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These days, it's difficult (for many reasons) to get all the nutrients you need from the foods you eat—and that's even assuming we're eating the right foods. Close to 80% of the U.S. population doesn't get the recommended daily servings of veggies and fruit!

With this in mind, you can see how nutritional deficiencies or inadequacies—levels not low enough to have a clinical deficiency but less than the recommended amount and therefore potentially health-harming—are commonplace.

I share the view of clinicians from the functional medicine community (and others) that most of us need to be taking at least some supplements in order to correct these inadequacies and optimize our lifespan and healthspan. And there is no group of people for whom this is more important than women who are trying to conceive.

Three Main Reasons Why Prenatal Supplements Are So Essential

Prenatal supplements that are high quality and bio-available (able to be absorbed and used by your body) are critical for both maternal and fetal health. Here are three specific reasons why I strongly stand by this statement:

• A sufficient prenatal routine supports fertility and healthy reproduction. According to research, nutrients like zinc, folic acid, Vitamin B12, and omega-3 fatty acids can help you get and stay pregnant. Proper nutrient intake also supports sperm health, so future fathers need to be minding their nutrition and supplement intake, too!
• A sufficient prenatal routine prevents fetal/infant health problems. Consistent evidence shows that taking prenatal vitamins can decrease the risk of congenital anomalies (like neural tube defects and cleft palates) as well as child health problems including leukemia, pediatric brain tumors, and even child obesity. On the flip side, proper prenatal supplementation can optimize your future child's health by supporting fetal development and influencing epigenetic expression. Keep in mind that important developmental processes happen within the first couple weeks after conception—a time when many women don't even know they're pregnant yet! This is why many organizations and doctors advise any woman of child-bearing age to take a prenatal supplement (with their doctor's input, of course), even if she's not actively trying to have children. This will ensure that even an unexpected pregnancy will start off with a deep enough well of nutrients for the fetus to draw from.
• A sufficient prenatal routine prevents you from becoming nutritionally depleted during and after pregnancy. Postnatal depletion—which include symptoms like anxiety, chronic fatigue, insomnia, hair loss, and a heightened startle reflex—makes the already difficult time of new motherhood even harder. By going into your pregnancy with enough nutrients to fully support YOUR health as well as your baby's health, you'll be less likely to struggle with this common condition—something that can lead to autoimmune dysfunction and other consequences in many moms.

P.S. Your body is going through a lot of changes at every stage of pregnancy—including post-pregnancy. The demands placed on your energy systems (not to mention your emotions and patience) is profound, so I recommend chatting with your doctor about how long you should continue taking your supplements even after the little one arrives, especially if you're breastfeeding.

The Top Prenatal Vitamins Recommended by Doctors and Research

So we get that prenatal vitamins are important, yes? Now I'd like to review quickly which ones appear to be the most essential during the important pre-pregnancy, trying to conceive (TTC) time in a woman's life.

Please remember that I am not diagnosing nor treating disease here. I am simply giving information that you can review with your doc. I also urge you to consider that certain individual factors will influence which types of nutrients YOU may need more than others. For instance, do you take any medications (like NSAIDS or antidepressants) which may deplete certain nutrients (like zinc or folate, respectively)? Are you super stressed or dealing with chronic inflammation (which can disrupt gut health and reproductive health)? Do you get enough healthy sun exposure? How much of a healthy overhaul does your diet need? These and other questions can help you identify and prioritize the most essential nutrients for you specifically. My point is there is a lot to consider and this is just what we have found (based off research) to help support this phase of life. 

Top 2 Prenatal Vitamin Brands

1. Optimal Prenatal: this high quality prenatal ensures your baby has everything needed for every stage of development without leaving you nutrient-depleted. Choose capsules, chewables, OR protein powder, with the latter being more nutritionally complete. This prenatal also provides 800 mcg of folate as methylfolate and folinic acid (important for reducing risk of neural tube defects). It's iron-free, so it won't compete with calcium absorption. Need iron during pregnancy (as many women do)? Consider a separate high quality iron supplement, not to be taken at the same time as your prenatal. You can find the optimal prenatal (with my added discount) by clicking here.
2. Designs for Health Prenatal Pro Essential Packets: evidence-based and packed with power! Most women do well with 1-2 packets per day. This prenatal supplement contains sufficient amounts of what the research tells us is helpful for getting pregnant, giving your baby everything it needs when you're pregnant, and even reducing your risk of postnatal depletion. Features include: Vitamin E as mixed tocopherols (better for mamas' hearts compared to the more common alpha tocopherol form), Vitamin B6 to help reduce morning sickness, 100 mcg of choline for fetal brain development, grape seed extract (a potent anti-inflammatory), 200 mg of selenium, and 500 mg of the antioxidant Vitamin C. You can find designs for health pre-natal packets (with my added discount) by clicking here. 

In addition to your main prenatal vitamin, I also here's my recommended list of additional prenatal supplements from the true "shotgun approach" that we suggest to optimally support this phase:

• Liposomal Glutathione: a powerful detoxifier, immune enhancer, and antioxidant that fights oxidative stress. Supplementing it during the pre-conception stage helps ensure that your body quells the harmful effects of stress and inflammation. Stop taking once pregnant and refer to your physician for recommendations during breastfeeding. Linked and discounted for you here. 
• Optimal PC: these healthy phospholipids support heart health, brain health, and muscle recovery. Linked and discounted for you here. 
• ProBiota HistaminX: this probiotic supplement improves the levels of healthy bacteria in your gut so you can stay healthy and able to absorb all the great nutrients from your diet and supplements. Linked and discounted for you here.
• Optimal Fish Oil: a MUST for for pre-pregnancy, pregnancy, and post-pregnancy. This highly concentrated fish oil contains omega-3 fatty acids which support fetal brain development and reduce inflammation in your body. Linked and discounted for you here. 
• Optimal Vitamin D3+K2 Drops: research indicates that Vitamin D3 and Vitamin K2 may support bone health, immune health, circulation, and fetal growth and development. Taking K2 along with D3 helps your body absorb the latter more efficiently. Linked and discounted for you here.
• Optimal Iron Chewable or Optimal Iron with Cofactors: your body needs iron to shuttle oxygen to your tissues (and future developing fetus). Choose one or the other (as recommended by your physician). These should be taken at least 2 hours before or after you take your prenatal, since calcium in you prenatal may compete with iron absorption. Linked and discounted for you here. 

Also, as needed:

• Optimal Electrolyte (berry, orange or unsweetened): Electrolytes support overall energy and vitality by enhancing ATP production (cell fuel). Consider adding if you sweat a lot or are experiencing tons of stress. Linked and discounted for you here. 
• Liposomal Vitamin C Plus: consider adding if you need extra support for your immune system (e.g., cold and flu season, high stress). Linked and discounted for you here. 

About Seeking Health

You guys know: I NEVER do sponsored ads on my socials. I just don't. Not that there's anything wrong with that per se, but as a general rule I find it more in line with my values to only share products, services, and companies with you guys that I personally create rather than ones that have paid me to market for them. You guys also probably know that I am a healthy skeptic and never one to shy away from calling products, services, and companies out for their B.S!

Because of this, I hope you can take it on good faith that Seeking Health—the supplement company I've recently partnered with—is totally legit. Their team is led by a board-certified naturopathic physician, Dr. Ben Lynch, who came highly recommended to me by women's health leaders in my field.

The number one thing I love and appreciate about this company is that the supplements they sell are truly high quality. And when I say that the quality of your prenatal vitamins matter, I can't emphasize this enough:

If your vitamins aren't high quality, your body won't be able to absorb them, which translates to wasted money and potentially harmful nutritional insufficiencies.

Just, no.

Seeking Health also shares one of my highest values—optimizing human health through disease prevention. And they even offer online courses to help their customer base expand their knowledge and gain access to the latest information in nutritional science and more. Very cool!

So how's your prenatal supplement routine? It's never too early to start thinking about what your body and your future baby will need—or to speak with your doc about specific recommendations. In the meantime, I invite you to check out my supplement store to learn more about the awesome packages and products I proudly suggest with Seeking Health to help support health optimally through this phase of life. To see my whole supplement suspensory and all our suggestion packages we have out together you can click here! 

Sources: 

Serrallach, O. (2018). The Postnatal Depletion Cure: A Complete Guide to Rebuilding Your Health and Reclaiming Your Energy for Mothers of Newborns, Toddlers, and Young Children. New York: Goop Press.

https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-choosing-a-prenatal-vitamin/

http://education.seekinghealth.com/how-to-use-prenatal-vitamins-for-the-health-of-your-child

https://americanpregnancy.org/getting-pregnant/preconception-nutrition/

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/fertility-and-diet-is-there-a-connection-2018053113949

Just in case you're new here, lemme back up and just a review of my credentials:  I'm an industry leader in fitness, nutrition, and pre- and postnatal optimization with a M.S. Exercise Science. I've spent the last 15 years helping individuals maximize their health and the health of their family members...current and future!

I have finally took a long wanted leap to help my clients get even better results with their health and on my programs by partnering with a highly respected supplement supplier, Seeking Health.

But first things first, why consider supplements? Because MOST of us are walking around with at least some nutritional insufficiencies or deficiencies. It's just part and parcel with modern life (and modern food practices). If left unaddressed, these deficits limit our potential for optimal health and may exacerbate or increase our risk for health issues.

Why consider supplements? Well because we have come to know:

• How hard it is to find good quality supplements—they're not regulated by the FDA, after all—and,
• How hard it is to sort through the endless shelves of supplements and figure out which ones are best for YOUR needs.

That's why we've done the research. The supplement packages that you will be able to find in my online dispensary were approved and suggested by Seeking Health's President Dr. Ben Lynch. The supplement bundles created will allow users to easily organize a supplement routine and boost nutrition—all with high quality products that we can proudly stand by because I'm aware of exactly what's in them and how they're made (what can we say—I'm nosy like that).

Because you see, you are wasting time, money and results by just grabbing any brand of supplements from any old supplier.  Supplements are not regulated by the FDA so that means that users need to be responsible while both using supplements in your routine (ALWAYS check with your health care provider first) by choosing high quality brands and sourcing them from trusted wholesalers. 

Dr. Ben Lynch (president of Seeking Health) holds a bachelor of science in Cell and Molecular Biology from the University of Washington and a doctorate in naturopathic medicine from Bastyr University, the nation’s leading naturopathic medical school. Seeking Health is an American based company out of Washington and is GMP certified. Most of their supplements use minimal fillers and are of the highest quality. I have personally use and recommend many of this clients and feel confident sourcing hand selected supplement brands from this supplier as they are trusted and considered a top tier supplier- which, not to be overlooked, is a very short list of companies that are on this list. Dr. Ben lunch has also written a book I recommend called, Dirty Genes. 

You can find my online dispensary where you can find hand picked supplements from Dr. Ben Lynch himself for each phase of life for my clients: pre-pregnancy, pregnancy, post pregnancy plus a gut health bundle as well.

These supplement packages are designed with YOU in mind. Just pick your current stage of life or your current health goal and take note of the top supplements which can support you on your journey. 

The link to my online store and these products can be found here: 

 https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/nanderson1559133985

Please keep in mind that I am not a doctor and I don't play one online. While all of the recommendations are based off best-available evidence and have received direct input from a board-certified physician, the information here should not be considered medical advice. Before starting or stopping any supplementation routine (yes—even herbal supplements!), you're advised to chat with your primary care doc.

Gut Health Package

Tonight we will focus on the Gut!  Gut health is constantly challenged by processed food, alcohol, stress, environmental toxins, and other factors. This matters—in a big way. Turns out that the gut health has a strong link to the immune system and even mental well-being!

