Tag: health

On my mind…

Published on by Christine8 Comments

De-StressThe words for this post have been floating around my head for weeks… I haven’t been quite sure how to put this all together in something coherent… and it may still not be, but here it goes…

Health a tough subject; it’s one I would try to avoid if I didn’t feel so passionate about it. It is personal, vulnerable, and sometimes emotional and scary. When it becomes the topic of conversation, somehow it usually becomes a subject of debate. Everyone has strong beliefs, whether they admit or not that they actually care.  As you can imagine, my views on health aren’t always the most popular, and I get it… a few years ago, if the old me had met the current “alternative” me, I would have thought I was crazy.  So, when people roll their eyes or laugh (yes, this happens, often actually), I understand where they are coming from.  The reaction that I get when sharing my story is most consistently defensiveness.

It sucks to be wrong, especially about something you have believed all your life.  After years of unexplainable health issues and pain, I continued to seek out doctor after doctor and different medication.  I was furious when I realized that the doctors and medication I had trusted with my health had not only let me down, but actually caused me a great deal of harm.  It’s easy to be angry and hate the system, but instead, I’m now motivated to do my own research to find what’s best for my body.  In writing this blog and sharing what I learn, my goal has always been to share what you may not be hearing elsewhere.  I do that because my life was so dramatically changed when I was finally forced to question what I believed as undeniable truth.  What I have discovered since has been such an answer to prayer that I feel compelled to share it in hopes that it might help someone find healing sooner than I did.  I wish someone would have done that for me.

In the spirit of openness…. An update of where I’m at right now….

I had a follow-up appointment recently with my naturopath.  We talked through all the symptoms that had improved on my new protocol, ones I was still experiencing and a couple things that have been getting worse lately… one of which being weight gain.  Talking through all the different factors – diet, exercise, sleep, stress – nothing was jumping out as a cause.  We discussed other options I could try, like exercising less intensely so I’m not stressing my adrenals too much, or intermittent fasting… I know my face showed the discouragement.  I was at that hopeless “will I ever get better?/I feel like I’ve tried everything” stage when she said something that’s really stuck with me…

“Christine, in the 10 years I’ve been seeing you, you really are the healthiest you’ve ever been.  Would you rather be healthy and enjoying life with a few extra pounds or what is more important?”

It doesn’t make it easy, but she’s totally right.  Even though it’s tough to put on shorts and tank tops this summer, much less wear a swimsuit around all the super thin people in my life, I won’t let those thoughts get the best of me.  While the unexplained weight gain is a sign of a health issue that we have to figure out and address, I have seen some successes with my health lately and life is good….

I am no longer drowning in stress at my job.  I’m so blessed to be at a company that actually cares that I have a life outside of work and cares about my health.  Real talk: if your job is ruining your life/health, you’ve got to get out. It is not worth it. If these articles hit home for you (like they did for me), it’s time to make a change…

As my body has been recovering from the effects of years of stress, I’m enjoying relaxing with my husband, cooking at home more, going on walks with my pup and spending more time reading. It’s been months since I was sick. I don’t get ear infections weekly anymore. I don’t come home with back pain every single day.  And when I look at it that way, it feels like a miracle to be where I’m at.  And a little extra weight seems silly in comparison to all that.

If you are struggling with health issues right now that you can’t figure out and you’re losing hope- I’m sorry. I know what that’s like and I’m still there some days. It’s frustrating and so discouraging. And doctors are sometimes just guessing, randomly prescribing, and giving different diagnoses; and that’s even more disheartening. If that’s you, I’d love to hear about your journey. If that’s someone you know, please share this with them. There are answers out there and healing to be found, I know it.

For your listening pleasure…

Published on by Christine2 Comments

PodcastsIf you’ve been wanting to learn more about health, but not so much into doing lots of research or reading, this post is for you!  While I love reading & highlighting a good health book now and then, I don’t always have the time or energy for it.  I love listening to podcasts during my commutes to (1) avoid annoying radio commercials and (2) to encourage and remind me to maintain a healthy lifestyle.  Here are a few of my favorite podcasts & some episodes I found interesting to give you a place to start:

  • Underground Wellness – By far my #1 pick… I love everything I’ve listened to and there are years worth in the archive.  It’s hard to pick, but here are a few of my favorite episodes: Deep Nutrition with Dr. Cate Shanahan, MORE Deep Nutrition, The Coconut Oil Miracle with Bruce Fife, Heal Thy Mouth with Will Revak of OraWellness, Genetically Modified Foods with Jeffrey Smith, The Hormone Cure with Dr. Sara Gottfried, Gerald Roliz: Ex Pharma Sales Rep Tells All.
  • Wellness Mama – I love Katie’s blog, so of course love her podcasts: How to Know if You Have Gluten Sensitivity, Micronutrients & Healthy Fats, Can Cavities Remineralize?, Reversing Infertility & PCOS Naturally
  • The Primal Blueprint – Interviews with health experts and narrated articles from Mark Sisson’s super popular paleo blog
  • Bulletproof Radio – Best enjoyed with a cup of bulletproof coffee: Dr. Cate Shanahan and Bulletproofing the NBA, Hashimoto’s: The Root Cause, Dr. John Salerno: Holistic Medicine, Heavy Metals & Allergies; Dr. Daniel Amen: Alzheimer’s, Brain Food & SPECT Scans
  • Balanced Bites – Two gals talking about modern real-food living: Women’s Health, PCOS & Body Image with Stefani Ruper; Overcoming Adrenal Fatigue with Laura Schoenfeld
  • The Fat-Burning Man – Abel James experienced quite the life change by transitioning to a “wild diet”: Raw + Paleo for Your Dog, Dr. Alan Christianson: The Adrenal-Reset Diet

Do you have any others to recommend?

