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It’s time to start talking about PCOS (and women’s health in general)

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All women are familiar with the uncomfortable symptoms of menstruation – cramps, headaches, bloating, and an increased need to cry and eat chocolate are among those that are most popular. 

But some women experience another list of symptoms that are a little more irregular, such as prolonged weight gain, dark hair growth, irregular bleeding and ovulation, and severe acne. While all periods are uncomfortable, these are symptoms of another medical condition, known as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). 

PCOS has recently been making headlines more frequently. Just last month, congresswoman Abby Finkenauer secured extra funding to increase research for endometriosis, another women’s health condition associated with menstruation and reproduction. Now, a number of women’s health problems, including PCOS, are being highlighted with the hope that funding for more research and treatment will be gained.

My Story

It is not a coincidence that the recent headline-making PCOS has had caught my eye. For me, this is not a random string of letters. I was diagnosed with PCOS at age 13, when the ideas of fertility and making consciously healthy diet choices were far from my mind. All I knew at the time was that my periods were excruciatingly heavy and painful, often leaving me curled up in a ball on the couch. My acne was worse than most of the girls in school, despite the fact that I had tried just about every skincare program on the market. And I had dark, thick hair growing on my body where other girls had blonde, fair fuzz. 

My doctors did not explain much to me when they handed over a birth control pill. All I knew wast that it helped me feel better. However, the acne and dark hair persisted, and as my teenage years went on, research helped me discover beauty regimens that made me feel more confident in my own skin.

It wasn’t until I was in college that I finally was able to have a full conversation with my doctor about what PCOS meant. After years of thinking of the condition as mostly a complication to my physical appearance, I was devastated by the news that I would one day perhaps struggle to get pregnant. At that point, my periods had been nonexistent for over a year because I had been neglecting to take my medication, and the doctor’s main concern was the risk that put me at for developing endometrial cancer. I was put back on the pill, and I returned to normal life, told to come back if my symptoms worsened or when I was married to talk about having children. Any questions I have had since then about fertility have always been brushed aside; the doctor told me I obviously was not fertile now, so we would wait to talk about treatment options until I was actually interested in having children.

This uncertainty and possible infertility has hung like a weight over my head since that appointment. I am in my early 20s, but already friends have begun having children, and I can’t help but feel an ache when I think about the possibility that I may never be able to do the same. Every conversation I have with my fiancé about our future children and child-rearing is always encased by the possibility that all the topics we are discussing may never come to fruition. I have read from multiple sources that the feeling of shame that comes with PCOS is not uncommon. While we have come a long way in society from thinking of women primarily as child-rearers, I still always had the expectation of myself that I would be able to do the natural process that women have been doing since the dawn of time. 

What is PCOS?

According to the Mayo Clinic, PCOS is a hormonal disorder characterized by “infrequent or prolonged menstrual periods or excess male hormone (androgen) levels.” The cause of PCOS is unknown, which makes treatment more complicated and is why women and doctors are now fighting for more funding for research. According to the Mayo Clinic, if PCOS is caught and treated early, it can help “reduce the risk of long-term complications such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease.”

However, the Mayo Clinic does mention a few possibilities being explored for the cause of PCOS. Excess insulin in the body can increase androgen production, which can complicate normal ovulation. Another thought is that inflammation in the body may stimulate the ovaries to produce more androgens. Other causes often cited are an excess of androgen in the body for unknown reasons or heredity. 

According to Self Magazine, there are three diagnostic symptoms. The first is irregular periods, characterized by infrequent periods and/or having irregularly heavy bleeding during periods. The second is excess androgen in the body, which can cause dark facial and body hair growth (known as hirsutism), acne, and sometimes male-pattern baldness. The third common symptom that characterizes PCOS is not visible to the eye – it can only be found with an ultrasound. Polycystic ovaries are ovaries that contain follicles that surround the eggs. This can cause the ovaries to function irregularly, such as failing to release eggs in a normal pattern. 

Other common symptoms of PCOS, according to WebMD, include skin darkening, trouble sleeping, headaches, infertility, and weight gain. 

