Tag Archives: Health

Getting your body back

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I think it’s funny when I hear someone say “You’re going to have to work harder to get your body back after this second baby.” It makes me laugh every time I hear it. Is my body going somewhere? Did it get lost? 😂

Having a baby doesn’t mean you LOSE your body. Yes your body changes but it’s still there! People keep telling me it’s harder to get back to your old shape after baby number two. Is it really? Or is that just an excuse we use?

I actually liked my body better after I had Ryder. It took me some time to lose the extra baby weight but I like to think I bounced back pretty well. I wasn’t one of those IG moms who got back to pre baby size in 5 months. It took me a full year. But I did it and I was beyond proud of myself and loved how I looked. No I don’t have my 20 year old body. I probably never will and I’m ok with that. But this 33 year old body is pretty resilient and it’s been good to me.

I think this time around I’m going to enjoy myself (and food). I was so paranoid while pregnant with ryder, that I wouldn’t get back to my original size. I put so much stress on myself mentally, that I don’t think it was very healthy. Now I know I can get back to a good size with a bit of hard work. So I’m not going to stress this time. I don’t plan to go overboard and eat everything in sight and skip workouts! But I will treat myself if I want! And if my body is too drained to workout, rather than force myself to go to the gym, I’ll rest. I can try again the next day. Everything in moderation and at my own pace.💙

Fighting disease or feeding it

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Everything you eat either fights disease or feeds it. Did you know that sugar is like fuel for cancer? Cancer feeds off sugar therefore fueling rapid growth of cancer cells. Cancer cells uptake sugar at 10-12 times the rate of healthy cells.

The most simple forms of sugar are single molecule sugars, like glucose and fructose. This is why refined carbs like white sugar, white flour, soft drinks, etc should be limited or avoided for anyone with cancer.

(There is also evidence that some cancer cells feed on amino acids or lipids.)

Understanding how your body works and what works best for it are SO important. Help your body fight against illness and disease by feeding it things that support it.

The truth about prenatal vitamins

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When I was a teacher, in every single one of my health classes, a student asked “can’t you get pregnant from taking prenatal vitamins?” 🤦🏼‍♀️ It’s a crazy question but I was always SO glad they asked. I was a weenie in high school and too afraid to ask anything. I would much rather have my students ask weird or uncomfortable questions and get a clear answer than not ask and lack the information or get incorrect information from a friend. Although, it also makes me wonder if we as a society are not explaining things well enough for kids.

No prenatal vitamins will not get you pregnant. And if you’re a guy, they will not turn you into a woman. Yes I got that question too.

Prenatal vitamins are a vitamin women take while pregnant. It has more vitamin percentages than your average daily multi vitamin. There are other vitamins in it that benefit the baby and are needed for healthy growth. You can actually take prenatal vitamins when not pregnant or not trying to get pregnant and they will actually help with hair and nail growth. Prenatal are high in biotin which causes hair to grow and be strong.

So again, prenatal vitamins will not make you pregnant! They are just an extra healthy support for you and your baby if already pregnant.

Steam Rooms

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I made a post a few weeks ago about my regular use of the steam room. I got some fantastic questions about it after! So I’m going to go into more detail of the benefits of a steam room in hopes of answering those questions!

During a steam, there is an increase in blood flow and circulation in the body. This is because the heat causes blood vessels in your skin to expand. The moist heat stimulates the skin causing the pours to open up. By opening the pores through perspiration, steam induces the expulsion of toxins. This also helps to eliminate black heads to give you clearer skin! My skin always has a light pink glow to it after and my skin tone looks more even.

The steam room helps to open up airways which improves your breathing and alleviates congestion. The wet heat from the steam room thins and opens the mucous membranes in the body, which helps to relieve pressure. Any time I have allergies or congestion I use the steam room and feel a significant difference after!

Benefits of a steam room:

-Increases metabolism

-Cleanses the skin

-Boosts your immune system

-Eliminates toxins from the body

-Relieves discomfort from allergies

-Relaxes muscles

-Relieves couching

-Enhances circulation and blood flow

-Hydrates dry skin

Not only does you skin look amazing after a steam but you’ll feel so much better! Give it a try if you have the chance!

Friendship

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Only the strongest friendships survive life. I say life because it’s not just the ups and downs. It’s everything in between. Finding a good friend is like finding your soul mate. It’s not easy and you go through so much to get there. But when you find that person, it’s like something clicks.

When we were little we were so focused on making lots of friends. I think it’s fantastic for little kids to be nice to everyone and want to be friends with everyone. But as an adult, that’s an unrealistic hope that we can be “friends” with everyone. I hate to say it, but not everyone wants to be your friend. And that’s totally ok! You just need to find those select few people that you click with.

As you age, if you notice your circle of friends getting smaller, don’t be alarmed! As we get older, people change. Our views and beliefs don’t always align and this can cause rifts in relationships. Some people’s ability to accept can make it difficult and put strain on a relationship. Also, people have different life paths. Sometimes friendships dissolve without any actual problems. People just lose touch. It’s normal for life to get in the way.

My best friend and I don’t have the same views on everything. But we respect each other’s view even if it’s not fitting for us personally. We do however have the same values and similar (not the same) goals in life. We are both very supportive of each other in every aspect of life. That is part of what makes our relationship great. Without a strong support system you will find yourself feeling lost and maybe a bit alone.

