What do salt and soup have in common? They can both improve your sleep. Here’s how. Stress & Mineral Use When the body is stressed, it uses a variety of minerals to fuel the stress hormones. These hormones enable a person to push through real …
As you discovered in part 1 of this sleep series, dietary choices impact blood sugar levels and hormones, which help regulate sleep. However, diet is not always to blame for sleep disturbances. Enter stress. How does it impact sleep? When mental o…
It’s between 3 and 4am. Once again, you’re awake for seemingly no reason. In the darkness, you sleepily stumble to the bathroom, thinking your bladder must be to blame for this undesired wake up. But before we start pointing fingers (poor bladder), let’s look at ad…
How tough are you? YOU can impact the strength of your body’s defense system against foreign invaders, such as viruses. Is your body battle ready? Certain nutrients enable the body to block, catch, and kill unwanted intruders. Unfortunately, most …
Let’s take an honest look in the mirror. How will your body likely weather this looming battle with the Coronavirus? Read on for 5 ways to reinforce your body’s natural defense system. Viruses & Their Hosts A virus will present differently dependi…
Holiday themed cookies and candy, festive drinks, and that trusty pair of elastic waist pants can easily become staples during these next few months. Celebrating the holidays with others is wonderful. Holiday food and drink is a fun part of that merriment. However, it is i…
Fall is finally here. Cozy sweaters, crisp leaves, and congestion seem to go hand in hand with this season. Right now germs seem to drift around as effortlessly as the vibrant, fall leaves that blow in the wind. Typically the sneezing and coughing around you steadily increases in conju…
Hiking majestic landscapes with friends is one of my favorite pastimes. Up until recently, each summer I’d take a week to hike and camp with an alumni group at National Parks. Those trips were priceless. I was surrounded by natural beauty. I hiked epic trails. And I was accompanied by inspir…
Is a diseased or malfunctioning body part causing trouble? Sometimes the proposed “remedy” is to remove it completely. Although I realize that some emergencies call for such a drastic measure, I don’t think we’ve been given spare parts. If an organ or gland …
Bad genes. Eggs. Red meat. Butter. When high cholesterol suddenly shows up on lab results, genes and high cholesterol foods are typically blamed for it all. The common recommendations are: 1. Eliminate those delicious foods. 2. Take cholesterol lowering medicati…
We have a tendency to look at a person’s weight or clothing size and determine health based off of that alone. However, there are a lot of sickly, thin people out there. Beyond weight, there are so many other symptoms that provide clues about your health. For example, …
How often are you flexing your brain? Sound weird? Let me explain. When you first complete a set of bicep curls, the 15lb. weight might feel heavy. However, if you’re working out your upper body every day for several weeks, pretty soon, that 15 lb. weight will fe…
Health goals are frequently recycled from the previous year. Why? They are often not completed. Don’t be a statistic this year. Change things up. To get something you’ve never had, you have to do something you’ve never done. This year, get su…
As a teen, I ate a pretty well and played sports daily. Despite these healthy habits, I had recurring joint pain and periodic migraines. One simple health tweak changed all of that. I got hydrated. Here’s why that helped. Water’s Importance Water is the mos…
When I was 18, a wise friend gifted me a unique tool. It transformed my perception of the world. I received a simple, leather journal. Its purpose? To encourage me to spend 5 minutes every night writing down all of that day’s blessings. I found and continue to find this daily pra…
“You are what you eat. Choose wisely.” Have you heard that one before? Unfortunately, it’s not that simple. In fact, nutrient dense food could be HARMING your body and increasing your toxic load, leading to physical and mental sluggishness. I frequently work…
Imagine you had a team of huskies pulling a sled. These majestic creatures are muscular and hearty, making them a great fit for this task. One day the team was short one husky, and so a Chihuahua kindly took its place. Now a Chihuahua is a dog and it can run. However, it is poorly equ…
A few years back, I joined a huge gym with 3 floors. The top floor was packed with cardio equipment and to get there, you had to take the escalator. Almost everyone would avoid climbing the escalator stairs and would opt for a free ride. And then once they arrived on the cardio floor, they woul…
I’ve trained hundreds of fitness clients ranging from HS football teams to elderly women using this. It is my go to piece of exercise equipment. People often find using it awkward, and I’ve received plenty of dirty looks from clients because of it. But this fitness tool is incr…
Heat and sweaty pits go hand in hand. And that’s a good thing. Be grateful for that stellar built in cooling system. The problem is when body odor gets out of control. Slapping on some antiperspirant deodorant seems like the simple solution. Unfortunately, your favorite musk ma…
It’s time to workout. Go big or go home. Right? I’m a big believer in pushing outside that physical comfort zone. However, sometimes, less is more. On your down days, you need to check your workout intensity or you can do more damage than good. Breaking It Down When a person …
So what’s the deal with salt? Does it cause high blood pressure, dehydrate the body, increase hydration, or support the body during times of stress? Yes. All of the above. If you want salt to work to your advantage, you have to select the right type of salt a…
When my infant is inconsolable, a walk outside almost instantly pacifies him. My energetic toddler craves the comforting monotony of swinging outdoors. As a young kid, I was often encouraged to “run around the house 10x” when my mom noticed me getting antsy. We instinctually know tha…
