(From my latest newsletter:) Here's what's new in recent research we care about as midlife women... 1 - Care for your heart ❤️ -> lift heavy things! 💪 A fresh new study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (REF 1) confirms that women who lift weights at least two hours a week lowered their risk of cardiovascular disease significantly (20%!) and their risk of a heart attack (44%!) compared to women who do zero resistance training. Plus, every additional hour is linked to an extra 5% drop in heart disease risk and a 14% drop in heart attack risk! Plus... When those same women also clock 150 minutes of weekly aerobic exercise (and reduced time being sedentary in front of the TV), their risk of heart attack and stroke drops to the lowest of any group studied. Amazing! One caveat to note: The study noted that benefits were maximized when participants also limited their sedentary behaviours, such as watching less than 2 hours of TV per day. To put these findings in practical terms, this could be 5 x 30m of aerobic activity and 3 x 40m weight lifting sessions per week. Reasonable, yes? (If no, go slow - Rome wasn't built in a day.) Soooo, yes, it's boring but straight-forward: move more, sit less, don't marry your sofa. [Here's WHY this is important: According to the World Heart Federation, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for women globally, accounting for about 30% of all deaths. Perimenopausal women in particular are 2x as likely to have a low cardiovascular health score compared to women who are still cycling regularly, mostly thanks to rising cholesterol and blood sugar. The Journal of the American Heart Association went so far as to call perimenopause a "window of opportunity" to get on top of metabolic issues and prevent future cardiovascular disease. (REF 2) In other words, this isn't the beginning of the end—it's your critical upgrade window.]

Such a popular health food and a great source of protein and omega-3…but consumer beware! https://youtu.be/opUpjikN8GU Concerns: nasty oil, too much salt, BPA, not actually sardines(!) Brands to buy: - King Oscar (Norwegian) - Clover leaf (Canadian) - Rain Coast (USA) - Brands to avoid: - Ocean prince - Brunswick (oh no, I used to buy these!) - bumblebee - chicken of the sea

As the weather heats up, I wanted to point you to some better, less toxic sunscreen options and sunscreen tips - important for the wee ones especially! First, a couple of QUICK hot tips 🔥 on sunscreen use: 1. https://www.instagram.com/p/DY6AoQNPS07/ UV is most damaging beginning and end of day, not just mid-day! 2. https://www.instagram.com/p/DY7bdrhvyaL/ SPF value tops out around 70 Second, on TOXIC sunscreens: Here's a little expose podcast from Dr Tyna Moore that really blew my mind! (Or watch on YouTube.) In a nutshell: - Most "clean mineral sunscreens" aren't! They have nasty chemical sunblocks that are questionable (esp for sensitive children!)...even those recommended by dermatologists. - To block UVA and UVB, a sunscreen needs to be at LEAST 18%! - She calls out leading brands that aren't doing your skin justice! - Here are her recommendations (+ a couple others) - 00:54:55: 1. Sky and Sol - Affordable! Shortest ingredients list (but smells like sunscreen = a bit sus). Available in USA + Canada. (Use that link for a discount or use code MARYP for 10% off.) 2. Tanit - Canadian. A bit pricier, but they run great sales. 3. Vanicream - Best price point, no fragrance. USA only. 4. Kelly Slater’s Freaks of Nature. Pricey. USA + Canada. 5. Dr Few - Pricey but maybe best. USA only? 6. Clear Stem’s You Are Sunshine - Especially good for those with acne prone skin 7. RMS beauty. USA only. Note that all non-toxic sunscreens are gonna leave a bit of a white "zombie" film for the first few mins, but I promise it goes away!

In case you missed it, here's a common client story from my latest newsletter - one you may relate to if you've ever felt exhausted and desperate, but dismissed by your doctor. ❤️ ====================== Sarah’s story is a powerful example of what happens when we stop settling for “you’re fine” and start looking towards optimal health instead. Sarah is 49, a high-powered executive at a financial firm with an insanely full life: A demanding career, husband, two kids and a dream of getting back to running races for fun like she used to. She had been dragging her butt through every day for years with severe fatigue, brain fog, mood swings and an extra 40 pounds that seemed to come out of nowhere. These symptoms were starting to threaten everything she cared about: her work, her family life, and the active lifestyle she missed dearly. Her GP kept telling her that her blood work was “normal.” Every visit, she left feeling brushed off and discouraged. Deep down, she knew something was wrong. When Sarah and I began working together, I reviewed her labs through a functional medicine lens: Instead of asking “Is this in the normal range?”, I asked, “Is this truly optimal for a woman in midlife who wants energy, stable mood, a healthy metabolism and weight loss?” The answer is almost always no when I review labs… That difference means everything. Through midlife and beyond, it becomes especially important that markers like thyroid hormones, blood sugar, insulin, vitamin D and key nutrients fall into narrower, ideal ranges - not just anywhere inside the conventional “normal” range. These finer distinctions really matter when we care about energy, weight, sleep, longevity and disease prevention…when we want to feel GREAT in our bodies! Through that lens, it became clear that Sarah was functionally hypothyroid and had been for YEARS! This means her thyroid function was too low for her body to thrive (ie. make enough energy, lose weight, sleep well, feel good), even though it didn’t trip the alarms on standard tests.

https://youtu.be/wF8cR7jlAl8 I love this. :)