Island travels + product review

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My recent Island family wedding not only filled me with joy, connected me with new friends, I was practically basking in warmth and love all weekend long. As an only child, I never got to watch the magic of siblings team work. Both the bride and the groom are from a large clan, the bride is one of 5 and the groom is one of 7. Impressive right? On the wellness angle, I'm going to relive how a trip away from the city refreshes us and how we can bring some of that getaway magic into our everyday lives? I also have a product review to share, discovering MCT oil powder from Perfect Keto was great for travels. So keep reading!

In this post, I'm going to dissect the magical weekend and break it down to how it gave me a better perspective on my healing progress through reconnecting with nature, foraging, and experiencing intuitive eating at it's best. My goal is to see if I can inject some of these elements into my day to day to keep me this machine of mine running smoothly after returning home. 

crushed shells beach and sea star

Put down the devices and turn on Nature

I know, we don't really need to turn "on" Nature, it's always there and around us, it's when we decide to turn it off because we're so consumed by technology that throws things out of balance. Remote areas can mean unreliable internet connections, which can be a good thing when you're trying to unplug. Recently I went to a wedding on one of the Southern Gulf Islands of British Columbia, Galiano Island, since I had committed to enjoying my time without trying to work, I didn't stress about the shotty "connections". Funny thing is I found a different kind of connection that was running full force everywhere I looked. While on the island, I learned that simply by reconnecting with nature, I found fulfillment easily without social medias. Even being partially unplugged, I felt the freedom of not being tied to an invisible weight. During the day, we were out exploring the island, we walked along beaches, it was fascinating to see some were filled with crushed shells instead of the sand. I felt like a kid again jumping from rock to rock while trying not to step on the slippery seaweeds. It sure beats any "games" on the devices. Real life games are the best! One night, an 80 feet tree fell on my family's 20-acre property, so the next day, a few of us gathered and watched my cousin go to work.  He cut down the limbs to prep it for his freshly build band saw. Cracked me up when one of his sisters said, "... he's doing that just for a core workout." I can't decide which activity was my favourite, either watching the children play in a natural setting or my blackberries picking. I fully enjoyed soaking up nature's magic while basking under the sun, wading in the ocean, and roaming in the woods. How can I inject more nature into my city living? Being on the Westcoast, it's actually not that hard, the tricky part is the distraction from the device. A little trick I use now is set most of the apps on my phone to use Wifi only, adding that extra step to connect to the internet when I'm out will encourage me to explore my surroundings and enjoy the present betters.

Directions

AIP/ Paleo/ Keto Singapore Fried "Vermicelli"

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This recipe came from my memories of Mom's Ladies Luncheon, where the ladies got together with friends to chit chat and catch up on children and husbands, which I now see how important these little shindigs are for the moms' mental healths.  Mom told me that no matter which restaurant they went to, everytime someone will order this noodle dish. The funny thing is no one remembered whose this favourite dish was, they would always go back and forth trying to figure it out.  The original Singapore Fried Vermicelli uses curry powder and galangal for a mildly spicey flavour. Decades later, I've discovered my version with just enough turmeric to mimic the traditional taste. I purposely chose cabbage as the vermicelli substitute because it can stay dryer than other veggie noodles. Hope you enjoy it.

Makes 2 servings     Prep time 10 mins      Cook time 15 mins  

Ingredients

• 3 c thinly shredded white cabbage
• 2 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp galangal powder ( check your local Asian store or order it here
• 1/2 thinly sliced small red onion
• 1 stalk of green onions, cut into 1/2" 
• 1 stalk of celery, thinly sliced
• 1/2 c sliced cooked chicken breast or pork
• 1/8 tsp fish sauce ( I use Red Boat) 
• 1/2 tsp grated ginger for heat
• 2 tbsp avocado oil or coconut oil

Instructions

1. Heat pan over medium heat
2. Dry fried the turmeric, galangal for a couple minutes until the spices smoke slightly
3. Add oil of your choice and heat for a couple minutes, turn heat up slightly say from a 4 to a 5
4. Fry grated ginger, celery, shredded white cabbage for 5 minutes or until cabbage starts to soften
5. If too much liquid is coming from the veggies, increase the heat another notch to dry it up.
6. Add cut green onions, sliced red onion and meat, stir fry together for 1 minute
7. Add fish sauce and toss to coat

Serve as a main dish or side.

