Amy Saloner

Berberine can be a useful supplement to help support digestion and regulate blood sugar, but it should not be used as a standalone solution for weight loss. It should be part of an overall approach that takes into account metabolism, hormones, nutrition, and other factors that may be influencing weight loss.
 
Transcript: "Hi there, here are my thoughts on berberine for weight loss. I actually love berberine as a supplement. It's a botanical that actually has a variety of benefits. It supports digestion, it can regulate blood sugar, but what I will always say for everybody is that supplements are not something that, you know, we look to what it is and trust that that's going to actually work for us. We are all bio-individual. So yes, it can be something to try, but you also have to look at the full picture of what is happening in your weight loss journey. Are you having digestive difficulties? Are you having blood sugar dysregulation? And that's something to look at very closely, especially with weight loss. But you also want to look at things like your metabolism and your thyroid function and your hormone function. There's so many reasons why we may be struggling with weight loss. It may be your dietary intake of things, it may be your nutrition. And berberine can be a nice supplement to that to help support the digestion and allowing the body to naturally regulate its ability to lose weight. But again, it has to be a part of a full picture. We don't just take supplements to fix a problem. We take supplements to supplement a regimen that is helping to address a particular issue."

Protein shakes and protein bars can be helpful supplemental resources of protein. Most shakes and bars have 10-20g of protein and you should not make them the primary source of your protein intake, but rather use them to supplement your diet. Make sure to calculate your daily protein needs based on your weight, activity level, and gender.
 
Transcript: "Hi there, this is a great question. So you, well first you want to know how much protein you should be getting based on your weight and your, who you are and your activity level. That's important to know. As far as protein shakes and protein bars, you know, these are what I like to call supplemental resources, not primary resources of protein. They can be really helpful if you're a very active person because getting in your protein quickly after exercise and things like that can be helpful. Most protein shakes and protein bars have, you know, a certain amount, right? And they have a good amount, some of them. You have anywhere from 10 to 20 grams usually for bars and shakes. And you know, I wouldn't really do more than one of each of those a day unless you're having a difficulty with digesting or difficulty with getting enough protein in. So those who are not getting enough, maybe you can do one or two shakes and then add in a protein bar. A lot of times the shakes will have more protein than a bar. But I wouldn't make those primary sources more supplemental to make sure that you're getting your optimal amount per day based on your weight, your activity level, your gender and all of those. So I hope that was helpful."

A nutritional therapist is someone who has gone through extensive training in functional nutrition and physical evaluations, such as lingual neurotesting. They are also trained to look at the psychological and emotional needs related to food and body choices.
 
Transcript: "Hi there. So the question is what's the difference between what I call myself a nutritional therapist and a nutritionist or a dietitian? And really it has to do with my training. So I went to the Nutritional Therapy Association, the NTA, to receive my certification in nutritional therapy, which not only includes an understanding of the science and how to address nutritional needs through looking at somebody's diet, but I was also trained in the functional clinical assessment. So I'm trained to do physical evaluations and including lingual neurotesting, which allows me to use technology to use supplements to put on your tongue after the evaluation and your body tells you whether your body is responding to this supplement in a positive or negative way. It allows me to really hone in and focus on what your bio-individual needs are. So this was an extensive training that allowed me to really look at functional nutrition. And I'm also a licensed clinical social worker. So I am a therapist by trade as well. So it really fits my work because I'm not only talking about diet with my clients, I'm listening to their bodies and I'm also working through the psychological and emotional needs and connections that are related to their food and their choices in their body. So that's what it means to me to be a nutritional therapist."

When looking for protein powders and bars, look for minimally processed, low in sugar, and super high quality sources. Brands I love include Further Foods collagen powder, Ascent whey protein, EQIP beef isolate, and Elemental bar.
 
