Healthy and Happy Archives

How to Overcome a Weight Loss Plateau

November 13, 2020 By Tanya Lehman Leave a Comment

We all hit plateaus in our weight loss journeys, but there is a solution to overcome plateaus and reach your health weight.

It seems like so long ago, but once upon a time, a majority of us used to go to the gym together. We frequently saw women struggling so hard on the stair master trying to lose weight. You know the type, magazine in front of them, headphones on, struggling through an hour or more on the cardio machine. Weight loss for many is a challenge and weight loss plateaus are not fun. I know this because I am an ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) certified fitness trainer and Founder of Mindful Bodies Fitness. I have coached many to reach their ideal weight. There is a healthy way to eat and a correct way to exercise and lose weight. Many people fall into the wrong routines and hit a weight loss plateaus. While healthy clean eating is an important part of the equation, your physical fitness can be what is making you plateau.

The CDC recommends each adult should do 150 minutes of physical activity a week, but are you doing it right for your body type, hormones and goals? From my years of teachings and coaching and seeing success from my clients, endless hours of intense cardio do not always equate to weight loss, or even further, breaking weight loss plateaus.

For some, overdoing physical activity will trigger hormones to store weight. The body goes into a fight or flight mode. For those who knowingly have hormonal issues I would recommend changing exercise that isn’t strenuous such as walking, while adding meditation, and a better sleep pattern. All which will help lower Cortisol, Leptin, Ghrelin and other hormones which are important keys to weight loss.

Mental stress plays a large role in our weight loss as well. Keeping your mental health in check is imperative. Make sure to get enough sleep and make time for relaxing hobbies. Meditation and yoga are great ways to add to your fitness routine while also helping relieve stress. Sticking to a routine helps alleviate stress, which will aid your weight loss.

If it is a time issue, such as finding the time to go to a gym, or get to exercise classes, to get that 150 minutes of physical fitness per a week in, consider doing online streaming workouts or hire a fitness trainer who can do pre-recorded workouts that are tailored to your needs. My company Mindful Bodies Fitness does just this. There are also other programs like Beach Body, or Pelton which do the same, we are different we are more of a boutique fitness company which tailors each workout to your body, energy, mind and fitness type. We are more hands on then the big hands off companies.

Weight loss could also be a diet issue. If you are finding it hard to eat clean, avoid foods that cause inflammation, water retention and keep insulin levels down. You can also hire a qualified dietician for guidance. If that is not something you can afford consider using the app MyFitnessPal. With both free and paid versions, it has a very good food diary section, which breaks it down to calories, marcos and nutrition along with recipes. Tracking your calories is a great way to look over your diet and fine areas of concern, from too much consumption to deficiencies.

Whether you are just starting your fitness journey, or have reached a plateau too often people focus on a specific intense fitness routine and hit weight loss plateaus. Overall fitness is not created by wasting hour after hour exercising. In fact, repetitive time in the gym can actually prove detrimental to your overall health goals. Our bodies are meant to adapt to routine. The calories lost on a daily 5 mile run quickly decline over time. Mixing up your workouts can prove more effective than strenuous routines, and often don’t require as much time. This is how we can overcome our weight loss plateaus.

References

How to Lower Cortisol

November 2, 2020 By Tanya Lehman Leave a Comment

In order to better understand this topic we must understand what cortisol is, why it is produced and what if effects. Our bodies produce many different types of hormones that can enhance and impact various bodily functions within our bodies. Cortisol is primarily coined the “stress” hormone because it is secreted from the adrenal glands during times of physical and or psychological stress. Cortisol is secreted in a pattern called the diurnal variation. Meaning that levels of cortisol in the bloodstream vary depending on the time of the day. Typically levels are highest in the early morning and lowest around midnight. Although cortisol is a stress hormone it has many actions in the body. Cortisol is important for the maintenance of blood pressure as well as the provision of energy for the body.

Weight Gain and Cortisol

Cortisol stimulates the fat and the carbohydrate metabolism for fast energy, it stimulates the release of insulin into the bloodstream and the regulation of blood sugar levels. Most of us know that the end result of these levels can sometimes lead to an increase in appetite, cravings for sweets and high-fat salty foods. With high levels of cortisol present in the body we also produce less testosterone which in turn decreases overall muscle mass. With less muscle mass your body will start to burn less calories. This begins to lead us right into why cortisol can be a negative issue and lead to unwanted weight gain.

The disruption of cortisol secretion may not only promote weight gain but can also affect where you put on the extra weight. Elevated cortisol levels tends to cause fat disposition in the abdominal area. Although there are other factors to be considered in determining any weight gain or loss including resting metabolic rate, food intake, types of foods consumed and even the time of the day food is consumed, I want to talk about how we can naturally keep our cortisol levels in check. The diet industry has attempted to capitalize on findings from these studies by promoting dietary supplements claiming to lower cortisol and enhance weight loss. No independent studies published in respected, peer-reviewed medical journals have shown that these supplements have any value in cortisol reduction or weight loss, in fact, exercise is the best method for lowering cortisol levels. Practices such as meditation, yoga, and other relaxation techniques can also be used to keep cortisol levels in check.

Cortisol and Stress

Most people admit that they are under some form of stress, therefore I would like to help you better understand all of the natural ways to help lower cortisol in your body. First and foremost lowering your overall stress in your daily life can reduce the over production and secretion of cortisol in your body. At this point in my article, I will explain examples of various stress relievers and other natural ways to reduce cortisol levels. Considering I’m a certified personal trainer that spends most days of the week exercising and training others I believe working out or practicing some sort of physical activity will be your best option for lowering your stress. The mind and body are both positively benefited from exercise. Despite exercise being a form physical stress, it can assist in relaxation. It encourages the release of endorphins, which are chemicals that the body produces to reduce pain and improve overall mood.