Diagnosis and Treatment

According to Self Magazine, there are multiple ways doctors diagnose PCOS because there is different diagnostic criteria. The latest criteria, published in 2009 by the Androgen Excess and PCOS society, said “someone would need to exhibit hyperandrogensim plus either of the other possible signs to be diagnosed with PCOS.”

There is no current cure for PCOS, so the focus is normally on treatment. According to the U.S. Department of Health, a patient’s treatment plan varies based on her personal symptoms, whether she is currently trying to get pregnant, and whether she is at risk for any long-term health complications. The most common first treatments for PCOS include lifestyle changes to achieve a healthy weight and taking a birth control medication.

Why isn’t there more research?

Self Magazine recently released an article posing one simple question: “Why is PCOS still so hard for doctors to understand?” Quite simply, there has not been enough research to give doctors the answers they need. There are two reasons for this.

First, according to Leanne Redman, Ph.D., director of Reproductive Endocrinology and Women’s Health Research Program at Pennington Biomedical Research Center, there aren’t enough willing participants in studies. In order to participate in a study, Redman said patients have to stop taking their medications. And according to Dr. Andrea Dunaif, M.D., chair of endocrinology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, the dropout rates for prolonged studies are high. 

Secondly, there is not enough funding. According to a study published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, “PCOS research may be underfunded considering its prevalence, economic burden, metabolic morbidity, and negative impact on quality life.” Funding for PCOS is limited because it has been characterized by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as a reproductive disorder, which means it receives most of its funding from organizations that research reproductive health issues. However, PCOS is also a metabolic disorder, meaning it has greater impact on other areas of life than it is recognized for, and, therefore, it has the potential for more medical funding.

Takeaway

There is one major takeaway I would like to have from my story, and that is there needs to be more transparency and conversation associated with women’s health issues. Even while writing this, it crossed my mind that some people would balk about seeing something written bluntly about menstrual bleeding and cramping. Although, this seems odd to me because, according to DAME, a company that makes products for menstruation, women spend an equivalent of 10 years of their lives on their period. But, in my experience, the lack of open conversation about menstruation, even among women, leads to a lot of unknowns surrounding women’s health. For instance, it wasn’t until I started working in holistic health that I learned about foods I could eat to ease my symptoms. Many women I know are unaware of the amount of chemicals in tampons and pads, which most of us, including myself, continue to use because they are cheaper and more readily available than safer alternatives. And in my particular case, I have not even had the option to have a transparent conversation with my gynecologist about treatment options. 

Transparency and openness in women’s health can make sure that women live healthier lives. For me personally, transparency about my own experience helped me to learn about more treatment options, and it helped me to realize that I am not alone. As soon as I started talking about PCOS, I realized how prevalent it is. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), six to 12 percent of women in the United States who are of reproductive age have PCOS, making it one of the most common causes of female infertility. 

But more importantly than that, 100 percent of women experience menstruation and the struggles that come with it, which means this a conversation we need to be having. 

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Lifestyle, My Life

I called a meeting with my body…

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I called a meeting with my body.

“Everybody out,” I yelled.

My nails slipped off my fingertips as blood dripped to the ground. My hair cascaded down my back to the floor. My eyelashes drooped and then fell. My lips parted, and my teeth toppled out. And then followed all the parts of me hiding inside: My pounding heart and tired lungs, my inept stomach and intestines, my small liver and kidney, and a number of other forgotten, unidentified parts of me plummeted to the ground.

“We need to discuss something important,” I told them. “I am not pleased at how my body is running. We are not working together as a team. We are not doing the best we can. Every day we are failing to meet the standards that have been set.”

“Whose standards,” a tooth piped up.

“It doesn’t matter whose standards,” I spat back.

“Why isn’t the brain here,” the stomach asked. I paused for a moment, surprised. Until now, I had not realized that the brain had neglected to join us.

“Well, I guess because the brain is the one who convinced me to call the meeting,” I said. “The brain is the one who told me that something is wrong.”

