How to Reduce Muscle Soreness After Training

Photo by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels

By Gaea Marelle Miranda, M.Sc.

Reviewed by Chloe Bennett, B.Sc.

When exposed to intense or unaccustomed exercises, muscles tend to get sore. This occurrence is normal and expected for any person who engages in grueling physical activities. Typically termed delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), this common medical condition peaks 24 hours to a maximum of 72 hours after engaging in exercise or physical activity. The process is common among people of various age groups and is backed by multiple researches; however, what many people do not understand is that muscle soreness is actually an inflammatory response caused by the breakdown of muscle tissue.

Emerging research within sports science and physiology has discovered how this seemingly common phenomenon of muscle soreness can be reduced or prevented. Findings include the use of various methods, including foam rolling, stretching, and even getting a massage.

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Recipe of the Week - Roasted Strawberry Banana Bread

Roasted Strawberry Banana Bread is moist and delicious, made with ripe bananas and roasted strawberries, which brings out the sweetness of the berries.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/4 cups strawberries, diced

• 3 ripe medium bananas, mashed

• 2 tbsp unsweetened apple sauce

• 1 1/4 cups white whole wheat flour

• 3/4 tsp baking soda

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 2 tbsp butter, softened

• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, not packed

• 2 large egg whites

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• baking spray

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a loaf pan with baking spray.

• Place the strawberries on a baking sheet and roast for 25 minutes, remove and set aside.

• In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt with a wire whisk. Set aside.

• In a large bowl cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer.

• Add egg whites, bananas, apple sauce and vanilla, and beat at medium speed until thick. Scrape down sides of the bowl.

• Add flour mixture and blend at low speed until combined, do not over mix.

• Fold in strawberries and pour batter into the prepared loaf pan; bake in the center rack for about 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

• Let the pan cool at least 20 minutes, bread should be room temperature before slicing.

Nutrition Information

• Serving Size: 1 Slice

• Calories: 88

• Carbohydrates: 19g

• Protein: 2g

• Fat: 2g

• Cholesterol: 4mg

• Sodium: 111mg

• Fiber: 2g

• Sugar: 10g

How Can I Monitor Stress?

Photo by energepic.com from Pexels

By: Lindsay Taylor

Stress comes at us from all directions, and it’s not always the usual suspects like work, finances, and global strife that derail us. Even things we find enjoyable and meaningful—exercise, hobbies, volunteer work—contribute to our overall stress level as we struggle to fit everything into our busy lives.

As we’ve discussed before on the blog, stress adheres to the “Goldilocks principle.” Too much and too little stress can both get you in trouble. The goal is to find that just right sweet spot somewhere in the middle. In the right amount, stressors challenge us to adapt mentally and physically to our circumstances, prompting us to become stronger and more resilient.

I find the analogy of the “stress bucket” helpful in conceptualizing stress. This is a shorthand way of saying that all the stress we face, from sources we’d label both good and bad, gets thrown into the same pile. Our body has to process all of it. Ideally, we’d have more “good stress” (exercise, hot and cold exposure, stimulating mental challenges, etc.) than “bad stress.” Even then, though, we need to keep an eye on our total stress load to make sure the bucket doesn’t overflow.

There are both objective and subjective metrics you can use to track your stress over time. Objective variables are things you can measure with tools—biometric devices, blood tests, and such. Subjective measures are your personal judgments. An outside scientist can’t validate them, but subjective data are still very valuable. The goal of tracking these metrics is to prevent a health crisis and keep stress in a healthy range.

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Recipe of the Week - Crock Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage

Tuna Croquettes are budget-friendly, made with pantry staple canned tuna, potato, and dill that's breaded and baked in the oven or air fryer.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 lbs lean corned beef brisket, all fat trimmed off

• 1 cup frozen pearl onions

• 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into chunks

• 2 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into chunks

• 1 small head cabbage, cut into 6 wedges

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

• 2 bay leaves

• 1/8 tsp whole peppercorns

INSTRUCTIONS

• In a 5-6 qt crock pot, place brisket, carrots, parsnips, pearl onions, parsley, bay leaves, peppercorns and 3 cups of water.

