Nourish Your Skin: Summer Tips for Hydration and Radiance

As the summer heat sets in, it's important to pay special attention to our skin's hydration needs. The combination of sun exposure, heat, and humidity can lead to dryness, sunburns, and overall skin damage. To keep your skin healthy and glowing during the summer months, here are some effective tips to ensure optimal hydration and radiance.

1. Stay Hydrated: Drinking plenty of water is crucial for maintaining well-hydrated skin. When you're properly hydrated, your skin cells are better able to retain moisture, keeping your skin plump and supple. Aim to drink at least 8 glasses of water per day, and increase your intake if you're spending time outdoors or engaging in physical activities.

2. Use a Lightweight, Hydrating Moisturizer: During the summer, switch to a lightweight moisturizer that provides ample hydration without feeling heavy or greasy on the skin. Look for products that contain hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid, aloe vera, or glycerin. Applying moisturizer twice a day, after cleansing your face, will help lock in moisture and keep your skin refreshed.

3. Sunscreen Protection: Protecting your skin from the harmful effects of the sun is crucial for maintaining hydration. Choose a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher and apply it generously to all exposed areas of your body, including your face, neck, and arms. Reapply every two hours or more frequently if you're swimming or sweating.

4. Opt for Lightweight, Breathable Fabrics: When it comes to clothing choices, opt for lightweight, breathable fabrics like cotton and linen. These materials allow better airflow to your skin, preventing excessive sweating and potential irritation. Loose-fitting clothing also helps to minimize friction and promote better skin health.

5. Cool Showers and Baths: After spending time outdoors, treat your skin to a refreshing cool shower or bath. Avoid using hot water as it can strip away natural oils and further dehydrate your skin. Pat your skin dry gently and follow up with a moisturizer to lock in the moisture while your skin is still slightly damp.

6. Hydrating Face Masks: Indulge in a hydrating face mask once or twice a week to give your skin an extra boost of moisture. Look for masks containing ingredients like cucumber, aloe vera, or honey, which have soothing and hydrating properties. Leave the mask on for the recommended time, then rinse off and follow up with your regular skincare routine.

With these simple yet effective tips, you can keep your skin hydrated and radiant throughout the summer season. Remember to prioritize hydration, protect your skin from the sun, and choose skincare products suitable for hot weather. By giving your skin the care it deserves, you'll enjoy a healthy, glowing complexion all summer long.

Nora's Naturals Longevity Recipes

Food can be a powerful source for slowing down the aging process and bringing our energy up. Integrating anti-inflammatory ingredients into simple recipes speeds cellular turnover, clears out toxins and strengthens immunity. Here are a few simple energy snacks using powerful ingredients from around the world that can have a positive effect on longevity.

Matcha Energy Bites 

• 1 cup coconut shreds 

• ½ cup coconut oil 

• 1 cup oats 

• ½ cup honey 

• 1 tsp matcha powder 

• Mix all ingredients together, form balls, roll in excess coconut shreds

• Chill for 20 minutes 

Turmeric Energy Bites

• 1 cup oats 

• ½ cup chopped dates 

• ½ cup honey 

• 1 tsp cinnamon 

• 1 tsp nutmeg 

• 1 tsp turmeric powder 

• Mix all ingredients together, form balls

• Chill for 20 minutes 

Goji Berry Energy Bites 

• 1 cup peanut butter 

• ½ cup oats 

• ½ cup honey 

• ½ cup goji berries 

• Mix all ingredients together, form balls

• Chill for 20 minutes 

The Negative Effects of Sugar

Sugar is naturally occurring in foods that are in their whole form such as vegetables, fruits and starchy carbohydrates like sweet potatoes. Since these foods also contain fiber and antioxidants, the sugar is processed slower in the body and does not become a harmful ingredient. 

Unlike these natural food sources, there are several options of food and beverage where sugar is added. This added sugar acts as a roller coaster in the body- significantly lifting the energy up and then dropping it right back down. The up and down energy is a symptom of blood sugar spikes. This not only feels terrible by the end of the day, but hinders focus and suppresses the immune system. 

According to several studies conducted by Harvard Medical School, consuming too much added sugar can raise blood pressure and increase chronic inflammation, both of which are pathological pathways to heart disease. Harvard Medical professional Dr. Hu and his colleagues found an association between a high-sugar diet and a greater risk of dying from heart disease. Over the course of the 15-year study, people who got 17% to 21% of their calories from added sugar had a 38% higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease compared with those who consumed 8% of their calories as added sugar.

