Blog - Page 5 of 8

The Meditative Act of Journaling in Three Simple Steps

Posted on July 9, 2020November 25, 2023 by Alison Jones

We’ve all heard that journaling can be a powerful way to gain clarity and connect more deeply with our inner selves. A simple Google search will highlight the many benefits of journaling. I consider it an incredibly powerful meditative act. Yet few of us take the time to sit down and journal on a regular basis.

I think our resistance to journaling exists for one simple reason: it seems like such an optional activity that we don’t think we have time for. A “nice for some people but not really necessary for me” type of activity. And with all the busyness in our lives, who needs another task – especially something so “fluffy” – to add to our “to do” list?

I’m here to suggest that journaling may actually be one of the most important things you do in your day – every day. Before I dive into my three simple tips for starting a journal, let me briefly highlight just a smattering of the benefits of journaling. Journaling helps:

increase clarity and vision
reduce stress and anxiety
sharpen memory
promote creativity
boost mood and confidence
focus on the present
foster a spirit of gratitude
work through confusion or hurt
expand our awareness
strengthen our understanding of our core values
improve immune function (!)
process traumatic events
learn via actively engaging with ideas
improve decision-making and critical thinking
recall pleasant memories
increase self-efficacy and productivity

And the list goes on.

Keep reading!

Oatmeal – Your Weight Loss AND Health Friend

Posted on July 5, 2020November 25, 2023 by Alison Jones

Did you know that simply eating breakfast can raise your metabolism by 10 percent? Oatmeal is one of the most powerful breakfast foods of them all. If you’re looking to lose weight and establish healthier eating habits, make sure to embrace oatmeal as part of your diet.

Oatmeal is the perfect meal to start your day because it boosts your energy and has plenty of fiber to keep you full and satisfied. Oatmeal breaks down slowly in the stomach, giving you long-lasting energy. It’s also full of water-soluble fibers, which play a crucial role in making you feel full over a longer period of time. Studies have also shown that oatmeal reduces cholesterol, maintains blood sugar levels, and fights against heart disease, diabetes, colon cancer, and obesity.

If you want to add some powerful antioxidants (and deliciousness) to your oatmeal, simply throw on some blueberries or raspberries. These tasty fruits are packed with antioxidants that fight against heart disease, cancer, and a multitude of other ailments. Blueberries rate among the highest in antioxidants out of over 40 fruits and vegetables. (If you are making overnight oats, just toss these on when you are ready to eat.) With a powerhouse combination of oats and berries, what more could you ask for from the first meal of your day?

However, oatmeal doesn’t have to be for breakfast only. You could use it a couple hours before you exercise to energize your workout. You could even include oats in your smoothies. Oats are also a wonderful addition to muffins, and even as a covering for chicken breasts. And it’s super easy to make up a batch of homemade granola using rolled oats, 100% maple syrup, nuts, and seeds.

When buying oatmeal, be sure to read the labels. Many of the pre-packaged varieties are loaded with added sugar, so stick to the unsweetened, unflavored varieties. To spice your oatmeal up a little, top with bananas, berries, milk, nuts, seeds, cinnamon, or raw honey.

If you’re looking for oatmeal with a little more texture than rolled oats, try the steel cut variety, which is my favorite. Although some instant varieties of steel cut are now available, steel cut oats generally take longer to cook. But they are well worth the wait due to their chewier texture and heartier flavor. Once you try steel cut, you may never go back to rolled.

If you’re having trouble with late night binges, have a bowl of oatmeal instead. This will help squash your cravings and provide you with good nutrition over junk food and empty calories.

I suggest alternating your morning meals between oatmeal one day and eggs with a lean protein the next day. Mixing it up like this helps put your fat burning into overdrive.

Whatever you do, be sure to sow (or just eat) your oats!

Why You May Need Vitamin B12 Supplementation (Regardless of Your Diet!)

Posted on June 28, 2020November 25, 2023 by Alison Jones

Vitamin B12 is the only component of the essential B-complex vitamins that cannot be sufficiently obtained via plants. Because of this, most vegetarians take a Vitamin B12 supplement. However, B12 supplementation may also be important for meat eaters. Modern-day meat production practices and declining soil quality have stripped most animal products of the bulk of the B12 nutrient that naturally comes from bacteria. And a B12 deficiency can lead to weakness, fatigue, digestive issues, nerve problems, cognitive impairment, and even vision loss.

Studies also indicate that the absorption of food sources of Vitamin B12 decreases as we age. Therefore, an increased intake of vitamin B12 is recommended for adults above fifty, regardless of dietary practices.

Vitamin B12 is important for maintaining a healthy nervous system and DNA production. It helps regulate the formation of red blood cells in the body and plays an important role in maintaining and increasing energy levels. Vitamin B12 also helps curb atherosclerosis and, in conjunction with folic acid, helps counter heart disease and thrombosis. B12 supplementation also supports cognitive function and heals neurological impairment in older individuals.

Vitamin B12 comes in several forms but is generally recommended in its methylcobalamin form, which requires no metabolic steps for its ingestion. It’s available as a sublingual tablet that dissolves under the tongue so that the digestive system doesn’t have the chance to modify the molecule. Taken this way, vitamin B12 directly penetrates the bloodstream and gets right to work. I take the Jarrow B12 tablet, available online or in vitamin shops.

An extra dose of B12 causes no harm and could even be stored for future use. So take your vitamin B12 – one tablet per day – and make sure your B-complex bases are covered!

Three Time Management Mind Hacks You Can Use Today

Posted on June 18, 2020November 25, 2023 by Alison Jones

Do you wish you had more time? Most of us do. Time is one of life’s most precious commodities. As a matter of fact, I once heard time referred to as the “currency of life.” Yet so often we treat time as if it were disposable.

One of the reasons time is so precious is that it is ticking away. You have less time on this earth today than you did yesterday. That’s not meant to be morbid. It’s meant to be real.

I’ve done a lot of research on time management and have tried pretty much every time management strategy out there. I’ve even taught a course on the subject. But it’s still a constant challenge that requires me to remain mindful and vigilant every day. With all the distractions in our society, it’s way too easy to lose focus and to find time wasting away. I’m guessing you can relate.

Keep reading!

Hydration 101: The Importance of Water Intake as you Age

Posted on June 11, 2020November 25, 2023 by Alison Jones

We all know that drinking water is essential to our health. As a matter of fact, water is second only to oxygen in its importance to our survival. Your cells are crying out for water to support your body’s essential functions.

The standard recommendation is 64 ounces per day, or approximately half of your body weight in ounces, whichever is greater. This rule of thumb is still a good one, no matter your age, and can be modified as needed based on the climate you live in or any underlying health conditions.

Of course, water is also an important part of weight management and glowing skin. And, no matter our age, we can all get on board with that.

But did you know that it is even more important to monitor your water intake as you age? The older we get, the less efficient our bodies become at storing water. On top of this, our body’s dehydration signals tend to weaken as we age, so we may not feel thirsty until we are already dehydrated.

Keep reading!