The other lifestyle choice you can manage and have complete control over is your diet. Eating balanced healthy foods that are natural, not processed, will play a significant role in your overall physiological responses. If you are eating unhealthy foods and drinks your body will not receive the vital nutrients and minerals needed to operate in an efficient way. This will in turn lead to unnecessary stress to the body and mind.

Cortisol Reducing Diet

My tips for diet are very black and white. If your food source does not come from the earth or an animal don’t eat it. Ok I’m not saying you can’t have a cookie, a piece of candy, or a slice of pizza every now and again you must be disciplined and mindful of your food and drink daily intake. Discipline is a form of self love, it represents making choices that may not be pleasurable but are better for your overall growth. All things in moderation is a “real” thing. If you decide to have that slice of pizza or brownie one day then just be sure tomorrow you are back on track. It is all about the way you rebound and learn to adjust without guilt or shame for the choices you make. Just accept the fact that you enjoyed an amazing warm chocolate chip cookie and move on. Tomorrow is a new day and you have the choice to make the healthier options moving forward. This motto crosses all boarders in life and has become my number one positive way of living. If you choose it, accept it, and move on.

While on the topic of diet there happens to be a few incredibly great choices to help lower stress. Dark chocolate, green tea, water, bananas and probiotics have been proven stress reducing. Another really easy way to stay healthy and in a less stressful state is to be fully hydrated. Drink lots and lots of water daily to keep your pH balance and hydration on point.

Supplements for Cortisol Reduction

You may be asking yourself at this point in the article, hmm? There must be a supplement out there that reduces cortisol? Well I’m happy to tell you that a daily dose of fish oil will be a wonderful enhancement to your goal of cortisol reduction. Fish oil is rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, which are very important for your health. Fish oil is the fat or oil extracted from fish tissue. It usually comes from oily fish, such as herring, tuna, anchovies, and mackerel. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends eating 1-2 fish per week. This is because the omega-3 fatty acids in fish provide so many health benefits including protection against a number of diseases. If you are not eating fish 1-2 times a week, fish oil supplements can help you get enough Omega-3’s. Our brain is made up of nearly 60% fat, and much of that fat is omega-3 fatty acids. Therefore, omega-3’s are essential for normal brain function. It has also been proven help reduce the risk of depression and overall inflammation. I’m sure you can now see the direct connection between fish oil and its ability to help reduce stress levels. You can buy fish oil at any major supermarket or vitamin/supplement store and there are excellent options on Amazon.

Cortisol and a Mindful Lifestyle

While I have mentioned a few things to add to your lifestyle there are also a couple things you can eliminate to help reduce overall stress. Avoiding caffeine at night is a really important factor to making sure your bedtime routine is consistent and calming. Too much caffeine can wreak havoc on your ability to fall asleep in a timely matter. Maintaining a good bedtime routine is imperative to your overall health and ability to manage your daily schedule and daily life in general. So make sure you are catching your z’s, your body and mind will thank you. Finally when it comes to deleting things from your life, toxic relationships is a major one. If you are continually putting energy into a relationship that is draining you, stress will become the unfortunate outcome, and that is exactly what we are trying to reduce. Be mindful of how you feel while being around certain people, begin to recognize who you should prioritize your time spent with. It is ok to say no to people, it is ok to take time-outs in order to reset and regroup. Learning to prioritize your well being is one of the most freeing gifts you will experience in your lifetime. It takes practice, so start small, for example, opting out of that weekly book club that you have found puts more strain on your schedule than anticipated. Identifying the things or people that may be causing you stress is the first step, so simply start there.

Let’s go back to sharing wonderful positive add ons to your lifestyle. I encourage my clients, friends and family to find a passionate hobby, learn to unwind, practice breathing efficiently (inhale for a count of 4, hold breath 5,6 and then exhale 7,8 repeat 3-4 times) laughing, having fun and even getting a pet. These are all things we can control, that are natural, usually inexpensive and just as simple as making a choice.

While everything mentioned in this article is a sure way to reduce stress and in turn potentially reduce cortisol levels in your body, these are all healthy positive lifestyle tips that should be written down. When we write things down it helps with the manifestation process. You become that much closer to living out your goals, and ideals you have set out for yourself. You begin to become in control. Share these tips with others and create positive human connections. We are all here trying our best and trying to live our best “stressless” life.

4 Habits Kids Should Learn to Become Healthy Adults

May 29, 2017 By Jeff Mushkin Leave a Comment

One of the best ways to set people up for success as adults is to foster healthy habits when they are children. A study performed by cardiologists at the Minneapolis Heart Institute between 1985 and 2005 showed that the participants with healthier eating habits in 1985, particularly those consuming more daily servings of vegetables and fruit, had better cardiac health 20 years later than those who ate fewer fruit and veggies. Helping children form good habits when they are young not only sets them on a path to a healthy adulthood, but also teaches them how to create and maintain new healthful habits on their own throughout their lives.

How to Form a Habit

A 2014 Brown University study found that most of a person’s lifetime habits are formed by the age of 9. This does not mean that it is impossible for someone older to create new habits, but it is less likely. Another study published in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity examined the use of a habit-forming method to improve dietary habits in children. The study found that setting new, lasting habits takes at least two weeks, and that it was crucial to focus on a single new habit in each two-week period instead of attempting many changes at once.

These habits were implemented most successfully when the goal was clear and easy for the child to understand. The goal also should be approached as something positive. Habits are easier to form if they are perceived as an added activity to perform rather than a desired activity to avoid.

The Most Helpful Habits

Giving your child an overall positive attitude toward making healthy choices is a gift they will use every day. Here are 4 of the most important habits to encourage your children to develop which will have the greatest impact over time.

