A Healthy Bite - ThatOrganicMom: Recent Episodes
Rebecca Huff
A Healthy Bite is a podcast for people on the go. You’ll get bite-sized bits of healthy motivation to keep you on the track with your healthy living habits! We will talk about everything from sleep to bathroom habits!
Looking for recipes from Gilmore Girls that you can make? I get you, and I have a solution!You're watching Rory and Lorelai eat stacks of pancakes and drink copious amounts of coffee, and suddenly, you are ravenous. Been there, done that.So what's the solution? Head over to EatingGilmore.com to whip up a recipe that will satisfy your food cravings!Larisa, the creator of EatingGilmore.com is in the process of creating a recipe for every single episode of the popular series Gilmore Girls. And why not? You know they're always eating and it makes us so hungry!In this episode, we explore our mutual love of food, cooking, cookbooks, and of course, the popular hit show Gilmore Girls. Meet the Author behind EatingGilmore Larisa is a home cook obsessed with Gilmore Girls and is cooking her way through the series one episode at a time. Each episode she chooses a dish, drink, or meal to prepare inspired by that episode then develops a recipe to share on her website.Cooking has always been something Larisa enjoyed and it truly shows in the food she creates to pair with each episode.eatinggilmore.comMaking Recipes from Gilmore Girls - Rebecca's FavoritesApple Cider Ice Cream - see photo belowMac and Cheese Chocolate Milk Shakes - see photo belowCoconut Shrimp Tacos with Mango Avocado SalsaDr. Pepper BBQ Chicken Nachos (I substituted Kombucha Brew Dr., and it was still absolutely amazing!)My daughter and me toasting our perfect milk shake and episode pairing thanks to Larisa!Lorelai: We should be eating, I'm hungry! Don't they want us eating? Isn't that what the point of the Hungry Diner is, to feed the hungry diner? Or is the point of the Hungry Diner to keep the diner hungry, in which case they should call it the Eternally Hungry Diner cuz you're not gonna get any food here, loser!Rory: That would be quite a sign.Gilmore GirlsWhile eating dinner in front of the tv isn’t something experts recommend doing every night, an occasional dinner at the coffee table while watching your favorite show is a great way to bond with your family or friends. When you pair Gilmore Girls with one of Larisa's recipes, you can turn screen time into family bonding time.Apple Cider Ice Cream Recipe by Larisa and then I used my caramel sauce recipe for a delicious topping!Rory: You know, there will be food there.Lorelai: Finger food, aka snooty little balls of attitude!Rory: Oh boy.Lorelai: I need real food, peasant food, hearty bread, meat, cheese, little pickle chips, sauce, a special sauce. This is the food that sustains me, this is the food of my...Rory: Oh my God, just eat the burger already!Lorelai: How crabby!Rory: I'm not crabby.Lorelai: I didn't even get through my special sauce speech. That's crabby.Gilmore GirlsTranscripts EatingGilmore[00:00:00] Rebecca: So tell me a little bit about yourself so that you know, people can get an idea of who you are from you. [00:00:06] Larisa: Yeah. so I'm Larissa. I am the person behind the Instagram and blog called Eating Gilmore, and essentially the project is where I recreate a dish or drink of some sort that is inspired by every single episode of my favorite TV show, which is Gilmore Girls.[00:00:28] Larisa: That is so cool that you had the idea to do that, because I. It's interesting [00:00:33] Rebecca: when you watch a TV show or sometimes even a movie, but I feel like it's more with TV shows and they're eating something. It always makes you want to eat too. [00:00:43] Larisa: Yes, . I'm always hungry when I'm watching the show [00:00:47] Rebecca: because they eat all the time and I got my coffee because I'm like, okay, we're gonna be talking about Rory and Lo Loli, so I know there's gonna be coffee involved , so I have to have my coffee.[00:00:58] Larisa: Perfect. [00:00:59] Rebecca: Yeah. So obviously you loved Gilmore Girls, it's your favorite show, you said.
[00:00:00] Rebecca: I listened to your, talk at the Weston A Price Conference and was so fascinated by everything that you've done and everything that you've experienced. So to start off, would you just give us a brief introduction of who you are and how you got to be where you are eating like a human.Who is Dr. Bill Schindler[00:00:17] Bill Schindler: Sure, I would love to, and thank you for the opportunity to talk with you today. So my name is Dr. Bill Schindler, and I am the executive chef currently of the Modern Stone Age Kitchen, which is a full family endeavor, which I'm sure we'll talk about in a little bit, and also the director of the Eastern Shore Food Lab, which is our non-profit.https://eatlikeahuman.com/eastern-shore-food-lab/[00:00:34] Bill Schindler: And the where, how we got to this place, you know, our tagline, our, our motto, all of it is, is "eat like a human" because my background is actually in anthropology and archeology and I've spent literally my life at some level looking and I'm trying to understand and studying ancestral and traditional diets.[00:00:52] Bill Schindler: Some through the archeological record and some millions of years old and some more recent in historic through the ethnographic record and tried to make sense. And I'm using that to make sense of, our current issues surrounding food and diet and health and ethical eating and sustainability and all those things that we're really, you know, trying to problem solve today as a species.In Person Classes:https://eatlikeahuman.com/product/eat-like-a-human-3-day-intensive-march2023/The Question We Should Be Asking About Food, Not What but How[00:01:13] Bill Schindler: We've, I think my, my wife and I and my family have really started to at least ask the right questions. We don't have all the right answers, I'm sure, and we're headed in the right direction, but I think we've, we've started to at least ask the right questions, which I think is, is, is very important, especially in today's[00:01:28] Bill Schindler: dietary climate where we had landscape, where we have all sorts of, of information hitting us, left and right and don't really know, know how to feed ourselves. But my own relationship with food is, is actually incredibly important as well. I spent most of my life, very unhealthy because of how I ate, incredibly poor self body image, battling weight, battling, metabolic disease until we've really took this ancestral and traditional approach.[00:01:52] Bill Schindler: my, I'm I'll turn 50 in about a month, and I've never felt better. I've never been in better health and, my entire life has been transformed because of, of this approach. And, and very quickly, I think just to mention what that approach is. We as a species right now, as humans, are trying to understand obviously how to feed ourselves.[00:02:11] Bill Schindler: Most of us wanna lose weight or feel better or live a better life, and to figure out how to do that, we're asking the question, "what should I eat?" [00:02:19] Bill Schindler: And trying to achieve that health or that body. Through that answer. You know, what, what should I eat? And we think that, you know, from that sort of Weight Watcher's mentality, if I have this much carb, this much protein, or I go on this diet and I eat this green smoothie and all this, all my problems will be solved.[00:02:35] Bill Schindler: And even though what we should be eating is a very important question, what I hope we get a chance to dive into a little bit today during this conversation is it's not the only questions that humans need to ask. How Should We Eat?[00:02:47] Bill Schindler: We are a completely different species. The way we go about eating and getting our food is completely different from every other animal on the planet. It is partially the what built us as a species with these big brains and these big bodies.
You want nourishing whole food meals made from scratch. Here's the perfect low-stress option for the work-from-home professional or the health-conscious family to stay happy and healthy. You'll find everything you want to know about hiring a personal chef here. Chef Shelley Blechar has been providing personal chef services for over 17 years! She's here to share her knowledge, so if you want to meal prep, hire a chef, or be one, listen to this episode. You can also read more information below, plus you'll find transcripts, links to her resources, and some of her YouTube videos below.Your family needs your time and attention, but you may be busy with work. When you hire a personal chef, they take care of everything from planning and cooking healthy meals to cleaning up afterward.1 - You Can Focus on Family Life.Hiring a personal chef will give you more free time if you’re busy with work, kids, and other responsibilities. It also means you won’t have to worry about ensuring everyone eats right and stays fit.Personal chefs cook fresh food that tastes gourmet and clean up after themselves.2 - They Take Care of Everything Else.You might think that hiring a personal chef would cost an arm and a leg, but it doesn’t have to be expensive at all. Some chefs offer discounts for families who need help feeding themselves. Chef Shelley has information on the average price of personal chefs in different locations across the USA. Get that information here.3 - They Help with Meal Planning.If you’re looking for ways to save money, consider hiring a personal chef. These professionals will cook high-quality, nutritious meals for you and your family, so you won’t have to spend extra time preparing food. In addition, you’ll likely waste less, too. (Fewer bunches of wilted, unused greens dying in the back of your fridge!)4 - They Save Time.You might not think hiring a personal chef would save you much time, but it does. Instead of spending hours in the kitchen, these chefs prepare delicious dishes in minutes. In some cases, you may have access to a team of chefs. Either way, you won’t be cooking, so you’ll have more time for your needs.5 - They Provide Nutrition Education.Another benefit of hiring a personal chef is that they provide nutrition education. They may teach you how to cook healthy meals and help you make better food choices. Many personal chefs also offer private cooking lessons, which you can do in your own home!Personal Chef vs. Private ChefChef prices will depend on your needs. If you need a high-end chef in-home most days of the week it will cost you more than one who prepares food for your fridge once a week. Here are some of the difference between a personal and a private chef:Private ChefA private chef often lives with and works for one client to shop for and prepare fresh meals on a full-time basis. As a salaried employee, a private chef may create weekly menus, handle meal preparation, and do on-site cooking, all according to their client’s needs.In addition, the private chef may be expected to prepare food for special events such as birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays. These meals may have higher expectations, such as one might find in a fine dining restaurant.One of the key differences is that a private chef is many times more expensive than personal chef services. Here’s why:Personal ChefA personal chef prepares meals for several clients on a recurring basis. Clients may choose twice-a-week, weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly meal prep services.The personal chef will prepare customized menus according to each client's dietary needs. Some may even offer menu planning and shopping without food preparation, only supplying the recipes and ingredients so a client can cook on their own. However, for the most part, a personal chef plans and prepares meals for each client.Once the meal planning is complete,
Move over butter, ghee is on the rise! My guests on this episode of A Healthy Bite are the founders of Simply Ghee, and they're sharing everything you could ever want to know about this golden superfood! Listen using the player above, but also make sure to use the table of contents below to read more about ghee.
Just for you, they've created the coupon code OMGhee to save 20% at SimplyGhee.com. (Nope, this is not a sponsored post and I'm not an affiliate for the product. As I often do, I'm sharing information about a fantastic product that I believe in, because I think it will be beneficial for you!)
What is Ghee and How Is it Made?
Ghee comes from the process of separating the various components of butter. Technically speaking, ghee is almost clarified butter. Keep reading.
So, how is ghee made?
Well, butter is made up of saturated fat, sugar, protein and moisture. When it is heated on low heat, it melts and separates the solids of lactose and casein from the fat and moisture.
Those solids sink to the bottom and as the heat cooks more the fat (oil) becomes clearer.
Once done, you can see down to the bottom of the pot where the solids have adhered to the bottom. The solids are responsible for imparting a caramelized/slightly nutty flavor profile in ghee.
Is Ghee better than butter? Yes and no! Simply put, ghee is butter without lactose (sugars) and casein (proteins) and moisture leaving behind the beautiful saturated fat. Beyond clarified butter which always contains solids. Ghee is way purer!
Ghee is purer than butter but good grassfed butter also has many healthy benefits too. Those who might have issues with dairy can tolerate ghee without lactose and casein since these two culprits have history doing so with lots of folks gastrointestinal systems.Simply Ghee
Is Ghee Healthy
Ghee has numerous health benefits! Here are just a few:
Rich in essential, health-boosting vitamins, minerals and nutrients, ghee has plentiful amounts of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. These nutrients nourish and protect the brain and boost the immune system. In addition, ghee aids the body’s absorption of fat-soluble nutrients from other foods.Heals and repairs the digestive tract - In Ayurveda, ghee is believed to aid in digestion. Because it only contains trace amounts of milk, it is suitable for most people with dairy allergies and also fits the Paleo diet.Perfect balance of Omega 3, 6, and 9, the same fatty acids found in foods like avocado and salmon.Contains conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) which has been shown in studies to lower cholesterol and high blood pressure. CLA may help reduce tumors, inflammation, and help fire up the metabolism. A study on a rural population in India showed a significantly lower prevalence of coronary heart disease in men who consumed higher amounts of ghee.Increases energy levels, according to Ayurvedic Medicine, by supplying life force to the body and mind.
Learn more about the health benefits of ghee.
Ghee Benefits
According to The Complete Book of Home Remedies by Dr. Vasant Lad, mixing a small amount of ghee in warm milk may help relieve constipation.
Beyond the health benefits ghee helps to protect and brighten the skin, according to Vogue in Why Ghee Should Be Part of Your Skincare Routine.
Apparently, it can act as a carrier to increase the potency of other ingredients when mixed together and applied to the skin. It is said to help fight dryness and fine lines while being an ideal moisturizer for rosacea prone skin.
What is A2 Ghee
As I mentioned in the podcast, I first noticed A2 milk while shopping. I'd never heard of it and I grew up on a dairy farm; so I immediately began looking up studies and research that had been compiled on the topic. Here's what I found:
All milk contains proteins, one of them is casein and it makes up about 80% of the total. The most common forms are A1 Beta-Casein and A2-Beta Casein,
This podcast episode with Dr. Michelle Segar was as beneficial for me as I believe it will be for you. Listen using the player above, and find transcripts and additional resources below.
For years I’ve had a love-hate relationship with exercise. I’ve tried to build healthy habits in most of the usual ways. I used habit stacking, and all the things experts tell us to do to maintain workout motivation.
But I still struggled to meet my fitness goals. For years I went to the gym early each morning right when I woke up. My personal trainer would punish me with squats, lunges, and strength training to get me out of my comfort zone. “No pain, no gain,” she’d yell!
It didn’t last.
Why?
Because I don’t enjoy punishing workouts! It’s hard to consistently do any form of exercise you don’t enjoy.
In addition, my workout motivation was weight loss and good health. While good health is an excellent reason to work out, weight loss is not.
The evidence is now clear: Exercise is excellent for health; it’s just not that important for weight loss. So don't expect to lose a lot of weight by ramping up physical activity alone.Vox
The Best Workout
That’s why experts say the best workout is the one you love doing. If you love it, you’ll do it. Try to force yourself to do exercises you hate, and you’re more likely to resent the hard work, eventually giving it up.
If you enjoy HIIT exercise, go for it! Pilates is your thing? Do it! If you love dancing, turn up the music and get your cardio exercise in with your favorite tunes. Create a playlist to listen to while you dance or work out.
The best workout songs are those with about 120-208 beats per minute. Search for these on Spotify you’ll get the best cardio workout of your life! Hip Hop dancing includes full-body movements, developing muscle strength, stamina, and endurance while burning around 450 calories per hour.
Of course, you’re likely not going to dance for a solid hour, right? But you might dance for 10 minutes, at multiple intervals throughout your day!
Remember, your fitness journey doesn’t have to be painful, punishing, or something you dread. The fact is, it doesn't even have to be long and grueling! It just has to be something that brings you joy from true motivation, not guilt or a feeling of failure.
This is the beginning of a concept Dr. Segar develops in The Joy Choice that will help you achieve sticktoitiveness in the area of exercise and healthy eating.
Home Workout vs. Gyms
Dr. Segar explains the difference between what she calls habiters or unhabiters. Habiters, who are very disciplined and organized, stick to their plans, everything runs according to schedule, and are 100% onboard with eating healthy foods and exercising.
For some folks, going to the gym is the only fitness motivation that works. Working out at home may lead to negative self-talk and zero motivation. If that’s you, keep your gym membership and make it part of your fitness routine.
Just try not to go down the perfection rabbit hole. Shy away from rigid plans and unrealistic goals, we’ve learned to equate to success when exercising.
A key step in my coaching process involves helping clients learn to shift away from the perfectionistic exercise and eating beliefs that, while still widely believed, are now very outdated. Michelle SegarMichelle Segar, Ph.D.
If that's not you, you might be an unhabiter, like many others, including Dr. Segar! You'll find relief listening to this podcast episode and cutting yourself slack in this area of your life. And when you do, you'll discover something quite interesting. You'll achieve more success when you find the best workout motivation for you. (Hint: the book will help you find what truly motivates you!)
Everything listed below will make much more sense if you listen to the podcast episode or read Dr. Segar's book.
After reading The Joy Choice, I felt such a sense of relief and less of a failure when,...
Nurture and nature; two components in the development of individual differences. Understanding the root cause of abuse may help in the emotional healing process and provide an avenue of forgiveness on a deeper level resulting in better mental health for generations to come.
Introduction to Loose Cannons
A while back I watched Keep Sweet, Pray and Obey, a documentary mini-series that focused on the polygamous Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, an offshoot of mainstream Mormonism, and its leader Warren S. Jeffs. It was shocking to say the least.
Following that documentary, I saw Murder Among the Mormons, a true crime documentary miniseries following Mark Hofmann, one of the most notable forgers in history, who created forgeries related to the Latter Day Saint movement.
So when I read the book Loose Cannons: A Memoir of Mania and Mayhem in a Mormon Family, the subject matter didn’t surprise me, although it did sadden me. There was a connection to those documentaries I'd seen.
Diana Cannon-Ragsdale’s father worked in the district attorneys office during the time of salamander letters. His journals, along with her mothers’ journals during psychological therapy, gave Diana insight into the poor emotional health of her parents.
Their mental illnesses had a devastating impact in Diana’s own life. Like ripples in a pond, that impact touched the lives of her own children. She was determined to find healing on her journey to stop the pain from reaching her grandchildren and future generations.
Diana now advocates for those who cope with mental illness, were raised by dysfunctional families, and must overcome abusive situations. She details her challenging journey in her memoir, Loose Cannons.
When Generations of Your Loved Ones Have Suffered
While Diana’s father claims to have never been disciplined, he was more than a little heavy handed when it came to raising his own children. Perhaps because boundaries make kids feel safe and secure. Raising a child without boundaries or discipline often leads to narcissism.
Parental boundaries allow children to grow up, to understand they can't always get their way, to be more patient and mature. Knowing that there is a limit to how much comfort and pleasure their parents will provide, children can learn to cope with disappointment; as an added bonus, the mild disappointment often brought about by boundaries can also help children to develop empathy — perhaps for others who have discomfort and disappointment. Understanding the meaning of "limits" allows kids to be more connected to the real world.Healthy Boundaries in Parenting
In addition, Diana's mother had a mental illness that left her checked-out most of the time, and later led to complete abandonment.
Undiagnosed Mental Illness Led To Abuse
Her parent’s undiagnosed mental illnesses were the root cause of their unhealthy obsessions and behaviors. As a result, Diana and her siblings faced abuse and neglect as part of their daily life.
The level of neglect was so extreme that she was often hungry as her parent’s barely fed them. An older brother learned to prepare spaghetti so they’d have something to eat. In fact, it was so bad that she didn’t realize they weren’t a poor family until much later in life. The reason they weren’t fed had nothing to do with lack of finances.
Read the memoir Loose Cannons: A Memoir of Mania and Mayhem in a Mormon Family.
I’ve learned there is no such thing as a lie, it always reveals itself eventually. I feel lies and secrets are far more damaging than truth!
Remove the Source of Emotional Pain
Likely one of the best ways to begin emotional healing is to remove yourself from the source of emotional pain if possible. In Diana’s case, there were a number of years she chose to put distance between herself and her parents.
Begin Emotional Healing
Painful emotions can be a detriment to your overall well-being.
Want to design the life you desire? Here's a question to start with: do you make life happen or is life happening to you? There's a significant difference.
My mission is to help you instill habits practiced by the longest-lived people on earth. Why? So you can extend your healthspan and have the most heartbeats available to spend!
Stacey Aaron Domanico, author of "Where Do You Spend Your Heartbeats?" issues a gentle wake-up call in this episode to spend our time wisely and purposefully.
After two bouts with cancer, Stacey realized healing is hard when you're not being authentic. During her second cancer diagnosis, she found herself caught up in pretending to be happily married and doing the same thing she'd done during the first battle against cancer.
I continued the same way of eating, worrying about what others thought, living in an unhealthy relationship, and treating myself like a foe and not a friend.Stacey Aaron Domanico in "Where Do You Spend Your Heartbeats"
Signs You're Just Surviving
Does any of this sound familiar?
You are tired and life is tiringLife feels painful most of the timeYou believe you have no powerYou're keeping your head downTelevision is an escapeYou numb yourself with emotional eatingYou feel like a victim of life's crueltiesWalls are your friend, a prison of your own creationYou've learned when it comes to life, it's best to grin and bear itYou feel stuck
If you're struggling to make a decision, you're not alone. Mental and emotional strain can lead to very real decision fatigue. In her book, Stacey has a five-step "stethescope gut check" that I found to be incredibly useful.
Ready to Design the Life You Desire?
The great paradox of our time is that many of us are busy and bored at the same time. While running from one event to the next, we wonder in our innermost selves if anything is really happening.Henri Nouwen
What kind of life do you want to live? Are you living it? What legacy do you want to leave? Do you take steps that lead in the direction of your dreams?
Stacey is available for coaching, read her story here: coachingwithstacey.com.
Getting Started
Reading Stacey's book was empowering. She asks questions that made me think. At the end of every chapter, she lists key reminders. I've gone back to them frequently over the past few weeks. As I mentioned in the podcast episode, I highlighted a significant portion of her book.
Below are some key points to focus on:
Create a timeline of the milestones and experiences you want out of life (a bucket list of sorts)Find people who embrace life and seek their advice.Stop comparing your life to others - focus on your gifts, talents and abilities.Life has a way of filling our days, be proactive and fill your days in a way that gets you closer to your dreams.Understand that you can change your current circumstances but often there is a price to pay. As Stacey mentions, "The fear of change overpowered the pain and that's really what the scale is. Once the pain became more than the fear (...) The ability to take care of [yourself] grows stronger.""For just one week, visualize your dream life in as much detail as you can. You have nothing to lose but a life of joy." page 153 Chapter 8 Key Reminders from "Where Do You Spend Your Heartbeats?"
Meet Author Stacey Aaron Domanico
Website: coachingwithstacey.com
Following a dynamic career of over 25 years at the executive level leading teams and coaching women in a Fortune 50 company, Stacey Aaron Domanico became a certified life and empowerment coach so she could focus on her first love of mentoring women: a role she began to enjoy while still in her corporate life. Today, as a two-time cancer and toxic relationship survivor, it is Aaron Domanico’s purpose and passion to help other women by sharing the lessons she has learned and tools she has developed throughout her own journey.
Against the backdrop of the fact that we all have a finite...
This past weekend I attended the 22nd Annual Conference of the Weston A. Price Foundation. Multiple exhibits stressed the harmful effects of Electromagnetic Radiation on Humans including today's guest, Justin Frandson.
You can’t hear, see, or smell them; electromagnetic fields. The earth emits low level electromagnetic fields. The earth, sun and ionosphere are all natural sources of EMF.
However, the subject of this podcast episode isn’t how to block EMFs; it is about learning to live with them. Although, manmade magnetic fields are causing a broad spectrum of dangerous radiation to human health. As mentioned in this podcast episode, full blocking (like sleeping in a Faraday bag) would also cut us off from the good energy emitted by the Earth.
The increase in biological exposure to manmade EMFs is in the billions, so how can we learn to live with them with the least damage?
There are folks who suggest that EMF exposure is not harmful; however, let’s keep in mind that doctors denied cigarettes were harmful to public health in the beginning.
Keep in mind it’s easier to prevent than treat disease, or as I mention in the podcast episode, err on the side of caution without living in fear.
Types of EMFs
On average, there are four types of manmade EMFs in a home.
Dirty Electricity - Itinerant frequencies that create unnatural electromagnetic environments like fluorescent and LED lighting.Radio Frequency/Microwave Radiation - WiFi and Bluetooth devices along with microwave ovens.Magnetic Fields - These occur when electricity is flowing. Frequently used appliances with large motors are typically the worst offenders. (Avoid having these large appliances share an adjoining wall with your bed as the closer you are to these magnetic fields, the stronger. The further you are, the more they fall off.Electric Fields - Emanate from all the wiring in your home. This includes extension cords and power cords.
Considering the four types of manmade EMFs, exposure can come from many sources, such as:
mobile phones, laptops, iPads, bluetooth headphonespower linesx-raystanning beds, microwave ovens, and other electric appliances
The main topic of this podcast conversation will be concerning electronic devices which use WiFi and Bluetooth, however we touch on other types of EMFs briefly.
Where Does EMF Exposure Come From?
Families are exposed to EMFs at school and at home. Children are exposed to electromagnetic fields in many forms from baby monitors to iPads. In American schools, children are often able to use computers as early as preschool.
France banned WiFi in elementary schools years ago. The governments of other countries such as Spain, Germany, and Russia have recommendations to ban WiFi from schools due to potential health challenges.
EMFs influence metabolic processes in the human body and exert various biological effects on cells through a range of mechanisms. 1
EMF exposure intensity decreases as you move away from the object that’s sending out waves.
High-frequency EMFs are the ionizing type of radiation. Scientific literature agrees that large exposures can cause damage. Xray machines, CT Scans, and tanning beds are examples of this low levels of this type of radiation. (National Cancer Institute Fact Sheet.)
Low- to mid-frequency EMFs are considered non-ionizing type of radiation. Examples include hair dryers, power lines, cellphones, and microwave ovens.
EMF Exposure Symptoms
The problem of health effects of RF EMF has not been definitively resolved, however, they suggest it appears necessary to use precautionary principles and ALARA (As Low as Reasonably Achievable) principles.
it is recommended that the interpretation of results from studies on health effects of RF radiation should take sponsorship from the telecom or other industry into account. It is concluded that the ICNIRP has failed to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of health risks associated with RF radi...
The toxic chemicals used to treat clothing remain on the fabric, even after washing. Chemicals such as formaldehyde, stain blockers, flame retardants, and more are endocrine disruptors.
These can penetrate the skin and lead to serious health conditions. Exposure to these chemicals, often used in fast fashion, is shown to cause multiple abnormalities in the reproductive system of women, even in minimal doses.(1)
Clothing is one of the most significant environmental problems, along with housing, transportation, and food. Not only that, but many manufacturers don't pay factory workers a living wage.
What's the answer? Learn to be ethically fashionable for your health, the sake of the environment, and for humanity.
The more you know, the less you need.Yvon Chouinard
What is Ethical Fashion?
Throughout the full life cycle of a garment, from manufacturing to disposal, making choices that are responsible towards the environment, people, and animals. Using textiles created in a responsible and conscious way. Materials, dyes, labor, and even buy back programs are part of sustainable and ethical fashion.
Are ethical, sustainable, and slow fashion all the same? Technically, most of us mean the same thing when we talk about these terms. However, each of us may hold different ethics. In the end, slow fashion is a movement meant to provide better quality products that consumers are able to hold onto longer, thus slowing the need for disposal. Slow fashion may include limited items as well as made to order clothing.
Sustainable fashion is entirely based on a more environmentally and socially conscious production. Overall, the combined goal is similar.
Fast fashion is sold in high volume with a pretty low profit margin, for example a popular example is Shein. Workers being underpaid and overworked along with dumping untreated waste into local waterways.
Many clothing manufacturers such as Shein and others may say they're working on sustainablity, but the proof is not forthcoming. Supply chain transparency, fabrics, and waste management are three big areas to look at when deciding if a company is ethical or sustainable.
Options for Being Ethically Fashionable
The fashion industry has a detrimental impact on the environment - in fact, according to EcoWatch, Fast Fashion is the Second Dirtiest Industry in the World. It is up to you, the consumer, to vote with your dollars.
To make it easier, suggestions are listed below to help you get started becoming ethically fashionable.
All of these recommendations may not suit your lifestyle. One or two of them will be enough to help you stay stylish and make ethical clothing purchases.
Purchase second-hand clothing
Undoubtedly, the most economical way to be ethically fashionable it to purchase clothing second hand. Second hand purchases reduce carbon emissions, save lots of resources, water, and energy.
When you buy clothing from a second-hand shop, you are making a sustainable purchase. Every time you buy used clothing you are keeping one more item out of the landfill. Your purchase also keeps local thrifts shop in business and your dollar going back into your local community. Win-win.
You can make your ethical purchases even more effective when you shop for sustainable clothing brands at a second-hand shop! Being budget-friendly and ethical are two of the main reasons why I buy more and more of our clothing from second-hand shops.
Speaking of buying locally
Local clothing shops and boutiques are another good way to make an ethical choice in clothing. When you shop at a local boutique, you can ask where they clothing came from, see the quality and support your local business owners.
If you still prefer to purchase your clothing brand-new, consider taking your items to a second-hand or consignment shop so that they will be reused and kept out of the landfill.
You can be ethically fashionable by donating your gently used quality clothi...
Have you ever been in a funk and made the smart decision to take a walk? If so, you already know the immediate benefits walking has on your state of mind. So what are the benefits of walking in reference to your physical and mental health?
After you find out, you'll want to walk every day for a happy mood boost.
For those who are unable to walk, try to sit by a window and move your arms. Doing whatever movement you can do; preferably outside.
Listen, if you can walk, be grateful and do it as much as you can. Walking is something I once took for granted. That is until we issued a walking challenge in one of my groups. During the step challenge I became aware of my privilege. I can walk.
In this group one dear member mentioned that she was proud to have been able to take a few steps that day (she is paralyzed in her left leg with extended injuries throughout her body from a motorcycle accident). That is when I realized how I had been taking my ability to walk for granted.
I am so thankful that I am able to walk when and where I want to. I enjoy nature walks with my children.
There are so many benefits a simple daily walk for physical activity. All you need is a good pair of walking shoes and you'll be on your way to better overall health.
Weight Loss with Walking
Any form of exercise can help you maintain a healthy weight and improve energy levels. However, walking is a form of exercise you can do at any fitness level.
According to studies pedometer-based walking programs result in a modest amount of weight loss. (1) Tracking steps and recording calories can help you achieve better results. Read more about what tracking apps work best here.
Try to increase your walking pace to help you reach your weight loss goals. Brisk walking is best for weight loss, but any amount of walking is clearly better than none. The American Heart Association (AHA) categorizes brisk walking at a pace of 2.5 miles per hour as a moderate-intensity aerobic activity.
A University of Tennessee Study showed that women who walked had lower body fat than non-walkers. Just 30 minutes per day can improve cardio, strengthen bones and boost muscles. More muscle means more fat burning and can lead to lower body weight over time.
The Mayo Clinic suggests if you add 30 minutes of brisk walking to your daily routine, you could burn about 150 more calories a day.
Quick Tip: Don't add weights when walking. They increase your risk of injury and slow you down so you end up burning fewer calories. Instead, try using walking poles. This incorporates your upper body into your walk, which does burn more calories. Poles also make you more stable when walking. Win-win!
I use Black Diamond trekking poles, as they were recommended to me by several people in my hiking group. They also help me walk faster on pavement. Although, I can't use them when I walk the dog!
Health Benefits of Walking
Walking isn’t just for burning fat. It helps move your lymphatic system. This type of movement helps the lymph flow more effectively and could potentially help prevent infections and other diseases, like cancer.
A daily walk gets your blood pumping and can therefore lower your risk for heart disease and blood clots. Walking may also reduce your risk for a stroke, improve your mood, help your sleep quality, reduce stress, and sharpen your mind.
A daily walk may lower risk of dementia or Alzheimer's Disease.
A study of 6,000 women, ages 65 and older, found that age-related memory decline was lower in those who walked more. The women who walked 2.5 miles per day had a 17% decline in memory, whereas women who walked less than a half mile per week had a 25% decline.
Walking may help to slow down the aging process, and it works no matter what age you get started.
Walk to Improve Your Health
According to the American Heart Association, walking can lower your risk of heart disease and other health conditions.
What does slow living, staying balanced, and the habits of centenarians have in common?
Everything! If you read Dan Buettner's books about The Blue Zones you'll start to see many parallels to the slow living movement.
In this podcast episode, I wanted to draw your attention to habits that help you stay balanced. In addition, I'll share ways to look at "slow living" that go beyond achieving a certain aesthetic. (Because if you search for slow living hashtags on Instagram you might think the only way to participate is to bake bread and wear cottage core.)
Below you'll find the transcripts of this episode, then the table of contents for the following post. Originally a post I wrote in 2019 about the importance of staying balanced. I've combined these because to practice slow living is to seek balance and enjoy life.
In fact, they have so much in common, I noticed that what most people consider "slow living" habits are the practices of the longest lived people on earth. Those who live in the blue zones.
Lastly, you'll find a list of resources to help you in your pursuit of balance, via the slow living movement.
[00:00:00] Announcer: Welcome to a healthy bite. You're one nibble closer to a more satisfying way of life, a healthier you and bite size bits of healthy motivation. Now let's dig in on the dish with Rebecca Huff.
[00:00:18] Rebecca: In today's episode, I'm going to get a bit more personal than I usually do, and share a bit about what I've been doing lately for the last year or two to heal from the constant feeling of being busy and being overwhelmed. And also how I gave myself permission to stop being super mom or at least to stop trying to be super mom and how I've learned to live a bit more in the green zone instead of always being busy, busy, busy, and also I'm going to cover a bit about the trending topic of slow living and what it means and whether or not it's just another self-improvement trend, bandwagon that you may or may not want to hop on.
[00:01:05] Years ago I wrote a blog post encouraging myself and others to try to stay more balanced. This is something that professionals have been recommending for years. My doctor has recommended that I try to stay more in the green zone. In the past, my chiropractor and others had given me heart rate variability tests that show whether you're in the flight or fight mode, or whether you are more balanced and kind of in the green zone.
[00:01:35] Even when you look at the chart there's red, yellow, and green and doctors had recommended for years that I try to stay more out of that red and yellow zone and get myself into the green zone more often. Does any of this resonate with you?
[00:01:51] If you're a mom and you have one or more children, I am certain that there are probably things that I'm gonna talk about that you can relate to. But this post that I wrote was as much to myself as to anyone. And it was meant to encourage and remind me to stay balanced. This is especially important for other all or nothing types like myself.
[00:02:14] Back during the pandemic when people were. Basically forced to stay home, an old concept became a new trend and that is slow living.
[00:02:25] I, I say old concept because anyone who's into organic food or buying local knows that this slow living movement started a long time ago, back in the eighties, when a group of activists defended a slower pace of life to include regional traditions, food made from local ingredients by real people with their own two hands; as opposed to Franken foods made by machines and automated processes.
[00:02:57] The slow food and slow living movement recognizes those connections between people, cultures, the foods we grow and eat, as well as the planet and politics.
[00:03:09] because people were stuck at home, many began to bake their own breads or snacks and pick up other hobbies, like cooking, sewing, and DIY type projects.
About half the population worldwide suffers from a functional gastrointestinal disorder. Some of these include heartburn, acid reflux, chronic constipation, bloating, and irritable bowel. According to a recent study, these disorders are linked a significantly lower quality of life.
More than twenty percent of people in the US experience reflux symptoms. Some will self prescribe while others will visit a health care provider. Either way, most will end up misdiagnosed. They'll be diagnosed with too much stomach acid, when the reverse is most likely true.
You may have started taking over the counter antacids because you had indigestion. It may have even led you to visit your physician. Your doctor may have prescribed a PPI that is causing you to experience unpleasant side effects. More than half of American adults use over the counter antacids.
Of these users, seventy five percent take more than six doses of antacids per week. Repeated use has not eliminated the problem and often leads to taking stronger acid blockers, or PPIs.
What Are PPIs?
PPIs reduce the production of acid by blocking the enzyme in the wall of the stomach that produces acid. Doctors often prescribe these acid blockers when a patient presents with heartburn, acid reflux or even stomach pain. These prescriptions are typically written without medical tests or proof of necessity.
We’ve been trained to listen to and respect doctors to the point that we ignore the signals the body sends and blindly trust medical providers. Even when they write a prescription without performing tests to determine if it is necessary.
Yet studies consistently show that proton pump inhibitors are being overprescribed worldwide in both primary and secondary care. Between 25% and 70% of patients taking these drugs have no appropriate indication. 1 Not only is this a waste of money, but it also comes at significant risk to health.
Risks of Blocking Stomach Acid
What are the risk factors of blocking stomach acid? The risks include dementia, Alzheimers, nutritional deficiencies that may lead to osteoporosis. Blocking stomach acid may result in a higher risk of developing kidney stones, and an even increased risk of chronic kidney disease.
Long term use of acid blockers to lower stomach acid can lead to SIBO (Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth.) And that's not all.
According to Dr. Thomas Sehested, the leader of a study by the American Society of Nephrology (ASN):“… We would recommend that people should not take these drugs unless there is a clear indication for them. Many people are taking them unnecessarily or they are continuing to take them long-term when they don’t need to. I would urge doctors to review their patients on PPIs and look at why they are taking these drugs and consider whether they really need them or if they could take a lower dose.”If this new research isn’t enough to make you consider a more natural option for managing your heartburn, take a look at some of the other dangers of PPIs:– Long term use of PPIs has been found to increase the risk of gastrointestinal infections, osteoporosis, and pneumonia.– Long term use of PPIs has been associated with higher risk of developing dementia.– Blocking the stomach from making hydrochloric acid can decrease your body’s ability to absorb certain nutrients, including calcium, folic acid, iron, magnesium, and vitamin B12.– Although many people (including physicians) believe that PPIs will reduce the risk of getting esophageal cancer, recent research has found that long term use of PPIs may actually increase the risk of developing cancer of the esophagus.– People may become “addicted” to PPIs. This is because long term use lead to a problem called “rebound hyperacidity,” which essentially means that when the drug is stopped, the heartburn comes raging back… stronger than it ever was before.– Taking PPIs does nothing to treat the underlying causes of heartburn.
Friends, I'm going to get up on my fragrance-free soapbox here for a minute if you don't mind. But first, do not miss this important point: product developers are clever, consumers are busy, and greenwashing is everywhere.
Greenwashing in Skincare, Cosmetics, and Cleaners
Companies get away with greenwashing all the time. Greenwashing, a form of deceptive marketing used to persuade the public that a company's products, aims, and policies are environmentally friendly, is illegal. Yet there are so many loopholes.
Organizations like Greenpeace are out to stop the practice of greenwashing. In 2009, they launched a campaign to help consumers make better choices. The best way for you to make an informed decision is to simply do the research into companies you support with your voting dollars.
Skincare products without fragrance are harder to find but with a bit of determination, you will succeed. Favor fragrance-free products that are vetted by a reliable third-party, and learn to look beyond the hype. Trust me, you can do it. I am a sucker for a beautiful label, but I have found that pictures of bamboo and vague words such as "natural" are meaningless.
Don't worry, you can find non-toxic beauty products that are free of hormone-disrupting chemicals and preservatives. Although, if you've been wearing perfume or colognes all your life, you may feel naked without them!
Fragrance Ingredients and Toxic Chemicals
Let me state clearly if you want a product without FRAGRANCE, you will need to look for "fragrance-free" NOT "unscented."
"Fragrance" is an umbrella term that companies use to hide synthetic chemicals that you are trying to avoid. Using the term "unscented" is beyond deceptive, it's an outright lie! This trick originally provided perfume manufacturers the ability to conceal trade secrets. These loopholes were created only to protect their formula so that another company couldn't duplicate their particular scent.
Fragrance is not just one thing; it combines many chemicals. So while the label might read "fragrance," the product could be comprised of hundreds or thousands of different compounds. It stands to reason that this is why so often, people who experience allergic reactions to fragrances cannot identify any particular scent that triggers a reaction because there are so many.
Parfum manufacturers know this "fragrance loophole" in federal labeling law means that the ingredients added to provide a pleasant scent, or to mask a bad one, need only be listed under the generic term "fragrance."
Fragrance-free products are free of artificial and natural scents, including essential oils, chemical or masking fragrance, musks, and other chemicals. Whereas, unscented products may contain chemicals that neutralize or mask the odors of other ingredients.
Hence many of us end up purchasing products that aren't what we think they are.
Unintentionally Buying Products with Fragrance
Case in point: my husband purchased some trash bags that I could smell. I asked him if he knew he bought bags with fragrance and he showed me the box marked "unscented." He had tried, but because of this clever trick on the label, his purchase was unsuccessful.
The frustrating thing is that I know beyond a shadow of a doubt I can smell these bags, which smells like perfume. I can also feel a particular sensation when I breathe too close to those bags. The explanation for this is simple yet complex. They are treated with a "masking" fragrance.
Unless you have an ultra-sensitive sense of smell or multiple chemical sensitivities, you may not be able to detect the poison that is laced throughout these products. Of course, you can search the ingredients list of cosmetic products, cleaners, and personal hygiene products looking for the offenders, but it can be difficult to decipher.
If you are like many consumers, you might not smell anything at all because your sense of smell is already inundated with all the fragra...
Benefits of Kegel Exercises Throughout a Woman’s Lifetime
Kegel exercises, sometimes called pelvic floor exercises, are done to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles. Strengthening these muscles has many benefits throughout a woman’s lifetime.
These muscles and tissues are like a hammock or sling at the bottom of your pelvis to hold your organs in place. Keeping them strong doesn’t take long, yet consistently performing these exercises will result in many advantages.
Recovery before and after childbirth
Women can strengthen pelvic floor muscles before childbirth or after a vaginal or cesarean delivery.
As Dr. Olson mentions in the podcast episode, the use of kegel weights during pregnancy can help women identify the right muscles to assist with labor and delivery.
