Every Day I start with 2 ounces of adaptogens

Each morning I wake up and have a couple of ounces of some amazing adaptogens that help my body combat the effects of stress, they each have their own mechanism of action to benefit overall health.

Here’s a quick overview of the adaptogens my drink contains:

Wolfberry (Lycium barbarum): A red-orange berry of the Solanaceae nightshade family that ancient (what?) regarded as nourishing to the liver, kidneys, and eyes. Modern studies affirm its use in modulating stress and supporting faster recovery post-exercise (5-7).

Eleuthero root (Eleutherococcus senticosus): A small, woody shrub native to Northeastern Asia used in traditional Chinese medicine as a natural remedy for reducing fatigue. Modern use of the root was popularized after the former Soviet Union popularized its use for its space and sport programs to support physical endurance (8, 9).

Rhodiola (Rhodiola rosea): A plant that grows in the coldest regions of the world, including Northern Asia. Rhodiola has been traditionally used in Russia and Scandinavian countries to strengthen the body’s resistance to stress and improve energy levels (10).

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera): Used in Indian Ayurevedic medicine for centuries and native to regions of India, Africa, and the Middle East. In recent studies, ashwagandha has demonstrated potent antioxidant effects (11, 12). Studies have also shown it to support healthy brain and immune function (13, 14).

Bacopa (Bacopa monniera): A plant popular in traditional Indian medicine practices for the enhancement of memory and to promote longevity. Preclinical studies have shown it to have antioxidant and adaptogenic effects on the central nervous system (15-17).

Schizandra (Schisandra chinensis): This berry grows as part of a woody vine native to the forests of Northern China and Eastern Russia and has long been used in traditional Chinese medicine. In human studies, schizandra has been reported to increase work accuracy and decrease feelings of fatigue and exhaustion (18).

Want to know more email me or make a comment.

Sources:

5 - Gruenwald J, Brendler T, and Jaenicke C. PDR for Herbal Medicines. Medical Economics Company, Inc. 2000. Montvale, NY.

6 - Engels G, Brinckmann J, Lycium (Goji Berry) Lycium barbarum and L. chinense Family: Solanaceae HerbalGram. 2017, 113: 8-18.

7 - Bucheli P, Gao Q, Redgwell R. Vidal K. Wang J. and Zhang W. Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects of Chinese Wolfberry In: Herbal Medicine: Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects. 2nd edition, Benzie IFF, Wachtel-Galor S, editors. CRC Press/Taylor & Francis, Boca Raton, 2011.

8 - Saluzki D, Smolarz HD. TLC profiling, nutritional and pharmacological properties of Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus) cultivated in Poland, Pak. J. Pharm. Sci. 2016; 29, 1497-1502.

9 - Blumenthal M, Hall T, Goldberg A, Kunz T, Dinda K, Brinckmann J, et al. The ABC Clinical Guide to Herbs. Austin, TX: American Botanical Council; 2003.

10 - Darbinyan V, Kteyan A, Panossian A, et al. Rhodiola rosea in stress induced fatigue–a double blind cross-over study of a standardized extract SHR-5 with a repeated low-dose regimen on the mental performance of healthy physicians during night duty. Phytomedicine 2000;7:365-71.

11 - Jayaprakasam B, Padmanabhan K, Nair MG. Withanamides in Withania somnifera fruit protect PC-12 cells from beta-amyloid responsible for Alzheimer’s disease. Phytother Res 2010;24:859-63.

12 - Auddy B, et al. Standardized Withania somnifera extract significantly reduces stress-related parameters in chronically stressed humans: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study. JANA 2008; 11:50-56.

13 - Ziauddin M, Phansalkar N, Patki P, Diwanay S, Patwardhan B. Studies on the immunomodulatory effects of Ashwagandha. J Ethnopharmacol 1996;50:69-76.

14 - Davis L, Kuttan G. Immunomodulatory activity of Withania somnifera. J Ethnopharmacol 2000;71:193-200.

15 - Uabundit N, Wattanathorn J, Mucimapura S, Ingkaninan K. Cognitive enhancement and neuroprotective effects of Bacopa monnieri in Alzheimer’s disease model. J Ethnopharmacol 2010;127:26-31. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2009.09.056

16 - Morgan A, Stevens J. Does Bacopa monnieri improve memory performance in older persons? Results of a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial. J Altern Complement Med 2010;16:753-9.

17 - Roodenrys S, Booth D, Bulzomi S, Phipps A, Micallef C, Smoker J. Chronic effects of Brahmi (Bacopa monnieri) on human memory. Neuropsychopharmacology 2002;27:279-81.

