VISUALIZATION: See It. Believe It. Live It.

Do you TRAIN YOUR BRAIN?!

Hey Friends,

Most of you are probably reading this because you saw the INSTAGRAM POST of me side stage at one of my recent shows practicing VISUALIZATION and of course PRAYER & GRATITUDE.
Taking a moment to say THANKS GOD and visualizing what I want to happen has been such a game changer for me as I've evolved from an amateur in the NPC to a professional athlete in the IFBB.

Most of what I really have to say about VISUALIZATION can be found within my Instagram caption, so I'll copy and paste it for you below in case you found my blog another way. But I wanted to elaborate on VISUALIZATION and give you some links on the topic that may help you learn more about it and learn how to do it.

If we are friends on the gram you know I've been mentioning a new form of "therapy" I'm doing.
You can read a little about it HERE if you missed my post a couple weeks ago.

In short ... I've been seeing a "guided meditation coach" - "spiritual guru" - "spiritual consultant" -  (whatever you want to call her but she also has pretty crazy channeling/psychic abilities) ... as part of my quest to overcome some depression I've been experiencing for some time, find inner peace/clarity, find/live my life purpose and just be a BETTER human being in general!

Many of you have asked me for her contact information. Seeing her as part of a series of sessions is ideal - I am doing the 6 week Chakra Balance Sessions which include lots of other stuff within them - but I do believe that even one session with her can be beneficial if you are just in town visiting and she also does Skype!

Is it working? I honestly don't know. I've only seen her a couple of times. But I can tell you that she truthfully has been a breath of fresh air in my life. Do I feel more "balanced" .. I mean I feel more hopeful. Part of doing this type of "therapy" is BELIEVING IN IT. If you read my Insta Post you know I'm a sceptic when it comes to this stuff. But I'm trying to open my heart and mind and encourage you to do the same! Look into it! It certainly can't hurt and is cheaper than a psychologist!

Happy Visualizing and all the GOOD JUJU ...
Stacy

INSTAGRAM CAPTION ABOUT VISUALIZATION
Do you TRAIN YOUR MIND as much as you train your body? I love this video. A friend captured me side stage at Omaha in “my moment” .. Visualizing my routine, the outcome I’d love to see and also saying my THANKS to GOD for giving me ABILITY.
.
Let’s talk about VISUALIZATION. I’ve been doing it for a LONG time. I’m not great at it because my mind goes in ten thousand directions and I am especially not good at it in the EXACT way my spiritual guidance/guru lady wants me to do it.
.
What is visualization? Essentially it’s just concentrated dreaming. It’s constructing life from a space inside our brains. Everything we do begin as a thought and exists first in our imagination.
.
The ability to see things before they actually happen is what enables us to pursue our dreams and ultimately achieve them. The better we visualize the way we want it to happen … the better our chances are at it actually happening. NOT because it’s magic though. Keep reading :-)
.
There is actually lots of science behind it and successful people all over the world use visualization to spawn dreams into reality.
.
Can you just VISUALIZE what you want (success, money, winning a competition, etc) and it just happen?? NO WAY! I think it’s hilarious when people are like … oh I visualized it … I affirmed it .. I wrote it down and put it under my pillow … and IT HAPPENED.
.
NO .. unless they were practicing visualization on the regular .. they just got lucky. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve written down what I WANT and it NOT happen (and I practice visualization.) Energy is an amazing thing .. but it doesn’t work that way.
.
YOU HAVE TO PUT OUT INTO THE UNIVERSE WHAT IT IS YOU ARE VISUALIZING. You have to be PROACTIVE and DO THE WORK that is required to support your goals. You have to believe what your are seeing CAN HAPPEN.
.
Visualization isn’t magic … it’s simply another TOOL in your mental game tool box.  So why does it work?! Because ENERGY GOES WHERE ENERGY FLOWS!!
.
Visualization
*Builds Courage: When you’ve already envisioned the scenario, the real thing will feel familiar and much more feasible. It will be as if you’ve done it before because in your brain …you have.
*Combats Negative Thoughts: During a visualization session, you get to live out your dreams despite what others say. It’s an effective way to battle that negative voice inside your own head, too.
*Helps with Self Belief: Truly believing we an achieve what we have our hearts sets on gives us HOPE and MUST HAVE HOPE. When we lose hope … we’ve already lost.

WEBPAGES THAT MAY HELP YOU WITH VISUALIZATION:
https://litemind.com/how-to-develop-visualization-skill/
http://www.thelawofattraction.com/visualize-secret-visualization-really/


VEGAS SPIRITUAL CONSULTANT I USE
SOCORRO - SPIRITUAL MEDITATION

SUPPLEMENTS I SUGGEST FOR ANXIETY
Quality CBD that is PURE, TESTED and TRUSTED.

In the right method and dosage this natural "medicine" can be LIFE CHANGING for those with anxiety!

PLEASE READ THESE BLOGS for more information....

Healed Not High
Consumer Confusion

AFTER you have read them .. if you have any other questions you an EMAIL me!

As mentioned in the blogs... there are very few companies (that can ship to you) that I have researched and use and TRUST! Currently I'm only using THIS COMPANY. I'm sure there are other great CBD companies out there but it is up to YOU to do your SOLID RESEARCH and ask MANY MANY MANY questions.

I would NEVER just pick up some CBD at a health store and ASSUME it's "quality". You want to research the ACTUAL COMPANY before you purchase!

I've done the homework for you and promise these two companies are great.
If you choose to venture out and use another company PLEASE look into them and ask TONS of questions. With the popularity of CBD the con artists are out in FULL FORCE. They are not only using misleading verbiage to make you THINK that a hemp product is CBD (explained in full HERE) .. but even worse many are selling basically coconut oil with no true CBD in it and/or CBD that is potentially contaminated and from shady sources, etc.

#PrepWithPurpose - Prayers for Revel

For backstory on what #PrepWithPurpose is all about please read the blog entry and/or Instagram Post.

Hello Friends,

Less than one month until stage time. First show is St. Louis Pro on 3/30-3/31 and then the very next weekend Salt Lake City Pro. Coach is happy. Me .. not so much .. lol. That is the story of my "prep life" most of the time.

So much of prepping for that stage is mental and (for me) on days when I feel like I'm not on track to be stage ready .. I can get very UNMOTIVATED.  I kinda get that "what is the point" attitude that I SHOULD NOT have. Many people are motivated by set backs .... but for me it's the little daily "wins" that give me fire and if I don't feel like I'm having daily "wins" ... sometimes I am less motivated to PUSH myself. Insert PREP WITH PURPOSE!

