Category: Nutrition

The Mighty Magnesium: Unveiling Its Role in Over 700 Body Reactions

Posted on by Arianne Missimer

Ever wondered about a mineral that plays a pivotal role in over 700 different reactions within your body? Well, today, we’re unleashing the secrets of magnesium—a truly mighty mineral. 

Join us on this journey as we explore its various forms, uncover the reasons behind our widespread magnesium deficiency, and, most importantly, understand why this unsung hero is so vital to your well-being. Get ready to dive into the fascinating world of magnesium and discover how it impacts your body in countless ways! Let’s get started!

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Different Forms of Magnesium

It is absolutely amazing to think that magnesium is involved in over 700 reactions in the body. Understanding the different forms allows you to appreciate the different benefits in the body.

Magnesium is available in different forms, each with its unique characteristics. The most common forms of magnesium are oxide, citrate, threonate, and glycinate. These forms will differ in absorption rate, bioavailability, and their specific role in the body.

For example, if you are having bowel irregularities and tend towards constipation, magnesium citrate is very valuable in bowel regularity. For someone experiencing constipation, I often recommend titrating up from 150 mg every three days until they are having bowel regularity. 

Comparing magnesium oxide and citrate, the former may not have as strong an effect on bowels as the latter, but it can still be utilized as an antacid.

Now, let’s talk about magnesium glycinate—a real game-changer when it comes to improving sleep and enhancing overall nervous system function. It’s incredibly beneficial for many of us! And that’s not all; we also have magnesium threonate, which holds tremendous promise. The beauty of this one is that it can cross the blood-brain barrier, meaning it has the potential to positively impact brain function, cognitive health, and more.  This can also be used along with glycinate and malate for migraines. 

Understanding Magnesium Deficiency

One of the key reasons for this is the deficiency in our soil because of modernized farming practices over the past few decades. 

In addition to this, stress is a really big factor in magnesium excretion. When we have an increase in our stress hormones, such as cortisol, we can have increased magnesium excretion through our urine. Whether that is physical stress or emotional stress, both of which can contribute to deficiencies of our electrolytes.

If, for example, you are under more stress, trying to address a specific condition, or you want to thrive, supplementation may be beneficial.  

Importance of Magnesium For Your Health

Why is magnesium so important? 

One of the main reasons is that it supports energy metabolism. It plays a huge role in converting food into energy. It promotes muscle relaxation, alleviates cramps, is crucial for maintaining a normal heart rhythm, and contributes to normal blood pressure and blood vessel function. It’s important for bowel regularity, and it’s also important for bone health and healthy glucose metabolism. It’s even important for immune health. So, from energy production to heart health, magnesium plays a critical role in everything that we do.

Incorporating Magnesium-Rich Foods Into Your Diet

Some of the higher sources of magnesium include nuts and seeds, spinach, oats, and barley.

With that said, you still may need to supplement, so although I named a few of the primary forms of magnesium, we want to recognize at least seven different forms of magnesium.

When looking at supplementation, we can be very specific, especially when it relates to the specific goal you want to achieve with magnesium. For those seeking an excellent magnesium supplement, I recommend trying ‘Magnesium’ by 1st Phorm, as it offers a comprehensive blend of different forms of magnesium. You can find more information and purchase it from the link I provided.

However, it’s crucial to remember that before you start any supplementation, you must consult with a healthcare professional. They can ensure that the supplement is appropriate for you based on your health history and individual needs. In the meantime, you can begin by incorporating magnesium-rich food sources into your diet.

I hope you can appreciate the profound effect that magnesium has on your body and your health. If you found this helpful, please like, share, and subscribe to our YouTube channel, The Movement Paradigm, for weekly tips on mindset, nutrition, and movement. If you need assistance with your overall health, please reach out to us. We would love to help you.

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Heal your mitochondria

Posted on by Arianne Missimer

Feeling sluggish and drained of energy? We’ve all been there. But what if I told you there’s a way to revitalize your body from within? Welcome to the world of the mitochondrial food plan, a game-changing approach that harnesses the incredible potential of a healthy ketogenic diet to combat mitochondrial dysfunction.

In this article, we’ll embark on a journey to uncover the secrets of this revolutionary method that can supercharge your body’s energy levels and transform your overall well-being. Get ready to say goodbye to fatigue and embrace a new lease on life!

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The Powerhouse of the Cell: Mitochondria

You may have heard in third grade that the mitochondria are the powerhouse of the cell and that couldn’t be more true. Essentially, it is providing us with 90 percent of our energy and it is affecting everything in our body—ultimately is driving how our cells are getting the energy they need to thrive.

Symptoms of Mitochondrial Dysfunction

Symtoms that can be associated with this include:

  • headaches and migraines
  • chronic fatigue
  • chronic pain
  • neurodegenerative disease
  • cancer
  • digestive issues
  • sleep disturbances
  • And much more!

The Role of Diet in Improving Mitochondria

Although there are a lot of ways to improve your mitochondria, especially through exercise, today’s focus will be on the role of diet and nutrition. The mitochondria food plan, as mentioned, is essentially a healthy ketogenic diet. It is based on the biochemistry of ketosis, which is the generation and accumulation of ketones from the breakdown of fat when carbohydrates are absent. Typically, this refers to consuming under 50 grams of carbohydrates a day or less.

