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  • Hello Healthy: A Simple Real Food Cleanse

Hello Healthy: A Simple Real Food Cleanse

2/1/2016

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Hello Healthy


Feeling a little under the weather?
Perhaps anxious, tired or blue?
Start giving yourself some TLC...
This is the easiest and hardest thing to do.


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Our bodies were created to heal themselves, as long as we actively give ourselves proper nutrients and care. Just as the rise in the American “fast-paced lifestyle” has increased mental stress & anxiety levels over the last few decades, the rise in production of synthetic materials and ingredients (also known as the Industrial Revolution) have caused Americans to be accustomed to foods high in processed ingredients. These processed ingredients can be considered “toxic” when referring to a real food diet. Toxins inhibit the body's natural healing processes. While toxic ingredients can be found in a plethora of household ingredients including make-up, hair products, cleaning products & aerosol sprays, the best place to start ridding your environment of toxins is in your diet. It's true when they say, “You are what you eat.”

Simple Real Food Cleanse

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This simple cleanse will introduce you to the basics of a Real Food diet so you may begin your journey of wellness and healing.
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  • Start your morning with a full glass of lemon water (room temp, no ice).
    • This gets your metabolism moving first thing.
    • Option to add cucumber slices for a balanced flavor and additional detox benefits.

  • Enjoy more, smaller “meals” (or snacks) throughout the day. These smaller meals can include smoothies*, salads, trail mix, veggies & hummus, rice cakes & nut-butter, etc.

  • Refrain from processed sugars, caffeine, alcohol and smoking during your cleanse. Taking a break from these ingredients is the only true way we can give our liver and kidneys the chance to cleanse themselves, which is fundamental to our health.
    • Substitute your morning coffee with a cup of Teeccino Herbal Coffee (available in several flavors) or an Herbal Detox Tea (Yogi or Traditional Medicinal brands are great).
    • If you find you need the caffeine, stick to green tea or limit your coffee intake to one cup per day. Drinking more water will also boost your energy naturally.
    • Avoid sodas. Replace with natural fruit juices. Mix with seltzer water for carbonation.
      • Cranberry juice (100% juice, not cocktail) is beneficial for kidney health.
    • Substitute white sugar with coconut palm sugar, pure maple syrup, or pure raw honey. Sugars in general should be used in moderation.

  • Avoid processed foods during your cleanse. Reading the ingredients is an easy way to tell whether or not your food is processed. If it contains enriched or bleached wheat flour or high fructose corn syrup along with other words you can barely pronounce, chances are it will contain many more ingredients that aren't so good for us.
    • Eat more veggies and whole grains (quinoa, oats, brown rice) with each meal.
    • Meats and starches (as well as fruit) take longer to digest alone than they would if consumed with vegetables.
    • Vegetables help speed the digestion process, aiding the body in its cleanse.

  • Limit your dairy intake.
    • Surprisingly enough, our digestive system is not meant to digest animal milk. Instead, try a non-dairy milk such as Silk brands of almond, cashew or coconut. They are available flavored, sweetened, or unsweetened. Avoid soy milk as well as brands that have carrageenan in the ingredients.
    • Substitute butter with cold-pressed, unrefined coconut oil or ghee. Avoid margarine.

  • Stay hydrated.
    • Most people aren't getting enough water intake throughout the day. This can cause the body to react with various symptoms including fatigue, foggy thinking, headache, body/muscle ache, blurry vision, as well as a feeling of anxiety and “hunger.” Many times when we think we feel hungry, its actually our body telling us to get hydrated.
    • Drinking water throughout the day helps to flush toxins out of your system.
    • To estimate the amount of water (or non-sugary, non-dairy liquids) you should be drinking daily, divide your body weight in half. [ex: If you weigh 150lbs, you should be drinking 75oz of water].


  • Stay Active.
    • Inactivity leads to more health problems. If you find that you sit most of the day, make it a point to get up and move around! This is the easiest way to help heal our bodies. A quick walk around the block or a simple work-out will get our blood pumping, speeding the cleansing and detoxification process.
      • Simple exercises that involve twisting also help to revitalize our vital organs. I love to practice “restorative” or “yin” yoga because it encourages the body to regenerate without the need for a strenuous work-out. This is the best type of gentle work-out for body a cleanse. Check out the channel SaraBethYoga on YouTube for some simple restorative how-to videos.

  • Breathe.
    • You'd be surprised how many are unaware that there is such a thing as “proper breath technique.” On an inhale counting to 4, slowly feel your breath starting low in your diaphragm and follow it up to your navel. Allow your shoulders to relax and rib-cage to expand as your breath moves to your chest and upper back, to your neck then up to the crown of your head. Hold for 7 seconds, then exhale on an 8 count, feeling your navel push back towards your spine as you release. Hold for a second then count to 4 with your next inhale. Be sure not to force the breath. You want this to feel as relaxing as a yawn. Practicing this 4-7-8 pattern will encourage relaxation and a better sleep. A good night's sleep will allow the body to work towards healing as we sleep.
    • Try this video for a simple How to- Breath Meditation to calm the mind.

