PERSEPHONE'S WINTER SOLSTICE MYTH

As I have been doing for many years now, the winter solstice begins my personal time to descend inward into retrospection in looking back at the past year and all that has happened: All of the successes, all of the challenges and all that I have learned in the process.  This helps me come into 2018 feeling ready to stand stronger than ever in myself and my work.


And WHOA...  2017 has been quite a year.  {personally, professionally and collectively}


While I feel like a found a grounded and grateful groove for my day-to-day life this year, I have also walked through some gargantuan initiations, moved through mounds of fear, focussed inward to shed a lot of my old stories and beliefs {the outdated ones that don't serve me anymore}, and found my biggest focus has really been most about my working from the inside, out.


So, on one of my most favorite days of the year, I decided to launch the special wintery podcast series I created for all of you – The Soulfood Sessions. 
 
 
The Soulfood Sessions are bite size morsels of wisdom from this years Yoga of Eating 2018 online course and community that opens for registration December 29th .  These podcasts are small plate tasters from the many wise teachers we have on our special guest roster this year, some personal anecdotes from me and some awe-inspiring success stories from our past participants. 


I hope you enjoy some of this free content, as much as I love creating it for you: 


Because… what I used to consider a cold, stressful and tender time of year has now become a time I cherish. 
 

When I say descent, what I mean is the descent into my inner world - through all her peaks and valleys – where the darkest nights of the year have become a great teacher and chaperon to my own insight and wisdom.
 

Some would say this descent has been known throughout time, myth, and story as a descent into the underworld.  Others see it as the most potent nights to pray or connect to our higher selves. Often we hone how to vision with clarity and precision for the upcoming New Year. 

 
The dark nights expand to cultures worldwide with unique and diverse wintery wisdoms and rituals.
 


Today, in this very first Soulfood Session you will hear the beautiful myth of 'Persephone and the Underworld'.  {one of my favorite myths that I find just perfect for this auspicious day}



I am glad you are here.  Let's head over to the podcast to listen to this special solstice gift from me and remember to honor your own descent on this darkest night of the year.

THREE LIFE-CHANGING VALUES TO INCLUDE IN YOUR HEALTH AND HEALING

THREE LIFE-CHANGING VALUES TO INCLUDE IN YOUR HEALTH AND HEALING

" YOGA PROVIDES INVALUABLE TOOLS FOR TUNING INTO OUR HUNGER AND FULLNESS SIGNALS, COPING WITH DIFFICULT EMOTIONS, AND FEELING AT HOME IN ONE'S OWN BODY. "

CHELSEA ROFF
FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR OF EAT BREATHE THRIVE
 

 

Have you ever noticed that your fear of change (ie. hanging on to those old outdated habits) can get a bit tiresome?
 
 
Do you ever find that pulling inward (and even being a bit reclusive)happens when you are overwhelmed with your old lingering trauma, sadness, shame or overwhelm?
 
 
But, while we hide out under the fuzzy blanket on our couch avoiding the world, allowing ourselves to fully embark in feeling our somewhat daunting feelings can also seem incredibly uncomfortable and even terrifying. 
 
 

That is why today’s Soulfood Session may be just the perfect anecdote to harmonize your health and healing. 
 
 
Today’s special guest, Chelsea Roff, one of our dynamic guest teachers in The Yoga of Eating 2018, is an incredible inspiration and resource. Chelsea Roff is a yoga and mindfulness instructor, research collaborator, thought leader in neuroscience and integrative health, and founder of the international non-profit EAT BREATHE THRIVE 


An eating disorder survivor, Chelsea has an intimate understanding of the depths of human suffering and the conditions necessary for individuals and communities to thrive. Chelsea presented a brilliant TED talk this past fall.  She has also been featured on Good Morning America, The Today Show, NBC Nightly News, and CNN. An award-winning author, she has contributed a number of book chapters, articles, and research reviews to publications such as Yoga Journal, Good Magazine, and American Public Media. 


Chelsea is a true trailblazer in her field and an incredible asset to this year's Yoga Of Eating Course and Community which opened for early registration today.
 
 
After personally studying with Chelsea earlier this year, I have to say, I left our time together so inspired and full of new resources based in neuro-science, yoga, and a beautiful, anchored and gentle approach to healing our relationship to food and body.

Listen to today’s Soulfood Session podcast and Learn:
 
 

What’s a Soulfood Session?


The Soulfood Sessions are bite size morsels of wisdom from this year's Yoga of Eating 2018 online course and community that opens for registration DECEMBER 29TH, 2017.  These podcasts are small plate tasters from the many wise teachers we have on our special guest roster this year, some personal anecdotes from me and some awe-inspiring success stories from our past participants. 
 
 
I am so thrilled to be opening the registration for The Yoga Of Eating 2018 today.  It is is my most complete (and passionate) body of work. A colorful tapestry of food psychology, nutritional wisdom, women’s yoga, meditation, embodiment practices, reflective ritual and resources, nourishing recipes and our incredible team of guest teachers.  
 
 
When you join our 2018 circle of women before January 6th, you will get even more special goodies from me:

• Instant access to Module 1 the moment you register
• A lush and luminous online workshop:  The Art and Science of Setting Intention, to help you with your new year's visioning process
• A FREE 30 minute strategy session with me (live or remote)
• A FREE copy of my newest e-book B L E N D – Balance Your Body, Elevate your Energy, One Simple Green Smoothie at a Time

  

I want your new year to reflect all you want for yourself in your unique inner ecology – more harmony, health, happiness and purpose than ever before.

 
Join us for for these early registration bonuses in 

THE MISSING LINK IN OUR HEALTH CONVERSATION

"THE MIND AND BODY ARE LIKE PARALLEL UNIVERSES"

DEEPAK CHOPRA

There is sure a lot of holiday hoopla in the air.  How are you holding up?


Honestly, for me the holiday season used to come with a hefty dose of stress and a whole lot of pressure in trying to make things picture perfect. I aspired to cook the perfect meals, host the ideal dinner parties, buy the right gifts all the while still providing a magical holiday for my kids – it was a tad overwhelming.  

The past few years I have been trying something different. For exampe, this past holiday weekend I chose to lay super low: to rest, to nourish, to hang with friends and family, to get outside, to avoid full contact shopping and to get plenty of downtime as the holiday season begins. {BTW it was heavenly}

As I am sure many of you have experienced, food can be a BIG challenge for many of us during the holiday season. The parties, the family dinners, the travel, and the celebratory feasts have become such a big part of the celebrations. While I love to share food and celebrate around the a festive table with loved ones, I also know it is something we can sculpt to match what it is we are wanting for ourselves on a larger scale. 

 

MY MOTTO THIS YEAR:  
SIMPLE IS THE NEW SMART

... Simple traditions
... Simple (and tasty) whole food meals
... Simple gatherings
... Simple purchases


Amidst it all, we can learn to listen to our bodies and our intuitions and see what feels right. Yes, it takes a little bit of time, gentleness, practice and patience, and is very worth the effort.


So, I wanted to share with you some pretty cool {cutting edge} science today. This research will really help you enhance knowing what your body needs and wants, how you can better listen to your body, heighten your inner awareness and make YOU the priority this holiday season.

 

WHAT IS INTEROCEPTION?

Interoceptive awareness means developing an attentiveness in relation to the sensations arising within our bodies. These bodily signals are worthy of our attention because it is the brain's interpretation of them that determines how we are feeling both mentally and physically. By becoming more aware of these inner sensations, we are able to influence how these signals are interpreted by the body and the actions that would follow.

In 1906, the Nobel laureate Charles Scott Sherrington, introduced three terms into medical parlance: “proprioception”, “exteroception”, and “interoception”. Of the three, perhaps proprioception, which is basically the awareness of one’s body in relation to external objects, is the most familiar. (Proprioception is why we don’t constantly walk into walls or get into car accidents.) Exteroception refers to awareness of any stimuli coming at us from the outside (sights, sounds, smells etc.). Interoception is our awareness of what is going on within the boundary of our own skin; it is intra-organismic awareness. (Emerson, 2015)

Interoception, defined here as the sense of the physiological condition of the body, is an information pathway used to interpret one’s body from within. Interoception is the process of receiving, accessing and appraising our internal bodily signals. The anatomical pathways for interoception are well-specified, detailing the connections between sensory receptors, spinal cord, brainstem, and brain (Craig, 2002).  

Interoception evokes the quality of the relationship between our mind and body.

Interoception remains poorly understood within modern science, but recent research is insightful, and provides the missing link to healing our relationship to food and our bodies.

How a lack of interception can manifest in multifaceted...

Maybe your hunger cues are shut down.  Maybe you don't experience accurate interpretations of hot or cold.  Maybe it is hard for you to read our body's satiation cues. Maybe you are not in touch with your deeper currents of emotion and sensation that could be providing valuable information about a situation or circumstance.

Poor interoceptive awareness is often cited as a key quality of eating disorders, yet the precise nature of the deficits and their relationship to eating pathology remains unclear.

Research suggests that our greatest moments of personal fulfillment and pleasure are times we spend fully involved and engaged in a situation with our whole selves: be it a physical activity, a sensory experience, or intimacy with another person. If we are disconnected, we are depriving ourselves of some of the greatest sources of happiness.

While the research on how to heal our interoceptive awareness is still new, there are many studies, and anecdotes that are leading us in a positive direction with what we can do to make these big shifts.

HOW CAN YOU HEAL YOUR INTEROCEPTIVE AWARENESS?

While Interoceptive awareness means developing a curiosity towards the sensations arising within the body, we can say YES to empowering yourself along the way.  Learning to trust your body, and heighten your inner awareness makes navigating life {and food} much more graceful.

Want to trailblaze your own inner path towards interoceptive awareness?  Try these body centered practices that have been part of the Boulder Nutrition methodology for years {and that really work}.

Bring a lot of love, healing, and patience to your relationship to your body:

If you are like most of us, you have probably had times in your journey of life where your body felt like the enemy.  I get it.  It have been there too.  Feeling disconnected, angry at, checked out, turned off, disgusted by and even in conflict with our bodies is a pretty common phenomenon.

You may have experienced this if you struggled with a big health issue, if you have suffered with an eating disorder, if you have chronic stomach aches, or body pain. The truth is, discovering how your body is your biggest ally is like discovering the holy grail.

While releasing the negative emotions and associations with your body is a windy road (with possibly a few bumps along the way), as you watch yourself heal, feel stronger, more intuitive, and more connected to yourself, it won't be long until you find the process inspiring and even enchanting.

My recommendation:  Slow and steady.  All things come in due time and when creating these new neuro and sensory pathways (literally) we are going to have to be patient.   Celebrate your little victories.  Track the positive changes.  Coddle the process in a gentle and loving bubble and you will start to fall in love with the journey.

Create an embodiment practice:

There are many simple mind-body practices that support body awareness, emotional wellbeing, and physical vitality – all leading to improved interception and body awareness.  

Embodiment, as it turns out, is vital to our health and well-being. It may also be a doorway into higher consciousness through a healthly  interoceptive experience.

According to a recent study (Biological Psychiatry, 2016) connecting to the sensations in your body during an embodiment practice such as yoga, offers a powerful gateway to connecting with the junction point between mind and body.  Dr David Creswell’s new study indicates, practicing mindfulness meditation may also increase functional connectivity, or communication, between this ruminating and negative part of the brain, and the part responsible for executive control. 