By reducing carbohydrate intake, we can improve our mitochondrial efficiency and how we utilize different fuel sources. Ketosis can be achieved in as little as three days and has various benefits. In addition to addressing issues like chronic pain, headaches, and migraines, it can also aid in weight loss.

Components of the Mitochondria Food Plan

When it comes to the breakdown of our carbohydrates, fats, and protein, this particular diet emphasizes a higher percentage of fats, a low percentage of protein, and a very low amount of carbohydrates, ranging from under 20 to 50 grams per day.

To delve deeper into the breakdown of fats, it is important to consider the distinction between saturated fats and unsaturated fats.

Saturated fats can be found in meats and, potentially, dairy products. On the other hand, unsaturated fats can be obtained from sources such as olive oil, avocado, and walnuts, among others. It is crucial to avoid consuming trans fats, which can be found in vegetable oils, margarine, and similar products.

Measuring Ketones for a True Ketogenic Diet

One of the most important aspects of a true ketogenic diet is measuring ketones in your blood. There are several ways to test your ketones: urine, breath, and blood. The most accurate method is testing your blood.

It’s crucial to recognize that within three days of starting a true ketogenic diet, you should be in ketosis. However, various factors may prevent this from happening. One common factor is consuming too much protein, which is generally considered normal outside of a mitochondrial plan. However, on a mitochondrial plan, excessive protein intake can interfere with ketosis by triggering a process called gluconeogenesis, where protein can be converted into carbohydrates as a fuel source.

In addition to protein, consuming too many carbohydrates can also hinder achieving ketosis. Therefore, it’s important to monitor your ketone levels to ensure you are on track with your ketogenic diet.

Key Takeaway

In summary, my goal today was to give you a small taste of what a mitochondrial plan is and how it can affect you if you are experiencing some kind of mitochondrial dysfunction.

This can be such a powerful tool in your toolbox. When I typically prescribe this for someone, I suggest doing it for 30 days. This duration helps to assess how they’re feeling, ensuring ketosis and determining if this can positively influence them.

There’s a lot of great research on the ketogenic diet, especially as it relates to epilepsy and other neurodegenerative diseases. So please feel free to check those out and dive a little bit deeper into the mitochondrial plan.

Source: Institute of Functional Medicine

If this was helpful, give it a like, give it a share, and make sure to subscribe to our youtube channel, The Movement Paradigm, for weekly tips on mindset, nutrition, and movement. Of course, if you need help on your journey, we would love to hear from you, so please reach out, send us a message, and set up a discovery session, and we will help you on your journey.

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Getting to the root of autoimmune disease

Posted on by Arianne Missimer

Ever wondered what lies beneath the perplexing realm of autoimmune disease?

Today, we’re on a mission to dig deep and unravel its mysteries. So, grab your curiosity by the hand and join us as we embark on a journey to get to the root of this enigma. We’ll explore the factors driving autoimmune disease and arm you with valuable insights to safeguard your well-being. Let’s dive in!

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What you need to know about autoimmune diseases

It is estimated that since 1980, we’ve gone from 22 million cases of autoimmune disease per year to up to 47 million. So it is clearly on the rise and is something that we need to address. Our immune health is everything.

Key things that contribute to autoimmune disease

Let’s talk about key things that contribute to autoimmune disease.

1. Gut Health

One of the primary factors contributing to autoimmune disease is a condition known as leaky gut or intestinal permeability.

Leaky gut occurs when the intestinal lining, which consists of tight junctions held together by a protein called zonulin, becomes compromised. Various factors, such as toxins, dietary choices, stress, and lack of sleep, can disrupt the intestinal barrier.

When this happens, undigested food particles, toxins, and bacteria can enter the bloodstream, triggering an immune response. This heightened immune activity can lead to the development of autoimmune diseases.

Gut Bacteria Imbalance

The balance of gut bacteria, also known as the gut microbiome, plays a crucial role in our overall health and immune system function. Certain specific bacteria have been linked to autoimmune diseases.

For example, Prevotella is associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), Mycobacterium is associated with Crohn’s disease and RA, and Fusobacterium is associated with systemic sclerosis. These bacteria may contribute to excessive inflammation and increase the risk of developing autoimmune diseases.

2. Pollution and Smoking

Exposure to pollution and smoking can act as constant sources of toxic load on the body. Prolonged exposure to environmental pollutants and smoking can predispose individuals to autoimmune diseases.

3. Toxin Exposure

Toxins in various forms can contribute to the development of autoimmune diseases. Mold exposure, exposure to cleaning chemicals, and the use of certain skincare and cosmetic products are examples of how toxins can affect our health and potentially trigger autoimmune responses.

What you can do to prevent autoimmune disease

What are the things that you can do to prevent autoimmune disease? Just because you have a predisposition does not mean you have a genetic blueprint for life. That is the most important thing to remember, there are lots of things that are within your control.

1. Addressing Gut Dysbiosis

To prevent autoimmune diseases, it is crucial to address any gut dysbiosis. This can be achieved through a preventive approach, such as maintaining a whole-food diet with diverse fiber sources. These foods help nourish the microbiome and promote a balance of beneficial bacteria while preventing the overgrowth of harmful bacteria.

By focusing on gut health, we can establish equilibrium and homeostasis in our digestive system.

2. Limiting Toxic Exposure

Another important step is to limit toxic exposure.

