​ In the summer we get hot and thirsty, so it's a little more natural to reach for a glass of water.  But what about the winter?  Today I'm inspired to write about hydration because I've been hearing from patients saying that lately their water intake, while normally good, has been severely lacking or non-existent.

The thing is, regardless of season, our bodies are made of 60% water, by weight.  This percentage goes down if we have extra adipose tissue (muscle holds more water than fat), or when we don't drink enough.  Adequate water in our bodies keep the blood thin, which takes pressure off the cardiovascular system.  It allows for proper elimination through the lungs, kidneys, and bowels.  It curbs food cravings and reduces pain.  Proper hydration also increases energy levels dramatically, and it's one of the first things I ask about when someone is concerned about fatigue.

How much is enough?  There isn't a downside to drinking more - other than regular bathroom trips (unless you have a kidney issue).  However, there are a few signs to look for that point to dehydration:

• dry skin
• foggy thinking
• fatigue or energy crashes
• headaches
• constipation
• muscle cramps
• skin that lacks lustre
• concentrated yellow or cloudy urine

Adults and kids are frequently dehydrated, and this puts major strain on our bodies that are made mostly of water.  The winter months are particularly challenging as the air is dry from furnaces and defrosters.  We also get chilly and lack desire for cold drinks.  Even though drinking water isn't always as intriguing at this time of year, it's still just as important to stay well hydrated.

Of course, drinking plain water is THE BEST option.  However, I totally understand that it doesn't always happen, or sometimes we need to switch things up.  Some people don't always absorb the water they are getting, and need electrolytes, or other adjustments to help get the water into their cells.
How to stay hydrated without water:

Foods

• soups - they have a high water content compared to other foods, and are often high in vegetables so the nutrients help the water get absorbed by the body
• vegetables and fruits - cucumbers, celery, blueberries, pineapple, lettuce, strawberries, spinach, bok choy, zucchini, tomatoes, swiss chard....
  - most vegetables are 90% water by weight 
• smoothies - liquid meals help get more water into the body by replacing dry foods
  - try 1 cup frozen fruit with 1/2 avocado and cover with liquid of your choice
  - add boosters like protein powder if desired

Drinks

• herbal teas - they can also provide the benefits of whatever herbs they contain
• sparkling mineral water - contain minerals to help with absorption
  - I really like Gerolsteiner for the high magnesium content -> very helpful for relaxation if you have a glass in the evening (hint: extra beneficial for hydration if you replace dehydrating alcohol for a mineral water)
• lemon water or other infused waters to improve flavour and absorption
  - lemon or lime (can serve warm like tea)
  - a few cucumber slices
  - a few raspberries or strawberries
  - a sprig of mint or rosemary
• coconut water
• maple water (found at Zehrs in the natural health section)
• RHD Milieu by Physica Energetics (purchase at the clinic)
  - homeopathic drops that you put into your water to help with absorption of water into the cells, works very very well

Lifestyle

• we lose a lot of water through our skin so if you have dry skin, ensure you protect the barrier function of the skin by using coconut oil or other natural oil moisturizers
• watch caffeine and alcohol
• start the day with one glass of water to begin the day in a positive water ratio
• try to have 1 litre of water by noon to stay on track and stay out of the bathroom at night
• humidify - set your furnace (purchase a humidifier) and set it to the upper end of the recommended 45-55% humidity level
  - (fun fact:  studies show that humidity above 43% keeps the flu virus from spreading as easily)

I hope this helps to encourage you to become more hydrated!

Take good care,
Dr. Christa

This time of year is a huge challenge for some people.  Many people feel the pressure to do more, buy more, give more, eat more, drink more (nevermind the Elf on the Shelf!) - and do it all with grace and joy.  It's a recipe for disaster.  It makes me happy that some of you have figured out a way to divide the work, once you learned that doing it all yourself was just WAY too much.

The ideas I've heard from patients are awesome:

• making all get-togethers potluck
• getting children involved with housework and wrapping
• opting for family experiences as gifts instead of toys and other "stuff"
• purchasing baked goods (Try: Shine Baking Co. - allergy friendly options for those who are gluten free, dairy free, egg free etc.)
• pre-cooking the meal to avoid spending the day in the kitchen
• serve a buffet
• 3 gifts only: something you want, something you need, something to wear
• keep up or start the adrenal support for stress now to improve resilience
• make time for yourself too

So, it sounds like in general things have been scaled back in terms of gifts and cooking, but what about the other expectations?

