Friday: And that's a Wrap!

And just like that the 4-week Rainbow Challenge is done – but we hope that some of the habits stick with you.

How did you do over the past 4 weeks?

Huge congratulations for making it to the end! We’ve thrown a lot of information at you over the course of this Challenge, but we hope that you’ve been able to learn a few things and have started to make changes to your diet that help move you towards your unique sense of optimal health.

As you continue to reflect on the last month and how you are or aren’t going to maintain some of the changes you’ve made, remember to re-do the Better Nutrition Rainbow Evaluation (attached to this module). You can compare it to your starting point. It’s a great tool to measure your progress against where you started in terms of your rainbow intake. Remember, any progress is great progress and hopefully you can use this as a springboard to keep up the great work!

Lifestyle Bonus

This week we’re focusing on stress. Or more specifically, how to integrate stress management in our routines.

Stress can have a profound impact on both physical and mental health, including:

Maldigestion or dysbiosis: Stress can increase risk of intestinal permeability (AKA "leaky gut"), reflux (heartburn), IBS, and dysbiosis (imbalanced good and bad bacteria), and reduce nutrient absorption.
Impaired immune system: Chronic stress can suppress the immune system, making you more susceptible to infections, illness, and delayed healing. At the same time, stress can trigger autoimmune disease.
Cardiovascular & Metabolic disease: Prolonged stress can contribute to the development of high blood pressure, heart disease, and in increased risk of cardiovascular events. Stress has also been associated with increased risk of thyroid disease, diabetes, and kidney disease as well.
Mental health issues: Chronic stress is closely linked to the development of or worsening of mental healthy conditions, including depression, anxiety, and burnout, among others.
Impaired cognitive function: Long-term stress can affect memory, concentration, and decision-making abilities, leading to issues with learning and problem solving.
Altered hormone balance: Prolonged stress and cortisol dysregulation can impact a long list of hormones including insulin, estrogen, and testosterone production and metabolism.

But the MOST important part about managing and reducing stress is finding something to integrate into your life that you love and that is sustainable.

Read below for some suggestions of stress reducing behaviors and activities, but remember, make it your own!