Trying Health Trends in Midlife: Hit or Misses?

In this episode, you'll hear:

1. Experiment of One: We believe in trying out different health trends and seeing if they work for us personally. It's all about finding what works for you in your midlife journey.

2. Mindset Matters: We discussed the importance of approaching health and wellness trends from a positive and open mindset. Sometimes things work, and sometimes they don't, and that's perfectly okay.

3. Big Rocks vs. Little Pebbles: We emphasized the significance of focusing on the big rocks of health, such as sleep, exercise, and nutrition, rather than getting caught up in every single health trend out there.


00:00 Trying new things for personal and planet.
03:21 Started yoga for flexibility during triathlon career.
07:03 Reduces plastic consumption through bulk toothpaste pellets.
11:12 Experimented with intermittent fasting, faced challenges.
16:05 Vanity and health linked to weight loss.
16:48 Self-acceptance is key to positive living.
21:34 Adding juices to meals to boost nutrients.
22:56 Mixed feelings but sees potential in juicing.

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Transcript

0:00

When you've tried the latest trend. And. Hi, I'm Cam, Holistic health coach, mom to two humans and four pets. Hi, I'm Amelia, Laboratory scientist by day and food scientist by night. Welcome to our show. Join us as we share our holistic approach to life. After 50, you can expect real life stories with a dash of humor and a ton of truth. If it happens in midlife, we're going to talk about it. So hit that subscribe button and follow along. We're the Midlife Mommas. Hello, everyone. Welcome to our show. We're going to talk today about trends or things you've tried on your health and wellness journey that were failures. Yeah. Yeah. Sometimes we love being an experiment of one, and I think we're, like, out there trying random things. Do you think so, Amelia? Oh, yeah, 100%. Yeah. So we share a note in our Apple phone, and then that's how we communicate for this. And she put something on here, and we'll get there that I've never even heard of today. I was like, what is she doing? So a lot of times, we'll try different things, and we'll hear about different things, and we're like, yeah, let's give it a try. What's the harm? And sometimes it doesn't work out, and that's what today's all about. Yeah. And, I mean, when I was kind of thinking in my mind of things that I've tried, it could be strictly health and wellness, like a new exercise trend, a new type of food or way of eating. But it also could be something to affect a positive ecological benefit, like reduced your packaging or, you know, because I think, Cam, we're not just about the health and wellness of each other and our fellow humans, but we want what's best for the planet. So, you know, that's probably the one thing that you were like, what is this? But anyway, I think that, you know, whenever you're just trying to be a good human or a better human the next day than you were today, sometimes you hit on things and you're like, man, that was a really bad experiment. Exactly. And also, I want to say a word of warning. So these are like small rocks, and we believe in big rocks as far as health goes, whole real food. Yes. Strength training, walking, getting outside in nature, having a community of people. Yeah, all those things, those are big rocks. So these are like little pebbles. And like I said, sometimes they get in your shoe and they're not comfortable at all. Yeah, absolutely. So the first one that I had, Cam, and this is not an absolute for me, but I have so many friends or have had over the last, actually probably close to 20 years, maybe more, that love hot yoga, and I have not been able to embrace it. Like, I've tried it and I like it sometimes, but I know people that go five times a week and it is a core of their fitness, and I just cannot do it. It's just too hot for me. Under. I agree with you. I tried it in my forties and I was still crossfitting. So before we hit record, some days I would do hot yoga and a crossfit class, which is absolutely insane. I think I went to hot yoga to get more bendy, more stretchy. What was your motivation? Why did you go? Yeah, that, too, because I started it when I was into my triathlon career, and at that point, I thought I could be a better racer by being more flexible. I've kind of learned that that's not actually true, and it's very trendy here. It has been for decades. The cool girls go with the cool outfits, and one of my issues was actually one of the main ones, Camden. I have fairly profound curves in my spine. You know, I have a very profound thoracic curve and then my lower back, that I think it's lourdosis is the word. And so a downward dog for me doesn't look pretty like an a or an inverted v. I'm kind of curvy. I have a really hard time extending my arms and really flatten that out. And when you're not really good at something, it's nothing. It doesn't engender support to continue the activity because they're asking you to do something that, at least at the time, I couldn't physically do. So that was a real downer. We also had. It was a