Source: What Exercise Authorities Don’t Tell You About Optimal Duration | NutritionFacts.org Physical fitness authorities seem to have fallen into the same trap as the nutrition authorities, recommending what they think may be achievable, rather than simply informing us of what the science says and letting us make up our own minds. Researchers who accept […]
What Exercise Authorities Don’t Tell You About Optimal Duration | Dr. Michael Greger | NutritionFacts.org — The Plant Strong Club
I’m not one to make New Year’s Resolutions. Why? Because I used to make a list of 10 things and NEVER got any of them completed. My goal these days is to constantly re-asses my goals daily. Every day is a new day to accomplish something or try something new or go outside your comfort zone. So, this year, my husband and I both want to work on our nutrition. It’s more evident now (we’re in our 40s) than ever before that we really take responsibility not only for our own health, but the health of our littles. Therefore, this is a top priority for both of us. The more we learn about nutrition and what to put into our bodies, the more we can teach our kids the importance of health and nutrition. I hope this knowledge continues to transfer down into our kids, grandkids, etc. The gift of good health is more valuable to me now than before. The older I get, the more I see my parents/family aging. Luckily, my family has good genes are have lived into their 90s. However, I want to take what I can into my own hands and make sure it stays that way. I come across so many patients who either have bad genes, poor diet, poor access to nutrition, lack of knowledge of nutrition and exercise, or simple complacency with an “I’m gonna do what I’m gonna do” attitude.
Three Books that I’m tackling this year:
How Not to Die by Michael Greger, MD: Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Disease — I purchased this for my mom as well. She has a voracious appetite for healthy living, so both this book as well as Genius Foods were great gifts for her. I haven’t gotten to this book yet, so stay tuned.
Things I’d like to tackle:
A little background info… I’m an anesthesiologist for a fairly busy practice. That means we get called when you need an epidural or c-section. I am currently in my first pregnancy (so I haven’t experienced my own birth process), however I’ve seen and managed thousands of epidurals for delivery.
One of the most important things moms can do for their pregnancies… Eat right (clean, get plenty of veggies and fruits) and exercise. This is the best prep work you can do! Secondly, have an open mind when selecting your birth plan. You are not in control of what will happen. What happens with your baby is what will dictate what you will need and what will be best for your baby. Many mothers have opted for a “natural” delivery and have been successful. Some mothers have been in a fully equipped medical center and have had bad outcomes unrelated to interventions for their baby.
Your goal as a mom is to guide and give direction to your delivery team of your wishes — but this is a process that changes throughout your labor so flexibility is key.
Epidurals are NOT harmful for your baby. There are multiple studies that’re well backed with huge sample sizes that prove this. Epidurals can slow certain stages of labor, but it’s NOT harmful to you or your baby. There are a lot of misconceptions about epidurals. Whether it’s patient experience, epidural effectiveness (and this can be patient controlled), or fear of the unknown… epidurals have been given a bad reputation and sometimes these traumatic experiences are passed down without rhyme or reason (similar to the anti-vaccine movement which is dangerous!).
So, pick a birth plan… be flexible with it. Do what you can to optimize your health (and birthing experience) via diet and exercise. Lastly, no one loses when they’re comfortable. Comfort leads to a good experience and overall a happy mom, baby, and family.
Here’s my plan (which isn’t for everyone):
1) more plant-based diet w some fish
2) exercise via walks, hikes, and pilates/yoga/barre
3) birth plan: vaginal delivery with minimal pain (epidural immediately: I don’t want to feel a thing)… but anything to get the baby out safely.
4) breastfeed like crazy if possible
5) go back to work after 3 months
6) breast milk for at least 6 months (but will try for a year)
My plan isn’t for everyone… it’s for me. Good luck!!
It all started with 23 and me. Initially, I did it bc this company was just getting started, and I enjoy analytics and health and ancestry. Well, once I got the info from this, a colleague of mine told me about DNA Fit. It basically looks at your genetics and how your body handles nutrition, fitness, and metabolism. I found out a lot about my own health! Based on my DNA, it said my body does best with a Paleo diet. So, I opted to do a mostly paleo diet starting in October 2016 — with an upcoming wedding in February 2017, I was on a mission.
I started ordering Trifecta Nutrition for quick and organic Paleo meals. I would eat these meals 5 days a week for lunch at work. One of the biggest things I noticed was that I was fuller longer and had much less cravings for sweets. From October to February, I lost 10 lbs and got lean. Of course, I was also doing Sweat (iphone app) by Kayla Itsines. This is a no-nonsense program that you can do anywhere and anytime. In the past, I’ve done almost all of the beachbody products: p90, p90x, p90x3, chalean xtreme, turbo jam, insanity, turbo fire, hammer and chisel — of all of these, I really highly recommend P90x3 — it’s a terrific program that will give you results if you put in the work. But what I found is that I would actually stick to the Sweat program much longer and have faster recovery with her program vs. P90X3.
So what have a discovered about myself as I’ve taken a more Paleo heavy diet? I have less cravings. I perform better physically and mentally. I actually feel like I’m eating more and staying fuller longer. And that (for me), is one thing I absolutely love! Overall, I feel less deprivation…and that makes me happy!
What are your thoughts? Anyone else have similar or different experiences with a Paleo diet?
Good places to start:
Love. Laughter. Life. Medicine. 
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