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Weekly Horoscope For April 8-14, 2024, From The AstroTwins

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Weekly Horoscope For April 8-14, 2024, From The AstroTwins


Ophira and Tali Edut, known as the AstroTwins, are professional astrologers based out of New York and Seattle. Their work has been featured in The New York Times, Elle, Vogue, and Good Morning America. They have been dubbed “astrologers to the stars” after reading for notable celebrities, including Beyoncé, Emma Roberts and Stevie Wonder. The AstroTwins have collaborated with Nordstrom, Kate Spade and Urban Outfitters, among other major brands. They have authored four print books: AstroStyle, Love Zodiac, Shoestrology, and Momstrology, and have a growing collection of ebooks, including their popular annual horoscope guides.

Hickory Smoked, Sugar-Free Bacon | Healthy Home Economist

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Hickory Smoked, Sugar-Free Bacon | Healthy Home Economist


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Sugar-free, hickory smoked bacon recipe that is an important product for local farms that offer healthy, pastured pork to the community. **Please share this recipe with your local pastured pork farmer!

hickory smoked, sugar-free bacon on wood cutting board

I’ve been buying hickory smoked pastured bacon from Peaceful Pastures, a Tennessee family farm, for a number of years.

It is sugar-free too, which is very hard to find when it comes to locally produced, pastured pork.

Unfortunately, this farm suffered a devastating family loss a few months ago.

I received my last order on March 1, 2024. Sadly, there are no plans for further pickups in the future 😢

Given that sugar-free pastured bacon is so hard to find locally, I asked Peaceful Pastures if they would be willing to share Jenny’s recipe so that I could give it to local pork producers in my state.

They said yes! Below is the Peaceful Pastures amazing recipe for hickory smoked, sugar-free bacon.

It is the BEST bacon you’ve ever tasted.

I’ve already shared this recipe with the pork farmers in my community. I hope you will share it with the ones in yours too!

We really need local pork farmers to offer sugar-free bacon as it is simply too dangerous, in my opinion, to buy commercial bacon at the store anymore even if organic.

China is buying up the commercial pork industry in the United States (along with farmland), and mRNA injections are already being used in pig livestock. (1-3)

To get safe bacon, you simply must buy it locally and avoid any bacon that has passed through the Industrialized Food System.

Is Celery Powder Healthy?

The recipe below contains celery powder, which is a natural source of nitrites.

Other vegetables that contain naturally occurring nitrites are spinach, beetroot, lettuces, cabbages, potatoes, and carrots.

Organic celery powder is far safer than sodium nitrate curing salts commonly used in commercial versions, which involve a lengthy, complex, and toxic manufacturing process that involves ammonia. (4)

By comparison, celery powder is made by dehydrating whole celery at low temperature. That’s it!

Thus, the “nitrates are nitrates” line from Big Food which seeks to confuse consumers into accepting sodium nitrate as a food preservative and curing agent as the same as what is in vegetables is a typical half-truth.

It is strongly reminiscent of the “MSG is MSG” line trumpeted for decades seeking to conflate synthetic MSG added to processed foods with the natural, healthful glutamate in meat, gravy, broth, and stock.

While some people cannot tolerate even the natural nitrates in vegetables like celery, most people can … even those on gut-healing diets like GAPS.

If you can eat celery and other nitrite-rich vegetables without issues, there is a good chance you will be fine with celery salt as a natural curing seasoning too.

Cooking Sugar-Free Bacon

These tips on cooking sugar-free bacon will help you transition to the slightly different method needed compared with sugared commercial brands.

Hint: Sugar-free bacon tends to stick to the pan and needs to be flipped several times during the initial cooking process as it is heating up.

hickory smoked, sugar-free bacon on wood cutting board

Hickory Smoked, Sugar-free Bacon

Sugar-free, hickory smoked bacon recipe that is an important product for local farms that offer healthy, pastured pork to the community.

Instructions

  1. Blend the celery powder and sea salt together to make a dry rub for the fat-rich cut you will use to make the bacon (pork belly is common).

  2. Generously apply the rub all over the surface of the meat, making sure to coat it evenly.

  3. After generously applying the rub, place in a vacuum sealed or ziplock bag (with as much of the air removed as possible) and refrigerate for 10-14 days to naturally cure it. Flip the bag each day to move the juices through. You’ll know that the meat is cured when the exterior is dry and you can poke it and it has some resistance.

  4. Remove the pork from the refrigerator and hickory smoke at 200 °F/ 93 °C for 3 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 160 °F/ 71 °C.

  5. Remove the pork from the smoker promptly and let it rest for 30 minutes or up to 2 hours on the counter.

  6. Slice the bacon to the desired thickness and cook some up right away! Refrigerate what you will use within a week.

  7. Freeze the remaining slices in one-pound packages until ready to use.

Nutrition Facts

Hickory Smoked, Sugar-free Bacon

Amount Per Serving (1 slice)

Calories 30
Calories from Fat 23

% Daily Value*

Fat 2.5g4%

Saturated Fat 1g5%

Monounsaturated Fat 1g

Sodium 230mg10%

Protein 2g4%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

homemade sugar-free bacon on wood board

References

(1) Who’s behind the Chinese takeover of world’s biggest pork producer?

(2) House Agriculture Committee Testimony 3-20-2024, Governor Kristi L. Noem

(3) How Long Have You Been Eating mRNA Injected Pork?

