Spring into Self-Care

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It’s April, and that means warmer weather, increased sun exposure, Easter, and vegetable garden prep. (It also means seasonal allergies and rain, but who’s complaining? It’s not freezing anymore!)

This month, I want to focus on how we can use the spring season to our advantage in ways that will inspire and motivate us to place greater emphasis on self-care habits.

Some of the topics I’m going to discuss include movement, mental health, and fuel:

Movement

Now that the weather is finally improving, we can get active outside again! For those who have been running through winter, you’re amazing.

But you’re also the minority.

Let’s get back outside! Some ways to take advantage of the outdoors in early spring, include:

  • Running
  • Hiking
  • Walking
  • Bike riding
  • Playing tennis
  • Joining a slow-pitch baseball team
  • Playing spring soccer

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Even increasing your dog walks from once a day to twice can help boost physical tone and performance. (For both you and your pup!) Whatever you do to increase your outdoor activity will only benefit your body and mind.

Speaking of mind…

Mental Health

The wonderful thing about getting outside, it that it increases your exposure to vitamin D. Vitamin D is essential for good health, and although our food can be fortified with it, the rate of absorption is much, much stronger through direct sunlight.

Your eyes and skin are what draw in vitamin D, so allowing yourself to wear short sleeves and refraining from wearing sunglasses right away is a promising idea—your mind will thank you for it, as by this time of year, most of us are very deficient in this essential “happy hormone.”

Fuel

Fuel—as in food. The food changes in the spring! Wintertime is all about heavy, rich, comfort food, but spring? Food gets lighter, fresher, and more locally grown products are available.

Rhubarb, asparagus, strawberries, peas, lettuce, cherries, beets, and beans are a few of the fresh produce items that will become in-season this spring. Take advantage of the local and fresh eats and save yourself some money by buying local, too.

Your body craves good nutrition, and healthy eats contribute greatly to both better movement and increased mental health.

If you’re the kind of person who likes to track your progress and keep yourself accountable, try using My Wellness Journal! It’s available for purchase in hardcover on Blurb.

For more information on how you can learn to be well no matter what stage you’re at in this moment, contact me:

Happy Spring, friends! Stay happy and healthy.

Love, Sophie.

 

Self-Care: Cultivating Healthy Habits

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This is YOUR Year for Self-Care

Happy New Year, everyone! January is the official month of wellness and self-care, and many people inadvertently seek to establish better lifestyle habits after a holiday season of indulging in festive foods and sparkling beverages.

(It’s okay—we’re all guilty!)

As a health and wellness coach, I love hearing about my clients’ strong desires to begin a path of healthy lifestyle choices—let’s begin this change together! Let’s take our health and wellness into our own hands and make conscious decisions together, one-step-at-a-time.

Documenting your goals, tracking your nutrition stats, and having a fitness routine established, is an essential way to stay on top of your new and improved lifestyle. You can do this with your own copy of My Wellness Journal, an organized strategy that I have created utilizing my professional knowledge and many years of training and expertise in wellness, fitness, nutrition, and goal setting.

You can pick up a copy here to get started!

I have separated the key areas to confront to achieve your health and wellness goals, below. Trust me, some very simple changes can create an enormous difference:

Diet

The number one thing most people think of in terms of self-care, is diet. When it comes to eating healthfully, I have come to live by this mantra: “Eat food. Not Too much. Mostly Plants.” These seven genius words of simplicity come from the book In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan, and later aired as a PBS documentary based around the concept of “healthy-ish” eating habits.

I’m all about treating your mind and body with respect, which means that once in awhile you must give a little, and then you can get a little. For example, if you are planning on having a big steak for dinner with baked potato, melted butter, cheese and garlic bread, then maybe plan on a healthy smoothie for breakfast and salad for lunch.

There is no use in stressing out about what you eat from time to time, as it only increases your cortisol levels, which can make you gain weight (mostly in the belly, too). By implementing the “healthy-ish” philosophy, everything is best enjoyed in moderation—including moderation.

