Category: Exercise

September 9, 2015

Look and Feel Younger: How to Naturally Slow Down Aging

Why do some 40 year olds look 60? And conversely, why do some 60 year olds look 40? Whether you like it or not, aging is the natural process we all go through. But what if I told you how to turn back the clock? I am going to share with you how to naturally slow aging by improving your lifestyle, following an healthy diet, and taking targeted supplements.

Lifestyle Recommendations

• Exercise: This is a big one! Activity keeps you young by lubricating your joints, supporting detoxification, improving lean muscle mass, and improving your cardiovascular health.

• Sleep: A restful night’s sleep is one of the best things you can do to prevent aging. Aim to get between 7- 9 hours of sleep in a completely dark, cool room. (Grab my Free “How to Get a Good Night’s Sleep Guide” CLICK HERE )

Foods that Cause Faster Aging

• Refined Sugar: The number one food that speeds aging. It causes glycation which damages cells and causes wrinkles.

Artificial sugar and other artificial ingredients: These contain a large number of chemicals which can speed up the aging process.

• Trans fats and hydrogenated oils: These processed fats promote inflammation which leads to premature aging, heart disease, and certain types of cancer.

• Alcohol: Although an occasional glass of red wine is said to be beneficial for health because it has an anti-oxidant known as resveratrol, the overall consumption of alcohol is a bad idea. It’s pro-inflammatory and speeds up the aging process.

• Grains: All grains are pro-inflammatory unless they are sprouted. Grains cause glycation, which speeds up the aging process.

Supplements to Slow Aging Effects

• Omega-3 fats: The omega 3 fatty acids EPA and DHA found in fish oil are powerful anti-inflammatories and may reduce age-related cellular damage. (1000 mg daily)

• Green Powder: Contains foods high in antioxidant compounds like chlorella, spirulina, grass juices, wild berries, and herbs that are known to slow aging. (1 serving per day)

• Resveratrol: Found in the skin of red grapes resveratrol has been shown to reduce cellular damage and slow aging. (250-500 mg daily)

• Adaptogen Herbs: Ashwagandha, Rhodiola, Holy Basil, Ginseng. These herbs lower cortisol levels and reduce the damaging effects stress can have on the body. (500-1000 mg daily)

• Co-enzyme Q10: Acts as a powerful antioxidant by supporting heart function and is also required for the energy production of cells critical for preventing premature aging. (150 mg 2x daily)

Essential Oils to Slow Aging Effects

Frankincense, lavender, myrrh and sandalwood can be used as potent anti-aging remedies. They’re high in antioxidants and contain compounds that naturally balance hormones and reduce cellular damage. Try adding 2 drops of frankincense to your drinking water, once per day to slow the aging process.

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If you would like to find out what changes you can make in your life to slow down aging I can help. CLICK HERE to schedule a free 15 minute Get Acquainted Session or jump right in and make an appointment so I can start helping you feel better right away, CLICK HERE to book a consultation.

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October 9, 2014

Sure-fire Ways to Reduce Stress and Avoid Disease

Everyone gets stressed out from time to time. But when it goes on for a long period of time that’s when you put your health in danger. Chronic stress can cause serious health problems especially for women. Adrenal fatigue, depression, anxiety, insomnia, weight gain, abnormal periods and heart disease are just some of the negative effects chronic stress can cause. Our bodies are built to handle acute stress (the fight or flight response) which is short-lived, but not chronic stress, which is steady over a long term.

Chronic stress can come from many different sources like high pressured jobs, loneliness, family life, marriage, even traffic. When the body remains in a constant state of alarm, it affects virtually every system in the body, either directly or indirectly. It’s estimated that up to 90% of doctor’s visits are for conditions in which stress at least plays a role! That’s why it’s so important to learn stress management techniques and make some healthy lifestyle changes to protect yourself from the negative impact of chronic stress.

Here are some of my favorite stress busting strategies:

Lifestyle :

Take a walk
Get a good night sleep
Healthy diet
Exercise
Get a pet

Stress Management Techniques:

Deep belly breathing
Yoga
Meditation
Soothing music

Incorporate one or all of these stress reducing activities to your life and see your stress levels plummet. Even small changes will yield big results. You can fight stress and keep yourself healthy even during very crazy times as long as you know how to cope. These simple changes and activities can help you keep stress under control and stop it from damaging your health.

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June 6, 2014

3 Easy Ways to Beat Midlife Weight Gain

Is the shape of your body changing, as you’re getting older? Were you once a healthy pear shape but recently you have noticed your body changing into an unhealthy apple shape?

• Pear-shaped body: wider hips and thighs, with more weight below the waist

• Apple-shaped body: wider waist and belly, with more weight above the waist

The sad fact is that most women in the United States are overweight by the time they reach midlife. Aging and poor lifestyle choices are the main causes. Additionally, as we get older our metabolism slows down. Several studies have shown that peri-menopause, regardless of age, is associated with increased fat in the belly area as well as decreased lean body mass (muscle). When we reach our midlife years we have to work harder to keep the same body we had in our younger years.

Excess weight raises the risk of many diseases, including cardiovascular disease (which is particularly linked with excess fat in the belly area), type 2 Diabetes, high blood pressure, osteoarthritis, and some types of cancer (including breast and colon). Luckily, there are some things you can do to prevent midlife weight gain.

1. Clean up your diet

Add whole foods to your diet and stop eating the junk. Find out if you have any food allergies; if you suspect that you do eliminate those foods from your diet for at least 2 weeks. At midlife we need to adjust the balance of our macronutrients—proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. We need more good fats to help with dwindling hormone production, fewer carbohydrates to keep blood sugar low, and moderate amounts of protein to build muscle. However, too much protein can also cause weight gain.

2. Get Some Sleep

Some people brag about functioning on little sleep, but we pay a huge price when we stay up late and get up early. Studies show that sleeping less than 5 hours per night promotes weight gain. The amount of sleep you get affects levels of ghrelin and leptin, the hormones that regulate hunger. Ghrelin is the hormone that tells you when to eat and leptin is the hormone that tells you to stop eating. When you are sleep deprived, your body secretes more ghrelin and less leptin, which leads to weight gain. Lack of sleep also leads to fatigue, which generally leads to a decrease in physical activity which leads to increased fat.

2. Stay Active

The best exercise for losing weight is the one you’ll do on a consistent basis. In my opinion, whole body workouts are the best for us mid-lifers. The more muscles that are used the more calories can be burned and the greater the weight loss will be. Exercising isn’t only for weigh loss, it also helps balance hormones and improves mood. Working out intensely raises the heart rate and burns even more calories. Interval training, where short bursts of intense activity are followed by a recovery period, is especially helpful. Strength training is also important because it will helps to build muscle, which raises the metabolic rate and causes you to burn more calories. Strength training also has an added benefit called “after burn”.