Cancer, metabolic health and financial trade offs

We have lots to discuss today!

I'm not sure if you've been catching the headlines (I'm not much of a mainstream media fan, but browsing the headlines can help me keep a pulse on trends), but with Kate Middleton's recent cancer announcement plus the recent realization that 1/3 of colon cancer diagnoses are now in people under the age of 40, there have been daily articles talking about how cancer is now coming for younger and healthier people. Many such articles spoke to the 'mystery' of it all but is it really a mystery?




Look, we don't have FULL control of our environments, there are certain genetic mutations that increase risk, and we don't yet know all the things as it relates to cancer. And if you've been getting my newsletters for any length of time you know I'm never about doom and gloom. So let me set the stage as to why I think it's no mystery at all that cancer is on the rise amongst younger and 'healthier' people so that we can move forward and connect the dots with what it is we're always trying to do 'round here: improve metabolic health and longevity odds.




If someone were to ask me to do my best to create an environment that would increase cancer risk and rates, I'd tell them this:

• Make people afraid of the sun

• Keep humans indoors almost all the time

• Make them sedentary and even if they workout, make them sedentary outside of their workout times

• Have them skimp on sleep

• Ask them to have lots of artificial light ... especially in the evenings and night

• Spray their food with lots of synthetic pesticides

• Practice monocrop farming so the soil (and therefore produce) becomes depleted of micronutrients such as magnesium so that DNA repair is blunted

• Increase air + water pollution

• Have ultra-processed food be mainstream and more affordable / accessible than real food

• Sell cosmetic, hygiene and cleaning products that contain multiple toxins

• Stir up daily controversy and expose humans to more fear, terror and anger than they have evolved to process through any form of media possible

• Teach people to eat every couple of hours with plenty of processed carbs to help increase insulin resistance

• Make alcohol intake a frequent + common thing

• Limit lymphatic drainage with underwire bras and hardly any time sweating

• Create habits and vices that lead people to eating right before bed

• Increase consumption of plastics (like from melting To Go coffee cup liners and lids, tea bags, food storage, TV dinners)

• Increase EMFs

This would surely increase oncogenic (cancerous) growth PLUS take out many of the protective measures we have for our body to identify said oncogenic growth at the earliest of cell division and allow our immune system to take care of it. More cancer started, less cancer taken out. 



Obviously no one would want this but I write to prove a point ... we have created an environment that is sure to increase cancer potential, yet we (as a collective, maybe not you or I) are shocked that it's happening. The conditions I've listed out above are the unfortunate reality for the vast majority of us .. at least a significant portion of it is.




I promised not all doom + gloom and I'm about to deliver.




MOST of that is in control. MOST of that can be turned around at any age or stage. And get this! The same changes we'd make to increase the odds (that's all we can ask for) in our favor against cancer are the changes we'd make to improve metabolic health at the root, achieve sustainable fat loss, improve blood pressure, blood sugar, slow the aging process, etc.




In case you haven't read it or it's been awhile, the action plan I have laid out in my Metabolism-Boosting Starter Pack would be excellent steps.




Now let's talk finances.




Someone responded to a story I posted last week on Instagram sharing about a waffle I sent in to school with our son. Short version: they were having a pancake party in his class. We always send in our own food with ingredients we feel more comfortable with. I had these pancakes in the freezer and we went with that. He loved it! Our kids are very aware of the choices we make and know SO much about their bodies, it's mind-blowing. No fear around food. Just knowledge. 



So someone responded to that story and said something along the lines of, "Ya know not everyone can afford that." And she's right! It's a topic I speak on often on social, here on my newsletter, on blogs, etc. It's one reason why volunteering and giving back is a big part of my business and always will be. And it's something I wanted to talk about here today as well.



Those waffles are expensive. The high protein pasta we buy is expensive. The organic produce, free range eggs .... it's so darn expensive! Groceries in general have gone up considerably in the last couple of years as is and unfortunately in our society if you want items without extra pesticides or inflammatory ingredients, it costs more.



I can't stand that! I can't wait for that to change. Everyone deserves to eat real, healthy, nutritious food if they so desire. I've sent out the "How to save money on groceries newsletters" and made the posts and I plan to continue that kind of content weaved in. That being said, I wanted to point out a few things that we, personally, do to help.



I'm grateful that we can and do splurge on pricey waffles as occasional treats for the kids. I know not everyone can and that makes me sad. Also, we save money in other ways.



After being as sick as I used to be and seeing first-hand how important food quality was in me reversing all of my chronic conditions, we've decided to make health prevention (including groceries) a higher percentage of our budget. 


