What’s Hot in Health, Coaching & Nutrition This Week

Take My NDD Challenge

You’ve heard of Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) — you know:  anxious, depressed, trouble focusing.  But you may not have ADD at all — you might just be suffering from a lack of raw physical contact with the great outdoors. Scientists are calling this Nature Deficit Disorder. And new research from the University of Illinois shows that interaction with nature significantly reduces symptoms of ADD. People who exercise outside are less likely to get sick, be stressed, become aggressive, and are more adaptable to life’s unpredictable turns.  According to the study: ”Overall, our findings indicate that exposure to ordinary natural settings in weekend activities may be widely effective in reducing attention deficit symptoms.”  It makes sense — especially when you consider the Biophilia hypothesis.

The challenge: Spending time outdoors in nature (walking, biking, surfing, etc) has been huge in lifting my own depression and anxiety.  Here’s my challenge, for the next 28 days, make a concerted effort to exercise outdoors in a natural setting for a little while every day. Get your heart rate up — and enjoy the great outdoors, and see what a difference it will make. It’s going to change your life.

Great Advice From Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks

Anthony Robbins interviewed Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban this week on CNN, asking him what advice he would give people in this economy who are trying to improve their lives. Cuban’s advice?

“The biggest lie in mentoring is ‘follow your dreams.’ Where you should go is where your effort takes you. Don’t follow your dreams, follow your effort. Where are you willing and hungry enough to put in the time? That’s where you’ll get results.”

Cuban says we do better when we look at where we’re already putting in hard work and pay more attention to the fruits of those efforts — rather than following random pie in the sky dreams that may—or may not—get us anywhere. Now that’s valuable coaching.

Quick Tip: How To Shop Organic on a Budget

Some people think that eating organic is price prohibitive. But remember: when you choose the right quality foods, your body chemistry adjusts, and the amount you need actually goes down. If you’re on a budget, and need to prioritize what fruits and vegetables to buy organic, choose the following: celery, peaches, strawberries, apples, domestic blueberries, nectarines, sweet bell peppers, spinach, kale and collard greens, cherries, potatoes, grapes and lettuce. If you need to trim more from your budget but still want to buy organic, Costco now sells many kinds of organic produce. You can also buy frozen organic fruits and veggies to save even more money.