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

Sleep, it does a body, soul, and mind good

Rommy Kirby — Sat, 08 Aug 2015 19:47:57 +0000

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.

Ayurveda, the Science of Life, provides with some truly wonderful, safe, non toxic sleep aids for beautiful radiant skin, vibrant outlook, and optimal wellness.

The art of caring for yourself before bed is very soothing to our central nervous systems. The art of cooking for ourselves sends a signal to our soul that we matter, we value our body, and we have a purpose.

You can improve your sleep by improving your nutrition, managing your screen time, and setting a schedule and sticking to it.

Try adding these six simple and highly effective steps to your regimen for 10 days.

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.

Download your recipe here

GoldenMilk

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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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Immune Boosting Strategy

Rommy Kirby — Tue, 21 Oct 2014 21:17:55 +0000

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

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An Ounce of Prevention

Rommy Kirby — Wed, 15 Oct 2014 15:37:14 +0000

“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?

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My Desert Island Oil

Rommy Kirby — Fri, 26 Sep 2014 19:13:15 +0000

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.

So I started reading, learning from others, and experiencing the effects of the oils for my body.

I kept hearing everyone talk about Lavender Essential Oil and how they regarded it as an integral part of their essential oil kit, so much so that they would not leave the house without it.

I could not stand the smell of Lavender. But you know what, I had actually never smelled pure Lavender Essential Oil, I have been smelling synthetic fragrance oils. No wonder I didn’t like the sticky sweet smell I thought was lavender.

Now that I have become aware of the difference between a pure, safe, and unadulterated essential oi synthesized or inferior essential oil, Lavender Essential Oil has become my Desert Island Oil. It is always in my purse, I keep it on my kitchen counter, by my bed and in my bathroom. I use it for everything, soothing savage stress, as skin calmer, pest control and to ease jangled nerves. It’s the first thing I reach for when I feel occasional aches and to relieve tension, whether it’s in my head, muscles, or on my skin.

Want to see a great video about Lavender essential oil?

Send me an email and I will get that right to you.

Are you a science geek? You can learn more here…

PubMed is a great place to learn more about the many ways Lavender essential oil can be used.

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EEW…what is THAT on my leg?

Rommy Kirby — Fri, 11 Jul 2014 18:43:45 +0000

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.

photo credit Jack Hackson via National Geographic

As I walked, I tried my best to gracefully wipe it away. It was right at the top of the leg, so you can imagine my concern about being rude in public. After two unsuccessful attempts, I decided I would retain my dignity, and walk the remaining 150 feet until I could investigate in private.

You see, as much as I love the ocean, the beach and the water, I’m still fearful of what may be lurking beneath the surface.

My mind began racing with thoughts that some wet sea creature had been attracted to the color of my swimsuit and attached itself to me, you know like a leach or something.

Then I noticed I felt the same thing at the top of the other leg as well. Eew, what is that, I kind of wanted to throw up because of the thoughts in my head, I imagined sea slugs, sea cucumbers (video below, they exist!) and sea leaches!!!

As soon as I got onto the enclosed porch I whipped off my cover up and turned around to look at my reflection in the glass door. YIKES!!!

There was no sea cucumber type thing sticking to me. YAY!

Instead, my butt was sitting, actually sagging and drooping, right there at the top of my legs!

How did that happen? Really I know, but here are my excuses, maybe you can relate…

You see in February my travel schedule got outrageously busy. At the beginning, I was on top of my food, my sleep and my self-care, but…well, you know, I’m human and I started to slip.

Tortilla chips became my go to meal, my yoga practice slacked off, fresh produce rotted in my fridge and sleep, well, I just wasn’t getting enough.

Then to top it off my hubby had a true health crisis. He nearly died. And during his recovery, one of his friends sent him a case of Graeter’s Ice Cream!!! Yes, I ate it, AND I ate it from the tub…sigh. So, I could blame Stuart for it, but I wont, he’s a really great friend and one of the nicest guys.

FYI – Ice cream is a comfort food for me, my grand mother always had it and it just makes me feel safe, like when I lived with her when my dad was in Thailand. You probably have a comfort food as well.

All of this made my stress levels rise.

You see, stress creates, gives birth to and enjoys the company of FAT. They are great pals and when you see one, the other one is really close by.

It’s the body’s way of taking over and dealing with stressful situations we can’t or won’t process. It goes back to the deepest part of our brain that is in charge of survival. Once upon a time everything was about survival, and fat is one way the body protects against famine or disease.

And you know where your body stores stress fat…in the belly area of all places. For my body type, the butt, hips and thighs. Now, that makes bathing suit season even more stressful. Oh, but wait, that’s not all, I looked down and saw something I hadn’t seen in a while, my very own muffin top.

