"adding" the good

"adding" the good

Last week I talked about having an "adding"mindset" when starting a healthier lifestyle. I truly believe healing for the body and soul comes from a place of adding... adding love and nourishment, ADDING goodness to your life. Add healing nutrient dense foods that are full of vitamins and minerals that will help you live not only fully but to thrive.

Start by focusing on adding goodness into your life vs. worrying about taking anything out. 

One good thing at a time. One good decision, one healthy choice. One at a time and slowly watch them start to pile up and see all your good things grow.

We talked about mindset and not focusing on taking anything out but also realize it doesn't need to be complicated to eat healthy. Unless you have a medical condition you probably don't need a list of rules. I have only one for today... Feel good. Eat to feel good. A dieting mindset can be hard to break and take a lot of emotional work to get through. Restrictions and beliefs get so engraved into our thoughts we may not even recognize it. Things like "I can't eat carbs or fat makes me fat." Obsessing leads to a negative approach around food. Just ADD the good.

What are the goods I'm talking about?

Whole Foods.

Eat more whole foods.

Basing your diet around unprocessed foods will fill you up and leave you satisfied. They provide both Macro and Micro nutrients that will power your day. Focus on nutrient density, not calories. 

How you may ask?

1. Add veggies to yo breakfast. Green smoothie, veggie omelets or casseroles, pumped up pancakes, breakfast salads, scrambled veggies, basically anything can be breakfast if you put some eggs with it! 

2. Double the veggies. Take the family favorite casserole or soup recipe and double the veggies up! You're only going to enhance the flavor and nutrient value...

3. Stuff them into sandwiches. Start with your blank canvas of meat and bread and get creative. Think cucumber, zucchini, sprouts, olives, spinach. Anything! 

4. Add one new veggie every shopping trip. If that is too much, start with one a month. Walk around the produce aisle and find something you haven't used before and pick it up. Once you're home look up how to prepare it and enjoy. It may be a flop but hey it could also be a new family favorite. That is how we fell in love with Kiwi!

Remember a mindset shift wont happen overnight or from a place of shame. Focus on adding the good and progress, not perfection. 

Try out a tip and let me know how it goes!


Want to know more about my veggie breakfasts? Come back next week and I'll share a family favorite!

XOXO
Ash

Stress

-Stress

Do you have a to-do list? Got places to go, people to see, hustling a side business, caring for kids, going back to school, any or all of the above? Whatever you're doing in life, I bet you're pretty busy. Heavy mental loads are apart of life. Life is wonderfully busy, but chronic stress and its hormonal warning of cortisol makes us cranky and inflamed. High cortisol can also cause rapid weight gain, muscle weakness, high blood pressure and poor sleep.

Understanding stress as an energy source can lead us to an awareness of it in our bodies. Stepping back and recognizing how it feels in our bodies helps us better work through the emotion. For example when I am feeling stressed I recognize first that my breath starts to become very shallow, my chest tightens, my skin feels tingly, my muscles tense up and my heart palpitates. I pause and say "OK, this is stress, Hi stress, lets dance."

Stress activates a response in our bodies. The mind sees it as a threat or emergency and then reacts. It's a simple job really, fight or flight. Same as a wooly mammoth charging you, cortisol raises blood pressure, heart rate and blood sugar, with a rush of blood flowing to your larger muscles. What once saved us from danger now can causes our brains to overreact. Our bodies take mildly stressful situations as wooly mammoth emergencies. We now live our lives in a near constant fight or flight state.

Stress can be ever-present. Left untreated stress can lead to serious illnesses including depression, anxiety, diabetes, agitation, high blood pressure and even heart disease.

In this space I'll often reference my 2016 breakdown, that I now see as my blossoming. 

2016 = Stress, anxiety, cortisol. 

It was the STORY OF MY LIFE.

Got 

Moodiness - yup 

Depression -yup

Brain fog - yup

Addiction - yup

Muscle weakness - yup

Blood sugar imbalance - yup

Poor sleep - yup

Night sweats - omg yes 

Tired - yup

Pale - yup 

Cold - YES 

YES YES YES 

It was all yes.

My 2016 blossoming started when stress spiraled into anxiety and panic attacks. It was my constant, my ever present. There I was mid-twenties and shaking in my own skin. With all the above listed symptoms and a few I'm not sure I want to mention on the inter-web. I was a semi-functioning anxiety case. Until I wasn't, I was no longer functioning, I was surviving. I couldn't hold it or hide it. It was now effecting anyone and everyone around me. 

I had been dabbling in the idea of self care, yoga, meditation and mindfulness for a little while. However I was in an "Aint nobody got time for that" mindset. It was a wish, a "someday" or "wouldn't that be nice" thought. 

Now it was my experiment. I thought "I'll try, can't hurt, doesn't cost anything." I let go of a little time I was convinced I didn't have to spare and I sat. I sat and sat some more, I breathed and I bawled. It wasn't self involved and I wasn't a weird hippie. It was as effective as an antidepressant for me. 

