Health Archives - Kathy Smith: Recent Episodes
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The Power of Micro-ChangesEveryone talks about goals! But let’s shift our focus to something more powerful: habits. Effective habits are what truly make a profound impact on our lives.The Big PictureThink about something you want to accomplish that truly motivates you. Now, think even bigger. This grand vision will be your compelling driver, pushing you into action. Remember, you can accomplish whatever you set your mind to if you have solid habits and rituals supporting you. The Power of Micro-HabitsWhile big goals are important, the real magic happens in the small, everyday choices. Enter the concept of micro-habits – tiny, manageable changes that compound over time. These small adjustments are the miracle drug of behavior change.Consider this: your life is an endless series of choices. Watch Netflix or read a book? Exercise or sleep in? Healthy snack or junk food? These seemingly insignificant decisions, made consistently, become your habits. And your habits shape your life.Consistency is KeyIt’s not what you do occasionally that impacts the direction of your life—it’s what you do consistently. The choices you make today determine how you’ll be living in the years to come. By focusing on creating positive micro-habits, you’re setting yourself up for long-term success.Visualizing Your SuccessTo create the future of your dreams, try today’s 10-minute Focus audio visualization. It will guide you through concentrating on what you want, and letting go of what’s blocking you. Where your focus goes, grows!LISTEN…CLICK PLAY!After your visualization:• Write down 1-3 habits you want to adjust or create.
• Start small – remember, we’re focusing on micro-habits.
• Be consistent in your efforts.
• Regularly revisit and adjust your habits as needed.By focusing on habits and micro-changes, you’re not just setting goals – you’re creating a system for lasting success. What small change will you make today?The post The Power of Micro-Changes appeared first on Kathy Smith.
Sleep… The New Status SymbolDreamtime 30-Min Audiohttps://www.kathysmith.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/KSPM01-SV-Dreamtime.mp3The world has forgotten to sleep! Two-thirds of adults in developed countries are sleeping less than the recommended 8 hours a night… a sleep epidemic!
Sleep may just be the missing puzzle of health. People often don’t see it as a critical issue, but lack of quality shut-eye has been linked to nearly all major modern illnesses, including heart disease Alzheimer’s, cancer, and diabetes. Poor sleep dramatically increases one’s propensity for metabolic dysfunction, including type 2 diabetes, and it can wreak havoc with the body’s hormonal balance.
While there is no surefire solution for perfect sleep, here are 7 practices that can significantly enhance your ability to fall asleep quickly and remain asleep throughout the night.
- Practice good sleep hygiene by keeping your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet. Avoid blue light exposure from screens for 2-3 hours before bedtime.
- Prioritize consistency by going to bed and waking up at the same times every day, even on weekends.
- Optimize light exposure by getting bright morning sunlight and using amber glasses to block blue light in the evenings.
- Be mindful of meal timing and avoid eating for 3-4 hours before bedtime.
- Consider supplements like magnesium, glycine, or apigenin if you have trouble sleeping.
- Exercise regularly, but avoid intense workouts too close to bedtime.
- Reduce stress through relaxing activities like meditation, deep breathing, or yoga before bed.
30-Minute
DREAMTIME
Audio Visualization
When counting sheep just isn’t cutting it, consider listening to the visualization above, where I teach you a technique that will transport you into a new space of peace, tranquility, and inner calm.
A natural byproduct of this guided relaxation is that your muscles, ligaments, and tendons go loose and limp, thereby creating the relaxation response… the perfect state for sleeping.
Once the relaxation response is triggered you’ll immediately notice the physical benefits, such as a decrease in blood pressure, a lower respiratory rate, and a slower pulse rate.
The post Sleep… The New Status Symbol appeared first on Kathy Smith.