(4) Sodium Nitrate Manufacturing Process: A Closer Look

Intermittent Fasting: Pros and Cons of a Fasting Diet

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Intermittent Fasting: Pros and Cons of a Fasting Diet



Intermittent Fasting

Odds are you’re familiar with the term intermittent fasting (IF). Maybe you even practice it yourself or have friends or relatives who partake. But is a fasting diet right for you?

Intermittent fasting has skyrocketed in popularity in recent years. Its advocates include some scientific researchers who have demonstrated its impact on achieving and maintaining a healthy weight and improving chronic conditions.

However, intermittent fasting has also become the subject of controversy and accumulated its fair share of detractors, who argue that the practice is not necessary or sustainable and may even be harmful.

This article will detail the specifics of what intermittent fasting is, the most common types of IF, and the evidence showing the benefits and the downsides of intermittent fasting.

What Is Mindful Eating? Everything You Want to Know and How to Do It
 

 
 

What Is Intermittent Fasting?

Intermittent fasting is a type of eating pattern that restricts intake of food (or calorie-containing foods and drinks) for certain periods of time. This puts the human body into a fasted state, which causes substantial metabolic changes.

During prolonged fasting, the main energy source glucose (a carbohydrate) decreases and eventually becomes depleted. The body then compensates for this loss by “switching” to using sources of fat, like fatty acids and ketones, for fuel. Utilizing fats for energy can result in fat loss, which is often why intermittent fasting is a sought-after diet for those with goals of weight loss.

While IF has some similarities to the ketogenic (keto) diet with metabolizing fats instead of carbohydrates for energy, intermittent fasting and keto are not considered the same diet.
 
 

Here Are the Main Types of Intermittent Fasting

There are multiple ways of adhering to an IF diet model. Types of IF include daily time-restricted eating, alternating fasting and non-fasting days in a standard week, and participating in religious fasting.

Intermittent fasting doesn’t typically have specific rules or meal plans for non-fasting days/eating periods, but it is often recommended to monitor calorie intake on these days.
 

Time-Restricted Fasting (TRF):

This approach to intermittent fasting involves eating a typical day’s worth of food within a specific time window.

The most well-known example is the 16:8 method, in which there is an 8-hour period for food consumption (such as skipping breakfast and eating between 11 AM and 7 PM) with the remaining 16 hours spent fasting.

Time-restricted fasting may be suitable for those whose eating schedule closely aligns with an 8-hour time frame.
 

Alternate Day Fasting (ADF):

This intermittent fasting pattern alternates between full days of fasting and days where food and drink are not restricted.

Strict ADF models require no calorie intake on fasting days (but do allow non-caloric beverages like water, black coffee, and tea) while others keep calorie intake to 25% of one’s dietary needs.

Eat Stop Eat is a popular alternate day fasting-style diet where a fasting period of 24 hours occurs once or twice per week.
 

Modified Intermittent Fasting:

Modified IF is a slightly less strict version of alternate day fasting, and consists of a longer series of non-fasting days with caloric restriction on fasting days.

A common example is the 5:2 method, in which participants eat and drink without restrictions five days out of the week while the other two days are limited to 500-600 calories.
 

Religious Fasting:

Periods of fasting have been practiced by many religions around the world for thousands of years.

During the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, fasting begins at sundown and food and drink are not consumed until sundown the following day.

Many Muslims observe the holy month of Ramadan, typically 29-30 days in length, by fasting during daylight hours then resuming eating and drinking after sunset.
 

 
 

Intermittent Fasting Benefits

There is scientific evidence to suggest that intermittent fasting has positive impacts on health. While it is most-widely known for its effect on weight loss, studies have also shown favorable effects of IF in managing diabetes, reducing inflammation, and potentially preventing cancer and/or cognitive decline.
 

1. May Support Diabetes

Research has indicated that intermittent fasting diet patterns may reduce blood glucose and insulin levels and even reverse insulin resistance (when the cells don’t respond to insulin), a feature of Type 2 Diabetes.

A 2017 pilot study found that adults with Type 2 Diabetes who participated in a 2-week IF intervention had significant improvements in their blood sugar levels, both in the morning and after consuming meals, and that the majority of participants stated intent to continue with intermittent fasting after the study’s conclusion.

Male and female Muslim patients with Type 2 Diabetes who fasted during Ramadan were found to have significant improvements in their hemoglobin A1C levels, a measure of blood sugars over a 3-month period.
 

2. May Reduce Inflammation

Inflammation is a common risk factor for many serious diseases. Both animal and human studies have found that periods of fasting contribute to reducing systemic inflammation.

Mice who were put on TRF (time-restricted fasting) had measurable reductions in overall inflammation.

A 2015 study found that women who had longer periods of nighttime fasting had lower levels of C-reactive protein (a marker of inflammation). The findings also indicated that the reduced inflammation may subsequently reduce the risk of breast cancer.
 

3. May Support Cancer Patients During Chemotherapy Treatment

Repeated intermittent fasting may prevent cancer cells from multiplying and preserve healthy cells during chemotherapy treatment. Short-term fasting was found to halt growth of tumors in mice, and humans who fasted for 48-72 hours before and 24 hours after chemotherapy had fewer side effects from the treatment.
 

4. Brain Health

Intermittent fasting has also demonstrated positive effects on neurological health, including improving memory deficit and delaying the onset of age-related brain damage.

