Being Transparent....

It has been a few days since I've last written. It's been a crazy time with my brother from WI flying in, my parents 50th WEDDING ANNIVERSARY this Saturday, and dealing with motivation to stay on track.

I've been doing some thinking about why it is so hard for me to either follow through or stay motivated. I belong to SEVERAL fitness and clean eating groups on Facebook and Instagram, but for some reason when it gets "hard" or I hit a "roadblock" I give up.

After doing some reflection, I have found that I do not believe in myself or feel/think that I am worth it. I go to the ends of the earth for my friends and my family - I believe in them - their biggest cheerleader. They are worth spending time with and worth time and attention. Then why is it so hard to believe that I'm worth it? Why is it hard to believe in myself? Is it due to YEARS of people treating me that I'm not worth their time, or efforts? After experiencing this time and time again, one would start believing it.

I KNOW this to be true for me. No matter how hard I try to push through, when it comes down to it, I give up on myself. It is HARD for me to stay motivated and to "grind" when it gets hard or requiring discipline. WHY? BELIEF and WORTH.

So today is the first day of changing the negative tapes in my head saying that I'm not worth it. THIS WILL NOT be an easy road AT ALL! But I will get there... one day and one positive thought and belief at a time.

LISTEN TO YOUR BODY...

Yes, it's been awhile since I last posted. Life has been a little busy and at the same time been dealing with the adrenal fatigue issue.

Overall, I'm ok, but still pretty exhausted. It's hard to get anything done or even cook healthy meals for me and my son. Exercise is an effort - but I do it. I eat clean - because it's what my body needs.

THIS is why it's so important to take care of your health from the very beginning. DO NOT wait for your body to tell you that something is wrong - that is, if you are closely listening to it to begin with.

We need to be in tune with your body at all times. Everything from high/low blood pressure, high/low blood sugar, pulse, heart rate, constant headaches, migraines, tingling sensations, numbness anywhere on the body, constant fatigue, sleep pattern is off (not getting enough/insomnia or getting too much), etc.

DO NOT be afraid to go see a doctor. They went to medical school for a reason. If you don't like one doctor, find another one that you do like. They are there to help you and have you be in optimal health.

LISTEN TO YOUR BODY...

Overall Health

I have been posting about health and the body. Today I would like to talk about not just physical health, but total body health.

There is physical, spiritual, and emotional healing that takes place when eating clean, exercising, and being in tune with your body. 

A journey of health is just that - a journey. It is filled with exploring, wandering, victories, and moments of having to retrace your steps to back on track. 

My prayer is that in the moments when you feel like giving up, you will instead lean on the strength of God to pull you through. Remember, He is more dedicated to seeing you succeed than you are. Health was HIS idea from the very beginning. He made your body, soul, and spirit - those three parts of your being that are all connected - when they are healthy and in harmony with each other. 

Don't be afraid to start small. Take baby steps and you will find that you will experience victories!

You ARE and OVERCOMER!

Adrenal Fatigue....

Some of you know, but some of you may not... I am dealing with adrenal fatigue. Many people have asked me, "What exactly does that mean? What do the adrenals glands do?"... Well... here is an explanation of what I am needing and in the process of doing...

I have been experiencing strange symptoms kicking in, like laying wide awake in bed at night, not waking up rested (ever), waking up in the middle of the night to pee, or not being able to complete your sentences with ease.

However, the ones we have the most control over are the stress hormones:

Adrenaline and Norepinephrine

These are the short-term stress hormones. They are released in a state of ‘fight or flight’ or an emergency to help you survive. For example, if you’ve ever had a car swerve at you and nearly hit you, you’ve probably experienced the sensation of a racing heart, breathing heavily and reacting extremely quickly. Adrenaline and norepinephrine make sure to release a quick supply of glucose and oxygen to your brain and limbs, where energy is required the most. In order to deliver those substances to your brain and muscles quickly, your heart rate, blood pressure and breathing rate are all sped up.

