Prioritizing ourselves…?! The time is NOW!

I have recently been doing a lot of journaling around my own transformation (health, life in general) – both in the past as well as in the present. As I look at where I’ve come from and am pondering where I want to go (and what I have to do in the present to get there), I wondered to myself – why now? Why now have I started to encounter so many women around my age group who are looking for more support and help in their health journey? Why do we seem to all be looking forward at how we want to feel, look, live and be as we move through this life? Why now do we seem ready to finally pay attention to ourselves?

Many reasons I’m sure. However, I think that as we are all entering and moving through our 40s and into our 50s we are struck with the realization that – shit, this is it. We think about our focus from our younger years – first on building our careers and our family. We were focused on crushing it in our chosen fields (whatever that may have been). We were focused on finding love (and for some of us, for realizing it was the wrong love, remedying that situation and then finding love again). We were focused on raising a family. We were focused on the neighborhood we wanted to live in and the homes we wanted to buy. We were focused on growing up and being and doing all of the things we wanted to and dreamed about in our younger years. We were focused on becoming – us. We were focused on creating our lives.

Somehow along the way though we got lost in all that becoming, in all that doing, in all that focus on others. We love (hopefully) our work and enjoy being amazing at what we do. We love (hopefully) our families, our significant others and our children, our homes – the crazy busy lives we’ve created. But somehow we sort of lost ourselves along the way. We are very busy managing work and home lives and ensuring it ALL gets done. And now we seem to be taking stock.

We’re established in careers, we have our homes and our families (whatever that may look like for us) – so now what? When we allow ourselves to take 2 minutes out of our busy day to just look inward at ourselves and who we’ve become – at our health and well-being, at what we want out of life on a deeper level. We sometimes don’t like, and are surprised at what we see. We then start thinking of the future: What do I want my future to hold? Who am I? Do I like this person? Who do I want to be? The questions move from – what career will I have to – how do I want to live my life in a way that fulfills me and makes me happy? How do I envision my future as I age? How do I want to feel? What do I want to be able to do? How will I be there for my kids as they grow? How can I avoid nursing homes and cancer? Can I…?

We now seem to be in a season of life where we are finally ready to prioritize ourselves again. To look deeper at the meaning of our lives, and we want to find the health and wellness that will allow us to live fulfilling and purpose-driven lives – so that essentially – we can just be happy and enjoy the remainder of our time on this planet.

Which brings me back to my original question. Why now? Why now are women reaching out, raising their hands – essentially saying – I am ready now. I am ready to prioritize myself in my own life again. I am ready to look and feel like the me I know is in there and the me I know I can be. I want that guidance and I am ready to finally feel amazing and be free to live life the way I want.

The answer? We are now wise enough to understand the value of time, and (unlike in our youth) we realize that we don’t have forever to just struggle around with years of trying to figure it out on our own. It is because of the wisdom we’ve gained through the years that we know the value of just reaching out, asking for help from those who are more knowledgeable and have been there (why waste time and energy figuring it out when it’s much more efficient to look to those that have already figured it out). We want to have someone help us find that right path, that right protocol, those right actions for us as an individual – so we don’t have to waste time and energy on it. We know that having an expert guide always make the journey easier, always helps push us forward and just feel’s so much safer and we feel more confident than going it alone. We know that having that guidance and support will allow us the room we need, give us the permission we are looking for to make that space in our lives, to implement those changes and make them part of who we are.

And – We are now reaching out. We are looking for coaches and consultants who can streamline the process for us. Who can set us on the right path and help us figure out how to implement the changes we want/need in our extremely time-crunched, busy lives, who can act as guides and support us on our journey. Because we don’t want to waste any more time struggling, we just want to keep moving.

And – OUR TIME IS NOW!

Take that action ladies. Step in to your power, take responsibility for your health and well-being, take control and steer yourself where YOU want to go. When you’re ready – reach out. I’m here to help. I’m in it with you. I am ready to be that lighthouse, that grounding, that expert and that support. Take that easy first step – schedule a free 30 minute consult at the link below. You CAN do this! You are ready.

https://calendly.com/svitaleholistichealth/discovery-call

Here’s to an amazing future!

