Stay at home. Quarantine. Lockdown.
These words traditionally have had negative connotations:
Historically, they’ve been used to keep people in their homes during a time of crisis, such as war, and they are associated with needing protection from danger, isolation and illness. “Lock down” in particular is used in prisons, when all inmates are locked in their cells to prevent riots or unrest from spreading during an emergency. It’s jarring
Each word we use is imbued with multitudes of personal meaning, and those meanings are not set in stone. They weren’t chosen by us, they were given – by what we’ve read, heard and experienced.
Right now we are all struggling to adapt to our new lifestyles. Your inbox and social news feed is flooded with tips and tactical advice on how to work remotely, how to balance your responsibilities, and how to protect yourself and your loved ones.
I am not going to tell you the same things, this is not about how to make things easier, it's about how to do difficult things better, and with grace
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So today, start with one word that you’ve been hearing or using lately. Let's change the meaning of being "lockdown" and feeling trapped, like your freedoms have been taken away, replace it with “grounded.”
How does that make you feel? The term grounding is synonymous with getting out of your head and into your heart space. It’s about being rooted and firm, like a strong tree that weathers any storm. It’s a phrase that beckons us to walk away from the noise of the news, and to tap into the things that make us human: love, joy, connection, planning, dreaming and creation. It’s not about the freedoms we have been stripped of, but the freedom our undistracted hearts now have to relish in.
My dear super-humans, my fighting dragons, when troubles comes your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. SO LET IT GROW, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. Keep that truth uppermost in your mind today, and you won't give in to despair. Create an opportunity instead of a hardship. Challenge the emotions that cross the threshold of your mind and channel this unique time into a personal victory for YOU.
An overview of gut health basics + keeping your gut in balance You have 4 pounds of THIS in your gut :( In the midst of the Coronavirus right now, having a strong and healthy immune system is more important than ever! There are steps you can take to make yourself healthier, and we’ve got a great series that focuses on a super important part of your immune health: your gut! There has been a LOT of buzz about “gut health” lately … and for a very good reason. Your gut health doesn’t affect just your digestion (although that’s super important) … but also your heart, your brain, your immune system, and even your mood. And with a global pandemic happening, it seems like a good time to focus even more on our overall wellness! You have about 100 trillion (!!!) microbes living in your gut right now. And there are about 1,000 different species of known gut bacteria. (Fun Fact #1: if you were to weigh all the bacteria in your gut, they would weigh over 4 lbs (2 kg))! Some of these bacteria are your personal army of helpers, digesting your food, making energy, and keeping your immune system strong. And others are not-so-good, linked with digestive upset, inflammation, obesity, and even conditions like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and asthma. As you can imagine, you want to make sure your gut stays in balance, with more of the good guys than the bad guys! YOU have the power to do just that with your food and lifestyle choices! But now for fun fact #2 ... your individual gut microbiome is like your fingerprint. No one else’s is exactly the same. All of us share about one-third of the same microbiota makeup – but two-thirds of your microbiota “fingerprint” are unique to YOU! Even though we all have our own unique gut microbiome, the basic guidelines for keeping it in balance work for nearly everyone! I’m going to be sharing a LOT more info about all of this in the coming weeks, but here’s a quick gut health checklist to get you started: * Make sure you’re getting enough fiber, including insoluble fiber. These fibers are what the good bacteria in your small intestine like to feed on. * Eat fermented foods like yogurt and sauerkraut, because they contain healthy bacteria that can replenish your gut microbiome. This is especially true if you have taken antibiotics, which can affect the balance of your gut bacteria. * Avoid processed foods and sugar. The bad-guy bacteria like to feed on these! * Cut stress. Pray, Meditate, journal, go outside for some fresh air. There’s a direct connection (your vagus nerve) between your brain and your gut, each affecting the other! * Get regular exercise. The more active you are, the happier your gut microbiome is! *Get enough sleep. When your sleep is disrupted, so are the good bacteria in your microbiome. And vice versa! It’s amazing how everything works together, isn’t it? Speaking of working together …
REMEMBER TO WASH YOUR HANDS BEFORE & AFTER YOUR WORKOUT
Now more than ever it’s a good time to DIG IN and stay focused on our health!
