Skin Deep App is Out!

You guys!!

I have been waiting for this moment for over a year. Skin Deep Cosmetics Database (the search engine I've blogged about in the past where you can look up your personal care products to determine their health impacts/risks) finally just came out with an app (for both Iphone & Android).

....and the best part is....it has the barcode scanning option too!

SKIN DEEP APP (obtainable by clicking)

This evening I stood in the aisles of Freddie's trying to decide which shampoo is best or if what I regularly use is really the safest available in that store. I decided to look it up just using the website and woohoo they announced the app was available. I literally scanned every "natural" shampoo on the shelf...and determined that what I use is the safest that is carried--woo!

But seriously PLEASE download the app and check it out for yourself...

If We Were Chatting Over Coffee

Since I'm at the beach this weekend (where it's supposed to be rainy and not as sunny as last weekend), I thought I'd pre-schedule a coffee chat as though we were sitting on the patio (or in the living room) staring out at the waves and talking about life.

If we were chatting over coffee this morning, I'd probably ask you all sorts of questions about what you're up to and how you're feeling. I truly want to know what's going on with others, but I've also learned that when people see you as a person of optimism, strength, and generally positive...you don't always want to tell them anything else. (Hence one of the reasons I have spent times of being quiet..and why it's been harder to talk to friends at times.) I'm also realizing though that when given the opportunity to talk in a comfortable, safe, and non-advising and non-judgmental setting...the thoughts and feelings pour out and I can probably become selfish and overwhelming.

So first, tell me about you, because I want to know what's passing or solidly remaining in your heart and mind.

When it's my turn, I would probably then tell you:

---about how Anna is shedding like a banshee which means almost daily brushing, multiple times a week vacuuming, and my newly vacuumed car already being coated in her dog fur. On the positive side, this gal (while already being an amazing dog) continues to evolve into an even more stellar companion (well minus her developed belief that she needs to mark her territory every 1/4 mile on our runs :)). I can't transmit the joy she brings though when she shares kisses and snuggles, nuzzles my face to wish good morning, sticks by my side on hikes and while lounging, and greets me with her stuffed puppy in tow upon my arrival home. :)

---about how the cats have a vet appt scheduled for Monday. In all honesty, I've never actually taken them in for a check-up or vaccinations (I know, I know, bad owner), but have wanted to do so during the last year. I had a classmate express interest in a cat and so we're in conversation about trying to rehome Lady to her next week and I want to ensure that she has a clean bill of health before giving her to someone else. I have mixed emotions about parting with this adorable little cat as we've actually bonded more in the last year than in all the years prior. However the truth of the matter is that Lady has transitioned to wanting and needing more attention than in years past and since she doesn't like being around the dogs or the other cat, it has been difficult to equally provide for her needs as well. My classmate and I have decided that if she's disease-free, then we'll transition her for a trial period to see if/how she adapts to a new location. As sad as I am, I do think it could be a good move for her, and selfishly the idea of having three pets instead of four is also appealing.

---about how housemate M got a DUI in February and his response to it has made me open my eyes about how lenient I can be with certain individuals in my life. Having the child and grandmother here has not been a problem thus far, but I also was less than impressed with the effort he put forth and the outburst he had just prior to their arrival. I also have concerns about my ability to sustain a second renter in the home based on the behaviors that I've seen (and his general lack of engagement) in the three and a half months he's been back in the home. In "holding" the room for him to use for his family (and overlooking offers from Airbnb renters), I also realized that I have lost approximately $1000 to this point with the potential of another $600 in May. For me that is a massively significant amount of money and one that in hindsight was not worth "being nice." This coming week we'll be having a "come to Jesus" conversation that might result in his needing to find a new housing option.

---about how finishing 7 last weekend made me remember how passionately I have had a desire to do mission work and adopt internationally...both of which are renewed items in my mind and heart while I try to see how life evolves over the coming years.

---about how it's nice to be shuffling through thoughts and responses to prior values as they arise and trying to discover which ones I want to reapply to myself. As previously mentioned, I'm realizing that a lot of who I want to again be and perhaps partner with (should that happen again) is really pretty similar to who and what I wanted before. Chalk it up to processing like a 30 year old when I was 16 and living like a 16 year old when I was grieving and emotionally lost at 29/30...is it any wonder that the version I'd decided on at 26 is pretty much where I'm returning to meet in the middle again?!

