Operation Stay Alive
what I'm currently doing for my brain and body
Hello brainiacs,
Happy July! How’s your brain? After some recent tests, my brother-in-law has begun what he jokingly/not jokingly calls Operation Don’t Die. It’s funny and also real. It’s the stuff we’re all dealing with - shed unhealthy weight, lower the blood pressure and heart rate, be able to carry in the groceries, run without pain. As someone who is incredibly interested in the human body, wants to stay active, and needs a brain to write and function, here’s my own Operation Stay Alive, brain edition.
Morning Routine
Exercise:
5 mg Creatine daily before exercise (I’ve used this and this. For women over 50, creatine is highly beneficial. Combined with resistance training, it supports menopausal and post-menopausal health by preserving muscle mass, maintaining bone density, and combating brain fog. It’s helped me a lot!)
Pre-workout (this brand is my fave + a bite of banana + a little peanut butter and that’s some good workout energy! I use it daily and mix with water and creatine bc creatine by itself tastes yuck.)
MOVE DAILY: (run, bike, lift heavy weights. This does not need to take much time; 20 minutes is 20 minutes. As we lose estrogen we start losing muscle. I also think of exercise as a type of “gateway drug” because when I move, I feel GOOD, am more inclined to eat better throughout the day, go to sleep earlier, and want to move the next day).1
Post Exercise Routine:
Smoothie + egg (power shake here containing 50 grams of protein), or:
Protein shake + egg2 (two cups of skim/2% Fairlife milk + a scoop of protein powder + 1/2 frozen banana blended in; sometimes half an avocado)
Essential Amino Acids (a MAJOR energy game changer for me! Creatine gives you energy to work out, and EAAs help you recover and build muscle. I’ve only tried the capsules and would like to try the drink next. EAAs differ from branch-chain-aminio-acids (BCAAs) as they consist of the nine irreplaceable amino acids your body cannot manufacture; BCAAs are effective but only contain three. You don’t need to take the KION brand, but make sure the brand is highly rated and “pure” - no added junk. Do your research to decide what is best for you!
Exercise Accountability
Running buddies
Strava (it’s fun, tracks your miles, routes, and history. I have the free version)
Calendar (a simple, physical calendar works well for me to put a little check on)
Train for something (super fun esp with friends; gives you a goal!)
Last year, I was feeling super “foggy,” and I’m super grateful for a great nurse practitioner and gynecologist (both female) who listened, responded, suggested, and prescribed. I’m also a big fan of Just Ingredients founder Karalynne Call and Dr. Mary Claire Haver, MD content. Mel Robbins has some super podcasts on women’s health. I feel really lucky to live at a time when women’s health is getting more attention - will it keep receiving funding?)
Evening Routine
(Perimenopause? Am I in it? I think I’m in it)
Estrogen patch (I’m on the lowest dose and change it twice a week; it’s made a BIG difference with “foggy” brain).
Progesterone (one little pill at night; also helps with sleep)
Overall Women’s Health:
Neuro-Magnesium (I like this one)
Multi-vitamin 50+ (when I haphazardly remember to take)
Regular, early-ish bedtime (my roommate is a night owl, so I’m always working on this!)
Food:
Whole, plant-based (I feel so much better when I’m not eating sugar…chips, sugar, and Diet Coke are all things I really like)
Food is medicine or it’s poison; our choice!
The stomach is the second brain (gut, hormones, and brain connection podcast.)
Food Accountability:
Noom (I really didn’t think I needed an app; I know what I should eat, but again, accountability is effective. I also thought I’d hate tracking food, but it’s been a good reset and also eye-opening. The app tracks calories and protein, carbs, and fat grams. I won’t use it forever, but it’s been helpful).
My brain and body feel so much better when I’m practicing what I’m preaching here, and I also get off track all of the time, esp when not in my natural habitat, on vacation, or when hosting company, but “what you do most of the time is more important than what you do some of the time” (I think Gretchen Rubin taught me this).
Did you know?
Nearly two-thirds of people living with Alzheimer’s are women. That alone makes brain health a women’s health issue, not a someday issue. Read more from Dr. Mary Claire Haver, MD HERE.
OUR BODY IS OUR GREATEST GIFT. Treat it well and it will treat you well (and then there are the unexplainable and unfair/random diagnoses…I know…)
So there you go, my Operation Stay Alive.
What’s your Operation Don’t Die - or Stay Alive?
xoxo
Amy 💕
The Last Part:
Watching: World Cup, of course!!!! Norway has won our hearts and I’m still a Messi fan (is he human?!?). It’s a sad to see my Nellie Mak’s childhood heroes retiring (Neymar, Ronaldo), and I always feel so bad for the losing team. The tension during the penalty shoot out between Switzerland and Columbia had me nearly eating my shirt!
Reading: A Monster Calls (Libby kindle) and Nora Goes Off Script (Libby audio)
Eating: Watermelon, all day long…a little mint and lime juice? WOW.
Countdown: In two days I’ll be flying to Minnesota for my MFA residency!!!
read with me:
The Unforgettable Guinevere St. Clair is part-mystery, part understanding of the human heart 💖
Ten Thousand Tries is Golden’s quest to save his dad and the soccer team ⚽
The McNifficents is one summer with six rambunctious kids and their miniature-schnauzer nanny 🐕 New Hampshire’s 2024 Great Reads for Kids selection!
Regular physical activity is associated with roughly 20% lower dementia risk
I don’t always eat the egg! I don’t love eggs.
So much useful info here! Thanks. 😊