This little prayer chain gives me life some days. When I want to give up, when I don't feel like it, when I want to complain .. all I have to do is shift my focus to the person I'm lifting up and for at the moment. If they can be battling whatever it is they are battling then I can certainly stop complaining and get my cardio or workout done. I am BLESSED to have the ABILITY to do this. I refuse to take that for granted.

This week another child with cancer is our focus. We will be dedicating our physical abilities to this little soldier who is fighting to simply ... LIVE.

Here is Revel's back story.

PREP WITH PURPOSE: REVEL
(Revel's story from the families Fundraiser Page)

Meet Revel, he was diagnosed in January 2017 with Stage 4 High Risk Neuroblastoma. Revel has been through 7 rounds of chemo, multiple surgeries, two bone marrow transplants,12 rounds of radiation, and then we moved on to maintenance Immunotherapy. Revel was NED (no evidence of disease) September 2017. We we're so relieved, all we had to do was finish up 17wks of immunotherapy and we're we're DONE. FINISHED.

We got half way thru immunotherapy before we found another mass. It appeared out of nowhere, Revel had clear scans in November. His new scans showed a 7X7cm tumor in his abdomen and a 2X2cm in his chest. But they were growing fast. Too fast. The decision was made to biopsy the masses and intubate Revel. The masses continued to grow, almost doubled in size. The one in his chest compromised his airway and threatened his aorta. So as of now he is in the PICU, sedated and intubated. Relapsed NB has no cure. It's all trial and error. Right now we are simply going from one facility to the next - looking for a cure. Looking to give our sweet baby a chance at life.


UPDATE as of 3/5/18 (his moms post on facebook)
Revel has had constant super high fevers for the last 48hrs. The doctors were certain it was due to his non existent white blood cell count, but today JR and I had enough. We requested that Revs be put back on the higher dose antibiotics that he was on prior to these fevers starting and that they do further testing just to make sure it wasn't something more concerning. The Dr gave me a whole condescending speech about if it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck it's probably not a goose. To which I replied, let's go on a fudging goose chase then! Anywho; after a day of labs, scans, and swabs; they confirmed that it's a goose... A goose named pneumonia. Those of y'all that know me know that I can be a little hot tempered, so you'll be proud to hear that I kept my cool and let JR handle it. But for goodness sake y'all, we know our kid. We know when he is not ok. Why can't we get them to listen? I will always advocate for my baby, if Drs don't like that, tough. So, now we're on the right meds and still waiting for counts. When counts are zero an illness like pneumonia can be deadly to cancer babies. Please keep praying and keep loving Revel, he is holding strong because of you!

His moms words in her Facebook posts are very hard to read. Here is the link to his page if you want to read them all, keep up with any updates and read more about him.

But here are some paragraphs from some of her posts that probably got me the most .... 

We're running out of time. Revel is fighting as hard as he can and y'all are praying with all your might, but how do we stop time?

Before Revel's cancer I never thought about time. I never thought that I would be begging for more time with my son, I took time for granted. I was always rushing around, pushing things off until I had time. I wish I could go back and pause. I wish I could slow down and enjoy every single second. I'm trying to remember all the giggles, all the hugs, all the kisses, all the cuddles. We all need to slow down and squeeze them a little tighter, hold their hand just because, tell them you love them a million and one times, kiss every boo boo, wipe every tear, let them climb into your bed, don't rush them out the door in the morning because you're running late, always make sure they know how special they are.

I have spent the majority of the last 72hrs staring at my sweet boy. Trying to memorize every feature of his sweet face. I watch his chest rise and fall with every breath. I keep my hand on his belly, I don't know if I'm trying to will this tumor away or just hold his boo boo for comfort, maybe both. .....
Why can't I save him? I am helpless, I can't do anything. Revel's tumor is too big, it's pushing too far up, his lungs are starting to need help. ........This is so unfair. I hate Neuroblastoma. I hate Cancer. God, please save baby.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wow. Just wow. We are not guaranteed time my friends. Spend yours wisely and at some point in the 24 hours you are blessed with today .. please join me in lifting up and for this little boy and his family. #RevStrong

With every rep and every step I will be saying Revel's name and asking God for a miracle.

XoXo,

Stacy

** Also, as always, I can not vouch for this families financial needs as I do not know them. But if you want to donate there are a couple of fundraising pages set up to help this single income family during this horrible time. Here is the Go Fund Me Page.  Also a group called the Quit Bitching Coalition is raising money. I don't know anything about this coalition but I'm going to look into them. I'm pretty obsessed with their name and what it seems they are doing!! You an Pay Pal them at INFO@QUITBITCHINGCOALITION.com, If you choose to go this route of donating ... MAKE SURE WHEN YOU DONATE YOU MENTION “Revel”. **

** Another update for those that are joining me regularly for PRP. The little girl Sydney that we lifted up and for a couple of weeks ago ... passed away. Please keep her family in your prayers.

#PrepWithPurpose - My Sweet Lisa

Hey Friends,

You are reading this.
Which means you have eyes that allow you to see.

This will be what I'm most grateful for the next few days and what I ask you to focus on as well as we LIFT UP AND FOR someone that is undergoing an eye surgery this week.

I know that it's easy to find motivation and empathy when a story tugs at your heartstrings the way that las weeks person does (if you missed it you can read it HERE.)

But not every person featured in my little project will be a child, or a child with cancer, or someone experiencing disease, or some extreme trauma. That doesn't mean they don't need prayer and what they are going through shouldn't provide us with motivation and a reminder to be GRATEFUL for our ability to do what they can't.

I rarely know the person that I feature in
PREP WITH PURPOSE.

But this week I not only know the person ... she is one of the most important people in this world to me. She is one of my best friends

In fact, she is one of the ONLY friends I have that checks in on me, calls me, texts me, stays in contact with me. She was my only friend/family to come to Vegas to watch me compete in Olympia!

She is hands down one of the (if not the) most selfless people that I have ever known.




Her name is Lisa. She is a fellow competitor, an amazing mom and just recently left her stable job to follow her PASSION of helping others become THEIR physical best.

