Questions You Should Be Asking Yourself

 

#1 What’s my Vitamin D Level?

 

We’ve talked about the importance of having a normal vitamin D level. Unfortunately, most people don’t. We are afraid of the sun and are chronically deficient and low vitamin D levels can contribute to a multitude of diseases. 90% of the active D3 in our body is derived from sunlight. The remaining 10% is dietary. Ideally your levels would be 50-80 ng/ml.

 

And if they aren’t?

Get out in the sun, just don’t burn. And take a supplement, ideally vitamin D3 (which is the active form) and you’d take 2,000-5,000 ius/day.

 

#2 What’s My Vitamin B12 Level?

Along with vitamin D, vitamin B12 is another vitamin that is chronically low, and the reason? Most of it is malabsorbsion, meaning that we are eating it, but our stomach and intestines are shut down because of chronic stress, so we don’t absorb it.

And why do we need it?

Many reasons, and to name a few it plays a role in our cardiovascular health, red blood cell production, which is why you’ll see this deficiency with anemia. It also plays a key role in brain and nervous system health.

So a lot of time deficiency lead to fatigue, numbness and tingling in extremities, brain fog, depression, and an inflamed tongue to name a few.

So how to get it?

Eat sardines, organic pasture raised beef, wild game, eggs, salmon and shrimp.

 

 

#3 Am I Eating PROTEIN for Breakfast?

It’s SO SO SUPER important to eat protein breakfast to help balance your blood sugar and set you out on the right foot. It helps your adrenal glands, it reduces sugar cravings, it give you sustaining energy, and it comes in fun forms like

• Eggs
• Breakfast Sausage
• Bacon
• Protein Powder
• Breakfast Quinoa
• Oatmeal with nuts/seeds
• Nut Butters

Promise your brain, adrenals, energy, hormones, stomach, intestines, gut bugs, your mood, and your kids, spouse and coworkers will thank you.

Say goodbye to crankypants and afternoon crashes forever.

 

#4 Am I Managing Stress?

Stress is not a problem when it’s acute.

For example: running from a tiger, or a dog incase you don’t live in India or work at a zoo. Avoiding a car accident. A cut on your arm.

It’s a problem when it’s chronic.

For example: hating your job, everyday. Worrying about money, everyday. Being married to someone you don’t like, everyday. Eating foods that are not adding health, everyday. Letting your life run you instead of you running it, everyday.

When the stress response is being triggered daily, over time the body will start to shut down. And viola, disease.

So managing it?

Lets change the question to this:

What Am I Doing That’s FUN On A Daily Basis?

Or

Do I Laugh Daily?

When you are doing those things stress gets put aside for awhile and your body, mind, spirit, kids, spouse and coworkers will thank you.

Say goodbye to crazypants and emotional breakdowns…for at least a moment.

 

#5 Do I Have Good Sleep Hygiene?

It is SUPER important to have routine around sleep, sleeping in the dark, and avoid taking sleep medications.

All for lots of reasons, but two of the main ones are that the ROUTINE around sleep helps add health to your adrenal glands.  The adrenal glands are responsible for the stress response, so you can assume that they are already…well…stressed and could use all the help they can get.

And the other is that when you sleep in TOTAL darkness a hormone called GROWTH HORMONE is able to come out and do its job of repairing, healing and restoring the body while your BRAIN is sleeping.

And if there is any light in the room this hormone is not able to come out fully.

And trust us, you want it to, it’s the best anti-aging drug out there…and it’s FREE.

 

#6 When Was The Last Time I Did Something For The First Time?

Not only is doing something for the first time help with neuron expansion and growth, it can trigger fear which is a really healthy thing, because when you push through it, BREAKTHROUGH AND TRANSFORMATION are on the other side.

There is a bigger badass-er version of you on the other side of the four letter “F” word called FEAR.

What is something you are scared of doing?

 

Start The School Year Off Right!

 

1. Getting Enough Zzz’s
By far, the most important school health issue for most kids is getting enough sleep - about 10 to 11 hours a night for elementary school-age children. That sounds simple, but the trouble is, it’s not always easy to make your child’s sleep patterns mesh with their new school schedule.

When parents work late, children’s bedtimes often get pushed back to create a window of family time. How can you argue with that? But to make sure your child can make it through the day without dozing at their desk, night-owl families need to start gradually shifting their schedules a few weeks before school starts.

2. Testing Eyes and Ears
You can’t expect a child to learn if they’re having trouble seeing the blackboard or hearing the teacher. So have your pediatrician screen for vision and hearing problems during your child’s back-to-school checkup.

Remember: You can’t assume your child has 20/20 vision just because they never complain about not being able to see. Children with vision problems may not realize the world isn’t blurry to everybody else. If your child often has headaches, tilts their head to one side to read schoolwork, or holds objects unusually close or far away to view them, it could be a sign that they may have a vision problem.