There is a Buddhist saying "When the student is ready, the teacher will appear." 

What I couldn't find time for became I consciously and wholeheartedly made time for. My mindful living was born, my breath was revealed and my body was healing. 

When you feel stress coming into your life, pause and mentally note, "how is this feeling in my body, What thoughts am I having around this feeling?"  Don't push the feeling away, as my sister Lauren once told me "dance with it." And remember the best form of stress relief is right infront of your nose. 

Studies say "Deep breathing relieves stress and anxiety due to its physiological effect on the nervous system. Breathing slowly and mindfully activates the hypothalamus, connected to the pituitary gland in the brain, to send out neurohormones that inhibit stress-producing hormones and trigger a relaxation response in the body."

Because breathing exercises are a staple for mindfulness, I'm going to share with you one of my most used and effectively quick techniques. 

Sit in a comfortable position. 

Make a "hang10" sign with your right hand. Plug your right nostril with your right thumb. Inhale slowly through the left nostril until the lungs are full. Hold for four seconds. 

Release the right nostril and plug the left with the right pinkie. Slowly exhale. Once you have exhaled fully, inhale through the right nostril and the exhale through the left. 

Do four or more rounds and enjoy. 

XOXO

Ash

My practice

-My practice

The hardest part of the journey is taking the first step.

I stepped forward and followed my intuition where it led me.

I found yoga. 

I found breath and movement. 

I found love and belonging. 

I found acceptance and peace. 

I found calm and stillness. 

I created balance. Balance that came from slowing down and creating moments of silence. Focusing only on the love I had for myself and for those around me.

Before I knew what was happening my yoga mat transformed from a trainer into a therapist. It wasn't uncommon in the first few months or even year of my practice for me to break down into tears daily. Sometimes it was loud sobs and other times a soft few drops down my cheeks. Floods of emotions were rushing through me and tension melting away. 

I realized how much tension my body actually was holding onto. I was moving and breathing, releasing not only tension but all my emotions I had buried inside. 

If you’re just starting, or continuing a daily practice, my advice... If you feel the tears coming, let them roll. Although my tears show up a little less often ( I like to think this is because I am working on being mindful of my emotions and present during my day) the mat somehow still pulls my thoughts and feelings out of me at unexpected times. I welcome them. I welcome tears of joy and grief, excitment and anger, pleasure and pain. No judgments on my mat. Trust your body to feel the emotions as they show up. It wont hurt you, and if your like me, they might just heal you. 

"Yoga is a daily practice of yoking your heart to your mind, your mind to your breath , your breath to your body, your body to the earth and the rest of humanity." 

-Wanderlust 

XOXO
Ash

Having an "adding" mindset

 “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”
-Hippocrates 


When I hear people tell me things like "Oh you eat so healthy" or "you have so much willpower." I often wonder if they think I woke up one day and made one giant U turn from my college pantry filled with Top Ramen, blue box mac and cheese, soda and sugar high cereals. Not to mention fruit snacks, Yes... those were a staple for me. Any of my roommates will vouch for that. 

Looking back at my transformation and pondering the best starting advice I can offer, it is truly baby steps and having an "adding" mindset. Now, I still struggle and like any other human I always will but my relationship with food is that of a healing one. 

I don't wake up every morning thinking "today I'm going to be healthy". I eat to fuel my body, I nourish with what makes me feel good and what I know was designed for my body to consume by my creator. 

We can not make food better than nature

Having an"adding" mindset is the very best place to start. Rather than focusing on everything you need to take out and maybe consciously or unconsciously punishing yourself, think of rewarding yourself and caring for your body. Think of your body as a vessel for your spirit and thanking it for what it goes through every day and night to allow you to be present in your life. Think of what you can "add" to live fully. 

Real, whole foods period. 

I know there is plethora of information out there and a lot of fad diets. It can be overwhelming and hard to determine what path is best for your individual needs. 

Just breathe and then breathe more. Think nourishing, uplifting thoughts about your food. Be grateful we have been blessed with so many nutrient dense foods found in nature. Thank your creator at every opportunity to heal your body with what has been provided by His hands. 

A lifestyle change and total mindful gratitude toward our food takes time and slow, steady changes. Changes that will lead to long term health and wellness with benefits that go far beyond those of the 10lbs you may lose on that crash/fad diet. 

Again, real, whole foods period. 

Would you like a few tips on how to easily "add" whole foods into your routine. Be sure to check back next week or sign up for email notifications on new posts.  


XOXO
Ash

Mindfulness

Mindfulness.
Is it too trendy already, are you skeptical? Are you always skeptical over trendy things..avoiding trendy things because they are..well, trendy.

I typically think this way until I discovered the magic and simplicity of meditation and mindfulness.

Read this slowly. 
Mindfulness: "the act of bringing your full attention to the present moment on purpose"

Just beautiful. 

