5. Community Q&A | with Kristel and Michael

Hi, I'm Crystal. And I'm Michael, and we're the founders of Super Plans. If you're ready to improve your health and live a life you love, hit subscribe and let's get started. Welcome to the Super Health podcast. Welcome to the Super health podcast. Today we have. Crystal and Michael. The founders of Super Plans. It's us. We have something very exciting actually, because I asked in our Facebook group, the Super Plans community, some questions that I want to.

Ask Us will be a huge Q&A answering all your questions. Episode huge. It's going to be huge and it's going to be only 15 to 20 minutes because these episodes are quick, so hopefully you can listen to them on the way to work or somewhere in between. Anytime you want to listen to that exactly so where let's just dive in there. Also, by the way, if you're not part of this space, regroup,

make sure you join. But the first question is from Jessica. What foods, supplements, powders can help strengthen hair and nails?

Though something I really like to use is actually our beauty berries powder. And I would also say something like something, and why I actually say beauty Berry powder is, uh, collagen, right? In collagen production in your own body actually get stimulated by vitamin C In our beauty berries, there's a full serving of vitamin C in there from especially the Oscarola berries, right?

And natural source. So your body can really absorb it. By the way, our multivitamin can also definitely help with this as well. So those are probably the two key products that I would really recommend for any of that. Why are you a big fan of plant collagen? Plant. So collagen that we know that's on the market, like collagen comes from fish bones or bones from cows basically. Waste material. It's a waste material that has

been remarketed. And I don't know, I just feel like I just don't see why humans would need to consume bones from animals. So I like to rather go to the other side of like, what can we take, right? Like what plants can we use to stimulate the collagen and preserve and protect the collagen that we have in our body? And with everything in the supplement space, our opinion is why are we not helping the body

producing this by itself? Because your body is producing collagen, nosee, and you can actually increase your collagen production with. Certain nutrients. And certain nutrients and that's also with some of the other our we want to go to plants, we don't want to have anything artificial or anything made in lapse. I could talk about this for a very long time and let's say let's go to the next one next. Question, when using powders and

the green powders or Berry powders and smoothies, is it OK to add fruits and veggies or would it be overdoing it? That's a great question around. Great question, Mary. If you're using already superfoods in general or even our products or others, is it OK to actually also still eat fruits and vegetables? Or can you overdo fruits and vegetables? It's a great question you want me to answer. Yes, I want to go for it. Yes, Mary, definitely add the fruit and veggies we actually

like. The superfoods are a great add on and are obviously super potent, right? Like 1 teaspoon of beauty Berry powder is actually a handful of berries. But in general, think about it this way, 9 out of 10 people don't eat enough fruit and vegetables every single day. And then we're talking about the

minimum required amount. We actually want a little bit overload our systems with fruit and vegetables because they're not as nutrient rich as they used to be anymore and we're just really not eating enough of them. And The funny thing is, if our body is getting all the nutrients it needs and if I talk about the micronutrients, it will tell us that it's enough. So I personally also love adding the beauty Berry powder and the greens powder to a small.

I think it's fantastic. The more veg is the better. The more the better. The more the better your party will get rid of them with excess fiber or anything you don't need and we'll get rid of it definitely that's. Definitely the case for you. It's rid of it fast, but the more the better. Don't be afraid to add more fruits and vegetables. We're also a big proponent of bananas and all the good fruits and vegetables. All the fruits and veggies, it's just so important.

So we definitely just eat and like, and I think that's such a cool thing, right? Like instead of focusing what you shouldn't be eating, focus on what you should be eating more of. Because it's not about eating less, it's about eating more of the right foods. And that is fruit and vegetables. Umm, Pamela is asking will there be another cookbook? So we have a cookbook that is called Your Super Life. You can get it on Amazon or any of the other platforms for books. Michael's yawning.

Are you doing OK? There was not an entire yawn.

It was just I need some oxygen yawn. OK. I feel like Michael. I need some food. It's lunch time, everyone, for Michael. From the out of the bus. Yeah, maybe the camera's not on, but I'll tell everyone what's happening here. Basically, not a cookbook. We are thinking about, obviously recipes on our block. We share recipes also on our YouTube channel, Super Plans TV. But we are thinking about creating a little bit of like a superfood cookbook again for you look at me with like big

question marks. But we talked about this by end of the year, we actually wanted to have something printed again. We are going to have also actually a printed detox guide, right? We have the detox level 1 course and that's going to be printed. So we're definitely working on some printed recipe guides. I don't know if it's going to be a real book or more of like, you know, like slightly easier and smaller to use in the kitchen, but we definitely want to get more recipes to you. OK.

