LIVE LOVE AND EAT Heal t h | Wellbeing| Nutrition
What is the Concept of Health? ANTI ANXIETY FOODS
The Importance of your Psoas Muscles for Posture and Movements
UNDERSTAND WHY YOU FEEL CRAPPY AND HOW TO FEEL BETTER, FOR GOOD!
6
ISSUE 77
AUGUST 2022/ ISSN 2689-7741
ONE POWERFUL STEP TO MORE ACCEPTANCE, LOVING AND GETTING UNSTUCK
My Hometown and me
The Divorced Woman’s Guide™ to …. Creating a selfcare routine this summer
Ways to Monetize your Hobby Farm
How to meditate What to do when you "feel fat"
Look and feel better than ever with these realistic strategies
LIVE LOVE AND EAT
WHAT IS INSIDE ISSUE 77
53
HEALTH & WELLNESS TIPS To your health and wellness. From eating the right food to the perfect exercise routine, find the best path to a healthier and happier you.
RECIPES Looking for a healthy recipe? We have you covered. Enjoy these simple recipes.
47 MEET OUR CONTRIBUTORS
05
All articles are written by health coaches and professionals whom have all overcome their own personal life and health challenges.
LIVE LOVE AND EAT
ARTICLES 09 6 Ways to Monetize Your Hobby Farm 13 Look and Feel Better Than Ever With These Realistic Strategies 21 What is the concept of health? 23 What to do when you “feel fat”
ARTICLES 32 Anti Anxiety foods 35 One Powerful Step to More Acceptance, Loving, and Getting Unstuck 37 The divorced woman guide to..... Creating a Self-Care Routine This Summer
ARTICLES 40 The importance of Your Psoas Muscles for Posture and Movements. 42 Understand Why You Feel Crappy and How to Feel Better, For Good! 45 My Hometown and Me
CONTACT US LIVE LOVE AND EAT 4497 Wyndtree Drive #212 West Chester Ohio 45069
New Stories, New writers
NOTE FROM EDITOR
513 2758081 bernadine@liveloveandeatmagazine.com www.liveloveandeatmagazine.com
I cannot believe we are in August already. It is time for the kids to go to school and one of the biggest struggles that most people face today is a hectic schedule. We’re so busy that it makes eating healthy a real challenge. Quick and convenient foods end up taking the place of healthy, nourishing food when we’re on the go, go, go all the time. These less-than-ideal food choices put us on the hamster wheel of experiencing low energy, weight gain, and potential health problems. What if I told you it didn’t have to be this way? You don’t have to be a slave to your schedule and resort to fast food or processed foods on a regular basis. It’s possible to eat healthy foods, even with a jampacked schedule. It just requires a little bit of pre-planning to ensure success. You’ll feel better, have more energy, and your waistline will thank you too. Check out our easy healthy recipes in our recipe section. In this issue, we have amazing articles. If it is your health, fitness, or goals we have you covered. We partnered with Energy Bits, Get a 20% discount by using the code: LiveLoveEat. https://www.energybits.com/
Look out for our Podcast, The Live Love and Eat Show. We have amazing speakers lined up. Kick back, relax and soak up some quality time with Live Love and Eat
We hope that you enjoy this issue. BERNADINE OTTO Editor-In-Chief
EDITORIAL BERNADINE OTTO Editor-In-Chief
SUBSCRIPTIONS SUBSCRIBE ONLINE https://www.liveloveandeatmagazine.co m/order-your-copy
MEET OUR CONTRIBUTORS 4497 Wyndtree Drive , West Chester 45069 513 275 8081 | bernadine@liveloveandeatmagazine.com
Managing Editor Bernadine Otto Contributor Jace Jacobs Contributor Judy Brown
Bernadine Otto
Jace Jacobs
Judy Brown
Victoria Kleinsman
Tracy Markley
Cheryl Reifer
Dr. Danielle Litoff
Sherry Parks
Wendy Sterling
Debra Letchworth
Contributor Victoria Kleinsman Contributor Tracy Markley Contributor Cheryl Reifer Contributor Dr. Danielle Litoff Contributor Sherry Parks Contributor Wendy Sterling Contributor Cheryl Conklin Recipes Debra Letchworth
4497 WYNDTREE DRIVE, WEST CHESTER, OHIO, 45069 513 2758081 BERNADINE@LIVELOVEANDEATMAGAZINE.COM WWW.LIVELOVEANDEATMAGAZINE.COM
