What the heck are microbiomes?

Is it one of those crazy health fads that everyone will talk about for a while and then will go away? Or is it actually important for you to know?

This week, we are pulling excerpts from our free downloadable e-book 'Gut Matters' that is available now and you can get your own copy. I am Minna from the Foolish Couple. We believe that healthy relationships start with health and our goal at Foco Academy is to help people achieve true health and healthy relationships by nutrition, exercises, mindset and lifestyle.

Yesterday we talked a little bit about what exactly is your GUT and we also talked about the connection between your gut and your brain. If you missed the episode, here's the link to access it. We feel that it is important for you to understand your gut because, as Hippocrates said way back in 370BC,

“All disease begins in the gut”

And that statement is even more true today then back then because, other than certain...

The Gut-brain connection

How well do you know your gut? We sometimes talk about having gut feelings, or that our gut is not feeling well. But do you really know where your gut is and what it does? What are the different parts of your gut and how do you keep your gut healthy? 

This week, we are going to pull excerpts from our free downloadable e-book that is available on our website, www.TheFoolishCouple.com.

We are the Foolish Couple, Andy and Minna. We believe that healthy relationships start with health and our goal is to help people achieve true health and healthy relationships by nutrition, exercises, mindset and lifestyle. 

Your gut, which is also known as your gastrointestinal track (GI track), is a magnificent processor with a genetic intelligence that is encoded in every one of your microbes. (Excerpt, Gut Matters, Chapter 1).

Your gut, in addition to promoting normal gastrointestinal functions, also provides protection from infection,...

Welcome to Foolish Insights. We are the Foolish Couple, Andy and Minna, nutrition coaches and success mentors. We created the FoCo Academy to guide and mentor people to achieve true health and healthy relationships through nutrition, exercise, mindset and lifestyle changes. 

So far this week we have been talking about a few myths on health. We’ve talked about how a 60 year old actually has the same capacity to build muscle mass as a 30 year old, but only if they have the same levels of nutrition and they do muscle building exercises. 

We also confirmed the fact that you really don’t need to eat everyday, 3 meals a day. Both of us has done extended fast for 5 days and not only did we survive, our bodies actually came out thriving as a new fat-burning machine. Yesterday we explained how saturated fat is not bad for you but is actually essential for your good health, but highly processed foods are the real culprits behind a lot of...

Welcome to Foolish Insights. We are the Foolish Couple, Andy and Minna, nutrition coaches and success mentors. We created the FoCo Academy to guide and mentor people to achieve true health and healthy relationships through nutrition, exercise, mindset and lifestyle changes. 

This week we are going to talk about a few health myths. So far we’ve talked about how a 60 year old actually has the same capacity to build muscle mass as a 30 year old, if they have the same levels of nutrition. Yesterday, we confirmed the fact that you really don’t need to eat everyday, 3 meals a day. Both of us has done extended fast for 5 days and not only did we survive, our bodies actually came out thriving as a new fat-burning machine. 

Today, let’s talk about the history of low fat diet.

The pivotal moment is really when Eisenhower had a heart attack in 1955, and he was out of the office for 10 days. The stock market plummeted on that...

Welcome to Foolish Insights. We are the Foolish Couple, Andrew and Minna, nutrition coaches and success mentors. We created FoCo Academy to guide and mentor people to achieve true health and healthy relationships through nutrition, exercise, mindset and lifestyle changes.

This week we are going to talk about a few health myths. Yesterday we talked about how the correlation between age and muscle tone is not really all that obvious. Even when you are in your 60’s, you actually still have the same capacity to build lean muscle mass as someone half your age, provided that you have the right level of nutrition and doing the right exercises.

Today, we’ll talk about another myth that probably 99% of you believe to be true; something that was taught to us by our parents growing up.

That myth is that we have to eat 3 meals a day, everyday.

Both Minna and I did a 5-day water fast last month, and we’ve felt stronger...

