Eggcellent Idea!

Turning 3 at my Carebear birthday party

Every year after my 21st birthday, I've noticed an alarming trend increasing.  The H-A-N-G-O-V-E-R.  I just do not bounce back the way my young mind once did.  If you're like me, you're probably wondering WHY we get hung over.  Well, it's because we've severely dehydrated our bodies by drinking alcohol.  

How does alcohol do that?  It inhibits a great little guy we call Anti-Diuretic Hormone or ADH.  ADH is secreted from our pituitary gland and is responsible for inserting channels into our pee tubes so you can reabsorb water and maintain proper hydration.  If ADH is inhibited, you're gonna pee just about every bit of water on it's way out instead of reabsorbing some because there is nothing there to say, Stop! We need you! Come back aboard!

Turning 23 in Greece with my best friends; 

I just realized how much I've loved on this Guess dress over the years

Lucky for me I a. don't drink excessively anymore and b. Have the power of science on my side.   First and foremost, if you're going to drink, do NOT do it on an empty stomach.  I think we all know by now that skipping meals does not do anything to keep you from losing weight, in fact it usually can have the opposite effect.  Instead, you want to eat something while you drink alcohol that has some kind of good fat in it to help keep your body from absorbing the alcohol right away.  Fat takes up more surface space in the stomach as they emulsify and the alcohol will move more slowly into your blood stream because of this.  Nuts of any sort are a great example as are olive or flax seed oils.  Of course a hamburger will do the job but try a veggie or turkeyburger on wheat with some pepperjack instead.  

Showcasing gifts from my 26th birthday lunch;

O'neil dress, Nordstrom headband, Jewelry as gifts

Is it too late?  Are you waking up hungover and you need immediately relief?  First reach for the water. Your body is terribly dehydrated and you need to recharge.  Mix some ginger in with a class of orange juice.  Ginger has calming properties while Vitamin C has been shown to up your production of enzymes necessary for breaking down alcohol in your system.  But your best bet for some alcohol toxin stomping activity is going to be the incredible, edible egg!  Eggs contain large amounts of cysteine, a substance that cleans up that pesky hangover-causing toxin, acetaldehyde.  But here's the catch.  It's in the yoke (I'm more of an egg white girl myself but I make exceptions) and it needs to be kind of runny (yum) for the properties of the cysteine to not be lost.  

Playing CatchPhrase during my 27th (this year) birthday camping trip to Deception Pass;

North Face pullover, UnderArmor leggings, Vasque running shoes, Elmo hat 

Never Fear! Not getting drunk in the first place will replace the effects of any hangover cure!

Walk Like a Caveman

When we roamed the earth as cavemen and came upon a stressor, the body's reaction was exactly the same as it is today.  Ah! Giant manbearpig is charging towards me!  Your brain identifies something as stressful and immediately the part of your brain called the hypothalamus sends the message to your pituitary gland to give a call to your adrenal glands and says hey! release the cortisol!

Normally, we derive glucose from the food that we eat.  Glucose is the fuel of our cells much like gas is to a car.  In the case of cortisol release, this results in your body generating new glucose from the liver, not from food.  This is to ensure your body has the proper fuel if you do indeed have to fight or flight.  Now, imagine we are now living in modern times. Oh ya, we are.  Awesome!  No manbearpigs to worry about.  Our stressors are much different and typically much more chronic.  But our body's reaction is still the same.  "Oh no, traffic sucks! I've been sitting here for 2 hours and haven't moved!  I'm probably going to be late to work!"  

You are officially stressed and your hypothalamus is stimulating your pituitary gland to say hey! adrenal glands! where's my cortisol?!  Now cortisol results in you have all sorts of glucose circulating in your blood just waiting to be used!  But wait!  You're sitting in a car.  Not moving.  You aren't about to run away from anything because well, you can't.  Traffic is here to stay.  So you reach for a bagel.  And a granola bar.  And then a donut and coffee when you finally get to work.  What does food become when it breaks down in our body?  You got it! Glucose!  

yippee! glucose gives me the energy to do stupid jump shots like this;

Hotel Del Coronado robe, Ugg boots

So now, not only do you have all sorts of glucose from the stress of traffic, but now you've just given your body MORE glucose by eating, than it knows what to do with.  "Stress eating" is something we are all very familiar with.  And since the body can only use so much glucose such as there are only so many seats in a movie theatre, the remaining stays in our blood, looking for arteries to attach to.  You cells don't want me?  I'll just have to find somewhere else to stay!  Do you see where I'm going with this?  Imagine if you are sitting in traffic everyday or you have something else in your life that is a chronic stressor.  Chronic stress forces the body to have to adapt to the continuous amounts of cortisol and excess glucose in our bodies and this is when we see diseases develop affecting every organ and tissue of the body.  

hiking Rattlesnake Ridge with a sexy man

Our body's reaction to stress is directly linked to it believing it is going to either have to fight that manbearpig or flight from it, both of which require expending energy, i.e. glucose!  It is in our DNA that exercise should follow a stressor.  We have all heard it a million and one times that "exercise reduces stress" but I hope after reading WHY, your motivation for hitting the sidewalk is inspired.  You and me baby ain't nothing but mammals so let's do it like they do on the Discovery Channel!  Not like that you perv!  Get your butt moving!  Action follows intention so let's commit to this day forward to put down the bagel and go take a hike.  Literally.  And if you've heard of the caveman or paleolithic diet, well it seems we don't give them the credit they deserve.  Tried and true never fails.

