#reinventhealth

[niccirobertson]

This week on Real Health

Find out how intermittent fasting helps to slow down the aging process.

#dstv176 #thehomechannel #realthealth #penguinrandomhouse #thehungrypenguin #niccirobertson #livewellthrive #reinventhealth #tvchef #endfoodconfusion #nutritionist

[med20]

HX360™ is excited to present the first annual HX360 Innovation Challenge at the HX360 Inaugural Event in April, co-located with HIMSS15 Annual Conference at McCormick Place in Chicago. This event is intended to identify, highlight and recognize companies that are making the most significant contributions to improving Patient Experience as it relates to hospitals and health systems.

[niccirobertson]

Book a 6 or 12 session personalised nutrition program during January 2023 and receive a FREE copy of Thrive.

Worldwide release 8 January 2023

#livewellthrive #endfoodconfusion #reinventhealth #penginbooks

https://www.reinventhealth.co.za/plansandpricing

[niccirobertson]

In season 15 we discuss the link between poor sleep, cravings and weight gain.

https://www.reinventhealth.co.za/tv

#dstv #thehomechannel #realhealth #reinventhealth #niccirobertson #endfoodconfusion #livewellthrive #reinventhealth

[niccirobertson]

Just Move It

I hesitate to use the word “exercise”. It conjures up images of exhausting, tedious and boring gym classes. Bad music and someone yelling instructions without being remotely useful or constructive. The same can be said for school coaches. It is often the lack of understanding the importance of movement that destroys our love of exercise for so many people early on in life. Movement is fundamental to physical and mental wellbeing. It is central to the longevity of our species. Exercise enhances nitrous oxide production. Which means that it improves blood circulation. Moving oxygen around the body and removing waste products. Movement, specifically cardiovascular exercise, enhances BDNF (brain derived neurotropic factor) which protects agains dementia.

Exercise is also one of life’s natural anti-depressants. For many people, simply getting daily exercise is enough to inspire them to make better food choices. It helps us sleep better by regulating circadian rhythm and eats up excess adrenaline.

The human brain evolved to solve problems while in motion. This is why we can decide where to hunt or hide while running away from a predator or towards prey. And also why lengthly meetings shut down the problem solving areas of the brain, rendering many people catatonic.

Personally, I find the most interesting aspect of exercise is that it is a stressor which counteracts the harmful effects of other stressors. Our brains are designed to deal with short term, acute crises. This is hard-wired and enables us to survive. What we are not wired to do is cope with unrelenting stress on a long term basis. And this is where exercise is so useful. The acute stress created by exercising, specifically HIIT or resistance training alleviates the damage caused by emotional or unrelenting chronic stress by physically re-training the the parasympathetic nervous system to pause between responses.

If you are the type of person who enjoys exercise, the feeling of solving otherwise insurmountable problems while exercising will be nothing new. Its is an amazing feeling to go for a run and come back to being able to solve difficult issues with relative ease. Whatever movement you choose, it needs to be something that you look forward to, something you will enjoy. There is no point forcing yourself to go to a spinning class if you absolutely despise it. Movement should give you a positive return on investment energetically. Even if you feel completely spent after a boxing class, if you aren’t looking forward to the next one it may be time to think of something new.  If dancing, walking or swimming are more appealing do that instead. It is not the burning of calories that ultimately leads to you to your health goals. The hormonal and neuro-chemical benefits of movement are far more effective at helping to get you there.

The key reasons you need to move more:

Movement is natures’ anti-depressant, stimulating the production of dopamine and serotonin.                                                    

Movement improves endothelial function, stimulating oxygen supply to the brain and extremities.                                                  

Exercise improves bone density and mobility, keeping you young for longer.                                                                                    

The brain evolved to solve problems in motion, which is why moving alleviates stress.                                                      

Exercise produces BDNF, a powerful molecule known to improve memory and for its anti-anxiety effects.

Exercise forces you to breathe more mindfully.

Daily exercise helps you to sleep better.

