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AI 101: AI Explained
Do you struggle with AI? Have parents, friends, and others who struggle with terminology and understanding what AI is good for?
The guide defines basics terms that are often mentioned in numerous online videos and definitely can be confusing to a new user.
Check out my guide, free to use, no data collected.
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Which supplement should I take? #Supplement Explorer
Are you always on your phone looking at which supplements you should take? Do you look at reviews? How do you decide what to buy?
As someone who has been in the nutraceutical industry for over 10 years, I’ve worked with many suppliers and companies to understand why an ingredient is chosen, what research is behind it, and how to sell it to a consumer, so if you are looking for some answers to questions you may have, drop a comment, or even better check out the Supplement Explorer on the site. It is free to use, 3 questions, and a simple output. No info is stored.I made the Supplement Explorer purely for my use and then thought, well, if it is useful for me, maybe it is useful for others. The tool is not affiliated with any company or brand, but was just a way for me to showcase what I find useful. If you use it, do give me feedback as to what you’d like to see it on too.
Stay well and remember, before taking any supplements, check with your doctor if it is a good fit for you or not!
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Fall is here, pumpkin spice is on the menu!
Both Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts released pumpkin spice products in the US way before Fall started, actually even before labor day was here while the temperatures were high so why would they do that? No matter how many people associate fall and pumpkin together, the fact is a business realizes there is a demand for a product and it is necessary to supply it so the introduction of the product earlier actually helps the company due to extra buzz and of course sales. I’m pretty sure both Starbucks and Dunkin benefited from the early introduction…simply Google both to see the sales revenue increase due to the pumpkin spice products.
So we know people enjoy pumpkin spice, but did you know there are actual health benefits to taking pumpkin spice? Depending on the blend of pumpkin spice, you may have ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice in the blend where each of these provides some health benefits. Of course, consuming pumpkin spice lattes or pumpkin spice donuts are not exactly the best way to get these benefits but they do taste good.
What benefits can you expect with pumpkin spice? Let’s explore the spices that make up pumpkin spice. Ginger is often used in chai tea for its anti-inflammatory properties so it is no surprise that it shows up in a pumpkin spice blend plus it does provide an additional aroma to the blend. Like ginger, nutmeg and allspice are in the blend to also aid in the soothing your stomach and also have anti-inflammatory properties. The main spice that is dominant in pumpkin spice is cinnamon which consists of cinnamaldehyde which has been shown to provide heart health benefits including helping with cholesterol management as well as help fight inflammation.
If you are looking for a specific amount of nutrients in the pumpkin spice blend, you are likely not going to find much as the quantity being used to make products is small so enjoy the fall flavor while knowing that to get the full benefits it can’t be masked by sugar!
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Testimonial: Does biotin really work?
If you have been reading my blog posts, you will have seen me mention biotin and collagen throughout for their many health benefits so today I wanted to share with you my results.
I started to take biotin to help reduce some hair loss and stop my nails from breaking so much. I wasn’t sufferring a lot of hair loss but enough to make me wonder what nutrient I was missing in my diet. Turns out collagen and biotin are fantastic as a combo and are often recommended for beauty from within. Most of us don’t eat enough dairy, avocados, nuts, egg yolk, etc. to get high doses of biotin nor do we eat enough egg whites, bone broth, salmon, etc. to get collagen so we turn to supplements for compensation.
My experiment was to take biotin gummies and utilize a biotin and collagen shampoo and see the result. I took 10mg of biotin gummies once a day and used the biotin and collagen shampoo as needed to wash my hair. This routine continued for about 6 months now and I am loving the results. Not only has hair falling stopped/reduced to normal levels (we are supposed to lose about 100 strands of hair typically in a day) but my skin is healthier and nails are stronger. I’m always a proponent of fixing things from the inside versus using creams and products topically because if it is orally ingested, you’re more likely to get the nutrient into your bloodstream and therefore likely to see benefits. Also, I added an extra scoop of collagen in my smoothie so that helped getting me a little higher dose as well. Another tip that I would recommend is that with any supplement or product you take, give it a few months to see if it works. Don’t expect miracles within a month, sometimes your body needs to adapt to those nutrients and the effects won’t be noticeable for weeks to months. For me, it was definitely noticeable after 6 months and not so much after a month.
