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Better For You Than Antacids: Managing an Underactive Stomach Naturally with DGL
In a world where antacids are a quick fix for digestive discomfort, we often overlook the importance of a properly functioning stomach. An underactive stomach, medically known as hypochlorhydria or achlorhydria, can be the underlying factor in a myriad of digestive issues. In this post, we'll explore the signs and symptoms of an underactive stomach and introduce you to a natural solution, DGL (Deglycyrrhizinated Licorice), to manage these concerns.

What Are Your Cravings Telling You?
Do you ever find yourself reaching for a snack or craving a specific food, even when it's not mealtime? Surprisingly, what you might be interpreting as hunger could actually be your body's way of signaling thirst and the early stages of dehydration. In this blog post, we'll explore the connection between hydration and cravings, shedding light on why your body sometimes confuses thirst for hunger.

Hosting the Perfect Healthy Summer BBQ
Here in Calgary, the summers are short! We need to make the most of the time we have, and we love a good backyard BBQ. Summer is the perfect time to gather with friends and family for a delightful get-together, but it’s sometimes hard to find healthy choices. As a holistic nutrition consultant, I believe that good food can be both delicious and nourishing. With a little planning and mindful choices, you can host a healthy and satisfying barbecue that everyone will enjoy.

Unraveling the Beef: Debunking Meat Myths and Separating Fact from Fiction
There are a lot of strong feelings out there these days about meat! There are documentaries, articles, and lots of news media telling us we need to stop eating meat for ourselves and the planet. So, what’s the deal with all of this?

Mindful Eating for Optimal Digestion
Mindfulness is a catchy word these days, but in the world of holistic nutrition, it has been a long-used approach to eating that we teach our clients to equip them for optimal health. I wonder what words come to mind when you think about the word mindfulness. I think of being in the moment, present, aware, peaceful, and connected. When we talk about the concept of mindfulness when it comes to our nutrition, it touches on a number of aspects of our approach to how we prepare, present, and participate in eating on a daily basis.

Meditate Better with Better Nutrition: How Eating Well Can Enhance Your Mindfulness Practice
Discover how proper nutrition can enhance your meditation practice. Learn how to eat mindfully and which foods can support a calmer, more focused mind. I would like to share with you tips for eating mindfully so that you can take your meditation practice to the next level. There are specific foods that will enhance your meditation experience and ones to avoid!

Antioxidant April – The Power of Phytonutrients
The Antioxidant Superhero’s You Might Not Have Heard About! - Welcome to week two of Antioxidant April. This week I would like to introduce you to phytonutrients. Phytonutrients are naturally occurring compounds that are found in plants. They are responsible for the color, flavor, and smell of fruits and vegetables and they are believed to have various health benefits when consumed as part of a healthy diet.

Cholesterol – The Good, The Bad, The Awesome?
March The Month of Myth Busting – Is Cholesterol Bad? - This month No Shoes Nutrition is exploring dietary myths and the first myth we want to debunk is the worry around dietary cholesterol. Let’s talk about cholesterol - why we have it, what it’s good for and when we should worry about cholesterol levels.
Do You Eat Away the Winter Blues?

How to Beat the Winter Blues - Recipe Included!
Winter Blues Busting - Fudge Recipe Included! It’s been a tough couple of years. We have been socially separated and some of us isolated. Now as we enter the depths of the winter when the sun doesn’t shine as much and there are still some who fear social gatherings and socialization, I think the Scandinavian countries have some pretty great cultural philosophies that we could all benefit from.

Feel Good February
Lots of Love in February - Are you Feeling Good? Who is done with winter? Those of you out there who love winter, I commend you, but for many of us by February we are tired of the cold, icy sidewalks, snow-covered roads, and gray. The enchantment of winter around the holidays in December has long worn off and we are left with this feeling of impatiently waiting for spring to arrive, while knowing that in Calgary winter could easily continue into April.

February Is About Love - What About Self-Love Through Nutrition?
When we think of February many of us think of Valentine's Day which makes us think of love. Love can come in many forms and one of the most important is how we love ourselves and what we do to show ourselves love. Eating a healthy and balanced diet can be an important part of self-care and self-love and can help you feel physically and emotionally well.

Is it Time To Make a Change? Read This First!
Change is Hard - Let’s talk Accountability and Support - Have you ever thought of challenging yourself or joining a challenge program? Challenging yourself can lead to personal growth and development, as well as a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. Taking on new challenges can also help you learn new skills and gain valuable experience. Additionally, it can help you to build self-confidence and resilience.

Dry January – Yea or Nay??
Dry January is a movement that encourages people to abstain from drinking alcohol for the month of January. It is often seen as a way to reset one's relationship with alcohol after the excesses of the holiday season and to improve one's health and well-being.

It's January Let's Jump Into Movement
January is the month where people embark on new health goals for the year, and exercise is often one of those goals. However, it can be tricky to know how to effectively incorporate exercise into your life so that is not just a January trend, but a year round practice. So how does one develop the habit to be more physically active and build it into your daily lifestyle?

Hating Your Current Diet? - Don't Miss This!!
What your diet doesn’t teach you- Part 2 - By Nicole Gibson Diets focus on avoidance- they only discuss what you “need” to exclude- and yet there are many more factors that need to be addressed in order to achieve sustainable weight loss and lead a healthy life.

Do You Love the Newest Diet Craze? - Read This!!
What your diet doesn’t teach you- Part 1 - By Nicole Gibson - Mainstream diets are everywhere. They have been around for over a hundred years, going through cycles of popularity, with the promise that it will be the answer to solve a person’s weight problems. Whether low fat, low carb, no sugar, no gluten, the focus is generally on what needs to be avoided or restricted.

Here we Grow Again!!
Welcome to the Team Nicole Gibson!! - This week I would like to introduce the newest member of our No Shoes Nutrition team. Nicole Gibson graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Kinesiology from the University of Western Ontario and has worked as a personal trainer in both a gym setting as well as at a Physiotherapy clinic assisting with patients’ rehabilitation exercises. Most recently, she graduated from the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition to become a Certified Holistic Nutrition Consultant (C.H.N.C). Nicole excelled in school and found her passion!

What is Stress Doing to You?
If you have been living on planet earth the last couple years, it’s become apparent that stress levels have grossly risen. We had our lives shaken up and flipped upside down and were expected to put it all back together all on our own. In the meantime, the effects of the stress we have all been trying to balance has shown up on our hips, waistlines and behinds.
