Daylight Savings Time – Friend or Foe?

by Frances on March 14, 2017

Daylight Savings Time is one of the signs winter is almost over. What does that have to do with health and wellness you may ask.

Life flows smoothly through the seasons and we see gradual changes in the environment and our bodies along the way. However, twice a year we have abrupt man-made schedule shifts to Daylight Savings Time in the Spring and back to Standard Time in the Fall.

I do not know many people who enjoy either of those abrupt changes. Generally each one is followed by a week of grogginess as we adjust to the new normal.

A recent study has determined there is a significant increase in strokes occurring in the to days following the start of Daylight Savings Time.

Even without that official study our bodies have been telling us these abrupt schedule shifts are not a good thing.

Any time you want to make a major change it is much more effective to break it into smaller steps and gradually move in a new direction.

Ideally we should gradually adjust our sleeping patterns in the days leading up to the change but generally we scramble to adjust after.

Here are a few simple tips too ease the adjustment a bit and help Daylight Savings Time be more of a friend:

Give yourself and those around you an extra dose of patience as you ease into the new schedule.

Work some extra rest time into your day. Your body resets itself as you rest so don’t fight it.

Make sure to stay well-hydrated through the day. Water helps all the systems in your body run smoothly. A bit of extra water can help relieve stress as your body adjusts.

Eat a balanced diet through the day to keep your energy level consistent. Providing the proper fuel helps you body function at it’s best.

Engage in your favorite exercise to boost your energy. This exercise will get your blood flowing which will carry more oxygen through your system and clear your brain.

Spend some time outdoors, breathing the fresh air and getting some sunlight. Sunlight helps your body produce Vitamin D and a healthy dose of fresh air can perk up your energy level.

As we reach the middle of March it can sometimes feel like winter will never end. Hopefully the tips above will help you enjoy the last few weeks of winter and welcome spring feeling recharged and ready for new growth.

Share your tips for adjusting to Daylight Saving Time on Facebook.

 

 

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Balanced Nutrition is a Journey Not a Destination

by Frances on February 27, 2017

We hear the term “Balanced Nutrition” a lot.

What does this term actually mean?

Balanced nutrition refers to giving your body the right amount and variety of nutrients it needs to do what it needs to do.

Over your lifetime your body changes – you physically grow, hormone balances change, muscle composition changes, and many other things change. As your body changes the nutrients and fuel it needs changes too.

So balanced nutrition changes with you. It is better defined as a journey, not a destination.

This makes it feel that much more challenging to achieve. However, all is not lost.

There are some general guidelines you can follow to stay on track as you strike that balance.

As a goal for the day your diet should include 30 % lean protein, 40 % complex carbohydrates, and 30 percent healthy fats. Let’s break that down a bit more.

Lean proteins may include poultry, fish, lean pork or beef, lentils, eggs or yogurt. Limiting red meat is generally a wise choice.

Complex carbohydrates include beans, wild rice, green vegetables, sweet potatoes, quinoa, or fruit.

We eat a lot of frozen vegetables because they keep through the week. In the summer we spice things up with fresh veggies from the garden.

Healthy fats include polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. Some sources of healthy fats are avacados, eggs, olive oil, coconut oil, fish, almond butter, macadamia nuts, walnuts, and sunflower, pumpkin and flax seeds.

One way to visualize a balanced dinner is to fill half a plate with a variety of vegetables, a quarter of the plate with wild rice and a quarter of the plate with fish.

Balanced nutrition does take a bit of planning – eating the same thing all the time will not lead to balance.

For our family the variety happens in the evening meal. Breakfast and lunch tend to be the same most days to keep our busy schedule running smoothly.

I plan our meals for the week and do grocery shopping on the weekend. Again, this works best in our schedule since we have a full plate of activities through the week.

As you transition into a healthier routine you need to look at your family schedule and decide the timing that works the best for you.

Come over to my Facebook page and share your challenges or tricks for staying track with your journey to balanced nutrition.

 

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Heart Health is a Lifestyle Choice…

February 20, 2017

One way to bring attention to things we take for granted, like heart health, is making them a point of focus.   Because we don’t see or feel our heart working we tend to take the health of our heart for granted so February is designated Heart Health month. February is an interesting choice for a focus […]

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Changing Direction on the Fly…

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Setting goals and laying out a path to reach them can be liberating. Having a sense of knowing where you are going is a comforting feeling. But what happens when you realize you are going the wrong direction? At that point it is time to tweak your plan or modify your path. This is where […]

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As the old year winds down we start looking forward and setting fresh goals for the new one. However, before you can set new goals you need to know where you are starting. Take a look back at where you were in January. What were your goals and where are you now? Look at details and […]

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Is Walking Really Exercise?

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Anyone who knows me will tell you that walking is my favorite form of exercise. You might ask why walking and not running? Wouldn’t running be a faster way of working off calories and staying fit? Let me explain why. I have never been a fan of running – even as a child. Walking gives […]

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Are Your 2016 Goals Working For You or Against You?

February 5, 2016

Goals can be a mixed bag. Well-defined goals can help propel you forward while fuzzy or conflicting goals can hold you back. As the second month of the year begins it is good to pause and see how you are doing with the goals you set at the beginning of the year. New habits are setting in – […]

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What Is Your Ideal Workout Time?

September 13, 2013

What is your favorite time to workout? Is there an ideal time? There seem to be as many different perspectives on this question as there are people. Let’s look at a few. Some people feel first thing in the morning is the ideal time to work out. It is a way to jump start your […]

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Why Do We Make Healthy Choices – or Why Not?

August 12, 2013

Everyone who spends much time around children has faced the question “Why?” on a frequent basis. Some days it feels like my son is on his way to becoming a master attorney as he asks a string of why and why not questions. This can be very frustrating for an adult that is trying to […]

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How Does A Healthy Lifestyle Weather A Storm?

July 1, 2013

Wow – it is July 1st. We are halfway through the year and it seems to be flying by. The halfway point is a good time to step back and see how we are doing on our goals for the year. Are we on track or have we slipped a little? If we have stumbled […]

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