Why is Daily Balance named...Daily Balance?

I have a Whoop app. It shows me all kinds of interesting and useful information about my current state of health. One key thing it shows is the balance between exertion and recovery. Whoop breaks recovery down into a percentage and into green, yellow and red zones. How recovered you are dictates how effective your exertion is going to be. There is a balance between effective recovery and effective exertion.  Basically, what Whoop does is help you stay in Daily Balance.

Further, when my sleep pattern is suffering, my recovery goes down and I find myself out of homeostasis or balance. When that happens, my exertion levels are both lower and less effective. They are connected.

However, most people don't have a Whoop app and most people don't track their data like some. For me it is important to ensure that I am in balance and my key metrics are where they need to be in order to be as healthy as possible. I could bore you with a break down of all of this and how it works, but because it is the Christmas holiday, my gift to you is to spare you from this.

Why does this matter?

What does this have to do with the name of the product Daily Balance? Everything.

When don't get enough sleep, we don't think clearly and perform in our lives and jobs less effectively. When we are not properly recovered and over-exert we can unknowingly injure ourselves. When we are stressed or we feel out of sorts, we have trouble sleeping and this creates issues with our bodies. We get dehydrated. Our bodies experience stress from the chemicals such as cortisol that our brains trigger the manufacture of. This can create inflammation in certain tissues. This inflammation causes unexpected and unwanted issues to manifest, such as degradation in mobility, balance and flexibility.

Maintaining a daily balance is critical to remaining healthy and happy both mentally and physically.

Let me give you a real life example.

I have a relative who is in generally good shape who is in his early 70's. Not too long ago, he was dealing with some prolonged stress. This impacted his sleeping and his energy level wasn't as high as it had been. His recovery levels were down. Pretty much everything I outline above was subtly manifesting in his body.

One day he was in line at the donut shop with his granddaughter (pre-COVID), when he let out a giant sneeze. That sneeze caused him to throw out his back. He had to go to a chiropractor and was out of commission, unable to return to the gym for nearly two weeks. He was out of balance. You might think this an extreme example.

Let me give you another.

I was dealing with a higher level of prolonged stress myself a few years back because of a job I had. The pressure was enormous and I had not kept up with my regular training regime, I was chronically dehydrated without knowing it, as most of us are and I was having trouble sleeping. This is a pre-Whoop period of time, prior to the onset of good health tracking wearables, but I am guessing my metrics were in the toilet. Sleep efficiency, recovery, HRV, blood oxygenation, etc. All of these things truly play a role in our health. I made my way to my cycling team's training camp in the mountains between North and South Carolina and just felt off. I am a pretty good rider, so I compensated for it and powered through.

However, in descending a mountain road chasing a team mate, my reaction time was diminished due to being out of balance. I ended up crashing. It was serious enough they considered a Lifeline helicopter and the crash resulted in a complete and total shoulder reconstruction.

How about another.

A friend of mine was getting ready to compete in a 10k. He is an ultra-runner (50-100 mile running races through the mountains.
His last race was the Leadville 100, which STARTS at nearly 10,000 feet), so a 10k is, well...nothing. It was a sprint. It was supposed to be his taper into his next ultra race in Southern California. Plane tickets bought, bags packed, hotel room booked, everything planned, friends coming in to cheer him on then onto Balboa Bay with his wife for a few days. Perfect.

This was post the 2020 COVID lock down and he came out of it, like many of us, stressed. General, normal, elevated stress that 90% of everyone has experienced over the last two years. He was not sleeping great. Do you sense a reoccurring theme here?
He was dehydrated, he had some minor inflammation in his calves and quads and his lumbar he thought because he had just started his taper and had been doing longer runs up to two days before.

Coming off the start line, he tried to get out front, got tangled up with another runner, lost his balance and went down and tore his ACL in the process. He'd run a whopping 60 yards before the EMT's had to carry him off the tarmac and he was done for the year. Just like that. Why? He was out of balance. It can happen to anyone. It can be big incidents like the second example, it can be out of the blue like the third example or it can be a sneeze like the first example.

One final one for you. My mom recently got up too quick and her leg cramped. She lost her balance, tripped and fell. She cut her head open and ended up with a mild concussion.

Anxiety, stress, sleep issues, dehydration all lead to the opportunity. Injury.

So, here are some tips:

  1. Drink more water than you want to. It will be come a habit and a good one.
  2. Limit alcohol. Alcohol is often a go-to-stress management tool but a bad one. It WREAKS your sleep and it dehydrates you terribly. It also impacts both cognitive and non-cognitive brain functions, and when things like this happen, balance, vision and judgement can be impaired. When you dehydrate, your tissues inflame. See examples above.
  3. Sleep against a consistent cycle. If you wake up and your brain is racing from stress or anxiety, grab your ear buds and plug into sound therapy music. The body operates at different frequencies and when certain frequencies are matched, body activities can be kickstarted or accelerated. Here is a good place to start.
  4. Use an anti-inflammatory topical regularly on stressed areas and where old injuries have occurred.  That is where inflammation goes first.  Inflammation is your good health enemy.
  5. Use an anti-inflammatory topical prior to or even during exertion.  Especially if you are not fully recovered or not sleeping well or feel you are dehydrated.
  6. Use an anti-inflammatory topical post exertion to promote recovery.

How much of an anti-inflammatory topical should you use?

Every 1-3 Days:  Use the equivalent of a penny sized amount on stressed areas and where old injuries have occurred.  Best to apply in the morning.

