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How to Maximize Your Fat Loss with Fitness

9/7/2017

 
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Diet is always the most important in terms of a healthy body, but exercise can be a great addition to help sculpt your body. Unfortunately, a good majority of individuals exercise regularly but don't see results, and may even end up gaining more fat than what they started with - no bueno!
Here are crucial tips, powered by HealthyBot, on how to optimize fitness to increase fat burning and help you reach your body composition goals:


Build muscle

To put it simply, you want as much muscle as you can because muscle is what increases your metabolism. The more muscle you have, the more calories you will burn at any given time. Gain muscle and minimize muscle loss by adding strength training exercises to your workout routine.
This could be any variation of strength training: yoga, barre, pilates, heavy lifting, etc. Another benefit of strength training is that it will cause you to continue to burn more calories even after the strength session is over.

Real Life Example: I had two female patients one day. One was 130 lbs and had 18% body fat and her resting metabolic rate was 1450 (resting metabolic rate is the bare minimum amount of calories you will burn in a day) which means her body was mostly muscle. The second patient was 170 lbs and had 47% body fat (meaning about half of her body was fat) and her resting metabolic rate was 1150. This means that even though the 130 lbs patient weighed 40 lbs LESS, because she was mostly muscle and very low fat, she burned about 300 calories more per day than the patient with almost 50% fat.

To put this in perspective, to burn 300 calories it would take about an hour of exercise. This is an example of why you want to build and preserve muscle because it is what will determine how many calories you burn daily. 


Say no to steady-state cardio

This type of exercise is really a waste of time in terms of weight loss. It is inefficient because it leads to muscle wasting rather than muscle building and you really don't burn many calories from it. With steady-state cardio you also stop burning calories once you stop the exercise - this is unlike high intensity interval training or strength training which causes you to continue burning calories for hours after the workout.

Note: Any type of cardio is good for your heart, stress relief, and improved mood - however not good for weight loss.


10,000 steps per day

This means you are moving around more so than sitting, those little movements everyday will add up to you burning more calories. Even just standing rather than sitting will activate more muscles and cause you to burn more calories. Aim to get up and move around at least once an hour,  if you subtract 8 hours of sleep, this means you have 16 hours to move. Increase walks throughout the day by walking 10 minutes around the block before work, walking at least 10 minutes at lunch time, and walking after dinner for at least 10 minutes - walking after eating also helps with digestion, another added benefit!

Real life example: All the time I have patients come back from vacation saying they walked a lot but barely did any other exercise and definitely did not follow a healthy diet. More often than not, they end up losing fat and gaining or maintaining muscle. How does this happen?! Well, when you are on vacation you tend to be moving around more, you are constantly on the go, and you are walking all over the place.

Don't underestimate the power of walking and movement, it really can make a big difference. Another reason can be due to a more relaxed state and less cortisol production while you are on vacation. Elevated cortisol comes from too much exercise and/or too much stress, and cortisol favors muscle breakdown and fat accumulation. Good reason to book your next vacation!


HIIT

High intensity interval training (aka HIIT) means you are doing short bursts of exercise followed by short periods of rest. HIIT has shown to be the most efficient and effective form of exercise because it helps you to build muscle and burn more calories even after the workout is done, and is under 30 minutes.

This should be done every 48-72 hours, maximum 3x per week because too much high intensity back-to-back doesn't allow your body to rebuild itself and can lead to muscle breakdown and loss - which you know from above is the last thing you want for your metabolism.


Mix it up

Doing different types of exercise means your body is never able to adapt to a workout and keeps your body guessing. Mix up your workouts weekly or every 2-3 weeks. If you continue to do the exact same exercises for longer than a few weeks, your body gets really good at doing these exercises and is not challenged anymore because it knows what to expect. When your body goes on autopilot and is no longer challenged, it will stop burning as many calories.


Rest

Give your body at least one day off from exercise per week, it needs this rest time to heal and rebuild muscle. Also too much exercise will cause high levels of cortisol in your body. High levels of cortisol in your body favors fat accumulation and muscle wasting - not a good combo!
On your rest day(s) walking and stretching is still great - a rest day does not mean you have to sit on the couch all day.


