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If you want to know how to break bad eating habits after 50, I have to be honest with you first: it is not about willpower. I learned that the hard way, standing at a lunch table with my husband, staring at his chocolate chip cookie like it owed me something.

Here is what happened. We met for lunch, and he had a cookie sitting on his plate for dessert. Without even thinking, I reached over and started to break off a piece, like I always do. Then I caught myself. I stopped and pulled my hand back. He is a good sport, so he broke the cookie in half and handed me my piece anyway. I said no thank you and meant it.

That cookie was not going to help my body. It was not going to give me energy or make me feel better. It was just a habit I built over years of telling myself I needed a little something sweet after every meal. And after 50, habits like that do more than pack on a few extra pounds. They keep your blood sugar swinging up and down all day, which makes you tired, cranky, and hungry again an hour later. Your hormones are already shifting at this stage of life. Sugar after every meal just adds fuel to that fire.

Why Gut Health and Breaking Bad Eating Habits Get Harder After 50

When you were younger, your body could bounce back from a sugar crash pretty quickly. Now, your blood sugar and your hormones do not forgive as easily. That sweet treat after lunch can leave you feeling foggy, moody, or wiped out by mid-afternoon. It is not you losing your discipline. It is your body telling you it needs something different now than it did twenty years ago.

I want to say this plainly, because I believe it: God designed your body to run well. He built it to heal, to balance itself, and to feel good when you give it what it actually needs. My job is to help you see how to do that, one habit at a time.

Breaking the Habit, Not Just Fighting It

The way I broke this habit was simple. Instead of standing around the kitchen after dinner wondering what sweet thing I could find, I put on my shoes and went for a walk, with my husband and our furbaby right beside me. It gave my body something good instead of something empty, and it gave my mind a break from the kitchen at the exact moment I needed it most. That is really all breaking a habit is. You are not white-knuckling your way through it forever. You are replacing an old habit with a new one, on purpose, until the new one feels normal.

Now, I have always been a go cold turkey kind of woman. That worked for me with sugar, coffee, alcohol, and soft drinks. But I want to be honest with you here too. Cold turkey is not the right approach for everybody, especially if your blood sugar has been swinging hard for years. For some women, cutting sugar out all at once can cause harder crashes and stronger cravings before it gets easier. If that sounds like you, it is okay to step down slowly instead of quitting all at once. There is no shame in either path. The goal is progress, not punishment.

A Resource Worth Your Time

If you want to dig deeper into how habits are built and broken, I still recommend a book called The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy. He also has free tools on his website, including a Habit Assessment, if you want a starting point.

Where to Start

You do not have to overhaul everything today. Pick one habit, just like I did with that cookie. Notice it. Name it. Then replace it with something small and good, and let that be enough for today.

If you want help figuring out which habit to tackle first, or you want a simple plan for balancing your blood sugar and hormones so cravings do not run the show, grab my free Endless Energy Blueprint. It is a good next step before we ever hop on a call together.

The post How to Break Bad Eating Habits appeared first on B Renewed Wellness Solutions.

Valorie Burton taught a session called How Did I Get So Busy, and her words really landed with me.. Busy people often act simply out of fear. I had never once connected my full calendar to fear, but she’s right.

Why a Full Calendar Masks Deeper Anxieties

Think about the questions running through your head when you consider slowing down.

“What if I say no and I let someone down?”

“Perhaps everything will fall apart if I stop doing so much.”

“Am I only valued because I keep myself endlessly needed?”

Fear hides inside every one of those questions, and it keeps us moving. It keeps us saying yes when we mean no.

Here’s the part that convicted me. We treat busy like it’s the same thing as important, and it’s not. Doing a lot of things differs from doing the things that matter. One measures how full your day is. The other reveals whether your life actually moves toward a real destination.

God did not design you to run on empty. He built rhythms of work and rest right into creation, and your body follows those rhythms whether you honor them or not. Busyness with no real rest keeps your stress hormones switched on year after year, and that shows up in your sleep, your digestion, your weight, and your mood. Your body keeps the score even when your calendar doesn’t.

I know this one firsthand. I spent years striving, in my business and in my life, always pushing for more and never really stopping to rest. My adrenals became so depleted that I crashed every afternoon, unable to function.. Sleep didn’t fix it. I felt wired and tired at the same time. Eventually, physical exhaustion compelled me to slow down because I refused to stop on my own, and looking back, that season taught me more about rest than any book could have.

How to Overcome When Your Busyness Is Rooted in Fear

First, admit it’s a problem. You can’t fix what you won’t name. Maybe your schedule scares you or overwhelms you when you look at it. Maybe people frequently say to you, “How do you manage all this?” Either one is a sign to start here.

Second, know you get to take your schedule back. You hold the right to prioritize the people and things that matter most to you, but keeping that priority demands purposeful intent rather than mere accident.

Look at your actual priorities, then check whether your week reflects them.

Health matters to you? Plan for it. Put your meals, your movement, and your rest on the calendar like they matter, because they do.

Family matters to you? Sit down at dinner and actually look at them. Ask real questions. Put the phone away.

Your own soul matters too. Rest, quiet, a hobby you actually enjoy – none of that counts as extra. Lacking room for any of these essentials proves you are carrying too much.

Recognizing that your busyness rooted in fear doesn’t have to be your normal changes everything. Living exhausted isn’t more faithful than living well. If you are ready to examine what drives your schedule and get real support putting your health first, book a consultation with me here. Alternatively, contact us directly.

The post Busyness Rooted in Fear: Why It Happens and How to Break the Cycle appeared first on B Renewed Wellness Solutions.