• Cover and cook on high 4 hours.

• Add cabbage, cook on high 1 hour 20 minutes more.

• Remove meat, slice and serve with Cauliflower puree or buttermilk mashed potatoes. Enjoy!

Nutrition Information

• Serving Size: 3oz Brisket and Veggies

• Calories: 294.5

• Carbohydrates: 19g

• Protein: 18g

• Fat: 16.5g

• Saturated Fat: 5.5g

• Cholesterol: 83mg

• Sodium: 960mg

• Fiber: 5.5g

• Sugar: 3g

How to Embrace the Heat

Photo by Ketut Subiyanto from Pexels

By: Mark Sisson

Wake up early.

Get up early, earlier than usual go outside, and get as much intellectual work done as you can before the heat ramps up.

Lee Kuan Yew, the founder of Singapore, often said that air conditioning was the single biggest factor in his country’s rise to prominence. Once AC was installed in the cities, his people finally had relief from the oppressive tropical heat and could do real intellectual work. The same is true for the individual. Heat makes thinking, writing, and creating harder. Early morning before the sun starts hitting hard is the best time to get creative, intellectual work done. Or any work, really—yard work, labor, etc.

Get up before the sun starts asserting itself. Another advantage of doing this is that the early morning natural light will entrain your circadian rhythm so you can get to bed earlier and fall asleep faster and sleep more deeply.

Sit with the heat.

Don’t reach for the AC right away. Take some clothes off and just sit with the heat and the sweat and the misery. Let it envelop you and know that you will be fine. You’re going to survive, it’s not that bad, you’re simply going to be uncomfortable. Accept the fact that you’re going to feel the heat and know that you, as a human, have a long history of handling extreme temperatures—both cold and hot. It’s what you’re built to do. You got this.

You must accept the heat. You can’t change it. It’s here, you’re in it, and you are going to deal with it.

Consume electrolytes.

It’s not enough to simply drink water in hot weather. Drink water, of course, but doing that without heeding the importance of electrolytes—sodium, magnesium, potassium, and calcium being the foremost ones to worry about—will have you urinating out most of the water you consume without actually absorbing much of it. So what does this mean?

For most people in most situations, sprinkling salt in all your water is adequate. (A squirt of lemon will make it more palatable.) Getting enough sodium will help you retain the other electrolytes. If you’re really going to be exerting yourself in the heat, then go with a legitimate electrolyte supplement like LMNT or my tried and true homemade electrolyte drink: coconut water, salt, blackstrap molasses, and lemon or lime juice.

Read my previous posts on electrolytes—what they are and how to get them—for more information and more ideas on electrolyte repletion.

Wear linen.

I wear lots of linen lately, ever since moving to Miami. Linen is a legitimate performance material that doesn’t get enough respect. It’s not just lounge material. It breathes, it looks good, it feels great, and there’s something special about wearing “natural” fibers that words or science can’t quite capture. Plus, there are no plastic synthetic fibers in linen, so when you wash it you aren’t adding to the microplastic load on Earth and its ground water.

Little known fact that may or may not be totally accurate: linen is made from flax, so in a pinch you can chew on your linen shirt to extract enough omega-3s to satisfy your daily requirements.

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Recipe of the Week - Tuna Croquettes

Tuna Croquettes are budget-friendly, made with pantry staple canned tuna, potato, and dill that's breaded and baked in the oven or air fryer.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 5 ounce cans chunk light tuna, in water, drained and flaked apart

• 1 large 10 ounce russet potato, peeled and cut into small cubes, 9 ounces peeled

• 1/4 cup chopped dill

• 2 tablespoons light mayonnaise

• 2 tablespoons minced red onion

• 1 tablespoon Dijon

• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

• black pepper, to taste

• olive oil spray

• 1 large egg, beaten

• 3/4 cup plain or gluten-free panko

• lemon wedges, for squeezing

• tartar sauce, optional for serving

INSTRUCTIONS

• Place the potatoes in a small sauce pan and cover with water. Cook on medium- high heat until potatoes are tender, about 15 to 18 minutes then drain.

