Another kind of R & R

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Where's the RELAX button please?

There was no other way of saying it, the truth is I was trying to force some Rest & Relaxation into my life after an extended period of nonstop going, oh the irony of this... 

I'm well aware Vegas is not a place to unwind, especially when we weren't planning on leaving the Strip. But with only a few days off work, it'll have to do. It ended up being a good escape with a change of scenery. We sampled lots of food, saw an amazing show, Beatle's LOVE, and experienced the surreal culture of the city that never sleeps. So did I find the R&R as scheduled? I did but it's a different kind. 

Let me tell you about the "before" part of this trip. Besides wrapping things up for the school breaks to start, the little guy got sick and missed 4 extra days of school, nursing sick kids always adds to the load. Then they was a leak in the house. "the ceiling is dripping mom" as the homebound sick kid tells me. 

A faint optimistic inner voice says " thank goodness this didn't happen while we were away." The weekend before the getaway was also filled with volunteering duties at the Judo Tournament, I was pretty much done when I underestimated how tired my body was and sprained my thumb badly ( good thing it wasn't my left thumb)  at the clean up.

Ready to throw in the towel, white flag going up, will this trip help me decompress?

Get into the proper Mindset 

Once I got off the hamster wheel, Surrendering started the process of unwinding, letting go of control and embracing Acceptance allowed progression to take place.

We arrived at Sin city with my family hoping for a few days of sun, warmth, well warmer anyway, 3 days... Ready set chill!

The first day of getting there went smoothly, no hiccups, despite jumping in the taxi with wet hair to catch the morning flight, that was a first for me. 

Arriving at the hustling and bustling city was exciting but also a little daunting. The step tracking took a toll on the family and after feasting at famous Wicked Spoon Buffet, the family caught an early night of shut eye.

Me? I was still charged up by a mixed of factors. From the excitement of the day, the buildup of the week, and the best part, fuelled up by the amazing all you can eats, I wasn't ready for sleep yet. So I went out for a walk to watch the colourful lights the strip offers. Sometimes it doesn't take much to satisfy me,  I was happy to do my usual hydration run and got enough water for the next day. While I was at the 24hrs Walgreen's,  it was eye opening to browse through groceries and personal products I don't usually notice at home,  it was fascinating to see all the products available for many quick fixes. From energy drinks to puffy eyes patch. Does anyone else get a kick reading labels? Besides water,  I had some fun finding bottled iced coffee with nothing else added. Wow, that's a victory!

On the food front, I'd loosen up my eating protocol. Since Hangry isn't a thing anymore, with my fasting skill in place, I easily lost track of time until my family starts discussing what to eat for lunch. Knowing the variety of foods available, and the teenager's anticipation to critiquing the chefs he follows on social media, I pack digestive enzymes, probiotics and activated charcoal pills, for anyone who needed it.

Ask me more how to get these at wholesale prices 

Hard lesson to learn, where's the relax switch? Boundaries, I was still receiving emails and texts concerning the restoration and work. So I ignored the ones that don't require a respond, can wait till I get back, and sent replies of I'll respond after a certain date. It felt good to set my boundaries. 

Learning  learning  learning 

Vegas is an interesting creature of its own, we used to come for the fashion trade shows before the kids, 3 days was always max, and this time was the same. We came, we saw, we ate and now home to homemade bone broth, reasonably priced veggies and coffee. 

Yes, I'm not excited to deal with the restorations from the leak, but it's a good opportunity to get rid of stuff we don't need. Spring break with spring cleaning. 

What did I learn from this quick trip? I was doubtful the day we arrived whether this trip would serve its purpose. My husband wasn't in favour of the choice of destination, especially for the kids, so that negative voice played on my exhausted state and dripped on some guilt. But after I caught up on rest, I realized no matter where you go, you can and should make the best of the experience. Vegas is not the magical Kona we went to last year, but building memories with loved ones can happen anywhere. Watching the fountain show at Bellagio, seeing the awe in our kids' eyes with every new experiences. 

So can you speed up the decompression process?

No it takes time, conscious mindfulness can help.

What would I do differently? Recognizing the importance of ongoing selfcare while at home. Sure it might be easier said then done. Getting away to change the setting maybe the most effective way to chill out, but it would be best to maintain a level of mindfulness through regular meditation. My yoga practice is my moving meditation, but the ego may play with the mind when the body is tired from the physical aspects. Sometimes, we might just need to quiet the mind without tiring out the body. 

By the time I finished writing this post, I released some expectations that comes with the conventional R&R that just sit right. So when I was searching for an image that suits the title, I decided to coin it Regroup and Refresh, it seems more fitting. 