On Monday she goes in for what may sound like a simple procedure on her eye, but it has risks and it's a big deal to her. She has some extreme anxiety about the procedure, the risks, the possibility of pain and of course the days/weeks that will follow where she will be restricted from working and training (she has a show to start prep for and as mentioned her job is training others.)

So please join me this week in LIFTING UP AND FOR my sweet Lisa. Especially Monday morning (2/26) which is when the actual procedure takes place.


PREP WITH PURPOSE - LISA WEATHERS

Lisa has a spot on her eye called Pterygium. From what I gather this is (in short) abnormal tissue.
She is having Pterygium removal surgery to hopefully remove it.

While it is a minimally invasive procedure .. there is the possibility that the spot will stay red forever and of course any of the "extremes" they must warn about (blindness, etc.)

We will be praying that her anxiety is lifted (she has to be awake and they have to clamp her eye open) and that not only is her recovery fast .. but that the Pterygium does NOT return after this procedure!




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When I open my eyes each day I will be thankful that I can see the beauty that surrounds me.
I will not take my vision for granted.
I will take a little bit longer to focus on God's canvas -- the colors, shapes, textures, etc.

With every rep and every step I will be lifting up and for my sweet Lisa.
I can see. I can move. I am ALIVE and WELL.

Lisa is being forced to take it easy... yet I KNOW she would give anything to be up and active!

I hope you join me I lifting up this sweet girl. She is a rare one. She would do anything for anyone .. let's do something for her!

As always, if you have anyone that you think would be a great fit for PREP WITH PURPOSE .. email me!

Xo
Stacy

#PrepWithPurpose: Sydney's Final Days

For backstory on what #PrepWithPurpose is all about please read the blog entry and/or Instagram Post.

Hey Friends,

I did do a PREP WITH PURPOSE last week ... I just forgot to make it LIVE!

No point in me making it LIVE now. But it was for everyone dealing with the most recent mass shooting in Florida. All of the victims, the families, the school and the entire community. They still need lots of prayers so lets not stop! Being in a town that had a mass shooting .. I saw first hand how people POUR out all the love for the days and weeks following .. but then it soon becomes a distant memory unless you were directly involved (I live here and am JUST as guilty of this.) 

Moving on to THIS weeks PREP WITH PURPOSE. We will be lifting up and for a young girl that has been fighting cancer for three years and is now in what appears to be her final days.
Her name is SYDNEY.

Monday morning I got a FB alert from a page I follow (another little girl that had cancer that was featured in the past) and knew instantly this little girl needs to be who we are lifting up and for this week. Not to mention, my first show of 2018 will be the St. Louis Pro and St. Louis is where this little girl and her family live.

In situations where I do not know the person we are lifting up and for (usually the case) ... it's best for me to just "copy and paste" their story from one of their social or donation pages so I don't miss any details. 

Here is SYDNEY'S backstory and where she is today ..... 

Sydney was diagnosed with a Stage 4 Favorable Wilms' tumor on March 1, 2015 at Mercy Hospital, St. Louis. The next day, she was taken to surgery to have her right kidney, adrenal gland and lymph nodes removed. On March 5th, she was transferred to Cardinal Glennon because her other kidney had failed and the doctors believed that she needed to start dialysis. 

Once at Cardinal Glennon, the doctors gave her kidneys a few days to start responding on their own again, which they did, and so we didn't have to start dialysis. She was transferred back to Mercy for a few days, and then released.

Sydney started chemo and radiation, and was doing very well with her treatments, but had a severe allergic reaction to one of the drugs given to help protect her organs from the radiation and she went into anaphalyctic shock and was put in PICU, and was intubated at Mercy, where we were told to prepare for the worst.

She was in the PICU for 8 days before they realized that she was also septic because of an infection in her port. Her port was removed and Sydney immediately started recovering. We were told during the first week of June, after scans that there was NED, but that we would complete the treatments that were already planned.

At the end of June, Sydney was readmitted to Mercy with abdominal pain and scans revealed that a new tumor had grown on her bladder and bowels. The new tumor was removed, and a new treatment plan was set. Sydney would have to have at least 5 rounds of a new chemo, and then she would be admitted for stem cell transplant at Children's hospital.

October 19th,  Sydney had her stem cell transplant, with few complications, and was released from the hospital on November 13, 2015. Following the stem cell transplant she was only hospitalized for pneumonia. 

Fast foward to 7/14/2017 - They found out that Sydney has a new tumor on her liver. Surgery to remove it and place a new port was scheduled for  7/17/1.

From then until February 14, 2018. I'm not sure what happened. There were not any updates that I see. But on 2/14/2018 ... it appears she went back into the hospital ... and from what I'm gathering she will not be coming "home". 

UPDATE 2/14/2018
Sydney’s pain is now a 10. She asked me to call Dr. Rob because she just can’t handle the pain anymore. She never wants me to call Dr. Rob because she doesn’t want to have to go to the hospital. He has explained that when her body needs the pain meds, that it’s very unlikely that she’s going to all of a sudden not need it and start having respiratory distress, and as much as I trust that man, this scares me to death. We are upping her morphine to 60mg three times a day, and her oxy to 3 an hour as needed. If we are still chasing the pain tomorrow, we will take her in and she will be accessed and placed on a PCA pump, that we are able to come home with. He fears that the tumor has progressed dramatically and that this is just the beginning. We knew this time was going to come. It doesn’t make it any easier. Please pray! Pray for Sydney’s pain to be relieved and for her to be at peace with this. Pray for our other kids who have to watch this happen. Pray for Matt and I because our hearts are being shattered right before our eyes. Thank you in advance for any donations, prayers and good vibes. 

UPDATE 2/16/2018
As hard as this is to write, I’ve always updated this page with Sydney’s health. Sydney started getting dizzy and having shortness of breath last night before the nurse got there with the pain pump. Nurse Shelley assessed  her and her O2 stats were low. She called Dr. Rob who said that he believed her O2 stats were most likely low because it hurt her to breathe and so she wasn’t taking deep breaths. Shelly got her pain controlled, but later I noticed her O2 stats and when I talked to Dr. Rob he had me bring her in to ER. On the way, Sydney became unresponsive. She wouldn’t not wake up and her pulse was faint. When we got to the ER, we were met at the door  by Mat and Lillie who grabbed her
and ran her into the hospital. She was given narcan and she came back to. A chest X-ray was done, which showed that her right lung is full of fluid caused by tumors. We have a couple options. None are easy decisions to make, and neither give us much time left with Sydney, a difference of a few days to possibly a couple weeks. Sydney is now in the PICU and is resting. I can’t say comfortably, but she’s resting. Please understand that we have a lot of very hard decisions to make, and we are goin to need time to process all of this and won’t be answering every call, text or FB message. We love you all but our focus HAS to be on Sydney and what is best for her. We will be accepting a few visitors, depending on how she is feeling, if you ask and we don’t respond, please know that we are trying to give FAMILY the first chances to see her. Please pray fod Sydney. Pray for comfort, and pray for her heart. Pray for my other kids as they come to the realization that their sister is never coming home. And pray for Matt and I because we are about to make the hardest decisions in our lives. 

