Dry Skin Brushing

Today I bought my second dry skin brush. I am excited to add daily dry skin brushing to my 52 healthy lifestyle changes. I will fill you in on how I benefited from this natural technique in about a months time.

To learn more about dry skin brushing. (Lots of info here but I still think that the link below will give you the same amount of info with less reading time.)

I first heard about dry skin brushing from Bernard Jensen and his book Food Healing for Man. That's when I bought my first brush but I never felt comfortable to use it. I wanted for better instruction. Well, I found those plus a whole post about the benefits of brushing daily here at The Nourished Life. This is a blog I follow, (one of only a few health blogs) and I have almost read the whole thing. I highly recommend this blog if you are interested in getting REAL about food and eating.
Dry skin Brushing-A natural way to detox from The nourished Life.

Those first 7 of 52.

If you have been following my 52 Healthy Lifestyle Changes you may be interested in how I am doing with them. Here's what I've been up to:

Number 1: Lemons- I still have a whole lemon everyday in two glasses of water. One first thing in the morning and another in the late afternoon. Katrina gave me a gorgeous green bowl to put the lemons in. It looks so nice on my island and the yellow lemons look so fresh next to the green.

Number 2: Deep Breathing- I am doing this more and more each day. At first I only ended up doing it once a day...in the morning when I just got up...but now I find myself doing it at all times of the day. It works so well for me and is a great stress reliever. Click here for a great post on the how and why of deep breathing.

Number 3: Early Morning Routine- I have not faltered from this one. I love it. One thing though...I wish I would have more desire to read the Word.

Number 4: Just Add Water- I am learning more and more about how necessary water is and I am drinking more and more each day. I think I am up to 12 cups a day. I still feel a need to go to the bathroom a lot but Kira insists that after a few more weeks that my body will start using the water more instead of sending it so quickly to the bladder. It worked for her!

Number 5: The metabolic Power of Relaxation-I am much more aware of what I am eating and as a result have really slowed down. I take the time to think about everything involved in my meal. The sight, smell, taste and texture all get my attention. I eat slowly, grateful for the renewed love of food that has taken place since I started on this healthy lifestyle. I truly have fallen in love with food again. By food, I mean real food, nothing processed. I still loath processed foods- which shouldn't even be called foods.

Number 6: Correct Posture- This one is the most amazing change of all. I am actually standing straight once again. It's been years. No kidding! Here's what happened. I developed a pregnancy back-what with all those pregnancies one after the other. So my back was always dipped in. Imagine it like this. Your heavy belly is pulled forward and your back arches. Ideally, after pregnancy you straiten up, but I didn't. Partly laziness and lack of confidence perhaps. But remember how I was determined to adjust (fix) my posture. Well I did it! I still have much room for improvement but I seldom sit with a slouch anymore and I am now unconsciously straightening my back when I get up to walk or am standing still. I am amazed at how quickly my body adjusted to this. It was very hard at first. I got such a sore back from using those muscles that I had neglected for so long. I now walk straight and tall and feel so very slim. So much so that when I looked in the mirror this evening I was shocked to see that I wasn't slim at all! Not at all! But I feel that slim, and that's what counts.

Number 7: Morning stretches- Love doing these and feel I will not ever want to give them up after discovering just how energizing they are. I love rubbing my feet and stretching them along with every other stretch. I have been doing a bit of reflexology with my feet in the mornings and hope to learn more about it. When I do, I will make it Lifestyle Change. Yes, stretching before and after getting up is so good. Then, for something real nice, step outside and do it while facing the warm morning sun...barefoot!

That's it for now. I will be adding three new ones soon. Laughter, Dry Skin Brushing and Coconut Oil. Keep posted and let me know if you are following along!

Small Changes for BIG Morning Energy

What's wrong with this picture?

6:30- That horrid alarm clock jolts me awake.

6:55-After smacking the snooze 3 times, I jump out of bed and, stumbling about I throw on anything fairly decent and head for the kids' room. I call them all awake in a crackly voice and then slowly force my stiff ankles to climb up those seemingly endless stairs.

7:15- I haul myself out of the LazyBoy, pushing off clingy kids who were also waking up on my lap and I begin to prepare the kids' school lunches, meanwhile forcing down a bowl of sugar laden cereal.

8:00- The kids are on the bus and I am on the couch wondering why I feel so tired. "I had eight hours of sleep last night", I moan aloud to the world. "Why does it have to be this way?"

