10 Tips to Fight Fatigue

If you’re anything like me, that extra cup of coffee just isn’t doing the trick these days. The effort it takes getting out of bed in the morning feels like the same effort needed to run a marathon. Mustering motivation to get to the gym is like trying to get water from a dry well.  Winter fatigue has kicked in and the cold weather has us weary. Our physical and psychological energy seems dried up. Of course fatigue is not limited to the winter months but, boy oh boy, February seems never-ending.  So how can we put vitality back in our lives and a spring in our step? Here are a few healthy tricks for fighting fatigue:

1. Hydrate: Fatigue can be a sign of dehydration. Your body needs lots of water to perform well so ramp up your water intake.


2. Nap: It goes without saying that a good night’s rest is essential when fighting fatigue. However, a short 20-30 minute nap is also a great energy booster. Napping can be the perfect reset button for both mental and physical fatigue.


3. Move: Limit the time you sit down. Sedentary behavior, like sitting at your desk or watching television, helps to promote fatigue.


4. Move More: Research shows that a moderate, consistent workout just three days a week can provide a significant increase in energy.


5. Laugh:Studies have found that 15 minutes of laughing has the same physiological effect of two hours of sleep. So hit a local comedy club, rent a funny movie or watch silly YouTube videos.


6. Massage: Fatigue can be a result of chronic stress and worry. Massage simultaneously increases circulation and relaxes the central nervous system. Thus, it gets your blood circulating and reduces stress. (Try the Indigo Spa at Hilton Head Health).


7. Oatmeal: Lindsay Martin, RD at Hilton Head Health, recommends having a complex carbohydrate for breakfast, like oatmeal, with a piece of fruit or nuts. Complex carbs offer slower energy release and keep you energized longer.


8. Tea: Lindsay also suggests using herbal teas to boost your energy.  Find a tea that has a nice punch such as passion fruit or ginger.


9. Fish:Omega-3 oils, found in many fish, may also boost alertness as well as quicken mental reaction. Studies have shown that eating fish can make people feel more vigorous.


10. Vacation: There’s nothing like a short vacation for an energy reboot. A warm climate will help you refuel on vitamin D from the sun, heightening both your spirits and your energy.

What works for you to prevent fatigue?

Knock Out Heart Disease by John Lippett

According to the Nurses' Health Study, moving from being inactive to just 30 minutes of vigorous activity each day can reduce the risk of heart disease by 50%. A fun way to get those 30 minutes of activity is kickboxing.

Kickboxing gets the whole body involved using powerful movements to get your heart rate up and your blood pumping. The heart is the most important muscle in the human body. It works 24/7 to keep your body supplied with the blood, oxygen, and nutrients it needs. So this National Heart Month, team up with your heart to knock out heart disease!



30 sec jab punches

15 sec jumping jacks

30 sec hook punches

15 sec burpees or modified burpees

30 sec reverse lunges with kick

Repeat this sequence of moves 5-15 times for a 10-30 minute vigorous workout.

Valentine's Dinner and Dessert, H3 Style

Still can't decide what to do for Valentine's Day? What better gift to give your Valentine than a delicious, homemade dinner and dessert. Not only will this meal be fresh and delicious but you can rest assured knowing it's healthy, too. This entree is a favorite H3 Healthy Kitchen recipe, our  Surf & Turf with Grilled Herb Rubbed Filet, Rosemary Shrimp and H3 Demi Glace. Even with our Garlic Mashed Potatoes, this meal is less than 400 calories. So you'll both be satisfied but still have plenty of room for the special treat after dinner. For dessert, we chose another classic recipe: Chocolate Covered Strawberries, H3 style. You can never go wrong with this perfectly sweet, rich dessert. Imagine your loved one biting into a tender, juicy filet that you prepared along with hand dipped chocolate strawberries. Yum! With this classic line up for dinner and dessert, you're Valentine's Day will be amazing.

The Transformation Continues: The Indigo Spa

There are many personal benefits and rewards that come from working at Hilton Head Health. One that I find particularly valuable is that the job keeps me honest. The old adage, “Do as I say and not as I do,” is not an acceptable standard at H3. In order to help others, I have to walk the walk. As a result, I often recognize the advice I’m giving others as some that I need to be living myself.

Melt into Serenity

Rewind to yesterday when I melted into serenity while receiving an Indigo Moon, French lavender massage at Hilton Head Health’s new Indigo Spa. As I welled-up with joy during this 50-minute physical, mental, emotional and spiritual nurturance, I was reminded of why so many people pilgrimage to Hilton Head Health, and why it was my turn to experience the magic.

H3 is a place where many guests take the first step toward making themselves a priority. They are mothers that have taken care of everyone else but themselves for years; fathers and husbands who have sacrificed their health to achieve career success and provide for their families; adult kids that have been caring for aging parents; and students that have focused all their energy on academic achievement.

"A large percentage of our guests are people who have woken up to realize that somewhere along the line they put their health on hold, or the perpetual demands of life have caused them to abandon their passions."

The Value of Touch

As I experienced the value of touch, the delight of pleasant fragrances, stillness, and the calming influence of soothing music during my massage, I was reminded that the needs of my career and parenting had benched my own self- nurturance. The Indigo Moon massage was not a luxury, as some would have me believe, it was a needed reset button. Granted, it was a kind reset button - a stressed induced illness could have provided a similar wake-up call.  All the same, it prompted me to slow things down a bit to give my mind, body and spirit much needed love.