1. Drink Enough Water

Beginning a program to create new habits may feel a bit daunting, so start with something that is simple and easy to do. Water is easily accessible and portable almost anywhere, so it is not difficult to stay prepared for this one. Things to remember:

Set a goal for the number of cups of water your child should drink each day. Be sure to determine the right number for your child’s age and size. After all, a five-year-old doesn’t need as much water as a teenager!
Identify certain cues that will occur during the day to remind your child that it’s time to drink a cup of water: after lunch, when they get home from school, before dinner, and so forth.
If your child loves fruit juice or other sugary beverages, do not make this goal about replacing them with water. Add the water to your child’s daily routine without making them feel deprived so the water is not viewed primarily as a less-tasty substitute.

2. Eat Fruits and Vegetables

Once your child has fully developed a water-drinking habit, add fruits and veggies to their daily checklist. This requires more advance preparation than water; plan ahead so you always have fruit and vegetables on hand.

Much like with drinking water, you need to determine the proper number of daily fruit and vegetable servings for your child’s age and size.
Set a goal and help your child keep count of the number of servings they have eaten in a day.
Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables is important to get the best range of nutrients, but some children are very picky eaters. Some flexibility on exactly which fruits or veggies they eat may be required. Eating some veggies is better than eating no veggies, and turning it into a battle is not going to create a good habit.
Teach your children about the benefits they get from eating a given food. Even very young children can grasp the basics about the effects it has for fueling the body.

3. Involve Children in Meal-Planning and Cooking

One of the best ways to ensure healthy eating is to plan ahead and prepare meals at home. Children will gain a greater understanding of food if they are allowed to participate in this process. This will then set the foundation for all the meals they will choose to eat as adults.

When a child is able to understand a concept like a serving of vegetables, you can help them fill in the rest of the picture with proteins and more to learn what makes a well-balanced meal.
Remember that the goal is for your child to form good habits, and they cannot do that effectively if they are not involved in the process. Being an active participant in one’s own health choices is crucial.
Let your child learn through experience that eating healthy is not a dreary obligation — it is giving your body the fuel it needs to work as well as possible.
Learning kitchen and food safety is a major side benefit of this process!

4. Get Enough Exercise

Eating healthily is very important, but the body needs exercise just as much. Some kids are naturally active, while others need a little more coaxing to get enough exercise. As with healthy eating, making sure a child gets enough exercise often requires some advance planning. Not every school has recess or a physical education class, so it’s important to be aware of how much exercise your child is actually getting.

It is recommended that children do at least 60 minutes of physical activity per day, or more if possible.
The goal of 60 minutes of physical activity can be broken up into several increments: 10 minutes here and 20 minutes there can add up quickly.
“Physical activity” does not necessarily mean participating in a formal exercise or sports program, although those can be very helpful and fun for kids. Riding bikes, walking, and playing all can count toward the goal.

Incremental Changes for Incredible Results

Trying to form several new habits at once is overwhelming, especially for a child. When the activities cannot be followed well, the habits are not formed and frustration often ensues. Too much change at once is jarring, so it is worth the effort to focus on one new habit at a time. Once it is well-incorporated into your child’s everyday life, then you can begin the process again to add another new habit. This cycle can be repeated as many times as necessary. It may seem like the changes are very small, but they will add up to a much healthier lifestyle over time and prepare your child to enter the adult world with both a healthy body and a can-do attitude.

Cracking the Longevity Code: Blood is Key

October 29, 2015 By Dr. Gil Blander Leave a Comment

Today, we’re living longer than ever. Advances in nutrition, education, sanitation, medicine and of course, technology have increased the life expectancy of today’s newborns in developed countries to 81 years—far beyond the meager 50 years that humans born in 1900 were expected to reach. If you’re partial to statistics, that’s a whopping increase of more than 60% (figure 1) (PMID12004104).

Before the middle of the 20-century, a majority of the life expectancy increase was due to the large reductions in death rates at younger ages. In the second half of the 20th century, improvements in survival after retirement at age 65 prompted the rise in life expectancy.

My Quest for Longevity

My own scientific journey started at the age of 12, when one of my close relatives passed away, triggering my thirst and quest for knowledge of how our body ages. While I knew I couldn’t stop the clock, I wanted to at least slow it down and give people the knowledge required to delay the aging process and improve their health and quality of life as a result. I decided to commit my life to science, and aging research in particular.

I graduated from the Weizmann Institute of Science with a PhD in the biology of aging, and later became a postdoctoral scholar at MIT in Lenny Guarente’s Laboratory for the Science of Aging. I wanted to do more than study methods on how to slow the aging process; I wanted to decisively apply scientific knowledge and help everyone live life to its fullest potential. In 2009, I founded my company, InsideTracker. InsideTracker would offer objective, rich, scientific data to individuals in order to support truly customized decision making when it came to health. Our talented team of scientists developed a new, one-of-a-kind science-based platform that could make the future of personalized health analytics happen now.

The quest for increased longevity is a constant one. To achieve what has never before been achieved, we needed to look ahead to the next frontier: Personalization. To better understand how “personalization” can contribute to increasing human lifespans, let’s take a look at an area you might not immediately associate with the human body—the automotive industry.

A Dashboard for Your Body

In order to keep your car running well and to extend its life, you take it to your mechanic every 5,000 miles or so. With the assistance of computer diagnostics, your mechanic checks the engine, brakes, and other systems. The diagnostics software tells your mechanic which parts need to be fixed or replaced. After maintenance, the car should run pretty well until the next scheduled check-up. But, if you skip the regular oil change, the oil will become thick and dirty, and eventually the engine will seize. Research of the car industry showed that since adding the scheduled oil change in the 1980 the average lifespan of the car increased substantially.

Doesn’t your body deserve the same care, a schedule of regular diagnostics and preventative maintenance? It’s much easier to take care of yourself when the issues are relatively small, rather than to wait until you’ve gained an extra 20 pounds or are ridden with a serious disease. You need what your car needs: a dashboard and a suite of computer diagnostics.

