Dec 12, 2019 | Podcast
In this episode of our upcoming “How They Did It” series, you’ll hear from one of my clients who is successfully closing the gap between knowing and doing while ditching the drama along the way! She shares the mindset shifts she’s made and the tools that are working for her to create change.
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To learn more about the 12 Weeks to Transformation and get on the wait list, click here.
Dec 9, 2019 | Podcast
You know that frustrating feeling when you don’t get something on the first attempt?
Have you ever felt like there’s no point in trying because you keep letting yourself down?
If you’ve ever felt held back by fear of failure, doubt in your ability to achieve or a sense that it won’t happen for you, today is your episode!
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Registration opens on Wednesday (to the wait list only) for the Winter 2020 12 Weeks to Transformation. If you aren’t on the wait list, be sure to get on it now!
Join the Wait List
I’ll be hosting free, live webinars this week for the wait list only so don’t miss out!
Dec 7, 2019 | Podcast
It’s time for a Q&A episode! We are answering your questions about comparison, judgement and so much more!
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Here’s the list of the questions we’re diving into today:
- How do I stop widening the gap? Even when I know inaction is the issue but I do it anyway. (To understand this question, please listen to episode 683 of the podcast)
- How would you describe your best day?
- How do I learn to not care what other people think, or not compare myself with someone else’s journey?
- Any specific dietary suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I am so confused by ALL the information available- I just shut it down due to overload. I would like some practical, reasonable approaches, especially for any snacks, etc.
- I’ve lost weight through a program and am now trying to succeed on my own. How do I successfully transition and not backslide?
We’re giving away a box of turmeric latte from Four Sigmatic! We announce the winner at the end of the episode so watch out for that!
Get on the wait list and learn more about our Winter 12 Weeks to Transformation!
Be the next winner of our giveaway! It’s very easy – just leave a review on our Apple Podcasts page, or leave a review of Chasing Cupcakes, or you can even tag me on Instagram or Facebook and share with me your favorite episode of the show! See you around!
Dec 5, 2019 | Podcast
What are you carrying with you each day, refusing to put down? An argument last week, a mistake from earlier in the year, a belief from childhood… what do you carry with you? Even if it seems small, if you choose to carry it over time it can create great strain.
In today’s episode, I talk about carrying and holding onto things we don’t have to. I share a story that shows this in action, and the greater impact it can have on you. I also share some of the biggest takeaways from our recent Ascend Workshop, and the effect it’s had on me and those who attended.
I’ve written an article that dives deeper into what we carry with us, so whether you choose to read, listen or both… think about what you’re carrying and question if you can put it down for a while.
IN TODAY’S SHOW YOU WILL LEARN:
- About what happened at this year’s Ascend Workshop, and some of the core topics we discussed.
- An overview of how the 2 Day event is run, and what you can expect when you attend (and how the impact you get differs from the podcast).
- The difference between reprogramming and deprogramming, and how unless you commit to both, making a change will always be a struggle.
- How we’re defined as people by our thoughts, but how most of our thoughts are on repeat each day.
- How carrying seemingly small thoughts, feelings and memories can weigh us down over time, and how we often carry these things for years (or a lifetime)
- That putting down what you carry is okay, and that you can always choose to pick it back up whenever you like.
- The role your ego plays in all this, and how it defines your comfort zone.
- How you can be part of 2020’s first 12 Weeks to Transformation so you can be part of future Ascend Events.
TODAY’S RESOURCES:
[smart_track_player url=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/primalpotential/690_still_carrying.mp3″ background=”#00ccbb” social_email=”true” ]
I held a bottle of water above my head and asked, “how many people think this is heavy?”
Nobody raised their hand.
I stood before a group of people I trusted, as part of our annual Ascend Workshop. Everyone there has been part of at least one cycle of the 12 Weeks to Transformation. During this in-person two day event, we go deep. I work with everyone one-on-one, and everyone gets to work with other people as driven and focussed on growth as they are.
So the fact I stood in front of them with a small bottle of water above my head may have seemed strange.
“What if I held it like this for an hour?” I asked.
A few people raised their hands. The weight of the water bottle remains the same, yet the idea of holding it above your head for an hour suddenly seems tough.
Well, what if you held it above your head for the entire day? or the full weekend? or a week? a month? a year? a lifetime?