Sleep Hygiene

Sleep hygiene

Sleep deprivation is seriously the root of all evils. We all know the common side effects of little sleep: feeling groggy or sluggish in the afternoons, increased irritability, sore muscles, decreased work productivity, falling asleep while watching TV, requiring an alarm clock to wake, and continuous yawning throughout the day. The list goes on and one!

But did you realize that constant lack of adequate sleep can contribute to some serious health issues, such as heart disease, decrease in memory retention, increase risk of diabetes and obesity (adequate sleep is required for proper glucose processing and insulin regulation), and increases the risk of depression and other mental illness?

So: how can you practice good sleep hygiene (and therefore, better self-care)? There are all kinds of typical bad habits that need to be broken at bedtime. Screens need to be put away, no food or caffeine beyond a certain time, limited or no alcohol, and more. There’s a great article about practicing good sleep hygiene; and can be found here.

You can also try to implement new bedtime rituals like yoga to help balance your thoughts and promote calmness and relaxation. We found this amazing bedtime yoga routine: give it try to start improving your sleep tonight! If yoga isn’t your thing, here are eight natural ways to treat chronic poor sleep.

Another way to improve your sleep pattern, is to analyze your needs and know how many hours of sleep you require to function properly the next day. Each person has a unique and optimum number of hours that they need to rest, and one will require more sleep than another. To discover your optimal sleep pattern, creep your bedtime routine 15 minutes earlier every few days until you start waking up before your alarm, including on weekends. Once this occurs for a minimum of one week, you have found the sufficient number of hours of sleep you need.

Exercise

Without a doubt, a moderate exercise plan will be an important part of your self-care routine. There are various ways to exercise for all fitness levels that don’t necessarily have to include a gym membership, yet will still give you the results you’re looking for—just be sure to get started with a fitness instructor who will ensure you get proper guidance and training to avoid serious injury.

For people who may not be interested in a gym membership and don’t know what fitness level they are at (or where to even begin!), the professional help from a wellness coach or personal trainer is a smart way to get started.

Listen to your body and don’t push yourself too far, too fast. By doing that, you are at serious risk of getting injured. I can’t stress the importance of getting a coach and a good training plan. Fitness experts (like health coaches, fitness instructors and personal trainers) have the expertise to guide and inspire and don’t have to cost a fortune.

Mind and Spirit

Meditation

Having good mental health is essential in improving your self-care habits. Reducing stress and feeling content within yourself is crucial to beginning your journey down a path of health and wellness. Again, having a good wellness coach to mentor you, guide you, and encourage you through it all will ensure your success with your lifestyle changes.

Having good mental health also means mindfulness. Being mindful of your surroundings, being aware of what you eat and drink and what you do during the day is by far the best way to start. You must be mentally, emotionally and spiritually ready to welcome healthy habits into your lifestyle!

The practice of meditation will allow your mind to open, and goes very well with mindfulness. Once you’ve trained yourself on noticing your environment, teaching yourself to relax with meditation will become a little easier. Many yoga classes will have 10 minutes dedicated at the end of class to do just that—it’s called savasana. This is a great introductory to the art of meditation!

If you’re seeking increased wellness this January and would like the professional help of a highly trained and experienced health and wellness coach, I would love to hear from you.

Visit my website or contact me directly and let’s get started together. Love, Sophie.

Lifestyle Choices for Cancer Prevention

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Cancer Prevention

There’s just something about October that is so dreamy; from the radiant colours of the leaves and the crisp breezy air, to the fresh fall harvest available at the market for making hearty, healthy soups.

I also love October because it has been named Cancer Awareness Month–a time of year when the population kicks it up a notch to raise awareness for cancer. I am very passionate after making my own changes, and as a health coach, my career focuses on promoting healthy lifestyle choices and general well being–all of which help reduce the risk of getting cancer.

Since it’s October and we’re promoting cancer awareness, I have compiled a list of simple lifestyle choices you can make which are really basic when it comes to cancer prevention:

A Healthy Diet

A healthy diet is at the top of the list for all sorts of reasons. By including plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, beans, and lean, healthy proteins into your diet every day, you are providing your immune system with the tools to help you fight off disease and prevent cancer cells from growing.

