Archive for the ‘menopause’ Category
To salt or not to salt? That is the question, and it’s a good one at that.
To some folks, salt is a four letter word.
However, for centuries it’s been used and praised as a spice and as a preservative.
Also, today some athletes are told to swallow salt tablets to offset the salt they lose through sweat.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the misconceptions about salt.
Salt, or sodium, is one of the electrolytes (a group of mostly minerals).
Table salt is technically sodium chloride, a combination of electrolytes. Electrolytes play an important role in your body. They are crucial for bone formation, blood clotting and the transmission of nerve impulses.
One of sodium’s most crucial roles is to help maintain optimum fluid levels in body tissues.
Sweat contains electrolytes and the main one lost in sweat is sodium. How much you’ll lose when you sweat varies from person to person. That’s why athletes who sweat excessively are advised to replace electrolytes and fluid losses.
People with existing hypertension are generally advised to lower their sodium intake.
The easiest way to do this is by avoiding processed, fast, and restaurant foods and by salting less.
Of course, reducing alcohol intake, eating more plant foods and getting more exercise will also have a positive effect on hypertension. Fruits and vegetables are high in potassium and this balances out sodium levels. In particular, potatoes, bananas, avocados, pinto and kidney beans, and artichokes are especially packed with potassium.
A new lower recommended intake for ADDED sodium (not including what naturally occurs in foods) is no more than 1500 mg/day (about two thirds of a teaspoon). In practical terms that’s 7 generous sprinkles with the salt shaker or 17 pinches of salt added to the food you cook.
Yes, salt can be a concern for some folks. But if you’re healthy, active and eat plenty of fresh plant foods and fruit, you’re probably safe in the salt category.
shelli
Here are 5 tools for 8 hours of energy-boosting sleep.
If you want the kind of sleep that will boost your energy and slow the aging process down (and who doesn’t right?), you need to build your sleep from the BED up.
1. How’s your mattress?
Have you ever noticed that when you travel and stay at a hotel or stay at a friend’s house, you sleep better on their mattress.
I’m sorry to report that has happened to me quite a bit. Most recently while staying at a friend’s house, I thought his mattress was heavenly. He got it from Costco of all places. Heck, I’ve even slept on air mattresses that were more comfortable than my own mattress. Not a good sign!
If this happens to you, GET a new mattress! There are no right and wrong answers to what will work for you, but if you’re not sleeping well do start by assessing your mattress.
After all, you spend 56 hours a week on it and it should produce the results you need, which is the kind of sleep you rave about!
2. What about your sheets?
Again, I have a confession to make.
I get overly attached to sheets and keep them for way way too long.
I recently got two brand new sets from Macy’s and am really enjoying them. Color is important as well as fabric. I pay more attention to how a sheet feels rather than the thread count because the thread count is a marketing ploy. From what I’ve read you can’t get more than 500 threads into a square inch!
Go with natural fibers because they are more absorbent. Over the course of an evening you can release close to a half gallon of sweat and oils.
3. How old is your blanket and what kind of shape is it in?
I use this blanket called my million dollar blanket. I named it so because years ago after I had surgery I laid for weeks on a couch wrapped in this blanket and I’ve somehow given it magical healing powers!
If you think of the best sleep of your life you probably don’t recall that it was when you were only hours old. One of the reasons infants are born to sleep is because they’re swaddled in blankets, which gives them the secure sensation of being in utero.
How do you get that as an over tired adult? Crawl under a variety of fabrics filled with a range of insulations and you’ll discover your million dollar blanket! If you’re sweating, you’re not going to sleep well, so keep this is in mind as you test out blankets.
4. Let’s talk pillows!
For sound, comfortable sleep, you need a pillow that will keep your neck aligned with your spine.
I have a pillow that I bought thinking I’d like it. I used it one night and couldn’t adjust, so I put it in the closet to be used for guests. Turned out that every guest I gave it to LOVED it.
Strange, huh?
After hearing raves from multiple guests I decided to give the pillow another try. That was almost three years ago and I still love my pillow.
I travel with my pillow (I know, I’m weird) and quite a few friends, after laying down on my pillow, have gone out and bought their own. Let’s just say I’m VERY picky about pillows. Maybe in my next life I’ll be one of the lucky ones who can sleep anywhere, on anything and with any pillow, but I don’t see that happening anytime soon.
