Menopause, also known as “the change,” can be a daunting phase of a woman’s life. It’s like the hormonal equivalent of a mid-life crisis, but without the sports car. The hot flashes, mood swings, and sleepless nights can be frustrating, but there are some natural ways to help ease the symptoms. So, let’s dive in and explore some of the best natural ways to help women with menopause symptoms.
Get moving
Exercise is one of the best natural remedies for menopause symptoms. It can help improve mood, increase energy, and reduce hot flashes. Research shows that regular physical activity can also help prevent weight gain, which is a common side effect of menopause. So, put on your sneakers and go for a walk, take a dance class, or try some yoga.
Eat a balanced diet
Eating a balanced diet can help ease menopause symptoms. Make sure you’re getting plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats. Also, try to limit your intake of processed foods, sugar, and caffeine. Some women also find that avoiding spicy foods can help reduce hot flashes.
Drink plenty of water
Staying hydrated is important for overall health, but it’s especially important during menopause. Dehydration can make hot flashes worse and can also cause other health issues. Aim to drink at least eight glasses of water per day, and try to avoid sugary drinks and alcohol.
Get enough sleep
Sleep disturbances are common during menopause, but getting enough sleep is important for overall health. Try to establish a bedtime routine, avoid electronics before bed, and create a cool, dark, and quiet sleeping environment.
Practice relaxation techniques
Stress can worsen menopause symptoms, so it’s important to practice relaxation techniques like meditation, deep breathing, or yoga. These techniques can help reduce stress, improve mood, and promote better sleep.
Take supplements
Some supplements can help ease menopause symptoms. For example, black cohosh has been shown to help reduce hot flashes and improve mood. Another supplement to consider is evening primrose oil, which can help with vaginal dryness. NutraChamps has some supplements that could help women who are going through menopause.
Stay connected
Staying connected with friends and family can help improve mood and reduce stress. Join a club, take a class, or volunteer in your community. Social support is important during menopause, and it can also help promote overall health.
In conclusion, menopause is a challenging time for many women, but there are natural ways to help ease the symptoms. By staying active, eating a balanced diet, drinking plenty of water, getting enough sleep, practicing relaxation techniques, taking supplements, and staying connected, you can make the transition easier. NutraChamps has some supplements that could help women who are going through menopause. So, don’t let “the change” get you down. Embrace it with a smile and a sense of humor, and you’ll come out on the other side feeling like a boss.
In her reproductive years, a woman’s body goes through four phases of the menstrual cycle. These four phases include: the menstruation phase, the follicular phase, ovulation, and the luteal phase. Each of these phases serves a unique and necessary purpose for preparing a woman to become pregnant, or to get a period each month. A lot of these phases of the cycle go unnoticed within the body except for the menstrual phase.
During this time, not only does a woman begin to bleed -she may also experience a variety of symptoms and sensations that accompany the shedding of the inner lining of the uterus. Some of these symptoms can include:
bloating
breakouts
pimples
fatigue
cramps
The severity of these symptoms range from woman to woman, some being more severe than others. One thing is for sure, it’s definitely not always a pleasant experience. Luckily, there are some great natural remedies that can alleviate some of this discomfort during a woman’s period.
Keep on reading to find out our favourite natural ways to alleviate cramps and other period symptoms!
Light stretching and yoga
Not only is yoga a gentle way of moving your body, it also helps you connect with your breath which can help oxygen to circulate in the body. In turn, this can help with muscles and especially the uterine muscles which cause the cramping to occur.
Some of the best poses to try out with period cramps include:
Cobra pose – Begin by lying on your stomach with legs extended behind you. Place the palms next to the shoulders and slowly lift your chest off the ground. This helps to support the spine and get the breath flowing deep into the lower body.
Cat-Cow Pose – Start by going onto your hands and knees. To enter cow pose, begin to inhale deeply and drop the belly while tilting your head upwards. Tilt your pelvis back so your tailbone sticks up. For cat pose you’re going to tilt your pelvis forward and tuck your tailbone. The spine should naturally round and you’re going to drop your head and gaze towards your belly button. This is going to help and gently stretch the abdominal muscles as well as increase circulation within the body.
Childs pose – Begin on your hands and knees, lower your hips back towards your heels, and rest your forehead on the mat or a prop. Relax your shoulders and hips, breathe deeply, and hold the pose for 30 seconds to a few minutes before releasing. It’s a great way to stretch your back, hips, and thighs while calming your mind.