As needed, post exertion to promote recovery, use a quarter sized amount on each area or major muscle group that has done the work.  Lumbar, quads, shoulders, biceps, etc.  Apply within an hour of the exertion and again the following morning.

As needed, prior to or during exertion, use a half dollar sized amount each area or major muscle group that will or is doing the work.

If you'd like to try Daily Balance, use my discount code:  'BetterHealth' for 20% off your purchase.  Click here to get started.

Is Daily Balance Worth the Money?

I offered to write this blog post as a customer and regular user of Daily Balance performance and recovery cream.  For one very important reason.

It works.

Ok, you expected that.  However, let me unpack this a bit more.  First off, my results are my own.  I am not offering anything other than my own experience with this post so please make your own decisions and do your own homework.

I would suggest that part of your homework be to try a 2 oz small bottle.   As the old adage goes, the proof is in the pudding.

How has Daily Balance Worked for Me?

I am a CINCH Ascend Competition Athlete whose hit that magical 50 year-ish mark.  Think of that as a 10 year old water heater.  Thats the time point when things can start to go wrong.

This was a solid year for me of gravel racing a few road races and lots of solid training.  I marked the season with a number of events including Indiana's first Gravel Century (DustBowl 100), Vermont's World Gravel Course in Stowe and the Green Mountain 100, Kentucky's hardest gravel race (War Daddy),  and the North Carolina Belgian Waffle Ride.  This one was especially tough as I lost all but one gear less than 20 miles into the 100 mile race.  Climbing over 10,000 feet with only one gear isn't very fun.

Never give up

Great recovery means great performance.  For me this meant:

  1. Tracking physical progress with a Whoop Health Wearable
  2. Managing sleep and being consistent in my patterns.
  3. Improved nutrition.  Cut out processed anything.  Cut back on red meat.  Organic and fresh and raw fruit and veggie whenever and where ever possible.  Eliminate all but natural sugar (i.e. local honey, maple syrup and a few other types that were in the endurance nutrition supplements)
  4. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.
  5. Manage on the bike nutrition to ensure the proper feed of energy in.  No blindly taking gels.  Depending on the length, altitude and difficulty of the ride, the mix needs to be very specific as to what it is and what's in it.
  6. Normatec boots for post training recovery
  7. Daily Balance.  Daily.

Daily Balance.  Almost Daily.

Maintenance is the base.  I've had my share of injuries over the years.  Snowboarding accidents.  Jet Ski racing.  Mountain Bike crashes.  Track racing crashes.  Road bike crashes.  Hit by a few cars during training rides.  You get the idea.

Recovery Maintenance

Each evening, I apply a penny sized amount of Daily Balance to where old injuries are located.  Reconstructed right shoulder.  Left hamstring.  Lumbar.  Right knee MCL.  These are the areas that attract chronic inflammation.  You want to reduce this before you go to bed and allow your tissued to purge toxins and heal as best they can.

On my left hamstring. several times a week when using Daily Balance, I do a facia scraping to help break up the residual scar tissue.  Daily Balance helps with blood flow and mineral delivery improving this tissue recovery well beyond what's possible with using a massage cream.

My application protocol (this is mine, yours might vary) is apply for maintenance every other day.  For me, this is Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.  Three days a week of regular application.  I use about 4 penny sized amounts each of these days.

Performance

Prior to training activity, I use about a nickel sized amount on each of the major muscle groups that will be doing the firing.

For cycling, this is:

For gym efforts its typically, chest, biceps, triceps, obliques, hip flexors, lumbar, core, etc.

Endurance Efforts

For endurance races, I will pack a two ounce bottle in a SAG bag and those bags get packed in a separate race nutrition and recovery bag.

Race prep

Race Prep

Some of the shorter races, such as 100 miles or less, you pack a single bag of extra fluid and nutrition to replace what you've depleted.  The longer ones, like Unbound Gravel (200 miles) or the harder ones like Belgian Waffle Ride, you can have 4  or more SAG stops.  Daily Balance goes in 1-2 of those bags.

SAG Bag

One of several nutrition go-to staged out over longer race courses

At each stop with Daily Balance, I apply it on the areas that are stressed.  You have to pay attention to your body here.  In this instance, moderation isn't what you want.  I apply it like sunscreen.  In doing so, I have seen power output improvements over previous seasons at certain stages of races and rides.

I sweat a lot so I loose sodium and magnesium.  I am also 6'3" and 200 lbs., so my power output to kilogram of weight is higher than smaller, lighter riders, especially those who are 20 years younger as their physiological make up is different at 25 than at 50.  So proper on the bike nutrition, hydration, pickle juice and Daily Balance during events is important to achieving certain goals.

Post Activity Recovery

After a taxing event, I follow my pre-performance routine but instead of a nickel sized application, I apply a quarter-sized amount within 30 minutes of race or training ride completion.  I re-apply three to four hour later.  The following morning after the event, I blend my normal maintenance process with my pre-performance application.  Nickel sized amount on injured and stressed areas.  The following day takes me back to my normal protocol.

This is where the story line changes

Last week, I picked up the old fashioned flu.  By Wednesday I felt terrible.  Aches, chills, etc.  Fever, coughing, etc. Thursday was worse, so I decided to load up on Daily Balance because my shoulders ached, my back ached my chest and throat hurt from coughing continuously.  I applied like I did in a race.  Sunscreen volume.

It helped to minimize my discomfort but that isn't where I am going.  I kept using Daily Balance in hyper doses all Thursday and into Friday.