Choose foods that are high in nutrients, proteins and antioxidants, and that are low in refined sugars and saturated fats. Organic options are even better to avoid chemical sprays that are used to grow fruit and vegetables.

Bottom line? Greens, greens, and more greens are your best bet when it comes to free-radical fighting and cancer prevention.

Foods for cancer

Exercise

Daily physical activity (which does not have to mean going to the gym) is essential to your health. A brisk walk for 30 minutes, a short distance run, or even a ride on your stationary bike during your favourite show are all ways of getting in that recommended daily dose of exercise.

By maintaining a healthy weight through exercise (and diet), you are significantly reducing your cancer risk.

Limit Sun Exposure

We’ve talked about the many benefits of Vitamin D, but too much direct exposure to the sun can be dangerous and increase your chance of developing skin cancer, which is one of the most common types of cancer. If you are going to be out in the sun for any extended length of time, it is important to use sunscreen and choose a product that emphasizes organic ingredients.

Avoid tanning beds or sunlamps, as they can be just as damaging.

Don’t Smoke

This is truly a no-brainer.

Smoking is estimated to be responsible for 30% of cancer-related deaths and linked to various types of cancers, including cancer of the lung, mouth, throat, larynx, pancreas, bladder, cervix and kidney. Even if you don’t smoke, second hand smoke can be dangerous.

Talk to your doctor if you need help quitting smoking; there are a variety of products and strategies for quitting these days. This is crucial, folks!

Reduce Stress

Reduce Stress

Stress is a killer. Our lives are so busy and crazy and we live in a place and time where multitasking is overvalued and expected from everyone.

But we need to slow down.

Stress causes inflammation, sleep disturbances (which interrupt your body’s ability to grow healthy cells and repair ones that aren’t healthy), and a huge slew of other health-related problems. In order to combat it, there are a variety of techniques that can help, including yoga, meditation, conscious breathing, aromatherapy, and more.

Ladies and gents? Slow your roll.

Be Aware

We all need to take our health into our own hands, and cancer prevention is no different. Listen to your body, practice self-exams, visit your doctor for regular check-ups, and go for those screenings. Early detection is key!

You can visit the Canadian Cancer Society to learn more about Cancer Awareness Month or for general information and how you can help. If you’re ready to make a lifestyle change to reduce your risk of getting cancer (or for your general well-being!) and not sure where to start, I’d love to hear from you.

Contact me or visit my website, and let’s get started!

For a list of upcoming events in Ontario for breast cancer awareness, visit: http://www.cbcf.org/ontario/GetInvolved/Events/Pages/default.aspx.

Enjoy your October! Love, Sophie.

References

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The Many Health Benefits of Essential Oils

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Essential Oils 101

Fall is my favourite time of year for using essential oils. I mean, I use essential oils year-round, but there’s something about the cooler weather and in-season produce that gets me excited to get comfy and break out my favourite essential oils—especially when used in a diffuser.

Not many people know that essentials oils—all of them—contain antimicrobial activity.[1] They are super-concentrated versions of natural plants, and contain properties that can be useful for healing in so many ways.

While there are endless essential oils to choose from, there are about 10 that I use regularly. Here is that list:

My Favourite Essential Oils

Bergamot

Commonly used for relieving psychological stress and anxiety[2], bergamot essential oil is great to have around as a natural relaxant. This makes it a great essential oil to add to your bath, or enjoy in a diffuser.

Sandalwood

In a 2015 study, researchers acknowledge that sandalwood essential oil “is known for a variety of therapeutic properties including anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-viral and anti-bacterial activities.”[3]

In practical use, the scent of sandalwood can create calmness and lend to feelings of serenity and mental clarity.[4]

Lemon

lemons

Lemon essential oil is a fabulous natural disinfectant, purifier, and energizer!

Taken in herb form (fresh lemon), lemon’s powers extend to helping induce bowel movements, killing mouth and throat infections, reducing fevers, and detoxing the body.

