The Ultimate Guide to Self-Care Via the 8 Pillars of a Nutritious Life

As we’ve said before, placing nutritious foods on your plate is only one step in living your most Nutritious Life. That’s why we believe in the 8 pillars created by Nutritious Life founder and our resident guru Keri Glassman, which are: Eat Empowered, Sleep Deep, Drink Up, Nurture Yourself, Live Consciously, Sweat Often, Love More and Stress Less. (You can read up on what they all mean and how incredibly integrated they are here.) And since we’re all about stepping up our game, we decided to dig into the latest health science, trends and consumer preferences to see how they relate to our 8 pillars and, in turn, you and your most nutritious life. RELATED: The 8 Pillars of a Nutritious Life: If You Want to Lose Weight and Be Healthier and Happier, Nutrition Is Just the Beginning Read on for the latest innovations for 2022 as we offer you the ultimate guide to self care and a truly nutritious life. The Ultimate Guide to Self-Care and a Nutritious Life Eat Empowered After examining patterns in consumer preferences and learning about upcoming innovative items to hit the shelves, Whole Foods Market released their first Top 10 Anticipated Food Trends for 2022. A small but powerhouse food is currently being added to numerous products, such as crackers, creamy cheeses and ice creams—the mighty sunflower seed. It’s not surprising since this seed (which comes from the yellow, daisy-looking plant) is packed with nutrients, including vitamin E, selenium, copper, zinc, iron, folate and other B vitamins, along with offering protein, fiber and anti-inflammatory unsaturated fats. Sunflower seeds hold numerous health benefits, where one study from Harvard School of Public Health found an association between seeds (including sunflower) and a lower risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes, as well as a “significant reduction” in blood pressure and cholesterol. Toss them into smoothies and salads, grab some for a snack and keep an eye out for some new sunflower-based foods. Needless to say, we’re nuts about seeds! Sleep Deep Sleep is an essential function for both physical and emotional health. While it revolves around this delicate balance of figuring out how much your body needs, how to doze off faster and how to stay in Snoozeville until the sun comes up, researchers from the European Society of Cardiology may have uncovered the best time to hit the sheets. With the help of a digital wrist device, study authors followed the sleep habits of more than 88,000 adults for one week (who had filled out questionnaires about their lifestyle, health, etc.). Nearly six years later, during the follow-up portion of the trial, the investigators found that 3.6% of the participants had been diagnosed with cardiovascular disease, ranging from heart attack, heart failure to stroke. After taking a number of factors into account (such as sex, age, smoking status and whether someone labeled themselves as either an early bird or night owl), the researchers concluded that those who went to bed between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. had the least incidences of heart issues while those who put their head on a pillow at midnight or later had the highest occurrences. So if you’re a sleep procrastinator, now is the time to put an end to it! Drink Up Another item—well, technically flower—that stood out in the Whole Foods Market top 10 list is hibiscus. A blend of hot pink and ruby red in color, these tart petals are being transformed into more than tea in the new year. Think unsweetened, flavored water and Italian soda. (This tropical plant will also be popping up in foods, such as yogurt and fruit spreads.) Whether you try one of these new beverages or go the traditional tea route, hibiscus contains free radical-fighting antioxidants and is most known for helping to reduce blood pressure. According to a small study published in the Journal of Advanced Pharmaceutical Technology & Research, two cups of hibiscus tea per day showed to be an effective form of natural medicine for adults living with stage 1 hypertension (a systolic pressure ranging from 130 to 139 mm Hg or a diastolic pressure ranging from 80 to 89 mm Hg, as defined by the Mayo Clinic). Nurture Yourself WGSN, a leading consumer global trend forecaster, has predicted that “waterless washing” beauty and hygiene products will take the spotlight in 2022. Everything from showerless shampoo and conditioner to dry face masks, these items (sometimes referred to as zero-waste beauty) are made without H2O. According to a report by Forbes, these products are usually more concentrated and made instead with either butters, oils or waxes and oil-soluble actives. Plus—and this correlates blends with our “Live Consciously” pillar— saving water reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore, water-free items tend to weigh less and require simpler packing, which equates to reducing their total carbon footprint. So as a result, both you and Mother Nature will be glowing. Live Consciously Yes, while many of us may be dealing with a serious case of Zoom fatigue (we’re coming up on almost two years of this platform becoming our new normal!), researchers from the University of Texas at Austin have recently concluded that virtual conferences can offer personal, professional and environmental perks. For starters, online events are keeping us at a (very) safe distance from each other during the latest phase of this pandemic. Videoconferencing has also provided more opportunities for women—a.k.a. moms—to take a seat at the table. In fact, data shows that female participation at virtual conferences increased by 253% compared to in-person conferences. And thanks to fewer trips via planes, trains and automobiles, study authors calculated that one person’s attendance at a virtual conference in 2019 had the same carbon footprint as 7,000 online attendees! Even though we’re looking forward to being more social again, it would be wise to keep video-based meetings in our future. Sweat Often It’s not news that lacing up and doing your favorite workout can lead to a whole slew of physical and mental

