What are the top five things that you believe will keep you healthy? Take a minute to list these things in your mind before you read any further. No, seriously, just take a moment to think through your list.
There are many things people know they must do if they want to be healthy: eat well, get adequate movement, refrain from smoking, and limit alcohol. But now we can add “enjoying social connections” to our list of healthy habits!
Let’s explore what research has to say about the importance of your connections!
Social Connections Impact on Physical Health
Research is showing that social connections have a major impact on both our mental and physical health. It is not hard to believe that those who feel more connected with others tend to struggle less with anxiety and depression. They also have higher self esteem, greater levels of empathy, trust others more, and tend to be more cooperative.
While the impact of social connections on emotional wellbeing may be expected, the extensive impact on physical health may come as a surprise to many. According to Dr. Emma Seppala, the American Association for the Advancement of Science published a study that found that “a lack of social connection is a greater detriment to health than obesity, smoking and high blood pressure.”
It may be shocking, but strong social connections actually improve your immune system and lead to a 50% increased chance of longevity. More research is needed to discover why social connections have such a dramatic impact on health, but the research is clear that social connections are extremely important if you want to live a long and healthy life.
Insights From the Research
Let's look at the research a little more closely to see what this may mean for you.
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Halloween is the one day of the year most known for excessive candy intake!
I'm not here to tell you to skip the candy all together, but I would like to challenge you to be intentional about what you eat. There are a few 'tricks' that allow you to enjoy some 'treats' without derailing your health goals.
Check them out so you can stay on track during this fun and scary night!
Tricks for the Treats
- Read the Ingredients! Whenever I am temped to eat processed food, I look at the ingredient list. Reading the ingredients (high fructose corn syrup, food coloring, and hydrogenated oils) reminds me that is is NOT REAL FOOD after all, and that I really don't want to eat it. A colleague once told me that when they read these ingredients they end up viewing most processed food more like an object rather than a food
- Pass out something besides candy at your house. I remember one of my favorite houses to trick or treat at growing up had a jar of foreign coins. The top of the jar was small, but you were allowed to take anything you could grab between your fingers. Small hands could grab more than big hands. It was fun to see the foreign currency and figure out what country it was from.
- Get candy that doesn't tempt you. I struggle to avoid Reese's peanut butter cups. I know that if I pass these out at my house, I will inevitably eat more of them than I should. Buy some candy that isn't particular tempting to you, so it will be easier to resist.
- Set a limit for yourself and stick to it. Early in the day, think about how many pieces of candy you are going to let yourself to eat. You get to decide how many fit with your goals. Set the amount of candy you want to eat aside, and only eat out of your stash. This will prevent you from unconsciously grabbing candy from the bowl without realizing it.
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Hey! Are you a woman with PCOS who would like to get to the root of your issues and address them naturally? If so, I'm excited to share with you BALANCED!
In "Balanced," I walk you through my proven framework that takes the guesswork out of getting to the root of your symptoms and addressing them naturally.
I want to make sure you know that BALANCED is ready for you now, so be sure to reserve a spot! I would hate for you to miss out on this great opportunity to take control of your health and get your PCOS symptoms under control once and for all.
How do I know if BALANCED is for me?
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You have PCOS and have tried the traditional advice on addressing your symptoms without the results you desire.
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You have an open mind to learn new ways of looking at treatment.
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You are not looking for a quick fix or magic pill.
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You want to achieve your goals so you can enjoy life without the struggles of those stubborn symptoms.
Recently I hosted a Free Class that covered...
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The 3 BIG Mistakes that women with PCOS make when trying to address PCOS symptoms.
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Three simple steps of the "Balanced" method.
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How women with PCOS address their symptoms without expensive pharmaceuticals.
I've decided to leave the replay up for you to check out!
If you missed it, here’s my advice...
Take 60 minutes today to catch the replay and completely change your life! Learn how to live better with The Balanced Method - THE SAME method used by women with PCOS who want to finally address their symptoms for good!
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Eating a variety of different plants is good for your body in so many ways, but sometimes it's hard to get enough. Adding variety to your diet can help prevent boredom and can encourage you to eat more veggies!
I know that my family has been stuck in a rut with our salads lately, so we started to spice it up a little bit. Instead of simply using mixed greens at the base of the salad, we have tried sliced red and green cabbage, grated beets, greens, swiss chard, kale, shredded carrots, microgreens, beet greens, cilantro, basil, mint, parsley, endive, and dandelion greens. (See the pictures below for some salads we've enjoyed recently.)
Let's explore the benefits of eating a variety of vegetables and see why the bright colored ones are so powerful.
The More the Merrier
Vegetables are loaded with great nutrients for your body. Let's look a just a few benefits of eating a lot of vegetables
- Vegetables give the body high levels of phytonutrients & antioxidants. Our bodies need phytonutrients and antioxidants to deal with free radicals, preventing them from causing damage in the body.
- Vegetables are loaded with vitamins, minerals, and enzymes.
- Vegetables provide the body with necessary fiber.
- Vegetables provide the body with prebiotics which feed the good bacteria in your gut. Many people are aware that probiotics are important for gut health, but a recent study found that prebiotics are even more important. Since 70% of the immune system is believed to reside in the gut it is extremely important to keep our gut flora balanced by feeding the good bacteria.
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Everyone knows that exercise is important! But what if I told you there are certain strategic exercises that will get you better results than working yourself like crazy at the gym? And what if I told you that overall movement, even when not “working out,” is important too?
I know, it’s shocking! Our culture is so focused on working hard to the point we feel like we have to beat ourselves up in the gym. However, with a little guidance we can work smarter rather than harder.
Let’s look at the “why” behind movement and explore the best exercises for lasting results!
The Danger of a Sedentary Life
According to Dr. James Levine, the director of the Mayo Clinic-Arizona State University Obesity Solutions Initiative, “Sitting is more dangerous than smoking, kills more people than HIV and is more treacherous than parachuting. We are sitting ourselves to death.”
What is even more surprising is that the negative effects of sitting are apparent even in those who exercise daily. This is not to say that we shouldn’t exercise. But we need to change our view of movement, focusing on natural movement and exercises that will get us the best results!
Ways To Incorporate Natural Movement in Your Life
When you think about the history of mankind, setting time aside to exercise is a fairly new concept. Movement was simply a part of life for most of our ancestors, as their survival depended on it. They didn’t need to go to a gym, because they moved to secure food, shelter, and safety!
Let’s change our mindset around movement to include natural movement into our lives! How can you do this? Choose one of these ideas to start moving today and then add more as you are able.
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