Here’s the honest truth: I don’t recommend a product unless I’ve dug into it myself. God built our bodies to heal and repair when we give them the right raw materials, and these are some of the best tools I’ve found for doing exactly that. I use them, my family uses them, and I hand them out to clients because I’ve seen what happens when the gut and the cells finally get what they need.

Why I Trust the Quality of BodyBio

Every BodyBio product on this list is made in-house in Millville, New Jersey, and tested by outside labs before it ever reaches you. You won’t find fillers, artificial colors, or unnecessary additives in any of them, and they’re free of the common troublemakers – wheat, gluten, yeast, corn, soy, and dairy. I don’t say a product is high quality unless I’d hand it to my own family, and this is one I hand out without hesitation.

Now let’s get into the specifics on each one.

BodyBio PC (Phospholipid Complex) – BodyBio FAQ Guide

How Much Do I Take, and When?

Start with 2 softgels or half a teaspoon of the liquid each day, taken with food. Once you know how your body responds, you can slowly increase the amount to fit what you’re working toward.

The liquid gets into your system a little faster since your body doesn’t have to break it down first. The softgels work great too, especially if you’d rather not deal with a spoon. Take it around the same time every day – that consistency matters more than the exact hour on the clock.

When Will I Start Feeling a Difference?

It’s working from the very first dose. Your phospholipid levels start rising right away, but rebuilding your cells is a slow, steady process, not an overnight one.

Most people start noticing clearer thinking, steadier energy, and less brain fog somewhere between weeks two and four. Give it a full six weeks before you decide how it’s working for you. Your cells are being rebuilt one at a time, and that takes a little patience.*

BodyBio FAQ: BodyBio Butyrate

Quick heads up before you start: BodyBio Butyrate has a strong, fermented smell. That’s not a flaw – it means there’s nothing masking or diluting the butyrate, and it’s doing exactly what it’s supposed to do.

How Much Do I Take, and When?

Take 1 to 2 capsules with food, one to three times a day. If your gut is sensitive, start with just 1 capsule and build up slowly from there.

When Will I Start Feeling a Difference?

Some people feel a difference within the first few days, since your gut cells start getting fuel directly. It’s normal to notice a few changes in your bowel habits that first week too – your gut is adjusting, and it typically settles on its own.*

By the two-week mark, digestion usually starts to smooth out, with less bloating and more regular, comfortable trips to the bathroom.* Between weeks two and four, your gut lining keeps getting stronger and healthy bacteria start reestablishing themselves.*

Past four weeks, the benefits move beyond digestion – better immune function, less inflammation, and an overall healthier gut structure.*

How Does It Help with Immune Balance?

Butyrate doesn’t only work in your gut – it affects how your whole immune system responds to the world around you. It helps calm down overactive mast cells, strengthens your immune tolerance, and lowers inflammatory signals in your lungs, sinuses, and gut. When your butyrate levels are low, your immune system can get trigger-happy and start reacting to everyday things it normally wouldn’t. Keeping your butyrate levels up helps your immune system respond in a calmer, steadier way from the inside out.*

BodyBio FAQ Guide for BodyBio TUDCA

BodyBio TUDCA is a highly bioavailable bile acid that helps:

• Promote healthy bile flow and digestion*
• Protect liver cells from stress and damage*
• Support balanced liver enzyme levels*
• Aid in detoxification and fat metabolism*
• Support removal of fat-soluble toxins*

How Much Do I Take, and When?

Take 1 to 2 capsules with food, one to three times a day. Taking it alongside a meal that has some fat in it helps your body put it to work right away, supporting bile flow and fat digestion when you need it most.*

If you don’t have a gallbladder, taking TUDCA with food is especially helpful for keeping digestion comfortable.

When Will I Start Feeling a Difference?

In the first two weeks, you may notice fatty meals sit better as your bile flow starts to improve.* Between weeks two and four, many people see better liver function, more stable blood sugar, and healthier gut bacteria taking hold.*

Past the four-week point, TUDCA starts working on a deeper level. Researchers describe it as a chaperone molecule – it helps proteins in your cells fold correctly and protects your cells from stress, including in the brain and nervous system, since it’s able to cross the blood-brain barrier. This is an area of ongoing research, and studies on this deeper cellular support have run anywhere from a few months to well over a year, so give it time and stay consistent.*

*These statements haven’t been evaluated by the FDA. These products aren’t meant to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Everybody’s body responds a little differently, so use this as a general guide and reach out if you have questions about your own situation.

If you’re ready to get started or want guidance on which one is right for you, book a call with me here.

If you’re ready to get started or want guidance on which one is right for you after reviewing this BodyBio FAQ, book a call with me here. Alternatively contact us with any questions you may have.

The post BodyBio FAQ: What You Need to Know Before You Start appeared first on B Renewed Wellness Solutions.

Here’s what most women don’t realize: after 50, your body starts losing muscle mass faster than it did in your 30s and 40s. It’s called sarcopenia, and it happens to everyone – but you can slow it down significantly with adequate protein and movement. Protein also helps keep your blood sugar stable, supports your bones, and keeps you feeling full so you’re not hunting through the kitchen an hour after you eat. Most women I talk to are getting nowhere near enough. The general recommendation is around 0.7 to 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight – and for women over 50, staying toward the higher end of that range matters.

This dish makes it simple. Brown rice, egg whites, bone broth, and a good handful of vegetables come together in one pan in about 20 minutes. No complicated steps. No ingredients you can’t pronounce. Just a solid, satisfying high protein rice recipe that actually works for your body.

God designed your body with an incredible ability to heal and thrive when you give it what it needs. Protein is one of those things. Don’t shortchange yourself.

Use organic ingredients wherever possible.

