Food!  Just the word starts many people thinking about food, salivating for the next morsel.

And no wonder.  We have reviewed our survival needs for breathing, water, sleep and movement.  Our bodies can survive for up to a year or more without food.   But not forever.  And the quality of the food matters – it can work for us or against us.

What happens when we eat?

Our cells can only become what we feed them.  And the beneficial bacteria of our biome (our gut bugs or probiotics) can only thrive if we feed them what they need (prebiotics).  As we take a bite of say, a carrot, we begin the process of digestion.  Digestion is an incredible transformation of what was a carrot to a multitude of subcomponents that communicate with your cells.  Food contains messages that it gives to your body about what the world is like outside.  Is it rich in vitamins or lacking?  The cells use the messengers to build new cells, repair tissue, develop muscle, provide energy, reduce inflammation and neutralize free radicals.

Food versus “food”

Michael Pollan is the author of a wonderful book “Food Rules” in which he gives us 3 rules:

  • Eat food
  • Mostly plants
  • and not too much.

Simple.  But profound.  Let’s look at each one.

Eat Food:

Here we define food versus “food”.  Think of a piece of fruit, say, an apple.  We know it’s an apple by using our senses: 

it’s color (sight), aroma (smell), the firmness (touch), and the sweetness (taste).  We even know it’s crunch (sound). 

But can I create something similar? 

I can easily create the shape and color to fool the senses.  We have fake fruit even in craft projects and wreaths.  I can create the aroma; after all we have room sprays and candles that smell like an apple.  I can create the same firmness.  Even the same taste – think of the candies that taste like an apple. 

So I can fool the eyes, the nose, the fingers, and the tongue.  But is it an apple?  No.  It’s lacking the nutrition. 

And that’s is what “food” is.  Products that are food-like but are not real food.  Even if they started out as real food, they have been processed in such a way that many of the essential nutrients are lost, and what remains is just a imitation shell of the food.

It fills our bellies, but that’s it.  Food should heal us, be good for our bodies.  Food is either helping us or hurting us.  Choose carefully.

Mostly plants.

Why plants?  Our teeth indicate that we are omnivores.  Our ancestors ate what they could catch, but scientists have discovered that our ancestors ate a diet that included lots of plants.  Plants carry the messages to the cells, delivering key essential nutrients to keep the cells building and repairing.  More importantly, the plants are the prebiotics – the food of our gut bacteria. Our gut bacteria live off of the fiber in plants. The “good” bacteria will reproduce and multiply based on the foods presented to them.  Foods that help them thrive and stay healthy.  When the foods they need are not given to them, the good bacteria die off and other bacteria can take over.  There are many strains of bacteria that are now linked to chronic disease.  We consume far less fiber than our ancestors as well.

Not too much.

I was raised to clean my plate.  The reward was often dessert.  The reason for cleaning the plate is that there were starving children in the world, and we should not waste food by leaving it.  Even if you could not think about one more bite, you had to override your common sense and eat it.

Later in life, a friend from Holland who survived World War II corrected this misconception.  She said ” you can waste food or you can waist food: it’s your choice but either way you are not helping the starving children.” 

The Japanese have a saying “hara hachi bu” which means to eat until you are 80% full.  They credit their longevity with this practice.  As I have counseled individuals over the years, I realized most of us have no idea what 80% full is.  A foreign concept.  We eat until there is no more food.

Think of fullness on a scale from 1 to 10.  We know when we are over-stuffed (10).  I call it the “Thanksgiving” feeling.  We know when we are hungry (3).  As we begin to eat, we know we are no longer  hungry, but also not full yet.  But somehow we keep eating until we are at a 9 or 10.  Or miserable.

The reason is our brain hasn’t gotten the signal yet from the stomach.  It takes about 20 minutes for the stomach to begin to feel the pressure of the food inside, and send the signal to the brain to stop.  How fast do you eat?

The average fast food meal is consumed in 12 minutes.  That’s why you leave there feeling so full.

