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Transform Your Health: Leveraging Back-to-School

Blissful Health & Harmony
TRANSFORM YOUR HEALTH: LEVERAGING BACK-TO-SCHOOL

By: Naomi Dicus, CHC AFMC | August 1, 2024

As the kids head back to school and summer fades, there's a unique opportunity to make significant health changes. This time of year is a natural reset point for re-evaluating your family's well-being. End of summer can be extremely effective in embracing a healthier lifestyle. Back to school is the new New Year!

The Back-to-School Reset: Why Now?
September brings a fresh start, with new routines and a chance to clean up any summer indulgences and long-time desires to finally take the plunge to get healthy.

Have you suffered from symptoms and just feel yucky after a few slices of pizza or a huge plate of pasta?

Do your kids suffer from certain food allergies?

This could be your moment to embrace a journey toward improving your health and the health of your family. Unlike New Year's Eve, when people often try to make significant changes to their health and lifestyle without any natural schedule change, back-to-school time provides a realignment of daily routines for you and the whole family. The return to school introduces structure and a sense of order that can be leveraged to implement and maintain healthy habits. Here’s how to get started.

Hydration & Sleep: The Foundations of Health
Hydration supports your body's detox processes and keeps your skin glowing. Aim to drink at least half your weight in ounces of filtered, still water each day, and consider adding a squeeze of lemon for a refreshing twist and added nutrients. Encourage your family to carry reusable water bottles to school and work, making hydration a daily habit. Stainless steel or glass water bottles only, we definitely do not want to pump our bikini bods full of BPA!

Prioritizing good "sleep hygiene" is vital for your health and happiness. Do you know what it means to have good sleeping hygiene? It involves creating a bedtime routine that promotes restful sleep. Turn off screens 3 hours before bed, and ensure your bedroom is cool, dark, and free from electronic devices. Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep each night and follow the natural circadian rhythm of the day by trying to get to bed around 10 pm and waking with the sun.

Nutrient-Dense Foods: Fortify Your Body

Focus on a diet rich in organic, local, ripe fruits & vegetables, proteins, and lots and lots of healthy fats.

Here's a couple of suggestions:

Breakfast: Start your day with a smoothie packed with spinach, berries, chia seeds, and a scoop of protein powder with maca root. It's an easy, nutrient-dense option that sets the tone for a day of healthy eating.
Lunch: Opt for a salad loaded with mixed greens, chicken/tuna/salmon, an avocado, raw seeds, and a variety of colorful vegetables. Dump (not drizzle) some EV olive oil and lemon juice for a delicious and nutritious meal.
Dinner: Enjoy a piece of fish from the grill with a side of quinoa and a sautéed veggie like baby broccoli. Salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are fantastic for hormonal balance.

Clean Up Your Pantry: Go Organic and Gluten-Free

It's time to explore your pantry and clean up any processed foods. Embrace organic and gluten-free options to reduce exposure to toxins that can disrupt hormonal balance. Gluten is so damaging to so many of us, showing up in hidden symptoms like PMS and headaches. Replace sugary snacks with nuts, seeds, and fresh fruit. Great life hack: grocery shop in the perimeter of the supermarket, not the internal shelves. These small changes can make a big difference in how you feel.

Please Don’t Stop the Movement
Use this change in schedule to implement a new workout routine, focusing on the time in your cycle to best support your hormones. Assuming a 30 day cycle (adjust accordingly): When estrogen is rising day 1-10 of your cycle, implement the high intensity workouts and running. To support testosterone for motivation, energy, good orgasms, sex drive; during days 11-15 of your cycle reduce the cardio, lower reps, and increase weightlifting. However, (and arguably the most important) when you’re supporting your sweet introverted hormone progesterone, during days 20 to start of bleed, you want to go more within. Don’t overbook your social schedule. Allow some time for self-care. Eat more potatoes, nature’s carbs, dark chocolate, healthy fats, and focus more on hiking and yoga. Engaging in regular physical activity according to your cycle will support your hormonal health in ways you never imagined.

Functional Medicine: Change Your life
Making healthy changes can feel overwhelming, and remember, it’s a journey. This back to school season, take the opportunity to celebrate small victories and prioritize yourself, through good hydration, nutrient-dense foods, regular movement, and quality sleep. By taking these steps, you set a powerful example for your family and create a foundation for lasting wellness. Here's to a healthier, more balanced you and your family. You've got this!

Naomi Dicus is a dedicated Functional Medicine practitioner specializing in women's health and natural conception. Based in Sausalito, California, she brings over 20 years of corporate finance experience in the tech industry to her practice at Bliss Point Health, where she has transitioned her career to holistic wellness and nutrition. Naomi's extensive education includes a Business degree and certifications from the Integrative Institute of Nutrition and the School of Applied Functional Medicine.

Her methodical approach to health emphasizes the importance of diet, lifestyle, stress management, and balancing the endocrine system. She utilizes real food, supplements, and holistic techniques, backed by strategic use of lab work to address root causes of health issues as well as a woman’s personal experience. Naomi is passionate about empowering her clients to achieve optimal health through tailored wellness plans that respect their unique bio-individuality.

She travels often with her family and enjoys yoga, hiking, riding horses, languages, and cooking.