Most importantly, movement or daily exercise should be fun. You should never feel depleted when you exercise.

Balances hormones

Reduces stress levels by regulating adrenal function

The key reasons you need to move more:

Movement is natures’ anti-depressant, stimulating the production of dopamine and serotonin.                                                    

Movement improves endothelial function, stimulating oxygen supply to the brain and extremities.                                                  

Exercise improves bone density and mobility, keeping you young for longer.                                                                                      

The brain evolved to solve problems in motion, which is why moving alleviates stress.                                                       

Exercise produces BDNF, a powerful molecule known to improve memory and for its anti-anxiety effects. 

Exercise forces you to breathe more mindfully.

Daily exercise helps you to sleep better.

Most importantly, movement or daily exercise should be fun. You should never feel depleted when you exercise.

Balances hormones

Reduces stress levels by regulating adrenal function

[niccirobertson]

Why too little salt is as dangerous as too much - Jessica Brown BBC Future

Last year a video of Turkish chef Nusret Gökçe lovingly seasoning a massive steak with a pinch of salt amassed millions of views online and earned him the nickname ‘salt bae’. But it wasn’t just his attention to detail that captured attention.

We’re obsessed with salt – despite warnings we’re consuming too much of it and harming our health in the process. But a counter-argument is gaining ground, casting doubt on decades of research and shedding light on the questions that still remain unanswered about our favorite seasoning.

Sodium, the key element found in salt, is essential for our bodies to maintain its overall fluid balance, transport oxygen and nutrients, and allow our nerves to pulse with electricity. But most populations have historically eaten more salt than advised, and health officials around the world have had their work cut out for them convincing us to cut down.

Guidelines recommend adults have no more than 6g of salt per day. In the UK we consume closer to 8g; in the US, 8.5g.

But only a quarter of our daily intake comes from salt we add into food ourselves – the rest is hidden in the food we buy, including bread, sauces, soups and some cereals.

Adding to the confusion is that on food labels, manufacturers often refer to sodium content rather than salt, which can make us think we’re consuming less salt than we are. Salt is made up of both sodium and chloride ions. In 2.5g of salt, there is about 1g of sodium. “The general public isn’t aware of this, and just think sodium and salt are the same thing. No one tells you this,” says nutritionist May Simpkin.

Research has found that too much salt causes high blood pressure, which can lead to strokes and heart disease, and experts broadly agree that the evidence against salt is compelling. Our bodies retain water when we eat salt, increasing blood pressure until our kidneys flush it out. Too much salt over a long period of time can put strain on our arteries and lead to prolonged high blood pressure, known as hypertension, which causes 62% of all strokes and 49% of coronary heart disease events, according to the World Health Organization.

One meta-analysis of 13 studies published over 35 years found a 17% greater risk of total cardiovascular disease and a 23% greater risk of stroke from consuming an extra 5g of salt per day.

As you might expect, cutting salt intake can have a reverse effect. In one eight-year data analysis of blood pressure, other cardiovascular disease risk factors and mean salt intake, researchers found that a decline in salt intake by 1.4g per day was likely to have contributed to a fall in blood pressure – which in turn contributed to the 42% decline in fatal strokes and 40% drop in heart disease-related deaths.

But in a common theme in observational studies such as this one, the researchers also concluded that it was difficult to entirely separate the effects of less salt from other diet and lifestyle behaviors. Those who are more conscious of their salt intake are more likely to eat healthier overall, exercise more and smoke and drink less.

Long-term, randomised trials comparing people who eat a lot versus a little salt could establish cause and effect. But very few such studies exist because of the funding requirements and ethical implications. “Randomised trials showing salt’s effect on the body are almost impossible to carry out,” says Francesco Cappuccio, professor of cardiovascular medicine and epidemiology at the University of Warwick’s medical school and author of the eight-year review.

“But there are also no randomised trials for obesity, or smoking, which we know kills you.”

