Hello friends. Summer is off to a great start in my little section of the Northern Hemisphere! I love the laid back and carefree attitude that the warm weather brings along with it.
Last week, I attended a 2 day conference at Harvard Medical School titled, Diet and Microbiota in Health and Disease. Topics such as the impact of food emulsifiers on the gut environment, gut microbes impact on circadian rhythm and in celiac disease, and more… were reviewed by top US researchers.
I plan on doing a recap of this event, Tuesday on my blog. Stay tuned!
This weekend, Russ and I headed up to Maine. The weather this weekend has been summer perfect. We always start our day with a walk to the ocean with our chocolate lab, Lucy. I love getting exercise first thing in the morning and being by the ocean puts me in instantaneous relaxation mode. Finding time for relaxation is essential for good health.
What do you do to relax?
If you find you have created a life that is much too busy for down time, it might be time to re-group. I remember when my 3 kids were small and my husband traveled often for work it was almost impossible to find 15 minutes to myself. But, I would grab moments when I could. Life is hectic for many of us. Technology {cell phones, internet}, despite its goal to make our life easier, in many ways has just added another task on to our already crowded daily life. It is so important to take a break from our hectic lives and simply relax.
Being out in nature is one of the best ways to relax. There is so much beauty around us.
These beauties are blooming on the path we walk to the beach. Gotta love a daisy!
I love the sound of the waves crashing and breathing in the ocean air. Studies have shown that the rhythm and sound of the ocean waves can lower your blood pressure! Try to include some of your favorite simple pleasures in life and add some time in nature to your weekend calendar!
For those interested, stop back on Tuesday for my recap on the Harvard Medical School’s recent diet and microbiota talk.
Relax, enjoy, breathe….and find time to do something you love.
Margaret VanDyke
Hi Kate, sounds like you are having a wonderful time and I’m very happy for you because it seems like you work REALLY hard.
I posted a question about whether I should resume probiotics since I have finished a course of rifaxim and I THINK my SIBO is clear. I’m doing well on the FODMAP diet and don’t want to mess with success, but everyone seems to think probiotics are a must. WHEN YOU HAVE TIME please let me know what you think??
katescarlata
Hi there….I saw your comment and meant to respond!! Sorry about that! I typically do not recommend probiotics right away. Just let the dust settle and make sure your symptoms seem to be in control first. Then, I typically add probiotics back in s-l-o-w-ly. Maybe three times per week. This is an area that needs to be researched –in clinical practice, its a bit of a guessing game. But, I don’t recommend pushing the probiotics in large doses–at least at this time.
sam e page
Kate is so very, very, very right on this!!!!!!! Probiotics always make me worse. My small intestine is happiest without any bacteria ( the way it is supposed to be). Adding bacteria even if it is “good” still cause bloating, symptoms of maldigestion, malabsorption and malnutrition from the small intestine not being at its best!!!!!!! Antibiotics, diet, and 14 hour fast or more between meals have helped me the most as well as herbs and apple cider vinegar with “the mother.”
Trish
Hi Kate, glad you are enjoying your break. I also LOVE the ocean. About 4 years ago decided iI needed to be beside the seaside. I researched and found a small motel almost right on the beach, in a town that I can reach by public transport. It’s a reasonable cost, maybe because it’s on the ‘unfashionable’ side of town. Now I go each year and it’s been wonderful; a great place to enjoy when I’m there and I have great memories to reflect on for the rest of the year. About microbiota – I’m increasingly interested. Trying to add in occasional food to the low-FODMAPS. Like a small can of beans, nuts with skins on, sometimes an apple. Hope they give me some of the pre-biotic stuff. Cheers,