Everything is temporary. Open your eyes and don’t miss life
What is intuition anyways? It is recognizing and allowing your true voice to be heard, and then acting on it. We all have it, it’s just sometimes the outside world is too loud for us to hear what’s going on inside.
When it comes to feeling your best, listening to your inner voice is the most important thing to do. No two of us are alike. To allow others to tell you how you should feel and what you should do just doesn’t make sense.
You’re the best judge when it comes to deciding what makes you feel good or not. Only you know how much sleep you need, what kinds of food you should eat, and how much and what type of exercise you need.
When you ignore your inner voice and give your power away to others, confusion sets in.
When you need a little help from a friend to get where you want to go, just ask!
When did I get to be so bossy?
I heard myself telling someone what they absolutely had to do to lose weight, to feel better, to live a much more fantastic life like I was, and then it hit me…
I was acting like a preacher and I never wanted to be one!
The truth is, everyone is unique, as different as a snowflake, and there is no one-size-fits-all plan. Especially when it comes to physical, mental, and emotional well-being.
I’m not you, you’re not me, and that is how it’s meant to be.
So why do we fall into the trap of believing that when we solve our own problems, we have uncovered the secrets of the universe, the Holy Grail, the “this will work for everyone in the world because I discovered it and it works for me!” mindset?
For me it was because after years of suffering, I finally found some things that worked. I know what it’s like to feel sick, to suffer from pain, indigestion, insomnia, and to just not feel well. Through years of studying, trying different things, and remembering what worked and what didn’t, I was able to get through all of the tough times and come out on the other side feeling good.
Yoga – a commitment to body, mind and soul and the union of the three
It’s so difficult to motivate others. It can be difficult enough to motivate ourselves.
Being in the health field as a Holistic Health Coach, I have spent most of my life educating myself and following research on what different diets and lifestyles can do for our health.
One of the most interesting books I have read on the subject is The Blue Zones by Dan Buettner. It’s fascinating to learn that there are distinct regions in the world where not only do people live longer, they remain healthy and active until very late in life.
It’s one thing to live a long time, but quite another if you aren’t really living.
What has always struck me as the most fascinating thing is that once the Western diet begins to encroach on these regions, as in when fast food restaurants start to take up residence, life expectancy drops to match the rest of the world.
This is the first time in modern history that life expectancy in the civilized world is declining. Today’s children aren’t going to live as long as their parents did.
For the sake of convenience, we are sacrificing our health.
But even with all of the research out there, and the knowledge we now have of how our lifestyles directly affect our lifespan and life quality, the majority of people aren’t doing anything about it.
There is a lot of conflicting information out there, with a great deal of studies published that are paid for by the industries that have a vested interest in the results. Clarity and honesty is becoming more difficult to find.
But when I look around and see how many young people are overweight, on medication, dealing with serious health issues and mental issues, I wonder where things went so wrong.
I’m not here to change the world. I like to share what I have learned, and those who are interested in feeling a little better and taking control of their own health can do what they like with the information.
If even one person benefits from what I am doing, then that is enough.
Stretching, breathing, digesting, and maintaining multiple functions at the same time – the body rules!
I am amazed at what my body can do.
I sprained my ankle in gym class once. It was bad – I couldn’t put any weight on it. It turned purple and blue and swole up like a tennis ball. Basically my ankle took drastic steps to protect itself so I couldn’t walk on it.
I wouldn’t have anyways. It hurt too much.
Then, after about a week, the swelling was mostly gone, the colours were fading, and the pain had diminished.
The cool thing was, I did absolutely nothing to help. It happened without my being conscious of it. My body did what it knew to do, and that was return to a state of homeostasis.
Much like the every-minute important things that the body does, like maintain a certain temperature range and fluid balance, my body took on the task of repairing the damage I had done. And it did exactly that, quite admirably I must say.
Although there were moments in the next few years where I noticed that my ankle wasn’t as strong as it once was, it was still pretty good. And today, some 40 years later, I don’t notice any difference at all.