UPDATE 2/18/2018
I’m sure you have all seen the photos of Sydney today, of her smiling and laughing, and being a kid...and you are just as confused as we were. Sydney has had a pretty darn amazing day, and we are thankful for that!! We posted yesterday that Sydney’s time is near, and that hasn’t changed.
Cancer is confusing. As much as I want to say it has, the harsh reality is that Sydney will be with Jesus much too soon. When we woke up this morning, she was bright eyed and ready to start her day! Yesterday she couldn’t get enough oxygen and was on 15 liters of force air, and today she has not required the added oxygen! We took the nasal cannula off about 10 am just to see what would happen, and her stats stayed great! Who would have thought? For almost 4 months, Sydney has required high doses of pain medication just to get through her normal activities every day, as of right now, she hasn’t had ANY pain meds since 4 am Friday morning! Who would have thought? We sure didn’t, but Dr. Rob did.  What he believes has happened to increase her O2 stats is that her right lung finally filled up with fluid and has collapsed. This would make it to where her little lungs weren’t working so hard to try to get thru all that fluid, because  your body is a miraculous thing. When one lung quit, the other one took over and she could breathe again. So that explains the oxygen part, but what about the pain? Dr Rob thinks that maybe her tumor, that was so large and pushing against her organs, causing pain...has ruptured. He said that would cause the pain to be gone because there is no more pressure pushing her organs causing pain. Hence not needing any pain meds. 
We wish that that we could say that she received her miracle, but I’m afraid that just isn’t the case. Sydney’s lung cannot Support her for a long period of time. It’s working too hard and it will give out. We don’t know when, but we know it is going to happen. Until then, we hope to have more “good days!” It is really hard watching her look so healthy, when you know what is coming, but we will take it! We will cherish what time we have left, and we will take every second left to let our baby girl know how much we love her! Tonight she is resting comfortably and  Again, I’m VERY thankful for that. Please continue to pray for Sydney. Pray that she stays pain free and that when her time is here, that she can leave this world and go home to be with Jesus peacefully. Pray for our other children, that they find some sort of comfort in knowing that she will no longer be in pain and that she will be walking streets of Gold. Pray for Matt, because his heart is shattered and he wants to stay strong for the rest of us. And pray for this mama’s heart. 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I hope you read all of that. Especially the last update. Her mothers words are beyond heartbreaking.
I can't wrap my head around the feeling of knowing your baby is dying. She is only 8 years old?! NOT FAIR is an understatement. She should be full of energy and LIFE.

I have energy. I have LIFE. I will not take that for granted. 

I am just under 6 weeks out from my first competition. Things are about to be in HIGH gear and I'm sure at times it will get "uncomfortable". But with every rep and every stride I take this week I will be thanking God for working limbs and the oxygen that fills my lungs. I will not complain about having to get in my HIIT or being too exhausted to hit the gym to train at night.

I will be grateful that I AM ABLE and all the while (and most important) I will be sending up BIG PRAYERS for this ANGEL fighting this horrible DEMON named cancer....as well as her heartbroken friends and family.

I hope you join me in lifting up and for sweet Sydney! If you decide to post something on socials, feel free to share this blog link and please use the hashtag #SydneysSoldiers. That is the hashtag I am seeing them use. 

Also, as always, I can not vouch for this families financial needs as I do not know them. But if you want to donate they do have a GO FUND ME type page. That is also where most of her updates are being posted ... as well as her moms FACEBOOK PAGE.

XoXo
Stacy

#PrepWithPurpose - Little Zoey

For backstory on what #PrepWithPurpose is all about please read the blog entry and/or Instagram Post.

Hey Friends,

The very first #PrepWithPurpose of 2018 is here and it is a very special one.

Most of the time I have never met the person that we are lifting up and for but I have the honor of knowing the little girl featured this week.

Back in December, I started searching for a family to help during the holiday for my extension of Prep With Purpose ..  a project called Swole Santa.

Swole Santa is something I did in 2016 and wanted to do in 2017. I wanted to find the perfect family this past Christmas but by the time several agencies got back to me with family options it would have been too late to organize everything properly since Swole Santa was created to be a community effort.

Well, everything happens for a reason! One of the organizations I had connected with (Candle Lighters Las Vegas) had a family that would have been a perfect fit for Swole Santa. But again, I didn't have enough time to do it properly. My husband's company was doing their own project for the holiday and his "team" he was assigned to find someone that needed financial help over the holidays. I passed on the family that I had discovered (a little girl with cancer, her sister and her mom who is single and doing it all on her own) and AP LIVE (my hubs company) was able to provide the most special Christmas for them .. much more than my little Swole Santa project could ever have been able to do!

The little girl with cancer that they were able to provide for is Zoey and this week she is our PREP WITH PURPOSE.

Zoey's Story

Zoey is a vibrant and very funny 5 year old little girl. But she has been through so much. At only 3 years old, she was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (known as ALL.)

She needed treatment only available at certain hospitals. Vegas was their best option but the cost to transport her back-and-forth to Vegas (plus the cost of air lift in many situations) would have been astronomical.

Her mother made the tough decision to leave her life and secure job and move from Arizona to Vegas.

She had to start over in a new city. That is scary in and of itself. Then insert the fact that you have a small child with cancer and a teenage daughter that also has to adjust to a move/new city.


In addition to having cancer - Zoey also experienced another trauma. She was bitten by the family dog (on her face) and was very lucky things were not worse!

Things have not been easy for this family... especially little Zoey. The good news is that Zoey has received the treatment she needs and is on the road to recovery. 

So with her doing "better" - - why is Zoey our Prep With Purpose?

Considering her cancer fight she would have fit the criteria anyway, but Zoey has encountered a new bump in the road to recovery. She was supposed to have a CHEMO PARTY this past Saturday to celebrate her chemo being COMPLETE, but instead, she ended up in the hospital due to complications from the flu.