If you are interested in trying out these supplements, here are the three that I recommend:
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Jaggery, more than just a sweetener
Jaggery (also known as gur) is an ingredient that is used in Indian cooking that is now being explored as an ingredient in the food industry. What is Jaggery? It is unrefined sugar that is created from raw, concentrated sugarcane juice that is boiled and then hardened. Because it is from sugarcane, it does have a sweet profile and comes in various Brix concentrations. Also, the darker the color, the more pronounced the flavor. There are multiple types of jaggery available including coconut palm and date palm but the most common is sugarcane jaggery.
Traditionally, jaggery is used for not only constipation relief and blood pressure support to respiratory conditions and even immune support due it containing many useful vitamins and minerals. There are many reasons jaggery can be used for these purposes. Because jaggery is a sugar (mostly sucrose, followed by fructose and glucose), it has carbs which can help you get energy when consumed. Depending on the source of the jaggery, it may also possess fiber which can aid in satiety and weight management as well with constipation. Jaggery also has many minerals including iron, magnesium, and potassium and may also contain small amounts calcium, zinc, phosphorus and copper. Today the food industry is trying to use jaggery for more than just its sweetener properties but also for its small amount of natural B12.
A quick way to consume jaggery is to add it to your hot tea instead of sugar and enjoy some of the health benefits but remember in the end it is still sugar and should be consumed in moderation.
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Why should I be taking mushroom supplements?
One of the hottest ingredients that is showing up everywhere is mushroom powder? You can find it in everything from coffee to cosmetics to supplements but what makes it popular and should you be taking it?
Depending on your health and wellness goals, there are multiple types of mushroom supplements that you can take and in whichever form you prefer (coffee, tablets, capsules, powder, topical, and more) but there are a few things to keep in mind before you take them. For example, should you take a supplement that is just one type of mushroom (e.g. shiitake) or a combo of multiple ones (e.g. shiitake, cordyceps, chaga, etc.). The decision should be based on what are you taking this supplement for? For example, shiitake is great for skin health especially if you have sunspots or hyper-pigmentation or in general for antioxidant support so your skin doesn’t get damaged. Or perhaps, you need a topical treatment instead of a pill because you don’t like taking pills. Finally, you should also consider do you like to eat mushrooms? Sometimes, just eating mushrooms daily may be beneficial instead of taking supplements. Remember, whole foods are always better and supplements are meant to be supplements to your food intake. Other reasons, you might take mushroom supplements are for fitness and energy as mushrooms can help with sustained energy release without a stimulant and better recovery; so for this case, you might want to take a combo of mushroom powders.
Benefits of mushroom powders include not only various minerals and nutrients but also getting in your Vitamin D. If you Google mushroom powders you’ll find many reasons people take them from allegedly helping those with cancer recovery to beauty from within to cognitive focus to fitness and energy. Do your research and select the product that fits your need and always speak with your doctor before introducing a new supplement into your diet.
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Breast Cancer and life
With October being Breast Cancer awareness month, please take time to donate to this cause via barbell for boobs. If you have been affected by breast cancer in any way via self, friends, or family, please consider making a donation that will help those who have breast cancer.
More on barbell for boobs can be found here:
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Baby shower foods
Going to a baby shower is so exciting for multiple reasons. Not only do you get to partake in the joyous event but you get to play exciting games and enjoy various baby themed foods but can all those small bites end up affecting your health?
Most baby showers will have some sort of baby themed food from finger snacks to chips and cheese but the problem really isn’t with them as much as it is with indulging in the sweet treats like cupcakes and cakes. We talked earlier about cakes this week so I won’t regurgitate how to eat them but what about all the finger snacks and appetizers? How much can you indulge?
The answer isn’t as simple as you think. Depending on what is offered, you might be able to eat a lot and still feel great. For example, most of these events have fresh veggies and dip so this might be something you can indulge in as the fiber content in the veggies will keep you full. Or there may be hummus and pita chips, another okay option to indulge in because the chickpeas in hummus will give you protein and keep you full. Of course, watch out for sugar content in various appetizers as all that sugar can totally spike your insulin.
Also, keep in mind that if you are on a specific diet like the keto diet, you might not have available options at the event so either eat before you go or save up your carbs for that event. Smart planning and you won’t fret while at the party.
Socializing is an important part of everyone’s life so make your diet goals fit that lifestyle!
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Work dinner with limited food choices!
Often times, I have to do a work dinner where I’m basically told to meet at a particular restaurant which is okay, not ideal but it makes it hard to determine what to eat and how to eat while there. I mean at a pizza place, no matter if it is flatbread or regular style, pizza is pizza and rarely ever healthy! So what should one do?
