For all of you who are fasting, give increasing your fiber intake a try.  Fiber is a type of carb but it's different from sugar or starch because your body can't break it down.  Most carbs end up as simple sugars in your stomach or small intestine while fiber makes it through to your large intestine undigested. This allows you to help maintain your bowel health, support your blood sugar levels and keep you feeling full. It will even help to feed your good gut bacteria. Along with lots of fiber rich foods, I use Inner Fuel (a prebiotic fiber) and BIO-X4 (a probiotic). 

Here are some fiber rich foods you should be eating daily.

• Brussel sprouts
• Avocados 
• Beans
• Broccoli
• Turnips
• Figs
• Pears
• Nectarines
• Apricots
• Oats
• Barley
• Carrots
• Sweet potatoes 

 Let's start with 5 reasons why you should be stretching.

• Relieves stress
• Decreases muscle soreness
• Improves posture
• Increases mobility
• Helps digestion   ​                                                                   

There are countless ways to relieve stress around today. Some are holistic and some are not. The trend is to find more natural ways to destress.  Stretching not only relaxes the body by relieving muscle tension but it relaxes the mind as well. When muscles are too tight from working out or everyday stress, it causes soreness, mobility and digestion issues.  Who's had a tension headache from a crazy day at work or a hard time climbing the stairs from a tough workout a day or two before.  Before reaching for the anti-inflammatory medication try 10 minutes of stretching instead.
I like to start my clients with a few minutes of foam rolling followed by some static stretching. After that I incorporate dynamic stretches then go to their workout for the day.  This helps to prepare their body for pain free movement.  Increasing your mobility through stretching will give you a better range of motion and lead to making you stronger.
Before your next workout or after a long day try relaxing with some stretching.  Keep your joints healthy and your mind happy!

If you've been to a gym you've probably seen TRX suspension trainers hanging around. TRX are those yellow and black straps you commonly see off to the side in your gym. Many people often wonder how to incorporate them into your exercise routine. 

TRX suspension trainer was developed by a Navy SEAL to get a total body workout without tons of equipment and that could be easily packed when traveling. With just one piece of equipment you can get a total body strength, flexibility, balance and stability workout.  Just adjust the length of the straps, and the angle of your body to the anchor the point to increase or decrease the resistance on your body. It's a safe way to add resistance to your workout without putting excess stress on your joints.

Some of my favorite TRX exercises are knee tucks and pull ups. Your core will constantly be challenged on the suspension trainer.  I like using TRX exercises for my clients with injuries or mobility limitations.  It's also great for my youth athlete clients.  It allows them to get stronger without the use of traditional weights.  Ask me about TRX training and how it can help you! 
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