Embodiment practices increase interception, something many of us have experienced in our personal journeys, but that is now being scientifically validated, and encouraged.

Try the four part check in:

I love to teach the 4 part check in on my retreats and to my women's groups.  I use this almost every day as a platform to check in with myself and see what I can do to take care of myself each day. I learned this through some of the teachings of Deepak Chopra (quoted above) and they have proven to be priceless in my process.

To start, find a quiet place where there is some solace and serenity.  If this means a quiet place in your house, closing the door to your office or pulling over on the way to work at a near by park. You will have a deeper experience where there is some personal peace, and you only need a few minutes. {yes, I have hid in the bathroom from my kids when I needed a moment of peace}

---

Part One:   How are you feeling in your body?  Describe only the physical sensations, the quality of what is arising on a physical level:  temperature, hunger, tightness, tingly, heavy, achy, the taste on your tongue, the growling in your belly, the tension in your shoulders.  Stay with the physical sensations.  

 

question:  what does your body need to be nourished

Part Two:  How are you feeling in your emotions? Describe emotions that are arising in the present moment.  More than one?  That's just fine. Emotions can often arise simultaneously.  Describe them (on paper or in your mind)  

 

Question:  What does your heart nEed to be fed with support and joy?

Part Three:  What is the quality of your thoughts?  Most of us have good days and tough days when it comes to our monkey-mind thoughts. Some days our thoughts are supportive and kind, and other days we are are own worst critic.  

 

 

question:  What does your mind need to be free, clear, supportive and kind?

Part Four:  We each have a connection to our higher self, our intuition, and our souls.  There are many names for this aspect of the self, so feel free to insert yours in this process.  Personally, I love this part, as it really challenges some of the more automatic, negative, destructive self talk.

 

question:  What does your soul need to be at peace?

---

Consider Forest Bathing:

Have you heard of Forest Bathing?  This innovative nature based technique comes from Japan where the research on time in nature (especially for residents of large cities) has a measurable impact on stress levels, happiness, and quality of life.

Forest Bathing was developed in Japan during the 1980s (known as shin-rin yoku) and has become a cornerstone of preventive health care and healing in Japanese medicine.  

Forest bathing literally translates into "taking in the forest".  You don't have to hike, but rather you can literally bask in the natural environment and soak up the atmosphere.

The research on Forest Bathing is mind-blowing and this is a great way to enhance a mind-body connection while also diminishing stress, slowing down, and being in nature.

Go to a forest. Walk Slowly.  Breathe.  Open all of your senses.

• Boost immune  function
• Decrease blood pressure
• Lower stress
• Improve outlook on life
• Increase your ability to focus
• Increase your energy level
• Improve your sleep patterns
• Create a clearer intuition
• Increase your flow of energy
• Increased life force
• Increase overall sense of peace and happiness

Slow down and give yourself down time daily:

Our culture moves so fast.  It is so common to be going from the time we wake up in the morning to the time we fall into bed at the end of the day.

While I know it is hard to prioritize down time and time to move slower amidst our full to-do lists, parenting duties, job requirements and fast paced everything, I really highly recommend you do.

Just that little bit of down time each day (electronic free) will do wonders for you body, mind and soul while also creating the space to enhance your interoceptive awareness.  

When we are distracted by the endless busyness, it is terribly hard to create a heighten inner awareness, especially if this is a big area of struggle.

The best news with all of this is that we CAN heal our interoceptive awareness with implementing just a few of these small changes. I hope your health and healing journey is enhanced by knowing that you too can increase, improve and heal your mind-body connection no matter where you are starting from.  May your journey be insightful, graceful and rich honoring all the wise and dynamic parts of YOU.

---

Spoiler Alert: The new Yoga of Eating SOULFOOD SESSIONS are just around the corner. BIte size nuggets of wisdom from this year's 2018 guest teachers from The Yoga Of Eating online course and community.  I can't tell you how excited I am to share some brilliant insights from some of the country's most innovative health and wellness experts.  

P.S.  The Yoga of Eating 2018 is opening for registration soon.  I am over the moon with excitement about our new content, our 2018 guest teachers, and I can hardly wait to shower you with  so much support coming. Stay Tuned...
 

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Hello. I am Sue Van Raes, a Nutritional Therapist, Food Psychology Specialist, Nature Lover, and Author.  My mission is to help heal the feminine through food, mind-body connection and pleasure.  You can find out more about me and my work in the world HERE

MONEY, MOCHAS AND MASTERING OUR MOJO

There are many aspects of our health that take a lot of love and patience,


.... learning how to cook a healthy meal for ourselves

.... learning how to listen to what our bodies need

.... and learning how to create a healing (and even enchanting) relationship with our money.



Our health simmers together, the many ingredients and aspects of our divinely complex beings. What we eat, how we eat, the amount of deep sleep we get, the quality of our thoughts and our relationships, our daily rhythms and rituals, as well as our relationship to money.



So when I crossed paths (literally) with my friend Bari Tessler on our favorite trail in the Boulder foothills (you can find either of us there almost daily), I was delighted at the idea and opportunity to collaborate with her on an inspiring health and wealth conversation.

Bari Tessler is author of The Art of Money: A Life Changing Guide to Financial Happiness, financial therapist, mamapreneur, and founder of The Art of Money: A Global Yearlong Money School. She genuinely supports her students in both the practical tools and systems to sort out their money, along with her very personal and body-centered transformative touch (including a lot of chocolate – we have this in common) to help us transform our relationship with money – I joined the very first year.



Bari's methodology is like no other I have ever experienced. Her program supported me to make many, many financial breakthroughs, including kindling a love affair with my finances. She teaches about earning, saving, spending, and investing. But not in the way you’d expect... Because (as Bari says) money isn’t just about dollars and cents.

{It's more about money healing, money practices, money maps, and a few chocolatey money mochas – listen below to learn more}

In this week's episode of SATIATE: MONEY, MOCHAS, AND MASTERING YOUR MOJO, you will:

 

• Get a sneak peek into the unique methodology of the Art of Money.

• Learn Bari's favorite money tool {hint: it's not what you think}

• Explore your “money shame” with simple (yet profound) mindfulness practices

• Use ritual (with maybe a little chocolate), forgiveness, and contemplation to cultivate a sense of wholeness and peace with your finances.

TAKE A FALL STROLL WITH ME

"FALL IN LOVE WITH TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF"

 

The trees on my neighborhood street are utterly glowing with the reds and oranges of fall. I often find myself staring out the window or walking through the neighborhood, watching the leaves fall one by one.  

 

Nature's glow is similar to the inner glow that I feel at this time of year. The warming colors of orange, gold and crimson feel somewhat therapeutic.

 

For me, it's the little moments of presence and gratitude that makes the season of Fall so majestic. 



So today, in the spirit of the changing seasons and the majesty of watching nature let go, I thought we could take a little stroll together through the fall leaves, looking at some of the important qualities of the changing season that can lend themselves to our strength, vitality and nourishment.  



In this week's episode of SATIATE {my new podcast}, you will find some supportive and inspiring tips to bring with you as you stroll through the fall leaves towards your health and happiness:
 

• Learn the energetic qualities of Fall

• Listen to some recommendations around how to best nourish yourself at this time of year.

• Deepen you understanding of Fall's complimentary organ: how to take the best care for immunity, strength and optimal health.

• Check out some of my favorite self-care and nourishment practices for this season.

AND/OR

Interested in more?  Our upcoming retreat, EAT. BREATHE. NOURISH. in Nosara, Costa Rica (November 8-15th) is a deep dive into the wisdom of our bodies, our authentic relationships to food, health, happiness, and how to fine-tune this relationship with baby steps, practice, gentleness and growth. We have a few spots left.  View all the details HERE.


I hope these reflections help you on your quest, and if you have any comments, thoughts, questions, or anything to add, feel free to reply.  I love hearing from you. 

THE WHY'S AND HOW'S TO *AUTHENTIC EATING*

"THE AUTHENTIC SELF IS THE SOUL MADE VISIBLE"

SARAH BREATHNACH

For me, fall is a beckoning to nourish, tend to myself, turn inward, and let go. Following the currents of nature in all her forms has always been one of my most supportive guidance systems.


The seasons and cyclical rhythms of nature help me in governing how I move through my life, my eating, and my daily practice. Nothing feels more wise, whole and informative to me.  
 

Shifting our relationship to food and our bodies is a windy road, one where we can find ourselves lost, with no cell phone reception.


There were many times in my life when I was very confused about my eating.


One that stands out was circa 2001. Ironically, I was immersed in my masters program, studying nutrition – a typical time to get confused. The majority of my studies took place during what I referred to as my nap time empire, back in the day when naps still existed in my house.


I remember a very specific moment while sitting at my desk, Ari tucked away for a nap and Elijah down the street at pre-school: As I eagerly leafed through yet another nutrition book on my required reading list, I noticed that this very book contradicted the previous one.  


After sitting in this new confusion for a while, thinking to myself: "Which one am I going to pick? What will I suggest to my soon to be clients? How do I stand by one way, when there are so many?"


Weeks passed while I was stuck on this crux and it meant everything to me. Eventually, a truth struck me in one grand AHA moment:  "I don't have to choose.  Everyone has their own needs, wants and desires. There is no one way. My job is to support folks to find their way."


I know it may sound overly simplified now and I will admit those were some very sleep deprived days for me, but today I continually see this epidemic happening all around me.  


I sit in my office day after day with folks who are utterly confused. Many are choosing an eating style based on what their spouse, best friend, favorite magazine or yoga teacher is talking about. 

Yes, sometimes it works... but sometimes it really doesn't.  

Eating and nourishing ourselves has become one of the most complicated and confusing things we do in today's world – especially when we add in our busy, fast-paced lifestyles and the one way is the way approach that so much of the modern media is implying. 


Often we are left with guilt or hunger or exhaustion or just plain hopelessness.


I am sure, if you are like most of us, you have tried a few different things in your foodie life, as have I.  


So today, I thought we could shed some light on things that I find to be helpful in this conversation.


Here is a glance at some of the realizations I have had along the way, through my own insight, but also through observing hundreds of eaters with every kind of history under the sun, in my private practice, Boulder Nutrition.

These touchstones are reminders here because they are setting the table for our personal artistry of living (and eating) a soulful and pleasurable life, with our authenticity forging a new path.

 

Implementing authentic eating as practice is a healing tool for our health, our body image and our pleasure possibilities.

Living this way may look very different for each of us, as we are each totally unique and individuated in our expression of authenticity in our lives and in our eating. There is no exact formula for this genuine expression, but rather a gentle honoring in how it manifests and is embodied in each of us.  We may have to clear some cultural and social beliefs about how we think we should be, to then make space for how we truly are – with our authenticity and primal wisdom leading the way.

Soulful Superfood #1:

The Why's

When we flow with our natural rhythm, we create personal freedom.

 

The more we feel into the elemental cycles around us, present for all life forms on the planet, the more we can ride the waves and rhythms in ourselves. This knowing is embedded in our true nature, our cellular DNA and our innate animal wisdom.

