Why I started to use Supplements

Two weeks ago I decided it was time to start with supplements to make sure that I get all the vitamins, minerals and essential amino acids in my system. The reason is that the products we currently eat don't contain the same amount of nutritional value as 50 years ago. In a society in which we are more and more exposed to air pollution, pesticides, stress, medicins etc. the constant flow of essential nutrients is more important then ever! However, supplements are never a replacement for a healthy and variated nutrition! It is called supplements! The name itself says it all, they are ment to complement your nutrition! Especially since fruit and vegetables contain the necessary fibers, enzymes, flavanoids and phytonutrients. I decided to use the brand Solgar because these were advised to me and are tested as one of the best vitamin supplements out there and they are sugar and starch free! They are more expensive, but for the Dutchies, if you order them abroad in the United Stated it's much cheaper and you will pay about 40 euro including shipping costs instead of about 80 euros.

Vitamins are essential for your body because they allow your body to perform some key processes! They are necessary to activate enzyms which are essential in the digestion process, but without vitamins these enzyms are useless. Additionally, vitamins make sure that your hormon levels remain stable, they strenghten your blood vessels, are essential for your brains and your central nerve system and help fight of a cold. They practically play a role in every process in your body! But the problem with vitamins is that your body isn't able to make vitamins, so we completely relay on our nutrition for the necessary levels of vitamins.

Minerals are like vitamins essential for your body. Minerals support the activities of vitamins and they are also essential in the production of blood, bones and tissue. They foster the condition on your central nerve system, make sure that your body fluids are in the right composition and they play a role in our energy management and oxigen transport. Like this isn't enough they also help neutralise some harmfull substances which we ingest on a daily basis. The same as with vitamins, out bodies aren't equiped to make it's own minerals so we need to make sure that we get enough minerals in our system trough our nutrition. 

In short, supplements are a good substite to a healthy lifestyle. When you have enough vitamins and minerals in your system the processes in your body will be more efficient and it won't ask for nutrients which causes cravings and it will eventually lead to more energy which makes you feel vital!

Will keep you guys updated on how I feel and if I notice any changes!

Hydration!

Hydration is a key aspect of healthy living! You need to drink about 2 liters of water every day since
the human body loses water trough perspiration, urine (we produce about 1.5 liters of urine everyday) and evaporation (we lose about 0.5 liter of water just by exhaling)!  Since the human body contains large amounts of water it also makes use of it in almost every process in your body. Water helps to transport nutrients to your cells, it passes trough your kidneys making sure that they have the capacity to filter your blood system of by-products, it is essential in maintaining your body temperature and it's necessary in your whole digestive system. Frequently mentioned complaints related to insufficient water intake include: higher fat storage, constipation, kidney stones, headache, muscle pain and more.

Still, many people, including myself have trouble drinking enough water, especially on busy days! So a tip that works for me is always making sure that you have a small bottle of water (0.5 liter) with you in your bag or on your desk. Or if possible a large bottle! And when you exercise also take a bottle with you because then you lose even more water which needs to be supplemented.

But only drinking plane water during the day can get a little bit boring. So the solution is to make your own flavored water. My favorite is lemon-lime-mint water. Adding lemon or lime to your water helps flush out some of the toxins that are build up in your body. Lemon also alkalizes the body and provides among others vitamin C, B, magnesium, iron, potassium! The fresh mint leaves are rich in vitamin C, helps calm your digestive system and relieves headaches. It's also very refreshing and adds some sweetness!

The ingredients:

• 1 liter of water
• 1 scrubbed lemon 
• 1 scrubbed lime
• 2 fresh mint sprigs

Directions:

1. Put the water in a large bottle. Cut the lime and 1/2 lemon into slices or parts and add to the water bottle. 
2. Squeeze the juice of the other half of the lemon into the water and add the mint sprigs and give it a good stir. 
3. Leave in your refrigerator so you have access to it during the day! If it's too strong in flavors after a couple of hours just add some more water. If you keep the bottle with you on your table add some ice cubes.

Tip: You can also add some cucumber slices, ginger or fruit to your water to change it up. 

8 tips to be more active at the office

My job requires me to sit behind my computer for pretty much the whole day. Research has shown that sitting most of the day (also called sedentary behavior) is associated with diabetes type II and cardiovascular diseases. This also accounts for people who fit the physical activity norms like me!

A quick reminder, the physical activity norm is met when an adult meets at least one of the two following norms:

1. Physical activity of moderate intensity (like walking or riding a bicycle) for at least 30 minutes a day, on at least 5 days a week
2. Physical activity of high intensity (like bootcamp, running or any other sport focusing on the large muscle groups of your body; cardio & strength) for at least 3 times a week for a minimum 20 minutes each time.

Numbers from 2011 for the Dutch population show that about 75% of the Dutch adults meet at least one of these norms (59% meets norm 1 and 20% meets norm 2). In addition, adults are sedentary for 6.6 hours per working day.

Luckily, recent research also shows that by making small changes throughout your workday the risks on the diseases associated with sedentary behavior decline. Activities of 2 minutes each can already positively impact your overall health. But keep in mind that you always should avoid sitting for two hours straight or longer or it won't have an effect!

So here are some tips that can help you to be more active at the office!

• If possible, use the public transport to go to work instead of your car: You'll have to walk or cycle to the station or stop and from the station to the office. As a bonus, you can stand during the ride (a positive way to look at the crowded trains). If it's not possible to take public transport and you have to use the car, park in the spot the furthest away from the office entrance so you need to walk a little more.
• Use the stairs! Make a rule for yourself and your colleagues. My rule is that I have to take the stairs every time I go up four or less floors and always take the stairs when going down! If you're office building has many floors, for example 10, than take the elevator to the 6th floor and from there take the stairs. 
• Introduce lunch walks! Instead of having lunch in the companies cafeteria you can also change it up a bit and walk with a group of colleagues to a nearby shop or restaurant to pick up some healthy sandwiches or you could just go for a 20 minute walk in the surrounding of the office. Who knows maybe you'll find a beautifull park! As a bonus you'll get to enjoy some fresh air to keep you going the rest of the day.
• Introduce standing meetings. Instead of always sitting down during a brainstorm session or meeting, stand up! By having an active posture you will also prevent feelings like tiredness.
• Walk over to a colleagues desk to ask a question instead of sending an email or picking up the phone. This also stimulates social interaction!
• Get your own coffee and prints. These little walks to the coffee corner or printer give you room to stretch your legs and get away from the computer and in general they take 2 minutes or longer.
• Take hourly activity breaks for at least 2 minutes. You can do some stretching, squats, push-ups you name it! Maybe even your colleagues want to join you!
• Ask your boss for the possibilities of standing tables. These tables allow you to do your work behind the computer while standing. However, don't stand still for longer than 1 hour to avoid any health problems and diseases associated with standing!

If you have other tips leave them in the comments below! Interested to read what you do to be more active at work!

Tip: Fruit as a healthy snack

Often I hear from people that they experience difficulties with healthy snacks around 10.30 - 11 AM and 15.30-16 PM. However it can be really easy!!

1 piece of fruit of your choice and a handful of unroasted and unsalted nuts makes a perfect healthy snack!

The combination of fruit with unroasted and unsalted nuts prevents a rapid rise of your blood sugar levels due to the essential fatty acids in the nuts. By making sure that your blood sugar levels remain stable during the day you avoid low blood sugar levels that cause tiredness and hungry feelings. Additionally you avoid high insulin production which actually stimulates fat storage and prevents the breakdown of fats.