Underactive thyroid?

I used to have hypothyroidism.

... alongside PCOS, insulin resistance and prediabetes. Basically, I was a metabolic wreck and my doctor let me know he expected me to have an unhealthy body composition for life because of all of this. Thankfully, I believed in my own body's ability to heal + evolve and said, "Hold my beer." as I got to work. P.S. I no longer have any of those conditions and he was quite shocked and wanted to know how I did it all without meds. He meant well but just wasn't even aware of our potential!



I'm actually not writing this newsletter to tell you about my backstory, but I did want to let you know I've had some experience here. Someone on instagram recently asked me if I had 'regular' hypothyroidism or Hashimoto's -- the auto-immune kind. I told her I wasn't entirely sure because I didn't know enough to advocate for myself back then and my thyroid antibodies weren't tested at the time of my diagnosis. But the cool thing is that it didn't matter a whole lot. I did the same things to aim to get to the bottom of it, regardless of what was causing the hypothyroidism. Namely, 1, I aimed to increase my metabolic rate and health (this directly influences thyroid output) and 2, aimed to decrease inflammation and oxidative stress (which would be incredibly important when there's any kind of autoimmunity).



Last week I created a highlight just for thyroid health -- a series of posts and reels -- in response to the increase in questions I've been getting (mostly from new followers who are hearing about my story for the first time). In that highlight, I discuss what I did and why, lab work to consider requesting, nutritional additions that have helped, protocols and things most docs don't know about yet and therefore aren't sharing yet. Since subclinical thyroid function is incredibly common at this time, I wanted to share with you too! Click that link above and you may have to scroll my highlight bubbles, but it'll be there! It's labeled "thyroid".




Whether or not you have an under-active thyroid, I think this reminder is always helpful: our body tends to do SO WELL when we give it what it needs and then get the heck out of its way. If you're on some kind of a healing journey, you're doing incredibly important work! Keep going. <3



XO,
Tara



P.S. If you'd like some help, here are a couple of ways we can work together:



1. My 28-day metabolism-boosting course, TRANSFORM: Body + Mind. We work on boosting metabolism (helping to rev up that thyroid) as well as aim to bring down inflammation + oxidative stress (potentially helping auto-immunity). Best part is that while I guide you on what to do and how, I also teach you about your body, metabolism and health optimization so that you can make informed choices for yourself going forward. The next round isn't starting until January, but there will be an opportunity to get early access around Black Friday if you're on this waitlist. ;-)



2. I do work with some clients 1:1. This is much more in depth with tons of customization and accountability. Spots are limited, but clients are often graduating out of the program, opening up spots so hop on the interested list if you'd like to chat more about this option.

Fat loss: A learning series

You're a real catch... and I appreciate the heck out of you.

Just wrapped up another super-exciting launch at Tara Allen Health. One thing I typically do when I'm in 'launch mode' for that one week, several times a year is I tend to do more live videos on social media. My goals with this are 1, to share more context about what I do in the course and why I do it so differently. 2, I'm more present for those who have questions. And 3, I want to make sure that even if you and I never get to work together, you still have lots of actionable tips to implement on your own. If you're a TRANSFORM alum, these lives might serve as good reminders for you as well. ;-)



But maybe you missed them? So I wanted to drop them here in a blog this week. Feel free to select just the topics that sound interesting to you or listen to them all in order as a learning series. You don't need to stare at my face! Haha. Pop in some headphones and take me along on a walk, while you're doing housework or even just listen on your commute.



Only thing is ... all the talk about enrollment for TRANSFORM: Body + Mind being open is no longer applicable. Cart closed last week and we actually began yesterday. The next round will be in January though so don't feel like you missed out. You can now hop on the waitlist for that round if you'd like.



Ok, here we go ...


Episode 1. Is there more to the fat loss story than "eat less, exercise more"?

Episode 2. 6 things you're doing for weight loss that are backfiring

Episode 3. Fat loss goal of less than 10 lbs? Or want to “tone up”? Discussing 8 things specific to YOUR goals to keep in mind.

Episode 4. Fat loss goal of 10 lbs or more? Sharing 7 tips specific for you.

Episode 5. 7 reasons you’re giving yourself cravings and what to do about it.

Episode 6. The biggest mistake the weight loss industry is still making!


Hope this helps!


XO,
Tara

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

Self Care or Self Indulgence?

We need to put our oxygen mask on first (like on a plane). I know I know but ...

How come it often feels self indulgent (not in a good way) to take care of ourselves?




I just started reading a new parenting book in my ongoing quest to feel like I have even a little bit of a clue about how to perform the most important role I have in this life. :-P I had a lightbulb moment in the introduction when the author was talking about the importance of self care as a parent.



She said, "Imagine this: You're rafting down a river with your family, when a section of whitewater rapids throws you into the water. There's no time for panic -- you've got to hustle. Your kids need you in the boat; besides, it's cold and dangerous in the water! The sooner you get back onto the raft, the better. You reach out your hand so the rafting guide can pull you back on board. Or do you? As parents, when something throws us off balance, we have a strange tendency to resist help that gets us back on track. It's as if we're so concerned about our kids staying on the boat that we don't take the hand that's offered to us. Instead we stay in the river, barely treading water behind the raft, which will do nothing to help our kids dodge the next set of rapids downstream."



Brilliant description, isn't it? We're so concerned that THEY (kids, partner, whoever) have enough to eat, but then think nothing of skipping meals earlier in the day and wonder why we're so cranky and ravenous at night. We think doing our best means doing the most and vow to "start over next week" with the goals we have for ourselves. We spend money like water on things we decide will make their lives easier / better, but feel guilty investing in something that will make us an entirely better person with confidence, health, and energy. Or heck, even the free stuff (walks, morning sun, exercise, cooking food we already have) gets moved to the back-burner (pun intended) because if it isn't "I don't have the money" then it becomes "I don't have the time".



We're really good at keeping the kids on the raft but somehow seem to think that we don't need to be on the raft alongside them.



Problem is, if we raise our children this way they will become adults who one day think they don't have the right to allow the guide to help them back onto the raft alongside their loved ones. Our JOB as caregivers -- if you are a caregiver -- is to coach them through being a kid but also being an adult as that's where they will be spending most of their years.



It's not self-indulgent to give yourself the same care + attention you would like to see your children (or any loved ones) give to themselves one day.



Suggestion. Pick ONE thing off the list below and schedule it into your week THIS week. Pick whatever stands out and think of this email as your sign to make it happen.

• Schedule that doctor appointment, lab work, chiropractor consult

• Set aside a little time to get in a workout. Maybe it's strength. Maybe it's some zone 2 cardio. Maybe it's been awhile since you've done any kind of HIIT. Whatcha need most? Do it.

• Has sleep gotten away from you? It's easy (but oh so hard) to burn the candle at both ends in the Summer when days are longer. Set a bedtime and wake time and make sure the math works out for you to get enough zzzzs this week.

• Take 5 minutes to stand outside in the sun, bare feet on the Earth for a quick recharge.

• If you're feeling hopeless about some kind of goal you have, set aside some time to learn more about it and plan a small action step. Financials overwhelming? Book an appt. with a financial advisor. Parenting feeling extra hard? You might like the new book I just started -- The Essential Guide to Raising Complex Kids by Elaine Taylor-Klaus. Fat loss or health goals feeling impossible? Head over to my instagram page for some more free resources or hop on the waitlist for the September round of TRANSFORM: Body + Mind (less than 6 days left to get on the waitlist!). Or, find out more about 1:1 coaching here. In each option, I gotcha covered in the fat loss / body / health departments. ;-)

• Mind feeling chaotic? My favorite 1-2 punch for that is 1) declutter something (even just a drawer helps) and 2) spend 10 minutes on a hobby or planning something. Chaos can be from a cluttered environment or even feeling there's so much of life's hard stuff present in your life without enough of life's fun. Adding in that fun (hobbies, social plans, plan a trip, date night).

• No idea which to pick? Just do a few rounds of 4-7-8 breathing right now. Breathe in for a count of 4, hold for a count of 7 and exhale for a count of 8. Repeat a few times. It's a calm-inducing breath pattern and excellent for reducing stress, anxiety, and helping with sleep.