Pelvic Organ Prolapse
Prolapse can be caused by weight gain, childbirth, hysterectomy, chronic or long-term coughing, or constipation.
Regular kegel exercise can improve pelvic organ prolapse by making your muscles stronger.
Improving Sexual Health
Healthy pelvic floor muscles can contribute to better sexual function and improves sex for both partners.
Read more about kegel exercises with weights for better orgasms.
Strengthening Weak Pelvic Floor Muscles
Weak pelvic floor muscles may be a result of pregnancy and childbirth; however, it can also be caused by surgery, heavy lifting, and chronic straining. Urinary incontinence may also be a symptom of weak pelvic muscles.
Exercising the correct muscles as part of a daily routine can help relieve these symptoms.
If you suspect you have weak pelvic floor muscles, consult your healthcare professional for an assessment. Mention any symptoms you may have and ask for a referral to a women’s health physical therapist.
Improve Bladder Control
Many women experience urine leakage when coughing, sneezing, or laughing.
Kegel exercises help to strengthen the pubococcygeus (PC) muscle. These muscles are activated when one stops the flow of urine.
Stress urinary incontinence is bladder leakage that occurs with strenuous movements such as exercises, lifting heavy objects, or while coughing, sneezing, or laughing. Kegels are the best cure for urinary incontinence.
Using pelvic floor muscle exercises significantly improved quality of life in an assessment of 2400 women with urinary incontinence.
Dr. Olson recommends for those who experience urine leakage get help through a certified healthcare provider, pelvic health specialist, urology clinic, or women’s health physical therapist.
Maintain Pelvic Health During Menopause
Women may experience an overactive bladder, urinary incontinence, and other symptoms during menopause which may benefit from consistent kegel exercise.
Working out the vaginal muscles with kegel weights can be part of your exercise routine.
Do Kegel Weights Work?
According to research, the answer is yes!
Kegel exercises with weights are effective at addressing issues such as urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse when they are performed in sufficient amounts. The research varies as to how many per day are necessary and for how long, however they are commonly prescribed as a contraction of the pelvic floor muscles, held for 3-5 seconds, performed in sets of 10, 3-8 times per day.
How to Use Intimate Rose Kegel Weights
You may have read about kegel balls which I have previously written about in my article about Ben Wa Balls; however, these are not FDA-approved vaginal weights. Intimate Rose kegel weights are FDA-cleared silicone and are easy to clean and use.
Starting with the lightest weight, use it for about 15 minutes daily while going about your normal daily activities. Your muscle contraction will hold it in place. As you get stronger, you can move up to the next weight.
Read more on Dr. Olson’s website IntimateRose.com
Exercise for about 15 minutes a day, five days per week using the intimate rose weights.
I always thought I didn't want to know if I had bad and rare genes that could turn on me and make me sick. If I knew I had a bad gene, wouldn't I be expecting to have disease?
Well, that is what I used to think, but eventually, I came around and decided knowing was better for me.
Why did I change my mind about genetic testing at home
My brother-in-law once chastised me for “working so hard to be healthy” because he thought I should have faith instead of fear. This was a decade before my sister passed away, when I was completely fear-free!
When I began the journey to healthy living, it was because I wanted to live my best life possible, not because I was afraid of dying. That is still the case. Being healthy means I can get up and ride bikes with my kids and lots more. That’s my motivation. Not fear.
So why did I change my mind about my genetic information?
There are many genetic testing companies out there. Many of them simply provide your genetic test results and nothing more. I wanted more than that from a home DNA test, so I found Selfdecode after searching for affordable home genetic testing kits.When I spoke to the folks at SelfDecode they mentioned to me that with the results came recommendations based on your own genes. With the knowledge I'd gain from genetic testing, I could alter my lifestyle based on my genes, not just guesswork.Yes, there are habits that are simply good for everyone, like getting enough restorative sleep drinking an adequate amount of water, and staying active. However, there are also some that could go either way. That is why some people thrive on one type of diet while another person may feel terrible when following the exact same diet.
Disease isn’t always genetic
In addition, I found out that inherited genetic mutations play a major role in about 5 to 10 percent of all cancers.(1) That surprised me; I assumed it would be higher.
So, do I have the bad genes? Believe it or not, it's not as simple as a yes or no. A single gene is not responsible for determining whether or not you'll have a disease.
Do I have bad gene variants? Yes, almost everyone has a few bad and rare genes
Does this knowledge change anything? I plan to continue living the healthy lifestyle I've been living, avoiding toxins, exercising, and doing my best to enjoy life and to be a warrior not a worrier!It’s as simple as that. Because I realized that my test results came with specific health information designed just for me based on my specific genetic risks. That’s why I decided to go forward with gene testing.
Now on to the questions you've been asking about genetic screening...
How do you do gene testing?
It's fairly simple. You add a saliva sample to a tube and mail it off. I chose SelfDecode because they give you recommendations, not just results. Some tests only require a cheek swab, which is said to be as accurate as blood samples.
How long does it take to get the results?
In six to eight weeks after mailing the sample is the norm. However, I received my results just under six weeks. This is how it worked with SelfDecode; I don't have experience with any other gene testing companies or other types of genetic testing.
How do you read the results?
After logging in to the dashboard, use the dropdown menu to go to the Wellness Reports.
Each article shows you a score(positive, neutral, negative) for the topic in question, based on your DNA file. Your DNA is built into structures called chromosomes.
The Selfdecode reports show green, yellow, and red smiley or frowny faces so it's pretty easy to see at a glance. The faces will show you at a glance whether your genes are predisposing you to positive or negative health effects regarding specific traits, diseases, symptoms, etc...Each article generates a table of personalized supplements, diet, and lifestyle recommendations designed to counteract the negative effects of your risky genetic variants.
If you're wondering how to turn around a bad day, keep reading. I've used the following strategies so many times to rescue what I think will be a terrible day. You know what kind of day I'm talking about...
You wake up and head to the kitchen to make your coffee and realize you're out and forgot to replenish your supply. So, you shuffle off to take a shower hoping to leave the house early enough to grab a cup on your way to work.
Later, you realize in your haste and caffeine-free state, you left the files you needed on the kitchen table. To top it off, you end up working through morning break and by lunch, you're fully engulfed in a BAD day.
We've all had them; those days that start to spiral out of control, and one thing after another goes wrong. It often seems as if nothing is going right and it becomes harder to move forward.
Today, I'm sharing some powerful strategies you can use to turn around a bad day. Use one or all of them the next time you want to rescue a day that makes you want to say bad words.
Validate your own feelings
First, let's call a spade a spade. "Well, this is starting to feel like a bad day." Acknowledge whatever feeling you are having but be gentle with yourself; treat yourself the way you would treat a friend who was having a bad day. "But I think I can turn it around with a little effort."
Take a Deep Breath and analyze what you’re really feeling. If you can put a name on it you may be able to better understand how to turn things around. Negative emotions that contribute to a bad day can stem from something completely unrelated to what is currently in front of you.
Label it
Could stress, anxiety, or frustration be at the heart of the issue? If so, label it as such. "I'm so frustrated with my client for rejecting my proposal, now I have to start all over again." Attaching a label in this way can help you to feel less frustrated, angry, or anxious.
If your work life is causing stress hormones to skyrocket you might be wondering if the trade off is worth compromising your well-being. Could you lower your stress levels by a change in career?
Sometimes we simply wake up on the wrong side of the bed and aren’t sure why we are experiencing a very bad day. Go on a walk to ruminate and see if you can label the root cause or figure out how you got started off on the wrong foot.
Take Action/Change location.
How about taking a break to change your environment. A change of scenery can often alter our perspective on things.
If you are at home having a bad day, try running an errand, a quick trip to the post office, or just to fill your car with gas.
At work? Try going to the break-room, walk around your office, or grab a healthy snack.
If you work from home, try packing up your laptop and heading to a juice bar or coffee shop where you can access free wifi. Just do something to change your environment.
Do something/anything
Start something, anything, but preferably something you can complete in half an hour or less. Some suggestions would be:
answer an emailfile some papersclean the kitchensort one drawer and organize itclean off your desklisten to a chapter of an audiobookdo a quick workout
Speaking of workouts...
Exercise
Exercising can put you in a better mood quickly, especially if you are outside. Any kind of movement you enjoy will work. Just don’t force yourself to do a type of exercise you hate. That could backfire.
Consistent exercise is good for your mental health and can help with stress management. So work in a bit of movement every day and you’ll be one step closer to having a good day.
Besides,
Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don't shoot their husbands, they just don't.Elle Woods
The Right Music Can Reverse a Bad Day
Turn on an upbeat and cheerful playlist. If you don't have one, make one. Listen to your favorite song on repeat if you have to.
Ceri Yates shares how she tried and then ditched the toxic diet culture before finding her own way to successful, sustainable weight loss. You'll love her story in this episode of A Healthy Bite. (The podcast player is located at the bottom of this post; you can also listen on iTunes or Spotify!)
Ceri shares a glimpse of what it was like to dip her toes into a multi-level marketing weight loss company after seeing a friend’s post on social media. However, she quickly realized it was more about sales and making money than her health. The MLM, it seemed, was also part of the toxic diet culture of which she wanted no part.
Body Positivity
To begin with, Ceri was comfortable with accepting her own body; however, she wanted the stamina and energy to keep up with her loved ones. She also wanted to avoid some of the health issues that had been plaguing her for years when she ate dairy and wheat.
Ceri's before and after photos from losing 80 pounds without participating in toxic diet culture.
Because Ceri was focused on wellness for herself and her family, she prepared meals at home with organic vegetables and even grew some of her own food in her backyard garden.
Ceri shares the four things she believes helped her improve her physical health by reducing her body weight. Her weight loss eliminated the stress that had been put on her feet and allowed her to experience a heightened sense of well-being.
Ceri doesn’t buy into diet fads or fat-shaming; not before nor after her weight loss. She simply felt the pain that many of us do when walking around in larger bodies.
In spite of some already good eating habits, Ceri still struggled with weight gain. She believed she was already making some good choices and continued those when she implemented her new diet.
Sleeping 7-8 hours each night.Moving her body. Ceri enjoys hiking and stays active with her kids.Getting out in the sunshine.Avoiding sugar, dairy, and gluten because they are inflammatory and cause her skin to flare up, as well as other symptoms that indicated she had an intolerance.
The Modifications Ceri made to her already healthy food choices
Mental Shift - Ceri says she quit making excuses and that was the most important thing for her.Anchor Meals in Protein - ”Protein is an essential component of a healthy diet and is a focus of research programs seeking to optimize health at all stages of life. The focus on protein as a nutrient often centers on its thermogenic and satiating effect, and when included as part of a healthy diet, its potential to preserve lean body mass.” 1Drink Water - Staying hydrated and reaching for water instead of beverages with calories, especially alcohol. Ceri is a fan of beer and still drinks the occasional craft beer, however, she drastically reduced her alcohol intake.Eat within the first hour of waking - Choose a high-quality shake or another easy protein source then continue to eat protein-forward meals when hungry.
Why The Diet Culture is Toxic
Food rules that are restrictive may lead to binge eating and other harmful behaviors.
Toxic Diet culture may trigger overwhelming feelings of shame, guilt, embarrassment, and fear. Meanwhile, it glorifies weight loss and dieting to the point that you may feel like a failure if you can’t adhere to its strict rules.
What do you consider diet culture?
The National Eating Disorders Association Health suggests that diet culture is a set of beliefs encouraging views that being skinny is ideal and that fat is bad. Health at Every Size (HAES) challenges the value of promoting weight loss and dieting behavior and argues for a shift in focus to weight-neutral outcomes. 2
The toxic diet culture can have a negative impact on self-esteem. In some cases, it can lead to disordered eating or eating disorders.
Disordered eating may include a heightened focus on appearance, insecurities surrounding the number on the scale, and skipping meals.
Who doesn't love drinking coffee? I grew up making a cup for my Dad and I knew exactly how he liked it. My coffee buds (thats the taste buds reserved for coffee) have evolved over the years. I think I started out putting copious amounts of sugar in mine but that didn't last too long. For the most part, I've enjoyed my coffee pretty creamy.
A morning without coffee is like sleep.
I'm sharing my love for coffee today. In addition to its many energy boosting benefits, there are a multitude of health related ones. Keep reading.
If you are like me, you enjoy drinking coffee every morning. Perhaps, you don't even think about why you drink coffee anymore.
Let me remind you.
Coffee Benefits for Health
We drink that daily cup of Joe for its unique health benefits and because it tastes so good. Okay, that's the last time I'll call it a cup of Joe, I promise!
So what about a cup of coffee that gets our day started on the right foot?
The morning cup of coffee has an exhilaration about it which the cheering influence of the afternoon or evening cup of tea cannot be expected to reproduce.Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr.
The answer can vary depending on the coffee beans, the roast, and what you put in it.
You may get conflicting information regarding whether or not drinking coffee has health benefits. Have no fear; I'm not about to suggest you reduce your coffee intake. I am all for drinking coffee daily.
Especially if you choose a coffee free of mycotoxins and other impurities, you'll want to drink just the right amount to get the health benefits, so you don't end up with negative side effects. You may feel jittery or experience an increase in heart rate from having too much caffeine.
When it comes to caffeine, a light roast bean contains virtually the same amount as a dark roast bean. For years, I believed the myth that light roast had more because less was burned off in the roasting process. However, darker roasted beans weigh less and are slightly larger.
So the only way to be sure to get the same amount of caffeine cup per cup is to go by weight, not volume.
Now, let's look at the research-backed benefits of drinking coffee. But before we move on, you can try Purity Coffee at 10% off with coupon code TOM10. Enjoy!
Scientifically Proven Health Benefits of Coffee
Yes, coffee has scientifically proven health benefits. While researching this article, I came across so many studies that I found it impossible to read even a fraction of them. I've limited the list of benefits to the ones with the most research.
But note that there are still more health benefits from drinking coffee than are listed in this article.
My top five favorite health benefits of drinking coffee are:
Drinking coffee can help you live longer.Lowers the risk of cardiovascular diseaseIt May help lower the risk of metabolic syndrome and slow weight gain (Referring to black coffee, not drinks with added sugar, etc.)The antioxidants in coffee may help you live a longer, healthier life.Coffee consumption puts you in a better mood.
Coffee is the number one diet source of antioxidants in many countries including the United States, Italy, Spain, and Norway.
Other Potential Health Benefits of Coffee Consumption
Besides the fantastic energy boost, coffee has many other potential health benefits you'll want to consider.
Lowered Risk of Cardiovascular Disease
An increased coffee intake was associated with a significantly decreased risk of heart failure. Studies showed that people who drink three to five cups of coffee daily had a lower risk of heart disease than those who drink no coffee or more than five cups per day.
Coffee consumption was consistently associated with a lower risk of mortality from all causes of cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease, and stroke in a non-linear relation, with summary estimates indicating the most significant reduction in relative risk at three cups a day. 1
If you are medically overweight, like 39% of the world’s population, you might be asking yourself, “what causes weight gain?”
You may be here because you’re trying to lose weight. More than half of Americans are currently attempting to lose weight on any given day of the year. (1)
Ask most doctors what causes weight gain or the inability to lose weight and you’ll likely hear that the number of calories you consume exceeds the number you burn. Not as commonly, you may hear about other possible causes such as too much of the stress hormone cortisol.
Though conventional medical advice often associates weight gain with overeating, lack of physical activity, too much snacking, and other “mistakes” on your part. You may even experience bias from your physician. (Do a search for “are doctors biased against overweight and obese patients” to see for yourself.)
One of the primary reasons for weight gain is diet culture.
"You Must Be Doing Something Wrong"
Recently, I went to an orthopedic doctor because I’d been having some pain in my left foot. We met for the first time after an x-ray. She made her diagnosis within the first 3-5 minutes of being in the room. The conclusion was that I had a simple case of nerve entrapment.
The doctor wanted to give me a steroid shot, but I declined and explained that I just wanted to know what was causing the pain. With this information, I could start working on whatever was going on.
In addition, expressed concern that my gradual weight gain since my early forties might be a contributing factor to my foot pain.
This brings me to the topic of this post.
At the end of a visit that lasted all of 7 minutes tops most of which we spent talking about my foot, she had sized me up.
The tall, thin, elderly female doctor explained that my weight gain wasn’t normal. She further elaborated that there had to be something I was “doing wrong” if I’d been steadily gaining weight. Either I was eating too much, not the right thing, or more than the energy I was using up.
Is it really that simple? No.
Overweight and obesity are complex issues and are rarely as simple and straightforward as this particular doctor suggests. Just because you're overweight doesn't mean you're doing something wrong.
What causes weight gain?
Some studies indicate that overweight and obesity may have plenty to do with our genetics. Gene variants studied show women with certain alleles have more fat mass and a lowered ability to burn it off.
Genetics and Body Weight
Conflicting studies from around the world make it hard to say for sure if there is a correlation between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and obesity. Your body may do better on certain types of diets due to your genes. You can find out using SelfDecode.
Though we do know that hormones play a major role in weight issues. Leptin and Ghrelin are worth studying if you struggle to lose weight. Read “it’s not your fault you are overweight.”
You may notice you gain weight like your parents or grandparents, as I do.
My maternal grandmother, who I have no doubt had undiagnosed blood sugar issues, gained weight in her arms and around the middle. (She didn’t like to go to the doctor, but had all the symptoms of blood sugar imbalances.)
Like my grandma, the weight I gain tends to accumulate in my arms as well. Unlike my grandmother, I have enviable A1C results. (A1C is a simple blood test that measures your average blood sugar levels over the past 3 months. It is a more accurate measurement of true blood sugar levels than daily glucose testing, which I also do 2-3 times per month.)
Another reason for frustration with the orthopedic doctor’s suggestion; she doesn’t know anything else about my health. Her assessment was based on my foot x-ray and my appearance. I’m overweight.
Does Metabolism Slow As We Age?
A new study implies previously accepted theory on weight gain with age may be incorrect.
The podcast episode above is about how to have an online (or in-person) cookbook club. The article below will explain why cooking as a hobby will contribute to better health. At least it has for my family and I believe it will for you, too. The transcripts for the podcast episode are also at the bottom of this post. Just wanted to point out that it is different content that goes together, so explore both.
In addition, I hope you'll join and cook along with us in A Tasty Bite - my small online group, but even if you don't, I still hope you consider cooking as a hobby.
Leaving Home without Cooking Skills
When I rented my very first place and became responsible for preparing my own meals, I soon realized my cooking skills were lacking. At that time if you wanted to learn to do something you either found someone who knew, went to school, or consulted a book. I did all three!
Learning from Friends and Family
If you have friends or family who are skilled at cooking, ask them to let you be their sous chef. At the very least, offer to do their dishes and they'll likely let you hang around and learn.
Lucky for me, I was living in Germany at the time I needed to gain cooking skills. I was surrounded by a diverse group of people. Some were my colleagues in the Air Force who were from all over the US and had wide a variety of tastes and therefore, cooking methods.
Others were my German and French friends. We rented our house from a middle-aged couple who lived in the upper portion of a huge house on a cherry farm. The entire downstairs belonged to us. The German husband made his own homemade schnapps which he encouraged us to watch and taste. While the wife turned out huge spreads of food including my favorite, Apfelkuchen. His two daughters showed me around the countryside, into France, and from them, I learned the food etiquette of Germans.
From another coworker, a person of color, I learned which types of cheese will melt and which ones won't and the fact that Velveeta was not really cheese at all. She taught me how to put together simple recipes that her mom taught her and her siblings when she was a kid like a barbecue sauce that was not from a bottle.
During the time I was stationed in Germany, many Germans and French civilians worked for the US Government. One of my coworkers was an older French woman from whom I learned you do not have to be a professional chef to attempt fancy French Cuisine. Another coworker's wife was Mexican American and she introduced me to spices and flavors I'd never tasted before. A Cuban boyfriend introduced me to guacamole and many other tasty foods.
Learning from My First Cookbook
Being on my own so far from my loved ones, I wasn't able to ask for help in the process of cooking foods I was familiar with such as biscuits and gravy. Phone calls were expensive.
Shopping at the Base Exchange, I picked up my very first cookbook. Of course, it was a simple Betty Crocker, red cover cookbook, but I learned how to cook the basics. Pot pie, meatloaf, and muffins were among those first recipes. Nothing fancy, just what I'd consider regular food. I still remember making my very first quiche. That cookbook got me hooked on cooking my own food.
Still, this was before the age of tv shows about cooking were as popular as they are now.
When I returned to the states I had access to more people and new recipes from friends and family. I asked my grandma lots of questions because I considered her a great cook who always had good food on the table. My aunts and of course, my mom, were also a source of learning new skills.
Then I subscribed to Taste of Home magazine and began experimenting with new foods. These meals I shared with my huge church family, since being a military town, we all needed one another and grew close over good food and fellowship. Those were the casserole days. Followed by the grilling days of long Savannah, Georgia summers.
Cubii Jr 1 Review: an elliptical that fits under your desk to help you exercise while you are on the computer!
Are you looking for an exercise you can do while sitting? That's exactly what I was doing 8 months ago!
Maybe you have a job or hobby that has you at a desk for hours on end. You might even worry about your physical wellness being impacted by how much time you spend sitting.
I know I do!
You probably already know that sitting too much isn't good for you. While I was working full-time, sitting at a desk all day, the inactivity concerned me. Even now, working for myself, I'm often at my computer writing, paying bills, scheduling appointments, etc.
In addition, my favorite hobby is knitting which I do while sitting, although I try to limit that to less than an hour per day.
This had me brainstorming how to exercise while I sit. I looked at various methods of exercise you can do while sitting. Because I want to be free to use my hands it would have to be a lower body workout, so no arm circles, or lifting dumbbells while sitting.
We all want to stay healthy
My mom watches television while riding a stationary bike. You know that is a great way to keep from being a couch potato! Especially if you love to binge-watch drama series.
Although my mom was on to something, a big stationary bike wasn't an option for me. Mainly because I didn't want a huge piece of exercise equipment in my living room. Plus, I needed to be able to use it at my desk as well as in the living room where I knit each night.
Building on her idea, I started searching for a pedaling machine that would fit under my desk or in front of a chair. I got some mixed feedback when I asked around. Still, I decided to try the Cubii Jr 1. because I was determined to increase my heart rate while I knit or work on my computer.
Standing to work at my computer might be better than sitting, but it isn't cardio!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wtqw4C87Skg&t=23s
Standing Desk vs. Exercise While Sitting
Both my husband and I believe in and each of us has stand-up desks. My husband started using a stand-up desk back in 2016. Some of his coworkers even joined him.
However, standing in one spot for long periods of time has drawbacks.
Using a stand-up desk for hours every day may lead to swollen ankles or even varicose veins. Standing at a desk can also lead to back pain unless you maintain good posture. Many people hunch their upper back at a stand-up desk because they're trying to type or aren't close enough to the computer monitor.
So if you use a stand-up desk, make sure to keep your back straight and practice good posture to prevent pain.
Still, standing is not exercising.
When I stand at my desk I'd try to do calf raises but not many because moving up and down while looking at a computer monitor wasn't ideal.
Exercise you can do while sitting at a computer
Using the pedal exerciser, I am working on several muscle groups including my glutes, calves, hamstrings, quadriceps, and even my hip flexors. Not bad for such a small workout machine.
Cycling, while I'm working on my computer, allows my upper body to remain stable while my lower body pedals away! Surprisingly, I'm even coordinated enough to pedal while knitting.
On a side note, when trying to find ideas for exercising while knitting I discovered that many people walk and knit at the same time! Crazy, right? I haven't tried that one yet.
Because the Cubii Jr 1 is portable, with a compact design, and has a built-in handle, I'm able to easily move it from my workspace to my living room. This functionality allows me to work out wherever I happen to be sitting. I store it under my desk when I'm not using the machine.
The Solution: Exercise You Can Do While Sitting
Cubii Jr. 1 exercise machine allows you to practice healthy habits while you sit. I was curious if the Cubii would get my heart rate during a knitting workout.
So you've been short-changed in the sleep department due to sharing your bed? Can't remember the last time you got a good night's rest? I feel your pain! If your spouse, kids, or fur-babies are keeping you up at night, and you're wondering if it's healthy to sleep in separate beds, keep reading!
A while back, I shared a podcast and post about Living Apart Together while married. That must have struck a nerve for many since I've had so many questions in my inbox! Indeed, the idea of separate beds is trending. My husband and I lived in separate apartments for almost two years. Now we are back in the same house, but we get healthy sleep, each in our own room. Our relationship is healthier now, too.
Plus, I've been writing about a variety of sleep problems, the solution to poor sleep, and getting better sleep for years. One question people want to know is about sleeping in separate beds. Is it healthy? Does sleeping in separate beds help or hurt your relationship? I'll answer all your burning questions.
Reasons couples may want to have Separate Bedrooms
There are plenty of reasons why a married couple may choose to sleep in separate beds or even separate rooms. Here are a few I've heard of from readers...
One person snores, has Sleep Apnea, or uses a CPAP machine, etc.Temperature preferences differ (room and body temps)Different sleep schedules (one is an early bird, one is a night owl)Opposite work shifts Insomniac (one partner has insomnia and therefore keeps the other awake)One partner is a light sleeperKids want to sleep with momRestless leg syndrome Different mattress preference (soft vs. firm)Using a device (TV, Smartphone, Kindle) disturbs sleep
One of you may be a night owl, the other an early bird...
The topic has been even more pressing for some couples during the pandemic since people are spending more time at home due to covid. When you work, eat, and sleep together day after day for a year, you really start to test the strength of a relationship. If you are feeling resentful because your significant other is the cause of your sleep deprivation you may start dreaming of your own bed!
According to a recent survey, over a third of married couples say they'd rather get a good night's sleep than to continue sleeping with their partner. Does that resonate with you? Perhaps that's because sleep deprivation leads to other problems.
Negative Impact of Sleep Deprivation
Sleep deprivation is associated with early aging. Weight gain, lower endurance levels, and fatigue are also a result of being chronically sleep-deprived. The demand for drugs to promote sleep is ever-increasing. In the US alone more than 55 million prescriptions were written in 2014. With these prescriptions come a dreadful collection of side effects. Anxiety, stress, and depression are often present in those who experience chronic insomnia. These conditions have a significant impact on circadian rhythms which negatively affect both sleep quality and duration. ~ Getting the Restorative Sleep You Need
Sleep experts suggest that a lack of sleep can lead to poor mental and physical health. So why wouldn't you want to do everything you can to eliminate sleep issues? Improve sleep quality by sleeping alone if that's what it takes. A sleep divorce could actually be good for your marriage.
Is it normal for married couples to sleep in separate beds?
What's normal? Nothing but a setting on your washing machine! Instead of being concerned with what is common for other people, consider what is beneficial for you. If you're worried about what other people may think, consider the fact that there are millions of other people like you, missing out on sleep because of what someone may think of them.
But, if what other people do is important to you; know that it is reported that Donald Trump and his wife sleep in separate bedrooms. They aren't alone! John F. Kennedy and his wife slept in separate rooms.
By the 1920s,
So you want to know how to stop drinking energy drinks, and you've probably tried giving them up before without success? You are already aware of how hard it is to quit. I see and hear of young adults, and even teenagers who are consuming these beverages on a daily basis, and quite frankly, it worries me.
Adolescents are reportedly the fastest-growing population of caffeine users in America. Research indicates 83 percent of teens drink caffeinated beverages regularly, and nearly 96 percent consume them occasionally. Caffeine isn’t the only substance in energy drinks that give consumers a jolt.USNews
Experience Quitting Energy Drinks
My husband will freely admits he had an energy drink addiction. That was before he went cold turkey on and quit energy drinks for the last time. (He discusses this in the podcast episode at the top of this post.)
In this episode we are having a casual conversation about the health issues it was causing for him, how he felt, and the strategy he used to get through the caffeine withdrawal symptoms.
Something we didn't talk about in the podcast episode that I will mention is that he quit drinking soda twenty years ago. I introduced him to coffee when we met and he still drinks it, but not all day for energy. He drinks a cup in the morning and a few cups during the day.
Coffee did not replace his consumption of energy drinks. In fact, he says he drinks less coffee now than when he was on energy drinks.
As my husband said when I asked him, a cup of coffee does not give you the same energy levels that the stimulants in energy drinks do.
That is because energy drinks contain more than caffeine. In addition, people tend to chug energy drinks, whereas they'll sip coffee. So the caffeine delivered from a cup of coffee is incremental rather than a blast.
Addictive Ingredients in Energy Drinks
Anyone who has tried to stop drinking energy drinks knows they contain addictive ingredients. Although most labels will boast "green tea," "ginseng" or "B12" to give you an energy boost. That is not natural or healthy and it is akin to greenwashing on a health care level.
Some may contain guarana, caffeine, creatine, ginseng, taurine, and a variety of vitamins, protein, carbohydrates, amino acids, and minerals. B vitamins are known as energy supplements and many energy drinks contain B12 and others in excessive amounts.
When you overdose on most B vitamins the excess is excreted in the urine, however, it is important to note that B12 is a fat-soluble vitamin that is stored in the liver.
B12 is stored in substantial amounts, mainly in the liver, until it is needed by the body. If a person stops consuming the vitamin, the body's stores of this vitamin usually take about 3 to 5 years to exhaust. Merck
Some energy drink companies are quick to point out that the caffeine content in energy drinks is less than that in coffee. In most cases, that is true.
As I mentioned, energy drinks contain other harmful ingredients such as synthetic Taurine. In its natural form, Taurine is an amino acid produced by your body. It helps to regulate energy levels, your nervous system, heart beat and more. Added to energy drinks is another way to greenwash consumers.
For my husband, I suggested, he'd be better off to take the amino acid L-Theanine with a cup of his coffee to improve brain fog and increase focus than to drink an energy drink. My sons can tell you that L-Theanine is way more beneficial than an energy drink.
Health Issues from 10 Years of Energy Drinks
My husband experienced weight gain, particularly belly fat, which is an indication of blood sugar imbalance.
weight gaingrowing waistlineunstable blood sugar levels (pre-diabetes or metabolic syndrome)heart palpitations, increased heart ratehigh blood pressureincreased anxiety
Benefits from Giving Up Energy Drinks
These benefits are from having given up energy drinks for three months, however,
Deborah DiMare is back this week on A Healthy Bite to give us more useful tips on how to create an ethical & toxin-free bedroom for healthy sleep. Putting together a bedroom that looks picture-worthy is what most designers would make their top priority; and while Deborah is talented at doing that, her top priority is choosing ethical, non-toxic pieces. But don't worry, you can have both a beautiful, toxin-free and ethical bedroom space.
If you've never thought about what goes into the rug, sheets, bedding, and decor in your bedroom, you're not alone. Over the past few weeks, this topic has been rolling through my mind after discussing it on the podcast. There are several areas I'll be tackling to improve my own bedroom soon.
What could be more important than having a toxin-free space where you sleep? After all, you likely spend at least a third of your life in your bedroom. So what are the possible toxins that can be found in many bedrooms? Phthalates, PFAs, PBTE Flame Retardants, and more.
Azo dyes are banned in Europe. So if you buy a printed fabric, for example, or printed set of sheets, and it does not say that there’s azo dyes in it, you can assume there are. So don’t buy them.9 Toxic Chemicals to Avoid in Furniture
Buckwheat Pillow review by Deborah DiMare9 Chemicals to Avoid in FurnitureSee Deborah's Home in this Virtual Tour on Open HausECOS Paints - Eco Friendly Paints: Lullaby Paints are EN-71 certified for use on children's toys, which could be placed in a child's mouth. So, Lullaby products are suitable for a crib or other nursery furniture.
Resources
In the podcast, I asked Deborah about a solution for anyone who may not be quite ready to replace their current mattress with a new GOTS-certified one. In this case, the recommended solution would be to cover your mattress with a GOTS-certified organic mattress cover or GOTS-certified organic mattress topper.
You can find Deborah's nursery course here and use coupon code THATORGANICMOM25 to get 25% off. Deborah's team is going to give away a virtual room make-over. They do online consultations, and they're really amazing. You get a layout and a zoom call with her team. It's really great; valued at $580!
Meet Deborah DiMare
Deborah DiMare is a renowned interior design consultant, author, educator, and pioneer of the ethical/wellness design movement. She has been executing beautiful, sensory, living environments that contribute to the health and well-being of people, animals, and the planet for nearly 20 years. Her design company, DiMare Design, is the only 100% cruelty-free interior design consulting firm specializing in the creation of organic, optimal spaces, and sourcing vegan textiles and sustainable furniture that bear zero-to-low toxins.
How to Create a Toxin-Free Bedroom for Healthy Sleep
[00:00:00] Rebecca: I'm back today with Deborah DiMare and we are talking about one of my favorite subjects: sleep. I absolutely love to talk to people about sleep. It's one of my favorite things to do and believe it or not, it's one of the healthiest things you can do for your body. So today, I'm going to chat with Deborah and she's going to share her expertise with us about creating an environment in your bedroom that helps you get better sleep so that you can be a healthier person.
[00:00:25] Welcome to a healthy bite Deborah.
[00:00:29] Deborah: Thank you so much, Rebecca. Thank you.
[00:00:32] Rebecca: I'm excited to get into this subject. Now. I know personally that there are some things I need to change in my bedroom. So why don't you just maybe start out with telling us some of the top things, maybe some mistakes that people make when they're setting up a bedroom.
[00:00:52] Deborah: People make a lot of mistakes when they're setting up their bedroom. We'll start off with that. I think so many people are, so which I understand are hooked on just the aesthetics of a space that it looks great.
As parents, you'll face countless important decisions over your child's lifetime. One of the most important is the living space in which your child will grow and sleep.
One of the most exciting things parents-to-be do while they are waiting for the arrival of their bundle of joy is designing the baby's nursery. Browsing Pinterest for inspiration may turn up plenty of results for every theme imaginable! However, first, take a moment before clicking on those magazine-ready shots to think about the health and safety necessary for such an important space.
Sensory Design Expert
Deborah DiMare is is a sensory and health-driven design expert. As the leading ethical design expert, she has created courses to help parents create a space that will contribute to the well-being of their children. Deborah is a leading authority in designing environments that promote optimal mental and physical health for the special needs population including Autism, ADHD, sensory difficulties (SPD), and all related differences.
Fabrics, lighting and furniture all contribute to a client’s physical & emotional well-being. There are over 80,000 dangerous chemicals and poisons that are legal to use in fabrics. We believe that is unethical, unnecessary and dangerous. Our focus is creating environments to keep you and your loved ones happy, healthy and strong.DiMare Design
You can find Deborah's nursery course here use coupon code THATORGANICMOM25 to get 25% off. Make sure to subscribe, so you'll be notified when the next episode of A Healthy Bite is published. Deborah will be back to talk about setting up a healthy, non-toxic space for sleep.
Resources
The existing paint issue I asked Deborah about is answered in this article. ECOS Paints - Lullaby Paints are EN-71 certified for use on children's toys, which could be placed in a child's mouth. So, Lullaby products are suitable for a crib or other nursery furniture.Mattress that Deborah recommends is Naturepedic.Read Deborah's articles about safe nurseries here.DiMareDesign.comVeganDesign.org
Meet Deborah DiMare:
Deborah is a renowned interior design consultant, author, educator, and pioneer of the ethical/wellness design movement. She has been executing beautiful living and sensory environments that contribute to the mental and physical health and well-being of people and the protection of animals and the planet for nearly 20 years. Her company, DiMare Design, is the only 100% cruelty-free design consulting firm specializing in the creation of organic, optimal spaces, and sourcing vegan textiles and sustainable furniture that bear zero-to-low toxins.
Deborah also heads VeganDesign org, where she educates consumers and designers about humane & healthy design through virtual courses, a blog, and a full online shop of cruelty-free, vegan and low toxin furniture, décor & curated spaces.
How Parents Can Design a Nontoxic Nursery with Debra Dimare
[00:00:00] Rebecca: Hello everyone. And welcome back to another episode of a healthy bite. I'm excited to bring you today's guest Deborah DiMare. interior design consultant, author, educator, and pioneer of the ethical wellness design movement. She has been executing, beautiful sensory living environments that contribute to the health and wellbeing of people.
[00:00:23] And the planet for nearly 20 years today, we will be discussing how to surround our children from the moment they enter this world with the most non-toxic, positive environment, crucial to their physical and mental development. And that is why Deborah is here to share and give us guidance and teach us a little bit more about how to design a nursery with non-toxic furniture and cribs and other decors that will not harm or affect the mental and physical development of our newborn babies and children. Make sure to stick around to the end of this episode, Deborah will be sharing a special discount. That's only for listeners of this podcast for her special onl...
You probably know that daytime sleepiness is an indication that you're not getting sufficient sleep. If you have ever been sleep-deprived because you or your partner kept waking up during the night, you're not alone.
It might surprise you to know that an estimated 90% of people with sleep apnea are completely unaware of their condition.
What are the symptoms of Sleep Apnea
The signs, as well as symptoms of obstructive along with central sleep apneas, tend to overlap. This can sometimes make it tough to figure out which kind you have. The signs and symptoms that are the most common of these sleep apneas are:TMJLA.com
Snoring loudlyTimes when you stop breathing whilst sleeping, this would be told to you by someone else, i.e., your sleep partnerGasping for air whilst sleepingWaking up having a dry mouthHaving a headache in the morningFinding it tough to remain asleep or insomniaExtreme daytime sleepiness or hypersomniaFinding it tough paying attention when awakeFeeling irritableHaving heartburn
You can also read more about the risk factors for obstructive sleep apnea or central sleep apnea here.
In this episode of A Healthy Bite, Dr. David Shirazi explains how sleep apnea is related to many other conditions such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and more. He tackles sleep and pain problems head-on, empowering people to rewrite their narrative and take control of their health. Dr. Shirazi believes that sleep disturbances are at the basis of many health problems and that improving sleep hygiene can help folks cope with practically any ailment, including ADHD, dementia, hypertension, and more.
If you are not getting quality sleep, do yourself a favor and listen to this episode. You can find Dr. Shirazi at TMJLA.com.
Resources
Quiz for Obstructive Sleep ApneaRead more about sleep disorders and their therapies Dr. Shirazi's Google TalksDownload my ebook Why Am I So Sleepy
Sleep Apnea with David Shirazi
[00:00:00] Rebecca: Today's guest. Dr. David Shirazi is a TMJ and sleep expert. Dr. David holds too many degrees and certifications for me to list, but to read his bio, please visit thatorganicmom.com/sleep-apnea. Dr. David is a dentist and acupuncturist, a sleep expert, and lots more. If you have a sleep issue or sleep challenge, chances are Dr. David Shirazi knows how to diagnose and treat it. I hope that you'll stick around for the end of this episode, as he shares his expertise. And you can find out more about Dr. David and his work with TMJ and sleep therapy at his website, which is TMJLA.Com.
[00:00:47] Announcer: Welcome to a healthy bite. You're one nibble closer to a more satisfying way of life, a healthier you and bite size bits of healthy motivation. Now let's dig in on the dish with Rebecca Huff.
[00:01:02] Dr. David: So I'm a dentist. I'm an acupuncturist for five years. I was a sleep technologist and I have a master's in psychology. I got into sleep because my focus was TMJ disorders and and chronic pain. And, you know, we found out that one of the reasons why we clench our teeth is because of sleep breathing disorder. And so I decided, okay, well, I should, I should learn. I should know more about these sort of things,, for example, things like TMJ and sleep, you know, sleep apnea. These are things that can't be fixed with acupuncture and herbs, right? Because if someone has a TMJ problem, if it's acute, it can be. But the problem with, with someone, with the jaw problem, If they continue to clench their teeth every night and sometimes during the day that, you know, you're never going to resolve it with acupuncture, even lasers or what have you, because the patient's going to go back into what we call parafunction.
[00:02:07] So as I was studying the sleep; the dental courses for dentists treating sleep apnea were all basically learn how to make this appliance, you know? And then buy our appliance, it was basically the gist of about 90, 95% of them. And then
A habit is an action, choice, or decision that you perform on a regular basis. When can you call a new action a habit? That depends. Perhaps when the action reaches automaticity; doing the thing without thinking about it. When it becomes rote.
For example, you automatically begin flossing after brushing. Your mind is elsewhere, perhaps preparing for the upcoming meeting or rethinking yesterday's events.
But what is the amount of time it will take you to create a new desirable habit? The number of days may vary from person to person, the level of difficulty, and many other factors.
What Healthy Habits Are Most Important
The healthy habits you prioritize may differ from the ones I choose to incorporate into my daily routine. With so many ways we all differ, it makes sense that we will prioritize different habits.
As I mentioned in this podcast episode, your family medical history might factor into which habits you incorporate first. For example, if both of your parents have heart disease, you might want to add preventative measures to the top of your priority list.
In addition, genetics play a role, so if you have had genetic testing, you have information that could potentially add years to your healthspan.
How Long Does it Take to Develop a Good Habit?
The idea that it takes 21 days to form a habit comes from a plastic surgeon. In Dr. Maxwell Maltz's 1960 book, Psycho-Cyberneticshe stated that it takes a "minimum" of 21 days for a person to get accustomed to their new look. Over the years, people began to say it takes 21 days to form a habit. (Kind of like the gossip game where the concept changes each time it is repeated.)