Advertisement

Are you Ready for Summer? Free 2 week Challenge

https://mailchi.mp/70e5b5e92282/21daysofrealfoodrealquick

Designed to get you energized and ready for summer – from the inside out!

All meals are gluten-free, easy to prepare and packed with the nutrition you need to welcome all the activities summer brings.

2 weekly meal plans, grocery lists, recipes and prep guides all done for you. All you need to do is commit! Click the link above to get your free plan now!

Get Over Your Mom Guilt – lives depend on it

Guilt – more specifically, the dreaded Mom Guilt.  It’s like that annoying cellulite that exists, we know it’s there, we see it, we feel it, we cover it up, we even joke about it. But it haunts us.

Ok, so that was a bit dramatic – but seriously – mom guilt sucks. In so many ways. For now, however, I want to specifically address how mom guilt is contributing to an unhealthy future for ourselves and our families.

Mom guilt causes us to put our children, our spouse or significant other, our families and even our friends over our own selves on the priority list.  In fact, often, we don’t even make it onto the priority list at all. (Wait a minute, you’re thinking – WE are SUPPOSED to be on the priority list???).

YES – we should be on the priority list, but instead, we mom’s trudge ahead each day, each week ensuring that our kids have fulfilling lives with what we deem to be appropriate activities, carting them around to their friends’ & their events. We make sure our families eat during the week, that their clothes are clean, that everyone wakes up and makes it to their respective locations timely. We ensure the house isn’t a garbage dump, we help with school projects, we make Target runs at 8pm for items needed the next day at school – essentially, we ensure everyone else’s lives are taken care of and functioning appropriately. Oh yeah, and don’t forget if you’re a working mom there’s that whole other job/career thing (no time to go into that right now ….).

Some of us even wear the guilt as a badge of honor (I am guilty of this by the way) – “Ohh, look at me and all the work I put in, all the things I do for you – never mind me, I’m fine – my life is fulfilling and I live to serve….” Hello martyr anyone? What is the cost of our martyrdom? What is the cost to our selves and our families down the road?

Well, if we don’t stop and jump off the guilt train, unfortunately the future is pretty bleak. Consistently putting others needs, others wants, and others priorities ahead of your own because you feel like you should, will only lead to overwhelm, anxiety, chronic stress, anger, frustration, feeling unappreciated, fatigued, uninterested in family time, lower libido, low self-esteem – I could keep going but I think you get the gist.

Let’s face it – being a mom is a lot of responsibility and a lot of work. And yes, it requires certain sacrifices to ensure that your children are happy and healthy and turn out to be (we hope) somewhat normal humans who contribute to this world and find their own dreams and live their own happiness. But recall – we mom’s also have our own dreams, our own lives, our own health and happiness to consider.  If we are burnt out shells of ourselves who constantly are running ourselves ragged and ignore the toll on our bodies and minds – we will not have done our jobs as mothers. We would have modeled extremely poor behaviors for our families. We would be too tired, too fat and too diseased as we grow older to enjoy our children and someday maybe our grandchildren. We would have lost our spark for living. How, I ask you, is that being a good mom?

I believe that part of being a good mom is showing your children the importance of taking care of yourself – body, mind and spirit. Modeling behaviors that you want to instill in your children is the best way to teach them. Taking time for your self-care, putting thought and practice into what goes into your body, making time for exercise and fun – all of these habits will:

  1. Keep you calm so that you don’t morph into the crazy, at your wits-end mom who freaks out on her kids (don’t pretend you don’t know what I’m talking about)
  2. Help you stay physically fit to keep up with your children and participate in activities with them over the years
  3. Help you feel better about yourself, happy, fulfilled and alive
  4. Help you look younger and grow old gracefully (by showing wrinkles and fat who’s boss)
  5. Help you want to stay connected and close to your partner and have a fulfilling sex life (this also helps you not become the crazy, rampaging mom I spoke about above)
  6. Help you live a long, healthy life and decrease or eliminate the chances that your children will have the burden of caring for you in their adult years
  7. Show your children that mom is important too and she is an actual person outside of the dirty laundry and messes she cleans up
  8. Provide for a positive family experience full of love and laughter

So – it’s time to give up the excuses, put the guilt behind you and start saying yes to YOU. Mom guilt is destructive and counter-productive to what we really want for our families. No more “because I should” or “because I have to” or “I’ll take care of me when I have time”. There is no one more important than you in your family – if you aren’t around to ground and center your family what would happen? I know I don’t want to know. I am now dedicated to catching myself falling into the guilt trap, stopping and redirecting myself. I am working hard at this because I want my girls to see positive examples of how they should take care of themselves and their families when they are older.

