Health + Wellness | August 5
- Tinessa Johnsrud, HHP, CHNC, CWC
- Aug 5, 2024
- 8 min read
+BALANCE+
What are electrolytes? Put simply they are essential minerals in your blood and other body fluids that play a crucial role in various physiological functions like cell, muscle and nerve function, fluid and ph balance.
Electrolytes are not in H2O, water. 👀 However some sources of water do contain minerals. Do not take for granted that your tap water has all the essential minerals you need to stay hydrated. This does not mean you should reduce your intake of water. This means you need to be aware and consume other sources to stay balanced and replenished
The most common electrolytes are: sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, and chloride.
The levels of electrolytes are measured by your primary care physician during a yearly physical exam with the lab test called a basic metabolic panel or comprehensive metabolic panel.
The two most common causes of electrolyte depletion are:
Vomiting and diarrhea from illness
Sweating from exercise
Some source of immediate electrolytes:
Coconut water
Sports drinks
Pickle juice
Carbonated electrolyte tablets
Electrolyte supplements
Healthy Lifestyle Choices to keep electrolytes in balance :
Eat Whole Foods
Avoid processed foods
Replace table salt with sea salt
Drink plenty of water
Recover properly after exercise
Epsom salt bath
Food suggestions to help maintain electrolyte balance:
Papaya, Broth, Milk, Pickles, Sweet potatoes, Bananas, Apricots, Tomatoes, Broccoli , Spinach, Oranges, Potatoes, Pumpkin seeds, Beans, Almonds, Yogurt, Kale
I’ve included a link to a video made by two dietitians. They show you how you can make your own electrolyte drink, ass well as explain more about electrolytes and recommend a few products.
You may want to check out Darin Olien’s SuperLife podcast episode 156 from March 3, 2022 about filtered drinking water and how to add back in electrolytes.
+NEED+
Have you ever heard of the Wheel of Fundamental Human Needs?
The Wheel of Fundamental Human Needs is a model developed and published in 1986 by economist Manfred Max-Neef that depicts nine fundamental needs that are considered universal across cultures and historical time periods. It attempts to capture the relationship between human and ecosystem health. He believed that human and community development is based on satisfying these needs, which can lead to increased self-reliance and connections between people and nature, technology, and society.
Nine Basic Needs
Subsistence
Protection
Affection
Understanding
Participation
Leisure
Creation
Identity
Freedom
Another scholar studied human needs earlier in the century: Abraham Maslow, a psychologist. Maslow developed the Hierarchy of Needs: a theory with a five stage model showing humans motivation and individual behavior for achieving needs. Essentially what he proposed was that humans must fulfill certain needs before they are emotionally able to work towards other needs.
After satisfying our physiological needs (food, water, warmth, rest) and safety needs (security and safety) we will work towards psychological and self-fulfillment needs needs like: belongingness, love, esteem and self actualization.
Love and belongingness refers to a human emotional need for interpersonal relationships, affiliating, connectedness and being part of a group.
How do we achieve a feeling of belongingness?
friendship
intimacy
trust
acceptance
affection
love
It has been proposed that a negative behavior like over-eating and emotional eating is a self soothing act to substitute for a feeling of love and connection.
It is important to be mindful of our every thought, feeling, word and action so we can prevent bad habits and addictions from occurring that substitute for fulfilling our essential needs.
This means putting effort into living a purposeful and intentional life. It takes energy, thought, practice, and understanding your basic needs to create balance in your life.
Are you struggling with a food addiction?
Mindfulness skills can help you identify potential triggers and help you manage stressors in a healthy way.
What exactly is mindfulness?
Mindfulness is being in the moment. It’s being fully present and not lost in thinking about the past or the future. It means doing one thing at a time with full awareness.
If you struggle with over eating or emotional eating consider being more mindful when you eat. Mindful eating is bringing more awareness to what you eat. It involves taking more time to eat, listening to your body and making better food choices.
The Harvard Public School of Health proposes seven practices of mindful eating
Honor the food
Engage all senses
Serve in modest proportions
Savor small bites, and chew thoroughly
Eat slowly to avoid over eating
Don’t skip meals
Eat a plant-based diet
If you feel like your food addictions are beyond self-help techniques, please bring it up with your primary care physician. If you’re not comfortable with that, perhaps explore it with a mental health specialist.
Meditation is a mindfulness technique.
August 1st thorught 21st there is a 21 day meditation for weight loss challenge occurring. It’s not too late to jump in. A 10 minute meditation is sent to you each day. This is not a diet and does not conflict with any eating or lifestyle program that you may already be participating in. There’s no previous experience necessary in their meditation techniques. Check it out.
If you’re interested in exploring a plant-based diet I am always here to help guide you. If you would like to receive a plant-based diet menu plan for one week please respond to this email with the words “I’m ready.” I will send you a menu plan and a grocery list for free.
+GROUND+
What is forest bathing? or Shinrin-yoku? It is a mindfulness technique that became popular in Japan in the 1980’s to reduce stress and reconnect with nature.
It doesn’t necessarily require a forest, but “can be practiced anywhere in the great outdoors.” It does require a conscious effort to connect to your surroundings by “actively engaging your senses and focusing on the present.”
How to do it
Set aside a good amount of time. At least enough time to “let your body and mind wander freely.”
Bring nature hike necessities (water, snacks, sunscreen, bug spray etc) and do let someone know where you’ll be. You don’t have to leave your phone, but you might want to put it on silent.