The truth is it could take up to a year to form a new habit. There truly is no magic number of times to repeat a healthy habit before it becomes second nature.
It is easier to form a new "good habit" than it is to break an old "bad habit." (Although, James Clear, in his bestseller, "Atomic Habits" points out there are no good or bad habits, only effective ones.)
Recent studies show that performing your new habit consistently in a shorter time frame with context yields better results. By context, they mean associating the habit with something you already automatically do. (This is also referred to as habit stacking, listen to a podcast about longevity habits here.)
For example, you'd like to drink more water. You can habit stack by planning to fill your water bottle when you fill your coffee cup. Making the statement of association out loud may also help. Your statement would be, "when I fill my coffee cup, I also pour a glass of water."
This works because you already have a coffee habit, now you're tagging the new desired habit onto the one you already have.
The video I mentioned in the podcast episode can be found here.
https://youtu.be/tC5RK2pKaJU
Forming New Habits
Cue. Routine. Reward. Repeat. This is a "habit loop" according to Charles Duhigg, in his wildly popular book, "The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business." He says that once we know how habits work it's easier to fiddle with the gears (make changes that stick.)
In his book, Duhigg explains how they study habits and goes in-depth about how they experiment with rats in mazes, giving them rewards in various places. He explains that habits, whether good or bad, are encoded into the structure of our brains. So a bad habit never goes away. If you quit smoking, that bad habit is still lurking in your brain, just waiting for the right cue and reward to reemerge.
That doesn't mean you can't kick a bad habit (like smoking) it simply means you need to continue your new routine to overpower those old behaviors. This is why so many smokers turn to the new habit of gum chewing.
A habit is formed.
Habit Formation
Habit formation is a topic that has been written about in perhaps hundreds of thousands of books. The bottom line is that it isn't super easy to create a ...
Cancer Survivor, Patricia Diaz, has been in remission for over 30 years. We're discussing the therapies she used in conjunction with her cancer treatment, most of which she still practices to this day. Her memoir is the topic of this episode of A Healthy Bite.
Pretty Girls Don't Get Cancer. Patricia Diaz, memoir
Wait, what?
Yeah, that was my reaction, too, when I first saw it in print. What kind of doctor says this to reassure a patient? While I'm sure it was meant to console, we all know the statement simply isn't true. We all know a pretty girl who has been diagnosed with cancer, don't we?
My sister was a pretty girl diagnosed with ovarian cancer. I have two aunts and a cousin who are pretty girls and also breast cancer survivors.
Unfortunately, cancer doesn't pick and choose, it spreads its ugly roots without discrimination of gender, race, nationality, size, age, or even looks.
Meet Patricia Diaz
Pretty Girls Don't Get Cancer is the title of a self-published memoir by Patricia Diaz. A touching story of Patricia's journey as a stage four cancer survivor. The title is based on the statement a physician made to reassure her. Sadly, he had overlooked the signs of adolescent and young adult cancer. (AYA)
I imagine no one is ever prepared for a cancer diagnosis.
This was certainly true for Patricia. She was a high school student, intent on spending time with friends and family and enjoying a certain quality of life in Venezuela.
Losing weight rapidly, barely able to breathe as one of her lungs was not even functioning, yet still unaware that cancer was growing inside of her, Patricia struggled on.
Severe nosebleeds, headaches, a persistant cough, and other signs had her parents worried. They took her to a different doctor, who after examinations and testing, diagnosed Patricia with stage four Liposarcoma. Several labs confirmed the results; a diagnosis of Stage IV Adolescent terminal cancer.
Cancer Treatment
Of course, Patricia received the dreaded cancer treatment, chemotherapy. The side effects of which made her violently ill. She later found out that the dose she was given during that first round of chemo was many times stronger than it needed to be.
Unfortunately, she's not the only cancer patient to experience the horrific side effects of cancer treatment. Although, this was thirty years ago, and health care and the cancer experience have progressed somewhat, chemo and radiation are still first-line treatments in oncology.
Hopefully, someday, cancer care will evolve to a gentler method.
While Patricia continued to receive conventional treatment for her cancer, she also supplemented her care with alternative therapies. This is the topic of this episode of A Healthy Bite.
We are certainly not debating whether cancer survivorship was dependant upon one or the other. Anyone who is diagnosed with any type of cancer should be treated as an individual, unique in their experience, environment, and care plan.
Alternative Therapies for Cancer Treatment
Patricia's story involves not only her care team, her doctors and nurses but also her friends and family. Her loved ones are an integral part of her story, and each of her family members had a role in her healing process.
In many ways, these alternative therapies appear to have become part of Patricia's new normal day to day habits.
Support Groups
Patricia found help through learning meditation and through the process of self-discovery. She was able to become more self-aware and see some stories she'd been telling herself and sort of rewriting them in a more positive way. You might find support through chatting with a therapist, a group in a cancer center, meditation, or prayer.
Caregivers may also want to seek a support group as providing care for a cancer patient takes an emotional toll on everyone. The American Cancer Society has a full section for caregivers here.
As we Patricia mentioned,
It is back-to-school time and many schools across the US have reopened. Teachers are back in their classrooms but some parents would prefer to continue remote learning.
"And still millions of students stayed remote, their parents concerned about the virus, not to mention bullying, racism, misbehavior, and child care." (1)
Now more than ever, Educators and Parents are prioritizing skills that can help students cope with emotional stress, solve problems, and avoid peer pressure. In addition, students have had to learn to practice better self-care since the pandemic.
Anti-bullying, conflict resolution, and suicide prevention are other important topics that teachers must be mindful of during every school year. It's a tall order for educators.
This is why incorporating social and emotional learning into the daily curriculum is critical to the health and well-being of our children. SEL Skills can be taught, modeled, and practiced on a daily basis.
Social learning theory, proposed by Albert Bandura, emphasizes the importance of observing, modelling, and imitating the behaviors, attitudes, and emotional reactions of others. Social learning theory considers how both environmental and cognitive factors interact to influence human learning and behavior. (2)
Social-Emotional Learning Activities can and should be part of an educator's toolkit to help students gain important social-emotional skills and character building.
SEL programming can have a positive impact up to 18 years later on academics, conduct problems, emotional distress, and drug use. Casel
Love In A Big World SEL Curriculum
Guest Tamara Fyke is the creator of Social Emotional Learning Lesson Plans that puts the right tools in the hands of educators to make a meaningful difference in students' lives. Her goal is to help prepare them to be "difference-makers" themselves.
The goal of Love In A Big World is to connect with kids…to let them know that they are not alone in this big world…to teach them how to make wise choices…to give them hope.
The SEL Activities Tamara and her team have created support a growth mindset, perspective-taking, impulse control, and mindfulness. The SEL Lessons are:
Character-driven lessons that support your everyday student interactions.Fit organically into your academic schedule, morning meetings, advisory periods, or after-school programs.
SEL Resources are integral for teachers and homeschooling families. Love in a Big World is perfect for classrooms, community groups, or homeschoolers in grades K-12. The curriculum includes workbooks, journals, worksheets, and activities that will help teach important sel competencies.
Tamara says, "Ensuring our students are healthy in body, mind and spirit is preeminent."
On a more individual level, the skills learned within an SEL program have been shown to help students better cope with emotional stress, solve problems, and avoid peer pressure to engage in harmful activities.
MusiCity Kids is an online show for kids featuring Nashville’s top EDU content providers. Supporting K-8 learners and families at home or in the classroom. Covering:
MovementHealthDanceFinancial LiteracyScienceCharacter EducationKid entrepreneurship Breathing & Yoga
If you are interested in purchasing curriculum or other resources, email Tamara directly at tamara@loveinabigworld.org for a 40% discount.
Meet Tamara Fyke
A social entrepreneur with a passion for kids, families, and communities. She is the creator, author, and brand manager for Love In A Big World, which equips K-12 educators with a social-emotional learning curriculum, music, and media products that are research-based, relevant, and practical. The LBW brand has been her core focus for over 25 years, with the goal to empower students to be socially competent, emotionally healthy problem-solvers who discover a sense of purpose and make a positive difference in the world.
Mold exposure long-term effects can be devastating. Memory loss, insomnia, anxiety, depression, trouble concentrating, and confusion, just to name a few of the long-term effects of mold exposure. Mold growth is more prevalent than most people realize.
At least 45 million buildings in the United States have unhealthy levels of mold. (1) This is problematic for families, especially infants. Those who are exposed to mold at home have three times the risk of developing asthma as those who do not experience mold exposure during the first year of life. (2)
What are the Health Effects of Mold Exposure
People with undiagnosed mold allergies may not even realize that persistent sneezing and runny nose are caused by indoor mold. Some people experience shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, sinus infections, and other health problems, and yet the cause is not always apparent.
Toxic mold can cause a serious allergic reaction in some, while others go on with no symptoms at all. It can be difficult to diagnose considering it mimics a variety of other illnesses.
The inflammatory response that occurs as the effects of mold exposure can cause a cascade of other negative health effects, including memory loss, anxiety, depression, and infertility. (3) When a person who has Lyme disease is exposed to mold mycotoxins it can cause severe mold illness.
Symptoms include:
Joint pain, muscle aches, pain, stiffnessFatigue, weaknessCoughing, shortness of breathHay Fever like symptoms, sore throatNosebleedsHeadaches, migraineStomach pain, leaky gutEye irritation - watery, burning, stinging, itchy eyesSkin irritation
Black mold can cause a variety of health conditions even when occupants are unaware that it exists. Exposure to mold spores puts healthy people, including children and pets at increased risk of fungal infections.
As Michael mentions in the podcast, all family members may be exposed to mold toxins from the same source of mold and some will experience a decline in wellness, while others will have no symptoms. Blood tests can show if you have side effects of exposure to toxic black mold. Ask your healthcare provider to perform tests.
For example, my doctor used Vital Wellness Heavy Metals test which is very extensive and shows a variety of mold exposures. *see my results in the screenshot below
No matter what, it is important to avoid black mold exposure to prevent the risk of health issues. Avoid water leaks by inspecting your home on a yearly basis.
Cleaning mold and mildew with bleach may remove visible mold, but keep in mind that the roots of black mold, called hyphae, can extend further into the drywall or other surfaces than you can see with the naked eye.
Mold removal by a professional will reduce the health risk to you and your family.
According to the CDC, controlling dampness is crucial to the prevention of moldy areas in your home.
Keep humidity levels as low as you can—between 30% and 50%–all day long. An air conditioner or dehumidifier will help you keep the level low. Bear in mind that humidity levels change over the course of a day with changes in the moisture in the air and the air temperature, so you will need to check the humidity levels more than once a day.
Guest Michael Rubino
Michael Rubino, The Mold Medic, is the authority on mold remediation.
Michael Rubino, The Mold Medic, is the authority on mold remediation. As President of All American Restoration, Rubino specializes in working with people who are immunocompromised or have acute and sustained reactions to mold exposure. Rubino provides solutions that not only get rid of mold sources, but also get rid of the contamination created by those mold sources using his proprietary “Home Detox” method. He assembles teams to locate the mold, educates homeowners on what it takes to detoxify your house, and improves the air quality of homes to levels many would believe to be impossible.
Make note: There are a lot more tips for longevity in the blog post than we had time for in the podcast episode, so make sure you listen to this episode as well as read the entire post.
Life expectancy in America is 78.7 years according to Data from the National Vital Statistics System.(1) Although it varies from state to state. If you're an Asian American, your lifespan is expected to be about eight years longer. (2)
Most people say they want to live a longer life, although the number of years is not the only goal. Keep in mind that a long life span is not the same as a quality health span. We want to live a healthier life, longer.
So how do we go about healthy aging? That is the topic on this episode of A Healthy Bite. Nikki and Ashley from The Habit Society are joining me for a discussion about how to make healthy habits stick.
This podcast episode was sponsored by Honey Badger, an excellent source for fitness supplements like Branched Chain Amino Acids, Electrolytes, and more.
Healthy Habits for a Longer Life
As mentioned in this podcast episode, there are numerous healthy habits you could employ in hopes of extending your life span. The challenge is prioritizing them and being consistent. Depending on willpower alone usually results in failure.
Exercise
Any form of regular exercise is better than none at all. However, there are a few forms of physical activity that have been shown to have specific benefits on a long and healthy life. (3)
HIIT or High-Intensity Interval Training - According to Harvard geneticist, Dr. David Sinclair, HIIT exercise induces sirtuin defenses (a class of protein that helps regulate cellular aging) which can defend cells against disease and aging. (This is also true for intermittent fasting.) HIIT training can be done by doing sprints, jumping rope, burpees, or whatever it takes to increase your heart rate for four minutes at a time which will trigger a hypoxic response. This simply means it's hard to breathe, i.e. you're working your butt off!Strength train at least twice, but preferably three times per week, allowing a 48 hour recovery period between workouts. Kettlebells, dumbells, or whatever you have on hand will work. In between strength training days, practice active recovery exercises such as swimming or biking (at an intensity level where you can still have a comfortable conversation.)Yoga - Many studies have been done on the health benefits of yoga. Reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, as well as metabolic syndrome to mention two important ones. (4) In addition, yoga is associated with improved mental health.
Yoga has benefits beyond physical fitness
One of my most recent favorite tips for longevity was to start practicing yoga. I've practiced on and off over the years but recently started being consistent along with my twelve-year-old daughter. I was amazed at how much it improved my outlook.
In a study published in Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, researchers found that 12 weeks of yoga slowed cellular aging. The program consisted of 90 minutes of yoga that included physical postures, breathing, and meditation for five days a week over 12 weeks. Researchers measured biomarkers of cellular aging and stress before and after the 12-week yoga program and found that yoga slowed down markers of cellular aging and lowered measures of inflammation in the body. Yoga Can Slow Effects of Stress and Aging, Studies Suggest
On a side note, yoga doesn't have to include spirituality. Of all the yoga classes I've been to, it has never been mentioned. Over 90% of people who begin practicing yoga do so for physical exercise, improved health, or stress management. You may even be surprised to know that practicing yoga changes the brain.
In fact, it helps to prevent your brain from shrinking as you age!
the protection of this gray matter brain volume is mostly in the left hemisphere, the side of your brain associated with positive emot...
There's no denying sunny days brighten my mood. Enjoying time in the sun can lift you out of the blues, give you precious vitamin D, and many other health benefits. The sun's rays regulate our sleeping patterns and supports physiological processes.
Although, people have grown more and more sun-phobic while forgetting the powerful healing benefits of sunshine. One way to reap the benefits of light, without the risk of skin cancer is using a near infrared sauna.
(This post was originally written in May 2019, but since I purchased my own Luminati Infrared Sauna, I recorded a podcast episode sharing more about my personal experience with having daily access. My consistent use of infrared light therapy has improved my rosacea, helped me to detox mold and glyphosate, as well as improved my endurance levels and sleep efficiency. I also found that it is immediate relief from an ocular migraine. Make sure to listen, you can play the episode in the player above, or open it in iTunes, Spotify, etc. Resources mentioned in the episode are listed at the bottom of this post along with the transcripts.Rebecca Huff
If you experience Seasonal Affective Disorder, you may benefit from 15-20 minutes of daily infrared light therapy. Lifting the mood is not the only benefit of healing light therapy, check it out:
Benefits of Infrared Saunas
Boosts the immune systemImproves overall well-beingDetoxifies the bodyWeight loss & increases metabolismLowers chronic painReduces side effects of diabetesEases joint stiffnessReduces stressIncreases collagen production for better-looking skin
Detoxification benefits of near infrared sauna
You hear the word detox alot these days, but what does it really mean? When it comes to basking in near infrared rays you can expect the highest level of detoxification. Much deeper than in an ordinary stove-type heated sauna.
When your sauna raises your core body temperature, your body’s natural reaction is to sweat. Sweating in a relaxed state promotes blood flow to your organs, creating a detox that starts at the cellular level and reaches the whole body. In just one 20-minute session, you could release up to a pint of sweat—and with it, harmful substances that have built up over time.Saunaspace
The reason I purchased my sauna was that I tested positive for mold toxicity for a second time. In addition to the protocol my doctor prescribed, she also suggested sitting in a sauna. Sweating is an excellent way to detox mold from deep inside the body.
An infrared sauna is considered a dry sauna. This is the best choice when it comes to detoxing mold. The heat lamps rays penetrate the tissue releasing mycotoxins. After all, the most natural way to release toxins from human tissue is sweating.
Anti-Aging Strategy
The nice side benefits of a sauna session include skin rejuvenation by way of a boost in collagen and elastin. Regular use of infrared light stimulates production of both in your body. You'll notice that youthful glow returning to your skin after regular visits to your sauna.
In one study, skin roughness and collagen density were measured after spending time in infrared light only twice per week for thirty sessions. Researchers noted a "significant improvement" in skin complexion and feeling. 1 You'll notice tighter skin and less blemishes as well.
Speaking of skin conditions, infrared sauna is often used for the autoimmune condition psoriasis. The deep penetration of red light therapy into human tissue helps to improve circulation, boosts immune function, releases toxins, and delivers nutrients.
An unintended benefit of my sauna time has been a significant improvement in my rosacea! While my face does get red while I'm in the sauna, the skin where my rosacea usually flares up, has been much clearer since I started bathing. For me, this was further proof that it does matter what type of sauna you use, as I used to regularly sit in a hot stove type sauna which only exacerbate...
This post is sponsored by Layer Origin
About 70% of the immune system lies in the gut, which is one reason why it is so important to feed the good bacteria residing there. When you hear "gut health" you may even think of probiotics and the role that these "good bacteria" play. However, a lesser-known player in the gut health game is prebiotics.
Prebiotics are a non-digestible fiber that helps promote the growth of beneficial microorganisms in the intestines. Prebiotics are very important for your health. Even though they're not as popular as probiotics; prebiotics are just as important. Probiotics simply cannot work as well without them.
Around 200 different types of HMOs exist, but the highest concentration is found in human breast milk. This is why breast-fed infants were found to have stronger immune systems than those who were formula-fed. Understandably, this is why many infant formulas now contain HMO. Researchers found that infant formula that contains 2′-FL better supports immune and gut health and is closer in composition and function to human milk.
However, infants are not the only ones to benefit from supplementation of HMOs. As mentioned in this podcast episode, children, teenagers, and even adults can also experience the healthy effects of HMOs. Those over the age of 50 particularly will want to look into the benefits of HMOs.
Human Milk Oligosaccharide: The Component in Breast Milk That Strengthens Your Immune System
The benefits of having good bacteria functioning well are far-reaching. Beyond the gastrointestinal benefits, HMOs have a positive impact on the immune response. As we mentioned in the podcast, asparagus is a good source of prebiotic, and yogurt or kombucha can give us needed probiotics.
A few other prebiotic foods are onions, apples, flaxseeds, seaweed, garlic, and whole oats. Definitely, these are foods that you'd like your children to eat regularly. Unfortunately, most of us don't eat these foods on a daily basis or in quantities high enough to replenish what our bodies need.
Thankfully, there are alternatives, especially when it comes to kids, as many children don't eat enough prebiotic foods. Quality prebiotic supplements can help the probiotics in the gut survive and multiply.
The best way for adults to obtain HMOs is via supplements made specifically for adults. Unfortunately supplements of this nature did not exist until recently. But thankfully, there are now a number of healthy, safe, and easily obtainable options for adults, who want the incredible benefits of HMOs.Layer Origin
Benefits of HMO's
These prebiotic supplements have been shown to have a positive impact on the body, particluarly they've been linked to:
Good SleepImproved mineral absorptionFeeling satisfied after mealsBetter Gut HealthImprove immune responseHealthy WeightSkin HealthBetter Digestion and Less Gastrointestinal disturbances
Human Milk Oligosaccharides Structure and Functions
Incredibly important when it comes to infant nutrition, HMO is the third most abundant component of human milk.
HMOs have no nutritive value. They are a structurally and biologically diverse group of complex sugars that are indigestible. But they do have a biological benefit when it comes to bacteria. Layer Origin
While they may aren't a nutritional component of breast milk, as a non-digestible carbohydrate, they travel to the colon to feed the good bacteria, like bifidobacteria, and fight off infection and inflammation.
Prebiotics are fiber found in plants that go through the intestines unchanged. When you add prebiotics to your body it acts as a fertilizer to enrich the good bacteria (probiotics). Think of prebiotics as the "miracle grow" of the colon. Habit #16
Prebiotic supplements come in a variety of forms such as
Fructooligosaccharides (FOS)Galactooligosaccharides (GOS)Inulin (naturally occurring polysaccharides)Trans-galactooligosaccharides (TOS)and 2'-fucosyllactose (2'-FL)...
You may have been through the grieving process, like many others, and found yourself dealing with grief in an unhealthy way. Drinking alcohol excessively, overeating, stuffing your feelings or isolating yourself for extended periods of time are some unhealthy coping mechanisms. In the process of grief is when most of us realize we need to learn how to grieve in a healthy way.
Grief is indicative of love.David Matthews
In other words, if you are grieving it is because you lost something or someone that you hold dear. Someone once said the only cure for grief is to grieve.
Grief comes in all shapes and sizes and forms. An estimated 2.5 million people lose their lives each year, leaving behind an average of 4-5 grieving survivors in its wake. Loss, however, is not limited to death. Experts estimate that there are over 40 different types of loss that people might grieve.
We may experience grief without recognizing the fact that we are grieving. This is particularly unfortunate if the way we process grief is unhealthy.
What is Grief
The pain of grief over the death of a family member or close friend is part of life. Our natural response to losing a loved one is to experience deep sorrow. A grieving person will deal with a significant loss in different ways.
The way we each handle grief is dependent on the context of our experiences in life. Each person will grieve for a different amount of time and in varying ways.
What are some causes of grief
When it comes to the emotional pain that comes from other losses, such as divorce, a child with drug addiction, the end of an era, such as retirement.
Other causes may include the loss of:
friendshipa lifelong dreamromantic relationshipa petyour health (due to a diagnosis such as Parkinson's Disease, Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, or even a terminal illness)
Symptoms of Grief
Because we all process grief differently, it can have an impact on our daily life in different ways. If you find that your daily activities are impacting your health and relationships, it might be time to seek a grief counselor. Some symptoms of grief include:
cryingaches and painslack of energynervousness and anxietynot getting enough sleep or sleeping too muchweight gain or lossno appetite or emotional eatingbeing overly sensitive to noise
Many of the symptoms of grief can cause you to question your well-being. It's important to get support and understand the natural process of grief. Check with your healthcare provider to see what kinds of mental health services are covered.
Check out sparkoflife.org for retreats, online retreats, and courses.
Healthy Ways to go through the grieving process
Remind yourself that you are going through a difficult time and try your best to incorporate some self-care practices every day. Again, getting professional help can help you make healthier choices and process grief in your own way. Therapists can recommend exercises that will help you through the process as well as validate your feelings.
Join a support groupGet grief counselingTalk to a mental health professional
Getting grief support does not mean you are weak, it means you care about your health. Learning how to grieve any loss in a healthy way will contribute to your overall wellness.
About Spark of Life Retreats:
“The Life-Changing Spark of Life Retreat” is open to anyone 18 and older who has experienced any kind of loss, who is at any point in their grief journey. These retreats explore personal grief, the possibility of recovery, and practical tools to enable those grieving to find a new pathway for hope to ‘Live Forward’ for the future.Attendees will learn all elements of grief and be offered the chance to rebuild a rich, fulfilling, and meaningful life once again.To register for a retreat, and for more information about Spark of Life – go to www.sparkoflife.org
Alternatively, you can watch any episode of A Healthy Bite on YouTube.
You want to learn how to talk to your doctor in a way that gets you closer to the help you need.
Lorena Junco Margain had been prescribed antidepressants after the birth of her 3rd child. She'd been experiencing symptoms that led her to believe there was more to it than postpartum depression. Day after day, she was fatigued, dizzy, and had an overall sense that something wasn't right.
Lorena searched for answers and even went to a specialist for a special brain scan that came back normal. Frustrated and confused, she put on a happy face and tried to push through.
A chance encounter with her sister's doctor led to the discovery that she did in fact have a tumor on her adrenal gland. She was scheduled for surgery to remove the adrenal gland with the tumor. She felt grateful that she finally had an answer to what had been causing her so much pain and stress.
Then, her surgeon made a horrible mistake.
Unfortunately, before the mistake was discovered, Lorena had to travel a dark, lonely journey. That path became even more painful once the surgeon's mistake landed her back in the ER; where she soon discovered why she felt worse, not better, after her surgery.
On the Way to Casa Lotus
Lorena shares the details about what happened to her and how she came to terms with it all in her best-selling book On the Way to Casa Lotus.
She also shares what happens when a patient doesn't feel confident communicating with their doctor.
Our current medical system isn't structured in a way that makes women feel comfortable speaking up about advice, recommendations, or prescriptions that they intuitively feel are wrong.
Although this grave error, made by her surgeon, left Lorena with permanent physical consequences, she finds her strength in empowering others. Lorena wants patients to become advocates for their own health and medical care.
In this episode of A Healthy Bite, Lorena shares what's she's learned on how to take an active role in your own health issues. That plus a whole lot of love and encouragement. Listen above or watch the video version on my YouTube Channel here.
How to Talk to Your Doctor
Lorena learned valuable lessons about how to talk to your doctor, which is what she is sharing with us today.
As a patient, go into your doctor's office being well-informed, proactive, and plain-spoken. Remember, you should have access to your own medical records and test results. There's no reason why you can't read them and be informed.
Go into your doctor's appointment prepared. Keep notes on how you're feeling, what you're experiencing, and all of your symptoms.
Tell Stories and Be Relatable
When speaking with your health care provider, be sure to practice good communication. For example, Lorena recommends describing pain with adjectives.
Using stories to help the doctor get into your shoes. "I was driving my kids to school when suddenly everything around me started moving. My vision was blurry, therefore I had to pull over until the feeling passed."
This kind of storytelling helps the doctor relate to what you're going through in your life.
Take a List of Questions and Points
When it comes to health care for yourself or a family member, it's important to write everything down yourself. Keep a list of health concerns you'd like to discuss with your doctor.
If you're being prescribed a new medication, ask about the side effects, when to follow-up, is the medication only to be taken for a limited time? Are there better alternatives? Ask your doctor specifically how to take a medicine. Should it be taken with food or without? Does it have interactions with anything else you're taking?
On a personal note: In 1992, a doctor prescribed my infant daughter the medicine Paregoric for vomiting and diarrhea. Each teaspoonful contains Anhydrous Morphine (from Opium) about 2 mg. When I gave her the first dose of the medication I knew something was wrong.
How the heck do you do it? That's the question working moms often ask one another when they feel like they’re falling behind while everyone else they know is keeping up with it all. (Which usually isn't the case!)
Working all day is tough enough, but then to come home to a house that needs cleaning, a hungry family, loads of laundry, and an empty fridge, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg!
You gotta be kidding me! Yeah, that's a lot. As moms, we have a tendency to martyr ourselves, putting our needs last of all.
I see you, mama, running one kid to Taekwondo, the other to baseball, then rushing home to do laundry before you go pick them up and try to figure out what's for dinner.
Many moms are also operating without the help of a spouse as a single-parent, or married without help because either he's working out of town, or he works two jobs or an insane number of hours each week.
Some of my personal favorite tips, which are also mentioned in today’s episode and in the book mentioned below.
Learning to Thrive as a Working Mom
Don't set unreasonable expectations for yourself and acknowledge that no one can do it all.Ask for help when you need it.Eliminate, Delegate, and AutomatePractice Self Care.
Get more tips in the book The Working Mom Blueprint: Winning at Parenting Without Losing Yourself.
Learn how to thrive—not just survive— as a modern mom.
You love your kids. You’re proud of your professional accomplishments. You have hobbies and friends. And you’re tired. So tired. Working moms often feel like they’re failing on many different fronts. But what if there was a guide to reenvisioning, reprioritizing, and restructuring to build a vibrant, intentional life? As a practicing pediatrician and mother of 2 young daughters, Dr. Whitney Casares understands balancing family and career. She shares honest insights about her own challenges combined with her professional expertise about children of working moms—they thrive!—to create a reassuring guide to navigating modern motherhood. In this practical plan, you’ll learn to set priorities, cultivate self-care, establish an equal parenting partnership, delegate whenever appropriate, and more. With help from Dr. Casares’ advice, it’s time to make motherhood joyful again.Blueprint
Meet Whitney Casares
Whitney Casares, MD, MPH, FAAP, is a board-certified, practicing pediatrician and the creator of the popular website modernmommydoc.com. She is the mother of two young daughters and lives in Portland, OR. Media features include Sirius XM Radio, Good Housekeeping, The Bump, Scary Mommy and more.
Keep the Conversation Going
There were so many takeaways for me, even after we stopped recording and I went back to listen. One of the biggest for me was the idea of being intentional when developing a system for the family. Just hoping that it will all get done would never be acceptable for your business. Sharing responsibility and treating the discussion like you would a business was an ah-ha moment for me.
How about you? Did you enjoy this episode? Have tips to share or questions to ask? We'll keep the conversation going in the Healthologist Community, so join us there!
I'd love it if you took the time to rate and review A Healthy Bite podcast. Here's how. You can also watch this episode on my YouTube channel:
https://youtu.be/0smQfvOvU-8
Transcripts: Learn to Thrive, Not Just Survive as a Working Mom with Whitney Casares
Rebecca: [00:00:00] Hey, it's Rebecca today's episode of a healthy bite. I'm going to be interviewing Dr. Whitney Casares. She is the author of this book, the working mom blueprint, winning at parenting without losing yourself and she's sharing some insight.
[00:00:15]She is a practicing pediatrician and the creator of the popular website, modern mommy, doc.com.
[00:00:22] A website full of great tips, but her book goes into detail about how to better find that work-life balance.
Today my friend Sarah Laucks is chatting with me about natural hair care. Sarah and I met through work and immediately felt a kindred spirit. You know, when you meet someone you could talk to for days on end and still have plenty more to talk about? The first subject we found in common was that we both were committed to natural hair care and had stopped coloring or highlighting our hair years ago.
Being of an age when many women do color their hair, it can sometimes be a challenge to feel good about myself.
On many occasions I've noticed a woman with beautiful highlights and lowlights or a color that just stands out and I feel a little wistful about not coloring mine. The feeling passes pretty quickly, however, as I often remind myself that I no longer sit in the chair at the salon for hours getting my hair colored. (Something that was always hard for me because I like to be doing something all the time!)
In addition, even when using the least toxic permanent hair coloring, which is an oxymoron because technically it doesn't exist.
What is "Natural Hair Care" anyhow?
So first, let's look at what Sarah and I mean when we discuss "natural hair care" in this podcast episode.
Unfortunately, when it comes to labels, the word "natural" doesn't mean much. The word has no regulation, so if you find it on a product label, just know that it means absolutely nothing outside of clever marketing.
For our purposes today, when we mention "natural hair care" what we are referring to is the choice to use products that do not have harmful, toxic, chemicals. We are talking about allowing our hair to be the color it is without altering it with any substance.
Chemicals, ammonia, sensitizers, and other ingredients used in permanent hair colorings are not natural. Jojoba, Coconut Oil, Emu oil are natural ingredients. Here's an example. These are the ingredients on my shampoo bar:
Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Aqua (Water), Cocos nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Ricinus communis (Castor) Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Montmorillonite, Lavandula Stoechas (Lavender) Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Flower OilMorrocco Method
In case you're wondering, "Sodium Hydroxide" is lye, the ingredient our great grandparents used when making homemade soap. Pretty much all real soap begins with lye, but it goes through a process called saponification which is a reaction that causes lye to become soap, and safe to use.
Hopefully that clears up what we are referring to when we say natural in this episode. We are allowing our "natural" gray hair to grow out instead of coloring it.
What causes gray hair:
This is not to judge anyone who chooses to color their hair at all! Most women I know and love color their hair. Each of us have to make our own choices. For Sarah and I, the choice was to allow our hair to be its natural color because the alternative was hurting our health.
Each of us will go gray at a different stage in life. Some women have grays evenly distributed throughout their head and end up with gorgeous salt and pepper hair, like a coworker of mine many years ago, I used to admire her hair in my early twenties! Others will get a section of gray long before the rest of our head catches up (like me) and if we're lucky it looks intentional!
So why do we go gray anyhow?
Hair color is determined by cells called melanocytes, which produce the pigment melanin. New melanocytes are made from melanocyte stem cells that live within the hair follicle at the base of the hair strand. As we age, these stem cells gradually disappear. The hair that regrows from hair follicles that have lost melanocyte stem cells has less pigment and appears gray. source
As Sarah mentions in this episode, there are so many groups on social media that support women who go gray! I'm a member of two on Facebook and find the other members are very encouraging and helpful.
Summer break can often be a stressful time for parents and kids. Routines change and pressure is on to take advantage of the limited amount of time together, to keep up with summer learning, and maybe even to have the perfect vacation!
This year parents may also be feeling the pressure to "catch up" on learning after hearing concerns about gaps in learning or the "Covid-slide" after the pandemic. It can be a bit overwhelming.
Kids may be feeling a bit worn out from Zoom School, lack of connection, and too much screen-socialization. Not to mention they may feel stressed, too.
Don't let all of this stress steal your joy; instead, take a different approach. Enhance your child's summer with strategies that don't feel burdensome for either of you! If you're wondering how to go about that or maybe it sounds like "more work" you'll want to listen to today's episode.
Emily Greene, author of School, Disrupted: Rediscovering the Joy of Learning in a Pandemic Stricken World, is on A Healthy Bite today to share some key takeaways and ideas that will revolutionize your summer break as well as the upcoming school year.
The giveaway for the list of 65 Boredom Busters Emily mentioned can be found on her site, so make sure you go grab that download!
Free Download 65 Boredom Busters
When you break free from the system and from its constraints, you can approach school with a completely different attitude, mindset, and frame of reference for what learning can be. Freed from the mentality that grades and tests are the be-all and end-all of learning, children can truly understand that learning is not external; learning is internal. That is the ultimate joy in this journey of wonders: the realization that learning cannot be contained in a building or a classroom or a curriculum or a school system. Learning is contained inside.Emily Greene
You'll learn all about fostering your child's sense of creativity, curiosity, and joy in learning. Plus plenty of resources to support your efforts. Checklists, questions to ask, and the big question for us all: what are the differences between school and learning?
Start by answering the questions that will help you assess: is your child losing interest in school? Then explore the Seven Wonders of Learning to help your family navigate school outside the status quo.
Ideas for a Stress-Free Summer
Play - enjoy doing things with your kidsAsk questions that lead to more questions and invite conversationsSet aside a place where your child can work with his/her hands Give kids free time Encourage them to spend time outdoorsAllow them to get bored and sit with that boredom (it really does spark creativity)Limit screentimeAddress Chronic Stress in Your Life
We have the opportunity to shift the paradigm of what education is, to rekindle our children’s joy in learning, and to light the torch for them to carry through the rest of their lives. But we have to make the active choice to keep that torch burning. We have to make the choice not to let it be snuffed out again by the strictures of the educational system. We’ve reached the moment where we need to make the choice to change the status quo.Emily Greene
School Disrupted
Grab a copy of School Disrupted on Amazon, available in both paperback and Kindle. You'll love the boredom busters, conversation prompts, and other helpful resources that every parent will appreciate.
This book will help you and your child rediscover the joy of learning.
I especially appreciated the section on putting together a portfolio for students and getting feedback on the spot, rather than waiting until it's time for college applications to do so. This is such good advice and helpful for parents of both homeschooled and traditional schooled children.
(While you're on Amazon, just read through all the 5-star reviews!)
Watch this episode on my YouTube channel here: How to Have a Stress Free Summer and Still Encourage Your Chi...
Weight loss can be challenging under normal circumstances, but it becomes even more frustrating when a hormone imbalance is at play. Today's guest is the author of The Women's Guide to Hormonal Harmony, Lacey Dunn.
Lacey Dunn, MS, RD, LD, CPT, founder of UpliftFit Nutrition and host of the UpliftFit Nutrition podcast, is a functional medicine dietitian with a fiery passion for helping women feel and look their very best. People call her the “Hormone Fairy Godmother,” as her one mission in life is to help women go from surviving to thriving. Dunn specializes in all things hormones, thyroid, gut, and metabolism and incorporates on-going education into her daily life.
In this episode, Lacey will share information and strategies that will help you get your hormones back in balance and shed a few pounds in the process.
Calories in vs. calories out is not all that matters. Your body is an everchanging organism, not a car with one set fuell-need and way to run. You have hormones that can increase or decrease your metabolism, and hormonal imbalances can play a great role in your ability to maintain or change your body composition and weight.
Hormonal Imbalance Signs and Symptoms
Some of the signs and symptoms of imbalanced hormone levels may include the following:
loss of muscle massaccumulating more belly fathot flashestender breastsmenstrual cycle being either too light or too heavydebilitating pain with menstruationlow motivationlow libido hair losstrouble sleepingcold intoleranceheart palpitationsinsulin resistance overweight or obesitynight sweats (mostly occurring during menopause)infertility
Hormone Imbalance Weight Loss Tips
We want to bring back that hormonal balance. Especially if you have low levels of cortisol, progesterone, testosterone. Caring for your adrenal glands is one of the best things you can do for overall wellness, including being at the right body weight for you.
Allow yourself to sloth (chill out when you need to and rest when necessary)Focus on good sleep hygiene (wear blue light blocking glasses)Don't starve yourself in dietingBalance your blood sugar throughout the daySmart snacking - always adding in that protein to balance mealsAvoid the grind and treat your body wellHave thyroid hormones checked See a practitioner well versed in women's health, have hormone levels checkedKnow about leptin, ghrelin, and how to stop cravings
Estrogen
One of the major role players when it comes to metabolism. Estrogen dominance can cause weight gain around the middle body and even hips and thighs.
keeping estrogen levels balanced is important for the maintenance of lean muscle tissue, bone health, and regulating body temperature.
Cortisol
Too much cortisol will cause your body to store fat, you may notice it in your face, back, and abdomen. With an excess of cortisol, the body holds on to water weight.
Blood sugar levels and blood pressure along with proper immune function are controlled by cortisol. Having too much cortisol will leave you tired and wired, crashing mid-day, but unable to sleep at night. Too much cortisol can lead to insulin resistance and even heart disease.
Meaning we can less use glucose for fuel and more readily store glucose as body fat. So we develop insulin resistance. We develop a lot of inflammation because the cortisol that normally helps combat inflammation then actually becomes inflammatory.
Which further makes you insulin resistant starts causing you a lot of pain, aches, holding water weight. Then it starts contributing to sleep dysregulation because our cortisol levels have a natural rhythm.
On the flip side... Too Little Cortisol
Too little cortisol will lower your tolerance to exercise and cause energy crashes late in the day, both can keep you from getting in that daily walk or workout. In addition, the muscles will begin to lose tone and become hard to maintain.
With too little cortisol, everything feels stressful,
Listen to the podcast in the player above, you can also subscribe on Spotify.
Recently one of my besties called me flaming mad after an encounter at the gym she'd been going to for half a year or more. After I heard the story, I was inspired to help other women avoid a similar scenario.
What happened was, my friend had recently overcome some obstacles around weight loss and avoiding the gym due to feeling self-conscious, then was basically body-shamed by her trainer.
So crazy when you think about the fact that fitness centers are there to help people get in shape, but many people who need them don't go because people might stare or judge them.
Red Flags that Signal You May Need to Fire Your Trainer
Maybe it's hard to discern between excuses and legitimate limitations. Although he seemed to discount what she told him and make the assumption that she was not willing to work hard enough to get the same results that he gets when he diets and exercises.
What Makes a Good Personal Trainer
First, there is no excuse for body shaming. Second, don’t waste your time on a bad trainer. This week, we turned to Jessica Mazzucco, an NYC area certified fitness trainer and founder of the fitness platform www.theglutereceruit.com to help us with the top 10 signs you’ve found a good trainer (and how to avoid the bad ones!)
On today's podcast, Jessica shares insight on identifying traits that make or break the relationship with your trainer. Two signs I'd like to suggest as my own personal top priorities are good communication skills, motivating and training clients does not equate to body shaming.
A good trainer should never use body shaming as a means to make you work harder. He/she should never say something like, “give me 30 crunches to burn that flab off your gut,” or “keep giving me those squats to burn the fat from your butt.” Jessica says that a trainer should motivate by focusing on the positive, with statements such as, “you’re so much stronger since we first began, your cardio has really improved, you’re becoming more flexible.” You must be empowered by your trainer, not belittled or ashamed.Jessica Mazzucco
Let's dive into this interview. You can listen to the audio version right here on this page, on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon music and others. If you prefer to watch, the video version is on YouTube.
After you listen to this podcast, I'd love to hear what you think, take a minute to rate A Healthy Bite and leave feedback. Don't know how? Instructions are here.