Sleep

Sleep is so important because it is when your body rebuilds and makes muscle. It is absolutely necessary for muscle growth and the prevention of muscle breakdown. Someone who is exercising regularly will need more sleep than someone who does not exercise - good excuse to sleep in!
Exercise will also allow you to sleep better, and is one of the best ways to increase the quality of your sleep - just make sure you are done exercising at least 2 hours before you want to go to sleep because exercise revs you up and makes you alert, which is the last thing you want before you try to sleep.


About the author: Sarah-Kate Rems is an Ivy-league trained Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner licensed in California and New York State with an expertise in preventative healthcare. She considers nutrition and exercise to be the basis of well-being and is a strong advocate for daily physical activity and maintaining a healthy diet. Sarah-Kate is also a co-founder of The Mindful Tech Lab


21 Fitness Tips To Help Get You In Shape

9/5/2017

 
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Our resident health and fitness expert serves up her 21 favorite fitness tips to help you get in shape and reach your goals! Let's get fit!
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About the author: Sarah-Kate Rems is an Ivy-league trained Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner licensed in California with an expertise in preventative healthcare. She considers nutrition and exercise to be the basis of well-being and is a strong advocate for daily physical activity and maintaining a healthy diet. Sarah-Kate is also a co-founder of The Mindful Tech Lab

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11 Bite-Size Banana Recipes You Need To Try

9/2/2017

 
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Bananas are the perfect food to refuel with after a workout because they are high in electrolytes, most notably potassium and magnesium, and high in carbohydrates. The high magnesium and potassium content in bananas helps to prevent muscle cramps that can happen at night after strenuous workouts. This is because after an intense sweat session, your body will rid itself of electrolytes, and electrolytes are needed to keep your muscles relaxed.

In addition to being great as a post-workout snack, ripe bananas are also great for digestion and help to get things moving.

Here are 11 simple, 3-ingredient recipes using banana as the base powered by EatCleanBot (found in Facebook Messenger). Don't forget to follow us on Instagram for even more great recipes @themindfultechlab




1. Baked Oatmeal Soaked in Almond Milk

Ingredients:
  • ½ cup oats
  • 1 banana
  • 1 cup almond milk

Instructions:
Mash the banana with the oats, spoon out onto a baking sheet and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until slightly firmed. Place the baked banana-oats mix in a bowl and pour the almond milk on top, dig in with your spoon.


2. Banana Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients:
  • ½ cup oats
  • 1 banana
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
Instructions:
Mix all ingredients together, spoon out into 2-inch balls onto a baking sheet and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until slightly firm.
Health Hack: Cinnamon acts to decrease your blood sugar when eaten with a meal.

3. Cocoa ’Nana Oat Cookies

Ingredients:
  • ½ cup oats
  • 1 banana
  • 2 Tbsp cocoa powder

Instructions:
Mix all ingredients together, spoon out into 2-inch balls onto a baking sheet and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until slightly firm.


4. Chia Seed ‘Nana Oat Cookies

Ingredients:
  • ½ cup oats
  • 1 banana
  • 1 Tbsp chia seeds

Instructions:
Mix all ingredients together, spoon out into 2-inch balls onto a baking sheet and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until slightly firm.


5. Almond Butter Oat Balls

Ingredients:
  • 2 Tbsp almond butter
  • 1 banana
  • ½ cup oats

Instructions:
Mix all ingredients together, spoon out into 2-inch balls onto a baking sheet and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until slightly firm.


6. Toasted Coconut Oat Bites

Ingredients:
  • 3 Tbsp coconut flakes
  • 1 banana
  • ½ cup oats

Instructions:
Mix all ingredients together, spoon out into 2-inch balls onto a baking sheet and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until slightly firm.


7. Chia Coconut ‘Nana Bites

Ingredients:
  • 1 Tbsp chia seeds
  • ¼ cup coconut flakes
  • 1 banana

Instructions:
Mix all ingredients together, spoon out into 2-inch balls onto a baking sheet and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until slightly firm.


