Flourishing Free Holistic Nutrition & Wellness

12/13/2024

🎄 I looooove peppermint! 🌿 Any mint, really. Though I’m not a big fan of candy, I’ll have a little piece of candy cane around Christmas, or sprinkle some crushed candy cane on healthy brownies flavoured with peppermint essential oil. 😋

But did you ever think about how candy canes are flavoured?! 😱

I hadn’t. My thoughts go more in the direction of the sugar and food dyes.

10/23/2024

🍳 Breakfast for weight loss?

Breakfast has long been considered the most important meal of the day. In recent years, however, it has been increasingly skipped, often in favor of longer breaks between meals, as practiced in intermittent fasting. Many people are convinced that skipping breakfast helps them to cut calories and thus better control their weight. But is this really true? A growing number of studies suggest that eating breakfast regularly is not only healthy but can also help you lose weight.

In fact, there is evidence that people who eat breakfast regularly tend to be slimmer than those who skip their morning meal. Some research shows that skipping breakfast has no significant benefits for weight control, and in some cases, it could even increase the risk of weight gain.

Disadvantages of skipping breakfast?

Chinese researchers conducted a comprehensive meta-analysis in which they analyzed 36 cross-sectional studies and 9 cohort studies on the topic of breakfast and body weight. The result was clear: people who rarely eat breakfast had a 48 percent higher risk of becoming overweight or obese compared to regular breakfast eaters.

Why is this the case? The exact mechanisms are not yet fully understood, but experts suspect that breakfast plays an important role in regulating appetite. A balanced breakfast can help to keep blood sugar and insulin levels in balance, which prevents cravings throughout the day. Skipping breakfast, on the other hand, could lead to the body craving more quick energy sources in the form of sugar and fat throughout the day, which ultimately leads to a higher calorie intake.

Not eating breakfast could also upset the metabolism, as the body's biological clock, the so-called internal clock, is thrown out of sync. This could affect insulin sensitivity and lead to weight problems long-term. However, further scientific research is needed before definitive conclusions can be drawn.

In summary, it can be said that a regular, balanced breakfast eaten in the beginning of the day can have a positive influence on body weight. It is important to eat a healthy combination of complex carbohydrates, protein, healthy fats and fiber. For those who have little appetite or time in the morning, a smoothie can be a good alternative to start the day in a weight-friendly way.

Article courtesy Metabolic Balance* and Silvia Bürkle

03/31/2024

🔪 🥬 This evening’s project: raw sauerkraut. 😋

Sauerkraut is one of the easiest fermented or cultured foods for a beginner to make. 👩🏼‍🍳

I used to think I didn’t like sauerkraut, but it was because the only sauerkraut I’d ever tried was the highly processed pickled version that you find in the center of the grocery store. Those foods are “dead” foods: their live enzymes have been killed by high heat from the pickling process. 💀

Homemade or raw fermented veggies are a whole other thing! 😃 Their flavours are amazing, and their benefits are many.

When you eat raw cultured foods you make your “good” gut microbes happy by feeding them what they need to survive.

Here’s what went into this super simple kraut:

Green cabbage 🥬
Red cabbage
Carrots 🥕
Garlic 🧄
Salt 😊 2% of the total weight of veggies)

Have you ever made sauerkraut or any other fermented foods? Kefir, kombucha, beet kvass, Kim chi…

Do you have a favourite cultured food?

03/06/2024

📱 💻 Are you on LinkedIn? I recently joined and would love to connect with you in there! 😃

02/29/2024

Absolutely true!

Protein bars might not immediately come to mind when you think of unhealthy foods, but some aren’t as beneficial as they seem. Many bars sold today contain large amounts of ultra-processed ingredients, artificial sweeteners and added sugars.

02/27/2024

🌿 Exciting News for Anyone Interested in Holistic Nutrition 🌿

Have you heard about the Canadian Holistic Nutrition Conference (CHNC)? ✨ It's the BIGGEST holistic nutrition event in Canada, and it's celebrating its 16th year! 🎉 Join us this spring in Calgary or Toronto (2 dates, 2 locations!) for an incredible experience of learning and connecting with fellow holistic nutrition enthusiasts.

🌱 Theme: Nourish Our Future: Explore the Science & Power of Nutrition.

🤩 Open to the public, this in-person event is a must-attend!

Here are all the details you need to know:

CALGARY, ALBERTA:
Date: Saturday April 13, 2024
Location: Riviera Plaza Calgary Airport
🐦 Early Bird Deadline: March 1, 2024 (SAVE $20!)
🎫 Get Tickets HERE: https://www.csnnalumni.org/chnc-2024/?ap_id=flourishingfree

TORONTO, ONTARIO:
Date: Saturday May 11, 2024
Location: Ontario Science Centre
🐦 Early Bird deadline: March 29, 2024 (SAVE $20!)
🎫 Get Tickets HERE: https://www.csnnalumni.org/chnc-2024/?ap_id=flourishingfree

🎤 Expert Speakers: Dive into fascinating topics with renowned speakers like Dr. Uma Naidoo, MD and Dr. Nigel Plummer, PhD!

