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Something new…
If you’ve been following me for awhile, THANK YOU!
Stay tuned for something new!
Coming soon!
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Sleeping at 930pm
We all know sleeping has a huge effect on one’s health but how do you decide if 6, 7, 8, or 9 hours is right for you? Just like conventional wisdom says to drink 8 cups of water daily, is there really a good amount of sleep to have? My previous thoughts would be you should sleep as much as you need to refresh yourself but that can change daily so what can you do consistently? Reading an article about Gen Z-ers sleeping earlier and earlier, got me to thinking maybe I’m doing something already that is unknowingly creating a benefit for me even though I’m not a Gen Z-er.
I started to recently sleep at 930pm at least 5 days of the week and it definitely had an effect on my daily well-being. What I’ve noticed is that I am ready to take on the day better when I get up–that too without an alarm. I also am more energized during my morning workouts. I also don’t have hunger cravings at night because everything has to be wrapped up by 8p since I don’t want to eat and then sleep. Immediate benefits definitely have been towards energy, less stress, and better sleep. All of which are a welcome for me. I think the hardest thing to do was trying to sleep at 930pm when previously I would have slept at 1030pm-just creating the routine was needed. Will you be trying to sleep earlier?
Stay well!
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Ban a word
If you could permanently ban a word from general usage, which one would it be? Why?
Umm.. Yes, that’s the word. I’m sure there are better ways to take a pause to collect your thoughts but umm is so easy to fill the silence with. We all likely say it but remember if you watch the news at all in any fashion, online or on TV, you don’t hear the newscaster ever saying umm so it’s possible to go without using it.
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Berberine vs Green Tea
I love drinking green tea especially at night before bed time and often times during the day but why do I drink it? Well, green tea may provide many benefits from its catcheins like antioxidant support, weight management, and cognitive health support but another supplement gaining traction is berberine. Have you heard of it? What is it? What are its benefits?
Berberine comes from various plants and is the latest hot ingredient to watch out for in terms of health benefits. Consumers utilize berberine for weight management, blood sugar control, antioxidant support, and cognitive support. Hmmm, sounds similar to green tea, right?
Which product you choose probably depends on your choice of consumption. Do you like to drink green tea or do you prefer green tea supplements and berberine supplements? Remember, to see the benefit on any supplement, you have to give yourself at least 3 months as supplements don’t work overnight. I’ll likely stick to drinking green tea as I enjoy it and especially like drinking it as a warm drink in the winters. I highly recommend reading more about any supplement you’ll want to try and checking with your doctor if you’re unsure if it is for you.
Stay well!
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Hydrogenated vs Fractionated oil
If you cook, you probably cook with oil, right? We know that olive oil is good for your health over vegetable oil for many reasons including it’s anti-inflammatory properties but are there other considerations when choosing an oil? Do you consider the difference between hydrogenated and fractionated oil? Can that make an impact on your health?
Let’s start with the difference between hydrogenated and fractionated oil. Hydrogenated oil has added hydrogen to unsaturated fats, typically in the presence of a catalyst, to convert them into saturated fats or fats with a higher degree of saturation. This process changes the chemical structure of the oil, making it more stable and solid at room temperature. Because shelf life is better, many companies add these oils but there is a push back from consumers as this process introduces more trans fats. Fractionated oil gets its name because the oil undergoes a process called fractional distillation, where it is separated into its individual components or fractions based on their different boiling points–think of it as a jar with multiple size marbles, you have to remove the smallest marbles (lowest boiling point) first before you can get to the largest marbles (highest boiling point). This process results in oils with specific properties, such as different melting points or viscosities. Fractionated oils are often used in cooking, skincare products, and other applications where precise control over properties is desired.
No matter the reason a company uses a type of oil, it has a direct impact on your health, including skin health. If you’re unsure about the type of oil in your item, reach out to the company and ask questions. Customer service may share more details about the item not captured on the product’s label.