Happy listening!

Product Review: Jawbone UP24

Published on by Christine1 Comment

Remember that New Year’s resolution you made a couple months ago?  How’s that going?  If you are looking for some motivation to get back on track, I would highly recommend a fitness tracker.  With so many options on the market, there really is something for everyone.  But, with the abundance of choices, it can be totally overwhelming to decide which one to get.  You could spend hours researching the articles online that provide comparisons on every single feature; ultimately, it comes down to what is most important to you.  After a lot of research, I decided on the Jawbone UP24 and I have loved it!  Here’s what I was looking for in a fitness tracker and how this band matches up…

jawbone-up24

Looks Good – If I was going to wear something 24/7, it had to be something I would want to wear.  I chose the Jawbone UP24 because it was one of the sleekest options, with a thin band and simple design.  There are plenty of options that are a bit more fashionable, but I wasn’t really looking for something that would stand out.  I wanted neutral and understated, so I chose the black (Onyx) color. I only wish they would offer an even more neutral light gray option.

Feels Good – In terms of comfort, the band fits perfectly and I barely notice it anymore. I used the measurement chart on their website and got a medium (my husband’s large fits him well) – it does stretch slightly over time, so keep that in mind.  It’s easy to take on and off when you need to, which I really only do when I shower (it is splash resistant, but I’d rather not risk it).  Wearing it at night while I sleep hasn’t bothered me a bit.  My only two annoyances are: it can be irritating to type on a laptop -my husband actually takes his off at his desk- and it can get caught up in sweaters or jackets as I’m putting them on.  This tracker does not monitor heart rate – while that does improve accuracy, I was never going to wear a band around my chest every day.

Easy to Use – From the time I opened the package to get this set up, this tracker has been effortless.  I simply downloaded the free app, my band synced via Bluetooth and it was ready to go.  The app is easy to navigate and intuitive.  All of the information I want to know is in one place and the goals & reminders are easy to set up.  Plus, the homepage acts kind of like a newsfeed, showing you what your friends are up to and how you & they are meeting set goals. The band itself has a button on it that you press to go into sleep mode or to turn off the alarm – it’s super simple and you don’t need to open the app to perform those commands.

Today Goal Summary

Syncs Automatically – This tracker connects via Bluetooth to the app on your phone.  No need to remember to plug it in at the end of each day or connect to your computer.  I know where I am at throughout the day just by opening the app on my phone or through the notifications I’ve chosen for it to send.  The app also ties in with MyFitnessPal to track your calories and MapMyFitness to track your exercise.  I’m not really a calorie-counter (read why here), but I do like to keep a food diary for personal accountability, so it’s been helpful to see how I am balancing food intake & movement.

Battery Life – One of the reasons I chose the Jawbone UP24 is its battery life.  It lasts a solid 7 days and notifies you when you have a day left to charge.  Plus, it only takes about 30 minutes to fully charge again.  It comes with a connector that I plug in directly to my iPhone USB charger adaptor, so I didn’t have to purchase anything additional.  One TV-show or morning commute worth of charging and you’re good to go for the week – I love it!

Sleep Monitor/Alarm – Does anyone else hate their alarm clock?  Okay, I knew I wasn’t the only one. This tracks your sleep and will wake you up at the most ideal time in the morning.  I simply set the alarm for the time I must wake up by and within 30 minutes of that time, if I transition into light sleep, it will begin vibrating to wake me up gently.  This has been magical for me as I no longer have that panicked alarm wake up anymore.  It feels natural to wake up.  I was also curious to see how many hours and the quality of sleep I was really getting each night.  This tracker has been great for keeping me on a consistent bedtime schedule and making sure I meet my 8 hours per night goal – it reminds you when you should get ready for bed each night. Then, each morning, I can see how long it took me to fall asleep, how much deep sleep I got, how many times I woke up, etc. – it’s been enlightening.

Sleep Tracking

Cost – There can be quite a range of price for fitness trackers.  Honestly, I really wasn’t looking to spend over $100 on one of these. On Amazon, this one cost $99 and if you find it on sale at Best Buy, you can get it even cheaper.  I think it’s been a great value and have no regrets.