“But the brain is part of the problem,” said the heart. “Every day we all work so hard. We labor day and night to make this body function. It’s difficult, but we strive to do our very best. But even after all of that, the brain looks down its nose at us and says that it isn’t good enough – that we are worthless, incompetent and insignificant. The brain tells us that we will never measure up to the other bodies, even though we work just as much, if not more, most days.”

I looked down at my body in shock. There they were lined up, my capable teeth, my delicate but beautiful hair, my strong heart and my powerful lungs; there they all were, hard-working members of my body that had faced so many challenges without ever balking or giving up.

But I could see they were tired. The brain had been working them nonstop. It never let them rest. It always pushed them a little further; it always made them face challenges that were far beyond what most bodies were capable of. And even when the body succeeded, the brain told them that they had not done enough, been enough, were enough. It made the body feel worthless and incapable. It made the body feel as though it could never measure up, even though it was still working, still facing innumerable challenges and beating the odds every day.

The body was not the problem. The problem was me.

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Evolve, Health

5 supplements your body needs

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Supplements have been growing more popular in the health and fitness industry. The trouble is, there are so many out there, it can be difficult to know which ones are right for you.

It’s always best to get the majority of your nutrients from real food, but sometimes food alone can’t provide enough of these essential vitamins and minerals. This is where supplements come in. Supplements can help provide nutrients that you may be lacking in your diet, either because you are choosing not to eat the food source, or because you aren’t able to eat enough of it.

Keep reading to learn more about the supplements that can benefit the average person’s health. Remember, always consult your doctor before adding any supplements to your diet.

Fish Oil

The American diet is heavy in saturated fats. While these fats aren’t necessarily unhealthy, the human body performs better when there is a balance of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats in the diet. 

Fish oil supplements provide your needed daily value of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, so your body can work at its best. Additionally, fish oil supplements have been shown to support eye, heart and skin health, and they can help reduce inflammation in the body.

For best absorption, take your fish oil supplement with dinner or before bed.

Greens

It’s always best to consume your vegetables from whole food sources. However, there are occasions, either because of holidays, travel, or just unexpected changes in our dinner plans, when we don’t get in all of our servings of vegetables for the day.

Greens supplements are for these occasional days when you don’t get in enough veggies, so you can stay on track with your nutrition goals and your body can still work at its best. 

Protein

Protein supplements are a lot like greens supplements – they are for those days when you don’t get enough of the macronutrient from food sources. On those days when your diet is off, either because of holidays or because you just haven’t made it to the grocery store for the week yet, or if you are an athlete who struggles to get enough protein into your diet, protein supplements are a great solution. Protein powder is an easy way to drink the nutrients you need so you can stay on track with your nutrition goals and keep your body performing at its best.

Multivitamn

It’s nearly impossible to have a perfect diet – to get in all the daily values of micronutrients we need would take way too much time and focus. Taking a daily multivitamin helps protect you from a multitude of nutrient deficiencies that are more commonly found in people who choose not to take this daily supplement.

Vitamin D

We all know spending time in the sun is important for our health. But with office jobs, stay-at-home orders, and sunscreen, it can be difficult to get enough sunshine in our lives. Vitamin D supplements can help. These supplements help strengthen our immune system and promote healthy bones and teeth, especially for children and older adults.

Not all supplements are created equal. Because of different laws and regulations, or lack thereof, in different countries, some companies are selling supplements that are not as high of quality and/or do not deliver the benefits they promise. For this reason, I recommend always doing your research about the company you purchase from, or, let me do the work for you. I work with Nature’s Sunshine, a reputable company that has been making quality supplements for over 50 years. If you are interested in purchasing a supplement, use this link to get 25% off your order!

Supplementation is a holistic way to take charge of your health. These five supplements listed above are ones the average person can benefit from using. However, if you are interested in learning more about your specific health and supplement needs, consider scheduling an appointment for a ZYTO scan.

ZYTO scans help us to look at an overall picture of your health. Based on that information, I am able to recommend supplements that will best help bring your body back into balance. It’s a more personalized and in-depth approach to holistic health that can help you feel and perform at your best.

