16: Symptom Messengers, Supplement Foundations, Plant-Centric, Get the Daniel Craig Body

The Freedom to Live 5 things Friday 

Every Friday, 5 things of value from the integrative health sciences.
The best of the best functional medicine, educational resources, research, quotes, books, tips, advice etc. all from the key pillars of the integrative health system.

1. Symptoms are Messages: How I rebalanced the subtle hints of Cancer, Hair Loss, and More.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bc9WBUFHhzM&feature=youtu.be

2. Everything works in: Foundations and Levels

Last week when I spoke about the B-Complex, I mentioned that not all vitamins are manufactured equally.  Certain brands, in the big-box retail market, typically use the inexpensive and synthetic forms which are not easily absorbed or converted properly.  

The CanPrev brand is a good solid retail brand that uses bioavailable or activated forms.  The brand is formulated by naturopathic doctors and is both affordable and becoming more available in everyday retail experiences.  

For level 1 and 2 foundations, these are great options.  However, for more specialized health rebalancing protocols, it's important to speak with a practitioner who can guide you down the right path and align you to the right protocols for you. 

3. Plant-Centric: Just eat lots of plants!

Whichever you call it; centre it around plants!

Source: @functional.foods

Exercise: 007 style!

During one of my workouts last week, I was reviewing an old audio course, IMPACT by Matthew Hussey.  And here's what he was saying:

After the last Daniel Craig Bond movie, guess what the #1 google search was?

Daniel Craig body. 

Now everyone's looking to get the workout that gets the Daniel Craig body.

But here's what people are missing.  

The body isn't the important factor, it's the WAY that person wears the body and plays the role.  

People get it backwards, they want to be like that person, so they go out and get the clothes, hair, and body.  But the reason people love the clothes, hair, body etc. is because of that person.

If a different person was wearing those same clothes, hair, body etc.  they wouldn't emulate. 

So the moral of the story is: Focus on being a great person with a great body, style, and of course HEALTH! 

14: Micro Nutrition, Magnesium, Exercise & Blood Sugar, EMFs

The Freedom to Live 5 things Friday 

Every Friday, 5 things of value from the integrative health sciences.
The best of the best functional medicine, educational resources, research, quotes, books, tips, advice etc. all from the key pillars of the integrative health system.

1. A focus on Micros: Track your Micro Nutrition

Here is a chart from Health Canada that outlines the Required Daily Values needed from our daily nutrition.  

These reference numbers assume that the person is already healthy and at adequate and sufficient levels.
 

This week, I researched Apps, there must be an app that tracks micro nutrition since there's a million already out there to track macros, food, water intake, weight loss etc.  

The best I came up with is Nutrients (formerly known as Foodle).  On here I can track my meals and micro nutritional value.

It's less about counting calories and macros (yes important), but to a point. 

Let's track the value of our food and then we can see where exactly we need to supplement the diet. 

After a day of tracking, as you can see below, I didn't meet my Daily Required Nutrition.  I'm low in critical nutrients like my B vitamins, Iron, Zinc, Magnesium.

Try it out!  

If you want to discover in how much detail you are getting, here is a great example.  1 cup of cooked unsalted broccoli. 
The Macros, Micros, Amino Acids, so much information!

2. Magnesium & Stress

When the body is under chronic stress (emotional, mental, physical), this impacts our levels of key nutrients in the body.

Magnesium specifically is rapidly lost under stress.  One study in Kosovo found that those under chronic war stress lost large amounts of magnesium in their urine.  

Excess alcohol, salt, coffee, sugar, phosphoric acid in pop/soda, profuse sweating, chronic diarrhea, excessive menstruation, diuretics (water pills), antibiotics, other drugs, as well as some intestinal parasites.  

Source: The UltraMind Solution by Dr. Mark Hyman

Implement More Magnesium Rich Foods:
Sea Vegetables
Nuts
Greens
Beans

Remove/Reduce Stress and Magnesium Depleting Foods:
Coffee
Alcohol
Sugar

Image source: Integrative Health Practitioner Course

3. Mindset: Words from Tiny Buddha . com

4. Exercise and the Blood Sugar Connection

I've been testing blood sugar at the gym for people and teaching how to use an at home glucometer.
🧠Blood Sugar balance is one of the cornerstones of health.⁣
⁣
I'm surprised at how much of this is a reality⁣
⛈THE PERFECT STORM:⁣
⚠️Skip breakfast⁣
⚠️Skip meals (long fasting) ⁣
⚠️Just coffee breakfast⁣
⚠️Combined with hard workouts and lack of sleep. ⁣
⁣
👉Long-term low carb low calorie diets are essentially nutrient deficient diets. "It's the only thing that has ever worked".⁣
⁣
You may get short term results and win a challenge, but at what cost? 😓⁣
⁣
In fact this is the perfect recipe to keep weight on and train your metabolism to survive within these conditions instead of thrive. ⁣
⁣
This IS survival mode. 🧪⁣
👩‍🔬Cortisol and glucocorticoids are released singling for sugar to be sent into the blood stream as a response to this biologically perceived famine, physical exertion, lack of nutrients; aka perceived danger or threat to your existence. Over time, this constant release of sugar leads the body to stop responding (insulin resistance).⁣
⁣
5 Steps to get back to balanced blood sugar and metabolism:⁣
⁣
1. Have a smoothie breakfast⁣
2. Eat 3 balanced meals with enough protein, healthy fats, and good carbs (fibre) to be satiated for 3-4 hours.⁣
3. Give yourself 3-4 hours in between meals without food.⁣
4. Fast overnight from after dinner to morning (no evening snacking)⁣
5. Do some steady state cardio like walking, biking, low rep push, pull, squat, lunge sequences, or stretching to help lower blood sugar after your last meal of the day. ⁣
⁣
**This last step is super important to lower blood sugar and get into a deeper rest.⁣
⁣
Try this for 30 days. 👊🌷⁣

