Resilience is the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties. It is what allows you to bounce back from challenges. There is no way to prevent all hardship, but we can build resilience so when trouble comes we can recover in the best way possible.
We see this principle in nature all the time. In the animal kingdom, diversity keeps the different populations in check and protects our ecosystems. Rotating crops protects the soil from becoming depleted.
In order to build resilience, we need to establish diversity in our lives. It makes us more resilient physically and mentally. This helps our bodies heal more fully and makes us more capable of moving through trials in a healthy way.
Let’s explore some areas in our lives that would benefit from diversity.
Diversity in our Diets
We need to eat a variety of foods to ensure we get the right combination of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients. Even if you are eating healthy food you need diversity; it’s not enough to eat chicken and broccoli all day.
A diet consisting of an assortment of healthy food supports the different types of gut bacteria. It is necessary for each microbial species to be taken care of in order to have a balanced microbiome. Imbalances in the gut can lead to health problems throughout the body.
Step outside of your comfort zone and try to…
- eat the rainbow - have fruits and vegetables of every color throughout the week.
- eat a variety of protein - chicken, beef, eggs, fish, and shellfish.
- eat different parts of the animal - organ meat is the most nutritious part of the animal; liver is like nature's multivitamin.
- drink bone broth - it has a different amino profile than muscle meat and is incredibly nourishing to your gut lining, skin, hair, nails, and joints!
Diversity in our Movement
It is best to use a variety of full-body movements. Repetitive movements will make you prone to injury while limiting the mobility and strength that you would likely gain through more diversified movements.
Katy Bowman, the author of Move Your DNA, believes we need a variety of movements. She equates diversity in movement to getting movement "nutrients."
Step outside of your comfort zone and try to…
- go barefoot outside on irregular surfaces - those tiny foot bones will get some movement instead of being trapped in a shoe on flat grounds.
- get out in nature- hike off the beaten path or climb a hill.
- ditch the couch - sitting on the floor will engage your core.
- play like a child - incorporate movements you did as a child (running, chasing, climbing, or swinging).
- participate in sports - most sports will give you much more variety of movement than simply going for a run, a walk, or working out on an Elliptical.
- mix up exercise routines - some days lift heavy things focusing on body weight movements. Do mobility work on other days. Remember to use your whole body.
Listen to your body, and take breaks when necessary. Remember, movement doesn't just count when you are exercising. All your movement counts.
Diversity Emotionally
It is normal and natural to feel all different kinds of emotions. It shows that you are in touch with your inner world. People who aren’t able to feel a full spectrum of emotions are often stuffing their difficult ones. This can lead to depression, anxiety, resentment, as well as a host of physical problems.
Allowing a variety of emotions to be experienced can help you move through the difficult ones more effectively. This creates emotional resilience that you can’t get if you only allow yourself to feel “good” emotions.
Step outside of your comfort zone and try to…
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As we go into the winter, many people feel the need for a little self-care. However, this can be difficult with so much to get done during the holiday season. It’s important to find little things that you look forward to each day rather than waiting for an opportunity to do something big.
Making a special drink can be a quick way to take care of yourself in these busy times. Now I’m not suggesting you make a cocktail or put vodka in your water bottle; there are plenty of fun healthy alternatives that you can enjoy without guilt.
In addition to lifting your spirits, these drinks provide hydration and health benefits. It doesn’t take much to grab these drinks during a busy day if you do a little preparation ahead of time.
Let’s take a look at some drinks you may enjoy.
Kombucha
Kombucha is a fermented drink. It is made when you combine tea, sugar, and a SCOBY. That funny word is an acronym for a “symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast.” As the bacteria eats the sugar it produces probiotics which are good for your gut and help keep the bad bacteria in check.
There are many flavors on the market today. Some brands have high levels of sugar, so be sure to read the label before buying a jar. Kombucha is also relatively easy to make at home which allows you to control the ingredients even more. Check out this article about the benefits of kombucha and how to make it.
