Tag Archives: #health

Placenta Pills: Do they live up to the hype?

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Mostly I tackle topics from my readers (and I promise that I am going to start on those ASAP!) but I had a little experiment I was running myself that I wanted to share with you all. Eight weeks ago I had my amazingly beautiful baby girl, and in preparing for her birth, our new life together, I wanted to make sure that I was as ready as I could be for the challenges I was about to face, both mentally and physically. One of my biggest fears was postpartum depression, I have no idea why because I was not really at risk, but I wanted to limit my risks and ensure that the three months of maternity leave with my baby girl were the best possible three months for all of us, so I looked into taking placenta pills. It sounds gross, but it was one of the best decisions I made for post birth planning.

What is postpartum depression?

Postpartum depression effects around 11-20% of women annually (its around 600,000 in the US alone). It’s normal to have some mild symptoms of feeling sad, anxious, and mood swings after giving birth because you have so many hormonal changes going on in your body once that baby comes out, and it should stabilize in a few days to week or so after birth. Postpartum depression lasts longer than two weeks and can have more extreme symptoms of: severe mood swings, severe anxiety (anxiety attacks), excessive crying, inability to bond with your baby, inability to sleep, lack of eating, irritability and anger, feelings of worthlessness, a lack of enjoyment in activities you used to like, and more severely thoughts of harming yourself, your baby, or suicide. If you ever have any thoughts of harming yourself, your baby, or others, please call your local emergency services immediately (911 in the US). These symptoms can last a few months, and even longer.

Can anything increase my risk?

Unfortunately, because of a lack of sleep during labor (possibly) and after having the baby, along with hormone changes, every woman has a risk of falling prey to postpartum depression. There are a few factors that may increase your risk of postpartum depression such as:

– Family/personal history of depression

– Previous postpartum depression

– Stressful events during pregnancy: illness, loss of job, change in relationship, or pregnancy complications

– Health problems with your newborn (including colic)

– Difficulty breastfeeding

– Lack of support from partner/friends/family postpartum

How can I prevent it?

Having a baby is not easy, and it is an amazing experience, but you need support of others to help support you, and if you don’t have that support to keep you and your baby healthy, you can easily fall into a depression. Being aware of the signs of depression, as well as having supporters that are also aware of your needs and the signs of postpartum depression is key. Sometimes you need to just get a few minutes to yourself or nap, and it can make you feel like a new person, so having someone who can help you to get you some time alone, when you know your baby is safe and being cared for, is key. But there is another thing you can try: placenta pills.

What are Placenta Pills?

Placenta pills (encapsulation) are a bit controversial in the medical world, but animals, tribeswomen, and now celebrities alike all eat their placenta in some form. The placenta is the organ that forms for your baby to live and grow inside of your uterus, and it is delivered after the baby. The placenta is filled with your own hormones, iron, and other nutrients, so ingesting it help to gently lower your oxytocin hormone levels, thus decreasing the risk of postpartum depression, mood swings, and insomnia related to abrupt hormone changes, and it can even release a hormone that helps to reduce stress. Placenta pills can also help to increase your energy levels and increase breast milk quantity by supplying optimal nutrients to support it, including replacing your iron lost through the birthing process. You can eat your placenta raw, cooked, or encapsulated in pill form; whichever makes you most comfortable.

What’s the science?

So, there really is no research to support placenta pills either as beneficial or detrimental to your health. As a practice throughout the animal kingdom and since the beginning of man, essentially, which is still practiced in rural tribes throughout the world, it truly cannot seem harmful and I felt that it could only be helpful.Placenta Pills

My experience: I worked with Kristin Lynch of Placenta Therapeutics to help encapsulate my placenta. We discussed various options for the encapsulation process (the placenta can be encapsulated raw or steamed) and the benefits of each process, and she helped to walk me through it, along with the dose of the pills. I had her make half raw and half steamed pills, so that I could slowly wean down my hormone levels to normal. Once I got over the fact that I was ingesting one of my own organs, the results were amazing: I had absolutely no signs of postpartum depression, my milk came in right away (and I have actually been an over producer of milk), I’ve had energy (much more than other postpartum women that I have seen), and my sleeping has been great (I admit it helps that my baby is a fabulous little sleeper and eater). I truly believe that the placenta pills helped to calm me and stabilize my hormones throughout this postpartum time; I normally react to my own hormonal changes (I get very crabby monthly) but I really had minimal, if any, changes/reactions after giving birth. Kristin was amazing and checked in on me to make sure I was feeling well and she was available to answer any questions I had, but there were no issues, the pills were a complete success.