By Friday evening, I was having difficulty breathing.  By Friday night, it was like trying to breathe through a straw.  By midnight, my ability to breathe was all but gone, like a light switch I was beginning to suffocate.

Time to go to the hospital.

I live 2 miles from a first class level one trauma hospital.  The ambulance would take too long.  My spouse set a land speed record getting us there.  By the time I arrived, I was hypoxic and approaching unconsciousness.  My blood 02 level was in the low 70's (below 90 is bad).  They put a crash team on me and did whatever they did to revive me.  I woke up in a code room in an oxygen mask with four IV's running.  Over the next few days, I received several steroids and a 600mg does of the monoclonal antibody.   So, pretty much the kitchen sink.

The nurse looked at me through her PPE and said 'You have COVID.

She told me that I needed to be prepared to be in the hospital for 4-5 days based on the severity of my situation when I was admitted.

That didn't sound good.  So I focused all my mental efforts in on positive energy, gratitude and healing.

Twenty four hours later, I was down from the 4 liters of oxygen per hour they'd been pumping into me to half that.  Six hours afterwards, I was off oxygen all together.  Ten hours after that, my blood 02 was consistently back to 98%, my resting heart rate had returned to its normal 48-52 bpm and my blood pressure had returned to normal ranges.

According to my attending physician, this was lighting quick.

So what drove the recovery?

Hospitals are great for trauma.  This counted.  So all the steroids and the monoclonal antibody therapy played a critical role.  As did the health care team who took care of me.  Oxygen played a critical role also.  But was there an x-factor?

According to my physician, yes.  Quite possibly.

Before I was released, my physician told me that there were a few things that possibly played a role in me being released so soon.  He said he would have never had taken the bet of me leaving as soon as I did but I met all the criteria, so home I went.

He said, some of the contributing factors as to why you are not on a vent are because your VO2 Max is significant (lung volume from training and racing).  Superb cardiovascular strength and endurance (ditto) and also surprisingly positive ESR, CRP and PV blood test results.  These blood tests look for inflammation markers.

COVID attacks where inflammation is most prevalent in the body.  For people with depressed immunity, this can often be the heart, lungs, kidneys, intestine, liver, etc.  Mine began with the flu that opened the door to me catching a break-though case of COVID) and it went to the lungs because of the trauma the flu had brought on.

However, because in part of the super high dosages of Daily Balance, I had absorbed the tools my body needed to fight off the very dangerous inflammation that makes COVID the monster it is.  This, coupled with the benefits of endurance training allowed me to take my dog on a solo 5 mile walk 80 hours after being checked into the hospital instead of lying in ICU on a ventilator.

Today is Tuesday and I am quarantined for a few more days.  I feel normal and have logged nearly 11 miles with my Bernese Mountain Dog Moose on solo walks in the fresh evening air the last two days.  Tomorrow I return to my bike trainer on an easy, supervised recovery protocol, returning to normal winter training levels within two weeks.

COVID Daily Balance

Each day I have applied a quarter sized application of Daily Balance to my chest and neck.  Like Vic's Vapo-Rub and stick with my normal daily maintenance application.

Can I prove that Daily Balance played a direct role in my recovery?  No.  Is there anecdotal evidence that it did?  Yes.  Do I believe that it did?  Yes.

Does Daily Balance work?

You be your own judge.  It sure as hell works for me.

So, I have been authorized to offer you a 20% discount on your order so that you can try it yourself.  Use discount code 'Better Health'.

 

#1 On Our Gift Guide: The Gift of Health

Give the gift of health?

How in the world do we do that?  It might be easier to send a rocket into space or predict the next mega cryto currency.  If we could package health up and wrap it neatly, it surely would be at the top of Oprah's famed Christmas favorites list!

While the gift health  may not come with a bow, it's be easier than you think to give.  Here are a few of our favorites:

Give to yourself

It may sound funny that the #1 gift is to yourself.  How are you feeling?  What are you feeling?  Right here.  Right now.  We all get busy doing - and often - we forget, overlook, and deprioritize ourselves.  However, making to connect with yourself comes with great power.  You are choosing to live a life of intention, not obligation.  So draw that bubble bath, take a nap, listen to your favorite song, cut yourself some slack, and give yourself a high five.  You have but this one wild and precious life.  How are you going to live it?  Life isn't about perfection of our inadequacies, it's about embracing the imperfect.  Embrace your passions, your differences, your quirks, what makes you strange and weird, and different.  Share it with the world.  Play, be original, believe you are amazing, awesome, beautiful, whole, energized, and resilient.  You are the gift!

Give Kindness & Encouragement

We all need to be seen, heard, and loved.  We all need that high five.  So why not gift those to others?  Be present where you are.  Invite a friend for a walk or to lunch.  Listen to the stories of parents and grandparents.  Buy the person behind you in line a cup of coffee.  Spend a little extra timing laughing, singing, and playing with your kids. (This time of year we like to do "freeze outs."  Put all your windows down, open the sunroof, and sing loudly some of your favorite songs.  Try it!). Send an unexpected "thinking of you" text or small gift.  Be the connector -- of people back to nature, to others, and to themselves.

 

Give to the Causes You Are Passionate About

What is it that lights you up?  For us, it's efforts around regeneration.  The idea of healing a system by reconnecting more of it to itself.  Balance and rebalancing.  Continual improvement.  And putting life at the center of every decision.  Regeneration is an invitation to participate and to heal - your body, your community, your Earth.  If regeneration strikes a cord for you, we suggest you check out a few of our favorite local and national non-profits involved in the regenerative mission.  They would welcome your time, talent, and/or donation.