The good news is that some strange ocean creature didn’t attach itself to me like I thought. AND my bathing suit didn’t shrink after all. I actually grew and now I’m ‘fluffy’.

The other truly powerful good news is that the body never, never ever lies.

It always reveals what we experience, and have or have not done. I’ve learned that watching for changes in your body, your energy level, skin, and face is a great way gaining information about your health.

Well, this one thing I know is that if you want something different, you’ve got to do something different.

Now, I’m taking more time to prepare healthy meals and snacks.

I’m enjoying the fresh produce from my CSA, rotting produce will no longer be happening at the Kirby Kastle.

I started an new 90 Day Fitness and Nutrition Challenge called TERRAfit! Join me on the next round.

…annnnnd for an added boost I’m even going to do another ‘slim and sassy’ wrap or two before I head to the beach with the family. I’ve done them in the past, and got some good results. They are different for the other wraps out there because they are non toxic and actually support the body to release rather than forcing the body. (instructions coming soon)

Tell me…

What is your comfort food? Do you know why?

WOW! the Sea Cucumber is just one big digestion organ!

Links and resources

Lose Weight Naturally

44 You Need to Get a Good Night’s Sleep

Sleep Well, Wake Refreshed

Join My TERRAFit Life

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44 Reasons Why You Need To Get a Good Night’s Sleep

Rommy Kirby — Fri, 11 Jul 2014 16:26:25 +0000

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.)

She didn’t quite know what all the fuss was about, especially since she has been functioning fairly well. But, she is starting to notice hollows under her eyes, more hot flashes, and is concerned about inflammation because her doctor had warned her about it.

Actually, sleep affects our health on every level and lack of sleep can lead to serious complications.

“In a 2010 study of women ages 50 to 79, more deaths occurred in women who got less than five hours or more than six and a half hours of sleep per night.”

“As a result, sleep deficiency is not only harmful on a personal level, but it also can cause large-scale damage. For example, sleep deficiency has played a role in human errors linked to tragic accidents, such as nuclear reactor meltdowns, grounding of large ships, and aviation accidents.”

You don’t have to suffer, keep reading for my Get A Good Night’s Sleep Recipe.

Sleep deprivation is linked or leads to:

heart disease
stroke
diabetes
inflammation
pain
metal fog
micro-sleep
obesity
hormone imbalance
inability to focus
increased illness
low libido
wrinkles
skin disorders
anger
depression
impulsive or high risk behavior
binging
addiction
high blood pressure
muscle loss

Quality sleep results in:

healthy brain function
reduced inflammation
balanced emotions
improved immunity
craving control
cellular renewal
stress resiliency
clearer, radiant skin
sense of well-being
healthy weight
ability to make decisions
balanced libido
hormone balance
weight release
muscle mass
increased energy
creativity
productivity
improved memory
better stamina
longevity
improved physical performance
sharper attention

My “Get A Good Night’s Sleep” Recipe…I’m telling you I don’t even feel my hubby stir!

Drop 2 drops each of Calming Blend, Grounding Blend and 1 drop Vetiver into diffuser. (any residual left around the bottle collar I put on my neck and face…esp Vetiver because it tones the skin which is a bonus.
I put Grounding Blend, Clary Sage and Ylang Ylang on my feet and belly.
Get more...Sleep Well, Wake Refreshed

Links and resources

Work with me http://rommykirby.com/connect/free-consultation/
Essential Oils http://rommykirby.com/essential-oils/
http://longevity.about.com/od/lifelongenergy/tp/healthy_sleep.htm
http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20459221_3,00.html
http://www.webmd.com
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/sdd/why.html

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A Healthy Legacy

Rommy Kirby — Mon, 26 May 2014 20:22:02 +0000

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.

Sometimes, legacy is wonderful and we are really proud of it, like me in the case of my military legacy. Sometimes, legacy is scary and causes us fear and worry, especially when it is health related.

When it comes to your health legacy, things like diabetes, obesity, depression, high blood pressure, and cancer tend to stand out, cause a great deal of stress and get lots of attention. But, did you know that while these conditions may be part of your health legacy, they do not have to be a part of your future. They certainly don’t have to be part of your children’s health legacy.

You’ve probably heard the adage, ‘an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure’.

Those 10 words can have a positive impact on your health.

Prevention is key to changing your health, it is the foundational to radiant optimal wellness.

6 Foundational Steps For Prevention

EAT RIGHT FOR YOUR BODY

Sometimes I day dream about having my own personal chef to create the foods I need at the time I need them, to me, that would make life so much simpler!

Eating right can be a challenge. Bread may not upset your tummy, but may your husbands. Grains may help your sister rock her marathon but you get headaches and hot flashes. Dairy may give you zits but your neighbor thrives on it. And sugar…well absolutely none of us are any better with it and it makes all of us look older, just give it up to be your radiant best.