Try practicing hara hachi bu.  Save your food, you can have it later.  But try to figure out when you are 80% full.  

So there you have it.  Eat food.  Mostly plants. And not too much.  

 

Read more >

Sitting is the new smoking.  Have you heard that?  It’s true:  extended sitting damages the body.  

We take moving for granted, until we can’t.

Just like air, water, and sleep, our fourth spoke: movement is absolutely vital to living.  Movement is connected to gravity to keep us healthy.  We lift each foot against gravity as we walk.  This lesson became clear when the astronauts did not have the benefit of gravity to help keep their muscles strong and bones intact.  We see it also in hospitalized persons who are not manually turned and exercised – their blood tends to start clotting.

What movement does for us

The human body is designed to move.  Our ancestors did not have to think about the fourth spoke:  movement.  Our forebearers had to move daily to survive – jumping, sprinting, lifting, pushing, pulling. 

We can live without air for about 2 – 3 minutes, without water for 2 – 3 days, without sleep for about 5 days, and without movement for no more than a few months. 

But what really happens inside our body when we  move?

For one, our muscles pull against the bone, strengthening the bone.  Look at your forearm, then flex by making a fist.  See how your bones move?  And how the muscle  pulls it?  That pulling against your bone causes it to become more durable, stronger.  You are “exercising” your bones!

Our muscles pull fluid against gravity up to our heart.

Not surprisingly, studies have shown a decreased risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and back pain, even a lower risk of certain cancers.

“Moving” has changed

It’s interesting that we even have a discussion about movement.  It came so naturally to our ancestors, but we live a very different life. 

I remember seeing the staircase in The Jefferson Hotel (Richmond, VA).  You might remember it was recreated in the movie “Gone With The Wind”?  It was a grand entrance to the hotel, as that was how people got up the stairs in 1895, just over 100 years ago.  Only later were elevators added to the side of the hotel.  As I travel, I’m often reminded of how much hotels have changed, as now the banks of elevators are always  prominently featured near the front desk and rarely is there a grand staircase.

i am reminded also of my grandmother’s life, and how it compares to mine.  Just two generations different.   The chores in those days consisted of:

  • chopping wood for the fire that would be needed to prepare dinner (I turn a knob on my stove).
  • Water had to be hauled in from the well (I turn the handle on the faucet).   
  • The garden had to be harvested and the produce hauled to the house (I go to the grocery store where it’s all nice and packaged for my wheeled cart). 
  • Potatoes and other vegetables were fresh and had to be peeled and prepped (Ok, I still do that) 
  • Clothes were washed in a big tub, and run through a “ringer” to squeeze out the water (I push a button on my washer and dryer).   
  • And she ironed clothes (what’s an iron?).

Two generations, with very different natural movement.  It was the same for the men.  Years ago, there was hard manual labor; many sit in front of a computer now. 

Think of your day.  Do you sit as you drink coffee?  How many minutes of sitting as you are driving or commuting?  At your desk?  In front of the TV, computer, or gaming console in the evening?

Extended sitting drops our metabolism

The damage comes from extended periods of sitting.  Extended meaning more than 30 minutes at a time.  After 30 minutes, our metabolism drops dramatically.  (Uh oh).  The good news?  Getting up and walking around for even 5 minutes can offset this decline.  Set a timer for every 30 minutes and take a break.  Your body will appreciate it, especially your brain.  A great resource on this is Katy Bowman (author, “Move Your DNA: Restore Your Health Through Natural Movement”).  She uses a new term:  actively sedentary.  According to Ms. Bowman, “you can’t offset 10 hours of sitting with 1 hour of exercise”.  Sorry, folks.

And now we pay people to help us move – our gyms, our trainers, our tennis or golf lessons, our sports.  

Any movement is better than no movement.  Slow and steady may win the race.  Strength or weight-bearing exercise for others.  Our genetics tell us if we are more prone to sprinting or running.  We will help you learn how to incorporate the right movement for you.

