There are three connections that I hope you cultivate in your life. Each of them clearly impacts your mental health, but you may be surprised to learn that they impact your physical health as well.
Connecting with others, connecting with yourself, and connecting with nature will increase your enjoyment of life. Once you see how they make you feel, you may choose to commit to them throughout your life.
It doesn’t have to take a lot of time, but it will take some intention. Encouraging the people you love most to commit to making these connections will help all of you reap the benefits.
Connecting with Others
There are many things people know they must do if they want to be healthy: eat well, get adequate movement, refrain from smoking, and limit alcohol. But now we can add “enjoying social connections” to our list of healthy habits!
Author and researcher Brene Brown defines connection “as the energy that exists between people when they feel seen, heard, and valued; when they can give and receive without judgment; and when they derive sustenance and strength from the relationship.”
The American Association for the Advancement of Science published a study that found “a lack of social connection is a greater detriment to health than obesity, smoking, and high blood pressure.” It is linked to obesity levels, inflammation, and hypertension. But positive connections improve your immune system and lead to a 50% increased chance of longevity.
Ways to increase your chance for good connections...
- Make time for important people in your life.
- Invite friends to hang out with you on your patio.
- Go for a walk with a loved one.
- Show your affection through physical touch.
- Make room for laughter.
- Call a family member.
- Text an old friend.
- Go to the pool with someone fun.
- Do a favorite activity together (bowling, shopping, golfing, an escape room, etc.)
- Join a book club or sports team (pickleball, softball, volleyball, etc.)
- Be intentional about connecting around the dinner table a few times a week.
- Hang out in the evening with those you live with.
- Put your cell phone away when you are connecting with others in person. (Research has found that the presence of a cell phone interferes with connection.)
Connecting with Yourself
It is extremely powerful to connect with yourself. Part of this is slowing down enough to notice what is going on internally.
When you slow down, you may feel happiness, peace, excitement, or other more difficult emotions. It is important to accept these emotions without judgment or an attempt to change them.
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Do you ever find something on social media that you just have to share? It might be a funny meme, sentimental story, or information that reminds you of someone specific.
Well, a couple of months ago I discovered “Functional Patterns” on Instagram and was immediately intrigued. The leaders of this movement believed many of the same things I do about sleep, nutrition, nature, sun exposure, etc.
As I looked into their perspective on movement, I knew I had to learn more. Everything they said made so much sense. I couldn't stop looking at before and after videos of pictures of different people on their page. I signed up for their 10-week online program and began to work with a trainer. I have already begun to see changes in the way my body feels and moves.
Sharing this program on social media just isn’t enough. I want all of my contacts to hear about it. Let me share a little about it today and encourage you to check it out for yourself.
What is Functional Patterns?
The framework of Functional Patterns was established by Naudi Aguilar in 2009. It is based on the premise that every living animal evolved to have specific patterns of movement.
Fish use their muscles in a side-to-side manner as they glide through the water. A bird's wings move up and down to soar through the air. Each species has very different movement patterns that evolution has given them.
As humans, our main movement patterns are standing, walking, running, and throwing. These motions are at the core of how we move as humans and are crucial for our survival. Through functional pattern exercises our body learns to do these basic movements properly.
How is it Different?
Functional Patterns focuses on the body working as a system. It realizes that strengthening specific muscles outside of full movement exercises can lead to imbalances in the body which can cause harm. It uses human's main movement patterns because if you learn how to execute them it will impact every movement you do.
It begins with myofascial release, causing your body to hydrate the muscles and lose excess tension. Next full-body movements begin to strengthen and stretch muscles in a balanced way. You will quickly begin to notice less pain, more agility, better posture, and a leaner physique.
For me, when I go to a training session with my trainer Tyler, it is not only a physical workout but a mental workout. I am slowly learning to reprogram the way my body moves- my bad movement habits if you will, in order to form better habits that will eventually decompress and balance my spine, rib cage, and frame.
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In summer, a solid breakfast is important to set you up for a good day! It can give you more energy, stabilize your blood sugar, and even help you lose weight. This is especially true if you make sure to include adequate protein.
However, in the chaos of the morning, breakfast can seem like a luxury. You may grab a coffee and a piece of toast before rushing into your day. But what if there was a way to get a nutritious breakfast quickly?
With just a bit of work, you can make breakfast for the whole week. Or you can opt for a more simple recipe and make it on the go. Either way, your body will thank you for taking care of it and giving it what it needs to thrive.
Check out these make-ahead or quick-to-make recipes. For those who cook in the morning, consider prepping the ingredients the night before. (I've given you a quick peek at the ingredients below; click on the link for the complete recipe.)
Bacon, sweet potato, onion, apple, spinach, cinnamon, salt & pepper.
