I can remember my mother saying, “go to sleep, everything will look better in the morning.” As a young girl, whether I believed her or not, everything did look better in the morning.
Now as a woman over 50, I tell myself go to sleep, “Rommy, YOU will look better in the morning.” And, whether or not I totally believe myself, I generally do look better after a good night’s sleep. Not only is my appearance better, but my perspective, the way I see things is better. Everything really does look better after a good night’s sleep.
But, it’s not always easy to get a good night’s sleep. Sometimes, my mind just wont shut off, sometimes I wake up, over and over again. Then when it’s time to get up, my eyes want to stay shut. That’s when I know it is time to get back to good sleep habits.
- An hour or 2 before bed, prepare for the next day. Set out your clothes, your purse and keys by the door. Look over your calendar for anything you may have forgotten.
- Two hours before bed begin to dim the lights, turn off electronics, sit and watch the sun go down or listen to soothing, tranquil music. Do not watch the news or other violent troubling media.
- If you experience chronic sleeplessness, adrenal fatigue, high stress, or are recovering from a long illness or surgery make yourself a rasayana, an Ayurvedic rejuvenative tonic. My favorite is Golden Milk. Download the recipe below.
- A hour before bed, take care of personal hygiene. Brush your teeth, scrape your tongue, wash your face and wash your feet if you are not showering. Hot baths should be taken at least 2 hours before bed to allow the body to calm.
- Engage in pleasant conversation, journaling, meditation, or read a not too interesting book.
- Do some simple yoga poses. Seated forward folds and gentle twists are wonderful for promoting sleep. Try this gentle yoga sequence, suitable for morning or night.
Thanks Mind Valley for this fabulous graphic showing the positive effects of gratitude! [Read more…]
In a fit of excitement, have you ever made a deal with yourself, set a goal, and then it just fizzled out? [Read more…]
In today’s busy, hectic world, it’s a challenge to take care of ourselves.
Generally, the minute we wake up we don’t give our body, our health, and it’s needs, a second thought.
Seriously, what was your first thought this morning? I’ll bet it went something like this…
‘uh-oh, I hit snooze one to many times, I have got to stop that, why did I do that, I’m going to be late, I hate being late, at least I’m not the only one, Sherry is always late, crud, it’s raining out, gotta leave a little earlier, oh no, I totally forgot that I’m supposed to…, now I have make another stop, I’ll grab something in the drive through on my way, I wish I felt better, did I even sleep last night, I have got to start taking better care of myself, no time for that today, let’s see….maybe next week, where are my keys, oh for crying out loud”
Does that sound like your inner monologue?
If so, how does that make you feel?
When my monologue gets that panicked, I feel
POWERLESS and OUT OF CONTROL.
And then, I get RESENTFUL.
I resent everything I’ve said “yes” to.
Oh, and then, I resent everyone I’ve said ‘yes’ to.
AND then I feel GUILTY!
There is only one way to fix this, so get ready, you’re probably going to bristle against it like I sometimes do.
“Put YOUR oxygen mask on first.”
The one and only way that you will be able to handle everything that goes on in your life, your health, your relationships, and even your career is to take care of your physical health needs first.
Make your physical a priority so that you can enjoy doing everything you really want to do, take care of the people that mean the most to you, and be your radiant best.
Prioritize
Do you remember when Franklin Covey became a household word back in the ’80’s?
One of the tools and skills taught in this efficient organizational system is to prioritize action items.
It’s the same with your health, you have to prioritize the actions that will support your health first.
Number 1 – Rest to nourish.
Sleep is the number one method, but so is prioritizing quiet time. Yep, give your ears at least 5 minutes of quiet during your waking hours. Hearing is the one sense we cannot turn off.
Give your eyes a tech break. Our eyes feed us with such beautiful information, but they also need daily stillness.
Check out my 7 Super Self Care tips here.
Number 2 – Hydrate for optimal decision making.
Those thoughts are electrical impulses. Water is a fabulous conductor for electricity.
Check out my Smart Person’s Guide to Water here.
Number 3 – Eat to improve your energy.
This is where is can get sticky. Planning your weekly meals can seem like drudgery, but if you don’t plan it, you will end up eating that frozen pizza, picking up take out, or even worse, hitting vending machine or drive through.
