Where oh Where Art Thou, O Fresh Air?

Truly fresh air can be hard to come by these days. Especially here in Dallas, TX.  It is still important to go outside and breathe.  Breathing stale air will not supply your body with enough oxygen to keep your cells fueled and functioning properly. Fresh air is full of negative ions. It has a good amount of oxygen and is free of pollutants. It is refreshing and will give you a lift!

     Oxygen typically carries a negative charge, while carbon dioxide has a positive charge. Therefore, air with a higher concentration of oxygen will be more negatively charged (i.e., have more negative ions) than air with an abundance of carbon dioxide (indoor air).

Do you know anyone that always feels better at the beach? I always feel energized around water - it has more negative ions!

Challenge #5 - Fresh Air and Sunshine!

Challenge Summary: Spend 20-30 minutes outdoors every day this week. Even if you have to bundle up to bear the chilly temps, try to spend some time outside breathing in the air (go hug a tree while you are out there). Ain't no sunshine?? Go outside anyway - it is still good for you... unless you catch pneumonia and die (just kidding - be reasonable and bundle up please!)

Notes about Fresh Air & Sunshine: When you take in air through your lungs, your red blood cells pick up the oxygen and carry it to the rest of the cells in your body. Your cells then use this steady supply of oxygen in its energy production process called metabolism. If your cells get enough oxygen they will be healthy. Healthy cells make up a healthy body.  Every time you breathe out through your lungs, you let out toxins. These wastes are the by-products of the metabolism that is constantly taking place in your cells.

     If you are always taking in old, stale air you are depriving your cells of one of their most basic needs. The oxygen content of the air will go down continually as you (and whoever else happens to be in the room with you) breathe out carbon dioxide and other wastes.

     Too much or little sunshine has been known to cause an increase in melanin (freckles, age spots), sunburns - typically first or second degree burns, (as with any burn the majority of sunburns are uncomfortable and painful), depression, and cancer.

Outside air is Good ----- Outside air is Bad ---- Sunshine is Good for you ----- Sunshine is Bad for you...

Where is the truth?

Use common sense. The lighter you are, the less sunlight, especially direct sunlight, you need. Try to avoid being out in the direct sunlight between the hours of 10 am and 4 pm. The summer sun is too intense between those times. Catch some rays before 10 am or after 4 pm.  IF you live in a nasty city (air quality), don't go outside on an "orange" day (air pollution level) and think you are going to take in a great amount of good quality air. But you can go to a park or get around some trees to do your deep breathing.

Let's Review.... (everybody yawn)

Time – It can take 6-12 weeks to reprogram the body to fix it’s sleep pattern - BE PATIENT

Consistency – Be consistent with your bedtime all the time - BE CONSISTENT

Darkness – turn out all lights early in the evening in order to closely follow the outside environment – remember that light signals the brain to wake up - BE MINDFUL OF YOUR ENVIRONMENT

Silence – boring? Maybe just enough to get you to sleep -BE SILENT

Commitment – understand the payoff is long term –

This is seldom fixed overnight – but very important, nonetheless. BE COMMITTED

What Happens When You Sleep

Muscle/ tissue repair - Your body produces extra protein molecules while you're sleeping and those molecules help strengthen your ability to fight infection and stay healthy. Sleep deprivation alters immune function, including the formation and activity of the body's “killer” cells. Getting enough sleep may also help fight cancer.

Sense of Safety -  A lack of sleep contributes to a greater tendency to fall asleep during the daytime. These lapses can cause us to make mistakes on the job, have vehicle accidents, or can even result in personal injury.

Memories get organized - Sleep helps the brain to commit new information to memory. Also helps organize thoughts and memories

Less Stress - A good night's sleep can help lower blood pressure and elevated levels of stress hormones, which are a natural result of today's fast paced lifestyle.  I want to encourage each of you to remove any computers, cell phones, out of your bedroom. Especially things that have blue lights.  These have been shown to disturb that deep REM sleep pattern that we all need for our adrenals to recharge.  And if you’re not sound asleep between the hours of 11 p.m.-1:00 a.m., then you’re not allowing your adrenals to recharge.  Approximately 80% of U.S. women are walking around in varying stages of adrenal mal-adaption. Sleep helps to slow these effects and encourages a state of relaxation.