The holiday season is a huge test for your new and hard-earned lifestyle changes.  I totally think it's a time to enjoy some indulgence, but I don't believe that you need to feel gross for the next 4 weeks straight either.  If you find yourself thinking that it's a good thing you got new track pants or pajamas then it might be time to reassess your tendencies.  If you are eating a whole tray of baking at a time, if you're stress eating, if you're feeling pressured to eat foods that you know don't agree with you then we need to reevaluate (and maybe even in person).  In the meantime, here are some great tips for staying on track.


How to Navigate Eating Over the Holidays

1.  Eat your regular meals - sometimes we want to skip meals if we know we have a big feast coming (or we get busy and forget), try to just eat lighter and focus on veggies, healthy fats and protein at your regular mealtimes to keep your blood sugar stable (and prevent you filling up on appetizers when you arrive at your event).
2.  Get some activity - whether it's the gym or a snowball fight or public skating, move your body to keep your mood up and burn some calories.
3.  Eat before you leave - having a small meal before you go will prevent you from being tempted by foods you know aggravate your health.  (Just like grocery shopping when you're hungry leads to a cart full of junkfood).
4.  Make special requests - everyone is entitled to feel good, but sometimes we hesitate to inform our hosts of food sensitivities which can make them feel just as awkward when you can't eat the food they've prepared.  This likely won't go over as well for people with multiple sensitivities - dairy free, gluten free, egg free only please ;) 
5.  Bring things you can eat - bring your own safe foods so that you know you have an option: crackers, dip, salad, etc.  You can always warn your host privately ahead of time - I know that many of you aren't comfortable asking for special accommodations, so this is a way around that.
6.  Beverages - keep hydrated to stay energetic and also prevent cravings.  For every alcoholic drink, have one glass of water.  Minimize sugary alcohol drinks like egg-nog which have a lot of extra calories.  White wine spritzers can be a good alternative, also gin & tonic or vodka & soda.  As long as you have something in your hand, you will generally be left alone (sad but true!).  I've been loving the flavoured sparkling waters lately.
7.  Arm Yourself - if you have a food sensitivity or trigger that causes immediate symptoms, you can arm yourself with digestive enzymes and probiotics to prevent some of the side effects. The same is true if you experience anxiety in social situations or with family stress, we can discuss your best remedy choice.
8.  Don't be afraid to stand up for yourself - if someone is trying to pressure you into eating a second serving of dessert, just say no (politely) and excuse yourself from the conversation.  If you actually want the item that's being offered, that's ok - enjoy it.  Check in with yourself and decide if you are making the best choice for you, or are you being driven by other feelings like guilt?
9.  Focus on People - get-togethers are about enjoying the company around you.  Position yourself away from the buffet table and use smaller plates to prevent overeating, then enjoy catching up with friends or family.
10.  Sleep - just as it's important to stay on routine with foods, keeping your regular sleep schedule will help control stress (cortisol) and regulate blood sugar (AKA cravings!).
11.  Be kind to yourself - relax and have fun because a healthy lifestyle is about what you choose each and every day of the year, not in one meal.  At this time of year we aren't judging others on what they're eating, and we shouldn't judge ourselves either.  Start the next day fresh and let go of guilt.
12.  Remember your why - remind yourself of why you chose a healthier lifestyle in the first place.  Was it to lose weight, feel better in your own skin, be energetic, have less pain, stop feeling bloated?  It's easier to stay focused and avoid de-railing your lifestyle if you remember why you're doing it in the first place.

Take care of yourself and each other this season,
Dr. Christa

Iron deficiency, or anemia, is a very common diagnosis for women.  It's so common, in fact, that we often accept it as 'normal' or no big deal.  Well, guess what?  Yet again, just because something is common does not make it normal.

The symptoms of iron deficiency are: fatigue, exhaustion, pale skin, frequent colds or other infections, feeling cold, shortness of breath, noticeable heartbeat, dizziness, headaches, swollen tongue, trouble swallowing, spoon-shaped or brittle nails, leg pains, hair loss, or a desire to eat non-food items like ice.

As with most of the vitamins, the common lab reference ranges (the range which is considered acceptable) do not reflect optimal nutrient levels.  This means, that when you have bloodwork done, you may be told that everything is normal - and yet you are one point away from being deficient.  As you know, to me that one point is significant.  There is no imaginary line that defines when we have symptoms and when we do not because health is a continuum.  This explains why many women can be diagnosed with iron deficiency on and off throughout their lives.  The other reason is that the cause of the deficiency has not been addressed.  Let's go through some of the reasons why you might have low iron.

