The Modern Moms Roadmap to Balance Podcast

Episode 30: Transforming Health: Anti-Inflammatory Nutrition and Wellness for Busy Moms with Special Guest Kara Swanson

• Kayla Nettleton • Episode 30

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Uncover the transformative strategies that can blast through the fog of inflammation and elevate your daily wellness, as we chat with Kara Swanson, an anti-inflammatory nutritionist. This episode promises a deep dive into the art of balancing nourishment and motherhood, offering not only wisdom on combating chronic inflammation but also serving up a generous helping of inspiration for moms and entrepreneurs on the go. Kara's insights on simple yet powerful daily rituals, the profound impact of movement and dance, and the art of making nourishing choices will empower you to rewrite your health story.

Journey with us as we dissect the essentials of a fiber-rich diet, hydration, and the underrated joys of savoring delicious, wholesome food. We tackle the mindset shift from restriction to empowerment, emphasizing the freedom found in enriching your diet and the liberation from the all-or-nothing approach. Crafting a lifestyle of healthy choices is about more than just the foods we eat; it's about the symbiotic relationship between our gut health, mental well-being, and the daily decisions that chart the course of our personal fulfillment.

Finally, we share the blueprint for creating sustainable dietary habits that can stand the test of time, even amidst the whirlwind that is motherhood. By starting small, building consistency, and understanding nutritional principles, long-term health isn't just a dream—it's an attainable reality. Thanks to Kara's expertise, this heartfelt discussion is your guide to healing inflammation and sparking a lasting change that resonates through every aspect of your life. Join us for this heartfelt celebration of healthful living, where every mom has the potential to transform from stuck to thriving.

Helpful Links:

https://www.lifewelllived.fitness/

Social Links:
IG: @karaswanson

Freebie:
Inflammation Score Calculator


About the Podcast Host
Kayla Nettleton is a licensed therapist based in TX, business owner, mom of 3 kids and coach for therapists who want support and guidance in their journey in creating an aligned business model so that they can live the freedom based life they've always dreamed of without sacrificing their own needs.

In her private practice as a therapist Kayla specialize in helping women overcome anxiety, perfectionism and people pleasing tendencies so that they can lead a more fulfilled and authentically aligned life


Find Kayla on IG
@kaylanettleton_lcsw
@themodernmomsroadmaptobalance

Email: kayla@kaylanettleton.com

TX Residents can Schedule a Free 20 minute therapy consultation here.

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Speaker 1:

Hello everyone, welcome back to the Modern Moms Roadmap to Balance podcast. Today, our guest is Kara Swanson. She is an anti-inflammatory nutritionist who helps women get rid of their inflammation, which allows them to lose weight, heal gut issues, have energy and reduce or eliminate pain. Kara has three young kids and is married to her business partner, so she knows how important it is to keep nutrition simple but nourishing too. Kara loves helping women thrive and living their best lives so they can impact their family and others. Welcome, kara. Thanks so much for joining us today.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, thanks for having me.

Speaker 1:

So the one question I ask everybody is what is your definition of balance?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I love that. So I think balance can look different, honestly, for me, like week to week and even day to day, you know, sometimes balance is a big project for a company and that's really my focus, and then other weeks it's all about the family, you know, and what's going on. So I just like that beautiful dance to maneuver. And, honestly, you know, for me I feel most balanced when I feel like physically my best, you know, which is why I believe it's so important for me as a mom, a business owner, a wife, to feel my best, you know, and do the things every single day that I know are going to really support me being in balance, you know, physically and mentally, because when I feel good physically, mentally, I'm then able to feel more grounded, you know, and more in control and just able to, like, handle what life throws at me.

Speaker 1:

Oh yeah, yeah. That is so important and for me as well. I noticed a huge difference and my husband also noticed a huge difference. If I don't get movement in throughout the week, or even in the day, I am more irritable or I'm cranky, I feel off. So movement I think movement is a huge factor. It's really important and there's also been lots of studies. Not only is exercise can be a not almost a cure for depression, but specifically dance. There was this recent study that showed like dance alone could greatly reduce depression in people, and I don't think that's really talked about enough.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, anytime we move our body or it's like a different state right, getting it in a different state helps mentally. And yeah, I think you did, didn't you do a real recently of dancing? Yeah, I was like. I love it I love it and like we've been doing that more with our kids, Like let's have a little dance party, let's everybody get. You know, just change that, it just shifts everything. You know when you move, oh yeah.

