Category Archives: WELLNESS

Staying Level: Blood Glucose, and Why it Matters in Fitness

August 25, 2021

Getting fit and staying healthy is a process. The deeper you get into it, the more you realize that you don’t know enough about your body. Knowledge is the key to proper fitness and health, which is why it’s so important that you understand your body’s processes and nutritional needs.

Previously, we talked about ‘Adrenal Fatigue and the Perils of Running On Empty’. Adrenal fatigue can present itself in many different ways, including through chronic inflammation, fatigue, and insomnia.

Today, we’re going to talk about one other symptom of hormonal imbalance: blood sugar level imbalances. We’ll cover the basics of blood sugar levels, why they matter in fitness, and what you can do to help manage them.

Blood Sugar Basics

Blood sugar levels, also known as blood glucose levels, are the concentration of sugar or glucose present in your blood. Our bodies need glucose to be able to function, as it’s our bodies’ main source of energy.

You get glucose when your body processes carbohydrates, which is why you feel more energized after you eat. According to Mayo Clinic, your blood sugar needs to be less than 100 mg/dL at a fasting level for it to be considered a normal range.

Keeping your blood sugar level at a normal range is important for your short-term and long-term health. Healthline notes that high blood sugar levels can lead to problems down the rode such as nerve and organ damage, and in many cases blindness, kidney failure, and heart disease.

Linking Fitness and Blood Sugar

But what does your blood sugar have to do staying and keeping fit? Experts at Cleveland Clinic say that exercise matters for tracking your blood sugar because it helps your body use insulin more efficiently. Using insulin more efficiently means that your blood sugar levels are likely to be lower after a bout of exercise.

While this is good news for people who tend towards hyperglycemia, it’s also a point of concern for those with hypoglycemia, or blood sugar levels lower than normal. Hypoglycemia can be caused by Addison disease, another disease of the pituitary and adrenal glands. With hypoglycemia, you can suffer from dizziness, blurred vision, and in extreme cases seizures and comas.

With all of this in mind, it’s thus incredibly important that you’re aware of your regular blood glucose range before intensive physical activity. While exercise can benefit your body for the most part, if you suffer from hypoglycemia unchecked activity can be dangerous.

How to Manage Your Blood Glucose

One of the biggest concerns for prediabetics and diabetics is how to manage their blood sugar levels to prevent dangerous spikes or dips. Exercise is one way to lower your blood glucose after a meal, but there are other methods available as well.

Diet, for example, plays an obvious role in your blood sugar levels. Brightcore recommends supplementing with ACV gummies, which can help lower your blood glucose levels and improve your digestive health. You can also try eating small but regular meals to ensure that you have a stable and constant supply of energy.

Harvard Health Publishing also recommends low glycemic foods like brown rice, leafy greens, nuts, and fruits. These low glycemic foods have lower levels of carbohydrates, meaning you stay full for longer but without the dangers of blood sugar spikes. These foods also tend to be low calorie, and much healthier overall, which is always a plus.

Understanding the ways our bodies work is the key to safe, healthy, and effective fitness plans. If you want a longer, healthier life, you need to listen to what your body needs, and blood sugar levels are one way to do it.

While you might usually feel fine, it’s always a good idea to check in with your doctor every once in a while to monitor your blood glucose for signs of prediabetes. If you do have prediabetes or are living with diabetes, try to learn more about how exercise and proper nutrition can help you improve your quality of life. When it comes to our health and our bodies, knowledge is always power.

Image via Pixabay.co

Is It Time To Deepen Your Practice This Much?

July 17, 2021

The prestigious, newly expanded Interprofessional Fellowship in Integrative Health & Medicine from the Academy of Integrative Health and Medicine (AIHM) is now accepting Applications for admission and scholarships to the October 2021 session.

The Academy of Integrative Health and Medicine (AIHM) Interprofessional Fellowship in Integrative Health & Medicine, a 1000-hour hybrid program for clinicians who aim to become leaders in integrative health and medicine, has expanded its program and is accepting applications for October 2021. Rooted in evidence-based research, the Fellowship was launched in 2016 and blends online learning with clinical immersion experience.
Scholarships are available on a limited first come first serve basis in these areas as well as others: licensed providers working with the underserved; allied healthcare professionals; and licensed providers from and/or working with BIPOC communities.
Fellows are licensed clinicians or licensed healthcare providers most of whom have their MD or DO or a masters degree. Participants typically become Fellows for continuing education and a meaningful connection to a deeper mission, often helping to address provider burnout and a desire to broaden their sense of purpose.
The curriculum includes a focus on integrative disease management, clinical immersion and self study, nutrition, botanicals and supplements, environmental and global health and more with courses building on the learning foundation in a progressive manner. Three retreats focus on the community and connection and reinforces the curriculum through experiential sessions in the beginning, middle and end of the program.
One clinical immersion experience offers virtual input from expert faculty on actual patient case studies to help address patient needs. More affordable than similar Fellowship programs in Integrative Health and Medicine, AIHM’s Fellowship tuition is approximately $26,000.
They offer equitable pricing through scholarships, institutional support, and match programs. Approximately fifty percent of Fellows are eligible for scholarships, with over $1 million awarded to date. Scholarships are based on financial need, work embedded within underserved communities, the cost of living in the state where the applicant lives as well as other factors.