• Mash in a large bowl and combine with the tuna, dill, mayo, red onion, Dijon, lemon juice and salt and black pepper and place in the freezer 10 minutes.

• Place a generous 1/4 cup of mixture in hand and gently roll into 8 logs.

• Place the beaten egg in a small bowl, the breadcrumbs in another bowl.

• Dip the croquettes in the egg, then into the panko and set aside on a board. Spray both sides of the croquettes with olive oil.

Air Fryer Method:

• Air fry 350F 10 minutes, turning halfway until golden and crisp.

• Serve with lemon wedges.

Nutrition Information

• Serving Size: 2 Croquettes

• Calories: 197

• Carbohydrates: 21g

• Protein: 22.5g

• Fat: 2g, Saturated Fat: 0.5g

• Cholesterol: 68mg

• Sodium: 364.5mg

• Fiber: 1.5g

• Sugar: 1.5g

What is the 12-3-30 Workout? All Hype or Worth Trying?

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels

By: Mark Sisson

What is the 12-3-30?

A quick dive into Google explains the “12-3-30,” aka the 12.3.30 treadmill routine, is walking at a 12 percent incline at 3mph on a treadmill for 30 minutes. Credited to influencer Lauren Giraldo, this workout’s short time frame and relative ease have piqued people’s interest. I’m sure the testimonials from people claiming to have made big physique gains in a short time don’t hurt either.

To answer your question: yes, from what I can tell, the 12-3-30 workout is basically just walking uphill. From a Primal perspective, I’d give it a qualified thumbs-up. Here are a few reasons why:

Pros of the TikTok 12-3-30 workout:

The biggest pro is simply that it gets people moving. As you probably know, I’m a particularly big fan of walking. It’s the ultimate Primal exercise and one of the best ways to combat the myriad health problems that result from a modern, mostly sedentary lifestyle. If I was being cynical, I might say something about how disconnected we are from Primal human movement patterns if it takes a viral TikTok trend to get people walking for 30 minutes, but far be it for me to rain on people’s parade. If this is what motivates people to get moving, who am I to argue?

Uphill walking can also be easier on the joints because it involves less impact, and it works the muscles somewhat differently than walking on a flat surface.

Potential cons of the 12-3-30 workout:

My biggest concern is that this could become just another form of chronic cardio depending on how challenging this workout is for you. Generally speaking, I define chronic cardio as sustained, repetitive exercise that keeps your heart rate pegged in the “black hole.” That’s the middling ground where workouts are too hard to be considered truly aerobic and not hard enough to achieve the benefits of high-intensity workouts like sprinting.

The best way to know if you’re in the black hole is to use a heart rate monitor. To keep your effort level in the aerobic zone—which is what I’d recommend here—you’d want your heart rate to stay below the MAF threshold of 180 minus age. For example, a 50-year-old wouldn’t exceed a heart rate of 130 beats per minute at any point during the workout.

From what I read online, people often find the 12-3-30 routine pretty challenging, especially at first. If you’re panting away on the treadmill, that’s a pretty good sign your heart rate is in the black hole. The Primal recommendation would be to adjust the treadmill speed so you can keep your heart rate under 180 minus age. That will deliver more overall fitness benefits than grinding away at a moderately hard—and thus overly stressful—workout intensity. In lieu of wearing a heart rate monitor, try breathing only through your nose. Nasal breathing serves as a decent proxy of aerobic threshold.