How can you eat right when you don’t even know if you can trust your food?

Avoid fast food like the plague!
Eat more foods that look like it came out of the ground, off a vine or a tree.
Eat fewer things that come with an expiration label because it’s not ‘real’ food.

Even though we are 99.9% alike, that .1% will make all the difference in your health. Eat for to support your body, not a dogma or philosophy or belief system, so that you can experience optimal wellness.

EXERCISE APPROPRIATELY

As a yogi, I do believe that yoga is good for everyone. But…not everyone should do the same yoga.

Not everyone should run.

Not everyone should lift weights.

Find a fitness pursuit that you love. One that makes you happy you did it. One that your body craves.

I have a few public yoga videos, click here to check them out.

REST TO BUILD STRESS RESILIENCY

Are you a person that brags about how little sleep you get? Do you brag that you can stay up until the wee hours of the morning and still be chipper the next day?

When I was in my 20’s I could stay out all night long, not sleep and still feel great the next day. I thought beauty sleep was over rated. Now, solidly in my 40’s, I can tell it makes a huge difference.

Sleep is when our body heals and rejuvenates. (did you see that…rejuvenate actually means make young) Without sleep, we become grumpy, our immune system is challenged and it is harder to make sound choices.

REDUCE YOUR TOXIC LOAD

…click here to read more

The post A Healthy Legacy first appeared on Manage Stress | Increase Energy |Simple Solutions | Rommy Kirby, Holistic Health Coach, Yoga Personal Trainer, Essential Oil Educator.

Stress and Radiance are like Oil and Water

Rommy Kirby — Sat, 10 May 2014 23:21:15 +0000

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.

Answer the following Yes or No

I get 7 to 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep every night.
I eat the right food for my body everyday.
I don’t eat any sugar.
I don’t drink coffee.
I don’t eat food that comes out of a box.
I drink at least 64 ounces of water every day.
I take omega supplements daily.
I enjoy the company of my best friends a minimum 1 time a week.
I only hang out with people that I really feel good around.
I have a job or vocation that I enjoy and fulfills me.
I eat lots of green veggies.
I enjoy walking in nature 3 to 4 times a week.
I meditate.
I have a thriving spiritual connection.
I can say no without guilt.
I always rest when I am tired.
I exercise my body 4 or more times a week.

Now, add up your score…

Did you score 14 -17 points? Congratulations! You’re rocking your life and need to share your secrets. Go ahead, skip the rest, scroll to the bottom and give me your tips for staying true to you.

Did you score 10 – 13? Think of this as a flashing yellow light in a construction zone. Slow down before you hit the concrete wall or run off the road. Be kinder and gentler with yourself. With some small consistent changes you will start feeling better in no time.

Did you score 1 – 9? You have got to stop what you are doing because it is not working for you. Change it now. Your health is taking a licking and your the one doing it to yourself. That’s right, you’re a grown up, you’ve got to take care of you.

If you scored below 6 you are seriously damaging your organs, your immunity and your relationships, especially the most important one…

the one with your health.

You see, you can’t be vital, radiant or feel sexy if your stress resiliency is low.

photo credit www.photographyblogger.net

It’s like trying to mix oil and water.

The good news is that you can increase your ability to handle stress.

You can also learn what really helps you feel better…it’s not a pint of Ben and Jerry’s Chunky Monkey lit by an episode of Sex In The City.

When you give yourself a break, lower undue stress and improve your self care you will get your groove back.

Here are 4 fundamentally fabulous tips to get your radiance and ‘sexy’ back.

Sleep more.

Yes, they have done studies on sleep, health, immunity, and resiliency and sleep is absolutely crucial to your health. Create a bedtime ritual. Turn off overhead lighting and technology at least 1 hour before you want to go to bed. Think about which of your night time habits, if they don’t help you be happier and healthier replace them with ones that will support you. Every night, I diffuse essential oils, specifically Calming Blend and Grounding Blend, for deeper, more restful sleep.

Eat the right food for your body.

Your body is the home of your soul, it is the way you will experience your purpose and fulfillment. If you have adopted a way of eating that isn’t good for you it’s like leaving the windows open during a storm over and over and over. One by one, your body’s systems will start to degrade. For women, it’s generally our reproductive and hormones that suffer first. To learn the foods that are right for you, you can do an elimination diet or get extra help from me, join one of my cleanses.

Start taking omega supplements.

If you are not eating 4 or more servings of salmon or sardines a week you simply don’t have enough. Your skin, your heart, your mood, your brain and your libido will thank you. Omega supplements can be tricky, I suggest getting your omegas from both plant and animal sources. I have found that the supplements you choose really do matter. If you want to know which supplements I suggest contact me.

