Category / General Health & Well Being

by tessbrennan

8 Tips to Keep the Turkey off your Hips!

Thanksgiving is a week away.  Many will spend hours in the car traveling to or between family gatherings, only to arrive at their destination and have mounds of food placed in front of them.

What is one to do? Working diligently to maintain healthy choices, avoid junk foods, and keep moving on a regular basis could be all for not after this one day??? NOT!  RELAX…

Our health and well being is the culmination of what we do on a daily, weekly, monthly, and annual basis.  Its really about the choices we make every day, so each day we make good choices, contributes to better health.  This is 1 day, (or maybe a week depending on how much you actually cook) and not the whole year.

So, with that, and all the Holiday parties to follow in the next month and a half… Here are some tips to keep that turkey off your hips!

  • If you are on vacation, this is the perfect time to practice that routine you would like to institute when you go back.  Take the time to walk or do a few squats between commercials.
  • Eat a healthy snack before you go, so you aren’t ravished and ready to eat a whole cow (or garden for our vegetarian friends) when you arrive.
  • Drink a BIG glass of water 20 minutes before you eat. (or 10 minutes or 5 minutes or right before you eat… just drink it!)
  • TAKE. YOUR. TIME. eating.  Allow your body to register what is in the belly and to tell you when it is full.
  • Remember the difference between “I don’t” (preferred) vs. “I can’t.” (to be avoided at all costs)  The difference between these two phrases can be success or failure!
  • Moderation is key – you can have a sliver of pie, just not the WHOLE pie.  Smile Pick a small piece of the desert that “completes” the meal for you.
  • Don’t forget the veggies.  At least half of your plate should be veggies. (NOT just green bean casserole – fresh veggies, whole veggies, even plain veggies)
  • Opt for whole foods you recognize as the source and just try a taste of things you know are refined, if you must.
  • BONUS: At half-time take everyone outside to play a game of pick-up football, a family 5K, or just wrestle with the young-ins… movement is what it is about!

Tis the season to remember all the things we are thankful for.  (I like to do this on a daily basis, but its nice to have a reminder day for it…)

Here are a few photos of our past Holiday gatherings. Smile

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First 3 photos are of the 5,000 meals campaign at Lamb of God church.  We delivered meals for the church to people out in the Buckingham area who needed meals to help celebrate the holiday.  Then my daughter and I work on a holiday treat for our friends who hosted us for Thanksgiving, the Ballo’s.  

 

by tessbrennan

Help the Philippine’s–Use Leverage to give more! Don’t get Taken

The tragic news of this Typhoon just keeps getting worse.  I want to reach out to all those people and hug them and tell them it will be okay and do something to help make it all okay!

When I look at helping a cause, I am very skeptical because I don’t want to give $100 to a cause, only to find out that $50 of it is going to something other than helping that person.  I am very picky about where I spend my philanthropic dollars. I strongly dislike donation scams!

I get REALLY ticked off when I find out that millions of people are “texting $10” to a cause, only to find out up to 50% of that donation can go to the carrier service – meaning you only gave half as much.

In some cases, up to 50% of a donation would go to the mobile service provider ~Wickipedia

Many of you know I support Susan G. Komen. I have seen their help first hand. This group assisted my mother in getting the services and treatments needed 12 years ago, so she is still here today to see and play with her grandbaby!

Becky & CLBMom&Dad

I also support Rotary International Foundation.  100% of the Money given to this organization GOES. TO. CHARITY.  ALL OF IT.  The foundation runs itself through interest and all the money comes back to help others.  I have proposed that my Rotary club, Rotary of Bonita Springs Noon, sponsor some Shelter Boxes to goto the people of the Philippine’s. We will be holding a HUGE fund raiser this weekend. The monies raised will go for all kinds of local philanthropies, food pantries, and some of it will go to send temporary housing and supplies to those effected by this tragedy. 

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Finally, I am so excited.  The company that I partner with and trust with my family and friends has a non-profit as well!  Shaklee Cares.

