Tag: wellness

My low sugar challenge

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sugar
Sugar is a tricky thing. It’s in everything. It’s addicting. It tastes so damn yummy.
I also have WAY too much of it. Deep down I know my whole family does. It’s just. So. Hard.
I have been reading a few books that have given me some motivation to cut sugar. I will probably never be 100% sugar-free. Not happening. But I would love to reduce added sugar as much as possible and save the sweets for special occasions. The trouble with special occasions is there is always something special. Maybe we are exceptionally special people? Every time I turn around we are on a road trip, at a softball game (concession stand!) birthday party, wedding, date night, holiday, cookout, or bonfire… You get the idea.
Turns out I’m not the only one. I have read different statistics but they are all staggering. Americans recommended consumption is 25-40 grams of sugar per day (about 6 tablespoons) However most consume about 82 grams a day – double to triple what we should be consuming! One USDA statistic reported that Americans consume between 150 and 170 pounds of refined sugar in one year. *Hop back to the 1700’s. You had to be wealthy to eat sugar & even then you only got around 4 pounds per year. By 1900 it was around 90 pounds a year.
So – long story short, as time goes on, sugar consumption increases.
If you read labels to look for sugar, you better expand your vocab. There are a lot of names for sugar!

  • Most things ending in “ose” (Glucose, Fructose, Maltose, Sucrose)
  • Syrup (corn syrup, carbo syrup, malt syrup, rice syrup)
  • The more obvious – things labeled sugar (Date sugar, cane sugar, brown sugar, powdered sugar)

You get the idea. It may not always be easy to spot. I look at sugar on the nutritional label – check for regular and added sugar and check serving size. Sometimes it looks like there are 10g of sugar, but that is per serving and there are 2 servings in the package.
Now that I’ve gotten a little wiser, I have decided to eliminate as much added sugar as possible and avoid sweets for 7 days. One week. Should be a piece of…cake.
I found an app to help me. I had to pay for it but at this point I am weak and sugar is strong. It’s called Sugar Stop. You set your goal to what type of sugar you want to avoid, you choose the length of your challenge, and you invite friends to join you on this uphill journey. They have a diary, water tracking, and a FB support group. They also have hypnosis sessions to help you out. My favorite part is the Panic button. If you get desperate, hit the panic button and you can choose between a 10 min hypnosis on crushing your cravings, read about things you could eat instead and ways to distract yourself, or refresh with a glass of water. Because of course downing a good ole’ glass of H2O will surely make you not want that deliciously enticing, mouth-watering chocolate chip cookie. Hold please, let me wipe my drool.
So day 1 starts now. Wish me luck. I will be back after the 7 days to let you know how I did. Since I’m putting this in writing, I really don’t want to fail!
*Kolp Institutesugar

What’s your Dosha?

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In Ayurveda, there are 3 main doshas: Pitta (fire and water) Vata (air and space) and Kapha (earth and water). Doshas are energies that govern your body.  When these doshas are in balance, you will feel healthy and great. When they are out of balance, you will experience symptoms and problems. Each person is made up of all 3 doshas, but one or two will be dominate. There are characteristics and qualities for each dosha.

VATA

Vata governs the nervous system and is responsible for movement: Blood flow, circulation, respiration, etc…

Qualities of Vata:

  • Cold
  • Irregular
  • Moving
  • Rough
  • Dry
  • Light
  • Changeable
  • Quick

People with vata as a primary dosha tend to be on the go since movement and change are part of their nature. They have creative and energetic minds, thin, light, and agile body types with dry skin and hair, cold hands and feet, and sensitive digestion. Vata types are quick to anger yet quick to forgive.  When vata is out of balance, anxiety, fear, insomnia, racing mind, bloating, gas, difficulty tolerating cold temperatures or loud noises, and weight loss  are common symptoms. I seriously experience every single one of these when I’m out of balance – well, except weight loss of course, the one symptom I wouldn’t mind. 

To keep vata in balance: choose things with the opposite qualities as listed above – things that are warming, stable, and consistent. Food should be oily, warming, and heavy. Vata pacifying foods are sweet, sour, and salty. Minimize astringent foods such as raw vegetables when vata is excessive. Don’t skip meals, stick to a routine, go to bed earlier, give yourself a daily massage, and do yoga and meditate when possible. Ginger tea is a good choice, especially during cooler weather.

PITTA

Pitta is responsible for transformation in the body: metabolism, digestion, appetite, etc…
Qualities of Pitta:

  • Hot
  • Sharp
  • Oily
  • Intense
  • Liquid

Pitta doshas are typically medium, strong build with assertive, focused, organized, and passionate personalities. Everyone hates them because they can eat anything thanks to their excellent digestion. Ha. They have a lot of energy and can be good decision makers due to their sharp-witted, direct personality.
When pitta is out of balance, frustration & anger, rash, inflammation, nausea, uncomfortable feeling of heat in the body, impatience, and red or inflamed eyes are common symptoms. Avoid spicy foods and eat more veggies to keep pitta in balance.