A couple other caveats:

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Recipe of the Week - Escarole and Chickpea Soup with Garlic Toast

If you're looking for a healthy and filling vegetarian soup that's quick, cheap and easy, this Escarole and Chickpea Soup is it.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

• 4 cloves garlic

• 4 cups vegetable broth

• 2 cups canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained

• 5 cups chopped escarole leaves, from 1 head

• fresh cracked pepper, to taste

• 1 Parmesan cheese rind, plus fresh grated Parmigiano Reggiano, for serving (optional)

• 4 1 ounce small slices Sourdough bread, (or 2 large, cut in half)

• olive oil spray

INSTRUCTIONS

• Smash 3 of the garlic cloves with the side of a knife. Cut the 4th clove in half.

• Heat a medium pot or Dutch Oven on medium heat; when hot add the oil.

• Add the 3 smashed garlic cloves and sauté until golden, about 2 minutes.

• Add the broth, Parmesan rind and chickpeas and bring to a boil. Then add the escarole and cook until it wilts, about 15 minutes.

• Meanwhile, spritz the bread with olive oil and place in the broiler or toaster, until golden brown.

• Take the garlic halves and rub them all over the toasted bread.

• To serve, discard the garlic and cheese rind. Ladle into 4 bowls and serve with fresh grated Parmesan. Serve with garlic toast.

Nutrition Information

• Serving Size: 1 1/2 Cups

• Calories: 222

• Carbohydrates: 38g

• Protein: 10.5g

• Fat: 4g

• Saturated Fat: 0.5g

• Sodium: 466mg

• Fiber: 8.5g

• Sugar: 5.5g

What is Better? Fresh or Frozen Food?

Photo by Marta Dzedyshko from Pexels

By: Mark Sisson

In the hierarchy of vegetables, the best choices are fresh, in-season, and local.

Realistically, though, that’s not always going to happen. For one thing, some of you live in climates where access to a variety of local and in-season vegetables isn’t a thing. Likewise, your neighborhood might have a dearth of supermarkets, so you have to make a trek to find fresh produce.

Although home-grown is the best of the best, I know that saying, “Just grow your own!” is presumptuous on a lot of levels. Assuming that you have the space and resources to plant a garden, time is a big consideration. Plus, once they’re grown, preparing fresh vegetables takes more time than preparing frozen or canned, which are already washed and chopped for you.

All this is to say, I’m sure many of you find yourself turning to frozen and canned vegetables—as well as fruit, seafood, and meat—for reasons of availability and convenience. You might wonder if you are sacrificing any health benefits or if I’m giving you the side-eye for eating vegetables that aren’t farm-fresh. Let me put those concerns to rest.

Fresh vs. Frozen Fruits and Vegetables

Are Frozen and Canned Foods Inherently Less Primal?

If you’ve been avoiding frozen or canned foods because you think you’ll have to turn in your Primal card, be assured that isn’t the case. Grok would not have frozen or canned foods, that’s true. Food preservation is nothing new, though. Our ancestors dried, smoked, salted, and fermented foods for “shelf life.”

Anyway, just because a technology is new does not mean it’s “un-Primal.” I am not now, nor have I ever been, opposed to using modern methods of food preservation and storage that make it safer or more convenient to eat healthy foods. I like safety and convenience.

That said, I have historically avoided canned vegetables in the store due to concerns over BPA in the can linings. (Home-canned in jars is different, of course. I’m all for home canning.) Since people sounded the alarm about BPA in the past decade, industry reports suggest a significant number of manufacturers have moved away from BPA-lined cans, but not all of them.

I still strongly favor frozen over industrially canned vegetables. If nothing else, the taste and texture are usually superior. Nutritionally, though, the data show that frozen and canned are comparable overall.

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Recipe of the Week - Peanut Butter Banana Oat Protein Cookies

INGREDIENTS

• 2 medium very ripe bananas

• 1 cup old fashioned oats, or quick oats (check labels for gluten-free)

• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder, I like Orgain

• 1 large egg, lightly beaten

• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon

• Pinch kosher salt

• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

• ¼ cup peanut butter, or nut butter, or seed butter

• ¼ cup sugar free chocolate chips, such as Lily's

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment or silicon baking mats.

