Proper Nutrition:
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Latest news says that meat protein is important for longevity. Yes, not sorry to tell you that’s the research. It’s not a plant-based diet that’s the healthiest; it’s one that includes meat protein. Now, it’s important to make sure you’re getting good, clean products, be they meat or vegetables. There is a difference for meat between organic and inorganic. It’s more than just hormones; it has to do with inflammation response. It’s the difference in the types of fats. Organic meat has more Omega-3’s and less Omega-6’s. This is the key to whether it’s inflaming. It’s also important for dairy because organic dairy has a different protein than inorganic dairy. Organic dairy proteins are ones that our body processes well. The main protein in inorganic dairy tends to not react well with our digestive system.
As far as when to eat? Recent studies on adrenal health show eating between about 8-10 am and 4-6pm is important for proper adrenal functioning. Can you do intermittent fasting with these timeframes? Yes. Many people find intermittent fasting to work well for them. However, remember to please follow your own body’s needs if this doesn’t work for you.
What about super low-carb/high protein diets? These have also been shown to decrease longevity. What’s the take-away? Moderation. Moderation in protein. Moderation in carbs. Moderation types of protein. Of course, we all know that low sugar is still super important, as sugar is very inflammatory and has been shown to lower the immune response.
Proper Hydration:
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This one seems to work well for lots of people: Take your weight in pounds, divide it by 2, and drink that many ounces of water every day. Ex: If you weigh 150lbs, that’s 150/2 = 75 oz of water, which is 9 cups 3 ozs. Ex: 200lbs/2 = 100 oz = 11 cups (+ 1oz). Juice doesn’t count due to the sugar content. Sweet tea doesn’t count due to the sugar content. High caffeine drinks don’t count because of the mild diuretic effect. Alcohol does not count and needs to be countered with at least an equal amount of water added to your total. Dehydration is one of the leading stressors on our bodies and leads to inflammation.
Proper Movement:
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This one is tricky because so much information is just plain wrong and fad anything exercise is usually screwed up. The key here seems to be less is more. This is especially true for anyone over 40, and even more important for women into or past menopause. Getting proper movement means also not overly inflaming the body. So many fad exercise things inflame the body. You might have noticed the theme of inflammation. That is key to good health. Low inflammation: good. High inflammation: bad. Read up on exercises that work the body but don’t inflame it. Feel into your own body to find out where you are on that threshold of inflammation.
Proper Sleep:
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This is somewhat personal, but feeling tired and drained suggests you’re not meeting the proper sleep requirement. Some people do okay with 6 hrs. Some people need 10 hrs. Some people have found they go to sleep early, wake up in the middle of the night, do some things, then go to sleep again for a while. No matter your pattern, it’s been found that most Americans are sleep- deprived, so it’s important to pay attention to this category. Sleep routines are super important if you find you have insomnia. Alcohol does not lead to better sleep. The breakdown products of alcohol are a stimulant and will disturb your later sleep. We’ve all heard about blue light and sleep. Cutting screen and TV time before bed can improve your ability to fall asleep.
Meditation:
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I consider meditation the most important category for health in our crazy world. Stress is probably the number one cause of so many problems with our health. One of the best ways to combat stress is to meditate. Everyone can meditate. The “win” in meditation when you start is not having a “blank mind.” The “win” is returning to meditation when you’ve been sucked down the rabbit hole of your thoughts. Do it again, and again, and again. You can do this. Everyone can. Just start.
For more information like this please visit my YouTube channel: @TheSpiritualYou.
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Charleston, SC 29414
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https://www.charlestonholisticcenter.com/