Today’s Health Tip

Food Combining Protocols for Better Digestion

If you have poor digestion perhaps your body cannot tolerate the food you pair together in a meal.

Listen in for why following the rules of food combining may help you to feel better.

In a nutshell the rules are:

Avoid combining Proteins and Carbohydrates! 

Don't Eat Fruits with other food groups.

Don't Drink Milk.

Mindful Eating and Chewing your Food

Did you know that digestion starts in your mouth.  Please guys, chew your food well. It's one of the most important mechanisms of digestion, yet more often than not, the most forgotten.

The whole idea of chewing is to help your digestion by reducing the size of food particles and maximize the surface area for your digestive juices to act on.  Also chewing signals the other digestive organs to secrete their digestive juices (pancreatic enzymes, stomach acids etc) in order to prepare for the incoming food.

And please be mindful when you eat.  If you are a gulper it will take some work to slow it down.  Remind your self.  Chew!!

Swedish Bitters for better digestion

Have you ever heard of Swedish Bitters?  The sheer bitterness of the tinctures or liquid releases digestive enzymes and  stimulates your stomach acid , making it easier for it to go to work digesting whatever food you eat. 

Best to take it 20-30 minutes before a heavy meal or any time your stomach is feeling uneasy.

Shake well before using. 
Adults take 1-2 teaspoons (tsp) daily. Not for use in children under 18 years of age. Do not exceed recommended dosage. Not for long term use.

 For an exciting alternative way to take Swedish Bitters, add to a cup of herbal tea, like Chamomile or Peppermint, or to a glass of your favorite fruit juice.  Also great mixed with seltzer water.

Link to Swedish Bitters on Amazon is here: https://amzn.to/2FFagvw

Drinks for Digestion....

Listen in to why starting your day with a nice glass of lemon water can help set you up for better digestion through out the day.  Wonder what's the scoop with Apple Cider Vinager?  And why we should all be drinking our beverages at room temperature or warm instead of cold....

My 2 tricks to make the holidays a little less stressful.

It's self-care Sunday.  Today, listen in for my 2 favorite tips to get you through the holidays with a little less stress.

My 3 breath practice and my love of making lists.

Buckle up friends...here come the holidays.

Less Stress - Shop Local!

If you are out shopping today make sure to head to your local shops for Small Business Saturday!  Stick to a budget. Before you go gift and food shopping, decide how much money you can afford to spend. Then stick to your budget. Don't try to buy happiness with an avalanche of gifts.

Looking for ways to save?  Try these alternatives:

Instead of a gift, donate to a charity in someone's name.

Give homemade gifts. – check PINTEREST for tons of ideas.

Start a family or friends gift exchange. Draw a name and buy only one gift for the cost predetermined by your group.  Having to buy only one gift can  really take the stress out of holiday shopping.

Happy Shopping!

Want less stress? Learn to say NO.

Saying yes when you should say no can leave you feeling resentful and overwhelmed. Friends and colleagues will understand if you can't participate in every project or activity. If it's not possible to say no when your boss asks you to work overtime, try to remove something else from your agenda to make up for the lost time.

It's a skill, this saying "No" thing.  Half the battle is simply accepting your humanness, your inability to be everywhere or everything to everybody.

Give it a try.

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

2 things to keep top of mind today:

First: Don’t abandon healthy habits.  Fill your plate with vegetables and turkey.  Skip the mashed potatoes and gravy.  Don’t have several desserts but only several bites.  Watch the alcohol.  One glass of water for every alcoholic beverage.

Secondly:  please don’t shop today.  Use the time to spend with friends and family creating memories.  Make sure to make some time for a gratitude practice whether you journal all the things you are grateful for or sit in a few moments of quiet reflection.  Even if you are going thru a tough time, finding things in your life to be grateful for can give you a new perspective and turn your day around.

We wish you a day filled with guud food, guud people and guud memories.