Committed to your Success,
Karina Cross - Master Trainer
ACSM ALPOFI TRX ASFA IHP
Owner Karina Cross Fitness
CO-Owner/Founder Forever Fit LLC
It's Foodie Friday with Christin at Karina Cross Fitness
A different take on Foodie Friday:
How many times have you heard "eat right" or "eat your veggies" or "food is fuel for your body" or "you are what you eat" or ...... I think you get my drift. Now is the best time ever to pay close attention to what you eat. The benefits of healthful eating are vast. During this current pandemic, we should capitalize on the benefit of boosting your immune system. I'm not going to single out one recipe this month, instead I want to give you 15 foods to incorporate in your meals on a daily basis. If you see one food that you like and you need some ideas... please comment below. I will give you a fantastic way to help you put it on your plate and enjoy. Please visit the Karina Cross Fitness Facebook page on Friday at noon to see the post. Foodie Friday is great, but there is so much more for you to see! Karina has great workouts and daily encouragement for you.
Change your habits. Eat well. Do it for the body God gave you. Do it for your family. Do it for your friends. I don't care why you do it, just do it.
Citrus -- Vitamin C!!
Bell Peppers -- If you think citrus fruits have the most vitamin C of any fruit or vegetable, think again. Ounce for ounce, red bell peppers contain twice as much vitamin C as citrus. They’re also a rich source of beta carotene.
Broccoli -- Broccoli is supercharged with vitamins and minerals. Packed with vitamins A, C, and E, as well as many other antioxidants and fiber, broccoli is one of the healthiest vegetables you can put on your table.
Garlic -- Garlic’s immune-boosting properties seem to come from a heavy concentration of sulfur-containing compounds, such as allicin.
Ginger -- Ginger may help decrease inflammation, which can help reduce a sore throat and other inflammatory illnesses.
Spinach -- Rich in vitamin C, it i's also packed with numerous antioxidants and beta carotene, which may increase the infection-fighting ability of our immune systems. Similar to broccoli, spinach is healthiest when it’s cooked as little as possible so that it retains its nutrients. However, light cooking enhances its vitamin A and allows other nutrients to be released from oxalic acid. Along with Spinach, get plenty of green, leafy veggies. Mix it up!
Yogurt -- Yogurt is a great source of vitamin D, so try to select brands fortified with vitamin D. Vitamin D helps regulate the immune system and is thought to boost our body’s natural defenses against diseases. Be sure to stick with unsweetened or plain yogurt. You can sweeten them with vanilla extract or fresh fruits.
Almonds -- When it comes to preventing and fighting off colds, vitamin E tends to take a backseat to vitamin C. However, vitamin E is key to a healthy immune system.
Turmeric -- Turmeric has been used for years as an anti-inflammatory in treating both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Also, researchTrusted Source shows that high concentrations of curcumin, which gives turmeric its distinctive color, can help decrease exercise-induced muscle damage.
Green Tea -- Both green and black teas are packed with flavonoids, a type of antioxidant. Where green tea really excels is in its levels of epigallocatechin gallate, or EGCG, another powerful antioxidant. EGCG has been shown to enhance immune function.
Papaya -- Another Vitamin C packed fruit plus a decent amount of potassium, B vitamins, and folate, all of which are beneficial to your overall health.
Kiwi -- Kiwis are naturally full of a ton of essential nutrients, including folate, potassium, vitamin K, and vitamin C.
Poultry -- When you’re sick, chicken soup is more than just a feel-good food with a placebo effect. It helps improve symptoms of a cold and also helps protect you from getting sick in the first place. It is high in vitamin B-6. Vitamin B-6 is an important player in many of the chemical reactions that happen in the body. It’s also vital to the formation of new and healthy red blood cells
Sunflower Seeds -- Sunflower seeds are full of nutrients, including phosphorous, magnesium, and vitamin B-6. They’re also incredibly high in vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant.
Shellfish -- Shellfish isn’t what jumps to mind for many who are trying to boost their immune system, but clams, lobster, mussels, crab are types of shellfish are packed with zinc.
Zinc doesn’t get as much attention as many other vitamins and minerals, but our bodies need it so that our immune cells can function as intended.
Vitamin E is important in regulating and maintaining immune system function.