Speaking of love, I love the spa’s tagline “The Transformation Continues.”  If transformation refers to the desire for a healthier and happier life, then spa services are the scenic path along that journey. Massage alone has many proven health benefits such as help with anxiety, digestive disorders, headaches and insomnia, just to name a few. Visit the Mayo Clinic for more, in-depth information on the health benefits of massage..

The Tranformation Does Continue

"Indeed, the transformation does continue because doing something nice for yourself creates a healthy mindset that carries over into the remainder of your day."

It’s impossible to get a massage and then want to go out and wreck your body with unhealthy food or dysfunctional living. A massage is an expression of gratitude towards your body and gratitude for your body is a down-payment on protecting it.

So now that I have re-awakened to the awareness that whole-health includes doing caring things for my body, I am sure that I will make good use of our beautiful new spa (next on the list is the Healing Ocean Escape 80-minute massage and exfoliation). I hope you will join me in doing the same. I promise you will not regret it. The transformation really does continue…

Explore the Hilton Head Health Indigo Spa brochure of services here and take that first step towards your transformation.

Siblings "LOSE Well" Together by John Lippett

[caption id="attachment_12968" align="aligncenter" width="375"] (l to r) H3 Fitness Coach Chris, Dorin, H3 Fitness Coach David, H3 Fitness Coach John, Maor[/caption]

 

We've seen so many success stories in just this past year at Hilton Head Health, but none stand out more than the brother and sister combo of Maor and Dorin Elias. Dorin and Maor came to H3 looking for education, direction and a kick start to weight loss. After 4 weeks in the LOSE Well program both siblings left feeling motivated, educated and excited to continue their journeys at home. They shared in their personal successes while learning about new fitness and nutrition options they enjoyed.

Dorin and Maor strengthened their swimming skills, more than doubled the number of push ups they could do and can now hold a plank twice as long as when they first arrived. Not to mention their improvement in their pool volleyball skills. They lost a combined total of  29 inches, 39 pounds, and greatly improved their blood lipid profiles in just 4 weeks!

All of those accomplishments don't compare with Maor and Dorin's overall improvement in quality of life, boost in confidence and new found excitement towards health and exercise.

We wish them both good luck at home with continuing their personal journeys towards greater health!

 

Heart Health: Think Outside of the Box, Literally

If you follow the H3 Daily blog, you are probably aware of the numerous foods and behavior changes that promote heart health—everything from consistent exercise improving blood pressure to a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids and unsaturated fats preventing heart disease.  Instead of discussing the benefits of olive oil or relying on a plant-based diet, I want to take a different approach in regards to heart health and our daily food choices.  I would bet a lot of you know which foods to eat.  The bigger, harder question to answer is how do I eat healthy at home? The answer: cook.

Added Sugar

Corporations that produce processed and packaged foods add more fat, sugar, and salt to foods than you would at home.  According to Harvard School of Public Health, most Americans consume 22 teaspoons of added sugar a day and most of it comes from processed or pre-prepared foods.

Too Much Sodium

Have you checked the amount of sodium levels found in restaurants required to list their nutritional information?  It can be mind-blowing.  Eighty percent of the sodium in our diet comes from processed or packaged foods, not from the sodium/salt we add during the cooking process at home.

Watch the Fat

Have you ever watched TV cooking shows?  Olive oil is sometimes measured by how many times you make a circle inside the pan.  Would you like some broccoli with that oil?  At home, you have full control over what and how much you put into your meals. You'd be surprised how little oil you need to cook a meal, and every calorie counts!

Seasoning Without Sacrificing

You want to add a little salt?  No problem.  Make sure to add other ingredients such as herbs and spices to flavor it up, but a little pinch of salt here and there is only going to make your meals taste better and you’ll consume less sodium compared to if you went out to eat.  Adding brown sugar to your home made slow-cooked oatmeal?  That is okay…1 tsp. of brown sugar with toasted walnuts and blueberries is a great way to flavor plain oatmeal without worrying how much sugar has been added to the pre-prepared Maple Cinnamon Cranberry Crunch Oatmeal (that was exaggerated, ha).

So when you are thinking about what you can do to prevent heart disease or monitor a present condition, think about how much time you are willing to spend in your kitchen cooking your own food.   What are you willing to prepare on a Saturday or Sunday?  What would you change about your dinners?  How can you incorporate salmon, nuts or avocado into your meal plan?  What simple snacks can you pre-prepare?

I know this was thinking outside of the box when it comes to heart health, but I truly believe cooking more of your meals can help maintain optimal heart health. Here's a photo of my heart healthy, meal prepped fridge to show you that it can be done. All it takes is a little planning but it's totally worth the effort.

Healthy Super Bowl Recipe: Peanut Butter Hummus

Super Bowl Sunday is right around the corner! And the only thing missing from your party is some H3 Peanut Butter Hummus. It's a favorite here at Hilton Head Health and it's a must have for any Super Bowl party (or just a great snack anytime.) Watch how fast Healthy Kitchen Chef Karla whips up this awesome and easy hummus.

Ingredients:

2 Cups Garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

1 Cup PB2

½ Cup Peanut butter or almond butter

1 Cup Water

1 tsp Vanilla extract

2 T Sugar or honey

Method:

• Combine all ingredients into a food processor, puree until smooth and whipped.


• Grab some fruit or some pita chips and enjoy!

Nutrition:

Servings: 20

Serving Size: ¼ cup

Calories: 150 kcal

What's your favorite Super Bowl Recipe?