Digital Stars Make YouTube the 'In' Place to Come Out

Social media has changed the way we communicate with each other over the past several years. People use social media sites like Facebook and Twitter to share what they’re doing, feeling, eating and everything else happening in their lives. They use Instagram as a public photo album, sharing their day-by-day discoveries and passions. But now, people are using the social media site YouTube for something a lot more personal than a funny cat video or hair tutorial. It’s becoming a trend for individuals to “come out” on YouTube. 

This article I came across on Yahoo’s homepage discusses the impact social media has had on aiding individuals struggling with their sexuality, bullying and self-esteem. Shane Dawson, a well-known online celebrity came out as bi-sexual to over 7 million of his YouTube channel followers. He was surprised by the impact he had, and realized how he was positively affecting people’s lives. Subscribers to his channel and other online celebrities could relate to him and each other; they also started sharing their own personal struggles with sexuality, depression and society. Open communication, awareness and support are growing amongst the LGBT community through the social media site.

Shane explains “I talk about things I’ve been through: weight loss, abuse and a lot of things these kids watching don’t really have anybody to talk [with] about. So I think it’s just connecting with somebody that they trust.” It sounds like Shane has had a positive affect on many of his fans while continuing to open up about his personal battles. YouTube has become a forum for awareness, support and progression for individual’s struggling with their own happiness.  It’s refreshing to see a community of young people helping each other and being a support system for one another. I hope this blog can be that for people learning and utilizing the Whole30 program.

A Pickle a Day.....Keep the Doctor Away??

I’ve talked about the medications I used to have to take in previous posts on our blog and how I wanted to do anything I could to no longer rely on them. Whole30 helped me immensely and you can read about my struggle here.

I found an interesting article on CNN.com this week that explains that proper nutrition and certain foods can be used for medicine. Not all the foods would be considered Whole30 compliant, but I’m definitely going to try using more of the ones that are compliant in my every day food preparations.

Here’s a quick breakdown of the Whole30 compliant, helpful foods to use for healing:

Pickled foods: Whole30 pickled foods I’ve tried include sauerkraut, pickles, beets and turnips. The living bacteria found in these types of foods aids in sustaining a healthy digestive tract. I believe Kombucha also has living bacteria that assist in better digestion and it’s a tasty break from water or regular teas.

“These bacteria-filled foods can be used to prevent and treat antibiotic-associated diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, infantile diarrhea, eczema and allergies, according to Mullin. ‘But the hottest use of fermented foods is to burn stubborn fat,’ Mullin said.” (cnn.com, 2015)

Delicious food, treating tummy issues and it helps burn fat?! What do you have to lose!? I know my plan forward will be to incorporate more pickled foods in to my diet. If I find some great recipes, I’ll be sure to share.

Ginger: We all know that ginger helps with indigestion and upset stomach…being from Michigan, Vernors was used to aid any type of flu-like symptoms growing up. In my best, slow jam voice I’ll move forward saying “this is something for the laaadies.” Who knew that ginger could also aid in menstrual cramps? “750 to 2000 milligrams of ginger powder taken during the first four days of menstrual cycle was an effective treatment for cramps.” (cnn.com, 2015) According to the article, it’s like taking a midol! For those of that suffer from cramping, it’s worth a try! Now Nicole isn’t the biggest fan of ginger, but I’m SERIOUSLY craving the ginger smoothie I had in Pompano Beach, Whole Foods. You think they can ship me a batch??? What if I say pretty, please?

Peppermint: For those of you that struggle with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), I’m sorry, it sounds like a living hell. Sweet relief can be found in peppermint according to the article. Adding peppermint to your diet can help the abdominal cramping and it can be more effective than many medications. Let us know if you’ve had success with peppermint.

Hibiscus Tea: This was an interesting food item to me, personally. Many of my family members and one friend of mine all suffer from high blood pressure. I think five family members and my friend require medication because of their high blood pressure. I’m going to add packs Hibiscus tea bags to everyone’s stockings this Christmas. What’s better than the gift of health?