Stay well!
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Invest in …
I’ve been thinking a lot about investing in myself in multiple ways from learning something new to reading to eating better but should you really find multiple things to invest in or try one thing at a time? Which camp are you? To me, there is no correct answer as anything you do, will provide growth and enjoyment, hopefully.
Immediate changes that I’ve made to improve my health and reduce work stress is read a book! An actual, physical book vs relying on my phone to read is huge! Not only does it get me away from my gadget but a good book is so relaxing! Another thing that I’ve done is sign up for classes like sewing and knitting and such. Totally fun new activities that have really energized me and I’m creating something new. So fun, right?
Investing in yourself is easy to do but you got to find the time and activity that you like so that it becomes fun and something to look forward too! Health improvements will quickly follow after!
Stay well!
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Unsavory supplements
How do you take foul swelling supplements? Ever open a bottle and it smelled bad? What did you do? Hold your breath and continue to take the supplement? Why do these supplements have a smell you wonder?
Depending on the formulation, some ingredients are inherently foul smelling. Encapsulation is expensive so instead of passing off the cost to the consumer, some companies just use the ingredient as is, other times, if the supplement isn’t sitting on your tongue and you will swallow it, there is no incentive for the company to spend more money to mask the smell. Plus the size of the company, startup or established, also plays a role in their product launch. So how do you take these supplements?
Like all supplements, it is best to take with food for better absorption. If you aren’t able to do that, try your favorite milk or flavored water. You can’t reap the benefits of the supplement if you can’t take it! Another option is to find a gummy version which likely will taste better. Yet another possible version is a stick pack. I find the best way for me is to take it with almond milk when I have my daily protein shake.
Stay well!
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Food is a means to..
We all do it. We snack, we eat, we drink, use the toilet, we sleep, and we repeat but what you do during the day matters. One part of your day probably involves answering what do I eat?
Food selection and preparation is another topic of conversation but what you eat probably is important for your day’s activities. Food can be a means to good health and bad health so choosing what you eat is important, right? We all want to be healthy but temptations from pizza and ice cream might derail us, it definitely happens to me!
Food is a means to many things from quenching our hunger to giving us good or bad health to being categorized as food is medicine but no matter what you believe, food is part of our lives. Choose wisely!
Stay well!
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How do you define healthy?
A question that I kept thinking about lately is how do you define healthy? My answer probably would depend on the age that I’m at or lifestyle I lead but the definition always changes and evolves. Do you follow a diet? Do you do the 80/20 rule? Do you need confirmation of your health numbers like cholesterol and blood pressure? Or do you find you’re healthy because you exercise daily? I don’t think there is one answer that fits but I’ll let you know what works for me.
If you’ve been reading along for awhile, you know that I’ve tried everything from Paleo to Keto to high protein diets to the 80/20 rule. I also exercise and also concentrate on my spiritual and mental health but what I found really helps is not any one of these but a combo of all of them. Why?
Diets tend to be restrictive, looking for gyms when I travel is challenging and trying to do it all is definitely not good for my mental or spiritual health so what I learned is that I need to incorporate what works best for me at that time. It’s all about balance. I will eat to stay full but I choose to eat more protein or veggies if I have the option. If I’m able to go to the gym while traveling, I will but if not, no sweat! I also still monitor my health numbers via lab work quarterly because overall sustainable, good health is the goal. I think sticking to what works for me is better than adhering to some plan. Life happens and you get thrown some curve balls so how you adapt is what is important.
So how do you define healthy?
Stay well!
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Happy New Year
A new year begins with a lot of hope, prayers, and good wishes but often times we forget about what we already have–for me, it’s not only health, home, food but also family. As parents get older, we realize our time is limited with them so for me, my only goal this year is to continue to spend more and more time with them. I don’t believe in resolutions because let’s face it, we tend to forget about them after January so goals are better!
What will inspire you this year?
Stay well!
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Merry Christmas!
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