I would highly recommend anyone to try the encapsulation, especially if you have had issues with postpartum depression previously, or if you are at risk, to try to prevent it. It cannot harm you, as long as you handle the placenta appropriately (if you have certain infections, or an abnormal placenta you might not be able to use it for encapsulation). If you are in the greater MA area, I highly suggest Kristin Lynch at Placenta Therapeutics (I was in no way given any goods/services for free, I just really think she is amazing), but look here for encapsulation services by reputable services (i.e. they follow blood-born pathogen protocols and ensure that your placenta isn’t exposed to anything infectious!)

Yours in good health

B

 

 

Beware: Heroin now has a Higher Risk of Death

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Heroin, for a long time, has been one of the most addictive street drugs available. With large numbers of users, a high rate of addiction, and a low rate of recovery, it is feared by many, but there is now a new reason to be fearful of the drug: it’s being laced and now has a higher rate of overdose.

What’s the scoop?

Lots of heroin that’s on the streets now is laced with Fentanyl, a drug that is commonly used in hospitals for acute pain control for procedures and post-operatively, but it is making heroin 50 to 100 times stronger, and even the most experienced drug users are overdosing due to the addition of this pain killer. In some areas, the heroin is labelled as having additives, and in other places, it is just being sold as heroin and the people purchasing the drug are not aware of the potentially deadly addition. Granted, one could make the argument that any time you are purchasing heroin to inject directly into your bloodstream you are taking potentially dangerous drug, which is a completely accurate description, but long-term users tend to know how much they can shoot and don’t commonly overdose. Adding in Fentanyl to that dose that long-term users take regularly, can lead to an immediate overdose.Heroin

Over a three month period, there were more than 50 deaths spreading over 3 states…and the numbers are rising. In the state of Rhode Island alone, there have been just shy of 100 deaths since the start of 2014 and more than 500 overdoses of this fatal heroin/Fentanyl mix treated by emergency personnel, to the point that now police are carrying Narcan (a quick acting antidote to opioids such as heroin and fentanyl, which can buy time to get a victim to an Emergency Department for further treatment.)

Why is this such a Public Health Crisis?

There are more and more people with prescription pill addictions, who are able to talk HCPs into prescriptions due to pain, or they are purchased over the internet, or off the street, and heroin is essentially a cheaper version of these pain pills. They are all opiates, and work very similarly on the body, but sadly, heroin tends to be cheaper and easier to get than prescription pills. So, the average heroin addict might be the middle class man in a suit next to you at the grocery store….not the homeless person you might assume to be a drug addict. With more and more people turning their prescription pill addiction into a heroin addiction, we have  a problem on our hands, and when they start dying before they can even seek help due to a lethal mixture of heroin and Fentanyl that they are taking by accident, we have a huge problem on our hands. The deaths from heroin and other opiates has doubled over homicides in most cities and now that it is being more openly reported, we are all realizing it is a national problem that is hitting small towns as much as it is affecting cities.

If you, or someone you know has a drug addiction, be aware of the risk every time you (or your loved one) buys heroin, know there are places to get help: SAMHSA (substance abuse and Mental Health Services Administration), Recovery.org, and Narcotics Anonymous are some to start with, but you can also go to your HCP for help with addiction or a local emergency department, and for an immediate overdose, you should call your local emergency services (911 in the US).

Keep your eyes open, if you are a parent or if you suspect a friend or a loved one has an addiction. Talk about the risks, get help yourself on how to work with addiction (Nar Anon Group sessions can be a good start), and get on the road to recovery and prevent an untimely death from this toxic mixture of drugs.

Yours in Good Health

B

Is Quorn Really Healthy?

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Many people ask me about Quorn™ and whether I think it’s healthy or not. The first time I heard about it, I had no idea what the person was talking about and had to do some research. Once I looked into it, and started asking around, I realized it is much more popular than I had imagined, and it kind of made me feel like I was living under a rock. I was a little shocked at all the controversy here in the US over this mycoprotein meat substitute though.

from www.quorn.com

from www.quorn.com

What is Quorn™?

