Life & Health Hacks to Complement Your Psychotherapy Journey
Change can be difficult, but shouldn't be overwhelming. The suggestions* in here are meant for you to see what looks interesting, what feels doable to try and are NOT a rigid or perfectionistic template for you to follow completely. These suggestions come from my training as a Certified Functional Nutritionist and should not replace whatever you’ve discussed with a doctor.
If your poop, blood sugar or sleep is disturbed (the three physiological roots of many disorders), your physiological foundation is unsteady for psychological changes. Here are some quick tips to help support your physiology:
Blood Sugar
If you struggle with mood, fatigue, cravings, or hormone balance, blood sugar is likely one factor to manage.
Eat fiber, protein and supportive fats (avocado, uncooked olive oil, coconut, nuts, etc) every time you eat.
This will regulate your poop as well. Poop should be fully formed, but soft and easy to pass (once to three times per day). Check out Bristol Stool Chart
You can reduce intake of simple carbohydrates from overly processed foods, like sodas, desserts, packaged food and white starches (potatoes, rice, pastas, breads, etc)
Meal Delivery Services
If you are too busy to meal prep and avoid fast food or overly processed food, you can start with some prepared meal services (which typically cost $8-12 per meal and often are cheaper than much fast food), such as:
Sleep
3-2-1 Rule: No food 3 hours before bed (so your body can detox instead of digest), No water 2 hours before bed (so you don't wake up to pee) and no screens 1 hour before bed (so your brain's melatonin can produce and make you sleepy)
if you struggle with hunger before bed, eat a little protein and/or fat to tide you over, such as a tsp of nut butter, a slice of cheese or turkey to carry you through the night. The idea is to manage your blood sugar without taxing your intestines.
stop caffeine use by noon/1pm and limit to 1-2 servings per day (people like dandelion tea or chicory root as a non-caffeinated substitute). Also, yerba maté is a good caffeinated substitute for coffee that has amino acids to build healthy neurotransmitters.
Sleep Hygiene: Develop little routines/rituals that signal your brain for sleepy time: brush teeth, floss, wash face, turn down sheets, turn off electronics, switch to dim lighting, take magnesium or drink decaf tea, etc.
Get Rid of Light: Invest in some light-blocking curtains, unplug any light emitting from electronics or don’t have them in the bedroom
blue light blocking glasses and programs for screens can be helpful
Comfort: Make sure your bed and room is comfortably cool if you tend to have night sweats or wake up from heat or close the windows and turn off overhead fans if you get drafty. A good pillow to support your neck also ensures comfort.
Water
Divide your weight in pounds by 2 and that's how many ounces you should drink daily
Ex: 150 lbs/2 = 75 ounces per day, or a little over a half a gallon of water (1 gallon = 128oz)
Make sure the water is clean and filtered. There are tons of chemicals, metals, protozoa, etc in tap water
Movement
If you're stressed, you have to find the right movement for your body that isn't going to be perceived as stress by your body (which will create more cortisol and fatigue). 5 days per week, select a combo of weight bearing and/or low intensity movement
Weight bearing exercise — 3-5 exercises of 10-12 reps each; repeat for 3-4 cycles per workout
Low-Intensity Movement, such as yin yoga, pilates, barre, walking for 30 mins.
Save HIIT, Spin, CrossFit, etc for when you've got your blood sugar and stress managed, or limit to 1-2 times per week.
Mindset/Resourcing
Box Breathing
Mindfulness/Meditation
Attitude of Gratitude Journaling
Engage in things that calm down panic/anxiety and pull you into your body from spacing out. You know they're working if you do a body scan before and after and you feel less tension/pain and/or are more aware of sensations than when you started.
Schedule Management: time and the organization, or lack of organization, can be a huge stressor. Some jobs make it feel like you don’t have control of your time. However, YOU are your biggest asset, so if you’re not healthy, no one gets the best of you. Prioritize the things you value most first in the day if you can.
From Adam Grant: Studies show that people who exercise before work feel more confidant and energized.
Take time to do some of these suggestions in the morning and make time for loved ones and sleep routines
Block out transition times, rest times, friend and family times, and even unexpected events time on your calendar and, if something pops up unexpectedly, rearrange your calendar and take flex time where you can.
Finances: if you struggle with finances, whether it’s: impulsive spending, not having enough, struggling to ask for a raise or go for that job or promotion you’ve been wanting, always feeling guilty if you have more than your family or friends, falling prey to giving to people when you don’t have it, etc, this is something worth talking to a professional about. We can do that from a psychological or health coaching perspective, or you can seek advise from a financial advisor, spiritual counselor, etc.
Supplements
We often don’t get the nutrients we need from the foods we typically eat.
*Check with Your Doc, but most people benefit from the following base supplements for stress management:
Magnesium (Start low and gradually increase. If you reach runny stool, back off a bit). Stress eats this up. Calcium goes well with this and there are plenty of cal-mag supplements out there.
D3, my favorite is from Superior Source (you can overdose on this, but most people are low) — boosts immunity and bones
If you struggle with seasonal affective disorder (SAD), this is crucial. Have your Vitamin D levels checked.
Happy Lights can be another great support and cost on average around $40
Omega 3 Fish Oils (my favorite is Nordic Naturals) — reduces inflammation and the bad cholesterol
Probiotics - creates a happy environment for your gut microbiome, increasing neurotransmitter health. They feed off prebiotics, which is basically fiber, so eat fiber, and they get destroyed by too much sugar.
MultiVitamin - So your body has all its building blocks
A good Vitamin B-Complex (can get in multivitamin). These get eaten by stress, too.
If you are a sensitive human (low tolerance for chemicals and substances) you may have some methylation mutations in your MTHFR, in which case, you'll want Methylated B's (5-MTHF). You can ask your PCP to check your MTHFR if you're unsure. You may also benefit from SAMe, which supports methylation (detox) and boosts serotonin. Again, check with your doc.
Turmeric (Activated with Black Pepper) — reduces inflammation and pain
** Try to order directly from the brand. DON'T order from large warehouses, such as Amazon, because they won't follow standards to keep them out of the heat and can't guarantee quality.
Toxins & Illnesses
You can do a lot of the above, but if you're swimming in a pool of things that are toxic to YOU, you won't be receiving the maximum benefit. Be on the lookout for exposures such as:
molds, mildews, radon, dust mites and the like
toxic work environments (chemicals AND psycho-emotional)
toxic relationships
food allergens and sensitivities
untreated illnesses, viruses, conditions (if you don’t have insurance, but want to get lab testing, ask me about FunctionHealth as a resource)
substance abuses — while substance abuse may help one feel good in the moment, they act to poison the body and don’t solve problems. In fact, they often create more. If you think you struggle with substance abuse, talk to a professional.
*I’m a graduate of Full Body Systems at Functional Nutrition Labs, Class of 2014
