My Attempts to Make Nutrition Simpler

 

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Nutrition should be Simple. Of course, this is seldom the case. Not knowing what to eat or worse, being scared to eat food, can be a serious problem. Nutrition is about balance NOT imbalance. When someone asks me about anything nutrition related I do everything I can to give very simple advice. Everyone’s in a different place. It’s important to start where you’re at. You may have a health, fitness or cosmetic goal. It may be all three. It’s very important to identify what it is you want and need. Personally, learning to understand the difference between Whole Food and Processed Food is a great place to start. Remember that “Food” is not only limited to what we eat but also anything we drink. We all know what Junk Food is but it doesn’t hurt to refresh. Learn to read Food Labels, not just count calories. Have a working knowledge of all 3 major Macro-Nutrients: Protein, Fat and Carbs. Understand that certain food is more like Medicine and some food is more like Poison. All Diets work because they require paying closer attention to what we consume. Any Diet will fail if we stop doing it. There is no perfect Diet for everyone. We each must find our own way live. Sleep, Stress Reduction and Exercise are important concepts that help with everything when applied appropriately. Don’t be scared to take a small step in a healthier direction. Work on educating yourself. Work to improve one main area at a time. In fact, with regards to Diet, try improving only one meal at a time (ex: breakfast, lunch or dinner). It’s ok if it’s not always perfect. No one is ever perfect all the time. Here’s a short list of my preferred references. 1) Dr Greger’s Daily Dozen list-and phone app 2) Dr Greger’s book, How Not to Die-and NutritionFacts website 3) Michael Pollan’s book, Food Rules 4) Netflix Explained series entitled, “Why Diet’s Fail” 5) Precision Nutrition website. I would highly suggest watching the 14 minute Netflix episode first. It’s a great summary of important information that is often misinterpreted in the media and pop-culture. #bssbbooks #austinpersonaltrainer #austinpersonaltraining #drgregor #drgregordailydozen #michaelpollanfoodrules #whydietsfail #blueskystrongbox

A post shared by Blue Sky Strongbox (@blue_sky_strongbox) on Nov 14, 2019 at 10:15am PST

Dr. Andrew Weil’s 4/7/8 Breathing Method

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Dr Andrew Weil’ 4/7/8 breathing method. Read this. Zoom in. In fact, do a screen grab THEN zoom in on your phone. This page gives the details straight from the source. Use it. I hope it helps. I use it regularly. #bssbbooks #drandrewweil #478breathing #austinpersonaltrainer #austinpersonaltraining #stressmanagement #relaxationtechniques #blueskystrongbox

A post shared by Blue Sky Strongbox (@blue_sky_strongbox) on Sep 30, 2019 at 11:52am PDT

Use the 4/7/8 to win the war against Stress.

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LEARN TO BALANCE OUT STRESS WITH THE 4/7/8 BREATHING METHOD. This is borrowed from Dr. Andrew Weil MD. He recommended this as a way to relax both the mind and the body. If practiced regularly it may do much more. Modern living can be very stressful and busy. Add to that something like regular intense exercise (also a form of stress even though it’s considered good), the body may need focused relaxation to balance out everything. This is where breathing/relaxation techniques can be helpful. The 4/7/8 method is easy. Get into a relaxed position. Place the tip of your tongue against the roof of your mouth, just behind the top front teeth. Keep it there the entire time. Next, inhale 4 seconds through the nose. It’s ok if this is challenged. Do what you can. After the inhale try to hold that breath for 7 seconds. Again, do what you can. Finally, exhale very slowly through pursed lips for 8 seconds. Repeat 4 times total. The main idea is exhale longer than you inhale and to relax while doing it. This is great to do upon waking or to help you relax before sleep. It could be done anytime. I prefer to do it after a workout or if I wake up restless during the night. For you science-minded individuals, this is said to help stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system and quiet down the sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight response). It takes less than 90 seconds. I I think it’s worth trying. I will also post a photo in my very next post from the book I first found this in. #bssbbooks #austinpersonaltrainer #austinpersonaltraining #stressmanagement #drandrewweil #478breathing #blueskystrongbox

A post shared by Blue Sky Strongbox (@blue_sky_strongbox) on Sep 30, 2019 at 11:44am PDT

Nutrition, Start with these: A Dark Leafy Green, Blueberries & Flax Seed (ground up/milled)

 

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Fruits, vegetables and many other “plant” foods are important for overall health. They provide many nutrients not found in other foods. Think of them as earth’s natural medicine. It doesn’t mean that you can’t eat and enjoy other foods. Just remember that for optimal health, fat loss and longevity, plant-food is vital. The typical American diet is stocked full with sugar, salt, protein and fat, often entirely too much to be considered healthy. Too much regular exposure to salt and sugar in food tends to make many fruits and vegetables taste bitter and/or bland. Keep this in mind when trying to add more “plants” to the diet. It may take time for the taste buds to adjust. With that said, make no mistake, we were designed to eat plants. Lastly, this week’s recommendations were: 1)a dark-leafy green 2)blueberries, 3)ground-up flax seed (flax meal). Sure you could eat these on their own but it might be a bit awkward and harsh if they happen to be new to you. Google some different ways to incorporate each of them over time. Experiment. This may even require learning to make new meals that include them. Start with just one at a time. Don’t worry about being perfect. Just aim for consistency. Take care of your body, we only get one. Fruits and vegetables are essential for this. #bssbbooks #austinpersonaltrainer #austinpersonaltraining #fruitsandveggies #nutritionasmedicine #HowNotToDie #darkleafygreens #blueberries #flaxseed @nutrition_facts_org @precisionnutrition #blueskystrongbox

A post shared by Blue Sky Strongbox (@blue_sky_strongbox) on Aug 15, 2019 at 5:29am PDT

Pros and Cons of Testosterone and HGH

http://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/naturally-boost-growth-hormone-testosterone