If you experience chronic fatigue, anxiety, slow wound healing, frequent sugar or alcohol cravings, food allergies, gastrointestinal upset, frequent illness, unexplainable weight fluctations, or delayed post-workout recovery, you may be struggling with poor gut health. These supplement are shown to help restore a healthy and flourishing gut microbiome and may even reduce risk for chronic illnesses by enhancing immune health.

• L-Glutamine: consider this your gut food. This amino acid has been shown to improve gut permeability, improve food absorption, and reduce gastrointestinal symptoms.
• ProBiota HistaminX: probiotics are essential for your digestive health and immune health. This probiotic supplement will improve the levels of healthy bacteria in your gut so you can stay healthy and able to actually absorb all the great nutrients from your diet and supplements.
• Optimal Fish Oil: a MUST have for anyone with gut health dysfunction. This fish oil contains omega-3 fatty acids which reduces inflammation and may alleviate symptoms of leaky gut. Research even shows it can even enhance cognition and minimize anxiety.
• Natural D-Hist, 2 capsules/day for loading phase, 1/capsule day for maintenance: D-Hist is a supplement made up of flavonoids, antioxidants, proteolytic enzymes and botanicals, including quercetin, bromelain, stinging nettles leaf, and N-acetyl cysteine. These powerful nutrients support a balanced immune system, which is closely tied to gut health.
• Kyolic Aged Garlic Extract: Aged garlic extract may promote increased biodiversity in the bacteria living in your gut, which is a major priority for enhancing immune health. This supplement is also a natural anti-inflammatory and antioxidant and may help reduce your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and osteoarthritis.
• Vitamin D3: the "sunshine vitamin" (produced naturally by your body with healthy sun exposure) is jack of all trades and has been shown to enhance and support healthy brain, heart, and bone function. For your gut, Vitamin D3 helps maintain adequate levels of healthy bacteria while also optimizing your metabolism.
• Magnesium citrate: most people don't get enough of this mineral in their diet, which is essential for helping you sleep and providing a powerful antioxidant effect in your body—both of which are critical for proper immune function. Start slowly! This supplement can have a laxative effect if taken to excess.

To select which supplements you would like to use to start improving your health and gut you can head to my dispensary where you can read more about them, order them, talk to customer service about them and if you choose to order, with this link my discount code for you will be automatically applied to your order:  https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/nanderson1559133985

Can't wait to hear what you think and be able to finally be confident in my supplement suggestions!  Xo

You're crushed after a long day. It wouldn't be unusual for you to crave some "crushed" grapes, aka wine, (see what I did there?) as a way to relax and unwind. Is it possible to do this while still following a healthy lifestyle? Is that one little glass before (or after) dinner really all that problematic?

I'm going to dig into some research to help explain my answer to these and other questions, which I get a lot of. And I totally get that for a lot of people, the best and most sustainable way to follow a lifestyle program that gives wiggle room for the occasional indulgences such as alcohol. That's a decision I respect and understand.

How Much is Too Much, Really?

Obviously, drinking too much is clearly bad for your health. Even just one binge (let alone chronic alcohol abuse) can lead to a range of deleterious health effects—and I'll get to just a handful of them in a second.

First, let's be clear here about what an actual "binge" means. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), a "binge" is considered 5 or more drinks within a 2-hour time period for men, and 4 or more drinks within the same amount of time for women. Essentially, whatever amount of alcohol that brings your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) up to 0.08 g/dL is considered a binge-worthy amount (and cringe-worthy, dare I say).

Now here's the kicker: it is VERY easy to binge even without realizing that you are or without feeling like you're "drunk". 

Think about it:

One serving of wine is 5 fluid ounces. That's not very much—and it certainly doesn't feel or look like very much if you drink your wine out of one of those fancy big glasses! And whether at home or in a restaurant, a typical "serving" of alcohol is almost always way more than that.

My point is, when I hear women say "I only have two glasses of wine a day," I have to wonder if that "two" is actually "four" based on the size of the pour—in which case, these women may be binge drinking by default without even realizing it.

But even letting alone "binge" drinking (and even if you don't drink wine), getting in a habit of drinking one or two *true* servings per day may not be in your best interest. Of course you need to consider your stage of life, specific goals, family history, and other factors, too. But based on personal experience and on the research I've done, I generally take the view that anything more than a true "occasional indulgence" is not a benefit to your health...

...and as we'll see, it could be directly or indirectly harmful instead.

5 Ways Alcohol Affects Your Health (Yes, Even Just That "One" Glass of Wine With Dinner)

Now that we've talked about intake, let's get directly to the effects. Getting drunk and hungover are two obvious effects that come with plenty of their own problems, (I think we all have lived that life in undergrad lol) . But let's look at some other ways that alcohol affects you, your health, and your quality of life.

The following list isn't all-inclusive, but I've pulled some of the ones that stick out the most to me personally. Keep in mind that many of these are directly linked with long-term alcohol abuse, but for personal reasons, you may decide (like I have) that even moderate alcohol consumption just isn't worth it to you:

1. Increased risk of dementia and brain tissue loss. The impact of this can be seen in older adults especially, but even people in their middle ages.
2. Worsened mental health and an increased risk for depression—along with an increased risk of impulsivity and poor decision-making that may lead to regrettable choices and situations that beget even more feelings of depression.
3. Increased risk of cancer. This is considered a strong correlation. The more a person drinks and the more consistently they drink over time, the more likely they are to be diagnosed with a variety of cancers, including liver, esophagus, colorectal, and breast. As reported by the NIAAA, one meta-analysis showed that women who drank over 45 grams of alcohol per day (about 3.2 servings—and remember, it is EASY to pour 2+ servings of wine in one glass!) had 1.5 times the risk of developing breast cancer as nondrinkers.
4. Diminished immune system function. One episode of binge drinking can impair your body's defenses and make it harder to fight off infections—even a full 24 hours after getting drunk.
5. Impaired hormone regulation. Because alcohol disrupts the communication between the nervous and endocrine systems, drinking can easily lead to or exacerbate problems such as impaired stress management, reproductive problems, and thyroid issues.

Brief Public Service Announcement: I've talked about this before, but I hope it goes without saying that drinking alcohol while pregnant is not something I recommend. Research shared by sleep expert Dr. Matthew Walker, author of the great new book Why We Sleep, shows that even just one serving of alcohol can affect a developing fetus's neural development and impair its sleep quality within the womb. Interestingly, research also indicates that infants exposed to alcohol in breast milk also suffer sleep disturbances, so it's wise to stay away from the booze even when you're nursing.  I know some of you don't want to hear that, and you don't have to!  YOLO- ya know?! But this is my job and I'm just keeping it honest. So if you're going to do it while breastfeeding, maybe pump and dump. 

I'll also add a bit of anecdote here: I've seen for many of my clients that alcohol consumption, even if it's "moderate" or "occasional," is a HUGE trigger for other negative consequences, such as poor food choices, impaired sleep, and spousal conflict (or in my case you end up pregnant 4 weeks later-ha, but seriously). So just something else to keep in mind. 

But Then Again...

I couldn't talk about alcohol consumption without talking about some of the health benefits that have come up in the literature.

I'll specifically focus on red wine here. Most doctors and researchers agree that if you're going to drink, red wine just about your best option to choose from, mostly because it contains a compound called reservatrol. Plants use it to protect against damaging UV radiation and fight off fungi and bacteria.

Research shows that reservatrol and other compounds in red wine (but not the alcohol itself, importantly) have been associated with the following health benefits in humans:

• Reduced risk cardiovascular disease, largely due to the way it remodels the gut biome
• Increased levels of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids in blood plasma
• Reduced blood pressure and improved blood vessel health (even non-alcoholic wine has been shown to offer this effect)
• Protection against stroke by promoting the proliferation of an enzyme that protect nerve cells
• A potential reduced risk of breast/colon/lung/prostate cancer—BUT the alcohol in wine can easily and often outweigh the cancer-protective benefits of the reservatrol in it

Remember, in virtually all the research cited, health benefits are linked with a moderate consumption of wine. This is defined as up to one serving per day for women and up to two serving per day for men. If you're counting, that's 5 fluid ounces for women and 10 fluid ounces for men.

Know your pours, people! (any past bartenders in the building? just me?!) 

Before you toast up your 5 ounce pour, I do think more research needs to be done to clarify the strength of these claims. And of course, reservatrol is also naturally found in the skin of blueberries, grapes, and cranberries...so you can still get this beneficial compound by eating these instead of drinking wine- sooooooo yea :) 

One important caveat to know about red wine, however, especially red wine from California: this booze tends to be loaded with glyphosate, that infamous carcinogenic compound found in weed killers like RoundUp. This stuff is no joke: a recent 2019 meta-analysis showed that regular exposure to glyphosate can raise your risk of cancer by over 40 percent.

The Bottoms Up Conclusion

I'm not about to tell you not to drink. In fact once in a while you'll catch me enjoying a rare glass of Champagne myself, Moet anyone? If you decide to drink occasionally in moderation, I don't want you to think that this means you're fated to a future of ill health and disease. There certainly is plenty of evidence to say that moderate drinking may even offer some health benefits- and it can be a good time :) 

I DO want us all to realize that alcohol is a drug (I feel like I have to say this). And I believe that it's in our best interest to take the position that every sip of alcohol will affect our bodies in some way and to some degree. If we can remember this, I believe we're far more likely to respect alcohol and use it as responsibly as possible...if we choose to use it at all. Which is 100% your choice! My job is just to inform you, so I promise, no judgement here either way! 

If you do choose to drink, you can at least go for the "least impactful" options, including tequila, whiskey, red wine, and champagne. Clearly, I advise staying far far away from sugary mixers and gluten- and carb-heavy beers. I also advise that you truly pay attention to how much you're actually drinking!

And remember: just because there is some evidence to say that moderate drinking may be good for you, this doesn't mean you are doing your health a disservice by opting for the sober route instead. You don't NEED alcohol to be healthy. Repeat: You DO NOT NEED... ok you get it. 

Lastly, I'll leave you with a challenge:

The next time you pour yourself a glass of wine (assuming there is a next time), measure out exactly 5 ounces. This simple exercise can really help you gain insight into how much alcohol you're consuming on a regular basis. Just a thought :) 

Sources: 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3767933/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2799509/

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/265635.php

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1383574218300887

https://www.naturalhealth365.com/weed-killer-cancer-2894.html

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19330800

https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/yesmaam/pages/680/attachments/original/1458848651/3-24-16_GlyphosateContaminationinWineReport_(1).pdf?1458848651

http://mbio.asm.org/content/7/2/e02210-15

https://www.alcohol.org/effects/

https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/alcohols-effects-body

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/alcohol-good-or-bad

Are you currently trying to conceive? Research shows that the right kind of exercise can improve your chances of getting pregnant, help you have a healthier pregnancy and delivery, and even give birth to a healthier baby.

But what's the "right" exercise?

Working out isn't the end-all-be-all for building a better pregnancy (nutrition, sleep, and stress management are a few other priorities we can think of). But it can and does make a huge impact, especially when you focus on these three areas:

Conditioning Your Cardiovascular System

At Move Your Bump, we see pregnancy as one of the most important life events a woman can go through. Improving your cardiovascular conditioning through intense exercise is your bona fide way of training and preparing for this major life change which affects your body (and brain) in so many surprising ways.

Blood plasma volume increases by as much as 50% during pregnancy.  This through-the-roof rise makes sure your body is prepared to handle the increased demands of pregnancy and can provide sufficient blood, oxygen, and nutrients to the developing fetus. 

