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Becoming a Runner for the Long Haul

Becoming a Runner for the Long Haul

Many people think that all you have to do to be a runner is run, and that is true, but there is more involved if you want to do it consistently, for a long time, and realize the many benefits that running can offer.

I first started running in college when my metabolism suddenly wasn’t burning the many late-night calories I was burning. As I ran around our beautiful campus, I realized that running brought me a sense of peace. It offered me quiet time to think and be creative. As I continued to run throughout my life it became my therapy, my safe place, and I know it saved me both mentally and physically. I became a running coach during my teaching career, and I loved watching how running helped the teenagers both as an activity and the community it involved.

I have always loved racing. I enjoy the competition both with myself and others. A race gives you a chance to see your improvements through your times, and other runners can push you to do better. Racing is also a social event. I always leave with new connections. When I am at the races I have a chance to hear people’s stories and so many tell me that the road to being a runner has not been easy, so for those of you who have always wanted to run but are not sure how to start, I’d love to share what I have learned during my relationship with running.

My first piece of advice is to ask yourself what you are hoping to gain from a running routine. It always helps your motivation if you know what your why is. Here are a few reasons for running I have heard, and of course yours might be completely different.

To lose weight                           to be more confident                        to learn about my body

To prove I am stronger than my challenges                   To push my limits

To meet new people                to be healthier                   to spend time with family

To set some goals                    to relieve stress                  to have quiet time

To release some emotions

Add your why to the list If you don’t see it, and on those days when you want to stay home remember why you shouldn’t.

Next, I would tell you to prepare both mentally and physically. Check with your doctor to make sure you are fit enough, go to your local running store and have them test you for what type of shoe is best for you, and find some comfortable clothes to run in. Prepare yourself mentally by practicing positive self-talk. Have a growth mentality and be ready to improve gradually. You will have good days and bad days, just do your best.

Running is personal and there are many times when you can do it your way. You can break some rules, but there are a few universal ones that you should stick to at least at first.

Don’t do too much too fast. Adding 10% of distance at a time is a standard benchmark.

Don’t start too fast. Learn to find a pace that allows you to cover a distance.

Stay hydrated.

When you start doing longer runs, eat something every hour.

Use electrolytes. I can tell a few ugly stories that will prove how important this is.

When you first start running, relax your shoulders, focus on your breathing, and hold your hands loosely by your side.

I hope this will be enough to help get you started as a runner.

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How My Ultramarathon Failure Made Me Better

Quite a few extraordinary things happened at my last ultra and none of them were what I expected. I had a goal of doing my first hundred miles which I knew was a stretch since I had done another ultra two weeks before and I managed to strain my knee while doing it, but I always believe anything is possible and you will never know unless you try, so we showed up at a 48 hour ultra excited because we knew how many ultra friends would be with us.

Our first challenge was the dust. It was a windy day, and we were breathing in dust until towards the end of the day both my husband and I were complaining about irritated throats. We were not sure if it was from the dust or if we had caught the most recent malady from our grandson. Luckily, I bring something for every possibility, so I had plenty of cough drops to soothe our throats.

I thought my biggest challenge would be my knee, but it held up pretty well and I realized quickly that I was not the only one nursing a knee injury.

As always at an ultra-there was inspiration everywhere. Almost every ultramarathoner uses the sport to heal and we all have a story. If you want to meet the coolest people you should come to an ultra.

One of the things I like to do at an ultra is reflect on ways I can improve my performance. I ask questions of other runners, and I listen to what they say works for them. Ultras will always be a learning experience for me.

I have been frustrated that many of my friends complete the 100-mile distance and make it look easy, but it also took me many years to make it to 50 miles and now it always seems doable, so I know I need to be stronger mentally.

During the ultra, I started to make a plan to make my training better and smarter. I started to examine the areas I need to strengthen and start there. I will work on strengthening the muscles around my knees to provide support so I can eventually run again. I will do alternative cardio like stair stepping, biking, swimming, rowing, and the elliptical. I will be better at strength training and building my core muscles.

I also learned I have to stop attacking an ultra. I always want to crank out the miles as quickly as possible, but if you watch the veteran ultrarunners, they take frequent breaks. They run/walk an ultra-smarter not harder.