community thing for us. I would say, like, on Sunday, they had either a free or a very inexpensive class. So some of us would go, and it was like, oh, let's go do this hot yoga. And it was really crowded and it was really hot. Yeah. And I remember being very judgmental of myself because I could, like what you were saying, couldn't do the thing that we're supposed to be doing or hold it or. Yeah, all the things. I love the sweating part, actually. Like, and now fast forward, I use a sauna, you know, a few times a week, but back then, that was a really great way to sweat. Yeah. And, I mean, I love it for community, too. And if some girlfriends called me and was like, hey, let's go to this class and go get a coffee, I'd still do that. Um, but to your point about crossfitting and hot yoga, I had friends again, at the time, I was doing triathlon. They would go run 10 miles and then go to hot yoga. And intuitively, I knew this was a problem, but I was also, at the time, a level two triathlon coach. I had been trained by USA triathlon, the governing body in the US. And they tell you definitively that these are two extremely strenuous workouts. So, you know, kind of going against the grain is hard because you're like, well, you know, why don't people know this? Or what's wrong with me that I can't do it? Cause, girl, I would be so exhausted for days. I remember those. Yeah, exhausted. We were probably dehydrated. Think about it. I'm sure sweating out the good and the bad stuff and then, yeah, not drinking. I did not put electrolytes in my water back then. And, yeah, it was very stressful. I totally agree. One of the consequences was being, you know, tired longer than normal, like, slower recovery. Did you notice that, too? Oh, absolutely. And, you know, the immediate after effect, I did get an endorphin rush. I mean, I will say I did leave feeling better. Um, you know, once I kind of got through the judgy part. Cause it took me a bit. But again, I would do this again, but this will never be the core of my fitness profile. Like, I'm never gonna be that person that goes to hot yoga five days a week. It's just nothing for me. So it'd be random if someone asked you and it was like, then you would go, yeah, absolutely. I love that. Yeah. So this next thing on the list, I had never, absolutely never even. I've still never heard of it. I need to look it up. What the heck are toothpaste pellets, Amelia? What are those? Yes. So the first time I saw a tooth, an ad, it was a Facebook ad for toothpaste pellets. And the brand is bite. I think it's bite. And they're. They look like an aspirin. And you chew it up, add a little water and brush your teeth. And I was like, this is fantastic. It cuts down dramatically on my plastic consumption because literally a. You know, you can get 100 pellets and you. And here's the cool part. I found a place locally where I could buy this stuff in bulk. You literally bring your own container, and it's just like, I don't know if you guys have seen this, if you've been to a hotel where the cereal is in this big tube, and you pull the lever, and the cereal drops into your bowl. Well, that's how this works. Like, you bring your own container. You pull the little lever, and these toothpaste pellets drop into this container. I was like, oh, my gosh. This is great. Well, I got. I mean, I bought a bunch, and they're not cheap. They were, like, over$6 an ounce. But when you count out the pellets per use, it's actually cheaper than a tube of toothpaste if you use the recommended amount. But. But you have to chew up this powder, and then you have to add the water. And I could never get it a consistency that I thought was actually cleaning all my teeth. I always felt like. I don't know. It just. It was not a great experience. And I haven't talked to anybody else who's used these things, and they also make canned. They also make mouthwash pellets. They're the same principle. You chew it up, add the water, and rinse it. So if any of our listeners have tried toothpaste or mouthwash pellets, please send us a note, because I just could not get it right. Like, I can't believe I bought so many of these, because I'm like, I hate them. Like, what am I gonna do with these things? And now my instagram's gonna be flooded with ads, and I'll be like, amelia, they were listening to us. Yeah. So how was the flavor? Okay, so it was weird. Consistency. You could never get the right consistency. What about the flavor? The flavor wasn't bad. The flavor is minty. And they actually had, like, a strawberry lime one, which I was like, ew. When my children were little, you know, they wanted, like, the bubble gum flavored toothpaste. So I realized that non mint flavored toothpaste has been around. I just don't like it. Like, I like the mint. So the flavor itself was okay. It's the consistency that freaked me out. So it's just more difficult than regular style, actual paste. So when you chew up this pellet, does it get stuck in your teeth? Like, wasn't that the. Well, it can, absolutely, because it's like chewing a mint, so you have to be. I learned after a few uses that if I kept it in the front of my mouth and not on my molars, where