Blog

Holistic Health, Mind-body

Chilling Out with a Hot Cup of Tea

Catie Fitzgerald

Relaxation: the state of being free from tension and anxiety; recreation or rest, especially after a period of work (Google Search, n.d.)

It’s National Relaxation Day, a holiday initiated on August 15, 1985, at the prompting of nine-year-old Sean Moelle of Clio, Michigan (Levine, 2017).  He suggested that too much work can make us sick, run down, and tired.  He’s right!  All work and no play can lead to chronic stress which contributes to the development of such diseases as insulin resistance, hyperlipidemia, cardiovascular disease, and hypertension.  In fact, the cardiovascular effects of stress increase your all-cause mortality risk  by two to three times and decrease life expectancy by several years (Guilliams & Edwards, 2010, p. 7).

In observance of today’s holiday, I’ll chill out at with an afternoon tea break.  Why a tea break?  Well, making and sipping a cup of tea helps induce the relaxation response in two ways: in your mind and in your body.  Research by psychologist Dr. Malcolm Cross, of City University London, has shown, that 60% of people primarily “seek solace in a calming cup of tea” for the promise of comfort and warmth provided and 41% do so as a means of psychological escape (Cross & Michaels, 2009).  As David Hoffmann, a fellow of Britain’s prestigious National Institute of Medical Herbalists, points out, “it’s easier for the psyche to relax when the body is at ease” (Hoffmann, 2000, p. 30).

Herbal teas for a calming effect include the adaptogens and the nervine relaxants.  Adaptogens increase resilience and resistance to stress by supporting the adrenal glands, the endocrine organ responsible for turning on and off the physiological stress response (Hoffmann, 2000, p. 16).  Common herbs that fall within the adaptogen category include tulsi or holy basil (Ocimum sanctum) and Chinese ginseng (Panax ginseng) (Chevallier, 2000).  These plants exert a normalizing influence on the body, perking you up when you need energy and calming you down when your body is overstimulated (Wallace, n.d.).

Nervine relaxants help ease anxiety and have a calming effect on the nervous system, especially during times of stress.  The following common nervine herbs have a mild relaxing effect on the body, soothing without sedating: chamomile, lavender, and lemon balm.  Studies have demonstrated that merely smelling lavender can reduce anxiety and induce calm in one of the most stress-promoting situations out there, waiting for your dentist appointment (Forêt, 2017, p. 109)!  Researchers from the College of Public Health Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand, found that inhalation of lavender decreased stimulation of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) as evidenced by a significant decrease of blood pressure, heart rate, and skin temperature (Sayorwan et al., 2012).

So, who knew that an unassuming little cup of tea held such a wealth of relaxation benefits!  Well, its time for me to brew a cup of tulsi tea for myself and enjoy a bit of #digitaldowntime with my coloring pages.

What will you do for yourself today to observe National Relaxation Day?  Please share your ideas in the comments section.

Bibliography

Chevallier, A. (2000). The encyclopedia of herbal medicine. New York: A Dorling Kindersley Book.

Cross, M., & Michaels, R. (2009). The social psychological effects of tea consumption on stress (Executive Summary). City University London.

Forêt, R. de la. (2017). Alchemy of herbs: transform everyday ingredients into foods & remedies that heal. Carlsbad, California: Hay House, Inc.

Google Search. (n.d.). Dictionary – Relaxation. Retrieved August 15, 2018, from https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS731US733&q=Dictionary#dobs=relaxation

Guilliams, T. G., & Edwards, L. (2010). Chronic stress and the HPA axis: Clinical assessment and therapeutic considerations. The Standard, 9(2), 1–12.

Hoffmann, D. (2000). Healthy digestion: a natural approach to relieving indigestion, gas, heartburn, constipation, colitis, and more. Pownal, Vt: Storey Books.

Levine, D. S. (2017, August 15). National Relaxation Day 2017: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know | Heavy.com. Retrieved August 15, 2018, from https://heavy.com/news/2017/08/national-relaxation-day-2017-facts-origin-date-ideas/

Sayorwan, W., Siripornpanich, V., Piriyapunyaporn, T., Hongratanaworakit, T., Kotchabhakdi, N., & Ruangrungsi, N. (2012). The effects of lavender oil inhalation on emotional states, autonomic nervous system, and brain electrical activity. Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand = Chotmaihet Thangphaet, 95(4), 598–606.