I don't buy alcohol or coffee shop coffees (well, rarely).
I don't purchase expensive clothing, purses, jewelry, sunglasses.
I DIY when I can (make dry shampoo, dishwasher detergent, repair clothing, cook and bake -- often from scratch).
I started gardening on a larger scale last year.
Certain food items we simply never buy (jam is coming to mind ... I make it with organic fruit and chia seeds. I buy the organic fruit in bulk in the frozen section and chia seeds in bulk as well. I'm making this jam for pennies on the dollar compared to store-bought and it's quick, easy and delicious).



Also ... life is nice + full these days and I can't Susie Homemaker everything! So the above also exists alongside the more convenient health options like boxes of Simple Mills cupcake mix for the days when I need to whip up a fast dessert for last minute company and some done-for-me fermented sauerkraut that I just have to struggle to open but otherwise not put an ounce of work into and non-toxic deoderant that shows up at my doorstep after I just "add to cart". Healthy convenience is expensive.



Everyone's financial situation is different. I'm not implying that everyone has the same resources to even reallocate funds as much as I wish that situation was different. But in case any of the above helps shed some light on how one family on a budget incorporates both convenience and elbow grease into their overall plan for better health, I figured I'd share.



I'm asked fairly often on social media to share more: share the things we have on hand and buy, the things we use, the things we make and recipes, etc. So whether it's free, low cost or more of an investment, I'm happy to share. When we are being consumers of content (me too -- anyone's content), I think our job is is to take the things that apply to you and feel good and leave the things that don't. It's such an important skill for managing overall stress, too!




Leaving you off with my tried-and-true, so-easy-I-can-hardly-call-it-a-recipe, Chia Jam Recipe:

1. Add a bunch (1, 2, 3 cups) of frozen fruit of choice (strawberries have been the go-to lately) to a saucepan and heat on stovetop medium heat.

2. As the berries start to soften, use a potato masher to squish. It should become mostly liquid with just some chunkier pieces of the skins of the fruit. At this point, take off the heat and mash one last time.

3. Add chia seeds -- I eyeball it because you really can't mess this up but probably about 1-2 T per cup of fruit -- and stir. Let sit to cool down and jam will thicken too.

4. Once fully cool, place in a sealed container and store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Alternatively, you can freeze into ice cube trays and pop out and store cubes in freezer-safe bag so you can transfer just what you're going to use to the fridge a day or so in advance.

If you're a visual person, the second slide in my "Recipes" highlight on instagram shows me making blueberry chia jam. Not the Recipes 2 highlight, just "Recipes". You'll have to scroll over a bit to find it.




Hope you have an awesome week!



XO,
Tara



P.S. If you need some help with your health and / or body composition goals, there are 2 ways we can work together:



1. The next round of my 28-day metabolism-boosting course, TRANSFORM: Body + Mind, will be starting next month! Make sure you're on the waitlist to be kept in the know and to receive the special discount code when enrollment begins.

2. I offer 1-on-1 coaching as well. It's a very high touch point kind of coaching program (we're diving into your labs, custom workouts, custom nutrition, tons of accountability -aka I'm bothering you pretty often. LOL). So, spots are limited. I do have people graduating out of the program often. Fill out the interested list if, well, you're interested. We'll chat more and I can give you an idea on when a spot will be available for you.

Sick Season, 2023

Back to school time is usually the marker of the beginning of "sick season" or "cold and flu" season.

To some extent it's normal, all the sickness. We're humans. I believe there's likely also still a bit of catch-up happening too as a result of some of the protocols and practices that have been in place the past few years as well. So if you, your kids, or everyone seems to start getting sick even more than usual, it makes a lot of sense.


Here's how viruses work ... you get sick, you build some immunity (an army of soldiers ready to fight that particular germ, as I tell our kids). In most cases, you will have repeated passing exposures to that germ that will remind your "army" to stay strong. This could be that you have Influenza A, get sick, get better, and then walk past someone in the grocery store a month later who is contagious with Influenza A and get a brief exposure. You don't get sick that time, but that brief exposure keeps that very specific germ-army on alert. However, if you get Influenza A, get sick, get better, and then never meet another Influenza germ again for years, you can bet that the next time you DO come in contact with it, you'll get sick again b/c each germ-specific army only stays strong for as long as it thinks it needs to before it dismantles. (A bit ... I'm simplifying this whole process a little so you're not reading a biology textbook when you just want tips on a healthy immune system).



Ok, so if you or your loved ones are getting sick more frequently than normal, it could be because most of us had less 'germ exposures' in general over the past couple of years than usual and most of of our armies are weaker than they'd normally be.


