How a Wellness Socialite serves two masters

Balancing wellness in our fast paced, fun world is tricky.

-Sara Plummer Barnard

There are so many obligations and pressures and SO MANY cool things to experience. Where do we exert and where to we conserve? Time to rest or time to push through?

We really are trying to be healthy and get all of our work done and frolic with the fun kids and connect to our highest purpose and and and~ we have 24 hours and mitochondria that requires certain things to output optimal energy.

Top 5 tips to balance it all better:

1. Know your stressors and what depletes you

2. Know what's worth getting depleted for

3. Ditch the next day shame. Permit, commit, and have a recovery plan in place.

4. General Rest Hacks and Recovery Tips

5. Specifics Tips for Alcohol, Sleep Deprivation, Anxiety, Over eating, and Travel

1. Know your stressors / depletors

• Sugar? ... Not enough sleep? ... Traumatic Childhood? ... Manic Over-scheduling?

• Narcissistic Boss? ... Competitive Friends? ... Family pressure? ... Work Load?

Knowing what really takes it out of us lets us plan ahead and have compassion for our resulting fatigue that can take us out of the game. Be honest about how your habits, environment, and community make you feel. Some may require more recovery time than others and some should be avoided entirely.

2. Know what's worth getting depleted

Life is exhausting and we have to know what we value, what we feel is worth blowing our energy load. If we can't get clear on this, we'll spend our time tired and yet unfulfilled. It doesn't have to make sense to anyone else. It just has to light you up and feel worth it if it involves late nights, stimulating substances (dessert, drugs), or your time (you'll be sacrificing that morning jog).

• What's your real life bucket list?

• What do you feel you should do? What values are being advertised to you? Do you care about those really? Are you just keeping up with the Jones'?

• Do you actually care about tradition, hallmark holidays, sports schedules, that 4th group of friends you're supposed to be seen with, or pressuring family values? (If yes, awesome, note that! If not, what will you lose sleep over?)

• Connect with your true north in that moment - what do I actually want to be doing now?

3. Ditch the next day shame

Once you know what you're willing to tire yourself out for, go for it. Yes you may feel crummy the next day but own your choice, permit yourself, commit to the decision, and know you have a recovery plan. 

4. General Rest Hacks and Recovery Tips

• Sunday sleep in (or 1 other day per week to reset and catchup a bit)

• Lunch nap or solo walk

• 1 night/week early 8:30 bedtime. (If you stayed in, don't scroll Instagram)

• Stop eating 4 hours before bed most nights (allows body to go into empty belly Autophagy cleaning cycle while giving your digestion a break and letting blood sugar rebalance)

• Meditative deep breathing with soothing sounds, eye shade, and pep talk positive thoughts

• Notice where you're mean to yourself and jot it down ~ then start interrupting that asshole

• Switch to veggies, protein, and good fats (ditch the exhausting blood sugar spike emergency)

• Take a 5 day alcohol/sugar break ~ let the body reset and not be in constant recovery mode

• Flush it out with water ~ mood lift, cleansing detox, beauty booster, and cellular gift

• Give Credit & Gratitude ~ list out your accomplishments and tune the brain back to grateful.

5. Beauty Hacks & specific remedies

ALCOHOL:  Booze dries us out, slows our filtering of other toxins, and steals our electrons. Here's how to help avoid a hangover and some next day recovery tips

• While drinking, Go bulletproof! This means clear spirits (no wine/beer), no sugary mixers. Skip dessert on alcohol nights. Vodka Soda, Tequila lime,

• Antioxidant liver support vitamins ~ help the liver make master antioxidant Glutathione by giving it the building blocks NaC & ALA with Vitamin C

• Drink water every other drink. ~ Hangovers are a combination of dehydration and free radicals stealing electrons from our cells. Keep the water coming. Ditch the sugar.

• Sleep ~ let the body process the poisons and filter. This one doubles as an inflammation reducer and beauty hack. Sleep is magic.

• Cold Shower/ SF Bay dips ~ reset the body and lower inflammation

• Move that body - walks in the sunshine are everything.

• Skip the next day coffee and opt for green tea thats less acidic and dehydrating.

• Next day breakfast should have a whole lot of good fats and vitamin rich, fiberous veggies

  • eggs & spinach /broccoli scramble (turmeric & pepper on eggs, sea salt/cayenne optional)

  • avocado & sea salt / avocado crab salad

  • banana & almond butter

  • VitalistSuperfood Aloe Detox drink ~ mint, lime, aloe, ginger, spirulina

LACK OF SLEEP: this one is tough but we can feel a whole lot better with a few tweaks

• Eat less food. ~ Yes you will be seeking more stimulation but the body is tired and can't handle the extra processing load. Absolutely NO SUGAR if you have to be awake and productive the next day. The sugar crash will put you to sleep and wreak havoc on your tired skin.

• Power nap when possible (every minute counts)

• Under eye cream and fabulous concealer / brightener (Benefit's Shybeam adds to any concealer)

• Lots of water, minerals (magnesium), and amino acids to help with body function.