Hormone regulation – especially stress hormone cortisol; remember that cortisol / melatonin push-pull relationship - it's very necessary in order to have physical energy, proper metabolism and hormonal balance.

Improved Mood - Sleep loss may result in irritability, impatience, inability to concentrate, and moodiness. Too little sleep can also leave you too tired to do the things you really enjoy doing.

Natural Weight Loss - Chronic sleep deprivation may cause weight gain by affecting the way our bodies process and store carbohydrates and by altering levels of hormones that affect our appetite.

Cortisol and Melatonin - Stress and Rest

Stress should be a powerful driving force, not an obstacle. - Bill Phillips

How much does stress play a role in your life? I know that for me, stress drives me to accomplish much more than I would if i did not feel the pressure to accomplish things for other people. Whether for their benefit (because I am so very nice) or for my own gain (who doesn't want to get ahead?), stress compels me to do A LOT and sometimes worry a lot. That is not the only type of stress I will refer to in this post.

We have all heard that cortisol is your stress hormone and you have to produce cortisol in order to have energy to work, burn fat, metabolize proteins and carbohydrates, etc. So what? Why is it so important to sleep? Cortisol is produced by the adrenal glands. It shares a push-pull relationship with melatonin (your sleep hormone). Cortisol is naturally high in the morning - when you should be waking up.  Melatonin is the hormone that induces sleep and is naturally low in the morning. As the day progresses, your cortisol levels steadily decline as your melatonin levels gradually increase.

Sounds simple right?
                                Not if you have sleep problems or waking up problems!

Lots of factors can influence/mess up these levels: work or family stress, lifestyle, addictions, diet, exercise (or lack of it), habitually staying up too late, etc.  Now there are lots of potential remedies for sleep ranging from folk remedies to prescription drugs. Which one is best? It is always advisable to try the natural remedies first due to the addictive nature of many pharmaceutical drugs. Many people find relief for their sleep issues when they just give themselves time to reprogram their sleep habits.

Our bodies are designed to respond to stress - we are resilient creatures. But we are not super-human! If you continually assault your body with alcohol, rich food, crazy work hours, no exercise and the naturally occurring stressors in our environment that we have little control over (pollution), your body will wear down faster. Old people diseases are happening at much younger ages than ever. Can sleep make it all just go away? No, but it is an important tool in the good health toolbox. Adequate sleep is essential for clear thinking, memory retention and healthy metabolism.

The Natural Sleep Fix Begins

It is always best to try the natural approach to health first. The best approach to sleep problems induced by chronically bad habits is to re-train your body clock. You have to approach sleep from several angles in order to give your body the best chance to rest. First and foremost, don't take your problems to bed with you. Your bed should be a happy place that you look forward to being every night. Problems either fix themselves or they wait for you to wake up to them. Either way, worrying about them does no constructive good!

What you need:
Hydration - This should not happen one hour before bedtime. Drink your water (see challenge #1) early in the day to prevent interrupted sleep
Satisfied appetite - Don't eat a heavy meal within 2 hours of bedtime. This prevents rest and repair! If your body is focused on digesting that 12 oz. ribeye and baked potato you will not get the full benefit of your nightly slumber.
Complete darkness - no alarm clock lights, cell phones, computers, night lights, etc. Red lights, especially have been shown to interrupt sleep.
Silence - no music or  TV noise in the background - only noises from your natural environment (be it people, cars or animals)
Determination - this is not for the weak-willed person. You may spend a lot of time awake for the first week. Don't give up - just count sheep or visualize a peaceful place. Do NOT think about your problems waiting for you tomorrow. They will still be there - close your eyes and relax.
More tomorrow....

Challenge #4 - Sleep it Out!!