KAPHA

Kapha governs the immune system and growth in the body: Strength, stability, etc…
Qualities of Kapha:

  • Heavy
  • Slow
  • Solid
  • Cold

Kapha doshas have strong build and are calm by nature. They have thick hair and sleep soundly.
When kapha is out of balance, symptoms include envy and insecurity, stubbornness, weight gain, and fluid retention. Avoid nuts, rice, and wheat when kapha is excessive.

What’s Your Dosha?

Before we go any further, what dosha are you? Take this quiz to find out!

https://www.banyanbotanicals.com/info/prakriti-quiz/

Ok, so…what is your primary dosha? Mine is pitta/vata. My husband is kapha. My kids are pitta/vata.
I was skeptical at first, but the more I heard, read, and learned, the more I recognized when I was out of balance. For me, I know my pitta is out of control when I get severe shoulder and neck tension and burning eyes. These almost always go together for me. Heat behind my eyes usually leads to a headache. This is the worst right before I start my period.  I know my vata is out of whack when I get an upset stomach, non-existent digestion, and super gassy. Sorry, too much? I also worry. A LOT. ABOUT EVERYTHING!

My Ayurveda Toolbox

Since I am primarily pitta/vata, those are 2 I know the most about. Here is what’s in my toolbox:

-Coconut oil (Since I’m pitta Sunflower oil would be better, but I just don’t like it as well. The wrong oil is better than no oil in my opinion) Costco has great deals on Kirkland brand Coconut oil. It’s a staple item in my bathroom.  Instead of lotion I use coconut oil, especially right before bed, head to toe.
–Resperate If you know me you have heard me talk about this contraption. You strap the sensor around your belly and it detects your breathing, then guides you to take long, deep breaths. It helps lower blood pressure and reduce stress.
–Super Nasya nose oil. This has been life changing for my sinus issues. 2 drops in each nostril before bed does the trick! Way less drying and irritating than nasal spray!
-Hibiscus Tea (Pitta tea) When my eyes burn (heat behind my eyes) and shoulder tension creeps in, I know it’s time for my Pitta tea. My friends think I’m crazy when I talk about my pitta heat, but I have learned to recognize this early on and this tea really helps!  I brew Tazo Passion tea and mix with Pomegranate juice, aloe vera gel, and lime juice. I keep a batch in the fridge so it’s on hand and ready. During warm weather I drink a glass every day.
-Herbs. I have a handful of herbs I use to stay in balance. I get most of my herbs from Banyan Botanicals or Mapi.com. Shop with caution. Peeking around on these sites will make you want to order about 500 different things because they all sound like just what you need! Consult a professional for some guidance. I have found some thing were unknowingly heating so they made my pitta worse.  Tranquil Mind is one of my favorites.
Even though I am not living 100% Ayurveda, I am a believer in dosha balance. In the last 5 years I have learned to recognize an imbalance and what to do about it. Some things are little over the top in my opinion (for example: yogurt and yeast infections) You don’t want to know. Trust me! But many of the things I have learned are so simple and so practical. Get yourself in balance & you will feel amazing!

