Eating for a Healthy Heart

February is National Heart Month – so I visited KUTV’s Fresh Living to talk about my favorite foods and supplements for bolstering heart health. See the segment HERE.

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Choosing the right foods can improve heart health by lowering inflammation, reducing cholesterol, improving blood flow, and boosting energy levels.

Healthy fats can help reduce inflammation (fish, nuts, seeds) – and when you can’t eat enough servings of FATTY fish (salmon, trout, tuna, mackerel, sardines, anchovies, bluefish, etc), then you can supplement with a high-purity high-potency fish oil product like OmMega.

Brightly-colored fruits can help protect heart cells from oxidation (berries, citrus, peppers) – and when you can’t eat enough fresh fruits/veggies, you can get the phytonutrients from 3-servings of fruits/veggies in one serving of GBX SuperFood.

Beans and nuts provide fiber that can help reduce blood sugar levels and reduce cholesterol levels – and when you can’t eat enough of these foods, you can get more fiber and phytonutrients from GBX SeedFiber.

Running Away from SAD (seasonal affective disorder)

Here is a nice piece from Runner’s World where I talk a little about how running (and really any exercise) can help improve neurotransmitter balance and boost mood.

I incorporate precisely this thinking into the Project b3 Program that we recently launched at Amare.

Read the original article at RW – or the pasted version below.

Fight Seasonal Affective Disorder With Winter Running

Though lack of sunlight may be causing you to feel “winter blues,” exercise is proven to help boost your mood.

Hispanic woman jogging on snow covered road

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If the drab weather seems to be affecting your mood, you’re not alone. And, if you tend to feel those “winter blues” year after year, you may be experiencing seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

According to the Cleveland Clinic, SAD is “a depression that occurs each year at the same time, usually starting in fall, worsening in winter, and ending in spring. It is more than just the ‘winter blues’ or ‘cabin fever.’”

Even for normally cheerful runners, these feelings can be common when temperatures drop and you get less exposure to the sun. Although this gloomy state of mind is less severe than SAD, which is a clinical mood disorder, it can still throw you—and your running—into a funk, says John Martinez, M.D., a Woodland, California-based urgent care physician at Dignity Health Medical Foundation.

Fortunately, if you do get moving, research shows that you can outrun those seasonal blahs. While the first few miles may be tough, you are setting yourself to hit those runner highs before spring even arrives if you avoid hibernating and hit the roads (or treadmill). Here’s what you need to know to fight SAD for good.

Lace up for 30 Minutes

It’s simple logic: When you run, you feel good, and you keep at it. When you don’t run, it becomes more difficult to start back up again. The cause behind this phenomenon is simple brain chemistry, says Shawn Talbott, Ph.D., a nutritional biochemist who has completed more than 100 marathons and triathlons.

Exercising for about 30 minutes, three to five times a week, can help relieve depression symptoms, according to the Mayo Clinic. Good news for runners: more vigorous activities (running) may take less time to improve your mood. According to Harvard Health, starting an exercise routine you can maintain—even just getting moving for a few minutes a day—can help improve mood and relieve depression.

Supplement Your Sun

Vitamin D, a fat-soluble vitamin that your skin produces when exposed to sunlight, is more than just a vitamin. It acts like a hormone, which means it affects every tissue in the body, Martinez says.

Plus, research shows that higher levels of vitamin D may lead to lower depressive symptoms. Vitamin D deficiency may cause run-thwarting depression and fatigue, as well as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and osteoporosis.

“You’ll produce up to 20,000 International Units (IU) of vitamin D by being in the sun between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. in the summer,” Martinez says. But in the winter, leaving for work and returning home in the dark means less of this vital vitamin.

Recommended amounts of skin exposure to the sun vary by factors such as skin type, where you live, and season, according to the Vitamin D Council. If you can, get outside during your lunch break—even for just a 10- to 15-minute walk. But in places like Boston, Salt Lake City, or Seattle, exposure to solar ultraviolet rays isn’t strong enough in winter to fuel vitamin D production in skin. In this case, popping a vitamin D supplement in winter can help you avoid deficiencies since you aren’t getting enough naturally.

And diet won’t fill the gap, either, Martinez says. You’ll only get about 120 IU from a glass of fortified milk and an average of around 500 IU from a 3.5 oz serving of salmon, depending on preparation. (For reference: The National Institutes of Health’s recommended dietary allowance of vitamin D is 600 IU of vitamin D daily for adults under 70 and 800 IUs for those over 70.) If you’re feeling depression and fatigue, check with your doctor about adding or increasing your vitamin D supplement.

Maintain Balance

When we’re stressed from missing runs, our cortisol levels increase. Elevated levels of this hormone cause a domino effect in the body, reducing testosterone and interfering with brain neurotransmitter function, resulting in decreased motivation, fatigue, anxiety, and depression.