• In a rut? Shake something up! Cook a new meal this week. Or just serve lunch or snack to your kids in a muffin tray for funsies. Drink your seltzer out of a champagne glass. Keep the TV off tonight and the phone down -- find something else to do. Google a few jokes and text them to your besties. Start an unprovoked water balloon fight with your kids, partner or friend (I suggest making sure they're ok getting wet first ... unless you're more adventurous than me. Haha!)

September is around the corner. New month and new season (soon). Perfect chance to re-commit to taking action on the things that you KNOW will improve your life ... and spill out and onto the lives of your loved ones. Wrapping up the year feeling better and entering 2024 with newfound momentum just hits different.



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.

Healthify My Summer: A Guide

We're going away soon.

Have you been following along up in Instagram stories? I've been sharing some BTS of my crazy ordering / packing / planning for this road trip. And as I've been doing that -- and getting excited about some other Summer fun we have planned like concerts, beach days, baseball games, BBQs, outdoor movies -- I decided to make a guide in case you have some of those things on the calendar for the rest of this Summer too.



Check out THIS GUIDE and then make it YOURS. Follow the suggestions that work for you and ignore the ones that don't. Summer is meant to be fun and we don't need to feel like garbage or slip away from our goals on the other side of those memories.



Summer on,
Tara





P.S. If you would like targeted help with your goals, fill out this 1:1 coaching interest form. I'll get back to you shortly to make sure we're a great fit to work together, chat more about what to expect, and let you know when my next available start date is.

5 Unusual Tips for Fat Loss NOW

So you wanna lose some excess body fat?

(If you don't want to "lose weight" or "tone up" at all, then you might wanna skip this one and come party with us again next week.)




Summer seems to be the time when the planners are wishing their weight loss plan worked better ... or that the results stayed and the procrastinators are ready to do some crazy sh*t just to feel a little more confident this season in their shorts. As such, Summer happens to be a time when a lot of metabolic damage is done. Every 1200 calorie diet, Optavia, diet pills, daily bootcamp classes or running are all risk factors that unfortunately can lead to chronic disease and / or autoimmunity years and decades in the future ... plus weight loss resistance which is the exact opposite of what the goal was.



Luckily, we know more now and we can evolve our strategies accordingly (even though most people will be continuing to use misinformed and outdated tactics for way longer than I'd like to even imagine).



Fat loss happens best when we work within what we know to be optimal fat loss conditions. This means we're aiming to lose excess body fat but not more (not muscle mass or bone...) so it requires a specific pace. Go too fast and you're losing weight for sure, but not the kinda weight you want to be losing. Here are some tips:




1) Eat more at mealtimes. I know if you want to lose weight, you think a 350 calorie meal is superior to a 600 calorie meal. I'm not a fan of counting calories but to more easily paint this picture, stay with me here. If you eat the 350-calorie meals, 1 of 2 things will happen -- 1, you'll end up being so hungry later that night, on the weekend, on holidays, or vacations that you'll feel yourself losing control around food and overeating. Or if you're so darn stubborn and manage not to ever overeat, your metabolic rate will drop in order to compensate. This means your thyroid will probably become sluggish, you might feel colder, weak, fatigued, low libido, and you will begin gaining weight with much less calories than you used to. Your goal here is to eat meals big enough and balanced enough that they keep you nice and satiated for at least 4 hours.



2) Be mindful of blood sugar. Yes, energy in energy out matters for weight loss. Also true ... not all weight lost is the same. If you want to maximize FAT loss, you need to make sure you are not riding the blood sugar rollercoaster all day everyday. This means you eat fat, fiber and protein at every single meal. It means you keep carb intake moderate. It means you understand that it's best to not eat carbs alone (no bananas or coffee with sugar on your way out the door). It also means that you understand we have an upper limit to what we can use before it gets stored away as fat. Keep carbohydrate-containing meals to 25-35g net carbs if you're a woman (35-50g net carbs for most men). More than that and you'll likely be storing the extra as fat. A "healthy" acai bowl or green juice can often contain 50-100+ grams of carbs / sugar! "Healthy" can be deceiving. 



3) Pick up weights. Weightlifting burns more calories than cardio. "What Tara? I always heard it's the opposite!" Well yes, if you're looking at it in a short-sighted way. Cardio tends to burn more calories in that one exercise session compared to a similar length session of weightlifting. However, the extra calorie burn stops when you stop moving with cardio. Yet when you increase your muscle mass by strength training, your metabolic rate for THE ENTIRE DAY, NIGHT, AND EVEN REST DAYS is elevated. Keep your cardio in because you love your lungs and heart and being alive. But it's not a great exercise focus for fat loss goals. Strength training is.



4) Move your body. Walking isn't your exercise, but hopefully it's a different part of your days! We need our exercise (cardio, strength) and then we need our active lifestyle too (walking, gardening, dancing, yoga, playing tag with the kids or grandkids, standing while watching that live music or game, carrying groceries in..) By making the non-exercise parts of your day more active, you will notice a WAY bigger boost in your metabolic rate. 



5) Daily sunshine and grounding. When we have excess body fat stored up in an amount that's more than optimal health levels and want to do something about that, we need to be thinking about improving our energy usage. We lose fat when we use it up. We use it up when better and more quickly when the batteries of our cells -- our mitochondria -- are abundant and in great working order. Heat and cold exposure help with this, so there's a bonus tip. ;-P But also getting your skin to come in contact with the Earth everyday. Ideally for nice chunks of time as we're really evolved to be outdoors mostly, but anything is better than nothing! If you're currently inside all day, you can start by committing to 5 minutes outdoors, standing in the grass barefoot and go up from there. This "charges" your cell's batteries in a way that allows them to utilize more energy / fuel / food. Meaning, this will improve your metabolic health and help with fat loss efforts.



And a bonus bonus one that didn't make the list because it's not unusual is .... SLEEP. It's arguably the mosts important as it will influence all the rest.



Which of these are you already doing? Which will you be focusing on? Hope you found this helpful! Please note ... this is 1 tiny sliver of the types of things we discuss in much greater detail in my 28-day metabolism-boosting course, TRANSFORM: Body + Mind. The next round starts in September. If you're interested in learning more, check out this link and hop on the waitlist for any special offers and a discount code when the cart opens.



XO,
Tara

Healthy Summer Things

Summer time has me feeling all kinds of ways ....

Like I love it. But I hate mosquitos despite them loving me. And not a fan of ticks, either. And why is it so weird getting into a bathing suit for the first time every Summer?




I think often about how most of us grew up fearing the sun and yet one of the most beneficial things we can be doing for our health and body composition goals is ensuring that we're getting enough sun (but preventing harmful burns, of course).



Then there's the whole chlorine thing -- which I posted about recently right here.



And how can we leverage the fact that most of us are outdoors more often this time of year to help us build momentum on our goals? One way is by thinking about restructuring the water inside our body. Once again, for health AND body goals. Check this out.



Another great opportunity we have is to leverage temperature. Hot + humid outside? Go workout outside around sunrise or sunset and you've got your very own "infrared sauna" (we get natural infrared light through the sun around both sunrise and sunset). Then hop into a cold bath, shower, or baby pool filled with hose water and ice cubes. Boom. Contrast therapy!



I'm a big fan of the food that's in season now too! If you missed it, you can grab my 42-recipe Summer healthified dessert recipe e-cookbook, Sweet Surrender. 



Every season has its challenges. It's a regular showdown around here with those darn blood-sucking flying jerks. But each season also makes it a little easier to focus on our health and body goals in a slightly new way. What are you loving most about Summer?



XO,
Tara

Cholesterol / lipid results are in!

My cholesterol (lipid) results came back and we have to talk.

Have you been following along on instagram stories? I've been sharing a ton about my latest bloodwork, what labs I asked the doctor to order and why, my results and what I'm making of it all. It's been a regular party! HAHA.



One thing I asked the doc for was an extended lipid panel. The standard lipid panel just doesn't tell much of a story. My total cholesterol, LDL, HDL and triglycerides came back first and they were all great.


Then the "special" lipid panel results came in.


I really wanted to see my Apo B as that is a better indicator of risk of heart disease and atherosclerosis than LDL. My Apo B was good (65). But this is one of those things that can always be better, as far as I'm concerned. So I'd like to work on that even though it's "normal" and "very good".


