What is EMERGE and What Are Comfort Foods That Are Healthy For You?

Recently I was part of an immune conditioning program called EMERGE, that focused on improving our immune vitality through four key areas: Activity, Mindfulness, Recovery, and Nutrition.

The Activity portions of this program featured on-demand workouts from some of the leading boutique fitness companies like AKT, CycleBar, Row House, and treadmill workouts from STRIDE.

Mindfulness activities centered around breathing and meditation exercises, with some restorative yoga sessions and mat Pilates routines from YogaSix and Club Pilates.

Recovery was all about pre and post workout exercises that keep our bodies limber and strong. Barre exercises from Pure Barre and guided stretches from StretchLab really guide the recovery program.

Nutrition was where I stepped in! Each week I provided helpful and actionable nutrition videos all geared toward building holistic immune health. One of my videos was all about comfort foods, and how we can maintain healthy options when the stress of life makes us want to dive into the carbs and ice cream!

If you'd like to check out one of my nutrition videos included in the EMERGE program that shines light on comfort foods that are actually good for you, then click on the link below......and if you love the information you see here, subscribe to Dr. Nancy Lin's YouTube Channel!

Breathe Deep and Let Go of Stress

When you think about your breath as being your link to life, it takes on a whole new meaning. In our fast-paced lives, most of us forget to breathe fully as everything occupies our minds, except for breathing.  We are often so caught up in meeting the needs of our family, work, etc., that we fail to nurture ourselves.

When my daughter was born I noticed how every single part of her body moved with her breath. It reminded me that deep breathing is as natural to us as it is a child, and it fades away as we get older unless we pay it some attention.

When our body identifies stress, it begins to produce stress hormones, which increases our respiration levels, blood pressure, and heart rate. How often during the day do you catch yourself holding your breath, clenching your jaw, or grinding your teeth at night while you sleep?

When people hold tension in their bodies, there is a natural tendency to only breathe from the chest (also known as shallow breathing). Every time we are faced with a stressful situation, these are the very times we need to be able to automatically incorporate breathing techniques, even if it's only for a few seconds.

Luckily, we can respond to that stress and alleviate the body's response simply by breathing deep.

Deep breathing is a must for the detoxifying of the body, the continuation of life, and it feels so good.

The simple act of breathing in itself is so important for many of our bodily functions. When we breathe in deeply, we cleanse our body with fresh oxygenated blood. Holding our breath or shallow breathing can hurt this perfect ability of our bodies to produce fresh oxygenated blood.

This can cause a number of problems including improper digestion, exhaustion, and anxiety within the body eventually leading to overall poor health and a lack of coping ability.

❖ You can start to get more in touch with your breathing by simply lying down wherever you're comfortable; the floor, a bed, a couch, wherever- just make sure you will not be interrupted.

❖ Relax your legs, arms, and entire body.  Close your eyes. Relax your facial muscles, your tongue and the space between your eyebrows.

❖ Take in a deep breath through your nose. When you inhale, your lungs and your body's midsection should move as one. As you breathe out, it should feel as if your stomach is releasing the air you've just taken in.

❖ Now place one of your hands on your belly and one on your chest cavity. Breathe deeply through your nose into your belly area to move your hand up as much as you are able.

❖ The hand on your chest should just barely move, and it should only move when the hand on your midsection does.

❖You should keep going with this process until it becomes as natural as possible.

Now as you are doing this, try smiling as you take air in through your nose, and as you exhale, the breath should make a gentle noise, as the wind might make in the trees on a breezy day. Sense what you are feeling. When you first start this exercise, do it for five minutes. Try to work your way up to twenty minutes. Once you've finished, spend a few minutes without moving to allow your body to simply exist for a few moments.

9 Natural Ways to Prevent the Cold and Flu

Flu season or not, adopting sound lifestyle habits that boost your immune system and keep you healthy are on most everyone's minds, especially with current pandemic considerations.

Always be mindful and prepared during these current global and local health measures and before the weather changes, as we dive into another season (fall). Unless you have countless hours of sick days you wish to cash in or love leaving your health to chance, healthy, holistic and preventative measures are the best rules of thumb when trying to outsmart your body from sinking into feeling like it's got the flu or cold, which can both leave you feeling icky, to say the least. (And no one likes to continue working from home, or teach virtual homeschool while feeling like a sack of potatoes).

Below are my favorite natural and beneficial ways to prevent the flu, whether you are 2 years old or 90!

1. Get lots of sunshine & fresh air outdoors!

Unless you are living where there are fires and smoke that have colored your sky orange and the health index for quality air is in the unhealthy/dangerous range, get outdoors!!! People who get a good dose of vitamin D from the sun (at least 15 min a day) and utilize Mother Nature's fresh air will not only have their moods lifted but also create more serotonin (the feel-good hormones) released into the body.