18 - Aslanyan G, et al. Double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized study of single dose effects of ADAPT-232 on cognitive functions. Phytomedicine 2010.

I am nervous

I do my weekly weigh in tomorrow and I am nervous and excited.  Nervous because I will be 2 lbs from a milestone accomplishment on my road to 50 by 12/31/19.  

I saw myself in the mirror the other day and I saw a flatter stomach, a smaller bottom.  I know I don't have a six pack but I saw flatness in some areas hard to describe.  Not an ab line in the middle but on the sides - is that even possible?  Anyways, there is less stomach or at least I thought there was one morning and I believe it is still true.

I fit in all the clothes I own and some are even way loose.  

So why am I nervous?

What if it is all in my head, what if the scale doesn't show that 2 lb. loss?  I also have to take my measurements for this month and I am pretty confident I have lost more inches but what if I haven't?  Am I overthinking it?  Yes, of course I am.  Why do I weigh in and take measurements tomorrow - because I have to enter my stats for the month of October for my 16 week challenge.  Yes, I know the last day of the month is Wednesday but I just prefer to do it on the last Saturday of the month.

So I am telling myself calm down tiger, you got this and no matter what the scale or measuring tape tell you, you are on the right path.  I will also paraphrase the quote above:  A journey of weight loss begins with one pound and I am doing it!!!

Marco Polo and My Therapy

I love technology and Marco Polo is one of my newest things I have come to appreciate this year.  It is an app that allows you to record a video message to an individual or group.  I have been using it with different friends for over a year but this year it has been therapeutic for me.

As I have been dealing with having interviews only to be told I am too experienced or it was a difficult decision and someone beat me out I have two friends who listen, encourage me, check up on me, and we laugh.  We share our daily struggles ranging from family, business, work, car, dating, husbands, lack of dating, exercise, contagious illnesses, accidents, you get the idea anything.  

I can't imagine how down I would be if these ladies and I were not video messaging weekly.  I am so grateful for their friendship and that they take time from their days to video message me and share a little bit of their life with me.  While we are 1,409 miles apart (20 1/2 hour drive apart) Marco Polo brings us together!  So today when I saw this on social media, I had to share with them and let them know that those videos remove all the stress from my life for a few minutes, and makes me want to take their stress off them.  Love these two sweet friends.

Substitute Teaching

I have always thought I wanted to be a traveling college professor.  You know someone is needed for a semester and you travel to that university and cover for the semester.  Not sure if such a position exists but it does in my retirement plans.  However, I need a masters degree for that and I have always put that to the side so that is on hold. 

I can however do substitute work for elementary, middle, and high school and I am in the middle pay rate since I do have a bachelors degree.  I completed my second week of substitute teaching this week and let me tell you - my respect and admiration for my friends who are teachers has been reinforced. 

I have done two middle school assignments.  One I absolutely enjoyed as I saw kids from my church and that gave me confidence to know I knew people there.  The other was at another nearby middle school and I don't think I will go back there.  It wasn't for teaching but rather to be an aide and I did not like that. 

I have subbed in kinder and that was quite fun.  There was even a kid I knew in the class although I didn't quite recognize him at first he knew, he knew me.  He was a cousin of the friends I spent the day at the Fort Worth Zoo.  It was so funny once we confirmed it.  He apparently went home and told his family and cousins; one of which I saw at my first assignment which was the cool middle school.

I have also done 1st through 4th and it was good.  I think my favorite so far was a bilingual class.  I really felt like I was doing something and teaching and learning.  I also thought my most comfortable environment would be high school, then middle school and last elementary.  Surprise to me, I love elementary school.

Do I want to pursue a teaching credential?  No, not at this time.  Teaching is hard work, it takes a special person and I don't think I am that person. 

3rd Challenge Week 7 of 16

So what happened during week 7?  

• I did 59.6 miles this week in a combination of walking/biking.
• I lost 1.4 lbs which is big as the previous week I lost 6.4 lbs.
• I started the subbing gig - I knew teachers worked hard, underpaid but I think until you just stepped into their world you don't realize how hard it really is. 
• I wrote my goals, my gratitude and drank my water. 
• I head back from a company I interviewed with in Southlake and well I was passed up because she sees a lot of potential of me and the position can't provide that.

I am knocking on the door of 40 and hope to achieve this by November 8.  As you know I had a goal to lose 50 lbs by 3/24 this year but it didn't happen.  I reset my button in May, and I now just want to meet this goal by 12/31/19.  Need to keep pushing ahead.

