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Maybe you’ve felt this way: it’s only a matter of time before someone bursts through the door shouting “fake!” 

Then, they’ll have you hauled off to jail as a fraud…or ejected into space as an imposter:

Well, feeling like a phony is a real thing and we’ve found it to be fairly common amongst our coaching clients.

Luckily, we’ve learned a few strategies for overcoming “imposter syndrome,” especially on how it relates to fitness. Today, we’ll share our tips and tricks with you too.

We assign fun missions to our coaching clients to help them level up their mindset! Click here to learn more.

Here’s what we’ll cover today:

• What is Imposter Syndrome?
• How to Overcome Imposter Syndrome Part 1: The Perfectionist
• How to Overcome Imposter Syndrome Part 2: The Superwoman/Superman
• How to Overcome Imposter Syndrome Part 3: The Natural Genius
• How to Overcome Imposter Syndrome Part 4: The Soloist
• How to Overcome Imposter Syndrome Part 5: The Expert
• Getting Rid of Imposter Syndrome (Next Steps)

Let’s jump right in!

What is Imposter Syndrome?

Imposter syndrome exists when a person doubts their skills, talents, or accomplishments, despite external evidence of their competence.

Those who suffer from imposter syndrome feel as though they do not deserve all that they have achieved, and instead incorrectly attribute their success to a combination of luck and deceit.

There is also generally a persistent fear of being seen as a “fraud,” that someone, somewhere, will uncover them for what they truly are. 

That’s imposter syndrome.

If you’ve ever felt like you don’t deserve your job or accomplishments, you’re not alone. It’s been estimated that 70% of the general population (evenly split between men and women) have felt the effects of imposter syndrome at some point.^[1] 

Dr. Valerie Young, an expert on imposter syndrome, states:^[2]

Impostor syndrome goes beyond a mere lack of confidence. People who feel like impostors hold themselves to an unrealistic and unsustainable standard of competence. Falling short of this standard then evokes shame.

Yeah, not good. 

How do we get like this?

Well, it differs depending on the person, but there are some similarities to be found. 

Dr. Young identifies five common characteristics of people who generally feel like a phony, despite the evidence to the contrary.

The five types of imposters are:

• The Perfectionist
• The Expert
• The Soloist
• The Natural Genius
• The Superwoman/Superman

It’ll be important for us to understand each of these, so we can determine some tools and strategies for overcoming them.

So let’s tackle each of these five types of self-diagnosed “imposters” and how it can relate to your fitness journey.

How to Overcome Imposter Syndrome Part 1: The Perfectionist

What’s going on with the Perfectionist?

The Perfectionist feels like the work they do must be 100% perfect, 100% of the time.

They set insanely high goals for themselves, which often prove unattainable.

Even when the Perfectionist HAS clearly succeeded at a task, they often feel that they should have done better. Then self-doubt creeps in. 

There are some pros and cons here:

• On the one hand, it’s good to have high goals. This shows a lot of internal motivation.
• On the other hand, if the goals are so high that they mentally cripple you, then they’re not serving you well.

How’s this related to fitness?

The Perfectionist will often have an “all or nothing” approach. If they can’t get an hour workout in, then they’re not going to even bother with it. 

This isn’t good, because the “perfect” time to workout rarely happens. 

What to do instead?

Change your expectations around fitness.

Yeah, an hour workout would be great. But even just a five-minute workout is better than “no workout.”

As Theodore Roosevelt put it:

Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.

With that in mind, here’s a simple 5-minute routine you can do:

• Minute #1: 20 seconds of push-ups, 10 seconds of rest, 20 seconds of push-ups, 10 seconds of rest.
• Minute #2: 20 seconds of squats, 10 seconds of rest, 20 seconds of squats, 10 seconds of rest.
• Minute #3: Plank for as long as you can, then rest until the end of the minute.
• Minute #4: 20 seconds of lunges, 10 seconds of rest, 20 seconds of lunges, 10 seconds of rest.
• Minute #5: 20 seconds of push-ups, 10 seconds of rest, 20 seconds of push-ups, 10 seconds of rest. (unless you have access to pull-up bar or alternative, then do pull-ups)

If that seems too easy, you can also look into doing a Tabata Workout, which will have you doing High-Intensity Interval Training in just a few minutes.

The important thing here is to embrace “good enough.”

How to Overcome Imposter Syndrome Part 2: The Superwoman/Superman

What’s going on with the Superwoman/Superman?

The Superwoman/Superman feels like they should excel in every role they take.

• Great spouse? Check.
• Mother/Father of the year? You bet!
• Amazing colleague? Guess who’s clocking in overtime!

The Superwoman/Superman is addicted to this validation, thus they are externally motivated.

Again, we have some pros and cons:

• On the one hand, it’s great they want to contribute to the team.
• On the other hand, if there’s no one around to praise them, things might not get done.

How’s this related to fitness?

The Superwoman/Superman often needs an outside event to prepare for, like a 5K. Or maybe they want to get in shape for a wedding or a reunion.

Without such an event, they might not feel validated enough to get to work.

What to do instead?

External motivation is a great kickstart, but look to build internal motivation by doing something even if no one else knows about it. Do the task for its own sake.

To build internal motivation, ask yourself: how do you feel before, during, and after a workout?

By constantly reminding yourself of the positive feelings, you can help build internal motivation. This strategy can help wean you away from exclusively being driven by external forces.

How to Overcome Imposter Syndrome Part 3: The Natural Genius

What’s going on with the Natural Genius?

The Natural Genius feels that everything in life should come easy to them. They judge their competence based on the ease and speed of their efforts. 

If it takes them a long time to master a task, they just assume they suck. Then they start to feel shame. 

Some pros and cons of the Natural Genius:

• On the one hand, it’s awesome to have a lot of success in various aspects of life. There’s nothing to feel guilty about!
• On the other hand, this feeling of shame might stop you from growing in new areas. 

How’s this related to fitness?

If the Natural Genius isn’t instantly good at something, they push it aside:

• I can’t bend like that, so I’m throwing away the yoga mat.
• I never catch anything, so I’m quitting Ultimate Frisbee. 
• Everyone is faster than me, so I’m not showing up to the 5K.

What to do instead?

Remember, being bad at something is the first step to being ok at something.

Or…

To help here, look for evidence of something else in your life that was hard – but you pushed through and accomplished it anyway. 

