Bone Broth: I’m sure you’ve heard of it, thought it sounded questionable, maybe even tried it?
Today I am going to share with you 5 benefits of bone broth, than share my personal recipe on how I make it!
Gut Health
Feel Guilty About Practicing Self-Care?
10 Things To Do When You’re Having A Rough Day
Bad days. Hard days. Rough days. We ALL have them. Sometimes there are seasons of life that they seem to appear more than we would like. On some of those days, we handle it like a pro. Practicing our grateful attitude, staying on track and making choices that benefit us. Then there are those days that we just can’t seem to get it together.
What I’ve learned through a difficult season of my life is that we HAVE TO acknowledge where we are at and we MUST give ourselves grace during this period. Chances are the rough patch will pass and we will come through it with new growth.
So for this one particular day when you’re finding it hard to keep a positive mindset, read through this list. Pick one (or more) things and DO IT. It’s not a guarantee to fix things BUT it will give your mind a break and you will possibly find yourself just a little bit happier! 🙂
- Turn happy music on, loud.
- Let the sun from a window pour over you.
- Make yourself a fancy drink.
- Only speak in a pleasant tone. Sarcasm is OK.
- Take a break from social media.
- Laugh. A lot. Laugh really loud.
- Take a walk. Run outside through the sprinkler. Blow bubbles.
- Smile big for no reason. Even if it feels annoying.
- Read a story. Play with your kids.
- Make something. Bake. Get crafty.
I want to hear from YOU!! What things do you do when you’re having a rough day?
My Favorite Digestive Supplements + A GIVEAWAY!
Digestive Supplements + A GIVEAWAY
Today I am talking to you about supplements that I personally use to amp up my digestion! I’m also excited to host a giveaway of 2 products I use and love! But first I would like to define the meaning of the word supplement as I am using it in this particular blog post. That definition is: “something that enhances something else when added to it.”
As you know, digestive health is a big focus in my health coaching practice. Time and time again it is proven to us that having a healthy gut is crucial to our well being. As Hippocrates once said, “All disease begins in the gut.”
Now while I am a big believer in keeping your gut in tip top shape by nourishing it with proper foods, I also know that sometimes we need a little extra help and most everyone can benefit from taking a probiotic on a regular basis. {This post is specifically talking about supplements, not the food/nutrition side of a healthy gut.}
Here are 3 of my favorites digestive aids:
- Probiotic: Our gut needs “good bacteria” to thrive. Probiotics can be consumed as fermented foods. That being said, most people do not get enough of these foods in their diet which is why I recommend taking a probiotic. Daily if you are in the healing stage; every other day if you are in the maintenance stage. This is a brand I have tried and like.
- Essential oils: Ginger, peppermint, fennel, lavender & coriander are a few that benefit your digestion. For the days when maybe you have overindulged, or accidentally ate something that doesn’t agree with you. I carry a blend with me when I travel that really helps soothe my belly. It’s easy for your stomach to get “off” when you travel and this oil helps with that. (Side Note: I do not sell or advocate for just one brand of oils. There are several good companies that I trust and personally use a variety of brands. Find one that works for you. Research it and buy from a local distributor if possible.)
- Ginger Tea:
has soothing properties which are good for an upset stomach and can help relieve nausea.
has soothing properties which are good for an upset stomach and can help relieve nausea.GIVEAWAY TIME:
What: 1 bottle of PB8 Probiotic and 1 bottle of DigestZen from doTERRA
How to enter: Comment & Share! Share your favorite color in the comment box below and send a copy of this blog post to a friend who you think could also benefit from these 2 amazing products!
Deadline: sweepstakes end Thursday (23rd) at 6:00 p.m. (CST)
Winner: CONGRATULATIONS LINDSEY WOLF!! Your name was chosen! Please contact me via email to claim your prize!
Thanksgiving Day Tips
Thanksgiving! Family, friends, food, laughter.
Love this time of year! Our Thanksgiving day usually consists of a big family get together with lots of eating, laughing, games & fun. It is so easy to over indulge on this day but I’ve got a few tips for you! For me, it’s important to enjoy the day without feeling guilty about what I should or shouldn’t be eating. Use that day as your “moderation” and enjoy it to the fullest. That being said, consider taking smaller portions and pass on the foods that you don’t really love. It’s just not worth it to be super full! Being the guest, you can’t control what’s being served. However, if you are participating in the menu, plan to bring a dish that is healthy but still delicious. I love making a healthy cranberry sauce or this fall apple salad as a side dish.
