Tag: health and fitness

5 Key Nutrition Tips For Women

Published on by The April DiariesLeave a comment

Maintaining a healthy diet is essential for both men and women, but women have unique nutritional needs that vary throughout their lifespan. Good nutrition is key for optimal health, and can help prevent chronic diseases, boost energy levels, and support mental wellbeing. In this blog post, we’ll explore some key nutrition tips specifically for women.

  1. Get Enough Iron

Iron is an essential mineral that plays a crucial role in the body, helping to carry oxygen to cells and tissues. Women need more iron than men due to menstruation, pregnancy, and breastfeeding. Low iron levels can lead to fatigue, weakness, and anemia. Iron-rich foods include red meat, poultry, fish, beans, lentils, spinach, and fortified cereals.

  1. Eat Calcium-Rich Foods

Calcium is crucial for building strong bones and teeth, and women are at higher risk of osteoporosis than men. Dairy products like milk, cheese, and yogurt are excellent sources of calcium, but if you’re lactose intolerant or don’t consume dairy, you can get calcium from other sources like dark leafy greens, tofu, and fortified plant-based milk.

  1. Choose Healthy Fats

Fat is an essential nutrient that provides energy and helps the body absorb certain vitamins. However, not all fats are created equal. Saturated and trans fats can increase the risk of heart disease, while unsaturated fats like omega-3 fatty acids can help reduce inflammation and lower the risk of chronic diseases. Good sources of healthy fats include fatty fish like salmon, nuts, seeds, avocados, and olive oil.

  1. Focus on Whole Foods

Processed foods are often high in added sugars, salt, and unhealthy fats, and can contribute to weight gain and chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease. On the other hand, whole foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats provide essential nutrients and are beneficial for overall health.

  1. Stay Hydrated

Drinking enough water is crucial for maintaining good health. Women need about 2.7 liters of fluid per day, and more during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Dehydration can lead to fatigue, headaches, and impaired cognitive function. If you don’t enjoy plain water, try adding lemon, cucumber, or fruit slices for flavor.

Good nutrition is essential for women’s health and wellbeing. By including a variety of nutrient-dense foods in your diet, you can support your body’s unique nutritional needs and reduce the risk of chronic diseases. Remember to eat plenty of iron-rich foods, choose healthy fats, focus on whole foods, and stay hydrated to promote optimal health at every stage of life.

MORE LIKE THIS: The Two Tips To Achieve Self Love, The Benefits of Gratitude Journaling And History of Gratitude, EMPOWER NOT TOWER: The Tortoise Doesn’t Care About the Hare… Be Like The Tortoise, Women and Mental Health: Breaking the Stigma and Seeking Support

BLOG-MAS TUESDAY: 10 Habits You Can Start Before 2023!

Published on by The April DiariesLeave a comment

This is the last Blog-mas Tuesday until next year, and this year I can honestly say I’ve been successful and consistent with it. I think those are the two words for 2023: success and consistency. Hey, consistency leads to success and vice-versa! Who would’ve thought!?

I write this at 5:30 a.m. because I woke up (earlier) from strange dreams. One portion of it was a childhood friend of mine moving away to Virginia to be with her fiancee and her 21 chihuahuas. 🫣

The night before that, I had a dream that people in my life hated me. What was worse is that I wasn’t easy on myself afterwards, nonetheless my poor mother who always has to hear about my weirdness (in both good and bad ways 😂).

I think this is the universe trying to tell me something, though. I could analyze a dream all I want and resultantly drive myself crazy, OR I could just give it to the hands of the universe.

P.S., did you know, when you talk, your voice activates a star in the universe? It’s a strange AF concept, I know, or you could interpret it as a chance to speak goodness into the universe.

Moreover, this is one of the habits you can do for yourself in 2023, or by all means, START NOW!!!

If you start now, you will gain momentum for the new year ahead. “New Years Resolutions” are kind of BS, so why not make them revolutionary!? There’s a thought.

Some habits I’m personally including are the following:

  1. Walking 6,000+ steps a day
  2. Not drinking coffee
  3. Consistently making breakfast
  4. Including macronutrients in every meal
  5. 5-10 minutes of quiet time, sans phone
  6. 8-6-9 manifestation method
  7. Going to yoga every Tuesday night
  8. Drinking a glass of water right after I wake up
  9. Going live on Instagram until it doesn’t scare you anymore
  10. Meditation

These are some ideas… what can you adopt or reframe to match your routine?

xoxo,

April 💕

Gut Health Healing Intensive: Foods That Support The Gut (For The Vegan Diet)

Published on by The April Diaries1 Comment

I am VERY excited to be launching this Gut Health Healing Intensive! In case you missed the post Gut Health Healing Intensive: Foods That Support The Gut (For Omnivores) I suggest you check that out. But again, it’s up to you which one you’d like to try. This one is especially made for the vegan diet.

