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Don’t do these 3 things if you want to end digestive upset

Lynda Enright, M.S., RDN, LD, CLT practices at Be Well Nutrition Consulting and has 24 years of experience (05/22/2017)

Gas, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, heartburn, stomach pain and cramps – these are symptoms that millions of Americans live with every day. And there is a drug at every commercial break to cover up these very symptoms. Because this affects so many people, we may minimize the impact of what may seem to be mild annoyances. But I know that it can effect every area of your life from your job to your social activity to your enjoyment of food.

Foods to eat to love your gut

Lynda Enright, M.S., RDN, LD, CLT practices at Be Well Nutrition Consulting and has 24 years of experience (05/22/2017)

Two of the categories are foods you can add and two are foods you should avoid as much as possible. I will point out again, because I think it is so very important, that research shows within 1-3 days your diet can significantly alter the composition of your gut microbiome. Every day you can make choices to love your gut!

3 reasons you should love your gut

Lynda Enright, M.S., RDN, LD, CLT practices at Be Well Nutrition Consulting and has 24 years of experience (05/22/2017)

You probably don’t spend a lot of time thinking about your gut, unless it is causing you discomfort. I certainly wasn’t thinking about my gut when I was eating fast food and drinking sugary pop. But when it started causing me problems, I started to notice.

Is your weight gain caused by a calorie imbalance or gut breakdown?

Lynda Enright, M.S., RDN, LD, CLT practices at Be Well Nutrition Consulting and has 24 years of experience (05/22/2017)

I see clients every day who have struggled for years to achieve a healthy weight. They have tried every diet on the market with at best minimal results. And so often they also live with chronic digestive issues. Their stories almost always include some or all of the following: a history of the Standard American Diet, regular antibiotic usage as a child or into adulthood, a period of time on the birth control pill, over-the-counter or prescription medications for reflux, constipation or diarrhea.

The perfect food to end the post-vacation bloat

Lynda Enright, M.S., RDN, LD, CLT practices at Be Well Nutrition Consulting and has 24 years of experience (05/22/2017)

We took a short vacation this spring and with travel comes lots of eating out. It is a pleasure – not having to cook or clean it up, finding restaurant gems in an unfamiliar city. In many ways it is simpler than at home – meal planning, shopping and cooking. I do enjoy those things when I am not feeling time pressured, but it does get tiresome – 3 meals/day, 7 days/week. Vacation is a time to relax, and being more relaxed about eating naturally happens too.

Inflammation – What does it mean and why is everyone talking about it?

Lynda Enright, M.S., RDN, LD, CLT practices at Be Well Nutrition Consulting and has 24 years of experience (05/22/2017)

Inflammation is a word that is thrown around a lot these days. It continues to be understood as a major factor in health versus illness. If you are ready to reduce the inflammation in your body, click here to download your free copy of 3 Steps to End the Cycle of Poor Digestion So You Can Feel Great!

Bloating – 60+ million people live with it, what can be done?

Lynda Enright, M.S., RDN, LD, CLT practices at Be Well Nutrition Consulting and has 24 years of experience (05/22/2017)

Do you live with chronic bloating?Would you guess that 1 in 5 of your friends and family may as well? It is one of the most prevalent symptoms that we endure – when you wake up, after each meal, and getting worse and worse throughout the day. Statistics show that about 20% of the U.S. population has bloating. I would think that is a low estimate. The digestive system isn’t the sexiest of systems in the body, and people are embarrassed to talk about it. But the chronic symptoms that so many people are living with can be changed! I lived …

3 tips to heal your gut and lose the weight for good

Lynda Enright, M.S., RDN, LD, CLT practices at Be Well Nutrition Consulting and has 24 years of experience (05/22/2017)

A surprising weight loss journey Janet (not her real name) is a client of mine who came to me to lose weight. She had tried everything and currently was exercising intensely twice per day to try to make the scale budge. And it wasn’t budging! Janet’s friend, Claire, came to me months earlier to address her symptoms of joint aches and pains and digestive issues. Though weight loss wasn’t her goal, by creating an eating plan for maximum nourishment and gut healing Claire healed the aches, pains and digestive issues and lost 15 lbs.

Foods to heal your gut – and end the cycle of bloating, constipation and diarrhea

Lynda Enright, M.S., RDN, LD, CLT practices at Be Well Nutrition Consulting and has 24 years of experience (05/22/2017)

healing for the gutDo you feel bloated after every meal or even when you wake up in the morning? Do you constantly go back and forth between constipation and diarrhea? If so, you are not alone.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome – a life changing solution to this vague diagnosis

Lynda Enright, M.S., RDN, LD, CLT practices at Be Well Nutrition Consulting and has 24 years of experience (05/22/2017)

I was diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) the summer after my freshman year in college. At that time, I was not pursuing education in nutrition and didn’t know much about how food impacted my health. I was 18 years old and certainly was not a good example of someone eating a nourishing diet. After testing to rule out a more severe medical condition, the doctor suggested I add a fiber supplement to my diet and manage the symptoms with over the counter medications. Even at that time, I knew this was a vague diagnosis with no attempt at understanding …

3 tips for putting out the fire of inflammation

Lynda Enright, M.S., RDN, LD, CLT practices at Be Well Nutrition Consulting and has 24 years of experience (05/22/2017)

Do you hear about inflammation from your doctor or in the news, but not exactly sure what it means for your health? Acute inflammation is your body’s natural response to an injury (a cut or break) or an infection (a virus or bacteria). This inflammatory response is crucial for your body to heal. Unfortunately, chronic inflammation is inflammation that persists over a longer period of time and plays a role in heart disease, Diabetes, Alzheimer’s, some types of cancer and obesity.