Using a heating pad
Heating pads are a lifesaver to so many women during the time of their period, especially when it comes to cramping. Heat helps to relax muscles and provides a sense of comfort and relief.
If you don’t have a heating pad, no sweat! You can also try taking a warm bath or shower to receive the same benefits.
Drinking herbal teas
Tea is comforting, it’s warm and delicious – almost like a hug in beverage form. There actually are several teas with scientific evidence of reducing menstrual cramping and pain!
Some of the most highly recommended include:
Ginger tea
Chamomile tea
Fennel tea
Green tea
Taking magnesium
This mineral is a saviour when it comes to effectively relaxing muscles. The uterine muscles contract during menstruation and that’s why cramping can be a result of this. One great way to get magnesium is through eating magnesium rich foods such as dark chocolate or leafy greens. Substituting with a high quality supplement is also a great way to help out! At NutraChamps we have a magnesium, zinc, and D3 supplement which will definitely support this time of the month.
Massaging
One study from the National Library of Medicine found that massage therapy can help to alleviate uterine spasms by relaxing the uterus. This is not only great for those who experience period pain, but also women who have endometriosis.
It’s important to get a gentle abdominal massage for this pain but getting a full body massage can always help to promote all-around relaxation and less stress as well.
If as a woman you dread this time of the month, hopefully trying out some of our natural remedy suggestions help you out! Dealing with monthly pain isn’t always an easy thing, but there are absolutely ways to support the body during a period. Here’s to more pain-free periods overall!
To be honest, I don’t remember much from health class. Most of the learning I’ve done regarding the health of my body has been done on the internet and with the help of doctors and naturopaths. But we certainly did not dig deep into the biological rhythms of humans.
I’m sure most of you are familiar with the circadian rhythm, the 24-hour body clock which is reset by levels of light. This sleep-wave cycle dictates when humans and animals should be asleep and awake. This happens with the help of light (from the sun or bulb), which is why after a certain time, humans are instructed to turn off devices and start dimming the lights in their homes – this way they can start to wind down for the night.
But that’s not what we’re here to talk about. We’re here to talk about a different pattern of behavior that women go through every month but of which you may not know the name or purpose. I’m talking about the Infradian Rhythm.
You may have learned a little bit about this in Alexia’s blog about Cycle Syncing. If you haven’t read it yet, go there give it a read! Otherwise, let’s take a dive into the Infradian Rhythm and how you can maximize your health and wellbeing.
What is the Infradian Rhythm?
For women, this is your second biological clock. It affects your brain, metabolism, immune system, microbiome, stress response, and reproduction. You can see how it would be important to honor this infradian rhythm so that we could function optimally. Men do not have this biological clock. They function well on the circadian rhythm, so finding a daily routine, waking up early, and repeating that sequence day to day can work really well for them. In fact, that’s the ideal for many men and once they find that routine, they usually find their version of success.
Alisa Vitti was the first person to bring this Infradian Rhythm to our attention. She’s the author of Woman Code, a book that equips women with the knowledge and tools to take charge of their hormonal health) and the founder of FLO Living, a virtual help center for women to go for help with their hormonal symptoms. You may recognize her for her period-tracking app, FLO.
If you read Alexia’s Cycle Syncing blog, you’ll know there are 4 different phases:
Menstrual (approximately 1-5 days)
Follicular (approximately 6-14 days)
Ovulatory (approximately 15-17 days)
Luteal (approximately 18-28 days)
If you’ve ever wondered why you find it hard to lose weight, or why you have brain fog for a week every month, or why you get moody, or why you feel super confident and sexy… a lot of it has to do with you not paying attention to your infradian rhythm and giving your body what it needs WHEN it needs it. Read on to learn more!
Exercise by cycle
This has been the toughest one for me. I tend to not listen to my body. I rest when I’m basically so burnt out that I need a week of stretching and sleep to bring myself back to life. This is definitely something that has helped put things into perspective for me.
Menstrual Phase: Rest, walk, yin yoga, meditation, and naps. Lots of naps!
Follicular Phase: Take advantage of your cardio-based workouts here. Run, dance, bike, swim!
Ovulatory Phase: Your body might crave HIIT workouts or something else that is intense, such as a Spin class, BootCamp, or boxing.
Luteal Phase: Slow things down a little, but keep it heavy. Lift heavy weights, try s apilates class, barre, yoga, and ease up a little as your period comes up.
