Plant-Based Nutrition Tips by Deidre Bloomquist
by Deidre Bloomquist
Functional Nutritional Therapy
Precision Nutrition Coach
Crossfit Trainer
Brief Introduction/Tell Us About yourself:
I'm Deidre Bloomquist and I'm a Functional Nutrition based out of Denver, CO. I have a degree in journalism and I'm a Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner through the NTA. I'm also a Precision Nutrition L1 Coach and Institute for Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, in addition to a Certified CrossFit Trainer (Level 3). I'm a Colorado native and work with clients to build sustainable solutions to resolve their health concerns.
How did you become passionate about healthy eating?
I coached CrossFit and was a personal trainer for 6 years and saw a gap between athletes working hard in the gym, but not worrying about the other 23 hours of their day and the food they were putting in their body. I've seen people struggle with their health, weight, and happiness for years and I've seen how nutrition can make an impact quickly when we get to the root cause.
If you could persuade people to change three things about their diet during these challenging times, what would they be?
First, drink plenty of water in combination with an electrolyte source. Water is the most common nutritional deficiency in the world, and many of us are not drinking enough water. We need to consume around half of our body weight in ounces of water daily. For instance, I weigh 140 pounds and therefore need to consume 70 ounces of water daily. In addition to water, we need electrolytes to utilize and absorb water properly. The simple electrolyte source is lemon juice added to your water.
Second, limit sugar intake when possible. Sugar in inflammatory and causes the majority of our health issues as humans. Sugar also weakens the immune system. Now more than ever, it's important to limit sugar intake and learn about hidden sugars in your food products.
Third, consume plenty of vegetables in as wide a variety as possible. Vegetables not only serve to provide us with vitamins and nutrients, but contain fiber and prebiotics to promote healthy gut function and proper digestion.
Most of the world is practicing social distancing and working from home, how important is it to hydrate while doing so?
This is one of the best things you can do for your health. Proper hydration plays a role in every cell in our body. Water aids in the transportation of nutrients, cushions our bones and joints, regulates blood pressure, aids in waste and toxin removal, and helps the body heal naturally.
What are 3 at-home x kitchen must haves for people practicing social distancing?
Quality cookware such as ceramic, steel or cast iron.
Glass food storage containers.
Wooden or metal utensils.
Most other options, such as teflon and plastic, leech into our food and cause health issues, such as endocrine and hormone dysfunction.
What are 5 ‘must stock’ foods each of our readers should stock up on from the grocery store during social distancing?
Frozen vegetables
Fresh meat
Gluten-free pasta or rice
Coconut or avocado oil
Eggs
What are some ways to boost your immunity amid the coronavirus outbreak?
Avoid foods that cause inflammation in the body, which for more people includes vegetables oils, dairy, and gluten. As a general rule of thumb, if it hurts your stomach, it's causing inflammation. Vitamin D plays a vital role in our immune health. We typically get vitamin D through sun exposure, but during the winter months our vitamin D levels decrease. Taking a quality vitamin D supplement can help boost immunity to normal levels.
Any at-home detox recipes or secrets?
Our liver is one of our natural detox organs. You can give your liver added support with herbs, such as dandelion root and burdock root, which you can find in many herbal teas.
What is your favorite quarantine snack?
Right now it's Lesser Evil egg white curls.
What’s one simple plant-based dish our readers can recreate at home, less than 30 minutes and eat multiple times throughout the week?
I'm a fan of this dish from Simple Vegan: Zucchini Noodles with Avocado Sauce
Plant based living is becoming more and more popular. When eating a mostly plant based / vegetarian diet, are there certain foods to focus on to make sure we’re getting enough nutrients and protein?
Yes, focus on protein-dense plant sources such as beans, lentils, nutritional yeast, and whole grains foods.
Do you have any plant-based nutrition tips to fight coronavirus?
Choose a wide variety of colors when it comes to your fruit and vegetables. For example red apples and bell peppers, orange sweet potatoes, yellow bananas and peppers, green spinach and broccoli, and purple cabbage. These provide a variety of phytonutrients and antioxidants to support your overall health.
Speaking of plant based, what are some of the benefits of drinking chlorophyll water / benefits of liquid chlorophyll?
Chlorophyll helps promote oxygen delivery to cells in a similar way as hemoglobin (red blood cells). This means more energy and more capacity to function at optimal levels. It also plays an important role in detoxification of toxins and waste in the body.
What’s one of your favorite organic/natural supplements or vitamins you recommended?
Kick Ass Immune is one of my favorite that I use regularly from Wish Garden.
What are three things you are most grateful for during these uncertain times?
I'm grateful that health has been a focus of mine for years. I feel it's helped relieve much of the stress around these times. When I got involved in fitness and nutrition, health was my main concern. I'm glad that has come full circle. I'm grateful to have the technology to connect with clients, friends and family virtually. Lastly, I'm grateful to be home safely.
During these uncertain times how do you stay positive? What’s your secret?
I often remind myself that I can only control so much, and now is one of those times where I am reminded that controlling what I can and not worrying about the rest is one of the best ways to stay positive. I also practice stress-management techniques like EFT tapping, exercise, play, and getting plenty of sleep.
Any self-care, self-care or self-development tips for our readers?
Remember it's okay to pivot your focus right now to do what's best for you. Many of us had plans prior to the recent social changes, and we are learning a new normal. Find a stress-relief that works for you. For some of us it's meditation or exercise, while for others it might be unplugging for an hour. Listen to your body. There's no right or wrong way to relieve stress.
Any favorite health / nutrition podcasts or books you recommend to our readers?
Why We Sleep by Mathew Walker
Food Fix by Mark Hyman
Where can our readers find you? (Instagram, Facebook, etc)
www.instagram.com/alwaysgrowing_nutrition (@alwaysgrowing_nutrition)
www.facebook.com/alwaysgrowingnutrition
Anything else you want to add? Any other health, wellness or nutrition tips?
Stress is bi-directional. This means that mental and emotional stress can create symptoms in our physical body. One of the best things you can do right now is reduce stress levels and find some relief. Even deep breathing techniques effect our central nervous system and bring us back to a parasympathetic (non-stressed) state.