It would be hard.
You’d cause injury.
It would become a massive burden… right?
The Weight Doesn’t Change, But The Impact It Has On You Changes With The Time.
The point of this exercise is to demonstrate how the size or weight of something isn’t important, but rather how long you hold onto it that is.
As time goes on, the burden becomes greater.
The energy it takes to carry it over time grows.
The thought/feeling/conversation/worry remains the same.
Yet its impact on you grows and grows and grows.
A water bottle isn’t heavy until you try and hold it above your head for hours, days or weeks.
Well, replace the bottle of water with:
- That argument you had earlier today…
- The email you didn’t like last week…
- The mistake you made last year…
- That belief you formed when you were a child…
It drains you. The longer you keep hold of it, the more energy it requires.
The burden doesn’t come from the weight, but rather how long you carry it.
This is Why CHANGE is Often So Hard!
Research shows that we have between 60,000 and 70,000 thoughts per day. That’s a lot, but what’s insane is that 90-95% of these thoughts are the same each day.
Every day, we live life on repeat.
The same thoughts, feelings and habits.
The same reactions to the same situations.
It leads us to do the same things day-in-day-out. 95% of who we are is a memorized set of feelings, actions and reactions. We can change, and we can grow… but we’re always in battle with what we know and have always done.
This makes change hard.
And what makes it harder is when you carry all that extra baggage with you.
It’s often easy to identify what we want to change in our life:
- Lose weight
- Save money
- Escape debt
- Feel healthier
- Have a stronger relationship…
You create a plan and commit to it, but if you continue to carry those old arguments, beliefs, failures and insecurities… what chance do you have of real change?
Change isn’t defined by what you do, but rather the thoughts you have.
Change these thoughts and create a new narrative… you can win.
Cling to what you’ve always known and done… well, it remains hard.
What Can You Put Down Today?
Can you put that bottle of water down? Can you place it on the floor and give your arm a rest?
You can pick it up again whenever you like. Just because you sit it down doesn’t mean you can’t grab it when you need it. Placing it down for a while doesn’t make it unimportant. It doesn’t mean you have to throw it away or let go of it forever.
It’s there, waiting for you… whenever you need it again.
What else can you put down?
- What are you carrying from earlier today?
- What are you carrying from yesterday?
- What are you carrying from last week?
- What are you carrying from last year?
- What are you carrying from deep in your past?
It may have seemed small at the time. Maybe it still feels small. Yet the longer you carry it, the bigger its impact on you. It also means you have less energy to focus on the change you desire.
You need to set it down.
You can pick it up again later.
But you don’t have to carry it with you all the time.
It’s a choice, and it’s one that can set you free.
Thanks for reading today. Please listen to the podcast episode in full to get a complete picture of how this exercise played out at this year’s Ascend Workshop.
I also breakdown how this 2 Day Event works and what you get when you attend.
It’s something that has a profound impact on me each year.
It also brings great change to those who attend.
I’m already excited about our 2020 Ascend event, but you can only attend if you go through at least one cycle of the 12 Weeks to Transformation. The wait list is now open, so get on it and learn the details ahead of our first cycle in 2020.
Those on the wait list also get access to some unique bonuses, so Join the Wait List Here ⇒
Thanks again for listening and reading. If you have any questions please add them in the comments below. And to subscribe to the podcast and connect with me on social media, follow the links below.
GET INVOLVED:
Dec 2, 2019 | Podcast
How often do you feel deprived and that you’re missing out when everyone else isn’t. This idea of deprivation often comes into play when you’re committed to losing weight, getting healthy, escaping debt or making any transformational change in your life.
Yet this notion of deprivation doesn’t come from the choices you make, rather the perspective you have toward these choices. In today’s episode, I dive deep into deprivation and the fear of missing out, and how a changed outlook can rid it from your life for good.
I’ve also written an article that accompanies this, so whether you read, listen or both… make notes and have an honest conversation with yourself about whether your supposed deprivation is fact or fiction.
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IN TODAY’S SHOW YOU WILL LEARN:
- How this issue with deprivation is especially prevalent during the holidays.
- The conversations I’ve had that inspired this episode, with clients from the 12 Weeks to Transformation.
- How Deprivation isn’t about practice or the choices you make, but rather about your perspective toward these.