Quorn™ is a meat substitute that is a mycoprotein (which merely means it’s a protein from a fungus: think mushrooms). These mycoproteins were first cultivated in the 1950’s-60’s for animal and human feeding, in case there was a shortage of protein availability (I have no idea why this was a huge concern, but apparently it was in some circles.) Thus, the process was created, and proteins were derived from fungus, but it is a created biomass, so it isn’t actually grown in nature, it is created in a lab. The fungus that Quorn™ is made form is not actually a mushroom per say, but it is of the same genus, and it is fermented through a patented technique, and Quorn™ is made. Quorn™ is a high protein, low-fat, low-calorie, and high fiber alternative to meat, that supposedly has the same texture, and similar taste to meat (I haven’t eaten it, but all meats taste differently, so I’m not too sure about that claim.) The Quorn™ product was first sold in the UK in the early 1990’s, the rest of the EU in the late 1990’s, and came to the US in the early 2000’s. Currently you can buy Quorn™ in specialty made food items, or just frozen as itself in which you can add it to your own meals in place of meat.

What is the controversy?

There were three main issues that came to pass when Quorn™ hit the market: it was claiming to be “a mushroom based product”, it was also claiming to be vegetarian but used non-free range eggs (AKA battery eggs) in processing, and there were fears it would cause allergic reactions. The mushroom base allegations, were legitimate in that the proteins are created from a fungus that is not a mushroom, technically, but who wants to read “this is a fungus based product” on their food? I wouldn’t reach for that first, I will be honest with you. But, Quorn™ changed it’s labeling to remove that statement altogether, and it is not described anywhere on the Quorn™ website what it is actually created from (which is in no way a negative, just an interesting side note.) The Quorn™ company worked with the Vegetarian Society to start using free-range eggs, and obtain their seal of vegetarian approval, so while it is not vegan (some products also contain milk), it is considered a vegetarian product. The final claim about allergies, was truly unfounded; there was one asthma attack related to the product, but there are many other products on the market with a much higher allergic reaction rate, such as soy, wheat, etc. Besides the Vegetarian Society, the other claims were made by a competitor in the market, so while they may have had some merit, it was more to give negative press to the product.

Final Verdict?

I have never eaten Quorn™, but I do know many people who do, as an alternative to meat and to decrease their fat and calories in meals. Personally, I stick to lean meats and vegetarian meals, I don’t usually even add tofu to meals because I get protein in other ways, but I think that it is a viable alternative for vegetarians looking to add more protein and for those looking to cut calories. I try to eat a clean diet that is minimally processed, and Quorn™ is clearly a lab created processed food, however, this is something that can be very effective to help with calorie reduction in dieting or for adding lean proteins on the go (if you don’t have time to prepare meals, the high protein pre-packaged ones seem pretty easy.) While I don’t consider it an option or me, I think it is a “healthier” alternative for  those who eat a high fat, high cholesterol diet and are looking to decrease fat and calorie intake. If you eat Quorn™ as a staple, give some  feedback for the rest of the readers!

Yours in Good Health

B

Already Faltering with Your New Years Resolutions?

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I’ve heard of so many people that made these really intense New Years resolutions related to health, fitness, weightless goals, etc. which I give kudos for, and I think is awesome, however some of you all have set yourselves up for failure. Now, I am never someone who will tell you not to shoot for the stars, however, I am a realist, and I want people to make attainable goals, so that you set yourself up for success. Success and feeling positive about a change, is the key to it sticking, so set some goals you can keep up in the dawn of this New Year.

New Year SkyOverzealous weight loss goals?

It’s super easy to put in your head that you can lose 3, 4, 5 lbs a week so you can hit that magic number by the time you take your winter holiday in someplace tropical and warm and you get to wear your bathing suit. The reality is that with working out, and eating a healthier diet to cut down your caloric intake to a safe and healthy level (for most women the lowest you should go is around 1500 calories per day), you should be losing around 1 lb a week for sustainable weight loss. Plus, anyone who has read my blog before knows that I am not a huge fan of people having set weight goals; I truly believe that you should set your goals based on your clothes, and shoot for looking fly in those skinny jeans, as opposed to staring at a number on a scale, which is bound to disappoint some days due to normal weight fluctuations. So don’t get bummed because of a number, feel good because you look awesome in your clothes, and they slip on just a little bit easier now!