It is worth noting that most of the current research on IF describes the short-term impacts and further studies are needed to determine if intermittent fasting is as beneficial in the long-term.
 
 

Intermittent Fasting Concerns

There are some who express concern that intermittent fasting may not be feasible on a regular basis and/or question whether putting restrictions on time for eating and/or calories is warranted.
 

1. Potential Side Effects

Intermittent fasting can be logistically difficult to implement in busy lives and may lead to physical and/or emotional discomfort. Potential side effects of IF include:

  • Headache
  • Lethargy
  • Mood Swings
  • Dizziness
  • Polyuria (excessive urination)

 

2. Disordered Eating

The restrictions brought on by IF eating patterns may be harmful to people with a history of eating disorders and/or disordered eating.

A recent study in Clinical Diabetes Endocrinology found that women and young people may be at increased risk for disordered eating behaviors with IF.

Another study found that university students who underwent low-carb dieting combined with intermittent fasting had higher levels of binge eating and food cravings compared to non-dieters.
 

3. Not Appropriate for These Groups

IF may also not be appropriate for people with low blood sugars and/or blood pressure, who take certain medications (such as ones that must be taken with food), and people who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or trying to conceive.

Intuitive Eating Guide – How to Eat Based on What Your Body Wants
 
 

Intermittent Fasting Pros and Cons: The Takeaway

There is research to support the benefits of intermittent fasting, including sustaining a healthy weight, improving blood sugar levels and insulin resistance, and reducing inflammation. Most of these studies report benefits in the short-term.

For some individuals, following an intermittent fasting diet pattern like the 16:8 method is manageable in achieving balanced nutrition.
 

It is hard to define intermittent fasting as strictly good or bad, because it can work well for certain people but be physically and emotionally damaging for others.

 
However, IF can be difficult for many people to sustain long-term. IF diets may also result in unhealthy behaviors like disordered eating and possible nutrient deficiencies if the participant does not consume enough food or enough of a variety of foods regularly.

It is hard to define intermittent fasting as strictly good or bad, because it can work well for certain people but be physically and emotionally damaging for others. At the end of the day, it is important to recognize what is realistic for you, and not to feel shame or embarrassment if a fasting diet is not a good fit.

All included information is not intended to treat or diagnose. Always consult your healthcare provider for medical questions and before beginning or changing any dietary, supplementation, and/or exercise regimen.



Diet Derailed? Bounce Back With These Effective Strategies

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Diet Derailed? Bounce Back With These Effective Strategies


by Caitlin H,

Apr 8, 2024

Diet Derailed? Bounce back!

Many of us set out on a weight loss journey with all the passion, commitment, and dedication we need to succeed.

And for a while, we’re doing it — sticking to our plans and celebrating as we achieve one milestone after another. The days turn into weeks and the weeks into months, and we get comfortable in our new healthy living routine. It becomes second nature.

But then that day comes — and it very likely will come — where we inevitably fall off the wagon and relapse into old poor eating habits, forgo our fitness classes, and just, kind of, give up.

It happens — even to the best of us. Many external life factors can trigger a fall-off, and sometimes, it’s out of our control. Here’s the good news: It doesn’t have to end your healthy new lifestyle and goals completely.

We compiled a list of seven strategies to bounce back from that diet derail and find a renewed sense of purpose as you seek to achieve your goals.

 

1) Be kind to yourself.


If you take away nothing else from this article, take away this: Practicing self-compassion is critical to dusting yourself off and moving forward. Recognize the feelings of failure and guilt, acknowledge them, and then forgive yourself. You are not a loser. You are not a bad person. You made a choice, and now you can make a different choice — it’s as simple as that.

 

2) Identify what triggered the relapse.


People who succeed most in their endeavors are always looking for ways to improve. They’re constantly learning and adjusting accordingly. That’s why taking the time to identify what external factors triggered your diet derail is critical to moving forward. Did you have a challenging life event? Did you drink too much at a party, lowering your inhibitions? Perhaps you traveled or met someone new who influenced your decisions. Whatever it was, write it down and think of ways to reapproach it in the future so it doesn’t derail you again.

 

3) Don’t punish yourself.


Creating a healthy lifestyle doesn’t happen overnight. You likely took one small step at a time, changing things along the way, until you got where you wanted to be. Don’t suddenly start exercising extra hard or severely restricting your caloric intake to atone for a few bad decisions. Even if you do lose weight initially doing this,* you’re creating unsustainable behaviors that you are very unlikely to stick with long-term. And it can do way more damage than good in the long run.

 

4) Commit to picking up where you left off the next day.


Every successful healthy journey takes time to build. Whether your diet derail lasted a day, a week, or even a month, the key is to commit to going back to exactly where you left off the next day — and then doing it. For example, if your healthy lifestyle involves eating a protein-filled breakfast, exercising five days a week, and allowing yourself one binge day, that’s precisely where you should restart.

 

5) Remember what motivated you to begin in the first place.


If you’ve been working hard to create a healthy lifestyle for quite some time, there’s a chance you may not remember why you even started. Think back to before you began on this journey. Write about it. Meditate on it. Reflect. Regaining sight of the beginning can make it a whole lot easier to kick your butt into gear again following a downfall.

 

6) Keep it moving.


A lack of motivation can be one of the most challenging things to overcome when it comes to a healthy eating derailment. One way to combat this is to continue exercising each week. Whether you go on a 10-minute walk during your lunch break or are a full-on, six-days-a-week gym person, maintaining your exercise regime is one of the best things you can do to get your diet back on track, too.