Is your food your medicine or your poison?

Lynda Enright, M.S., RDN, LD, CLT practices at Be Well Nutrition Consulting and has 24 years of experience (05/22/2017)

I taught a class this morning where a gentleman asked me a question about a pre-Diabetes program that he is involved in. He was wondering my opinion on the eating plan that is being recommended. I won’t go into detail on the description, but I told him I didn’t agree that what was being promoted was optimal. But he is having good results – weight loss and improved blood lipids. So, why would I disagree with the recommendation? My experience and research does not support what he described. But does that mean that it couldn’t work for him? No. Do I …

Slow Down! Enjoy your food and enjoy your life.

Lynda Enright, M.S., RDN, LD, CLT practices at Be Well Nutrition Consulting and has 24 years of experience (05/22/2017)

How long does it take you to eat a meal? 5 minutes, 10, 20? You may have learned that it takes at least 20 minutes for your brain to get the message that you are full. Many of us don’t spend enough time eating to wait for that message. In addition to preventing overeating, eating more slowly can have other significant benefits.

Being Mortal – An important book to read

Lynda Enright, M.S., RDN, LD, CLT practices at Be Well Nutrition Consulting and has 24 years of experience (05/22/2017)

Being Mortal by Atul Gawande. I am not an expert in book reviews and my intention is not to analyze his book in depth. I have no vested interest in Dr. Gawande’s book, and I share only my opinions today. I want to introduce you to his book because it opens up the opportunity for important conversations with your family as well as thinking about your own mortality.

Easy meals – from freezer to crockpot

Lynda Enright, M.S., RDN, LD, CLT practices at Be Well Nutrition Consulting and has 24 years of experience (05/22/2017)

Spend 1-2 hours on the weekend, prepare several meals and put them in your freezer. One day ahead, remove tomorrow’s meal from the freezer, place in the refrigerator to thaw. In the morning (when life is busy), simply empty your freezer container into the slow cooker. Turn on low heat and arrive home to a delicious smelling house and dinner ready to eat.

Back to school – 4 quick lunches for you or your kids

Lynda Enright, M.S., RDN, LD, CLT practices at Be Well Nutrition Consulting and has 24 years of experience (05/22/2017)

Back to school – back to routine. As much as I enjoy the relaxing atmosphere of the summer, I do enjoy getting back to the routine of fall. Whether or not you or kids in your family are in school, fall is a time when there is a shift and with that may come a shift in eating habits as well. If you read my blogs or have worked with me, you know I appreciate the value of planning ahead. Fall is a great time to refocus your planning. Use some of these ideas to start lists of lunches that you or …

7 reasons to buy your food locally

Lynda Enright, M.S., RDN, LD, CLT practices at Be Well Nutrition Consulting and has 24 years of experience (05/22/2017)

One of my “happy places” is the Mill City farmer’s market in Minneapolis. I love the fresh produce that changes throughout the season, the fresh cut flowers for my table, the frozen wild-caught Alaskan salmon from Wild Run Salmon, the flour from Sunrise Flour Mill, and fresh prepared foods from Spoon River or Chef Shack. The smells, the flavors and the people all make a visit to the market one of my favorite things to do on a summer Saturday morning.

5 ways to add protein to your breakfast

Lynda Enright, M.S., RDN, LD, CLT practices at Be Well Nutrition Consulting and has 24 years of experience (05/22/2017)

With all dietary choices there are individuals that go to extremes. Some believe they need supplemental protein even though they regularly consume meat, dairy and other excellent sources of protein. On the other hand, there are individuals who limit protein food sources in their diet and tend to consistently under consume protein.

10 ways to add summer fruit to your diet

Lynda Enright, M.S., RDN, LD, CLT practices at Be Well Nutrition Consulting and has 24 years of experience (05/22/2017)

Living in a colder climate, I find summer to be a wonderful time of year for delicious fresh food. The cost and availability of fresh produce is limited in the winter months and now is the time to enjoy what is in season. We get a variety of nutrients from different foods and changing with the seasons can help you to have variety in taste as well as nutrition throughout the year.

Why you shouldn’t eat in your car

Lynda Enright, M.S., RDN, LD, CLT practices at Be Well Nutrition Consulting and has 24 years of experience (05/22/2017)

Beyond driving safety – eating in your car is dangerous for your health as well. Distracted eating is one of the leading causes of overeating. And though overeating is not the only reason for overweight, it is one of the factors playing a role in the overweight and obesity epidemic we experience today. Distracted eating or often described as mindless eating is eating without paying attention to the act of eating and the benefits you get from nourishing your body well.