We are back with another value-filled episode for you today where we chat about all things calcium - how much of it do we need, is it vital for our health, and more. Many of us have heard the good old doctor's note (pun intended): Have more calcium, it's good for your bones and teeth. And there is truth to that. Too little of it, and you can have low bone mineral density which then results in health conditions such as osteoporosis. Also, calcium is beneficial to our nervous system function, helps with healthy blood vessel function, hormone release, and also helps alleviate premenstrual syndrome (PMS) such as mood swings, fatigue, headaches, and acne. Tons of power jampacked into one mineral.

Here are a few takeaways from today's episode:

1. Did you know, as kids, our bones are at their peak of rapid growth? That is why they heal so quickly - and well- from fractures as compared to older adults. By around 18 or 19 years old, we’ve reached about 95% of our peak bone mass. We continue to build some bone in our 20s - and most people will reach their peak bone mass between the ages of 25 and 30.

2. Most adults in the U.S. lose about 0.5% of bone mass each year after the age of forty. Women typically lose bone mass drastically during menopause, when bone-protecting levels of Estrogen drop. Chronic bone loss leads to low bone mineral density and the deterioration of bone tissue – otherwise known as osteoporosis. Because of this condition, at least one in three women and one in five men will suffer an osteoporotic fracture during their lifetime. The disease is referred to as the "silent thief," because it is often not until a person falls and breaks a bone that patients and their physicians become aware of weakening bones.

3. The amount of calcium you need each day depends on your age. The typical requirement for most adults is 1,000 mg per day, 1300mg per day for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

4. Foods that are a good source of calcium include dairy products, kale, broccoli, and bok choy, fish such as perch, trout, sardines, and salmon, fortified grains, legumes, tofu, molasses, okra, sesame seeds, and rhubarb to name a few.

5. How else to maintain healthy bone density? By ensuring you are also consuming ample vitamin D, getting a good amount of physical activity that also includes weight training, reduce your caffeine intake, and consume foods rich in phytonutrients and antioxidants, healthy fats.

Let's keep those bones strong and smiles bright! Loved this episode? Share your takeaways and a screenshot of this episode & tag us @_healthhasnofinishline along with the hashtag #healthhasnofinishlinepodcast.⁠⁠

This week on the podcast, we talk about fat... the saturated kind. You know, I used to avoid full-fat cheese. I'd opt for reduced-fat cheddar cheese. Skim Cheese. But the unaltered stuff - especially paneer (cottage cheese) - was a big NO for me. In my mind, I heard the voices of everyone around me, including our beloved television, say, "Fatty foods cause weight gain..." To make matters worse, my family would deep-fry cubed paneer! I got so many I eventually learned that not all fats are "bad" for you because it's the quality of fats that matters most. 

Here are a few key takeaways from today's episode"

1. Cottage cheese (paneer) has close to about 6 grams of protein per serving and made up of saturated fat (more than 20% of the recommended daily value).

2. You need saturated fats - research shows that in a diet that is not packed with processed carbs and added sugars, saturated fat if balanced with adequate omega 3 fat consumption, has very little association with heart disease.

3. Some fats do raise cholesterol, whereas others lower it. Saturated fat does raise the LDL or bad cholesterol, but it also raises the good or HDL cholesterol. And sugar lowers HDL cholesterol. So in terms of fats raising your cholesterol and leading to heart attacks, its a total picture and the ratio of total to LDL cholesterol that impacts it.

4. For my meat lovers in the house, you can get good quality saturated fats from beef - if it is grass-fed. It is made of about 40% saturated fat and contains more stearic acid, which has been found to lower LDL cholesterol. Moderate consumption is key because contains lower amounts of palmitic acid and myristic acid, which can potentially raise cholesterol.

5. Consumption of saturated fat— from healthy sources like coconut oil—their “good” HDL cholesterol increases and their “bad” LDL decreases. Saturated fat in foods like extra virgin coconut butter fuels your mitochondria and provides anti-inflammatory benefits.

