Maybe you have heard of the term Bio Hacking. If not, I'm sure you have heard of the term "hacker". In the technology world hackers try to get to the core of a computer system's essence, how it works, what makes it function. Then they tweak or play with that system to allow the hacker to get what they want from it. In the technology world "hacker" has a bad/evil connotation, but that is not so in the world of nutrition and biology.

In the world of biology and nutrition bio hackers are simply trying to learn how the body best works. What foods make it work most efficiently? What foods and nutrients make that individual's brain work best ? Are there foods or even food chemicals that make that individual suffer both in terms of overall energy, vitality or even brain/cognitive function? Is there anything causing you foggy brain that you have learned to avoid ? What about bloating or other digestive issues ? Does a big old plate of spaghetti leave you unbuttoning your pants for the next day or so ? Or did you just think that happens to everyone after eating pasta so you ignore it ? The sad truth is most people simply do not pay attention enough to what their body is telling them, and yet your body is ALWAYS talking to you !

I explain all this to emphasize that we are living in such an AMAZING time in terms of nutrition and biology. We now have access to so many lab tests, and even DNA tests!, that allow a person to really KNOW what makes them healthy and what can over time cause what I call "metabolic chaos" (also known as: dis ease). And the best part ? We do not need to go through our GP or family doctor to order those tests. Tests that will be marked up exorbitantly by the insurance companies anyway when ordered through a doctor. No.
Now is the time to take your health, and your health care, in your own hands. There are labs tests that can be run, everything from Food Sensitivities (different from food allergies), Metabolic Function, Leaky Gut tests (which tests our digestive function, mainly  is food leaking out of your gut lining and into your blood stream and causing inflammation?), even Omega 3 testing (how much Omega 3s you have in your blood).

It's like my recent trip to the chiropractor. When I mention neck pain to him he didn't look at spine and then take a wild guess as to which part of my spine to adjust. "Well Jennife,r by looks of it it might be T4 and T5." NO!!  He didn't. He did an X-Ray and used that testing data to pinpoint where my problem areas are, and did his adjustments based on that information. 

I for one am very excited about all this. It means...why guess what's ailing you or causing you metabolic chaos? Test instead !

Maybe you are in the know and you're already aware that what's old is new again and good ol' chicken soup in back in style. It's all the new rage in the world of health and nutrition, and even the sports world now. So what's the deal ? Why all the fuss ?

Bone Broth, made from organic chicken bones, or grass fed beef bones, is truly a super food. Grandma knew what she was doing when she put all those yucky bones and carcasses in a big pot on the stove and boiled away the afternoon. The vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and digestive healing that comes from homemade, all natural bone broth is like nothing else. No...unfortunately you can't just pop into your local grocery store and buy that box of Campbells chicken broth, or worse yet, those buillon cubes that food manufacturers invented for us lazy humans. Those things go along side the TV dinners and the fast food chains...just simply not good for you. No nutritional value.

But bone broth however ! It's all the rage. I listened to an interview recently of Dr Cate Shanahan who is now famously known as the nutritionist to the LA Lakers. She had Kobe Bryant and all those players change their diet. No suprprise that she got them off processed foods and excess sugar. But guess what she had them ADD into their diet ? That's right - bone broth.

Last winter I dabbled with making my own bone broth. I mean who doesn't like a nice warm soup in the winter. And by the way, I now sip my broth out of a mug like a cup of tea. It's so soothing on a cold day!! But this winter I have really kicked it up a notch. My best broth I have made so far was from the carcass of the organic turkey we had at Christmas. The kids were asking for mugs of that ! And the best part is flavoring your broth with more nutrition enhancing herbs or vegetables. Tumeric is a spice used quite often in Indian cooking (it's what gives curry that yellow color) and is known for its anti inflammatory properties. And of course everyone knows that ginger is healing to the gut (it is commonly used to ease nausea). What about the squeeze of a lime or 2? Lemon? Very alkalizing for the body!

Try making your own broth in your slow cooker. You'll be so glad you did !