Ingredients for This High Protein Rice Recipe (Makes 4 Servings)

• 1/2 cup organic long-grain brown rice
• 1 cup low-sodium bone broth (chicken or beef)
• 6 free-range or organic whole eggs*
• 6 free-range or organic egg whites
• 1 cup chopped broccoli
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 cups sliced mushrooms
• 4 celery stalks, diced
• 2 cups raw spinach
• 4 tablespoons low-sodium, non-GMO soy sauce or coconut aminos
• Salsa for topping (optional, but recommended)

*Prefer to skip the yolks? Use 12 egg whites instead. You’ll lose a little fat and some key nutrients like choline and vitamin D, but the protein stays strong.

Steam the broccoli until just tender. Lightly coat a medium pan with cooking spray and set it over medium heat. Add the steamed broccoli, onion, mushrooms, celery, and spinach. Cook until the spinach wilts down. Add the bone broth, soy sauce or coconut aminos, and rice. Stir, then let it simmer until the liquid is absorbed. Add the egg whites and stir continuously until fully cooked through. Top with salsa if you like a little kick.

Nutrition per serving:
Calories: ~290 | Fat: 1.5g | Carbohydrates: ~28g | Fiber: 3g | Protein: ~34g

If you’re looking for personalized guidance on your gut health, feel free to reach out to us

The post High Protein Rice Recipe with Veggies and Egg Whites appeared first on B Renewed Wellness Solutions.

The key is finding activities you actually enjoy. When exercise feels fun instead of like a chore, you’re much more likely to stick with it.

Here are nine simple ways to make exercise something you look forward to all year long.

1. Find an Exercise Buddy for Your Exercise for Women Over 50 Routine

Everything is more enjoyable with a friend. Having an exercise partner adds accountability, motivation, and social connection.

Schedule regular walks, fitness classes, or workouts together. On days when motivation is low, your commitment to someone else can help keep you moving.

2. Join a Group Fitness Class for Women Over 50

Group fitness classes offer structure, encouragement, and a sense of community.

Whether it’s strength training, water aerobics, yoga, Pilates, dance fitness, or cycling, finding a class you enjoy can make exercise feel more like a social event than a workout.

Look for an instructor who is knowledgeable, encouraging, and experienced working with women over 50.

3. Rediscover Activities You Love (Exercise for Women Over 50)

Exercise doesn’t have to happen in a gym.

Think back to activities you enjoyed earlier in life. Tennis, pickleball, golf, swimming, dancing, hiking, and recreational sports can provide excellent exercise while keeping things fun and engaging.

When movement feels like play, consistency becomes much easier.

4. Listen to Podcasts or Audiobooks

Turn workout time into learning time.

Listen to inspiring podcasts, personal development content, health education, or your favorite audiobook while walking, exercising indoors, or riding a stationary bike.

Many people find they look forward to workouts because it’s the only time they get uninterrupted listening time.

5. Treat Yourself to Proper Fitness Gear

A supportive pair of walking or training shoes can make a significant difference in comfort and performance.

Visit a specialty fitness store and get fitted for shoes that match your foot type and activity level. Comfortable clothing and quality gear can also boost confidence and motivation.

6. Track Your Progress

Seeing progress helps maintain momentum.

Create a simple fitness journal or tracking sheet to record:

• Daily movement
• Strength gains
• Walking distance
• Energy levels
• Flexibility improvements
• Fitness milestones

Small improvements add up and provide powerful motivation to keep going.

7. Mix Up Your Routine

Doing the same workout every day can lead to boredom.

Keep things interesting by rotating activities:

• Walking
• Strength training
• Yoga
• Pilates
• Swimming
• Cycling
• Dance workouts
• Stretching sessions

Variety challenges different muscle groups while keeping exercise fresh and enjoyable.

8. Focus on More Than the Scale

For women over 50, health improvements often happen before significant weight changes appear.

Instead of relying solely on the scale, pay attention to:

• Increased energy
• Better sleep
• Improved strength
• Reduced aches and pains
• Better balance
• Improved endurance
• Looser-fitting clothes

These victories often tell a more meaningful story than a number on the scale.

9. Use Music, Videos, or TV for Motivation

Entertainment can make workouts feel shorter and more enjoyable.

Create an upbeat playlist, stream a favorite show while using indoor fitness equipment, or follow exercise videos designed specifically for women over 50.

A little distraction can help you stay consistent and engaged.

Don’t Skip the Recovery

At the end of every workout, spend five minutes relaxing and allowing your body to recover.

Lie comfortably, close your eyes, and focus on your breathing. Notice how your body feels after moving. This simple practice can reduce stress, improve recovery, and help you appreciate the positive effects of exercise.

The Bottom Line

The best exercise program is the one you’ll actually do consistently. Whether you’re navigating rainy days, cooler temperatures, or hot and humid weather, there are countless ways to stay active year-round.

For women over 50, regular movement isn’t just about weight management – it’s about maintaining strength, energy, independence, confidence, and overall wellness for years to come.

Find activities you enjoy, make them part of your routine, and keep moving your body every day.

Common Questions About Exercise for Women Over 50

For women over 50, regular movement isn’t just about weight management – it’s about maintaining strength, energy, independence, confidence, and overall healthy living for years to come.

The post Exercise for Women Over 50: 9 Fun Ways to Stay Active appeared first on B Renewed Wellness Solutions.

But here’s the thing: what we love to eat and what our bodies need aren’t always the same thing. And somewhere in my 50s, that gap started to matter a whole lot more.

So when I came across this recipe in The Great American Detox Diet by Alex Jamieson, I held my breath and made them anyway. And I am so glad I did. These muffins are made entirely from whole food ingredients, they’re moist, they have a real depth of flavor, and honestly – they feel like a treat. God made food to nourish us, and when we lean into that truth instead of fighting it, it stops feeling like deprivation and starts feeling like wisdom.