 

7) Look for little tweaks you can make to your routine.


Sometimes, it’s as simple as feeling bored that can cause you to slump. Just like you started off taking one small step at a time to get where you wanted to be, look for ways to make small changes to your healthy living routine to alleviate some of that boredom. Try a few new recipes. Change up your cheat day. Sign up for a new fitness class. There are so many approaches to take — all you need to do is take the steps to do one.

 


————————————————————————————


Author: Caitlin H

Diet-to-Go Community Manager

Caitlin is the Diet-to-Go community manager and an avid runner. She is passionate about engaging with others online and maintaining a healthy, active lifestyle. She believes moderation is key, and people will have the most weight loss success if they engage in common-sense healthy eating and fitness.

 




Teladoc Board Moves on From CEO Gorevic

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Teladoc Board Moves on From CEO Gorevic


Jason Gorevic is out as CEO of Teladoc Health Inc., the virtual care company he had led since 2009 and grown from a few million dollars in annual sales to $2.6 billion last year.

The directors of Purchase, New York-based Teladoc announced the move April 5 and said Gorevic’s departure was effective immediately. Taking over on an interim basis from the 52-year-old Gorevic is Mala Murthy, who has been the company’s CFO since 2019.

“We thank Jason for his many achievements and contributions during the 15 years he led Teladoc Health,” said David Snow Jr., chairman of the Teladoc board. “We are confident that this leadership transition will position the company for long-term success and value creation.”

Pregnancy Accelerates Biological Aging | Disabled World

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Pregnancy Accelerates Biological Aging | Disabled World


Author: Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health
Published: 2024/04/08
Publication Type: Research, Study, Analysis – Peer-Reviewed: Yes
Contents: Summary – Main – Related Publications

Synopsis: This study builds on epidemiological findings that high fertility can have negative side effects on women’s health and longevity. The relationship between pregnancy history and biological age persisted even after taking into account various other factors tied to biological aging, such as socioeconomic status, smoking, and genetic variation, but were not present among men from the same sample. Each additional pregnancy during early adulthood was associated an estimated 2.4 and 2.8 months of accelerated biological aging.

Main Digest

Pregnancy may carry a cost, reports a new study from the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. The research, carried out among 1735 young people in the Philippines, shows that women who reported having been pregnant looked biologically older than women who had never been pregnant, and women who had been pregnant more often looked biologically older than those who reported fewer pregnancies. Notably, the number of pregnancies fathered was not associated with biological aging among same-aged cohort men, which implies that it is something about pregnancy or breastfeeding specifically that accelerates biological aging. The findings are published in The Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences.

This study builds on epidemiological findings that high fertility can have negative side effects on women’s health and longevity. What was unknown, however, was whether the costs of reproduction were present earlier in life, before disease and age-related decline start to become apparent. Until now, one of the challenges has been quantifying biological aging among the young. This challenge was overcome by using a collection of new tools that use DNA methylation (DNAm) to study different facets of cellular aging, health, and mortality risk. These tools, called ‘epigenetic clocks’ allow researchers to study aging earlier in life, filling a key gap in the study of biological aging.

“Epigenetic clocks have revolutionized how we study biological aging across the lifecourse and open up new opportunities to study how and when long-term health costs of reproduction and other life events take hold”, said Calen Ryan PhD, lead author of the study and associate research scientist in the Columbia Aging Center.

“Our findings suggest that pregnancy speeds up biological aging, and that these effects are apparent in young, high-fertility women,” said Ryan. “Our results are also the first to follow the same women through time, linking changes in each woman’s pregnancy number to changes in her biological age.”

The relationship between pregnancy history and biological age persisted even after taking into account various other factors tied to biological aging, such as socioeconomic status, smoking, and genetic variation, but were not present among men from the same sample. This finding, noted Ryan, points to some aspect of bearing children – rather than sociocultural factors associated with early fertility or sexual activity – as a driver of biological aging.

Despite the striking nature of the findings, Ryan encourages readers to remember the context:

“Many of the reported pregnancies in our baseline measure occurred during late adolescence, when women are still growing. We expect this kind of pregnancy to be particularly challenging for a growing mother, especially if her access to healthcare, resources, or other forms of support is limited.”

Ryan also acknowledged that there is more work to do;

“We still have a lot to learn about the role of pregnancy and other aspects of reproduction in the aging process. We also do not know the extent to which accelerated epigenetic aging in these particular individuals will manifest as poor health or mortality decades later in life.”

Ryan said that our current understanding of epigenetic clocks and how they predict health and mortality comes largely from North America and Europe, but that the aging process can take slightly different forms in the Philippines and other places around the world.

“Ultimately I think our findings highlight the potential long-term impacts of pregnancy on women’s health, and the importance of taking care of new parents, especially young mothers.”

Co-authors

Co-authors are Christopher Kuzawa, Northwestern University, Nanette R. Lee and Delia B. Carba, USC-Office of Population Studies Foundation; Julie L. MacIsaac, David S. Lin, and Parmida Atashzay, University of British Columbia; Daniel Belsky Columbia Public Health and Columbia Aging Center; Michael S. Kobor, University of British Columbia, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics.

Robert N. Butler Columbia Aging Center

Bringing together the campus-wide resources of a top-tier research university, the Robert N. Butler Columbia Aging Center approach to aging science is an innovative, multidisciplinary one with an eye to practical and policy implications. Its mission is to add to the knowledge base needed to better understand the aging process and the societal implications of our increased potential for living longer lives. For more information about this center which is based at the Columbia Mailman School of Public Health.

