“If you learn to really sit with loneliness and embrace it for the gift that it is…an opportunity to get to know YOU, to learn how strong you really are, to depend on no one but YOU for your happiness…you will realize that a little loneliness goes a LONG way in creating a richer, deeper, more vibrant and colorful YOU.”
― Mandy Hale, The Single Woman: Life, Love, and a Dash of Sass
Month: May 2019
Cucumber Water
How I Wish-Poem podcast
Nature of Things By MwsR
Nature of Things, by MwsR
Wind sneaks through the trees
There is so much that you can feel and never see.
The sun appears in the same areas each day
But in life often we just assume things will be okay.
Like leaves know that eventually, their place is on earth
Sometimes we need to know our worth.
In life as in nature, there are some absolutes and much we don’t know.
It isn’t our job to have all the answers if we did we would never grow.
Experience life, experience nature, experience it all.
We don’t always have to be certain of how we will land or fall.
Fasting ~Keto
How Intermittent Fasting Boosts the Benefits of the Keto Diet
Ok, so we’ve got the basics of each of these diets down. How exactly do they benefit one another
1. Shift into ketosis sooner
One of the primary goals of a keto diet is to get into ketosis as quickly as possibleand to stay there for as long as you can. When you practice intermittent fasting, your fasted state has already starved your body of carbs, which means your glucose levels are lower than those of someone who doesn’t fast.
This means that when you’ve been fasting, your body will shift to burning fat reserves and ketones even sooner. And that translates to getting you into ketosis much more quickly than if you weren’t fasting.
The flip-side of this is also true. Being in ketosis mimics fasting because your body is burning fat for fuel. So if you’ve been trying an intermittent fasting plan but haven’t really noticed any results, following a keto diet during your eating windows might just give you the jumpstart you’ve been looking for.
2. Lose weight faster
The common core that intermittent fasting and the keto diet share is that they are designed to switch your body from burning glucose to burning fat instead. And when you put both diets together, your fat burning is actually maximized.
Here’s why: if your keto diet has successfully put you into ketosis, then your body has adapted itself to using fat as fuel. When you add intermittent fasting into the mix, your body has a head start on the fat-burning track and will actually be even more efficient at continuing to burn fat.
Compare this to someone who doesn’t follow a keto diet. When they adopt intermittent fasting, their body will be much slower to enter the fasted state, which is where all the fat-burning magic happens.
3. Boost your brain health and mental focus
Did you know that your brain is one of the body’s biggest consumers of energy? It’s true. And it just so happens that fat, not glucose, is the most energy-efficient fuel that your body can run on. Since both intermittent fasting and the keto diet train your body to burn fat for energy, your brain reaps huge benefits from both these plans.
After all, we always have fat stores available to burn. So as long as your body knows how to tap into those fat stores for fuel, your brain has a constant energy source on which to run. This is why people following both intermittent fasting and the keto diet experience more mental clarity, focus, and other neurological benefits. (2)
There’s even more good news for your brain. Studies have shown that fasting boosts production of a protein (BDNF) that feeds your brain stem cells and promotes neural health. (3)
4. Make both diets easier
Let’s be honest, one of the main reasons some of us are skeptical about trying intermittent fasting is that fasting leaves you feeling hungry. A keto diet, however, is known to help decrease cravings and hunger, due to the high-fat content of the keto eating plan ( 4).
So if you’re already following a keto diet, you may find the fasting windows of an intermittent fasting plan much easier to manage. Both eating plans are designed to keep your insulin levels steady, which means less cravings and hunger pangs over the long term.
5. Enhance your exercise
Can you even exercise while you’re fasting? This is a common concern, but the answer is a resounding “yes!” Not only is it okay, but a growing number of studies show that following intermittent fasting and a keto diet can in fact enhance the long-term health benefits of your exercise program.
Both intermittent fasting and the keto diet train your body to burn stored fat for energy. This triggers a variety of metabolic adaptations that will actually increase your workout performance while you’re fasting. (5)
Worried about losing muscle? Don’t be! This study revealed that you can actually maximize your muscle gains when you train while fasting. And this study indicates that when you do strength training in a fasted state, the nutrients you consume afterwards will be better utilized by your body than if you hadn’t been fasting during your workout. Pretty cool!
And for those of you concerned about whether your actual workout performance will suffer as a result of fasting, not to worry. Studies have been done on Muslim athletes who fast for Ramadan, and no negative effect on performance was found. If you do decide to workout while fasting, we recommend you do it right before you start your eating window for the day.
Other Benefits of Intermittent Fasting
Want to know more? You can read more details about the potent long-term health benefits of intermittent fasting here.