So please join me this week as we LIFT UP AND FOR sweet little Zoey and her family.

We are experiencing 70+ degree temps here in Vegas this week and I bet Zoey would LOVE to be outside riding that bike we were so honored to gift her for Christmas .. but she can't.

So with every stride and every move rep this week I will thank God for my ability to do so and lift up sweet Zoey! When I feel unmotivated I will remember Zoey. She would give ANYTHING to be healthy enough to be active!

I am even going to add in a CYCLE class at THE RIDE Vegas this week in her honor. I will picture her sweet reaction when she got her bike from us during my entire ride and send prayers up that she will be back riding her bike soon!

So, Zoey, this week is for you sweet girl! Get better soon so we can come watch you ride that bike and help you celebrate being CHEMO FREE!

XoXo,
Stacy

I hope you are joining me on this PREP WITH PURPOSE journey! If you are ... please post/share and use the hashtag #PrepWithPurpose! Let's get a huge prayer chain going and in the process maybe make the sport of bodybuilding less about "me, me, me" and a little more about helping others! Our motivation doesn't have to come from ONLY ourselves!

If you know anyone that needs urgent or ongoing prayer for any physical reason please email me all the information and a picture (or a few) to simplystacyfitness@yahoo.com.

The Return of PREP WITH PURPOSE

Hello Beautiful Friends,

If you have been a friend/follower of mine for a while then you probably know about the little project I started almost two years ago called PREP WITH PURPOSE.

If you are unfamiliar ... check out the original blog I did in 2016.  It explains in detail why I wanted to do this and what it is all about.

In short, I simply wanted to make competing about MORE than MYSELF. This sport can get VERY self-centered if you aren't careful and this was a way for me to put my journey and life into perspective and hopefully encourage others to do the same!

It was 100% the biggest shift for me in my mindset during my "Road To Pro" status. In fact, if it weren't for this project, I'm not even sure I would have earned Pro Status in July 2016. My heart and mind were in a really good spot and that made a WORLD of difference in terms of the work I needed to do to bring my best ... inside and out.

While I slacked at times (partially because no one was sending me prayer requests that fit the criteria) I kept this project going for every prep I've done since then and plan to kick it back in full gear starting this next week ... because CONTEST SEASON IS HERE.

I've not necessarily "started prep" in terms of my macros being dropped (see my post on Instagram from Friday where I talk about PREP being 365 and not an off season and prep season) ... but I have picked a show and it's only about 9 weeks away. So technically speaking ... prep has begun!

I never intended on stopping Prep With Purpose in my off seasons .. it just has sort of happened each year. That doesn't mean that I haven't been lifting up people that need it. It just means that I haven't been utilizing this project in the way I designed it, which is praying (or if you don't pray sending good vibes out) for someone that is NOT able to do what WE ARE ABLE TO DO! Literally .. lifting up and for someone else and using them and their story as MOTIVATION to DO THE WORK!

You don't have to be a competitor to participate in this! While the idea is to pray for someone while you are exercising .. if you aren't exercising .. that doesn't mean you can't participate in your own way! We are all "prepping" for SOMETHING. Be it work, getting the kids out the door to school and being a productive mom/spouse, etc. The idea here is .. we are ABLE to do these things while SOMEONE out there IS NOT!

Please go back and read the original blog so you understand what we are doing.
I really hope you join me this year!

Here is where some people get confused. YOU DO NOT PICK YOUR OWN PERSON if you are participating in this! The idea of this project is that we are ALL lifting up the SAME PERSON at the SAME TIME! Kind of like a little prayer chain! If you want to ADD someone to your prayer list .. feel free. But the idea is for us all to be lifting up this one person during a set time.

That said, if you have someone that needs lifting up and for, please EMAIL ME! That is the ONLY way I can do this project .. WITH YOUR HELP! I need PEOPLE that NEED LIFTING UP in order to do this!

Again, read the blog (or check out OLD prep with purpose entries) .. so you understand the KIND of requests I'm looking for.

When you send me someone ... I will need to know as many details as possible about their situation/diagnosis, pictures if they are okay with it, etc. That is simply so that I can write a complete blog entry!

I know you all have to know SOMEONE that fits this mold! So send em to me and let's get to work spiritually and physically!

I hope to have the FIRST person of the season up by Sunday evening. Make sure you go to the HOME PAGE of the blog and sign up to receive email notifications of new blogs that way you always know when someone new is posted!

XoXo
Stacy

Adrenal Fatigue: The Reason I {almost} Quit Coffee

{Me ... just over four weeks ago}

I am not even sure how I can concentrate enough to write this blog post.

I can't focus.
I have a headache.
I keep zoning out.
My ADD is off the charts.
I'm a little moody.
Okay I'm a lot moody ... I cried for NO reason yesterday .. twice.

Why? CAFFEINE WITHDRAWALS!!!!
(The withdrawal symptoms got better after a couple days thanks to THIS product. Keep reading.)

My name is Stacy.
I am a coffee addict.
I am on DAY THREE of a "caffeine cut" in an attempt to give my adrenal glands a little break/restore. ((More on the Adrenal Restore product I'm using a little further down... keep reading.))

Firt things first ... I have not totally cut out caffeine. I just can't. But I have cut it DRASTICALLY!!

A couple times a year I do something called an ADRENAL RESTORE cycle. Every time I've done it in the past I've had ALL the coffee I usually have daily and just cut out pre-workout.
Not this time. I'm doing it right. Well almost right. Right would be cutting out caffeine 100% .. but I seriously couldn't do that. But I was pretty darn close!

So how much caffeine did I cut out? ALMOST all. A typical morning for me consisted of 30 ounces of coffee every morning.  During the cut, I did 3/4 deaf and the rest regular. So guessing I got 50-75 of caffeine (max) ... that is a BIG difference compared to what I was getting before!

I also would have a late afternoon coffee pick-me-up about 1-2 hours before training. It was usually another 20oz thermos. During the cut, instead of that 2nd thermos, I had either Green Tea, a Vital Proteins Collagen Matcha Latte, mushroom coffee, mushroom elixirs, or some other hot tea. That varied from either ZERO to 60mg of caffeine in the afternoon.