Food by cycle
The great thing about eating for your specific phase of the month is that is it gives you lots of options. You will be able to come up with lots of different recipe combinations.
The tough part is you’re pretty much eliminating a lot of processed foods and sugars. However, once you eliminate those from your diet and go through the week or two of readjustment, you’ll notice there are so many options for optimal and delicious ingredients.
You’ll have your pick from a variety of different grains, vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts & seeds, meats, seafood, and other condiments or seasonings.
The following list of food recommendations is found in Vitti’s book Woman Code.
My two cents: I’m just speaking from my background in personal training and nutrition, but I’m not sure how important it is to eat this way every month.
Hear me out. I think it’s important to eat a variety of all of these foods, unless you’re vegan, in which case you would eliminate the meat and seafood. However, I believe the list of foods above just happy to work well so that there isn’t too much overlap and you’re getting different foods from different sources throughout the month. Is it a bad thing to eat lemon in your menstrual phase? I have yet to read a study that says so, but I think Vitti is trying to let us know that these foods are optimal at these specific times for their specific nutritional components.
Supplements to consider
For those of you who cannot get your nutrients purely from your food, which is 99% of us, maybe consider taking supplements to fill those gaps!
Omega-3 Fish Oil: I personally take this one every day in the afternoon, but if you’re going to add more fatty fish or supplements, make sure you do it in the Menstrual, Follicular, and Luteal phases.
Zinc: Another staple, this one should be taken in your Follicular phase when you’re trying to boost your immune system after the Menstrual period.
Selenium: You should be getting enough Selenium from food alone. If not, eat a brazil nut or two. They’re also delicious… so you’re welcome! 🙂 Make sure you’re stocked up for your Luteal phase.
Vitamin C: If you aren’t already taking vitamin C every day, it’s a great one to add to your Ovulatory phase to help support your liver!
Vitamin B: This means all the B-vitamins. Take what you need if you have worked with a healthcare professional and have gotten blood tests done. If you are low in B-vitmains in general, this is a good place to start. These are great to take in the Menstrual, Ovulatory, and Luteal phase.
Magnesium: This is a daily staple for me. I take this in the morning with my coffee. If you don’t plan on taking it every day, tt’s best taken in the Menstrual and Luteal phase.
Before taking any of these supplements, I recommend speaking to a healthcare professional to make sure these are supplements you need in your specific regimen. For example, you may be taking a B-12 supplement because you read you might be low in B-12, but perhaps you don’t need it, in which case it is being excreted in your urine. Don’t waste your money! Find out what you need and then make an informed decision.
Conclusion
I believe that understanding your infradian rhythm is important so that you can cycle sync and honor your body all month. However, and this is a big however… take this information with a grain of salt.
I’ve done a good amount of research on this topic and I must say, I’m having a lot of trouble finding medical studies and scientific papers on the infradian rhythm. Now, it could just be that there are no medical studies conducted on women after they’ve reached their reproductive years, but it seems one person is talking a lot about this topic and not many other people are hopping on the wagon.
Does this mean it is inadmissible information? No, but this rhythm varies from person to person. Think about it: for years and years, we’ve been convinced that it’s normal to have painful periods, to feel cramps and soreness and headaches, and to crave junk food for a week before our periods. Sometimes, we’ve even had medical professionals tell us that not having a period is normal. Many of us have been on birth control for decades without knowing the implications this had on our health! We’re all going to be experiencing our cycles in different ways, so we may need to take different courses of action to restabilize.
The one great thing that Alisa Vitti and other professionals in the health field have done for women is to help us reclaim the autonomy of our bodies. What we do with this information is up to us. Now we know what may happen in each phase of our cycle and we can test out what works and what does not. Again, for some of us, certain methods may work while others won’t. Play around with your options and see what works for you! This is not an instant fix. Imagine how many years it took to get you to where you are today. Make little changes where possible and you’ll start to reap the rewards in the months to come!
One day you’re happy, full of energy, and feeling on top of the world.. the next day you’re sitting on the couch with a bucket of Ben & Jerry’s feeling extremely irritable. As a woman, your hormones are constantly in a state of ebbs and flows, especially depending on which phase of your cycle you’re in. No, you’re not crazy, and yes, it is definitely normal to be feeling a variety of changes both mentally, emotionally, and physically depending on where you are at in the month. The good news is that there is more accessible information than ever before about optimizing and working with our hormones, not against them.
