Category: Wellness

Prioritizing Health: A Personal Journey to Wellness and Balance

“Your health account, your bank account, they’re the same thing. The more you put in, the more you can take out.”– Jack LaLanne

I’d like to follow up on last week’s blog, in which I discussed staying true to my personal wellness choices (Staying True to Whole Food Plant-Based Lifestyle: A Reflection). I’ve been reflecting all week on why this time, unlike others, I felt strong enough to stand firm in my decision. I believe I’m stronger now because I have a clear vision for what my balanced lifestyle entails. A balanced lifestyle is a way of living that aims to improve our wellness in all aspects of life, including: relationships, fitness, health, and emotional happiness. 

A Balanced Lifestyle Includes:

Sleep

Getting 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night is an important pillar in my life. Sleep can have so many implications on health, both negative and positive. I’ve struggled with sleep over the years and made it one of my first goals when I began this journey. Forming stronger sleep routines has truly changed my life. You can read more about the work I’ve done to improve my sleep in these two posts – Sleep Your Secret Weapon, Sweet Dreams. At the moment, I’ve been hitting my 8 hour sleep goal, but this is an area I still focus on.

Stress Reduction

Stress reduction is another key pillar. Stress without doubt wreaked havoc on my health. It was so bad that I wasn’t sure I’d ever get back to a healthy lifestyle. I was overweight, not sleeping, and most likely depressed. This was the lowest point of my health journey and I knew the only way to heal was to reduce my stress. I knew I not continue in my current situation.

COVID really changed the world and I was not exempt from that. A high stress job, coupled with personal events, created massive amounts of stress in my life. In 2023, three and a half years out from the onset of COVID shutdowns, I decided to walk away from the career I loved and devote my time and energy to my health. I’ve written about stress and my health in this blog post – Stress.

Social Connections

We are meant to journey through this life with others. Fostering and cultivating social connections and relationships is my third critical pillar. When we are too busy, or too tired to engage socially, we are missing out on an important part of wellness. Social connections can create feelings of belonging, being loved and valued. Who doesn’t want that? But, like everything else, relationships take work and time investments. It is definitely worth the effort, as strong social connections can have significant impact on our overall health. I’ve written more about social connections in this blog post – The Vital Role of Social Connections in Health and Wellness. I hope you’ll take the time to read it and then reach out to a friend, or loved one.

Nutrition

Eating a balanced diet, that your body responds too, is also an important pillar. Finding what works best for your body is the critical work we all need to do. There is not a one size fits all approach to nutrition and far too many competing options, which can be confusing. I’d recommend you spend your time figuring out the best path for you.

I chose my path, in consultation with my health professionals, by keeping a food journal and taking notes on how my body responded to certain foods. I noticed changes to my sleep, inflammation or bloating, along with other responses my body had to food. I used this knowledge to make the decision that for me, the best path was to shift to a whole food plant-based lifestyle. I’ve written about this nutrition journey in these posts – Change Our Thinking About Food, Eat to Live, The China Study: Reducing Health Risks with a Plant-Based Diet.

Movement

Movement has long been thought to be the most important piece of my health journey. While it is still one of my key pillars, I now know that it can’t be my only pillar, as I can’t use exercise to avoid everything else. I move my body daily and choose activities I enjoy. Walking twice a day is a staple daily activity that is non negotiable. I love playing pickleball as it’s great exercise and fosters strong social connection. Finally, I engage in yoga and strength training.

We all definitely need to move to stay healthy. It can’t be the only pillar we rely on though. Believe me, I tried to out run a bad diet for most of my life. I listen more to my body these days and pay attention, especially when I need to rest. That is something I never did in the past, to the point of consistently getting injured. I’ve written about my daily exercise routines in these blog posts – Move to Live, Healthy Lifestyle: Food, Exercise, and Joy in My Daily Routine

Prioritizing Health

A balanced lifestyle should include prioritizing your health above all else. It’s not about worrying over everything you do and labeling decisions good or bad. It’s about understanding the impact your lifestyle choices have on your wellbeing. I learned the concept of creating an IRHA – Individual Retirement Health Account, and make continuous deposits towards my longterm health. If you are living in balance, your deposits will outweigh your withdrawals. We all will make withdrawals as we live, but they are balanced out by many deposits along the way. I’ve written about this concept in this blog post – IRAH: Individual Retirement Account for Health – A Personal Transformation Journey

Next Steps

Ultimately, health balance is a deeply personal journey—one that requires self-reflection, and an unwavering commitment to your well being. It’s about finding what works for you and prioritizing your health. I hope you will take that first step. Here are a few more resources to get you started:

Baby Steps

Reclaiming Health: The Power of Taking the First Step

Longevity and Brain Health: Lessons from My 93-Year-Old Father

Healthy Lifestyle: Food, Exercise, and Joy in My Daily Routine

If you’d like to share your journey with us, please reach out via email at laurakump@reclaiminghealth.blog. I’d love to hear what’s working and not working for you. You can also reach out on Instagram, or Facebook, or in the comment section below.

Embracing Personal Accountability for a Healthier, Fulfilled Life

“Personal accountability requires mindfulness, acceptance, honesty and courage.” – Shelby Martin

Personal success can be achieved through taking accountability for our actions. This shift takes time and is one I’ve embraced on this health journey. It’s also one I hadn’t embraced in the past.  It’s hard to come to terms with the reality that you and you alone are responsible for the decisions you make each day, but personal accountability is the key to living a healthy, fulfilled, and meaningful life. Even though it can be challenging, accepting personal accountability will enable you to learn from mistakes and make adjustments to your journey.

Our consistency and day to day life decisions play a huge role in the progress we make and results we achieve. Believe me, I know it feels better to blame work stress, genetics, health or other outside reasons for my failure to make progress. Blaming others or making excuses can lead to giving up when things get hard. There are certainly cases where outside factors are a key reason one is not achieving results, despite putting in the work. I would never want to minimize that, but, today I’d like to talk about accepting personal accountability for your health journey.

My Journey

I’ve been on this health journey for what feels like a lifetime. I’ve honestly tried everything there was to try. I worked with countless nutritionists who wanted to sell me endless products. Everyone seemed to have their own angle on what I needed to do. I would try what they said, not see results fast enough and give up, then blame them. I believed every advertisement I saw that spoke to those who haven’t had results, but would if they only tried their new approach. I worked out endlessly, ate clean and couldn’t seem to ever stay on track. It wasn’t until I shifted my mindset from doing what someone else said I needed to do, to taking control over my own journey, that I began to have success.

Think about this, every single decision you make in a day is in your own hands. I decide every day whether I will sleep in, get up, work out, eat out or cook. I needed to accept responsibility for the decisions I made. Recognizing and honoring this was a necessary first step toward making lasting changes in my health. It was also a powerful tool toward changing unwanted behaviors and ways of thinking about myself.

Many of us spend our days drowning in negative self talk, blame and procrastination. On this journey toward reclaiming our health, we first need to address the elephant in the room – blame and excuses. Yes, it is far easier to say I’m still overweight because I’m a middle aged woman, or my parents were overweight, or, or, or. Accepting these excuses and reasons for our struggle can lead us to accepting where we are, giving up on trying to change our way of life. I know this first hand, as I had given up on even trying. I began to accept that this was just how I was going to be.