Say yes to yourself so you can say no…

to that project or ‘friend’ that you drains you. Look at your schedule. What or who can you take out? Where or with whom can you have more ease and fun? Now, put the fun and ease in your schedule. If you don’t schedule it, you don’t really want it. You do want to have fun don’t you?

BONUS TIP

Begin to meditate. Have you seen all the research about meditation and health? Simply google the words ‘meditation health benefits’ and you will have more than enough to read for well over a week.

Click here for an easy meditation…

Remember, you may have been living with a score of 1 – 9 for a while, so it will take more than a day, a week and it might even take more than a month to rock your radiance again. Be patient with yourself, you wouldn’t expect a neglected house plant to get lush and green overnight, so give your body, your cells, your mind and your heart time to recover.

Tell me…

What did you find out about yourself and your habits that you can change to feel more radiant, vital and yes, even sexier?

The post Stress and Radiance are like Oil and Water first appeared on Manage Stress | Increase Energy |Simple Solutions | Rommy Kirby, Holistic Health Coach, Yoga Personal Trainer, Essential Oil Educator.

Simple Strategy to Stay Healthy

Rommy Kirby — Tue, 07 Jan 2014 20:47:05 +0000

Just because everyone else in the house or at work has the crud doesn’t mean that you have to join them in their misery. To be honest, staying well when everyone around you is sick is a totally doable if you know what to do.

Over the Christmas holidays, my house seemed to be ground zero…

One daughter came home with a cough and sore throat, the other daughter complained of fatigue and sore throat, my nephew actually had strep and my hubby…my poor hubby was the sickest he has ever been in his adult life.

And I…well I managed to stay healthy using this simple strategy.

Staying well in the face of illness doesn’t take monumental effort but it does take determined focus and intention.

Start using this strategy now so that when everyone around you is dropping like flies with wicked colds and nasty flu, you can stay healthy.

This is exactly what I did to stay well…and I slept with one very sick, feverish, chill shaking, gnarly coughing machine.

Stay healthy strategy…

Make sure you get 7-8 hours of sleep. When you sleep your body is repairing itself. That’s why when you are sick, all you want to do is sleep. Sleep is THE most productive thing you can do to get well.

Stress happens. We all have stress! It’s how we process it and perceive that makes the difference. Remember, nothing lasts forever, the boss will get over it, the kids will get better, the cold and virus will go away. Give yourself at least 5 minutes a day of focusing on your breath or move your body in a meditative way to increase your stress resiliency.

If you do feel something coming on…go into rest mode. This means if it isn’t necessary to life support for yourself or your family, don’t do it. You have a sacred obligation to take care of yourself.

Stay hydrated. I know I say this all the time, but your cells need water to do their job well.

If you do feel something coming on…start right now to flush your body with hydration. This will also boost your mental power so that you can make better health decisions. It will help your body to process out virus and bacteria that may not have sunk their claws into you…yet.

I add a drop of Lemon, Lime and Grapefruit essential oil to my water when I know that my immune system is challenged.

Start eating more citrus fruits and drinking fresh juices to up your vitamin C levels. I recommend Just Cranberry from R.W. Knudsen. Here’s a recipe.

Be sure that your vitamin D levels remain optimal. A study done in 2010 shows that Vitamin D is an effective strategy against influenza. According to Dr. Mercola, optimal levels are therapeutic at 50-70 ng/ml year-round.

Get cultured. Stop eating sugar and start eating fermented foods with live cultures. These live cultures are full of beneficial bacteria that will fight harmful bacteria. Stack your team and populate your gut with them. My go to’s are, Inner Eco Original Coconut Water Kefir and Farmhouse Culture.

Studies have shown that cultured and fermented foods reduce fever, coughing, runny nose and antibiotic use in children. Just think what it will do for you.

Eating your probiotics is favorable to supplementing because bacteria in fermented and cultured foods will colonize your the lining of your digestive tract with more diverse strains of beneficial bacteria. BONUS – makes for great skin!

Basics that you know but probably over look when stressed and caring for others…

Wash your hands more often. Stop using that antibacterial soap because it’s killing the good bacteria on your skin as well. I use an Essential Oil Based Foaming Hand Wash in my home and in my yoga studio.

Take high quality animal based Omega-3 Fats. Good for the brain and for your immunity. I’ve been using a particular omega for a while now and noticed a sharp decline in illness, migraine and hot flash.

Use natural immune support. Oregano, melaleuca and thyme are just a few that will support your immunity against those tiny microscopic villains of illness. When everyone around me is sick, when they get essential oil application, I get essential oil application. Always.

Check out this video to see how awesome your body is at chasing down and eliminating those nasty villains.

Staying healthy and well is not rocket science, complex or expensive, but getting well can be time consuming, financially draining and difficult.