    • Indianapolis-based:

      • Growing Places Indy - empowering people to cultivate individual, family, & community wellness through urban agriculture & access to fresh local food, and mind-body education
      • Flanner House/Flanner Farms - working to empower the local community to become more self-sufficient, providing employment opportunities, and combating food insecurity
      • Friends of Holliday Park - preserving & maintaining Holliday Park as "as place of recreation and the study of nature"

    • National:

      • Farmers Footprint - Coalition of farmers, educators, doctors, scientists, and business leaders aiming to expose the human and environmental impacts of chemical farming and offer a path forward through regenerative agricultural practices
      • Kiss the Ground - awakening people to the possibilities of regeneration and inspire participation in this movement and the extraordinary potential of healthy soil
      • Pachamama Alliance - a global community that offers people to chance to learn, connect, engage, travel, and cherish life for the purpose of creating a sustainable future that works for all

This giving season, can you let go of the belief of scarcity and instead believe in infinite energy, possibility, and that we are all connected?  Can you believe in yourself and others?  Can you believe in healing and regeneration?  And even more than believing, can you gift health into action?

 

Life is calling for you to give something.  To bring something.  Not to get something.  What will it be?

We would love to hear your stories of regeneration, healing, and the creation of health.  Please do us the honor of sharing your ideas on Instagram.

 

 

1 Thing Athletes Should Know-Frankincense Is Huge For Muscle Recovery

In the spirit of the upcoming holidays, we'd like to talk about a little used but powerful herb.  Boswellia Serrata-also known as Frankincense.

Francense

A powerful little herb called Boswellia Serrata that packs a major health punch

Were the gifts of the magi meant to save Jesus from muscle pain and to help with an awesome night's sleep? It’s possible, according to researchers at Cardiff University in Wales who have been studying the medical uses of frankincense.

Since the early days of Christianity, Biblical scholars and theologians have offered varying interpretations of the meaning and significance of the gold, frankincense and myrrh that the magi presented to Jesus, according to the Gospel of Matthew (2:11). These valuable items were standard gifts to honor a king or deity in the ancient world: gold as a precious metal, frankincense as perfume or incense, and myrrh as anointing oil. In fact, these same three items were apparently among the gifts, recorded in ancient inscriptions, that King Seleucus II Callinicus offered to the god Apollo at the temple in Miletus in 243 B.C.E. The Book of Isaiah, when describing Jerusalem’s glorious restoration, tells of nations and kings who will come and “bring gold and frankincense and shall proclaim the praise of the Lord” (Isaiah 60:6). Although Matthew’s gospel does not include the names or number of the magi, many believe that the number of the gifts is what led to the tradition of the Three Wise Men.

What's Old is New Again

Clearly there is a long history of very wise people relying on this powerful little herb to help with healing.  Sometimes it is best to go with what natural remedies has been used over the millennia.

If you’re like me, you've had those mornings where you wake up feeling like you got run over by a steamroller from yesterday's training. Achy muscles and joints are accompanied by groans of pain and discomfort.

While we all know exercise does a body good, it also has the tendency to beat us up pretty good from time to time…..with the majority of the abuse happening to our joints from high impact activities like running.

Your body is like a machine with many moving parts. Unfortunately, both break down from time to time. Rest days and nutrition aren't always enough.  Promote proper recovery by adding in topicals and supplements that help reduce joint pain and soreness, improve mobility, and maintain cartilage health.

Lineage Daily Balance Performance & Recovery Cream is the perfect example of a topical cream that can help you recover well today and move well tomorrow.  The unique and powerful stack of ingredients is custom-formulated for the grueling challenges of our athlete users and it includes a lesser known but super powerful herb to help you feel better: Boswellia serrata.

WHAT IS BOSWELLIA SERRATA?

Boswellia Serrata (Indian frankincense) is a phytopharmaceutical herb that is extracted from the gum resin of the tree. Its active compound, boswellic acid possesses many anti-inflammatory effects that can be beneficial for joint health.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF BOSWELLIA SERRATA

WHO SHOULD USE BOSWELLIA SERRATA?

Boswellia serrata is beneficial for anyone suffering from a joint disorder and who wants to see improvement in join comfort, function, and mobility.

Boswellia acts by many of the same mechanisms as pharmaceutical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and without many of their harmful effects (like inducing digestive ulcers and accelerate joint damage in arthritis) - next time you feel pain, swelling, or inflammation - reach for your bottle of Daily Balance instead of Advil!

Get started today at www.lineage.ag and use the discount code 'Launch' to get 10% off your first order.

 

Short On Time this Holiday Season?  This 4 Minute Workout is a Must!

Progress, no matter how small is still progress

The holiday season is full of barriers to fitness - cold weather, lack of sunlight, travel schedules. While it can be difficult, it is vital to maintain your fitness in order to stay well.

African father and little daughter do push-up exercise indoors

Don't let the holidays, lack of access to a gym or attire keep you from doing a simple 4 minutes!

Here is a simple 4-minute workout routine that can be done anywhere, without any equipment. Add it into your day whenever possible!  We recommend adding it to your Thanksgiving Day routine as well.  It's an enjoyable short workout by yourself and becomes even more fun to do with the whole family on Thanksgiving afternoon.

