Sleep...it is necessary,right?

Want to get Healthy?  Take a Nap!

How often do you hear someone say, “I had a great night’s sleep last night!” or “I feel refreshed and energetic!”?  Probably not very often.  Feeling sluggish seems to be the new normal.  In fact, according to the National Sleep Foundation, it is the new normal:  most Americans are sleep-deprived.  But not getting enough sleep may be causing more trouble for you than just that pesky drowsy feeling:  it could be seriously harming your health.

Why aren’t we sleeping?

Centuries ago, it was common for people to sleep 8 to 9 hours each day.  But now, only about 25% of Americans get 8 or more hours of sleep.  The reasons we are not sleeping are many.  We live in a 24/7 society—practically anything we want to do is available around the clock, from fitness centers to pharmacies to department stores. 

We are working long hours, transporting our kids to activities, trying to make time for friends and fitness and entertainment.  When the heat is on, the first thing to go is usually sleep.  And it’s usually not even a conscious decision to skimp on sleep-we just get in bed a little later most nights, because we are so pressed and pushed. 

But even when we get into bed, we aren’t guaranteed sleep.  The National Sleep Foundation reports that 60% of Americans have sleep problems.  That means more than half of us struggle to sleep.  And it is taking its toll.

Dangers of sleep deprivation

"The foundations of good health are good diet, good exercise and good sleep, but two out of three doesn't get you there,"¹

-- Dr. Anne Calhoun, neurology professor,                           University of North Carolina.

Eating healthily and getting plenty of exercise are not enough to make up for the danger that sleep deprivation poses to your health.  Adults need around 8 hours of sleep each night, although some studies indicate that as little as 7 and one-half hours can be sufficient.  Getting less than that can have serious consequences:

·         Risk of Cardiovascular Disease:  If you get less than 6 hours of sleep each night and have disturbed sleep, you have a 48% greater risk of developing or dying from heart disease and a 15% greater risk of developing or dying from a stroke.²  Lack of sleep can cause high blood pressure, blocked arteries, stroke, kidney disease and dementia. 

·         Obesity: Sleep shortage is directly linked to obesity.  When you don’t get enough sleep, two powerful hormones that control hunger are disrupted.  The result is that you feel hungrier and have fewer sensations of feeling “full.” 

But without enough sleep you will also feel more stressed, which encourages the production of the hormone cortisol in your body.  This hormone causes you to crave high-carbohydrate foods such as potato chips and brownies, and then deposits those carbs as fat around your belly—the most dangerous place to store fat.

Pre-diabetes is also a risk for those who don’t get enough sleep.  Trying to get by on less than 6 hours of sleep per night can cause impaired glucose tolerance. 

·         Compromised immune system:  Why is it that two people can be exposed to the same germs, but only one of them gets sick?  The reason is the immune system.  If your immune system is functioning well, you can ward off many illnesses.  But if something happens to compromise your immune response, you will be vulnerable to infections, bacteria, viruses, and even some autoimmune diseases such as arthritis and asthma.

When you do not get enough sleep, your immune system becomes stressed and compromised.  You actually have a decrease in white blood cells, and those that remain are less active.  The result is that you will get sick more often.

·         Impaired exercise performance:  As if the threat of heart disease, obesity and immune suppression weren’t enough, lack of sleep can negatively impact your fitness efforts.  It’s not uncommon for people to struggle to maintain their normal level of workout intensity when they are sleep deprived.  You just won’t have the energy to push through.  Also, your muscles repair and rebuild while you sleep:  if you don’t allow your body this recovery time, you will be at a significant disadvantage during your next workout.

Make time for sleep

The truth is, if you don’t make time now for adequate sleep, you will likely be forced in the future to make time for illness.  It may take significant effort to arrange your schedule and priorities to carve out time for more sleep, but the payoff will be increased health, energy and productivity!

Ready for a nap?

Sources:

¹http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/story/2010/12/02/f-sleep-tips.html

²http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2011/feb/09/dangers-sleep-deprivation

Thanks for reading!  Please tell me about your best sleep in the comments.

Cheryl Love

INHC

Water, Water ... Sure ways to drink enough!

Water, water everywhere...but not a drop to drink.

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner

Of course we don't have that problem.   Water is everywhere...some clean, some dirty, some free flowing, some bottled...so it's always available here.  There are some places that's not true, we are lucky for the most part! SO do we use our water with responsibility and for our good? 