10 Signs of A Good Personal Trainer
A successful personal trainer will give you an assessment on the first session to set your starting point and come up with a training plan. Jessica explains that a great personal trainer will assess a client's overall wellness, strength, and endurance levels. The fitness business is built on making progress. You have to measure where you start to know where you're going! If your trainer has studied sports medicine, they'll have some experience in Kinesiology which is the scientific study of human body movement addressing physiological, biomechanical, and psychological dynamic principles and mechanisms of movement.They don't waste your time/give you what you pay for; in other words, they won't send you off to do warm-up exercises on your own. Potential clients are hiring their trainer because often, they don't know how to do stretches or warm-up. This is why they hired a trainer in the first place! Training courses, like Jessica's "plump your rump", contain foam rolling warm-ups and stretches. A good trainer should show you what movements to do, which muscles to focus on, explain the when and why of dynamic stretches over static stretching, and the benefits of partner stretching. If a client goes and warms up on a stationary bike but has a core-dominant training program, the time has been wasted,” says Jessica.They give you a plan to work on when you're not together - homework to comp...
When you hear deep water running, you might picture women doing water aerobics or using pool dumbells with high-knee stepping exercises in the pool. That's not the kind of deep water running we're talking about on today's episode of A Healthy Bite.
This low-impact exercise is not the aqua jogging class you've seen at the local gym, and it's not aqua aerobics. Most of all, it's not just for seniors or injured athletes, although both groups will benefit.
Fluid Running is a system created by Jennifer Conroyd that mimics true land running and incorporates the same movements you'd see a runner performing. Arms pumping and legs moving in a sweeping motion, no high-knees. Imagine marathon runners, only picture them in deep water.
Feet do not touch the pool floor, so zero impact. The upper body remains above the water, lower body submerged. Arms are not floating out to the sides, but instead are pumping in true runner fashion, and not just treading water.
A flotation device that you can tether to the side of the pool or a lane rope is secured around your waist. Guided exercises (which can be considered a "run" for runners) are delivered via Bluetooth earbuds via an app. The workouts are all performed in the deep end of the swimming pool.
Fluid running, or deep water running, truly is "going for a run" only in deep water as opposed to hitting the pavement. Each workout consists of a warm-up, workout with music, and cool-down.
The system was created as a training method for injured runners who needed a break from running on dry land but wanted to maintain their current fitness level. (Make sure you listen to the podcast to hear Jennifer's story.)
Aqua Jogging vs. Fluid Running
While fluid running in deep water may appear similar to aqua jogging, it is a very different type of exercise. Both require a flotation belt and water, but the movements are very different.
Fluid running is always performed in deep water and doesn't require weights or pool dumbells that prohibit proper arm swing. Where you work out could be the deep end of a pool or even a lake.
Running in the deep end allows you to run faster and is zero impact as it is completely non-weight-bearing. Fluid running is science-backed and mimics the biomechanics of normal running.
While performing these exercises, you are taught how to remain in one place without the need to run back and forth across the pool so that it can be performed in a small space. A bonus for those who need to use public pools.
Articles often describe aqua jogging as a form of cross-training. Fluid Running mimics land running form so it counts as a run, but better. Deep water running gives you all of the benefits of land running plus the added advantage of engaging your core, stabilizer muscles, shoulders, and arms which are all forced to work hard when running in deep water. Fluid Running for an hour, keeping your heart rate in the same zone (adjusted for hydrostatic pressure) counts the same as running for an hour on land.
Benefits of Deep Water or Pool Running
First, many injured runners have used fluid running to keep up their training program while recovering. Beyond that, it beats treadmill running and even the elliptical to deliver a high-intensity workout with zero impact.
Whether you are dealing with sore muscles, injury, osteoarthritis, lymphedema, POTS, fibromyalgia or other forms of inflammation, getting in the water might be your best bet. Learn how the properties found in deep water such as buoyancy, hydrostatic pressure, and viscosity (resistance) can help you.
Reduces InflammationMimics Land RunningMinimizes PainHelps Flush ToxinsTotal Body WorkoutStrengthens Cardiovascular SystemBurns CaloriesBetter Running Performance on Land
Deep water running also allows you to exercise for longer periods of time, thus increasing stamina and endurance. "Deep-water running maximal heart rate and oxygen consumption values have been consist...
Do you spend time with your kids in the kitchen or is that an off-limits area? Is it a struggle to get kids to eat even a bite of the main meal you're serving because they'd rather have "kid-friendly" food? Maybe you want them to eat real food but you aren't sure how to get them to cooperate?
Don't despair. First, if your child is fond of kids' meals and not so eager to eat veggies, you're not alone. You might not have noticed, but our culture is likely working against your nutritional efforts at home!
"Children tend to rise to the culinary bar we set for them, and children’s menus in America set the bar very low indeed." Michele Humes
Parents who eat healthy foods and avoid fast food have kids who do the same. If you want a child who enjoys healthy eating, eat healthy food.
What if you came to the game a little late? Well, there's always room for improvement. I'm here to prove it. Let me use my experience with my six kids as proof.
Get Free Knife Skills Class
How I got my kids to eat anything I put in front of them
My first child came along before I studied nutrition. She had regular trips to get happy meals. Her Nana let her have ice cream and chicken nuggets for breakfast because "that was all she would eat."
As my family continued to grow and I gained knowledge of the benefits of eating a whole food diet my standards for the dinner table shifted. When I became aware of the risks of eating junk food and fast food, I stopped eating it and so did my kids.
By this time, I had four children. They'd been introduced to salad with much cajoling, bribery, and tears. While the start was rocky, they eventually grew to love vegetables and regularly eat a wide variety with no bribes.
My last two children were born well after I stopped going to fast food and started eating salads and drinking green smoothies. They'll eat anything healthy, literally anything. I've never had either of them put up a fuss.
As a matter of fact, their palates are more mature than many adults I've met. Not only are they willing to eat asparagus, artichoke, collard wraps, whole grains, and fish that's not breaded, they ask for it. They've eaten sushi, sashimi, veggie burgers, guacamole, hummus, and more.
When we go out to eat, they order off the regular menu because they enjoy food and they want to try it all. They regularly eat healthy meals because that's what they like.
By the time I was training their palates, I was no longer sold on "kid-friendly" foods. Now that they are both teenagers, they are fit, healthy, and will eat anything I put on the table.
Anyone can teach their child to make better food choices
My friend Samantha has five young children who eat "like adults" because she's a foodie and has never catered to the mistaken belief that kids will only enjoy kids' meals.
I hear you, though, you might be part way through your parenting journey and your children are already sold on kids' meals. You may currently be a short-order cook, preparing one meal for yourself and a another for your kids. I get it, I've been there.
That's why I am so happy to introduce you to Katie Kimball. She has been teaching kids to cook for years, including her own children who cook meals for her family.
Cooking skills benefit a child for the rest of their life. First, eating healthily can help them avoid childhood obesity. In addition, it establishes the habits of a healthy lifestyle.
One of the things Katie recommends in the podcast (are you listening to it now?) is exposure buckets. She explains that each exposure to a particular food counts as a step toward your child eating (and enjoying) that food. Using the example of a carrot, the first exposure is at the grocery store, second is in the kitchen while preparing dinner.
Kids who cook at home are more likely to eat veggies than their counterparts who don't spend time in the kitchen.
(by the way,
The word crisis is defined as "a time of intense difficulty, trouble, or danger." If we're lucky, we'll all see midlife, but must we have a crisis? How can you avoid a midlife crisis? Some women sail through those middle years with ease, while others may begin to question the meaning and purpose of life. Menopause may be around the corner, or it may have already begun, but you're far from old age!
No matter what age group you are in, life satisfaction will have a lot to do with how you experience the mid-life years. Changes in family life, living without kids at home for the first time, a health crisis, and hopes for new opportunities may be things people experience during this midpoint in life.
What do you want to do with the rest of your life? How would your younger self respond in the same circumstances. It's amazing how much the perspective changes in middle-aged people and I love it!
This Interview Covers
In today's episode author Lisa Levine is with me to discuss the topic of midlife for women today (since we are both women and my podcast audience is primarily women.)
What do we mean by a midlife crisis, and can women avoid one? Does our transition in and through these years have to be a crisis?
We've all seen the portrayals of a midlife crisis, which is usually depicted by middle-aged men with flashy red sports cars, perhaps an affair. To some degree, a transition of identity appears to occur. While the stereotype exists for a reason, is this what we see with women? What does a midlife crisis look like for her?
Is a midlife crisis inevitable for all women, what factors come into play? Hormones, childhood trauma, mental health, circumstances, personality, etc? How much does menopause play a part in a woman's well-being during these life changes?
Are some women better prepared somehow to cope with the challenges that occur in middle age - why do some people seemingly sail right through while other women may go through drastic changes?
As a woman who has gone through a turbulent midlife crisis and having walked through it with multiple friends, I'm wondering, is there some advice you can share on decision-making during this period?
How can we spend less time feeling the angst and longing for either things that are past or some new adventure that we can't necessarily identify?
Do you have any tips for family members who have a loved one experiencing a midlife crisis?
What would you say is the best thing a woman can do if her best friend is going through this period of life and considering giving up on say 25-30 years of marriage?
It's difficult when you are in the midst of a midlife crisis in your own life to see younger women maybe on social media, advertisements and such idolized, do you think as a society we'll ever get this right? As they say, youth is wasted on the young!
How can women embrace midlife?
Lisa's Actionable Steps
Be present in the momentMeditationJournalingPausing practiceDon't compare and despairPractice mindfulnessSet new goalsCreate a vision boardCommit to a mindset changeGet quality sleep
How to Support a Friend
Practice active listeningDo something out of the ordinary and have fun.
About the Author
Lisa Levine is a Martha Beck Institute-certified Life and Health Coach at Audacious Health & Wellness. She helps women who are approaching midlife to create new and healthy habits in the way they think, eat, sleep and move, empowering them to live their lives fully and audaciously. Originally from the East Coast, she currently resides in Seattle spending much of her time writing, drinking matcha, overusing emojis, parenthesis, and punctuation (can’t stop, won’t stop), enjoying the beauty of the PNW, and playing in the kitchen, creating healthy fare for her family and friends. She is comforted by the reminder that the only constant in life is change and by the deeply rooted belief that ultimately everything will be OK in the end.
How to Get Your Kid to Eat (Almost) Everything
Most parents have faced the challenge of meeting resistance when introducing a child to new foods. As they grow older, mealtimes can become a battleground where power struggles between parent and child ensue.
It doesn't have to be this way. You don't have to be a short-order cook, and you don't have to make food that looks like an art project to get your child to eat something besides "kid-friendly" chicken nuggets and grilled cheese. Instilling healthy eating habits in your little one doesn't have to be a pipe dream.
As parents, we want to raise children who don't live on junk food, make healthy choices, and reach for whole foods at snack time. However, many of us go about teaching our toddlers and young children all about how "good for you" these foods are, which can backfire.
Enter Julie Revelant, today's guest on A Healthy Bite podcast. Listen as Julie shares some tips for getting more vegetables into your child's diet and reducing angst at the dinner table. Julie advocates instilling healthy eating patterns by modeling them to your child while taking the focus off what the food does and putting it on how it makes you feel.
Dinnertime can be a peaceful and enjoyable part of your day! Children can learn to enjoy a variety of foods, including healthy snacks (and veggies) from all the food groups. that your child refuses to eat right now.
Julie's course promises to turn picky eaters into little foodies. (Although, take note, one of the biggest mistakes she's seen parents make is labeling their toddlers' picky eaters the second they refuse to eat.)
In this 5-day video email course, you’ll learn my best secrets to get your kids to eat their vegetables and try new foods, and help you put an end to picky eating for good.JulieRevelant.com
Other articles I recommend:
If you want to know how to get your kids to eat better, start with a few article on Julie's site and I've also shared some lunch packing tips (although I do like to make mine look like art) and how to reduce sugar intake.
Want your kids to eat their veggies? Do this, study says.Best Blogs to Help Raise Healthy EatersHow to Help Your Kids Stop Eating So Much Sugar
Julie Revelant Bio
As a health journalist, Julie Revelant has written hundreds of stories for print and digital outlets including FoxNews.com, EverydayHealth.com, WhatToExpect.com, TheBump.com, Reader’s Digest (digital), FIRST for Women, and Woman’s World magazines. For nearly 6 years, she wrote Healthy Mama for Fox News, where she covered pregnancy, postpartum, maternal and children’s health, and nutrition.
As the founder of Revelant Writing, LLC, Julie provides content marketing, brand journalism, and copywriting services for B2B healthcare companies such as UnitedHealthcare, Tivity Health and Abbott Nutrition. Before starting Revelant Writing, Julie worked as an associate writer and producer for the Yankees Entertainment & Sports Network where she won several awards for her work, a production associate for The Tyra Banks Show, and in marketing and sales for the ABC Television Network.
On JulieRevelant.com, Julie covers the latest research, recommendations, and guidelines on children’s nutrition, offers science-based expert insight, and easy, real-life strategies to help parents raise healthy eaters. Julie volunteers for Hillside Food Outreach, an organization in Danbury, CT that combats food insecurity. Julie lives in Bethel, CT with her husband and two daughters.
Food Issues Podcast
With hundreds of thousands of Americans dying each year from obesity, type-2 diabetes, and a slew of chronic health conditions—all a direct result of food inequities, a broken food culture, and food marketing, and worsened by COVID-19, a significant shift in how we think about food and how we feed our kids must happen now if we want to change the trajectory of health for our kids.
My guest today has successfully homeschooled her four sons through high school. I had the honor of meeting one of her sons through my work.
Gina was tired of trading time and brainpower for lifeless learning … so she set out on a journey to reclaim the joy and potential rewards of what she now refers to as A LIFESTYLE OF LEARNING.
Through the years, Gina has found that successful homeschooling isn’t about recreating the public school classroom.
Her website GinaHamby.com is where she shares how she went from overwhelmed “newbie” homeschooler to seasoned homeschooling mom, helping many others see their ability to successfully homeschool their kids, all while building a stronger, happier, and healthier family.
Gina has homeschooled her children for 15 years. She shares a lot of wisdom when it comes to home education. More people are homeschooling than ever before. That's why I've invited Gina on the podcast today, to answer this question that seasoned homeschoolers get all the time.
“Is Homeschooling Hard?”
The thing that I love about homeschooling is also part of what makes it hard for parents to get started; it looks different for everyone. While traditional school here in America looks pretty much the same from one public school to another, homeschool varies.
We know why many people are considering homeschooling in 2020, but pandemic aside, let me start by asking, what ARE the benefits of homeschooling?
Benefits of Homeschooling
Allows you the time to truly mentor your children through living life together day in and day out, which will help to impart your values and beliefs as they are forming into future adults. Flexibility to teach and learn what you want, when you want, how you want to. Ex. boys loved learning about nature study/outside. They loved conquering, building, studying. So we tailored their studies towards learning how to survive in the wilderness, grow their own food, which also imparted an entrepreneurial spirit that led to our family farm business. You get to create independent thinkers. The goal is not to cram facts and teach to the tests, but to create independent thinkers that can problem solve effectively through life.
There's no way we can touch on everything but what are some ways that homeschool parents can go about educating their child?
Home Education
Both Gina and I have each educated four children through adulthood but I still have two children left to go! I asked her to share answers to some of the top questions she's been asked over the years:
What does schoolwork look like for a homeschooler? Gina shares thoughts about what a typical day looked like for her family.
What is homeschooling like?
Touching on the benefits of mentoring, the concept that will create successful homeschooling is about immersing your children in daily life with you. Not necessarily making homeschooling one more thing to add to your overwhelming list of things to do. It is working alongside them to morning chores, sweeping, kitchen chores, preparing food. Gina Hamby
How do we choose a homeschool curriculum?
Gina mentions this briefly in the podcast. Homeschooling families are unique and each will have different challenges and situations they face. Working moms and dads can also have happy well-educated homeschooled kids. Listen to this episode to hear the ways Gina suggests parents can make this work.
Is virtual school the same as homeschooling?
Oh goodness no! Virtual school is just public or private school online. Even harder to concentrate; even more boring for the children. Prolonged screen time is detrimental to a child's developing brain. Children learn best through all their senses, as in in-person learning. Virtual learning does not allow you to cater your curriculum or learning to your child's strengths or interests, it's a sure-fire way to burn your child out academically. This is how kids come to hate learning and become adults that would ...
This podcast episode is one of the most important topics for parents: How to stop eating so much sugar. As we've discussed in the past, our children are what we ate and what their grandparents ate. Research shows over and over again the tremendous negative impact of added sugars.
The American Heart Association has recommended that kids ages 2-18 should have less than 25 grams or 6 teaspoons of added sugar daily for a healthy heart. However, the average child's sugar intake is between 22-34 teaspoons per day depending on age and other factors.
One of our biggest goals is to empower parents to significantly reduce sugar intake for the entire family. Whether we are helping one family do a pantry makeover, or we're encouraging thousands to do a quit-sugar challenge, our aim is to help families get healthier, one baby step at a time.
With this goal in mind, we are so pumped to introduce you to the authors of the book Sugarproof.
Sugarproof: The Hidden Dangers of Sugar that Are Putting Your Child's Health at Risk and What You Can Do
In this episode of A Healthy Bite podcast, you'll find out how sugar is affecting your child and what you can do. Here are the 8 main topics we cover in this episode. You'll find the 7-Day and 28-Day Challenge in their book.
What was your motivation behind writing this book?How much sugar does the average kid consume?What are the short term and long term implications of excess sugar intake?Can kids be addicted to sugar?If parents have a child with a serious sweet tooth, what steps can they take to get it under control? or reverse sugar addiction in children... i.e. How do we sugarproof our kids - the basics.When should parents start sugarproofing their child (before conception?)You have short term and long term challenges in your book, what kind of results would people expect to see with those?Halloween is coming up along with the holidays, maybe some tips for sugarproofing during the candy culture season?
Why You Need to Cut Back Your Child's Sugar Intake
If your children throw tantrums, storm around the house, or can't sit still you will want to read chapter three. In this chapter, the authors describe why a quick release of sugar into the bloodstream can strap your children into a roller coaster that causes highs and lows. They make the connection between breakfast and behavior that many parents have overlooked.
Perhaps you've noticed that your children get hyper after sugar? It's not your imagination! It's due to the unpredictable effects of sugar. These highs and lows can take a toll on children, making them moody, raising their stress levels, and overall temperament. You'll read about case studies in the book that suggest clear links between sugars in the diet and your child's mood and mental well-being.
You've probably heard about the importance of gut health and the connection to immunity, mood, and even your child's memory. That is because trillions of microorganisms live and thrive inside the digestive system in what is known as a microbiome. Your child's microbiome is established in the first few years of life. This means that this is a crucial time to monitor the foods they eat.
Too much sugar can lead to digestion problems as well as a whole host of other issues. These include the possibility of fatty liver disease, diabetes, heart disease, obesity, acne, and more.
Sleepless on Sugar
Weight gain and obesity are not the only factors at play when it comes to cutting back on added sugars. Sleep is one of the pillars of health and wellness, but it's especially important for children to get a good night's sleep.
Too much sugar right before bed (and possibly at other times in the day) can cause an energy spike that delays the settling downtime for kids. In fact, they believe it could even interfere with melatonin secretion and the circadian rhythm. This causes the body to crave more sugar, which in turn leads to less sleep and creates a viciou...
What is Living Apart Together
The term "Living Apart Together" means that two people who are in a romantic relationship choose to live separately. LAT arrangements vary; it can be a couple who is married or unmarried. Young couples, and older couples whose spouse may have passed on and choose to commit yet remain unmarried. However, for the sake of this article, the focus is on married people who choose to live apart.
LAT is a non-traditional way to be a couple. Couples living apart together may have different reasons for doing so. Many older couples consider LAT a lifestyle choice. Younger couples often choose this lifestyle to avoid the problems that come with a break-up.
Who am I to write about Living Apart Together? Well, I have the first-hand experience of living it; LAT saved my marriage. David Essel, my guest on this podcast episode has four decades of counseling married couples using this technique.
LAT relationships are simply two people who choose not to cohabit a space.
Being in love, and yet living in separate residences, could be the answer to millions of people who are looking for both a deep connection and inner peace the same time. ~ David Essel
Living apart to save a marriage gives each partner the time and space to heal.
LAT couples who want to succeed will come to a mutual agreement on the terms of the relationship. For most, one boundary is no intimate relationships outside of the nuclear couple. It's best to set boundaries for household living arrangements, what's okay and what's not, etc. Expectations cause anger, resentment, and frustration for couples who live together as well as those who choose separate dwellings.
As David mentions in this podcast episode, it's crucial to set those boundaries, and he suggests putting it in writing. We made a verbal commitment, in the presence of our therapist.
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Does living apart together work?
Many married couples stay together because splitting up is difficult. Dividing property and moving are just a couple of obstacles in divorce. There is something wonderful about knowing that you are together because you choose to be, not because it is convenient.
What happens when a couple chooses to spend some time separately is that they have enough space to find that love they once had. Finding out that living apart makes you happier as a couple doesn't mean you should live apart forever. It's an option for sure, but so is living together again once things are sorted out.
Is it healthy for married couples to live apart?
This depends upon the couple. But it is possible for a married couple to live apart and maintain a healthy relationship. If both parties are mutually vested in the relationship they will work at their marriage just as hard as a couple living under the same roof. In fact, some would argue that couples who live separately are allowing their relationship to breathe and grow whereas living under the same roof can lead to feelings of bitterness and being suffocated by their partners' constant presence.
I've seen plenty of examples of married couples who trudge on living under the same roof, unhappily married, bitter towards one another, bouts of the silent treatment, and worse.
What percentage of married couples live separately?
According to data from the US Census Bureau, an estimated four million married couples live apart. In Canada, over 2.9 million LAT Couples are making it work.
Other instances where this works?
Military familiesLong haul truck driversFirefightersPeople who live far apart due to careers (happens all the time in China)A long-distance relationship for other reasonsBlended families where each parent lives with their child from a previous marriage
While in some of these cases, the couple may only practice LAT part time due to career choices. Many in the younger age group are finding it easier to keep the excitement and enjoyment alive in a marriage when they choose no...
Do you know the symptoms of Addison's disease or have you ever met someone who had this diagnosis? My special guest on this episode of A Healthy Bite is Phil Moser, author of the book Free and Fearless, a book about his daughter who passed away in 2017 due to Addison's disease.
The story of Brittany Moser, a talented, beautiful person that lived life to the fullest, by enriching everyone she encountered. After becoming a flight attendant, she is grounded by a rare and incurable disease. She decides to go on an adventure of a lifetime, and asks her best friend, her father, to go with her. Written by Phil Moser, this award-nominated story gives a very personal account of their special bond and the adventures they shared. This story will take you on a journey you will never forget, and leave you wanting more.
Please listen to this important episode and help us keep Brittany's spirit alive by raising awareness about Addison's Disease. I believe you will be touched by the love Brittany's father had for her and the determination he has to keep her spirit alive and honor her life. At the end of the book, Mr. Moser has included a screenshot of the touching message Brittany stored in her phone for him to find if she ever passed away. The message was written four months prior to her passing. This touching story, while heartbreaking, is incredibly inspiring and will make you want to embrace life with all your heart.
As you will hear in this episode, Brittany was first diagnosed with Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Eventually, through her own research, she suggests to her doctors that she might have Addison's disease, which they confirm through testing.
Patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis have a 10-fold higher risk for Addison's disease and a 3-fold increased risk for pernicious anemia. ~ Thyroid.org
What is Addison's Disease?
Primary Adrenal Insufficiency, or Addison’s disease, is a severe or total deficiency of the hormones made in the adrenal cortex. One's own immune system turns on the body and begins to attack itself. Cortisol is the main glucocorticoid produced by the adrenal gland and is primarily responsible for anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive actions.
Addison's disease is caused by damage to your adrenal glands, resulting in not enough of the hormone cortisol and, often, not enough aldosterone as well. [The] adrenal glands are part of [the] endocrine system. They produce hormones that give instructions to virtually every organ and tissue in [the] body. ~ Mayo Clinic
An autoimmune disease, such as Hashimoto's Thyroiditis can cause the body's immune system to attack itself causing irreversible damage to the thyroid and adrenal gland.
Autoimmune Addison disease can lead to a life-threatening adrenal crisis, characterized by vomiting, abdominal pain, back or leg cramps, and severe hypotension leading to shock. The adrenal crisis is often triggered by a stressor, such as surgery, trauma, or infection. ~ source
Patients with Addison's disease are advised to wear a medic alert bracelet that will signal emergency workers to give them a stress dose of corticosteroids which may save their life.
Addisonian crisis, also known as adrenal crisis or acute adrenal insufficiency is an endocrinologic emergency with a high mortality rate secondary to physiologic derangements from an acute deficiency of the adrenal hormone cortisol, requiring immediate recognition and treatment to avoid death. ~ source
What are the symptoms of Addison's disease?
Patients' symptoms often mislead physicians and result in misdiagnosis or are overlooked altogether.
Multiple conditions can mimic one or more symptoms of adrenal insufficiency (chronic fatigue syndrome, depression, hypothyroidism, fibromyalgia, chronic dyspepsia, etc.). However, adrenal insufficiency should always be excluded prior to attributing the patient’s symptoms to a different or co-existent disorder.~ Pulse Today
All forms of domestic abuse impact health and well-being Domestic abuse is on the rise in 2020. Physical abuse is an obvious risk to health and well-being, not to mention the very life of the abused. Emotional abuse is detrimental to the mental health of the abused. Of course, domestic abuse can also impact physical health. Many times emotional abuse precedes physical abuse.
Being abused makes it much more likely for psychological and physical illnesses to occur. Anxiety, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, acute stress disorder, impact mental health. Moreover, the general deterioration of health due to stress are all risks that a victim of abuse may face. Abuse can lead to lower self-esteem or even alcohol and drug dependency. As a result, the mental and physical health of the abused is also under attack.
Mandatory lockdowns to flatten the curve of COVID-19 have, unfortunately, created a new problem for people who experience abuse. The problem? Being trapped at home with their abuser. Appointments, errands, and other trips outside the home may be a momentary escape for the abused. During the pandemic, these outings are likely not happening.
According to reports, the National Domestic Violence Hotline is reporting an ever-increasing number of calls. In New York, officials are working to increase the number of resources available to the abused.
Finding Your Voice Mannette Morgan is on a mission to stop the cycle of abuse within our society, an enormous undertaking. In fact, she dreams of a society that is free from abuse. To attain this, we need to step up and face the reality of abuse within our society, communities, and even within our own families. Burying our heads in the sand or sweeping abuse under the carpet isn't the answer. This is why Mannette is my guest in today's podcast episode shedding light on domestic abuse. You can listen to this episode by using the player above or by going anywhere podcasts are available.
If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, please call 911. If you are looking for help from an abusive situation, look for resources on Mannette's website, which includes all the organizations and resources she mentions in this episode. As Mannette mentions, she answers the emails of readers looking for help.
In addition, for questions on abuse take a look at this Help Guide. Mannette would also like to encourage you with her ABCs for Life, which is a free download on her website; you don't even have to enter your email.
If you’re experiencing abuse or partner violence and need help, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or you can chat with an advocate on their website.
In conclusion, if you are a friend of someone who is being abused, please be careful in sharing resources as they may be "monitored" by their abuser. Texts, emails, and browsing history could be a source of fuel for the abuser that leads to more abuse. In other words, when reaching out to encourage, be careful not to hurt someone who is hurting. About the author: Mannette Morgan Mannette Morgan is an inspirational speaker, author, and abuse survivor who inspires others to rise above adversity and strive for a better life. After 30 years of intense self-work, she overcame her past trauma of emotional, sexual, and physical abuse, along with powering through the limitations of her learning disability, dyslexia. A life coach certified through the Academy of Solution Focus Training and the American University of NLP, she is a powerful, inspirational speaker and the author of Finding Your Voice.
Visit MannetteMorgan.com for more information.
Sources:
https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/New-York-to-revamp-domestic-violence-resources-as-15339246.php
Not losing weight on Keto?
You're following a Ketogenic diet and suddenly find your weight loss has stalled. What's the cause? Today I have Jessica Ancaya, from Holistic Keto Goddess here to answer all your questions about why you're not losing weight on keto and some unusual areas that might be blocking the path to success.
"Unexpected areas that might hinder weight loss" is the topic of today's podcast episode which you can listen to in the player above or on iTunes, Stitcher or Spotify!
What would we find in a Ketogenic Pantry?
The first thing you should realize before beginning a keto diet is to feel good; you have to eat well! For your mitochondria to function at their best, you have to give them fuel. I am going to go through a rundown of what a holistic keto goddess should keep in her pantry. The foods that I will mention have so many benefits, both physically and mentally. Keto Pantry
What is Ketotarian and do you follow that type of Ketogenic diet?
Too much protein or cheese can be another reason why you are not losing weight on keto.
In 2018, Dr. Will Cole wrote the book titled the Ketotarian. In his work, his objective was to show a clear path of exactly how to use food as medicine and optimize every system in your body 1. Using a noun, he defined Ketotarian as a ketogenic plant-based rock star! When analyzing the word as an adjective, Ketotarian is the amalgamation of delicious healthy fats and vegetable meals to optimize your metabolism, brain, hormones, and overall health. Merging the Gap Between Keto and Vegetarian
More information on the Ketotarian lifestyle can be found in Dr. Will Cole’s book Keto-tarian. Jessica's Ketotarian menu plan for one full week of healthy low-carb, high-fat meals is a great way to start of the ketogenic diet or to move you through a weight-loss stall. A vegan diet can create nutrient deficiencies but following Keto-tarian, eating more fish and less red meat can help with the B12 factor.
Cycling Carbs - How do you do it and how often?
If you are healthy, it may be of benefit your body to go ahead and increase your net carbs to a few times per week. Especially since there are certain complex carbs( not on the keto diet) that have beneficial nutrients for our body. This article will highlight the six things you should know about carb cycling on keto and will increase your confidence about going keto. What You Should Know About Carb Cycling
Adding too many carbs to your diet and not watching your portion control can also be a factor that can prevent or stall weight loss.
Intermittent Fasting - What is it? Who will it benefit and who should not do it?
Consider intermittent fasting if you are not losing weight on keto, but only if you are in good health!
Intermittent fasting gives your body a break from digestion and is a wonderful tool for improving health, healing mitochondria. Check with your doctor if you are pregnant, have adrenal fatigue, or another health condition. Some diabetics can use intermittent fasting but it’s always best to check with your health care provider.
For those with adrenal fatigue, we recommend the book by Dr. Jason Fung - The Complete Guide to Fasting: Heal Your Body Through Intermittent, Alternate-Day, and Extended Fasting.
Read Intermittent Fasting Benefits - Which should I start first IF or Keto or is it best to start at the same time? Jessica recommends starting with the Ketogenic diet before adding IF.
Maria Emmerich's book The Keto Cleanse is the book I (Rebecca) used to kick-start my ketogenic diet a few years ago. I found that ditching dairy really made a difference in how quickly I could lose weight. Eating too much protein or cheese can kick you out of ketosis. When you eat too much protein it can convert or react similarly to eating carbohydrates, especially when you eat more protein than your body requires. Calculate your protein requirements using the formula in this post.
Childhood nutrition is essential for growth and development as well as to prevent illness and disease. You want to prepare healthy meals and snacks for your kids but between finding the time and choosing foods they'll eat it can be overwhelming.
For the last 29 years, I've tried every technique to provide a well-balanced diet for my six children and I've collected lots of great strategies. Still, I feel like there's always more to learn. Today, Jackie Vega, a registered dietician, and blogger is here to share some of her best tips on childhood nutrition.
Listen to the podcast episode using the player above or using your favorite podcast players such as iTunes, Stitcher or Spotify.
Healthy sleep and healthy eating habits complement each other. The food you eat can have an impact on your sleep patterns and the hours of sleep you are getting or losing. Likewise, the quality and amount of sleep you are getting will impact on your food intake. - The Wellness Solution
One tip Jackie mentioned during this episode reminded me of charcuterie, with shrimp cocktail, cut vegetables, cheese, meat, pickles, olives, and other whole foods. My children also enjoy having a spread of foods to graze on during movie night, game night, or other gatherings.
She also mentioned pizza and I think this is a good way to get kids to eat a small number of vegetables with their pepperoni. Don't be afraid to add a few bell peppers to that pepperoni pizza!
Jackie also shares with us a few tips on other pillars of health, because food is only one part of a healthy lifestyle. Sleep, nutrition, movement, and limiting screentime are four factors that parents must monitor carefully for keeping kids mentally and physically healthy.
More Tips for Childhood Nutrition
Jackie has so much helpful information on health and nutrition on The Wellness Solution! Here are a few resources related to this podcast episode:
Healthy Habits and Foods that Help You SleepGreat podcast about behavioral changes regarding nutrition and the family.Jackie's podcast episode about healthy kids.Meal Prep for busy moms
Find Jackie on social media: Facebook, Instagram, and her second Instagram account.
Jackie Vega a licensed, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist in private practice in south Florida specializing in recipe development, meal planning, fitness consulting, integrating personal lifestyles into individualized programming. She has more than 7 years of experience.
Her areas of expertise include women's health and pediatrics. She is the owner of The Wellness Solution, a personal fitness and wellness blog.
Jackie graduated with a BS in Dietetics from KSU and completed her internship at ISU. She is currently a recipient of Arizona State University Medical Nutrition Masters program. She also completed a personal training program from the American Council on Exercise.
A mistake at breakfast? You mean spilled milk, right? I'm talking about the choices we make to start our day off with the energy and stamina it takes to get things done!
Where are you when it comes to breakfast? Are you eating a meal fit for a King or do you skip breakfast altogether? No matter where you fall on this spectrum, one thing is for sure; traditional breakfast foods like cereal and pastries are not the healthiest choice. By far one of the biggest mistakes with breakfast is eating typical breakfast foods. So many of these are over-processed and sugar-laden. I’m talking about the standard American breakfast of waffles, cereal, toast, muffins, bagels, and fast food sandwiches, which are by far some of the worst choices you can put on your plate. Eating a high carb breakfast is basically creating metabolic disasters all day. In turn, these metabolic disasters create excess body fat and diseases related to obesity. Many experts do stress the need for more protein but forget to warn folks of eating too many carbs. Research has shown that starting the day with high-quality protein sources can improve anxiety disorders, in addition to other benefits. - Replace High Carb Breakfasts to Feel Energized Most people consume enough protein at dinner but need to increase their protein intake at breakfast. By the way, if you enjoy eating carbohydrates at breakfast, try complex carbs like beans, here's a delicious option: Energizing Breakfast Taco. Other resources related to this podcast episode:
Avoid insulin resistance at all costs; check out 14 Things We Do to Lower the Risk of Metabolic Syndrome Avoiding childhood obesity Keeping Kids Healthy and Preventing Childhood Obesity How to Teach Kids About Healthy Eating Without Food & Body-Shaming Download Step 2 Make the Most of Breakfast Read more about and join the Tasty Bite Cookbook Club here. Make some delicious turkey breakfast sausage How his diabetes diagnosis led to the creation of a low carb cereal
If you can't give up your bowl of breakfast cereal, try this low-carb cereal instead of the sugar-filled variety in the supermarket.
This podcast struck a chord for me as a mom and you may experience a similar feeling as you listen to this episode. Your child may have had difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep or experienced anxiety at bedtime and you know how exhausting that can be for the entire family. Even if bedtime has been smooth sailing, you will relate to the struggles many moms face; that is, being more present when our children need us. Bedtime Struggles Author Terah Boyd was struggling through a difficult time with her family. Out of the blue, her two-year-old daughter began having severe anxiety at bedtime. Forcing the toddler to comply quickly turned to misery. After a year of difficulties, this mom slowed down, took a look at herself, and found the answers. Later, her daughter was diagnosed with Autism and being neuro-diverse. Learning to be Present In this episode of a Healthy Bite, Terah shares these answers with parents and children—particularly those in the Autism community—through her new book, Showdown At High Moon: Queen Takes a Stand. Society has created such a high standard, and most parents feel pressured to adhere. We are always rushing to keep up and stay on point, so we appear to be the perfect family. Often when we feel stressed, we go on autopilot as a coping mechanism. But when parents zone out, we can miss glaring or subtle signs that something is amiss with our kids. They may need extra attention, or they may be missing milestones and need professional help. Terah was able to connect with her daughter by slowing down and truly paying attention to her daughter, setting her standards and ignoring critics, and entering a guilt-free zone. By doing these things, Terah set them both on a path for happier, healthier lives. One night in the middle of a melt-down, I just started singing to her, I made up a lullaby right there on the spot. She responded well to it; we started singing it together every night; she would even sing it sometimes during the day. I could see it was calming to her. It was something to hold on to; I don't think she felt she had that before. We need to encourage our children to be confident and talk to their parents about their fears. And for children with Autism, we need to see the child before the diagnosis.
Showdown At High Moon includes the lullaby lyrics. Terah also recorded the lullaby so parents and children can use it as a comforting tool alongside this endearing story.
As I listened to this song, chills covered my arms as it completely took me back to my years as a young mother, putting my babies to bed. There were several lullaby albums that I listened to with my children and songs I sang to them. This song would have definitely been added to my collection.
Listening to Terah's soothing voice, I could feel how much heart she put into this lullaby and felt an immediate connection to her in the sphere of motherhood. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did. Also, as a mother who is way past the bedtime struggles stage, and as one who has children on the spectrum, I can say that this phase of motherhood doesn't last forever and the goal of being present is one that is worth pursuing.
About Terah Boyd Sparking growth and maturity in people's lives, Terah Boyd is an Autism Awareness Ambassador, Psalmist/ Inspirational Speaker, singer, and author. Two of her three children are on the Autism spectrum, and her daughter is also neuro-diverse.
Terah uses every opportunity to advocate for children with enhanced needs, especially when it comes to education. There desperately needs to be a reform of the educational system when it comes to options given to those who think differently than us. It is also so important to support mothers of those amazing kids. She offers advice on managing the many many challenges that come with parenting a child who requires more than average at her website www.terahboyd.com.
If your child has bedtime struggles such as anxiety or sleeplessne...
If you are struggling with unhappiness, one thing is for sure; you are not alone. A quick internet search will yield 8 billion results.
With all this information available at our fingertips, why are so many of us still searching for happiness?
I've spent a significant amount of time pursuing happiness. One thing I have discovered is that some of us are simply comfortable with our unhappiness. Over the years it has become our security blanket.
We may even self-sabotage, recreate scenarios, or replay old scripts that keep us in that familiar unhappy pattern. We identify with it.
The act of choosing to be happy may itself be a source of anxiety because anything unfamiliar is also uncomfortable. Allowing oneself to experience happiness may also stir up feelings of guilt; perhaps feeling that we don't deserve to be happy. Trusting that happiness will stick around may feel like risky business. The bright side You can train yourself to be happy. Here's one example: you wake up ready to enjoy the weekend but when you pull back the curtains all you see is a gloomy, rainy day. For many people, the first instinct would be to feel as if the weekend were ruined. What if, instead, you decided to grab a blanket, a cup of hot tea, and a book and curl up on the sofa listening to the rain?
It's all about perspective.
[Tweet "The pursuit of happiness is forged on the battlefield of the mind. - Gary Rogers"]
So, for today's "Healthy Bite", I've asked top experts to share their best happiness hack with you. You can listen to this podcast episode in the player at the top of this page, or you can listen on Spotify, iTunes, or Stitcher.
Two Steps to Being Happy The very first person I asked was David Essel, and of course, he hit a home run with this response: Stop complaining. Seriously that's it. Unless you're complaining to a professional or one very close friend, check out how many times that you complain, gossip, bitch about the pandemic, the administration, the scientist. One of the greatest ways to become happy is to do what's called "emotional regulation. "
A fancy term for, you have control over what you say, what you think, what you do. Emotional regulation says that we acknowledge a block to our happiness is our engagement with people who are conspiracy theorists, gossipers, negative in nature…and if we want to be happy, there are two steps to follow.
Number 1. Stop complaining. Entirely. Now that might mean you have to cut out social media, the media, news, etc. Do whatever you have to do to quit complaining.
Number two. Surround yourself with people that are better than you. This is a stretch for many of us. Make sure in your circle you have someone who is more successful financially, has a better body, a better relationship, a deeper connection to God… And by involving yourself with these types of people you will find happiness. Hear the episode with David Essel: You Need to Know: Social Inclusion Starts from the Top Down
For more information visit talkDavid.com. Sign up for "David Essel's motivational minute," free; every Tuesday and Thursday, you'll get an inspirational video to bring your life to the next level. Everything is at www.talkdavid.com
David Essel, Counselor, Life and Business Coach, Success, Relationships, Marriage, Addiction Recovery, Speaker, Author, TV/Radio Host
Trust your Intuition A favorite author in the field of psychiatry is Jill Sylvester. Not only did she write "Trust Your Intuition: 100 Ways to Transform Anxiety and Depression for Stronger Mental Health; she also wrote a novel, Land of Blue, a coming-of-age fantasy novel that takes readers young and old on a fascinating journey of the power of friendship, the love of family and ultimately, the choice to overcome darkness. As soon as the wave hits, the one that threatens to consume with all of negativity and uncertainty, I sit in it for a second, in order to feel it, and not deny it,
Today's episode is one of two podcasts about the seasons of womanhood. In this episode, Shannon Covel, founder of Seasons of Sisters, shares insights and tips for talking to our daughters about their first period.