For the next 3 days every donation or purchase of a Shaklee Cares Package for the Philippine’s will be MATCHED DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR.  200% of what you give will go DIRECTLY to those in need!

This really excites me!  You can visit the website: http://shakleecares.org/  or you can contact me and order a nutrition package for someone in the Philippines!

Shaklee Cares Phillipines

Give back, but give smart!  Make the dollars helping others, stretch!

by tessbrennan

Try this NOT that… Why I am so picky

I am a health and wellness coach. I am a Certified, Master Life Coach.  I use many tools to assist others in reaching their healthy goals and attain improved quality of life.

The tools I use are many:

As a coach, I am frequently approached by others representing direct sales companies.  I am always excited to hear about others success in this industry as it provides them a means to make the income they need, make their own hours, and a way to save money on their products as well.  Besides, I offer products from a Direct Sales Company as well.

My problem shows its ugly head when I begin to read the labels on these products. when I see the ingredients used and sold to my friends and clients, from others, knowing the damage these products can do either in the short run or the long run.  I have protein mixes that we use on a daily basis, however, others try to sway me. Protein smoothie

1.  One “healthy shake” company touts weight loss and healthy options for meal replacements, yet when I read the label is FULL of artificial colors, flavors, and sweeteners. (All things I recommend my clients avoid.) When I asked my friend about this, her reply was,

Yes, they do contain those artificial ingredients, but it’s okay because they “WANT” to use the natural stuff”   Sad smile

2.  Another “shake” company claims that their shakes are meant to get you ready for the beach, however, it used to state, RIGHT ON THEIR LABEL, that you could test positive for drugs or doping if you used it.  Here is the actual verbage: 

 "Ecdysterone is a naturally occurring photo-chemical compound that could be erroneously detected and flagged in synthetic steroid screening tests. That unfortunate reality caused the NFL and WADA to add ecdysterone to the list of banned substances in 2010. Athletes and anyone subject to banned substances testing should consult with their physician and athletic organization."

Also: this report: the state of CA has warned XXX BRAND that the Chocolate Shake has unacceptable levels of Lead.”

I prefer to use products from a company that thoroughly tests it’s products and ALL of its ingredients to prevent anything like this from happening, rather than using it anyway and just slapping a warning on the product.  If it could be harmful, or illegal THEY WON’T USE IT!

3.  New to the scene is a new skin care product that claims to show drastic changes in wrinkles and aging.  I have a line of skin care that I use and trust to be safe for myself as well as if my child ever got into it.  Upon researching this “new product” I found startling information about it’s main ingredient.

Although used in many different landscape situations, all parts of the oleander plant contain the glycoside oleandrin, which makes the plant one of the most poisonous in the world. All parts of the plant are toxic. It should not be used where children play or in places where it may be ingested by pets.

Symptoms of oleander poisoning may include nausea, vomiting and severe abdominal pain. There may also be an increased heart rate, or the heart may even slow down. In some cases, victims may report a yellow halo effect in their vision. Severe poisoning can lead to cardiac arrest, and individuals should seek immediate emergency care if ingestion occurs ~Wise Geek

Of course we don’t ingest this, but 90 seconds after we rub something on our skin, it enters our blood stream.  Also, little ones tend to eat anything they get their hands on or at least play in it and roll around in it…  (and… everything goes in the mouths of our tiny ones)

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4,  I have a friend who offers food products and “answers” for those in a hurry to make meals, but when I read the labels and ingredients, I determined it wasn’t for us.

It’s not that I don’t want to support my friends in their endeavors, its just that I am VERY picky about what I feed and surround my family with/in.  I want the products I spend my dollars on to support our health and not cause additional stresses on our bodies.  I want the same for my clients.

So, my answer isn’t that you cannot use these other products, my answer is, you need to determine for yourself and your family what you will accept and use and what artificial products are okay.  In our household, nothing artificial is okay. (Unless it’s my hubby’s Mt. Dew – I have no say in that issue.)  Smile

If you would like more information on products that always work, are always green, and that are ALWAYS SAFE. Contact me, I’m happy to talk with you!

by tessbrennan

Training for a pain free 60-mile (Event Nutrition)

My event is ten days away and I am so excited to begin packing.  The pool table has been repurposed to my staging area, my nutrition order has arrived, and I am chomping at the bit to get it all ready.