🎁 Bonus: Recordings of ALL CHNC speakers for all ticket holders! 🎥

🥦 An Amazing Tradeshow: You won’t want to miss this opportunity to browse a room full of the latest in nutrition-related products and services!

🎟️ Get Tickets, view speakers and exhibitors HERE: https://www.csnnalumni.org/chnc-2024/?ap_id=flourishingfree

Don't miss out on this nourishing opportunity to enhance your holistic journey! 🌟 Let's nourish our minds and bodies together!

p.s. Last year the gift bags contained so many goodies from local donors and sponsors that I’m sure they were worth more than the conference ticket price! It is well worth going! I'll be at the Calgary event and hoping to take a carload of friends! Message me if you have questions after checking out the link above! ~ Kari 😊

02/08/2024

🍔 What did you have for lunch today? How are you feeling? Do your meals drain you or energize you? It’s a fact that MOOD follows FOOD. Here’s a little tidbit...

Hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar) can cause fatigue 😴 low mood/depression 😞 irritability 😡 food cravings 😋 headaches 🤕 etc.

Chronic (long-term) imbalances in blood sugar can also lead to systemic (whole body) stress and inflammation, 🔥 which decreases immunity 😷 and can lead to serious illnesses like diabetes 🍭 and cardiovascular disease ❤️ among others.

✌🏼There are 2 reasons for low blood sugar:

1) Lack of food fuel (functional hypoglycaemia). Eg. too much time between meals and you’ve burned off all your energy reserves. 😣

2) Sugar spike/crash (reactive hypoglycaemia). 🎢 Eg. you ate a bunch of sugar or refined carbs, your blood sugar spiked 🚀 and then crashed 💥 when insulin shot up to put out the “fire.”🧯🔥 (Btw, this “fire” is what creates the inflammation I mentioned above. 👆🏼)

🤔 THE SOLUTION:

1) Eat more healthy FATS like coconut 🥥 oil, olives 🫒, avocados 🥑, fatty fish 🐠 like salmon, nuts 🌰 and nut butters.

2) Make sure you have sufficient PROTEIN 🍗 🍳 🫘 🧀 with every meal.

3) Include foods that are naturally high in plant fibre like vegetables 🍅 🥦 🥕, fruits 🍎 🥝 and whole grains 🌾 to slow down digestion for a slow release of glucose energy, preventing those sugar spikes.

🚫 NON-foods like chips, doughnuts 🍩 and fried foods 🍟 with trans-fats DO NOT count as healthy fats! These create more inflammation 🔥 in your body, which further wreaks havoc on your blood sugar🎢 AND can lead to much more serious diseases. 💀

02/04/2024

🎧 A couple of months ago I was a guest on a podcast with my business coach. I shared many of my experiences with my own health struggles, how I got into health and wellness, what it was like going back to school in the thick of perimenopause, and all the challenges of starting a business and being fully self-employed. 😅

☺️ I have been so blessed, since this podcast launched, to hear from several other Christian women across North America who have been strengthened and encouraged to continue walking in faithfulness to the Lord as they seek to help others become healthier using nutrition as the foundation. 🍎

✍🏼 Messages like this inspire me to keep on doing what I’m doing, knowing that the Lord can use every act of faithfulness for His purposes. 🥰

✝️ We who seek to honour Christ are a small remnant, to be sure, and the Lord places us wherever He chooses for His purposes and His glory. 🙌🏻

🙏🏻 I pray that He would guide you with His wisdom, help you to be faithful, and would use you greatly in whatever situation you are in - whether single, dating, married, separated, divorced, widowed, at home alone or raising your kids, or somewhere out in the world. 🌍

12/21/2023

🗓️✍🏼 Do you have a BIG goal to lose weight and/or get healthier in 2024? Are you done with DIYing and Dr. Googling your health issues? 👩‍💻 Are you ready to make some permanent, lifelong changes? 💪🏼

If you said YES! to any or all of the above, consider working with me! 🤝 I can help you!

I am a Certified Holistic Nutritional Consultant and a certified Metabolic Balance coach based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. 🍁 Thanks to the wonders of technology I can also work online with people all over the world via teleconference. 🌎💻

🔎 My primary focus is helping women in their 30s to 60s identify and address the underlying causes of their symptoms, and rebalance their metabolism through targeted adjustments in diet and lifestyle habits.