What do you think? 

My tips on managing stress

 

Photo by Gabriel Matula on Unsplash

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When I was at the beginning of my healing journey, I had to first acknowledge the state of my wellness or at that time, my sickness. After being in denial for a period of time, I accepted that I wasn't able to bounce back without some serious work. Hitting rock bottom motivated me to shape up or ship out. I recommend paying attention to Self-care and self-love as the first step to wellness. Ironically, these basic human needs are what people find most challenging to practice. It's all good, here are some suggestions you can try and see what resonates.

Breathing exercise
Most people take out breathes for granted. By simply focusing on our breathing can make a difference in our wellness.  Try some slow and long breathes to start and lengthen each inhale and exhale to feel the calming effects.

Being in Nature
Remember that last time you watched the sun rise or sun set? How did that feel? Stop during the hustle and bustle lifestyle for a moment of serenity. If you are more mobile, try escaping in nature for a walk, it can do wonders to reconnect us to the core.

Journalling
Journalling helps clear my mind. There are different ways to journal, some people like to journal online, others like the old fashion pen and paper route, check out The Ultimate Health Journal by A Clean Plate for a unique combination to " Logging your diet, exercise, sleep habits, stress management, social life, time outdoors, and illnesses and symptoms" so you can stay on track of your progress

Essential Oils
I use Young Living Essential oils to support my wellness in multiple ways, my emotions are number one on the list. There're many emotional blends that have helped me relax, set intentions, feel more uplifted, see things in better perspectives. Some of my favourite blends include Acceptance,  Surrender, Forgiveness and Believe, just to name a few. If you want to learn why I chose Young Living over other brands, click here.

There's also a specific technique that has help many people to dig deeper into their past and release trapped emtions.

Aroma Freedom Technique with Essential Oils

Focus on gratitude

Anthony Robbins Quotes "The antidote to fear is gratitude. The antidote to anger is gratitude. You can't feel fear or anger while feeling gratitude at the same time."

Reprogram your thoughts
This is one of my current favourite, it's like a game to me. I'm consciously choosing only positive words as I write and speak. Swap out "I hope" to "I will" to create more certainty. Convince your mind that something good is already happening.

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
  

Eat more fat and skip meals got me to remission - One year Nutritional Ketosis update

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Even with my UC symptoms slowly subsiding, I was still denying my health was returning. I hung on the old habit of spotting public bathroom while I was out even when my tummy was nice and calm. I guess it takes a long time to shed the insecurities of a sick body and embrace the health most people take for granted. It's been one year since I added Nutritional Ketosis to my wellness equation. By teaching my body to use fat as fuel,  I was able to bring my Ulcerative Colitis to full remission. There, I said it! The improvements I noticed in my health include mental clarity and stable energy throughout the day, in other words, I feel pretty darn amazing. In this update, I'll be talking about how I'm diving deeper into my keto practice with intermittent fasting and how intuitive eating helps me find balance that led me to the improvements mentioned above. 

Intermittent Fasting

If you start researching about the ketogenic healing approach, sooner or later you will come across the talk about intermittent fasting. Like most people, it took me a long time to warm up to the idea of not eating to help heal the body. This was also triggering memories of UC flare up where I was forced to fast because everything I ate or drank hurt. Even as weak as I was from fasting, I remembered that the bowel rest made me feel better. At that time, I chalked it up to the much needed rest for my raw gut helped my body focus on healing instead of digesting foods,  but there is actually more to that. When I learned this funny sounding word Autophagy "... a housekeeping role in removing misfolded or aggregated proteins, clearing damaged organelles, such as mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, and peroxisomes, as well as eliminating intracellular pathogens. " through my research, I was fascinated by how smart our bodies are designed. This " biological process ... plays a key role in your body’s ability to detoxify, repair, and regenerate itself" In plain English, our own self clean system!

If you want to read more about autophagy, click HERE or HERE

I eat when I'm hungry instead of for other emotional reasons; 

boredom, stress or thirst. 

