Day #18: Glycine For Stress Management

Glycine! Oh how I like thee and what was I doing when I avoided you - for the most part - as a vegetarian for 10 years (caveat: there is some glycine in plant food but not enough in plant food when dealing with a lot of stress). Glycine is important for feeling relaxed, getting better sleep, and creating a powerful antioxidant called glutathione. You can it in collagen, which is found in chicken skin or soup, bone broth, organ meat, and more. You can also buy collagen powder and put in a smoothie too. A product I like using because it taste great and comes from grassfed cows is called Vital proteins. If you want more information about glycine, you can search on my website for more reason why you want to use it and recipes that have a ton of glycine in it.

Day #17: Joy For Stress Management

Joy! It is concept hard for me to explain in words, but what I do know is that it is difficult for me to experience the downside of stress when I feel joy. For me, cooking from scratch, learning, and teaching brings me joy. And today I cooked from scratched and saw a teacher I haven't seen in awhile that brought me a lot of joy to me. Now your turn! What brings joy into your life?

Because They Wanted To Dance: Part 1

There was a warrior princess and prince who wanted to dance on pointe at The School of Dance.  Warrior Princess Anna needed to work on strengthening her feet and Warrior Prince Keane needed to work on his posture.  They both knew they wanted to dance on pointe with grace and strength but didn’t know how to do it. They both were very flexible and growing in height super fast; making it difficult to progress like other students. They asked their dance teacher how long it would take for them to dance on pointe. Well, their teacher told them in time and with more practice.  Anna and Keane didn’t like this answer.  One day after class, Anna and Keane just couldn’t just couldn’t wait to dance on pointe, so they tried and tried to practice in the studio after class so they could catch up with their peers. Anna ended up spraining her left ankle and Keane ended up hurting his back when doing a back backbend.

While Anna sat down on the floor and looked at her ankles and Keane laid on the floor trying to hide his tears because he just couldn’t practice anymore, a little mouse scampered by and noticed these sad dancers in the room.   He wanted to help them.  This mouse and his family had lived in the dance studio for many years. They have seen many dancers attend and graduate from The School Of Dance. The mouse, named Anthony, wanted to cheer them up and asked them what was wrong.  Anna, having heard about the family history of this mouse before, asked if he knew of any dancers like them who were able to dance on pointe? Well, Anthony didn’t, but his grandmother might know.  His grandmother, named Sylvie, was a dancer herself when she was young and loved watching all of the dancers practice everyday from the back of the studio.  

Anthony told them to follow him to the back of the room, where his grandmother watched from a small entrance in the back wall. To everyone’s surprised, Sylvie was waiting right outside of the little doorway and ready to  shake the young warrior’s hands when they arrived. Before her grandson could explain anything further, Sylvie said, "It was about time she met these warriors!" Sylvie couldn’t wait to share her wisdom and what students, like Anna and Keane, did to get stronger and dance on pointe with grace and with minimal injuries.

Stay posted! I will share some of the exercises Sylvie shared  with Anna and Keane in part 2 of Because They Wanted To Dance.

Some Sources of Oxidative Stress

Oxidative Stress naturally occurs during biological processes the body. It is only a problem when it is excessive (ex. autoimmune conditions).  In my last article, I didn't include potential sources of oxidative stress, so I wanted to write it in this one. I collected the information listed below from an article, called Oxidative Stress: An Essential Factor in the Pathogenesis of Gastrointestinal Mucosal Diseases.  As you can tell, it is not possible to completely eliminate oxidative stress, because oxidative stress is part of natural intracellular processes and - for people fighting cancer - excessive oxidative stress can be a form of treatment for them.  My intention to write this article is so that you are have information that may help you make wiser decisions on how to manage your oxidative stress.  

