A Detox for Your Mind, Body and Soul

Happy (early) green drink Sunday! Yup – I’m already ahead of the week and almost through my weekend making that statement. Are you ready for a detox for your mind, body and soul? You don’t have to wait for Sunday.

I have a loose tradition of making green drinks every Sunday morning for the whole family. (I say loose because I don’t do it every week but I do it more often than I don’t). Sometimes I make smoothies, sometimes I juice.

I don’t do it with the intent of detoxing. I do it simply to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

If you’ve never known differently, I would imagine that the idea of a detox for your mind, body and soul sounds like a great idea!

It is. However, why would you ever need to detox? It is popular, so therefore it should be done?

I live in a great city that offers so many healthy options for restaurants and grocery shopping. Also, as a result there are several small businesses that advertise detox bowls, detox smoothies, detox juices, detox this and detox that, but have you ever just thought about why?

WHAT DOES DETOX MEAN?

Detox defined means: a process or period of time in which one abstains from or rids the body of toxic or unhealthy substances.

Detoxing also goes so far as to reference ” . . . a period of medical treatment, usually including counseling, during which a person is helped to overcome physical and psychological dependence on alcohol or drugs. . .”

So detoxing can be quite a process, it isn’t always just as simple as a Sunday green drink tradition.

Our bodies are always dealing with toxic substances, so are our minds. Even our spirit, our soul.

Toxins just permeate the air, our foods, the clothes we wear, the homes we live in and the beds we sleep in. Toxic information infiltrates our social media, our conversations and our thoughts.

You would think that we’d need to detox regularly!

Detox for your mind, body and soul — Photo by Truong Dat

Humans ingest about 5 grams of plastic per week. They drink an average of 9.5 alcoholic drinks per week. Over 80% of Americans eat fast food daily, and fast foods comes with a lot of toxic ingredients.

We also are exposed to toxins in perfumes, plastic bottles and containers, cleaning products, air fresheners, furniture, makeup, fabric softeners, non-stick cookware, bug sprays, canned foods, TV and game consoles . . . and guys, the list just keeps going!

TAKE CARE OF YOUR BODY AND IT TAKES CARE OF YOU

The good news is, we have awesome bodies designed to get rid of these awful things that hurt us, and they’re designed to do this naturally!

Our lungs, kidneys, liver, and large intestines are our bodies natural way of getting rid of toxins.

Here’s the kicker guys! If you live a balanced lifestyle that includes a good night of sleep, sunshine, fresh air, water, proper nutrition, exercise, meditation and moderation in all things . . .

Guess what?

. . . You’re helping your body do what it is meant to do on a regular basis on it’s own!

This is how you live a lifestyle of detoxification, or prevention from toxic build up. This is balance8life.

SO . . . IS DETOXING BAD THEN?

There are a lot of intense detox methods that can actually be harmful for our bodies.

Some things that are marketed as liver and kidney cleansers can actually strain the organs they are intended to help.

“If you’re thinking about a detox, think instead about the underlying problem,” Dr. Nancy Reau MD advises. “If you just want to be more healthy, good diet choices and exercise are best. And some symptoms, such as weight gain or fatigue, should be evaluated for causes that can be addressed.” ~ The Truth About Toxins.

Staying healthy is a very important part of a balanced lifestyle, and doing things that help our bodies stay healthy is essential. As I mentioned above, balancing all 8 methods of health is how you keep from ever needing to do some drastic detox to your body.

A detox for your mind, body and soul doesn’t have to be thought of as a yearly New Years resolution.

Your body can actually remain in a detoxed state of being when you take care of it properly.

A legitimately needed detox should be determined by a doctor and that is out of my expertise.

However, eating (or drinking) healthy foods that are labeled as a “detox” is safe and good for you.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DETOX AND DAILY HEALTH

I met a woman who was asking me for advice for her toddler who had a lot of trouble having consistent bowl movements.

As I began asking her what she was feeding him, it quickly became apparent to me that there was no fiber in his diet.

I suggested she add fruit to her sons diet. Her mouth dropped and she stared at me and said, “bad idea! fruit gives him diarrhea. He simply cannot handle fruit.”

Fruit became a detox for this child not because fruit is a detox, but because he was unhealthy. His body wasn’t used to a healthy, balanced diet that included things his little body needed to function at peak performance.

This is the same with adults who eat poorly, and then one day decide to have a green drink, or go through a juice cleanse. They may be in the bathroom more than usual.

This reaction is because the diet is imbalanced and the body is missing vital nutrients to function properly, and is reacting to the sudden change in nutrients.

This does not necessarily mean bad (or good) things are happening. This just means there is a lack of proper nutrition and the body has to go through a process of balancing out before it can regulate again.

If you take care of your body, there is no need to do a classic “detox” where you go to drastic measures to rid your body of toxins.

Instead, feed it healthy and treat it well. All the time.

DETOX SIDE EFFECTS

The side effects of detoxing are headaches, cravings, digestive problems, fatigue, nausea, etc.

Detoxing is a big deal to a lot of people, and for a lot of people it truly is very important.

Let me just remind you once more:

You don’t have to regularly detox your mind, body and soul if you live a healthy lifestyle and eat a healthy, balanced diet.

Instead of a yearly green juice cleanse, incorporate something like I have done, a green drink Sunday. Do this regularly as part of a healthy diet and your body will thank you.

You won't have side effects 

if you're already maintaining a balanced,

healthy lifestyle.

ACCIDENTAL MIND DETOX

Monday morning I went to make an Instagram post and realized I had started to make a Green Drink Sunday post and literally forgot, midway through.

I set my phone down and didn’t even look at it for hours! It was great!

a detox for Your Mind body and soul — Photo by Zoo Monkey

Green juice detox is a fantastic way to turbo boost your body with an assortment of essential vitamins and minerals. But have you thought about putting any time into detoxing your mind?

Our bodies are naturally made to detox on their own when we take care of them properly, but our minds are a whole different ballgame.

We can’t just eat right for our minds to function properly. We also have to make sure we’re feeding our mind with good information.

For the average person, phones have become permanent extensions of our bodies.

Phones hold all our private information, the good, the bad, the ugly. And without them, most people have serious separation anxiety.

A mind detox has side effects, too.

If I try to set my phone down for an hour during the week when the kids are gone at school, or my boyfriend is at work, I struggle.

At first, my mind goes into a scramble mode of not being able to focus on any one particular thing – almost as if it’s got a peculiar case of personal ADD.

We’re all so used to instant information, we don’t know how to slow our minds down.

I have children who struggle with ADD and when I started learning about how to help them deal with ADD naturally, I found that anything electronic (TV, gaming, computers, phones, etc.) should never be a part of their day. Period.

Well that is a complicated situation in todays society. No electronics equals being left behind.

So how do we detox our minds, set our anxiety at ease and truly allow our minds to slow down and detox from the constant need to always have instant information?

LET YOUR MIND BREATHE

Detoxing your mind from the constant information overload take conscious effort (sometimes).

Sometimes it’s almost like telling yourself to breathe, intentionally. You have to remind yourself that people survived without a permanent metal attachment decades. You can still survive without it today.

When the quiet sets, and I allow myself to be okay with the disconnect, my imagination kicks in and that’s when art happens.

That is also when my mind is given time to process my self. A lot of introspection and self evaluation time kicks in and things get a little better; clarity brings new perspectives to life.

A detox for your mind, body and soul includes introspective evaluation.

Evaluating your self is not selfish. Or – it shouldn’t be. It’s a time to think about all of the things you’re giving to others. Or all of the things you should be giving to others.

We all give off vibes that communicate many things to those around us.

How are you silently communicating to those around you? Have you ever thought about it? It can simply be a look. Body language. The lack of, or the presence of, a smile.

If you’re constantly on social media, checking emails or taking in other info that is flooding into your mind at 100mph, your personal evaluation time gets toxic and effects your vibes, your attitude, and effects how you treat those around you.

We give gifts of kindness as well as uncaring, impatient gifts when we don’t care for anybody but our own self.

This happens when our internal evaluations become toxic and self centered vs. self evaluative and introspective in a way that looks to bless others.