Lavender

Known for its calming properties, lavender is a great choice for before bed, or around babies and small children—especially just before naptime.

Lavender essential oil is also great for treating insomnia, relieving stress and tension, and helping eliminate headaches.

Peppermint

Peppermint is a natural pain reliever and anti-inflammatory! In fact, chewing on raw, fresh peppermint leaves can be a great way to relieve inflammatory digestive issues.

Used in the extracted, essential oil form, peppermint can be rubbed gently on the temples to quickly relieve headaches, and, when combined with eucalyptus, is fantastic for tempering mild breathing issues.

Tea Tree

If you’re a parent of school-aged children, you might already know that tea tree oil is a very good lice repellent.[5] Add some oil to your child’s shampoo and/or conditioner, and lice tend to stay away. Combine a few drops with half a cup of water and spray your children’s hats and coats for further protection.

A great side effect of diffusing tea tree oil, is that is helps relieve a stuffy nose.[6]

For more ways to use tea tree oil, click HERE.

Rosewood

Traditionally used for its anti-aging effectiveness, rosewood essential oil can be combined with rosehip oil (a carrier oil—something to dilute it and make it less concentrated) to create a fabulous face treatment. It’s great for acne and wrinkles, alike!

Rosewood essential oils also can help with mild pain relief, boosting the libido, and improving memory.

Eucalyptus

Eucalyptus Essential Oil

Eucalyptus is a very distinct-smelling essential oil. As mentioned above, it’s fantastic for relieving respiratory issues, and opening constricted airways due to inflammation caused by viruses.

It’s also very good for purifying contaminated air, and repelling insects. But don’t ingest it—eucalyptus is toxic if taken orally.

My Favourite Methods

Bathing

Nothing is more relaxing that taking a hot bath on a cold night, with Epsom salts for detox and the right essential oils. They are not only aromatic and healing in that sense, but they also help to produce beautiful, soft skin. My favourite essential oils to bathe with are bergamot and sandalwood, but you can use almost anything you want. When fighting a respiratory virus, eucalyptus is awesome. (See more on eucalyptus above.)

Remember that a carrier oil (such as olive oil, avocado oil, or apricot oil) or something fatty such as milk (or milk powder) should always be added to the bath with the essential oils, since the concentrated oils may cause skin irritations and/or reactions once they touch the skin, if undiluted.

*Note: bathing with peppermint creates a very strange cold-hot sensation that is not relaxing in the winter, but can be extremely refreshing in the summer. Combine a few drops of peppermint essential oil with another oil of your choice (like tea tree). Add that mixture to a carrier oil, then add to your bath just before getting in.

Diffusing

Diffusing is the practice of evaporating water into the air that is scented with essential oil. It creates a little more humidity (which is great for dry, winter air), and a pleasant scent that can be very healing and anti-bacterial. (Yes—diffusing with the right essential oils—like lemon—can actually help clean the air!)

First of all, I love the diffusers from Saje. They look nice, they work well, and they last forever. You can use any oil you want in these; the smell they produce is gorgeous and perfect for adding clean and health aroma to your home.

Diffusers are especially helpful during cold and flu season, when respiratory issues and colds prevail. Oils that I use for better bronchial breath, include a combination of peppermint and eucalyptus.

My favorite oil to promote sleep and relaxation (which is also helpful during cold and flu season!) is lavender.

Cleaning

Mix a few drops of lemon, lavender, peppermint, and tea tree oil together with some white vinegar.[9] This aromatic mixture cleans everything from floors to counters, and even clothing!

Using essential oils to clean versus conventional, commercially-prepared products is non-comparable. Commercially-prepared products are full of toxins that are more harmful to your environment than helpful!

By making your own products, you reduce your family’s toxic load—which is kind of amazing.

Beautifying

natural beauty products

As with commercially-prepared cleaning products, commercially-prepared cosmetics and beauty products are generally unhealthy, as well. (Yes—despite being advertised as safe.)