Wallace, E. C. (n.d.). Adaptogenic Herbs. Retrieved August 15, 2018, from http://www.chiro.org/nutrition/FULL/Adaptogenic_Herbs.shtml

Holistic Health, Neurological

A Deep Loss: Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain

Catie Fitzgerald

Normally I conduct tons of research before I write and post a blog.  Today, I break from my tradition and just writing from my heart.  I will follow up with some science because I think we would all benefit from knowing the signs of depression.  For now, I offer my raw feelings about the loss of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain.

The recent suicides of Kate Spade and Antony Bourdain have left me feeling strong emotions.  The day of Kate’s death (I use her first name not as a sign of disrespect but as a sign of devotion and a connection with her as a person…she seems like an acquaintance), I had to turn off the radio in my car when a song evoked a strong emotional response from me.  I began to cry and my whole body went into a fight-or-flight mode.  I felt raw, exposed, and vulnerable ever since her death.

Then I awoke this morning to the news (literally because my alarm clock opens to the NPR station) that Anthony Bourdain had also committed suicide.

I’m feeling very emotional, and at a loss.  I achieved something big today yet I can’t celebrate because so many people are hurting.

I want to cry and moan and grieve but I feel like these avenues aren’t open to me.  I don’t know why I feel this way.  I just do.  Maybe I feel I have no right to mourn because these people were strangers.  How do we mourn?  What’s allowed?

I’m so sad.  I’m sad that these people who seemingly had it all had no one they could turn to and talk through their moment of pain.  I’m sad that those around them didn’t see the signs (or didn’t know the signs) that something was very wrong in the psyche of these two prominent public figures. I’m so sad two remarkable people who have made such a positive impact on this world have removed themselves (violently) from the mix.

I’m hurt by the selfish act of these people.  Yes, selfish.  They have hurt so many people by hurting themselves. The pain their families and loved-ones feel eclipses my hurt one-million-fold, but I still hurt.

We can do better than this.  We need to help people to not go the route of suicide.  We can love better, deeper, more thoroughly.  We can pay better attention to the needs of those around us. We can open our hearts, souls, and arms to those in pain.  We can recognize the pain others are facing and respond.  We can be their tribe, and as such, provide them with a safe place where they can express vulnerability.

I’m not sure who said it but this quote sums up much about suicide, “Killing yourself is a permanent solution to a temporary problem.”  Please don’t go there!  Please reach out to your tribe if you feel troubled beyond endurance.  If you don’t have a tribe (or don’t know your tribe), reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.  These folks are your extended tribe.

 

 

Holistic Health

Eat your Pi and have it too: an aude to Professor Stephen Hawking

Catie Fitzgerald

Today the world lost a luminary, a thinker, an innovative scientist, an inspirational hero, a brave man, and a visionary able to see the humor in the universe.  Stephen Hawking gave up the ghost on March 14, 2018.  How very appropriate that he concluded his life on earth on Pi day, the annual celebration of the mathematical constant π.  I’d like to think that Hawking, a theoretical physicist and cosmologist, would appreciate the timing of his demise.

The mathematical constant Pi is an irrational number and has an infinite number of digits in its decimal representation (with no repeating pattern of digits).  Constant, irrational, and infinite…I think Professor Hawking would like having these terms associated with him.  I never met the man (although I would have very much liked to do so), but I feel I know him from his books, documentaries, and cameos on popular TV shows.  Yes, you read that right…his TV appearances informed me about his personality more than his written work could ever do.

I appreciate his appearances on the TV sitcom, The Big Bang Theory.  His willingness to appear in two episodes of this TV show (The Hawking Excitation and The Extract Obliteration) reveals much about his sense of humor and the connection he strove to create with the average citizen scientist.

When I read about his passing, I felt extreme sadness and confusion.  How can the man that has helped define the universe leave the universe?  How can the man that helped us understand the Big Bang theory simply no longer exist?  What does his absence on this planet mean to me, to us, to the world?

I consider him a hero of science.  He may be gone but he is not forgotten as long as I breathe.  I hope the scientists he inspired and the children who looked up to him continue to build his legacy.  Personally, I will tuck a piece of him and his findings into all of my work today onward.