And after your hike, I hope you come home, get a foot rub from the bf or husbee (don't forget to reciprocate!), take a warm shower while practicing some meditation and then slip on some foot adornments that make you happy!  Cause it's Friday and it's time to boogie!  Now send me those shoe pics to aphiluvaoe@aol.com for next week!

Steven by Steve Madden shoes owned by yours truly

Beauty and the Brain

Veronica and Betty.  Daphne and Velma.  Why does it seem that we've received the message that one can only be pretty OR smart?  You're either the beauty in the friendship or the brains.  Why can't I have style without immediately coming across as shallow?  Or nerdy if I am preaching about why we shouldn't use plastic bags?  Well, I beg to differ!  I have friend upon friend who are the epitome of what a modern day woman should be and yet we are forced to look up to Victoria Secret models.

My sexy is with my tongue, not the cup size that's hanging out of my dress.  I read.  I listen.  I absorb.  I explore.  I question.  I use what's in my head to earn respect.  I push the envelope and I always encourage other women around me to do the same.  Speak up for yourself but still be kind to others around you.  Advocate for the underdog.  Don't let others expectations ruin you.  Instead, show them how beautiful it is to be yourself.  Let people see that woman CAN possess both beauty and brains.  Learn a new hobby.  Teach your brain new tricks.  Don't be afraid to let your sense of humor come out.  Life is far too important to be taken seriously.  Rewire those negative messages.  Make your brain acquire new neuronal synapses as you motivate and remind yourself why you rock!

DPG rockin' the climbing wall at OC Fair

Your brain functions in a pattern everyday because it has strengthened particular neuronal connections that fire automatically after a period of continued use.  Let's say something negative flashes across your mind immediately after looking in the mirror.  It's not that you actually told yourself to think that, it's that you've conditioned your mind to produce that answer every time you look at yourself nekkid.  Reverse that message and you'll find you surprise yourself.  Your brain is the THE most powerful tool you own.

Guess dress, Mossimo cardigan, Forever 21 clasp bracelet

I was listening to NPR the other day (yes, I'm one of those) and they were interviewing a neurologist about the powers of the mind.  They asked him to pinpoint the very part of our brain that did this or that the best.  His answer was that the brain is like a symphony.  You can go to the concert hall and you can listen and you can be awed by the groups of cellists or bassoonists but at the end, every part of that symphony existed as it did because of each instrument that contributed to the greater whole. It all hits you at the same time but in different, equally important ways.

a lovely, larger than average noggin, Salvador Dali painting

HOW TO GIVE YOUR BRAIN SOME LOVE:


1. BRAIN TEASERS, CROSSWORD PUZZLES, SODOKU, FOLLWING CURRENT EVENTS, READING BOOKS, LEARNING A NEW TRADE OR LANGUAGE:
Do something that challenges your normal pattern of thought.  Being uncomfortable is your body's response to not having strong neuronal synapses in that area of the brain.  You are forcing it to make new ones.  Think about all the fun new people you will meet and how interesting you will feel. Oh you're a Master Sommelier? How funny, me too!


2. VOLUNTEER AND TRAVEL:
There is no way we can truly appreciate what we have without seeing what others live without.  Wants and needs can become black and white suddenly.  See how other people live their lives.  It may just humble you a teeny tiny eeny beeny isty bitsy bit.  It's important to know we are all connected somehow to ensure we never feel hopeless.  It's almost impossible to be depressed while helping someone else more in need.

Volunteering on a health trek in Vietnam; Buff headwear

3. GREEN TEA:
It fights free radicals in our body. Drink it!  There is an enzyme in it that they believe fights Alzheimer's.  Just don't do it if you're pregnant as it's properties act in a splicing mechanism to new developing DNA i.e. a fetus (not good!)  But good if you aren't pregnant and wanting to fight cell damage or potentially cancerous cells.  Also avoid it while eating a meal high in iron.  Green tea can inhibit iron absorption and it's best to just keep the two separate to avoid anemia.


4. NUTS, SEEDS, BLUEBERRIES & BROCCOLI:
You're doing well if any of these or all 4 are in your diet.  Act like a rabbit and munch.