8. Vanilla Coconut Cookies


Instructions:
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup coconut flakes
  • 1 banana

Instructions:
Mix all ingredients together, spoon out into 2-inch balls onto a baking sheet and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until slightly firm.


9. Almond Butter Coconut ‘Nana Bites

Ingredients:
  • 1 banana
  • 1 Tbsp almond butter
  • ¼ cup coconut flakes

Instructions:
Mix all ingredients together, spoon out into 2-inch balls onto a baking sheet and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until slightly firm.


10. Vanilla Banana Oatmeal Bites

Ingredients:
  • 1 banana
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ½ cup oats

Instructions:
Mix all ingredients together, spoon out into 2-inch balls onto a baking sheet and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until slightly firm.


11. Cinnamon Coconut Balls

Ingredients:
  • 1 banana
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ cup coconut flakes

Instructions:
Mix all ingredients together, spoon out into 2-inch balls onto a baking sheet and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until slightly firm.

31 Day Workout To Get You Fit - No Gym Required

9/2/2017

 
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Our high intensity interval training (HIIT) workout routines are designed by our resident weight management expert, Sarah-Kate Rems, NP.

HIIT workouts are comprised of alternating periods of short, intense anaerobic exercises with less intense recovery periods and have been shown to boost your metabolism while burning tons of calories in a short period of time.

For how-to videos of all exercises, visit www.themindfultechlab.com/fitness
Note: Always consult with your primary care provider before starting any new fitness routine.



Day 1
Butt Kicks  - 60 seconds
Jumping lunges - 30 seconds
Jumping jacks - 30 seconds
Skaters - 60 seconds
*Rest 60 seconds
Beginner: 3 rounds - 11 minutes
Moderate: 4 rounds - 15 minutes
Advanced: 5 rounds - 19 minutes


Day 2 [Rest Day]
Rest days are an important part of any fitness training routine. The time off actually helps your body fully recover and grow muscle.


Day 3
Jump squat - 60 seconds
Skaters - 60 seconds
Burpees - 60 seconds
*Rest 60 seconds
Beginner: 3 rounds - 11 minutes
Moderate: 4 rounds - 15 minutes
Advanced: 5 rounds - 19 minutes


Day 4 [Rest Day]

Day 5
Butt kicks - 60 seconds
Star jumps - 30 seconds
Mountain climbers - 30 seconds
Jump squats - 60 seconds
*Rest 60 seconds
Beginner: 3 rounds - 11 minutes
Moderate: 4 rounds - 15 minutes
Advanced: 5 rounds - 19 minutes


Day 6 [Rest Day]


Day 7
Jumping jacks - 60 seconds
Butt kicks 60 - seconds
Jumping lunges - 30 seconds
*Rest - 60 seconds
Beginner: 4 rounds - 13 minutes
Moderate: 5 rounds - 16.5 minutes
Advanced: 6 rounds - 20 minutes


Day 8 [Rest Day]

Day 9
Butt kicks - 60 seconds
Skaters - 60 seconds
Burpees - 60 seconds
*Rest - 60 seconds
Beginner: 3 rounds - 11 minutes
Moderate: 4 rounds - 15 minutes
Advanced: 5 rounds - 19 minutes


Day 10 [Rest Day]

Day 11
Skaters - 60 seconds
Star jumps - 30 seconds
High knees - 30 seconds
Mountain climbers - 30 seconds
*Rest 60 seconds
Beginner: 4 rounds - 13 minutes
Moderate: 5 rounds - 16.5 minutes
Advanced: 6 rounds - 20 minutes


Day 12 [Rest Day]

Day 13
Jumping jacks 60 seconds
High knees - 60 seconds
Burpees - 60 seconds
*Rest 60 seconds
Beginner: 3 rounds - 11 minutes
Moderate: 4 rounds - 15 minutes
Advanced: 5 rounds - 19 minutes


Day 14 [Rest Day]


Day 15
Butt kicks - 60 seconds
Burpees - 60 seconds
High knees - 60 seconds
*Rest 60 seconds
Beginner: 3 rounds - 11 minutes
Moderate: 4 rounds - 15 minutes
Advanced: 5 rounds - 19 minutes


