Hopefully your holidays were enjoyable and provided time for some rejuvenation. Often the holidays are a whirlwind and come January we’ve cleaned up the house, we’re settling back into daily routines and perhaps feeling a little post-holiday fog. We enjoyed festivities and indulged on various foods. I know my body is appreciating a little bit of a reset, including a break from chocolate.
Maybe you made resolutions, or set goals. If so, that’s great. But I suspect there are also some of us that haven’t had the time or energy to even think about making changes or setting goals. And that’s okay too, no need to panic. The best time to implement change – it’s when you are ready and have the time, energy and motivation to make changes.
Regardless of where you are at – doing really well working towards your goals, testing the waters (some days more successfully than others) or are just beginning to think about it, I’ll share a tips below that may be helpful.
Keep it Simple
Focus on the foundational aspects of health. Choose a different area to focus on each week.
- Hydration- herbal teas, smoothies, bone broth, coconut water, anything that isn’t a diuretic (e.g., alcohol, coffee, anything with caffeine) counts toward hydration.
- Veggies – how many servings can you enjoy in a day? Add spinach to your smoothie, veggies with hummus or guac, salad with your meal, or sauteed veggies on the side. Include a colorful variety throughout the week.
- Are you enjoying protein with every meal? Often low energy or lack of motivation are indications that more protein is needed.
- Don’t forget about healthy fats. They support cognition, hormones and help us feel satiated. Eggs, olives, nuts, seeds, avocados, fish, and dairy (if tolerating) are all good options.
- Prioritize sleep – avoid screens for 1-2 hours before bed for a more restful night. Aim for 7-8 hours of sleep each night.
- Exercise – stretching, walking, pilates, yoga, weights or more intense cardio- they all have benefits.
Testing
Whether you feel like something is off or just want to check-in and get a baseline, testing can provide additional insight. I’ve listed some markers below that you can request from your primary care physician.
- Comprehensive Metabolic Panel – gives us an idea of liver & kidney function, chemical balance, electrolytes
- Complete Blood Count- red blood cell size & volume, white blood cells
- Vitamin D3 – functions more like a hormone and is important for immune function
- Hemoglobin A1c- indication of blood sugar balance for the past 90 days
- Thyroid panel – often providers will only check TSH. If you have a history of thyroid imbalance ask for Free T4 and Free T3. And at some point it is also important to check thyroid antibodies (TPO and Tg).
- Homocysteine – this is an amino acid that when elevated our risk for cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer’s is increased. An elevated level indicates we need more B vitamins, specifically B6, folate and B12.
* You may want to check with insurance before testing to see what your company covers.
If you don’t plan to use insurance or want to functional medicine tests, I have accounts with a variety of companies and am happy to provide pricing, place orders and review results with you.
Reset Staples
Listed below are some of my staples that I always try to keep on-hand when I feel like I need a reset. I’m still eating meals, but these staples help to: eliminate unhealthy snacking between meals, reduce sugar, or increase vegetables.
- Bone broth- I prefer it cold or room temperature. I also like Ancient Nutrition Butternut Squash powder – added to hot water for sipping or as part of my breakfast. A serving of bone broth is full of minerals and has about 10 grams of protein.
- Raw veggies for snacking (baby bell peppers, cucumbers, radishes, snow peas, etc. with tahini dip (I don’t tolerate chickpeas, but hummus works too).
- Green juice – look for ones with little to no fruit, but a shot of green juice can help with cravings. For some this can increase blood sugar, best to be observant to see if you notice a change about 90 minutes after (e.g., feeling hangry, low energy, or light headed upon standing).
- Leafy greens and cruciferous veggies (broccoli, chard, Brussels Sprouts, cabbage etc.) – I’m always trying to think about how I can add these to our meals. A bag of pre-shredded coleslaw mix (cabbage and carrots) steams well with stir fries, eggroll in a bowl or if in a pinch I will add a bag to a Kevin’s meal when I add the sauce (found at Costco and many grocery stories). The meat is not organic nor pasture raised, but I put this in the category of a ‘good option when eating out’, although I can quickly putting it together at home.
- Protein powders- I’ve been enjoying Amy Meyers Vanilla (chocolate previously) in decaf lattes for a little extra protein. These powders are very satisfying and keep you full for a couple of hours. You can purchase them with your client discount on Fullscript.
- If I weren’t taking a break from chocolate and trying to reduce sugar, Jojo’s bites are my favorite. Just 1 bite can satisfy a sweet tooth craving. They are lower in sugar and have a little bit of protein.
- Apples or some higher fiber fruits are a great option to satisfy a sweet craving- dark berries, pears, etc.
Lastly, I’ll share a new recipe I tried this week. If you like curry, this is a great way to add in a variety of vegetables and/or use up whatever vegetables you have on hand.