"Hey, beautiful warriors! 💖 Ready to honor God’s temple (YOUR body!)? Join Stephenie Haney Montes and Angela Prather Mendoza for a REAL talk that’s changing lives:
🌟 GUT HEALTH REVEALED: Why your gut is your "second brain" (and how to heal it God’s way!).
💪 MOVE DAILY, GLOW DAILY: Simple exercises that fit busy lives (no gym guilt!).
🙏 FAITH-FUELED WELLNESS: How stewarding your body deepens worship!
👉 We’re ditching fads for BIBLICAL wisdom + practical steps! Whether you’re a busy mom, career queen, or healing warrior—this is your breakthrough blueprint! 🥗🚶♀️
🔔 Hit SUBSCRIBE + 🔔 for more holy health hacks! Your body is His sanctuary—let’s treat it that way! ✨ #TempleCare #UnveiledWellness
#HolyGutHealth 🙌 #FaithAndFitness 💪 #ChristianWomenWellness 🌿 #MoveInFaith 🏃♀️✨ #BodyAsTemple 🙏
#GutHealthJourney 🦠➡️🌻 #ChristianWellnessWarrior ⚔️ #DailyMovementMatters 🚶♀️ #WellnessInChrist ✝️ #GodlySelfCare 💖 #WomensHealthMinistry 👭 #UnveiledLadiesMinistries 🌸
🌟 GUT HEALTH REVEALED: Why your gut is your "second brain" (and how to heal it God’s way!).
💪 MOVE DAILY, GLOW DAILY: Simple exercises that fit busy lives (no gym guilt!).
🙏 FAITH-FUELED WELLNESS: How stewarding your body deepens worship!
👉 We’re ditching fads for BIBLICAL wisdom + practical steps! Whether you’re a busy mom, career queen, or healing warrior—this is your breakthrough blueprint! 🥗🚶♀️
🔔 Hit SUBSCRIBE + 🔔 for more holy health hacks! Your body is His sanctuary—let’s treat it that way! ✨ #TempleCare #UnveiledWellness
#HolyGutHealth 🙌 #FaithAndFitness 💪 #ChristianWomenWellness 🌿 #MoveInFaith 🏃♀️✨ #BodyAsTemple 🙏
#GutHealthJourney 🦠➡️🌻 #ChristianWellnessWarrior ⚔️ #DailyMovementMatters 🚶♀️ #WellnessInChrist ✝️ #GodlySelfCare 💖 #WomensHealthMinistry 👭 #UnveiledLadiesMinistries 🌸
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LearningTranscript
00:00Yeah, it can be pretty confusing. Okay, let me go on the envelope. We're probably already live, and I don't know it. So hang on. Yeah, yeah, we are on. So, so I have Angela here, ladies, and this is something that I have been looking forward to.
00:24Let me turn down the volume on my phone. This is something, though, that I have been looking forward to. And Angela, who is with us today, Prather Mendoza, she has been with us. I was trying to think, has it been about nine years, 10 years?
00:42Yes, it has.
00:44Okay. Yeah, I was, I was remembering, she's been with unveiled through the thick and the thin, the twisted turns, the highs and lows. And when we used to do our unveiled workshops, annually before COVID hit before the pandemic hit, she always had a session and the women loved it.
01:04She talked mostly about fitness, and women's health and foods and supplements. And so I have not had you on since 2024. Last year, I think it was the early part. And I was feeling I want to have her back on, but I want to make it a little shorter, because people's time is of essence, everyone's busy.
01:25And today, and today, I want to talk a little bit about gut health, because everyone seems to have a problem with their gut nowadays. And also, give us some tips on fitness. But before we go into that, I want you to give a little bit of background of who you are, where you come from, how you arrived to where you are, and what you're doing right now. And then we'll go into questions and back and forth interviewing.
01:49All right, sounds good.
07:18Well, I think, I mean, could you do a quick breakdown of a healthy gut versus a healthy gut?
07:27I know that can take a lot of time, but maybe.
07:29Well, you want your gut working optimally so that any food you're eating, any supplement you're taking, anything, your body can absorb it, assimilate it, and then use it.
07:48You have bacteria in your gut.
07:55You've got good and you've got bad.
07:57And we're always looking for balance because we're never going to totally get rid of the bad bacteria, and that's okay.