RIBBONSSteinauers

This blog will cover exactly what I will pack and how I will pack it to keep me going strong, rebuild the muscles as I go and provide my body with its nutritional needs throughout and after the 60-miles.

Healthy Knees2012 WALK HealthyGreaseMonkey.com

This blog IS product heavy, it is what I use and TRUST for myself, my family, friends and clients.

Yes, I am picky.  Recently, there has been so much in the news about tainted and scary stuff out there.  (I will post some additional links at the end of this blog that show more of why I am so picky.)

I choose products from a company I have personally vetted. When my health is at stake, I am picky about what I choose and use.  With that being said… ON WITH THE SHOW.

All three days will have the same products used in the same order and for the same reasons…  Although after I finish on day 3, there will most likely be an extra recovery drink beyond what I have had the previous days.

When walking 20 miles a day, for 3 days, CALORIES ARE NO OBJECT! Well, actually, they are a HUGE object and it is important to consume enough to keep your body going – on the same note, those calories should be PACKED WITH NUTRITION to allow the body to recover quicker and easier.

Breakfast

  • 1 Shaklee 180 Vanilla smoothee with an extra serving of Instant Soy Protein 
  • Orange juice
  • Whole banana
  • Scrambled eggs (Day 2 & 3 provided by the 3-day)
  • Hash browns (Day 2 & 3 provided by the 3-day)
  • Any fruit or veggies offered – I will consume.
  • 2 Energy Chews  (these give me B vitamins and energy)

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Snacks

  • Throughout the day, at pit stops I will pick up whatever whole fruits are available to munch on.
  • I carry Apple Fiber Bars (cause it’s no fun to be backed up when walking a long distance)
  • Water, Water, Water, and Performance rehydration (I’ll go through 4-6 servings of Perfomance per day)
  • Shaklee 180 Protein Snack Bars (I’ll usually eat one before lunch and another after lunch)

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Lunch

  • Stretch, stretch, stretch, put on dry socks!
  • 1 Shaklee 180 Meal Bar (packed with protein, fiber and vitamins & minerals)
  • The turkey & cheese off of the sandwich they provide. (I don’t do the bread, it is too refined and hinders my body’s ability to repair itself.)
  • Any whole fruits or veggies offered
  • 2 more Energy Chews
  • NO SODAS! (The high sugar content, as well as from the breads hinders the body’s immune system and I work very hard to keep it built up during this event)

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Return to camp

  • Physique smoothee, preferrably mixed with OJ and an extra shot of Energizing Soy Protein.
  • 2 VitalMag & 2 OmegaGuard
  • Fresh Fruit

Now, stretch, stretch, drink water, shower, and stretch!

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Dinner

  • At dinner I will usually have a second Physique smoothee as it is made to repair damaged muscle tissue and restore nutrients to my body.
  • I will eat whatever they have with protein (I peel all the skin off if it is fried chicken and ask for minimal noodles if it is spaghetti.
  • I will then take a handful of supplements to prevent inflammation & swelling, and to help my muscles keep from cramping.

Before Bed

  • Stretch, stretch, drink water, stretch, pee
  • Sleep tight knowing you are doing something big to make a difference.

HealthyGreaseMonkey 3-Day Nourishment

Links to information on the products I choose to use and represent:

http://athletes.shaklee.com/us/en/

http://landmarkstudy.com

http://physicians.shaklee.com

Links I promised about tainted nutritional products:

by tessbrennan

Zucchini Crust Pizza

This is a deep dish style pizza that I make for my family.  With the recent realization that gluten free is an issue, the zucchini crust is a big plus!  This allows us to have the pizza we miss while eating healthier choices!