It could be something big, like graduating from college, or small, like building a birdhouse.

The important thing to ask: How did you feel after that?

Also, understand that the work is necessary. You’re never going to be good at EVERYTHING. Instead, enjoy the process and the learning curve ahead!

How to Overcome Imposter Syndrome Part 4: The Soloist

What’s going on with the Soloist?

The Soloist believes they have to do everything themselves.

If anyone ever gives them any assistance, it’s a fail, because now they can’t take any credit for the success.

Even if the Soloist finds themselves in trouble, they won’t reach out, preferring to struggle alone.

You’ll often hear the Soloist say things like “I don’t need anyone’s help.” 

Like all our “imposters,” there are some pros and cons here:

• On the one hand, it’s great to want to be self-sufficient
• On the other hand, this may cause unnecessary stress.

How’s this related to fitness?

If the Soloist runs into any health or fitness struggle, they often shut down communication around the topic. 

Ironically, we see this from time to time in our 1-on-1 Online Coaching Program. A client will be doing great, kicking-ass with their workouts and nutrition, and they’ll communicate daily with their coach. But the second they run into any snags, they disappear, almost as if… 

What to do instead?

Recognize when you feel like going into “hermit mode” and proactively reach out to others!

Truth be told, the best time to do this is actually before you run into trouble.

Look, things will come up:

• Work will turn insane.
• A tire will go flat. 
• Your kid will get sick. 

One of the best things you can do when struggling (in fitness or anywhere) is to reach out to someone. 

• One, they might have some advice.
• Two, even just an open ear can be helpful when things aren’t so good. 

That’s why we actually encourage everyone who joins Nerd Fitness Prime to reach out to our private Facebook or Discord group. Everyone in there is on a similar journey, so when things go bad, the community can relate.

Someone there might even know what to do.

Whether through the Nerd Fitness Rebellion, work, or some other group, finding an “accountabuddy” can be really helpful when trying to get in shape. 

Look around and if you see somebody who’s also on a similar path, say “Hey, let’s do this together!!!”

We have the most supportive community in the galaxy. Learn more here.

How to Overcome Imposter Syndrome Part 5: The Expert

What’s going on with the Expert?

The Expert defines themselves by what or how much they know.

Believing they’ll look foolish if they don’t know something, they’ll seek out more information. And more. The Expert endlessly researches a topic, always needing to absorb more. 

Also, somewhat ironically, the Expert does not view themselves as an “expert,” instead they choose to remind themselves of their ignorance. 

Again, there are strengths and weaknesses here:

• On the one hand, being curious is awesome.
• On the other hand, constantly searching for more information can be a form of procrastination.

Or as Morpheus teaches Neo: 

How’s this related to fitness?

We actually have a term for this around Nerd Fitness: Underpants Collector.

It’s from a South Park episode, where the Underpants Gnomes steal people’s underwear to gain “profit.”

The trouble is, they don’t know what to actually do with all the underwear they’ve thieved. 

This makes somewhat more sense if you watch the episode. Somewhat. 

The morale of our South Park tangent: be careful of gathering a bunch of information and then not doing anything with it.

Trying and failing and learning from previous mistakes is more valuable than spending additional time researching, then not attempting anything.

What to do instead?

Here’s another term we throw around Nerd Fitness: Use 20 Seconds of Courage.

It’s tough, but if you can suck it up and pull the trigger to act, the momentum from that initial decision will propel you forward.

Yes, it’s scary to act and less scary to read more. But acting is what will truly make you an expert.

Getting Rid of Imposter Syndrome (Next Steps)

Perhaps you’ve seen yourself in one of these “imposter” subgroups. 

It could be in your fitness and non-fitness related words and actions.

As we covered, each “imposter” comes with certain strengths. But there are also weaknesses.

If you find yourself feeling like a fraud, try one of the strategies we covered today:

• Reevaluate your expectations around “perfect.” 
• Search for internal motivation around the work you need to do.
• Remember that it’s okay to “suck” at things now and then.
• If you run into trouble, it’s okay to reach out for help.
• Ask yourself if you really need to read another internet article, or is it time to act.

If you need help acting, I have three next steps for you.

Next Step #1) Our Online Coaching Program: if you find yourself struggling as the Soloist, maybe it’s time to ask for help.

You can schedule a free call with our team so we can get to know you and see if our coaching program is right for you. Just click on the image below for more details:

Our coaching program changes lives. Learn how!

Next Step Number #2) If you need a trigger to get you to “act,” check out NF Journey. Our fun habit-building app helps you exercise more frequently, eat healthier, and level up your life (literally). 

You gain access to this app through Nerd Fitness Prime.

Learn more about Nerd Fitness Prime!

Next Step Number #3) Join the Rebellion! We need good people like you in our community, the Nerd Fitness Rebellion. It’s the best place to find an accountabuddy.

Sign up in the box below to enlist and get our Rebel Starter Kit, which includes all of our “work out at home” guides, the Nerd Fitness Diet Cheat Sheet, and much more!

Get your Nerd Fitness Starter Kit

• The 15 mistakes you don’t want to make.
• Full guide to the most effective diet and why it works.
• Complete and track your first workout today, no gym required.

Alright, I want to hear from you:

Do you occasionally see yourself as an imposter or fraud?

Which one of the subgroups do you recognize in yourself?

Any tips or tricks for overcoming imposter syndrome?

Let me know in the comments!

-Steve

PS: Props to Dr. Valerie Young for helping people overcome imposter syndrome. Young is doing good things in the world. 

###

Photo source: Among Us, Clean Room, Andriy Popov © 123RF.com, Maxim Maksutov © 123RF.com, bennymarty © 123RF.com, sunset, Roosevelt quote. 

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Ever heard the quote, “hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work?”

Originally said by NBA all-star, Kevin Durant, this is a perfect example of utilizing a growth mindset — meaning your success can be cultivated by your efforts. When you operate from the opposite perspective (called a fixed mindset) you believe your talents and abilities are predetermined. Either you’re good at something or you’re not. End of story.

Maybe you believe you’ll always have a layer of fluff around your middle because you never stick with anything. Or you avoid working out because everyone in your family is uncoordinated. Or you’re “so intelligent” but can’t seem to figure out how the heck to lose those last ten pounds. If that’s you, congratulations, you have a fixed mindset.