Tips for a successful Thanksgiving for you and your body!
- Eat plenty of leafy greens, broths & veggies during the week. Skip the sugar, you will probably get enough of that on Thursday. 🙂
- Eat a balanced breakfast & snacks leading up the the “feast”. Include protein & healthy fats. This will help you balance those blood sugar levels which will in turn keep you from reaching that crazy hunger and ultimately keep you from overeating.
- Take a 20-30 minute walk or include some sort of movement after your meal. This will stimulate digestion and make you feel better especially if you ate just a little too much.
- Chew Your Food. Put down your fork after each bite. Chewing breaks your food down from larger particles into smaller ones that are more easily digested. This will help our digestive system out tremendously.
- Drink plenty of water or hot herbal tea throughout the day.
- Take a digestive enzyme before your meal with some water. An enzyme will assist the body in breaking down proteins and sugars. I use this one.
- Have fun, be thankful, enjoy!! This day is about thanksgiving, love, family, gratefulness. Enjoy!
Happy Thanksgiving!
3 Ways To Improve Your Digestion In The Next Week
As you know, a healthy gut is a special focus in my health coaching practice. For me, healing my gut changed everything! Day after day millions of people around the world struggle with some type of digestion problem: Gas, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, upset stomach, acid reflux; the list goes on and on. Poor digestive health weakens the immune system, causes nutritional deficiencies and hormonal imbalances and weakens all organ function. Not to mention the emotional toll it has on a human dealing with these problems. The good news? Most of these symptoms can disappear by addressing your diet & lifestyle choices! So let’s dive into what actually is normal digestion and 3 tips to improve it in the next week!
The Lowdown with Paula Roelands
Recently I did an interview with my dear friend, business coach, and Holistic Health Coach Paula Roelands. Read below to find out more about her, her coaching practice and her tips for a healthy lifestyle.
Introduce yourself.
Hey, I’m Paula Roelands! A transplant from Michigan to the Wild West in the desert of Colorado. I’m on a journey of recreating my world; focusing on health not only for myself but many others.
What led you to be a health coach?
I looked at the areas in my life that I loved the most, bundled the best of them together and viola, created a way to bring that into the world to empower and support people, and brings a wonderful ripple effect toward a healthier world that speaks to me deeply. While I have lived a fairly healthy life, I’ve had setbacks of my own which created the desire to support others in getting to the other side of them.. The terrain that you come across, expected or not, whether it’s your health or something else that changes your world upside down, building confidence and gaining tools that you will be able to handle whatever it is, is a pretty cool story to be able to develop.
Explain what being a health coach means to you and to your clients.
From my understanding of a health coach, it is someone who can walk alongside a person who wants to improve their health in general, in the holistic aspect being more than just the diet part of your life and help guide the individual to a better situation for their individual needs.
For me personally, I see it as individual empowerment for myself creating a very intentional conversation with my body and my life and creating what kind of live experience you want to have. And inviting your body along for the ride, cause you’re going to get one. Why not help our body be the best that it can be to get the best experience we can have?
Describe a typical coaching day in your practice.
When I wake up I have an agenda that I have set the day before; that includes self-care, family time, work time and individual coaching sessions. My self-care routine includes dry brushing, breathing, lemon water, then a walk with a friend. After that I have a veggie & protein filled breakfast and kick off my working day by about 8:30 or 9:00 depending on clients. I work on my programs/marketing for a couple of hours before my first clients session. I schedule my client session for an hour, with time right after to do follow-up notes before my next client. On a given coaching day I may have 2-3 clients. One of which will probably be in person and 2 will be by phone or Skype. By 3:00 I’m winding down and setting up for the next day, returning phone calls and doing up follow-up with my strategy sessions. Then chillax 🙂
Can you explain a little more in detail about your strategy sessions that you mentioned?