6. One study published in JAMA Internal Medicine in 2014 found, even accounting for other risk factors, that those with the highest sugar intake had a four-fold increase in their risk of heart attacks compared to those with the lowest intakes.

So to sum up - Don’t be afraid of fats, especially saturated fat. Take advantage of healthier sources of saturated fat like coconut oil, grass-fed beef, and butter, free-range organic eggs. Oh, and that paneer? Cube it up - but don’t fry it - and combine it into your favorite dish.

Don't be afraid of consuming healthy fats. They nourish your brain, skin, nails, hair, and overall hormone health! And they are more beneficial than you think. Loved this episode? Share your takeaways and a screenshot of this episode & tag us @_healthhasnofinishline along with the hashtag #healthhasnofinishlinepodcast.⁠⁠

Got Milk? Or so the ad goes. "It's good for you! Want strong bones and teeth? Drink milk. It does a body good!" That adage is almost losing it's meaning since nowadays, the grocery store dairy section is not only filled with cow's milks, but a gazillion alternatives to milk. I thought I had seen it all - until I recently saw Banana Milk! For real!

Now before we get into the alternatives themselves, I’m going to give you a little history behind MILK. Drinking milk is quite a new habit. Almost 10,000 years ago or so, hardly anybody drank milk, and if they did so, it was occasionally. The first people to drink milk regularly were early farmers and pastoralists in Western Europe – some of the first humans to live with domesticated animals, including cows. Today, drinking milk is common practice in northern Europe, North America, and a patchwork of other places.

Here are some key takeaways from today's episode:

1. The human digestive system isn't designed to digest cow's milk. It is designed for the digestive system of cattle, which is nothing like our own system (for example, cows have multiple stomachs), and can easily digest complex compounds like lactose. Around two-thirds of the planet has a reduced ability to digest lactose after infancy (though that figure is much lower for people of European ancestry).

2. Did you know fresh cow milk is yellow in color? The white color we see is a result of pasteurization (thank you, French scientist, Louis Pasteur!). Pasteurization is a lifesaver, but you do lose nutrients such as good bacteria when you heat milk to just below boiling point and rapidly cool it. Standardizing milk (mix it with milk from other cows, other dairies) and homogenizing it – to remove surplus fat, sugars, and protein that are over the minimum specification – alters its nature.

3. Most families choose milk alternatives for personal reasons - diet preferences, allergies, or food intolerances to various dairy items. Some families simply don’t like the taste of cow’s milk. Whatever the reason, alterna-milks are just that - alternatives. They are not nutritional replacements for a typical glass of cow’s milk.

4. All alterna-milks need to be supplemented with vitamins and minerals to come close to the nutrition provided by cow’s milk. Since all companies supplement differently, label reading is very important. IMPORTANT: Look for the key ingredients of fat, calcium, vitamin D, iron, and vitamin B12 in all of these products. AND PARENTS, REMEMBER, none of these milk alternatives provide complete nutrition for infants, and should never replace breast milk or infant formula for children 0-12 months.

5. Plant-based alternatives include milk made from seeds, grains, and nuts such as flaxseed, hemp seed, macadamia nut milk, almond milk, cashew milk, pea protein milk, coconut milk, oat milk, rice milk, soy milk to name a few. Animal-based milk alternatives include kefir (fermented, cultured dairy product from cows, sheep, or goats), goat milk, sheep milk... and in some cases, donkey milk and camel milk! 

6. Yes, you can drink chocolate milk post-workout especially if you exercise regularly! Compared to plain milk, water, or most sports drinks, it has double the carbohydrate and protein content, perfect for replenishing tired muscles. Its high water content replaces fluids lost as sweat, preventing dehydration. Plus it packs a nutritional bonus of calcium and includes just a little sodium and sugar-additives that help recovering athletes retain water and regain energy.