When you start viewing things through a more optimistic lens, you move into growth mindset territory. And that’s where the magic really happens.

Let’s Define Growth Mindset

You can’t talk about this term without acknowledging the famous Stanford University psychologist who coined it. Decades ago, Carol Dweck published research that kind of changed the world.¹ In the study, Dweck and one of her colleagues gave puzzles to 400 fifth graders. After completing the first puzzle, the children were either praised for their effort or praised for their intelligence. The group who was praised with statements like “you must have worked so hard!” ended up choosing a more demanding puzzle next time around than the ones who were told “you must be so smart!”

Years later, Dweck and other researchers tested the theory again, following 373 seventh graders to find out whether or not mindset could predict their grades over the course of two years.² In this study, they taught one group about the brain and how intelligence can be developed, while the other group had no intervention. As you might expect, students who adopted a growth mindset were more motivated and got better grades than their fixed-minded counterparts.

Students with a growth mindset not only believed that their abilities could improve through effort and persistence, they actually made it happen.

Examples of a Growth Mindset

• I’d like to get better at this
• Mistakes help me learn
• This has been a challenge, but I’m working on it
• I haven’t figured out how to do this yet
• This might take some time

Dweck’s research proved that changing a key belief about yourself can make a big difference. But clearly, it’s not just students who can benefit from this concept.

Microsoft CEO, Satya Nadellauses growth mindset tactics with his management teams to create an environment of constant learning…

Michael Jordan (who was initially cut from his high school basketball team and was passed up during the first two NBA draft picks) used it to persevere and become uber-famous…

I use it in my own health coaching practice to help my clients overcome their previous, self-described failures…

And you can too. You just need the right tools to shift your mindset.

So, What Causes a Fixed Mindset?

Anyone who shaped your childhood – parents, teachers, coaches – may have inadvertently had something to do with it. Research shows that the way children are talked to (both positively and negatively) can have a profound impact on their mindset. Maybe you were told that you were super talented growing up. Or that you were “so skinny” or “not strong enough” or some other trait-based comment.

This sends the message that what you can achieve is completely tied to something innate. On the other hand, if you were praised for your hard work, you might have gotten the message that your effort is what led you to your success. And that anything you want (looser clothes, better relationships, a better night sleep) is within reach.

Examples of a Fixed Mindset

• I’m a binge eater
• I just have a slow metabolism
• I’d never be comfortable doing that
• I’m bad at sticking to routines
• I’m a night owl

Regardless of your upbringing, you’re not stuck with what you’ve got.

Moving away from a fixed mindset requires you to take a deeper dive into your beliefs and stories, the way you talk to yourself, and the actions you take. Keep in mind, no one stays in a growth mindset all the time. You could be inherently growth-minded but get triggered into a fixed mindset state by certain people or situations.

How to Cultivate a Growth Mindset

The key thing to remember here is that attaining a growth mindset isn’t about ignoring your past. Actually, quite the contrary. It’s about leaning into learning — taking educated risks, gaining wisdom from the results, and surrounding yourself with people who challenge you to grow. These are six strategies I use to help my own clients work toward shifting their mindset.

1. Check your self-talk. These are the (conscious and subconscious) messages you send to yourself all day long, and they have the power to motivate you or limit you. Your brain’s job is to protect you, so it sometimes enables negative self-talk to keep you safely tucked inside your comfort zone. So, if you’re used to telling yourself “I’m not good at this” try reframing it as “I’m learning something new every day” and see how that feels. And don’t give up. Rewiring your brain’s neural pathways takes time.

2. View challenges as opportunities. Asking yourself, “What can I learn from this?” is a huge part of self-improvement. Unfortunately, it’s easier to focus on the perceived failures. And a lot of times it leads to giving up before you even get going. When you fear getting it wrong or making mistakes or just flat out taking it as a sign that you’re just not cut out for whatever it is you’re attempting, you’re missing out on a big opportunity to grow. The more you can test your abilities, the more you learn about yourself.

3. Stop looking for approval. Or more appropriately, stop doing things to avoid disapproval. If you’re a self-described people pleaser, you know what I’m talking about. Whether you’re attempting to eat healthier, move your body more, or take better care of yourself in general, looking for outside approval can lead you down a path of self-sabotage because you’re always waiting to see if you got it right. Or worse, never starting because of the overwhelming fear of that disapproval. Instead, work on your underlying beliefs about yourself (i.e. your stories) and learn to trust yourself enough to see what’s possible.

4. Use the word “yet” regularly. This is a really powerful way to begin switching from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset. Using this word shows that while you might be struggling with something right now, it’s only because you haven’t gotten the hang of it yet. Try saying, “I haven’t conquered my sugar cravings yet” or “I haven’t woken up at 5am to meditate yet” and pay attention to what happens.

5. Develop more grit. According to Angela Duckworth, TED talk speaker and author of Grit: the Power of Passion and Perseverance, “grit is the tendency to sustain interest in and effort toward very long-term goals.” She adds that while people are born with different degrees of grit, it’s a trait that develops through experience. And that can lead to a growth mindset since grittier folks are more apt to stay the course even when they struggle, falter, or all out fail. Here are a few APA-approved ways to build more grit.

6. Appreciate the journey more than the destination. Your end goal might be to lose 15 pounds or get super ripped, but when you have a “journey mindset” as researchers call it, you benefit from the opportunity to learn and grow from your actions. Plus, studies show that you’re more likely to continue the new behaviours you’ve adopted even after you’ve reached your goal.

6 Strategies to Shift Your Mindset

I’ll tell you firsthand that believing your abilities are carved in stone will send you down a path of trying to prove yourself over and over again — and not learning from any of it. Even if you grew up with a fixed mindset, it’s never too late to grow. Do me a favor. Whenever you hear yourself say things like “I can’t stick with this” or “I’m terrible at sprints,” give these strategies a try:

• Check your self-talk
• View challenges as opportunities
• Stop looking for approval
• Use the word “yet” regularly
• Develop more grit
• Appreciate the journey more than the destination

What do you think? Do you have more of a Fixed Mindset or a Growth Mindset?

The post Having a Growth Mindset Can Be a Game-Changer for Your Health appeared first on Mark’s Daily Apple.

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Vitamin D is often referenced as the sunshine vitamin since the vitamin’s primary source is attained through sun exposure. Yet, many people are vitamin D deficient.