Find that friend who encourages you and brings positive light to your life. Someone who can laugh with you at the stupid things. Someone who loves you even at your worst. Those are the friendships that will bring you support, strength and happiness. Find someone who makes you a better person.

Avoid a flat butt

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This is probably going to be one of my weirdest blog posts. It’s about butts. Bear with me 😂

Have you ever seen someone’s butt that was flat, as if they sat on it too long? Did you know that sitting for too long can actually flatten out your butt? Now don’t freak out. This won’t happen over night. But hours of sitting, day after day, can change the shape of your butt over time.

When you sit for long periods of time with poor posture (which 90% of people are guilty of), your hip flexors tighten up and cause reciprocal inhibition (preventing activation) of the glutes. This weakens the muscle and “flattens” it out.

Bad posture when sitting can also cause an anterior pelvic tilt. This means your pelvis rotates backward causing your butt to appear flatter.

If you have a desk job where you are forced to sit every day for hours on end, make sure to move often. Set an alarm on your phone to remind yourself to get up every hour. Walk around the office or go up and down the stairs for a little bit. Get those muscles moving. Also be cautious of your posture while sitting. Make sure your spine is aligned and you aren’t hunching.

You can easily keep that butt of yours from getting the dreaded flattened look!

Disposing of unused medication

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Do you know what to do with unused or expired medications? So many people just flush them down the toilet or pour them down the drain thinking that’s the safest thing. Medicines that are flushed down the toilet or poured down the drain can end up polluting our waters, impacting aquatic life, and contaminating our food and water supplies. Most medications are not removed by wastewater treatment plants or septic systems. Please do not flush your medicines!

The FDA lists a few options as safer choices to dispose of medicines. The first is DEA registered collectors. They are pharmacies, hospitals, clinics and law enforcement agencies that will collect unused medications and dispose of properly. You can find a collection agency or take back event in your area by going to the DEA’s website.

If no take back programs or DEA registered collectors are available in your area, and there are no specific disposal instructions on the product package, you can also follow these steps to dispose of medicines in the household trash:

1) Mix medicines (do not crush tablets or capsules) with an unpalatable substance such as dirt, cat litter, or unused coffee grounds.

2) Place the mixture in a container such as a sealed plastic bag

3) Throw the container in the trash

4) Remove all personal information (name, phone number, prescription number) from the label of empty pill bottles or medicine packaging, then dispose of container

Keep our water safe by disposing of your medicines properly! And keep your personal identity safe by scratching off all personal information from the pill bottles!

Shoulder Workout

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(If viewing on FB, click the link to view video)

Shoulder workout time! Ryder is getting bigger by the day so I have to keep my upper body strong! That boy loves to be cuddled and held. 😉

These are a few exercises I’ve worked into my shoulder workouts for the next 6 weeks.

🔹Single arm cable pulldown

🔹Shoulder press

🔹Front press

🔹Lateral raise

None of these are too terribly difficult but they do require gym equipment.

Happy lifting!

Aging and weight gain

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As we get older, a common myth people still believe is that they gain weight because of age. Your age doesn’t cause you to gain weight.

As you age, your body’s production of hormones that help maintain muscle mass decreases. As you lose muscle, more of your weight can be attributed to fat. In addition, as we age we often become less active. Many people still continue to eat the same portions and foods they are back when they were more active and able to burn it off quicker. Additionally, as we age we think we need less sleep or busy ourselves so much that stress causes a lack of sleep. These are factors that cause you to gain weight as you get older. But there are things you can do to work with your body and fight off the excess weight gain!

Exercise: Exercise with weights at least twice a week at a minimum. Lifting weight builds muscle strength. You don’t have to lift heavy weights! Start light/moderate and build your way up in weight and intensity. No gym membership? There’s plenty of at home workouts you can do. If you have a desk job, make sure to get up and move every so often. Do a lap around the office every hour and take the stairs when you can.

Diet: Watch your food intake and be cautious of portion sizes. Figure out how many calories you should consume in a day for your age and size. Eat lots of veggies and lean protein!

Sleep: Get plenty of sleep. Lack of sleep causes a lack of endurance. So you’re less likely to want to workout or get up and move as much. Ultimately encouraging a sedentary lifestyle which brings on weight gain.

Don’t let aging be your excuse for weight gain! Stay active, eat a healthy diet and get a good amount of sleep each night!

Relieving headaches naturally

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Headaches….they are so incredibly common and can be brought on by the littlest things! Stress, noise exposure, straining your eyes, consuming too much caffeine, consuming too much sugar, dehydration and lack of sleep, are just a few examples of things that cause headaches. You can take an OTC med to alleviate the pain, or there are a few natural things you can try…..

🔹 Ease pressure on your scalp. Let your hair down, or remove your hat or eyewear

🔹 Dim lights, set your phone down and turn off the computer

🔹Massage your temples

🔹 Eat foods rich in magnesium. Low levels of magnesium can cause headaches

🔹 Take vitamin B-12

🔹 Try a hot or cold compress

🔹 Drink lots of water

🔹 Lay down and shut your eyes

🔹 Try reflexology

🔹 Go on a walk or try yoga

I have a habit of pulling my hair up too tight and giving myself a headache. I know better but I still do it every time! A few of these work for me, if just letting my hair down doesn’t work.