Nutrition Archives - Jovanka Ciares

Upset Tummy Be Gone | How To Soothe Your Tummy

We’ve all been there: a squeezy feeling in the pit of your stomach, and gas bubble that feels trapped and causing pain, a bloated stomach that makes you look 4 months pregnant (even the boys), the funny butterflies that are neither cute nor sexy.

What to do? If you’re feeling that combination of physical discomfort and emotional stress that manifests in discomfort, pain and distention on the belly, I got some herbal blends for you! Check out the video blog and the written list below the video!

Here are some of my favorite tummy soothers:

1. CHAMOMILE

-aromatic and carminative bitter

-loved by kids & elders alike

-great for occasional gas and bloating

-relieves nausea and occasional heartburn

2. GINGER

-warming carminative

-soothes upset stomach and nausea

-supports sluggish digestion

-rekindles digestive fire and reduces gas/bloating

3. PEPPERMINT

-cooling carminative

-smooth muscle of the digestive tract

-soothes the nerves & a nervous stomach

4. BURDOCK

-bitter stimulant

-maintains healthy gut flora

-keeps microbiome in balance

-stimulates digestive secretions

5 Tips To Stay Healthy When Stress Is High

Let’s say you’re traveling, working crazy hours or overwhelmed with school. You’re running in a million direction and can’t really pay attention to your diet or your routine. What to do?

These super simple 5 tips can make the difference between getting sick as a dog or staying healthy in the face of high stress!

Produce Market Visit

Today, my friend Raul and I went to a produce market to get fruit and veggies at dirty cheap prices….

No, not a farmer’s market. This is an outdoor produce market: the market in LA where restaurants and food markets get their produce. These types of markets exist on every major city (even mid-size cities) and it is a great place to discover amazing fruit and vegetables that you may not know about (or re-discover oldies but goodies).

Most of these markets sell in bulk and at less than wholesale prices (we got a box of 16 mangoes for $5 or about $.31 cents per mango. That’s 3-5 times cheaper than in a regular market.

Check out our tour here:

I encourage you to find them in your home town and visit your local produce market. Get a couple of friends, pool your cash together and buy enzyme-filled, super yummy foods for a fraction!

6 Perfect Home Diarrhea Herbal Preparations

Diarrhea is the watery or loose stools that happen three or more times a day.

It is important to note that diarrhea is not a disease but a symptom of different disorders such as food poisoning, celiac disease, irritable bowel syndrome, lactose intolerance (sugar in milk), Crohn’s disease, gastroenteritis, ulcerative colitis, intestinal parasites , etc.

Likewise, it can be produced by some medications (antibiotics, blood pressure drugs and antacids with magnesium), since these can alter the normal balance of bacteria in the colon.

Diarrhea is usually accompanied by abdominal pain, bloating, flatulence, general weakness and loss of appetite.

For the average healthy individual, attacking the diarrhea with herbal remedies can be very effective. Either way, you must go to your health care practitioner if your stools are soft for more than 48hrs so you can rule out any serious issues.

Here are my top 6 herbal preparations for this uncomfortable condition (check out the video and the full list below the video).

Remedy for Diarrhea #1 Wash a handful of fresh berries of red currant and place in a blender along with some water. Blend for a few moments and drink the juice obtained.

Remedy for Diarrhea #2 Put some salt on the navel and hold it with a band aid.

Remedy for Diarrhea #3 Wash and split a large lemon. Extract your juice and add it to 1 liter of warm water. Drink throughout the day.

Remedy for Diarrhea #4 Pour a handful of rosehip seeds into 1 cup of boiling water. Cover and let cool for 5 minutes. Drink 3 cups a day.

Remedy for diarrhea #5 Boil, for 10 minutes, 3 tablespoons of raspberry or blackberry leaf in half a liter of water. After that time, cover and let cool. Take throughout the day.

Remedy for Diarrhea #6 Place 1 teaspoon of black tea in 1 cup of boiling water. Cover and let cool. Drink a warm cup, without too much sugar.

An Herbal Flu Blend You’ve Never Heard of Before

Suffering from the flu? Don’t want to take the flu shot (your personal reasons are personal)? Or just got a nasty cold and just want to shorten it as much as you can?

This 3-herb blend has helped me through the years stave off the cold/flu and shorten the length of the cold when I do get it.

And it’s a blend you’ve probably never heard of before! Check out the video below.