1.  Blood Loss
- Whether you have heavy periods or a hemorrhoid (both are treatable, by the way), it's important to first consider any reasons why you might be losing blood.  Blood loss through the colon, even if you can't see it, is a huge red flag for colon cancer and must be treated urgently.  A bleeding ulcer is another origin for digestive blood loss, and could be caused by pain medications irritating the stomach. 

2.  Not Getting Enough Iron in Your Diet
- When we think of Iron, we often think of red meat but there are plenty of other foods that contain iron as well:
spinach, shellfish, lentils, pumpkin seeds, quinoa, broccoli, dark chocolate, tofu, turkey  Here's a great reference
- Women who are menstruating need at least 18mg of iron per day, while Men & menopausal Women require a minimum 8mg/day.  The need for pregnant women is much higher at 27mg/day.

3.  Not Absorbing Iron
- Plant sources of iron are not as well absorbed by the body as animal sources, so you need to consider this if you are following a vegetarian or vegan style of eating.
- Vitamin C helps to improve the absorption of iron and you will notice that some iron supplements suggest taking it with a glass of orange juice or else they contain Vitamin C right in the capsule.
- Many different medications interfere with our digestive processes.  Our stomach acids start the process of protein digestion, and iron is absorbed in the first part of the small intestine.  Stomach acid levels are interfered with by antacids including TUMS or other prescription Proton-Pump Inhibitors.  Furthermore, pain medications like Aspirin or Ibuprofen are known for irritating the stomach lining, and consequently the stomach cannot efficiently do it's job to break down proteins, which leads to poor iron absorption as well.
- the heavy metal lead competes with iron, and so a lead toxicity can lead to iron deficiency
- Drinking tea with meals because the tannins in tea block iron absorption (a trick to use if your iron levels are too high)
- Any digestive condition that leads to poor digestive ability or inflammation in the digestive tract like Celiac disease, food sensitivities, irritable bowel diseases like Chron's or Colitis
- Chronic infection
- Iron absorption is tightly regulated by the body, so we can only absorb so much each day.  Eating a ton of iron one day and none the rest of the week will not maintain iron stores in the body.  Just like taking huge doses of an iron supplement will only lead to constipation since the majority of the iron simply passes through.

4.  Other Conditions to Think About
- We know that having low iron often goes hand in hand with low thyroid function.  The symptoms of each are very similar, and both should be considered if you have been diagnosed with one or other
- Kidney disease can impair the ability to make Red Blood Cells, which will show up as anemia in lab work

To me, the why is just as important as the diagnosis.  I like to understand where things are going wrong so that we can fix it for good. Your body deserves to be working at it's best, and by healing the root cause of your issues we can make that happen.

Comfort Foods - Without the Weight GainEven though we've had a beautiful extension of summer weather, the darker evenings and cooler nights give away the fact that autumn is around the corner.  Even though we don't necessarily want to gather extra insulation on our bodies, you may find that you are naturally craving more carbohydrates and fewer salads.  As per Traditional Chinese Medicine, it is important to switch to more warming and cooked foods as the season changes over to fall in order to nourish your body and boost your immune system.  So, it's totally ok to ditch the salad if your body is saying 'no'.  I will give you some great ideas for comfort foods that aren't full of bread and flour or lacking in veggies, so that you can continue to eat foods that serve your body.

                                                                                                                        Loving the gorgeous sunsets,
                                                                                                                                                       Dr. Christa

Medical practitioners have may tools available to to help figure out what is going on with your body.  These tools are like clues, and in isolation they don't mean a lot, but when putting together a thorough investigation can lead us to a diagnosis and ideally to the root cause of symptoms. 

Laboratory tests offer us unique insight to how the body is working and points to the areas that need improvement.  I will often utilize specialized testing in order to get a clearer picture of your health. 

1.  IgG Food Sensitivity Test
- This super cool test gives you insight into which foods are aggravating your gut.  It measure the degree of immune reaction to commonly consumed foods like milk, eggs, gluten, wheat, corn and sugar.  I use this test a lot for people who have bloating, gas, heartburn or constipation; and also for less obvious reasons like acne, anxiety, depression, joint pain and eczema.  It's extremely helpful to figure out exactly which foods you need to avoid (often temporarily) in order to reduce inflammation and heal your body.  As a side bonus, many people find that eliminating their trigger foods leads to weight loss and less fluid retention.