• Move oven racks to the second from top and second from bottom slots.

• In a medium bowl, mash the bananas.

• Add the oats, protein powder, egg, cinnamon, salt, vanilla, and peanut butter and chocolate chips and mix with a fork until combined.

• Scoop ¼ cup of mixture and place on a baking sheet, flatten the top slightly with the back of the measuring cup. Repeat with remaining mixture, adding 4 cookies to each sheet.

• Bake for 16 to 20 minutes, rotating pans ½ through bake time to allow for even browning.

• Allow to cool 5 minutes on the pan then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

NOTES

• Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Can be eaten warm, cold, at room temperature or warmed in the microwave for 10 seconds.

Nutrition Information

• Serving Size: 2 Cookies

• Calories: 304

• Carbohydrates: 39g

• Protein: 12g

• Fat: 14.5g

• Saturated Fat: 4g

• Cholesterol: 47mg

• Sodium: 140mg

• Fiber: 8.5g

• Sugar: 9g

Everything You Need to Know About Your Liver

Photo by Vinicius "amnx" Amano on Unsplash

By: Mark Sisson

The liver is incredible. Most people think of it as a filter, but filters are physical barriers that accumulate junk and have to be cleaned. The liver isn’t a filter. It’s a chemical processing plant. Rather than sit there, passively receiving, filtering out, and storing undesirable compounds, the liver encounters toxic chemicals and attempts to metabolize them into less-toxic metabolites that we can handle.

• It oxidizes the toxins, preparing them for further modification

• It converts the toxins to a less-toxic, water-soluble version that’s easier to excrete

• It excretes the toxins through feces or urine

Bam. It’s an elegant process, provided everything is working well back there. And it’s not the only process it controls.

The liver is the primary site of cholesterol synthesis and disposal. It creates cholesterol as needed and converts excess into bile salts for removal via the bile duct. The liver also plays a huge role in the burning of fat for energy, the storage of vitamin A, the metabolism of hormones, and the regulation of blood sugar. If you enjoy burning ketones, you can thank the liver because that’s where they’re produced.

The liver supports full-body health, in other words. If it isn’t working correctly, nothing is. Everything starts to fall apart.

How do we support the liver?

It’s not one thing we do. It’s many things. It’s nutrition, supplementation, lifestyle, sleep — everything. It’s also the things we don’t do. The stakes are high, you see. Whenever there’s a grand overarching orchestrator regulating dozens of different processes in the body, you must protect it from multiple angles. A lot can go wrong. Or right, depending on how you look at it.

Since the liver is “hidden away” and you can’t really “feel” it, you may not give it too much thought. When you’re overweight, you know it. When your fitness is suffering, you consciously experience it. When your liver is overburdened or suffering, you don’t necessarily know it. That’s where doing the right things for the sake of doing them comes in handy.

So, what should you do to maintain pristine liver health?

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11 Ways to Maintain a Healthy Liver

Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash

Liver health depends on steps you take toward a healthy lifestyle, and equally as important, the things you refrain from doing.

Here are some things you can to to contribute to lifelong liver health:

• Reduce linoleic acid intake

• Reduce refined carb intake

• Reduce alcohol intake

• Stop overeating, and lose weight

• Practice time-restricted eating

• Eat fatty fish and get omega-3s

• Eat egg yolks and other choline sources

• Take NAC

• Take whey protein

• Regularly deplete your liver glycogen

• Get good, regular sleep

Recipe of the Week - Three Ingredient Strawberries Romanoff

Strawberries Romanoff – a quick and easy 3-ingredient dessert, delicious and perfect for any night of the week!

INGREDIENTS

• 16 oz strawberries, washed and cut

• 4 oz reduced-fat sour cream, full fat yogurt can also be used

• 2 tbsp light or dark brown sugar

INSTRUCTIONS

• Combine sour cream and brown sugar and mix well. Place about five strawberries in each glass and drizzle each with 2 tablespoons of cream sauce.

