Is Liquid IV Good for You?

Is Liquid IV a good option for those looking to supplement with electrolytes? Liquid IV is marketed as a sports supplement to increase hydration. However, this is quite ironic. Here is why.

First, it is packed with sugar. There is an added 11g in just ONE serving. Americans already consume an average of 77g of added sugar each day (“How Much Sugar is Too Much?”). Your little packet of electrolytes would be contributing to 1/7 of that. The first ingredient is pure cane sugar! The second ingredient is dextrose, another type of sugar! So, there is not only one type of sugar, but two. Not to mention that excess sugar can contribute to feelings of dehydration rather than take it away.

Second, there are a lot of vitamins and minerals on the label that are hard to pronounce. If you can barely say the ingredient, you probably shouldn’t be consuming it. Dipotassium Phosphate, one of the ingredients, is commonly used as fertilizer and a buffering agent. Cyanocobalamin, or “vitamin B12”, is a man-made form of B12.

LMNT citrus salt ingredients

Electrolytes can help your body recover from hard workouts and stay hydrated on hot days but they need to be made well. I highly recommend the brand LMNT. They have 0g of added sugar and use minerals in their natural form. They only have 6 ingredients, 4 of which are minerals. The other two ingredients include stevia leaf extract and natural flavors derived from real ingredients. Not to mention they also taste delicious! My favorite is the citrus salt.

Beat the Mid-Day Slump

3 tips on maintaining your energy throughout the workday, keeping you focused and productive.

How many of you have felt great and ready to tackle the day when you wake up in the morning? You are probably on a roll, answering emails, generating thoughtful ideas, and communicating your team until… that mid-day slump hits.

Usually it’s after lunch or around 2–3pm when your cortisol is decreasing due to stress and the flow of the day. You are fighting the urge to take a nap and want to chug a whole glass of cold brew so the caffeine can keep you awake.

If you think this is normal, it’s not. You don’t have to feel this crash of energy. You shouldn’t have to depend on a nap or more caffeine. Here are 3 things I do to ensure I’m feeling energized and focused throughout the entire work day:

Workout in the afternoon.

Many people workout right when they wake up or at night before bed. Truth is, this just isn’t the best way to utilize your energy. In the morning you are already well-rested and your cortisol is high, so you should focus on activities that require a lot of thinking or focus.

At night you are trying to wind down your body and prepare it for rest. Working out will simply SPIKE your cortisol, sending your body into overdrive when it is really time to rest.

During your lunch break is the perfect time to workout because it is when you are starting to slow down. Exercising during this team will increase cortisol levels, keeping you alert and focused as you continue your work day.

Avoid carbs at lunch.

Carbs often contribute to this sluggish, tired feeling in the middle of the day. Most of us eat them at lunch every day so we don’t realize the effect they have. They are known to make tryptophan more readily available in the brain, causing drowsiness. Carbs also cause an immediate insulin spike and then a quick crash, contributing to this awful feeling.

Aim to eat a high protein meal for lunch. I like to do a salad with fish and veggies or a smoothie with protein powder. This ensures I won’t experience a carb crash that drains my energy.

Drink green tea or matcha.

Unlike coffee matcha tea provides a steady increase in alertness and focus without the crash that coffee can cause. Matcha not only contains caffeine but also an important compound called L-Theanine which acts as a calming agent.

If you are hyper-sensitive to caffeine, matcha is the way to go. Just make sure you are buying ceremonial-grade matcha that has been tested for heavy metals. I personally enjoy this brand. The quality is very important if you want to experience all of its great benefits.

Now you have all the natural tools in your tool belt for beating that awful tiredness that hits in the middle of the workday. Watch your productivity and focus sky rocket. It’s amazing how much more good you can do when you feel good.

Sources:

Read more about low cortisol and adrenal fatigue here.

Read more about exercise and cortisol levels here.

Read more on carbs, proteins, and performance here.

Read more about matcha and its benefits on stress here.

Living a "Genius Life" as Told By Max Lugavere

I love health and wellness and I love to read. This makes me the perfect audience for books referencing nutritional studies and health experiments. Max Lugavere’s Genius Life is just as good as his first book and dives deep into all of the ways you can up-level your environment to improve your health.

Here are the most interesting things I learned from the book:

1. It is recommended to consume 15g of glycine each day, which amounts to 45g of collagen.

   “Glycine, the simplest of the amino acids, is an essential component of important biological molecules, a key substance in many metabolic reactions, the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the spinal cord and brain stem, and an anti-inflammatory, cytoprotective, and immune modulating substance” (“Glycine--an important neurotransmitter and cytoprotective agent”).

2. Limiting your feeding window to 8-12 hours a day (also known as fasting) will decrease insulin, decrease mTOR, and increase AMPK.

   It is well known that we want our insulin to remain low, but what about mTOR and AMPK? What are these and what do they do? mTOR promotes growth and is responsible for forming the connections between your brain cells, or synapses. However, too much of it can actually cause this process to halt.