Meanwhile, observational evidence is in abundance. After the Japanese government launched a campaign to persuade people to reduce their salt intake in the late 1960s, intake decreased from 13.5g to 12g per day. Over the same period, there were falls in blood pressure and an 80% reduction in stroke mortality. In Finland, daily salt intake dropped from 12g in the late 1970s to as little as 9g by 2002, and there was a 75-80% decrease in deaths from stroke and heart disease in the same period.

An additional complicating factor is that the effects of salt consumption on blood pressure and heart health differ from one individual to another. Studies have found that our sensitivity to salt varies from person to person – depending on factors as varied as ethnicity, age, body mass index, health and family history of hypertension. Some studies have found that those with higher salt sensitivity are more at risk of salt-associated high blood pressure.

In fact, some scientists are now arguing that a low-salt diet is just as much of a risk factor for developing high blood pressure as high salt consumption. In other words, there is a J- or U-shaped curve with a threshold at the bottom where risks starts to go back up.

One meta-analysis, for example, found a link between low salt intake and cardiovascular-related events and death. The researchers argued that consuming either less than 5.6g or more than 12.5g a day is associated with negative health outcomes.

A different study involving more than 170,000 people had similar findings: a link between ‘low’ salt intake, defined as less than 7.5g, and increased risk of cardiovascular events and death in people both with and without hypertension, compared to a ‘moderate’ intake of up to 12.5g per day (between 1.5 to 2.5 teaspoons of salt). That moderate intake is up to double the UK recommended daily intake.

The study’s lead author, Andrew Mente, a nutritional epidemiologist at McMaster University in Ontario, concluded that reducing salt intake from high to moderate reduces the risk of high blood pressure, but there are no health benefits beyond that. And increasing salt intake from low to moderate might help too.

“The finding of a sweet spot in the middle is consistent with what you would expect for any essential nutrient… where at high levels you have toxicity and at low levels you have a deficiency,” he says. “An optimal level is always found somewhere in the middle.”

But not everyone agrees - Cappuccio is unequivocal that a reduction in salt consumption reduces blood pressure in everyone – not just people who eat far too much. He says the wave of studies in recent years concluding contrary findings are small, include participants who are already unwell, and rely on flawed data – including Mente’s study, which used a fasting spot urine test on participants instead of the ‘gold standard’ of spreading several tests over a 24-hour period.

Sara Stanner, science director at the charity the British Nutrition Foundation, agrees that the evidence that reducing salt intake in those with hypertension lowers blood pressure and risk of heart disease is strong. And there aren’t many people are consuming levels as low as 3g, the level at which some of this research calls dangerously low.

This would be difficult to achieve, Stanner says, due to the levels of salt in foods we buy.“So much of the salt we consume is in everyday foods,” she says. “This is why reformulation across the food supply is the most successful approach to cut down on national salt levels, as has been the case in the UK.”

Experts also have conflicting views on whether high salt intake can be offset by an otherwise healthy diet and exercise. Some, including Stanner, say that a diet rich in potassium, found in fruit, vegetables, nuts and dairy, can help to offset salt’s adverse effects on blood pressure.

Ceu Mateus, senior lecturer in Health Economics at Lancaster University, advises that we should prioritise being aware of hidden salt in our diets rather than trying to avoid it altogether.

“The problems we have with too much salt could be similar to those linked with too little, but we still need to do more research to understand what goes on here. In the meantime, a healthy person is going to be able to regulate small amounts,” Mateus says.

“We should be aware that too much salt is really bad, but don’t eliminate it completely from your diet.” Despite recent studies arguing the potential dangers of a low salt diet, and individual differences in salt sensitivity, the most established takeaway from existing research is that too much salt definitely increases blood pressure.

[niccirobertson]

Whey is a whole-food derived protein with a wide variety of benefits. A rapidly growing number of studies has found that whey stabilises glucose response, reduces inflammation, improves immunity, supports commensurate gut bacteria thereby stabilising mood. Improves liver function by supporting phase two hepatic detoxification and improves body composition.  Whey also has an exceptionally high biological value rating. And an exceptionally high Branch Chain Amino Acid (BCAA) content unmatched by plant derived protein.

