 Water is the most vital part of our diet. We can survive weeks without food, but only a couple of days without water. It's what keeps our body and mind functioning. It's so important, but often overlooked.
Water is to your body like oil is to a car's engine. Without oil, the other parts of the engine won't move as well and can cause long-term damage. The same thing can happen to your body. Water keeps all of your organs and systems functioning. Your muscles are made of about 3/4 water. Your blood is about 50% water. Without water, your digestive system would be a mess! Water helps your bowels move waste, your kidneys expel toxins, and your liver metabolize fat. The amount of water that you need is based on a lot of variables, but the general rule of thumb is half your body weight in ounces. A person who weighs 150 pounds should drink about 75 ounces of water a day. Factors that can change this amount include climate, activity levels, muscle mass, or special health conditions. To tell if you are getting enough water, your urine should be a pale yellow and you should go anywhere between 4 and 10 times a day. Clear urine means you are getting too much water and darker urine means you need more. There is a condition called hypotremia where you consume too much water. This can cause your electrolyte levels to dilute. It can also cause your blood cells to burst. It takes a lot of water for this to happen, about 2 or more gallons. To reach your daily water goal, you don’t have to drink just water. Beverages like juice, tea, and even coffee do count as hydration. But, since they can have a dehydrating effect, only add 1/2 of the amount to your goal. E.g. an eight ounce coffee only counts as 4 ounces towards your water goal. Water heavy foods like cucumber and watermelon are also hydrating, which is why they taste so good during these hot summer months. Infusing your water is a great way to help your intake without compromising the healthy benefits. Here are some yummy combinations to try: - Lemon, mint, cucumber, and ginger - Strawberry & basil - Pineapple & jalapeño (spicy water!) - Lime & Mint - Cantaloupe & blueberries - Apple & Cinnamon Add your ingredients, add some water, let sit for a little bit, enjoy! One last piece of advice, if you are going to work to increase your water intake, do it slowly. If you aren’t used to drinking so much and then start to intake a whole bunch, you will experience some side effects. Try increasing by a cup or so a day until you reach your goal. If you need help reaching this, or other goals, schedule a free consult with me!
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6/22/2024 0 Comments April Newsletter: I'm Back!It’s been a crazy year for me. I’ve taken time off from coaching and wellness in general, but am now ready to get back to it. I’m also celebrating one of the big birthdays! Since I’m now officially “over the hill,” I think I can give some advice; celebrate every birthday. It is literally the most important day of your life. Regardless of how you feel about your age, you made it another trip around the sun, so relish it. And call your Mom, it’s a big day for her too. TW: pregnancy, hospital stays, surgery, depression, anxiety This past year has put me through a lot. Shortly after my last birthday, I found out I was pregnant with my second child. I was ecstatic! We had been trying-ish and it was welcome news! But shortly after came the chaos. At 12 weeks, I woke up one morning with leg cramps so bad I could barely stand. It felt like charlie horses in both calves and thighs. I started crying while feeding my pets their breakfast and had to have my husband come help me because I couldn’t stand anymore. I dropped off my son and went to the ER. I broke down as they were checking me in. I was terrified. I had been hospitalized years before with pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis. But, I was more worried for my baby this time. I had to get ultrasounds on my legs, a cat scan on my lungs, and EKG of my heart, to learn that I once again had blood clots in my legs and lungs again. Luckily, nothing had made it to my heart. I was immediately put on blood thinners and then had to stay a couple of days in the hospital. I was released early Friday afternoon. I was so excited to go get my son. He had visited me in the hospital for just a couple of minutes, but this had been the longest I’ve been away from him. I went home singing to him, took a shower, and then sent my husband to the pharmacy for my prescription. I was feeling a little woozy, but promised myself I would rest after I went to the bathroom. My son was playing in his playpen. I walked into the bathroom and then the next thing I knew, I woke up on the bathroom floor to my son crying. I had passed out and now could barely move. I had to crawl to the other room to get my phone and call my husband. I couldn’t make out any words, I just screamed that he needed to get home and I needed to go back to the hospital. He panicked and started racing home. My