It’s a constant and conscious effort on my part – one that I have already felt the positive affects of.  Just ask my husband (who is not the subject of my crazy, tired, angry and irrational tirades any longer)!

Remember it’s not about PERFECT, it’s about HAPPY

Perfectionism, People-Pleasing & Overwhelm Are Robbing you of Vitality and Health

We all strive for excellence and fulfillment in every aspect of our lives – career, relationships, health.  We juggle all things, try to make everyone happy, try to fulfill our work obligations, our family obligations and maintain our friendships and connections.  We commit ourselves to doing – well – everything. We don’t want to let anyone down. Oftentimes though we have learned to equate being “perfect”, having a life we’ve built in our minds as perfect, to living in excellence.  This confusion is quietly and slowly affecting you negatively both physically and mentally. It’s contributing to fatigue, overwhelm, weight gain, hormone imbalance, sleep issues and disease.

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, Perfectionism is a disposition to regard anything short of perfection as unacceptable especially: the setting of unrealistically demanding goals accompanied by a disposition to regard failure to achieve them as unacceptable and a sign of personal worthlessness.

Most of us don’t think of being a perfectionist as a sign of being worthless. Many of us regard it as a badge of honor. We carry it around, identify with it, use it to show others how amazing we are. The reality is, this mode of operation is making us sick and overweight. It is setting us up for failure after failure which causes a circle of overwhelm, anxiety, depression and illness. There is no such thing as being perfect and because we never reach that goal – we are continuously failing ourselves. 

Physically, perfectionism and the need to be all things to all people and to do it all flawlessly each and every time – is having a significant impact on our bodies. Perfectionistic tendencies and thoughts lead to anxiety and worry. Anxiety and worry lead to chronic stress which leads to weight gain – or the inability to lose weight, it impacts your ability to concentrate and focus, can cause headaches, irritability, a pounding heart, shortness of breath, upset stomach, loss of libido, an increase in blood pressure, extreme fatigue, unexplained muscle aches or pain, imbalances in blood sugar, fertility problems, erectile dysfunction – the list goes on. In short, the effects of being a perfectionist affect your central nervous system, your cardiovascular system, your immune system, your excretory and digestive system and your respiratory system.

Anxiety and worry trigger your bodies cortisol response (your “fight or flight” response) in the sympathetic nervous system. While this response is beneficial and works for you in many positive ways, when you experience constant anxiety, worry and overwhelm your body is in a chronic state of stress and the cortisol production doesn’t cease when it should. Your hormones become imbalanced causing a myriad of issues:

  1. Stress hormones cause your blood vessels to constrict which increases blood pressure and your risk for heart attack or stroke;
  2. Under stress your liver produces more blood sugar to produce the energy your body thinks it needs to fight the stressor, increasing the risk of developing insulin sensitivity and Type 2 Diabetes;
  3. Increased levels of stress hormones also affect the way food moves through your body which can cause acid reflux, stomach issues, constipation or diarrhea;
  4. Muscles tense up to protect themselves which could lead to cramps, back aches, shoulder pain, headaches;
  5. When chronically stressed the body’s response lowers the production of testosterone, causes issues with estrogen/progesterone production leading to menstrual problems and lowering libido;
  6. You may experience sleep issues as your normal circadian rhythms are pushed out of sync as cortisol – which should decrease as the day goes on, stays high.  This suppresses the production of melatonin in the evening and impacts the timing and quality of your sleep. This hugely impacts your weight, hormones and all the repair functions your body goes through during its sleep cycles. 

Whoa – I’m overwhelmed just reading all that!!  So, what can we do about this???

We do not have to allow our perfectionistic & people-pleasing tendencies take over and destroy our health. There are several lifestyle changes, mindset shifts and everyday habits/practices we can build in order to take back control and make a significant impact in how we feel and look. 