Speaker 1:

Yes, and it's just this. It's so simple and it can be so easy, because I know when someone is stuck in in a depression or in a rut or just feeling unmotivated, it can be hard to do something like go for a walk or to, you know, do something else. That requires more steps, versus throwing on your favorite song that you know gets you going, and like getting up and just going with the music.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, and that's three minutes right Of your day can shift so much. Yeah, for sure, a lot of times, the things that we need to do to help us right are the simple things you know, and that's that's where we need to get back.

Speaker 1:

Yes, oh, yes, yes. Yesterday I was texting a friend and she was letting me know like things that were going on for her and I had responded with something like if those were your friends, if they're really your friends thing, like if those were your friends, if they're really your friends, you will, or they will. Sorry, if they are really your friends, they won't judge you for this.

Speaker 2:

And she was like, oh, that's so simple but powerful, and I'm like yeah, but sometimes the simple things don't come easily when we're totally in it. Yes, yeah, yeah, sometimes you have to take a step back Right and going on. Yeah, oh, yes, yeah.

Speaker 1:

So what can you going back to you know, bringing you on here today? Can you tell us a little bit more about inflammation specifically? What is inflammation for people who are like what is that Right?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, yep, so chronic, yep. So there's a lot of times when we think of inflammation, we think of chronic inflammation, but there's also acute inflammation. And acute inflammation is just when you know, you, you hurt your hand right or you get a scrape, you know it's going to get a little swollen, you know it might, you know, just look red, you know. And so that's just just your body, you know, trying to protect itself. So that's, that's normal, you know, that's fine, that's what we want, you know, and that happens. But chronic inflammation is when it's it just it takes place underneath the skin and and then it starts to affect your organs. And that's where you know damage comes into. You know it affects just every part you know of your body. And you know damage comes into, you know it affects just every part you know of your body. And you know when you, when you continue to let it go, it can lead to different disease. You know, when unresolved and that's oftentimes the inflammation that we really think of is when we think of like inflammation. It's like, okay, I got swelling, you know, I have pain, I have aches, and that's often when those are the kind of the symptoms that we think of too when we think of inflammation, it's just those things you know oh, I have pain, I have inflammation.

Speaker 2:

However, inflammation affects so much more than just that. You know, like I mentioned, it does cause, you know, just different diseases. You know it makes it really hard to lose weight and to even keep it off. It affects your energy levels. It's going to affect your digestive health, you know, with the bloating and constipation, and so that's why it's really key that we get rid of inflammation, because it's going to impact so much. You know of your health. So it's not just, oh, I'm going to help you reduce pain, it's also well, this can seep into so many other areas you know of your health as well, so it's like a whole health approach too.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, Okay and so sorry. So how did you get into this being something that you really enjoy helping women overcome?

Speaker 2:

this being something that you really enjoy. Helping women overcome, yeah, I love. Yeah, that's such a good question. So I personally struggled with inflammation didn't know it at the time, but a lot of pain, you know, just kind of thought it was from an injury. I just kind of thought that was how life was, you know, had a lot of digestive issues, really low on energy, my hormones were imbalanced, couldn't lose weight and I was just like trying to figure out what do I do, you know, eating clean. I would say that I was a healthy person, you know, but I I was just missing key puzzle pieces, and my husband also at the time was having some health issues as well, a lot of gut issues. He had pain, and so we're just like we got to figure this out, you know. And so we, we then just started researching and really just try to figure out, okay, what, what is really going on at the, you know, at the root level, and we realized everything that we had was coming from inflammation, and so then from there we had to figure out, okay, how do we then get rid of this inflammation? So we did more research and we figured it was really the right nutrition. That's like at the base of it was just okay.

Speaker 2:

How do we need to nourish our body? What are anti-inflammatory foods that we need to incorporate, you know? And how then do we do this in a balanced way? Because a lot of anti-inflammatory approaches are very restrictive or they're elimination diets, but only going to be for a short time. Then you can only do that for so long, and so our approach is much different in the sense that we want it to be sustainable long-term. We want you to be able to have that balance that it doesn't have to be this all or nothing approach. It's living in it 80, 90% of the time, you know, and you can still have that balance. That it doesn't have to be this all or nothing approach. It's living in it 80, 90% of the time, you know, and you can still have that balance too. So if I have something that's inflammatory now, it doesn't affect my body as much because I'm already at, like, an anti-inflammatory state. Does that make sense? And so maybe that's not as healthy, right, cause it's not going to, like, cause my body to go crazy, as someone who's already in a state, you know, it's going to affect them a little bit. So that.

Speaker 2:

So we, when we figured it out, like it just completely changed our whole lives. You know, I started having tons of energy and I had a newborn at the time and it was just like, okay, this is. This has never happened you know, before that I have a baby. My pain went away. I, you know, no more bloating at all. You see, it bloated all the time and I lost weight and kept it off and just like it doesn't fluctuate at all, you know, and just like everything is just stayed stable.