Personal Accountability

Personal accountability is the practice of accepting responsibility for your actions, words, and behaviors, and the consequences that result. It involves taking ownership of situations, and doing your best to improve, whether the outcome is good or bad. People who are personally accountable don’t blame others or make excuses, and they try to make amends when things go wrong.

Personal accountability does not mean we place blame, or shame on ourselves. Rather, it is meant to be a means to accept that despite where you are right now on your health journey, including the reasons for being there, you have the power and responsibility to improve your health and make lasting changes.

Roadblocks

Two of the most common reasons for not achieving our goals can be tied to lack of consistency and not having a strong enough purpose – your why.

Consistency:

I’ve written about the importance of consistency on your health journey. This blog is worth your read – The Compound Effect. Consistency is your super power. Quite simply, the small decisions and moves you make over time will determine your rates of success. It’s a lifestyle, not a diet or program.

This hit home for me once when a doctor asked me about my activity levels. I replied that, I run 3 miles most mornings, swim other mornings and ride my bicycle. She said that’s a great way to start your day, but what do you do for the rest of the day? I had to pause and think. I often sat and read, worked on the computer, binged Netflix, etc. Most of my activity for the day was completed by 10:00 AM each day, leaving me feeling like I had put the work in. Sadly, I was thinking of exercise as something I needed to get done.

Exercise is part of an active lifestyle, not something you do to check off a box on your daily list. The more you move, the healthier you will be. I now move throughout my day, not just in the morning. For example, I take a brisk walk when I wake each morning for about 30 minutes, about 1 mile. I then often relax and have breakfast. A few hours later, I head down to the pickleball courts and play games or practice for about 2 hours. I then cook our main meal of the day and we eat lunch. I relax, do some reading, or computer work and then take my afternoon walk, about 1.5 miles. When I return, I either go down to the pool, or go into town to the beach area. We have a light dinner and I walk with the dog for a bit to end the day. Then it’s either relaxing evening home, or we go out. As you can see, I am moving all throughout the day. You can change the walking to bike riding in the nicer weather, or yoga for pickleball. Honestly, it doesn’t matter what you do, as long as you are consistently moving your body.

Purpose:

MY WHY -Having  strong reasons for getting healthy can help improve your focus and drive. Losing weight for a special event, while motivating in the short term, won’t sustain you over the long haul. Generally after the event is over, so is your motivation and drive to continue. Further, we often feel we have achieved our goal and begin slowly to loosen up on our decisions.

Center your purpose around longer term goals to keep you grounded when the going gets tough. In my case, my why is to maintain optimum health as I move into the next phase of my life. When I declare my why I say, “I WILL hold on to my memory and live a long, active life.”    This is my motivation and my drive.  It pushes me out of bed when I don’t want to get up and exercise.  It pushes me to think about what I am putting in my mouth.  It helps me hold on to the gains I’ve made these past years and continuously pushes me forward. It helps me not stray far off the path, even though there are bumps along the way.

Next Steps

Success on this journey will require action. This action includes accepting personal responsibility and not allowing yourself to make excuses when you fail to follow through

Here are a few of the ways I have been holding myself accountable.

Planning

They say a goal without a plan is just a dream. Planning is the biggest key to success on any health journey. When I fail to plan, I always end up making decisions that aren’t in my best interest, especially around food choice. Planning for me includes shopping for healthy food, planning for meals and scheduling workouts. Using a calendar and developing a schedule is the easiest way I get my daily workouts in. Blocking out times to move my body has been essential. I wake up, brush my teeth, throw on shoes and go for a brisk walk every day. I do this before I do anything else. It’s now a habit. After lunch, I go for another walk every day. I sometimes bring my phone and catch up with a friend. Build your routines into your daily calendar and you will see improvement in your consistency.

Menu planning and food shopping go hand in hand. If I don’t plan out my meals I end up cooking whatever is easy, not necessarily healthy. Whenever I am off target I know that it means I haven’t been diligent about shopping and planning. I am not a meal prep person, I just don’t like to have the food all prepared for the week. I like to cook easy, simple meals to avoid the one long day of prep. For example, yesterday we ate Miso-glazed Eggplant with Farro . On the table in 45 minutes, delicious and easy. Whichever approach works for you, this area of planning is essential for success.

Share the Journey

Writing this blog over the years has allowed me to share my journey. It’s picked me back up when I’ve fall down and holds me accountable. I find writing very therapeutic, as I work through issues I am facing myself. Making my journey public has held me personally accountable. I can’t write about things others should do if I don’t do them myself. This blog keeps me grounded in my why. One of the best ways to stay strong and focused is to share your journey with a friend or loved one. Find yourself a partner and support each other along the way.

Positive Self Talk

Blame, negativity and excuses are hard to stave off. I’m working hard on using positive self talk to replace them whenever they rear their ugly heads. Find yourself a means to use positivity and gratitude to keep your spirits up. This will be a difficult journey and there will be times when your emotions take over. Having an outlet, or means to keep it positive will go a long way towards keeping you moving forward. I’ve written blogs on this topic, which can be found here Kritajna Hum: I am gratitude, Things I’m Letting Go Of

Tracking Progress

At the gym I always hear this, “What get’s measured gets improved.” Tracking progress will greatly improve your motivation and drive. Don’t just weigh yourself and lament over lack of weight loss. Measure all progress – This week I worked out six out of seven days, Today I ate three healthy meals, I slept through the night, etc. There are so many areas of our life that we can look to for progress. The scale is only one way to track our progress. In past blogs I’ve talked about taking your measurements as an alternative to the scale. Taking photographs is another positive way to see progress. Recognizing our daily and weekly successes helps change our thinking around success.

Move to Live

The more we move, the better we will feel. Movement across the day is an important pillar of my journey. I plan it into each day and have cultivated strong habits around movement. Dr. William Sears clearly states, “sit less, move more, live longer”, which definitely is the plan here. I’ve written a blog post on this topic and you can visit it here – Move to Live. I hope you will take the time to read this and lace up your shoes for a walk.

Reach Out

I hope you are connecting to your current health journey. Moving forward is always our goal. In reflecting on where you are right now, perhaps ask yourself, “What are some ways you currently hold yourself accountable?”,  “How do you maintain your positivity?”, “Do I move throughout the day?”, and “Who can I share this journey with?”.

I’m always interested in hearing your thoughts.  Please take a moment to share your ideas with me at laurakump@reclaiminghealth.blog, on Instagram or Facebook, or in the comments below.  Also, consider sharing this blog with a friend who is on this path with you.

Reclaiming Health: The Power of Taking the First Step

“The first step to getting somewhere is deciding that you are not going to stay where you are.” -J.P. Morgan

Several times a month, I get asked the same question, “How did you get started?”. It is a question I’ve asked as well, many times to many people on my health journey. Getting started always feels like the hardest part, especially when you feel so far removed from your healthiest self. I was literally at rock bottom at the start of this journey. I truly had given up and felt there was no way for me to get back to being healthy. I came to the point where I accepted myself as I was, which is fine, but also had no plan to do any work to regain my health. I felt I was past the point of no return.