I believe a crazy morning routine like the one I outlined above is the result of not waking up naturally. Iknow that my mid-morning energy levels are predicted by what I do when I first get up. I've found that this typical (though no longer) morning routine works temporarily but always leaves me lagging behind in the long run. Low energy saps me of creativity, spontaneity, concentration and motivation. It makes me irritable and causes me undue stress.

I've since learned that sudden activity kicks up my blood pressure and I get the false feeling of alertness and energy. But these adrenaline producing tactics are only short lived. Once the mayhem is over, its crash time.

I tell myself, "Its much better to start your day by coming out of sleep mode more naturally. By helping your body get off to a more relaxed start you are giving your body the gift of a more energized day." Now I just have to believe me and do it. Which I am...for the most part.

Think of how Eve must have got up in the morning. I am positive that she didn't jump up at the first screech of a rooster and hit the dirt running. I believe we need to get back to our roots and wake up the native way once again.

How do I suggest we do this?

I say we start by just being in the presence; pondering whatever comes to mind. Then let your body do what it aches to do...stretch. I wish now that I had not tried to tell you all just how to stretch because I believe it can throw some of us off if we feel that we are not doing it 'perfect'. There is no perfect way. Do what feels best. Just do it. Then it's on to deep breathing. Again, there is no perfect way to do this. Do it in your own way , in your own order or you will probably not do it at all. Then and only then go about your business in a slow but deliberate way. No adrenaline rush. Now your metabolism can begin to get back to work in a gentle way.


I feel that these small changes will result in the biggest energy boost. It's just what so many of us need to live fuller, healthier and happier lives. Starting the morning off wrong throws your whole day off and you never catch up after that. Once you have a strong morning routine in place you will notice it in all other aspects of life.

Morning routines are very personal. I will not outline one for fear you will all think that it's the perfect way and will strive to do it just so. When you don't succeed you will give up. Same story over again. So no, there is no right way...just YOUR way!

Why am I stressing this? Because I want us all to be successful, healthy and strong. I stress a morning routine that you can stick to because I know from experience that it makes such a difference in how I live each moment after. Also, I want us all in this together. Who's with me?

Please let me in on how you plan on living out your own personal morning routine. Take your time in getting back to me but when you do, can you add it to the comments. This is the only life change I expect each of you to report back to me ... at this time. At the risk of sounding like an advetisment I will say, "Seriously, this will change your life."

A very small beginning of a fitness program

I've begun to workout in earnest.

Here are a few things I have learned over the years in regards to exercise and me.

1. I do not workout well alone. I love people and the more that are in it with me the happier and more enthusiastic I am about the workout.
   
   
2. I love aerobic exercises that get me sweating hard. I do not think that I would have the patience for yoga or other slower forms of exercise.



3. I can not follow an exercise book. Cannot. Enough said.



4. I don't mind exercise videos. As long as I can change it up and try new ones regularly.



5. I love best to be outdoors when I am exercising. This is not always possible in Alberta.



6. My favorite form of exercise would be a game. Tennis anyone?



7. I hate paying the huge fees for gym memberships.



8. I quickly get bored of places like Curves for Women.



9. I hate the atmosphere of the big gyms where the attitude is 'dog eat dog' and 'each to their own'. It's as if there is so much competition that no one wants to cheer when someone else is successful in reaching their goals.

With all this in mind and a determination to begin a consistent exercise program that would fit my needs and desires I began my search for the perfect workout.

Along comes Walking at Home with Leslie Samsone. Most of this video is walking in place with all the enhancing exercises that can be done will doing the walk. Leslie has been on my shelf for a few years now but I refused to look her way until a few weeks ago. I glanced at her book long enough to remember that I had one of her videos stored away and that I ought to give it a try. I dug it out and promptly fell to watching it. As I watched with nary a sweat, I became excited. I could do this. And I did. And again and again. Leslie is very enthusiastic and she has other exercising with her in the videos. She is humorous and cheery. I can feel as if I am with people to a degree and this is important to me. Now I have 4 of her exercise videos and am enjoying the ability I have to change them up. When I get bored I will just buy some more.

That is how I get in aerobics every second day. I do it in my center hall while Channie watches me and does her annoying copying thing. Every word I say, see copies. She thinks she's being cute, but it annoys me somethin' fierce.

Then I walk the road a couple times a week with either a neighbor or a friend.

