Stress Management
Good afternoon on this fine Wednesday,
Holidays are approaching, early mornings are getting colder, and life seems to be increasingly more difficult around this time of the year. It is important to toe the line between escapism and self-care. Relieve and reward yourself with indulgences of your taste but do not allow them to bleed too much into your current life goals and aspirations. Keep yourself accountable while also giving yourself a break. Go for that morning walk in the cold but also have that extra-large glass of wine on the couch to wind down after a big day. The simple idea of balance may seem second-nature to some but many of us often stray in one direction or another and eventually burn out. Keep your flame ignited to round out this year.
Let’s get into it…
Nutrition Tip of the Week: Pomegranate Juice
Benefits:
Endurance and exercise performance
Antioxidant powerhouse (polyphenols)
Nutritious
vitamin e
vitamin K, which is essential for blood clotting
magnesium, which helps everything
Cancer prevention, arthritis treatment and Alzheimer’s prevention
Gut health
Supports the heart
may help lower blood pressure and protect the heart and arteries.
memory
improved fertility
When I am training hard I down some Pom juice to get me back in the game and recover fast. Anecdotally I notice less cramping, less soreness, better circulation and increased performance. This has been one of my newest cheat codes, especially since I have been running more. Don’t be afraid of the sugar in small doses, just don’t down the whole bottle.
Stretch of the Week: World’s Greatest Stretch
I do this almost every day, especially after leg workouts and runs. You feel it working for you right away.
How to do:
Stand with your feet hip-width apart and fold over to plant your hands on the ground.
Slowly walk your hands forward while keeping your legs as straight as possible until you are in a high plank position with your shoulders stacked over your wrists.
From a high plank position, step your right foot to the outside of your right hand so you’re in a low lunge.
Twist to your right side, reaching your right arm toward the ceiling and opening your chest.
Bring your right elbow to the inside of your right foot, then reach your right arm toward the ceiling again.
Return to a high plank position, then switch sides.
(https://www.livestrong.com/article/13729132-worlds-greatest-stretch/)
Benefits:
great for mobility
increase body strength
incorporates the whole body: hip flexors, shoulder, hamstrings, pectorals, glutes, quads, calves, upper body, back, obliques
Eases tension
Eases stress
Workout of the Week: HIIT
I have a complicated relationship with HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training). I actually teach a class once a week, but truth be told it is not my favorite thing, nor do I think it is as beneficial as people think. I notice the female population loves HIIT classes quite a bit but in my experience, it is not good to do all the time. Your body is not meant to be trained like that all the time and that constant state of stress will often to lead to other issues down the road. I suggest only once or twice a week for such high intensity.
Benefits:
Burns calories fast
Higher metabolic rate hours after doing HIIT
you actually burn calories at a high rate after exercising
Improved oxygen consumption
Lower blood pressure and heart rate
HIIT definitely has its place, when you’re feeling sluggish or hungover from the night before it’s a great tool to get your ass in gear. You don’t have time to think about what you’re doing; you just start moving and sweating. Try a class out one of these days after a holiday party where you had a bit too much fun.
Esoteric Health Tip: Cycling Caffeine
Before you yell at me for coming for your morning coffee, hear me out. I am a big proponent of taking breaks from everything to ensure a lack of dependency. I took a year break from caffeine for various reasons. I’m not suggesting anyone does that, but one week off is very beneficial. Caffeine heightens your cortisol and puts your body in a state of stress. So, taking a break is a good thing for your nervous system and stress levels, especially around this time of the year. That first cup of coffee after a week off hits like a dream. Or simply cycling different types of caffeine for a week or so. Yerba mate tea is a good friend of mine I mix in when taking a break from coffee. The idea is just to change up the stimulant or caffeine source to allow your body to recalibrate, so the caffeine remains effective. Healthy energy drinks, tea, diet soda, cocaine, try something new.
Treat of the Week: CANN Social Tonics
A loyal reader of this newsletter reminded me of these fun little beverages this past weekend. They are very low dose THC/CBD drinks. These are not going to get you stoned, more so just a little warm glow. I have become less of a fan of cannabis related items as they’ve gotten more potent. But these are delightfully mild. For those inclined, one or two of these is a perfect substitute for alcohol at the end of the day or as a social lubricant. Blood Orange Cardamom is my personal favorite. I will gladly accept a couple free cases for this free promotion of their great product @CANN
https://drink.cann.com
Song of the Week: Bill Withers Ain’t no Sunshine (Remix)
Dubdogz, JØRD - Ain't No Sunshine (feat. Jasmine Pace) [Official Audio] - YouTube
Book Recommendation of the Week: The Devil in The White City by Erik Larson
My favorite nonfiction author alive at the moment. This reads like a graphic novel. Just as the eyes begin to glaze over while he discusses the nuances of constructing the first Ferris Wheel, the story of a notorious serial killer who took advantage of the chaos of the world’s fair, bleeds in. This guy was Sick, with a capital S. Give it a read if you are into that sort of thing.
“The Devil in the White City is a literary nonfiction novel that intertwines the true tale of the 1893 World's Fair and the cunning serial killer who used the fair to lure his victims to their death. The book consists of two main storylines: one about the life of H.H. Holmes, the notorious serial killer, and the other about the creation of the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago”
Quote of the Week:
“Reading is to the mind, as exercise is to the body.” – Brian Tracy
Both fine-tune our most important tools in the toolshed as well as manage everyday stress. Incorporate more of each.
Until next week…
Movimiento es Vida