Monday, 6 July 2015
The Roundup
Blast from the Past
Though many of us don’t need a scientific study to confirm this fact, recent research has provided further evidence that exposure to nature significantly affects our mental health. The study, which sent subjects on a 90 minute walk either through a grasslands area or along a highway, found that those who walked in the natural environment had decreased activity in the area of the brain associated with rumination and negative self thoughts.
These results confirm the idea that nature experiences can have a discernible, positive impact on our brains’ emotional regulation. In 2012, I wrote an article about the importance of fostering a relationship with nature, providing evidence for the theory that our relationship with nature is a fundamental component of maintaining good health. I also shared three simple tips for increasing your exposure to nature, particularly if you live in an urban environment.
Our relationship with nature is a vital component of our wellbeing, and one often neglected due to the concerns of modern life. In order to more fully address our health and wellness as humans, we must consider the biological appropriateness of our environment to be just as important as that of our diet and exercise choices.
If you are seeking well-rounded health and mental wellbeing, be sure to go outside and enjoy nature as often as possible!
Research Report
- Parkinson's may start in the gut and be transmitted to the brain via the Vagus nerve.
- Breastfeeding accords intermediate and long-term benefits to infant and mother.
- Increases in food energy supply are sufficient to explain increases in average population body weight, especially in high-income countries.
- A new study shows that consuming higher amounts of high-fructose corn syrup created a 'dose-response' increase in blood lipid markers associated with cardiovascular disease.
- Symbiotic microbes have been shown to regulate nutrition and metabolism and are critical for the development and function of the immune system. More recently, studies have suggested that gut bacteria can impact neurological outcomes-altering behavior.
- Sleep restriction increases food intake and total energy expenditure with inconsistent effects on weight change.
Worth A Look
- Here are 14 ways the body suffers when you don't sleep enough.
- I’m listed in the top 9 primal/paleo podcasts that Mark Sisson recommends. Thanks Mark!
- Incorporate physical activity throughout the day and add periods of exercise to achieve organic movement.
- Being chronically exhausted is not the key to success in health and fitness. It's a race toward disease and dysfunction.
- Dietary fat is no longer a major concern: The Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee report recently reversed 4 decades of policy prioritizing reduced total fat consumption.
- Regular sun exposure is good for us, says one leading UK dermatologist.
- Giving your kids a little more freedom at the playground might be a good thing.
For the Foodies
- Virginia Is for Hunter Gatherers: Gurkensalat (German Cucumber Salad)
- The Domestic Man: Gazpacho
- The Clothes Make The Girl: Fresh Tarragon Salad
- Beyond The Bite: Grilled Sweet Potatoes with Black Garlic
- Essential Omnivore: Braised Kale with Lemon and Anchovies
- The Healthy Foodie: Warm Potato Salad with Goat Cheese and Bacon
- Plaid and Paleo: Crockpot Ranch Carnitas
- Primal Palate: Paleo Dry-Rubbed Spare Ribs
- Perchance to Cook: Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Sauce with Chicken and Zoodles
- A Calculated Whisk: Cashew Chia Cacao Nib Pudding
- Slim Palate: Rooibos Poached Apricots with Thyme
from Chris Kresser http://chriskresser.com/the-roundup-57/
via Holistic Clients
Monday Motivation
Last week my brother persuaded me to sign up for my first half marathon in October! I love exercising but I’ve never been a runner so this is a huge aim for me, as I’ve never really been on a run before. It’s going to take a huge amount of discipline and motivation to get me running but I’m excited to push myself and achieve something that seems so impossible today, so I thought this quote was perfect for this week….
Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right. Henry Ford
It’s all about your thinking – if you’re positive and believe you can do something then you’ll be able to do it. At least that’s what I’m telling myself with the running! Have a beautiful week everyone and remember, a positive outlook is the first step towards any goal x
from Deliciously Ella http://deliciouslyella.com/monday-motivation-2/
via Free Spiritual Marketing
How to Detox Without Starving Yourself
Photo by Robert Gourley
Earlier this year my husband and I celebrated our one year wedding anniversary. If you were following along, you might remember that we didn’t get to have much of a honeymoon after our wedding since my book was scheduled to launch just four weeks later. (Yes, I regret these events being so close together. C’est la vie.)
So for our first anniversary we felt we deserved a real break, a relaxing trip with no friends, family or even Toaster. We took five glorious days off and chilled on a beach in Mexico, making a point to spend more time in the spa than in the gym.
As you might expect we felt a little doughy when we got home, so we immediately called our local juice company and ordered a 7 day detox cleanse to make up for it.
JUST KIDDING.
I know the temptation is there to combat what feels like extreme “bad” behavior with extreme “good” behavior. I get emails nearly every week from someone slyly asking me if it’s cool to try something intense like a juice cleanse or fasting to “get back on track” after a particularly decadent holiday.
Of course, moralizing your food choices in this way is the first part of the problem. There is nothing inherently bad about enjoying yourself, and nothing inherently good about starving yourself. As a foodist I’d argue that the opposite is closer to true.
But I can still understand the desire to right the ship when it feels like a large deviation from healthy has occurred. It sucks to feel unhealthy.
Finding a better way starts with your mindset. Combating extreme behavior with more extreme behavior undermines your healthstyle, because it undermines your habits. A foodist must remember––and believe––that attempting to build health through suffering hurts rather than helps.
Besides, you don’t need it.
When I get back from a long trip or encounter something else in life that takes me away from my normal healthstyle, I double down on my efforts to defend my Home Court Habits as soon as possible.
This usually starts with a trip to the farmers market or grocery store to stock up on healthy foods. I am sure to make my favorite breakfast every day, try to cook at home as much as possible. I focus on vegetables, beans, eggs and meat, and neglect sugar and refined grains. I get 10,000 steps a day and train at the gym.
In other words I do what I always do, without cutting any corners.
One of the greatest things about my Home Court Habits is that they are already designed to account for occasional indulgent behavior. When I follow my habits more tightly it creates a slightly negative energy balance (aka weight loss) while boosting nutrition and decreasing “toxins” (I hate that word) from processed foods.
It’s essentially a detox without suffering, though I don’t like to call it that. For me it just feels normal, and good.
Focusing on the healthy habits I already know and love certainly takes some work, but it doesn’t feel like suffering at all. It feels awesome. And it is usually just a matter of days before I’m back to my normal fit and happy self.
How do you recover from an indulgent period? Have you been tempted to do a cleanse or detox? What was the outcome?
from Summer Tomato http://summertomato.com/how-to-detox-without-starving-yourself-2/
via Holistic Clients
Protein Waffles + Aloha Giveaway
Get a whopping 16g of protein from these delicious and healthy Protein Waffles made with 100% whole grains and no added sugar! Want to know the best part about this recipe? It makes 4 GIANT waffles, which means that for the next 4 days you are guaranteed to get 16 grams of protein in your...
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from Fit Foodie Finds http://fitfoodiefinds.com/2015/07/protein-waffles/
via Holistic Clients
Sunday, 5 July 2015
Summer SWEAT Series: Week 4 Nutrition Plan
Anyone else still sore from last week’s workouts? I seriously got my butt kicked. That tabata workout, though. I’ve done a quite of bit of traveling over the past couple of weeks and I’m not going to lie, sticking to the Summer SWEAT Series 100% has been impossible. The great thing about this program, is...
The post Summer SWEAT Series: Week 4 Nutrition Plan appeared first on Fit Foodie Finds.
from Fit Foodie Finds http://fitfoodiefinds.com/2015/07/summer-sweat-series-week-4-nutrition-plan/
via Holistic Clients