And I do two weight training videos a week, at least I am trying to do two. These are not as welcome for me but I need to build up muscle in order to metabolize my foods so much better and faster. Both weight training and the walking with Leslie can be done outdoors on my deck. Another big deal for me.

Put these all together, along with the stretching and I have a program that fits many of my needs and comes close to the perfect way for me to get my exercise.

Fitness is so important for us. It gives us such a boost of energy and confidence. Tell me, how do you get in your daily quota of heart and mind-healthy activity?

updated morning stretches plus more

As I read back over some of my posts I notices that I failed to let you in on how I do those stretches I mentioned.

I DO THEM WHILE STILL IN BED!

There! now that should make more sense to those of you who were trying to follow my example and my faulty instructions.




..............And then I get up and do different ones while standing.

• Standing Stretches are as follows: (I copied these directions from the book, 8 weeks to vibrant health, but I added my own humor in italics)




• Stand with your feet shoulder width apart.




• Inhale and slowly begin to raise your arms in front of you and straight up over your head. Except for mom, we will be holding up the ceiling




• Sssstrrrreeeeetchhhh as tall as you can.




• Breathe deeply and move your arms as if you are climbing a ladder, hand over hand.




• Keeping your arms over your head, exhale and press your pelvis forward, arching your back and bending backward as far as you comfortably can. Keep your eyes open for this part.




• Take a breathe or two and inhale back to vertical.




• On the exhalation, slowly begin to lower your arms, and , with your back straight, bend forward and reach your toes. Or your knees in my case. Truly, can any of you actually touch your toes?




• When you are reaching down as far as you can, round your back and relax it in this forward-bending posture. Breathe deeply. Do not bounce. Hold for about thirty seconds.




• With your back rounded, inhale and slowly curl back up to a standing position.

Aaaahh, this feels so good. Give it a try and let me know whether or not it makes a difference in how you spend the next few minutes and what kind of food choices you make. Personally, I find that I am more cheerful when I get the kids up and I choose a healthier breakfast then I otherwise would.

If I get a positive response I will post two more morning stretches to round this one out. So be sure to do it tomorrow morning and let me know. Seriously girls, you all need to be doing this. Lets get healthy together.

Give your Metabolism the Gift of Time

We can all work on slowing down and relaxing when we are fueling up our bodies for our next meal and every meal thereafter. It's such a simple move we make that makes all the difference to our nutritional metabolism. Remember that the slower you eat the faster you metabolize and the faster you metabolize the sooner you will lose those excess pounds.
Lets commit to giving ourselves the gift of time at each meal, knowing that our to do list and the rest of the world can wait while we take a few extra minutes to enjoy our meals.

Here are a few back to basics that I have been reclaiming. We all used to eat like this...when we were children. It's time to take back this healthier way of eating.

If you normally eat breakfast in 10 minutes, bump that up to 20 minutes and continue to increase it to up to a 1/2 hour. No kiddin'! we need to give ourselves this time. We don't need to be shovelin' the whole time, but we need to be more aware, we need to put our forks down regularly between bites and we need to visit with each other. This takes time.

If needs be, rearrange your schedule to make time for these longer meals. Even if the rest of your family has to run off you can still allow yourself extra time to sit and finish your meal. It's O.K. Really!

Try to get everyone in on this new way with you. Make mealtime special by coming up with interesting topics to be discussed together.

Have your own private game, you win if you're finished last.

Remember that I am not perfect and that I do not always want to follow my own rules, but these are the things I have been trying and I am having a fairly good measure of success.

Lifestyle Inventory

It's time to recap.
This is my morning schedule so far. This is how I have been incorporating the 52 lifestyle changes into my day.

I stretch,

I Breathe

I do my morning routine,

I drink my lemon water,

I take my supplements,

I make pour my water allowance (8 glasses) for the day into a jug and alkalize it, I drink some and put the rest in the fridge.

I slowly eat a bowl of oatmeal or drink a smoothie, relaxing while I sit down at the dining table.

I think about my posture and correct it if necessary.


The picture is just for fun. Good Memories!
Sentences in italics are those that I have not purposly made into 52 lifestyle changes...yet.