To the many people, whey protein is thought of as a body building product. However, the whey protein concentrates and isolates we know today began as medical foods that helped keep bedridden patients alive. 

Whey protein is a low lactose component of milk. When cheese or yogurt is made from milk, using rennet, the milk curdles and  the remaining liquid is whey.

You have probably consumed tons of whey in your lifetime without even knowing it. Commonly used in infant formulas, whey is used as a binder in many other food products from confectionary to sauces. 

One of whey’s major health benefits  is its ability to raise glutathione. This is  critically important for the proper function of the immune system. And is the most important water-soluble antioxidant found in the body. 

How does whey protein help you to lose fat?

Glucose and the resulting insulin expression as a result of glucose production is the primary mechanism associated with fat metabolism. Simply put, if you don’t have enough metabolically active tissue (muscle) to use up the glucose you derive from food, then you will be more adapted to storing fat.

Consuming fats result in little or no glucose response. Meaning that if you were to measure your blood glucose level after drinking a tablespoon of olive oil, nothing much will happen. 

On the other had, if you ate the same quantity of honey, your blood glucose levels will spike almost immediately as honey is 100% sugar.

The rate at which the glucose returns to a healthy baseline level will determine whether you are more adapt to fat burning or fat storage. When you consume protein you will notice a small to moderate glucose increase which will return to baseline quickly. 

Making sure that you eat enough protein in each meal, combining it with fat and carbohydrates is the most natural way to automatically regulate portion size and reduce your blood glucose response to food. A good quality whey protein supplement is one of the easiest most bio-available and easy to digest forms of whole-food derived protein you can consume. 

Perhaps one of the most valuable amino acids found in whey is L-Glutamine. This amino acid helps build up the mucosal barrier in the gut, reduces inflammation and boosts the immune response. 

Like just about everything else, finding a reputable source of whey protein is the key. There are hundreds of manufacturers cutting corners, adding fillers into their product or simply not fully disclosing ingredients.

While it is acceptable to add milk powder and casein to a protein shake and still brand it as a whey powder, for many people, casein and milk powder contain far too much lactose resulting in abdominal discomfort and IBS. So it is imperative to make sure that you are buying the real thing. Either a whey isolate or whey concentrate is fine, but nothing else if you truly want to derive the benefits of whey.

Links:

https://physicalculturestudy.com/2015/12/07/a-potted-history-of-whey-protein/

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/whey-protein-101#types

Recipes:

Whey Frappe

Top 5 Smoothies

Chocolate Mousse

Berry Smoothie

Whey Ice cream 

[niccirobertson]

https://youtu.be/mmT20eXm188

[niccirobertson]

The supposedly healthy foods that are making your fat loss efforts impossible.

The Carbohydrate MasterClass - Part One


Have you ever had the feeling that your’e doing everything “right” but still not losing body fat? You may be cutting carbs or not cooking with fat or counting calories but nothing seems to be working? You may be making really healthy whole-food choices but still not getting anywhere?

That’s because just about all of the advice you’ve been given about these fat loss methods is basically flawed. 
Most diets simply disregard the most basic rules of biochemistry and these rules have nothing to do with calories. 

Let’s begin with carbs. What is a carb anyway? Carbohydrates are macronutrients that once digested become most commonly glucose, dextrose or fructose and signal the pancreas to make insulin. Insulin is like an UBER that transports the sugar molecule (fructose, glucose etc) to its destination. The destination is the liver, the brain, muscles and other organs for the purpose of energy creation. These organs actually require very little energy relative to amount contained in our foods and when those cells are saturated the UBER takes those sugars to our fat cells for storage. 

In the presence of certain hormones such as oestrogen, those fat storage sites are on the buttocks, hips, and thighs. But as the UBER app becomes overloaded with requests, insulin begins to park those sugar molecules around the waistline and internal organs. And this is really where things become a problem.  It is important to realise that everything you eat, even the cleanest most organic foods contain carbohydrates. With the exception of fats and animal protein, everything you eat is a carb. If you believe you don’t eat carbs, I’ll bet you are eating carbs in places you never know they existed. 


