Category: Healthy Lifestyle

So far, I’ve yet to meet someone who’s immune to the negative drama that plays inside their own head. Even the great Mark Twain said:

“I’ve suffered many catastrophes in my life. Most of which never happened.”

When we let negativity, criticism, and judgment live in our minds they can make life feel like a burden. This crosses over into our physical experience because our bodies react to mental stress the same way they would to an attack in our physical environment.

The good news is it’s possible to shift your health by taming the negative self-talk that happens in your mind (yes, you can control it!).

Your mindset

A little self-criticism is a normal shared human mental pattern, and can even be healthy for the most part. But, we can also just as easily open the door to that overly vocal “negative nelly” voice in our head.

However, if your negative voice is preventing you from doing what you want or need to do in your life, then it has to get booted back out the door. This kind of mental chatter has no right to set up shop in your mind.

Deeply held negative beliefs, especially when they’re firmly rooted in your unconscious, stress you out, damage relationships and can greatly limit your potential for health and happiness.

If you’re sick of having the same old conversation with negative nelly, then be sure to try some of the ideas I’ve outlined in this article on how you can shift away from this damaging mindset, and finally release yourself of these limiting beliefs.

What are limiting beliefs?

Limiting beliefs are the little, but persistent voices that convince you that you can’t be or do or have something due to a perceived inadequacy in some area of your life or personality.

Your negative nelly narrative usually goes something like this:

I won’t ever be [this]…

I can’t do [that]…

I don’t have [this]…

I don’t deserve to be/have [this]…

And, one really common one that comes up for many people…

I am not good enough.

This type of self-doubting talk usually comes on strongest when you’re taking on a new challenge. For example, when you get promoted or are striving to meet a deadline. Any time you’re stretching your comfort zone and growing yourself, that’s when you can expect this voice to show up. Recognize that hearing these doubting thoughts are normal and take them as a sign of growth, rather than a believing their doubts to be true.

Let’s change up the narrative you may have been having with yourself for a very long time!

Overcoming negative self-talk and releasing limiting beliefs

Your limiting decisions have shaped everything you do, and they have likely prevented you from seeing opportunities and maybe even discouraged you from trying some things at all.

The good news is that it’s totally possible to permanently change a long-held belief — even the ones that are lifelong.

You only perceive what you believe, so your beliefs shape the very world you live in.

But, when your limiting beliefs come into question, your whole world can experience a shift for the better.

Here are a few ideas to help you silence your inner critic for good.

When you find yourself feeling “stuck”, or repeatedly spinning your wheels on the same speed bumps that life might be throwing your way, it’s always a great idea to seek out the help and guidance of a coach, counsellor or therapist.

In addition to that, there are several things you can do on your own, in your own time and space…

1. The first step to releasing limiting beliefs is to shift your thinking into awareness

Time to bring those disempowering thoughts out of hiding. Once you do that, know that you have choice.

However, just simply being aware or having knowledge of them is not enough, it’s just the first step. You must understand and truly believe that you have a choice about how to react to stressful situations.

I interviewed World Cup Gold Medalist and National Ski coach, Elisa Kurylowicz in the Simple Stress Reduction Facebook group. She broke down the concept of awareness and offered great tips for getting started with an awareness practice.

2. Possible thinking, not just positive thinking

Your mind is a powerful thing, and when you fill it with thoughts of what’s possible (not just positive), your mindset will start to shift.

When you believe something IS possible, you will notice options and opportunities coming up for you that would simply not have be noticed if you did not believe it was possible.

With repetition, your positive feelings will intensify, the new neural connections will strengthen, and you’ll start to notice just how awesome this new “win” really feels!

Reminding yourself often of these little wins can further shift your mindset and help you embrace the bright side of your perceived “failures” or shortcomings. It also helps to simply accept that you are perfectly imperfect, just the way you are!