Pull together a few healthy meals that are easy for you prepare and that you like to eat and rotate them through your week or month.
It really doesn’t take anymore time to prepare a chicken breast, roasted veggies and side of greens that it does to order it, go get it and bring it home.
The time is the same, the benefits are not.
Here’s an Ayurvedic Digestive that will jump start your digestion and metabolism.
Number 4 – Move appropriately for your energy level.
Going to the gym after a grueling day, burning up your reserve energy will only make you fat, grumpy, age faster, and then you’ll want that second, third and forth glass of wine.
Seriously, have you ever wondered why your friend the marathon runner has a belly and a rather large pair of saddle bags even though she only eats salads and runs about 12-24 miles a week? It’s because what she is doing is the opposite of what her body needs, so it isn’t really healthy at all.
This simple 7 minute yoga practice will change your life.
Number 5 – Stop saying Yes!!!
This is a toughie, I know. I want to say yes whenever possible. In fact, there are times that I say yes, when know for sure that following through will mean that I have to put something else on the back burner to simmer, hoping it doesn’t burn, over cook or get forgotten.
Begin to use the popular 1980’s slogan…
Saying no to things that make no sense for you, actually frees you up to say YES to the things that light you up. You will have more fun, you life will be more exciting to you and your radiance will be seen and felt by everyone around you.
When you begin to make your physical health a priority,
you will experience greater satisfaction in all areas of your life.
Go ahead, try it, I triple dog dare you! 😛
Tell me…
What is the hardest part of taking care of yourself? Then give me one easy step you can take to make it easier.
Google defines a miracle as
“a surprising and welcome event that is not explicable by natural or scientific laws and is therefore considered to be the work of a divine agency.”
When life is so much more fun being Extra-ordinary!
None of us really want to be wallflowers.
The idea that we would be average can feel, well, it feels drab, ‘meh’, and boring.
Yet, we seem to over, and over, and over…
- do exactly what our friends do,
- dress the way our friends do,
- have similar health of our friends.
Sometimes, this can be a really great thing because we feel supported. But it can also hold us back from being our most vibrant, most radiant, and most healthy.
Check out these fabulous tips from my friends at Mind Valley Academy and up level your health so you can experience
Your Most Extraordinary Life.
Graphic courtesy of MindValleyAcademy.com
Over 20-something years ago I was a young wife and a mother.
I was also a body-builder, fitness competitor, and a model.
I loved every bit of it…except… [Read more…]
Is life feeling like a vicious game of Dodge Ball these days? You know, balls whirring past your head, hitting your hip, tripping you up at every turn or ouch…maybe even gut punching you? [Read more…]
Did you know that your skin tells stories about you? [Read more…]
I didn’t take chemistry in high school because the element chart looked like hieroglyphics and totally scared me. [Read more…]
We all have one.
An anthem the helps us get through some transitional life shift we can’t clearly see past.
I know, this is a love song but…
When life gets hard, it’s love that gets us through.
Do you know how amazing it feels to…
come home to your soul,
to fall in love with yourself,
to appreciate rather than tolerate your body
and finally…
enjoy your life after 40?
Tell me…
What’s your anthem? Share it with me, post it below.
Who needs scary movies anymore?
I know I don’t, as a recovered Germaphobe, all I have to do is turn on the news and BAM…niggling little fears of real life, creepy, crawly unseen threats start gnawing on my ‘oM shanti’ state of mind.
While it can get really scary out there, there is a lot we can personally do to boost our immune system and support our body’s natural “Threat Protection” troops as our first line of defense.
We may still catch a few bugs, but our resiliency to them and our ability to recover will dramatically increase.
This is what I do when I feel that tell-tale tickle in the throat, general achey-ness or fatigue…
Become Aware ~ First I notice that I am not feeling well. I might notice that I’m getting tired faster, feel grumpy, stiff, or stuffy and congested. Because I know that my body never ever lies, it’s a great source of information.
So the next time you tune in and notice something is not just right, celebrate. Yep, listening to your body is one of the strongest things you can do for your health and happiness. You know your body better than anyone, even your doctor, so pay attention to it and treat it right.