08:06You just don't want them to overpopulate and get control of the gut versus the good.
08:13So, and the reason why you want a healthy gut is a lot of your neurotransmitters, a lot of your serotonin, a lot of your dopamine, those feel-good hormones.
08:25A lot of your hormone health begins in the gut.
08:29Signs of an unhealthy gut can be any skin issues that a person is having.
08:36If you're having anything show up on your skin, they say that that is a direct look at what could be happening inside the intestines.
08:47So, severe constipation, even loose stools, all of that can be symptoms of a gut not working.
09:00If a person is not having a bowel movement daily, I've had some women say, oh, my gosh, I have one every three days.
09:09Okay, that is a problem.
09:11We need to work on that.
09:13So, those would be the top symptoms off the top of my head that would show, hey, you're maybe, or bloating, gas, things like that.
09:27That can all be a symptom that your body is going, hey, something's out of balance inside, and we need to pay attention and start doing some things to address that could help.
09:38Okay, good.
09:40Just so people, I think a lot of people already know this, but just, I like to recap.
09:45So, what are the best foods?
09:48We'll start with foods to incorporate into our diets that can help to improve our health.
09:53Maybe just simplify it.
09:55And then later, you could also put something on the unveiled page with all of this information, too.
10:02Right.
10:02I always liked, when it comes to food, I always like to recommend, and this is pretty much across the board with anything.
10:08That anyone is dealing with.
10:09You want to eat what I call single-ingredient real food.
10:17So, an apple is an apple.
10:19It's a single ingredient.
10:20You can go out and pick it off a tree.
10:24It's a real food.
10:25God created it.
10:26So, you want to focus on real food, single-ingredient food.
10:33So, stay in a way, because when we get into anything packaged, anything processed, even if it's called, you know, quote-unquote health food, there are still things in it that can harm and take the gut out of balance.
10:51For instance, you have to be aware, and I'm not going to think of all the ingredients off the top of my head, but we'll address it in a post.
11:01So, anything like carrageenan, any of the gums that you see, it can even be in almond milk, it can be in creamers, it can be in ice cream.
11:11So, you really have to be a detective and watch your labels, because any of those things can cause dysbiosis in the gut.
11:19And your gut, we have what's called, they're called tight junctions, so they're supposed to interlock like this.
11:28When we start to have gut issues, they become, they start to spread apart, so then things can get through them and leak out into the body, which can cause, you know, other issues like histamine issues, autoimmune conditions.
11:44So, we really want to keep those junctions tight.
11:49So, when I mention yogurt, I want to always recommend that it's a plain yogurt, because if you get into the flavored yogurts, there's some yogurts out there that are pretty much like eating dessert.
12:00And so, you want to avoid those sweetened yogurts, I always say buy a really good plain one, and then add your fruit, add some honey, because if you add local honey into your yogurt, it's going to be beneficial for you.
12:16Your body knows what to do with honey, versus a very highly sweetened yogurt that has, you know, maybe high fructose corn syrup in it, or a high amount of sugar.
12:28So, always opt for plain yogurt, and then make it your own, fit it to you, add your fresh berries.
12:38Coffur can be another good, probiotic-rich food that happens naturally.
12:47It just happens naturally, so your body knows what to do.
12:52It will feed the good bacteria.
12:54Apple cider vinegar can be a really good, I wrote that down, because I had some five tips.
13:01So, apple cider vinegar was one of them.
13:03You want the organic, unfiltered apple cider vinegar.
13:06It contains, so it's got that murky look, and so that is healthy strands of proteins, enzymes, and friendly bacteria.
13:14So, if you want to add some apple cider vinegar into water about 20 to 30 minutes before you eat, that can be very helpful to the body.
13:25And I always like to say it's nature's probiotic.
13:30How much?
13:30Like a tablespoon?
13:31If you've never done apple cider vinegar, even if you start with a teaspoon, it'll be okay.
13:37You can work your way up, because I realize for some people, if they're not used to it, it can be a really strong, a strong taste.
13:45So, you can start with as little as one teaspoon and work your way up.
13:49Yeah, like an eight-ounce water?
13:51Mm-hmm.
13:52Okay.
13:53Good.
13:53Yep.
13:54And, yeah, you can do that before every meal.
13:58So, again, 20 to 30 minutes.
