We begin JJ’s 30-Day Flat Belly Challenge on Monday, January 16th!  Be sure to join us and lose up to 20 pounds and 5 inches off your waistline in 30 days.

Sign up here  

 
Now, did you know that there are 6 types of belly fat?  Well depending upon which type of belly fat you have, you can address the underlying causes to help you eliminate belly fat faster.  In this new Flat Belly Challenge, we help you identify which type of belly fat you have and get specific solutions to get rid of it once and for all.

We begin JJ’s 30-Day Flat Belly Challenge on Monday, January 16th!  Be sure to join us and lose up to 20 pounds and 5 inches off your waistline in 30 days.

Sign up here  

The 30-Day Flat Belly Challenge includes information that we’ve never taught before, such as:

• Identify which of the 6 belly fat types you have and get solutions for it
• Get rid of Mommy Belly (heal diastasis recti)
• Enjoy 40 new delicious flat belly meals
• Learn how peptides are the latest craze for anti-aging and weight loss
• Learn newest non-invasive procedures to get rid of belly fat
• Learn #1 hormonal imbalance that causes belly fat

We begin JJ’s 30-Day Flat Belly Challenge on Monday, January 16th!  Be sure to join us and lose up to 20 pounds and 5 inches off your waistline in 30 days.

Sign up here  

Answers to your questions about apple cider vinegar cleansing and detoxing

I get so many emails asking me about apple cider vinegar and how to do an apple cider vinegar cleanse safely.

I’m so excited that you want to rid your body of toxic overload, jump-start your weight loss, and improve your gut and skin health!

I wrote this apple cider vinegar cleanse FAQ to help you understand the facts on apple cider vinegar cleansing.

Keep reading to get answers to these common apple cider vinegar cleansing questions:

• What is apple cider vinegar?
• What are the top 6 benefits of apple cider vinegar?
• What symptoms does an apple cider vinegar cleanse help with?
• How do I make JJ’s apple cider vinegar detox water?
• What is an apple cider vinegar cleanse?

I’m proud of you for investing in your health. Health is wealth! And one of the best ways to kickstart your health is with an apple cider vinegar cleanse.

Remember to join the JJ Smith Facebook Community page and subscribe to my mailing list to stay updated with the latest from me on apple cider vinegar cleansing, toxic overload, gut health, and looking and feeling your best.

Did you know I wrote a book about apple cider vinegar cleansing? Read 7-Day Apple Cider Vinegar Cleanse to learn all about how to safely cleanse with apple cider vinegar. I include meal plans, recipes, and a cleansing plan – so it’s easy for you to take charge of your health.

What is Apple Cider Vinegar?

Apple cider vinegar is fermented apple juice. It is available in most grocery stores in the oil and vinegar aisle.

There are two types of apple cider vinegar:

• Distilled apple cider vinegar is a clear yellow color that you can easily see through.
• Raw and unfiltered apple cider vinegar is cloudy. This cloudiness is caused by the “mother” that typically settles at the bottom of the bottle. This mother is created during the fermentation process and is a combination of yeast and bacteria. The mother in your apple cider vinegar bottle is a probiotic, which means it contains bacteria that help heal your gut.

Like other vinegars, you do not need to refrigerate apple cider vinegar and it has a long shelf life. Choose whichever type of apple cider vinegar you prefer – both are equally healthy and beneficial for you.

What are the Top 6 Health Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar

The top 6 health benefits of apple cider vinegar are:

1. Helps improve digestion. Because apple cider vinegar is acidic, it can help balance your digestive system making it easier for you to lose the bloat and gas. As an extra bonus, apple cider vinegar helps eliminate bad bacteria lingering in your intestines and stomach.
2. Lowers blood sugar levels. Many people with type 2 diabetes or prediabetes use apple cider vinegar to help regulate blood sugar levels. Recent research shows that drinking apple cider vinegar during a meal of fast-acting carbohydrates, can lower your blood sugar levels. If you have type 2 diabetes or prediabetes, discuss apple cider vinegar with your doctor before you start drinking apple cider vinegar.
3. Helps you burn fat. Because apple cider vinegar helps you feel full, people who drink or cleanse with apple cider vinegar regularly, become more efficient at burning fat. When you’re satiated and feel full, you’re less likely to overeat. Ultimately, this means you can turn your body into fat-burning mode more easily, firing up your metabolism and making it easier to lose fat and get lean.
4. Lowers insulin sensitivity. The visceral fat, or fat you can’t see located deep in your abdomen has serious health implications, including contributing to insulin resistance. When you drink apple cider vinegar, you turn on your metabolism, feel full more quickly, and lower your blood sugar levels – these all contribute to lowering your insulin sensitivity and helping you lose visceral fat.
5. Helps you lose stubborn belly fat. Belly fat is stubborn, but with lifestyle changes and an apple cider vinegar cleanse, you can kickstart your body into burning and losing belly fat. The belly fat I care about is visceral fat – the fat under your skin you can’t see. When you lose this fat, your waistline shrinks, your liver health is improved, and you lower your risks of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
6. Safely and naturally cleanse and get rid of toxic overload. Frequent headaches, brain fog, sugar cravings, bloating, difficulties losing weight, sinus congestion, and irritability are all symptoms of toxic overload. Apple cider vinegar cleansing can help get rid of the toxins in your body that have built up overtime and allow you to hit the reset button on your health.

What are the Symptoms an Apple Cider Vinegar Cleanse Can Help With?

If you experience any of these signs and symptoms, an apple cider vinegar cleanse may help you:

• Brain fog
• Low mood or irritability
• Trouble losing weight, even with a healthy diet and exercise
• Sugar cravings
• Frequent headaches
• Bloating and gas
• Stubborn belly fat
• Nasal or sinus congestion
• Low energy levels
• Digestion issues including constipation
• Reactions to chemicals
• Dry skin or acne skin breakouts

These are all symptoms of toxic overload, an unfortunate by-product of our modern lifestyle.

In fact, toxic overload is so common, it’s one of the reasons I wrote my 7-Day Apple Cider Vinegar Cleanse book. Here’s a sample of what I wrote about my cleanse and how it can help you:

With the 7-Day Apple Cider Vinegar Cleanse you will:

Promote fat loss, both total body fat and body mass index
Resist cravings for sugar and carbs
Improve digestion and overall gut health
Gain renewed energy and better mental clarity

How Do I Make JJ’s Apple Cider Vinegar Detox Water?

To make my apple cider vinegar detox water do this:

1. Add 2 tablespoons of unfiltered and unprocessed apple cider vinegar, a dash of lemon, and a pinch of cayenne pepper to 6-8 ounces of water.

If you prefer a sweet detox water, add a small amount of stevia.

To drink, add a small amount of this healthful water to a large glass of water.

Apple cider vinegar detox water helps remove toxins, aids in digestion, supports liver health, and improves circulation.

Drinking diluted apple cider vinegar water before every meal helps stimulate your metabolism, so you can burn fat faster and reduce the amount of time fat stays in your digestive tract.

What is an Apple Cider Vinegar Cleanse?

An apple cider vinegar cleanse is a healthful and safe way to naturally detox and cleanse your body of toxins, helping you reset your health.

I really want you to watch these videos where I talk about apple cider vinegar cleansing with Dr. Oz. Both videos are packed full of useful information on how an apple cider vinegar cleanse can help you lose weight, get rid of toxins, relieve digestion problems, and kickstart your metabolism.

• The Apple Cider Vinegar Detox to Beat Belly Fat
• The Apple Cider Vinegar Project – The 7-Day Kick-Start Cleanse

Where Can I Learn More About Doing Apple Cider Vinegar Cleanse?

Use these resources to learn more about doing an apple cider vinegar cleanse:

• J.J. Smith’s Apple Cider Vinegar Detox Plan
• J.J. Smith’s Apple Cider Vinegar Detox Recipes
• Quiz: Do You Need to Go on an Apple Cider Vinegar Detox?
• 7-Day Apple Cider Vinegar Cleanse: Lose Up To 15 Pounds in 7 Days and Turn Your Body into a Fat-Burning Machine

I want you to know what I know about apple cider vinegar cleansing! Congratulations for taking charge of your health!