I love sleep. My life has the tendency to fall apart when I'm awake, you know? - Ernest Hemingway



Challenge Summary: To go to bed by 10:00 pm 5 nights this week. Furthermore, you should get at least 8 hours of rest.


     Don't get mad and quit reading yet!! Give me just a moment to qualify this challenge. Most Americans are sleep deprived - I don't care if you think your body only requires 5 hours, the fact is - IT REQUIRES 8 hours!!. 
      As you begin this challenge, know that if this is a big change for you, you will probably be spending some significant time awake in your bed. Changing your sleep patterns is a process. Drinking water immediately begins to hydrate your body. Going to bed at an earlier hour just confuses your body for a while.  I will go through more details about sleep and health this week, but to get started, I want you to understand that your body has its own clock. You are designed to go to bed with the sun and rise with the sun. Electricity has not always been around and we all know that candlelight does not come close to providing as much light as an electric lamp. Though our bodies adapt well to change, can we honestly say that we enjoy a healthier lifestyle (health-wise) than our ancestors? Night time is when your body does its repair work on the body. 
      How will this benefit you? If you have a stressful job/life, you will give your hormones a break by allowing your adrenals to "rest". I will talk about this more tomorrow.  But for tonight, just go to bed and turn off all lights, the TV, radio, computer, etc. and sleep! If you don't fall asleep  in the first 20 minutes, don't give up! Just visualize a relaxing location and position for yourself and let your body start the change. 

Please let me know how this works for you!

Notes about Sleep: 

• The 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill off Alaska, the Challenger space shuttle disaster and the Chernobyl nuclear accident have all been attributed to human errors in which sleep-deprivation played a role.
•  Feeling tired can feel normal after a short time. Those deliberately deprived of sleep for research initially noticed greatly the effects on their alertness, mood and physical performance, but the awareness dropped off after the first few days.
• Experts say one of the most alluring sleep distractions is the 24-hour accessibility of the internet.
• The extra-hour of sleep received when clocks are put back at the start of daylight in Canada has been found to coincide with a fall in the number of road accidents.

3 Down and 49 to Go!!

Does that sound daunting? I certainly don't mean for it to sound like an insurmountable challenge. I hope you are feeling great by now. If you aren't there yet, keep working at it.

Every challenge presented here is to better yourself for the rest of your life. This is not a fad, diet, or any other crazy plan. It is just simple well-intentioned advice to help you live a healthier, more balanced life.

To end this week I want to give you a little thought to ponder:

                                                                     What is fast food?

Let's try to think of fast food differently. Running into the store and grabbing an apple or banana - now that is fast food! We are not supposed to eat at restaurants as a general rule. EAT AT HOME!! That's where you will really get fueled to live a healthy life. Just a clue to a future challenge :)

Checking in on Challenge #3

Are you eating your fruit daily? When I began this practice, one of the first things I noted that was when I ate fruit every day, my sugar cravings virtually vanished. I no longer felt drawn to my chocolate stash on a nightly basis. Because fruits have sugar, they can fulfill even the most severe sugar cravings. Because they also contain antioxidants, micronutrients, vitamins, and minerals  they will keep you satisfied much longer than that dark chocolate.

Another thing to watch for this week: because you are drinking enough water, getting protein early in the day and eating your 2-3 pieces of fruit daily you will probably eat less of everything else. Do you have more energy yet?

What I love is that we haven't even begun to "deprive" ourselves of any foods yet. Do you feel deprived? There is something about "adding" things to our diets that changes our outlook.

I encourage you to involve the whole family on this - if applicable. Don't even mention it to your family members, just start serving fruit to them whenever they are hungry. Make it a treat in the way that you approach the situation and they will know it is a treat. After all, it really is a treat!!

Fruity Fun

• Did you know that a strawberry is not really a berry, but a banana is!?
• Apples float in water because they are 25% air.
• Pumpkins and Avocados are fruits, not vegetables.
• Mangoes rank as the #1 most favorite fruit in the world!
• Kiwi contains twice as much vitamin C as oranges
• Eating fresh fruit contributes to a healthier lifestyle and decreased risk of high blood pressure, obesity, heart disease and some cancers.