Loved today's episode? Subscribe, rate, and review! Screenshot + share to IG stories and tag us @_healthhasnofinishline and let us know what has been your experience with dairy so far? We'd love to know!

Welcome back everyone to your weekly dose of health, wellness, and inspiration. This week, we are talking about uncertainty - it is a part of life and cannot be avoided. However, we can choose how we navigate uncertainty by finding a protector from stress and a generator of positive energy within the very uncertainty that plagues us. So how can we be in the moment and avoid getting pulled into the worries of the past, present, or future? Here are some key takeaways from today's episode:

1. Identify and understand your emotions. What do you feel? Express all of it - positive and negative. Expressing your emotions in a healthy way makes a big difference in the way you feel. Avoid the urge to resist or suppress your emotions - this can cause you to express emotions in unhealthy ways. Pause, breathe, and reflect upon your feelings and find resilience—think about situations where you have tapped into your positive emotions and handled life’s ups and downs.

2. Become aware of yourself, your thoughts and feelings, and those of others. It is key to understanding yourself and others. Awareness gives you perspective and you can choose to shift into positivity and gratitude even in the most challenging and uncertain situations. 

3. Be intentional with your expression, your focus, your thoughts. You can shift from one emotional state to the next. For instance, if you're feeling envious, how can you appreciate what you do have in your life? If you're feeling fear and doubt, can you remind yourself of a time in your life where you felt confident in a similar situation? If you are feeling frustrated toward someone or about a particular situation, can you focus on at least one positive thing?

I hope you’ve learned some valuable ways to shift your state of mind, embrace all your emotions and express them in a healthy way. Stress and uncertainty is a part of daily life, there is no running away from it. However, when we learn how to tap into the root of the underlying emotions that we're feeling and why they surface, we are better equipped to care for ourselves and our loved ones. Share your takeaways, along with a screenshot of this episode, to IG stories, with the hashtag #healthhasnofinishlinepodcast, and don’t forget to tag me @_healthhasnofinishline. And, I’d love it if you could help us spread the word about the podcast and help it grow - this month we reached 1000 downloads! Head to Apple Podcasts and subscribe, rate and review to help more listeners like yourself hear our message! See you next week!

Let's talk projection. A lot of us deal with this and often don't have the first clue on how to navigate these situations with grace, assertiveness, and firm boundaries. Not too long ago, I was met with an uncomfortable situation that A LOT OF WOMEN (and men) deal with. A client in the workplace made an uncalled-for remark -  about my physical appearance. It came out of nowhere and left me feeling fairly annoyed. Later when I vented to a friend about it, she reminded me of something important (but unfortunate) that was happening: This woman was projecting her own insecurities onto me.

In today's episode, we talk about projection, what it is, why we do it, and how to navigate it in a healthy and kind manner. Simply defined, projection is a psychological defense mechanism in which individuals attribute characteristics they find unacceptable in themselves to another person. This can come from both those very close to us and anyone we rarely interact with. And we often project our feelings onto others to rid ourselves of unwanted thoughts and feelings.

What does this mean? If you typically tend to project your thoughts and feelings onto others, your behavior relates to the unconscious transfer of your own desires or emotions to another person. Projections can create a sense of confusion. 

Below are some key takeaways to remember the next time you're in a similar situation or perhaps when you're the one doing the projecting:

Loved this episode? Share your biggest takeaways with me on IG @_healthhasnofinishline and tag us! Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Until next week!

Welcome back, everyone! As we continue the conversation during Mental Health Awareness Month, I want to start today's episode with a mindset reframe and shift: Our mental health is just as important as our physical health. It is part of self-care. It is not selfish to take care of YOU inside out.  There are certain rituals that I have made a part of my day which continue to give me strength and help me cope with stress and any unexpected curveballs that come my way. Now I will add, along with these rituals, I have been regularly receiving therapy once weekly since December 2020.