The Journey Begins

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My journey to ‘be wholly’ didn’t happen over night. I’m actually still a work in progress. But I’ve finally come to the realization that true health happens when we take into consideration all moving parts. That belief has developed over the years, along with my love for writing, which has led me to where I am now. This is how I got here…
Rewind to the 80’s. Where everything was neon and life as a kid was way different than it is now. Sigh. We played outside, out of sight from our parents for hours on end. My mom actually had this really embarrassing bell that she rang when it was time to come home. You could hear it from anywhere in our neighborhood. My kids would be mortified. Anyhow, we had a Nintendo that I played on my black and white basement TV. My grandma would quickly “die” during her turn so I could play again. We had dinner at home together on Sundays. We didn’t fill every spare second with something.
Ah the good ole days!
I started exercising at a young age. I remember using my mom’s aerobic step and working out to VHS tapes. Physical fitness was always top on my list. I enjoyed exercising, but mental and spiritual health were not as important. Honestly, they weren’t even really on my radar until my 20’s. Growing up we went to church, but I figured that was enough to feed the spiritual side of me. Time ticked on and physically I managed. Aside from my destructive teen years of doing stupid things ignorant teens do, I had taken pretty good care of myself physically. But the lack of mental care was catching up with me and anxiety had reared its very ugly head. I found some relief with a low dose of Xanax as needed. At the time it felt like the right solution. In retrospect, it was more of a band-aid.
Fast forward to 2004…a lot less neon…thank God because this is the year I got married. It wasn’t long before the babies started showing up. Three to be exact. 2005. 2007. 2012.
Insert hormonal tidal wave. Whoa.
The tidal wave wasn’t working for me. After trying a few different things, I decided to see a therapist. I thought maybe this could help me manage my moods a little better, but in reality, my PMS seemed to be the biggest trigger. My doctor’s solution was a bigger band-aid. Prozac. The long list of side effects was a bit intimidating, especially since I historically get the weird ones. The discussion was pretty short and sweet. He suggested Prozac because it’s hard to test for hormone levels because they fluctuate so frequently. Oh, and exercise 3 times a week. Dude! I already do that!
I found this baffling. This is the 21st Century! How is this possible?! No blood test to check hormones? This can’t be! This led me to find an alternative. There had to be some way to treat the problem rather than the symptom. My therapist gave me the name of someone she had seen herself for various issues. A holistic person that uses “weird techniques” to help her feel better. Um. Ok. Weird. Right up my alley!
This was my entrance into the Holistic world. I started seeing an Ayurvedic practitioner. I had no clue what that was and honestly didn’t care. I just wanted help! Turns out Ayurveda has Indian roots. It’s a whole body healing system that is over 3,000 years old. Ayurveda believes the mind, body, and spirit need to balanced to achieve overall wellness. She used a combination of herbs, oils, and other natural remedies to treat my issues. 5 years later, I have noticed a drastic improvement in my overall well-being. Oddly enough, this approach has fixed things I didn’t even know needed fixed…

  • My stress and anxiety is better maintained. Notice I said “maintained.” Stress will never go away. There will always be stress in our lives but we can learn to manage it! I still take an herbal blend to help with my anxiety as needed. I love this non habit-forming natural option! Years ago I would experience so much tension that my upper back and shoulders would hurt. This tension would always lead to a headache. It was a vicious cycle. Today that tension is gone! On days where I get super stressed or anxious, I can feel it creep in, but now I have the tools I need to prevent it from getting worse.
  • My energy levels are better, partly a result of drinking more water and getting better sleep. So basic, yet so helpful!
  • My sinus issues are drastically better. I went in knowing this was an issue I wanted fixed. I started using a nose oil. I can’t begin to tell you how life changing this has been for me. The year prior to my first visit I took an antibiotic 9 times in one year! A CT Scan had confirmed I had chronic sinusitis. Duh. I started the nose oil and the following year I had 2 sinus infections. I now average about one a year – huge improvement for me! No more over drying nasal sprays that didn’t work!
  • My mood has improved! While I still struggle with some PMS, my overall mood is much better! I am able to find the good in most situations and am WAY more grateful for everyday things!
  • I am eating better, which in turn has improved my digestion. Less sugar. More whole foods. Less caffeine (I will NEVER give up Iced tea) Just not happening! I still have ‘those days’ where I eat ice cream for dinner or fast food for lunch, but I usually feel like crap afterward!

Ayurveda has been very helpful for me, but I do not limit myself. I recently saw a medical doctor that uses a lot of alternative options such as accupuncture in conjunction with his medical practice. How awesome is that? I see a Chiropractor who keeps me straight (no pun intended) I’ve tried some homeopathic options. I diffuse essential oils. I see Bessie, my reflexologist (and substitute grandmother) about once a month. She is awesome and you will be hearing more about her later! While I still get an occasional antibiotic when I’m sick and get yearly check ups, I try to keep an open mind & be open to all options. I find in most cases, a combination of all of the above works best for me!
All of these things have worked great for me, but I have to give credit where credit is due! God. I know He led me to this lifestyle and now my spiritual life is a priority. We found a church we liked and became involved. I actually look forward to going every Sunday and get bummed when we can’t. I read devotionals every day and spend much more time in prayer. I have begun to understand the difference between happiness and joy (Joy is an amazing thing) When I slack in my spiritual life, I suffer emotionally and anxiety takes over.
When all of these things come together, it makes me feel great. When I feel great, it’s contagious and I want to make others feel great! The more I make others feel great, the better I feel. It’s like this big ole happy circle of greatness! I love reading a devotional and sharing it with a friend who needs to hear just those words! I love finding a remedy for something and sharing that success with someone facing the same issue. I love dragging my friends along to exercise class or taking a walk together on a nice, sunny day! On vacation recently, I overheard someone at the pool talking about his recent high blood pressure diagnosis. I politely apologized for eaves dropping on his conversation and then told him everything I knew about naturally lowering blood pressure!
My “real job” as Insurance Agent and my full-time job as mom & wife take up a lot of time, but I love the opportunity to write. I am not used to sharing what I write, so this adventure is new for me. I am excited to see where this leads. Follow me! The best is yet to be!

When I slack in my spiritual life, I suffer emotionally and anxiety takes over.

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