Holistic Health, Nutrition

Weed it or Eat it: Dandelion

Catie Fitzgerald

When you saw the yellow flowers in the picture associated with this blog post, what were your first thoughts?  Did you think, “Oh no, my lawn is ruined by that nasty weed!” or did you think, “Yum, lunch!”?

“Half the world love it, uses it for medicine, and dines on it regularly.  The other half wages war on it with a heavy arsenal of pesticides, fungicides, and herbicides.” (Gladstar, 2012, p. 124).

Most people view dandelions, also known by the scientific name Taraxacum officinale, as garden pests but this plant packs a 5-star nutrition wallop. Both the leaves and root provide health benefits as medicine and food. The benefits offered by this humble “weed” extend to improved digestion, liver support, weight loss, cancer inhibition, and diabetes control (Murray, 1995, p. 88-89).

THE LEAF

The leaf of the dandelion produces a powerful diuretic effect, one that can safely help with cases of water retention due to heart problems (Hoffmann, 2000, p. 91).  Unlike synthetic diuretics, dandelion leaves provide and replenish potassium rather than deplete this essential mineral (Gladstar, 2012, p. 126).

“Throughout Europe and the Mediterranean, they are steamed, often with other wild greens, and served drizzled with olive oil and lemon juice.  Delicious!  Add a few chunks of feta for a festive dandelion feast.” (Gladstar, 2012, p. 126).

Practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) use dandelion leaves to treat stomach problems, appendicitis (National Geographic, 2015, p. 77), and breast-related problems such as inflammation and lack of milk flow in lactating women (Murray, 1995, p. 88).  The leaves contain a generous helping of calcium, iron, thiamin, riboflavin, vitamin C and vitamin A (National Geographic, 2015, p. 77).

THE ROOT

The root of the dandelion stimulates and decongests the liver, aiding this important organ in its work to remove toxins from our blood (Hoffmann, 2000, p. 91).  It also encourages optimal digestion and stimulates the production of bile, the key component necessary for breaking down dietary cholesterol and fat (Gladstar, 2012, p. 125).

WANT TO LEARN MORE?

If you’d like to learn how to incorporate this “weed” into your dietary repertoire, visit the Services page to schedule a coaching session.

REFERENCES

Gladstar, R. (2012). Rosemary Gladstar’s medicinal herbs: a beginner’s guide. North Adams, MA: Storey Pub.

Hoffmann, D. (2000). Healthy digestion: a natural approach to relieving indigestion, gas, heartburn, constipation, colitis, and more. Pownal, Vt: Storey Books.

Murray, M. T. (1995). The healing power of herbs: the enlightened person’s guide to the wonders of medicinal plants (Rev. & expanded 2nd ed). Rocklin, CA: Prima Pub.

National Geopgraphic. (2015). Nature’s Best Remedies: The World of Health and Healing Around You. National Geographic Society.

 

Nutrition, Osteoporosis

Are you dense or what?

Catie Fitzgerald

Bone density has captivated the minds and worries of most women who have reached the age of 45 and beyond.  Why?  Because the media, the conventional medical community, and pharmaceutical companies have successfully convinced us that we face an inevitable loss of bone density as we age.  Is it true?  Is it inevitable that we’ll lose bone density as our bodies accumulate years?  Is this loss of bone density a natural progression of aging?

Today I put my stake in the ground and answer, “NO!”  We all age.  Our bodies change in a rhythm established by nature.  This rhythm exists but it isn’t as destructive as you think or you have been led to believe.  We can’t control everything but we are not defenseless, at the mercy of nature. By making some simple changes to your diet and lifestyle,  you can significantly improve your current and future bone health.

BEYOND CALCIUM: KEY NUTRIENTS FOR HEALTHY BONES

I’m sure you already know the importance of dietary calcium for building and maintaining strong, dense bones.  Calcium is only one of seventeen nutrients involved in healthy bone metabolism: vitamins: A, C, D, K, B6, B12,  and folate; minerals: boron, copper, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, silica, and zinc; essential fatty acids and protein (Lanou & Castleman, 2009, p. 97-99).  Fortunately, the foods we evolved to thrive on supply these nutrients in the proper proportions: fruits, vegetables, nuts, and clean proteins (i.e., grass-fed beef, pasture-raised poultry and eggs, and wild-caught fish).