Tips for Starting and Sticking With It
1. Listen to your body
As with any new diet plan or exercise regimen, only you yourself can be the ultimate expert. We are all unique and will respond differently to the same plans.
If you’ve decided to follow a 16:8 intermittent fasting schedule but find yourself really struggling, tired and hungry, don’t hesitate to modify your schedule. Try shifting your eating window to later in the day, or check to make sure you’re getting enough high-quality keto food calories.
If it’s still not working for you, maybe try expanding your eating window to 10 hours, or only practice an intermittent fast every other day.
2. Don’t start both at the same time
So you’re really motivated to take advantage of the potent fat-burning effects that these two diets offer. We get it! But if you’re brand new to both intermittent fasting and the keto diet, it’s not recommended that you try to adopt both at the same time. Trying to master the new eating habits of a keto diet while also sticking to the new schedule of intermittent fasting can be overwhelming, to say the least, which means you’ll be more likely to give up.
We recommend starting with an intermittent fasting schedule for approximately two weeks, so that your body has time to adjust to the new pattern. At this point, your body will also be more adept at shifting into a fat-burning zone, so that when you start eating a keto diet, you’ll likely find it easier to drop into ketosis.
3. Drink tea
Even during your fasting windows, you are allowed to consume as many calorie-free beverages as you’d like. Die-hard keto followers, take note: bulletproof coffee counts as breaking your fast. So if you’re following an intermittent fasting schedule that has you fasting between 8pm and noon, you shouldn’t drink your bulletproof coffee before noon.
The best alternative? We highly recommend tea, as it will not only keep you hydrated, but it also promotes gut health, wards of cravings and assists your body in detoxification.
How the Keto Diet and Intermittent Fasting Can Boost Sports Performance
One of the more surprising aspects of both the Keto diet and intermittent fasting is that some seriously tough athletes claim these eating plans help to increase their athletic performance.
They just might be on to something. If you’re looking to boost your sports performance, here’s what you should know: one of the primary reasons these eating plans work is because training your body to burn fat can help you recover from exercise more quickly. And if you eat a keto diet and follow an intermittent fasting schedule, then your body becomes increasingly more efficient at switching over to fat-burning mode. The easier it is for your body to burn fat, the better your athletic performance and recovery time.
There’s a growing number of endurance and elite athletes who have incorporated fasted training into their programs. Fasting creates a combination of high adrenaline and low insulin levels that further stimulates burning fat for energy. And if you’re looking to add lean muscle mass, regular fasting has been shown to increase growth hormone levels, which helps with muscular development.
Himalayan Salt
Millions of years ago, the crystallized sea salt beds were covered with lava, and surrounded by snow and ice throughout the entire year, protecting it from any kind of pollution. Moreover, its richness in minerals and iron provide its hues of pink, red, and white.
It contains the same compounds as table salt, but its crystal structure makes it lower in sodium per serving.
Its crystals are naturally formed within the earth, and consist of 85.62% sodium chloride and 14.38% of about 80 trace minerals such a potassium, strontium, calcium, sulfate, magnesium, bromide, borate, bicarbonate, and fluoride.
Its high mineral content makes it a real natural miracle, that treats and prevents various health issues. Here are some of its health benefits:
Boosts circulation
Strengthens the bones
Prevents muscle cramps
Treats acid reflux
Detoxifies the body from metals
Improves libido
Stimulates metabolism
Regulates the pH balance of the system
Dissolves and eliminates sediment to remove toxins
Improves body hydration
Reduces premature aging
Lowers blood pressure
Creates an electrolyte balance
Prevents goiters
Regulates water content both, inside and outside of cells
Helps the absorption of nutrients in the digestive system
This salt can be used…
“Himalayan salt is often utilized in the same way as table salt; it’s used for cooking, seasoning and preserving food. What’s unique about Himalayan salt, however, is its availability as salt blocks that may be used as serving dishes, cooking surfaces and cutting boards.
Apart from using Himalayan salt for culinary purposes, it can also be substituted for bath salts and added to relaxing salt and mineral baths that allow the skin to soak up minerals from the water. Plus, it can also be made into eye-catching Himalayan salt lamps and candle holders for your rooms.”
Tests That Detect Cancer
When it comes to treating cancer, early detection can be beneficial. That’s why experts are constantly working to develop new technology that catches the disease as soon as possible.
“Cancer screening leads to early detection of cancer, allowing most cancers to be diagnosed at a stage that is curable,” said Lauren Nye, an oncologist at the University of Kansas Medical Center.
