonutrients)
  • An awareness to what you’re eating and why
    •  Is it for nourishment and fuel or emotional comfort?
    • Recognizing what emotional states are motivating food choices (when feeling happy, sad, stressed, etc.)
    • Paying attention to the body and how you feel 30-50 mins after each meal

How to Keep a Food Journal

acai bowl on a wooden tray
Photo by Taryn Elliott
  1. List what you ate
  2. List ingredients in a meal
  3. Calculate range of calories, proteins, macronutrients
  4. Identify feelings before, during and after a meal
  • Example:
    • Before: Ate a chocolate bar because was feeling lonely
    • Look for consistent patterns (e.g., always eating chocolate when lonely)
    • During: Distracted on phone, forgot the taste of meal, not present; ate too fast
    • After: Bloated from almond milk; gluten sensitivity (bloated, sluggish)

5. Set intentions, changes, and goals for next meals:

  • Will go for dark chocolate or an alternative snack when feeling lonely 
  • Will be more present, eliminate distractions 
  • Will slow down, savour more
  • Will try a different type of milk; will go gluten-free

Why Keep a Food Journal?

  • Gives you a snapshot of what you’re feeling (before, during and after a meal)
  • Allows you to make necessary goals or changes for your next meals
  • Helps you to determine your relationship with food (e.g., eating based on emotions)
  • The aim is to create a positive, loving relationship, being as present as possible

Fletcherizing – Horace Fletcher

  • The more you chewed your food, the easier it is to digest
  •  Chewing creates amylase in mouth
  • For optimal nutrient absorption of food over the course of digestion, it must be reduced to tiny particles and blended evenly with saliva

Benefits of Keeping a Food Journal

brown ceramic cup beside notebook and pen
Photo by Madison Inouye
  • Keeps track of what you’re eating daily
    • Helps to see if there are opportunities to create more diversity in what you’re eating
    • Develops a better understanding of how you’re feeling when you eat foods
    • To see if you’re present or not to what you’re eating
  • The journal can be created in your own way
  • Establishes a practice of being more present at every meal
    • To enjoy feasting with your eyes first, by taking in the food before you consume it (e.g., close your eyes even before your first bite)
    • To take in the smell, relax, breath, and sink into the experience
    • Allows yourself to be undistracted
    • Unlocks gratitude and appreciation for the meal
    • Allows you to eat slower, chew mindfully, allowing for more nutrients absorption (helps to pre-digest the food)
    • Allows for a deeper connected experience to what you’re eating by being more grateful to the fact that you’re nourishing yourself with amazing food every single day!
More from Jason Worbel

WEBSITE DISCLAIMER

This website is provided only for informational purposes and not intended to be used to replace professional advice, treatment or professional care. Always speak to your physician, healthcare provider or pediatrician if you have concerns about your own health or the health of a child.

The Vagus Nerve and 5 Ways to Tone It

Self-Regulation

Presented by Ashley Turner (source)

The Vagus Nerve

  • Also known as the “Wandering Nerve”
    • Connects to most vital organs
      • From the brain through the face and thorax to the abdomen
      • Carries information from the gut, liver, heart and lungs to the brain
    • Mediator of our parasympathetic (rest & digest) response 
    • Influences breathing, digestion and heart rate
      • Sends message to slow down heart rate
        • Releases: acetylcholine (a calming chemical) 
  • Listen to: Polyvagal Theory with Dr. Stephen Porges to learn more about the different branches of the vagus

5 Ways to Tone the Vagus Nerve

  1. Deep Belly Breathing: lengthen the inhale + exhale; calms, tones + soothes the vagus nerve
    • e.g., Meditation 🧘🏾‍♀️
photo of woman singing
Photo by White Gold Photography
  1. Chanting: singing or chanting are great ways to tone the vagus nerve
    • e.g., Singing songs from your favourite Spotify playlist 🎵
  2. Spinal Flexion: massages the vagus nerve
    • e.g., Yoga (cat/cow, seated spinal movements) 🌸
  3. Belly Laughing: increases circulation, blood flow, tones diagram + strengthens the vagus nerve
    • e.g., Watch comedies 😂
  4. Splash Face: tones your vagus nerve in the morning and resets/wakes up your nervous system
    • e.g., Splash face and eyes in the morning with cool water 💦

Why Tone the Vagus Nerve?

  • Decreases stress and anxiety (activates rest & digest system)
  • Deepens breathing
  • Lowers heart rate and increases circulation in the body
  • Opens emotional capacity (feeling grounded and lighter)

Ready to get started?

Vagus Nerve: Breathing for Relaxation
Spotify – Summer Hits Playlist
Cat-Cow Yoga Pose – Yoga With Adriene

WEBSITE DISCLAIMER

This website is provided only for informational purposes and not intended to be used to replace professional advice, treatment or professional care. Always speak to your physician, healthcare provider or pediatrician if you have concerns about your own health or the health of a child.