No longer do you need to be at the effect of PMS and have confusion around your menstrual phases, it’s time to take your power back and tackle your days with more control and empowerment. With that being said, this article is going to cover all things “cycle syncing,” by giving you a brief overview of the four phases of a menstrual cycle. We are also going to share suggestions of you can take care of yourself and feel your best throughout the entire month by optimizing where you’re at in your cycle.
What the heck is cycle syncing?
Some pretty major hormonal shifts take place inside of a woman’s body in preparation for ovulation and menstruation. It’s due to these changes that are occurring within the body that so many women have set out to seek answers about what’s really going on. We want to find the reasoning behind why we feel the way we do.
The term “cycle syncing” is coined by Alisa Vitti, the author of WomanCode. She essentially believes that women can sync their goals, behaviors, and lifestyles to align with their menstrual phases and hormones to feel better. Although it seems pretty straightforward, this isn’t the case for every woman. In fact, studies have shown that 14-25% of women of childbearing age experience irregular periods. This means that every month can be different and tracking where you are at in your cycle is a lot more difficult, although not impossible.
The four phases of a cycle
Menstruation is something that so many women view as a headache or a burden, but what if it didn’t have to be? What if we could learn to love and fully embrace the ability our body has to produce life? What if we had more knowledge about what was going on within? With a better understanding of the phases our bodies go through to prepare us for ovulation and menstruation, we can start to feel more empowered in the choices we make as a whole.
Phase 1- The Menstrual Phase
The first day of menstruation is considered the first day of your cycle. It is during this time that a woman’s uterine lining sheds and the hormone progesterone plunges. Progesterone is a hormone that is released by the ovaries. Lower amounts of progesterone can cause you to feel less productive and more tired than usual. During this time it’s important to really listen to your body and identify when you may need more rest. When you’re losing blood and iron it’s important to focus on eating nutrient-dense foods such as lentils, fish, and greens. You should also try to incorporate foods like walnuts, almonds, and pumpkin seeds which contain manganese and help to ease cramps.
During this time it’s best to make sure you’re drinking enough water and getting enough sleep.
One supplement that we recommend taking during this time is Magnesium. This fantastic mineral has been shown to help relax your muscles which is definitely key for when you’re bleeding. Menstrual cramps are the result of your uterus muscles contracting, this is what can cause pain from mild to severe for some women.
In terms of exercise, it’s probably best to focus on less intense workouts during this time, especially during those first couple of days of your cycle. Slower, more rejuvenating movement like walking, yoga, or pilates is great for this time of the month and phase of your cycle.
Phase 2- The Follicular Phase
This part of the menstrual phase is also the longest and actually overlaps with your period. This part of the cycle begins on the first day and lasts until ovulation occurs. During this time the body produces more estrogen and prepares to release an egg. The Follicular Phase usually lasts between 11-27 days and it is during this time that most women begin to notice a shift in how they feel. Higher energy levels occur, libido begins to rise, and a more positive mood will start to develop. This is definitely a feel-good phase and a time in which you should take advantage of your lifestyle!
Here are a few ways you can make the most of the way you feel during the Follicular Phase:
Socializing and going out more with friends, family, and colleagues
Focusing on more deep work and complex projects
Tackling to-do lists
Allow your creative juices to flow
To support your estrogen levels during this phase, it’s a great idea to eat nutritious foods that complement what is going on within. Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, kale, and cauliflower are great choices at this time since they contain DIM, a phytonutrient that helps to balance estrogen. It’s also a good idea to stay away from alcohol as it can cause imbalanced hormones among other side effects.
The follicular phase is an ideal time to start incorporating more intense workouts into your routine again. Whether you enjoy running, HIIT training, lifting weights, or swimming, this is the right time to take advantage of your energy and put it to good use – for both your mind and body!
Phase 3-The Ovulatory Phase
Are you feeling confident, full of energy, and in the mood? It might just be thanks to the ovulatory phase of your cycle! During this time, a substance called the luteinizing hormone increases which will then prompt the ovaries to release an egg into your fallopian tubes for fertilization. If you’re looking to conceive or to avoid getting pregnant altogether, this is the time you must really pay attention to. Some key to tell you are ovulating include:
Your cervical mucus changes: When the body produces more estrogen it can cause cervical mucus to become more clear and stretchy, almost like an egg-white consistency. This is something you can look out for if you suspect ovulation.