Become aware of who you are and what you communicate to everybody in your vibe frequency.

Take some time to detox your mind and your body this week. Set a goal to lower your screen time. Hand write something and memorize it; a saying, a prayer, a Bible verse, a mantra . . . anything positive and up lifting. Something to remind yourself that you are amazing and there’s no reason not to share your amazing self to someone who needs a smile.

WAYS YOU CAN DETOX YOUR BODY

Green drinks, as I mentioned, are an amazing way to give your body an immune boost, as well as help to rid your body of other toxic waste that might be hanging out.

Juicing is my favorite way to feel vitamin and mineral charged on a Sunday morning. If you do not have a juicer, green smoothies work, too.

Juicing is also a way to energize and minimize fatigue naturally.

There are an abundant amount of vitamins and minerals that are hidden within dark, leafy green vegetables.

When you make a juice or drink with these foods, you’re getting chlorophyll, which helps control inflammation, increases red blood cells, and more.

You’re also getting vitamins A, C, E, K, antioxidants, and calcium. Plus, your heart, will thank you.

One drawback is you are taking out all of the fiber (if your juicing). So be sure that you’re also eating your veggies, too.

Other ways to detox your body is exercising as well as drinking plenty of water, getting plenty of rest, getting out in the sun, fresh air, and staying on top of a healthy diet for continued, balanced nutrition.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT. LITERALLY.

Believe it or not, our brains need proper foods to work at peak performance, too.

A detox for your mind, body and soul is only effective if you eat to live, not to live to eat.

When you eat to live, your focus is on eating the foods that keep your bodily functions working at peak performance.

When you eat to live it also keeps your mind, your emotions, and your self-control in check. As a result, you can better control bad emotional eating habits and avoid late night cravings.

“Food as medicine should become a mantra of living.” Detox Your Brain by Center for Healing Neurology

Here’s a couple (non-scientific) basic examples.

Take someone you know that has been out partying all night long, most likely made bad food choices and had little to no sleep. In the morning, how likely are they to be bright eyed and bushy tailed? Are they going to be kind? Happy? Patient?

Not likely.

Let’s create another scenario. Your aunt, who’s had a full night of sleep, woke up and went running. She had a great breakfast before 9am. She will probably be full of energy, have a big smile on her face, and be a lot more patient.

The point is, what we put into our bodies and how we treat them also makes a huge impact on our brains. In turn, this effects how we act.

KEEP TOXIC INFO OUT FOR THE ULTIMATE MIND DETOX

I know that you know that we all know, that this is a thing. The social media onslaught of toxic information.

A detox for your mind, body and soul means giving the mind just as much attention as our body and spirit.

Did you know that there is such a thing as internet addiction disorder? And a legit gaming disorder?

“Problematic social media use, also known as social media addiction or social media overuse, is a proposed form of psychological or behavioral dependence on social media platforms, also known as Internet addiction disorder, and other forms of digital media overuse.”

“Video game addiction, also known as gaming disorder or internet gaming disorder, . . . results in significant impairment to an individual’s ability to function in various life domains over a prolonged period of time.

“Such disorders can be diagnosed when an individual engages in gaming activities at the cost of fulfilling daily responsibilities or pursuing other interests without regard for the negative consequences.” – Internet Addiction Disorder

Not only are there actual acronyms for legitimate social media, internet and gaming disorders, but now we have a problem that we didn’t have before the mid 2000’s.

The (easy?) solution is to put down the phone, computer, gaming consul, iPad, iPod, (wow, there’s a lot of devices).

It just isn’t easy. Let’s be real. It ain’t easy.

I get anxiety when I put my phone down sometimes. I have asked myself why several times. My first thought is, someone special to me might need help and I may not be able to get to them in time and I’ll feel so guilty . . .

Funny thing is, I survived in the 80’s and 90’s and early 2000’s without a phone.

Experiment and test yourself. Give yourself a timer and turn your phone off for a set amount of time. Allow your mind to imagine and think without social media and the constant scrolling feeding your brain junk.

By setting your phone down for 1-2 days a week, it can result in a lower, total weekly screen time.

I choose to set my phone down on Saturdays and Sundays. Those are my creative days and I do much better not having my phone on me.

Try it.

Can you survive without it for a few hours in your day or a couple days a week? Let me know in the comments below, how you are managing the world of social media and internet addiction.

A DETOX FOR YOUR SOUL

The soul. Last but definitely not least.

A detox for your mind, body and soul cannot be complete without giving the soul equal attention.

Give your spirit a rest by getting away from it all and take some quiet time out in nature.

This is not just taking a break from social media and other media sources. This includes other people, and all other artificial stimuli.

Get out in nature and breathe.

Meditate on the goodness in your life, the things you’re thankful for, the people you are thankful for, and the life that you have.

I’m not talking about focusing on the things you hate about your life. I mean simply focusing on the fact that you have life!

There are a lot more things to be grateful and thankful for in our lives than we give credit to.

Somehow, the negative things always seem to sneak up into the center of our focus points and we forget that our focus has the ability to go in other directions.

Train your mind to focus elsewhere.

Give your spirit and your soul a detox by remembering to be grateful.

LETS CONNECT

So, now that we’re done talking about detoxing from social media, please follow me on my social media pages! Hahaha

I am on Facebook, Instagram, E-mail, Twitter, Pinterest and balance8life.

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September 16, 2020October 14, 2020

6 Ways to Stay Healthy Naturally

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There are several ways we can stay healthy naturally, and do our best to keep sickness from entering our homes and bodies. Waiting until you think you might be getting sick is not the time to figure out how to keep from getting sick though.

6 in 10 adults in the US have chronic disease. 4 in 10 adults have 2 or more chronic illnesses.

Heart disease, cancer, lung disease, diabetes, kidney disease, stroke and Alzheimer’s disease, are some of the top diseases that are the most common.

The biggest cause of these diseases are lifestyle. Lifestyles that regularly use tobacco, excessive alcohol, poor nutrition and are sedentary, are the lifestyles that can cause the above mentioned diseases.

Lifestyle choices effect our health for good and for bad. To try to avoid getting the common cold, the flu, or even more life threatening diseases it is good to follow a healthy lifestyle of wellness.

This is not to say you will never get sick, but the healthier you live your life, the less likely you will be to catch something, or for it to hang around long, if you do!

“Older adults and people who have severe underlying medical conditions like heart or lung disease or diabetes seem to be at higher risk for developing more serious complications from COVID-19 illness.” Center for Disease and Control and Prevention.

If we take care of our bodies and keep them in great shape, we are living a lifestyle of health, strength and wellness.

HEALTH BEGINS FROM CHILDHOOD

Mental, physical and spiritual health all starts when we’re kids. How we are raised shapes our future.

When we take control of our own health as adults, or even as teens, we can alter our health destiny by changing how we live our lives, and the lifestyle choices that we make.

One of the top lifestyle choices that can alter our wellness and health is our nutrition.

SET YOUR CHILDREN UP FOR SUCCESS

If you have kids, what are you doing to set your own children up for success with a healthy lifestyle?

Are they eating fruits and vegetables or mostly sweet, fast or fried foods? What are they drinking? Have you been able to get them on an eating schedule loaded with a rainbow of colorful fresh foods?

As a server, I have personally witnessed parents sitting down to eat with their children. I’ve seen these parents order junk for their kids, while they sit there and have a salad.

Children can eat salad, too. If their taste buds are used to good, wholesome food from the very beginning, they will love healthy foods.

I’ve got 5 of my own children, and from the first time they ate food until they were in their pre-teens, they never tasted a soda, any kind of meat, any sort of pastry or pre-packaged food. I made everything from scratch, whole grain and vegan, and that is what they ate, and still prefer. (Mostly).

What is the future of your children? As an adult, what habits will they have developed from childhood?

BREAK THE CYCLE

Parents raise their children the way their parents raise them. It is a cycle that goes on for generations and it can be a set up for success or failure, depending on the habits taught and developed from childhood.

I am extremely blessed. I was raised a vegan and I am 40 now and have never once had meat.

