Take a moment to think about one of the special moments that brought you joy this summer. Were you able to be fully in the moment, or did worrisome thoughts pop into your mind? Researcher and author Brene Brown calls it “foreboding joy” when heavy thoughts crowd our joy.
While you would think special times would bring pure happiness, Brown explains that it can also lead to negative thoughts. She says that you may experience a sense of dread that something bad will happen to interrupt the goodness.
It is a way to protect yourself from hurting so much if a tragedy strikes. It happens subconsciously, so we do not understand why we feel uneasy at a time when we think we should feel joy.
Let’s look at the issue of foreboding joy so we can embrace the happy times more fully.
A Tender Emotion
Joy is a vulnerable emotion. It opens your heart and makes you realize what is precious to you. This knowledge reminds you of what you have to lose. Fear of tragedy may flood your thoughts and you may think of the worst-case scenario. Brown calls this “rehearsing tragedy.”
She explains that we do this to dull the joy we feel so that it will prevent how much a tragedy would hurt. The subconscious thought is that you won’t feel pain as intensely if you don't feel joy. However, this “emotional armor” does not prevent pain, it just robs you of joy.
What to Do
According to Brown, practicing gratitude is a great alternative to bracing yourself for disaster. So, when you feel something beautiful, lean into it. Think about how grateful you are to know the person or have the experience.
Brown says that “there is no joy without gratitude.” Her research taught her about the importance of establishing a gratitude practice. She expected to find that joy led to gratitude, but discovered it was the other way around.
Developing a Gratitude Practice
A practice of gratitude is developing habits that help you focus on things you are thankful for. You get more benefit from focusing on small things you are really thankful for than from pretending you are grateful for larger things you feel you should be thankful for.
- Meditate on things you are grateful for each morning for 5 minutes.
- Help someone who doesn’t have the advantages you do.
- Find something to look forward to each week.
- Think about someone who has influenced your life and write them a letter.
- Pray to express thankfulness for the good things in your life.
- Choose one word that makes you feel gratitude (hope, life, family, friends, health, etc.). Write the word down and think about it throughout the day.
- Listen to a song you enjoy and take time to appreciate it.
- Practice mindful eating to appreciate the gift of food.
- Create a gratitude journal.
- For more ideas check out 40 Simple Ways To Practice Gratitude.
If you start to feel like you are doing your gratitude practice to check it off your to-do list, it may be time to switch up your gratitude practice.
We know things will not stay the same; what we enjoy may not last forever. However, there’s no need to feel the loss ahead of time. Embrace the moment and risk feeling joy.
Dr. Jamie
*Photo credit: Becci Hethcoat Photography
Every cell in your body contains proteins composed of amino acids used to repair all the tissues in your body. According to Alena Kharlamenko, a registered dietitian, protein helps “build muscles, produce new cells, regulate hormones and enzymes, heal wounds, and promote immune function.”
Protein is considered the most important macronutrient in building muscle. This can elevate your metabolic rate. It also helps you feel full longer, so it is great for those wanting to lose weight. However, the body does not store protein; it depends on your diet to provide adequate amounts.
Let’s look at the healthiest ways to get this protein.
Animal Protein
Meat is a great source of protein if you buy quality meat. You can determine its quality by considering how the animal was raised. Find out what it ate and how it moved. These things impact your health; it is not just in the animals' best interest to be grass-fed or free-range.
Mother Earth News compared eggs from free-range chickens with those produced commercially. Free-range eggs had:
- 2/3x more Vitamin A
- 2x more Omega-3
- 3x more Vitamin E
- 7x more Beta Carotene
In addition, grass-fed beef contains higher levels of vitamins, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory Omega 3 fatty acids than conventional beef.
What about Plant Proteins?
Plants contain many necessary nutrients, however, they are not considered a complete protein. They lack one or more of the essential amino acids. While you can get the nutrients you need without eating meat, it takes care to get everything you need.