A couple other things here, questions. Let's general also we'll generalize a little more so. I like. It like this, but somebody who's doesn't know us can also take something out of this. OK. So one of the questions, Catherine, is what activities do you do in order to keep yourself in shape? Yoga, Pilates, walk.

I have problems with my belly to keep it flat. Also, another question, we'll get back to the end, but that is a question from Christine. Hi Cath. So one of the things I think we're big on is because of one other customer conversation today about this too is and that I know you're talking about all the time is weight loss doesn't mean healthy at all times. So you're looking at me, you want to jump in here? No.

So when we talk about being in shape, obviously we're being active, we're doing all the things, but we're really doing using our food and what we're eating to kind of have a balanced weight and have a perfect weight for us. And so right, we, we don't want to have that creation of you've got to fast or you've got to not eat in order to get rid of some very fat and therefore you look better. I just want to throw it out there. Healthy eating is not doesn't equal being skinny all the time.

No, skinny is not the goal. The goal is to be healthy. Sometimes the most skinny people can actually be also extremely unhealthy and they might actually be lacking a lot of nutrients. But I think I, you know, like if you really talk about being in shape, I think it has right, being healthy. It has so many different facets to it. We or I personally do, I would say a walk, I do Pilatus. Those are like really the two

key things. And if I say Pilatus, I'm just doing like 20 minute met Pilatus. I might occasionally do maybe a run or something, but I that's it's really the for me the last three years has been very much Pilatus and walking. I think having and the, you know, what you eat makes a big difference. And if you also talk about flat belly, it's not just umm, always fat. It's sometimes also just being

bloated and being inflamed. So also actually thinking about that like of what you're eating and reducing the inflammation in your body. I think it's really powerful to kind of help you get started with that. That's saying it is inflammation and you're like, OK, I just don't feel good in my own body because I have this too where I'm like, oh, I'm bloated. I just don't feel like Michael knows that I'll tell and I just don't feel good in my body, but I do. It's just like detox is 5.

Days. Just like it just helps you. I mean, the main thing it will do is actually reduce the inflammation and get rid of this like water weight, which you hold with inflammation and then you feel good in your own body again. And then suddenly this kind of everything flows from there. And then it's easier to go for that walk. It's easier to go to a Pilatus or yoga class. So I think that's a big piece

for me diet wise, right? Like I eat plant based, a whole food based diet, like whole food plant based diet, which I do feel is key. And with that diet you can also eat a ton of things and stay in really good shape. So that is definitely key pillars. One other thing on the on that point and what we realized the last 12 months, I think eating more raw also has tremendously helped us. Energy especially. Energy but also I I feel personally I have less belly fat

with eating a more raw diet. Yeah, I I don't think Katherine and Michael should be compared. I'm. Comparing myself. No, I know. But I think it's the the piece which is very interesting, right? Because I think like even male and female is just very different. And I think also for females, like the hormones is such a big piece as well because sometimes you can eat all the right things, but if your hormones are completely out of whack, it's

also really hard. So, you know, like I think as especially as women go more towards menopause as well, I think there are sometimes it is the different things and we have somebody really tune into our bodies and sometimes, you know, experiment and try different things. But those are all things we have to look into. So I hope that helps a little bit. That was a big answer for. Yeah, well, it's a big question. Well, Jessica's asking. Any clever tips?

Tricks to beat a sweet tooth savory tooth when trying to eat healthy we're getting this a lot over the last 10 years yeah, I. Mean those are actually really a big question is like cravings,

right? Where it's sweet or savory. I think like it's cravings. This is such a big question too I think #1 is I? Have a couple of quick tips and tricks and then you go deeper is yes, there are obviously recipes that can to help you with your sweet tooth and savoury tooth. And we're always saying you can actually make things that are really great tasting and sweet that are much healthier than

alternatives. For example, you can make bliss balls, you can make chocolate covered bliss balls, right? But if you're making yourself, you have the right recipes. And smoothies or fruits. And fruits, you can do savory stuff, savory oatmeal we like or something You can you can do a lot of savory stuff too. Or we had. Roasted nuts. Hummuses we made ourselves, so there are obviously we and you can even do traditional stuff.

That's what I was trying to say. And traditional things like chocolate or something, but you can do it yourself in a different way, but much healthier. Yeah, that's 100%. True, right and therefore and therefore can get in that cravings or I like I like a banana with with almond butter or something, right. Those are all great snacks. Great snacks and stuff so you can do stuff that is just healthier and then obviously you wanted to go deeper on why you have cravings and.