But navigating this process can be confusing, to say the least. What cancer diagnostic tests should you have done and at what age? And how reliable are these tests? Below, experts break down the important tests you should be aware of when it comes to early cancer detection and when (or if!) you should consider taking them:
At-Home Genetic Testing
© Smith Collection/Gado via Getty Images
Some at-home genetic tests can also offer health results. Within 23andMe’s health and ancestry service, customers can opt in to accessing their risk for the select variants of the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene through a report. The report, authorized by the Food and Drug Administration, provides information on whether a person’s genetic result is associated with an increased risk for breast, ovarian, prostate and other cancers.
Stacey Detweiler, a medical affairs associate and genetic counselor with 23andMe, said it’s important to note that 23andMe “only tests for three of more than 1,000 BRCA variants known to increase cancer risk.”
And a negative result in the report ― i.e., “no variants detected” ― does not mean the user isn’t at risk for cancer because other genetic and nongenetic factors that are not tested still play a large role in overall risk for these cancers, Detweiler added. But a positive result ― or “variant detected”― may indicate a person’s risk for certain cancers, especially breast and ovarian cancer in women.
“We strongly recommend customers whose genetic result is associated with an increased cancer risk to speak to a health care professional about additional testing to confirm the result and to better understand their potential cancer risks,” Detweiler said.
A warning to keep in mind: Some experts caution against at-home genetic health testing if you experience anxiety. It’s a personal decision that’s best weighed against factors including your mental health and your genetic risk for cancer.
3D Mammograms
“Until there is a cure, screening mammography is our best tool in the fight against breast cancer,” said Michael Fishman, a radiologist at Boston Medical Center. For early detection, Fishman suggested breast cancer screenings with tomosynthesis (i.e., a 3D mammogram).
Breast tomosynthesis takes a series of images of the breast that can be scrolled through, similar to the pages of a book, so radiologists can examine the breast layer by layer. This, according to Fishman, provides radiologists with clearer, more accurate images and allows them to identify cancers that may be hidden in breast tissue. Fishman recommends mammography screenings at age 40 and annually thereafter.
“Some women, depending on their personal breast history, their family history and their genetics, may need to begin screening at a younger age,” noted Lauren Carcas, a medical oncologist and breast cancer specialist at the Miami Cancer Institute. Chat with your doctor about your risk factors to figure out when you may need to start.
Colonoscopies
David Liska, a colorectal surgeon at Cleveland Clinic, said colon cancer is one of the most preventable cancers and the ideal tool to screen for it is a colonoscopy.
“A colonoscopy is the only colorectal cancer screening test that can prevent cancer, while other tests just detect cancer. A colonoscopy can both detect and remove polyps before they can turn into colon cancer,” he said, adding that the majority of people may have no symptoms from colorectal cancer at its earliest stage, which is why it is essential to keep up with screenings.
The American Cancer Society recommends people at an average risk for colorectal cancer start regular screenings at age 45.
Stool Tests for Colon Cancer
While colonoscopies are the preferred method for colon cancer screenings, there are other tests that have been approved as well, which can be done from your own bathroom.
High-sensitivity fecal occult blood tests (FOBT) check for the appearance of blood in the stools that are unable to be seen visually. For these tests, which are approved by the FDA as a form of colorectal cancer screening, patients collect stool samples and return them to their doctor for analysis.
Cologuard is another FDA-approved, noninvasive stool screening that can be done for those 50 years or older and with an average risk for colon cancer. Patients can get access to Cologuard by discussing their screening options with their health care provider, who can then prescribe it. The testing kit is sent with simple instructions to follow, according to Mark Stenhouse, president of Cologuard at Exact Sciences.
“Patients provide a stool sample and ship it in the original prepaid box back to the lab. Results are sent to their health care provider within two weeks,” Stenhouse said.
If the test is positive, the patient will be referred for a diagnostic colonoscopy for additional testing. Stenhouse added that Cologuard is intended for those ages 50 and older. The advantages of these tests is that they require no cleansing of the colon and do not involve a patient having to take time off work and to undergo sedation, unless a test result comes back and a doctor deems a colonoscopy necessary.
Blood Tests
There are several blood tests a doctor may perform to assess your risk of cancer.
For example, CellMax Life FirstSight test is a blood test for colorectal cancer screening for the presence of pre-cancer or colorectal cancer.
“This test is for the routine screening of individuals 45 years or older and with average risk for colorectal cancer, meaning they do not have a genetic predisposition or a personal or family history of colorectal cancer,” said Mana Javey, the medical director at CellMax Life. Javey added that individuals with a positive result should get a diagnostic colonoscopy as the confirmatory test.
One of the best ways to test for prostate cancer ― one of the most common cancers in men ― is also through a blood test, called a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test. This measures the level of a protein made by cells in the prostate gland in the blood. A rise indicates there may be an issue with the prostate.
