Uplifting topic, right?
I wanted to share three resources that I have found that have helped me a lot in the past year.
So, aging, yuck. There doesn’t seem to be anything good about it, except the wisdom and as my friend Becky told me “the fact that you stop giving a shit too, so that’s good.” I know in reality I’m still young and that ten years from now I might back and wish I was this age again. So I try to be in the moment and embrace each age for its awesomeness. Age is just a number, right?
So, to set the scene, it was the morning after a late, late night out celebrating a great friends 40th birthday. Champagne, cocktails, wine, yummy food, and friends. It was great. The next morning, I was mindlessly scanning my email, while the kids ate breakfast and found a new email from goop. Goop, if you don’t know it, is Gwyneth Paltrow’s weekly lifestyle publication. It’s one of those things I love to hate or hate to love. Sure, Gwyneth Paltrow can rub people the wrong way with her perfect diet, and her conscious uncoupling that wasn’t a divorce. But, she and her team spend a lot of time researching just about every fantastic thing under the sun. It’s then curated into her site and newsletter with stuff to buy, read, cook, do, places to go, etc. Some of it is SO beyond what us mere mortals can do or afford BUT a lot of it is really cool and helpful.
So I was feeling old, tired, and hung over. Naturally, I clicked on the article “The Secret to Staying Young” and you should too. It’s actually super positive and made me feel encouraged. She covers every topic in the aging process and what we can do to make it better. The article covers longevity, genetics, lifestyle, and Alzheimer’s. Check it out! Linked below:
Next up, detoxing. I’ve never really done anything like a detox. I live a pretty clean and healthy lifestyle, most of the time, so I don’t worry too much. But, I have struggled with chronic sinusitis, anxiety, and sleep issues at different times in my life so I decided to give one a try. I found one that included plenty of eating because I just can’t restrict my eating, unless I’m super stressed or upset and then it’s not a good restriction. Anyway. I did the Nikki Sharp 5 Day Detox app and it was amazing! I loved not having to think about my own meals for five days. The app times everything and gives you recipes for each meal/snack. It was a really reflective week and I felt incredibly calm. I loved using foods differently and learned a lot about my own eating habits. For one, I know I don’t need as much meat as I tend to eat and I’ve learned to be more mindful about the whole process. I feel energized and clean. I really don’t want to taint my body with coffee and alcohol again, but I know I will!
I can’t think of anything negative to say about the experience. It was easy to use, the food was delicious and plentiful.I felt hungry a couple of times, but infused water or peppermint tea helped with this. I will say though, that cooking for my kids was kind of annoying but hey, they’re worth it. I felt tempted as I took some muffins out of the oven but I got over it! I did not do this detox for weight loss but I do feel slimmer in the abdomen. This detox would be great as a lifestyle re-set or a kickstart for a healthy weight-loss plan. I see myself doing this after the summer or Christmas just because it feels so good! I feel I must add in here that I am not a paid-spokesperson and my blog has about five followers in addition to my mother so obviously this is not a sponsored post.
Lastly, in September of last year I got lucky and clicked on another amazing goop link and I go back to it often. It’s about stress containers in our bodies and includes quick videos on how to release them and be aware of the emotional patterns that may create them. It’s an incredible resource that you can use in a short amount of time. My jaw is a place I hold tension in (especially at night) and their video has helped me a lot!
To summarize it, your body holds stress in all the major parts of your body. The jaw, neck and face, the shoulders and chest, diaphragm and lungs, gut, your pelvic floor and hips. In the videos they give you easy exercises to release the tension and a mantra/short meditation to go with it. I can’t say enough about how great this link is, whether you are a beginner to the concept of mind-body connections or a seasoned practitioner of yoga and meditation. Link below:
I hope you enjoy reading and clicking. I welcome any and all feedback/advice on these topics!
Bohemian Flavor 