I have also cut out ALL stimulant based pre-workout. I actually did that a LONG time ago. Somewhere around Olympia. So from October until this "cut" .. I had stopped having stimulant pre-workout DAILY and would only take a stimulant pre-workout AS NEEDED (this is the one I use.) Instead, I used a NON-STIMULANT pre-workout like THIS one or THIS one. So I simply continued doing that (never taking the stimulant one) during the Adrenal reset.

WAIT A SECOND! REWIND! Did I said MUSHROOMS in the paragraph above? Yes, I did and I'm not talking about the kind we like to put in salads or stir fry, ha!

Wanna know more about MUSHROOM COFFEE and MUSHROOM ELIXIRS -- CLICK HERE.

These products deserved a blog of their own! So make sure you CHECK IT OUT after you read this so that you can determine if they are something you may be interested in!

I'm blown away by them and am now doing a TON of research on ALL KINDS of Adaptogens .. not just shroomz!

Ok...back to caffeine and ADRENAL RESTORE (the product I'm used to re-set my adrenals.)

WHY is it important to do an Adrenal Reset?

The adrenal glands are responsible for regulating the production of over 50 different hormones, most importantly adrenaline, cortisol, DHEA, progesterone, and testosterone.

Physical things like overtraining, and mental things like nerves, general stress, chronic anxiety, and other external stressors can cause adrenal function to become impaired. This causes the balance of adrenal hormones to shift and excess cortisol begins to be released into the system.

Over time the adrenals become taxed and worn down, leading to a group of symptoms that have collectively come to be known as adrenal fatigue. Adrenal fatigue includes, but is not limited to: being tired for no reason, feeling rundown and overwhelmed, having trouble getting up in the morning even though you’ve had a full night’s sleep, sweet and salty cravings, difficulty recovering from illness, heavy dependence on caffeine and energy products just to function and not really feeling the kick from them anymore.

The good news is that it doesn’t have to be that way and with a steady treatment and a little break from some of the stressors, adrenal function can be fully restored.

HOW do I do it?
I use a product called ADRENAL RESTORE. It is amazing! I try to do this two times a year. At the END of contest season and then again JUST BEFORE prep starts. No real reason for the timing. It's just easy to remember. You can do it ANYTIME and the most effective time would be when you FEEL like you need it! That is pretty easy to determine. Is your coffee not giving you the energy it once did? Do you find yourself needing more? How about pre-workout .. does it just not give you the same effect? Those are all signs that your adrenals aren't functioning properly.

When our adrenals aren't optimal our bodies aren't functioning properly! Andrenal Restore™ brings together a potent complex of vitamins and herbs that have been proven to treat adrenal fatigue at its origin, not just mask the symptoms. The potent ingredients of Adrenal Restore have been shown to help reduce physical and mental stress, minimize caffeine headaches, reduce cortisol levels to help minimize fat storage and optimize natural energy levels. At the same time, the ingredients of this powerful formula come together to aid in the production and release of adrenal hormones back into the body. Defeat stress and minimize cortisol production with Adrenal Restore. *

FAST FORWARD TO THE END OF MY ADRENAL RESET.

The headaches and brain fog went away after about 3 days. After a few days, I also didn't notice much of a difference as far as energy levels being lower! However, I did notice that I was sleepier when it was time to go to bed, which is a perk for me since I suffer from Insomnia. I credit the withdrawal symptoms going away because of ADRENAL RESTORE!! The ingredients in this product help with the "caffeine headaches" and "brain fog" that often comes with doing a caffeine cut!

The plan WAS to go back to my regular caffeine consumption after 4 weeks. While I've gone back to much higher levels of caffeine ... I'm still not having as much as I used to! In using the adaptogens listed on THIS blog ... I don't really need to!

I did start incorporating my stimulant pre-workout back in (MegaWatt V2) on the days I feel like I need the extra push! And the best part .. IT WORKS AGAIN! My adrenals were so taxed that even pre-workout didn't really do much! Now I remember HOW GREAT it can be to give you that little extra push to train harder/longer!

Okay .. so that is my story. I wanna know YOUR STORY!
Have you had success in cutting caffeine? If so, tell me what you did!
Are you SCARED to try cutting out caffeine? If so, why?
Jump over to my Instagram page and let's chat about it!!

As always if you have questions about Adrenal Restore or any 1stPhorm product ... send me an EMAIL!

You can always get FREE FAST SHIPPING and 110% money back guarantee by using my link: www.1stphorm.com/stacy.

XoXo,
Stacy


**Some products and links may be AFFILIATE links. Meaning I may or may not recieve commission or product as part of a sponsorship or affiliation with the company. But please know that any product I post about I use and stand by.**

Mushrooms Are The New Black [coffee]

Hey Fit Fam,

Hopefully you read my blog about me being [almost] caffeine free for FOUR WEEKS!

If not be sure to check it out HERE and learn more about WHY I cut (most) caffeine in order to address/treat adrenal fatigue!

One of the products I mention in that Instagram post is MUSHROOM COFFEE and MUSHROOM ELIXIRS. These products are probalby foreign to most of you (they were to me until a few months ago) so I wanted to give them their own little blog entry.

SAVE 15% off with code SIMPLYSTACY

Recently I've been doing a TON of reasearch on something called ADAPTOGENS. You may be  taking them and don't even realize that is what they are called (things like rosemary, aloe vera, milk thistle, licorice root, ginsing, maca, goji, etc.) But there are a TON of others adaptogens that you may have never heard of ... like Ashwagandha, Rhodoila, Chaga Mushrooms, Reishi Mushrooms, Cordyceps, etc.

In short, adaptagens are a natural substances that works with a person’s body and help them adapt. Adaptogens are a natural ally in dealing with things like stress and fatigue because they work with regulating important hormones.


Pending which one you take .. they can offer a host of benefits (naturally)

• Boost immune system
• Support a healthy weight
• Increase physical endurance and mental focus
• Lower Stress (ie cortisol levels)
• Encouraging a balanced mood 

There are a few that I plan to start incorporating in 2018 (once I'm back home from travel and have time to order them) but in doing this caffeine cut I got a jump start on a few! Here is a little breakdown of a few I've been using.

Cordyceps (Supports Energy and Performance)

Cordyceps is an adaptogen, not a stimulant, so it helps you produce and maintain steady energy levels. Coffee can give you an energy spike, followed by a crash; cordyceps, on the other hand, helps your body produce its own energy.

REISHI Mushrooms
Reishi is classified as an adaptogen. It has no side effects, it is useful in a wide variety of illnesses and conditions, and it helps the body return to a normal and balanced state.