Changes in your basal body temperature: During ovulation, your basal body temperature will rise and stay elevated. It is not something you may not notice out of the ordinary but it is something that you can track and monitor.
In terms of your lifestyle and how you feel during the ovulatory phase, it’s definitely a time of high alertness and more energy. Whether you’re scheduling an important conversation with a boss or looking to get frisky with your partner, now is the time you’ll be feeling the most confident and on top of your game. Get out with friends, network, go to events, and communicate more effectively, it’s your time to really shine!
In terms of your diet and nutrition, during ovulation, your body will be looking for more B vitamins and Zinc. Examples of some nourishing foods to eat during this phase include whole grains, meat, fish, legumes, eggs, and leafy greens. It’s also important to make sure you’re staying hydrated by drinking enough water. Water helps follicle development, transporting hormones around the body, and provides endless benefits for overall health and wellness.
During this part of the phase continue to channel your elevated energy into high-intensity workouts such as kickboxing, dancing, running, and any other workout of your choice! Embrace that ovulation energy and celebrate your body for all of the amazing things it’s doing.
Phase 4-The Luteal Phase
After all of that high-level ovulation energy, confidence, and extroversion, you might start to notice a shift in how you feel during the luteal phase. During the beginning of this phase, progesterone is on the rise and estrogen decreases. Your uterus lining begins to thicken in preparation for the implantation of a fertilized egg. If there is no conception that occurs, your hormones then prepare for a period to arrive. It’s during all of this fluctuation of hormone levels that results in feelings of PMS for many women, especially near the end of the luteal phase. Some of the most common PMS symptoms include:
Mood swings
Anxiety, irritability
Fatigue
Insomnia
Breast tenderness
When you’re noticing that you begin to feel “off” it’s best to take the approach of adjusting your lifestyle accordingly. Do more things that help you to relax, prioritize sleep, focus on breathing deeply, and incorporate mindful movement/exercise.
In terms of your diet during the luteal phase, some of the modifications that might help you to feel better include eating smaller more frequent meals to promote the feeling of fullness and eliminate bloating, limiting sodium, avoiding caffeine and alcohol, and prioritizing more protein such as beans, lean meats, lentils, tofu, and eggs.
Supplementation that can also help you at this time includes magnesium, calcium, vitamin B6, omega 3 fish oils. Here are some of the products we recommend:
Not many women are taught about the intricacies of our cycles. We might understand the basics of what is going on within such as ovulation and menstruation, but there are definitely missing pieces of the whole picture. Since more information is at our fingertips and accessible, for one of the first times in history, women can finally be empowered and understand what’s going on within their bodies every month. Knowing where you are at in your cycle is important to better understand fertility, pregnancy, menstruation, your moods, productivity levels, physical changes, and so much more! Our bodies are truly incredible for what they’re capable of doing, it’s time we celebrate that a little more. Here’s to hoping that you feel more in control, wherever you’re at in your menstrual cycle.
But that doesn’t mean that we just move on. There is more to be done!
We understand that there is a lot of turmoil in the world at the moment. Some people are opening up their wallets to donate to causes they care about, and others are donating lightly used clothes. Some prefer to donate non-perishable foods or medical supplies.
Today, I’m here for those of you who have no idea where you’d like to donate. For the rest of the month, I’ve decided to donate a small amount to each of the following organizations. That’s because, during Women’s History Month, a lot of organizations are matching donations made in March. There is only a week left in the month, so we don’t expect everyone to have the funds available to donate right now. However, I encourage you to read through this email to find out how your small donation can get you a free bottle of Women’s Multivitamin Gummies!
The following are some of the charities I’ve researched that I think are worthy of a donation big or small. Keep in mind, if these are not your number one choices, you can donate to a cause close to you that helps girls and women in need. A great example of this would be our partner Vitamin Angels. We contribute to their cause every year because we believe that the work they do can support a child’s healthy start, and can help the avoir the cycle of poverty, poor health, and adverse well-being across generations.
I’ve split this up into 4 different categories so that you can look at what interests you most. Let’s get into it!
CAMFED is tackling poverty and inequality by supporting girls to go to school. This organizations helps those in Rural Sub-Saharan Africa, specifically Zimbabwe, Zambia, Ghana, Tanzania, and Malawi. They’ve supported over 3.3 million students to attend primary and secondary school. On top of that, they’ve supported over 5.7 million children in getting into an improved learning environment!
