Hello Inner Circle Members!  If you're new here, welcome! :)

Each month you will receive two premium content emails where I share about the topic of the month as well as all the things I've been loving! This month, however, is our first Q&A session, so rather than talking about a topic of the month, similar to the last newsletter, I will be answering more of your questions from the last workshop on metabolic health below. Hoping this brings you all more clarity!

Your Metabolic Workshop Questions Answered:

1. Q: How do I clear candida overgrowth? I have had it for years and can't get rid of it?

A: I totally get it! Dealing with candida overgrowth can feel like an endless battle, and I've been there too. The key lies in restoring balance to the gut, and you cannot heal your gut without first addressing the nervous system! When our nervous system is out of whack, it throws everything off balance, including our gut health. I spent years trying to "kill" the candida, but it never worked. That's because true healing comes from bringing both the gut and the nervous system back into balance. It's like a domino effect - when one gets sorted, the other follows suit. So, instead of just focusing on killing off the candida, I prioritized healing my nervous system and my gut came back into balance!  

Honestly the “kill” approach very rarely ever works! It’s all about the deeper healing work and creating an environment where your body can naturally rebalance itself. And trust me, I've seen firsthand how powerful that shift can be. So, if you're still struggling, maybe it's time to shift focus and prioritize healing your nervous system. It’s almost always the missing piece of the puzzle. I will be sharing many of the tools I used to heal my nervous system over the next several months! And, as always, start with my NEW YOU program it has helped many overcome candida and a myriad of other gut issues as well. 

2. Q: If you put protein into your coffee in the morning, can you drink it on an empty stomach? 

A: Starting the day with coffee on an empty stomach isn't great for adrenal health. Adding at least 15 grams of protein can lessen the negative impact. As discussed in the metabolic workshop, consuming at least 15 grams of protein within 30 minutes of waking is beneficial for improving circadian rhythm health, replenishing depleted hormones, and maintaining stable blood sugar throughout the day. Starting my mornings with protein has been incredibly healing. I cannot recommend it more!  

3. Q: I’m turning 50 this year and finding it incredibly harder to put on muscle and lose fat. It used to just melt off, but I’ve been struggling the last few years…. What are your thoughts on creatine or other like supplements to help with the process? 

A:

At around the age of 50, our bodies have accumulates a lot of toxins, and these toxins are stored in fat tissues. Consequently, fat isn't easily shed when there's still a bond between the fat cells and the toxins. Breaking this bond is crucial, and it's achieved through liver detoxification, encompassing both phase 1 and phase 2 liver detox processes. Once these toxins are released, shedding fat becomes significantly easier. Prioritizing liver detoxification is important at any age, but it becomes especially critical after the age of 50. 

For increasing muscle mass, you'd benefit more from a plyometric strength routine with heavier weights, ensuring you hit your protein target (approximately 0.8 grams per pound of body weight). Additionally, incorporating creatine or branch chain amino acids can be helpful. I recommend starting with my NEW YOU program so you can be guided through a liver detox. They’re truly life-changing! Remember, the liver relates the metabolism and when it gets bogged down, the metabolism slows. Health liver function is critical not only for weight loss, but it’s also one of the most effective ways to prevent disease.

4. Q: As a night shift nurse (and unable to leave this shift anytime soon), what ways should I best focus on to help support my metabolic health most? 

A: If you're a shift worker or a busy mom up with kids in the night, or you find yourself not sleeping well for one reason or another, it's crucial to focus on lowering stress in other ways and supporting the body as much as possible. Poor sleep is one of the biggest stressors on the body, and if there's nothing that can be done to improve it immediately, I recommend prioritizing evidence-backed strategies to lower stress and help the body enter a state of rest and repair. 

In the coming months, I'll be covering many of these strategies as we dive into a six-month series on how to support the nervous system. However, for now, I suggest prioritizing 10 minutes of deep breathing and meditation daily, ensuring blood sugar balance, prioritizing whole food nutrition, and addressing and processing emotions, as these are some of the most effective ways to lower stress. 

5. Q: I am curious about your thoughts on cold plunges. If we work on nervous system regulation is there a time when cold plunging would be okay for women? And when would it not be okay? 

A: The idea of utilizing stressors like cold thermogenesis or other hormetic stressors can indeed be beneficial, but it's essential to ensure that you're healthy enough to adapt to the stress they induce on the body. Let me explain further. When your adrenals or your overall health are already under stress, adding more stress, such as cold exposure, might overwhelm your system, making it difficult to recover. In such cases, the added stress isn't advantageous. 

So, with stressors like cold therapy, I usually only recommend them for women who don't have adrenal issues. If you choose to do cold thermogenesis and you have a cycle, week two is the best time to do so as this is when hormones are least sensitive to stress. Additionally, I advise against exposing females to temperatures colder than 55 degrees Fahrenheit or for longer than 2-3 minutes per session. 

While cold thermogenesis can be very healing for some individuals, it may be too much for others and could backfire. This underscores the importance of paying attention to your SHMEC (sleep, hunger, mood, energy, and cravings) and ensuring they remain in check to gauge how well your body is responding to stressors. 