In today's episode, I share the 10 habits that I developed that have helped me stay in peak emotional health this year: 

Develop a consistent morning routine. Be it exercise, journaling, reflection, having a cup of water, eating a healthy breakfast, and reading a few pages of personal development, whatever your morning routine looks like, find 1-2 things that you do solely for yourself to fill your emotional cup before you start your day and pour into others.

Prioritize sleep, and go to sleep EARLIER when you can. I know this can be hard when you're raising kids or work a job with irregular hours. So if uninterrupted sleep for 7-8 hours each night isn't possible, prioritize some down time or a nap instead of completing chores around the house, especially when you have a few hours off or when your kids are sleeping or napping.  

Letting go of “things” attached to memories. Too often we collect things because they symbolize a phase in our life -- clothes, gifts, kid’s clothes...the list goes on. For me, holding onto these things not only took up physical space in my closet and home, but it felt impossible to celebrate the present moment... the here and NOW. 

WALK instead of drive as much as possible. When we engage in a mindful walk, we can engage our senses, come back to the present moment (PSA, please don't walk and text at the same time). Also, it boosts our endorphins and can act as a good workout. So get those steps in!

Make time for PLAY. Fairly straightforward, I know. but when was the last time you truly laughed and played? So start today!

Say NO to small talk. It's draining and not soul-fuelling. Instead of asking "What do you do for work?" engage in genuine, deeper dialogue. Ask them about their fave moment, or what they do for fun?

Make time to feel your emotions. Because if you don't, they will sneak up on you and affect everything within your life. Feel it to heal it is my motto.

I stopped saying “I’m sorry.” Apologize if you're genuinely wrong about something. Stop apologizing for who you are or what makes you, YOU.

I learned to delegate. From tasks in business to house chores, meal prep, and cooking, it has been the best investment in my self-care.

I learned to drop the word “Just” from so many things. Stop shrinking yourself to fit in. You're worthy AF of it all. Claim it.

There you have it - my personal rituals for emotional health and self-care. I know it may not always be easy to do all of these at once. Try one of these each week and stack them on top of each other. Partaking in emotional and mental self-care is like exercise -- you get better with each rep and your mindset and heartset continue to build in strength, courage, and self-compassion. Loved today's episode? I’d love to hear what you do - and which of these tips you will be implementing - to take care of YOU. Share a screenshot of this episode to your stories and share one of your rituals - and don’t forget to tag me, @_healthhasnofinishline. And, if you’re listening on Apple Podcasts, don’t forget to subscribe, rate and review! Till next week, take care!

We are back this week with an incredible episode for you where we continue the discussion around mental health. Meet Dr. Neelima Kunam MD, a Board Certified psychiatrist based here in Southern California. She is a mom, wife, and physician. Her own struggles with creating time for herself care led her to use her medical knowledge, psychiatric knowledge, and understanding of the mind-body connection to develop quick daily practices to better wellness. ⁠

Here are a few highlights from our episode:⁠

⚡️Postpartum mood disorders - what they are, how long after giving birth can they occur/dispelling myths around this, etc.⁠

⚡️How can mothers cope with raising kids during the pandemic - especially if they have limited access to Mental Health Resources.⁠

⚡️How to support the spouse, child, family member, or friend dealing with Mental Health challenges⁠

⚡️Stressors--positive or negative- still tax your mental and emotional health. ⁠

⚡️Mental health doesn't discriminate. Our mental and emotional health is just as important as our physical health, if not more. ⁠

⚡️Mental health can present itself in many different ways. One of the best things you can do for anyone navigating mental health challenges is to hold space for them, witness their experience, and let them know you are there for them. ⁠

⚡️Mental health challenges aren't detected until it's too late in some cases, which is why having an open conversation about it with love, kindness, and support can help banish the stigma around reaching out for help and support. ⁠

⁠Connect with Dr. Neelima Kunam, MD on Instagram, plug into this episode, and if you or a loved one are currently navigating mental health challenges, please know that you are not alone. You are enough and worthy, no matter what. That help is there all around you, and my DMs are always open if you need a safe space. ⁠