Read more >

Ahhh, sleep.  Sweet sleep.  Sometimes elusive sleep?

While we may joke about being sleep deprived, it is actually a serious matter.  Did you know that people who were sleep deprived in a study performed worse than the people who were intoxicated?

And, as with our survival need for air (2 – 3 minutes) and water (2 – 3 days), sleep is the 3rd most common tool we need for survival.  We can only go for about 5 days without sleep before our mental hold on reality is in jeopardy, often requiring hospitalization.  

What happens during sleep?

Our bodies undergo miraculous healing when we use the third spoke: sleeping.  Our brain heals when we sleep, ordering all the sense and nonsense of the day.  Our sleepiness or alertness is controlled by special nerve-signaling chemicals called neurotransmitters.  If the neurotransmitters are not functioning well, we don’t sleep.

Let’s start with the stages of sleep:  N1, N 2, N3, and REM.  REM stands for Rapid Eye Movement.  Stages N1 through N3 are called Non-REM stages.

Each stage lasts for about 5 to 15 minutes, with the whole cycle lasting 90 to 110 minutes.  If we are awakened in the middle of a sleep cycle, we may have been in a dream, causing disorientation.

  • N1.  We may drift in and out of a light sleep.  Sudden jerking of muscles may occur, and are often reported as a feeling of “falling”.  
  • N2:  Sleep is a bit deeper but we can be awakened.  Our brain waves become slower.  On average, we spend about 50% of our sleep time in this stage.

During the early stages of sleep as in both N1 and N2, theta brain waves are occurring.

  • N3:  This represents even deeper sleep, and delta brain waves are present.  It is a period of surprisingly high activity in the brain.  It is difficult to wake the person up, and they may be groggy and disoriented.  Mental performance may be lessened for about an hour.  It is in these stages that bedwetting, night terrors and sleep-walking occur.
  • REM:  We spend about 20% of our sleep time in REM sleep.  (By contrast, babies spend about 50% of their sleep time in REM sleep).  Dreaming occurs in all stages, but dreams are especially vivid and remembered in REM sleep. 

If we did an EEG, it would appear the person is awake, but the muscles in the skeleton cannot move.  (That is good or we may act out our dreams and injury someone or become injured).  Breathing may not be as regular, and there may be an increase in heart rate.  The highest rate of REM sleep occurs after midnight. 

Lifestyle can affect the amount of REM sleep we get, including the use of anti-depressants, smoking,and alcohol.   If we miss sleep or our sleep is disrupted, we have more REM sleep the next time we sleep (“catching up”).   

Trivia for your next family game night:  Most mammals and birds show signs of REM sleep whereas reptiles and other cold-blood animals do not.

Hours versus quality

For many years, we thought our body needed 8 hours of sleep each night.  We now know that the quality of the sleep matters a lot more than the hours.  Sleep is not a function of time, but quality.

However, time is how most people estimate their sleep.  Studies show infants need about 16 hours of sleep per day, and most children and young adults need more sleep than adults.  This is because growth hormone is only released during sleep.    Use this handy table from the National Sleep Foundation as a reference for the recommended amount of sleep needed (versus actual according to a study):

Toddlers                 10 – 13 hours

 6 – 10 year olds       9 1/2 hours  (actual:  8 3/4 hours)

11 – 12 year olds      9 1/2 hours  (actual  8 1/2 hours)

13 – 14 year olds      9 1/2 hours  (actual  7 1/2 hours)

15 – 17 year olds      9 1/2 hours  (actual 6 3/4 hours)

Sleep is important for mental development in our children, and adequate sleep is associated with a healthier weight.

Sleep deprivation & microsleeps

If you feel drowsy during the day, you may have sleep deprivation and need more rest.  Conversely, if you fall asleep within 5 minutes of hitting the pillow, then you didn’t fall asleep – you “passed out” and you likely have severe sleep deprivation.  Sleep disorders may cause both symptoms.  