How to Calculate Your Bedtime

Targeting Your Ideal Bedtime Creating your ideal bedtime significantly increases the chances you’ll get both the quantity and the quality of sleep you need. You may be unsure about the right bedtime, but you’re likely to know exactly what your wake time needs to be. That’s because most people have what I call a socially determined wake up time. There is some external commitment—caring for a child, getting ready for work or school, getting the dog outside—that dictates when we must wake and begin our day. Most of us do not have a wake time that is wholly within our control. Bedtime, on the other hand, offers us much more discretion and freedom. In order to set your ideal bedtime, you’ll start by using your wake time. Sleep Goals In creating a nightly sleep routine and an ideal bedtime, you’re working to meet a couple fundamental sleep goals: getting enough sleep, and making sure it is high-quality rest. My two-part sleep calculator will help you do both. This simple sleep calculator uses information about your sleep cycle to get sufficient rest, maintain healthy circadian and sleep-wake rhythms, and wake naturally feeling refreshed and ready to begin your day. Ideal Bedtime Sleep Calculator This formula tackles sleep quantity. The only information you need is your wake-up time. Here’s how it works: The average sleep cycle is 90 minutes long A typical night of sleep includes 5 full sleep cycles 90 x 5 = 450 minutes, or 7.5 hours Starting at your wake time, work back 7.5 hours to find your bedtime For example: You need to wake at 6 a.m. to get ready for work. Counting back 7.5 hours, your ideal bedtime is 10:30 p.m. That means lights out, in bed, ready for sleep at that time. This bedtime is a starting point, and may need some adjustment, as individual sleep cycles vary in their duration. Try your new bedtime for a week. The goal is to wake naturally about 5-10 minutes ahead of your alarm. If you find yourself waking significantly ahead of your alarm, move your bedtime slightly later. If after a week, you’re still sleeping right through to your alarm, you need to shift your bedtime earlier. Do so in 15-minute increments until you’re waking naturally just before your alarm. Not Just More Sleep, But Better The Ideal Bedtime sleep calculator takes care of sleep quantity. But what about sleep quality? Sleep quality is achieved by sustained rest, with sufficient time spent in each of the four sleep stages—Stages 1-3 and REM sleep—to maintain physical and mental health and function. Sleep efficiency is one important measure of sleep quality used by sleep scientists and physicians. There’s an easy, low-tech way to measure sleep efficiency that requires no sleep tracking devices or equipment. You need only a few basic pieces of information about your night of sleep: The total amount of time you spend in bed sleeping—or trying to sleep—between bedtime and waking How long it takes you to fall asleep The amount of time you spent awake during the night Let’s say you spent a total of 7 hours, or 420 minutes, in bed last night. It took you 25 minutes to fall asleep. You spent another 25 minutes awake throughout the night, a result of three separate periods of wakefulness. Here’s how to calculate your sleep efficiency for this night: Total sleep time: 420 minutes Minus time to fall asleep: 25 minutes Minus total time spent awake: 25 minutes Actual time spent sleeping: 370 minutes (6 hours, 10 minutes) Divide 370 minutes by 420 minutes = 88%. This number represents your sleep efficiency for that night. In sleep science, we consider 85% or higher a healthy sleep efficiency and a reasonable goal. Ninety percent is considered a very good sleep efficiency. If your number isn’t quite there yet, don’t be discouraged. With attention to your sleep—and a new bedtime—you’ll see this important number start to rise.