With conditioning exercise, you improve your blood pressure and strengthen your heart before baby even comes, which means your heart will be better suited to meet the increased demands placed on it.

Conditioning exercises, especially my high intensity interval training (HIIT) protocols, boosts your heart health and prepares the organ for increased prenatal demands. I have my clients do my cardio protocols and I do them HARD- until they are about 2 months from (trying for) conception.  In that 4 month (or more if we have more time) period, I really like to challenge and build their cardio system and take their cardio fitness to the next level. 

This pays off in TWO folds after they get pregnancy and their blood volume goes through the roof. My clients handle that transition with ease, b/c I have trained them for it.  At 2 months out of trying to conceive I do have them start considering the research on too much intensity while TTC though, and what we need to be aware of, which I go over with them in detail (with research cited) inside my programs in their move your bump portal.  

And let's not forget about other benefits of cardiovascular conditioning, including stress relief and reduced inflammation. Both of these create a healthier in utero environment and can make it easier to get pregnant!

By the way, if you're already a highly fit and healthy woman, don't assume you'll have to give up your beloved exercise routine once you're carrying a baby—even if it's high intensity. More and more studies involving animal and human subjects suggest that high intensity exercise isn't as strongly linked with an increased risk of negative health effects (for mom or baby) as previously believed.^12,13,14 

Conversely, women who are sedentary prior to conception will need to take a more moderate approach to their pregnancy exercise. To be clear, they STILL should be exercising (as always, with their doctor's supervision), because exercise benefits them and the development and long-term health of their children.

In other words, if you've been working out hard before and during your TTC phase, expect to enjoy fewer exercise restrictions once you're pregnant. It is safe and good for you and your plus one! And you haven't been working out, it's still super important to start—just know that the pre-pregnancy and pregnancy phases aren't the right times to start experimenting with a new intense program.

In TTC phase particularly, it's not about over-training or going as hard as possible all the time...but it's not about taking it super easy, either. The trick is to finding the sweet spot and working with someone their knows their shit, if you don't know yours. 

Improve the strength of your posterior chain.

Pregnancy anatomy 101: as your little one grows bigger in your uterus, your center of gravity will start to shift forward, which increases the relative load imposed through your lower back (because physics). In order to ensure you can properly handle this biomechanical strain and minimize the risk of problems like back pain and excessive anterior pelvic tilting, it's critical to maximize the strength of your posterior chain before you conceive. 

The posterior chain includes your deep spinal erectors and your glutes—who knew your quest for booty gains can help you have a healthier pregnancy?! A tip- your average bootcamp class is not helping your cause unless they have TRX bands and pull-up bars, hip thrust machines or set up and heavy deadlifts that you are doing ON THA REG.  I have seen so many peoples bodies become imbalanced over the years bc group training studios DON'T have balanced programs bc of the lack of programming from lack of quality trainers, lack of proper equipment at their studio to make that programming even possible from their trainers, or the overall protocol of the workout does not serve your posterior chain in the way it needs to when you are going into pregnancy (or recovering from in that matter).  I hate to talk shit, and I'm not really trying to, I'm just saying for my client, she needs a really smart program for this and it's V difficult to find in the group fitness world. It's not impossible, but it is rare and honestly getting more rare as time goes on. This is actually why I LIKE crossfit so much. They are the only group training concept that has exploded but still trains smart. And I say that loosely bc for every 1 great CF box there are 10 that are terrible. So you just really have to learn this stuff yourself is what I am saying and know how to apply it or where you should or shouldn't be working out. 

Learn how to properly breathe and activate your core.

Once you become pregnant, your beautiful growing bump will change the dynamics and position of your core muscles, which are all neurologically in sync with each other...in an ideal world. The problem is, since so many of us spend decades sitting in chairs and using shallow breathing patterns, the coordinated action of our core (including the abs, diaphragm, pelvic floor, inner obliques, and transversus abdominus) is often disrupted even before we conceive. When we layer on the biomechanical and hormonal changes of pregnancy, lots of problems can develop in the postpartum period, including pain with sex, bladder leakage, ab separation, and that darn mommy pooch.

Doing supplemental exercises to retrain your core can minimize or even prevent many of these complications. The pre-conception stage is the perfect time to do this, so you'll go into your pregnancy with better strength and stability and minimize any issues that you have right now with activation, posture, strength and positioning (and everything I talked about in my stories today). 

Plus, by knowing how to breathe more fully, you'll be able to get more oxygen in for your little one once you conceive!  This includes but is not limited to: deep core stabilization and activation drills, protocols and exercises. This includes breath work, proper posture and positioning throughout movements and stationary work in your daily life.

This is not about crunches or planks- this is about progressive overload strength training to build core strength, deep activation drills to build core strength, breath work to build core strength and most importantly- that it's all being done as a team and in-sync with each-other. 

Conclusion

When it comes to a solid exercise program, what we need is consistency with a sound and appropriate plan, one that supports lean body weight and ideal internal environment for conception and pregnancy for about 6 months leading up to when you start TTC. 

My exercise programs offered at Move Your Bump are designed with every mama in mind and can be accommodated to every stage of pregnancy, health status, and fitness level. Our carefully curated workouts are customizable, designed for safety and effectiveness, and intended to help every mom or mom-to-be find her sweet spot. 

As for all you moms-to-be in the TTC phase, we'd love for you check out what our workouts are like. We combine high intensity interval training, metabolic stress training, and traditional strength training in a challenging and FUN protocols that will help you prepare for your future pregnancy like a boss. You can learn more at www.moveyourbump.mom 

For a long time, high blood pressure has held the notorious title of the "silent killer" because it often can go unnoticed for a long time, and in the meantime wreak havoc on your health. In our modern, stress-filled times, I'd like to add another condition to this dubious silent but harmful list: 

Thyroid dysfunction. 

In this blog post, I'd like to talk a bit about the important role your thyroid plays in your health, why the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction seems to be rising, how to tell if you're living with it, and how you can take your health into your own hands and address the real root cause of your thyroid issues (and why the conventional approach to "treating" it can fall so short).

What Is Your Thyroid?

Your thyroid gland is a butterfly shaped structure in your neck. It's an important part of your endocrine system and produces two essential hormones known as thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). Meanwhile, the thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) is released by the pituitary gland in your brain; TSH dictates how much T4 and T3 are secreted by your thyroid. 

T3 is actually the only biologically active hormone produced by your thyroid and the one that influences your body; T4 is converted into T3 by your cells and tissues. Together, these hormones contribute to a variety of key functions in your body, including bone and muscle health, cognitive function, heart rate, digestion, and metabolism.

Signs and Symptoms of Thyroid Dysfunction

According to the British Thyroid Foundation, about 1 in 20 people have some kind of thyroid dysfunction (generally, a thyroid that under-produces or overproduces thyroid hormones). The number could even be higher than that, given that thyroid dysfunction often isn't caught on standard thyroid tests, nor does it always present with any symptoms.

When signs and symptoms of thyroid dysfunction do show up, they may include:

•  Weight gain
• Hair loss and dry skin 
• Frequently feeling cold or having poor tolerance to heat
• Muscle pain and stiffness 
• Depression
• Hoarse voice
• Mental fogginess and impaired concentration
• Constipation 
• Infertility 

Causes of Thyroid Dysfunction—And Why Its On the Rise

The most common type of thyroid dysfunction is an autoimmune disorder called Hashimoto's disease. In this case, the thyroid gland produces too little hormones because the body mistakenly attacks and inflames its own thyroid tissues. Among other problems, this can lead to slower metabolism, weight gain, and general sluggishness. 

Another major cause of thyroid dysfunction is postnatal depletion, which occurs in many mothers (often persisting for years following the birth of their children) and comes about due a combination of factors including stress, exhaustion, and nutrient insufficiencies. This helps explain why women are most likely to experience thyroid dysfunction—although men and children can be affected, too. 

In general, a combination of environmental and genetic factors influence who gets thyroid dysfunction and who doesn't. The question on many doctors' and researchers' minds is why there seems to be so many more cases of thyroid dysfunction occurring. Research points to the following causes which are increasingly prevalent in our modern day life:

• Exposure to heavy metals and other toxins 
• Pesticides
• Radiation
• Dietary substances including gluten, sugar, and soy
• Stress

The good news is that many of these contributors to thyroid disorders are preventable—that is, we have it in our power to do something about them!

How to Optimize Your Thyroid Function

The following strategies are some of the most effective things you can do to improve your thyroid function, which (because of how influential your thyroid hormones are in your body) will by default improve your overall health, too. 

Upgrade your diet. 

Getting enough of what you need (and avoiding what you don't need) through your diet is your number one goal for improving your thyroid function! 

Specifically, you want to include foods that are rich in protein and nutrients like magnesium, selenium, zinc, and iodine (meat, shellfish, eggs, nuts, organic leafy greens). A high quality supplement routine can make up for wherever your whole food choices lack (which happens a lot, given modern day food packaging and transporting practices). Keep in mind that TOO much iodine can be harmful in people with autoimmune dysfunction—so get enough to correct deficiencies and consider getting your iodine levels tested. 

At the same time, you want to avoid soy, gluten, and sugar, which are pro-inflammatory, stressful on your body, and linked with thyroid dysfunction. For a lot of people with food sensitivities, going gluten-free isn't enough: they may also need to eliminate or avoid starchy veggies, legumes, and sweeteners. In many cases, going low-carb can be extremely beneficial because it supports better blood sugar control and digestive health, both of which are tied to your immune system (recall that the majority of thyroid dysfunction is due to immune system dysfunction). 

Also, choose filtered and/or spring water whenever possible. Ammonium perchlorate and chlorine in tap water has been associated with abnormal thyroid function and disrupted iodine uptake, respectively. 

Manage your stress.

We all know by now that chronic stress has an inflammatory effect on your body, which can exacerbate autoimmune dysfunction and thyroid inflammation. So it makes sense that managing your stress more effectively can help you boost thyroid function.

Learn about stress coping skills and stress-busting techniques, and use whatever works best for you as part of a regular practice—including but not limited to acupuncture, exercise, breathing exercises, meditation, yoga, journaling, and even cognitive behavioral therapy. 

Consult with a functional medicine doctor.

Did you realize that many standard medical tests performed during routine wellness check ups don't thoroughly evaluate your thyroid health? This is a problem. To paraphrase a quote from famed business author Peter Drucker, you can't manage what you can't measure—and if you're not screening for thyroid issues when they're still early on and relatively minor, you're likely not going to be able to prevent them from getting bigger and more problematic.

By the way, this is essentially how we devolve down the path from preventive healthcare to reactive healthcare—the latter almost always being more expensive, stressful, and harmful. Sub-optimal. 

If you can find a good functional medicine doctor in your area and are curious about taking a closer look "under the hood" of your own body, so to say, I highly recommend scheduling a consultation with him or her.  Do some research or try the "Find a Practitioner" feature on the Institute for Functional Medicine website, which you can check out here. 

You can also ask your primary care doctor to run additional thyroid function tests for you (if they're able to). Realize, however, that the standard tests for thyroid function, which generally includes TSH (from the pituitary gland) and maybe T4 (which, if you remember, is converted into T3 before it actually can have any effect on your body), really can't give you the full picture of what's going on with your thyroid.

That is, a "normal" TSH test result can generally rule out major issues such as hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism, but it's not necessarily enough to safely say that your thyroid is functioning optimally, nor is it enough to rule out certain other types of dysfunction, especially if your dysfunction is "sub-clinical" (e.g., not "bad" enough to meet the somewhat arbitrary medical definition of dysfunction but still not optimal).