LP(a) was one I was very curious about as it's the one that's not quite as modifiable with lifestyle and is more genetic. I have a very strong family history of hypercholesterolemia, so I wasn't sure what to expect here. Mine was very good at <10. If it wasn't, I'd really drill down on the other aspects of my lipids that I could improve to help offset this. Also, I would potentially consider medication if I believed it was the lesser of the evils here. But it's low. Great!



But I also asked to see particle size. My small, dense LDL particles are elevated. This isn't cholesterol itself but the little carrier molecules that transport cholesterol around. Cholesterol isn't water soluble, so it needs something that IS to carry it around our body. Lipoproteins it is! These are water soluble on the outside, so they can move around our bloodstream but they can hold cholesterol inside of it. Think of them like little Uber drivers for our cholesterol. LDL + HDL stand for low density lipoproteins and high density lipoproteins. They are lipoproteins and these actually seem to matter a lot more than the actual cholesterol contents inside of them when it comes to risk factors. So while I don't have a lot of LDL, I do have too many of the troublesome kind. Small, dense LDL particles are the ones that tend to lodge themselves into our blood vessel lining and cause trouble. 



As with everything, I plan to take in all the information, formulate a plan, carry it out and retest in a bunch of months to see how my plan is working. Here's my plan:

1. I am still having my typical breakfast of 1 full egg with the egg yolk plus a cup of egg whites and all my veggies and other stuff because I don't eat much cholesterol at all and this is pretty much my only source ... plus (and most importantly) when we test for cholesterol we're getting information about what our body is making and degrading, not what we took in through food. So lowering cholesterol through my food intake isn't part of the plan.

2. I just switched from cooking my breakfast eggs in coconut oil to cooking in another oil instead (olive, avocado). This is because coconut oil is one of the only plant sources of saturated fat and it has quite a lot per serving! I don't take in a lot of saturated fat otherwise, though I do believe some is important. High saturated fat intake does affect the amount / types of lipids we make. I won't avoid coconut oil altogether or anything, just removing it from my daily breakfast will be a great experiment.

3. I will continue to monitor my blood sugar. Blood sugar issues can actually cause 3 problems here. For one, elevated blood sugar will raise triglycerides, LDL and Apo B. It can interfere with us using up / degrading of the cholesterol we have already made. And then, it can cause damage to the blood vessel lining which then attracts these harmful lipid particles in order to use them as a bandaid of sorts and spackle up the damage. This is great to prevent bleeding out in the moment but eventually leads to build up, plaque, blockages, and things like heart attacks or strokes. My recent blood work showed my fasting insulin is very low (yay ... no insulin resistance currently) and my blood sugar was fine (not prediabetic) but higher than I've gotten it down to before and higher than I'd like it to be. Since there is no insulin resistance, I suspect stress to be the cause currently. So, I'll be doing all the things I mentioned in last week's newsletter for that. I will also make sure I don't drop my carbs too low as that can increase stress and potentially make my blood sugar worse in this case! This is why it's so important to get fasting insulin done so we can play detective here. Finally, I will monitor my blood sugar sporadically with finger pricks as I do but also plan to get another continuous glucose monitor soon and keep it on for a few weeks for more data.

Things I'm already doing that should help and I plan to continue to do:

• NO smoking

• Very little alcohol intake

• Sleep

• Sunshine

• Grounding

• Exercise

• Maintain healthy body composition

• Maintain healthy blood pressure (big deal with lipids as poor lipids plus high blood pressure encourages more plaque build up)

• Red light therapy

Some of the above helps us rebalance our lipids in a more healthful way. Some of the above is to help protect blood vessel lining. We don't just want healthy lipids, but also healthy blood vessel linings so as to not need to use the cholesterol to "spackle" up the damage and then be left with plaque. Sunshine and grounding, for example, each help us to restructure some of the water in our body into 4th phase water -- a gel-like substance that lays down like a protective layer over our blood vessels and takes some of the damage we accumulate through -- life. Getting enough sun and plenty of contact with the Earth (standing barefoot in the grass, sand, swimming in an ocean or lake, etc.) are 2 ways we can help our bodies create and maintain that protective layer. 



So, that's the plan! And I hope that by sharing this long and nerdy story with you, it might help you know what to ask your doctor to test for and / or formulate your own plan. Of course I'm happy to help you if you need it! TRANSFORM: Body + Mind is my 28-day metabolism-boosting and health optimization course and TRANSFORM: 1:1 is my 1-on-1 coaching program where we dive much deeper and also discuss your individual needs, including lab work.



XO,
Tara

Parasympathetic-y things

I recently had some bloodwork done.

And if you hang out with me up in Instagram stories, you know I've been sharing my results with you little-by-little. A few of the results that are considered "normal" stood out to me. Unfortunately the references ranges aren't always complete enough to lead us towards optimal health. So while overall I was very happy with my lab results (and told by the doctor that everything was great), in typical Tara fashion, I'm putting together a plan with the goal to optimize even more.



You'll have to keep watching stories for more results but in general, a few things put together paint a picture that my stress hormones seem to be dysregulated and my nervous system could use a little TLC. This is something I'm pretty familiar with. I was once told by my naturopath that my cortisol levels were higher than she's ever seen in ANYone. Yikes. I was able to get that down but with a whole lotta effort. I don't know my cortisol levels yet -- blood tests are almost worthless for cortisol so I didn't request it from my GP and decided instead to pay out of pocket for another DUTCH test soon. But I'm not planning on waiting to make changes.



My default personality is Type A. I consider myself a recovering people pleaser. I wake up ready to take the day and have tons of energy until it's time to crash at night. I enjoy planning for the future and find myself worrying too much. Basically, I am naturally a high energy kinda person. This means that if I'm not super intentional, I'll slip back there and be in need of a little nervous system re-balancing. It's been particularly stressful for some time now -- much of which I don't share as it's not always my story to share. And while the things I need to be implementing are often so amazing (fun / relaxing), I actually find it hard to make sure I keep them in. I'm making a list (of course I am) -- a parasympathetic-y menu of options if you will and I figured I'd share with you in case you find it helpful. I am not going to do all of the following and this isn't a To Do list where everything needs to get checked off. That would be counter-productive here! Rather, I will be spending at least 10 minutes a day to focus on relaxing my nervous system and when I'm not sure what to do, I'll pick from this list.



Important to note: if you make your own list it will likely have different things on it as we won't think the same things are interesting / relaxing.

Parasympathetic Menu of Ideas

• bath and a book

• mess with the guitar

• listen to music / sing / hum

• yoga / stretch

• massage or self massage

• sauna

• calming breathwork

• meditation / guided meditation (calm app)

• read out in the sun

• ashwagandha, L-theanine if / when needed

• write poetry

• draw or paint

• nature walk

• lay on acupressure mat

• few extra minutes of sleep

• grounding

• change into comfy clothes

• slide fingertips over my lips (they have special parasympathetic fibers)

• visualization (typically do this nightly before falling asleep)

• less caffeine (already started this a few days ago)

• keep overnight fasts to 12 -14 hours (not more) most days

• cold exposure (temporarily sympathetic but overall favors mostly parasympathetic)

• enough rest days / active recovery days (took 2 of these over the weekend!)

• be mindful that carb intake isn't too low (or too high -- both can increase stress response)

• make plans with friends

It's all connected! Nervous system regulation will show up in various ways in our lab work, mental state, health and / or body goals. There's a reason we spend a whole week on stress, sleep, hormones, and longevity practices in TRANSFORM: Body + Mind! It really cannot be ignored if we care about our outcomes. And if we have a good understanding of our body and metabolism we pick up on when things need to be tweaked ... and we tweak! 



Do you need to include more time out of "fight or flight" (sympathetic) and in "rest and digest" (parasympathetic)? Maybe you can make your own version of this parasympathetic menu of options and pull from it daily alongside me. :-) If you do, I'd love to hear about it!



XO,
Tara

Sliding into my 40s

I turn 40 in 4 days.

And while milestone birthdays seem to bring up a lot of 'shtuff' for a lot of people, I'm not bothered by it at all! I mean, maybe ask me next week? Haha.