Why These Healthy Carrot Muffins Work for Women Over 50

Our digestion changes as we get older. White flour and refined sugar hit differently – more bloating, more blood sugar swings, more afternoon crashes. These muffins swap all of that out without sacrificing anything you actually care about, like flavor and texture.

Spelt flour is much easier to digest than conventional wheat. Coconut oil supports your metabolism. Maple syrup – used in real amounts, not a token teaspoon – gives you genuine sweetness with a lower glycemic impact than white sugar. And carrots are loaded with beta-carotene, which supports eye health and immunity, two things that matter more the older we get.

A Few Notes from My Kitchen

I didn’t have an orange on hand when I made these, so I used 3 drops of doTERRA Wild Orange essential oil instead of the zest. It worked beautifully — gave the muffins a bright, clean citrus flavor without any of the bitterness you sometimes get from zesting.

Next time I make these, I’m adding walnuts or pecans. The recipe doesn’t call for them, but I think the crunch would be a nice contrast to the soft muffin. Feel free to do the same.

Healthy Carrot Muffins Recipe

Makes 24 muffins | From The Great American Detox Diet by Alex Jamieson

Ingredients (always use organic when possible)

• 3 cups One Degree Organic whole spelt flour*
• 1½ teaspoons baking soda
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon cardamom
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
• ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 cup water
• ⅓ cup unrefined coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• Zest of 1 orange (or 3 drops doTERRA Wild Orange essential oil)
• 1½ cups grated carrot
• ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1 cup maple syrup
• 1 cup raisins

*One Degree Organic whole spelt flour is one of the few brands that tests for glyphosate. That matters – especially for women over 50 whose bodies are already working harder to filter out what doesn’t belong.

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 325°F.

In a large mixing bowl, sift together both spelt flours, the baking soda, baking powder, cardamom, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir to combine and set aside.

In a blender, combine the applesauce, water, coconut oil, vanilla, apple cider vinegar, salt, orange zest (or oil), grated carrot, shredded coconut, and maple syrup. Blend until well combined.

Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients, add the raisins, and stir until just combined – don’t overmix.

Scoop ¼-cup portions into a greased muffin pan and bake for 20 minutes.

One Last Thing

If you’ve been told your digestive symptoms are just part of getting older – the bloating, the sluggishness, the way certain foods just don’t agree with you anymore – I want you to know that’s not the whole story. Your body was designed to function well. Sometimes it just needs the right support.

If you’re ready to figure out what’s actually going on, I’d love to talk. Book a free 30-minute health screening call here and let’s take a look together.

Here’s another healthy treat to try.

The post Healthy Carrot Muffins That Actually Taste Like Dessert appeared first on B Renewed Wellness Solutions.

You went to the doctor, got your labs back, and walked out with a prescription for a statin. You did what you were told. But a few weeks in, something feels off. You are more tired than before. Your muscles ache. You are dragging through the day wondering if this is just aging – or if the pill that was supposed to help you is making things worse.

You are not imagining it.

This is one of the most common things women in their 50s tell me, and it rarely gets a real answer at the doctor’s office. So let’s talk about what statins actually do – and what they also block in the process.

How Statins Work

Statins block an enzyme in the liver that makes cholesterol. That same pathway also produces several nutrients your body depends on – CoQ10, Vitamin D, Vitamin K2, magnesium, and selenium. When the pathway shuts down, everything connected to it takes a hit.

Cholesterol is not just a number on a lab report. Every cell in your body needs it.

Why Muscle Pain and Statin Side Effects in Women Are Often Dismissed

Muscle pain and cramping are among the most common complaints from women on statins – and they happen more often in women than in men. Most doctors brush it off. Most women assume it is just getting older.

Here is what is actually going on.

Statins block the production of CoQ10, and lower CoQ10 means less cellular energy – which shows up as muscle aches, fatigue, and weakness. CoQ10 fuels your mitochondria – the little furnaces inside your cells that keep your muscles working and recovering. When that fuel runs low, everything starts to drag.

In serious cases, statins can cause rhabdomyolysis – a breakdown of muscle tissue that puts a heavy burden on your kidneys. Most cases never get that far, but the low-grade damage can happen quietly before you feel a thing.

CoQ10, Energy, and Statin Side Effects in Women

CoQ10 does more than fuel muscles. It supports your heart muscle, your skeletal muscles, and your overall energy production at the cellular level. Low CoQ10 can also create a functional carnitine deficiency, which makes muscle pain and fatigue even worse.

This combination is commonly seen in women dealing with chronic muscle pain, fibromyalgia, and exercise intolerance. If that sounds familiar, it is worth asking whether your nutrient levels have ever been checked.

Statins, Blood Sugar, and Diabetes Risk

This one surprises people. Statins are associated with an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. For women who already have diabetes, the risks go further — including increased risk of kidney disease and vision damage.

The connection goes back to the mitochondria. When nutrients like CoQ10 and magnesium are depleted, the mitochondria cannot regulate blood sugar the way they should. That is not a small problem. That is a foundational one.

Your Body Needs Cholesterol to Make Vitamin D

Cholesterol is a critical building block — your body uses it to make vitamin D, hormones, and other essential compounds. Low vitamin D is directly linked to higher muscle soreness risk in statin users, and vitamin D plays a major role in muscle health overall.

Lower cholesterol means lower vitamin D. Lower vitamin D means weaker muscles, lower immunity, lower libido, and a mood that sits closer to the floor. If you are feeling any of those things and no one has tested your vitamin D, that needs to change. Standard blood tests often miss the full picture – intracellular testing is more reliable.

Vitamin K2, Your Gut, and Your Heart

Most people have never heard of Vitamin K2, but your gut makes it and your body depends on it. K2 tells calcium where to go — into your bones, not your arteries.