Design your future, start today! (20-Min audio)https://www.kathysmith.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/KS09-SuccessTimeline.mp3If you’re looking to move from a place of doubt and fear of failure to “I can do this!” you’re going to love this…
One exercise that has been particularly transformative for me is an audio visualization called “Creating Your Success Timeline.” This 20-minute guided experience helps me tap into the blueprint for success that lies deep within the subconscious mind. I find it especially helpful to press play on the guided visualization before getting out of bed in the morning. It’s my way of winning the morning to ultimately win the whole day, as it sets the tone for all that follows.As an old adage goes, your future determines your present. I love that perspective because it’s a bit counterintuitive and breaks from the usual “your present determines your future.” But think about it: When you have a future goal in mind, you know what to say yes to and what to walk away from today. It starts shaping your daily world as you propel yourself into that envisioned future.
Put simply, how your future shapes your today hinges on how you see that future. That’s why it’s important to have goals!
Let’s work on how you can change the trajectory of your future—filled with possibilities—based on the here and now.Today’s inner workout will help boost your confidence and open you up to possibilities. Plus, it helps release the thought patterns and attitudes that have been holding you back. It’s like giving your brain the permission and pathways it needs to start rewiring itself for thriving.The post Design your future, start today! (20-Min audio) appeared first on Kathy Smith.
The Truth About Menopause BellyFor many women, one of the most frustrating issues that comes along with menopause is the development of stubborn belly fat that just won’t go away, no matter what you try. You may have been able to control your weight easier when you were younger, but now the pounds seem to creep on, especially around your midsection.
This “menopause belly” is more than just an annoyance – the visceral fat that accumulates deep in your abdomen is biologically active and can have serious impacts on your metabolic health and longevity. But contrary to popular belief, gaining belly fat is not an inevitable part of aging that you just have to accept.
The Truth About Belly Fat
While our bodies do go through changes as we get older, the accumulation of dangerous visceral fat is not something to just surrender to. In fact, convincing yourself that belly fat after 40 or 50 is normal can set you up for increased risks of issues like heart disease, diabetes, and more.
What Causes Menopausal Belly Fat?
As you enter perimenopause and menopause, the hormonal changes your body goes through cause a redistribution of weight. Your estrogen levels decline, so your body starts partitioning fat differently. Instead of storing it more in the hips, thighs, and butt like younger women, your fat gets shunted more toward your abdomen in a typically “male” fat distribution pattern.
Additionally, this belly fat is particularly dangerous visceral fat that surrounds your internal organs and pumps out inflammatory compounds. It’s biologically very different and more metabolically active than the subcutaneous fat under your skin.
The Weight Gain Cycle
Unfortunately, once you start gaining this belly fat, it creates a vicious cycle by disrupting various hormones that regulate hunger, metabolism, and fat storage. Fat is “bossy” and works against you – the more you gain, the harder your body’s systems make it to lose.
This means the old “eat less, move more” advice often falls flat for menopausal women. Counting calories or doing more cardio alone frequently doesn’t budge stubborn belly fat, since there are hormonal factors at play.
How to Lose Menopausal Belly FatInstead, an multifaceted approach that combines exercise, nutrition, and hormonal support is required:
• Strength Training: Lifting weights builds muscle mass, which boosts your metabolism and helps your body burn fat more efficiently. Target your core with moves like planks to strengthen your abdominal muscles too.
• High Intensity Intervals: Short bursts of high intensity exercise like alternating fast and slow walking or cycling can help convert white fat into calorie-burning brown fat.
• Nutrition for Fat Loss: Follow a nutritional plan that supports fat loss, like nutritional ketosis from a lower-carb, high-fiber diet. Intermittent fasting can also help.
• Reduce Inflammation: Follow an anti-inflammatory lifestyle and nutrition plan to avoid further metabolic disruption.
• Track Your Progress: Seeing the data by measuring weight, inches, body fat percentage, etc. keeps you motivated and accountable.
The bottom line is, you don’t have to accept belly fat as an inevitable part of aging and menopause. With some dedicated lifestyle adjustments and hormonal support, you can absolutely regain a flatter, healthier midsection – and reduce your risk of serious conditions in the process. Don’t believe the myth that menopausal weight gain is unavoidable. You’ve got this!