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Serotonin is a funny one.

Although the prevailing sentiment is that we want to “increase serotonin,” it’s not that simple. There’s no indication that more serotonin is necessarily better in every situation, or even generally. The link between serotonin and “happiness” or “mood” isn’t so clear-cut as the experts would have you believe, either. So while I am going to tell you how to “boost” serotonin levels because serotonin is a vital neurotransmitter, I plan on sticking to foods, supplements, and behaviors that promote physiological levels of serotonin. Boosting serotonin beyond what the body is designed for may not help you, and it may have unpleasant and unwanted effects.

Is Serotonin a Mood Booster?

Yes and no. For evidence, I submit two items. The first is clinical research and the second is pure anecdote, albeit personal anecdote.

Everyone has heard of SSRIs, or selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors. The most common form of antidepressants, their purported mode of action is to reduce the re-absorption of serotonin by neurons which increases the circulating concentration of serotonin in the brain. They increase brain levels of serotonin so it’s able to act longer. The evidence in favor of SSRIs in treating depression is mixed. Not everyone benefits, and it often takes several months to take effect. But they do help some people.

In recent years, depression studies have pitted SSRIs against another drug—tianeptine—that does the opposite: increases the absorption of serotonin by neurons and decreases the concentration of serotonin the brain. If the “serotonin=happy” hypothesis is correct, tianeptine shouldn’t improve depression. It should worsen it. But that’s not what happens. Both tianeptine, which lowers brain serotonin, and SSRIs, which increase it, have been shown to improve depression symptoms in patients with clinical depression. If anything, tianeptine might even be more effective.¹

This doesn’t mean that serotonin has nothing to do with depression, or that it’s bad for depression. It just means that the story is a little more complicated than we thought.

Now the anecdote. Back when I was doing some research for a new probiotic supplement, I tried one that had been shown to increase serotonin levels: B. infantis. This is how I do things usually. Most all my products are created to solve a problem in my own life. I figure that if something appeals to me or fixes an issue affecting me, it will help others too. So this time, I added the powder to a smoothie and down the hatch it went. About half an hour later, I got the distinct sense of what I can only describe as emotional numbness. There was just this big blank emptiness in my heart and mind. I felt robotic, except I was a robot who had memories of what it was like to feel. It was a very uncanny, unnerving feeling that I don’t ever want to feel again.

Maybe the dosage was too high. Maybe I shouldn’t have been taking a probiotic strain meant for human infants (B. infantis is present in infant guts and breast milk). Maybe if my baseline levels of serotonin were lower, the probiotic would have helped. But that’s not the point of all this—it’s that boosting serotonin isn’t necessarily good for mood and happiness.

What Does Serotonin Do?

Serotonin facilitates communication between neurons, making it a major regulator of mood, learning, memory, and sexual desire. ² Adequate levels of serotonin help us deal with stress, while chronic stress can deplete serotonin. As the precursor to melatonin, serotonin also has a powerful effect on sleep and circadian rhythm.

The underrecognized effect of serotonin on the brain’s ability to learn may explain why increasing serotonin levels through SSRIs can help depression patients.³ We usually think of learning in the context of knowledge or skill acquisition—learning a language, learning calculus, memorizing state capitals—but it also applies to mood acquisition. We aren’t happy just because. We are happy because we experience positive stimuli and the resultant good mood is reinforcing our continued pursuit of said positive stimuli. The good mood is how we learn, and we learn with the help of serotonin. And because we’ve learned to associate good moods with positive stimuli, the effect sustains itself. Depression alleviated. Meanwhile, in a low-serotonin state, a patient can experience positive stimuli without learning that it’s actually positive. They never make the connection. Or, rather, they never feel the connection.

Low brain serotonin is also linked to increased rumination—getting stuck on the same thoughts or thought patterns—another manifestation of decreased connectivity between neurons in the brain. Thoughts don’t “flow”; they get stuck.

Although we mainly think of serotonin as a neurotransmitter acting on the brain, our guts are the biggest producers of serotonin. About 90% of the serotonin in our bodies is produced in the gut, where it helps trigger the contractions that push food through the GI tract and initiates nausea and vomiting (when necessary).⁴ Gut serotonin may also travel to the brain via the vagus nerve, the “highway” that allows our gut to interface with our brain.

Serotonin also has other peripheral effects. For instance, it plays a role in bone formation and maintenance, with brain serotonin maintaining bone formation and gut serotonin inhibiting it.

How to Increase Serotonin

While you don’t necessarily want to boost serotonin to supernatural levels, it’s quite clear that low brain serotonin can have some unwanted effects. How do you make sure you’re making enough serotonin in your brain to enable optimal neuronal communication and melatonin synthesis, minimize rumination, and improve mood?

• Eat tryptophan foods
• Get plenty of natural light
• Get sun or take vitamin D
• Eat seafood or take omega-3s
• Spend time in nature
• Eat some carbs
• Take curcumin
• Move
• Drink coffee
• Get a massage
• Get your micronutrients
• Take tryptophan on an empty stomach

Eat Tryptophan Foods

We often forget that “thoughts” and “feelings” aren’t just ephemera floating around inside our heads without a material representative. Every thought, feeling, emotion, or mood we experience is a physical thing made of matter. We don’t just “feel better.” To feel better, we manufacture serotonin using an amino acid called tryptophan as the precursor.

Whether it’s turkey, eggs, dairy, beef, lamb, chicken, or fish, animal protein is a reliable source of tryptophan. Studies show that whey protein and egg protein both acutely increase tryptophan availability in the brain.⁵⁶

Get Plenty of Natural Light

Sunlight is a direct trigger of serotonin synthesis. The brighter the sunlight, the higher the serotonin production.⁷ This may explain seasonal affective disorder, where depression spikes during colder, darker months. It may also explain why sun exposure increases cognitive function in both depressed and healthy subjects, or why bright light exposure prevents bad moods after tryptophan depletion.⁸⁹

Without light, you can’t convert tryptophan into serotonin.

Bright light doesn’t imply full blaring sunlight. Going outside on a cloudy, late autumn day will expose you to far more bright, natural light than you’ll experience sitting inside with the lights on. I’d guess the main reason winter is worse for serotonin is that people are less likely to go outside and brave the bad weather.

Get your light as early as possible. A 10-15 minute walk just after sunrise (no sunglasses; bathe in the light) sets the tone for the day.

