EP138 Making it Real: Meal Planning As The Main Ingredient To Healthy Hormones & Gut Health

Are you tired of hearing the phrase:

“You're just hormonal?”

We are too.

That’s why this week on Making it Real we’re having an open conversation on a trending topic in the health industry - women's health issues.

Helping us normalize discussions around women’s health is Meal Garden user and certified holistic nutritional consultant, Sheri Porter who mainly practices within the niche of women’s health and hormones.

Join the conversation as we explore Sheri’s take on healthy hormones, gut health, and how meal planning can be the start of building a healthy foundation.

Why is women’s health and hormones such a trending topic in the wellness space right now?

There’s a collective revolution within women’s health and we’re starting to see people normalize the conversation around women’s health issues.

It’s easier now to start talking about periods, hormone imbalances, infertility, hair loss, hot flashes, and all the things in perimenopause that women deal with.

“I don’t think we’re in a position where we’re feeling we should be quiet about it anymore. Women are tired of being told that they’re fine when they are just not feeling fine and are no longer willing to accept the phrase; you're just hormonal.”

- Sheri

Speaking up about our periods and hormones is an essential part of reclaiming our health and I think that’s what is driving so many women now to start focusing on this.

As we all become more educated, do you find that this is more helpful in onboarding clients because they know a little bit and are willing to dig a little bit deeper, or can it be confusing for you (as a practitioner) because prospective clients claim to know more than perhaps they actually do?

Our hormonal system is so unbelievably complex and it can be confusing when we hear different things on the news and as a result, aren’t sure what approach to take.

So many women are welcoming the wealth of information that nutritionists can provide for them.

This is exactly the type of education and information provided in her signature 12-week Women’s Health Program centered around gut health and digestion.

Being a Meal Garden user yourself, why would meal planning be really invaluable to the topic of gut health and digestion?

Our digestive health is the foundation of healthy hormones and our health in general.

“Just like you can’t build a house without a strong foundation, you can’t really have healthy hormones without a strong foundation in place and the foods that we eat are the start of that.”

- Sheri

Meal garden allows Sheri to produce plans that teach her clients what to eat and how to eat, which is incredibly invaluable for their long-term success.

For example, the platform provides the necessary tools to help her clients balance hormones and feel good again.

Intuitively, we all know that we need to get more veggies, and whole natural foods in our diets while removing things like sugar and highly processed food.  Meal planning on Meal Garden can:

• Make it simple for you
• Give you a balanced meal of amazing nutrients that you need to help nourish your body
• Provide your hormones with the essential nutrients that they need
• Balance your blood sugar
• Save time regardless if they are planning for themselves or their entire family

“It’s not enough to tell people here’s a list of foods you shouldn't eat and here’s a list of foods you should eat. If it were that simple, we wouldn't see the health issues that we see today.”

- Sheri

Other than using Meal Garden, do you have any other time-saving hacks?

For social media strategies, being able to schedule and automate the process allows you to plan weeks or months ahead while focusing on other areas of your business.

Think about:

1. What will help drive me and my business forward?
2. What will provide the most positive impact on my clients?
3. How can I automate the process with intention?

Is there anything that you used to do that took up a lot of time that you just wish you wouldn't have or look back on like “wow that was a huge waste of time?”

Refocusing and re-prioritizing within my own business and Facebook group, The Women’s Health Hub, where I pick a topic based on feedback and go live every week for Wellness Wednesdays.

Planning what I am going to talk about and making sure all social media strategies are driven from that one topic has helped me provide structure around the content that I want to get out vs. randomly posting.

Social media can really take you down into a deep hole sometimes and you really have to bring yourself back up.

It’s not about the number of followers you have, It's about the quality of individuals that you're working with, and that you're nurturing those people.

- Sheri

Keep in mind: Gut health is the foundation of health.

Can you share an interesting client story as it relates to gut health and seeing these transformations in the women that you work with?

When talking about current health issues, a lot of women tend to ask:

Is looking at gut health necessary?  

A lot of the time we’re so focused on fixing that one issue, where Sheri is about fixing the root cause so that that issue doesn't keep coming up for you.

Focusing on digestive health can help many other aspects of your life and watching clients go through that transformation is amazing.

Often they didn't realize all of the other things they were holding on to until they were able to let go of it and building from that foundation up has been able to transform how they’ve been able to heal themselves.

Friendly Reminder:

When we are not digesting our food right or when we feel bogged down it's hard to be our best productive selves, and that means personally, professionally, in relationships and at work.

What's inspiring you in helping you grow today?

The North American wide Networking group, The Happy Healthy Women has wonderful support within it where you can join monthly calls or “Coffee Chats” to meet and network with other women.

Another great resource for support and meeting other individuals on similar paths is the Women’s Holistic Business Academy who inspires me to show up and be a better version of myself.

Connecting with Sheri:

For those who want to learn more about Sheri or her 12-week Women’s Health Program, you can visit her website or connect via Instagram, Facebook, and her Facebook Group, the Women’s Health Hub,  which is a group of like-minded women who are looking to be inspired and educated on ways to help them balance their hormones. Sheri also goes live in the group every week for ‘Wellness Wednesdays’ where educates on a  specific topic.

Inviting your feedback:

What value did you get out of this podcast episode? What could we have done differently to make it a more successful listening experience for you? What questions do you wish were asked or elaborated on further? Let us know! Email the host directly: kiki.athanas@mealgarden.com

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