THE AFTER SIDE EFFECT OF HIGH HEEL SHOES (KNOW IT TODAY SO THAT YOU MAY NOT SUFFER IT TOMORROW)

high heel shoes might offer you that gorgeous look and glamorous apperance today. but the big question is what will about tomorrow?

Introduction

Most people understand that heels aren’t the healthiest choice when it comes to footwear. Still, many love them regardless, since they make your legs look longer and even sometimes thinner. The trouble is if you’re not being diligent about proper strengthening and stretching to mitigate high heel damage, you could be setting yourself up for high levels of pain.

High heels throw the natural mechanics of your body into a state of utter dysfunction. Starting in the foot, chronic heel use can actually impact just about every part of your body. (Eventually, your high heel habit can actually trigger pain all the way up in your neck.) British researchers found wearing high heels regularly over the course of a person’s life can actually shorten calf muscles by 13 percent. Beyond that, wearing heels seems to thicken your Achilles tendon, a potential pitfall for runners. And this is an important point: chronic high heel wearers actually experience discomfort and pain even after they take the heels off. 

In 2015, University of Alabama at Birmingham published some startling statistics related to high heel injuries. High heels sent an estimated 123,355 women to ER departments between 2002 and 2012. After crunching the numbers, that means about 7.32 per 100,000 women suffer injuries so severe hospital-level treatment is required.

Young women between the ages of 20 and 29 were most likely to suffer injuries, but women 30 to 39 years old also faced significant risk. And chances are more people may be asking the question, “Are high heels bad for your feet” today than they did several decades ago — high heel-related injuries nearly doubled during the 11-year study period. 

The answer to,”Are high heels bad for your feet?” is becoming pretty clear, but the impacts span far beyond your feet.

High Heels and postural defects

Sprains & Strains

Wearing high heels could leave you Googling for sprained ankle treatments and beyond. When University of Alabama at Birmingham researchers scoured ER records related to high heels, they found foot and ankle sprains and strains ranked among the most common injuries.  One study found that wearing high heels of about 3.5 inches compared to lower, half-inch heels changes your ankle mechanics in a way that significantly increases the risk of a lateral ankle sprain. 

Ingrown Toenails

Wearing high heels is also a leading cause of ingrown toenail problems. High heels create chronic pressure on the big toenails, leading to dysfunctional toenail growth. Also known as onychocryptosis, an ingrown toenail is the result of the toes compressing together. This leads to the big toenails growing into the skin. Unpleasant, I know. People with type 2 diabetes should be particularly careful about wearing high heels, since it can further restrict circulation in the feet.

Lower Back Pain

Wearing high heeled shoes throw your normal gait into a dysfunctional state. In 2012, scientists from Poland showed heels cause your lumbar erector spinae back muscle to excessively fire, leading to muscle overuse and lower back pain issues. Wearing high heels throws off the normal lower pelvic range of motion. This means wearing high heeled shoes actually throws off your entire body’s posture.

Bunions

A bunion is a common problem that pops up in people who wear heels regularly. At first you might not think your bunion is any big deal, but when left untreated, bunions can cause serious scar tissue to form in the foot, toe abnormalities and a whole lot of pain.

So what it is? It’s that bony bump that sticks out at the base of your big toe. It forms when the bone or tissue located at the joint shifts out of place. Years of wearing narrow, high heels creates abnormal pressure and can cause that bony joint to appear.

Major Posture Problems

Wearing high heels during adolescent years could be the most damaging during. Wearing high heels can cause permanent postural disorders, including:

·         Forward head posture

·         Lumbar hyperlordosis

·         Pelvic anteversion

·         Knee valgus

Nerve Damage

Women are 8 to 10 times more likely to develop Morton’s neuroma, a condition characterized by swelling, thickening or enlargement of the nerve between toe bones. The most common spot for Morton’s neuroma is between the third and fourth toes, but it can occur between second and third toes, too. Also known as  intermetatarsal neuroma, a chronically squeezed nerve can lead to sharp, burning or shooting pains. Wearing heels higher than 2 inches causes unnatural pressure in the balls of the feet, increasing a person’s risk. 