If you are interested in scheduling a ZYTO scan, you can learn more & sign up for a FREE consultation here.

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Evolve, Health

5 common myths in the fitness and nutrition industry

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Health is wealth.

Unfortunately, that sentiment has created an industry focused far more on profit than individuals’ actual health, and that has caused many false claims about nutrition and physical fitness to be spread without control. Extreme views in the fitness and nutrition world have been celebrated because these lifestyles receive the most attention on social media, therefore they earn the most profit. However, this has caused balanced lifestyle choices to become less attractive as extreme workouts and eliminative diets grow most popular.

Balance, however, is very important in all areas of life, including physical fitness and nutrition. Extreme diets and workouts cannot only cause more damage than they do good; they can actually cause more stress and can have less success because people have trouble sticking to their unrealistic goals.

So, here are five common myths that have been spread in the fitness and nutrition industry, and healthier ways to actually approach creating a healthy, balanced lifestyle.

Myth #1: Carbs are not good for you

Despite the focus of the most recent fad diets, carbs are not actually bad for you.

There are a couple of reasons why carbohydrates are thought to be the main cause of weight gain. First, many carbs are calorically dense, so eating a lot of carbs can mean eating an excess of calories. Second, some carbs are high in refined sugar, which is known to cause inflammation and weight gain. Third, some people are very successful on a low-carb diet. People with a naturally large body type tend to function best when they eat more fats and less carbs. The thing is, not everyone who is overweight has a naturally large body shape – most people who are overweight just have an excess of fat. People who have a naturally large body shape (the endomorphic body type) are actually healthy at a larger size – think of football players or higher weight class wrestlers. The average body shape (a mesomorphic body type) actually functions best when they eat a balance of carbs and fats. 

An excess of any macronutrient, whether it be carbs, fats or protein, can cause weight gain, not just carbohydrates. And there are plenty of healthy carbs that can be part of a balanced diet, such as whole-grain bread, fruit, and starchy vegetables like potatoes. 

If you are trying to lose weight, minimizing your carb intake can be helpful, but drastic decreases in intake or complete elimination of carbs are not necessary for success. In fact, trying to stick to such a strict diet can harbor success, and eliminating necessary nutrients can make it harder to lose weight. So, instead of eliminating or drastically reducing your carb intake, aim for a balance between your carb, fat and protein intake and make sure you are eating healthier carb sources. Try to eat more carbs from whole food sources, such as fruit and starchy vegetables, and fewer carbs from packages. You may find that it’s not that carbs make you gain weight, but that you are eating too many of them or that you are eating carbs from unhealthier sources. 

Myth #2: Doing a lot of high-intensity cardio exercise is the best way to lose weight

Cardio exercise is defined as any exercises that raises your heart and respiratory rate. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a healthy amount of exercise includes doing 30 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio, such as strength training, hiking or playing sports, for five days per week; or doing 25 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity, such as running, bicycling or HIIT training, three days per week.

Many people seem to think that they have to elevate their heart rate to high levels during every workout in order to lose weight. However, having a balance of moderate cardio exercise and high-intensity cardio exercise during your week is the best way to achieve healthy weight loss. Strength training (a moderate cardio exercise) increases muscle mass, which in turn increases metabolic rate, which means you burn more calories throughout your day. In contrast to this, high-intensity calorie exercises burn lots of calories while doing the workout, but they don’t keep up that caloric burn throughout your day. 

For the best results, try to include both high-intensity and moderate-intensity cardio exercise in your fitness program. If you are trying to lose weight, aim to include a total of at least five hours of physical activity in your week. This can include both cardio workouts and lower-intensity exercises, such as walking and yoga. 

Myth #3: Eating 1,200 calories per day is a healthy way to lose weight

There are a lot of diets that promote restricting calories rather than just restricting one macronutrient to achieve weight loss goals.