If you are ready to make your own kombucha, you can get the Urban Kitchen organic starter SCOBY. Otherwise, you may enjoy premade kombucha from these brands…
Water Kefir
Traditional kefir is a fermented drink made from milk with a variety of bacteria and yeast. As you would probably guess, water kefir is made following the same process using water as the base.
It is difficult to find premade water kefir, but it is really easy to make. Simply get the grains, put them in sugar water, and let them ferment. It will be ready to drink after the first fermentation which takes a few days. Some people enjoy adding flavor and fermenting it for another couple of days to enhance the taste and make it a little bubbly.
If you would like to learn more or are interested in making your own, check out this article. You can find the Florida Sun Live Kefir Grains on Amazon. They will multiply over time, so you shouldn’t have to buy more and will eventually be able to share them with friends.
Coconut Water
Coconut water is naturally sweet making it taste great. It is a good source of nutrients such as magnesium, calcium, phosphorous, and potassium. In fact, it has more potassium than a banana.
Some studies suggest that coconut water may provide antioxidants, lower blood sugar in those with diabetes, decrease the risk of kidney stones, and support heart health. However, more research is needed to support these claims. For more information on the health benefits, check out this article from Healthline.
It is important to look at the ingredient list when purchasing coconut water. Some companies add sugar, preservatives, or additives. Paloehacks has done your research for you in “Six Healthiest Coconut Water Brands.” Here are some of the top brands.
Mineral Water
Mineral water with a splash of juice is a lovely treat; you can choose any juice you like. It will give you the flavor without the higher sugar levels of straight juice.
You can also put a couple of tablespoons of balsamic in your sparkling water. Yes, it sounds gross, but don’t knock it until you try it. Start with a fruity flavor such as mango, blueberry, strawberry, peach, or lemon. For a tried and true recipe check out the Sparkling Balsamic Refresher from the Vintage Olive.
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Are you getting ready to greet ghosts and goblins? Little people look forward to this night all year. It is filled with imagination, a bit of spookiness, and candy. While you may enjoy walking the neighborhood or handing out candy, take a moment to consider how you can take care of your body by limiting sugar and still have fun.
Sugar contains no nutrients and often replaces nutrient-dense food leaving your body lacking in nutrients. It stresses your hormonal system which can lead to adrenal fatigue, thyroid conditions, and other hormonal disruptions. It causes an inflammatory response and upsets your gut bacteria which suppresses your immune system leaving you vulnerable to infection.
Here are some tips that can help you be intentional about your sugar intake while still enjoying Halloween. Once you try out these tips, you may find them to be valuable during other holidays as well.
Rethink Handing out Candy
I don’t want you to be known as the Grinch House that passes out toothbrushes, but there are other fun things that you could give besides candy. If you get creative, you could even become one of the coolest houses on the block.
As a child, my favorite house had a jar of foreign coins. The top of the jar was small, but you were allowed to take anything you could grab. This meant that small hands could grab even 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.
It’s tempting to buy your favorite candy to pass out on Halloween. You want to give out the good stuff, but we forget that everyone has different tastes. We don’t have to buy our favorite candy to give a good treat.
Reese's peanut butter cups are my all-time favorite candy. I’ll definitely eat more than I should while passing them out. So, I hand out candy that isn’t as hard for me to resist and it is probably someone else's favorite.
Read Ingredients
Look at the ingredients of the treats you plan to buy. If the list is long or contains a lot of words you don’t understand, you may want to think twice. Reading ingredients such as high fructose corn syrup, food coloring, and hydrogenated oils should give you pause.
A colleague said that when she reads the lists of ingredients on most candy, she views it more like an object (i.e. their spiral notebook) than food. I am not saying that you should never enjoy a sweet treat, but this mindset may make it less appealing.
I've heard good things about Yum Earth candy which is organic, non-GMO, as well as free from artificial dyes and high fructose corn syrup. It is great for kids with allergies because it doesn't contain peanuts, tree nuts, milk, fish, shellfish, egg, soy, wheat, or sesame. (Check out the Halloween mix at my affiliate link here.)