I’m very grateful for how my parents raised me. And I remember as a kid, them catching a lot of flak for it, too. It wasn’t easy! Especially in the 80’s. I had juice on my granola because soy milk wasn’t readily available.

I feel lucky though, because I never had to give up anything on my plate or change my diet to lose weight or combat years of health problems.

My mom set me up for success, and because of her and how I was raised, I have never had to deal with excessive weight or health problems.

This is what we do for our children when we set them up with healthy habits starting at babyhood.

As adults, if we were not raised with good habits, and want to be healthy, we have to change our lifestyle habits and it will not be easy.

I know that not everybody knows what to do or where to start to make lifestyle changes. And that is why I am here. I want to be there for you as you start your healthy lifestyle journey!

(See below for beginners guides on how to start your healthy adventure!)

1. STAY HEALTHY NATURALLY WITH WATER

Water cleans us out on the inside. If you leave the inside “unwashed”, the likelihood of getting sick is higher. For best results, drink at least 8-12 glasses of water a day. Not fluids. There is a difference. This needs to be actual water.

Let me just give you a quick example of a few health problems that can be turned around with just 96oz of water in your day: Kidney stones, fatigue, lack of energy, bad breath, poor sleep, urinary tract infection, dry splotchy skin, lackluster hair, sore muscles, muscle cramps, elongated sickness, digestive problems, weight gain, and so many more pain in the butt problems, can be kept at bay simply by drinking plenty of water.

If you think drinking 96oz of water a day is impossible, I’ve got a few tricks for you right here! How to Drink 96oz of Water a Day. And if you don’t like water and can’t stand the taste, here’s a little help with that, too. Five Ways to Yummy-Up Your Water.

I am not a doctor, and of course, as always, if you’re not sure, it never hurts to ask your doctor what he/she advises for your daily water recommendations.

2. STAY HEALTHY NATURALLY WITH HERBS

“Herbs such as milk thistle, bilberry, hawthorn, evening primrose oil, garlic, Siberian ginseng and ginkgo are some of the most powerful food grade items medicine has ever seen. These herbs and others are entirely safe and very effective.” Dr. Agatha Thrash M.D. Preventive Medicine.

For more details on why these herbs are so good and how to use them read her article Designer Foods, Herbs & Disease Prevention

When I was in high school, I lived in a dorm, and for some reason this one particular year, I remember getting sick. A lot. Unusually often. One thing that the dean always made for us girls when we got sick was the shot of death. I hated it, but now, I use it for my kids.

It is a combo of grapefruit juice, fresh cloves of garlic, cayenne pepper, lemon juice, honey, and ginger. You blend this up into a shot, and literally shoot it. It burns, but it will take away a sore throat fast.

I grew up on herbs, they do actually work, and a lot of times, in my past experience, are a lot less invasive than going to a doctor and work even better.

It is important to be well educated when using herbs. I suggest doing a lot more reading on the use of herbs if it is something you want to use more of.

3. STAY HEALTHY NATURALLY WITH NUTRITION

One of the best ways to stay healthy is to eat a lot of fresh foods. Not just when you’re feeling yucky, and not just here and there. This needs to be a daily habit.

The saying prevention is better than cure is one I take seriously. And nutrition is the best way to put that saying into action.

Green, leafy veggies are on the top of my list, which is why I have “Green Drink Sunday” almost every Sunday! Habits like this make green things easy, fun and tasty. Even when my kids have friends over, they all get green smoothies or juice. It’s just how we roll!

Stay away from sugary foods like pastries, candy, ice cream, sodas, sweet tea, etc. (This doesn’t include fruit).

Sugar kills white blood cells which are our disease fighters. Increase fresh foods like citrus fruits, red and green bell peppers, kale, broccoli, kiwi, pineapple, spinach, etc. because they are high in vitamin C and they also help to increase production of white blood cells.

5. STAY HEALTHY NATURALLY WITH SLEEP

Proper sleep is essential to keeping your immune system strong and healthy. As soon as you start having late nights, disrupted sleep schedules, and then over sleeping, you’re creating the perfect playground for viruses to grow.

Getting too much sleep and not enough sleep are equally bad for your body. An adult should get at least 7-9 hours of rest per night.

For more on how to get better sleep, read 8 Steps to Improve Your Quality of Sleep. And, 7 Things That Ruin Your Sleep.

6. STAY HEALTHY NATURALLY WITH WEIGHT CONTROL

I realize this is no quick or easy fix, but it has to be done for healths sake.

Weight control goes hand in hand with exercise, nutrition, and wellness. People that are overweight are more likely to have heart disease, strokes, diabetes, cancer, and depression. These are some of the very same diseases I listed in the beginning of this article.

Excessive weight causes so many problems. Aside from disease, it is hard on your joints, your mental health, and your ability to enjoy life.

I have written articles specifically to help you begin your weight loss journey. They show you how to lose and maintain weight naturally and healthfully. Here are a couple articles for starters: Lose and Maintain Healthy Weight with Carbs and How to Maintain Healthy Weight After Dieting.

Sometimes weight loss is just something you need a little extra help with, alongside your nutrition and exercise program. I highly recommend the PhysIQ System, in combination with the Nrf2. I am a vegan so I myself won’t use the whey protein in the PhysIQ System package, but you can purchase the Fat Burn and Prebiotic separately and replace the protein with the Nrf2 for a complete package!

7. STAY HEALTHY NATURALLY WITH EXERCISE

Getting exercise has to happen. Exercise keeps us younger longer, keeps our weight in check and presents aches and pain. It can also help keeps us healthy from disease, depression, and many other things that nobody should ever have to deal with.

“As exercise is increased, degenerative diseases of all kinds are decreased, life span is extended, various minor infections such as colds are reduced . . .” Agatha M. Thrash, M.D. Preventive Medicine

When you exercise, you’re breathing deeper and this helps to flush out your lungs and helps make you more resistant to respiratory infections. Do this outside and it is a win-win!

Exercise also increases white blood cells. Remember earlier how I said white blood cells are our disease fighters?

Exercise balances out our hormones. Including stress hormones. Stress makes us more susceptible to disease. So exercising brings us to a better, balanced state.

Below are some resources for beginners on how to change your lifestyle to one of wellness and health.

Beginners Guide to Healthy Living

Beginners Guide to Weight Lifting and Gym Life

What is a Vegan

7 Things That Ruin Your Sleep

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There are a lot of things that ruin your sleep. The older we get, the more difficult it is to sleep, but have you ever wondered why? I am sure you wonder every day, unless you’re a rare one that actually sleeps like a baby still.

Sleep is so underrated until you can’t sleep. Then it becomes one of the most valuable things in your life!

How come some people sleep like babies and others just cannot seem to fall asleep, stay asleep, or wake up when it’s time to get up, and actually feel rested?

WHAT DOES THE DOCTOR SAY?

Doctor Agatha M. Thrash, M.D. Preventive Medicine and founder of Uchee Pines health educational and wellness facility, said that, “Seven to eight times more women than men suffer from insomnia. Six hundred tons of sleeping pills are taken by Americans yearly.”

She also says that, “sleep before midnight is twice as beneficial as sleep after midnight, because growth hormone (useful in adults for repair and healing, cheerfulness and a strong mind) is produced mainly during the hours before midnight, and only when one is sleeping.”

She goes on to say that, “REM sleep is important for learning, memory, and adaptation. Irritability, anxiety, and mental disturbance follow REM deprivation.”

She further stated that, “sleep loss is associated with retention of nitrogen, sodium, and water; more protein is required to compensate for excessive losses which occur on the second day of sleep deprivation.”

So obviously, lack of sleep is bad but, we kind of know that. At least some of us do. If nothing else, we know it makes us grumpy. And nobody likes grumpy people.

You may not appreciate what I’m about to say, but take it or leave it. If you’re missing out on good ol’ Mr. Z’s, you might at least consider eliminating one (or two) or at best, seven, of these sleep robbers. You might actually begin sleeping better and sounder again!

ELECTRONICS RUIN YOUR SLEEP

I will be the first to tell you that the TV sometimes sends me to dreamland. But I don’t fall asleep to a TV on purpose.