3. If you wouldn’t say it to your friend, don’t say it to yourself

Your limiting beliefs are assumptions you make about reality that often aren’t true. They aren’t helpful, and they certainly don’t serve you or the goals you want to achieve.

Ask yourself: would I say these negative, hurtful and unsupportive words to a friend?

4. Adopt empowering beliefs such as:

“It is not my job to please everyone else.”

“Just be me. There will never be anyone else like me.”

To swap out your limiting belief with a more empowering one, you’ll need to play a little mind game:

Convince yourself that the value you thought you were getting from the former limiting belief isn’t worthwhile, and that your new empowering belief can serve to fill this void.

5. Take some time and space that’s all yours

Ensure that you are creating space in your life for these new empowering beliefs. Take action and get into the habit of using your new beliefs as often as possible until they begin to feel comfortable, familiar and routine to you.

Just remember – you have the ability to harness the power of the possible! Overcoming negative self-talk and releasing yourself of limiting beliefs takes commitment, introspection and a good dose of self-confidence to make the necessary changes stick.

There’s the old saying that we view ourselves through a much harsher lens than the rest of world does. So, let’s try to bring our own lens back into focus.

References

Health.com: 9 Ways to Silence Your Inner Critic

Thrive Global: What are Limiting Beliefs and What Causes Them?

IQ Matrix: The Complete Guide on How to Overcome Your Limiting Beliefs

I know, I know. Meditation is the secret sauce to take your wellness up to the status of the “elite gurus.” It’s touted as the “be all, end all” for the health of your entire mind-body-spirit, and the absolute must-do for beating stress.

But what if you can’t meditate?

Side note: I actually don’t believe anyone can be “bad at mediation,” because it’s a practice that gets better over time.

It still might not be for you at this stage, especially if you’re super high-stress to begin with.

Practicing meditation is an excellent approach to optimizing your health and overall well-being. Meditation is great for relieving and dealing with stress, and all of the issues that come along with it. But it certainly is not the only way to get there.

The whole purpose of meditating is to calm the mind and emotions and relax our physical body too. And there is always more than one way to get there.

Let’s talk about some of the other things to try if meditation is too confronting or anxiety-provoking for you.

1. Journaling

Spending some time every day writing out your thoughts can help to relieve stress. You can use journaling to list the things you’re grateful for, this is known as gratitude journaling. You can use it as a “brain dump” to get all of your thoughts and ideas out of your head to soothe your mind. You can use “ever since” journaling to describe your life after you reach your goals.

2. Reading

It’s one thing to read to learn something that you have to learn, or to advance your knowledge. And, you can also read for pure pleasure. To get caught up in a story and just relax.

3. Colouring

Adult colouring books are all the rage! Not *that* kind of adult, but colouring pages with lots of detail and tiny areas to colour in. Something that can take you hours. You can always opt for something simple, like kids colouring pages too. The idea is the same. Repeated movements and focusing on the art you’re creating can help to clear your mind.

4. Knitting or crocheting (or other crafts)

Knitting, crocheting or other yarn activities are a great way to de-stress; this is a skill that comes in all levels from beginner to advanced. You can choose a quick little rectangular scarf to make, or a detailed sweater. You can choose the pattern, size, and yarn. Once you get into the flow of these skills, they’re great to do when you’re feeling stressed. Not only can they relax your mind to focus on your work, but you can end up warming yourself or others with the products you create.

5. Gentle exercise

Gently moving your body is another great way to de-stress. Activities that are slower and less intensive are ideal. Things like walking, yoga, stretching, or tai chi can all be great ways to relax your mind and improve your strength and balance at the same time.

6. Sleep in or take a nap

A common cause of increased stress hormones is lack of sleep. Too little sleep and too much stress go hand-in-hand. So, getting enough good quality sleep is important to help you break free from stress without having to meditate.