Start by visiting the Environmental Working Group (EWG) website or using their app. Assess the products you currently use and gradually replace them with safer alternatives.

For instance, you can begin by scanning your shampoo and checking its toxicity level. If it’s found to be highly toxic, search for a safer option to use on a daily basis. If you suspect exposure to mold or any other harmful substances, it’s essential to seek evaluation and appropriate treatment if necessary.

3. Managing Stress and Nervous System

Managing stress and supporting your nervous system are vital in preventing autoimmune diseases. Explore vagus nerve exercises, which can help balance digestion and the body’s rest and digest responses. Achieving homeostasis in the body serves as a safeguard against various health issues.

Make time to relax and downregulate your system, whether it’s through activities like going for a walk, practicing vagus nerve exercises, or connecting with friends. Prioritize these activities and incorporate them into your schedule.

4. Consider Detoxification

In some cases, detoxification may be necessary. It’s important to note that detoxification refers to optimizing healthy pathways for eliminating toxins from the body, not just consuming green smoothies.

Options such as saunas or Epsom salt baths can support detoxification processes. However, the decision to pursue detoxification should be made in consultation with a healthcare provider, considering your specific circumstances and readiness. Without proper preparation, detoxification can lead to intense reactions.

By following these steps and being proactive about your health, you can significantly reduce the risk of developing autoimmune diseases.

Remember that while genetics may predispose you to certain conditions, you still have control over many factors contributing to your overall well-being.

The Bottom Line

In essence, there are many things you can do to mitigate the potential for autoimmune disease. The most important aspect is healing your gut. However, in order to heal your gut, you need to address several factors: movement, nervous system regulation, and optimal sleep.

It’s crucial not to overlook any of these aspects, as they all contribute to the overall healing of your body, mind, and gut, thus preventing autoimmune disease.

I hope this information has been helpful. If you found it valuable, please give it a like and share it. Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel, The Movement Paradigm, for weekly tips on mindset, nutrition, and movement.

If you need assistance on your journey, we would love to help. Please reach out for a discovery session. Thank you.

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Are Eggs Good For You?

Posted on by Arianne Missimer

Are you tired of the ongoing debate about whether eggs are good or bad for your health? For years, we’ve been told that eggs are high in cholesterol, leading to a greater risk of heart disease. But recent studies have challenged this notion, suggesting that eggs may actually be a valuable addition to a healthy diet.

In this blog post, we’ll explore the health benefits of eggs, discuss how to incorporate them into your diet, and clear up some common misconceptions about this versatile food. So, if you’re ready to crack open the truth about eggs, keep reading!

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What New Research Says About Eggs

So even though the egg debate continues to persist, the most up-to-date evidence shows us that there is little to no correlation between egg consumption and cholesterol. In fact, there are so many benefits to eggs from a nutrient profile perspective, so we’re going to dive into that.

Benefits of Eggs

Eggs are versatile food that can be cooked in many ways and provide numerous health benefits. Here are some key benefits of eggs:

High-Quality Protein

Eggs are a great source of protein, with about six to eight grams of protein per egg. They also contain all the essential amino acids, making them a complete protein source. Protein is essential for building and repairing tissues, and it plays a vital role in many chemical reactions in the body.

Healthy Fats

In addition to protein, eggs are a good source of healthy fats, including monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, as well as some saturated fat. These fats can help with the absorption of certain nutrients, such as vitamins A, D, E, and K. Eggs also contain essential fatty acids, which many people are deficient in.

Rich in Nutrients

Eggs are also a great source of various minerals, including phosphorus, calcium, potassium, and magnesium. Additionally, they are a great source of choline, an essential micronutrient for your brain and nervous system. They are a low-cost food that provides high nutrient density, meaning that they are packed with essential vitamins and minerals.

Dietary Cholesterol

While egg yolks do contain dietary cholesterol, research has shown that there is no link between dietary cholesterol and blood cholesterol levels. Therefore, eggs can be a healthy part of a balanced diet. Also, as a reminder, cholesterol is what forms our sex steroids. We need fat for optimal hormone production.

Considerations About Eggs

Now, here are some other considerations about eggs. You can have an egg sensitivity or an egg allergy, so it is important to be able to assess this. Even though there are many benefits to eggs, and I encourage anybody who can eat them to do so, we do want to factor in that you could have an issue with eggs.

Assessing Egg Allergies and Sensitivities

If you know that you have an allergy, obviously, this would not be appropriate for you. However, you could do blood testing, skin prick testing, or a food challenge, such as a food elimination diet, to look for food allergy or sensitivities.

In the case of the food challenge, you would eliminate eggs entirely for three weeks. Then, at the end of three weeks, or up to six weeks, you would reintroduce the eggs.

A serving of eggs is two eggs. You can reintroduce two eggs in the morning and two eggs at night. After that, you would not have eggs again for an additional three days, and you track your symptoms, such as digestive issues, headaches, joint pain, systemic inflammation, or skin issues, for an entire four days. Then, you would be able to determine if you had a sensitivity to eggs, or even a potential allergy.

Incorporating Eggs Into Your Diet

Unless you have a sensitivity or allergy, I encourage you to include eggs in your diet. It is not going to affect your blood cholesterol or contribute to heart disease, and there are many other reasons why eggs are beneficial.

