Now that we know a bit about both Macro and Micronutrients, I want to highlight a vitamin that is one of the most common nutritional deficiencies worldwide: vitamin D. This vitamin plays a critical role in building and maintaining strong and healthy bones! The human body needs vitamin D along with calcium for this process to thrive. The body can only absorb calcium if it has enough vitamin D, which is why it is so important to make sure you absorb enough of it either via the sun, nutrition, or supplementation!

The challenge this week is to learn about food sources of vitamin D and calcium! Make sure you have enough sources of vitamin D and calcium in your diet and supplements to support your healthy bones; yet not too much as it is a fat soluble vitamin. Check in with your doctor if you suspect vitamin D or calcium deficiencies.

Cheers,

Catherine Tro, Director of First Impressions

This Cognitive Behavioral Exercise Can Help Quiet Your Negative Self-Talk

We all have that little negative voice in our heads, and one way to combat it is to change how we think about situations. Stressful things will always happen, but the goal is to change your feelings about those stressful situations. 

To practice this exercise, separate a piece of paper into three columns. One is for your negative thoughts, one is for the cognitive distortion at play, and one is for your rational response (thinking logically about your feelings).

Here’s an example:

Negative thought: I did horribly on my presentation today and am getting fired. 

Cognitive distortion: All-or-nothing thinking, jumping to conclusions.

Rational response: Maybe it wasn’t my best presentation, but overall, the quality of my work is good.

These cognitive exercises take a lot of practice but can help silence your inner critic.

Tip adapted from Healthline¹⁰