Tag: diabetes

diabetes, digestive disorders, metabolic syndrome, Miami holistic health coach, Miami psychologist, obesity, sugar cravings,

How to nourish your body and cut your cravings for sugar . . .

If you’re like many people this time of the year, you are anticipating the beginning of the fall and holiday season.  Whether you are a kid at heart  and look forward to celebrating Halloween or spending time with your friends and family for Thanksgiving, you can have fun, celebrate the love in your life and boost your immune system to avoid getting the flu or feeling run down by adopting simple guidelines in the foods that you choose to eat most of the time and HOW you eat.

Sugar in soda, lollipops, cakes, ice cream and other processed foods replace the calories and nutrients you could get from eating more nutrient-dense and mineral-rich real foods.   When you consume sugar, you deplete your body of essential vitamins and minerals.  As an example, your body needs 54 molecules of magnesium to be able to process every molecule of sugar you eat.  Sugar is such a problem that it is now recognized by most health experts, that sugar and not fat is the leading cause of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, metabolic syndrome, fatty liver disease and several digestive disorders. The sugar industry , in fact, has shifted the blame on fat for causing several health problems erroneously for decades.

Eating real, nutrient dense  foods is simple and the most effective way to nourish your body, avoid having cravings for sugar  and reverse numerous health problems like diabetes and heart disease. When investing in the foods that you prepare and eat at home most of the time (i.e., 80% of meals that you cook), strive to eat a variety of real, unprocessed, whole foods.

Real Whole Foods

  • Grass fed, pasture raised meats, poultry and wild caught seafood all are great sources of essential fatty acids and many of the minerals and fat soluble vitamins, like vitamins A, E, D and K2 that regenerate your cells, help you to build your brain,  stabilize your blood sugar levels and support your immune system.
  • Organic dark, green leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds and berries like kale, bok choy, mustard greens, collard greens, Brazil nuts,  pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, as well as tubers like potatoes and sweet potatoes, squash, pumpkin,  strawberries, raspberries and blue berries provide many nutrients like magnesium, potassium, selenium, fiber and folate that are essential for your body.
  • Cultured and fermented foods like sauerkraut, kim chi, apple cider vinegar,  miso, chutney and kefir are all great foods rich in beneficial bacteria and yeast that support and enhance your immune system, digestive health and help you to reduce your craving for sugar.

When you are invited or go out to celebrate and enjoy a holiday party, you’ll also want to use the following suggestions to help you slow down and enjoy your experience.  Before attending a celebration or going out, make sure that you are fully hydrated and fully nourished.  It’s inevitable that whether you’re attending your friend’s Halloween party or partaking in a holiday meal with family, there will be several opportunities to overindulge if you do not remember WHY you are celebrating and have not nourished your body with real, unprocessed, whole foods that provide your body with the nutrients that you need.

When you are present and enjoying the company of the people and festivities of the celebration, focus on the people who you love to spend time with, love and “make contact” with your experiences (i.e., get out of your mind so that you notice the sounds, colors, smells and tactile sensations as you greet, hug, dance and listen to music, talk to your friends and family using your 5 senses). If you choose to eat, allow yourself to relax and savor every bite that you ingest.  Notice the colors, shapes, aromas or smells of the food, notice the sounds and texture of each morsel as you chew your food mindfully.  Chew your food slowly to allow the salivary enzymes in your mouth to coat the food that you are eating and embody your eating experience so that you can observe and allow your body to signal when you are satiated (i.e, you want to chew each bite of food at least 20 times to enhance your digestion and have your stomach produce sufficient stomach acid).

While your cravings for sugar may be challenging, it may simply be an indication that you are wanting a deeper connection with people or fear of being judged.  Many times your challenges around food are your body’s innate wisdom speaking to you.  Perhaps, you need to venture out, socialize more frequently  and love yourself first.  By nourishing your body with nutrient rich foods and changing HOW you eat, your craving for sugar will diminish.

To your health and success,

Dr. Sandoval

To learn more about how working with a psychologist and holistic health coach can help you to enhance your health and well-being, call or email Dr. Sandoval to schedule a free consultation.

The information, published and/or made available through the www.drjosesandoval.com website, is not intended to replace the services of a physician, nor does it constitute a physician-patient relationship. This blog is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. You should not use the information in this post for diagnosing or treating a medical or health condition. You should consult a physician in all matters relating to your health, particularly in respect to any symptoms that may require diagnosis or medical attention.  Any action on the reader’s part in response to the information provided in this blog is at the reader’s discretion.

sensible sun exposure, depression, autoimmune condition, diabetes, vitamin D3, food cravings, Miami psychologist, Miami holistic health coach,

Are you spending enough time outdoors?

With the spring season officially having started, our days are now longer and we naturally seek to spend more time outdoors.  Modern conveniences (e.g., cars, planes, buildings), work and multiple commitments that demand our attention, however, frequently limit our ability to be outside to enjoy the sun’s radiance and warmth.  In the past, our ancestors evolved in an environment vastly different from today’s world.  Before the advent of agriculture, clothing and buildings, we spent the majority of our time outdoors fully exposed to the sun.

An important strategy to optimize your health then is to balance the added conveniences of our modern technologies and embrace our ancestral heritage by spending more time outdoors.  Our bodies function at their best when our serum vitamin D levels are in an optimal range.  This is particularly important considering that more than 70% of Americans are vitamin D deficient.