That’s exactly what we have developed at InsideTracker. The InsideTracker platform provides you with a unique window into your body, revealing biochemical issues that are affecting your overall well-being and performance.

How does InsideTracker see inside your body? With a small blood sample, we are able to measure key biomarkers—critical vitamins, minerals and nutrients that affect wellness and performance. Like a mechanic, InsideTracker finds problems, and then, using a highly sophisticated Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithm, recommends simple changes in nutrition, lifestyle, exercise, and supplementation to help you keep your body running in peak condition for another 5,000 miles…entirely customized for your body’s specific needs at that specific point in time.

InnerAge versus Chronological Age

After studying the science of aging for the last 20 years, I concluded that people can not only live longer but also have a higher quality of life using simple, natural and tangible interventions. InnerAge is an age score calculated using our proprietary algorithm based on your personal biomarker test results, and it’s much more than just a cold calculation: it is a universal score that is critical for everyone looking to achieve his or her individualized health and fitness goals.

InnerAge is based on five key biomarkers strongly connected to longevity, based on peer-reviewed scientific publications. Those biomarkers are:

Glucose
Vitamin D
Testosterone (men) / DHEAS (women)
hsCRP (Inflammation)
ALT (Liver health)

Using these five biomarkers values, we can calculate your biological age, or InnerAge, compare it to your chronological age, and help you to optimize it using simple interventions.

Food First

InnerAge users are provided with a personalized list of five recommended Focus Foods. These Focus Foods are algorithm-picked, real food options determined to be helpful to your based on your unique internal biochemistry. The goal of Focus Foods is to turn the “current you” into the “optimized you,” improving your InnerAge score and overall well-being. Introducing Focus Foods into your daily diet is an effective way to lower your InnerAge. Of course, your blood is constantly changing; like your biomarkers, these personalized Focus Foods are dynamic and change over time as you improve your InnerAge.

My own first InnerAge test was done in January 2014 when I was 44 years old. My InnerAge at that time was around 58. I was shocked and decided to follow InsideTracker’s recommendations: I lost weight, increased my activity and followed my Focus Foods recommendations. A few months later, in June 2015, my InnerAge decreased to less than 40. Success! I felt like I would live forever, that I’d cracked the code and I must be immortal.

But then, when I tested again, six months later in January 2015, my InnerAge had crept back up again, increasing to around 57 years old. I hadn’t followed my InnerAge recommendations religiously. Worse than that, my InnerAge stayed high when I retested on May 2015. Maybe I’m not immortal after all, I thought. I had biologically aged 18 years in just one year!

I took the news hard and strictly followed my new InnerAge recommendations, including the addition of garlic supplementation to optimize my Glucose levels. When I tested again in July 2015 my InnerAge reflected my diligence: I was once again younger than my chronological age.

The take home message is that testing for InnerAge can help you to identify small issues related to your longevity while you are still relatively young and fix them in an effort to optimize your longevity. InnerAge is a lifetime struggle as science has not yet figured out how to crack the immortality code; there is no silver bullet. But it is absolutely a step in the right direction if living a longer, healthier life is your goal.

The Secret to Health and Happiness Is Right Under Your Nose

September 29, 2015 By Dr. Richard “The Smile Dr.” Castellano, MD Leave a Comment

Everyone wants to be healthy and happy, right??? So many people struggle with stress, life, balance, challenges, and a top priority, if not the main priority, if is that we live a happy and healthy life. It seems so complex because people struggle with this. Yet depression is rampant in our culture and all over the world. In the United States alone almost 35,000 people commit suicide every year. Now more than ever, it is critical that we are able to find what makes us happy in life.

So what is happiness? We can easily tell when someone looks happy, just as we know if someone is not happy. You feel it in less than a second. How is it that we know it when we see it, and it is so hard, if not impossible for some of us to attain this “Happiness!”

As a double board certified facial plastic surgeon performing over 10,000 cosmetic procedures of the face and neck, I have found an answer to this question. It is simple, it is profound, and it is effective. I will give you the answer, and then please allow me to explain because if you gloss right over this, you will miss a life-changing lesson: The secret to our happiness is not our wealth, education, social status, health, or any other artifice of life. The key to is right under your nose…It’s the physical act of genuinely smiling ( :

What? It can’t be that simple! There are a lot more things that go into it than that!! OK, I agree, it is complex with many contributing factors. And, whatever those factors are, if they include a genuine smile, you will create happiness. We often think that we must have a meaning with our happiness, and it certainly helps to have reasons for smiling or for feeling good. However, we can also have meaningless happiness. Mindless, wonderful, child-like happiness, and it feels just as good as meaningful happiness.

Happiness is a physical act. We have endorphins released in our brain, we relax our stress, and we FEEL GOOD! We can stimulate this physical act of happiness the same way we stimulate our blood pressure and heart rate to rise or fall with or without exercise. We can also change our blood sugar by eating different types of food. And we can change our happiness by smiling more or less frequently.

Let’s just test this out, shall we? Find a mirror, or put your smartphone on selfie mode, and give yourself a BIG SMILE! For some of us, this comes easily, and for some of us it is a bit more of a challenge. Push yourself a bit, and give yourself a big smile, as if your happiness is on the line, because it is ( : Does it make you want to laugh a little bit? If you show this to someone else, it is very likely to make them smile or laugh. The bottom line is that it feels good to smile, it is infectious and almost a reflex for others to smile back at us. What is going on here?

Most people will agree, we live in a visual society today, and my job exists because people do treat us differently based on our appearances. We are treated differently based on how young or how old someone thinks we are, and we are treated differently based on how much or how little we smile. And the most important person that treats us differently is OURSELVES!!! So take on the smile challenge, and invite yourself to smile more often and in situations where you normally would not do so. I promise you, it will feel uncomfortable and a bit awkward at first, though it will become natural as you change how you feel and how those around you feel as well.