Morning Stretching

I need to start stretching in the mornings. Exercising the first thing in the morning is the most convenient time for me but not always the most welcome time. I am not one of those people who wake up fresh and energetic in the morning, ready to dash out into daily living with oomph. I am very slow at getting going in the morning and need a few minutes to really wake up.
The thought of indulging in a few hard core exercises upon awaking is enough to discourage me. But to try a simple stretch a few times and perhaps see a difference might be enough to motivate me to continue.



Why stretching in the morning?

With three to four minutes of easy stretching in the morning my energy will come surging in and I will feel as alert and as full of energy as I might normally feel at mid-morning.



How to stretch in the morning
1. Stretch hard 5 times, maintaining “stretch” for 3 seconds and relaxing for 2 seconds
2. With elbows tucked in beside body and legs together, arch back 3 times
3. Tense all leg muscles hard and relax. Do this 12 times
4. Do 2 sit-ups reaching as far as I can to my toes.
5. Raise bent legs over my head and reach as close to my ears with my knees as I can 3 times.
6. With palms pressing each other, hands close to front of chest, push hard to one side and then the other, resisting with the other arm. Do this 10 times.
7. With fingers flexed, grasp hands and pull apart, first to one side and then the other. Do 10 times.
8. Place hands on abdomen and push vigorously while resisting by tensing abdominal muscles. Do this for 3 seconds and then relax for 2 seconds. Repeat 10 times.


The time required for these stretching in the morning exercises, once I get the hang of them, should only be two to three minutes. When I really get the hang of them and can breeze through this series in less time, then I will do it twice.

I believe that, at most, five minutes is sufficient to get me started in the morning.

The Metabolic Power of Relaxation

I'm reading the SLow Down Diet again.
I have to read this book with a grain of salt.
Much is worthy though and I am working hard at living by the first 'rule'.

Take this thought and really meditate on it. I mean really, really chew on it.

If you're a fast and furious eater, it's time to change gears.
That's because the slower you eat, the faster you metabolize.

I thought on it long and hard and I am ready to change. To me it means, no more meals in the suburban, no more meals while running around the house setting things in order and no more mindless meal where I am reading a book.

I want to be more aware, I want to learn to love food once again. I want to eat for pleasure more then for nessecity; for energy more then just to fuel up.

I have learned that this statement above is oh, so true. If I become aware of what I am eating, I need so much less, and I do not get that horrid gut ache that follows crazy eating. Though I do not nessecarily eat what I eat fast, I do eat mindlessly and in 'furious atmospheres'. Yesterday, I had a scant handful of nuts and seeds, like I always do for an energy boost at about 4:30. But I ate then on the run. Then, yes, I felt almost as if I hadn't had any at all and wanted more. Then I decided to experiment. After supper I again ate a handful of nuts and seeds, but slowely and with awareness and lo and behold! I was satisfied. This is only one example, I have tried it in other ways too, but it does make a difference how you eat, not just what you eat.

As I learn more about how this helps me to metabolize faster and better I will post.

Deep Breathing

What: Deep Breathing at least four times a day.
Why: Deep Breathing for even 30 seconds has a substantial effect on acidic stress hormones and, when practiced over time can have profound healing effect on mood, energy levels and cardiovascular and respiratory health.
How:

1. Place one hand on your chest and the other on your abdomen. Breathe deeply into your abdomen through your nose-if you are doing it right and breathing into your abdomen and the lower part of your lungs, the hand on your abdomen should rise higher then the hand on your chest. As you inhale count slowly to 4.


2. Hold your breath, again counting to 4.


3. Exhale slowly through your nose to a count of 4, gently contracting your abdomen muscles to eliminate all air from your lungs.


4. Repeat this cycle 4 times, or more if you an make the time.

Notes: I will want to do this the minute I wake up and before I go to sleep plus two other times during the day. I will do this when I take my vitamins as this will help to serve as a reminder.
Caution: Do not take deep breath's with pills in mouth. :)

Action: Just do it!

Lemons

What: Add fresh lemons to my daily diet.
Why: They supply me with Vitamin C and help alkalize my body. They are great for cleansing my liver and they are great energy boosters.
How: I will squeeze a half a lemon into a glass of room temp. water first thing each morning. I will do this one more time sometime during the rest of the day, especially when I need an energy boost.

Notes: I need to always have lemons on hand. I will do this by adding them to me master weekly grocery list. I will need at least 7 lemons a week. I will store them in a pretty bowl on my island. I will keep a pretty glass just for this drink by my sink.

Action:
To Buy: Lemons x7
To Find: Pretty glass and bowl