Enjoy!

Interview with Mary B. Lapp

Have you ever talked to someone and immediately feel a sense of calmness? I recently had the priviledge to interview Mary B. Lapp, Transformational Stress Coach and Nutritional Therapist and I left the conversation feeling really good about myself. In this interview, Mary points out the different ways she can help her clients navigate health by "finding creative solutions for their life and health"
I completely agree when Mary says  "...in order to support your body's natural senses of healing, we must pay attention to selfcare, otherwise no supplements can make you feel better. "

A: Hi Mary, How are you? Can you tell me how your work help people feel better about themselves?

M: I love that you asked that, because helping people feel better is what I love to do best!  There are a myriad of ways that I help people in my life feel better – cooking them delicious and nutritious food, helping them, etc…  But when it comes to clients, I help them find creative solutions for their life and health, which offers them hope (coaching).  I also help them find healing through supporting their organs (nutritional therapy/diet/supplements/essential oils/lifestyle shifts.)

A: That sounds really nice, so what kind of help can your clients expect to get from you? 

• People (usually women) reach out to me for help!  They talk to me about which of my services would be most helpful – and we decide together based on their needs and budget.  I have programs full spectrum from free to high end.
• Next, they buy a program.
• Programs Include:
• Physical Support: Nutritional therapy with hair tissue mineral analysis (which supplies information on organ health).  Supplements, dietary and lifestyle shifts.  Essential oils for organ support.
• Emotional Support: Individual or group coaching sessions with lifestyle and essential oil recommendations.
• How does your area of expertise support or offer relief to someone with chronic/acute conditions?
• There is a grief process that people go through when they feel betrayed by their body.  I don’t think bodies intentionally betray us, I just think they get sick and confused.  
• When this first happens, often people need to make a lot of changes – both in how we live, and how we think.  It is astonishing how difficult and overwhelming that process can be.
• I cannot only help navigate the process of finding healing solutions, but I can also help navigate the grief process so that hope is found.

A: So what can someone expect to feel during your sessions?

M: I am a very grounded person, and my clients typically feel better after having spent an hour with me.  But for that to really last, they need to go home and start doing the things that we talk about in our session.  Sometimes those action steps are tiny, sometimes they are big – but they are what we both feel would be the most beneficial – and are a way for your body and mind to feel cared for.

A: How quickly can they expect to feel improvement?

M: Emotional relief usually comes very quickly.  Physical relief can take time – but how long is dependent on the issue.  

A: How often should they repeat and commit to their sessions with you?

M: I like at least 4 sessions with clients – but after that, it depends on what the client’s needs are.  

Through our chat, I learned that Mary is also an essential oils user, so I asked her if and why she uses them in her practice. She also shared her favorite oils to pack for travels.  

M: For emotional healing, I like to let people use whatever oil they are most drawn to.  My husband lost his brother unexpectedly and was dealing with some intense grief.  He was drawn to lime oil - so we put it on his heart center and diffused it.  It was so helpful!  Later, we discovered that lime oil is especially good for those who need their heart restored.  It brings forth courage, cheer, and revitalizes people above the mire of grief.  It was just what he was needing.  I especially love lime diffused with bergamot and find that it is incredibly energizing and uplifting - even if you aren't grieving.

I was also pleased to learn that Mary is also an essential oil lover, so I asked her for her favourite oils to pack for travelling.

M: As for my favorite Young Living Essential Oils for Travel

Peppermint

• Rub on roof of mouth for occasional head discomfort
• Dilute and rub on belly for digestive support.
• Rub on any minor achey areas for support.
• Sniff for uplifting energy.

Lavender

• Rub on belly if you feel you may be reacting to something.
• Rub on a minor bug bite to calm it.
• Rub on belly or bottom of feet for gentle sleep support.

Lemon

• Sniff for uplifting energy.
• Rub over liver for occasional detoxification support.

Thieves

• Rub on belly or bottom of feet to support a healthy immune system.

Mary concludes that for her clients to find success in healing their bodies, they need to do the work. Self care is a good place to start like getting enough sleep, spending some time doing meal planning and home cooking and find a way to manage stress level.


Here's how to connect with Mary to get more of her edifying support. 
maryblountlapp.com.
To Schedule a Free Discovery Session: Click Here or Call 717-823-8334