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LOVE

LOVE

Love, starts from within. When most people think of love we think of loving another person or animal. These relationships are extremely important in our lives, at the same time so is self-love. Self-love is crucial for us to also love one another. Loving others starts with loving yourself first, if we do not love our self first, it may be more challenging to love others. Self-awareness is having a healthy understanding of your strengths and weaknesses. Self-awareness helps to enhance self-love. Self-love does not typically come instinctually for most of us, luckily it is a skill that you can develop.

There are many ways to express self-love:

~A daily meditation or a breathe work practice that incorporates presence

~Gratitude journaling

~Positive self talk

~Engaging in activities that make you happy

~Create and enforce healthy boundaries, surround yourself with those who respect and support your boundaries

~Self-care practices – baths, massage, dry brushing,

BENEFITS

  • lowers stress
  • instills empathy – having compassion for others
  • teaches how to conserve your energy and know where to give it

What will you do for yourself to express self-love? What will you do to express love for another being? Both types of relationships are important for all of us to enhance our overall feelings of positivity. As we are in the month of “love”, be sure to not only express acts of love towards others in your life, but also to yourself ♥

 

 

Intentions for the year

Intentions for the year

The start of a new year is a great time to set intentions for ourselves in our lives. Throughout the year it is easy to get caught up in all the things we need to do, the routine of life, and staying stuck in habits that may not serve us. An annual tradition for my husband and I on New Years Eve is to tell each other what we are grateful for from the previous year. Then on New Years Day, we write down our intentions and goals for the new year. I enjoy writing them down so then I have them on paper to read and reflect upon throughout the year. If you are not sure where to begin to set your intentions, here are some ideas to get you started.

Take time to reflect and write

Reflection is easily something you can do alone and on your own time. Create a peaceful space with no distractions and take some quiet time. You could start by asking yourself questions about yourself and your values. Conversations can help reveal a lot about ourselves, too. It may be fun to gather a virtual group and share the growth and struggles of this past year. Either way, make sure to write down some thoughts. Writing expressively about thoughts and feelings can help with happiness and coping. It can also help us make sense of our thoughts.

Start with the why

Intentions aren’t about the action plan—they’re the values and desires behind the plan. Intentions can work without goals; goals are much harder to achieve without intentions behind them. Without the why, resolutions and goals can feel empty or start out of guilt or comparison. While intentions can serve as the foundation for goals and resolutions, they’re also free of any timelines, numbers, or measurable results. The goal might be to cook one new meal a week, but the intention or value behind it would sound like nurture creativity or take care of my health.

Make it clear, memorable, and repeatable

Once you’ve gotten clear on how you want to live out this next year, it may help to have a short phrase or one word to sum it up. Whether the words are centered around health, relationships, or personal growth, it’s important that they’re memorable and inspirational l for you. One good rule of thumb could be that if it doesn’t fit on a sticky note, it won’t be easy to remember and repeat. To help remind yourself of your intention, you could draw or write notes and put them around your home—and then make sure to move them around every so often to keep them noticeable.

Give yourself an intention ritual

Rituals are little ceremonies and can look like many different things:

  • burning a candle or sage
  • making art
  • playing music
  • going to a special location and saying your intention aloud

Rituals certainly aren’t necessary, but they symbolize transitions and can help the brain register that something new is happening. Rituals can be as creative, quiet, or adventurous. Whatever you want this next year, or even the next few months, intentions can help you set a path to get there and stay on it when plans go awry. 

Mindset Matters

Mindset Matters

“The mind is everything. What you think you become.” Buddha

What we think, say and tell ourselves does directly affect our overall well-being and health. Having positive or negative thoughts do matter. It is not realistic for a human to be happy all of the time or feel 100% physically in tip top shape all of the time, but we do have the ability to shape and reshape our responses and reactions to life and relationships. A mindset refers to the way people see their intelligence, abilities, and personal qualities.