5. Toxicity Exposure: EMFs

REDUCE EMF EXPOSURE ⁣⁣⁣is a known mutagen aka carcinogen. 
Linked to brain troubles, mood disorders, heightened anxiety and depression; plus all the other symptoms in the above info graph.

1.Turn off WiFi at night
2. Don't sleep with your phone by your head or in your room.  Use Air Plane mode.
3. House Plants and Salt lamps help absorb toxins and naturally filter the air.
4. Avoid using wireless ear buds.
5. Opt Out of your home energy smart meter.  


*** Apple ear pods emit between 0mV/m – 10 times the level of a mobile phone call.  They continue to transmit even when the phone is in airplane mode + turned off.  The only way to stop them from transmitting is to shut them in their case. 

Check out this article here to see how to test EMF transmissions in your environment.

13: Melatonin and Sodium: Potassium significance & Keeping perspective

🧠 #brainhealth 🧠✨

At the root of healing, the first step is to balance the nervous system and get back to a normal natural biological cycle between cortisol and melatonin production.

The opposite of the stress hormone (cortisol) is melatonin.  In functional medicine, we look at everything in ratios and balance.

Most of society is in a cortisol dominance, sympathetic nervous system SNS, or chronic Fight Flight stress-based state.  

Often this state of being is very unconscious because we get used to this "just a way of life" mindset.

Here are 3 lifestyle steps that you can implement TODAY to regulate your natural biological rhythms.

1. Set consistent wake and sleep times.
2. Wear blue light blocker glasses (amber glasses) starting at 6:30pm daily.
3. Create an electronic power-down (sunset) in your home.  Switch off electronics, wifi, screens ideally a few hours before the set sleep time (step 1). Opt for (unscented natural) candle light or the soft glow of salt lamps.

7 days a week might be a stretch.  Everything starts in levels and graduated steps.  Aim for one day and one thing and build forward. 

Consistent action and consciousness over time. 🔑✨

2. Mineral Balance: Potassium to Sodium

The 4 Minerals: Potassium, Sodium, Calcium, and Magnesium need to be balanced to maintain proper bodily systems.

WHYs: Potassium needs to be balanced with Sodium:

❤️Circulatory - Helps lower heart rate, dilate arteries, and reduces blood pressure

🚽 Digestive - Keeps things moving properly 

🍠 Metabolic - Needed in carbohydrate metabolism

💪 Muscular - Contraction (prevents cramping)

🧠 Nerve and sensory activity

A low potassium dietary (unbalanced diet) intake can contribute to low levels of potassium in the body.  Long-term use of diuretics, laxatives, licorice, as well as, tobacco and excess caffeine can all be factors that deplete potassium and interfere with absorption. 

Signs of Potassium Deficiency:

• Allergies

• Constipation

• Fatigue

• Irregular Heart Beat

• Low blood Sugar (hypoglycaemia)

• Low or High blood Pressure

• Muscle Weakness

• Skin Problems

• Water Retention

• Sweet Cravings

• Salt Cravings

Signs of Excess Potassium:

• Depression, mental

• High blood sugar (diabetes)

• Muscle spasms

• Muscle weakness

🥥*note: Coconut water is super high in potassium, but if you are deeply fatigued it may be too much (not balanced) add sea salt to it.

🌴If you have high blood pressure = we often use 16oz. x2/day fresh pressed green juice for 30 days + coconut water. 

Monitor your blood levels before and after with your primary health care physician to see how diet and lifestyle are directly related. It takes about 90-120 days to see results.

Tracking and measuring results are 🔑 key to long-term and long-lasting habits.

3. Mindset: The Natural Healing Process is not linear.

11: The Functional Medicine Difference

Welcome to Episode #11!

Here's the Bad News.  Yesterday, Jan. 16 is officially the day where people fall off and lose commitment with their New Years goals.

The good news.  We don't believe in New Years Resolutions anyway.  In the 12 Week Year approach every day and every week is a chance to review, reset, and track progress.

The Freedom to Live 5 things Friday 

Every Friday, 5 things of value from the integrative health sciences.
The best of the best functional medicine, educational resources, research, quotes, books, tips, advice etc. all from the key pillars of the integrative health system.

1. The Difference Between Conventional and Functional Medicine

2. IHP Self Health Assessment

This is one of the tools I use right here to help people track the process and the progress of the integrative health journey.

