Day 1: Let Your Feet Breathe
Your Shoe Shape Matters
- Your toes should be able to splay… and YES you should be able to move your pinky toe.
- Start using toe spacers and toe socks to get your toes trained to separate.
- Transition to a wide toe box shoe, so that you can wiggle your toes.
- Allow your foot to move; and use its muscles, tendons and ligaments as it should.
- Try to be barefoot more often, transition to zero drop shoes (minimal cushioning that keeps your heel and front of the foot at the same level).
- Not using arch support allows the foot to flatten and pronate as we move through a normal gait cycle.
- Your feet hurt because you are wearing inches of support when you don’t need to be.
Shoe recommendations; Altras, Vivobarefoot, Xero, Splay, Belenka, Wilding
Day 2: Did you take your Vitamin D today?
Vitamin D plays important roles in bone maturation and health, cell maturation, brain function, hormone balance, immune system function, reproductive health, neuromuscular function, inflammation, mental health, prevention of cancer, blood pressure regulation, weight management, and so much more! That’s right vitamin D is vital in SO MANY functions throughout the body.
According to research, more than half of the population is vitamin D deficient. Many of you have heard that being in the sunlight can help with vitamin D levels in the body. There is truth to that- Vitamin D can be produced in the body through sunlight exposure to the skin and a little help from your liver and kidneys. There are two conversions that happen within the liver and kidneys to create the “active” form of vitamin D that is used for so many of those amazing functions. The first conversion happens in the liver and converts vitamin D to 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], and the second conversion occurs primarily in the kidney; this final conversion results in the physiologically active form, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 1,25(OH)2D. However, it’s nearly impossible to get enough vitamin D to support all of the biological functions and systems in the body that vitamin D is needed for, so supplementing is vital!
Like I mentioned before vitamin D plays a role is so many processes throughout the body including but not limited to neurological function, bone health, immune system function, neuromuscular function, inflammation, and hormone balance. There is research to support vitamin D deficiency and its role in depression and anxiety; studies suggest that supplementation with vitamin D3 reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety due to the nutrient’s role in the production of serotonin and other neuroprotective functions. Vitamin D is considered a ‘neuro-steroid’ and carries out numerous actions in the brain; deficiency has been linked to increased risk of dementia, Alzheimer’s, schizophrenia, and depression. Additionally studies show improved immune system function in people with adequate vitamin D levels. In fact supplementing with vitamin D was shown to reduce colds and flus by 42%. This incredible micronutrient is impactful in so many ways and with close to half the population being deficient it’s important that we not only understand what is at stake when we are deficient but also how we improve our levels and help support our body with necessary nutrients to improve health and function!
Quality vitamin D can be found right here at New Beginnings or through FullScript supplement site. Grab some today and get you and your family on a better road to health with this simple addition!
Day3: Digestive Enzymes
Do you ever feel sluggish, bloated, gassy, just generally uncomfortable after eating? You need to try digestive enzymes! Hands down, Klaire Lab Ther-Biotic Vital-Zymes Chewables need to be in your cabinet. They are safe to take during pregnancy, can be taken multiple times during the day, and kiddos can take them too!
What do digestive enzymes really do?
- Supports the breakdown of fat, proteins, and carbohydrates to encourage normal digestion
- Reduces indigestion, gas, bloating, and general discomfort after eating
- Broad-spectrum digestive enzymes like Klaire Labs’ Vital-Zymes not only offer a comprehensive range of enzymes to help with digestion of foods, but also aids in the absorption and utilization of macronutrients
You can always grab a bottle in office or find them on our supplement store front through FullScript!
Day 4: Sleep
Why is sleep so important? It helps support physical & neurological restoration and repair, it’s important for the function and effectiveness of the immune system, it aids in mood regulation, and SO MUCH MORE! There are some easy things that you can do for you and your family today to support better sleep!