Get Sun or Take Vitamin D

Vitamin D—which we synthesize from UVB exposure—allows the conversion of tryptophan into serotonin.¹⁰

I recommend getting most of your vitamin D from the sun. It’s better regulated that way, and you get the added benefit of lots of natural light. If you need or want to supplement (probably a good idea for most people during the colder seasons when sun exposure is low), look for a high potency formula. Here’s what I take.

Eat Seafood or Take Omega-3s

Not only does seafood provide ample amounts of the amino acid tryptophan, the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids found in marine fat increase serotonin production in the brain and improve serotonin transport across neurons.¹¹

You might take cod liver oil or eat the actual livers, as that provides both vitamin D (for increased tryptophan conversion) and long-chain omega-3s. However, a good daily dose of omega-3 supplementation through high potency, pharmaceutical-grade fish oil works fine, too, for those who get ample vitamin D otherwise.

Spend Time in Nature

I’ve written about forest bathing in the past for its ability to lower stress hormones, improve mood, reduce blood sugar levels, and even increase natural killer cell activity, a marker of anti-cancer ability.

Don’t Avoid Carbs Entirely

Carbs spike insulin, which shuttles amino acids out of the blood and into cells. This leaves tryptophan as the dominant amino acid in the bloodstream, because it’s bound to albumin and inaccessible to insulin. When amino acids compete for conversion into neurotransmitters, tryptophan wins, and serotonin rises, because no one else shows up.

Many readers of this blog prefer lower-carb diets. I’m the same. If you feel like your serotonin levels need a boost, consider increasing carb intake a little. Just one meal containing carbohydrates should get enough tryptophan into your brain for conversion into serotonin.

Take Curcumin

Turmeric has emerged in recent years as a powerful antidepressant, in many cases equalling or even surpassing the effects of prescription antidepressants.¹² Turns out that turmeric (or curcumin, rather) increases brain serotonin levels in a dose-dependent matter.¹³

So maybe you need curcumin, the isolated polyphenol found in turmeric, to really affect depression. Maybe your chicken tikka masala isn’t replacing your SSRI. But absent outright depression or serotonin-based mood disorders, cooking with turmeric should help regulate normal serotonin levels.

Move

Exercise increases serotonin via two pathways. First, the activation of motor neurons increases the firing rate of serotonin neurons, thus boosting the synthesis and release of serotonin. Second, exercise consistently elevates tryptophan levels in the brain, even for hours after the session.¹⁴ This is probably why going for a walk or grabbing a quick workout is a surefire way to beat ruminating thoughts.

Drink Coffee

Generic alternative health gurus will tell you caffeine depletes serotonin. It sounds right, doesn’t it? What they won’t say is that caffeine has actually been shown to increase brain serotonin, at least in rats.¹⁵  It also makes the brain more sensitive to the effects of serotonin. Personally, I’m drinking my coffee.

Get a Massage

Conventional experts will say “massage just feels good.” Well, yeah. That’s the point. Getting a massage boosts serotonin by 28%.¹⁶

Get Your Micronutrients

This should really be standard advice for any health issue. Many problems go away when we eat more micronutrients—vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients—because micronutrients are essential to fundamental physiological processes and pathways. It’s a safe bet that all of us are at least mildly deficient in a handful of important nutrients—like B6, which regulates serotonin synthesis.¹⁷

One study found that a food-based multivitamin/multimineral supplement drink called Lavita increased tryptophan and serotonin levels in healthy subjects. While that product does purport to offer a boost in many micronutrients, a solid Primal diet with quality meats and good, varied vegetable intake should provide the same nutrient base. Of course, many of us choose a comprehensive multivitamin/multimineral supplement as well.

Take Tryptophan on an Empty Stomach

Taking tryptophan on an empty stomach eliminates the competition for brain uptake with other amino acids you’d encounter when eating tryptophan-rich foods, allowing tryptophan to flood the brain and trigger serotonin synthesis.

That’s what I have for today, folks. Thanks for stopping by. Share your thoughts and questions on the comment board, and have a good week.

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Humans are hardwired to crave certainty. Psychologists argue that it’s an innate need, programmed into our biology and reinforced through evolution.¹ Understanding our environment allows us to predict, with some degree of accuracy, what will happen in the future. From an ancestral perspective, certainty allows us, theoretically, to avoid danger, reap desired rewards, and ensure survival.

The need for certainty is a central tenet of psychology. Human development is all about testing and forming theories about the environment, from toddlers throwing objects and learning about physics, to young children acquiring theory of mind, to adolescents pushing social boundaries. Even our language reflects this. Consider how many words we have around the concepts of agency, self-determination, personal freedom, and free will, especially in more individualistic societies.

At its crux, the need for certainty reflects a desire to control and master the environment. We assert control through our choices, whether that’s deciding what to eat for breakfast, opting for the highway or surface streets on our commute, or choosing whom to marry. Every decision, from mundane to life-altering, depends on our ability to weigh the odds of getting a favorable outcome. We can only do that if our world is predictable, at least to a degree.

Consequences of Uncertainty

When faced with ambiguous or uncertain circumstances, brain regions associated with fear and vigilance light up.^{2 3} Subjectively, uncertainty may result in freezing or shutting down, excessive negative emotions, worry about the future, or worsening of certain mental health conditions.⁴ When it persists, uncertainty becomes a form of chronic stress. I don’t have to tell you how that erodes every dimension of health. It also sucks up valuable mental resources as our brain seeks to resolve the uncertainty.

That’s bad news in times like these. The usual advice applies: practice self-care, gratitude, mindfulness, radical acceptance. But coping with times like these isn’t a matter of mere self-care, not in the way the term gets thrown around. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a fan of bubble baths, chamomile tea, and gentle movement. When it comes to self-care, those are the basics, the bare minimum of kindness we should all be showing ourselves regularly. They’re important, but when our sense of certainty and control have been upended, it takes more than the basics.

Allow Yourself to Feel Your Feelings…

Uncertainty and lack of control have real consequences for our psychological and physical health. Suppressing emotions, denying how challenging the situation is, or engaging in self-recrimination only compounds the problem.

