Metta Health Institute

06/13/2022

Do you know how much of an impact your food actually makes?

We already discussed the benefits of eating organic local produce in a previous post (if you haven’t seen it, check it out). Another major impact on your health and especially also on our planet is how our meat is being produced.

Conventional farming/ranching also known as Confined Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO) is currently the primary way our meat is raised. These animals live in environments that are toxic. They are squeezed into small spaces with no room to move, get fed genetically modified grains, and even get fed candy to help fatten them up. They are pumped full of hormones and antibiotics to deal with infections that are a result of their poor living environments. This way of producing meat is harmful to our health and the health of the planet.

Regenerative farming/ranching provides the animals their natural habitat and state of living. By allowing these animals to roam and move freely they help to improve the soil which in turn helps to retain more water (less watering and less flooding) and also helps to sequester carbon to reduce climate change.

These animals are high in vitamins and fatty acids and support our health and the health of Mother Nature.

Starting to move from eating conventional meat to organic grass fed is a great start. Unfortunately the standards for grass fed are also no longer what they used to be, so the next step is to move to regeneratively raised meat. Some of our favorite Ranches to get our meat from are , and

Take charge of your heath and become a great Stewart of Mother Nature by supporting a more regenerative way of living. Our future selves and future generations will thank you!

06/08/2022

We often get the question “is organic really better for you”? The simple answer is YES! Conventional produce is sprayed heavily with fertilizers, fungicides, pesticides and herbicides (the most well known being glyphosate, the active ingredient in roundup - more on that to come). These chemicals are detrimental to our health and our environment. These foods are nutritionally depleted and can cause leaky gut issues which sets us up for a long list of other health problems.

These toxins also devastate our soil and environment and the rest of mother natures ecosystem.

This is why we recommend people go as organic as they can. One of the best places to shop for organic produce is your local farmers markets! You will be amazed at how much different the food tastes when it is local and fresh, Vs. Picked 2 mo the ago, ripened on co Rainer ships and sprayed with toxins.

A good resource to see which foods are the heaviest sprayed and which are ok to eat if not organic is the “clean 15 and dirty dozen” list put out by the environmental working group. (You can find that list on their website).
Starting small and with the foods you consume frequently can help to make the transition easier as well.

The best investment we can make is in our own heath. We will either pay at the Farm or the Pharmacy.

Check out the YouTube video on the last page of this post.

05/11/2022

05/11/2022

05/10/2022

Eating fermented foods was for many years common, nearly daily practice as it allowed foods to be stored for longer. This process also creates a habitats for beneficial bacteria to grow.

The modern diet unfortunately is quite devoid of fermented foods (unless it is coming from highly processed, sugar laden Yogurts).

Our gut bacteria are an essential part of life so we need to make sure we keep our gut happy with foods that help our Bactria flourish.

Some great fermented foods include sauerkraut, miso, kimchi, tempeh and even pickled vegetables (these can be found in the refrigerated section and will say “live cultures”).

Fermented foods have also been shown to be more beneficial in increasing the bacterial diversity in the gut over eating more fiber rich foods.

Happy gut, happy you!

05/06/2022

By now we know how important a healthy microbiome is for our health. More research is now also coming down the pipeline examining the role of the vaginal microbiome.

These microbes play a crucial role in maintaining a healthy reproductive environment by maintaining pH levels and creating antibiotics against possible pathogenic bacteria.

It also plays a major role in the health of the baby, as the baby is exposed to the vaginal flora during childbirth and provides a baseline of bacterial inoculation to prepare the babies immune system.

Some things to be cautious of that can disrupt this microbial environment are antibiotics, non organic tampons/pads, synthetic lubricants and a diet high in processed foods.

This is just the beginning of a whole new chapter of research on how we humans are simply a giant ecosystem that works synergistically with our microbes and environment to optimize our health.

04/28/2022

By now everyone knows that regular exercise is an important part of being healthy.

But did you know that exercise is also good for our gut bacteria. Exercise has shown to increase beneficial bacteria that produce a specific short chain fatty acid called butyrate, which has many health benefits which can help prevent cancer, speed up metabolism and even reduce inflammation.

This particular fatty acid also helps sharpen your brain to provide clarity and focus and can also help with cardiovascular health (on top of the benefits you get from exercising alone).

This does not mean you have to go crush it at the gym every day but shows us how important it is to get daily movement whether through strength training, yoga, high intensity training or our favorite, walking!

Get outside, walk and soak in some vitamin D. Make it even more beneficial by putting away your phone and share the walk with a friend and loved one.

04/27/2022

Many studies have shown that we are more likely to adapt the lifestyle and habits of the people we surround ourselves with compared to how we were raised.

That means that if we hang out with people that have healthy habits we are more likely to incorporate these habits into our life.

Sometimes it is on us to be THAT person that helps to shift our community in the right direction.