• Walk in the Sunshine! This mood boost, Vitamin D3 bath, and lymphatic detoxing through movement is ALL.THE.THINGS. Start slower and then pick up the pace as your body comes alive.

• Wear bright colors, lips too. (yes you feel like death but vibrant colors (esp. yellow) are mood boosters and red lips keep us feeling fierce)

• Triple the Vitamin C! ~ you can't take too much and this may be the difference between getting sick after a big night or not. Plus you'll notice a positive skin difference. I live on Oxylent (emergenC in a pinch) most days but really go for it after partying.

• Protein over carbs if you want to focus and feel good. .Carbs if you want to numb out and nap.

ANXIETY / STRESS: your brain is low on magnesium, you're depleted, and the anxiety is here

• Lots of oxygen! ~ Deep diaphram breathing tells the brain things are A-ok. The faster the thoughts are going the slower and deeper the breath should be

• Power nap / Meditative break ~ The anxiety won't let you feel accomplished anyway, so stop what you're doing and literally do nothing. Remind that anxiety that you're not going to be pushed around by it's irrational panic. Your brain is depleted and you actually need rest. Deep breathing is your only real to-do list

• GABA, Magnesium, Vitamin B12, D, C, amino acid 5HTP

  • GABA helps the brain chill out

  • Magnesium also helps with the chill while being needed in 300+ brain chemical reactions (epsom salt baths, spinach, almonds, cashews, dark chocolate all have magnesium)

  • methylated/converted B12 & B9 are both the buffers against stress in the body and the mechanics that take amino acid building blocks and create hormones / happy brain chemicals. (read more about Bs here)

  • D ~ linked to good mood, weight loss, strong bones, immune function, and heart health

  • 5HTP is the amino acid that builds Serotonin. People that party on Molly take lots of this the next day. It's a good building block for us to take in the afternoon to build up our reserves and especially the day after lots of happy stimulation. I use Neurothera that combines all of these ingredients.

OVEREATING: It's easy to get caught up in stressful work and social situations and eat to soothe or distract. If this has happened, here's how to reset:

• Wiggle. Dance. Walk. ~ put that food to work and send it to the muscles for use. The dance floor can seriously help the damage of the buffet. Walking after a meal is wonderful to reset.

• Forgive yourself ~ Yes you feel stuffed and yes you have to be in a bikini this weekend. It's ok. The body will process it and there was probably a needed mineral in that food combo that is just what your body needed. One meal is no big deal, especially with the tool of intermittent fasting!

• Intermittent fasting ~ eat 14-16 hours after you take your last bite. Drink water and let your body process that food and stabilize blood sugar before giving it more. Overnight fasting is great (and easier). If you feel hungry, make some bulletproof coffee/tea with coconut oil or butter in it. Break the fast with slices of good fat rich avocado.

• Commit to experiment ~ If you know you're an anxious eater, have some food rules. See how you feel after ditching alcohol at one event, sugar at another, and dairy/meat at another. See which social food combo works best for your body and what should be avoided. Just don't ditch them all at the same event. Start slow and experiment with breaking this common overeating cycle.

TRAVEL: Dry airplanes, too much sitting, recycled air, unhealthy snacks, and weird hours can throw us off. These can help:

• Under Eye Cream ~ wear it and bring it

• Lots of water - bring or buy a bottle

• Healthy Snacks ~ Avocado cut in half in bag, Almonds/Walnuts, VitalistSuperfood Nut Balls,Paleo Bar, Home popped Popcorn in a bag, Starbucks Match green Tea Latte, Salad or sushi bought at the airport (careful with the dressing), Apple, Nitrate free Turkey/Beef Jerkey, Steamed Veggies.

• Bring a Jacket/scarf for warmth and low back support (who are those seats made for?)

• Fascia releaseTennis Balls for massage

• Bring Eye Shades to sleep

• Stretch, Rollout, and maybe walk that morning

• Walk around the airport

• Dress fabulous enough you'd be ok running into an ex but comfy enough to take a nap (leggings and lipstick)

• Time your nap and pop a melatonin for longer flights entering a new timezone

• Vitamin C!!! Your skin, immune system, and pending jet lag are begging you!

 

Could Stress be making you fat???

Stress in our environment (fear, anger, shame, anxiety, urgency) and toxins in our food trigger our adrenal glands to release stress hormone cortisol.

This keeps us ready to react to the stressor in a way that our body thinks may save our lives. It's an outdated formula and with modern fast pace and high stimulation, the very chemicals that kept our ancestors alive, are keeping us fat.

Digestion is harmed

When we're stressed, we can't digest our food properly and we don't absorb all of our nutrients. Our body shoots it through to ditch any blood flow distractions not necessary to get us out of that jam. Hence why people in super scary situations have the sudden intense urge 'to go'.

High Cortisol = Tummy Fat retention

Beyond our body not metabolizing our food, chronically high cortisol goes from being a performance enhancer, to a serious liability. The body holds onto tummy fat in the presence of cortisol incase it needs future caloric energy reserves and as a protective buffer for our organs.

Cortisol may save our lives in extreme situations, but it doesn't help get us ready for bikini season. The body releases fat stores when it's calm, breathing in oxygen, and sending the messaging to the brain that everything is A-ok.