Hardcore Workout Regimens:

Making mental commitments to working to 7 days a week, or jumping in with 4am workouts every day when you normally work out at in the evening….or not at all, can also backfire!  Although, this one can go either way; some people feel a total addiction to working out and love that endorphin rush and make a complete life change, which is great, but others can get totally overwhelmed, not get that endorphin rush, and completely give up on their goals or feel like a failure if they can’t hit that mark every day.  So set your goals based on what you actually can add into your life based on your current life schedule with work and life commitments: if you can only get to the gym 5 days a week, or you go some mornings and some afternoons, it should be considered a win! And you do need to be careful about jumping in too fast and over-training, you put yourself at risk for injury, so listen to your body!

Cleanses and other Radical Diet Changes:

People hear about “nutrition” or weight loss fads all the time and decide they are going to do it, because some random celebrity lost 10, 20, 30+ pounds adding/deleting something form their diet.  I know that you all know this is the truth: fad diets don’t work! If you want to change something about your diet to be healthier or lose weight, it needs to be a lifestyle change that you are actually able to commit to and stick with, otherwise it is completely pointless. Do you really want to cut out all sugar from your life? Or do you really want to be vegan? Do you know the implications and you can commit to that? Well then, as long as it’s been well thought out, and what you want to do, I stand behind you and will cheer you on, but don’t make changes because of some silly trend you read about.

The best New Years Resolutions for health and weight loss are those that you can actually attain, and that you feel positive about. Set goals that will make you feel good, and keep you motivated all year long, so next year you can make another goal that will lead you into an even healthier lifestyle! Lifestyle changes take time to get used to, as you are changing learned behaviors and patterns; allow yourself a few mess ups, but get right back at it, and keep positive! Plus, it helps if you have a friend or loved one that supports you and is actually making the changes with you! Plus, there is no rule that you can’t alter a resolution for which you may have set the bar too high…you will meet your goals, just stay positive and set yourself up for success: It’s a New Year, so be a New YOU too!

Yours in Good Health

B

 

Snow Storm Safety!

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For all those, like me, who are affected by snowstorm storms during the winter, and possibly confined to their homes because of it, I just wanted to drop a reminder a few ways to keep yourself safe:

1. Make sure to get food and some water before the storm hits!  Whatever food you can eat, and plan on possibly losing power, so you may have to eat PB&Js for a couple of days, or canned goods, just make sure that you have enough food to eat and fresh water to drink.  You don’t want to have to go out during the storm (plus, stores won’t be open!)

2. Snow falling can be gorgeous, and you may want to go out for a walk in it, but please do not stray too far out heavy snowfall alone; with poor visibility, it is easy to get lost especially in poor lighting (dusk and nighttime.)

3. The same goes for your animals, off leash, they can easily get lost with poor visibility and poor lighting. If you have small creatures, like mine, they can fall below the snow line, so keeping them on leash ensures their safety. It can also be harder for you to hear them with snowfall and plows around, so you may not be able to visualize them OR hear them. snowpups

4. When shoveling, take breaks: the exercise when shoveling is a lot more exertion than people think, and it is easy to strain muscles and/or exert yourself to the point of heart attack (we see a lot of cardiac arrests during snow storm shoveling).  So please take breaks, and ask for help, or if you have a plow, do a favor for someone who might not be able to shovel themselves out. If you have the means, maybe call a company to help plow you out in heavy snow.

5. Be careful with snow blowers: they can get clogged up, sometimes requiring you to pull out rocks, branches, etc. but make sure that the motor is off and the blade has stopped spinning. There are always some pretty nasty snowblower accidents that come into the Emergency Department every snowstorm! Even though it isn’t as exerting as shoveling, take breaks! Being exhausted and operating any sort of motorized equipment is as unsafe as being under the influence of alcohol, so please be safe and take breaks as you can.

6. If you have chronic medical conditions, or are unwell, have a plan to get to medical assistance if necessary. Emergency Medical Services (EMS) will be up and running, but they need to be safe getting to you, so times may be slightly delayed, and it is something to keep in mind.  If you have someone driving you to the hospital, give yourself ample time and drive slowly and safely to get there. For example, if you are pregnant and due to give birth during a predicted snowstorm: have a plan in place!

7. Please be mindful of driving bans, it’s for your own safety! if you HAVE to drive, for emergency purposes (and no that doesn’t mean you forgot extra wine) be careful and take your time.  Make sure that you have a cell phone, or a way to contact EMS or roadside assistance if you need to, but please use good common sense, you do not want to be one of the statistics.