Back to the keeping your spine aligned issue, the more neutral your neck’s position, the wider the nerve passageways running through it will open. The result is that you’ll reduce your risk of neck pain and enjoy a more restful sleep.
5. Thinking of trying a sleep supplement?
I don’t use them, but in researching them for this article it seems that only valerian root results in people feeling refreshed. This root contains two chemicals that have powerful sedative properties.
Be careful with over the counter meds for sleeping. They shorten the time you’re in the deep stages of sleep, leaving you exhausted in the morning and often people feel fuzzy even after they wake up.
So there you have it. Maybe not exactly the 5 tools for energy boosting sleep you thought I’d suggest, but heck, they are all very important and you even got a few personal confessions from me, as well!!
shelli
Detoxification is an interesting, important topic, so I thought I’d tell you about 4 ways to increase your deep-tissue detoxification.
From pesticides, pollution, plastics, fragrances and other sources, our bodies are bombarded by so many chemical toxins in our environment, we can’t possibly get rid of them all. Some of these end up incorporated into bodily tissue, where they can stay for decades.
Here are steps you can take to help your body release and repair from those toxins.
1. Add more fiber to your diet.
Fiber binds to toxins and carries them out of the body. Twenty five grams per day is the recommended fiber level for women (38 for men). You can also use fiber supplements like psyllium seeds.
2. Get adequate exercise.
Getting your blood pumping improves the movement of lymph though the lymphatic system. This helps lymph fluids circulate throughout the body, removing toxins and other harmful materials. Exercise helps reduce overall body fat, which helps the body release stored toxins.
3. Saunas assist the body’s adipose tissue in releasing toxins through a process called heat depuration.
Infrared saunas are often recommended for two reasons: the temperature doesn’t get as high as air saunas, and the infrared rays penetrate deeper into the skin to better target fat tissues.
Try starting with 15-minute sessions, and be sure to stay properly hydrated. If you have high blood pressure, check with your health practitioner before using a sauna.
4. Chelation is a process in which certain agents are used to rid the body of toxic chemicals and heavy metals.
The chelation molecule has the ability to make these toxins soluble in blood, allowing them to be eliminated. Most of this is done under the supervision of a health provider.
OK, I’ll throw in one more to the detoxification helper list.
Did you know that Omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA, found in flax and fish oil, have the ability to be incorporated into cellular membranes, improving cell function and assisting in detox?
See, those fatty acids and their benefits somehow sneak their way onto almost every what’s-healthy-for-you list!
Detoxification is important, so give your body the help it needs by including these detox methods.
shelli
Do you know the “Big 3″ that experts say would be wise for nearly everyone to supplement with?
Even experts who don’t usually talk about many supplements seem to be talking about these, so I thought we’d take a look.
1. Which vitamin deficiency was recently found to be a possible cause of cognitive and mental flexibility problems?
Vitamin D.
It’s recently been linked to playing an important role in protecting us from a wide range of age related problems such as cancer, heart disease, and stroke, as well as cognitive decline. The thing to note is that as we age our skin becomes less effective at producing Vitamin D, so even if you get enough sunshine you still might not produce enough of it as you get older.
Start by having your Vitamin D levels checked the next time you have a blood test. If it’s not in the normal range, talk to your health practitioner about supplementation.
Other possible benefits of taking supplemental D are lower blood pressure, stronger bones, better immunity and lower risk of heart disease. If any of these speak to you, take a look at Vitamin D supplements.
2. Which nutrient has been linked to preventing a variety of health problems including cancers, heart problems, menopausal problems, Alzheimer’s and so many others it’s hard to count?
I’ll give you another hint.
As we age, our supply of this nutrient decreases and by age 80 our levels of it are cut by more than half.
Did you answer CoEnzymeQ10 or CoQ10 for short?
If you’re taking Statin drugs, listen up. They have been found to decrease the body’s supply of CoQ10.
What does CoQ10 do?
Well, for starters, it’s an essential nutrient in energy production for your body. It helps your heart muscle pump more efficiently and tolerate stress better. People with breast, colon, kidney and lung cancer have been found to have low levels of CoQ10.
I encourage you to take your CoQ10 research further and see if you’d benefit from taking it as a supplement.
3. I’m guessing since Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids wasn’t listed as the first two, you knew it would be coming as number 3!
Just to give you a sample of the reports I’ve seen recently about Omega-3 benefits: one report said it eases depression and hot flashes in menopausal women.