In the beginning, it always starts with a solid Nutrition, Exercise, Rest & Recovery plan while we run functional medicine lab data in the background to get straight to the point of underlying root imbalances.⁣

But the process doesn't stop there. Our mindset, emotional state, and our spiritual connectedness all play a key piece in bringing our health to a state of balance. ⁣

How do you score out of 100 on each of these pie graph segments? Where are the flat spots in the wheel?⁣

You may have seen the Life wheel; check that out as well. The thing is, if you balance your Health, it provides the building blocks of physical, emotional, and mental strength and resilience to carry over to the other areas of life that need balancing.

Health is the cornerstone.  Health is our life force.

The other segments of the life wheel either suffer or thrive based on the status of our health (relationships, wealth, career, all the big ones). 

I hope this visual exercise helps you prioritize your strengths and weaknesses and where you want to bring a little more focus over the next 12 week year.  

Check in daily, weekly, monthly to track progress.⁣

3. Virtual Exercise: the Accountability of Community

The power of Accountability and Community; Both Combined!!

This right here is one of the main reasons WHY people fall off the New Years Resolution.  Personally, I find it almost impossible to stick with a consistent exercise program unless I'm part of an accountability group as a leader, or as a participant. 

This Core challenge is only 12-15 minutes/day.  You can follow # strongtothecore20 and join our virtual fit IG community anytime.  

 

4. 5 Steps to Gut Health

Check out the 5 Steps here.

5. Spirituality: 8 Steps to Integrative Attraction! 

One of those days....

My Kid just barfed all over the bus on the way to school and again just now in the back seat. Arranged child care and then not needing to because the meeting was a no show.⁣

Presented with a choice here.⁣

To get upset because I have to cancel appointments and am now "off track" and that everything is ironic and conspired "against" me OR roll with it as simply a redirection of my day. ⁣

Learning to release control and remaining in a constant state of calm EVEN during the surface level shit storms of life. Because they really are surface level. None of it is really a big deal.⁣

I now just see these as grooming opportunities. Preparation. ⁣

Instead.⁣

I'm going to KEEP SHOWING UP. ⁣

I'm going to KEEP BEING GRATEFUL.⁣

I'm going to KEEP BELIEVING.⁣

I'm grateful for the sun. Grateful for the flexibility I have and just grateful to be able to be there for my little humans when they need me to be. Grateful that I have backup systems in place and people in my life that are helping and supporting.⁣

These are mantras that we can use to help maintain a calm and positive energy even is a state of stress and chaos.  This is a Practice that takes Practice. 

Also, I love these 8 steps to to being more energetically attractive.  Notice how it's also about some of the physical tangible environment too. 

3-Day Rest Guide

Download the Free 3-Day Reset here (click image).

1: Key Pillars to Integrative Health

My goal is to bring to your inbox, every Friday, 5 things of value from the Integrative Health space.  I want this email to be something you look forward to reading every Friday.  A round up! The best of the best Integrative health educational resources, research, quotes, books, tips, advice etc. all from the key pillars of the integrative health system.

1. Nutrition: The most loved and shared repost this week from the gram.  Agree! There's nothing like a good visual message.

2. Spirituality and Mindset: 

Lesson 19: "Every Desire is created by some past desire.  The chain of desire never ends. It is life itself.  Don't consider any desire useless or wrong -someday each one will be fulfilled.  Desires are seeds waiting for their season to sprout.  From a single seed of desire, whole forests grow.  Cherish every wish in your heart, however trivial it may seem.  One day these trivial wishes will lead you to God." - Deepak Chopra

Twenty Spiritual Lessons for Creating the Life you Want by Deepak Chopra

3. Functional Medicine: Biology before Psychology.  

Rethinking the traditional "Mental Illness", counselling, and the therapy paradigm.  An interesting perspective here with Dr. Mark Hyman and Dr. Daniel Amen on the Doctor's Farmacy.
 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=2Ob5uJ9P6Ww&feature=emb_title

Also available on Apple Podcast here.

4. Natural Health Education: 

Free Detox Course by Dr. Stephen Cabral. 

Get the Course Free Here!

Want more learning with Dr. Cabral?  

The IHP Integrative Health Practitioner Course is open for the last time this 2019 year for enrolment.

Happy to share and answer any questions from the student perspective having graduated from the Level 1 and Level 2 certifications.
 

IHP - Dr. Stephen Cabral

IHP Practitioner Course Info

5. Exercise Motivation: Schedule a Meeting with your Mat in your Agenda everyday. 

Do you spend more time thinking about getting out of a workout than actually doing one? 

I know I do🙋‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤫

🎄 Maybe it’s the time of year with the hustle of the holidays upon us. 

but committing to yourself.
Just 10 minutes on the mat.
Once you just start.
Almost always ends up being more than 10 minutes. 
100% of the time.
Progress is a daily Practice.
Challenge yourself to move your body everyday!

Soup Guide: 15 healthy ideas!

Download the Free Soup Guide here (click image). In support of the Integrative Health Detox, Reset, and Gut Health Plans (click image below).

Root Cause Wellness 3.0: The Foundations.

Download your copy below. Click the image.