Statins disrupt gut bacteria, which reduces K2 availability. Without enough K2, calcium can end up deposited in artery walls instead of bones. That is the opposite of what you are trying to accomplish for heart health.

Magnesium: The One Everyone Ignores

Magnesium is depleted by stress, exercise, aging, and medications – statins included. Standard blood tests for magnesium are notoriously unreliable. Meanwhile, low magnesium quietly causes muscle cramps, heart rhythm problems, poor sleep, and blood sugar swings.

Most adults need 400 to 800 mg daily in divided doses. Most are not getting close to that.

Selenium and Your Thyroid

Statins also lower selenium. Selenium is what your thyroid needs to convert the inactive form of thyroid hormone (T4) into the active form (T3). Without enough selenium, thyroid function quietly suffers – and with it, your energy, your metabolism, and your cholesterol patterns. It is a cycle that rarely gets addressed.

Is Lower Always Better?

Current guidelines keep pushing LDL targets lower and lower – sometimes below 70. But cholesterol is not just a heart issue. Your brain runs on it. Research has linked very low total cholesterol levels to increased rates of depression and other serious concerns. Lower is not always safer. That conversation deserves more than a three-minute appointment.

Managing Statin Side Effects in Women: Actionable Steps

Taking control of your health starts with acknowledging these issues. If you suspect you are struggling with statin side effects in women, bring a list of your specific symptoms to your next appointment.

Ask your doctor to check:

• CoQ10 levels
• Vitamin D (intracellular if possible)
• Magnesium (RBC magnesium, not serum)
• Selenium
• Thyroid function

Some people work with clinicians who use alternatives like NSF-certified red yeast rice or time-release niacin. Those options still require monitoring and nutrient support – they are not a free pass. But they exist, and they are worth knowing about.

God designed your body to function. When we are running depleted, we cannot show up the way we were made to – for our families, our work, our faith, or our communities. Stewardship of this body matters. You deserve real answers, not just a prescription and a handshake.

I am here to help. Schedule a free call

Contact us if you have any questions relating to this blog post.

The post Why Do I Feel Worse Since Starting My Cholesterol Medication? appeared first on B Renewed Wellness Solutions.

If you are curious about the reasons to avoid oat milk, I want to walk you through why I steer my gut health clients away from it.

As a nutritionist, I am frequently asked about the reasons to avoid oat milk, so I have broken down the scientific and health-related facts for you below

Oat milk has become the go-to milk swap for a lot of women I work with, and I’ve got 4 reasons why I don’t recommend it to my gut health clients. I get why it’s tempting – it’s always cheaper or on sale, and here’s why: the big companies are producing it in bulk because it’s popular right now, and popularity means low prices to keep you buying. It’s creamy, it’s easy to find, and it feels like the “healthy” choice sitting there next to the almond and cashew milk at the store. But if you’ve been pouring it into your coffee or smoothie every morning thinking you’re doing your body a favor, I want to walk you through why I steer my clients away from it. This isn’t about scaring you. It’s about giving you the truth so you can make the choice with open eyes.

Top Reasons to Avoid Oat Milk: Glyphosate Concerns

Here’s something most people don’t know: conventional oat farmers often spray their fields with glyphosate – the main ingredient in Roundup – a few days before harvest. It’s called desiccation, and it’s done to dry the crop out faster so it’s easier to harvest. That means the glyphosate isn’t washed off later. It’s baked right into the oat before it ever gets processed into milk. Testing on oat products has turned up glyphosate residue again and again, and while the levels in the milk itself are usually diluted, I don’t think “diluted” is a good enough standard when we’re talking about something you’re drinking every single day.

Here’s the part that concerns me most as someone who works on gut health for a living: glyphosate has been shown to loosen the tight junctions between the cells lining your gut. Think of those tight junctions like the seams holding a screen door together, keeping what’s supposed to stay inside your gut, inside. When glyphosate loosens those seams, it can create small gaps that let things leak through into your bloodstream that were never meant to be there. That’s the mechanism behind what’s commonly called leaky gut, and it can show up as bloating, food sensitivities, fatigue, and inflammation that seems to come out of nowhere. If you’re already working to heal your gut, a daily dose of something that works against those tight junctions isn’t helping your cause.

2. Most store-bought oat milk is loaded with seed oils and gums.

Read the ingredient label on a carton of oat milk sometime. Past the oats and water, you’ll usually find canola oil or sunflower oil (added to make it creamier and froth better for coffee), plus gums and emulsifiers to keep it from separating on the shelf. Those seed oils are highly processed and inflammatory, and for women dealing with bloating, irritable gut, or a sluggish digestive system, added gums and thickeners can be an extra irritant your gut didn’t ask for. It’s not milk with a few extra ingredients. It’s a manufactured product wearing a milk costume.

3. Oats are often treated with a chemical called chlormequat.

This one doesn’t get talked about much, but it should. Chlormequat is a plant growth regulator – it’s sprayed on crops to keep the stalks short and sturdy so they don’t fall over before harvest. It isn’t approved for use on food crops grown here in the U.S., but the government allows it on oats and other grains imported from other countries, and a lot of our oats come from Canada where it’s used. Testing has found it in the vast majority of oat-based products on store shelves, and in the bodies of most Americans tested. Animal studies have linked it to reproductive and developmental problems. We don’t have decades of human data on this one yet, and that alone is reason enough for me to be cautious, especially for women already working hard to keep their hormones balanced.

4. Nutritional Reasons to Avoid Oat Milk: The Protein Gap

This is the one that gets overlooked. A cup of oat milk gives you maybe 2-3 grams of protein and a good amount of carbohydrate, with very little to help you build or hold onto muscle. After 50, your body needs more protein than it did in your 30s, not less, and it needs it consistently through the day. Swapping real protein-containing milk for a carb-heavy oat drink, cup after cup, can quietly work against the muscle and blood sugar balance we’re trying so hard to build.

