Livin' Right

3 Day Diet

Day 1) Breakfast–1/2 Grapefruit, 1 Slice of Toast, 2 Tablespoons of Peanut Butter, and Coffee or Tea. Lunch–1/2 Cup of Tuna, 1 Slice of Toast, and Coffee or Tea (any brew, as long as it’s caffeinated) Dinner–3 ounces of any type of meat, 1 Cup of Green Beans, 1/2 Banana, 1 Small Apple, and 1 Cup of Vanilla Ice Cream (YUM)!!!

Day 2) Breakfast–1 egg, 1 Slice of Toast, and 1/2 Banana Lunch–1 Cup of Cottage Cheese (Or 1 Slice of Cheddar Cheese), 1 Hard Boiled Egg, and 5 Saltine Crackers. Dinner–2 Hot Dogs, (no buns), 1 Cup of Broccoli, 1/2 Cup of Carrots, 1/2 Banana, and 1/2 Cup of Vanilla Ice Cream.

Day 3) Breakfast–5 Saltine Crackers, 1 Slice of Cheddar Cheese, and 1 Small Apple. Lunch-1 Hard-Boiled Egg, and 1 Slice of Toast. Dinner–1 Cup of Tuna, 1/2 of a Banana, and 1 Cup of Vanilla Ice Cream.

Healthy Solutions Sources & Links

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Understanding Cortisol

Diet for High Cortisol Levels:

notes From the article http://www.livestrong.com/article/399239-diet-for-high-cortisol-levels/

    1. Black Tea

    2. Omega 3 -rich foods: salmon, halibut, tuna, walnuts and soybeans

    3. Dark chocolate

    4. Yogurt or Ricotta cheese

Eating Healthy

Notes from http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/cortisollowering-foods-9152.html

"According to Dr. Barry Sears, developer of the Zone Diet, high-protein diets can help reduce cortisol production because protein doesn’t significantly increase blood sugar levels and induce insulin spikes, which is stressful for the body. Protein-rich food includes eggs, meat, poultry, fish, dairy products and some plant foods such as soybeans. Furthermore, replenishing your body with dietary protein while under stress is important because cortisol can break down your body's protein stores for energy. Protein-rich foods are also calorie dense, filling and usually a good source of vitamins and minerals, which all help combat the physiological effects of stress."

6 steps to Lowering Cortisol Production

Notes from http://teeccino.com/building_optimal_health/148/Six-Tips-To-Reduce-The-Stress-Hormone,-Cortisol.html

Cortisol is a necessay hormone - but when the "fight or flight" stress gets in the way too much ortisol is leaked into the body, causing weight gain, and aging

1. Eliminate caffeine from your diet. It’s the quickest way to reduce cortisol production and elevate the production of DHEA, the leading anabolic youth hormone. 200 mg of caffeine (one 12 oz mug of coffee) increases blood cortisol levels by 30% in one hour! Cortisol can remain elevated for up to 18 hours in the blood. This is the easiest step to decrease your catabolic metabolism and increase your anabolic metabolism.

2. Sleep deeper and longer. suggest taking melatonin, a natural hormone produced at night that helps regulate sleep/wake cycles, before going to sleep to boost your own melatonin production that also decreases with age.

3. Exercise regularly to build muscle mass and increase brain output of serotonin and dopamine, brain chemicals that reduce anxiety and depression.

4. Keep your blood sugar stable. Avoid sugar in the diet and refined carbohydrates to keep from spiking your insulin production. Eat frequent small meals balanced in protein, complex carbohydrates and good fats like olive oil and flax seed oil. Diets rich in complex carbohydrates keep cortisol levels lower than low carbohydrate diets. Hydrate – dehydration puts the body in stress and raises cortisol levels. Keep pure water by your bed and drink it when you first wake up and before you go to sleep.

5. Take anti-stress supplements like B vitamins, minerals like calcium, magnesium, chromium and zinc, and antioxidants like vitamin C, alpha lipoic acid, grapeseed extract, and Co Q 10. Adaptogen herbs like ginseng, astragalus, eleuthero, schizandra, Tulsi (holy basil) rhodiola and ashwagandha help the body cope with the side effects of stress and rebalance the metabolism. These supplement and herbs will not only lower cortisol levels but they will also help you decrease the effects of stress on the body by boosting the immune system.

6. Meditate -it promotes the production of alpha (focused alertness) and theta (relaxed) brain waves.

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Morning Workout

http://www.aol.com/article/2014/01/09/a-workout-perfect-for-those-early-mornings/20804482/?utm_source=zergnet.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=zergnet_173440

1. 10 push ups

2. Elbow Plank for 10 seconds

3. Plan to Downward dog- 10

4. Pike shoulder pushup (downward dog pushup) 10

5. Plank Twists- 10 each side- alternate

6. 15 - split stance extensions

7. Full side lunge- 16 alternate each side

8. bodyweight squat-15 (bring butt to heals- stop at knees)

9. Classic jumping jack-30- light on feet

10. Repeat