5. OMEGA FATTY ACIDS:
 I think I've began drilling it into your head (literally) how important fish oil and and the omega fatty acids that accompany them.  You can also find smaller amounts in flax and chia seeds  Omega fatty acids are high in DHA, a fatty acid that is found in high concentrations in the gray matter of the brain.  It is essential in the transmission of brain signals.

my old kitty, Smee promoting Omega-3s

6. KEEP FAT OFF YOUR BELLY:
The fat around your inner organs is much more metabolically active than other types of fat right under the skin.  It's pumping out toxic substances and is very potent.  Fat in the abdomen is the most dangerous kind and they are linking it more and more to Alzheimer's, in fact 3.6 times greater for people with larger bellies.  Belly fat is in close proximity with major organs and is oozing noxious chemicals, stoking inflammation, constricting blood vessels and triggering other processes that damage brian cells.


Got all that? QUIZ TIME! No, not really. But if you've gleaned anything from my rambling, it is this: Care for your brain and it will care for you for many years to come!

And if you've been loyal enough to make it to the end of this posting, I want your shoes!  No, I don't want to steal them.  I want photos of your favorite pair!  Flats, pumps, platform, wedges, soccer cleats, I want them all!   I will be doing a section once a week on exercise and diet and would love to showcase those lovely tootsies that keep us moving!


Send all photos with your first name to aphiluvaoe@aol.com.

A Happy Heart

Welcome to my adventure!  I am a woman who has played many roles in my life and I am looking to find a place where all of my interests can collide.

 J.Crew Top & Belt, Billabong vest, Nine West boots

We must embrace the secret powers that lie within: knowledge!  Fill your head with brains and you're sure to go far. I hope to take subjects that once seemed dry and help you apply them to your own life while interspersing style.  Creativity is a spice best used daily.

Seeing as February is American Heart Month, I thought it only appropriate to start with that large mass in the left side of your chest.  While it is less than a pound and was at one point believed to be the center of our emotions, our understanding of the heart has developed exponentially.  It is believed to beat roughly around 35 million times a year and about 100,000 a day.  That's a lot of beats that we take for granted!  Every day, around 2,700 people die from heart disease.  It is THE biggest killer of women.

Ok, great you say. But what can I do? Or maybe you believe that will never happen to you.   I went to an auction benefit last weekend in support of heart disease and there was a woman speaker who wasn't older than 25 who had a pacemaker since she was 20 due to a heart defect.  She was pretty inspiring.  Great, you say again, I don't have a heart defect.  Well, let's keep it that way!  Good habits start now!

1. Take Vitamins and Minerals for Your Heart

a. Fish Oil...The benefits of fish oil apply to basically every part of your goddess body

b. Garlic...Mmmmm garlic. What’s not to love?  Ok, besides the stinky breath. While I could do a separate post on the benefits of garlic alone, I will save that for another day.  In regards to your heart, garlic helps improve your circulation, especially to those long legs and arms of yours.  It contains properties for fighting "bad" or LDL cholesterol and keeping it from sticking to your artery walls, i.e. a heart attack!  It basically acts in the same fashion as aspirin, mas o menos.

c. Co Q10…A recent study found lower levels of this mighty guy in patients with heart disease than in those who were disease free. It simply is found in every cell of our bodies. This fact alone should give us a feel for how important it is to our survival and proper health.  It is found in oily fish as well as a good ol’ supplement.

2. Exercise and Destressing!

We all know this one. Get your heart rate up for a minimum of 10 minutes everyday.  I love my Jillian Michael’s 30 Day Shred.  It’s a 20 minute whole body workout that whips your butt!  Get out and explore your backyard and go hiking.  The adventures you rack up while making your heart stronger go hand in hand.  Investing in a jump rope is also a really easy and quick workout.  Put some free weights under your desk at work to use during downtime. Invest in a punching bag and some gloves and just go to town.  Let your frustrations out because stress is HUGE pain in your heart's butt.  Stress will basically hijack your entire body if you let it.

3. Diet.

Nom, nom, nom. I cannot stress the importance of diet.  Don’t get me wrong.  I am consuming as much sugar as the next girl, but my regular day to day diet consists of things I can pronounce, that grow from the ground or that swim in the sea.  Read your labels. Buy local whenever possible and support community businesses.  Just say no to antibiotics or hormones in food of ANY sort.  It’s messing with our OWN hormones.  And that is yet another subject on it’s own.  Don't forget to add a little red wine in there for good measure.

4.  Stop Smoking!

I admit it.  I have smoked.  I would go out drinking at night and end up with a cigg in my hand so I know how hard of a habit it can be to break.  But it basically causes your arteries, those pipes that take your blood from your heart to the rest of your body, to get nasty and hard, depriving the heart from nourishing itself and eventually leads to heart disease.  Isn't that what we've been trying to avoid this whole post?

Till we meet again!

                  

                    Lulus.com dress, Tejani bracelet, Dabby Reid pearl necklace