Endogenous Sources (what happens in your cells and the rest of your body)

• Mitochondrial respiratory chain
• Intracellular Enzyme
• Respiratory Burst and NADPH oxidase
• Xanthine oxidase
• Lipooxygenases
• Glucose Oxidase
• Myeloperoxidase
• Nitric Oxide Synthase
• Cyclo-oxygenase
• Transition Metals

Exogenous Sources (environmental)

• Pollutants
• Radiation
• Cigarette Smoking
• Food and Nutrients
  • Trans fatty acids possibly due to acrylamide
  • Iron and Copper
  • Fats cooked in the microwave or overheated
  • Ethanol (ex. alcohol)
• Drugs and Xenobiotics 
  • Nonsteriods Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDS)
    • Aspirin
    • Ibuprofen
    • Naproxen
  • Anti-cancer drugs (ex. quinones)
  • Glucocorticoid Therapy
  • Volatile anesthetics

Reference

Bhattacharyya, A., Chattopadhyay, R., Mitra, S., & Crowe, S. E. (2014). Oxidative Stress: An Essential Factor in the Pathogenesis of Gastrointestinal Mucosal Diseases. Physiological Reviews, 94(2), 329–354. http://doi.org/10.1152/physrev.00040.2012

Fasting: Recommendations & Thoughts.

What is Fasting?

It is the abstinence of food. In different religious fasts, it is about eliminating a certain type of food - from drinks (ex. alcohol) or macronutrients (ex. carbohydrates and proteins) to animal sources (ex. eggs, animal meat, and dairy).  

Types of Fasting

Types of intermittent fasting as mentioned in Authority Nutrition include:

• 16/8: Fast for 16 hours a day.

• 5/2 Diet: Fast for 2 days per week.

• The Eat-Stop-Eat meals, twice a week.

• Alternate-Day Fasting: Fast every other day.

• The warrior Diet: Fast during the day, eat a huge meal at night.   

• Spontaneous Eating: Skip meals with convenient.

In addition, many spiritual practices include fasting as part of their rituals, which can be long-term (Orthodox fasting or some forms of fasting as Buddhism) or intermittent (ex. Ramadan and Daniel fasting).

Possible Benefits

• Inflammation: Decreased inflammatory markers and reduced inflammation damage have been measured.

• Weight Loss: Body weight loss may occur - be it muscle mass, glycogen storages or more.  The loss in weight can be associated with the reduction in calorie intake, age, duration of fasting, baseline body mass index, and country of residence  - along with a mix of dehydration, changes in diet, physical activity, and sleeping duration. For example,  in one study, it appeared that only people who were overweight and obese lost weight; in another one only men, not women, loss weight.   

• Insulin levels: Improved insulin sensitivity and insulin/IGF-1 have been demonstrated.

• Cellular repair: Upregulation of autophagy, which may help protect against infection, malignancy, and neurodegenerative diseases, has been shown.  

Possible Risks

• Hypoglycemia

• Muscle Loss

• Dehydration

• Nutrient deficiencies or the exacerbation of them

• Difficulty in concentration

• Worse Mood

• Irritability

• Negative Relationship with food

• REM sleep may be impacted

• Low T3

When fasting, it is important to intake enough of the following  nutrients:

• Water

• Sodium and chlorine (sodium chloride or what is called “salt”)

• Potassium

• Calcium and magnesium

• Acids

According to Paul Jaminet, in The Perfect Health Diet, the benefits of fasting are primarily from the elimination of carbs and proteins.  Meaning, you can still eat herbs, fiber-rich plants like leafy greens, spices, bone broth, and fat like coconut oil.  The fiber-rich greens you eat will be food for your microbiome and be  turned into butyrate by your gut bacteria — a beneficial short chain fatty acid.  

Examples of things you can eat and drink:

• A green leafy salad with chives tossed in lemon juice, sea salt, and olive oil;

• Bone broth with seaweed, green onions, herbs, and sea salt;

• Mineral water;

• According to Paul Jaminet, if you want to focus more on a ketogenic based fast, you may want to eat coconut oil.  Everybody has a different tolerance for fats, so feel free to experiment and respond accordingly.

If you are fasting to lose weight for a sport (ex. wrestling), it is recommended to not do it near the date of your competition, because it could negatively impact your athletic performance.

Caveats To Fasting

Based on some studies, intermittent fasting appears to for some people who are obese or overweight not to trigger binge eating in people without previous binge eating disorder.  Intermittent fasting for normal weight women may trigger "feelings of hunger, worse mood, heightened irritability, difficulty in concentrating, increase fatigue, eating related thoughts, fear of loss of control and overeating during non-restricted days." If you already have a stressful relationship with eating, I would seek help from an eating psychologist or appropriate practitioner to work with if you want to explore fasting.  

