Island Nutrition & Bioenergetics

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Island Nutrition & Bioenergetics

Finally be free of symptoms caused by seasonal allergies, food intolerances and imbalances!

01/10/2024

Welcome!

I’m Melissa Millar.

Lover of animals, coffee, bad jokes and all things outdoors...
Certified Functional Nutrition Counselor, Registered Bioenergetics Practitioner and Certified High Performance Coach serving clients the Greater Victoria Area.

I'm a big believer that everyone's health journey is different and their needs are unique. My goal is to provide holistic care that is tailored to each individual by taking a functional and personalized approach.

There's no "cookie-cutter, one-size-fits-all" solution when it comes to health. Your needs are unique to you and should be honored as such.

My primary focus is on fast, natural relief from seasonal allergies, food intolerances, digestive disorders, hormonal and thyroid imbalance and stubborn weight loss.

If you're journey is anything like mine, you've already "tried everything" and nothing has really stuck. That's why I put so much emphasis on root cause resolution and asking better questions to figure out WHY you're suffering in the first place... so that we can get you back to doing all the things you love that have been put on hold for way too long.

By overcoming (and continuing to work through) a whole host of my own health challenges, I know first-hand the importance of never taking it for granted, and I bring that same level of commitment to each one of my clients.

I'm passionate about providing simple and effective health solutions that are not only restorative and empowering, but sustainable.

I work closely with clients to co-create a health plan that suits them and their individual lifestyles, needs and goals.

I can't wait to meet you and be a part of helping you achieve yours!

For more information or to book an appointment, visit www.islandhillsnutrition.com

08/19/2021

🌼☀Keeping it simple with this light, summery snack☀🌼

Blueberries, raspberries, coconut milk (unsweetened) and a little sprinkle of coconut sugar.

Instead of coconut milk, this would also be great with unsweetened coconut yogurt (or Greek yogurt, if you tolerate dairy) to add some probiotics into the mix.

Coconut milk is one of my go-tos, and has become a staple in our house. My favorite dairy alternative!

It’s great “brain food,” is a natural anti-microbial (potent against some of the “bad guys” in the gut like C. diff, Candida, and H. pylori), supports cardiovascular health, and blood sugar balance. So good! 😍

(Something worth noting if you are on a low-FODMAP diet: coconut is rich in fermentable fibers, and this can cause gas, bloating, diarrhea, discomfort etc, for some who are currently FODMAP intolerant. Start low and go slow)

08/13/2021

If you're finding that you're constantly dealing with bloating, gas, constipation or diarrhea (or a combination of all of it), this one’s for you, my friend.

Prokinetics are substances (either natural, e.g. herbs, or synthetic, e.g. drugs, like metoclopramide or erythromycin) that cause strong contractions, which allows movement of food out of your stomach or intestines and allows things to keep moving right to the end of the road (💩).

Prokinetics work by stimulating our migrating motor complex (MMC), which you can think of as being your intestinal “sweepers” that move food, bacteria, etc along your digestive tract.

This movement, or intestinal motility, is so important for digestion, and can be overlooked. So sometimes we need a bit of a boost here. In some cases, there can be issues where the MMC “waves,” or contractions, aren’t strong enough to move things along, or they aren’t happening WHEN they should, or for as long as they should.

When the MMC start to slow down or become irregular, that cleansing, sweeping action slows, too. And if our bodies aren’t able to move food, bacteria and other waste along the digestive tract, that’s when bacteria and other microbes can overgrow into the small intestine ( ).

So, prokinetics (in addition to finding the root cause...hint, hint) are a great way to “reset” our MMC.

If you’re looking for a more natural way to do this, here are two really great options that have shown some really promising results:

Triphala: This one’s a doozy. Research has shown that the Triphala herb, Harada, increased gastric emptying by 86%, compared to 76% for metoclopramide (how cool is that?!). AND there are minimal reported side effects, AND it has antimicrobial, antioxidant and adaptogenic properties 🤩

Ginger: This can be in tea, or supplement form. Start with 2-3 cups of homemade ginger tea (boil a sliced chunk of ginger in a pot of water for about 10 minutes). Adding ginger to your regimen in supplement form can also be beneficial, because store-bought ginger often doesn’t contain enough of the active ingredients, which give us that lovely prokinetic effect.