  • Consider a probiotic.
    • Probiotics are needed for optimum gut health. When our guts are imbalanced, the “bad” bacteria takes over, causing all sorts of health issues including acne, inflammation, IBS, scaly skin, and more. By taking a probiotic, you are introducing more “good” bacteria into your gut, which in turn lowers the level of “bad” bacteria.
    • Probiotics can be found in various foods such as sourdough bread & Greek yogurt. Kombucha Tea is another great source for probiotics. However, the easiest way to keep your gut happy is through a probiotic capsule.
      • Plexus is a great company that offers probiotic capsules as well as other vitamins and supplements. (If you are interested in learning more, I can get you in contact with a local Plexus ambassador). If you find this Simple Real Food Cleanse isn't for you, Plexus carries a product called Slim that works towards similar detoxifying health goals. Simply mix their Slim powder in a bottle of water and enjoy! (Tastes like berries!)
    • Probiotics can also be found at your local natural foods store such as Whole Foods, The Green Grocer in Portsmouth, Nature's Goodness in Middletown, as well as the A Market in Newport.

*Example Smoothie Combinations:
Here are a few examples of smoothies I enjoy regularly. Have fun and get creative with your ingredients!


  • Carrot, Cucumber, ginger, turmeric*, & flax seed in an orange juice base. Add ice and blend.

  • Banana, Spinach, Orange Juice & Cashew milk with a dash of cinnamon, turmeric* & tsp of honey. Add ice and blend well until spinach is broken down.

  • Banana, orange juice & mixed berries (or your choice of frozen fruit blend). If using frozen fruit, you can omit the ice. However, if you would like a more “slushy” beverage, go ahead and add ice until you've reached desired consistency.


*The anti-inflammatory properties of turmeric are activated and absorbed into our system better when combined with black pepper. Anytime I use turmeric, I add a dash of black pepper as well.



For some great nutrient-dense smoothie additives, check out our selection of Natural and Organic Wellness products at NYR Organics!


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Words of Encouragement:

Ideally, this Simple Real Food Cleanse should be done for a minimum of 3 days but feel free to stick with it for a lifetime. No matter how long or how little you participate in this Simple Real Food Cleanse, be sure to not be so hard on yourself. Any type of change takes time, especially when it comes to our health.

Everyone is different
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Believe in yourself and stay motivated with your goal. Remember, you are on your very own journey of health and happiness. This is a journey that only you alone can take total control over. Negative thoughts and judgments stem from your own mind. They are imaginings. They are not real. You have the ability to declare health over your body and soul. Get excited to make the change. Stay positive. You can do this.




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If you have any questions, comments or concerns feel free comment below or to email me directly at adjean527@gmail.com, with "Hello Healthy" in the subject line.






Disclaimer: (Because legally I have to...) This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any ailments. As always, use common sense and contact your medical professional.

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Changing Yourself to Change the World

12/8/2015

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It's been about four months now since diving into this whole blogging thing. I still have no idea what I'm doing and have thought about giving up again and again, but there's something really amazing that's starting to happen that's giving me the drive and motivation to keep pressing on.


My posts are usually filled with raw emotions. An open-up into my heart and mind. Two of the scariest places we, as humans, find ourselves stuck in from time-to-time. I write because its therapeutic for me. It's a way for me to not only get out of my head, but to see my emotions, my problems, and what's going on on the inside, right before my own eyes, in pure writing. It gives me the chance to look at what's bothering me, evaluate myself, dive a little deeper, research a little more, and find out how to change my life for the better.


Over these few months of blogging, I have had many responses both online and in person ranging from "thank you" and "keep it up" to "how could you write about that?" and being totally shot down.


As with anything we do in life, we have to deal with consequences or lessons. How we react from these lessons is key to evolving and growing on a more spiritual and energetic level. This energetic level references our very own personal frequencies. Our frequencies are how we interact with other human beings (and all of creation, for that matter). As can be seen in studies of cymatics, higher and lower frequencies have the power to make matter beautiful or to make matter disturbed.

There are positive and negative sides to all aspects of life. The idea of opposites have been around since the dawn of time. From once we were in darkness and out of darkness we became light. This relationship between darkness and light, yin and yang, good and evil, can be found all over the world and everywhere in nature.


With the darkness that's currently going on around the world through recent events, know that we are that much closer to spiraling out of the darkness and into this New Age of Light. More eyes are opening up to the reality of their own lives and realizing they, like Dorothy in Oz, have always had the power to change it for the better.
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We started our page, Empowered Life by Design to influence others, on a positive level, on how they can change their lives for the better and live their very own empowered lives by design. Wherever you are in life, if you're unhappy, you CAN change it.