The importance of rest and recovery is something I preach but did not practice this time. I was so disappointed in my performance that I jumped into a new training program immediately without giving my body a chance to recover. The result left me exhausted and frustrated. Any distance running should be followed by recovery, but some lessons are learned the hard way.

I also learned I am only willing to push my body so far so conversations with friends like, “I thought for a minute I had broken my foot again.” Leave me thinking, “And you kept going?” I may not be as tough as I would like to be, but as long as I am enjoying myself out there, I will keep showing up.

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My Pivot Program to Continue Distance Running Past 60

I have running conversations all the time with women who used to love to run, but then something happened. Someone fell ill, or became injured, and running suddenly seemed out of reach. I see many people who think age has to limit them. They give up attempting to continue what used to be a passion. What I hate the most is the sadness on their faces when they talk about the loss. I hear them say, “I used to love to run.” I do my best to tell them that they probably can still do the sport they love as long as they can pivot and adjust their training to fit the changes in their bodies.

I have been running since I was twenty, I was a cross-country coach for years, and I have written a book on the healing power of running. It has been a constant positive in my life, but as I became older, I discovered just running was not enough, or rather it was too much. I didn’t do much cross training, and I was running around 40 miles every week and doing distance races. The injuries started when I was 55 and I strained my knee. I had to go to physical training which taught me about the importance of stretching, cross training, and balance. My orthopedist thought all runners were crazy and tried to convince me I should stop running completely. At my last visit, he said, “Jen, your days of distance running are over.” Three weeks later a friend talked me into doing an ultramarathon which is anything over 26.2 miles. It became my favorite distance.

During the past year, my knees have been cranky and I have had to run less. I thought I might have to give up running when I heard a runner talking about his experience. He said he discovered he had to learn how to pivot as he aged. What he meant was he couldn’t train like he used to because his body wouldn’t allow it, but he could adjust his training to something that was sustainable for him.

This is the idea behind my pivot program. Don’t give up on your passion when you can pivot and approach it a different way. Here is how I pivot. I hope you can adapt the ideas to fit your training.

Strength training and flexibility exercises have to be part of your training. Do you have an injury or a weak part of your body? Do strength exercises to make the muscles around the injury stronger. My knees and my left IT band are my problem areas so for my knees I do deep lunges, squats, leg extensions, wall sits and bike as well as doing the stair machine or step ups on some stairs. I do a lot of stretching for my IT band and I use a foam roller and the stick to roll the muscle out. I also found a sleeve for the quadricep that keeps the muscle warm.

Do exercises that use both parts of your body like biking.

Don’t just run. Do some of the other cardio machines at the gym, or go out and hike, or climb stairs at home.

If you are a distance runner like me you know the importance of the long run. I can’t run straight for 16-20 miles anymore, but I can achieve the same benefit if I do back to back long runs like an 8 miler and a ten miler.

Cut back on the intensity of your training. Workouts should be easier than when you were 20.

Rest and recovery are vital. Take a rest day where you actually rest.

Give yourself some grace and have fun. Adopt the attitude that you are doing something that many people will never attempt in their lives. It’s okay if you are doing it at your own speed.

Nutrition and hydration are as important as they always have been.

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What Running Has Taught Me

What Running Has Taught Me

Running has been a life-changer and a lifesaver for me. I played three sports every year from fifth grade-twelfth and I ran for conditioning, but if you ever told me that I would run long distances for fun I would have thought you were crazy.

In college, my metabolism was not keeping up with my late-night snacking, so a few friends and I started running around campus after dinner. It was so much fun talking with friends, laughing as the miles went by and finding an easy way to fight stress and weight gain.

I decided I wanted to be a teacher and my first year was rough. On top of the stress of being a new teacher, I was also planning a wedding for the fall. My mental health was in turmoil, so I used an old remedy and started heading out for a run. When I ran, I had the blissful peace of being by myself. No one was calling my name over and over. There were no problems to solve. I could let my mind go blank or use the time to make plans.

Through the years, running has saved me mentally and physically, but it has also taught me many life lessons. Here are a few I would like to share with you.

What you think you could never do is possible. You just need the courage to do it. I have always enjoyed competing in races. I had done all the distances except for an ultra-marathon which is anything beyond the marathon distance of 26.2. A friend asked me if I would consider doing an ultra and I laughed and said that I thought running more than 26. 2 was crazy. I discovered I should never say never when another friend told me about an ultra her husband did. She said the atmosphere was very chill and I could stop whenever I wanted. I ran it and fell in love with the ultra-distance. I learned that to grow I needed to step outside my comfort zone.