I really hope this apple cider vinegar cleanse FAQ answers your questions about apple cider vinegar cleansing, detoxing, and health benefits.

Remember to subscribe to my mailing list to stay up to date with my latest articles, books, and products to help you lower your blood sugar, kickstart your metabolism, support your liver health, and live your best life.

I’ve been getting lots of emails and direct messages from you about colon cleansing! This is great because it means you’re invested in doing all you can to feel and look your best inside and out.

We have learned so much in recent years about the connection between digestive health, mental health, and overall health and wellness. And this is why I want you to know the facts on colon cleansing.

Natural colon cleansing is a safe and practical way to support your digestive health. Colon cleansing may help you get relief from bowel concerns including constipation, gas, or irregular bowel movements.

Keep reading to get answers to these key colon cleansing questions:

• What is colon cleansing?
• What is the connection between digestive health and whole-body health?
• How do I know if I can benefit from colon cleansing?
• What are the different types of colon cleanses?
• How can I support my colon and digestive health?

Remember to join the JJ Smith Facebook Community page and subscribe to my mailing list to stay updated with the latest from me on your colon, digestive, and gut health.

What is Colon Cleansing?

Colon cleansing is the process of cleaning or flushing your large intestine. A natural colon cleanse may help you manage your weight, support your mental and emotional health, increase your energy levels, and help reduce your risk of colon cancer.

Natural colon cleansing has become popular for one key reason: our modern lifestyles wreak havoc on our bodies. You’re busy, it can be hard to drink your lemon water, get your exercise, and eat lots of healthy greens and veggies consistently. All this adds up to stressing your digestive system – and this is where natural colon cleansing supplements may help.

Science-backed all-natural colon cleansing supplements are a safe and practical way for you to give your colon and digestive system the extra support it needs. When incorporated with a balanced lifestyle and healthy dietary habits, colon cleansing can help you lose extra weight, feel better, and keep your bowel movements regular and easy.

What is the Connection Between Digestive Health and My Overall Health and Wellness?

our digestive health or gut health is integral to your whole-body health. It’s through your digestion that your body breaks down and absorbs nutrients from food and liquids, metabolizes medications and supplements, and removes waste, toxins, and additives from your body.

These processes are essential to giving you energy, helping you grow muscles, repairing tissue damage, strengthening your immune system, and supporting your brain health.

Your digestive system includes your mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine (colon), rectum, and anus. Your liver, pancreas, and gallbladder are key supporting organs in keeping your digestive system running smoothly and easily.

A healthy digestive system supports your heart health, brain health, emotional and mental health, immune system strength and vitality, relaxing and healthy sleep, and may help prevent some autoimmune diseases and cancers.

Your digestive system is the control center for your body – the healthier it is, the healthier you will be. Think of how you feel when you’re constipated or dealing with irregular bowel movements – sluggish, bloated, fatigued, and generally unwell. This is because your body is not able to get rid of waste and toxins or process the nutrients from the foods and drinks you consume. You’re essentially running on empty when your digestive system is not working at its best.

How Do I Know if I can Benefit from Natural Colon Cleansing?

If you have any of these symptoms, you may benefit from a natural colon cleanse:

• Heartburn or acid reflux
• Constipation
• Bloating or puffiness
• Diarrhea
• Irregular bowel movements (less than one a day)
• Weight gain and struggles maintaining your weight
• Regularly feeling like you have an upset stomach
• Low energy and fatigue
• Brain fog
• Low moods or mood swings
• Susceptible to colds, flus, and other viruses
• Gas

Now, I want to remind you that these symptoms may also be signs of other underlying conditions. Do not ignore any digestive or bowel symptoms. If you have regular diarrhea or constipation, stomach cramps, or blood in your poop – please contact your doctor immediately.