Our authentic rhythms are like a current of knowledge that is already within us. We can tap in at any time.  When we allow ourselves to flow with our natural currents, we begin to see our rhythms as a gift, as spiritual freedom and as our truest nature.

For example, as women, our female cycles are our road map to our own empowerment and to the sacred feminine. Each of the four seasons is reflected in the bodily cycles (moon cycle) we experience each month. By tuning into our cycles of body and earth, we are able to watch the shape shifting of our energy, our sensuality, our cravings, and our pleasures and tend to them with care and devotion.

Within our primal and animal feminine intelligence, when we return with reverence to the natural cycles of body and earth as our primary guidance system, over time we can soothe and remedy our lives – including our moon cycle and our monthly hormonal balance our eating, and our personal care.

We don't have to pick one eating style or commit to one way. We can flow, groove and evolve our eating to match the other aspects of our lives.  Our eating can become fluid, freeing, and attuned with our bodies, minds and souls.

As we become more balanced and authentic in our eating, our renewed relationship to food and our bodies will cultivate a higher inner awareness.  We will begin to trust our (wise) cravings and make choices that are strengthening, comforting and health promoting.

Soulful Superfood #2:

The How's

I know this approach works for me personally because it feels like a great big exhale in my body.

 

As I mentioned, we all have to find our way.  I can only truly speak from my own personal experience on this one, even though I have heard many many testimonials from my clients and my online community.  

So when we talk about how this has worked for me, it feels like it is not even a choice at this point. My emotions surely play a big role in my appetite, my blood sugar screams loudly when not attended to, my hormones have some pretty specific requests and my creativity and inspiration in creating food, eating food, sharing food, and teaching about food are being downloaded on a daily basis.  

So, when I sit and breakdown how to practice authentic eating step by step, here is what comes:

Find a method that supports your mind-body connection

One of the most valuable tools we can hone as an eater is our mind-body connection. Building this connection is a healing tool for both our body confidence and our creating interoceptive awareness.  Our mind-body connection increases both our sensitivity to sensorial experiences in the body as well as the perception of these signals.  

There are many ways to fine-tune our mind-body connections.  Here are a few of my favorite:

• Incorporate downtime for reflection and rest (electronic free) each day.
• Spend some time in nature each week.
• Practice an awareness art such as yoga, meditation, reflective journalling, tai chi, or forest bathing,
• Create a consistent morning ritual, intention practice or gratitude practice. (even if you only have 5 min)

HONOR YOUR PHYSICAL HUNGER

There is a big difference between our physical hunger and our emotional hunger.  Our emotions don't have a stomach, so they can never be truly hungry or truly be satiated.  When we take a moment to check in with our body's physical hunger cues we often get a more authentic answer.  This takes a little practice.  

Stop.  Pause. Take a deep breath.  Place your hand on your stomach.  

Ask the question:  "What are you hungry for?"

If the answer has nothing to do with food (i.e.  you need a hug, a good cry, or a nap) give yourself permission to listen.

 

Slow down + LEARN WHAT FEELING SATIATED MEANS FOR YOU

Feeling full vs feeling satiated are two very different things.  In fact, the most common reason for overeating is due to not being satiated.  When were are eating out of balance for our unique bodies and our unique metabolisms, it is very hard to feel satiated.  

Satiation occurs when we are meeting our physical needs for protein, fat, and carbs, as well as taking the time and space to eat slowly and mindfully.  

{A recent study showed when eating in front of the TV, humans are known to eat up to 50% more food per meal. }

We can't navigate our hunger and satiation cues when we are distracted, checked out, or rushed.

Satiation can also mean personal fulfillment.  When we are more satiated in our daily lives, our relationships, our jobs, and our free time, we will find a more easeful relationship with our eating.

 

learn your Metabolic Type

How you feel after a cup of really strong coffee, or a sugary treat may be very different than me. How you feel after a grass fed piece of steak or a yummy bowl of vegan lentil soup might be very different than your sister.

We all have such unique body chemistries, sensitivities, likes or dislikes, histories, hormonal balances/imbalances and metabolisms that with any investigation it would only make sense that food will react in our bodies in different ways.

We can fine-tune our diets to match our unique bodies, our goals for our health, and how we want to optimize our personal metabolism and energy. 

Metabolic typing is the very complete and science based system that I use to learn how to customize nutritional needs for the individual.  This information gives us a "recipe" for how to fuel our unique body chemistries – to feel more satiated, energized, and nourished.

RESPECT YOUR BODY

Food is often used as a way to punish or reward ourselves (or both).  We tell ourselves we "deserve" it, when in reality the act of binging on potato chips leaves us feeling worse than when we started.  We find ourselves eating our emotions, stuffing our feelings with food, or numbing ourselves and our suffering with sugar.  

Respecting out bodies with our eating involves feeding ourselves in a way that leaves us energized, uplifted, inspired, satiated, and loved.  

TAP INTO THE CYCLES OF NATURE

The cycles of nature act as a wonderful backdrop for eating.  Each season is fresh with it's customized goodies, it's flavors, and it's energetics.  Within the seasons, nature goes through everything on the spectrum – from full bloom to death and decay. These are the pulsations of life.

According to Traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine, each season comes with a unique energetic quality, nourishment, complimentary organ, emotion and action. Synchronizing with each season’s expression is like medicine for the body, mind and soul.  

Your authenticity lies in your primal animal being which is and always has been nature.  

practice: The way out is always in

Take inventory and care of your inner landscape. Rather than avoiding a situation, a feeling, or a truth (which often turns into acting out in our eating) allow the space, time, and reality of the situation to move through you completely. The uncomfortable feelings will pass. Strong feelings are intimidating and even scary at times, but they also have a habit of sticking around until we face them.

We are a culture that often looks outside of ourselves for the answers. While I am a firm believer in getting the support I need, I have also found that even asking two different friends, therapists, or sisters for the same advice can lead with two very different suggestions (even opposites). Include asking yourself for advice. You know the answers. Only you know what is best for you and what aligns with you.

Soulful Superfood #3:

Reflections from the Yoga of Eating Retreat

Here is a beautiful interpretation of how our authentic eating and living can really impact our health and overall life experience through the eyes of one of our Yoga of Eating retreaters. This (spontaneous) share is so beautiful and appreciated.

"On our retreat, women come from all over the country, varying in age by about 40 years. Everyone had unique reasons for coming, but despite all our different backgrounds and current life affairs, we all had some a similar goal. We all wanted to find a way to relax and find balance in our relationship with food and our bodies, by allowing ourselves this time away from everything else.

It’s sad to recognize that most of us feel pretty inadequate much of the time. There are so many demands that just pile up and up and up….it’s quite easy to feel overwhelmed and a bit lost. The thing that really hit me during our talks was that we are all dealing with this same, deep burden in different ways. For some of us it’s eating disorders, for others, it’s over-working to the point of depression and exhaustion. Some of us might be able to function in the day-to-day just fine, but there is a lingering feeling that something is missing.

Taking a deeper look at our authentic feelings and how they relate to our eating patterns is totally eye-opening. We might choose to stuff ourselves with food due to a struggle with communication, by using our mouths to push everything down, instead of getting feelings out. We may use food as a shield, to hide from the world under extra weight. We may crave certain types of foods for comfort or as a distraction because we don’t know how to sit with an uncomfortable emotion.

The great news is that acknowledging these unhealthy habits is the first step towards turning them around. Being in a group of women sharing their hearts like this really makes you realize you’re not alone – we all have our shit. We all have issues. It’s how you decide to handle them that matters and nothing is set in stone.

At one point during the weekend Sue brought up the idea of flavors and how they relate to feelings or emotions. For example, spicy foods can evoke warmth and passion, and we often turn to sweet foods for comfort and love. This hit me like a lightning bolt. I realized that some days I feel like I’m giving the world 110%, I’m trying my very best to be loving and kind, but I don’t feel like the world is giving that back to me. Days like this really stress me out and get me down, and I find myself looking for comfort in sweets.

Don’t get me wrong, I have a sweet tooth in general and I don’t need to feel a bit blue to get a hankering. But, after really thinking about this concept for a while it makes sense that those cravings become much stronger on the days I’m in need of a little extra comfort.

Ailsa Cowell

Food to Feel Good

 

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Join us for our next immersion illuminating the self-care, yogic, and food-centric aspects of the feminine

THE REALITY OF IMPERFECTION

"STRIVE FOR PROGRESS, NOT PERFECTION" 


 

I rolled out my purple manduka yoga mat last Friday morning.



The lights were nice and dim in the yoga room as the other students entered to get settled. After a long and full week, I knew I needed to get on my mat and unwind.  



I gazed down towards my hot pink toenails as we took our first forward bend and I let out a big exhale.  "I am so glad I am here" I thought to myself. "I really need this time for myself today".
 

As we began our yoga practice, my dear friend and teacher read a quote to the class.  It was just perfect for me on this particular day– almost as if it was written just for me.  



I want to share it with you today:



 

"LIFE IS AMAZING.
AND LIFE IS AWFUL.
AND THEN LIFE IS AMAZING AGAIN.
IN BETWEEN THE AMAZING AND THE AWFUL,
LIFE IS ORDINARY AND MUNDANE.
SAVOR THE AMAZING.
HOLD ON DURING THE AWFUL.
EXHALE DURING THE ORDINARY."

 
 

The truth is, we are all human.  We all ride the waves of life as best we can.  
 

Most of us strive for health.  Most of us strive for peace.  Most of us strive for success, financial freedom, love, support, and purpose.  




Sometimes, things go our way and we feel on point, satisfied, and fulfilled. Other times, things fall apart. Life gives us challenges (some big, some small). In response, we don't sleep as well. We get tired. We get stressed out. We worry. We stew. We judge ourselves for not being perfect, and our lives for not looking perfect. 




Like most of you, I can pinpoint many of the big and small moments of challenge that have come my way. Life is an ever changing dynamic array of ups and downs: From flat tires to hospital visits and from disappointment to financial distress.




When things fall apart, we often find ourselves stuck in coping skills and old habits that don't do us any good...

 

• Being our own worst critic and berating ourselves for 'messing up'.

• Numbing ourselves through alcohol, sugar, TV, sex or emotional eating.

• Self medicating our exhaustion with caffeine and stimulants.

• Over spending, over eating, over indulging, over exercising, over sleeping.

• Throwing our self-care out the window because we are too overwhelmed.

... and then whole cycle starts over.
 

Perfection is our (collective) problem.  We want the perfect life, the perfect body, the perfect job, the perfect kids, the perfect bank account, the perfect house, the perfect partner, or the perfect ___________. This is our humanness, a consciousness that we all share.




And when we don't get it (none of us ever really do), the endless chase leaves us exhausted and empty.
 



The antidote to our addiction to perfection is progress.




Progress is looking back and seeing where we have come from, and the baby steps we have made towards our own definition of personal success. As well, the milestones we have crossed, the hard life lessons we have learned (those one that surely have made us stronger) and the new positive habits we have formed with an eagle eye view on how we are creating an imperfect life we love.  



Take a big step back.  

Reflect.  

Look at the big picture.  

Take care of your important self.  

See the good.  

Lean into your support.

Nourish yourself well with food, rest, exercise and self-care.

Take a break. 

Talk yourself through it (just as you would your own best friend, sister, or child).

