Uncategorized - Manage Stress | Increase Energy |Simple Solutions | Rommy Kirby, Holistic Health Coach, Yoga Personal Trainer, Essential Oil Educator

Why Settle for Ordinary?

Rommy Kirby — Sun, 02 Nov 2014 19:28:05 +0000

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

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7 Super Self-Care Tips

Rommy Kirby — Sat, 01 Nov 2014 10:35:54 +0000

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?

It happens to all of us right?

Sometimes we are just so busy with work, kids, school or busy-ness that we don’t see what’s coming until, out of the blue, we are hit.

Usually that hit comes in the form of a cold or flu, sometimes it can be worse like pneumonia or an auto-immune flair up.

A few weeks ago, I let my life get frenetic. I had just finished a 5 day yoga training intensive and was leaving to spend time with my coach at a mastermind retreat. The day before I was to fly south for the retreat, I woke up feeling achy all over, low appetite and incredibly tired.

There was no way I was going to fly in that condition, nor was I going to miss this retreat, so I went into…

Super Self Care Mode

It WORKED!!! The next morning when I woke up at the not so civilized hour of 3:30 a.m., and I felt great!

Okay, I know, great is a stretch at that hour of the day, but I had no aches, I had an appetite and I wasn’t abnormally tired. Keep reading to find out exactly what I did to send this nasty bug on its way.

Super Self Care Mode isn’t about being indulgent with pleasure, though it is indeed pleasurable.

Super Self Care Mode is about honoring the sensations of your body so that you can stay well even at times of high stress.

If you are taking care of a sick loved one, a parent that can no longer care for themselves or feel like you are hanging on by your finger nails you owe it to your body and your health to take super-dupe good care of you.

There are a lot of people that rely on you, but you will not be able to support them if you are not committed to your health first.

So if it isn’t about being indulgent with pleasure, what is Super Self Care?

Super Self Care is about not harming your health with toxic things like

sugar (that tub Ben and Jerry’s may feel soothing, but it isn’t going to change your circumstance),
one too many glasses of wine (may make you ‘feel’ relaxed, but your sleep AND you skin is going to suffer),
all-nighters (are not only counter productive to creativity and productivity, they add flab around your belly and bags under your eyes) and
critical self talk (simply the most destructive habit you can engage in…science has proven that your cells hear every word or thought you say or think and they respond accordingly).

7 Super Self Care Mode Tips

to help you make through the rainy days of life.

# 1 Get to bed no later than 10:00 p.m.. Studies have shown that the more sleep you get before midnight, the better you sleep. Good sleep is vital to a slim waistline.

#2 Drink plenty of water. Your brain is 60% water by weight, drink up for optimal functioning.

#3 Eat as many whole, minimal processed foods as possible. It takes a lot of energy to digest today’s processed foods. Those crunchy chips may seem appealing, but they hold no nutritional value and create oxidation and inflammation in the body and they use way too much energy to digest. It’s like leaving the windows open and running the air conditioner. Stress will deplete your body of stored vitamins, trace elements and minerals.

#4 Be social. We all feel better when we are not alone. Call a friend or mentor, someone that won’t take mealy mouthed complaints from you, but will lend a compassionate ear.

#5 Practice gratitude. I know, I know…that is always said, but once again, studies have shown that when we take time to feel gratitude for even the smallest of things, like this next breath for instance, our immunity increases, our ability to manage stress goes up.

#6 Actively rest. What??? Yep, there is such a thing as active rest and no, it has nothing to do with video games or Downton Abby marathons, those pastimes are not restful to your mind, body or eyes. Active rest is deliberately resting with no visual or mental stimulation. If you’ve been in a yoga class, you have engaged in active rest at the end of class, it’s called Savasana. Meditation is a form of active rest that is being widely studied. The benefits are noticed not only in the physical body but also mental health and emotional stability.

#7 Only do the necessary. We often put more on our plates than we actually need to be responsible for. Focus on what absolutely needs to be done. Ask someone else to the rest or just let it go…the world won’t end if the laundry isn’t folded ‘just so’. I promise.

