Support restorative sleep

Restorative sleep is a critical aspect of your physical and mental health. Your body does many amazing things to keep you healthy while you’re asleep. Immunity is bolstered, muscles are repaired, hormones are rebalanced, and new cells through out your body are created- these are just some of workings taking place while you rest.

Everyone occasionally has troubling falling asleep, staying asleep and maybe not feeling rested when you wake up or feel tired during the day.

Here is a listing of items which could assist you during those occasional sleepless times.

• The scent of lavender

• A sound machine with ocean waves, or gentle rain

• An eye mask to block out any unintended light

• Cooler room temperature

• A warm shower or bath

• A weighted blanket, comfortable clean bedding

• Sleeping in a bed, with an appropriate mattress and pillow(s)

• Magnesium and Calcium -both induce calming responses in body chemistry

• Mindful Breath work… focusing on an inhale through the nose, and a longer slower exhale through the mouth, repeat as the heartrate begins to slow

Nothing is more healing than sleep.

If sleeplessness becomes a chronic issue, consulting with your primary care provider is suggested.

Nourish? or Simply Eating?

Understanding how our bodies respond to what we put in them, and even making minor changes can significantly alter our energy levels.

Learn more about your choices and their impact.

Get out of your own way

When you skip self-care and take care of everything and everyone else first… eventually it catches up with you.

You feel it in your mood and your energy. Your ability to rest and enjoy your favorite activities has become compromised. You realize, you are your own worst enemy.

Take care of you. Its not selfish, It is essential to you and those who depend on you.

It’s ok to cancel a commitment, not answer a call or just say no.

It is also ok to change your mind, want to be alone, take a day off and not tell anyone and simply do nothing.

You can chose to take a walk, meditate, read a book, feel the warmth of the sun, gaze at the moon and stars, admire the beauty of nature, place your hand over your heart and feel it beat, close your eyes and appreciate your your ability to breathe.

Healthy is Inside Out

If you get the inside right, the outside will fall in place. Focus on making healthy choices for yourself and you will experience the bonus of feeling and looking healthy as well.

Carrots are an excellent source of vitamin A, with one serving providing 184% of your daily value plus:
Vitamin C -Calcium -Iron -Biotin -Vitamin K1 -Potassium -Vitamin B6 -Lutein

You are what you eat… it shows in how you move and look.

Where success begins

Mind over matter. Visualize. Begin with the end in mind.

Not sure how to start?

• Write it down, so you can See it.

• Read it out loud, so you can Hear it.

• Close your eyes, so you can Visualize it.

Train the mind - the body will follow.

You can talk yourself into or out of anything.. why not focus on caring for and investing in yourself. You and those you care about will all benefit.

What actually happens to your body when you start doing yoga?

Many thoughts come to mind when you do yoga for the first time.

As you stand in the back of a class, or unfurl a yoga mat at home, it can all seem like a lot of wobbling on one foot as you struggle to figure out a pose. But even if… Read more

Curious if there is a yoga out there for you? Just a beginner? Have some chronic restricted mobility or pain?

Do I really need to take vitamins?

You may be healthy, active and regularly making all the right food choices yet still fall short. Vitamins can bridge the gap.

The reason one vitamin can promote so much benefit in the body, is because the deficiency of one vitamin can negatively effect so many bodily functions.

Vitamins and minerals are considered essential nutrients—because acting in concert, they perform hundreds of roles in the body. They help strengthen and rebuild our bones, support the bodies recovery from injury, and are a critical component of our immune system. They also play a strategic role in converting our food into energy.

Understanding the Benefits of taking vitamins is based on 3 factors

• Quality of Product

• Consistency of Use

• Your Body's Ability to Absorb

Fountain of youthfulness - Your Choices

How we age is a choice; with gratitude or misery.

• Have gratitude and laugh frequently -they’re both contagious and fountains of youth

• A body in motion, stays in motion -take a walk, try yoga, just move

• You are what you eat -eat your veggies, drink your water, nourish your body…don’t just feed it

• Use it or lose it -have a purpose and stay connected, get out there… you’ve got good stuff to share

Can't find a "DIEt" that works for you?

HEALth -

• Food as Fuel

• Nourishment & Satisfaction

• Mindful Self-care

• Sustainable

• Wellness from Within

• Being the Best Version of Yourself

Your Choices - Your Habits - Your Wellness

DIEt -

• Food as Enemy

• Deprivation

• Quick Fix

• Short-term

• Numbers and a Scale

• One Size Fits All

Ready to focus on Your Health and HEAL?

Prepping Weekly Food

How long can it be safely kept in the fridge?

Always consider storing in glass containers, like mason jars… freshness is enhanced.

• 2-3 days : cooked poultry or seafood, chopped salad

• 4-5 days : boiled eggs, cooked oatmeal or legumes

• 5-7 days : cooked rice, sweet potatoes or pasta

Allergy Season Natural Options

Support your immune system naturally to get comfortably through this allergy season.

• Apple Cider Vinegar -Cleanses lymph system and assists in breaking up mucus

• Probiotics - Offer balance , over 70% of your immune system is in your gut

• Nettle Tea - Helps to reduce the amount of histamine in the body

• Local Honey - Promotes strengthening the immune system

Daily Walking Positive Impacts

Make it a habit - pick a scheduled time of day (morning, afternoon evening) and a set amount of time (starting with 10, 15 or 20 minutes) and GO!