it would get stuck, it would dissolve, and then I had to add the water. But you can't swallow the. You shouldn't swallow it because it will actually make a foam. So if you do it right, it just takes a little bit of practice, and it was just a lot of work for me. Like, I'm not gonna lie. Yeah. So you were trying to save the earth for plastic? Yes. It was a bad experience. So what are you gonna do with all these pellets? Are you, like, the type that's gonna be. I. Darn it, I'm gonna use them all 100%. I sure am. I'm not gonna waste all my money, so. Yeah, but again, if anybody's used them, let us know what you think. Yeah. And if you're Amelia's Secret Santa, she's gonna be giving you pellets. Get rid of them. You watch out. She might be giving away. That's so funny. Yeah. Okay, well, the next one was definitely on my list, and that's intermittent fasting. And my story with experiencing with, I don't know, 2021, 2020. I don't remember when it was. It was horrible. I decided to do a 24 hours fast with my husband, and he, like, loves it. His brain works better. He has all this energy, and he'll, like, the scale will drop significantly. Now, we also know that that's probably water weight, because you're not eating. Um, there's less food in your system. But he thrives on that. And honestly, most men do well with that kind of fasting. Women, especially in menopause. Uh, heck no. Um, Amelia? I felt sluggish. I felt bloated, which I didn't expect to feel. I thought I would feel that empty, lean feeling, like when you wake up in the morning and you don't feel bloated. I thought that's how I was going to feel, and I felt bloated. So was it menopause? Was it that I have thyroid issues? I don't know, but it was horrible. You are really brave, because I've never done a 24 hours fast. But probably in that same time period that you experimented, I was experimenting with each day, I would try to have at least a twelve to 14 hours fast, and then two days a week, I would try to go 16 to 18. Those longer days, for me, were very hard. My experience with that amount of fasting was more brain fog like, I had a really hard time concentrating. In a more recent experience, I have also tried a fast mimicking diet where you do eat actual food. It is calorie restricted. And I had the same experience with that, and I just felt nervous. My heart rate was accelerated. It just wasn't for me. It didn't feel good. My body felt okay. I wasn't even. I didn't even feel hungry. Like, there wasn't stomach growling, but it was that kind of, like, almost panicky feeling, and I did not like that at all. Yeah. So I've also done a mimicking. It was probably last year or two years ago at the prolong. It's a five. That's what I did. Yeah, that's exactly what I did. It's very expensive for not a lot of food. Right. And usually the third day is, like. Was really challenging. I have done that in the past. So I did one full one, and it was okay. And then based on my doctor's suggestion. Gosh, was this last year? It might have been 23. I'm not sure when this was. And then I'm like, okay, I'll try it again. I got to day two, and I was like, nope, I'm done. Well, and that's what I did. I made it through the first two days, so we'll put that in the show notes. If anybody's interested in reading about pro line and that, I've had. Actually, my functional medicine doctor recommended it because I told her this is probably too much. Our listeners are like, we wish she would shut up now, but my pre colonoscopy day, where you just drink the liquids, I felt freaking amazing. Like, I was like, we hiked that day, and I felt good. So I was like, I really feel. I don't understand this phenomenon. So my functional medicine provider was like, well, maybe you would like this. And it was nothing like the clear liquid diet. And so I've really thought about it. I've talked to a couple of other people that have done it, and one of my friends is like, you could do something very similar with food. You actually can provide at, like, a third of the cost of this kit. And I don't disagree with her. So I don't know, Cam. I'm still processing this experience to learn. Is there actual metabolic benefit for me? I actually toyed with is the reason this is so painful, because my diet is too high in carbs, because it does carb restrict. But I really don't. Like, I don't. I know what I eat every day, and so I don't know. I think this is one of those things that I'm still on the fence with. Kind of, like, the hot yoga. Maybe I'll try it again. I don't know. Yeah. So the thing about, I think we're both saying where we believe the kitchen should close, there's. You don't eat all day. Like, you should not be eating 24 hours. So we're not talking about that. Like, I tend to eat mostly during daylight hours, so my breakfast depends on when I feel hungry. But then I really try to, like, eat dinner and then close the kitchen. So, yeah, there is a time period where we're not eating. What we're saying is these extended on purpose 24 hours mimicking fasting diets. Like, that's what we're talking about, just to be clear. Yeah, absolutely. And I agree with you. I've talked to several women who tried the. Either