Recipe to Try:
Try your favorite fruit on the grill. Pineapple, pears, bananas, and plums all taste great hot off the grill. This makes a very healthy dessert option also. I like to drizzle mine with a little stevia and cinnamon after they are grilled. Yummy!

Challenge #3 - Get A Little Fruity!!

"An apple a day keeps the doctor away"

Challenge Summary: Eat 2-3 pieces of fruit every day. Not just any fruit mind you - fresh fruit! Not canned, preferably not frozen, not by the foot or rolled up in a sheet of plastic or in the gummy form!

Notes about fruit: Not all fruit is the same. Bananas and melons have much more sugar impact than apples, pears and plums.  There is a little thing called "glycemic index" that helps to categorize fruits  according to how they affect your blood glucose levels. It is a good idea to consume more fruits from the moderate to low glycemic index than from the high side of the index.  A great chart can be found at:
here  Just choose the fruit category to investigate. The lower the glycemic index number, the less that fruit will alter your blood sugar (pay attention if you have a family history of diabetes).

We Interrupt this Health Challenge for a Recipe -Roasted Chicken

I have a sweet new friend that I love to introduce to people as my daughter. This is fun/funny because she is only 16 years younger than me and of a different race. And, I love to raise eyebrows! She recently asked me to write a cookbook for her and her room mates. While I was completely flattered, I can't think of a more grueling task than writing a cook book. I never measure anything! But I did use the opportunity to pull out a chicken and show her how unnecessary recipes can be. In about 10 minutes, I demonstrated how to make a great roasted chicken, had my 8 year old snap some photos and voila - I have a blog post!
Here it is:

First you need to gather several ingredients:
a roasting chicken
3 cloves garlic
1 lime
2 tsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. pepper
fresh herbs of your choosing - I chose rosemary on this particular day - 3 sprigs of fresh rosemary precisely.
Always rinse a chicken before you mess with it!!

Next I put the whole garlic cloves inside the cavity of the bird and add one half of the lime. As a side note, I bake any bird breast side down in order to keep the breast meet juicy and wonderful :)

Rub the bird with the salt and pepper mixture and tuck the fresh rosemary either under the skin or just lay them inside the wing.

Slice the other half of the lime and lay the lime slices on top of the bird. Place one slice between the breast and the bottom of the pan.

Drizzle about 2 Tbs of any kind of vinegar around the bird along with about 2 Tbs of water.

Cover TIGHTLY with foil or put a lid on it. I hate dry meat - if you get a tight seal, you don't lose moisture like you do when you cook the meat uncovered.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 1.5 - 2 hours. Take the lid/foil off, turn the bird over, and bake for 10 minutes longer so it is pretty and brown.

I tried to take a beautiful "after" picture but the bird was so tender, it fell apart as I transferred it to the plate. Yet another reason I could never do a cookbook...
This is a scrumptious and easy meal to prepare. It looks impressive but it is very healthy and easy on the wallet. I hope you enjoy it and please share your comments!

Review Time

Did you drink enough water this week? Are you getting your proteins in the appropriate amount?
This is designed to be a cumulative effort.
You CAN drink enough water each and every day to support optimal body function
You CAN eat the right amount of protein to help form a lean, toned body!

I CAN and I AM!!! 


                                                   Are YOU??

Protein Reference Chart

Here are just a few commonly consumed protein foods for you to compare. If you have questions, please email me here and I will be happy to answer your questions!

Food	grams of Protein per 6 oz. serving
Beef Steak	45g
Salmon	34 g
Chicken breast	50g
Cod	39g
Turkey breast	49g
Lamb	39g
Pork(lean roast)	47g
Lentils	18g
Soy beans - whole	60g
Eggs (2 whole eggs)	13g

Tofu (5 oz)                11g
Oatmeal (1cup)          6g
Almonds (2 Tbs)        4g
Barley (1 cup)           18g
Chick peas (1 c.)      15g

Too Much? Too Little? Just Enough!!