So how does Intermittent Fasting fit so perfectly into my schedule and lifestyle? As I experimented with Intermittent Fasting ( IF), I found that I was able to carry out my day with longer periods in between meals. First I started with early dinners and late morning brunches with no snacks in between, then I found I could power straight through to lunch effortlessly. The next transition came when I just didn't feel hungry until late afternoon. Now, most of the days I would enjoy an evening feast with nutrient dense foods like my favourite meat dish, my must have giant salad, sometimes two, and a side of cooked vegetables with healthy servings of good fats of course. That's it. I feel like a Queen with no drama hanger in between. Initially, what motivated me to give IF a try was how it fit into my day. Back when I was still nervous about my unsettled gut especially shortly after I ate, I found that if I could fast during the day when I was most busy running around, I could enjoy my more elaborately prepared dinner at home where I would have no stress about finding a public bathroom.  That plan worked well for me so I stuck to it. Throughout the day, to make sure I keep well hydrated, I drink lots of fluids like noncaffeinated herbal teas.  AIP Bulletproof style Dandelion Chicory Coffee with a sprinkle of Himalayan pink salt to balance my electrolytes was one of my favourite.  I also discovered diluted Keto Lemonade sans the sweetener was refreshing for warmer days.  

Intuitive eating 

I have to admit, in the beginning of my IF, I was following my schedule so I don't mess up my routine. As I became more comfortable and confident in my new way of fueling my body, I loosened up the grip and learned about the art of intuitive eating. This doesn't mean I can go about being unprepared, it just means that if I needed to delay my food intake a bit longer, I wouldn't have a meltdown and crash. This also means that I eat when I'm hungry instead of for other emotional reasons; boredom, stress or thirst. It's a very empowering and freeing practice. 

Evidence of Improvement

Fueling my body with fat instead of sugar continues to hold first place in making my UC remission a reality. My bloodwork shows a drop in my Hemoglobin A1C from  5.5 to 5.1. It would make sense that by regulating my blood sugar, my mind was sharper and my energy remains stable throughout the day. You would think that since I wasn't eating as often as before, I'd crash sometime in the day, that's the beauty of using fat as fuel, once the body adapts, it can tap into the stored energy - body fat. 

Keto Tastebuds

You know when people go on any kind of eliminations diet like a sugar detox, all of a sudden their taste buds come alive, waking up from a deep sleep. Well, I have been experiencing that with ketosis. When refined sugar was initially removed from Paleo/ AIP, I had noticed a change in my taste buds. But eventually, I let the natural sugars from fruits and starchy root vegetables creep back in my diet. When I began my Keto journey, my sense of taste REALLY awakened. Did I miss the sweet taste at first?  Yes, but once the increase fat intake stepped in to help me feel more satiated, my cravings for sweets slowly went away. Lately, I've been having urges to chow down whole lemons like rinds and all, you know like how people eat kumquats? My husband's caramelized lemons on the BBQ might have started it or it could be from my current crush on Lemon Essential oils, either way, my sweet craving is pretty nonexistent. Instead, I crave for some lemon power on a spoonful of coconut "butter".  A tasty tart fat bomb is what this girl craves for now.

Nutritional Ketosis has definitely fine-tuned my body's natural healing senses. This way of eating has sharpened my thinking, improved my focus, uplifted my moods, and stabilized my energy, of course, I didn't forget the silencing of my Ulcerative Colitis. I love how my body feels being fat adapted, I feel more confident and stable in my ability to carry out my days without crashes. I'm finally at a place where my body is running like the magnificent machine it was designed to do. Like all protocols, there is no one size fit all, but I'm sure glad I found what works for my body. If you're still searching, hang in there, "Rome wasn't built in a day". Your body is great and it needs time and patient to nurture it. If you follow your intuition, you can find our personal protocol too. 

Here is my post from last year shortly after I started incoperated Nutritional Ketosis into my Paleo Autoimmune Protocol. 

For more interest on Nutritional Ketosis, Fat Fuel and Fasting, please refer to the following resources

Wahls Protocol
Healthful Pursuit
Dr. Jason Fung

Can grief make your sick?

Photo by  Christian Newman

What is grief? According to the Cambridge Dictionary, "to feel or express great sadness, especially when someone dies." Everyone grieves differently, most people are sad, others get angry, some might even show little to no emotions. Whichever way you express your emotions, know that this difficult time too shall pass.

Grief is an intense emotion, which can often cause stress to the body and trigger a flare for those of us with an autoimmune condition. I used to grieve quite differently before I knew about the connection between grieve and wellness. I hope by sharing my new found way to grieve, along with my tools to aid this transition which are journaling, self care and essential oil, I can help ease your passage smoothly into the" life goes on" phase without doing much damage to your body.

As most of your know, the AIP and IBD community lost an amazing woman, Martine, the blogger behind Eat Heal Thrive last week. Like many people, I was shattered by the news.

