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With the challenges of the last year, and stress being at an all-time high, people are focused on wellness and seeking balance. And according to Linda Arrandt, an Integrative Health Coach and Functional Medicine Practitioner, Gut Health is the gateway to overall wellness.
Photo by Henry Batdeleg: @henry_bat
Linda Arrandt, Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, a Functional Medicine Practitioner, and Certified Pilates Instructor
Linda shines a light of energy on anyone fortunate enough to know her; it is likely due to her healthy lifestyle.
Linda has an impressive background and is an expert in the field of health & wellness. She is an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, a Functional Medicine Practitioner, and Certified Pilates Instructor. She received her training through The Institute for Integrative Nutrition, The School of Applied Functional Medicine, The Dr. Sears Wellness Institute, and Power Pilates.
Linda shared an article on TSC, Vitamins Your Body Needs to Thrive, and we are personal believers in vitamins, supplements, and dietary changes, particularly as we age.
Linda educates clients about Gut Health as the gateway to overall wellness and weight loss. Linda gives talks in corporations, the community, and online about Gut Health.
Working in this field is more than a job for Linda; she is passionate about living a healthy lifestyle and empowering others to do the same.
Why did you become a health coach?
I have been in the health, wellness, and fitness field for over 26 years. I received my massage license in 1992, and I became certified to teach Pilates in 2003. My husband is a Chiropractic Physician who practices Functional Medicine, and since we opened our office in 1992, we have helped hundreds of people with lifestyle and nutrition. This is what made me want to further my education in Health Coaching and Functional Medicine.
Our patients' wellness success inspired me to receive my certification from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Then, in 2015 I received an additional Health Coach Certification from The Dr. Sears Wellness Institute.
And once again, I am back in school and have just finished my second year at The School of Applied Functional Medicine. I will be a Board Certified Functional Medicine Practitioner once I submit the case study that I am currently working on. This education is already bringing a different set of knowledge to help my current health coaching clients heal underlying health conditions.
What do you love most about your work?
I love the people that I work with. I love that I am helping clients feel better in their bodies. I help people bring their bodies into balance, including their hormonal system, by learning lifestyle interventions, such as food prep and home cooking utilizing the right fats and foods. I also help clients learn to choose wisely when eating out and to figure out what the right diet is for their unique body, along with proper supplementation.
I also work with clients on Sleep Hygiene as it is essential to overall health and wellness. It is very rewarding to see how happy people are when they lose weight and feel great in their own skin. I really feel that weight loss is just a side effect when you clean out your gut and get healthy.
What are the most common questions you get asked, and what are your answers?
The most common things I get asked about are how to create a more balanced life. I see so many clients who are burning out their adrenal systems with too much exercise and overworking. I think placing a focus on more home-cooked food prep and meal planning is essential to better health.
Many people want to know more about proper nutrients and the best type of diet for them; however, the Circle of Life concept often comes up, and most people haven't even heard of it. We need to look at all areas of our lives, such as relationships, home-cooked meals, self-care, cultivating joy, job satisfaction, creativity, spiritual practice, etc.
Probably the most common thing I talk about with clients is having a self-care practice. That may mean finding time to have a movement practice, getting a massage, doing a craft, or finding time to nurture relationships.
My philosophy is, It's not about perfect; it's about better.
What has been one of the biggest inspirations in your business thus far?
I had an 'aha' moment when I was turning 50. My boys were in high school, my daughter was getting older, and the kids didn't need me as much. Around that time, we added weight loss programs based on healing candida in our office. We had a group of 12 people doing the program as well as myself. Not only did the people on the 12-Week program lose 25-40 pounds, but they also had reversals of many long-standing nagging symptoms, like headaches, brain fog, and joint and muscle pain. Some even reduced or eliminated blood pressure-lowering medications and statins.
Personally, when I did the program the first time, I lost weight, removed joint and muscle pain, healed my skin issues and female issues. I also had a circle the size of a quarter of hair loss before doing the Candida Program (I followed the program with a continuation of a Leaky Gut Protocol).
What is your wellness philosophy?
My philosophy is, 'It's not about perfect; it's about better'.
I also tell my clients that I have a 'good, better, best approach'. At any given time, we can cycle through those three places. We can't be perfect all the time. It's essential to give in to temptation and cravings now and again unless you have an auto-immune issue that could create more inflammation and downstream issues.
What are some of your essential wellness tips for women?
