Tough Cookie

For the last month I have been laser focused on healing my body. I haven't necessarily been ill or terribly injured. I had just been feeling...not awesome. Not being awesome had me a bit concerned...because clearly it should just come naturally so obviously something was off.

My workouts were BAD. Really really. Not only did my body hurt abnormally during and after a workout but I hurt ALL DAY LONG...and all night long for that matter. I just kept thinking, "Why am I working out when all it does is make me not feel good all day and keeps me from sleeping at night? That can't be healthy." And it wasn't.

I had started squeezing in fitness just to get it in and get it done in hopes that it would help with my stress levels. I was running to pound out stress without focusing on my body positioning and quickly developed terrible shin splints that I refused to allow to heal because I craved the stress relief from the run and would ignore the pain until I was limping down Stonewall Street. In the midst of constantly ignoring my shin pain I managed to strain my IT band because I run like a little wonky duck. I ignored this pain too. DUMB.

I was also looking forward to my evening glass of wine too much. My relaxing glass of wine would easily turn into two or sometimes three. And if I wasn't enjoying a glass of wine I was drinking coffee. I would drink coffee from the moment I woke up until my workout, drink one bottle of water, and then pour my first glass of wine while I started on dinner. I don't know how I didn't die from dehydration!!!

Even though I was eating all the right foods I was NOT dealing with stress well. It is not okay to push my body to injury to beat away the stress or to drown my exhaustion in alcohol and caffeine. Something had to change. I needed to heal. So I took a step back and stopped working out all together. I stopped the wine. I eliminated the coffee...haha! Just kidding!!! I limited the coffee. I started looking for healthier stress relieving options which included more sleep (go figure), less juggling, and some really amazing adrenal healing supplements. I have a feeling I'm not the only one that hasn't dealt with stress in a healthy way so I want to share my discovery of RHODIOLA.

This plant, Rhodiola rosea is a tough cookie...well obviously it isn't a cookie, it's a plant but wouldn't that be cool if it was a cookie, a healthy cookie? Mmmmmm...cooooookies.... ANYWAYS... It grows in a really harsh environment and because of that environment it has compounds considered adaptogens that create resistance against outside stressors. Supplementing with rhodiola makes us tough (and healthy) cookies too and here's how:

1. Rhodiola protects our bodies in times of stress...so like all of the time. When our body is under stress our adrenal glands secrete hormones such as the belly fat storing cortisol. Rhodiola regulates serotonion, norepinephrine, and feel-good opioids and therefore decreases the release of cortisol and restores balance between your body's pull between the fight or flight response and the parasympathetic cool down response. WE WANT BALANCE. This results in a calming effect.

2. Rhodiola increases our bodies ability to carry oxygen in our red blood cells which therefore increases our energy. This is especially helpful during times of stress or intense workout when we do not take in full breaths.

3. Our exercise endurance levels are increased when taking rhodiola by stimulating our bodies' ability for energy recovery through ATP (adenosine triphophate). In two separate studies with rats (I know, they are gross but for some reason scientist love them), they had the rodents perform a swim test which is both mentally and physically draining. The rodents that had recieved rhodiola were able to swim 25% longer before becoming exhausted.

4. Rhodiola can improve sleep, boost your mood and relieve anxiety. This results in more happiness for you and everyone around you. Colors will be brighter, food will taste better, birds will be singing, woodland creatures will help you get dressed in the mornings and taxes will cease to exist. Okay...so maybe not, but it does increase the sensitivity of neurons to dopamine and serotonin which will have you feeling all kinds of loveliness.

5. This is the one you've been waiting for....Rhodiola burns belly fat. Yep, it's the magic pill you've been looking for your whole life. It works by turning on an enzyme called hormone-sensitive lipase which allows your body to access and use the fat stored around your midsection. So yeah...I'll make sure we have plenty in stock at the Sunshine Shoppe.

I see I've gotten your attention. This is definitely one herb worth checking into. I think we could all use a little help in the stress department and rhodiola is a much better option rather than tearing up your body or drinking your carbs.