Some people experience “microsleeps” which are very brief episodes (often a second or so in duration) of sleep during times you would normally be awake, such as when driving a car.  This is another indicator of sleep deprivation or an untreated sleep disturbance.  Often the person is completely unaware that a microsleep occurred, but others, such as passengers, are aware. 

Tips for better sleep

Words of Wisdom:  My father used to tell me “no matter what time you go to bed, you get up at the same time!”.   And he enforced it.  If I went to bed late, it did not matter:  we always got up at the same time. 

I later realized the wisdom of his words, as our waking time sets our circadian rhythm, our internal clock.  If we push bedtime to later and then also push our awakening time to later, our body resets.  Think of jet lag – your body is feels off because you are not on your usual time schedule. 

Mind the light:  Our bodies produce melatonin as the sky darkens, and melatonin promotes sleep.  We get drowsy.  Our evening sky does not have much “blue” light, rather it has more “red” light.  Red light does not disturb melatonin production, but blue light will decrease melatonin rapidly.  Blue light is highest in the early morning sky. 

If you (or your child) uses electronic devices at night, be aware that these devices emit enough blue light to destroy melatonin, and may cause alertness.  Ensure that at sunset the device goes into “night shift”  mode which filters out blue light and allows red light to remain.  Likewise, if you use an electronic alarm clock, buy the type with red numbers (not blue or white). 

If you have lights on after sunset, choose the lightbulb with the intent to protect your production of natural melatonin.  The best lights are red, pink or amber lights (special bulbs have been developed for use at night), with incandescent second.  The worst lights at night are halogen, compact flourescent bulbs also known as CFBs (the spaghetti spiral bulbs), and Light-Emitting Diode bulbs (LEDs). 

Hint:  red light bulbs are cheaper right after the winter holidays.  Put up a string of red holiday lights in the children’s rooms and where the family gathers in the evening.  Red is the most conducive to sleep.

Additionally, use blue lights in the morning to help you wake up.  If seasonal affective disorder is a problem for you, there are devices that emit strong blue light of the correct frequency.  See here

Watch supplements:  When melatonin is naturally produced in our bodies, we do not get toxic doses.  However, the higher doses seen in supplements may build up in the body and the effects of this has not been studied.  For now, keep melatonin supplement use to the occasional night when it is needed and try to produce melatonin naturally.

 

Resources:  The American Sleep Association (SleepAssociation.org)

Baby:  Photo by Tim Bish on Unsplash

Clock:  Photo by insung yoon on Unsplash

Man watching screen:  Photo by Matthew T Rader on  Unsplash

Future Posts

Related posts in the future will focus on sleep apnea, narcolepsy and hypersomnia, and other sleep disturbances.

 

 

We all know we should drink water.  Hardly a day goes by that we don’t hear or see this admonishment.

But why?

Why do we need water?

Just like air, we can only survive for a short time without fluids.  We can live without water for only about 2 – 3 days.

Water is the basis for all life.  In fact, our bodies are about 60% water.  Here’s some trivia for your next party:

  • the brain and the heart: 73% 
  • the skin:  64%
  • the lungs: 83%
  • the kidneys:  79%

 and

  • the bones: 31%

Pretty amazing, huh?   And besides helping your body function, water is also used by the kidneys to escort waste products out of our body through urine.  We lose fluids through sweating and even through our breath!  (Want to know why you should weigh yourself in the morning versus at night?  You respire out water through the night, so your morning weight is often referred to as your “dry” weight.

Your spokes work together

Adequate hydration helps lubricate our joints, so if your joints are feeling stiff, check your hydration levels.  That’s right: water helps you move better!  Who knew?

One secret to beautiful skin is to be well hydrated.

Ever get the afternoon slumps?  Try a bottle of water and you may see a surge in energy. Energy that you may need to prepare a good evening meal, or take a walk, or spend time with a friend.

How do I know if I’m hydrated?