Let me give an example that I have experienced in life. When I had torn my ACL on my right knee and went through surgery to repair the knee, focusing on the positive, and not the negative was important for my healing process. It was easier to complain about the pain and the fact my knee was not the same as it had been prior to the accident and surgery. Instead of having my mind focus on what my knee was unable to do, I began to focus on the things my knee and body were able to do. Every day I reminded myself that I am strong and healing, my knee is strong, my body is healthy, these positive affirmations promote a positive sense of well being and support my body within the healing process. Our body listens to our minds.

When your mind shifts, the world shifts.” Have you ever noticed that when you are intentional with your thoughts, they tend to manifest? These thoughts can be positive or negative and the same outcome will occur. I prefer having a life filled with positive vibes and manifestations than negative as most of us generally do. You are probably thinking, Alison no one can be positive all the time. Yes, I agree, but we can control our reactions and responses as mentioned earlier. If you can focus on the positive vibes and feelings, and not the negative, you will attract more positive energy in to your life. This is an important thought when we look inwards at ourselves. Many of us may be our harshest critics, we need to reverse this way of thinking and look at ourselves with less judgment and with more love.  Speak kindly to ourselves, give ourselves grace, remembering that the first time at anything is always the hardest for anyone! If we practice this habit with ourselves, we can then extend our awareness and positive vibes outwards to our community. This in turn leading to a positive mindset for ourselves and for others in the world.

Gratitude

Gratitude

Gratitude is the positive state of being grateful; an overwhelming feeling of appreciation and thankfulness, and the desire to return kindness to others. The holiday season is a time of year many of us feel grateful for the people and things in our lives. It is a wonderful thing for all of us to express these feelings of gratitude towards one another. These expressions may be in the form of gifts, kind words, hugs and a simple thank you. It is important to continue throughout our daily life with acts of gratitude.

“The more grateful I am, the more beauty I see.” is a quote by Mary Davis. These words resonate with me as they are true every time. When I feel in a dark or negative space, I take a moment to breathe and feel grateful for the things and people in my life, my negative space turns itself into a positive space! Even during our darkest times we can be grateful for something or someone if we open our hearts. Grateful for my breath and the air we breathe. Grateful to be alive today. Grateful for a family member, pet, friend, member of my community. Grateful for sunrises and sunsets. The gratitude we express to ourselves does not have to be life changing, it is in the simplicity that we see what truly matters in life.

If you are in need of feeling grateful volunteering is a great opportunity to accomplish this! Get in touch with your local food bank or shelter, if you love animals your local humane society, if you love kids look into reading stories at the library, working with our elderly population is wonderful as well! Spending time in nature to appreciate the beauty that surrounds us every day will also inspire gratitude. Comment below what your gratitude rituals are and what and whom make you feel grateful!

A mantra for your meditation: When my mind shifts, the world shifts.

FALL CLEANING – PHYSICALLY AND EMOTIONALLY

FALL CLEANING – PHYSICALLY AND EMOTIONALLY

Feeling the cool crisp air upon my skin, the leaves crunching under my feet, experiencing less light each day, are all signs that fall is here. I love this time of year, a season of change. It is a time to let go of summer and prepare for winter, physically and emotionally. Similarly to trees that lose their leaves in the fall, it is important for us to shed and let go of things and emotions that are no longer serving us.

Growing up we always did “fall cleaning”. It is a great time to go through your closets, cabinets and bins. Make piles of items you may keep, donate, repurpose, or throw away. From there, clean out the spaces you have decluttered with a natural cleaning solution such as white vinegar, boiled water and lemon juice. I experience a sense of accomplishment when I complete fall cleaning within my home. It also feels wonderful to give back to others and donate clothing and items to others in need.

Other areas of your home that are important to clean in the fall before the winter comes are your outdoor spaces, also referred to as “fall cleanup”. Clean out debris in your gutters, decks, and lawn, empty the water from your hoses and blow out your sprinkler lines if your area if it will hit freezing temps or lower.