Cortisol

This is the long-term stress hormone and it becomes elevated when you’re in a state of chronic stress. Essentially, it is cortisol’s job to regulate other functions in the body in response to that stress, such as blood sugar, metabolism, immune system, blood pressure and more.

Some stress is normal, and for that reason cortisol peaks during the day and then starts to decline in the evening closer towards bedtime. Unfortunately, when you’re in a state of chronic stress your cortisol levels will be elevated higher than normal, and will also struggle to decline in the evening.

What is Adrenal Fatigue?

If you stare at a screen for 12 hours a day, you’ll get headaches and your vision will worsen over time. Why? Because you wore out your eyes by putting so much strain on them all the time.
Similarly, if you’re constantly stressed you will put a lot of strain on your adrenal glands, and they will get worn out and not be able to perform as well. Eventually, you’ll reach the point where your adrenal glands cannot produce cortisol as efficiently anymore, and you’ll need stimulants to prop yourself up during the day, whether it’s coffee, tea, sugary foods or just a lot of carbs to give you energy to get through the day.

So, how do we reverse this damage?

Progressive Relaxation

1. Lie down on your back on a yoga mat or your bed
2. Contract a muscle group forcefully for a period of 1-2 seconds and then let is relax completely
3. Systematically go through all the muscle groups in your body i.e. face, neck, shoulder, arms (from top to bottom)
4. Repeat this 2-3 times in total

Deep Breathing

1. Find a comfortable and quiet place to sit down
2. Place your feet slightly apart. Place on hand on your belly button, the other on your chest.
3. Inhale with your nose and exhale through your mouth
4. Inhale for a count of four – hold for 2 – release for 6
5. Feel your belly rise and fall
6. Repeat as many times as needed

Stress-busting Ideas

• Go for walk breaks at work, or long morning walks
• Meditate 
• Yoga (if you’re burnt out, aim for yin restorative yoga vs. power yoga)
• Write in a journal for 5 minutes each day (a gratitude journal helps reduce anxiety)
• Take out a few hours a week to enjoy a hobby or interest
• Start coloring
• Do some gardening
• Go for a monthly massage
• Take a bath with essential oils, Epsom salts or a bath bomb
• Get lost in a fiction book
• Hang out with old friends who know you the best
• If the gym is stressful for you, do a dance class or go for a swim
• Do nothing (I know, crazy right?)
• Use essential oils

The Adrenal Fatigue Diet

• The following scents are excellent for stress relief: lavender, vanilla, ylang ylang, rose, chamomile, lemon balm
• Smell receptors in the body connect to the brain’s limbic system (the area responsible for emotions); this is the reason aromatherapy is used for relaxation
• Vitamin C
  
  • Found in: papaya, pineapple, strawberries, bell peppers, broccoli, oranges
  • Supplement dosage: 1000mg daily (or up to 5-6g daily in divided doses)
• Vitamin B5
  
  • Found in: legumes, cauliflower, broccoli, salmon, sweet potatoes, tomatoes
  • Supplement dosage: B-100 complex daily
• Vitamin B6
  
  • Found in: turkey, grass-fed beef, avocado, pistachio nuts, pinto beans
  • Supplement dosage: B-100 complex daily
• Zinc
  
  • Found in: pumpkin seeds, dark chocolate, garlic, sesame seeds, chickpeas
  • Supplement dosage: 15-30mg
• Magnesium
  
  • Found in: dark leafy greens, avocado, pumpkin seeds, dark chocolate, banana, almonds
  • Supplement dosage: magnesium bisglycinate 200mg daily

     So, if you are experiencing any of these symptoms, I encourage you to do some research, see your Dr. and start reversing it naturally - like I am slowly doing.

Here's to our health!

The Skinny Obession...

Hello! I'm sorry that I have been MIA for a couple of weeks. Life happens, but we are back!

Today, we'll be talking about the SKINNY OBSESSION that we all have in this society. 