Toxins stress the body & are stored in fat cells!

If you're sleeping, meditating, breathing, and chilling but the weight isn't releasing, look at internal trapped toxins that could be creating a state of constant inflammation.

Chronic high inflammation reads as stress to the body. The body releases cortisol to manage the inflammatory incident. Inflammation, when acute is quite healing. But longterm, it's extremely damaging. It's a sign to the body that there is something to fight, something wrong. Chronic inflammation puts the body in a state of internal war as immune system soldiers get mixed signals and often friendly fire bringing on autoimmune diseases. The body often holds onto protective fat. 

The body also manages toxins (chemical stressor) by getting them out of circulation and stored away IN FAT CELLS. This means the more toxins, the more the body holds onto fat cells as protective cubbies keeping toxins from damaging parts of the body.

The body is not going to burn important toxin cubholes (fat cells) when you exercise. It does not want to re-release toxins into the system. People that have stored toxins and lose weight too quickly often see a panicked body recruit even more fat cells and quickly put weight back on to get those toxins again out of blood circulation. Resulting in EVEN MORE WEIGHT GAIN!

Here's the GetHSH Weight Release Program I wrote to address this 20th century stress syndrome and give us a real chance to be our body type's ideal happy, healthy weight.

Stress releasing slimming system with the 9 free recipe, workout, and mood enhancing bonuses

Exercising harder doesn't work when our hormones are off and our toxins are being stored in fat cells. Let this book show you how to lower your stress & systemic inflammation and release trapped fat.

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BONUS VIDEOS:  Stress keeps us tired & fat

Dr. Steph from Functional Medicine SF breaks down what stress really does to you, what Adrenal Fatigue is, and what you can do about it. Get HealthySexyHappy interviews top experts to help us look & feel our best.

We know how important sleep is and it's frustrating to miss out on essential healing, restoring beauty zzz's. Dr. Steph from Functional Medicine SF breaks down what's been getting in the way between you and a blissful night's sleep.

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LIVER DETOX

Liver- Processes toxins & Fats when healthy

13 Foods that make a big Difference

Garlic- Liver Allison & Selenium- aid in liver cleansing

Grapefruit: Vitamin C & ANtioxidants, Boosts Liver Detox Enzyme, flushes carcinogens

Beet & Carrots- High in Flavanoids

Green Tea- Caticans (asist liver function) and antioxidants

Leafy Green Veggies- so powerful, chloryphyll (suck up blodd toxins), eliminate chemicals, pesticides)

Avocados- produces glutathoine which liver needs 

Apples- High in Pectin

Olive Oil- cold pressed, organic olive, hemp, or flax oil help create lipid base in body to suck up toxins in body

 B vitamins improve fat metabolism and liver function and clear congestion

Cruciferous Vegies- natural emzymes necessary. Cabbage- helps activate 2 crucial enzumes that help liver flush. Artichoke, asparagus, okra and brussell sprouts also fabulous.

Lemon / Lime- citrus = vitamin C helps make toxins water soluble. Drink in morning for liver stimlation

Walnuts- Argenine amino acid help detox amonia and support glutathione production in liver

Turmeric- liver favorite spice that assists enzymes in 

LIVER CLEANSE- 

-DAY 1: carrot / beet/ cabbage / spinach/ lime juice or smoothies 1 day before

-DAY2: Fast all day (9.5 PH water good). Minimum stop eating by 1pm. Mix 4 tables spoons of edible EPSOM SALTS divided into 3 separate cups of water.  Drink one Cup at 6pm. At 10pm once COMPLETELY ready for bed, mix a glass of extra virgin organic olive juice and 3 lemons worth of juice. Get in Bed and drink fully, immediately lying on our back or right. Expect a bit of sleeplessness.

-DAY 3: 7am or later- Drink 2nd Cup of Epsom Salt water.  Return to Bed or watch relaxing move 9am Drink 3rd Cup. Expect a lengthy release from your urine and bowels.  Continue juicing and eating VERY clean. No alcohol, processed foods, or sugar.

-DAY 4: Eating from the list above, continue to flush with PH water and get plenty of rest.

YOU DESERVE TO FEEL GOOD

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GETHSH is a wellness blog dedicated to researching the variables in the formula to feeling good. All suggestions should be reviewed with your licensed practitioner and taken on your own free will.

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25 ways to be happier

Repost from InspitationsandCelebrations - check out #13 :)

25 Experts Tips on How To Be Happier

To celebrate the International Day of Happiness, today’s personal growth guide features 25 tips from happiness experts (including Psychologists, Counselors, Social Workers, Self-Help Authors, and Motivational Speakers) on how to be happier.

1. LOVE YOURSELF: “The best way to be really truly happy is to love yourself. External happiness will be brought into your life when at your core you are genuine in your thoughts, words, and actions. Embrace your strengths and accept or change your struggles.” – Kelley Kitley, LCSW is the owner and psychotherapist at Serendipitous Psychotherapy, LLC. in Chicago, Illinoi.

