Category: Depression

Being healthy on a budget

As someone who is obsessed with everything healthy (and noting how amazing I feel and the way my body has transformed), there is still a huge hurdle that is very hard to overcome. The super high cost of living this way. It is undeniable. When I walk through the check-out line at Whole Foods or Natural Grocers, I do have this moment of PANIC. Just waiting for those digital numbers to pop up on the screen with the final total…I feel a little sweaty and some quickening of my heart rate. I know it is not going to be good. But I can’t stop. I am addicted.

As I have purchased many, many products during my search for the best things I could incorporate in to my life, there are some that are very reasonable and have huge benefits, and there are some that are costly, but can be worth it when the healthy benefits are considered. Therefore, I created a list based on my own opinion, on what I find to be the most reasonable way to incorporate natural/organic products in to your life.

Beauty: Unfortunately it is much harder to find mainstream stores that carry makeup and lotion that don’t contain all of those ingredients which are supposedly messing up our hormones and causing issues internally. I have found that people really do become loyal to certain products, and don’t like to give up what personally works for them. I understand. I always believe that you should try to cut out any products you can part with, or just limit the exposure (from personal perspective, my grandma passed away strong and healthy at 97 years-old, and wore lipstick and perfume every single day). Unfortunately, our bodies don’t seem to be handling the constant influx of toxins from so many different sources. Therefore, I recommend taking a beauty detox. Let your skin breathe whenever possible. If you have some blemishes and are afraid how you look…who cares! The only person you are caring about in this moment is yourself. Then try to find more “natural” products for things that cover the largest amount of surface area (As a nurse, I applied pain medicine patches to patients surface layers of skin, so if you don’t think stuff absorbs, you are sadly wrong). I recommend more natural ingredients in lotions that are being used on large amounts of your body, along with deodorant, concealers and powders, and anything you put on your lips (duh…you are eating that crap!). I really like the makeup and lotion brands found at natural foods stores, and it may be a good place to start. My current favorite line of makeup is called Mineral Fusion mineral makeup, which is made in Denver, CO. With that being said, if there are certain products you really love and work well for you…keep those for the special days and occasions. All we are trying to do is lessen the exposure over time.

Fruits/Veggies: The Environmental Working Group (EWG) each year comes out with a list called “The Dirty Dozen”, and this list seems to be a strong standard for what is felt is the top items to consider buying organic. I feel that the list is helpful and beneficial to keep in the back of your mind, but the rule I try to follow most is: buy organic for the foods you eat the MOST. For instance, my girl’s love carrots, and eat them all day long. I always buy organic carrots because they are consuming such a large amount of them. The food industry is slowly changing, but I really don’t trust any labeling on foods these days. Therefore, I just try to buy as close to the source as possible, and preferably from small, local farms.

Powders and supplements: I have to say…this is the major problem area for me in regards to spending (possibly unnecessary) money. I love finding a new “green” powder, or supplement that will give me the energy and “feel good” feeling I always crave. In this area, I recommend to anyone who is working out and trying to get on a healthier life track, to buy a quality protein powder, with one added “green” powder. Some of my favorite companies are Garden of Life, Sun Potion, Pure Encapsulations, Amazing Grass, and Vital Proteins. All because they are known to have higher standards for quality along with labeling their products honestly. My reasoning behind investing in a few of these powders is related to studies that state drinking protein within 30 minutes of a work-out will help you repair/build muscle, and stabilize blood sugar and hunger so there won’t be the crash in an hour that makes you want to eat a whole sleeve of Oreos. I actually make a protein drink every afternoon whether I workout or not. It keeps me full and satisfied until dinner, and has helped me completely stop snacking. It takes a bit to get used to, but I encourage you to experiment with various ways to make it taste good enough that you will want to continue drinking it. I usually mix my protein in my favorite green juice, or put a scoop in a smoothie with various fruits and vegetables. As far as supplements, that is very specific to the individual. I always recommend a quality probiotic because it is heavily researched to benefit so many aspects of your body and life (immunity, mental health, prevention of many chronic conditions). I encourage everyone to get a blood test to find out if you are deficient in anything. For instance, my iron and B12 were extremely low last summer. I thought I was “mom tired,” and it turns out, it was so much more.