- What the next level to this is, and how it triggers an insecurity some many of us have.
- The self-centered effects of deprivation, and how to break this narrative by looking at the whole picture.
- The half-truths of deprivation, and how it often only creates an incomplete story.
- A recent story from my own life, and how I stepped back from deprivation and the fear of missing out
- How you can be part of 2020’s first 12 Weeks to Transformation, and how to get access to a few special bonuses.
TODAY’S RESOURCES:
I recently went out for a meal with my boyfriend and one of his friends…
We had a lovely meal and shared lots of stories, yet the two of them did something that is possibly not the best idea to do around a woman who’s seven months pregnant… they ordered a bottle of wine.
Of course, I couldn’t have any wine.
And in that moment I had a choice to make…
- Feel deprived, and wish I had what they had
- Do the other thing…
We’ll get to what the “other thing” is soon. It’s something each one of us can choose to do, but often don’t and instead feel deprived and like we’re missing out on something we want or need. It’s especially prevalent at this time of year where one holiday follows the last.
Food, drink, social gatherings, presents to buy and a house to decorate…
It’s easy to see what other people are doing or have and wish you did or had the same. Maybe you give into these temptations and eat more, drink more and spend more money. Well, we all know what that leads to…
- Guilt
- Frustration
- Anger
- Annoyance
- Blame — either yourself or other people!
But then again, maybe you don’t give into temptation.
Maybe you’re on a diet, trying to drink less or committed to escaping debt.
You hold strong but it’s a struggle too because you feel like you’re missing out. You work so hard, yet here you are, deprived of having a good time where everyone else seems to do what they want to do.
It isn’t fair, is it?
Well, that depends on how you look at it.
I felt compelled to record this episode of the Primal Potential podcast because I’ve had a lot of conversations with clients (those inside the 12 Weeks of Transformation), and one topic that keeps coming up is DEPRIVATION.
For instance, while speaking to one client, she told me how she was struggling with the feeling of missing out. She felt like she couldn’t have certain things because she was committed to losing weight,
So I asked her what she was missing out on.
“Chocolate cake,” she said.
Because she’s committed to losing weight, she doesn’t feel like she can have it. Yet, is this true? If she had a piece of chocolate cake would it have a massive impact on her end result? If she had one piece over the holiday, would it mean all the progress she made was pointless?
Of course not!
She feels deprived, but that’s all it is… a feeling.
How To Step Away From Deprivation Once and For All!
Deprivation isn’t about what you can and can’t do, it’s about your perspective toward these.
It’s not the list of things you should say no to, it’s your feelings toward these. Being on a disciplined diet doesn’t lead to deprivation. My client isn’t deprived because she can’t have chocolate cake. It’s her perspective toward all this that deprives her.
The story she tells herself.
The inner narrative.
The perspective you have!
Deprivation comes from how you see the issue, not the issue itself. You can choose to eat chocolate cake and still stick to your diet, and you can still lose the weight you desire. Yet you can also choose not to.
You can choose to see saying no to chocolate cake as deprivation, and that you’re missing out while everyone else around the table gets to enjoy life. Or you can change the narrative and focus on the bigger picture.
I choose to say no to chocolate because I want to be healthier, fitter and happier.
I can have it right now if I want… nobody and nothing can stop me. But I can choose not to.
Deprivation comes from your perspective.
It comes from the stories you tell yourself.
Deprivation Comes From a Selfish Place
There’s another level to all this that I go into detail in the episode that accompanies this. I encourage you to listen to it in full as it shares a few stories and examples from my own life.
What I know is true for me is, when I’m struggling with something in life I tend to get pretty selfish. Less so these days, as I’m more conscious of it. But in the past, sure… I made it all about me.
Let’s go back to the dinner table with my boyfriend and his friend…
They ordered wine that I cannot have. Here I am, seven months pregnant. I would love wine but cannot have it. How selfish of them. Do they not think about me? Do they even care?!
If this narrative played in my head, maybe you could understand it and appreciate it. It would be easy to validate, that is for sure. Yet who does this take into account? ME! That’s it. It’s my side of the story, and how it affects me.
It doesn’t take into account my boyfriend or his friend.
It doesn’t take into account the lovely meal we got to share with each other.