14:01You could add, some people like to add a little bit of lemon.
14:04You could play around with the mixture, but apple cider vinegar for sure, because, interesting fact, you know, there's the old saying, an apple a day keeps the doctor away.
14:18Well, come to find out that the apple peel is a really good source of fiber for a bacteria in the gut called acromantia.
14:33Acromantia loves apple peels, and that's a really good bacteria that we want to flourish in the gut.
14:41So, your apple cider vinegar is a potent concentrated liquid of some of those apple peels.
14:53So, that's why it's helping to feed the good bacteria that you want to be healthy.
14:59Yeah, I recently heard about the skin on the apples to keep them on, how important they are for the gut, and just for fiber.
15:08Yes.
15:08I never realized, I knew apples were healthy.
15:12My mom used to talk about it a lot, but I never knew about the skin, and so, now I'm keeping the skin on.
15:18If I do, sometimes I'll stew apples with a little cinnamon and water to soften it.
15:23Yes.
15:23Oh, it's delicious over a, like, I know some people will not eat still cut oats, but I'm doing, just for the diet, I'm doing it, like, two days a week.
15:32And I put that over it, that stewed apples with cinnamon and a little bit of honey.
15:36And it's almost like a chunky applesauce with the skin on, but it's tender, so it's not hard to chew on.
15:44So, if you have teeth issues, great way to also incorporate.
15:47I'm not trying to take over your...
15:50No, that sounds delicious.
15:52I'm like, ooh, that's not...
15:53You've got me thinking.
15:54And again, like you said, still cut oats.
15:57Still cut oats.
15:58So, that can, the fiber can be a really good, how do I want to say it?
16:06A lot of people are lacking in fiber.
16:08I know.
16:09Now, if your diet doesn't have a lot of fiber, you don't want to overdo it to start with, because you, and you have to hydrate as you start incorporating more fiber into your diet.
16:20Because if you don't hydrate with water, it can cause some really constipation issues.
16:26So, don't just, oh, I need fiber.
16:29And all of a sudden, you know, I've had some people that they go extreme with it.
16:35So, starting small, you know, maybe if you haven't been eating a lot of veggies and fruits and good grains like the oats, you know, maybe start with one or two servings a day and work your way up and make sure you hydrate.
16:49Yes.
16:49Very good.
16:50Very good information.
16:51It will stock you up if you do too much fiber with no liquids.
16:55Yes.
16:57Okay.
16:57What's the next food?
16:59Did you see that?
17:00Oh, I had five.
17:02I had top five things.
17:05So, food was definitely one of them.
17:07Food timing.
17:08So, along with, okay, choosing your, you know, berries.
17:13Berries are great for you.
17:14Apples are great for you.
17:16Your veggies.
17:17I always like to say, you know, as much as possible, eat the things that are in season in the area that you live in.
17:27So, what's ever growing around you right now, get that into your body.
17:33Veggies are always going to be good for you.
17:35Bone broth can be very helpful for a, someone who's working with a gut issue because it can go in and it can just really coat the lining of the intestines and it can help seal up those junctions that have become separated.
17:57There's some, you can make your own bone broth if you want.
18:03It can be a little time intense.
18:06I know there's a recipe for putting it in a crock pot and you basically just leave it alone for 24 hours and then you have to do some skimming and things like that of the, of the fat off the top if you want.
18:17But then there are also good sources that you can buy in the store.
18:20Um, but that, I know people that, you know, will drink a cup of bone broth a day.
18:27Um, you want to, and again, with your, I always highly recommend if you're going to do bone broth, this is where you want to choose to spend money for organic bone broth.
18:38Because again, you're consuming the part, like the bones are getting broken down, um, and you're consuming that part of the animal.
18:50So you really want to be picky.
18:51If you're trying to heal your gut, you really want to be picky and make sure you spend your money on the organic bone broth.
19:00Um, yeah, so that can be, cause again, when we think of it, like back, you know, when we're sick, we all tend to, oh, mom would make us homemade chicken noodle soup.
19:09Well, it was the chicken to an extent, but it was more of the broth that helped us feel good.
19:16So just think of that, that warming broth.
19:18That's just really good for the guts.
19:21I think that's great information.
19:25Um, okay.
19:26Let's move on.
19:27Like, so I may have you post all of this, everyone who's watching this now, or it's going to be watching later.