Are High Heels Bad for Your Feet? Yes (Here’s How to Help Reverse Some of the Damage)

Ideally, ditching high heels for good would be best. But I understand that so many people feel confident in heels, so if you wear them, just take some precautions.

·         Avoid wearing high heels every day.

·         Avoid standing or walking long periods in heels. (Wear sneakers and switch into heels if you are walking to your destination.)

·         If you do wear high heels, avoid ones that are narrow and tight-pointed.

·         Rodney Stuck, DPM, professor of podiatry medicine at Loyola University Health System, suggests cutting out a cardboard tracing of each foot and attempting to place it in the shoe when shopping for a new pair. If it does not fit, then the shoes are too narrow.

·         Trim toenails straight across the top to help prevent ingrown toenails.

·         Put your feet in a warm epsom salt soak soak at the end of the day.

·         Stretch your calf muscles routinely to avoid chronic shortening of muscles in this region of your leg.

Final Thoughts on the Question: Are High Heels Bad for Your Feet?

·         Wearing high heels can cause pain and damage throughout your body.

·     Common problems associated with wearing high heels include bunions, ankle sprains, muscle imbalances, lower back pain, neck pain, sprains and strains, foot pain and ingrown toenails, among other problems.

·         If you do wear heels, opt for lower heels and ones without narrow, pointed toes.

·         Clip your toenails straight across.

·         Soap your feet in warm water with epsom salt at night.

·      Stretch your calves regularly, holding each stretch for at least 30 seconds. For even bigger benefits, foam roll the calves before stretching. (Be sure to keep the roller on a few tender calf areas for 30 seconds each.)

·         Avoid standing or walking far in high heels.

If You Avoid Meat, You Need to Take VITB12

you probably believe the image you are seeing and reading, but dont forget no plant contain ideal VITB12

Not eating meat might mean not getting enough VitB12

Many people avoid red meats for a large variety of reasons. If you are one of them, you are at a high risk for developing vitamin B12 deficiency. Why? Because plant sources have virtually no vitamin B12. And oral forms of B12 in nearly all supplements are practically useless, as little is absorbed into your bloodstream.

Vegetarians should take this essential micronutrient to ensure an adequate supply of it, because it is found almost exclusively in animal tissues. And, the few plant foods that are sources of B12 are actually B12 analogs -- not the form that provides all the benefits of the real deal. 

Simply put, an analog is a substance that blocks the uptake of true B12. The result being, your body's need for the nutrient actually increases. 

Furthermore, your body's need for this nutrient may also increase if you take Metformin©. Metformin may interfere with calcium metabolism. And this interference may reduce B12 absorption, because this absorption requires calcium.

Studies suggest that 10% to 30% of patients taking Metformin show evidence of reduced vitamin B12 absorption. That's why it is important to speak with your doctor to discuss the best way to maintain B12 levels when taking this medication.

Why VitB12

Many experts previously believed that strict vegetarians were the primary group that could develop a vitamin B12 deficiency. If you had adequate stores of this important nutrient in your body, the experts believed you were “safe” for many years from developing a B12 deficiency.

Now we know better.

Vitamin B12 deficiency and depletion are much more common than previously thought, especially in the over-60 population. In fact, it's believed that almost one in four people over 60 have deficient levels of this vital vitamin.

Equally disturbing are emerging signs that other age groups harbor suboptimal blood levels of B12 as well.

Why is vitamin B12 deficiency such a big deal?

