Hello loves! How are you doing with moving your body each and every day? Yeah, I know it can be the hardest thing to do sometimes but let me tell you that every little bit helps. You just have to have a plan of action and that starts with some suggestions for consideration and to try out. Here are a few ways that I myself know works to get in some movement time while stuck at work.
Climb Those Stairs – Take the stairs instead of the elevator all the way up. If you work on floor 12 work you way up, say to taking at least 2 flights of stairs up. If you are the 3rd floor try to take the stairs all the way up, its only three flights right. The goal is to use your time efficiently and taking the stairs is just that. You have to walk to your desk to start your work day so why not take the path less traveled, or maybe not, you may make a new friend while taking the stairs. Just take it one step at a time, and take your time doing it and overtime you will notice your endurance increase.
Track Your Steps – A pedometer is a great tool that can help you get to moving more because knowing is the start of all great habits. You can get a simple tracker, or you could even use your phone if your phone has that functionality to tack your steps. There are also a ton of really stylish fitness watches that can keep track of every step you take, as well is keeping you stylish and on time for meetings.
Walk It Out – Schedule a daily walk outside, so bring your walking shoes to keep under your desk. If you have a co-worker that you like ask them to join the walking party for an added level of accountability that will help with sticking with it. Try to keep the walking positive with some space for letting it out but be sure to keep it positive and a happy walk. Whether solo or with friend by your side the fresh air and change of scenery will help you be more productive and the perfect mid-day pick me up.
Clean it up – Clean up your desk while standing. Take the time to put things back where they go. File papers away or recycle paper as needed. Wipe down and dust your desk, moving aside everything, getting every neglected area. and dust area by putting things where they go.
So there you have some ways to make sure that you are moving it at work since that is the place that most of us spend most of our days. By adding in a little bit throughout the day it will increase you energy, endurance, which leads to being happier and more productive at work. A win win for everyone involved, so get moving.
Hello my loves! Are you being affected by the changes in season with Spring blooming causing you to have allergy related symptoms or issues? I know I live in an area where the allergy season is long and hits hard with all the blooming varieties that are all around.
As a Health Coach I know first hand how food has the power to heal! Today I am going to share with you a 5 ingredient quick fix meal that you will find to not only be healing but soothing, which is what I always seek out during this time of year. I myself have been turning to this easy soup for some much needed post nasal drip relief, which is causing my throat to be more irritated than usual.
What You Need
3/4 cup Mushrooms Sliced Thin
1 1/2 cup Vegetable Broth/Stock
1/4 cup Red Onion Sliced Thin
1 Carrot Sliced Thin
2 tsp Ghee
What You Do
Heat 1 1/2 cups of vegetable broth to a rolling boil.
Place your thinly sliced vegetables and ghee into the bowl that you will be eating from.
Slowly pour the vegetable broth over the mushrooms, green onions, and carrots.
Allow to sit to soften the vegetables a bit. Usually when it is warm enough to eat without burning your mouth is when the vegetables are at the perfect softness texture.
Added bonus is add any herbs that you like and salt and pepper to taste.
Why These Ingredients
So why are these 4 ingredients healing and soothing you ask? Each ingredient is packed full of nutrients that provide that needed support to a healthy functioning body. That fact alone demonstrates their health in healing through eating capabilities. Let’s dive a little deeper in terms of how they’re boosting during this time of year dealing with the symptoms related to high pollen counts, that comes with the blooming into the season.
Studies have found mushrooms are packed with immune-boosting benefits with the ability to boost gut bacteria for good with all their gut friendliness that they contain. With the gut being the hub for your immune system, boosting the productivity with gut friendly mushrooms provides those much healing properties that they contain.
Red onions contain quercetin a flavonoid that has antioxidant and anti-inflammation properties, that can prevent the release of histamine. Allergies naturally cause irritation that is directly connected to an inflammatory response making onion the perfect fighter against those symptoms that are extremely irritating.
Carrots are known for containing vitamin A from beta carotene. Beta-carotene is a powerful plant compound from the carotenoid family of antioxidants. These carotenoids have anti-inflammatory and immune system benefits giving carrots their healing properties.
Vegetable broth is made with root vegetables that are grounding and provide the body with the needed nutritional support for optimal immune, organ, and bodily function. You want to use Organic varieties, low or no sodium version so you can control the amount of salt you are consuming. Too much salt can affect the overall hydration of the body and when you are trying to maintain or increase the health of the body you want to be aware of how what you eat can negatively impact your bodies immune supporting function.
Ghee is considered to be one of the most powerful healing foods in the wellness community and for good reason. Ghee is a healthy fat needed for digestive support in that it aids in the healing process and helps boost various vitamin and minerals found in the other ingredients in order to get the best most healing benefits from them. Added bonus is that is gives the soup a richer flavor profile, so added yum flavor points there!
As with all the recipes that I create, I choose ingredients that are plant based and humanely grown and curated items. This is important for me and I always encourage people to make adjustments based on their specific dietary needs and goals. You become what you feed yourself so it is even that much more important to be aware of when you are in need of the true healing properties of food. I hope this recipe helps in your healing and soothing process that sometimes the change in seasons can cause stress to your body.
Much Love, Nic
Do you need help with making changes to your skin and body health but not sure where to start or how to? Schedule a one on one session with me–> 💌
Hi loves, and welcome to Spring! For others they have sniffling noses and sneezing spells, but for me it’s all about my skin woes. Spring is official and in full affect and my skin is not a happy camper, at all! I have such sensitive skin that this time of year with all these trees, flowers, plants and wind blowing around all that’s blooming, that my skin turns into an unhappy hyper-sensitive mess.