It doesn’t take into account the food I got to eat and the stories we shared.
It’s about me and what I don’t have.
Deprivation is a very self-centered perspective!
It’s very one-sided and doesn’t look at the whole story. It’s not an accurate story. It’s a half-truth at best, and you cannot make good decisions based on half-truths. You lead with emotions and it fuels the feeling of deprivation and that you’re missing out.
Which makes the whole process worse…
It’s Time To Change Your Perspective
Oftentimes, we focus on the negative instead of the positive.
- You feel deprived because you can’t have dessert, even though you’ve had a lovely meal and are full.
- You feel deprived because you can’t have a drink when everyone else is, even though you’re having an amazing night with friends you love.
- You feel deprived because you can’t spend the money you would like, even though by escaping debt it will allow you to live the life you desire.
It’s not that you’re deprived or missing out… you simply see it this way. Well, you can choose to change your perspective and focus on the bigger picture; the positives that often outweigh the negatives.
We often see discipline as something that steals from us.
- The discipline of losing weight
- The discipline of escaping debt
- The discipline of working out
Well, discipline is something you do for yourself, not something you do to yourself.
The freedom that discipline offers you is huge. Maybe not right now, but further down the line… sure. This is the new perspective you need to take. Once you do you’ll never feel deprived again.
I didn’t feel deprived as I sat around the table with my boyfriend and his friend. As they drank wine that they couldn’t, I focussed on the lovely meal we shared and the stories we told. I appreciated what I have, and reminded myself why I’m not drinking wine right now.
Because soon I’ll welcome my daughter into the world, and that’s more important than a glass of red.
Thanks for reading today. Please listen to the podcast episode in full to get a deeper look into deprivation and the role it plays in your life.
And if you would like to surround yourself with people who strive to change their perspective like this, and have a platform to share your worries and wins… join the 12 Weeks to Transformation Wait List.
It’s now open, and those on the Wait List get information first about what to expect in 2020.
Join the Wait List Here ⇒
Thanks again for listening and reading. If you have any questions please add them in the comments below. And to subscribe to the podcast and connect with me on social media, follow the links below.
GET INVOLVED:
Nov 30, 2019 | Podcast
In today’s Q&A episode we are talking about the difference between solving the problem and further creating new ones. How to focus on coming up with solutions rather than paying attention to how you feel about the problem? Tune in for the answer!
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We answer these questions in today’s episode:
- Any tips for problem solving (instead of problem creating)?
- What are the differences between MCT oil and cocount oil? Are they the same thing? I tried your bullet proof tea the other day, making it with a tablespoon of butter and of coconut oil and found it to be somewhat greasy. Am I using the right amounts?
- What is happiness?
- I’ve lost weight before but I couldn’t really see the change. The clothes were a smaller size and people said “you look great“ but I couldn’t see it. Do you have suggestions for how to change that kind perspective?
- I’m feeling borderline depressed and unmotivated to do anything. I feel like I spend all my time planning, prepping, and cleaning for my household, with very little gratitude and appreciation. And half the time I feel like I’m just wasting my time and energy on things that only matter to me. I know what I need to do. I know what I want to do. But why should I do them if it doesn’t matter to anyone else? How can I stay motivated when no one else around me is or even cares?
- I signed up for your Breaking Barriers course in June, it is now November and I have yet to complete it, not because I am too busy, but I forget to make it a priority and I get lazy. So my question …. do you think I would do better in the twelve weeks to transformation group? I think I may need more accountability.
Who won this week’s giveaway prize of Energy+? Stick until the end of the episode to find out!
On December 11th, the registration for the 12 Week to Transformation – Winter starts so make sure to be there for that. Join the waitlist!
Questions or topics for our Saturday Q&A episodes are welcome! You can send them here.
Nov 28, 2019 | Podcast
One of the most effective ways to unlocking your mind is to think about what you need. Which sounds simple, yet is the one thing most people struggle with in the moment. Oftentimes we rush through the day and move from one task to the next.
You react, rather than taking time to question why you feel the way you do and what you actually need. In today’s episode, we look at how unlocking your mind is made easier once you ask these questions. I share some of my own personal “blocks” as well as those inside the Primal Potential Masters Club.