   AMPK reduces inflammation, improves insulin sensitivity, and increases fat burning. It is also known to stimulate a protein called FOXO3, which is often called the longevity protein. It helps your body better handle stress and may prevent age-related diseases.

3. Vitamin D deficiency may be linked with depression, Alzheimer’s, and autoimmune disorders.

   Did you know 42% of the US population is deficient in vitamin D? This important nutrient can stimulate immune cells to clean up amyloid buildup in the brain, reduce chronic inflammation, and slow aging. Depending on different factors such as age, season, skin complexion, and sunscreen use, you should be exposing yourself to the sun for 5 minutes to 2 hours each day. Check out the graphic in this article.

4. BPA was originally manufactured as a hormone replacement for estrogen, meant to alleviate cramps and prevent miscarriages.

   It turned out that scientists were able to find a stronger chemical to use as a hormone replacement and BPA was instead used for it’s clear and hard properties to make something called plastic. Knowing this, it’s no wonder plastic has such negative affects on our hormones. Steer clear of storing and heating your foods in plastic, plastic water bottles, and canned foods.

The book is filled with many more nuggets of helpful information such as improving your sleep quality and limiting your consumption of heavy metals. If you choose to read it, leave me a comment with the most interesting thing you learned!

Athleisure Brands You Have to Try

I have a strong opinion on all types of things and athleisure wear is absolutely one of them.

There are a few key things I look for in the athleisure clothes I purchase. One of them is quality and comfort. The clothes have to be thick and stretchy so I can really move around in them.

Second, I look for clothing that can easily be “dressed up” for occasions outside of the gym. I live in my workout clothes but also want to look put together.

Third, the company needs to have great values. I want clothes from a company that is employing workers in the US, promoting sustainability, or female-founded. If they have all three, even better!

1. Year of Ours

   My most recent purchase was a matching set from this brand. I was super pleased to learn that their pieces are not only adorable, but they are also a female-led company and produce all of their pieces in the US! I love knowing that my money is helping a brand that employs workers in my country with fair wages and conditions. If they weren’t already transparent enough, they have pictures of the factory on their site! I’m currently eying up this cute top for daily pilates classes live-streamed from my living room.

2. All Access by Bandier

   A few months back I was looking for new leggings to wear for working out and strolling around the city. The sales lady in Bandier sold me on a grey pair from this brand. I kid you not, I have not taken them off since I got them a few months ago. I wear them at least 3 or 4 times a week. The material is the perfect balance between style and function. The waistband hits at just the right spot to suck me in and the length grazes the ankle. I have recently added a green pair of leggings and this tank (on sale!) to my collection. The tank is just as awesome as the leggings- thick fabric, super stretchy, and built-in support.

If you can afford to buy items online right now, please help the small businesses that really need our support. Happy shopping!

My Favorite Home Workouts To Do While Quarantined

Many of us have already been told to quarantine by our local government officials. If your city is not yet officially on shut down, it’s bound to come. This means no leaving your house for work, school, coffee, or the gym. While it can be a struggle to be pulled away from your normal gym routine, your workouts don’t have to suffer.

You can do almost every type of workout from the comfort of your own home. Weight lifting, pilates and yoga are just a few of my personal favorites.

1. Melissa Wood Health

   I’m sure most of you have heard of Melissa Wood Health, a pilates and meditation instructor. She teaches online “flows” through her website and mobile app. Her workouts are low impact and can be done just about anywhere. They are anywhere from 5 to 25 minutes long, depending on how much time you have. She is currently doing a 7 day trial with her videos, which I plan to take full advantage of. She also has a few flows posted on her YouTube channel and Instagram.

2. Down Dog Yoga Livestream

   My favorite DC yoga studio is doing live stream yoga classes at 6pm every day! They are 75 minutes long, just like their in-person classes. I have no doubt that this will be a challenge but also a great way to get out those work from home jitters.

3. Using bands

   Bands can be used to replace weights in just about every weight lifting move. My boyfriend is a personal trainer and walked me through how to do my favorite gym moves at home using bands he found on Amazon. Watch this Instagram video for more detailed instructions.

4. Walking your dogs

   This is such a simple one and the one that will bring you the most joy during these tough times! There is nothing like taking your dog for a walk with a friend or family member, enjoying each other’s company, and getting some fresh air. And your pup will be extra happy! Even if you don’t have a dog, get out there and get moving. This is the perfect activity to do during your lunch break.

5. Outdoor sports

   Does anyone else miss sports practices after school, being outside and getting in some friendly competition? Living in the city, I don’t get outside and play baseball, basketball, or just run around as much as I used to as a kid. I miss it! Gather a group of people (ones who you know are healthy) and play a few games. It’s a great source of entertainment and exercise!

While it can be easy to feel anxious and lazy during times like these, the most important thing to do is get up and MOVE! Exercising makes us happier- science has proven it. No matter what you do, don’t stop exercising and don’t stop getting out of bed just because you don’t have to. For more fitness tips, be sure to follow along with my quarantine journey on Instagram.