ZucchiniCrustPizza by HealthyGreaseMonkey.com

Ingredients:

  • 3-4 shredded zucchini
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 Tbsp Shredded Parmesan cheese (I prefer Parmesan Regganio)
  • 3 oz. shredded mozzerella cheese (I’ve also used shredded mexican blend, cheddar, colby jack, or whatever I have laying around in my cheese drawer.)
  • 1/2 tsp oregano
  • 1/2 tsp basil
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 1 lb ground beef (can also use ground chicken or turkey)
  • 1 finely chopped onion
  • 2 oz uncured Canadian Bacon (gluten free) pre-cooked & chopped
  • 2 cups of spaghetti sauce
  • 1 bell pepper, chopped
  • handful of fresh baby bella mushrooms sliced
  • whatever other veggies you like on your pizza
  • 4-8 oz of shredded cheese of your liking (or what you have on hand)

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees
    • Let zucchini drain in a strainer for 30 minutes or squeeze zucchini in a clean dishtowel or paper towel to remove some of the moisture
    • Mix first 7 ingredients (zucchini-3 oz cheese) in a bowl.
    • Grease an 8×11.5 inch, glass, baking dish
    • Press mixture firmly into bottom of dish so it is equally thick throughout.
    • Bake for 30 minutes at 400 degrees
  • While crust is baking
    • Brown ground beef with the onion, garlic, & pepper
    • Chop the Canadian bacon into bite size pieces
    • Add Canadian bacon & spaghetti sauce to pan and allow to simmer for about 10 minutes.
  • Remove crust from oven
    • Pour on the sauce, evenly across crust
    • Add mushrooms or other pizza toppings
    • Sprinkle with the remaining cheese, to your liking.
  • Return to the oven to bake for 30 minutes at 400 or until it is heated throughout.  Cheese should be belted and browned to perfection.
  • Remove from the oven and allow to stand for 5 minutes before slicing and serving. 
  • A pizza cutter and spatula work GREAT for serving

We have used pepperoni in the past, but now need to locate a corn free/gluten free option so lil bit can eat too!

by tessbrennan

Nehemiah–An Example of Prayer, Commitment & Action

As the beginning of the Temple Maintenance class draws near, I continue to pray and listen and write out my class outlines.  I have compiled information, questions, statistics, and resources for my students.

The one thing, that every student needs, I cannot provide. This one thing must come from each and every student, from within.  Commitment must come from the individual.

It is one thing to pray for healing when you are sick or tired or just run down.  When we add to that the prayer, the willingness to make a change, to make a different choice to assist in facilitating that improvement.Choosetosoar-net_man_on_cliff

There is a story of a man who is dangling precariously from a cliff who prays to God to have Him save the man.  A scout passes by and offers to help the man up, but the man says, “No, God is going to save me.”  Another passes by and reaches down for him but the man replies, “No, God is going to save me.”  After a third offers and is again sent away the man plummets to his death.  Upon reaching the pearly gates he asks God, “why did you not save me?”  God replies, “I sent 3 people to help you but you wouldn’t reach out your hand”

We have to be willing to reach out and take some action. God put us on this planet to work, not sit around and let him just do everything for us.  He gave us FREE WILL.  We must take the Will to survive, be better, and work toward a better outcome.

My thoughts have again been pulled to Nehemiah as I’ve thought about the role of commitment and action in our daily lives as it has to do with our Human Temple.

My thoughts on Nehemiah as compared to working on ones individual health.

If we purchase a home in disrepair, we work to rebuild it, make it safe, make it strong, make it OUR home.  But the work doesn’t stop once the home is repaired…we must continue to maintain the house.  Clean it to keep out insects and varmints, reroof on occasion to keep rain from entering our home and molding and making us sick, repainting to maintain the integrity of our structure. 

If we don’t maintain our home with the right tools and supplies, it begins to crumble and fall down around us.

Our health is the same way.  If we don’t care for our body and provide it with the proper nutritious supplies.  If we fill it with garbage, sickness and disease can begin to move in and we have no defense.  If God has healed your of a disease or sickness, how long can your body continue to fend off the return of that disease if you don’t feed it and care for it correctly.