Some of the most surprising are legumes. With chickpeas containing 27.4 grams per 100g. And cashew nuts containing 30.2 grams per 100g. But these are healthy foods right? Yes they are, and very often mistaken as sources of protein.  The nutrition and fibre content of these foods are impressive but, if eaten with no understanding that they will trigger an insulin response. If you don’t understand how to counterbalance this, they will leave you in a biochemically vulnerable position, unable to shift fat stores. 


Many of us were taught to believe that foods such as fruit and dairy products orbit a different solar system entirely. Earning themselves unique food categories. 
All dairy products contain protein and fats, but also a specific type of sugar called lactose. Remember, anything ending is “OSE” is a sugar that will cause insulin to be excreted from your pancreas. (sucrOSE, fructOSE, dextrOSE, glucOSE and lactOSE). So while some individuals seem to thrive on dairy and fruit, for many others it’s pretty much the same as eating a chocolate bar. 
Why does this happen to some and not all of us? 

Our ability to use sugars or carbohydrates efficiently is a process that changes over time. After a couple of years of indiscriminate eating of processed grains, fruit juices, sweetened dairy products, convenience foods and alcohol. Never mind abundantly available junk food options marketed as breakfast cereals and nutrition bars. Eventually the endocrine system is forced into a place where it cannot manage the sugar load any longer.  At this point, not only do we become fat storing machines but this also triggers systemic inflammation, poor immunity and digestive issues. Blood glucose rises and reduces testosterone production. Triglycerides and lipoproteins increase, triggering hypotension and heart disease. Motility declines and healthy bacteria in the gut decrease, rendering us vulnerable to viruses and bacterial infection. As most of our neurotransmitters are made in the gut, anxiety and depression increase and sleep disorders creep in, sapping our energy further and triggering cravings for caffeine and sugar. 

There isn’t a pill you can take to mitigate these problems long term. There is only a drastic change in thinking about the chemistry of the foods you eat and how they are affecting your individual biochemistry. 
This has nothing to do with calories. You can consume less than 1000 calories daily and still not make any changes to your body composition if those calories are still triggering a fat storage response from insulin production. 
The healthy breakfast of fruit and yoghurt may seem like whole-food heaven. But to your endocrine system you may as well be eating flapjacks and Nutella. 


Fruit is one of the biggest culprits in this scenario. Most of us were taught as children to grab an apple if we are hungry, not a packet of biscuits. This is all well and good if you are an active 10 year old playing outdoors most of the day. But if you are stuck behind your laptop or a sedentary 10 year old gaming all afternoon this is going to be a long term disaster. 


Fruit is nature’s way of making sure you the survive winter. Nature popped seeds into a sweet and juicy outer package for the sole purpose of enticing animals and humans to eat the fruit just before winter so that the seeds of the plant could be distributed. And so that the animal eating the fruit had enough body fat accumulation to survive for months when nothing else was available. An apple a day will never keep the doctor away and if you drink too much apple juice you will probably end up with diabetes. You will find no less that 6 apples in a decent size glass of juice. That is way more than your pancreas can deal with. 
Fruit has long been marketed as a better alternative to sugar. But the fact is - fruit is sugar. I know this can be difficult to grasp but that doesn’t make it any less true. 
Added to which, most commercially farmed fruit is stored at low temperatures for months before even reaching the supermarket shelves. Together with the layers of pesticides, supermarket fruit is simply sugar in a pretty package. With no actual food value, vitamins and phytonutrients having attenuated within hours of being picked.
 