How Actor Boris Kodjoe’s Has Made Wellness a Family Priority

Boris Kodjoe has had a thriving career in Hollywood. The award winning actor has played a congressman (House of Cards), a doctor (Code Black), a fireman (ABC’s Station 19), and even a god (Luther). But while he continues to land dynamic roles that are the envy of many in his profession—what’s most important to Kodjoe above all is his family, wellbeing, community and health.  Understanding the importance of giving back, he’s dedicated much of his life to philanthropy. In 2018 he and his wife, Nicole Ari Parker, launched The Kodjoe Family Foundation in honor of their daughter Sophie who was diagnosed with Spina Bifida at birth. Wanting to support her, they changed their lifestyle and found ways to address her mental, physical and medical needs.  With exercise and nutrition as the core of their family values, they wanted to share how putting your well being first doesn’t have to be a chore—and can actually be something enjoyable for your kids to participate in (Kodjoe’s kids get in on the workouts in the app, too!). So they created KOFIT, a health and wellness app that optimizes your time and energy to stay fit, without sacrificing your schedule.  They believe in simple, sustainable practices that allow you to enjoy your life, your body, and your loved ones more wholly. Sign us up! As we continue to stay home and self-quarantine, Kodjoe and his family are giving back by launching the #HelpOurHeroes initiative that donates directly to healthcare personnel and frontline heroes. As an extension, their company GymWrap is  donating masks to those in need of protection with every mask sold. “ We have given away over half a million dollars’ worth of free masks to our front-line heroes,” Kodjoe tells Nutritious Life. “Every time somebody buys masks, we are able to give away more to those who put their own safety and health on the line to protect us.”  He sits down with Nutritious Life to share how he and his family have created a system of prioritizing wellness. His simple ways of reframing how we think of motivation will help you to get up, get moving and actually accomplish your goals.  How have things changed for you since COVID-19 hit? My family is blessed to have a home and food to eat. Our focus has been mainly on trying to stay active mentally and physically while in quarantine. Finding new ways to interact with each other, come up with games at home, get fresh air daily, ride our bikes, exercise, dance, read books. Not to succumb to our phones and social media has been a goal, too. It’s easy to fall down multiple rabbit holes and get swallowed up for hours, become reactive instead of being active. The pandemic has touched millions of lives and forced us to reexamine our physical and mental health. The impact of COVID-19 will be felt for years to come. What are some of your tips to stay focused…especially now. It’s hard to stay focused in the current climate of the pandemic and our ongoing struggle for social justice and equality. The economy is in free fall and people are fighting for survival every day. It feels like everything is out of control. I try to focus on little things I can control, like creating a schedule for myself around work, exercise, meditation, reading. Even the task of making your bed in the morning can give you a sense of accomplishment when the world seems crazy. How often do you exercise, and what’s your workout of choice? I exercise daily, mixing it up between riding my bike, doing HIIT workouts, yoga, lifting weights, and playing tennis. My objective is to feel healthy and strong. A combination of cardio, resistance, and mobility work does the trick for me. How do you motivate yourself to work out? There is no such thing as automatic motivation, so I challenge myself each day to stick to my schedule. I set my alarm to a certain time and plan to be in the gym 15 minutes after I wake up. Once I take my first steps, put my shoes on, turn on my music, I’m ready to go. I generate my own motivation by taking action. If you wait for motivation to kick in, you will wait forever. If you had to name your healthy diet, what would you call it? My way of eating would be defined as INTERMITTENT MODERATION. I eat everything, but at certain times and in moderation. Depriving yourself of foods you love, in my case ice-cream or mashed potatoes, isn’t sustainable. Diets don’t work because they force you to alter your way of living. You have to slowly adjust your habits to affect real change. Baby steps. One day at a time. Has it been hard to stay on track with your nutrition while in quarantine? It’s harder for me to stick to my healthy habits when I don’t have an incentive, like on-camera work. During phases like that I allow myself to relax and eat whatever I want. I don’t eat unhealthy foods so I’m not in danger of hurting myself, but I have indulged from time to time. What’s your go-to breakfast? I usually skip breakfast when I’m doing intermittent fasting. But when I eat breakfast, I enjoy a great Muesli (yoghurt, granola, berries), dark German bread with real butter, Swiss cheese, a few hard-boiled eggs, or avocado toast. Your go-to workday lunch?  A nice mixed salad with some protein on top. I’m primarily plant based, so I enjoy lentils, tofu, eggs, chickpeas, and beans. What’s the one food you always have in your fridge?  We always have tons of fruits and veggies in our fridge, and of course Ben & Jerry’s Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. What causes you stress? The whole world is stressful right now. The news outlets, social media feeds, all contribute to our daily fight or flight impulse and put us in constant survival mode. It’s putting tremendous strain