Vitamin D boosts the immune system, just like eating mushrooms, (filled with vitamin D). People who feel better mentally and physically have stronger immune systems and will most likely avoid getting sick.

2. Wash your hands often & Don't touch eyes/mouth

Washing your hands for at least 20 seconds, especially for children, avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth, and/or using alcohol-based anti-bacterial hand rub when water and soap are not available will decrease the chance of getting sick by 65-80 percent!

3. Staying away from populated places, especially enclosed areas

When flu season is at its peak (mid-October through January), try to avoid going to extremely populated and enclosed areas where re-circulated air and germs can proliferate and infiltrate your body.

Top places with germs:

☉ restaurants (especially the bathrooms, menus, condiment dispensers)
☉ airplane/airport bathrooms
☉ grocery store and/or shopping carts
☉ gymnasiums and workout rooms
☉ malls
☉ doctor's offices

4. Get good rest

When your body is well rested, your immune system is up and all defenses are ready to keep your body well.

A lack of quality sleep deletes the body's ability to fight off foreign invaders. Even 20 minute cat naps in the middle of the day will help!

Shut down all electronically devices 2 hours before going to bed so the brain and optic nerves prepare for melatonin release and a good night's rest.

Adults, try to aim for 7-9 hours, and children 12-14 hours!

Make sure to limit caffeine and stimulating foods for before 2 pm, and sleep without electronics by your side (at least 5 feet away) and without lights.

5. Meditate, exercise or other stress release

I have recorded more than 30 episodes on mindfulness and meditation/stress relief on Apple and other podcast platforms. Check them out! It's called "Braincation with Dr. Nancy Lin" . Click on the link to access for free!

Perhaps on of the precursors to a cold or the flu is a compromised immune system, and the fastest way to deplete those defenses is stress.

The holidays can be very stressful with holiday shopping, family reunions, traveling, changing of the weather, deadlines for the end of the year and all the festivity celebrations can leave us feeling overwhelmed.

Without a routine stress release (through exercising, crafting, journaling, yoga, meditation or which ever else you call stress release), this hustle and bustle of the fall/winter season is not sustainable and will invite colds and flus to overtake the body.

Exercising creates good endorphins and lifts up the mood and boosts the immune system as well. Find a way to channel your stress.

6. Eat and drink your fruits and veggies!

Boost your immune system from the inside out and build an armor of strength and good feeling with the foods you choose to eat and drink.

I suggest a green drink or two a day (green apple, cucumber, spinach, kale, celery, ginger, parsley and lemon) and try eating 5-7 servings of fresh fruits and vegetables.

These live foods are choc filled with phytochemicals and micronutrients to rid the body of foreign invaders that aim to weaken the body's optimal wellness functioning.

Also, pay attention to what is local and in season. Eating those foods will ensure that the most amount of vitamins and minerals are present.

7. Oils, Oils, Oils

Don't forget to utilize your oils!

Good oils that you can consume from foods (coconut oils, omega 3 oils, hemp and flaxseed oils) as well as essential oils that can be diffused into the air, used on or in the body as anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-bacterial.

For more information on essential oils, please visit  hmydoterra.com/truthnhealth.

8. Probiotics

Make sure you and your family take daily doses of probiotics.

These are the good bacteria in the gut that helps to stave off colds and the flu, maintains the homeostasis in the gut and re-balances the bacteria we need in our bodies that are destroyed by antibiotics.

Also, eat regular (not too much) amounts of fermented foods with naturally occurring probiotics (Greek yogurt, miso, tempeh, kimchi, coconut kefir and sauerkraut.

9. Elderberry, Colostrum and Water

These three are bonuses when boosting the immune system.

♢ Elderberry syrup

This is packed with vitamins A, B and C, but it also stimulates the immune system, has been shown to prevent colds and the flu, and tastes delicious.

It is available for children and adults.

♢ Colostrum

It is the "liquid gold" that comes from the pre-milk of a newly mothered cow. It is filled with live antibodies and is frozen and encapsulated or made into powdered form.

♢ Water

Drinking water and staying hydrated is your best everyday habit to fight against possible flu and cold season.

Also, keep the humidifier handy in your sleeping room. When the weather changes to cold, it is often dry as well.

Dry weather does not allow the body to produce mucus, which is a great first defense to protecting our bodies from foreign invaders. Infuse humidifiers with essential oils for a double dose of protection.

Sources: Health.com, CDC.com, WebMD.com, foxnews.com