Other sugar packets disguised as healthier options include flavoured yoghurts which are often equivalent in sugar content to ice cream. 
Artificial sweeteners are a complete waste of time as a fat loss strategy. The taste receptors in our brains which detect sweetness, signal the pancreas to produce insulin even if there isn’t a molecule of sugar in your diet coke.  Are you starting to see the route of your frustration? Are you starting to see how we get addicted to apparently healthier options and why you just aren’t winning? 
Vegetable juices are also a “health food” with hidden issues. Beetroot and carrot contain just as much sugar as any other fruit. So while they are indeed packed with healthy phytochemicals, they are in fact a fat-loss disaster. And while we are on the topic of juicing , spinach and kale often spell trouble for people with autoimmune thyroid problems. In fact all raw cruciferous vegetables in large quantities (juicing specifically) have been shown to cause autoimmune thyroid problems .
Ref: https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/food-beverages/cruciferous-vegetables

So what to do now


If you do consume fruit, don’t make it a daily habit. If you have any metabolic issues make sure you choose low sugar fruits such as berries. And always combine fruit with healthy proteins such as eggs, organic meats and fish, dairy products such as goats cheese, and a serving of healthy fats like olive oil and nuts or nut butters. It is the combination of these nutrients that enhance satiety ultimately enabling us to eat less quantity but get more variety. 


If you love a breakfast smoothie makes sure to add a scoop of whey powder and a tablespoon of nut butter to interrupt the glycemic response created by pulverised high sugar fruits. 
Eat your vegetables, lightly cooked. By this I mean sautéed in butter or olive oil The fats help absorption of the fat soluble nutrients contained in these vegetables become better assimilated. Raw does not work for everyone, especially if you have IBS or low stomach acid. Other options include stir-frying in coconut or olive oil. Or steam for just a few minutes and drizzle with butter or olive oil, garlic and flaked almonds. 
For more ideas and recipes head to www.reinventhealth.co.za
 Or follow any of our social media channels for weekly info, tips and recipes.

[niccirobertson]

Tune in on the 12th.

[niccirobertson]

What to do if you feel sick.

Lately I been asked by a couple of people what to do if they are worried they’ve caught the virus or have tested positive. Being tested positive has no bearing in this article as the test is showing up more flawed by the day with record amounts of false positives. So this is what to do if you are feeling ill. The advice is the same whether you have a cold, a flu, rhinovirus or any one of the other hundreds of viral or bacterial infections that haven’t gone dormant because of Covid 2.0

If you have a severe temperature or feel short of breath, over the age of 75, are diabetic, have cancer or any other serious disease phone your doctor first. Don't just rush towards a hospital.

If you feel tired, have a headache, a mild temperature and are experiencing general aches and pains - get into bed.  Sleep is one of the best tools you have to enable your body to repair. Fatigue, stress and fear weakens your immune system.

Don’t take painkillers unless you absolutely have to or your doctor has advised you to. First, take a warm bath, try to calm down and relax as much as possible. Drink plenty of plain water - warm or cold.

Avoid any processed or junk food - rather choose high protein, digestible foods like soups with plenty vegetables and low sodium stocks. Nothing synthetic and no MSG.

Make sure you are taking 5000IU of VitaminD daily. Zinc is in the most important component to helping your immune system do its job of fighting off viruses. 120mg 3x per day. You can also add 2000mg of  vitamin C daily.

Rinse your sinuses with a nasal wash. These cleansing devices are available from most pharmacies. Fill it as directed and add 1ml food-grade hydrogen peroxide per 200ml. This will kill off any live or dead virus particles in your nasal passages, throat and sinuses. It is advisable do this  if you find yourself having to get tested, it’s guaranteed to knock out a false positive. 

Stay way from vulnerable people and lay low until you feel better. You should do this with any illness. 

Meditate, watch comedy - do anything to stop yourself dwelling on negativity. 

Stay away from the media. News reports and social media only feed the fear. 

You are in no danger if you look after yourself by focussing on providing your immune system with the resources it needs to do the job it was designed to do. This virus is no different in many ways to any other virus we’ve had to contend with. 

If you have recovered but can’t seem to find your energy, you have to pay particular attention to what you’re eating. Extra body fat is inflammatory - it is dangerous and it will keep you feeling lousy for longer. Now is the time to get real about the quality of foods you eat. Eliminate processed foods, gluten, seed oils, sugars and dairy. Eat protein and vegetables at every meal, fruit is not a health-food. Include olive oil, and natural herbs and spices. Its time to start taking the tools you have learned and apply them, because now it counts more than ever.