6. Q: I’m not a matcha fan, but the muddy matcha recipe got me on to just mixing 30g equip protein powder in my almond milk and just having that for breakfast. I have always struggled with being hungry in the morning, and I know skipping isn’t good for my metabolism. But is just drinking one cup of almond milk with 30g protein powder mixed in an ok thing to do every day instead?

A: While sounds like you're already getting a good amount of protein, I would suggest having more for breakfast. A combination of protein, fiber, and healthy fats is ideal as it helps to keep blood sugar balanced throughout the day and can also reduce evening overeating, which is beneficial for both weight loss and overall circadian rhythm health. People who undereat at breakfast often end up overeating later in the day, which isn't great for optimal metabolic health. 

7.  Q: Hey Kate, can you share your experience with hypothalamic amenorrhea and how you regained period without the need of consuming thousands of calories like is often advised by "experts". Especially if not underweight and healthy. 

A:  I personally never lost my period, but doing whatever it takes to restore it is crucial. I would not be too focused on how much you're going to gain, but focus more on your health and what your body needs to feel safe so that it will come back into balance and heal. If you continue to focus on weight loss, you will most likely continue to stress your body, which will make restoring your cycle difficult. In "NEW YOU," I talk about how important your motivation is or how the reason behind WHY you’re doing what you do is even more important than what you're doing. This is definitely the case here. Motivation needs to be healing, not weight. 

8.  Q: Can you please elaborate more on the macro cycling?  I still don't understand that.

A: We covered this in great detail in the workshop, so revisit it! As mentioned in the workshop, there are many ways to macrocycle. You can do this daily by having fewer carbs in the morning and the first part of the day, and more in the evening (which improves deep sleep). Or you can do a monthly cycle by eating more fat and fewer carbs in weeks 1-2, and more carbs and less fat in weeks 3-4 (when hormones need carbs to build). There are many ways to cycle carbs, and it's all about finding what works best for you.

9.  Q: I feel much better - more energy when I eat lower carb. I don't think this is good long term for my thyroid. You mentioned eating carbs at night for circadian rhythm and in week 3 of our cycle. Is there other carb cycling you recommend around workouts etc? Trying to work in some whole food carbs without feeling sluggish. 

A: Eating lower carb long-term can potentially suppress thyroid function and add to adrenal stress. However, this doesn't mean that you have to eat carbs daily, but incorporating carb refeeds can be very helpful! I would focus on sticking to low glycemic carbs, like root vegetables, beans, grains, and berries. Also, if you feel sluggish after eating carbs this can be a sign that your body would use some help getting the glucose our of the bloodstream and into the cells for energy production! Walking after meals is amazing for this! 

10.  Q: How long should you be gaining weight when trying to heal your metabolism? I feel like the more I cut out the worse I get and more weight I gain.  

A: It's true that the more you lower your metabolic set point, the harder it will be to restore metabolic function. Again, when your focus is on weight, you're likely compromising your health. But when your focus is on how to restore your health, eventually your weight will reach a healthy place without compromising your well-being, which is the ultimate goal. "NEW YOU" teaches you how to do this effectively and guides you through the steps. 

Understanding that as long as motivation is fear-based, such as fearing weight gain when eating, you will be working against your body, hormones, and weight loss will become even harder. The energy you're in while eating or doing anything matters more than what you're doing. So, if you're always afraid of gaining weight, this fear may actually cause weight gain. That's why learning how not to be motivated by fear, but rather coming from a place of how can I better nourish and take care of my body, will change everything for you! 

I hope this helps clear up any confusion and brings clarity to you on your healing journeys!

WHAT I'M LISTENING TO

Over the next months, we're going to be talking about the most effective ways to lower stress, and breathing is definitely at the top of the list. It's a practice that is unbelievably powerful, yet so few people do it. So, I'm just going to come out and say it: If you have poor breathing patterns (which most do), we won't be able to heal our nervous systems with poor breathing patterns. Every breath that we take either tells the body that we're safe or that there is a threat. Enjoy this short video and powerful reminder from two of my favs!

PS. We will be taking a very deep dive into HOW TO BREATHE PROPERLY in the coming months! Stay tuned.

WHAT I'M READING

WHAT'S COOKIN'

Since we're on the topic of all things carbs, I want to share two dishes with you that I enjoy often as a way to add in healthy carbs, particularly during week 3 of my cycle and in the evenings for optimal sleep.

Did you know that incorporating more Incorporating more beans into your diet can significantly impact weight loss by promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria like Firmicutes in your gut?! Beans are rich in dietary fiber, which serves as fuel for these bacteria in the colon. When you consume beans, the fiber reaches your large intestine undigested, where it undergoes fermentation by gut bacteria. Firmicutes thrive on this fiber-rich environment and multiply, leading to a shift in microbial composition that can have profound effects on metabolism and energy balance, ultimately contributing to weight loss.

As Firmicutes increase in abundance, they produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) such as acetate, propionate, and butyrate through fermentation. These SCFAs help to regulating appetite, enhancing feelings of fullness, and reducing overall food intake. Additionally, SCFAs have been linked to improvements in insulin sensitivity, lipid metabolism, and energy expenditure, all of which are key factors in weight management.