next call was to 911. This is one of the worst moments of my life. I was on the floor talking to the 911 operator while I listened to my son cry for me, unable to comfort him. My husband arrived first. I can’t imagine his terror as he saw me just laying still on the floor. The firefighters arrived next. All I remember is starting to pass out and one of them growling “stay with me” as I tried to black out again. Of course, I’m a grump when someone is preventing me from sleeping so I’m pretty sure I screamed something smart back. But, luckily the EMTs got there. At some point, I heard my mother in law say something so I knew my son was being taken care of. I then was put on a stretcher and taken to the hospital. I had to keep my eyes closed during most of this and just focus on getting to the hospital. If I could get there, it would be okay. I went through triage in the ER and then was transferred to the ICU. The clots had come back even worse and had filled my lungs. It was a wonder none had broken off and gotten to my brain or heart. The doctors talked to me about a thrombectomy. They would stick a tube up my femoral artery through my heart and into my lungs to vacuum out the clots. Normally, people are anesthetized for this procedure, but because I was pregnant, I would have to be awake. It was another in a week of terrifying events. I did receive some type of numbing agent so didn’t feel anything, but it was just….awful. Afterwards, the doctor showed a picture of the clots that were removed. He said it was a normal amount, but it looked like so much. I stayed in the hospital a couple more days and then was released just in time to celebrate my son’s 1st birthday. The next months were really hard on my mental health. I had lots of tests run to try to learn why this was happening. All of them came back negative. There was nothing else to be done until I had my baby, who we found out would be a very healthy girl. I just didn’t have answers. I felt useless, my body had failed me again and I didn’t even know why. My anxiety increased as did my depression. I convinced myself I was going to die when in labor. As I put my son to sleep each night, I would hug him as hard as I could with the hope that he would remember how it felt and would be able to hug his sister for me. My husband and I argued a lot. We got into some of the worst fights that we have had in our 13 year long marriage. I just couldn’t deal with what was happening. Time may not heal all wounds, but it helps. I gave birth to the most beautiful perfect baby girl in January and have been slowly recovering my life. Today is better than yesterday and tomorrow will be better than today. I am finally back in a place where I feel as though I can dedicate my time to helping others. I can’t wait to get some new clients and start them on their wellness journeys!  6/22/2024 0 Comments May Newsletter: Tough as a MotherMother’s Day is next week. This will be my 2nd official one. I’m looking forward to it as it will be the first one with my daughter and my completed family. On Mother’s Day, please be cautious about who you wish a “Happy Mother’s Day” to. I remember one year before I even wanted children, my husband and I were out at lunch. The restaurant manager brought me my alcoholic drink and then wished me a very Happy Mother’s Day. He really meant well by it, but it was weird. I thought about people who had experienced losses, infertility, or were cut-off from their children for whatever reason and how triggered they would have felt by this tone-deaf message. I also thought about people who intentionally don’t have or don’t want children and how insulting this can be. Don’t want to be on a high horse, just asking people to use common sense this Sunday. As the weather warms and we shed our bulky, forgiving winter clothes, I see more and more moms asking about how to get their “pre-baby” body back. At 4 months post-partum, it’s a thought I have also had. But, do I really want that? This body has grown two beautiful babies in less than 3 years. I am able to provide nourishment for my children with this body, which takes a toll. I have earned every single stretch mark. I’ve been to Hell and came back on the other side stronger than before. What I do want is a post- baby body that can keep up with my littles. I want to be able to pick them up and hold them over my head Dirty Dancing style (my son’s favorite game). I want to be able to have the energy to run after them for hours on end. I encourage you to find ways to accept the body that you have and decide what your motivation is for your next steps. What does your post-baby body look like? Here are some basic tips:
I don’t share pictures of my kids, but here are my other babies who don’t care. (In order, Rory, Amelia, and Min)
6/22/2024 0 Comments June Newsletter: Belly Fat It might as well be a 4-letter word. It's something that many people, mostly women, struggle with. Belly Fat, and how to lose it is a widely discussed topic, but how can you really lose it?