The post The Truth About Menopause Belly appeared first on Kathy Smith.
Happy Hormones, Healthy CortisolLISTEN…CLICK PLAY!Subscribe: iTunes | Stitcher
Feel like your young self again!
If your hormones feel out of whack, it may be time to take a look at cortisol.
Today’s podcast guest, Dr. Sara Gottfried, author of four New York Times best-selling books, including The Hormone Cure and Brain Body Diet, she explained cortisol’s role in your body. You can see more of her blogs on her website, www.SaraGottfriedMD.com…
At a basic level, what is cortisol’s role in the body?Cortisol is the hormone that governs your digestion, hunger cravings, digestion, sleep/wake patterns, blood pressure, physical activity, and your capacity to cope with stress. Cortisol is the main stress hormone and is released when you’re in a fight with your partner or mom or under deadline – that is, when you’re in fight or flight. Cortisol’s job is to raise blood pressure (so you can run), blood sugar (to power your muscles), and modulate your immune system.
When does it become problematic?
Cortisol production is controlled by the adrenal glands, which in turn is managed by the hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis. In the normal sequence of events, in times of stress, the HPA axis signals the adrenal to increase cortisol production. The increased cortisol levels then acts to inhibit the HPA axis, which can settle down until the next stressful event. Once cortisol levels increase, it basically tells the HPA – ‘don’t worry, we’ve got this’, and the HPA can stop inducing the adrenal glands to increase cortisol production.
The problem is that most of us run around stressed all the time. When stress levels are chronic, cortisol is constantly produced, and it doesn’t act as a negative inhibitor to the HPA axis. The HPA axis keeps triggering the adrenals to produce more and more cortisol.
High cortisol levels wreak havoc over time, and make you store fat—especially in your belly, deplete your happy brain chemicals like serotonin, and rob your sleep. High cortisol is also linked to depression, food addiction, and sugar cravings.
What does a healthy pattern/curve look and feel like?
Different amounts of cortisol are produced at different times of the day. Increased levels are produced in the morning; less is produced during the day, and very little in the evening, as we go to sleep. Only minimal amounts of cortisol are produced while we sleep. This cycle is known as diurnal variation (diurnal means a daily cycle). In general, cortisol levels gently decline over the course of the day.
When your cortisol levels are in balance, you feel calm, cool and collected all the time. You sleep well, and are able to manage stress without it overcoming you. Your blood pressure and fasting glucose (blood sugar) levels are normal.
What’s the possible connection between cortisol and sleep issues?
Cortisol levels should be lowest around midnight, while you are asleep, and it is then that your cells can perform their greatest repair and healing. If your cortisol levels are still high while you are sleeping, your body can’t do the repair and healing it needs. When you experience chronic stress, you can’t wind down, and you may get a second wind. High evening cortisol makes you feel like you don’t need rest, at the time when you actually need it most. You can have trouble falling asleep or sleeping deeply. This depletes your adrenals, which heal at night. Depleting your adrenals can cause neurotransmitter levels to decline, including serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine. The lack of sleep makes it harder to sleep because of stress and high cortisol, and it becomes an endless cycle.
Are there better times of the day to exercise, drink coffee, etc. to support good cortisol rhythms?
Cortisol levels peak in the morning. It’s probably better to exercise and drink coffee in moderation in the morning, to make sure that your cortisol levels are still able to gently decline during the day, ensuring a healthy cortisol rhythm.
How do other hormonal shifts (adolescence, pregnancy, perimenopause, menopause) affect cortisol production? Are there specific strategies for managing these changes?
When women experience hormonal shifts, they are at a greater risk of higher stress levels, which can cause cortisol levels to rise. Women need to be especially careful around these shifts and implement lifestyle changes to manage their cortisol levels. A combination of a whole-foods diet, appropriate exercise, and stress management techniques such as meditation, deep breathing, and yoga can help keep cortisol levels in check.
What behaviors/lifestyle changes tend to support and promote a healthy cortisol pattern?