The most influential words given to me by an old friend during one of my downward spirals in life,


"There is nothing that is holding you here."


You CAN change for the better. You CAN leave that job that's bringing you down, you CAN leave those negative worries of the past behind. You CAN change. and you can "BE THE CHANGE."

So back to the top and me talking about wanting to give up writing until I get random signs of motivation; this post started off as a simple response to a recent message from another old friend. I thought I would share my response to this person on here, in the case that it might help others finding themselves in this same place in life.
"So I just wanna say, I'm really envious of your vibes and outlook and wish I could find myself again, lately I've been so trapped in my own head and skin and can't let go of some of my past, and am allowing the future to dictate my mood. Living in the present is something I've seriously lost touch with, but I see your posts all the time and they make me happy to know that you've really captured the essence of living in the now. random I know, but thought I'd let you know. Hope all is as well as it looks on the outside!"

:D Honestly... staying positive is hard work, but its all I have.



I'm on the up swing after a very low down swing. There's a lot that I choose not to talk about or post on social media because there's already so much bad news. Instead, I force myself to be overloaded with positive thoughts and its pretty amazing how much they do actually help. True story: Awhile back I actually sent facebook itself an e-mail asking if there was a way they could set up their feed so you can choose what type of content shows up (good uplifting news, bad worldly news, or both). After the fact I realized how kind of silly that was. There are way too many people involved in my social media circle, even with how advanced technology is today, that they aren't going to rule through every single post deciding whats considered “good” and “bad” in this online world.


Its about choice. Everything goes in full circle, think about the last time you felt this way and what you did to get out of it. This has been a rough journey for many of us, especially those of us that really know the true essence of "soul”.

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Do you meditate? I started meditating pretty actively when I moved in with my family over the winter. Life was on a down swing and the true reason I went to the farm was part of the healing process in my own life. Being down there taught me how to risk everything for the simple way of life. With everything that's been going on in the world recently, so many people like us; empaths, if you will, are getting emotionally exhausted from the constant bad news. You, like myself have a huge heart. We want to help everyone, heal everyone, and take away everyone's pain.


There's a few things we need to realize: we are not perfect. We as one single person alone cannot change the world. However, if we work together with the masses, choosing to fill ourselves with whats good and light, sooner or later you will see more and more of humanity standing strong in their own beliefs of peace and love and unity. This awakening that we've read about, that's been prophesied about, this is real and it is so accurately happening right now, its crazy and frightening and awesome all at the same time.


I spend a lot of time reading about this type of stuff. What many of the astrologists, psychics and even “regular” people that talk about this awakening agree on is that it truly does effect our moods and our place in life. That sense of feeling “lost” or needing to find yourself is absolutely normal. We all go through it time and again. It's how we evolve as humans. Not in the ape-to-man sense of evolution, but more of an evolution on a metaphysical and spiritual level.

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What do you know about opening the third eye? Our pineal gland is the control center for opening our eyes to the good life. I would totally encourage you to read up on the chakras and energy healing. With this evolution, our bodies and minds don't really know how to handle this. You obviously know the movie The Matrix, yes? It's ridiculous how similar that movie is to our own lives. No, we aren't living in a total alternate virtual reality, but it does take over a greater portion of our lives. In the same way, our generation grew up smack dab in the middle of this obscene synthetic reality.


Man-made inventions are ruling our lives to the point that many people forget that we lived good and well way before these inventions of man. (I wrote this piece a little over a year ago and it totally freaks me out how much it foretold events that happened for me this year. You can find it here.)

I know I'm getting off track but it all relates, I swear.

I study herbs and natural healing. Last month I was given the opportunity to work with my aunt at two big Holistic Healing events. It was there that I met Mary Blue, founder of Farmacy Herbs in Providence, RI. She is hands down one of my biggest inspirations. (She wrote a book that my aunt bought for me and signed it “May the herbs be with you!” and that made her a goddess in my book). Anyway, during one of her talks she spoke on Planetary Healing. This was such a mind-blowing topic for me. The gist of it was that “if we truly want to heal the planet, we need to wake up and realize that we are currently living in a toxic world.”

Her words gave me chills AND brought immediate tears to my eyes. It's so true. She spoke of the toxins that go into our body. Whether it be food or medicine, they pass through our systems and where do they go from there? From our digestive track to our toilets and sinks back into our earth and waters. The more toxins we put inside our body, the more toxins we put into the earth. If we want to change the world on a physical level, then we need to change ourselves. Change our lifestyle.

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In the same way, with how much the media is ruling our lives through television, smartphones, social media, newspapers, etc..., again we need to realize we are living in a toxic world. In this sense, toxicity is based on good news versus bad news. We are at a point where it feels like there is just SO much bad news that its unbearable. Whether intentional or not, the media knows how to evoke fear into people. Its up to our individual selves how we handle this fear.