Today’s smiles will pay tomorrows dividends. Invest in yourself and those around you by wearing your smile and showing others your confidence, self-control, and self-acceptance. No one will treat you with respect unless treat yourself with respect first. This is the formula for happiness. Please apply this liberally in your life, I promise that you won’t overdose. If you want to learn more about making yourself and those around you happy, please visit us at www.TheSmilePrescription.com

Dr. Rich
The Smile Dr.
Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author and
Author of The Smile Prescription

How to Treat Sore Nipples from Breastfeeding

August 13, 2015 By Joanna Jana Laznicka 1 Comment

Breastfeeding, although a natural function, is often a learned skill.

Just like walking which is another human natural function, breastfeeding requires time, patience and perseverance to be mastered. Nipple discomfort, soreness, pain and bleeding are often associated with the first few weeks of breastfeeding and many of the affected mothers will discontinue breastfeeding by the third week of their child’s life. In fact, nipple pain is the top reason mothers discontinue breastfeeding during the first weeks of their baby’s life.

Professional lactation support can help initiate and continue breastfeeding and it is important to participate in a class, usually offered by local hospitals or birthing centers, that focuses on breastfeeding education prior to your baby’s birth.

There are a many factors that can lead to sore, cracked and bleeding nipples and it is important to seek professional guidance when the pain becomes unbearable. It is equally important to start treating the wounds before they become too painful and prevent you from breastfeeding or even pumping breast-milk.

Most Common Reasons for Nipple Pain During Breastfeeding

“Expected Pain”

Nipples are a sensitive part of our bodies and are not used to the amount of stress they are subject to after the birth of a child.

This is usually recognized as a discomfort or soreness that subsides after the first 30 to 60 seconds of a breastfeeding session and eases up considerably after the milk lets down and flows freely. The “normal” nipple pain is expected to peak around day 4 or 5 and eases slowly after that with most women being pain free by the time their baby is 2 weeks old.

Baby’s Positioning at the Breast

Although some babies seem to come into the world already knowing how to latch on and breastfeed correctly, for most mothers and babies it is a learning process.

If the baby’s position during a breastfeeding session is not optimal the pain might persist throughout the entire feeding or even in-between feedings. It is imperative that you seek help from a Certified Lactation Consultant or a Health Care Provider that is knowledgeable in breastfeeding in order to identify and correct the problem.

Improper Latch

Not only does the mother need to learn the ropes of breastfeeding, so does her offspring. Remember, this is a learning process for both mother and child. With every feeding the baby and mother will learn what works best for them and will become more effective at breastfeeding. As the baby grows, his/her mouth will be able to open wider, hold in more of the areola and suck more efficiently.

How to Prevent and Ease Nipple Pain with Amorini – Silver Nipple Soothers™

Silver has been used in medicine as a natural antibiotic since before the discovery of engineered antibiotics and its uses in modern medicine are extensive. From Silver enforced bandages and creams for wound healing support, to Silver medical instruments in the operating room and Silver coated breathing devices, Silver has been trusted by medical professionals to help prevent infections and speed the healing process in wounds and burns.

Popular in Italy and throughout Europe, these Silver nipple cups have been helping mothers breastfeed pain-free for decades and only recently they have been made available to mothers in North American with Amorini Silver Nipple Soothers™

Uses of the Amorini Silver Nipple Soothers^TM:

Prevent Soreness And Cracking from Occurring

Start using the Amorini Silver Nipple Soothers™ soon after the first breastfeeding session. Allow for a drop or two of milk to pull into the Silver cups. This will help maintain moisture on the skin and prevent it from cracking.

Protect The Skin Between Breastfeeding Sessions

Insert the cups between your nipple and the bra after each feeding session in order to maintain moisture on the nipples and to protect them from chaffing on garments.

Speed The Healing Process For Cracked and Bleeding Nipples

Scientists have found that Silver has the ability to interrupt the bacterial cells from forming the links necessary to their survival and growth.

Using the Silver Nipple Soothers on already damaged nipples will help prevent bacterial and viral infections from occurring and will help speed the healing process.

Although there are many challenges for breastfeeding mothers, experts agree that nipple pain, infection, and irritation are the most problematic. Unlike other remedies like lanoline creams, balms and ointments, Amorini Silver Nipple Soothers™ leave no residue on the skin, they are completely reusable, and if properly cleaned, they can be passed on to another mother when you no longer need them. They are 100% natural (made of 925 ‰ Silver), easy to use, and are helping mothers all over the world to breastfeed successfully. They also make for a unique Baby Shower gift for mother’s who are expecting.

Developing Healthy Habits: A Cool Tool to Get You Healthier, One Day at a Time

August 10, 2015 By Janette Hillis-Jaffe Leave a Comment

Improving your health usually requires ditching old habits and creating new ones. That can be tough. Your physical therapist can recommend that you work out three times a week, but she isn’t going to drive you to the gym. Your doctor may ask you to cut out refined sugar, but she won’t be there to dive between you and your friend’s birthday cake. It’s up to you to make those changes.

Luckily, there are all kinds of tips and tools out there to help you establish new, healthy habits. One of the most effective tools is something I call the “Don’t Break the Chain” Incentive System.

Productivity experts often cite Jerry Seinfeld’s purported time management secret called “Don’t Break the Chain.” Seinfeld allegedly once told a new comic that he should hone his art by writing every day. Seinfeld then described the system he used to ensure that he did his daily writing. He puts a wall calendar up and marks every day that he writes with a big red ‘X.’ After a few days he has a chain of X’s and doesn’t want to break that chain. That motivates him to keep the chain going. Seinfeld is said to have explained, “Your only job next is not to break the chain.”

