6 Surprising Facts About Sleep

Most of us are very aware of the importance of sleep (and getting enough of it), but here are some surprising facts you may not have heard before about sleep:

1. Flu-Z's
If you're sleep-deprived before getting your flu shot, it can take three to four weeks for the vaccine to kick in. Those who don't get appropriate rest have a weaker immune system, which hinders the vaccination's effectiveness.
Source: University of Chicago and Ohio State University study.

2. Take This to Heart
Poor sleep is more dangerous to women than to men. Women experience higher risks of cardiovascular problems when they don't get enough rest and they're also more susceptible to psychological distress, depression, and anger.
Source: Duke Medicine


3. Late Night Shifts
There's a link between those who work night shifts and breast cancer; researchers say they think it's because melatonin is suppressed, which is necessary for protection against some cancers. "Shift work that involves circadian disruption" is officially listed as a probable carcinogen.
Source: World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer


4. Sleep Apnea
Not only does lack of sleep hurt your ability to learn, but there's also a link between sleep-disordered breathing (i.e. sleep apnea) and dementia in women. Mental impairment is consistently associated with hypoxia, which is when the brain gets less oxygen due to breathing disruptions.
Source: Journal of the American Medical Association

5. Car Accidents
Auto accidents increase by 17 on the Monday after Daylight Saving Time occurs, which is when people "lose" an hour of sleep. Heart attacks increase by approximately 5 percent.
Source: University of British Columbia and New England Journal School of Medicine

6. Pillow Talk
For couples who sleep together (a whopping 23 percent don't), one partner typically loses about 49 minutes of sleep every night, due to disruptive behaviors. These could include anything from a companion's tossing and turning, the TV being on, the room's temperature being too hot or cold, and more.
Source: National Sleep Foundation

What Are Meatless Mondays?

Like many Americans, I partake in Meatless Mondays (I am also meatless on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursday and every other day of the week). Though I am a vegetarian and advocate that others eat a plant-based diet, I understand that taking the plunge can be a lot to take on for some people. Partaking in Meatless Mondays is a good place to start. Why would you want to do this? Watch the video below and learn more - it's pretty compelling. Happy Wednesday!

Upcoming Mat Pilates Workshop!

Do you want to learn how to safely and effectively perform Mat Pilates on your own? Le Petit Atelier Pilates is hosting a Mat Pilates workshop on Friday, November 18th, at 6:30pm. This hour-long workshop will teach you how to tone your core, shoulders, glutes, and so much more - in the comfort of your own home! Afterwards, stay a while and enjoy some wine and hors d'oeuvres, and chat with other Pilates peeps!

When:  Friday, November 18th, at 6:30pm
Where: Le Petit Atelier Pilates
Cost:     $20/person
RSVP by emailing info@LePetitAtelierPilates.com


Please remember to bring your own mat. Workshop is limited to 15 people so sign up fast! Can't wait to see you all!

10 Healthy Travel Tips

Healthy Crush has all kinds of amazing tips on healthy living and wellness. The latest post talks about how to stick to your healthy ways when you're on the road. Whether it's for work or pleasure, traveling can sometimes wreak havoc on a healthy routine, so here are some easy ways to stay on track:

1. Drink lots of water and add lemon to your water
2. Cut down on the coffee/caffeine
3. Eat greens and veggies as often as possible
4. Be prepared - bring healthy snacks
5. Snack on fresh fruit when it's available
6. Get enough sleep the night before you travel
7. Get a little bit of exercise whenever you can - take a walk, do some yoga or Pilates in your hotel room
8. Map it out before you go - look up healthy restaurants, health food stores, etc.
9. If you have to stop at a gas station for food, raw nuts are the best choice
10. You won't always have access to your regular foods so just do you best and have fun!

Sweat It Out With Your Furry Friend

Confession: there are days (especially when it's cold and foggy) when I'm just dragging and don't feel like working out. It's days like these that my puggle Zoey reminds me that working out should be fun. Zoey's energy is so contagious, it makes me look forward to our time together at the park. She gets so excited right before we leave and practically skips down the sidewalk all the way to the park. If only I felt that way every time I was about to work out! Here are some reasons why you should get active with your furry friend.

It's Fun
Dogs love to run and play, so it's no surprise I always enjoy my time out with Zoey. On the days when I'm not in the mood to work out, knowing how happy it will make Zoey and how fun it always turns out to be gets me out of the house no matter how tired I am.

You Can't Make Excuses
When Zoey is itching to get outside, it's impossible to say no to that adorable puggle face. There is no end to the whining until we go outside and run around a bit, so rarely a day goes by where I don't get some kind of physical activity.

The Stats Don't Matter
Usually when I'm working out I count the reps, how long I have been going at it for, and if I'm running, how far I went and how fast. When I'm playing with Zoey, all that stuff doesn't matter. How good of a workout I get is measured by how big the smile on her smushy face is :).