Your body depends on vitamin B12 for a host of functions, including…

• Helping to maintain normal energy levels*
• Promoting healthy neurological activity, including mental alertness*
• Supporting normal homocysteine levels for healthy cardiac function*
• Helping to ease occasional stress and sleeplessness*
• Maintaining healthy cell growth and repair*
• Promoting normal immune function*
• Supporting normal metabolism of carbohydrates and fats*

When your blood levels of vitamin B12 are low, one or more of these functions may be disrupted.*

Without adequate blood levels of B12, you can experience symptoms related to low energy, mental fatigue, mood changes, sleep difficulties, and even occasional indigestion.*

Your body relies on the efficient conversion of carbohydrates to glucose – your body's source of fuel – just like your car needs to be able to use gas to run smoothly. Vitamin B12 plays a major role in that conversion in your body.* Likewise, B12 enables your body to convert fatty acids into energy as well.*

Contrary to what you might have heard, there's really no solid evidence that supplemental vitamin B12 helps you lose weight.

Overall, vitamin B12 is a nutrient your body cannot do without for efficient, healthy metabolism of fats and carbohydrates.*

ARE YOU GETTING ENOUGH PROTEIN (9 SIGNS OF PROTEIN DEFICIENCY AND HOW TO FIX IT)

PROTEIN DEFICIENCY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MANY HUMAN DISORDERS RANGING FROM DIGESTIVE TO NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS, EVEN INABILITY TO LOSS WEIGHT.

INTRODUCTION
let’s  talk about the importance of protein. How protein benefits your overall health in physical performance is crucial to understand. So whether you’re a weekend warrior, you’re trying to lose weight fast or you are an athlete, protein is important for everybody — and just about everyone is deficient in quality protein in their diet.

I’m going to go over how to get more protein in your diet, the benefits of eating more protein foods and how much you should consume. So starting off here, let’s talk about protein and what it does.

Why Protein Is So Important

Protein is the building block of yourself. It’s the building block of your muscles and also is present in the foods that are going to boost your metabolism and fat-burning potential. Nothing is more important than protein. It really is the fuel that motivates and really supports your body in building healthy tissues and cells.

What exactly are proteins? Proteins are considered long chains of amino acids, which are the important molecules we get from our diet. Amino acids can be found in many different types of foods, even vegetables, but the highest sources are those that come from animals – like meat, dairy, eggs and fish – plus to a lesser extent certain plant foods like beans and seeds.

Proteins are used every day to keep the body going. Because they’re used to develop, grow and maintain just about every part of our bodies — from our skin and hair to our digestive enzymes and immune system antibodies — they’re constantly being broken down and must be replaced.

Vital organs, muscles, tissues and even some hormones of the body are made from proteins. Additionally, proteins create hemoglobin and important antibodies. Proteins are involved in just about every body function from controlling blood sugar levels to healing wounds and fighting off bacteria.

Simply put, without proteins life would not exist.

The average person probably needs half his or her body weight in protein a day. So if you weigh 150 pounds, you need at least around 75 grams of protein a day if you’re trying to burn fat and build muscle the right way. And for many athletes, more than that is going to be essential as well.

Do You Have a Protein Deficiency?

Mayo clinic researcher Jan van Deursen, Ph.D., set out to study the cause of cancer, but soon his research took him in a different direction — what impacts aging? His research revealed that certain proteins play an important, even critical, role in aging.

In his investigation, van Deursen and his team created genetically modified mice that had a protein deficiency in one specific type of protein, BubR1. They discovered that the mice deficient in this vital protein aged four to five times faster than the control group of normal mice. This naturally occurring protein declines as we age and, in this study, were found to be at deficient levels in the mice’s muscles, heart, brain, spleen, testis and ovaries. The study theorizes that this holds true in the human body, too, with a protein deficiency leading to cataracts, heart problems, kyphosis or muscle atrophy — all somewhat common in the elderly. Eating too little protein can result in these symptoms as well:

·         A sluggish metabolism

·         Trouble losing weight

·         Trouble building muscle mass

·         Low energy levels and fatigue

·         Poor concentration and trouble learning

·         Moodiness and mood swings

·         Muscle, bone and joint pain

·         Blood sugar changes that can lead to diabetes

·         Slow wound healing

·         Low immunity

9 Signs that Your Body Isn’t Getting Enough Protein

1. You have high cholesterol

High cholesterol and triglycerides are not just caused by eating fatty foods — they are also a result of increased inflammation, hormonal imbalances and high-processed/high-sugar diets. If you tend to replace protein foods with sugary snacks, refined carbs and packaged convenient goods, your cholesterol can start to rise as your liver and cells process fats less efficiently. Some studies have even found an inverse relationship exists between protein intake and risk of heart disease.

2. You’re feeling more anxious and moody

Amino acids are the building blocks for neurotransmitters which control your mood. Proteins help the brain synthesize hormones like dopamine and serotonin that help bring on positive feelings like calm, excitement and positivity.

3. Your workouts are suffering

You’re probably already aware that protein is needed to build new muscle mass, but it’s also important for sustaining your energy and motivation. A low protein diet can result in muscle wasting (or muscle atrophy), fatigue and even fat gain — it can also be behind female athlete triad. In fact, you can workout more, but see less results if your diet isn’t adequate to support tissue repair or your energy needs.

4. You aren’t sleeping well

Poor sleep and insomnia can sometimes be linked to unstable blood sugar levels, a rise in cortisol and a decrease in serotonin production. Blood sugar swings during the day carry over through the night. Carbohydrates require much more insulin than fat or protein does. Eating foods with protein before bed can help with tryptophan and serotonin production, and they have a minimal effect on blood glucose levels; in fact, protein slows down the absorption of sugar during a meal.

5. You have “brain fog”

Protein is needed to support many aspects of healthy neurological functioning. Brain fog, poor concentration, lack of motivation and trouble learning new information can be signs that you’re low in neurotransmitters you need to focus including dopamine, epinephrine, norepinephrine, and serotonin. Neurotransmitters are synthesized in the brain using amino acids, and studies show that balanced diets with enough protein can boost work performance, learning and motor skills.

6. You’re gassy and can’t go to the bathroom

Many metabolic and digestive functions depend on amino acid intake. If your body feels fatigued and run down in general due to protein deficiency, enzyme production, muscle contractions in your GI tract and digestion in general will suffer.

7. Your pants are feeling tighter

Although sometimes higher in calories than carbs, high-protein foods cause increased satiety to a greater extent than carbohydrates or fats do, so they can prevent overeating and snacking. They also help stabilize your blood sugar, allow you to retain more muscle which burns more calories all day, and can reduce cravings.

8. Your menstrual cycle is irregular

One of the most common reasons women suffer from irregular periods and infertility is the condition known as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Two major risk factors for PCOS are obesity and pre-diabetes or diabetes — in fact, insulin resistance affects 50–70 percent of all women with PCOS. Low-protein, high-sugar/high-carb diets can contribute to insulin resistance, fatigue, inflammation and weight gain that disrupts the delicate balance of female hormones (including that of estrogen, progesterone and DHEA) needed to sustain a regular cycle.

9. You’ve been getting injured more often and are slow to heal

A low protein diet can raise your risk for muscle loss, falling, slow bone healing, bone weakness, fractures and even osteoporosis. Protein is needed for calcium absorption and helping with bone metabolism. Studies show that older adults with the greatest bone losses are those with a low protein intake of about 16–50 grams per day. Research also shows that a diet high in amino acids can help treat muscle loss due to aging (sarcopenia).

How Much Protein Do We Need, Exactly? 

Each person is unique in terms of their exact protein needs; your body weight, gender, age, and level of activity or exercise all determine how much protein is best for you, and your needs likely vary a bit day to day.

·         According to the USDA, the recommended daily minimum intake of protein for adults who are at an average weight and activity level is: 56 grams per day for men, and 46 grams per day for women.