Bone Broth Recipe:
Ingredients

• 2-3 roasted chicken carcasses (approx. 2 lbs. of bones)
• 1 or 2 medium onions, unpeeled & quartered
• 1 head of garlic, unpeeled, cut in half crosswise
• 2 celery ribs, cut in 1 to 2 inch pieces
• 2 carrots, cut in 1 to 2 inch pieces
• 5 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 5 sprigs of fresh parsley
• 1 bay leaf
• 1-1/2 teaspoons peppercorns
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (1 tablespoon per pound of bones) (I use Braggs Organic) 
• 2 to 2-1/2 quarts filtered water (enough to immerse above ingredients)

Directions
Add all of the ingredients to a 6 quart (or larger) slow cooker. * Cook on low for 12 hours (or more). While still hot, use tongs or slotted spoon to remove large pieces from broth. Then pour through a wire mesh strainer to remove the remaining solid bits.

Is your body dealing with HIDDEN stressors ?? We all know we deal with stress from our jobs, or our finances, or even environmental stressors like pollution, but I am talking about stressors that are going on internally, unfortunately unbeknownst to us.

I am talking about - Are there Hormonal, Immune, Digestive, Detoxification, Energy, or Nervous system (HIDDEN) stressors that your body is battling that could be the cause of your headaches, or weight gain, or even skin issues? I used to think that all my exercising (weight training everyday, followed by sprints, and a swim, and well try to squeeze in Barre Class too...all in one day!) was a good thing. I mean I wanted "burn off" that extra glass of wine, or Halloween candy indulgences. What I didn't realize was that with all that chronic over exercising I was depleting my hormone levels, most notably - my cortisol.

Cortisol is the stress hormone, yes, but it is also that "Get up and Go" hormone. Without cortisol rising in the morning (cortisol follows a diurnal pattern of rising in the morning and waning throughout the day), it is VERY hard to get out of bed. And let me tell you from experience - I had blown out ALL my cortisol from all my exercising! I was experiencing what some would call "Adrenal Fatigue", and I had a REALLY hard time getting out of bed in the morning!

Once I began my FDN coursework and ran some hormone tests on myself, I found out my cortisol levels were in the tanker...and of course that's why I felt so awful, particularly in the mornings! Knowledge is power, and it helped me realize I AM NOT LAZY, or GETTING OLDER, I was just dealing with hormonal disfunction!
I could fix that, and I have...and boy do I FEEL Better !!

The reason why I test hormones ...

The other day my 12, going on 18, year old daughter came home in an absolute terrible mood that proceeded to worsen as the evening wore on. The whole family felt as though we were walking on eggshells around her as anything said to her was met with a snappy reply and a glare. By the end of the night my husband and I just looked at each other and said, "it must be hormones".
But in reality, have you ever considered what really goes on behind the scenes with our hormones?

What are hormones exactly ?

Hormones are essentially the chemical messengers your body uses to communicate between body systems. These chemical messengers affect everything, how you look, feel, think, and even behave. And you know this don't you? Have you ever been so hungry you could, and would, run over anything or anyone that got in your way of you and the refrigerator?! That was because your insulin (blood sugar hormone) were so low your survival instinct of "must get food NOW!" took over. There are over 100 identified hormones in the body, but there are a few critical hormones that I focus on when helping a client heal from Hidden Stressors.

Well if hormones are running behind the scenes, biologically, there's nothing I can do about it...right?

WRONG!

There is so much that affects your hormones and how they are working for you, or against you. First, and numero uno, is obviously FOOD. Are you eating processed foods ? Are you eating out a lot, and therefore you are not in control of how your food is cooked (i.e. what oils the food is cooked in) ? The simple task of cooking whole, nutritious vegetables and clean sources of protein HELP your hormones work efficiently and effectively FOR you. Food is INFORMATION for your hormones.
More on what else affects your hormones in my next post...but luckily we live in the age of "Biohacking" and testing for better health, so stop guessing whether your hormones are "out of whack", or waiting for a doctor to order a test for you. Simple tests for cortisol, insulin, thyroid, and those quirky sex hormones, will guide you on how to heal those hidden stressors, and get your hormones to work for you, your metabolism, and your mental health.
Who doesn't want that?!