Young girls are punishing their bodies for what they think society says is beautiful. If they don't feel beautiful, they get teased in school, or some traumatic events happen in their lives, they choose to either NOT eat or binge/purge. THIS is NOT ok. The ache in their stomach takes distracts them from the pain in their hearts.

How can we have our children have healthier self-esteem or self-worth, so they do not end up like us, adults, with these issues? Psalm 18:24 says, "God rewrote the text of my life when I opened the book of my heart to His eyes."  We introduce our kids, boys and girls, to how beautiful they are and to the One Who created them - to give them a healthy self-confidence. 

Teaching and even us re-learning how to eat healthy, clean - the way God intended us to be - will give each and every one of us a healthy emotional heart and mind. 

We need to stop obsessing over what society thinks is beautiful or being the "it" person. Being comfortable in our own skin - whatever that may look like at this moment - is vital. If you are NOT comfortable in your skin, make a plan to change it in a HEALTHY way. Ask God for direction and help in where HE wants you to be.

STOP OBSESSING... START LIVING!

Insecurity...

Since my last post, I found out that I am in adrenal failure. It IS reversible and have to work harder at getting on a sleep regimen, de-stressing (yeah, I don't know what THAT means), and really be on point with my clean eating. 

But today, I want to talk about insecurity! We ALL face it - on various levels and types of it - but we all got it.

Insecurity is the recognition of an area of vulnerability, the general sense of did-ease in one's own skin. It is like a mold in your kitchen: it's never welcome, but it seems to crop up in all kinds of places. The difference is this: I would never let mold remain on my bread or in my fridge, yet so often we women (and men) readily accept insecurity like it's a normal part of life.

We have insecurities about appearance, approval, relationships, achievement. Insecurity keeps us self-focused and ultimately paralyzed in our life and relationships.

So we (including myself) need to stop feeling this way and find our security in Christ - beautifully and wonderfully made! This is hard when society berates us and fills our head with the impossible to live up to. By just doing and being the way GOD created us to be and WHO we are - that's enough to be at peace with ourselves. 

Healthy and Free - Adrenal Health

Happy June! It's been a couple of days since I last posted - I was reading and researching about adrenal and thyroid health. Have you ever been to the Dr and they want to run tests on your thyroid as the possible cause for your weight gain? I know I have - EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. It's frustrating when it ALWAYS comes back as my thyroid is "fine" or within "normal range." Here is what I found out while researching/reading about this:

Stress - whether good or bad - can throw these 2 glands out of wack. There are 2 types of stress: acute and chronic.

Acute stress: more of you day-to-day, short term stress - like being caught in traffic, cook dinner in a time crunch, getting to work on time, etc. This type of stress comes and go and fairly simple to manage.

Chronic stress: this is the kind that you want to avoid. This is where a person never sees a way out of a miserable situation. This is extremely draining and potentially even fatal. After a long period of time, the body thinks that it is being threatened and the response is it begins to shut down your major organs, including your nervous and immune system.

Symptoms of adrenal fatigue include:

• Daily cycles of energy bursts and fatigue
• Cravings for foods high in sugar/fat
• An increase in PMS and symptoms of menopause
• Mild depression
• Lack of energy
• Decreased ability to handle stress
• Muscular weakness
• Inflamed allergies
• Lightheadedness
• Decreased sex drive
• Frequent sighing
• Inability to handle food that are high in potassium w/o combining them with fats and proteins

Solution:

• REST
• Laugh
• Excerise
• Minimize stress
• Eliminate negative people
• Eat regular meals (breakfast, lunch - so important to remember to eat these 2)
• Chew your food - chew slowly - will help your body work harder to break down the food
• Have FUN every day!
• Eat smart - stick to whole, unrefined carbs - eat clean
• Eat YOUR VEGGIES! - Eating 5-6 servings of veggies a day
• Use your salt shaker - Pink Himalayan salt and Celtic sea salt - not the kind you would normally use
• Vitamins C, B complex, E
• Calcium and Magnesium
• Licorice root - this is a root that promotes a healthy digestive system and cholesterol levels