Team Events

December: Healthy Relationships

Healthy relationships are critical to mental health. Making the time to nurture relationships and friendship is a key factor in finding and maintaining happiness, especially as we age.

Team Xmas

November: Supplements!

Micronutrients (vitamins, minerals) can be difficult to find in conventionally grown and raised foods, fast-foods, and ultra-processed foods. Even many organic and other whole foods are lacking sufficient micronutrients for our modern living. Therefore, targeted supplementation can support the natural bodily processes. Notable vitamins and minerals:

Fat-Soluble Vitamins

Unless you are consuming animal liver and other organs, then you might need supplementation with fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K2. Notes:

  • These vitamins must be consumed with fats for absorption.
  • Plant sources of vitamin A must be converted in the body for use, and the process is inefficient. Only animals foods (liver, eggs, dairy, fat, seafood) has true vitamin A.
  • Vitamin K2 is only found in animal foods, cheese, and Natto.
  • Vitamin E is an antioxidant and found in inflammatory (PUFA) foods. Therefore, it can be more beneficial to supplement without eating the foods it is in.

How do you get the best vitamin A, D, and K2? Cod liver oil, beef liver, sardines. We suggest the Rosita Cod Liver Oil as it is minimally processed and considered a real raw food. Desiccated beef liver pills from Vital Proteins, Ancestral Supplements, and Heart & Soil are great alternatives to eating fresh liver.

What about vitamin E? We suggest any vitamin E supplement from our trusted supplements companies.

Water-Soluble Vitamins

- Vitamin B's: Xymogen B Activ
- Vitamin C: Xymogen Bio C 1:1

Minerals

Magnesium, sodium, and potassium can easily be depleted after a rough night, extensive workout, stressful day, etc.. Supplementing these specific minerals proactively and reactively can boost all of the pillars of health. There are many electrolytes available. We suggest the LMNT as it is easy to carry and drink.
Magnesium is required for many bodily processes. It is estimated to be needed in over 300 reactions in the body! There are many forms on the market. We suggest the following:
  • Xymogen OptiMag 125 (Magnesium Glycinate and Magnesium Malate)
  • Xymogen OptiMag Neuro (Magnesium Threonate, Magnesium Glycinate, Magnesium Malate)
  • Mother Earth Minerals Magnesium (ionic magnesium)

October: Dental/Gum Health

The mouth is connected to the rest of the body! Microbes in your mouth can travel through your bloodstream to other parts of the body. Gum disease and periodontal disease have an increased risk of heart disease, strokes, lung disease, diabetes, birth defects, cancers, and death.
The inflammation levels of the gums often is a direct indicator to the amount of systemic inflammation in the body. Please visit a dental professional regularly to identify, measure, and treat the potential inflammation in your mouth. We prefer to find and treat gum disease early before the infection and inflammation begin to spread.
Oral Health

September: Community

Your personal community is the often forgotten pillar of health. Sharing quality time and having commonalities with others enriches our sense of wellbeing.
There are many ways to connect to others and grow your personal community:
  • Healthy relationships
    • Family
    • Friends
    • Team at work
    • Neighbors
  • Groups and Clubs
    • Gym
    • Garden club
    • Book club
    • Prayer groups
    • Pickleball
In-person interactions seem to be the most effective and beneficial!
Pickleball

August: Breathing

Nasal Breathing Mouth Breathing
Conditions the air for optimal use Causes dry mouth
Retains moisture from exhaled air Causes excess release of water
Filters bacteria, viruses, allergens before entering the lungs Allows all particles into the mouth, throat, and lungs
Assists with parasympathetic nervous system activation Triggers sympathetic nervous system activation
Provides air resistance for optimal breathing volume(10-12 bpm) Causes over-breathing(18-20+ bmp)
Maintains oxygen and carbon dioxide balance in the blood for more efficient respiration Dysregulates carbon dioxide in the blood
Supports anatomical development in the oral cavity (teeth, jaw, palate) Leads to anatomical malformation during development
Helps with sense of taste Leads to inflammation in the oral cavity and throat

July: Inflammation

Acute inflammation is a vital primary reaction to our defense system. Normally, inflammation subsides during the healing process and the immune system can use resources on other potential pathogens. However, if the cause of inflammation (toxin, stressor, pathogen) is not removed, then chronic inflammation can occur in various areas of the body. All of the most deadly chronic diseases result from chronic inflammation!

Known causes of chronic inflammation:

  • Common diet sources: gluten/grain, dairy, eggs, nuts, yeast, PUFAs
  • Less common diet sources: corn, soy, nightshades, citrus
  • Allergies
  • Hidden infections
  • Autoimmune issues
  • Environmental toxins (molds, chemicals, smoke, etc.)
  • Chronic stress
  • Trauma
We believe chronic inflammation is the root cause of all diseases that make us sick, obese, and unhealthy.

June: Microbiome

What is it?

The microbiome is the collection of microbes for a specific area or system of the body. Most of the bugs are good and assist in our immunity, digestion, and production of nutrients. On the other hand, some of the bugs are pathogenic which increases the risk of illnesses. The proportion of beneficial microbes is thought to directly relate to the rate of disease. Healthy microbiomes correlate with healthy people.

How to care for it?

Many factors can affect our microbiomes, specifically by what is consumed via the mouth and the skin. Whole/real foods (in season local fruits and vegetables, organ meats, eggs, ruminant meat), fermented foods, healthy fats, and tolerated grains can assist with feeding and resupplying our gut bugs.

Biotics?