the fasting or fast mimicking, and I. It seems like men do fare better with it than women, especially menopausal women. I've talked to women in their early forties, and that could do one meal a day, and they loved it. So it's really an individual thing, the. One meal a day. Let's talk about that, because I have had experience with somebody in the past, and for a minute, this person lost weight and felt amazing. But then that also backfired because, interesting. What happens is our metabolism literally down regulates. Like, oh, you're not going to feed me. I'm just going to slow everything down. Like, you're not going to give me food. And it just literally adjusts to that. So that didn't work either. It worked for a minute, but then it didn't work long term, so. And that's the whole thing. I would say, in addition to intermittent fasting, any kind of fad diet goes in this bucket, for sure. Yeah. I was thinking about this episode back when my son was born. So this is 1997. The first time I ever experimented, like, honestly, with a diet was trying to lose weight after the pregnancy because I had gotten over 200 pounds. I was very large, and I had two weddings that summer. My sister and my sister in law were both getting married, and I had to be in the bridal party with a dress on. Like, it was not a positive situation. Anyway, so I tried Atkins stuff, and it worked. Let me tell you. It worked. But, Amelia, I was drinking coffee all day and eating salami, which I don't do that anymore. How can that be healthy? Like, how is that healthy? I don't know. Yeah, I agree. And it kind of goes back to, you know, of course, that was a situation where you needed to get in the dress. But our age group, Cam, I think, is. So we're very susceptible to that slippery slope of weight loss for vanity and weight loss for health. At least I am. I fully admit that because, you know, we grew up in diet culture. We grew up in an environment that skinny was beautiful. I mean, literally, like, they should have just said to us, if you're skinny, you're beautiful because it's so harmful. Let's just be honest about what that messaging was about. And I feel like some of these fads, it's enough. It's just that same message packaged a different way, 100%. It's also saying that there's something wrong with you. And that's like, that's the underlying problem, is that you're not good enough. In fact, I subscribe to this doctor Christiane Northrop has, like, a daily wisdom. And her little daily wisdom today was about loving her body, about loving your body as it is today, even the parts that you're still working on or something like that. And I was like, that is such a beautiful message, because when you look in the mirror every single day and you don't like what you see, like, what are you saying to yourself and how are you living your life? And I, at some point, that's just ridiculous. And that's no way to live. No, I totally agree. I totally agree. I love that. It's just. Yeah. I can't even say enough about this subject because it's so important to get across to women, especially in our age group, that you are beautiful. And if there's things you don't like, we can work towards changing that. But it has to be in the correct mindset. Out of love and caring and not out of some, like, crazy deficit. Exactly. Like, eating salami and drinking coffee all day. Like, that is ridiculous. Yeah, that's a bit extreme. Oh, my God. That was my first experience. And my second experience with, like, changing my diet was definitely my crossfit days and, like, my forties going keto. Now, we've talked about keto before. Keto and menopause usually doesn't work out. We need carbs. We do have a tipping point of carbs. You mentioned that earlier. Like, we have the right amount of carbs for our energy and our brain. And if we put too many carbs in our system, then we have blood sugar problems and we have extra body fat. So there's, like, this balancing. Like, how much do I need for life and how much is too much and how much is too little? I find a lot. I remember I've had several clients come to me from the keto world, and they're like, I feel like crap. I feel horrible. I have no energy. We add a little carbs, they start losing weight, and they see ab muscles again, like, muscles that they hadn't seen in a minute. And that's interesting to me because that is not what we're told in society. Again, men do really well on keto and intermittent extreme, intermittent fasting, and women tend not to. Something to think about. Yeah, something to think about, for sure. I appreciate that perspective. The next thing on our list is something I think we've both tried. And this can also be done a little bit or a lot, and it's juicing. So the idea that, you know, you're primarily, or at certain times of the day, getting your nutrition from juices now actually bought a juicer, probably. It's probably been ten years ago, honestly. Camden purchased juice programs from retail places, and the first thing that I noticed was I felt fine. I did get actually hungry, but there was no fiber in it. That's a little bit of a problem. Yeah, I think I was in my late forties. So it was, you know, when