My goal is to provide you with tools and resources to rebuild and maintain your Temple… But first, you must bring the ladder of commitment and the hammer of action to get to work and make it happen!

God Bless, and make it a GREAT day!

by tessbrennan

Globesity and Nehemiah..

For those of you awaiting the completion of the 3-day, 60-mile series, it is coming… I am awaiting a shipment of things for my photos for the blog.

RebuildingHealth

Today, 1 in 3 adults is overweight or obese. 1 in 4 is ineligible to join our armed forces or to apply for Public Service positions. This means we have fewer people available for these services, potentially very good candidates, except for their weight. (Weight of the Nation Series – HBO)

Heart disease, Cancer, Stroke, Diabetes, and other degenerative diseases are on the rise and the percentages of people being affected are increasing too. We are in the middle of a perfect storm of health crisis for our country and our world with this horrible Globesity issue. It seems as if it has spiraled out of control and there is no way to correct it. In an ancient, well known, text there is a story of a man who took on a monumental task of rebuilding a protective wall around a city.

There was a LOT of work to do, many of the citizens in the area had no idea how to repair a wall, yet they banded together, worked together, prayed together and replace the ENTIRE wall around the city in a mere 52 days.

The Globesity issue isn’t just about being overweight, it is about the disease and discomfort that accompanies it. This isn’t about being sexy or beautiful, because WHO you are makes you beautiful, its about being healthy and enjoying life and not suffering with disease, and reducing your susceptibility to those diseases.  Here are a few thoughts I jotted down over the weekend, while on a retreat.

Text of my monologue is below.

For more information on the class, Temple Maintenance, Wellness based on Biblical Principles, or for a personal consultation, contact me.

Text:

We hear a lot about the globesity issue, of the decline of the health of America as a whole. It seems like a monumental task: almost as if the sanctified city of health and wellness has been broken down. There is a monumental task ahead of us to rebuild our nations’ health. To begin reducing the numbers of those being attacked by degenerative diseases, we need help, big help, but the task isn’t as monumental as we may think… if we count on Him for assistance.

I would like to parallel this with the story of Nehemiah.

Nehemiah was one man, with a vision of the revitalization of Jerusalem. Just as Nehemia used many to rebuild the City of Jerusalem—we need many tribes to rebuild the health of our country and world.

The system you choose to use (tribe you work with) isn’t as important as completing the work, one brick and choice at a time, one gate at a time, one step at a time.

If we each do our personal part to improve our personal section of the wall, our own health, we become a wonderful example for those around us, it becomes contagious and doesn’t seem as daunting a task. It doesn’t seem as impossible to attain when we see others we know doing it and succeeding. Others begin to realize that, they too, can have success and join a different pool of statistics. (We are all a statistic – just a different group).

The globesity epidemic isn’t something that one person can change. This epidemic is domething that needs cooperation from one house to another to the next until the walls of good health and quality of life are rebuilt stronger than before, and our children will then understand the importance of maintaining this wall of health.

The recurring theme throughout Nehemiah is that each person in Nehemiah rebuilt a section of the wall adjacent to their home. THEIR HOME. ~Be the change you want to see.

In Nehemiah 4 we see opposition to rebuilding the wall. VS 2B “Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble-burned as they are?”

I hear: Will they restore their health? Will they trust in His Sacrifice? Can they restore their health in one day? Can they regain health when they’ve spent years and decades tearing it down and failing before?

Not everyone in Nehemiah was as “excited” about rebuilding the wall, but they did their part.

(MY PARAPHRASING BELOW)

NEH6:12-14 (paraphrase)

“Wherever we turn there are easy choices to attack us and cause us to fail. 13 Therefore we station people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places, posting them as families to support each other and build each other up. 14 Don’t be afraid of those tempations. Remember the Lord, who is great and Awesome, and FIGHT for your families, your sons, and your daughters, your wives and homes.