Excess consumption of sugar can also lead to weight gain. This is due to an imbalance of hormones insulin, leptin and ghrelin. Insulin is a hormone that is secreted into the bloodstream to help shuttle out excess glucose. When we consume high amounts of processed foods, simple carbohydrates or baked goods; we can become insulin resistant. This process increases fat storage and interferes with energy regulation. It also creates an imbalance between leptin and ghrelin. Leptin is the hormone that signals satiety, while ghrelin is the hormone that signals hunger. Insulin resistance can raise production of ghrelin (hunger) and lower the ability to feel satisfied by food.

Smart Swaps:

• Dried Fruit or Fresh Fruit 

• Candy for Dark Chocolate 

• Fruit Juice for Club Soda with Lime/Lemon, stevia 

• Packaged Nutrition Bars for Nuts/Seeds 

• Pasta for Roasted Cauliflower 

• Sliced Packaged Bread for Sourdough 

• Pretzels for Macadamia Nuts 

• Packaged Salad Dressing for Olive Oil, Seasalt and Lemon 

• Flavored Yogurt for Plain Yogurt with Added Berries and Stevia

Eat, Move & Think Like A Rockstar!

Looking like a rockstar means combining a fit physique with unmatched confidence and a strong presence. Those qualities are inspiring and definitely attainable! A killer fitness routine, conscious eating and a positive mindset are key.

Follow my workout, nutrition tips and positive affirmations and you'll be well on your way to looking like a rockstar!

Fitness

This high-intensity workout is designed to sculpt the entire body, improve power output and strength as well as improve coordination and balance. These moves will burn calories in a short amount of time and keep the body burning fat well after your workout.

Perform each exercise for 30 seconds as fast as possible. Rest for 15 seconds and then perform the next exercise. Once you have completed the entire routine, repeat two more times. Try to incorporate this workout into your schedule 3-4 times a week.

Kettle Bell Swings

1. Hold a kettlebell in both hands with feet hip-width apart. Draw shoulder blades together and engage the core. Slightly bend both knees and shift hips back. Your torso will come close to parallel with the ground. Keep your back straight the entire time.

2. Deeply engage your glutes to swing your hips forward and come back up to standing. The power coming from your glutes will help swing the kettlebell forward up to shoulder height. Once the kettlebell reaches shoulder height, quickly drop it back down between the legs, pushing your hips back and slightly bending the knees. Repeat the entire movement.

3. Perform as many reps as possible in 30 seconds.

Kettle Bell Squat to Press

1. Stand with feet hip-width apart. Hold kettlebell at your chest, draw your shoulder blades back and engage the core. Keep chest up the entire time. Deeply bend both knees and shift your hips back, like you're sitting in a chair. Your thighs will come close to parallel with the ground.

2. Explosively push down through both feet to come back up to standing and press the kettlebell directly overhead. Draw your shoulders away from the ears and extend your arms straight. Return to the center and repeat the movement.

3. Perform as many reps as possible in 30 seconds.

Kettle Bell Row

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart holding the kettlebell in your right hand. Deeply bend both knees and shift your hips back until your torso is close to parallel with the ground. Strongly engage the glutes and lift your chest.

2. Bend your right elbow and lift the kettlebell up to shoulder height. Keep your elbow close to your torso. Engage the upper back and core the entire time.

3. Perform as many reps as possible for 30 seconds on each side.

Kettle Bell Press

1. Lie flat on your back, holding the kettlebell in front of your chest. Bend your knees and press your lower back into the mat. Draw your shoulder blades together and deeply engage the core. Press the kettlebell directly above the chest, extending the arms straight.

2. Lower the kettlebell down to hover over the chest at a controlled pace. Repeat the movement.

3. Perform as many reps as possible for 30 seconds.

Nutrition

Cut out the carbs for two weeks. Instead of eating carbs (even the healthy ones) substitute healthy fats (avocado, nuts, coconut oil) and sustainably raised protein products (like cage-free eggs, grass fed beef, etc.) instead. You will notice major changes in your body in just two weeks!

Postive Affirmations

Spend five minutes in the morning, before your day begins, sitting in a comfortable, meditative space. Begin to take deep breathes. Repeat one of these affirmations (or a chosen affirmation) each day. Say them out loud (the louder the better) and repeat as many times as you’d like. Your mindset will begin to alter and you’ll begin to feel more confident, powerful and limitless!

I am powerful beyond measure.

My actions can change the world.

I am the best person having the best day!

Love. Love. Love.

I have no limits. I am strong, beautiful and unstoppable.

Thriving Physique

With Valentine’s Day around the corner and many delicious indulgences to be had, I thought it would be beneficial to focus this week’s blog on weight management as a chemical process rather than calories in/calories out. Read below to go through my perspective on weight management to understand how it is meant to align with a busy lifestyle and not feel deprivational.

