Happy Monday!

Carbs, carbs, carbs! Today we're going to dive into the world of carb cycling, the power of methylation, and the benefits of flexibility as we age.

In today's newsletter:

🍏🚴‍♀️ What exactly is carb cycling and how it can benefit you.

⚙️🧪 Why methylation is important and how you can improve it.

🧘‍♂️🤸‍♀️ The benefits of flexibility and 5 exercises to help improve your flexibility.

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What Exactly Is Carb Cycling

Carb cycling is essentially about increasing your consumption of healthy carbohydrates, typically ranging from 75 to 150 grams per day, while temporarily reducing your intake of healthy fats for a few days within the week.

During high-carb days, people increase their carbohydrate intake, typically consuming a higher percentage of calories from carbohydrates. This provides the body with readily available energy for physical activities and replenishes glycogen stores.

On low-carb days, carb intake is reduced, forcing the body to rely on stored fat for energy. This phase encourages fat burning and can contribute to weight loss.

The frequency and duration of high and low-carb phases can vary based on personal preferences and fitness goals. Some may cycle carbohydrates daily, while others may do it on a weekly or monthly basis.

The Benefits Of Carb Cycling

So what exactly are the benefits of carb cycling?

1. Enhanced Metabolism: Carb cycling involves alternating between high and low carbohydrate intake days, which can stimulate your metabolism, potentially leading to more efficient calorie burning.

2. Effective Fat Loss: By manipulating carbohydrate intake, carb cycling encourages your body to use stored fat for energy on low-carb days while preserving muscle mass on high-carb days. This can aid in fat loss.

3. Hormone Regulation: Carb cycling can help regulate insulin levels, which is especially beneficial for individuals with insulin sensitivity issues. Stable insulin levels can control appetite and reduce cravings.

4. Improved Athletic Performance: Athletes and fitness enthusiasts often find that it provides the necessary energy for intense workouts on high-carb days, while low-carb days can improve fat utilization and endurance.

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What Is Methylation?

Methylation begins with a methyl group, which is a single carbon with three hydrogens attached. In biochemistry, these groups are small and stable and can be moved from one molecule to another. Methylation is this handoff, the process of transferring or “donating” a methyl group.

Another way to think about methylation is to imagine a relay race where runners take turns circling the track. Each runner carries a baton (the methyl group) as they run. And when it’s time to transition to the next runner, they pass the baton (methylation).

Many molecules can donate methyl groups, but one molecule called SAM-e (S-adenosylmethionine, pronounced “sammy”) stands above. SAM-e is often called the universal methyl donor, and hundreds of enzymes rely on it. We can think of SAM-e as a great relay teammate who can transfer methyl groups in the targeted ways we need for optimal health.

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5 Benefits of Flexibility Exercises

1. Improved Posture And Balance. As we age, our posture suffers. Things like sitting in front of a computer all day or slouching while watching TV can cause us to hunch our shoulders and collapse our spine. Over time, this creates tension in the neck, back, and hips that has noticeable effects on posture. Stretching helps to counter these effects by loosening tight muscles and improving the range of motion in your joints. This allows for a more natural standing position that encourages good posture throughout the day. It also helps improve balance which decreases your risk of falling or injuring yourself during physical activities.
2. Reduce Stress And Anxiety. Stress can wreak all kinds of havoc on our bodies, from headaches to muscle tension to digestive issues. Thankfully, stretching can help reduce stress levels by releasing pent-up energy that has accumulated throughout the day. By taking 10-15 minutes each day to focus on your breathing while stretching out your body, you can bring down stress levels significantly so that they’re more manageable going forward. Movement helps release endorphins that are natural mood lifters so you will feel better physically and mentally too! Plus, just the act of taking some time out of your day to stretch or do a few yoga poses can help clear your mind after a long day at work or running errands all day.
3. Better Circulation. Poor circulation leads to aches and pains as well as cold hands and feet due to a lack of oxygenation in those areas. Stretching increases blood flow throughout the body which helps move oxygen into areas where it’s needed most—in particular, joints and muscles that are prone to stiffness or soreness related to activity or daily living tasks like carrying groceries. Improved circulation also helps flush out toxins from organs so they can function optimally for years to come!

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Have a great week and I'll see you next time for more nutrition and lifestyle tips. Take care!

Susan

P.S. When you're ready, here are some ways I can help you:

• Connect with me on Instagram, LinkedIn​, and Facebook​
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• Need a hand with that health journey? My upcoming monthly membership, Thrive Beyond Inflammation is like the secret sauce you've been craving! Hop on the waitlist to be the VIP in-the-know when it opens up. Find out more here and get ready to level up your wellness game

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