Hydration is tricky to measure without lab tests, but a general rule is that if your urine is pale, then you are well hydrated.  If your urine is concentrated or orange-like in color then you are very dehydrated.  Most people need 80 – 100 oz. of “water” each day.  

I don’t like to drink water, what can I do?

Several vegetables and fruits contain a high percentage of water, like cucumbers and watermelon, so include those sources as part of your total “water” intake.

Many fluids contain water, but not all aid you in hydration.  As an example, coffee, tea, soda, diet soda and alcoholic beverages tend to dehydrate you further, even though it temporarily quenches thirst. 

Juices are acceptable in limited amounts, as the sugars can further dehydrate you.  One option is to add a small amount of fruit juice to water.  As an example 1/4 cup grape juice to 1 cup of water, making the beverage a “grape drink”.   Lemonade made with only lemons and water is very hydrating. If you must have lemonade sweetened, add stevia.

The temperature of the beverage may make a difference in how much you can drink.  Typically, we slowly sip iced water, but can drink larger quantities if cooled but not freezing. Another tip is to use a biodegradeable straw.  Studies have shown that people drink more of a beverage when consumed through a straw.

Bottled waters can taste different from manufacturer to manufacturer so try a variety of brands.  Other options include alkaline water or mineral water.  Sparkling waters may appeal to you too.

Drink up! You’ll be glad you did.

Read more >

We all breathe.

We all know how to breathe, right? 

But do we know how to OPTIMIZE our breathing?  Many don’t. 

Remember, we can live without air for about 2 – 3 minutes. Without air, we die.  With air, we survive. With proper breathing, we thrive. 

We optimize.

Check yourself.

Sitting at a computer or behind the wheel of a car, or in a business meeting, take a moment and check your breathing. 

Is it shallow?  Do you only breathe from the top of your lungs?  Or do you take deep, slow breaths that reach the bottom of your lungs, expanding your chest as you breathe?  

Chances are it’s the shallow, quick breaths.  That’s how we breathe when we are stressed.  Or distracted.

What’s the difference?

The first spoke: breathing is interesting.  When we breathe, we get oxygen to our lungs for our body to use in processes that keep us healthy.  Our cells need oxygen to survive. 

But our lungs do more than that.

When our lungs expand, they squeeze the lymphatic system.  The lymphatic system is a second circulating system that clears the body of harmful things, like toxins and viruses. By ridding the body of toxins, it also relaxes us.

But the lungs can only do this if you breathe deep, all the way down to the bottom of the lungs.  

Our ancestors

I love to talk about our ancestors.  They did a lot of the hard work for us, surviving and teaching us what worked and what did not.

Our ancestors did not have to worry about how they were breathing (only IF they were breathing).  They did not join a gym, or play tennis or go run a marathon.  They got deep breaths in their everyday activity (jumping, sprinting, pulling, pushing, lifting and so forth).  Even our recent ancestors hauled water and chopped trees.  All of these activities will cause you to naturally take deep breaths.

How do I check to see if I’m breathing right?

Take a deep breath, looking slightly down at your belly.  As you take the breath, does your belly move out?

It should.  When you take a deep breath, your rib cage expands to allow the lungs to extend out, and your diaphram lowers as well.

Many people mistakenly take a deep breath and their belly goes in (not out).  The top of the lungs expand, and the chest moves out – not the belly.

Watch a baby breathe – you’ll see that they naturally do it right!

As you breathe out, the belly should go in, returning to normal.

How do I know if this works to relax me?

Take your pulse.  (If you don’t know how, read here).  I suggest using a secondhand or timer and count for 6 seconds, then multiply the number by 10.  That’s the estimated pulse per minute. If your pulse is irregular, count for a full 60 seconds to get your pulse per minute.

Write the “before” pulse down.

Breathe in deeply to the count of 3, hold for a count of 3, and exhale to the count of 3.  Repeat 3 times.  (Not more than 3 or you might get dizzy!)