Luckily, running acts as a natural de-stressor, clearing excess cortisol, bringing testosterone levels back to normal, and rebalancing norepinephrine (a stress hormone), dopamine, and serotonin (feel-good hormones) in the brain.

Check in With Yourself

Do you usually prefer group runs and find yourself making excuses to ditch your training crew or run solo? It may be a result of SAD, especially if you’re experiencing other symptoms of it.

Light therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, or prescribed antidepressants are common treatments if you see a doctor, according to the Cleveland Clinic. (However, if solo miles are always your thing, keep pounding away to keep the winter blues at bay.)

Reframe Your Training

Winter running brings more contingencies to deal with. In order to avoid missing workouts, Sharon Chirban, Ph.D., a Boston-based sports psychologist, recommends having a plan B. You’re usually a morning runner, but the predawn thermometer is stuck at zero—be willing to run in the afternoon instead. If the street is an ice rink, head to the gym and hit the treadmill.

“The key to maintaining a winter routine is mental flexibility,” she says. “It’s essential to have the ability to reframe your workout in order to avoid ditching it.”

The more ways you can keep yourself from quitting or giving in, the easier it will be to stick with a plan.

Find Your Winter Rhythm

The seasons have a biological rhythm, so the way you run in the winter will not be the same way you run in the spring, Chirban says.

“Letting ourselves back off in winter can be restoring.” There is a value in slowing down, as well as in recovery. Substitute a yoga class for one of your weekly runs. Or, cut back your outdoor mileage and add in strength training. There’s also a benefit to embracing what makes winter unique. Immerse yourself in the season—gearing up for a run in the cold, taking on a man-versus-nature mentality can be exciting and rejuvenating, Chirban says.

Try switching things up. “When you hike or snowshoe a snow-covered trail that you usually run, it brings about a fresh perspective,” she says. “If you can find a way to work with winter, not against it, in your training, you’re setting yourself up for a powerful start to the spring running season.”

HIIT is effective and “do-able” for most…

Very nice commentary on a recent study published last year showing that HIIT (high-intensity interval training) – the type of exercise that we recommend as part of the Project b3 Program is not only very effective – but also very easy to adhere to for most people. Read the original article here.

Active Voice: Adherence to HIIT in Free-Living Conditions – Mounting Evidence of Its Potential as a Viable Exercise Option

By Mary E. Jung, Ph.D., and Sean R. Locke, Ph.D.

Viewpoints presented in SMB commentaries reflect opinions of the authors and do not necessarily represent positions or policies of ACSM.

Mary Jung, Ph.D., is an associate professor in the School of Health and Exercise Sciences at the University of British Columbia (UBC), Okanagan Campus in Kelowna, BC. Dr. Jung is a Michael Smith Foundation for Health research scholar and a Canadian Institutes of Health Research Early Career Foundation grant recipient. Her overarching research interests lie in self-regulation of health behaviors, with focus on exercise adherence for the prevention of Type 2 diabetes. She directs the Diabetes Prevention Research Group at UBC Okanagan. Dr. Jung also is a member of ACSM.

Sean Locke, Ph.D., is a postdoctoral fellow in the School of Health and Exercise Sciences at the University of British Columbia, Okanagan Campus. Dr. Locke is a Diabetes Canada postdoctoral fellow and Michael Smith Foundation for Health research postdoctoral fellow recipient. His research broadly examines techniques for optimizing health behavior interventions. More specifically, he examines counseling methods for modifying the unhelpful lens through which some view diet and exercise.

This commentary presents Dr. Jung’s and Dr. Locke’s views on the topic of the research article they co-authored with other colleagues. Their article appeared in the October 2018 issue of Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise® (MSSE).

There’s no denying that Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a global epidemic associated with tremendous societal, economic and personal costs. Significant efforts are being made to identify individuals at high risk of T2D and mitigate that risk. Regular physical activity, along with a healthy diet, have been shown to prevent or delay the onset of T2D, yet very few adults maintain enough regular physical activity to reduce the risk of developing T2D.

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) has consistently been shown to lead to cardiometabolic improvements that are equal to, if not superior to, results achieved through moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT). Thus, HIIT may be a viable option for T2D risk reduction. Despite the appealing time-efficient nature of HIIT and the associated positive health adaptations, the utilization of HIIT as a public health strategy is not without its critics. Opponents argue that HIIT is inappropriate for adults who are sedentary or those at increased risk of chronic disease. In addition, some opponents criticize HIIT for being too intense and leading individuals to feelings of negative affect that will undermine competence and adherence.