As an esthecician I know how to treat my current skin condition, and trust me I am super vigilant to avoid a huge hyper-pigmentation mess that it can become. It’s hard to avoid having a reaction of some sort unless I stay in doors for the next three months, and yeah that’s not happening. I like to enjoy the comfortable warmth of the weather changes before the hotter than hot summer months approach and then that’s when I stay in doors as much as humanly possible. In knowing that most don’t and shouldn’t suffer alone, I thought I would share a few suggestions that may help those that may be experiencing the same skin reaction as I’m currently experiencing.
What you first have to understand is that your skin is in a reactive state, environmentally reactive to be specific. So the products that you reach for, its even more important to know what you are putting on your skin and the potential reaction that it can cause. For me I tend to reach for products that are organic, vegan, and fragrance free, perfect for skin that is in a more reactive state.
Why you ask? These type of products don’t usually contain ingredients that may contain chemicals or heavily processed using chemicals or harsh fragrance added to them which makes them less likely to cause irritation to the skin. Products that have too many chemicals my irritate sensitized skin, even if you have been using a product line before with no reaction, your skin condition has changed and how you treat it has to change right along with it. Bottom line is that it’s better to avoid product lines that have the potential to cause irritation to already environmentally sensitized skin. Here are a few items that I reach for that calm the skin and try to minimize the reactive affects of my skin being exposed to the air and all the pollen particles flying in the air.
Cleanser
You want to be sure that you are cleansing and removing from your skin those irritants that may be present that attach to your skin just by going about our day. This is one of the most important steps in the process, especially at night at the end of your day. So choose wisely, and look for a cleanser that does not contain any perfumes, or colorants, and contains soothing ingredients like calendula or aloe, which both calm and soothe the skin upon application. You also want to use a cream cleanser as they are less harsher in the basic formulation compared to other types of cleansers.
The cleanser that I use and one of the most important part of the skin care plan that aids in alleviating the affects from the environment and the reaction that it may be causing to the skin. The “Seriously Soothing Cleanser Cream” by Acure is the perfect cleanser for skin that is feeling sensitized. It is a cream cleanser that feels amazing on the skin that has a soothing and cooling affect, without causing further irritation, all while removing the dirt and debris that may be on your skin.
Cleansing Wipes are another item that I carry with me for those times that I just have to cleanse my face because it may be feeling a bit reactive. Carrying these around can be a life saver during this time of year and also serve as a cold compress that will cool the skin down just simply by laying it onto the skin. Again you want to look for wipes that are fragrance free and formulated specifically for comforting or soothing the skin.
The wipes that I love are ones that I have made using my own personal formulation, but since they are not readily I wanted to provide your with ones that I would use if I didn’t have my own creating. They are the Soothing Makeup Free Removal Wipes by Klorane. They are formulated without fragrance, have a pH similar to tears, are biodegradable, and contain cornflower as a main ingredient that is soothing to the skin.
Toner
A must, and carrying one with you will be your go to when you are out an about and have those moments when your face is itching or feeling irritated. A toner on hand allows for a quick relief to grab quickly by allowing for direct application to the skin to help calm and soothe the skin. It’s like liquid comfort in a bottle!
My product go to is the Soothing Chamomile Tonique by Eminence Organic Skincare. I absolutely love this product, I even use it after my workouts to help calm and soothe that after workout skin reaction. What makes this toner my love, are the well balanced ingredients that this product contains, all organic at that. Chamomile and aloe are calming and soothing alleviating that itchy and tight sensation. With licorice and lavender both calming skin irritation. Comfrey Root has anti-inflammatory properties that reduces inflammation that is sometimes present due to the skin being irritated, a natural protective barrier function and sometimes unfortunate after effect.
SPF
Sun Screen has to be on the list for the simple reason that it must always be a part of your skin care regimen. Ever since I became an esthetician, I’m the sunscreen pusher of sorts. I mean I can go on for a few minutes about the benefits of sunscreen and how not using it on a daily basis is causing you to age prematurely, yeah cause having wrinkles and creepy skin is all the rage. Ok, I’ll table for a later post to come real soon, it deserves it’s own post!
My everyday sunscreen is Sun Shield SPF by MyChelle Dermaceutical. It is a chemical free sunscreen option that my skin can tolerate, I am reactive to most other sunscreens and it has taken me some time to find a product that I can say I have absolutely no reaction to and this is it. This sunscreen is a full spectrum sunscreen that is also soothing with aloe ingredients, that is soothing to the skin. Most importantly is that it protects your skin from the sun, even more important with your skin being in a reactive and potentially delicate state.
The top layer of your skin may be compromised, exposed, or just in need of additional care and consideration, remember your skin is working on repairing itself, which is why it is reactive. It feels like it is under attack and it’s fighting hard to win the fight. So let’s show it some love by giving it some protection, like you would by putting a band aid on a wound to allow it to heal. That’s what your sunscreen is for your skin, a band aid of protecting and love from the sun.
Go Bare Face
If you are a makeup wearer you may want to consider using a mineral based product line or do as I do, embrace your beautiful skin that is just going through something and just keep it bare with just your moisturizer and sunscreen, and arsenal of helpers at hand. I know that it is tempting to want to cover up what may be going on, but it may actually cause more harm than good. Remember what I sad earlier, to use products that do not have a lot of chemicals, dyes and fragrances as they can be irritating, same rule applies with your makeup that you use. If you have to use makeup then opt for a mineral based makeup line that may be better tolerated by the skin.
There you have a list of products to gather up for your Spring Skin Care Woes Loving Kit. I understand how frustrating it can be but promise that if you stay vigilante your skin will say thank you in the end. Take some care this season to help your skin get over any woes that it may be experiencing.
Much Love, Nic
Do you need help with making changes to your skin and body health but not sure where to start or how to? Schedule a one on one session with me–> 💌
