Keren Chen

Being able to eat my favourite foods like pizza and dumplings without negative reactions was a damn pipe dream. There used to be a time when I would have get hives and extreme bloating from having a tiny bit of milk in my coffee. It was tedious and painful, not to mention expensive. The specialist appointments, the hours of prepping my own meals, the anxiety in social settings, and the fucking elimination diets ughhhhh I just didn’t feel like any of the people I worked with r...eally got my desperation. I would say: You don’t understand, food is SO important to me. I love flavours and the experience of eating. I am not okay with accepting this as my final diagnosis. Having digestive problems seriously hurt my mental health. After none of the above helped me, I started to extensively research the matter myself - learning about probiotics, acid production, enzyme activity, organ function + dysfunction...and I put myself through gut-healing protocols that were way more effective because I actually took the time to keep records and write down feedback and reflections to build something completely customized for me. Oh, and around this time, I started to brew kombucha to save money lol and here we are 5 years later with @kindredkombucha! To this day, I still use the same philosophies in helping my clients with their digestion. Always keep track of progress and lessons, and then use science-backed info to make informed pivots and tweaks so that every single person has a unique and specially designed nutrition plan. If you want to learn more about my story, you can check out my podcast @boochpleasepodcast and my website www.kerenchen.ca! And you can book a free intro consult with me via the link in my bio.. . . . . . #kombuchamami #kerenchennutrition #kerenchenwellness #foodisfuel #cbtnutritionist

Recipe Alert! Someone on the internet invented a way to make jam with 2 whole food ingredients. WHAT A TIME TO BE ALIVE. I have been obsessively make this recipe with the Ontario berries that are slowly becoming available as the weather warms up.... One of my favourite combos is PB and blueberry jam, if you’re into berry jam too, definitely bookmark and save this vegan, low-sugar, all natural recipe! Ingredients: 2 cup fresh or frozen berries of choice (I love blewbs) 3 tbsp whole chia seeds *2-3 tbsp water *optional - 1 tbsp maple syrup or local honey Instructions: In a small sauce pan, bring the berries and water (and optional maple syrup or local honey - I skip it usually) to a boil and then simmer it on low for 5mins (make sure it doesn’t dry out) Squish the berries a little with a wooden spoon and let it cool before adding it to a blender to achieve a smooth consistency. I have a stick blender so I just blend it right in the pan. Mix in all the chia seeds evenly in with the berries in a glass container or mason jar. Let it cool in the fridge completely before enjoying. This keeps in the fridge for up to 1 week! :) What is your favourite type of berry? Comment below! Don’t forget to bookmark this recipe and give it a go. . . . . . #kombuchamami #kerenchenwellness #kerenchennutrition #jamrecipe #breadspread @ Toronto, Ontario

Change = Insight + Action Said someone really smart, I forget who. Most people I coach have some insight on what needs to change and they can take some action but I think the secret sauce is the depth of insight and the consistency of action.... You probably already have the insight to eat more veggies, drink more water, exercise often, etc. How much is enough veggies and water? What kinds of exercise? How often? Where does it best fit into your day? You probably have gone on a diet or made some sort of nutrition resolution before. How appropriate are these changes for someone like you - with your weight and height, your stress levels, your job schedule, your relationship with food, your priorities, your flavour palate, your budget? Dig deeper for insight. Dial back the intensity of your action and focus on frequency + enjoyment. Which do you feel you need more support on? Insight or action? Comment below! . . . . . #kombuchamami #kerenchenwellness #kerenchennutrition #cbtnutritionist #resolutions @nicolebreanne @staygoldtoronto

So we can all agree I am not exaggerating when I say life has been stressful for everyone lately. Even before the pandemic, the pressures to do more, earn more, accumulate more was real, and now there is even more stress to simply survive - literally, financially, mentally.it’s bleak. And this stress impacts your appetite for sure, you didn’t make that up in your head. ... Everytime you are under stress, the hypothalamus part of your brain automatically interprets this information as YOU NEED SUGAR and initiates organs and pathways to get you sugar. This is an evolutionary mechanism that has worked really well for human beings for the past few eons until recently.. The issue with modern life is we are stressed all the time. So stressed that we don’t even know HOW freaking stressed we get because it’s all we know and it’s all anyone around us knows. Simply put, your brain is constantly yelling SUGAR, NEED MORE SUGAR, GIMME DAT SUGAR, MUST HAVE SUGAR. In response, the adrenal glands, pancreas, and liver work together to get you more sugar through stored energy (e.g. body fat) and external sources (e.g. hunger + thinking about food). If this happens a lot, it can also increase body fat and make it harder to lose it later because your body thinks it needs a bigger reserve of stored energy to deal with the high demand. And that demand is falsified by chronic stress. When people try to workout EXTRA hard and skip rest days to work off the extra fat they’ve stored, the body can register it as MORE stress and it actually leads to further weight gain and system fatigue. If this all sounds familiar, it is time to stop trying the same things and expecting different results. This is a complex and multi-layered puzzle that needs one-on-one attention and accountability. You can find out what I mean by booking a free phone consult with me via the link in my bio to learn more about how CBT nutrition is specially designed to combat this scenario! . . . . . #kombuchamami #kerenchennutrition #kerenchenwellness #cbtnutrition #dealingwithstress

Comparison used to be a really helpful way for us to relate to and work with others. Digital age comparison feels more like 350lbs of deadweight sitting on your chest and shoulders at all times of the day - from the moment you wake up and check your social media to the moment your bloodshot eyes flutter closed in front of your phone. And respectfully, it isn’t a comparison problem you’re dealing with, it’s a you problem. Comparison isn’t going away any time soon, but you need... to have better awareness to protect yourself. I’ve got a little at-home CBT exercise for you to learn from your comparison: Start by taking stock of what physical sensations and emotions come up when you are comparing. Sadness? Shame? Humiliation? Rock in your stomach? Throat tightening? Every time you feel these sensations and feelings, take 3 of the slowest, deepest belly breaths you can muster. Visualize these breaths going to the sites of the physical sensations to relieve and clear away tension. I know this is small, but it is a start! I recommend logging these occurrences and seeing when they show up the most: is it at work, looking in the mirror, on your commute, sitting with your spouse, or around a particular friend? Get curious about your tendencies and behaviours, this is the first step to ownership and self-mastery. THAT gives you confidence, not a picture perfect body or more follows on IG. Agree or disagree? Comment below! . . . . . #kombuchamami #kerenchenwellness #kerenchennutrition #cbtnutritionist #mindfulexercise