7. Pamper yourself

Maybe you love getting massages or mani/pedi’s? Maybe you love a long bath or lighting candles? Perhaps you can add your favourite relaxing music to the mix for a pampering evening? Spending some time to pamper yourself regularly is great for your mind, body, and spirit.

8. Spend time in nature

You don’t have to head away for vacation to relax in nature. While a calm beautiful beach or cabin in the woods may be amazing, you don’t have to go that far. Even spending time on the grass at your local park or playground, or walking on a wooded trail in your neighbourhood can do the trick.

9. Make time for people and pets you love

It’s so important to spend time with family, friends, and pets whom you love. New research is coming out about the health issues related to loneliness. Reach out and plan to hang out with your besties, or even offer to take your neighbour’s dog for a walk in the park.

10. Deep Breathing

Learn a deep breathing technique that will get you centered and relaxed quickly in my free De-Stress on Demand Guide.

Conclusion

Stress reduction is the goal. How you do it, be it meditation or otherwise, is not that important. What’s important is that you find what works for you.

Try journaling, reading, colouring, knitting/crocheting, gentle exercise, sleep, pampering yourself, spending time in nature, and making time for people and pets you love.

Have other great ideas? Let me know what helps you de-stress in the comments below.

Recipe (calming): Lavender Essential Oil Room Spray

What you need:

30 drops Pure lavender essential oil
4 Tbsp. Witch hazel
¾ cup water
Small spray bottle

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a small spray bottle using a funnel. Shake until well mixed.

To use: use 1-2 sprays in the room where you are. Try it in the bedroom, bathroom while taking a bath, or at your desk.

Tip: Lavender isn’t the only calming essential oil. You can also use angelica, balsam, benzoin, bitter orange, cedarwood, celery, chamomile, cornmint, cumin, curry, frankincense, grapefruit, jasmine, juniper, labdanum, laurel, lemongrass, marjoram, nutmeg, palmarosa, parsley, patchouli, peppermint, rose, rosewood, sage, sandalwood, scotch pine, spearmint, star anise, sweet basil, sweet orange, thyme, or ylang ylang.

References:

http://www.precisionnutrition.com/getting-control-stress

http://www.healthline.com/nutrition/16-ways-relieve-stress-anxiety

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/the-power-and-prevalence-of-loneliness-2017011310977

https://nccih.nih.gov/health/stress/relaxation.htm

https://www.dietvsdisease.org/do-essential-oils-work/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3612440/

http://webprod.hc-sc.gc.ca/nhpid-bdipsn/atReq.do?atid=aromatherap&lang=eng

Well…yes, they do really work. The fact is, science shows definite health benefits for people who use mindfulness and meditation.

Before we dive in, let’s just make sure we’re on the same page when we say “mindfulness” and “meditation.”

“Meditation” is the ancient practice of connecting the body and mind to become more self-aware and present. It’s often used to calm the mind, ease stress, and relax the body.

Practicing “mindfulness” is one of the most popular ways to meditate. It’s defined as “paying attention in a particular way, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally.”

Mindfulness meditation is well studied in terms of its health benefits. I’m going to talk about a few of them below, and refer to it as “mindfulness” for the rest of the post.

The link between mindfulness and health = stress reduction

Have you heard the staggering statistics on how many doctors’ visits are due to stress? Seventy-five to ninety percent!

So, if you ask me, it makes a ton of sense that anything that can reduce stress can reduce health issues too.

Mindfulness reduces inflammation, reduces levels of the stress hormone cortisol, and improves sleep. All of these can have massive effects on your physical and mental health.

I’ll briefly go over the research in three main areas: mood, weight, and gut health. But know that the research on the health benefits of mindfulness is branching into many other exciting new areas too.

Mindfulness for mood

The most immediate health benefit of mindfulness is improved mood.

In one study, people who took an 8-week mindfulness program had greater improvement in symptoms according to the “Hamilton Anxiety Scale.” They were compared with people who took a stress management program that did not include mindfulness. It seems that the mindfulness training was key to lowering symptoms.