MIND: Lasting change is a losing battle without the right mindset

  1. Identification: Identifying when you are slipping into perfectionistic & people-pleasing tendencies is the first step. Once you are aware, you can consciously focus on change. You can redirect your thoughts.
  2. Let go: Work on understanding that nothing is ever perfect, you can’t control everything and you can’t be all things to all people. It’s ok to let go. You are enough just as you are!
  3. Mindfulness practices: (examples – yoga/meditation) Allow yourself to have space for thought & self-care. These practices will help calm your mind and body and help reduce your anxiety and stress.

BODY

  1. Move!  Movement and exercise are natural stress releasers and have positive effects on your mind and body. Even just getting up and walking for 5 minutes around the office can help ease your stress tremendously.
  2. Breathe – Practice slow, deep breathing; focused breathing with the exhale longer than the inhale. This type of breathing sends messages to your brain and hormones that it’s time to relax.
  3. Introduce healthy foods into your diet which have a positive impact on stress reduction. What you eat HUGELY impacts your bodies reactions and ability to function. I can’t stress this enough!
    • Green leafy vegetables boost your magnesium levels & contain folate which increases your dopamine levels (happy hormone);
    • Foods that contain tryptophan (an amino acid – think protein) help produce serotonin and regulate feelings of happiness and hunger levels. Examples include nuts, seeds, tofu, fish, lentils, eggs, oats & beans.
    • Anti-inflammatory foods with Omega 3 fatty acids to help counteract the effects of stress.

SPIRIT

  1. Place importance upon & engage in positive self-care. This is NOT a guilty indulgence (I’m speaking to you Moms out there), it is an essential component of your overall health and well-being. You are just as important as those you serve – create a healthy relationship with yourself;
  2. Spend time with friends and family – those who make you laugh and who love you.  Limit toxic relationships. Connect with your community;
  3. Take time to connect with something bigger than yourself – whether it’s your faith, the universe or a walk outside. Putting your anxieties and worries into perspective of the larger world often takes a lot of the pressure and worry off your shoulders and provides a positive opportunity for community and connection.

If you want to find out how you can use easy to implement diet and lifestyle changes to help you feel better, lose weight, reach your health goals, and not feel so overwhelmed and tired please click (or type into your browser) the link below to schedule your free 30 minute consultation.

https://svitale.satoriapp.com/offers/182391-discovery-session

#mindsetmonday – Enjoy life as it is

Remember to always stop. Step back and look around you to find something – no matter how small – to enjoy and be grateful for! Your soul will thank you.

Mine? The rare occassion where I was able to make my now teenage daughter smile, give me hug and say thank you. All while not embarrassing her (for once). Yes, it involved a birthday gift of a lifesize cutout of her favorite celebrity. But, I got the hug and smile and it was worth it!

#mindsetmonday – there is good

Amidst the chaos and tipsy turbulence world Covid19 threw us into; amidst the senseless violence and hatred that is yet again tearing its ugly head across our nation – remember – there is still good in this world. With hundreds of thousands of amazing human beings who give of themselves, who love and who provide peace, hope and stability.

There is more power in love than in fear and hate. how will you choose to be?

#mindsetmonday It’s Monday – Again!

And so, Monday, we meet again. I know, the right thing to say is something like “Ok, so Monday’s are only icky if I choose for that to be”. And even though, I know logically for that to be true. Most of the time, normal everyday humans are like – FXXX that hippy, drippy, mind crap – Monday’s are hard and Monday’s suck and shove it you happy M-F’r.

So, let’s get real. Yes, Monday’s are hard – especially after a beautiful, relaxing, sunny and warm weekend. Yes, getting the kids to wake up and go through their school assignments and providing direction kind of blows. Getting yourself ready and together and firing up that laptop to start the work-week can be a total bummer. But, you what? Suck it up, get your grown-up on and conquer the day.

Let your negativity out, let Monday suck for a bit. And then, get to work. Decide to crush the day. Be thankful you have that job. Be grateful you have a safe home and awesome kids and loved ones and friends. Focus yourself and your mind and get yourself into that positive mindset, that flow you need to harness in order to live another day, to be a productive human and ultimately, to enjoy your life. Let the negative go and settle in for another crazy week.