I wish I could have given my friend the answer she wanted, but I know it’s not that simple. There is not one way to take this journey, and my way may not be the way that works for her. The simplest answer I can give to the question of where to start is just to start. Think of yourself as you want to be, healthy and happy. Ask yourself, what would it take for me to get to that place. Pick one thing you can do right now, this minute, that will move you toward that version of you. For me, I put on my running shoes and started walking. I was way past the point of being able to run, too heavy and out of shape. But, I knew I could walk, so I put on the shoes and walked around the block. That was all I could master at that point and that was more than enough.

A month later, I walked around the block of my school every morning when I got to work to add a second walk to my day. Then, I dusted off my old Fitbit and set a goal to reach 5,000 steps a day. I didn’t always make it, but I felt better about myself for even trying. After I retired, we moved to a community in Delaware and they had a health club. At that point, I added some weight lifting using the machines they had. I did that three times a week.

A year and a half later, I feel so much healthier and am so glad I took those first steps. Imagine how I would feel if I hadn’t. If you are also wondering what to do to get started, my best advice to you is to just start. Here are a few ideas to help you.

Getting Started

  1. Set Realistic Goals – For me, I was so unhealthy, I knew I could not return to running, as much as I wanted to. It would not be realistic for me to try to use running as my exercise of choice. In order to start, I needed to use a different form of movement. Walking was the best choice for my current fitness level. Select a movement that you feel you can do at your current fitness level. Do not over do it, or you will quit. Just move your body every day and increase gradually.
  2. Be Consistent – Consistency is your ticket to success. If you aren’t consistent, chances are you will not be successful. This is a commitment to a lifestyle, not a quick fix. I made the commitment to do at least 30 minutes of exercise every day. Since I was walking, that meant I would walk every day, rain or shine and I did. I wrote about the importance of consistency here The Compounding Effect. I know that consistency was a huge part of my success.
  3. Give Yourself Grace – You cannot change everything at once. That is an important concept to wrap your head around. I did not become unhealthy overnight. It was a combination of many things, but it happened over time. You cannot become healthy overnight, but you can over time. Give yourself the grace to work at this. You will have days where you make unhealthy choices. Just today, I ate some Nutella on a spoon. It happens. Give yourself grace and don’t let one decision deride your goal of improving your health. Just keep moving forward, one day at a time.
  4. Think About Your Habits – I really needed to evaluate my daily habits. This involved looking at my movement patterns, which at that time were nonexistent. It also meant looking at my eating patterns, which involved takeout and restaurants. Examine your habits and ask yourself if they are helping or hindering your health journey. Again, don’t try to change everything overnight, but begin to make plans to make small changes. For me, I started with my breakfast patterns. I changed those first, as they were the worst and easiest place to start. Then, I worked on my lunch. Finally, I made a drastic change and embraced a new lifestyle of eating whole food plant-based. I have not looked back in the past eight months.
  5. Sleep – If you don’t sleep well, you will have a hard time regaining your health. Sleep is critical to your health as it is when your body cleans and restores. I tried so many different approaches and one day my doctor finally said, if you don’t address your sleep you will not see real change. The road to sleep has been challenging, but I am making progress. I have a set sleep schedule and really try to stick to it, within reason. I wrote extensively about sleep in these past posts, Sleep Your Secret Weapon, Sweet Dreams

It is my sincere hope that you find your way to take those first steps, because they may be the hardest. I am so glad I did because if I didn’t I honestly don’t know where I’d be right now. It’s not an easy journey, but the rewards have been so exciting. I’m feeling healthier and I have energy to do more than I have in years. I’m looking forward to continuing on my path and am proud of the progress I have made. If you want to reclaim your health, I hope you’ll take those first steps. I’d love to hear about your journey and am here to cheer you on. Feel free to reach out to me via email at laurakump@reclaiminghealth.blog, on Instagram or Facebook, or in the comment section below. Let’s do this!

The Vital Role of Social Connections in Health and Wellness

“Think back to the most important experiences of your life, the highest highs, the greatest victories, the most daunting obstacles overcome. How many happened to you alone? I bet there are very few. When you understand that being connected to others is one of life’s greatest joys, you realize that life’s best comes when you initiate and invest in solid relationships.” -John C. Maxwell

One of the lasting lessons from the COVID pandemic should be that social isolation is to be avoided at all costs. Being on lockdown and not able to be together with our loved ones and friends was one of the hardest times in my life. Losing my mother, was the hardest part of this time, as we couldn’t be with her when she passed. I will never forget how those times felt. I felt isolated and lonely and knew it was taking a huge toll on my mental health.

I describe that time as being in a black hole. I was going through each day under a huge amount of stress, amid the personal struggle of losing my mother. Working what felt like 24 hours a day, I tried to keep my staff, students and families connected, as I knew that was what we all needed – social connection. With a total lack of support from anyone within my organization, I was left to figure things out with vague instruction, unrealistic asks which changed by the minute and continuously told, “We are flying the plane as we are building it.” These were indeed unprecedented times. Were it not for two of my work friends and a strong staff, I’m not sure I would have made it through. These two ladies and I meet frequently on Zoom, group chatted and talked every day. I called them on my morning walks and they’d lovingly joke, are you still walking as over an hour passed. Their friendship was the glue that held me together during those difficult days.

One of the pillars of my wellness journey, one that is often overlooked, is making and maintaining strong social connections. This was one of the main reasons why my husband and I decided to move when I retired. I knew I needed to live in a community in which there were multiple opportunities for social connection. It’s not easy to move away from a place you’ve called home for 40 years, but we knew it was the best decision for us. Living here, we have many opportunities to engage with a variety of people, in a variety of activities, which keeps us busy and healthy.

U.S. Surgeon General Advisory

In May 2023, the U.S.Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy issued an advisory on the public health crisis of loneliness, isolation and lack of connection in our country. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, many U.S. adults reported experiencing measurable levels of loneliness. Dr. Murthy warned that chronic loneliness and limited social connections increase health risks for older adults, such as a 29% higher risk of heart disease, 32% higher risk of stroke, and 50% higher risk of dementia.

Social Science Reveals

Kasley Killiam, Harvard trained social scientist and author of The Art and Science of Connection, was recently a guest on the Genius Life podcast. She discussed her definition of what it means to be healthy and included social health, the part of well being that comes from feeling connected to others. As this was aligned with my belief, I ordered her book and must say I am glad I did. Killiam, discusses the missing link to achieving and maintaining our health, both physically and mentally. She reveals that most approaches to health are missing the vital component of human connection.

The Art and Science of Connection will transform the way you think about each interaction with a friend, family member, coworker, or neighbor, and give you the tools you need to live a more connected and healthy life—whether you are an introvert or extrovert, if you feel stretched thin, and no matter your age or background. Along the way, Killam will reveal how a university student, a newlywed, a working professional, and a retired widow overcame challenges to thrive through connection—and how you can, too.

Get and Stay Socially Connected

Staying socially connected to friends and family is critical to our long-term health. Here are a few ways I have tried to stay socially connected. Killam discussed some of these in her book as well, along with other ideas.