But for real ... I think the reason is I don't see aging as a linear thing. I don't think we all put 365 days of mileage on our bodies every year. Some years its 1000 days-worth (IVF and new mama years come to mind there), but other years it might be negative 50 days' of mileage because we're taking great care of ourselves.



So yeah, I'm entering a new decade and it's kinda weird to think I'll never be 30-something again, but I get to be 40-something for the first time and that's pretty cool too -- like a new level is being unlocked for me.



So here are some random aging thoughts and things I figured I'd share with you in case you, too, are getting older. :-P



I recently went to a G.P. It's been a while(!) but I have been seeing other specialists at least in the meantime ... gyno, dermatologist for full body scans, naturopath and lab testing, and I check my own blood sugar and blood pressure often at home. I wanted to establish care and request a bunch of new lab work, so that was the main reason for the visit. He was going to order some labs, but not nearly as complete of a picture as I wanted so here is most of what I asked for (all I can think of off the top of my head):


CBC
CMP
Fasting insulin
Full thyroid panel (FULL ... I want the whole story and most thyroid testing doesn't cut it)
Inflammatory markers (like homocysteine, CRP, uric acid)
Full lipid panel (FULL ... same deal. I want the important stuff and most lipid testing doesn't include the most important stuff. I want particle information, ApoB, lp(a))
Vitamin D


Fasting insulin is the only result that's back so far and it was 4.2. The reference range says 2.2 to 24.9 is "normal" but that's BOGUS as I'd be all over a fasting insulin level above 8 or 10 and would even make some tweaks if it was above 6. An elevated fasting insulin level is an earlier sign of insulin resistance while blood sugar changes (like glucose tolerance test, fasting glucose, or HgBA1c) are late signs. I like early signs! Especially because this is an achilles heel of mine. I used to have PCOS, prediabetes and insulin resistance. It takes EFFORT to have a low fasting insulin level but it's that important to me because of the way it impacts body composition, mood, energy levels, sleep, all chronic disease, cognitive decline, hormones, aging, and pretty much ev-er-y-thing.



I'll be ordering some others like cortisol and complete hormone testing through InsideTracker. Stay tuned. I will be sharing a discount code you can use if I'm happy with my experience with them.



I will be getting a breast sonogram in the coming months. It'll be my second. I have a very significant history of breast cancer in my family (and still believe lifestyle matters most, but genes do play a roll of course). I have dense breasts and like the greater visibility of sonograms. Thermography will likely be in my future too, but only in conjunction with something else like a sono. Thermography results in many false positives so I like a multifaceted approach. You do you. I'm just sharing what I'm doing. ;-)



I have no real risk factors for cardiovascular disease, but it's something I'm still mindful of. I plan on getting a Cleerly Scan by age 45 to check for soft plaques. Calcium scores can be 0 even as soft plaques are building, so I'd like to get a baseline within a handful of years. If my ApoB or lp(a) are elevated, I'll likely bump that up. It's not covered by insurance and is pretty pricey. Important aside: I'm also always thinking about radiation exposure across a year's time or so and keep that in mind when I make decisions, understanding that sometimes emergencies and urgent situations arise which may require radiation-emitting diagnostics.



Besides uber-medical things ...



For skin health, I'm dry brushing, sweating often, utilizing cold exposure, facial cupping, moisturizing and purchased Frownies but have still not used them. Maybe it'll be a nice way to ease into my 40s in a few days ... by scaring my husband as I climb into bed with those things on my face. HAHA. I'm getting some unblocked sun each day, but avoiding burns with mid-day shade, hats, clothes, or mineral-based sunscreen. And recently I started adding glycine (an amino acid) supplements into my routine. As a vegetarian, I'm not getting nearly enough of it and it's needed for so many important things like glutathione (our master anti-oxidant) production. Collagen is pretty late on its list of importance so if I'm not taking in enough, collagen will breakdown even faster than it does just from getting older. Hence, the new supplement for me. If you're an omnivore, there's a pretty good chance you don't need this.


I have not done anything cosmetic like fillers or Botox and while I always reserve the right to change my mind, it's not something I see myself doing anytime soon. Again, personal preference. No judgment. We're all out here just trying to keep curating our lives and priorities. 


When it comes to aging, I believe strongly that it's an inside-out situation. I prefer to focus on doing as little damage as I reasonably can to my cells (through nutrition, exercise, lifestyle choices), then reversing damage when possible (through sleep, sweating, having a 12+ hour overnight fast, etc.). 



And I tend to believe any kind of "graceful aging" we look up to is 90% mindset. If we think it's normal to be unhealthy, cranky, and lackluster at a certain age, we might miss those as being red flags and think there's nothing that can be done. Am I "middle-aged" or am I just getting started? No one can determine that for me except for me! 



I like to be playful, to learn, to laugh, travel, help others, hang with people I love, to try new hobbies and revisit old ones. Yet, those are the first things to get crossed off my list when I'm "too busy" and always have been. This decade, I plan to be more calculated about keeping those things on the list. If I have many, many more decades to go, it'll probably be because of THAT ... plus I'll appreciate the memories and my loved ones benefit from my vibe. If I'm not so lucky with time, that's how I want to live anyway. Win win.



If you're still reading, why? This was such a ramble! Haha. J/k j/k. I appreciate you sharing in my thoughts here today.


Coming to you next week from my 5th decade ;-) ...


XO,
Tara



P.S. All the things we work on in TRANSFORM: Body + Mind and in TRANSFORM: 1:1 coaching are the things I do for myself when I talk about "nutrition, fitness, and lifestyle choices". Boosting our metabolism, achieving body composition goals, optimizing health, and aging healthfully aren't separate things. They are the same and require the same kind of protocols. It's what I help guide you through and it's exactly the same as I do and work on for myself. ;-)

If at first you don't succeed, cancel your skydiving plans

“Optimist: someone who figures that taking a step backward after taking a step forward is not a disaster, it’s more like a cha-cha.” Robert Brault

Last week I hosted a workshop inside The After Party (the monthly membership available to everyone after TRANSFORM: Body + Mind) all about The Positivity Edge (but like, grounded in real life). If you caught that, you might enjoy a summary of the biggest takeaways today and if you missed it, I'm hoping today's newsletter leaves you feeling hopeful, more in control of your life, and normal! Mindset is something we could all make some progress with.



Happiness researchers (yes, that's really a job) have concluded a few really important things we now get to take and try on for ourselves. Those who report being most successful in achieving their goals (be it health goals, financial goals, relationship goals) were found to spend most of their thinking time on what they want and how to get it. Goals, priorities, their own actions, their own behaviors, you get the idea. This can be classified as "positive thinking". Those who report having difficulty achieving or maintaining their goals were found to spend a large amount of time thinking about what they don't want, things that make them sad, angry or frustrated, past events they can't control and who to blame for various things. This is referred to as "negative thinking". The best part? We're not destined to be positive or negative thinkers. We can actually shift our thinking at any time in our life.



Whoa! Right? But also ... makes sense. When we adopt more positive thinking, we tend to take more positive action and tend to get more positive results -- a.k.a. achieve our goals. We also just feel a heck of a lot better more often. Not a bad 'side effect'.



Just so we're clear, I'm saying in order to achieve and maintain your health + body composition goals, shifting to a more positive mindset will be an important factor (if not THE MOST important factor).



"Great, Tara. But how do I do that? And also, WTF? Do you live on planet Earth?"



Let me share some tips. And the last few ones really address the fact that this DOES NOT mean it's gonna be all rainbows + butterflies + well-behaved kids all the time. ;-)



1. Positive health habits. Come on, you saw that one coming from a mile away. LOL But it really does affect your ability to keep the right mindset and build momentum on your goals. Focus on the biggest needle-movers first and most: sleep, nutrition, fitness, movement, sunshine / nature, rest + relaxation + fun. As Vince Lombardi says, "Fatigue makes cowards of us all."


2. Positive self talk. Tune into your inner dialogue. Did the mean girls take over? Kick them out. Use affirmations like "I can do this", "I like myself" or even "I'm learning to like + care for myself". Add the word "yet" when you say things like, "I can't do this" or "I don't know how". I can't do this YET. I don't know how YET.