So what do I tell my clients to drink instead?

I lean toward unsweetened coconut milk or almond milk for most women, but if you want real protein in your glass, here are my two favorites.

A2 milk. Regular cow’s milk has two types of protein in it, A1 and A2. Most dairy cows in this country produce both, and it’s the A1 protein that tends to cause the bloating and stomach trouble a lot of women blame on “dairy” in general. A2 milk comes from cows that only produce the A2 protein, and it digests a whole lot easier on a lot of guts. You still get the real protein and calcium of milk, just without the fight afterward.

Unsweetened soy milk. I know soy gets a bad reputation, but plain, organic, unsweetened soy milk is one of the few plant milks that actually has protein close to what you’d get from dairy – around 7-8 grams a cup. If you tolerate soy fine and you’re trying to get more plant-based protein in, it’s a solid choice. Just steer clear of the sweetened versions loaded with sugar and vanilla flavoring.

If you love making your own oat milk at home with plain, organic, gluten-free oats, that’s a fine option too – you control exactly what goes in it, and you skip the seed oils and glyphosate concerns altogether. The only brand I use is one that is glyphosate tested is One Degree Organic.

I believe God gave us real food for a reason, and part of walking in health is learning to read a label the way we’d read anything else that’s asking for our trust. You don’t have to overhaul everything today. Start with your coffee cup tomorrow morning and see how it feels.

Ultimately, these four reasons to avoid oat milk come down to prioritizing your gut health and hormone balance over convenience.

If you want help figuring out what your gut actually needs – not just what’s trending – grab a spot on my calendar for a free 30-minute health screening call or send me a message if you prefer.

Let’s talk it through together.

The post Reasons to Avoid Oat Milk: Why It Affects Gut Health appeared first on B Renewed Wellness Solutions.

If you’re a woman in your 50s trying to eat more protein without choking down another dry chicken breast, this chickpea salad is going to become your new best friend. Chickpeas are a plant-based protein powerhouse, and this chickpea salad comes together in about 10 minutes flat.

God designed food to work with your body, not against it. This little recipe does exactly that.

Why This Chickpea Salad for Protein Works

When you make this chickpea salad for protein, you are getting 15 grams of protein and 12 grams of fiber per cup to help keep your blood sugar steady.

Chickpeas – also called garbanzo beans or chana dal – pack around 15 grams of protein and 12 grams of fiber per cup. For women in their 50s, that combination does a lot of good work. Fiber feeds the good bacteria in your gut. Protein helps you hold on to muscle mass. And both help keep your blood sugar steady so you’re not raiding the pantry at 3 in the afternoon.

Chickpea Salad Ingredients

Use organic ingredients wherever possible.

• 2 cups cooked chickpeas (or chana dal)
• ¼ cup chopped celery
• ¼ cup chopped carrots
• ⅛ cup red onion or scallions, to taste
• 1 tablespoon Veganaise (or your preferred organic mayo)
• 1 teaspoon spicy or Dijon Mustard
• 1 tablespoon sweet relish
• 1 teaspoon fresh dill
• Dash or 1/4 tsp each of cumin and coriander
• Salt and pepper to taste

How to Make Chickpea Salad

Mash the chickpeas with a fork until they’re mostly broken down – you want some texture, not baby food. Mix in everything else. That’s it. Done.

Serve it on a bed of lettuce, tucked into a whole grain wrap, or scooped onto crackers.

Here’s my favorite on-the-go trick: spoon it into romaine lettuce leaves or Chinese cabbage leaves and roll them up like little wraps. No utensils. No mess. Just grab and go.

Chickpea Salad Nutrition (per serving, makes 4)

Approximate macros per serving:

• Calories: ~175
• Protein: ~8g
• Carbohydrates: ~25g
• Fat: ~5g
• Fiber: ~6g

Macros are estimates based on standard ingredient amounts. They will vary slightly depending on your specific brands.

A Note If Carbs Don’t Sit Right With You

Many women in their 50s are carbohydrate intolerant and don’t even know it. Bloating, gas, that heavy feeling after a meal – chickpeas are healthy, but if your body isn’t making enough digestive enzymes, even good food can cause trouble.

If that sounds familiar, you may need a digestive enzyme to help your body break down the complex carbs in chickpeas properly. This is more common than most people realize, and it’s very fixable.

You can browse my enzyme recommendations directly in my Fullscript account – or if you’re not sure where to start, book a free 30-minute health screening call with me and we’ll figure out what your body actually needs.

The Bottom Line

This salad is cheap, fast, and actually keeps you full. If your digestion has been sluggish or you’re trying to figure out how to get more protein without meat at every single meal, give this one a try.

And if you’re wondering why your gut isn’t responding the way it should even when you’re eating things like this – I’d love to help you dig into that. Book a free 30-minute health screening call with me and let’s take a look at what’s going on or send me a message if you prefer.

Your body was made to work well. Sometimes it just needs a little support getting back there.

The post Chickpea Salad That Keeps You Full and Fueled appeared first on B Renewed Wellness Solutions.

Meal planning for women over 50 doesn’t have to be complicated, but it is the ultimate game-changer. Many women walk in the door from their job and start the planning, prepping, AND cooking all at once. When you’re exhausted, that is simply not the best time. That is why I pick one weekend day to plan, prep, and prepare my meals and snacks for the week ahead.

Planning is the secret to wellness! When you have clean, whole food available during your busy week, you won’t need to succumb to processed, lifeless “food”.  If 80% of all disease is preventable, planning your family’s meals is no longer an option, it’s a requirement.

