Healthy 716- Connecting the 716 to Healthier Living

  Let’s talk about a topic a lot of people feel uncomfortable talking about: DIGESTION. When it’s working great, life is GOOD ! And when it’s not, well … you can feel bloated, gassy, sluggish, and just plain BLAH. Lots of factors can affect your digestion – including getting OLDER. Research shows that about 40% of older adults have at least one age-related digestive problem every year! That includes constipation … reflux … sensitivities to certain foods … ulcers … polyps … and more. Plus, as we age it’s common for our digestive systems to slow down, which can exacerbate other problems! Here are some steps you can take to keep your digestive system happier, as well as some things you can ask your doctor about during your next visit. Get at least 30 minutes of exercise 5 days a week. This can help with constipation and cut your risk of colon cancer. Make sure you get enough fiber by eating veggies, fruits, legumes, and whole grains as part of your everyday diet. These can keep you re...

Can you believe that we’re turning the corner into June!? This is the perfect time to check in on how you’re doing with your 2021 goals for the year. Are you where you’d hoped you’d be in terms of your progress … or are those goals a distant memory? As we’ve taken a deep dive into aging this month, it can be pretty eye-opening to realize that your goals are about SO MUCH MORE than what size jeans you’re wearing. Don’t get me wrong. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with having weight- or size-related goals. But the incredible thing is that those results are often a SIDE EFFECT of something else: Focusing on your overall health and wellness! This realization can be a huge mindset shift – a shift that’s empowering and exciting. It can shift your thinking in a way that helps you build a lifestyle that you can live with year-round vs. one that’s temporary. The steps you take now can have a powerful impact on how you feel (and live) later . Steps like … Creating a fitness plan that leave...

Have your weight loss results stopped? Or never got started? Before you blame a fitness plateau for your lack of results let’s take a hard look at the following: 1. Your Diet: It’s human nature to begin to slip on your nutrition after a few weeks of stringent diligence. A small treat here, and a bite of something there, and before you know it you’ve fallen back into old eating habits. If your results have stopped then take the next few weeks to track your nutrition and hold yourself accountable for every bite. 2. Your Workouts: If your nutrition has truly stayed on point then your workouts could be the problem. Are you slacking on the final few reps? Have you reduced your overall intensity in the gym? Did you skip a few sessions last week? Before you blame a plateau for your reduced results take a really hard look at your effort in the gym. Rededicate yourself to pushing as hard as you can. 3. Your Sleep: This is a tough one for so many people, but you simply must be getting adequat...

Weird question for you … When was the last time you got together with friends or family and had some fun?! I wanted to ask because there’s important research I was reading about that shows that social time can help you live longer. First, a little background. You know stress isn’t good for you, right? That includes feeling lonely and disconnected. Well, research shows that chronic stress impacts you right down to the cellular level , making you more susceptible to dangerous chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and even some types of cancer. That’s because stress seems to contribute to shortening the “caps” on the ends of your DNA (called telomeres), which play a major role in the aging process. Longer telomeres = longevity! Scientists say you can start protecting your telomeres right now by living a healthy lifestyle by focusing on eating plant-based foods and exercising regularly. Here’s the cool part ... Your social connections also play a major role! Especially positive re...