Another talked about its ability, along with Vitamin C and E, to boost pancreatic health. I’ve written many times about the benefits of healthy fats, so I know Omega-3 is on your radar screen.
Not supplementing with them? Do consider it!
OK, if I had to pick a fourth I’d likely throw in a probiotic. Healthy digestion is so important to your overall health, so if digestion is an issue for you, please don’t let it go unaided.
Hope this list helps you zero in on where to start when you’re thinking of supplementation beyond REAL food.
As always, real food is number one!
shelli
Some assorted health and nutrition information for you!
** Yogurt may be one of the greatest foods on Earth.
The bacteria in yogurt break down the food in your gut into smaller molecules and nutrients. Then our bodies digest foods more efficiently and successfully. The results are amazing.
This may sound strange, but when you eat yogurt you’ll save money on toilet paper because you’ll use less of it!
Why?
Your stools are formed almost perfectly when you eat yogurt regularly.
I recognize that point might not motivate you to eat yogurt, so how about this point: people who eat yogurt live longer.
Yogurt even cuts the risk of cancers like bladder cancer. Eat it plain without all the sugar added. I like it best mixed with berries and a small portion of nuts.
** Here’s what nuts can do for you:
Walnuts improve the fats in your bloodstream, lower LDL (bad cholesterol) and raise HDL (good cholesterol).
Almonds protect against dementia with natural vitamin E.
Pecans protect against cardiovascular disease.
Peanuts (OK, OK I know they’re legumes) contain resveratrol, which prevents heart disease.
Pistachios lower cholesterol and have chemicals similar to those in leafy green vegetables, lutein, for example.
Cashews help support your immune system.
But be careful about portion sizes. Nuts are calorie-dense because they’re high in fat (fats have more calories per weight than carbohydrates and protein). So do what I do and eat only a handful a day of mixed nuts.
** Stop using the “white toxins” immediately!
White flour, white sugar, and white rice are all poor food choices.
They are converted into blood sugar quickly, releasing a chain effect of hormonal chemicals into the body. This chain effect leads to inflammation, aches and pain, and may lead to disease processes.
That’s why I call them the white toxins. Take these out of your diet and see if you feel the difference. I’m guessing you will!
*** Real men don’t eat soy.
Not unless they want to grow fatty breasts.
It turns out soy protein contains genistein and daidzein, which are known phyto-estrogens (plant-produced estrogens). High levels of estrogen (the hormone that makes women look and act like women) in men cause reduced levels of testosterone, loss of muscle tissue, increase in body fat, and a decrease in libido and sexual function. If the men in your life eat a lot of soy-based products, encourage them to check out this information.
shelli
Did you know that there are effective ways to burn up to 300 more calories every day by eating certain foods?
For some of you this may sound strange, although I’m guessing
many of you have either heard or read something to this effect but didn’t really know what it meant.
When you want to lose a lot of weight, do you think you should cut
calories for long periods of time?
This is a common myth, but it’s WRONG.
All this does is create nutrient deficiencies in your body. And if you ever tried this you know it also results in intense cravings.
Why?
Because your brain sends emergency “Help, I’m low in nutrient” signals to your stomach to eat more food.
Rather than eating nutrient dense foods however, cravings often result in
exactly the opposite causing you to eat JUNKY foods.
And if you’ve ever cut calories for long periods of time, your body will fight
back HORMONALLY, decreasing your calorie burning hormones and increasing your hunger hormones.
Without going into too much hormone science here, let’s just say that the result will be that your weight loss will come to a complete STOP.
You could at this point (in order to keep burning fat) reduce your caloric intake even more, and/or do MORE exercise, but I hope you can see what a dangerous strategy that would be.
So what’s the alternative?
Getting your calorie burning furnace stoked and humming along by eating the right kinds of foods.
Calories from different types of food act very differently once inside your body.
Let’s take a closer look.
FATS
Quality sources of good fats include oils such as flax, olive, and coconut along with avocados and nuts like walnuts, almonds and pecans.
We also can include on this list seafood sources like wild salmon
and tuna, just to name a few.
Don’t be fat phobic.
You’re aiming for a FABULOUS fatty diet with the fabulous fats as your source.
In this case, since we’re looking at fats for their metabolic fat burning effects, we need to ask how much these fats increase our fat burning effect.
Do you know the answer?
It’s approximately 5%.