Stop comparing yourself and your life to those around you. (never a good idea)

Surrender to the process, and mark your progress.

Most of all, let go of perfection.




If you are needing a moment, a pause, a break, some support, some perspective, and some time to deeply nourish yourself, I am personally inviting you to join me on retreat this fall. We have some amazing opportunities for you to come home to yourself HERE (locally and internationally).  




These retreats support you in strengthening your relationship to yourself, the daily practices that help you along the way, and the customized ways in which you can surf the waves of  your life with just a little bit more ease.

 

WE ARE HITTIN' THE ROAD...

"GO WHERE YOU FEEL THE MOST ALIVE" 


 

I grew up road tripping in a Country Squire Ford Station Wagon.



My father, still king of the road at almost 80 years old, loved going on family adventures on the open Canandian roads.  My parents would put down the back seats, fill the 'very back' of the wagon with pillows and blankets and off we would drive, with Willie Nelson playing on the 8-track. (I know, I just dated myself)



I used to love my turn in the front seat, with the best view of the Canadian Rocky Mountains and the freedom and adventure I felt as I stared (for hours) at the open road ahead.




When I look back now, especially at photos like the one I shared above (obviously I am the one on the left), I see where I still carry this early part of childhood in my DNA.  




Travelling, adventuring, and exploring many parts of the world (not limited to road trips) is still a big part of my life and my passion.  




So when the inspiration came to take Boulder Nutrition on the road, it felt like a resounding YES and perfect timing!!!  




A lot of things have changed in my life over the past few years:
 

• Elijah, my older son moved out on his own.
• My business has become almost 50% online and still growing.
• I have begun leading retreats SOLO most of the time, which was a new and scary endeavor.
• I have been able to, and loved to travel both with my amazing partner and often times, all of our kids.
• My Boulder Nutrition Retreat schedule is full of exciting upcoming trips to beautiful places.
• I feel ready and thrilled to spread Boulder Nutrition love to a further reach.

My life is always my teacher and the biggest inspiration for my writing and my work. 
 

Traveling and teaching on a larger scale has been a big dream of mine for many years.  So, I have been planning some travel and adventure while I share my work around the country (and world) and I am thrilled that Ari (my son) will be joining me most of the time. While I couldn't be more excited about the 'open road', I am also intent on savoring these last couple of years with him still at home–my high schooler who loves to road trip with me.



Soooooo, I wanted to let you know we will be heading out on the road (or occasionally by plane) to share my work and my message with as many folks as I can and to share some great adventures together. I will still be working in my beloved North Boulder office most weeks, but fitting in our travel schedule on weekends with the occasional longer stints.
 

Will I see you?  
 

Check out locations and dates below and let's talk about meeting up.  If your home town is not on the list, feel free to join me on one of the amazing Boulder Nutrition Retreats coming up – I would love to hang with you!!

Want to see what we are up to?  You can check us out on instagram for daily stories and updates (along with lots of free resources and recipes):

 

 

Click the icon below to follow our road trip on Instagram here:

Be sure to peruse all the details for this fall's exciting Boulder Nutrition Road Trip and Retreat schedule (local and international options available).  



PS. If you want to host me in your town, let me know!!

Take a well deserved break, share in the sisterhood, thrive through the practices of yoga, meditation, inspired living, experiential cooking, personal transformation, healing foods and self-care.

**Limited space in each workshop and retreat. Be sure to message me if you are interested. Spaces sold on a first come first serve basis.

 

" When going away is the first step towards coming home..."

 

IT HAD BEEN WAY TO LONG SINCE I DID THIS...

 "A WALK IN NATURE WALKS THE SOUL BACK HOME" 

MARY DAVIS


 

There are many ways to nourish ourselves, 

While most of the time I talk about nourishment through our healthy and healing diets and our relationship to our eating and our bodies, today, I want to share with you a different spin on self nourishment.



I just returned from a long weekend, retreating in my favorite part of Colorado, Steamboat Springs.  For the first time in quite a while, Jason and I were on a solo adventure. With three kids (+ one adult kid) between the two of us, our solo time has been sparse over the past many, many months.



Being single parents requires us to constantly be available to our kids, which is something we both cherish and prioritize. We own our own businesses, and taking time away to unplug has just been tough to pull off lately.  In fact, to be totally honest, being out of range for long periods of time often gives me a little anxiety. 

 

While my heart and soul wants nothing more than the quietude of nature to sink into, restore, and savor...timing is everything.




 

This past weekend, the timing was just perfect.  We spent our days in the vast Colorado wilderness where we saw just a few other folks (mostly badass solo women on horseback), gorgeous wild life, beautiful mountain peaks, and we had the colorful blooming alpine meadows of flowers all to ourselves. We ate delicious food, slept, read books, and everything about it was just what I needed.




At times, life's busyness can swallow us up. Getting away can almost feel like too much to plan amidst it all. Just like eating a satisfying meal or getting a deep night's sleep, retreating can be one of the most nourishing gifts we can give to ourselves.




These sacred moments of solace are touchstones into the the ways I live and teach. Even if they are short and sweet – like enjoying a day at home resting on the weekend, taking a long hike in the foothills of Boulder, or savoring a luscious bath each night before I get into bed – they are the very back bone of my health and happiness.




This week I am going to share with you some very specific health benefits that happen when we give ourselves a break. They are important to know about, part of an important conversation for women, and something most of us could work on, as we are often the last ones on our own priority list.  (insert sad face)




I wrote most this article a few years ago after my family had been through an incredibly traumatic and challenging year. Today, after re-reading it, and adding more of the full story, I was brought to tears in remembering just how tough it was, and how emotionally exhausted I was. I sit with a full heart as I share it with you today...

 
 

To stay strong, nourished, resourced and bring our most brilliant and best selves to the table, we must remember to slow down, restore, reflect, and prioritize our self-care.  




Be sure to scroll down and peruse all the details for this fall's enticing Boulder Nutrition Retreats (local and international options available).  These retreats are designed to be highly customized experiences where nourishment and restoration happens for your body, mind and soul.  




Nature...
Women...
Healing Foods...
Women's Yoga...
Meditation...
Rest...
Play...
Cooking...
Spaciousness...
Connection...
Self-care...
Gentleness...
Beauty...



From my heart to yours...because YOU deserve this.
 

TRUTH TALKS :: SESSION 4

TRUTH TALKS :: SESSION 4 :: PHATPHOBIA

 

 

 HANGRY:

A STATE OF ANGER CAUSE BY A LACK OF FOOD; HUNGER CAUSING A NEGATIVE CHANGE IN EMOTIONAL STATE
 

 

Boulder Flashback ?



OMG!  When I first moved to Boulder in 1995 (Goss Street to be exact) the fat free movement was in full tilt.  While I was already a foodie at heart, my cash flow was a little sparse.  




Multiple times per week, I would slip on my very worn out Birkenstocks and saunter a few blocks over to the formerly known Crystal Market on East Pearl St. to fill up my trusty back pack (yup, no car) with all of the least expensive vegetarian eats I could get my hands on.  




At that time, there was a pretty big global notion that fat made you fat(ALL kinds of fat that is– including nuts, avocado, egg yolks and coconut oil) along with a whole array of other terrible health problems. So, some of my favorite "healthy" go-to's were canned fat free lentil soup (organic of course), Annie's fat free mac and cheese (definelty NO butter), canned Bearitos fat free black beans (for dank burritos), and a host of fresh veggies which I would mix in for extra veggie love.  




Time passed, Jerry Garcia died (just months after I arrived), my only form of transportation (my bike) was stolen off my porch, and I fell in love with Boulder.  




While my love affair with Boulder grew (into what I would eventually call home), I grew more and more tired, depleted, weak and HANGRY. My ability to handle my life diminished. Eventually, a new friend I had made told me about the Naturopathic doctor she was working for and made me an appointment.




Everything changed...




After one look at me, a few tests, and what I consider to be a very important turning point in my health, my career and my life, I was prescribed a high fat (and protein) diet.  Not only a little, but an RX of high amounts at every single meal.  I was so desperate. I was so drained. I would have done almost anything to feel like myself again.




It worked.  It honestly it seemed like I "found myself".




{... Some of us go to India, and me – the Naturopath}

 


The only way I had been able to sustain this fat free vegetarian lifestyle was through sheer will power and restriction.




Once I began to listen to my body, my intuition and my true cravings, I had no choice but to surrender the fat free movement forever.  




Reflecting on this journey fired me up about sharing what I now know and teach about food, fat, and some other things...

 

---

*WELCOME TO THE TRUTH TALK SESSIONS*

We will debunk some common health myths, reframe our health and healing and find our way back home to ourselves. TRUTH TALKS are little nuggets of  truth for you to chew on. Together, we will take a deeper look at some of our personal beliefs and some automatic ways we tend to orient around our health.   For the next few weeks,  join me in a little immersion into some of the ways we can reframe our health and reclaim our power.

(and your suggestions and requests are welcome)

I have a few more truths (science based) for you to nosh on today...

{If you missed the previous TRUTH TALKS feel free to catch up anytime HERE...}


 

---

 

TRUTH TALKS :: SESSION 4 :: PHATPHOBIA

1. DOES FAT MAKE ME FAT?  If there is one thing I could change in the nutrition world it is that the food group "fat" and the body weight "fat" share the same word.  It is confusing.  Of course, we would naturally conclude that one is directly related to the other. Every day in my office I find myself debunking the myth of "fat makes us fat".  Yes, there are good fats and bad fats (see below) but in the category of good healthy natural fats, there is no correlation with body weight (or other health issues).  

P.S. If you like to geek out with science like me, check this out: Since the 1980's when the fat free movement was at it's highest, there have been many, many studies proving that not only is this notion not true, the data was falsified, and supported by some pretty suspicious participants. The Journal of the American Medical Association printed a comment about the new recommendations:  “tacitly acknowledging the lack of convincing evidence to recommend low-fat, high-carbohydrate diets for the general public in the prevention or treatment of any major health outcome, including heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, or obesity.”  Read the full New York Times Article Here.
 
TRUTH:  You can befriend fat. Not only is fat an essential nutrient for hundreds of biochemical processes in the human body, but is also a critical food group to stabilize our blood sugar and keep us in the targeted "fat burning zone".  To put it simply, fat is essential to burn body fat.

 

2.  GOOD FAT, BAD FAT?  Yes, there are both.  I know this may seem obvious, but there still seems to lie some confusion for many of us.  Here is how I define it:  Natural fat (i.e. fat found in nature) is good.  Processed fat (hydrogentated oils), GMO oils, trans-fats, and any other man made or altered fats we should avoid. Our bodies simply do not have the correct biochemistry to break them down.  On the other hand, fats found in nature, including pure saturated fats (organic meat, coconut oil, chocolate, butter), poly-unsaturated (omega-3 and omega-6), mono-unsaturated fats (avocado, olive oil, and most nuts) are wonderful to eat an array of to feed various systems in our bodies including our hormones, our brain chemistry, our skin health, and our heart health. 

TRUTH:  Eat natural fats.  Don't be shy about it. You will be more satiated throughout the day and your blood sugar will thank you. Listen to your body.  When we eat good fat, our body tells us when we have had enough (not quite the same with french fries).  With each of our unique metabolisms, activity level and biochemistry, listening to our satiation cues is the best option for eating good fat. If you are craving it, you most likely need it.

