Stop the Bloat for Good!

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Many of us women, and a few men, have a serious problem with bloating. Not only is it a death nail for those bikini and scale goals, it can be just plain uncomfortable. Bloating also tends to pop up at the most importune moments- say, that vacation in the Bahamas that you have been diligently dieting for since way earlier than bikinis were weather appropriate. 

Bloating is one of my biggest diet problems. So much so, that my scale can change five pounds due to water weight. That is, until recently. A few weeks ago I noticed a big difference between the days/weeks that I took my vitamins and the days/weeks that I did not. It may seem like a vain reason to take your vitamins, but turns out, vitamins reduce bloating! That's right, taking your vitamins will not only improve your health, it will also reduce that pesky bloat. 

Now, I am sure many are asking what vitamins to take, how often, and if that is really all you have to do? Right?? Well, let's get into it!

What Vitamins to Take

The vitamins you take will make a big difference to the results you see. I take (and swear by) all Nutrilite vitamins because they are 100% organic, been around for 70+ years, have never had a recall, and have extremely high check and balances. All of this means they are a bit pricey, but you are actually getting the nutrients you pay for with no fillers. That is worth it for me! 

As for what vitamins I take, there are a few. The biggest difference will come from a good multivitamin, a fish oil, a probiotic, and an extended release vitamin C. These do the biggest job for me in removing that bloat and it is what I would highly recommend to anyone with that same issue.

Why an extended release vitamin C, you ask? Fantastic question! Turns out, the one vitamin our bodies cannot make or store is that necessary vitamin C. This means that if we take a vitamin C that just shoots straight into our system, most will go out as waste. We are, literally, wasting our money away. An extended release will make sure that only a small amount of vitamin C is released into the body over a 12-hour period. Making you and your wallet a bit healthier! 

Side note: I would also recommend looking into where your fish oil comes from. Most fish oils from salmon farming are causing  massive ecological damage and should be avoided. As weird as it sounds, the fish oil I take is from calamari- something that, when farmed, does not harm our environment! 

When to Take Your Vitamins

Morning, noon, and night. That is the easiest answer to the question. Take your vitamins with meals whenever possible. There are few vitamins (vitamin D being the only one that comes to mind) that should not be taken in large quantities since it can cause internal damage. 

If you are not able, or wanting, to take vitamins this many times a day (oh boy do I hear you- all those plants mushed up making them taste NOT GREAT), try taking them in the morning with your breakfast and at night with your dinner. Morning really seems to make the biggest difference for me. Just be sure you eat your breakfast before taking your vitamins. Vitamins on an empty stomach can be just about the worst thing ever! 

One More Thing

There is one more thing that you should be doing along with taking those vitamins and it is probably exactly what you are thinking. Drink water. When vitamins are breaking down, they absorb ALOT of water for the process. In order to keep your body hydrated, you should be drinking about 80-160 ounces of water a day. Honestly, eighty ounces of water is on the very low side and probably about the minimum for anyone who has grown past puberty. We just need more fluids than that! 

100 ounces is my daily mile-maker and what makes me feel energized, keeps my skin healthy, and keeps that bloat down. Of course, not eating tons of dairy, fried foods, and salty snacks also helps wit that whole reduced bloating thing ;)

These simple little changes have made my scale seem a bit less bipolar and kept my tum in check. If budget is an issue, start with a simple multivitamin that will give your your daily needs, and go from there. If Nutrilite is not an option, just be sure you are checking what is in your vitamins and reading the small print. And please let me know if this little tip helps you as much as it has helped me! 

What other tips do you have to stop that pesky bloat? 

The Pros and Cons of Drinking Coffee

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Coffee is great and the hoard of Starbucks receipts you could find in my purse at any given time would not argue that fact. But, for as good as coffee is, it has also been getting pretty mixed signals for the health world. Sure, the sugars, creamers, and flavors that are just more sugar are not great- Well, actually, they are quite bad- but, what about coffee itself. If you are one of those highly disciplined people out there who never touches a Starbucks drive-thru or coffee creamer with a 10-foot pole, there is a pretty good chance you are doing quite well since most of the pros for coffee are when it is in it's purest form. 