Because coaching is very much a trust kind of situation, I don’t actually start coaching someone until we’ve had an initial strategy session together. During that session, I spend an hour with them just figuring out what kind of support I can offer them, how interested they are in having that support and seeing what health things they are motivated to work on and really transform. We come up with a couple of action steps for them to implement in the next 2 weeks. This gives us both a chance to learn just how serious they are about making these changes. If they don’t follow up with me, most likely it’s that they are just not ready. And that’s totally ok, and good to know before either of us invest in the work. Where there’s follow through and small successes, that gives great clarity of the immense potential for a success and transformation in a coaching experience together.
Is there a certain area that you specialize in or tend to gravitate towards in your practice?
I have had great success working with clients who are dealing with time management and stress issues. That seems to be an area where we make a lot of progress quickly with sustainable results results that also ripple into shifts in dietary health as well. I also tend to attract people with autoimmune diseases, where I’ve had success in helping folks increase their body healing, reduce medications by shifting toward a whole foods type of diet. I’ve had success working with them to go off prescriptions and incorporating a whole foods type of diet. Thyroid issues, chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia are the most common issues I have worked with.
What 3 tips do you have for someone who is wanting to start making healthy changes to their lifestyle?
*Hydrate. Drink more water. The standard I recommend ½ oz per lb of body weight. People notice a big increase of ability to focus and the amount of energy they have in a day. If you have trouble drinking straight water, you can squirt some fruit juice in it to create some flavor. The cleaner the better though. Tea works too, herbal is better than caffeinated.
*Get enough sleep. It sounds easy but this is very difficult for people. it is so important as that it is when your body does its repair work. I do have an article on sleep hygiene that I am sharing here>>>click here for those details.
*Move your body 30 minutes a day. If you have a desk job or sit down a lot, make sure to get up and move for 5 minutes every hour. Not only does it help your circulation, your brain and though patterns clear and re-energize for more effective, efficient work. Taking 5 will give you at least twice as much back.
Paula Roelands is a Holistic Health Coach who guides individuals nationwide to a vibrant, confident, fulfilled life. She also hosts popular hands-on workshops on fermented foods and digestive health as well as engaging presentations on thyroid health, stress management, and fatigue relief. Known as the family “granola girl,” Paula is humored in her culinary experimentation by her patient husband Peter and her children – budding chefs Anika, Pagiel, and Tyan. They enjoy hiking, camping, and skiing – living la vida healthy in the desert on the Colorado Western Slope. Find her on Facebook and check out more info on her website!
From Stressed To AHHHHHH
Stress. We all have it. We all try to deal with it. Today Health Coach Mary Tirrell is sharing her tips on stress management!
How do you feel in your every day? Happy, relaxed, carefree? Or more like tired, dragging, worried?
I know what it feels like to be so stressed and overwhelmed that only the bare minimum gets done. Where everything seems too large and too heavy for me carry. But I thought I couldn’t ask for help because I’ve always been the strong one, the one who takes care of things.
I’m going to share a few techniques and ideas I use to alleviate that stress and make that load smaller and lighter so it’s easier to carry.
I’m going to start by telling you my biggest secret – if you don’t get any other benefit, I want you to hear this:
JUST BREATHE!
Sounds simple. But how often do we stop and notice HOW we are breathing? Or ARE we even breathing at all?
There’s a saying “Stop and smell the roses.” To me, that means, “Slow down, take a few deep breaths and notice.” Notice your breath and how you feel in this moment. Are you anxious? Overwhelmed from trying to do too much or being asked to carry too much? Are you afraid and holding your breath?
OR, are you relaxed and strong and ready to take on the world?
When you take a deep, full bodied breath, you bring in new air, new energy to fill up your empty spaces.
Here is an exercise from Dr. Andrew Weil. It’s called 4-7-8 breathing.
Take a deep breath for a count of 4. Hold it for a count of 7. Release it for a count of 8. Do this 5 times.
Notice anything different? When I do this exercise, I feel my heart rate slowing down, my thoughts slowing down and I feel calmer.
Another exercise I do is what I call “Breathe in the Good, Breathe out the Bad.”
I literally say “Breathe in the Good” and raise my arms while taking in a deep full breath. I think about one good thing in my life – playing with my dog, watching a movie with my partner, drinking tea with my best friend. Just one thing.
Then, I literally say “Breathe out the Bad” and lower my arms as I fully exhale that breath. I think about the thing that is stressing me out RIGHT NOW. Then I release its power over me.