We are fighting a war against obesity and pour health. The Air Force tells its airmen that Wars are won by 2 strategies, Hope and Belief. This is true in Spiritual Warfare AND Nutritional Warfare.

We build communities, tribes and families to support each other and build each other up, to celebrate even the smallest of victories together and to support each other in the difficult times.  Together, we can fend off those who try to destroy our health.

(Think marketing, cheap “food”, fast “food”, and other products that tear down our health as opposed to building it up.)

~Tess

 

by tessbrennan

Training for a pain free 60-mile (Training Nutrition)

A couple of days ago, I wrote about “not poisoning yourself” when training for and participating in the 3-day, 60-mile event.  This post is a bit of an extension to that.

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If you have a high performance car, you don’t want to feed it crap gas, or you will get crap performance.  Our bodies are the same. Knowing and understanding this fact, should makes fueling our bodies for long distance training walks or the actual event a bit easier.

When I was in high school, I was very active in sports. The swim team would have “carb load” dinners the night before a meet. The purpose of this was to bulk up on the carbs to give our bodies the fuel they needed to kick the other teams booty in the meet, then next day.

While in theory, this was a great idea, the execution wasn’t always the best option.  We would bulk up on highly refined carbs (spaghetti) that, I now know, would bog down our bodies, and be burned off before our meet.  My nutritional choices these days are much different. 

A 10-12 mile training walk at a 3.5-4.25 mph rate will burn right around 1,000 calories.  That’s a ton!  Its important that we feed our body the right fuel for the job.  Here is an example of how I fuel my personal engine before a training walk.

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During the Week

All week long, I focus on high fiber, whole foods with quality proteins, plant based carbs, and natural fats.  (Nothing artificial – I did eat a couple of gourmet chocolates today.) Here are some of my favorites.

Fresh Produce Healthy Grease Monkey

Morning of my Training Walk

Wake up at 6 AM. All gear was prepared the night before.  Water bladder with 1.5 liters of water & water bottle with Performance are in the fridge waiting to be placed in the camelbak.

I then mix up a Protein smoothee or I grab a meal-in-a-bar, I quickly swallow my morning supplements, eat my 2 Energy Chews & head out the door.

My phone is set to track my walk, provide my sound track, and the game is on. 

As I walk along I sip on water regularly and occasionally take a swig from the Perfomance bottle.

After about an hour of walking, I will stretch some, including my shoulders and arms.  Then, at about 2 hour mark, I will grab a snack bar.  I usually carry 1 of two kinds… Protein Snack Bar or Fiber bars or both.  (Nothing worse than being bound up and bloated while walking a long distance.)

If I am out at the 4 hour mark, I usually grab another snack or meal bar too keep the calories and blood sugar pumping at a steady rate.  I know that personally, I need to refill my 1.5 liters of water at about mile 8 or 9.  (Be SURE you plan to have a pit stop/refill station on your route.)

So I am eating about every 2 hours.

When I return home, the FIRST thing is to STRETCH out.  THEN, as soon as I can, I get my recovery Physique Smoothee mixed and drink it down. Then I shower, put on loose fitting clothes and make breakfast for my family, standing at the stove. Smile  (yes, that’s really how it happens)

Training Nutrition

Sometimes I need a little extra

For those times when I am finished walking and my muscles tighten up more than I expect, or my feet or hips hurt, that tells me I am experiencing some inflammation.  I, personally, combat this with supplements that make all the difference in the world.

  • Omegas– for the inflammation A full days dose all at once
  • Alfalfa – also for inflammation
  • VitalMag – magnesium for cramping muscles (I’ll take a double dose here b/c I know I am deficient if I am cramping)
  • Calcium Magnesium – Again, if I am cramping, I am deficient so I take at least 1000 mg
  • Tons of filtered water.  Keep the fluids pumping
  • I may also do a second Physique 2 hours after my first

After my supplement cocktail, I notice, about 20 minutes later, that the tightness, the stiffness, and any pain subsides.  I also, have a massage therapist who works with me directly to assist me in my training and a chiropractor who keeps me in line. Smile

My personal, bottom line

I don’t discuss other products, that I am not knowledgeable about.  I have found a brand I trust that has NONE of the artificial things, NONE of the doping things (thus many of my friends, who are Olympians, also use them) The products are all low glycemic, gluten free – for those who need it, and only contain nutrition boosting ingredients.