2. IMAGINE THINGS GOING RIGHT: “When everything is going wrong, explore the ideas of some things going right. Happiness is typically conditioned upon a state of being. People experiencing unpleasant phases of life can achieve happiness when they make the right things bigger. Make your happy bigger than your problems.” – Shannon Battle, LCAS, LPC, CSOTS is the Clinical Director of Family Services of America in Fayetteville, North Carolina.

3. END NEGATIVITY: “Reduce stress in your life by avoiding negative people and staying around positive people as much as possible. Stop watching the news or at least reduce your viewing as there is so much negativity in the news. Supplement with the anti-stress mineral, magnesium.” – Carolyn Dean, MD, ND is a stress management expert and nutrition expert, as well as the author of The Magnesium Miracle and The Complete Natural Medicine Guide to Women’s Health.

4. DO GOOD, FEEL GOOD: “Doing nice things for others has been research-proven to increase your happiness and boost your mood. Giving back to others can help you to take the focus off of yourself and your worries and can improve someone else’s day. Kindness and compassion are some of the most important things that we have to offer.” – Jennifer Rollin, MSW, LGSW is a Mental Health Therapist and Social Worker in North Potomac, Maryland.

5. WRITE IT DOWN: “Write down one thing (you) are grateful for every day. There is extensive research that supports the effectiveness of gratitude in making people feel happier, and the act of writing it down helps my clients develop a gratitude-habit which eventually becomes a way a viewing the world.” – Marie Levey-Pabst is the founder of Create Balance and a consultant who helps parents find balance and joy in their lives.

6. DO WHAT YOU WANT: “Do things that you want to do versus things you feel you should do. Should is guilt inducing and it drains our energy. When it’s a want, it empowers us.” – Jenn DeWall is a professional coach and motivational speaker in Denver, Colorado.

7. BE GRATEFUL: “Build a gratitude list, embrace progress over perfection, laugh at yourself, find your passion, and live with integrity.” – Richard London is a motivational speaker, author, and the owner of A Handbook for Life Center in Matthews, North Carolina.

8. VALIDATE OTHERS: “Validate others. This is simple and powerful. Throughout the day actively look to thank other people for their contributions; thank the grocery checker for a good job; thank a police officer for being out there for you; thank the paperboy. It’ll make their day and yours.” – Dr. John McGrail,  PhD, is a Los Angeles-based clinical hypnotherapist, self improvement expert and personal/relationship coach, as well as the author of The Synthesis Effect: Your Direct Path to Personal Power and Transformation.

9. FIND UPLIFTING PEOPLE: “There are many benefits to spending time with people who encourage, uplift, support and cheer for you, not against you, some of which include improved health, reduced stress and increased creativity. Lifters genuinely want to see you do well. They celebrate and encourage awesomeness which in turn allows you to find more awesomeness within yourself.” – Tammie Norn is a certified leadership speaker, trainer, and coach in Ontario, Canada.

10. TAKE A BREAK: “With the fast pace of our society and all the instant connection, it’s difficult to step back and take a breath. Schedule a 15-30 minute break to rest, unplug, and do absolutely nothing. Put this important meeting on your calendar and protect your time.” – Kanesha Baynard is a Life Coach and Author in San Francisco, California.

11. KNOW YOURSELF: “Watch for patterns in your life, and seek to understand why they are occurring. This allows you to capitalize on the great ones, and course correct on those that aren’t making your life better.” – Brian Brandt is a Motivational Speaker and the CEO of Core Insights in Tyler, Texas.

12. MAKE A SCHEDULE: “We should always know our goals and priorities. We have to schedule minimum time for each and ever part of life, (such as) career, family, personal time, and health. Just measure and monitor (your time), and you will have a good habit developed in no time.” – Shawn Chhabra is an Author and Podcast Host of “Winning The Game of Life Podcast” on WGL.FM in St. Louis, Missouri.

13. CELEBRATE YOUR WINS: “Count your accomplishments. We are bombarded with images of where we lack. Practicing celebrating all of our wins trains our brain to be less anxious, kinder to ourself, and (helps us) release rewarding brain chemicals.” – Sara Plummer Barnard is a relationship and happiness consultant who helps people get past their past and into their best selves.

14. BE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOURSELF: “You are responsible for your own happiness. Do not rely on others to make you happy. Create a life where you do things you enjoy, a life that brings you happiness.” – Dr. Raquel A. Stuart is an Author, Educator, and Radio Host as well as the Founder & CEO of Sistas Speak, LLC. in Willingboro, New Jersey.

15. RELEASE CONTROL: “Stop trying to control everything and just let it flow. Adopt this philosophy to your life. When something in your life goes wrong, just yell ‘plot twist’ and move on. Learning to let go of control, be flexible, and realize that the things you’re stressing about today really won’t matter tomorrow eliminates all of the worry and stress in your life, and allows more happiness and joy to come to you.” – Sherica A. Matthews is an Author, Life/Relationship Coach, and Speaker in Houston, Texas.

16. START THE DAY RIGHT: “How we start our day sets our mood for the day. We should wake early to be able to ease our way into the day. Have a cup of coffee, listen to a podcast, watch something you have been saving on your DVR. If you start your day calmly and in an enjoyable way, you set the tone for the rest of your day.” – Nicole Martinez, Psy.D., LCPC is a Psychologist and Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor.