We can let fear, worry and doubt rule us; making us feel insignificant, lost, angry and alone OR we can learn from our fears.

“Let love guide you, but also take fear with you.”
-Ralph Smart

"How to Make Friends With Fear"
This is where learning from your shadow-self comes in. Our “shadow” in regards to spiritual energy, is the darker forces that sometimes try to overtake our souls. Some religions will refer to these dark forces as evil or as demons trying to bring you down. I was raised in a very spiritual family. When I was in my late teens, my church offered a class called Spiritual Authority. At the time I had no idea how the information taught in this class would be necessary to my life as a young adult, but the more I grow and evolve, the more thankful I am that I took that class. It's part of the reason I have been so open to spiritual and energetic attunements. It's also part of the reason why I have, on the other hand, been so open to what some call “psychic attacks” and others, a “mental illness.” Anxiety is one of the many forms these dark forces can take.

I spent way too much time beating myself up trying to find my place in life. A few years back, a life-changing book fell into my hands: The Shadows Gift: Finding Out Who You Really Are by Robin Robertson. (Read the summary here) This book opened my eyes to a whole new way of looking at my life. Another life-changing book on my journey is The Book of Secrets: Unlocking the Hidden Dimensions of Your Life by Deepak Chopra.

While I was raised in the Christian church, I've also spent many years learning of other religions. I love that Buddhism teaches you to embrace and learn from your shadow. I've always been a sucker for mystic and magic, but there really is something so beautiful about learning from your dark past. One of my many motto's is “Always seek beauty in darkness.” While the world right now may seem dark and cold, we can actively make the choice to seek beauty. To seek goodness. To seek light and to encourage others to do the same. It's about changing our perspective from wanting to overcome “darkness” to wanting to learn from it. We need to find balance.

The shadow in you right now, might be manifesting itself in ways that make you feel lost but I promise you, it's all part of the journey. These dark feelings are our inner-self trying to get our attention, screaming at us that something in our waking life needs to change if we intend on following and discovering our true life's purpose on our journey
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I've gotten so far off from what I originally meant to write but everything happens for a reason, right? If not for the bad going on in the world right now, there wouldn't be more and more people waking up to the truth of wanting to change for the better. The world is starting to recognize our need to come together in unity as one. We are finally realizing that we can't beat darkness with more darkness but instead need to bring it around full circle and use this darkness as a backdrop to shining the light within us even brighter than before.

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I want to share with you some of the sources for good news that I actively follow to keep my good-vibe game strong:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/m_eye_nd/
https://www.instagram.com/youcreateyourownreality/
https://www.instagram.com/myspiritualpath/

Interweb: http://thespiritscience.net/
http://themindunleashed.org/
http://www.mysticmamma.com/
http://www.kimmana.com/five-elements-of-ayurveda/
http://chakraenergy.com/


Some random stuff that has also helped me accept where I am on my journey to help ease the feelings of being “lost”:

Astrology in regards to how being a Gemini effects my mood, personality, decisions I make and why. (Not those silly social media quizzes). As well as how the moon and planets influence whats going on in the world. Numerology was interesting to learn as well as finding out my Myer's Briggs Personality Type .


Another big help was finding out my Ayurvedic Dosha. Learning your dosha helps bring awareness to when something in your body is off balance. This method dates back to ancient Chinese medicine. Our doshas are representative of any combination of the five elements; ether, air, earth, fire, and water.

Depending on your dosha, when our body is off-balance it takes the form of our various shadow-attributes. For example, my dosha, Vata, represents air. The characteristics described in books are so ridiculously accurate to me. This has helped me learn WHY some emotions or symptoms happen in my mind and body and help me determine what I need to do to fix them. It could be as simple as doing a breathing exercise or taking a walk in nature but could also signify that something bigger needs attention, like my diet & lifestyle.


I'm almost two years into a pretty drastic diet and lifestyle change. I needed to address my physical self and heal my body before I was able to go on and heal my spiritual self. The diet and lifestyle change were far from easy and is pretty much an ongoing thing. Again, I would start with meditation, learning how to quiet the mind from all the stresses of the world. Not everyone is into yoga, but it DOES help to re-align your chakras and help you to become not only open and flexible on a physical level, but on a spiritual, mind and heart level as well.


For anxiety and chattering minds that are hard to turn off, I recommend yoga poses for grounding and re-aligning your root chakra. Here's a great video with some simple grounding techniques to calm the over-active mind:

If you've never tried meditating before, start changing your life for the better tonight with some quiet time. Turn off your electronics and bright lights. Light a candle, and simply sit and breathe. I'm always in my head so getting back into writing and journaling has totally helped me release some of the thoughts and voices that try to overtake my mind.