I hope that this was helpful. If you love eggs, definitely give it a like, give it a share, and make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel, The Movement Paradigm, for weekly tips on mindset, nutrition, and movement. I look forward to seeing you next time.

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What can your stool tell you?

Posted on by Arianne Missimer

Have you ever thought about what your stool can tell you about your health? While it may not be a topic that comes up often in everyday conversation, your stool can actually provide valuable insights into the state of your digestive system and overall health.

In fact, a comprehensive stool test can be one of the most powerful tests you can do, even if you’re not experiencing any digestive issues. From skin issues to migraines and immune system problems, your stool can provide important clues about what’s happening inside your body.

This blog post will explore how a stool test works and what it can reveal about your health. So, let’s dive in!

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Why You Should Consider Getting a Stool Test

Perhaps you have been experiencing health issues for quite some time, and you have even visited a GI doctor who has even recommended a basic stool test, or you have received lab values, yet everything appears normal. Is that why you feel like crap, you may be asking?

If we consider the power of the microbiome, this test can provide us with valuable insights into our bacteria, parasites, intestinal health, possible infections, and so much more.

The stool test, most importantly, must be used to support your overall healing plan, so it should be correlated it with your clinical symptoms.

When you take any tests, whether it’s a lab test, stool test, or micronutrient panel, it must be paired with your clinical presentation. Just like an MRI of your low back, which might show that you have a hernia, disc degeneration does not necessarily mean that you have low back pain. The same goes for this test. We want to ensure that we consider all of the information and make it suitable for you so that it can guide your health decisions.

Sample Stool Test and Its Interpretation

Pathogens

When looking at a comprehensive stool test, there are a few things to keep in mind. First and foremost, we are looking for pathogenic bacteria such as C. diff, E. coli, and Salmonella. These bacteria can cause various digestive symptoms. It is, therefore, crucial to understand if they are present and at what levels.

“Detectable limit” or DL tells us the amount of pathogens present per gram of stool. For example, if C. diff shows up on this panel, it does not necessarily mean that we are experiencing an acute C. diff infection. Instead, we may have chronic colonization of C. diff, which could make us more susceptible to infection.

When it comes to parasites, the test results can be a bit more complicated. For instance, Giardia, a parasite, may be detected, but it is not necessarily flagged as high. However, treating it, particularly if it is related to symptoms, is still essential.

Helicobacter pylori

Digestive symptoms are a bit complicated because many symptoms overlap, whether we have H. pylori, maldigestion, or parasites. They all can cause bloating, fullness, constipation, or diarrhea. Therefore, it is necessary to examine all symptoms and understand which things that pop up on this stool exam are relevant to this person.

For example, H. pylori is a bacterial infection in the stomach. If this is elevated, it is imperative to test and will often be towards the top of the hierarchy of treating. It is easily transmittable, particularly among family members. It is also likely to occur when someone has low stomach acid.

Therefore, we may see a parasite, as well as H. pylori, if there is poor digestion or low stomach acid, which can cause a sense of fullness, nausea, and burping.

Once again, this is high on our priority list.

Commensal bacteria

The next part pertains to commensal bacteria, which are essentially our beneficial bacteria. Commensal bacteria extract nutrients and energy from our food, maintain gut barrier function, produce vitamins, and protect against pathogens. Although we aim for all values to fall within a healthy range and maintain a normal balance, having too much of a good thing can be harmful.

For instance, we do not want any values to be elevated. We also do not want them to be too low. Various bacteria can contribute to different presentations. For example, low level of Akkermansia municphila is associated with obesity. On the other hand, metabolic function and high levels can be associated with Multiple Sclerosis. Thus, we can see how bacteria and bacterial colonization can affect a person’s overall health.

Opportunistic Microbes

We can also encounter opportunistic or overgrowth microbes, otherwise known as ‘potentially bad bacteria,’ which are not as beneficial to our health. Many individuals will come into contact and experience no issues and can be normal in the stool. However, they can cause disease, especially in the immune-compromised. We don’t want to see elevated numbers for these microbes.

Examples of these microbes include staphylococcus and streptococcus, which can trigger Mast Cell Activation and histamine responses in some individuals.

Methanobacteriacea, for example, is a methane-producing bacteria that is strongly associated with constipation and bloating.

These opportunistic microbes are linked to systemic inflammation and certain autoimmune conditions, like rheumatoid arthritis and autoimmune thyroiditis. Therefore, if someone is experiencing autoimmune symptoms, we can gain more insight by assessing stool.

Fungi/Yeast

Candida can also be detected on the stool test. However, we need to look at other tests, such as an organic acid test, to gain more insight into it. Fungal overgrowth can be elevated in the large intestine but not in the small intestine.

Viruses

Moving on to viruses, the stool test is not the best way to test for them. We would need a blood test to test for viruses such as Epstein-Barr.

Parasites

A stool test can also detect parasites, which are given high priority because they can be harmful to our health.

Intestinal health markers

When we look at intestinal health markers, we get a better idea of how well our body absorbs nutrients. For example, we can look at steatocrit to evaluate a person’s ability to absorb fats. If steatocrit is elevated, it means there is a higher amount of fats in the stool. This also means that the person may not be absorbing fat-soluble vitamins properly.

We also look at pancreatic elastase, which tells us about our digestive function. Elastase 1 is a digestive enzyme secreted exclusively by the pancreas, giving a direct indication of pancreatic function.