17. EXERCISE: “Exercise frequently. Physical exercise increases endorphins and dopamine release which promotes happiness. If possible, spend some of this time outside. Sunlight increases the production of Vitamin D, which promotes a positive mood.” – Dr. Jared Heathman is a psychiatrist in Houston, Texas who is trained in child, adolescent, and adult psychiatry.

18. LET IT GO: “Don’t harbor ill-will or grudges. When we hold onto grudges, it only becomes our burden. Get rid of negativity. Look into things that make you feel less happy and eliminate those from your life. Pessimistic people, bad news, social media, etc. (Just) let it go.” – Joshua Evans is an enthusiasm expert, speaker, author, and mentor at Enthusiastic You! in Houston, Texas.

19. MEDITATE: “One of the easiest and simplest ways to be happier is to develop a daily meditation habit. It only takes a few minutes a day, but just by taking the time to sit up straight, close your eyes, and focus on your breathing, you can, over time, decrease your stress levels.” – John Turner is the CEO & Founder of QuietKit, which provides guided meditation for beginners (for free).

20. MAINTAIN HYGIENE: “When we are oscillating towards feelings of sadness, we tend to lay in bed for more hours than not; not shower; watch television all day. When we (do these things), we are not activating our bodies and this can further contribute to sadness. A refreshing shower has a positive impact on your mood and day. Therefore, the internal and external go hand-in-hand.” – Dr. Stephanie J. Wong is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist in Palo Alto, California who helps people that long to be connected to others, maintain sobriety, and feel accomplished.

21. CHANGE YOUR FOCUS: “What we focus on becomes our reality. When we adjust our focus to the good… we open up our ability to see more good and happy moments. Our brains notice what we consciously spend time on. Spend more time recognizing the good, (as) the positive and the uplifting stories allows us to be more aware of the positive and increase our level of happiness throughout the day.” – Cara Maksimow, LCSW, CPC is a Madison, New Jersey-based Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Life Coach, Motivational Speaker and Author of Lose That Mommy Guilt Tales and Tips from an Imperfect Mom.

22. TAKE ACTION: “Finding happiness requires action. If you are not feeling happy, you need to do something different. Start by asking yourself, ‘what in your life is keeping you from being happy?’ The action you need to take to find happiness comes from those feelings. Whatever you can do now to elicit those feelings is crucial to finding happiness.” – Loris Brant B.A., B.Ed. is the Author of The Happiness Toolbox: Finding Happiness Regardless of Circumstances (launching June 1, 2016), a  Teacher, Life Coach & Master Spirit Life Coach in Ontario, Canada.

23. ENJOY THE LITTLE THINGS: “Remember that our lives happen in singular, small moments. We can consciously make those small moments feel magical for ourselves and for others. All to often, we focus on big celebrations or future events we think will make us happy. But the truth is, when we get present to small moments and we do little things to brighten up those moments, our lives start to take on this technicolor feel.” – Sherry Richert Belul is the Founder of Simply Celebrate in San Francisco, California.

24. JUST SMILE: “Facial feedback works because the brain senses the flexion of certain facial muscles (like the zygomatic major, which is required to smile) and interprets it as “Oh I must be happy about something.” Similarly, if that muscle isn’t flexed then your brain thinks, “Oh, I must not be happy”. In addition to the direct neural feedback, in the real world you also get the added advantage of social feedback. Smiles are infectious (perhaps another post on mirror neurons in the future). So even if you don’t feel much happier, the people around you are more likely to smile, and that can improve your mood as well.” – Alex Korb, Ph.D. is a contributor to Psychology Today.

25. WEAR UPLIFTING COLORS: “Based on the study of Color Psychology, colors can have an effect on the way we feel. Invigorating colors (such as yellow and orange) tend to help us feel more upbeat, socially-inclined, and optimistic. On days when you need an extra boost of cheer, opt to wear a mood-elevating hue.” – Christina-Lauren Pollack is the Lifestyle Blogger behind Inspirations & Celebrations, as well as a contributing writer to Carmel Magazine, The Los Angeles Fashion Magazine, and the Huffington Post.

My personal supplement protocol

Focus. Energy. Clarity. Calm.

In pursuit of a brain that works and a mood that's happy, I've tried a ton of things.

My supplement cabinet is now filled with nutritional hacks for PMS relief, focus, mood boost, and hangover avoidance. I prefer trusted brands that have good sourcing and come recommended by friend and functional medicine superstar Dr. Stephanie Daniel. Her suggestion toward Julia Ross's book on amino acid therapy kept me off anti-depressants during a tough time. I am now convinced that one trigger for depression is a depleted brain.

When the nutrient suggestions started getting overwhelming, I created a graph to keep them organized. I color coded the supplements so I could see which colors/nutrients played a role in multiple benefits. Notice how green Omega3 is involved in everything.