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If you loved this episode, share away on socials and tag us! Subscribe, rate, and leave us a review so that our message can get in front of more women who need this message. ⁠

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Until next week, ⁠

Abha

Hello and Happy Wednesday! This week marks the first episode for the month of May, which is also Mental Health Awareness Month. This month and in the months to come, I'll be sharing with you solo and guest episodes that focus on our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Today's episode is a conversation I had with my good friend, Roshni Patel of Beti Grew Up on her podcast titled, "Is It Worth It? The Self Worth Podcast." 

I've gotten to know Roshni over the past year after we were both in our mutual friend and mentor, Tania's Museworthy Immersion mastermind last year. Roshni, like myself, is a fellow projector in human design and also one of the guest coaches in my group program, Radiate From Within. So after you listen to our chat on self-worth, body image, and health, if you'd like to register for lifetime access to her masterclass within the program that touches on deconstructing limiting beliefs at an investment of $44, send me a DM on ig @_healthhasnofinishline to get signed up! 

If you are sensitive to topics about body image or weight in general, I totally understand if you want to skip this episode, but otherwise, I am so excited for you to get a peek into our conversation. 

Key takeaways from today's episode:

Health has no finish line because it's an ongoing journey and evolution. It's not restricted to one season of life. It's never a quick fix. 

Healthy eating isn't all about bland salads, steamed veggies, and boiled chicken. Infuse some flavor, herbs, spices into your food. They're good for your immune system and satiate your hunger while developing your palate.  

You shouldn't have to change your body and sacrifice your tastebuds, your health -- emotionally, mentally, physically, and your overall wellbeing so that others can find you attractive or healthy. You give away your power to others - people, media, and other fads. 

Social media over the past few years has begun to shift from curated, perfect, flawless to embracing all of who we are -- rolls, curves, dimples, wrinkles, freckles, scars, everything! 

It might feel easy to get wrapped up in those little squares and get caught up in comparison, but know that behind those pictures is an actual human being who likely battles some of the same insecurities and fears as yourself.  

When you do realize your self-worth, and appreciate and love yourself, you will come to realize all those times when it was tied to something superficial or it was being manipulated or controlled by someone else. 

When you do decide to start your health and fitness journey, make sure you do it for yourself first. We often live our whole lives catering to everyone else's expectations of us. We people-please till it burns us out, we end up in toxic relationships - romantic or familial, because our self-worth is inherently linked to our desire for validation and acceptance from others. It's time to take back our power and start doing more things for ourselves because WE desire them.

We are all human. Our bodies are always here to work with us and support us. We need to work with our bodies to understand the changes we go through physically, emotionally, hormonally, mentally. 

There you have it, self-love and self-worth are at the core of any form of healing, fitness, wellness lifestyle change, mindset shift, and more. You are so worthy of your own love, respect, and celebrations -- celebrate yourself proudly. Revel in what makes you who you are and don't ever let anyone else tell you otherwise!

To connect with Roshni and learn more about working with her, or to tune into more goodness on her podcast, go follow her on the below platforms!

www.betigrewup.com

Instagram: @betigrewup

Podcast: Is It Worth It? The Self-love Podcast

This week we are talking about the C word... you guessed it, cancer and its impact on our lives and the lives of our loved ones. 

Monica Brooks was 37 when she was thrust into a role she had never anticipated: That of a cancer patient. Monica began navigating life with cancer by methodically collecting information, analyzing research and recording her own experiences, with the intent of empowering others who are fighting the same battle. Though having cancer had a permanent and profound effect on her, Monica knows that the experience also bestowed gifts, and she hopes to share those gifts with others.

Some key takeaways from today's episode:

1. Cancer affects not only you but your loved ones too. It changes each of you. 

2. Self-awareness is crucial to you navigating your journey with cancer -- your own or with a loved one. Emotional, mental, physical support for yourself and your loved ones goes a long way.