Less Holiday Stress By Making Lists

Lists are my favorite secret weapon against anxiety and stress, especially this time of year.

The time is now to plan.

Set aside specific days for shopping, baking, visiting friends and other activities. Plan your menus and then make your shopping list. That'll help prevent last-minute scrambling to buy forgotten ingredients. And make sure to line up help for party prep and cleanup.

This week is for giving and forgiving

Set aside differences. Try to accept family members and friends as they are, even if they don't live up to all of your expectations. Set aside grievances until a more appropriate time for discussion. And be understanding if others get upset or distressed when something goes awry. Chances are they're feeling the effects of holiday stress and depression, too.

Remember you have new tools now.  You can talk a walk in nature, you can find a quiet spot and take 3 slow deep breaths (in through your nose for 5-7 seconds and out through your mouth making noise) reframe your situation or have a small gratitude practice to get you through it.

Less Holiday Stress

The holidays present a dizzying array of demands — parties, shopping, baking, cleaning and entertaining, to name just a few.  This week we will share some easy tips to help you minimize the stress that accompanies the holidays. Our hope is that you will be enjoying the holidays more than you thought you would.

When stress is at its peak, it's hard to stop and regroup. Try to prevent stress and depression in the first place, especially if the holidays have taken an emotional toll on you in the past.

Put your mental health first. Acknowledge your feelings.  You can't force yourself to be happy just because it's the holiday season.  Please don't isolate yourself.  If you feel lonely, seek out community, religious or other low-key social events. They can offer support and companionship. Volunteering your time to help others also is a good way to lift your spirits this time of year.

Be realistic. The holidays don't have to be perfect. As families change and grow, traditions and rituals often change as well. Choose a few to hold on to, and be open to creating new ones. 

***Seek professional help if you need it. Despite your best efforts, you may find yourself feeling persistently sad or anxious, plagued by physical complaints, unable to sleep, irritable and hopeless, and unable to face routine chores. If these feelings last for a while, talk to your doctor or a mental health professional.

Cold & Flu Prevention: Get outside and exercise

Walk, run, bike or hike outside as often as you can AND for at least 30 minutes.

If you are in a northern climate like me – we can get outside and walk, run or hike.  Those of you approaching Summer have more options like swimming, backyard yoga, or tennis.

Medical study after study confirms the immune system benefits and overall health benefits to exercising.

AND get active outside. Most gyms are filled with toxic chemical cleaners used to clean the equipment. Those chemicals enter your body though your lungs and skin. 

Always exercise in moderation. Thirty minutes of cardiovascular exercise each day. Body weight strength exercises three times a week.  If you haven't been exercising a visit to your Physician is recommended to make sure you are ready to start a program.

If you are in a warm climate take your shoes and socks off and walk barefoot on the earth. This practice is called “grounding.” It will strengthen your immune system and brings numerous other health benefits as well.

Cold & Flu Prevention: Stay off the sugar.

No one wants to come down with a cold or the flu anytime. When you avoid sugar to stay healthy, you’ll not only beat colds and the flu, you’ll also be protecting your body from other more serious chronic diseases like Diabetes that could really compromise your health down the road.  Sugar is one of the worst things to consume, especially if you’re trying to stay healthy as it weakes the immune system and helps bacteria to grow. Avoiding sugars is key to staying healthy, particularly when you’re under stress or in the middle of cold and flu season.

Remember: make better choices!

Cold & Flu Prevention: Get more sleep!

When you’re sick you need to get plenty of rest, but you can’t really “catch up” on sleep or make up for weeks or months of too little sleep.

Getting enough sleep on a regular basis is key to maintaining good health. Studies show that lack of sleep is associated with health problems and the inability to lose weight. According to the Harvard Women’s Health Watch, one adverse effect of not getting enough sleep is a compromised immune system.  Both sleep and your circadian system exert a strong regulatory influence on immune functions.