Motivating – Ultimately, the whole reason I wanted one of these was to keep myself motivated and accountable to move more, sleep consistently and eat healthier.  And, honestly, it really has helped with each of those.  The buzz every 30 minutes of non-movement reminds me to get up from my desk and keep moving throughout the day.  My competitive nature makes me want to take the stairs, park further away, and go on more walks to get more steps in.  Not only can I see how I compare with the friends I am connected to, but I can see how I am meeting my goals each day – that keeps me far more accountable than some overarching resolution.  Whether or not the step count is exactly right, I really am moving more each day and that’s a win for improving my health.

Daily Steps

Have you been considering a fitness tracker?  What features are most important to you?

Lavender Essential Oil

Published on by Christine6 Comments

LavenderOne of the first essential oils I ever got was Lavender.  Besides being one of my favorite scents, it’s been my go-to in many different ways for a few years now.  It’s known to be the most versatile of all essential oils with many healing and restorative properties.  Lavender oil is extremely concentrated; it takes 27 square feet of lavender plants to make one 15ml bottle.  And it’s fairly inexpensive at $30 retail for a bottle of around 240 drops – plus, it’s easy to make one drop go really far and still be effective.

Each night, I use a mixture of coconut oil and lavender as my face moisturizer.  I keep a glass cosmetic container of it in my makeup drawer all ready to go.  One jar will easily last me a couple of months as a little goes a very long way.  I simply warm coconut oil to bring it to a liquid state and then add a few drops of lavender oil – I use about a 1 Tablespoon coconut oil to 1 drop lavender ratio.  Once you put it in the jar, it will harden back up (this also helps it from going rancid) and the warmth of your skin will re-liquefy it as you apply.

Since I implemented this moisturizer into my routine, I have noticed my complexion improve a great deal. Lavender’s many properties make it really effective towards any type of skin irritations, so I have found that it both helps prevent acne (by fighting the bacteria that causes blemishes) and helps promote healing.  There’s been many a morning that I woke up to discover my face blemish-free after not being so the night before.  It is also extremely moisturizing and is quite helpful at relieving dry skin.

The other great benefit to applying lavender to my face each night is that it promotes sleep.  It calms and relaxes – diffusing it by my bed also helps me fall asleep quickly on those nights that my mind can’t seem to settle down and give into the tiredness of my body.  The calming effect is also helpful with reducing anxiety or stress after work and has helped relieve headaches that I’ve had caused by that tension.

Lavender is also a staple in my medicine cabinet.  I keep it handy for minor cuts and burns as it promotes healing and provides relief.  There is simply nothing more soothing than applying coconut oil + aloe + lavender to a sunburn. And it is fantastic for those annoying, little paper cuts… with all the use our hands get, I always find those take so long to heal, but with lavender, I often find they close up in just a few hours!  It’s also helpful at relieving the pain and inflammation for a bug bite or sting or can altogether help prevent – apply lavender to your exposed skin to repel mosquitoes.

Most recently, I discovered how much lavender could help act as an anti-histamine during allergy season.  Usually cedar season really gets me down, but it was so much more manageable this time.  I was applying and diffusing lavender constantly to reduce my inflammatory response.  Lavender is also really effective with respiratory issues; when I had a sinus infection over Christmas, I noticed how much it helped with my congestion. The stimulating nature of the oil makes it help loosen things up in the respiratory system.

One last note to leave you with is from a bit of personal experience – after great success with my first bottle of lavender, I went to go buy more at the grocery store.  Started using it again and much to my surprise, it didn’t work at all anymore. I was baffled.  A couple years later, I began researching more about essential oils and realized that not all essential oils are made equally.  Many (usually cheap ones at the grocery store, unfortunately) are not pure and/or have fragrances added, so they will not be beneficial beyond just smelling good.  After a lot of research, I’ve decided to purchase my oils from only a couple of brands, one being Young Living.  Learn more about essential oils and how to purchase here.

Have you used lavender before? What has it helped you with? I love hearing personal success stories!

Note: The above testimony is purely from personal experience.  I am not a doctor and none of these statements have been evaluated by the FDA.

Unwinding

Published on by Christine2 Comments

I am currently sitting in a coffee shop on this cold, rainy day, drinking an almond milk latte and writing in the middle of the afternoon.  I am thankful for days like this… for days to relax, to do what I love and for being myself again.  I finally obeyed doctor’s orders and left my job;  I have a few more days off before I start a new adventure on Monday!  These two weeks have been wonderful; I have been tackling house projects, reading, traveling & finally getting a chance to completely unwind.

I’m hopeful for 2015.  Even though it’s only one month into the year, I’m keeping up with my goals and excited for what is to come.  I am loving how my new Jawbone Up24 is holding me accountable… I have kept a daily food diary since Jan 2 and I am taking my pup for a walk or run nearly every day.  In just the past week, I’ve lost 5 pounds – I’m sure the drop in stress levels helped quite a bit.  I’m also feeling the improvement in my health.  I’ve been on my new health protocol to bring balance to my hormones, vitamin D, iron & electrolyte levels for 4 months and really noticing how my body is healing itself.

During my free time, I’m hoping to write a few more blogs to share over the next couple of months.  While I have some topics in mind, I want to know what you want to hear about.  Help me out…