Day 16 [Rest Day]


Day 17
Jumping jacks - 60 seconds
Tuck jumps - 30 seconds
Skaters - 60 seconds
Mountain climbers - 30 seconds
*Rest 60 seconds
Beginner: 3 rounds - 11 minutes
Moderate: 4 rounds - 15 minutes
Advanced: 5 rounds - 19 minutes


Day 18 [Rest Day]


Day 19
Skaters - 60 seconds
180 degree squat jumps - 30 seconds
Jumping jacks - 60 seconds
Mountain climbers - 30 seconds
*Rest 60 seconds
Beginner: 3 rounds - 11 minutes
Moderate: 4 rounds - 15 minutes
Advanced: 5 rounds - 19 minutes


Day 20 [Rest Day]


Day 21
High knees - 30 seconds
Burpees - 60 seconds
Jumping jacks - 60 seconds
*Rest 60 seconds
Beginner: 4 rounds - 13 minutes
Moderate: 5 rounds - 16.5 minutes
Advanced: 6 rounds - 20 minutes


Day 22 [Rest Day]


Day 23
Elbow Plank Drops - 30 seconds
Skaters - 60 seconds
Burpees - 60 seconds
Bicycle kicks - 30 seconds
*Rest 60 seconds
Beginner: 3 rounds - 11 minutes
Moderate: 4 rounds - 15 minutes
Advanced: 5 rounds - 19 minutes


Day 24 [Rest Day]


Day 25
High knees - 30 seconds
Skaters - 60 seconds
Jumping lunges - 30 seconds
Butt kicks - 60 seconds
*Rest 60 seconds
Beginner: 3 rounds - 11 minutes
Moderate: 4 rounds - 15 minutes
Advanced: 5 rounds - 19 minutes
Increase the burn: hold 3lb weights


Day 26 [Rest Day]


Day 27
Jumping jacks - 60 seconds
Jump squats - 30 seconds
Skaters - 60 seconds
*Rest 60 seconds
Beginner: 4 rounds - 13 minutes
Moderate: 5 rounds - 16.5 minutes
Advanced: 6 rounds - 20 minutes
Increase the burn: add 1lb ankle weights


Day 28 [Rest Day]


Day 29
Butt kicks - 60 seconds
Burpees - 60 seconds
Bicycle kicks - 60 seconds
*Rest 60 seconds
Beginner: 3 rounds - 11 minutes
Moderate: 4 rounds - 15 minutes
Advanced: 5 rounds - 19 minutes
Increase the burn: hold 3lb weights


Day 30 [Rest Day]
​


Day 31
Jumping jacks - 60 seconds
Jumping lunges - 60 seconds
Mountain climbers - 30 seconds
Bicycle kicks - 30 seconds
*Rest 60 seconds
Beginner: 3 rounds - 11 minutes
Moderate: 4 rounds - 15 minutes
Advanced: 5 rounds - 19 minutes


You did it!!! Share your achievement and use the hashtag #HIITFITCHALLENGE
For more free HIIT workouts, be sure to add Daily FitBot on Facebook Messenger

16 Mindfulness Tips You Need To Know

9/1/2017

 
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Mindfulness has been shown to help with stress, depression, and overall well-being. Here are 16 tips to help get the most out of your day and be more mindful!

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About the author: Sarah-Kate Rems is an Ivy-league trained Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner licensed in California and New York State with an expertise in preventative healthcare. She considers nutrition and exercise to be the basis of well-being and is a strong advocate for daily physical activity and maintaining a healthy diet. Sarah-Kate is also a co-founder of The Mindful Tech Lab

​

How To Eat Healthy At An Italian restaurant

8/31/2017

 
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Italian food is one of the most beloved foods across the world - and for good reason! It is based on using super fresh ingredients with plenty of olive oil and herbs.
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However, Italian food is also known for its heavy pasta and cream based dishes which are definitely not helpful for staying healthy and fit. As with any restaurant, it is all about making the right choices and choosing the dishes that will fuel your body and not work against you.