19:33We'll have it written out because some people, they're going to want to see it anyway.
19:37We'll link it on the page.
19:40So what I make myself a note there of all the foods.
19:44Okay.
19:44More things we can cover.
19:46We're going to end up going a little bit longer.
19:48I can already tell, but I wouldn't be out of here in by eight 30.
19:51So we have eight minutes.
19:52What are, I want to talk about what are, so if someone's going to the doctor and they're
19:59concerned about the gut, what are some tests that they can take where they can look at the
20:03gut is, are there certain, I mean, I'm going to my, my doctor's been really working with
20:10me on everything you can imagine right now.
20:13I was just diagnosed with the thyroid issue, which I've kind of known in the back of my head
20:17I've had for a few years and I just didn't face it, but when you start going crazy and
20:21feel like you're having all these weird symptoms and you're like, okay, I need to go get tested.
20:26So what are some things we can do to figure out if it is a gut issue?
20:32You know, I think that's such a common phrase.
20:34I have a gut issue.
20:35How do you know you have a gut issue?
20:37True.
20:38Your doctor or not even doctor nutritionists.
20:41Um, there's so many other alternatives now that where you can find out not to say, don't
20:47listen to your doctor.
20:48Right.
20:49No, not.
20:49Yeah.
20:50Listen to your doctor, but there's other alternatives now too.
20:54Because some doctors will know about different stool tests that can be run, but some don't.
21:01And here's the thing where we, you run into insurance won't always cover, um,
21:06tests like that, but there are tests that you, that's the nice thing right now about the internet.
21:14You can, there's a lot of tests that now you could order on your own.
21:18You would just need a practitioner to help you read the results.
21:21Um, there are some, I know my husband is, um, certified with, um, functional diagnostic nutrition.
21:30So it's one of the only nutrition courses in the country that not only do they teach you nutrition,
21:37but they also teach you how to read and interpret labs and, um, order labs for people.
21:44Again, we don't make recommendations on, you know, this is, you know, you need this, uh,
21:50this drug or this or this or that.
21:53We don't do that, but you know, you, we can look at a lab and interpret and say, okay,
21:57this, this is, uh, is what the lab is saying.
22:02So now maybe talk about that with your practitioner, but pretty much for a gut issue, they're going
22:08to do a stool test and I will have to get some options.
22:13I'll, I'll post that on the unveiled, uh, cause off the top of my head, I know Genova is
22:19one and then there's a few others, but I'll, I'll give those resources as well.
22:24My doctor, I just did blood work for food allergies, spice allergies, all those, and like thousands
22:32of different things they're looking at and there's, she's sending it off to Geneva.
22:39So that's one of the best, um, places.
22:43It is.
22:44So, yeah, that's a good idea.
22:46And also when you, um, post all, all of these links and information, maybe put your own
22:52manuals, um, email information.
22:55Okay.
22:55Someone wants to get in touch with you guys or wants to talk to manual about their lab
23:00work and help them.
23:02Maybe, I don't know if you offer those services, but that's maybe something to do.
23:06Okay.
23:07We can't.
23:07And we are.
23:08Yeah.
23:08And like, we do that.
23:09And then we can always do, um, we'd like to just even do consults because sometimes people
23:13it's overwhelming.
23:13And you don't even know where to start and where to look at.
23:16So sometimes just having that person, you know, who says, Hey, here's some things to
23:20consider.
23:21I love that.
23:22Okay.
23:23Now, lastly, um, let's just quickly go over, um, exercise.
23:28I, I feel like, and I, one thing I know about you, you're all about always moving, doing
23:34something.
23:34If you can't run, I can't run.
23:38Right.
23:39I've had a bad knee when I played volleyball, it used to swell up.
23:41So I just don't try it.
23:43I just walk a lot.
23:44There are things we can do, and maybe you can, um, kind of help the women here because
23:49we all need to exercise.
23:51I'm not talking about hardcore sweat.
23:53Right.
23:54The gym type.
23:55I'm talking just not sitting around it every day because your body needs your blood to be
23:59circulating.
24:00Right.
24:01Sometimes our health issues can, um, it can affect our health issues when we're not.
24:06Totally.
24:07So speak to that.
24:09Yes.
24:09And well, not, you know, with circulation as well.