3. Lunch Time!
You may be planning healthy, well-balanced lunches to pack in your child’s shiny new Pokemon lunchbox. Just don’t be surprised if those turkey sandwiches and carrot sticks come back untouched. Eating in new surroundings and under tight time constraints can make some children’s appetites evaporate.

Don’t worry too much if your child only nibbles on lunch at school. Instead, focus on providing a protein-filled breakfast. With a little bit of fat and fiber from complex carbohydrates, your child will be ready to start the day.

4. Bathroom Break
Adjusting to classroom life can be overwhelming for a child who’s a little embarrassed about asking to go to the bathroom, and there’s nothing more humiliating than an “accident” at school. To help your child avoid any problems, have a talk ahead of time about school bathroom rules - taking breaks as scheduled, and raising your hand for permission to leave the room.

If you think your child may have wetting problems in school, take preemptive action. Before school starts, schedule regular bathroom breaks during the day, so your child gets used to going when directed. It’s also a good idea to talk with the teacher before that stressful first day of school.

5. Scrub-a-Dub-Dub
The first day of school brings new friends, new activities - and a bunch of new germs. That’s why good hand-washing habits are critical for school-age children. Children (like adults) need to wash their hands after they go to the bathroom and before they eat.

If your child rockets out of the bathroom without stopping at the sink, consider sending them to school with a packet of antibacterial wipes. They’re not as effective as soap and water, but they may have more appeal for young children.

6. Get Moving
As your child blasts through the backyard like a whirlwind or jumps across the sofa-turned-lava pit, making sure they get enough exercise may seem like the least of your worries. But once children enter school, they’ll be spending most of their day sitting at a desk - and you can’t assume that recess and gym class are giving her all the daily activity they need to stay healthy and happy.

Kids need 20 to 30 minutes of regular, nonstop exercise a day. Physical education classes and after-school sports may not be enough. Try planning weekly bike rides and nature walks, and your whole family will benefit.

 

The Importance of Balance Training

THE BENEFITS OF BALANCE DRILLS

#1. REVERSING AGE-RELATED LOSS OF BALANCE

As we get older, our ability to balance declines. For instance, a critical predictor for longevity is the length of time that a person can stand on one leg.

Balancing is a complex skill that involves the brain, muscles, and parts of the inner ear. If you don't practice and maintain balance, the coordination between these three systems can deteriorate over time, making it harder for you to stay upright and maintain proper posture. 

Practice, however, keeps everything working as if your body were much younger, helping you to stave off some of the balance issues that might accompany getting older. Dance is one great way to work on balance.  

#2. PREVENTING FALLS

Balance drills help you to control your core and limbs more deftly. Not only does this help improve the elegance with which you move, but it also helps you avoid falls. When you have good balance, you can more quickly adapt to changes in body position, adjusting on the fly to unexpected variations in elevation or rocks that you didn't see underfoot.

Avoiding falls not only helps you avoid physical damage like broken hips; it also boosts confidence. When you have good balance, you no longer have to worry about whether you might fall every time you leave the house. Even if you're young, having this unconscious awareness allows you to feel more confident in your environment.

When your balance system is working optimally, you can more quickly react to slips, making it less likely that you'll fall.

#3. BUILDING BETTER POSTURE

Thanks to poor movement form, a focus on a narrow range of movement patterns, and an ever-more-sedentary lifestyle, the average person has terrible posture. Many people develop limitations like hunched shoulders, anterior pelvic tilt, and reduced upper-back mobility. Part of the problem is that, as a population, we don't do the balance exercises necessary to counteract the adverse effects of our lifestyle.

Improving balance is excellent for posture. It teaches you the static and dynamic positions that are natural to your human form. Outstanding balance requires good posture: the two go hand-in-glove.

 

#4. ALLOWING FASTER RECOVERY FROM INJURY

Many people who train athletically suffer injuries, especially of the leg and ankle. Much of what is known about balance comes from research on people with lower-leg injuries. What that research shows is fascinating: the more balance drills people perform, the faster they recover from their injuries. Balance drills may also prevent injuries in the first place. 

#5. IMPROVING COORDINATION

Humans should have excellent coordination, just like other animals in their natural habitats. But, modern civilization prevents many of the physical tasks that we would have been forced to do in the past. This sedentary lifestyle means that we rarely have to practice balance. One effect of this development is our generally poor coordination.

Balance exercises, especially dynamic balance drills, help to relegate balance to the category of reflexive response. Ultimately, with good balance, you should be able to intuitively adapt to practically any situation, without having to think about it.

#6. MAXIMIZING YOUR WORKOUT TIME

Most people doing weight training in the gym spend much of their time sitting around, doing nothing, while their muscles recover from the previous set.

If you're a busy person and want to use your time as efficiently as possible, then it's a good idea to find a way to capitalize on all that time between sets. Balance drills are an ideal use for those moments because they are low-intensity and do not interrupt muscle recovery.