I have found that when it comes to high cortisol, lifestyle and supplemental strategies are powerfully effective for most. A combination of a whole-foods diet, appropriate exercise, and stress management techniques such as meditation, deep breathing, and yoga can help keep your cortisol levels in check. Here are several practices and botanicals I recommend to support and promote healthy cortisol patterns.
- Eat nutrient-dense food. Avoid refined carbs and sugar like the plague. Craving for sugar or alcohol could be a symptom of high cortisol. Don’t go there. It just keeps spiraling downward and doesn’t make you feel better.
- Omega-3s: Men and women who took 4,000 mg (4 grams) of fish oil a day for six weeks lowered morning cortisol levels to healthier levels and increased lean body mass.1 I recommend choosing a form of fish oil that has been third-party tested and free of mercury and other endocrine disruptors.
- Contemplative practice is nonnegotiable. This is especially true if you are struggling with your weight. A study from The University of California at San Francisco, showed that obese women who began a mindfulness program and stuck with it for 4 months lost belly fat.2
- Adaptive exercise. Running raises cortisol. Switching to resistance training and yoga made all the difference in my weight.
- Take Rhodiola. Rhodiola is an herb and one of the forms of ginseng, and it’s the best proven botanical treatment for lowering cortisol. I recommend taking 200 mg once or twice a day.3
- Vitamin B5: B5 appears to reduce the hypersecretion of cortisol in humans under high stress and is a low-risk treatment. If you’re chronically stressed, I recommend taking 500 mg/day.4
- Vitamin C: Shown to lower cortisol in surgical patients and children in stressful situations, vitamin C is a safe supplement to add to your regimen. I suggest 750 to 1000mg per day, as more may cause a loose stool. (Gromova, E. G., et al. “[Regulation of the indices of neuroendocrine status in surgical patients with lung cancer using optimal doses of ascorbic acid].”Anesteziologiia i Reanimatologiia 5 (1989): 71-74; Liakakos, D., et al. “Inhibitory effect of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) on cortisol secretion following adrenal stimulation in children.” Clinica Chimica Acta 65, no. 3 (1975): 251-255; Peters, E. M., et al. “Vitamin C supplementation attenuates the increases in circulating cortisol, adrenaline and anti-inflammatory polypeptides following ultramarathon running.” International Journal of Sports Medicine 22, no. 07 (2001): 537-543.)) The post Happy Hormones, Healthy Cortisol appeared first on Kathy Smith.
Detach Mood From FoodLISTEN…CLICK PLAY!Sometimes when you have had a stressful day, it’s natural to open the cupboard and find something yummy to comfort you.
Eating isn’t always about hunger.
Mood eating can be one of the most overwhelming issues for many of us. We often turn to comfort foods for reasons other than fuel, and distinguishing the physical need from the emotional need (especially in the heat of the moment) can be challenging.
To detach mood from food, start by identifying your own eating patterns.
Tune in to the foods and eating situations that often trigger overeating.
I used to be a chocoholic. If it was in my kitchen, it didn’t last long. One bite led to two, then three and four. At one point, I banished it from my house because there was no chance I could eat it in moderation.
As you reflect on your own patterns, you will gain self-awareness to help you make better decisions when the same mood loop repeats.
The goal is to reach a point where you no longer eat in response to negative feelings.
For example, if you find that you become cranky around 4:30 every afternoon, and you munch on something that you later regret, you may want to plan a 20-minute relaxation audio at that time, and have a light snack ready when you return.
This will help you come to a better understanding of your personal connection between mood and food.
20-Min Visualization to Help
Stop Stress Eating
A simple tool I’ve found to be a powerfully effective way to calm down and break away from emotional eating is to listen to this 20-minute Releasing Negativity audio.
Find the time that works best for you…It can be first thing in the morning to set yourself up for success, in the middle of the day when you notice a pattern of unnecessary snacking, or in the evening when it’s time to shut down the kitchen.
Following along can give you confidence to improve your willpower.
Listen, relax, and change your patterns.
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