Your health and overall wellness will benefit in a variety of areas.

• stimulates digestion

• improves brain clarity

• promotes development of regular sleep habits

• bolsters creativity and problem solving ability

• conditions full body muscles and strengthens bones

• increases endorphins and benefits daily mood

• lowers blood pressure

• decreases stress and anxiety

• enhances mindfulness and a connection to nature

• supports a healthy metabolism

Kindness is contagious

Your greatest display of strength and character in life comes at the time you are able to help someone else as you weather your own storm.

These simple acts will put your own storm in perspective.

There is always someone in need of

• a kind gesture

• a smile

• a word of encouragement

• or a hug

all are simply "Priceless"

Upper Body Tension & Pain? How are you Breathing?

Years ago, my Chiropractor mentioned I was not breathing with my belly… my upper body was a disaster of chronic tightness and pain. I was stressed and filled with anxiety.

As I’ve focused on breath through mindfulness & yoga... there has been a significant change in my body tension and overall sense of well being.

You can train your body to breathe in through your nose, expand the breath into your belly and gently exhale in the same manner.  This is very similar to when we unconsciously take in a deep breath and release a heavy sigh to relieve ourselves and take a pause during a stressful situation.

Over time, it’s a Habit you no longer to focus on... you begin to breathe this way without focusing, as your body realizes how much more efficient it is.  

I’d say it’s worth a try...

Do you know your chemistry?

Understanding how our bodies respond to what we put into them; making minor changes can significantly alter our energy levels and overall health.

Do you know the impact of what you are consuming through food or drink?

Each of our bodies is like a chemistry beaker, everything we put in causes some sort of a reaction.. some good, some not so good and some really awful.

Doubtful of that? Consider:

• children at a birthday party after the cake and ice cream

• the impact of alcohol after 1, 2, 3 or maybe 4 drinks

• how drinking coffee when you are tired can energize you

What is a habit?

"We are what we repeatedly do"

-Aristotle

Habits make up a portion of our day, while we are running on auto-pilot.  Many many habits are healthy and normal. Some habits simply are not and cause more harm in the long term.

In reality, one does not quit a habit, without replacing it with another.

The challenge is to identify the triggers for the unhealthy habit and incorporate new ones with healthier choices. 

Trying to quit smoking? Trying to cut back on or quit sugar? Trying to drink more water? Trying to exercise more?

For many it is a physical addiction to the unhealthy substance or its impact.  For many it is a stress relieving or social habit.  For many unfortunately it maybe both.

Change is a choice

It’s not that some people have willpower and some don’t. It’s some people are ready for change and some are not.

Some are able to make changes alone. Some need a little support and guidance.

Don’t fear change, fear not changing.

Pace yourself. Small steps. You’ll get there.

Here, now, within your space -Mindfulness

A routine morning walk, and a new perspective emerges.

The power of being in the moment and focusing on the here and now. 

I had quite the reality check with this recently. To provide you a little bit of background -a few months ago I started walking regularly in the morning in these frigid temperatures. I take the time to bundle up warmly and venture out to take a 20-minute walk on the icy road.

The walk itself has been therapeutic and I’ve enjoyed every moment of it with the exception of the frigid cold temperature. 

Recently on a much warmer day I started out for my regular walk and glanced up at the end of the road - suddenly I stopped. It looked like such a far distance to walk -it was overwhelming, and I paused for a moment and contemplated turning around and going back home. 

However, I chose to stay and be curious. I thought I’ve been taking this walk for months now it’s simply 20 minutes 10 minutes down the road and 10 minutes back.   Why was this morning so different?

I realized that because of the usual frigid temperatures and iciness; I was previously focusing on where my feet were and huddling up inside my layers of clothing. as a result I was focusing just on 20 to 30 feet in front of me. I was simply enjoying nature and being lost in my thoughts- and then before I knew it the walk was over and I was back home.

This morning the weather was so much nicer my footing was more grounded I looked at the end of the road and it was daunting.

Lesson learned – there is so much value when we focus on the here and now and enjoy what we’re going through.. and stop stressing over what is ahead.

We can appreciate what we can focus on, touch and change. Taking those mindful small steps will get us exactly where we need to go. We will surely set ourselves up for repeated cycles of failure if we look too far down the road for too long – as it simply seems too overwhelming.

Body Sense magazine / Summer 2021

• Breath As A Healing Tool

• A Return To Massage

• Massage For Dementia

• What is Lymph Massage?

In this issue, learn some simple exercises to use your breath as a healing tool. These exercises are things you can incorporate into a daily routine, or when life gets a little extra stressful.

This issue also discusses how massage can be used to help calm dementia patients, how things might look or feel different coming back to your first massage or bodywork session after the pandemic, and a look at lymphatic massage and how its rhythmic, circular motions can help improve your immune system.

Your diet is not just what you eat

Are you treating yours with respect?

Health is a relationship you have with your body. A powerful and interesting way to look at it. Your diet is everything you expose yourself to.

It is what you listen to, what you read, what you watch, the people you hang around, the entertainment you engage in, your hobbies, etc…

Are you being as supportive of its needs as you could be? Are you protecting it from harm? Are you nourishing it? Are you showing it love?