8. Use common sense, it seems fun to go out and do crazy things in the snow, but temperatures are cold, visibility is low, snow drifts are higher than expected, and transportation can be really difficult. So, if you have to get your crazies out, bring a cell phone and a friend, and let people know what you are up to/when you are going. Especially if you have been drinking to pass the time (remember to eat and to hydrate well!)

9. General winter warning: Don’t go skating on ponds unless it is posted that it is safe to do so. Many times ponds/lakes appear more frozen than they are!

10. To stay healthy? Remember you don’t need a gym to get exercise when you get stir crazy, you can always rock out with some yoga, jumping jacks, burpees, squats, etc. there’s way to keep moving even when confined to your home.

Otherwise, enjoy the snow, have fun, and hopefully you will be able to escape your homes safely soon enough!  Remember: Helping someone out is a good feeling, so if you are fit and have the means (a plow/snow blower/shovel), help someone who might be completely snowed in and unable to get themselves out. Pay it forward and keep it safe!

Yours in Good Health

B

December Exercise Challenge: Beat the Holiday Weight Gain!

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This exercise challenge was created to beat the holiday bulge, strengthen your core muscles, keep working and improving leg strength, and increase upper body strength.  It is a mixture of exercises that will help us ladies feel good and look good! And every time you want to swear at me for making you do a push up, think about the fact that you are tightening your pecs and helping to keep your upper body nice and toned and perky!!  Join me, get mad at me, and show me up by getting fit and healthy and preventing the holiday weight gain!!

The main exercises we will focus on are:

Squats: Strengthen your lower body and core muscles such as the quadriceps, hamstrings, calf muscles, gluteals, lower abs, and lower back muscles. To perform a squat appropriately, you want to squat straight down (feet hips width apart) as if you are about to sit in a chair (think butt out) as far down as you can go keeping your balance and posture, then stand back up straight.

Planks: Strengthen your upper, middle, and lower core such as the rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis, oblique muscles, pectoralis, serratus, and the quadriceps muscles. You can perform a plank from your knees OR resting on your elbows with your forearms resting on the ground (modified) OR from a high plank position with your hands shoulder width apart, straight body, and on the balls of your feet. Hold steady keeping your back straight and butt in!Plank view 1

Push-Ups: Strengthen and tone abdominals, pectoralis, triceps, and bicep muscles. You can perform a push up from your knees (modified) or from a high plank position (hands shoulder width apart, straight body, and on the balls of your feet), with a straight body, in a controlled motion, lower your body to 6” off the ground, and push back to the top position.

Top (starting and ending) Position

Top (starting and ending) Position

 

 

Bottom Position

Bottom Position

Reverse Crunches: strengthen and tone the lower abs, hamstrings, and quadriceps. Perform laying flat on the ground (with hands under your lower back from comfort, if necessary), pull your knees into your abdomen, then push out to straight legs with pointed toes 6” off the ground, and pull them back in.

Oblique Crunches: Strengthen and tone the external oblique abdominal muscles. Perform with your legs at a 45 degree angle raised 6” off the floor and your upper torso also 6-8” off the floor, either with a medicine ball or pretending to hold one, twist to the left with your upper torso and keep your legs in the same position, then go back to center and repeat on the right side. Each side is considered one “crunch”.

Straight Crunches: Strengthen and tone your core abdominal muscles. Perform with your hands interlaced behind your head, not pulling on your head or neck, and with your knees bent and back flat on the floor, pull up using our core abdominal muscles to a 45 degree angle and release, in a controlled fashion.

The Challenge (should you choose to accept it): 