Keep a notebook and pen by your side while you meditate. As you're breathing, if you have thoughts that won't go away, write them down. When you write them down you're releasing your mind from their obsessive grasp. Know that when you write them down you are free to do with them as you will. If that same thought pops back into your head, take authority over it. Stop it in its tracks. Change your minds subject if that makes any sense. You can do this by listening to your breath. Every yoga teacher I have ever studied with whether online, in person, or through a dvd will tell you this same thing.


By listening to your breath as it flows in and out of your body, you are bringing yourself and your awareness to the absolute PRESENT moment. Listening to your breath gives no room for voices or annoying negative thoughts.



Finally, what do you know about sound frequencies and how they influence our well-being? As we work on awakening our third-eye and evolving our spiritual selves, we are actually changing are DNA. Sound frequencies also have the ability to enhance or inhibit the growth of our new DNA. Sound frequencies can tear us apart and bring us down OR they can influence us on a more positive level. This is a really great documentary on how we can change our own frequency to change our reality: 
To anyone struggling with their identity, feeling lost and wandering the earth in hopes of finding themselves; may this help you on your journey.

All the good vibes and warm wishes to you!



Also remembering John Lennon, one of the most influential advocates for One Love and World Peace, who left this earth 35 years ago today.

While he may be gone, his spirit surely lives on. <3

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The Elimination Diet

10/22/2015

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For those that have suffered from anxiety, depression, and other mental issues over the years, It's easy for us to get swept away in our daily tasks and commitments, not realizing the reasoning behind our stress and our hard hearts. Once we take the first steps, becoming aware of the feelings within and actively work towards eliminating them from our lives by replacing them with positive attributes, our health and lives will surely improve. I am a living testimony for this, going from the girl that used to have closet fits of rage, throwing objects across the room and kicking and punching walls to someone that is now aware of the benefits of this type of change and willing to share her story with others to encourage personal growth and happiness. The elimination diet is not easy and takes a great deal of hard work and commitment but as you learn to let go of the negative emotions, things WILL get easier. Believe in yourself. You got this.

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"Happiness Comes From Contentment"

10/6/2015

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“Happiness comes from contentment.”

 
If we are not content, then of course, it is difficult to truly be happy.


Content: (adjective), satisfied with what one is or has; not wanting more or anything else.


If you are unhappy, the best thing you can do is analyze yourself:

Who you are versus who you intend to be.
What you have versus what you need.
Where you are now versus where you would like to be.




Going back a few years to a darker point in my life, when I was apt to severe anxiety and panic attacks, doubt and depression and an overall state of mental and emotional exhaustion, I knew something had to change. This wasn't me. I am not these negative attributes that one could easily use to describe me. As much as I let this negativity take over the greater portion of my well-being, there was still something deep inside screaming to be released. The better part of me, the self, the consciousness, the soul, the absolute most true version of me, hidden and pushed aside through spiritual neglect, taken over by the cares and worries of every day life.




There came a point when I realized I needed to have a heart to heart with myself to find the root of my unhappiness. I actually began to write a list of “pros” and “cons” in my life. This list included things like being with my wonderful boyfriend to living hundreds of miles from my family; having amazing and supportive friends to having a job that was constantly bringing me down. I proceeded to go through all areas of my life, writing both what made me happy versus what was negatively impacting my life. After writing this list, I held onto it for a good few weeks, referring to it every so often before finally deciding what I was going to do about it.




During these weeks, (because the universe works in mysterious ways), a friend of mine invited me to attend a guided meditation at the local Buddhist meditation center down the street. Being raised in the Christian church, I knew meditation would bring a sense of calm and serenity, but it wasn't until years after leaving the church did I make the correlation between God, the Universe, and my Inner-Self as one in the same. What an amazing experience this guided meditation was, sitting in absolute silence, breathing deep and allowing my mind to finally be still and quiet. I enjoyed the experience so much that I decided to return the following week, shortly thereafter making the decision to buy my first yoga mat and yoga DVD geared toward stress relief. Right from the start of my practice, I learned how emotionally intense and healing yoga and meditation can be.




Getting back to my list, it was time to begin eliminating some of the negative aspects of my life. First, I had to realize that not everything could be changed easily or right away. For example, living hundreds of miles from my immediate family, while it made me unhappy, was something that I had to learn to accept by reassuring myself that I am still loved by them no matter the distance and that if needed, they will be there for me anytime I call. What I needed to do was focus on the areas that I could change. For me, the biggest cause of my unhappiness was in my work situation. I realized that I was meant to do more, meant to do something that would make a bigger difference in the lives of others, and that the stress and anxiety caused from this particular job was absolutely holding me back from being the best version of myself that I could be. It was time to let go, to move on and continue on this journey of happiness through life.