A Tired Dog Is a Good Dog
On days when Zoey gets plenty of exercise, she's much more relaxed and well-behaved. After a good romp around the park, she usually passes out on the couch and stays out of trouble (like being a dirty sock thief :).

What To Eat Now

How much calcium should I get? What about Vitamin B9?? If you are curious about what you should be eating to get your recommended daily intake (RDI) of vitamins and minerals, this chart tells you your RDI and what you need to eat in order to get it. 

Source: fitsugar.com

The 10 Fastest Fat Burners

AT THE GYM

1. Catch the running bug. You'll continue to burn fat after you jog. People who run for at least four hours a week melt more calories than non-runners, even when they're not running, a Yale University School of Medicine study reports.

2. Crank it up early. Working out harder during the first half of your workout and taking it easier in the second burns up to 23 percent more fat than doing the opposite, according to a study from The College of New Jersey.

3. Speed up, slow down. Alternating bouts of high-intensity and low-intensity cardio has been shown to torch pounds.

4. Download Rihanna, not Brahms. Listening to up-tempo songs actually makes you run faster and harder than listening to slower-paced music, British scientists say.

IN THE KITCHEN

5. Get more protein. Eating a protein-packed breakfast and lunch helps you burn more post-meal fat than if you eat lower-protein meals, according to Australian research.

6. Stay above 1,200 calories. "The average person's body goes into starvation mode if she eats fewer than 1,200 calories a day," says Eric Berg, author of "The 7 Principles of Fat Burning." "That's stress, and stress creates more belly fat."

7. Graze. Women who go without eating for long periods are more likely to have higher body-fat percentages than women who nosh more regularly, one study notes.

IN YOUR LIFE

8. Get Vitamin C and D. Vitamin C can help you burn more fat, and Vitamin D may help you lose fat. Aim for 400 to 500 mg of Vitamin C, and 800 mg of Vitamin D a day.

9. Eat a smaller dinner. Your body may not digest food (and burn fat) as efficiently if you down a huge meal right before bedtime, especially because your metabolism is slower while you sleep.

10. Jump-start your morning. Wake up your metabolism (and get fat-burning started) by doing some sort of exercise within the first few hours of being awake.

Ayurvedic Oil Self Massage

Sometimes by the end of the day I would give anything for a massage but don't have the time to go in and am reluctant to spend the money. I recently read on Goop, Gwyneth Paltrow's amazing newsletter, about Ayurvedic Self Massage. Here are some things you can do to relieve stress after a long day at work, before the day to prepare yourself, or as a mini break during the day. I tried it out and it really does help with calming the body and mind.

Quick Stress Fix:
If you have had a very stressful day at work, massage the head with coconut oil or cold pressed sesame oil. Massage the sides of he head, front, and back. Then use fingertips like you are washing your hair for 2-3 minutes. Then, when you have finished, grab parts of the hair and pull away from the scalp.

Feet:
Massage the sole of the foot between the second and third metatarsals. If a line in drawn from the base of the second tow to the heel, the point is one third of the distance from the toe. This point is a marma point pada Madhya. Press on this point, and if it is sore press gently and as it releases apply more pressure. This point on the foot calms the mind and relieves stress. Once you have done this on both feet then massage the feet with cold pressed sesame oil.

Head Marma Points: Press in very small circles in a clockwise direction.

• Kapala: On the middle of the forehead at the start of your hairline. This marma is helpful if you feel bound by time, constantly in a hurry, or anxious.
• Nasa Mula: On the midline of the forehead in between the eyebrows. This important marma brings order in the body, mind, and consciousness. It steadies the mind's thoughts and emotions to induce inner cal.
• Hanu is located in the depression between the chin and the lower lips. This point relieves stress and emotions. Hanu means pride. When this point is unbalanced posture can be affected. Hanu is a very important point to use for stress management.

Kiwi Popsicles!

While most of the country is easing into fall, summer has finally arrived in San Francisco. This week's forecast promises temperatures in the 70's every day, so here is a healthy and refreshing little treat for you to try out on a warm afternoon. Doesn't it just look delightful? So simple, too (no instructions necessary). Just dip in some melted chocolate and pop in the freezer. Enjoy! XO

Source: Oh Desserts

Antigravity Yoga

Have you heard of Antigravity Yoga? I had heard about it before from a couple of people but never thought to try it until I watched this video. Doesn't it just look so relaxing and fun? I love the idea of being all cocooned up, drifting through the air. I think I may go try it out sometime next week. If you live in the San Francisco Bay Area, you can take Antigravity Yoga at Crunch Gyms at different locations throughout the city. 

On Being a Vegetarian

I have been a vegetarian for about 7 years now. I am a pesco-vegetarian which is just a fancy way of saying that I don't eat any meat except for fish. I have never liked meat and would get in the biggest fights with my parents even when I was a little girl over not wanting to eat their lovingly prepared meals because they had meat in them. My mom and dad told me different stories to get me to eat meat: The chicken was grown on the supermarket shelf! Chickens shed their breasts! I didn't buy it. Not only did I not like the taste of meat  (it seemed overly chewy and I would be horrified to see a vein or tendon), I just couldn't separate the cute fluffy animals I loved from the food in front of me.

