5 Easy Ways to Have a Healthier Fall

Family having fall picnic

Despite what these sunny Mid South afternoons may tell you, it won’t be long before the temperatures become a lot cooler and the days even shorter.  We may want to stay in bed when it’s still dark, move less when the evenings are chilly, or just curl up with comfort food. That won’t make for a healthier fall season.  But, I’m here to give you 5 ways to feel fabulous through fall and into the winter months – even if you usually feel like hibernating.

It feels like it was just summer with it’s bright mornings, active afternoons, and plentiful veggies – which is why the sudden transition into fall and the cooler months can be a challenge. With the winter coats comes the onslaught of stuffy noses, achy joints, and humidifiers.  Our bodies often feel less than their best as they adapt to a winter routine.

It doesn’t have to be that way. While we can’t completely avoid catching a cold or fighting fall allergies, we can give our body, mood, energy, and immune system a helping hand.  There is so much to do and see in our Collierville and greater Memphis community this time of year, let’s make sure we feel our healthiest to enjoy it.

So here are 5 tips to keep your body moving and feeling your best this fall:

1. Boost Your Immune System

You need to boost your immune system to help prevent those colds and sniffles that come home when the weather changes.  Healthy habits such as frequent hand washing, staying hydrated, and getting extra fruits and vegetables in your diet will keep your family free from germs.  Green tea and prebiotics (together in my favorite drinks HERE) are both great immune boosters if you need some extra help.

2. Get Ready for the Time Change

The switch from waking naturally with the sun, to darker mornings that feel like night, can be a struggle. By going to bed earlier the week before the clocks change, we can make the transition smoother. Put the phone away an hour before bedtime and relax with some warm decaf tea. Natural supplements like the Sleep Strips I use can also support deeper sleep to make throwing the covers off easier in the morning.

3. Buy In-Season Produce

An abundance of tasty fall vegetables makes it easy to reap the benefits of a high fiber diet.  Cabbage, carrots, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, pumpkin, kale, and squash are some of my favorites. With fiber and antioxidants, they support digestion, mood, detoxification and fat loss goals. Add them to the crockpot with broth for an easy stew, or roast then in the oven with your choice of protein for a quick dinner.

4. Walk Outside

The moderate temperatures of autumn are welcome after a sweltering summer.  Let’s enjoy them before we need a hat and gloves.  Who doesn’t love the crisp air and crunchy leaves under their feet in fall?  Get out during lunchtime for sunshine and Vitamin D to boost your mood (we often need this as the days grow shorter) and your concentration will be improved for the rest of your day.

5. Find Ways to be Active Indoors

A lot of us will ‘hibernate’ as it starts to get colder. Especially for those who enjoy trail running or outdoor boot camp classes, indoor  exercise can seem boring. But, no matter the season it’s important to get in some daily movement to lower your stress, tone your muscles, keep your bones strong, and burn some calories. The best way to do this is to prioritize it on your schedule each day. 

AND a Bonus # 6 . . .

Try a 30 day Functional Nutrition Liver Detox.  What does that mean? Follow a systematic program that allows your body to push out stored toxins and clean up from the instead out.  The results is more energy, balanced hormones, better sleep, fat loss, decreased inflammation, and you set the stage to end the year in your healthiest body ever.

Reach out to learn more about this 30 day program or more personalized health coaching on our Peak Wellness ‘Amanda Inspires’ website (and yes you can navigate a detox through the holiday and still enjoy your favorite foods).

We all know it will be even harder to eat well, sleep well, and exercise as we approach the holiday season.  So plan now to keep all those good habits you created during the warmer months to follow you into fall and winter.

You may be thinking . . .” easy for you to say go for a walk and keep active”.

I know that if you have knee, hip, or back pain it may feel even worse as it gets colder making staying active more of a challenge. Are you worried to walk and keep active afraid your pain will get worse?

Our Doctors of Physical Therapy are experts and getting people moving pain free – no matter your age, stage of life, or what an MRI told you.  Request a call from a pain & movement specialist HERE.

Simple Steps Toward Lifelong Brain Health

Brain Health

Just as our physical body changes over time, it’s natural to see changes in our brain as well. Fortunately, it’s also true that we can maintain our cognitive fitness in similar ways that we maintain physical fitness.  At any age, lifestyle choices play a major role in how well we think, feel, learn, react, and remember. Each day, we can take simple steps toward lifelong brain health.

Failing brain health is a public health epidemic. Research shows that 3 out of 5 Americans will develop a brain disease in their lifetime. If we add emotional well being and mental focus to the brain health equation, I’d say we are close to 100% of individuals that will at some point have concern about how efficiently their brain is working.

Right now you may have no concerns and this is where the problem starts – we take our brain for granted.  Now is the time to start implementing strategies to keep it in tip top shape.