The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health R01AG061006; National Science Foundation BCS 1751912; University of British Columbia UBC 60055724.

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This peer reviewed publication pertaining to our Pregnancy Information section was selected for circulation by the editors of Disabled World due to its likely interest to our disability community readers. Though the content may have been edited for style, clarity, or length, the article “Pregnancy Accelerates Biological Aging” was originally written by Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, and submitted for publishing on 2024/04/08. Should you require further information or clarification, Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health can be contacted at the columbia.edu website. Disabled World makes no warranties or representations in connection therewith.

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Cite This Page (APA): Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. (2024, April 8). Pregnancy Accelerates Biological Aging. Disabled World. Retrieved April 9, 2024 from www.disabled-world.com/health/female/pregnancy/biological-aging.php

Permalink: <a href=”https://www.disabled-world.com/health/female/pregnancy/biological-aging.php”>Pregnancy Accelerates Biological Aging</a>: This study builds on epidemiological findings that high fertility can have negative side effects on women’s health and longevity.

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9 Serratus Anterior Exercises for Ripped Ribs!

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9 Serratus Anterior Exercises for Ripped Ribs!


Want to press more weight, do more push-ups, improve shoulder mobility, and look super-heroic with your shirt off? You may want to focus on doing more serratus anterior exercises.

The serratus may not get the love that big muscles like the pecs, glutes, and abs get on social media (no one’s going to post about their one-rep max on the serratus wall slide). But this saw-toothed muscle on the sides and back of your rib cage is a key player whenever you press, push, or punch, and when it’s well developed — bonus — it looks super cool as well.

Here’s a primer on how the serratus anterior muscles work — and some key moves for best developing this stealthily awesome group.

Serratus Anterior Anatomy and Function

In any big company, there are a few behind-the-scenes players who don’t get the recognition they deserve. In your upper body, that’s the serratus anterior.

Much of the serratus is hidden beneath the shoulder blade, the latissimus dorsi (the back muscle on the side of your torso), and the pectoralis (chest muscle). The only visible serratus muscles are two or three finger-shaped horizontal bumps on the sides of your rib cage, a couple of inches below your armpits.

Serratus anterior insertion

Anatomical Diagram of Serratus Anterior | Serratus Anterior Exercises

If you could look beneath your lats, pectoral muscles, and shoulder blades (scapulae), you’d see that there are actually eight (sometimes nine) of those fingers of the serratus anterior, each one originating on a different rib.

Like a giant thoracic bandage, these parallel strips of sinew each wrap around the back of your rib cage, slipping underneath your lat and scapula, and inserting at the medial border (inside edge) of your shoulder blade.

When you’re lean, the serratus jumps out visibly, especially when you expand your scapulae into a lat spread, framing the top corners of your ab muscles like a pair of quotation marks turned on their sides.

Serratus anterior action

The structure of this muscle may be complex, but its job is simple: to slide your shoulder blades forward (protraction) and rotate them upwards (flexion).

If those don’t sound like important functions, move your arm around. You’ll see that virtually every movement of your arm also requires you to move your shoulder blade: reach forward, your scapula slides forward; reach up, it lifts up. Your serratus is pivotal in making both things happen.

Physiotherapists sometimes call the serratus the “boxer’s muscle” or the “big swing” muscle, and now you know why: Without those serratus muscles sliding your shoulder blades forward, most punches would fall six or eight inches short.

9 of the Best Serratus Anterior Exercises

Good news: You don’t need to do a serratus anterior workout to increase its strength and definition. It’s a synergist — a helper-muscle — in many of the classic moves you’re likely already doing for your chest, deltoids, back, and core, as shown below.

Want to emphasize serratus anterior activation in these moves? Focus on a complete scapular range of motion — moving your shoulder blades forward, backward, upward, and downward — whenever you can.

1. Push-up

Additional muscles worked: chest, triceps

  • Assume a high plank position: hands and balls of your feet on the floor, core tight, and body straight from head to heels. Your hands should be slightly wider than your shoulders.
  • Maintaining a rigid posture, slowly lower your chest to the floor — or as close as you can without breaking form.
  • Reverse the move, pushing yourself back up to the starting position.

Too tough? Perform the move with your hands elevated on a box or bench.

2. Serratus push-up

Additional muscles worked: shoulders, chest

  • Assume a high plank position: hands and balls of your feet on the floor, core tight, and body straight from head to heels. Your hands should be slightly wider than your shoulders.
  • Keeping your arms straight and your body rigid, slowly retract (pull back) your shoulder blades as far as possible.
  • Pause, push back up to the starting position, protract (spread) your shoulder blades, and round your upper back as much as possible toward the ceiling.
  • Pause and return to the starting position.

3. Supine chest press

Additional muscles worked: chest, triceps

  • Lie back on a bench, holding a dumbbell firmly in each hand at arm’s length above your shoulders with your palms facing forward.
  • Slowly lower the dumbbells, stretching your chest muscles fully, until the inside plates of the dumbbells are close to — or nearly touching — your chest.
  • Pause, return to the starting position, and then push the dumbbells as high as possible, lifting your shoulder blades off the bench.
  • Lower and repeat.

No dumbbells? Perform the same move using a barbell.