After talking with my at-the-time boyfriend (and now amazing husband), the decision to leave my job made the most sense. He saw the absolute worst of my anxiety and knew where the bulk of it stemmed from, and thankfully supported my decision to move on. After following through and leaving my work situation, a huge sense of relief came over me. I knew this was the start of my healing journey and I still had a long way to go. However, sometimes the first steps toward change are the most difficult and I had finally taken mine. From that point on, my life became a whirlwind of change. There have been ups and downs, lessons to be learned, but where I am now and who I intend to be are becoming closer and closer with each day, as I continue to grow stronger mentally, spiritually, and emotionally.




If you are going through a severe bout of unhappiness, I would absolutely recommend analyzing your life, making yourself a list to find any negative aspects that you may be able to change, and practicing meditation and/or yoga to calm and strengthen your heart and mind. You were put on this earth with so much potential and your unhappiness may just be your inner-self screaming to you that you need to change something in order to get back on track with your journey, to live the life you are meant to love.



This message was brought to you by Yogi Tea's Detox- Healthy Cleansing Formula, because a healthy body goes hand-in-hand with a healthy mind.

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Holistic Healing- The Art of Healing Thyself

9/29/2015

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Why I'm So Passionate About Natural Health:

My simple answer... I love knowing what I'm putting into my body.

With the overwhelming amount of merchandise stocking up our commercial grocery, health, & beauty stores, it's hard to keep up on which products are actually good for you. Look at the back of your bottle of body wash--- how many ingredients does it contain? Ever looked any of those ingredients up and threw the bottle down in terror realizing the harmful chemicals that were used in making this? These chemicals may not seem like they're harmful, but in retrospect, over-time they can cause damage to your body. Many “moisturizing” products, including soaps and shampoos that claim they're for “added moisture,” actually contain ingredients that will dry your skin out even more. It's all part of the big commercial product money-making scheme. They trick us into buying products that contain a very small amount of ingredients that are actually good for our skin, still claiming to be “moisture renewing” when really, the majority of the ingredients are harmful chemicals. Soaps, shampoos, deodorants, moisturizers, face wash, make-up, cleaning products... the list goes on.

The same goes with our food. Check out the ingredients in that package of store-bought cookies you're eating or dare I say look into what actually goes into that burger from the fast-food joint. All sorts of stuff in there. It's true that not all of these ingredients are harmful, per say, but they certainly aren't helping in maintaining your overall health and well-being. The foods I just mentioned and more used to be a regular part of my diet. I also used to regularly take ibuprofen for headaches, commercial cold & flu medicine for feeling under the weather, an antacid like Tums or Pepto-Bismol for annoying stomach issues, as well as other drugs to help control anxiety and depression throughout the years. These were all included in my regular “health” regime.

Think about the television commercials you see for the newest prescription medication. Think about how, at the end of each commercial, written in fine print and spoken so fast that you can barely understand, all of the side-effects associated with taking this prescription. “Ask your doctor if it's right for you...” Well let me remind you of the cold, hard truth that is slowly leaking out... Prescription medications causing side effects ensure that doctors will continue to have patients that want to try different prescriptions, all of which containing one side effect or another. Needing to take one medication may turn into taking two, so that the second helps the side-effects of the first. That's more money out of your wallet, more potential risk factors, more doctor visits... This is great for your doctor and for pharmaceutical companies but are you spending money to help them or to help you? Why waste the money on prescription drugs when you can heal yourself naturally through simple diet & lifestyle changes?
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Many people today are ignorant about this natural healing. Doctors are quick to prescribe us synthetic medications that may result in many side-effects, without informing us of the benefits of natural healing. Looking back through the history of modern medicine, the medications we have today were inspired and taken from Herbal Medicine. Our prescription drugs of today have been created by artificially synthesizing the active chemicals in plants. While this may seem like a great idea, it's actually causing more harm to our bodies, which is why there seems to be endless side-effects to our medications. The active chemicals in plants rely on the balance of the inactive contained in that same plant, in order to work the magic nature intended them to do, without harm. While many modifications have been made through the years and our synthetic drugs have become slightly safer (at the expense of the consumer), they still cannot compare to the benefits and overall healing of using the plant in its entirety.

With the encouragement of my mother, my aunts, my amazing friend Jen, and my husband, after finally being fed up with the amount of money spent on over-the-counter medicines and open-ended doctor visits while never really being able to find out what exactly was causing my lifelong health issues... I decided to step up my wellness game and take matters into my own hands. For me, the solution was as easy as a simple diet change. My wellness journey began with the elimination of gluten from my diet. It wasn't an easy start. Trips to the grocery store would require lots of patience and take significantly longer, reading the labels on just about everything to make sure they didn't contain gluten. I cannot stress enough, the importance of reading labels!