4 Minute Workout:

  • 10-20 Squats
  • 10-20 90 degree arm raises
  • 10-20 arm raises (meeting above head and below waist)
  • 10-20 military presses

Repeat each of the above sets 3 times each; 3 times/day

To get a detailed explanation and go thru the routine, click here:

ZACH BUSH MD | 4 Minute Workout

 

Why just a 4 Minute Workout?   That isn't enough time to make a dent!

This workout is a free, easy, effective, and fun way to tone your body.  The recent science around nitric oxide show it to be very important for human health.  This 4 Minute workout revolves around the body's ability to use nitric oxide for muscle growth.

Nitric oxide is a molecule made by the human body that feeds your muscles.  When you move and run out of oxygen, nitric oxide is released.  As it moves thru the body, the blood vessels dilate (expand) allowing for more oxygen and nutrient delivery.  This leads to the ability to build muscle, maintain lean muscle, and rev up metabolism as a whole.  Increased oxygen and nutrients inspire the liver and peripheral fat cells to release stores of fat so it can be utilized effectively.

In addition to the role nitric oxide plays, you strengthen your immune system thru movement.  These exercises require you to breathe in more oxygen.  You are opening your lungs, bringing full range of motion to the chest and shoulders.  (And who at the holiday time doesn't need an additional heart opening exercise?!)

Turns out that the body also responds well to changes in activity.  This is why intervals are so effective.  Sustained efforts for a longer period undoubtedly provide benefit but numerous studies show that short intervals, even 4 minute ones repeated throughout the day, can be powerfully effective.  Sometimes interval training is called a HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) workout.

Why 3 Times Per Day?

Our blood vessels actually only store about 90 seconds worth of nitric oxide before they need to make more.  Working each major muscle group for 90 seconds, you efficiently work to tone and build muscle.  The body regenerates nitric oxide every couple of hours - so you can release it multiple times per day.

This 4 Minute Workout is an effective way to muscle function in a short amount of time.  On top of that, it can be completed no matter where you are, who you're with, or what you are wearing.

The impact of pain and soreness on activities and workouts

Muscle pain often comes from quite literally tears in the muscle tissue from strain.  As muscles become stronger, they build one of several types of mass as a result of these tears healing.  Along with the tear comes inflammation.  Inflammation can restrict the blood flow, slowing down muscle regeneration.  Eliminating this inflammation allows for improved blood flow, oxygenation and delivery of the key nutrients and minerals the muscles need to regenerate and grow stronger.

Quite literally, Daily Balance helps to amplify this process of recovery and growth.  With improved muscle regeneration comes less pain and greater performance.  Whatever performance looks like to you, better recovery means better performance.

If you have pain or soreness from holiday travel or stress, pair this with Lineage's Daily Balance Performance & Recovery Cream and you are sure to find relief and some good energy.

Click here and use the code 'Launch' to get 10% off your next order of Daily Balance!

 

 

How To Stay Balanced During Seasonal Change

Autumn’s shift to longer nights and shorter, cooler days can leave you feeling a little out of balance both physically and spiritually. With warmer weather ending, not only will you start to notice the leaves turning deep yellow, red and, brown, you may also notice a physical and emotional transition in yourself, too.

Autumn can affect everything from health and mood, to energy levels and our natural circadian rhythms. That’s why it’s essential to keep yourself grounded and in touch with your body and the nature that surrounds you.

Here are a few simple steps to help stay balanced in body, mind, and soul, during the change of the seasons.

Meditation & Stress Management

Why so busy? Leading a stressful life can take its toll on your health. Practicing mindfulness and meditation will help you slow down, take a breath and reflect on your day. Meditation is a tried and tested method to reduce stress, so by meditating you are actively improving your physical and mental well-being.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Nutrition/Nourishment

Are you getting enough nutritious foods and eating to nourish your body? Or are you eating something because of other, more complex reasons? If so, don’t be too quick to judge yourself, but it definitely doesn’t hurt to pay more attention to what you use to nourish yourself. Eating seasonal, fresh and non-processed foods is always a good idea. Preferably organic and colorful fruits and veggies. Unprocessed foods that contain rich color contain lots of antioxidants and phytonutrients.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Move

For some, the end of summer can seem like a sad time of year, but there's something about the cool, crisp air that can breathe some new life into your usual routine, especially when it comes exercise.  Fall is a great time to get outdoors for a walk, hike, or run.  Or to rake up all those leaves.  Animals suffer from changes in the seasons too, so if you have a dog, a crisp fall evening is great for a long walk.  Both you and your dog will be grateful you got out!

Fall dog walk

Get outside and walk your dog and enjoy the change of seasons

When the weather turns iffy, getting to the gym or working out indoors can options to keep you in motion.  Keep it interested and remember that even micromovements done regularly are an effective way to keep yourself in the flow.

Fall is also a great time to try something completely different!

RECOMMENDATIONS

Rest

Your body is busy restoring itself while you sleep. Getting enough quality sleep is extremely important, and as your body truly is the best pharmacy in the world, it’s best not disturb it during those hours of hard work.

Paying attention to our biological rhythms, including the seasonal rhythm and circadian rhythms helps you stay in sync and rest better.  Autumn doesn’t mean you have to stay inside all day; it’s actually better not to. Daylight positively affects your energy and serotonin levels. So, get your daily dose of light from the best source: the sun (even if you can’t see it directly).

And sometimes, it’s better to accept feeling a little tired. Embrace it, even. Tiredness is often a sign that we need rest, so why fight it? It’s a sign to give your body, mind, and soul what it needs to get you through this seasonal change.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Play & Connect

Fall is a great time to get together with friends and family for a good warm fire, some hot apple cider, and a few good laughs.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Get started with 10% off your next order using the discount code 'LAUNCH' at www.lineage.ag. 