Reishi is gaining acceptance as being helpful in combatting the unpleasant side effects of chemotherapy, and its anti-stress effects are believed to contribute to easing tension, strengthening the immune system, sharpening concentration and improving memory.

CHAGA Mushrooms
This one has SO MANY beneifts - read here. But in short .. it is the antioxident king!! It smashes things like green tea in terms of levels of antioxidants!

So far the products I've used are from a brand called Four Sigmatic. The mushroom coffees and elixirs (that contain these adaptogens listed) that I have personally tried are:

CHAGA Mushroom Elixir Mix 
See above for what CHAGA is. I use this one in AM mixed with my decaf for it's antioxidant properties. You don't have to mix with coffee. You actually mix it with 8oz of water. I just mix it with my decaf because for ME much of nixing the caffeine addiction was HABIT in the form of drinking my morning coffee ... not so much the caffeine.



Mushroom Coffee Mix
This one is made up of Chaga and another shroom called LIONS MANE. It does have a little caffeine plus the NATURAL kick/focus from the shrooms! I have this in place of my coffee or mixed with my decaf. It has 50mg caffine and also cordyceps and chaga for natural energy and antioxidant properties.
I already describe CHAGA above, but Lions Mane is basically a natural cognitive enhancer. It's been shorn to support memory and concentration!

DECAF Mushroom Coffee Mix
This has both Chaga and Reishi mushroom extracts! See full descriptions above. You can also read all about these shrooms on their page but in short this coffee has these benefits:

• Reishi dual extract is known for its potential ability to support occasional stress
• Earthy chaga dual extract balances the lighter roast beans with its rich flavor while helping to reduce coffee’s natural acidity and potentially supporting immune function with antioxidant properties.

Cordyceps Mushroom Elixir Mix
See full description of Cordyceps above. I took this one pre-workout since cordyceps help your body produce natural energy.

Mushroom Hot Cacao Mix
They have two. One is good before bed. The other (pictured) in AM or Pre-Workout. I've had them alone with just unsweetened almond milk, mixed in my coffee and even mixed in my ice cream at night.

 




Each of these producs have a unique taste (hard to explain) but all taste very mild and are really good in my opinion. As mentioned, I've been mixing in my decaf most of the time instead of drinking alone. However many people mix with milk or water (pending the product) and a sweetener or in smoothies! The COFFEES can be BREWED or PRESSED just like regular coffee! The elixirs and hot cacao you just mix with water/liquid.

As for the MUSHROOM COFFEE (regular and decaf) it does taste like COFFEE! This one would be a great alternative for someone that can't handle coffee because of the ACID! So instead of buying a "low acid coffee" you may want to check this out instead! My husband can't tolerate coffee very well because of an ulcer so I'm hoping this will allow him to enjoy "coffee" without stomach pain!

I'm not sure I've ever seen a webpage that is more organized and more educational than Four Sigmatic. For real, I think I spent like 3 hours on there reading! So make sure and check it out HERE.
 The site has SO MUCH information it can be a little overwhelming finding it all! So I've made it easy for you! If you don't want to just go to the main page, you can also follow any of the specific hyper links I mention throughout the blog or here below to take you directly to things like:

FIND MY SHROOM

START HERE (examples of times/situations you may want to take each)

SO MANY BLOGS about medicinal mushrooms! With endless reasearch and studies!

FAQ that answers just about anything you can think of.

RECIPES using their products.

Even VIDEO LESSONS that allow you to take a 3 hour course and become a mushroom expert, ha!

I'm not a "shroom" expert. I am still learning about these products and simply wanted to share with you what I've been trying out! So I highly suggest you use the links above (specifically Find My Shroom) to see which (if any) may be best for you! Just like many supplements and herbs ... they are not one size fits all! But luckily they have this great little guide!

I can't wait to dive deeper into the world of ADAPTOGENS and am thankful I found this product during my CAFFEINE CUT ... which is now over, ha. I may not cut back as much as I was during my Adrenal Restore, but I am going to continue limiting the amount I take in daily.

I was able to get Four Sigmatic to give me a discount code that I can pass on to YOU so that YOU can save some money! Just type in SIMPLYSTACY at checkout and you will save %15 off your order.

Xo
Stacy


**Some products and links may be AFFILIATE links. Meaning I may or may not recieve commission or product as part of a sponsorship or affiliation with the company. But please know that any product I post about I use and stand by.**

6 Gut Friendly Foods For Your Kitchen (Plus Anti-Inflammatory Gummies Recipe)

Hey Fit Fam,

Improving gut health doesn’t have to be a difficult feat if you keep gut healthy foods in your kitchen. We all know that gut health is important, but many of us don’t realize just how much of an impact the foods we eat play a role in how we feel, think and behave. Before you plan your next shopping list, read more about the foods that can improve your life in more ways than one.

6 GUT FRIENDLY FOODS FOR YOUR KITCHEN

YOGURT

• Spoon your way to a better digestion with a cup of yogurt. 
• Yogurt contains probiotics, which are a powerhouse for digestive health. Probiotics are live micro-organisms that promote health benefits when consumed and support the "good' bacteria in the gut (3).
• Look for yogurts that contain live cultures-an active bacteria that has been shown to help promote in overall gut health and aid in reducing digestive distress (12.)
  
  (I know it's not some fancy flavored yogurt. But we are talking about GUT HEALTH. Probably the best yogurt on the market for this would be Nancy's.)

CAYENNE PEPPER

• Spice up your day with a sprinkle of cayenne pepper in your meals.
• Research has shown that cayenne pepper can assist in bringing necessary enzymes to the stomach which ultimately aid in metabolizing food (1).
• Also, a great aid for relieving intestinal gas as it encourages peristaltic motion - the movement of muscles located in the digestive tract (2).

AVOCADO

• Avocados are not only a delicious addition to any meal, they are also a one-stop-shop for a wide array of vitamins and nutrients, and are full of potassium, fiber, magnesium, and monounsaturated fats (4). 
• Fiber is largely found in avocados with approximately 4.5 grams per half, which contributes to healthy digestion as a result of its ability to feed the ‘friendly’ bacteria and remove waste in a minimal amount of time (5). 