Their mission is to tell the stories of women who have transformed our nation! The National Women’s History Museum plans on doing that through a growing state-of-the-art online presence and a future physical museum to educate, inspire, empower, shape the future, and provide a complete view of American history.
With your support, the Student Leadership Network helps students gain access to resources and develop leadership skills that help prepare them for success in college and beyond. Your donation helps them provide students across the country with life-changing programs that empower them to create cycles of prosperity through education. Their main goal is educational equity.
The Kids4Kids (K4K) Committee works to support the Share & Care Signature Program Educate2Success (E2S). This program creates lasting and sustainable change in India by providing underprivileged children the tools and opportunities they need in order to get the education they deserve.
As if this woman hasn’t done enough for the world… then she goes and starts her own Foundation! Malala Fund’s Education Champion Network supports the work of educators and advocates and helps bolster girls’ secondary education around the world. We’re not worthy!
Are you looking to fight for Gender Justice and Equity? You’ve come to the right place. The National Women’s Law Center is here to help lead the fight to protect women and girls from sexual violence, defend health care for all, and secure equality in the workplace and in schools.
Girls Not Brides is a global network of more than 1,500 civil society organisations from over 100 countries committed to ending child marriage and ensuring girls can reach their full potential. This tradition still occurs in many countries, such as Niger, Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, and India. In fact, worldwide, as many as 650 million women alive today married before they turned 18*.
The Global Fund for Women is a non-profit organization that provides funding for women’s rights initiatives including economic justice, freedom from violence, and sexual rights and health. The organization was founded in 1987 and has since then been fighting for gender equality all around the world.
The Trans Women Of Color Collective, otherwise known as TWOCC, is a one of a kind organizing collective that develops and amplifies the leadership of trans women of color so that they can be the writers of their own narratives. TWOCC believes that the voices of those most impacted by structural oppression must be at the forefront of our movement. If you are not aware of the work they are doing, I highly encourage you to take a look!
UN Women is the UN organization delivering programs, policies and standards that uphold women’s human rights and ensure that every woman and girl lives up to her full potential. This includes income security, decent work, gender equality, basic education, and health care. You know… the BARE MINIMUM!
Though Planned Parenthood is well known, they can still use all the help they can get in their fight to protect women’s reproductive rights and provide affordable sexual health care. From STD and STI screenings and abortion services to breast cancer screening referrals, Planned Parenthood provides many significant services to those in need from children, teens, to adults and seniors.
The mission of Breast Cancer Alliance is to improve survival rates and quality of life for those impacted by breast cancer through better prevention, early detection, treatment and cure. To promote these goals, they invest in innovative research, breast surgery fellowships, education, dignified regional support and screening for the underserved.
Physicians for Reproductive Health organizes, mobilizes, and amplifies the voices of medical providers to advance sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice. Our programs combine education, advocacy, and strategic communications to ensure access to abortion care and equitable, comprehensive health care. We believe that this work is necessary for all people to live freely, with dignity, safety, and security.
The Women’s Prison Association (WPA) empowers women to redefine their lives in the face of injustice and incarceration. They forge pathways towardfreedom, safety, and independence after incarceration, which is extremely important for those who are trying to reintegrate into the real world again.
A donation to WINS ensures they can continue to support the programs supporting women and their families to exit out of poverty and achieve self-sufficiency. Fact:WINS was the only agency offering free goods for individuals and agencies during the COVID shutdown, including those setting up emergency quarantine beds for vulnerable populations.
Women Rising assists women and their families in achieving self-sufficiency to live safe, productive, and fulfilling lives, through social services, economic development, and advocacy services.
Conclusion
I want to thank you for taking the time to get this far into this blog post. I know the Pandemic has taken a lot of energy out of many of us, so reading a blog post about giving even more can be a little overwhelming.
As a thank you, I want to propose something different! If you donate (any amount) to any of the charities above, we’d love to hear about it! Please email us at support@nutrachamps.com. Send us a screenshot of your donation along with your shipping address and we will send you a free bottle of our Women’s Multivitamin Gummies.
This giveaway will last until mid-April, specifically April 15th, 2022. If you email up until this date, you will be sent a bottle of our new Women’s Multi Gummies. Men and Women are allowed, all we ask is that you make a donation to any organization that helps Women in any of the categories above: Education, Rights, Health, Social Services.
I have been living on YouTube since the pandemic hit.
With all this free time at home, I’ve found solace in YouTubers who have found ways to continue to entertain through what is likely the hardest time in their life. Imagine being stuck at home and still finding ways to entertain your subscribers?! It’s not an easy task, and for that, I give YouTubers big props!