I also do what I call a MindCation.
I started this when I had a job that was super stressful for me. Each day, I started taking MindCations. If I felt overwhelmed or stressed, I would take a few minutes and do something that would make me smile or have a little bit of fun. Jump up and down. Put on Pharrell’s song Happy and dance with my dogs.
Push back from my computer, close my eyes and relax all the parts of my body. It’s important to loosen the tightness in your body to open yourself to receive energy not close it off. Then, I would think about a time when I was in Nature and feeling really good. A hike with my dogs, a bike ride, sitting on the beach. It doesn’t matter what it is as long as it is a memory of something that brought you joy.
Next are what I think of as the rational ways, the mind trick ways.
I took a workshop called Rumination and Resilience.
The gist of it was stop chewing things to death and then bringing them back up to re-chew again. Rumination and worry are where stress lives and thrives. We ruminate over things from the past that we can’t change. We worry about things in the future that we can’t control. Let go of stress by realizing that there is no point in ruminating over the past or worrying about the future.
Resilience is about how we deal with the things that pop up in our lives. How we view them, how we solve them, how we let them go. Keep in mind that there is no stress from “out there.” It’s “in here” – internal and self-created.
We can view events as either stress (bad) or pressure to perform (good). Stressful things block us, paralyze us, make us reactionary. Pressure to Perform things put us into action, focus us, make us proactive. And, once they are dealt with, we can let them go. If I allow myself not to let it go, I ruminate – Did I do the right thing? Did I take the best course of action? Could I have performed better?
A great visual from the workshop was a river… Water flowing along contained by the banks on either side. When we are performing well, the water flows smoothly and stays inside the banks. When we allow stress to build up, it’s like rocks and boulders that disrupt the flow. It breaks the banks, overflows and becomes a flood. When we are smoothly controlling the river of events in our lives, we keep everything under control. When we allow the events to get overwhelming, we lose control.
Remember to keep breathing. Allow your breath to calm your heart, calm your mind. Then, look at what is in front of you and see it as pressure to perform so that you can solve the problem and not stress out about how you are going to get it all done.
Mary Tirrell is a Health and Life Coach based in New Jersey. She loves working with people who are going through transitions and helping them come out the other side to a healthier, happier, more joyful life. When she’s not working with people, Mary loves cooking, hiking with her dog, Makia, being on the beach in any kind of weather and geeking out to Star Wars movie marathons with her husband! You can reach her here: mtirrellcoaching@gmail.com
5 Tips For Healthy Digestion While Traveling
I love to travel. Since digestion is my weak spot, this area tends to need a little extra TLC when on the road.
My fellow health coach Jenna is here to share her tips for dealing with just that!
Guest post by: Jenna at Healthier Notions
While traveling around the world is fun, it tends to wreak havoc on the digestion system. Many people tend to go to the bathroom either too much while on vacation or too little. It’s understandable because while traveling we are introduced to new foods, and at most times are at the mercy of restaurants. Traveling also tends to break the routines we have back home that keep our engines running smoothly.
But there is hope for keeping a happy tummy and regular visits to the loo!
Here are some tips that have helped me while on the road:
1. Take Probiotics
I can’t stress this enough! Bringing probiotics with you while on vacation is the most important thing you can do to stay healthy while on the road. Without these your gut doesn’t have the good bacteria that it needs to digest your food properly. It’s even more crucial while on vacation because you are constantly being exposed to new bacteria from the water and food.
If you are bringing probiotic pills, make sure to check you buy ones that do not need to be kept refrigerated. In addition to probiotic pills, I like to bring individual Green Vibrance packets with me while on the road, and I drink this every morning.
2. Drink Plenty of Water
We tend to not pay enough attention to how much water we are drinking while traveling. The sightseeing and excitement of a new place tends to side track us! This is why it is even more important that you are aware of how much water you are drinking.
I always drink more than the recommended amount of water while traveling in hot climates seeing as I’m sweating so much (click HERE to calculate how much water you should be drinking daily). To keep track of this I fill up my water bottles for the day and make sure I go through them all. For example, I drink 2.5 liters a day so I fill these up, and make sure they are gone by the end of the day.
