Happy Spring, everybody! Who hoo! I love Spring. Rebirth. Light. Birds chirping. The windy days. All of it. It's a time of creation and a crossroads, though, too:
Now is the time that most people begin to examine their summer clothing and wonder, "Does this fit? Will this work for me this season? How do I feel about myself?" Immediately, we we go about the business of beating ourselves up, comparing ourselves to the woman on the latest Lands End catalog. "How will I ever look like THAT??" Sound familiar?
First off, no matter where you are in your wellness journey, whether you have just graduated college, wondering where you life will lead, or you've just given birth to the most amazing little creature who keeps you up all night long, or you are about to embark on the rollercoaster of menopause, like I am...Holy Toledo, is it a wild ride!!!... be kind to yourself: love the skin you're in!
What do you mean, be kind to myself?
Know that you are beautiful, inside and out. God has some amazing plan for you, and so long as you've got a beating heart, know that you are here for a greater purpose.
Whenever we can see ourselves as playing an important role in our family, business relationships, our places of worship, and, somehow, some way, the world at large, we know we are not alone. Know that peace in the world begins with YOU. Your self talk matters, so lift yourself up, rather than tear yourself down!
A young woman came to me recently. She was beautiful, both inside and out. What amazed me is that she saw herself in a different light, as someone whose body was "skin and bones" or whose anxiety was "crippling her" in every way. Whoah, whoah, whoah! How can we change the language around these limiting beliefs? And we began to discuss ways in which our thoughts, words and actions become our reality, so it's best to take the high road and Raise Thy Vibration!
Some wellness tips for embracing your awesome self each day:
1. Give yourself a high five in the mirror each morning. Sounds odd, but this tiny act will help you face the most powerful person in your life: you. You've got this! You've done a great job!
2. Focus on the wins! Get yourself a special journal and keep it by your bed. Each night before you close your eyes, take time to reflect on three things which brought you joy, hope, or success throughout the day.
3. Begin the day by setting POSITIVE INTENTIONS. It all begins with your mindset! Take negative words like can't, won't, or shouldn't and start with "I can. I will. I should..." Remove the negative labels, such as overweight, skinny, hot mess, in pain or sick. While sometimes this is easier said than done, imagine yourself fully healed and moving into the version of yourself, the one that takes on challenges and says YES to life!
4. Live Life on Life's Terms. Living life on life's terms means living through life's circumstances as they are. When life knocks you down, you get up, brush yourself off and keep moving on. You may be angry, upset, and disappointed but you can't stay that way for long because life moves on.
5. Incorporate movement that works well for YOU. One size does not fit all. Rather than beat yourself silly or compare yourself to your 18 year old daughter, examine which activities bring you JOY, which leave you feeling ENERGIZED; do more of those. Notice which ones feel wrong for your body, so you can avoid those. Yoga, for example, is a wonderful form of exercise for many people; however, if you have scoliosis, as I do, or some other back condition, perhaps 1:1 classes or select poses done at home are best for your body, so you do no harm. Learn to swerve, swerve, swerve; we are constantly evolving! What worked well for you in your 20s may not be the answer right now.
6. Honor your body: eat clean, be mindful of what you put on your skin, and remove toxins from your home. Toxins can affects every cell in our bodies, including brain cells. When your brain is not firing on all cylinders, you can feel sluggish, anxious, or even depressed. Many of the foods we eat contain harmful pesticides. Hopefully you've made the switch to cleaning products which are plant-based and less harmful to Mother Earth and to your body. What we put on our skin directly affects the gut-brain connection. Read your labels and avoid things like BPA plastic and other endocrine disruptors, such as DDT, parabens, artificial colors, or flavors, heavy metals. When you begin detoxifying your home, the body - and the brain - will follow, leaving you feeling happier and healthier.
7. Address Your Health Issues with Holistic Care! Recently, my 24 year old son had a bad fall while snowboarding. He nearly broke his arm. He tore his left bicep, and it was initially not pretty. I immediately took him to see Dr. B for some distal acupuncture, which helped tremendously to reduce the swelling and inflammation; he went religiously every day, to address this acute injury. Of course, with having me as his momma, Justin was able to engage in daily BEMER vascular therapy at home, which increases the circulation to the injured arm, reduced swelling and helped manage his pain levels. But I LOVED seeing this! Justin chose to jump into a 5-day water fast. He'd had great success the month before, engaging in a 3-day water fast, so he gave this a try. The results were truly incredible. Intermittent fasting is a wonderful way to heal the gut, reduce inflammation, cortisol levels, and cholesterol. Stem cells are produced and help regenerate wounded cells. I am reading a book about managing hormones, The Menopause Reset by Dr. Mindy Pelz, who is helping people all over the world achieve their goals through fasting.
Dealing with menopause myself, I am embarking on a 16:8 fasting plan and welcome you to join me in the journey! Here are some facts:
Benefits of Intermittent Fasting:
Changes the function of hormones, cells, and genes
Can help you lose weight and visceral fat
Can reduce insulin resistance
Can reduce inflammation in the body
It may be beneficial for heart health
Speeds up the autophagy process and helps eliminate toxins
It may help reduce the risk of cancer
Can reduce inflammation and oxidative stress in the brain
May delay the onset of Alzheimer's Disease
May help you live a longer and healthier life
For more in-depth info on fasting, access the full Healthline article here.
Audiobook: Intermittent Fasting 101: The Complete Guide with Everything You Need to Start Your Diet, Lose Weight. By Brandon Fung. If you are concerned about your changing hormones, you can also dive into Mindy's book, The Menopause Reset...it has helpful 411 for ANYONE with a uterus, not just those in menopause.
I also highly recommend consulting with my boss, Dr. Rich Bailey, chiropractor, acupuncturist, and functional medicine in Danbury. He is very well-versed in intermittent fasting and has different options for those who'd like to do a Fasting Mimicking Diet. Would you like to join me on the journey??
Health & Wellness Coaching Offering - Limited to 3 Clients:
30-day BEMER Pro Set rental - learn more about the BEMER here.
3 90-minute therapeutic massage therapy sessions (to be completed within the 30-day timeframe)
Daily coaching on The Whole30 Program, intermittent fasting, incorporating self-care, proper sleep, and movement
Normally $1,300. $1,200 for the month. Message me to take advantage of this coaching offer, 203.312.3960. I would be delighted to help you elevate your self-care practice and believe incorporating BEMER vascular therapy is an amazing tool for helping bring the body into homeostasis - body, mind, and spirit.
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