Tell me…

What is stressing you out these days?

Email me to learn my personal recommendations

Comments

Submitted by Wendy Cuba-Danca (not verified) on Mon, 03/18/2013 – 23:05

Those essential oils are terrific!! I have been taking flu bombs today and am drinking the water with lemon and on doing the On Guard too. ALL your tips are great! Thanks for the reminders. Sharing!! <3

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Submitted by Rommy Kirby on Tue, 03/19/2013 – 14:25

Thanks Wendy! I kept up with my Essential Oil regimen for 2 more days just to be sure and didn’t even have a single ache, cough, sore throat or feel tired. Stay well and feel good!

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Submitted by Angela Privin (not verified) on Mon, 03/18/2013 – 23:57

You are definitely speaking my language. Of your list above number 5 through 7 resonate with my personal experience. I think that active rest is what our body craves often and yet we deprives ourselves of this nutrient. If rest was a vitamin we would all be deficient! So rest, gratitude (creates positive attitude) and paring down out to do list are the healthiest things we can do for ourselves whether we are sick or not!

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Submitted by Rommy Kirby on Tue, 03/19/2013 – 14:30

I’m so glad you found value Angela! You’re so right, if we had a blood serum test for adequate rest we would all be deficient at times, I like how you state that…if rest was a vitamin. The great thing about is that we can get that without spending a single dime!

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Submitted by hayley hobson (not verified) on Tue, 03/19/2013 – 04:46

I used to ignore my body all the time and shove whatever I could get my hands on in my mouth, but then I developed food allergies and had digestive problems (anything that could go wrong did) and so I changed my entire life. Self care requires enormous mindfulness and proactive thinking. So many people go through life on autopilot, just acting, never taking a moment to consider what life would like look if they played an active role in everything they do. I use doTerra essential oils now to look after my health and my family’s well being. In addition to having a vegan diet and getting plenty of exercise, I take extra steps to ensure my health by taking my supplements and treating my ailments with essential oils. Essential oils (I kid you not, have change my life, the way I look at medicine and a holistic approach to life). Thanks for sharing this. I really appreciated what you wrote.

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Submitted by Rommy Kirby on Tue, 03/19/2013 – 14:36

Hayley, I totally get what your saying. The doTerra oils are both curative and supportive. Self Care really does take enormousness mindfulness, proactive thinking and… I’ll even add one to your list…commitment to be of service and fulfill our purpose. It is anything but selfish because the only way we can best care for others is to be sure we are on our A game. Thanks so much for stopping by!

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Submitted by Jessica Lopez (not verified) on Tue, 03/19/2013 – 11:24

I LOVE these 7 steps! They are so simple, but somehow we all seem to constantly forget about them! Thank you for the awesome resource and for making a list so we can print it out and tape it on our fridge so we never forget! I love the active rest part as well. I know for myself, it’s hard to turn my brain off and usually when I’m resting there is always still the TV or noise stimulating my brain, thank you for the reminder!!

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Submitted by Rommy Kirby on Tue, 03/19/2013 – 14:45

Hi Jessica, thank you sooo much. Active rest has strong healing, restorative AND rejuvenating properties…no calories, no caffeine buzz and no sugar dumps! Our ears are the hardest working sensory organs…they are always on alert, even when we sleep, so giving them a break is super charging our rest.

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Submitted by Sue Eull | Eull… (not verified) on Wed, 03/20/2013 – 18:12

I especially liked tips 5 & 6! Looking for the things to give gratitude usually changes my entire perspective of the circumstances of the day. Tip 6 is a great reminder to sometimes shut out the noise of the day even in small ways such as turning off the TV, car radio, or finding a quiet spot for a few minutes. Great list!