---about how interestingly one thing that I've felt surfacing for the last couple months is that running and outdoor pursuits is what I do but it's definitely not how I would choose to define myself. If you asked me about myself I'd probably tell you about my job and how important it has become to me to truly live out that which I teach to my students. (In fact one of my best pieces of feed back this term was that I was truly doing that...leading my students by example and showing that it is obtainable even while we're all constantly striving for increased improvements, ie I probably should use more sunscreen, still figure out nutrient loading, etc etc) These thoughts have all been important to me during this process because I'm not entirely sure that I will always be a "runner," "endurance athlete," or wanting to continue backpacking in the summer. I'm still figuring out what I'd like the five year version of myself to be and what I want that to include, but I also think these are important questions to ask myself in case I do want to find a new partner at some point. I don't want to mismarket myself and I also want to ensure that I know myself well enough to choose someone who yes has similar interests but also is representative of the life I want to head toward. I see myself wanting to continue living a healthy life style (and hopefully getting to travel more than the last five years have allowed), but I also DO want a family, to still engage in the things I've come to enjoy and to re-engage in others, but to probably do less non-stop physical demand to my body as well.

---about how in the moments and few days that I've had the house to myself (this week and in December), I'm realizing that I'm getting to the point where I do want to be able to live in my house on my own. At first during the divorce, it was incredibly lonely all the time, and while I do still feel it's a lot of house for just one person (environmentally) and in the evenings I sometimes wish I had that best friend/partner to which I could turn and share the random thoughts that enter and pass through my mind, I'm also relishing the freedom and flexibility of moments alone. I like being able to turn up the radio while making breakfast in the morning, sleep with the bedroom door open, not worry about anyone passing through while I'm reading on the sofa, and while TMI, it'd be great to be able to run through the house naked without having to worry about someone else catching the view! :)

---and about how for the first time in the two years since we initially separated, I just started sleeping on the opposite side of the bed. When the ex and I were first together we actually rotated sides of the bed because it felt fun (well and there were plenty of times that we actually slept in separate beds too), but in the three years of the time in Oregon one side was always "his" and one was always "mine." This is in part because we bought a mattress that was split based on firmness (although we could have rotated it). In the last two years, his side has been dominated by the dogs, who I let start sleeping on the bed to make the king size (needed for his tall frame and his dislike of touching) seem less massive. In my mind it has always been the "other" side of the bed however and this week I'd wondered if part of my sleeping issues might stem from my complete dislike of the mattress. Thus (even though the middle is a bit more rounded), I'm making it my personal goal for the next couple weeks to reclaim the entire mattress as my own--meaning reclaiming the "empty" side..and eventually trying to flatten out and claim the middle. So far the dogs (and now Major thanks to the rain) have had no issues with the disruption to what has been our normal. (And while it hasn't totally helped the sleeping...it at least feels like a step forward in conquering another small mental hurdle.)

I hope any of you who are reading are enjoying a renewing and restoring weekend, and if we were meeting for coffee, what would you share?

Diets, Intake, & Food Monitoring

So another health lesson oriented post: FOOD

Every term in our intro course we include a food assignment that requires students to monitor their food intake over three "normal" days, categorize their food choices, and note their emotional states during intake. Students then must input their information into the USDA Super Food Tracker site, where they can analyze whether or not they are meeting their nutritional needs both via comparisons to the recommended food groups and to recommended nutrient amounts.

Now...are there potential issues with this assignment? You bet. I honestly don't think that the USDA recommendations are the best match for everyone, many individuals these days have food intolerances which impact their ability to meet recommendations for pre-set food groups, the online system is a pain in the butt to use, and I also think that the calorie recommendations that often are given to students are set a bit high. But I think that the use of the site is a great starting point for students to recognize whether their intake is actually healthy or completely missing the boat. In reality, I also have been using the food tracker site off and on over the last few weeks, just to see how I'm doing in terms of making sure I've been eating enough (although I did re-realize that I am a fruit addict!). Some days I need to eat more but other days I'm astonished that what feels like little is actually enough (just yet another reminder that our society preconditions us to overeat.)

Beyond the food tracker site and food monitoring, we also spend plenty of time each term going over current issues with the overall food industry and we talk about changes in portion sizes. Some students have never thought about the fact that a "standard" milkshake is more than one serving and a meal from Olive Garden is over half to almost all their recommended calories for a day. On the other side, some students really have their eyes opened to seeing that they need to eat more and they almost all realize that they need to eat better.  On average, most students learn that they're not eating enough fruits & veggies, they eat too many carbs (especially processed ones), and almost all of them are under on fiber intake.