Speaker 2:

Same with my husband. You know his digestive issues went away. Some of his food tolerances went away. Um, no more pain. You know that he had, and he had like arthritis in his wrist for like over 10 years, you know, and so just just was able to see the power of nutrition and the effects of it, you know, and how it personally has helped us. And so I was like more people need to know this, like more women, you know, in particular, need to realize how impactful this is, because when you feel good, it just impacts everything in your life. You know you're to just be a better mom. You know you can think clearly. You know you're more, and so it just that's kind of how, how it led into. I was like, hey, it just that's kind of how how it led into.

Speaker 1:

I was like, hey, we got to work with people, so just started working with people and, yeah, okay. So two points that I want to highlight. Here is one you've noticed all of this pain. Pain was probably a bigger, a big factor, because it's really noticeable, right, and I think, or what I've noticed, is a lot of people believe this is normal, like this pain is normal because of my age, and they just brush it off. But from what I've learned, I'm not a medical professional in the sense like I'm not a doctor or a nurse, but I've done my own research and pain isn't normal. Pain isn't normal to have consistently. It's normal to feel pain in certain circumstances, but not to have this constant, chronic pain all of the time.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, and I see that all the time Women are like. Women are like, oh, I'm just, it's just some, I just get by. You know, I'm just kind of used to it and I'm like, yeah, but like you don't have to. And the thing with inflammation that is so important to know is that it does not magically get better or stay the same If we continue. That's what where you're at right. That's why it led to inflammation, because you had it low grade and you just continued, and then now all these symptoms are manifesting itself you know what I mean and showing up, and so it doesn't just get better or stay the same, it's going to get worse.

Speaker 2:

You know, maybe that pain, oh it's fine, you know, now, but what's it going to be like five years from now? You know you still got a lot of life to live. You want to feel good, you know, and thrive now and years from now, and so that's really the heart behind it, too is hey, yes, I want you to feel good now, but I want you to age well. I want you to be with your grandkids. You know, do the things that you want to do. You know, thinking future too, because that's really important, you know.

Speaker 1:

Oh yeah. Yeah, it is because you said how are you going to feel in five years from now? But how are you going to feel in 10 or 20 years from now?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, yeah, what we do today affects tomorrow, but then it also affects now.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, yeah, and the other thing I wanted to point out was how you didn't specifically say this, but because this is around nutrition, it gives us more power in that there's something that we can do about it. There is so much in our life that we just don't have any control over, or we don't have in the sense that something specifically that we do isn't going to make a huge difference. But in this case, with nutrition and what we put in our body, we have that choice and we have the power to choose.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, yeah, I mean, every day, all day, right, we get to decide what we are going to put on our bodies and are we going to nourish it or are we not, you know, and how do we want to feel?

Speaker 2:

And that's that's something you know. That's also hard, because people understand that, yeah, it's almost like they need, but you need to the right tools, right, you need the right knowledge. But what does that look like and I think that's where a lot of the confusion is is, well, I think I'm doing right, yet I'm still struggling, or I think I know you know what I mean, and they're not willing to try something different as well, you know. So it's also just getting them you know women to understand. Hey, if you're still struggling with this, you're probably missing some key puzzle pieces, right? And so we want to make sure that you have all the tools and the knowledge so that you can get to where you want to be, you know and feel good you want to be, you know and feel good, yeah, so what are some of those easier choices that women can start making right now?

Speaker 1:

Because you mentioned some? I mean, sometimes, like you said, we don't know the options that we could be taking. Instead, we don't know the choices that we had. So I know this can kind of this is kind of vague, but what are some choices that women can start making now?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, no, I love that. So I always, like, I'm like smiling and kind of laughing because they're so simple, Right, and that's the thing people want, like these sexy things of like. You know, it has to be hard, right, Almost, in order to work, but it's like, well, you have to get to the basics, right, Cause if you're not doing the basics, then, like you can't do anything hard, you know what I mean or it's not going to be sustainable. Maybe you can do all these things for a week, but can you do them for years? So one of the basic things is drinking enough water. You know, like, literally, are you drinking enough water? And a lot of women are like, oh, I am, I am, and like, then I'll start working with them, and they'll be like, oh, I actually started tracking and I'm not drinking enough water, you know, or, actually I need to be drinking more water, you know. So that's really important.

