Focusing on Self-Care with HERBAL TEA BATHS
PUT ON YOUR OXYGEN MASK
Have you noticed there is so much wisdom from those flight attendant’s safety videos? Make sure to know where the exits are BEFORE an emergency hits. Figure out how life-saving tools work BEFORE you need them. And place your oxygen mask on BEFORE helping others, otherwise, you’ll pass out before helping anyone.
It’s crazy how much wisdom is in those videos and I’ll be honest it wasn’t until a dear friend told me to “put my own mask on FIRST” otherwise, I wasn’t helping anyone that it dawned on me — the truth in the airplane safety videos.
Actually, the friend said something a wee bit more clever and insightful…
“You simply can not adequately take care of others, if you are not FIRST caring for yourself... fully.”
NOTE:
As an emergency veterinarian, twin mama bear, wifey and wellness coach hosting a FREE community (Brain + Gut Health Explorers), I definitely...
WHY I STILL HAVE CHOCOLATE ON MY WELLNESS JOURNEY…
First off, who needs a reason to eat chocolate… am I right? But here’s the thing. Yep. You knew there was a catch, didn’t you? You gorgeous thing, you! The catch is this. I’m not talking about chocolate that you find in your typical over-the-counter candy bars or snack items. Those typically have MILK chocolate which has a higher sugar content and less of cocoa. The chocolate I’m referring to is dark chocolate (85% cocoa or higher, if you can stand it).
See. Dark chocolate + cocoa are a source of flavonoids which are pretty freaking amazing… and in images of the brain via MRI, doctors have SEEN how cocoa intakes improves blood flow to the brain (particularly the hippocampus, aka. memory center).
I read this in the book, The Better Brain Solution by Steven Masley, M.D. who also stated that he recommended daily cocoa or dark chocolate for years as it “improves blood pressure levels as well as insulin sensitivity and it decreases the...
CHARCOAL: My Favorite Beauty Ingredient
YOUR PORES LOOK HUGE!!!!
This was the response my hubster gave me when I asked him how my skin looked after using my weekly activated charcoal mask! In his defense, he thought this was the appropriate response... he didn't realize the goal was to actually MINIMIZE one’s pores. Poor guy… good thing he is cute.
Anywho.
I'm a wee bit embarrassed to say, that I didn't really have a skin care routine until AFTER the Gillies, our twins were born. And we are coming up on their 6th Birthday!!!! SIXTH!!! That’s a different panic attack for another day. Back to the story, before the Gillies were born, my beauty routine was simply water and the body wash we were using at that time. YIKES!!!
It wasn't until the twins were born that my hormones went a wee bit whacko and I had to truly focus on a skin regime. #twinmomlife But this was such a blessing... because while on the hunt for products to reduce my apparently ginormous pores, I realized that a slew of the products on...
NOURISH BOWL RECIPE: focusing on my plate and not calories
Recently.
I discovered the need to stop focusing so much on NUMBERS and really shift my attention to the TYPES of foods I was nourishing my body with. Maybe you are like this as well… you focus so intently on HOW MUCH calories you eat or get overwhelmed with macronutrients. How much fat? How many carbs does this have? Ugh. Do I need more protein?
It’s all too overwhelming and if I’m being honest, it’s a slippery slope for me… because once I start tracking numbers, it’s ALL i think about and my attitude towards food starts to become a tad bit aggressive instead of realizing food is a gift to my body — it gives you the ability to HEAL and NOURISH your body! How wonderful is that, am I right?
Anywho. One of the goals I set for myself on the 2019 WELLNESS JOURNEY is to shift my focus away from counting calories and macronutrients (eeek!)… and look at my plate — is it loaded down with leafy greens? clean protein source? healthy...
[HACKS] Sharing My Favorite Health Hacks From This Year
After our road trip to the Deep South to visit family, I realized the focus of 2019 needed to be on my overall wellness and being open with the tribe in regards to my own transformation.
And what better time to share with my tribe in our Community (and YOU) just 5 things I do each day for my overall health... these may be things YOU do already + maybe you have health hacks that YOU think are vital... share, love. The more you know, the more you can grow.
SIDE NOTE: I wrote this blog on my iPad while the hubster drove us from PNW to the deep South… just 5700 miles round trip in 100 hours. BOOM BABY! We survived… and here’s proof, I was somewhat productive and not sleeping in the passenger seat.
This year, my focus is being the HERO of my journey... being the hero my daughter aspires to be (and hopefully be better than), the hero our little man needs me to be and the hero my hubster deserves me to be. By being...