Tell me…

What 1 strategy from this article do you want to start doing to help you stay well? Already do these things…share your tip below.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/01/06/flu-attack.aspx#_edn6

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Leyer+G+Pediatrics

The post Simple Strategy to Stay Healthy first appeared on Manage Stress | Increase Energy |Simple Solutions | Rommy Kirby, Holistic Health Coach, Yoga Personal Trainer, Essential Oil Educator.

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?

The post 3 Elegant Holiday Strategies first appeared on Manage Stress | Increase Energy |Simple Solutions | Rommy Kirby, Holistic Health Coach, Yoga Personal Trainer, Essential Oil Educator.

Sleep well, wake refreshed and happy

Rommy Kirby — Tue, 10 Dec 2013 20:43:14 +0000

I’ve struggled with sleep most of my life.

When I was a little girl I hated naps and bed time.

My child mind told me that if I slept I would miss something, anything. Missing anything meant I was missing fun.

My eyes would just not stay closed, I would wake up really early and watch the shadows in the corners change as the light peeked through the window.

I remember one day in particular when my sister and I were sent to nap. Earlier that day, my 5 year old brain plotted a way of getting out of nap time.

I dragged a saw horse across the back yard and put it under our bedroom window.

After a lunch of peanut butter sandwich and chicken noodle soup, we were shuffled off for a nap. I’m pretty sure I had a sly grin on my face because even today, my face reveals more than I know.

We were tucked in and the door shut. My sister began arguing with me over my plan. But we were as quiet as a 4 and 5 year old can be…ever heard a 4 and 5 year old whisper?

I insisted that we were going out the window. She in good second sister form started to not come at all, but rather she was going to tell on ME. Somehow, I got her to put both her feet out the window, onto the saw horse and a quick hop to the ground.

Out the window we went.

We sneaked around the house and skittered across the street into the English woods on a grand adventure full of magic and myth.

We didn’t get caught the first time, not even the second time, but we did eventually get caught.

While I still recall the fun of finding a stable full of dairy cows and thrill of a gypsy (okay, maybe it was a hobo) campsite. I also remember the trouncing my tiny heiny took for scaring the pants off my parents.

To this day, I still wonder what’s happening when my eyes are closed and what grand things are going on that I’m not doing. When I wake up in the pre-dawn light, it’s very hard to stay in bed.

But…I have learned that Sleeping Beauty was on to something…remember, she awoke still looking like the teenager? That sleep has a magical (not really, it’s all science) effect on the body and the mind.

Sleep is the time when the mind resets and runs something like a de-frag program on a computer. It sorts through the days happenings and thoughts processing them into hopefully usable memories or ideas.

Sleep is when the body restores. Our body needs to rest. Even though every single cell in our body is different from the cells we were born with, just like a baby cannot thrive with sleep, we cant either.

Sleep is when the body balances hormones and releases excess hormonal waste (major simplification). Ever wonder why you are working out, eating all the right things and still have belly fat? Look at your sleep habits. Want to keep the belly fat? Keep your sleep habits. Want to release the belly fat? Upgrade your sleep habits.

Sleep is also important for regulating our vitality inducing hormones as well as our moods. Have you ever gone to bed with something heavy on your mind only to wake up with the realization that it isn’t as bad as you thought?

Sleep, whether good or bad will affect your weight, your skin, and your immunity to nasty bacteria, viruses and grumpy people. Want to get sick quick? Cut back on your sleep. Want to be mean to the meanies? Cut back on your sleep and your sweet loving disposition will disappear allowing you to feel justified to be mean and get even.

So whats a wide eyed, radiant optimal health seeker to do?

It’s simple really.

I’ll give you a hint…the very same thing you do to help an infant fall and stay asleep.

Have a schedule and stick to it. Yes, it really does a body good to go to sleep at the same time every night. Set a time that you will be in bed with no electronic distractions and put it in your calender. If it isn’t scheduled, it isn’t important to you. Seriously, if sleep is important to you, schedule it.

Did you know the National Sleep Foundation suggests that school age children get 10-11 hours of sleep daily, while teens do best with 8.5-10 hours and adults need 7-9 hours?

Create a sleep routine. I call it a ritual because the intention is to promote health and vitality in my body, my soul’s house. Keep it simple.

Did you know that lack of sufficient and quality sleep has been directly related to weight gain and mental impairment in both adults and children?

Dim the lights at least 45 minutes before bedtime. This helps your hormonal system to reset itself.

Turn off electronics unless you are listening to soothing music. Do not go to bed with your smart phone, iPad or TV remote!

Use soothing essential oils like Calming Blend or Lavender. Both are highly effective in promoting deep relaxation without groggy side effects.

Rub a drop on your feet, on your belly, on your forehead and the back of your neck for really great sleep. Put a drop on your pillow. I like to place 4- 8 drops in a cup of Epsom salt then add to my bath water for those evenings when I’m really wound up or over tired.