There are two types of fat in your middle that contribute to a larger waistline, subcutaneous fat and visceral. Subcutaneous is the soft, noticeable fat just below the skin. Visceral is the fat between organs and muscle. The desire to reduce the amount of both kinds of fat isn't just for appearance's sake. High amounts of these fats have been linked to many health problems, including sleep apnea, high blood sugar, and heart disease, amongst others. Making smarter food choices will certainly help to impact the amount of belly fat you have, as well as your overall health. Various sources (see below), have stated that shifting away from processed foods to whole foods will have a positive impact on your health. Foods high in sugar and refined carbs are some of the worst offenders. Basic rule of thumb when checking ingredients, if there is something that you don't know what it is, how it got there, or what it does, maybe think twice about putting it in your body. Exercise is also an important part of improving your health. Focus on 30 minutes of cardio or weight lifting a couple of days a week. It's sometimes hard to stay motivated, but switch up your activity and do things you actually like to do. I refer to them as "Dreadmills," so they are pretty low on my list of activities. But running outside is one of my favorites. It also doesn't have to be "exercise." Thirty minutes of pulling weeds in the garden, walking briskly with your dog, or chasing after your super-active toddler also counts. Just get your heart rate up, it doesn't matter how. I will also add a caveat that exercise is going to have a positive impact on your health, but it won't help you lose weight if you don't balance your diet. If your diet sucks, it doesn't matter how much you work out. There are some other strategies for reducing belly fat. Stress reduction is a good one. As the body gets stressed, cortisol is created which can make you hungrier and cause your body to store more body fat. This one is easier said than done though. We all live stressful lives, so it's important to reframe that stress or find healthy ways to cope with it. Another strategy is to focus on gut health. Ensuring you are consuming probiotics and prebiotics, especially those from the Lactobacillus family, has been shown to reduce belly fat. Always speak to your doctor before adding supplements to your diet. When searching for a probiotic supplement, look for one in a glass bottle that is stored in a refrigerator. It should also state that it has "live, active cultures." If you are interested in how to create custom strategies to help you reduce belly fat, fill out my change readiness survey below. Or, reach out to schedule a free consultation! Sources: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/20-tips-to-lose-belly-fat https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/womens-health/in-depth/belly-fat/art-20045809 https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/taking-aim-at-belly-fat Photo Credit: https://www.pexels.com/@karolina-grabowska/  Nutritional Psychology is an emerging field that is evaluating how what we eat affects our mental health. We already know that nutrients can be used for physical improvements, Vitamin C has a positive impact on our immunity, as an example. We can also use nutrients to improve symptoms of depression.
Selenium Selenium can help you to create DNA, keep your thyroid function correctly, and can protect your cells from free radicals. Increasing the amount of selenium in your diet can lift your mood and reduce symptoms associated with anxiety. The number one best food to have are Brazil nuts. But, be careful. The recommended daily value of selenium is 400 micrograms. Brazil nuts have anywhere between 6 and 91 micrograms, so eating more than 4 or 5 can cause hair loss, rashes, and nausea. Extremely high levels over a period of time can cause heart attacks or kidney failure.
Exercise People with a smaller hippocampus are more susceptible to symptoms of depression. The hippocampus is a part of the brain that regulates mood. Exercise can release neurotrophic proteins which can cause nerves to grow and create new connections in the hippocampus, relieving depression. Depression is also subject to Newton's Laws; an object at rest stays at rest unless acted upon by an outside force. Be the outside force! I know it can be the hardest thing in the world to just get moving, but force yourself to start small. Doing some stretches in your house, 10 jumping jacks, or taking a stroll with the dog can increase your heart rate. From there, you can increase the time and intensity to at least 20 minutes. Of course, if you would prefer to do something more, go for it! Any kind of activity that you ENJOY is going to help you! So, go for a run, kayak, do ballet, or underwater basket weaving, whatever makes your heart sing!  Mental Health is a spectrum. Using my advice may be enough to help you out of the doldrums, and I hope it does. But, more serious bouts of the blues should be diagnosed and treated by an actual doctor (which I am not, and don't pretend to be). If you are feeling really down and need someone to talk to, please reach out! https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ This feeling isn't permanent, it is going to get better!! If you are intrigued by what you just read, but don’t know where to start, contact me to schedule a consultant call. As a Wellness Coach, I can help you create a plan to improve your health and happiness! Check My Sources:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23950577/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19944540/ https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002423.htm https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-foods-high-in-magnesium#section11 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6970300/ https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/exercise-is-an-all-natural-treatment-to-fight-depression https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/benefits-vitamin-d#food-sources https://medlineplus.gov/vitaminddeficiency.html https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1873372 https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Selenium-Consumer/ https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/omega-3-fatty-acids-for-mood-disorders-2018080314414 Depression sucks. It’s a soul-sucking monster that can take up your entire life and prevent you from doing the things that you love. It isn’t easily visible to everyone and many people try to hide it from others for various societal and personal reasons. Hiding it, trying to act “normal,” or like nothing is wrong can be soul-sucking. It creates a cycle of wake-up, ]do the people-things, go home, sleep. Start again. This makes it difficult to break because there just is not enough energy to do anything more.  