Other studies show that mindfulness has similar effects as antidepressant medications for some people with mild to moderate symptoms of depression.

While mindfulness isn’t a full-fledged cure, it can certainly help to improve moods.

Mindfulness for weight

Studies show that people who use mind-body practices, including mindfulness, have lower BMIs (Body Mass Indices).

How can this be?

One way mindfulness is linked with lower weight is due to stress-reduction. Mindfulness can reduce stress-related and emotional overeating. It can also help reduce cravings and binge eating.

Another way it can work for weight is due to “mindful eating.” Mindful eating is a “non-judgmental awareness of physical and emotional sensations associated with eating.” It’s the practice of being more aware of food and the eating process. It’s listening more deeply to how hungry and full you actually are. It’s not allowing yourself to be distracted with other things while you’re eating, like what’s on TV or your smartphone (try that one out and let me know how you do!)

People with higher mindfulness scores also reported smaller serving sizes of energy-dense foods. So it seems that more mindful eating = less junk.

Mindfulness about food and eating can have some great benefits for your weight.

Mindfulness for gut health

Recent studies show a link between stress, stress hormones, and changes in gut microbes (your friendly bacteria and other critters that help your digestion). In theory, mindfulness-based stress reduction could be a way to help prevent negative changes in the gut’s microbes.

Also, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) seems to be linked with both stress and problems with gut microbes. In one study, people with IBS who received mindfulness training showed greater reductions in IBS symptoms than the group who received standard medical care.

The research here is just starting to show us the important link between stress, gut health, and how mindfulness can help.

Conclusion

Science is confirming some amazing health benefits of the ancient practice of mindfulness meditation. For moods, weight, gut health, and more.

Do you regularly include it in your life? If so, have you seen benefits? If not, would you consider trying it?

Let me know in the comments below.

Recipe (Relaxing Teas): Relaxing Herbal Teas

There are many relaxing herbal teas that would be great after meditation.

Try any of these by steeping in boiling water:

• Green tea (has a bit of caffeine, or you can choose decaffeinated green tea)
• White tea (also has a bit of caffeine, or you can choose decaffeinated white tea)
• Rooibos tea (a red tea that’s high in antioxidants and vitamin C)
• Peppermint tea (or steep fresh peppermint leaves)
• Ginger tea (or steep slices of real ginger)

Serve & enjoy!

Tip: You can add a touch of honey if desired.

BONUS Guided Meditation “Recipes” (videos, apps & podcasts)

1. How to Meditate video

2. How to Meditate in One Minute or Less Every Day video

3. Calm App

4. Headspace App (free 10-day trial)

5. Daily Meditation Podcast

6. Hay House Meditations Podcast

References:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meditation

https://www.dietvsdisease.org/benefits-mindfulness-meditation/

https://nccih.nih.gov/health/meditation/overview.htm

https://authoritynutrition.com/mindful-eating-guide/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3341916/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4454654/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26186434

https://relaxlikeaboss.com/the-art-of-mindfulness/

Hormones are like chemical messengers, and govern nearly every cellular action in our body.

While very important, our sex hormones like estrogen, progesterone and testosterone, are actually not essential for our survival.

They’re responsible for sexual functioning and fertility, as well as in more of a “beauty” capacity – keeping our skin, hair & nails vital and youthful looking.

On the other hand, stress hormones (like cortisol & epinephrine, also known as adrenaline) are critical to our survival because they synthesize proteins, maintain cellular electrolyte balance, regulate heartbeat and blood pressure, and transport glucose into our cells – essentially feeding our brain.

These hormones are so crucial, that in times of chronic stress, cortisol (the “hormone of stress”) will be made at the expense of sex hormones. This is super important to understand. Your body literally steals from your sex hormones to make cortisol. While our sex hormones aren’t necessary for survival, we’ll definitely notice symptoms if they’re out of balance. No wonder we can start feeling like things are really out of whack when we’re stressed!

