My mission with this newsletter is to share ideas, knowledge, and strategies that can empower you to take control of your health, wellness, and longevity. With such a vast amount of information out there it can be difficult to know what’s right for you. With this newsletter, I will give digestible and actionable information that anyone can benefit from so you can make confident and informed decisions around your health. Each newsletter will be centered around what I call my “Core Four” pillars of health and wellness which include movement, nutrition, recovery, and lifestyle. My hope is that you can not only learn, but share this information with loved ones so you and the people in your life can use this knowledge to make meaningful and sustainable changes. So let’s dive in! 

Movement 

“Nothing happens until something moves”

• According to the World Health Organization, inactivity is the 4th leading risk factor for death in the United States killing more than 5 million people per year. 
• Getting 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity a week (30 minutes a day for 5 days) or 90 min of vigorous activity a week reduces mortality risk by 30%. 
• Add Variety: Make sure your movement plan incorporates strength, endurance, balance, and flexibility training. 
• Just Move: Something is always better than nothing when it comes to movement so think “always something” instead of “all or nothing”.

Nutrition

“You are what you eat”

• Two out of three people in the US are overweight and one out of three are obese.
• Just one in ten adults meet the federal fruit or vegetable recommendations.
• Taste the rainbow: When choosing your fruits and vegetables go for color. Color is related to antioxidant capacity in most fruits and vegetables (Red onions have more antioxidants than white, Purple cabbage over white cabbage, Sweet potatoes over white potatoes…. You get the picture).
• Best bang for your buck: Some fruits and veggies that should be everyday items spinach, berries, avocados, onions, garlic, broccoli, sweet potatoes.

Recovery 

“Train hard, recover harder”

• One in three people don’t get enough sleep.
• Sleep enhances almost every system in the human body, and lack of sleep disrupts nearly every aspect of health and wellness.
• Sleep opportunity: Create the most conducive environment for sleep (dark, cool, no phone, etc) and give yourself at least 7-9 hours of sleep opportunity each night
• Nose Breathing for the win: Breath through your nose when you can, this is one of the simplest yet most powerful tools for recovery

Lifestyle 

“Easy life, hard choices or hard choices, easy life”

• Over 75% of people experience stress that affects their physical health.
• Growth vs Fixed mindset in life 
  • Growth Mindset: Embrace challenges, intelligence can be developed, persists in the face of setbacks, learn from criticism, seek feedback, effort as a path to mastery
  • Fixed Mindset: Intelligence is static, avoid challenges, ignore criticism or feedback, sees effort as fruitless
  • Choose your mindset! 
• Control your internal environment: Life is 1% what happens to you and 99% how you respond.
• Gratitude: Be thankful for what you do have in life and not resentful for what you don’t. Pay it forward whenever you can.