WHY THE EMPHASIS ON PLANT-BASED FOODS?

Pile generous portions of organic whole plant-based foods on your plate and add modest amounts of clean proteins to create a bone-building, bone-sparing environment inside your body.  Why the emphasis on plant-based foods?  Your body performs at its best in an alkaline environment.  Fruits and vegetables have an alkalizing effect on your body, whereas a high consumption of animal protein disrupts the body’s pH balance, making the body more acidic.

To buffer acidity, the body draws calcium from your bones, resulting in loss of bone mass, the exact opposite outcome you want to achieve!  Studies have shown that vegetarians experience less bone mass loss in their 60’s onward than omnivores even though both groups start out with equal BMD (bone mineral density) in their 20-40’s (Pizzorno & Murray, 2013, p. 1668).  You don’t have to banish meat from your plate, just give it a bit less real estate.

WHAT ABOUT DAIRY, THE “BEST” DIETARY SOURCE OF CALCIUM?

The ads sponsored by the National Dairy Council imply that milk provides the richest source of dietary calcium.  In reality, most leafy greens have more calcium in milligrams per serving than cow’s milk and higher nutrient density (i.e., nutrient bang per calorie) than cow’s milk, cheese, and yogurt.  For example, a one-cup serving of turnip greens weighs in at 12.3 nutrient density of calcium versus the 3.3 of cow’s milk (Mateljan, 2015, p. 942).

Other health authorities (National Osteoporosis Foundation and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans) recommend we consume low- or non-fat milk, eat dairy foods, and take calcium pills to prevent osteoporosis.  However, the countries that consume the most milk, dairy, and calcium have the world’s highest rates of hip fractures!  In fact, total calcium consumption among women in China, Peru, Sri Lanka, and many other non-Western countries only reaches 50% of the recommended 1,000 mg/day, yet these countries experience very low fracture rates (Lanou & Castleman, 2009, p. 9).

Perhaps the health authorities have it wrong with this emphasis on consumption of dairy and calcium.  No nutrient works alone.  Remember, bone health relies on an interplay of seventeen nutrients in the right proportions.

WANT TO LEARN MORE?

Join me at The 3rd Act Women’s Retreat: Renewing Your Purpose and Passion Midlife to dive deeper into the dietary and lifestyle changes that can help you stave off the “inevitable” diseases of midlife including osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, hypertension and Alzheimer’s disease.

WHAT WILL YOU DO NEXT?

What moves will you make and/or actions will you take today on your path to a healthy third-act and beyond?  Share your ideas via the comments below.

REFERENCES

Lanou, A. J., & Castleman, M. (2009). Building bone vitality: a revolutionary diet plan to prevent bone loss and reverse osteoporosis. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Mateljan, G. (2015). The world’s healthiest foods: the force for change to optimal with health-promoting foods and nutrient-rich cooking (1st ed.). Seattle, WA.

Pizzorno, J. E., & Murray, M. T. (Eds.). (2013). Textbook of natural medicine (4th ed). St. Louis, Mo: Elsevier/Churchill Livingstone.

Holistic Health

Hot Flashes: WebMD, why is there no option for “Never”?

Catie Fitzgerald

While reading an article on WebMD, a dialogue box popped up asking me if I would be willing to participate in a survey.  Normally, I click, “No thanks” and proceed with my original task.  This time I decided to give it a go since the survey would only take 5 minutes to complete.  So, I began answering basic demographic info such as my age and sex.  Given my responses, the survey began to ask me about my menses status.  I selected the option, “post-menopause”.

The next question asked me how long I have experienced hot flashes.  The options from which I could choose started with “less than 6 months”.  There was no option for “Never”. What’s up with that?

Why does the team at WebMD assume I have had hot flashes?  I offer an answer to my own question for which I have no proof (give me a few days and I will): the medical community assumes perimenopause and menopause will not go smoothly and that a woman in this phase of her life will experience symptoms.

To play nice, I selected the response, “less than 6 months”.  The next question asked me to describe the severity of the hot flashes I experienced.  At this point, I closed the survey.  I was not going to play this game of manipulative surveying techniques.  This survey had a blatant bias.