However, recent research has cast doubt on critics’ arguments. For example, inactive adults have reported comparable exercise enjoyment and confidence about their willingness to engage in both HIIT and MICT after completing a single bout of HIIT. A recent scoping review comparing HIIT and MICT also has concluded that HIIT is a viable exercise option.

HIIT, in short, is repeated bouts of vigorous intensity exercise separated by periods of active recovery at low intensities. HIIT can be performed without specialized equipment and does not require extensive recovery between intervals. Home-based prescriptions are simple to remember and administer, e.g., “one-minute on, one-minute off” or “power walk to the lamppost, then walk casually to the next lamppost.”

The primary purpose of our study, as described in the October 2018 issue of MSSE, was to pilot test the Small Steps for Big Changes intervention framework for lowering T2D risk factors. Our aim was to examine the impact of HIIT versus MICT for promoting physical activity adherence 24 weeks following the exercise intervention. We hypothesized that exposure to HIIT would lead to greater objectively measured moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) behavior 24-weeks post-intervention, when compared to MICT. A secondary purpose was to examine the differential impact of engaging in HIIT or MICT on cardiorespiratory fitness and psychosocial outcomes.

We randomized 32 low-active adults at elevated risk for developing T2D to HIIT (n=15) or MICT (n=17) conditions. The brief, low-cost intervention consisted of seven exercise sessions accompanied by 10 minutes of counseling at each supervised session, over a two-week period. We designed the counseling sessions to leverage the power of evidence-based behavior- change techniques known to promote physical activity engagement and self-management in this population.

Twenty-four weeks following the two-week intervention, those randomized to HIIT increased their MVPA by 53 minutes compared to an increase of 19 minutes for those in MICT. Greater increases in cardiorespiratory fitness were observed for those in the HIIT group. Both groups increased their self-efficacy to engage in and manage their exercise following the intervention; however, these levels returned to baseline 24 weeks later.

The magnitude of effects observed in this study provide enough justification for conducting a fully powered randomized control trial with a long-term follow-up period to examine the impact of the Small Steps for Big Changes intervention on clinically meaningful endpoints for T2D risk reduction, e.g., HbA1c.

This study adds to the mounting evidence suggesting that individuals can and do adhere to HIIT, making it a viable option for disease prevention and health promotion.

Amare Mental Wellness in NYC – Jan 24

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New York, We’ll See You Soon!
Date: Thursday, January 24
Time: 7 PM-9 PM
Location: W New York Union Square
201 Park Ave S
New York, NY
Register Now
Your mental health is not just in your head ― it’s in your gut too! Join us at our Winter Rise Tour event to learn more!
We’ve developed the world’s first award-winning gut-brain axis nutrition system to help people optimize their mental wellness. Join us at one of the local events listed below to find out more and see how you can take yourself to a higher level of mental and physical performance.
Amare Event Benefits (image)
Featured Speaker
Dr. Shawn Talbott
Chief Science Officer
Founding Executive
7 PM-9 PM
Introduction to Amare

(Guests Welcome!)
Register Now
There is NO greater wealth than peace of mind!
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Copyright © 2019 Amare Global, All rights reserved.
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Our mailing address is:

Amare Global

17872 Gillette Ave
Suite 100

Irvine, CA 92614

Amare Winter Tour Slides

Here is the slide deck that I’ll be using in the next round of seminars for our Amare Winter Tour – where I’ll be talking about different aspects of microbiome modulation, gut-brain-axis optimization, and improvement of mental wellness.

talbott product winter tour

 

Amare Home Office Mental Wellness Event – Newport Beach, CA

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Join Us in Southern California for Our Home Office Event on Saturday, Jan. 19!

We’ve developed the world’s first award-winning gut-brain axis nutrition system to help people optimize their mental wellness. Join us at our Home Office event to find out more and see how you can take yourself to a higher level of mental and physical performance.

Register Now
Event Update! We’ve exceeded our expectations on attendance for this event and will be relocating to the Newport Beach Marriott Hotel and Spa.

Home Office tours and product sales will still be taking place at the Amare headquarters at the end of the day (4 p.m.). We will provide bus transportation from the hotel for everyone who would like to tour the Home Office.