“Studies show that a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test done early — in a man of age 40 to 45 — will assess his risk of developing lethal prostate cancer,” said Behfar Ehdaie, a urologist with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
This test will classify a patient into one of three groups: a low-risk group (where the individual doesn’t need PSA testing for another five years or so), an intermediate-risk group (where the person should get PSA testing in another year or two) and a high-risk group (where the individual should be evaluated more closely right away), Ehdaie explained.
Pap Smears and HPV Tests for Cervical Cancer
Jessica Shepherd, an OB-GYN and gynecological surgeon at Baylor University Medical Center in Texas, said Pap smears and a test for the human papillomavirus are the best screenings available for cervical cancer.
“Cervical cancer was once the No. 1 cancer killer among American women, but the cervical cancer death rate has dropped significantly since the introduction of the Pap test more than 70 years ago,” she said.
This is why HPV testing is important, too, which can be included when you get a Pap smear. Certain forms of HPV can cause cervical cancer and roughly eight out of 10 U.S. women will contract HPV at some point in their lives. “Most HPV infections go away on their own. Those that persist can eventually develop into cancer,” she said, adding that cervical cancer testing offers early detection of abnormalities before they become cancer.
Shepherd said women should be screened for cervical cancer starting at age 21 until age 65 and that women ages 21 to 29 should get tested with the Pap test. For women ages 30 to 65, it’s recommended to be screened with both a Pap smear and the HPV test together, she added. This is the preferred standard for this age group and detects 95 percent of cervical cancer cases.
Mole Mapping for Skin Cancer
Mole mapping is a tool being used in select hospitals and clinics that does a full-body scan of the skin in individuals at high risk of developing melanoma, according to Burton Eisenberg, executive medical director of Hoag Family Cancer Institute in Newport Beach, California.
“The tool takes a series of computer-enhanced photos of your body, evaluating pigmented skin lesions for risk. And every six months to one year, the patient returns and a repeat scan is then used to compare if changes occurred during the interval since the last visit,” he said.
Jenny Sobera, a dermatologist and chief medical officer at Face MD Plus, recommends the procedure for patients with numerous atypical-looking moles. “Because skin cancer is often detected when a mole has changed, mapping may be the only way to distinguish a changing mole from other stable moles in the same general area,” she said.
Professional Checkups
Sometimes an annual physical can be the earliest point of entry. This might be a time your doctor can catch early signs of a health issue, like cancer, and may refer you for additional testing if they notice anything they’d like to have investigated.
The same goes for yearly specialist appointments, like the dermatologist, where a medical professional might examine your moles for any signs of skin cancer. It’s a procedure that should be performed once yearly for all patients over 35 and those who have risk factors like fair skin, history of sunburn, history of tanning bed use and family history of skin cancer, Sobera said.
Also, “patients that have had skin cancer or pre-cancerous moles should have skin exams annually and in some cases every three to six months,” she added. “Dermatologists are highly trained in early detection and often use dermoscopy to look for subtle changes.”
Self-Exams
© Gravity Images via Getty Images
Finally, don’t underestimate your own power. While many screenings or checks are administered by your doctor ― who recommends tests based on your age, family history and lifestyle ― there are measures you can take at home to make sure you’re in optimal health. This includes performing self-checks for physical signs of certain cancers, like breast cancer or skin cancer.
According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, everyone should perform a monthly head-to-toe self-examination of their skin to check for “any new or changing lesions that might be cancerous or precancerous.” The warning signs that a mole may be dangerous include a mole that changes color, increases in size, has an irregular outline or is larger than the size of a pencil eraser. A self-exam should take no more than 10 minutes and is something experts coin “a small investment in what could be a life-saving procedure.”
For breast self-exams, perform them once a month at home either in your shower, in front of a mirror or while lying in bed. Observe any lumps, changes or discharge. Keep note of any abnormalities in your breasts that you experience and report them to your doctor if anything seems different.
Related Video: FDA Proposes New Mammography Standards (Provided by CNN)
He Didn’t See Me, by MwsR
He could of seen me,
But he was to wrapped up in his own desires
He could of been the light that led my way
But he choose to stray
He could of held my hands when I was scared
Instead he gave me nightmares.
He could of been my one true guy
But he would rather look at me with his sinful eye.
He could of helped strengthen my belief in love
But he took those things from me and gave me a shove
He could of made my opinion of men so much better
Instead, he was never much of a man.
He used his position to intimidate me
All that with lots of misery.
He would of been someone I would of loved forever
He did not want my love, he wanted me.
He broke my childhood into vivid reminders
Of how he lusted after me.
He is a sick person, not my dad anymore
I had to shut that door.
He will never ever hurt me that way again
The end.
Mws R Writings 