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Submitted by Rommy Kirby on Wed, 03/20/2013 – 22:25

Thanks Sue, I’m glad you like it! And really, you’re right, it can be in those small ways you mentioned. I always have a song in my head and #6 makes me sing…the sound of silence…

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Submitted by Cathy / The Hea… (not verified) on Thu, 03/21/2013 – 00:13

I like your list of 7…especially # 1 to bed by 10:00…I have much better days when I get my beauty sleep. & GRATITUDE…that changes every thing! Thanks!

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Submitted by Rommy Kirby on Thu, 03/21/2013 – 16:47

#1 is probably my most challenging investment but the one that pays me the biggest dividends! For me too, Gratitude is a game changer…Thanks Cathy!

– See more at: http://rommy-kirby.healthcoach.integrativenutrition.com/blog/2013/03/7-super-self-care-mode-tips#sthash.leNuUc9j.dpuf

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DIY Non-Toxic Dye Removal

Rommy Kirby — Fri, 12 Sep 2014 00:44:21 +0000

I’m vain.

I’ll admit it. I dye my roots to cover the greys.

One day, I’ll go grey but right now I’m just not ready for it.

When I go grey, I want it to feel as good as Yasmina Rossi makes it look.

“My hair started turning gray when I was 12 and was salt-and-pepper by the time I hit 20. I never colored it, because I knew it was my best asset.” http://bit.ly/158nXoZ

I know dying my roots is a toxic practice.

I talk with my colorist every single time about any new less toxic coloring options out there, and we’re looking. Till then, it will be my toxic vice of choice.

But, like all ‘chosen vices’ it does come with some annoyances.

The biggest one is when the dye wont come off my skin. Sometimes I have to go from the salon to an appointment with that tell-tale stain around my hairline. I don’t want to compound my toxic exposure by using the harsh ‘dye remover’ at every coloring station, so I generally just deal with it and hope no one notices.

Fat chance right? That’s like not noticing the Elvis impersonator is wearing a ‘rug’ or has spent hours and $20 on Agua Net to his comb over just right.

I finally found a natural, safe, way of removing the excess hair dye from skin without toxic chemicals or rubbing my skin raw.

It’s cost pennies and you can use it for so many other things. It’s an essential oil called Melaleuca! All you do is put a few drops on a cotton pad and nobody has to know.

Once upon a time,

I thought I would never use Melaleuca, but now I reach for it daily for on the spot pimple treatment, for skin irritation, and as my crunchy deodorant. If you want to use the same quality essential oil I do, contact me.

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Back to School With Ease

Rommy Kirby — Thu, 28 Aug 2014 18:00:53 +0000

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 to keep me from talking to my neighbors. It was a big refrigerator box turned on end with only side cut away so I could not look around and see the rest of the class.

from Freeimages.com

If they aren’t disruptive, which I learned not to be, they may be day dreaming, like I did. Their teacher will ask them a question pulling them out of their reverie, and suddenly, their classmates will snicker because of the stammering and incorrect response. That’s what happened to me and how I learned the skill of listening to two conversations at once. (this skill is really great if you want to be a spy, but generally kind of useless when you want to be fully engaged)

But focusing issues don’t stop when we grow up.

Recently, a friend of mine came home from university and shared with me how he had tried Adderall. He told me he liked the way he could think clearly and focus, but didn’t like the way he felt. He knew I was into alternative things and asked if there was something I could recommend. I gave him my focus blend of essential oils to try. He didn’t like the smell, so I told him to put it on his feet then put his shoes and socks on.

Guess what? He used it and was able to complete a research paper in one sitting with out irritability and jitters. Now, it’s his go to when he wants to have better focus and improved creativity.

There is a better way, a safer, more natural way to achieve better focus.

Follow these steps if you want to get back to learning instead of back to struggling this fall.

First, eat to feed the brain. Eat healthy fats. By mass, the brain is 60% fat. No fat and low fat diets and foods starve the brain.

Second, heal your gut. There are multiple neuro transmitters produced in our digestive tract. Have you ever tried to really focus when your belly is upset? Pretty impossible, right?

Third, set yourself (or your child) up for success. Clear your environment of clutter and noise. Turn off the TV. Instead, play music without lyrics.