 

3. HELP, MY CHOLESTEROL!  If you are like most folks I know, I am sure you have thought about this. "What about my cholesterol?"  You may come from a family history of high cholesterol, you may just be weary of all the things that could go wrong down the road and want to be smart.  Either way, I think you will find these (science based) facts enlightening.  There are many kinds of cholesterol.  Good and bad.  When we get it checked, we want higher HDL and lower LDL.  

Here are the goods: The main culprit of high cholesterol comes from excess sugar and refined fats (gasp!).  When we have an excess of sugar in our blood, a lot of it is stored in the liver where our own bodies convert it into bad cholesterol.  Why?  Well, we are not designed to eat that much refined sugar or high glycemic sugars (mainly from processed foods).  We have adapted a response to deal with and store this excess sugar which leads to high cholesterol, plaque in our arteries, triple by-passes etc.  


TRUTH:  In actuality, we need dietary fat (including saturated fat) to break down bad cholesterol.  Your heart will be fine.  Your cholesterol will likely go down.  Focus on avoiding the sugar instead of the natural fats.  According to Dr. Diana Schwartzbein, M.D. (one of my primary teachers) eating (natural) fat and cholesterol prevents heart attacks by lowering insulin levels and switching off the internal production of cholesterol.

When you eat better you feel better.  "HANGRY" is a choice you don't have to make.

TRUTH TALKS ~ SESSION 3

TRUTH TALKS :: SESSION 3

ACCELERATE OR COAST?

 

" MAKE SPACE IN YOUR LIFE
FOR HEALTH AND HAPPINESS "

KRIS CARR

While summertime is one of the most expansive, playful, and uplifting times of the year, it can also be exhausting.  The hot days tend to zap our energy. The fullness of summertime life, social functions, adventurous trips, and holiday hype can tucker us out if we are not careful.  




We just returned from a great holiday weekend in one of my favorite parts of Colorado. Jason and I took four kids away (yes, we are brave) for a long weekend to enjoy some river rafting, some hot springs, and some of the beauty of the peak of summer.



As we paddled down the Arkansas river with our guide Michael calling out the strokes, there were many times we had to paddle like crazy through a rapid, while many others where we could just coast.  Each time we approached a rapid, I could feel myself preparing for the acceleration. After some white water splashes, and a few shrieks from the boat, we would make it to the other side to exhale, exhilerated.


 

... Life is full of moments like these  

The ebbs and flows of life, health and healing keep things interesting and dynamic. We have to stay present to what our lives are asking of us, listen to our intuition, to get the most effective (and usually desired)results. 



I often think of our healing phase as acceleration, while the maintenance phase as a time to exhale and coast.




 

... Listen for the moments to accelerate and give it your all. Listen for the moments to exhale and coast.


 

Are you in an accelerate phase or a coast phase in your health and healing ?


 

*WELCOME TO THE TRUTH TALK SESSIONS*

We will debunk some common health myths, reframe our health and healing and find our way back home to ourselves. Truth talks are little nuggets of  truth for you to chew on. Together, we will take a deeper look at some of our personal beliefs and some automatic ways we tend to orient around our health.   For the next few weeks,  join me in a little immersion into some of the ways we can reframe our health and reclaim our power.

(and your suggestions and requests are welcome)

I have a few more nuggets for you today...

{If you missed TRUTH TALKS SESSION 1 or TRUTH TALKS SESSION 2 feel free to catch up anytime HERE...}

 

 

TRUTH TALKS :: SESSION 3 :: ACCELERATE OR COAST?

1.  DO I NEED SUPPLEMENTS?  First off, the way our foods are grown and prepared leaves our food depleted in a variety of ways. The methods of storing, processing and preserving food often severely devitalizes the food of its nutritional value. In addition, many of the modern techniques used to grow food faster, larger and on nutritionally depleted soils have destroyed the original, natural quality of our food supply.  There is no question that we could ALL use a little nutrient boost, AAAANNNDDD...


If you are in an healing phase of you will find your healing is more supported and accelerated with the right supplements ...

 
TRUTH:  If your health is not optimal, you are most likely experiencing a deficiency of some kind in your body – in your capacity to digest or assimilate your food, or in what your body needs to heal. Adding in the right supplements will absolutely accelerate your healing process.




2.  ARE ALL SUPPLEMENTS THE SAME?  There is a HUGE difference between the ingredients used in a whole food supplement versus a supplement made with synthetic ingredients. There is also a DRASTIC difference between a food grade supplement and a pharmaceutical grade supplement. When we start messing with natures magic (trying to impersonate nature in a lab) and when we start taking short cuts to cut costs, and dilute the potency of nature’s medicine, we loose out on the synergy and perfection of purity.


.... Are your supplements in their natural form? Are they pure?  Are they potent?  Are they absorbable?

.... If these questions cannot be answered or if the answer is NO, don’t waste your money.  A crappy supplement is going to do you no good.  


TRUTH:  A high quality pure supplement is incredible and an integral part of accelerating your health and healing. You will see that with a little education and a little discernment you can find the best options for you, even if you need to reach for advice from a specialist.  Buy less supplements, buy the high quality natural, pharmaceutical grade supplements so that you get the most bang for your buck and see the results you are looking for.



3.  HOW DO I KNOW WHAT TO TAKE?  I know it can be a little overwhelming.  Trust me...many of my clients show up with bags full of supplements to show me when we first start working together.  

Here are a few good tips to practice when you are buying supplements:
 

• Read the ingredients

Ingredients tell it all.  Look for natural substances, names that you recognize and ingredients in tandem. 
 

• Look at the daily value

Natural supplements may be at lower dose at times, but they are more potent because they are natural and pure.  If the daily values are through the roof, you are likely looking at synthetic version. More is not always better.
 

• Look for the GMP practices

The Federal Drug Administration has not finalized Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) for dietary supplements, as they are theoretically required to do under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act. Rather, Congress has stated, as a provision, that dietary supplement GMP should be modeled after foods.  Because of this statement, many supplement manufacturers have chosen to follow the GMP for foods. Others, however, voluntarily follow GMP for pharmaceuticals as the basis for their quality assurance program in the manufacturing of all of their products.  This means these companies treat nutritional supplements with the same consistency that goes into the manufacturing of pharmaceutical products.

Pharmaceutical grade supplements can guarantee quality, potency, absorbability and purity.  They are your BEST option for supplements all the way around.



TRUTH:  We are such an instant gratification, pill popping, symptom focused culture, but it isn’t really getting us anywhere. When you want to accelerate your health and healing, remember to move slow and steady and go for quality not quantity.  


**Need a little help?  I have you covered.  For the rest of July, I will be offering 30 minute supplement consults at a discounted rate. Click the button below for all the details (in person or remote sessions available)
 

We all go through times where we accelerate and where we coast. Remember to let your energy follow your authentic flow.


With love and peace...

Have some thoughts or insights about these truths?  Have some requests for next week? Let me know in the comments below.

TRUTH TALKS ~ SESSION 2

TRUTH TALKS ~ SESSION 2

 

" I WALK SLOWLY, BUT I NEVER WALK BACKWARD "

ABRAHAM LINCOLN

Last week, I was so excited to join one of my closest friends in celebrating the first day of summer with a full day climb up Mount Elbert, the highest peek in Colorado.



With an early 4 am start to the day and the most brilliant solstice sunrise as we drove into the mountains, we were off to a great beginning to our adventure. 

As we set foot on one of the most beautiful trails I have ever been on, my friend gently reminded me: "SLOW AND STEADY".  


 

While I was super excited and eagerly bursting out of the gates, her words anchored me into a pace that would eventually help us to ascend this gorgeous peek.

 

Life is full of metaphors



 

For me, something about the different ways we learn experientially is so poinient in the many opportunities where we can apply these same metaphors to multiple aspects of our lives.




All day long, "SLOW AND STEADY" became my mantra.  As we drove home after a glorious and exhausting day, with views to die for, deep conversation, and the most magical ascent through snow fields and blustery winds, I felt this mantra so deeply in all the work I do each day around our health and our healing.  




So, I wanted to share with you today, session 2 of the new summer series I created to reframe some of the ways we look at our health and our healing.  


 

*WELCOME TO THE TRUTH TALK SESSIONS*

For the next few weeks, join me in a little immersion into some of the ways we can reframe our health and reclaim our power. Together, we will take a deeper look at some of our personal beliefs and some automatic ways we tend to orient around our health.  Truth talks are little nuggets of truth for you tochew on. We will debunk some common health myths, reframe our health and healing and find our way back home to ourselves.
(and your suggestions and requests are welcome)


 

 TRUTH TALKS :: SESSION 2 :: SLOW AND STEADY

1.  YOUR DIAGNOSIS IS NOT YOUR PROGNOSIS:  Our health and our healing is the most intimate and integral part of ourselves.  While I find that knowing all the information, all of the science, and what western medicine would refer to as our diagnosis is imperative, there is what I find to be a potential problem. Often, once we know all of these facts, we are given a prognosis (sometimes by a doctor, a practioner, or yes, even Web MD).  A prognosis is an expected likely course of our condition, similar to a weather forecast or a financial projection.  


...Last week in Colorado we were told that it would get very hot on Friday.  I was preparing myself for a sweltering day.  What actually happened was that a lot of clouds rolled in, and cooled off the air, then it rained with no rain in the forecast! Are you catching my drift??



TRUTH:  Our bodies know how to heal, when given the right nutrients, environment, attitude, and rest.  Our bodies are designed to heal themselves.  When we run amuck with our designated prognosis, we tend to both create more stress and anxiety in our bodies, as well as feel limited in our healing potential.  Your healing path will be your own unique process, that often has very little in common with your designated prognosis.  Stay open to possibility, deep healing, and the radical ways your body knows how to heal.



2.  YOU ARE NOT YOUR GENETICS:   While we may come into this life with a genetic palate that may seem unfavorable, how our genetic expression shows up may be very different.  When we spend time on our self care, nourishing our bodies well, managing our stress, and taking charge of our health, we may never see our family genetics or hereditary conditions show up.

TRUTH:  Don't let your genetics take you down.  Take good care of yourself. Prioritize your health. Listen to your body. Stay out of the negative spiral of expecting things to go awry.  Genetic expressiontrumps genetic coding any day.




3.  MIND OVER MATTER:  In my nutrition practice, I work with many, many folks who are struggling with a variety of health issues.  From digestive distress to hypothyroidism to autoimmune disease to anorexia to endometriosis – I see it all.  I have learned through my own health and healing, and watching the healing process happen with my clients, that our healing journeys are dynamic, multi-faceted, and complex.  Like most things we do, our attitude has a bigger influence than we often realize.  The process of truly healing ourselves must involve all parts – body, mind, and soul.

TRUTH:  The most important quality of healing is our commitment to it.  We may be required to learn elaborate levels of patience.  We may be asked to listen to our bodies like never before.  We may be called to try a variety of modalities simultaneously to support our health.  We may need to be stronger, more diligent, and more committed than ever before.  When we put everything we have into the process, we move mountains!

 

Just like I learned on the mountain top of Colorado's highest peek.. SLOW AND STEADY is the best approach to reaching our health and healing goals.