Calories are a form of energy. How many calories a food has directly translates to how much energy it gives the body. The amount of calories a food has is determined by how much the body will increase in temperature when eating that food. According to US Department of Agriculture, “one Calorie is the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one kilogram of water one degree Celsius.”

This is all very scientific, so unless you are pursuing a career in nutrition or biomedical science, it’s unlikely you need to understand how this works. What you do need to know is the higher in calories the food is, the more energy it is supposed to give the body. The reason this sometimes doesn’t work, though, is because heavily processed foods tend to be high in calories but low in nutritional value. This means that they will give your body lots of energy, but only for a short burst of time, which will cause you to become hungry again far sooner than you would have from eating a more nutritionally dense food. This can cause people to overeat. When people eat an excess of calories, meaning they eat more calories than they burn throughout their day, their energy balance is thrown off, therefore they gain weight.

This is the thinking behind low-calorie diets. By decreasing the amount of calories you eat in a day, you will create a negative energy balance, which means you will burn more calories than you eat. When this happens, you lose weight.

However, this doesn’t always work. When calorie intake gets too low, the body can go into “starvation mode.” When this happens, the metabolism, which helps you burn calories throughout your day, slows down in an effort to keep your body safe. When your metabolism slows, so does your weight loss. Eating a strict, low-calorie diet for a longer amount of time can also put the body at risk for a number of health conditions, such as hair loss, infertility, constipation, and hypoglycemia. 

The reason the number of 1200 calories has grown in popularity is because this has been said to the be the minimum amount of calories your body needs to survive. This is true, but that does not mean it’s a good calorie amount to aim for. This is the amount of calories the body burns without doing anything else, which means if you do anything beyond lying in bed all day, you are going to burn more calories than this. In order to achieve a healthy, sustainable weight loss, it’s important that you eat fewer calories than you are burning, but not excessively fewer calories. 

Rather than trying to figure out exactly how many calories your body needs to function, I recommend focusing on your macronutrient intake and exercise volume. When you sit down to eat, make sure your plate includes healthy fats, protein, vegetables, and nutritionally-dense carbs. This way, you will make sure that you are not only eating enough calories, but you are getting your calories from vitamin- and mineral-rich sources that will provide your body with the nutrients it needs to perform at its best. And rather than trying to restrict the amount you are eating, focus more on increasing the amount of activity in your day. This way, you will still be consuming all of the nutrients your body needs, but you will still be achieving a negative energy balance because you are burning more calories through your day. By focusing on your macronutrient intake and increasing your exercise volume, you will be able to achieve and sustainable, healthy weight loss and more attainable nutrition and fitness goals.

Myth #4: Cheat meals and days are a necessary part of a fitness program

Cheat meals are an interesting topic because for some people they are a great way to help them achieve their goals, and for others, they discourage goal attainment.

The thought behind cheat days and meals is that, if you spend one meal or day eating an excess of calories, it will jump-start your metabolism. This can work, but most people who have success with cheat days and meals are benefitting from the mental rather than the physical aspect. Regularly scheduling meals or days that they can eat freely helps people to stick to their daily nutrition goals because they know they will be able to eat more of what they want soon. 

However, for some people, cheat meals and days work the opposite way. Because people  have been restricting themselves so severely, when they are finally allowed the chance to eat something they want, they eat in excess. When this happens regularly, it can actually derail progress that happened during the rest of the week. 

The one thing I don’t like about cheat meals and days is that they imply that eating less nutrient-dense foods is “cheating.” No one likes being a “cheater.” It’s a strict diet mindset that, I think, does more harm mentally than it does any good, mentally or physically.

The best advice I can give is to try to achieve a balance in your nutritional lifestyle regularly. When you see a food you want to eat that is less nutrient dense, enjoy the food, but then try to eat healthier throughout the day to achieve a balance in your eating. Find joy in giving your body foods that make it feel good, and then, on special occasions or when you are craving them, enjoy foods that delight your senses. When you focus more on what your body needs rather than restricting yourself from foods, you will find that your body often craves the foods that will best support it. Rather than incorporating cheat days and meals into a strict diet, focus on building a lifestyle that includes occasional treats and indulgences. 