Cleaning up our living spaces in the fall not only helps us to declutter our lives physically, it also helps us to destress. When we tidy up and clean our homes, this may lead to less anxiety for folks as they may feel a sense of control and organization within their home. Working on our overall wellness encompasses many components. Our emotional health is just as important as our physical health. As we approach the shorter, colder days, I suggest for those to be mindful of their emotions. Practicing acts of self care during these months are especially important to keep our attitudes and energy positive and happy.

Producing positive emotions like calmness and a sense of well being are some benefits we gain when we clean up our physical and emotional spaces. It is important to take the time, I suggest seasonally when autumn and spring are here to dive in and explore, declutter and recharge!

 

Farmers markets and why they are so fantastic!

Farmers markets and why they are so fantastic!

Farmers markets continue to gain popularity in modern times for a multitude of reasons! Between fresh, local, seasonal whole foods, flowers and veggie starters, homemade baked goods, artisan crafts and jewelry, live music, food trucks, and community involvement, there are many reasons why farmers markets are so fantastic! If you have not been to one, I strongly encourage you to check one out in your area this weekend!

Attending farmers markets are a great way to support your community. It is a place where farmers can sell their food and products directly to the consumer, you! Not only are you enjoying the benefits of fresh food from these farmers, you are supporting their small businesses in a sustainable fashion. Although most farmers markets are available May – September/October, some cities will offer year round indoor markets! I have enjoyed these when I have travelled to Seattle and San Francisco. That’s a fun tip next time you are travelling to a new city – do a search and check out their local farmers market schedule. I recommend bringing a reusable bag with you to stock up on all the goodies you will aquire!

We love to explore the local farmers markets in our area on the weekends. We stock up on veggies for the week, grab a few unplanned treats like a gluten free baked good, homemade soap, & fresh cut flowers, enjoy a snack, meal, or coffee drink from the local stand, and enjoy the live music typically playing at most markets! Living in Colorado we have many markets to choose from in the spring through fall. If you live in the front range of Colorado I highly recommend both the Boulder and Longmont weekly farmers markets on Saturdays. If Saturday is a bit busy for you, check out Boulder’s farmers market on Wednesday evenings! A new market that my husband and I discovered this summer is the Nederland Farmers Market. How awesome this experience was for us! A high altitude, mountain community farmers market, very special. I hope to hear from some of you about the wonderful farmers markets you have attended!

STRETCHING – what you may be missing out on!

STRETCHING – what you may be missing out on!

Stretching regularly should not be overlooked by any individual at any age. It is an important factor that many people do not consider unless they are recovering from an injury, or are participating in instructed led activities. Stretching is a wonderful thing for your body, mind and soul to stretch any time of the day.

Upon waking – helps alleviate morning stiffness and centers your mindset for the day ahead

Mid day – helpful for those spending their time at a computer, in high stress jobs or on your feet for long periods of time

Evening – a wonderful time to unwind and relax and allow the body to restore from the day. Whatever time of day you choose to stretch, taking five – ten minutes is essential to maintaining a strong, flexible body.

I suggest holding each stretch for 10-30 seconds. Feel free to stretch for longer period of times depending on how your body feels and the types of activities you are participating in.

Stretching is key for maintaining mobility, flexibility, and overall well-being throughout our lives. Regular stretching helps increase your range of motion within your joints. It can also alleviate muscular imbalances and tightness to improve your posture. Pre-activity stretching routines help prevent muscle strains and sprains by warming up the muscles for movement. Athletes can benefit greatly from daily stretching by improving muscle coordination, balance and reaction time. Stretching stimulates blood circulation throughout the body improving the overall health and function of tissues,  joints, and muscles by delivering oxygen and essential nutrients to these areas. A final note in regards to daily stretching are the emotional and mental benefits that it provides. It can help improve focus, reduce mental stress and promote a sense of calmness and well-being. Stretching provides an opportunity for us for mindfulness and self-care. There are many stretching exercises available for you to do at home, the gym, outside, and even when traveling! Yoga is a wonderful modality for stretching as well. Check out local studios near you and also search for free classes via YouTube.

