Get Healthy Kauai

22/08/2022

L-theanine: What Is It And What Are The Benefits?

* Verified by a US-based board-certified doctor.

L-theanine at a Glance
L-theanine is a non-essential amino acid, meaning humans do not naturally produce it. It also means it’s not necessary for our survival. However, taking L-theanine may positively affect chemicals in the brain, including serotonin and dopamine.

We find L-theanine in certain mushrooms, black tea, and green tea. It is very similar to glutamate, an amino acid our body does produce used to carry nerve impulses to our brain.

This chemical may help improve stress levels and mood.

History of L-theanine
L-theanine was first found in 1949 as a component of green tea. Later, it was extracted from gykuro leaves, used for a specific type of Japanese green tea.

In 1964, Japan approved L-theanine for unlimited use in foods and beverages, not including infant food. After, the US approved L-theanine as safe for use, and you can buy the chemical as a supplement in most countries that permit the sale of supplements.

In one cup of green tea, there is 20mg of L-theanine, but most supplements have anywhere from 50-250mg.

Why Take L-theanine?
Helps You Sleep

A 2018 study found that after taking 450-900 mg of L-theanine each day for 8-weeks, people reported improved sleep. Note that these participants were on antidepressants for anxiety.

L-theanine may impact our brain's amino acids that regulate sleep, helping us sleep more deeply and quickly.

The effect of L-theanine on sleep extends to boys with ADHD, those with schizophrenia, and animals.

Mental Focus

woman that is focused
A 2012 study found that people who took 100mg of L-theanine performed better at an attention task than those who took a placebo. Considering many people find green and black tea to improve their focus, this makes anecdotal sense, too.

Researchers continue to study L-theanine to fully understand its impact on mental focus; early results suggest it can positively impact attention and ADHD.

Reducing Stress & Anxiety

A few studies found that L-theanine combats stress and anxiety. Another study found that L-theanine helped those suffering from schizoaffective disorder or schizophrenia by improving their symptoms and decreasing anxiety.

L-theanine therefore may combat stress while not making you drowsy.

It’s thought that L-theanine reduces our resting heart rate. When you’re amped up, your heart rate increases; however, your resting heart rate lowers when fully relaxed. Thus, if L-theanine reduces your resting heart rate, it makes you feel more at ease.

Immune System

L-theanine may act as an anti-inflammatory, and these are known to combat illness. Some studies suggest that L-theanine makes you less likely to contract the flu or get a cold since L-theanine may boost the immune system.

Helps You Lose Weight

l-theanine may cause a reduced appetite.
when used correctly, L-theanine may help you drop a few pounds.

Heightened Cognitive Performance

Although the research is still being conducted, early findings suggest that L-theanine can improve brain function.

In combination with caffeine, L-theanine may improve alertness and skill with numbers. On its own, this compound may boost your reaction times and attention.

L-theanine may benefit both your physical and mental health, producing neuroprotective effects responsible for boosting in brainpower.

Looking to add some L-theanine to your diet? Plexus Metaburn is a great source of L-Theanine balanced with some other amazing ingredients I will discuss later this week.

Blood Pressure

One study found that those whose blood pressure increased due to a stressful event could lower their blood pressure by taking L-theanine. Caffeine had similar results, but it wasn’t quite as beneficial.

Since high blood pressure puts you at risk of strokes, heart attacks, and more, L-theanine could have powerful effects. Given L-theanine is linked to stress reduction, it makes sense that it might lower blood pressure as a result.

19/08/2022

When I lived in NYC, I was dealing with IBS and poor digestion, bloating and I really started focusing on what the best way to fuel and heal my body was. I worked at a beautiful salon on 5th avenue and I also attended a fabulous barre studio in SoHo. I didn’t have much time to get a proper lunch or dinner between working and working out, with all the fiber I knew my gut needed and without all the extras (seed oils, flavorings, sodium, msg) that are added at restaurants or food trucks. So I would pack myself a bowl that I could eat in the back room of the salon before heading downtown to my barre class.

Choose your ingredients from each category and feel free to mix it up. You can either have a different bowl for each of the three days or keep it simple and have the same one. Your body, your palate, your choice.
PLEASE MEASURE YOUR PORTIONS FOR THE NEXT THREE DAYS. Grab a measuring cup and toss your ingredients in there before adding to your bowl. No joke you guys, I see portions getting out of control all the time and this excessive eating will not allow you to properly kick start your plan.

Ingredients

•2 cups greens (romaine, Bibb, endive, mixed greens, Boston lettuce)

•1/2 cup fiber rich veg (broccoli, cauliflower, kale, collards, fennel, hearts of palm, cabbage, chard or escarole)

•1/4 cup personalized flavor boosters, choose 2-4 ( tomato, celery, carrot, strawberries, melon, persimmons, blackberries, apples, avocado, peppers, olives, zucchini, beans, chickpeas, lentils, organic goat or sheep’s milk cheese (1oz only), pepitas, sunflower seeds, pistachio, pecan, Brazil nut, ) in any combo

•1/2 cup plain protein either grilled, baked or steamed organic (fish, tofu, shellfish, chicken beef, eggs)

•feel free to add fresh herbs like basil, cilantro, parsley and mint as well as an extra sprinkle of lemon or hot sauce (check ingredients and make sure there’s NO ADDED SUGAR)