The Basics of Insulin

When it comes to how our body USES and STORES the food we eat, the first thing you should know is what INSULIN is and how it works in our body. 

What is it?

INSULIN is a hormone, which is a chemical messenger that attaches itself to cells, and tells them how to act. It's produced by our pancreas and injected into our bloodstream. Insulin has two primary roles: 

1. Tells our cells to accept glucose and burn it for fuel.

2. Tells our liver to convert the excess glucose into glycogen or fat for fuel storage.

What it does in our body.

When we eat any food, with the exception of pure fat, our blood sugar (glucose) goes up. Too much or too little blood sugar (glucose) is deadly to our bodies.

To deal with it, our pancreas secretes insulin into our bloodstream, to chemically direct the blood sugar into cells (muscle cells, liver cells, brain cells, etc...) to be used as fuel. When we have excess blood sugar, which we always do, we send the rest to the liver to be turned into glycogen and fat. 

Glycogen and fat are our bodies' way of storing excess fuel for a later date. Glycogen is a short term energy supply that can rapidly be turned back into glucose for energy and is stored in our muscle tissue and liver. Fat is a long term energy storage vehicle that has to have the perfect conditions for your body to turn it back into usable fuel.

When insulin is present we DO NOT have the ability to access glycogen or fat for fuel. We can’t simultaneously use glucose and fat ketones for fuel. It is one or the other.

Therefore, high levels of insulin or a high level of insulin resistance (we'll talk about that specifically soon) are responsible for keeping excess visceral (belly) fat in our body and liver (fatty liver disease), both of which are heavily linked to many horrible end of life diseases like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.

Summary

• Food raises blood sugar and therefore raises insulin

• Insulin tells the blood sugar where to go to be used as fuel

• If insulin is present in our system we CAN’T burn body fat

• Carrying excess visceral fat and fatty liver disease are heavily linked to early death.

Bottom Line

Insulin is an essential driver in weight loss. In order to obtain the physical results we seek, it is KEY to manage insulin.

The Dreaded Insulin Resistance

What is insulin resistance?

To be as concise as possible, insulin resistance means that it becomes harder and harder for insulin to attach to our cells and tell them to let in glucose to be burned as fuel. 

Why is it massively important?

Insulin resistance is a proven precursor to all of the metabolic diseases, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimers and dementia. YOU DON'T WANT IT! NOT to mention that it keeps us overweight and holding onto body fat.

How do we become insulin resistant?

1) Processed Foods and Sugar

Processed foods and sugar are digested very quickly in our system, turned into blood glucose and subsequently moved into our bloodstream for our cells to use as fuel. From there, insulin is injected into the bloodstream and tells our cells to burn the glucose.

Processed foods and sugar give us the biggest and longest lasting glucose spikes, so they make our body produce the most insulin. The process of digestion to burning the fuel isn't the problem. It is the amount of glucose we're getting and the consistent flow of glucose that's the big issue. The more we have to use insulin to deal with glucose, the more resistant our cells become to its effect. This happens for the exact same reason that we become tolerant of alcohol and it takes more for us to feel a buzz. It is a defense system our body uses so we don't over use any chemical our body produces or ingests. 

Unfortunately with glucose we have no choice but to utilize it somehow. To do that, we have to produce more and more insulin to direct it around the body.

2) Snacking

In the spirit of being thorough, just know there is much more to how we become insulin resistant based on our sleep, stress, exercise levels, gut health, breathing and much more. We'll cover most of these as well, hooray! Processed foods and snacking are just the easiest places to start. 

Summary

• Insulin resistance is a precursor to all of the end of life diseases.

• The more glucose in our blood stream, the more insulin we have to make and the resistant our cells become to its effects.

• Processed food, sugar, and snacking are the prime culprits for insulin resistance.

Bottom Line

Insulin resistance, brought on primarily by snacking, processed foods and sugar, will sabotage our weight loss efforts and can lead to disease. 

How We Control Our Insulin

Although there are many ways that we can control our insulin levels, one of the best places to begin is by eating a whole foods diet. You are probably wondering, what does that entail? Well, continue reading and I will be happy to share with you!

How we control our insulin response - Eating whole foods

Swapping processed foods for whole foods can be a transformative step to managing insulin (weight loss), lowering inflammation (anti-aging) and creating a sustainable source of energy for the body and the brain. 

What is a whole foods diet?

Simply put it's a diet consisting of nothing but non processed fruits, vegetables, and animal products.

What are processed foods?