Truth is, it is not actually the TV that puts you to sleep, but the relaxation, the zoning out, and the fact that you were previously tired before you started watching TV. And it is true, if I am not tired I don’t generally fall asleep watching TV.

Electronics emit a blue light that triggers your brain to stop making melatonin. The blue light exposure can delay the onset of REM sleep and lead to morning drowsiness.

I have five kids and I’ve got one that is particularly addicted to her phone. Not only her phone, but she has to have the TV on while she’s on her phone. And out of all five of my children, she is the one that struggles the most with a good night’s rest. Hmmm . . .

Alternatives to TV at night? Well, get the old board game out, a puzzle, a coloring book, some music and candles, and hang out with the family old fashion style. Read a paper book. Read a magazine. Work on a project or an art form. Do something that is not TV related.

A SEDENTARY LIFESTYLE RUINS YOUR SLEEP

When kids play hard outside, moms always say, “at least they’ll sleep good tonight!” But did you know this goes for grown ups, too?

Folks, find a way to break a sweat. Every. Day. Exercise and wear yourselves out. Get out in the dirt, the snow, the water, the gym. Somewhere away from the chair, the couch or the bed.

A study was done on young adult “weekend athletes” who played tennis or golf two or three times a week, and was published in Sports Medicine. They found that these “athletes” physical condition was only slightly better than completely sedentary individuals.

A little bit of exercise doesn't cut it.

It’s important to make vigorous exercise a daily habit. For ultimate health and great sleep, spend two hours a day exercising. One hour outside, another hour inside, either weight training or something equally active that forces you to use your muscles. For example, cleaning the garage, or something where you’re lifting pulling and pushing. If done right house cleaning can be this. I break a sweat sometimes when I’m cleaning.

Going to the gym is a thing, I go every morning (except on the weekend; that I leave for outdoor activities). But, studies have shown that exercising outside, particularly when the sun is shining, results in greater and steadier muscle growth. Plus, the benefits of fresh air work in your favor for a better night’s rest.

YOUR SHOES RUIN YOUR SLEEP

“Emerging scientific research has revealed a surprisingly positive and overlooked environmental factor on health: direct physical contact with the vast supply of electrons on the surface of the Earth.”

“Earthing (or grounding) refers to the discovery of benefits—including better sleep and reduced pain—from walking barefoot outside or sitting, working, or sleeping indoors connected to conductive systems that transfer the Earth’s electrons from the ground into the body.”

“Omnipresent throughout the environment is a surprisingly beneficial, yet overlooked global resource for health maintenance, disease prevention, and clinical therapy: the surface of the Earth itself.” G. Chevalier, S. T. Sinatra, and J. L. Oschman

Get outside and play in the dirt! 🙂

YOUR DRINK RUINS YOUR SLEEP

In 8 Steps to Improve Your Quality of Sleep I mention this, but I’m going to say it again . . . Coffee and alcohol . . . These two things can really mess with your night.

It takes 4-6 hours for the body to metabolize caffeine, which is a stimulant that can disturb a good nights rest. Just 1 cup of coffee (even early in the day) can still effect quality sleep.

If you’ve decided to quit drinking caffeine altogether, it can take 2 weeks and up to 2 months of being off of caffeine, before the detox process is complete. During this phase, you may find it very difficult to rest, even though you’re not consuming caffeine at all.

Initially, a glass of wine helps a lot of people fall into blissful dreams. But did you know that, even though you fall asleep quicker and sleep sounder right away, it actually reduces rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. And the more you drink before bed, the more pronounced these effects. REM sleep happens about 90 minutes after we fall asleep. REM sleep is when you dream. It is also the part of your rest that strengthens your immune system. Deep sleep is “for your body” and REM sleep is “for your brain”.

Because alcohol messes up the natural sleep patterns in our bodies, the quality of shuteye is compromised.

AGING CAN RUIN YOUR SLEEP

As people age, they often develop more medical problems, if they don’t take care of themselves. Snoring and other sleep related breathing disorders tend to be more prevalent. Also, insomnia increases as you age, which again, is mostly because of health problems.

The underlying problem -with most problems- is your health.

But, health (most of the time) can be turned around. (Here’s your beginner’s guide to healthy living if you don’t know where to start!) You can add years to your life, literally, and you can also change how you feel.

Exercising is the most important healthy habit you should develop, in order to live longer, sleep better and feel better!

Aging doesn’t have to change your ability to exercise. If you exercise in your teens, twenties and on into your thirties and forties when it really counts, you’re going to be less susceptible to disease and other health issues, as well as insomnia.

PREVENT AGING AND INSOMNIA

Prevent the onset of aging by learning how to balance8life. Your mindset is going to be your power. Don’t give into the need to follow the masses and blame everything on age. Take your health by the b**ls. There are a lot of people that feel great at 30-90 who take care of themselves.

Take care of yourself!  No excuses!

Wikipedia says that: The causes of aging are uncertain; current theories are assigned to the damage concept, whereby the accumulation of damage (such as DNA oxidation) may cause biological systems to fail, or to the programmed aging concept, whereby internal processes (such as DNA methylation) may cause aging.

Wikipedia isn’t the only place you can find this information. Scientists have actually put a lot of thought and time into the study of aging.

“Some of the most studied and best understood theories of aging involve what is happening on a cellular level. From exposure to damaging oxidants and free radicals, the “Free Radical Theory of Aging,” to declines in certain cellular systems like energy production, the “Mitochondrial Theory of Aging,” to another theory that is . . . , the “Sirtuin Theory of Aging.'” ~ Greg Fox.

7 months ago I started taking Nrf2, a natural supplement that is clinically proven to reduce oxidative stress. It is essentially an anti-aging supplement that works at the cellular level. I feel it. I am only 40, but I feel the difference! (Putting “only” in front of 40 really feels wrong, just being honest). Not only is Nrf2 “anti-aging”, but after taking it for 3 months, I started sleeping through the night for the first time after my frozen shoulders, for 4 long years.

YOUR NAP IS RUINING YOUR SLEEP

Afternoon naps are a glory hallelujah type of thing – in the moment. But then you wake up groggy, irritable or . . . you might feel great. However it is that you wake up, it wakes you up too much.

Naps ruin your night because they prevent you from being tired at bedtime.
As a result, your good night sleep has just been sabotaged.

Skip out on the nap. Get up, move around, go outside, make some Axio, do something to wake up.

Regular Axio only has 100mg of natural caffeine in it. There are also decaf options. Axio also has the ingredients of the Nrf2, and it’s a brain wake up as well as an energizer.

IRREGULARITY RUINS YOUR SLEEP

If you struggle with sleep, and sleeping all night long, it’s time to get on a regular routine.

You’ve got to have a bed time and a get up time. And this has to happen on the daily.

I know – I don’t even do this that strictly. But I am pretty regular on my bed time being an approximate time every day. My morning alarm is more difficult to get up to though, when I change it, and I always feel it. But generally speaking, if you sleep at a regular time and get up at a regular time, not only does your body know what to expect, but it is easier to be tired at bedtime and awake when it’s time to be up.

regularity is everything when it comes to sleep.

“Week-long irregular sleep schedules are significantly associated with lower self-reported morning and evening happiness, healthiness, and calmness during the week,” Akane Sano, PhD

IN CONCLUSION

Our bodies thrive when we take care of ourselves. For more on how to take care of your body, go to “blog” and discover everything you need to know about how to start your health journey. I show you how balance8life works on a daily basis. I teach you what balance8life is, and how to live a balance of these 8 methods to have a healthy, balanced life! (That’s a lot of balancing, but I think you get the idea!)

If you have any questions, I would be glad to answer to the best of my ability! And if I don’t have the answer, I’ll either find the answer or someone else that can give you an answer. So please don’t hesitate to ask! I am on Facebook, Instagram, E-mail, Twitter, Pinterest and balance8life.

August 12, 2020October 14, 2020

Fat Burning Techniques

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclaimer for more info.

Fat burning techniques go deeper than dieting or cardio. Fat burning comes from a balanced lifestyle; it is essentially a lifestyle that should be lived daily, even when you’re not trying to burn fat.