Here is how to order healthy at an Italian restaurant:


Appetizer

  • Minestrone soup - This soup is broth based with lots of vegetables, and tends to pack a ton of flavor with not a lot of calories. Soup is great to start with because the liquid will fill up space in your stomach, meaning less chance of overeating later.
  • Charcuterie - This is a mix of different meats which makes this a high protein and high fat appetizer and will make you feel satisfied and help to fill you up a bit before the main course.
  • Antipasto - This is a mix of meats, cheese, vegetables, and olive oil, and  is a great high protein and high fat starter.
  • Carpaccio - Another high protein, high fat appetizer, this consists of thin slices of raw fish with olive oil.
  • Roasted vegetables - Super fresh vegetables are a staple of Italian food, starting with vegetables will give you some fiber to fill you up a bit before the main course.
  • Caprese salad - This salad is traditionally composed of tomatoes, basil and mozzarella which is great high fat starter. Eating high fat to start will prevent you from overeating at the main dish. Note: If dairy tends to upset your stomach, you should probably skip the mozzarella because this type of cheese is typically harder to digest due to the higher lactose content.
  • Grilled calamari - Aka squid, calamari is a another great protein choice, just make sure to get grilled and not fried or crusted.


Pasta Main Course

Choose pasta only if you are if you are looking for a high carb meal, such as after heavy exercise or a carb-refeed day. Otherwise, pasta in general is not a good choice for your waist-line. 
  • Pasta primavera - This dish is made with lots of vegetables and the sauce is usually olive oil based with tomato.
  • Spaghetti with pesto - If you are really craving a fatty pasta with more of flavor profile than just plain olive oil, get it with pesto rather than cream. Pesto is made with basil, garlic, olive oil and pine nuts, and is much better for you than heavy cream based sauces such as with Alfredo.


Low Carb Main Course

  • Pollo alla Diavola - This is typically roasted chicken with vegetables, olive oil, and herbs -  can't get much healthier than that! Just ask to make sure it is not battered or crusted
  • Soup and salad - When in doubt, go for a soup and salad from the appetizer menu. The soup will fill you up along with the fiber from the salad. Add protein to the salad and use olive oil as the salad dressing - most Italian restaurants should have great olive oil.
  • Fish - There will likely be salmon or Branzino on the menu, any grilled or baked fish with a side of vegetables is a perfect order. 


Drink

  • Red wine - Go for dry red wine (dry means low in sugar) such as Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot.
  • Dry white wine - This is great with light meals such as salad or fish. Order a dry white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc .
  • ​Scotch or whiskey on the rocks - If you are not a wine drinker, go for one of these which tend to pair well with heavier meals and will be low in calories when served on the rocks or water.


About the author: Sarah-Kate Rems is an Ivy-league trained Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner licensed in California and New York State with an expertise in preventative healthcare. She considers nutrition and exercise to be the basis of well-being and is a strong advocate for daily physical activity and maintaining a healthy diet. Sarah-Kate is also a co-founder of The Mindful Tech Lab


8 Easy Meditation Tips To Help Beginners

8/31/2017

 
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Meditation has so many amazing benefits (that you can read all about here) to help improve your mind and body. Though many meditation beginners get frustrated with the difficulty of completing a practice without their mind constantly wandering - which is actually entirely normal!
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Here are 8 tips that will help you begin and improve your practice:

1. Get Comfortable
Feeling uncomfortable throughout your practice will distract you and pull your attention towards it. Try using pillows and others props to help support an upright and attentive posture.


2. Relax your body
For your mind to be able to effectively concentrate on your practice, you need to begin by relaxing the body. Try taking several deep breaths prior to beginning your practice. This will help release the tension in your body.


3. Prepare your surroundings
It is important to find a meditation location that is free from external interruptions (think phones, tv's, etc.). Find a private space where you know that you won't be disrupted. Using headphones is a great way to minimize distractions.


4. Watch your breath

Focus on the inhalation and exhalation of each breath. By doing this, you'll be less likely to have your mind wander. You can also count in your ahead with each inhale, then count back down with each exhale.