If you already live a stressful and on-the-go life, you may want to wait to do fasting when you are more relaxed (ex. retreat, vacation, or supervised by medical professionals) and have time to set yourself up for a successful fast. There is actually a medically supervised retreat center, called TrueNorth Health Center,  for people looking for a retreat center with medically supervised fasting.   Fasting is a stress to the body.  And from my observation with clients and friends who tend to be overachievers with type A personalities and demanding jobs, it is very easy to fast without enough downtime and adequate stress management - reinforcing or creating other types of problems (ex. HPA dysfunction, creating or reinforcing an unhealthy relationship with food, and increasing social isolation that is already prevalent in our modern life).

Remember Fasting is a Form of Stress...

Because fasting is a form of stress, I am not surprised that many spiritual practices also include downtime and group prayer or meditation while fasting. Some spiritual practices, such as Ramadan, allow exceptions for children and other people who are ill, traveling, menstruating, and breastfeeding.

A change in your nutrition can also bring about unexpected mental, energy, mood, social, and emotional changes. And it is why I recommend an integrative approach to fasting so that you can have a better and safer experience.   If you find yourself not feeling well when fasting, I recommend asking for help.

If you have more questions, I offer in private sessions in San Francisco and online. For a free consultation, please email me.  

References: 

Jaminet, P. The Perfect Health Diet. (3/18/17). http://perfecthealthdiet.com/2012/03/food-for-a-fast/

Jaminet, P. The Perfect Health Diet. (3/18/17).  Retrieved from http://perfecthealthdiet.com/2010/12/neo-agutak/

Aloui, A., Chtourou, H., Briki, W., Tabben, M., Chaouachi, A., Souissi, N., … Chamari, K. (2016). Rapid weight loss in the context of Ramadan observance: recommendations for judokas. Biology of Sport, 33(4), 407–413. http://doi.org/10.5604/20831862.1224098

Harvie, M.; Howell, A. Potential Benefits and Harms of Intermittent Energy Restriction and Intermittent Fasting Amongst Obese, Overweight and Normal Weight Subjects—A Narrative Review of Human and Animal Evidence. Behav. Sci. 2017, 7, 4.

Alirezaei, M., Kemball, C. C., Flynn, C. T., Wood, M. R., Whitton, J. L., & Kiosses, W. B. (2010). Short-term fasting induces profound neuronal autophagy. Autophagy, 6(6), 702–710. http://doi.org/10.4161/auto.6.6.12376

Gunnars, K. 6 Popular Ways To Do Intermittent Fasting. (3/18/17) Retrieved from https://authoritynutrition.com/6-ways-to-do-intermittent-fasting/

Qasrawi, S. Pandi-Perumai, S. BahHammam, A. (February 11, 2017) The effect of intermittent fasting during Ramadan on sleep, sleepiness, cognitive function, and circadian rhythm.  Sleep Breath doi: 10.1007/s11325-017-1473-x.

3/18/17 Retrieved from https://static.pexels.com/photos/298719/pexels-photo-298719.jpeg

Some Evening Practices To Prepare You For Better Sleep

To help you fall asleep and to support the regeneration processes that occurs during your sleep, you want to experiment with practice habits that allow your body, mind, and heart to relax, be embodied, and feel secured.  Here are some exercises I have collected over the years that have helped me and my clients get better sleep.  

Skip or reduce conditions that increase your stress response in the evening, such as:

• Stimulating noise exposure.

• Blue and green light 2-4 hours before sleep time. You can wear glasses with an amber/orange tint; use night shift on your apple products or f.lux on non apple computers and smartphones; and use amber lighting in your house at night.   

• Turn off EMF sources; you can do this by shutting down your circuit breakers or decrease it by unplugging all of your electronics and turning off your wifi.  

• Difficult conversations that increase your stress levels.  

If possible, experiment with these recommendations: 

• Eat a high carbohydrate and starchy dinner 2-4 hours before you sleep. Take a supplement with B6 at this time.

• Chew your meal - chewing is associated with increasing the relaxation of the nervous system.  

• Floss your day out by journaling or expressing your daily experiences to somebody. I sometimes write or use a project management software to write out what I did and experienced.  

• Go to sleep before 10 PM.  You may experience a 2nd wind, if you try to go to sleep after this time, making it harder to go asleep.