Exactly where is the craving coming from? And that is such an interesting question. It can be as simple as you're thirsty, right? Because very often when we think we're actually craving something. Actually thirsty. Could also be, is there a certain emotion happening? I know when I'm tired or when I'm stressed, I definitely start to crave things, but I'm not really craving things. I'm just like kind of craving this like dopamine here to get this little bit of extra energy, right?

If I have like a really rough night with Lily, I'm like feel hungry all the time and craving all these things, but I'm not really hungry, right. So I think those are really interesting things to kind of like like we have to so easy, right, to open the fridge just to start looking for food instead of just like pause for a second and just sit with what

you're feeling. And it's not easy to do, but if you can start, you know, taking yourself out of those moments and, you know, find a different way of making yourself feel good. Maybe it's first drinking dry glass of water. Maybe there's going for, you know, a 10 minute walk outside or putting your feet, putting your feet in the grass or something. Everything. Everything grounding.

So I think there's like small smuggling or maybe you know, like it's like stretching or you know, like fine, maybe it's giving someone a call and see if the craving goes away. And if you don't like, no, actually I'm like, I'm hungry, then make the snack. And I mean, it's well documented and you're tired that you crave more comfort food. Do you know why it is there is actually your hunger hormone,

right? Doesn't turn off when you when you're I forgot the name GURL and I'm going to pronounce it. I know what it is spelled like, not pronounce his word, but this hormone basically does not turn off when you're tired, so you constantly feel hungry. So it's actually in your body by chemically proven why that even is, and therefore sleep, another pillar of health is that important.

And by the way, the way it's written this question, last thing on this is you can eat healthy and eat sweet and savor at the same time too. It doesn't have to be mutually exclusive. I just wanted to say that, OK, great. Eating healthy doesn't mean you can never eat anything sweet or savory in your life anymore. So the way it's written, you can eat healthy and eat all of this percent. Part of a part of the balance, if you really diet, is eating some sweet stuff, some savoury

stuff maybe. We just like throw out a cup more snack ideas like I lost sometimes a date with almond butter or just like grab some fresh fruit. It can be so nice. Just some fresh fruit and maybe an apple with some almond butter on there. I think just like I love snacking or nuts. That's something I really enjoy. I mean, you said hummus already. I think those are just super easy snacks. I'm definitely a super lazy easy snacker. Like if I want to have a snack, I don't want to stand half an

hour to get you preparing snack. That's just not me. So I I think there are just like healthy snack options out there, even just like a cucumber of a little of hummus, right? You're still getting some veggies in me, still have a little. I think it's it's great. I think we have like a couple more questions and then let's do one more. Let's do one more question and then we're going to round it up for today. OK. Jennifer Walker, that's a question for you, Crystal. OK.

I would love to know some good ways, natural and nutritionally to keep hormone balanced, hormones balanced during menopause, nutrients and foods that can help reduce

sluggishness, hot flashes, headaches, etcetera. This is another show such a big question, I feel like a whole episode. But definitely it's in your episode. Things we're working on is bringing a mix out that exactly addresses everything that's right in there. It's actually a capsule, it's not a mix. And it's a capsule, it's a mix. And it's it's. Mixed in a capsule. And it's in a capsule, so it's easier to dose. But Jennifer, bear with us the next few months.

We're working on this to bring us out as soon as we can because we know there are very, very powerful bands around the world that address exactly what you talked about, the hot flashes, the headaches, the menopause and just symptoms. There are actually powerful herbs out there that can help you balance your remote whether that's for PMS, whether that's for fertility, whether that's for perimenopause or menopause,

it can definitely help. Toe that is, for example, a Shatavari from India, and this can be a maca from Peru and Dong Koi from China in all of more of these ancient cultures, they're actually they have been using these herbs for like a long time to actually help female health and balance hormones. So I think that's definitely something where we, I, you know, dove really deep and like what are the things we can use?

So that is coming. I think otherwise during menopause, I will never call myself not yet a menopause expert. What I've been learning a little bit about it is definitely protein is important. So I think incorporating maybe a plant based protein powder, but also just you know, what you're eating, right? If I think about my protein sources, it's like maybe hummus, tofu, tempeh, peas, nuts, nut butter seeds, right? Those are all things that contain protein that can really

help you as well. So I would say those are the first, the first things I would say. Another one that I know is really important is actually strength training. And I think if we hear that there is right away this idea of like, oh, I need to lift weights and it's like it's not me, I need to go to the gym. I don't feel comfortable doing that. Just start with something like Pilatus. To me, that's also strengthening. You're using your own body weight to become stronger.