NOTES

• The cream can be made ahead and be refrigerated for up to 4 days

Nutrition Information

• Serving Size: 5 Strawberries & 2 tbsp Cream

• Calories: 79

• Carbohydrates: 15g

• Protein: 1g

• Fat: 3g, Saturated Fat: 1.5g

• Cholesterol: 9mg

• Sodium: 12mg

• Fiber: 2g

• Sugar: 12g

How to Quickly Get Over a Cold

Photo by Polina Tankilevitch from Pexels

By: Mark Sisson

No one likes a cold, and various colds of one origin or another are going around this winter season. One of the worst parts of the common cold is that it’s unpleasant enough to make daily life annoying but mild enough to force you to still go out into the world and maintain a normal schedule.

But you don’t want to have to do that. You don’t want to get anyone else sick, and you want to feel better—fast. How do you do it? How can you speed up your clearance of a cold, whether through actually expelling the virus from your body, getting rid of the symptoms, or both?

Let’s talk about that.

How to Feel Better Quickly When You Have a Cold

These are the basic, research-backed things to do when you have a cold and want to get over it fast.

• Get enough selenium

• Get enough zinc

• Eat a bunch of garlic

• Drink raw golden milk

• Try nasal irrigation

• Try povidone-iodine gargling and nasal rinsing

• Drink bone broth

• Eat spicy food

Get Enough Selenium
Almost every upper respiratory tract infection I’ve ever studied has selenium deficiency as an enhancing variable. Most viruses, for example, sequester selenium and utilize it to replicate and to weaken the host, leaving them wide open for further, deeper infection. The common cold is likely no different.

Eat Brazil nuts (one to three per day) and oysters and wild salmon. It is possible to overdo selenium, so don’t go overboard with supplementation. Just eat selenium-rich foods while you’re experiencing symptoms.

Get Enough Zinc
Zinc is the most important mineral for immune function, especially regarding upper respiratory tract infections. Depending on the virus, zinc has been shown to inhibit replication, lower binding, and block various physiological processes many viruses use to attack and ingratiate themselves with the host (you). And this isn’t just theoretical or based on cell culture studies. The best evidence we have shows that zinc supplementation reduces the duration of common colds in adults.

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Recipe of the Week - Crock Pot Italian Sloppy Joe

Crock Pot Italian Sloppy Joes made with Italian chicken or turkey sausage, tomatoes, peppers and onions made in the slow cooker for an easy weeknight meal.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb Italian turkey or chicken sausage, removed from casing

• 1/2 cup chopped onions

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 red bell pepper, chopped in 1/2-inch pieces

• 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped in 1/2-inch pieces

• 1 1/3 cups crushed tomatoes, Tuttorosso

• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary

• kosher salt and fresh black pepper, to taste

For serving:

• 6 1-inch thick slices Italian Bread, from 1 large loaf (2 oz each)

• olive oil spray

• dried Italian seasoning or Parsley, to taste

• 2 tbsp grated cheese

• garlic clove, cut in half

• 1 cup shredded mozzarella or provolone cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

• In a medium non-stick skillet, cook the sausage over medium-high heat, breaking up as it cooks into small bits until cooked through, about 5-6 minutes.

• Add onions and garlic, and cook another 2 minutes.

• Transfer to the slow cooker and add the bell peppers, crushed tomatoes, rosemary and fresh cracked pepper.

• Cover and cook on low 4 hours.

• Prepare the garlic bread slices.

  • Place 6 slices of the bread on a sheet pan, spray with olive oil, and sprinkle with Italian Seasoning and Parmesan on each side.

  • Spritz with a little more oil and broil about 6 inches from the heating element, until the top of bread is golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes keeping an eye on it.

  • When toasted, remove from oven and rub a garlic clove over the bread.

