The Power of Intermittent Fasting

In the ever-evolving landscape of health and wellness, intermittent fasting has emerged as a powerful and versatile tool. In this blog, I will explore the ways of intermittent fasting, shedding light on its benefits, variations, and how to incorporate it into your lifestyle for a holistic approach to well-being.

Understanding Intermittent Fasting:

Intermittent fasting is a pattern of eating that alternates between periods of fasting and eating. Instead of focusing on specific food restrictions, intermittent fasting is more about when you eat. The most common methods include the 16/8 method (16 hours of fasting, 8 hours of eating) and the 5:2 method (eating normally for 5 days and significantly reducing calorie intake for 2 non-consecutive days).

Metabolic Benefits:

One of the primary reasons people turn to intermittent fasting is its positive impact on metabolism. Fasting periods allow the body to burn stored fat for energy, promoting weight loss and fat loss. Additionally, intermittent fasting has been linked to improved insulin sensitivity, reduced inflammation, and better blood sugar control.

Enhanced Cellular Repair:

During fasting, the body activates a process called autophagy, where cells remove damaged components. This cellular "clean-up" process is associated with longevity and a lower risk of various diseases. Intermittent fasting provides the body with the time and space it needs to carry out these essential repair mechanisms.

Cognitive Benefits:

Beyond the physical advantages, intermittent fasting has shown promise in supporting cognitive function. Fasting periods may stimulate the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein that promotes brain health, enhances cognitive function, and protects against neurodegenerative diseases.

Incorporating Intermittent Fasting into Your Lifestyle:

While intermittent fasting offers numerous benefits, it's essential to approach it with a balanced and mindful mindset. Start by choosing a fasting method that aligns with your daily routine and preferences. Experiment with different eating windows and fasting durations to find what works best for you.

Hydration and Nutrition During Fasting:

Staying hydrated is crucial during fasting periods, so drink plenty of water, herbal teas, and black coffee. When it comes to breaking your fast, prioritize nutrient-dense foods, including a mix of proteins, healthy fats, and carbohydrates. Opt for whole foods and avoid excessive consumption of processed or sugary items.

Listen to Your Body:

Intermittent fasting is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Pay attention to your body's signals and adjust your fasting schedule accordingly. If you experience any adverse effects or discomfort, consult with a healthcare professional before continuing.

Intermittent fasting is more than a trend; it's a lifestyle approach that can positively impact both physical and mental well-being. As with any health-related practice, it's essential to approach intermittent fasting with a sense of balance and awareness. By incorporating this pattern of eating into your routine mindfully, you can unlock the potential for improved metabolism, cellular repair, and cognitive function, paving the way for a healthier and more vibrant life.

Enhance Immunity

Happy Friday! Today I want to discuss ways in which we can elevate our immunity. Stress is one of the main causes of a hindered immune system, which is why we will incorporate strategies to shift out of the fight or flight state and into a relaxation response.

Fortunately, none of this week’s strategies will take too much time to implement and you will notice the positive impact right away. You have the power to build the best immune system, and in turn, feel energized and resilient on a daily basis.

Here are a few easy ways to quickly strengthen the immune system and improve overall well being. Try integrating any of the following starting today:

• Nix the Grains and Processed Foods: Cut out or lower consumption of grains, foods in a package, sweeteners, and processed oils (corn, canola, sunflower,soybean, cottonseed, safflower,grapeseed). These create oxidative stress in the body and lower mitochondrial function (powerhouse of the cells). 

• Increase Consumption of Healthy Fats, Polyphenols and Fermented Foods: Enjoy wild caught fish, avocado, olives/olive oil, blueberries, raspberries, sauerkraut, all types of green vegetables. The powerful properties in these foods greatly lower inflammation and heal the gut flora (70% of immunity is made in our gut lining). 

• Lower Blood Sugar and Insulin Levels: Cut out processed foods and sugar. Add in any of the following on a daily basis: 

• Cinnamon- helps control blood sugar

• Reishi- lowers blood sugar levels by downregulating alpha-glucosidase which breaks down scratches into sugar

• Berberine- slows breakdown of carbs

• Matcha- helps stabilize blood sugar

• Apple cider vinegar- lowers blood sugar and improves insulin sensitivity

• High fiber veggies- improves insulin sensitivity

• Breathe Through Your Nose: Deep breathing can shift the body from a stress response to a calm, focused state. By taking it one step further and breathing through your nose instead of the mouth, there will be a greater effect on the body and the brain. Nose breathing results in 10-20 percent higher oxygen uptake, and removes germs and bacteria from the air. Nose breathing sends nitric oxide to your lungs which helps dilates airways in the lungs and blood vessels, increasing immune defense.

For those who want to go a little deeper on immune strategies and the research to support, here are a few additional ways to improve your health on every level.

Aim for 30 minutes of exercise per day. This can be any movement you enjoy. Feel free to switch up the type of workouts, but be sure to get in the 30 minutes daily. There are a number of proven reasons why this is essential to your health and happiness: 

• Exercise Improves Immunity: During exercise the body produces cytokine proteins, which are key in regulating inflammation. Studies conducted by UC San Diego found an aerobic exercise session of 20-minutes resulted in a 5% decrease of inflammatory proteins in the blood stream and a significant increase in beneficial hormones such as epinephrine and norepinephrine. 

• Exercise Improves Learning and Cognitive Function: Exercise stimulates brain cell production and increases brain derived neurotrophic factor. This protein in the brain helps to create new neural pathways, essential for information retention and analytical thought. 

• Exercise Improves Brain Plasticity: The brain capacity to adapt to ever-changing conditions depends on the ability of neurons to modify the strength and composition of their connections in response to both external and internal stimuli. Both endurance and resistance exercises release myokines into the circulation, which improves neural efficiency of the brain. Essentially, any type of exercise allows the brain to improve its capacity for thinking and adapting. 