An Hour Before Bedtime, I recommend the following rituals: 

• Practice a mindful style of meditation, prayer, movement, touch therapy, massage, or connection. Meaning, it could be listening to soothing music, counting your breath or beads, practicing restorative yoga or yoga nidra, reading a book to your child, or hugging your partner.  
• Read a non-stimulating hardcopy book.  
• You may want to try a botanical sleep aid an hour before you sleep (ex. Valerian). 
• Take an Epsom salt bath with your whole body or just soaking your feet. If you have low blood pressure or heart disease, please make sure not to stay too long in warm water.  

As always, double check with your health practitioner to make sure these exercises are appropriate for you. And feel free to experiment what works for you. And change up your habits, if they seem to no longer serve their purpose.  It may take a couple of months of practice to reap the full benefits of these types of rituals.  Like conditioning a muscle, relaxation takes consistency, practice, and of course sleep to experience improvement.  

If you have more questions, I offer privates in San Francisco and over skype or the phone.  Contact me here.  

Better Sleep, Better Performance Workshop Video

This week, I gave a workshop on Better sleep, Better Performance.  

We know how poor sleep has a profound impact on our quality of life – affecting our mood, our performance at work, at the gym, and in our relationships. In this video, I discussed some diet and lifestyle tips for getting quality sleep for better performance including:

• Some key foods and nutritional tips that will help you fall asleep and stay asleep
• Lifestyle recommendations that can foster better sleep patterns
• A meditation practice rooted in Eastern traditions and research to help prepare you to fall asleep better.  

May you sleep better!

Better Sleep, Better Performance Workshop, Wednesday, January 4th, 2017 @ Preserved!

I will be offering a Better Sleep Workshop next Wednesday, January 4th, Preserved. It is from 6pm-7pm. Come join me! 

For more information, check out their website at http://www.preservedgoods.com/classroom .

Here is a little blurb about what I will cover during this Better Sleep workshop:

Poor sleep has a profound impact on our quality of life – it affects our mood, our performance at work, at the gym, and in our relationships. Join sleep expert Angeles Rios to discuss 3 effective tips for getting quality sleep for better performance: 

• Key foods and nutritional tips that will help you fall asleep and stay asleep
• Lifestyle recommendations that can foster better sleep patterns
• Opportunity to practice movement routines rooted in Eastern traditions

Establishing new routines can be difficult alone, so come discover what works for you. As always, light snacks provided.

The Power of Community

If You Want To Go Fast, Go Alone. If You Want To Go Far, Go Together...

- African Proverb.

Don’t underestimate the power of community when it comes to creating new habits. Research has shown social support can help create lasting change, especially if the support is from a group or someone you identify with.

Connecting with supportive and like-minded people has many benefits, including:

·      Feeling less isolated and more connected

·      Feeling less judged and more accepted

·      Increased accountability and focus

·      Receiving useful advice and ongoing inspiration

·      Learning from others’ expertise and experiences

I recommend finding a coach, support group and/or a group class relevant to the changes you wish to make.

When I began meditating, I practiced on and off for years. I would drop in on a class here and there with friends or by myself. Eventually, I committed to a daily practice after noticing some subtle changes. Within months of practicing at home, the benefits became more apparent. I wanted to go deeper.

I started looking for a local class comprised of others with similar intentions and goals. After trying several groups, I finally found one that felt like home and fit into my schedule.

I created many beneficial connections including several with experts whom I could ask for help when I was confused or unsure. This group truly helped me take my practice to whole new level as well as improved my well-being in countless ways.

There are groups and classes for anything and everything you can imagine. If you’re ready to start cooking meals at home, take a cooking class or join a supper club. If you have unresolved feelings surrounding a death in the family, seek out a grief support group.

When working with a group or with a professional, there needs to be chemistry. If it’s not there, keep looking until you find one that fits. And if you can’t find the right group, you can always start your own.

A few of the many places to find a group or class include:

·      Social media (i.e., Facebook)

·      Meetup.com

·      Meditation centers

·      Religious establishments (i.e., churches, mosques, synagogues)

·      Community centers

·      Fitness centers (i.e., gym, yoga, Pilates, dance, etc.)

·      Art studios

·      Adventure groups

·      Volunteer groups

If you have more questions, please email me. I offer free consultations over Skype or phone, privates in SF, and workshops in the Bay Area.

References

Reblin, M., &  Uchino, B. N. (2008). Social and Emotional Support and its Implication for Health. Current Opinion in Psychiatry, 21(2), 201–205. http://doi.org/10.1097/YCO.0b013e3282f3ad89

Terborg JR, Hibbard J, Glasgow RE. (Nov-Dec 1995).Behavior change at the worksite: does social support make a difference? Am J Health Promot. 10(2):125-31.