👩🏼‍⚕️ As a practitioner, I have personal experience with and specialize in the long-term effects of chronic stress to the body, mind and emotions, including:
* brain fog & memory loss
* blood sugar dysregulation
* mood imbalances (incl anxiety & depression)
* insomnia & sleep dysregulation
* digestive issues & food sensitivities
* allergies & asthma
* chronic infections/illness
* joint pain & inflammation
* PMS & perimenopause
* weight gain & weight loss...
* and more.

If you suffer with several of the above symptoms, contact me! You can check out my profile at the link below to see if we might be a good fit to work together. Please share this post and/or the link with anyone else you know who comes to mind. 🤗

Don't let another year or month go by without taking the next best step toward a healthier and happier you! ☺️

I look forward to connecting with you soon!

Kari 🌿

Metabolic Balance Conseillère en nutrition conseiller Kari Hochachka est proche de Edmonton

12/09/2023

🤨 Do you have unexplained weight gain? Brain fog? Headaches? Fatigue? Hot flashes? Joint pain? High blood pressure? High blood sugar? Insulin resistance? Insomnia? Allergies? Skin issues?

Have you tried “all the things” and can’t seem to get rid of your muffin top? 😩

Would you like a proven system that works with your own body, doesn’t require any pills or powders, and gets long-term results without having to work out? 👀

You can begin your journey to metabolic balance just like this client 👇🏼👇🏼 and get quick, consistent results following a personalized meal plan based on *your own* body chemistry. 🩸

I followed my own metabolic balance plan and released almost 20 lbs of fat that had been creeping up and hanging on over the course of 2-3 years, and that I’d been unable to shed despite being fairly active and having a pretty clean diet. 🍎

You, too, can enter this holiday season and the new year feeling empowered, and be on the right track *before* January hits! 😃

Beat the January rush! 🏃🏼‍♀️ 🏃🏿 🏃‍♂️

Let’s talk! ☎️ No pressure-y sales tactics or hidden agendas. Just leave a comment or DM me for more info! I can help and would love to be your guide on this journey! 🗺

09/21/2023

2023 has been so bizzy! It's been a somewhat chaotic whirlwind around here, with plenty of learning and growing and excitement and challenges. And there are more exciting changes coming SOON!

Thanks to VanRamPhotography.com for some great pics from our website branding photo shoot last week! My new profile pic is one of my favourites from that shoot. Hopefully by the end of the year (or sooner) I'll have my website up and running!

I realize this page has been mostly crickets since I opened it, and that's because most of my time is spent OFF of social media, or in a few business-related groups. I don't plan to be particularly active on here, because I'm busy enough behind the scenes: in my home office. FYI... you really don't need a website or an active social media presence to run a business and make a decent income! I am living proof.

I've been busy working with clients in my holistic wellness biz, and I'm currently finishing a certification that will allow me to more effectively target one of my clients' primary concerns: weight management in mid-life. I will post more info once that is available. :)

Has mid-section and/or mid-life weight gain has been an issue for you? If so, what has been your biggest challenge in that area? Let me know in the comments below.

I hope you are enjoying the beautiful fall colours. Have a blessed day, friends!

07/25/2023

🥖 Feeling a little bit giggly as I witness the evidence of life in this rye sourdough starter. 🥹😄

I am embarking on a new adventure in which rye sourdough will be an integral part of my diet in coming days.

Here’s hoping I can form an edible loaf… 😆

04/18/2023

☀️ 👣 It’s been a long time since I was able to walk in the field with bare feet … and a long time since I bothered to post … and a long time since I painted my toenails! 😂 💅

The ground is so warm now, and the green grass is pushing up! 😃 Feels amazing under my feet!

Last summer I began intentionally going for walks with bare feet on grass, and I missed it so much all winter! 🥰

You may have heard the term “grounding”? Some people take this term to the extreme, falsely applying woo-woo energy to things of nature. However, what grounding simply means is that being physically connected to the earth has positive benefits for us from a holistic (physical, mental & emotional) perspective.

🌲 Walking in nature has been scientifically shown to calm the nervous system. 😌 Bare foot walking on earth has similar calming and mood-boosting benefits. And, of course, vitamin D conversion from the sun through your skin supports your immune system and mental health. ☀️

Anything that helps down-regulate or calm the nervous system, especially in this frenetically paced world, has multiple benefits for the body and mind.

So I’d encourage you to get out in the sunshine and expose your bare feet to some grass! 🌳 Pretty soon my lily white feet are going to be sporting sandal 🩴 tan lines. 🤩

p.s. I am actively working with clients in my holistic nutrition practice, and I do have room for another one or two at the moment, so please reach out if you’re interested. I’m not on Facebook much, and don’t plan to be, so if you’d like to connect or find out more, please send a DM through Messenger. Have a blessed day friends! 🤗