Turmeric: Turmeric has been a major “buzz” word over the last couple years in the health food world. I’ve heard everything from brushing your teeth with it to whiten them, to it killing cancer cells. The article explains that it’s also great for arthritis. My stepdad is starting to develop arthritis in his hands.  He’s been using an essential oil blend I made him, consisting of wintergreen and frankincense for relief.  When used medicinally, turmeric can help treat the inflammation that caused arthritic pain. "’Turmeric is used especially for brain-related conditions and to decrease the risk of Alzheimer's disease. It can be also be used for arthritis,’ said Jampolis.” (cnn.com, 2015) The article also recommends using black pepper with the turmeric for maximum benefits.

Chia seeds: Whether adding them to your foods, or enjoying a chia Kombucha, these little super-foods aid in lowering cholesterol. They are nutrient dense and can be added to a variety of dishes. I personally like them in the packet I posted on Instagram, pictured below.

Salmon: Last on my list, because it’s my least favorite….salmon. It always looks delicious and I know tons of people love it, but it’s a food I struggle to enjoy. Salmon is high in omega-3 fatty acids; an essential fat required to improve inflammation and autoimmune conditions. Salmon can also improve high triglyceride levels, metabolic syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis or MS. I’m making a public declaration that my summer goal is to give salmon the ol’ college try….again. I don’t want to miss out on all the incredible benefits.

Resources used for this blog, can be found here:

Of course, we can’t recommend coming off of your medications and trying these foods without medical supervision. We’re not doctors, just bloggers. I just know what worked for me. Eating Whole30 changed my life, but there’s always room for improvement. With the recommendations from the cnn.com article, I plan on incorporating more of these foods in to my diet.

Let us know if you’ve had success with incorporating these foods in your diet in the comments below. We look forward to hearing from you.

~Nicci

Case of the Mondays....but it's Tuesday!!!

I don’t know about anyone else, but I tend to think of the summer as a time to sit back, relax and enjoy the warm weather. This summer has been anything but relaxing for myself. Professionally, I’ve taken on a pretty busy workload at the office and recently started training a new intern. Scholarly, I’m taking more classes than I have since high school. Personally, I’m booked solid through September with baby showers, graduations, birthdays and holidays. It’s an extremely chaotic time for me and my non-stop twitching eye is indicating that I might be a little overwhelmed. To be honest, I’m completely stressed out!

I don’t mind being busy; it beats boredom any day. My problem is being so busy I don’t have time, energy or the planning ability to be on Whole30. I love how I feel on Whole30 and I try to follow it during the week as best I can, but on the weekends I’m an unorganized mess. In the winter, I have the convenience of leaving my pre-made food in the car. In the summer, it’s not safe or delicious when you leave your fruits, vegetables and especially meat in your car.

I’m struggling with making better choices during this summer; and I catch myself wishing away the summer heat just to avoid the temptations of summer eating and drinking. I’ve noticed with my weight that it takes all week to take off my weekend bad habits. I try to stick to vodka and soda water (Lacroix) with fruit when I’m drinking. Though it’s not Whole30, my drink of choice is a better option than most other alcohols.

All this stress is extremely challenging on one’s body. Stress leads to lack of sleep, hormone imbalances, anxiety, and increased snacking…. and all those things lead to weight gain…which then stresses me out more! To break the vicious cycle it’s important to know why stress affects us so negatively, and how to stop it from affecting us. Here is an article I found on controlling and conquering our stressors:  Why We Gain Weight When We’re Stressed—And How Not To

My plan moving forward for the summer is to continue to eat Whole30 compliant foods as often as I can. I will work on meal planning and prepping on Sundays, and only eat off-plan on special occasions. My personal health goal is to not let the guilt of not doing Whole30 consume me. The additional stress from that guilt is too much drain on my daily life, and it’s only doing more harm than good.

Anyone else struggling with their healthy lifestyles this summer? ~Nicci