Copyright © 2022 Bernadine Otto. All rights reserved. Published by Live Love and Eat
NATIONAL FRIENDSHIP DAY Friendship Day is a day to nurture relationships, new and old. It's a really easy ad fun day to celebrate. Start the day by getting in touch with some old friends. This is celebrated on the 7th of August
DOG DAYS SUMMER The Dog days Summer is the hottest and steamiest part of Summer. Typically this is the period when Sirius the dog star rises at the same time as the sun. From July 3- August 11. When the Dog Days of Summer arrive, it is time to do those memorable summertime activities that help us to keep our cool. They include taking a dip in the pool, going to the beach, or taking the kids to the waterpark.
WATERMELON DAY On August 3, this big and juicy fruit deserves its own big day. So we give pause to celebrate watermelon on National Watermelon day. Sweet and tasty watermelons are one of Summers' favorite fruit. It is great for picnics. Watermelon is over 90% water, it sure tastes good.
HOW TO MEDITATE Start with 10 minutes once a day, first thing in the morning or any time when you will be undisturbed and not after a big meal or exercising. Sit comfortably on your bed, sofa, or a cushion on the floor in a cross-legged position, keep your spine straight but not rigid, and close your eyes. Take 5 deep slow breaths in and out then let your breath return to its natural rhythm, breathing through your nose. Thoughts, feelings, and sensations will arise. Don't stop them, just re-focus on your breath and be in the now. When your time is up keep your eyes closed, and take the attention on your breath. After two minutes open your eyes.
OUR M O R F REVIEW OR EDIT 'Balance your skin with this ancient Ayurvedic remedy . Steam Distilled Rose and Tulsi . Due to its medicinal properties, Tulsi has been worshipped in India for many years. Its anti-fungal and antibacterial properties make it a wonderful product in skin care. Rose is Tridoshic but especially effective on balancing pitta
Kaia Skin is an Organic, EnergyInfused, Ayurveda-Inspired Skin & Hair Care products Kaia Skin is giving our readers a 15% off on your purchase, use code: LIVELOVEEAT15 https://www.kaia.skin/discount/LIVELOVEEAT15
CO LL AG EN love how easy it is to mix/take this. I
add this to my smoothies daily.
I see
such great results with my hair and nails.
6 WAYS TO MONETIZE YOUR HOBBY FARM WRITTEN BY VIRGINIA COOPER
Are you looking to make money off your hobby farm but aren’t sure where to start? Below are six different ways to monetize your hobby farm and start making money without leaving the homestead, courtesy of Live Love and Eat Establishing a Brand Creating a brand is a huge part of making money off your hobby farm. You can’t sell anything without a name attached, and if you have no brand, you can’t market or advertise effectively. Without establishing yourself as a brand, consumers won’t know how to find you and will be much less likely to purchase what you're selling.
Getting Started Take some time to research your niche before getting started. What are you growing? How much is your product selling for on Amazon? Are there any books or blogs that can teach you best practices for your industry? Don’t just wing it — have some kind of game plan before starting out. Managing Social Media Part of monetizing your hobby farm includes a wellexecuted social media presence. Because you’re starting from scratch, use social media to build awareness around your product or service. Share photos of your products or projects, answer questions about what you do, and include links back to your website for more information about each product. Post consistently and often, and make sure to respond quickly to any interactions on social media so people know they can interact with you.