04/26/2022

For a long time we believed that our genetics are the predictor of our health outcomes. However we have now learned that our epigenetics (our environment, the people we are with, the foods we eat, etc) are the real determinant of our health.

As we mentioned in the previous post, our microbiome plays a pivotal role in our health so it is important that we make sure and avoid things that are detrimental to our little ecosystem.

Here is a short list of things to avoid to help protect your microbiome.

04/25/2022

Our microbiome is getting increasingly more recognition for its crucial role in our health.

You have heard the saying “you are what you eat” however it is more accurate to say that you are what your microbiome metabolize from the things you consume.

These bacteria that reside not only in our gut but on our skin, in our eyes, mouth, nasal passages and everywhere else in the body are responsible for synthesizing b vitamins, short chain fatty acids, neurotransmitters and so many more metabolites that are essential for life.

The bacteria we carry around outnumber our human cells 10-1.
So treat your microbiome well!

Eat organic, regenerative food to help your microbiome flourish and you will flourish in return.

04/21/2022

Fats have long been a up and down story of confusion as to what is good and what is bad.

When consuming a healthy diet, including healthy fats that come from olive oil, olives, avocados, wild caught fish, nuts, grass fed/pasture raised beef and seeds is essential to maintain proper cellular health, brain health, hormone balance and healthy skin amongst several other actions. These are high in omega 3 fatty acids and are anti inflammatory.

Fats to avoid are high in omega 6 that are pro inflammatory which are mostly found in processed foods, baked goods, vegetable oils and conventional meats.

Keep it clean and keep it real!

04/19/2022

Controlling your blood sugar spikes is essential for good metabolic health. Even healthy foods like sweet potato or other starchy vegetables can have a more significant impact on blood sugar. Taking a brisk walk after you eat has a profound impact on how your body regulates your blood sugar and insulin response.

Take your family, friends and pets out after lunch or dinner to help stabilize your glucose levels and spend some quality time together.

04/17/2022

With metabolic disease (mostly due to insulin dysregulation) being the biggest heath problem, it is always good to know to prepare your foods to know how to have the lowest possible effect on your insulin spikes.

When you cook potatoes and allow them to cool down all the way, it changes their make up so they become a resistant starch which significantly reduces the effects on blood sugar.

Additionally, the resistant starch is a great prebiotic source (food source) for your good gut bacteria.

Eat Smart and enjoy the foods you like!

04/16/2022

The diet world has gone through countless changes over the years and it is getting increasingly more complicated to understand what to eat to be healthy! Often people want to go straight to a specific diet like paleo, vegan, keto, carnivore, etc which can in itself be done very wrong. Rather than trying to go straight into removing food groups all together we suggest to keep it simple at the beginning to help create sustainable change.

Although there are certainly some nuances when it comes to finding the right diet for each person, there are some simple things to start with.

When going grocery shopping, stick to the outside perimeter of the grocery store. This is where the Whole Foods are typically located (produce, meat, dairy and grains - foods that do not typically require a label). Focus on eating organic as much as possible.

Avoid the isles in the store as this is where the ultra processed foods hang out. They are designed to catch your eye (and especially your kids eyes) and are loaded with sugar, toxins, chemicals, and colors.

Another important thing to do is to READ LABELS! Our rule is, if the ingredient list is like reading a novel and you need a biochemistry degree to understand what’s inside, AVOID IT! Reading labels is one of the best ways to start changing your diet to a healthier one. You will be amazed what food companies are putting in foods that you would never imagine.

Keep it simple, Keep it real!

04/15/2022

We should always see food first and foremost as INFORMATION! It is not just calories, but signals our body and brain how to regulate our hormones, digestion, metabolism, stress, how we think, what is going on in our environment and many more.

Once we are born, the only resource our body has to build new cells is the food we provide it.

Imagine building a house and it is your choice if you want to use concrete or papier maché as a foundation. One will hold up over time, the other will crumble and cause problems.

So make smart choices when it comes to your food and eat for your future self. You will thank yourself down the road. Remember tomorrow!

04/14/2022

Our lives have become increasingly more stressful, and our environment more toxic. Chemicals and ultra-processed foods have taken their toll on our health and the health of our planet.

Our health is plagued by lifestyle diseases that are driven by our poor diet loaded with sugar, seed oils, and all sorts of chemicals and toxins along with our stressful go-go daily life.

This inflammatory lifestyle causes chronically elevated insulin levels resulting in our bodies become less and less sensitive to insulin.

This insulin dysregulation is at the core of most chronic diseases we face today.

04/07/2022

Foods can have a profound impact on allergy symptoms. Some foods can be very helpful and others can make it worse.

Buying local produce from farmers markets helps to introduce your body’s immune system to the natural local environment and can help reduce the histamine response to possible allergens.