Go ahead, give yourself a pat on the back all you black coffee drinkers. Now, go on and read the good, bad, and ugly of that cup of jo.

Brain Health

Pros

One of the biggest, and best, pros to drinking coffee is the brain health that comes along with it. Researchers from some of the leading Universities have found that coffee increases memory retention and also decreases our risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease. This is because, like all plants, coffee has phytonutrients and antioxidants that fight free radicals in our body. Free radicals are the things that reduce cell production and harm our DNA and include UV rays, carcinogens, and even the air we breathe.

What is even more incredible is that coffee has been found to actually repair damage to our DNA. This means that our DNA has fewer errors in reproduction and stays longer for longer (all about those telomeres). Keeping our DNA healthy also goes a long way for reducing our risk of cancer. Specifically, coffee helps reduce the risk of brain cancers.

Heart Health

Pros

The antioxidants found in coffee are not just for the brain. Turn's out, that they also reduce inflammation in our arteries and can lower our blood pressure. Both of these being extremely great for that ticker. The reduction of swelling in the arteries decreases one's risk of a stroke. the Nitric oxide found in coffee may also increase the diameter of arteries, lowering blood pressure and the risk of heart disease.

Cons

With all these great pro's, the only con to drinking coffee for a healthy heart is the caffeine. The caffeine found in coffee regular will actually negate the health benefits, making it a "con" instead of a "pro". Caffeine in coffee can also caused increased heart rhythms and an abnormal heart beat.  If heart health is on your mind, switch that caffeinated coffee out for the decaf variety.

Diabetes and Weight

Pros

That's right, coffee reduces our risk of Type II Diabetes. Researchers have found that those who drink 4-6 cups of coffee (decaf or regular) reduce their risk of diabetes by, up to, 30%. Those that drink more than 6 cups per day reduce their risks by a whopping 35%. This crazy decrease may be due to the antioxidant compounds cholorogenic acid and quinides found in coffee that reduce cell's sensitivity to insulin and help regulate sugar levels.

Cons

Unfortunately, this benefit is mainly found in the decaffeinated version since caffeine increases insulin sensitivity. The sugar high that you get from caffeinated coffee will also adversely effect most people's diets when they get to that sugar crash. This is because most people will reach for something high in fats and carbs to even out their blood sugar levels once more.

Weight gain can also be associated with coffee. New research has found a correlation with coffee drinking and an increased sweet tooth. This may be because of chemical reactions in our body, or simply because, as a society, we associate coffee with sweets.

Aging

Cons

Drinking too much coffee can dehydrate the body, causing premature aging of the skin. If you are wanting to drink your usual coffee, it is best to drink it with a cup of water on the side. This will also decrease the headaches that some associate with their morning cup of jo since most coffee related headaches are a symptom of dehydration.

Cholesterol and Your Liver

Pros

Well, this is a mixed bag if I ever saw one. Turns out that caffeinated coffee might just lower your risk of liver cancers by, up to, 43%. Just like it worked in our brains and arteries, coffee limits swelling and inflammation in the liver, thus reducing the risks of many liver diseases. Likewise, caffeine may help inhibit cancer cells from forming.

Cons

Now, for the mixed part of this bag. Unfiltered and boiled coffees increases the LDL or bad cholesterol found in our blood. This is especially evident in French presses and Turkish coffee makers that do not filter the coffee first. To decrease the LDL increasing properties, opt out of non-filtered options and get a drip filter coffee maker instead. It may not be quite as good (so true), but you won't be increasing your cholesterol with each cup.

Energy

Pros

Ready? Caffeine makes you more awake. Bam. Mind blown.

Not quite. Caffeine keeping you awake may not be such a mind blowing idea, but it sure can be a pro in a pinch. There are many people out in our world that rely on that morning cup of jo for their eyes to open and their foggy brains to clear.

Cons

The only bad thing about this increased energy is when it gets in the way of when we need to sleep. Coffee can increase your risk of insomnia since the brain is wired and simply cannot turn off. Everyone reacts differently to caffeine, but it is best to not drink coffee within 6-hours of hitting the hay. Even if you have an easy time falling asleep, your sleep will not be as deep or rejuvenate you quite as well with caffeine in your system.