2.  Month Long Hormone Panel
So many women enter my office with concerns of hormonal imbalance.  Hormones are messengers that tell our body when to do and when to do it, they keep us in check.  When our hormones are "off" (chronic stress, imbalanced diet, liver backlog and lack of exercise being common reasons), we can feel completely dreadful.  It can be hard to sleep, women may have irregular, painful or heavy menstrual cycles, it's hard to lose weight, fertility is impacted, or perimenopause is a nightmare. 

The trouble with assessing hormones in women is that they cycle and change over the course of the month - they're supposed to - but it makes it difficult to know precisely what's going on if you just take a blood test on any given day.  When I want to know more about hormone health, I go to the Month-Long Hormone Panel because this way we get 11 strategic saliva samples so we know exactly what is going on with estrogen, progesterone, DHEA, cortisol and testosterone over the whole month. 

3.  Comprehensive Stool Analysis (with Parasitology)
I have been extremely impressed with the information from this test because it gives a great picture into digestive health.  Not only do we find out which probiotics you need or don't need, we also find out about candida overgrowth, bacterial imbalance, parasite infection, and how well you are digesting fats, carbs and proteins.  It also looks for markers of IBS and IBD (Chron's and Colitis).  It's a fantastic way to gather more information on the way your body breaks down food, especially when the common solutions aren't helping.

4.  Hair Mineral Analysis
This is a great, non-invasive screening tool for your overall health and whether heavy metals are a burden to your system.  Using a small hair sample the lab assesses mercury, lead, arsenic, cadmium, magnesium, zinc, selenium, calcium and many other minerals.  It also provides significant ratios for these minerals that can also gives clues for stress/adrenal fatigue, bone loss, and thyroid imbalance.  

5.  Thyroid Function Panel
When you have your thyroid checked by your family doctor, almost always they are simply checking TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) because it is the accepted screening tool for thyroid function.  As you may have already experienced, my standards for TSH are much different than the acceptable norms from the lab because I am looking to optimize your health, not just diagnose disease.  Unfortunately, TSH is not the only factor in thyroid health and by only checking TSH we risk missing a thyroid problem.  When I run a thyroid panel it's still just a blood test, but it also includes T4 (inactive thyroid hormone), T3 (active thyroid hormone), thyroid antibodies, and reverseT3 (the wrong kind of T3). 

Getting a full picture of thyroid health is essential because I don't just care that your thyroid is getting the signal (TSH) to make hormones, I also care that your body is converting the hormone to a usable form (T3).  This is why some people don't actually feel better when they take Synthroid or Eltroxin, because their body is not converting the hormone effectively.  Their TSH normalizes, but all the symptoms of hypothyroidism (weight gain, constipation, acne, depression, chilly temperature, low energy) remain.  I also like to know if the cause of thyroid dysfunction is from an immune response (therefore the reason for checking antibodies), since the most common cause of hypothyroidism is Hashimoto's, an autoimmune disease that requires a different approach to treatment.

6.  Organic Acids Test
I like using the OAT urine test to give information on neurotransmitters, some vitamins and minerals, metabolism, yeast overgrowth, and presence of antioxidants.  It's great for assessing anxiety and depression so that I know which pathways to support; serotonin, dopamine, or GABA, for example.  It's also utilized frequently with autism, ADHD, addictions, neurological disorders, and fatigue.

This is just a snapshot of the wonderful tests we have available to us that you don't get anywhere else.  As a Naturopathic Doctor, I also use conventional blood tests frequently.  I'd be happy to go over any new test results with you to give you better understanding of what is going on in your body, and what to keep your eye on in the future.

Your in health,
Dr. Christa

I totally understand the aggravation, fatigue and disruption in quality of life that occurs with environmental allergies - it's awful. :(  Besides having itchy eyes, and a runny nose you can feel like you are getting sick for weeks or months at a time.  Your breathing can be affected, your energy levels tank, and you can even have a sore throat and feel puffy all over.  There have been reports that 2018 will be an especially difficult year for allergy sufferers, and I'd like you to be prepared.

What are allergies?
Allergies are the response of the immune system to things that should be benign or ignored.  There are several theories behind the development of allergic responses, one being that we are too clean - called the hygiene hypothesis.  Another thought is that our immune systems are acting inappropriately because of being challenged by toxins, foods or even our genes.  