Enjoy!

#mindsetmonday Shine On

It’s a beautiful sunny day today in Cleveland Ohio. The kids are online doing their lessons and I’m blessed to be able to be working while we are all at home.

The day, the week and this month will bring challenges – big and small. But together, as a family and as a larger community we will face them.

So today I choose to shine on. What will you choose today? Look outside, connect to something bigger than yourself and choose to shine your light.

Breath of fresh air – staying sane amidst social distancing

The first 3 weeks of “isolation” and social distancing weren’t too bad for me. I kept my family’s daily structure in tact, enjoyed sleeping in and not having to “get ready” and drive to work. I cooked more and didn’t really mind not leaving my house. This is very odd for me. Normally, I loathe cooking and I get ansty and am always looking for something to do to get out of the house on the weekends. I surprised myself. “Am I turning into a hermit” I thought.

And then, the official news – at least 4 additional weeks at home. I realized how much I was missing my parents and I just wanted to hug my mom. I missed seeing my co-workers and friends face to face (not through a computer) and the thought of 4 long weeks at home suddenly terrified me. I felt trapped and alone – and I have 4 other people living in my house. (Side-note – to those of you who live alone and are by yourselves in your homes – God bless you – you are a stronger person than I). I had an anxiety attack at the thought of being trapped and my mind went wild.

Now, keep in mind that everday I work hard at staying calm and being at peace with the situation. I meditate, do EFT and listen to uplifing books or podcasts. My main goal each day is to stay positive, not panic and role-model good behavior for my kids so they don’t freak out. However, this threw me for a loop. After 3 days of being unsettled and scared – the weather here in Cleveland became amazingly beautiful. The sun has actually been shining and today..well today was an amazing day. Today I went out in the morning to my front garden beds, which were overgrown when we bought the house in October, and I had a mission. I spent 4 glorious hours outside weeding to my hearts content.

The sounds of the birds chirping, the wind blowing gently, my kids playing in the yard. All of a sudden I realized – I FELT NORMAL!! Corona-what? I felt normal. And it hit me – I realized that this too will pass and the lessons learned will be carried forward. We will be able to hug each other and have gatherings again. The kids will be able to see their friends and life will carry on. I felt at peace and I looked up at the great big beautiful blue sky, felt the sunshine on my face and said – thank you. Thank you for this amazing life. At that moment I felt truly blessed.

My anxiety and fear have abated and I am once again hopeful and at peace. I urge all of you who are struggling to look out. Look beyond our immediate circumstances and see the bigger picture and know that all will be well. ALL WILL BE WELL. Beleive it. Feel it in your bones. Know it in your soul.

Stay safe. Stay healthy. And remember to always be who YOU are – because you are amazing.

Take this time at home; Make the space and look for the positive

Hello all. And so, here we are – an unknown and scary time for so many. As my parents remember bomb shelter drills and such as part of their childhood, so my children will likely remember self-isolation and remote learning periods. Hopefully lessons will be learned and this won’t be an annual thing…

I know that all the unknowns bring fear, anxiety and worry. And, while I agree there are many things for us as responsible grown-ups to be legit worried about, we CAN NOT let the fear, anxiety and worry overtake us. Now, more than ever, we need to employ our self-care practices to stay healthy, hone our meditation practices, excercise, pray etc. Whatever it takes to stay sane and keep our stress levels down. It’s the constant stress, the constant stream of uninterrupted cortisol that will lower our immunity and crack our sanity. Self-care at this time is not only important for our own peace of mind and stress levels but we must role-model positive behaviors, reactions and responses to our children, families, loved ones, co-workers and those we come across.

So, to this I say – while managing the negative, start focusing on the positives that this experience, this time could bring us.

What positives you ask? Well, they will be different for each of us. But, here are a few I’ve started to keep in mind on my list. Please feel free to add your own in the comments to this post!

Being at home so much offers me the space and time to take stock of my life. I have the time to ensure I am aligned with who I want to be and the values I uphold. I have the time to identify areas that I’d like to work on and improve.

I get to sleep in an extra hour!!!! The time I spent putting makeup on, making sure the kids were ready for school, prepping for dinner and in the car driving is now extra sleep for me – YES!!!