Speaker 2:

But as far as, like the nutrition, you know high eating, high fiber, is what's really going to help get rid of inflammation, you know, going on in your body. And so when you think of, you know, fiber rich foods, it's going to be the fruits, it's going to be the vegetables, the whole grains, you know, the nuts seeds, flax meal, chia seeds, like all of those are so nourishing. They have antioxidants, you know. They're just great for your body to to get rid of the inflammation. So focusing more on those is going to be I didn't say that legumes so great, you know, for that fiber rich Um. But to to bring that back to like, specifically, what you can do is have a high fiber rich breakfast and that can look like a smoothie, that can look like oatmeal, Um, it can be like chia seed pudding, something like that, you know.

Speaker 2:

But that's going to give you still enough protein, right, that you need, um, cause we're obsessed with protein right now. Protein, you don't have to be obsessed with it. But it's also going to give you so much fiber and nutrients too, you know, and it's going to keep you fuller longer. That's what fiber does. It literally, you know, feeling fuller longer. It's going to help you, you know, just get reduce that inflammation. It even helps fiber even have like a second meal effect. So you have it for breakfast and then it continues on throughout the day, so like you're not even hungry for lunch, you know. So you're naturally consuming fewer calories just because of your breakfast, you know, and then it continues. You have it that for lunch it's going to continue on for dinner. So it's just like the cyclical thing that then adds up and impacts, you know, your overall health and that's, that's a really great.

Speaker 1:

I think that's a really great starting point because this is going from the stance of what can I add into what I'm doing now, Because a lot of times I've noticed that people are like, okay, what do I need to take away? But that's, you're already kind of setting yourself up for failure in when you're thinking like, what do I need to restrict? Because restrict, restricting can trigger this like like fight or flight response in you because it's unfamiliar and you're, when things are unfamiliar for you, your body doesn't feel safe, and so you're going to start probably feeling overwhelmed and anxious about oh my gosh, I'm not gonna be able to have this anymore. So coming at it from this perspective of what can I add is going to help keep people like in a more regulated state and more in control, versus trying to take things away.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I love that you've noticed that, that it was all about adding in, because that's literally like my approach when I work with clients is we're not focusing on what you can't have, and I honestly don't even take that approach either. I'm not saying you can never have this again. I'm saying, hey, let's probably need to reduce this right and eliminate, but that doesn't mean you can never have it again. You know what I mean. And instead, when you're focusing on the right things to nourish your body like it does, it shifts your mindset to oh, this is what I'm going to choose to have, not that I can't have that, I'm just going to choose to have this instead. And that really shifts it to not feel like, oh, deprived, but just oh, no, this is what I get to do to help me, you know, for the long haul.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, yes, I love it. This is what I get to do. Yes, because the other thing too is, oftentimes, when we are told you need to get rid of this or you need to stop eating this, it's not even really that person's choice anymore. It's well, that's what my coach told me to do, or that's what my nutritionist told me to do, and I need to do it, and then you're just kind of going along with this resentment starting to build up with maybe even the relationship you're having with your people or the relationship you're having with food, and so that's, that's not a great place to be, because you're feeling powerless, you're not feeling like you have this choice.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, and that's something, yeah, that I talk about, that I think is really impactful, is shifting that mindset right and thinking it's not that you can't, but that you're choosing to. You know you're choosing to because X, y, z, whatever your Y is, you know everything. Because X, y, z, whatever your Y is, you know everything. Everything you choose to, you know and decide to do not, I have to. And that is really big because that does put the power back to you, you know, in your hands, and like, oh, I could have this. No one's telling me I can't, you know, but I'm going to choose to do this instead. And that's going to make you just feel better, too, knowing, hey, I'm not only.

Speaker 2:

I just literally had a client today on you know message and say this is the first time. You know that we went out and I think someone like they were, or no, someone brought ice cream in, you know, and she's like I knew what could happen, but she's like, I was like you know what, I'm going to choose not to tonight. And she's like and then she just felt so empowered to be like I don't actually need it, I don't want it. It was just there, you know, and I'm going to choose, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1:

Oh yeah, that, oh wow, that's awesome, because how many times I mean think about it and everyone listening really think about how many times do you grab something or go for something just because it's there? Yeah Right, not even because you want it, but just because it's there. And I'm not saying like go get rid of everything in your house, but that when you think about that, your perspective is going to change and then you're going to, or you're going to, have awareness around it. And that's oftentimes where you need to start is just start building awareness of what am I choosing in terms of what I'm putting into my body. Why am I making that choice? Does it really make me feel good? Is this really something that's nourishing me or giving me energy, or is it because it's just there and that's something that I'm just used to grabbing?

