Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Surviving Finals

Yes it is possible to survive finals-I am alive to talk about it. As overwhelming as finals are, keep in mind they are not the end of the world. There are coping skills that help alleviate some of the stress of finals. I highly recommend taking time to workout; even if it's a lap or two around your street, moving your body is important. It will help you to focus better and absorb more information. Trust me. During finals, I will make sure to do harder workouts because I need to burn off the stress. My other suggestion is taking the time to mediate. If you can't even get yourself to do that, take three deep breaths. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. It helps for me to pay attention to the inhale through my nose and exhale through my mouth. If you're interested in a guided mediation, check out the website Headspace. The site offers ten minute meditations and I believe you can sign up for a ten-day free trial. Sometimes in my mindfulness class will practice a Headspace meditation. I find mindfulness/meditation helps me to re-blance myself, especially when stress feels out of control. You will survive finals-I promise!

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Fluoride: What You Didn't Know

I apologize deeply for not posting in over a week. I was really sick which I have not been in years. Clearly my immune system had been run down from traveling. But now I am back and ready to share my health knowledge with you! Today I had a conversation with Roman Price, founder of Lifepulp.com, and we got onto the topic of Fluoride. I wasn't aware of all the negative effects of Fluoride. I had always seen toothpaste with Fluoride and assumed it was okay for our health. Lesson learned: do not assume any chemical/ingredient is okay, do your own research. Fluoride can be found in our drinking water. From what I have come to understand, the United States government supported fluoridated public water because of the claim that fluoride helps support tooth decay (when actually there is no need to swallow fluoride to protect our teeth). Water fluoridation is used in the United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, and Australia (and a few other countries). Here is some evidence on how Fluoride is harmful to our health:

1. Fluoride may damage the brain. The National Research Council stated, "it is apparent that fluorides have the ability to interfere with the functions of the brain."
2. Fluoride may lower intelligence. China, Iran, India, and Mexico conducted 24 studies in which the results showed that there was an association between exposure to fluoride and reduced IQ.
3. Negative effects on the pineal gland. Fluoride's affect on the gland may interfere with the hormone melatonin, which regulates our sleep cycle.
4. Sodium Fluoride is the prominent ingredient in rat poison. Why a main ingredient in rat poison is in our water is beyond me!

How can you avoid fluoride in your water? Drink spring water. Most spring water has less than .1ppm fluoride, which is ten times less than added for fluoridation. Or purchase a water filter for your tap water. Make sure the type of filter is a reverse osmosis or activated alumina. Roman has noticed since cutting fluoride out of his diet his energy levels have skyrocketed!

Monday, May 14, 2012

Flexibility with Food

In the past four weeks I have spent a total of 42 hours on many planes. To say the least I feel exhausted. This past week I was in Warsaw, Poland at an Original Play Cultural Exchange. This particular experience challenged me in many ways-emotionally, physically, and mentally. But facing those challenges allowed for me to grow even more. The biggest growing experience for me was probably being forced to be flexible with my food. At home I am strict with myself; eating every few hours and planning each balanced meal. This trip I was forced to let go. I was thrown into circumstances where all I could do is make the best possible decision out of options I was faced with. I had to learn that not everywhere I go, I will find the healthiest food. This past week I didn't nearly eat half as many fruits and vegetables I normally eat. My mind struggled to let go with this fact. I wanted to obsess over the situation of my food. But obsessing or being too caught up in my eating habits would have been just as detrimental to my mental health. I had to teach myself the art of making the best out of the situation. Throughout the trip, I was frustrated that I couldn't find dark leafy green salads or even broccoli. But then I forced myself to realize that I needed to stay in the present moment and is this the end of the world? No was the answer. I realized I had been choosing to focus on the negative aspects of the situation instead of the positive. The learning experience out of this trip was to make the most out of each situation and that though I may not always be able to find the 'perfect' meal, it's okay. I learned to be flexible and that was a very valuable experience for me!

Saturday, May 5, 2012

ASSET-My Dream for Students

Press 'Play' to see my mission of helping students reach their peak performance academically, physically, and emotionally.


"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." ~Eleanor Roosevelt

Any help with resources, funding, or some words of encouragement would mean the world to me. Please contact me at Tessa.M.Zimmerman@gmail.com