One Man's Quest for Better Health
Moderate alcohol consumption offers perceived benefits for our health in terms of stress management, relaxation and social enjoyment but the reality maybe quite the opposite. Additionally, the definition of “moderate” can vary wildly from one person to the next.
Excessive alcohol consumption and binge drinking negatively impacts our bodies in a multitude of ways.
Here is just a few of the main ones.
Continue reading “How Does Alcohol Impact Your Nutrition”
Falafels are one of my goto favourite plant based foods. They are super simple to put together and I eat them alot with hummus or fry them in a little oil to make them even better in a pitta or a rye crisp bread sandwich.
This one has been on my “to check out” list for quite a while now. On a recent staycation in Ireland, we were visiting our much loved city of Cork in the south of Ireland. It is here where I first came across floatation tanks, also known as isolation tanks or sensory deprivation tanks. They are named so as they aim to cut off all external stimuli to allow the body and mind relax, rest, repair and recover as part of a therapy known as a REST (Restricted Environmental Stimulation Therapy).
I can’t think of a time in history when a service like this was more required. With our 24/7 on demand, always connected modern day mess we call a society, finding a place where you can remove yourself from all external stimulation can be very difficult to find. No phones, no internet, no advertisements, no emails, no whatsapps, no facebook, no people, just you. Imagine!
Here’s what happened when I tried this.
When we exercise we utilise glucose as fuel to help us move and perform our workout. This glucose is often synthesised from glycogen stored in our muscle tissues and liver, in a process called glycogenolysis.
As part of working out, muscle proteins can also be broken down (6). Once you have finished exercising, the body will try and rebuild those muscle proteins and restore the glycogen reserves that were converted to glucose during the exercise.
Eating the right nutrients post work out can help your body achieve this faster. Let’s dive in.
Continue reading “What To Eat After a Workout”
There are many factors that affect the type and amount of nutrition our bodies need. Here we discuss the top 3.
Continue reading “3 Factors That Affect Your Nutritional Needs”
60 days ago to this day, I made a commitment to give up hangovers and not consume any alcohol at all for 90 days. Today marks the 60th day of this challenge and here is what I’ve learned so far.
Continue reading “What I’ve Learned from Not Drinking Alcohol for 60 Days”
This is a post that has been brewing in my mind for quite some time.
It’s a reflection on past events that when looked at in isolation seem ok, but when added together paint a different picture entirely.
It’s also a reflection on the pain and suffering I had to endure and the growth and wisdom that I have gained from these experiences.
It’s also a look to the future. A future that I now feel is one of abundance, excitement and optimism.
Continue reading “My Search For Meaning”
I’ve decided to challenge myself to do 90 days sober. Not one drop of alcohol for 3 months, and to make it a little bit harder, it is the summer months. I am on Day 11 so far but already my eyes have been opened in new and surprising ways.
Continue reading “Here’s What Happens When You Go Alcohol Free”
Today’s modern life is different isn’t it. It’s different to how our predecessors lived and almost certainly is different to how the next generation will live. Change is inevitable but the pace of that change has significantly increased over the last 10-15 years. Let’s reflect on some of the key changes.
Continue reading “This Modern Life”
Yesterday I went out in the afternoon to watch a football match. I wasn’t even that interested in it (I had to google who was actually playing – I know) but it was more to meet a friend of mine and relax in a pub. I had been pretty bad at meeting up with my friends in recent months and this was the excuse I was telling myself to justify me going out to meet up with him. Anyway a good afternoon was had but in the end, I was a mess.
Here’s the breakdown (from what I can recollect):
Continue reading “One Year. No Beer.”
If you live in Dublin, you should take part in this study: https://genofit.ie/
This aims to be one of the largest studies ever conducted in Ireland and is examining the role of genetics, lifestyle factors and fitness in our overall health. Their initial goal is to get 40,000 people to take part and based on the availability in their clinics (or lack thereof), I think they are not far off their target. 40,000 people is not a limit, the more the better.
I have never seen or taken part in a study that was as well designed and executed as this one. After discussing this study with my nutrition classmates a few weekends ago, I signed up at genofit.ie and booked a slot.
Continue reading “Genofit Research Study”
We all intellectually know that we are quietly nurturing addictions to all kinds of stuff – certain foods, coffee and certain apps or technology.
I recently had a strong urge to decouple, disconnect, untether myself and my family from all technology for one whole day. Imagine that! So last Sunday, we as a family of 5 decided, we are not going to use any smartphones, tablets, games consoles, tv, netflix – nothing, just for one whole day and see how we felt about it.
Continue reading “Reconnecting With Your Senses”