Wanna know my secret sauce to success? 

July 1, 2021

I am sooooo(ooooo) excited to share this!

Have you ever wondered why some people seem to have the Midas touch (whatever that is!)?

Better timing, luck, or the “know how” to get what they want, when they want it but not you.

I get it.

But here’s something to remember: Even the best of the best tripped, fell, and failed.

From 14-time New York Times Bestselling authors to NFL players, to DJs, Disruptors, Artists, and Actors.

More than once.

How do I know? Because I have been there. And I have finally figured out how to recover from debilitating, energy-sucking, thoughts and blocks.

It’s why I am joining the Secret Sauce Summit in partnership with Handel Group & Inner.U! 

I am joining 21 Experts to share our secrets, trips, falls & fails!

Yes! I will not only spill my secrets but my secret sauce to success as well!

You coming?

Reserve your spot today for The Secret Sauce Summit event to hack into your life, face your fears, and (finally!) find what you’re looking for. We go live on July 12th.

Here are the details: 

✔️ 21 Featured Experts

✔️ 2 Weeks of FREE Interviews

✔️ Delivered to your inbox

✔️ July 12-25th

✔️ Replays available

CLICK HERE to grab your free spot now!

P.S. This event was specifically created with YOU in mind. Take advantage of this special opportunity NOW! Secure your spot: HERE!!

 

The Verywell Mind Mental Health Tracker

June 26, 2021

Verywell (www.verywellmind.com) just announced the launch of The Verywell Mind Mental Health Tracker, a monthly report that measures Americans’ stress, moods, and the mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The first wave of results revealed that nearly twice as many young adults (Gen Z and Millennials) are stressed compared to Boomers (62% vs. 35%), particularly about jobs, finances, and re-entering the post-pandemic world. They also struggle more with feelings of hopelessness, anxiety, and the potential stigma associated with seeking professional help.

As states begin loosening restrictions from the COVID-19 pandemic, Verywell’s monthly Mental Health Tracker monitors attitudes and behaviors around the mental well-being of 4,000 Americans, representing a range of demographics including gender, race, religion, age, and political views. The Verywell Mental Health Tracker is one of the industry’s first ongoing studies measuring specific mental health indicators like self-esteem, sleep, and stress each month.

“What we’ve discovered with this first wave of results is that the pandemic has taken a serious toll on Gen Z,” said Amy Morin, Editor-in-Chief, Verywell Mind. “So while it’s important to focus on the physical health of the older generations, we also need to start paying more attention to the mental health of the younger generations.”

Key findings of the first monthly tracker include:

Younger Americans are stressed out:

  • Less than half of Gen Z said their mental health is “good”
    • Two thirds (65%) of Americans overall rated their mental health as “good” or “better” over the last 30 days, but this number dips below half for Gen Z (42%).
  • Older adults are significantly more likely to say their mental health is “good” or “better”:
    • Silent Generation: 86%
    • Boomers: 76%
    • Gen X: 65%
    • Millennials: 59%
  • Similar trends can be seen in stress, with Gen Z and Millennials (62%)  nearly twice as likely as Boomers (35%) to say they’ve been at least moderately stressed in the last 30 days.

Work and financial problems are stressing younger Americans the most:

  • COVID-19 and parenting are the most common sources of stress. Nearly half of Americans said much of their stress is related to both COVID-19 (49%) and parenting in general (48% among parents). However, when it comes to the single biggest source of stress over the last month, COVID-19 jumped to the front of the line with 27% of Americans, followed by financial problems (24%).
  • For Gen Z, financial problems (24%) and work (23%) are the top two sources of stress. While the COVID-19 pandemic ranks either first or second among all other generations as the single biggest source of stress, for Gen Z, it ranks fifth at just 16% compared with:
    • Silent Generation: 44%
    • Boomers: 37%
    • Gen X: 26%
    • Millennials: 21%

For more information on The Verywell Mind Mental Health Tracker and to read the full findings visit here.

 

But Is Your All Natural Deodorant Also Mood Boosting?

May 26, 2021

Is it also gender-neutral, cruelty-free, aluminum-free, 100% natural, paraben-free, clean, clean-free, and packaged in a stunning sexy little roll on?

Didn’t think so. Clearly, you need mindalt in your life.

mindalt, elevates your mood with the proven science of essential oils. As someone who has 2 diffusers running at all times, this product is right up my alley.

No aluminum or anything toxic doesn’t mean it doesn’t work. With endless testing, mindalt learned that using fewer ingredients has nothing to do with deodorant being any less effective.

mindalt delivers a rich combination of ingredients that target mood, sweat and odor in multiple ways.  

The right combo of essentail oils = 4x the mood boosting power.

Each of their 22 specific essential oils have been scientifically proven to impact your brain’s nervous system and positively alter your mood state and wellbeing.