Solid Meals
Eat a good healthy lunch and dinner that will leave you feeling full and satisfied! Don’t “save your calories” for the festivities. Passing out candy or trick-or-treating on an empty stomach is the worst thing you can do on Halloween!
You will likely end up eating way more candy than you would if you nourish your body throughout the day. It is also important to eat healthy meals because you need protein to balance out the candy and help regulate your blood sugar.
Set a Limit Ahead of Time
Think about how many pieces of candy you want to eat ahead of time. I won't tell you how many, you know your goals and can decide for yourself. Set this amount aside to prevent yourself from mindlessly grabbing it from the bowl.
When you are walking around, it is easy to have a piece or two out of the kids' bag - that is unless you have older children who will resist sharing their candy! Do your best to be aware of your intake and make sure each piece is really worth it.
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Many people believe that it is the beginning of the dreaded flu season! It is true that there are more cases of the flu diagnosed this time of year, but germs for the flu are around all year.
So, if these germs are always around, why do we see an increase in the number of flu cases during the fall and winter months? Could it be that the sugar and stress of the holidays impact our immune systems and leave us vulnerable to these illnesses?
Perhaps we should start calling it the “sugar and stress season!” As enjoyable as they are, the holidays lend themselves to both sugar and stress. Think about the Halloween candy, Thanksgiving pumpkin pie, and the sugar cookies on Christmas. Then add the stress of preparing for the holidays. No wonder our bodies are worn down.
Let’s take a look at this theory and explore ways to combat it this year.
The Condition of Your Soil
Dr. Angie Elliot uses a great analogy in her article, “There’s No Such Thing As ‘Flu Season’.” She talks about putting a seed in the ground without covering it in soil or giving it water, sun, and air. Would it survive? No way!
Elliot explains that “the soil (is) not ideal for the seed to take root and for the plant to flourish.” She encourages you to “consider your body equivalent to soil and a virus or bacteria as the seed. If you planted that seed in your body right now, could it grow?"
Many people get sick with colds or the flu this time of year because the condition of their body is primed for pathogens to thrive and grow.” When you look at it this way, it is easy to see things that impact your body's immune system and create an environment where germs can thrive.
What Impacts Your “Soil”
Some things that cause us stress in our bodies are obvious, while other things are more subtle. Often we are so used to these things that we don’t even realize that they are causing trouble.
This is the one day a year we are literally surrounded by candy. It is really hard to limit ourselves when we are handing it out all night and watching our children sort through their treasure. We will look at some tips for handling this in next week’s blog.
It's hard enough to get adequate sleep without the added responsibilities that come with making the holidays special. Planning events and buying gifts are enough to make us hate Pintrest and resent Martha Steward. Keep posted for some tips on buying gifts and planning menus as we get closer to the holidays.
Life can get overwhelming if we accept every invitation. Take time to consider your values. Use them as a guide to determine how to spend your time. Do you really want to go to three cookie exchanges? Can you go from one Thanksgiving dinner to the next without getting worn out? Now, more than ever, you will need boundaries.
Chicago gets pretty overcast this time of year, and the amount of time we spend outside may decrease quite a bit. These factors can affect our mood and vitamin D levels. Feel free to reach out if you’d like to discuss supplementation.
Holidays tend to be filled with sugary treats. You can often find them at the office and the holiday events you attend. It is hard to be social without the constant presence of sweets. Use some of the tricks we will talk about in our Halloween blog to handle other holidays.
In the busyness of the season, our workouts can be forgotten. Since we aren’t outdoors as much, we tend to be less active. And if you suffer from seasonal affective disorder, it can be really hard to be active.
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Thanksgiving dinner may be the biggest meal of the year! In fact, it is thought that most people eat more in this one meal than a twenty-year-old, six-foot-tall, 270 lb., active man would need to eat in an entire day.