And, check the herbs and its benefits here:

Dandelion

Improves upset stomach
Help liver and gallbladder
Mild laxative

Ginger

Reduces spasm and nausea
Helps with pain in GI tract
Promotes healthy digestion

Lemon Balm

Calms the nervous system
Protects immunity
Natural antibacterial

Will you try it? Let me know in the comment section below!

7 Herbs To Detox During Fall

Autumn is the best time of the year to cleanse your body of unwanted toxins and get rid of the excess waste that may be keeping you feeling slow and without energy. Feeling fatigued, bloated, lacking in energy, experiencing hormonal imbalances or skin disorders are symptoms that can be attributed to an overloaded system.

There are many beneficial herbs that are incredibly detoxifying and help support the liver, lymphatic system and GI tract in the elimination of excess debris. There are a handful of incredible herbs that can help push the cleansing process even deeper and get your results faster and more effectively.

I often offer two or more of these to my clients during my herbal coaching sessions because I know first hand how amazing they are.

On today’s video, I describe 6 of these amazing cleansing and detox herbs. See today’s video below:

Have you tried any of these? If so, which one?

Which one are you hoping to try next and why? Let me know by leaving a comment below!

Learn To Poo The Right Way

How are your bathroom trips? If you suffer from too much gas, bloating, indigestion, constipation or any other digestive issues, chances are there’s just too much “poo” or debris in your intestines.

The way you poo could be part of the problem. And the solution could be as simply as learning how to sit while in the toilet.

Check out this video to learn why I love Squatty Potty so much. And click on this link to get yours today!

Let me know what you think, in the comments below the video!

Top 5 Herbs that Help Digestion

In my experience as an herbalist and a patient suffering from fibroids and endometriosis, I’ve found that, creating a balanced environment in your gut can allow your hormonal system to work a bit more efficiently and eventually reduce pain and discomfort until your body returns to a balanced state.

Here are the 5 herbs I’ve used through the years to soothe my GI tract and also help balance my hormonal self.

*Chamomile – very popular and mild. Don’t be fooled by the fact that it’s common and wildly used. Chamomile increases gastric juices, helps you expel gas, reduce painful spasms and reduce inflammation. It is wildly used because it is mild so even people with IBS and other serious gastric conditions can use it.

*Hops (will help you sleep, sedative, nerving relaxant), but it revs up your digestive juices.

*Slippery Elm (Ulnus spp) – is used in lots of OTC’s. Slippery Elm is great for the mouth (soft tissue, canker sores, stomach walls). Awesome to sooth the gut when your hormones are causing LOTS of issues

*Yarrow: Yarrow leaf and flower can be added to food or used in tea. This bitter plant may be helpful in managing blood sugar, which is so important in maintaining digestive health AND regulating thyroid function, which is key in maintaining strong and balanced hormonal health.

*Triphala, an Ayurvedic combination of the fruits amalaki, haritaki and bibhitaki, is the classic herbal remedy for long-term digestive benefit. It tones the intestinal walls, detoxifies the system and promotes evacuation. Triphala has a high tannin content, so in low doses, it treats diarrhea (1 gram per day). In higher doses, it treats constipation in a slow, gentle way, toning the walls of the gut while it works.

How To Manage Occasional Diarrhea

Ugh! We’ve all suffered from it at one point or another…. diarrhea… and all that comes with it:

Stomach ache
Feeling feverish and ill
Dehydration
Uncontrollable bowel movements
Frequent passage of loose and watery stool
Abdominal cramps
Stomach pain
Dry mouth

The reasons why we suffer from diarrhea as far and wide, from bacterial infection to serious autoimmune disorders. Whatever the reasons behind your loose and watery stools, one of these natural remedies might be able to help.

Check out the video below to learn my go-to remedies to treat occasional diarrhea.

Now, in the comments below, tell me: Have you used any of these? Have they been helpful?

Do you know of any remedies as effective to manage diarrhea symptoms? Let me know in the comments below!

Blackberry Coconut Lime Popsicles

I love this little recipe, perfect for hot summer days but also fun if you have a sweet tooth and want to satisfy it without un-doing a great day full of healthy foods.

I often make these and leave in my freezer to share with guests or simply to enjoy with my honey while watching a movie at home.

Check out the video and recipe below!

Makes 6 small/4 large pops

1 can full-fat coconut milk
2 Tspts coconut syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups blackberries
Juice of 1/2 lemon or lime
pinch salt

In a medium bowl, combine coconut milk, syrup, lime juice, salt, and vanilla extract, and whisk to combine.

In a blender, puree blackberries, then pour through a fine-mesh strainer to remove seeds.