There is a lot of great advice about getting out of a depressive state, but most of the ideas require getting out of bed first and that just isn’t always possible. There are things that you can do from the safety and warmth of your covers that can help you start to feel more like yourself. Journaling There are many different ways that you can do this, depending on who you are. I like words, so journaling to me is getting all of my thoughts out of my brain and on paper. People who like to draw may create some pictures to express their current state of mind. Don’t have paper? Download a journaling app on your phone or write a draft version of an email. The point is to get it out somewhere. You don't have to save it and it doesn't have to perfect. No one else will read it unless you want them to. If you suffer from the fear of ruining a blank canvas, doodle something silly first, it can relieve the pressure. BreatheTaking some deep breaths can help in lots of ways. It is a sign to your body that you are not actively in danger. Slowly breath in through your nose for 4 counts, hold for 4 counts, release through your mouth for 4 counts, and hold again for 4 counts. If you want, pair it with a mantra that makes sense to you. If you can’t think of something, using a generic one like “I am enough” or “I am worthy” can work. Listen to some sad music Find that play list full of the songs that speak to you and your current state of mind. Turn it up and sob along. Crying can help you to release endorphins and oxytocin. Listening to music can also help you to reduce your depressive symptoms. Sing along with the band and really feel those feels. Then, search for something with higher energy that can improve your mood so you want to get out of bed. Find a way to laughWe know that laughter can help you with your serotonin release. Ask your friends to send you a funny picture. Watch a movie that you know will make you giggle. Search for funny cat videos. Look up goofy memes. Laughter is truly medicine in this case. Help a cause you believe in Research a cause that you can get behind and find out how you can help them. Donating from your bed can help your self-esteem and can make a difference for that organization. Understandably, this isn’t for everyone. Lack of money is a common cause of depression and even $5 may be out of reach for some. You can always spread awareness by sharing on social media or find other ways to make a difference from afar. Helping others to help yourself isn’t selfish. The reason why you are helping doesn’t matter, only that you are doing it. These tips are just the start of the process. If you can give yourself the energy to get out of the bed, you can then work on taking it to the next level. Depression isn't something that you can "cure," but it is something that is within your means to control.  The tips above are for people who are experiencing a minor depressive state. Major Depressive Disorder is different and should be treated by a professional. Nothing listed here is designed to be a cure for depression and it shouldn’t be viewed as medical advice. I’m not a doctor or a therapist. If you feel as though you need more help, utilize the resources below. Don’t suffer in silence: https://www.samhsa.gov/ https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/ Photo Credits:
Photo by Kristin Vogt: https://www.pexels.com/photo/white-bed-linen-57686/ Photo by Jessica Lewis Creative: https://www.pexels.com/photo/white-notebook-and-pen-606539/ Photo by Pixabay: https://www.pexels.com/photo/close-up-view-of-earphones-248510/ Photo by Liza Summer: https://www.pexels.com/photo/crop-anonymous-person-showing-donation-box-6348119/ Photo by Anna Shvets: https://www.pexels.com/photo/young-positive-woman-with-many-stickers-on-face-3851309/ 4/7/2022 0 Comments Wellness: Where to Begin What is optimum health? What does it mean to be "well"? These are loaded questions and aren't easily answered. Being healthy or well isn't a destination, but a journey. It isn't as if you get to a point and you say, "oh, I'm healthy, I can stop now." Your health is constantly evolving and changing and that makes it hard to answer. Not only is your own body changing, but the science is changing as well. Years ago, low fat was the answer. Now, we know that some fat is good and is an important part of our diet. Who knows what we will learn in the future? While health and wellness can be overwhelming, it's important not to dwell on the minutia. So, let's take a deep breath and learn some basic things that you can do to increase your health.  Take In Vital Nutrients One of the most important parts of nutrition is, nutrients! Yes, you could focus on making sure that you have exactly 78 grams of protein per day and 1000 mg of calcium while making sure that you are also taking in the proper amount of phosphorus. But, you have a job and a family and other hobbies. Instead, focus on eating a variety of whole foods each day. If you are someone who is very reliant on foods that come from a box, try to wean yourself off of this. Instead, try adding in a one or two meals per week that include extra vegetables and slowly increase that over the next couple of months.  