This means that for every 1,000 calories of fat you eat, your body will burn only 50 of its own calories to digest and process the fat you just consumed.
That’s not nothing, but not very much either.
CARBOHYDRATES
Stay away from the processed carbs.
You know, the ones that are highly processed and void of their nutrients. Examples of foods that contain “wrong” carbohydrates include soft drinks, candy bars, ice cream, donuts, cereals, processed corn byproducts, and processed “white foods” like breads, pastas, and rice.
These will keep your fat locked into place!
Instead, stick to natural carbohydrate choices such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains.
So again, let’s see what kind of fat burning effect we get from these foods.
When you eat carbohydrates, your metabolic rate will increase by up to 10% .
It’s less for refined carbs like sugar (because it’s easily digested),
and more for high-fiber carbohydrate choices.
This means your body uses 100 calories to digest and assimilate 1,000 calories of carbs.
Now we’re getting somewhere.
PROTEINS
Protein has the highest digestive need for caloric burning of all foods,
increasing your metabolism by up to 20-30%.
Why?
Because protein is a very complex nutrient. For every 1,000 calories of protein you eat, your body will use up to 300 calories to digest and process this nutrient.
This means you’re only netting about 700 calories for every 1,000 calories you eat of protein.
It’s almost like you’re getting 300 “free calories.”
Protein also helps to build muscle (along with exercise). And remember,
for every pound of muscle you add, you burn approximately 50 extra calories per day. Five pounds will burn 250 calories per day.
See how the numbers start to add up?
I’m not suggesting that you eat ONLY protein in an attempt to increase your metabolism.
However, make sure not to forget your protein with every meal.
By combining protein, slow-absorbing healthy carbohydrates, and a portion of good fat, you will help boost your metabolism, conquer cravings brought on by nutrient deficiencies, and drop unwanted stomach fat.
You’ll be able to eat MORE healthy food, but with a lower calorie impact.
I like to eat, so I enjoy eating what’s good for me and gaining the metabolic advantages as well!
Hope you do too!
shelli
Are you on a mission to either get lean OR stay lean?
Maybe you don’t care about getting lean or have even given up trying.
My guess, though, is that we’re all at one or the other of those two places.
Here are 3 tips to help you out:
1. Accountability.
Staying accountable to someone, be it a friend at work, someone at the gym, or a coach or mentor means you’ll MORE often make better nutritional choices.
Keeping a food journal, even if no one but you ever sees it,
has also been proven to increase the likelihood of positive results.
2. Eat the same foods everyday.
Sometimes this is just what you need to get the fat loss ball rolling because it keeps choices SIMPLE.
Obviously this isn’t for the long term.
Create healthy choices for mealtimes (breakfast and lunch seem to be the easiest meals to simplify in this way) and stick with them until you get bored.
I’m guessing that for those of you that have maintained a lean body over time, you’ve probably already done this instinctively.
3. Increase your fiber intake.
Fiber fills you up and helps you eat fewer calories.
Puzzled about simple ways to get more fiber in your diet?
* Use raw nuts when you make smoothies
* Add vegetables anytime you make an omelet
* Eat fruit between meals instead of other higher calorie snacks
* Use raw nuts as snacks
Try these simple proven ways to improve your nutrition and increase your odds of a LEAN lifestyle!
shelli
Have you ever heard or read this statement:
Drink ‘This’ For Fat Loss?
I’m sure you have.
Is there really a beverage that will aid you in fat loss? And if you think so,
what do you think it is?
Did you answer, “water”?
Drinking water increases fat burning.
The reason is because water relieves the burden on your liver by keeping your kidneys properly filtering.
When your kidneys are stressed from too little water, your liver has to take over and help.
Why is this a problem?
Because that takes your liver away from one of its other important functions. Your liver is your primary fat burning organ.
Here’s your first tip: Drink 16 ounces of water 15 minutes before eating and you’ll lose weight.
You’ll find that drinking water prior to meals decreases the amount of food consumed.
One reason is obvious. Your stomach feels more full, right?
The other advantage of drinking more water prior to eating is this.
In your body you want to keep acidity at optimal levels. This increases
your core temperature slightly. This is called “thermogenesis” and is a good state to be in for fat burning purposes.
So there you have it. This week try it and see how it goes.