Date: Saturday, January 19
Time: 10 AM-4 PM
Location: Newport Beach Marriott Hotel and Spa
900 Newport Center Dr.
Newport Beach, CA 92660
Register Now
Featured Speakers
Hiep Tran
Chief Executive Officer
Founder
Dr. Shawn Talbott
Chief Science Officer
Founding Executive
Rich Higbee
President of Sales
Founding Executive
Mike Brown
Chief Marketing Officer
Founding Executive
Pat Hintze
Founding Wellness Partner
Join us to learn:
  • More about our holistic mental wellness platform of products, programs and community
  • Why the nutrition industry just named us 2018’s Best New Finished Product and nominated us for Start-Up of the Year
  • What you can do to help manage stress, occasional anxiety and feelings of depression holistically and naturally
  • How financial health is crucial to your mental health and how Amare’s unique business model can help you thrive financially
  • About our newest product lines — a gut-brain-axis line of foods designed to boost the microbiome in your gut; and a children’s line designed to help kids and teenagers naturally manage stress, occasional anxiety, feelings of depression and improve cognitive performance
We Can’t Wait to See You at Our Home Office Event on Saturday, January 19!
Register Now
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Copyright © 2019 Amare Global, All rights reserved.
list is uploaded via api

Our mailing address is:

Amare Global

17872 Gillette Ave
Suite 100

Irvine, CA 92614

‘Largest’ microbiome study weighs in on our gut health and MENTAL Wellness

‘The largest crowd-sourced’ project to ever have studied the human microbiome has published its first results. They drop new clues about our gut health.
— Read on www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321821.php

…people who reported mental health issues had more bacteria in common with other people who reported similar problems than they did with the controls.

Amare in Salt Lake City!

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Salt Lake City, We’ll See You Soon!
Date: Tuesday, January 8
Time: 7 PM-9 PM
Location: The Falls Event Center, Salt Lake City
(Located in Trolley Square)
580 S 600 E
Salt Lake City, UT
Register Now
Your mental health is not just in your head ― it’s in your gut too! Join us at our Winter Rise Tour event to learn more!
We’ve developed the world’s first award-winning gut-brain axis nutrition system to help people optimize their mental wellness. Join us at one of the local events listed below to find out more and see how you can take yourself to a higher level of mental and physical performance.
Amare Event Benefits (image)
Featured Speakers
Dr. Shawn Talbott (image)
Dr. Shawn Talbott
Chief Science Officer
Founding Executive
Rich Higbee (image)
Rich Higbee
President of Sales
Founding Executive
7 PM-9 PM
Introduction to Amare

(Guests Welcome!)
Register Now
There is NO greater wealth than peace of mind!
Amare Global Logo (image)
Copyright © 2019 Amare Global, All rights reserved.
list is uploaded via api

Our mailing address is:

Amare Global

17872 Gillette Ave
Suite 100

Irvine, CA 92614

Project b3 is coming!

Start the New Year Off Right — Introducing Project b3!
A new year, a fresh start! No, this is not another New Year’s resolution or a new diet gimmick. This is Project b3. A new Amare lifestyle system that will elevate your health to the next level.
Project b3 is a simple wellness program created by our Chief Science Officer Dr. Shawn Talbott’s passion for everyone to live a healthier, happier life. This innovative program utilizes the body, brain and biome to optimize one’s mental wellness and physical health.
LEARN MORE
Body. Brain. Biome. Project b3. (image)
A fit body begins with mental wellness, and the key to a healthy brain is the gut microbiome. Body. Brain. Biome. Project b3. The holistic solution to a healthier well-being.
Body (image)
We all know what we put in our body is important, but did you know we’ve been thinking about stress eating, cravings and metabolism all wrong? READ MORE
Brain (image)
Thanks to science, we’ve discovered our body issues are actually related to our brain, not just our body. READ MORE
Biome (image)
The biome — our gut health — is the primary aspect that influences our body issues. Body. Brain. Biome. The connection between them is why we created this specific system. READ MORE

Welcome to Project b3.

A fit body begins with mental wellness, and the key to a healthy brain is the gut microbiome.

Body.

Brain.

Biome.

Project b3.

The holistic solution to a healthier well-being.

https://www.amare.com/corporate/Projectb3

http://blog.amare.com/project-b3/

 

Amare in Rock Springs WY…

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Rock Springs, We’ll See You Soon!
Date: Wednesday, January 9
Time: 7 PM-9 PM
Location: Holiday Inn
1675 Sunset Drive
Rock Springs, WY
Register Now
Your mental health is not just in your head ― it’s in your gut too! Join us at our Winter Rise Tour event to learn more!
We’ve developed the world’s first award-winning gut-brain axis nutrition system to help people optimize their mental wellness. Join us at one of the local events listed below to find out more and see how you can take yourself to a higher level of mental and physical performance.
Amare Event Benefits (image)
Featured Speaker
Pat Hintze
Founding Wellness Partner
7 PM-9 PM
Introduction to Amare

(Guests Welcome!)
Register Now
There is NO greater wealth than peace of mind!
Amare Global Logo (image)
Copyright © 2019 Amare Global, All rights reserved.
list is uploaded via api

Our mailing address is:

Amare Global

17872 Gillette Ave
Suite 100

Irvine, CA 92614