Or, it could be that your immune system is in need of a a little TLC. Or maybe both.



Regardless, remember that we are meant to get sick sometimes. It's a chance to reset and re-evaluate things. And even though it sucks or is at least inconvenient, our bodies usually fight the germs off without us even having to micromanage. Pretty freaking incredible.


The beautiful thing is the "plan" I follow to keep my immune system boosted overlaps a whole lot with what I do for metabolic health. When we dive DEEP into how to achieve your fat loss or "toning up" goals in TRANSFORM: Body + Mind, the approach is through improving our health all around ... including immunity! Isn't that so awesome? The protocols that will get you your "body goals" will be the same protocols as a "longevity" or "health" plan, if you know what you're doing. ;-) If you're signed up for TRANSFORM this round (cart closes tomorrow!), you will absolutely know what you're doing.



Here are a few of my sick season staples:

• When feeling great or otherwise, we wash our hands with fragrance-free soap and water, no Purell or anti-bacterial soap. Rather than mess with our skin's barrier / microbiome and make our immune system weaker, I prefer to keep that intact. Soap acts to lift germs off of the skin and the friction of rubbing our hands under the water will wash them away without being too harsh.

• Nasal breathing. Our nose humidifies and filters germs out of the air we breathe before it gets to our lungs. Our mouth does no such thing. The more you breathe through your mouth, the more opportunity you give the germs to invade and take over. Many people are nasal breathers during the day but mouth breathers at night. This is where mouth-taping would be something to consider.

• Sleep! Our immune system function drops pretty dramatically even after 1 night of poor sleep. I know we can't get great sleep every single night, but most of us can do better in this category.

• Resilience. Heat + cold exposure throughout the year helps our body build up resilience. The cold of winter is less of a shock if we have been priming it for cold with intentional exposures a few times a week. Skip this when sleep is low, stress is high, or you're already under the weather.

• Stress. Cortisol is released when we are stressed and while it's not a bad thing, it does become problematic when it's elevated too high or too often. It will cause insulin resistance and lower your immunity. We have less control over how much stress we are exposed to (though definitely some control there!), and much more over how we train ourselves to deal with it. Just having a regular practice of journaling, meditating, gratitude, spiritual practice, and working on emotional management can be life-changing. Also, consider whether you're causing excess physical stress with fasts that are longer than your body can healthfully handle, overexercising, too much coffee, or under-eating. These things will all jack up cortisol and lower your immune response.

• Nutrition. If you're eating a bunch of processed food, lots more sugar / carbs than you need, and drinking alcohol, your immunity will be tanked. I'd never suggest skipping ALL of those things ALL the time, but most people need to be more realistic about what moderation looks like for their goals.

• I don't force food for myself or my kids when we're sick. I lean heavily on appetite. Hungry? Eat. Not hungry? Don't eat. Your body will let you know when it's ready for food.

• Hydrate! This I do much differently. Even if not thirsty, I will be mindful of staying hydrated. If not able to drink as much volume or if there is sweating (from fevers breaking), vomiting, or diarrhea, or an aversion to plain water, I add electrolytes. I love Redmond's Relyte brand and LMNT brand and will often use just partial servings spread out throughout the day.

• Exercise. If you have a fever, congested lungs, or are vomiting / diarrhea, definitely skip your workouts until those things have been gone at least a full day or so. If it's just a little cold or minor, lingering symptoms and you're making sure you're eating well, sleeping well, hydrating yourself, and you're feeling up to getting in a shorter, less intense workout, it's probably ok.

• Sunshine and fresh air. Being out in the sun used to be our default, now it's something we have to consciously seek out. Sun and fresh air each speak to our body in multiple and specific ways, influencing hormones, fertility, moods, bone health, blood sugar management, metabolic rate, heart health, immunity and more. It evens helps remove stains from clothing! Is there anything the sun can't do?? We make outdoor time a part of every single day, even on the yucky weather days (we still get the benefits of the sun through the clouds).

• Movement. Move everyday if at all possible! Even a little walk or some stretching every hour or so will help keep your lymph flowing so your body can get rid of those germs for you.

• Supplements. I maintain my normal supplements as long as I'm able to eat something b/c many (like fat-soluble vitamins) need food to be absorbed and I'd feel nauseous if I took my zinc, for example, on an empty stomach. Some that I take for immunity (you should only take what makes sense for your body, your deficiencies, etc.) are vitamin C, vitamin D, zinc, quercetin, magnesium, omega 3s, turmeric.