Add the milk blend and blackberries in alternate order, making white and purple swirls as you do.

Freeze for about 30 minutes, then insert sticks and freeze until firm.

LOVE IT! Comments, ideas?! Leave them below!

Over Eating And Feeling Miserable? Use these!

This is a little recipe I take with me everywhere I travel and have at home for those days when I overeat and/or eat away from home, meaning we might be eating things I normally avoid.

Sometimes switches on your diet, even if minor can wreak havoc on your digestion. Anything from stinky farts to constipation and feeling bloated and heavy for days!

In order to prevent those tummy troubles, I add these 3 seeds together in a jar and take them with me as an amazing homemade natural digestive remedy: 3-Seed Crunchy.

Check out why they’re awesome and how to make it here!

DIY Digestive Blend For All Body Types

So you’ve been farting stinky bombs for days. Maybe even haven’t popped properly or feel like you should poop a bigger one but it hasn’t come. What to do?

This natural digestive remedy is the bomb! In a good way! It’s a Flax Sprinkle is full of fiber and good things while also being a super tasty addition to oatmeal, smoothies, even coffee.

Check out the video below to learn about its ingredients and why they ROCK!

Here are the main ingredients:

Ground Flax seeds contain soluble fiber which helps move things through the digestive tract and they are high in natural oils which lubricate the system.
Cinnamon warms and stimulates the digestive system.
Ginger has long been used to help prevent nausea and soothe upset stomachs and is also often used to stimulate digestion.
Cardamom helps relieve gas and indigestion as well as helps move mucus from the digestive system. It can also help bring relief from too much acid in the stomach.
Cloves have been traditionally used to treat a variety of bowel problems including diarrhea, bloating, and vomiting.

Vegan Raw Chocolate Mousse

What do you do when on the go and in need of some fun superfood cacao treat? A raw vegan chocolate mousse of course! I’m making this treat on my Nutribullet so if I can do it on a tiny blender, so can you! Check out the video for my simple (on the go) and totally yummy recipe for a vegan chocolate mousse:

What I love the most about this recipe is that it’s filled with antioxidants, healthy fats, micronutrients and none of the bad stuff in commercial chocolates!

INGREDIENTS

2 avocados
3/4 cup pitted dates
1/4 cup of cocoa powder
Chaga and Reishi mushroom tincture

INSTRUCTIONS

Blend until smooth
Blend until combined

Immune Boosting Herbs

I LOVE herbs and spices, take them with me everywhere I travel, use them for minor ailments and offer them to clients to compliment their wellness practice.

Check out this video of herbs and supplements that have drawn attention from researchers for their immunity protecting properties!

ALFALFA

The extensive root system allows the plant to absorb a high level of nutrients from the soil. It is known to detoxes the urinary tract, purify the blood and liver and have a strong alkaline effect on the body. It also promotes bowel movement regularity and healthy hydration.

ASHWAGANDA

This is an excellent adrenal supportive herb that balances the entire hormonal system. It reduces stress on the adrenal gland and stimulate the thyroid gland activity. It is also known to reinforce immune activity. It can help the body build a line of defense for the endocrine and metabolic systems.

ASTRAGALUS

One of the most potent immune tonics used to improve the lungs, strengthen muscles, increase metabolism, reduce stress and strengthen the genetics. It is also a diuretic and promotes waste elimination as it promotes digestion and adrenal gland function.

BRAHMI (GOTU KOLA)

An Ayurvedic herb that helps boost memory and improve dementia. It also balances neurotransmitters in the brain, reducing stress and improving immunity.

CHAGA MUSHROOMS

Chaga contains the highest amounts of anti-tumor compounds of any herb. It is also high in phytochemicals, nutrients, and free-radical antioxidants, especially melanin. Chaga is second only to cacao in antioxidant content and is a powerful anti-cancer herb.

Have you tried any of these? Let me know in the comments below!

high protein chia parfait jovanka ciares

Chia Pudding Parfait

This ridiculously easy and simple recipe is one I do 2-3x per week. So I wanted to share here with you my high protein chia pudding parfait! Check out the recipe in the video below:

INGREDIENTS

1/3 cups of chia seeds
1 cup of coconut milk
2 tsp coconut nectar
¼ tsp cinnamon

INSTRUCTIONS

Mix it up and leave in the fridge for 4-12 hours
Add your favorite toppins – I’m adding just some nuts.

Perfect treat, easy to make, great breakfast, snack or high protein pick me up! Let know how you like it in the comments below the video!

12 3 4 5 6