When we are exposed to certain common irritants like tree pollen, moulds, grass, and ragweed our bodies should ignore them, realizing that these things are not actually harmful to us.  In an allergy susceptible person, the immune system spots allergens and thinks they are invaders that need to be stopped.  We make mucus to trap it, we bring immune cells to the throat and sinuses which causes congestion, inflammation and soreness - it really is similar to fighting a virus or bacteria or other types of legitimate invaders; and the process is exhausting.

In order to support your body through this allergic response, help lessen the degree of symptoms, and ideally push the immune system back towards a more balanced and healthy state, I commonly suggest the following natural treatments to help minimize the number of days you are reaching for antihistamines and decongestants and ultimately have more days where you feel like yourself.

Tips for Allergy Season

1.  Vitamin C - through foods like guava, oranges, kiwi, broccoli and red peppers, but also supplementing 1000mg three times per day.  Vitamin C is a mast cell stabilizer, which means that it prevents the trigger-happy release of histamine from mast cells (the target of antihistamine medications).  

2.  Homeopathic Allergy Formulas
- Pascallerg (Pascoe), Allergy Relief (A. Vogel), Sabadil (Boiron), Allergy Relief (Kids 0-9), Allergiplex (UNDA), Aller-Tox 1 (Physica Energetics)
There are a lot of options for symptomatic relief of environmental allergies.  Unfortunately, it's not a one size fits all treatment and not every remedy works for every person. The good news is that there is a remedy that will help you once you find your match.  These homeopathic remedies can be taken several times per day until symptoms lessen, or in a lower dose as a preventative.  They are non-drowsy and most are safe for children as well.

3.  Quercetin
A bioflavinoid from fruits and vegetables, quercetin also helps to regulate mast cells and stabilize the histamine response.  It is also an antioxidant and antiinflammatory so I use it with other health concerns as well.  The dose is 500mg three times per day acutely, or 500mg per day as maintenance.

4.  Nettle
Nettle (Urtica dioica) is extremely nutritious, acts as an antiinflammatory as well as helping with allergies.  I recommend drinking it as a tea with lemon daily (available in tea bags at health food stores or can be purchased as loose leaf), but it is also a component of many allergy formulas (see below).

5.  Probiotics
Probiotics are the 'good' bacteria that live within our digestive tracts.  By changing the balance of these bacteria to support more allergy friendly populations we can affect the immune response (80% of the immune system lives in the gut!) and shift it to a less reactive state.  The best strains for allergies are Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus species.  I tend to recommend Recovery SAP (NFH) or MultiStrain 11 (Cyto-matrix), but there are other great options on the market as well.  Look for high potency (big numbers) and broad spectrum (many different types of probiotics) for your best results.

6.  Look for other triggers
When our bodies are overwhelmed by other factors like stress, or food sensitivities it becomes difficult for us to cope with much else.  I often relate our bodies to a bucket: we put in our foods, our water, medications, some emotions and a pinch of vitamins. Some of these factors begin to fill up our buckets, while others help to keep the level down.  For many, allergies are the thing that makes our bodies overflow because it's just the last thing left to make the buckets fill up.  To help with allergies then, I suggest ways to keep our buckets less full so that we are further away from that point of overflow.  Keeping stress levels managed, and food reactions out of our diet are great ways to impact the allergic response at a deeper level.  To determine your unique food sensitivities I often do a blood test so that we know which foods your body processes well, and which are causing inflammation (or filling up our buckets).

Lifestyle Strategies
On a daily basis there are several things which you can do in order to clean out the nasal passages and lessen the allergic response:
- epsom salt baths
- nasal rinses (eg. Neti Pot or Hydrasense spray)
- change pillow case regularly
- essential oils (peppermint, lavender) diffused in the home
- natural soaps and detergents
- castor oil packs to move lymph

To make life easier...
Since we're busy people, I often utilize comprehensive allergy products that contain the lovely ingredients I mentioned above.
- Allergy Formula (Signature Supplements) or Natural D-Hist (Orthomolecular Products)
- I generally recommend an initial phase of 2 capsules three times per day for two weeks to get symptoms under control and then reducing to a maintenance dose of 2 capsules daily.

Wishing you a sniffle-free spring!  I'd love to help you develop a customized plan for your allergies too!
Dr. Christa


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Helping people feel like themselves again, or for the first time.