Being at home gives me time for catching up on my reading. My husband teases me as I have a new book coming from Amazon every other week, most of which I have only had the time to skim or research information from. I can now actually dedicate real time to reading! Woo hoo!!

I am able to spend more time with my kids outside of the hours I am working in the office or when they are working on school assignments. I don’t feel so rushed and find I am really enjoying the chatter, the laughter, the stories. Instead of being rushed to get to the “next thing” and rushing them through or only paying 1/2 attention – I am more present with them. While we always had “family-time” in the evenings, we are now doing other things interspersed throughout the day – baking, puzzles, games, walks.

I appreciate all the little things I have taken for granted. Like, greeting folks with hugs, eating out, going to the mall or a movie. Just being able to be free and be out and about.

My house is actually CLEAN – OMG – It Makes Me SOOO HAPPY!!!!!

And though these types of situations can bring out the worst in humanity, it also brings out the best. I choose everyday to focus on the “best’s” that are happening all around the world. The support, the selfless giving, the love – amazing stories of the goodness of people abound. It inspires me, gives me hope and makes my soul happy.

So, while we are all managing our fears and worries – focusing on the positives helps us get through. It gives us comfort. It reduces our stress. It brings us together and reminds us that we are not alone.

What will make your soul happy? Where will you find the positives in the Corona environment in which we are living? Please share – and – take care of yourself!

Winter blah’s?

Hey all, so I realized yesterday as I was leaving the gym that I have heard a common theme from just about everyone I’ve talked with in the last few weeks – Does this sound familiar –

“I have been so tired lately”; “I’m so unmotivated”; “I want to do nothing”; “I have been eating like crap and can’t seem to stop”; “What’s going on with me?”; “This is not like me to be so lazy”; “I feel depressed & icky” etc.

Here in Cleveland, Ohio we all know what this is – the dreaded winter blah’s. The sun never shines, it’s always dull, grey and overcast – or worse a whiteout of snow. It’s cold. The snowbirds have all taken flight (my parents included) and it’s just…UGH. I fall victim to this every year. This year I knew it would come and I tried to prepare myself mentally. I made a list of all the good things winter brings. I came up with some ideas for keeping a positive attitude during this time. I had a plan. But before I knew it, I found myself not wanting to leave the house. I wanted to sit in my comfy clothes & eat – pretty much everything I don’t normally eat the rest of the year – IN LARGE QUANTITIES. I found myself going to the vending machine at work and eating peanut M&Ms, I ate a Klondike bar the other night – I haven’t eaten one of those in probably 15 years! This, after a trip to Insomnia cookies with the family and consistently not eating healthy meals. And I wondered – what the hell is wrong with me??? My kids have been puzzled – “Who are you mom”??

Then it hit me – OMG – despite my meager efforts the winter blah’s have descended. They just crept right in under my vigilant watch. Those FXXXERS! Well, it took me a minute, but once I identified what literally EVERYONE I’ve been around has been talking about, I’m now back in full combat mode. I WILL NOT GET SUCKED INTO THE VOID of Winter depression. It’s hard to dig out of. Especially when real depression and anxiety has followed you you’re entire life. But, I’m equipped with what I need and I have a good support network. Every day now I wake up, look in the mirror and order myself to stop the “blah”, I find something (anything) positive to hold onto and I make the choice to role-model the positive for my kids (even if I’m not feeling it). Slowly but surely I’m starting to feel like me again and take back control. I’m not perfect and I have my moments – but I remember it’s a journey and it’s a part of life. This challenge that has been given to me is for a reason and I know I will be ok. The sun always shines again.

So – how do you handle the winter blues? PLEASE SHARE – I need all the help I can get and I have a sneaking suspicion many others do as well. And remember – you choose everyday how you will look at life. Start making the choice that fills your soul with happiness and keep choosing – EVERY DAMN DAY.

#mindsetmonday – the truth

#mindsetmonday

One of my favorite quotes – and I’m not sure who said it initially – goes:

“The Truth is that you are whole, perfect, capable and deserving. The Truth is that you are meant for greatness. The Truth is that you are capable of doing whatever it is you want to do on your own terms.”

