body and spirit / 33 posts found
The Optimal Foods to Eat For Breakfast When You’re in Menopause
During menopause, women tend to gain weight. While this isn’t great it’s pretty common and there are many reasons why. Two reasons why women gain weight during menopause… Reason #1 Reduced muscle mass. Muscle mass uses energy (burns calories) so when we have less of it the body burns less energy overall, leading to weight gain. Unfortunately, this weight gain may appear as increased belly fat. Reason #2 During menopause there is an increase in the hunger hormone “ghrelin”. With an increase in this hormone comes the tendency is to feel hungrier. Menopause also decreased the “satiety” hormone “leptin” […]
Bye Bye Sleeping Through the Night
Have you said “bye bye” to sleeping through the night? Are you feeling exhausted or “running on stress hormones” all day? Do not fear, I have some great tips (and an amazing recipe) for you! The science of sleep is fascinating, complicated and growing Sleep is this daily thing that we all do and yet we’re just beginning to understand all of the ways it helps us and all of the factors that can affect it. Lack of sleep affects just about everything in your body and mind. People who get less sleep tend to be at higher risk […]
The Stress Mess: How It Messes With Your Health
We all have some level of stress, right? It may be temporary (acute), or long-term (chronic). Acute stress usually won’t mess with your health too much. It is your body’s natural reaction to circumstances, and can even be life-saving. Then, when the “threat” (a.k.a. “stressor”) is gone, the reaction subsides, and all is well. It’s the chronic stress that’s a problem. You see, your body has specific stress reactions. If these stress reactions are triggered every day or many times a day that can mess with your health. Stress (and stress hormones) can have a huge impact on your […]
Mindfulness and Meditation…Do They Really Work?
Well…yes, they do really work. The fact is, science shows definite health benefits for people who use mindfulness and meditation. Before we dive in, let’s just make sure we’re on the same page when we say “mindfulness” and “meditation.” “Meditation” is the ancient practice of connecting the body and mind to become more self-aware and present. It’s often used to calm the mind, ease stress, and relax the body. Practicing “mindfulness” is one of the most popular ways to meditate. It’s defined as “paying attention in a particular way, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally.” Mindfulness meditation is […]
Creating a Stress-Free Holiday Season
The holidays are among us – a time of year that’s known for its busy nature that can lead to quite the load of stress. After all, you likely have several invitations to gatherings collecting on your counter, a long list of people you need to send holiday cards to, and the daunting task of braving the shopping mall crowds to find the gifts for your loved ones. All of this, on top of your normal everyday life. It can be overwhelming, to say the least. I wanted to share with you some of my personal favorite ways to […]
The Art of Skin-Mapping: A New Method of Determining your Internal Health from the Outward Condition of Your Skin!
Health science has advanced to impeccable and seemingly impossible levels. What was once thought to never be cured has been eradicated from the health scene completely. With all these incredible advancements, there has been a new surge of studies in one particular old therapeutic and pseudo-medical practice: Skin-Mapping, taking the condition of the skin in particular regions of the body and predicting internal health based on those findings. So with all these advancements, the art of skin mapping can still determine your internal workings of your body by bringing notice to certain flare-ups or unusual blemishes. It has now come […]
Can Hot Springs Help Rebalance Your Hormones?
Benefits of soaking in hot, mineral bath have been known for centuries. They stimulate your body with various minerals and other elements. Those minerals penetrate the body and help promote hormone secretion. When a person begins hot bath therapy, the sympathetic nerve becomes predominant. Heart rate goes up, blood pressure rises, and blood sugar level also rises. As we know the body likes to be in homeostasis and to correct what is happening, the parasympathetic nerve becomes predominant. Heart rate goes down, blood pressure decreases and blood sugar also comes down. This process allows the body to repair itself. […]
The Benefits of Infrared Sauna
You may not want to hear this, but sweating is good for you. Sweating is a natural body process that removes bacteria, germs, and other toxins from your body. It helps cleanse your skin, may help relieve muscle pain, and improves blood circulation. You don’t have to complete a taxing workout to get sweating. Infrared saunas are one of my favorite, most relaxing ways to get a therapeutic, cleansing sweat on. Here’s why: Pain relief: Infrared sauna heat may be beneficial for people who suffer from muscular and joint pain. The heat relaxes muscles and promotes better blood circulation, […]
The Beauty Regime I Use to Prevent Wrinkles – Avocado Mask With Essential Oils
Beauty is an obsession of the ages, but there is growing evidence to suggest that our obsession with beauty is damaging our health. Women especially use myriad products, all of which are potentially exposing them—and their skin—to millions of harmful, toxic chemicals. There is little regulation or federal oversight on the ingredients in beauty products, and recent studies have shown that prolonged use and exposure to all of these products may be deadly. I have already shifted to more safe, natural, non-toxic products for my beauty needs. I invite you to gradually do the same. Here are the basics […]
How to Nourish Your Body During Fall
Fall has arrived, and the hot summer days gradually become shorter. We welcome cooler air, and the leaves begin to change, presenting us with their colorful foliage before they start to fall off the trees to prepare for the coming winter. The cold air signals us to start putting away our light summer clothes and get out heavier and warmer clothes for colder weather. Fall is a time of harvest and gathering of the beautiful and bountiful, brightly colorful squashes, pumpkins and root vegetables so that they can be put away for winter. This time of the year we […]