β-glucuronidase is another marker that helps us evaluate our detoxification and hormonal activity. High levels can indicate unfavorable metabolic changes in the colon. It can also be associated with dysbiosis and interference with phase II detoxification.

Occult blood measures the concentration of hemoglobin present in the stool rather than just the qualitative presence of hemoglobin. This may indicate something as simple as hemorrhoids or warrant a referral for a colonoscopy.

The secretory IgA (Immunoglobulin A) is the primary immunoglobulin in the intestinal mucosa and is an important marker for assessing the gut’s immune system. If it is low or elevated, we need to address it. We can also determine if there is an elevated response to gliadin (gluten) in the lumen of the gut.

We should also look at the Eosinophil activation protein, and if it is elevated, further investigation may be necessary. Fecal Calprotectin is one of the most common inflammatory markers of the gut, and if it’s high, we need to investigate further. It is used to differentiate IBD (inflammatory bowel disease from IBS). Zonulin, a protein that opens intercellular tight junctions in the gut lining, increases intestinal permeability and is a biomarker for leaky gut.

The Bottom Line

The stool test provides valuable insights into our microbiome, and it is one of the most important tests I perform for my patients. I highly recommend it to anyone who hasn’t had it done yet.

Please leave a comment if you’ve already had a stool test and let me know what information you received and how you applied it. If you found this helpful, please like, share, and subscribe to our YouTube channel, The Movement Paradigm, for weekly tips on mindset, nutrition, and movement. If you’d like to schedule an appointment or evaluation, I would be happy to help you get started on your healing journey. Thank you.

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What is your liver telling you?

Posted on by Arianne Missimer

Your liver is your metabolic workhorse. It is one of the most powerful digestive organs that we have and is important for metabolism, detoxification, hormone balance, production of bile, and more. You want to know what your liver is telling you.

What types of emotions might be correlated with liver function? What physical symptoms may be correlated with your liver function?

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What You Need to Know About the Liver

Not only is your liver one of the most powerful digestive organs, but it also weighs between two and up to 5.5 pounds in each person. I had the opportunity to see my husband donate his liver to his father, which was one of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen.

So just know that our liver has so many important functions in our body, but it’s also, from an emotional standpoint, considered our life energy, or life force, along with the kidneys. So our psyche and our liver work hand in hand, and our liver specifically can be a release of very strong emotions.

The Liver and Our Emotions

Let’s dive into the emotional piece of how the liver and liver symptoms can present themselves. We want to remember that our body stores memories and trauma and emotions in our cells, and sometimes when we have a triggering or life-altering event, our body can pass this on to specific organs.

So many times, we each have an organ that tends to be our emotional organ, where we often hold emotions. How might issues with your liver present themselves emotionally?

This could be present as having a hard time knowing yourself, having some type of dependency on your mother, or perhaps lacking self-esteem. You might also feel depressed, have an absence of creativity, maybe not feel as motivated, have episodes of moodiness, and you could also be a prisoner of routine.

You may not experience every one of these, but these are some of the more common symptoms, just indicating that your organ of emotion may be the liver.

The Liver and Its Physical Symptoms

Now, how could some of the physical symptoms present themselves? This could present as a sharp sense of smell. It could present as facial swelling, chronic sinusitis, really greasy hair, or even hair loss. It can also present as unrested sleep and have issues with temperature regulation in the right side line during sleep.

We want to remember that our musculoskeletal system protects our viscera. However, our viscera are what are in our organs or what drives our system. So it’s really important to also remember that we have seven times more interoceptors than we do proprioceptors, and that just means that we have a lot of information relaying to the brain from our viscera. This is what actually gives us our internal awareness of self.

As we take a deeper look at our body, our concerns, and our symptoms, we want to be able to look at it from all aspects, and including the organs can be really powerful in helping you heal your body.

Make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel, The Movement Paradigm, for weekly tips on mindset, nutrition, and movement. Of course, make sure to check out our other videos, especially on the vagus nerve.

And if you need help, please reach out for a consultation, so we can do a free discovery session to see if we are a good fit to help you on your healing journey. Thank you.

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The truth about salt

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The truth about salt

Posted on by Arianne Missimer

Have you been told over and over again how bad salt is? Usually, salt is portrayed as an evil thing that you must avoid in order to live a healthy life.

Let’s discuss this amazing electrolyte that actually has a ton of health benefits, and that may be, per research, not something you need to be so scared of.

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What is sodium?

What is sodium? Sodium is an essential electrolyte that is very important for human nutrition. About 60 to 70 percent of our sodium is found in extracellular fluid. About 30 to 40 percent is found on the surface of the bone. And then about 10 percent can be found in the muscle and nerve tissue. Sodium is absorbed in our small intestine and the proximal part of the colon.

Benefits of salt

Salt has so many benefits. We want to think about salt being a priority in our bodies’ osmotic balance or fluid balance. It is crucial for activity, especially if you are sweating in a hot, humid environment. This essential electrolyte needs to be maintained and replenished while we’re exercising.

In addition to reducing muscle fatigue, it also helps with nerve transmission and promotes good vascular health. In essence, salt is good for you.

What research says about salt

For decades salt has been demonized as being one of the biggest contributors to heart disease. For example, one study in the Journal of Hypertension showed that in over 6,000 subjects, reducing salt intake made no difference in the risk of heart disease or in people with normal blood pressure and high blood pressure.