Processed foods are whole foods that have been refined in an attempt to make food products taste better and have longer shelf lives. In doing so, food manufacturers simplify the chemical structures of food and strip it of fiber, fat and micronutrients. If it comes in a box or a wrapping, it's probably man made and should be avoided.

What are the downsides of processed foods and what does that mean for weight loss? Unfortunately the down sides are immense:

• Insulin Resistance: Processed foods are made from simple carbohydrates. When we eat simple carbs we digest the food faster. This leads to rushes of glucose and bigger spikes of insulin. Over months and years of eating simple processed foods, we become resistant to the effects of insulin and get all the negative outcomes. Remember more insulin means more weight gain.

• Digestion Issues: We lose all the fat and fiber. Fat and fiber are essential for your health in MANY ways, but in the context of this course they are extremely essential for controlling our blood sugar levels. Fat and fiber have both been proven to slow down the digestion process and slow down how fast glucose enters our bloodstream. That happens in two ways, one, it literally takes longer for whole foods to reach the gut bacteria that can digest complex foods and two, it literally takes longer for the gut bacteria to break down the food once it gets there. The slower the breakdown, the less insulin we need and the less fat we'll make.

• Increase Inflammation: Through the physical or chemical alteration process of refined foods we lose the micronutrients that the whole food once had. For example, when we mill wheat products we remove the fibrous husk that contains most of the fiber, b-vitamins and phytochemical.  Micronutrients usually come in combinations that make them more bioavailable to us. That means when we refine the food and lose some of the micronutrients, we may render some of the other nutrients unavailable to us, because they aren't digested in the proper combinations. Less micronutrients means our cells work less efficiently and we create more inflammation, both of which lead to weight gain.

• Poor Gut Health: We are feeding the bad gut bacteria. Processed foods get digested early in the intestines and feed bacteria that can be harmful to us. On top of that the bad gut bacteria produce waste products that inflame our system and poke holes in our gut lining. All of that causes a lot of inflammation in our body and the more inflammation the more trouble we'll have losing weight.

Adding some quick historical context:

Humans have been hunter gatherers for 99.5% of our existence, subsistence level farmers for .5 % and industrialized for .008 % of it. We simply have not had enough time to evolve into eating the processed foods we have access to now. Whole foods are what we have evolved on.

Summary 

• Processed foods digest too quickly and spike our insulin.

• Processed foods are stripped of fat, fiber, and micronutrients.

• Processed foods feed bad gut bacteria.

All of the above increase inflammation and increase visceral fat gain.

Other benefits of a whole foods diet:

• Keeps hunger at bay- we won't need to snack as often when we get the full spectrum of fiber and fat that whole foods offer, which are proven to stop the hunger response.

• Better absorption of nutrients- we obtain the nutrient combinations that we have evolved to use together.

• Less expensive than eating out- when you use whole foods you don't get the high markups that happen when others are preparing foods for you. Yes, it may take a little more time for you but the health benefits are more than worth it.

• Utilizes essential nutrients- fiber from whole foods keeps us regular and is made into essential nutrients by our gut bacteria.

• Lowers systemic inflammation- essential for warding off disease, feeling energized and slowing down the aging process. 

Top Tips: Whole Foods Diet

• Shop the perimeter of the store. Most processed foods are always in the middle of the store. Most whole foods are on the perimeters.

• Learn a few easy recipes. Look up some of your favorite dishes and pick two that have easy recipes to follow. Use these dishes as staples for your weeks and expand on them one recipe at a time. 

• Buy a crock pot. Crock pots are amazing tools for people who just want to throw a few things in a pot and not think about it until dinner time. Try to make more than necessary so you have leftovers for lunch. 

• Plan your lunches. Lunch is the easiest way to stray from a healthy path. Try planning out your lunch for the week on Sunday so you can just take it with you to work. It will save you time and headspace for important things, it will also transform your health.

• Don't be afraid of fat, even saturated fat. Fat is essential to every cell in our body. More importantly in the context of losing weight, fat helps keep us full. Choose quality fats like nuts, seeds, avocados, olives, olive oil, hard cheeses, fish, beef and eggs. 

• Don't get mad at yourself for eating something you know isn't good for you. Everyone makes mistakes on their health journey and nothing is ruined in one sitting. Just acknowledge that wasn't the best choice and do better the next meal.

• Shop only for necessities. When we have snacks around the office and house, we are much more likely to eat them. Choose smart snacks like dark chocolate, berries and nuts.

• One Meal at a Time: Plan one meal a day where you eat all whole foods. For example, instead of having pasta, enjoy roasted veggies or sweet potatoes. Slowly increase the meals where no processed foods are present.