I tried juicing, I bought a juicer, too, and it was a flipping mess. Like, it was so. It was so wasteful, and it was like a challenge. I remember it was a coach at the crosshair gym. He's like, yeah, I love juicing. You should try it. I'm like, okay. And it was a mess. Like, all the produce and then all the waste. Literally, when you do something, you take the fiber out. So I don't know of my bathroom habits back then, but I can't imagine it was beneficial. I don't know. Do you remember? No, I don't remember. But I just felt so bad throwing the pulp of all that stuff away. I actually look for recipes to see, can you use this? Is there any way to use this? And that was kind of the, you know, where it stopped. And if you've ever bought a prepared juice, it is expensive, especially if it's like, you know, the fresh, organic produce. There's. There's some chains that actually, you know, tell you that it's fresh organic, and I don't have any reason to believe it's not. In fact, I have some really good friends who are, you know, part of one of the franchises, and I think it's great because on the go, girl, I will stop by there and get a green juice. And it is phenomenal. I mean, literally, I still have days, Cam, because I do try to get a high protein diet. That's my first vegetable of the day, is when I'll stop in there and get a green juice. I think it has a place, but replacing all of your calories for days at a time. I'm just not sure it's for me. I had a little bit of trouble and buying the juicer again for it was the waste of the actual produce because I spent a lot of money on that produce. Right. And the juice. And then the kitchen was like a tornado went through and I was like, I, yeah, I didn't look for recipes but I was like, what is happening with like what is this? And I too am a fan. I've been buying actually the green juice from Trader Joe's because it's easy and it's minty and it tastes like the earth. I enjoy that, but it's not something I'm going to do in my house anymore. Yeah, I'm kind of with you. Yeah, I'm like you. In fact, this week I've got some all day business meetings and I'm like, I need to go by and get couple of juices because it's a great way. If they cater lunch it's going to be sandwich and chips and I can forego the chips, maybe eat the meat out of the sandwich. And if I have a juice with me, that'll be a way to get some extra, you know, vitamins. So I think it has a place and I do think, you know, I have friends, Cam, who really don't like vegetables. I think you can learn to love vegetables, but in your fifties these women that I know are like, I just don't like it. And this may be a great way to get some of those nutrients in. Hundred percent. Definitely the ingredients. Make sure that fruit juice isn't the first thing. I don't know. I think mine is cucumbers up there. I'm not sure the ones that are sweet make sure you read the ingredients because guarantee there's a fruit juice in there. So. Well, you know, one of my favorites is a red one that has beet juice. It does have carrot and orange in it as well. But beets are naturally sweet. If you don't like beets you're not going to like the juice because it does have that earthy beet flavor. But beets are a pain in the butt because you have to peel them and then your hands are red and my husband doesn't like them. So for me, getting the beet juice is a great alternative to get the nutrients and the detox benefits of the vegetable without having to deal with all of the beet. That's a good tip. Yeah, that's good. So, you know, I do think that there's really places for this. And I love the green ones. I think the green one I get has, like, spinach or kale, cucumber, celery. And celery is a very strong juiced flavor. So again, you have to like that. But I think there's a place for it. But I'm kind of like you. I don't even know where my juicer is anymore, and I'm not buying, like 40 pounds of produce to juice it. Yeah. So basically what we're saying is we've tried different things over the course of the years because we do believe in experimenting. What are the latest trends? You know, is it worth checking out? And sometimes it just doesn't work out. You know, and that's okay. I mean, I think that's also one of the messages, too, is that every health trend or challenge that you hear about, whether it's from us or you see it on TikTok or whatever, if it seems to be sound, give it a go, but don't feel like a failure. If you're like, oh, man, that sucks. I'm not going to do that again. Exactly. And then also, these are the extras in life. And making sure that big rocks your sleep and your exercise and most of your nutrition is dialed in and makes experimenting, I don't know, more of an experiment of one. Like, does this really move the dial for me or not? Versus thinking juicing is going to save the world? It's not. Yeah, yeah, exactly. That. The pebble is not going to. The magic isn't in the pebble. It's in the big rocks. Exactly. So focus on the big rocks. Thanks for listening today. You can find us on instagram@midlife.mommas. For all of our other contact info, check out the show description below and we will talk to you next week.