Plan for Connections

Like anything else, we need to work to maintain our connections to others. Here are a few ways I plan to make and maintain connections:

  • Schedule calls – I try to plan my week and include making phone calls in the plan. I put it on my calendar in the phone to remember to reach out.
  • Text check-in – I love to send quick texts to friends and loved ones. This lets them know I’m thinking of them and is quick and easy.
  • Get togethers – These are harder sometimes, due to locations and schedules, but it is important to keep trying to plan for in-person get-togethers. If you give up, you can loose the connection.

Make New Connections

Moving to a new location can feel scary, as you have to establish new social connections. The same happens when you retire and leave your work relationships. The most common conversation I’ve had with people here has been about how hard it was to establish relationships when they first arrived. You do have to put yourself in situations where you will meet people. Staying in the house is not going to help you meet others, so the first step is putting yourself in places where you will meet people, hopefully with common interests. Here are a few of the ways I did this.

Gym – My husband and I both like to work out and go to the gym at about the same time each day. When on a set schedule, you tend to see the same people each day. This is a great opportunity to forge new social connections and you already know you have wellness in common.

Sports – I’ve always been part of a running community back home. I knew I needed a sports community here. I am no longer running, so I decided to take up pickleball when I arrived here. We both love it and play almost daily. I like to play at different courts, not just the one in my community. This provides me the opportunity to meet a variety of people. I have made some very nice friends on the pickleball courts and we share the love of the game, among other things.

Games – I love to play board games and there is a group here in my community that meets once a week to play. I met some super nice ladies in this group and learned from one of them how to play Mahjong. The Mahjong group in my community is large and I’ve met many ladies as a result. I’d recommend joining a club as a way to strengthen your social connections.

Volunteer – There are many opportunities to volunteer within the community. My 93-year-old dad helps out at his senior center, delivering Meals on Wheels to housebound seniors with the driver of his Cheer bus. If he can do it, we all can, and you’ll connect with others who have a shared purpose with you.

Social Media – There are many negative things about social media, but it can also be a good source when trying to stay connected to friends and family. There are also sites, such as Meetup, that have helped people foster connections based on common interests. I have used the site specifically for finding a Book Club in my new town. I also did a hike once with a hiking group. You can also use your search engine to locate local events which you can attend. Use it wisely and it can be a great tool to keep you connected to people, places and events.

These are just a few ideas that I hope will help you get started. When I arrived here, I needed to disconnect from social media and my phone. My position required me to be connected 24 hours a day. I needed to disconnect and get back into the world outside of my computer and phone. This lingering habit formed during COVID, when we were solely connected through technology, normalized living in isolation. But, in order to be present and engaged with others, we need to get off our devices and have conversations.

I’d like to end with advocating that you be very selective about who you surround yourself with. I see many people fall into the pattern of collecting friends like they do on social media. It truly is not about how many you have. Rather, it’s about how healthy the connections are. Surround yourself with others who enhance your health and make you feel good. Avoid those who bring drama and drain you, as that is not at all what we are seeking. We are seeking to enhance our health and wellness and this comes from the joy of social connection.

I hope you pick up the phone today and call an old friend to re-establish the connection. Or, perhaps send a text to a few friends to check-in. Anyway you start, just begin to grow your social connection and wellness. In a few months, it is my hope, that you see the fruits of your labors. If you’d like to chat, I am available via email at laurakump@reclaiminghealth.blog, on Instagram or Facebook, or in the comment section below. I look forward to hearing from you.

Balanced Diet vs. Supplements: Meeting Your Nutritional Needs

“Marketing is no longer about the stuff that you make, but about the stories you tell.” – Seth Godin

If I even think about something, it shows up as an advertisement on my Instagram feed, or Google within minutes. Sometimes it is scary how fast that happens. This marketing technique has been preying upon us in our weakest moments for years. As a former non sleeper, I can attest to how many items I have purchased in the wee hours of the morning. Many of those products have been related to my health journey and all made claims to have found the answer I was seeking.

I’m certain everyone reading this has also seen these advertisements pop up on their feed as well. Losing your hair; there’s a supplement, cream or oil to fix that immediately. Need to lose weight; there’s a product for easy weight loss without changing your eating, or adding exercise. Can’t sleep; there’s definitely many products to fix that, believe me I’ve tried a bunch of them. The list is endless, somehow our computers have advertisements for everything we are seeking. It’s actually a multibillion dollar business and most of us have fallen prey to it, purchasing at least one product along our journeys. I still have to stop myself from buying from these advertisements, as the urge is always there.

Supplements

I’ve written about supplements on this blog since 2016. Sadly, I’ve taken so many products on my health journey, without understanding anything about them. My philosophy has changed, as my knowledge has grown. I no longer look to buy and take supplements, rather I look to get as much nutrition as I can through the food choices I make. I’ve shifted my thinking from a supplement mindset to a complement mindset. If I take anything, it is to complement the foods I eat, not to replace or supplement them. I am proud to say that I am now only taking one multivitamin, specifically made for vegans and that’s it. There was a time I was taking 20 supplement pills a day, so this is huge! I have worked hard to trust that I can get what I need through eating healthy, whole foods and make conscious choices when planning my meals.

Our bodies are amazing and truly can function without us inserting all kinds of supplements made to “assist” it. Most supplements are not regulated and without truly understanding how they interact with our bodies, medications and each other, we could be treading in some dangerous waters taking them. In general, a healthy, balanced diet that includes fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, complex carbohydrates, and water can provide all the nutrients your body needs. That said, I am not saying we do not need supplements. It can be difficult to get everything we need without some form of supplementations. Specifically, some people need supplements to fill in gaps in their diet or correct vitamin or mineral deficiencies. What I am advocating for is to find out what your specific needs are before buying, or taking a bunch of targeted marketing supplements that promise you the world. I believe it is critical to know your specific needs, and if they can or cannot be met through dietary changes first.

Measuring Our Needs

A doctor, or registered dietitian, can help you determine if you are missing any important vitamins or minerals and may recommend supplements. I highly recommend you speak with your provider and ask them to run bloodwork to check your nutritional, hormone and enzyme levels. Blood tests check for nutritional deficiencies by measuring the levels of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients in your blood. These tests can help you identify nutrients that you might not be getting enough of, or that you might be consuming too much. They can also help you determine if you need to take supplements. 

Some types of blood tests that can check for nutritional deficiencies include:

Individual tests: Check levels of specific nutrients like vitamins A, D, C, K, and B-complex vitamins, as well as antioxidants, beta carotenes, and enzymes 

Vitamin panel: Checks levels of 13 essential vitamins

Mineral panel: Checks levels of key minerals like calcium, copper, iodine, iron, magnesium, manganese, and zinc

Action Steps

  • Take inventory of your nutritional needs

I am not a doctor or health care provider. I highly recommend you seek medical advice from a certified dietician, or doctor about your specific nutritional needs.

  • Take inventory of your food and supplement intake

I recommend you take some time to look at your food intake and your supplement intake. If like me, you are relying too heavily on supplements, that’s a red flag that your food choices need work.

  • Make an appointment

Set up an appointment to get your blood levels checked, as that can give you a true window into your individual needs.

  • Learn more

Here are two older blogs I wrote on this topic. They are worth a read. Just a note, I was not eating whole food plant-based back then. Currently, I do not eat any meat, or dairy products.