3. Positive people. As much as you can, reduce or eliminate the negative people in your life (or at least the amount of interactions you have with them). ADD positive people in. This could mean you spend more time with a friend you find really uplifting and less time with a friend that tends to drag you down. It could mean that you connect with positive people on social media who are making something out of their life or working on similar goals. It could mean that you join a new volunteer project, book club, dance class, or anything where you're drawn to the energy of the other people.


4. Positive visualization. There's another workshop in The After Party that I want those of you who are in it to go check out. It's a visualization workshop from back in the Fall. Otherwise, here's what I want you to do: see your goals as if they are already accomplished. Picture a year from now in the best way possible, dreaming so big it might embarrass you to say it out loud. Imagine all the details -- what time do you wake up? What do you put on? How do you feel? What do you do in the mornings? What do you eat? Replay this over and over like a movie. You control the movie in your mind and you won't be able to help but to start to ACT like her (or him).


5. Positive content. No news on in the background. No social media accounts that make you feel crappy about yourself. Fill that space instead with accounts, books, articles that are educational, inspirational, funny or uplifting. You still get to watch your Bravo TV and read your trashy novels. That's just for fun, right? But make sure you're taking inventory on what you're inputting the rest of the time. Dedicate time to consuming things that help you become better and more effective, whatever you want that to mean for you. It does pretty incredible things for our confidence.


6. Positive outlook with a realistic lens. Be prepared for the best to happen. Be prepared to achieve your goals and then some. Be prepared for your meeting or your day or that conversation to go really well. There is more chance it actually will. And if it doesn't, that's ok too and was always one of the possibilities.


7. Be aware of your negative bias. If you have a really bad 5 minutes in your day, do you say it was a bad day? If your day was pretty crappy except for 5 really good minutes, would you classify that as a good day? Most of us -- because of the way we were wired for survival -- overemphasize the bad and tend to not linger too long on the good. As humans, w can expect the full spectrum of human emotions (happy, excited, joyful, love, and also anger, frustration, despair, guilt...). We can also assume sometimes we are going to get sick, our kids are going to get sick, we're going to get a flat tire, there will be terrible and unexpected traffic, some big appliance in the house will break at the worst time, we'll lose power, etc. Even though we don't know when those things are coming, we know they're coming! Just all part of the human experience. How well would you like to be able to roll with the punches? How do you want to show up on the sunny days? And how about on the rainy days?


8. Negative emotions are in for dinner and out by dessert. We all experience the negative suite of emotions but often we fear those emotions and repress them, never fully allowing them to move through us. Invite your negative emotions to the table. They get a seat too. Feel them, explore them, cry, yell on purpose, sing, dance, vent to a friend, journal ... and then kick them out before dessert. You can even set a timer here. Give yourself 5-10 minutes to wallow in that self pity but when you hear the ding, it's time to move on.


9. Lean on gratitude. You cannot feel a negative emotion and gratitude at the same time so use that to your advantage! If you need to move past some negative stuff after allowing yourself to feel it, start thinking about or writing down the things you're grateful for in this very moment. Be specific as that impacts our mindset the most. Rather than say, "I'm grateful for my family and friends.", say, "I'm grateful that I was able to take a walk this morning with my kids out in the sunshine."


10. Always find a win and when you can't, make sure you do. Seriously! If you can't find a win, challenge yourself even harder to find something you're proud of or something good in the situation, even if tiny. Maybe you didn't stick to your nutrition or fitness goals AT ALL today, but did you go to bed at a good time or drink some water? Maybe you haven't noticed signs of fat loss yet but has your energy improved? Maybe you got a flat and have to wait for AAA to come while everyone is waiting for you to come home and set up for your daughter's birthday party but do you now have an unexpected 30 minutes of 'me time' in the car? (Based on a true story. LOL) Training yourself to find wins -- especially when they're not so obvious -- is like training your muscles. You'll get stronger with more reps.



And with that, go have yourself an awesome day!!



XO,
Tara



P.S. TLDR: Having a positive mind is one of the most important factors that determine whether or not you can achieve your goals. You can be a positive person and still live in the real world and be a human with the full spectrum of human emotions. Mindset isn't fixed and can be upgraded. You got this!

Dehydration and fat loss resistance?

If fat loss (or "toning up") is your goal, can dehydration be getting in your way?

The short answer is yes. There are many reasons why and I'm going to share some of those here today with you.



1) High levels of glucose can be converted into fructose (which favors fat storage rather than active energy production first and then fat storage). A few things to dissect here. This means if you consume sugar (which is 50% glucose and 50% fructose) or anything with high fructose corn syrup (like soda), you don't have to just deal with fat gain if there's an excess of calories. You'll be encouraging fat gain simply from consuming them. It also means if you're dehydrated, your body will likely get better at fat storage. This is because fat storage isn't just to store energy for later, it stores and releases water later too. So, dehydration makes your body better at fat storage on purpose as a survival mechanism. Think: the humps on a camel's back which are fat storage and serve the purpose of supplying water when broken down and in desert environments.


2) We become more resistant to leptin (meaning, we don't feel full when we 'should') when we're dehydrated. We get fluids from many foods we eat so if we're not drinking enough, our body wants us to eat more and it'll affect the hormones that tell your body whether it's hungry or full just to make that happen.


3) We use water for all of our cellular processes. If we have even just slightly less than we need, things will slow down to conserve. Metabolism slows. And good luck convincing your brain to do anything but sit still and watch Netflix then!


4) Activity performance, endurance, speed and strength all decrease with even slight dehydration. Your workouts then become less effective. 


5) Dehydration often leads to elevated cortisol levels, which tell the body to store more fat when it becomes a chronic issue so there's fast energy available for future 'high stress' moments. The preferred storage place for this fat is in the belly area.


So, what can be done about it?



For most people, most of the time, aiming to drink half your body weight in lbs in ounces of water per day is a great place to work up to. In fact, you can use a body weight you feel most comfortable at to determine this calculation because excess body fat isn't very metabolically active and doesn't require a whole bunch of extra fluid intake. Example: if you're 200 lbs but feel best around 150 lbs, use 150 lbs. Divide that by 2. That equals 75. If no contraindications, you can aim to get about 75 ounces of water per day.



What counts? I count caffeinated beverages as a wash but count water, seltzer, decaf coffee, decaf tea, and smoothies as part of my intake.



What else? Minerals / electrolytes determine whether or not our water intake mostly passes right through us or actually gets taken into our cells to hydrate them on the inside. Nailing this part down can help some people feel SO much better, more energy, less headaches, etc. If you eat out a lot or eat a bunch of processed food, you might be overdoing the sodium. But if you eat mostly real foods and cook for yourself and don't salt your food -- especially if you also sweat frequently -- there's a good chance you're not getting enough sodium. And it's not just sodium! It's also potassium, magnesium, chloride, calcium, phosphate ...



You have to come up with the best strategy for you and that'll depend on lots of variables! Be sure to run things by a trusted healthcare provider. I, personally, include electrolytes like LMNT or Relyte pretty much daily and feel a big difference in doing so. I might only have 1/2 serving if it's a day I'm not sweating much and 1 - 1.5 servings on a heavy sweating day (like a sauna sesh). You can also make your own electrolyte drinks at home without needing to buy any special products. I just highly recommend avoiding products like Gatorade or Powerade as much as possible because of ingredients like dye, flavor, sugar, artificial sugar, etc.



So drink up. Get minerals. And remove that barrier to fat loss (or just enjoy health optimization if fat loss isn't your goal)!



XO,
Tara



P.S. The waitlist for TRANSFORM: Body + Mind will be open for only 2 more weeks!! Hop on it if you're interested in doing this pre-summer round. I'm only running this course 1 more time in 2023 and it'll be in the Fall. This 28-day metabolism-boosting course is for those with fat loss, muscle-building or "toning up" goals who want to improve their health at the same time. Check out this link for details.

Mouth, hair, and skin stuff

Deviating from our 'normal' content today except....

One, there is no normal content. You voluntarily came to my blog and can therefore be subject to whatever random note I want to leave each week. Haha!



And two, the stuff we're getting into today isn't a real deviation from our health and metabolism topics at all since many of these are addressing cellular health and getting to the root of the issue.