Before you get started…

  1. Make sure you are keeping a food journal from Day 1, so we can see what foods cause reactions and what foods give you energy.
  2. Make sure you are following the plan to the best of your ability. Remember: Easy does it is key. When we stress, we inflame our intestinal lining.
  3. Remember to keep a journal, a binder, or an Excel spreadsheet to keep track of when we are adding in supplements.
  4. Remember to reduce supplements if you experience too much “die off.” This means you may feel tired; have headaches, loose stool, or constipation, or experience poor sleep or moodiness.
  5. You can always reduce or cut back on a supplement as this is a marathon and not a sprint.
  6. We start working on the foundation first by supporting your body, doing the detox tools daily, and getting clear on which foods are working for you.

Gut Health Staples:

  1. Coconut Oil
  2. Pumpkin Seeds
  3. Cloves and Cinnamon
  4. Turmeric
  5. Maine Coast Sea Vegetables (also available on Amazon or at Whole Foods as this site is shut down temporarily in August 2022)
  6. Chlorophyll (also available on Amazon)

Gut Health Supplements:

  1. Probiotics
  2. Liver Support
  3. Adrenal Support
  4. Gut Killers

Food Combining

FRUIT: Fruit digests itself, passing through the digestive system within 20 minutes. By eating fruit alone, you avoid fermentation occurring in the belly. Fermentation can lead to gas, rob you of energy and slow down your digestion.

STARCHES AND VEGETABLES: Foods such as baked potatoes, sweet potatoes or sweet corn should be eaten alone, with a vegetable or with a small amount of fat. It is advised to eat starches {carbohydrates}, such as quinoa, buckwheat, brown rice, millet or amaranth only with vegetables as starches require different digestive enzymes than proteins

PROTEIN AND VEGETABLES: Unlike starches, proteins require an acidic environment for ideal digestion, so it is best to eat protein with vegetables and a healthy fat. When you add a starch, you force your body’s natural enzymes to compete to digest your food.

If you’re up for the challenge, stock up and meal plan for the week! Sundays are the best day to do this, and I’m a firm believer that if you set your intentions on a Sunday (bonus points if you do a little bit on a Saturday), your week is already set up for success.

If you have questions or would like to share your progress with me, feel free to hashtag #GutHealthIntensiveWithApril on Instagram and/or Twitter.

Give me some love on Instagram and Twitter as well!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theaprilfederico/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AprilRD2Be

Feel free to join my FACEBOOK GROUP as well.

Gut Health Healing Intensive: Foods That Support The Gut (For Omnivores)

Published on by The April Diaries2 Comments

Morning, morning, morning! 💛

I am VERY excited to be launching this Gut Health Healing Intensive! (Don’t worry, there will be a separate post just for my vegan friends! But it’s up to you which one you’d like to try!)

Before you get started…

  1. Make sure you are keeping a food journal from Day 1, so we can see what foods cause reactions and what foods give you energy.
  2. Make sure you are following the plan to the best of your ability.Remember: Easy does it is key. When we stress, we inflame our intestinal lining.
  3. Remember to keep a journal, a binder, or an Excel spreadsheet to keep track of when we are adding in supplements.
  4. Remember to reduce supplements if you experience too much “die off.” This means you may feel tired; have headaches, loose stool, or constipation, or experience poor sleep or moodiness.
  5. You can always reduce or cut back on a supplement as this is a marathon and not a sprint.
  6. We start working on the foundation first by supporting your body, doing the detox tools daily, and getting clear on which foods are working for you.

Gut Health Staples:

  1. Coconut Oil
  2. Pumpkin Seeds
  3. Cloves and Cinnamon
  4. Turmeric
  5. Maine Coast Sea Vegetables (also available on Amazon or at Whole Foods as this site is shut down temporarily in August 2022)
  6. Chlorophyll (also available on Amazon)
  7. Ghee

Gut Health Supplements:

  1. Probiotics
  2. Liver Support
  3. Adrenal Support
  4. Gut Killers

Food Combining

FRUIT: Fruit digests itself, passing through the digestive system within 20 minutes. By eating fruit alone, you avoid fermentation occurring in the belly. Fermentation can lead to gas, rob you of energy and slow down your digestion.

STARCHES AND VEGETABLES: Foods such as baked potatoes, sweet potatoes or sweet corn should be eaten alone, with a vegetable or with a small amount of fat. It is advised to eat starches {carbohydrates}, such as quinoa, buckwheat, brown rice, millet or amaranth only with vegetables as starches require different digestive enzymes than proteins

PROTEIN AND VEGETABLES: Unlike starches, proteins require an acidic environment for ideal digestion, so it is best to eat protein with vegetables and a healthy fat. When you add a starch, you force your body’s natural enzymes to compete to digest your food.

If you’re up for the challenge, stock up and meal plan for the week! Sundays are the best day to do this, and I’m a firm believer that if you set your intentions on a Sunday (bonus points if you do a little bit on a Saturday), your week is already set up for success.

If you have questions or would like to share your progress with me, feel free to hashtag #GutHealthIntensiveWithApril on Instagram and/or Twitter.

Give me some love on Instagram and Twitter as well!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theaprilfederico/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AprilRD2Be

Feel free to join my FACEBOOK GROUP as well.