Day 1:  50 Squats & 2 minute Plank

Day 2:  75 Squats & 3 minute Plank

Day 3:  85 Squats & 25 Push-ups

Day 4:  100 Squats & 40 Push-ups

Day 5:  50 Push-ups & 3 minute Plank

Day 6:  4 minute Plank & 100 Squats

Day 7:  Rest Day

Day 8:  5 minute plank

Day 9:  40 Reverse Crunches & 110 Squats

Day 10: 50 Reverse Crunches & 6 minute Plank

Day 11: 60 Reverse Crunches & 50 Push Ups

Day 12: 50 Oblique Crunches & 50 Reverse Crunches

Day 13:  7 minute Plank

Day 14: Rest Day

Day 15: 50 Push Ups & 80 Oblique Crunches

Day 16: 120 Squats & 8 minute Plank

Day 17: 140 Squats & 60 Oblique Crunches & 60 Reverse Crunches

Day 18: 100 Straight Crunches

Day 19: 60 Push Ups & 60 Straight Crunches & 60 Oblique Crunches

Day 20: 8 minute Plank

Day 21: Rest Day

Day 22: 100 Reverse Crunches & 75 Push Ups

Day 23: 160 Squats & 120 Straight Crunches

Day 24: 170 Squats & 80 Oblique Crunches & 80 Reverse Crunches

Day 25: 80 Push Ups & 140 Straight Crunches

Day 26: 200 Squats & 100 Oblique Crunches & 100 Reverse Crunches

Day 27: 9 minute Plank

Day 28: Rest Day

Day 29: 90 Push Ups & 150 Crunches

Day 30: 100 Push Ups & 230 Squats

Day 31: 10 minute Plank

And as always, if you have any medical problems, please speak to your HCP before starting the challenge, and you can always modify the exercises to prevent any injury!

Yours in Good Health

B

 

Make Sure You are Safe to Drive Home!

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The holiday season is upon us, and that means office parties, parties with friends and family, and the opportunity to overindulge and possibly drive. If you live in a large city, it’s not really an issue, you can always leave your car for a few extra hours and catch a cab home, or public transportation (depending on the time). But if you live in the Suburbs or somewhere where the options of getting home are minimal, other than driving or staying over, many people overestimate their ability to drive, and they head on home. That isn’t very safe or smart, but for there is a smarter choice: Personalized Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) testers, also known as Breathalyzers.

I know it seems a little odd, but I recently started thinking about an acquaintance that was court ordered to have a breathalyzer attached to her ignition, so that she can’t start her car without being below the legal limit for driving. Since we have such a huge issue in the United States with drinking and driving, why isn’t that standard on all cars? If you don’t normally drink too much, it’s not an issue, and if you do, it prevents you from a possible arrest (or hurting yourself or others).

What are the options for personal Breathalyzers/BAC tests?

– If you aren’t ready to drop cash and carry around an actual breathalyzer, and if you have a smartphone, you can download an app called “DrinkTracker” which you can create profiles for up to three people (height, weight, gender, etc) that takes into account their bodies and how they might actually metabolize alcohol, you can document how many drinks you have, and at what time, and it estimates your BAC. It’s not 100% accurate, but its a pretty good trick to use on the sly, so you can figure out how many drinks you have, and how you feel….while still being under the legal limit. You can set the BAC that you want  to get to, and it gives you a timer to length of time to get to that level (in other words, when to stop drinking and when you should be able to drive home!) There are quite a few other features, to help you call a cab, and the risks of alcohol ingestion…all for only $1.99.

-If you have an iPhone, iPad, or an iPod there is also a BACtrack BT-M5 Breathalyzer Smartphone Alcohol Tester.  It is a mini Breathalyzer tester that comes with 3 mouthpieces that are reusable, and it connects via bluetooth to your iPhone (or other iProduct) to give you an accurate BAC reading. It also graphs your alcohol intake throughout the night, and estimates when you will be back to below the legal limit. Most importantly, it tells you how the BAC that you currently have effects your body (vision, motor skills, coordination, etc.) so not only might your BAC be above the legal limit, but also shows you why you shouldn’t drive. It’s small enough to be kept in a clutch or a pocket…and it keeps you safe, but it does cost around $149.99.Bactrack_btm5_img3Bactrack_btm5_img4

You can also purchase a real life breathalyzer that law enforcement would use, and have that hooked up to your car, or just carry it around when you go out, for roughly the same price as the BACtrack with smartphone compatibility. I have no interest or backing by either one of these products, I just really happen to think this is a good idea, and it gives people one more reason to think about an alternative to driving themselves when they will be drinking, and it lets you know when you’ve had too much.  It’s a great way to double check yourself, and enter into a safe holiday season!

Yours in Good Health

B

Tips to Prevent Travel Anxiety

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Do you ever get really excited to go away on vacation, or go away for a long weekend, and then become totally seized with anxiety right before it’s time to go? Whether your anxiety is due to flying, packing, leaving your kids/family, animals, plants, or whatever makes your freeze up, it is a real life issue and more people than you might realize are affected by these fears, even if they don’t have a diagnosed anxiety disorder.  There are some tips that you can use to help to decrease your anxiety and make trips and traveling MUCH more enjoyable.

Pack early and prepare!

Pack early and prepare!