The bottom line is, not staying hydrated is a good way to get constipated, which will make you feel lethargic and uncomfortable. So keep a note on your iPhone, set an alarm reminder on your phone-do whatever you have to do make sure you are hydrating your body.
3. Eat Fermented Foods.
Fermented foods contain natural enzymes and probiotics that help the body digest its food. They also contain vitamins and minerals that help the body maintain optimal health. Examples of living foods are yogurt, curd, sauerkraut, kimchi, tofu, and kombucha.
Do your research before traveling to your destination to see what fermented foods are local to the country you will be visiting. For example, on my trip to India I found out there are many fermented staples in the Indian diet such as curd and dosas (crepe made from fermented rice and black lentils), and I was able to spot these on a menu no problem.
Incorporate at least 1-2 servings per day to your diet and you will find yourself feeling groovy.
4. Eat Your Veggies.
I know it’s not always possible to eat what you want while on vacation (I’m currently reminded of this by the lack of dark green leafy veggies in India, believe me!) but do your best.
Find the veggies on the menu and order them. Visit the local market and buy your own if you have to. The more veggies you eat, the more fiber you are adding to your body.
However, if you are leaning more on the constipated side, take it easy on the raw veggies, and opt for lightly cooked ones.
5. Stick to the closest version of the foods you eat at home.
Try to stick to the closest version of what works for you while home. I know this isn’t always easy, but be creative. If your stomach is giving you trouble don’t feel like you have to get all Travel Channel and try every exotic food that is offered to you.
Protect yourself and stick to the foods that you know work for you. There is no shame in being a picky eater while traveling if it’s for the sake of your health!
Bonus Tips:
-Try to find an accommodation with a kitchen so you can make some of your own meals.
– Take Magnesium Citrate to avoid constipation (it also helps you sleep better).
– Don’t overeat even if all the new food is tempting.
– Do your best to eat meals at the same time everyday.
– Keep the body moving and incorporate at least 30 minutes of exercise a day.
– Drink warm water with lemon or lime, depending on what is available. Do this first thing in the morning for a dose of enzymes to kick-start your digestive system in the right direction. Lemon water also gives you 100% of your Vitamin C for the day which will keep your immune system strong.
Happy Travelin’!
Jenna Longoria is a traveling yoga teacher and certified holistic health coach. She loves Ashtanga yoga, vegan cuisine, and could drink her weight in cold-pressed green juice. You can read more of her work on her website, Healthier Notions. Follow her on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook!
Recovering From A Sick Day Looks Like This!
The stomach bug got me. It got me good. For a whole 12 hours I was visiting the bathroom or sleeping restlessly. Boy was I happy when my belly finally stopped gurgling! The day after, I woke with a slight headache and feeling tired. I decided it was going to be a day of getting back on my feet.
Here’s what that looked like for me:
Shut off my alarm and slept until my body woke up. 10:00 AM to be exact. Checked my phone (which I had turned off) and reassured my worried mother that I was fine.
Fixed up my morning mug of warm lemon water. Drank it SLOWLY.
Decided to make a smoothie full of electrolytes and hydration. It was delicious. Once again, drank it slowly as my stomach still felt a little tender.
Checked in with my friends and thanked them again for taking care of me (my hubby was out of town).
Caught up on some health articles and watched a webinar that was on my schedule.
Rested.
It was a beautiful sunny day so took my peppermint tea outside to soak up some of nature’s finest Vitamin D.
Ate leftover chicken noodle soup and fruit from a dear friend.
At this point I’m feeling much better so I decide to detox my armpits; something I have been wanting to do but haven’t made the time for. While I’m at that, I go ahead and do a face mask as well.
Take a shower. Decide to write this blog post.
Make some immune tea and snuggle back down on the couch with books and possibly movies.
Friend is bringing me supper tonight so for the rest of the day I will REST. Whenever I am recovering from being sick, I start to feel good and tend to overdo it! You know what I’m talking about?! I have to remind myself that rest is still important and the best thing for my body.
All in all, it has been a good “recover from being sick” day. And apparently I decided to share this all with you. 🙂
Remember: when recovering, rest and hydration is SUPER important. Don’t overdo it! Drink LOTS of water, herbal teas & hydrating smoothies. Take a bath, a nap and time for YOU. After all, it is YOUR body and YOU have to live in it!
Happy Healing!