Fluids: Last but not least. Buy a water filter…and chug chug chug water. All day long. It comes at a minimal cost, helps flush out the “crap,” and it is generally needed by every single part or your body for basic life functioning. I also highly recommend buying a reusable water bottle to refill over and over. Not only does it reduce waste, but it is habit forming. Once you start carrying it around with you (everywhere you go!!!!), you will suddenly find your water consumption increasing tremendously, and you will start seeing how your body will only crave it more. Another example of how you can teach your body to desire the good, and not the bad.

I really wish we lived in a world where organic did not need to exist; that all foods were great for us, and we didn’t have to hear such a mix of information about what is healthy one week, and suddenly it is terrible for you the next. Sometimes I feel like we are all doomed…but then I find a new product down the aisles of my local grocery store, or get a whiff of the fresh scents at a Farmer’s Market…and I get excited to push through another day…

Strong mind. Strong heart. Strong body.

Val

 

The problem with America…gut health

I will tell you what one of my favorite words is…POOP!  It is a part of my every day conversations, and I feel like it should be.  The first question I would hope every doctor would ask is…”Do you poop every day?” The goals I have for my children include: that they are kind to everyone, they are happy most of every day, and that they poop often. I will be frank…I poop every time I eat, about 4 times a day.  Too much information for you?!?! Get over it, and start paying attention to what is going on in your own bathroom.

More and more things are coming out about poor health, and the link to gut flora (the good bugs that live there).  A combination of processed foods and stress have created a change in the flora that live in our digestive tracts, and things grow that should not.  Unfortunately, it is difficult to adequately test gut flora in a normal office visit, so let’s focus our attention on how we can attempt to fix it.

The most recent studies have shown links between gut flora and depression. Mental health has skyrocketed around the world, and children are being diagnosed with depression at younger and younger ages.  I am not placing the blame all on the gut, however I think focusing on keeping such a large organ healthy, should always be a priority.  Researchers are in the early stages of pinpointing beneficial bugs that can be used in the treatment of depression and anxiety.  They are called psychobiotics.  These studies have found that when people used these psychobiotics daily for a month, they more calmly reacted to stress, and reported reductions in their depression and anxiety. This is related to findings that the brain and gut strongly communicate, and research has suggested that probiotics tell the brain to secrete oxytocin and serotonin that make you feel relaxed and happy.

Another major issue related to an unhealthy gut involves your immune system. In fact, 70 percent of the cells that are in charge of your immunity, lie in the lining of your digestive tract. A big part of it’s functioning is related to how well it is able to rid of your body’s toxins.  Unfortunately, due to chronic poor eating, and the lack of beneficial flora, those toxins are not going to be excreted properly, thus affecting your immune system. Therefore, people’s health can be greatly affected by something they are completely unaware of.

Immunity and mental health are areas everyone should find extremely important for daily living and a quality life. Therefore probiotics and gut health should be a priority.  To change your gut, and stress the re-establishment of beneficial bugs, it is important to focus on clean eating, and foods high in probiotics.  For instance, the basis of all diets should be fruits and vegetables, along with whole grains. This will increase fiber intake and help the good bugs do their job. It is also important to focus on fermented foods such as yogurt, sauerkraut, kefir, and kimichi.  I am honestly not a huge fan of any of those foods, so I take a high quality probiotic daily, and drink lots of kombucha and apple cider vinegar.

If you were to take any form of supplements, I would highly suggest investing in a quality probiotic. It is so important to your health, and a probiotic will never be a waste of money (unlike other supplements, where benefits are often unclear). Look for ones that say “live active cultures,” which in most health food stores, are found in the refrigeration section of the supplement aisles.  I have been taking one with 100 billion cultures, and it has been amazing for my body and my digestion.  I have not been sick in years, and I largely believe it is due to my attention to my gut.  My girls also take probiotics daily, and even as babies, were given probiotic powder in their milk.

With all of the healthy things I have incorporated into my daily lifestyle, I really do live off a basis of how amazing our bodies can function if we allow it to.  Anatomy and pathophysiology were my passion in nursing school, and I really focus on incorporating a simple approach…your body wasn’t made to handle things that are not wholesome and real.  So try your best to eat, drink, and move in a way your body needs and desires.  It is the only body you have. Treat it well, and it will treat you well.

Strong mind. Strong heart. Strong body.

Val