Hate being in the kitchen?  Ask for help from friends and share meals. Have a taste test and turn it into a competition. Get your kids and husband involved to make it a fun family event.  See who can find the best recipe and experiment with something new.  Did you know, Americans eat the same 10-20 foods every single week?!  God made a variety of nutrients from all the different fruits, veggies, and greens for a reason…your body needs them!

You can also team up with the family and have a contest to see what dish is liked the best.  Incorporate a fun reward like a family movie or game night (game night is one of our family’s favorite activities).

Also, think about making extra meals or snacks and freezing them for the following week.  Hummus, meatloaf, and soups all freeze very well.  Coconut crack bars do too but good luck not eating them all in the first week! There is a reason it is called coconut crack you know!

One of my favorite meal-prepping tasks to ask my kids to help with is washing fruits and veggies. They can also cut and sort them (that’s their favorite part). That makes throwing a salad together or not having to prep as much for Monday night dinner so much easier.

This week I’ve prepared roasted garlic hummus for snacks/lunch, gelled chia for smoothies, coconut crack bars for dessert, butternut squash with bean soup, and meatloaf (grass-fed beef, of course) for hubby’s birthday dinner.

To ensure we intake plenty of raw fruits and veggies, I’ll serve the hummus with plenty of raw veggies plus include lots of greens in my morning smoothie.  Raw fruits are usually my in-between meal snacks since they digest better independently.

Planning and food preparation not only saves time and money, but it can also save you and your loved ones. We hear daily how many people are experiencing pain, the agony of chemo and radiation, mental health struggles, and the list goes on. If 80% of that is preventable, taking a couple of hours each week to prepare meals and snacks doesn’t seem so bad, does it? It’s a task that you reap the rewards. for your lifetime!

Remember you and your family are so worth it!

Ready to Make Wellness Effortless?

You don’t have to figure out the logistics alone. If you are ready to reclaim your time, streamline your weekly routines, and set up seamless systems that support your health and lifestyle, let’s connect.

[Click here to schedule a strategy chat with us today.]

The post Meal Planning for Women Over 50: Why Two Hours on Sunday Changes Everything appeared first on B Renewed Wellness Solutions.

It takes about two minutes. No blender, no baking, no mess. Just a bowl and a spoon.

What You Need for Chocolate Protein Pudding

• 1 scoop chocolate or vanilla protein powder
• ¼ cup almond milk or another plant-based milk
• ¼ cup organic Greek yogurt

A note on amounts: These are starting points. Add a little more milk if it’s too thick, a little less if it’s too runny. You’re going for pudding – you’ll know when you hit it.

How to Make It

Mix the protein powder with a small amount of milk first, then slowly stir in the rest until you reach the consistency you like. Fold in the Greek yogurt and you’re done. One serving, one bowl.

Want to make it richer? Stir in a tablespoon of natural peanut butter powder and a few chocolate chips. That’s dessert. Real dessert.

Why the Protein Matters

For women in their 50s, protein isn’t optional – it’s how you hold on to muscle, keep your blood sugar from crashing, and stay full long enough to not raid the pantry at 9 PM. As we navigate changes in our metabolism, getting enough protein becomes our ultimate secret weapon for staying strong and energized.

Depending on your brand of protein powder and yogurt, this little cup gives you around 25 grams of protein per serving. That’s real support in a really small package.

God designed our bodies to do a lot – but they need the right fuel to do it. This is one simple way to give yours what it needs without giving up something sweet.

If you want to dive deeper into how much protein your body actually needs every day, read more about protein here. here.

The post Chocolate Protein Pudding appeared first on B Renewed Wellness Solutions.

Go down the list. Answer honestly. If you check even one box, keep reading.

Do any of these sound like you?

• You drink alcohol regularly
• You eat processed or packaged food most days
• You take prescription medication (including vaccines, birth control or Hormone Replacement Therapy)
• You take over-the-counter medication (antacids, ibuprofen, allergy pills – all of it counts)
• You eat fast – at your desk, in your car, standing over the sink
• Your life or your job keeps your stress level high
• You deal with gas, bloating, or belching
• Acid reflux is just “normal” for you now
• You are constipated or running to the bathroom – or both, depending on the day

If you checked even one of those boxes, you are likely dealing with a digestive enzyme deficiency. And you are not alone. Americans spend over 80 billion dollars a year trying to fix heartburn, bloating, and digestion problems.

What Are Digestive Enzymes and Why Do They Matter?

Enzymes are the workers inside your body. They keep everything running – your muscles, your nerves, your heart, your thinking, your digestion. Every organ, every tissue, every fluid in your body depends on enzymes to do their job. Without them, nothing works right.

There are three types:

Food enzymes : found naturally in raw, uncooked food

Digestive enzymes : made by your body to break down what you eat

Metabolic enzymes : run everything else happening in your cells

God designed it beautifully, actually. Raw food comes loaded with its own enzymes to help your body digest it. You chew it, you cut it open, and those enzymes get to work. The Bible even touches on it — “Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.” Ezekiel 47:12. The design was always there.

Common Signs of a Digestive Enzyme Deficiency

Heat kills enzymes. Cooking, steaming, pasteurizing, and microwaving all destroy these vital workers. When you eat food that has been heavily cooked or processed, those built-in food enzymes are gone, meaning your body has to do all the heavy lifting on its own.

And here is where it gets serious: when your digestive system is overwhelmed, it starts pulling enzymes from your immune system to finish the job. Your immune system. The one that is supposed to be protecting you.

That is not a trade you want to make over and over again.

Add in prescription meds, over-the-counter meds, alcohol, chronic stress – all of which deplete or disrupt your enzyme supply – and it is no surprise that fatigue, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, headaches, and colon problems are so common. These are not random nuisances. They are signals. Your body is telling you something is off.