In 2003, a Cochrane review of over 53 studies showed that reducing salt intake really had little to no benefit on health outcomes. Another review of over 11 studies showed that reducing salt intake can reduce the systolic number by one and diastolic number by 0.6; that would be like going from 120 over 80 to 119 over 79.

What types of salt should you consume, or should you not consume?

As you can see, the research on salt intake does not prove that high salt intake contributes to heart disease or hypertension. We really need to shift our focus and identify more of the root causes of why someone might have those issues. This often may be associated with inflammation or underlying issues, toxins, gut issues, etc., as opposed to blaming salt.

Most often, we consume processed foods and packaged foods. In fact, all of them contain a large amount of salt, but it has been shown that these forms of salt can contain microplastics.

When possible, aim for more sea salt. It is okay to even add salt to your food, especially if you’re exercising, when you wake up in the morning, and when you’re dehydrated. Many people can feel so much better when they begin to add salt to their diet.

Now here’s what I always say, it is individualized to you. You need to understand your medical conditions and what you feel best about. Explore it, and you can see how you feel. Sometimes, people feel worlds different.

Takeaway

The take-home is that we don’t need to put so much emphasis and energy into decreasing salt in our diet. There are plenty of other things we can focus our time on because at this point, the research does not prove for this to have a negative impact on our health.

Check out some of our other videos on gut health, vagus nerve, and movement.

I hope this was helpful. If it was, give it a like, give it a share, and of course, make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel, The Movement Paradigm, for weekly tips on mindset nutrition and movement.

If you need help with your nutrition plan, or if you really want to look and feel better this year, please reach out to us; we would love to help you. Reach out for a free discovery session so we can figure out if we’re a good fit for you.

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10 Best Biohacks for 2023

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10 Best Biohacks for 2023

Posted on by Arianne Missimer

Biohacking is all the rage right now. But what’s it really about? Essentially, biohackers are people who are interested in the best ways to live healthier, happier, and more productive and purposeful lives.

Here are ten of my favorite biohacks that you should consider using for the new year 2023 to help you gain greater health, vitality, longevity, and well-being.

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If you’ve watched my videos, you know that these are some of my favorite things, but not only are they my favorites, these are things that are evidence-based and proven over and over again to be effective for your overall mental, emotional, and physical health and longevity.

So yes, you may want to look better and feel better, but ultimately you want to be able to do the things in your life that you want to do, right? You don’t want to be held back, and therefore, we cannot take our health for granted. All of the things that I’m going to mention today are so easy to integrate that there’s really no excuse not to do them.

I’m not asking to spend hours a day, rather, focus on these simple strategies that you can easily integrate into your life and make huge improvements in your health.

10 biohacks you should try this 2023

1. Track your heart rate variability

Track your heart rate variability. Essentially, this you’re tracking your vagal tone. There are many options: Whoop, Oura, Fitbit, or an Apple Watch, just to name a few.

One of my favorites is the app Elite HRV, which I use along with a chest monitor. When you wake up in the morning, you can assess your heart rate variability, resting heart rate, and readiness for the day. This allows you to make very intentional changes in your life. Did I sleep well? Did I eat well? How much stress am I under?  You can track the trends of your overall health and how it is affecting your resiliency day to day. This is one of the best objective measures that we can use to assess vagal tone, track your overall health, and be able to ultimately make changes accordingly.

2. Optimizing your sleep

Sleep should be a non-negotiable, but I’m going to give you my quick tips for optimizing your sleep.

  • Number one, get blue light blockers. You want to wear them after 7 PM because, realistically, you’re going to be using your phone or your TV, so get blue light blockers to eliminate the blue light at night. The blue light is ultimately stimulating the receptors in your eye to signal that it is morning.
  • Number two, when you wake up in the morning, you either want to get 20 minutes of natural sunlight within the first 20 minutes or if you can’t do that and that’s not realistic, get a SAD  light that has at least 10,000 lux and set it up as you’re getting ready in the morning or brushing your teeth. You want to optimize your natural cortisol peak in the morning and, ultimately, your melatonin production that night.

This is really important for sleep optimization, and of course, there are many other sleep tips, but these are critical.

3. Vagus nerve stimulation

When it comes to vagus nerve stimulation, you can look at all of my different videos. I have over 50 different vagus nerve exercises, but I will perhaps come back to my favorite — the one and only diaphragmatic breathing.

When we are breathing diaphragmatically, we are stimulating the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve runs right through the diaphragm, and we release a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine, creating a relaxation response.

You can tap into breathing anywhere, anytime, and for most people, it is a very effective tool in regulating your nervous system. However, please check out all my other videos on vagus nerve exercises because there are countless exercises that you can do that are extremely effective. Nonetheless, you want to think about how you can regulate your nervous system in the New Year.

4. Lymphatic drainage

This is one of the easiest things you can do because you can basically do it anywhere, including in the shower. You can do it right before or after you get out of the shower. It’s such a gentle and quick technique.

You can check my other lymph blogs or videos for more specific details on how to do that.

5. Strength training

This is something that I will say repeatedly; strength training is the best aging-gracefully strategy you can do. We want to think about how our muscles are influencing our longevity because as we get older, we lose muscle mass; that’s called sarcopenia.