The power of 5.

Five powerful sweat absorbers,  five natural ingredients to attack sweat from different angles, from reducing pore size to wicking away moisture to absorbing wetness. Five potent antimicrobial odor fighters that stop the bacteria that cause body odor from forming.

Mood enhancing essential oils

Lemon: EWG Clean Rating 1
Boosts your metabolism and mood. That’s why it’s nicknamed liquid sunshine. Refreshing citrusy. Slightly sweet scent.

Bergamot: EWG Clean Rating 2
The triple treat and why Bergamot is found in all our products. Positive mood enhancer with antimicrobial properties that also helps absorb sweat. Fresh citrus scent with a hint of spices.

Sage: EWG Clean Rating 1
Steels against negativity and uplifts your mood. Smells balmy and herbal.

Vetiver: EWG Clean Rating 1
Balances your mood reducing irritability. Smells much like uncut grass with a woody undertone.

Sandalwood: EWG Clean Rating 1
Aids mental clarity and promotes creativity. A woody scent offset by floral, balsamic and sweet accents.

Ingredients that absorb sweat

Zea Mays: EWG Clean Rating 1
Corn starch, highly effective in the dampening of wetness.

Pullulan: EWG Clean Rating 1
Produced from starch and provides excellent moisture protection.

Citrus Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil: EWG Clean Rating 2
An essential oil with a surprisingly high astringency, allowing it to reduce or contract the size of sweat-producing pores.

Witch Hazel Distillate: EWG Clean Rating 1
Derived from steaming the twigs of the Witch Hazel shrub, this essential oil is an astringent that constricts the tissue under the arm to prevent sweat and also reduces moisture.

Silica: EWG Clean Rating 1
A mineral component of sandstone, it acts to soak up moisture from sweat.

Ingredients that prevent body odor

Propanediol: EWG Rating 2
Derived from the glucose obtained from corn, it’s a highly effective bacteria inhibitor (especially Gram-positive bacteria, most commonly responsible for causing body odor). Gentle on the skin. it causes no irritation and acts as a moisturizer.

Triethyl Citrate: EWG Clean Rating 1
A citric acid that prevents bacterial decomposition of sweat ingredients that directly cause body odor.

Glycerin: EWG Clean Rating 1
A naturally occurring organic compound that has strong antimicrobial properties.

Pentylene Glycol: EWG Clean Rating 1
Naturally occurring in sugarcane, it is a longstanding antimicrobial agent which helps stabilize liquids that don’t mix well. It is an emulsifier and therefore a good ally of Sunflower Oil, our emulsion.

Citric Acid: EWG Clean Rating 1
An organic fruit derived acid (from lemon or lime) that combats armpit sweat as it reduces sweat production.

OP+ also includes:

Polyglyceryl: EWG Clean Rating 1

Derived from vegetables this plant based antimicrobial effectively targets all the types of body odor.

Zinc Ricinoleate: EWG Clean Rating 1

Found in castor oil this odor absorber rather than merely killing bacteria, traps and absorbs odor molecules making them imperceptible to the odor receptors in your nose.

Ingredients that improve the product experience

Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower Seed) Oil: EWG Clean Rating 1
Sunflower Oil is the formulation’s key carrier oil that ensures the essential oils don’t lose potency on contact with the skin and are quickly absorbed into the bloodstream. Works to make the essential oil combinations more effective and ‘bio-available’.  It also acts to delay the oxidation of Bergamot, our formula’s most versatile essential oil.

Tocopherol: EWG Clean Rating 1
A naturally occurring organic compound known to have Vitamin E activity, a potent antioxidant that helps prevent cell damage by fighting off highly reactive free radicals.

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride: EWG Clean Rating 1
Made from palm. Beyond smoothing your skin, it helps agents bind together to make the mood enhancing essential oils longer lasting.

Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe) Leaf Juice: EWG Clean Rating 1
Aloe Vera is well-recognized to sooth and soften the skin.

Menthol: EWG Clean Rating 1
A crystalline compound found largely in Peppermint oils that provides a soothing and momentary cooling sensation upon application.

For example: Ingredients that maintain formulation integrity

Lecithin: EWG Clean Rating 1
Found in the tissue of plants, it is an emulsifier that extends the product’s shelf-life.

Hydroxyacetophenone: EWG Clean Rating 1
Found naturally in Cloud Berries, it is a preservative booster.

Phenethyl Alcohol: EWG Clean Rating 1
Occurring naturally in essential oil plants, it prevents or retards bacterial growth and in turn protects the product from spoilage. It is a natural preservative.

Sclerotium Gum: EWG Clean Rating 1
A big sugar molecule used as a thickening agent.

Xanthan Gum: EWG Clean Rating 1
An all-natural sugar molecule used in tandem with Sclerotium Gum, acts to stabilize our emulsions.

Glyceryl Oleate Citrate: EWG Clean Rating 1
A natural compound of citric acid and vegetable oils. It’s an emulsifier and stabilizer for water. It contributes to even the distribution of products during use, keeping the ingredients from separating.