Transcript: "Hi there. So questions about protein powders and bars are very personal, but I will say this is not, when you're looking for something that you're supplementing that's been processed, these are definitely processed foods, is that you want to look for minimally processed, low in sugar, and super high quality. You need to look at the source of where these things are coming from, particularly from animal sources. And also making sure that if you are doing vegetarian, that that is non-GMO and potentially organic, because the pesticides in the vegetables and all the things is going to basically counteract whatever you're taking in. So just a few brands that I love. If I were going to do a protein powder, a collagen powder, something like Further Foods, which I think is a super high quality brand, also women owned, is a great one. But the thing with collagen is that it's not a complete protein. So doing something like a whey, if you can tolerate dairy, is a good one. And that Ascent, A-S-C-E-N-T, is a good quality whey protein. I even found that one at Costco. Another complete protein would be a beef isolate. And they don't always taste as good, but I did find one brand, EQIP, E-Q-U-I-P, which is a great one. It does have stevia, so you have to be able to tolerate stevia or get the unflavored and add a bunch of fruit and things to that. As far as protein bars, really what you're wanting to look for is making sure that it doesn't have a lot of fillers, a lot of sugars, a lot of fake sugars, because those can cause a lot of digestive upset. So the Elemental bar is one that I really love. It's made with buckwheat, and there's a few others, but I hope that helps."

Whole food proteins are generally of higher quality and have more nutrients than processed proteins found in protein bars and shakes. They also have a synergistic quality that allows for better absorption and response from the body.
 
Transcript: "So is there a difference in the quality or effectiveness of protein from whole foods versus protein bars and shakes? I believe there is actually. So when, now it could go either way too, because if you're eating a high quality, let's say steak for instance, if you've chosen a more grass fed, you've ordered it from a farm where you know that they are grazed and not given antibiotics and not given grain to eat, the quality of that meat is super high. And it's also in its whole form, which means that there's all kinds of nutrients and enzymes and things in that food that go together on purpose. Now when you eat a protein shake or a protein bar, these are things that have had to be processed, highly processed. So in some instances you can add some things in, like you'll see vitamins and nutrients added in, which can be helpful. But a lot of times what you're doing is you're missing that synergistic quality of the whole food. When we eat, let's say an orange, we're getting all the bioflavonoids and vitamins and minerals that all work synergistically together to give you the nutrients that you need. Whereas if you just take a vitamin C supplement, you're only getting one piece of it and you're not getting the whole complex, which can actually limit your capacity to absorb it and really for your body to respond to it. So I'm always in favor of primary sources being whole food proteins and secondary supplemental sources to be those more processed things like shakes and bars."

Yes, there are natural ways to reduce sugar cravings. You need to look at what it is that's causing you to crave the sugar in the first place and make sure that your body is getting the right fuel. Eating more proteins and fats can help adjust the craving and if it's something deeper like an overgrowth of candida, there are also natural ways to address that issue.
 
Transcript: "Hi there. So the question is, are there natural ways to reduce sugar cravings? And I would say yes, of course there are. But it's a process always. We have to really look at what it is that's happening that's causing us to crave the sugar in the first place. So we have to look at a number of things. And what's happening in our body when we're craving something is that either we are deficient in something or we have too much of something else that's causing us to try to correct that. So let me explain. Your sugar cravings may actually be a sign from your body that it needs fuel. Now fuel, sugars, are the quickest way our body knows how to get sustenance and fuel to keep going. Glucose, sucrose, the sugar molecules that all the carbohydrates break down into are our quickest, easiest ways to get energy and fuel. So our bodies may be craving that because it knows that that's the fastest way to get what we need. But sometimes what we have to do is look at our intake altogether. And if the majority of our intake is actually a lot of sugars, then we're going to want more of those. But it's out of balance. And what we really need are more proteins and fats. Sometimes when we get the right fuel, our body will stop craving the other things. So we have to understand that we are looking for fuel. So if you're craving sugar, try eating a little bit of fats or proteins and see if that adjusts that craving. Otherwise, there may be something deeper, like an overgrowth of candida or something else that may need to be explored, in which case there are natural ways as well to address that candida issue to help reduce the cravings that your body is having to feed those organisms that want your fuel."