Especially now, when everyone is in the same boat, it’s tempting to downplay our feelings. There’s no need to compare your suffering to others’. There’s always someone who has it worse than you, but that doesn’t mean your feelings are valid. On the contrary, if you’re struggling right now, your feelings are absolutely valid. Your fundamental needs aren’t being met, and you may be dealing with legitimate fears about safety and wellbeing. Many of us are experiencing some form of ambiguous loss, as our ability to engage in “normal life” has been stripped.

…But Avoid Spiraling

It’s one thing to process how hard the current situation is. It’s another to give in to catastrophic thinking.

This is where self-compassion, gratitude, and acceptance practices can help. Together, they allow you to recognize your suffering (to use self-compassion language) while also keeping some perspective. You might also work on both-and thinking, which is a coping strategy from the ambiguous loss literature. Both-and statements acknowledge that multiple, even seemingly contradictory, things can be true simultaneously. Examples might include, “I can feel grief and despair, and also hope,” or “I am less productive than I used to be, and I’m also continuing to make progress.” (More on that shortly.)

When feelings feel too big or too hard, it’s helpful to process them with someone else. Remember, therapy is self-care. One positive outcome of the pandemic is that it’s easier than ever to access mental health services from the privacy of your home.

Melt stress away with Adaptogenic Calm

Lean on Other People…

Resilience is the ability to withstand adversity, trauma, or stress—bending but not breaking, ideally becoming better adapted to face difficult situations in the future. One fundamental source of resilience is having others upon whom you can rely, people who will share your burden and help you get through difficult times.

This doesn’t mean you have to have a large circle of close friends and acquaintances. Rather, it means fostering meaningful and supportive relationships with individuals and/or belonging to groups that provide similar benefits. These might be religious affiliations, volunteer organizations, support groups, or even your workplace.

Of course, this only works if you are willing to reach out. It can be as simple as showing up for a Zoom happy hour with friends, but also don’t be afraid to request more. In my experience, people want to help. They’re just waiting to be asked.

…And Find Ways to Be There for Others

The flip side of this is allowing other people to lean on you. When things feel out of control, being there for others helps you heal, too, by creating positive energy and purpose.

There are lots of ways to be prosocial. Pick up the phone and call someone. Take one small task off a coworker’s plate, or write them a note of appreciation. Donate money or time to an organization working to affect positive change. Write a letter to your congressperson. Send a care package. The act of giving can actually create energy, so long as you’re careful to balance it with filling your own bucket.

Expect Less of Yourself…

How many think pieces have been written over the past six months giving us permission to be less productive than normal? I guess not enough, because I see lots of people continuing to beat themselves up for struggling at working, being less strict with their exercise routines, and letting their houses be messy.

Clearly, we underestimate how much uncertainty in and of itself drains our mental resources. While we may be over the initial shock of the pandemic—though the hits of 2020 keep on coming—the uncertainty and lack of control remain. Give yourself grace. Allow yourself to rest. Reevaluate your standards for “success.” Say no where you can.

…But Keep Getting Things Done

It’s all well and good to say you should lower your expectations and say no to things, but what about the things you have to get done? Jobs, parenting, and caregiver responsibilities can’t simply be tossed aside. While I do support the idea that it’s ok to do less right now, sometimes you need to buck up and take a step forward (mental health crises excluded).

Action, any action, can be self-reinforcing because you’re exerting control again. Maybe it’s checking the easiest task off your to-do list, taking one small step towards completing a project, or doing five minutes of exercise. Just keep the ball rolling. Do NOT focus on the ways in which your effort or performance is less than what it used to be, but rather that you’re still making an effort in the first place.

Maintain a Focus on Health

Emotional eating, drinking, and laying on the couch all day are completely understandable responses to times like these, but ultimately, they compound the stress. You know how much better you feel when you maintain some semblance of healthy eating, movement, and sleep, or conversely, how crummy it feels when you let it all slide. By and large, these are variables that you can control even when everything else feels like it’s gone to hell.

Again, I’d encourage you to reassess your standards of success here, adjusting to your current reality. It’s ok if you don’t have the wherewithal to make elaborate dinners or train for a 50k. Resist the temptation to let the pendulum swing completely in the other direction, though.  Think of each meal as one small act of productivity and each walk as an accomplishment.

Be in Nature

Few things are as inherently healing and soothing as spending time in nature. Research into the practice of forest bathing documents all sorts of benefits from, essentially, going into the forest (or even just a park) and being mindful. A recent study found that taking “awe walks,” which are simply outdoor walks in which you have the specific intention of experiencing awe, lead older adults to experience more positive emotions and less distress.⁵

Everything feels worse when you don’t even step outside for days at a time, and that’s easy to do nowadays. You also get the secondary benefits of unplugging. We all need a break from the news cycle and partisan social media posts.

Hang in There

These strategies aren’t just about weathering the current storm. Becoming adept at using them means you’ll also be more resilient in the future. As trite as it may be, hard times can also be times of growth. Knowing this won’t change the unpleasant realities of the current situation, nor protect you from future hardships. Neither does succumbing to the temptation to hide under a weighted blanket until all this is over.

If you’ve ever driven on ice, you know that if your car starts to spin out, you have to steer into it. It does no good to slam on your breaks, jerk the wheel in the other direction, or close your eyes and pretend your car isn’t doing a 360. Instead, hold the wheel steady and slowly regain control. The same goes here. Ultimately, keeping it together boils down to controlling the things you can control and holding it together long enough to weather the storm.

The post How to Stay Level During Uncertain Times appeared first on Mark’s Daily Apple.

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November is National Diabetes Awareness Month and things are not looking good for the nation. People can become offended by the wording, but the facts don’t change, fat is the new normal according to data from the Centers for Diesease Control and Prevention. However, beyond the obvious health issues, the cost of obesity threatens individuals and organizations as it weighs down the healthcare system.

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Discover supplements that benefit your specific needs with Supplement Advisor

The supplement industry sometimes seems like the wild wild west, where you’re left feeling like there are more questions than answers:

Should I take fish oil? Isn’t it good for reducing inflammation and heart health? What’s better? Pill form or liquid?

Or:

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Dear Mark,

I’m trying to stay strictly primal/paleo, but I always run into problems when I need to thicken sauces or soups. I grew up learning to use flour/cornstarch like everyone else, but is there a good low-carb/primal alternative?