ROOIBOS TEA

• Gut healthy foods don’t necessarily have to be a food! 
• Steep a warm cup of sweet and flowery rooibos tea for its digestive health benefits. Even add a scoop of Vital Proteins Bone Broth for an added digestive boost.
• Rooibos tea is rich in nutrients such as manganese, iron, zinc, and calcium to promote a healthy inflammatory response. Studies have shown that rooibos tea has the ability to promote improved digestion and abdominal comfort (6). 

QUINOA

• Quinoa is fiber-rich with a whopping 5 grams per cooked cup (8), mostly consisting of insoluble fibers which help to deliver friendly bacteria to the gut (7). 
• Rich in antioxidants–which flush out free radicals from the digestive tract (10)–and other minerals, quinoa boasts, even more, iron, fiber, and zinc over other common grains (9). 
• Magnesium is the star player in quinoa, where one cup can offer 30% of the recommended daily amount (9).

VITAL PROTEINS BEEF GELATIN
(my number one GUT HEALER)

• Gut healthy foods can be made even healthier with an all natural supplement. Maintain a digestive support with supplements such as Vital Proteins Beef Gelatin.
• Gelatin is most beneficial for improving the lining of the digestive tract and combating intestinal damage which ultimately prevents permeability (11). Gelatin is slower to digest, moves through the GI tract further and coats the small intestine.
• Beef Gelatin and Collagen Peptides' nutritional benefits vary only slightly. The main difference is how they're used. Gelatin works best while cooking, or with hot liquids, soups and broths. Both can be used cooking, but Beef Gelatin dissolves well in warm liquids, gummies, parfaits, hot teas, and more.

Anti-inflammatory CBD Gummies

You can omit the CBD if you want or don't have. But not sure why you would! It is AMAZING for inflammation! Check out THIS BLOG on how I am using CBD and am "Healed Not High" and THIS BLOG for any confusion as to what HEMP you should and SHOULD NOT be buying!!

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup water
4 tbsp. Vital Proteins Beef Gelatin

1 heaping scoop 1st Phorm Lemonade, Apple or Blueberry BCAAs
3 cups mixed fresh or thawed frozen strawberries, blueberries or apples (pending BCAA flavor)
 *Can omit if you want to get carbs elsewhere or want no carb gummies*

DIRECTIONS:
Add the Beef Gelatin to 1/4c of the water in a small bowl. Stir and set it aside for 3 minutes to let the gelatin bloom.

Mix the other 1/4 of the water, bcaas and 1 full dropper of UNFLAVORED IGNITE CBD OIL.

If adding the berries add the berries and sweetener large blender.  Blend on high until smooth.

Pour the berry juice (if used) and BCAA/CBD mixture into a medium saucepan and place over medium-low heat.

Add the bloomed gelatin and continuously until the gelatin is melted.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the magnesium, if using.

Pour into silicone molds or a large glass dish.

Refrigerate until solid, about 2 hours for molds or 4 hours for a large dish.

FREE SHIPPING for all US VITAL PROTEINS orders - HERE
FREE FAST Shipping on all 1st Phorm orders - HERE

**Some products and links may be AFFILIATE links. Meaning I may or may not receive commission or product as part of a sponsorship or affiliation with the company. But please know that any product I post about I use and stand by.**

Sources
(1) Maji, A. K., & Banerji, P. (2016). Phytochemistry and gastrointestinal benefits of the medicinal spice, Capsicum annuum L. (Chilli): a review. Journal of Complementary and Integrative Medicine,13(2). doi:10.1515/jcim-2015-0037 (2) “Spices Exotic Flavors & Medicines Chile Pepper.” History & Special Collections UCLA Louise M. Darling Biomedical Library, 2002. Accessed 27 Feb. 2017. (3) Guarner, F., Perdigon, G., Corthier, G., Salminen, S., Koletzko, B., & Morelli, L. (2005). Should yogurt cultures be considered probiotic? British Journal of Nutrition,93(06), 783. doi:10.1079/bjn20051428 (4) Lu, Q., Zhang, Y., Wang, Y., Wang, D., Lee, R., Gao, K., . . . Heber, D. (2009). California Hass Avocado: Profiling of Carotenoids, Tocopherol, Fatty Acid, and Fat Content during Maturation and from Different Growing Areas. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry,57(21), 10408-10413. doi:10.1021/jf901839h (5) Naveh E., Werman M. J., Sabo E., Neeman I. Defatted avocado pulp reduces body weight and total hepatic fat but increases plasma cholesterol in male rats fed diets with cholesterol. Journal of Nutrition. 2002;132(7):2015–2018.(6) Gilani, A. H., Khan, A.-u., Ghayur, M. N., Ali, S. F. and Herzig, J. W. (2006), Antispasmodic Effects of Rooibos Tea (Aspalathus linearis) is Mediated Predominantly through K⁺-Channel Activation. Basic & Clinical Pharmacology & Toxicology, 99: 365–373. doi:10.1111/j.1742-7843.2006.pto_507.x (7) Slavin, J. (2013). Fiber and Prebiotics: Mechanisms and Health Benefits. Nutrients,5(4), 1417-1435. doi:10.3390/nu5041417 (8) Repo-Carrasco-Valencia, R. A., & Serna, L. A. (2011). Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa, Willd.) as a source of dietary fiber and other functional components. Ciência e Tecnologia de Alimentos,31(1), 225-230. doi:10.1590/s0101-20612011000100035 (9) Nascimento, A. C., Mota, C., Coelho, I., Gueifão, S., Santos, M., Matos, A. S., . . . Castanheira, I. (2014). Characterisation of nutrient profile of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa), amaranth (Amaranthus caudatus), and purple corn (Zea mays L.) consumed in the North of Argentina: Proximates, minerals and trace elements. Food Chemistry,148, 420-426. doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2013.09.155 (10) How to Help Digestion. (n.d.). Retrieved April 19, 2017, from http://www.healthguidance.org/entry/14432/1/How-to...(11) Cardile, V. (2012). Gelatin tannate reduces the proinflammatory effects of lipopolysaccharide in human intestinal epithelial cells. Clinical and Experimental Gastroenterology, 61. doi:10.2147/ceg.s28792 (12) Guyonnet, D., Chassany, O., Ducrotte, P., Picard, C., Mouret, M., Mercier, C., & Matuchansky, C. (2007). Effect of a fermented milk containing Bifidobacterium animalis DN-173 010 on the health-related quality of life and symptoms in irritable bowel syndrome in adults in primary care: a multicentre, randomized, double-blind, controlled trial. Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics,26(3), 475-486. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2036.2007.03362.x