Morning vs. Evening Exercise: New Research

Does it matter when you exercise?

It’s always great when we can work smarter and not harder to reach the same goal, right?

When it comes to exercise, we know that physical activity reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, but here’s a new study that looks at whether it matters what time of day we exercise.

After looking at data from 93,000+ healthy adults (from the UK Biobank), the results showed…

✅ Morning & afternoon physical activity were associated with a 9%-10% lower risk of type 2 diabetes.

❌ Evening physical activity was not associated with a lower diabetes risk.

I’m not suggesting you ditch your evening walk, but this study suggests we get the most bang for our buck when we move our bodies earlier in the day.

What’s your exercise preference—early or late?

Reference

Tian C, Bürki C, Westerman KE, Patel CJ. Association between timing and consistency of physical activity and type 2 diabetes: a cohort study on participants of the UK Biobank [published online ahead of print, 2023 Sep 20]. Diabetologia. 2023. [link]

Gratitude: The Science is In 📚

The science is in 📚

64 clinical trials on gratitude were pooled in an analysis to show…

Gratitude reduces anxiety and depression, improves mental health, and boosts life satisfaction.

Some details:

🔸 The studies involved a range of participants, including children, teens, adults, doctors, and prisoners.

🔸 Gratitude practices ranged from journaling to posting pictures on social media with captions of gratitude to just thinking about being thankful.

🔸 Scientists say the positive emotions triggered by gratitude set off a chain reaction of neurotransmitters in the brain like a chemical reaction boosting health and happiness.

This does not have to be hard!

Practicing gratitude mostly takes intention and consistency.

Keep a journal.

Notice the beauty around you.

Compliment someone.

Say thank you.

Smile.

🙏

Reference

Diniz G, Korkes L, Tristão LS, Pelegrini R, Bellodi PL, Bernardo WM. The effects of gratitude interventions: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Einstein (Sao Paulo). 2023. (link)

Immune Prep for Holidays

Immune Prep for the Holidays 👇

The holidays come with their fair share of gatherings, sugar, and stress—all challenging our immune systems a bit more than at other times of year! 

For immune support, consider…

1️⃣ Daily Movement

Moving your body gets your circulation and lymphatics flowing, relieves stress, and decreases your susceptibility to falling sick. 

2️⃣ Probiotic-Rich Foods

Remember that 70% of your immune cells are in your gut! Probiotic-rich foods (think yogurt, kefir, kombucha, and sauerkraut) support the gut microbiome. 

3️⃣ Vitamin C-Rich Foods

Oranges, grapefruits, broccoli, and bell peppers are excellent sources of vitamin C as well as other antioxidants to support immune health. 

4️⃣ Immune-Supportive Supplements

Consider taking a multivitamin or some extra nutrients like vitamin D or zinc through the cold and flu season. 

5️⃣ Sleep

One of the best things you can do for your immune system is to give your body time to rest and restore!

There are no guarantees when it comes to staying healthy through the winter months, but there are always ways to support your body’s resilience. 

📌Save this post for later!

How to CRUSH Your Next Holiday

Most people think a holiday is all about pigging out and drinking alcohol. 

But what if you think of your next holiday as an entire day you get to do nothing but ENJOY yourself. 

Even if you don’t have complete control over the daily schedule (maybe you’ll be visiting family or hosting dinner), you don’t have any responsibilities of a regular day. 

Here’s a cheat sheet for how to CRUSH your next holiday and feel happier and healthier at the end of the day:

📋 Do some prep work (especially chopping veggies!)

👟 Start with exercise (so you can relax and be present after that!)

💦 Drink plenty of water (it will keep your energy up)

🍂 Take the kids or relatives outside (everyone is happier with fresh air)

🧩 Play games or puzzles (doesn’t matter your age)

☯️ Reflect at the end of the day (treat yourself with journaling or a bath)

Holidays can feel like some of the most stressful times, but when we shift our perspective to be grateful for the moment we have, we come out happier on the other side. 

What are your thoughts? Do any of the ideas here resonate with you? Drop me a comment below ⤵️