Unfortunately, plants contain compounds like oxalates and phytates which hamper your body's ability to absorb key minerals like zinc, magnesium, calcium, copper, and iron. Vitamins in plants often come in less active and bioavailable forms than meat. Anyone who thinks plant proteins are superior or equal to those from animals may want to consider the following example.
To get the same amount of protein in 4 oz. of steak (181 calories) from rice and beans, you need to eat 12 ounces of kidney beans and one cup of rice! That would give you 638 calories with 122 grams of carbs.
As I mentioned above, getting the nutrition you need can be done with a plant-based diet, however, you must be intentional about getting the nutrients your body needs. Here are some plant-based options for protein.
- Whole, organic, non-GMO soy products such as tofu. (Please do NOT rely on products containing soy protein isolates or concentrates that are found in soy burgers, meatless chicken, and protein bars.)
- Nuts & seeds
- Beans & lentils (if your body tolerates them well.)
- Quinoa, rice, and other grains
- Some plant-based protein shakes may be useful, but check the ingredient list carefully!
This Vegetarian and Vegan Guide was created by Mark Hyman, M.D. It is a great resource for vegans and vegetarians trying to eat healthy.
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Good hydration dramatically impacts your health, energy, performance, and emotional well-being. It seems like it should be easy to drink eight glasses of water a day, but many of us struggle to meet the goal.
Life gets busy, and the water bottle on the desk is forgotten. Only 22 percent of adults in the US get the recommended amount of water. So, what if I told you there was an easier way to stay hydrated than drinking eight glasses of water?
In their book Quench, authors Cohen and Bria describe a “newly identified phase of water that’s not quite liquid, vapor, or ice. (It is) identified by an extra hydrogen and oxygen atom, so the molecular structure is H3O2.” They call this substance gel water, and it is found in nature so there are no special products to buy.
Let's look at why hydration is so important and consider if gel water could allow us to work smarter instead of harder.
Health Impact
Few things as simple as hydration have such a profound impact on your health. Without water you starve every cell in your body, preventing them from working at their best. It is important for digestion, energy levels, blood volume, skin, and mind. Dr. Hyman explains, “Water is so essential for our brains that a loss of just 1-2% can significantly impact our cognitive function, making it harder to focus, concentrate, make decisions, or even connect with others.” Proper hydration impacts the following areas.
- Immune system - hydration boosts your immune system and can help prevent infections.
- Nutrients to cells - water helps deliver these vitamins and minerals throughout your body.
- Kidney & liver function - staying hydrated is vital in eliminating waste from your cells. This is crucial for the health of your kidneys and liver.
- Weight regulation - water boosts metabolism, increases satiation, and raises sympathetic nervous system activity.
- Brain function - adequate hydration increases sleep quality, improves mood and sharpens attention, memory, cognition, and ability to concentrate.
- Joints & skin - having enough water in your system keeps joints lubricated and skin supple.
- Negative symptoms - staying hydrated can help prevent headaches, irregular periods, and constipation. It helps regulate acid levels in the bloodstream and lowers your risk of anemia and heart attacks.
Gel Water
Gina Bria, an anthropologist studying how desert cultures survived with very little water, found out that her mother was suffering from chronic dehydration. Bria knew the Tarahumara people of Mexico used chia seeds to aid in hydration, so she instructed her mother's caregiver to add ground chia seeds to her mom’s morning orange juice. It did the trick and her mother stopped struggling with hydration.
Gel water is found in fruits, vegetables, & seeds (like chia seeds). Dr. Stacy Sims, a nutrition scientist at the University of Waikato in New Zealand and author of Roar, explains that plain water has a lower concentration of particles like glucose and sodium. As a result, it does not stay in our bodies as long as gel water, so it is not as effective for hydration. While ancient cultures didn’t know the chemistry behind this type of hydration, they used gel water to sustain themselves when water was scarce.
Hydration Tips
Small habits can make a huge difference in your hydration. Pick one to try today, then build on it over time.