Be sure your room is dark, dark, dark or use a sleep mask. You know that light shining from your digital clock? It interrupts the hormonal changes your body needs to experience deep restful sleep.

Use a fan or get a sleep sound machine to block out noises that will interrupt your sleep. This is the one I use Marpac Dohm-DS Dual Speed Sound Conditioner. If your bed partner snores…get ear plugs.

Exercise appropriately. There are some new studies showing that the wrong kind of exercise will inhibit deep sleep and thereby, undoes all that good you thought you were doing. Try this video to unwind from a long day and get deep restful sleep.

Supplement your diet with high value supplements. Even if, like me, you juice, eat clean, local, whole foods 80% of the time, our food supply is deficient in nutrients. Our bodies are under tremendous stress and need the support. Our brains need optimal nourishment to regulate our hormones so we can sleep. Want to know which supplements I use and suggest to my clients? Send me an email and I’ll let you know.

Get out of bed at the same time every morning. You can always go back to bed if you want. Getting up at the same time every morning will help to reset your circadian (internal sleep) rhythms.

Tell me…

How do you feel when you wake up in the morning? Are you happy, ready to go and excited for the day? Do you have a good sleep tip to share, what is it?

The post Sleep well, wake refreshed and happy first appeared on Manage Stress | Increase Energy |Simple Solutions | Rommy Kirby, Holistic Health Coach, Yoga Personal Trainer, Essential Oil Educator.

Simple, Immune Boosting & Skin Nourishing Detox Tip

Rommy Kirby — Mon, 21 Oct 2013 15:05:58 +0000

You know how when the weather changes, and your skin gets drab, ashy and flaky?

Do you know why that happens?

General wisdom says it’s because that air forced through the vents is dry. Dry air moving across the skin dries it in the same way that air moving across a lake causes evaporation.

Makes sense, right? It did to me until I started studying alternative health care like Ayurveda and nutrition. The explanation is true, at least partially.

There is a more colorful story than that…

According to Ayurveda, the sister science of yoga, our bodies move in concert with nature. Like it or not, our bodies experience weather changes, changes with the moon and sun cycles and changes of the seasons.

Take a moment, think about how stiff you felt last time there was a dramatic change in temperature or the restless energy you had on that sleepless full moon night.

That was your body responding to the cycles and shifts of nature. Your body is it’s own ecosystem within the greater ecosystem of nature.

To get a better idea of what is happening, let’s take a basic look at what nature does as she swings, shifts and slides from season to season. (science geek warning – this is a major over simplification!)

As summer becomes autumn, nature begins to let go of her green. The leaves dry and fall away.

Autumn’s wind blows the leaves until they blanket the ground spreading future nourishment.

Winter’s cold, damp days break down the leaves creating new soil.

Spring pulls the nutrients up to create buds, flowers, and seeds.

Spring blossoms float away to reveal summer’s supple bounty of fruits and vegetables.

Start to think of your body as an ecosystem with rhythms that flow in harmony with nature.

Think of it this way, if the atmosphere is the biggest organ of nature, then your skin is the largest organ of your personal ecosystem.

The big difference is that we tend to protect ourselves, our skin, from the elements of blowing wind, bitter cold and intense heat. The trick, then, is for us to stay in harmony with the cycles of nature so we can enjoy optimal health or even regain lost health.

The flaky, dry, and ashy skin needs to be sloughed off. The longer we experience life, the less we our skin naturally releases the dried dead skin cells.

This one, simple, and ancient tip will help your skin look more radiant, luscious. It will boost your immunity and cellular turnover, perhaps even help get rid of cellulite.

Dry (Skin) Brushing

Skin brush for supple healthy skin.

Your lymph system lives under the surface of your skin. It is responsible for cleaning the body of toxins and transporting white blood cells. You have more lymph fluid in your body than blood, but it doesn’t have a pump.

Because your lymph channels are thinner than a hair, to manipulate your lymph system, use a gentle touch and a soft brush.

Though it may sound weird, skin brushing is an ancient technique, used in many cultures for hygiene and optimal health.

Here’s how…

First, get a skin brush. I use the brushes in the picture. I took the handles off the softest back brushes I could find. You don’t need two brushes, I just like having one in each hand, one brush is all you need.

Remember that your lymph channels are very thin, use a light, soft touch.
Using a dry brush on dry skin, start at the top of your body, the neck.
Brush the palms of your hands, the inside and outside of your arms.
Be sure to brush your arm pits as well, (lots of luscious lymph nodes there).
You can gently brush your breasts in circular direction, but be sure to avoid the nipples.
Always brush towards your heart. Brush every bit of skin you can reach, remembering to move towards the heart.
When you get below the heart, move the brush in an upwards direction.
On your belly, move in a clockwise direction.
Spend a little extra time on those areas that look stagnate or have a bit more cellulite.
Then take a wonderful shower or detox bath.
Drink lots of water!