My article here is about what I use, what I have found success with and what has allowed me to enjoy 60-mile walks mostly pain free as opposed to the 60-mile walks before my friend introduced me to them (8 years prior – younger) Smile

I hope this helps you. If you would like any additional information, or would like to join me on a training walk, please contact me.

Have a GREAT Holiday weekend and…. HaPPY WALKING!

Samsung phone 180

by tessbrennan

Training for a pain free 60-mile (Don’t poison yourself)

I know this sounds silly to say, “Don’t poison yourself” but it is easier to do than you think, in many ways.  I’ve been known to pollute my self on occasion.  Not so much, these days, but in my younger years I was all about them. The less stress our bodies have to undergo, the quicker our bodies can recover.

The Susan G. Komen 3-day is all about finding a cure for breast cancer. It is an excellent organization that has helped my family members out during treatment and diagnosis. The whole purpose is for fewer people to die of Breast Cancer.  There is another way we can assist them in this endeavor, AND it can help us prepare our bodies for a mostly pain free 60-mile walk as well.

Ingestion

  • The initial one is easy, lay off the booze, beer, and wine. This one takes us back to the hydration issue as well as slowing down our recovery process.
  • Refined, empty carbohydrates – STAY AWAY… these are sugars, finely ground and bleached flours, boxes of ready made meals, junk food, donuts, and my hubby’s favorite Noodles Ramen. (which he doesn’t get).
    • These tempting apples of the modern day world are horrible for the training body, any body really. They cause spikes in blood sugar then more importantly severe and rapid drops in energy and GRUMPIES!
    • Opt instead for whole foods.  It really doesn’t take much, if any, longer to prepare foods from scratch, just a bit of practice – they taste better and are better for you.  Herbs and spices are your friends, MSG, BPA, and empty carbs are NOT.  There are some recipes on this blog too.
  • Avoid MSG, BPA, and other initials.  If you can’t read it, DON’T BUY IT and certainly DON’T EAT IT. Smile 

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Slather it on

  • The average woman uses 9-11 personal body care products per day.  The average man 7.  If each of those products is under the threshold of toxins… say .9 if 1 is too much… we multiply that by how many products you are using (7x.9=6.3 times) you end up seeing that those toxins being absorbed by your skin are 6.3 times greater than the “safe” threshold.
  • 90 seconds after you slather it on, whatever it is, it has entered your blood stream. (Don’t believe me, mash some garlic and rub it on the sole of your feet.  Time yourself to see how long it is before you can taste the garlic.)
  • There are better option available. Avoid products with pthalates, parabens, Initials, and words you can’t pronounce.  Find a trusted source for your body care products.  Would you use just ANY product on your classic, one of a kind car?  Why would you use it on your personal body?
  • Many salons now offer organic hair care solutions, I choose to use the Prosante’ line of products.
  • Skin care involves soaps, scrubs, moisturizers, creams, repair products, etc.  Again, I recommend you find a company that does extensive research, and SAFETY testing.  I’ve been using the Enfuselle line for years and people frequently guess me as 10 years younger than my actual age. There are others out there, I have just been happy with the results and haven’t looked elsewhere.
  • Lotions.  It puts the lotion on the skin… Again… look for those without fragrance (pthalates=bad juju).  I can provide ideas if you would like here too. Smile