Already have concerns? Then these tips can help you as well.  The goal is to achieve your best brain at the stage of life you are in. The result, to have more success in relationships and business, overcome obstacles and be resilient to tough life circumstances, and continue to complete your daily activities independently for as long as the rest of your body will keep up.

Try these suggestions for taking care of your brain starting today.

 

1. Exercise Regularly

Physical activity delivers more oxygen to your brain and helps form new neural connections. Exercise boosts happy hormones as well as helps to relieve physical and emotional effects of stress. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise each week.

2. Eat Healthy Fats

About 60% of the brain is made of fat.  That means fatty acids from foods like fish, nuts, olives, and avocado are needed for optimal functioning.  Specifically omega 3 fats have been shown to decrease cognitive decline, improve focus, and reduce rates of depression.

3. Sleep Well

We all know the feeling of brain fog when we don’t sleep well, but did you know your memory and learning capacity actually grow stronger while you sleep. Go to bed and wake up on a regular schedule and talk with a healthcare provider if you are having trouble getting quality sleep.

4. Address Chronic Conditions

Many physical health issues like obesity, diabetes, autoimmune disease, and high blood pressure can impact your brain.  Schedule regular screenings for these health markers and seek solutions to move back in the right direction when those numbers creep up.

5. Stay Connected

Block out time to spend with family and friends. Social ties help to slow the rate of memory decline and enhance mental and emotional health outcomes. Add some laughter to the situation and the brain boosting effects become even more powerful.

6. Express Creativity

Making art raises serotonin levels, while music enhances brain function. Experiment with different hobbies to find something you enjoy. The good news is that you don’t have to have artistic talent, you will see benefits regardless of your skill level.

7. Relax and Reflect

Relaxation reduces inflammation in the brain and helps it work more efficiently.  Forms of reflection could include prayer, mediation, a walk in nature, deep breathing, yoga, or listening to music.  Find what works best for you and savor the present moment.

8. Change Your Self Talk

Don’t speak to yourself in a way that you wouldn’t speak to a close friend.  Make your inner dialogue compassionate and encouraging. Don’t forget to give yourself credit for the small steps you take toward a better you.

This list might appear overwhelming, but addressing just one area can begin to reduce your risk of cognitive decline. And the investment is definitely worth it – keeping your brain healthy will help you to lead a longer and more rewarding life.

If chronic pain, injuries, or illness are keeping you from being able to any of the above, we have experts to help you overcome these obstacles.  Let’s work together to make summer 2023 YOUR TIME to TAKE BACK the health of your mind & body.  Click HERE to learn more about how we can help, or go directly to our Schedule to Book a Virtual Strategy Session. 

 

10 Tips to Easily Maximize Exercise Recovery

What you do after the gym matters just as much as what you did during your workout. That’s because the post workout recovery period is a time when your body builds lean muscle mass and repairs any damage.

If you shortchange yourself, you could wind up decreasing performance, increasing injury risk, or even gaining body fat. And all these things are counterproductive to the reason you exercise in the first place.

The good news it, you can ensure your workouts deliver the results you want without causing any collateral damage. Add in a few of these suggestions after you exercise to encourage maximum recovery and restoration.

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14 Ways to Be Kind to Your Body this Valentines Day

Woman Hugging Heart Balloon

When you think about your body, do you spend more time focusing on the negative or the positive?

It is easy to complain about the inches we would like to lose, or limitations that came with an injury, or how our body moves slower than it did a few years ago.

Or maybe you are focused on other areas of your life and don’t even notice your physical condition until you get the flu or throw your back out.

With so many responsibilities at home and work, it’s easy to overlook our body’s most basic needs. Despite the distractions, let’s not forget to be grateful for the amazing things our body does for us each day.

Valentines Day seems like the perfect time to show your body some love.

It’s important to take care of your body if you want to be able to rely on it – to be sure its keeps showing up for your for decades to come.

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10 Ways to Deal with Insomnia When You Can’t Get Comfortable

Woman In Bed Looking at Alarm Clock

The occasional episode of insomnia isn’t unusual for the average person. Everyone struggles to fall asleep at times. It can be frustrating to just lie in bed wanting nothing other than to just fall asleep. The longer it takes, the more anxious you become about it.
Unfortunately, those with joint pain, back aches, muscle soreness from a work out, or are recovering from an injury often suffer on a regular basis. Sure, we can all survive a few nights of poor sleep, but it becomes increasingly troublesome when night after night you can’t seem to get comfortable.
It’s not just a night time problem either. Lack of sleep makes everyday life – and our bodies ability to recover from the pain or injury – more challenging. This makes it a problem too important to ignore for long. If aches, pains, or discomfort are keeping you up at night, don’t take the mistaken belief that this is “just a part of life” or worse “a part of getting older”.
You can take an active approach when dealing with insomnia and here are our 10 tips.

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