Canada’s David Suzuki has a foundation that has created a list of dirty cosmetic ingredients. They’ve also compiled a list of safe and less-harmful ones. But if you like to make your own, I have a great nighttime face oil recipe for you:

My favorite mix I make for a great face oil, is one of rosehip oil (which is a carrier oil), mixed with rosewood and rose otto (both essential oils). For a quarter cup of rosehip oil, I add approx 5 drops of each of the two essential oils (10 drops in total).

This lovely-smelling facial oil is super beneficial at night for its anti-aging and healing properties, but remember, everyone is a little bit different when it comes to scent, so you may have to adjust my recipe so that it works for YOU.

Basically, just have fun with essential oils! Make sure they’re as pure as possible (many contain fillers that really dilute their effectiveness), and try a bunch until you find what you like. Stay well, and if you need to contact me with your questions, comments, or inquiries, please do so!

Also, if you’re interested in my homemade body scrub recipes (which use essential oils), you can find those HERE.

Merci!

References

[1] http://jac.oxfordjournals.org/content/47/5/565.full

[2] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25824404

[3] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26026073

[4] https://draxe.com/sandalwood-essential-oil/

[5] http://homeremediesforlife.com/tea-tree-oil-for-head-lice/

[6] http://everydayroots.com/tea-tree-oil-uses

[7] Jennifer Browne. “The Good Living Guide to Medicinal Tea.” Skyhorse Publishing, 2015.

[8] Jennifer Browne. “The Good Living Guide to Medicinal Tea.” Skyhorse Publishing, 2015.

[9] http://www.davidsuzuki.org/what-you-can-do/queen-of-green/faqs/cleaning/does-vinegar-kill-germs/?gclid=CJqJspCeis8CFRKVfgod-UMIvA

Avoiding Back-to-School Food Stress

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As a health coach, food is one of my top priorities when I comes to being healthy. Everyone is so busy towards the beginning of September, and back-to-school is stressful for parents and kids. To combat additional stress when it comes to food, here are a few ideas that will point you in the right direction:

Back-to-School Lunches

Although it may be easy to simply run to Costco, buy a bunch of pre-made snacks, and throw them in a lunch kit, it’s not very healthy (not to mention cost-effective). Here are some suggestions for nutrient-dense, simple-to-make lunch ideas:

  • Grainy crackers with hummus
  • Chopped raw veggies with hummus
  • Boiled and peeled eggs
  • Fresh or dehydrated fruit
  • Chickpea or chicken salad (or even just chickpeas, themselves!)
  • Edamame (soy beans)
  • Homemade granola bars
  • Sushi rolls
  • Sprouted bread with nut-free butter (such as pea butter!)
  • Whole grain tortilla chips and salsa
  • Air-popped popcorn with nutritional yeast sprinkles (high in vitamin B12!)

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girl eating blueberries

Back-to-School Meal Planning

Often, a huge stressor for moms during the workweek (and especially during back-to-school season) is the question of what to make for dinner. This stress can easily be alleviated by meal planning ahead of time. Here’s how it works:

  • Choose a day of the week to grocery shop (usually Sunday works for most)
  • During the weekend, figure out what you will make from Monday to Friday for dinner, and what the kids will have for lunches during those days, too.
  • Write out a grocery list that contains ingredients and foods for all of this.
  • Go shopping for everything.

This way, come Monday morning, you know what the kids are eating for lunch, and what to make for dinner. Even better, you’ll already have every single ingredient needed for every recipe you create.

Zero stress.

Back-to-School Eating Routines

We all know that a good sleep routine is necessary during back-to-school, but what about an eating routine? You should know that when calculating bedtimes for your kids, you should also figure out when they will eat.

For example, if your child’s bedtime is at 8pm, you could have them bathed and eating a small snack by 7:30pm. Then, by 8pm, your child will be truly prepped and ready to end their day.

Similarly, making sure your child eats at the same time every morning prevents you from throwing a banana towards her on the way into the car, which will usually bring about added stress to an already busy start to your day. Instead, try waking your child at the same time each morning, and have breakfast ready for her at the same time (about an hour before leaving the house), too.

