Good afternoon Nikkola Newsletterers!

Robin Sharma once said,

I was thinking about the assumptions I've made over the years, and how often things turned out for the better when I let go of my assumptions and tried something new.

I started thinking about this because I was reflecting on when a friend introduced us to Amare. He told me it was a supplement company and I immediately assumed that the products would be inferior to the brands I was already familiar with.

I'm glad I let go of the assumption and checked them out. I've never been so proud to recommend a line of products. Nor have I been flooded with testimonials about how a brand of supplements has changed others' lives like I have been the past few months.

I know many fitness professionals and practitioners are holding onto the same assumptions I had, and haven't yet given Amare a try. Their stubbornness prevents them from experiencing the feel-good effects they offer. Even worse, it keeps their clients from experiencing them.

I also know many people partnered with other companies, seeing the impact the products have had on people they know. But their egos keep them from trying the products to see for themselves.

I'm using the supplements as an example, but there are all sorts of assumptions we make about health and fitness that keep us from experiencing our best selves. Sometimes, the best thing we can do is to give it a try.

It might be trying a new gym, testing out a new supplement, or having a conversation with someone you assume you won't connect with.

Assumptions mostly hurt our experience in life. They leave us ignorant. Testing out gives us wisdom. Sometimes our assumptions will be proven right. Most times, we'll see they were wrong.

Enjoy this week's carefully curated newsletter!

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All About Sensoril Ashwagandha. Ashwagandha is one of the most-studied adaptogens in the world, with a history thousands of years of use. Sensoril® Ashwagandha is a specific extract that offers a plethora of mental and physical health benefits. I covered 10 benefits in this article. Keep reading...​

The Truth About Citric Acid. Fear-mongering social media influencers recently began attacking citric acid, an ingredient commonly used in food and dietary supplements. As you'll see, it's not only not harmful, it even offers some health benefits. Keep reading...​

Can you lose weight without cardio? You most definitely can. In fact, if you overdo cardio or choose cardio over resistance training, your weight loss results could be pretty disappointing. Read more about why that is in this article from the archive.

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Wasn't there a sale last week? Yes! And today and tomorrow, Amare's offering the biggest sale we'll see until Black Friday, just for Leap Year. Get 29% off every product on the site except the new Mango Happy Juice pack. Reply to this email if you'd like some recommendations, or tap the button below to shop the site. Use promo code LEAPYEAR29 at checkout. Then, and this is important, message me after you order so I can get you access to some exclusive resources. SHOP THE SALE

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Antidepressant use in teenage girls has skyrocketed since 2020. According to a new study, antidepressant dispensing increased 130% faster among 12-17 year old girls since 2020. Among males, it decreased. The two big questions are, what are the drivers of this, and why are antidepressant medications with serious side effects the go-to solution?

Ketamine is becoming a more commonly prescribed feel-good medication. Yes, ketamine! While there's undoubtedly a time and place for it, it's mind-blowing that people would think it's totally normal to use something like ketamine and then call into question the use of nutritional supplements that support mood and mental health.

Fluoride is going to have its day in court. Public drinking water started getting fluoridated in 1945, when Grand Rapids, Michigan became the first city to do so. Since then, evidence has continued to mount showing that treating water with fluorine can reduce children's IQs, cause nerodevelopmental issues and other health problems. A case in Texas could put an end to it, or at least lead to homeowners being able to decide whether they want it or not.

Forest bathing works, even in the city. Forest bathing, or the concept of surrounding yourself in nature, has a significant impact on mental wellbeing. It's easy to do if you live in the country. But what if you live in an urban area? New research in teens shows that looking at an urban lake for a few minutes decreased anxiousness scores by 9%. It went on to find that even looking at nature motifs or patters on buildings helped improve mood. Maybe careers in urban art will take off as city planners understand the benefits of bringing the appearance of nature into the look of their cities.

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Red light therapy lowers blood glucose levels. Red light therapy is becoming more accessible through gyms and alternative health practices. One of its many benefits is that it increases mitochondrial energy production, which uses up more of your bodies available glucose. A new study showed that it lowered blood glucose by 28%. That's huge! As it's become more popular, home units are also becoming more accessible and more affordable.

Exercise vs. Antidepressants. I might have shared this already, but it's worth repeating. 150 minutes of exercise per week was shown to be as effective as taking antidepressants. And without side effects.

The underband of a sports bra can inhibit breathing during exercise. A new study showed that when female runners self-selected a sports bra, the tighter-fitting sports bras changed their breathing, making it more shallow and frequent and lowered their oxygen uptake. I'd imagine it could have similar effects throughout the day.

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If you're on a calorie-restricted diet, there's some benefit in eating more frequently. A new study shows that body composition improved more, and people held on to more lean body mass, when eating more frequently. However, this study was just about meal frequency, and not about macronutrient content. It's possible that by eating more protein, you'd see a simiilar improvement in body composition while eating fewer meals. Existing research backs up that assumption.

Is intermittent fasting okay if you're dealing with adrenal fatigue? No, I wouldn't recommend it. This is coming from experience working with people more than existing research. When you're dealing with AF, you're already more sensitive to stress, so going for extended periods without food can trigger an exaggerated stress response.

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In faith, fitness, and fortitude, Tom Nikkola, CSCS ​

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