Thanks,
Raul

I received this email a while ago, but it wasn’t the first. A number of readers have expressed their confusion when it comes to thickening sauces, gravies, or soups without using traditional floury methods. The question of thickening sauces is one of the hurdles I face every time I put up a recipe post – it’s become a bit of an internal struggle (as seen with last week’s beef and broccoli stir fry recipe, in which I hesitatingly called for a teaspoon of flour as a thickener) because while adding a bit of flour or cornstarch to a larger recipe may not drastically impact the carb count, it does complicate the consistently Primal message I try to convey. This post, I hope, will resolve that struggle.

There are plenty of ways to thicken a sauce without resorting to refined starches. In fact, thickening a sauce using Primal methods can produce a richer, more satisfying meal.

Carbs in Cornstarch

There are 7g of carbs in 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. Since you only use a tablespoon or two in a whole recipe that serves four or more people, cornstarch won’t send your carb count through the roof.

A lot of people who follow paleo, Primal, or keto will want to avoid corn and its derivatives because of its naturally-occurring sugar and starch, and because it is not a nutrient-dense food.

Make a Reduction

The most rewarding way to thicken a sauce is by reduction. Indeed, learning how to reduce a sauce is important for any cook – home or professional. It’s quite simple, actually, but it’s an integral step in the thickening of any sauce or soup (whether you keep it Primal or use starches). Reduce the moisture content of a potential sauce by simmering over low heat and letting evaporation take over. The water goes, but the flavors stay. If you reduce too much, be prepared for incredibly potent flavors. Adding fats toward the end of the reduction process can complete the thickening process (more later).

Add Fat

Ah, the epic battle between fats and carbohydrates rages on. Fats can make effective thickeners, especially butter and especially with reductions. Say you’ve just seared a garlic-and-shallot-studded steak in your cast-iron pan. See those browned bits and bubbles of delicious beef fat and juices left behind? Keep the heat low and add some red wine. Scrape the good stuff off the bottom and let the wine reduce Toward the end, add a pat of cold butter and whisk it all together until smooth and creamy and viscous. Drizzle over your finished steak and veggies.

Heavy cream works well, too, especially for white sauces and soups. Again, the key is reduce, reduce, reduce.

Rendered duck, bacon, beef, or chicken fat can act like butter, if you want to avoid dairy altogether or add a different flavor profile. Just make sure you add the fat towards the end in its solid (cold) state.

Gluten Free Roux

A roux is a sauce starter or thickener that involves whisking flour into a pan containing heated fat. I’ve found that arrowroot flour is a great substitute for flour in most, if not all applications that call for a roux.

Here’s my favorite turkey gravy recipe that uses arrowroot.

Can you make a roux with almond flour?

Almonds do not have any starch, and starch is what adds structure to the cooking liquid. So, almond flour will not make a good roux.

Keto Roux

If you want a gravy-like consistency but you don’t want the carbs of arrowroot or cassava, opt for recipes that use a small amount of xanthan gum.

Pureed Veggies

Adding a few scoops of pureed vegetables is another option, especially to thicken soups. Almost any acceptably Primal veggie will work: squash, carrot, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, or mushrooms, just to name a few. Simply steam or soften the vegetables and then throw them in a food processor or otherwise pulverize them. Canned tomato paste works well, too. If you’re already cooking a vegetable-filled stew or soup for hours, this might happen on its own as the veggies break down and add density to the broth.

Primal Flours

You already know how much we love almond meal around here, and the other nut meals/flours can work as sauce thickeners. Unlike traditional flours, these don’t really clump when added directly to a sauce, but they can add flavors you might not expect or really want in your sauce, so be careful. You can also use nut butters – a little bit goes a long way.

I’ve heard good things about defatted coconut flour. Never used it myself, but it is an effectively low-carb (high in fiber, though). Anyone tried coconut flour?

Vegetable Gums

Vegetable gums sound a bit unappetizing, but they’re used in a lot of Asian cooking. Essentially pure fiber that absorbs moisture to form a gel, the most popular of the vegetable gums are xanthan gum and guar gum. Sprinkle over sauces while whisking to thicken, but be cautious – a little bit goes a long, long way, and too much will make your sauce “gummy” and “gooey” rather than creamy.

Vegetable gums can be a bit tricky to use properly, but there are products that make it easier. I’m interested to hear what your favorites are if you’ve used them.

Is Xanthan Gum Keto?

There are 7g of carbs per tablespoon of xanthan gum. A little bit goes a long way, and most recipes call for a tiny amount of xanthan gum – a pinch or a fraction of a teaspoon or less. Therefore, xanthan gum can be considered keto and works well as a thickener.

Some people experience gastrointestinal symptoms with gums like xanthan gum. Experiment for yourself and see how you feel.

Conclusion

I’d say reduction is the most purely Primal way to thicken a sauce, but it’s not exactly the quickest or the easiest. It remains my favorite (excepting, of course, the fact that I haven’t tried the gums) because it produces the richest flavors and textures, especially with some sort of animal fat as a thickener. The nut flours work well enough, but the resultant textures will never completely compare to those of traditional flour thickeners; nuts are just too coarse and non-absorbent. Vegetable purees are delicious, nutritious thickeners, but they have limited use (mainly in soups and stews). As for the vegetable gums, I suppose these are technically PB-friendly – they come from natural sources and they’re definitely low-carb – but I’m not sure I’d want to rely on them completely, and I’m skeptical of “low-carb”packaging. Of course, I plan on trying them at some point, and I’d love to hear your experiences with them.

Oh, and for the broccoli beef recipe? I think a vegetable gum would be your best bet. I don’t know how well butter or cream would compliment the flavors, and I doubt nut flours would blend seamlessly into the sauce; with this one, you’re just going for texture alone, and the gums would probably achieve that without compromising flavor or cooking time.

Further Reading

Guide to Fats and Oils

8 Primal-friendly Flours

Keto Bread Recipe

The post How to Thicken Sauce Without Flour: Low Carb, Keto, and Gluten Free Sauce Thickeners appeared first on Mark’s Daily Apple.

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Today’s recipe is courtesy of Ashleigh van Houten, nutrition journalist, public speaker, certified health coach, and self-proclaimed muscle nerd. Ashleigh recently released her new organ meats cookbook, It Takes Guts, available in stores now!

Liver is a superfood that’s packed with pre-formed nutrients like vitamin A, zinc, folate, and more, which are important nutrients to get for everyone, and especially people who are experimenting with a carnivore diet.