Good luck with back-to-school! Let me know if they’re anything else I can help you with. If there is, feel free to contact me.

Merci! xo

3 Summertime Smoothie Bowl Recipes

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Smoothie Bowl Recipes for Healthy Summertime Meals and Snacks

A few years ago, smoothies and fresh pressed juices were taking the world by storm—but now smoothie bowls are trending! Smoothie bowls are a great way to consume tons of fibre, antioxidants, and vitamins, while filling you up a little better than a simple smoothie can.

Typically, smoothie bowls have toppings that round out the meal, and create some satiation that regular smoothies and cold-pressed juices can’t. Popular toppings typically include granola, fruit, chia seeds, shredded coconut, dried fruit, hemp hearts, and more.

Here are three amazing summertime smoothie bowl recipes that you will fall in love with and crave like crazy:

Yellow Smoothie Bowl

Ingredients

  • 1 banana
  • 1 cup frozen pineapple
  • 1 cup frozen mango
  • 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
  • 1/3 cup granola
  • 1 tbsp. shredded coconut
  • 1 tbsp. hemp hearts

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Method

  1. Place first 4 ingredients into blender, and blend until smooth. (If smoothie is too thick, add a little more coconut milk, but you’re going for a very thick smoothie.)
  2. Once blended, scoop into a bowl and top with the remaining 3 ingredients.
  3. Eat immediately!

Pink Smoothie Bowl

Ingredients

  • 1 frozen banana
  • 1 cup frozen strawberries
  • ½ red beet
  • 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • ½ cup granola
  • 1 tbsp. chia seeds
  • Handful raspberries

Method

  1. Place first 4 ingredients into blender, and blend until smooth. (If smoothie is too thick, add a little more almond milk, but you’re going for a very thick smoothie.)
  2. Once blended, scoop into a bowl and top with the remaining 3 ingredients.
  3. Eat immediately!

Green Smoothie Bowl

Ingredients

  • 1 cup frozen pineapple
  • 1 cup frozen green grapes
  • 2 kale leaves or handful of spinach
  • ½ avocado
  • 1 ¼ cups unsweetened soy milk
  • ½ banana, sliced
  • ½ cup granola
  • 1 tbsp. crushed walnuts

Method

  1. Place first 5 ingredients into blender, and blend until smooth. (If smoothie is too thick, add a little more soy milk, but you’re going for a very thick smoothie.)
  2. Once blended, scoop into a bowl and top with the remaining 3 ingredients.
  3. Eat immediately!

I challenge you to try having a smoothie bowl for breakfast at least 2-3 times per week, and see how your body responds. Although not typically a year-round thing, these yummy meals are great in the summertime, so don’t miss out!

Go get your smoothie bowl on. xo

4 Homemade Body Scrub Recipes

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Everyone loves a great body scrub, but they can be expensive and if you’re not careful, full of chemicals! So I decided to develop my own body scrub recipes. Below are 4 of them, and a word of warning: just because you can eat them (they’re totally edible; that’s how you know something is truly healthy for your body!), doesn’t mean you should.

(I mean you could if you really wanted to, but do you? Ask yourself that question, first.)

Mocha Body Scrub

mocha body scrub

Ingredients

  • ½ cup cane sugar
  • ½ tsp. finely ground sea salt (I use Himalayan)
  • ½ cup melted cocoa butter
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 2-3 tbsp. ground coffee
  • 3 tbsp. cocoa (or more if you prefer a stronger chocolate smell)
  • 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • Pinch of cinnamon (optional but enhances the smell of chocolate)

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Method

  1. Mix all ingredients together
  2. Store in an airtight container
  3. Shake container if oils separate from sugar and salt

*Note: the oils may make the bottom of your feet slippery, so be careful if using in the shower.

Coconut and Lemon Face and Body Scrub

Coconut body scrub

This scrub is so yummy—it reminds me of a lemon meringue pie!