Vitamin D3 is really a prohormone that regulates the expression of over 2,000 genes in your body.  Having insufficient  levels of vitamin D increases your risk for several autoimmune conditions, diabetes, heart disease, various forms of cancer and depression1.  Some studies have also linked prenatal vitamin D3 levels to schizophrenia.

Above and beyond the production of vitamin D3, the sun’s ultraviolet rays help to reset your body’s circadian rhythm.   Your circadian rhythm regulates your sleep/wake cycle, appetite, satiety, concentration, attention and even influences your cravings for certain foods.2    Moreover, sunlight helps  you to reduce body fat, improves your evening alertness, has pain reducing properties, promotes metabolic energy and may extend your life span. The ultra-violet radiation from the sun will additionally reduce your likelihood of experiencing an autoimmune disease and life threatening cancer.

Regular sun exposure also helps your skin to produce sulfur: cholesterol sulfate, and vitamin D3 sulfate.  Sulfur is a molecule that has an important role in the structure and biological activity of many proteins and enzymes, including your body’s detoxification pathways.  Sulfur deficiency is associated with obesity, heart disease, and autism.4  In addition, sunlight increases nitric oxide production, which has several health benefits for your body and brain.

Sensible sun exposure is a simple practice that can enhance your vitamin D3 levels and reduce your risk of many health conditions. Spending 30-60 minutes outdoors with your arms or legs exposed and without sunscreen can help you to raise your vitamin D3 levels,  sulfate levels and optimize your health.

To your health and success,

Dr. Sandoval

To learn more about how working with a psychologist and holistic health coach can help you to enhance your health and well-being, call or email Dr. Sandoval to schedule a free consultation.

  1. Holick, M.F. (2011). The Vitamin D Solution: A3-Step Strategy to Cure Our Most Common Health Problems
  2. Wiley, TS. & Formby, B. ( 2001). Lights Out: Sleep, Sugar, and Survival.
  3. M. Nathaniel Mead (2008). “Benefits of Sunlight: A Bright Spot for Human Health” Environmental Health Perspectives, (2008) ;
    116(4): A160–A167. doi: 10.1289/ehp.116-a160.
  4. Seneff, S.,  Davidson, R. & Mascitelli, L.  “Might cholesterol sulfate deficiency contribute to the development of autistic spectrum disorder?” Medical Hypotheses, (2012), 8, 213-217.

The information, published and/or made available through the www.drjosesandoval.com website, is not intended to replace the services of a physician, nor does it constitute a physician-patient relationship. This blog is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. You should not use the information in this post for diagnosing or treating a medical or health condition. You should consult a physician in all matters relating to your health, particularly in respect to any symptoms that may require diagnosis or medical attention.  Any action on the reader’s part in response to the information provided in this blog is at the reader’s discretion.

diabetes, heart disease, Miami holistic health coach, Miami psychologist, New Year's resolutions, obesity, sugar cravings, weight loss,

How to reset your body by eating real, whole foods . .

If you’re like many people during the holidays and starting a new year, you’ve indulged in your share of sweets and have set resolutions for 2017 that include having a healthier lifestyle.  Some of you may even be trying special diets or looking for that one “magic potion” in a bottle to help you cleanse and detox from all the sugar you ate.  While the claims from supplements may sound appealing and work short term, they do not provide you a long term solution.  In order to reset your body,  you simply have to eat real, whole foods that nourish your body’s cells.

Sugar in soda, cakes, ice cream and other processed foods replaces the calories and nutrients you could get from eating more nutrient-dense and mineral-rich real foods, such as bone broths and grass-fed liver.

When you consume sugar, you deplete your body of essential vitamins and minerals.  As an example, your body needs 54 molecules of magnesium to be able to process every molecule of sugar you eat.  Sugar is such a problem that it is now recognized by most health experts, that sugar and not fat is the leading cause of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and numerous other health problems.

While your cravings for sugar may be challenging to overcome,  eating real, nutrient dense  foods is simple and the most effective way to lose weight and reverse numerous health problems like diabetes and heart disease.  In order to help you, follow my guidelines below when buying and preparing the foods that you eat on a regular basis.

Real Whole Foods

  • Grass fed and pasture raised meats, organ meats, and wild caught sea food all are great sources of essential fatty acids and many of the minerals and fat soluble vitamins, like vitamins A, E, D and K that regenerate your cells, help you to build your brain,  stabilize your blood sugar levels and support your immune system.
  • Dark, green leafy vegetables, nuts and berries like kale, bok choy, collard greens, Brazil nuts,  strawberries, raspberries and blue berries provide many nutrients like magnesium, selenium and folate that are essential for your body.
  • Cultured and fermented foods like sauerkraut, kim chi, miso, chutney and kefir are all great foods rich in beneficial bacteria and yeast that support and enhance your immune system, digestive health and help you to reduce your craving for sugar.

To your health,

Dr. Sandoval

To learn more about how working with a psychologist and holistic health coach can help you to enhance your health and well-being, call or email Dr. Sandoval to schedule a free consultation.

The information, published and/or made available through the www.drjosesandoval.com website, is not intended to replace the services of a physician, nor does it constitute a physician-patient relationship. This blog is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. You should not use the information in this post for diagnosing or treating a medical or health condition. You should consult a physician in all matters relating to your health, particularly in respect to any symptoms that may require diagnosis or medical attention.  Any action on the reader’s part in response to the information provided in this blog is at the reader’s discretion.