For more tools and resources on what you can do and the latest expert opinions go here:

More about “the vax” 

Expert opinion from former head of Pfizer

Fabulous podcasts to follow: 

Sapien

MindBodyGreen

Peak Human 1

Peak Human 2

Peak Human 3

ReinventHealth

[niccirobertson]

Intentions, because resolutions were made to be broken.

When we decide to go on a diet, start a new exercise regime or change our behaviours we make these decisions in a heightened state of motivation. At these points in time, we believe that we can do whatever wev’e made up our minds to do, not taking into account how we will keep this level of motivation high enough to sustain an outcome. Motivation waxes and wains for so many reasons. These reasons include levels of stress, sleep quality, the quality of our social interactions, work deadlines and even the foods we eat. The trick to making healthy new habits stick over time is to work on the things in our lives that deplete our motivation. And at the same time break down those goals into extremely simple and easy to implement actions.

For example, instead of aiming to completely change your nutrition habits, start by aiming to drink more water every day, or to consume good quality protein in every meal. Or even to make sure that you stop eating at least 3 hours before bed time. Choose just one, because succeeding in one area sets you up for success in other areas.

If you are aiming to increase the amount of exercise you do, find one simple five minute workout and plant to do it three times a week first thing in the morning or last thing at night. You may find that within a short period of time you are more motivated to do this workout daily.

If you’ve been down this road before, make sure that whatever you choose to start with has few barriers in the way of your success. Small steps shouldn’t take a lot of time out of your day and it shouldn’t cost you anything. In this way we eliminate excuses and it is for this reason that I believe in setting intentions instead of goals or resolutions.

Intentions should bump you out of your comfort zone and help your brain to make endorphins. Having new experiences  is the secret to healthy ageing and long term happiness.

Make sure to include fun elements and something to look forward to that involves expanding your social circle. The central idea is to surpass your personal perceived limitations.  Here is a list of possible intentions. Pick at least two of the suggested intentions or choose your own. Share them or keep them private, depending on your level of personal accountability.

Shut down all electronic devices at all after 6pm - including you wifi router.

Practice 10 minutes of intentional breathing, meditating or introspection daily.

Keeping your bedtime and wake time consistent.

Don’t look at your mobile for at least an hour after waking.

Read a book you wouldn’t normally choose to read.

Keep a daily journal or write poems.

Become a mentor or volunteer for a cause.

Make sure to include protein at every meal.

Experiment with a form of exercise you wouldn’t normally choose. Dance, roller skate, learn a martial art.

Plant a herb garden - or a window box.

If you have kids, devote time to be with them everyday without distraction of mobile devices or TV.

Drink 30ml of water per kilogram of total body-weight daily.

Detox your social environment. If the people in your life derail you emotionally, you need to find a way to detach.

Media detox - if what you are exposed to makes you feel negative  - unfollow.

No devices at meal-times ever.

Learn a musical instrument or take up art lessons. It doesn’t matter if you aren’t musical or artistic.

Eliminate alcohol on specific days of the week or for a defined time period.

Include a cup of fresh vegetables in two meals per day.

Learn a new language or learn to code.

Learn to cook - something out of your usual repertoire.

Plan something exciting in 6 months. This can be a party or a trip to somewhere you’ve never been.

[niccirobertson]

https://podcasts.apple.com/za/podcast/high-performance-athlete/id1528210973#episodeGuid=Buzzsprout-6750346

[niccirobertson]

How to Un-Blur your Boundaries and find Balance

[niccirobertson]

Delegate - Delete or Divert - finding the stressors that are draining your energy and creativity.

Where you place your attention is where you place your energy. If your attention is scattered due to and endless list of nagging to do’s you will have little energy left for what counts. 

Everyone it seems is holding up the weight of their world at the moment. The pressure seems ceaseless and it feels like we are mopping up a tidal wave with a bath sponge. 

