If you’re looking for answers as to why your body doesn’t respond to those trendy diets and restrictive eating plans, then this is the show for you. It makes sense that each person’s body is different, and therefore, the way we metabolize foods can lead to either weight loss or weight gain. The shocking truth is that many of those healthy foods you are eating may be the reason you aren’t losing the weight you want to lose. Join us for today’s show to learn more.
Lyn-Genet Recitas is a nutritionist whose work has transformed my life in many ways. She’s a NY Times and international bestselling author of The Plan and The Metabolism Plan, groundbreaking anti-inflammatory nutritional protocols which have been published in over 15 countries. Lyn-Genet has been featured on Dr. Oz, Huffington Post, Thrive Global, CBS, NBC, FOX, Women’s Running, More magazine, and more. Her work has helped hundreds of thousands of men and women reach their best health by finding their chemical responses to food and not counting calories. In this episode, Lyn-Genet shares how to rev up your metabolism at any age under any conditions, how hidden stress and many of the foods typically labeled as healthy, like Greek yogurt and salmon, could be causing inflammation and weight gain, and why lowering inflammation is the key to mental, emotional, and physical vibrancy.
Your body tells the truth
Every food has potential health benefits and risks, and these results can vary from person to person. Simply put, many foods have compounds that aren’t going to work for your body. Spinach is an example of a healthy superfood that has two compounds that can be reactive for many people regarding thyroid function and the neurological system. When we gain weight while eating healthy foods, we become distrustful of our bodies. The reality is that your body’s response will tell you which foods work and don’t work for you.
Age and weight gain
You’ve heard it stated as a fact that metabolism slows down as you age. Lyn-Genet’s work debunks this myth; the truth is that your body’s responses to food and exercise change as you age. Her work is all about analyzing how the body responds, and as we age, we lose digestive enzymes. Foods that worked well for us in our 20s and 30s may not work for us in our 40s and 50s. In The Plan, Lyn-Genet helps you analyze your body’s response so you can make an individualized plan that works to empower you and help you find success in the quest for a healthy weight.
Figure it out
Lyn-Genet’s plan begins with a three-day cleanse in which you reset your body and rapidly lower inflammation. There are generous calorie goals for men and women, and people experience anywhere from 5-14 lbs of weight loss. The key is to measure the body’s histamines produced in response to inflammatory foods, which cause short-term water weight gain. As new foods are introduced, weight gain is measured. The truth is that even healthy foods like turkey can turn out to be a culprit. The traditional weight loss process can cause self-esteem issues in men and women as they try so hard to lose weight with the wrong methods. Empowerment comes from making the choices that are best for your body, and that’s where Lyn-Genet can help.
Shame and stigma
We’ve all felt the guilt from eating the wrong foods, the ones Lyn-Genet calls fun foods. The truth is that so-called healthy foods can affect our bodies in negative ways much worse than what we consider cheat foods. Cucumber and pineapple can be inflammatory for you, while a ballpark hotdog and a beer might help you lose weight. Bread can be a healthy food for some people while it incites inflammatory responses in others. We are not all the same, which is why Lyn-Genet’s system brings success and transformation to many people.
Interrupting the inflammation
Lyn-Genet is a believer that joyful foods can and should be enjoyed. With a specific person, it could be cottage cheese and cantaloupe that cause weight gain, and not the occasional ice cream treat. Lyn-Genet says that every person is eating at least three healthy foods that are causing inflammation. Unfortunately, as we age, that number increases to six foods that we think are healthy; in truth, they are increasing inflammation and making us feel sicker as we gain weight with age. Identifying and removing these foods from our diets allows our bodies to heal. When we make digestion easy on our bodies, we will be at our healthiest.
The vicious cycle
The body reacts to reactive foods with a histamine response and short-term water weight gain. A cascade of other responses follows, like higher levels of cortisol and long-term fat storage. This skews hormones in women, and estrogen dominance causes irritability and carb cravings. Next, the thyroid is attacked and can’t control metabolism as it should. This happens all because we are eating foods that don’t work for us. Our gut function is affected, which affects our overall immunity and serotonin levels. The final result is an increase in depression and anxiety.
Food propaganda
In most traditional diets, you are told to eat or not to eat certain foods because they work for 60-70% of the population. That doesn’t mean it will work for you. The inflammatory response you have to a food or exercise can last for up to 72 hours. Many people are eating a vegetarian diet because they think it’s a healthier way to eat, when it may be causing inflammation for them. Lyn-Genet cautions us about the studies we read; they are misleading because they don’t represent everyone, and they are usually funded by a company with a vested interest. Be cautious about the research you read.
The food connection
Are depression and anxiety connected to what you eat? Lyn-Genet says that there is a definite connection and that inflammation and illness always go together. The body’s inflammatory response will affect your mental state. For you to feel better, you have to lower inflammation, and that means identifying and removing what causes the inflammation. Only then will the energy of life and joy return. We have to be committed to nourishing our bodies.
Hidden culprits
Eating out at most restaurants will subject you to hidden culprits in your food. Restaurant meals are notorious for too much salt, which leads to hypertension and major carb cravings. Another culprit is soy since most restaurants fry with soy oil. You must be mindful and understand your body as you go out to eat. If you think that vegan restaurants are superior in health, you should know that many ingredients in vegan cuisine are highly reactive, like quinoa and roasted nut butters. Rice flour, potato starch, and tapioca can all be featured in vegan and gluten-free dishes, and they are highly reactive components. Lyn-Genet says that the starch from any food is the most inflammatory part of that food. Surprisingly, french fries can be healthier than a baked potato because the fries are soaked to remove the starch, and if they are fried in a good oil, then the antioxidant capacity of the potato is increased. Keep in mind that almond flour and coconut flour are very low on the inflammatory scale, so look for these ingredients in vegan and gluten-free dishes.
Highlights of this episode:
- 11:58 – Our habits around healthy foods
- 15:32 – Age is just a number
- 20:10 – How The Plan works
- 24:30 – Shame and stigma around our food
- 26:49 – Interrupting the inflammation
- 31:15 – Why the body reacts to certain foods
- 34:33 – Food propaganda
- 39:05 – The food connection to depression and anxiety
- 44:00 – Salt: the dominant flavor
- 46:42 – Dangers in vegan and gluten-free foods
- 52:16 – Fem Five
Resources mentioned:
- Find Lyn-Genet on Facebook and Instagram
- Visit www.nextfem.com to get Lyn-Genet’s free cookbook of recipes with low inflammatory foods. Lyn-Genet wants to see your creations. Send pictures of what you make to [email protected].
The Fem Five:
1. Favorite book to recommend for women?
- The Dancing Wu Li Masters: An Overview of the New Physics by Gary Zukav”
2. Favorite self-care hack?
- Tequila
3. Best piece of advice and who gave it to you?
- “I gave myself the best advice when I told myself to tune out the naysayers.”
4. Female CEO or thought leader you’re into right now?
- Jacinda Ardern, the Prime Minister of New Zealand
5. One piece of advice you’d give your five years younger self?
- “Spend less time worrying about your appearance, and make sure you’re happy. That’s when you’re the most beautiful anyway.”
Last Time on The NextFem Podcast
Attract More Positive and Live Your Best Life – with Kristine Fredheim
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