1. Organize: Make lists of what you need to pack and everything you need to do before you go. You will feel more in control if you know that, in advance, you made a list of everything that needed to be completed, and you took care of all of it. So you can be ready and leave for your trip, assured that you are totally prepared.

2. Medicate: If you have a diagnosed anxiety disorder, and take medications to treat it, discuss with your Healthcare Practitioner (HCP) the possibility of increasing your medication dosage in times of high stress, or when the appropriate time to dose your medication is, so that you remain calm and clear when traveling.

3. Avoid Caffeine: Caffeine can make you more anxiety ridden, even though it helps to keep you awake and give you more energy.  That extra bit of stimulant can help you finish all of your last-minute errands, but it can also cause some anxious moments.

4. Know your Triggers: What causes your anxiety?  What are your triggers?  Maybe it is that last-minute frenzy, or saying goodbye to your family….realize that and plan accordingly.  If you need more time to say goodbye, plan for it. If you need to pack way ahead of time, to ward off panic attacks and anxiety, pack two weeks ahead.  Whatever makes you the most nervous, plan for it, because you will be less anxious if you are prepared, and no one knows you better than yourself.

5. Try to Relax: Easier said than done, but try to meditate, listen to white noise, go for a long run (or whatever your preferred choice of exercise is) that morning to help clear your head. Take a bath with lavender essential oils, or get a massage; whatever techniques work for you to help ease your mind and slow/prevent anxiety attacks.

6. Be Open: Most importantly, don’t suffer alone.  If you are traveling with others, let them know that sometimes you get anxiety when traveling and let them know what they can do to help you (if even it is to leave you alone to figure it out yourself.) That way, they know what may be causing you to act a little different from your normal self, and you don’t have to feel like you are hiding anything….which can cause anxiety in and of itself!

I don’t really get anxious….unless I’m late for my flight/missing my flight; that can cause me to lose my cool! I also always feel really guilty leaving my dogs. It is totally irrational guilt because they love staying with their trainer, and they have no idea what’s going on; the stress is all me, and I project it on them, but I’ve come to realize that I do it, SO I prepare and make sure that I have them all situated, then I get back to finish packing and head to the airport with plenty of time, and I am cool as a cucumber.  All that stated, I don’t have an anxiety disorder, just normal stress, but I have learned what causes me undue stress and I work with it to decrease it as much as possible.

Traveling is never easy, but knowing what causes you to lose your cool, and preventing it, is one way to make the experience a LOT better.  And if you are someone who really freezes when traveling (due to fear of a plane, flying, etc) you can work with your HCP to try hypnotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, or talk therapy and see what will best fit your needs and re-train your thinking, to make traveling a breeze.

Yours in Good Health

B

The Fasting Diet: A good long-term diet option?

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There has been a lot of press recently about the Fasting Diet, and that Physicians in the UK highly encourage patients to adapt it into their current diets. But, there is also a lot of confusion regarding what it actually entails and how it works. It sounds pretty scary, and something that you couldn’t imagine making a part of your lifestyle, but once you learn a little more about it and the benefits, you may be a little more willing to give it a try.

Clean DietWhat is the Fasting Diet?

Basically, it sounds like you are starving yourself, right? It does, but that is not actually the diet. The Fasting Diet is also known as the 5:2 diet, where you eat a healthy diet 5 days a week, and then two days a week cut your calories to 500-1,000 per day. Micheal Mosley is a Healthcare Provider (HCP) in the UK that has both written a book and made a documentary on this diet, so he is obviously a huge proponent of the Fasting Diet. The diet was first researched on rodents, and it was found that they maintained a lean body type and lower body weight when they intermittently fasted, which allowed for improved (steady) blood sugar levels and cognitive function in various tasks. After the results of the rodent study, the human researcher started following the diet himself and found similar results, and felt more productive and focused.

A controlled study was also done on 100 women in the UK that were overweight, that were given a standard Mediterranean diet 5 days a week, and they cut down to the lower calorie days twice a week in which they cut out carbohydrates and ate lean proteins (think fish, chicken, etc).  At the end of the study the women on this “fasting” diet lost more weight than those that ate calorie restricted diets throughout the week and never flexed their food or calorie intake. Many of the women who were a part of the fasting diet group reported feeling better about themselves and more energized, so they felt it was easier to stick to the diet, and most of the participants continued on the diet even after the study was completed.

