Comfort Zones
What was the last thing you did or didn’t do because it made you feel uncomfortable?
Morning jog in the rain? Or did you just skip it that day?
Faced hunger for half a day? Or thought about it and didn’t?
Spoke in front of a group of people? Or opted out ?
One thing I have always conversely tried to do and tried to avoid…especially the older I get.. is getting out of my comfort zone.
I resist it, although,
I KNOW its important to do it
I KNOW the challenge is great for resilience, experience, character development….and, quite frankly, if we don’t get out of it semi regularly, life is pretty beige.
(On a brain health note, it also activates certain pathways that is very very healthy in the brain. We don’t want those atrophying.)
However
Its nice to say its good for you, but its often another to do it. I’m a classic for excuses, are you?
My latest challenge was going to a concert. To clarify, going to a Pink concert.
Half of you are now saying, “what!…what kind of challenge is that!?…give me that damn ticket!”
…and I suspect, there a few out there who read the above and immediately knew what a challenge it was.
Everything in life is pretty subjective, whats hard for one is easy for another. I try to keep that in mind when I want to criticise others. For me, going to a concert is tricky on many levels.
I don’t like crowds, they make me edgy
- I don’t like loud noises
- I like early nights, and this wouldn’t be one
- I like to workout and eat healthy and the ramifications of a late night means I will want to eat more than normal and be too tired to exercise.
- I got up the concert morning for work at 4.20am…big day!
- Driving there and back in the concert traffic, trying to find a park that isn’t a marathon away and in a safe enough zone.
I could so easily have not gone, give me a choice and I would have stayed home all warm and cosy….but I knew …I KNOW…. That I would feel soooo much better if I went. Like when you are due for a workout and thats the last thing you want to do BUT you KNOW its good for you and you’ll be happy after. When you want a yummy snack, and theres only apples left in the house, and ermmm…noooooo it just won’t do! (First world problems hey!)
Fortunately, and I am so very fortunate, my wonderful partner is the exact opposite. He likes filling the days with experiences and friends, and he works damn hard on top of that. He constantly challenges my zones, happily and unmercifully challenges them, and thank goodness. I would be living so beige without that.
SO, I made sure not to think about the concert all day and just potter through my daily schedule of work, exercise and dogs. Much more relaxed…. I think I’ll try that next time too hmmmm
Well, what a concert! We were entertained fully! I’ve never seen a show like it. This woman is absolutely amazing.
There was also a side thought hovering throughout the concert.
I had treated my daughters to tickets to the show (birthday gift a few months before) on another date a few days after our show. Those that know my story know I unfortunately have been forced to disconnect from them (I look forward to that being reversed one day *quick prayer*). My joy in getting communication with them when they received the tickets was huge, but sadly since then I have heard nothing and minimal to no response from messages. Its normal, but it always hurts. So this was at the back of my mind during the concert. I was thinking how wonderful an experience it will be for them to see this incredible show which is also chock a block full of female empowerment, glamour, awesomeness. All around were women and mums with their daughters having a lovely time. It was bitter sweet to see, but more sweet, as in a strange way it is something we will have to connect us. Our shared experience and joy in this show.
So Pink and my wonderful, crazy, fun partner, I thank you.
Another challenging situation faced and an incredible experience for my reward.
In the words of a dear person
“How lucky am I"
postscript: my daughter did msg me..... thanking my partner only. One message in 3 months. I nearly threw my lunch up. Kids can chop your soul down so easily can't they.....
Fascia - Your invaluable body stocking
Who’s heard of fascia? Its either a totally foreign word to you, or one you hear mentioned by trainers all the time or you massage therapist.
So what is it?
Do you really need to care?
Lets first get to know fascia a little bit more…….
Simply put, the fascia is similar to a body stocking that wraps around the body, like a single piece of material, that holds the bones, tissue, muscles….everything together and in the shape we all know and love. Not only does it wrap around the body but it also extends into the body. So imagine a honeycomb weblike structure extending from the skin through the muscles and tissues, and some even conjecture, the bones, not unlike the way the juices of an orange are held together with that web like structure of the fibrous pulp.