·         However these are considered minimum amounts, so they might be too low if you’re very active, pregnant or ill.

·         These amounts are equal to eating about 0.36 grams of protein for every pound that you weigh, however some people find that they feel better when they increase their protein intake and aim to eat about 0.5 grams of protein for every pound.

·         This higher recommendation would translate to a woman who weighs 150 pounds eating about 75 grams of protein daily, and a man who weighs 180 pounds eating about 90 grams.

·         If all the math seems confusing, remember that most experts recommend consuming about 20–30 percent of your overall calories from protein foods.

The Top Protein Foods

Knowing what to eat, how much, and when can be overwhelming for many. It seems today in order to stay healthy and keep your family healthy you need a degree in nutrition – and even with that there all seems to be conflicting evidence and studies. I want to help to simplify this sometimes confusing topic for you.

When it comes to protein there are a few basic guidelines to follow; first you must understand that you (and your loved ones) need to consume protein on a regular basis; secondly, you must eat the right kinds of protein for it to have the desired, positive impact on your health.

Overall, eating a mix of plant-based and animal-based options is the best approach to getting enough protein. Some call this approach the flexitarian diet. While animal products have more protein per calorie than most plants do, eating too much meat, dairy, fish or eggs everyday isn’t the best idea and has its own drawbacks (such as being less environmentally sustainable, more expensive and more acidic).

Vegetarian proteins often double as a great way to get more fiber, antioxidants, electrolytes and other nutrients, so try including them in your meals often in place of meat.

·         Vegetarian and vegan protein options that still provide a good deal of amino acids include: all types of beans and legumes, especially adzuki beans, mung beans and lentils; nuts and seeds such as almonds, flax, chia and hemp; unprocessed/ancient grains like oats, buckwheat, amaranth, farro or quinoa. It’s an added bonus if you consume sprouted nuts, legumes and grains since this helps make their amino acids more absorbable once eaten.

·         Even some vegetables have a fairly high concentration of protein, especially considering how low in calories they are. Veggies which help boost your protein intake include: spinach, kale, broccoli, Brussel sprouts and mushrooms.

·         When it comes to using protein powders, several new and noteworthy types have recently hit the market. These include pea protein, cricket protein (yes, made from ground-up bugs!) and also bone broth protein. There are many benefits to consuming these types or powders since they offer much more than simply protein – for example, bone broth protein also supplies collagen and glucosamine which are great for your GI tract, joints and skin.

·         For meats, the best forms of protein you can be getting are going to be things like grass-fed beef, organic chicken and turkey, and wild-caught salmon.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF Protein 

Getting protein in your diet is greatly beneficial, and the biggest benefits of protein include fat burning, helping muscle recovery and helping heal cuts in the wound. And if you have any sort of injury, protein is essential. It’s also essential for:

·         Fighting diabetes in balancing up blood sugar

·         Brain function

·         Any issue you have in terms of depression and brain issues

·         Cholesterol

There is study after study showing that protein is essential for your body.

And last but not least, it’s important for muscle recovery. So if you’re trying to recover from an injury and also want to improve your overall energy, getting more protein in your diet is essential.

When buying protein, make sure it’s from organic, natural sources. One of the issues we run into today is all of our conventional restaurants, our conventional grocery stores, they’re not selling grass-fed organic protein. And if you’re eating conventional protein, it’s loaded with hormones, antibiotics, steroids and other chemicals that will actually destroy your health.

So get more protein in your diet. I’d even recommend keeping a food journal; write down what you’ve eaten the past three days, and then add up the grams of protein you’ve actually gotten in your system.

You also can go to the website nutritiondata.com and actually look up the amount of protein in the amount of food you’ve consumed, or else do it for the next three days and see how much protein you’re actually getting in your diet.

From the sound of it, you might think leaky gut only affects the digestive system, but in reality it can affect more. Because Leaky Gut is so common, and such an enigma, I’m offering a free webinar on all things leaky gut.