5. Re-center your focus
Your mind inevitably will wander during your practice, this happens to even long time meditation practitioners. Simply let your thoughts and emotions come into presence, observe that they are there (that's all they really want!) and then let them go. Try and refrain from identifying and holding onto them.


6. Keep a half-smile
Adopt a simple half-smile throughout your practice. A ton of stress and tension is actually held in our facial muscles - a subtle smile can help relieve this.


7. Bring attention to your heart beat
Following your heart beat will not only help you from wandering your mind, but also brings an aliveness as our heart pumps blood throughout our entire body. Be grateful for the power of the heart.


8. Don't judge your practice
​You are never doing it "wrong". Meditation beginners often get turned off because they feel they aren't doing it right. Remember, there is really no wrong way to meditate - it is simply just you being at one with your own self.



Note: The great thing is that you can meditate for as little as 5 minutes per day and still receive many of these amazing benefits meditation offers. Try MeditateBot[free] for Messenger today and start benefiting from a daily meditation practice!


About us: At The Mindful Tech Lab, we develop and market apps that are easily ingrained into your daily routine to deliver positive results. We are most known for our Facebook Messenger chatbots that help you live your best life, you can check them each out by clicking on their links:

MotivateBot - Motivation
MeditateBot - Meditation
Daily FitBot - Fitness
HealthyBot - General Health
Eat Clean Bot - Healthy Recipes
StoicBot - Stoic Philosophy

How To Stay Healthy While Eating Out At Brunch

8/28/2017

 
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Who doesn’t love brunch? Just because you are eating healthy doesn’t mean you have to skip your weekly brunch with friends! It’s all about making the right choices so that you can enjoy a meal outside of your kitchen once and a while.
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Here are the best choices for brunch that you should be able to find one or more of on any brunch menu:


Appetizer

Bowl of fruit - Go for the melon and/or berries which have the lowest sugar. Fruits with the greatest amount of sugar include tropical fruits such as banana, pineapple, mango - go easy on these tropical fruits.


Main Course

Eggs benedict - Request for some greens to serve as the “bun” for the eggs and skip the english muffin. Also ask for hollandaise on the side - restaurants typically smother your eggs in so much hollandaise that you can't even taste the rest of the meal. Take back the control and ask for this on the side.

Egg omelette - With lots of veggies. Again skip the breakfast potatoes or toast. If you are extra hungry then add some more fat in the form of avocado, guacamole, or cheese, or consider adding another protein like ground turkey if this is an option.

Egg white omelette - If you are not feeling egg yolks, this is also a great option. Ask to have it made with lots of veggies and hold the breakfast potatoes. Egg whites have zero fat so consider bulking them up with healthy fat such as avocado, guacamole, or cheese (if you can tolerate).

Scrambled eggs - With lots of veggies. Depending how hungry you are, you could consider adding avocado, guacamole, or cheese for some extra fat or another serving of protein such as turkey. Note: be weary of sausage or bacon which are processed meats and may also have had sugar added to them.

Eggs - When in doubt, order a side of 3-4 eggs. Poached is best because the eggs are cooked in water without any added oil.

Oatmeal - PLAIN. No added raisins/maple syrup/brown sugar/honey/agave etc. Berries are ok. This is your choice only if you are really craving something carb heavy or sweet, and if you are between this and ordering the stack of pancakes. Add some cinnamon on top to blunt the blood sugar increase that comes with eating carbs.


Drink

Prosecco - Mimosas are over-rated. Why waste any of that tiny flute space on some high sugar syrupy, over-processed orange juice? Prosecco has enough sweetness in itself, but if you must, ask for just a splash of OJ.

Dry white wine - “dry” is code for low sugar. Under all circumstances go for the drier wines such as sauvignon blanc and chardonnay. Stay away from riesling or white zinfandel tend to basically be grape juice.

Dry rose - Rose in general is pretty sweet. so a dry rose may be hard to find, but still worth asking if the restaurant has one available.