A natural colon cleanse using a science-backed and researched supplement can provide benefits to your overall health and wellness such as:

• Digestive health: a healthy colon is essential to your digestive health. Constipation, gas, and bloating means your body is not getting rid of waste and toxins. A colon cleanse helps you reset your digestion, clearing out waste and toxic buildup, making it easier to have regular and easy bowel movements, and ensuring you’re absorbing nutrients and medications properly.
• Weight management: when your colon is not working properly, your metabolism slows down. Gas, bloating, diarrhea, and constipation may be signs your body is not processing nutrients and calories properly. By resetting your colon health, you may be able to get your metabolism firing again – helping you to lose weight, build muscle, and have more energy.
• Brain health: you may have heard your gut called “your second brain”. Deep inside your digestive tract are 100 million nerve cells that communicate with your brain, giving it signals about your physical and mental health. This information from a John Hopkins Medicine article sums up the link between brain health and gut health:

“For decades, researchers and doctors thought that anxiety and depression contributed to these problems (constipation, diarrhea, bloating, pain, and stomach upset). But our studies and others show that it may also be the other way around.

These new findings may explain why a higher-than-normal percentage of people with IBS and functional bowel problems develop depression and anxiety. This is important because up to 30 to 40 percent of the population has functional bowel problems at some point.”

• Liver and kidney health: nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common and chronic liver disease in the United States. NAFLD causes scarring of the liver and has implications for your kidney and overall health. Scientists are learning more about the association between the gut microbiome, NAFLD, digestive health, inflammation, and kidney and liver health.
• Immune system health: 70% of your immune system cells are hosted in your gut, and scientists have learned there is a direct connection between digestive health and immune system health. An unbalanced digestive system can disrupt the balance in your immune cells, resulting in autoimmune disorders and other health impacts.

What are the Different Types of Colon Cleanses?

It’s important the colon cleanse you choose is natural, gentle, and backed by science.

Make sure you know the facts on these 3 types of colon cleanses:

1. Laxatives: do not do this. You should only take fast-acting chemical laxatives when directed by your doctor. These are often prescribed as part of the preparation for a colonoscopy and should not be used regularly. Your colon can become addicted to laxatives, causing further digestive problems.
2. Enemas: a water or oil-based solution is injected into your rectum and bowel. Enemas may help relieve constipation and cleanse your colon. However, you should only use an enema under medical supervision.
3. Colonic irrigation: involves flushing large volumes of water into your rectum and colon. This can be uncomfortable and should only be done by a medical professional.

These 3 types of colon cleanses all come with health risks and concerns:

• Risk of damaging your rectum
• Dehydration and electrolyte imbalance
• Cramping
• Diarrhea and bloating
• Kidney issues
• Infection

The best type of colon cleanse is a natural approach using a gentle science-backed supplement along with lifestyle and dietary strategies. Make sure you discuss colon cleansing with your doctor before doing a colon cleanse.

How can I Support My Colon and Gut Health?

These 5 lifestyle strategies and habits can help you naturally support your colon, gut, and digestive health:

1. Focus on fiber. Fiber helps you feel full and is essential to maintaining regular bowel movements and preventing constipation. The dietary fiber you consume in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and other sources helps keep your stool soft and increases the weight of your stool – this helps prevent constipation, diarrhea, and prevents your colon from becoming overwhelmed.
2. Eat fruit, vegetables, and healthy fats. These foods are packed full of antioxidants, fiber, micro- and macro-nutrients which are essential to keeping your digestive system running smoothly and efficiently. Aim for 3 – 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day – this will help give your colon the nutrients and fiber required to support regular bowel movements.
3. Stay hydrated. According to the Mayo Clinic, women need 11.5 cups of water per day and men need 15.5 cups. This is water – not coffee, tea, soda, or juice. Your kidneys, liver, and entire digestive tract rely on water to move toxins, by-products, and waste from your body.
4. Work up a sweat. Daily exercise such as walking, swimming, jogging, yoga, etc. helps increase blood flow and circulation which helps your digestion run more smoothly. As an extra bonus, your body releases toxins through your sweat – so you’re giving your body an extra cleansing boost when you get out for your daily walk.
5. Take a natural colon cleansing supplement. Do your research and choose a natural science-backed colon cleansing supplement that is designed to support your colon and gut health.

