Zinn Shape

07/31/2025

Did you know that laughing is a superpower? First of all, it fires up your brain - areas that control motor, emotional, cognitive, and social processing. It also improves upper body strength, lung health, and makes you more resilient to stress.

Knock, knock...

https://www.bluezones.com/2025/07/laughing-is-good-for-your-mind-and-your-body-heres-what-the-research-shows/?mc_cid=b13e4f4f9d&mc_eid=ab90e035b8

  By Professor of Cognitive Psychology Janet M. Gibson, Grinnell College Amusement and pleasant surprises – and the laughter they can trigger – add

07/17/2025

Folks tend to think of exercise as all or nothing. Don't believe it! Here are some of the benefits that you can get with even short bursts of movement. (I will post links to the studies in the comments.)

- improves your mood by increasing your brain's sensitivity to serotonin and norepinephrine.

- significantly improves bone density and reduces muscle loss from aging.

- boosts energy levels and reduces fatigue

- reduces risk of chronic diseases (type 2 diabetes, heart disease, cancer, high cholesterol, hypertension)

- alleviates stress caused by free radicals

- improves brain health and memory

- improves sleep quality

- reduces some forms of chronic pain

So, if you don't have time to get to a gym, that's ok. Just get moving!

11/27/2023

11/27/2023

It's almost that time of year when pants get too tight... BUT I have a plan! A strategy, if you will! Join me for some festive smoothie fun Dec 1-12. The challenge is centered around whole food and at least one holiday smoothie per day. Recipes will be provided. Get ready for pre-holiday clean up! Comment below for details on how to join!

06/25/2023

If you or anyone you know struggles with autoimmune challenges, please join us Monday night. You have to hear Ana's story!

06/17/2023

Friday was the last day of school here. So summer has officially begun and I'm ready to grill. Here are a bunch of recipes for inspiration from one of my favorite websites.

If you're looking for ideas to kick off summer with an epic get together, these healthy Memorial Day recipes have you covered from appetizer to dessert!

06/13/2023

Instead of a summer fitness challenge, here's a whole-health challenge for you. Pick one thing from each area to do!

06/12/2023

We learned a lot during the COVID pandemic. One of the more surprising lessons was just how critical human contact and socializing are for us. Obviously, it’s important for our mental health and resilience. But we learned about several health benefits that relationships bring us. The surprise was just how much of an impact socializing has on:
Life expectancy
Heart health
Depression
Blood Pressure
Anxiety
Stress
Chronic Pain
Gut health
Sleep quality
Inflammation

OK, fellow introverts, this is all true even for us. It’s all about balance. Of course, we need our downtime to recoup our energy. But you have to make time to cultivate relationships. Do it for you!

Here’s an excerpt from The Joy of Well-Being by Colleen and Jason Wachob.

From book: The Joy of Well-Being-A Practical Guide to a Happy, Healthy, and Long Life By Colleen and Jason Wachob of mindbodygreen.

06/10/2023

Have you heard of exercise snacks? It doesn’t mean eating while working out. It’s a term referring to frequent short bursts of movement. We’ve known for a while that sitting for long periods of time is hard on our bodies. But now there has finally been some robust research on how important regular movement breaks are. And with that comes some evidence-based advice on how often and how much exercise is optimal.

Exercise is so much more than going to the gym. Any active movement counts. It could be walking the dog or having a dance party at your desk.

Here are 2 of my favorite podcasters talking about this subject:

https://realeverything.com/the-whole-view-episode-497-movement-exercise-snacks-and-new-posture-science/

https://open.spotify.com/episode/1d3OgiEsYKki8D8JZeLDvH

Spoiler: 5 minutes of movement every 30 minutes turns out to be enough to decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, depression, and some cancers.

So, set an alarm on your phone and get moving!

Listen to this episode from Better Than Fine With Darlene Marshall on Spotify. How long should you exercise? 20 minutes? 30? An hour? It might be time to rethink how you structure movement during the day. In this episode of the “Better Than Fine” podcast, host Darlene Marshall shares the newest ...

06/10/2023

When you think of the benefits of fiber, what comes to mind?
Eating fiber helps keep us regular. And that’s a good thing to be sure. Pooping is how we pass the toxins in our bodies. But wait…There’s more!
Fiber has a range of possible health benefits, such as:
⭐️ promoting weight loss
⭐️ lowering blood sugar
⭐️ boosting heart health
⭐️ feeding friendly gut bacteria
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends consuming about 14 grams (g) of fiber for every 1,000 calories you consume daily.
Here’s a list or foods which are high in fiber (how often do you eat one or more of these daily?):
1. Pears 🍐
2. Strawberries 🍓
3. Avocados 🥑
4. Oats 🥣
5. Apples 🍎
6. Raspberries 😝
7. Bananas 🍌
8. Carrots 🥕
9. Beets 🥁
10. Broccoli 🥦
11. Artichoke
12. Brussels Sprouts
13. Lentils
14. Kidney beans 🫘
15. Split peas
16. Chickpeas
17. Quinoa
18. Popcorn 🍿
19. Almonds 🔩
20. Chia seeds
21. Sweet potatoes 🍠
22. Dark chocolate 🍫

Here’s to longevity and quality of life!

06/08/2023

There was some great information here. Let me know if you would like to listen to this recording.