Everyday I make sure to get my Bs, Cs, Ds, Omega3s, minerals, and amino acids. Here's why:

Amino Acids are building blocks that help make our skinny/pretty/happy hormones and brain chemicals. B vitamins pull double duty in the body!! They are the mechanics that help convert these building blocks into hormones and are also the soldiers that buffer against stress. If we're stressed, we often don't have enough Bs left over to make enough feel good chemicals. With that workload, we go through a lot of Bs and many of us require a converted "methylated" form. Vitamin B injections work well for many and I love them.

Vitamin D3 is the energy, happiness, thyroid function, appetite suppression, bone strength, and immune system 'super hormone' that most of us are low in. I like Vital Nutrients D for when I travel and an under the tongue spray for home.

Omega 3s are the good fat our brain craves. Mood and clear thinking are directly tied to Omega3 fatty acids present in the body. The aging brain needs even more.

Minerals are the cofactors that make sure the important reaction in the body take place. Magnesium, the calming mineral that is crucial in the brain is involved with over 300 chemical processes in the body!

Probiotics are the good gut bacteria linked to happy mood, manageable waistline, and possibly everything else! Fiber feeds our good bacteria, sugar feeds the bad bacteria, and probiotics refill the ranks giving us more of the good. Helpful if our partying lifestyle, stress, or antibiotics have killed off our good guys. Below are the daily 5 I take.

I start my morning with a ton of lemon water to flush my organs and get my adrenal, immune, and skin supporting Vitamin C.  I take my brain and mood supporting amino acids on an empty stomach. If I want extra focus, I'll take a Neurothera or a NooTroo nootropic. If it's a tea/coffee day, I like the bullet proof executive style of blending nutrient rich grass fed butter into my tea for delicious brain food.

After a couple of hours of fasted work time and flushing of my system, it's time for a protein rich meal with eggs or salmon. Here is where I take the fat soluble supplements like B, D, and Omega 3 that absorb best in the presence of fat. 

If the work morning has left me anxious, I'll take a calming NeuroCalm filled with Taurine, GABA, Magnesium, and L-Theanine.

Because my stress hormone cortisol is unfortunately high, I also take a daily adaptagen formula that builds back my buffers giving me more stress resilience. I wrote the FreeTheFat weight loss program around this product after seeing stress' connection to stubborn weight retention.

The desire to feel focused but calm while lowering both my inflammation and cortisol inspired the CALM HAPPY FOCUSED bundled. Neurothera is the addition here with it's cognitive amino acids and mood boosting herbs.

The rest of the bundles are found on the supplements page and shown below.

Notice that the same 5 supplements are put into different combinations for desired mood effect. These are my favorite addon to my daily essential 5. I like the CALM HAPPY FOCUSED 4 pack -which is the same as buying Calm Pack + Happy Pack (but cheaper when bought together). Not until I venture out of mood / stress  and into beauty / hangover helper do new supplements emerge from the antioxidant family.

If I've been partying alot, I take the 3 antioxidant rich blends found in the BEAUTY BLEND. The hair/skin nails for beauty, antioxidant formula for anti-aging and the liver detox to support my liver.

If I'm running low in general, I'll restock with the biggest bundle THE WORKS that comes with wonderful digestive enzymes to get the most out of my food and free radical destroying antioxidants to help with aging and hangovers. This has the highest overall savings but still feels like a huge sticker shock even though I can do the math logically.

And finally, my super secret for when I'm truly depleted: IV therapy. 

Dr. Ahluwalia of Dryp.com has locations all over the bay. At $200-$300 a pop it gets pricey but man does it work to put you back in the game. I love the master antioxidant Glutathione add on!! Come flu season, opt for the extra zinc and selenium.

Love to hear your tips and tricks!

Here are a few other helpful graphs I put together along this journey to feel good.

Amino Acids and their Benefit:

Nutrient Benefits

Always open to new nutrient suggestions, leave yours in the comments below.

This one change helped me start the New Year svelte.

This was the first holiday season I found myself without alcohol. Managing family holidays with out vodka soda is something I would NEVER normally recommend. Your sanity is essential after all & most of our families keep the fun in disFUNctional. 

Here's how I found myself sober through the season and the awesome result come January 1st 2016!

Dec 15th LA Work Event

This year, on a mid-December trip to LA, I got the annual sinus infection. Lots of exercise, little sleep, colder weather combined with Halloween > Bermuda > overindulging at Thanksgiving and I wasn't exactly shocked my immune system gave me the bird. 

It started with a headache and by end of week had turned into a punishing ear infection.

Now, ice pick to-the-ear pain is usually something I hop on antibiotics for --- but I've been doing the whole probiotics, bone broth, L-Glutamine thing to build back my good gut bacteria. And antibiotics would negate much, if not ALL of my progress.

Like most, I have leaky gut- a dangerous separation of the intestinal wall cells. This single cell barrier on the intestinal wall is what helps absorb nutrients through the gut lining and keeps toxins and food particles from seeping into the rest of our system. Inflammatory immune system reactions and food allergies pop up when food particles & toxins seep through this barrier. My favorite foods could possibly make me sick moving forward - not ok. Gotta seal that gap.

