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Showing posts from July, 2019

10 Keto Hacks to Try…Or Not

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When I say “hack” or “biohack,” what does that call to mind for you? Taking 20 supplements per day, shining special lights into your ears, stem cell injections? Simpler things like wearing blue light blocking glasses or turning your shower to cold for 30 seconds? The term has become ubiquitous in modern parlance, to the point where its meaning has become blurred. On the one hand, hacking can be about optimizing —taking your health and fitness to the next level once you have the basics dialed in, or adopting strategies aimed at living well over 100. On the other hand, a hack can also be a shortcut or trick designed to reap certain benefits without putting in the usual work . (Whether that’s a clever maneuver or a form of “cheating” depends on the context and whom you ask.) Since the keto diet has reached such massive popularity, there’s also great interest in hacking keto. This probably isn’t surprising since a keto diet is more restrictive than other ways of eating. Any tactic tha

Weekly Fashion Finds + Med Ball Running Workout

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Hey there! I’m popping in with a quick blog post that includes some awesome fashion finds from the week (aka SALES) + a full-body medicine ball + running workout. It involves a complex (3 movements = 1 rep), so it was a fun challenge mixed with some 800 meter runs. I did it yesterday – and, holy cow, I was a sweaty mess by the end! FYI: If you don’t have a medicine ball, you can use a slam ball, kettlebell, dumbbell, or any sort of weighted object. I mean, even a big rock would work! 🙂 I hope you like it! Weekly Fashion Finds Reminder: The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale ends Sunday!   Nordstrom Moonlight Pajamas (25% off) Thread & Supply Wubby Fleece Pullover (25% off) Alo Airlift High Waist Leggings  (40% off) The North Face Westborough Insulated Quilted Jacket (35% off) Madewell Suede Stripe Transport Leather Tote (30% off) ASTR the Label Lace Midi Dress (30% off) Med Ball Complex + Running Workout This post contains some affiliate links, whic

I Tried A Toilet Paper Company Called Who Gives A Crap

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This post is sponsored by Who Gives A Crap Do you love your toilet paper? I do! Here are some reasons to get your tush excited about the company Who Gives A Crap: 50% of Who Gives A Crap’s profits are donated to help build toilets and sanitation projects in developing countries. Great mission? Check. The toilet paper is made of 100% recycled paper, and the company is on a mission to eliminate all plastic from its packaging. Sustainability focus. Check! The rolls come wrapped in cute paper, are made of a soft 3 ply tissue, and come delivered to your door. Convenience? Check! You can also bet your bottom dollar that there’s a 100% money back guarantee. Let’s get to the bottom of it: Did I like the toilet paper? YES! Toilet paper is not that exciting, right? In the past I tried to buy the cheapest, largest package with the biggest rolls that didn’t fall apart in my hand. My objective with TP has always been to minimize roll turnover and cost. Aside from that, I didn’t give

How to Measure Progress OFF the Scale

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You might have heard me talk about how I’m NOT a fan of the scale . There are so many ways to measure progress that are both measurable and non-measurable . The scale tells one story, but there are many factors that come into play when you see that number. Some of these include: Water retention, hormones, inflammation, digestion and volume of previous food and liquid consumption. These are all large factors in scale weight that can make the number deceiving. Read on for ideas how to measure progress OFF the scale! How to Measure Progress OFF the Scale Water retention alone can be affected by sodium intake, carbohydrate intake, workout intensity/recovery status, sleep, stress levels, hormonal fluctuations, and hydration. This can cause the scale to fluctuate a few pounds up or down from day-to-day. For some people, it might be best to weigh-in just once per week or LESS often. I personally recommend weighing yourself once at month on the same day of the month for a more accurate gau

Electrolyte Imbalance: Symptoms & How to Fix It

Electrolytes are naturally occurring chemical compounds that play a crucial role in human physiology because of their ability to carry an electrical charge.  Biologically speaking, electrolytes contribute to a wide variety of vital processes because they separate into positively and negatively charged ions when dissolved in a polar solvent like water. These ions, in turn, help our muscles contract, the synapses in our brain fire, and our hearts beat because these functions are largely dependent on the proper exchange of positively and negatively charged ions in and out of cells.  The body’s principal electrolytes include calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, phosphate, and chloride, each of which has a vitally important—and sometimes parallel—physiological function. Calcium – helps regulate blood pressure, contract muscles, convey nerve signals, and develop and maintain bones. Calcium imbalances can cause bone pain, irregular heartbeat, kidney stones, fractures, fatigue, and dif