I’ve written an article that accompanies this episode, so whether you read, listen or both… I hope this inspires you to take a step back and not run with that first thought or feeling. There’s more to it that sits just beyond, and it’s often where real growth resides.
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IN TODAY’S SHOW YOU WILL LEARN:
- About the message I saw on Instagram that inspired this episode, and how I was blown away by the responses I received when I shared it with the Primal Potential Masters Club.
- How I learned an important lesson about decision making from a family member when we first moved into our home.
- The importance of asking yourself what is the reason behind what you say or feel, and how it’s vital you consider what you NEED in that moment.
- 4 things I often feel and say that I now realize holds me back, and is rooted in much more than I ever thought was true.
- What some of those from the Primal Potential Masters Club had to say about all this, and how they too notice certain blocks when reacting to a situation.
- What I’m personally doing to take action on this, and how I’m involving two people who are very close to me.
- How you can join the 12 Weeks to Transformation Wait List, and what we have in store for you in the lead up to 2020.
TODAY’S RESOURCES:
I remember when we first moved into our house, a family member came to visit…
We stood in the kitchen as I told him about my plans.
I was excited and couldn’t wait to turn my dream into a reality.
This family member, he smiled and said, “that’s a really good idea. But never go with your first good idea.”
He’s an artistic type, so he knows a lot about creativity and coming up with ideas. This conversation has always stuck with me, and his advice continues to have an impact on me to this day.
He didn’t say it was a bad idea. He liked my idea. Yet he also recognized that your best idea is rarely the first one. It’s often unexamined and incomplete. And if you dig a little deeper, you’ll find much more lies beneath the surface.
I thought of this when I saw an Instagram post recently…
What is the NEED Behind Your Thoughts and Feelings?
This Instagram post caught my eye. It had two columns:
- What we say
- What we mean
It listed a bunch of examples of things we may say, and the real reason behind these.
I related to some of the examples and didn’t agree with others. That wasn’t the point. It made me think about my own words, feelings and reactions. What I do and how I act in certain situations, and if maybe there’s something bigger going on behind the scenes.
It sparked something inside me, so I felt compelled to share it with those inside the Primal Potential Masters Club. If you’re unsure what this Masters Club is, it’s made up of amazing people who have gone through the 12 Weeks To Transformation at least three times.
I’ve gotten to know those inside this club well.
There’s trust between everyone involved.
Everyone is on the same page and grown a great deal.
So when I share ideas or ask questions within this group, I know the responses will make me think.
Yet on this occasion, they stuck with me in a way I wasn’t expecting.
I decided to journal about it later in the day, giving myself time to reflect.
On the back of this, I felt a need to record this episode and write this article.
It wasn’t one I planned to do. It wasn’t in my content calendar. Yet I needed to!
This is the question I asked those inside the Primal Potential Masters Club.
Many people responded straight away with real and raw answers that made me feel and think.
I share some of these in the podcast episode, so I encourage you to listen to it in full to hear these.
They’re amazing, so trust me… listen to this!
These responses made me think about my own.
- What is the NEED behind my words, thoughts or feelings?
- What is the NEED that I’m represented by right now?
- What is the need behind some of my most common feelings?
- What is the need behind some of the feelings I wish I didn’t have as often?
Oftentimes we rush through the day and are just going-going-going.
We don’t stop and question what we’re saying; wondering whether there may be more to it than what’s on the surface. We just react and follow old patterns. And maybe this fuels greater frustration, fear or guilt… so we turn to false solutions like food or alcohol — or fuel further false feelings like anger or blame.
But where’s it all coming from?
What is the reason behind what we say, do, feel and think?
I realized there are 4 things I often do, which I don’t want to.
I’d like to share these with you now…
1: Feeling Pissed Off and/or Having My Feathers Ruffled!
This is often my first feeling when I get an email I don’t like the look of or have a conversation that doesn’t go the way I intended. I feel annoyed that the other person doesn’t understand me.
I feel like they haven’t listened to me!
But what’s beyond this?
Well, I feel misunderstood.
I want to be understood and I want to feel like what I said came clearly across. But it goes deeper than this because I now realize that I often expect other people to match my own expectations.
Even if I haven’t communicated these expectations with them.