The average adult human body is 50-65% water, averaging around 57-60%. The percentage of water in infants is much higher, typically around 75-78% water, dropping to 65% by one year of age. Body composition varies according to gender and fitness level, because fatty tissue contains less water than lean tissue. * http://chemistry.about.com/od/waterchemistry/f/How-Much-Of-Your-Body-Is-Water.htm

SO then how much water should we drink?  What kind of water?  Does any fluid keep us hydrated? Very good questions, and many doctors, trainers, health coaches answer them differently.  Drink clean water ...I choose spring water over tap but if your tap is clean it's better than none.  Do other fluids hydrate...yes but that doesn't mean you shouldn't dink water as our bodies don't process things like coffee, tea and juices or "gasp" soda's the same way.  That means the fluid can't be used by all parts of our bodies,

How do you remember to "always be drinking water"?  Here 3 for sure tips!

#1 Make it convenient so it becomes a habit.

 Many people find it helpful to get a large water bottle (I recommend 1 liter), fill it in the morning and carry it with you throughout the day, drinking regularly and refilling once (or more) in the afternoon. This has become quite common to see people carrying their water bottles to work, the gym or social events. It's ok to add some lemon for flavor or infuse other fruits. My favorite is pineapple and strawberries.  Cucumber and Mint is good too. Here's a couple more:

• Citrus Bliss: helps to alkalize the body -  3 lemon slices  2 lime slices (or Use Doterra Essential Oils)  

• Rosemary & Grapefruit: This helps to detoxify the liver while giving you an added boost of vitamin C. -  1 Grapefruit, w/o the rind and - 1 Sprig of Fresh Rosemary (or Use Doterra Essential Oils)  

#2 Drink half your body weight in water. 

 If you work from home or are in your home much of the day, a good option can be to get a half gallon pitcher, fill it in the morning and drink glasses from it throughout the day. This way you can track when you have drunk the amount you want. A good goal is half your body weight in ounces. For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, drink 75 ounces a day. If you weigh 200 pounds, drink 100 ounces a day.

#3 Set a goal each day. 

 Yet another option (and my favorite) is to count how many glasses you drink per day and have a goal number. All of our water glasses at my house are 12 oz. I keep a glass next to my bathroom sink. And I keep a glass in a certain spot in the kitchen that I reuse (to save on dishes!) I try to drink 2 glasses early in the morning and 2 glasses mid morning. When I add the water I drink with meals and when I am at my office I get a good amount. If by dinnertime I have not gotten at least 4 glasses, I just start drinking. 

Or uses a tool:

Well it's almost 11AM...time for me to drink up..You go get yours too!

Recently I found a little calendar that had some amazing monthly pages!  I have to share one with you.(with a few add ins) 

 Written by Suzy Toronto, the calendar is called "Always Color Outside the Lines"

Make Each Day Ridiculously Amazing!

I believe with all my heart that if I want to have an incredible day, it's my responsibility to make it happen.  I need to convince myself that no matter what stands in my way,I am going to make it ridiculously amazing.

Believe me ...I know that can be  tall order.

Some days just getting out of bed seems to trigger a chain of events that is pretty much as far from amazing as you can get.  (You know, it's those mornings that start out like a washing machine on a spin cycle. And you can't decide if the world is trying to kill you or make you stronger!)

But it really is up to me(and you) to how the rest of the day rolls out from there.  (Agreed?)

I force myself to put on a wacky smile (does make you feel better), even when it i not easy to do.  Because I believe attitude is the difference between an ordeal and an adventure - it encourage me to play in the puddles rather than complain about the rain.

AND you know the best part?  An outlook like that is contagious! It spills over onto everyone and everything and floods your world with positive energy, making "amazing day" the new standard.

The bottom line is this:  When you change nothing, nothing will change! (how true is that!) But with a new attitude, you can really make a difference.  So don't just "Have a nice day"  make is ridiculously AMAZING!

I totally want your days to be amazing!How do you make your days amazing? Leave a comment and share!

WOW - Happy 2016!!

What a difference a month makes!You've heard the saying SH$T happens?

Yes, it does and it happened to me!

I had a stroke...right side...affected my left!

How Does a Stroke Occur?

There are two types of stroke.

• Ischemic stroke is similar to a heart attack, except it occurs in the blood vessels of the brain. Clots can form in the brain's blood vessels, in blood vessels leading to the brain, or even in blood vessels elsewhere in the body and then travel to the brain. These clots block blood flow to the brain's cells. Ischemic stroke can also occur when too much plaque (fatty deposits and cholesterol) clogs the brain's blood vessels. About 80% of all strokes are ischemic.
• Hemorrhagic (heh-more-raj-ik) strokes occur when a blood vessel in the brain breaks or ruptures. The result is blood seeping into the brain tissue, causing damage to brain cells. The most common causes of hemorrhagic stroke are high blood pressure and brain aneurysms. An aneurysm is a weakness or thinness in the blood vessel wall