Where possible, I'll be sharing links for you to check out. Some of the direct links get you a discount on your order (and bring me a very small commission), some require you to enter the code, and others are just regular ol' links to make things easier for you if you're in the market for anything we're chatting about. Much of today's newsletter is about our behaviors / habits, so there will be no links for those. ;-)



Please keep in mind we are all in different places with different incomes, goals, and priorities. My hope is only ever to supply knowledge and helpful tips without ever wanting to make you feel the need to buy something. Many of the things I'll be sharing today are free, but some are also quite pricey! If all you do is start to implement the free or super low cost stuff I share about here or in any of my other newsletters, there's so much potential in that. <3



Let's start with oral care, shall we?



Here's what I do for my mouth:

• Floss with Risewell (code: Allen10 for 10% off) hydroxyapatite floss. Their version doesn't contain any toxins (like the Teflon that's in most floss) and also contains hydroxyapatite to help remineralize between the teeth.

• Tongue scrape every morning with a stainless steel tongue scraper.

• Brush at least 2x a day with Risewell (code: Allen10) hydroxyapatite toothpaste. Again, no toxins and uses hydroxyapatite instead of fluoride to remineralize teeth. Fluoride is a neurotoxin that crosses the blood-brain barrier, isn't water soluble (so doesn't break down very well in our body), can calcify parts of our body like the pineal gland, is starting to look like it affects liver and kidney health, and can lower IQ. Even though it strengthens teeth, we now thankfully have a safer alternative.

• I skip all traditional mouthwash. Mouthwash is a disinfectant and unless we're talking about cleaning tools prior to surgery, we don't want disinfectants on or in our body. This kills beneficial bacteria and throws off our oral microbiome. One such effect is that we lose the ability to produce as much nitric oxide as we want to. This affects metabolism, blood pressure, blood sugar management, and a whole host of other things.

• Oil pulling. This I only do sometimes, when I remember. I take a tablespoon or 2 of coconut oil and swish it around in my mouth for a few minutes and then spit in the garbage (it can clog plumbing). This helps balance our oral microbiome in a favorable way and can even help whiten teeth.

• Occasionally, I'll add some activated charcoal to my toothpaste and brush with it. It helps remove stains and whitens teeth.

• Mouth tape. At night (when lip balm doesn't win the battle), I use mouth tape to help ensure nasal breathing. This has many health and metabolism benefits, improves sleep quality, and also helps prevent cavities and crooked teeth. You don't need a special product though. You can just use a small piece of medical grade tape instead.

Next up, hair stuff:

• I don't have a certain shampoo or conditioner I'm married to yet (I've tried so many), but I keep trying new ones. I currently have Rowe Casa's shampoo and conditioner bars on the way and if I like it as much as I enjoy their other stuff, it might be a match made in Heaven. If you try any of their products and use code TARAALLEN you'll get 20% off your first order and 10% off any order after that.

• Protein intake is very important for hair health! Making sure I'm getting .8 - 1g of protein per lb of a body weight I feel most comfortable at, per day is a goal I keep top of mind.

• Collagen can be extra helpful as it's just a few certain amino acids (proteins) in a certain combination and even though our body breaks it down during digestion, the building blocks are all there so it can be reassembled post-digestion and help with hair (and skin, nails, connective tissue, and gut health). These collagen peptides are a great option. Use code TARA_ALLEN_HEALTH for 20% off. A gelatinous bone broth (either store bought or homemade) is another great source. If you're plant based, you can try this one.

• When I get 30 seconds uninterrupted in the bathroom (so once a year or so), I brush my hair a little longer and focus on my scalp to increase blood circulation. Scalp massages would help with this too.

• Another circulation trick is to include some inversions into your day or week. Handstands, headstands, or even just carefully hang upside down off the end of your couch for a minute or two gives your head / scalp area a nice little boost in circulation. Exercise does too. ;-)

• Once upon a time I used to wash my hair daily. This made my hair more brittle and even more oily as I was stripping away the natural oils too often so my body was compensating. Now, I'm down to washing my hair just 2-4 times per week and I've noticed some positive changes from this.

• I'm turning 40 in 2 months and have definitely pulled out a few grays already. I don't recommend that strategy but I'm just being honest. Pretty soon I'll have to stop so I don't end up plucking out all of my hair! One thing I've found so interesting is the relationship between zinc, copper, and gray hair. When the ratios are off and we're taking in much more zinc than copper, our hair seems to gray even faster. Do with that as you may, but just be sure to run any supplementation changes by a trusted healthcare provider beforehand. Seriously. You can do a lot of damage if it's not the right thing for YOU, the right amount, the right balance, or from a trusted and 3rd party-tested brand.

• SLEEP. In general, we accumulate damage and "aging" during the day and can partially reverse damage and "aging" with enough high-quality sleep.

Last but certainly not least, some random skin things:

• I have been using Crunchi skin products and makeup for probably 5-7 years now and love the way they are non-toxic, hold up well, and smell nice but not strong as I'm very sensitive to scents. Of course there are no false fragrances either.

• No toxic sunscreens. My goal is to get enough sun but not too much. I think either extreme is a big risk. If I'll be out in the sun for a while or right in the middle of the day, I'll cover up or use mineral sunscreen. One of my favorites is from Rowe Casa. Code: TARAALLEN

• Dry brushing helps with lymphatic drainage and detoxifying, can improve the sweat response (so I'll do it before a sauna or hot bath), and exfoliates the skin.

• Caffeine interferes with collagen production, so no coffee overload for me. Coffee, yes. Coffee overload, no.

• The amount of research that has been mounting about the benefits of red light and infrared light therapy is pretty astonishing. We have a personal, low-EMF infrared sauna that I use as well as the Lumebox which is a portable device and perfect for the face! Red light can help with many things (like pain and metabolism) but in terms of skin, it helps boost collagen, helping with wrinkles and improves skin conditions like acne, rosacea, and eczema. I love the Lumebox so much and even use it on the kids for certain things.

• Hydration, electrolytes (I love Relyte and LMNT brands), and plenty of healthy fats in your diet are super important for skin health.

• Collagen ... this is a biggie for skin as we lose collagen -- just like muscle -- year after year as we age. We can't prevent that entirely at this time, but we can certainly slow the process.

• Frownies like this and this. Our son told me the other night that my "11" lines on my forehead looked like one crooked domino was about to knock down the other straight domino. I laughed my butt off ... and then ordered frownies the next day. I've been meaning to check them out anyway and this was the reminder I needed. I, personally, am not into Botox or fillers so I really appreciate more natural and subtle solutions. Let's see how it goes! I'll keep you posted ... maybe up in my instagram stories or something.

• If you see me out in the summer during the daytime, I'll probably have a hat on. I have this one in 3 colors / patterns because I love how it allows for a high ponytail for the beach, pool, and workouts. I try to ensure I get enough sun on my face in the morning and evening when possible, but do try to avoid a bunch of direct sun to my face in the middle of the day. That wasn't the case most of my life though, plus I'm very expressive ... hence the domino contraption situation.

• Anything that boosts circulation is a great idea for skin health (as well as health health). This includes exercise, non-exercise movement, laying on this acupressure mat, heat exposure and cold exposure contrast therapy (switching back and forth between the heat and cold).

• One of my favorite drinks is mixing some filtered water with electrolytes and Organifi Glow (code TARAALLEN gets you 15% off) ... which is full of collagen pre-cursors. It tastes great but it also helps to give your body more of what it needs to synthesize its own collagen. This is different than just taking collagen.

• Ice bucket. I haven't tried this one yet but it's on my list to experiment with. Fill a big bowl with water and ice and dunk your face in it for a few seconds, a few times in a row. This should wake you up but also minimize the appearance of pores or puffy skin.

• SLEEP. Of course it makes its way into pretty much everything because it's THAT important.

Hope you found at least something here helpful!



Enjoy your week,
Tara



P.S. The next round of TRANSFORM: Body + Mind starts next month! If you have fat loss, muscle-building, or "toning up" goals and want to achieve those goals while optimizing your health and feeling great day after day, make sure you hop on the waitlist now! Waitlist peeps reserve their spot and will get a discount code when the cart opens.

When I was sick ...

Once upon a time, I was a metabolic WRECK.