Myth #5: You have to push through pain in your workouts to achieve results

My fitness feed is often filled with quotes like “No pain, no gain,” written in dark letters against backgrounds of heavy weights. I see posts encouraging people to work harder by saying, “Pain is temporary, pride is forever,” and “Let’s see how far I can go.”“When my body shouts, ‘stop,’ my mind screams, ‘never,’” is another popular quote that I actually find alarming. 

Let me explain the problem behind these quotes. They do have the power to motivate someone, but I think they often push people a little too far. When I first began my fitness journey, it was these quotes that ran through my head as I pushed myself to run just one extra mile, lift just one extra rep, or wake up just a little bit earlier to workout. And these can all be great things to do if you’re listening to your body and know the signs of when to push through a workout and when to give your body rest. For me, with little fitness experience at the time, it was these quotes that pushed me to fracture my leg during a run because of the stress I had put on it. 

Unless you are an elite athlete pushing through intense competitions, pain should not be a regular feature of your workouts. You don’t need pain to grow your muscles; what is needed is discomfort. 

What is the difference between pain and discomfort? Pain leads to injuries, while discomfort leads to growth. When you are just starting out with an exercise program, it can be difficult to tell the difference, but as you continue working out, it will become clear when your body is growing and when it is telling you to stop. 

However, there are a couple of ways to determine whether you are experiencing pain or discomfort. Discomfort is eased as soon as you release the pressure you are holding on your body, either by dropping a weight or releasing a stretch. Discomfort can feel irritating, but it isn’t intense. It builds slowly during an exercise, and it goes away, or at least decreases dramatically, when you stop. Pain, on the other hand, is sharp and intense. It comes quickly and lingers even after you stop the exercise. Pain can affect your form, and it gets increasingly worse if you try to push through the workout. 

If you are feeling discomfort, it is okay to continue to push through the exercise for a short while – this can lead to muscle growth and increased exercise adaptation. However, if you feel pain, stop the exercise. Giving your body the rest and recovery it needs can make the difference between a day off from the gym, or weeks to months recovering from an injury. 

There is a lot of confusing, conflicting information in the fitness and nutrition world about how to approach a healthy lifestyle. The best advice I can give is to listen to your own body. It knows what it needs. 

If you need some help navigating the plethora of information about health and wellness, or if you need some guidance in your fitness journey, contact me. Evolve is focused on achieving a healthy, balanced lifestyle through holistic wellness, mindful eating, and activity that fits your way of life. 

If you are interested in personal training, nutrition coaching, life coaching, or ZYTO scans, fill out the form below.

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Travel

How to travel during COVID-19

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Joseph and me during our road trip to Colorado

Note: This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase a product after clicking the associated link, I will earn a small commission off of that purchase.

It seems like the novel coronavirus is not going anywhere soon, so we have all been tasked with finding ways to navigate this “new normal.” For travel enthusiasts, like me, that can be a difficult task considering the amount of risk and restriction associated with travel. Airports are practically a breeding ground for the virus, and every country and state has different mandates about how and when people are allowed to visit. 

It is recommended to stay at home as much as possible unless travel is essential, but sometimes, we all need to step outside of our homes for our own mental health. If that’s you, consider using these tips to keep your travels as safe as possible.

1. Do your research

Research your own state’s laws and the laws of the state or country you are planning to travel to. Know what the restrictions are and what is required of you, such as having an extended quarantine when you arrive at your destination or after you return home. If you can limit your travel to within your own state, that’s even safer, and it can be more realistic if you can’t take the time off to quarantine from your job.

2. Wear a mask

Joseph and me on a main street in Leesburg, Virginia, where we were visiting Joseph’s sister, Jo, and her husband, Dan

Whether your state or the place you are visiting requires it, wear a mask. The most recent research shows that this protects not only the people around you, but yourself as well. Make sure the mask you are wearing is approved by the CDC, and please wear it over your mouth and nose. Both your mouth and nose lead to your respiratory system, so there is absolutely no point in leaving your nose exposed.