Your daughter’s first period can either be a blessing or a curse, depending on how you, the mom (or dad), portrays it. Let’s face it, most women don’t look forward to a visit from Aunt Flo. Why is that? Because it’s messy and painful and makes us moody. But the good news is, there are things to help with the common discomforts. Why not bless your daughter with a first time box that includes all the items she needs to feel confident, clean and comfortable and opens up the door of communication for you to explain what she can expect.
Listen to the episode in your browser by clicking the play button above, or you can listen on the go with iTunes, Stitcher, or Spotify. Although, we do a little show and tell during the interview, so if you want to see the unboxing, watch the video below. Subscribe on youtube or your favorite podcast player so you won't miss the next episode which is about the other seasons of womanhood from motherhood to menopause!
Show Notes for this podcast episode
2:36 - Introducing the box for the first time5:00 - My dread of talking to my daughter about menstruation8:00 - Period tracker printable11:30 - Unboxing20:00 - Herbs to help with PMS (stay tuned to Chats with Aunt Flo where Shannon will be writing more about herbs and how they work!)23:00 - Teaching our daughters to be proud to be a woman (body image, etc.).25:00 - Tips for mom to talk to daughter about her first period.
Welcome to Womanhood box is designed to celebrate a young girl’s first period and is the box you'll see in this episode. The Seasons box is a subscription box for the girl/woman who is already menstruating on a regular basis.
Great gift for the daughter in middle school, whether she has begun having her menstrual cycle or it's on the horizon, this box will prepare her. The average age for onset of menstruation is two years after breast development or around age 12.
Talking to our daughters about their changing bodies may feel uncomfortable or even sad when we see that our little girl is growing up to become a woman. Yet it's important to bring up the discussion so she will be prepared. Sharing age-appropriate information with pre-teens, and even younger, will alleviate the possibility of her receiving misinformation from her peers.
You may want to keep it simple at first, explaining blood flow and other dynamics of the period talk or you could go into detail with the biology behind why her period starts.
The ovaries release the female hormones estrogen and progesterone. Build up of the uterine lining is caused by these hormones is part of the process of getting ready for reproduction. (You could explain ovulation as well.) If that doesn't happen, the lining of the uterus then begins to break down and she has her period. Then next month the process repeats, resulting in her monthly period, although the first year she may not be regular.
Details about the onset of progesterone production in the body and pubic hair growth may feel over the top, but it's better to start too young than too late as each girl's body is different and we don't know when that day will come. We want her to be prepared.
You may want to have things handy for her possible needs explaining why she might need or want them. For example, she might use a heating pad if she has bloating or cramps. Ibuprofen can help with a back ache.
The Seasons of Sisters Period Box
The care put into each of the boxes Shannon creates will make your daughter feel loved and pampered. She has all the needs covered such as sanitary pads. Other options include tampons and herbal tea to help with mood swings along with varied hygiene products suited for the tween, teen or young adult.
In celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day, let's set a goal to implement some eco-friendly actions.
Listen to the podcast episode for inspiration on celebrating earth day by clicking the player above or by going to iTunes, Stitcher, or Spotify!
The Earth Day Theme for 2020 is Climate Action.
Yes, your individual actions do add up and they will make a difference! When we each stand-alone, we all stand together.
[Tweet "Here are 10 ways you can celebrate earth day today and every day."]
1 - Go organic
Every organic purchase is a vote you make with your wallet telling organic farmers and manufacturers that you support them. Purchasing products that have the Non-GMO Project Verified seal is an essential step in supporting organics.
Organics are crucial for protecting the earth, animals, and insects, as well as humans.
The dwindling butterfly and bee population are being affected by genetically modified crops. The dwindling insect decline is linked to GMO crops.
[Research] showed Monarch butterfly caterpillars were seven times more likely to die when they ate milkweed plants carrying pollen from Bt corn [genetically engineered to contain a pesticide], compared to conventional corn.
Choosing to avoid GMOs has a beneficial impact on the planet as much as humans. Botanical insecticides such as Neem, citronella oil, Eucalyptus, Garlic extract, etc. have been used successfully and are still being studied. Natural products have a lower persistence in the environment and, therefore, are considered environmentally and toxicologically safer than several of the pesticides currently used.
Choose Non-GMO Project Verified and organic products as much as possible to assist others who are also doing their part to help save the bees! Choosing organic helps to protect bees and butterflies, as well as other beneficial insects.
What the USDA organic certification means
Organic food is free of harsh human-made pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, and hormones. Researchers have found higher concentrations of nutrients in produce grown organically. Another research shows that the omega-3 fatty acid levels were 47% higher in meat that was produced organically due to feeding methods.
Take a look at this article to learn to read labels in the supermarket so you can determine which products you want to put in your shopping cart. Let's take a look at the organic label. A product labeled organic means that the product has been made by following strict guidelines and has been inspected and certified as approved.
A farm or business must apply along with fees to be USDA-accredited by a certifying agent.
Products must meet specific requirements, such as:
Produced without excluded methods (e.g., genetic engineering, ionizing radiation, or sewage sludge).Produced using allowed substances. View the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances (National List).Overseen by a USDA National Organic Program-authorized certifying agent, following all USDA organic regulations.
If the applicant passes the review and inspection (which is much more in-depth than the process described here), the certifying agent will receive an organic certificate. However, the farm or business will need to repeat this process annually.
Find the Environmental Working Group Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce™ list here.
2 - Adopt an animal
Support WWF's global efforts to protect wild animals and their habitats and choose from kits with plush and more.
3 - Plant something
It's pretty commonplace to plant a tree on Earth Day, however, you can plant anything you can get your hands on! I still have some seeds from my grandmother's garden that were passed down, even though she stopped gardening many years ago.
Look for native plants or contact your local Audubon society.
4 - Reduce
Cut down on how much electricity, water, and other resources you use.
Water use for personal hygiene
Are you in a holding pattern during the pandemic?
Maybe it feels like you're in the Twilight Zone?
During my last appointment with Dr. J, my psychologist, I confirmed that I was handling things better than expected. We talked about my mindset, and she encouraged me to share these thoughts with you all.
So here we are.
Another chance for you to learn from my mistakes!
In the first half of my life, I had the tendency to put off living while I waited for my "real life" to start. Some people put off living while they wait to graduate college, others wait for marriage to begin really living.
Perhaps as a young adult, many of us "wait" to start living until we feel like we have accomplished something that deems us worthy of "a real life."
Yes, I spent my teen years and early twenties telling myself that when I started my own family life would truly start. Always looking towards some future event as the starting point of life. Once I realized I had done this, it was too late to do anything about it - the time was already wasted and I couldn't get it back.
Still, it served as a good lesson for my current situation. Being "Stuck" at home. Making good use of our time at home While I am in self-isolation, instead of waiting for some unknown time when this pandemic will end, I choose to live.
Of course, the way I choose to live has it's limits, but I am in control of my attitude while I wait. I'm in charge of what I do with my time while I am at home. The obstacle, this virus, will not keep me from being useful or productive.
I will take on my life right where I am. What can I do with myself and what do I have to offer those around me during this time?
What I don't want to do is to start avoiding life.
In fact, no matter what I do with each day, no matter what YOU choose to do with each day: This Is Life. Regardless of your participation, or your lack of participation, in life - life is still happening!
Don't wait.
Live.
Yes, the world is spinning out of control it seems, but your life is real and it's now. Your life is not on pause while we are awaiting the end of this pandemic. Every day, life is still going on, whether you choose to hide from it, or participate in it.
[Tweet "Don't wait. Live."] Make a plan It's true, you can't go to the gym, but there are millions of online workouts that you can do for free. Walking is free. Do some form of exercise every day.
Maybe you can't have coffee with friends, but you can Facetime, Skype, or Zoom to see their faces. Start having a "happy hour" or "coffee time" with your besties. If they won't respond, keep reaching out, don't give up. Tell them that it's important to you that they keep in touch while you are apart!
You might not be able to go to work or work from home, but you could participate in a hobby or teaching others how to do something you are good at!
Yes, life is hard right now. Things are frustrating and challenging and tiring. No one is denying that.
I just want to encourage you to live. Don't stay in a holding pattern, waiting to start life again when this pandemic ends. We don't know how long that will be, so to stay healthy, the best thing you can do is to live life in a new and productive way.
If you need someone to talk to feel free to reach out to me and make sure you are on my email list because I'm sending out tons of encouragement right now! Give Back with Chilipad
My friends at Chili are offering something special for the heroes keeping us all healthy and safe. Now until April 30th if you buy any dual zone chiliPAD or OOLER sleep system they will donate a single zone chiliPAD to nurses, doctors, and first responders as a thank you!
Read more about why chiliPAD is my favorite sleep hack and hear from the founder and creator, Tara Youngblood in this podcast episode.
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If you're like a lot of people right now, you might not be sure what to do with yourself. You may have checked your screen time report only to find you've spent more time on social media or browsing websites than ever before. Maybe you are even looking for a distraction to keep you from checking the "numbers" so frequently. Why not use this time to write?
What skills and talents do you have to share with the world from your unique perspective? Are there stories you tell everyone you meet? Have you spent the last several years of your retirement traveling but still haven't compiled all those pictures and stories in one place? Now is the time to share your uniqueness with the world! People are online now more than ever before and they are looking for something to distract, encourage, and motivate! If you are interested in doing something that will help others during our collective time of need, consider sharing what you know with others.
Not only would you be helping others, but you'll also be helping yourself. Writing is very therapeutic. It can help prevent depression and even make you happier. Putting your thoughts down can clear your head and make you more resilient. Depression and anxiety tend to cause rumination, having the same dreary thoughts over and over. But when you begin writing things down, whether it's directly about your life, as in a diary, or an attempt at an essay or story or even a novel, you get deeply involved in that task and tend to rise above the ordinary frustrations of your day. ~ Go Ahead and Write. Writing is a form of art. When you write, you are using your imagination. You can write simply or more elaborately; it's up to you, as the writer, to decide. Writing is the most powerful way to articulate the story of your life and set it into motion. ~ Writing is an art There are experiences you have had, places you have gone, things you have seen, all are unique to you! Your spin on life, the way you do something, how you tackle a challenge, struggles you've faced, or how you implement a new habit are all information that might benefit someone else on this planet! Let your individuality shine. So what I propose is to write. Write about all the things that matter to you.
Share all your stories.
Compile all your favorite recipes or those handed down in your family.
Showcase your poems and short stories.
Gather your memories.
Display your style.
Organize your thoughts and share them.
Bestow your gift of storytelling on others.
Tell everyone "back home" what life is like where you live now.
Select your favorite memories and write every detail you can remember.
Journal your day-to-day life during this unprecedented time in history.
Convince others to care about your greatest passion.
You have the time.
Even if you are still working at home, you have those minutes that you would have spent commuting. I want to challenge you to spend 30 days writing. You can write whatever you want to, but just put words down every day. Blogging is a great way to share your thoughts and ideas. It’s fun, exciting, and doesn’t require you to be an expert writer or an editor. ~ BizBudding, Inc. If you need some writing prompts, you can download my 30 Day Writing Challenge to help you out.
You can write in a journal that only you see, or you could write online and share it with the world. When I decided to share my passion for reducing waste with others, I chose a simple platform that included hosting, WordPress and a pre-configured theme.
You can get started for less than what you probably spend on coffee each month. If you are uncertain about how to start a blog, let me tell you, it's easier than you may think with Mai Theme. But don't worry, because you'll have access to a free course to teach you how to use Mai Theme to its fullest potential.
The standard onboarding service is free for everyone and configures your website to look like the demo,
For those lucky enough to live near Buttermilk Kitchen, a fabulous brunch is just a moment away. As for the rest of us, there's Welcome to Buttermilk Kitchen by Suzanne Vizethann.
Exploring the world through food is one of the best ways to explore various cultures. No matter where you live - if you ever wanted to try delicious southern cooking, you will most certainly want to add this cookbook to your collection. It is well thought out and easy to use, full of mouth-watering photographs and detailed recipes!
We received this cookbook back in February, and life has been absolutely, unpredictably crazy since then. When I initially spoke with Suzanne to record this interview, I had planned to visit her restaurant while my daughter Shawna was competing in a Taekwondo tournament in the area.
Unfortunately, I fell incredibly ill - I tested negative for the flu; however, my doctor insisted, due to my symptoms, I had some strain of the flu. It was terrible, and I still haven't fully recovered from the coughing.
My husband ended up taking off work to take my daughter to the tournament; therefore, I did not have the opportunity to visit the restaurant. Sad that I missed out on visiting the restaurant and watching my daughter win two gold, one silver, and one bronze medal! Eating at Buttermilk Kitchen is still on my bucket list for "things to do when the craziness ends." Put visiting Buttermilk Kitchen on your bucket list! Do you have a bucket list for when life returns to normal? If you don't, why not start writing down all the things you want to do once things settle down again, because it will, and you want to be ready! You could even start a Pinterest Board for your Bucket List - - here's mine that I started a long time ago.
The day after my husband and daughter returned from the tournament, she came down with a fever. Within hours she too was experiencing the illness that I had been battling. Because of our back-to-back illnesses, we were "in quarantine" for two weeks before everyone else began sheltering at home. Our home test kitchen Due to our extended time indoors, we were able to whip up lots of recipes in this cookbook. Many of the recipes contained in the cookbook contain what I consider everyday kitchen staples for the average home cook: flour, milk, butter, potatoes, and such. There's a section that will teach you how to make any type of egg - scrambled, poached, fried, etc.
Poached eggs, hashbrown fritters, bacon
My eleven-year-old daughter made these hashbrown fritters, and then I did the frying. They turned out quite lovely; my boys made them disappear within minutes.
Suzanne put together an extensive section all about what to stock in your pantry and how to source it locally - just the way she does in her restaurant. So, if you aren't sure what types of foods to stock in your kitchen, she's got your back!
With Welcome to Buttermilk Kitchen, we dive what I consider to be the best of southern cooking! If you've always wanted to master a perfect biscuit, pancake, waffle, grits, or sawmill gravy, you'll want to add this cookbook to your collection.
This cookbook will have you cranking out delightful meals your friends will rave about for days. Your family will be begging you to make more Cobbler Biscuit French Toast and Johnny Cakes with liquid gold. Welcome to Buttermilk Kitchen joins the trend toward healthier comfort food, balancing traditional dishes that use the very best seasonal ingredients, and creative recipes incorporating new spices and flavor combinations. Many of the dishes work for lunch or dinner, as well as breakfast or brunch. It is a cookbook that home cooks will find they can use every day of the week, any time of the day or night. ~ Goodreads Recipes we want you to try:
Coffee Rub Alabama Ranch O.G. Buttermilk Biscuit Caramelized-Banana Oatmeal Vegan Banana BreadGranola Hashbrown Fritters Salty Dog Mimosa
Delicious, Budget-Friendly,
Q&A with Dr. Sean Beckmann about Lyme Disease and other Tick-Borne Illnesses Many people have been infected with Lyme Disease and are completely unaware and go undiagnosed for years. In fact, some people may even believe they have Lyme Disease but are unable to convince their doctor to test them. We wanted to know more about this mysterious disease, so we invited an expert, Dr. Sean Beckmann to join us on A Healthy Bite to give hopefully answer some of our most pressing questions.
For those who have been part of the TOM Tribe for years, you may know that I was diagnosed with Lyme Disease and shared the protocol I used to recover here. Later, I ended up taking Doxycycline and I explain why here. Also, I mention Hopelively, a support group for women you can join here.
The episode with Dr. Beckmann about the Coronavirus is here. Questions Dr. Beckmann addresses in this episode: Where do people get Lyme Disease? Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever? Can you be infected no matter where you live or is it just in some locations?
What about cases where people test positive for Lyme Disease but have never been in an area where Lyme disease is prevalent?
How can the disease be transmitted?
Some say Lyme Disease is a virus, and many others say it's a bacteria, which is it?
A lot of families (everyone in the family) have tick-borne diseases, and we are wondering if it's possible to be transmitted via human saliva.
Can the disease lie dormant and then come back later?
What all can it cause? Can it lead to other types of diseases, such as cancer, gut health, etc?
What are the most effective treatments for people who get infected with Lyme Disease and other tick diseases? Doxycycline - can it hurt you more than it helps you, long term?
Why does Rocky Mountain show up if you have Lyme Disease?
Is it a disease that once you have it you always have it and it can flare up later?
Why would doctors be so hesitant to test people for tick-borne illnesses?
Do they suggest someone who is diagnosed with Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever More Questions from Listeners: If they treat spirochetes with penicillin when you have syphilis, why isn't penicillin an option for Lyme spirochetes?
While on doxycycline can one do a liver cleanse, blood cleanse and parasite cleanse? If not all three at the same time, can any of them be done individually while on doxy?
We know at least 5 couples here in our small town that each the husband and wife both are positive, could it be sexually transmitted? Did this episode help you? If you found value in this episode of A Healthy Bite, take a minute to rate and review us on iTunes, this helps other people find the podcast AND helps us line up more informative episodes like this one in the future.
Meet Dr. Sean Beckmann, Assistant Professor of Biology I am passionate about engaging and educating students both in and out of the classroom. Whether in a lecture, laboratory, field site, or during a chat in my office I relish the opportunity to find a student’s passion and interests and help foster those. Not every student is going to become a research biologist, but everyone can utilize science in their own lives. By helping them understand biological concepts and apply them to their own real-world experiences I hope to help foster a love of biology and scientific curiosity in every student with whom I interact.
Ph.D., Biology, University of Miami B.S., Biology, Stetson University
Growing up Dr. Beckmann enjoyed science and nature and always wanted to be a veterinarian. While a student at Stetson University he had the opportunity to engage in projects and internships that introduced him to field biology and research. This changed his trajectory to pursue a career in research. While in graduate school at the University of Miami he had the opportunity to teach a number of classes and engage a number of undergraduates in his research on the phylogeography of small mamma...
The Raw Vegan Diet is a great cleanse. It's an excellent way to detox for a short period of time. For some that could be a few days, others could benefit from a few weeks. However, for those who plan to follow a Raw Vegan lifestyle for an extended period of time, say more than a month, please listen to this episode. You want to be aware of the red flags for raw vegans that your body might send if you start to have nutrient deficiencies.
Again, it's important for me to clarify that I am not against the diet per se, however, a "diet" is not a "lifestyle" it is a short term means to reach a goal. I am against chalking up feeling bad to "detox symptoms" and "not going deep enough into raw veganism."
Any extreme way of eating means excluding certain food groups or cooking methods. For those following the Raw Vegan diet, meat, eggs, dairy, honey, and all cooked foods are excluded. That means no steaming, frying, boiling, baking, or grilling vegetables as well.
Same diet, different results
Because people have varying degrees of compliance to any type of diet, someone who adheres to one strictly will have different results than someone who bends the "rules" often. Another factor is genetics. Environment also plays a role in the results individuals will get from following the same type of diet.
One big problem with our Raw Vegan diet experience was eating too many nuts. Many of the dessert recipes called for massive amounts of raw almonds, cashews, macadamia, or other types of nuts. Raw Vegan Tacos and imitation meatloaves were also dense with too many nuts.
We understand now that regular consumption of large quantities of nuts, seeds, and oils is not healthy due to their high levels of omega 6s— which can contribute to negative health conditions including slowed metabolism, inflammation, and obesity. ~ Boutenko VegNews
Another possible red flag is hypoglycemia or other blood sugar imbalances. Eating too many fruits can wreck your metabolism and blood sugar levels in a way similar to eating too much sugar.
Books I mentioned in this episode:
I still enjoy using Raw Vegan cookbooks because they have so many delicious vegetable recipes in them. I believe eating veggies is crucial to a healthy diet. Up until three years ago, I had a huge collection of Raw Vegan books. A new friend borrowed an entire box full of them and promptly moved, taking my books with her. Then I never heard from her again. Sad.
Here are a few of the books I started out with on my Raw Vegan journey and other books I mentioned in this episode. They are older publications because this is my story from nearly 20 years ago.
Natural Cures They Don't Want You to Know About by Kevin Trudeau
Raw Food Detox Diet by Natalia Rose
Raw Family: A True Story of Awakening by Victoria Boutenko - From what I can find Boutenko now allows some cooked foods into her diet, particularly those I mentioned which have goitrogens.
I consider a high-raw diet, meaning 80–95 percent raw vegan food, to be optimal for everyday life. I have stopped eating most nuts, all nut butters, and most oils, and have added cooked foods into my diet like steamed broccoli, asparagus, and cabbage.I think a 100-percent raw-food diet is an effective practice as a way of healing. That was extremely beneficial for my family. Now my experience and research has brought me to a high-raw diet for sustainable living. ~ VegNews
Raw Food Real World by Matthew Kenney and Sarma Melngailis
Raw: The Uncook Book by Juliano Brotman
It's not something you're doing wrong as a Raw Vegan
If you are a stubborn, determined, militant or legalistic person, do a reality check or have an accountability partner keep you in line. When the red flags appear, heed their warning!
Turns out I felt good for a few weeks and then it went downhill until I finally stopped seven months later after being severely sick, malnourished, underweight and tired.
Unless you have experienced chronic pain; pain that is ongoing and usually lasts longer than six months, it's hard to imagine how much it can change your day to day life. In addition, the toll it takes on emotions is an added burden to bear.
Those with chronic pain may not be able to live life the way they want, which can lead to depression. It's a vicious cycle.
There's not a lot I can add to what Judy Foreman has written in her book, A Nation in Pain. All I can add is encouragement. If you are one of over 50 million Americans experiencing chronic pain, get your hands on a copy of this book.
Our women's support group, Hopelively, is also available if you need a safe place to vent about pain or discuss treatment plans with other women who experience chronic pain.
Here's what we are discussing on A Healthy Bite: Gender and Pain
We frequently hear that women have a higher tolerance for pain than men. Generally speaking, is that true?
"Women are both more likely to get painful conditions that can afflict both sexes and to report greater pain than men with the same condition, according to studies over the last 15 years" p62.
Fibromyalgia seems to affect mainly women, do we know why?
People with chronic pain are sometimes told: "it's all in your head." While I believe pain most often has a source, can we trace some pain, or at least worsening of pain, back to emotions and/or stress?
Can you talk to us about catastrophizing and why it's one of the worst things you can do when you are in chronic pain?
How can we learn to reduce catastrophizing? What techniques can help?
Cognitive Behavior Therapy - A change in thoughts, emotions, or behavior towards pain. Distraction - Shifting or moving your attention away from the pain when possible. Biofeedback - How does this work - "if your blood pressure is high the first time and you freak out about it, chances are your second reading will be higher." I feel like this is how chronic pain can sometimes trigger anxiety. Meditation - What part of meditating helps chronic pain? (Different ways people can meditate, how it does not have to relate to Eastern Religion, Tai Chi, or SloFlow, which reforms the art of Tai Chi Chuan into a Christian exercise using sign-language and bible verses. Hypnosis - Alterations in perception, memory, and voluntary action Empathy - As a learned coping skill, it helps if doctors have it. Can a loved one become overly sympathetic to the point they feel another person's pain?
Pain Relievers
Opioids NSAIDs Acupuncture Massage Energy Healing Spinal Manipulation
Exercise: The Real Magic Bullet Listen to Judy explain why Exercise is Medicine in this episode!)
People who are in chronic pain and need to exercise: arthritis, fibromyalgia, chronic low back pain, often are fearful of doing so. What do we know about bed rest and avoiding exercise due to chronic pain - not talking about broken bones, etc?
"To date, there is no scientific evidence that activity and exercises are harmful, or that pain-inducing activity must be avoided," says Dr. James Rainville (spine and rehabilitation specialist) p. 284.
We are talking about chronic pain here, not chest pain/heart attack symptoms. If you are having chest pains, call 911 or seek medical assistance.
Examples of knee and hip replacement patients starting PT immediately following surgery.
[Tweet "Rest is rust! Exercise!!"] The biology of marijuana All of us are born with the ability to make both marijuana-like chemicals called cannabinoids and the cannabinoid receptors into which they fit. Why are our nervous systems so full of cannabinoid receptors?
What can happen when people are deficient in endocannabinoids?
Does medical marijuana work as well as opioids?
What are some of the problems facing opioid users with debilitating chronic pain? What solutions?
How do we move on?
Adjustments Acceptance
There are so many ways to lose weight, and no one method works for everyone. Fred Bollaci found what works for him and has dedicated himself to helping others, the Restaurant Diet. Today, after losing 150 pounds while enjoying gourmet cuisine and keeping it off for five years, Fred is spreading the word on how anyone can live the La Dolce Vita lifestyle, creating and enjoying gourmet meals at home and in great restaurants using the best ingredients available without guilt or excess calories, and offers keen insight on how to kick the habit of emotional overeating for good! (Fred Bollaci Enterprises) One of the main factors behind Fred's struggle with obesity, since childhood, was emotional eating.
Children may use food to soothe their hurts and sadness, just like adults do. Emotional eating in childhood is often a sign of a bigger problem, as in adults, there can be underlying issues that need work.
If your child is struggling with excess weight, talk to your doctor. Watch for some of the signs of emotional eating such as:
Anger Boredom Depression Fatigue Frustration Loneliness Stress Insecurity Sadness Withdrawal
While parents usually have the best of intentions, some may inadvertently contribute to weight issues by rewarding children with food. Using praise and non-food rewards or experiences is a healthier way.
Making Peace with Food with The Restaurant Diet While many people told Fred that he could never lose weight dining at restaurants, he was determined to live the life he so enjoyed while maintaining a healthy weight. As a gourmand and sommelier, Fred has found a way to travel the globe, enjoying gourmet foods representing many diverse nationalities without adding an inch to his waist! He has a keen knowledge of how to choose healthy delicious ingredients and create meals without adding unnecessary calories. He will demonstrate to you how to make healthy gourmet choices without compromising on taste or presentation so that you, too, can enjoy the La Dolce Vita lifestyle! The Restaurant Diet: How to Eat Out Every Night and Still Lose Weight
Show Notes 12:29 - On a side note, the monitoring software I mentioned that we use on our computer is Qustodio
20:00 - Fred explains the four phases of his Restaraunt Diet
25:00 - Great tips: one serving, put your fork down between bites, sip water in between, not obsess about food - great advice
The Restaurant Diet: A Spiritual Journey of Weight Loss & Self Discovery 2nd Edition
The Restaurant Diet podcast episode can also be viewed as a video on Youtube:
About Fred Bollaci: Fred Bollaci is The Healthy Global Gourmet. An international influencer on diet and weight loss strategy, Bollaci lost 150 pounds in 2009—and kept it off—while living “La Dolce Vita.”
Since establishing his company, Fred Bollaci Enterprises, in 2014, Bollaci has worked with hundreds of top chefs and written about restaurants, hotels, spas, wineries, and purveyors of gourmet fare, and exciting travel destinations around the globe. Fred enjoys sharing delicious recipes and tips for fitness and spiritual well-being along the way, while also helping coach and motivate hundreds of people to lose thousands of pounds.
He is sought after by top establishments, including hotels, restaurants, and wineries for his expertise. Organizations, including public, private, educational, and not-for-profits seek him as a guest inspirational and motivational speaker.
Before embarking on his entrepreneurial journey, Bollaci earned his MBA and held a career as a trusts and estates attorney in Florida. A true renaissance man, he is also a sommelier (Court of Master Sommeliers), licensed real estate broker in Florida, Food Editor, Food & Beverage, Travel and Art Writer, and Appetite Columnist for Venu Magazine, one of the nation’s leading contemporary culture and luxury lifestyle magazines based in New York.
Today, Bollaci looks great, feels great,
"Be informed, but don't panic," advises Dr. Sean Beckmann to concerned Americans.
What do we need to know about Coronavirus or 2019-nCoV
Questions we discuss in this Podcast Episode
There's a lot of misinformation out there about the coronavirus, particularly on social media, what facts can you give us about the virus and how it spreads?
The World Health Organization has declared the novel coronavirus outbreak a public health emergency of international concern.
Is asymptomatic transmission of this virus occurring?
How is the virus transmitted?
What are the symptoms?
What is the incubation period?
Viruses have the ability to reproduce rapidly, how adaptable are they in terms of survivability?
I read that "In the lower temperatures, the virus could survive on a stainless steel surface from 5 to 28 days at all humidity levels." How long can the virus survive on say, a shipping crate coming from China?
Can you discuss treatment? Prevention?
The U.S. State Department issued a travel advisory urging Americans to reconsider traveling to China, along with the CDC.The U.S. government-chartered a plane to fly out diplomats from the U.S. Consulate in Wuhan, where the outbreak started, and other Americans.
What are the safety precautions taken when these diplomats return to the U.S.? Are they tested for the virus, quarantined for a period of time?
Who is most at risk of contracting the coronavirus?
"The preliminary fatality rate for 2019-nCoV hovers around 3%—which is low, but still concerning because of the number of cases accumulating."
The number of deaths attributed to pneumonia and influenza stands at around 6.7% according to the CDC.
Why do you think this virus is especially hard on seniors?
Can this virus mutate?
[Tweet ""Be informed, but don't panic," advises Dr. Sean Beckmann to concerned Americans of the Coronavirus"]
Is China sharing accurate, truthful information on the numbers, and if the numbers are higher, what is the benefit of not reporting the truth?
How prepared are U.S. hospitals for testing for this particular strain?
The director-general of the World Health Organization has flown to China to meet with government officials and health experts trying to contain the spread of 2019-nCoV.UN health chief visits China to help with virus containment.(article removed)
What the Chinese government has to say
President Xi Jinping has called the outbreak a grave situation and said the government was stepping up efforts to restrict travel and public gatherings while rushing medical staff and supplies to the city at the center of the crisis, Wuhan, which remains on lockdown with no flights, trains or buses in or out.Chinese travel agencies have been told to halt all group tours, and concern is growing over the potential impact of millions of people traveling back to the cities after the Lunar New Year holiday ends on Thursday. Wuhan Coronavirus: U.S. Prepares to Evacuate Americans | time.
According to the CDC - Prevention of 2019-nCoV Infection
There is currently no vaccine to prevent 2019-nCoV infection. The best way to avoid infection is to evade being exposed to this virus. However, as a reminder, the CDC always recommends everyday preventive actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses, including:
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.Avoid close contact with people who are sick.Stay home when you are sick.Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.These are everyday habits that can help prevent the spread of several viruses. CDC does have specific guidance for travelers.
Treatment
There is no specific antiviral treatment recommended for 2019-nCoV infection.
When I mention my temperature-controlled mattress pad, most people assume I'm talking about some type of electric blanket. Nope! This is a cooling mattress pad that allows me to get into deep sleep and wake up feeling rejuvenated!
My mattress topper is filled with a hydroponic system that keeps hot sleepers cool, and cool sleepers warm! Especially important for anyone using a memory foam mattress as even the best of them do tend to retain body heat. The cooling technology of the chilisleep temperature control system will virtually eliminate night sweats.
Unique Sleep Situations call for Temperature Regulating Systems
Why do some people thrive on 7 hours of sleep while others lay in bed for 9 or 10 hours and still wake up feeling terrible? Quality over quantity.
"It's not about how long you sleep every night; it's about the quality of that sleep."
For many, sleep is a dream or a nightmare.
Not getting enough sleep can lead to more than drowsiness. Being sleep deprived can lead to depression, overeating, brain fog, irritability, caffeine dependence, and even death.
If you have difficulty falling asleep, wake up frequently, get out of bed tired, sleep less than 7 hours per night, and feel stressed out over even minor issues, you may be sleep-deprived.
Unfortunately, even moderate sleep deprivation can impair a person on a level equal to being intoxicated. In studies, findings show that sleep deprivation can render a person incapable of driving safely.
Confirming this risk is the number of deaths from drowsy-driving-related crashes. In 2017, investigators contributed 795 deaths to driving while sleepy, as well as over 91,000 crashes.
Missing out on sleep can cause more harm than just being drowsy; it harms your entire body, affecting your heart and liver. It lowers your immune system, makes you forgetful. Chronic sleep deprivation can shorten your life span.
We probably don't need to tell you all of this to motivate you to get better sleep. If you are one of the millions who struggle to sleep, you already want to find a solution.
The Temperature Controlled Mattress Pad
I bought the chiliPAD for myself, then, because I loved it so much, I became an affiliate. Now, you can save with my Coupon Codes:
chilipad25 – 25% off chiliPADooler15 – 15% off OOLERchiliblanket10 - 10% off a Chiliblanket
My sleep habits were working fine until I started having night sweats, but dropping my sleep temperature eliminated that problem entirely. The cooling mattress pad fits mattresses from twin to California King. I put a hypoallergenic breathable waterproof mattress protector over mine to keep it in pristine condition. The surface temperature is not affected by the thin layer but it does help keep my system clean. Last, I put on my deep pocket fitted sheet.
But don't worry, you can wash the system.
The mattress pads are machine washable on a front load washing machine. First, drain the excess water out of the pad by using the drain tool included in your system. Secure the extension tail with a rubber band or other means to minimize the risk of it flailing in the spin cycle and causing damage to the connector. After securing the tail put your washing machine on a gentle cycle and cold water only.chilisleep
I put my entire system in a large mesh bag to wash, but I still use a rubber band to secure the extension tail. It's not difficult and only takes a minute to do this step. Afterwards, I drape it over a clothes drying rack in an area with good airflow, although it can be dried on a delicate "no heat" setting.
Using Science to Solve Sleep Problems
Todd and Tara Youngblood were just like you, tired of being tired. Using her background in science, Tara began to research. Todd, whose uncle invented the waterbed, was inspired to help Tara create a product that would help them control the temperature of their bed while sleeping.
As a result, they came up with a product that has helped ma...
Exercise is Medicine Have you taken your medicine today? What I'm asking is, are you exercising enough?
I'm going to admit that for me, the answer was no. Eating healthy food is a habit for me; getting great sleep- easy peasy, avoiding toxins, not smoking, moderate alcohol intake, no problem! Being consistent with exercises - now that's been my problem! Are you exercising enough to reap the benefits?
As you will hear in this podcast episode with Judy Foreman we all need to move more and more frequently. How do we accomplish this goal when we are stuck in an office or at a computer all day?
I was no exception. Many of my daily activities include sitting. Working on this website, knitting, driving, grading papers: sit down activities. Although I often stand up at my desk, it isn't enough to offset continuous sitting.
"Even just standing-not exercising, but simply not sitting-- would reduce premature deaths from all causes, a study of 16,586 Canadian adults showed. (Sadly, there's little evidence that standing desks help much.)" Perhaps a stand-up desk paired with a treadmill would be an improvement.
After reading the book Exercise is Medicine, I'm more motivated than I've ever been to make exercise a regular part of my life. Better late than never, right? The Motivation to Exercise There are many inspiring stories of people who are exercising and even competing in their golden years.
Exercise has so many benefits, as you will find as you listen to this episode and read the book. It boosts mood, improves brain function, helps prevent falls as we age, keeps our heart healthy, and helps slow down aging, among other advantages. Sitting Kills Even for those who enjoy exercise, sitting too much is detrimental to our health. Sitting for hours on end puts us at higher health risks such as:
obesity and overweight diabetes heart disease adverse changes in artery function and structure weakened muscles and muscle wasting failure of mitochondria negative impact on telomeres (they keep DNA from unraveling during cell division)
Sitting makes us fat because it lowers the amount of food that is converted into energy. This excess body fat then raises the risk of heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, and some cancers in multiple ways. According to an Australian study that Foreman cites in the book, the more time the participants spent sitting, the more their blood sugar levels rose.
"Sitting is even bad for thin folks-sitting after a meal leads to a spike in blood sugar. Getting up after a meal can cut such spikes in half. Indeed, standing up and walking around just a little can double energy expenditure within minutes." So, stand up and clean the kitchen, take a walk around the block, or do a little after dinner dance! The chapters in this book include:
Aging Run for Your Life Sitting Kills The Heart of the Matter The Energy Converting Machine Bigger, Better, Stronger Boning Up Exercise and Cognition Exercise and Mood It Takes Guts: Exercise and the Microbiome Immunity, Inflammation, and Exercise Exercise and Cancer Those Tiny, Telltale Telomeres Exercise and Anti-Aging Pills The Nitty Gritty: Q&A Dodging Bullets
[Tweet "Sitting kills...exercise is medicine!"]
After my discussion with Judy, I knew I needed a better plan for implementing movement into my sit-down activities. One of the changes is that when knitting, I ask Alexa to set a timer for 30-45 minutes. When the timer goes off I stand up and tidy or do a chore. My goal is to do a nitric oxide dump three times per day.
If I'm working at my computer or watching tv, I'll ask Alexa to start a 7-minute workout. I also set a series of "reminders" to go off throughout the day at which point I stop to do a number of each:
squats lunges pushups tricep dips (on the edge of the couch) wall sits burpees mountain climbers
Starting the Autoimmune Protocol Can the AIP (autoimmune protocol) help you?
If you have been diagnosed with an Autoimmune disease, you may feel overwhelmed. Feeling helpless and wondering "what next" is normal. Maybe your doctor has told you that this is something you'll be dealing with for the rest of your life.
That's why it's so important to know that with the right protocol, you can make serious strides towards improvement. Using dietary and lifestyle changes, you can slow or even stop the progression of an autoimmune disease. There are cases of people going into complete remission using the AIP. AIP Foodie Sophie Van Tiggelen is an autoimmune warrior, foodie, recipe developer, and photographer, who was diagnosed with Hashimoto's disease in 2009. She was experiencing panic attacks and anxiety, brain fog, and heart palpitations, among other symptoms.
After years of persistent and painful symptoms, Sophie began a strict anti-inflammatory diet called the Autoimmune Protocol or AIP. Within a short time, she began to regain her health and vitality.
Sophie began by removing all inflammatory foods, especially sugary ones. She then began taking natural supplements prescribed by her functional medicine practitioner. To cope with anxiety, she started seeing a therapist to learn techniques to help her relax and slow down her anxious thoughts.
After years of living the lifestyle, creating recipes, menus, and strategies, Sophie has helped many other people. Through her website, she helps others learn to change habits and adopt the AIP lifestyle so they can feel better. Her advice is, "Don't give up, be persistent! All your efforts will pay off, and you will feel so much better!"
In addition to multiple cookbooks, one which we are discussing in this episode of A Healthy Bite, Sophie has an AIP Made Simple Membership. You can hear more about it in the podcast episode or read about it on the membership site. A Squirrel in the Kitchen Sophie has lots of free resources on her site, A Squirrel in the Kitchen, including recipes, books, tips, and strategies. The latest book is The Autoimmune Protocol Meal Prep Cookbook. This is more than a cookbook; everything is planned out for you!
The menus each have a theme for the week. Each menu has recipes, grocery lists, steps and instructions in detail.
My favorite recipe that I have tried so far is the Pomegranate gummies. I am still working my way through all of the recipes. Even if you don't meal prep, you'll still want this book for the recipes. You will not feel deprived when you use this cookbook!
Questions in this episode: Tell us a little bit about yourself. (where you're from, family, hobbies, or work, etc.)
What is the Paleo Autoimmune Protocol?
What got you started following the AutoImmune Protocol?
Give us some examples of yes and no foods on AIP?
Do you still follow the AIP and/or how long did you follow it?
Does everyone in your family follow the AIP? How does it work when you have kids?
What improvements did you notice once you began following AIP?
You wrote The Autoimmune Protocol Meal Prep Cookbook to help others achieve success - what's the hardest part about following the AIP diet?
I saw that you have an AIP community with memberships, is this similar to what you've put together with the book? Recipes, Meal Plans, Shopping Lists, etc.?
Who can benefit from following AIP?
You have a lot going on, how do you do it all, especially with an autoimmune disease? Meet the author
Sophie Van Tiggelen is a passionate foodie, recipe developer, author, and photographer. Diagnosed with Hashimoto's thyroiditis in 2009, she used the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) to reverse her condition and today, Sophie lives a full and vibrant life free from the anxiety and flare-ups that often accompany autoimmune diseases. With her food and lifestyle blog,
A Squirrel in the Kitchen, Sophie shares her AIP experience and empowers others to develop new habits to promote good health and wel...
Life lessons aren't usually learned easily. Keisha Blair was thirty-one years old. The happy mother of two young children, one just eight-weeks-old when her husband died unexpectedly from a rare disease at only age thirty-four.
Unable to comprehend what had just happened, Keisha walked out of the hospital room with her husbands' personal items in a white plastic bag. One thing she did know at that moment, life is short. Life is Short Keisha stumbled through the next few weeks making plans to bury her young husband, losing 40 pounds in only a couple of weeks. Devastation, sadness, overwhelm, coupled with having an infant and toddler to care for took its toll on her. She began to second-guess herself, have regrets and her thoughts went around in circles.
She thought so much about her husband, Garfield, and what legacy he had left behind. After doing so much thinking, she realized that she needed to take drastic action to figure out who she wanted to be and what legacy she wanted to leave behind. So, she put her things in storage and took a sabbatical.
