Is consistent exercise part of your New Year’s Resolutions? Already struggling with that goal now that it’s February?⁠
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I have a simple hack to help you… ✨ The FITT principle! ✨⁠
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The FITT principle is an effective method of making exercise a habit. Follow this sequence when creating a new exercise habit. Too often people start an exercise program trying to do too many days / week with intense exercise for a long time. Follow the order of these steps whenever you feel ready to add a new layer to your exercise regime.⁠
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🏋️ Frequency. ⁠
Take your goals into consideration and select a training frequency that will help you achieve those goals. It’s important to remember that overtraining is common, so include some rest days in your routine.⁠
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🏋️ Intensity.⁠
If you're starting an exercise regimen for the first time, you don't want to make it too difficult. This can result in burnout, injuries, and a lack of desire to exercise again.⁠
➡️ Start at a level that feels right for you.⁠
➡️ Slowly increase the difficulty of your workouts as your strength and endurance improve.⁠
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🏋️ Time.⁠
It’s recommended to exercise for at least 150 minutes per week. However, when you are starting out, start with shorter workouts. Even 10-15 minutes at first are beneficial to help build the habit.⁠
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🏋️ Type.⁠
This component refers to what kind of exercise you choose to do. It’s important to pick something that you enjoy doing, so you’ll want to do more and the habit of exercising will build naturally! Some ideas include:⁠
🔹Walking⁠
🔹Dancing⁠
🔹Weight training⁠
🔹Running⁠
🔹Cycling⁠
🔹Parkour⁠
🔹Bouldering⁠
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Solidify your goals by writing down your FITT choices onto paper, then put them into action! Have you ever tried the FITT principle? Comment YES or NO below!⁠
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#fitgoal #healthgoals #fitnessgoal #functionalmedicine #exercisebenefits⁠ ...

Want to know what’s in your kitchen cupboard that can help reduce stress & anxiety? Here are the top foods to include in your daily life!⁠
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✅ Salmon⁠
Salmon is full of brain supporting nutrients such as vitamin D, EPA, and DHA. These nutrients can help support and regulate the neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine.⁠
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✅Chamomile tea⁠
Chamomile is famous for its stress-busting properties. Chamomile is thought to support various neurotransmitters including dopamine, serotonin, and GABA which all can impact feelings of anxiety.⁠
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✅Berries⁠
Berries are rich in antioxidants which protect the body from the effects of stress.⁠
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✅Eggs⁠
Eggs are chock full of minerals, amino acids, vitamins, and antioxidants that can help make the body more resilient to stress. Choline, a nutrient that’s found in high levels in eggs, has been shown to be particularly helpful in supporting overall brain health.⁠
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✅Shellfish (oysters, clams, mussels, etc)⁠
Shellfish are one of nature’s multivitamins! They are rich in zinc, copper, taurine, selenium, and more which can support neurotransmitters and help to regulate the body’s stress response.⁠
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✅Garlic⁠
Garlic can help support the body’s stress response. It is rich in sulfur compounds that are precursors to glutathione. Glutathione is considered the “master antioxidant” and can help support mitochondria health.⁠
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✅Leafy greens⁠
These are chock full of magnesium and other nutrients that get depleted when stress runs rampant in the body.⁠
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Which one of these foods is your favorite?⁠
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#hormonesmatter ⁠
#balancinghormones ⁠
#hormonebalancer ⁠
#hormoneimbalance⁠
#hormonehealth⁠
#hormonehealthcoach ⁠
#hormonalimbalance⁠
#hormonalhealth⁠
#femalehormones⁠
#anxiety⁠
#stressless ...

Happy Integrative Health Day!! 👩‍⚕️

Dr. Tracy attended the Integrative Health conference last week. She got to catch up with her faculty advisor, @drweil from when she attended the program at U of A!

We love what we do and are so proud to bring an integrative approach to medicine to the Denver area and beyond! ...

Raise a hand if you’ve felt stressed out recently. 🙋‍♀️😩

The truth is, we all get stressed out from time to time…especially with the post-holiday blues.
Any change that creates physical, emotional, or psychological discomfort is referred to as stress. Let’s dive deeper into exactly what stress is…

👉 The fight-or-flight response, which is triggered by stress, is the body's reaction to a perceived threat or danger.
👉 The stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol are released during this reaction. This increases heart rate, slows digestion, and alters other bodily systems in order for you to respond to the threat appropriately.

👉 Both short and long-term stress can cause a wide range of symptoms, but chronic stress can have a significant impact on the body over time, even causing long-term health consequences.

Common symptoms of stress include:
❌ Changes in mood
❌ Decreased sex drive
❌ Difficulty sleeping
❌ Digestive problems
❌ Feeling anxious
❌ Headaches
❌ Low energy

Stress can come in many shapes and sizes. In fact, not all forms of stress are bad! The following are just some of the types of stress that you could encounter:

✴️ Acute stress.
The most common type of stress we encounter in our daily lives. It lasts a short period of time and can be positive as well as negative.
✴️ Chronic stress.
Persistent and unavoidable stress. This type of stress tends to result from traumatic experiences, a toxic work environment, or family-related matters.
✴️ Eustress.
A fun and thrilling type of stress. Eustress is positive and can help you stay energized. It's linked to adrenaline rushes, such when you're skiing or racing to fulfill a deadline.

Stress will affect us all during some point in our lives, but it’s how you handle the stressor that determines the impact on your overall health.

What are some of your favorite ways to de-stress? 💆‍♀

#stressless #stressedout #stressmanagement #functionalmedicine #functionalmedicinedenver ...

What if I told you that cinnamon, melon and aloe vera can help to lower your blood sugar levels?🤯 ⁠

There are herbs and spices that when used in conjunction with a proper diet, can support stabilized blood sugar levels.⁠

1️⃣Milk Thistle⁠
Studies have shown that a compound found in Milk Thistle called Silymarin may actually work similarly to some medications given to diabetics, by helping to improve insulin sensitivity and decrease blood sugar. Milk Thistle has also been shown to reduce the risk of developing diabetic complications, such as kidney disease.⁠

2️⃣Cinnamon⁠
Cinnamon isn’t only great for hot chocolate. This super spice has been shown to reduce blood sugar levels by up to 29%! Cinnamon works by slowing the rate of carbohydrate breakdown in the digestive tract and moderates rises in blood sugar levels. Next time you decide to indulge in a sweet cinnamon treat, don’t feel so guilty! ⁠

3️⃣Bitter Melon⁠
Traditionally used in curry dishes around Asia, India, Africa and the Caribbean, Bitter Melon has been shown to increase the release of insulin from the pancreas whilst also helping to oxidize glucose in red blood cells and adipose (fat) cells which results in decreased blood glucose levels.⁠

4️⃣Licorice⁠
Licorice has been used as a medicinal herb for centuries among ancient civilizations in India, Greece, China, and more. One of the properties that licorice is famous for is its sweetness -- it’s several times sweeter than traditional sugar. Licorice root has been shown to help stabilize blood sugar levels.⁠

(NOTE: Before starting/stopping any supplements, make sure to speak with your healthcare provider)⁠

Make sure to save this post!⁠
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#lifestylemedicine⁠
#rootcause⁠
#functionalmedicine⁠
#fxmed⁠
#integrativemedicine⁠
#bloodsugar ⁠
#bloodsugardiet ⁠
#bloossugarbalancee ⁠
#metabolicsyndrome ⁠
#insulinresistance⁠ ...