My functional medicine doc recommends additional tests including total T4 and T3, free T4 and free T3, and thyroid antibodies. These tests are better able to tease out subtleties with your thyroid function, because they assess for different thyroid hormones which serve different roles in the body. I recommend looking at these especially if you have signs and symptoms of thyroid dysfunction or are at an increased risk for dysfunction (postpartum, highly stressed, poor diet, etc.). This way, you can get a better idea of how your thyroids are doing and then problem solve through specific and individualized methods to maximize it.

A Note on Medications

The standard treatment for thyroid dysfunction is medication, specifically hormone replacement therapy. My beef with this approach (which is shared by many other holistic-oriented practitioners) is that like many conventional drugs it takes a band-aid approach. Meds may treat and manage symptoms, but they don't resolve the underlying issues causing the symptoms in the first place (whereas lifestyle, diet, and stress management behaviors can and do).

Plus, many medications fail to fully resolve symptoms and may come with their own laundry list of problems. 

I'm not your doctor, so I'll never tell you to stop taking medications. But I do encourage you to speak with your doctor more intimately about thyroid health and realize that not only are there things YOU can do to improve it, but that these things ideally should be considered your first line of defense.

Conclusion

Estimates suggest that anywhere from 20 to 27 million Americans are living with some type of thyroid disorder, and many of these people or even more are undiagnosed. 

Whether you believe you have symptom of thyroid dysfunction or not, I think it's a good idea to hedge your bets and start making the necessary (and actually pretty simple) lifestyle changes necessary to support a healthier thyroid. Doing so could make drastic improvements in your weight, energy, mood, and brain power. 

Sources: 

https://chriskresser.com/why-changing-your-diet-is-always-the-first-step-in-treating-hashimotos/

http://drknews.com/changing-your-diet-is-the-first-step-in-addressing-hashimotos/

https://www.thyroid.org/thyroid-function-tests/

http://www.btf-thyroid.org/information/your-thyroid-gland

http://www.lifeworkswellnesscenter.com/thyroid-disease-treatment/thyroid-disease-why-this-epidemic.html

https://chriskresser.com/thyroid-disorders/

Here's a message I want at least 6.1 million women—the number of women estimated to struggle with infertility in the United States—to keep in mind:

Your nutrition (and supplements) can play an ESSENTIAL role in your ability to become pregnant!

I could not emphasize this more.

Let's just look at for a moment how important nutrition alone is in determining the health of your future child and even your own health during and following your eventual pregnancy—because it is, and these are huge important topics that we talk about a lot. And need to talk about more.

But for now, let's just zoom in on getting pregnant in the first place. About that: it's fair to say that what you're eating (or not eating) is of the highest order in terms of priority and impact.

To put it another way, taking responsibility for your own fertility is about much more than simply tracking your cycle, curtailing your workouts (a questionable call anyway), and/or pursuing in vitro fertilization (IVF) when "all else" fails. I'm certainly not saying these don't have a role to play for some women. But If you're doing these things and have yet to assess and modify what you're eating, you're potentially missing a huge piece of the puzzle. 

I do understand that there is a lot of things that may contribute to fertility issues that go beyond what is included this blog. I am not saying nutrition or lifestyle can or will fix everything and BAM you'll be pregnant.  But there is a lot of "unexplained" infertility.  And I believe, by looking at the research, that nutrition and lifestyle may be part of this "unexplained infertility" issue we see so often. 

This is actually GOOD news! Because it means that the state of our fertility is in our hands—and on our plates—a lot more than we realize. 

So, given that nutrition really IS that instrumental in your journey toward motherhood, let's talk some specifics. What does an ideal fertility diet look like? What's included—and just as notable, what's not? Let's discuss this now.

Nutrition for Fertility 101: The Top Things to Eat (and NOT to Eat) To Improve Fertility Health

Did you know that if you're currently doing IVF, a high quality nutritious diet can increase treatment success rate by as much as 40 percent?

That's a huge ROI on your grocery budget!

Research in this area points to the Mediterranean diet specifically, which is famous for being rich in:

• Vegetables and fruit
• Legumes (especially things like chickpeas and lentils)
• Nuts, seeds, and healthy oils (avocado, coconut, olive)
• Lean protein (fish, chicken)

It's not too surprising to see foods like this on here, right? These contain the antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and macro/micronutrients you and your partner need for optimal reproductive health. Eat them!

Importantly, I advise all would-be mamas to modify the Mediterranean approach by avoiding gluten-containing grains, in addition to eliminating sugar and dairy. Here's why:

These substances are known to trigger inflammation in the body, which we know is associated with an increased risk of infertility and miscarriage (let alone a multitude of other health problems). Indeed, many of the reproductive health conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and endometriosis are directly associated with inflammation. Quelling that chronic inflammation by avoiding pro-inflammatory foods and consuming anti-inflammatory foods instead is priority number one as you head out on your fertility journey.

For what it's worth, these dietary recommendations are the literal foundations of my 30 day slim down, 10 day detox and bible diet where I go into a lot more detail. If you stick with this as a nutritional base, you will dramatically improve your health—reproductive or otherwise.

Essential Supplements for Fertility (For Women AND Men)

Nutritional supplements are like taking an extra insurance policy out on your health—the right ones can help fill any holes that your day-to-day diet may have, which can occur even if we're eating mostly organic/wild-caught/pasture-raised/nutrient dense foods. 

Here are a few evidence-based supplements I recommend for fighting inflammation, supporting egg quality (and sperm quality for that matter!), optimizing hormone function, improving gut health/immune function, and promoting fat loss—all of which culminates in improved fertility.

As always, I am not a doctor nor play one on the internet, so please discuss any and all supplements with your health care provider BEFORE implementing anything into your routine. 

For Women

• 50 to 100 mg of Coenzyme Q10 (shown to increase reproductive potential in animal models)
• 1,200 to 1,800 mg per day of N-acetylcysteine (NAC)
• 200 micrograms of selenium per day (shown to lower the risk of postpartum thyroiditis)
• 1,000 to 2,000 mg of high quality fish oil (rich in omega 3 fatty acids)
• 500 to 2,000 mg acetyl-L-carnitine (great for muscle building, cognitive function, and optimizing mitochondrial function and your body's ability to absorb the omega 3 fatty acids from fish oil)

I recommend these supplements in addition to a high quality prenatal supplement and a solid exercise program followed on most days of the week.

For Men

• 200 to 1,000 milligrams per day of curcumin (the active ingredient in turmeric)
• 100 milligrams of alpha-liopic acid

Ladies, encourage your partners to optimize their nutrition and physical activity right along with you, as they are as much a part of your fertility picture as you are.

Interested in learning more? Head over to moveyourbump.mom to check out my specific tips and strategies for every stage of motherhood including getting on my meal programs that are specially programmed for you each week as a TTC woman to minimize inflammation, balance hormones, and more to promote and boost fertility using real whole foods.  

Sources: 

https://www.womenshealth.gov/a-z-topics/infertility

https://www.facebook.com/IntegrativePelvicHealth/videos/528563717670174inf_contact_key=d07d8400b73a29c76c7af78c5af5de9c680f8914173f9191b1c0223e68310bb1

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mediterranean-fertility/mediterranean-diet-tied-to-fertility-treatment-success-idUSTRE62I2RA20100319

Nutrition is innerestin'.

It's one of those fields where you hear contradicting data practically on a weekly basis. In many cases, nutritional information comes full circle, leading physicians (sometimes reluctantly) to do a complete 180 on their dietary recommendations—assuming they provide any recommendations at all, which I hate to say is pretty unlikely (research shows the typical doctor receives 25 hours or LESS of nutrition educational during their entire four years of medical school).

A prime example of this oops-we-were-wrong-about-that nutrition info is dietary fat. Long bastardized by the government and mass media, dietary fat is now largely accepted as an essential component to a healthy diet. 

To pull on a similar thread, I see the same sort of thing happening with protein. After all, there's no question that protein is essential for your health. But my team and I field a lot of concerns regarding this macronutrient, with no small thanks to the conflicting information we hear about in the news: Isn't too much protein bad for you? How much do I actually need? Which protein sources are best?

In this post, we're going to get into the meat of the issue (no pun intended) and try to answer these questions using the best available information. My hope is that you'll see why protein is such an essential part of any healthy diet, and why you may in fact not be getting enough to support your lifestyle (hint: official dietary reference intakes may leave you lacking). 

Protein Power: What This Little Macronutrient Does For Your Body

Protein is made up of at least 20 different "building block" molecules known as amino acids. When we consume protein, it gets broken down into these smaller units, which are then shuttled throughout the body where they participate in dozens of physiological functions, including (but not limited to):

• Building and repairing cells, tissues, and organs
• Synthesizing important compounds like enzymes and hormones
• Regulating gene expression
• Assisting in key metabolic processes

Basically, when protein gets into your body, it rolls up its sleeves and says, "I got you, boo." You need it to live, and without enough of it your physical and even mental health can suffer. 

So, How Much (And What Kind of) Protein Do I Need?

Here are two simple concepts to keep in mind regarding protein intake: 

1. We ALL need protein. You may need more or less protein than others, depending on factors including your health, health goals, and lifestyle.
2. Not all protein sources (nor its constituent amino acids) are created equal, so you need variety of sources to cover your bases.

Let's tackle these points one by one, starting with number 2.

Protein Source

Your body can create some but not all the amino acids it needs for optimal health. I'm thinking of nine in particular: histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine. These are "essential" amino acids: they must be sourced from your diet because your body can't synthesize them on its own. 

As it turns out, animal protein—including meat, fish, seafood, eggs, fowl, bone broth, and offal (organ meat)—are considered complete sources. They give you all the amino acids your body needs (including the nine essential ones) for surviving and thriving. 

Meanwhile, plant protein is considered incomplete—it's missing many of the essential amino acids. This is not to say skip them altogether. To the extent that plant protein sources like beans, lentils, and chickpeas contain other beneficial compounds including fiber, minerals, and vitamins, it's still a good idea to add them into your diet. Rotating in plant protein can also keep your meals interesting and ease the strain on your wallet, too.

Based on the evidence, it's fair to say that consuming a variety of animal and plant protein (ideally high quality and ethically sourced) is optimal for ensuring your body gets what it needs. (As you can imagine, I do caution against certain types of plant protein, including soy and gluten-containing grains, because of their deleterious effects on health, but that's a bit beyond the scope of this article, so I'll defer that discussion for now.)

Protein Intake

According to the government, the official dietary reference intake (RDI) for the typical adult is about 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight, or about .36 gram per pound.

If you're counting, that's about 54 grams of protein for a typical 150 pound person. 

Here's the big BUT:

This DRI is set for an average sedentary person. It may be enough to stave off deficiencies, but in all likelihood it's not enough for a lot of us, especially if we're active, building babies, or feeding babies with breastmilk. 

In fact, many people need a LOT more than this, including anyone who:

• Is trying to slim down and lose excess body fat.
• Is trying to manage their blood sugar and metabolism more effectively. 
• Is elderly or chronically ill. 
• Is under chronic stress.
• Trains hard and/or has a physically demanding job. 

For these reasons, I often recommend that my clients consume upwards of 20-35% of their daily calories from protein, or as much as 1.2+ grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight, depending on their needs and for men clients, I like even more. And yes, by all accounts, this may be considered a "high" protein diet.

But Isn't High Protein Bad? Busting the Myths Surrounding this Macronutrient

Many people get squirrely about increasing their protein intake after seeing headlines that say eating meat gives you cancer or that high protein diets cause kidney damage. I get it. You want to do what's right, right? 