Speaker 2:

That's, I think, one of the coolest transformations that I see with clients is when they realize I don't even want it anymore, I don't even have a desire for it, you know. Or they're able to just stop themselves and think do I want this right now? Like it's here, you know, there there's cupcakes or cookies, but like, do I want it? No, not really, you know, and if you do, then you can decide. You know, if you really want it, enjoy it and then move on. You know, like we can have that balance. But just again, it's like that, just awareness, like you said, of choosing. Okay, stopping and thinking do I want this or no? No, I don't know, and then you can feel empowered by that choice too.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, it's a lot of pausing and reflecting on the choices that we're choosing to make.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, yeah, definitely yeah. Taking a step back and realizing okay, how do I want to feel right, how do I want, how, how is this going to impact me later? You know, thinking with like, just even like alcohol, or something, you know, do I want to feel groggy the next day? Do I want to be tired? Do I want it to impact my sleep, yes or no, no? Okay, that that's my choice, then you know.

Speaker 1:

So it's just yeah, what is it not in the moment, but how is it going to be later on? Absolutely, and I know one of the things that you had said was there. This requires like a mindset shift. Can you speak more about what you mean by bringing mindset into this?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, yeah. I think mindset is honestly foundational to well everything, but specifically to health, right? Because if we can't I you know, I tell women all the time if you can't change your mindset, you won't be able to make a lasting change, because your mind is always going to go back to where you know before. You know what I mean. Like we want to stay safe. Our mind wants us to keep us safe, you know.

Speaker 2:

Like it doesn't want to change Like no, this is where I want to be, and so that's why, you know, whenever I work with women, it has to be not just about the nutrition and what you're doing right, what you're adding in or what you're eating or the exercise, but also where's your mind at. You know, because we can, everyone can be a robot for a little while. You know what I mean and try to make changes and make changes. But if you haven't shifted your mindset, you're just going. You're just going back there, and one of the biggest mindsets that I that I see is just that all or nothing mindset, thinking that you have to be a hundred percent or else you failed, or else you know you just need to quit. Cause, why even bother? And that's something that I really help women break through is that? No, like that is what's sabotaging you thinking you have to, you know, be a hundred percent, because then you're constantly starting and stopping, you know, and then they're wonder.

Speaker 2:

Oh, I'm never getting anywhere. It's like, well, yeah, because you're starting and stopping. But what the difference is is, okay, you have the cookie or whatever, you know a meal that didn't go, wasn't so great, and instead of stopping or beating yourself up or continuing the spiral, right, you're just like you stop. You know, there's a couple of things that you can do in that moment is you can just be like, okay, like I'm moving on. That happened, that was great, it was a birthday party or whatever. I wasn't thinking, you know, I'm going to move on from that, and then that's really not going to affect your, your whole journey, in the grand scheme of things. You know what I mean. You just get to move on. But I also encourage women to really assess, stop and think, okay, in this moment, could I have done something different? Could I, you know, have done, made a different choice? Could I have prepared ahead of time?

Speaker 2:

Sometimes it's it's no. Sometimes you're like, no, I chose to do that and it was great, and now I'm going to move. I'm still going to move on, but sometimes, a lot of times, it's yeah, I didn't prepare. You know what I mean. Like I was overly hungry and I just like went to the pantry and just ate, you know, and then I really like didn't want to eat dinner, you know cause I wasn't. You know, I ruined it from all the snacks. You know what I mean my appetite from all the snacks, you know. So it's like learning oh, okay, I keep doing this thing, it's happening. Now, here's what I can do instead, you know. So it's to make sure that you're you're taking that like just a minute to assess. Oh, I've been doing this every few days, you know, like getting overly hungry, okay, well, what can we do instead?

Speaker 2:

But let's look at the. Are we nourishing or not, you know? Or do you need a snack? You know how? What does that look like to set you up for success, you know, in the long, the long haul. But really I mean it's just learning different tools to shift that mindset, to think, okay, it does not have to be all or nothing. No one is perfect and no one needs to pretend that they are. We don't have to be, you know, nourishing. Yes, we want to make the best choices right, as much as we can, but of course, everyone's going to have that cookie or that piece of cake or whatever you know meal out, and that's okay and being okay with that too.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, and I'm definitely someone who is. I love food that tastes really good, that's like there and you remember it, and it's just just I love good tasting food. And so when people are thinking like making these kinds of shifts, I know I or from experience, I'm almost positive they're thinking well, I'm going to have to eat this like bland food, I am going to like be miserable in my choices and what do you think about that? If you're just like listening to those those things that I just said, that's your mindset around what your beliefs are around this, not about the choices that you're making with your food. Yeah Right, yeah, there's still good. About the choices that you're making with your food yeah Right, yeah, there's still good. There's still ways to make your food taste amazing. That's going to nourish your body. This doesn't mean you have to eat boring bland food from now on.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, oh, I mean, listen, I love.

