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We look forward to supporting you and celebrating your successes this year. Wishing for minds full of positive thoughts, plentiful coping mechanisms, and increased self-awareness, confidence, and self-esteem.
Let’s start by flexing our mind’s muscle memory ~ replacing negative thoughts with positive thoughts. this will help us avoid getting stuck in a pattern of tormenting thoughts. Creating new muscle memory takes preparation and practice.
Here is a simple idea that can help kick this new year off on the right foot!
Create a vision board (beautiful visual aspirations), including a list of many positive mantras (examples: I am fulfilled, I am fearless, I am loved). A Mantra is simply a word, sound, or phrase that is repeated to aid in concentration. Select a mantra that best suits your feelings/needs and practice it by repeating it over 100 times throughout the day. This is particularly useful when painful thoughts and emotions arise. One positive mantra can change your mind!
In the news, there is a lot of talk about how our lifespan is now on the decline and that the generation born today is predicted to have a shorter lifespan than the preceding generations. We are certainly not spending less, in fact, we spend more on medical care than any other country! There is a lot of speculation as to why this is…..including the incidence of obesity and the dependency on opiates, the explosion of chronic diseases. Our healthcare spending is increasing yet our life expectancy is decreasing. This trend begs the question, what does our Healthspan mean to us?
I think this is a sad and important reflection of our society’s health. But let’s reflect on the quality of health during life which I have heard about called: Healthspan. Healthspan is not just being alive but being ALIVE AND WELL. A really smart patient said to me last week “Doc, I really do not want to live longer if I don’t recognize my family or if I am too sick to do the things I love”. I love my patients and learn from them all the time! This comment really resonated with me. What can we do to improve the quality of our health as we age? What is the difference between the 55-year-old on the floor playing lego or on the soccer field with their grandkids and the 60-year-old who wants to – but is too tired or in too much pain to get up from a chair?
Exposure to environmental toxins affects weight loss. In modern life, our body is exposed to a barrage of substances that are foreign to us which I will label as toxins to keep it simple. These toxins come from chemicals put into the environment by industry, heavy metals, chemicals from plastics, pesticides, herbicides, and more. Luckily our body has built-in mechanisms to get rid of the “bad stuff”. It takes time and nutrients to do so. Unfortunately, our ability to get rid of toxins can be overwhelmed by the amount of incoming which creates an imbalance. When this imbalance happens our body stores them in fat. Our fat communicates with our brain which then controls our metabolism. Weight loss is hard when the metabolism communication is not working correctly. When our fat is full of toxins, those communication signals go awry. I believe that this can affect our body weight set point and impair our ability to lose weight.
Detoxification strategies can often jump-start a weight loss plan. There is even some evidence that toxins in our fat contribute to inflammation which can lead to insulin resistance (see Part 1 of this series). Toxins can be tricky to test for, but I have realized that we all have a toxic burden and we can all use strategies to support detoxification. Here are the hints that you have a high toxic burden contributing to an uphill weight loss battle…
Sauna therapy and specifically with the use of an Infrared sauna has been shown to increase heart rate. The blood flow in the peripheral tissue (tissue closest to our skin) increases to allow greater heat exchange through the skin. Our blood pressure (specifically the bottom number or diastolic) will drop and our metabolic rate (the number of calories we burn) increases. Studies have shown there is an increase in Human Growth Hormones as well as Beta Endorphins. There is also relaxation of the muscles.
At a physiological level, sauna has been speculated to decrease inflammation through increased production in various proteins that are up-regulated in response to the thermal effect on the body.
The research on sauna therapy is mostly on Infrared Sauna. In Japan and other countries in Asia, the use of Infrared sauna is called Waon Therapy (which means gentle heat therapy).
The studies for FIR show benefit for the following conditions:
There are studies on benefits to the Respiratory system and the Immune system specifically for traditional sauna and that likely applies to Far Infrared as well.
Call 603-328-8101 to schedule an appointment.