     Not to complicate things, but I do want to briefly discuss how important it is to balance your protein intake. Considering the popularity of protein-heavy diets, I feel it is important to understand the need for balance.
     How much is too much? if more than 30% of your calories come from protein (complicated math), then you are possibly getting too much protein.
     
Too much protein:

• Usually accompanies limiting carbohydrates (not all carbs are the same) which causes a buildup of ketones. Ketones must be eliminated through the kidneys, so they have to work harder to flush out excess ketones - causing dehydration
• Puts undue stress on your heart
• Can cause muscle and bone calcium loss
• linked to cataracts, kidney stones and some cancers
• Can cause bad breath (due to dehydration)

How much is not enough? Most experts feel that less than 15% of your calories in protein is not enough.

Too little protein:

• causes hormonal imbalances
• can compromise immune system function (especially the ability to create antibodies against pathogenic microbes), blood clotting ability and scar formation. 
• lends to the formation of excess body fat (those calories come from somewhere and if its not from protein, it is from fat and carbs)

Just the right amount: There is some disagreement among health professionals about the right amount of protein. I will just add my opinion to the mix! 

     If you want to have a toned, lean body, you need to build muscle. Therefore, you must take in enough protein to support the process of building muscle. For the average 150 pound adult, this would equate to a range of 75-150 grams of protein per day. Again, this is not a lot of "meat" but it is a good amount of nutrient-dense plant-sourced food that will be easily digested and beneficial for great health. By the way, in order to achieve that toned, lean body you HAVE TO LIFT WEIGHTS!!! You can also use your body for resistance - but you have to work it baby!!

Got Muscles?

Did you eat your protein this morning?
                                       How much did you eat?
                                                                    How much do you require?


If you weigh 100 pounds, you would need at least 50 grams of protein per day - not very much at all. This amount can easily be obtained from vegetables, nuts and seeds.


But if you are active - meaning you work out or have a physically active lifestyle - working out the remote control does not count - you would need to increase your protein intake to 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight daily.


What does a "gram" look like? 100 grams equals 3.5 ounces (roughly the size of four adult fingers)
Tomorrow we will further discuss what having too much or too little protein does to your health.

Challenge #2 - Protein!!

Challenge #2 -  Protein: The Breakfast of Champions

Challenge Summary: Eat protein (preferably from the list I provide) every morning before 9:00 a.m. Why 9:00 a.m.? Your body is designed to be ramping up by that time and it is best to fuel your brain by then. You will have better focus and feel satisfied longer if you eat protein for breakfast.


Protein Facts:

• You cannot store protein for later use like you can sugar
• The average adult requires about 1/2 g. protein per pound of body weight (more details to follow...)
• Protein helps keep skin, hair, and nails healthy
• Protein can act as an appetite suppressant

Foods that contain all of the essential amino acids are called complete proteins. These foods include:

beef

fish

milk

pork

turkey

lamb

eggs

chicken

Incomplete proteins are generally found in plant-based foods. They do not contain all of the essential amino acids needed for proper function. You just need to combine foods from 2 of the categories to create complete proteins. 

Grains                               Vegetables                       Seeds & Nuts

Barley                                Legumes                           Sesame seeds

Corn meal                         Lentils                                Sunflower seeds

Oats                                   Peas                                   Walnuts

Rice                                   Broccoli                              Cashews

Whole grains                    Soy beans                         Peanuts

These are not complete lists, but hopefully they give you an idea of good protein foods. I personally do not recommend using grains for protein. They are sold in a much too refined state to offer enough protein to be useful. Concentrate on vegetables and seeds/nuts.

                                                                                        

Jump In With Both Feet

Ah, the satisfaction of a job well done! I love being able to check off items on lists and I am so happy to report that I have gotten my water in every day. Now the weekend is upon us and I am determined to stay the course! 

Here is your exit exam for Challenge #1 

1. How successful have you been this week?
2. Did you ever burp up water this week?
3. Did you get your water in EVERY day?
4. How many times did you have to pull over and pee in a public place less than 5 miles from your home?
5. Do you feel smarter, younger, fresher and lighter?