As our bodies become more accustomed to the effects of caffeine, we will also begin to need more to feel the effects. This can be a not-so-great addiction that will only increase over time and decrease the proper sleep we need to be getting.

Pesticides

Because of all the places coffee comes from, it is one of the most pesticide laden foods we can get. Pesticides in coffee are absorbed into our bodies when we drink it. And, they are not easily gotten rid of. To reduce your pesticide intake (which can lead to multiple diseases including different forms of cancer), opt for the organic option. The coffee industry is pretty strict on what makes coffee organic. This means that you can feel at ease knowing your organic coffee does not contain harmful chemicals.

Here is my favorite organic coffee brand :)

Running with Flat Feet

There are a great deal of people out there with flat feet. In fact, up until today I thought I was one of them. If you get pain in your heel, pronate your feet (rotate them inward at the ankle when walking), or standing for a few minutes or more hurts, you just might have flat feet. A great way to know if you have flat feet is to do this foot test where you dip you foot in water then place it on a thick sheet of paper. If there is very little mid-section of your foot showing, you are average. If you have a lot of bare space in between your heel and ball of the foot, that is a high arch. Those with lots of wet between the ball and heel of the foot have flat feet.

People with flat feet have a tendency to pronate their feet, meaning that the ankles lean inward when running. These runners are also at a much higher risk of knee, hip, and foot injuries since their foot is not properly supported by the arch. If you get massive pain in the arch or heel of your foot, chances are you have a common injury associated with flat feet and the reason I found out my feet are flat at all.

Plantar Facialis is a condition often associated with flat feet where the tissue (plantar facia) running from the ball of the foot to the heel gets inflamed. This will cause a stabbing pain in either the heel or the arch of the foot. The best remedy is to ice the area injured and limit activities such as running until the pain is gone. Stretching the foot and massaging the inflamed area will also help decrease pain. 

If this form of pain has become associated with running for you, there are ways to help it. Shoes that are low in cushion but high in stability and support are best for those with flat feet. A shoe that have good arch support is also a must since those with flat feet will break arches like Chuck Norris breaks boards.

There is also a fair amount of research saying that barefoot running can help re-form arches in one's feet. Although I am not planning on barefoot running anytime soon, there are shoes that encourage the feeling of barefoot running without the actual barefoot or thin shoe bit. Shoes with a lower offset will replicate the feeling of running barefoot and encourage proper midsole strike.

The offset of a shoe is the difference between the elevation of the heel and the ball of the shoe. The higher the offset, the higher the heel is compared to the ball. Higher offsets encourage a strike closer to the heel while lower offsets encourage a strike closer to the ball of the feet. Personally, I like a low offset since landing on the heel of the foot causes me pain in my arch. Most running experts will also agree that a midsole strike is the best form to have when running.

As for the shoes that are best for flat footed runners, I will have a whole list of the ones others recommend along with my personal favorites tomorrow. Be sure to come back for that fun list along with pricing and reasons why arch support is so dang expensive.

How Fast Do You Run?

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Do you know how fast you run? I started using the Nike+ Running app a few months ago and now have a very complete idea about my pace and what changes it. When I started using the app, I was comfy at a solid 10:00 minutes/mile. Not too shabby, but nothing to write home about, especially in the marathoning world. Now, I am down to a 9:14 average! That is a pretty big deal for this yogi. I have never averaged that low. This is also super fantastic for me because I wanted to be at 9:30 min/mile for the Expedition Everest Challenge. Nailed it. 

Now that I know my speed, I have so many other questions... What is considered a good running pace? What is a healthy increase in my overall pace? Should run times decrease during long runs or short? How do people run a mile in 4-minutes? 

Some of these questions are still left unanswered (future posts, perhaps?), but I found a website that gave me a pretty good idea of what bracket I fit into running wise. Runner's World has a pretty great race percentile calculator for all you time needs. All you do is input your age, gender, run distance, and run time. Then, your percentile is calculated for you. Turns out that I am the definition of a happy medium at 52% for 27-year old women running 4-miles. 

52% is pretty darn great and all, but being 52% made me search out information on how to decrease run times in a healthy manner. I am sure there will be a blog post on that soon enough, but this article is great (albeit long) in the mean time.