To be brief, let me start by saying that a high protein diet does NOT cause kidney damage in individuals with normal kidney function. This is well-supported by the literature. Whereas low-protein diets can certainly be therapeutic for people who already have kidney disease, there's just no evidence to suggest that consuming high levels of protein causes kidney disease in otherwise healthy people.

Indeed, studies actually show that a high protein diet can protect against high blood pressure and diabetes—both of which are risk factors for kidney disease. 

As for studies that suggest eating meat increases cancer risk, a closer look at the data reveals important caveats. For one thing, a lot of these studies are observational, which make it hard to understand causation and are often rife with bias and faulty self-reporting. Additionally, it's not as if the evidence paints protein in a purely dark light—data shows, for instance, that high protein intake is protective against cancer-related mortality for people over the age of 65.  

Here's another key point to tease out: animal protein like meat and eggs are abundant in an amino acid called methionine. Methionine DOES happen to be associated with increased levels of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), which has been linked with cancer and shortened lifespan in animal models. To this end, it makes sense at face value that consuming a lot of meat and eggs may increase cancer risk.

BUT—and this is an important but—in studies where subjects consumed adequate levels of another amino acid called glycine, the potentially harmful impact of high methionine were effectively mitigated. 

Glycine, which can be synthesized by our body but likely not enough for optimal function, is rich in connective tissues and organ meats such as liver, gelatin, and bone broth. 

In other words, the research circles back to the importance of getting a variety of protein in your diet! Consuming animal protein from connective tissues and organs in addition to meat and certain plant proteins will help you get the right balance of amino acids and optimize your health and longevity.

Conclusion

You need enough protein to support lean body weight, basic physiological functions, and physical activity—because science.

You need to consume a variety of protein sources to ensure you're getting the right balance of amino acids, and should not skimp on "extras" like bone broth and collagen supplements.

As for determining exactly how much protein YOU need, this requires some simple experimentation, which, if you're otherwise healthy, you should be able to do freely.

Ask yourself: Am I sleeping well? Am I recovering from workouts well? Do I have high levels of stress? Do I train hard? Am I on my feet all day? Am I trying to lose body fat or control my diabetes? Am I older than 65? Answering these questions can help you determine where on the spectrum of protein intake you should fall—that is, closer to 20% of your daily caloric intake or upwards of 30 to 35%.

And while I always advise anyone with chronic health problems to consult with their doctor before making any changes to their lifestyle and/or diet (especially if you have kidney problems, for the purposes of this discussion), rest assured that if you're otherwise healthy, upping your protein intake will not hurt you, and if anything will likely help you look, function, and feel better than ever.

Sources: 

https://chriskresser.com/5-reasons-you-may-need-more-protein-even-on-a-paleo-diet/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20093739

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2780010/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2430660/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S155041311400062X

https://chriskresser.com/do-high-protein-diets-cause-kidney-disease-and-cancer/

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-much-protein-per-day 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK234922/

https://www.marksdailyapple.com/why-the-variety-of-your-protein-sources-matters/

https://ods.od.nih.gov/Health_Information/Dietary_Reference_Intakes.aspx

You know what really buffs my buffers?! (thomas and friends reference #boymom) lol. Ok What really buffs my buffers is when I see people talking about how “simple”weight-loss can be” as long as you are in a caloric deficit. Although, I know we all would love to believe our future hot bod is as simple as a few numbers added and subtracted, that claim is old news, outdated, and let’s face it, IF it really was that easy, do you think the United States would be 70% overweight?

Using calorie in vs. calorie out equation as a full proof way to lose weight is a a big old fat old myth. Legit may be the most pervasive myth in health and wellness (that and the myth that pregnant women shouldn't get their heart rates up while exercising)—🙄

The truth is, losing weight and staying lean and healthy is NOT as simple as "eat less, exercise more." Seriously, just banish this idea from your mind. I actually cringe a little when I hear nutrition and fitness "experts" promote this concept on national news. Side Bar- if you want to hear a funny story about this, go to my stories from today.

Not that there is anything wrong with these trainers btw, I get it, nutrition can be confusing and conflicting! And I love that we are all working to help others live healthier lives— I think everyone means well! Good hearts all around. But chalking things up to calories in calories out is really leaving out a lotttttt of the story. I am hoping to help at least my community have a better understanding of why that is with this blog.

Alright friends and frenemies, buckle up! Here are just some reasons why simple "calorie counting" is misguided at best and counterproductive at worst:

• Not all calories were created equal. For instance, it takes more energy for your body to digest protein and whole foods than it does to digest carbohydrates and processed foods. In other words, 300 calories worth of blueberries and hard-boiled eggs affect your metabolism, blood sugar, hormones, and rate of fat loss WAY differently (and way better) than 300 calories worth of gluten free crackers, and bologna. A simple math equation just can't capture this important nuance.

• Our bodies evolved to protect ourselves during times of famine, which our ancient ancestors dealt with on the reg. What this means is that when caloric intake is drastically restricted (when we "cut calories"), our bodies pump the brakes on our metabolism, which slows down the rate of fat loss. Talk about the exact OPPOSITE of what we want. (Note: cutting calories is NOT the same thing as intermittent fasting or time-restricted eating, which my clients and I practice and have talked about before—more on that another time maybe.)

• Overeating is no question a key contributor to overweight and obesity, and many people DO need to consume less food if they want to get back to a healthy weight. But as Primal Blueprint author Mark Sisson points out, focusing only on how much a person eats doesn't address WHY they're overeating in the first place. And without understanding the WHY behind your actions, you are less likely to achieve long-term success. This is because improving your health is as much about examining and adjusting your perceptions and beliefs as it is about changing your diet and lifestyle.

• Losing body fat is not the same as losing "weight," aka: You. Must. Eat. Enough. To. Support. Lean. Muscle. Mass. This is because you want to be strong at every age, workout hard, AND keep your metabolism purrin' like a finely-tuned engine (since muscle burns more energy than fat). Sure, you MAY lose weight by cutting calories, but if you're
not eating enough to support your activity level, then you will lose muscle mass in addition to fat. That's no bueno as far as your short-term AND long-term health is concerned!

• There are SO many good reasons to exercise, the very LEAST of which is because it helps you "burn calories." It's way more motivating to focus on the other benefits of your workouts—better stress management, strength, endurance, body composition, sleep, hormones and confidence, to name a few—than to focus on however many calories your treadmill says you burned, which likely is not an accurate reading, anyway. (Hint: nutrition labels often aren't accurate either, and can underreport calorie count by as much a 20% according to the FDA. So that throws the whole calorie tracking thing out the window on it’s own).

In my professional opinion, you are MUCH better off focusing on the QUALITY of your food rather than the quantity. Instead of counting calories, count on eating whole, nutrient dense, minimally processed food that's free of additives and oh-no-no's like gluten, gf flours, and sugar AND offers you the right amounts of macronutrients (proteins, healthy fats, and good carbohydrates) .

While you're at it, you're also better off focusing on the quality of your exercise, hydration, supplementation, sleep quality, and stress management...in other words, there are plenty of other things to prioritize over how many calories you're eating—or burning, for that matter that will affect your waistline. For example, it blows my mind how everyone over looks supplements.

Did you know deficiencies ALONE can cause weight loss resistance? Did you know that 30% of Americans are deficient in important nutrients like magnesium, vitamin c, vitamin e, and vitamin A? And that’s just using the FDA’s recommended intake which is too low for most IMO. Not to mention in the US 9/10 people are deficient in omega 3 fats. This is something that I program REGULARLY in my plans for this reason. Why? Because this powerful fatty acid will help cool inflammation and control blood sugar. AKA a fantastic contribution to a recipe for.... yup, FAT LOSS!! 😃 I could go on for a while, but you get the idea. It’s way more than calories, or macros for that matter.

Speaking of, you guys are ALWAYS asking me for my personal macros, my personal calories, and what exact ones are in my plans. Do I plan out my programs using macros? Yes. Do I look at the calories? Yes. Is that alone going to get you the results you would expect from my programs? No. This is why I say ‘no’ when you try to cherry pick all the time 😝. There are so many other things that I work on when programming a nutrition guide.

When I create my programs, I am strategically placing foods together to best control insulin levels, giving you enough but not too much. While also looking at timing in the day of certain macros and what other macros are delivered with them, looking at eating windows, I’m looking at variety, I am looking at sulforaphane, herbs, spices and nutrients that work as aids to my goals for you- detoxing, insulin control, gut health, correcting deficiencies, cooling inflammation, supporting metabolism and honestly the list goes on and on.

I don’t want any of you to feel like you need to be counting calories all the time. I WOULD like to see you all caught up on counting your veggies though. I would LOVE for a new trend to rise from counting calories to counting veggie servings out daily. You start at 0 and goal is to get to 7 and then extra credit if you get to 9 and then a gold star when you get to 12. Yup, that’s DAILY! It’s can be the My Fitness Pal of 2019. Let’s make it a thing 🥳

In closing, to make things clear: Yes energy balance DOES matter when it comes to losing excess body fat. But can you be in a calorie deficit and not lose weight? Yes again. For optimal results, be sure you're putting your energy toward the right aims, and towards the whole formula for weight loss not just one calorie in and out concept. My programs, including the 30 Day Slim Down, 10 Day Detox, and The Bible Diet, and Move Your Bump meal plans model this to a T. Check us out if you'd like to learn more. Xo.

Other Sources: 

https://www.marksdailyapple.com/7-common-calorie-myths-we-should-all-stop-believing/ 

https://primalpotential.com/why-calorie-counting-doesnt-work-for-fat-loss/

You may not know this about me, but I approach my health experimentally, sort of like a mad scientist tinkering in a lab.

Endlessly curious about the inner workings of my body and how to optimize physical and mental function, I'm more than willing to make strategic adjustments to diet, exercise, stress management, and other parameters in order to see how they affect me and how it may optimize my health. I take time to see what the research says about what I'm testing and—perhaps just as importantly—I keep an open mind.  

Where I'm At: Fine-Tuning My Health and Fitness

Using this strategy for several years, I've honed down a pretty solid nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle plan that works best for me, IMO. But since I had Kenzie (4 years ago) I've had the sense that relying only on intuitive feedback—how good I look, feel, and function—might not always give me the deepest possible insights nor be enough to truly optimize my physical and mental health, especially after pregnancy. This is largely because I am extremely consistent with my lifestyle. I've more or less nailed it down, so at this point most of the improvements I make in my health will be subtle and incremental or are due to either getting through or recovering from a major life event to remain achieving optimal health for my body.

Take sports. A beginner athlete will see lots of drastic changes early on in their training. But as that athlete gets more and more advanced, any changes to their technique and abilities will be much more subtle and nuanced. It's akin to fine-tuning a Division 2 athlete in order to get her playing at the Division 1 level. Moving from good to great simply requires a more specific approach.

Of course, I'm not saying I'm a D1 athlete (although my husband was, for what it's worth!). Just remember that being healthy is literally part of my job (and I love it, duh). I don't consider myself a "standard" for everyone else to live by. I make the point simply to help you understand where I'm coming from when it comes to my personal health journey.  Please understand that under normal measurements my health passes with flying colors, but at Dr Jim's office, they are holding you to a much much different standard. Which I like. 

Plus...

Sometimes Conventional Medicine Misses the Mark

I should point out that conventional medicine isn't always able to provide deep wellness insights either.

That is, the lab work and others tests provided at a standard doctor's visit tend to be more generalized and broad. This is not a bad thing per se. But for people like me who are already very healthy, we might pass these routine tests with flying colors yet still be dealing with subtle issues that could be holding us back from our physical and mental potential.