4. Standing serratus press

Additional muscles worked: shoulders, chest

  • Attach two exercise bands with handles to a squat rack at shoulder height.
  • Face away from the rack, take hold of the handles, and extend your arms in front of you, parallel to the floor.
  • Walk forward to create tension on the bands.
  • Assume a half-lunging position with one foot forward for stability.
  • Keeping your torso upright and your entire body stable, push your arms forward as far as possible, rounding your upper back. This is your starting position.
  • Keeping your arms straight and your posture upright, slowly retract your shoulder blades as much as possible.
  • Slowly return to the starting position. That’s one rep.

5. Pullover

Additional muscles worked: lats, triceps, posterior delts

  • Lie back on a bench holding two light- to medium-weight dumbbells with a firm grip at arm’s length above your chest.
  • Keeping your arms straight, press the dumbbells toward one another and hold them there throughout the move (this works best with hexagonal dumbbells).
  • Keeping your feet planted on the floor and your elbows slightly bent, slowly lower the dumbbells in an arc towards the floor over your head, until you feel a deep stretch in your lats and rib cage.
  • Pause for a moment, slowly reverse the move, and return to the starting position.

6. Ab rollout

Best Ab Exercises - Stability Ball Rollout

Additional muscles worked: core, triceps

  • Choose a ball: bigger (up to 33 inches in diameter) if you’re just learning the move, smaller (18 inches in diameter) once you’ve had more practice.
  • Kneel behind the ball, fold at the waist, and place your forearms on top of the ball, palms down.
  • Tighten your abdomen, tuck your pelvis, and maintain that position throughout the movement. If you feel your lower back arch, stop the set.
  • Lean your weight onto the ball and slowly extend your arms in front of you, rolling the ball forward as far as you can while maintaining the same position in your lower back.
  • Pause for two to three seconds in the fully extended position.
  • Reverse the movement, slowly returning to the starting position.

7. Serratus wall slide

Additional muscles worked: shoulders

  • Stand facing a wall.
  • Place your forearms on the wall, vertically, about shoulder width apart with your palms facing each other.
  • Lean your weight into the wall, spread your shoulder blades, and round your back backward. This is your starting position.
  • Maintaining the same rounded back position, slowly slide your forearms along the wall upwards and downwards as far as you can.

8. Bear crawl

Additional muscles worked: core, chest, triceps

  • Get on all fours with your hands directly under your shoulders, fingers spread wide, and your knees bent 90 degrees below your hips.
  • Tuck your toes and raise your knees slightly off the floor. This is your starting position.
  • Keeping your back flat and core engaged, move forward using a “cross-crawl” pattern, simultaneously moving opposite hands and feet together (left hand and right foot, right hand and left foot).
  • Continue moving forward with opposite hands and feet in unison for the specified number of steps, then reverse the movement to work your way back.

9. Standing rotational punch

Additional muscles worked: core, shoulders

  • Stand with your feet slightly wider than your shoulders, holding a pair of light-to-medium dumbbells at chest or shoulder height, with your palms facing each other.
  • Turn your torso 90 degrees to your left, pivoting on your right foot as you punch straight out from your shoulder with your right hand, rotating your fist until your palm faces downward.
  • Return smoothly to the starting position and repeat the move to the other side, rotating on your left foot and punching to your right with your left hand.
  • Alternate sides smoothly.

Benefits of Serratus Anterior Exercises

Although they appear most visibly on your ribs, the muscles of the serratus anterior are crucial to shoulder health. Strengthening them can help with a number of scapulothoracic tasks.

1. Increased shoulder mobility

When the serratus isn’t working as it should, your shoulder blade may not slide as easily across your back, limiting your range of motion — and possibly causing pain — when you reach your arm forward or overhead. A strong serratus can help increase range of motion, with downstream benefits for rotator cuff function.

2. Improved upper-body performance

Nearly every arm motion involves the shoulder blade and nearly every shoulder blade motion involves the serratus anterior. Presses, punches, and pitches all benefit from a strong serratus anterior — as does putting away dishes on the top cabinet.

3. Muscular balance

Over time, repeated overhead movement can cause an imbalance between the serratus and the trapezius, the kite-shaped muscle connecting your neck, back, and shoulders. Exercises that target the serratus can help restore order.

4. Less scapular winging

A weak serratus anterior can also lead to a protrusion of the shoulder blades, referred to as scapula alata, or scapular winging. Strengthening the serratus can help bring the scapulae into alignment.

One week away + Bluff + this is traveling with kids.

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One week away + Bluff + this is traveling with kids.


(shorts, top, shoes)

Ten miles @ 7:56 pace on Saturday… I was going to add some speed and then made the executive decision I didn’t want to, so I just ran.

We are back home now! We were in Bluff, Utah, which is in the southeast corner of Utah. For spring break, we wanted to go somewhere warm, new, and not too crowded, so we headed to Bluff.

I googled “close-ish family resorts with a pool,” and Bluff Dwellings pulled up.  It was rated 4.7, and the reviews were all amazing while at the same time it wasn’t too pricey, so we went for it.

The kids loved the resort’s park; I believe all parks should have hammocks for parents.

They spent hours at this park.

And I spent hours in the hot tub.

Bluff is a very small city, but it is close to so many hikes, Monument Valley, and the Four Corners. They offer a lot of excursions for things like whitewater rafting (we didn’t do any excursions because our kids were just thrilled with the pool).