My stroke was an Ischemic stroke.  I was driving home from spending the morning with some friends at a Facebook business training,  My arm felt like it as moving strange but I had no pain.  Then as I got closer to home I kept driving into the left lane.  I thought "wow, I really need to get my car in for an alignment".  Seriously, that's all I thought!  Then I took my left hand off the wheel and the car straightened out.  Good to go, made it home, couldn't open the car door, I couldn't make my left hand touch the car door handle.  WHAT WAS GOING ON?  Reached across with my right and made it in the house.  Up the stairs to a mirror...did all the stroke things I knew to look at in the mirror.  Looked fine I thought, no droop, I could stick my tongue out and smile.  Good, back downstairs - the hard way...fell down the stairs, my left leg was not there.  Grabbed the cell and called my husband...he came home - asked if we should go to the ER.  YES, I said, I was struggling to talk.  I stood up, fell backwards in to our coffee table.  He said, "maybe we need an ambulance?"  I shook my head...I was so blessed that the EMT recognized my symptoms immediately and took me to the best hospital for a stroke.  I was in the ER, Ct Scan done and was able to get the "clot buster" miracle drug called  'tPA".  That was Monday.  Tuesday an MRI showed I had signs of mini strokes - TIA's they call them.  REALLY? How did I not know?

So what are the symptoms of a stroke:

What Are the Symptoms of Stroke?

The most common symptoms of a stroke are:

• Weakness or numbness of the face, arm, or leg on one side of the body
• Loss of vision or dimming (like a curtain falling) in one or both eyes
• Loss of speech, difficulty talking, or understanding what others are saying
• Sudden, severe headache with no known cause
• Loss of balance or unstable walking, usually combined with another symptom

So did I do something that DAY to cause it...NO....like all disease it is a layer of things.  I wasn't always healthy.  Didn't always workout.  Used to not eat well.  Was clinically obese.  AND smoked. And although I no longer smoke - I struggle with the addiction still.   All things that contributed even though right then I was at a good weight, I ate clean, worked out 3-5 days a week.  Even my DR was perplexed.  Moral of the story.  Because I am in much better health now, I am recovering well.  I taught an exercise class 8 weeks after!  Get your health moved up to PRIORITY level!  and know what to do if something like his happens

LEARN  F - Face drooping

              A - arm weakness

              S - speech difficulty

              T - time to call 911  

********************************************************************************************************

Here's my favorite healing SMOOTHIE

1 cup Almond Milk or water

1/2 large green or red apple, chopped (or pear)
1/2 cup packed baby spinach
1 cup plain Greek yogurt ( or scoop of a good clean protein powder)
2 TBS ground flax seeds
1/4 Cup Blueberries (or Pineapple)
1/2 a small to medium Avocado
Ice cubes

Directions

1. In a blender, combine milk, apple, spinach and other ingredients (as called for); purée until smooth. Pour into glass; serve immediately.

Do you feel like you would "GO BROKE"

 BUYING ORGANIC FOOD?

Organic food has become very popular with mom's and  grandma's all over. But finding your way in the  the myriad of organic food labels, benefits, and claims can be confusing. SO the question is - Is organic food really healthier? Do GMOs and pesticides lead to  cancer and other diseases? What does  the label mean? Are Farmer's really being hurt by this.  This guide can help you make better choices about which organic foods are healthier for you and better for the environment, and how you can afford to incorporate more organic food into your diet.

This article gives some good points.  And if you have never watched the movie/documentary  FOOD,INC...it's on Netflix or Amazon.   Or the documentary : Genetic Roulettte, watch a bit here.  So the questions still remains - will you GO BROKE only eating organic?  And the answer could be YES!  It's pretty strange overall in our society when it is cheaper to buy a burger and fries and soda, than a salad!  Even when you know that salad is not organic...so I can see why people are confused.  

What's a Mom to do?  Are there certain things we should always eat organic...yep!  Are the some things that may not matter?  Can you allocate your food budget and prepare healthier meals overall while choosing organic produce?  What are some tips for that?

Go ahead and grab this freebie booklet answering some of those questions.  And let me know if I can support Non-GMO or Organic choices for you.  AND be ready to FEEL awesome, once you clean some of that "junk" out of your system!

Get yours here!

I need this....gratitude awareness! Do you?

Want to know a simple secret to happiness?

Gratitude.

Yes, it’s really that simple.

It is very beneficial to write down the things in your life for which you are grateful.  It can be as simple as a beautiful flower you saw on a walk or as profound as the love you have for your family. It can instantly put you in a new state of happiness and awareness of all your blessings.  When you do this on a day that is particularly trying, it actually has the power to change the direction of your entire day!

There is nothing more powerful to change your perspective than to be grateful. Life is always presenting challenges and ups and downs. We are constantly living with a challenge, getting past a challenge or starting a challenge.  Our character and strength have continuous opportunities to grow.

Sometimes it is hard to understand why we have these challenges. Some examples might be:

·       Why does my friend have cancer?

·       Why do small children become sick and suffer?