When I first heard of this little trick, I thought it sounded like a great idea. I immediately tried it out with a couple of habits that I was trying to adopt, like daily exercise or avoiding sugar. My problem was this: I didn’t care about the chain. I would stick to my habit for a few days, get some nice fat X’s up there, fall off the wagon and just not care that I broke the chain.

When I tried this system with clients in my coaching practice, I discovered that the same was true for many of them as well. Some people are motivated by the chain; by its sign of a commitment kept and good work done. But, many of us are not. We need juicier, more immediate incentives to keep us going when the going gets tough. So, if that is the case for you, you can create an incentive chart by adding an enticing reward every ten days into your “Don’t Break the Chain” effort. Immediate rewards? Now we’re talking.

The “Don’t Break the Chain” Incentive System
works like this:

Step 1. Choose a daily habit that you want to adopt, like a morning walk or eating a fresh salad for lunch.

Step 2. Choose a significant number of days for which you want to do this habit in a row. I recommend 40. It’s popular in the three big Western religions (Ramadan, Lent, and Moses on Mt. Sinai) and it’s a long chunk of time. It has been said that you need to do something for three weeks to make it a habit, but I’ve seen plenty of people fall off the wagon as soon as those three weeks are over. If you do something every day for 40 days, you’ve really begun to establish a practice and have a better chance of keeping it up.

Step 3. Choose four rewards for yourself that you would not give yourself otherwise, in increasing size and value to you. Examples might be: dinner out, a concert, new clothes, binge-watch a tv show, a massage, or a sporting event. The rewards should be something you really enjoy, and something you wouldn’t do on a regular basis. Don’t be afraid to spend a little money on your rewards. It will probably still be cheaper than a life coach, therapist, or personal trainer, who would all charge you to help you establish this habit.

Step 4. Make a list of numbers from 1 to 40 (or use a wall calendar) and write down one of each of the rewards you chose in step 3 on days 10, 20, 30 and 40. This way, you get a great, celebratory reward every ten days, as long as you don’t break the chain.

Step 5. Post the list or calendar in a place where your family or friends will see it and tell them about your effort. Accountability always helps.

Step 6. Cross off each day as you successfully stick to your habit and enjoy your rewards as you get to each one.

The practice I am pursuing now with the “Don’t Break the Chain” incentive system is getting in bed by 10pm every night. I have a bad habit of staying up late, doing a combination of working and watching Netflix or Youtube. It wreaks havoc on my health and productivity. So, I’ve committed to going to bed at 10pm every night for 40 days, unless I am socializing with family or friends. My rewards are: At 10 days – A movie in the theater; at 20 days: two new items of clothing; at 30 days: sushi dinner with my sons; and at 40 days: dinner out with my husband at our favorite restaurant. I fell off the wagon after Day 6 and had to start all over again, but now I am one night away from going out to a movie, and the circles under my eyes, foggy mind and body aches I get from sleep deprivation are all starting to fade after nine days of early bedtimes.

What about you? What habit do you want to pick up? What rewards could you use? How could this nifty tool change your life?

Seven Signs That Your Vitamin D Levels Are Too Low

May 13, 2015 By Dr. Caroline J. Cederquist 2 Comments

Even with the explosion of research surrounding Vitamin D – as many as one-third to one-half of US adults are Vitamin D deficient [1]. The main reasons individuals become deficient in vitamin D include lack of sun exposure, and limited skin synthesis of this vital nutrient.

What is Vitamin D?

Vitamin D is not technically a vitamin – rather it is classified as a hormone. Specifically, it belongs to the steroid hormone family, and is synthesized from cholesterol. Steroid hormones are most well-known for their ability to directly target and signal DNA—subsequently turning certain genes on while simultaneously turning other genes off.

Vitamin D has a specific receptor that can control the transcription of many genes, such as immunoregulatory genes, cancer genes, anti-inflammatory genes, and even blood pressure-related genes. It is also utilized by smooth muscle cells within the arteries, helping to lower blood pressure. When blood pressure is chronically elevated, scientists and physicians know the risks for cardiovascular disease and stroke skyrocket. A number of small clinical trials have demonstrated Vitamin D’s ability to decrease blood pressure [2,3].

Why aren’t I getting enough?

UVB rays from the sun are necessary for the production of Vitamin D in the skin. Lack of sun exposure, often attributable to seasons, cultural dress or the use of sunscreen, can inhibit Vitamin D production. Renal disease, liver issues, as well as gastrointestinal diseases such as Crohn’s disease can also limit both the conversion of vitamin D into its active form, as well as the dietary absorption of vitamin D [4].

Now that you understand how Vitamin D works, and why it is so important, here are a few signs that your levels may be too low:

Suicidal thoughts and depression. While environment, psychological health and genetic factors certainly influence the presence of suicidal thoughts and depression, scientists are discovering that approximately 58% of suicide attempters are deficient in Vitamin D. In addition, these individuals typically display elevated proinflammatory status, and it has been suggested that Vitamin D deficiency may play a role in the increase in neurological inflammation in suicidal patients [5]. With depression, several studies have demonstrated a relationship between severity and risk of depressive symptoms and low vitamin D levels [6,7]. Successful intervention with vitamin D has also been observed, resulting in an improvement in depressive symptoms in overweight adults [8].
High blood pressure. While the true cause of most cases of hypertension –or high blood pressure—is unknown, vitamin D has a role in regulating the angiotensin-renin axis signaling that is responsible for hypertension in the smooth muscle cells that line arteries and veins. The kidneys are capable of converting inactive vitamin D into active vitamin D forms, and using it locally to help regulate blood pressure. A number of studies have shown that vitamin D interventions help to reduce blood pressure in adults [2].
Your immune system doesn’t seem up to par. Vitamin D is responsible for helping to keep inflammatory immune cells at bay, and encouraging the maturation of naïve cells into regulatory immune cells [13]. Which means your body will be able to produce that delicate balance of immune reaction, but not over-reaction, to a stimulus. Beyond that, certain cells, such as antigen presenting cells, have the ability to convert inactive vitamin D into the active form of vitamin D. Vitamin D signaling in immune cells leads to a decrease in histamine production – that annoying molecule that makes your eyes watery and your nose itchy.
Osteoporosis or osteopenia, or rickets in children. If your bone health is not the best, making sure your vitamin D level is adequate is essential to help keep a problem from getting worse. In children, bowed legs, or weak, soft bones is a symptom of rickets, and is a direct result of a vitamin D deficiency [12].
You have pre-diabetes – or insulin resistance. Vitamin D is related to the auto-immune development of type 1 diabetes, as well as the onset of type 2 diabetes [9]. Vitamin D plays a vital role in the action of insulin, which is dysfunctional in type 2 diabetes [10].
You have high cholesterol or high triglyceride levels. A recent study showed that presence of metabolic syndrome as well as hyperlipidemia is associated with decreased vitamin D levels. Adding vitamin D to statin treatment lowered cholesterol levels an additional 10 points lower than just the statin alone. People who were given vitamin D also saw a greater decrease in triglyceride levels as well [11].
You have low HDL or “healthy” cholesterol levels. If your HDL – or good cholesterol—levels are too low, studies show that this is independently and significantly related to the vitamin D deficiency [9].

References

Thomas J. Wang, MD; Michael J. Pencina, PhD; Sarah L. Booth, PhD; Paul F. Jacques, DSc; Erik Ingelsson, MD, PhD; Vitamin D Deficiency and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease. Circulation. 2008;117:503-511.
Lind L, Wengle B, Wide L, Ljunghall S. Reduction of blood pressure during long-term treatment with active vitamin D (alphacalcidol) is dependent on plasma renin activity and calcium status: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Am J Hypertens. 1989;2:20 –25.
Pfeifer M, Begerow B, Minne HW, Nachtigall D, Hansen C. Effects of a short-term vitamin D(3) and calcium supplementation on blood pressure and parathyroid hormone levels in elderly women. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2001;86:1633–1637.
Kurt A. Kennel, MD; Matthew T. Drake, MD, PhD; and Daniel L. Hurley, MD Vitamin D Defciency in Adults: When to Test and How to Treat. Mayo Clin Proc. 2010;85(8):752-758.
Cécile Grudet, Johan Malmb, Åsa Westrina, Lena Brundind. Suicidal patients are deficient in vitamin D, associated with a pro-inflammatory status in the blood. Psychoneuroendocrinology (2014) 50, 210—219.
Milaneschi, Y., Hoogendijk, W., Lips, P., Heijboer, A.C., Schoevers, R., van Hemert, A.M., Beekman, A.T., Smit, J.H., Penninx, B.W., 2014. The association between low vitamin D and depressive disorders. Mol. Psychiatry 19, 444—451.
Milaneschi, Y., Shardell, M., Corsi, A.M., Vazzana, R., Bandinelli, S., Guralnik, J.M., Ferrucci, L., 2010. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and depressive symptoms in older women and men. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 95, 3225—3233.
Jorde, R., Sneve, M., Figenschau, Y., Svartberg, J., Waterloo, K., 2008. Effects of vitamin D supplementation on symptoms of depression in overweight and obese subjects: randomized double blind trial. J. Intern. Med. 264, 599—609.
Kimberly Y.Z. Forrest, Wendy L. Stuhldreher. Prevalence and correlates of vitamin D deficiency in US adults. Nutrition Research 31 (2011) 48–54.
Chiu KC, Chu A, Go VLW, Saad MF. Hypovitaminosis D is associated with insulin resistance and beta cell dysfunction. Am J Clin Nutr 2004;79:820-5.
Qin XF, Zhao LS, Chen WR, Yin da W, Wang H. Effects of vitamin D on plasma lipid profiles in statin-treated patients with hypercholesterolemia: A randomized placebo-controlled trial. Clin Nutr. 2015 Apr;34(2):201-6. doi: 10.1016/j.clnu.2014.04.017. Epub 2014 May 2.
Holick MF. Vitamin D deficiency. N Engl J Med. 2007;357:266-281.
Tamblyn JA, Hewison M, Wagner CL, Bulmer JN, Kilby MD. Immunological role of vitamin D at the maternal-fetal interface. J Endocrinol. 2015 Mar;224(3):R107-21. doi: 10.1530/JOE-14-0642.

Tia Blanco – What I Eat in a Day on a Plant-Based Vegan Diet

May 13, 2015 By Tia Blanco 1 Comment

Today I am going to walk you through what I eat in a day. Being an athlete, it is extremely important to fuel yourself with the right foods. I eat a vegan diet and try to eat as clean as possible. I try to incorporate as many raw fruits and vegetables in my diet as possible.

Veggie and Fruit Bowl

For my first meal of the day I will have a big veggie and fruit bowl.

Blend up in Vitamix and put into a bowl:

Frozen berries
Bananas
Spoonful of hemp seeds
Green Spring Mix
Liquid base coconut water with Aloe Vera Juice

Sprinkle granola over your bowl

Chop up and add toppings:

Strawberries
Kiwis
Blackberries

Add on more desired toppings

Organic Unsweetened Coconut Shavings
Chia seeds
Cacao nibs
Spirulina
Agave

Salad with Quinoa on the Side

Next, for lunch I will eat a huge salad with quinoa on the side.

Chop up and add to salad bowl

Lettuce
Tomatoes
Onion
Bell peppers
Rainbow carrots
Cucumber
Beet

Add more toppings to salad bowl

Garbanzo Beans
Black Olives
Avocado

Make salad dressing

Make as much dressing as you want with half of the liquid being Aminos and half being white vinegar
As much pepper as you desire

Prepare Quinoa
Season Quinoa with brewers yeast and lemon

Vegetable Coconut Curry with Organic Tempeh and Jasmine Rice

For dinner, I will eat vegetable coconut curry with organic tempeh and jasmine rice. I usually make this for my whole family, so the portion size might be bigger. For this meal I will use my non-stick pan and use no oil or salt.