Keisha realized she did not want to take on a victim mentality harboring self-pity. She began journaling as a hobby, a way to organize her thoughts, and plan for her future. By sheer chance, several months before his death, Blair and her husband had consulted with their financial professional, who urged them to buy life insurance policies, given that they had a toddler and another baby on the way. That prescient moment gave Blair, who recently founded The Modern Widow site, financial security for herself and her two young sons—and a new take on the future. "While you don't know how much time you have, you still have to think about how long your life might be, as well as what the next generation needs." ~NYTimes Life Lessons On sabbatical, Keisha learned to really tune in to her intuition. This was part of her grieving process. She "learned the hard way as loss and grief made me [realize] that living life "business as usual" — constantly in survival mode — is no way to live." ~ Thrive Global
She and her two young children ate a predominantly organic, whole-foods diet. Meals she made with her own two hands, savoring the process.
Keisha practiced spiritual self-renewal by praying and meditating and helped others. Along the path to her healing, Keisha realized that her "own healing would come by reaching outward not inward." With spiritual transformation, the focus of your life has gone through an evolution- its not focussed on the valleys anymore — it's now focused on turning those valleys into mountaintops — through serving humanity and achieving happiness in the now. ~ Thrive Global article This was just the beginning of what was to be Keisha's viral post, comprised of 40 lessons she had learned from her husband's early death. Later, the book would be expanded and reorganized into Holistic Wealth: 32 Life Lessons to Help You Find Purpose Prosperity, and Happiness.
You can also grab the awesome workbook to help you work through the book. The workbook is a road map that shows you how to build a thriving and healthy life where you prioritize what is most important.
After receiving an Advanced Reader, I knew I had to talk with Keisha, and also provide a copy of her book for my adult daughters. I want them to cultivate these strengths and continue building the mental toughness needed to weather life's inevitable storms and setbacks.
Meet the author KEISHA BLAIR is a trained economist, with extensive experience in the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors. She was part of the Prime Minister's delegation to the World Economic Forum in 2018 as well as the East-Asia (ASEAN) Summit in Singapore.
She led on events such as the Most Powerful Women Summit in Montreal, Canada and the Fortune Global Forum. She is a graduate of the Executive Leadership Program at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government and has an MSc in public policy fr...
Kids and Allowance: To Give or Not To Give Do you give your child an allowance? How about your childhood, did you receive an allowance? Or maybe you're in the "no allowance" camp?
No matter where you are on the issue of allowance, I'm sure you will agree that teaching children about managing finances is an essential part of parenting. And now it's easier than ever with so much help at our fingertips.
So today, on A Healthy Bite, we get some fantastic tips from a financial advisor who has written a book with so many ways to teach our children about finances. Beyond Piggy Banks and Lemonade Stands Liz Frazier is the author of Beyond Piggy Banks and Lemonade Stands. Liz is a certified financial planner specializing in financial planning for families and working professionals. Her goal is to alleviate the anxiety that surrounds finances and provide painless and straightforward advice for all of life's stages and changes. Playing with Money I wanted to share details about an idea that I presented to Liz in this episode (around minute 13:00). Snack Shop was my idea to teach my children how to count money and limit the number of snacks they asked for, but it turned into much more. Snack Shop I set this up with my first four children when they were between the ages of 6 and 12. Here's how it worked.
First, I took a poster board and made a sign for my new "Snack Shop" and placed it prominently in our laundry room above a shelf stocked with snacks. Just like what you'd see in a grocery store. Each week, while shopping, I would buy various snacks that the children would enjoy. I placed these snacks on the shelves with prices written on a little dot sticker. My goal was to price everything in a range that they could "afford" to buy a couple of things every day for seven days. With the pricing, they could purchase several small items or one bigger snack, like a bar. At the beginning of the week, I would give each child a certain amount of money for the snack shop. Let's say $5.00. The cash was in all denominations from pennies to one-dollar bills, so they could learn to count it to make sure that I gave them the proper amount. (And sometimes I tried giving them too little to teach them to count the money accurately.) Every day at a specific time, I'd announce "Snack Shop!" and they'd come running with their money. Each item had a price; for example, trail mix would be fifty-seven cents, and a pack of gum would be thirty-two cents. The child would choose the items they wished to enjoy that day and count out how much to "pay" me for their snack. They would sometimes have the right change, other times they'd get change back. I required them to do the counting completely and taught them as we played along. The money would go into the snack shop jar, which I would later use to purchase more snacks and replenish their snack shop funds. If the child were trying to save up for something, perhaps they would choose not to spend money at the snack shop until they saved up enough money to make the purchase. It was an option to skip "snack shop" and opt to keep the money for their own purposes.
Learning about Money and Building Memories I have such good memories of our "Snack Shop" as the kids would all gather around me, and we'd have so much fun. They were always excited and came running when I would announce "Snack Shop!"
"Snack Shop" was my way of teaching my children how to manage a fixed income! This type of play taught my children how to budget because they wanted to have a little snack every day, so if they ran out of money on Thursday, they'd have nothing left for the last three days of the week. It also taught them how to save, especially during those times they had something in mind they wanted to buy.
They especially learned how to count money because I often pretended to be a dishonest shopkeeper who gave them back the wrong change.
In the end, it taught them much more. For example,
Opioids are a growing epidemic in the United States. According to a study, the annual mortality rate for children and adolescents due to opioids rose 268% in the last twenty years. Additionally, only 16% of parents have talked to their teens about prescription pain medication abuse.
What does it mean to be addicted or to have an addiction? Why do some people become addicted more easily than others? What is Substance Use Disorder These are some of the questions Dr. Laura Happe answers for us on this episode of A Healthy BIte. We are discussing her book, "If You Give an Ox an Oxy" and substance use disorder. Substance use disorder, is a disease that affects a person's brain and behavior and leads to an inability to control the use of a legal or illegal drug or medication. Substances such as alcohol, marijuana and nicotine also are considered drugs. When you're addicted, you may continue using the drug despite the harm it causes.
Drug addiction can start with experimental use of a recreational drug in social situations, and, for some people, the drug use becomes more frequent. For others, particularly with opioids, drug addiction begins with exposure to prescribed medications, or receiving medications from a friend or relative who has been prescribed the medication.
The risk of addiction and how fast you become addicted varies by drug. Some drugs, such as opioid painkillers, have a higher risk and cause addiction more quickly than others.
As time passes, you may need larger doses of the drug to get high. Soon you may need the drug just to feel good. As your drug use increases, you may find that it's increasingly difficult to go without the drug. Attempts to stop drug use may cause intense cravings and make you feel physically ill (withdrawal symptoms).
You may need help from your doctor, family, friends, support groups or an organized treatment program to overcome your drug addiction and stay drug-free. ~ Mayo Clinic If You Give an Ox an Oxy PharmD and mother of two Dr. Laura Happe is trying to change that statistic with a book for adolescents and parents to talk about prescription medication use.
Dr. Happe's book follows the style of the classic children's book series "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie."
"If You Give an Ox an Oxy" is an engaging picture book that educates kids about the dangers of opioid use and gives parents the tools to start meaningful discussions about this national crisis.
As I mention in the podcast episode, touchy subjects like this one are the ones I prefer to avoid. After reading this book with my youngest child, I realized it wasn't as uncomfortable as I imagined. My daughter asked a few questions, then moved on with her day. It felt good knowing that she now was equipped with information that I might have otherwise avoided talking about.
In the book If You Give an Ox an Oxy, readers follow Ox as he begins by taking just a few opioids for an injury until a few turns into a lot, and a lot turns into an addiction. The book teaches children an invaluable lesson.
On a mission to combat drug abuse As a pharmacist, researcher, and educator, Dr. Happe has dedicated herself to helping people make better decisions when it comes to pharmaceutical use. She is passionate about arming parents with the information they need to talk with their kids about the dangers of using addictive opioids.
Unlike any book before it, "If You Give an Ox an Oxy" shows how addiction can happen, what addiction and treatment look like, and why relapses occur. This unique and brightly illustrated story, which is supported throughout by facts and statistics, creates a comfortable environment in which to have discussions about a hefty topic.
"As a parent of a tween and teen, my husband and I have purchased several books as support in discussing complex topics with them, from bullying and puberty to internet safety," Dr. Happe shares. "But when looking for a resource to help them understand today's...
What you eat could cause or prevent chronic inflammation Chronic inflammation is a significant health risk and can wreak havoc on your body, contributing to several major diseases. Those who experience chronic illness understand the importance of reducing inflammation. With the Instant Pot Anti-Inflammatory Cookbook, preventing and reducing inflammation doesn't have to be a challenge.
Did you know that your diet could be one of the leading causes of chronic inflammation? Particularly if it is one that includes highly processed foods full of sugar or the wrong kinds of fats. Eat this not that Eating a variety of whole foods that are known to reduce chronic inflammation while at the same time, avoiding inflammatory foods can make a significant difference in your health.
The Instant Pot® can be used to create anti-inflammatory meals that are quick, easy, and, most importantly, delicious! With 175 recipes and photographs throughout, this book is perfect for anyone wanting to put their Instant Pot® to good use.
In addition, it is ideal for anyone following an anti-inflammatory diet. When healthy and convenient collide Maryea's recipes are developed to be incredibly healthy and using the instant pot, they're also convenient. I have had my instant pot since July 2016 and I still use it on a weekly basis. Having a cookbook full of healthy recipes to try has contributed to it's use!
Newbies and experts alike will appreciate how this easy-to-follow cookbook brings you step-by-step instructions with simple recipes anyone can follow.
The I Love My Instant Pot Anti-Inflammatory Diet Recipe Book shows you how to make whole-food dishes from breakfast to dinner and from snacks to dessert.
Discover how easy it is to follow an anti-inflammatory diet using everyone's favorite cooking appliance. Instant Pot Anti-Inflammatory Cookbook makes creating healthy recipes in your Instant Pot more accessible than ever! Delicious Recipes that help tame inflammation
Some of my favorite tasty recipes from this cookbook are:
Asian Chopped Kale Salad (my favorite - pictured above) Lemony Salmon and Asparagus Broccoli Sesame Bites Sweet potato hummus Raspberry Steel Cut Oatmeal Bars Coconut Curry Sweet Potato Soup (big fan of this one) Orange Ginger Salmon Vegan Asian Noodle Bowls
If you are a big fan of cookbooks, i.e. cookbook addiction, you will enjoy the Tasty Bite Cookbook Club - it's completely online. To baby step your way to better health, opt to receive future posts from this site delivered to your inbox, so you won't miss a thing.
Show Notes and Questions We Discuss We hear people talking about inflammation frequently. What is it exactly? Is all inflammation bad or is there some good inflammation that happens in the body?
What are some of the benefits of following an anti-inflammatory diet? Is this just for people with chronic illness, or can everyone benefit from avoiding inflammatory foods?
Tell us about foods that increase inflammation.
What about foods to fight inflammation?
Why an instant pot? What's so great about using one?
Why would someone with a chronic illness benefit from using an instant pot?
You included some desserts in your Instant Pot Anti-Inflammatory Cookbook, what are you using to sweeten these?
Read more about the I Love My Instant Pot Anti-Inflammatory Recipes. Meet the author Maryea Flaherty is the blogger behind Happy Healthy Mama, a healthy lifestyle blog that inspires others to live their healthiest life. She's been blogging since 2010 and her work has been featured on Self, BuzzFeed, Greatist, Foodgawker, Tastespotting, Finding Vegan, and in Low Sugar Living magazine.
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Growing up, people frequently asked how my sister and I could be so different. That is something that I often wondered myself until I spent years unraveling my childhood scripts with Dr. J.
Childhood scripts are also known as Life Scripts and are subconscious creations of our childhood. Eric Berne developed the theory of life scripts in the 60s. For the most part, we are unaware that we are writing them or that they even exist. "A Life Script is a set of childhood decisions made unconsciously by a person in response to parental messages about self, others, and the world. These decisions are influenced by the child's perception and interpretation of what's happening around him." If you've ever wondered how two children can grow up in the same house, with the same parents, and end up as opposites, now you know!
The key to understanding all of this is that kids may get the same message, yet each interprets that message differently. That is because these childhood scripts are more about interpretation than the actual message. Parental messages are only one way we acquire childhood scripts Here's a message my dad gave us, "do it right or don't do it at all."
Our interpretations:
Me: Try harder; execute everything flawlessly; otherwise, I'm a failure. My sister: Don't bother, it's a waste of time.
This interpretation is just one small example of how childhood scripts can dictate how you behave in your adult life. The messages can be much more crippling than the example given here.
Don't despair; these childhood scripts do not have to be a permanent part of your existence. They do not have to be a reality. Although, when these scripts run through your mind, they feel very real. You can challenge these scripts, and eventually, change them. Rewriting Childhood Scripts Jennifer Noel Taylor is here to explain how you can separate yourself from these scripts and see them as an observer rather than trying to talk yourself out of the scripts.
As you witness your childhood scripts, you will become more objective about them. Jennifer mentions using shopping to deal with her emotions. In her example, she "catches" herself on Amazon, looking for another pair of shoes to add to the thirty in her closet.
In this example, Jennifer shows us how she observes herself in these scripts:
You're not pretty enough You don't deserve love
Jennifer explains how she nurtures herself using positive self-talk and how she deals with thoughts of those experiences that led her to these beliefs. She has learned to rewrite these scripts.
Understand and Rewrite Your Childhood Scripts Understanding your childhood scripts empowers you to change them. Once you recognize these scenarios (or as I call them replaying records), you can unravel, interpret differently, and even rewrite or consciously choose a separate course of action and get a different outcome.
Identify the emotion Unravel the feeling starting from the last time you felt it, to as far back as you can remember until you arrive at the first time you felt this way. Recognize the life script Rewrite the script as an adult, base your new writing on what you know now, as an adult. Practice the new script every time the emotion presents itself.
All of this is easier said than done, of course! Seeking professional help to support you in unraveling your childhood scripts so that you can make meaningful changes is a smart decision. While it may take courage, the results are worth the risk of being momentarily uncomfortable.
Jennifer Noel Taylor This was Jennifer's second time on A Healthy Bite Podcast, listen to her first episode, How to Stop Struggling with Money and Live Your Purpose, we discussed her book Spiritual and Broke.
Jennifer Noel Taylor, an energy healing practitioner, self-help motivator, and the CEO of Quantum-Touch, Inc. She has dedicated her life work to helping people discover the healing power of their love.
The epidemic of obese and overweight children in the US In the United States, around 18.5% of children ages 2-19 are considered obese. One in three children in the US is deemed to be overweight.
Children with a body mass index-for age percentile higher than 95% are "affected by obesity" and "overweight" if the BMI-for-age percentile is more than 85% but less than 95%. Your pediatrician can measure your child's weight in terms of percentile, or you can use this chart to determine it for yourself.
Genetics may play a role in obesity; however, genes account for less than 5% of cases of childhood obesity. 2 Children learn by modeling parents' and peers' preferences, intake, and willingness to try new foods. Availability of, and repeated exposure to, healthy foods is key to developing preferences and can overcome the dislike of foods. 3 Overweight and obese children are at a higher risk of developing diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, sleep apnea, and even cancer at a younger age. 4 Obesity also affects a child's mental health. Children who are obese may experience lower self-esteem. The three E's of addressing overweight and obesity in children are Environment, Exercise, and Eating. Reduce screen time and make physical activity a priority. Consider an extracurricular activity such as dance or martial arts, that requires a child to move their body more to address the environment and exercise.
The more complicated aspect of overweight and obese children is what they eat.
In this episode of A Healthy Bite, I am chatting with Adita Lang, who is on a mission to inspire families to live life with their true potential in the forefront.
Adita is the author of Super Powers, A Busy Woman's Guide to Health and Happiness, and the book we are discussing today: Super Powers of the Family Kitchen. Find out more about Adita's programs on her website.
Adita has a recipe section on her site that can be helpful for parents who are looking for healthier options.
Growing an Adult from Scratch - Kids Snacks that rock! "Feed your kids nutrient dense foods and they will reap the benefits of amazing growth and development!" Food for your kids needs to be packed with nutrients, protein, and quality fats. Nutrients for growth and development, and fat and protein to stabilize blood sugars and maintain mental alertness and focus. Here are some fun treats that "hide" some of the best parts - Your kids will find them tasty and you will find them powerful! Show notes and questions we discuss on this episode How can parents go about being their family's food coach?
What do you find is the most common misconception or misunderstanding when it comes to nutrition facts and packaging claims?
Explain dairy as a food group concerning how it metabolizes.
You have a chapter on creating a Family Food Plan that is not like a traditional diet; you call it a Live-It. Can you explain the concept and then the process.
Let's talk about kids and emotional eating - what are some guidelines for parents.
Adita Yrizarry-Lang is a nutritional guru, mind-body coach, an advocate for healthy living and author who has devoted more than 30 years to the wellness industry. She has been featured in Shape and Fitness magazines and has had fitness products for sale through TJ Maxx and Marshalls.
Adita holds a degree in holistic nutrition, is a Lv3 holistic lifestyle coach through the Chek Institute, and has been accredited by several health organizations. She has trained thousands of fitness professionals worldwide and often speaks at schools, Fortune 500 companies, and private organizations on the benefits of quality foods, longevity, and amazing health.
If you can take the time to rate and review A Healthy Bite, it will help other parents see the podcast. Our mission is to empower families to live their healthiest life, mentally and physically. Leaving a review, comment, or sharing helps us reach our goals.
Jennifer Cohen Harper's book about mindfulness needs to be part of your family bedtime routine! As parents, we want our children to sleep well because we know they will feel better and be healthier. When they sleep better we sleep better. Children can experience difficulty falling asleep for a number of reasons. Restlessness, over-stimulation, worry, fear, separation anxiety, and other factors can contribute to keeping a child awake.
One way to help them sleep better is to teach your child to practice mindfulness. Many parents practice mindfulness and experience the benefits.
In this podcast episode, we are talking about how mindfulness can help children sleep better and a sweet little book that will help children practice before bedtime.
Practicing Gratitude Jennifer Cohen Harper is an educator, public speaker, mother, and founder of NYC’s Little Flower Yoga, and author of the new children’s book, Thank You Body, Thank You Heart.
As a leader in the yoga and mindfulness world for 14 years, Jennifer has been inspiring and teaching children, their caregivers, and teachers how these powerful practices improve our mental and physical well-being.
As a mother of two young daughters, she understands the importance of children achieving peaceful rest, so they will be equipped to face their over-stimulating and pressure-filled world. Her latest project, Thank You Body, Thank You Heart, is the perfect nighttime practice to calm and connect with our bodies in a meaningful way. There are many things that will shape a child’s relationship with their own body,” says Cohen Harper. “Many of them are outside of our control, but the more we can do to create a healthy identity early on, the more resilient our kids will be when faced with wildly competing messages about their worth.
One consideration is that often, as our kids get older, they relate more and more to their bodies based on the way it looks. Actually, I find the world already relates to my young daughters based on how they look!
If we can remember to help kids orient to their body in terms of function and feeling, we can help them become more embodied people, with better self-awareness, and an increased ability to understand and meet their own needs. Watch this podcast episode so you can see the adorable illustrations.
Show Notes and Questions In what way can we teach kids that their unique body, mind, and heart have a role in bringing peace to the world around them?
How can we help our children to have a healthy relationship with their bodies?
Your book is almost like a meditation guide to encourage our children to be grateful for everything the body is capable of, is that your intention, do some of these ideas come from your yoga practice?
Along with your book, do you have any other suggestions for young children who may experience some night time anxiety or trouble sleeping?
You seem to balance it all so well motherhood entrepreneurship, staying physically fit with yoga, how do you do it? Meet the author Jennifer Cohen Harper, MA, E-RCYT, is an educator, author, public speaker, and mother, who works to support all children and teens in the development of strong inner resources through the tools of yoga and mindfulness. Her goal is to help kids, and those who care for them, thrive in the world regardless of circumstances and navigate the many challenges they face with a sense of personal power and self-awareness.
Little Flower Yoga was founded in 2006 by Jennifer Cohen Harper, after her successful use of yoga and mindfulness at Harlem Children’s Zone in NYC had led to requests by other students, teachers, and administrators for programs of their own.
As the Founder and CEO (Chief Everything Officer) of LFY, Jennifer brings embodied mindfulness programming and education to schools and community organizations nationwide, serving students, families, educators, and mental health providers.
There are so many reasons to study foreign languages at every age. With all the tools we have available to aid us, there's no excuse not to learn a second (or even a third) language. Foreign languages are one of the most important parts of our homeschooling experience.
In fact, I even downloaded Duolingo on my mom's phone so she could keep her mind fresh learning another language! Learning to speak a second language is so rewarding, especially when you have the opportunity to put all that effort into use.
That is why I was thrilled to speak with Stefanie Naumann, the granddaughter of Tadeusz Haska. Her grandfather spoke nine languages! He was born in 1919 in Mikołajki, Poland, and was orphaned at the young age of thirteen.
Education was so important to him, that he and his younger brother continued going to school while living alone. They were able to pay their way by tutoring other students.
Unfortunately, a bomb dropped on the university he attended and he had to put his education on pause. However, his knowledge of languages helped him survive World War II. He persevered and miraculously survived in many situations. Languages saved his life on multiple occasions, as told in his memoir.
Haska's granddaughter, Stefanie Naumann, co-authored the book How Languages Saved Me: A Polish Story of Survival. It is her grandfather's biography that he was unable to finish at the time of his passing at age 93. Stefanie was able to finish the book using video interviews, letters, and other documents made during Haska's lifetime.
How Languages Saved Me: A Polish Story of Survival earned 1st place in the 2019 Royal Dragonfly book awards in the autobiography and historical nonfiction categories. Not at all surprising since his story is astonishing and inspirational. When I was arrested, my whole world crumbled. I knew that leaders of political parties had been arrested, and never heard from again. My only chance at survival was to find a way to escape from the jail. Tadeusz "Tad" Haska survived World War II on the run, narrowly evading the Nazis every step of the way. After the war, he daringly escaped jail by the Soviet Secret Police, fled to Sweden, and launched an elaborate plan to smuggle his wife in a coffin on an all-male naval ship. Languages Saved His Life Through reading the book, we are able to observe how Mr. Haska's knowledge of nine languages helped him survive in the face of unspeakable adversity.
Interestingly, his ninth language was English and was the language in which he earned his Ph.D. in Linguistics at the University of California, Berkeley.
He taught and served as chairman, in the Polish Department at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, CA for 35 years. His work was featured on the TV program The Big Picture. (source) See footage on Stefanie Naumman's website.
My children also wanted to read this book and were inspired to continue their pursuit of learning other languages. We have studied Spanish, Korean, Mandarin Chinese, German and Russian languages over the years we have homeschooled. I'd love to know what languages you know or which ones you study, so make sure to mention them in the comments below.
Stefanie Naumann is an award-winning author and Professor of Management in the Eberhardt School of Business at the University of the Pacific, where she has taught for 20 years. She earned her Ph.D. from Louisiana State University and has published over 30 journal articles.
She is a 20+ year member of the Academy of Management, a lifetime member of the Polish American Genealogical Society of America. Stefanie has earned awards for her research, teaching, and service. Her book, How Languages Saved Me: A Polish Story of Survival, is an award-winning finalist in American Book Fest's 2019 Best Book Awards. Show Notes So tell me how you came to decide that you would share his story?
Your grandfather knew nine languages, can you list them for us?
Have you recently felt good about making a healthy choice, like choosing a salad instead of fries? Or taking a long walk after work? Or quitting smoking?
Chances are you were concerned about the impact on your own health. But you may be interested to know that a cutting-edge field of science is showing that your lifestyle choices may impact not only you but your children, your grandchildren, and generations to come.
[Tweet "The future of your health may be determined by your past."]
In her groundbreaking book YOU ARE WHAT YOUR GRANDPARENTS ATE: What You Need to Know about Nutrition, Experience, Epigenetics & the Origins of Chronic Disease, author Judith Finlayson provides an up-to-date overview of the science linking your experience as a fetus with the development of chronic illness later in life—and the possibility that you will pass it on to future generations.
Along with this podcast episode, here is an excerpt from the book. Folate: The Tip of an Epigenetic Iceberg by Judith Finlayson
Have you ever tasted Marmite? This yeast-based spread usually evokes a strong response: most British people love it, but many others aren't so sure. Even its manufacturers identify it as a "love it or hate it" product. Whatever your feelings, you may be surprised to learn that Marmite occupies a unique place in the history of nutritional science. Almost by happenstance, it can be directly linked with successful efforts to reduce the incidence of potentially deadly birth defects. Thanks to Lucy Wills, a young hematologist working in India in the early 1930s, Marmite made a significant contribution to one of the largest-scale nutritional interventions in the world.
A pioneering medical researcher, Dr. Wills, was investigating pernicious anemia in pregnant women, a condition characterized by too few red blood cells that was particularly prevalent in India and often fatal in those who were impoverished. She soon became interested in the women's diet, which was rice-based and nutritionally deficient. In the process of investigating nutritional solutions, and after many false leads, she fed one of her anemic research monkeys (perhaps accidentally) some Marmite. Its recovery was immediate and complete. At that point, Dr. Wills began feeding Marmite to her pregnant patients, whose recovery was equally remarkable. Folate and Pregnancy Although it's not clear that the nutritional factor in Marmite was folate — it's an ongoing subject of research, and some experts believe it was actually vitamin B12 — for various reasons, this was the first step toward identifying that nutrient. After returning to England, Dr. Wills continued to successfully treat her anemic patients with yeast extract. Eventually, scientists were able to isolate folate from yeast, developing a synthetic version known as folic acid in 1941.
And here's why folate is particularly important for pregnant women: When cells are rapidly dividing, which is a characteristic of fetal growth, they use folate at a rapid rate. If a pregnant woman lacks an adequate supply of this nutrient, pernicious anemia is a likely result. Increased risks for specific types of birth defects are another outcome of folate deficiency.
Since the 1990s, a large-scale experiment has been going on throughout the world. At that point, many countries began fortifying certain grain products with folic acid. Their objective was to reduce the incidence of spinal cord birth defects in infants, and in this regard, folic acid supplementation appears to have been successful. Clearly, it also reduces the incidence of pernicious anemia in pregnant women. The problem is, we don't know whether folic acid supplements will benefit everyone. People with inadequate levels of B12 who take folic acid supplements will suffer from abnormally high levels of the amino acid homocysteine, which increases the risk of stroke and heart disease. Also, evidence now suggests that consuming too much folic acid in the for...
Don't spend all night tossing and turning
You'll spend a third of your life in bed. You don't want to spend it tossing and turning! So let us help you make it count with the best sleep hack ever.
Whether you are going for gold, climbing the corporate ladder, or chasing toddlers - you won't reach your peak performance if you haven't slept well. Like I had to tell you that! Don't worry; there is a solution! Since getting a night of deep sleep is certainly not getting easier, let's take a look at some sleep hacks to help solve this problem!
The Sleep Switch
Did you know that your sleep temperature is more important than the number of hours you sleep? At bedtime, a "sleep switch" occurs that releases melatonin that prepares you for sleep. During this time, your heart rate will decrease, your brain waves abate, and your muscles relax.
The first half of the night is super important. Deep sleep occurs during this period and is known as delta sleep. During this sleep period, everything drops further, heart rate, breathing, blood pressure, muscle activity, and body temperature! Deep sleep occurs right before the body drops to its lowest point temperature-wise. This stage of sleep is deeply meditative and dream-free. During the last part of the night, the body begins to warm up and come out of the core body temperature phase. Warming is part of the waking up process. Some people may struggle to wake up during this stage, and when using a traditional alarm, they will feel groggy and confused due to a disruption in sleep! No brainer, I know!
That groggy and confused state is why we NEED to get into a deep sleep!
There's a lot going on during the deep sleep stage, and all of it is beneficial. If you've ever had a rough night of tossing and turning, or experienced insomnia, you know it affects cognitive performance, especially for your short- and long-term memory, as well as your brain's ability to absorb new information. Since glucose metabolism escalates during deep sleep, it strengthens your memory and overall learning capability.
Other benefits of deep sleep include:
Cell regenerationIncreased blood flow to musclesA stronger immune systemEnergy renewalDevelopment, growth, and repair of tissues and bones
That's why MY favorite sleep hack is temperature-related.
Chili's nature-based sleep solutions are an easy way to change your sleep naturally. No pills, no willpower needed! Because cooling is the ultimate hack to get great sleep! In fact, you can trigger your brain to fall asleep 98% faster!
[Tweet "you can trigger your brain to fall asleep 98% faster #sleephacks"]
Sleep Hack for Weight Loss
Did you know sleeping in colder temperatures promotes weight loss?
Researchers kept sleeping rooms at a neutral 75 degrees for the first month, and in the following month reduced temperatures to 66 degrees. For the third month temperatures were returned to the neutral 75 degrees before being increased to a warm 81 degrees for the final month. Following each month during the study, the amount of brown fat was measured.The results were that the colder temperatures noticeably changed the participant's bodies. After the month of sleeping at the colder 66-degree temperatures, volumes of good or brown fat had almost doubled. They had indeed lost belly fat from sleeping cold.
Sleep Hack for Better Health
Sick and tired of being sick and tired? I get it, and I'm here to tell you: Health Starts with a Good Night's Sleep!
Getting more deep sleep is essential for your long-term health, so you should be taking every measure possible to ensure you're getting it consistently. Wellness isn't all about having the perfect diet or the best trainers. It's also about recovering and adding to your overall health with sufficient quality sleep.
Sleep Hack for Better Quality of Life
Better sleep can dramatically improve your quality of life.
Staying cool during sleep helps you stay asleep and also boosts...
Earlier this year, I shared how medicinal mushrooms are taking the nutrition world by storm, and they're still gaining momentum!
There are so many ways to use medicinal mushrooms. You can learn everything you want to know about the health benefits of mushrooms over on the Freshcap Mushroom Blog and more about mushrooms on this section of their blog.
Potential Anti-Tumor and Anti-Cancer Properties
Asian countries like China and Japan have already seamlessly incorporated mushrooms and mushroom-derived medications into their cancer treatment programs.Studies show that the polysaccharides in some mushrooms like reishi and turkey tail may have anti-cancer and anti-tumor properties.Patients undergoing treatment for breast cancer, colon cancer, and prostate cancer show positive results when including mushroom extracts and medications into their regimen -- likely thanks to the stimulation of NK cells to fight cancer cells.
Getting Better Sleep with Mushrooms
The Chinese call Reishi the "mushroom of immortality," and Americans call it "nature's Xanax" thanks to its mild sedative effects on the nervous system.People take Reishi Supplements and nighttime tea for its anti-anxiety calming effects. It's best to take adaptogens and medicinal mushrooms like Reishi every day. The natural powers of Reishi work overtime, and you might not feel the effect immediately.
Reducing Inflammation with Lion's Mane
Lion’s Mane Mushroom Powder May Reduce Inflammation
If you have a lot of unexplained health issues, chronic inflammation may be the culprit. Studies show that this mushroom is beneficial for reducing inflammation on multiple fronts.Thanks to its antioxidants from polysaccharides and beta-glucans, it's also a top-choice for supporting the immune system.
Improves Energy Levels
Athletes love cordyceps because this fungus improves oxygen uptake and enhances blood flow to stimulate energy and improve physical performance.
Supercharge your life with the DIY Mushroom Coffee Bundle:
Strengthen your Immune SystemBoost your energy and staminaSupercharge your brain powerBonus Power Mixer for easily making your elixirs.
See what mushrooms can do for you!
Show Notes:
You both are obsessed with mushrooms, why should our listeners join you in this obsession?
Tony's Viral mushroom growing video made me want to grow my own mushrooms! I actually love cooking with fresh mushrooms. Tony explains in this episode how easy it is to grow certain mushrooms in a bucket as he does in this video.
What are the top five mushrooms as far as superpowers?
What mushroom do people tend to use to help them sleep better? Wake up more?
Each morning, I put chaga powder in my coffee and baked goods, and other recipes as an immune booster to help lessen the viral load from Epstein Barr Virus. What are the superpowers the medicinal mushroom chaga?
What mushrooms are good for weight loss?
Eating mushrooms is particularly good for weight loss. Blending mushrooms and adding them into ground beef 50/50 will cut down on calories and fat while adding a lot of nutrition.
How about mushrooms for the Immune System?
Reishi, Lions Mane, Chaga, Turkey Tail, and Cordyceps are all good for immune system function. I personally take Thrive 6 to help keep me from getting sick as often. Because I've been diagnosed with reactivated EBV in the past, I often take both Thrive 6 and Chaga.
We're running a giveaway over on Instagram, so go check it out!
Get bonus entries by pinning this post on Pinterest. Use the hashtag #ahealthybite so I can find your entries.
Now, I'm gonna go make myself a Chaga Pumpkin Spice Latte while y'all listen to this episode with Tony and Tegan!
Tony and Tegan, co-founders of FreshCap Mushrooms.
Tony and Tegan are the people behind FreshCap. They’ve spent a ton of time learning about the amazing world of mushrooms, and want to share that knowledge with you.
Tumerica Founder Aasha Chang has faced many health challenges. Years of coping led her to create a skincare line safe for her sensitive skin. In 2018, she underwent surgery, at which point she was officially diagnosed with endometriosis. A Rare Skin Disorder Made her into an Entrepreneur Aasha's focus is now on living better, growing her company, and helping other women. Her hope is that others won't have to experience the pain that she has. A portion of all sales goes towards the Endometriosis Foundation in hopes of finding a cure. In this episode of A Healthy Bite, Aasha shares how these health challenges led to the founding of Tumerica. Turmeric's anti-inflammatory properties make it a potent fighter in treating conditions fed by inflammation. It is said to aid digestion, treat arthritis, ease the symptoms of cystic fibrosis, even boost cognitive function. Because many skin issues result from the inflammatory response, turmeric is also being used to treat skin conditions from acne to aging. Up until now, there's been a drawback to using it on the skin – staining, caused by turmeric's colorful hue. "Any products that were on the market were mostly made internationally and did not work for lighter skin tones," said Aasha. The line is described as the only full line of turmeric-infused skincare products.
Chang turned to turmeric herself for an inflammatory-related skin condition called dermatographia. With the help of her Bachelors of Science, she found a way to harness its power, without leaving skin looking yellow. This led to the creation of her skincare line. "I grew up using this spice. I wanted to create a product everyone can use, and without the worry of staining the skin or having to worry about washing off the product. Our original body lotion was the first product since this is what I needed for my skin condition," said Chang. "I carefully formulated and experimented until perfecting it, and after testing it out, I realized this was it! So many people suffer from skin conditions, and if they could get a natural remedy, then why not!"
Since its launch in 2013, Tumerica's line has expanded to now include its original body lotion plus:
body wash moisturizing hand and body lotion hair and body oil face wash toner serum moisturizer
Every product is infused with turmeric and blended with natural extracts and essential vitamins. Tumeric's powerful properties Tumerica's line takes advantage of the anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and antioxidant properties of the super spice to help cuts, wounds and burns heal, treat acne, and fight the signs of aging.
Chang says she loves helping others experience better skin naturally with affordable, clean, effective products.
Tumerica's new line of facial mists help us maintain our glow:
Clear Me Up Facial Mist: Take me with you everywhere to clarify and soothe skin. A convenient and multipurpose skincare product that invigorates skin with pure witch hazel hydrosol. Wake Me Up Facial Mist: Take me with you everywhere to energize and uplift the skin. Convenient and multipurpose skincare that Invigorates and wakes up skin with pure, refreshing lemon verbena hydrosol. Calm Me Down Facial Mist: Take me with you everywhere to de-stress and relax the skin. This mist is a convenient and multipurpose skincare product that invigorates skin with pure, calming lavender hydrosol.
Other products in the Tumerica line include:
Natural Facial Cleansing Oil: Remove makeup with Tumerica's preservative-free, nourishing cleansing oil. The Natural Facial Cleansing Oil is perfect for getting rid of makeup, dirt, and bacteria without over-drying and is safe for all skin types. Natural Facial Repair Serum: The Natural Facial Repair Serum readily absorbs into the skin and is rich in antioxidants to promote healthy skin cell growth. Repair skin from stress and other harsh environmental conditions.
Emotional Work can have an impact on our physical health The idea is that nurturing is more important than nature with which we were born. We can have the genes of an illness, but we can avoid triggering the gene by the way we live our life. Trauma is mostly our perception.
It has been repeatedly proven that siblings living in the same household and going through the same experiences, can have a completely different perspective of the events.
Dr. Stoica has found in her practice that people have to deal with their emotional baggage to get well. In the beginning, she thought maybe emotions had maybe a 5 to 10% role in our health. As she continued doing her healing work, she found out that emotions have a much more significant role to play in our health, sometimes being 90-100% of the story, like in the case of some cancers and fibromyalgia.
Even in the case of brain injuries, people need to be able to release their past traumatic memories to be able to heal fully.
Dr. Stoica found that even when she was able to help people with their health complaints if they did not resolve their emotional environment, they would get again sick with something else. Since then many doctors, from Carl Simonton (cancer oncologist, author of Getting Well Again), to Deepak Chopra, Candance Pert (who wrote Molecules of Emotion), and Bruce Lipton (author of Biology of Belief) have all written about the importance of emotional work for our health. Books Dr. Stoica mentioned in this episode : Molecules of Emotion by Candace Pert, PhD
Forgive for Good by Dr. Fred Luskin
The Hidden Messages in Water by Masaru Emoto
A Child Called It: One Child's Courage to Survive by Dave Pelzer Five Mirrors, Five Blessings Five Mirrors, Five Blessings is a timely book for anyone who feels overwhelmed by life events and is struggling to reach their full potential.
The book is not a replacement for therapy, although the exercises provided in each chapter enable readers to start exploring their own experiences and uncover the lessons they learned through happy and not-so-happy life events.
“Toughing it out" is not the solution. Facing our history head-on and learning from it is what makes us become more productive and more compassionate human beings.
Dr. Susana Stoica was trained as an engineer and holds a Ph.D. in Computer Engineering with a thesis in building computers with circuits modeling the brain cell functionality. She spent her engineering career in developing high tech technologies, like expert systems, a technology that models the human thinking process.
Author of Bestseller:
Cooking after Brain Injury: Easy Cooking for Recovery Five Mirrors, Five Blessings Heal your Brain, Reclaim your Life, Healing with the Loving Heart Reluctant Healer
web: http://HealingBrainInjury.com
See our first interview here: Amazing Cookbook Series Written for People with Traumatic Brain Injury by Susana Stoica Show notes Those we love most are the ones who can inflict the worst pain on us, but if we took the time to look closer, we would find that they are our best teachers, guiding us on a path of becoming kinder, better, more compassionate individuals. In the book Five Mirrors Five Blessings, Dr. Stoica has an entire chapter on how to gain insight as a parent. This chapter and Dr. Stoica have both helped me with my son during a time when we were both struggling. Interview questions in this episode with Susana Stoica
What is emotional trauma? Does everybody have emotional traumas? How can we better deal with our emotions? How strong is the connection between emotions and our health? In your book, "Five Mirrors, Five Blessings", why are you providing exercises at the end of each chapter? Like we discussed in a previous episode, you wrote extensively about brain injury, what is the connection between your book on brain injuries and the book "Five Mirrors, Five Blessings"?
Stress during holidays Stressful relationships can take a toll on you at any time of the year. But when the holiday season doesn't conjure up warm and fuzzy feelings it can be incredibly tiring. We want to enjoy the holidays and be joyful but at times it can be difficult.
Along with all the fun, comes a certain amount of stress. Where to go, who to invite, who will be there, will we get along? As if these issues weren't enough to keep our tension levels high there are more. Mix in staying on budget, getting along with in-laws or exes, and step-family challenges.
All of these issues can seem like a mountain of stress during the holiday season. This added stress can start to steal your joy and diminish the holiday spirit.
Whether the problems you face at the holidays are out of your control or you have decision fatigue, Dr. Janetta Jamerson is here with tips to help us learn to manage stressful relationships and survive the holidays. Expectations What we imagine everyone else's holiday to look like is most likely an unrealistic expectation. The Hallmark holiday is rare if not non-existent. The expectations that our holiday will be perfect this year is part of what holds us back from enjoying ourselves.
Like someone in Hopelively said, "The conflicts, annoyances, and differences that happen when the family gets together sometimes amuses me and feels loving. Because despite all this we come together and are family. Despite all my flaws, I am loved, and despite all of the family's stuff, I love them, even though I might need limited exposure."
Give yourself the gift of good mental health by practicing self-care, consider seeing a mental health professional who can help you learn to cope with life's challenges. You can start by searching on Psychology Today for a therapist near you. Articles on ThatOrganicMom written by Dr. Janetta Jamerson: Stuck! Really??
How To Be A Supportive Friend, Or Rather, How To NOT Be Hurtful When Someone You Love Is Hurting
Dr. Janetta Jamerson answers commonly asked questions in therapy
Interview with Dr. Janetta Jamerson about Self Doubt and Comparison
Dr. Janetta Jamerson answering questions about marriage relationships
Dr. JJ’s Youtube Channel
Dr. Janetta Jamerson is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist practicing in Knoxville, TN. Dr. JJ believes in you and your ability to celebrate a healthy existence. Dr. JJ asserts that she does not work from home plate but is rather rounding the bases of this life right along with you.
(c) Texture Photo
Don't forget to pin this post to all of your holiday boards and share it on social media, maybe a relative will see it and take it easy on you this year! ?
After moving from the countryside to an apartment, I was distressed by not having a place to dispose of my food scraps. Without a yard, I cannot compost! So, now what?