• Mega-dosing. I typically avoid mega-dosing. My goal when I'm sick is a bit unusual ... I don't necessarily want to get better as fast as possible. I mean, I do in the moment of course lol, but ultimately since I'm already sick I want to make the most of it by mounting a potent immune response. Basically, I want a strong 'germ army' to form and don't want to interfere with this process by trying to micromanage everything or supplement my way out of that immune response. TLC, yes. Overriding important cellular processes that would set me up better in the future? No.

• Warm liquids. There's something to be said for hot tea or chicken soup when you're sick. Not only can it be comforting and hydrating, but breathing in some of the warm steam into our nose can help kill off some of the germs that are still hanging out there and haven't affected you systemically, yet.

• Fevers. I LOVE good fever. I know that's a weird thing to say and I know it doesn't feel good, but it's such an intelligent thing our bodies do sometimes ... turning up the temperature to kill off the germs. While rare, fevers can occasionally become dangerously high (especially in children), so I just monitor but do not give fever reducers. Exceptions? Sure. It hasn't happened to us yet (knock on wood), but if one of our children was SO uncomfortable b/c of their fever and needed a little relief to relax their body or get some sleep, I'd consider temporarily reducing it (probably with non-pharmaceutical methods at first and pharmaceutical if we deem it to be necessary). Otherwise we just do lots of comfort in other ways, snuggles, etc.

• Important mindset piece: we're not "sick" or "not sick", we are constantly fighting off germs everyday, but sometimes our body wins the battle without us noticing and sometimes it requires a bigger fight and we can feel it.

• Another mindset piece: we can assume we and everyone we know will get sick several times a year. If it ends up being less, great! If it's more, it's a good opportunity to consider why. Maybe it's bound to happen now b/c of the less exposure to people / crowds we've had in recent years. Maybe it's that there's been too much sugar and alcohol and not enough sleep and we can tweak those things if we want to. But regular ol' viruses getting us from time-to-time is just real life. Even the healthiest people still get sick. In fact, some holistic docs say that there's a health benefit to getting sick at least occasionally.

So there ya have it. We all get sick sometimes. And this is a lot of what I do for myself and my family in general and when any of us are under-the-weather. Hope you found it helpful and hope you get through this "sick season" as smoothly as possible.



XO,
Tara

This ONE question changes everything!

Ever find it hard to know when to push forward vs. when to pull back with your health goals?

Some people are so determined to keep exercise in, they feel too guilty taking rest days or workout even when they have a fever or lung congestion.


Some people are all about feeling good in the moment that they seemingly choose whatever fits their mood. Don't feel like working out today? They don't. But then their moods aren't great on a whole and their goals are left unmet.


How do we take the best from each of these 2 opposites and allow it to propel us towards whatever health or body goals we have?


By continually asking ourselves ONE simple question.


Ready for it?


"What's ultimately best for me right now?"


That answer will never steer you wrong IF:
1) You understand enough about your physiology + metabolism to make that call and
2) You're honest with yourself


"What's ultimately best for me right now?" will be to rest when you have a fever or got 2 hours of broken sleep last night ...because the baby.


"What's ultimately best for me right now?" will mean you workout or at least go for a nice walk outside even when you're not in the mood or motivated because that choice will actually help with moods and motivation in the future.


"What's ultimately best for me right now?" will usually be that you eat in a way that's balanced and nourishing for your body but sometimes will be that you enjoy some soul food simply for the taste, nostalgia, memory or experience.


"What's ultimately best for me right now?" will tell you to go to bed at a decent time because one Netflix episode is better than 8 in a row as evidenced by the fact that less sleep makes you cranky, less patient with your kids, and dials up your cravings and hunger.


"What's ultimately best for me right now?" will not steer you wrong.


Try it on for size! I dare ya. ;-)


XO,
Tara


P.S. If you're ready for a change that you can't fail at and would like to work with me, here are a few options:


TRANSFORM: Body + Mind is my 28-day metabolism-boosting course. I recommend starting here for more people with fat loss, muscle-building or "toning up" goals. The next round (and last round of 2023) will be in September. Hop on the waitlist to reserve your spot as last September we filled up!


TRANSFORM: 1:1 is my newly revamped 1-on-1 coaching program and is best for those who have been through the 28-day course and are ready to take things up a notch or those who haven't completed the course but know themselves / their situation make it so 1-on-1 with lots of customization and accountability is really the better option. Spots are very limited but clients graduate out of their program fairly often, opening up new spots. Fill out the form and I'll be in touch to discuss if it's the right fit for you, how it works, and what future availability looks like.