Stephanie here! This
is my first time blogging here at Red Cricket, and I’m excited to start sharing
little tid-bits of information with you all!
I
recently read a great article by Marlene Merritt, L.Ac. in the June issue of Acupuncture Today that I think really addresses many key points of achieving good health. Many of these tips are things we already know, but I always find it helpful to see things over and over again so it really sinks in!
Her first tip is take excess sugar out of the diet and to reduce the amount of carbohydrates as well. She states that the average American consumes 150 lbs of sugar a year!!! That's insane! Lots of different health issues come from sugar and metabolic disorders as well including high blood pressure, cancer, and heart disease- things people try to prevent by eating "healthy carbs." There is research out there showing that you do not really need any carbs at all- besides some good veggies. But even if you cannot cut out the "healthy carbs" right now- at least do your absolute best to cut out the sugar and processed junk-food carbs. Your body will thank you! I know for me personally- if I get on a sugar kick with cookies around holidays- my joints start to ache. I have seen lots of my patients with joint pain feel tons better once they cut out the sugar...I cannot stress it enough!
The next tip mentioned is to give up processed oils from the diet as well. Merritt says this in a way that makes total sense. If you can naturally get oil out of the plant- ie olives and coconuts- then it's a good fat. Other vegetables that are used to make oil like corn have to go through a long process to create oil because they are simply not oily naturally. The more natural our food, the better- always.
The next tip tacks right on to the last one- eat organic and food that is as minimally processed as possible. Again- the closer to what you would find just walking around in nature- the better! One easy way to do this is to stick to the perimeter of the grocery store when you are shopping. This would include the veggies, meats, cheeses, etc. as opposed to the middle isles where chips and cookies, cereals, etc. are located. Organic foods are great too. I know they are expensive, so if you cannot afford to get everything organic- try to at least do so with foods where you eat the skins (especially berries). Here is a link to an article about the most important foods to buy organic and why:
http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/eat-safe/dirty-dozen-foods#fbIndex1
Exercising efficiently is the next tip. It's pretty simple- interval training and lifting are you best forms of exercise. Chronic cardio where your heart rate is up high for an extended period of time, is actually not good for you, and it doesn't do much for your body either. Do you ever notice those rows of ladies running on the treadmills in January at the gym, going steady day after day for an hour at a time? And then do you notice when you see them 6 months later, they still look exactly the same? It's because they are wasting time doing inefficient exercise. If instead they walked with some quick spurts of running a few days a week, and then lifted weights other days- they would improve their body much faster!
This next one is another easy one. Try to eat at home and cook a bit more. This way you can control what type of food you are eating, and avoid extra sodium and sugar that is loaded into ready-made foods or restaurant food. If time is a concern during the week, you can make several meals at a time on the weekends, separate them into individual portions, and then freeze them. This way you can simply heat up a healthy meal any time during the day!
Making sure you are getting complete nutrition is another great tip for health. Sometimes it is really difficult to get all of the minerals and vitamins through our food alone. There are so many supplements out there that it is hard to know which ones are good ones. What is important to think about though is to try to get a whole food supplement so it is still received by your body as food. At Red Cricket, we carry a line of great whole food supplements called Standard Process. Feel free to ask us about them and we can set you up with supplements geared specifically to your individual nutrition needs.
Managing stress is the next tip and is super important. Emotions that are not controlled and balanced will eventually cause physical pathology to show up. Whatever it is that you can do for your "me-time" to de-stress and recharge, it is important that you work it into your daily schedule to stay calm and healthy. My recommendations would include yoga, walks to get fresh air, and meditation. Another good idea is to keep a gratitude journal- where you write down things on a daily basis that you are thankful for. It helps to put things into perspective when you are stressed!
The next tip is to not skip meals. Many people skip meals thinking they will lose weight, but in reality, if you skip meals, your body goes into starvation mode and holds onto extra fat thinking it may need it. To keep your metabolism ramped up, it's important to have breakfast and not skip meals. This keeps blood sugar stabilized, eliminating cravings, which can help you keep a more balanced diet.
Finally, sleep is a huge factor in one's health. It's the time when our body can recharge after a busy day to get enough energy stored up for the next day. If we short ourselves on sleep, we are just causing a deficit of energy to build up. Eventually we will get so burnt out and exhausted that other things will most likely get sacrificed like healthy eating and exercise. So do your best to make sure you are getting enough good sleep every night. Try to create a bedtime routine so your body gets used to slowing down at the same time each night. Avoid computers and TV before bed as it stimulates too much and can make it hard to relax. Try having a cup of chamomile tea and read a book instead. You will be getting some great zzzzzzz's in no time!
I would really recommend you reading the full article by Merritt, and following her great tips. She has a link to another blog I love- Mark's Daily Apple. Better health is just a few easy steps away!
http://www.acupuncturetoday.com/mpacms/at/article.php?id=32578
Feel free to give us a call at Red Cricket as well. We can set you up with an acupuncture treatment, or find the right herbal formula or Standard Process supplement to help support you on your journey to better health!
Cheers to good health!
Stephanie Slaughter, L.Ac.
