5 Minute Mojo

  The Hidden Ways Sleep Deprivation Can Lead to Weight Gain     Can’t figure out why you’re gaining weight — or why it’s so difficult to erase those extra pounds? You might be suffering from sleep deprivation — even if you swear you’re getting enough sleep at night. In fact, one study presented at this year’s Endocrine Society national meeting suggests that getting just 30 fewer minutes sleep than you should per weekday can increase your risk of obesity and diabetes. Logically, it’s practically impossible to stay committed to a healthy lifestyle if you don’t have the energy for it. “If I’ve gone to bed late or I have a restless night, I’m more likely to turn off my alarm in the morning and skip my workout,” says Paige DePaolis, 24. “It could be me consciously thinking, ‘No way am I going to that exercise class,’ or, unconsciously snoozing to the point that it’s too late to make it to the class.” RELATED: 9 Ways to Fall Asleep Faster, Without Counting Sheep Most of us have been there before. But there are al

Why Calories Don’t Matter by Mark Hyman, MD The vast majority of conventional nutritionists and doctors have it mostly wrong when it comes to weight loss. Let’s face it: If their advice were good and doable, we would all be thin and healthy by now. But as a general rule, it’s not. And the mainstream media messages often confuse things even more. It is based on many “food lies”. And the biggest lie of them all is this: All calories are created equal. Is this really true? Not really. Let us explore why. Take a class of sixth graders. Show them a picture of 1,000 calories of broccoli and 1,000 calories of soda. Ask them if they have the same effect on our bodies. Their unanimous response will be “NO!” We all intuitively know that equal caloric amounts of soda and broccoli can’t be the same nutritionally. But as Mark Twain said, “The problem with common sense is that it is not too common.” I guess that is why the medical profession, nutritionists, our government, the food industry, and the media are all still

  By now most of you know that weight gain and obesity are far more related to complex reactions in the body rather than to calorie or fat intake, and that our weight and body composition do not so much depend on the dietary ingredients themselves, but much rather on the hormonal and biochemical reactions these metabolically different food categories (fat, carbohydrate, protein) elicit in the human body. Excess insulin, excess blood sugar, excess cortisol and excess free radicals are the four main elements that promote ever-worsening hormonal regulation of and communication between cells, damaging our entire metabolism and ultimately leading to weight gain, accelerated aging and the development of chronic diseases. The chief hormonal culprit in promoting excess body fat is Insulin. Insulin is a large polypeptide hormone secreted by the beta-cells of the pancreas, and its production is directly stimulated by blood sugar (glucose). Insulin is needed to allow glucose from food to enter cells in the body and in t

I usually share articles of value on ZEN commuter, but this one was too good to pass up.  It talks about 7 ways to buy more consciously. It is from Jennifer Lacovelli who wrote for Guideposts Magazine online. Adapted from: Simple Giving: Easy Ways to Give Every Day. Copyright © 2015 by Jennifer Iacovelli. Published by TarcherPerigee, an imprint of Penguin Random House. Used by Permission. What exactly does it mean to shop with a conscience? There are several factors to consider and questions you might ask yourself while shopping online or in a store, including: Where was the product made? Who made the product? Are the workers treated fairly and ethically? What kind of carbon footprint is the product leaving behind? Is the product safe for the environment? To be fair, you are not always going to be able to find this information and you might not have the time to do the research. But I would still encourage you to make shopping with a conscience a priority--big box stores may be convenient, but they are not alw

The holiday is all about family and tradition, but what would you do if you had unlimited resources for your celebrations?

Today I talk about the conflict that exists between actions and desires.  Many people express they want serenity and at the same time the turn on the TV to watch a car explode during a gunfight on a popular crime drama.   What do you do that strips you of your sense of serenity.

How much time do you lose each day worrying, lost in scenarios that will never come to pass?  There has got to be a better way to live your life and today i talk about it.

To me it is inconceivable why everyone strives to find their soulmate.  I get it on some level because I too remember how important it was.  Now though, I understand that there is not simply one person who can help me understand love, it's absolutely everyone.  The more I show it to the world, the more it comes back.

Acceptance isn't condoning and the sooner you are able to accept everyone, the sooner you will experience joy.

Today I talk about how helping you find the things in your life that are inspirational

Today I talk about how to determine what portion of your life is your own.

Today I wanted to get back to our original plan; Friday questions with the same amount of introspection with half the calories! lol.  Think em through

It's time you truly understood why you avoid the parts of you you're quick to hide. Your shadow is wise

Today I talk about the 2 best tips for persevering in the new Year.

We often think that not much can be done in 24 hours.  If you think harder, some of the biggest things happened in under 24 hours.  With that thought in mind, go create a new tradition.

This time of the year gets people thinking about changing things up.  That's great. Let's start with deciding what you want your life to be about.

I am thankful for my struggle, for without it I would not have stumbled upon my greatest strength - Alexandra Elle

We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves. - Buddha

Make Your Vision so clear that your fears become irrelevant.  - Anonymous

Faith is the strength by which a shattered world shall emerge into the light.  - Helen Keller