It's a bit like trying to find rocks using a sieve with holes that are too large. You may be able to catch some biggies, but the smaller pebbles will slip through unnoticed, sinking back into unawareness where they are unable to be examined, addressed, and improved upon...and worst case scenario, these smaller pebbles may roil around in the hypothetical muck, growing bigger and more problematic until BOOM—a health issue pops up.

This is why I was initially attracted to functional medicine. The functional med model takes a holistic and individualized approach to wellness. It evaluates mental, physical, and even spiritual influences on a person's health. The ultimate goals of functional medicine are to understand root causes of dysfunction, then address and prevent them. Compared to most conventional approaches to health, functional medicine pulls a few different threads and can enhance your insights into your overall well-being.

Basically- my functional medicine doctor's work with me is very specific and very specialized. I recently had a follow-up appointment, and as promised I'm sharing some main takeaways because many of you told me you'd find them interesting. I'm also sharing a way more detailed look into my life over the past year.

Time to nerd out. 

First Things First: My Lab Results

Overall, my lab work (as of February 12^th of this year) is a good snapshot of health. Vitamin D and Vitamin B12 levels are solid. My thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) is within the optimal range, which tells me my thyroids and endocrine system are functioning well (but more on that in a bit). My t3 t4 were great and my TPO antibodies are low-- lower than they have ever been, which is a major win for me. 

On that note lemme back up for one minute: after Kenzie was born I had some semi-bad post traumatic stress from birth trauma, having to go back to work way too early which was super stressful (no maternity leave in this country for independent contractors which I was at the time) plus from post natal depletion (something we ALL get post pregnancy whether you're aware of it or not). Although my thyroid looked technically looked "fine" under most doctors standards, Dr Jim caught something- he noticed from just talking to me he thought my thyroid was in the beginning stages of being under-active, so we ran specific thyroid panel including TPO antibodies, which no one really checks for typically.  And he was exactly right, I was in the very very very beginning stages of hashimoto's. This blew my mind but he assured me catching it so early was going to be a fairly easy fix.  I was put on a strategic supplement routine plus a few other lifestyle changes, like managing my stress and eliminating some other things from my diet and within 12 months (and through a second pregnancy) we self corrected it without taking any actual medication, ever.  

Back to the blood current panel: my creatinine levels are normal, which tells me my kidneys are functioning well, too. And my C-reactive protein is less than 0.2 mg/L, indicating very low levels of inflammation (and a low risk for cardiovascular disease). My cholesterol levels are good, too. I have had a much improvement on my previous visit with him which I was low in a few things (iron, vit d and a few others). 

But one thing did set off alarm bells for me: cortisol (a stress hormone) came in high at 23 μg/dL-- for those that don't understand, THAT IS HIGH AF for cortisol for Dr Jim standards. As a reference, normal cortisol levels for the morning time is between 5.5 and 19.8 μg/dL—and my labs were drawn at 6 a.m. Not ok. Even if it was 19.8, he wouldn't have been ok with that either.  He wants you low to mid range. 

What's going on here?

My Personal Kryptonite: Allergies and Stress

Once my doctor and I took a more holistic "big picture" look at my health, personality, and lifestyle, the findings really clicked (as they always do with him).

First, my allergy response was through the fahking roof. But my gut health is perfect though-- so it's not food allergies (besides I'm dairy, gluten and egg free all which I am intolerant to).  I didn't flag for heavy metals in my body or any viruses.  Where does this leave us? It leaves us with environmental allergies.  I don't know what exactly it is about the Texan climate, trees, air but this Cali girl's body is just NOT adjusting to them well. And aside from my own allergy issues, my kids have NEVER been more sick since we moved here. Leo my youngest, it's hard to say Texas is to blame bc he was 5 months old when we moved (so maybe he just has a weak immune system?) but Kenzie, I know for a fact it's 100% this environment. That kid does not get sick often or have ANY allergies anywhere but here. Given how I've been responding to the environmental change, I can't say I'm surprised either, since there's plenty of research to suggest that kiddos often struggle with the same allergies as their parents do. Ugh.

I never realized this until after we moved, but my family's experience with Texan allergies is not unique. It turns out that this state is ranked as one of the worst places in America for allergies- why didn't someone warn me?! Dallas in particular (where my family and I are currently located) has been named one of the worst cities for seasonal allergies. The main reason is that Texas has a super temperate climate. Plants can pollinate their little hearts out all year long because they rarely, if ever, experience freeze and frost. This means that even in winter we are surrounded by pollen from grass, ragweed, trees, mold...take your pick. Besides it's flat AF so that shit just blows and blows without getting knocked down. For people not acclimated to this kind of round-the-calendar activity, allergies, immune system overload, and subsequent illness can easily kick up.  

I'm seriously not trying to hate on the state or anything. Buttttt, everything—including allergies—really IS bigger in Texas! And my tests indicate that I have some sort allergen affecting me from my nasal cavity all the way down to my gut. As such, my immune system has been running hot.  

Couple this with the high stress of running my own business (or two...or three) as well as the go-get 'em attitude I tend to approach my life with, and you've got a recipe for a jacked up, overly sensitive, on guard nervous system—hence the high cortisol level.

I should also mention that while my TSH level is normal (as noted earlier), it IS on the lower range of normal. My environmental allergies seem to be causing my thyroid to "work hard." Based on this and other test results, my doc hypothesized that I am in what's considered a "pre-adrenal fatigue" stage. Adrenal fatigue is a suboptimal hormonal state induced largely by chronic stress and hallmarked by symptoms like fatigue, body aches, gastrointestinal issues, and disordered mood. I'm not in any sort of clinical disease state yet (and other than allergies kicking my butt I'm not noticing any of those symptoms), but if I don't make more of an effort to prioritize some self-care and stress management techniques, I'm running the risk of heading there.

THIS. This is what is so cool about functional medicine. Because even though I look and feel fine (as conventional lab work would confirm), there's something going on beneath the surface which I wouldn't have known about unless I consulted with him. And because I got a heads up that my nervous system is preparing to sound the alarm, I am able to proactively PREVENT the ensuing chaos instead of reactively TREAT the chaos after it already happened.  Helping me avoid actually having any actual health issues in the near future. 

My Action Plan

Step one, get myself and my kids the FAHK out of north Texas. This will happen June 20-- or honestly sooner if they keep getting sick. I will cut my losses and bounce the F out before I let them both go on a 4th round of antibiotics this year or go under the knife for tubes when I am 100% positive at least one of them (Kenzie) wouldn't have any of these issues if we were living in back in California. In the interim, we might be heading to West Virginia because I am seriously considering moving in with my in-laws until we can get the move back to Cali ironed out. I know this MAY sound nuts to some people. You're like, 'just deal with it'-- you have to remember though, my health and my kids health is EVERYTHING to me. Nothing matters more. If you don't have your health, you literally have nothing.

Remember, allergies cause inflammation, inflammation causes sickness, both of those cause disease. I understand to some this is like over-reacting, but from everything I know as a health professional, it's something to take seriously.  Not to mention antibiotic overuse can permanently damage the gut, and the gut is where everything starts, we are learning that more and more everyday. Allergies cause an auto immune response, and that also causes sickness and disease. Call me dramatic, what-ev-er-. Yes I am uptight AF about this and I plan on doing whatever I need to, to fix this situation ASAP.  Even if that means move in with my in-laws. Lol- which if you know me, you know I am independent and although I love them dearly, I would NEVER typically do something like that. 

The thing is, on Instagram I really haven't been completely open with just how bad it's been here.  Especially for the people that are new to following me. Listen, it's my job to be healthy and inspire you to be too-- and that's been difficult for me to do this year for the first time in my entire career (14 years).  And I don't want to be the girl always complaining or talking about what's wrong in her life or her sick self or sick kids all the time. But guys, it's been really bad. Like however bad it's sounded on IG, it's actually like 10x worse than that in real life. Kenzie and Leo have been so so so sick, Kenzie misses school all the time. It's rare that a week goes by without fevers in my house, there hasn't been two weeks have have gone by this year without either Kenzie in the doctors or Leo. They are both severely struggling with allergies.  Sure some of it may be typical winter colds, but it's been mostly allergies causing the issues. They have both had double ear infections 3x so far in 2019 (it's not even he end of March yet). The pedi chalks them both up to having extreme environmental allergies and says this is "common" for this area, but I just don't care. It may be common but it's not acceptable.

I have also been constantly battling sickness/allergies. There is rarely a day that goes by where I don't have either a sore throat, a headache or congestion, runny nose or a combo of all of the above.  Sure things could be way worse- I realize. It's just still a problem when something as annoying as allergies can so drastically affect my mental heath, my productivity, my lifestyle, my workouts and just drags you downnnn. It’s like you have a head cold for weeks or months at a time. YUCK. I want to feel 100%. Not being able to is SO unlike me. This has actually never happened to me in my whole life. I've never even sprained an ankle before. So being on the DL- disabled list, which is what it's felt like for the past several months is something that I have never had to deal with.  Even when my immune system was a mess and I was fixing my thyroid, I still rarely got sick and never had environmental allergies. And honestly a low cost of living, a big house, no income tax, a growing real estate market, is still not worth any of this bullshit we have been dealing with. I'm not saying don't move to north Texas, but what I am saying is, MAKE sure you don't have the allergies that are here before you do- at least not to an extreme degree. I never would have brought my kids into this environment if I knew it was going to be half as bad as it actually as been. My husband on the other hand- zero allergies. Wildly enough he is probably the least 'healthy' out of all of us too. Riddle me that?!

After my blood work showed clear signs of the environment I live in directly effecting my health, that was really the last straw. I figured that was going to show up, but when I realized just how bad it was, that was my finally decision that I’m done. If it’s affecting my body, it’s affecting the boys bodies, and I just can’t have that. I always thought this move would be a 3-5 year move. It’s gonna end up being 1.5 years and you know what, I’m fine with it. I’m fine with losing the money, the time, the hassle, bc getting my kids and myself to thrive again is the only thing that matters to me right now. My husband btw, he is on board with all of this. He just luckily has NO allergies which is why I didn’t mention him more in this post ;)

So other than moving which IS happening as soon as humanly possible, based on the results of his findings, my functional medicine doctor made several recommendations specific to me.

One thing he recommended was to add a simple regiment of specific homeopathic supplements. Originated back in the late 1700s by a German physician named Dr. Samuel Hahnemann, homeopathy is a type of alternative medicine that believes a) the body can heal itself (you won't believe how many doctors don't view health and disease from this perspective), and b) you can help the body's innate healing process along by adding specific natural substances from plants and minerals that optimize physiological function.

The interesting thing about homeopathy (at least my functional medicine doc's approach to it) is that it doesn't involve taking random endless supplements. Instead, he recommended certain homeopathic herbs and supplements which will complement and support my specific "constitution," called lachesis (sounds hot right?)

Lachesis is one of the major homeopathic archetypes characterized by certain physical and temperamental traits. As he puts it, the lachesis person has an angular face, reddish hue, and whiter complexion.

HA! So far we're three for three.

The lachesis person also is "very very sharp and quick," as my doc says. My nervous system has a "quickness to strike" and is often on high alert to perceived threats (like trolls and the internet breaking lol). But thanks to my entrepreneurial spirit (which I wouldn't trade for the WORLD) I tend not to slow down and have a lot of things on my plate. I also find myself allowing my thoughts to run laps in my head, which further wigs me out.

Essentially, my nervous system is telling me to pump the brakes. Sloooow down, Nanc. In the meantime, my good old Type A self has been slowly wearing down and riding my nervous system's brakes all along. Whooooopsies.