Had I continued to answer the questions of this survey, who knows how my inaccurate data would have been used by WebMD?  I suspect they would use it to share statistics with the general public regarding the incidence and severity of hot flashes in post-menopausal women.  Such a publication would continue to perpetuate the fallacy that all women will experience an undesired symptom(s) while making the transition from menses to menopause.

Based on the clinical trials, epidemiological studies, and other research conducted across the globe that I’ve read over the last 20 years, symptoms are NOT a given during perimenopause and menopause.  The average American woman’s experience is not necessarily the experience of women in other parts of the world.

I won’t attempt to guess the game WebMD is playing with this survey.  I’ll use this survey as the impetus to write a series of posts about the realities of what to expect in perimenopause, menopause, and post-menopause.  I’ll back up what I write with validated science.  Stay tuned.

If you have a specific nutrition question pertaining to perimenopause or menopause, please post it in the comments.  I’ll do my best to provide an answer.

To your health,

Catie

 

Financial Health, Meal planning

Get Organized to Save Money

Catie Fitzgerald

How “Being Organized” can save you money…

Investing a small amount of time up front to get organized can save you time and money.  Here are a few simple steps you can take today to keep more money in your pocket.

  • Set up autopilot for your bills –  Take advantage of your bank’s online bill pay service to automatically send payments for your monthly recurring charges.  Set it and forget it!  Taking a few minutes to set up auto bill pay will pay off by preventing late charges and finance charges due to missed payments.
  • Take inventory – You can avoid buying duplicate items when you know what you have and where it is located.  Take a quick inventory of your pantry, the medicine cabinet, the laundry room, and your office before shopping (online or brick-and-mortar).
  • Stock up on consumables – You will always need shampoo, toothpaste, laundry soap, etc. so buy in bulk these that get used up and need to be replenished.  Of course, don’t go overboard.  Buy what you can store and what you will use before the expiration date or best-used-by date.
  • Make a list and check it twice – You already know the value of this step.  Temptations abound in online and brick-and-mortar stores!  The “sales” beckon and distract you from your mission.  In fact, more than half (55%) of the purchases made on the average shopping trip were unplanned [1].  Having a list also helps prevent forgetting to buy something you needed, which would result in you having to make two trips to the store.  Repeat trips cost you money in the form of gas and time.
  • Sign up for rewards cards – Your grocery store most likely offers a free rewards program for loyal shoppers.  Sign up to enjoy as much as 1% cash back on your quarterly food purchases as well as receive special coupons for substantial savings on the items you regularly buy.  If your food shopping habits are like the average US household, you would earn approximately $23* cash back just for buying what you were going to buy in the first place.
  • Grocery shop at home and plan your meals – I don’t mean buy online.  Literally, go shopping in your fridge and pantry for ingredients to make your meals.  On average, Americans throw out $120 of uneaten food each month per household of four people [2].  Do the math…$1,440 a year!  Use what you have on hand to make a meal plan for the week.  I subscribe to an online meal planning service that lets me import my recipes and automatically build shopping lists from my past grocery store receipts.
  • Map out your errands – Your time and mental health are valuable so set one day aside to run errands and have a plan.  Sort out the order in which you’ll tackle errands, taking into consideration traffic, locations, and busy times at the various places you need to go.  FYI, Google provides a great graphic showing the “popular” (i.e., busy) times associated with many stores.   Simply search by name on Google for your destination to view the profile of the store.  A good plan can save you time, gas, and frustration.

These are just a few simple moves you can make to use the power of organization to save money and time.  I encourage you to share your ideas in the comments.

*  The average US household spends 5.5% of disposable income [3] on food at home.  Net adjusted disposable income per capita in the USA is $41,071 a year [4] which translates to $2,258.91 on groceries.   

[1] Gunders, D. (2015). Waste free kitchen handbook: a guide to eating well and saving money by wasting less food. San Francisco: Chronicle Books. (page 25)

[2] Gunders, D. (2015). Waste free kitchen handbook: a guide to eating well and saving money by wasting less food. San Francisco: Chronicle Books. (page 9)

[3] https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/ag-and-food-statistics-charting-the-essentials/food-prices-and-spending.aspx

[4] http://www.oecdbetterlifeindex.org/topics/income/