Don’t compare yourself to others. This lesson took a while for me to learn because I always wanted to be as fast as someone else, or as fit as another person, but everyone has strengths and weaknesses. You will be happier with more success if you focus on your improvements instead of trying to run or train like someone else. I now repeat the power phrase, “Run your own race.” When I am in a race to remind myself that there are many ways to run, and I need to do the one that fits my style.

Recently, I was at a race, and I complained to a friend that I wished I was faster. She told me that most people will never run a race at all, so be happy that you have experienced what many people never will

Don’t judge a runner by the exterior. A lot of running depends on how much grit and heart someone has. Runners come in all shapes, sizes, and ages, and you never know which ones are going to crush the race. We go to a race every year where you complete as many one-mile loops as you can in 48 hours. Every year, one of the ladies reads a book while she walks. I heard two young men making fun of her, and I hope they checked the results after the race because she covered 102 miles! Everyone has different ways to arrive at the goal.

Running is therapy. If you doubt this, go to any race and talk to the people around you. Most runners have a story and most of them are inspiring. At a recent ultra we were in hour 10 and I asked a young man how he was doing. He replied, “I am so glad to be here.” I thought to myself, “Oh, he has a story.” Unfortunately, I couldn’t keep up with him to hear it.

Runners use running to prove they are stronger than a challenge they face, or as an outlet to beat the challenge. It is a positive way to fight the mental roadblocks.

Rest is maintenance not laziness. I used to think I needed to train every day until I realized that my days off made me stronger. Rest should be a part of every program, and our daily life.

You are stronger than you think. Running has taught me how resilient the body can be. My ultra coach told me, “Jen, when you hit a wall, don’t give up. Sit down and let your body recover. You will come back stronger.” It is amazing to see what you can do. Running allows you to keep pushing further.

Running teaches you about balance. Your best runs are when your mind and body are working together. If your mind believes you can achieve something, the body will follow. Running is a way for me to use my body to reset my mental health.

Runners are outstanding people. Creating community is one of the keys to living longer, and the running community is accepting and encouraging. Your social life will improve with running.

If you run, you are a real runner. I have heard that expression many times. What is a real runner? Everyone has a different concept of the answer to that question, so don’t worry about it. If you run, you are a runner.

Running helps you to know your body better. You learn so much about how your body works when you run. You will learn about how fast you can go, when you need to hydrate, what foods work best for you, and many other things.

Running has taught me not to only focus on one thing. I should diversify my approach to everything including running. For years, I only wanted to run. I ignored all the wisdom about stretching, strength training and cross training, I had limited time to work out, so I wanted to spend it running. That method worked great until my fifties when the injuries started happening. I now do all the other parts of a balanced exercise program instead of focusing on one thing.

Well, those are a few things I have learned while out running. What lessons has running taught you?

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Which Weight Loss Program is Sustainable for You?

When it comes to weight loss the first thing we need to realize is that one program is not the answer for everyone. What works for you might be a disaster for me, so how do you figure out what will be the healthiest, most successful way for you to lose weight? Here are a few things to consider.

What is your reason to lose weight? This is crucial because if you don’t have the right motivation your success is doomed. Remember your why by posting pictures or other forms of motivation where you will see them. Here are a few reasons you want to be at a healthy weight.

  • A healthy weight lowers your risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, and stroke.
  • Excess belly fat is linked to cardiovascular problems.
  • Extra weight can increase your risk of type 2 diabetes.
  • Losing weight will decrease stress on your joints
  • Healthy weight improves your sleep.
  • Everyday activities will feel easier.
  • You may have more self-confidence.
  • Physical activity boosts your mental health.

What weight loss program will fit into your lifestyle? You need to pick a program that allows you to find success. Pick something you know will work for you, not something that works for someone else.

Start small and build on success. Keep your goals reachable. If you try to do too much too soon you may become discouraged and give up.

Keep pivoting. You might not find what works for you right away, but that doesn’t mean you are doomed for failure, it only means you need to regroup and find another plan.

Give yourself grace. We all have days when the cream cheese frosted cupcake is the best option. Get back on the healthy train tomorrow. Healthy living doesn’t mean we can’t eat what we love, it only means we have to find some balance.