Check your pulse again.  Write the number down.

Is it lower?  It should be.  That’s the effect of the lymphatic system moving the toxins we need to get rid of to the lungs to exhale.  

The spokes work together

By incorporating the first spoke: breathing into your daily routine, your whole body will benefit.  Your cells will get more oxygen, likely increasing your endurance. You may cope better with stress, as you return to a more relaxed state.  You may think more clearly.  You may sleep deeper.  All of these improvements from one change – that’s wonderful.  Simple changes can affect your energy,  your desire to exercise, and eat right, and even the way we interact with others when we are more relaxed..

Put it into action

So there you have it.  That’s how to breathe and to know you are doing it right.  You don’t want to breathe like this all the time, but try to do it more often.  The scientists say we should make an effort to breathe deeply 3 or more times per day.

You can do this at a stoplight. In a meeting.  Watching TV.  Set a timer for each hour to take a deep breath – or 3.  Meditation is a great time to be aware of your breathing.

Your body will thank you.

 

Woman: Photo by Eli DeFaria on Unsplash

Future Posts

The other spokes in the wheel:  eating, hydrating, sleeping, and moving.  Plus many categories related to these such as sleep apnea, water filters, the best beverages and why, what different foods do for us, prebiotics and probiotics, gut health, stress, and much more.  Join us!

 

If we think about all the things the body needs, whether us, our family – or even our pets – we all share common needs.   When this was first introduced to me by a wise physician, it was life-changing.  I could do something about my health that did not involve more pills and more tests!  I could make a difference in me.

The spokes are what we eat and drink, and how we breathe, move, and sleep.  We can’t live without them, and often don’t even think about them.  With focus, we can go from surviving to thriving.

You can do it!  Pick the easiest one for you.

I’ll share my example.  The spoke I chose to focus on was sleep.  Without good sleep, I did not feel like preparing dinner, or exercising, and I think I was a bit grouchy to be around so my relationships likely suffered.  I haunched over the keyboard with short, shallow stressful breaths.  Not optimized.  Once my sleep improved, the new energy trickled over into healthier meals and daily walks with my husband.  With that one focus, my eating, breathing, movement and relationships improved.

Pick the easiest one for you to focus on – any improvement in one will translate to improvement in all. 

 

Breathing

Everyone breathes. 

We take it for granted. 

We have questions:

How do I take a deep breath and why?

How can I improve my sleep apnea?

What can meditation do for me?

Am I exposed to toxins in the air?

Breathing

 

Drinking

What are the fluids and beverages that dehydrate me more?  

How do I improve  hydration – I don’t even like water…

Use hydration to move better, have more energy, and help your body get nutrients to the tissues.   

Figure out if you are dehydrated, and how to determine the best quality water. 

Demystify alkaline water, mineral waters, and your tap water reports. 

Hydrating

sleeping

Did you know after 5 days with no sleep, we may even require hospitalization? 

Our brain heals when we sleep, ordering all the sense and nonsense of the day.  

What are  sleep cycles? How do brain waves contribute to sleep?  How does blue light affect sleep?  Red light? 

Sleeping

moving

We learned how important movement is when the astronauts had the first trip to the moon.  With no gravity, their bones began to lose calcium (osteoporosis).  Several body systems struggled.

Any movement is better than no movement.

For some, slow and steady wins the race. 

For others, strength or weight-bearing exercise may be a better choice. 

Our genetics can even provide hints for us! 

Incorporate the best movement for you.

Moving

eating

What is food versus “food”?

They both fill an empty stomach yet “foods” provide little to help our body.  

New cells can only generate from what we eat.   

Our food determines the strength of our body systems including the immune system. 

Junk in = junk out. 

Change the inputs to change the outputs.

Eating

It all works together.  Join us!  What does your wheel look like?

 

Future Posts

The next posts will examine each of the spokes of the wheel in greater detail to give you a good foundation to work from.  After that, special topics will be provided around aspects of truing up your wheel.