Find a spot in the woods, a garden, a park, the beach or somewhere outdoors that you feel comfortable and safe to be. Preferably a place with no people or people sounds.
Walk slowly and take in your surroundings, pausing periodically. Breath in aromatic smells of the plants and trees. Try to engage all of your senses by paying attention to the rustling of leaves, or waves, or even a birdsong. Maybe even staring into the sky at the clouds. “Allow yourself to become completely immersed in your environment."
If you want to take it a step further bring a journal or art supplies.
Research has shown that spending at least 2 hours every week outdoors is ideal even if that means 20 minutes at a time. Immersing yourself outdoors can reduce blood pressure and feelings of stress, improve mood, improve immune function reduce inflammation.
Link to a set of card prompts created by a lovely lady in Poland - Forest Meditation Cards
+SIMPLIFY+
If you’re on social media you’ve probably seen people mention a term called, “social media detox.” A social media detox is the practice of eliminating or minimizing social media consumption. You may have even seen someone post on their social media page that they are taking a break for a week or a month. They are most likely participating in a social media detox whether or its intentional or not.
Whether or not you need a social media detox, really depends on who you are, and how you are affected with the time you spend online. If you find yourself neglecting everyday tasks you might consider taking a break. If you find yourself feeling negative energy from what you read, or impulsively responding to posts, it may also be a good time to take a break. Or maybe you’ve realized that you waste a lot of your day mindless scrolling. There are many reasons to take a social media or tech break.
We can feel negative emotions or get caught up in comparing ourselves to others. Sometimes it’s hard to remember that what we see online may not be true reality. What we read online may even be gossip or lies. "Fake news," right?
Even with filtering, muting, and blocking on social media it’s hard to avoid the “modern day telemarketer” or crazy political and drama posts that your social media friends, - Or not friends-, insist on pushing into your feeds.
Taking a break from social media is not going to negatively impact you unless your financial well-being relies on it. If you feel like it’s the way that your friends and family communicate with you, you can always send direct messages to those who may worry. Or at least those who you want to be contacted by. It would be a good idea to let them know you’re taking a break, and offer them your email or phone number as way to contact you instead.
People have confessed positive and negative outcomes from such breaks. People have reported these positive outcomes from a break:
New hobbies
Increased in person connections with friends and family
Becoming more present
Noticing things around them
Reading more books
Less pressure to respond to people, thus less stress
Increased productivity in their daily lives or at work
More places traveled
Discovered their feelings and motivations behind the reason to use social media platforms.
Less pressure to document what they were doing to post online, thus less stress
A time to reflect how they use their time
Breaking phone addiction
And so many more… These are just a few that I came across reading people’s clams.
Do you need help taking a social media detox?
Miss Tea Positive has a 30-Day Social Media Detox Challenge where they outline what to do each day for 30 days. It is not a cold turkey method until Day 25.
If you’re not ready to commit to 30 days, or you ARE ready to go cold turkey you might check out this 7 Day Challenge.
Regis University offers a 30 Day Digital Detox Challenge, which not only addresses social media, but also time wasting apps, your email inbox, and using your device all together. Week 1: Awareness and Reduction, Week 2: Establishing Boundaries, Week 3: Digital Diet, and Week 4: Mindful Teach Use.
Maybe you just want to commit to unplugging after 8pm every night for a week. :)
+LISTEN+
Have you ever listened to a YouTube video or a CD of ambient nature sounds for relaxation, calming or focus?
Even though I outlined how to practice forest bathing above listening to nature sounds audibly can be done anytime. Maybe you just want to spend your 15 minute break at work pretending like you’re sitting next to a waterfall. Or maybe listening to nature helps you fall asleep better at night.
Some of us can’t get away into pure nature, or just go into the middle of nowhere. Perhaps you have physical limitations, safety concerns, don’t have time or just can’t find a place where there are no human noises. And even if we are in nature it takes practice to be mindful or meditative. We may have the constant chatter of our mind.
Listening to nature sounds is accessible and can help us train our minds. It also gives you the opportunity to experience a place that you may never get to experience in your life like being in a tropical rainforest.
Here are a few YouTube videos that I found that you might be interested in. Just search "nature sounds," in YouTube and you find many channels and videos of sound bath uploads that fit your desires.
BONUS CONTENT
+GRAZE+
If you haven’t already looked at the 2024 Environmental Working Group Clean 15 and Dirty Dozen. Now is a good time to check that out or review it. We are in peak produce season and this list helps you make the decision between organic and conventional.
Clean Fifteen™
Avocados 🥑
Sweet Corn 🌽
Pineapple 🍍
Onions 🧅
Papaya
Sweet peas (frozen)
Asparagus
Honeydew Melon 🍈
Kiwi 🥝
Cabbage
Watermelon 🍉
Mushrooms 🍄🟫
Mango 🥭
Sweet Potatoes 🍠
Carrots 🥕
Dirty Dozen™
Strawberries 🍓
Spinach
Kale, Collard, & Mustard Greens 🥬
Grapes 🍇
Peaches 🍑
Pears 🍐
Nectarines
Apples 🍎
Bell and hot peppers 🌶️
Cherries 🍒
Blueberries 🫐
Green beans
Tinessa Johnsrud, HHP, CHNC, CWC
Traditional Wellness™ Consulting
****Information and resources shared are for informational purposes only and are not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any type of disease or condition.****
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