·       Why is that customer so difficult to deal with?

Regardless of the scope or size of the challenge, there is always one thing challenges have in common: the opportunity to grow. No matter how bad things are in our lives, there is always a reason to be grateful. By focusing on our purpose and blessings, we are able to put the negativity in its place.  When the negative becomes our sole focus that is what we will find, and we will become self involved and swallowed up by the problems.

By focusing on what is good and right in our life, the bad things recede and become smaller and we experience an opportunity for growth.

 Thoughts of gratitude:

Be Thankful

    Be thankful that you don’t already have everything you desire,

    If you did, what would there be to look forward to?

    Be thankful when you don’t know something

    For it gives you the opportunity to learn.

    Be thankful for the difficult times.

    During those times you grow.

    Be thankful for your limitations

    Because they give you opportunities for improvement.

    Be thankful for each new challenge

    Because it will build your strength and character.

    Be thankful for your mistakes

    They will teach you valuable lessons.

    Be thankful when you’re tired and weary

    Because it means you’ve made a difference.

    It is easy to be thankful for the good things.

    A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are

    also thankful for the setbacks.

    GRATITUDE can turn a negative into a positive.

    Find a way to be thankful for your troubles

    and they can become your blessings.

    ~ Author Unknown ~

Gratitude list for the day….

I am grateful for abundance today…

the sunshine

bright ideas

a loving spouse

little hugs and BIG good mornings

opportunities

friends

I’d love to hear how gratitude shifted a negative or bad day for you? Share with me below!  AND write in your journal daily with your gratitude every evening!

Have an amazing day!

In health,

Cheryl Love

Imagine Fit ©2015

Dieting & Weight Loss – 14 Secrets to Move the Scale for Good

Well hello!  SO I am finally getting into the swing of things after the prep and completion of a joyous event!  YES, a joyous event...my oldest son married!  And wow, did we have some great food choices for the rehearsal, the wedding, the day after...from dinner items to cupcakes to a cook out!  And I was very mindful, well mostly, of what I was choosing and walked a bunch!  There were about 54 steps up and down from the one area of he lodge to the upper level!  Aren't they great together!

But you know we live in a funny society.  We look up to the slim, thin, skinny and we dole out mountains of processed snack, junk and fast foods.  We sit around and watch television instead of getting up and walking to the park or grocery store.  Or we "play" on the Internet! NOTE:  there was no TV watching or Internet surfing for me this past weekend! Except for posting pictures!

It seems like it is a constant obsession to try to get fit and healthy, yet all the time we keep reverting back to the food and entertainment forms that are so prevalent. Every single family get together, every holiday, every celebration is centered on food and drink.  Most of the time gluttonous food and drink! Do you see that in your family?

So, when we start to become unhappy with the way we look (no one associates their illness or sluggishness with food) we start cutting calories.  Every New Year the diet industry pulls out all the advertising plugs, because every New Year we resolve to lose all the weight we put on the years before.  Diet pills, replacement shakes, artificial sweeteners, surgeries, magazines and fad diets.  The problem is, these things all make our problem worse.  We may lose weight quickly at first but we lose muscle at the same time and then gain back all fat, which is not so good. 

Then we are minus the muscle and plus more fat.

If you want to lose weight and keep it off, look to people who have successfully done it.  You will notice that they did not use diet pills, meal replacement shakes or fad diets. Here are my quick best tips to lose - get healthier and keep it off!

14 Proven ways to lose weight for good:

1. Eat breakfast
2. Eat all day long
3. Drink more water
4. Eat at home
5. Eat whole foods
6. Reduce stress
7. Get a good night’s sleep
8. Get moving
9. Keep a journal
10. Eat some good, high quality protein
11. Take a vitamin supplement
12. Eat more vegetables
13. Give up the “c”‘s
14. Do a kitchen makeover and get the unhealthy foods that tempt you out of your house.

This is what you eat!

• Fruits and vegetables
• Whole grains
• Small amounts of high quality protein
• Small amounts of healthy fat (coconut oil, avocado)

  

What do you think of skipping the fad diets?  Relying on the "newest" and "quickest" way to lose!  JUST Start eating healthy!  Add in simple things to increase veggies first!

If you want to lose weight, eat more green vegetables and less simple carbohydrates.  Give up the “C”‘s - cakes, cookies, candy and chips!  Once those are out of your house and your life you WILL notice a difference on the scale!  Or rely on Mindful Eating!  You can read more here in this e-book:  Mindful Eating - Practicing Mindful Eating not only transforms your health, but your relationship with the foods you ingest, as well. Happy eating!

 So...Quit going to McDonalds and Burger King or any other fast food places...and then come back and leave a comment (will probably take 24 hours) about how good you feel! AND if you do eat out often...what are some tips for that?                   Coming soon....