While it took a couple months to really get the hang of shopping with this new diet and finding the products that were right (and tasted alright) for me, the truth is, we saw a change in my health within the first FOUR days. The first noticeable change was in my energy and motivation levels. I no longer felt like I needed a daily cat-nap to keep me going. By the end of one month, my stomach issues were a thought of the past, my headaches were few-and-far-between, and my embarrassing acne breakouts began to clear. Shortly after, we noticed that I had also not shown any signs of anxiety or depression. That alone, was a big deal

With this simple diet change leading to rewarding results, I wanted to take my wellness journey a step further. My passion for natural healing began to quickly grow and flourish and I will openly admit, became an obsession. Just a few months prior to all these changes, I began reading books on herbal remedies and natural healing, learning that I could drink lavender-chamomile tea to help calm my nerves when I felt the onset of a panic attack, or peppermint tea to help relieve my nausea. These were all steps I had already been trying to implement into my life before changing my diet. After eliminating gluten, I began to really focus on the benefits of proper nutrition, later learning that dairy was also causing some of my issues. I will be honest here, some days I simply cannot turn down a bowl of ice cream, or my husbands delicious baked mac & cheese, but I am always able to pick out right away the symptoms that occur after I “cheat” on my diet and can treat them naturally with herbs and essential oils.

Influenced by Love:

One of the biggest breakthrough moments of encouragement that made me realize natural health was truly a growing passion of mine, took place only a few months after my diet change. My beautiful Aunt Michelle, after battling brain cancer for close to twenty years, was nearing the end of her journey here on earth. During her last months, I was able to spend some special time with her, talking about my new lifestyle change as well as the ups and downs of the long-term battle with her immune system. She spoke of all the medical trials she had been used as a “test subject” on over the years, the different medications and procedures, the “toxic poisons” (as she referred to chemotherapy) that were pumped through her veins... as she neared her last months, doctors finally told her there was nothing else they could do for her. While many people may be devastated with this type of news, Michelle showed no signs of this during our conversation. Eager to ask more and more questions of my new lifestyle change and encouraging me to continue my journey and study of natural healing, she told me that she was relieved to hear those words from her doctor.

“Ok, Michelle, it's up to you now...” she recalled saying to herself as the news sunk in. The thought of no more medications and no more trials and no more poisons brought a sense of calm and relief to her. It breaks my heart to say that after twenty years of poison and multiple surgeries to remove parts of her brain, her body was not able to fully detoxify itself. She had already been subject to the poisons for far too long that her immune system was not able to regenerate. Even still, during her last moments, she would sip on the fruit smoothies I would make for us, drink peppermint tea to help her nausea, nibble on watermelon to stay hydrated and keep her sugar levels up, and would agree to tango throughout the house, hand-in-hand with me, as we enjoyed each others company, finally living in the moment, with this new passion for a natural healing awakening in our souls together. Her strength and beauty and final words of encouragement were all I needed as inspiration to grow my passion for natural health.

Take Root And Grow:

Making the decision to lead a holistic lifestyle was easy for me. I love nature and the healing gifts that come along with it significantly more than I love hospital bills and the prescription medication of the past century. Above all, I enjoy the humbling sense of DIY that comes along with preventative care. While the decision part was easy, the lifestyle change itself from modern and conventional to natural and holistic has been quite the challenge. More than anything, it requires patience and dedication.

I am always learning and seeking new knowledge and ideas on an old way of living. If you've ever been to my house, you know that my shelves are filled with books on top of books of herbal healing, natural therapies, reflexology, and more. My pantry is stocked with mason jars of whole leaf herbs and I can recommend you a tea or essential oil for just about any ailment. I will turn to yoga and meditation any day over grabbing a bottle of pills to calm me down and ease my anxiety, and I am annoyingly aware of the ingredients that I put into my body. (I read labels on EVERYTHING).

I'm fortunate that my body is so willing to receive healing in its utmost natural form. I am forever grateful for the wisdom and courage bestowed upon me to step out of my comfort zone and follow this amazing path on my holistic journey. As I continue to learn and grow, my greatest desire is to share this knowledge with others so they may also become aware of the natural healing readily available to us, if we reach out and take hold of it; taking hold of our lives, our health and our overall well-being.


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My Favorite Feel Good Immunity Concoction

9/26/2015

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This year, we welcomed in the Autumn Equinox with my favorite Feel Good Immunity concoction.

In Ayurveda, all foods and herbs can be classified in terms of the six tastes. These are sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter and astringent.  According to "The Complete Medicinal Herbal" by Penelope Ody, "A healthful diet has to contain a good mixture of the six tastes, while in ill health, particular tastes can be emphasized to restore balance."

This recipe was first introduced to me by my husband. With the long days and late nights required by the ever-demanding restaurant industry, you didn't have time to be sick (and certainly weren't allowed to work in the kitchen if you were). This is one of the kitchen secrets passed around that we have since added our own little flare to.