"Self-care" might be a bit of a catch phrase right now, but the reason it's getting traction is because we are just so bad at it that it seems like an entirely novel idea.  It is so common for us to put other's needs before our own.  Giving ourselves to our jobs, our children, our partners, our friends, our community is an important part of being a thoughtful and caring individual.  Giving is a crucial aspect of being.  The thing is, we often forget that we also need to receive.  The first step towards learning to receive the care of others, is to practice by giving to yourself.  Often this is a very tough thing for people to do because we put the needs of others well ahead of our own.  And even if we do place value on ourselves, there just isn't enough time and energy to go around.  So here it is: I give you permission to take care of yourself too.

Self Care
1.  Do something that you love once per day.  
I'm a firm believer that we weren't born just to work and then die (sorry if that's a bit harsh!).  You have things that you love to do.  Think about the things that make you feel that deep warm glow within, and try to do one of them each day even if it's just for a short time.  Some ideas are: call a friend for a chat, go for a walk, have a bath, read a book, practice yoga or other exercise, listen to music... with or without a private dance party ;) - the possibilities are endless as long as you feel that it fills up your heart or clears your head.

2.  Ask for help
This is something that many of us struggle with - a tonne; because even when you find a helper, the temptation to take over to "make sure it's done right" often prevails.  All I ask is that you find a way to balance your roles so that not every task defaults to you.  Often it's the mental chaos of the neverending to-do list that is more stressful than actually getting things done.  Therefore, when you can share responsibilities - with your kids, your partner, or by paying someone - you will free up some of that head space that is making it so hard to concentrate and think clearly.  If sharing roles isn't an option, then organization and routines will help to simply your life.  Whether you meal plan, only grocery shop on a certain day of the week, and put your vitamins in a daily pill container, the more things that are built into a schedule, the less brain power will be wasted on them.  It's like a hard drive, when you have too many programs open at once the system gets slow.  

3.  Stop, what do I need in this moment?
A sign that we need to take a minute for ourselves is a sense of overwhelming emotion: a sudden flash of anger or irritability, or breaking down in tears.  Quite often those feelings are not being caused by the situation, they are an overflow of built-up feelings.  Once you recognize that your emotions are not quite what they seem, you can learn to stop first ... and then think, what do I need in this moment?  Sometimes the answer is food and it's low blood sugar making you cranky because you skipped lunch, sometimes it's a little space to breathe by yourself, sometimes it's that you haven't worked your brain enough that day... it could be a great number of things (although if you ask your mom or your best friend, they might have a clue for you) but understanding our body's cues has become so suppressed that it we no longer recognize what we need, or we're too distracted to listen.


My favourite self-care ideas:

• infrared sauna
• dry skin brushing
• castor oil packs
• make sure you eat as well as your kids do
• meal planning
• yoga class (or Youtube at home)
• meditation or deep breathing 
• epsom salt baths with a drop of lavender oil
• journal or make lists
• colouring books
• planting a vegetable garden 
• walking/hiking
• go to bed on time and on schedule
• make a cup of tea
• book a massage, pedicure, counselling, or acupuncture appointment
• bake muffins
• fishing
• kayaking and paddle boarding (soon I hope!)
• make your own body scrub
• listen to music or a podcast
• buy fresh flowers or a new plant

Please feel free to share your favourite self care strategies, I love new inspiration!

                                        Dr. Christa

When you make a great effort to be healthy the snack options can seem totally unappealing or become boring really quickly.  Raw almonds instead of chips? An apple instead of chocolate?  Ya, that's not going to cut it.  There are ways to eat delicious and satisfying foods that don't sabotage your health goals.  First, you need to consider the WHY of your cravings (is your body is giving you some kind of message? Most definitely).  Then, you can find replacements that best serve you.  Your food should leave you feeling comfortable and energized, not bloated and ashamed.
Cravings