- Start your day with gel water by adding citrus fruit to your water (lemon, lime, grapefruit, etc.).
- Eat lots of fruits and vegetables that are full of gel water, contain electrolytes, and are high in fiber which helps the body absorb gel water.
- Drink and cook with bone broth. It is full of both collagen and gel water.
- Mix a teaspoon of crushed chia seeds to smoothies and other drinks.
- Cook with coconut and ghee. Both are full of gel water and electrolytes.
- Add 1/16 teaspoon of table salt to every eight ounces of regular water. This slows its absorption allowing it to stay in your body longer.
We can all use more energy and focus to get through the day. Prioritizing hydration will help your body and mind function more effectively. With these new tricks, you can get a handle on your body's hydration.
Dr. Jamie
Getting ready for school can be exciting, but it can also be overwhelming. Buying school supplies, planning breakfasts, and packing lunches are a lot of work.
There can also be strong emotions during the transition. Parents might not be excited about the structure and routine school requires. Kids may be anxious, making them more irritable or sensitive than usual.
While parents can’t take all the stress out of the transition, they can help ease it when they have a plan. If they can keep their stress under control, the kids will feel it. A parent’s calm demeanor can set the tone in the home.
If you have a child heading back to school, check out these ideas to help you start the year strong.
School supplies
My kids love picking out their folders and binders at the store. However, at times, it can be stressful. School supply lists have gotten long and stores can be crowded. If going to the store doesn’t sound fun, consider shopping online.
Target's School List Assist makes online shopping simple. Follow this link, put your zip code in the box, choose your child's school/grade, and a list of needed supplies will appear in your cart. You can switch things out, so your kids can still choose their styles.
Backpack
Make the straps on your child’s backpack snug so that it doesn’t create an unnatural forward posture which puts a heavier load on the neck and shoulders. Encourage them to use both straps so the body doesn’t shift to compensate.
The weight of a full backpack should be less than 10-15% of the body weight of the person carrying it, so don’t overfill it. Putting the heaviest items closest to their body will adjust the center of gravity closer to their back; this makes the backpack feel lighter. If your child starts to complain about pain, bring their backpack with them to their next visit. We can work together to find a solution.
Breakfast
Here are some great recipes to make in advance.
Another option is to grab any protein, healthy fat, and non-starchy vegetables. It makes a complete nutritious meal. Be creative, and remember that breakfast doesn’t have to look like breakfast; leftovers work just fine!
Lunch
Typical lunches have high sugar and carbohydrate levels (i.e. bread, crackers, chips, cookies, pop, juice boxes, candy, etc.). They cause a blood sugar spike followed by a sudden blood sugar crash that leaves them feeling rotten.
Instead, choose a quality protein and fat. This will help maintain energy and focus all day. Here are some ideas…
- Sliced avocado wrapped in nitrate-free lunch meat
- Breadless sandwiches
- Guacamole and veggies
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Homemade soup
- Chicken, tuna, or egg salad (made with avocado oil mayo)
- Salad (with homemade ranch dressing)
- Leftovers
Sides could include a handful of nuts, apple and nut butter, unsweetened dried fruit, Lara bars, homemade muffins, quality cheese, full-fat yogurt, unsweetened applesauce, Paleovalley beef sticks, smoked salmon, homemade fruit snacks, or coconut bombs.
Routines
New routines take time to establish. A good morning routine starts the night before, so allow enough time in the evening to prepare for the next day. This is tricky because you also want to get the kids to bed on time without the harsh words stress can bring.
Different things will work for different families. Maybe your kids can pack their lunch or you could make it while dinner cooks. Perhaps your family would benefit from having an area where backpacks and shoes are always kept.
Even with the best of planning, giving yourself plenty of time in the morning is important. It will take some stress out of your morning routine and set your kids up for a great day of learning.
Give your kids, and yourself, lots of grace during this transition. And, remember, it is tough for most of us!
Dr. Jamie