When emailing lots of social media images, use a JPG-to-PDF converter to make PDFs and preserve the image quality. A converter even allows you to combine many JPGs into one PDF so you can send them in one single email. Marketing Your Products Traditional advertising (i.e. print and television ads) is quickly becoming obsolete. Instead, turn to digital marketing tactics like search engine optimization (SEO), pay-per-click (PPC), and search engine marketing (SEM) to help increase brand awareness and grow your customer base at a fraction of traditional marketing costs. For instance, you can take your existing photos, easily remove the background from images using this online tool, then share your modified images via social media to help spread the word – all for free!
Benefits of Forming a Corporation While operating a farm business under your own name is relatively straightforward, it also exposes you to personal liability If something goes wrong you could be held personally responsible for damages and legal fees — not to mention ruining your reputation. That’s why you might want to form an LLC or limited liability corporation. Using a corporation formation service to form an LLC can streamline the process, and it costs less than going through a lawyer. There are different regulations in some areas so check the requirements in your province or territory before going ahead.
Grant Opportunities for Your Businesses If you’re looking for additional funding, seek out small business grants. This type of money doesn’t need to be paid back and is often quite large (though it may require a long application process). Check out your local province or territory government websites for details on how to apply for funds. Depending on where you live, there may be regional opportunities as well. Start with a solid business plan, research grants for your industry, and prepare an excellent grant application. There are many ways to make money off your hobby farm. Some require more planning than others, so you need to decide which approach works best for you.
Virginia Cooper is a retired community college instructor. She always encouraged her students to see the real-world value in their education, and now, she wants to spread that message as wide as possible. Her hope is that Learn a Living will be a go-to resource for adult learners embarking on starting, continuing, or finishing their education. https://learnaliving.co/
LOOK AND FEEL BETTER THAN EVER WITH THESE REALISTIC STRATEGIES
By Cheryl Conklin
Healthy habits come with a wealth of benefits. They not only boost your energy and help you look your best but also reduce your stress and enhance your mood. If you want to look and feel better than you ever have, don’t assume it will never happen. You might be surprised how many easy strategies you can integrate into your routine to improve your all-around health and well-being. Bernadine Otto of Live, Love, And Eat magazine has listed a few here! Love Yourself You've probably heard it said that you can’t love others well without first loving yourself. Practicing self-love in your daily life is crucial to your health, well-being, and relationships. And you shouldn’t wait until you’ve made your desired improvements to think of and treat yourself nicely. Learn to love yourself where you are now, and improve from there. Cultivating inner self-love and self-acceptance will build a firm foundation for the changes you wish to make. Further, CrowdInk suggests learning to view your flaws differently; see them as the beautiful imperfections they are — part of what makes you unique! Another way that you can focus on feeling and looking your best is to look into buying new clothes. Look for comfortable clothes that don't sacrifice style. There are a number of excellent retailers that offer quality materials and fabrics in designs that are versatile and super soft, from dresses and loungewear to undergarments and sleepwear. See a Therapist You can make all the changes in the world and still benefit from therapy. Not a single person fully understands themselves and knows how to deal with every challenge in healthy ways. We’re all on a journey of self-discovery. If you find yourself overwhelmed by anxiety, stress, or depression, consider trying virtual counseling. Online therapy requires less of a commitment and is arguably more private and secure than going to a therapist in person. It’s also less expensive and can save you a lot of time on travel. Take time to research online therapists, and take advantage of complimentary consultations until you meet the right therapist for you. Treat Your Body Well One of the most practical ways to look and feel your best is to be cognizant of how you treat your body. Ensure you are eating nutritiously; leafy greens, vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, and fatty fish are excellent foods for any diet (as long as you’re not allergic to them). Also, there are countless ways to fit in a good workout when you have limited time and money. Set aside 30 minutes a day for brisk walking, jogging, running, HIIT, yoga, swimming, or any other physical activities that get your blood flowing. You’ll feel less stress and be more productive while benefiting your long-term health.