As if they should just know…
Like they should be in my head…
Well, there’s a quote I like: “Don’t expect YOU from other people”
I need to remember this when I feel pissed off. It’s my first thought, but I need to go beyond this and think about where it’s coming from, why it’s there and what I NEED in that moment.
2: I’m So Stressed!
Another thing I’ll say is, “I’m so stressed right now.”
I’ll feel it.
I’ll feel the panic and anxiety.
But where does it come from? What’s happening below the surface?
It’s often a sign that I need to slow down, prioritize my focus and think about what I can control.
I feel out of control, but I always get to control my outcome.
It’s my choice. I get to choose what to do next.
It’s not that I’m stressed, but rather need to slow down a little and get clear on what I need to do next.
3: I’m Exhausted!
Here’s another one I feel often, but I rarely say it at the end of an evening when I’m ready to go to bed. Instead, I’ll say it and feel it when I’m caught up in all the chaos of work and life.
It’s another sign that I’m doing too much. I need to slow down. I need to be present and focus on what I need to do now and what I need to do next. It isn’t that I’m exhausted, I’m just overwhelmed right now.
I can choose to step away from that.
4: I’m Frustrated
Similar to the first one, I feel misunderstood. I feel like I have so much to do. I feel like I’m rushing.
Again, it’s a sign to slow down.
But more so… to return to gratitude.
I’m frustrated because I’m focused on what I don’t have. But what about that which I do?
How To Step Back and Move Beyond Your First Thought…
Don’t go with your first thought, feeling or idea.
It’s unexamined and incomplete. It’s time to go deeper and start unlocking the truth. You can work on this right now by coming up with a list of your own common responses and feelings to certain situations.
By listening to the episode that accompanies this article in full, you’ll hear some of those inside the Primal Potential Members Club share their own. I hope you’ll listen because some of their responses are truly inspirational and will help you in unlocking your own mind.
Think about what you say.
And then… go beyond this.
Think about where it comes from.
Think about what you NEED in that moment?
From there, step back and ask yourself: is this who and how I want to be?
If it isn’t, commit to changing the narrative. Feel the first thought, but don’t stop there.
Thanks for reading today. Please listen to the podcast episode in full to hear more stories of my own and those from the Primal Potential Masters Club about unlocking your mind and going deeper.
If you would like to one day join this club and surround yourself with amazing people who push you to go beyond who you are right now, join the 12 Weeks to Transformation Wait List.
It’s now open, and those on the Wait List get information first about what to expect in 2020.
Join the Wait List Here ⇒
Thanks again for listening and reading. If you have any questions please add them in the comments below. And to subscribe to the podcast and connect with me on social media, follow the links below.
GET INVOLVED:
Nov 25, 2019 | Podcast
There is a supernutrient that everyone has access to every single day, but most people take it completely for granted. At certain times of the year you may get enough of it, but during other periods you get hardly any. We also tend to get too much of the wrong kind and not enough of the “right” kind…
So, what is this supernutrient? It is sunlight, and in today’s episode, I dive deep into the science behind why it’s so important. The impact sunlight has on both your psychology and physiology is huge. Making steps in the right direction couldn’t be easier, and doesn’t have to cost you much time or money.
I’ve written an article that accompanies this episode, so whether you read or listen (or both), be sure to take a step back and think about how much of the “right” light you’re getting.
IN TODAY’S SHOW YOU WILL LEARN:
- The impact sunlight has on your mind and body that so few people are aware of.
- The science behind these positive impacts, and how you can use this to bio-hack your own body.
- The story behind how I first got into Light Therapy (and why it was so important that I did it when I did)
- How sunlight is not only linked to your skin but every single part of your body.
- The different types of light, and the effect each one has on you.
- The different forms of light therapy, and what each one involves.
- The personal products I use to ensure I get enough of this supernutrient into my body each and every day.
- How to get involved in the next round of the 12 Weeks to Transformation
TODAY’S RESOURCES:
[smart_track_player url=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/primalpotential/686_light_supernutrient.mp3″ background=”#00ccbb” social_email=”true” ]
I spoke to a friend recently who has a problem that many people face during this time of year!
He’s a Radiologist. That means he works in a room with no windows. At the moment, he leaves the house in the morning before it gets light and doesn’t return home until after dark.
Each day, he’s getting very little sunlight.
He’s heard me talk about this before, so he asked me for some advice.