Fake News about Supplements

Food Not Supplements

Also, read the following:

Dietary supplements: Do they help or hurt, Harvard Medical

Currently reading this book and loving the simple, easy to understand common sense approach to nutrition. Highly recommend checking it out! Remember knowledge is always our super power. Further information below is from the publisher’s website:

Nutrivore is a paradigm shifting, comprehensive approach to nutrition that includes:

-An easy-to-follow plan for getting the full spectrum of nutrients we all need to reach our health goals, focusing on twelve foundational food families.

-Definitive science that identifies foods rich in the nutrients that treat common symptoms and ailments.-Comprehensive lists of foods and pain points that you can use to craft your own unique eating plan, such as eating magnesium

-rich leafy greens to help with headaches, potassium-packed sweet potatoes to help lower blood pressure, or molasses loaded with calcium to relieve PMS.

Products I Recommend

This is the vegan multivitamin I highly recommend and take. I like the company’s mission and ingredients. These are specifically designed to support your plant-based diet with the 8 missing or hard-to-get nutrients essential for your health and well-being.

If you have any questions about this blog, or wish to share your experiences with supplements, or targeted advertisements, kindly reach out to me at laurakump@reclaiminghealth.blog, on Instagram or Facebook, or in the comment section below.

*As an Amazon Associate, I may receive compensation for any items purchased. I only recommend products I personally use and love. Any purchase made is at no additional cost to you and helps offset the cost of running this blog. Thank you for your support.

Quick and Healthy Summer Meals: Smoothie, Buddha Bowl, and Light Snack

“Plants are infinite – this diet isn’t limiting and there’s so much more to explore! That’s what excites me about it most.” – Denai Moore on the Simply Vegan Podcast

As much as I love to cook, there are days that I am not able to spend as much time in the kitchen as I’d like. As Summer heats up, so does my calendar. Outdoor pickleball is now in full swing, as well as long bike rides and lazy pool days. We love to be outdoors, enjoying the weather and our community, but eating healthy is still important to us. To make things easier this year, I have three staple meals that I prep for, and rely on during the week if my time runs short for cooking. They are all super easy and packed with healthy nutrients to keep us satisfied, healthy, and full.

BREAKFAST:

I need to be on the courts by 8 AM most days and hate to play sports after eating a meal. I don’t believe in skipping breakfast and do need the nutrients to power through my sessions. Most days a simple nutrient-packed smoothie keeps me full and satisfied for hours. In order to be prepared for this breakfast, I always have frozen organic berries on hand, as well as other mixed organic fruit options. I always have a container of green leafy vegetables on hand as well as frozen broccoli florets.

Basic Elements of Smoothie

  • Protein
  • Green vegetables (kale or spinach, sometimes broccoli)
  • Nut milk (unsweetened)
  • Fiber (in addition to what is in the fruit and vegetables, I add 1 date, 1 kiwi, OR 1/2 banana, all high in fiber)
  • Fruit (fresh or frozen berries, I like frozen because it chills the smoothie)
  • Seeds (hemp, chia & flax)
  • Red Beets (cooked)

Breakfast Smoothie Recipe

  • 1 cup of baby spinach in your blender
  • 1 tsp each flax, chia and hemp seeds
  • 1 red beet (I buy the cooked organic ones)
  • 1 cup frozen fruit (I used mixed berries)
  • 1 date
  • 1 peeled kiwi OR 1/2 bananna
  • 1 cup unsweetened nut milk (I use almond milk)
  • 3 tbsp unflavored Complement pea protein (optional)
  • Blend and serve (This will thicken if you don’t drink it immediately due to the chia and flax.)

DINNER:

We eat our main meal of the day at lunchtime, as it’s better for our sleep. We like to eat lighter later in the day, so lunch is our dinner meal. My favorite go-to, easy meal is known as a buddha bowl. Generally, a buddha bowl is an easy to assemble meal, using what you have on hand. Very often people utilize their left over food to ensure nothing goes to waste. In order to be prepared for buddha bowls, you need to have certain items prepped and ready. I like to prepare a cup of farro and store it in a container for use in our bowls. I also love to have some french lentils cooked and ready. Canned chickpeas, black beans and lentils are also great to have.

Basic Elements of Buddha Bowls

  • Base (Whole grains and greens, our favorites are farro, brown basmati rice, quinoa. We also love baby spinach or Japanese kale)
  • Protein (We are vegan, so we use canned chickpeas or tofu)
  • Vegetables (Any you’d like to add in, or have left-over)
  • Sauce (We are oil-free, so I look for vegan recipes and remove the oil)
  • Toppings/garnishes (We use seeds for toppings, flax, hemp, pumpkin, etc.)

How I Assemble the Buddha Bowl

  1. Layer 2 bases at the bottom of your bowl, for example, 1/3 cup farro and 1 cup baby spinach.
  2. Arrange vegetables on top of the grain. (I use leftovers mostly, but my favorites are chopped roasted baby peppers, broccoli, or carrots. As many as you like, I generally select 2. I also like to chop some cucumber to put into my bowl for some added crunch.)
  3. Add your protein. (I select 2, generally chickpeas and grilled tofu.)
  4. Add your toppings (I sprinkle 1 tsp of sesame seeds, hemp seeds, flax seeds, or pumpkin seeds on my bowl.)
  5. Separately, make your dressing, or get your purchased one ready by shaking.
  6. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of dressing over bowl and enjoy. These bowls are so refreshing, especially this time of the year.

SNACK MEAL

Our last meal of the day is something light. In the winter, we eat soup as it’s easy to put together. It is also easy for your body to digest soup before bed. In the warmer months, we often eat a chopped salad with berries, pomegranate seeds, tomato, pistachios, cherry tomatoes and chopped cucumber. We use fresh squeezed lemon juice for our dressing. I purchase a family-size container of organic salad greens. I wash and spin this dry, ensuring to dry the greens thoroughly. I then assemble the salad in a large bowl, or lasagna pan. I like to put the salad together without dressing, so we can grab it quickly during the week. This premade salad lasts about 3 days in the refrigerator without dressing.

As you can see, these three meal options are super easy to prepare and eat during your busy summer days. Of course, you can add in freshly cooked meals as your time allows. Homemade bean burgers are a quick and easy favorite for us. Eating healthy doesn’t have to be hard, tasteless, or boring. Just purchase and prepare a few staple items and you’ll have easy meals available to quickly assemble all summer long. These options are all delicious and the possibilities of ingredients are truly endless as there is so much fresh, seasonal produce to select from.

I hope you enjoy these meals. Please reach out and share some new ideas with me for quick meals. It’s important to stay on track for healthy eating, something that in the past I struggled with. Planning ahead does make things easier for me. Feel free to reach out to me at laurakump@reclaiminghealth.blog, on Instagram or Facebook, or in the comment section below.

Healthy Lifestyle: Food, Exercise, and Joy in My Daily Routine

“Health isn’t about being “perfect” with food or exercise or herbs. Health is about balancing those things with your desires. It’s about nourishing your spirit as well as your body.”
― Golda Poretsky

Many have asked me about what I eat, how much I exercise, how many days I work out and other questions about my daily life. This week, I’d like to share what a typical day looks like for me. I am not a medical doctor, nor am I am I advocating you eat what I do. I am merely sharing my routine, in the hope you reflect on yours and consider ways to ensure you are setting yourself up to live a long and healthy life. As wellness is truly a personal journey, we all need to find what works for our lives and our bodies. This is what works for me, after many years of trying and failing.