 

#7. IMPROVING YOUR RUNNING TECHNIQUE

People with poor running technique can experience all manner of injuries, from shin splints to knee pain to hip problems. Poor form results from a lifetime of not having to run daily and not understanding the dynamic position of one's body. People with poor balance will often develop a sub-optimal gait to compensate.

Dynamic balance drills can help you to assess your center of gravity better unconsciously. Then, when you do go running, you'll feel more confident making more significant strides, opening up your hips, and turning your feet forward. With additional balance drills, you'll also learn how to swing your arms to counteract the rotation of your hips while striding, thereby reducing the strain on your core.

#8. INCREASING YOUR MUSCULAR POWER

Balance can strengthen your muscles, quickly increasing their power output. The more force they can exert, the faster you'll be able to sprint and the higher you'll be able to jump. Balance can help in practically any sport that requires short, sharp, and powerful movements, like boxing, and can help build all-around functional strength. 

 

HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR BALANCE

You can practice balance training by walking on uneven surfaces, such as outdoor nature trails, or walking on a low wall. Even the act of walking on your tiptoes while completing basic housekeeping tasks around the home can improve your overall balance. 

So put some of this balance theory into practice and head outside to your local park and work on some balance drills. It could be advanced drills like balancing on a bench or try standing one leg in a crane pose at home while brushing your teeth - more difficult than it sounds!

 

 

 

A Guide To Egg Labels

 

Non-organic store-bought white eggs - These are the cheapest types of eggs you can buy. You know, the bright white ones that are all the same size? They generally come from chickens that are stuck in tight cages at large factories where they are fed GMOs, antibiotics, and hormones. The conditions they live in are usually unsanitary and crowded, where salmonella spreads easily. About 90% of the eggs in the US come from this type of scenario where the chickens never even see the light of day. 

 

Vegetarian-fed eggs - This one just makes me giggle. And for this reason, chickens are NOT vegetarians. There is nothing beneficial or natural about a vegetarian-fed chicken. Chickens are omnivores. Their diet consists of plants, bugs, and rodents. It’s not healthy for a chicken to be fed a vegetarian diet only. When they are not fed the proper diet, the chickens become deficient in a protein-based amino acid called methionine. Unhealthy chickens mean unhealthy eggs, which means nutrient-devoid food that won't help YOU. 

 

Cage-free eggs - These chickens may not be bound to their cages at all times, but they are more than likely still smashed into a closed-in structure with hundreds of other hens in the same unsanitary conditions that I listed above. People end up spending more for the cage-free label when the quality is the same as the cheapest eggs on the market. 

 

Omega-3 enriched eggs - These hens are still being fed the same non-organic, GMO-laden feed. They are normally still receiving hormones and antibiotics as well. The only difference compared to the other types of eggs listed above, is that these hens are administered omega-3s in their food.

 

Organic eggs - These eggs are stamped with a guarantee that the hens are being fed non-GMO, organic feed. While this is definitely better than the other options I have talked about, it still doesn’t mean that these hens have any type of freedom to roam outside in the sunshine, eating grass and bugs. They are often still raised in confined, unsanitary conditions as well.

 

Pasture-raised eggs - After comparing all of the different egg labels, pasture-raised eggs are the best type of eggs that you can pick up at the store. These hens more than likely live in sanitary conditions where they get to roam outside under the sun, eating grass and bugs as chickens should. These brown eggs are going to be rich and high in omega-3s. Although these are the best store-bought option, by far, they still won’t be as fresh as the eggs you can get right from the farm.

 

Farm fresh eggs - They come in brilliant colors like blue, green, brown, white, tan, cream, purple, and maroon. Their yolks are golden yellow or rich orange. AND they taste like heaven. These eggs are guaranteed to be fresh and oh-so-full of flavor. You don’t have to worry about these nutrient-dense ovals of goodness having antibiotics or hormones within them. The hens have more than likely lived like queens, basking in the sun and running on plush grasses, eating the bugs of their dreams. 

 

Don’t be afraid to ask your farmer what type of feed the hens eat as well. Chances are if they care to raise the chickens, they care to feed them well. Farm fresh eggs have proven to be exponentially higher in omega-3s, antioxidants, vitamin D, vitamin E, and beta carotene compared to eggs that come from hens raised on traditional feed in confinement.

 

How do you get your hands on fresh farm eggs, you ask?

1.    If you have a local farmers market, try that first. Chances are there will be at least one source, if not multiple sources of eggs there. Shop around and ask questions to figure out which hens will produce better eggs.

2.    Ever see those signs in front of farmhouses that say “fresh eggs for sale”? Go there.

3.    You can order super high-quality eggs online from trusted farms that ship fresh eggs overnight. Try Polyface Farm, Seven Sons Farm, and Five Mary’s Farm.

4.    Start a flock and raise your own hens to produce some amazing, flavorful eggs.