  • Top each slice with 1/2 cup meat and add shredded mozzarella, about 2 1/2 tablespoons on each. Place back into the oven for about 1 to 2 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Nutrition Information

• Serving Size: 1 Sandwich

• Calories: 361

• Carbohydrates: 38.5g

• Protein: 24g

• Fat: 13g

• Saturated Fat: 5g

• Cholesterol: 74.5mg

• Sodium: 1135.5mg

• Fiber: 3g

• Sugar: 7.5g

Why is Starting a Workout Program So Hard?

Photo by Nathan Cowley from Pexels

By: Chloe Maleski

This week, Board-Certified health and wellness coach Chloé Maleski is here to answer a few of your questions regarding New Year’s Resolutions, specifically why starting them is such a challenge. If you’re struggling to get going, you’ll definitely want to check out Chloé’s recommendations in today’s post. We love getting your questions, so drop them in the comments below or in our Mark’s Daily Apple Facebook group.

James asked:

“I’m committed to eating healthier this year, but if I see pizza, corn chips, or cookies in the pantry or fridge, I can’t resist. I’ve tried keeping fresh veggies, bison burgers, and salmon on hand, but I always give in to the junk food first. Got any tips for staying on track?”

If you want to start eating differently, you have to set your environment up for success. Think about the foods in your pantry and fridge right now. Does keeping pizza, corn chips, and cookies on hand get you closer to your results or further away? Sure, buying fresh produce and protein-rich foods is a great place to begin. But if you really want to get off on the right foot, you’ve got to purge the junk, especially if they’re a trigger for you. People tend to believe that their healthy habits are formed by motivation and willpower. It’s actually your environment that pulls the biggest lever.

According to habit expert, James Clear, “If you want to maximize your odds of success, then you need to operate in an environment that accelerates your results rather than hinders them.” That being said, my first recommendation is to do a pantry purge.

Step 1: Purge your Pantry . . .

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Recipe of the Week - Pollo Guisado

INGREDIENTS

• 4 skinless chicken drumsticks, on the bone, 14 oz total

• 4 skinless chicken thighs, on the bone, trimmed, 20 ounces

• 1/2 teaspoon adobo seasoning salt

• 1 teaspoon olive oil

• 4 medium scallions, chopped

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, plus 2 tbsp for garnish

• 8 oz can tomato sauce

• 1 packet sazon seasoning, optional

• 1/4 cup pitted green olives, plus 2 tablespoons brine

• 1 tablespoon Chicken Better Than Bouillon, or 1 cube

• 1/2 teaspoon cumin

• 2 bay leaves

INSTRUCTIONS

• Season chicken with adobo seasoning salt.

• In a large deep skillet, pot or Dutch oven, over medium heat saute the scallions in olive oil until soft, 2 to 3 minutes.

• Add the garlic and 1/4 cup cilantro cook until soft, 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant.

• Nestle the chicken in the pot and let brown 5 minutes, turning halfway.

• Add tomato sauce, Sazon if using, 1 cup water, olive, olive brine, Bouillon, cumin and stir. Add the bay leaves and bring to a boil.

• Cover and cook 50 minutes over medium-low heat, until the chicken is tender.

• Uncover the pot, increase the heat to high and cook to thicken the sauce, about 5 to 10 minutes.

• Remove the bay leaves, adjust salt if needed and add the remaining 2 tablespoons cilantro.

To make this in the Instant Pot

• Cook on high pressure 20 minutes.

• Natural release, discard bay leaves and top with remaining cilantro.

Nutrition Information

• Serving Size: 2 Pieces of Chicken 1/3 cup of sauce

• Calories: 344

• Carbohydrates: 7g

• Protein: 49g

• Fat: 12g

• Saturated Fat: 2.5g

• Cholesterol: 221mg

• Sodium: 1100mg

• Fiber: 2g

• Sugar: 3g

7 Herbal Alternatives to Hormone Replacement Therapy, or HRT

By: Mark Sisson

For many women, menopause can introduce new health challenges. In addition to the symptoms that perturb basic quality of life like hot flashes, headaches, night sweats, and irritability, menopause is also associated with higher risks for serious health concerns like osteoporosis, cognitive decline, and metabolic syndrome. This has made the standard treatment for menopause—hormone replacement therapy, or HRT—a multi-billion dollar business.