Ingredients

  • 1 cup coconut sugar
  • ½ cup melted coconut oil
  • 1 tbsp. lemon zest
  • 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup lemon juice OR 15 drops lemon essential oil

Method

  1. Combine all ingredients and mix well
  2. Store in airtight container
  3. Shake container if oils separate from sugar

Note: lemon makes your skin sensitive when exposed to the sun. I would recommend using this scrub in the evening. Also, the oils may make the bottom of your feet slippery, so be careful if using in the shower.

Mojito Body Scrub

essential oil

Ingredients

  • ½ cup cane sugar
  • 2 tbsp. ground sea salt (I use Himalayan)
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • 1-2 tbsp. lime zest
  • 5 drops peppermint essential oil
  • 15 drops spearmint essential oil
  • 20-30 drops lime essential oil

Method

  1. Combine all ingredients and mix well
  2. Store in airtight container
  3. Shake container if oils separate from sugar and salt

*Note: lime makes your skin sensitive when exposed to the sun. I would recommend using this scrub in the evening. Also, the oils may make the bottom of your feet slippery, so be careful if using in the shower.

Brown Sugar and Vanilla Body Scrub

Vanilla body scrub

Ingredients

  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup melted coconut oil
  • 1 vanilla bean/pod

Method

  1. Slice vanilla bean lengthwise, and scrape seeds from inside pod
  2. Combine all ingredients and mix well
  3. Store in airtight container
  4. Shake container if oils separate from sugar

Note: If you don’t have a vanilla bean, substitute for 3 tsp. pure vanilla extract. Want an even MORE luxurious and sensual treat? Add 10 drops sandalwood essential oil to your mixture. The oils may make the bottom of your feet slippery, so be careful if using in the shower.

And that’s it for now! Enjoy.

The Healing Benefits of Halotherapy

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The health benefits of halotherapy (also known as salt therapy) have been known for a very long time. For centuries, people have trusted the benefits of halotherapy to relieve respiratory illnesses, improve skin conditions and strengthen their immune systems.

What is Halotherapy?

As the salt is inhaled, it travels through the sinuses and respiratory tract absorbing moisture, cleansing, clearing mucus and killing bacteria. Studies have shown that people with chronic upper respiratory conditions, seasonal allergies, sinusitis, bronchitis, and skin disorders can derive significant benefits from halotherapy.

My Love for Ottawa’s Saltwave

Saltwave

Located in Westage Shopping Centre, Ottawa, Saltwave is an incredible space for therapeutic breathing is simply amazing. Sessions run for 40 minutes, but mimic the benefits one would receive from spending 2-3 hours in a natural salt mine! It’s completely sterile, safe, and an effective treatment for not only the disorders listed above, but also digestive issues.

If you live in the Ottawa area, and are interested in taking a workshop that combines breathing and halotherapy, I will be hosting one soon! Check it out:
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Breathing Workshop 

From detoxifying your body to relaxing your mind and releasing tension, the health benefits of breathing correctly are endless. Breathing correctly is not only important for living longer, but also for keeping a good mood and performing at your very best.

In my upcoming 60 minute breathing sessions (stay tuned!), we will be combining the benefits of breathing exercises with the therapeutic effects of halotherapy. Be sure to check back often to find out where I’ll be holding breathing workshops, and join me for what are sure to be fabulous workshops on breathing and salt therapy; you won’t regret it!

For more information about halotherapy, watch the video below. Also, find me on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest for more wellness ideas.

The Amazing Health Benefits of Infrared Hot Yoga

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Although the hype associated with hot yoga hit mainstream yogis years ago, it continues to redefine itself. There are many different types of ‘hot yoga’, but the one that boasts the most health benefits is infrared.

Yoga is a personal practice of connecting your mind and body through a flow of movement and breath, and practicing in studio with a heightened temperature using infrared heat panels can have many favoured effects on your body!

Skin

If you want beautiful skin, then prepare to pour sweat (and that is an understatement)—infrared hot yoga is your answer. The sweat helps carry off the deeply embedded impurities through the skin, and the results include clearer skin and increased cellular growth.[1] Infrared heat also prevents skin from developing acne, and increases elasticity for a smoother tone and more youthful appearance.