3. Go somewhere within driving distance

Joseph and me at Rocky Gap State Park during our road trip through Western Maryland

If you can, avoid international travel or travel to faraway states that requires a plane ride. Airports pose a much larger risk of contracting and spreading the virus than your own vehicle. If you can stay within your own state, even better. But if you want to travel out-of-state, consider the idea of road tripping there. The great part of this is driving to your destination enables you to see more of the scenery and to stop at other places along the way that seem fun or interesting. Make a road trip playlist (or use mine below) to listen to some entertaining tunes along the way. 

4. Keep your hands as clean as possible

Wash your hands frequently, and keep a bottle of hand sanitizer in your car for times when you can’t. Keeping your hands clean dramatically reduces your chance to contracting and spreading the virus. And remember, even when you think your hands are clean, do NOT touch your face!

5. Stay away from other people as much as possible

Me hiking in Aspen, Colorado during Joseph’s and my road trip to Colorado

If you are traveling simply to get out of the house, consider alternatives to hotel stays and popular tourist attractions. Hiking, fishing, and other outdoor activities are great alternatives to walking busy streets. Consider packing your own food or getting takeout rather than dining at a restaurant. And while the weather is still warm, camping can be a more affordable and safer alternative to hotel stays. 

6. Make it worth the trip

Joseph at Dan’s Rock Scenic Overlook during our Western Maryland road trip

Traveling to other places is fun, but it only seems worth it when you really get to experience those places. The good news is that the tourist attractions are often not the best way to achieve this – the best way to experience a place is to go where the locals go. So, again, do your research. Make a list of the places you want to visit and things you want to do that are low-risk, such as visiting national parks, scenic points, local eateries that are offering carry-out, and main streets in small towns.

7. Get tested for COVID-19 when you come home

Whether your state recommends it or not, a safe step you can take at the end of your trip is getting tested for COVID-19 as soon as you return and quarantining until you get the results. Waiting to interact with other people until you know you’re safe can help prevent the spreading of the virus to dozens of people. It’s always better to be safe than sorry, so if you are willing to take the risk of traveling, consider making sure that you are the only one who experiences any potential consequences of that choice. 

Traveling can be a great way to take care of your mental health and get active in your daily life, but during times like this, it should always be done with caution and forethought. Don’t stop living life, but make sure when you do embark on any adventures, you are doing so safely for yourself and others. 

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Evolve, Health

What is a ZYTO scan?

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Holistic wellness and medicine is gaining prominence in the medical and health community, and supplements are one of the main products at its core. However, with little regulation on these products, especially in the United States, and with so many supplements to choose from, it can be difficult to know what you need and what is actually going to work.

This is where ZYTO scans come into the equation.

ZYTO is an international company focused on producing software designed to give insight and guidance for health and wellness decisions. Founded in 2004 by Dr. Vaughn Cook, ZYTO is one of the leaders of biocommunicaton technology in the world.

My story

I have to admit, I was greatly skeptical of the ZYTO software the first time I came in contact with it. I had been struggling with chronic health issues for eight years, and it had gotten to the point that my digressing health consumed much of my energy and time. After multiple doctors had failed to successfully treat my diagnoses, or even realize what was wrong, I tried the ZYTO scan as a last ditch effort to improve my health.

After spending much of my life being poked and prodded with needles and more invasive procedures, the idea of having my health problems understood simply by placing my hand on a cradle seemed much too simplistic. When the scan was finished, I was given a long list of supplements recommended to bring my body to a more balanced state. Because neither the scan nor the supplements were covered by insurance, I disappointedly handed over hundreds of dollars that day with little hope that anything in my life would change.

However, after years of struggling to find help and a cure for my illness, it was only a mere two weeks after taking the supplements that I began to feel a difference. My irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and leaky gut symptoms improved, my headaches and body pain began to fade, and the heaviness I had felt for years started to lift away. I had more energy, a larger appetite, and a new zest for life. My mood improved, as did my capacity to mentally handle tasks that before had been challenging. As time went on, I began to be able to eat foods that before had been restricted from my diet, and I began to chase dreams that I had never thought  possible, such as running across the country last summer.