I know that this fasting diet will sound extreme to some people, but 1,000 is easily doable, as long as you plan for it, by drinking lots of water, and plan your meals, you can easily feel satiated on 1000 calories, as long as you spread small meals throughout the day.

Do you think you can rock it?

There are a couple of schools of thought: you can eat almost the same exact thing every day making your body into a well oiled machine, or you can flex your diet and calories to constantly challenge your metabolism by doing this fasting diet.  The results are interesting, that people actually report feeling better, lose healthy amounts of weight, keeping a lean body, and have improved blood sugar levels. It is a lifestyle change more than a diet, and you do need to plan for it, but I think it is something that can be easily obtained, once you get over the mental aspect of the two low-calorie days.

Along with eating a clean diet, and exercise, you may surprise yourself and find this is a lifestyle change that works with you and helps you feel better overall and healthier! Of course, with any major lifestyle change, especially if you have any health issues, you should check with your HCP before starting.

Yours in Good Health

B

Not enough sleep? Weight gain will become a problem.

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You hear it all the time: If you don’t get enough sleep, you will gain weight. When I think about it, it doesn’t totally make sense because you aren’t sleeping, so you are being more active, right? Then I think about those days after I work a night shift, when I am getting things done in a haze, my brain is not fully functioning, and thinks happen a little bit slower, I feel miserable, and when I have a chance to stop and rest, I take it…so I begin to understand a bit more the whole weight gain portion.

sleep and weight gainWhy exactly does sleep make me gain weight?

When you do not get enough sleep, you are feeling tired and energy levels are low, leading to the use of caffeine and/or sugar to boost your energy levels to help you get through the day, which leads to energy crashes later in the day.  For those of you who exercise in the afternoon, it usually means that it doesn’t happen, because your energy is zapped. And if you are a morning exerciser, you tend to feel to exhausted to get to your workout; a lack of energy leads to a lack of drive.  And when you become dependent upon stimulants to get through the day, it can become a cycle, as sometimes you can overdo it with the caffeine and then have trouble shutting it down, even if you do have time to sleep. When you are tired and sluggish, you also tend to be more lazy; you don’t shop for healthy foods and/or cook for yourself, so you tend to eat what is available and easy.  None of these things are particularly good for your waistline.

There are two main hormones that regulate your eating cycle: ghrelin and leptin. Ghrelin is the hormone that tells you when you are hungry and you should eat, and it is at much higher levels when you are sleep deprived. Leptin is the hormone that tells you to stop eating because you are full, and unfortunately it is in lower levels when you are without sleep. A lack of exercise, high ghrelin, and low leptin levels is basically the trifecta for weight gain.

Add on top of that, your body is not functioning optimally with a lack of sleep, so it’s not just your brain that feels fuzzy, so do the cells in your metabolism, so they aren’t working at their best either. It’s not as if one night with a lack of sleep is going to make you gain 15lbs immediately, but when it becomes a cycle of sleeping less than 7-8 hours per night, and we are frequently reaching for comfort foods, eating more than we normally do, skipping on our exercise, and relying on stimulants to get through the day, it’s not healthy, and you will gain weight.

What can I do?

Cut back on the stimulants and don’t have any after 12pm, and start making a bedtime routine (essentially set a bedtime for yourself) to try to break the cycle.  Also, forcing yourself to get some exercise, even though you already feel exhausted, even if it is just a long walk, really will exhaust your body….in a good way!  It will help to relax your muscles when you are done, and get your brain ready to shut down and get a better sleep/rest. Also try to avoid heavy meals and alcohol right before bed, it can make you have troubled sleep and increase the risk of heartburn. Also, maybe a soothing lavender bath/shower before bed, to help calm your system and ready yourself for sleep.

Once you start sleeping regularly, you will feel a boost in energy, be more efficient, and be healthier.  You can get into a health and wellness cycle by getting regular exercise, and eating healthier, which will lead to a really easy drop in weight…all by making one lifestyle change!

If you DO get 7-8 hours of sleep at night but it is troubled sleep or you always still feel exhausted in the morning you should see your Healthcare Practitioner (HCP) because you may have Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) or another process going on that requires a sleep study or more in-depth review.

Try to set a routine, and breaking the habit of caffeine can be miserable (I used to be a complete caffeine addict and have sleeping issues, so I KNOW how hard this is) but it is so worth it to be able to cut the cord and feel yourself without relying on caffeine and starting to be healthy again.  It seems impossible sometimes, but, I promise, it isn’t!

Yours in Good Health

B