So what happens when hormones stop playing well together?

We can often experience a ripple effect, even when there’s a slight hiccup in hormone function.

Also, due to the fact that the interconnected nature of your endocrine system, one hormonal imbalance can lead to an additional one, causing multiple symptoms and overlapping health issues.

The 10 most common signs that you probably have a hormonal imbalance

1. Poor sleep – not being able to fall asleep or stay asleep
2. Fatigue that’s not alleviated by sleep
3. Night sweats and hot flashes
4. Resistant excess weight and body fat, especially around the belly
5. Low libido or sexual dysfunction
6. Acne or other skin issues
7. PMS symptoms
8. Foggy thinking (brain fog!) and difficulty concentrating
9. Mental health issues – depression and anxiety in particular
10. Mood changes like irritability and anger

The main causes of hormonal imbalances

While there are many causes, here are the most common ones that have been identified:

• Age and stage of life
• Chronic stress
• Medications (e.g. the Pill)
• Toxins and endocrine disruptors like xenoestrogens
• Poor nutrition and lack of adequate key nutrients
• Blood sugar regulation problems
• Disrupted circadian rhythm
• Chronic inflammation (e.g. leaky gut & digestive system inflammation)

Simple ways to support and rebalance your hormones naturally

While having a hormonal imbalance can seem like a complicated issue (and in some cases it is). There are simple steps that you can take to support your body in returning to normal levels.

Eat whole foods: processed, packaged foods offering little to no nutritional value will also offer little to no fuel for your hormones.

Be sure to eat fresh over packaged foods, including plenty of vegetables, fruits, and quality sources of free range and grass fed meats and eggs. Also, if tolerated – nuts, seeds, and legumes in moderation.

Note: Grains and dairy may cause or exacerbate hormonal problems for some people.

Eat more healthy fats: Healthy fats are essential for hormonal health because sex hormones need fat as a building block – and your body can only use the ones you give it.

Opt for sources of healthy fats from whole foods, such as avocados, raw nuts & seeds, coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil, real butter or ghee (grass fed preferable), wild-caught salmon, and free range eggs – yes, you can eat the yolks!

Exercise daily: Moving your body on a regular basis, engaging in resistance (or strength) training, and incorporating a specific workout called HIIT (high intensity interval training) has been proven to be especially beneficial for keeping our bodies AND our hormones fit.

Better sleep: getting deeper, more restorative sleep can be the key to supporting your hormones, above all other measures (but that doesn’t mean you should ignore the other ones!).

Stress management & self-care: the truth is – stress can be devastating for hormonal health.

We need to equip ourselves to manage the stress and “business” of everyday life through the actions that bring back balance and wellbeing to our bodies AND our minds – like good nutrition, exercise and sleep!

Learn better coping mechanisms (like breathing techniques), practice mindfulness and incorporate some daily self-care.

Looking for more tips to manage stress naturally? Join my Simple Stress Reduction Facebook group.

References

https://draxe.com/benefits-high-intensity-interval-training/

https://www.womenshealthnetwork.com/hormonalimbalance/what-is-hormonal-imbalance.aspx

Recipe: Hormone-friendly Chocolate Fat Bombs

Ingredients:

½ cup almond or other nut butter, no sugar-added (if nut-sensitive, use sesame tahini or sunflower seed butter)
½ cup virgin coconut oil
3 Tbsp. raw, unprocessed cacao powder
stevia or monk fruit to sweeten to taste
silicone candy mould or mini-muffin pan

Optional add-ins:

• splash of real vanilla extract or vanilla powder
• cinnamon or ginger
• pinch of Himalayan pink salt or Celtic grey salt

Directions

1. In a large skillet melt coconut oil and nut butter over low heat.
2. Stir in cacao powder and desired sweetener.
3. Remove from heat and add vanilla (+ other add-ins), if using.
4. You may want to pour mixture into a “spouted” cup to make pouring easier.
5. Pour mixture into silicone candy molds or mini-muffin pan (about 1 Tb of mixture)
6. Put in freezer or fridge until set.
7. Remove from molds and store in the fridge in an airtight container.