As with any new routine or habit, start with a small goal and gradually build up. Start with a goal of stretching 2-4 days per week, and you can add more stretch days in the future as you see fit. Hopefully you’ve taken away the importance of stretching from this blog! Not only will you feel more flexible, you will notice improved overall health from regular stretching. If you are looking for more tips to promote your general health and well-being, please reach out to me for coaching support!

Strength training and it’s many benefits

Strength training and it’s many benefits

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Strength training has evolved for me over the years. My understanding of it in my 20’s has grown now that I am in my 40’s. I used to only associate strength training with building muscle and being an athlete, this was incorrect. Yes, strength training will build muscle and increase endurance, both very important factors when you are an athlete, but you do not have to be an “athlete” to reap the benefits of strength training. Strength training will make you stronger. Being stronger allows us to perform our daily activities with ease, carrying groceries, playing with your kids, cleaning the house, going for walks. Now in my 4o’s, I have come to understand that strength training not only builds muscle, it makes your bones strong and helps to keep off that stubborn belly fat.

Bone density is an important factor to be aware of as we age in terms of strength. Strength training will keep and make your bones stronger. As we age, osteoporosis becomes a topic of concern. When your bones are more susceptible to fracture due to the lack of bone density, your daily activities may become limited or obsolete. Weak bones plays a part in having a weak spine and poor posture. Studies show that strength training over a period of time can help prevent bone loss and may even help rebuild new bone.

As you build more muscle and lose body fat through strength training, you will feel and appear leaner. Fat around the abdominal region may increase your risk of chronic diseases, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and certain cancers, it is important to keep the belly fat at a minimal not only for vanity but more importantly for health concerns. Strength training increases your metabolic rate, allowing your body to burn more calories at rest. Studies show that your metabolic rate may be increased for up to 72 hours post strength training. I love the idea of our bodies burning more calories even when we are not working out!

bicep curl with dumbbell

Both pilates and yoga are excellent practices to incorporate into your strength training routine. There are many classes online to get you started or check out a local class in your town! Both modalities will keep your body feeling young and strong. If you are a beginner to strength training, start with body resistance exercises such as pushups, crunches, squats, planks and wall sits. Reach out to me if you have questions about strength training and how to get started. I would be happy to set up a customized training program for you that can be done at home or at a gym!

wall sits can be done anywhere!

forearm planks

The Power of Meditation

The Power of Meditation

Meditation is an ancient practice, anchored in world religions including Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Practicing meditation trains your mind to focus on your awareness in the moment. It allows you to observe and release your thoughts to quiet the mind. Regular practice of mediation has benefits for both your mental and physical health. Studies have shown that a consistent practice of meditation for 8 weeks may reduce anxiety, stress and depression. Research suggests that mediation has been linked to improvements for those that suffer from chronic disease and inflammation. Meditation can also lower the stress hormone cortisol, helping decrease belly fat. 

I begin my mornings with a daily meditation practice. I find a sense of calm and strength within my practice. It sets me up for a day of mindfulness, kindness and gratitude before navigating the many moving parts of my day. Having a daily meditation practice grounds me to stay balanced throughout my day. I encourage you to try one of the following ways to meditate to find your calm. Three basic methods of mediation are focusing on your breath, observing your thoughts, and body scanning.

Focusing on breath is a Buddhist tradition that allows you to turn your attention away from any one particular thought. Taking deep inhales, followed by long exhales taps in to your para sympathetic nervous system and brings a sense of calm. I enjoy repeating a mantra or positive affirmation as I breathe in and out. A favorite of mine is “I am happy. I am healthy. I am safe. I live a life with ease.”

Observing thoughts is when you notice a thought, label it, and let it pass without reacting to it. Many people assume meditation means clearing the mind completely, but having thoughts arise is natural and following this technique allows you to distance yourself from these thoughts while breathing in and out. For example, if a deadline is on your mind, rather than worrying about what you need to do to complete this deadline, acknowledge the deadline then release the thought without reacting to it.

