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Don't Fear Change!

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Learn to confront the things that you do not like about yourself.   Take a serious look at who you are and the life that you are currently living.   Take an inventory of the things that you like about yourself and your current situation, but pay more attention to the things that you do not like, which are the things that you might consider changing about your life.   It is important that we appreciate the talents, the gifts, and those things that we consider assets.   These are those things that we want others to see in us, yet in order to live a happy, chaos-free life, we must confront the things we do not like and we do not appreciate about ourselves.   Confronting our personal dislikes takes courage, and it takes an openness to change.   Keep in mind that having the courage to change is not always easy…for none of us.   Maintaining an openness to change is not easy either.   Change is at times a difficult thing, but in order to learn and grow as a person, change has to occ
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The Health Benefits of Chia Seeds

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Considered a super food, Chia seeds have been consumed for centuries for their health benefits.  The ancient Aztecs used them to treat sore skin and joint pain.   Chia seeds are the richest plant source of heart-healthy Omega-3 Fatty Acids.   Omega-3’s are also important in terms of lowering bad (LDL) cholesterol.   In fact, 30% of the oil in chia seeds is Omega-3 oil and 40% is Omega-6, which is considered a healthy ratio of Omega-3 to Omega-6 Fatty Acids.   Chia seeds also have high fiber content.   Fiber is important in digestive health and they are also rich in both soluble and insoluble fiber.   Fiber is important in maintaining stable blood sugar levels, which is important in reducing the risk of type-II diabetes.   One ounce of chia seeds provides 42% of the daily recommended amount of fiber (11 grams). Chia seeds are a plant source of complete protein and are high in cancer fighting antioxidants. One ounce of seeds provides us with 10% of the daily recommendatio
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The Health Benefits of Whey Protein

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Whey protein is something that athletes and bodybuilders (in particular) have been using for decades to help with muscle growth and recovery.   There is more and more evidence that adding whey protein to your diet can be of benefit to you, regardless your athletic goals.   I want to share some of the benefits of whey protein that I have been reading about lately.   Whey is a complete protein, meaning it contains all the essential and non-essential amino acids.   To simply explain what amino acids are, think of them as building blocks of the different proteins in our bodies.   There is much debate lately over the amount of protein that we need each day and regardless of how much a person thinks is the right amount, protein is necessary for life.   It is important that we consume high-quality proteins each day in order to function optimally.   As with most nutrients and micronutrients, athletes and those that work out regularly need a slightly higher amount of protein in their di
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Simple Muscle Building Meal

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Very simple and incredibly yummy, combining a quality whey protein powder with Greek yogurt gives you a perfect muscle building, low fat, recovery-promoting snack that is as simple as it gets to prepare.  I love Body Fortress Super Advanced Whey Protein (got to get the Chocolate Peanut Butter flavor) which gives me 30 grams of high quality protein with all essential and non-essential amino acids per scoop (they don't pay me to say that, although I wish they did).  This stuff is around $15 at Wal-Mart and it mixes well with milk, almond milk (my fav) or water.   Adding a scoop to one cup of Greek yogurt gives you close to 50 grams of protein, along with the valuable probiotics in the yogurt and a nice balance of carbs to really jump start recovery after an intense workout.  I like Cabot's Vanilla Bean Greek Yogurt, but there are as many varieties out there as one can imagine.  Some of you guys might prefer the fat-free Greek options available and the plain is almost as yumm
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Easy Steps to Managing Depression Naturally

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Two ways to go about treating and managing mild to moderate depression naturally are among the easiest and healthy things that you can do for yourself.  First, getting an adequate amount of Vitamin D is essential for mood regulation.  Our bodies are capable of producing Vitamin D through sunlight exposure, yet those of us living north of Atlanta, GA can have a difficult time producing enough Vitamin D through sunlight exposure alone.  If this is geographically the case for you, work towards consuming more Vitamin D rich foods (dairy or foods fortified with Vitamin D).  You can also take a Vitamin D supplement, which is recommended by Dr. Andrew Weil, as a means to getting an adequate supply of Vitamin D each day.  His recommendation is to supplement with 2000 IU's of Vitamin D per day.  As always, prior to taking any food or sports supplements, consult with your trusted healthcare practitioner beforehand.  If you are on certain medications, too much sunlight exposure can can
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Ways to Naturally Boost Your Immune System

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Given the current Covid-19 pandemic that we as a planet are facing, the importance of taking steps to increase your body’s natural immunity is more important that ever.   The great news is, there are simple, easy-to-implement steps that you can incorporate into your daily activities that can help your body have its best chance at warding off bacteria, virus, and other disease-causing agents.  Below, I have complied a list of what I personally think are the top 10 ways to naturally improve immune function.   This is not an all-inclusive list, as there are certainly other healthy ways and steps to improve immunity in addition to these ten steps I have listed.   As always, before changing your diet or exercise routines, check with your trusted healthcare provider to make certain it is beneficial for you.   That being said, let’s get to the good stuff! The steps below are in no particular order, but here are my top 10 favorites: (1) Eat an Abundance of Fruits and Vegetables:  
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Should You Use Creatine Supplements?

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Creatine is one of the most widely used sports supplements in the world of athletic competition.   Although bodybuilders and power lifters are primary users of this supplement, athletes from ranging from sprinting to golf can be found using creatine in attempts to increase athletic performance.   Creatine is even used in the treatment of conditions and diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, congestive heart failure, arthritis, high cholesterol, and emotional illnesses including bipolar disorder and depression.   WedMD reports that creatine is also used to assist in slowing the negative effects of ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease). Believe it or not, I am so old that I remember when creatine supplements hit the market back in the 1990’s.   I even did a term paper on creatine monohydrate (the most popular variety of creatine supplements) back in my Exercise Physiology class in undergraduate school!  So what exactly is creatine?   Very simply, it is a compound that is used in energy
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