Kate Swords, Functional Medicine Nutritionist, brings you this delicious recipe! Start each day with a bang when you blend this masterpiece together ~ an all ages treat!
Ingredients:
1 Cup Fresh or Frozen Organic Mixed Berries (Strawberries, Blue Berries & Raspberries)
1 Cup Coconut Milk
½ Cup Organic Nut Butter
1 Banana
1 Cup Ice
2 Organic Dates or 1 Tbsp Local Raw Honey (Optional Sweetness)
Preparation:
Put all of these ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
Add extra Coconut Milk if needed. Pour and Enjoy!
Makes Two Large or 4 Small Smoothies.
Make them fancy by adding the berries last and a little at a time ~ pour one inch into the cup with each addition of the berries. You will love the gradation of color this creates!
6 Day New Year Detox
Led by Kate Swords, MS, CNS, Functional Nutritionist
Date: Mon. January 9 – Mon. January 16, 2023
Time: 6 PM – 7 PM EDT
Cost: $179 **Sparkle Health members Save 15%**
Location: Online Event
Jump into 2023 with the team at Sparkle! Join us for a 6-day guided metabolic detox online event.
A metabolic detox at the start of the year can help us shed the toxins (and treats) we have accumulated over the holidays. It can also be a great way to reset digestion and strengthen the immune system to better defend against illness this winter.
Two 60-minute Zoom meetings: Mon 1/09/2023 and Mon 1/16/2023 at 6pm
Included: 6-day Detox kit, instruction, food plan, email, and group support
We will contact you upon registration for payment and to arrange the distribution of the supplements.
**We also have some great options here at Sparkle to enhance your metabolic detox such as a far infrared sauna, lymphatic drainage, and massage therapy. **
Jump into 2023 with Sparkle this January!
January is named after Janus, the ancient Roman god of gates and doors symbolizing endings, beginnings, and transitions. He’s depicted with two heads: one head looking at the past and the other at the future.
Jan. 1: New Year’s Day
Jan. 2: National Science Fiction Day
Jan. 3: Festival of Sleep Day, International Mind-Body Wellness Day
Jan. 4: Trivia Day
Jan. 5: National Bird Day
Jan. 6: National Take Down the Christmas Tree Day, Cuddle Up Day, Bean Day
Jan. 7: Old Rock Day
Jan. 8: Bubble Bath Day
Jan. 9: Coming of Age Day, National Word Nerd Day
Jan. 10: Houseplant Appreciation Day, National Bittersweet Chocolate Day
Jan. 12: Stick to Your New Year’s Resolution Day, National Hot Tea Day
Jan. 13: Make Your Dream Come True Day
Jan. 14: Dress Up Your Pet Day, Organize Your Home Day
Jan. 16: Martin Luther King Jr. Day, National Nothing Day
Jan. 17: Benjamin Franklin Day
Jan. 18: Thesaurus Day, Winnie the Pooh Day, National Gourmet Coffee Day
Jan. 19: National Popcorn Day, National Good Memory Day
Jan. 20: National Cheese Lovers Day, Take A Walk Outdoors Day
Jan. 21: National Hugging Day, Own Your Own Home Day
Jan. 22: Lunar New Year
Jan. 23: National Handwriting Day
Jan. 24: Compliment Day, Belly Laugh Day
Jan. 25: Opposite Day
Jan. 26: Spouse’s Day
Jan. 31: Backward Day, Inspire Your Heart With Art Day
First week: New Year’s Resolutions Week
First week: Someday We’ll Laugh About This Week
Second week: Letter Writing Week
Third week: Hunt for Happiness Week
Third week: Spring Festival Golden Week
Fourth week: Children’s Week
Fourth week: Courtesy Week
Fourth week: Storytelling Week
Celebration of Life Month
Cervical Health Awareness Month
Get a Balanced Life Month
National Get Organized Month
International Creativity Month
National Birth Defects Prevention Month
National Blood Donor Month
National Mentoring Month
National Soup Month
Reach Your Potential Month
Thyroid Awareness Month
National Glaucoma Awareness Month