How often and when to Dry Brush?

At the minimum, with every change of season.

At the beginning, middle, and end of every cleanse or detox.

If you want to boost your immunity, at least once a month. Choose to do it around the moon cycles, like every full or new moon.

If you want more radiant, supple skin, once a week.

Benefits my clients see…

Increased immunity. (oo-la-la! healthy is the new sexy!)
Decreased appearance of cellulite. (who doesn’t want that)
Increase appreciation for your body beautiful, your soul house. (what you appreciate, appreciates)
Decreased stress. (you can be radically radiant)
Supple younger looking skin. (without toxic chemical creams)

My personal tip…

I learned from Nadine Artemis, holistic natural skin guru, to put a drop of essential oil in the palm of my hand and run the brush through it before starting.

This takes the dry skin brushing in the realms of an artful self care ritual.

I like to use, Lavender and Frankincense primarily, but will sometimes use Sandalwood, Bergomot or Ylang Ylang depending on my mood.

Tell me…

What is your favorite skin care ritual?

The post Simple, Immune Boosting & Skin Nourishing Detox Tip first appeared on Manage Stress | Increase Energy |Simple Solutions | Rommy Kirby, Holistic Health Coach, Yoga Personal Trainer, Essential Oil Educator.

What do Vicodin, Zocor and Lipitor have in common?

Rommy Kirby — Tue, 15 Oct 2013 09:31:40 +0000

Have you ever noticed how many of your conversations revolve around health, aches, pains and medications?

Whenever I get together with friends, somehow, we always have a conversation about health.

At a recent dinner party, a friend was asking some really great questions. Then he asked one question that I thought was fabulous.

He asked, “So what do you think about Ambien?”

A hush settled over the party and everyone tuned in thinking I just might go ballistic on pharmaceuticals.

For most holistic health practitioners, this can be a challenging question, one that raises our ire and sparks our passion.

But when it comes down to it, it isn’t Ambien that bothers me. It isn’t even Vicodin, Zocor and Lipitor that bother me.

Here’s the thing they all have in common, these drugs work as designed. They work incredibly well to manage a bothersome symptoms of dis-ease. That can be a good thing.

What really bother’s me, and most likely every single holistic practitioner, is that these drugs manage symptoms only. They actually can, and often will, do more harm than good because they mask the underlying cause.

Medical science is learning that inflammation is at the root of all disease. Every single one, even Insomnia.

Inflammation is the body’s healing response to stress, bad nutrition, toxins, pathogens, parasites, bacteria, injury and virus. Chronic inflammation is the cumulative response to prolonged over exposure to all that crap.

In other words, disease is the sum of the parts.

The simple supposition then is, stop inflammation, stop disease, and begin to heal. When the body heals, the symptom goes away.

But how?

The primary way to decrease inflammation it to increase nutrition. Give your body the building blocks it needs to repair.

Number 1 – Eat More Whole Foods

Take a look at what you are eating. If it comes with a nutritional label, there is a good chance it is processed in some way. See how many more vegetables you can eat daily.

Choose the highest quality available. Look for these words, local, organic, non GMO, free range, grass feed and finished, no hormone or antibiotics added.

Number 2 – Sleep

Your body repairs, restores and reorganizes when you sleep. Just like babies will stop growing and get sick if they don’t get adequate sleep, sleep deprivation decreases your cellular function.

For my best radiant rest I use essential oils. I diffuse blends (synergies) that ground and calm and soothing and calming Lavender Essential Oil and generally apply the soles of my feel, my belly, the back of my neck.

Number 3 – Stay Hydrated

Hydrated cells are more supple and resilient to infection by virus.

I really enjoy plain H2O, but sometimes, I like to a a drop add essential oil to glass of water for flavor and variety. You can also add lemon slices and organic cucumber peels for a Spa-like touch.

Number 4 – Supplement

Let’s face it, very few of us, me included, eat 100% perfect food perfectly combined 100% of the time.

It is a fact that our food, even our beautiful local and organic food, when we can get it, is not as nourishing as it was 20 years ago.

On top of that, most of us are walking around with impaired digestion so we can’t absorb all the nutrients. Combine all that with busy schedules, getting all our nutrients through our food is hard and nearly impossible.

One primary reason that I enjoy such vibrant health despite my very human attraction to sugar, aka Devil Dope, is that I pump up my whole food and juicing lifestyle with supplements. I used supplements to recover, restore and repair my very sick and toxic body because my digestive system didn’t work well.

What to look for in a supplement?

Quality supplements will be naturally derived and whole food based. They contain the vitamin, not vitamin isolates.