Each term we also watch clips about the current food industry. We usually either show part of Food Inc (although in the last few terms, most students have already seen it) or King Corn (which in some ways students relate to better). And I also show this TED Talk with Jamie Oliver and this lecture by Michael Pollan. The irony of all this is that sometimes I just assume that everyone in my personal life already has been exposed to this information (especially here in Portland), so I always find it funny or odd if/when someone in my social interactions starts talking to me about just learning much of this information---although I'm so glad to continue to see individuals making the transition toward healthier choices!! This term I was trying to find new videos to show my classes and came across Fat, Sick, & Nearly Dead and Forks Over Knives which had both been recommended to me by friends, students, & fellow bloggers; however I didn't show either film as I felt that the information was more one-sided (still good though!).

My personal opinion on food is that everything is a balance and that our bodies have the capacity to tell us what we're missing. Some of us have foods that just hit the spot and our bodies/minds immediately respond. A recent friend reports that avocado makes him feel more balanced, for me, blueberries immediately can snap me out of a bad mood. I DO believe that we need to more or less be eating something from all food groups and I believe that a balanced-for-us diet will provide all the nutrients we need (even though I'm not going to lie, I have a packet of EmergencE and protein powder almost every day now). I also believe that different people have an innate desire to eat different types of diets--some people should eat more protein, some can have less vegetables, etc...and they can all still be healthy as long as they are following the right diet for them. On a global scale, it's amazing to see how different diets can be, yet different populations can be equally healthy. (Well, as long as they don't integrate our horrible Western diet, and with it an increase in our Western diseases-ha!). And I'm sure it comes as no surprise that I believe that whole foods are the best and that we should eat less processed foods whenever possible.

I also am realizing more and more that our dietary needs can change over time. While I'm pretty sure I'll always be a high-fruit intake person (I seriously feel like I could eat a diet of 65% fruits and be satisfied with no negative GI effects), I'm finding myself switching more and more to a higher protein diet. And to be completely honest, for the first time in 17 years of being a vegetarian, I'm so protein hungry these days that I'm seriously contemplating adding chicken back into my diet. (I just added fish and uh, bacon, into my diet in the last year.) This doesn't mean that I should still eat some whole grains and that I don't need vegetables, but it probably means that with the increase in physical activity, my body is recognizing that I need more protein and from more complex sources.

I agree with Michael Pollan that we know so little about diet yet we try to pretend to know so much. Really for most things health related, we just need to continue to listen to our bodies and use our thinking caps to analyze whether or not our choices are truly the healthiest. We all have compromises as well, but the better we can create long-term healthier choices, the fuller our lives will be. And I'm not gonna lie, I do believe that occasionally monitoring what and how much you're eating is probably a good thing to do as well. Sometimes a lil check in can be a good thing! (And this might be TMI but with recent family events (Granny hospitalization for obstructed bowel last month), monitoring one's daily GI functions is also a great indicator of one's needs and whether or not the system is functioning at optimal.)

Stress Prevention & Management

Hiya! So for once I thought I'd do a useful, educational post! :)

I've been engaging in several conversations lately about stress: what it is, how to prevent it, and how to manage it, and while a lot of this is information we all already know, I thought I'd just post some little reminders of some great coping strategies we all can practice.

As we all know, the acute stress response is a good thing, but chronic stress can be detrimental for a host of reasons---it sends our emotions into a spin, it makes us more tired and distracted, and it impacts us on a physical level in so many negative ways. Physically the extra cortisol can increase pounds, our skin can break out, our muscles remain tensed, our systems are overtaxed and hyperaware, and of course one of those systems is the immune system, which means we're much more likely to get sick. While chronically stressed, our bodies might start to show responses we've never seen before or to shut down in other ways.

Ironically prevention and management can go hand-in hand, via a large listing of healthy coping strategies. The more you practice a coping strategy for prevention, the less likely for the stress to continue to manifest itself as chronically. If you do feel yourself becoming overwhelmed by stress, the more able you are to regulate the stress response, the better off you'll be in the long run.

So what are some coping strategies? Well a lot of these are common sense, but frequently we get so caught up in the stress of our lives that we forget to put into practice some of the basic tenements of healthy living and those tenements exist for a reason (they allow us to live healthy, fuller, less stressed lives!).