Set a Daily Intention with this Morning Yoga Practice

You don’t have to be totally into to “manifesting” to get something out of this morning yoga practice. (But it’s also totally cool if you are!) Setting a daily intention can be a simple, practical way to live with just a little more focus, and practicing yoga is the perfect way to do it. Not to mention the fact that AM yoga helps you transition a little more seamlessly from the calm of sleep to the frenzy of daily responsibilities. (Unlike your loud, obnoxious alarm.) RELATED: How to Create a Mindful Morning Routine (No Meditation Required) That’s one reason online yoga and spirituality site Gaia created its Morning Ritual Collection, a curated selection of yoga videos—in all different styles and at all different levels—that wake up your body and mind. RELATED: How Yoga Star Caley Alyssa Follows an “Awareness Diet” To get you started, they shared this 15-minute morning Vinyasa practice from the collection. Pro tip: Roll out your mat before you go to sleep, so it’s ready and waiting for you when you roll out of bed. Intention-Setting Morning Yoga Practice

Mantas Zvinas is Living Proof You Can Drink Beer AND Have Chiseled Abs

If you know who Mantas Zvinas is, you’ve likely seen his muscled mid-section. On a bike at SoulCycle, leading runners through the streets of Manhattan, or on Instagram catching the sun as he leaps off a boat on the Amalfi Coast. Zvinas is a crazy-loved instructor at Soul and is the founder of SurfYogaBeer, a fitness adventure retreat company that makes every other trip you’ve taken look lame. He’s (of course) originally from Southern California, and his surfer persona basically demands shirtlessness. It’s just…should you be heartened that the guy can drink beer regularly and still show off abs of steel? Or is it super annoying that for every six pack you even glance at, you end up even further away from an actual six pack? Zvinas would tell you to forget about the abs altogether; his energy is totally heart-centric. His classes and retreats emphasize embracing adventure, and he eats and exercises in ways that are just about feeling good and living fully. (Amen!) It’s why his fans follow him from dark spin studios to far-flung tropical destinations. We got the insider scoop on his healthy habits, from back-to-back spin sessions to, yes, beer. How Does Mantas Zvinas Live a Nutritious Life? If you had to name your healthy diet, what would you call it? Balanced and Aware. What’s your go-to breakfast? Coffee. Your go-to workday lunch? Eggs, avo, and more eggs. RELATED: 7 Easy Egg Recipes for Delicious, Protein-Rich Meals Your go-to workday dinner? BBQ. I used to live above Mighty Quinns BBQ. What’s the one food you always have in your fridge? Does beer count? What do you eat before and after a workout? In the middle of my day, I go for acai bowls for the quick pick-me-up! Before a workout, I have granola or avocado. After a workout, it is usually more substantial like tacos. Your favorite food indulgence? Again, does beer count? Other than water, what do you sip regularly? Ugh, hello, BEER!! How often do you exercise, and what’s your workout of choice? I work out seven days a week about three or four times a day. Most of that is from teaching at SoulCycle, because I ride while I teach, and other times it’s teaching BootyCamp, Yoga, and leading RunClub with SurfYogaBeer…and of course I take as many as I can of the plethora of classes on the NYC fitness scene! Which workout would you NEVER do? Pilates, ugh… How do you stay active outside the gym? I lead fitness adventures around the world with SurfYogaBeer. Those involve beach bootcamps, surfing, hiking, and outdoor yoga sessions. RELATED: 4 Fun, Easy Ways to Take Your Workout Outside What’s your go-to tool for managing stress? Working out is a huge stress manager, and since I do it so much already, I don’t have that much stress. How do you pamper yourself when you need it? My home is my sanctuary, and I love taking naps. How do you express and spread love? It’s so easy—just smile at people! What’s your weirdest healthy habit? Going into morning workouts without fully being awake. DON’T THINK, JUST DO! Which healthy habit do you wish you had more time for? Hiking… that’s hard to get in NYC. Mantas Zvinas: Lightning Round Meditation or massage? Meditation A hot shower or a soothing bath? Shower. A bath in NYC? That’s dirty… Almond butter or peanut butter? Almond Butter. Coffee or tea? Coffee. A long run outside or a dark spin class? Run outside. (Photos: Instagram/@MantasZvinas)

How to Do Sunday Prep for a Productive, Stress-Free Week

Wash, chop, plan ahead: Here are some foolproof ways to make Sunday the day you ready yourself for a nutritious week—and life.

Should You Be Taking Daily Supplements?

Think of supplements as acting like insurance for your body: they can’t replace a healthy diet, but when your body needs a little extra help, they’ve got your back. Here are few simple rules to follow.