Think Positive ~ Then I consciously choose to stay well . Do you remember that tag line, “a mind is a terrible thing to waste”? Well, it even more true when it comes to the state of health you want to enjoy. When our body speaks to us through sensations or symptoms we either a see this as a choice to stay as well as possible or we make a choice for the status quo.
Be Proactive ~ Then I take action. When my I feel something coming on, I start the day lots of H2O-bviously Better Skin (water), even more than usual, and follow that with a power breakfast of greens and protein. I get my essential oils out, the Lemon and a synergistic essential oil Protective Blend. I use the Lemon throughout the day for it’s natural detoxifying quality and I drop a few drops of Protective Blend in the back of my throat every 2 hours because it’s super high in anti-oxidants..
I eat only foods that I know would support my body and stay away from the white dietary devils, sugar, flour, and processed dairy. Bone broth is one of my favorite healing foods because it’s soothing, nourishing, warm and hydrating.
I also go into active-inaction. I rest and allow myself to be quiet and still. I take a nourishing bath with Essential Oils and Dead Sea Salts. I keep warm and don’t allow myself to get chilled feet or hands. I don’t rush to do anything, even if it takes all day, that is okay by me cause I am T-I-R-E-D. It takes a lot of energy to for the body to heal and even more to ward off microbial treats. If at all possible, I spend time cuddling with my hubby. (bonus hint here – cuddling boosts your immunity).
When you know that life is going to be more stressful…like that upcoming wedding, adult kids move back or parents in need of parenting, a sick spouse, lots of travel, moving house or a job change…be sure that you tune in to what your body is saying. Yes, it’s a balancing act and balance is dynamic.
Balance is fluid, supple, agile and it shifts in response to the circumstance…stiff, static and rigid balance, sweet one, there really is no such a thing.
Tell me…
Have you been ‘too busy’ and ignored your body only to end up sick? Do you have a Super Self Care tip to share with me? Comment below, you just might inspire someone!
Email me to learn about the resources I use and recommend.
resources
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21078173
“An OUNCE of Prevention
is worth
a POUND of Cure”
I just got a Q about what to do in the face of all the microscopic threats we are hearing about on the news, reading in our papers and online news sources.
They are frightening, even terrorizing to some, because we are made to feel powerless. The good news is that there are many things that we can do to boost our body’s immune system and increase our resiliency when we do come in contact with nasty microbes.
My hubby travels via plane up to 6 times, sometimes 8 times a month.
While doctors can help with some things, our news outlets are telling us they are absolutely powerless with other things. They can treat symptoms with medications that may or may not have a 75% efficacy rate.
Honestly, they would rather that we take better care of ourselves so we don’t need them so much. Don’t worry, just because you and I remain healthy doesn’t mean that they will run out of work.
Add these common sense steps to your wellness protocol.
Step 1 – Make sleep a priority. This is when your body is in healing and restoring mode. It is your number 1 priority. Lack of sleep is a detriment to your health and most of the time, it’s self-inflicted. Click here for 44 really good reasons.
Step 2 – Nutrition is key. A healthy, well nourished body will sleep more deeply which will boost immunity. A sound nutritional supplement regimen supports the body systems for optimal health and resiliency to threats.
Step 3 – Stop with the sugar already! Sugar, including alcohol and wine, depletes your body of vital energy, impairs your ability to heal, feeds fungus, and abnormal cells. So just stop. It’s not worth it.
Step 4 – Exercise appropriately. Overexercising is a craze and it is super crazy stressful on your body, causes inflammation, depletes reserves and lowers immunity. If your ‘fitness’ regimen leaves you too tired to do anything but lay on your couch and eat Cheetos, it is too much. You are doing far more harm than good.
What are you doing to boost your immunity and prevent illness?
Increase your confidence, reduce your cravings and boost your immune system…
with just a few scrapes of your tongue. [Read more…]
I’ve been using essential oils since 2005
I use them to clean my home and to care for my body safely so I could improve my life and reduce my body’s toxic load. At that time, there were no online schools easily accessible and if there were, I really wasn’t healthy enough to a lot of electronic searching, much less retain much of the science heavy courses available.
I wanted practical, simple, and effective ways to use essential oils for my well-being. [Read more…]
I’m not talking about those white hot flashes of brilliance
we all have from time to time, you know, like the time you figured out how to use Instagram…nope…not that.