As human beings we are only bound by the limits we place upon ourselves. It’s the thoughts, conditioning and mindset we operate in that limits us. However, the truth is that each one of us was put on this earth for a purpose; To discover our innate talents and abilities and share them with the world. We only have one life in our physical bodies – why do we waste it in fear and limitation?

How will you be brave? What are you limiting yourself to? Life truly is what we make of it.

#mindset

Who are you. YOU – your truest self. What do you believe? What do you stand for? How do you see the world? What are you goals, your dreams? What values do you hold?

How do you exhibit those everyday? How do you show up in the world and does it align with who you are? Do you allow others to experience who you are?

If you haven’t thought about these questions in a while – it’s time to revisit them. The answers to them are foundational to your happiness in everyday life.

Remember always – be who YOU are!

Food for Thought – Recipe – Help your skin glow!

An allergen-friendly plant-based recipe with key nutrients to help manage acne and eczema.

Important nutrients for skin health include zinc, antioxidants, and polyphenols. This recipe is high in fiber and low glycemic with no added sugars to help manage insulin levels. 

Crazy. Unhinged. Overemotional. Hormonal. Just plain nuts?

Anyone ever feel this way?? Anyone ever been called any of the above? I’m sure I’m not alone in saying YES to either of those questions.

Sad but true. And why you may ask yourself? It’s hormones is our answer much of the time. We say it sadly, with resignation, almost an anger. Why us we lament? It’s just part of being a woman some say while they shake their head sadly.

Well, I’m here to say – bullshit on that. Yes we have fluctuating hormones throughout the month – but they are a gift, a superpower. NOT a curse. And when managed properly, they bring us the vibrancy, the zest for life, the energy, the confidence, the beauty and the peace and happiness we seek. Unfortunately, we have been conditioned to view our hormones as something to be fought, to be subdued, to be controlled. In reality, our hormones are a gift. When we support them and work with them, we are unstoppable. When we understand them and nurture them, our hormones begin working for us, rather than being perceived as the enemy.

Each one of us has the power to take back the power and to get our hormones working in our favor. To get you started on this quest, here are the basic tenants that you should focus on:

1. Get your blood sugar under control

2. Nurture your adrenals

3. Support your organs of elimination

Each step should be done in order as they build upon each other.

Why is stable blood sugar important?
Unstable blood sugar is the most pervasive underlying cause of hornonal problems.
High blood sugar & low blood sugar both cause hormonal havoc within your body.
Your body works to keep itself level (in homeostasis). Your body sees mismanaged
blood sugar as a stressor. (Which is this step makes the second step easier).
When your blood sugars aren’t balanced it not only contributes to a host of illness,
disease, and weight gain – but it throws the communications with other hormones &
other endocrine system organs out of balance.
Remember: Blood sugar levels aren’t managed by accident!

Tips for Managing Blood Sugar:

  1. Eat at regular intervals throughout the day. Don’t skip meals!
    Choose the right foods – include protein and a healthy fat with each snack or
    meal
  2. Know how to course correct – for example when you’ve had too much, move your
    body to help use up the excess glucose floating around
  3. Don’t cut out carbs altogether! Your brain needs glucose for fuel. Eat complex
    carbs in proper portions
  4. Pay attention to how YOUR body responds to the foods and timing of what you
    are eating! When you notice – you can then respond

Your adrenals -the HPA axis (hypthalamic-pituitary-adrenal) – they matter!
The HPA axis is your body’s control center for your stress response (& all the
hormones associated – cortisol, adrenaline, norepinephrine etc.). Chronic stress (such as we often experience in today’s world) overworks and overloads this communication pathway. Leads to a hormonal mess going on within your body.
Adrenals also produce aldosterone (blood pressure regulation; electrolyte balance)
and DHEA (anti-aging hormone & precursor to estrogen and testosterone, boosts
libido & energy) among other important hormones.