Strength training and optimal protein intake are what allows us to maintain that muscle mass, optimize bone density, and be able to generate force, and adapt to life’s demands without injury. It is one of the most important things that I suggest and doing so in a safe program that includes mobility, strength, and stability all wrapped up in one so it doesn’t take a lot of extra time.

6. Walking

Walking always gets overlooked. It is one of the best forms of exercise that we can do. It is a low-intensity exercise that is great for fat loss, aerobic capacity, and emotional regulation because of its rhythmical nature. It’s what we’re designed to do from a movement perspective.

Work towards a movement mindset. Figure out how many steps you’re taking a day right now. Get your baseline and try to work towards getting 8,000–10,000 steps a day.

If you’re working out of the gym in between sets, take a few laps. If you are parking at the grocery store, park farther away. There are many ways to increase your steps, movement, and overall activity and stimulate your fascial tissue.

There are so many amazing things about walking. It’s often overlooked, but it is one of the most beneficial things you can do for your body.

7. Xlear

This is one of the best things that you can have in your toolbox, especially if you’ve suffered from more immune issues this year. This is such a great preventative and treatment that you could use.

I recommend the Daily Rinse, which you would do twice daily. If you are exposed to someone that’s sick, you’re in larger crowds, or if there’s some for a particular reason why you may need a little bit more of a boost — you’re at an airplane or you get sick, then you want to use the Rescue. Saline alone can actually dry out the nasal cavity so where the xylitol helps to kill bacteria and moisten the nasal passages.

Mutes

I also recommend Mutes. They are fantastic for opening the airway; they can open the airway up to 38 percent to improve nasal breathing, which of course, we know is so important for everything in your body: your core function, nervous system, and your sleep. You can get a trial pack to determine the best size for you.

8. Naboso

Naboso is a specific technology designed to stimulate the small nerves in your hands and feet. It helps to improve balance, gait, and movement efficiency. We need sensory information to create optimal movement.

You can use the ball, the splay, recovery socks, or the mats. I highly recommend this, so please make sure you incorporate this into your life so that you can enjoy improved movement.

9. Protein

I talk about this all the time, but it is so important to have the optimal amount of protein per day, to increase muscle mass, prevent sarcopenia, help with bone density, and help with lean body composition.

We want lean muscle versus increased fat tissue because fat tissue is actually inflammatory. Almost every patient I’ve ever worked with is undereating protein.

We want to think about getting that protein from ethically sourced animal sources that contain all of your essential amino acids. To calculate your protein goal on your own, you would use your ideal body weight.

  • For women, the ideal body weight is a hundred pounds for the first five feet and five pounds per every inch after that. So if you were 5’3”, it would be 115 pounds. (115 g Protein/day)
  • For men, it’s 106 pounds for the first five feet and six pounds per inch after that. So, if you were 5’10” as a male, your ideal body weight would be 166. (166 g Protein/day)

This will vary among people depending on their goals and their activity, but this is a really good start.

10. 1st Phorm Micro Factor

Most often, of course, people need supplementation because we’re not getting the nutrients from our food as we once did. Additionally, most people aren’t consuming all the nutrients they need on a regular basis.

So Micro Factor has been awesome for me and for my patients. Essentially, it has a multivitamin, antioxidant, CoQ10, fruits and vegetables, essential fatty acids, and probiotics, and it comes in a handy little packet. It makes it easy to travel and to be able to grab everything you need without having tons of bottles of supplements.

This can be a great addition to your routine. If this is appropriate, sometimes I have people take the probiotic out if they’re having certain gut issues, and they might have to use a specific probiotic strain, but if you’re just looking for general wellness and health, this is a great pick. You can check it out here.

I hope you found at least one tip that you can apply in the New Year.

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Posted on by Arianne Missimer

Have you been trying all of these different vagus nerve hacks, and they just don’t seem to be doing the trick? You’ve tried breathing, meditation, humming and cold showers, but you still feel like you’re dysregulated?

Rather watch or listen? 

How vagus nerve issues present

As many of you know, vagus nerve issues can present very differently for each person.

For one person, it may present as heart rate and blood pressure dysregulation. Another person may experience dizziness, headaches, or digestive issues, even something such as gastroparesis. Some may have increased anxiety or depression.

Even if you’ve tested your vagus nerve, such as the uvula or gag reflex test, and it’s shown that there has been some dysfunction of the vagus nerve, it is important to ask why there is vagus nerve dysfunction.

Why you may be having vagus nerve issues and how to address them

Although vagus nerve dysfunction may cause a whole host of different symptoms for each person, it is really imperative to figure out why that is happening. I know that many of you have heard, “getting to the root of the issue.” Many times, there is more than one underlying cause.

You may have had a predisposition in addition to a triggering event such as an infection, toxin exposure, vaccine, or even a stressful event.

And we also have some kind of, you know, triggering event or perpetuating factors that might be contributing to this ongoing process. So it’s really important to look at all of those.

If, for example, you have a gut issue like Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO), leaky gut, candida, or even a parasite, this will largely impact your gut-brain connection. Your gut and brain are connected via the vagus nerve.

Eighty percent of the information from the vagus nerve goes to the brain from the viscera. Conversely, if there is any type of structural pathology, such as airway dysfunction (deviated septums, small nasal valves, enlarged turbinates, jaw issues, tongue tie, etc.), these will influence the vagus nerve, as the vagus nerve passes through the diaphragm.

