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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

The post 7 Super Self-Care Tips first appeared on Manage Stress | Increase Energy |Simple Solutions | Rommy Kirby, Holistic Health Coach, Yoga Personal Trainer, Essential Oil Educator.

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

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

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Is your Thyroid 1 in 20,000,000?

Rommy Kirby — Fri, 22 Nov 2013 21:17:33 +0000

I just found out that…

more than 20 million Americans are diagnosed with Thyroid Disease!

That’s an astounding number, isn’t it?

I started looking into because so many of my friends, students and clients ask me about the thyroid. It seems that everyday, someone either stops me, calls me, or emails me with questions about their thyroid.

Here’s a number even more startling…up to 60 percent of those with a thyroid disorder are UNAWARE anything is wrong. They are medicating themselves with things like sugar, coffee and energy drinks, over the counter sleep aids, cough drops and laxatives to manage their symptoms.

It’s creating a vicious cycle all because they don’t know what the thyroid does, how to help it function better or if is even important. Truth is…I didn’t know either!

I started digging. In a nutshell, this is what I found…

The Thyroid is a gland of the body that influences every single cell, tissue and organ in your body. It produces hormones that regulate your metabolism, balances your energy and heart rate.

That means it’s super important to keep it healthy with prevention and nutrition. If it gets sick, it has to be given supportive nourishment (in the form of nutrition and lifestyle) and adequate time to heal (it can take a long time). If it is so far gone that the body cannot heal it, this very important gland might have to be removed. Medication may or may not be necessary for the rest of you life.

My Super Radical Belief—I’m a firm believer that the body is designed to heal. I believe that when the body is given optimal nourishment and lifestyle it can return to it’s [our body’s] optimal health.

Having a thyroid that’s out of whack doesn’t have to mean that your life has to be miserable or that you will have your eyebrows tattooed on. It does mean you will need to make changes in your nutrition and your lifestyle.

My teacher Andrea Beaman, author, holistic health coach and Top Chef contestent, healed her outrageously enlarged thyroid with time, nutrition, and love.

She refused to believe the doctors pessimistic prognosis and challenged herself to find the answers. She found the holistic cause and worked holistically to heal her thyroid.

If you’re lucky enough to meet her in person, you will see and feel that she actually radiates health and vitality!

I always refer anyone with thyroid concerns to look her up. Now, I’m thrilled to let you know that she is offering an online course to help you find the answers your doctor just can’t give you.

If you have had it with fatigue, unexplained weight gain or loss, thinning eyebrows, brittle hair, scaly skin or uh-em…bowel problems do yourself, and your family, a favor, check it out.

Let her teach you to find your radiant optimal wellness. Be sure to tell her Rommy sent you!

Nourishing Your Thyroid

Andrea Beaman’s Nourishing Your Thyroid

	Start reclaiming your thyroid healthy, naturally. more info

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