Now keep on going. Don't stop drinking water- add the next challenge to your list. The more "good things" you do for yourself, the less the "bad things" matter!!

The Importance of Being Hydrated

Water does many things. If you are on track, you will be properly providing the necessary tools for your body's many functions. Did you know that water...

serves as a lubricant

forms the base for saliva

forms the fluids that surround the joints.

regulates the body temperature

helps to alleviate constipation by moving food through the intestinal tract

helps to regulate metabolism

Besides that, by drinking water every day you can reap these benefits:

• Lose weight: Drinking water helps you lose weight because it flushes down the by-products of fat breakdown. Drinking water reduces hunger, it’s an effective appetite suppressant so you’ll eat less.
• Eliminate Headaches: Helps to relieve headache and back pains due to dehydration. dehydration is the most common one.
• Enjoy Healthier Skin: You’ll look younger when your skin is properly hydrated. Water helps to replenish skin tissues, moisturizes skin and increases skin elasticity.
• Work Better: Your brain is made up of 95% water, thus drinking water helps you think better, be more alert and more concentrated.
• Improves Digestion and Constipation: Drinking water raises your metabolism because it helps in digestion. Fiber and water goes hand in hand so that you can have your daily bowel movement.
• Less Cramps and Sprains: Proper hydration helps keep your joints and muscles lubricated, so you’ll less likely get cramps and sprains.
• Feel Well and Be Well: Drinking plenty of water helps fight against flu and other ailments like kidney stones and heart attack.

Somebody Bring Me Some Water!

Somebody is all wet!

Are you having second thoughts about this "water" business?!
How many trips to the toilet have you made this week?
Are your clothes getting tight?
Have you gained an inordinate amount of weight this week?

If you are muttering your answers in an exasperated tone then I will assume that you are one of the many dehydrated Americans now on the road to recovery! Don't get frustrated. My teenage daughter gained 15 pounds in 4 days when she first began drinking water regularly. Here is my explanation in terms that even a teenager can understand.

Your cells have a membrane (wall) that allows for the exchange of gases and liquids. . When you don't drink enough water, your cells tend to hang on to the "crap" that should be eliminated because there is nothing good to replace it.  When you start drinking water after depriving your poor helpless cells for so long they behave in the same manner as a starving person put in front of the all-you-can-eat at Golden Corral. They load up!! But you have done them wrong and they don't trust you now. Therefore, your cells will hold onto excess water until they truly believe you will continue providing water on a regular basis. When you have won their trust back, they will release the excess water and you will know it by the volume of urine output each time you go to the bathroom! This could take a few days or a few weeks - just depends on how dehydrated you have been.

Bottom Line - DON'T QUIT!!!!

Much Ado About Water

I believe that water is the only drink for a wise man.  ~Henry David Thoreau

This makes me feel a little guilty about the wine I had over the holidays. 

It is shocking to think that in a nation where water is so readily available over 75% of our population walks around dehydrated EVERY DAY!!

Common signs of dehydration  

• fuzzy short-term memory
• trouble with basic math 
• difficulty focusing on smaller print ie. computer screens
• daytime fatigue

So drink up friends!! All you have to gain is energy, increased brain capacity, better focus and lots of potty breaks!

Challenge #1

Challenge #1 -  Water: Drink More of It!!

Pure water is the world's first and foremost medicine.  ~Slovakian Proverb

Water Facts:

• Water makes up over 2/3 of the human body
• The average adult sweats one pint of water per day
• The human brain is 95% water
• A 2 % drop in water content can spark symptoms of dehydration

Challenge Summary: Drink one half of your body weight in ounces of water EVERY day. This does not include tea, coffee, soda, wine or juice.

Example: a 150 pound person will need to drink 75 ounces of water each day.

Tip for Success: I recommend that you measure out the total amount of water needed each day and package it so that you will be more likely to drink it.  I use a water bottle that I know needs to be emptied 3 times each day in order for me to reach my goal. I only drink out of that bottle so I know exactly how much water I have consumed each day.