🍂🍁

2 c water
2 tbs ACV
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cinnamon (or 1 whole cinnamon stick)
2 garlic cloves, smashed
Ginger (a few spoon scrapes)
Lemon (about half a lemon)
Cloves (4-8 depending on preference)
Allspice (same as above)
Honey (to taste, add just before drinking)

🍂🍁

Cover and simmer on low for at least 30minutes, stirring occasionally.
Strain, add honey and enjoy the warming, healing benefits!


I like to let this simmer on the stove all day and reheat to enjoy at night; after walking the pups at sun-down on brisk autumn nights. Once the weather gets consistently cooler, I make a batch to keep refrigerated and heat up as needed to warm me up throughout the week. This is a bit of an acquired taste, but If the flavor is too strong for you, simply enjoy by adding to a soup! You can cut the sour taste from the ACV by adding in a little extra honey and some orange zest. Have fun and play around with this, remembering it has great healing properties for you!

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DIY Daily Detox

9/14/2015

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Recently, after our move back to the island, my husband and I have been on a pretty tight budget, patiently waiting for his new career to kick off. We have been very fortunate to receive help from friends and family alike as we get settled, and much of this help has been in the form of shared meals and groceries. 

When you're on a tight budget and friends and family are offering you help, no matter how much pride you have, willingly accept it. As my aunt repeatedly tells us, "we have all been there, we know what it's like, and we know you would do the same if our roles were switched." And it's true. Josh and I have had a little bit of an internal struggle putting our own ego aside to receive the help we need, but the truth is, we have been learning that it's much easier to graciously accept it rather than argue with your wise elders who know a bit more about getting through life struggles than you do. We are so lucky to have these people in our lives.


During our grocery trip yesterday, my aunt and I were discussing detoxing. While there are now plenty of options to purchase detox kits, whether online or at your local wellness store, we are both firm believers in getting everything you need strictly from the foods you eat. We talked about cravings and how there are two types of cravings. "Lustful cravings," such as walking past the bakery section of the grocery store and seeing that delicious box of fresh baked chocolate truffle cake--- you know you don't need it, but it looks and smells so divine where you find yourself lusting over this. Then there's the "real cravings," where your body is simply trying to tell you that it needs a particular nutrient. Yes, when you follow a particular healthy-eating diet long enough (It's been a year and a half for me now), you get to the point where your body knows and craves exactly what it needs. In my case, this week my body is craving lemon for its detoxifying properties. And boy, do I know I could use the detox, as I haven't been doing this nearly as often as I'd like to.


I follow a three-step daily detox. I say daily because you CAN do this every day, but I prefer to reserve it to once or twice a week, adding an additional day or two on the rare occasions that I have a few drinks the night before.

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How it works: this routine works best if done first thing in the morning, before eating or drinking.




I start off oil pulling with about a tablespoon of coconut oil. If you're unfamiliar with oil pulling, this simply means swishing around coconut oil in your mouth for 10-15minutes to remove toxins from your teeth, gums, and tongue. It's a little weird/gross to get used to at first, but gets easier with time. (I will be posting a more in-depth description one of these days along with the many additional benefits of coconut oil). After 10-15 minutes, be sure to discard of the swished oil in the trash. DO NOT SWALLOW AND DO NOT SPIT IN SINK! Since oil pulling is actually pulling toxins out of your body, the last thing you want to do is swallow them. Also, coconut oil solidifies at room temperature, so spitting into the sink could potentially clog your drains, therefore the trash can is your best option.


Next, I follow with a warm water and salt rinse. I mix about a teaspoon of salt with 8oz of WARM water. I prefer Himalayan pink sea salt, considered the purest form of sea-salt, providing essential minerals, trace elements, balancing electrolytes, supporting proper nutrient absorption, eliminating toxins, balancing the body’s pH, and increasing circulation. Be sure to swish and gargle the mixture until finished. 

Finally, I make myself a concoction of lemon water. Lemons provide you with vitamin C, antioxidants and potassium. They also help balance your body's pH and help with nutrient absorption. Drinking lemon water first thing in the morning helps get your digestive system moving and re-energizes your body as it detoxifies and oxygenates your system. It's also great for your skin- keeping it clear and radiant. I slice two or three good-sized lemon wheels, squeezing the juice and dropping them into my bottle of ice water. I'll give the bottle a good shake, then drink the entire 16oz right away, before adding more water to drink throughout the rest of the day. 


For the remainder of my detox day, I try to stay away from (or at least limit my intake of) caffeine, meats, alcohol and processed sugars. I started my day ridding my body of toxins, putting more in would be counter-productive. Instead, I'll make myself a green smoothie for breakfast and snack on nuts, fruits and veggies throughout the day, being sure to stay fully hydrated with my lemon water.


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If you decide to try my daily detox, please feel free to let me know what you think! I appreciate any and all feedback!

Enjoy!

<3




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