1) Eat a balanced diet. Yup, common sense, but how often when we're stressed do we reach for french fries, caffeine, or ice cream to make us feel better? And frequently when we're stressed, we're not thinking about the fuel we're putting into our bodies in the form of food--instead we're focused on trying to get through whatever is stressing us out. Biologically on an ancestoral level, there are reasons our bodies crave fatty, salty, sugary foods when we're stressed out but the reality is that these days we get enough of those categories just in our regular diets. Extra salt, sugar, & fatty foods just taxes our systems and decreases our chances of eating what we truly need: complex carbs, fruits & veggies, protein, etc. Additionally what we don't always get enough of are the proper vitamins and minerals that our bodies need to restore, only further compromising our systems. A note on caffeine: caffeine in our bodies mimics the stress response, so limit that intake and increase the water intake. Your body could probably use more true hydration to energize, flush out your system, and increase biological functioning. Also ONE glass of wine or beer a day can be relaxing and stress reducing, overuse of alcohol has the contradictory effect however.

2) Exercise. The more stressed we are the less likely we are to want to take time to engage in physical activity, but we need to. Exercise allows us to blow of steam and has so many protective factors for our bodies. It allows us to sleep better, our systems to function smoother, gives us time to process, and also grants MORE energy in the long run. But the other perk to exercise is that it actually puts our body through the same physical motions of the stress response but allows the cycle to complete itself. Additionally some certain types of exercise have been found to be coping strategies themselves, such as yoga and tai chi.

3) Sleep. So many of us don't get enough of it, but it's necessary for us to function well and it taxes all aspects of our health & lives when we don't get enough of it. Sleep debt cannot be made up on the weekends, thus it's necessary for us to be engaging in a regular healthy amount of sleep each night (6-9 hours of sleep a night for most adults). During sleep, our bodies restore and repair, our minds and emotions process and store, and our systems change their energy use patterns and needs. Not getting enough sleep by itself can create stress for most of us and only further propels us toward the stress response to life's normal daily occurrences.

4) Cognitive reframing, ie reframe your stressor. Is that stress really a big deal? Is there a way to think about it differently in order to recognize that there might be benefits to that experience? Is it possible to even just have a neutral reaction rather than think it's the end of the world or a horrible process? This is a challenge for most of us to do and it requires daily practice, but the more you practice it, the easier it becomes. An example of this might be the process of raking leaves or doing yardwork---frequently we might think of these activities as a chore or one more thing that needs to be done. In reality, engaging in raking leaves allows us to engage in physical exercise, we take time to notice the seasons, we utilize our senses, we breath deeply, and we feel a sense of accomplishment when we finish. If we think about the positives of an activity, rather than the negatives, the activity is more enjoyable and is less likely to be considered a stressor. We've out-thought the stress in a sense.

5) Resource management:
Time: We live in a society that is all about time. The more you understand where your time is actually going and potentially reallocate resources, the more apt you are to make stress reducing improvements. Are there areas where you waste time---could that time be better spent somewhere else? Maybe you're stretched too thin at work---record where time is going and have a conversation with the boss. Many of us also like to have a sense of control---having a plan for the week/month/year ahead can help with this process, although that being said stress can also arise due to the unexpected: BE FLEXIBLE. "Plan for the worst, hope for the best"
Money: Do we ever feel like we have enough of it? Have you ever monitored your finances to see exactly where your money is going each month? Are there ways you could cut back in some categories in order to increase savings or to pay off debts quicker? Are there areas where you spend on lots of WANTS rather than NEEDS? Debt and financial emergencies are huge stressors. Getting to a point where debts are paid down and there's a safety cushion can greatly reduce stress. Tracking funding can also let us see where our emotions are impacting our spending rather than meeting our needs.

6) Relaxation techniques: I won't go into all of these, but some might be:
Massage (either paid, self, or what we call 5-for-5 (I'll massage your for five in exchange for five))
Deep breathing exercises & Visualization
Meditation/Mindfulness (just even stop to notice the beauty that surrounds you)
PRM: Progressive Muscular Relaxation
Water therapy: Take a relaxing bath/soak in a hot tub/swim
Sex: enough said.
Journaling/Blogging---thoughts on paper and you can reflect on patterns.

7) Others:
Social support (protective on so many levels!, well, as long as its positive--we all have a friend that can be more draining than uplifting)
Humor therapy (laughter, comics, 30 min comedy on TV, a funny movie, funny Pinterest items)
Creativity (how rewarding does it feel to make something! bake, sew, craft, design, learn a new skill or just try something routine in a new way! this also has protective benefits as it can translate to creative ways to handle stress)
Art Therapy: how many of us use music to destress or process emotions? create something, draw, appreciate the arts created by someone else, go to a play (connect to others and their experience)
Spirituality

I've left some out, but this is just a basic list of some of the coping strategies out there. Again, so many of these are common sense, but rarely do we take the time to actually engage in these for their protective factors. Some of these also overlap incredibly easily, ie go to a comedy movie with your girlfriends. The more time you invest in your health, the better off all will be however!