Some foods can also make allergies worse, which include dairy, sugar (especially from ultra processed foods), alcohol, and refined carbohydrates.

04/06/2022

Allergies are becoming more and more prevalent in children and adults, largely due to a leaky gut (aka intestinal permeability).

A primary driver of leaky gut is due to the ultra processed foods and our increasingly toxic environment we are exposed to daily (especially glyphosate - the active ingredient in the w**d killer Round Up and now in pretty much any w**d killer).

When our gut becomes leaky it is like a garden hose with holes punched in it throughout. Our gut is therefore no longer able to properly control toxins and infections floating into the blood stream, causing chronic low grade inflammation. Over time this will overload our immune system (imagine a bucket filled to the brim) and now any possible stressor we are exposed to can cause the bucket to overflow and the immune system to overreact, resulting in allergy type symptoms.

The problem is not only isolated to environmental allergens, but food intolerances as well.

Fixing the gut is key in addressing and correcting allergies and intolerances.

04/04/2022

People often ask us what “Metta” means and why we chose it for our clinic.

The word “Metta” translates into “loving, kindness, friendship and benevolence.”

What it truly means is to care and wish well for another being without judging them, to accept them independently of agreeing or disagreeing with them and without wanting anything from them in return. It is a universal love that can overcome all social, religious, ethnic, political and economic barriers.

The first person we need to start being more “metta” with is ourselves.

At Metta Health Institute we want people to embrace this message and approach themselves, others and our planet with love and kindness.

03/18/2021

Two more days left to register and transform you life with our 14-day community detox of the body, mind and spirit!

We wanted to share some FAQs regarding the program:

What kind of diet will we be following?
- The 14-day detox program is going to focus on whole organic foods and will be following a low inflammatory, paleo style template.

What foods will be removed?
- Sugars
- Processed foods/starchy carbs
- Alcohol (We know l...but it’s worth it)
- Coffee/Caffeine

If I am a coffee/caffeine drinker, how should I prepare for this?
- Slowly start to reduce the amount you consume over the course of these next weeks before the start of the detox

Will I feel badly during this detox?
- This detox is meant to be a gentle detox over the course of 2 weeks to allow the body to cleanse naturally. It will not cause a harsh detox reaction.

Can I continue my current supplements and/or medications during the detox?
- Yes, you may continue any program you are currently on. The detox supplements and shake will also provide vitamins and minerals you need.

03/04/2021

We are excited to kick off our very first Metta Health Detox program at the beginning of April as a community!

If you are looking to lose some stubborn weight, get rid of your brain fog and boost your immune system, or simply want to create healthier eating habits and create morning and evening routines to set you up for success, this detox is for you!

We will be focusing on detoxing the body, mind and spirit through a comprehensive detox program.

Th he detox program includes the following:

• 14-day detox kit, which includes 2 daily supplement packets, and 2 daily meal replacement shakes to help cleanse the body of toxins and eliminate waste
• A journal to cleanse the mind
Challenges to detox your environment - physically and mentally
• Access to the private Metta Detox Facebook group
• Check-ins, posts, and support via social media and email on how to get the most out of the cleanse and create long lasting habits for continued success

If you are ready to optimize your health and transform your life, we welcome you to join us!

We have extended the date to accommodate the requests! Please DM us or contact the office by March 20, 2021 to sign up for the Metta Detox Program and transform your life!

06/30/2020

We all know how essential good probiotics are for a healthy gut and microbiome. The same goes for our pets!

Pets, especially dogs often suffer from leaky gut like many humans due to the highly processed dog food they eat. Most dog food is loaded with herbicides, pesticides, fungicides, preservatives and other ingredients that we can not pronounce. This causes significant gut inflammation which can result in behavior and GI issues, aggression, skin/fur problems, joint issues and the list goes on. Our beloved pets need a healthy gut just like us to thrive.

FidoSpore™ is the first probiotic supplement clinically shown to support digestive health and reduce leaky gut in dogs. FidoSpore™ contains a unique blend of Bacillus subtilis HU58, Bacillus licheniformis (SL-307), and Pediococcus acidilactici mixed with irresistible defatted, grass-fed beef liver for flavor and aroma. In fact, a recent study exploring gut dysbiosis in dogs found that FidoSpore™ dramatically reduced inflammation, diarrhea, and vomiting in as little as 30 days.

06/22/2020

06/08/2020

What sets us apart?

At Metta Health Institute we look at you as a whole person. We understand that you are not made up of individual parts that are separated from one another, but rather that your body works like a beautiful symphony where everything works in unison.

We do not base our plan solely on your symptoms. At Metta Health Institute we use a combination of functional and holistic medicine to determine the true underlying reason of stress on the body that is causing dis-ease and help you heal from the inside out.

We know you are made for more and are here to give you the tools to live the life of your dreams.

06/08/2020

06/08/2020