With love and peace...

Have some thoughts or insights about these truths?  Have some requests for next week? Just hit reply and send them over.  I love hearing from you!!

TRUTH TALKS ~ SESSION 1

TRUTH TALKS ~ SESSION 1

" THREE THINGS CANNOT BE LONG HIDDEN:
THE SUN, THE MOON AND THE TRUTH "

BUDDHA

A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of sitting in a beautiful circle of women dedicated to improving their relationship to food and their bodies.



As with most circles of women I have sat in, there was a lot to talk about. Each woman had a chance to share some of her struggles, tell her personal truths, and shed some of her unwanted beliefs about food, health, and body image.



As I listened, shared, and witnessed this circle, I realized that wrapped up in our conversation is a whole lot of talking about what we think we 'should be doing'. Ironically, many of these 'shoulds' contradict each other.



I noticed that many of us had gotten so far from what feels good in our bodies, and replaced our innate intuitive wisdom with many of the most common health myths or 'shoulds'.



We (as a culture) frequently hand over our power to what online health trends and media are telling us to do rather than trusting ourselves and our own unique needs.




We are all looking for answers ...




... Answers about how to feel good in our bodies.
... Answers on what is the best thing to have for lunch.
... Answers on how to overcome our cravings.
... Answers on how to be our best selves.  



It can feel complicated.  It can be confusing.  But most of all...it is completely unique and individual.  




I wanted to share with you today a new summer series I created to help with some of this confusion...



 

*WELCOME TO THE TRUTH TALK SESSIONS*

For the next few weeks, join me in a little immersion into some of the ways we can reframe our health and reclaim our power. Together, we will take a deeper look at some of our personal beliefs and some automatic ways we tend to orient around our health.  Truth talks are little nuggets of truth for you tochew on. We will debunk some common health myths and find our way back home to ourselves.


 

TRUTH TALKS ~ SESSION 1:

1.  DON'T GET TO BOXY:  Out there in the world of health, there are quite a few boxes in which you could try to fit. While many of them contain some wisdom, many oppose the others and are just simply too boxy for most of us. One observation I have made about human consciousness is that we like defining ourselves by our boxes. We like being part of something. We like declaring these personal flavors on social media. We like to be known for our chosen box. This seems especially true with the type of EATER we are: Vegetarian, paleo, low carb, gluten free, vegan, ... and even purist, cleanser, or perfectionist.  

TRUTH:  You don't have to pick a box. You don't have to stay in only one box. YOU are not your box (P.S. I know how funny that sounds, but decided to keep it to make you all smile a bit)





2.  YOU ARE NOT DIRTY:  While there are so many great reasons for cleansing, resetting, turning over a new leaf, and giving your body some serious food love, you are not dirty.  Our bodies naturally cleanse themselves regularly and there are some nice little treats we can give ourselves to up the anti a little here and there, if we care to.  While the incredibly trendy cleansing practices can be helpful, be careful not to go overboard.

TRUTH:  Cleanse for the love of it, not because you are dirty.  Cleanse for self-care not for punishment or because you hate your body.  
Cleanse for health, not because your feel icky or disgusted with yourself. Most of all, if you decide to cleanse, cleanse with care.





3.  GLUTEN IS NOT THE ENEMY:  While it is very true that many folks have a hard time digesting gliadin (the gluten protein) and gluten in large amounts is surely inflammatory, a little bit of gluten here and there is not worth hating yourself over. While celiac is totally real (I once met a man who projectile vomited within moments of gluten hitting his tongue) most of us are NOT celiac. Food allergies are a big issue in today's world, but gluten is not the only allergen to consider. I see blood test results every week that show many other foods as the culprits of digestive issues, skin issues, fatigue, brain fog, depression and many other symptoms.

TRUTH:  If you are not celiac or do not notice negative symptoms directly related to eating gluten, a little dose of gluten once in a while won't hurt. 





4.  THERE IS MORE TO HEALTH THAN GREEN JUICE: The green juice trend is rampant here in Boulder. While I am a big fan of a little green juice, green juice is NOT the key to our health or our happiness. Some people find it too bitter. Others, find it too expensive. For many of us, it's just not on our radar.  As you have probably noticed, our culture tends to take things to the extreme. Too much green juice can be hard on our digestion because it is missing all the fiber. In large quantities, green juice can also interact negatively with thyroid issues. While I love me some green juice, it is not the cure all for our health.

TRUTH:   Our health has many, many more important components than green juice:  How we think about ourselves, how we move our body each day, how we sit down and eat our meals, the intention we put into our food and our health, as well as how we sleep each night, and how we relate to others, are much more important aspects on which to focus.  Have a little green juice...or not.  





5.  SELF-LOVE IS NOT A SWITCH:  We hear about self-love everywhere.  We are often simply told to love ourselves more as if it were an on-off switch. While I believe in the practice of self-love immensely, it is a spectrum, a practice, and a life-long journey that is often incredibly complex and messy. Finding acceptance and compassion for ourselves is easy on some days, and almost impossible on others.

TRUTH: Self-love is not a constant, but rather a practice and a fluid expression of ourselves. True self-love is the practice of loving ourselves when we are not doing well, when we trash our clean eating program, or when we binge on potato chips. True self-love is the practice of loving ourselves through a broken heart, exhaustion, or when we miss our daily workout. True self-love is the practice of loving compassion through a hard transition, a change, or even a total failure.  So...be gentle with yourself.  Somedays will be easier than others to LOVE yourself. It's human, it's real.  

Have some thoughts or insights about these truths?  Have some requests for next week? Please comment below.  I love hearing from you!!


With love and peace...

I HAVE NEVER TOLD YOU THIS BEFORE...

" YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A GREAT START, BUT YOU HAVE TO START TO BE GREAT"

ZIG ZIGLAR

 

Not all that long ago, I used to dread mornings.  



It's true...  



A little flashback:  My first child (who is now 20 years old) did not sleep through the night for almost 4 years, just in time for his younger brother to be born. Tack on a couple more years for my second child, and that equals almost 6 years of sleep deprivation.


 

I used to wake up feeling worse than tired. Many, many mornings were wrought with feeling foggy, depleted, depressed, hopeless and I was not sure how I was going to keep going.  A bowl of instant oatmeal or a banana used to be all I could muster up for breakfast, if anything at all.




On my recent trip to visit family and new babies, I was reminded just how hard mornings (and lack of sleep) can be.




While I have many fond memories of babies and toddlers, I also remember the desperation, overwhelm, and exhaustion like it was yesterday.




I am sure if I knew then what I know now, things (maybe) could have been different, but the truth is, I didn't.  I did the best I could at the time for both me and my sleep challenged babies.




Starting off the day feeling this way for so long really impacted my appreciation for sleep and morning rituals.




As my kids grew older, I was able to reclaim my mornings.  I loved to wake up before my children (because they finally slept) to take some alone time for myself.  From there, this gradually grew into my morning rituals, morning practice, and my making time to take care of ME.  




There are many ways to reclaim, revolutionize and power up our mornings. Quiet time to ourselves, yoga, mediation, long walks in nature, journaling, gratitude practices, and setting an intention for the day, just to name a few.  




One VERY important part for me is fueling my body well in the morning. When I do this, I have the energy and balance to handle the busyness of day-to-day living in this often chaotic world.  

SO TODAY I HAVE A GENTLE REMINDER FOR YOU ...

OUR 7 DAY GREEN SMOOTHIE CHALLENGE IS STARTING TUESDAY AND I WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO BE THERE.
 

New exciting blends + delicious simple green smoothies to revitalize your mornings just in time for summer.

HERE IS WHAT YOU WILL GET:

• 7 days of green smoothie RECIPES delivered to your INBOX each morning.
• A week long GROCERY LIST to match up with all the green smoothie recipes
• A loving supportive community to BLEND right along side you.
• Lots of resources, gentle coaching, and loving support.

LEAN INTO GREEN

" MAY THE FOREST BE WITH YOU"

I zipped up my raincoat and sloshed down the long windy driveway that I used to call home. The misty Vancouver rain is so familiar to me, with a gentle cleansing and freshness in the air.  With each step down my favorite forest path, my senses were flooded with childhood memories.



Each time I visit Vancouver, I can hardly wait to take my favorite walk down the rainforest path near my parents' house. The green vital ferns, the thick forest floor covered with moss and the tall, tall trees used to be my place of solace all through my childhood.



I got a little taste of spring in the North West this past weekend where green is like no other green I have seen before.



For me, emerging into spring feels like the most brilliant time of the year. Just like nature, we have more potential energy in the spring than in any other season.  



Walking our own personal path of brilliance comes with connection to our inner wisdom and healing for our bodies and minds. Spring has so many different elements to support us in vibrant living, all we have to do is say YES!

 

• I am swapping my warming chicken soups for hearty spring salads. 

• I pulled out my spring sandals for sunny warmer days.

• I am enjoying early morning walks under the spring sunshine.

• I finally pumped up that flat tire on my road bike so I am ready to ride for the next few months.

• I am waking up earlier with the fiery morning sun.

• Jason and I are planning some fun spring and summer adventures, outdoor concerts and weekend trips to go rafting and hiking.

• I added even more greens into my morning smoothies, and changed the flavors from warming and spicy to more bitter and cleansing (the primary flavor of spring).

I know you are busy, and I know there are about 10,000 reasons why you can't make the time for yourself. One other truth I know is that this may never change. Many of us live in a pattern of running on empty for years and years, never making our self-care a priority.  



Personally, I am on a mission to give you opportunities to give to yourself with super easy, simple, and do-able ways that fit into your life, no matter how busy you are this spring. I want to support you in matching your inner desires to your outer actions (a task that is not always easy), and filling up your own cup, so to speak...



THAT IS WHY I AM EXCITED TO THIS SHARE WITH YOU ...

 

OUR GREEN SMOOTHIE CHALLENGE IS BACK!!
JOIN US STARTING MAY 30TH FOR THE
7-DAY *FREE* GREEN SMOOTHIE CHALLENGE

 

New exciting blends + delicious simple green smoothies delivered each morning to your inbox.

HERE IS WHAT YOU WILL GET:

• 7 days of green smoothie RECIPES delivered to your INBOX each morning.

• A week long GROCERY LIST to match up with all the green smoothie recipes

• A loving supportive community to BLEND right along side you.

• Lots of resources, gentle coaching, and loving support.

SPRING SYNERGY

SPRING SYNERGY

The cycles of the seasons harmonize us with the rhythms of nature, reminding us that we are nature. Within these, nature goes through everything on the spectrum – from full bloom to death and decay.

The more we feel into the elemental cycles around us, present for all life forms on the planet, the more we can ride the waves and rhythms in ourselves. This knowing is embedded in our true nature, our cellular DNA and our innate animal wisdom.

Spring synergy is intuitive when we listen.  Often, in our bustling culture and our busy day-to-day lives we tend to miss these intuitive cues in and around ourselves, but it is never too late to return to the most natural part of our existence.  Following the innate rhythms of the seasons informs our body’s wisdom, our emotional intelligence, and our manifestation of our health and vitality in the world around us.

According to Traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine, each season comes with a unique energetic quality, nourishment, dominant organ,emotion and action. Synchronizing with each season’s expression is like medicine for the body, mind and soul.