We should be waking with the sun and going to bed 2 hours after dinner.  Shoot for 7-8 hours of sleep and keep your routine consistent.  Listen in today for more on the way sleep can help you stay healthy this winter.

For those of you who like a little research, check out this journal article: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3256323/

Cold & Flu Prevention: Vitamin D3 (with K2)

Remember: Having a strong, healthy immune system is the absolute best way to prevent the flu (and all other diseases as well.)

Vitamin D is produced in the body by sunlight and regulates the expression of over 2,000 genes, including those of the immune system. Unfortunately, up to 90 percent of us are deficient in vitamin D.

Recent research shows that low vitamin D levels are linked to higher rates of cold, flu and respiratory infections.

Many functional medicine physicians believe that current recommended daily amounts of vitamin D are far too low, and that 2,000 units a day is the correct dosage for those who are deficient. 

The 25-hydroxy vitamin D test is the most accurate way to measure how much vitamin D is in your body.

In blood tests, the accepted normal range for vitamin D levels runs from 20 to 50 nanograms per milliliter however, MY PERSONAL PHYSICIAN RECOMMENDS A LEVEL OF 50 as a minimum.

Please check with your doctor and ask about this blood test and supplementation if you are low.

The product I take on the daily is here: https://amzn.to/2TafpP8

The one I give my kids is here: https://amzn.to/2T8Vjok

Cold & Flu Prevention: Heat it up

A journal article in the Journal of Trauma entitled Fever: Fact and Fiction states that “As the body rids itself of accumulated toxins through regular deep sweating, the immune system’s function grows noticeably stronger. Heating the body increases white blood cell activity. Raising the core temperature of the body disables harmful heat-sensitive microorganisms, eliminating many infections.”

By deep heating the body with radiant heat, the infrared sauna is able to raise the core body temperature by 2 – 3 degrees F. This elevated body temperature acts as an induced fever, and the heat itself can destroy harmful germs and bacteria.

You can also do this in a hot bath.  As hot as you can stand for 20 minutes or so.  REMEMBER you can add essential oils and Epsom salts for increased health benefits.

Cold & Flu Prevention: Hand washing

According to the Centers for Disease Control, hand washing is one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of germs.

Be thorough and do it often.

Make sure to use clean running water, lather with soap for 20 plus seconds.  Make sure to scrub the backs of your hands, the webbing between fingers and under your nails.  Rinse thoroughly while rubbing hands together.  Lastly, dry with a clean towel or air dry.

Always wash your hands when you come into your house, before you touch food, after you touch animals or go to the bathroom.

Also, try to keep your hands and fingers away from you eyes, nose and mouth.

Vigilant hand washing...it can keep those germs at bay.

Cold & Flu Prevention: Vitamin C

Vitamin C helps with immune system function and boosts white blood cells. Research shows that Vitamin C has shortened the duration of colds and can decrease the number of colds in physically active people.  Take 1,000 milligrams of vitamin C daily to ward off a cold or the flu and up to 4,000 milligrams daily when you are experiencing symptoms. For the most dietary vitamin C, eat whole fruits and vegetables.  Our top picks are bell peppers, kiwi, strawberries, oranges and broccoli

We like Vitamin C in capsules rather than tablets and the one we like from Solgar can be found on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/2qzble1

Mindfulness and Pain

Have you considered using mindfulness for dealing with pain?  Simply sit comfortably in the quiet, focus on your breath and clear your mind.  No judgement if your mind wanders.  Simply just come back to the breath and focus on the rising and falling of your chest.  The expansion and contraction of your belly. Set a timer or use my favorite app called Headspace.  More on them here: http://bit.ly/mindfulGuud 

PLEASE NOTE: If you are sitting with your pain for the first time, you might find that it seems worse or more intense.  But that's not necessarily bad.  Sitting with you pain *should* change something in you.  Keep up with it.  If it's the actual sitting part causing you more pain you might need a position change or even to lie down while you practice.