Harvey, I. S., & Alexander, K. (2012). Perceived Social Support and Preventive Health Behavioral Outcomes among Older Women. Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology, 27(3), 275–290. http://doi.org/10.1007/s10823-012-9172-3

Gallant, M.P. (December 2013). Social Networks, Social Support, and Health-Related Behavior. The Oxford Handbook of Health Communication, Behavior Change, and Treatment Adherence. DOI: 10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199795833.013.016

Heinrich KM, Carlisle T, Kehler A, Cosgrove SJ.  (January and March, 2017).Mapping Coaches' Views of Participation in CrossFit to the Integrated Theory of Health Behavior Change and Sense of Community. Fam Community Health. 40(1):24-27. 

Edwards, E. A., Lumsden, J., Rivas, C., Steed, L., Edwards, L. A., Thiyagarajan, A., ... Walton, R. T. (2016). Gamification for health promotion: systematic review of behaviour change techniques in smartphone apps. BMJ Open, 6(10), e012447. http://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2016-012447

Beyond Sleeping Pills

Years ago, I had trouble sleeping due to chronic pain and anxiety.  I didn't realize that these symptoms were associated with my autoimmune condition and the way I was eating and living my life.  Without this knowledge, I agreed to take the hypnotic drugs my medical doctor recommended. I was too tired and not feeling well enough to investigate other options at the time.  For those of you who have experienced insomnia, I just wanted to sleep!

Now with more understanding of my condition and the knowledge of how lifestyle practices and how nutrition can impact sleep, I have found ways to trouble shoot not just to fall sleep, but to get better sleep for myself and others.  With better sleep, I am able to think more clearly, have less intense food cravings - along with being more productive and present.  

I want to share with you some of these practices here, so if you are wishing to fall asleep better, you can explore them too.  As a heads up, I plan to go more in depth about these practices - in addition to botanical support - in an e-book that I am in the middle of writing!  If you want to get an update on when it will be released, please sign up for my newsletter.

If you want to share your tips that I haven't included here, please comment below.  If you have success stories, please share them too!  

What Are Sleeping Pills?

Sleeping pills are also called hypnotics, which are sedatives that promote and maintain sleep. This article will go over the impact and side effects of hypnotics - including nutrition and lifestyle options you may want to try to help you sleep better. As always, talk with your doctor to make sure there are no conflicts with your specific condition.  

 

Examples of Hypnotics

• Benzodiazepine Agonists*
• Diphenhydramine
• Trazodone
• Doxepin
• Melatonin

Side-Effects From the Use of Hypnotics

• Death from overdose or interactions with other drugs

• Accidents: fractures, falls, & automobile
• Infections
• Depression
• Possible increased cancer and mortality risk

Yep, some hypnotics have lots of side effects. 

Foods that Contribute to Insomnia

• Coffee

• Chocolate

• Stimulants including caffeine, food coloring, food sensitivities, and allergies
• Sugar and refined carbohydrates
• Protein heavy dinner
• Too much omega-3s
• Alcohol

I know dark chocolate contains a lot of antioxidants and I do love eating it, but I try to avoid chomping on some at night since it keeps me awake.  

Lifestyle Practices that Contribute to Lower Quality of Sleep

• Intense exercise close to bedtime
• Too much stimulation at night: light, noise, EMF, & drugs
• Temperature being too warm at night
• Sleeping Ergonomics
• Lack of Exercise
• Lack of Social Support
• Dukka (Stress)

When possible, I try to keep my phone out of my bedroom. I use the Night Shift mode or F.lux to remove the blue light on my computers if I use them late at night.  

Foods That Help With Sleep

• Protein rich meals, especially in the morning, including fish, chicken, beef, lamb and more
• Cruciferous vegetables
• Potatoes, rice, & sweet potatoes
• Turkey, dairy, Walnuts (contain melatonin)
• Seaweed, dark leafy greens, & chlorella
• Saturated Fats: Butter, Coconut oil, Macadamias, Cashews, Fatty Fishes, & Flax seeds
• Whole grains, legumes, bananas, seeds, nuts, potatoes, Brussel sprouts, & cauliflower
• Turkey, milk, cottage cheese, chicken, red meats, soybeans (fermented is best), tofu, and nuts (almonds)

Foods with tryptophan are quite tasty. Eating healthy doesn't mean not delicious.  