Let’s take a stroll through the earthly cycle dedicated to SPRING and begin to understand and how spring reflects around us and within us.

SPRING

Spring is the most healing, creative, and vital season of the year.

As we emerge from the winter months, we often feel the urge to cleanse our lives, our bodies, and our beings for an energized renewal.

Blooming into spring’s brilliance is a synergy of some important aspects of life.  During spring, ruled by the wood element, our energy and vitality heighten, we wake up from winter’s rest to energize our life force, creativity, and zeal. We clear and cleanse the sacred spaces of our bodies, minds and homes to find a fresh rebirth for ourselves to gain a renewed momentum.

Spring points us to where we can clean out and cleanse what is not serving us in our lives.

 

 

 

Energy: Awaken

Spring is the time to renew the pleasures that our physical bodies are designed to feel.  Transforming from the quieter more inward season of winter into spring, we may feel a little tired, a little sluggish, and even a little resistant to turning towards the bright new energy of this season. When senses wake up with the beauty of nature blooming all around us, we heighten the pleasure in our bodies and hearts.  Spring is abounding with passion, excitement, inspiration and love.

Nourish: Cleanse

As the leafy bitter greens sprout and emerge in our gardens, and the dandelions fill our yards, try finding some ways to cleanse your body and mind with some of spring’s treasures.

At this time of year, we are designed to eat lighter and leafier greens, – spring’s medicinal liver cleansing foods (such as dandelions) that are in full abundance.  The flavor of spring is bitter, which in turn supports the liver in cleansing and strengthening.  Walking through the farmers’ market I love to gather bright green baby arugula, an array of sprouts for my spring salads and colorful tulips to beautify my home and office.

     

Consider:

o   Eating lighter and more bitter foods

o   Growing your own fresh salad spring garden

o   Sprouting seeds such as alfalfa, broccoli, or sunflower in your kitchen with a sprouting jar.

o   Roasting radishes, asparagus, artichokes and spring onions to support your liver and uplift your spirit.

o   Brewing up some dandelion or nettles’ tea to cleanse your body and support any spring allergies or hay fever.

 

Organ and Emotion: Liver, Anger and Hope

After a long winter’s rest, a time most of us eat heavier foods and perform less physical activity, our bodies often become more sedentary and our livers more stagnant.  The dominant organ of spring is the liver, housing the emotions of anger and resistance.

As we begin to attune to spring, we naturally support the liver in cleansing, and releasing the anger and resistance that winter has accumulated.  Once our energy begins to flow more freely, and our bodies and minds become clear and free, we are most often left with the inspiration of hope and renewal for what is ahead.  The blooming flowers and new greenery inspire a renewed attitude and passion.

 

Action: Frolic

One of the most effective ways to energize our lives in the spring is through daily movement. Practices such as yoga, hiking, and dance can help to awaken the spring within us. Enliven your spirit and uplift your moxie with some inspired movement of your own.

I love to take late afternoon walks in the beautiful spring air, sauntering along the creek path near my house where I can behold the array of flowers and trees blooming. Remembering to feel good in our bodies through movement we can savor the sensuality of spring. Enjoying our bodies and the heightened senses that come with spring is one of the most potent ways to elevate our sensuality and pleasure.

Spring is an exciting time to start anew, plant our seeds of intention and watch, tend, and nurture them as the season unfolds.

 

3 WAYS TO CONNECT WITH YOUR FEMININE RHYTHM

"THE RHYTHM OF THE BODY, THE MELODY OF THE MIND & THE HARMONY OF THE SOUL CREATE THE SYMPHONY OF LIFE "
BKS Iyengar

My phone rang last Friday morning as I was sitting at my desk.  I saw it was one of my close girlfriends calling, so I quickly picked it up. 



She asked how I was doing and how my day was going, like any friend would but there was an obvious tentativeness in her voice.  “I am doing just fine today.” I said, “But how are you?” I asked.  “You sound a little off.” 



Before she could finish her exhale, I could hear her voice shimmer and tears begin to fall.  “What’s going on?” I asked.  Her gentle tears quickly turned into a deep cry.

She went on to explain to me that she was having her menstrual cycle.  She had entertained a few meals of popcorn and chocolate (I know that one).  She was emotional, exhausted, and finding it hard to keep on going at her normal pace. 

“Have you been busy?” I asked.  She responded with an exaggerated “YES!”

Now, I have known this particular friend for many, many years, and we have shared some similar patterns and healing processes.  We have been of great support for each other, reminding the other to slow down, take time for ourselves, and prioritize our self-care. 

 

Like many of us, she has a very full schedule, an active social life, a demanding career, and she has been trained to keep on going. 

“Have you taken any downtime for yourself?” I asked.  She predictably said “No”.  “Hmm” I said.  “Is there any way you could take a little time this weekend to rest, restore, reflect, and honor the quiet darkness of your menstrual cycle?” 



Within just a few moments, her sigh of relief told me maybe we were on the right track.  “Of course. How could I have forgotten?” she said. Within moments, she cleared some time in her schedule for an afternoon nap, some time to journal and rest and some time to just be.  As soon as she granted herself permission, she sounded relieved.

This week there was a brilliant full moon rising over the Boulder sky.  I have a monthly ritual of celebrating the full moon with a few of my close friends.  We have discovered that our favorite way to celebrate is to find magnificent spots amidst the Boulder foothills to watch her rise.  

 


This week the pink moon, the full moon of April, was stunning

The full moon reminds me to simply pause, and connect back in to the beauty of nature, the feminine, the ebb and flow of life, the moments of wonder around us and within us.

There are many ways to touch in with our feminine nature – creative, unique, personal, subtle and universal.  

I wanted share these reminders for you here, because they are setting the table for you to unveil your deepest feminine longings, the strongest parts of yourself and your artistry of living a soulful, pleasurable, sensual life with your feminine forging a new way.  

Our feminine rhythms and cycles are like the stepping-stones between the worldly aspects of ourselves, and the deep wisdom of the feminine that live in each of us – always.  Ironically, most of us have been taught to ignore, override, and push through these natural rhythms.

What is your female wisdom asking of you?

I put together just a few anchors for you this week – some soft and gentle reminders to let your feminine guide you home.  



When we gift ourselves this depth and connection, everything else in our lives begins to flow more smoothly.  We know when to rest, we know what to eat, we know what to do to care for our unique selves, and we know when to expand.  When we trust our intuition and female wisdom, we know how to nourish our bodies, minds, and souls.  

1.  Seasonal Synergy

The cycles of the season are a profound way to synch up with the rhythms of nature, remembering that we ARE nature. Each season has it’s own energetic flow, it’s own seasonal eating alignment, it’s own quality and its own vibration.

 

Nature goes through everything on the spectrum from full bloom, to death and decay.  

The more we feel into this innate cycle around us, present for all life form on the planet, the more we can ride the waves and rhythms in ourselves. This knowing is embedded in our cells, our DNA and our innate animal wisdom.

The seasonal synergy is intuitive when we listen.  Often, in our bustling culture and our busy day-to-day lives we tend to miss these intuitive cues in ourselves.  Synching up with the season is medicine for the body, mind and soul.

Each season comes with its own unique quality and energy.  

Winter: a time to pull inward, rebuild and restore.  We hibernate to rejuvenate our bodies and souls.

Spring: a time to cleanse, clear, and open and wake up our senses. 

Summer: the most expansive and heart centered celebration of life, play, and pleasure

Autumn: the season of letting go, composting the old and creating new rich and fertile ground to turn inward and tend to.

Each season reminds us of how to best take care of ourselves, feed ourselves, and nourish our hearts and minds.

2.  Full Moon Majesty

In many cultures from all around the world, the sun represents the masculine and the moon, the feminine. 

These two complimentary energies affect all of life on earth, including us humans. The masculine develops an outward expression of strength and power as the feminine reveals flexibility and grace in her natural physical display.  We are always dancing between the two.

Our feminine cycles are like the stepping-stones between the worldly aspects of ourselves, and the deep wisdom of the feminine that lives in each of us – always.  Ironically, most of us have been taught to ignore, override, and push through these cycles.

We have been taught that these feminine cycles might slow us down, make us more emotional, more chaotic, extremely tired and even a little crazy and chaotic if we surrender to them.  Most of us have had a shameful relationship to our feminine cycles passed down to us from many generations and the lineage of women that have come before us.  If not, we are considered a rarity in this day and age.

If you disconnect from your feminine cycles, you disconnect from your bodies wisdom.

Our female cycles are our road map to our own empowerment and the sacred feminine.  The cycles of feminine offer us the energetics to synchronize the larger forces at play around us and within us.  They illuminate our sensuality, our sexuality, and our pleasure potential – which are always shape shifting within the rhythms of our cycles. 

We rest and restore during our menstrual cycle to then energize and expand during ovulation.

Can you give yourself permission to slow down for a few days a month?  

*** If you don't have a cycle, or your cycle is a challenge (for various reasons) try slowing down on the new moon, going into the darkness within and expanding, opening and celebrating during the full moon.

Our moon (menstrual) cycle is our female compass, leading the way and forging the path for us to walk with grace.  Our moon cycle is the most basic and earthly cycle we have.  Our moon cycle is like a small microcosm for the changing seasons, the flowing tides, the waxing and waning moon, and the sacredness of the feminine in all her radiance.

3.  Practice Radical Self-Care

It may sound simple, but many of us find ourselves at the bottom of our own priority list.  Can you treat your inner GODDESS like a queen?  

Sip some passion flower tea, run a warm aroma therapy bath, loose yourself in your favorite novel, take long walks amidst the spring cherry blossoms, or take a long over due goddess nap!

Self-Care comes in many variations and forms – we each have our go-to's.  The common denominator is that we strive to deepen the nourishment for our whole selves – daily.

Just like the rhythms of nature and the feminine, the different aspects of how we incorporate self-care into our routine changes.  With a little practice, we listen, we flow and we learn to follow out intuition for our self-care regiments.

Self-care makes us better people.  

You know it, and I know it.  When we operate from a place of our 'cup runneth over,' we have so much more to give back.  

Think about those days when you can hardly muster making dinner, calling your friend back, or running that extra errand.  Most of us don't feel like our best selves in those moments.  


One important self-care secret is to implement simple and short and do-able self-care steps every day.  Give yourself a little bit of extra love and attention.  It's the little steps consistently that make all the difference.

WHY HAPPINESS IS AN INSIDE JOB

"HAPPINESS IS AN INSIDE JOB"

You are a person who is ready to live your best life–in alignment with your heart, your potential, your clearest energy and vitality, so you can do what you are here to do...am I right?

The truth is...I have occasionally lost sight of these aspects of myself amidst daily living when I get bogged down with stress; when I am not taking good enough care of myself; and when I find myself pushing to hard, forcing things, or coming from fear or lack.

I can get bogged down too.

Today, I want to tell you a little bit about how I pull myself out of these challenges, and remember to move in a forward and positive direction.  How do I get my mojo back?  How do I come back to a balance that works for me?

It is not always easy but it is always worth the effort.