It's super low impact. So, you know, maybe if you have like pain in your knees and you're like, I cannot, you know, just go for a run. Pilatus I feel is such a equalizer and I feel anyone in whatever like fitness level you are, you can just do it. So I would say those are like two other tips that I think are anyone going from menopause would be really powerful to incorporate in your daily

routine. One last question we have here, we'd love to hear your thoughts on fasting and do your products, nutrition, vitamins break a fast.

Definitely multivitamin definitely can be taken during a fast. So if you're doing intermittent fasting and not eating in the morning, I think that's totally fine. The greens powder, I would also say definitely if you take that just in water, definitely something you could take during your fast. We've done just a water fast and we also did that so I just for a

day water fast. So I think that's definitely something you could do. And we usually take the greens and empty stomach in the morning as a shot, yeah. I love doing that. We do add a little bit of lime or lemon too through it as well. But you know, you can also just take it like straight up tails will definitely not break a fast. Beauty berries I would not do during a fasting phase because I mean, there's not a ton, but there's it's a bit more fruity. So I would just leave that for

later in the day then. And you know, like that is then also something you can also say like, hey, I do my fast and maybe the first thing you do is still take this movie before you have lunch afterwards, if that's something you like. And also if people fast, yeah, you need to get your calories done in two meals. So just make sure that especially also how, how you break your fast is always

important, right? Because how we break our fast, we can actually absorb more nutrients in that first meal. So make that one really count. In general, we're a fan, so fasting. Yeah, I think it's like learning and learning about it more. And I mean, I feel there's there's a balance like I think not eating for like inter manifesting right away often goes to 18 hours.

But even just not eating for 12 hours, right, having your last meal and not snacking at night and then you know, your breakfast and having that 12 hour break I think already can be so powerful. Even during the day I feel like the window is 8 hours, but we always try to not snack all the time right? Giving breaks in between. Meals, I think. It's where you have a meal. I feel better when I do that. When I like braced all the time throughout the day. I don't feel good.

And I just kind of like you keep adding food. So also like give your body breaks between meals. I think it's really rather just have a proper meal and then stop eating. For me personally, I like a good breakfast. I get hungry very quickly when I'm on a longer fasting so I do like having. I'm laughing because you definitely get hungry. And I just so I do like, I do like sometimes I was too fast. It's healthy. It's not something I would do every day, especially if I go to work.

I need to perform, I need the energy all morning. Then I would rather sit down, have a have a breakfast that fuels me because obviously it's about fueling your body. Yeah, no, 100%. And I, I mean, I do feel like if you decide to skip, right, you don't have to wait till 1. You can also, like a lot of people have your first meal then at 11. I think for us, there's also a social aspect to it. I like to have breakfast with my

kids together. For us, our free meal time today, we always sit together and I think it's a very important family time actually for us as well sidetracked from the fasting. But yeah, that's that's a little bit our perspective right now. Let's pause here one I'm and this I need to actually research more. But there's also for women, we're not actually especially

for in our cycles. There are actually times within our cycles where it's powerful to fast and there are times within our cycles we should not be fasting. I need to look up exactly. That's another episode. It's a whole other episode but maybe I need to find. If someone knows an expert on this topic, let me know because I would love to interview them. But there's, there is actually

and it's so powerful, right? If we start to understand our cycle and our health, how that's related and we can actually start to work with that and give it the right foods and the rights. Like even the way you work out right during your cycle, like if you're on your period or not on your periods, like it should be different. Like we are different every single week and. Day. I would say every day. I mean every minute. I'm still figuring out the cycle

I don't remember. Remember you had this ad for a while. You got the. Messages. It was so great. I don't know every week or an e-mail who you are this week. Yeah, well, I'm not true. I'm not from my cycle already for a long time now, so we'll see when it comes back. And then we come out. I'm still trying to figure it out. Me too, so don't worry. OK, This was a special episode Q&A from all of you. I hope that was helpful, even though maybe you didn't ask a

question. We dove into some fasting and some other general questions. We site got sidetracked as usual. As usual, if you. Have questions around this? If or you have topics we should talk about, please e-mail us. Go and check out our YouTube super plans TV or Instagram Eat Super plans. This is a super health podcast and we'll see you. Next time.