How to Address an Enzyme Deficiency

Start by paying attention. The quiz at the top of this post is a good place to begin. If you checked even one box, your digestion is working harder than it should be – and the rest of your body is paying the price.

If you want to dig deeper, I would be glad to help. Book a free health screening call and we will look at your eating habits, your lifestyle, and what your symptoms are telling us. No pressure. No complicated protocols out of the gate. Just a real conversation about what is going on and where to start.

Ready to take the next step? [Book your free health screening call today] to look at your habits, your lifestyle, and what your symptoms are telling us, or contact us by sending a message here.

Your body was designed to heal. Sometimes it just needs a little support to remember how.

The post Are You Enzyme Deficient? Take the Quick Quiz. appeared first on B Renewed Wellness Solutions.

These recipes started out as holiday flavors, but honestly, I make most of them year-round. Cherry Pie in July? Pumpkin Gingerbread in October? Yes and yes.

The base for all of these is a clean whole food protein powder — one with simple ingredients you can read. Swap in whatever you have on hand and don’t overthink it. God gave us good food. We might as well use it.

Cherry Pie Smoothie

• 3 oz organic apple juice
• 1 red apple sliced
• 1 scoop frozen organic greek yogurt
• 1/4 tsp. Cinnamon
• 1 scoop Vanilla Protein Powder

Christmas Coconut

If you like coconut, this one’s for you. It’s filling, it’s satisfying, and it keeps you out of the cookie tin.

• 1/4 cup apple juice (or 1/4-1/2 apple with 1/4 c water)
• 1/2 cup grated unsweetened coconut
• 1 T coconut oil or coconut cream
• 1 tbsp. coconut milk
• 1 bananas frozen
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 scoop Vanilla Protein Powder

Peppermint Delight

A little peppermint goes a long way. This one is chocolate mint in a glass — and it’s a whole lot better for you than a peppermint mocha from the drive-through.

• 1 cup plant based milk
• ½ cup vanilla organic greek frozen yogurt
• 1/8 tsp Peppermint Extract or 1 drop essential oil (food grade)
• 1 scoop Chocolate Protein Powder

Pumpkin Gingerbread Smoothie

This is the one I make when fall hits and I want something that feels like a warm kitchen. The oats and chia seeds slow everything down so your blood sugar doesn’t spike and crash an hour later.

• 1 cup almond milk
• 1/4 cup rolled oats
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 1/2 cup pureed pumpkin
• 1 tbsp blackstrap molasses
• 1/2 frozen banana
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ginger
• pinch nutmeg
• Ice, if desired

Soak the oats, almond milk, and chia seeds overnight.
This helps them digest better and it also gives the smoothie a smoother texture.

Place all ingredients into blender and blend until smooth. Add ice if desired.

Pear Ginger

My best creation ever! Don’t skip the fresh ginger root. It’s worth it. Ginger is one of the best things you can put in your body for digestion and inflammation.

• 1/2 pear
• 1/2 inch fresh ginger root (peeled)
• 1 cups of plant based milk plus ice
• 1 scoops of Vanilla Protein Powder

Blend all in blender or Vitamix.

Chocolate Covered Cherries

Three ingredients. Two minutes. Done. This is the one you make when you want something that tastes indulgent but isn’t.

• 1 cup plant based milk
• ½ c sweet cherries pitted fresh or frozen
• 1 scoop Chocolate Protein Powder

Blend in blender or Vitamix and enjoy!

The post Real Food Shakes That Taste Like a Treat appeared first on B Renewed Wellness Solutions.

Why Your Body Needs Digestive Enzymes

To begin with, we need to understand what digestive enzymes actually are. Essentially, they are protein catalysts that break down bulk food into tiny, absorbable nutrients. However, many of us are living with a significant enzyme deficiency. Consequently, even when we eat well, we aren’t truly repairing or healing our bodies because we cannot assimilate the nutrients.

Watch: The Live Oatmeal Experiment

Specifically, I wanted to show you this process in action. In the video below, I compare two identical bowls of thick, cooked oatmeal. Remarkably, watch what happens to the bowl on the right once I add professional-grade digestive enzymes:

Watch the Video Here: The Oatmeal Experiment

The Modern Factors Destroying Your Gut

Furthermore, it is important to realize that we don’t have an infinite supply of these enzymes. As a result of modern lifestyle factors, our natural stores are being depleted faster than ever. For instance:

• Glyphosate Exposure: Most oats are sprayed with Roundup, which actively destroys the gut lining.
• Heat Processing: Once food is cooked, the live enzymes are unfortunately destroyed.
• Lifestyle Habits: Additionally, alcohol and processed foods significantly drain your enzyme levels.
• Medications: Similarly, routine use of over-the-counter or prescription meds can hinder your digestion.

The Importance of Digestive Enzymes in History

Beyond the experiment, history gives us a powerful warning. During the 1930s, a famous 10-year study compared cats fed raw food versus those fed cooked, enzyme-void food. While the raw food group thrived, the cooked food group suffered from thyroid issues and skin conditions. Ultimately, by the fourth generation, the group without enzymes died out completely.

How to Optimize Your Digestion

Finally, if you want to get the most out of your meals, timing is everything. Ideally, you should take your enzymes immediately before you eat. By doing so, you ensure they are ready to work the moment your food arrives.

Stop Guessing, Start Healing

In conclusion, your health is the best investment you can make. Instead of trying random supplements, we can test to determine exactly which enzymes your specific body needs.

Book a free call and let’s explore exactly how I an help you on your unique health journey.

Schedule a call with me here

The post The Oatmeal Experiment – Why You Need Digestive Enzymes appeared first on B Renewed Wellness Solutions.