Note that each fat bomb is considered a full serving of fat – great for curbing the appetite, satisfying a sweet tooth and supporting your hormones with the building blocks they need!

We all have some level of stress.

It may be temporary (acute), or long-term (chronic).

Acute stress usually won’t mess with your health too much. It is your body’s natural reaction to circumstances, and can even be life-saving.

Then, when the “threat” (a.k.a. “stressor”) is gone, the reaction subsides, and all is well.

It’s the chronic stress that’s a problem. You see, your body has specific stress reactions. If these stress reactions are triggered every day or many times a day that can mess with your health.

Stress (and stress hormones) can have a huge impact on your health.

Let’s dive into the “stress mess.”

Mess #1 – Increased risk of heart disease and diabetes

Why save the best for last? Anything that increases the risk for heart disease and diabetes (both serious, chronic conditions) needs to be discussed.

Stress increased the risk for heart disease and diabetes by promoting chronic inflammation, affecting your blood “thickness,” as well as how well your cells respond to insulin.

Mess #2 – Immunity

Did you notice that you get sick more often when you’re stressed? Maybe you get colds, cold sores, or even the flu more frequently when you are stressed?

Well, that’s because stress hormones affect the chemical messengers (cytokines) secreted by immune cells consequently, they are less able to do their jobs effectively.

Mess #3 – “Leaky Gut.”

Stress can contribute to leaky gut, otherwise known as “intestinal permeability.” These “leaks” can then allow partially digested food, bacteria or other things to be absorbed into your body.

The stress hormone cortisol can open up tiny holes by loosening the grip your digestive cells have to each other.

Picture this: Have you ever played “red rover?” It’s where a row of children hold hands while one runs at them to try to break through. Think of those hands as the junctions between cells. When they get loose, they allow things to get in that should be passing right though. Cortisol (produced in excess in chronic stress) is a strong player in red rover!

Mess #4 – Sleep Disruption

Stress and sleep go hand-in-hand (you’ll be highly aware of this if you’ve spent nights awake worrying). It’s often difficult to sleep when you have very important (and stressful) things on your mind.

And when you don’t get enough sleep, it affects your energy level, memory, ability to think, and mood.

More and more research is showing just how important sleep is for your health.  Not enough sleep (and too much stress) aren’t doing you any favours.

Stress-busting tips

Reducing stressors in your life is an obvious first step. Can you:

• Put less pressure on yourself?
• Ask for help?
• Say “no”?
• Delegate to someone else?
• Finally, make that decision?

No matter how hard you try, you won’t eliminate stress altogether. So, here are a few things you can try to help reduce its effect on you:

• Deep breathing
• Meditation
• Walk in nature
• Unplug (read a book, take a bath)
• Exercise (yoga, tai chi, etc.)
• Connect with loved ones

Conclusion

Stress is a huge and often underappreciated factor in our health. It can impact your physical body much more than you might realize.

Stress has been shown to increase the risk for heart disease and diabetes, affect your immune system, digestion and sleep.

There are things you can do to both reduce stressors and also to improve your response to it.

You can ditch that stress mess!

Recipe (relaxing chamomile): Chamomile Peach Iced Tea

Serves 1

1 cup steeped chamomile tea, cooled
1 peach, diced

Place both ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Add ice if desired.

Serve & enjoy!

Tip: You can use fresh or frozen peaches.

References:

https://nccih.nih.gov/health/stress

https://www.thepaleomom.com/stress-undermines-health/

http://www.precisionnutrition.com/good-stress-bad-stress

https://www.thepaleomom.com/managing-stress/