Sleep Enough It’s also critical to give your mind and body adequate rest. Sleep deprivation will negatively impact your energy levels, productivity, and mood. It can even be dangerous in some cases. Think of realistic changes you can make to your routine to foster better sleep. For example, maybe you could redecorate your bedroom with new bedding and invest in blackout shades, a white noise machine, and an essential oils diffuser. Perhaps you could take a long bath or practice meditation at bedtime. Setting a reasonable bedtime for yourself can also help you get into a healthy sleep rhythm. Take Control of Work-Related Stress by Going Back to School or Working from Home It may be high time to alleviate stress at work. If you find that you're in a job that's too stressful or no longer a challenge, or if you’re simply ready to do something different, switching careers can be a boon for your mental health. These days, online degree programs make it easy to earn your master's while still working full-time or tending to family obligations. When looking for an online school, check to make sure it's accredited and that tuition is competitive. There are degree programs that span multiple industries, from criminal justice to psychology to business and more. If you’d rather work from home, that arrangement can provide you with more opportunities to practice selfcare. If you have any knowledge-based skills that could be used for freelance work, look for remote opportunities through online job boards. Even if you cut back at the office and pick up some part-time gigs, you’ll have more time to spend on getting the rest you need, exercising, preparing healthy meals, and cultivating your relationships.
Improve Your Living Environment Finally, make sure your home is set up to support your health and wellness goals. Minto notes that it’s crucial that you live in a peaceful environment. Create a cleaning and decluttering routine to keep each space tidy. Re-organize your cabinets and closets. Stock your refrigerator with healthy foods and filtered water. And think of any other ways you can make your home restful. It’s not impossible to look and feel better when you’re busy. It actually may be easier than you think! Implement the tips above to foster your health and well-being, and remember to be kind to yourself as you take baby steps toward a better you. Lastly, consider working with a certified nutrition coach like Bernadine Otto if you need expert guidance on your health and life goals! Certified Transformational Nutrition Coach and EFT Practitioner Bernadine Otto has coached thousands of people on health and wellness. Connect with Bernadine today to find out more! bernadine@liveloveandeatmagazine.com
Cheryl Conklin Wellness Central cheryl.conklin@wellnesscentral.info www.wellnesscentral.info
What is the Concept of Health? Written by Cheryl Reifer
Health gives us the opportunity to be successful and enjoy life every day, to improve the quality of our life and live it to the full extent. Coral Club is the first company to promote its own concept of health. This includes putting the best of nature and technology together for maximum health benefits. Coral Club North America expert Dr. Cheryl Reifer, Ph.D., RD, Director of Scientific Affairs, introduces us to the Concept of Health. The Concept of Health starts with the health of the cell. This is because the health of the body starts with the health of the cell. Cell renewal is continuous, therefore, it is necessary for cells to receive adequate nutrients. Our cells need protection from external stressors (surroundings) and internal stressors (emotional state) which damage our cells. Antioxidants, phytonutrients, probiotics, vitamins, minerals, and water all play a role in influencing the health of the cell. In fact, our bodies contain 30 to 40 trillion cells. Since our bodies are made up of 60-70 percent water, our cells need water to properly function and support our bodily processes. Taking care of our health at the cellular level ensures optimal cellular function.
Identifying the best ways, through natural, highly bioavailable ingredients and using proven innovation technologies to support our proper cellular function is the key to the Concept of Health. Coral Club has developed 5 packages of products that address 5 key areas of your basic health needs: Hydrate with water Drink half your body weight in pounds with water or 30 ml of water per kilogram (kg) of body weight; increase water intake based on exercise intensity, sweat, and especially during illness. Increasing water and adding the HYDROMAX® pack as instructed will not only hydrate the cells so that the nutrients we receive can circulate and get to where they need to go, but also will add the minerals and antioxidants back that we need. Hydrated cells move more fluidly to help your body’s processes—shrunken, dehydrated cells do not.