I’ve had the time to cycle through many YouTubers and have realized I always came back to the same ones over and over again. Today, I’ll be sharing some of my favorite Healthy Living YouTubers with you. These YouTubers are not necessarily Personal Trainers, nor are they coaches, or Nutritionists or even working in the Health and Fitness field. I found these influencers based off of my needs: I wanted to get inspired by regular, everyday 9-5’ers who live a healthy lifestyle and who thrive off of balance.
Let’s jump right into it! Here are 5 of my favorite Healthy Living influencers on YouTube.
This 20-year-old Canadian influencer is more than just her workouts. She endorses healthy and balanced eating on her channel. Her channel features fitness, fashion, and lifestyle vlogs, but my favorite part has to be the food.
Because of her Chinese background, she is featured eating a lot of traditional meals, as well as placing a large emphasis on intuitive eating. She also features her family a lot in her videos and her parents and brother working out is what I live for!
She’s extremely motivational, talks about body acceptance, and you can tell she truly enjoys the things she does. I have noticed this mostly in her eating videos and her workout videos. If you want a mix of all of that, watch the video below, which is basically 24 minutes of her encouraging her viewers, giving you a reminder to exercise, eat, rest, and hydrate. And of course, to accept how your body will fluctuate, especially if it changed over the pandemic.
Who it’s for: This channel is great for those who have been stuck in diet culture for a long time or those who feel they aren’t worthy of treats or delicious foods. If you need an encouraging push, need workout ideas, want some fashion advice, or just want to have something playing in the background, her videos are super easy to watch. They’re great for the younger or more mature crowd!
Who it isn’t for: Because I have an addictive personality, I did notice that Linda works out pretty much daily. Her workouts are very intense, even when they include no weights. I do not believe you need to workout to that extent to be able to eat the foods you want and still achieve the body you desire.
If you have a history of body-image issues, she may not be the girl for you. If you feel you workout to burn all the food you eat and can’t actually enjoy your meals, you may want to give her intuitive eating videos a pass.
Keltie is a ball of energy. With a Bachelor of science and Marketing Major, this Keltie has it all. Not only does she have the brains, but she is also a former Canadian College athlete. Not only does she encourage a balanced lifestyle (which includes lots of sugar and alcohol), but she also backs up her talk wit hlots of scientific research.
Because she lived in Toronto for a period of time, I can relate to a lot of the restaurants and gyms she talks about, which is a nice addition, but she has also lived in Vancouver and Halifax.
I started following Keltie based off her Fitness Challenge videos, Testing Different Diets videos, and Trying Different Celebrity Workouts. Below is an example of her trying out Kylie Jenner’s diet and workout for a week.
Her tagline is: “Don’t forget to pet a dog”. It’s so random, but I never get sick of it!
Who it’s for: Anyone who needs a boost in energy or needs encouragement to get off the couch! This girl’s energy resonates off her and I have yet to meet someone who doesn’t like her personality, her awful puns, and her obsession with tequila. Ok, maybe it’s just me that finds the tequila obsession entertaining. I mean, she calls it her post-workout recovery!
Who it isn’t for: If you’re more of an introvert and don’t like the in-you-face style of video, you may want to skip her videos entirely. She’s pretty outspoken, speaks quickly, and gets down to the science of things, and I think that’s super entertaining and captivating, but I can understand how others may enjoy more of a sit-down video with less theatrics.
Still in her humble beginnings, Maddy is a 23-year-old YouTuber who lives in the UK. She is fairly new to YouTube with a smaller following, but I think influencers like this have a lot more to say than some who have millions of followers.
What I really love about people like Maddy is that they do their research and are able to call people and companies out on their BS. She has called out GymShark for not being inclusive enough, as well as many female fitness influencers who give their followers unrealistic expectations through their workouts and diets.
Although she doesn’t have many videos uploaded, I think this is the kind of athelete who practices what she preaches. I also envy YouTubers who don’t have a set schedule when it comes to uploading videos and simply enjoy uploading content for fun. If I wasn’t so camera shy, it’s definitely something I would have loved to pursue!
Who it’s for: Those who want to support a smaller YouTuber who has lots of potential! As a personal trainer myself, it’s a relief to hear this kind of content from someone else in the fitness industry. Many of the fitness influencers online ted to promise 6-pack abs in 15 minutes or tell you to eat a specific food to burn fat, but it’s just not that simple.