My hacks for dealing with something like this is that once you know the name of the restaurant, try to look at the menu online. Search on Google or Yelp as that’s not only a good indicator of their menu selection but also whether others are enjoying the place. Once you have the menu at hand, try to figure out is there a way to modify what you can eat. Can you substitute, beans for chicken to up your protein, for example. Or maybe, you can ask for a burger without the buns or on a lettuce wrap?
What if you are back at the pizza place and all your choices are pizza only? Well, that’s a tough one. If you are in a group environment and sharing pizza, then limit the slices you have and drink water in between slices to feel more full. If you are able to order individually, then go with the smallest pizza you can get, lucky you if there is a personal pan size, and eat only what you are comfortable eating. You never have to over-indulge at any point. Yes, I too am raised to finish and clean up my plate but sometimes taking home leftovers is the best option.
Work dinners happen and sometimes you don’t have a choice as to what you can eat but that doesn’t mean you can’t make the best of what’s available and still have a successful meeting!
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Going to a weekend party!
There are many times during the weekends that we are invited to a party and must decide what to take as a guest or perhaps even what can I eat while there? Should these decisions be a stressful event? The answer is of course no because hey, it’s a party!
Nonetheless, it often takes a lot of time to figure out what to take and what to eat while at a party. You don’t want to be the only healthy person there eating from the veggies tray with dip or overload on various cheese bites so what can you do? Plan ahead. Remember, healthy recipes don’t have to be limited to cheese and veggies. You can make a Fathead Pizza (if you’re on keto) and take that with you as not only will people enjoy eating it but it will also be a good conversation starter. Need a recipe for it? Google it as there are multiple ways to make it. Another option is to use za’atar on various items like pita to go along with the hummus. Small tweaks can make all the difference to everyday items. What is za’atar? Check out my previous post in archives and you’ll learn about it.
If you are going to a party where alcohol is around, again go with one or two glasses of red wine as that will give you some heart health benefits and kinda justify having it but again moderation is key. Other alcohols tend to have more calories and those calories are empty calories which will end up accumulating as visceral fat which is why you won’t be able to see your abs as visceral fat is extremely difficulty to eliminate without a good workout program so anything you can do to limit empty calories, will be a win for your health!
Parties should be fun events and what to eat there should not be stressing you out as we know that stress increases cortisol which increases weight gain—what a vicious cycle, right? Make healthy decisions and enjoy your self at the party!
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What to eat at a birthday party?
We all have parties that we need to attend in our lives but none can be more stressful than attending a birthday party. Why? Well, lots of sugar overloading happens there so what can you do to mitigate some of that risk?
One thing we know for sure will always be at a good birthday party is cake. No matter the flavor or style of cake, the best way to shave off some calories is to avoid eating the icing. I personally, like minimal icing on my cake so you’ll never see me going for the cake that has a lot of pretty decorations and tons of icing. Also, another way that I avoid some calories is by taking half the slice of whatever is being cut. Why? We all try to cut the largest slice that we can give someone as nobody wants to have leftover cake so you’re best best is to cut that served slice into half or quarter of what you are getting. If you aren’t a fan of cakes and there is fruit there then that’s always the best option to go with or you could grab a cookie if that is there to satisfy your sweet tooth as well as partake in the social festivities. Not into cookies or cakes, take your own protein bar and enjoy the high protein to keep you full.
Alcohol is another beverage that can derail you quickly at parties so limit the amount you consume and definitely don’t drink and drive. If you must take in alcohol, red wine is a good go to when trying to stay healthy as it has beneficial heart health effects however that benefit is out the window when it goes from one glass of wine to one bottle of wine so moderation is key.
Another way you can minimize the effects of unhealthy eating or drinking is by going to workout earlier in the day before your event. Not only will that help you stay focused but it will help you burn of the extra calories you are about to intake. It’d be ideal if you could go workout and then in the next 1 hr or so go to the party as that will be a great time to convert those extra carbs into useful energy but often times this isn’t possible so fit in the workout as you can during the day and you’ll be grateful to know that you didn’t over consume and store all those extra calories as unwanted weight around your belly or butt.
Yes, all these small hacks seem to be exactly that small but small steps are sometimes necessary to succeed in your wellness journey plus it also helps that you can fit into any social activity without stressing over how to stay on track!
To eat the cake or not?
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