Ham, shredded cheese, eggs, salt, & pepper.
Eggs, chorizo, onion, red pepper, garlic, carrots, zucchini, spices, & salt.
Avocados, eggs, salt, & pepper (toppings of choice such as feta and green onions, or salsa and fresh cilantro, etc.)
Eggs, coconut oil, plantains, garlic cloves, onion, green pepper, jalapeno diced, cilantro, beef or sausage, vinegar, green olives, raisins, tomato sauce, coconut milk, spices, & salt.
You can also create your own recipes. Here are guides for making your own skillets or casseroles. If you use one of these recipes, let me know what you think!
Dr. Jamie
P.S. Learn about the Benefits of A High Protein Breakfast here.
Summer’s here and the kids are (almost) out of school. You may be planning time for outdoor adventures, parks, picnics, and the pool. Many people try to get away over the summer for at least a couple of days and hope to come home feeling refreshed.
While summer can be the highlight of a kid's year, it can be challenging for parents. Kids can get restless and begin to whine about being bored. In spite of the sunshine, you may start to count down the days until school begins again.
There are some ways we can let go as parents to set our kids up for a great summer. It may feel counterintuitive, but there’s value in giving our kids more unstructured time where we don’t feel the need to entertain them.
Let’s look at this to see how it might look for your family.
Include Time for Unstructured Play
Many of us spent nearly our entire summer outside playing with friends in the neighborhood. We were responsible for our own fun for hours and hours. But over the course of the last two decades, kids in the US have lost 9-12 hours of free play each week.
Often, parents wanting the very best for their children sign them up for tons of activities. While some structured activities can be great for kids, there are many benefits of independent free play. Through it, kids have the opportunity to…
- negotiate and cooperate with others.
- explore their own interests.
- develop creativity.
- explore personal interests.
- practice independence and decision-making.
- move their body in a more functional way.
Part of the magic of summer happens when we give the kids time to play without direction from adults. There is so much they learn through self-directed play that they would not learn otherwise.
Pursuing Interests and Passions
The summer is a great time for kids to explore their passions through classes, but just giving them time with the proper tools is extremely valuable too.
When children have time to explore their passions on their own they are able to…
- pursue individual interests and passions at a deeper level.
- immerse themselves in the aspects of the hobby that they are most interested in.
- move at their own pace.
- seek to understand the subject on their own, rather than being told what to think.
Try to guide them through any problem or frustration that occurs rather than solving it for them. Show them that you are confident that they can handle most things with a little bit of guidance and encouragement.
Use Screens Wisely
Children often have a way to wear their caregivers down even when limits to screen time are put in place. While there are some benefits to limited screen time, a majority of their time is best used engaging in other activities.
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I try to convince all of my patients to eat mostly "real food." Nutrient-dense unprocessed foods like vegetables, fruits, meats, and fish will help you feel your best.
This week, a patient told me that her biggest obstacle to eating real food was that her husband kept bringing home unhealthy food and snacks. When she asked him if he'd change his shopping habits he said, “Can't you just have better willpower?”
Having the willpower to not eat processed foods is INCREDIBLY HARD if not impossible. As humans, we are designed for survival. In the past, eating lots of high-calorie food actually helped our ancestors survive.
Let’s explore this design and how it influences our willpower today.
Our Ancestors
Food used to be scarce. When our hunter/gatherer ancestors were around, it was difficult to find or kill enough calories at times. When they did, they ate! They were not going to let food go to waste. If they had access to fresh honey or ripe berries, I'm sure that they had their fill.
They didn’t need any “willpower” because it was in their best interest to eat as much as they could. After all, it could be a while before they had access to food again. Unfortunately, this survival instinct hasn’t changed, but our environment has.
Today
For many of us, food is no longer scarce. Fatty, sweet, salty, decadent snacks abound. Most of the time these snacks are highly processed and not healthy. Nowadays we even have food scientists specifically working to make these foods addicting.
And yet, we BEAT OURSELVES UP for not having the willpower to avoid these snacks. We ask ourselves, "What's wrong with me that I can't avoid sweets, chips, or soda?"
Absolutely nothing is wrong with you. Generation after generation, you were wired to WANT to eat calorie-dense food when it was available. It was crucial for your survival.
Can you imagine if our ancestors had access to the snacks we have today? They would eat all the snacks too! As humans, we are wired to do just that.
Making a Plan
Once we understand this survival drive, we can stop beating ourselves up and make a plan that will better set us up for success. Here are some things to try as you strive to make healthy decisions.
- Think about what foods you WANT to eat to feel your best. These are the foods to keep in your house and other environments that you spend time in. Your willpower will only last so long, so make the foods you don't want to put in your body harder to access by leaving them at the store. (Note: Make this plan when you are not hungry, sad, mad, tired, etc.)
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