Eliminate parasites
Nutrition for Life
Unwanted guests can happen from touching doorknobs, pets, transport vehicles, or light switches – once, inside us, our bodies are competing with parasites for nutrients. PARASHIEALD®/PARASHIELD® Plus packs include a “Parafight” blend of 12 herbal extracts of anti-parasitic agents and probiotics to normalize our intestinal microbiota. Plus there are more ingredients to tell you about.
Balanced nutrition is a life-long process. We cleansed our bodies and are now in a ready state to rebuild our nutrients through the right mix of botanical ingredients, vitamins, minerals, and more by taking NUTRI PACK
Purify/Detoxify Coral Club created the right bioavailable balanced blend of gentle botanicals, antioxidants, minerals, and nutrients as cleansing agents, through Coral Detox®, Coral Detox Plus® (30-day plans), Go Detox® and Go Detox light® (14-day plans). Any of these plans will help your body rid itself of cellular waste products.
Immunity Support Our immune system needs constant support. Both Vitamins C and selenium play a role in increasing the body’s resistance to microorganisms and activating our immune cells into action. Coral-Mine minerals provide a mineral balance for our immune system—all this and more is available in Coral Club’s IMMUNITY PACK®.
WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU “FEEL FAT” WRITTEN BY VICTORIA KLEINSMAN
If I’d been given a pound every time I had said the words “I feel so fat” I swear I’d be a millionaire by now! I’m sure you can relate? So how do we stop “feeling fat”?
Some may say you could diet (which is basically the word die with a “t”… I see the t standing for trauma!) but we all know that dieting doesn’t actually work for 95% of the population long term. Yes, you could diet and temporarily – but not guaranteed – lose weight. Then you may stop “feeling fat”. But what happens when your weight rebounds again when you’ve stopped dieting? (Because it will if you’re not in your set point weight range.) What happens if you fit into your smaller clothes yet you still “feel fat”? Fat isn't a feeling Let’s start with a #truthbomb… Fat isn’t actually a feeling! The word fat can be used as a noun, verb, or adjective but it is not a feeling. The question I like to ask people when they say “I feel fat” is: “What are you really feeling?” And then I show them the emotional wheel and wait for their answer.
Usually what they’re really feeling are emotions such as: Exposed Fearful Anxious Embarrassed Ashamed Worthless
It’s not fat on our bodies in a vacuum that causes us to feel ashamed, embarrassed, not good enough, etc. It’s what we’ve been conditioned to make fat mean. Fat cells don’t grow with shame cells. Society adds those for us. If you were born and raised on a desert island with no media or concept of the patriarchal society that we currently live in, you wouldn’t even be aware of the words “body image”. This is because you’d see your body for what it truly is, a place to live in and to experience life through. You wouldn’t objectify it, you would simply embody it and live in it. Children don’t have any issues or concerns about race or different body types until they learn to be concerned, through parents and the world around them who are modeling it for them.
This is all well and good I know but I’m also a realist… and we DO live in a fatphobic society and we HAVE been conditioned to believe that thin is good and fat is bad. Knowledge can help us to understand why we are scared of fatness and why we spend most of our lives in fear of what others may think of us. But even when we know why we’re constantly seeking diet after diet for the answer to the ultimate happiness in life – like chasing the pot of gold that is promised at the end of the rainbow – THINNESS, doesn’t magically change anything… Or does it? You tell me. Understanding why we are all so fearful of fatness can help start to shift our perception of what we make fat mean. When we understand that society makes thinness the ultimate goal because it’s unattainable for most and so they get a shit load of money from people chasing thinness, it certainly helps to shift from a feeling of helplessness and self-blame to anger. And anger is higher up the vibrational scale than helplessness. Meaning that anger is a more empowering feeling. Put another way; you’re less of a victim of diet culture.
