Ria Jenkins, Holistic Nutritionist and Metabolic Balance Coach

07/26/2024

I am have been thoroughly enjoying myself at our new house by the lake. And playing in my new kitchen. Today is fermentation Friday. Fermented foods are key to healthy microbiome. More and more research is coming out how poor gut microbiome affects all areas of health, not just digestion. Our gut microbiome plays a key role in mental health, metabolic health, cancer prevention and more. FYI you can’t eat white bread, processed luncheon meat, pizza and cookies, thinking that the store bought yogurt is going to offset those choices. You need to focus on eating foods that help to feed and nourish those little helpful critters. Focus on vegetables and fruits. Whole grains. In the jar is my rye sourdough starter. I have been nurturing and using this starter for about 3 years now. The fibre in the rye helps to feed the microbes created in the fermentation process. And a new batch of kombucha in the other jar. I have start over with a new SCOBY, I was neglectful of my previous one. lol. This batch won’t be as tasty but like sourdough starter, the longer you have it, the more flavourful your kombucha becomes as those microbes be fruitful and multiply. 😊

12/21/2023

As the wheel of the year turns, as we embrace the shortest day and longest night of the year, what are you going to release? During these dark cold nights of winter, what seeds of creativity , purpose, and abundance are you going to plant? Despite the outside world wanting us to be loud and super busy. This is the time of year, like the natural world, we need to turn inward. To be still and listen to what our hearts and souls are trying to tell us. To release the old and make room for the new.

09/25/2023

This is one where my interests in medicine and music overlap. First, some personal background—and why I almost canceled going to an opera I really wanted to see. I traveled to New York to attend the dress rehearsal of the opera Dead Man Walking at the Metropolitan Opera on Friday. The opera was wr...

08/11/2023

Indulge in the delectable fusion of bell peppers and goat cheese for a quick and delightful lunch or dinner option!

Ingredients:

- Two medium-sized bell peppers
- Four cherry tomatoes
- One shallot
- One garlic clove
- 60g goat cheese
- Dried aromatic herbs (such as thyme, rosemary, oregano, etc.)
- Salt and pepper

Preparation:

1- Cut the bell peppers in half lengthwise, discarding the seeds. Steam them for approximately 10 minutes.

2- While the bell peppers are steaming, finely chop the garlic, shallot, and cherry tomatoes. Mix these ingredients with the goat cheese in a bowl.

3- Season the mixture with salt, pepper, and the dried aromatic herbs of your choice.

4- Arrange all four bell pepper halves in a baking dish.

5- Stuff each bell pepper half with the goat cheese mixture, ensuring an even distribution.

6- If desired, you can drizzle a bit of your preferred oil on top for added flavour.

7- Preheat your oven to around 375°F (190°C), and bake the stuffed bell peppers for approximately 25-30 minutes. Keep an eye on them to achieve your preferred level of doneness.

8- Once out of the oven, allow the stuffed bell peppers to cool slightly before serving.

Savour the delightful blend of flavours and textures as you relish this enticing dish. Bon appétit!

Share this recipe with a friend!

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06/06/2023

I know that when life gets busy and hardships occur, it’s easy to feel like we have no control over what happens next.

I appreciate this quote because it reminds me when it comes to our health, we do have a certain amount of control by making mindful choices.

I think it’s important to have a healthy balance of letting go of the things we can’t control and leaning into the positive actions we have the power to take.

05/31/2023

https://www.drkarafitzgerald.com/2023/05/24/eggs-should-we-eat-them/?mc_cid=6e6a15f2d6&mc_eid=5fbc93ea46

Eggs, glorious eggs. Here is a fun fact about me. I am allergic to poultry, basically if it has feathers, clucks, chirps, gobbles etc. I cannot eat it. BUT I can eat eggs. I blame the rooster. LOL.

Growing up, after my Dad had his first major heart attack in the 1980's, the train of thought was that eggs were bad because of the cholesterol. He was told to avoid eggs. We now know it is not necessarily the cholesterol in foods, such as eggs, that cause the problem, its the insulin resistance thanks to our modern day dietary ways. Your liver makes most of the cholesterol that shows up in your blood, and if you have insulin/blood sugar regulatory issues, your liver makes more cholesterol, they share the same detox pathway in the liver. That is why so many people with elevated lipids, when put on statins, eventually develop Type 2 diabetes. They lowered the cholesterol, but not what caused the elevated cholesterol in the first place.

Eggs are actually an excellent source of nutrients such as choline. Choline is an essential nutrient for cell integrity and messaging, fat metabolism, DNA synthesis and supporting a healthy nervous system. And eggs is the only food that can be considered the perfect protein based on amino acid profiles. Doesn't mean you can go crazy and eat a dozen eggs a day. But they can be part of an overall whole foods, plant based diet. They do make an excellent, insulin/blood sugar balancing start your day, just leave out the store bought white bread, english muffins etc.

FYI, Not everyone can enjoy eggs freely., Type 2 diabetics for example.

In recent years both the American Heart Association and Dietary Guidelines for Americans have reversed their restrictions on eggs.