Prepare rice
Heat up organic ad non-GMO tofu on pan
Chop up and add in pan

Potatoes
Whole garlics

When the tofu is golden and the carrots, potatoes, and garlics are soft add in coconut curry sauce
Chop up Vegetables and add in pan (Heat for 5 minutes)

Onion
Potatoes
Red bell pepper
Spinach

Add in pan

Garbanzo beans
Peanuts

Bio:

My name is Tia Blanco and I am a vegan athlete. I have been vegan for 2 years and I feel as if thrive on this diet. I always feel healthy and energetic. My passions in life are surfing, traveling, painting, eating healthy, and being happy. You can follow at:

Website: www.reef.com/ambassadors/tia-blanco
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Tia.Blanco
Tumblr: tiablanco.tumblr.com
Instagram: @tiablanco
Twitter: @tia_blanco

Ditch The Pills And Hit The Treadmill – Exercise and Depression

March 24, 2015 By Joey Thurman Leave a Comment

Celebrity Personal Trainer Explains How Exercise Is Beneficial To Your Mental Health

We are a nation of pill poppers, excuse makers, fat shamers, skinny shamers, pretty shamers, ugly shamers, ageists, youngists (that might be a thing) and we look down on anything else that doesn’t fit within our own “acceptable” mold. We sit behind our laptops, tablets, smart devices, and “I” whatever and think we can justify making fun of anything and anyone else that is different than we are. We spend time looking at the lives of others on social media seeing the highlight reel of the lives of everyone else around us and wonder why we can’t have that, why can’t we go to that Island, why doesn’t my husband do that for me, why aren’t my parents buying me a new car, the list goes on and on and on! It’s no wonder why so many of us are becoming depressed, in fact now more than 12 million Americans are suffering from mental illness and 1/12 Americans over the age of 12 have had symptoms of depressions with less than 39% of them having ANY sort of treatment for their symptoms!

For years pharmaceutical companies have been making billions upon billions for having doctors prescribe antidepressant medications that are proven to work (or so big pharma wants you to think). In fact, it’s published knowledge that pharmaceutical companies only publish the positive results in clinical trials for their antidepressant medications and methodically omit the “bad” or results that show the medications aren’t any more effective than the placebo and in many cases worse due to side effects. (In July, GlaxoSmithKline plead guilty and agreed to pay a total of $3 billion in fines to three counts of criminal misdemeanor and other civil liabilities relating to the prescription drugs Paxil, Wellbutrin and Avandia. In 2009 Pfizer was fined $2.3 billion to resolve criminal and civil allegations that the company illegally promoted uses of four of its drugs, including their antipsychotic drug Geodon).

Personal Experience with Depression

I have struggled with depression during my life and have had thoughts of suicide as a teenager; I had moments of doubt, self-blame, regret, and an immense sense of hopelessness until I took charge of my life and found my solution! This solution that I found and the solution to your depression problems will rival ANY doctor, or treatment and won’t require you to pop a pill, or have any negative side effects, sign me up you would say, and the solution….exercise!

I have been telling people for years if they would come in to see me or use one of my programs that would solve a lot of life’s problems. More and more research is coming out that exercise is the key to mental health! When you exercise you immediately start to feel better about yourself, and not simply because of the physical change that is occurring to your body but because of a chemical response in your brain. Molecular biologists and neurologists are now showing a direct response to exercise the same way that antidepressants regulate serotonin “feel good hormone” and norepinephrine. Since exercise isn’t big business for the government funding has been limited in this area, and of course big pharma will do everything it can to prevent the results of these studies being published. When studies are performed against exercise and medication exercise comes out on top every time!

Recently British doctors have started prescribing exercise INSTEAD of medication for those suffering depression symptoms for the first time. Patients get a discounted rate on a gym membership or training program and begin to start feeling like they are EMPOWERED to take control of their lives instead of feeling like they have an illness! When this program was first introduced in Britain only 4% of doctors prescribed exercise, it’s now up to more than 25%; the Brits are getting it right!

Depression and Exercise

If you don’t live in the UK and want some tips to make sure you don’t have to feel weighed down by depression and can only turn to medication here you go:

One study showed you can cut depressive symptoms by 50% with 30 minutes of cardio 3-5 times a week. This can be any sort of cardio, sprints, jumping rope, swimming, hiking, or even weight lifting in a circuit (one exercise after another).
Stretch for 15-20 minutes a day 3 days a week to decrease symptoms by 29%
Increase your HGH (Human Growth Hormone) which is key for health, strength, and longevity by doing interval training. Perform 30 seconds of an exercise to get your heart rate elevated to a level you can’t talk (any exercise, jumping jacks, running in place, sprints, etc) then take a 90 second breather, repeat this cycle a total of 8 times and get on with your happy day!
Eat a healthy diet. Exercise will lower your symptoms of depression and when you accompany a healthy diet with your exercise you will feel better, more energized, and alert. Eat a diet low in sugar and processed foods, I have great diets and workout plans on my website listed below.
With your healthy diet add essential omega 3 fatty acids like Krill Oil for optimal brain functioning.

Now that you have the tools necessary to lower your symptoms of depression make sure to address your stress! We all have periods of happy days and sad days, but we must face these head on! Exercising and eating well is a MAJOR role in combating your depression levels but don’t be afraid to talk about your feelings to your loved ones or a health professional. We must treat health and wellness as an overall system and not one singular aspect in life. For more information on how to balance your life and get proper workouts, nutrition, and health visit my website at www.TheLifestyleRenovation.com and take control of your Renovation!