Lifestyle Recommendations

• Light Therapy
• Cognitive Therapy
• Sleep Rituals
• Meditation, Prayer, & Yoga
• Social Support/Community
• Exercise in the morning or early evening

Sunlight or light from light therapy boxes can reduce the melatonin you have in body during the day.  And like how the light reflects different colors at sunset and night, our bodies use this as a signal to increase melatonin at this time for better sleep.

I hoped you picked up something new that you can practice to help you have better sleep. Each person has a different situation and learning style that can require different adaptations to getting better sleep. If you have questions, please feel free to contact me. I am available for privates in SF and over Skype. I also plan to offer sleep workshops and an ebook on Better Sleep, Better Performance next year, so signup for my newsletter to receive updates.  The e-book will go more in depth regarding each practice and more.  

*benzodiazepines (triazolam, estazolam, temazepam, flurazepam, and quazepam), nonbenzodiazepine receptor agonists (non-BzRAs; zaleplon, zolpidem, and eszopiclone), suvorexant, ramelteon, doxepin and trazodone. Off-label drugs such as other antidepressants, antihistamines, antipsychotics, gabapentin, pramipexole, tiagabine, valerian, and melatonin were also included.

References

Kripke DF. (2016). Mortality Risk of Hypnotics: Strengths and Limits of Evidence. Drug Saf. Feb;39(2):93-107. doi: 10.1007/s40264-015-0362-0.

Murray, M. Pizzorno, J. Pizzorno, Lara. (2005). The Encyclopedia Of Healing Foods. New York, New York: Atria Books.

Jaminet, P. Perfect Health Diet - Circadian Rhythms. (11/4/16). Retrieved from http://perfecthealthdiet.com/shop-circadian-rhythms/

Stress Reduction Workshop with Gary Kraftsow on 10/7/16-10/9/16

Three Nutritional Tips for Better Sleep, Better Performance

50-70 million Americans suffer from sleep disorders.  About ½ of Americans will have trouble falling asleep in a year.  Working on getting not just enough sleep, but high-quality sleep is important because sleep is critical for working memory, attention, decision-making, and visual-motor performance.   Lack of sleep is associated with increased risk of automobile accidents and chronic lack of sleep is associated with the aging of the brain, neuronal damage, and increased cortisol levels at night. 

PREDISPOSING FACTORS

• Hormonal Imbalances

• Genetics

• Environmental (ex. metal toxicity)

• Stress (ex. HPA dysregulation and infections)

• Drugs

• Too much stimulation (ex. noise, light, food allergies, food sensitivities)

• Lack of Exercise

• Nutritional Deficiency

• Psychological (ex. depression & anxiety)

• Chronic Pain  

SIGNS & SYMPTOMS

Not being able to sleep well, specifically what is called insomnia, includes the following signs and symptoms:

(1) difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep or nonrestorative sleep;

(2) this difficulty is present despite adequate opportunity and circumstance to sleep;

(3) this impairment in sleep is associated with daytime impairment or distress; and

(4) this sleep difficulty occurs at least 3 times per week and has been a problem for at least 1 month. 2

THREE TIPS FOR BETTER SLEEP THROUGH NUTRITION

  PROTEIN

Having a good balance of hormones is needed for high-quality sleep.  

Amino acids are the building blocks to making protein and hormones that impact sleep.  

Serotonin, melatonin, progesterone, and GABA are some of the important hormones for getting a good night sleep.  

In general, it is recommended to eat protein at least 3 times a day. Certain conditions may require more or less frequency.  

The serving size of animal protein is typically 2-4 oz for animal protein and 4-6 oz for plant-based protein, basically the size of a deck card.*  For general maintenance, it is .8 grams per kilogram of body weight and for active people or people recovering from surgery it is is 1.7 grams of ideal body weight or more, depending on energy expenditure.* 

Calculation for Protein Intake: Bodyweight in lbs/2.2x .8 or 1.7*   

(Key: 1 kg = 2.2 lbs)*

GLYCINE

You may be wondering why I didn't include it as part the protein section. Well, from my research it is appeared so important for sleep quality, I wanted to talk about it separately.  

It is a nonessential amino acid - a building block to making proteins.  

It one of three amino acids that help make up glutathione that is associated with detoxification and antioxidant mechanisms.  

