It's National Wellness Month--where are you at on your wellness journey?
Checked off a sailboat ride from my bucket list last week!
Welcome to August Friends!
It's been a beautiful summer so far for weather here in Vermont with lots of sunshine to keep our vitamin D levels up. It's important to remember that if our vitamin D levels are too low, we are susceptible to autoimmune diseases and certain cancers like melanoma. A new study from 11/6/19 published in "Cancer Research UK" suggests that vitamin D may reduce the aggressive nature of melanoma cells and improve survival rates. When I was diagnosed with melanoma almost 5 years ago, a year later I found out that my vitamin D levels were very low. Since then I have been supplementing with vitamin D capsules and have had no further recurrences of melanoma, but I also want to talk about using sunscreens and being careful in the sun. Sunshine is the best way to get our vitamin D, but like most things, we can get too much of a good thing. Sunscreen is important if we're going to be out in the sun for long periods of time, or have skin that burns easily, but also make sure you're using one that isn't full of chemicals that can irritate your skin or cause more damage than getting too much sun. I love the Beautycounter sunscreen that I started using 2 years ago and it is gentle on the skin as well as good coverage from the sun. I like to be out in the sun for several minutes before I apply it to give my body a chance to soak up some natural vitamin D first!
So what else is going on in August? Well, according to Mediacorps, August is National Wellness Month as recognized by The Registrar at National Day Calendar. This month focuses on self-care, creating healthy routines and stress management. Observers of National Wellness Month are encouraged to challenge themselves to create new, healthier habits that promote holistic wellness. So first, I'd love to hear in what ways you are focusing on self-care, and reducing your stress this month! I'll also give you some suggestions and let you know about some programs I have coming up that may help you on your journey to better health!
Sleep: getting at least 7 hours of sleep is one of the number one ways to keep your immune system in check. We all know our brains aren't as sharp when we lack sleep, but health conditions such as heart disease, strokes, diabetes increase as well.
Exercise: 30 minutes a day is recommended and we can get this mowing the lawn, doing housework, taking a walk after dinner, dancing, gardening...whatever your favorite form of movement is, schedule it into your day! Exercise is also a great stress reducer!
Down time: reading, journaling, listening to classical music, restorative yoga, deep breathing, puzzles, adult coloring books, watching the sunset, calling family or friends that you haven't talked to in awhile are all great ways to relax.
Healthy food choices: avoiding processed foods and lowering your sugar intake are both important in decreasing chronic inflammation in our bodies. When we eat right, it's another box we can check off that our health is important to us.
Water: half our body weight in ounces is the recommended amount and most of us aren't doing that on a daily basis. For all the cells in our bodies to be working properly and to avoid dehydration in these warmer months, drink that water and also remember that increasing your intake of fruits and veggies is also boosting your hydration. I just can't get enough watermelon and it turns out that it is great in boosting liver enzymes and kidney function.
I am offering two ways to work on your wellness this month--my 14 Day Liver Reboot cleanse that officially kicks off August 10 and ends on August 23. This gentle cleanse focuses on eating foods that nourish our liver and why do we want to do that? Well, the liver carries out over 500 vital functions in the body, filtering blood and removing toxins (synthetic chemicals, excess hormones, heavy metals, sugar, processed foods...) The more toxins the liver is exposed to, the harder it has to work, becoming sluggish and congested, unable to properly detoxify our bodies. Here are 15 signs that the liver might be overworked:
Fatigue
Depression, anxiety and/or mood changes
Changes to the skin (dry, rashes...)
Abdominal bloating, discomfort or cramping
Digestive Issues
Lowered immunity
Changes to the color of your urine or stools
Brain fog (including difficulty with memory and decision-making)
Gaining weight (and not being able to lose it)
Sugar crashes
High cholesterol
Hormonal imbalances
Nutritional deficiencies
Excessive body odor or sweating
Snoring or sleep apnea
In the 14 Day Liver reboot, you will receive a food list and recipes/meals to make for the 14 days and this does include coffee as that is a great liver cleanser! It focuses on organic fruits and vegetables, organic, grass fed meats or wild caught fish and you will also receive education on ways to aid your body in the reboot process. If you would like to sign up, but can't start this right away, I am also happy to coach people through this individually and it is all done online. Email me if you are interested!
The second program I offer locally that is one of my favorite ways to wellness is my "Hike to Better Health" series that begins in September on Wednesdays from 3:30-5 for the group program and includes 4 sessions where we talk about today's health challenges and take action steps for the week that work for each individual. We do all this at the same time we are soaking up the benefits of being out in nature!
Favorite Quote: "We can't direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails" Thomas S. Monson
Favorite Recipe: I tried this new chicken skillet recipe last night and added a couple things to it because I had them on hand and thought they would make a good addition, fresh basil along with the fresh parsley and I also sliced some black olives. I can't wait to have the leftovers tonight! Here's the recipe! https://www.wellplated.com/wprm_print/33366?fbclid=IwAR2IkRvBjkNR6PXwMNiyn92cODf9zV9Ypko0kVkojpQQI2nfjKmtifHyVco
Enjoy the rest of your summer and don't hesitate to reach out if you'd like to join the liver reboot cleanse or the September hike and coach series. I'd love to walk with you on your journey to better health!