It’s mid-afternoon and you hit that familiar slump. If you’re like most people, sugar is your stimulant of choice. Starved for energy, you search the break room, scan the vending machine, or rummage through your bag, looking for a beverage or snack that will provide a boost of sugar and or …
We are several months out from New Years. How are those health resolutions going? If you are crushing it in that department, keep up the good work. But for those of you who are struggling to be consistent, keep reading. Think back to WHY you decided on your particular New Year’s resolu…
“Cut out the (processed) diet food, skip the low fat options, and eat real food.” When I entered the wellness field a little over 10 years ago, this was my platform, and it was radical. Since then, the Paleo community, Weston A. Price folks, and real fo…
The day after my friend participated in a 50 mile bike race, I was eager to hear details about the epic event. His report? After extensive training, he bonked hard (his body ran out of fuel) mid-race and he barely finished. He was crushed. Prior to and on game day he had dutiful…
About a year and a half ago, I wrapped up a few months of an incredibly busy work season packed with travel and long days of teaching dozens of workshops. I was beat. My brain and body were in desperate need of a vacation, but life and work responsibilities didn’t afford one at the time. …
Overly clean diets create food sensitivities out of thin air. Or so it seems. Have you ever cleaned up your diet for a month or so by doing a Whole 30, Paleo, or plant based detox? Unfortunately, a few days after the detox or diet ends, it is easy to return to old (processed) food standb…
As an athlete, I was always the scrappy player. What I lack in bulk, I make up for in hustle, drive, and a high pain tolerance. Consequently, as a young athlete, knees were always scabbed up throughout basketball season and shins were spotted with bruises during spring soccer. I became a pro a…
Do low calorie diets aid in weight loss or cause fat retention? Both. Let’s dive into this tricky topic, enabling you to master the calorie counting labyrinth and take your health to the next level. THE HOOK OF SEEMING SUCCESS A low calorie diet WIL…
Eating fat doesn’t make you fat. It makes you feel sexy. In fact, ingesting enough dietary cholesterol goes hand in hand with the health of your libido. Healthy sex hormones provide color and excitement in all areas of life. Today’s lesson is on how to up your game by…
You know that parent who uses their kid as an excuse to pet strangers’ dogs? Guilty. Whether or not you are a dog lover like me, you know that Fido should not be constantly locked up in a kennel and needs 2-3 walks daily. It is important for the dog’s we…
Sports spectating without certain ritualistic foods and drinks seems strange. Baseball and a hot dog. Football and wings. The Kentucky Derby and bourbon. I love the tradition of eating at games. As a foodie and a sports fan, I truly believe that the two passions can …
Imagine that time when you were in a motivated mood and have fixated on your scale. You focus? Shed some pounds. Anxious to see the pounds melt away quickly, you got into a routine of waking up and jumping on the scale first thing each morning. A familiar trend followed. A…
Popeye and your mom have been preaching the same message for years, and it’s a good one. Eat more spinach. 72.8% of Americans eat 2 or less vegetables per day, according to the CDC. Veggies are packed with disease fighting nutrients so don’t hold …
Rule #1: Work the Edges If you think about it, the healthy foods (fresh produce, meat, seafood, and eggs) are found along the edges of the supermarket, whereas the center of the store is like a junk food land-mine. Don’t let your health resolutions blow up by spending …
For years I have been emphasizing the importance of buying organic. Well, today I have a new message for you. When it comes to meat and produce, at times it is simply best not to buy organic. I recently picked up a bulk order of beef from a new loca…
The alarm clock blares; it is another typical morning trying to get yourself (and possibly your kids) out the door. Amidst the chaos, it is understandably difficult to be creative with packed lunches. Instead of using foods that are loaded with sugar, unhealthy f…
How did you feel this morning when you woke up? Did you need a jolt from your coffee or Red Bull to get moving or did you feel refreshed and rejuvenated without caffeine? Caffeine will give you a temporary boost, but in the long run it actually drains your body’…
Should you eat 6 small, healthy meals each day or skip snacks and fast occasionally? The diet fads seem to flip flop on a weekly basis. Amongst all the chaos, let’s figure out what’s right for you! These tips will help you optimize meal timing …
Everywhere you turn, studies pop up on the health benefits of coffee, alcohol, and chocolate. These findings, though sometimes weak, are well loved because they minimize our guilt when indulging. So what’s my philosophy on treating yourself? When you indulge, go …
Communication is key in the workplace. Don’t let a sore throat or bad breath inhibit that interpersonal connection. There are many underlying things that can lead to a sore throat or bad breath. For example, weak stomach acid causes food to rancidity in…
Do you want to amp up your productivity at the office? It’s time to get moving. Movement increases your circulation and consequently the amount of oxygen that travels to your brain. Oxygen is key for good mental focus. Therefore, if you have…
Cars flood the highways as the pre-holiday migration begins. The refrigerator overflows with your favorite holiday comfort food. The final preparations are being made. Thanksgiving day is almost here… and so is the familiar after feast food coma and muffin top. …
Roasted, salted, raw, candied, sprouted, soaked, shelled, and spiced. When it comes to nuts, it seems as if there are endless varieties to choose from. However, what is the best way to consume nuts in order to maximize this power food’s life giving nutrients? …
I’m a foodie and therefore, I’m a big believer in eating delicious food. Although I avoid processed food and refined sugar, occasionally I indulge in a guilt free treat. With these Cookie Bites, I can satisfy my cravings, eat something that doesn’t spike my blood sugar, and still feel p…