Food

As you know, I eat whole food plant based, dairy and oil free. Many have asked me how this is different from vegan. The simple answer is that vegan is a lifestyle choice based on personal beliefs regarding animal cruelty, the environment, health and can include processed foods. Most vegans do not purchase any products, including clothing and shoes made from animals. Whole Food Plant Based is a lifestyle choice based on health and wellness and centers around food choices. It also includes wanting to protect animals and the environment, but does not include processed foods. I am sure there are other areas to include in the difference, but that’s my short answer.

I try to eat a minimum of 30 different plants across the week. It’s not hard to do at all as you’ll see in my sample day. The trick is to eat a variety of plants and fruits, or eat the rainbow of colors. Variety is key to a healthy gut, so don’t just eat the same foods day after day. For example, if you eat baby spinach, don’t use it in the smoothie, salad and at dinner. There are so many other greens that have great benefits for your wellness. Here’s a sample day for me:

  • Breakfast – I like to make a smoothie most mornings, as it’s easy and helps ensure I get extra plants in. Today I had, almond milk, kale, red beet, kiwi, date, blueberry, hemp seed, chia seed, flaxseed, cinnamon, avocado, organic pea protein (11 plants)
  • Snack – I don’t always have snacks as the shake keeps me full. Sample snack, 1/2 banana and walnuts, or hummus and vegetable sticks, any fruits with almond milk yogurt.
  • Lunch – I eat my dinner at lunchtime, whenever possible. Yesterday, we had leftovers – Basil Pesto over pasta with broccoli, roasted tomatoes and tofu. The pasta was whole wheat, high fiber fettuccine. (4 plants)
  • Dinner – I generally eat a light dinner. If I didn’t have a smoothie for breakfast, I will have it for dinner. Otherwise, I eat a big salad bowl full of plants, or a soup. Yesterday, I had a big salad bowl of arugula, baby spinach, strawberries, pumpkin seeds, mini peppers (red, yellow, orange) and cucumbers. (8 plants) (23 total plants for day)

Eating the main meal earlier in the day helps my digestion and improves my sleep patterns for the night. It also aligns with the rhythm of the day better as in the evening the body is preparing to slow down for rest. When I was working, this involved packing my main meal to eat at work, or ordering food in to eat. It can be done, but requires better planning. I included plant counts merely to show how easy it would be to eat 30 plants across your week. I’ve already had 23 in one day. For me, the key was ensuring I was getting a variety of plants. This led me to stop buying food in bulk. Buying everything in bulk may be more cost effective, but that sets me up to eat the same fruits and vegetables every day. Since, I am seeking variety, I buy the smaller packages now and vary what I eat daily. This also keeps the food more interesting.

If you want to read more about my eating, consider reading these posts I’ve shared – Change Our Thinking About Food, Fork Power, Cooking to Nourish Your Mind, Body & Soul, Cookbook Recommendations

Exercise

  • Walking – When I started this journey, I had difficulty walking around the block! Walking was my go to exercise and one I still incorporate into my day, every day. Walking doesn’t require a gym membership and can be done alone, or with a friend. I tend to prefer to walk alone, but do bring my dog with me on my daily walks. I walk every single day, regardless of the weather, for a minimum of 30 minutes. This, for me, is about 1.5 miles of distance. I walk outside in nature, as I want the added benefits that provides. Walking in nature is great for your mental wellness, so please if you can avoid the treadmill, you may find you enjoy walking more than you thought.
  • Pickleball -I play pickleball at least 4 days a week, sometimes more during the season. It’s a great form of aerobic exercise and I truly love the social connections I’ve made.
  • Yoga – I practice yoga 2-3 days a week both in studio and at home. This keeps me flexible and is also great for my mental wellness.
  • Weight Training – I try to lift weights, or use the machines at the gym at least 1-2 times a week.

I highly recommend finding a group sport you enjoy and adding it to your week. There are many elderly people out there on pickleball courts across our country. At my indoor facility, we have an 82 year old woman who plays to win daily. Yoga is also for every body and can be modified to meet you where you are. The benefits are many and I do believe you will come to love how you feel in a very short time. Lastly, I am an early riser, so much of the gym, sports and yoga occur before lunch daily. Walking happens after lunch, or dinner. Like food we eat, I believe we benefit from engaging in a variety of exercise. I have shared more about my exercise in prior posts found here Move to Live, Svadhyaya – Study of Self,

Finding Joy

For me, this journey is about finding myself, my health and above all joy. For far too long, I focused too heavily on counting calories and stressed myself out. Life is not meant to be lived that way and honestly, I was never successful with that approach. Counting plants, something I mentioned above, is something I did in the first week of eating whole food plant based. Once I realized how simple it was, I’ve not counted again. It is something you need to stress over if you eat whole food plant based meals, unless you have a specific health issue. Nothing to count, not calories, macros, micros or anything else. Just eat whole foods and ensure you eat a variety of plants and fruits. I feel healthier than I have in years, perhaps decades. I’ve shared so many posts about my journey, on my blog over the years. I hope you’ll take some time to revisit these most recent posts – Try Something New, IRAH: Individual Retirement Account for Health – A Personal Transformation Journey, Stress, Eat to Live, The Compound Effect, Hold On

I hope this helps to give you an idea of my daily life. If you take time to visit some of the links I’ve shared to prior posts, perhaps you’ll find information on areas that interest you. I am so excited to have made it out of the winter weighing less than I did going into it. Generally, in the past, I gained weight and lost motivation over the winter months, leaving me to have to start over. This year, I’m heading into the summer stronger than ever and looking forward to continued health improvements. I truly hope you will join me. I am available to discuss your current questions, ideas and needs. Feel free to reach out to me at laurakump@reclaiminghealth.blog, on Instagram or Facebook, or in the comment section below. Thanks for reading and have a great and healthy week.

Mother’s Whisper

Your mother is always with you…
She’s the whisper of the leaves
as you walk down the street.
She’s the cool hand on your brow
when you’re not well.
Your mother lives inside your laughter.
She’s crystallized in every tear drop.
She’s the place you came from,
your first home…
She’s the map you follow
with every step that you take.
She’s your first love
and your first heart break…
and nothing on earth can separate you.
Not time, Not space
Not even death
will ever separate you
from your mothe
You carry her inside of you

-Deborah Culver

Mother’s Day is rapidly approaching, I felt it long before I knew the actual date. Missing my mother is something I’ve grown into, but not something I adjust to. I know how much I was loved, but felt ill prepared for the day I’d go on without her. Yet, here I am four years into this journey.

I’m a very nostalgic person at my core. I have strong memories that live inside me and I try to share them here on this blog, especially in my older cooking posts. Here is one such example, Isn’t it Ironic. Or, This is Us which talks about holding on to those items that have memories connected to them. Finally, my Mother’s Day post from back in 2018. Not much has changed, except I won’t be serving meat based meatballs this year. I do have a nice vegan version of meatballs to serve over zucchini noodles though.