So, as soon as it was up to me, I stopped eating meat. At first I didn't even eat fish but after a while realized that I actually do like seafood and fish (yay, sushi!) so incorporated that into my diet. I don't miss meat one bit. People ask me often if it's hard to be a vegetarian. To me, it is the easiest thing in the world.

If you're not interested in becoming a vegetarian, then skip the rest of this post. But, if you're even just a bit curious, here are some reasons to consider vegetarianism:

1. Cut the fat. While meat provides a lot of protein, it often also provides a lot of fat - especially saturated fat. This means that by cutting out meat, you'll be cutting out a lot of bad fat and replacing it with things that are probably not only lower in fat, but contain some good fats. (Hello, avocado!) This greatly reduces your risk of heart disease, and in fact numerous studies have shown that vegetarians tend to have a lower risk of heart disease, as well as hypertension, diabetes, cancer, and other diseases. Read more here.

2. Less food poisoning. Food poisoning gets millions of people sick each year - and many of them from meat, which is a good breeding ground for harmful bacteria, especially if not stored, prepared, or cooked exactly right. Cut out meat and lower  your risk of food poisoning.

3. Reduce the suffering. You probably don't want to hear about the horrific treatment of animals that are raised for food even before they are slaughtered. But suffice it to say, there are great amounts of suffering involved, and by cutting out meat, you are reducing your involvement in that. Read more here.

4. Help the environment. There are actually numerous ways the meat industry harms the environment: from a waste of our resources (animals raised for food eat enough grain to feed the world!), to waste of fuel, to the pollution caused by their waste matter, and much more. Read more about that here.

5. Help your weight loss. It's possible to be a vegetarian and eat very unhealthy foods including soda, fried foods, pizza, and chips. But it's much more difficult. Studies repeatedly show that vegetarians are slimmer and are less likely to be obese than meat eaters. If you're trying to lose weight, being a vegetarian can be a good part of your program.

6. Get better nutrition. In general (though not necessarily), vegetarians replace meat with more nutritious foods, such as vegetables, beans, whole grains, and so on. When your body gets the nutrients it needs, it shows in your skin and hair, your energy levels, and your mood.

Tomorrow, I will be sharing some tips for becoming a vegetarian and how just a few changes can make a big difference :). XO

Let It Be

Have you guys heard of Gabrielle Bernstein? I never had until Mike's amazing sister and my good friend, Megan Hayes, told me about her and I am now completely obsessed. Gabby Bernstein is this motivational speaker/guru who dishes out the most wonderful advice on happiness, love, spirituality, and all the ups and downs of everyday life. I highly recommend checking out some of her videos. What she says makes so much sense and really gives you a different perspective on things.

Here is one of my favorite of her vlogs, where she talks about letting go and just "letting it be":

Have a beautiful Wednesday!

Photo: http://gabbyb.tv/

Dogs Make Life Better

I had always heard that dogs improve the quality of your life and that there have been numerous studies showing that people with pets live longer than those who don't... But I never quite grasped just how true this really is. Last September my boyfriend, Mike, and I decided after much deliberation to get a puppy. We agreed on a Puggle, a breed I had been in love with ever since discovering it a few years back.

When I went to go pick up our new puppy she was teeny tiny and so scared. I felt an overwhelming sense of love as well as "oh my God, what did I get myself into??" We took forever to decide on a name but finally decided she looked like a Zoey.

Those first few months are now a blur but what I remember most was feeling completely overwhelmed with the responsibility and then completely overwhelmed with love. She could barely be left alone, continuously tried to get into everything, chewed anything and everything, and tried to eat all objects in our apartment. She would lick and chew the floor, the walls, the couch, the fridge, our furniture... even my Tory Burch shoes (gasp!).

She was so darn cute and snuggly, though, that I could never be mad for long. Any annoyance was gone in a flash with one of her cute little head tilts. Slowly but surely, Zoey began to learn the rules. She learned not to chew on things that weren't her toys, that at bedtime she had to be quiet, where to go potty and so on...

She graduated from Puppy Kindergarten in December where she learned to sit, "get down," "watch" and "come". Now at just 1 year she can be left alone in our apartment with free reign of the place (except the bedroom... she seems to have a penchant for stealing my underwear from the hamper).

Looking back on this past year I now see how much better our lives are because of Zoey. We're outside more, walk more places, we laugh a bit more, and I, working from my home studio, always have a little companion by my side. She has truly become a member of our little family and we love her to pieces. Yes, getting a puppy is a lot of work and takes a lot of dedication if you want a well behaved dog. But the returns are endless and the benefits to your physical, mental, and emotional health are priceless.

Do you have any puppy stories you'd like to share? I would love to hear them :).


Have a wonderful weekend, my lovelies and if you have a dog, give him or her an extra smooch for me!