Final Tips: try taking these at night before bedtime. If you’re finding this not to be enough, try taking between meals. You can also try rotating between these to increase effectiveness, and again, I encourage you look a little deeper to find the root cause as to WHY you're having motility issues to begin with.

08/11/2021

✨Magnesium✨ There is a lot of confusion around who should take it and what kind to take. Ultimately, you should chat with your practitioner about this, but here’s the gist.

Magnesium has been called the powerhouse mineral, and for good reason. It’s responsible for literally hundreds of functions and processes in your body, and a LOT of us are deficient (due to poor nutrition, absorption issues, depleted soil, and certain medications).

Magnesium plays a role in digestion pretty much as soon as there’s food in your mouth. It fuels the production of enzymes in your saliva (which are important for food breakdown as you chew). The production of stomach acid (which is critical for breaking down your food in the stomach) is signaled by a hormone, and that hormone requires magnesium. Magnesium also supports the pancreas, which is responsible for producing other digestive enzymes further down the line.

So as you probably guessed, when we’re deficient in magnesium, these processes become much more inefficient/strained, and downstream issues like acid reflux, bloating, constipation, etc can arise.

✨ Magnesium Oxide – The most common kind of magnesium used in conventional medicine. It’s not very well absorbed (only about 4%), can have a strong laxative effect and can cause bloating, abdominal discomfort, etc.

✨ Magnesium Citrate is a great choice, especially for constipation. It typically has a gentler laxative effect, and is better absorbed compared to magnesium oxide. It works by drawing water into the intestines and relaxes the bowels, which may help to give you a nice n' easy “smooth move.”

✨ Magnesium Glycinate – this form is well tolerated and well absorbed by the body, too, and is especially great for reducing inflammation… which I really can’t highlight the importance of enough.

✨ Magnesium L-Threonate – This form is great for sleep and stress management, which is always important to factor in when we’re talking about gut troubles. The processes involved in our bodies’ response to stress actually depletes our magnesium stores, so management is helpful for keeping our levels optimal 💪

'Like' and comment below if you found this helpful ❤

08/11/2021

I loooove a good smoothie. Because a) I’m busy, and smoothies pack a mean nutrient-dense punch for days when I’m on the go, and b) they’re quick, and don’t require much planning or prep aside from making sure you have a decent variety ingredients on hand.

Along with the fruits and veggies I’ll throw in, here are a few other ingredients to give your gut some much needed love:

- L-glutamine
This essential amino acid is anti-inflammatory and we need it for intestinal wall growth and repair. It acts as a coating, or a protective barrier for your cell walls. This bad boy not only helps with digestion, it’s great for muscle building, boosting the immune system and even exercise performance.

- Collagen and gelatin
These are amazing for strengthening the stomach and intestinal lining. This allows for better nutrient absorption/digestion and you’ll notice improvement in your health overall – more energy, less frequent headaches, better mental focus, etc.

- Ginger (and nope, not talking about ginger ale)
Great for nausea, as you may have heard before, but also helps with all the painful cramping, gut spasms and indigestion those of us with stomach issues deal with.

- Chia seeds
These are high in fiber (keeps things moving right along!), protein and omega-3 fatty acids and a super easy way to get a ton of nutrients into your diet

- Probiotics
Probiotics are a life-saver. You can open up a capsule and pour the contents into your smoothie, or you can add something like unsweetened coconut yogurt or kefir for a lovely dose of good critters as well.

- Liquid coconut oil
Coconut oil contains medium-chain fatty acids and caprylic acid, which makes it such a good antimicrobial addition to your smoothies. If you have SIBO or are trying to manage Candida, this is something I recommend trying!

- Moringa powder
If you have been suffering with gut issues for any amount of time, chances are, you may benefit from Moringa powder. It helps to calm systemic inflammation – so if you find you have skin issues, chronic headaches, or allergies, reducing inflammation in your body can help with this, too!

What are some of your favorite things to add to your smoothies?

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http://www.islandhillsnutrition.com/

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