A healthy, balanced lifestyle sets you up for an amazing future of health for your mind, body and soul as well as emotions.

When one part of our health gets off kilter, the rest will spin out. Eventually we’ll have to start over. But that’s okay, starting over is better than abandoning ship completely.

Losing weight can often feel like an uphill battle. I have many friends that have struggled with weight for years and come to me for help.

The number one thing that I have witnessed as a downfall to success, has always been the lack of true commitment.

The decision has 
to be made.

Once you make the decision to lose weight and commit to it, that’s when things happen. Until then, talking and wishing and doing temporary diets and partial exercise programs for a week, (yes I say a week because I’ve witnessed this over and over) nothing will change. Weight comes off 5-10 pounds in, then the commitment somehow goes away and the pounds come piling back on. I have had many texts and phone calls from friends, crying about the fact that the weight went back on and ask what to do to fix it.

Nobody can help you if you do not help yourself first.

Making the commitment and a solid decision, is the number one and most important thing to tap into, for true fat burning results.

FAT BURNING WITH WATER

Over half of our bodies are made up of water. To stay hydrated, we need to drink 8-12 eight ounce glasses of water per day.

If you grab a bottle of water instead of tea, coffee, juice, coke, etc., you’re saving yourself (about) 2.6 tablespoons (39 grams) of sugar per can. 8 cans of coke = 1 cup of sugar. This is double the amount of sugar in 1 slice of angel food cake. This in turn is a lot of calories and “fat” that drinking water will completely eliminate from your daily diet.

For a little more in depth on why sugar makes you fat, there’s a good article written by Dr. Jason Fung, a Canadian nephrologist. He’s a world-leading expert on intermittent fasting and low carb, especially for treating people with type 2 diabetes. He has written three best-selling health books and he co-founded the Intensive Dietary Management program. Check out his article about sugar here.

FAT BURNING WITH NUTRITION

I talk a lot about how amazing the vegan diet is. The number one reason I recommend the vegan diet is because it is a balanced diet that does several things all at once. If done right, it can help you maintain healthy weight, while keeping your heart healthy, giving you energy, making you feel less tired, foggy and groggy, as well as the obvious; you’re saving animals. There are many reasons why a vegan diet is the bomb diggity.

You can maintain healthy weight a lot easier on a vegan diet, plus, it is a “diet” that you can continue to maintain after your “dieting” process is over. Since this diet is not a temporary fix, it is a permanent, healthy, lifestyle that can be maintained form birth to old age.

FAT BURNING WITH EXERCISE

Just 30-60 minutes of exercise a day can take off roughly about 8-10 pounds in a 3 month time frame. The more you sweat, the more rigorous your exercise, and the longer you do your cardio, will determine how much weight
comes off and how quickly.

When exercising to lose weight, the best thing to remember is that muscle weighs more than fat. So, if you are weight training while losing weight, you may not lose as quickly, simply because you are gaining muscle while losing fat.

FAT BURNING WITH SUNSHINE

There are new studies that show that sunlight may actually burn fat. It was accidentally discovered and is still being studied. It’s speculated that this could partly be a reason why we pile on extra weight in the winter months when there is less sun exposure.

Sweating on the other hand, is not a calorie burner. Sitting in the sunlight sweating away is only dehydrating you. Once you drink water after sweating, you rehydrate, your weight is right back to where you started. So don’t confuse sweating in the sun with calorie burning.

Sunlight also tends to suppress our appetites making us less likely to eat as much.

And then there’s always the vitamin D factor we get form being in the sun, which is a plus, so don’t skip out on your time in the sun!

FAT BURNING WITH REST

Sleep before midnight is twice as beneficial as sleep after midnight, as growth hormone (useful in adults for repair and healing, cheerfulness and a strong mind) is produced mainly during the hours before midnight, and only when one is sleeping. . . It is better to sleep between 6 and 9 hours daily, as persons who sleep less than 6 or more than 9 hours tend to live shorter lives than those sleeping 7-8 hours. Weight gain increases sleep needs. Weight loss decreases sleep needs.

With good sleep comes good energy and positive thinking which is a fantastic for an energetic exercise routine. When I wasn’t sleeping well, I really struggled to get the energy up to work out regularly. I did it, but it was so painful. It was 75% pure will power. Even then, I felt like my workouts were lacking. It was one of those, “any workout is better than no workout” days, but 3 times a week!

When I started taking Nrf2 my afternoon fatigue vanished and 3 months in, I was sleeping through the night every night! My workouts, my recovery, and my energy has just been through the roof, which has resulted in gains I haven’t seen in years.

I highly recommend this nutritional supplement if you’re having trouble sleeping! It’s anti-aging, gluten-free, natural, and vegan!

FAT BURNING WITH MEDITATION

Often times we don’t really give downtime the credit it deserves. Whether you meditate on a higher power or on the sound of your own voice, or repeat a weird mantra, it is important to find time to be grateful. When you stop to be grateful for your life, the people in it, and love yourself, it helps put your mind in a positive place. Positive thinking removes the need for emotional feeding, and makes it easier for you to say no.

For more on meditation for beginners, click here!

FAT BURNING WITH FRESH AIR

Fresh air technically doesn’t burn fat. If you were to go outside and breathe in some fresh air, you can’t expect to drop 10 pounds. But, getting outside to work in the yard, walk, meditate, sunbathe, and play with the dog or the kids, is something that takes your mind away from eating for no reason. And a lot of weight is gained simply from eating out of boredom.

FAT BURNING WITH MODERATION

Be mindful of the amounts you eat, and how often you eat.

Fasting – or not snacking – between your meals is a huge weight loss trick that is so simple it’s hard to believe. 5-6 hours should go between your meals with nothing in between but water! Not even a single cracker or grape.

Eating backwards does amazing things for weight loss! Switch your meals around. If you want to eat 3 meals, have your typical dinner for your breakfast, and your breakfast for dinner. Most Americans tend to eat their heaviest and highest calorie meal at night. It should never be this way.

FAT BURNING WITH TWO MEALS A DAY

Vegan powerlifting champion, Jim Gurtner, says that eating or skipping dinner determined his weight gain and/or loss, depending on what competition he was going to be in and what his goals were.

For me, when I want to lose my extra little tummy quick or shed a few pounds fast, I always skip dinner. My last meal will be around 3 or 4pm and that’ll be it. This isn’t bad for your body and it doesn’t slow your metabolism. Fasting and giving your digestive system a break actually helps you lose weight and also increases your chances of having better health.

GET RID OF EXCUSES

Nothing kills goals, puts on weight, prolongs bad habits and keeps you from moving forward more than excuses.

Identify them. Get rid of them.

FAT BURN AND NEVER DIETING

Dieting is temporary and once your diet has run it’s course of 4-6 weeks (give or take) your bad habits step in to take the lead again. Dieting is a ticket for a rollercoaster ride of weight loss and gain and loss and gain. If you’re wanting to ride a rollercoaster, you’d do better going to 6-Flags.

For more on weight loss, read Principles of Weight Control here.

I would love to answer any questions you may have or hear about your weight loss journey! Please stop by and follow me on my social media so we can be friends! I am on Facebook, Instagram, E-mail, Twitter, Pinterest and balance8life, so wherever you like to hang out best, you can find me!

December 4, 2019October 14, 2020

How to Relax For Better Health

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclaimer for more info.

It doesn’t seem like it should be so complicated just to figure out how to relax.

If you’re trying to figure out how to relax to better your health, you first need to figure out what it is that you need, to rest and relax. And even more, is it really necessary to relax and rest?

Short answer? For a healthy lifestyle it is absolutely necessary to sleep, to take a break, and to relax. For some, it takes deliberate planning just like it does to deliberately put a doctor appointment in your calendar. It isn’t always easy to get proper rest, whether that is actual sleep, or relaxation in some other way.

It is important for us to discover in which ways our bodies need rest in order to actively enable true healing rest and relaxation.

In our society today, we feel or think that if we sleep too much, we’re wasting away precious time; time is money. And if we take a day off from the gym, we’re losing muscle. If we take a day off of work we look lazy, and if we skip church, we appear to be struggling spiritually. If you set your phone down, you might miss a streak on snapchat. And what if you don’t eat a single morsel of food for 5 whole hours? Ohhh nooo! Your body is going to go into starvation mode.