I hope this colon cleansing FAQ answers your questions about your gut health and digestive system health. If you have more questions, feel free to post them on the JJ Smith Facebook Community page. Everyone in my Facebook group is like you – committed to feeling great inside and out.

Remember, your gut health is linked to your overall health and wellness. When you keep your colon healthy, look after your liver, and manage your blood sugar levels, you will have more energy, lose the belly fat, and feel like yourself.

Learn how a liver detox can help you ease the signs and symptoms of high estrogen

It’s super frustrating when you’re doing everything right and you still can’t lose your belly fat.

I get it! I’ve been where you are. Even with a super healthy diet, staying hydrated, and moving my body – I still struggled with stubborn belly fat. And then I learned about estrogen dominance.

I knew about low estrogen levels during perimenopause and menopause, and how the changes in my hormones cause my body to change and trigger a range of side effects. But no one
told me about estrogen dominance or high estrogen and this impacts how I look and feel.

The last thing I want is for you to struggle with the symptoms of estrogen dominance. In this blog I explain estrogen dominance, give you the signs and symptoms of high estrogen, and share the 6 steps I followed to lower my estrogen, detox my liver, and ultimately get my sexy back!

You can also use HORMONE FOCUS to naturally support hormonal balance. Hormone Focus supports healthy estrogen levels and helps get rid of stubborn fat around the belly, thighs and arms caused by hormonal imbalances. It also relieves hormonal symptoms such as night sweats, mood swings, fatigue, water retention and poor sleep to help you improve your energy and vitality.

If you have questions about estrogen dominance or want to connect with people like you who put a priority on health, make sure you join the JJ Smith Community Facebook page and sign up for my mailing list.

What is Estrogen Dominance?

Estrogen dominance is one of the most common types of hormonal imbalances in women. Estrogen dominance or high estrogen occurs when there is too much estrogen in relation to the amount of progesterone in your body.

While this imbalance can be caused by the normal fluctuating hormone levels in the body, occurring during ovulation, perimenopause, and menopause – many people overlook the impacts lifestyle can have on estrogen levels.

In fact, estrogen dominance can be attributed to high levels of xenoestrogens in the body. ScienceDirect defines xenoestrogens as “foreign estrogens, substances that are close enough in molecular structure in estrogen that they can bind to estrogen receptor sites with potentially hazardous outcomes”.

We can accumulate xenoestrogens through exposure to plastics, pesticides, chemicals, food additives, and unfiltered water. Over time the level of xenoestrogens accumulates in the body, causing serious health impacts including estrogen dominance, low sperm counts, fertility issues, obesity, hormone-sensitive cancers, thyroid problems, and more.

And when this high level of xenoestrogens is combined with too little progesterone or too much estrogen, it becomes even more critical to understand estrogen dominance and how it affects your life.

Remember, estrogen dominance is about more than belly fat and extra weight, it has large implications for your health and wellness.

8 Signs and Symptoms of Estrogen Dominance

I want you to know these 8 signs and symptoms of estrogen dominance. Now, it’s important you do not ignore these signs because they can indicate serious health concerns and issues. Always talk to your doctor about any unexplained signs and symptoms.

The Hormone Health Network lists these 8 signs and symptoms of estrogen dominance:

1. Weight gain, mainly in your waists, hips, and thighs.
2. Menstrual problems, such as light or heavy bleeding.
3. Worsening premenstrual syndrome.
4. Fibrocystic breasts (non-cancerous breast lumps).
5. Fibroids (non-cancerous tumors) in the uterus.
6. Fatigue.
7. Loss of sex drive.
8. Feeling depressed or anxious.

All too often we don’t notice these signs and symptoms, accepting them as simply part of getting older. I know – because I did this! I assumed the stubborn belly fat, tiredness, and mood swings were normal for a woman in her 40’s.

