1. Know Your Numbers
Want to know what you really should be eating, the supplements you should be taking, the workouts you should be doing and the best way to manage your stress? The secret is in your blood (well, your blood, hair, saliva, breath and stool, to be exact). This is the most accurate way to determine the type of foods, exercises, supplements and lifestyle habits you need to boost your metabolism, balance your blood sugar, build lean muscle and (finally) get a good night’s sleep.
We always say ‘test, don’t guess’, and whilst it may seem like an extra step, being able to get personalized recommendations for your unique biological needs gets you results more quickly and more effectively than trying the latest fad diet on Instagram or TikTok ever could…
We provide our wellness patients with a comprehensive testing panel to ascertain your current metabolic, hormonal, thyroid, cardiovascular and digestive health – and then provide you with a detailed roadmap (plus support and accountability) to help you look and feel your best in 2023.
Learn more about our Anti-Aging Wellness Analysis here.
2. Follow Recommendations For Your Stage of Life
We believe in personalized wellness, and that there is no ‘one size fits all, all the time’ best approach. This means that what worked for you in your 20’s and 30’s probably won’t work for you in your 40’s and 50’s. This simply means a shift in your approach – for example the diet, fitness, supplement and lifestyle strategies that we recommend to our patients in their 20’s are very different from the recommendations we give to our patients in their 50’s due to changes in their metabolic and hormonal function. This helps our patients to achieve optimum health at whatever stage they are in their lives as they are following recommendations that are proven to work for them.
And we can further fine tune these recommendations even more for our wellness patients! For example, if you are stressed out with low thyroid and adrenal function then intermittent fasting is not for you. Or if you have had a poor night’s sleep your glucose tolerance is lowered, meaning that you should eat a lower carb, higher protein diet the next day. As part of our wellness program our patients have me on ‘speed dial’, for real time advice, support and accountability.
3. Eat Foods That Love You Back
Fad diets that leave you feeling deprived, low energy and hangry (hungry + angry) and low energy? We don’t believe these are good for your physical or mental health (and they can actually lead to premature aging, weight gain and a lower metabolic rate).
Instead, focus on a whole foods diet full of nutrient dense foods that taste great and keep you full for hours. We recommend ditching highly processed, highly refined and high carb foods (think foods with added sugars, made from white flour, etc.) and instead filling your plate with proteins (salmon, grass fed beef, pasture raised chicken, ground turkey, beans lentils and tempeh), healthy fats (avocado, extra virgin olive oil, nuts and seeds) and as many brightly colored foods you can fit on your plate.
Include skin loving, anti aging superfoods such as fermented foods, collagen powder, Vitamin C rich foods such as berries and citrus – and even dark chocolate and coffee are allowed as they are packed with anti-aging polyphenols!
We provide a personalized meal plan as part of our wellness program that is based on your body’s unique needs, which includes quick, easy and delicious recipes for maximum metabolic and anti-aging benefits.
4. Manage Your Stress (Before It Manages You)
Stress is catabolic to the body – this means it breaks down your body on a cellular level, causing damage to your lean muscle tissue, hair, skin and nails, and even lowering metabolic and thyroid function. We wish we could lower your (and our) stress levels – but what we can do is give you easy to implement (even on the busiest schedule) stress management tips, tools and supplements to help minimize stress related aging and weight gain.
Try this simple Box Breathing exercise if you find yourself getting overwhelmed:
- Breathe in through your nose counting to four slowly.
- Hold your breath for 4 seconds.
- Slowly exhale through your nose for 4 seconds.
- Repeat as needed.
As part of our wellness program we recommend personalized stress management tools, supplements and even biohacking devices that help manage the way your body individually reacts to stress.
5. Respect Your Circadian Rhythm
The best anti-aging tip I can ever give you? Get more sleep! I know this is easier than its sounds, but sleep is the key time for our body’s to repair and detoxify, and when our sleep is disrupted it can cause premature aging, lowering of our metabolic rate, poor detoxification and cellular aging.
Healthy sleep starts from the moment you wake up – try exposing yourself to natural (or artificial light) as soon as you wake up, don’t have caffeine until 90 minutes after waking, stay active during the day, eat an early dinner and avoid screens (this means TV’s, laptops and cell phones) in the bedroom. We provided a personalized sleep prescription as part of our wellness program.
Jennifer is now offering 60 Minute Solution Sessions!
The 60 Minute Solution Session is a one-on-one private consultation with Board Certified Functional Nutritionist and Wellness Expert, Jennifer Hanway. This session can be used to discuss any aspect of nutrition, health, fitness and wellbeing. Schedule now!
This session is perfect for:
- Reviewing your current food diary and supplement regimen and receiving personalized recommendations
- Establishing your current health status and next best steps
- Diving deep into one aspect of health: weight loss, menopause, gut health, skin issues, low energy, autoimmune conditions
Notes and recommendations will be provided after the session, and a recording will be made available if desired.
Schedule your 60 Minute Solution Session with Jennifer or call Russak Dermatology Clinic at (646) 873-7546 to schedule your Wellness Analysis today and make 2023 your best year yet!