I’ve learned along the way, that the best gift to give, or receive, is the gift of time. Spending time together means more to me than any flowers you send, though I love flowers. I do, however, love giving and receiving gifts that carry special meaning and memories. When it comes to Mother’s Day gifts, I always tried to attach that sentimentality to my selections. These are a few of the things I’ve been looking at for myself this year, all connected to family traditions, memories and of course, health.

*I only share things I personally love, whenever sharing items, and if you purchase through these links, there is no additional costs incurred to you. I may receive a small compensation from Amazon, which offsets the costs of running my blog, so thank you for your support.

Mother’s Day Gift Guide 2024

A Loving Table:Creating Memorable Gatherings, Kimberly Whitman

A truly stunning coffee table book that carries such a beautiful testament to family traditions. Beautiful photographs and words, take us on a journey. Inspiring tables and entertaining styles of 34 tastemakers in their regions or society at large show how they keep traditions passed down from mothers and grandmothers alive in their families. Each style maker shares tips and lessons in entertaining that she learned from the women in her life. Tip boxes from each generation will help the readers learn from them and use their ideas, or even better create their own traditions. This book pulled at me from the start, but the fact it was published on my birthday, made me feel all the more connected.

Fitbit Versa 4 Fitness Smartwatch with Daily Readiness, GPS, 24/7 Heart Rate, 40+ Exercise Modes, Sleep Tracking and more

I’ve been wearing my Fitbit for years and truly think it is the best gift of health you can give to anyone in your life. What get’s measured, gets improved and this watch allows me to measure my daily activity, heart rate and more. The most important measurement for my health journey has been my sleep tracking. I have really improved my sleep through awareness. I have written about the importance of sleep on my blog several times. Consider visiting one of these posts to learn more – Sweet Dreams and Sleep Your Secret Weapon.

Ninja BL770 Mega Kitchen System, 1500W, 4 Functions for Smoothies, Processing, Dough, Drinks & More

I love this system so much, I’ve bought it twice. It was the first thing I purchased when I moved to my new home and I gifted one to my daughter in law. It’s truly the best gift you can give, or get, this Mother’s Day. It is a key component of my cooking and healthy lifestyle and one I use daily. I make morning smoothies, full of healthy vegetables and fruit to start my day off strong and I use the food processor almost daily to prepare my plant based recipes. I’ve had an expensive Vitamix, but the ease of use and especially cleaning of this machine makes it the winner, hands down! It is a must have for any home cook in your life.

Maman and Me: Recipes from Our Iranian American Family by Roya Shariat and Gita Sadeh

This is on my personal gift list this year, so I hope my family is reading. A gorgeous cookbook filled with 78 delicious cook-at-home Iranian American recipes from a mother and daughter. The authors welcome you into their home, as they share their family recipes that include soups and stews, main dishes, desserts, beverages, and so much more. The book takes a unique approach to Iranian cuisine, with recipes and twists that celebrate the evolution of Iranian food in America. I have been expanding my cooking repertoire to include more international recipes and this book looks so exciting. I cannot wait to try the garlicky eggplant dip!

Pasta Grannies: The Official Cookbook: The Secrets of Italy’s Best Home Cooks

In NYC, we often ate at a beautiful restaurant called, Nonnas. The chefs rotated and were all Nonnas from different regions. There is a Youtube channel put out by the Nonnas in this book. I highly recommend you check them out and this book as well. I mean, who doesn’t love pasta? I love making homemade pasta for my family. Fresh ingredients and homemade are so much healthier than processed pasta offerings in boxes at supermarkets. Give it a try, even if you limit your pasta indulgence, you’ll be glad you did.

Body Restore Shower Steamers Aromatherapy 15 Packs – Stress Relief and Effortless Self Care, Lavender Bath Bombs

I love these shower steamers and bath bombs, especially as a way to end the day. Totally relaxing and feels so comforting. Cannot go wrong with this gift for anyone in your life, for any gift event.

I hope you enjoy shopping for those you love as much as I do. I am honored to share my journey with you all and hope you get what you most want this year, health and happiness. In life, there is no gift we need more than that. I’ll close with a loving kindness meditation poem and hope it brings you joy this Mother’s Day.

May you be safe.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you live with ease.

As always, feel free to reach out anytime. I love hearing about your journeys. You can contact me via email at laurakump@reclaiminghealth.blog, or on Instagram or Facebook.

Move to Live

“…but I now consider exercise to be the most potent longevity “drug” in our arsenal, in terms of lifespan and healthspan. The data are unambiguous: exercise not only delays actual death but also prevents both cognitive and physical decline, better than any other intervention.”
― Peter Attia, Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity

When I was an educator, we had an initiative called, Move to Improve that was instituted by the city as a means to draw attention to health and wellness. The main focus was on the benefits of exercise to student health and its connection to improved learning. When I think of moving these days, my focus is still on the connection of exercise to my overall wellness, but also am focused on healthy longevity. Nutrition is often thought of as the most important of the health pillars, however, movement could actually be far more important. Dr William Sears, lists movement as a key component in his pillars for healthy living and states, “sit less, move more, live longer“.

Doing less sitting and moving more, can be tied to living longer. Replacing 30 minutes per day of sedentary time with 30 minutes of physical activity at a light intensity was associated with a 17% lower risk of early death in a study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology. Thirty minutes (30) would be your minimum movement per day and is a good starting point for many beginning a health journey, after long periods of being sedentary. It can be an simple as a 30 minute walk per day to begin. It is where I began my journey as well, and a commitment I made to myself, that no matter what the day brings, I would get at least a 30 minute walk every day outside in nature. I have kept this promise to myself for over a year now and it has had a huge impact on both my physical and emotional wellness.

Obviously, the hope is that you continue to increase your movement as you feel healthier and more able. I will share my journey to increase movement over the past year below. I would caution you to ease into any new routine and always have a physical with your medical professional before staring any exercise program.

Walking

Terribly out of shape, this former long distance runner needed to start slowly after a year and a half of not moving following a running injury. I made a commitment to myself to walk AT LEAST 30 minutes outside in nature every day. I simply walked my dog for 30 minutes every day. Being outside in nature is great for mental wellness, so please do leave the headsets home and enjoy the sights and sounds.

Tracking Movement

I’ve shared before that I wear a Fitbit tracker on my wrist every day. I now shoot for 10,000 steps each day, but when I started out I shot for 5,000, then increased to 8,000. It’s best to set goals that you will meet at first, because that will motivate you to continue. The tracker counts all movement, so even just walking in your house will get you credit. I never realized how sedentary I truly was until I wore the tracker. The one I linked is currently on a great sale now at Amazon at 25% off. I also wear this to bed to track my sleep (see my post on sleep here) every night, so it’s a win win device for wellness.

Yoga

I was far away from the shape I was in when I used to do daily power yoga classes, but that was just fine. I returned to my yoga practice, taking it slowly. I started out with very gentle Hatha yoga classes, which involved seated poses and stretching of muscles. As I improved, I moved to gentle flow classes and gradually increased the difficulty. Yoga is truly a key to my overall wellness program. It keeps my muscles supple, strengthens, improves breathing through breath work and improves my emotional wellness. I highly recommend yoga to anyone seeking to improve their wellness. It is accessible to any one, as you can modify it to suit your body. You can even take a chair yoga class when starting. Don’t hesitate to take yoga, you don’t have to be “fit” to start, just start. (Read my post on yoga here.)