Fasica. Note the stringy webbing
See how stringy it looks in the picture. This stringy web protects, cushions and surrounds organs and vertebrae and permeates tissue, allowing the muscle fibres and tissues to gently slide against each other and contract and flex as we move through the day. Now if we don’t move a spot this web will deposit more of these collagen fibres through it and a build up occurs. If you move (stretch, massage, exercise) and drink plenty of water, this will break down the collagen and move it through the body for use, absorption or expulsion. If you don’t, more of this will accumulate.
Think back to an injury that you or someone else had and it pained you or them to move it properly afterwards. I’ve seen many people (and myself) not want to move properly or at all and as a result the area stays still. So a build up of this collagen occurs again and again and isn’t flushed out of the system in the usual manner. This build up gets sticky and gums whatever its attached to together. You know when someone might touch an area to rub and it hurts….thats the build up. Healthy fascia, healthy tissue won’t hurt. The more you avoid that hurt, the more the build up and more pain and so on. A nasty cycle.
So healthy fascia is juicy and hydrated, like a wet sponge, but as collagen accumulates, if our dietary intake and exercise is poor it becomes brittle. You can imagine how pliable a wet sponge is as opposed to a dried out sponge. Bending a wet sponge and it just straightens back. Bending a dried out sponge and it breaks. Water is so important to the efficiency of this system
Going back to the body stocking visual. Fascia is one piece. When you have one piece and you tighten an area, another area further along is inevitably changed. Part gets tight and it pulls and tugs other areas, that will correspondingly impact further areas. Not inconceivable to imagine tight shoulders for example, impacting further down to promote back pain, hamstring tension and so on….and of course head in the other direction to perhaps an achy head.
If you are stiff, tight, in pain, you can be proactive and do something about this right now. If you are not any of those things, then lucky you, but you will definitely benefit from a daily protocol to keep yourself healthy and keep pain away.
So what do you do?
Stretch, kneed , or roll yourself out everyday and include good hydration, 8 glasses of water a day really is the minimum. Gradually the pain will abate and over weeks of regular attention will go away.
Everyday fascia health protocol.
- Consume a couple of large glasses of water, preferably with minerals in it, like a good quality rock or sea salt, lemon is also a great additive.
- Do some form of fascial movement, like:
- Foam roll your body
- Jump on a mini trampoline
- Shaking movements
- Kettlebell swings
- Tai chi
Not Another New Years Resolution Post!
Every New Years a cavalcade of posts are sent scampering around the world telling, encouraging, cajoling the reader into reading about the new year resolution. Some are for it, some are against it (why wait for new year), some have a list of ‘best’ resolutions, and others let you know what resolutions you should NEVER make (ie, lose weight, renovate, or be positive to everyone you meet)
So with that in mind, let me keep this short and practical.
Personally, I LIKE the idea of a New Year resolution list. I’m all for making resolutions during the year, but there is something wonderful about starting something at the beginning of a full year ahead...like Mondays are often used to start a new project, or skill learning. New year is like the penultimate Monday.
BUT....if you are going to go to all that effort of creating these new plans/ ideas/ improvements to your life, why not spend a few minutes more creating a way to ensure you actually reaches each of these goals and not let your enthusiasm just peter out as the weeks go by and suddenly its Easter and you are happily chewing on eggs before u remember that no chocolate rule you had set on January 1st.
OKAY
So make a list.
Try and keep it to a couple of items...not too many
Are they achievable? Do you feel 10/10 able to achieve it...if there is a yes but or yes if, answer, then the goal maybe fine but it needs breaking down. Lets use one of mine for example:
1. - Meditate everyday
okay...I think you can all see how vague this is.....yes of course I ‘can’ do it, but will I?..... Probably for a few days, maybe even a week. I can bet with great certainty that it will not last long. Soooooo....lets make it doable, and quite frankly, more fun.
WHEN and HOW
When will I do it and how? Honestly, I wake early, I’m tired, I need coffee, my dogs need a walk. I work and come home exhausted and just want to sleep or watch tv and vague out. I can’t think of any ‘perfect time’ to meditate. However I know how awesome I feel when I do.
I’m going to make a check list, stick it on my fridge. I’ll have a description column, and in that will be a version of my goal. Meditate before sleep for 1 minute (either just counting breaths or using a visualisation tape). Yep, 10/10 I can do that, even when tired. If I do more great, but thats not the requirement. 1 minute and I get a nice juicy tick in that achievement box, yeehaw!