Start the day with a large glass of lemon water. Move your body every day. Do cardio and some form of weight-bearing activity; I personally love Pilates and Yoga.
Having the right foods prepped and creating a plan is a huge key to my clients' success. Adding supplements, especially a probiotic, is essential. I also like the Daily Essential pre-packs from Solutions4 as they have all my basic needs in one blister pack.
And most of all, have a self-care practice.
What are some of your self-care essentials?
I think people need to become more educated about detoxifying their bodies because it is so important. I do a quarterly cleanse, and I try to get a colonic when I do.
I also love using an infra-red sauna. My husband and I bought a portable unit called The Solo System. It is great for detoxification by sweating through your skin. They are much better for you than a regular sauna as they help cleanse you on a cellular level.
I also cannot live without the Evolution_18 Probiotic stick packs and the Beauty Grow, as it contains vitamin B6, biotin, zinc, copper, collagen peptides, keratin, and L-Glutathione. I feel an increased need for glutathione during the colder months as it offers an antioxidant effect and stimulates the immune system. I also use a natural, non-aluminum deodorant.
For my personal self-care, I get a massage at least twice a month. I do not look at this as indulgent; it makes me feel mentally, physically, and spiritually better.
What is the best advice you ever received?
I think the best advice I ever received comes from my sister, Bobbi Brown, who also attended the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and is doing great things to help people better their health through Evolution_18, and she just launched a natural line of cosmetics called Jones Road Beauty.
As my older sister, she has given me countless great advice, but when I used to call her after I'd had a binge, she'd tell me to flush out my system with good old H2O and get moving. No crazy exercise, just a nice brisk, long walk. This always put me back in order and got me back on track. I rarely have binge eating episodes anymore, but I still do this when I have overindulged, especially on alcohol.
I'd like to share one more piece of advice that Bobbi gave me that I continue to use to this day. When I feel overwhelmed by all of the various aspects of life, she told me to imagine that I had a shelf. On that shelf are several different boxes. Place each situation, thing, or person in one of the boxes and place it on the shelf. Take the box down that needs attention or to be worked on next. We can only focus on one thing at a time. This analogy helps me to stay grounded and not get too overwhelmed.
With the challenges of the last year, what is your best advice to women feeling overwhelmed, stressed, or out of balance?
Obviously, this year has brought challenges to all of humanity; however, my advice would be that we can always choose to shift or reframe our perspectives. This is very important advice as I believe we can sink into a mental fog with poor thoughts.
The pandemic has given us many good things too. We have had more family time, and many of us don't have to commute as we did before.
I advise that it is more critical now, more than ever, to eat well and take vitamins that you may not be getting from your diet. It has been the perfect opportunity for more home-cooked foods. The majority of my clients who hated cooking now enjoy it more as they have more time. Putting a little time into planning goes a long way! I often recommend Real Plans to clients and my Instagram followers as it is an easy meal planning app that can create grocery lists and has an array of diet-specific recipes.
I highly recommend starting with a 10 or 21-Day Detox or committing to the Whole 30 program. This will help your body reset, build immunity and stay healthier. When you feel better in your body, you will feel less stressed, have a better mood, and get better sleep.
What brings you joy?
I love spending time with my family and friends. I feel great when I feel a part of a community. I also love helping my clients reach their goals and change their lives! I love to exercise, get fresh air, and enjoy my Maltese poodle, Izzy.
What advice would you give your 25-year-old self?
This question is thought-provoking. When I was in this age bracket, I was 155 pounds at 5'2". I was not in tune with my feelings and emotions and turned to food for comfort. I felt out of control and was in a lot of mental turmoil. I would tell my old self about the Circle of Life concept, that I spoke about above. I look back and realize that I lacked a sense of community, I hated my job, I didn't like living in a studio apartment in the city, I felt lonely and didn't feel connected to friends at the time.
Luckily, I found a movement practice and created SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound) goals through connecting what I wanted for myself. With my sister's help (who was and still is my mentor, cheerleader, and health coach), together, we created a plan….I lost forty pounds and have kept it off for several decades now.
Who are the five people- living or dead- you would invite to your dream dinner party?
Michelle Obama
Oprah
My sister, Bobbi Brown
Dr. Mark Hyman
Dr. Andrew Weil
What is your motto?
It's not about perfect; it's about better.
To find out more about Linda, go to her website at simpleandwell.net
You can also reach out directly to Linda at: linda@simpleandwell.net
You can also follow her on Instagram @simpleandwell.
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