If we are breathing from our neck and shoulders 25,000 times a day, that will affect how that nerve functions.

The last is a lymphatic issue. Our nerves are bathed in our lymph system. If there’s any congestion from systemic inflammation, perhaps stemming from the gut originally,  or myofascial restrictions, these will impact the vagus nerve. Our vagus nerve passes right through the left supraclavicular region, where we have the majority of our lymph draining here. If it’s congested, it will affect the rest of the system.

I hope you can appreciate that there are many reasons to delve into to be able to understand why you have vagus nerve dysregulation.

We offer integrative vagus nerve therapy to be able to help you, through this journey to be able to identify what these causes are and really help you take the next step forward, It’s important to continue to do all of the suggested vagus nerve hacks, all while determining the underlying causes of why you have it in the first place, emotionally and physically.

If you are ready to take action now, schedule here: https://p.bttr.to/3Qu7wRd

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Have you been dealing with some type of chronic health condition, autoimmune disease, skin issues, or even sinus issues that just don’t seem to be resolving? Here are five different categories of inflammatory triggers that you should consider exploring if you’re experiencing any or all of these things.

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What do you need to know about inflammation?

We want to remember that ninety percent of all chronic health conditions are associated with excessive or persistent inflammation.

What is inflammation?

We want to think of inflammation as our normal defense and repair mechanism.

Let’s take, for example, an acute injury such as an ankle sprain. We may have swelling, redness, pain, loss of motion—this is exactly what’s supposed to happen in the first four to five days of your inflammatory process.

White blood cells infiltrate to help the area heal. However, if, for example, we have poor sleep, stress, and we’re eating inflammatory foods, then this could lead to more systemic inflammation. It could lead to a loss of tolerance where the ankle just doesn’t seem to improve.

Of now, all of a sudden, you experience shoulder pain or get a cold. When things keep jumping around from one to the next and it just seems like you have bad luck, that’s a perfect example of systemic inflammation. That’s when you want to look deeper to figure out what those things are.

If we want to simplify this in terms of your exploration, you can look at five different categories of potentially inflammatory triggers.

What triggers inflammation?

1. Food

This is one of the most common areas, and it’s also the easiest to explore.

We have essentially 14 different potentially inflammatory foods that are more common such as gluten, dairy, corn, soy, peanuts, etc. We also have different foods and food properties that you could be sensitive to as well—something like histamines, oxalates, or nightshades.

There are a lot of different categories of foods that could be potentially inflammatory, but I always like to start with some of the basics. The two most common inflammatory foods for people potentially inflammatory can be gluten and dairy.

It’s always a good starting point for assessing. We do want to remember with food that there are three different types of adverse food reactions—allergy, food sensitivity, and food intolerance. Any or all of these can contribute to essentially some type of inflammatory process in the body, so it’s important to investigate what those are for you.

2. Bugs

This could be something like a tick—a tick-borne illness, or a parasite, which we can see on a stool test.

If there is some kind of underlying infection that you are unaware of, this could exacerbate many of your potential symptoms. If you are evaluating all the things causing your inflammation, you definitely want to at least keep this in mind as a possibility. Also, if you’ve been traveling overseas, to other countries, and so on, you’ll want to factor that into a potential root cause.

3. Toxins

We have internal and external toxins. We are exposed to an exorbitant amount of toxins on a daily basis—that could be things from clean chemicals to plastic water bottles to mold exposure; the list is endless.

Internal toxins, like yeast or bacterial infections, can also act as toxins in our bodies. Of course, things that we might be injected with, like alcohol, are also toxins.

In this category, we can assume that we are all exposed to them. It may be to a different level for each person, and everyone’s ability to detoxify is unique. This is going to be based on a genetic predisposition, early childhood exposure, or their lifetime exposure to toxins.

We want to keep in mind that one person may be surrounded by smoke and mold their whole life but not have an issue and another person might have cancer and autoimmune disease and be unable to get out of bed. We want to really respect and appreciate the differences the individual differences between people.

4. Trauma

As it relates to trauma, we can have previous childhood trauma, emotional trauma, physical trauma, chemical trauma, or simply ongoing stress. All of these things can be explored, and really this is, to me, one of the most important aspects of addressing inflammation.

We know that ongoing stress, for example, can shift the colonization of the bacteria in the gut. This can cause dysbiosis or ongoing inflammation. We want to remember that our gut is 70 percent of our immune system. When we’re talking about immune health and inflammation, we have to talk about gut health.

5. Hormones

This can range from a whole host of issues, from thyroid issues to sex steroid issues (estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, etc.) to insulin, ghrelin, leptin, and much more.

For example, if we have a thyroid issue, eating inflammatory foods, have chronic stress, and are exposed to toxins, then we will likely have a greater inflammatory response.

The more of these things that you are experiencing, the greater the likelihood that something (or some symptoms) will become worse.

As you begin to explore your own health, try to consider these factors. This is not an end-all-be-all list, but this helps to get an idea of what might be driving some of your symptoms and also where to begin to explore so you can feel your best.

If you would like to make an appointment with us, we see people all over the world, so please make sure to reach out. We would love to set up a discovery session so that we can help you feel your best. If you are ready to take action now, schedule here: https://p.bttr.to/3Qu7wRd

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