It could be a few nights of not sleeping well.  It could be a stressful situation at home or at work.  It could be that I simply took on too much and overextended myself. (always a work in progress)

Staying in a positive place with day-to-day life is nothing short of a project for most of us.  We juggle so much, we take care of so many others, we wear so many different hats in any given week that we can often loose track of the most important thing of all–ourselves!

So today I want to share with you a few things that I do to get back on track.  I hope they can help inspire you too!
 

I PULL INWARD:

I take some space from my day-to-day busyness. Maybe on a weekend, or maybe I take a day off.  Maybe even a retreat.

I reflect.  I remember what I am wanting for myself.  I sleep.  I slow down.  I gift myself some precious time.  A few weeks ago I took an entire Sunday to rest.  I read my book.  I took a nap.  I cooked some nourishing food for the upcoming week. Honestly, it felt heavenly, and it reset me for the week ahead.

I CREATE STRUCTURE:  

 

I see this with my clients almost every day, we always do better with structure.  A plan.  A schedule.  A to-do list.  A daily rhythm that works for us. When I loose my groove in this way, I commit to finding my way back.  

I look at my weekly schedule.  I consider adding some important ingredients that will help me get back on track: more sleep, more meditation, more self-care, more yoga, more play, more pleasure.
 

I ASK FOR SUPPORT:  

We all need some support in our lives–a partner, a friend, a family member, a co-worker, or a coach.  Our accountability and success goes sky high when we have support.

Where do you need some support?
 

I TAKE SOME TIME TO RESET:  

 

At times, I can tell that all I need is a little kickstart.  My body can start to feel a bit stagnant or sluggish.  My sleep patterns can get a bit inconsistent and wakeful.  My mind can feel foggy and unfocussed.  Even my cravings can become more challenging to manage.  

CAN YOU FEEL ME ?  

My favorite way to RESET and release these stagnant sluggish feelings is to do a little *CLEANSE-OLOGY*:  A customized approach to starting anew.  

Over the years, I have tried so many versions of this, each one customized for what I am working on.  

I have focused on my physical body at times, remembering the nuts and bolts of whole food eating.
 

I have focused on my nervous system–healing from a stressful time or challenging time.

I have focused on my mind, and the quality of my thoughts–how do I speak to myself each day?  How is my attitude towards life and daily living?

I have focused on a particular health challenge.  What is the best way to come back to equilibrium when my body is talking to me, and telling me something is out of whack?

For the next few weeks, I will be taking the hand of a few VIP's (that could be you) to do the same. I created a very do-able way (one that I have never done before) that I can customize with you exactly what you need to RESET things in your world.  

The good news for you?  This is the best price point I have ever offered (seriously).  There is limited space, as there is only so much of me to go around, I want to keep this super personalized and supported.  
 

YOU + ME + A CUSTOMIZED RESET

I have set up all the details in the link below for you to check out. This may be just the thing you need to get you back on track with your 2017 health goals and to make a breakthrough!!

What do you seek to shed this spring to “lighten” up and access your inner freedom, energy and brilliance?

If this feels like the right time and opportunity for you, then I'm really looking forward to taking these next spring steps with you.

 .

---

 *CLEANSE-OLOGY*

YOU + ME. 30 DAYS. CUSTOMIZED CLEANSING

I'm sure you've tried them all...

The white knuckle master cleanse (yikes); the face squinting bitter green drinks; the endless meals of kitchari, the gall bladder flush; the colon cleansing that never stops (eek); and even an attempt at being "good" with your sweet treats.  

Nothing has worked...

Not only do you not have time for any more of these trendy health regiments, but you don't have time to feel tired, sluggish, foggy, and a lack of energy.  Am I right?

You don't want to give up your favorite pleasures (nor do I), but you still want results...

This spring I have you covered...

For 30 days, let me take your hand down this winding road to get to know YOU and exactly what YOU need to feel your best. Each of us has a different health history, a different relationship with food, and a unique way to find our freedom and our flow.  

With YOUR WAY in mind, I created CLEANSE-OLOGY:  A customized approach for you to find the skip in your step, the mojo in your metabolism, and the breath of fresh air your body is craving as the new season begins,

This is the best price point I have ever offered and limited to just 10 participants per session.

*CLEANSE-OLOGY*

 YOU + ME. 30 DAYS. CUSTOMIZED CLEANSING

 

 

A FEW THINGS YOU MIGHT WANT TO KNOW ABOUT TOXICITY

"ENERGY FLOWS WHERE ATTENTION GOES"

 

Imagine with me for a moment:  
 

• What if your habit of rolling over and hitting snooze every morning was replaced with a bright eyed and bushy tailed start to the day?

• What if instead, the sluggish feeling that follows you around all day was replaced wtihinspiration and fervor?

• What if your oh-so-common brain fog could shift into mental clarity and a laser beam focus?

• What if your achy joints and inflammation could subside, so you could fully embrace the beauty of spring all around you with more outdoor time, exercise, and freedom to persue your dreams?

What I am going to share with you today comes from what I have personally learned about my energy and vitality through my own experimentation and deep inquiry.  I will also share what has impacted my daily rhythm, my food choices, my sleep patterns, my libido, my cravings and even my internal dialog and self-talk.



I have learned what works for me.  I have learned what is sustainable for me in the world today.  I have learned about health, combined with a deep priority for pleasure, that doesn't feel restrictive or depriving. I have learned to be fluid, feminine and intuitive as things are always changing and I have learned that we each have our own unique recipe for feeling our best.



I have put the past 15+ years of my work into discovering this for myself and today I want to share a couple of these specific nuggets with you – my favorite ones for spring. 



The truths toxicity are real, important and impactful, while also being be daunting, fearful, and overwhelming. Don't worry, I have some answers for you....



These truths have supported me greatly in my own journey with health and high energy living and I want the same to be available for you.  



1.  Toxicity is one of the primary blocks to your metabolism working at it's best. A high toxic load will literally slow down your cellular metabolism of energy. You will feel more sluggish, lethargic, tired, and depleted.


2.  Toxicity can literally impede, inhibit or block the efficient functioning of our cells, tissues, organs, systems and biochemical processes. This could lead to the slow onset of degenerative disease that gets harder and harder to reverse over time. Toxicity makes the body's natural ability to heal and find equilibrium more and more compromised.


3.  Toxicity creates and/or exacerbates inflammation in our bodies.  Many of us in the world today are struggling with inflammation in relationship to various health issues. Inflammation is a big problem, and the root of most health issues. Inflammation is only made worse with some of our daily exposures to toxicity.


4.  When our toxic load is high, accumulated or frequent, it prevents us from burning and releasing fat.  All those attempts you may have made were not futile on your part, you were not at a plateau, or doing things 'wrong'. Your body just cannot lose weight effectively with toxicity in the way.


We all are exposed to high amounts of toxicity in the world today – its unavoidable. Toxicity is prevalent in our food, our water and our air. While we can surely minimize our exposure with clean, healthy living, the reality is toxicity needs a bit more assertion than that for us to feel our best.


I've been busily working on some solutions for you and I have put together some very useful, practical and work-able practices for you to explore .
  

 

What do you seek to shed this spring to “lighten” up and access your inner freedom, energy and brilliance?

 .

7 REASONS TO DRINK BONE BROTH + MY FAVORITE RECIPE

The aroma from my crockpot fills the house each Sunday afternoon. Something about my house smelling like home cooked soup takes me back to my childhood. As I wipe down the counters and pour another cup of tea, I carefully lift the lid (again) to have yet another little taste. 


Like many of you, I am a creature of habit. 


I like my daily/weekly rhythm. I enjoy cooking my favorite meals regularly,  hikei my favorite trails in Boulder County often, Jason and I have our favorite restaurants around town, and I try to keep up with my most effective and nourishing self-care practices each week. 



While trying new things is also part of my adventurous personality, I do it in smaller increments these days so I don't throw myself too far off from what I know works and feels good. 



This past year, I have added a weekly broth making routine.  Each Sunday morning I get my trusty crockpot going with some delicious broth ingredients. Sometimes I make an alkalizing veggie broth (more to come on that one) and often times slow cooked bone broth.  I drink it regularly throughout the week and I have noticed some key benefits which I want to share with you today. 



Last week I posted the photo above on my Instagram page. I was pleasantly surprised to find more likes and comments than usual.  Many folks requested the recipe, many folks wanted to know more about bone broth, so as promised, here you are:
 

 

7 REASONS TO DRINK BONE BROTH + MY FAVORITE RECIPE

 

While you may have heard a lot about bone broth, tasted it at a local health food store, or from your grandmothers soup pot, you may not realize that not only is it super simple to make, but it is also a medicinal nourishing tonic that can make a really big impact on your health. 

Bone broth is becoming so popular amidst recent health and wellness trends for a few very important reasons.

1.  METABOLIC SUPPORT

Bone broth is chock full of gelatin.  There have been many studies on the health benefits of gelatin throughout history showing it's healing power for ailments from ulcers, to diabetes to tuberculosis. In the case of your metabolism, a regular dose of gelatin in your diet, especially from homemade bone broth, has been shown to be extremely satiating and metabolically stimulating, as well as decreasing the need for overall protein and fat in the rest of our diets by up to 50%.  Metabolically speaking, bone broth keeps your blood sugar stable and keeps you in the fat burning zone.  

2.  DIGESTION

One of the most effective and healing ingredients in bone broth are the amino acids – glutamine and proline. If you suffer from food allergies, leaky gut syndrome, autoimmune symptoms, or IBS, bone broth is for you.  Glutamine is one of my favorite supplements for healing digestion, digestive inflammation while rebuilding and strengthening the digestive wall (which gets thinned during digestive illness).  A regular dose of bone broth will do wonders for your digestion.

3. JOINT HEALTH

Bone broth is also full of glucosamine and chondroitin.  Both of these nutrients are specifically helpful for joint pain, inflammation, arthritis symptoms, and mobility.

4.  IMMUNITY

Bone broth is a mineral superfood!  Your immune system functions on minerals.  All of the bone broth minerals specifically feed your immune system for a stronger healthier you.  Who knew our grandmothers' chicken soup really was a cure all!

5.  SKIN REPAIR AND HEALTH

One of the main ingredients found in bone broth is collagen. The main nutrient we need for healthy skin, hair and nails is collagen. Collagen helps to maintain the skin's natural elasticity (good bye wrinkles) while promoting smooth and supple skin.

6.  PROTEIN AND FAT NUTRITION

Bone broth is full of assimilatable natural protein and fat.  Glycine, found in the protein of bone broth, stabilizes your blood sugar, boosts energy production, increases satiation and builds muscle mass.  

7.  DETOXIFICATION AND CLEANSING

While most of us could use a little liver love in the world today, bone broth is an easy tonic to include in your daily regiment to support your liver and kidneys in a gentle yet effective cleansing.  The high amounts of glycine in bone broth are incredibly effective in aiding the body in its natural ability to detoxify regularly.

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There are many, many ways to cook bone broth.  Some are plain and simple, while others get more creative and complex.  This favorite of mine is somewhere right in the middle. This one is simple, yet full of some of my favorite spices and flavors.  Try it as a soup, sauce for your favorite stir-fry, or a warming beverage right out of your favorite mug.

Questions, comments, requests, recipes?  Please tell me all about them in the comments below.  If you know someone who would benefit from this information please feel free to share it with them using the  button below.