Impacts of stress on memory

I've known of the performance advantages in competitive athletes who use a carbohydrate mouth rinse just before competition for some time now. It consists of swishing a sugary solution in your mouth and spitting it out just before competition. It stimulates reward pathways in your brain and can improve performance in competitions where every millisecond counts. This can be particularly helpful in Ketogenic athletes since they won't actually be ingesting any sugars and not altering their ketotic state.

This new article out of the JISSN however, opened my eyes to a broader topic that is relatable to almost everyone. Basically they found that a carbohydrate mouth rinse after exercise halted the decline in executive function associated with exercise. What makes this even more interesting is the fact that the researchers also measured stress hormones and found that the reason executive function was not hindered was the associated decrease in stress hormones found in test subjects who took the carbohydrate mouth rinse after exercise. So, athletic performance aside, what this article really outlines is that we simply cannot perform our best when under constant stress. Executive function deals with our ability to plan, pay attention, problem solve and remember things.

I'm not saying sugars are the answer here! I just want to point out that stress can immediately impact our cognitive abilities. Living constantly stressful lives without taking the time to meditate, enjoy hobbies, learn something new or just do things you love can have significant impacts on how you live your day to day life.

My favourite 2 apps that I recommend to almost everyone I see in practice for helping destress at home for free are Headspace and Down Dog. Headspace is a guided meditation app for your phone that you can set for as little as 2 minutes or as long as you can tolerate. Down dog is an amazing free yoga app that creates a new workout for you each time you use it and can be set to a time and difficulty level of your choosing. I love yoga for it's focus on breathing techniques while getting in some exercise and much needed stretching at the same time.

Let me know if any of you have other apps or things you like to do to help destress at the end of a long day or particularly difficult week. I'd love to hear and learn of new methods for myself and others!

Link to the article for those interested:

https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12970-017-0200-0

Dr. Rob Raponi ND, CISSN, B.Kine(Hons)

www.msknaturopathic.com

High Protein, Low Carb Muffin Recipe

I was supposed to working on some assignments today so instead I decided to make a Keto friendly snack because... well you can't get much done when you're hungry, right? Procrastination baking commence! Full disclosure, I wasn't expecting much out of these muffins but they came out tasting great! So I'll share the recipe with you guys and you can try them for yourself.

I went for a chocolate, vanilla, almond crunch flavour but you can choose to play with the tastes as you wish. So what's in them?

4 nice big scoops of protein powder (I use a Whey isolate that is sweetened with vanilla and stevia)

2 tbsp cocoa powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt (I would maybe add 2 next time)

2 tsp cinnamon (why not?)

2 tsp Xylitol

3 whole eggs

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp vanilla extract

300ml unsweetened coconut milk

As many nuts or seeds as you want - tip: add them after you've put the batter into a muffin tray so they can be more evenly distributed

Preheat that oven to 350F and after coating the muffin tray with some non stick spray, pour that mixed up batter in and let these protein packed snacks bake for around 18 minutes and bam! Low carb, high protein, great tasting, keto maintaining snacks for a week! Try them out! 

For even more fatty goodness, try cutting one open after they're freshly baked and melting some butter on the insides before indulging!

Here is the nutritional content of each muffin:

Calories: 140cals

Protein: 14g

*Net carbs: 2g

Fat: 8g 

*Net carbs = Total carbs - fiber

Nutrition calculations do not account for additional nuts or butter.

Rob Raponi, CISSN, B.Kine,
Naturopathic Intern
www.msknaturopathic.com

Guest Blog: Workout Circuit @ The Playground - Michelle Jackson, BMSc. (Hons), Clinic Intern

So I was invited to team up with some colleagues to come up with an easy and fun way to exercise at the park. The weather is still nice out and gym memberships are expensive. Finding a close by park can be a great way to get fit and stay active. Check out the exercise routine we came up with and give it a try!

Do you ever get bored of your work-out routine? I definitely do. That's why this week, I reached out to friends and colleagues, Rob and Ryan, and asked (very nicely) if they could put me through the ropes.

I chose the playground location mainly as an excuse to spend more time outside, but it also allows for functional types of exercise that challenge muscles in a different way compared to using machines at the gym. It also felt more like play than exercise.

These guys definitely know their stuff when it comes to exercise (see their bios below). This circuit that they created is fun and challenging. Head to the playground and give it a go! 

Playground Circuit: Repeat 2-3x. Take 10sec of rest between each exercise. 

Start with a 2 min light warm up - jumping jacks, high knees, butt kicks, and/or running on the spot. 

 1. Monkey Bar Pull-ups or Chin-ups 

|10-15 reps|

Pull-ups: Rob's grip (back of hands facing self)

Chin-ups: My grip (palm of hands facing self) 

Ryan's tip for beginners: If too difficult, begin by using platform on monkey bars (or get a boost from a spotter) and start in the top position of the chin up/pull up (as shown in                                                                                                        picture). Slowly lower yourself down with                                                                                                            control and repeat. 

2. Lunges    |10-15 reps each leg |

Tip: Don't let your forward knee go past your toes. 

3. Plank high-fives    |20 each side|

If by yourself, extend each arm out, one at a time, holding each for 1-2sec. 

Tip: Try to keep your body as straight as possible without rocking side to side.

(note Ryan's form!) 

4. Pole Climb - Up and down   |1-2 reps |

A.  Try using only your upper body to climb up and down, like Rob. (Trust me, easier said than done.)        

B. Using mostly your upper body, squeeze legs around the pole for added assistance. (My strategy) 

Tip: Unlike Rob, I started off with a little jump, so the momentum gave me a boost vs. just pulling myself up from the ground.

5. Push ups    |10-15 reps|

Keep your feet on an elevated platform (not pictured) for an extra challenge. 

Tip: Keep elbows tucked into sides to isolate more of your triceps. Pointing your elbows outwards will engage other muscles, like your pecs. 

6. Jump Squats     |15-20 reps|

Starting on the ground, jump up and land on a step or elevated platform. Step down and repeat. 

Tip: Try to land so that your knees don't go past your toes. 

For an added challenge, jump down into a squat vs. just stepping off. 

 7. Swing extension     |10 reps| 

This one is a major ab burner!

Fully extend body and hold for 1 sec before returning to starting position. 

Tip: The further you initially stand from the swing, the further you extend and the harder this exercise becomes.  

You can do this on your knees as a                                                                                                                        modification, but you may want a towel to                                                                                                          kneel on (the gravel in the sand really hurts!) 

That's 1 set! When you're finished, don't forget to stretch :)

More about the author:

Michelle Jackson is an intern at RSNC and BNTC. She is on the fibromyalgia/chronic fatigue focus shift and has a strong interest in fatigue and pain management. Check out her blog and website where she and 4 other interns post weekly articles and bi-weekly recipes! http://www.wholeandholistic.com

More about Ryan:

Ryan has experience in high performance sport, playing for both Toronto FC and the University of Toronto while studying Kinesiology. He went on to receive his Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) designation from the NSCA and is currently working with clients at Physiomed Roytec. Check out his blog too! http://naturopathywithryan.blogspot.ca


Rob Raponi, CISSN, B.Kine,
Naturopathic Intern
www.msknaturopathic.com