 

2 Simple Ways to Replenish After A Good Sweat

Movement is Life

Of the core tenants at Lineage in our idea of wellbeing is movement.  Sports, exercise, stretching, and micro movements should be part of your routine.  Some of us workout more than others, and some of us sweat a little more than others.  Some sweat a lot more.  Gym junkies, yogis, and endurance athletes need to be extra careful about hydration.  Boy, do you sweat.  Here's why that's wonderful and a few simple ways to replenish after a good sweat.

Sweat gets no respect.

Yet it is a crucial, delicately complicated outflow system, collaborating with many other body networks.  It takes energy to sweat, and it's a complex process.  Sweating is an essential component of your body's internal thermostat; it allows you to cool down fast, which keeps your organs, blood, and tissues from overheating.  Sweating is one of the many ways your body naturally detoxifies; it helps remove certain compounds from your bloodstream.  It's also the delivery system for your natural pheromones -- scented "sex hormones: that influence whom you attract and whom you're attracted to.  Sweat is produced in glands that are located in your skin's dermis - the layer directly underneath the part of your skin you can touch.

So…what is it, exactly?

The exact composition of sweat varies from person to person and from day to day.  But it's approximately 99% water.  What's the other 1%?  The electrolytes sodium and chloride, as well as ammonia, sugar, and small amounts of trace minerals like calcium, potassium, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper, and certain water soluble vitamins.  In order to properly replenish what we lose from sweat, we need not only to replace water but to also replace electrolytes.

Case Study: Sweat Rate Calculation for a Long-Distance Runner

Kayla went out for a 2-hour run (outdoors, warm temperature at 83°F [28°C], 55% humidity). During this run, she managed to consume 8 oz of fluid. Her pre-run bodyweight was 126 pounds. After returning from her run, she now weighs 123 pounds.

To calculate her fluid loss:

Consuming 7 oz of fluid every 15 minutes during her run, however, may not be practical. This volume of fluid (almost a full cup) may be too much to tolerate. Therefore, it is good practice to use this as a guide rather than an exact amount.  Use trial and error to figure out what's right for you.

Replenishing After a Sweat Session

  1. Sip Smarter
    • Steer clear of any beverages loaded with artificial colors and added sugar
    • Try our DIY Sports Drink (with only natural ingredients)
      • 8 to 12 ounces of plain or coconut water
      • A pink of natural salt (like sea or Celtic)
      • A squirt (about 1 oz) of lemon or lime juice
      • A teaspoon of honey or maple syrup
  2. Use Lineage Daily Balance Performance & Recovery Cream to Replace Magnesium (& Recover Better)

At Lineage we recognize that the maintain and replacing  minerals such as calcium, potassium, and magnesium are fundamental to our body's every day function.

It's all about the Magnesium

Magnesium is one of 7 essential macrominerals that the human body needs in large quantities -- and here's the catch -- our bodies don't product it -- it must come from outside sources.  And, most American's don't get enough of it!

Magnesium is one of the only minerals that can be absorbed transdermally.  In addition, to being ingested, it can also be applied directly to your skin -- and often with better results.  It promotes all around better health, aides in stress reduction, better sleep, muscle recovery, and pain relief.

While imperative to overall whole-body health, magnesium is also an athlete's best friend.  It's effects on muscle function, recover, and performance are huge. Lineage's Daily Balance Performance and Recovery Cream is custom formulated to include the magnesium (and a stack of other super beneficial ingredients) to help you boost recovery and realize your full potential.

Healthy living is our number one mission

It's all about living the best life you can

Our goal at Lineage Lifestyle is to help you fall in love with the mission of healthy living. We help our clients move from simply sustaining health and wellness to improving it.  Our products are custom formulated to kickstart regeneration and our mission moves extends beyond the health and well-being of one individual. Instead, it lies within the connections that exist between us all and the environment in which we live.

Group Yoga Outdoors

Investing in yourself today pays long term dividends

Balance is best

We believe in the renewal, healing, continual improvement, and balance that comes from connecting with ourselves and nature.  Engaging in life individually, as well as, together, we can change our world for the better.  We believe this is the definition of healthy living.

Every part of the body contains a unique type of intelligence. A particular form and function that maintains its innate biological equilibrium as well as that of the whole system.  When the equilibrium is disturbed, we get sick or have pain.  To inform us that something is wrong, the body speaks to us through the language of the symptoms, which are its intelligent dialect informing us how to come back to "homeodynamis."  The symptom, is ultimately the vital force trying to get our attention and teach us how to live in balance with our inner constitution and outer environment.

Can a cream help you live better?

Lineage's Daily Balance is used to assist in creating this balance, which in turn helps us with healthy living.  We recognize that balance is a dynamic state, ever changing with the flux and flow of the natural world. Homeodynamis is the process we all use to maintain our self-organization and internal coherence.  Can a cream help you live better?  Sure.  So does sleep.  Drinking water instead of soft drinks.  Avoiding sugar.  Proper running shoes.  Smiling more.  Taking a moment to breathe deeply to quiet your mind.  All of these things work to deliver a healthier life.

Daily Balance is just one tool you have open to you.  Our Performance and Recovery cream will help you perform better and recover faster.  That is a fact.  Almost 98% of our performance athlete customers say it has exceeded their expectations.