• Salt 
  Why: essential for nerve function and stress hormones
  Missing Nutrient: chloride, sodium
  Solution: add Himalayan sea salt to food, meditate, deep breathing, foods: olives, pickles, tomatoes, seaweed, celery, seafood, ocean fish
• Carbs (bread, pasta)
  Why: comfort food (serotonin happy hormone), trying to limit carbs creating a withdrawal craving
  Missing Nutrient: nitrogen, chromium, tryptophan
  Solution: consume starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes and other root vegetables to balance out proteins, low carb vegetables, and fats
• Sugar 
  Why: energy boost needed, either from a crash that started with a morning coffee and a high carb breakfast, or lack of sleep
  - can also point to an imbalance of good and bad bacteria (dysbiosis)
  Missing Nutrient: chromium
  Solution: sleep routine, probiotics, protein and fat with breakfast, get moving for a different kind of energy kick, foods: legumes, fruit, cinnamon
• Chocolate
  Why: muscle cramps, low mood, stress hormones
  Missing Nutrient: magnesium
  Solution: have epsom salt baths a few times per week, eat more: quinoa, almonds, spinach, black beans, edamame, cashews, swiss chard, pumpkin seeds, Swiss chard
• Caffeine
  Why: dehydration, energy boost, blood sugar crash
  Missing Nutrient: salt, iron
  Solution: drink a big glass of water, drink caffeine after breakfast to stop replacing meals with coffee
• Cheese
  Missing Nutrient: calcium, essential fatty acids like omega-3
  Solution: ground flax seeds, flax oil, chia seeds, broccoli, leafy greens, sesame seeds/tahini, salmon
• Fizzy Drinks (Pop)
  Missing Nutrient: calcium
  Solution: sesame seeds, broccoli, kale, nettle tea, almonds, asparagus, bok choy, dates
• Chewing Ice
  Missing Nutrient: iron
  Solution: meat, poultry, fish, nettle tea, blackstrap molasses, leafy greens, liver

Energy Bites
​
The combinations are endless so they can be tailored to your unique nutritional needs
- 1 cup dry oats
- 2/3 cup toasted coconut flakes
- 1/2 cup peanut butter (or other nut/seed butter)
- 1/2 cup ground flax seeds
- 1/2 chocolate chips (semisweet or vegan)
- 1/3 cup honey or agave nectar
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- 1 tsp vanilla extract

Stir all ingredients together in a medium bowl until thoroughly mixed. Cover and let chill in the refrigerator for half an hour.
Once chilled, roll into balls of whatever size you would like (about 1″ in diameter will make 20-25 balls). Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Hummus Dipper
- in a glass jar place 1/4 cup hummus
- stand 1/2 cup mixed veggie sticks (carrots, snow peas, celery, cucumber, peppers) into the jar standing up with one end in the hummus 
- or buy prepackaged single serving hummus and pack veggies separately
 
"Cheese" Popcorn
- 3 cups air popped popcorn
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- sea salt
Sprinkle nutritional yeast and salt over popcorn. Share :)
 
Nut Butter Boats
- 2 ribs celery (cut into 3 pieces)
- Nut or seed butter (almond, peanut, tahini)
- Raisins or Cranberries or pumpkin seeds or almonds

Use a knife to spread nut butter into ribs of celery. Top with a row of raisins. 
Fun twist: do the same thing only use apple slices to make sandwiches with the nut butter and raisins

Parfait
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cups berries
Place in a container, or even in alternating layers.  Top with coconut flakes and a drop of honey or maple syrup if desired. Optional: add 1 tbsp hulled chia seeds

Roasted Chickpeas
- 1 can chickpeas (drained, rinsed, dried of moisture) OR 1 bag frozen edamame
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- salt
- spice of choice: cayenne pepper, chill powder, cinnamon, curry, red pepper flakes, parmesan cheese
Roast for 20-25 minutes at 400oF on parchment paper until desired texture reached.  You can also find these packaged and ready to go.

Ten Bites
- 10 almonds
- 10 olives
- 10 pinches of coconut chips
- 10 pistachios 
- 10 chocolate chips (for a chocolate craving)

Jerky or Pepperoni Sticks
- watch the sodium, nasty ingredients, and portion sizes
- often provides 10g of protein per serving
- you can even start making your own at home using a food dehydrator to cut costs and control the additives (and you can make your own dried fruits too!)

Toasted Seeds
- 1/2 cup sunflower seeds (raw)
- 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds (raw)
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/8 tsp sea salt

Place all ingredients in a frypan over medium heat. Stir frequently not to burn and so seeds become evenly toasted. Grab a handful as a snack or use on top of salads. Generally school safe!

Egg & Avocado
- 1 hardboiled egg, chopped
- 1/2 avocado, cut into cubes
- 1 tbsp green onion, sliced
- 1 tbsp red pepper, minced
- salt & pepper to taste
Stir all ingredients together in a bowl, season with salt and pepper.