A few weeks ago, I explored the benefits and risks of HRT. It has its merits certainly, but it’s not for everyone. Today’s post is for those people who want to try something else. Say you’ve waded through the morass of HRT research and would prefer a different route. Or maybe you’ve actually tried conventional or bioidentical HRT and found it just didn’t work for you. Whatever the reason, you’re probably interested in using “natural” products if you can swing it and if it’ll actually help.

Are there herbal alternatives to HRT that actually work?

As a matter of fact, there are.

Which Herbal Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) Treatments Work?

These are the eight most promising herbal alternatives to hormone replacement therapy:

• Black Cohosh

• Maca

• Black Seed Oil

• Red Clover

• Ginseng

• Evening Primrose

• St. John’s Wort

• Wild Yam

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Recipe of the Week - Colombian Chicken Sancocho

Sancocho de Pollo, a hearty soup almost like a stew, is a traditional dish in the Antioquia region of Colombia that combines potatoes, yuca, corn, plantains, and chicken.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil

• 6 scallions, chopped

• 1 medium tomato, chopped

• 4 cloves garlic, chopped

• 6 skinless chicken thighs on the bone

• 1 cup chopped cilantro leaves and stems, divided

• 3 medium red potatoes, peeled and chopped into 6 pieces (1 lb)

• 10 ounces frozen yucca, about 3 to 4 pieces

• 3 medium ears corn, cut in half

• 1/2 medium green plantain, peeled and chopped into 1" pieces

• 1 tsp cumin

• 2 chicken bouillion cubes

INSTRUCTIONS

• In a large pot, saute scallions and garlic in oil. Add tomatoes and saute another minute.

• Add chicken pieces and season with a little salt. Saute a few minutes, then add yucca and plantain and fill pot with water.

• Add chicken bullion, cumin and half of the cilantro and cover pot.

• Simmer on low for about 40 minutes. After 40 minutes, adjust salt and add potatoes, cook and additional 15 minutes.

• Add corn and cook an additional 7 minutes or until corn is cooked.

• Serve in large bowls, and top with cilantro.

Nutrition Information

• Serving Size: 1/6 of Recipe

• Calories: 405

• Carbohydrates: 41g

• Protein: 34g

• Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 2g

• Cholesterol: 140mg

• Sodium: 599.5mg

• Fiber: 5.5g

• Sugar: 10g

Can Friends Help You Live Longer?

Photo by Helena Lopes from Pexels

By: Lindsay Taylor

Humans are inherently social creatures. We know this. Looking at our species through an evolutionary lens, we tend to talk about our need for social connection as it relates to survival. Our ancestors needed to work in teams to hunt, collect water and firewood, build shelters, rear young, keep watch for predators, and all the other business of staying alive. While that’s undoubtedly true, our need for affiliation runs much deeper than those practical concerns. Our health and well-being quite literally depend on having strong social bonds with others.

Even when our survival is assured thanks to safe housing, easy access to clean water and plentiful food, medical care, and financial security, lonely or socially isolated individuals are likely to die sooner. On the flip side, a robust social support network is associated with better physical and mental health outcomes and longer lives.

Friends, it turns out, have a profound impact on health and longevity. Of course, it’s not just about the number of years we have but how we spend them, and good friends also make our lives more enjoyable in countless ways.

Are Good Friends a Key to Longevity and Health span?

There’s no doubt that social integration and social support are associated with greater health and longevity, while the opposite, social isolation and loneliness, significantly increase mortality risk. In a 2010 meta-analysis covering 148 studies and 308,849 participants, the researchers concluded that individuals with strong social ties were 50 percent more likely to survive compared to those with weak social networks.1 When the researchers looked only at studies with more in-depth measurements of social connectedness, that number jumped to 90 percent. Participants who reported being less lonely similarly enjoyed a 47 percent survival advantage.

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