Down To Earth 🌎
Estimated read time: 4 minutes and 56 seconds
⭐ THE QUICK BITES ⭐
🙌 Wisdom: “The simple things are also the most extraordinary things, and only the wise can see them.” - Paulo Coelho
🍽️ Recipe: Air Fryer Chicken Bites
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Friday is here!
And you know what that means... the weekend is officially on!
Hit reply to this email and tell me one thing you're looking forward to this weekend (don't act like you don’t have at least one 👀).
As for me, I’m flying to Boise and honestly can’t wait. It’s been a while, but I’ve got a good feeling—it’s going to be amazing.
Before we jump into the good stuff, I want to leave you with this:
Take a moment to look at your life and reflect on what gets you out of bed in the morning.
And hey—if your answer is “nothing,” that’s totally okay. But sit with that for a second. Really think about it. What comes up? How does it make you feel?
Let’s jump in!
- 🥑 What Happens When You Eat Avocado EVERY Day
- 🥣 Banish Those "Forever Chemicals" with Fiber!
- 🌞 Why We’re Slacking Off on Sunscreen
- 💥 Tech Neck
🥑 What Happens When You Eat Avocado EVERY Day
Research shows eating an avocado every day can be like giving your gut a spa day. 🧖♀️✨
What’s the scoop?
A recent study published in the Journal of Nutrition aimed to unravel how our beloved avocado affects our gut health. 🤓
🔍 Here’s what they found:
- Daily avocado consumption boosts microbial diversity.
- More diverse gut bacteria = better overall gut health. 🍏
🤔 What’s that all about?
Microbial diversity refers to the variety of microorganisms in your gut. Why is that important? A richer microbial community helps break down fiber, creating metabolites that keep your gut happy and healthy!
Fun Fact:
Fibers are the prebiotics that fuel healthy probiotics (the good bacteria!). Think of them as superfood for your gut’s superheroes. 💪
How did they study it?
Researchers had participants (aged 25-45, considering some were overweight or obese) consume controlled meals for 12 weeks.
One group got avocado while the other didn’t. Guess which group was raving about their gut health? 🤔
Takeaway Tips?
1. Include avocados in your meals daily. 🥗 Try them on toast, in smoothies, or just plain!
2. Focus on high-fiber foods together with avocados to keep your gut microbes thriving. 🌾
3. Consider your gut health as important as your heart health!
Article Link
🥣 Banish Those "Forever Chemicals" with Fiber!
Guess what?
Those pesky forever chemicals (a.k.a. PFAS) are hanging out in your household products, beer, and maybe even your favorite drinking water.
But before you panic like a cat in a bathtub, there’s a delicious solution!
🥦 Study Spotlight: A recent study in the journal Environmental Health found that adding specific foods to your diet can actually help rid your body of these troublesome substances.
Here’s the scoop:
- Participants: 72 men, ages 18 to 65 — all with detectable PFAS in their blood.
- The Fiber Fix: 42 of these men took a supplement with oat beta-glucan — a soluble fiber — three times daily before meals.
- The Result: After just 4 weeks, this group saw an 8% drop in two of the most notorious PFAS types, PFOA and PFOS. Who knew fiber could be such a crime-fighting superhero?
But wait, there’s more!
🔬 Why Fiber?
Beta-glucan binds to PFAS in your digestive system. This helps you do your business and flush those chemicals out. 🚽💨
✨ Why should you care?
PFAS are linked to serious health issues like cancer, hormone disruption, and liver damage. Yikes!
While we can’t wave a magic wand and eliminate all PFAS, making some dietary tweaks can lessen their impact.
Actionable Tips:
- Boost Fiber Intake: Incorporate more foods rich in oat beta-glucan. Think oatmeal, whole grains, and barley!
- Stay Informed: Know where PFAS lurk: cosmetics, food packaging, nonstick cookware.
Article Link
🌞 Why We’re Slacking Off on Sunscreen
Ready for some sun-ripened truth? A fresh survey of 2,000 U.S. adults reveals a shocking fact: less than half (41%) wear sunscreen for more than 60 days a year.