Keep the temptation out of the house. I have certain foods that I won’t buy because I cannot control myself. My guilty pleasures are frosted animal crackers and Doritos. Whatever you do, do not go find the frosted animal crackers. You will be lost after the first bite.  

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A Progressive Running Program

Adjusting your training where you are

I coached high school cross-country for years and have been an avid runner since my twenties. A good running program depends on where you are as a runner because in spite of the belief that running is just putting one foot in front of the other, much more is required to do well at a sport that is vital to so many. I would love to guide you through a few ideas that might help you depending on where you are on your running journey.

The first thing you should do is identify why you want to run. On rainy, cold mornings when you don’t want to leave your warm cocoon of blankets, or you are struggling with motivation, it helps to hold your why close, and your why does not have to be similar to anyone else’s reason. You can use running to eliminate stress, lose weight, prove how strong you are, work on mental and physical health, or do anything else that works for you.

If you are new to running, here are a few suggestions.

  • Start slowly. Don’t expect to get in shape in a day. You will end up sore and discouraged if you do too much too soon. During the first week, run a minute, walk a minute and keep doing that for 15 minutes. Increase it each day by 5 minutes. During the second week, run for two minutes, walk for one. A good rule is to not increase your weekly mileage any more than 10%.
  • When you start to run, focus on relaxing and dropping your shoulders. Many new runners scrunch their shoulders resulting in shoulder cramps.
  • Practice breathing in and out. New runners tend to hold their breath, so focus on your breathing.
  • Hold your hands as if you are carrying an egg. Don’t tighten your fist.
  • Keep your head up looking 10 feet ahead.
  • Keep your knees slightly bent and relaxed.

If you are struggling with motivation, tell yourself you will start and workout for ten minutes and if you still don’t want to do it you can stop, but I have a feeling you will keep going.

Use a few tricks to help yourself become stronger. Instead of thinking you have to run for a mile, run to a certain spot without stopping and keep increasing the distance.

Keep a growth mentality and know that you will see progress if you keep working on becoming stronger. Be consistent with your workouts but also take at least one rest day to recover. Make some goals like doing a 5k race in two months.

As you become a stronger runner find some new ways to challenge yourself. Run some hills, do some sprints, join a running club so that you also have a new community to support your goals.

Learn how to protect your body with strength training and cross training. Doing a variety of different exercises will strengthen your body and help prevent injury.

Understand the power that your mind plays in your performance. Practice positive self-talk when your run feels hard.

There is basic equipment that will support your running adventure. Find a foam roller to roll out sore muscles. A good pair of shoes is helpful. A gentil massager is also good for your muscles.

If you start to race there are a few tricks you can use.

  • When the course turns, cut the corner tight to shave seconds off your time.
  • Don’t start off too fast. Work on a comfortable pace.
  • Find someone to be your rabbit. Don’t let that person out of your sight and do your best to pass that person. Keep picking new people.

When you are injured, don’t keep going. Have the attitude that you need to run another day, so rest and recover. It’s a great time to cross train.

There will be times on your journey when you think you have to hang up your sneakers, but instead of quitting, adjust. Find a different way to train.

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Please Don’t Give Up. Here Are Some Reasons to Keep Moving Forward

This year has felt heavy to me, and I feel guilty saying that because there have been many blessings this year, but I have struggled to stay motivated and positive in more than one area. Have you felt that way or has this been a successful year for you when you were highly motivated to achieve great things? I am so happy for you if you answered yes, but if you had a few low spots like I did, I would like to offer a few reasons why I hope you never give up on the things you love to do.

  • Success can take time. When it feels like nothing is changing you might be surprised to know how much you are learning and growing.
  • Giving up means you are closing doors that you might have been able to burst through with one more shove.
  • Instead of quitting, adjust. Do what you have been doing but do it differently. Experiment to find out what will bring you success. Running has been my therapy my whole life, but as I’m reaching the end of my sixth decade, my knees have started to be cranky. I cannot run every day or run ten miles straight. I was frustrated several months ago and I stopped running. Last week I realized there was another solution. Instead of stopping, I would adjust my routine. I run 2 miles and walk the rest then I walk the next day and then run. So far it is working great.
  • Not giving up builds resilience and mental strength.
  • Quitting never feels good but pushing forward makes you feel powerful.
  • Even though you might not realize it, there are people who count on you to be you.
  • You never know when a blessing or even a failure could change everything for the better.
  • Your words, your kindness, and your actions could save someone’s life.
  • If your journey didn’t have some walls to break down, you wouldn’t learn some valuable lessons.
  • What if you can be the change maker in someone’s life?