I just realized this might feel like an ad ha, but it’s not… we really loved this place.  You could even rent a Teepee to stay in!

We will be back!

We ate most of our meals at the resort and were all surprised by how good the food was… we went through so many pizzas.  The biggest problem was the wind in the area on Friday, but I think that was happening in many areas last week.

Traveling with kids is ordering them the kids meals they wanted and then them not eating what they ordered and eating all of your food instead.

Boston is just one week away.  I can’t believe how quickly this snuck up on us.  I may have been searching for last-minute deals on plane tickets to go watch but couldn’t find any, so I guess watching it on the TV will do.  Good luck to everyone racing.  I hope the weather is perfect for you, the tailwind is strong, and your carb-loading is enjoyable.

450IMG 4128 2

Today, I thought I would include some of my tips for Boston!  I have run it four times (2015, 2019, 2022, 2023), and I am positive that the year I ran it in 2022 was the best race I’ve ever had (2:54)!  PS What I did for nutrition in 2022 is in this post.

Here are my random tips for Boston:

*If you get carsick easily, please try to sit in a front seat on the bus and stare out that front window the whole way.

*Wear a pair of shoes different from your race shoes that you can donate and swap out right before the race starts. You will be walking around a lot before the race, and sometimes the Athlete’s Village is muddy, so keeping your race shoes in the clear bag until the last second is one of my favorite Boston tips.  Also, if it is cold and rainy in the morning, a poncho and robe work great, too.

*If it is sunny-> wear sunscreen (EVERYWHERE), and a hat or sunglasses is a need.  It feels like you are facing the sun the whole way, but in a good and happy way:)

*Don’t waste your time weaving! The first few miles of Boston are pretty congested, and then things spread out, so go with the flow and stay calm. Your time will come!

*Find a house for me to buy… the homes along the course are stunning, and I always spend time staring at them in the first 20 miles.

*Enjoy every second of the Wellesley Girls cheering.  You can seriously hear them from a mile away, and it is shocking how loud that portion of the course is each time.  I know music is helpful during races, but if you can go without it for as long as possible, try it in Boston.  The crowds are next level!  Use their energy as fuel.

*The tracks on the road at mile 22 are always a bit tricky for me.  My legs are fried at that point, and I am always so nervous about tripping on them (people do!), so watch out for those!

*Things change a lot on this course.  Now that I’ve run a completely flat marathon, it makes me realize how much things change on this course.  The positives of the constant changes—> You are using different muscles throughout the entire course, which is really nice, and all of the changes keep you distracted!  Remember, if you are hurting… things will change soon, emotionally and/or physically.

*Find all the joy you can, which is pretty easy in Boston.  There are so many things to see along the course (I adore running through EIGHT different little towns or cities over the 26.2 miles), absorb the joy, and run your heart out.

*Newton Hills (miles 16-20), forget about paces and focus on keeping things at the same effort you’ve had up until that point.  Once you get to the top of Heartbreak, there is an amazing gentle downhill where you can get your legs rolling again and pick up the pace, but you can’t do that if you blow up from going too hard on the hills.

*I used the ‘fly and die’ method twice, ran Boston once for fun, and ran it once, pacing it perfectly (for me). I thought I would include my splits if anyone wanted to see how I paced it and what ascent/descent happens in each mile.  I know you hear this from everyone, but BE patient.  This course was so painful when I was not patient in the beginning, and then it was the most magical course when I was patient and held back in the first half, even though I felt like running faster.  PS I know it is only 40 ft ascent in the first mile, but I am always surprised by a few rollers in that first mile.

*Smile as much as you can and take it all in. Don’t forget to let me know how it goes so I can live through you this year!


Who will be in Boston this year?  Who has in the past?

What race have you done that you think has the best crowds?

Please add some tips to this list!

What’s the most relaxing vacation you have ever been on?

6 Delicious Starchy Carbs You Can Still Eat & Lose Weight

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6 Delicious Starchy Carbs You Can Still Eat & Lose Weight


Carbohydrates are often vilified as a dieter’s worst enemy but carbs are a fundamentally important part of any meal.

In fact, carbs are our body’s best energy source, the glucose helps balance out our sugar levels and the fibre is great for our digestive system.

One of the biggest problems people have with carbs is they’re eating the wrong type – a.k.a. refined white carbs instead of healthy wholegrain carbs.

Plus, we often tend to fill up on too many carbs and get our portion sizes wrong. Here are 6 starchy carbs, as well as how much of them you can eat and still lose weight.

6 starchy carbs you can eat - and how much you should eat - and STILL lose weight6 starchy carbs you can eat - and how much you should eat - and STILL lose weight

How much carbs should you eat in any meal?

  • Pasta: two dried handfuls
  • Rice: two dried handfuls
  • Potatoes: one fistful
  • Apple: one
  • Bread: two slices
  • Oats: half a cup size

Other tips on how to eat carbs

  • Cooled or cold cooked pasta digests more like like a healthier fibre, prompting a safer, more gradual rise in blood sugar compared to hot pasta. 
  • Not eating enough carbohydrates can lead to a low mood, which in turn can trigger binge eating. 
  • Drinking green tea while eating carbs may be a good diet strategy as it helps boost your metabolism and lower your body’s glucose levels.
  • Some studies show that having a high-protein breakfast and carbs at night can help with weight loss.
  • Natural resistant starches like lentils, peas, beans and oatmeal help keep you fuller for longer.