Welcome to Foolish Insights. We are the Foolish Couple, Andrew and Minna, nutrition coaches and success mentors. We created FoCo Academy to guide and mentor people to achieve true health and healthy relationships through nutrition, exercise, mindset and lifestyle changes.

This time we are going to talk about some health myths.

Many years ago, when I was still in college, I spent one Summer in the hospital, not because I was sick, but because my grandfather was in the late stages of Alzheimer’s and since it was Summer holidays, I visited him everyday, fed him dinner, and talked to him. But every day as I walked into his hospital room, I would have to reintroduce myself to him again. Because he did not recognize who I was. So everyday, he treated me like a total stranger who was nice enough to go and spend some time with him. 

During that time I was under the impression that is what happens when people get old. And...

Hi, It’s Andrew from the Foolish Couple. 

We createdFoCo Academyto guideandmentor people to achieve true health and healthyrelationships through nutrition, exercise, mindset and lifestyle changes.

Today I want to talk about my personal experience with my 5 day Water fast.

It is easy coaching others to do something, but unlike some other coaches, we practice what we teach and give you our real life results and experiences!

Last week after we published our water fasting blog series, I had several friends and clients who swore that water fasting over 5 days is impossible and that I will not survive the first day on water only, let alone 5 days.

Some of the concerns that they brought up are:

• You will not have energy to do anything and would be a couch potato
• You will pass out
• You will have indigestion
• You will lose muscle tone
• You will have brain fog
• You will have headaches
• You will be irritable
• You will have no bowel movements

I...

Welcome to Foolish Insights. We are the Foolish Couple, Andrew and Minna, nutrition coaches and success mentors. We created FoCo Academy to guide and mentor people to achieve true health and healthy relationships through nutrition, exercise, mindset and lifestyle changes.

Today I want to talk about Metrics.

As a nutrition Coach, or any type of coach, one of the first things that we learned is to keep track of our metrics. And I am astonished by how many people don’t keep track of their metrics.

What do I mean by metrics?

Health-wise, that would mean anything relating to your health that you can measure. Most of you probably see you doctor once every year for a checkup. During the checkup, your doctor will usually go through basic questions, measure your weight, take your blood pressure and listen to your heart and your lungs and perhaps request a blood checkup for your vitals. Your weight, blood pressure, and your blood-work are all considered...

Welcome to Foolish Insights. We are the Foolish Couple, Andrew and Minna, nutrition coaches and success mentors. We created FoCo Academy to guide and mentor people to achieve true health and healthy relationships through nutrition, exercise, mindset and lifestyle changes.

We’ve been talking about water fasting and overall, we feel that it was a success and we will definitely do it again.

If you have never fasted before and you want to give it a try, take it in small steps.

Try to fast for half a day first, then a day, work your way up until you know you can do it. Don’t rely on sheer willpower because your willpower is not enough to keep you on the fast. (Tweet this)

And if you have a medical condition, or if you have any concerns about the potential risks of water fast, definitely check with your medical professionals to help you decide what’s best for you.

Water fast isn’t the only type of...

Welcome to Foolish Insights. We are the Foolish Couple, Andrew and Minna, nutrition coaches and success mentors. We created FoCo Academy to guide and mentor people to achieve true health and healthy relationships through nutrition, exercise, mindset and lifestyle changes.

We’ve been talking about our experience with water fasting, so this time, we’ll tell you how we prepared for the fast and how to make things a little more tolerable.

Approximately 6 weeks before we water fast, we started to change our diet. We cut all types of rice out of our diets. No white rice, brown rice, red rice, black rice. We also cut pasta, pastries, breads, and finally we tapered off on our desserts.

The more carbs you eat before you fast, the harder your cravings will be. So it is always a good idea to start to eat clean at least a month before you water fast.

And, of course, make sure you clean up your pantry and your fridge. Anything that is bad...