A great question to ask yourself is: “Who is profiting off my insecurity?” I guarantee that if fatness was hard to attain, then that would be celebrated and people would do everything they could to be fatter. In fact, fatness WAS considered beautiful for at least 400 years between 1500 and 1900. Any visual bones in women were totally banished from the idealized female nude. And in a Jamaican study in 1993, Jamaica found that plump bodies are considered the healthiest and most attractive among rural Jamaicans. Fat is associated with fertility, kindness, happiness, vitality, and social harmony. Some Jamaican girls even buy pills designed to increase their appetite and help them gain weight. I could share so much about why we are all so scared of fatness and how our fears are created purposefully in order for us to keep spending money trying to lose weight but this episode is about how to stop feeling fat, not why we fear fatness… so I’ll continue. Emotional pain Now we know that fat isn’t a feeling, we can start to look at what we really mean when we say the words “I feel fat.” “Feeling fat” is emotionally painful. As I mentioned earlier, what we really feel is ashamed, embarrassment, frustration, and not enoughness (or similar). Those feelings are uncomfortable to feel. I invite my clients to say out loud what they’re really feeling when they notice that they “feel fat.” When the feeling is expressed out loud, you’re automatically acknowledging how you feel. Then you can make space for that feeling and feel it (I know, I know…). Instead of shoving it down and planning your next diet in an attempt to feel better. Practice noticing how you really feel and then speak to yourself as you would speak to an innocent child. Be kind and loving. Be there for yourself through this difficult feeling. Ask yourself what you need at this moment to feel comforted.
You may want to turn to your usual thought spiral of: “I feel fat.” “Urgh, I’m so disgusting.” “Why did I let myself get like this?” “I’m such a failure.” etc Instead, notice when you start spiraling and then stop yourself. Reassure yourself that’s normal and ok to feel this way and that it’s not your fault. Even though doing that won’t make you suddenly love your fat and feel fantastic, it is a much more beneficial way to go about it. You won’t get carried away with your usual self-hate self-talk and it will give you the opportunity to reframe your unkind thoughts into more kind and helpful ones. Then you will feel better.
A self-dialogue example of how to feel and then reframe: “I feel fat.” “Oh wait, fat isn’t a feeling, what am I really feeling?” “A heaviness in my physical body and shame about the way I look.” “That’s ok sweetheart, it’s ok to feel this way.” “Why do I feel this way?” “Because of what being fat represents in society.” “Who is profiting off me feeling this way?” “Diet culture.” “Oh yeah.” “I’m going to sit with myself and feel the shameful feeling. I can feel it in my tummy like a kick in the stomach and then in my throat like a burning sensation. It hurts.” “It’s ok, I’ve got you.” “I feel sad.” “That’s ok.” “What can you say to yourself that will help?” “My body doesn’t need to look a certain way. My body looks like this and this is ok. I’m grateful for having a healthy and able body. I’m looking forward to meeting my friend at the cinema shortly. It’s more important and fun to be present and have a good time instead of worrying about what my body looks like. My friend doesn’t care what size I am. What if I didn’t care either?” “That’s a good question sweetheart, what if your body wasn’t a project or a work in progress. What if your body is just how she is and what if that was ok?” “I love you.”