Eliminate Waste It's not really fun to talk about, but waste elimination is very important. How else do you think you get the remnants of last night's toxins out? You eliminate waste three ways, through urination, defecation, and sweat. Three ways to make sure that you get rid of those toxins are to make sure you drink enough water, eat enough fiber, and move enough to sweat: - A good basic formula for the correct amount of water is to drink half of your body weight in ounces. If you weigh 150 pounds, drink 75 ounces of water. Your urine should a pale yellow. If it is too dark, start drinking some more. If it is clear, cut back on the water. Too much of a good thing is a bad thing, even water. - Fiber is important for bowel movements, if you are eating a variety of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, you should be doing just fine. If you are moving your bowels less than once a day, try adding in some more soluble fiber foods, like oats, beans, and citrus fruits. If you think you are moving your bowels too much, add in more insoluble fiber like brown rice, celery, and carrots. - Don't forget to get your sweat on! Exercise doesn't always take place at the gym, unless you want it to. Go for a walk with your dog, play kickball with your friends, or do yoga on a farm with a goat. Do what makes your heart sing. Maintain Internal Environment Making sure that your insides are healthy enough to do their job is another guideline for reaching optimum health. This means making sure that your Immune System and Lymphatic System are kept healthy. These two systems work in tandem, so if one is on the fritz, the other will be as well. You can keep your immune system healthy by doing a lot of the steps I have already covered, eating whole foods, exercise, and eliminating the toxins you may consume. We have all heard that Vitamin C is good for the immune system and that is true! Citrus fruits, like oranges, are a great source. It's best to consume it right at the source, so a whole orange is better than orange juice (less sugar too!). Cranberries and apples are some alternatives if you aren't into oranges or lemons. You can keep your lymphatic system healthy and moving by making sure you are drinking enough water. This helps keep the lymph (the fluid that runs through lymphatic vessels) viscous enough to move freely. Another easy tip is to do exercises like rebounding (jumping on a small trampoline) or jump rope to keep the fluid moving. It is recommended to do this for about 15 minutes, 3 times a week.  Communication for Homeostasis Homeostasis is how we keep balance within our bodies. Our endocrine system (think kidneys, pancreas, thyroid) is responsible for keeping things like hormones, waste, and fluid levels where they should be. You've heard of eating alkaline foods? Well, your body is going to work to keep all parts of it at the pH levels that it should be (your stomach is very acidic, your blood is a little alkaline) regardless of what you actually eat. But, why make it harder on your body than it has to be? Your diet should be about 80% alkaline and 20% acidic. If you are already focusing on eating whole foods like I mentioned before (several times), then you are already there. No need to stress over it! Circulate Substances Blood flow is important to sustaining life. Your cells won't last more than a couple of minutes unless the blood keeps flowing. As mentioned before, it is important to drink enough water so that your blood can move easily throughout the body. It is also important that you keep active and get the heart pumping! Without activity, the blood can actually sit and thicken causing blood clots, which can cause a whole mess of problems, including death. Blood flow can also be impacted by cholesterol. There are two types, high density lipoprotein (HDL, the "good" stuff) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL, the "bad" stuff). Too much LDL can build up in the blood stream preventing blood from flowing. Because HDL is bigger than LDL, when it comes through the bloodstream, it breaks up and loosens the LDL. If you are concerned about high levels of cholesterol, or have a family history, try to avoid red meat and fried foods (among others) and focus on fats like avocados and nuts. Please see a doctor if you are concerned, they can run lots of tests, even if it is just to put your mind at ease.   There is a lot of information here and it can take some time to absorb it all. But, I am sure you saw that there was a running theme. Eating a diet with whole foods, exercising regularly, and drinking the correct amount of water is a great starting point for taking control of your health. The key is to take it slow and not change everything all at once. My suggestion is to pick one thing and work on it until you do it unconsciously. As an example, start increasing the amount of water that you drink. Don't start drinking all 75 ounces today if you are normally only drinking a cup or two. Increase slowly until you are at the 75 ounce mark. Then, once you feel you have mastered that, move on to adding more whole foods to your diet. Then, focus on exercising. Once you have that down, you can deep dive into some of the more complex parts of health. Your health is important, but stressing over it is counter-productive. It should be something easy and fun. It should be noted that this isn't going to be quick. It may take you a couple of months before you feel that your water drinking habit is where it should be, and even longer to stabilize your diet. As I mentioned, this is journey, not a destination. It's something that you are going to work on for the rest of your life. It can be frustrating, until you realize that you are increasing not only quantity of your time here, but also the quality of your time. If you are interested in learning more steps that you can take to improve your wellness, please reach out! I would love to help you improve your health! 843.900.1396 or [email protected] Sources:
https://medfitnetwork.org/public/all-mfn/rebounding-lymphedema/ Presentation: Anatomy & Physiology II: Homestasis and Wholeness, SW Institute of the Healing Arts Photo Credits: Photo by Oladimeji Ajegbile from Pexels https://www.pexels.com/@pixabay Photo by Daria Shevtsova from Pexels Photo by freestocks.org from Pexels Photo by Miguel Á. Padriñán from Pexels Photo by Ketut Subiyanto from Pexels |
About MeI am a Wellness Coach who helps people improve their mental health through nutrition and habits. If you are curious how wellness coaching can work for you, I would love to help! |
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