Speaker 1:

I love food Like whenever we travel, the first thing I'm doing is looking at what restaurants can we go to.

Speaker 2:

You know what I mean. But I also really love eating healthy, so I'm like finding the best, like healthier restaurants, like what can we? You know what I mean? So, because I learned it's. It's twofold, you know one it's. It's. I've shifted my mindset that healthy food is not only nourishing but it's so good. And when your taste buds change, it changes everything. Right, when you're used to highly processed foods, of course an apple is not going to be as good, or of course you know some whole grains and you know beans are going to taste as good. But when you, you shift that, that's when the flavors come alive, you know. And then it's also just learning. It's a learning process and again, your brain wants to keep you safe, but it's like no, I can learn this how to cook foods that do taste good. You know what I mean and what that looks like. And what are now my new favorite foods, you know? Or family favorites that I can make you know, that are still going to be healthy and nourishing but also taste good too.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, yeah, and going back to what you were talking about too, I wanted to point out that because you were talking about how someone might have slipped or they, they weren't prepared, so they ate a bunch of, maybe chips, or they were at a birthday party and they they really didn't want it, but that's all there was left was cake or pizza, right? And so one of the things too is, um, what consistency looks like? Consistency isn't doing something perfect and correct every day, for however much you planned, consistency is doing those things regularly enough. So when you make a mistake, that's okay, you keep going. That's still consistency. Five days out of seven is still consistent. 20 out of 30 is still consistent.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I think consistency is going to mean it's what is your best, right? And how can you be consistent, like we all know, you know, and we're like oh, I'm just not doing it, right, you just choose to do it. As opposed to man, my day got away from me. I had full intention of working out and it just slipped by. Let's let that go. You know what I mean. But when you're like I'm a matter, I just don't want to do it, like that's different, right, because you've made that choice specifically not to do it. And so I think it's also like yes, let's give ourselves some grace, but like let's make sure that we're doing what we need to be doing, right, you know. So it goes like hand in hand, you know, with that, you know, I always, you know, have clients or you know, and we're creating like, okay, they're action items for the week. It's like these are your non-negotiables, want you to like, get in that mindset of like, no matter what, I am going to get these done, because what happens is you do them, you do them, you do them. And then that's going to create naturally that consistency and you just do them automatically.

Speaker 2:

And if you don't do it, you're just like, oh, shoot, like the day got away, probably is what's going to happen, right. Or you know something. You know, just, you ended up going to dinner instead of, you know, eating at home or whatever it is. But you know, oh, you're right back into it. You're right back into your routine, as opposed to what a lot of times happen. It's like, oh well, I messed up. I guess the heck with it. You know what I mean. I'm just not going to do it at all where we don't want that. You know, just continue on. But it's also making sure that you're like what should I, what do I need to get done to make me feel good every day and get those done, as you know, as much as possible.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, and what I want to highlight here, too, is for cause. I want everyone to hear what you said was this really highlights the power of having someone who's there that you can rely on in terms of, like, an accountability partner, a coach, because they're the ones who are helping you to stop and think okay, why is this not working for me? Right, and together you can come up with a plan of what's really getting in the way. And together you can come up with a plan of what's really getting in the way. Is it? You're not having enough food that you really want to eat in your plan. Maybe your workout is something you're dreading instead of looking forward to, and maybe that needs to change. But you're not going to know what needs to change unless you're stopping and thinking about how you felt and you know why you made some of those choices you made Absolutely, which. Having a coach can help you with the accountability portion of that.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I think it's invaluable. I mean, whether it's a therapist or you know a a bit for business, or whatever it is, it's so impactful for them to be like hey, you're doing this and this is why you're stuck. Hey, let's do this instead. Oh, that was they make it so much easier, right? And they see things that you don't see either or that you have maybe not been as honest with yourself about, you know. And so you're like so glad that you, you like opened my eyes to that, because when you know what to change, it's so much easier than the change, cause you know exactly what to do. Then you know to change.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, I have a therapist friend and colleague that we meet weekly I mean, you know, if, as long as there's no holidays or planned vacations or something but we meet every Monday at 1130 and we talk about our business, talk about things that have been coming up for us, even sometimes personal things that have come up for us and how they may have been impacting our business. But we set aside time to do that Because, like you said, sometimes we can be so in it that we don't notice even a small thing or even something that might be impacting us, that it's like hello, no wonder you're feeling that way, you're going through all of this or you've been dealing with this, yeah, and just knowing like, okay, how do I actually then change that?