These days, with all the “to-do” lists and notifications on our phones, the pressure and the demands coming at us are like a million things a second! It’s a no wonder that anxiety, (along with depression), is one of the most common mental health disorders in the world. It’s crazy out there guys!

For balanced health, our bodies need more than just a few hours of sleep here and there. We need total muscle relaxation and mental clarity.

Not to overcomplicated matters, but our bodies need more than just sleep, more than a day off from the gym, and more than a vacation.

Here are 5 ways our bodies need rest for balanced health:

Deep muscle relaxation
Rest for the nervous system
Fasting for the digestive system
Spiritual and mental rest
Sleep

DEEP MUSCLE RELAXATION

In the 1920’s, Dr. Edmund Jacobson, Director of the laboratory for Clinical Physiology at the University of Chicago, found that patients who came to him didn’t know how to relax. Their muscles were more tense than was necessary for what they were doing, like sitting with clenched fists without knowing it, or digging fingernails into the skin; so he started what is now known today as progressive relaxation therapy.

Progressive muscle relaxation is a non-pharmacological method of deep muscle relaxation, based on the premise that muscle tension is the body’s psychological response to anxiety-provoking thoughts and that muscle relaxation blocks anxiety. More here: Wikipedia

Benefits from progressive muscle relaxation therapy:

A decrease of anxiety
Decrease of anxiety related to phobias
Reduction in panic attacks
Improved concentration
An increased sense of control over moods
Increased self-esteem
Increased spontaneity and creativity

REST FROM EXERCISE

It’s not just your muscles that need a rest day from the gym. It is also the energy systems that fuel your muscles that needs a break.

The nervous system which fuels training, needs a rest day as well. Even if it’s arm day on Monday and not arm day again until next Monday, (giving your arms more than enough “rest”) your nervous system is constantly working to train all muscle groups, therefore needing that total day or two off.

I am one of those that “never” skips the gym. Sometimes though, I miss a day for no good reason, or – it feels like it’s no good reason. I actually missed two days in a row a week ago, and then felt like a horrible person for not going. But I was so tired. And I didn’t even go to bed that late!

When I did finally go back to the gym, I was amazed at how good my workout was. I felt stronger, upped my lifting weight by a significant amount on several of my sets! And I was so excited!

I posted about this on instagram and someone (hey Phil!) commented: “The fact that the first day back after some rest is so good, should tell us something!”

When we talked later on about it, he said, “. . . I hate not working out, but rest and recovery are super beneficial!” I am sure Phil and I aren’t the only ones who don’t like skipping a gym day. But knowing that a day off is beneficial and actually taking a day off, are two separate things for those of us who cannot miss gym time.

“It is no different in life. We are a society that thinks to succeed you have to work all the time. That’s not living . . . ” ~ Phil Del Rocco

Time off from the gym is a balancing act. A couple purposeful days off (or even a couple accidental days off) are completely fine and even beneficial. But more than that can be detrimental to our psyche. So just be mindful and aware of your body and actually give yourself permission for a short break.

FAST FROM FOOD

I missed lunch one day and I ended up eating later than usual. The next day something similar happened. I don’t usually eat dinner, it makes me feel sluggish the next day, and just overall, “fat”. It puts more “weight” on my tummy and I am not down with that. So I had to force myself out of that bad habit – which happened so fast! Ugh – after about a week ’cause I could feel that “bloating” thing happening and I knew exactly why I was “swelling up” and feeling “yucky”.

After the habit of eating at night is broken, the next few mornings feels amazing! Like – you feel like you can walk around in a bikini proudly and proclaim to the world that you’re a sexy human.

Most people freak out when they don’t feed their faces constantly, afraid they’re going to put on weight. (SRSLY – think that one through *mind blown emoji here*).

One common thing I hear, especially in the fitness world is: “You need to keep your metabolism going to burn calories and the only way you do that is by eating 6 small meals a day.” (I’ll go into this more another time, but I will just say right now that, unless you’re a very young, very active person with a body type that does’t put on fat easily, this in not a true statement).

Another common tale is that you will go into starvation mode and lose lean muscle mass.

We can address this strange (yet common) idea in more detail later as well, but just real quick . . .

“A lot of times people think they’re going into starvation mode when they skip a meal or fast for a day, and that’s truly not the case. Unless someone has a prolonged, dire lack of access to food or an eating disorder like anorexia, it’s very hard to go into complete clinical starvation mode.” Dr. Joy Dubost RD, CSSD Registered Dietitian, Board Certified in Sports Nutrition, Food Scientist

“Fasting is an excellent way to treat disease. A day or two of fasting each week would do most people more good than any amount of medical advice or treatment.” – Agatha M. Thrash, M.D. Preventive Medicine (Full article here)

Fasting allows the body’s enzyme system to focus on detoxifying. If you’re constantly eating, you’re not giving your body the proper time it needs to do eliminate toxins, and therefore your body is more susceptible to disease.

SPIRITUAL AND MENTAL REST

If you are a believer in a higher power, or if you are not, doesn’t really change the fact that we all need a mental and spiritual reprieve.

Take your focus away from yourself. Place your focus on the Creator, or something somewhere out there in “the universe”. This is important for spiritual and mental health. Even just focusing on your breathing can be a mental break from the things rushing through your mind.

This sort of quiet takes “me” out of the equation and reminds us that we are but a tiny, tiny spec on this planet; that the world does not revolve around just me. When we give ourselves permission to stop and be still and remember that we are here to give back, bless, and be grateful for what has been given to us, we allow peace to take the place of our anxiety and drama.

“You know I used to think that rest from anything i.e. the gym, writing a lesson or sermon or anything I have interest in, equalled laziness,” said Phil. “Then a friend was talking to me after a (meeting), and I was saying how much I love to be busy teaching etc.. He said, ‘how about the time you spend with God?’ I said, ‘I do spend time with Him while I’m working.’ He asked, ‘is that really spending time with Him?’ It was a revelation, because I suddenly saw that I cannot find rest in Him if I am busy working.”

This is what I loved. And again, if you’re not a believer in God, still think about this statement. If you can’t stop and still your mind and focus on a higher power, or something outside of your self, how do you ever have mental peace?

You cannot multitask while attempting to achieve mental clarity. This is a time when you must stop and be still. To be healthy in your mind, you need to be quiet. Give your mind a break from the lists, from work, people, TV, external entertainment and stimuli.

SLEEP

Symptoms of depression, high blood pressure, migraines, and other health issues and diseases, worsen, when our sleep cycle is interrupted. Even one night of missed sleep can create a prediabetic state in an otherwise healthy person.

Getting good quality sleep is important, and I have actually written about this in an earlier article. 8 Steps to Improve Your Quality of Sleep goes into a lot more detail on how to improve your sleep!

Everything from our muscles to our brain function, our nervous system, and our overall attitudes really suffer when we don’t get enough sleep.

In conclusion, rest is important, but most of us not only have a difficult time sleeping, but we also don’t think about other ways our bodies need rest and relaxation.

I hope you got something from this and can find some real rest and relaxation in your life. I’d enjoy hearing about what you do to find The Rest in Your Story. I am on Facebook, Instagram, E-mail, Twitter, Pinterest and balance8life.

Definitely hit me up or email me and let’s chat!

October 23, 2019October 23, 2019

Balance8life in Motion

Balance8life In Motion

Balance8life in motion is simply that. It is always changing, evolving, moving, shifting, and never is one position of balance maintained for a long period of time before another one comes in to take its place.

Balance8life is actively engaging 8 expressions of health to our daily routines for true completion. It’s a dance. It’s a touch and go. It will always be in motion, and you will never stay in one place for too long, or the balance will slip away.

Balance8life is an orbiting cycle of balance and harmony within our minds, our souls, and our bodies as well as our emotions.

REST

It doesn’t seem that important, especially to teenagers, who, ironically, need more sleep than adults. There are so many things that distract all of us from getting the recommended 6-8 hours of sleep.