There are so many reasons to keep pushing forward even when you are tired and you feel like life has left you battered and bruised. Something wonderful might be about to happen.

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How an attitude change reshaped my running

During most of my years of running I thought I had to run every day and the longer I could go the better I felt. Although I enjoyed swimming and biking, I didn’t feel as if I had exercised unless I had run, but as I have aged, I have had to adjust both my attitude and my running regimen.

Running has always been my therapy and my joy. I couldn’t imagine giving it up, but the excessive miles without some healthy rest and cross training started to cause issues in the form of injuries.

I had run a 5k before karate class and I jumped into intense sparring without stretching. I jumped back and landed strangely on my left leg and ripped through 3 layers of muscle in my calf. I was told to stay off of it for six weeks. When a runner is faced with time away from running it is hard not to think about all the hard work of training with the possibility of your fitness level slipping away. My husband told me the rest would be good for me while assuring me I would not lose my fitness level that fast, but all I could think about was how hard it was going to be to get back in shape, but then I thought, instead of giving up completely on cardio, why don’t I find a way to adapt and actually come back stronger?

Running is personal, so I’m sure everyone has a routine they enjoy, but what worked for me was to increase my strength training, stretching, and find cardio that would not impact my calf. I experimented with a variety of cross training and found if I was careful, I could do the bike on low resistance and the elliptical on a low level. As my calf healed, I increased the resistance on both.

That was only the beginning of the need for an attitude change and how that change would make me stronger. I tore my meniscus and was not able to run for around 7 months. I changed my thinking about racing when I was walking at the back of a 5k or doing an ultra. It isn’t where you are in a race or how fast you are going that matters. What matters is that you showed up.

The biggest attitude and routine adjustment has happened in the last few months. Both of my knees were very cranky when it came to running and I reached a point when I was in real pain. I didn’t want to quit running completely, so I started to experiment with a few things. First, I found my knees could handle running if I ran 2-3 miles every third day. I increased my stretching and did consistent weight training. I also did everything I could to strengthen the muscles around my knee. I do wall sits, step ups, lunges, and squats.

I have also had to make a mental adjustment as well. There are days designated for running when I would rather walk, but I tell myself to go out and run for ten minutes and see how I feel. Once I am out there, I’m glad to be running. Sometimes the hardest part is the first step out the door. I have been using some of the tricks I used when coaching cross country. When my motivation is low, I tell myself to run to a certain spot, and then I pick a spot beyond that.

As I’m aging there are a few things that help me to keep running. I have a massage regularly, I use the roller to roll out tight muscles, I do exercises to keep my core strong, and I take at least one day as a complete rest day because a rest day isn’t being lazy, it’s maintenance.

You don’t have to give up a sport you love, but at some point, you may have to adjust both your routine and attitude to continue to find joy in running.

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Important Lessons Running Can Teach You

Important Lessons Running Can Teach You

I started running in college for weight maintenance. I had no idea what a major part it would play in my life. It has saved me in many ways and taught me valuable life lessons. Here are a few that I am grateful to running for teaching me.

What you think you could never do is possible. You just need the courage to do it. I have always enjoyed competing in races. I had done all the distances except for an ultra-marathon which is anything beyond the marathon distance of 26.2. A friend asked me if I would consider doing an ultra and I laughed and said that I thought running more than 26. 2 was crazy. I discovered I should never say never when another friend told me about an ultra her husband did. She said the atmosphere was very chill and I could stop whenever I wanted. I ran it and fell in love with the ultra-distance. I learned that to grow I needed to step outside my comfort zone.

Don’t compare yourself to others. This lesson took awhile for me to learn because I always wanted to be as fast as someone else, or as fit as another person, but everyone has strengths and weaknesses. You will be happier with more success if you focus on your improvements instead of trying to run or train like someone else. I now repeat the power phrase, “Run your own race.” When I am in a race to remind myself that there are many ways to run, and I need to do the one that fits my style.