Forth, use essential oils. Essential oils like lemon, lavender, lemongrass, peppermint, sandalwood and the focus blend mentioned in the video below support the brains ability to settle or calm for optimal processing and function.

Ready to think better? Send me an email, let me help you find your solution.

tell me…

Were you a day dreamer? Is your child struggling to engage in school? What have you done that works?

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3 Elegant Holiday Strategies

Rommy Kirby — Tue, 17 Dec 2013 20:20:57 +0000

I love Thanksgiving, Christmas & New Years!

But these celebrations, long nights and short days can make for one really long, stressed out holiday season that can set us up for blues and flu. Bah-humbug and Yuck!

Because I know how brutal stress can be, the havoc it can wreak on your health, your skin, and your relationships so I want to share with you my Holiday Survival Kit.

First, there are 3 elegant strategies……that will help you enjoy this holiday season more, however you celebrate and what ever you do.

These are simple, easy, action steps.

But here’s the thing…they are just as easy not to do, okay, so you really must set an intention to keep it easy, do the easy and reap the benefits.

Stay Hydrated. You know I harp on this, I know I harp on this. For very good reason. Here’s what happened to me a few weeks when I let travel get the best of me and didn’t stay hydrated. I got a migraine…a full blown, throw my guts up, everything hurts migraine. Because I was so dehydrated, it took me a few days to fully recover. Click here for my tips.

Get enough sleep. Seriously, sleep is important. There is truth in the term Beauty Sleep. Click here for my tips.

Lighten your load. Look at your to do list for today. Chances are there is at least 1 thing you can take off. Delete it, scratch it off and don’t give it another thought. No one will ever know and if your mother finds out, she’ll forgive you.

Remember chronic stress adds pounds and inches to the waistline and it weakens our immune system. Because of the added stress, we all need a little more support and self care this time of year.

Tell me…

What is your #1 tip to thriving during the holiday season?

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Gentle Yoga Sequnce to UnWind, Improve Flexibility and Relieve Pain

Rommy Kirby — Mon, 25 Nov 2013 15:17:41 +0000

When I first started my yoga training, I was the only trainee in the class that could not touch the floor…even with my fingertips.

It was so frustrating!

Years have passed, thousands of hours on the mat, too many self inflicted injuries have revealed that a daily practice is the only way to experience ease throughout the day and manage the challenges of changing seasons, travel and over work.

I found something that works for me, maybe it will work for you…

The sequence in this video is a wonderful entry for beginning yoga students, or people living with chronic pain or those of us that just need to unwind a bit before bed. It’s also a delicious break for experienced yoga students.

The 3 really cool things about are….

It’s simple. You don’t need years of yoga or even know a single yoga pose.

It’s short, less than 7 minutes.

It feels good. It opens and releases the meridian lines in the body creating ease and promotes health and vitality.

Try it yourself.

Try it 10 days in a row and let me know what changes for you.

Tell me…

Do you practice yoga? Does your body hurt most of the time? What have you done that works for you?

Do you like this? Do you know someone that could benefit from this? If you do, share it, they will thank you for it.

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Bone Broth Made Easy

Rommy Kirby — Sat, 23 Nov 2013 15:57:11 +0000

“Good broth will resurrect the dead”…

In my quest for optimal health and vibrant radiance I learned about traditional healing foods. I kept hearing about ‘bone stock’.

Frankly, because it sounded like work I wasn’t truly intrigued until…friends took me to a Neiman Marcus restaurant.

We were in Chicago, it was cold, it was windy. I was chilled and travel weary. Sitting in the oh so posh restaurant was a welcome treat.

Once we placed our orders, the server brought each of us the most delicious cup of golden broth. It was warm, full of flavor and just what I needed to make it through the day. In that moment I understood the restorative power of bone broth.

I would have loved a quart that blustery yet sunny day! It revived me and gave me the stamina I needed to have fun and enjoy myself even though it was so very cold.

Then in my New Master Healers classes with my teacher Andrea Beaman, I learned that bone stocks are full of nourishing goodness.