04/18/2023

Women, menopause and research. Having worked in allopathic and now holistic medicine talking about menopause with women was a topic all Doctors knew very little if anything so they would avoid it and dismiss them. Medicine has been male centric for so long. The old ways were deemed “witch craft”. And shoved aside for what the male dominated field of medicine deemed “better”. This began the label of the “hysterical woman” etc. In doing research on menopause and depression I was not surprised by this graph showing peer reviewed published studies on menopause and depression. For too long women were deemed “crazy” “it’s all in your head” “over reacting” etc when they went to the doctor. Depression and menopause go together as this is such a huge transition for us. Estrogen receptors and gut health changes. Add in job stress, child rearing, household responsibilities, aging parents etc. All the stressors that have been accumulating over a period of years. Aka allostatic load No wonder some women reach a point during menopause where their physical and mental health say “enough, I quit”. It is a good thing to see that graph showing more and more published studies coming out. And we have much more to learn. And reclaim some of that ancient knowledge where women help women to ease through the various transitions we all go through.

01/10/2023

What’s the easiest way to get your kids interested in eating healthy foods?

As your kids get older, let them choose foods and plan meals with you. The more involved they are, the more likely they will be to experiment with various foods and flavors. Growing bodies need a healthy balance of nutrient-dense foods.

Making grocery shopping, cooking, and mealtimes fun and positive. The more kids engage in food prep and food choices, the healthier they will be.

01/09/2023

Are there nutrients that make us smarter? Are there foods that nourish our brain cells particularly well, making them more receptive or efficient? In short, does it make sense to cook or buy special foods for the brain?
Based on current scientific literature, our brain responds to what we eat and drink much more than previously thought.

The brain functions much better when it has the optimum balance of nutrients.

Although many companies now market products as being or containing "brain food, " shoppers must be careful.
Marketing campaigns suggest that all you have to do is eat the right things, and intelligence and knowledge will follow all on their own, similar to a bodybuilder who achieves larger muscles with protein drinks. But, unfortunately, it doesn't work like that.

Even bodybuilders still need to train their muscles when they consume high amounts of protein and bodybuilding supplements. It is the same with food for the brain. Although eating well can create conditions for better metabolism and a better supply of cells, this has to be combined with brain training to see results.

For our brain cells to work efficiently, the body needs sufficient proteins, complex carbohydrates and high-quality fats (omega-3 fatty acids), vitamins, minerals and trace elements. In addition, it is essential to drink enough water. Water increases alertness and mental performance!

Unfavourable eating habits can quickly lead to a deficiency of important nutrients and decreased mental performance.

Linkedin : Metabolic Balance - Silvia Bürkle

01/08/2023

01/07/2023

Menopause and alcohol. Something people do not like to discuss. I see you gripping your wine glass, beer bottle, or cocktail just a little tighter. Mouthing the words “Noooo. Don’t take my alcohol away!!” Hey. I do enjoy an occasional alcoholic beverage. Yes. Occasional not regularly. The stress of the last few years has resulted in an increase of drinking of more than 300% by mothers according to a report from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse. No surprise. Add in social media and marketing towards women specifically has seen a marked increase in excessive alcohol consumption over more than just the last few years. I find in certain social situations if a person chooses not to consume alcoholic beverages it results in a series of questions of why not. “Come on, loosen up and have some fun”. Etc. But as women, when we enter the midlife stage regular and excessive alcohol consumption will wreck havoc on your hormones, sleep and cardio vascular health. Many people grab a glass of wine or two to “relax “ after a hard day. But alcohol also has stimulatory effects. Add in menopausal changes affecting our pituitary gland, this gland controls our circadian rhythm, studies have shown alcohol affects sleep patterns, interferes with growth hormones and core temperature (hello night sweats). Also, as we age our cells become more insulin resistant and our liver needs extra TLC and is less efficient at clearing out drugs and alcohol. Alcohol is basically sugar as we metabolize it. Which requires higher amounts of insulin from the pancreas to help regulate blood sugar. Did I mention our cells become more insulin resistant as we age? Add in sleep disturbances caused by alcohol you further add to inflammation and contribute to the nagging symptoms we associate with “aging” such as weight gain, achy joints, dull tired skin, brain fog and conditions such as high blood pressure, insulin resistance and diabetes. Alcohol also increases anxiety and increases our inability to deal with stressors. I am not saying complete abstinence is necessary. But try to enjoy alcohol occasionally, instead of daily.

01/04/2023

But I don’t want preventable physical limitations to impede my ability to live life fully engaged, mentally sharp, and physically active. At sixty-three, I am in better shape than I was at forty.

In fact, my biological age is forty-three years old. What I have learned over the last few decades is nothing short of revolutionary in helping me get biologi- cally younger while I grow chronologically older. I want that for you too.

I have struggled with many health issues over the last 30 years, and through my own disease, pain, and suffering I have learned how to heal myself and so many of my patients.

While I wish I hadn’t had to go through all that suffering and pain, it taught me so much about how the body works and how to renew my health, leaving me more energetic, stronger, and healthier than I had been since my twenties.

I have incorporated many of the practices and principles I learned into my new book, Young Forever.

The principles and practices you will learn in this book will have remarkable benefits in your life. Not only will you live longer, reverse chronic disease, and shed pounds, but, more importantly, you will be filled with energy for life and work and love and play; you will be the full expression of who you came here to be.

The point is not to live longer but to live better, not just to add more years to your life but to add more life to your years.

You can pre-order my book at YoungForeverBook.com