3. Empower yourself, for yourself, to be a thriver, not just a survivor, because you are so much more than your diagnosis.

4. Your body is always speaking to you, giving you signs and symptoms, tune into it. 

5. Be compassionate with yourself and your loved ones. Children are the best ones to learn this from -- they see you for who you are. Your essence, your energy. See yourself through their eyes. 

Life-changing health diagnoses can be challenging to navigate, but know that you are never alone. Allow yourself to lean into the community you have around you. Give yourself grace as you navigate these waters. Do what feels empowering for you to do - in your health, your nutrition, your lifestyle. What matters most is how it makes you feel. Remember, you are and always will be more than your diagnosis. 

You can connect with Monica on Instagram @the_monica_brooks or head over to www.monicabrooks.com and get her free e-book and tons of other resources!

Welcome back, friends, to part 2 of Why We Binge. Last week I discussed the types of binges and how to get to the root of them. Today I'm going to talk about dealing with specific situations that can trigger our binges. 

Scenario 1: Nighttime overeating—a very common problem. The most important thing to do is to identify the cause. Which of the following might apply to you? Now, the most common cause of nighttime overeating is over restricting during the day. You know those unrealistic 500 calories per-day diets? This one is pretty self-explanatory. Our bodies need the energy that comes from food. And a restrictive diet only leads to extreme hunger and overeating later in the day. 

Scenario 2: Binge eating after our workday. Picture this, you pack a lunch, but your day was so busy with nonstop meetings and deliverables, you either scarf your lunch mindlessly or don’t eat at all and before you know it, you’re hungry and cranky. No matter what your work situation looks like—work from home or still commuting— you reach for the first thing you find in your kitchen or you’re ordering Ubereats. Most people who complain of overeating after work typically tend to stop at fast food establishments on their way home and binge eat in their cars. There’s a solution to this. Have snacks that are loaded with protein. For example, a handful of unsalted nuts, string cheese, and fruit, or avocado with toast and veggies or meat or a protein shake/smoothie/bar. Keep it in your lunch bag or at your workstation.

Scenario 3: Bingeing on sweets and all the sugary foods. When we create rules and restrictions around food, that voice in our head, also known as the reptilian brain tries to find loopholes to go for the path of least resistance or do what is comfortable. To get around this, create your own inclusive definition of what you consider sweets or sugary foods. Make a guideline for yourself about when and what you will eat. This approach puts you in charge of when you enjoy sweets and prevents those binges. 

Scenario 4: Binge-eating when stressed -- a common and vicious cycle many of us succumb to when the going gets tough. We binge eat. And after we binge, we feel bloated, our stomach hurts. And we feel all sorts of emotions, including stress. And guess what happens when we feel stressed out? That's right, we start bingeing all over again, hence continuing the vicious cycle. Short-term sugar-laden binges give you a dopamine high that last an hour, followed by an energy crash and anxious feelings about the binge. And bingeing on high sodium foods can have serious effects on your health, even if you don't have hypertension. Remember, most people don't binge on whole, natural foods because our bodies feel satiated in every way when we nourish ourselves with wholesome nutrients; instead, we typically binge on foods that are not whole or natural. And many packaged foods are loaded with sugar, oil, salt, and something called excitotoxins. A few examples of this are aspartame and MSG—these excitotoxins cause your brain cells to become overexcited and fire uncontrollably. Does that sound familiar? Yes, you are getting high with these foods when you overeat them.

There you have it, the root causes of why we binge and how to navigate these moments. You are human, give yourself grace, and do your best to choose mindfully—for your health and wellness. Now that you have this information in hand, you can take a moment to pause when facing another binge. Find what works for you. Remember, the goal is not perfection. It's all about creating that foundation you can rely on when you do experience stress and life changes. 

Loved this episode? Share your biggest takeaways with me on IG @_healthhasnofinishline! Until next week!