10 carbs to eat and still LOSE weight!

1. Quinoa

This seed is considered to be complete protein! Lower in calories than most other types of grain and rice, quinoa is high in fibre and has good levels of vitamins and minerals. Quinoa can be mixed with vegetables and served as a side dish, or used as a flour substitute in certain types of cooked dishes.

Check out this Thermomix warm Mexican quinoa salad.

2. Brown rice

Mexican Stuffed Chicken with RiceMexican Stuffed Chicken with Rice

Brown rice is a wholegrain, and very nutritious as it contains large amounts of fibre, B vitamins and minerals such as iron, selenium and magnesium. The fibre in brown rice helps to keep the digestive system healthy and will keep you feeling fuller for longer (always a good thing when it comes to weight loss!).

Check out this brown rice recipe of Mexican Stuffed Chicken.

3. Oats

Overnight Apple Oats and Peanut Butter_2Overnight Apple Oats and Peanut Butter_2

Rolled oats digest slowly, are packed with fibre and have little impact on your blood sugar. Oats are also a great source of manganese, selenium, vitamin B1, dietary fibre, magnesium, protein and phosphorus.

Thanks to their high fibre profile, oats are also great for clearing the junk from your digestive system. That sounds like enough reason for them to be our new favourite carb! Check out this Overnight Oats recipe for your next breakfast.

4. Pasta

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When eaten in a low-GI diet, can actually help you lose weight! If you’re not sold on eating pasta, try wholemeal pasta or brown rice pasta and see if that works better for you.

In the mood for pasta? Try this Pasta with Slow Cooked Ragu Sauce.

5. Couscous

DukkahChickenCouscousDukkahChickenCouscous

Couscous is low in calories and has very little fat. It is low in dietary fibre but high in vitamins and minerals such as calcium and potassium.

There are many couscous recipes on our 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge like Dukkah Chicken Couscous.

6. Wholemeal bread

sweet potato loafsweet potato loaf

Yes, you CAN eat bread while trying to lose weight! Unlike white bread, it’s made from a more unrefined flour, is higher in fibre and has more vitamins and minerals.

It also is much lower on the GI index than white bread, meaning eating wholemeal will leave you feeling fuller for longer and less likely to raid the cake tin half way through the morning. See here our picks for the best wholemeal breads at the supermarket.

7. Buckwheat

5 budget friendly weeknight dinners with just 5 ingredients5 budget friendly weeknight dinners with just 5 ingredients

Buckwheat is rich in omega 3 fatty acids, and full of vitamins and minerals. How do you eat it?

You can use buckwheat as a flour in baking or pancakes or porridge for breakfast or as a savoury lunch or dinner in the form of buckwheat noodles (soba is the Japanese name for buckwheat). Try these Soba noodles with salmon to get on your shredding journey.

8. Broccoli

broccolibroccoli

Not what you thought would be on this list right? Broccoli is a carb (a low one at that) and we eat this without thinking we’ll gain weight because it’s green and considered a vegetable? Correct. Carbs are not simply white bread and white pasta. They come in a variety of forms and health!

Broccoli is a great non-starchy carb containing many nutrients such as folate, soluble and insoluble fibre, vitamins C and A, and calcium, which are needed for numerous functions in the body. Chicken, Cashew and Broccoli Stir Fry anyone!?

9. Barley

Eating barley will keep you feeling fuller than eating other types of grains. Barley cannot be eaten raw, but can be added to soups for extra bulk and is particularly good when substituted for rice in a risotto dish.

You can incorporate barley into your breakfast, lunch or dinner as an oat substitute or rice alternative. Check out this Breakfast Barley with Banana and Seeds on our 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge.

10. Sweet potato

sweet potato brownies health benefits chia seeds coconut sugar cacaosweet potato brownies health benefits chia seeds coconut sugar cacao

Another fibrous carb, sweet potato is packed full of vitamins, and minerals, particularly beta-carotene, which converts to vitamin A once consumed. Not to be confused with the white potato, 80g of sweet potato counts towards 1 of your 5-a-day, unlike white potato which does not.

Here are 7 sweet potato recipes for you to dive into!

One-Pan-Creamy-Sundried-Tomato-ChickenOne-Pan-Creamy-Sundried-Tomato-Chicken

Tired of wondering what to cook?

Now you can easily meal plan with our personalised plans & over 6,000 family & budget friendly recipes catering to a wide range of dietary requirements.

The Healthy Mummy is a holistic program to nourish your body with nutritious food and help you stay active in your busy, everyday life. Yours and your families well being should be a priority so let us take the hassle out of it.

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Cancellara’s Classics column: After Flanders-Roubaix double, Mathieu van der Poel should ride Liège-Bastogne-Liège

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Cancellara’s Classics column: After Flanders-Roubaix double, Mathieu van der Poel should ride Liège-Bastogne-Liège


There’s not too much to say. Paris-Roubaix was an Alpecin-Deceuninck show from start to finish. Mathieu van der Poel was the big favourite, and he did what everybody thought he would do, but his team was also completely in command all the way from Compiègne to the velodrome in Roubaix.

In the end, there was no chance for the rest against Alpecin-Deceuninck. Finishing first and second with Van der Poel and Jasper Philipsen was only part of the story – they were in control all day long. In a race like Paris-Roubaix, there are always lots of possible scenarios, depending on the weather conditions, tactics and so on, but it felt like they would have handled any situation that emerged on Sunday.

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