I had PCOS, prediabetes, insulin resistance, and hypothyroidism. Our infertility journey brought about tons of extra testing that let me know things like I was NEVER ovulating. My cycle was all over the place and I didn't feel well, despite living a seemingly "healthy" lifestyle.




But let's rewind to before I got diagnosed. (Warning: sensitive subject matter about infertility)



At some point I went from looking for answers to feeling so hopeless and desperate to become a mother that the focus became getting pregnant and no longer on my body or what was going wrong with it. It was quite a long and windy journey with all the interventions, tests, and heartbreaking outcomes. But then it worked! One of the rounds of IVF had been a success and we had our daughter, Magnolia. Fast forward a couple of years and more heartbreak but then another IVF success! Our son, Jagger. 



I was just a whisper pregnant when I went back to the fertility specialist. She was going to graduate me out of her care and into the care of my OBGYN that day, except she was off. Her colleague knocked on the door and introduced herself instead, my file in her hand. "Hi Tara, I'm ______. Congrats on the pregnancy! I see you have PCOS so ....." 



I'm not sure what she said after that because I was stuck on the whole PCOS thing. You see, I thought I had PCOS for years! I was studying all about women's health and hormones in grad school and everything seemed to fit with what I had been experiencing. But my doctor told me in no uncertain terms that I definitely did NOT have PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome ... a condition affecting about 10% of women). So imagine my surprise when I realize that my doctor changed her mind about that at some point, diagnosed me, wrote it on my chart, but never told ME. 



What followed was a visit with my OBGYN where I disclosed my new diagnosis and went for further testing only to find out I was also prediabetic already. Now prediabetes isn't something that happens overnight. Prediabetes comes after YEARS or DECADES of insulin resistance and is almost always preventable, manageable or reversible with nutrition and lifestyle choices.



Then I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism! My doctor said, "Tara, your body REALLY wants to be overweight!" (Insert eye roll)



When that doctor suggested meds for life and mentioned that there's nothing I can do to make things better on my own, I said, "Hold my beer." I mean not exactly those words but you get the idea. And I pulled together what I knew about the human body and metabolism from my education and filled in the holes with up-to-date and quality research. And then I got to work.

• I started eating in a way to balance my blood sugar.

• I tweaked my exercise routine to put on more muscle.

• I wanted to prioritize sleep but was still in the toddler and newborn phases and breastfeeding 'round the clock so that had to wait.

• I started paying attention to stress, toxins in my products and food, grounding, sunshine, gut health, heat and cold exposure.

• I said, "If our behaviors can make certain conditions worse, then how is it possible that different choices can't make certain conditions better? Of course they can!" And I stayed focused on that ... and still am!

• I made sure to see it as the challenge and opportunity that it was. I'm not a victim, I'm LUCKY. Imagine if my body let me get away with more? I would've abused it more I'm sure!

I can no longer be diagnosed with any of those conditions, but you better believe they're still on my radar! Those are my Achilles heels. If I'm not careful (and maybe even if I am! Time will tell), those conditions can definitely resurface again.



The thing about boosting our metabolism and optimizing our health is that it's hard, never-ending work. It's not a '30-day fix' or '6 weeks to a summer body'. There are no pause buttons when life gets busy or restart buttons you can press on Monday after an indulgent holiday weekend. But it is SO freaking rewarding to say, "I did that. I did that even while life was happening. I did that even though it was hard. I did that even while keeping indulgences in."


There's a lifelong confidence that comes from overcoming obstacles. If you're facing one right now, it might just be the thing that brings you an unfaltering inner glow one day ... the kind that only trusting yourself could really ever create.



Metabolism is everything about our body's functions. When it's not up to speed, anything can crumble. When anything crumbles, it won't be up to speed. It's. All. Connected.



If you're feeling frustrated that you have a long ways to go or tempted by your sister's Optavia weight loss, your friend's Ozempic results and your cousin's Weight Watchers journey that "works everytime" (except ... why does she keep having to go back if it worked???), I want you to know I get it. Those things ARE tempting. But they aren't real results (weight loss is just a proxy for fat loss + muscle gain, not the same) and they can also be incredibly dangerous and backfire on you.


Let's do a little exercise, ok?



Tell me, how would you like to feel for the rest of this week?
Now, what is ONE thing you can focus on for the rest of this week that will help you feel that way?



Maybe you want to feel energized so you go for a walk outside every morning.
Maybe you want to feel strong so you strength train 3 days this week.
Maybe you want to feel calm so you commit to journaling for 10 minutes every morning or night.



Whatever it is, pick ONE feeling. Then ONE (reasonable) action. And see it through. Watch your momentum soar by the end of the week.



You got this,
Tara



P.S. If you want to learn more about how your body works best and how to boost your metabolism to achieve your fat loss, muscle-building, or "toning up" goals, hop on the waitlist for the next round of my 28-day metabolism-boosting course, TRANSFORM: Body + Mind. We start next month.

Alcohol ... friend or foe?

What is "heavy drinking" to you? Do you have boundaries around alcohol?

Maybe you don't drink at all. Or maybe you drink a maximum amount of drinks per week / month. Or mayyyybe you never considered setting boundaries around alcohol (yet).



I shared THIS REEL on Instagram last week about what I consider "heavy drinking" for myself and so many reasons it can be messing up our health and body goals. Psst ... none of the reasons was "calories" because there are so many bigger things happening that deserve our attention.

The most current research might make you wanna avoid alcohol entirely or at least consider indulging a lot less often + with less drinks per sesh.


That being said, what if you want to still drink occasionally? Anything to do that can help?


Kinda no — your body still has to process and remove the poison itself over time, and kinda yes — you can support your body so it’s in a slightly better position to do so.


Consider these:


1️⃣Eat protein, fat, and fiber-rich meals. Keep your blood sugar as steady as possible. Avoid alcohol and sugar or processed carbs at the same time. I know, right?? But just sharing the info.

2️⃣Discuss with a trusted healthcare provider whether or not NAC, milk thistle, and / or dandelion root tea would be good for you. And avoid Tylenol!! These are liver + methylation things.

3️⃣Sleep! If you will be short on sleep the night of the ‘event’, make it your job to sleep well the night before and the night after.

4️⃣Hydration + electrolytes

5️⃣Try to avoid additional toxins in that drink to avoid an even bigger blow. Choose organic wine or liquor + water or club soda + low sugar mix-ins like lemon, lime, mint, cinnamon sticks.

6️⃣Expect all the signs + symptoms of blood sugar imbalance for at least 24 hours or so: hunger + fullness cues off, cravings up, energy dips.

7️⃣Exercise, walk, dance, sauna or hot bath, dry brush … think about supporting healthy lymphatic circulation.

Some things I do in case it helps you:

🍷 Drink of choice: gin + club soda + muddled lemon. When the bartenders don’t wanna muddle a lemon for me 😆, I just get A BUNCH of lemons.

🍷I am ok not finishing a drink. I can order one and drink half. It’s a waste whether I make my body deal with it or leave it, so no guilt.

🍷I’m a 1 drink MAX person these days. Smart? Boring? Probably both. If I DO want a drink that night, I’ll decide if it’s 1 with dinner or 1 at the concert or whatever, but not both.

🍷I am perfectly fine being the only one not drinking. It’s an intentional choice and one I make often.

🍷I want a really FULL + FUN life. I also wanna feel great. This means drinking at every social event isn’t a good idea for me.

I figured now might be a fun time to share a couple of mocktail recipes with ya. Hope you enjoyyyy!



XO,
Tara



P.S. We dive much deeper into alcohol and all things indulgences in TRANSFORM: Body + Mind so you can make informed choices regardless and not feel as though the social or fun times are derailing your progress at all. The next round starts in March. Are you on the waitlist yet??

2023 Ripple Habits

2023 Ripple Habits ... here we come!

Last week in The After Party (the sequel to TRANSFORM: Body + Mind), we had Kathryn Lattimer as a guest speaker talking about Non-Toxic Living. You might know her as Earth Minded Mama. Anyway, she mentioned something towards the beginning of the workout that gave me pause. Each swap we make for better quality / less toxic products we use on or around us is like a stone thrown in a lake. The first ripple is small, but then it gets bigger and bigger as time goes on. How true ... and genius!