He also knew that I used to do light therapy, so asked if I still did it. I do. Not only that, I’m a huge advocate of light therapy and have researched the impact of sunlight A LOT recently.
Because as you know, I’ll soon be a mother to a daughter born in the winter. I know how important light is to an infant, so I want to make sure she gets enough of it at a time when we don’t see it often.
And as I spoke to my friend and thought about this…
I realized just how many people this affects these days.
- The people who work in offices, in front of a bright computer screen each day…
- The people who work in public buildings lit with fluorescent lighting…
- The people who work long hours like my friend, leaving and returning home in darkness…
Even those of us who work from home or run a business get so caught up in our work that we forget to step outside and look upward. By not doing so, you are having a HUGE impact on your mind and body.
Not the good kind of impact, either. The bad kind. So I decided to record an episode that dives deep into the science behind light, and look at the supernutrient we all get access to each day but so often neglect… SUNLIGHT!
(if you want to dive deep into the science behind all this, I encourage you to listen to this episode in full. In this article, I’ll touch upon some of the science. But I go much deeper in the podcast episode.)
What’s Light Got To Do With It?
A lack of the “right” light has negative impacts on your health and mindset. We’ll talk more about the different types of light next because getting too much of the wrong kind is just as bad.
First, I want to make sure you know how super the supernutrient of sunlight actually is!
There’s a lot to discuss, which I do in the podcast episode that accompanies this article. Listen to it in full to get the complete insight behind the science.
This begins by thinking about the impact light has on plants.
Without enough of the right light, a plant will die. The reason is that light controls cellular activity.
A lack of light severely impacts this, and in time the plant begins to wilt and die.
Well, the same is true in animals. It controls our cellular activity too and is just as essential to our health, growth and wellbeing as water, food and sleep are. It influences and impacts what our cells do, how much energy we have and even our hormones.
Many people also take vitamins and minerals in a bid to live a healthier life, but it’s light that activates these vitamins and minerals. So even if you take them, they won’t be as effective unless you get enough of the right kind of light.
All of this comes together to affect how we live:
- It impacts sleep, as light controls your Circadian Rhythm (and sleep-wake cycles)
- It modulates your hormones and therefore impacts your mood and mental state.
- It massively influences your skin health, but also many aspects that go on beneath it.
But the reality is most people know this. You know you need sunlight and you know it has an impact on your health and mental wellbeing. But I see so many people do nothing about it, and I think it’s because it isn’t portrayed in the same “light” as water, sleep and food is.
There’s also a lack of understanding of the different types of light.
Which is important, because each type of light impacts you in different ways.
You need to avoid some, but you also need a lot more of others…
The Different Types of Light
The best form of light is sunlight, as it produces Full Spectrum Light. It gives you everything you need, and in an ideal world, we would all get a lot of sunlight each day.
At certain times of the year, this is no problem.
But in winter, for many of us… well, it’s an issue.
Now sure, too much sunlight is bad for you. We all know how damaging and painful sunburn can be. But the same applies to food, water and sleep… as too much of these are also harmful to you.
The reality is you need sunlight year-round, so if you don’t get this from nature you may need to implement some form of light therapy. We’ll get to this next, but first, let’s overview the main types of light:
UVA
This is the type of light most people know about. Too much of it’s harmful and can burn your skin. But it’s UVA that also produces Vitamin D, which has a big impact on your mood.
So although you need to limit your exposure to UVA, blocking it completely is not the answer.
UVB
This type of light causes less tissue damage than UVA and has more biological benefits. For starters, it’s UVB that activates the Vitamin D that UVA creates, and turns it into Vitamin D Sulfate. This produces some major health benefits, which I discuss in the podcast episode (listen to it in full here).
What’s important to note here is that a lot of people take Vitamin D supplements each day (especially in the winter months). But unless you get exposure to UVB, it isn’t activated and therefore less effective.
BLUE LIGHT
Blue light has come into prominence in recent years, as most of us spend a lot of time looking at a screen (laptop and/or phone). Blue light is very taxing on your eyes, but it also suppresses melatonin production.
This is what leads to that wired but tired feeling at night, where you feel exhausted but unable to switch off.`
RED LIGHT
This is what excites me the most, and is the reason I started light therapy in the first place. I share that story in the episode, so be sure to listen to it in full.