Don’t judge a runner by the exterior. A lot of running depends on how much grit and heart someone has. Runners come in all shapes, sizes, and ages, and you never know which ones are going to crush the race. We go to a race every year where you complete as many one-mile loops as you can in 48 hours. Every year, one of the ladies reads a book while she walks. I heard two young men making fun of her, and I hope they checked the results after the race because she covered 102 miles! Every one has different ways to arrive at the goal.

Running is therapy. If you doubt this, go to any race and talk to the people around you. Most runners have a story and most of them are inspiring. At a recent ultra we were in hour 10 and I asked a young man how he was doing. He replied, “I am so glad to be here.” I thought to myself, “Oh, he has a story.” Unfortunately, I couldn’t keep up with him to hear it.

Runners use running to prove they are stronger than a challenge they face, or as an outlet to beat the challenge. It is a positive way to fight the mental roadblocks.

Rest is maintenance not laziness. I used to think I needed to train every day until I realized that my days off made me stronger. Rest should be a part of every program.

You are stronger than you think. Running has taught me how resilient the body can be. My ultra coach told me, “Jen, when you hit a wall, don’t give up. Sit down and let your body recover. You will come back stronger. It is amazing to see what you can do. Running allows you to keep pushing further.

Running teaches you about balance. Your best runs are when your mind and body are working together. If your mind believes you can achieve something, the body will follow. Running is a way for me to use my body to reset my mental health.

Runners are outstanding people. Creating community is one of the keys to living longer, and the running community is accepting and encouraging. Your social life will improve with running.

If you run, you are a real runner. I have heard that expression many times. What is a real runner? Everyone has a different concept of the answer to that question, so don’t worry about it. If you run, you are a runner.

Running helps you to know your body better. You learn so much about how your body works when you run. You will learn about how fast you can go, when you need to hydrate, what foods work best for you, and many other things.

Well, those are a few things I have learned while out running. What lessons has running taught you?

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The Warning Signs Your Body Sends

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

                                The Warning Signs Your Body Sends

Our bodies are amazing machines that are constantly repairing themselves. They often need our help, so they are sending us signals that things are going great or that something might be wrong. Many of the signs are easy to spot, but we are so busy we often miss them. Here are a few symptoms that are ways for your body to catch your attention.

  • Pain and discomfort are part of your body’s alarm system. The pain might be sharp, dull, burning, or pulsating, and it hints at different issues. A sore throat is often a precursor to something else. When I was run down, I would have a mild sore throat. It was my body’s warning system to slow down and take care of myself. When I did that, the sore throat would go away. If I ignored it and kept pushing, I would be sick within three days.
  •  Muscle aches could mean strain, overuse, dehydration, and illness.
  • A fever usually indicates that the body is fighting infection. Chills is your body trying to warm itself.
  • Changes in appetite, nausea, constipation, and diarrhea signals issues in your stomach that could be caused by certain foods, dehydration, and other factors.
  • Fatigue can mean your body is overworked, lacking nutrients, or dehydrated. Certain medications can cause fatigue.
  • Changes in heart rate can signal stress or heart or lung problems.
  • Cognitive changes including brain fog and mood swings can be from inflammation, infections, or allergies.
  • Frequent headaches can be from dehydration, stress, or eye strain.
  • Bad breath can be a sign of a gut imbalance.
  • Dry mouth can be from dehydration, medication, anxiety, and breathing through the mouth.
  • Bleeding gums can be caused by a vitamin c deficiency or gum disease.
  • Acne can be from a hormonal imbalance or excess sugar or dairy intake.
  • Yellow skin or eyes could be a liver or gall bladder problem.
  • Dry skin or eczema can be from dehydration or allergies.
  • Hair loss could be caused by hormonal imbalance, a thyroid, or iron deficiency.
  • Cold hands and feet can be from poor circulation, low thyroid function, or anemia.
  • Puffy eyes are a sign of water retention, allergies, poor sleep, or high salt intake.

All of these symptoms are only possibilities, and there are many more ways to describe what is happening in your body. You know yourself better than anyone else. If you feel as if something is not quite right, visit your doctor and take care of it. Also, remember that rest is a form of maintenance.

Some traits are signs that your body is in balance. Here are a few positive messages your body is sending.  

  • Clear, glowing skin can mean you are hydrating well, and your hormones are in balance.
  • Strong, shiny hair is a sign of adequate protein, and iron.
  • Smooth nails without ridges or spots is a sign of good minerals and vitamins in your body.