Stress never goes away and yes, there are all kinds of coping tools, tricks, techniques and fail- safes that we can learn to use. But are we really looking at the source of what is causing us to be maladaptive to the current situation?

In everyone’s life there are the “BIG S” stressors. Job pressure, relationship or family  issues, health problems the threat of retrenchment and massive financial loss. Regardless of whether you are part of a corporate or a small business owner, the pressure to survive is upon us all. These are  BIG S stressors. 

But sometimes its’ the “small stingers” and the nagging niggles which ultimately cause the wheels to fall off. 

Some of the issues I can think of is the pervasive” what’s for dinner” question. Or the passive-aggressive colleague that never pulls their weight. The friend with the negative commentary, the partner who is always on their phone, the endless squabbles between children, a house that is never tidy or a car that we never get around to servicing. It is so often the things that we put off for tomorrow and sweep under the rug that become the the issues which distract us from getting stuck into what really counts. One of the most common small stingers is health. Missing the dental check-up. Putting off the annual medical, never actually starting that healthy eating plan or putting off the afternoon walk. Accumulatively these apparently small issues start to add up in a big and sometimes lethal way.

Added to which, every single day we make hundreds of decisions, from what to wear to what to eat. How we are going to approach a problem to what time we go to sleep. Some decisions are important, but most are not. The ability of the human brain to make daily decisions is finite. Have you ever had that feeling that you just can’t think anymore or that you are moving through a haze? Of course you have, and I bet its becoming a common occurrence lately. This is what’s known as decision fatigue, a condition where making a decision in the present will reduce your decision making ability in the future.  When we take steps to resolve the small stressors, the brain is then free to be more creative at solving the bigger problems in life more efficiently.

So where to start? Start by not addressing the BIG S Stressors. Rather dive into making a list of all the irritations, small jobs and irritating chores that you keep putting off. Don’t hold back. No matter how inconsequential they may feel at the time, if an itch comes up - add it to the list.

Once you have list of around 20 to 30 “small stingers”, divide them up into three groups. 

Step One - Divert

In the first group we have the stressors that can be diverted with a deadline. This means that you have to commit to a date completion. For example, make the appointment with the dentist. Put it in your diary and make it non negotiable. Even if the date is two months away, take the steps to getting it done.

Step Two - Delete

Some people and many situations can actually be deleted from your life completely.  If the service manager gives you the creeps, take your car elsewhere. Delete your Twitter account if it causes you nothing but irritation. You have permission to not listen to the news if the negativity puts you in a bad mood. Cancel your gym membership - there are hundreds of ways to get healthy and fit outside of a gym.  It’s amazing what we put up with, without realising that we actually have choices. Off-loading the delete list can often change your life for the better. 

Step Three - Delegate

You really don’t have to do it all even if you think you do it better than anyone else.

One of my best decisions in business was to enlist the help of a secretarial service. They remotely answer my calls so I don’t have to worry about missing anything important. 

Sitting down with your family or partner and making a plan to share cooking, cleaning and other chores instead of doing it all yourself is important for your sanity. Think of it as giving those you love an opportunity to upgrade their life-skills. 

If you have a domestic helper, get them to prepare the basics for dinner. There are many opportunities to enlist those in our lives to share the load. 

Sometimes this can mean you need an accountability partner. Whether it is a good friend or a coach, someone who will hold you to your commitment is never a bad thing. 

One of the most important habits we need to be aware of, e specially while working through this list is minimising distraction. If you are going to get this task done - turn off your phone and close down your email just for an hour. Get away from where you normally work or get disturbed. Go where you can’t be found so that you have 100% processing power to get the job done. You will no doubt be amazed at what you can accomplish when you put your mind to it.

[niccirobertson]

Has the pandemic blurred your personal boundaries? Find out how to get your balance back tonight on #realhealth #dstv176 #HomeChannel #reinventhealth https://www.instagram.com/p/CHX6zv5jyVy/?igshid=1n80tg4xxldjm