How does a ZYTO scan work?

So, how does the ZYTO scan work? First, it’s important to recognize that the ZYTO scan is not a diagnostic tool. It is not meant to replace doctors or western medicine, but it is meant to serve alongside these other health modalities to create a holistic wellness program. The hope is that the supplements recommended will help support someone who is pursuing a healthy lifestyle.

To recommend supplements, the scan uses a galvanic skin response, which measures fluctuations in electrical conductivity of the skin. You may be familiar with this technology as it is used in lie detector, or polygraph, tests. Galvanic skin responses have also been used to do psychological research, psychotherapy, media and ad testing, usability testing, and neuroscience. By using a galvanic skin response, the ZYTO technology is able to tell if your body has a positive or negative response to different substances, including different foods, supplements, and health services, such as massage or chiropractic care. The ZYTO software analyzes the responses given to determine which of these foods, supplements and health modalities can help bring the body into a balanced, healthy state.

Is the ZYTO scan for me?

The best thing about a ZYTO scan is it can help anyone, no matter where they are in their health journey. Whether you are currently being treated for a medical diagnosis, working on losing weight or building muscle through personal training and/or nutrition coaching, or just trying to live a healthier lifestyle, the ZYTO scan is a tool that will only benefit your health journey. It serves alongside your current medical and health treatments to better help you achieve your goals and have a healthy lifestyle.

Getting a ZYTO scan

If you are interested in getting a ZYTO scan, or just learning more about the technology and what getting a scan looks like, consider using Evolve. I offer ZYTO scans at a competitive, affordable price because I strongly believe everyone should have access to becoming their healthiest self. I work with Nature’s Sunshine, a reputable supplement company that has been offering affordable, high-quality supplements for 50 years. Most importantly, though, I want to work with you. Getting a scan with Evolve means that your health goals and personal lifestyle will always be taken into account, and the supplements I recommend will always be secondary to suggesting dietary and lifestyle changes that will help you achieve the life you want without having to buy anything. My goal is always to help you become the healthiest, happiest version of yourself through the most natural means possible.

To learn more & schedule a FREE 15-minute consultation, click here.

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Client Testimonials, Evolve, Health

Caitlin’s Story

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“Without Tyler Didra, I certainly would not be where I am today. Today, I am in charge of my own health, nutrition, and fitness goals. I first sought out Tyler after seeing advertisements for her on campus at Stevenson University. I was on the verge of an eating disorder and a heartbreaking tear from my family who at the time did not know how to properly encourage my weight loss goals. Having a myriad of health problems and physical immobility challenges, Tyler tailored each aspect of her services directly to me. Half-way throughout personal training season, I had ankle surgery and Tyler jumped at the chance to customize my exercise program to chair positions, sitting kick-boxing, and non-weight bearing drills.

“My biggest challenge before experiencing Tyler’s phenomenal training was fear of the gym and a general lack of education regarding both nutrition and physical fitness. I would have never stepped into a gym before Tyler encouraged me it wasn’t such a scary place after all. My body is completely different than it was three years ago; healthy, muscular, confident, and flexible. We started our journey together understanding food groups, different types of workouts, and how to live confidently. Over time she helped me graduate to yoga and today I am strong enough to challenge myself bi-weekly to Barre classes. She took an ankle that was unbearable to walk on and helped me strengthen it to this day where I can walk, run, and even do the most complex ankle yoga-poses.

“Tyler is a joy to her clients and each member of her Stevenson University fitness classes. From Yoga, to Pilates, and Women on Weights, she inspires young men and women to branch out and try something new to further challenge their minds and bodies. I give her my highest praise and openly endorse each and every one of her services from ZYTO scans, personal training, nutrition coaching, and group fitness classes. Because of her, I live an active and healthy lifestyle led by my own personal choices and goals.”

-Caitlin’s Testimonial, Winter 2019

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