Thankfully I learned about estrogen dominance and how to rebalance my estrogen levels so I could get back to feeling like my energetic and sexy self. Remember, you should not suffer in silence – if you don’t feel right, speak up and talk to your doctor.

The Connection Between Your Liver, Your Hormones and Your Health

The liver is your body’s purification system, cleansing your blood and body of harmful exposure to toxins, chemicals, processed foods, and by-products of our busy lifestyle including alcohol, tobacco, cleaning chemicals, and beauty products.

But overtime, your liver can become overloaded, making it difficult for your liver to keep functioning properly. This poor liver function can result in the accumulation of xenoestrogens and toxins – leading to the overwhelming problem of estrogen dominance and additional health impacts.

As I explained in Your Liver: What It Does and Why It’s So Important To Your Health, along with cleansing your blood, your liver has four other critical roles:

1. Creates and stores energy. Your liver creates, stores, and exports fat keeping it available as an energy source. However, when your liver is overwhelmed, you end up with excess stored fat and risk the accumulation of belly fat.
2. Creates protein. Along with helping you build and maintain muscle, protein is also responsible for blood clotting, helping you fight infections, and moving critical substances in your blood.
3. Hormone regulation. The liver is a key player in keeping your thyroid, adrenal, cortisone, and sex hormones (estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone) balanced. There are over 50 different hormones circulating in your bloodstream, helping you to think, move, sleep, and recover. Every hormone, organ, and internal process is connected, so when one hormone is out of balance, you feel the impacts.
4. Metabolizing carbohydrates and fat. A healthy liver means you can burn calories and fat, making it easier for you to stay slim and lose inches. Think of your liver as your fat-burning organ!

Every organ and system in the body is connected, so when your liver is not functioning properly, you end up with high estrogen levels, extra belly fat, fatigue, mood swings, and risk of serious illness include fatty liver disease, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers.

How to Detox Your Liver to Lower Your Estrogen Levels and to Lose Belly Fat in 6 Steps

To detox your liver to lower your estrogen levels and lose belly fat, do the following:

1. Be toxin aware. Use natural beauty products and cleaners, limit your exposure to tobacco, fertilizer, and insecticide, avoid food additives, and wash your fresh produce.
2. Drink one gallon of lukewarm water a day. Space this out during your day. I like to add lemon to my water to aid in the detoxification process.
3. Eat a healthful and colorful diet. Your liver needs essential nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and specific nutrients from vegetables and fruit to heal, regenerate, and stay healthy. Eat liver superfoods like nuts, berries, turmeric, coffee, oatmeal, grapefruit, and fresh fruit and vegetables.
4. Move your body and work up a sweat. Your skin is a major detoxifier and when you sweat, you release harmful toxins and leftover substances from your body. Exercise helps you burn calories and build lean muscle mass.
5. Limit alcohol. Excessive alcohol can destroy or damage critical liver cells and scar your liver. During your liver detox and to help lower your estrogen levels, stop drinking alcohol and give your liver a break from processing this toxin.
6. Use HORMONE FOCUS. You can also use HORMONE FOCUS to naturally support hormonal balance. Hormone Focus supports healthy estrogen levels and helps get rid of stubborn fat around the belly, thighs and arms caused by hormonal imbalances. It also relieves hormonal symptoms such as night sweats, mood swings, fatigue, water retention and poor sleep to help you improve your energy and vitality.

I’m super thankful I learned about estrogen dominance and how to regain control of my hormones. The combination of a natural liver detox and using bioidentical hormones has allowed me to relieve my estrogen dominance symptoms and feel better.

Remember, estrogen dominance can be treated – it does not need to rule your life. Once your hormones are rebalanced, the belly fat melts away, the bloating ends, your energy increases, and you feel like yourself again.

For a more detailed discussion of estrogen dominance, as well as 6 other hormonal imbalances attributed to weight gain, check out my book, Lose Weight Without Dieting or Working Out.