It got me thinking, while everyone seems to be vowing to revamp everything about their nutrition, fitness, and identity right now b/c it's a new year (and WHY do we start a new year a few weeks into winter, anyway? Isn't that bizarre?), you might want to focus on smaller, more manageable habits that each start with a small ripple but gain momentum over time.


If you're having trouble sticking to big resolutions, just know mid-winter isn't really when most people feel ready for big change. This season tends to be more of a reflective time with spring bringing about more of that energy needed for bigger change. So you're not lazy ... you're just really in tune with the seasons. ;-)



Here are some 2023 'ripple habits' for you to consider. Pick 1 or 2 at a time so as to not overwhelm you:

1. Commit to at least 5 minutes of morning sun each day. Sure, longer is great but before we can dial up a habit we need to make it a habit first. Morning sun influences mood, energy, sleep quality later that night, stress levels, metabolism, immunity, and more. Kind of a big deal.

2. Coffee happens after you've been awake for 90 minutes, with or after breakfast. Check of at least one of those boxes but if you can check off both, great. This helps keep your circadian rhythm in check and your adrenals will thank you.

3. Make movement a priority. No more "go big or go home" vibes. Have a little cold? No energy? You can still get out for a walk or do some dancing or stretching at home.

4. Consider adding minerals to your hydration plan. Water is great, but it's even better when we can get it into our cells more effectively. No affiliation, but I love LMNT and Relyte brand. You could also save money and add a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lemon into your water. It's not quite as complete, but it's something.

5. Identify patterns that aren't serving you and mix it up. Journal about it. Do you keep fighting with your kids during homework time b/c they're bored and you've had it? Try mixing it up ... do homework with them in a different room or in a fort. Do you keep binging at nighttime and you feel cr*ppy afterwards? What needs to be in place to help you prevent this next time? If you're currently in this round of TRANSFORM, we will be diving deep into this. But if you aren't, make sure you're well-fueled during meal times and not riding the blood sugar rollercoaster all day. Then when you want to binge, understand you're looking for something. What is that something? A break? A few minutes to yourself? Joy that you aren't giving yourself enough of throughout the rest of your day? Shake things up.

6. Create a food acquisition system. Meaning, have a plan. Your plan could mean you meal plan every Saturday and grocery shop every Sunday and spend 30 minutes in the kitchen prepping 1 protein source for the week. It could mean you go with a food delivery service you've been meaning to set up to save some time. It could mean you find 5 take out meals that are pretty nicely balanced so you can rely on them in a pinch. Maybe you get Thrive Market deliveries once a month, Misfits or a CSA for produce weekly, and you hit Costco biweekly for the rest. All that matters is ... do you have a system? Is it working for you?

7. Get 7-8 hour sleep opportunities nearly every night. "Sleep opportunities" b/c you can't always control when you fall asleep or get woken up. But you do know you'll never get enough if you're not even in bed for long enough. If you're a monkey brain person like me, a pen-and-paper brain dump can be so helpful. Get all the thoughts, follow ups, To Dos down in writing so there's less swirling around up there. Oh, and your blue blockers are cool and all but are you turning off your overhead lights around or just after sunset? If not, don't be surprised if you have trouble sleeping. Melatonin production won't be sufficient with house lights on in the few hours before bed or if they're turned on at all in the middle of the night ... like during a bathroom trip.

Little ripples, big momentum!


XO,
Tara

The 2023 version of YOU

It's mid-holiday week time and I'm gonna keep it short + sweet so you can get back to your fam....

Whether you're a New Year Resolutions person or not, all of us can at least appreciate the opportunity to reinvent ourselves anytime and what better time than the end / beginning of a new year?



THIS WORKSHOP is one I did a few months ago in The After Party (my monthly membership), but it's such a powerful exercise that I wanted to share it here with you now as well.



Wishing you a healthy + fulfilling year ahead ... one where you break whatever patterns aren't working for you and build yourself anew whenever you feel like it. <3




Happy New Year!




XO,
Tara



P.S. The cart for the next round of TRANSFORM: Body + Mind opens on January 4th. Have you reserved your spot on the waitlist yet? If so, you'll also be getting a discount code. ;-) 

My top holiday party tips

There's a reason we spend a whole week on "the sweet life" in TRANSFORM.

We need to eat to live. We WANT to eat, too. But many have a less-than-stellar relationship with food and their body. And it's not like other vices (like alcohol or gambling) where people are advised to avoid the vice altogether.



YOU CAN'T ABSTAIN FROM FOOD!



So you mix these sketchy thought patterns and behaviors (ever eat in secret?) with sketchy physiology (blood sugar spikes and crashes, undereating at mealtimes) and you've got yourself a situation where it is almost IMPOSSIBLE to fight the urge to overeat at special occasions like holiday parties.



The goal -- at least let me assume for a second -- is to achieve your goals, feel incredible, improve your health, and keep some indulgences in.



Did I get that right?



Let's start with a few holiday party tips. Pick one tip to use, stack a few on top of each other, up to you! We'll be covering soooo much more in January's round of TRANSFORM: Body + Mind. Make sure you're on the waitlist if you're ready for a lifelong change.

• Do NOT save calories. Eat full, nourishing, PFF (protein, fat, fiber) meals at normal intervals leading up to your party. 

• It's ok to reserve your intentional carbs for the party. That's just a matter of preference and if that day you want your carbs to come in fruit cocktail and gingerbread cookie form, do it!

• Be extra mindful of protein the day of and the day after your party. Rather than just 20g of protein in some meals, bump them all up to 30g+.

• Stay hydrated and do your best to get a decent amount of sleep ... even if it's the night before and night after and not the night of.

• Use the 'this or that' strategy. Have the bun or fries, but not both. The appetizer or dessert. A piece of bread or the side of pasta.

• If you are partaking in alcohol, opt for liquor (not liqueur), a mixer like water or club soda, and super low sugar flavorings like lemon juice, lime juice, muddled mint, cinnamon, etc. Beer and wine fall in between liquor and liqueur, but usually have a lot more cr*p in in than just the alcohol for your body to have to process. Double trouble. So have it if it's your fav., but understand it's impact and maybe just really savor + enjoy it.

• Bring something you're gonna want to eat! You control what it is. You control the ingredients. You can make or buy ... whatever you want.

Wishing you and your loved ones a holiday week full of sweet memories, laughter, and the feeling that it's all enough. You're enough. You're doing enough. You did enough. They are lucky to have you.



XO,
Tara

Your health journey starts right here

Mid-December isn't really when most people start a new routine.

But it IS when many people notice their current routine isn't working well for them. Stress seems amplified above what you'd like to be able to tolerate and physical health can get pushed way down on the list as shopping, wrapping, sending cards, decorating, traditions, hosting, finishing work projects, and moving elves or baking crowds out everything else.



If that's you, start here:



1) Eat PFF at mealtimes, Protein, fat, fiber. Some meals have some intentional carbs, some might not. That's ok. But all (or almost all, anyway) should have PFF. This will help to nourish you well and keep you going longer.


2) Consider tweaking your fitness plan. No time for strength training? Can you cut back on the cardio to make some room? Can you keep the momentum by doing 5-10 minute workouts so you don't feel "off the wagon" totally?


3) Sleep like a boss. And when you don't, make it because you're making memories or laughing your a*s off with people you adore and not dusting baseboards or something.


4) Manage your stress. Did you know that just 2 minutes of purposeful breathing in the morning and again at night can have significant effects on your stress tolerance? Try this: breathe in and out through your nose in this pattern -- 4 seconds in, 7 second hold, 8 seconds out. Repeat for a a few cycles in the AM + PM.


5) Love on your gut. Our gut microbiome affects our metabolism, moods, sleep, etc. It's kind of a big deal. Consider including more fiber in your day, eating fermented foods (like sauerkraut, kimchi, or yogurt), and aim for less alcohol and / or sugar this holiday season than last. Make it a game you play with yourself; a challenge. 



If you found these tips helpful, but want more help in the new year, make sure you're on the waitlist for TRANSFORM: Body + Mind, my 28-day metabolism-boosting course. The cart opens on January 4th and we officially begin on January 16. Details about the course and waitlist sign up right here.



XO,
Tara



P.S. If you need a new leg day workout, check out this one.