Solutions Functional Medicine

Have you ever wondered WHAT IS FIBER?? We are here to tell you! Fiber is actually a carbohydrate you get from eating 🍎fruits, 🥦veggies, 🌾grains, and other 🌱plants. Even though your body can not digest fiber, it’s still an essential part of a nutritious diet.

Fiber is split into two broad categories based on its water solubility:
1️⃣Soluble fiber: dissolves in water and can be metabolized by the “good” bacteria in the gut
2️⃣Insoluble fiber: does not dissolve in water

Did you know that eating fiber can potentially:
💩Help you have normal, easy-to-pass bowel movements
❤️Lower your risk of colon cancer, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease 
🦠Lower your risk of diverticulitis 
🚽Lower your risk of hemorrhoids
🩸Help control your blood sugar and cholesterol levels
⚖️Help you lose or maintain a healthy weight
💪🏻Boost your immune system
🧬Nourish a healthy gut microbiome

Speaking of gut health, did you know that without fiber, probiotics cannot live. Essentially indigestible fibers (i.e. prebiotics) are the food the helps probiotic bacteria thrive in our gut.

This is why a diet rich in high-fiber foods like sprouted chia seeds, sprouted flaxseeds and sprouted h**p seeds is so important. If you have severe leaky gut, however, you may need to start out getting your fiber from steamed vegetables and fruit if your gut is extremely sensitive. If you gut isn’t overly sensitive, aim for 30–40 grams of fiber daily.

Eating fiber doesn’t have to be a chore. There are many inexpensive, healthy, and tasty ways to get more fiber — it’s all about finding the foods that appeal to you.

So NOW you know that increasing your fiber is worth it.

How much do you really know about the ingredients inside your makeup?💄We assume since most people aren’t aware of the food they put in their body, they sure aren’t aware of the ingredients in their makeup. Did you know, women, in general, put over 150 chemicals on their face everyday.🤦🏻‍♀️

It’s important to understand that nontoxic doesn’t always mean natural, as there are many natural compounds that can be toxic to humans at certain levels. What makes an ingredient truly toxic is how deeply it’s absorbed through the skin. While some products don’t make it through the epidermis (the skin’s first layer), other ingredients absorb fairly quickly through all layers of skin and into the bloodstream. The eyes, skin, and lips are vulnerable to absorption of the toxic chemicals through thin mucus membranes close to the mouth and tear ducts.

Toxic makeup ingredients aren’t just harmful to the skin. They can have an impact internally too. The most widely reported impacts of toxic makeup are the development of cancers, hormonal imbalances, and fertility issues, asthma, eczema, or dermatitis. Since 2009, 595 cosmetics manufacturers have reported using 88 chemicals, in more than 73,000 products 😳

Flip over your mascara or lipstick and see what ingredients they contain especially:

* Formaldehyde, a known carcinogen.
* Paraformaldehyde, a type of formaldehyde.
* Methylene glycol, a type of formaldehyde.
* Quaternium 15, which releases formaldehyde.
* Mercury, which can damage the kidneys and nervous system.
* Dibutyl and diethylhexyl phthalates, which disrupt hormones and damage the reproductive system.
* Isobutyl and isopropyl parabens, which disrupt hormones and harm the reproductive system.
* The long-chain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances known as PFAS, which have been linked to cancer.
* M- and o-phenylenediamine, used in hair dyes, which irritate and sensitize the skin, damage DNA and can cause cancer.

The makeup industry will not make it a priority to make us aware of what goes into their products. But we should. Do your own research, switch to safer ingredients for a healthy skin and body.

Now that its importance has been established, lets move to steps to boost mitochondrial health.

🏋️Exercise: improves mitochondrial function in aging muscle, helping to delay age-related decline in muscle health.
🍊Mitochondrial nutrients: consuming B vitamins, minerals, and polyphenols found in fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, seafood, meat, and supplements all help.
💤Sleep: rids the brain of toxic by-products that accumulate from metabolic waste generated.
🧘Relaxation: stress can alter mitochondrial structure, causing dysfunction.
☀️Sunlight: aids in the production of Vitamin D, necessary for mitochondrial activity.
🥶Cold exposure: cryotherapy and cold showers can stimulate an increase in mitochondrial activity.
💧Support NAD+: derived from Vitamin B3, this molecule protects against age-related diseases and supports longevity.

Mitochondrial dysfunction is linked to a broad range of degenerative illness, from diabetes and neurological disorders to heart disease. Researchers have discovered that age-related mitochondrial dysfunction—which can ultimately lead to DNA damage and cell death—may be prevented and even reversed!!! Read that again! The key lies in early and sustained interventions that support optimal mitochondrial health and function. It’s never to late!