The majority of the supplements you find on the shelves are full of artificial preservatives, sugars and synthetic isolated vitamin constituents. They are hard on you liver and kidneys.

Did you know that your body cannot process synthesized vitamins? That’s why you get yellow, stinky pee.

Your body will absorb 80 to 90% of a whole food based supplement!!!

Which do I use and recommend?

Send me an email for information on my recommendations.

What to remember about this article…

Pharmaceutical drugs are designed to alleviate symptoms only.
Pharmaceutical drugs have negative side effects, always.
Pharmaceutical drugs mask the underlying cause of the symptom.
Inflammation is the root cause of all disease.
Proper nutrition will decrease inflammation.

Tell me Beautiful…

What symptoms are you experiencing that you think would be better if you treated your body to better nourishment?

The post What do Vicodin, Zocor and Lipitor have in common? first appeared on Manage Stress | Increase Energy |Simple Solutions | Rommy Kirby, Holistic Health Coach, Yoga Personal Trainer, Essential Oil Educator.

Turn Off Meltdowns and Turn On Peace at Home

Rommy — Mon, 26 Aug 2013 19:58:25 +0000

A few weekends ago I was thrilled for a surprise opportunity to receive AromaTouch Technique training. I’ll let you know more about the training in a follow up post, this post is a ‘new and good’ share about using that training to create a more peaceful home for my family.

Hubby and I have 4 children, 2 girls and 2 boys…perfect right? Well yes, it is. But one of our children lives with a challenge that can seem overwhelming and unmanageable even on a good day. You see, our youngest son lives with Autism.

He is basically happy, good natured and can go with the flow as long as the flow is tailored to his ability. The crazy thing about it is that we just never know if something will begin to over stimulate and irritate him. He has difficulty communicating and isn’t always able to let us know what is wrong.

When that happens, in a flash, he will have a melt down and life for the entire house gets tense. It can be really hard to find a way to settle him and when we finally calm him, our nerves are frayed and we are on pins and needles because once a melt down happens, he can get stuck there and it will happen all over again.

On his last visit home I decided to see if my recent training would help him, and the rest of us, have a more pleasurable time. So his first morning here, I got out my oils. I put not one, but eight essential oils and blends along his spine. Now, at this time, he doesn’t have the ability for a full technique, but I applied the oils in the same order from the bottom of his spine to the top of his neck.

He can be stubborn sometimes, all kids can be. Because of sensory issues I wasn’t sure how he would receive the oils. But guess what, he really enjoyed it! There was no fussing. He would even give me spontaneous hugs afterwards. I applied the oils along his spine twice daily following his baths. He loves baths!

During past visits, he would get irritated and be a total pill when told no or asked to wait. He would have at least 1 major melt down, sometimes more, and he would obsessively stem or hum. We could forget about sleeping through the night.

This time, there was not one melt down. No stemming. He was more easily redirected. He even learned to make up his bed. He had a greater capacity to delay gratification. He had better focus and more engagement with us. He slept through the night all but one night. He was generally more fun to be around.

…and isn’t that what we want as parents, kids we not only love, but enjoy?

As I type this, tears of gratitude are flowing down my cheeks. I am so thankful that I can easily and simply use these oils make my entire family’s life more pleasurable without harmful and toxic substances. Even for our youngest member whose challenges are very real and may always be present.

The oils I used are pure, 3rd party tested, and therapeutic grade. The eight particular oils I use come in a convenient kit. I did not apply them in the way I was taught, but I did apply them in the way our son was able to accept them. You can get the very same oils for your home, your loved ones and provide a more tranquil, supportive environment for your family, simply send me an email. You deserve to have a happy peaceful home.

Will you have the same experience? Maybe. But there is also the possibility that yours will be even better! Today, rather than saying, this sucks, what if you said let’s see what is working well and how good we can make it.

PS – His last evening just as he sat to dinner was the most remarkable. He started humming and fidgeting. Because of the pitch change I realized he was beginning to stem, I went for the grounding blend. I placed it on his neck bones, along the base of his skull, under his ears and on the soles of his feet.

In less than 5 minutes, actually, my hubby pointed out less than 2 minutes, the humming stopped. There was no meltdown.

But he was still having difficulty sitting still enough to eat his dinner, so I reached for the calming blend. I applied it to the same places and onto his tummy. Within minutes, right in front of our eyes, he calmed down, sat still and was able to finish his dinner. We even got to play a singing game with him.

Do you live with or love someone with challenges? How do you find peace through the melt downs? Do you want to learn how to essential oils to bring peace to your home, send comment here, or send me an email. I would love to hear from you!!!

The post Turn Off Meltdowns and Turn On Peace at Home first appeared on Manage Stress | Increase Energy |Simple Solutions | Rommy Kirby, Holistic Health Coach, Yoga Personal Trainer, Essential Oil Educator.