Next week in my description, all going well I will make it 2 minutes, then the week after 3 minutes, etc, etc. My goal will be 30 minutes, but I’m not even thinking about that now, thats way too hard and too unachieveable in the mind state and habits I have now. If I get to 10 minutes and freak out that its too much, I will just lower the expectation for that next week. Simple, and my list is on the fridge to remind and encourage me everyday.
So what will your goal be?
Imagine, wanting to lose weight, learn a language, be tidy, relax, learn economics, read a book a week (yes it can be done), and what could be achieved if you broke it down to its most basic and doable part, then gently added every few days or week. That’s 365ish days a year and 52 weeks of continual improvement...imagine the person you could be by the end of one single year.
Its now 2018, who will you be by 2019?
Who do you WANT to be?
Write it down....and do it :-)
If you need any help, coaching or guidance, feel free to email or facebook me for some ideas or more formal assistance
Gene Genie?!
Is gene testing the health key to the optimal body?
Answer : possibly
I have been following avidly, the advent of mainstream gene testing. Its such exciting stuff. Like Indiana Jones finding ancient tresures, we can now find the hidden treasured data within our bodies...the blueprint to what our body actually needs and wants to be the best version it can be. How incredible does that sound!? So is it really that good...is it the end of guess work in what the hell new diet or fitness style we need to follow
A few weeks ago I noticed a fairly cheap way to have a few genes tested at my local pharmacy. For $100AUD this test will look at four genes that current research shows have impact on our body and how it processes fat, carbs, what diet the body is better on and what kind of exercise is more effective. Being cheap, it's four genes only, so I was not expecting any ground breaking detail, just perhaps some guidelines.
Let me tell you what I found out
First the genes,
The ones tested are (with basic descriptions of each),
LIPC - regulates the production of hepatic lipase enzymes. These enzymes are involved with the regulation of cholesterol and triglycerides. Risk variants have less activity of this enzyme, which can lead to increased levels of HDL, LDL and triglycerides
APOA5 - major gene that regulates triglyceride concentrations. Risk variant carriers are more susceptible to higher triglyceride levels than those without the risk variant.
FTO - This little guy has many roles. He participates in the regulation of body size and fat accumulation. Risk variants have trouble controlling eating as they are not sensitive to the satiety alert in the brain. It's also associated with an increased incidence of ALzheimers. If BMI is high their is also an assocaition with developing type 2 diabetes. Generally those with the risk variant are 1-3 kgs heavier than their counterpart , higher BMI, higher fat mass and at risk of obesity. On the bright side it has no association with energy expenditure. So controlling the weight will not be impeded by the body resisting the weight loss...just the mind!
PPARG - What happens with any excess food we eat depends on the workings of these busy genes. Risk variants are far more prone to fat storage than non risk variants. Not only that but this gene shows what sort of sensitivity we have to fat and carb digestion, therefore what kind of diet would be more suitable.
So how does this apply to me?
In point form:
- I respond best to medium intensity exercise (I agree and am relieved as I always feel bad when I do high intensity and also feel low intensity does little for me)
- I do better on a diet lower in carbs and also lower in fats, particularly saturated. So potentially look at some digestive enzymes to help my body break these down and also blood sugar controllers, such as bitter melon, to keep the insulin in its place
- I need to keep my BMI lower to avoid obesity, diabetes
- I need to keep my brain active and also feed with healthy fats to keep alzheimers at bay
- My mind doesn't register satiety very well, so I need to work on feeling comfortable at being 80% full and training myself how to know when I hit that stage
- I should get a lipid blood profile and keep aware of it as I am more likely to have higher LDL and triglyceride levels if my diet isn't on point most of the time
- I have the gene variant related to obesity (I knew it!), and as such it's important I keep active and aware of my diets health
So was it worth it?!
For me personally, absolutely! I like to be proactive and I also like the fact it has taken a fair bit of guess work out for me. Probably because fitness is my life, I completely over analyse and question what I am doing for exercise and what I am eating....this causes me to go all over the place , trying everything, and changing everything...way, way too often. Now I know why the Keto diet has never felt good to me and I have struggled doing it. For a start I was including too many saturated fats and I never felt satisfied as many people say they do. I'm not scared to add a little carbohydrate to my meals now and I am happy to workout at a medium state predominantly (I add a bit of the low and high intensity to hit all 3 states....got to keep the body balanced)
So what are your thoughts? Would you consider it?
