§ We came to this world to LIVE OUT LOUD!

The Way I Got Rid of Aches and Pains and Got Glowing Skin too. (Part 1 of 3)

Feb 23, 2021
A year ago, I was devastated to find my body breaking down.
It started with hip pain every time I slept on my side. And I pretty much always sleep on my side.
It was followed by weird leg aches and pains.
And it culminated in knee inflammation, followed by my inability to walk on a three-day hiking trip last year.
I was not happy…
I have taken care of my body over the years and I expected it to take care of me.
I realized that it was time to get serious about health and ageless living. I know from interviewing nearly 100 experts for my Extraordinary Life After 40 summits over the past couple of years that it takes effort to be an ageless woman.
And that effort is worth it!

I don’t know about you, but I want to live with vibrant health, passion, energy and zest until at least 100! 

So… I investigated. I talked to health experts – doctors, naturopaths, healers, nutrition experts, exercise gurus – and I made some changes in my life:

How and what I eat and drink!

How and when I exercise!

Shifted my mental paradigm around getting older!

I don’t want to overwhelm you with too much information all at once, so I decided to turn this into a 3-part blog series. In this article, I want to share with you about the changes I made in how and when I eat and drink. And I will share them in order from easiest to implement to more involved.

1. I added a collagen blend to my green smoothies – Easiest!

I’ve been drinking green smoothies for years, so when a friend, who also happens to be an ageless woman (she is vibrant, youthful and full of energy and zest for life!) recommended that I add collagen powder to my smoothie, I was intrigued.
I looked into it and I learned that collagen deficiency strikes nearly everyone over the age of 30. Because after 30, we start losing 1% of collagen per year.
Which is not good because when we are deficient in collagen, our joints get stiff and achy, our skin and hair become dry and flaky, our necks droop, even our nails become brittle.
Perhaps this was the culprit for my aches and pains? Not to mention the doomed hiking trip?

I researched different collagen options – not all collagens are created alike, I learned – and asked some of the biggest experts I know in the health field. They unanimously recommended this collagens blend.

I decided to try it for myself and after just a month of adding the collagens blend to my smoothies, I noticed that:
The aches and pains I’ve started to feel, especially in my knees, went away (this was amazing!).
My skin looked smoother and felt more moist.
My hair became less dry and shinier.

I loved the results and I decided to keep using the collagens blend! I haven’t felt any aches and pains since, even after hours of hiking! And my skin looks better than it has in years!

As you know, I rarely recommend products… only when I use them myself and absolutely love them!

2. I started practicing intermittent fasting – Easier than I thought!

I’ve been hearing about the benefits of intermittent fasting for years… but it always seemed kind of daunting.
Not eat anything for 12 to 16 hours in every 24-hour period? That didn’t seem like much fun at all.
Turns out it wasn’t that difficult, especially since I don’t tend wake up hungry.
I started with 12-hour intervals. I’d finish dinner by 7pm and not have my green smoothie until at least 7 am the following morning. Not difficult at all.
So I stretched it out until 7:30 am, 8 am, 9 am, 10 am, 11 am… you get the idea.
Within a month, I noticed that it was easy for me to go 14, 15 even 16 hours without eating anything. I just have my lemon water when I wake up to hydrate and cleanse and I’m all set.
And here’s the best part, since I started practicing intermittent fasting, I notice that:
I have a lot more energy.
My mind is clearer.
Aches and pains have disappeared.
I’ve lost a few pounds of stubborn hormone-induced belly fat.
I’m less hungry and prone to snacking.

3. I cut out gluten, sugar and dairy – Most effort but definitely worth it!

Each body is different, yet experts from most eating traditions agree that cutting out gluten, sugar and limiting dairy to fermented products (for the probiotic effects) or cutting it out altogether is beneficial for our health and well-being.
Eliminating (or reducing as much as possible) gluten, sugar and dairy cuts down on inflammation (the main cause of disease in our bodies), balances our moods, clears up our skin and reduces pain in our joints.

I’ve known this for years and have tried to practice it. But you know how it goes. Over time, gluten, sugar (there’s the most delicious pan au chocolat at a bakery near my house) and cheese (what’s a salad without cheese?) made its way back into my diet.

So, I became vigilant once again and cut them out completely for three months.
At first, it seemed daunting, but I quickly found healthier alternatives to foods I loved:
Edaname pasta (available on Amazon) turned out to be a delicious, high protein alternative to regular pasta. It really filled my ‘comfort that only pasta can provide’ cravings!
Baked goods with almond flour – I went online and found plenty of quick, easy recipes for scones, pancakes, bread rolls, you name it, made with almond flour instead of wheat. Throw in some bananas and berries and I had delicious baked good without the gluten and sugar!
Cheese made out of almonds – Provolone, Cheddar, Gouda, Mozarella. It’s not fancy French cheese, but it did the trick and gave my tacos, salads, quesadillas and cheese rolls that cheesy taste that I love.
And of course, as I cut out gluten, sugar and dairy, I increased my intake of vegetables, legumes and healthy nuts, seeds, and oils.
Over a couple of months, I watched my moods stabilize and my body gain energy. I stopped having energy slumps in the afternoon and I started sleeping better. I lost a few pounds too. Win/win all around.
The changes I made in how and when I eat and drink have made a profound impact on how I feel and the amount of energy I have. My skin is glowing, my hair is thick and full again and, best of all, I can walk and hike for hours and stay pain-free.
Check back over the next couple of weeks as I share with you the other changes that I made to feel my best:

How and when I exercise!

Shifted my mental paradigm around getting older!

In the meantime, what are the practices that help you be an ageless woman? Which practices would you like to try?

I love connecting with you! Leave a comment below or send me an email at natalie@nataliematushenko.com.

Happy Tuesday!

 xoxo,

Natalie

 

P.S. Back by popular demand – my free Wisdom Wednesday Series!

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2 Comments

  1. Anna
    Anna on February 24, 2021 at 08:41

    Very interesting

    Reply

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