Immunity and Detoxification

As the temperature in the room increases, the body begins to stimulate circulation. The production of white blood cells begin to increase, and the response to invaders attacking our immune system becomes more and more efficient. Over time. your immune system becomes less prone to colds and flu because the heat eliminates and flushes out toxins from the skin, instead putting stress on organs such as the kidneys and liver.

Better Sleep

Yogis who practice in an infrared studio typically report better sleep. Among other reasons, this can be attributed to the pain relief that occurs when sore muscles and joints are exposed to the infrared heat, combined with the gentle stretching that the practice of yoga provides.[2]

Lose Inches

The number one thing that motivates most people to try infrared yoga is the loss of water retention—much of the excess water that is accumulated in your tissues is lost through perspiration when practicing infrared hot yoga![3]

When your body temperature increases and your heart is pumping and blood is circulating, we are pushing through a set point. The heat in the room penetrates your body at a much deeper level than any exercise because of the heat and release of toxins. The metabolic rate increases and burns more calories than usual, and extra fat stored in your body becomes water soluble and gets flushed out.[4]

So the next time you pass by an infrared hot yoga studio, consider purchasing a class pass, and give it a try! Give your mind and body an infa-RAD Day.

(See what I did there?)

Happy Thursday, Ottawa! If you have any questions, please contact me HERE.

References

[1] http://oxygentraining.ca/far-infrared-hot-yoga/

[2] http://www.livestrong.com/article/149715-benefits-of-infrared-heat/

[3] http://oxygentraining.ca/far-infrared-hot-yoga/

[4] http://www.naturalnews.com/028392_infrared_light_pain_relief.html

Eating with Intention

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We live in a world today where we function with rapid speed, whether it’s the way we eat, sleep, breathe, work or play. Many of us don’t realize how busy and jam-packed our days are, or even what we ate for breakfast the majority of the time!

Break the Cycle

It isn’t until we lay our head on our pillows at night that we have a few minutes to recap short memories of the day, and then we are sound asleep again. Then we get up, and the cycles and routines repeat themselves.

We don’t need to live like this—especially when it comes to basic necessities like eating! When was the last time you had a meal alone, with family, or at work when you could recall that you ate with 100% pure awareness, attention and mindfulness?

It’s probably been while, right?

Food for the Soul

Eating is a gift that most of us forget to cherish. It’s natural and pleasurable. Food gives us energy and allows us to think, move, and be good at what we do. So why is it so easy to not give it the attention that it deserves?

It’s important that we start thinking about the correlation between food and the way we feel mentally, emotionally and physically. If we’re not being present when we’re eating, the ability to even feel our innate awareness is robbed from us!

Your Body is Your Temple

If you start to think of your body as a temple and food as the positive energy you bring in, you would be able to start making some changes that would benefit your long-term well-being.

I often tell my clients that when thinking about food and what you put in your body, reflect on the feeling attached to your mental and emotional state as a result.  When you connect the feeling or outcome of what you’re actually doing, it’s much easier to follow through because you can begin to predict what the outcome is going to be.

A salad with some plant-based protein makes us feel energized and alive. A processed doughnut? Not so much.

Tips for Mindfulness

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Reflect throughout the day, and ask yourself whether what you ate is giving your body the zap of energy you need, or if it’s depleting you. Stick with what works and eliminate what doesn’t.

It’s pretty simple, right?!

Make it Fun

Bringing awareness to your eating habits can be fun! There are endless amounts of ideas and solutions that you can try in order to nourish and nurture your body with food.

Gather some friends, or get your kids involved with meal prep while building a connection. Create a list of things that you need, find healthy recipes, go grocery shopping together, or hit up a local farmer’s market.

When you start eating with attention and intention, your body, mind and soul will thank you for years to come. If you need more tips and help with mindful eating, visit my recipes page HERE.

Be well, Ottawa! If you need help, I’m here.