Furthermore, the production of SCFAs from bean fermentation can stimulate the release of gut hormones that regulate appetite, promoting satiety and reducing cravings for high-calorie foods. By promoting the growth of Firmicutes and the production of beneficial SCFAs, incorporating beans into your diet supports a healthier gut microbiome and facilitates weight loss efforts. This underscores the importance of including fiber-rich foods like beans in a balanced diet for achieving and maintaining a healthy weight.

Beans, beans, the musical fruit, the more eat (the more you firmicutes you have), the more fat you lose...  :)

PS- it's normal to get some gas and bloating when first starting to add in more beans. It takes time to increase the bacteria that break this type of fiber down. So, start slow and add in some digestive enzymes if you need. 

WHAT I'M DRINKING

Over the next months, we're going to take a deep dive into adrenal health and how to restore the health of both the adrenals and the nervous system. When you're in stages 2-4 of adrenal fatigue, which is where most of the workload is, both potassium and sodium become depleted. When this happens, our cellular pump begins malfunctioning, which means it's no longer able to effectively move nutrients in and out of the cell. This pump relies on the presence of sodium and potassium to facilitate this crucial process. This is why consuming things like coconut water is incredibly healthy for the adrenals because it's loaded with potassium and minerals that many are depleted in. I like to add a pinch of high-quality sea salt to mine to get the perfect balance of both.

Honestly, when it comes to supporting the adrenals, there are not too many minerals more important than sodium and potassium! And sadly, many people are afraid of salt because they're told it would raise their blood pressure, which is a subject for another day. But here's the deal: stress depletes both sodium and potassium, and salting your food and consuming foods high in potassium are two of the best things you can do to support your adrenal glands. I salt everything and my sodium is always lower than I like it to be.

I love Costco's Coconut Water. Zero fillers. Zero junk. Just coconut water. I drink it at least 4-5 times per week, and I can feel the boost! :)

Here's my favorite high quality sea salt! Quality matter as sea salt can be loaded with heavy metals and toxins. 

CLEAN HOME & BEAUTY FAVS

There's literally nothing better, and that's saying a lot because I have tried it all :)

I also want to share all my clean beauty staples below. These are tired and true, things that have stood the test of time. *I'm not affiliated with these clean beauty brands, so feel free to shop with friends that are.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

I just want to drive home the fact that we're going to be moving on to nervous system health and how to heal the nervous system over the next 6 months, and NOTHING will improve your health or the quality of your life more than healing the nervous system! BUT it's critical that you understand that a huge part of healing the nervous system is removing PHYSICAL stress from the body like undereating, chronic blood sugar imbalances, too much fasting, chronic carb restriction, overexercising or not exercising enough, etc. Basically, the reason that we covered metabolic health first is so that we could get this in place before we begin the nervous system healing journey. So, I encourage each of you to listen to the workshop again and fully immerse in this aspect of your health because not only will you lose weight and have more energy, but you will be able to heal your nervous system so much easier with these things already in place!

UPCOMING EVENTS

Our next workshop is scheduled for Thursday, May 30th at 11 AM PST. During this workshop, I will be answering any health-related questions that you've had up until this point! I look forward to answering those and providing you with all the answers and guidance you seek. *Please keep in mind that all live workshops are recorded and can be viewed at your convenience. :)

Don't forget! On June 1st, I will be announcing the 2 winners for the ANTHROS ergonomic office chair giveaway (value: $2,000/chair)!  

I actually helped design this office chair and it's the only chair on the market that properly aligns and elongates the spine, and it's proven to improve posture over time. I am obsessed with mine. It's the most comfortable chair you'll ever sit in, and I cannot wait to gift two of you lucky winners one. GOOD LUCK! :)  If you don't win and are interested in trying one, message me for a discount code!

MEMBER'S CORNER

I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to all the members who have taken the time to read others' questions, help, support, and encourage them. Your contributions make a significant difference in our community. 

I started the Inner Circle because I wanted people to feel more supported on their healing journey, and YOU ALL are a huge part of that. Your willingness to engage, share, and support one another creates a sense of community and belonging that is truly special. When someone posts a question or shares their struggles, seeing members rally around them with words of encouragement, advice, and empathy is incredibly heartwarming. It shows that we're all in this together, and no one has to navigate their healing journey alone.

The Inner Circle isn't just about receiving support; it's also about giving it. Each one of you has valuable experiences, insights, and perspectives to offer, and by sharing them, you're making a positive impact on someone else's life.

So, thank you for being part of this community and for your willingness to support and uplift one another. Together, we can achieve so much more than we ever could alone.

REMINDERS

Last, I'm beyond excited for these next 6 months as I will be sharing bits of my story and the things that helped me heal the most, including how to heal and support the adrenal glands, how to process emotions, heal from past trauma, breathe properly, practice mindfulness, use somatics, stimulate the vagus nerve, etc., over the next handful of months! It's going to be absolutely incredible! I'm so glad you're all here! Cheers to this incredible community! :)

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Life with Kate
123 Clean Road
Bozeman, MT 59715
United States

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