A good stock is loaded with easily absorbable vitamins, minerals and collagen that can repair and heal the digestive tract, especially the lining of the small intestine. Vanity bonus is that it will also improve skin tone, strengthen nails and grow long lustrous hair.

Have you ever wondered why your grandmother gave you chicken soup when you were sick?

Briefly, there are two reasons.

First, traditionally, chicken soup is made by boiling the left over bones of Sunday’s roasted chicken. Remember, the entire animal was used and nothing went to waste. The bones are not only flavorful, they contain life giving marrow and trace minerals. The joints are loaded with collagen, the building block of protein.

The second reason is that chickens are an energetic animal. Because they are generally always on the move, they have a high metabolism. So energetically, chicken is what you want to eat when you feel the need for more energy. Chicken soup is loaded with vitamins and skin luscious minerals to give your body the energy it needs to heal and recover faster.

One of my favorite and fun Facebook status updates is ‘It’s a bone boiling kind of day’. Hubby likes to joke to his friends that if he ever disappears they should look in the soup.

Today, I am sharing with you my basic recipe for boiling beef bones. Use this recipe as a guide, make it yours by simply changing up the ingredients a bit. You can use it with chicken bones, fish bones or pork bone stock.

You can even saved bones in the freezer until I have enough…which, come to think about it, makes me a bone collector.

So why not just use the broth or stock that come in a can, jar or the tetra box at the grocer?

Because they are just not as nourishing. They are ‘from concentrate’ which means they are diluted with water. Most of the time there are added sugars, MSG and way too much salt to flavor it. And it is just so easy to make your own. (when you do need to resort to store bought, by the best you can and look for the USDA Certified Organic, that’s what I do)

Over the last 12 months, I have been experimenting with different bone brews…I mean recipes. I’ve finally found a base recipe that works.

Basic Bone Stock Recipe

2 Pounds of Bones – the highest quality available to you
1 Large Onion
1 Garlic Bulb
4-6 Stalks Celery
2-3 Carrots
2 Bay Leafs

Other spices I use…

Peppercorns
Cloves
Cardamon Pods

7 Simple Steps

Step 1 – If bones are raw, roast in a 400 degree oven for 1 hour. I like to salt and pepper them. I will even, time permitting, roast the onion (quartered) and garlic (whole) at the same time but it is not necessary.

Step 2 – Place bones, vegetables and spices in 6 quart stainless steel pot.

Step 3 – Cover with fresh clean water to within 2 inches of rim.

Step 4 – Bring to a soft boil over medium high heat, then lower heat to low gently rolling simmer uncovered for 4-24 hours.

Step 5 – Remove from heat, allow to cool. Using tongs remove bones and large vegetables.

Step 6 – Carefully strain into large glass bowl. Cover and place in refrigerator until fat solidifies. About 4-6 hours.

Step 7 – Using a ladle, carefully place your golden elixir into glass jars or even ice cube trays for easy measuring. (I’ve recently found out that you can freeze glass jars as long as you leave room for expansion at the top.)

How to use your liquid gold…

Warm it in a sauce pan and drink it from your favorite mug.

Use it as a soup base.

Add it to stir fry, saute or sauce.

My Number 1 use and favorite quick meal…

Simple Egg Drop Soup

Notes…

You know you have made a truly magical brew if your bone broth congeals. It’s the gelatin that grows strong healthy nails, radiant skin and lustrous hair and heals the digestive system. That’s why hospitals serve jello, though, what they serve has no resemblance to life giving gelatin given to patients in the old days.

I’ve tried using vinegar to pull the collagen from the bones, but have not had success and my broth has been to brightly flavored. I use the French method of per-roasting and long simmers.

You can experiment with your vegetables.

Be open to experimenting with your vegetables and spices. Remember that cooking, unlike baking, is as much art as science. Have fun!

Add additional water as necessary throughout your simmering process.

Every good and thorough detox or cleanse program has a component to rebuild the digestive tract.

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