I started doing research looking for solutions. Looking for ways to handle indoor compost, I learned so many methods. Many people practice apartment composting using various methods - even vermicomposting inside a small space. We weren't able to keep a worm bin, like many apartment dwellers, this was against the rules.
So I kept looking for the best way to handle compostable food scraps like apple cores and eggshells.
That is when I discovered this genius solution! So, I reached out to the team at the Foodcycler company for information and received one to test out and am happy to report that it is the answer I was looking for!
The countertop unit is attractive enough to keep in your kitchen, but with a small apartment, I had to make good use of my space. The unit has a filtration system, and the pail is completely enclosed so you can go zero waste without stinking up your home.
Friends who have been to my place have seen my Foodcycler in action. They all get a tour of my laundry room where I keep my Foodcyler busy producing fertilizer for my precious aloe vera plants, rosemary, and my son's succulents collection.
I'm so excited for you all to see this episode. Once you watch the video, you'll understand why we are so thrilled to have found the solution to keeping food out of our landfill!
Food waste is a serious problem
We've been talking about food waste this week. Manuel Bruscas and I discussed the many ways food ends up wasted in a Healthy Bite Episode: World Hunger - Starving for the Truth.
Next, I shared four of the benefits of reducing food waste. Hopefully, you are starting to think about making plans for more efficient food prep and shopping.
Today we are going to talk about inevitable food waste and what we can do with it to keep it out of the landfill.
I'm talking about banana peels, avocado pits, eggshells, coffee grounds, and other non-edible parts of the foods we prepare.
Even though these items are biodegradable, sending them to the landfill is not a good idea.
Composting is one way to cut back on food-related emissions. In landfills, which are anaerobic or oxygen-deprived environments, microbes digest rotting food and release methane, a greenhouse gas that is more than 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide. Composting creates an aerobic environment, and methane-producing microbes don't thrive in the presence of oxygen.
What are some of the ways we can dispose of this kitchen waste without putting it in our overburdened landfills?
Compost Bin
Let's start with what to do with the food waste inside our kitchen. One solution would be to have a compost bin where everything is neatly contained inside a composter that is kept outside. But that's not always possible, especially when you don't have a yard or your yard is tiny.
For those who have the space a DIY composting bin or even a set up using composting worms can produce excellent organic matter to add to a garden. Red wigglers are used to "recycle" food scraps into worm castings (poop!) which makes plants grow!
If you can set up your own compost area outside, go for it.
Compost Pile
Having a compost pile is a wonderful way to deal with food waste for those who have the yard space available. All you need is the space, a shovel, plus the greens and browns to add to the pile.
Backyard composting is inexpensive and requires very little prep work; it's easy to reap the benefits of a backyard compost pile. Some people find them unattractive, smelly, and inconvenient if it attracts late-night visitors such as skunks and other scavengers.
A compost tumbler can alleviate some of the inconvenience of the compost pile; however, it's not an excellent choice for those of us living in condos or apartments.
In this episode of A Healthy Bite, Manuel Bruscas, author of Real Tomatoes are Ugly shares some enlightening facts about world hunger.
Many attribute the hunger problem to availability; however, the world as a whole produces sufficient food.
Food Security
According to the Food Security Program, there are four dimensions of food security.
Physical availability of food - supplyEconomic and physical access to food - Food utilization - how the body uses foodStability - the three previous factors happening consistently
In this episode, I tell Manuel a story about a conversation I had with my son, which you may have had with your children.
We are finishing up dinner, and the conversation goes like this:
Mom: "Please eat all of your food; there are starving kids in the world."Son: "How does eating everything on my plate help starving kids in other parts of the world?"
Supply and Demand
Setting aside the fact that my son loves to debate, this had me questioning my logic. I knew that food waste and hunger were related, but I wasn't sure how to explain it to my son.
Subscribe to A Healthy Bite for other solutions to reducing food waste, coming Thursday. Right now, listen to this episode, as Manuel explains how I can respond to my son's question.
Manuel Bruscas coauthored a book titled Real Tomatoes Are Ugly to raise awareness of a global issue: Food Waste. The title of this book is derived in part by the dictatorship of beauty in society, according to Bruscas.
Get a peek of Real Tomatoes Are Ugly in the video version of this podcast
Would you buy an ugly tomato?
Americans throw away almost as much food as they eat because of a "cult of perfection," deepening hunger and poverty, and inflicting a heavy toll on the environment.
"In 2015, we disposed of 37.6 million tons of food waste," according to the EPA.
I think for many of us is that we are busy, and we're in a hurry - we don't stop and think, "do I need this?" So, poor planning, impulse buying, and avoiding imperfect produce are top factors in food waste.
We have an abundance mindset. If our fridge has empty space, just like a plate, we feel like we need to fill it up.
Waste on the farm.
United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that one-third of all food grown is lost or wasted, an amount valued at nearly $3 trillion. Almost half the food produced in the US is wasted on the farm.
Prices change, and it is no longer profitable to send that food to the market.
Loads of lettuce, kale, broccoli, spinach, and other greens are dumped in the landfill because they can't sell it to the best buyer. Ton trucks full of perfectly good food, being dumped at the landfill.
Wasted food is the single most prominent occupant in American landfills, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. This food in the landfill emits methane 30-100x more potent than carbon dioxide.
How does perfect produce not make it to the market?
For example, imperfect peppers or tomatoes are left on the ground, plowed under in the field. An imperfect cauliflower, perhaps the color is yellow or slightly purple instead of white. This "off-color" cauliflower is tossed because it doesn't meet a beauty standard.
Even produce that is "too big" can be discarded. A banana that has too much curve, or one that is too straight, may not make it to market. As consumers, we expect our fruits and vegetables to be "photoshoot ready." It's the equivalent of expecting all people to look like airbrushed models.
This perfection is not realistic!
We can't blame it all on farmers. Produce is "graded," and farmers know that to bring inconsistent shapes and sizes is a risk to their livelihood.
Other places perfectly edible food gets wasted include:
in transitin the supermarketat homein the restaurant
Some of what farmers grow ends up going to feed livestock. But people are hungry,
Has your child ever been bullied? Cyberbullied? The range of emotions I experienced as a parent when my child was bullied swung from one extreme to another.
My generation dealt with bullying. I remember very well my first day of high school, being on the receiving end of bullying. However, our children also have cyberbullying to add to the list of things they have to deal with. Cyberbullying and Social Media Cyberbullying can happen with complete strangers, or it can occur with classmates. In some cases, cyberbullying leads to bullying at school. Even with all the measures schools put into place with anti-bullying programs, it still happens. Sometimes bullying can even be fatal.
Social media presents a unique set of challenges for youth today. It's a place where a mistake can be made in a matter of seconds, that will have a lasting impact. Cyberbullying can cause some children to feel that their situation is completely hopeless and could lead to suicide. This is the case as I mentioned in this episode of a young man who took his life after being cyberbullied.
Not only can users be bullied on social media, but it's also a place where teens can be influenced to cause self-harm. There is a culture of suicidal ideation that is pervasive on social media. Sadly, in some worst-case scenarios, this culture can lead to suicide. We see this in the case of a young 14-year-old girl who took her own life after exploring depression on Instagram.
What can parents do? All of this can lead parents to feel overwhelmed and helpless. Kids have access to the entire world with their devices. That doesn't mean that parents are helpless. (Make sure to check out my other posts about using Qustodio: Potentially Dangerous Discrepancy Between the Games Kids Play and the Ones Parents Block
Less than half of parents are using parental control tools.
Educating and Empowering Parents to Help their Children Dr. Nicole Beurkens is helping us figure out how to deal with bullying, in particular, cyberbullying. She's sharing her tips on how to help our children not only when they are being bullied, but when they are the bully.
Dr. Nicole supports parents in engaging with their kids about how they use their devices and keeping the lines of communication open.
Another tip she shares is how to deal with a strong-willed child and physical power struggles, for example, when a kid won't give up the phone. Using Qustodio means you don't need to get into that kind of physical altercation; a parent can simply shut the access off to the phone with Qustodio.
Save 10% off a subscription to Qustodio using coupon code ORGANICMOM.
Dr. Beurkens specializes in resolving problems that many families and professionals deem unsolvable. She recognizes that beneath the many challenging symptoms children and young adults exhibit are people capable of more.
Her patients and their families affectionately refer to her as the learning and behavior “detective.” Many people believe that the symptoms they experience are the problem, but the symptoms are actually clues to the real problems.
A unique combination of psychologist, nutritionist, and special educator, Dr. Beurkens has 22 years of experience supporting children, young adults, and families. She is an expert in evaluating and treating a wide range of learning, mood, and behavior challenges including ADHD, autism, anxiety, mood disorders, brain injury, and sensory processing disorder.
Dr. Beurkens holds a doctorate in Clinical Psychology, master’s degrees in Special Education and Nutrition, and is a Board Certified Nutrition Specialist. She is the Founder and Director of Horizons Developmental Resource Center in Grand Rapids, Michigan where she leads a multidisciplinary team dedicated to exceptional evaluation and integrative treatment services, research on innovative treatment protocols, and professional training on best practices.
She is a highly sought-after international consultant and speaker,
About 12.1% of women in the United States ages 15-44 have difficulty getting pregnant or staying pregnant, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), that's around 7.5 million. However, men are as likely to be sterile as women are. Surviving Infertility Treatments Karen Jeffries's book Hilariously Infertile is an honest look at the struggles many couples face. Although there was a lot of pain, Karen uses humor to keep from being overwhelmed by stress. She uses what she learned on her journey to help others.
Karen found that during this process many other people around her had also gone through similar struggles in silence. At this point, she felt like it was something that more people need to speak up about so that others wouldn't feel so alone.
She sat down one day to write out her story and found that it was pretty hilarious! Listen to this podcast episode to hear more about what she went through and how she used humor to get through the tough times AND help others.
Karen has found that her audience enjoys laughing along with her, men and women alike, as she tells some of the humorous stories that come with infertility treatments. If you are in the area, she will be cracking folks up at the Regent Theatre in Arlington, MA on November 10th at 7 p.m. Details below:
Her stand up routine is something she never expected but is a unique platform for helping other couples get through the stress of infertility. Even those who have not experienced the struggle find her stand up routine hilarious. Here's a clip:
Karen was recently on HLN when her book went on sale on Amazon - you can see that she genuinely cares about helping other people. Her goal is to help people laugh or smile when they are struggling through infertility. The book is the raw truth about her experience with infertility.
You can contact Karen or find her book on her website Hilariously Infertile. Follow her on Instagram here. Hilariously Infertile on A Healthy Bite Podcast Show Notes: More people are speaking out about the subject, did you feel alone in this?
You were able to see the humor in the process, was that a coping mechanism, or are you usually a funny person?
Karen, you were on CNN talking about your book recently - have a lot of women reached out to you about their struggles?
How long did you wait before getting help?
Infertility is not just a woman's problem, as many people assume. In your journey, did you encounter couples where the woman was fine, but the man had infertility problems?
You talk about IUI in your book, can you tell us what that is?
In your book, you wrote about your egg retrieval surgery, which resulted in painfully swollen ovaries. You could barely walk, and you had to take your daughter to daycare the following day. Did you ever think why me?
I talk to couples who are going through these struggles; health insurance coverage is a factor in choosing how to proceed, was that ever an issue for you guys?
Some couples are finally able to get pregnant, only to have the pregnancy end in miscarriage. Did you guys ever consider adoption?
You wrote about your journey and found that many publishers felt there was not an audience for this topic. I bet that was infuriating considering your following?
Although, you persisted and published your book with the mission to help other couples in the frustrating world of infertility.
Your difficulties with publishing taught you that so many people were at home, suffering in silence, what would you say to those couples? Watch this podcast episode on Youtube
Please help spread the word so women who may be facing infertility treatments can find Karen and read her inspiring and hilarious book. Rate and review this podcast to help more people have access to this content.
Do you love cooking or do you have zero kitchen experience? Did you have a starter cookbook as a young adult or did your parents and grandparents teach you to prepare meals? Food and memories intimately linked We all have food memories, some good, some bad, but food and memories are intimately linked. Food is so tightly woven in all of my life stories that it's hard to separate them. Visiting other countries, holidays, celebrations, and childhood memories are all embedded in my brain along with the tastes and smells of food. Building memories Preparing meals and gathering around the family table are two activities that I genuinely enjoy. When my children are in the kitchen with me, it doubles my joy. This time together in the kitchen is a beautiful way to bond plus prepare them for adulthood. Spending time in the kitchen with a child of any age is an investment in their future. When my children invite their friends over, we usually end up in the kitchen. Kids love to create and experiment, and that is what the kitchen is all about!
You don't have to be an expert cook to get started spending time with your kids in the kitchen. Even if you consider yourself the Take-Out Queen or don't yet know your way around the kitchen, we've got you covered. You can still make yummy food using the right cookbook.
The authors of The Anti-Cookbook are here to help with easy, budget-friendly food. Drawing on the recipes they made as college roommates, the book is filled with hilarious stories about learning to cook, as well as teaching their own children how to cook.
With the Anti Cookbook, each recipe is in an easy to follow format. This cookbook is more of a guide that shows how cooking doesn't have to be complicated.
The cookbook is perfect for young adults living on their own for the first time who may not know how to prepare budget-friendly meals at home.
Kids who want to prepare meals but are overwhelmed by regular step-by-step cookbooks will enjoy this friendly book full of stories the authors share about their lives.
To demonstrate how easy making meals can be, I had my eleven-year-old daughter use one of the "un-recipes" from the book. You can watch her making the bars in the video below. These are gluten-free and absolutely delicious.
Shelley and Rebecca can be found at their website Anti-Cookbook.com. They also have a Youtube channel: The Anti Cookbook where they demonstrate some of the recipes from the cookbook. You can also follow The Anti Cookbook on Instagram.
Make sure to listen to this episode of A Healthy Bite with authors Rebecca Bloom and Shelley Onderdonk. Share this with the young adults in your life who want to make tasty, nutritious food at home.
If you prefer watching the video version of this podcast is also available on YouTube.
Share this post with the young adults in your life and help them get started cooking and creating their own healthy, budget-friendly meals at home!
In today's healthy bite, we are exploring the building blocks of raising mentally healthy, well-balanced young men destined to grow up to be respectable, patriotic members of society.
It is not uncommon to hear these terms:
fatherless generation toxic masculinity boys will be boys
Many are trying to redefine manhood and discredit masculinity in a misguided attempt to resolve our problems.
My husband enjoyed reading Unlocking the Power of Fatherhood.
In his book, Unlocking the Power of Fatherhood, Gary Rogers shares his life experiences and the lessons he has learned along the way.
These lessons have all blended to shape a unique mission: to inspire authenticity in men, to furnish them with useful life skills and perspectives, and to empower a healthy culture of fatherhood.
Some call this book a blueprint for embracing the positive essence of fatherhood.
Others say it is a guide for men to achieve a successful life by confronting the unfairness of society, recognizing the lessons of failure, and discovering the value in the hardships of life. Interview Questions: Your book addresses men, primarily fathers, but you make note that much of what you write is meant for women as well. Like you, I believe that as women, we have an important role to play in strengthening and preserving our family bond and the relationships between family members.
You say when a child fails, a parent has an important decision to make - throw them a lifeline or allow them to learn that actions have consequences. That is hard for parents; how do we figure it all out?
You talk about the core strength and strength of character in the strong woman in the first chapter of your book. Who was this woman, and what can we learn from this her?
In the book, you walk the reader through discovering their true self. You ended that exercise with the question, "What am I going to do about it?" Why is that so important for parents? Transformation in the Storm You ponder the topic of Victim vs. Sovereign after a trip to the hospital, can you elaborate on this?
Let's talk about the victim mentality.
Can you explain a bit about victimization as it pertains to raising kids free from the bondage of that mindset?
Help us to find the balance when our kids do take on the victim role. How do we help them with problem-solving and emotions? The Measure of a Man Chapter You share a scenario when you observe a couple at a restaurant. When you walk out to the car, stand there until he opens the door for you. If he gets in the car and sits down and you are standing there expectantly, he'll get the message...otherwise, tell him you have an Uber app on your phone. I have heard from some men say that they have been given hateful looks after holding the door open because some women consider this an insult. How do we teach our sons to respect women in a society that says women can't have it both ways?
Some say we, women, can't expect to date a gentleman AND have the advantages of modern times because it is selfish. What are your thoughts on this topic?
Meet the author of Unlocking the Power of Fatherhood
Gary Rogers is a father and grandfather, pubic speaker, and author of Unlocking the Power of Fatherhood. Gary is currently hosting a webinar series on Zoom about the values of being a good father; you can register for his series here. To connect with Gary, please visit rethinkingfatherhood.com.
June 4th | Chapter 4: Finding the Place of Your Highest Purpose June 9th | Chapter 5: Dimensions of Authentic Masculinity June 11th | Chapter 6: Finding Purpose in the Struggle June 16th | Chapter 7: Taking the Stage of Greatness June 18th | Chapter 8: Our Sacred Honor, the Core of a Man
Gary D. Rogers is the author of Unlocking the Power of Fatherhood. He grew up in the gulf coast town of Freeport, Texas. The younger of two sons, he was raised by parents who maintained a lifelong,
When faced with hardships in life, we have two choices. We can overcome and use these challenges to become stronger and better, or we can be defeated and give up. Diagnosed with diabetes Not too long ago, I read an inspiring story about a young man diagnosed with diabetes. Krishna Kaliannan, the founder of Catalina Crunch, was struggling to control his blood sugar, while at the same time, his weight was skyrocketing.
Around this time, Krishna got a call from his doctor, who told him his blood sugar level was 212, and he needed to lose 25 pounds. His doctor reiterated that he needed to get his act together to lose weight and get his blood sugar levels under control right away.
With a new determination, Krishna headed to the supermarket to find something new and exciting to eat that would meet his requirements. Those were:
Zero sugar High in protein High in fiber Low in empty carbs
The struggle to find something that fit this description was real! For a while, Krishna ate mostly eggs, nuts, and meat. He started wishing for a breakfast that would taste like the crunchy sweet bowls of cereal he ate as a kid. Sadly, at that time, this product didn't exist. The birth of a low carb cereal Krishna was now on a mission to create his cereal recipe. That is when Catalina Crunch was born.
Catalina Crunch is a crunchy sweet cereal that has zero sugar, only 5g net carbs per bowl, 8g plant protein, and 7g plant fiber. Check out all of the nutritional benefits:
Keto-Friendly Low Carb Zero Sugar / Zero Sugar Alcohols Packed with 8g Plant Protein for Energy Packed with 7g Plant Fiber To Keep You Full and Promote Gut Health Gluten + Grain-Free Paleo Friendly Dairy-Free Vegan Non-GMO Majority Organic Made with All-Natural Ingredients No Artificial Anything Nut-Free Soy-Free Wheat-Free Contains Turmeric to help fight inflammation and boost immunity
In this episode of A Healthy Bite, I'm talking to Krishna about his journey, greenwashing, health, nutrition, and how he created my favorite low carb cereal! You can get 10% off your purchase of Catalina Crunch using my affiliate link and coupon code TOM10.
Krishna is thrilled to have the chance to put a little childhood excitement back in your morning and satisfy your sweet tooth! So, don't give up on your childhood dreams! Catalina Crunch is bringing them back! Plus, if you want a cheesy snack with crunch, try the cheese bites.
Make sure you check out my dessert recipe using Catalina Crunch: Low Carb Salted Caramel Peanut Crunch Chocolate Bars!
Topics we discuss in this episode I know you are the founder of Catalina Crunch, but you also are a frequent speaker at nutrition events, right?
So what's the most deceptive practice you see other food companies using to trick people into buying their products?
A few years ago, you were diagnosed with diabetes - what was your biggest problem meal at that time?
Why do you think so many people in America have a chronic disease in spite of wealth, education, and technology?
So let's talk about Glyphosate showing up in so many cereals. What is Glyphosate, and why should we care? What does science say about it?
Catalina Crunch Cereals are Glyphosate-Free, right, you had it tested? More on quitting sugar: If you want to know more about why and how I quit sugar, or try some sugar-free recipes here are a few articles:
14 Things We Do to Lower the Risk of Metabolic Syndrome Blame it all on sugar; the white stuff is killing us Beating Sugar Addiction: 3 Scientifically Proven Cornerstones of Success Pantry Makeover; ditch the sugar! Balance Blood Sugar for Better Results from Your Workout Break the Sugar Addiction Menu Plan Week 2 Break Sugar Addiction Menu Plan Week 3 Break the Sugar Addiction Menu Plan Week 4 Break the Sugar Addiction with BONUS Step 6 Replace Sugary Desserts and Treats Low Carb Salted Caramel Peanut Crunch Chocolate Bars
How to Achieve Peace & Happiness As a Christian, I believe that our power comes from God. Having faith in God we believe that through Him all things are possible. God is in control over everything in the world according to John 14:12. If we focus only on our ability we will believe that things are impossible.
I have written about before, our healthcare system is broken and doesn't appear to be improving. When our goal is to live a long life, we must learn to live peacefully, stay calm, and feed our body and mind healthily.
We hope you will recognize this site as a place where you can come to find inspiration for living a healthy lifestyle. If you aren't sure which baby steps to start with, we have some recommendations in the start here section.
A Healthy Bite is one piece of a big picture of achieving and maintaining total health. In this episode, meet John J. Murphy.
As a business consultant for the past thirty-one years, John has been trained to help leaders and organizations solve problems at the root-cause level. His proposed solution to the healthcare crisis? Miracle-minded management. John J. Murphy is a global business consultant, speaker, and award-winning author. He is Founder (1988) and CEO of Venture Management Consultants, Inc., a firm specializing in creating lean, high-performance work environments.
As a business consultant, Murphy has delivered services to some of the world’s leading organizations, including ADP, AlliedSignal (Honeywell), BMW, Chase, the CIA, GE, GM, GSK, Hilton, Lockheed Martin, Merck, the Michigan State Senate, Perrigo, Prudential, Raytheon, Spectrum Health, Target Stores, Teva, and the US Navy.
As an educator and Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt, Murphy has trained thousands of people from over 50 countries, including Fortune 500 executives, project leaders, military leaders, managers, and black belts. He has mentored dozens of project teams in Organizational Development, Operational Excellence, Business Process Innovation and Lean Six Sigma applications.
As a speaker, Murphy has delivered keynotes and seminars worldwide. A critically-acclaimed authority on peak performance, transformational leadership and healthy mind-body-spirit, Murphy is a best-selling author who has published 19 books and appeared on over 400 radio and television stations and his work has been featured in over 50 newspapers nationwide.
Murphy is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame (BBA Finance) and the University of Michigan’s Human Resource Executive Program. He is also a former quarterback for Notre Dame.
Connect with John J. Murphy at his website: www.johnjmurphy.org. Corporate Wellness Miracle Minded Manager: A Modern Day Parable about How to Apply A Course in Miracles in Business releases on October 22, 2019
An intriguing parable about bringing more inspiration, harmony, balance, and peace of mind to corporate culture, Miracle Minded Manager offers insightful lessons on how to overcome fear and eliminate stress in all areas of our lives. Murphy teaches readers how to get out of their own way by shifting their thinking to see life—and themselves—very differently. The book integrates teachings of A Course in Miracles (ACIM), a unique, spiritual self-study program designed to awaken us to the truth of our oneness with God and love, along with other great spiritual lessons. Miracle Minded Health care In simple terms, this means living from a basis of love and appreciation and sacred intelligence, not fear and stress. Unfortunately, it is human nature to attach to the ego-thought system, which is fear-based, dualistic, and stubborn. This attachment (and habit) translates into worrying about things – like health and wellness. Ironically, worrying about things like health and wellness doesn't improve it. It makes it worse. Anxiety and stress weaken the immune system and leave us more vulnerable to illness and disease. It gets even worse when we get a diagnosis of something fri...
Living Paycheck to Paycheck In her book Spiritual and Broke, Jennifer Noel Taylor describes her struggles with money, the mistakes she believes she made with the Law of Attraction, and how she turns things around. Her "aha" moment was a terrifying wake-up call. Drawing many examples from her story, she explores:
Why shifting our thoughts alone doesn’t always change what we are attracting How the Law of Attraction can disempower us, if not approached correctly. Why budgets don’t work. The difference between inspired action and busywork. How our self-worth can affect our net worth. How to naturally cut spending without feeling like we’re depriving ourselves of what we love.
Meet Jennifer Meet Jennifer Noel Taylor, an energy healing practitioner, self-help motivator, and the CEO of Quantum-Touch, Inc. She has dedicated her life work to helping people discover the healing power of their love.
Jennifer graduated from Cal Poly (San Luis Obispo, CA) with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer Science and a Minor in Philosophy. After graduation, she started her first job as a Software Engineer at a big company in San Diego. Like so many people, she felt incredibly trapped and depressed at a job that paid the bills but didn’t align with her true passion in life. She innately knew that she had a purpose and felt keenly aware that she was not following her true calling in life.
[Tweet "“The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away” – PABLO PICASSO"]
To cope with the social isolation and depression she felt at work, she studied bodywork and alternative healing. She attended the International Professional School of Bodywork, Esalen Institute in Big Sur, and the Maui Academy of Healing Arts. While working on people, she started to feel the “energy fields” emanating from people. She became fascinated by energy healing and studied various energy healing modalities, including Reiki. “Everything responds to Love” She met Richard Gordon, the founder of Quantum-Touch as his lecture on Maui. She fell in love with the vision of Quantum-Touch and received a very clear message from the Universe that energy healing was her true calling. Shortly after training in Quantum-Touch, she quit her job, took a leap of faith, and finally followed her Heart. She took over as CEO of Quantum-Touch in June 2002.
As CEO of Quantum-Touch, Jennifer continues to promote optimal wellness by helping people connect more deeply to their love. Not only is Love the basis of all healing but it also is the guiding force behind her business.
Her business practice includes spiritually rewarding jobs, loving service to the world, environmental responsibility, and financial abundance. Quantum-Touch has grown from a regional U.S company to a multinational corporation.
Imagine… If more people were able to do what they love, how much more joyful the world would be.
Trust Your Intuition: 100 Ways to Transform Anxiety and Depression for Stronger Mental Health In this episode of A Healthy Bite, we are discussing how to help our kids have healthier minds.
Meet Jill Sylvester, a licensed mental health counselor and author of two books that can help parents and children strengthen their mental health.
A Young Adult novel "The Land of Blue" which deals with the themes of depression, anxiety, and addiction and is essentially a self-help book for all ages under the guise of YA fantasy fiction. It's a reliable tool for parents to help their children navigate OCD. A self-help book, "Trust Your intuition: 100 ways to transform anxiety and depression for stronger mental health."
While there are hundreds of steps to choose from, in her book, here are a few simple actions that, if you stick with them, will bring about results and help you transform anxiety. List 3 things you're grateful for every morning Use a journal or make a mental note. By stating what you feel thankful for, you rise above the negative chatter in your mind. Take an afternoon break Breaks allow you to hit the pause button, helping you manage your emotions, so they don't get the better of you. Every afternoon, go out for a coffee. Or stretch, walk, or do whatever else helps you refresh. Schedule regular mental health days Days off nourish you like breaks. To make sure they happen, schedule monthly mental health days—a day to look forward to, to rest and refuel. Trust your intuition Recall that feeling of this is a definite yes, do that, go on that retreat, make that call, risk looking foolish. Don't doubt these feelings: they are signs pointing you in the right direction. Building an intuition you can trust Jill says that flexing your intuition muscle is a learning process, some of the steps she guides her clients through include: Start small Focus on day-to-day decisions such as food choice or minor requests you've received. Check-in with yourself about what you really feel is best. Switch out of autopilot When you're operating on autopilot, it's easy to be swayed by other people's choices. Don't let the voice of the inner gremlins steering you in the wrong direction take over. Check-in with yourself Do you feel expanded, open, and relaxed at the prospect of doing something, or tight, agitated, and restricted? The latter points to saying "no…" Practice Practice all of the above. The more you do it, the better you will get at it.
Over time you will see that in trusting your intuition, you will be able to act and choose from a place of confidence, self-assuredness, and self-possession. Useful Tool for Anxiety Trust Your Intuition contains five sections that focus on how to: Hold On through some of the most grueling feelings of anxiety and depression; Take Good Self-Care; Believe; Trust Your Intuition, and Feel Better.
The book is a great reference tool; flip through when you need to find just the right tool for a particular challenge. For example:
Is anxiety creeping up on you? Play the "And Then What?" game, running the anxiety all the way through to a place where you emerge unscathed—or laughing! Are you feeling overwhelmed or on the verge of panic? Take a moment to distance yourself from the source. Is your child feeling anxious? Show him how to use the 'tighten and release' technique to help tension leave his body. Bonus: you can do this too! Are you unnerved by your inner gremlins' negative voices? Learn to outsmart them by talking back. You are worried that your next lousy day is right around the corner? Don't wait for it to happen. Prevent it by scheduling regular mental health days off.
Above all, Trust Your Intuition delivers this powerful reminder: your intuition never lies. Through practice, you can learn to tune into its voice and follow it like an inner navigation system. You can strengthen intuition too, like a muscle, and come to trust your inner voice.
According to Psychology Today, "Emotional intelligence refers to the ability to identify and manage one’s own emotions, as well as the emotions of others."
Emotional intelligence is generally said to include at least three skills: emotional awareness, or the ability to identify and name one’s own emotions; the ability to harness those emotions and apply them to tasks like thinking and problem solving; and the ability to manage emotions, which includes both regulating one’s own emotions when necessary and helping others to do the same.
Teaching our children to be emotionally intelligent can only benefit them as they mature into adulthood.
Emotional Intelligence, or EQ is also referred to as social and emotional learning. There are many benefits of higher emotional intelligence such as:
Kids with higher EQ do better on tests and typically have higher grades.Children who display higher EQ tend to grow into adults who are more likely to graduate from college and enter the workforce by their mid-twenties.People with high EQ are less likely to deal with mental illness.
Don't worry too much if it seems like your child has a low EQ; it develops over time. Practicing EQ skills can help our children develop these skills.
How can Parents Raise Emotionally Intelligent Children?
Identify what they are feeling - it helps if parents can teach emotion words.Empathize with your child - express an understanding of what they are going through.Model Healthy Expressions of Emotions - Being expressive rather than shifting blame.Learn to be a Problem Solver - Coach your child rather than solve for themTeach Children Coping Skills - expressing feelings, venting to parents, drawing their feelings, etc.
People with higher emotional intelligence handle life with a more optimistic attitude and experience less burnout and stress.
We can't rescue our children from everything; that's why it is so important to teach them to problem-solve. Often, a parent's desire to solve every issue prevents us from seeing the child's need to learn problem-solving skills.
Consequences are part of the growing-up process. Of course, it doesn't feel good at the moment, but allowing our children to develop these skills prepares them for adulthood. So, remember to coach rather than solve the problem for kids. Even though it's hard, don't always take away the natural consequences.
EQ on the decline
Over the past three decades we can see that IQ is increasing (24 points); at the same time Emotional Intelligence (EQ) is declining. Raising emotionally intelligent children increases their self-confidence, performance in school, and deepens their social relationships and resilience.
If emotional intelligence is such a key to a successful future, how can parents teach it to children? That's what we are talking about in this episode of A Healthy Bite with Kerry Goyette.
Meet Kerry Goyette
She is CEO & Founder of Aperio Consulting Group, Certified Professional Behavior Analyst and Certified Forensic Interviewer with postgraduate studies in psychometrics.
Book: The Non-Obvious Guide to Emotional Intelligence. Named among the Best Business Books For Summer 2019 by Forbes and among 7 Books on Relationship Building Every Entrepreneur should read by Forbes and featured on Bloomberg TV.
Links: Connect with Kerry Goyette on Facebook @thinkaperio, Twitter @AperioCG, and LinkedIn @aperio-business-consulting and visit www.thinkaperio.com.
The Ted Talk I mentioned in this episode is found here.
Watch this episode:
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All over the world, millions of people have had their lives devastated due to unknown or unsolved illnesses. In addition, "many patients presenting with medically unexplained symptoms also meet the diagnostic criteria for anxiety and/or depression." (1)
If you've ever experienced chronic illness, you know why these symptoms usually accompany depression. Feeling pain on a daily basis can cause depression. Concern over frightening symptoms can create anxiety and lead to panic attacks.
It's all so hard to unravel.
It's all in your head
For those with chronic pain or symptoms of illness lasting more than six months, every day tasks can become challenging. When the illness is something that others can't see, there is another layer of complication. Living with an invisible illness can be an isolating experience which often brings about feelings of self-doubt.
The first instinct when experiencing mysterious symptoms is typically to seek a diagnosis.
A patient may feel disappointed after visiting the doctor a few times without receiving answers. In fact, among those with chronic illness, seeing many doctors without answers may become the norm. This can be even more frustrating when you pay a doctor only to hear, "there's nothing wrong with you."
What can be even more discouraging is when a doctor tells you "it's psychosomatic." There is a mind-body connection but likely it's not all in your head.
Definition of psychosomatic
of, relating to, concerned with, or involving both mind and bodyof, relating to, involving, or concerned with bodily symptoms caused by mental or emotional disturbance
If you've ever been told you are "perfectly normal" when seeking a help for what clearly feels like dis-ease in your physical body, you'll want to listen to A Healthy Bite with Dr. Cynthia Li.
Brave New Medicine
In her revelatory memoir, Dr. Li shares her path to healing; how she overcame debilitating symptoms and the journey to recovery.
Dr. Li was enjoying a successful in her career in medicine, but this became a challenge when an autoimmune thyroid condition led to mysterious symptoms in her body.
Like many people with an undiagnosed illness, test after test came back "within normal limits." She started to question her illness and, being a doctor, referred herself to a psychiatrist, who told her she was in good mental health.
At this point, Dr. Li was sent back to other specialists for more tests. At home with two young children, Dr. Li embarks upon the journey to find a way to heal herself. She becomes more regimented, prioritizes sleep, and eats healthier. As a practicing vegetarian, she began to do more research which led to her altering her food choices.
Brave New Medicine chronicles the quest of a young doctor and mother who bravely shifts her thinking. She undertakes an investigation into the root causes of her sickness. It is on this path, Dr. Li explores the emotional and spiritual side of healing. In spite of her medical training, Dr. Li's journey gives insight into one of the problems with western medicine.
Dr. Li wrote her memoir in hopes it would offer support, validation, and a new perspective for doctors and patients alike. Through her story, she hopes to share how patients can also begin a healing journey.
An amazing perspective
Over the years, as I sought answers for myself or my daughter, as I've listened to the stories of countless friends and acquaintances with unexplained symptoms, I have often wondered what it's like for the doctor when these tests come back normal. This was a unique opportunity to talk to a physician who knows what it's like to be the patient.
Dr. Li's book is a wonderful tool to help you on your path to healing.
Meet Dr. Cynthia Li
CYNTHIA LI, MD graduated from The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, and has practiced internal medicine in settings as diverse as Kaiser Permanente Medical Center,
Technology is here to stay and leaves many parents wondering, what are they doing online? There are lots of questions when it comes to kids and online activities.
We can't just bury our heads in the sand and hope for the best. Instead, we need to be proactive. Ask questions, and keep the lines of communication open. Kids are on social media, in chat rooms, and they're playing addictive video games.
As parents, it's our job to stay on top of what kids are doing. We need to know who they are talking to online.
Video Games
You may be asking, "Will letting my child play violent video games make them more violent? Probably not, but psychologists agree it may be harming them in other ways" according to Nicole Beurkens, PhD, Clinical Psychologist.
At first glance, it seems logical that more exposure to violence would lead to more violent behavior. But, given the massive exposure to violent games kids have, wouldn't kids today, after years of violent gameplay, be far more violent? Yet, they are not."
Did you know that watching videos on YouTube is the main activity for kids aged 5 to 11, and one of the main activities enjoyed by all kids up to age 17? YouTube is the most used social network for kids aged 5 to 14 in Spain and all kids in the U.S. Kids with iOS devices spend a massive 40% of their time on YouTube, while 25% of active kid's devices report browsing activity on youtube.com.
An announcement by Qustodio introduces a new feature for parents to monitor their children's experience on YouTube; to keep them safe from inappropriate and harmful content.
Recently, Qustodio mined it's platform (see infographic at the bottom of this post) for data from 200,000+ users in the U.S. over one month and developed an infographic of its findings, including:
Data shows a potentially dangerous discrepancy between which games kids play most and which games parents blockParents are blocking only half of the most addictive video games All of the top games kids play contain some violence The top 3 games played by girls: Roblox, Fortnite, MinecraftThe top 3 games played by boys: Roblox, Minecraft, Clash Royale
In this episode of A Healthy Bite, Qustodio's Head of Product and Analytics, Manuel Bruscas, joins me for a chat about video game data and what their findings mean for parents.
Watch this episode on youtube:
Read also:
How to protect children from internet dangersInternet Addiction is Real & How Parents Can Reduce the Risk for ChildrenAdolescent Internet Dangers; What Every Parent Needs to Know
Manuel Bruscas, VP of Product & InsightsManuel Bruscas BellidoVP of Product & Insights
Manuel Bruscas Bellido (Castellón de la Plana, Spain, 1975) is Qustodio’s VP of Product & Insights. He leads the company’s product strategy to ensure we provide families with the best digital safety and wellbeing experience in the world.
Prior to Qustodio, he spent 20 years in analytics, mobile, digital commerce, and product roles, working across the globe for various companies including Vistaprint, Desigual, and eDreams. He holds a degree in Business Administration from ESADE in Barcelona and participated in an exchange with Georgetown University in Washington D.C.
Manuel loves telling stories with data and co-founded BcnAnalytics, a non-profit organization, to help Barcelona become a European hub for analytics. His other mission is to curb food waste. Manuel co-authored a book to increase awareness about the issue, “Los Tomates de Verdad Son Feos”, in 2018.
He also loves music, especially heavy-metal. He admits to being a not-so-good guitar player but an excellent listener. Above all, his greatest loves are his wife Celia and his daughter Andrea.In general, he likes people who show passion and a willingness to question the status quo in order to make the world a better place. His current motto is a quote from Nelson Mandela: “It always seems impossible until it's done”.
Are you busy? Most of us will answer: YES! Sometimes it is overwhelming to think about all of the things that need accomplishing. We have lots of lists!
Have you ever been feeling anxiety and stress from the crushing enormity of your to-do list? Me too! All these years we may have been looking at our to-do lists all wrong! There are so many benefits of having the right kinds of lists.
Here's how listful living can make you a healthier, happier person
Helps prioritizeKeeps us accountableCreates structure and orderGives us a feeling of accomplishmentCan help to relieve stressGives insight to delegate tasks to othersMakes us more efficient and productiveKeeps us calmer
In this episode of A Healthy Bite, Paula Rizzo walks us through Listful Living. I can't wait for you all to meet Paula. She is an Emmy-award winning television producer, best-selling author, and media trainer and strategist. As a former senior health producer for Fox News Channel for more than a decade, she produced segments with a range of top experts including JJ Virgin, Jillian Michaels, and Deepak Chopra. A media veteran for nearly 20 years, she also worked in local news in New York city as a producer for WCBS, WPIX and WLNY. She coaches experts and executives to perform better on camera and produce their own videos.
Paula encourages us to put the "right things" on our lists and teaches us how to use a list to make us calmer and more mindful.
Paula's new book Listful Living is not just about making lists. It's about making HEALTHIER lists!
Prioritizing what matters most
In January 2016, while sitting at her desk in New York, Paula started to feel a dull pain below her belly button but put off going to the doctor. Two days later, she found out that her appendix burst. This sudden, painful experience reshaped how Paula viewed everything in her life — her demanding job, her obligations as a wife, daughter, and friend. In hindsight, it gave her a new perspective into how much we put on our plates and what matters most.
You'll especially appreciate the page "A Matter of Health" because you get to write down the things that you plan to do to stay mentally and physically healthy at regular intervals. It's all about accountability to oneself, and I think it is brilliant. I felt like I was making a date to take care of myself.
It's the perfect book for those wanting to become calmer, more mindful, less stressed, though more productive versions of themselves. Paula has been featured on Oprah, Health, Woman's Day, Fast Company, and Fortune discussing productivity, stress, work-life balance, self-care, travel, and more.
Slow down with Listful Living
[Tweet "Rest is the new hustle"]
Paula says slowing down is prioritizing on steroids - we just have a hard time slowing down. I ask Paula to share with us how to cope with slowing down more successfully.
Paula says she prefers to go with the Marie Kondo (who she met just days before her appendix burst) version of saying no: "if it doesn't bring me joy, I'm not doing it anymore!" That's a technique I'm trying out right now when I have the option of saying no.
Listful Living is like an activity book for grown-ups! You're going to love it. Make sure you listen to the podcast with Paula or watch the video on YouTube.