Body scanning is a method of shifting your focus from the thoughts in your mind to your body. Place your focus on one specific area of your body, and then you gradually scan through the different parts of your body. Breathe deeply into areas of your body to release tension where you feel holding or tightness. You may start with scanning at the crown of your head, then work your way down to your face, neck, shoulders, arms, fingers, core, legs, and toes. Body scanning is a great modality to use before bed when laying down. 

A BASIC MEDITATION  PRACTICE

Find a quiet space to sit comfortably in a cross-legged position. This can be on the floor on a pillow, blanket or block, sitting up against a wall, or sitting in a chair with your feet resting flat on the floor. Position your hands in either a mudra (sacred hand gesture), resting your hands on your knees with palms up or down,  or place hands in your lap. Close your eyes, or look down at the tip of your nose, focus on your breath without trying to change it. Notice the sensation of air moving in and out of your nostrils and mouth. When your mind starts to wander, notice your thoughts and then release them, come back to your breath. Start with a 5 minute daily meditation practice and over time increase your minutes. 

If you are looking for additional ways to achieve a Zen state through mediation but are having trouble with your own practice there are many guided meditations available. I personally like to follow the guided meditations via Peloton. There are many meditation apps available offering free and paid options such as headspace, calm, insight timer, and breathwrk. These apps can also be useful for those that would like to mediate on their commute to and from work. Please know you can reach out to me with any questions for more support with your meditation practice. Namaste. 

 

Vitamin D and it’s importance for your overall health

Vitamin D and it’s importance for your overall health

The optimal source of Vitamin D is from the sun, also coined the “sunshine vitamin”. The amount you receive from the sun depends on the time of day, season, latitude and your skin pigmentation. For example, during the winter months depending on where you live, your vitamin D production may be reduced or absent. This also applies for those of us that apply sunscreen regularly to prevent cancer, sunscreen may also decrease the production of vitamin D. If you do not get enough vitamin D from sunlight or dietary sources, you may need to to include a vitamin D supplement. Speak to your primary care physician about taking a simple blood test to check your vitamin D level. Your PCP may also guide you on the dosage of a vitamin D supplement you should take. Vitamin D is considered safe when taken in the appropriate doses, however taking too much of this supplement can be harmful. This is because it’s a fat soluble vitamin vs a water soluble vitamin, meaning D does not dissolve in water and is stored in your fat tissue. When shopping for a supplement choose D3 with K2, the presence of K2 helps to ensure the calcium transported by the vitamin D is absorbed by it’s bones where needed.

Vitamin D plays an important role in regulating mood and decreases risk of depression. For those of us who suffer from mood changes or depression, you may benefit from a light therapy lamp that produces UVB exposure. Studies have shown exposure to lamps that produce UVB radiation are an excellent source for producing vitamin D in the skin. Vitamin D is a micronutrient your body needs for building and maintaining healthy bones, an insufficient amount is connected with osteoporosis. This is because your body can only absorb calcium when vitamin D is present. Vitamin D also helps to facilitate normal function of the immune system. When I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, multiple sclerosis, I had low levels of vitamin D. Over the years to improve my vitamin D levels I aim to get outside daily in the sunshine for at least 30-60 minutes and take a daily vitamin D supplement. Recently, I have been incorporating more fatty fish in my diet to achieve higher D levels. It is important to pair healthy fats such as ghee, coconut oil, nuts with your food source for best absorption of vitamin D.

Symptoms of low vitamin D may present as tiredness, depression, aches & pains, muscle pain or weakness, and stress fractures. A combination of sunlight exposure, proper dietary sources and a vitamin D supplement should get your body on track to achieve a level of vitamin D in the acceptable range, 40-60 ng/ml. Reach out to your PCP if you are not sure of your vitamin D level, put on your list to get that checked out at your earliest convenience. Get outside and enjoy that beautiful sunshine!

Reach out to Alison for support with your health journey!

 

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