Dear Mark: Safe Tick Repellant, Fish Intake on Mediterranean Diet, and Therapeutic Value of Wine

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For today’s edition of Dear Mark, I’m answering a few questions from recent comment boards. First, with all the scary tick-related news coming out lately, are there any non-toxic tick repellents that actually work? Are there essential oils that repel and/or kill ticks? Is there a safer way to use insecticides? Next, were the people in the Mediterranean keto study actually eating a kilo of fish on their fish days? And is the wine an important part of the Mediterranean diet? Is the wine therapeutic or just for pleasure? Let’s find out: Non toxic effective tick repellents safe for children? Any suggestions? I live in NC so the tick thing scares the hell out of me. Found at parks in short grasses, like how am I supposed to avoid this??? If you want to avoid DEET and other pesticides, there are many essential oils that repel ticks. Let’s go through the various tick species. The castor bean tick: Repelled by miswak essential oil and killed by Libyan rosemary essential oil . Repelle

Strawberry Crumble Jars

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A long-known fact of the blog world: everything is better in a jar. These little jars are a cross between a crumble bar and a yogurt parfait. They are DELICIOUS. The thick yogurt is spiked with jam, the crumble layers provide the best crunchy texture, and the fresh strawberries add a layer of goodness. Dessert / Breakfast / Big Snack Call them a dessert or a breakfast or a snack because I’ve had them for all three occasions. I actually did the nutrition math on these and they come in a 385 calories per jar with 3 grams of fiber, 12 grams of protein, and 28 grams of sugar. Do with that what you may! Put A Lid On It Because you can add a lid, these make a great picnic or portable summer treat. They will keep in your fridge for a couple of days, so make them ahead and take them with you wherever your summer travels go. I also imagine that from the same ingredients one could make a pie – a crust pressed into the bottom of a small pan, a creamy, dreamy yogurt layer, strawberries

Baked Ziti Recipe

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This baked ziti recipe is a quick and easy casserole you can put together last minute and the whole family will love it!. It’s a no-fail crowd pleaser regardless of who I’m serving. It’s a very… Read more → from The Gracious Pantry https://ift.tt/2YqJRpv

Individualized Physical Therapy Treatment for Scoliosis

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Last week, I teamed up with Dave Barber of Bodymechanics Physical Therapy in Norwell, MA to chat about his individualized physical therapy treatment for scoliosis (and other ailments and conditions). I actually found him via Instagram, and we’ve worked together for about 6 weeks now. His approach is totally different than anything I have experienced from a physical therapist, so I wanted to share my experience as well as some specific details from my case. You might remember my history with back pain and scoliosis (mostly related to marathon training and CrossFit) and subsequent not-so-great experiences with physical therapy. I never had much success with it. And, in my experience, there definitely was never an individualized physical therapy treatment. Even between different therapists, it seemed like there was a “one-size-fits-all” plan to get you better and out the door. Sure, my symptoms improved short-term, but I’d end up in pain months later because the treatment wasn’t a l

Primal + Keto Cooking Made Easy: Collard Green Tuna Wraps

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If you’re looking for a quick keto-friendly lunch, look no further. In less than ten minutes, you can throw together these tuna wraps using one of our favorite greens for all your wrap needs—collard green leaves. A bit of Primal-friendly mayo, some veggies, and a bit of fresh lemon juice give plenty of creamy flavor to this easy (and economical) meal you can grab and go with. Check it out…. ? Collard Green Tuna Wraps Servings: 12 wraps Time In the Kitchen: 10 minutes Ingredients: 2 collard leaves 1 tin of tuna 2 Tbsp. Primal Kitchen Mayo (your favorite flavor) Salt and pepper to taste 2 squeezes fresh lemon juice 1/4 cup cucumber (cut into matchstick shape) 1/4 cup shredded carrots 1/8 cup radish (cut into matchstick shape) 1/4 avocado (in slices) Instructions: Wash and dry collard leaves. Use a paring knife to cut the stems. In a small bowl, combine tuna with mayo, salt and pepper, and lemon juice. Mix well. Place collard leaves on a flat surface (1 large leaf