Why You're Probably Healthier Than You Think
Welcome back readers! I appreciate the support as I make my way back into your inboxes. In the industry of health and wellness this time of year, I find myself absorbing many confusing emotions. This has driven me to be extra thoughtful about the future messages I share for those who use this newsletter as a tool in their own personal health journey. My experience of unexpected heaviness in these emotions were a result of recognizing how hard people are on their body, mind and heart but often do not hesitate to provide grace to those around them.
Holidays send the message of beauty, faith and joy, but they can also make you feel empty, causing you to look outward in order to fill your cup. The overabundance of holiday cheer can cause you to believe you need a partner to feel whole or more money to buy nicer gifts. This season even may convince you to purchase a Pelaton in order to find peace when consuming holiday cheer in the form of wine, chocolate and eggnog.
As my father says, “We can’t take money or things with us when we leave this planet, but you can leave the Earth impacting how you make others feel.” As a child, I told him I understood, but as I now view this memory through the lens of health and happiness, I have a new perspective, and I want you, my readers, to feel better about your health!
I believe all of you may be healthier you are than you may give yourself credit for, so I want to share this lens, while also preventing you from opening another interest-free credit card to pay for the Pelaton subscription you recently realized wasn’t included in the one-time purchase.
Let's Face the Facts.
Putting Things into Perspective. Nearly forty percent of U.S. adults suffer from obesity, and one in five children in the U.S are effected by the disease. Whether you’re primarily Vegan, Paleo, Keto or are simply telling yourself that you’re not eating carbs until February, kindly remind yourself that whatever your diet differences are, it’s not meat or bread specifically that is causing an obesity crisis in our country. It is chemically altered, processed food that is killing people far sooner than the average life expectancy. So, next time you tell yourself you shouldn’t have had another dinner roll, be thankful it’s most-likely made with whole-wheat, and enjoyed with grass-fed butter.
What’s Dictating Your Diet? Nutrition is the least advanced science, and it is most-likely true that algorithms delivering your feed are dictating your diet. Scientists say it would take 30 years with 10,000 people under randomized controlled diets to perform the perfect nutrition study. Even then, they wouldn’t know the answer to everything.
Carbohydrates are an Essential Macronutrient. Your brain uses 30% of the carbohydrates you need on a daily basis. High fat, moderate protein diets are very effective and necessary for anyone who is insulin resistant, but don’t forget there are THREE macronutrients for a reason. Your thoughts and beliefs effect the health of you body, so when remembering how good fats are good and how proteins are the building blocks of your cells, it's important to also recall how carbs feed your mind! Helping the Happiness of Others. Are you a manager, mom or devoted partner? It is my guess most of you spend at least a fraction of your day helping someone else aside from yourself. #selfcare is an imperative element to a healthy life, and elevating those around you is just as important. Those who frequently help improve others level of happiness have a decreased risk of depression and improved mood, bettering the way they think, feel and interact with others, and therefore - with themself!