These insights were all confirmed on specific tests and measures used during the appointment, and ultimately reflect the overarching goal of my functional medicine plan, which is to "buff up" my nervous system. I need to increase its stamina while at the same time help it calm down so it's not constantly redlining and pushing me toward system overload. So, in addition to making lifestyle adjustments (such as eliminating exposure to allergens and moving out of Texas, my doctor believes that starting a homeopathic routine will help this process along, in addition to some other supplements like probiotics, fish oil, and magnesium and so much more. 

Here is the longggg list of supps on my current routine. These are for my body and my situation and should not be taken unless you're working with a functional medicine doctor. Please keep in mind, if I didn't have severe allergy response, this list would be cut in half or more. 

Restor-T 

Nuero mag (night time) 

d-hist

thyro-stasis

reacted mag

moducare

estro metab

orthobiotic

SBI protect

hemeplex Fe

vitamin d 

l-thanine (when needed)

nystatin (to kill the sh*t in my nasal cavity)

natrum muriaticum

lachesis mutus 

phosphatidyl choline

still point (when needed)

emergen-c 

SuperLysine

Conclusion

Listen team, no one's perfect (juuuust in case you forgot). I pride myself on being honest and open and this is no different.  The truth is getting optimal nutrition, optimal fitness, good sleep, and a healthy lifestyle gets you very very very far. But it doesn't always get you all the way. We can't control everything, we aren't perfect.  Sometimes stress gets the best of us. Things like environmental allergies we can't always control. For me, I'm much more easily effected by things like allergies and sickness and it kinda can fahk with things post pregnancy bc I do struggle with a sensitive immune system during and post pregnancy as most women do.  I am honestly also way too anxious about work and family which I need to fix.  It's not serving anyone especially not myself. I wrote a blog post on stress actually did you guys see that? Yea, that's me.  I have def mastered most things like food and fitness and sleep but I am still working on the stress part. 

We feel all run down or have dysfunction for one reason or another and feel "not our best" from time to time. Then we fine tune and adjust, and then we heal. Then somewhere along the way cycle repeats itself in some way. All of us are going through different seasons and stages of life, and each season or stage may require different approaches or reassessments to help you thrive throughout it- and a lot of times, nutrition is a huge part but not the whole part, strategic supplementation is needed to heal it completely. And that's me being honest. You'll never see Dr Jim and leave with a "you're doing great nothing to tweak here" result. He goes way beyond the normal and has optimal levels he gets you to and therefore there is always something to improve on; which is why I love him and his work so much.  

I'm really fortunate for the work I've been able to do with Dr Jim and Heydi (his nurse practitioner). Personally, it helps me to take a more objective (albeit alternative) look at my health and connect the dots between these unique tests and the things I intuitively pick up on. I walk away with tools I never would have received from a conventional doc and am able to add them to my experimental approach to livin' my best life. 

If you're interested in fine-tuning your own health and learning more about your body (and what affects it), I highly recommend finding a functional medicine doctor in your area, but find a good one! He or she could give you some great insights about your health that you never knew you needed. With these in hand, you'll be armed and inspired to make some small changes that could make a big difference in the end. Because for me, it's not just about being healthy, it's about THRIVING. And I want to thrive.

Xo 

Nancy

For those of you who follow me on Instagram and keep up with my stories, you may remember me alluding to a new workout phenomenon that caught my eye.

TBH, I normally consider fitness "fads" highly suspicious. I mean, sheesh, how many times can the health wheel be reinvented—and who's profiting off the latest and greatest "craze" anyway? Does that thing you heard about in the news actually help people get fitter and healthier—or at the very least, do its potential benefits outweigh its potential risks?

Too many times to count, the newest "fads" have failed these questions, in my professional opinion. But when I was introduced to a relatively new training methodology called whole body electrical muscle stimulation (EMS), something about it really made me pause.

So, you know me. I had to do a little digging to see what all the "buzz" was about.

The Basics: A Primer on Electrical Muscle Stimulation

EMS dates back to the late 18^th century, and it's been used in physical therapy, professional sports, and rehabilitation science for decades. Research backs EMS as a treatment for various neurological and musculoskeletal disorders including strokes, traumatic brain injuries, and acute and chronic pain. It's also been shown to restore or prevent muscle wasting caused by periods of prolonged immobilization, such as casting to heal a broken bone or sedation in patients on intensive care units.

That's all super relevant to me. If injured or even critically ill people can benefit from EMS, it reasonable to say healthy individuals may benefit, too.

These days, there are several types of electrical muscle stimulation used for a wide variety of goals and within many fields, including fitness and rehabilitation. It's basic premise is that by intermittently stimulating muscle fibers with electrical impulses (generally transmitted via wires and electrodes), you can induce muscle contractions that mimic contraction during voluntary movement or exercise.

Generally, we can classify the use of EMS into four main categories:

• Improve muscle strength
• Assist with post-workout recovery
• Assist with physical rehabilitation
• Enhance motor planning and correct faulty movement and muscle fiber recruitment patterns

There's a decent amount of research supporting each of these uses. For instance, EMS has been approved as a muscle-conditioning approach by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

And a 2011 literature review published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology concluded that a specific type of EMS called neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) is an effective adjunct therapy to resistance training. It even appears to help fast twitch muscle fibers contract at lower force levels, which may be relevant from an injury-prevention standpoint.

Another study published in a 2011 edition of The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research concluded that "in prepubertal gymnasts, a 6-week EMS program, combined with the daily gymnastic training, induced significant increases both in knee extensor muscle strength and nonspecific and some specific jump performances."

So, EMS may help build stronger muscles AND translate to better function? I can get on board with that.

A third study published the June 2017 volume of the Annals of Rehabilitation Medicine found that the combination of EMS and abdominal exercises significantly improved ab separation in postnatal women (who also saw improvements in BMI, waist/hip ratio, and ab strength). This is where things really caught my eye.  You see, I know this to be true in a physical therapy standpoint.  I believe and understand why this would work for people who are having issues firing some core muscles after pregnancy, have motor control issues that are limiting them from having proper core function and even healing their abs post pregnancy. 

But you'll notice the above studies look specifically at EMS that use electrodes placed on specific muscle groups, like the quads or biceps. This begs the question: what about whole body EMS—the new fitness phenomenon that I was recently introduced to?

The Backstory: Does Whole Body EMS Training Actually Work?

The whole body EMS technology on the market today looks like a wetsuit embedded with electrodes. When the wetsuit is on, these electrodes sit atop major muscle groups, including the quads, biceps, and pecs. The basic premise of whole-body EMS training—which is similar to EMS training involving single muscle groups—is that the person is subjected to the electrical muscle stimulation as they're working out—resulting in both voluntary (from the person) and involuntary (from the EMS device) muscle contraction.

In other words, a person puts on the whole body EMS suit and runs through their workout. Meanwhile, electrical impulses are sent to contracting muscles through the suit, which is wirelessly controlled by a trained professional.

I've tried it twice and EMS feels like intense vibrations—not exactly comfortable, but not outright painful either. Whole body EMS allegedly causes muscles to contract 20 times more frequently than voluntary contraction alone. The theory follows that this makes your workout more efficient and effective.

At least some research supports this theory (I think we need more). For instance, a 2018 study published in the Journal of Exercise Rehabilitation found that, compared to a control group, participants using whole body EMS saw improvements in systolic blood pressure and oxygen uptake (known as VO₂max) during a graded exercise test. These subjects also reported decreased soreness, fatigue, anxiety, and sleeplessness, although this could be more related to perception rather than a true physiological effect (but it's still pretty cool).

Another 2016 randomized controlled study published in Evidenced-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine compared whole body EMS training to MY FAVE, high intensity interval training (HIIT). Researchers randomly assigned 48 healthy men into either a whole body EMS group or a HIIT group. After 16 weeks of workouts, the researchers found comparable increases in lean body mass and leg extension strength in both groups. They suggest (a bit boldly, in my opinion), that whole body EMS training "can be considered as an attractive, time-efficient, and effective option to HIT-resistance [sic] exercise for people seeking to improve general strength and body composition." The authors acknowledge that, at least right now, whole body EMS is pricey...meanwhile, I'll acknowledge that I will never recommend skipping HIIT if you're capable of doing it!

However promising, EMS isn't picture perfect. The same authors cited previous studies which showed that EMS rendered no improvements in things like fat mass, or found "that the force increases induced by EMS...are similar to, but not greater than, those induced by voluntary training."

Another issue with this type of technology is that because muscles are stimulated peripherally by direct contact with electrodes, EMS may not induce the type of deep central nervous system activation you can get from, let's say, a good back squat or heavy deadlift. And you WANT central nervous system activation for better strength gains and overall movement proficiency. This is actually one of the major problems I have with it.  

The other BIG issue I have- is maintaining proper core function during use.  Sure it may help with all these things that research is saying, but I'm telling you from experience when you have that suit on and are getting shocked (which is what it feels like) it's DIFFICULT to maintain proper pattern with your core unit.  I mean, it's hard to NOT get out of rhythm with your inhale and exhale and your core unit coming along for the ride. You know, when you inhale pelvic floor should relax and go down, when you exhale, it should engage and come up.  TVA should be doing the same, relaxing on inhale, engaging slightly on exhale.  With this suit on it's hard not to bare down and PUSH (yup like in labor) bc it's so freaking intense.  I had to really SLOW down and focus to make sure that I was correctly engaging while in the suit. 

I was chatting with friends who have been doing it and they were all joking that they feel like the are in labor and pushing a baby out with the suit on in certain movements.  They don't really understand what that means of course or how catastrophic that can be for some women. This is a PROBLEM.  We either need to teach how to engage core and coach that during these sessions and/or we need to take the intensity WAY down so women don't lose touch with their core or maybe it's just not what it's cracked up to be bc maybe you will get the benefits above but you'll be damaging your core function and pelvic floor along the way. And in that case, it will be a hard pass from me for any of my clients. if you decide to do this and your trainer isn't hands on, coaching your breathing pattern and core engagement, you need to bounce outta there or at least do my ab rehab program before trying this, so you are educated on this and can coach yourself as you're doing EMS training.

Overall, I do see potential here.  Potentially a lot of potential too, in the area of correcting faulty motor patterns, enhancing posture, and improving body awareness. And hey, if whole body EMS technology continues to improve, and more research comes out showing that it can safely/legally/effectively enhance muscle growth and strength, then I'll welcome it with strong open arms.  I think as always, it's really hard to find a good trainer, and in this case even harder to find an EMS trainer that is really good.  They just can't take you through primal movements, they need to really coach form, positioning and core function.  

In a perfect world, if I ever started a EMS studio, I would have a 10 minute warm up that included core activation and breathing pattern work THEN go into a 20 minute EMS session while coaching and checking in on everyones core engagement THE ENTIRE TIME.  Currently neither of those things exist.  At least not that I have seen. Not because EMS trainers don't have your best interest at heart, but because they just don't know any better. And Unfortunately for my client, a Mom, that's just not gonna cut it. 

My Takeaway: EMS Might be Worth a Second Look

All and all I'm SUPER interested in whole body EMS training. I also acknowledge that it isn't some panacea for your health, and it can never replace a solid, smart, and intense exercise program supported by an equally solid nutrition plan.

Do I think EMS can be used as a stand-in for legitimate strength and conditioning exercises? Of courssse nottttt. Do I recommend strapping yourself up to electrodes and going HAM without supervision from someone who has been trained in the proper use of EMS? Nope and nope again, and you wouldn't be able to anyway because these machines are HARD TO FIND and never operated without a trained EMS professional. And to be clear, EMS is contraindicated in many cases, so it's not appropriate for everyone.