It was in the very beginning of my healing journey, shortly after I started following a Paleo way of eating but still desperately trying to get rid of all my Ulcerative Colitis symptoms when I met Martine over at Instagram.   Following Paleo had helped calm gut, but I was still controlled by many symptoms IBDers are familiar with. I was physically weak and trying to recover from the drastic weight loss that comes with IBD. That's when I learned about a positively charged blogger with Crohn's, who also happens to be Canadian,  known as the Paleo Partridge back then. She shared about a protocol she was following called AIP (Paleo Autoimmune Protocol) and gave me hope that I could have a future that is less trapped in between the four walls of my IBD symptoms. Besides looking into this healing protocol, AIP,  I began practicing gentle yoga and immersing myself in art to distract my mind from my consuming health. Martine and I connected through our mutual love of yoga,  I was immediately drawn to her contagiously positive energy. Seeing someone who also battled IBD with her enthusiasm was so encouraging. I was inspired by her spirit, her cleverness and her brilliance with words. She was such a great writer.  Martine showed me a different world about IBD, her firm mantra says it all, " I have Crohn's. It doesn't have me".  So I decided to model my healing after this remarkable woman. We chatted over IG comments mainly about yoga and art. Our brief conversations sparked me to create a fun project of legging designs, mainly to take my mind off of my limitations. Leggings were just starting to trend then, so I went with the flow and transferred some of the floral paintings onto the leggings designs. I was so excited when Martine supported me by being the first to buy a pair.

As I got more into blogging, I would cross paths with Martine here and there about recipes and yoga. She always brought a smile to anyone she interacted with and that is no exception for me. We might not have been close, but we were friends, and I felt her support alongside me on my IBD journey.

A new way of grieving

Martine's passing shocked and devasted me. Naturally, I fell into my old way of grieving which was to be sad, be very very sad. I cried and wanted to be consumed in sorrows. I always thought that the longer I stayed in sadness means the more I cared about the person I am grieving for. This is how I watched my mother grieved when my father passed away, 10 days after our wedding, so I recognized that to be the way to show your love. As it turns out this was a very unhealthy way to grieve. When my father died unexpectedly, my mother and I felt completely destroyed. I held on the grief far too long because that was what my mother did.  As a result, I helplessly watched her neglect her health through grief. I remember my then new husband asking me "how long are you going to grieve for?" and my thought was "how insensitive of him?" But now I know how lucky I am to have married someone who can be up front with me.

Now I have finally learned that unhealthy ways of grieving got me in big trouble with my health. My prolong period of grieving was probably part of the cause of my autoimmune disease. Why? Because grief is a stressor, stressor raises cortisol. Read more about this HERE

After a week of teariness and moping around, something lit up in my head,  I was reminded of Martine's mission, her essence, and how she always empowered people. She made them feel Good! So I thought,  Heck NO! I am not going to bury myself in my old habits and go against everything Martine stood for.

What did Martine teach me even after she left this earth? She taught me to look into my approach to grieving. There are different stages of grieving. Anger and Sadness are the ones most people are familiar with, the important thing is not to dwell on it for too long. Give yourself the time to BE with it, then RELEASE it and move on.

As for the tools I used to help me through these heavy times, here they are.

Journaling

I wrote and wrote and wrote. Sometimes, I wrote so fast that I did even know what words or letters were pouring out of the pen. This is how this blog post began. The pen to paper action was very therapeutic and freeing for me. If you are used to typing, I encourage you to try the old fashion way of writing and see if it makes you feel more connected with your feelings.

Self Care

I really stepped up my self-care. I guess it is a way of honouring the emotions and being with it.  Beside sleeping more and taking Epsom salt baths, I took full advantage of the freshly finished backyard with the hammock my husband built. I think everyone needs hammock time often, it is quite magical to be wrapped up like a baby and feel completely safe and secure.

Essential Oils

For emotional support, I pulled out my Young Living essential oils blends like Release, Valor, Believe to focus on my intentions. I liked putting drops of Believe on my head to diminish doubt,  Release on my heart dissolve tension or pain and Valor on feet for the courage to move forward. All of Young Living's blends are specifically created with the frequency to match their purposefully chose names. And Yes they work!

Through exploring essential oils as part of the process, I learned about a fascinating healing technique that uses the oils to facilitate an emotional transformation called Aroma Freedom Technique. You can read more about it HERE but I plan to dedicate a blog post in this technique in the near future.

So, whoever you are grieving for, cry if you want to but don't dwell on the sadness for too long. Honour your loved ones and keep their legacy alive. #herworkliveson because so will ours. I hope by sharing how I grieve and using journaling, self care and essential oils as support,  I can offer some comfort in easing yours during a time of need so that this necessary process will not secretly harm your health.