  • Prebiotics - foods and fuel for the microbiome
  • Probiotics - foods or supplements that contain gut bugs to help restore the microbiome
  • Postbiotics - byproducts and metabolites from the gut bugs which can have a therapeutic effect
  • Antibiotics - drugs that treat bacterial infections and disrupt the microbiome

May: Stress

Many people do not realize the negative effect chronic stress has on other 4 pillars for a healthy life. The underlying effects of chronic stress dysregulate sleep, hormones, and metabolism. This means digestion, mood, energy, and choices are compromised in some fashion everyday.

In general, long-term or chronic stress (months, years, decades) has a negative affect on the individual. This is characterized as distress. On the other hand, short term stressors are normal, if not beneficial, and are known as eustress. Finding ways to reduce chronic stress and/or distress are imperative for a healthy lifestyle.

Our bodies can and will adapt to chronic stress so identifying the stressors might involve some combination of introspection, collaboration efforts, therapy, and/or taking a sabbatical. Unlocking the circumstances of the chronic stressors is paramount as some can be removed or reduced while others might not (at this point in time).

Below are some tools to identify and/or reduce chronic stress:
  • Talking to someone or a group
  • Therapy
  • Medications
  • Meditation
  • Breathing exercises
  • Exercising
  • Moving to a new location
  • Finding a new job or career
  • Finding a happy place (location, hobby, activity)
Once chronic stressors are removed or reduced the body needs time to repair, regulate, and readjust to the new mindset. How much time? It will vary with each person and can take many weeks or months to reset.

April: Exercise (and movement)!

2022-04-04 Team exercise 1

The importance of exercise and movement cannot be understated as one of the 5 pillars of health. Whether it is solo or group activities, high or low intensity, inside or outside, any resistance or weight then it counts!

One saying that resonates with the longevity mindset is "muscle knows no age". It's never too late to get stronger, although as we age it can become more difficult to build muscle. Consequently, maintaining muscle mass is key and crucial for healthy aging.

Muscles support our bones and all of our movement. We need healthy muscle to recover from a long day of working, a fall in the shower, working out, and any active hobby. Maintain and/or build your muscles doing any of the following:

  • Hiking
  • Biking
  • Gardening
  • Sports (Pickleball, basketball)
  • Walking with a partner
  • Resistance training and weightlifting
  • Yoga
  • Stretching and breathing
  • Stationary machine

March: Nutrition

There isn't a shortage of nutrition and diet information available!

Where to start? Where to look for info?

A good question to begin with is what did my ancestors eat? Is there someone in my family that lived a long healthy life that I can learn from? Unfortunately, there isn't a diet that works for everyone. Our personal nutritional needs change all the time depending on the status in each of the 5 pillars as well as our environments.

Overarching themes in our journey:
  • Eat seasonal whole foods
  • Limit ultra-processed oils: canola, vegetable, soybean, corn, safflower
  • Cook with healthy fats like ghee, tallow, avocado oil, coconut oil
  • Avoid sugary drinks and smoothies both diet and non-diet
  • Chose a variety of colors
  • Grass-fed ruminants, pastured poultry, pastured eggs are most nutrient dense

The following foods works for some and is a problem for others:

  • Dairy and fermented dairy items
  • Rice and rice products
  • Grains and breads
  • Legumes, seeds, and nuts
Living in the Sacramento Valley provides us with an abundance of fruit, vegetables, livestock, poultry, nuts, seeds, rice, and grains. Check out a local farmers market to see the variety of all the local products within your area. Other benefits of shopping at local farmers markets is seeing what is in season locally and meeting the people who are responsible for the products.

February: Focus on Sleep!

Sleep might be the most disregarded pillar of health, yet disrupted sleep or no sleep at all will negatively affect us in every aspect of our lives. Our internal clocks, or circadian rhythms, operate optimally with routine, which sleep seems to be mostly affected. Creating a sleep routine in regards to preparation, location, temperature, disturbances, and timing will provide quality sleep for recovery and regeneration.

No matter what type of learner you are there are resources we recommend:

  • If you are methodical person or prefer lists then read through the 21 strategies that Shawn Stevenson provides in his book "Sleep Smarter". There are many solutions that everyone can benefit from in order to help their sleep hygiene. Shawn's interview on the Health Theory with Tom Bilyeu is another great resource.
  • For a quick read (or listen) then check out "How to Sleep" by Dr. Rafael Pelayo. He provides practical solutions for sustained sleeping through the night. Dr. Pelayo is a sleep specialist at the Stanford Sleep Medicine Center.
  • For a full masterclass on sleep check out “Why We Sleep” by Matt Walker. He’s a well-known, knowledgeable sleep scientist and professor at UC Berkeley. Highly recommended to read (or listen)!

January: It's water month!

2022-01-03 Team

So many of us do not drink enough water throughout the day. Depending on various factors and specific body requirements, most people need at least 48-64 ounces of water per day. We found a few tricks that help with water consumption:

  • Drink Water Reminder App
  • Dedicated water bottle
  • Consume different water types:
    • Hot/cold
    • Tap/spring/RO
    • Carbonated
  • Water additions:
    • BCAAs - Xymogen XmoBolX
    • Electrolytes - LMNT
    • Ketones
    • Fruit and/or veggies
    • Xylitol or other prebiotics
    • Tea

Recommendations:

  • Reverse Osmosis (RO) water with mineral add-backs like Home Master Filters
  • Unflavored sparkling water
    • San Pellegrino
    • Perrier
    • Gerolsteiner
  • Spring water like Mountain Valley Spring
  • RO with fruit/veggies added
Our Greatest Wealth is our Health FLYER