Speaker 2:

What actions can I take? It's one thing to know it right, it's good you have to know something, right that you need help. But then it's also like, okay, but like what are the actions that I take to get there and how do you do it? In a way as well, there might be a lot of actions that you need to take, so which ones do I take first, you know, to steer us up to where I want to be and need to be too.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, absolutely so. One of the other things, too, that you had mentioned earlier was about gut health, and I bring this up because I feel like this has been a not necessarily a hot topic, but something that's not normally discussed that there's now more research on, about the impact that our gut health has on the rest of our body and the rest of how, um, the rest of our body.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, yeah, I mean, the gut health is really important. You know, um for for everything you know, you know, and so I think that's inflammation plays such a huge role in your gut health, you know, and that's why it's so important that we make sure that we have good gut health. We're getting rid of the inflammation, because that then impacts everything you know. And so, yes, you have gut health, but at the core of why you have it is inflammation. So it's like taking it a step further, right? Why? Why can't I process foods very well? Why do I have this intolerance? Why? Why am I constipated, or the IBS or Crohn's? You know it's, it's inflammation. You know that that's causing, you know that, that gut dysbiosis. You know which we need. We need to get that into equilibrium, you know, so that you can. Yeah, good, yeah.

Speaker 1:

And what do you mean by equilibrium? How does one go about that?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I mean from getting rid of inflammation right, from nourishing your body with the right foods, from making sure that you're not eating inflammatory foods. You're, you know you're eating the high fiber rich foods because we want to feed the good bacteria. We have good and bad bacteria and we want to feed the good bacteria.

Speaker 1:

You know what it needs to be able to work to, to be happy, you know, and in that equilibrium, yeah, so for any mom listening right now and they're like I would love that, but I can barely get my kids to eat the food that I'm serving them now and our schedule is crazy. Right, we were in sports and everything is some. You know, sometimes there's a wrench thrown into things. What do you tell those moms who feel like they're just super busy and struggle planning making this part of their life now?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, no, I, I completely understand because I'm there, right, you know, and I mean I've never been more busy and I'm able to see, okay, I think it comes down to a couple of things. When you have the right knowledge, it makes it so much easier because you're like okay, like I know what to eat, I don't have to think about it. You know what I mean. But when you're in a state of confusion of do I eat this or do I not? Or you know and how to make it simple, you know how can you make a quick 10 minute meal, or you know like 20 minute meal and you'll be nourishing, but yet you know it doesn't take a ton of effort and I think that's, you know, really important as well. And then I think it comes down to a couple other things is we do what is important to us? So what is it and I say that like very empathetically because I get it right it's hard, especially if you're like yeah, important, but like I'm like you know, I'm drowning here.

Speaker 2:

I hear you, but what can you do? And that that's what leads to my. My other point is you don't have to change everything at once, and that's why my approach, one of the reasons why my approach is different is we don't change everything at once because we're busy, you know, and we have long lives and it's hard anyways, again, for our brain to be like I can't change all of these, like you want to go back, you know, you go back to what's normal every single time. But if you focus on a few key things every single week and you build upon that, that's going to like almost like you're tricking your brain, you know, cause you're like, oh, a couple of things it's okay, like we're fine, you know, and then you kind of move slowly, yeah, and then you're like, oh, my goodness, I just changed all of these things and it felt effortless, you know, cause I wasn't trying to overhaul everything.

Speaker 2:

So that's the number one thing that I would tell moms. You know, women is just start small. What are a couple of things that you can do? Make them your non-negotiable, get consistent with them, and then you can build upon that. And that's literally what I, what I help women, do you know, is what are the key things that we need to be working on? What are the most important things? Let's just work on a couple of them, and then here's how we create consistency, here's how we build those habits.

Speaker 1:

I'm so glad that you brought that up, this like whole starting small thing, because you're right, sometimes people are just like I just want to do it, just tell me everything I need to do and I'll change my life.

Speaker 1:

But that is not going to change your life because, going back to what I was saying earlier, you're going to become so dysregulated because this is not, um, this is not familiar to you and so making these huge changes, like to make that big of a change all at once and very fast, is not going to be helpful and you're likely going to go back to the patterns that you were already. Because this is something that I tell, tell my clients and the people that I work with, is we can't make these big, drastic changes all at once. We have to go in and start small, because that's going to keep you in a more regulated state. That's going to keep your nervous system happy. It's not going to dysregulate. You is by starting small, because that's the most important thing in terms of making changes is we don't want to trigger ourselves into this fight or flight state.

