Good morning. Day 3.
Cortisol. Protein. Today, sleep.
Between 10 PM and 2 AM your body runs its most important repair cycle. Growth hormone peaks. Your liver processes the day. Your gut resets its bacterial balance. And you burn fat, because you are not running on incoming glucose.
The catch is that this window only opens if you are asleep. Not winding down. Asleep.
Most women go to bed between 11 and midnight, which misses the first half of it entirely. They wake up tired, puffy, and carrying more water than the night before.
Cortisol has a rhythm too. It should peak about 30 to 45 minutes after you wake and bottom out around midnight. Stay up late and it stays elevated when it should be falling, so your body keeps storing through the early morning hours instead of releasing.
There is a number that surprises people. Two nights of short sleep is enough to produce measurable insulin resistance in otherwise healthy adults. Two nights.
At the end of the day, you cannot out-exercise chronic sleep loss.
Today's action:
Set an alarm for 9:30 PM. When it goes off, phone face down, start winding down. In bed by 10:15.
Try it for one night. Notice how differently you wake up.
One piece of housekeeping, and then nothing else to buy.
There is an optional supplement stack in this challenge. It supports the habits, it does not replace them, and you can finish all 14 days without it.
If you do want it, order today. It takes a few days to arrive and we do not start taking any of it until Day 7.
Jarrow Formulas KSM-66 Ashwagandha 300mg
Swanson Full Spectrum Lemon Balm 500mg
Thorne D3/K2 Liquid
Doctor's Best High Absorption Magnesium, 200mg serving
Exact products, doses, and the interaction warnings are all here: https://www.huntersholistichealth.com/flat-belly-supplements
Two safety notes before you order. Vitamin K2 works against warfarin and other blood thinners, so if you take one, do not start the D3/K2 until your prescriber clears it. Ashwagandha is not for use in pregnancy, and clear it first if you take thyroid medication, sedatives, or immunosuppressants.
With your doctor's permission, of course. Bring them the list.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Always consult your licensed healthcare provider before beginning any supplement.
See you tomorrow.
Yours in health,
Dr. Shallanda Hunter, PharmD, MBA, CFNMP
Hunter's Holistic Health
huntersholistichealth.com
For educational purposes only. Not medical advice.