Welcome to the 2010 Spring 6 Week Body Blitz!
Posted by Jeanne M. Schmit, Pharm. D. on Fri, Mar 12, 2010 @ 05:48 PM
You are now entering into a 6 week journey for better health. You can do as much or as little as you like. Even making one tiny change in your lifestyle can make a huge difference. Don't get overwhelmed by all the information. If it's too much, put it away and concentrate on one thing only. Some of you are ready to dive in and change your entire life. Others aren't ready or are not interested in that. Do what works for you, in this stage of your life.
If you're not in the Body Blitz, you too are welcome to participate in this blog and get all the information you can. If it fits for you, try it.
Let's make this 6 weeks an interactive time to learn from each other. Share resources if you have them, and share your experience if you think it would be helpful for others. Ask questions.
Most everyone wishes or thinks they should be doing something differently for their health....."I know I shouldn't drink 3 sodas per day, I know I should be exercising more, I wish I didn't have these chocolate cravings, I know I should eat more fresh fruits and veggies, etc."
If we know what we should be doing for better health, why don't we do it? I'm learning that it's often because our brains are not in the position to support us. I don't mean your thoughts, I mean your physical brain and the chemicals that affect it......the neurotransmitters seratonin, acetylcholine, dopamine, GABA, and others.
To simplify, your brain has receptor sites that need to be filled for you to feel well. They're meant to be filled with the neurotransmitters.....at that point everything in your world feels right.
When your body is out of balance and the neurotransmitters are not there, sugar, alcohol, tobacco, caffeine, chocolate and a host of other substances take the place of the neurotransmitters and fill those receptor sites and satisfy you. You use those substances because they make you feel better. For some people skipping meals or starving, lack of sleep, excessive exercise and a highly busy and stressful life create chemicals that make you feel better. After years of that, your body breaks down.
Once you get the proper neurotransmitters to fill those receptor sites in your brain, you lose the desire for those substances. It's not about willpower.
If your brain is not supported and functioning optimally, it's nearly impossible to make the choices you need and want for a healthy life.
Lifestyle, sleep, stress, nutrition, hormones, toxins, supplements all affect our brain chemicals.
Come with me for 6 weeks. Plan to carve out time each day for your education. You'll be reading, watching videos and/or reading this blog. You may be writing, you may be visiting your doctor, you may be getting labs done. You might be spending extra time cooking and grocery shopping. Maybe shopping for supplements. Maybe attending classes and workshops. Maybe meditating.
Whatever you choose, it WILL take time in your day, so plan it in right now whether it's 5 extra minutes or 2 hours.
Step # 1
Get the book "Female Brain Gone Insane" by Mia Lundin. Read up to page 44. You'll learn about the symptoms of brain chemistry imbalance (you may recognize yourself...or someone close to you), the causes of brain chemistry imbalance and how your hormones and brain chemistry interact together. Get your own copy and mark it up. It's a book you'll return to often and you'll need the charts in the book. Men will appreciate this book as well. Brain chemistry applies to you too.
We have a shipment of books coming to the studio in a few days. Get one at the studio or get one online or at a bookstore.
Page 17 lists Mia's Basic Supplement Program. Get yourself started on these basic supplements if you're not doing it already. The first step is to get your basic nutrition in order. Just doing that will alter your brain chemistry if you've been deficient.
Make a copy of the chart on page 13 and start tracking your symptoms. Your symptoms vary depending on your cycle and will change as you alter your exercise, sleep, supplements, diet, hormones, etc. Your symptom chart will help you see what's making a difference.
If you're not ready to read the book and put the time in, do this. Every time you eat, pay close attention to how you feel. What you eat affects your brain. Do you feel energized, foggy, tired, bloated, satisfied, etc. Make a connection with what and how much you eat to how you feel. As you learn how food affects you, make changes to eat meals that improve your brain functioning.