I was scared & grossed out enough to lower my toxins and commit to resealing the bonds between these gut lining cells. The immune system related illnesses like Rheumatoid arthritis and thyroid problems are becoming unfortunately common in modern day culture & my joints have gotten really achy as I push my body to the limit with my high inflammation lifestyle. 

Another fun celebratory December tradition:  boozy, blissful, all you can eat Guardsman charity Crab Feed 

When I say "committed," I don't mean I was ready to give up alcohol or even sugar for that matter. Two huge inflammation offenders I rely on as lifestyle coping mechanisms. I was starting with the good probiotics in and decided to worry about getting the bad food out later. I know I know, both are necessary...

Santa Con San Francisco- 2016

LA Family Holiday Celebration

But this damn ear infection and my refusal to go on antibiotics made for a hard new reality. Processed foods, sugar, and alcohol had to beat it during the most sugar filled, drunk part of the year. To get my immune system strong enough to kick this bugger, I had to hydrate and sleep a whole lot more while ditching the weakening toxins. Waaaaa!?

My alcohol-fueled holiday cheer marathon was getting majorly f'd with. Could I do it?

If I wasn't being reminded hourly by a friendly stab to the side of the head, there's not a chance I would have made it. Spiked egg nog & hot toddies are too delicious. Without pain pounding me into submission, I likely wouldn't have stayed strong. I also married into a particularly fun family who know what to do with a dance floor & our friend group of stylish, event planning, marketing mavens make for a non stop party.

I was in big trouble.

However, holiday party 7 came and went & outside of a faked shot of vodka at a fun fam white elephant, I managed to go without alcohol hitting my lips.

Then New Year's in Tahoe approached and thanks to the cold, dry 10 degree weather and the occassional ear stabs,  being further dehydrated and dry did not appeal. I managed to stay sober even on the costumed dance floor. I was starting to feel invincible. Maybe I could release my attachment to a favorite coping mechanism after all. Even if I didn't really have a choice, and shouldn't be overly patting my own back, this was real progress! What a fun realization and a confidence boost of the possibilities! 

Here's what I noticed come Jan 1st, 13 days after kicking booze:

*My skin is clearer, tighter, and I'm way less bloated / puffy. I'm sure the sleep & extra hydration along with ditching alcohols dehydrating side effects were a power combo.

* I'm noticeably leaner. Starting the year with lean, toned thighs is not a resolution I set, but I'm bikini season ready mid winter!! This.Is.Incredible. I'm grabbing by bun / thigh crease in magical wonder. My credit card may be maxed out, but my body is not!

*I can see my abs- that helpful little cushioning layer is vacationing allowing for a flat tummy.

*I think clearer and have less fatigue. My mood is more even. Depression and brain fog are gone and I can handle stress with more grace. I'm not depleted and fumbling around for a sugar fix wondering which obscure amino acid or enzyme my body really needs. I don't feel crazy!

*I'm calmer and can focus better. With more rest and less stimulating sugar and alcohol pumped through my holiday month, I hit January with more dopamine receptors! This allows smaller tasks to be able to release the same brain chemical blitz of motivating goodness that usually requires more stimulation to achieve. 

*I'm motivated to keep it clean, green, & hydrated. Momentum is real and starting the New Year not feeling bloated & behind is just wonderful. This may be game changing enough to make Dec 15th my last drinking day of the year moving forward. I KNOW, CRAZY! I can't say enough good things about how different & empowering this year's start feels. 

WHAT A CHANGE FROM LAST YEAR'S BLOG POST!

i highly recommend taking 14 days of little sugar and no alcohol to reset your mind, mood, and waistline. Add in more sleep, more Lemon water, and 3/week sweat sessions in the sauna or spin bike for a heavy dose of feel good.

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YOU DESERVE TO FEEL GOOD!

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**GETHSH is a wellness blog dedicated to researching the variables in the formula for happiness & health. All suggestions should be reviewed with your licensed practitioner and taken on your own free will.

3 exercises to Ditch the Double Chin

Getting older or living fast comes with a certain loss of skin elasticity & muscle strength. High inflammation levels break down the parts we take for granted in our youth leaving us with floppy underarms and double chins- even when we haven't put on weight.

Keep that neck high and tight with these 3 quick exercises done regularly:

1. Tongue to Chin:

Open wide, stick that tongue out, and reach for your chin. Hold for 10 seconds. (Feel the muscles working by taking your thumb and touching under your chin.)

2. Tennis Ball:

Hold a tennis ball against your throat with your chin. Press tightly, then release slightly 10x.

3. Bed Head Hang:

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Lie on your bed with your head hanging over the edge. Lift your chin up towards your chest and hold for 5 slow seconds. Slowly lower down and repeat 10x.

Why your 30s are your best dating decade.

The 30s are the decade of the woman.

She has the beauty and fertility to be the bell of every ball while having the confidence, clarity of purpose, and tricks of the trade to be downright dangerous.