About the author: Sarah-Kate Rems is an Ivy-league trained Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner licensed in California and New York State with an expertise in preventative healthcare. She considers nutrition and exercise to be the basis of well-being and is a strong advocate for daily physical activity and maintaining a healthy diet. Sarah-Kate is also a co-founder of The Mindful Tech Lab


7 Benefits of Meditation Backed By Science

8/28/2017

 
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There are so many amazing benefits of meditation. Not only does it make you feel good in the moment while meditating, but it also actually changes the way your brain operates, and scientific research has proven it.
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You've probably heard about all of the elite athletes, business leaders, and other successful people talking about the power of meditation. Here are 7 benefits, backed by science, to help you better understand how a daily meditation practice can improve your life.

1. Lowers Stress
"Meditation has been proven to decrease mood disturbances and stress symptoms in both male and female patients..." Read the entire study here

2. Reduces pain
"After four-days of mindfulness meditation training, meditating in the presence of noxious stimulation significantly reduced pain-unpleasantness by 57% and pain-intensity ratings by 40% when compared to rest." Read the entire study here

3. Increases brain grey matter (which helps process information)
"Meditation practice has been shown not only to benefit higher-order cognitive functions but also to alter brain activity. " Read the entire study here

4. Improves happiness
"A short program in mindfulness meditation produces demonstrable effects on brain and immune function. These findings suggest that meditation may change brain and immune function in positive ways." Read the entire study here

5. Improves body awareness
"Results indicated a linear relationship in coherence, with meditators having highest levels... We conclude that the coherence between subjective and cardiac aspects of emotion is greater in those who have specialized training that promotes greater body awareness." Read entire study here

6. Enhanced focus and attention
"Brief mindfulness training significantly improved visuo-spatial processing, working memory, and executive functioning. Our findings suggest that 4 days of meditation training can enhance the ability to sustain attention; benefits that have previously been reported with long-term meditators." Read the entire study here

7. Improves handling of difficult emotions
​"Meditation may be associated with structural changes in areas of the brain that are important for sensory, cognitive and emotional processing. The data further suggest that meditation may impact aggregated declines in cortical structure." Read entire study here


Note: The great thing is that you can meditate for as little as 5 minutes per day and still receive many of these amazing benefits meditation offers. Try MeditateBot[free] for Messenger today and start benefiting from a daily meditation practice!


About us: At The Mindful Tech Lab, we develop and market apps that are easily ingrained into your daily routine to deliver positive results.

We are most known for our Facebook Messenger chatbots that help you live your best life, you can check them each out by clicking on their links:

MotivateBot - Motivation
MeditateBot - Meditation
Daily FitBot - Fitness
HealthyBot - General Health
Eat Clean Bot - Healthy Recipes
StoicBot - Stoic Philosophy

Burn Your Own Fat For Fuel Using Ketones

8/27/2017

 
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Have you ever heard of a ketogenic diet? A ketogenic diet means your body is using ketones for energy production rather than sugar. Ketones are an alternative fuel source for the body, and are produced when eating a high fat and low carbohydrate diet. This type of diet is called "ketogenic" because your body is in a state of "ketosis" meaning fueled by ketones rather than sugar (aka glucose).

Here are 9 reasons why you want your body to be fueled by ketones instead of sugar:

1. You literally burn your own fat for energy
Your body can run on either glucose or ketones. Which would you choose? Well, when you look at what this actually means: Glucose is produced from the breakdown of glycogen (strings of glucose), this means you are burning glycogen to produce fuel for your body. Ketones on the other hand are produced from the breakdown of fat (fatty acids), this means you are literally burning your own fat stores to produce energy. You can make ketones from eating very low carb (sub 50 net carbs), fasting, or consuming a product that can induce or supply the production of ketones (such as MCT oil).


2. No more “Hangry”
You know that feeling when are so starving that every little thing is irritating, and you need to eat right. NOW? Terrible feeling right? Blame the carbs! After a blood sugar spike from eating carbs, this will trigger insulin whose job is to get that sugar out of your blood as fast as it can (because sugar in your blood is toxic and inflammatory), resulting in an even lower blood sugar than you started with. Low blood sugar (aka hypoglycemia) is that terrible anxiousness you are feeling. No bueno! And how do you make that feeling go away the fastest? Eating sugar. And the vicious cycle continues.