To name a few: caffeine, alcohol, eating too heavy of a meal too late into the evening. A new relationship, sports, TV, partying, school, worry, anxiety, health issues, snoring, poor air quality, light, noise, or lack of, etc.

Read this article for tips on how to have better quality sleep.

Once you’ve truly had a good night of sleep, the next thing to do, the first thing in the morning, is . . .

WATER

Start on your first 32 ounces of water as soon as you get up. You’ll be surprised how quickly you can get through that much water in the morning.

EXERCISE

Some people have a very difficult time hitting the gym first thing in the morning, so this is only an example schedule, but not the only way to work this.

My boyfriend and I head to the gym before the sun is up, and really enjoy it as an energizing start to our day. When you hit the gym in the morning, you don’t need coffee!

NUTRITION

When I get home from the gym, I eat. And breakfast is supposed to be the biggest meal of the day. I admit, I don’t always make it the biggest, but I do always have a nutritious meal. It’s simple and definitely not overly complicated.

I typically have granola with soy or almond milk, topped with berries or other fruit. I make my own granola and load it up with nuts and seeds. Oats are great for lowering cholesterol and for keeping it in check.

My typical breakfasts look a little like this: granola with soy milk and fruit, and maybe a bagel or toast. Scrambled tofu (vegan egg substitute), homemade muffins, pancakes or biscuits and gravy. All whole wheat, all low in sugar and very high in protein, fiber, and carbs for energy. (You gotta have carbs y’all, it’s a total must!)

MEDITATION

This is my weakness and simultaneously one of my favorite things to do. The reason is, I have a difficult time just being still. I feel like if I’m not doing something productive, then I am being lazy. So I probably need this the most out of all of these. The others, for some reason, just aren’t that difficult for me to do on the daily.

The thing I have to keep in mind, is meditation is being productive. It is being productive in the way of strengthening and rejuvenating the spirit and emotions.

**Meditation centers our self in a way that protects our thoughts, our emotions, and our positive vibes!**

I don’t know about you, but I really need this a lot. When I do meditate, my day always goes so much better, uplifting, and all around I tend to be more focused on the good in others rather than the negative.

Something else that I love about meditation, is that it doesn’t take long, and you can do it along with the the next two components of health: sun and fresh air

SUNSHINE

We need our vitamins, and we get these in our veggies and fruits, but vitamin D comes from the sun! And vitamin D is what enables our bones to absorb calcium. We kinda need that; I like the idea of being up in the gym still well into my 70’s and beyond without broken hips and such.

So while you’re meditating, all you need is 10 minutes in the sun to get all the Vitamin D you need in your day. That’s it!

For more about the benefits of sunshine, read my article What is the 8 in Balance8Life? And, The Bright Side of Sunshine.

FRESH AIR

Fresh air is calming, it cleanses our minds and gives us perspective, plus it cleans out our lungs and our homes. Fresh air is the perfect setting for elevated meditation. Combine meditation in the sunshine and fresh air, and you’re accomplishing 3 things at once without much effort at all.

MODERATION

At the end of my day or week, or both, I like to do something for me. This is when I do lazy, or indulge in a cheat day, activity or food. Or whatever it is that I normally wouldn’t do.

Moderation has to be applied to everything in our day, all day long. Work, (ehem… talking to me here) the amount of food we eat, the treats we indulge in (and when we indulge), the people we are around, the thoughts we have, the amount of time we sleep, and how much we play. Without moderation, we simply can’t have a balanced lifestyle.

And this, my friends, is balance8life in motion.

It doesn’t matter how you go about fitting these things in your day. You can exercise in the sun and fresh air, you can sit and work in the sun and fresh air, you can exercise in the later part of your day, the point is, all 8 elements need to be incorporated daily for the ultimate balance experience.

And keep in mind, it is a dance; a touch and go experience. You will have perfect balance in a moment, and your next moment could be complete chaos. But the more you incorporate these 8 methods into your day, the more you will find yourself in moments of balance, and the moments will last longer, the more you bring them back around.

Have fun, don’t stress. Stress will break the momentum. Just do it.

I’d love to hear how you make this work for you! I’m a real person and I like real people, too! So hit me up on any of the social media platforms you enjoy the most. I’m on (almost) all of them. . . Facebook, Instagram, E-mail, Twitter, Pinterest and balance8life.

October 2, 2019October 23, 2019

8 Steps to Improve Your Quality of Sleep

Whether you’re going to catch some Z’s, crash, hit the hay, get some shut-eye, hit the sack, go nod off for a spell, snooze a bit, turn in, or . . . just catch forty winks, all you want, is just to sleep!

Whatever it is that you like to say when you are about to go to bed, it all means the same thing, and that thing often doesn’t happen for a lot of people, at least not in the way they want it to!

There are a lot of reasons some of us can’t fall asleep, or wake up in the middle of the night, unable to fall back to sleep. It can be a busy mind, medication, work, kids, stress, health, etc. But I’m going to give you just a few tips that I hope can help you improve your quality of sleep!

REGULARITY

As annoying or uncool as it may seem, our bodies are actually extremely responsive to habits and regularity. When these get all messed up, it throws off our circadian rhythm.

when we follow a regular schedule, our bodies become accustom to it and our quality of sleep tends to be much better.

In a Neuroscience and Biobehavioral review done by Zelinski El, he says, “Health problems can result from a disturbance to the circadian rhythm.”

The circadian rhythm is a natural, internal process that regulates the sleep-wake cycle and repeats roughly every 24 hours.

Although the circadian rhythm is built-in, it is adjusted to the local environment by external cues, which include light, temperature and redox (chemical reaction) cycles. This is why we are able to adjust when we start staying up later, working nights, travel, etc.

CAFFEINE

It takes 4-6 hours for the body to metabolize caffeine, which is a stimulant that can disturb a good nights rest. Just 1 cup of coffee (even early in the day) can still effect quality sleep.

If you’ve decided to quit drinking caffeine altogether, it can take 2 weeks and up to 2 months of being off of caffeine, before the detox process is complete. During this phase, you may find it very difficult to sleep, even though you’re not consuming caffeine at all.

ALCOHOL

Initially, a drink helps most people fall right to sleep. But did you know that, even though you fall asleep quicker and sleep sounder right away, it actually reduces rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. And the more you drink before bed, the more pronounced these effects. REM sleep happens about 90 minutes after we fall asleep. REM sleep is when you dream. It is also the part of your sleep that strengthens your immune system. Deep sleep is “for your body” and REM sleep is “for your brain”.

Because alcohol messes up the natural sleep patterns in our bodies, the quality of sleep is compromised.

WATER

Dehydration causes your mouth and nasal passages to become dry, setting you up for sleep-disruptive snoring and a dry throat. A lack of water can also lead to night time leg cramps that can keep you awake.

On the flip side, drinking water too close to going to bed can keep you up at night visiting the bathroom. So be sure to get those 96oz out of the way, starting when you wake up, tapering off later on in the day so that you’re not super thirsty right before bedtime!

DIET

An investigation showed that a diet containing fresh fruits and vegetables, low saturated fat, and whole grains may be optimal for people wanting to improve sleep quality.

EXERCISE

Physical activity improves sleep quality and increases sleep duration. Exercise also reduces stress and tires you out, making sleep sweeter.

FRESH AIR

Fresh air can actually increase your immunity levels, preventing from a lot of common sicknesses, and of course if you’re well, you’re going to sleep much better. It can also reduces stress, and I don’t know about you, but stress makes my nights awful!

BE THANKFUL

A positive thought pattern promotes better sleep because your mind is more accustom to peace and gratitude. When we worry and focus on the negative things in life, sleep becomes harder to achieve because the mind is too busy worrying. Practice positive thinking and gratefulness before bedtime to put your mind in a worry-free state.

If you have any thoughts or questions, I’d love to hear them! Please reach out to me anytime! I am on Facebook, Instagram, E-mail, Twitter, Pinterest and balance8life.

May 8, 2019July 6, 2020

What is the 8 in Balance8Life?

I love being healthy. I want you to be healthy, too! But I understand that you might not know exactly how to get there, what it looks like, what it means, and what to do about it. So, again, I want to help you.