Simple Practices for Better Sleep:
- Turn off your devices with screens at least 1 hour before bedtime
- Lower the temperature of your house to 65 degrees
- Listen to relaxing music or white noise; try thunderstorms, wind, ocean noises, or classical music
- Avoid caffeine in the late afternoon and evening. Replace with water or non-caffeinated beverages like tea
- Diffuse essential oils like lavender or cedar wood
- Upgrade your pillow to support your head and neck (check out our pillow recommendations on our Amazon store front linked here)
- Grab some magnesium cream for your whole family the next time you’re in the office or email us for a link to order our favorite brand!
Sleep well NBC Fam!
Day 5: Thoracic Spine Movement with Dr. Toni
The thoracic spine can be a challenging area to move and stretch. Tension can be held in this area from working at a desk, sitting in class, breastfeeding a baby, or simply holding onto stress. It’s important we keep this area mobile and strong. Here are a few easy at home stretches and mobility moves to give you relief and help you build strength!
Check out our YouTube Channel for videos on different simple movements you can do at home!
Day 6: Stay Hydrated!
Water is VITAL to health and life! If you aren’t getting enough water dehydration can cause issues. What are some basic ways that water helps with?
- Maintains regularity- yes, you poop better when you are well hydrated!
- Flushes out toxins
- Improves weight loss
- Decreases fatigue
- Improves skin health and vibrancy
- Improves immune system function
How much water should you be drinking? The goal should be half your body weight! You got it, if you weigh 150 lbs you should shoot to drink 75 oz of water per day! Eating fruits and vegetables also helps with hydration so make sure you’re eating your fruits and veggies! Try adding lime, lemon, or cucumber to your water. Why? Adding these foods to your water creates “gel water”. Gel water is more hydrating! “It’s unique electrical charge allows our systems to operate more efficiently and it’s absorptive qualities help the body retain water.” Be well!
Day 7: Get your glute moving!
Glute Activation
There are many exercises that can activate glute muscles. This portion of our blog will focus on 3 simple ways that you can incorporate on daily basis either before an activity or just on a regular basis to train you brain to use your glutes more often. Glute UNDER-activation creates imbalance in your pelvis and can contribute to low back pain and compensation in your lower extremities and the rest of your body. Here are 3 easy moves to help train your booty muscles.
- Monster Walks- use a resistance band tied around your knees or ankles, sink into a slight squat with feet shoulder width apart and feel glutes fire. Tap on them if you need to show your brain where they are. Staying in the slight squat, step to the right and then bring left leg back to shoulder width apart, keeping tension on the band. Take 5-10 steps each direction.
- Hip Abduction- use a resistance band around tied around your knees, stand with weight on left leg and lift the right leg backwards and slightly outward while keeping toes pointed forward. Return to neutral and repeat 10x on each leg.
- Glute Clench- seated or standing, clench up every muscle in your butt and hold for 1-2 seconds, then release. Repeat 10x and do as often through your day as you can.
Day 8: Tennis Balls Are Not Just for Tennis!
Looking for an inexpensive way to get to those hard to reach spots on your back? Or having some tension in your forearm or calf muscles? A tennis ball is an easy and inexpensive way to reach and roll out some of those areas– especially for small joints! Tennis balls are also a great tool while you are on the go and traveling. So buy a tennis ball and throw it in your bag or keep it at your house for when you need some extra movement and tension released in your body!
Day 9: Amber Necklaces & Bracelets
Did you know that amber necklaces can help with more than just teething for your tiny human? In addition to their anti-inflammatory properties and ability to soothe colic and reduce drooling, amber necklaces can also benefit many other areas of health! Check them out below!
- Teething relief for babies
- Anti-inflammatory
- Improves sleep quality
- Pain relief
- Migraine relief
- Improves Rheumatoid Arthritis symptoms
- Aids Hay fever and Sinus problem
- Soothes Eczema and Psoriasis
- Remedy for Thyroid problems
- Minimize Anxiety and Fatigue
- Reduces Colic in babies
Day 10: uploading….