24:12And the lymphatic system, for example, uh, most people are very aware about your cardiovascular
24:16system.
24:17We have a heart that pumps the blood and gets oxygen throughout the body.
24:22Your lymphatic system does not have a pump and your lymphatic system depends on you to
24:30move your body and muscular contractions.
24:34So walking, um, rebounding on little mini trampoline, things like that.
24:39And it, that's the only way your lymph system moves.
24:43And your lymph system is, uh, sort of what I like to say, the garbage disposal system of
24:49the body.
24:49So things that, um, shouldn't be there, it's trying to filter that out.
24:55Um, you've got your lymph nodes, you've got your white blood cells.
24:58So that lymphatic system is really key to your immune system.
25:03So if you're not moving throughout your day and you're setting most of the day, that lymph
25:12fluid is not moving.
25:13So that can give, uh, you can get, um, swollen feet, uh, you can have achy joints and things
25:21like that.
25:21So movement is critical for that lymphatic system.
25:25Like Stephanie said, um, you don't have to run.
25:29You don't have to join a gym.
25:31In fact, most people, most women, some women are, have the body to run and it's okay.
25:38Most of us women where our bodies are not made to run.
25:42And it can be a stressor on our body.
25:45So again, and if you're one of those few percent of the women who really enjoys it and it's
25:51therapeutic, fine, but you do not have to run to be healthy.
25:56Yes.
25:56Walking, walking can be one of the best things that you can do.
26:04And it doesn't have to be all at one time.
26:07Um, you can do a 10 minute walk in the morning after you eat lunch.
26:12It's really good to do a walk, a 10 minute walk after you eat, because then that also
26:20helps with, um, decreasing the glucose spikes that happen after we eat a meal.
26:29Because when you're walking, you're using your legs, which are your larger, the largest muscles
26:34in your body.
26:35So those muscles are using any, um, glucose that you just consume.
26:40So it helps keep your blood sugar levels at a good place.
26:44So simple thing, walking 10 minutes after lunch, 10 minutes after dinner, it can be a great
26:50way after dinner to connect with family, with loved ones.
26:54Okay.
26:54Before we clean the dishes up, we're going to all go out for 10 minutes and just, um, walk
27:00and you can catch up.
27:01You don't take your devices with you.
27:03So it's, it can be a really good time to connect with loved ones.
27:07Um, strength training for women.
27:11And again, I, I'm not saying that you have to go to the gym or have a gym membership.
27:16You just need to be lifting and doing.
27:21Yes.
27:21So either using your body.
27:23So doing squats, doing some lunges, um, doing some pushups off the wall, off the counter.
27:30I bought just, I bought, I bought a three pound weight.
27:35So I'm trying, I have a messed up neck from a bad accident, car accident.
27:40So I have to be very careful, but I am trying to get my arms a little more tone, you know,
27:47every other day.
27:48And I can tell a difference.
27:50I really, it's small pounds, but I believe every bit helps, you know, it certainly does.
27:57And again, cause if we don't, we have so much lean muscle, but as we get birthdays under our
28:06belts and we see that, you know, we're a little older than what we were last year, five years
28:10ago, our lean muscle, if we're not doing things to keep it here, we start losing it.
28:18So what happens then if your lean muscle mass is decreasing, that automatically means your
28:24body fat is going to increase.
28:27So you can weigh the same that you've always weighed.
28:31However, um, there's a scan called the DEXA scan, D E X A, and it can tell you, you know,
28:38how much lean body mass you have, how much body fat you have, what your bones are.
28:43That can be a great, um, and I'll put that in the notes as well.
28:47Um, a lot of times, sometimes your insurance will cover that.
28:52Okay.
28:53Um, but again, so we want to be doing something to keep our lean muscle.
28:58Cause I will say this from a personal experience.
29:01Um, my mom has been on a health journey the last year.
29:05Um, she's 74 and when women, especially, cause I've not noted, I've not, you know, I'm saying
29:15from a female perspective, when women hit like age 70, and if they go through any kind of
29:22health journey, it is crazy how frail they can become in a quick amount of time.
29:31I could not believe how frail my mom got.
29:35And so that is the key as we're getting older.
29:39That's why it's so important to, you know, to do some weight lifting two or three times
29:46a week, again, minimum effective dose two to three times a week, you know, you know,
29:5110 to 15 minutes.