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Breathe it in

  • Some 80,000+ chemicals have been introduced into our homes through excellent marketing campaigns. Less than 1% have been tested to see what the results of exposing them to our selves, or especially our pregnant women or children.  The body needs time to recover from the poisoning each time we are exposed.
  • We don’t NEED to use toxic poisons to clean our homes, our cars, our toilets. I haven’t used toxic cleaners in 7+ years and our medical bills have dropped dramatically.  No need to recover if we don’t get sick. Smile
  • Fabric softeners are terrible for our bodies, our respiratory system, and our recovery process.  Try an organic option or none at all.  Did you know that fabric softeners, even though they make your towels fluffy soft, they actually reduce absorption.  hmmm
  • Vinegar and baking soda is an option, Coke and Pepsi are an options for the toilet – you need to use them up from the fridge anyway and they can’t dehydrate you if you don’t drink them.
  • I choose to use a highly concentrated, organic line of cleaning products that save me tons of cash and I don’t have asthma anymore and I’m not stressing my body so it can recover from the other stresses that much easier.

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The Bottom Line

  • Each additional stress we put on our body weakens our body.
  • When we compound the stresses of toxins, bad eating decisions, booze, smoking, training for a big event, everyday life, work and family – the body can only do so much at a time.
  • Eliminate the stressors I have control over and my body will have less to overcome.
  • Finally, perhaps, we can cut back on the cases of diagnosis so fewer people need the cures, through healthy lifestyle choices.

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If you would like any additional information, sources for my information or more options for healthy options, contact me.

Happy Walking.

 

 

by tessbrennan

Training for a pain free 60-mile (hydration)

This is probably one of the biggest issues in a 3-day.  The volunteers at the event do a VERY good job of being sure we are pushed to hydrate, hydrate, hydrate, PEE! 

However, when we are training on our own, or before we get to the event, it can be very easy to “forget” how much WATER we have consumed. 

I emphasize WATER because sodas, coffee, teas (I’m not referring to caffeine free herbal teas here), and booze are counter productive in this instance. 

I train in SW Florida year round.  August is one of my bigger training months and it is also one of the hottest, so hydration becomes very important.  I must make sure that I am not setting myself up for failure in the days leading up to a big training walk. 

I, personally, strive to drink at least 75 ounces of water a day, on non-training day.  This keeps things “moving” throughout my body and prevents dehydration and other things.  I also pay close attention to my body while I am walking for any signs that I may need extra hydration.

Signs my body gives me to tell me I am moving toward dehydration:

  • Sausage Fingers – my fingers swell and my wedding band looks tight
  • Tight or Cramping muscles – this is the sign that I need to stretch A LOT, and something more than water is needed to get me back on track
  • Thirsty – once you feel thirsty, you have already begun the dehydration cycle
  • Light headed, dizzy (more so than normal Smile ) – time to sit down and cool off and drink, drink, drink

WATER

I carry 1.5 liters of water with me when training.  I know that should get me 6-8 miles into my walk and that I will need a refill at that point.  I plan my training walks to give me that option, specifically.

On a daily basis I carry my 16 ounce Tervis tumbler and fill it about 4 times per day with hydrating drinks. (water, fruit infused water, herbal teas)  I also know that if I choose to drink coffee, I will need to add more water to my daily total.

I stay away from “bottled” water.  The tap is more strictly regulated and enforced, there is less BPA and other plastic leachates in it, and I don’t have to pay to have it shipped anywhere.  I do use a filtration pitcher at home to give me more peace of mind and to pull out additional toxins.  Choose a brand you trust.

NOT WATER

I don’t mean the clear liquid that comes in the gallon jug and burns on the way down. I avoid drinks of that nature.  I AM talking about REHYDRATION – electrolyte replacement beverages.

I don’t personally drink, or recommend, the mainstream beverages on the market.  If you ask my 6 yr old, the rule is, “if it come’s in blue, we don’t drink it.” 

Here’s what I look for in a replacement beverage:

  • No artificial colors
  • No artificial flavors OR sweeteners
  • No caffeine
  • Evidence based science

I have a friend’s blog that explains what to look for in an electrolyte replacement beverage, she is much more knowledgeable than I am, I just know it works for me.  My choice of mix is Performance, it is rated as one of the top options on this blog as well. 

My next blog will be, “Don’t Poison Yourself”  hmmm…

For more information, follow me here, or contact me.  Until then, Happy walking!