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So if you're 30 something & not stoked about your dating results, allow me to fill you in on a few fabulous truths to direct your attention to:

1. Unapologetic Confidence.

Our 30s are a great time for personal revelation, comfort and confidence, as well as clarity in purpose.

why on earth we focus on slight aging signs and a panic over wasted youth when we're in our prime makes no sense. Spending so much as a breath explaining to a date what you wished you did differently or why you still have some holiday weight is the biggest mistake any woman can make. Wiggle when you walk, laugh loudly, spread your feminine energy broadly, and rock what you've got.

Yes we want to be fully seen, but he needs to see you as the inspiring goddess you are and would never notice those flaws if you didn't advertise them.

Stop with all conversation that isn't about how fabulous, excited, interesting, or busy you are. Acknowledge vulnerability but stay positive and emanate your goddess glow. It's your true self anyway and you really shouldn't lie to him by lowering your worth in the name of humility or external validation.

2. we Understand the role of story-telling in success.

My ladies in branding and marketing could write this paragraph. The rest of us should listen up. Your brand and perceived worth will be determined by how you position yourself.

No being too available. No being self deprecating. No explaining away anything. You're in the best decade of your life and couldn't be more thrilled. Zero fear ladies. The words you say will determine how he sees you.

If you're feeling generous, explain to one of those fabulous 20 somethings the power she has if she's willing to put the insecurity, neurosis, and self limiting beliefs aside.

You are the minx he's been waiting for with all of the brains, beauty, experience, bedroom tricks, gratitude, and life hacks that make you the ultimate partner. The only reason you're still available is because you "recently got out of something after realizing you were settling and thought you both deserved better". That's it. Zero further explanation. Oh yeah, and you seem to not stay single long for whatever reason... Cue the coy innocent glance.

He is not your therapist and cannot know anything beyond that as to why someone of your caliber could possibly be available. If you're online dating, see my specific recommendation in the Tinder Article. Online dating is already disadvantageous - But it's not a deal breaker and can be done gracefully by holding your ground, worth, and standards.

3. We know how to  put our Best face forward.

Thanks to beauty revelations, there's a good chance you're even prettier than you were in your 20s understanding the rules of the fashion, makeup, camera angles, lighting, and great dermatologist game. These skills were acquired after a confusing decade in the wrong concealer. You made it through that battleground so use every trick in the book to enjoy your female embodiment thoroughly. my girlfriends raised with money often figured this out earlier and had the kind of fun in their 20s, the 30s guarantee.

 If you have no idea what I'm talking about, you've probably been kicking ass in your career and need to call me asap to take advantage of all that is out there to accentuate your goddess glow. It took me until 26 to figure out how to enjoy my God given gifts.

It's way too fun and men are way too visual to not know your way around a pair of fake eyelashes, stillettos, great black dresses, facials, runway walks, and flattering camera angles.

While annoying to be so heavily judged on such a shallow criteria, our evolutionary brain keeps it a priority and we want you dazzling your hottest prospect while your fertility indicators are still primed and ready.

4. We Filter Faster

Thank God we're no longer willing to take scraps to obtain a man's time. Most of us can't believe it took us this long to figure out that men are wired to chase and would rather chase 7s than be chased by 10s. Their brain flips the crazy switch when we pursue, shoving us into a category we don't actually belong in, leaving them unmotivated to work hard for us. Have standards, set boundaries, be fabulous, and have faith that the next one is coming if this one doesn't pan out.

In our 30s, we no longer settle. We now know it sets us up for poor treatment and underwhelming life experiences the entirety of the relationship. Just being absent doing our own thing is enough to give him the "miss you time" he needs to regroup as a man, get shit done, and get fired up to see you again. Being busy and treating men you really like similar to men you kind of like is the key to early dating success.

Stick to the plan and ditch the duds. Sticking with losers longer will only attract less than we deserve.

We no longer waste time being a guys booty call, hoping he comes around, and taking less than we know we deserve. We LOOK FOR RED FLAGS and filter faster - not because we have less time but because we're now smart enough to not waste ours. The universe and the man in question will give us what we think we deserve. Act like a prize and enjoy being pursued as one.

5. We broaden our prospects from past experience

The bad boy quarterback billionaire we may have been narrowly looking for in our 20s is now a laughable, media conjured, biological caricature of what is actually out there. The few that do exist are usually assholes thanks to the corruption of unlimited power and make for the worst partners and fathers (though painfully and annoyingly sexy). We're now smart enough to let the 20 somethings fight to "change" the lost cause men & reward the good ones.

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Look at why your last 5 relationships didn't work and start selecting men that have different qualities that perhaps you wouldn't allow for in past pursuits.

Take a hard look at if drug like chemistry or rock hard abs is the MOST IMPORTANT quality a partner must have. Could we be filtering out happiness by selecting based on someone else's silly standards? Do we actually really enjoy feeling safe, laughing a lot, and wanting to enjoy talking to our longterm partner - which may not come in the package we've been marketed in perfume ads.

Our 30s are rad, let's enjoy our power.

give yourself permission to be fierce, feminine, and fabulous and unapologetically rock what you've got.  Women in their 20s often miss their power wrapped up in how stressful that decade is in so many areas. yu have the knowledge, insight, tools, and experience born confidence to truly rock what you've got & enjoy every step of it. dating is your playground girl! get to it.