Have you had those moments where you're present but not really present. As if your mind slipped into autopilot. Or even finding yourself overstimulated. I know, I get it. I have run two small yet successful and demanding business out of my home, while most importantly caring for the needs of my three small children, furthering my education, attempting to keep a clean and happy home, and strengthening my marriage. It's exhausting. Wonderful, yet exhausting. Every time we or I switch focus from one thing to another there is something called a switch cost, where the brain stumbles a bit and requires time to get back to where it was before it was distracted.

While my first experiences in mindfulness was not as successful as I had hoped, over time and with more practice, the number of uplifting discoveries and moments of personal revelation and stillness occur frequently throughout my day. Through mindful living your mind will be enlightened and your spirits will be lifted. What seemed tedious at first has changed into a wondrous practice.

As a young mom I found this quest for quiet time rare and found although wonderful noise, still continuous noise through my home. Being busy in wonderful uplifting things is in no way a bad thing, hearing my children scream and giggle, running from soccer to dance, to the park and library, grocery store and post office... serving my church and community, making dinner and running a happy home.... life is good when it's busy... but to find time for silence is better.

We all will find our quiet time in different ways. We will all feel at peace at different times. The point is to find it. Find what calms your mind and allows the spirit to speak to your heart. If you can't find it, make it. Make time and make it a priority to work on you and your relationship with the universe.

In this day and in this world most likely it will be having to consciously MAKE time. Most of us are expected to do and accomplish so much in so little time. With all the pressure to accomplish so much in such a short amount of time and the constant feeling of needing to please everyone and excel in everything. The thought to MAKE time to simply stop sounds silly. In fact I find in some situations people wear over-stimulation as a badge of honor. The beauty however is there when we put down our juggling balls for a few moments and embrace mono-tasking. The mindfulness we give to the spirit and to listen to the quiet moments we have.

What we do out of the silence and the application of mindfulness in our daily life is when the wondrous practice begins to form.  

Some days you may see me, a busy mom, most likely hustling the kids from one thing to the next, tapping on my phone in reply to some new and urgent demand, or at the grocery store in a panic picking up food for dinner because I have been to busy running around all day to prepare anything. And then some days you may find me out pushing my kids in the swing at the park, I am doing something remarkable. I am not looking at my phone, I am not listening to a podcast in one ear, I am simply pushing my children in the swing. Mindful of the moment and grateful to God for his plan of happiness. For the opportunity I have to be a mother and for the moments I stand and be still in gratitude. Giving the Lord and the universe my full attention, Philosopher Simone Weil said "attention is the rarest and purest form of generosity." And there in attention to the Lord and my blessings, my children, my husband and even my trials... is where my wondrous practice is forming. 


Mindful living is not an all or nothing extreme. Its a life long project, a consistency in practice. 

Call to action:
Take a few deep breaths through out your day and catch yourself in a small moment being present. Washing the dishes or preparing your lunch. Be present in the moment and breath. Focus on the sounds, smells and the texture of touch in the objects your working with. If your mind wonders, or should I say when (because that is normal) notice the thoughts and gently and graciously let them go and come back to the moment. 


XOXO
Ash

Welcome to my health and wellness community

Hello friends. I'm Ashley, An aspiring Nutritional Therapy Practitioner (class of 2019) and Registered Yoga Teacher. As well as a mom of three and a peanut butter lover.

I spent most of my teenage years and twenties feeling broken somehow. Hating my body and wishing I looked and felt different. Always searching for the new magic thing that would give me the "perfect" body and happy life.

Over the past five years my heart has been pulled into Holistic Wellness and serving others. I came to know losing weight or gaining muscle wouldn't give me a fuller and happy life or love for my body. I wasn't necessarily broken but approaching things from the wrong angle. Instead of focusing on changing my body, I decided to change my thoughts.

I am now dedicated to healing myself from the inside out and sharing my journey along the way. I am here and want to help you find what HEALTHY  feels like in YOUR body and your personal version of wellness. Physical, mental, emotional and spiritual.

Can you imagine a loving relationship with your body? Can you imagine what it would be like to feel at home within yourself?

The fitness and nutrition world is chaotic, conflicting and mostly a frustrating place. If your more confused than ever about what to eat and how to have a happy relationship with food and exercise, how to find joy in moving your body rather than punishment. If you want to walk with me in this journey then I am excited and mostly honored you found my little corner of the interweb. I am here to share my story and help you mold yours.

I believe everyone deserves ultimate health and ever path is different. I believe in bio-individuality and a no one perfect diet for all. My goal is to have you take health into your own hands and love your body, mind and spirit. Lets make manageable long-lasting changes.

In this space you will find:

Nutrition

Fitness 

Stress Reduction

Mindfullness 

Life Goals 

Affirmations 

Emotional support

Relationship tools

Cooking

Groceries 

Nontoxic home and beauty supplies 

Essential oils

Thanks for taking the time to read today and I look forward to getting to know you better. I would love for you to comment below telling me Hi and one thing you are excited about seeing in this space.

XOXO

Ash