HOW I SNEAK VEGGIES INTO MY KIDS (and hubster's) PLATE!
Okay. If you follow me for even a wee bit, you know I love a good green smoothie... loaded with healthy fats + dark berries. Majority of the time, I am blessed that our 5yr old twins (aka. the Gillies) enjoy my love for a good green smoothie as well. I know. I know. I am blessed.
However. Every once in a while the Gillies get a wee bit sassy which they inherited primarily from their daddy-o… and they do not want to have a green smoothie.
{ gasp of horror }
Right? Anywho. If you need a break from dumping kale or spinach in a smoothie... let me share with you this tidbit I stumbled upon from a friend (ahem, Cin I'm talking to you).
CAULIFLOWER.
Yes, sweet love. You read that right... cauliflower and I add it in their smoothie! Seriously, what can this veggie (which I would usually avoid) NOT do... first a cheesy sticks, then a pizza crust and now a veggie source in a smoothie.
Here’s the details on the recipe…
GROCERIES:
-
cup of cauliflower florets or even...
Stop Flaking on YOU!
yesterday.
you said tomorrow, love.
{ boom }
The conversation I had with myself this morning as I laced up my shoes... bundled up and headed out for some trail running. Seems like I kept putting off something that fills my cup... running outdoors... and it hit me this morning, I keep flaking on myself!!!!
Each time, I postpone an appointment or skip out on getting my hair cut or bail on that hot yoga class... I’m saying, “there’s something more important than me + my health at that moment.”
Ouch. Right?
Let me say that again in case you skimped over that last part…
“Each time, I postponed an appointment or skipped out on getting my hair cut or taking that hot yoga class... I was basically telling myself, there’s something more important than me + my health at that moment.”
But what’s more important than your health, love? I can’t take care of the kids... my coaching clients... my life or business...
MOMPRENEUR'S HACKS FOR GOOD NIGHT SLEEP
You probably have heard that a kick-sass morning routine is what you need to WIN YOUR DAY! Heck, it’s something I tell the women in our FREE COMMUNITY… but here’s a fun factoid for you.
Yes. Rising + shining (even dimly) early in the morning and crossing things off your list will help you reach that goal… lose weight, publish that book, be a homeschooling teaching ninja… whatever goal you set for yourself. But the thing NO ONE talks about is the importance of an EVENING ROUTINE.
I know. I know… you just rolled your eyes at me. Amber wants me to have a MORNING routine AND an EVENING routine. This lady is completely bunkers.
Well, the latter is definitely debatable… the truth is I’m not the first one to come up with this concept. Think I read about it in Darren Hardy’s book, Compound Effect long ago…. he calls it “bookending your days”.
GENIUS.
Here’s the thing though, love. By me simply...
Feed Your Mind… with Books
my hubster has this amazing ability to spit out truth bombs when you least expect it. or want it.
and the other day, we were talking about the goals we set for the upcoming month when insert his truth bomb.
THROWBACK TO WHEN I LIVED IN THE WEST INDIES.
“love. if you want to serve others, you need to stay up on your material. consider reading a new book every few weeks to staying in the ‘know’”
{ boom }
right?
and he is so true. however, being a working relief veterinarian with twin 5yr olds who we currently homeschool (see the keyword: currently) and provide daily physical therapy + run a brain + gut health business from home... WHEN am I suppose to find time to read?
hmm...
and then it hit me.
if it's important to me. I will find the time and by finding time meant giving up on my Netflix series binge watching which currently is Eureka (yes, you can judge me a wee bit).
anywho.
you should also know, I hold a "GO BIG or...
My Birthday Eve Tradition
On the eve of my birthday which happens to be in November, I have this tradition which I've been doing since our twins were born.
It's quite simple. I take a beat to write down every. single. thing. that's in my heart to accomplish over the course of the upcoming year. These things can sound completely silly or extremely terrifying. Some may focus on business, family life, the hubster, relationships with friends, be vet-related, overall health/wellness, green-living, learning a new skill... or anything and everything in between.
Once I have this listed written down, I map out the next year to do at least ONE a month or ONE a week (if it’s a new tradition I hope catches on in our family!).
Sounds terrifying, doesn't it? Maybe, but it doesn't have to be... the cure for fear is action.
One thing on my list for my 37th trip around the sun... is to wear red lipstick.
Another thing on the list is running...
Take me back!
Hey Love!
So glad you are here! My passion reminding women: you can be a great mom, raise exceptional littles while you live your dream life... on your own terms. Let's bust the myth that mamahood + entrepreneurship can't co-exist... cause it CAN!