I’m talking about those power surges that start under the skin, somewhere around the kidneys,
then move into the bones and suddenly you believe that spontaneous combustion is actually possible, right here, right now…
the kind of flash that rises inside you, hot, like you have your own personal sun and seemingly won’t go away even if you are eating ice cubes so fast your brain hurts.
A friend of mine recently let me know how horribly she was suffering, so I sent her an email asking ‘Do you want to talk about your HOT FLASHES?
Since I’m not talking about hers, I’ll tell you about mine. [Read more…]
I’m vain.
It was Labor Day weekend, we were in Beverly Hills celebrating a milestone with friends.
I was so excited to be in one of the most beautiful and glamorous zip codes, the land of swimming pools and movie stars, but hubby was lamenting missing the first game of the University of Tennessee football season. He is HUGE college football fan!
Then one of our friends popped up with AMAZING seats to the USC game; Field Suite seats!
But I had not packed football stadium attire or, yikes, sunscreen. Luckily though, [Read more…]
I have been a huge fan of coconut water of the years. I clearly remember first time I walked out of a Hot Yoga class, downed my very first coconut water, and felt ahhhh-mazing!
I drank and recommended Zico for about 3 years before other companies jumped on the bottled coconut water band wagon. These days [Read more…]
Heading back to school is exciting!
There are new pencils, notebooks, pens and friends to make. But for some, there is anxiety because of ‘performance’ issues.
Being able to focus during the school day plays an important role in how our children experience school.
If they are having difficulty focusing, chances are they are disrupting the class room, I did. During the first grade, I was put in an isolation box [Read more…]
It has been a really long first six months of the year.
Recently, hubby and I got away to the beach for some needed alone time. It was so nice to sit on the beach and enjoy the sun, sand and surf.
But one day, as I was walking back from the beach for a break I felt something clammy and wet on the back of my leg. [Read more…]
Add this simple summer soup to your slim down menu!
It’s detox friendly, gluten free, dairy free, and vegan.
Zucchini Carrot Soup
- 1 large onion- chopped
- 2 large carrots- sliced
- 2 large zucchini- sliced
- 2 stalks of celery- sliced
- 2 tbsp minced fresh parsley
- 1 handful of spinach
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/8 tsp red pepper
- 4 cups distilled water or vegetable broth (must be yeast free & organic)
Put all of the ingredients into a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until all veggies are cooked thoroughly, about 20 minutes.
Puree with an immersion blender, Vitamix, or blender. (Serves 4)
Vitamix Quick Tip
- Put all ingredients into blender
- Secure cover.
- Blend on high for 5-7 minutes.
The Vitamix blends at such a high speed that it will actually do the cooking for you!
Did you like this? If so, please share it, tweet it or pin it. Thanks!
Once people find out I’m a Certified Holistic Health Coach, they tell me all sorts of things.
The other day I met a lady that told me she just could not sleep. Honestly, she was a wee bit proud of the fact that she didn’t need sleep “the way most people do.”
She is a wife and mother of 4, ages 11-20, has a successful, challenging career, and she is active in the community. When I asked what time she typically goes to bed she cheerily said, “oh anywhere between 11:30 and 1 (a.m.)”. WOW! Say it with me, chronic sleep deprivation.
Then, she told me about the personal trainer she recently hired. Her personal trainer has her up for 4:30 a.m for workouts, so she thought for sure she would be able to sleep better, but she isn’t. (I didn’t have the heart to tell her that her new 4 a.m. wake ups would not whittle her waist as hoped.) [Read more…]
Shockingly, for most Westerners, the most toxic part of our day is before we eat breakfast, during our morning shower. [Read more…]
We all have a legacy. In fact, we have several. When we go the our medical providers, we give them our health history and the legacy of health handed down to us. When we create a family of our own, we bring traditions, beliefs and habits that are from our family and heritage, that’s legacy. We each have been given spiritual legacy, emotional legacy, physical legacy and even financial legacy. [Read more…]
Have you been wondering where your vitality, radiance and even your ‘sexy’ went?
I have a pretty good guess, but first, let’s see how you answer the following questions. [Read more…]