I feel like I am doing it and people are commenting (not the unfiltered people) but the genuine friends who are encouraging me.  Things I heard this week:

At Work:

     Coworker:     Have you lost weight?  

     Me:              Yes, a little over 30 lbs.

     Coworker:     I can tell, you are looking good.

     Me:              Thank you

In a Text:          You look great

                         Thank you

Now I am not sharing to brag but to show that sometimes people do not say anything but they are watching you, when you make a decision to live a healthy lifestyle.  

How do I feel?  I am happy.  In a time where I am struggling with being unemployed and running out of money, I find comfort in knowing that I am in control of my healthy lifestyle.  I am walking more, riding a bike and while I may not feel like doing it, once I get out there my body loves moving and needs it.

You too, can feel this way.  Make a decision to start with one thing first, it should be realistic and achievable.  Drink a lot of soda? Cut it in half and replace with more water.  Not exercising?  Start walking to the corner of your street.

I am not giving up, I am going to crush my goals and on 12/31 I will reach my goal of being 50 lbs lighter. 

This weeks accomplishment and word of the final quarter of 2019

Every week I do a weigh in on Saturday mornings to keep myself accountable on my physical fitness wellness journey and record the results in a post on a group in FB.  Last week I did not report and guess what I gained 3.8 lbs but that is not the reason I didn't post.  I was in pain last week and I was not able to do my 2 day cleanse and I had some comfort food - gummy bears and ice cream they healed the pain temporarily but I promise you but not worth the 3.8 lbs. The reason I didn't post is because I was moving slowly and I went on to focus on the spiritual side of my wellness journey and watched General Conference.  During the weekend I heard a word a couple of times that no only applies to spiritual but also to my physical and it was validated when I listened to a podcast this morning.  So read on to find out the word.

This week I continued my physical journey and rode a total of 60.74 miles this week on a stationary bike. I was able to do a two day cleanse (even after I learned my monthly nutrition system was delivered in Houston) luckily I had enough items to do my cleanse.  Drumroll.......I not only lost the 3.8 lbs I gained last week but also an additional 2.6 lbs!!!

So I am officially no longer knocking on the door of 30 lbs lost, I have gone through the door and knocking on 40. My weigh in t-shirt is loose and I had to take a picture this morning - wish I had taken one back in May when I decided to focus on my wellness journey. I feel like my goal to reach a 50 lb loss in 2019 is going to happen!!!

Finally I want to just THANK YOU all who have commented, reacted to my posts. I post to hold myself accountable and most important to give someone HOPE (Help One Person Everyday) that they too can do this, the process works but it takes INTENT. So I now not only want to give you HOPE but also INTENT!

Catch My Breath Results in Gratitude

I am a little behind on making some calls, commenting on some comments and updating my blog but that is OK. As I listened to Kelly Clarkson's Catch my Breath the following lyrics stuck with me:

Catch my breath, no one can hold me back, I ain't got time for that. Catch my breath, won't let them get me down, it's all so so simple now

It's all so simple now

Yes, I am going through a rough patch of my life right now. Choosing to resign from my job from the City of Keller was not an easy choice but when it became crystal clear I did not belong there nor was I wanted there, I made the choice that was best for my well being. I had a job lined up but that fell through and guess what as the second week of October is nearing the end and I am still seeking full time employment I can't help but think how grateful I am for this season in my life. Don't get me wrong, my money well is getting dry and as I closed my eyes and flew off my bike last week I thought I have no medical insurance this is going to suck, I am still thankful for what I have learned these past few months.
I have had many tender mercies extended to me. I thought I would be able to afford being unemployed comfortably for six months at the month but wouldn't be for more than three. My car was paid for but guess what? The transmission went out in February and that meant I had to buy a car in April. Tender mercies came my way with people lending me cars and even offering to help me buy a car - I can not even begin to express the gratitude from those individuals that at that time I had known for less than a year. I became resourceful and did side hustles like dog/house sitting, getting a part time job in retail, able to do service, enjoy spending time with my friends that are stay at home mom's, go to the library and check out books and movies, and make friends I may not have made if I was working. My nutrition company supplemented my income surprisingly this year and gave me some unexpected extra cash.

I am sad I will not be with my family next month to celebrate Thanksgiving (as I type it my eyes just tear up and I am crying) but just the same doing the #last90days challenge is helping me see how much I have to be grateful for not just on that day but every day.