BUT from what I've seen so far, there's enough research to support its use as a complementary technology that may enhance the effects your workout (it's worth a try, anyway). So, stay tuned. I'll keep you (and myself) updated on the research.  Keep in mind, this is also expensive! Like really expensive, like $70-95 for a 20 minute session expensive. I've been thinking about doing a little study on myself for 8-12 weeks but having a hard time swallowing that $$ pill to do so. Because I still have to pay for my gym (as EMS can't be your only form of training to have a well rounded fitness regimen for fitness an health) and that starts adding up quick.  

In closing, in case any of you are post-docs or grad students in the exercise, Kinesiology, or rehabilitation sciences, lemme just say I think it'd be realllllll swell if some research came out specifically looking at how whole body EMS training affects core function and activation in the postpartum woman. Cuz you know that's kinda my jam and honestly that is the biggest red flag I see here for long term function in these clients. Do you want to try EMS? What do you think about this whole new craze? Let me know what you think below!

Sources:

https://e-fit.com/en/about_ems

https://www.strokeassociation.org/en/about-stroke/effects-of-stroke/physical-effects-of-stroke/physical-impact/functional-electrical-stimulation

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4789460/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28758085

https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/electrical-muscle-stimulation-training-workout

https://www.t-nation.com/training/truth-about-ems

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2784391/

https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/5778539

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28758085

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5833968/

https://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/Fulltext/2011/02000/Effects_of_Combined_Electromyostimulation_and.32.aspx

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21909714

https://biomedicalengineering.tcnj.edu/muscle-atrophy-reduction-system/

https://health.usnews.com/wellness/fitness/articles/2018-10-18/is-ems-training-the-missing-link-to-your-dream-body

https://www.compexstore.com/sites/default/files/documents/COMPEX-CLINICAL%20STUDIES-EN.pdf

https://www.acefitness.org/about-ace/press-room/press-releases/256/electrical-muscle-stimulation-ems-claims-exposed

Outdated scientific beliefs:

Leeches cure ear infections. Doctors don't need to wash hands between patients. Dietary cholesterol is bad for you—and having high cholesterol is bad news, too.

Safe to say the first two beliefs have been thoroughly debunked. But many conventional doctors and a lot of the general public still believe in the last one. But when we take a closer look at the cholesterol story, the myth starts to fall apart.

Is Cholesterol Actually Bad? Breaking Down the Big Bad Wolf of Bloodwork

Cholesterol is a type of fat naturally found in your body. There are a few different kinds, including small low-density lipoprotein (LDL), larger high-density lipoprotein, and triglycerides. Just like not all calories are created equal, not all cholesterol molecules are either. That is, LDL is "lousy" and can get stuck in your arteries. HDL is "good" and helps shuttle cholesterol around your body, preventing your arteries from clogging up (a condition known as atherosclerosis).

Unfortunately, many 20^th century assumptions made about dietary cholesterol consumption, blood cholesterol, and heart disease risk were just that—assumptions (there were also a handful of animal studies and observational data peppered in). People believed that if you ate food with cholesterol and saturated fats (like eggs, dairy, and fatty meats) then you would increase the amount of cholesterol in your blood and, ispo facto, increase your risk for heart disease.

But ever since the diet-heart hypothesis got its foothold in the minds of American public, new experimental data has been hitting peer-reviewed journals and calling all that into question. Simply put, dietary cholesterol and saturated fat—found in things like dairy, coconut, and butter—just aren't the dietary evils once believed to be (of course, I advise most people to stay away from dairy, but not for reasons related to its fat content).

For instance, eating cholesterol does not appear to affect cholesterol levels in your blood. Plus, evidence shows that while consuming saturated fats can raise your lousy LDL levels, it can also raise healthy HDL levels, too (especially saturated fats found in coconuts). PLUS, saturated fats have even been shown to change small LDL particles into bigger ones, emulating the larger and safer HDL particle size. And a 2010 meta-analysis published the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition assessed data from 21 studies and found that "there is no significant evidence for concluding that dietary saturated fat is associated with an increased risk of CHD or CVD."

If we MUST have a fat bogeyman, make it trans fats—this engineered Frankenfood (e.g., hydrogenated vegetable oil) does appear to increase the risk of heart disease and its associated heartaches, including heart attacks, atherosclerosis, and stroke.

So mainstream media, please stop demonizing grass-fed butter, ghee, and coconuts (which are also loaded with antioxidants). These fats are an important part of a healthy balanced diet!

6 Things Driving High Cholesterol

So if your morning eggs and bulletproof coffee aren't the main things driving high cholesterol levels, what are? Here are six main ones to keep in mind:

1. Metabolic dysfunction. Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of conditions which increase a person's risk for heart disease, diabetes, and/or stroke. Among the conditions are elevated triglycerides and low levels of healthy HDL cholesterol. Chronic stress, obesity, and other factors are believed to contribute to metabolic dysfunction. It's also possible that
2. Chronic infections. Latent viral or bacterial infections can overtax the immune system (and are also indicators of a weakened immune system in general). These contribute to widespread and harmful inflammation. More and more researchers and doctors are confirming the evidence which says inflammation rather than cholesterol per se is the main factor behind chronic illness—especially heart disease.
3. A messed up gut. Research, including a 2018 study published in Nutrition, Metabolism, and Cardiovascular Diseases, has shown that increased gut permeability (diminished gut barrier function) is associated with both increased inflammation and higher levels of LDL cholesterol.
4. Poor thyroid function. It doesn't even necessarily have to be clinical hypothyroidism, either—suboptimal function is enough to affect your body's ability to properly breakdown and remove LDL cholesterol from your blood.
5. Exposure to environmental toxins. Research shows that exposure to certain chemicals (including ones used in common food packaging) is positively associated with higher cholesterol levels.
6. Genes. Sorry—some of us are just genetically predisposed to having higher than normal cholesterol...but this doesn't necessarily spell doom and gloom. Maximizing lifestyle via nutrition and exercise is still effective for optimizing blood lipid levels in people with a family history, and it's even MORE essential for people with the inherited gene mutations driving cholesterol levels up.

As you can see, a lot of these are within our control. By improving main lifestyle factors—how well we sleep, how well we exercise, how well we manage stress, and how well we stay away from refined sugar, gluten and other substances known to disrupt our digestive, metabolic, and immune health—we can help keep our cholesterol levels in check.

But let's not forget one last important point: "high" cholesterol isn't even necessarily bad.

A Better Way to Assess Your Lipid Panel

I 10/10 recommend getting your blood work done with your physician—or better yet a functional medicine doctor who's privy to the latest research in nutrition and holistic wellness. Collecting both subjective data (how well you feel/look) and objective data (what your "numbers" are, including body fat percentage, lean body mass, and lipid panel) helps you better understand your unique health and how you can improve it.

But simply looking at your total cholesterol isn't enough to give you the whole picture. Don't let your doctor be intellectually lazy and get away with telling you your cholesterol is "bad" simply because the total amount is over 200 mg/dL. Be sure to ask for the following data points:

• HDL: the good stuff, heart healthy. Aim for 60 mg/dL or higher.
• LDL: the bad stuff. Aim for less than 100 mg/dL.
• Total cholesterol to HDL level: this ratio helps you see how much of your good HDL cholesterol is contributing to your total cholesterol. The lower the ratio the better.
• Non-HDL cholesterol level: subtract your HDL level from your total. It shows you how much "bad" cholesterol you have. Optimal is less than 130 mg/dL.
• Triglycerides: these cholesterol particles increase with greater levels of inflammation, so the lower the better. Shoot for less than 150 mg/dL.

By the way, if you're wondering why a lot of conventional docs just aren't looking at blood lipid profiles in this way, it's largely because many doctors simply aren't aware of the latest research on what cholesterol levels are actually telling us. Few fields outside of healthcare see innovation happening at a faster rate, which means that by the time many doctors get into clinical practice, the information they learned from their medical textbooks is often outdated. And if they aren't keeping up with the latest research (which takes a modest investment in time and energy), then they simply won't be able to practice the type of evidenced-based medicine that due diligence demands.

For what it's worth, I also recommend testing for additional biomarkers including Vitamin D, C-reactive protein (a marker of inflammation), fasting glucose (how much sugar is in your blood), A1C (the average amount of sugar in your blood over the past 2 to 3 months), and thyroid-stimulating hormone, or TSH (which assess how well your thyroid gland is working). But getting a solid lipid profile done—and knowing how to evaluate it correctly with your healthcare provider—is a great start.

Xo

Nancy

Sources:

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/saturated-fat-good-or-bad

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5946211/

https://www.healthywomen.org/condition/cholesterol

https://medlineplus.gov/ldlthebadcholesterol.html

https://chriskresser.com/functional-medicine-approach-to-high-cholesterol/

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-cholesterol/expert-answers/cholesterol-ratio/faq-20058006

https://www.healthline.com/health/high-cholesterol/levels-by-age#children

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30459055

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2831917/

https://www.healthline.com/health/thyroid-issues-and-cholesterol

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/why-you-should-no-longer-worry-about-cholesterol-in-food/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20071648

https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/coconut-oil

https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/ConditionsAndTreatments/genetic-factors-and-cholesterol

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30459055

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/healthlibrary/conditions/diabetes/metabolic_syndrome_85,P08342

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5986484/

Question for you: 

Have you ever heard people say that after taking some extended time off from training (either planned or unplanned), it's much easier for them regain their strength back compared to how hard it was for them to get strong in the first place? Yeah, I've heard that before too. Like, a lot. Especially with those who didn’t strength train during pregnancy VS those who did. Now—have you ever wondered if that's true, or just an old lifter's tale? Turns out scientific evidence actually supports this claim as well. 

In a review just published in January in Frontiers in Physiology, researchers shared some interesting findings: when you workout, your skeletal muscles gain nuclei—cell brains, for lack of a better term. Interestingly, while muscle fibers DO decrease and weaken after periods of disuse (due to things like injury, disease, illness, pregnancyor, dare I say...episodic laziness), these new muscle nuclei actually stick around and never go away.

And thank goodness for that. The presence of these nuclei make it easier for muscles to grow and get strong again once training resumes, and is believed to contribute to the phenomon of "muscle memory."

Side note: this persistent muscular adaptation to training also happens to be why the researchers call for more rigorous drug testing among competitive athletes, since anabolic steroids (by enhancing muscle nuclei growth) can benefit a person even long AFTER they stop taking the drugs.

Innerestin', right??

Now, does this mean I recommend skipping workouts all the time, or suggest that not working out isn't a big deal? You bet your strong booty that's not what I'm saying! I AM saying this:

• If you DO have an extended period of missed training for whatever reason, say you cant lift as often or much during pregnancy, don't beat yourself up too badly about it especially if you have DING DING DING trained properly for pregnancy. Yes, you will lose some strength, but you haven't necessarily lost all that hard work you put in. "Use it or lose it," as the saying goes, "...until you use it again." 
• Consider this data a RESOUNDING CALL to encourage our children to stay fit and healthy from a young age! The authors of this review make a HUGELY important point: "[E]xercise during adolescence, when muscle growth is enhanced by hormones, nutrition and a robust satellite pool, might functionally serve to allow individuals to 'bank' myonuclei that could be drawn upon later in life to slow the effects of aging and possibly forestall [age-related muscle weakening]." YES! 

Takeaway: the window of opportunity to build a stronger healthier body is never lost to you...but the sooner and more consistently you (and your children) take action, then the healthier you can expect to be over the course of your life. It's never too late to start exercising—nor is it ever too late to pick up the habit again.

Article link: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2018.01887/full