Speaker 2:

We want to stay in a more regulated state when we're making these changes, because it's not going to feel as scary for us, yeah, yeah, and it's also going to create that lasting change as well, right, because how many people they keep, you know, changing everything going full force, you know, but it's only maybe a month. I'll be generous, maybe a month, right, and then they stop and then they do another one, and it's constantly back and forth, as opposed to hey, let's work on these things. Okay, now, let's work on these. Okay, now you're getting closer, you're getting closer and you're creating these habits, which habits are going to be the foundation for you to make lasting change. Right, because you're changing your old habits to new habits and that's what we're trying to do which then, once you create those habits, it's just something you naturally do, and that's the beauty of it. Then you're just like, oh, now I changed all these things and it's just a part of my life. Okay, I created that consistency. You don't even have to think about it, it's just something.

Speaker 2:

Now you know that I, that I do, and I think another thing to your point about starting small is when it's really important for that reason, right, that we've talked about, but also for your body to adjust. So, you know, especially if you have gut issues, it's going to be really important that you start small, especially when you have gut issues. It's going to be really important that you start small, especially when you're adding in, you know, more fiber rich foods, because your body's going to react and it's gonna be like wait, what? What's going on? You know what I mean. Like I feel a little more bloated.

Speaker 2:

Well, that's, that's normal, right, you're, you're, you're getting, you're feeding your, your gut, you know, process it and you know it'll, it'll even out. But that's why we we do it starting slow, you know, is we're not changing everything in the nutrition. Let's focus on breakfast and then let's focus on lunch and then let's you know, and it's moving forward, so that your body can adjust as well. Yeah, kind of like what you were saying. You're, you're the fighter, like fight or flight, like we are brave, you know, know everything at once. Yes, yeah, yeah so partially.

Speaker 1:

What I'm hearing, too, is this is not like I'm going on this diet to help my inflammation and then I'll go back to whatever this is. This is a lifestyle change, which is also another reason why it's okay to take this slow, because this whole process is like within your lifetime not that it's going to take 30 years to complete all these changes yeah, no, but that can help in terms of the the mindset of it's okay to start slow. You don't have to overhaul your entire, the entire way you eat, because this is a change, not a diet that you're trying for 90 days.

Speaker 2:

Right, Because if you, if you think about any diet or any cleanse or detox, it always has an end point. Right Like? You just have to do this for a month, you just have to do this for 90 days. That's all. That's all you got to do. Just like, just white knuckle it. You can do it, but but that's great, Right, you?

Speaker 2:

and everyone's like oh I felt amazing, I feel so good, but then, like, what happens after the 90 days? You don't know what to do, and so that's why I take this approach of, okay, yes, let's like let's do this for the long haul, how do you want to feel for, like the rest of your life, you know? Do you want to feel, you know, good, yes, okay, well, this is how we do. It is like let's make these habits while also having this balance, and I think that's why we're stuck in this, you know, diet mentality, cause it's like, okay, just white knuckle it and then when I'm done, then I can eat whatever I want to eat. Well, then you're right, literally right back.

Speaker 2:

So all that hard work, you know, is really for nothing, as opposed to, okay, I'm going to create this lifestyle and within this healthy lifestyle, I can have balance, you know, so that when I go out with friends, it's okay, I can move on and that's what's going to just keep telling you, cause you're not feeling like I can't have this or it's off limits. It's, yes, I can, right, and sometimes we can choose to, but most times you're choosing not to because you know how it's going to. I can Right, and sometimes we can choose to, but most times you're choosing not to because you know how it's going to make you feel. Does that make sense? Yeah, absolutely.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, it does yeah. So if if people are listening right now and they're like, oh, I really want to work with Kara, what is the best way to reach out to you? What does that process look like when they are working with you?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, yep, so the best way is to just go ahead and schedule in a call, you know with, with me or my team, and then we can really hear what's really going on. You know what do you, what do you want to see, what are your goals, and then we can share about the program. All of that you can find out about. It's called Stuck to Thriving. You can find out about that on my website as well as scheduling a call there, and then the process to work with me is just I'm gonna give you the tools and the knowledge and the education of what you need to get rid of this inflammation but also create a lasting change. So you're gonna know exactly where to start, what to do. You know to to help you inch closer right To those goals, while creating these habits so that it is a lasting change. You know, so that you can feel good now and years from now and also prevent diseases from happening. You know, not only reverse them, but let's prevent things from happening as much as we possibly can.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, yeah Well, thank you so much for all your knowledge and wisdom today, Kara. It was a pleasure having you today.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, thanks so much for having me.