Strength Training

As we age we lose muscle mass, strength and function, starting as young as 30 years old. The good news is that we can offset these loses through strength training. You don’t have to join Crossfit to build muscle, though it is a fabulous workout. Light weights, body weight movements, or use of circuit machines are a great option to add into your wellness routine. I try to do light weight training, combined with body weight exercises at least 2x a week. I did not start this immediately when returning to exercise, rather, when I felt ready, added it in. I use light dumbells, the Smith machine barbell at the gym, push ups and hanging pull ups mainly in my current routine. Start with a 3 pound dumbell and work your way up from there.

Aerobic Exercise

In order to improve fitness, strength, stamina, mood and cardiovascular health, I worked my way back to including aerobic exercise in my weekly exercise routine. It took me several months to get there, as I slowly increased my readiness. I love playing pickball and play at least 3 times each week, year round. I would love to get back to running regularly, but will never run long distance again. It’s just not necessary. I have been running one mile occasionally and it does feel good. Building our aerobic capacity is an important component of your wellness journey, so begin to think about what you enjoy doing. There are many options including, swimming, biking, interval training, running, tennis, pickleball, etc.

Balance

Balance is key. Do not overdo fitness, especially at first. Remember, we are in this for the long term, quite literally. Make a plan for your week and ensure you include rest days. That doesn’t mean you are sedentary, you still should have at least 30 minutes of movement. Remember walking is the easiest and most powerful tool in your fitness regime.

In his book, Outlive:The Art and Science of Longevity, Peter Attia, MD provides us with a guide to understanding why and what we should be doing to potentially offset chronic disease and live a longer and healthier life. He writes and explains in quite clear and understandable language. I am truly grateful to have come across this book and thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I highly recommend you become more informed about aging and longevity, even if you are under 30. It is critical to understand that the choices we make have implications on us in the future. Changing our stance from treating illnesses we develop later in life, to living better now to prevent their development will serve us all well. I for one have been on this path for quite some time now and am still far from an expert. I am just living my best life and planning for my future self. I hope you’ll take the time out to read this book, but if not, I hope you’ll take time out to reexamine your daily movement and exercise routines. Your future self will thank you, as will your family who will enjoy more quality time spent with you.

If you have any questions, or comments about my blog, please do feel free to reach out to me at laurakump@reclaiminghealth.blog, on Instagram, Facebook, or in the comment section below.

*As an Amazon associate, I may receive compensation for any of the links I have provided. This helps offset the cost of running my blog, so I thank you in advance.

Sugar Sugar

Sugar caused obesity, tooth decay, and diabetes long before anyone ever heard of a calorie. – Case Against Sugar

In the book, Case Against Sugar, Gary Taubes states, “Sugar is not just a delicious pleasure. It is a toxic substance that is wreaking havoc on our bodies and our brains.” Sugar is lurking in all foods, especially processed foods. When you start reading food labels for more than just the calorie counts, you find sugar has many fancy names to hide behind. Next time you go shopping, pick up any item you are buying and scan the food labels. Look down beneath where you usually look and seek out the list of ingredients. There you will likely find many words you cannot even pronounce and many different names for sugar. These include common names, such as sucrose and high-fructose corn syrup, as well as barley malt, dextrose, maltose and rice syrup, among others. Healthline Nutrition provides a list of 56 names for sugar on their website found here.

One of the good things about eating whole food plant based, or whole food diets is that by eliminating processed foods, we are eliminating a main source of sugar intake. There are different schools of thought on sugar intake when eating whole foods, but I believe in eliminating all refined sugars and natural sweeteners such as Stevia, honey and agave. There is research to support the use of those and also research that supports the dangers of using. For me, I made a personal decision to avoid them. You will make your own personal decisions regarding those sweetener options. The only thing I use for sweetening, when necessary in recipes, are fresh dates, date syrup and pure maple syrup. I don’t use them often and find myself using less and less as my taste buds change.

Just a word about fruit, as I know many people won’t eat fruit due to fructose. According to Michael Greger, M.D., only commercially-produced fructose, not whole fruit-derived fructose, associates with a decline in liver function and an increase in high blood pressure. This short video, If Fructose is Bad, What About Fruit?, shares his thoughts. Additionally, his ground breaking book, How Not to Die, has been deemed, “Absolutely the best book I’ve read on nutrition and diet” by Dan Buettner, author of The Blue Zones Solution. For a simple read on nutrition and food choices, I highly recommend this easy to understand and refreshing book, Chew on This, by Brook Bussard, MD.

Here are some simple steps I used to reduce sugar:

  • Read Labels – Look for added sugar in the ingredients list to ensure no sugar has been added during processing. Products are considered to be high in sugar if they have more than 22.5g of total sugars per 100g. They are considered low if they have 5g or less of total sugars per 100g.
  • If it’s in the house it’s in the mouth – Don’t buy any refined sugars, or sweet treats that contain high levels of sugar. If you have it you will use and eat it. If you need something sweet after dinner, have a few black grapes or piece of fruit instead.
  • Coffee Creamers & Nut Milks – I don’t buy any coffee creamers or nut milks. I have been making my own for the past 6 months and can’t believe how easy and delicious it is. The important piece here is I have full control over what goes in my coffee and nut milks and it’s not chemicals or sugar! This machine was a bit pricey, but I like that I can also make smoothies and purees in here. I’m also saving money on store bought milks. Very versatile machine and super easy! No need to strain or soak the nuts. 8 in 1 Nut Milk Machine
  • Eat Plant Based Diet – I am eating 100% plant based, but that is my personal choice, based on science. If you are not ready for that, just increasing your plant and fruit intake can have an impact on your sugar reduction. That is because plant-based diets are low in saturated fat (a culprit behind insulin resistance) and high in fiber, which helps the body to regulate blood sugar and properly absorb nutrients. Plant-based diets also reduce the risk of being overweight or obese, a primary risk factor for Type 2 diabetes. Get a free plant based guide from Forks Over Knives.
  • Drink More Water – I drink half my body weight in ounces each day. It’s not always easy, but I do my best. Currently, I fill and use this 80 ounce jug to ensure I meet my goals. I hated having all those plastic bottles and often lost count of what I was drinking. Just a note, I do use the water in it for any coffee, or tea I consume in the day. I don’t drink any other types of drinks, including alchohol.
  • Cook – I’ve long advocated home cooking for healthier options and ingredient control. Here are two recent blogs on this topic. Cooking to Nourish Your Mind, Body & Soul and Cookbook Recommendations.

I believe reducing refined sugar intake has had a positive impact on my health and weight loss. Becoming more aware of what I am putting in my body has been a true help. The weight continues to come off, but more importantly, I feel better. I hope you’ll consider looking at your current intake of sugar. You will be surprised at all the places it is hiding. Let me know how it goes and if you have any questions, reach out to me at laurakump@reclaiminghealth.blog. If you find sugar lurking on a food label, take a photo and tag me on Instagram, so we can learn together. I’d love to hear how you do!

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