29:53It's going to help you because when you, you, you, we, we have to be thinking now of the future.
30:00We're all going to get to our seventies.
30:02We're all going to get to our eighties.
30:03So the things we do right, right.
30:06Yeah.
30:06The things we do right now can help anything that might come down the road.
30:12So that's why it's so important for women to have, um, some lean body mass so that your
30:18muscles stay strong to help support you.
30:21Like our, I think the saying is our choices today affect our tomorrow.
30:26Yes.
30:27And find what you like to do.
30:29You know, if you want to walk with some friends or you do find a fitness class that you enjoy
30:37going to make sure it's something you enjoyed.
30:40Yeah.
30:40Enjoy doing it because if you dread it and you don't want to do it and you're not going to
30:47follow it, you're not going to do it consistently.
30:48So, you know, play, play around, see what you like.
30:51Do you like to ride bikes?
30:53Do you like to play tennis?
30:54I know pickleball is all the rage right now.
30:56So you might like pickleball.
30:58You might, you know, you might enjoy kayaking.
31:01You might enjoy pat.
31:02Like there's all kinds of ways to stay active.
31:05So just find what works for you and do it.
31:09Yeah.
31:10Move.
31:11Okay.
31:11We're time is real quick here though.
31:14Just, um, we're going to close down to like 30 seconds, but okay.
31:18Okay.
31:19So there's the phenomenon that I have recently been into.
31:21As you know, I text you in the last seven months, the 10,000 steps, logging it on your
31:27phone, how you can see it on your phone for women.
31:30If you do my older sister and I were talking about this and I was telling no, you need to
31:34do at least 7,000 steps a day.
31:37Cause she was doing like five or six.
31:39What is the, there's not a perfect amount, but what should a woman do at least stepwise
31:45a day?
31:47Ooh, that's a good one.
31:48I, I, off the top of my head, I'm going to say, I'm going to, I'm going to agree.
31:53Like you said, I would say at least 7,000.
31:56Okay.
31:56And if you get that, that's really good.
31:59And if you go above that, again, for a person who may not be doing anything right now, start
32:07small, just start.
32:09Yeah.
32:10Yeah.
32:10I agree.
32:1115 minutes out, 15 minutes back and that's it.
32:14And then build yourself up.
32:15But if you're somebody, or if you were somebody who did a lot of movement before and you've
32:20just gotten out of the habit of it.
32:22Yeah.
32:23Okay.
32:23Well, I know like for me, it just, here I go rambling again, but this is kind of, this
32:28may relate to women.
32:29I fly often.
32:30Well, in Dallas, I was at one terminal and I was going to take the tram, the train.
32:38And I said, you know what?
32:38I'm going to just walk.
32:39It was, it was two terminals over.
32:41And I did.
32:41And I got over 6,000 steps in that day, just in the airports in Austin airport and Dallas
32:47airport.
32:48So that's what I've been trying to do too, is I'm going to walk more, park my car further
32:52away.
32:53And so I'm really making an effort because I'm realizing that every step counts.
32:59It does.
33:01Anyways, I'm proud of myself because I'm really trying here.
33:04That's so good.
33:04I'm proud of you too.
33:05That's awesome.
33:06Like you said, just those little things like parking a little farther away, you know, going
33:12to, you know, if you're at work and there's a bathroom that's really close to you, or there's
33:17one on the next floor, go to the one on the next floor.
33:20And maybe the next time we meet up, we can talk more about fitness for, um, anyone who
33:26can't really walk fast or a problem with their legs.
33:30We can maybe those women who are struggling that are limited to, you know, to walk far
33:37because of their health.
33:38Right.
33:39But I thank you, Angela, for joining me.
33:42And I'm really hoping that this helps the women.
33:44And I'm hoping we can bring this back like we used to do, uh, quite a long time ago, because
33:49I feel like our health, our gut, our heart, everything is so important nowadays.
33:53And we have to be educated and we have to be intentional about doing it.
33:58We do.
33:59It was fun.
34:00Look forward to it.
34:01Talk to you later.
34:02Bye.
34:02We'll see you soon.
34:03Bye.
34:03Bye ladies.
34:04Bye.
34:05Bye.
34:05Bye.
34:06Bye.
34:06Bye.
34:07Bye.
34:07Bye.