Fat is the only macronutrient that won't raise blood sugar, and therefore won't spike insulin. Yes, that means protein can also raise blood sugar when eaten in excess. That is why a ketogenic diet favors a higher fat and moderate protein intake.


3. Ketones favor less mental stress
The presence of ketones increases the production of the primary calm inducing neurotransmitter, GABA, while at the same time decreasing the primary stress inducing neurotransmitter, Glutamate. Ketones do this by assisting in the conversion of glutamate to GABA in the brain, thereby favoring a more calming state. Increasing the activity of GABA is essentially what most anti-anxiety medications aim to do as well - pretty cool you can get the same effects by just changing your diet!


4. Ketones favor a more focused state
For the same reason ketones favor calmed brain activity, they also favor a more alert and focused state. As stated above, more GABA compared to glutamate in the brain favors a less stressed state, meaning there is less “noise” in the brain, allowing for greater focus and mental clarity.  This is why medium chain triglycerides (MCT) are marketed as a product that can increase focus and cognition - because they give the body ketones that can be used for fuel without having to be in actual ketosis from eating low carb.


5. Ketones are a more efficient source of energy
Ketones and glucose are both used as fuel by mitochondria to produce energy (aka ATP) - mitochondria are the part of a cell that takes fuel (either glucose or ketones) and manufactures energy from it. When comparing the output of energy produced from the use of ketones vs. glucose, more energy is produced when using ketones, thereby making it a more efficient fuel source. The presence of ketones also up-regulates the amount of mitochondria in cells, so more mitochondria means more energy produced. This is another reason for the improved focus and mental clarity seen with a ketogenic diet. 


6. Ketones act as antioxidants
Research has found that ketones act as antioxidants because they protect against oxidative damage from free radicals. When ketones are used to produce energy (by mitochondria) this process does not cause the release of free radicals, as does glucose when it is used to produce energy. Free radicals aka oxidative damage cause damage to cells and aid in the development of chronic disease, cancer, cognitive decline and other brain diseases, and aging. 


7. Ketones may prevent cancer growth
Compared to normal cells, cancer cells metabolize a much greater amount of glucose meaning they need more glucose to thrive. Cancer cells may preferentially use sugar to fuel their growth and proliferation, and research has shown that they may not be able to use ketones as fuel. Research has also shown greater response to chemotherapy when in a fasting state inducing ketosis. There is more research needed in this area, but ketones as a preventative measure for cancer is looking very promising! 


8. Greater absorption of nutrients
Major vitamin, antioxidants, and other nutrients need to be taken with fat to be able to be absorbed. This includes Vitamin D, Vitamin E, lycopene and beta-carotene such as in tomatoes, and the B vitamins.  Making sure you are taking in plenty of fats will ensure you are getting the most out of your food and supplements.  

9. Ketones are neuro-protective
Fueling the brain with ketones has shown to help with brain disorders such as seizures, brain cancer, Parkinson's Disease,  traumatic brain injury (TBI), and Alzheimer's Disease. There is a widely cited case of a physician who put her husband on a ketogenic diet as treatment of Alzheimer's disease and he improved within a couple of months. More research is needed on the direct effect of ketones for the prevention of diseases that affect the brain, but so far its looking very optimistic!

Side note: Ketones can supply up to 70% of the energy needed by the brain. It is true that your brain requires some glucose to function, but glucose can come from protein, it does not have to come from carbohydrates. It is a misconception that carbohydrates are necessary in your diet - they are not. Protein and fat are the two macronutrients your body definitely needs to manufacture all of the necessary components of the body.

All works cited can be found in the hyperlinks 

About the author: Sarah-Kate Rems is an Ivy-league trained Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner licensed in California and New York State with an expertise in preventative healthcare. She considers nutrition and exercise to be the basis of well-being and is a strong advocate for daily physical activity and maintaining a healthy diet. Sarah-Kate is also a co-founder of The Mindful Tech Lab


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