Earlier this year, we had the pleasure of having Shawn Stevenson join us on our 121tribe Online Retreat. Shawn is a Nutritionist, Best Selling Author, and host of the #1 Health Podcast in the U.S. “The Model Health Show”.  Watch Shawn’s full retreat video here where he dives into tips on how to lose weight, improve your metabolism, and improve your brain function. 

After being told that he had an incurable spinal condition at the age of 20 years old, Shawn was determined to find a way to get better, despite his diagnosis. He shifted his perspective from focusing on the problem of his diagnosis towards focusing on changing his diet, activity levels, and sleep quality. Incredibly, after nine months, Shawn’s diagnosis had completely reversed and he was in the best shape he had been in for years. This success in his health journey led him to inspiring others and launching his clinical practice as a nutritionist. 

Shawn stresses that one of the most important aspects of our health is our sleep. Sleep is a major factor of the hormone levels in our bodies which ultimately affect our metabolism. Studies show that people who get adequate amounts of quality sleep (8.5 hours) lost 55% more body fat than when they were sleep deprived. Shawn highlights that the first thing we should understand about sleep quality is that, “good sleep starts in our gut”. The best way to be getting the nutrients our bodies need for quality sleep is through eating a wide range of plants, all of which contain a different variety of nutrients.

Specific Nutrients that Shawn recommends for getting better sleep include:

1. Potassium - can help improve sleep efficiency and reduce the frequency of how often you wake up

   Find in: Bananas, avocados, sweet potatoes, coconut water, black beans

2. Vitamin C - Studies show that those deficient in vitamin C are far more likely to have interrupted sleep cycles

   Find in: Bell peppers, kiwi, citrus fruit, superfoods (camu camu, acerola, etc)

3. Magnesium - Helps to reduce stress in the body

   Ex. Leafy greens, dark chocolate, pumpkin seeds

Once again, check out Shawn’s full retreat video here where he dives into tips on how to lose weight, improve your metabolism, and improve your brain function. 

Check out Shawn’s books at https://eatsmarterbook.com/

And his podcasts at https://themodelhealthshow.com/ 

Also, be sure to follow him on Instagram for more great health content! @shawnmodel