Red light is like a supernutrient in its own right:
- It’s great for any skin issue that needs more blood flow
- It’s powerful for detoxing (removing waste from your body)
- It repairs damaged tissue
- It decreases inflammation and swelling
- It’s great for energy and your metabolism.
- It triggers collagen synthesis (great for joints and younger-looking skin)
There’s a reason more and more athletes use Red Light Therapy as part of their training.
It has huge health benefits, yet is hardly spoken about in the media.
How I Use Light Therapy Each Day
Again, I discuss this in greater detail in the episode, so please listen to it in full for further context.
For starters, I ALWAYS expose at least my hands and face to 3-5 minutes of natural sunlight each day. No matter how cold it is, I’ll stand by the car for a few minutes and soak it in.
The impact of just a few minutes of sunlight each day can be significant.
Beyond this, there are a few things I use as part of my light therapy.
1: F.lux
This free app is great if you work on a computer for long periods of time. It adapts your computer’s display to the time of day, giving your eyes what it needs when it needs it.
2: Klassy Blue Light Glasses
These are the glasses I use to block blue light. Again, if you spend time on a computer or a phone, these glasses have a big impact. They reduce eye fatigue and allow you to sleep better.
You can learn more about Klassy’s Blue Blocker Glasses Here (use code: primal if you decide to buy).
3: The Joovv Red Light
I love my Joovv Light. It’s an easy way to get some essential red light each day and is small enough to go where you do. I encourage you to learn more about the different lights Joovv produce here (and if you choose to buy one, use the code: PRIMAL).
4: Salt Lamps and Full-Spectrum Light Bulbs
This is something I’m just beginning to use… Salt lamps are a great alternative to a red light, and although you won’t want your house exclusively covered in full-spectrum bulbs, having a few is a great way to get some of that supernutrient into your system.
I talk about all this and more in the episode that accompanies this article. Listen to it in full for further context, and be sure to leave a comment below if you have any questions about the effect of light therapy.
Thanks for reading today. Please listen to the podcast that accompanies this article in full for a complete insight into the science behind this amazing supernutrient, sunlight.
I love recording science-based episodes like this one.
I hope you’ve enjoyed it too, and that you leave inspired.
If you have and would like to explore this further, join the 12 Weeks to Transformation Wait List. It is now open, and those on the Wait List get all the information about 2020’s first edition of the 12 Weeks to Transformation before everyone else.
Join the Wait List Here ⇒
Thanks again for listening and reading. If you have any questions please add them in the comments below. And to subscribe to the podcast and connect with me on social media, follow the links below.
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Nov 23, 2019 | Podcast
Staying motivated without getting obsessed with it? Is that even possible? Is obession bad? Can it be helpful? We have the answer for you in today’s Q&A episode!
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Here’s the list of questions we’re answering today:
- Staying motivated without getting obsessed —how do you do it?
- You’ve mentioned on the podcast that you have quit drinking coffee during your pregnancy, and I wondered if you could share a bit about what led you to that decision. I just learned that I’m pregnant with my second child, and while I did not give up coffee entirely during my first pregnancy, I think it might be beneficial this time around. I do love my morning coffee and would love some evidence to motivate me on those mornings when a cup of coffee is tempting. Morning sickness hasn’t hit me yet, so I’m sure will also affect my coffee consumption. Also, did you quit cold turkey when you learned you were pregnant or did you gradually taper off?
- How soon can we find out if we have made it into the 12 Weeks to Transformation?
- How do I give up drinking regular alcohol when it’s such a big part of mine and my husband’s life and is how we spend our time bonding, as we have three kids and don’t do much else but work and look after the kids.
- What is the best plan if I miss day(s) journaling?
- How do I get off of being the victim over my health? I blame everything that is wrong with my weight on believed “malfunctioning body” when it fact is my lack of consistency that has brought me here.
If you have a question or topic for our Saturday Q&A shows, please share it here.
The free challenge mentioned in today’s episode kicks off on November 25th! You can participate by joining the Primal Potential Facebook Group or getting on the 12 Week Transformation Waitlist. We’d love to have you in both!
The registration for the 12 Week to Transformation – Winter starts on December 11th so make sure to stay tuned for that. If you aren’t on the wait list, join now!