Websites: www.listproducer.com // www.paularizzo.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/ListProducer/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/listproducer/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paularizzo1/Twitter: https://twitter.com/listproducer
What is a TBI? CDC defines a traumatic brain injury (TBI) as a disruption in the normal function of the brain that can be caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head, or penetrating head injury. Everyone is at risk for a TBI, especially children and older adults. The severity of a TBI may range from “mild,” i.e., a brief change in mental status or consciousness to “severe,” i.e., an extended period of unconsciousness or amnesia after the injury. (1)
Car, bike and motorcycle accidents, sports injuries, falls, etc. are among the ways people become brain injured. Football players are particularly at risk for TBI and Degenerative Brain Disease. A study showed that up to 87% of Former football players had degenerative brain disease. Players have a wide variety of symptoms such as dementia; 95% had cognitive symptoms, like issues with memory, executive function and attention. (2) A TBI can cause a wide range of functional short- or long-term changes affecting:
Thinking (i.e., memory and reasoning) Sensation (i.e., sight and balance) Language (i.e., communication, expression, and understanding) Emotion (i.e., depression, anxiety, personality changes, aggression, acting out, and social inappropriateness).(3)
People who have experienced a TBI may have difficulty with things they previously had been able to do. This is why Susana Stoica came up with a tasty solution. An exciting new five-part cookbook series for people who have had a traumatic brain injury People who have a traumatic brain injury (TBI) are no longer able to cook, even if they were proficient cooks before the trauma. That is what happened to the Susana Stoica, author of a new four-part cookbook series "Cooking after Brain Injury: Easy Cooking for Recovery."
Susana had two TBIs on the same day and ended up not being able to make sense of cooking. With determination and patience, over a span of ten years, Susana was able to find a way to cook again. She then documented her new approach to cooking so she can share it with others fighting to recover from the impairments of brain trauma.
As you will hear in this podcast episode, Susana has made each one of these recipes repeatedly and they have all been taste tested. Because of the nature of her cookbook. I believe it would be a perfect cookbook for those who struggle to understand the process of meal preparation. Beginners can benefit from these books as Susana has painstakingly included every detail, even down to what the ingredients look like!
Every assisted living community should have a set of these cookbooks available for those who still cook but lack focus. Cooking after Brain Injury: Easy Cooking for Recovery: Book 1 The new way of cooking deals with the typical issues related to brain trauma: problems with concentration, sequencing, and with determining that dishes go together. This is the first book in a series of increasingly complex recipes. Cooking after Brain Injury: Easy Cooking for Recovery: Book 2 The second book in the “Cooking after Brain Injury: Easy Cooking for Recovery” series contains somewhat more difficult dishes, so the person with brain trauma can go one step further in improving his/her cognitive abilities. Like in the first book, the recipes are easy to follow and healthy. Some of the dishes can be used both as sides and, if desired, as vegetarian dishes. All the recipes are low in fat content, but they can be easily modified, if so desired for the Keto diet. Cooking after Brain Injury: Easy Cooking for Recovery: Book 3 The third book of recipes goes one step further in complexity, introducing pie making and baking a healthy version of meat pie that even gluten-sensitive people can safely eat. The dishes are inspired by a variety of cooking traditions. Cooking after Brain Injury: Easy Cooking for Recovery: Book 4 This fourth book in the series contains more advanced recipes than the previous three books. These should be attempted only after one is comfor...
We are giving away one copy of What Game Are You Playing There are two ways to enter the giveaway:
Share what game you are playing or how you get gutsy, then tag me @thatorganicmom and the author on any social media @Robin Moriarty or @GutsyRobin or @RobinMoriartyGutsy and use the #getgutsy or #whatgameareyouplaying hashtag. Take Robin's quiz that I mentioned here and comment below that you took the quiz - feel free to share your score, but you don't have to.
What game are you playing? I was hooked when I read the story you shared about your coworker saying that he wasn't winning. Your response caught my attention. When did you figure out that you were playing the "Spending the most amount of time in the coolest places" game?
The older I get, the more I want to focus on the things that are important to me and what I am on the earth to do. You talk about this in your book, why do you think it's so important to play the game that is right for YOU as an individual?
Say you meet someone who has been floating through life, not necessarily choosing a path, just going wherever life takes them, potholes and all, but feel unsatisfied with the way things are going. How would you encourage them to start achieving what matters most?
I loved the way your friend stayed motivated while playing the "experience it all" game by sending her packages to her office. I did something similar when I used to have a long commute - I paired my driving time with learning Mandarin Chinese - a language I love. Studying made the commute less tiresome for me, but that wouldn't work for everyone. How do we figure out what game we are playing?
You suggest throwing out the "timeline" - my therapist calls this measuring your life with someone else yardstick. I agree this is difficult to do, especially when paired with "focus on what brings you joy" - what's your advice to someone who might be playing the "I can barely pay my bills" game who doesn't have time to focus on the things that bring them joy. Or the person who was not born into a privileged position in life? How can someone like that achieve what matters most when they're just trying to survive?
In your epilogue, you likened other people's expectations to putting on layers and layers of clothing. How close are you to your goal of wearing just flip-flops and a sundress, wandering down a beach carefree?
If you prefer to watch, this podcast episode is also available with video on my Youtube Channel.
Make sure you share this post with all the women in your life. Please take the time to rate and review A Healthy Bite so we can spread the word about healthy living!
I'm always inspired when I meet someone who is living a well-balanced, healthy lifestyle. If that person also happens to be a motivational speaker, well, BONUS!
In this episode, you'll meet David Essel, best-selling author, and life coach. He is here to inspire change in the world and motivate you to be all you are meant to be.
David recounts the story of a young man graduating from high school, who inspired him to write a book that will encourage children to love and accept others. Why? Because change starts from the top down.
[Tweet "Change starts from the top down ~ @DavidEssel"]
Change starts with you
That means what we (parents, teachers, and leaders) need to know is that change in our country begins with change at home and in the classroom. An effective approach for inclusion in the classroom climate is created when parents, teachers, and students work together for respect, kindness, compassion, and consideration toward one another.
How does David Essel suggest we accomplish this shift in society today? Listen in!
What if every day was your best day ever?
As mentioned in the podcast, each morning I ask Alexa to start my day. Alexa tells me "it's going to be the best day ever." Then Alexa reads the weather, how long my commute will be, what's on my calendar for the day, and plays a song to put some giddy-up in my get-along. Then Alexa plays David's One Minute Motivational Message.
David's work in the world of motivation and inspiration is endorsed by individuals like celebrity Jenny Mccarthy, the late Wayne Dyer, Suze Ormond, Mark Victor Hansen, Kenny Loggins, and many more!
Here's how you can program Alexa to keep you motivated with David's Message:
Go to your Amazon account or open your Alexa AppIn the search window, type "Alexa Skills David Essel's Motivational Minute"Enable SkillSay "Alexa, play my news, David Essel's Motivational Minute"
David has been working with people to help them release judgment and stereotypes against others for a long time. This book needs to be in the hands of teachers all across America:
The Real-Life Adventures of Catherine "Cat" Calloway, The First
The two predominant themes for David's children's book are related to:
Our need to accept those who do not look or act as we do.To follow our dreams with the unique talents we have been given.
David and I are discussing what we can do, as parents, to achieve our dream: A world where people have more compassion, acceptance, and love towards each other.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oy34u2baO6Q
David's Courses
You can find a plethora of useful information free on David's site in addition to his courses and coaching packages. David's Article How To Become An Independent, Powerful Woman: The Four Key Steps To Change is a life changer.
In the podcast we discuss the four important keys mentioned in the article linked above.
learn to say nopractice self-defenselearn to budget moneystop comparing yourself to other women
Make sure to share this podcast, youtube video and post with all the women in your life! If you are a teacher or parent, make sure to grab a copy of David's book for your home or classroom.
David came back and we did a second podcast episode here:
David Essel Books, Courses and Programs
The other book David mentions in the podcast Rockstar is available on Amazon.
Find David at his websiteOn YoutubeTwitterFacebook
About David Essel, Inspirational Speaker
David Essel, M. S. O.M., is a number one best-selling author, counselor, master life coach, radio host, international speaker and minister whose mission is to positively affect 2 million people or more every day, in every area of life, regardless of their current circumstances.
Celebrity Jenny McCarthy says “David Essel is the new leader of the positive thinking movement.”
For many years David has covered a variety of topics to help Americans heal from codependency to addiction re...
Are electric vehicles actually eco-friendly
My 13-year-old son brought up the subject as he is very aware of climate change and myths surrounding our efforts to be more environmentally friendly. After I recorded this podcast episode I began to wonder how much of an impact it would have to drive an electric vehicle.
Electric Vehicles which were hitherto thought to be a viable and environment-friendly alternative to carbon-emitting vehicular fuels such as petrol and diesel, are actually equally hazardous to the environment, if not more. In fact, recent studies have corroborated the fact that EVs are considerably worse for the climate than diesel cars. ~ The Myth Around Electric Vehicles: Are They Really Eco-friendly?
My point is, there are so many conflicting messages. What is the best thing to do when it comes to the environment? With many eco-friendly concepts, the problem lies not in people's willingness to change, but in not knowing which changes are most impactful.
The bottom line for me was all about the lack of standardized charging plugs. I share my experience in this podcast.
[Tweet "With many eco-friendly concepts, the problem lies not in people's willingness to change, but in not knowing which changes are most impactful."]
Looking for electric car charging stations
Depending on where you live this may or may not present a challenge. With an electric car, the most convenient way to charge it would be at home, overnight while you sleep. That could present a challenge if you live in a dorm, condo, or apartment. Unless there are charing stations in the parking area, you will need to charge the electric vehicle elsewhere.
In Knoxville, if you live locally and can charge your electric car over night, no problem! The difficulty arises when charging at night is not a possibility.
Another problem would be if you were driving an electric car from Nashville to Sevierville. You could run into some difficulty if you stopped by Knoxville to get a quick charge!
It took a lot of time and extra driving to find a place to charge the electric vehicle. When I arrived at the first two locations, they had been removed. After more driving and searching I ran into other problems; the fast charge option was not working.
What about people who do not live here and are just passing through? I would be so upset if I were stopping in Knoxville just to get charged. Many of the locations that show up on the map are no longer there or simply do not work.
Screen shot showing many of the charging stations, some were no longer available
Blink charging stations do not require a membership. "Anyone can charge at a public EV charger on the Blink Network. If you are not a Blink member, payment can be made using a Blink Guest Code" by going to their website. Blink.com
When you do find a working charging station you still may not be able to charge. "The spaces might be occupied — sometimes even by a non-EV owner who wasn’t paying attention to the signs" noted Ronald Montoya his article Can you own an electric vehicle with out a home charger? He concludes, "It is possible to own an EV without a home charger. But it depends on how much you drive daily and how comfortable you are with sticking to a routine of public charging."
One article about the hesitation electric vehicles might cause potential buyers, shared an example of an electric vehicle driver. She experienced some difficulty when a situation arose requiring some charge planning. The driver was left asking herself “Do I have enough power to get to day care, to the doctor, back to day care, and back to work and then home?” This is the scenario causing many people anxiety. In this scenario, "away from home, not knowing where a charging point might be introduces new uncertainties to driving."
Avoiding plastic and single use products
Leftovers and other bulk purchased foods or prepared vegetables can go in glass containers.
Creating a lifestyle that results in more energy may mean you'll need to take a few things off your plate. Don't worry, when you practice some of these suggestions, you'll find that you become more productive even though you are working less.
Have you ever been trying to fall asleep but your mind keeps trying to write a list? Do you replay conversations you had yesterday over and over in your head? Maybe you find yourself worrying about an aspect of your parenting and whether you are doing it right or not? If this sounds like you, it might benefit you to work on getting out of your head!
People who overthink things can become overwhelmed with self-doubt, fear, and concerns to the point of paranoia in some cases that just leave you feeling on edge non-stop.
Here's an example, a young woman who was babysitting for a young couple with one child and one on the way. She babysat the toddler during the occasion while the mother was giving birth to the new baby. After the couple came home with the new baby, the sitter didn't hear from them for several days. She asked if I thought they were upset with her for some unknown reason. My response was, maybe they are focused on the new baby? Of course, not long after they were asking her to babysit again.
She'd been overthinking things because she always wants to do her very best. She had started feeling paranoid that she'd unknowingly done something wrong. The time she'd spent overthinking was wasted time, lesson learned.
Do you see how getting your thinking patterns back in order can create a lifestyle that results in more energy? First, stop the overwhelm I love schedules and routines, but I've had to learn to rule them and not let them rule me. In the past, I would get overwhelmed by my to-do list until I started asking myself what the worst outcome would be if I missed an item on my schedule. Acknowledging that the world would not come to an end if I had to reschedule an appointment helped me.
It also helped me to be able to see something that needed to be done and know that I did have a scheduled time to take care of that. Believe it or not, that is the freedom that comes from following a specific cleaning routine. The knowledge that each task is in a rotation and while my windowsill might be dusty today, it's day will come. Second, give yourself room to breathe: Switch Off Your Smartphone When I tell people that I turn my phone completely off two hours before I go to bed, they're almost always surprised. Powering off the mobile isn't for everyone; for me it's self-care. This habit gives me some breathing space to have bonding time with my kids without the disruption and distraction of allowing everyone to have access to me 24/7. Doing this also gives my brain some essential and much-needed downtime.
Realize that play, fun, and joy are helpful when it comes to getting out of your head and even for creating a lifestyle that results in more energy. I started scheduling in some fun and play that had no purpose other than just because I enjoyed it. Engaging in activities that absorb me to the point that I lose all sense of time. It's those things that we find so enjoyable that we lose awareness of the world around us, for you it may be playing the guitar or swimming or whatever.
Enjoyable activities for creating a lifestyle that results in more energy include a wide variety of things. For some people it could be writing poetry, others may prefer knitting, or running! Whatever your thing is, find it, engage in it, enjoy it. You will be surprised at how much calmer and more relaxed you will be overall, not just when you are enjoying your favorite activity.
Third, stop multitasking to create lifestyle that results in more energy Multitasking means you are not fully concentrated on any of the tasks you are doing. When I started to see it that way I realized that I needed to be more mindful of what I am doing when I am doing it.
I read a book a while back that suggested that we ...
So, you're looking to gain more energy. How about exercise for energy? I know it sounds counterintuitive, but it is true that exercise can create energy. Don't get me wrong; if you do it too much or in the wrong way, it can undoubtedly drain your energy. So don't overdo it either.
There are many ways to Exercise for energy. But I have found the best way is to do something that you genuinely enjoy. Why is there such a misconception that exercise has to happen in a gym or that it has to be grueling? Do what you love, and you'll stick with it longer. If that's tennis or walking with a friend, or swimming, dancing, whatever, just move your body and get your heart rate up. Don't overanalyze this thing.
The Fred Hutchinson cancer research center proved that restorative yoga helps maintain or lose weight and reduces stress. Experts say Yoga can reduce binge eating, maybe because it helps to reduce stress. One yoga per week can create more energy, confidence, boosts energy overall. But if you hate yoga, don't do it!
This year I took on a three-month ballroom dancing course. Even though the class was under an hour; it was an excellent workout for me. I love dancing, so it didn't feel like a workout until the next day when my legs were sore!
Another way I have exercised in the past is martial arts. I enjoy Kung Fu and Tai Chi, kickboxing and stuff like that. My daughter goes to Taekwondo almost every day. Why? She enjoys it; as a result, she's lean, active, and energetic!
Kids just automatically exercise for enjoyment, so where do we lose that? When do we stop getting our exercise in ways that we love and start seeing it as one more chore on our to-do list?
A friend of the family lifts weights and genuinely enjoys going to the gym. If he has to miss a workout, he is seriously bummed. Not because he's not making progress, but because he enjoys the process.
This mindset of forcing yourself to workout is a severe drain on your energy! So the best way to exercise for energy is by moving your body doing something you love. Maybe you don't know what that is yet. If that is you, I encourage you to start trying different physical activities until you find what you want to do.
Make it your goal this week to create a list of activities that you think you might enjoy. Choose a couple to try and just get started. If you find you don't like a particular exercise, cross it off your list and try something new. Get out of your comfort zone. You'll gain more energy by doing an activity you enjoy than the one you do reluctantly.
PS - If you're looking to create energy, check out the podcast Eating for Energy as well.
What are the nutritional principles you should follow if you are eating for energy? Seems simple enough, right? Just fill your diet with healthy foods! Unfortunately, it's not that simple. Ironically when we are tired, that is when we reach for the junk food. Avoid sugar if you are Eating for Energy Sugary foods and processed foods are simply not good for creating energy long-term. Eating too much sugar can even make you look more tired. Research shows that too much sugar breaks down collagen and accelerates aging.
Having good fats in our body is very important. Fats help make us feel full and satisfied allowing us to use energy more efficiently. Also, Low-fat diets can make pain worse for those who have to think about pain management. What about Coffee when you are Eating for Energy? Caffeine! Coffee early in the day, meaning before noon and also limited to about two cups a day can have a positive impact on our energy levels as well as prevention of dementia. Drinking caffeine before noon is beneficial but after midday, it will affect your sleep. Three servings of caffeine per day may reduce the risk of Alzheimers and dementia. Coffee drinkers are less likely to die early than non-drinkers and help recover your energy faster after exercise.
Stick to coffee and tea for caffeine though, energy drinks with the combination of caffeine and taurine can cause your heart to speed up and have abnormal contractions. MRI research proves this doesn't happen with coffee. It's the combination of taurine and caffeine Sleep and Eating for Energy Losing sleep can be a drain on energy, and it can have a cumulative effect. Tart cherry juice is good for chronic insomnia, participants of one study were able to get 1.5 hours more sleep with Montmorency tart cherries. They also can help treat chronic pain. A bedtime snack that contains tryptophan can help you sleep. When not to eat when you are Eating for Energy It's a good idea to time your meals. Stacking meals can help with weight loss and energy. If you use intermittent fasting, try it both ways starting with a hearty breakfast and then tapering off towards the end of the day then fasting after a light dinner until breakfast the following morning. So fasting for 12-15 hours, with a window for eating 9-12 hours. Then reverse it and try the opposite, skip breakfast and eat a hearty dinner to see which makes you feel better. Most people feel best with a light dinner.
Keeping cell phone plugged in constantly can wear down your battery, and it's the same with our body, eating all day gives you less energy than if you practice intermittent fasting. Research shows that mice eating the same high-calorie high-fat food within an 8 hour period maintained their weight or lose weight, while those that ate the seam high-calorie high-fat foods spread out every two hours throughout an entire day gained weight.
So shut down the kitchen after dinner (hopefully around 7 pm), and you'll find yourself with more energy. Night owls eat about 250 calories more per day than others, with most of those calories consumed after 8 pm.
Health psychology research shows that when you think a particular food is healthy your body requires fewer calories to process it, levels of ghrelin are influenced by what we believe. If you feel like eating ice cream, go ahead - but don't feel guilty, tell yourself that you are choosing to indulge and enjoy it. The guilt causes stress and contributes to weight gain.
Do you want the taste or do you want to be nurtured? Maybe you want crunchy foods because you need an outlet for your frustration or stress? Does eating to nurture and energize you or are you continually fixated on food? If you are always thinking about food, spending all your energy obsessing over food, then you are wasting your energy? That's why I remove the decision-making process about certain foods. I talked about this in my New Years podcast.
What are you doing? Be mindful of it. If you're washing the dishes,
Making self-care a priority when you are alone is never easy! In the first of this three-part series on self-care, Jami and I discussed the question, "is self-care selfish?" We talked about a friend who chose me as her word of the year and what impact it had on her family. In the second episode, we talked about how we define self-care, what things we do for daily and why we consider those things important.
Today, Jami surprised me with the aspect of self-care that isn't often talked about. How to pull off self-care when you are alone. Jami wanted to address the fact that many single moms and even some women whose spouses are just distant for whatever reason, have to make a deliberate effort to take care of themselves. Tune in and be encouraged!
Share the podcast "making self care a priority when you are alone" with your girlfriends!
What is a podcast and how do I listen? A podcast is a free downloadable audio show that enables you to listen and learn while you’re on the go.
For iPhone/iPad/iPod listeners – Grab your phone or device and go to the iTunes store and search “A Healthy Bite.” This will help you to download the free Podcasts App (produced by Apple) and then subscribe to the show from within that app. Every time I create a new episode, you’ll get it downloaded right on your iDevice.
For Android listeners – Download the Stitcher Radio app (free) and search for “A Healthy Bite.” Click here to subscribe via Stitcher to A Healthy Bite.
For those who don’t have a mobile device – You can always listen to the show by clicking the audio file at the top of this page.
Also, it would mean a lot to me if you could leave a review for A Healthy Bite on iTunes
What is self care? In part two we are going to answer the question, "What is self care?" Let's talk about the nitty gritty self care that should be happening on a daily basis. Make sure to tune in as we help work out the details of what is self care, why it's not selfish, and how to pull it off. In part one of this three part series on Self Care, Jami and I posed the question, "Is self care selfish?"
My self care includes at least a couple of these every day:
Going to bed and getting up at the same time every day so I can get my beauty sleep. Staying organized with easy to implement calendar for all of our appointments, etc. Eating healthy meals, accomplished by planning ahead. Setting boundaries with my kids and others. Taking my vitamins by keeping them in a box on my table where I always sit to eat. I eliminate things that zap my energy Here's 31 Habits that will help you practice self care
I could list more but I'd love it if you would share your ideas in the comments! Please share this podcast with someone you love and subscribe to my feed to receive new episodes in your inbox! You can also watch this series on Jami's youtube channel.
What is a podcast and how do I listen? A podcast is a free downloadable audio show that enables you to take a podcast with you on the go.
For iPhone/iPad/iPod users – Grab your phone or device and go to the iTunes store and search “A Healthy Bite.” Download the free Podcasts App (produced by Apple) and then subscribe to the show from within that app. Every time I create a new episode, you’ll get it downloaded right on your iDevice.
For Android devices – Download the Stitcher Radio app (free) and search for “A Healthy Bite.” Click here to subscibe via Stitcher to A Healthy Bite.
For those who don’t have a mobile device – You can always hear the show by clicking the audio file at the top of this page. Or go to: https://www.thatorganicmom.com/podcast
Also, it would mean a lot to me if you could leave a review for A Healthy Bite on iTunes!
So, is self care selfish? That's what we are talking about today on the podcast. My Hopelively co-administrator, Jami Amerine, author of Stolen Jesus, and creator of Sacred Grounds, Sticky Floors will be chatting with me in this three part series about self care.
Listen in as we discuss the idea of taking care of yourself on a daily basis. That's right, we are suggesting you practice self care daily. In the first of this three part series, Jami and I are chatting about self care; is Self Care Selfish? Is Self Care Selfish? One friend of mine chooses a "word" every New Year, this year she told me her word is "me." Wow. I was really floored in a good way when I heard that she was finally going to put some focus on herself. However, at first her husband wasn't happy with her word. Maybe like many others, he thought she was being a bit selfish by choosing me as her word, but after he put some thought into it he changed his mind.
In the next two parts we'll be talking about what self care is all about and self care when you are alone, whether your spouse is no longer in the picture or whether they are simply gone most of the time.
You can also watch this series on Jami's Youtube Channel.
What is a podcast and how do I listen? A podcast is a free downloadable audio show that enables you to listen and learn while you’re on the go.
For iPhone/iPad/iPod listeners – Grab your phone or device and go to the iTunes store and search “A Healthy Bite.” This will help you to download the free Podcasts App (produced by Apple) and then subscribe to the show from within that app. Every time I create a new episode, you’ll get it downloaded right on your iDevice.
For Android listeners – Download the Stitcher Radio app (free) and search for “A Healthy Bite.” Click here to subscibe via Stitcher to A Healthy Bite.
For those who don’t have a mobile device – You can always listen to the show by clicking the audio file at the top of this page.
Also, it would mean a lot to me if you could leave a review for A Healthy Bite on iTunes!
Can you believe that some statistics say that “New Years Resolutions” are ditched less than three weeks into the new year? Wow. I do think though resolutions, in general, are outdated. I mean, what IS a resolution? It’s merely the decision to do or not to do a particular thing. You just resolve to do or not to do. Seems simple enough.
The big problem with new years goals and resolutions is the fact that most people set them based on what they think they SHOULD be doing (make a mental note here of that word should) and not necessarily what they WANT to be doing. Okay? Let that sink in.
Want is your motivation. Should is your downfall. So, maybe work on eliminating that word “should” from your vocabulary! Why do we think we SHOULD get a beach body? Well, because everywhere we look advertisers are telling us that should be our goal for summer! Hello? The word "should" actually undermines our ability to DO what is important to us. "Should" steals our follow through.
Past-tense should’s are even worse. "I should have eaten better yesterday," ugh what a guilt trip you’re giving yourself. Try using the words "could" or "would like to" instead: "I could have eaten better yesterday." See how much better that sounds!
Don’t think I have this figured out guys, I’m still working on it, but I’m just giving you a healthy bite to think on. So swap your shoulds for coulds and woulds.
goals vs. resolutions...
read the full text version in How to Make the Most of the New Year.
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What's it like for a dad to stay at home, shop for groceries, and have dinner on the table when his spouse comes home? Does he carpool? What's it like when he's the only Dad in the crowd? In this interview, we hear from a SAHD (Stay At Home Dad) who is making it work so his wife can pursue her career in nursing and be the breadwinner for the family.
While looking for a few images for this podcast, I ran across one of Josh with Taylor Swift and asked him if I could use it in this post. His answer, "If there is a picture that encapulates my old life contrasted with my new...lol. I've gone from hanging with Taylor Swift to hanging with a Swiffer."
[Tweet ""I've gone from hanging with Taylor Swift to hanging with a Swiffer.""] The Happy Hubby Homemaker Josh is a Media Professional with a degree in Communications and has more than two decades experience in the field. He describes himself as a husband and dad first. He says after those two roles, he's also an amateur home chef, football fan, xbox gamer, Sci-Fi and Superhero geek.
Josh has been a TV host and news anchor, a radio personality, talent coach and voiceover artist. He has narrated audible books, educational courses, and lots more. Josh has the capability to bring a words to life with his voiceover talents whether in animated projects or video games!
This Stay At Home Dad also has a blog where you can read more about his various undertakings such as the Diet that deters type 2 diabetes. Josh writes about some of the successes and pitfalls in being step-parents, a blended family, and individuals with diverse and often painful pasts.
He also expounds on his transition from successful radio personality to automotive professional and digital marketer. The Happy Hubby Homemaker writes about starting his own business and working out of the home. He and his wife make this work so that he can be there for his family. Josh writes, My wife wanted to focus on her dream of becoming a nurse practitioner. We decided that I would be a work-from-home husband/dad while she worked full time and went to school. Along with my own business, graduate school, and the responsibilities of being the “househusband”, I added the role of juggler as I balance everyone’s schedules. I am a personal chef, masseuse, chauffeur, errand runner, shopper, appointment setter, records keeper…the list goes on and on.
What does the wife of the Happy Hubby Homemaker say? Oh, and after you listen to this podcast you might be wondering how his wife feels about her happy hubby homemaker. Well, I've asked Chrissy if she would mind me sharing a recent Facebook post she wrote. What to say about Josh Brandon... he's my everything. He loves me in a way that I have never been loved before and I wish I could have met him sooner so I could love him longer.
Right now, as I embark on my last two weeks of the 1st semester of NP school, he probably doesn't feel very loved. Lol. Josh found me at a time in my life when I was very broken and he loved me anyway. I had been in a very bad relationship and I was pretty hardened towards all men, really.
Josh decided to break down that wall and continues to do so sometimes daily. It's not always easy between us and that's mostly me, but to be unconditionally loved is pretty overwhelming sometimes.
I have never met anyone with as much grace and patience as my husband. I admire this so much about him. He's taken my family in as his own. Loves my daughter as though she is his own.
All us girls living here with him are all pretty spoiled rotten by Josh. He cooks for us, babies us, rubs our feet, snuggles all of us...he gives 110% every day. Josh captivates my heart daily with giving and kindness. I couldn't help but stand there and admire him last night as we were standing in the Dollar Tree (of all places) and he was swapping recipes with this older lady.
You could tell it absolutely made her day. Josh carries with him an essence to make anyone he talks to feel like the ...
I met Danna at EarthFest this year, a place where I'm guaranteed to find many kindred spirits! I knew immediately when I walked by Danna's booth that she was the kind of person I wanted to get to know. One thing I plan to pick her brain more about in the future is Traditional Chinese Medicine! Danna organizes Meet Ups locally for anyone who would like to learn about foraging. I'm very pleased to introduce my TOM family to my new favorite herbalist:
Danna Sharp obtained her B.S. in Biochemistry from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville in 2012 and her Master’s Degree in Chemistry in 2015. She has been learning and working with plants for many years and has been studying nutrition and herbalism both independently and with other local herbalists.
As an herbalist, Danna loves to work with plants, but also places a high importance on the idea of food as medicine. Dietary therapy is a powerful mode of healing and she believes in using this method as a primary mode of therapy and then using herbs to supplement our path to regaining or enhancing health. Her site is Wisteria Herbs.
Danna loves to work with clients to improve their health no matter how small or large the task. Although she is good at working with many complaints, her specialties include skin, hormone, and digestive health.
Last week I interviewed Danna about foraging for herbs! Today Danna is sharing with us the basics of Nutrition. Listen as she shares her knowledge about nutrition.
Five Foundational Foods:
Bone brothLiver - Find instructions for making liver palatable in Nourishing Traditions!SeaweedSpirulinaBeans - my favorite bean cookbook is available on kindle: Bean by Bean.
Danna has a Facebook group for people with depression, I'm in this group and find it very encouraging and informational.
Listen to this podcast on iTunes.
What is a podcast and how do I listen?
A podcast is a free downloadable audio show that enables you to listen and learn while you’re on the go. To subscribe to my podcast for free, you’ll need an app to listen to the show from.
For iPhone/iPad/iPod listeners – Grab your phone or device and go to the iTunes store and search “A Healthy Bite.” This will help you to download the free Podcasts App (produced by Apple) and then subscribe to the show from within that app. Every time I create a new episode, you’ll get it downloaded right on your iDevice.
For Android listeners – Download the Stitcher Radio app (free) and search for “A Healthy Bite.”
For podcast enthusiasts – If you already listen to podcasts and have a podcatcher that you prefer, the feed you’ll need to add is https://www.thatorganicmom.com/feed/podcast
For those who don’t have a mobile device – You can always listen to the show by clicking the audio file at the top of this page. Or go to: https://www.thatorganicmom.com/podcast
Also, it would mean a lot to me if you could leave a review for A Healthy Bite on iTunes! Some upcoming shows include:
When your kids grow up and fly the coop (keeping a good attitude, stress free)How little trips can be a tool to combat stress in moms (my perfect day in Savannah)Eating for Energy Beginner HerbsClean like your life depends on it: Use non toxic cleaners Good, Better, Best; How to get the most out of meals on Water, drink, filter with Larry my water guyReasons and Ways to recycleFermented FoodsConsume Healthy FatsExercise for Energy
So make sure to subscribe using the instructions above so you won't miss out on future episodes of A Healthy Bite!
If you are new to Podcasts and would like to see what’s on my Feed (ones I’m subscribed to) you can check them out in my Podcast Guide!
You might also want to follow my YouTube Channel for encouraging and helpful healthful videos!
Rebecca interviews an herbalist, Danna from Wisteria Herbs in Knoxville, TN. Danna loves to work with plants, but also places a high importance on the idea of food as medicine. Dietary therapy is a powerful mode of healing and she believes in using this method as a primary mode of therapy and then using herbs to supplement our path to regaining or enhancing health.
When you hear the word “detox” does it make you cringe a little? If so, I’d like to work on changing how you think of the word detox!
- Sleep, shoot for 8 hours. Read more about good sleep hygiene.2. Drink plenty of water, preferably filtered. When you are dehydrated your body starts to become fatigued among other things. Keep everything running smoothly by staying hydrated.3. Use a dry skin brush for at least 3-5 minutes just before showering.4. Walk every day (2 miles or 30 minutes, whichever comes first.)5. Drink a detox tea between meals. Try Herbal Papaya or Graviola Leaf.6. Watch/Read fewer news stories. Listening to bad news multiple times per day does little for one’s outlook on life.7. Eat more greens at one meal per day; this can be done by eating a salad as a habit for lunch. It’s also fast and easy to prepare.8. Skip soda (start with one day per week, then work up.) Sodas can cause cravings, tooth decay, weight gain, brittle bones, and more. Diet soda is even worse. Set a goal to reduce or eliminate your soda intake. If you must drink it, save it for very special occasions.9. Splurge on a massage (or ask your kid, you might be surprised!) Getting a massage has been said to reduce headaches, body aches, enhance the immune system, release toxins, improve digestion, reduce anxiety and even depression. Obviously, massages are part of good health, so if I have to choose between having my nails done or getting a massage, hands down the massage wins!10. Create a menu plan for one week of dinners. Planning meals in advance instead of at the last minute will allow you time to put more thought into making a well-balanced meal. Plus, eating at home means less sodium, sugar, and unhealthy fats. If you are stumped for ideas, try using a menu service like emeals or join my online cookbook club and try out new cookbooks every month!
Find the rest of the suggestions and links here: May Detox Challenge instructions and contest
Download the May Detox Challenge Calendar!
Stand Up Desks
The April Challenge: Move Your Body
Listen to this podcast on iTunes.
What is a podcast and how do I listen?
A podcast is a free downloadable audio show that enables you to listen and learn while you’re on the go. To subscribe to my podcast for free, you’ll need an app to listen to the show from.
For iPhone/iPad/iPod listeners – Grab your phone or device and go to the iTunes store and search “A Healthy Bite.” This will help you to download the free Podcasts App (produced by Apple) and then subscribe to the show from within that app. Every time I create a new episode, you’ll get it downloaded right on your iDevice.
For Android listeners – Download the Stitcher Radio app (free) and search for “A Healthy Bite.”
For podcast enthusiasts – If you already listen to podcasts and have a podcatcher that you prefer, the feed you’ll need to add is https://www.thatorganicmom.com/feed/podcast
For those who don’t have a mobile device – You can always listen to the show by clicking the audio file at the top of this page. Or go to: https://www.thatorganicmom.com/podcast
Also, it would mean a lot to me if you could leave a review for A Healthy Bite on iTunes! Some upcoming shows include:
Foraging and Beginning Herbs with Danna from Wisteria Herbs5 Foundational Foods for Good Nutrition with Danna from Wisteria HerbsWhen your kids grow up and fly the coop (keeping a good attitude, stress free)Mother's Day Episode: How you know if you have the coolest mom on earthHow little trips can be a tool to combat stress in moms (my perfect day in Savannah)Eating for Energy Clean like your life depends on it: Use non toxic cleaners Good, Better, Best; How to get the most out of meals on Water, drink, filter with Larry my water guyReasons and Ways to recycleFermented FoodsConsume Healthy FatsExercise for Energy
So make sure to subscribe using the instructions above so you won't miss out on future episodes of A Healthy Bite!
Using a bidet is much more hygienic that using dry toilet paper. If you are using the adult wipes keep in mind no matter what it says on the side of the package, they should not be flushed. Yes, a wipe can be flushed, but what you don’t see is the problems they cause down the line, literally and figuratively.
Children deserve to be taught how to enjoy various foods and to know where they come from! So why not teach them to nourish themselves with an appreciation for the abundance of foods available to them
Sleep like you mean it and feel energized! The March Challenge is to get excellent sleep! That's a Challenge that anyone can snuggle up to and the prizes are HUGE!
Inflammation can keep us from living life to the fullest. Chronic inflammation is now believed to be at the center of a some of deadly diseases. You may have chronic inflammation and not even be aware of it and by the time you find out it’s usually in the form of diabetes, osteoarthritis, alzheimers, and even some cancers.
Want to eat healthily but really don't enjoy being in the kitchen? Try a few changes to make your kitchen work for you!
Ever wonder about the habits of healthy people? Here are ten things that I have noticed healthy people seem to do consistently.
Today's podcast goes along with the Healthy Kitchen Challenge that kicked off February first. Find more instructions for gearing up to healthify your kitchen here.
Creating a toolbox (healthy foods) to create health is the ultimate goal for our Healthy Kitchen Challenge. I have put together a Makeover Guide for those who want to get fanatical with the Healthy Kitchen Challenge which you can download for FREE. The link is at the bottom of this post.
Listen to this podcast on iTunes.
What is a podcast and how do I listen?
A podcast is a free downloadable audio show that enables you to listen and learn while you’re on the go. To subscribe to my podcast for free, you’ll need an app to listen to the show from.
For iPhone/iPad/iPod listeners – Grab your phone or device and go to the iTunes store and search “A Healthy Bite.” This will help you to download the free Podcasts App (produced by Apple) and then subscribe to the show from within that app. Every time I create a new episode, you’ll get it downloaded right on your iDevice.
For Android listeners – Download the Stitcher Radio app (free) and search for “A Healthy Bite.”
For podcast enthusiasts – If you already listen to podcasts and have a podcatcher that you prefer, the feed you’ll need to add is https://www.thatorganicmom.com/feed/podcast
For those who don’t have a mobile device – You can always listen to the show by clicking the audio file at the top of this page. Or go to: https://www.thatorganicmom.com/podcast
Also, it would mean a lot to me if you could leave a review for A Healthy Bite on iTunes! Some upcoming shows include:
Making your kitchen work for youTips for fighting inflammationSending your child to school with a bodyguardEating for EnergyExercising for EnergySleep like you mean itClean like your life depends on it
It's the little things that have a cumulative impact on our children’s health.
After raising six children I have learned that some little tweaks to lifestyle can make a huge difference!
Expect the unexpectedSleep in the dark
limit screen time at night
Let them play in the dirtBorn to RunToxin overloadA little change in your child's bathAvoid labeling your childUsing food bridgesBe your kids' role modelMake the most of meal-timeStop being a short-order cookChoose smart snacksMake food funCreate food that tastes goodBe patientBring back soup and salad
Listen to this podcast on iTunes.
What is a podcast and how do I listen?
A podcast is a free downloadable audio show that enables you to listen and learn while you’re on the go. To subscribe to my podcast for free, you’ll need an app from which to listen to the show.
For iPhone/iPad/iPod listeners – Grab your phone or device and go to the iTunes store and search “A Healthy Bite.” This will help you to download the free Podcasts App (produced by Apple) and then subscribe to the show from within that app. Every time I create a new episode, you’ll get it downloaded right on your iDevice.
Android listeners – Download the Stitcher Radio app (free) and search for “A Healthy Bite.”
Podcast enthusiasts – If you already listen to podcasts and have a podcatcher that you prefer, the feed you’ll need to add is https://www.thatorganicmom.com/feed/podcast
Don’t have a mobile device – You can always listen to the show by clicking the audio file at the top of this page. Or go to https://www.thatorganicmom.com/podcast
Also, it would mean a lot to me if you could leave a review for A Healthy Bite on iTunes!
Are you still drinking colas? Is soda your go to caffeine drink for that afternoon pick-me-up?
The folks that know say Americans consume 11 pounds of sugar per person, annually, just from drinking Coca-Cola alone, and in case you were wondering, “that's an average of 399 servings of Coke products every year, for every American, which is a bit less than the typical 56 gallons of soda the average American drinks annually.” Whatever you do, please do not trade one bad habit for another. Diet soda is worse for your health than even sugar is!
Help Quitting the Soda Habit
How To Kick The Habit
Write down your reasons for quitting; lose weight, be healthier, save money, whatever your reason is, write it down, post it on your fridge, in your car, at your desk, anywhere you will see it….Get a friend to kick the habit with you, accountability helpsDrink more water than you thought you ever could! This will help keep cravings away and flood your cells with hydration, making you feel better.Drink Green Tea or herbal teas, unsweetened of course, or sweetened with Stevia or a small amount of honeyDrink Fruit Infused Water, same great water, more flavor! I love this fruit infusing water bottle!Go cold-turkey. This is my way of giving up something, I'm so all-or-nothing… If you aren’t as passionate about giving up your soft-drink habit, then try weaning yourself off by drinking one less per day until you can completely quitTake a plastic baggie and put 17 teaspoons of sugar in it. Tape this to an empty bottle of soda to remind yourself of the amount of sugar you consume in one 20 ounce sodaWhat motivates you? Is it seeing your success? Motivate yourself by putting your “soda money” in a piggy bank or jar, when you fill it up treat yourself to some reward!Instead of drinking a soda, try carbonated water, it's great! Pellegrino and Perrier are both carbonated mineral water that will give your mouth that fizzy feeling without the sugar. You can even buy Perrier by the case at Costco, it is often on sale!If you absolutely must have a soda, try to cheat clean and cheat smart by drinking something like Virgil's Zero Root Beer, sweetened with Stevia. Virgil's even makes a Dr. Pepper substitute called Dr. BetterEven better than that there is a Kombucha (fermented health drink) flavor Root Beer, Ginger, and Doctor that are very good for you and taste similar to soda. Try looking for those at your local health food store. The brand is Live.Try drinking some stevia-sweetened homemade lemonade.Start juicing. Not only will you feel amazing with all that natural energy, but you'll also BE healthier! My favorite juice book is The Juicing Bible.Create a new ritual. If you used to drink a soda every afternoon, try taking a walk instead, or drinking hot water with a drop of peppermint oil.Get more help from my Quit Soda Guide
Have you given up drinking soda? If not do you want to? If so, how did you do it? I'd love to hear more about it and I created a community where we can chat about this topic and others.