Translation? Most of us are only slapping on SPF for less than 20% of the year—despite 70% saying having a good sun care routine is important. 🤔
So, what gives? Turns out, vacation mode flips a switch in our sunscreen brains:
- 40% take better care of their skin while traveling.
- Nearly half (48%) say sunscreen is the first thing they pack for vacation skincare.
Why the vacation SPF glow-up?
- Relaxation Bonus: 36% say they feel more relaxed and have time to pamper their skin.
- Sun Exposure: 34% are out in the sun longer away from home (6 hours vs. 5).
- Memory Hack: 26% find it easier to remember sunscreen on vacation.
Important science alert! 🚨 Sunscreen protects by blocking or absorbing UVB rays — the sneaky ultraviolet rays that cause sunburn and damage your skin.
- SPF 15 blocks about 93% of UVB rays.
- SPF 30 jumps that protection up to 97%.
- Higher SPFs provide a bit more protection but hits a ceiling around SPF 50.
Bottom line: wearing SPF 30+ daily is a non-negotiable if you care about staying sun-safe.
💡 Pro Tip: Remember that UV rays penetrate windows, so even sitting by a sunny window or road-tripping needs SPF.
Article Link
💥 Tech Neck
Let’s talk tech neck—that nagging, stiff neck pain from staring down at your phone or hunching over your computer like a modern-day cyborg.
Science Time:
When you tilt your head forward to look at screens, you’re basically turning your neck muscles into overworked bodyguards desperately holding up a bowling ball (your head 🏀).
- For every inch your head moves forward, the pressure on your neck muscles increases exponentially!
- This constant strain causes muscle fatigue and can even alter your actual neck and spine mechanics, making pain and injury more likely. 😬
The Good News?
There is a 5-minute neck routine to do THREE TIMES a day.
Why 5 minutes?
Dr. Jeffrey Peng, MD (my neck-stretching spirit guide) says it’s enough to:
- Boost blood flow to tight muscles
- Gradually improve your neck’s range of motion
- Fight off muscle tightness that builds up during the day
The Routine Breakdown 🧩
-
Warm-Up (1 minute):
- Neck rotations (turn head side to side, 10x)
- Side bends (ear to shoulder, 10x)
- Flex and extend (look up and down, 10x) Go slow if you get dizzy!
- Shoulder rolls forward and backward (5x each)
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Stretch the Mighty Muscles:
- Upper Trapezius (big shoulder muscle that also moves your neck): Ear to shoulder + gentle hand pressure.
- Levator Scapulae (from neck to shoulder blade): Nose toward opposite knee + hand gently pulling to increase stretch.
- Anterior Scalene (front neck muscles often neglected): Ear to shoulder + look up and away.
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Chin Tucks:
- Simple: pull your chin back toward your neck like you’re giving yourself a double chin. (Imagine a shy turtle retracting its head!)
Top Tips 📝
- Be consistent! Aim for 3 times a day. It’s better to do a little than nothing.
- Don’t stretch through pain. Push to tension, not agony. Breathe and ease off if needed.
- Avoid doing these stretches right after waking up—your neck is too stiff and grumpy early on. Mid-morning is primo.
- Take mini movement breaks hourly to vary your posture—stand, stretch, shake it out!
Article Link
📚 Ryan's Book Of The Week |
Be honest — when’s the last time you “rested” but still felt tired afterward? 😴
(If you just thought about that one weekend where you binge-watched 12 episodes of a show and somehow felt more drained... this one’s for you.)
This week’s book is about why most of us suck at resting — and what to do about it. Spoiler: it’s not just about sleep.
💡 Why read it?
- Discover the 7 types of rest (yes, there are that many).
- Learn why you still feel exhausted even if you're “doing nothing.”
- Get actionable tips to restore your energy without needing a full vacation.
It's like a permission slip to stop hustling for a minute — and actually recharge.
🚀 If you loved today’s tips… imagine how much your best friend, workout buddy, or health-conscious coworker would, too. Forward them this email and make their day!
Until next time,
Ryan Lehman
Your guide to a balanced, healthy life
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