There are a lot of ideas and theories on how to go about being healthy, but this is what works for me, and this is what BALANCE8LIFE is all about. It’s about balancing these 8 wonderful things to obtain (and maintain) good health.

1 GOOD NUTRITION

This in itself can be so complicated with today’s diets. I mean, what the heck is an airatarian? “Those who only consume air and water in an effort to stop the slaughter of innocent plants and animals.” Yup, it’s really a thing. (I wouldn’t suggest it).

Balance is key in nutrition. It’s not about dieting, counting calories or making drastic, quick changes. Dieting is a means to an end that usually comes quick, with nothing to fall back on to continue a healthy lifestyle, and before you know it, you’re right back to where you were before: unhealthy. So let’s do something better. Let’s change our lifestyle.

A balance of fruits (yes, fruit is good for you), veggies, nuts, seeds, legumes (beans), whole grains, (yes, gluten and carbs are good, too) and if you must eat meat, white, lean meats, but believe it or not, meat is not necessary for good health. Quite the contrary, but… we’ll talk about that another time.

Annnnd…..That is where you start. ( I’ll help you with what good nutrition really looks like in other blog posts as we go).

2 EXERCISE

Exercise is not all about the gym. The gym is only a fraction of it. Exercise is simply doing something active for an extended period of time. You can do yard work, go swimming, ride a bike, climb a mountain, kayak, pole dance, etc., etc. So for those of you who hate the gym, or the people at the gym, there are always other options. Walking is simple, it’s a great place to start, it’s good for all ages, easy on the joints, good for people who’ve had injuries, and walking burns the same exact amount of calories per mile as running. Keep it real folks. Thirty minutes of sustained, increased, heart rate, 4-5 days a week will make a bigger difference than you think. Try it!

3 WATER

Drink your Water, my friends! Juice, tea, coffee, Gatorade, flavored water, alcoholic beverages, etc., etc., all of these drinks don’t count. Pure water is essential to our health. Our bodies are approximately 65% water. If we don’t drink it, our bodies suffer in ways you probably don’t even know. While you’re in your car, out to eat, relaxing at home… water! Drink it.

“Lack of adequate water intake is a burden to our body. As a result, the body reacts by keeping extra sodium in the blood to keep up the water level as much as possible. If this continues for too long, the body’s fluid and electrolytes (e.g. sodium, potassium, calcium, etc.) can become very imbalanced, with resulting severe health problems.” Agatha M. Thrash, M.D. Preventive Medicine

4 SUNSHINE

Hello, beautiful! I’m a beach bum (when I’m not in my apartment 5 hours from the beach). Sunlight, (in moderation), increases circulation, and cardiac output is increased. Sunlight also increases the number and efficiency of blood vessels in the skin, it decreases blood pressure, and just 10 minutes in your day provides 100% of your daily dose of vitamin D needs, plus several other awesome things… bring it!

Check out The Bright Side of Sunshine here!

5 MODERATION

How many of you have gained weight after your babies and decided to make a New Years resolution, and went running 3 miles after not doing any physical activity for years, threw up afterward and did it again the next day, then was so sore and frustrated you quit? How about changing your diet? Have you ever cut out all carbs and gluten and drank only water for a day or two then quit because it was too hard? What about only eating rice with zero salt and eating that three times a day? This isn’t moderate. When we make all-or-none changes fast and-furious-like, we’re setting ourselves up for failure. Our minds and bodies can’t handle that much that quick, and without moderation in all things, we become imbalanced and end up very unhappy.

Moderation is needed in all things: family time, alone time, work, diet, exercise, electronics and TV, the list goes on. Little baby steps and balance is key to a successful lifestyle change for the better. Drastic overload in any area of life can end fast and hard with the end result being disappointment, injury, bad health, depression, or other negativities that can be avoided with moderation.

6 FRESH AIR

It seems like common sense, but air is the most essential element of life. We can live only minutes without air.

We also need fresh air for perspective. It helps to clear the mind and calm down our thoughts, and our ‘tudes.

Buddha had a lot of super awesome things to say about air, as well. One of my fave quotes is: “If the ocean can calm itself, so can you. We are both salt water mixed with air.”

Check out my blog post, Amazing Free Mood Enhancement to see what getting a little fresh air did for my day.

7 REST

Without it, how on earth can we function? Well, let’s take a look. We function with extra caffeine, which can ruin our sleep, so we take melatonin, on a mild scale and prescription sleep aids if that doesn’t work. And when you awake, you still feel tired, so you drink coffee. It is a vicious cycle.

But the good news is, it CAN be broken!

I’m not just talking about sleep, though. Rest in general; that peace of mind, the nerves and muscles relaxing, a day (or two, or more) off of work, all of this equals rest. Our bodies need rest in order to be healthy.

Just as high intensity exercise increases inflammation in the body and weakens the immune system, so does a highly intense lifestyle of stress weaken our brainpower and our ability to perform at our best. We cannot run marathons without rest, and neither should we run the marathon of non-stop hectic life without a break.

Everybody needs good quality rest, it’s time to get The Rest in Your Story!

8 MEDITATION

I realize that not every one of my readers is going to be in the same boat when it comes to meditation. I do challenge you though, to seriously think about why you may not like it (if you don’t) and try it out. Take your mind away from your self and meditate on the goodness that is around you.

Since nine-tenths of all illness start in the mind, it is important that we clear it of negativity. A cheerful attitude is good medicine; a broken spirit (guilt, evil thoughts, regret, revenge, etc.) saps our strength.

The body produces endorphins when we are happy. These help restore our physical health. The body also produces negative hormones when our thoughts are focused on our self and negative thoughts. Choose health by choosing carefully what you allow your mind to dwell on.

As we go on this journey to bettering our health I’ll be showing you how it’s done, so don’t worry if it seems too hard now. It really isn’t.

“Balance is not something you find; it’s something you create.”

April 16, 2019July 6, 2020

The Rest in Your Story

I. Am. So. Tired. Period.

Today was one of those days.

I have a schedule. I get up every morning at 6:15-6:30am and I fill a Mason quart jar with hot water and drink that while I get dressed for the gym. I tell my 11-year-old he’s got 10 minutes until we have to leave to catch the bus. When I get back inside, I eat breakfast and head to the gym by 7:30am. By 9am I am heading back home to shower and get ready for work, which is between 10 and 10:30am.

I have a high-energy job that requires me to be on my feet non-stop until I get off work between 2:30-4:00pm. When I get home, it’s eat lunch, cook dinner, kids homework, laundry, make the next day’s breakfast, do some dishes, run some errands, grocery shop, and get kids winding down for bed by 7:00pm.

This sort of day takes a lot of energy of which I haven’t had lately because I have been watching Game of Thrones with my brother and boyfriend until midnight. But it’s soooo good, I can’t stop!

Problem.

One can only do this sort of thing for so long before you have a day like I did today.

I couldn’t function. I slept in. We missed the school bus. I missed my workout. I got to work late. I couldn’t get on my game at work and when I finally got home, I was grumpy and said some things that weren’t nice to my boyfriend, because all I wanted to do was nothing, and I wanted to come home to everything done for me.

Rest.

We have to have good quality sleep, or else the rest of our day falls apart and the balance is off.

It doesn’t matter how much coffee you drink or what you take to go to sleep. If you don’t get enough, your energy is going to be low, which affects the rest of your day and all that surrounds it. A grumpy mom makes for grumpy kids and husband or partner.

Rest is one thing. But good rest is another.

Wait though… I’m not just talking about sleep. There’s also the sort of rest that we need to take from the gym for our muscles to repair. There’s a mental time out that we need to re-set for the week. Our minds need rest from all that is coming in, away from electronics, noise, kids, etc.

Come along with me on this journey to a happy, healthy lifestyle of balance and learn how to put the rest in your story! You’ll be surprised how you start to achieve goals simply with a good night of sleep and some mental time out.

I’ll even show you some ways to get that fabulous night sleep and make time to rest, without chugging a bottle of wine before bed, or sacrificing your favorite TV show. (Well, maybe).

More coming soon!

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