Mother Nature knows more about health than we do

Mother Nature provided us with an awesome array of powerhouse natural ingredients.  Our job was to thoughtfully assemble them into a product which amplifies specific physiological activities that improve health, wellness, and mobility.  No one ingredient is a cure-all.  This includes CBD.  CBD is a powerful ingredient when it works as part of a team but often CBD is marketed as a stand-alone cure-all, which it is not.

We are athletes ourselves; former NCAA divers, basketball players, sport fishermen, skiers, snowboarders, yogis, and endurance cyclists.  We looked at our own physical injuries, challenges, and performance goals and asked ourselves what could help make us enjoy what we do more, perform better and recover faster.  We started at the end and worked backwards.

Inflammation is the quiet, subtle enemy to good health

Inflammation (not swelling) is our performance and recovery enemy.  Inflammation is caused by a myriad of things from dehydration to vitamin and mineral deficiencies to response to exertion among others.  Inflammation, like swelling acts as a tissue tourniquet, which reduces blood flow.  Strenuous activity increases body temperature and the body sweats to cool itself.  The challenge here is sweating causes two things, dehydration and mineral loss and losing salt isn’t the issue.  Losing magnesium is.

Daily Balance was designed to reduce inflammation, which increases blood flow, opens capillaries which increases tissue oxygenation.  Daily Balance’s natural ingredients such as magnesium, Arnica montana, and CBD rely on frankincense to act as a natural Fed Ex delivery mechanism to get these ingredients effectively to targeted areas and do what they do best.  Repair, recover, and improve.  This is part of the healthy living journey.

KT tape treating knee injury

Inflammation can cause a variety of short and longer term health and performance problems

Recovery before performance, not visa versa

We know that recovery doesn’t come after performance.  It comes before.  Whether you are a weekend warrior, an amateur athlete, a professional athlete or someone who simply wishes to be more active, when you recover optimally, you reduce or eliminate pain and you perform better and lessen the risk of future injury.  That is a proven fact. Daily Balance helps you stay in the virtuous cycle of health and improvement.

Daily Balance mixes all natural and organic plant ingredients in an easy to use topical format to help with aches and pains, stretching and mobility, inflammation, lactic acid build-up, muscle cramps, as so much more.  Daily Balance is helping teenagers with twisted ankles, elite athletes and daily fitness buffs with tendonitis, elderly struggling with arthritis, and travelers and desk workers suffering from stiff and sore muscles caused from inactivity.  Interestingly, inactivity can often have similar effects as over activity by the creation of inflammation.

Because of its unique formulation Daily Balance even helps with sleep performance, sinusitis, skin irritation, and even bee stings!

Listen closest to customers

It's essential to keep not only in the medicine cabinet, but also in a purse, gym bag, and on the bedside table.  In a recent poll of Daily Balance customers, nearly 99% indicated that Daily Balance exceeded their effectiveness expectations.  To better illustrate this, here is a recent quote by a customer:

“I do trigger therapy on athletes ranging from NFL players to Ironman triathletes to high school cross country runners.  I regularly see every type of soft tissue injury and issue you could possibly imagine.  Daily Balance is by far the most effective product I have ever used in helping clients recover effectively.  I use it myself as well.  The results it delivers are without question.” -Lars H., Certified Trigger Therapist 

We know from experience that life can be messy and complex.  And we know that while we all  have lots to learn, that the mess and the struggle is worth it. We are grateful for those that bring Lineage into their journey and will always strive to create a community and products that help you perform better, recover faster, and to be more you.

A blend of powerhouse organic and all-natural ingredients

Lineage Daily Balance Featured Ingredients designed to improve healthy living:

Give Daily Balance a try today. Use the special, limited time discount code 'ilovefall' for 20% off your order.

 

Hype or Fact? Does Daily Balance Really Work on Muscle Injuries?

Trust but Verify

Recently, I caught myself sharing the virtues of Lineage's Daily Balance to a friend of mine.  I was telling him that I used it regularly each week around my training schedule and how the product had helped me get through a pretty grueling gravel bike race season this summer.  At least it was grueling to me.

Surviving the season

Surviving the 2021 race season intact.

I was able to escape the season intact without any major muscle injuries and performing better than I had in a while.

He listened patiently and then replied, "sounds great, but how do you know it works?  You clearly believe it does but how do you know for sure?"

Ummm.

Good question.  I had no good answer for him.

How the rest of the conversation went down

Me: "If I believe it, does it really matter?"

Him: "Yeah, it does.  C'mon man, how many nutrition or performance products have we both bought that were hyped but didn't live up to expectations?"

Me: "More than I care to count.  Ok, yeah.  Protein powders, gels, recovery powders, the list goes on.  I get your point."

Him: "So I will believe you when you can prove it.  Prove it and I'm in.  You'll make me a believer."

I walked away from the conversation thinking about how to prove it.  A number of options rolled around in my head but none of them seemed to fit very well.  So I put it away for a while.  I was stumped.  How could I really prove it helped with recovery, performance and muscle injuries?

Challenge Accepted

Four days later, I was on my trainer completing the final set of a structured workout put together by my coach.  I was using an app called Zwift and was half way up Mont Ventoux, a famous Tour De France climb.  The workout called for a series of standing 1.5 minute exertions at a power output of 365 watts.

Strava Workout

Climbing up Mont Ventoux right before an unexpected muscle injury

On the final set of the series, I felt a sharp pain in my left hamstring.

Oh no.  Not again.  The dreaded muscle injury of cyclists and runners.  The hammie.

Over a decade ago I had been hit by a truck and severely injured.   My left hamstring had been completely de-attached and as it eventually healed, it became prone to re-occurring injury.  Like now.