It is necessary for DNA, RNA, and numerous proteins.  

It promotes digestion by supporting the production of bile salts and secretion of bile salts.

Increase calm by inhibiting excitatory neurotransmitters.  

It helps initiate REM sleep.

Regulates gluconeogenesis, which helps control blood-sugar levels.

Helps control creatine levels and growth hormone secretion from the pituitary gland.

Assist in the production of the neurotransmitter serine, which helps with mood, memory, reduces stress, and more.  

Foods: Best food sources are skin, bones, offal, connective tissue, tendons, and

ligaments from animals; including bone broth. For supplementation, gelatin and collagen can be used.  

SATURATED FATS

The membranes of cells and the communication between cells depend on fat for appropriate function, including in your brain.   

An important type of fat called saturated fats is needed as material for creating the cell membrane too.

Make sure you are eating the appropriate amount of saturated fat for YOU. Recommended fat intake varies on genetic make-up, metabolic rate, activity level and more.* If you are unsure, talk with a nutritionist to figure out what might best work for you.  

Saturated fats include the following sources and types of fat:  

• Butter (contains butyric acid),
• Coconut milk;
• Olive oil, cashews, macadamias (high in omega-9 fats, which boost serotonin antidepressant activities).
• Omega-3 fatty acids

Wild caught fatty fishes is the best source for Omega-3s.

It is recommended to eat fatty fishes 5-6 servings per week.

If you cannot eat fish, take fish oil 2g per day.

Flax seeds are only good for a ⅓ of the population; the rest have a problem converting ALA (the form found in flax seeds) to DHA.  

It is a MAO inhibitor; MAO depletes good feeling hormones (ex. dopamine and serotonin). 

* I revised this information on 12/19/16.  

REFERENCES

1. Harvey, A. G., & Tang, N. (2012). (Mis)Perception of Sleep in Insomnia: A puzzle and a resolution. Psychological Bulletin, 138(1), 77–101.

2. Roth, T. (2007). Insomnia: Definition, Prevalence, Etiology, and Consequences. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine : JCSM : Official Publication of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, 3(5 Suppl), S7–S10.

3. Ballantyne, Sarah (2014-04-16). The Paleo Approach: Reverse Autoimmune Disease, Heal Your Body (Kindle Location 5810). Victory Belt Publishing. Kindle Edition.

4. Bannai M, Kawai N.(2012) New therapeutic strategy for amino acid medicine: glycine improves the quality of sleep. J Pharmacol Sci. 118(2):145-8. Epub 2012 Jan 27.

5. Yamadera W, Inagawa K, Chiba S, et al. Glycine ingestion improves subjective sleep quality in human volunteers, correlating with polysomnographic changes. Sleep Biol Rhythms. 2007;5:126–131. doi: 10.1111/j.1479-8425.2007.00262.x.

6. Halson, S. L. (2014). Sleep in Elite Athletes and Nutritional Interventions to Enhance Sleep. Sports Medicine (Auckland, N.z.), 44(Suppl 1), 13–23. http://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-014-0147-0

7. Ross, Julia (2003-12-30). The Mood Cure: The 4-Step Program to Take Charge of Your Emotions--Today. Penguin Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

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What Matters Is Not What I Do, But The Quality & Joy It Brings To My Life

I am grateful that I reconnected with my deep desire to move with more joy this week. After the past several years of being off biologics (strong drugs I took to manage my autoimmune symptoms) it was hard moving easily and without pain. I felt all of the heights of an overworked immune system on my body. I don't recommend this professionally.

I personally did this approach, because I wanted to figure out what was working and not working while I tried an elimination diet and changed my lifestyle. At the same time, exercising for fun and strength slowly got placed on the back burner as I figured out how to work the healing practices into my life and control the fires I felt in my body.

I am now seeing a coach for help in  reorganizing my priorities as I have more space in my life and feeling a lot better. I realized that the joy of movement - a major reason why I like to help people move and practice pilates, was missing in my life. I may not be at the same level of fitness and strength as I was in the past, but moving with more joy - at whatever pace it is - will bring so much more light in my life. We all could benefit from coaches, even coaches like me - so we can be as real and whole with ourselves.

Moving forward, I plan to share more movement exercises on my blog and IG, no matter how basic they are. The lesson I learned here is what matters is not what I do, but the quality and joy it brings to my life.