Who it isn’t for: If you’re looking for glam and in-your-face, you’ve come to the wrong place. Maddy is as humble and down to earth as they come. Most of her videos are a sit-down format, fairly short and easy to watch, but you need to sit down and actually listen to catch some of the information she’s throwing at you.
I need to preface with saying I’ve followed Stephanie Buttermore for years now. I actually stopped a few years ago because I didn’t like the direction her channel took. Of course, I realize that we all complex human beings. In my hiatus from watching her videos, I realized she went “all in” and that’s when I began to pick up her videos again and enjoy watching her content, but for completely different reasons.
Stephanie has her PhD in Biomedical Sciences and wrote her doctoral dissertation on the early detection screening markers & molecular mechanisms driving ovarian cancer!
She doesn’t back away from food, and actually encourages going all in, especially if you come from a place of yo-yo dieting or having to maintain a certain body due to social media or your job. I can certainly relate, because as a trainer, I often feel like I need to look a certain way in order for my clients to trust I know what I’m doing.
Who it’s for: Stephanie offers a lot more than just workouts and food videos. She has her own merch, tailored Training Programs, and she’s one of the only Healthy Lifestyle YouTubers I’ve seen completely evolve and show their journey through the ups and downs online. If you’re into science-based fitness and nutrition, you should definitely Subscribe.
Who it isn’t for: If you have trouble watching someone eat foods that may be triggering for you, stear clear. Other than her unique dietary needs, I didn’t have an issue watching her content. If you’re interested in the Body Building world, or the science of fitness, you may want to check out her boyfriend, Jeff Nipard’s channel.
She’s a more recent find, and I can’t get enough. Coming from a long bout of disordered eating, it’s taken a while to get out of the yoyo-dieting world and enter intuitive eating. This is where Erin comes in. She isn’t the one who got me thinking into it initially, but she is certainly one of the YouTubers I look up to when it comes to eating guilt-free and simply trying to find joy in learning to cook for myself. That means trying out new flavors, new recipes, and not letting my meals become monotonous and boring.
She’s fairly new on YouTube, and I can’t find much information about her other than her Instagram, but so far, the video titles are pulling me in: “BAKING MYSELF A CAKE BECAUSE I DESERVE IT”, “the desserts i eat EVERYDAY- low key healthy and game changing”, and “SWAPPING DIETS WITH MY DAD”.
She’s quite funny, has a great sense of style, and she makes vegan and vegetarian food look divine. For someone who’s YouTube career started in December 2019, I’m just upset I didn’t find her channel sooner, because it would have helped me pass the time during the pandemic.
Who it’s for: If you’re recovering from any kind of disordered eating, Erin is amazing to follow. She finds healthy ways to cook and bake so that she can enjoy the foods she loves. She doesn’t demonize gluten (or any food, to be honest), and some of her staple ingredients are sourdough bread, avocado, and homemade cookies and cakes. Watching her eat is also weirdly relaxing?! Give it a try and see for yourself.
Who it isn’t for: In typical millenial fashion (I don’t mean to stereotype), Erin does include some edits that are not everyone’s cup of tea, such as changing her voice (so that it’s higher or lower), lots of jump cuts, J/L cuts (when there’s a voice over in another scene), etc. This kind of thing doesn’t bug me, but I can see this being tough for some to follow. With all the editing, she still manages to make her videos pretty raw, in that you see her mess things up, and most of the time she will find a product around her house to replace the intended kitchen utensil (for example: she tries to use a razor to zest an orange!).
Conclusion
These 5 Healthy Living YouTubers practice what they preach! They all live very different lifestyles, but their main message is pretty clear: Eat an appetizing and exciting diet, make sure you move, and make time for the things and those who are most important in your life.
I enjoy following these YouTubers because they remind me that balance is the key to happiness. We may not always feel like it’s possible, but we can strive to find the little bits of beauty throughout the day.
Have you been watching any YouTube videos lately? If so, what kinds do you enjoy and why? I’d love to hear your thoughts on the 5 YouTubers I’ve chosen and if you’ve given their videos a watch!
This has been the toughest one for me. I tend to not listen to my body. I rest when I’m basically so burnt out that I need a week of stretching and sleep to bring myself back to life. This is definitely something that has helped put things into perspective for me.
independence after incarceration, which is extremely important for those who are trying to reintegrate into the real world again. 
overwhelming.