Tips to support your adrenals:

  1. Balance blood sugar (see tips above)
  2. Improve your sleep and sleep patterns
  3. Move your body throughout the day
  4. Have an orgasm (it’s fun & your body gets a great cortisol flush to relieve stress)
  5. Create calming rituals or experiences for yourself around everyday stressors – for
    example while paying bills, driving, or working through that email pile at work
    put on some calming music, light a candle, get a delicious cup of comforting
    tea
  6. Meditate, Journal, Practice self-care daily
  7. Figure out stress management tools that work for you
    Tips

Support your organs of elimination!
Your liver, large intestine, lymphatic system and skin work day-in and day-out to
remove toxins and excess hormones (or “used up” hormones) out of your body. They
work to prevent a 20-car pile up from occurring that would create havoc in your
world.

The liver is responsible for processing and moving hormones along once they’ve done their job. The large intestine then takes those packages and moves them on out.

  1. Love your liver by eating good-quality proteins, lots of cruciferous veggies
  2. Help your large intestines by consuming plenty of soluble fiber

Your skin is your body’s largest organ and handles whatever your liver and large
intestine are unable to eliminate via sweating. Care for your skin!

  1. Occasional trips to steam rooms/saunas
  2. Alternate the water temp from warm to very cold a few times in your shower
  3. Exfoliate with a hot washcloth or sea-salt scrub
  4. Dry brush

Your lymphatic system (a network of organs, nodes, ducts and vessels which
produce and transport lymph a fluid made up of white blood cells) is a major
component of your immune system. It sweeps up metabolic waste, dead cells and
excess fluids and deposits them into the bloodstream where they make their way to
the liver. It also sends white blood cells where they need to go. Help it stay
unclogged by:

  1. Moving your body and exercising regularly
  2. Gentle massage
  3. Keep node dense areas toxin free (like your armpits) by using more natural care
    products

You have the power to takeback control – to have your hormones work FOR
you not against you. One small step at a time will create sustainable change that works for you in your everday busy life.

You’re worth it!

Looking for more? Try out these 2 amazing books:

  1. “WomanCode” by Alissa Vitti
  2. “Beyond the Pill” by Dr. Jolene Brighten

Time for a fall cleanup for your body, mind, and spirit

Fall is here in NE Ohio! It’s one of my favorite times of the year – the changing colors on the trees, the slight chill in the air, apple cider & cinnamon, pumpkins, Halloween…LOVE IT.

Now is the time for elderberry syrup making to shore up our immune systems for the coming cold/flu season. It’s also a great time to take stock, declutter and prep for the coming winter – not just your physical environment, but your physical body and your mental and emotional energy as well. This is a perfect time to cleanse and reset yourself. Start cleaning out those toxins to make room for more positive and fulfilling changes, foods, habits, actions and mindsets.

Our body’s naturally run through many elimination and detoxification processes on a daily basis – but these days we seem to be constantly overloading them. This applies to toxins in our physical body as well as all that “stuff” that clutters our minds and hearts.

Take this time to prioritize yourself and your well-being. What are you putting into your body? What are you exposing yourself to? The foods we eat, the products we use, the water in our homes, the air we breathe, the negativity we subject ourselves to…it all has an impact on us.

Perhaps its time to take one small step towards decluttering something unhealthy in your life. Choose an area – food, your mindset, your connection to others, and focus in. Take stock of what’s impacting that area now and choose one small way you can start to cleanse and reset. Maybe you want to nourish your body by including a healthy breakfast with protein, healthy fat and tons of veggies. Maybe you want to switch out a skincare product with something that is free of harmful toxins, maybe you want to try your hand at journaling or a daily gratitude practice. Maybe it’s just including something fun into each day.

The possibilities are endless. One way to start is to participate in a nourishing cleanse – one which supports your body’s natural detoxification processes and gives your body what it needs to cleanse safely. I will be running my semi-annual 10 Day Transformational Reset Cleanse Challenge beginning October 11, 2021. This already done for you 10 Day reset program (where you will receive the guide, meal plan, recipes and best practices) was designed by top holistic nutritionists at the Institute for Transformational Nutrition for busy people living their everday busy lives. It has been shown to help improve your overall digestive health, reduce inflammation, increase energy and reset your body systems.

Click below for more information! Get the accountability you need to kickstart yourself and finally prioritize you!

I want to learn more about the 10 Day Reset Cleanse Challenge!

Even if you don’t join the Challenge this time around – take action! Take stock and pick one small way you can support yourself – you’re worth it!