Understandably, a lot of people find it intimidating. Even if you didn’t grow up with it, liver is a food that is easy to learn to love. You just need the right recipes to make it happen.

This appetizer is a delicious way to introduce liver into your life. Wrap anything in prosciutto and it’ll be a crowd-pleaser! Here, the rich, creamy sweetness of chicken livers pairs really well with crispy, salty prosciutto. (You can use thin-sliced bacon, too.) You definitely want to eat this delicious and protein-packed appetizer immediately, as soon as the livers come out of the skillet.

Serves: 6 appetizers

Time in the kitchen: 1 hour to soak livers, then 15 minutes active time

Prosciutto-wrapped Chicken Liver Recipe

Ingredients

• 6 whole chicken livers, split into 2 lobes each (12 pieces total), cleaned (see instructions)
• Ground black pepper 12 slices prosciutto
• Fresh thyme or rosemary sprigs, for garnish

Special Equipment

2 (9-inch) wood skewers, soaked in water for 1 hour

Instructions

To clean all animal livers, first rinse them in cold water, then trim any white connective tissue or membranes with a sharp paring knife. Soak them for one hour in cold water with one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar or a pinch of salt.

Pat the livers dry with a paper towel. Lightly season with pepper.

Using 1 strip of prosciutto per lobe, wrap the strips tightly around the liver pieces so that they are entirely covered.

Using the skewers to hold the prosciutto in place, insert the prosciutto-wrapped livers onto the skewers, 6 per skewer.

Preheat a barbecue grill to medium heat, or preheat a grill pan on the stovetop over medium heat.

Grill the skewers, turning them every few minutes, until the prosciutto is crispy and the liver is just cooked through, about 7 minutes. Serve hot with a garnish of
fresh thyme or rosemary.

NOTE: If you have leftovers, store them in the fridge for up to 5 days. To reheat, throw them back in a skillet over medium heat with some butter until re-crisped, about 3 minutes.

Ashleigh VanHouten is a health and nutrition journalist, public speaker, certified health coach, and self-proclaimed muscle nerd. She has written for Paleo Magazine for more than eight years, along with a number of other health publications. She hosts the Muscle Maven Radio podcast, which has been downloaded more than 1.5 million times, where she’s interviewed some of the biggest names in health and wellness, including Mark Sisson, Dave Asprey, and Steph Gaudreau. She’s also worked with other top-rated health-related podcasts, such as Barbell Shrugged, Muscle Intelligence, and Paleo Magazine Radio. Combining her formal education and professional experience in marketing and communications with her passion for healthy eating, exercise, and learning, Ashleigh works in a consulting role for a number of professionals in the health and wellness world, working alongside individuals like Dr. Gabrielle Lyon, Ben Pakulski, and Elle Russ. Find recipes like these in her new cookbook, It Takes Guts, available in stores now! Find out more at ashleighvanhouten.com.

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Research of the Week

COVID has improved the sleep of teens.

Wearing blue light-blocing glasses at night improves next-day productivity.

Psychedelics may improve color vision.

Pregnant mothers with higher vitamin D levels give birth to kids with higher intelligence at age 4-6.

Type 2 diabetics who use metformin have lower rates of dementia and slower cognitive decline.

New Primal Blueprint Podcasts

Episode 454: Selina Gray: Host Elle Russ welcomes Selina Gray, a CPA who decided to change her relationship to money and become a Financial Empowerment Mentor.

Primal Health Coach Radio Episode 83: Laura and Erin chat with Dr. Ashley Beckman about the power of holistically mapping out your health.

Media, Schmedia

UK researchers call for a “climate tax” on meat.

Barrels of DDT are stashed off the LA coast, and they’re leaking.

Interesting Blog Posts

A good overview of the ancient dog study I mentioned last week.

Was there a 100,000 year war between humans and Neanderthals?

Social Notes

On living for something bigger than yourself, even if you don’t know what that something is.

This is the true productivity hack.

Everything Else

I sat down with Daniel Scrivner for a great chat on his Outliers podcast.

Eat eggs (again).

Things I’m Up to and Interested In

The more things change…: 3000 year-old Mesopotamian tablets document the earliest known case of PTSD.

I am surprised: A vegan conference has agreed to screen Sacred Cow.

This is helpful: A new method for cooking rice that reduces arsenic levels.

Sometimes you can go back home: Paleo diet improves MS symptoms.

I am not surprised: The fitter you are, the lower your risk of severe COVID.

Question I’m Asking

How are you treating yourself these days?

Recipe Corner

• Roast some Brussels sprouts and bacon in the air fryer (or oven). Bacon makes sprouts taste better, sprouts reduce any theoretical harm from consuming crispy meat.
• Recipe and a mission for you: make this Dutch oven chicken outside over open fire or charcoal.

Time Capsule

One year ago (Oct 30 – Nov 6)

• Dear Mark: Why “Game Changers” Isn’t Worth My Time and Sugar Addiction – Still isn’t worth it.
• The Definitive Guide to Inflammation – What is it?

Comment of the Week

“Rural life may not be a panacea, but it might be more credible if the people interviewed actually went to rural places. It’s soooo People of NYC to think of Burlington VT (a small city) as downright wilderness. Or Albany NY (the capital of the state). Or Beacon NY (about an hours drive north of NYC). Or even Whitefish MT, which is basically a vacationland ski resort for city people.

You do not need the city to live well. As an actual rural person by choice, I’ve hardly noticed there is a pandemic. I’m outside most of the day. I don’t have problems with remote learning with my kids because I was already homeschooling. I don’t have to get into “farm shape” because I already have a garden and raise animals. I was never going to run out of meat because I buy it (100% pastured beef and pork) from a farmer down the road at almost the same cost as the grocery store. I’m not learning to work from home, because we’ve already been doing that for over a decade.

What COVID-from-afar has made me really puzzle over is how many people apparently hate being in their own homes, can’t do enough for themselves, and, much as I am reluctant to say it, don’t want to spend time with their kids or families. They’d rather go to the office and ship them off to state run daycare. I’m puzzled by people who don’t think it should be their job to educate their kids or provide any food for themselves whatsoever.

I live an hour from two major east coast cities, where I can drive to any time I want. Is it a panacea? Yeah maybe it is, especially if we’re comparing it to these few confused NYC people.”

-Well said, Jim!

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