HARMONIE’S VINAIGRETTE DRESSING:
Stick with this one for the three days

•1 tablespoon lemon juice
•1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
•1 tablespoon olive oil
•1 tsp each, salt and pepper
•1 clove minced garlic
•1 tsp Dijon mustard
•1 tsp Monkfruit sweetener

A couple of my favorite bowl combos are

GREEK SALAD BOWL
•romaine
•cauliflower crumbles
•tomato, olive, peppers & a sprinkle of feta
•grilled chicken thigh
•harmonie’s vinaigrette dressing

FALL HARVEST BOWL
•a combo of Bibb and endive
•chopped fennel and kale
•chopped persimmon, goat cheese & pistachio nuts
•flaked salmon
•harmonie’s vinaigrette dressing

POACHED BRUNCH BOWL
•mixed greens
•shredded collard greens (lightly steamed)
•chopped tomato and avocado
•2 poached eggs
•a dash of hot sauce

STRAWBERRY BASIL TOFU BOWL
•shredded romaine
•shredded kale mixed in a small with harmonie’s vinaigrette dressing 10 minutes prior to making this bowl
•celery, strawberries, pecans
•extra firm tofu cut into bite size dice
•fresh torn basil
*layer bowl in order listed and finish with a sprinkle of lemon juice and sea salt
🥗🥗🥗🥬🥬🌶🫑🌶🥬🥬🥗🥗🥗

Alright everyone, this is your KICK START CLEANSE! Pop over to my DMs and let me help you order your 3 day reset today 😃

*if it’s not listed above then it’s not on your plan, k😉

13/08/2022

An ever-growing amount of research points to the enormous role your gut plays in your health and well-being. In addition to assisting with digestion, the good bacteria in your gut help keep you healthy by producing vitamins, supporting the immune system and fending off harmful bacteria. In fact, more than 70% of your immune system resides in your gut.

We have the ability to enhance our gut health naturally through diet. Here are the types of food that boast the biggest gut health benefits.

🫘 🌾 High-Fiber Foods Like Beans, Oats and Fruits
Fiber is a type of carbohydrate found in plant-based foods, and it’s categorized as soluble or insoluble.

Soluble fiber absorbs water and forms a gel that’s consumed by gut bacteria, says Alicia Romano, a specialized clinical dietitian at Tufts Medical Center in Boston and a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Meanwhile, insoluble fiber passes through your digestive tract largely intact and helps provide bulk to your stool. “This makes food pass more quickly through the GI tract, thus promoting regular bowel movements,” Romano says.

Both types of fiber help with gut health by assisting with digestion and preventing constipation. Eating high-fiber foods also helps protect you from gaining excess weight and developing chronic conditions, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and some kinds of cancer, according to a review of studies in The Lancet.

Good sources of fiber include:

Beans, dried peas and lentils
Bran (oat and wheat)
Dried fruits, such as prunes and raisins
Foods made with whole grains, such as whole-grain bread, whole-grain cereal and whole-grain pasta
Whole grains, such as barley, quinoa, bulgur and brown rice
Fresh fruits, especially apples with skin, pears with skin, oranges, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and strawberries
Nuts
Seeds
Vegetables, especially artichokes, broccoli, green peas, winter squash, and white potatoes and sweet potatoes with skin

🥛 🥬 Probiotic Foods Like Kimchi, Kombucha and Kefir
Probiotic foods contain living microorganisms like the health-promoting microbes found in your gut. Eating probiotic foods can help boost your body’s population of beneficial bacteria.

Common bacteria groups found in probiotic foods include Lactobacillus (often abbreviated as “L.” on food labels) and Bifidobacterium (abbreviated as “B.” on food labels). Probiotic foods are made by adding microbes to food and/or allowing a process known as fermentation to take place.

Examples of probiotic foods include:

Fermented soy foods, such as tempeh, miso and natto
Kefir (fermented milk)
Kimchi (fermented vegetables)
Kombucha (a fermented tea drink)
Sauerkraut (fermented cabbage)
Yogurt, both dairy and non-dairy
When choosing probiotic foods, check labels for live, active cultures, which indicates the bacteria in the foods are still living. For instance, when shopping for probiotic sauerkraut, reach for refrigerated brands with live cultures. Shelf-stable, pasteurized sauerkraut in a can or a jar—the type of sauerkraut your mother may have bought as a hotdog condiment—is unlikely to contain living microbes. Living microbes are beneficial because they join the community of living microbes already in your gut.

Prebiotic Foods Like Asparagus, Bananas and Garlic
It’s not enough to eat plenty of probiotic-rich foods—you also have to eat foods that help keep these health-promoting microorganisms alive.

That’s where certain types of soluble fiber called prebiotics come in. Think of them as nutrient-dense food for your healthy gut microbes; when you eat prebiotic foods, you effectively feed the good bacteria that keeps your gut in balance.

🍌🧅Prebiotic foods contain compounds, such as fructooligosaccharides, inulin and galactooligosaccharides, which are types of soluble dietary fiber. “Prebiotics act as fuel for specific bacteria in the gut, thus having the ability to promote the creation of more good bacteria,” says Romano.

Good prebiotic foods include:

Asparagus
Bananas
Chicory
Garlic
Jerusalem artichokes
Leeks
Oats
Onions
Soybeans

Do you think you will be adding these into your nutritious lifestyle? Comment below with the ones that you already love!

09/08/2022