Here's where I got the test, MyDna, I did the health one, they also offer a test which shows how your body responds to many medications.
Why I love Bitter Melon
A miracle fat loss supplement?......... Maybe!
What is it?
This wierd looking fruit, bitter melon, is also known as bitter gourd, bitter squash, bitter cucumber or balsam pear. It refers to the fruit grown on a Cucurbitacae vine. It grows in tropical and sub tropical climates in Asia, Africa and the Caribbean.
What is it meant to do?
The Chinese have long used Bitter Melon as a blood sugar controller, and finally the Western World is becoming more aware of its uses. Bitter melon is a plant that has the amazing ability to improve glucose tolerance and reduce blood sugar levels. This is why bitter melon is highly recommended for diabetics (always check with doctor first!). The benefits don't stop there. Due to its improvement to glucose tolerance it is also great for:
- Skincare and acne, psorriasis, eczema (drink the juice 3 x a week)
- Has more beta carotene than broccoli
- Vitamin K (blood thinning and antiinflamatory)
- Relieves acid reflx and indigestion
- Diabetes type 2,
- Lowers cholesterol , (therefore reduces heart attacks and ehart disease
- Anti cancer properties
- Due to blood sugar and liver tonic benefits it is an effective weightloss controller.
So how does it do it?
These days, extra weight, lifestyle, and dietary intake all play a part to make many of us insulin insensitive. This results us in having an excess of blood sugar in our system. Fat loss wise, the body can not burn fat in a sugar filled environment. It will stop using other energy sources (such as fat) and use only the sugar until its gone. Dietary fat at this point, is not broken down for energy use, but rather stored in adipose (fat) tissue around the body and also accumulates in the liver and contributes to clogging in aortic valves. High levels of blood sugar will also damage blood vessels and nerves. None of this is good for longevity and good health!
The fruit has at least three active substances with these glucose tolerance properties, charantin, vicine and an insulin-like compound known as polypeptide-p. It seems these work individually or together to reduce blood sugar levels. Bitter melon also contains lectin, which has similar effects to insulin in the brain (insulin secretion is needed to lower blood sugar levels) and promotes insulin sensitivity in the body.
The Garvan Institute in Australia has done some interesting studies in the last few years, looking at bitter melon as an effective supplement for diabetics. Noting that it has few side affects compared to pharmaceuticals.
"When we give this compound to our mice just before a meal, we then give the meal, we find that they have a much more efficient removal of glucose from the blood compared to animals that have not been given the drug," Garvan Institute's Professor David James
How do I take it?
Take it in capsule form, I use iherb generally for my Bitter Melon capsules, and take them around 30 mins before a higher carbohydrate meal. However don't worry too much if you forget before your meal, you can still take it while eating. The other option is to use the actual plant. These are generally found at your local Chinese market place. Be warned the fruit is well named. It is BITTER! The recipes below are worth following to make sure you are able to hide the taste sufficiently. :-)
So if you suspect you might be a little insulin insensitive or have high blood glucose levels, bitter melon is a great and natural substance to try. Just a word of caution. Its highly effective. Take the recommended dosage. Hypoglycaemic attacks have been associated with high intakes of the supplement (admittedly these intakes have been over 5 times the recommended dosages). These extreme intakes are very unlikely if you are just adding the actual food into your diet and not the supplement.
If you found this interesting, you may want to implement this into your way of eating. If you are unsure in any way feel free to contact me
Recipes
Recipe ingredients:
- • 1 Bitter melon seedless, chopped
- • Ice to taste
- • Honey or stevia to taste
- • Lemon to taste
Place bitter melon pieces and ice cubes into blender.
Stir until smooth and blended. When the ice cubes rather smooth, enter lemon juice and honey to suit your taste (to get around for the bitter taste of bitter melon covered with sweet honey and fresh lemon).
References
http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/10-benefits-bitter-melon-that-makes-even-more-worth-eating.html
http://www.livestrong.com/article/308112-how-to-use-bitter-melon-to-lower-blood-sugar/
http://www.naturesgoodness.com.au/Bitter-Melon-Capsules.html
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2008-03-26/humble-vegie-may-end-diabetes-fight/1083716
https://www.garvan.org.au/research/diseases-we-research/diabetes-type-2
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Momordica_charantia
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2016/07/11/aloe-bitter-melon-help-treat-diabetes.aspx