One good thing that has materialized after COVID19 began is that a new mindset has rapidly spread globally. Everyone is trying to become a healthier version of themselves. That’s a good thing and it may help with longevity or quality of life or both! When I think about longevity of life and a quality of life at that last phase, my mind goes straight to blue zones.
Blue zones are the sites on Earth where there exist most centenarians (people over the age of 100) – these are the places where people are forgetting to die… quite literally. These places have become a fascinating topic of discussion for many health practitioners. We’re all thinking what are these places doing RIGHT?
One such place is Okinawa, Japan. A recent article from the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (EJCN) explores covid19 mortality rates there in Okinawa compared to the whole of Japan.
Now for a baseline, here in the US our COVID19 mortality rate is about 1.2% (from JHU-see chart). This ratio represents death from confirmed COVID19 cases. Japan has one of the lowest COVID19 mortality rates at 0.5%.
COVID19 Mortality Rates (deaths/confirmed cases) from Johns Hopkins University-Feb28, 2022
Now in Okinawa it was discovered that their COVID19 mortality rate (from 6/16/21) was 0.08%. So that is more than 6 times less than the national rate. WHAT are Okinawans doing to help their health?
Scientists have long observed the Blue Zones and have regarded that the diet and lifestyle are great contributors to the longevity of life there. The Okinawan diet is mostly plant-based with only 3% of calories coming from animal proteins.
Even if we can only substitute some of our animal proteins with plant-based ones, we are able to experience a decreased risk of all-cause mortality. A previous plant-based study also cites increased plant-based substitutions show decreased all-cause mortality. Further previous studies have also shown increased animal-based substitutions increased heart disease mortality. When studies align like this, even across different paths, it’s really good food for thought! After much analysis, the ECJN states that adopting a more plant-based diet could address major risk factors and beneficially impact longevity of life.
What is it? Pelvic Floor Dysfunction/Disorder is when all your pelvic floor muscles are not working optimally to provide flexibility of movement, freedom of organ function, and secure placement for organs.
How do you know if you have it? It may encompass abnormalities of urination, defecation, sexual function, pelvic organ prolapse, and chronic pain which translates into significant quality of life issues.
Because this topic can be viewed by some as taboo or “dirty”, many people haven’t been informed about what it is, how it can happen, and what to do about it if it does happen. My colleagues at Fortify understand the importance of awareness of health topics as a first step to begin to bring about change. So that is why we have all merged to sponsor Fortify’s premier mini-summit on Pelvic Floor Dysfunction.
We are bringing you the words from leading experts of the medical world & the integrative medicine world. We’ll also bring you the science from the National Institutes of Health as well as our own personal journeys. It will be a phenomenal summit guaranteed to open up an awareness to this taboo subject. Coming soon from Fortify!
Not all stress is “bad”, in fact normal stress allows us to survive and thrive! It’s when stress becomes chronic that we really run into unnecessary responses which become harmful – yes, I’m talking excessive or chronic worry, tension, panic, exhaustion, anger, sadness, anxiety, fear, and/or burnout. But did you know that chronic stress can also manifest as gut disorder, weak nails, hair fallout, changes in weight, jaw pain, shoulder tension, cold sores, and headaches?
Stress wreaks havoc, defined as negative reactions and automatic responses that overwhelm us and others around us.
Major Life Stressors
What are the things that Americans say are their top stressors (they could choose multiple stressors)?
The higher the number of stressors, the more signs you have AND the higher your risk of chronic illness.
Signs of Chronic Stress
One can become more irritable, moody, angry, aggressive and wound up with a short tolerance. One can feel overburdened, anxious, nervous, worried, afraid or wired. Gut issues can look like diarrhea, constipation, excess gas & bloating, aches, ulcers, & decreased nutrient absorption. Stress wears out & shortens telomeres, which are the caps on the ends of chromosomes in your DNA. They usually affect how quickly your cells age… and in turn how you age as a whole. So this means chronic stress ages you. Shorter telomeres are also associated with cancers, brain stroke, vascular dementia, cardiovascular disease, obesity, osteoporosis, and diabetes.
The funny thing about these signs is they can appear in small doses and gradually increase so you don’t even realize you are stressed… until someone asks you to gauge it.
What to do
Luckily there are MANY ways to cope with chronic stress. Ideally you can identify and lessen the triggers or causes so you will permanently decrease the stress you face. When that is not possible, we need more relaxation time – which is time that you are not stressed. Think of activities you can do to escape your life’s stressors: Reading, Sleeping, Talking things out, Physical Movement, Yoga, Meditation, Coloring, Prayer, Self-Care, Journal Writing, etc…. The roles of these activities cannot be underestimated in terms of grounding, calming, and allowing mental rest. In addition to these self-activities, social support should not be underestimated also. Surrounding oneself with supporting friends changes overall mood which diminishes stress. Cleaner eating may help prevent stress from unhealthy sugars and artificial additives.
If you feel like you’d like more ideas or support with managing the stress in your life, contact your local health coach who can explore dietary and lifestyle changes which may help you with your current stress management.
More than half of the antiperspirants and deodorant body sprays from over 30 common brands contain Benzene, a known carcinogen (cancer-causing substance). Benzene is a known class one solvent with “unacceptable toxicity” according to the FDA.
Many products have not yet been recalled, but rest assured that messaging is sure to come soon. In the meantime, become a label reader and avoid products that have at or above 2 parts per million of it. Some of these products include Summer’s Eve, Right Guard, Power Stick, Soft & Dri, and Victoria’s Secret products. Currently some products from Old Spice and Secret have been recalled as of November, 2021.
The stress related to the covid19pandemic has led to a significant increase in alcohol being used as a coping mechanism. Now there are more people interested in reducing this habit. In the United Kingdom, 1 out of every 6 drinking adults are participating in “Dry January” and will abstain from alcohol in the entire month of January.
While there may be a slight surge of alcohol use the first week of February, it is estimated that the benefits of this program will lend to physical & mental health goals with new strategies of stress management. Many Americans are expected to partake in Dry January – and all indications are that February will be wet!
Words matter… Using “bioengineered food” instead of “GMO” prevents transparency in the food industry. Because it’s important to have an awareness of the food aka “nourishment” you use daily, I want you to know…
The USDA created a national bioengineered food disclosure standard in 2018 which changed the terminology of genetically modified organisms (“GMO”) to bioengineered (“BE”). Technically speaking bioengineered foods must contain modified genetic material which can leave out many products made with GMO. There are new label requirements to show if a product is “BE” or “derived from BE”. The law technically went into effect in January, 2020, but the USDA delayed enforcement until this year.
Commonly bioengineered foods include:
Alfalfa
Arctic Apple
Canola
Corn
Cotton
Bt Eggplant
Ringspot virus-resistant Papaya
Pink Pineapple
Potato
AquAdvantage Salmon
Soybean
Summer Squash
Sugar beets
Disclosures not required for animal feed, pet food, toiletries, meat-, poultry-, & egg- dominant foods. The symbol pictured here is what you will see on your packaged goods to indicate bioengineered foods or derivatives.
If you want to choose more nature foods, look for the butterfly NON GMO Project logo.
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