• Exercise Lowers Stress: During physical activity, the body’s stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline lower and the production of endorphins are raised. A variety of studies conducted by the American College of Sports Medicineindicates that being physically active improves the way the body handles stress because of changes in the hormone responses, and that exercise affects neurotransmitters in the brain such as dopamine and serotonin that affect mood and behaviors.

Self Care Habits

Simple acts to heighten abundance, stimulate positive thought and sustain energy in the midst of stress. 

Self care can feel contradictory. There are few daily reminders to focus inward, and nourish ourselves first.  We spend a significant amount of energy as outputs, rather than inputs. Between work, family, friends, daily tasks and responsibilities, it can be easy to spend 90% of our energy as an external focus with little left over to rejuvenate ourselves. After a while, this output can add up to depletion. I know when I don’t spend any of my energy inward, I am not nearly as helpful or valuable to those I would like to help. My work is nowhere near as creative as I expect it to be, and I generally just feel low. 

This week, I would like to share actionable self care strategies that do not take up too much time, but can make a difference in our state. As always, use any segment that speaks to you. Every day is different, so you can refer back to the specific section on the days you need it most. We are all working hard, doing our best. Adding in a little extra love, time, and care for ourselves is worth it. 

Positive psychology is the science of what is needed for a good life. While this focus is not new, dating all the way back to Aristotle's investigation of eudaimonia (a Greek word commonly translated as the state of good spirit or happiness), the emergence of effective disciplines to achieve this state is relatively modern. The Authentic Happiness theory demonstrates four areas of life that come together to create sustained joy. 

The Pleasant Life

Having as much positive emotion as possible and learning the skills to prolong and intensify pleasures.

The Engaged Life

Knowing personal character (highest) strengths and recrafting your work, love, friendship, play and parenting to use them as much as possible.

The Meaningful Life

Using personal character strengths to belong to and serve something that is larger than oneself.

The Achieving Life

Dedicated to achieving for the sake of achievement. There are specific strategies that have been proven to support all four aspects of Authentic Happiness: 

• Personal Relevance: Creating patterns, carrying out healthy routines and reinforcing positive thoughts to focus on oneself. 

• Perceived Challenges: Participating in experiences and engaging in daily challenges that stretch (neither over-match nor under utilize) existing skills. 

• Clear Proximal Goals: Setting short term goals  to become engrossed in the experience, and make engaged goal-striving more likely. 

Morning Mindset Journal 

Just like our physical challenge of the month, the mental component is designed to be done daily without impeding the schedule. Take 3-5 minutes first thing in the morning for the next 30 days to complete the prompts below. No need to overthink it. Just fill out whatever comes to mind that day. 

Every day is different, and there is no right or wrong way to complete it. Just the act of identifying these key areas daily can have a direct effect on mindset, gratitude and overall happiness. 

The Pleasant Life: Write down three positive thoughts, feelings or recent experiences that made you feel joy. 

The Engaged Life: Write down three personal characteristics you want to activate today- whether at work, in relationships or out in the community. 

The Meaningful Life: Write down three simple actions you can complete today that would have a positive impact on someone or something. 

The Achieving Life: Write down three goals that you plan to accomplish today, then write down one action item for each to complete by the end of the day. 

Similar to the connection between exercise and brain function… There is a bidirectional connection between the gut microbiome and the feelings of happiness/satisfaction in the brain. The human gut is lined with more than 100 million nerve cells. The digestive tract produces 90% of our feel good hormone serotonin, and the gut bacteria produces many other neurotransmitters such as dopamine, norepinephrine, acetylcholine, and GABA. All of these neurotransmitters are critical for mood regulation, concentration, motivation and reward. 

There are ways to feed the healthy gut bacteria and minimize the bad bacteria. For this month’s challenge incorporate two items daily from the “Super Strength” list below and cut out two items daily from the “Old Offenders”. 

Super Strength: 

• Plantains 

• Kimchi 

• Sauerkraut 

• Yogurt (no sugar) 

• Kefir (no sugar) 

• Dark leafy greens 

• Berries 

• Seaweed 

• Apples 

• Asparagus 

• Flaxseed 

• Artichoke 

• Natto 

• Gouda, cheddar, cottage cheese 

Old Offenders: 

• Soda 

• Fruit juice 

• Packaged snacks

• Cereal 

• Pasta 

• Candy 

• Crackers 

• Baked goods (unless homemade) 

• Nutrition bars 

Noras Naturals

Part of self care to me is indulgences. I really enjoy desert, and always trying to find healthier ways to get to treat myself throughout the week. Here are a couple new recipes for cookies. Each recipe uses most of the same ingredients, so you do not have to buy too many items. They are also very simple and time efficient. 

Snickerdoodles 

• 2 cups almond flour 

• ¼ teaspoon baking soda 

• ⅓ cup melted coconut oil 

• ¼ cup honey 

• 1tbsp vanilla extra 

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Place in the refrigerator for 10 minutes. Roll into balls and bake for 9-12 minutes at 350 degrees. Once cooked, roll balls into a mixture of cinnamon and coconut sugar. 

Coco Brownie Cookies 

• 2 cups almond flour

• ¼ cup cacao powder

• ¼ tsp baking soda

• ½ cup coconut oil

• 4 tbsp honey

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Let cool in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Place into cookies on a tray and bake at 325 degrees for 12-15 minutes. 

Coconut Cookies 

• 2 ½ cups unsweetened coconut large flakes

• ½ cup almond flour 

• ¼ cup coconut oil 

• ½ cup maple syrup 

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

I hope this week’s self care strategies and yummy recipes are a great start to the busy month ahead. Thank you for your consistent energy and taking the time to join me here every Friday!