And remember, there are three benefits:
1. Better appetite control
2. Increased thermogenesis, which aids in fat burning
3. Decreased stress on your liver so it can optimally burn fat.
Yup, good old fashioned water is the number one
fat burning beverage. So drink up and enjoy!
shelli
“We hear voices in solitude, we never hear in the hurry and turmoil of life; we receive counsels and comforts, we get under no other condition.”
Amelia E. Barr
Lately I’ve been thinking about solitude.
Seems to me there are different types of solitude. There’s the doing type and the being type.
Ask yourself this questions: “Do I enjoy doing things alone?” “Do I enjoy my own company?”
Most of the time I am able to do things alone while enjoying my own company. I can go to a movie, eat, take long walks or swims and even play a round of golf by myself.
I think, though, that the practice of solitude that Amelia Barr refers to in her quote is the being type of solitude. It’s a time for getting in touch with your feelings, and this can be a very powerful activity.
Have you ever practiced solitude? Most people haven’t.
Most people never sit down quietly by themselves for any length of time. People are so busy doing things that it’s rare for them to simply sit and do nothing.
Catherine Ponder, the author of many inspirational books, says, “Men and women begin to become great when they begin to take time quietly by themselves, when they begin to practice solitude.”
What would a solitude practice look like?
To get the benefits from your periods of solitude, sit quietly for 30 to 60 minutes at a time. If you haven’t done this before, it will be a challenge. It might even take the first 25 minutes or so for you to stop fidgeting.
You’ll have the urge to get up and do something! You’ll practically have to force yourself to stay in your seat. Be persistent!
Sit quietly and still, back and head erect, eyes open, without any interruptions for at least 30 minutes. An hour is even better.
Become completely relaxed and breathe deeply. Just let your mind drift. Don’t try to think about anything. The harder you “don’t try”, the more powerfully this works.
After 20 or 25 minutes you’ll begin to feel deeply relaxed. You’ll begin to experience energy coming into your mind and body. You’ll have a tremendous sense of well-being. At this point, you’ll be ready to get the full benefit of these moments of contemplation.
When this kind of solitude practice is done correctly, it works about 100 percent of the time. While you’re sitting there, a river of ideas will flow through your mind. You’ll think about countless subjects in an uncontrolled stream of consciousness.
Relax and listen to your inner voice. Often the solutions to the most important challenges facing you will emerge quietly and clearly. The answers will be so clear you’ll wonder why you hadn’t thought of them sooner. Often you’ll experience a deep sense of gratitude and contentment.
Often when you follow the guidance you receive in solitude, it turns out to be exactly the right thing to do. Things work out for the best……just try it and see for yourself.
Getting in touch with your feelings and listening to your inner guidance does require that you learn to trust yourself.
Listen and learn about what’s making you happy or unhappy, and what feels right or wrong. Too many times we compromise on what that inner voice tells us to do.
Develop the habit of listening to yourself and then acting on the guidance you receive by using a solitude practice. It’s a useful type of solitude to cultivate, so I hope you’ll give it a try!
shelli
Let’s look at 4 Bone Myths!
1. “Milk builds bones.” False
Women with the highest calcium consumption from dairy products have more fractures than those who drink less milk. The fracture rates are much lower in countries that consume little dairy.
Fact: Mild exercise reduces the rate of falls and fractures by 25%
2. “HRT (hormone replacement therapy) protects you from osteoporosis.” False
While low levels of estrogen are associated with the loss of bone density, it is bone QUALITY that determines the likelihood of fracture. HRT has failed to live up to its promise of building better quality bones.
3. “You have osteoporosis.” Often false.
Under the old standard, fracturing a bone after it experienced just slight stress was the best indication, but not any longer. New diagnostic techniques of bone imaging make it easier to detect osteoporosis. Don’t be bullied into taking unnecessary drugs with long term risks for a disease you don’t have.
Fact: Best protection is to get a bone density test and then use nutrition and physical activity to support your bone structure.
4. “Calcium supplements do the job.” False.
Not antacids, candy supplements or breakfast cereals that say “added calcium for strong bones.” None of them do the job. First, calcium is hard to absorb and needs to be combined with vitamin D. It also needs to be in a specific form to be effective (calcium citrate for example). Second, calcium is just one of many vitamins and minerals your bones need for health.
Fact: For healthy bones you need to have a diet rich in vitamins and minerals and then PERHAPS a supplement that includes minerals such as boron, silicon and zinc.
shelli