Broken bones heal if given the right environment. Ulcers go away – I have personal experience with that too. The body does what it needs to do to keep you running at full capacity.
There are things that we can do to help our bodies with these tasks.
Provide it with nutritious food. Every time you eat something, you are either supporting the body’s work or giving it more things to fix.
Drink enough water. Even slight dehydration hampers the ability of the body to perform its functions properly.
Try to do less of the things that don’t make you feel good. Only you know what these are. We all have our vices, and your body works hard to stay healthy in spite of your attempts to damage it, whether consciously or not.
Pay attention to how you feel from moment to moment. Keep a little bit of attention focused within at all times. This sounds easy, but we spend most of our lives ignoring the very thing that makes us alive.
Sad and angry thoughts affect the body, probably more than we know. Work on these emotions, and get help if you can’t do it alone. There is no shame in this and your body needs your support.
Take the time today to think about the amazing things your body does every day, without you having to guide it. And try to help out a bit once in awhile!
If you are reading this, it’s probably because you are a coffee drinker and you want to know if it’s a yes or a no.
The answer seems to be – it depends.
Vague, I know, but it honestly looks to be an individual thing.
There is such a thing as caffeine intolerance. It’s a DNA issue – some people are fast caffeine metabolizers and some are not.
The slow metabolizers will have issues with the side effects of caffeine and are unlikely to receive the benefits. And the benefits of coffee can be numerous.
Full of antioxidants, coffee can lower blood pressure, protect the heart, benefit Parkinson’s sufferers, and be protective to the liver,
It is a bean after all – well, actually a seed but those are healthy too!
If you don’t metabolize caffeine quickly, you will likely feel all of the nasty side effects, such as anxiety, upset stomach , and nausea. You probably already steer clear of caffeine, because you know it doesn’t make you feel good.
Listen to your body and don’t force something on it if it makes you feel bad. There are many other ways to get antioxidants, including delicious fruits and vegetables, garlic and onions, and even red wine.
But for those of you who enjoy your coffee, rejoice in knowing that it is actually good for you! Just don’t overdo it. Anything more than 4 cups a day might be getting a little excessive.
Teaching yoga in Costa Rica – breathing and checking in with the body
If you saw someone close to you being mistreated, you would step up in a heartbeat and do whatever was necessary to help them out. We are amazingly heroic in times of need, performing feats of strength and courage that we didn’t even know were in us.
So where are you when your body is crying to you for help?
I honestly see people treat their cars better than they do their bodies. We take things for granted, assuming that our bodies will just figure it out, never paying much attention to the little signs that creep up.
I implore you – start paying attention!
It’s so much simpler to deal with issues when they are small, whether it’s seeing a doctor, watching your diet, losing a little weight or getting more exercise.
Don’t wait until your body is screaming for help and you are forced to do something. Sometimes by then, it’s too late.
Five Signs Your Body Needs You
Something is different – It could be your sleep patterns, your appetite, gaining or losing weight for no reason, or a pain somewhere that lingers and had no cause that you remember. Change is not always good.
You are tired all the time – We lead busy lives. Sleep is usually the first thing we neglect when life gets crazy. But sleep is when your body heals and repairs itself. If you are tired, your body is sending a message. This is one you need to listen to.
You are angry, or sad, or depressed – If you spend most of your days experiencing these strong emotions, your body is feeling it too. Your emotions affect your physical well-being more than you realize. Reach out for help to deal with whatever you are dealing with.
You just don’t feel good – It’s nothing you can pinpoint, but you know that something isn’t right. Overall soreness, fatigue, brain fog and a lack of interest in doing anything could be a sign that something is up. Pay attention and maybe schedule that trip to the doctor sooner rather than later.
Pain – This is the body’s ultimate alarm system. Something is wrong. Do not ignore pain, as it is there for a reason and you need to find out why.
Your body is depending on you to take care of it. It is like a helpless child, having to deal with a tough environment and being neglected at the same time.
Step up and be the loving parent your body needs you to be!