Getting off my bike, I hobbled upstairs and immediately lathered the back of my left leg in Daily Balance and wrapped it tightly with an ace bandage.  I did this three times a day for five days only taking the compression off to shower.  The day after the incident was a rest day.  No activity.  The day after, I was back riding.

Detective Work Pays Off

During this time, I recalled the last time I had this injury.  It was May of 2019.  I remembered that I had the power files for that time period.  Cyclists have power meters built into their cranks or pedals which measure the total power output and the output of each leg.  This along with other information is collected and stored in one of the many performance apps cyclists use such as Today's Plan, Training Peaks, Strava, etc.

The only difference between my 2019 injury and the most recent was the application of Daily Balance and ice.  In 2019, I used compression and also ice to treat this muscle injury.  In the most recent approach to treating my hamstring, I didn't use ice but did again use compression.

I decided to use a performance bench mark from this past August taken in between two very hairy endurance gravel races in Vermont and North Carolina.

Here are the results.

May 2019 Hamstring Injury Sept/Oct 2021 Hamstring Injury August 2021 Race Season Baseline
May-19 Oct-21 8-Aug
Average Power Output/Workout  (Watts) 219 285 310
Left/Right Leg Power Output (%) 29/71 48/52 49/51
Watts/Kilogram 2.1 2.7 3.1
Flexibility Range (1-10) 3 8 9
2019 % of Baseline 2021 % of Baseline 2021 Performance Improvement over 2019
Average Power Output/Workout  (Watts) 71% 92% 30%
Left/Right Leg Power Output (%) 43% 98% 123%
Watts/Kilogram 68% 87% 28%
Flexibility Range (1-10) 33% 89% 170%
2019 Day 5 2021 Day 5 2021 Performance Improvement over 2019
Maximum Power Output/Workout  (Watts) 282 623 121%
Left/Right Leg Power Output (%) 42/58 49/51 17%
Watts/Kilogram 2.6 3.4 31%
Flexibility Range (1-10) 4 8 100%

First Better Recovery Then Better Performance

I emailed the spreadsheet with numbers to my friend.  Five minutes later my phone range.  It was my friend.  "Are you sure about these numbers?", he asked.

"Do you want me to email you the power files so you can see yourself?"  He replied no.  A few seconds of silence went by and then he exclaimed excitedly, "this stuff really works.  How come EVERYONE doesn't know about it?"

"Oh, they will.  Once people try Daily Balance, it's hard to ignore what it does",  I said.  I bounced back from my muscle injury without really missing a beat.

My friend laughed and said, 'yeah, well until then it is going to be MY secret weapon!"

Performance numbers don't lie.  They are black and white.  If you are an athlete, no matter what level, no matter what sport, no matter what age, remember that the QUALITY OF YOUR RECOVERY DICTATES THE QUALITY OF YOUR PERFORMANCE AND HOW YOU BOUNCE BACK FROM MUSCLE INJURIES.

Daily Balance works.  That is a fact.  Invest in a 2.0 ounce bottle to try.  You have very little to lose.  I'll even sweeten the deal. Use the Discount Code 'BetterHealth' for 20% off.  By the time you finish that 2 ounce bottle, you'll be hooked and recovering and performing better.  Guaranteed.

Feel free to follow me on Strava to keep tabs on what Daily Balance is doing for my performance.

Strava Handle: Steve Hershberger

1 dangerous thing you probably didn't know about allergies

Fall is a time for outdoor activity.  Including seasonal allergies.

Fall is a beautiful time to be outside.  The crisp weather.  The brightly colored leaves.  The seasonal allergies.  Many of us suffer from some form of seasonal allergy.  For many of us, it is a stuffy nose, itchy or watery eyes.  Nothing more than an irritant we gladly trade off for such wondrous outdoor beauty.  But allergies can have more of an impact on your body than you might realize.

But, according to the Orthopedic Institute of Pennsylvania (OIP), some people who suffer from seasonal allergies may also experience severe joint, muscle, back and neck ache.

Turns out, when you experience allergies, your body has higher inflammation levels than usual as your immune system reacts to pollen and your body attempts to “flush” out the allergens, according to the OIP. This can cause aches, pains and inflammation across a variety of areas in your body, including neck, shoulders, lumbar, even knees, ankles, feet and hands!

Enjoy Your Fall but Combat Your Allergies

As fall weather turns to winter, often the air becomes drier.  Humidity falls and when that happens and we are exerting ourselves, we increase our risk of dehydration.  As we dehydrate, our muscles and surrounding tissues can swell.  Muscles and tendons when dehydrated and cold are also prone to increased risk of damage.

Fighting Injury and Allergies all at Once

Topicals such as Daily Balance prior to an outdoor workout or activity can increase blood flow and oxygenation to tissues and help to ward off inflammation.  Application after a cool weather activity can help to extend improved blood flow and delivery of key nutrients and minerals to keep inflammation tamped down and speed recovery.

Daily Balance sampler

Try a 2 or 3.8 ounce (TSA compliant) bottle and see what Daily Balance can do for you this fall

Keep in mind, inflammation is not the same thing as swelling always.  Inflammation can cause aches, pains and minor mobility issues whereas swelling is helping to protect seriously damaged parts of your body.  Using a topical to treat regular inflammation can help you feel better and perform better.

Get started with a 2 ounce trial bottle of Daily Balance to see what it can do for you.  Click here to get started and be sure to use promo code 'BetterHealth' for 20% off!