Physically “feeling fat” As you can see from the above self-dialogue, “feeling fat” can indeed be a physical sensation. It’s common to feel full, bloated, heavy, lethargic, inflexible, stiff, and just uncomfortable in your physical body alongside difficult emotional feelings. My legs rub together in the summer and that used to really trigger me into despair and the constant inner dialogue of “I’m so fat!” If you notice yourself saying “I feel fat” when what you really mean is “I feel bloated or full” for example, then call yourself out on it (with the love of course). Language is so powerful. Words are spells and so if you’re constantly telling yourself that you “feel fat” then your unconscious mind will find evidence in your everyday life to prove to you that you are fat. We attract what we believe about ourselves. When you feel physically “fat” there are numerous things you can do to alleviate the sensation such as: Spray deodorant in between your legs to stop the chaffing (no shit… that works way better than antichafe cream, in fact, the cream makes my legs stick and rub together even more!) Wear loose-fitting clothes that you feel comfortable in. If you only have your “fat clothes” that are loose and comfortable then go buy yourself some fashionable clothes that look good on you (take a friend otherwise you’ll berate yourself and end up coming home with nothing) Buy bigger kickers! Seriously, ain’t nobody gonna feel great when their undies are cutting into them. I still buy a size bigger than I actually am now. Plus I don’t know about you but my bum seems to eat everything… it’s thongs all the way for me otherwise whatever knickers I’m wearing end up as thongs anyway…! Cool down. When you’re hot, sticky, your body is swollen AND you “feel fat”, that’s a shit place to be. Go cool down whether that’s a cool shower or a change of clothes or whatever it is. Do it. Drink some herbal tea (NOT the shitty detox tea) such as peppermint or ginger as that can help to alleviate bloating and fullness. When you next eat, choose something that you know won’t bloat you. For example, if you know that ice cream or avocado bloats you, have those another time and choose something that doesn’t feel heavy and doesn’t irritate your tummy. So that you feel good, not because it’s bad or wrong. Do some gentle exercise such as walking, to get your endorphins going without it being shitty in your body and then forcing yourself piss you off even more. Task care of yourself make you feel worse.
a slow jog, or a bit of weight lifting. Whatever helps you too strenuous. There’s nothing worse than “feeling fat” and to do a HIIT workout. Every jiggle of your body is going to and choose something that will help, not something that will
Take a nap. I’m not kidding. Taking a 20-minute nap can work wonders and you’ll often hear your stomach making funny growling noises when you’re not hungry when you lie down for a nap. This is because you’ve finally taken yourself out of your (possibly chronic) stress response and into rest and digest. And so your body can actually focus on digestion and relaxation. Naps are awesome!
Feeling full Feeling full and bloated – even from a healthy nourishing meal – can be mentally and emotionally linked to binge eating, diet failures, fatness, and therefore shame. I’ve experienced this myself and so have several of my clients. Think about it. When we’re dieting we’re usually hungry most of the time or at the very least we’re only just satisfied. Our tummies feel flatter and emptier. This is celebrated. When we binge eat, we usually get really full. We then beat ourselves up and feel frustrated, guilty, and shamefully. Think about how many times that cycle has happened in your life. It makes sense that you’d unconsciously link fullness to failure and shame even though you’re not consciously aware of it. This plus the whole flat stomach thing. When we eat, our tummies get full and stick out. This is normal! We’ve just eaten food, it’s supposed to happen! It’s like when you put a pillow in a pillowcase, you don’t get annoyed when the pillowcase is full… (well that was a random example that came to me wasn’t it…?!) Yet the exact opposite has been modeled for us. Flat tummy = a life of happiness. Bloated tummy = must do something about it. Either a diet, detox, or an elimination diet. I remember when I was anorexic, I wouldn’t even drink water because I was petrified of my stomach sticking out even slightly. Getting over this anxiety with feeling full and/or bloated, just takes time. Reassure yourself every time you’ve eaten and say things to yourself such as: “It’s ok that you feel uncomfortable or triggered right now. Be proud that you’ve just nourished yourself and your body with food so that you will have energy and feel good physically, mentally, and emotionally. My tummy is supposed to be full because there is food inside it. It’s ok and safe that my tummy is full. I love you.” And nourishment doesn’t only mean vegetables and “healthy” foods. We need nourishment and satisfaction mentally and emotionally too. That’s why we have taste buds.
Other helpful things you can do to stop “feeling fat” Hang around people who are free in their bodies and who aren’t constantly talking about diets and how fat they are the whole time. Spend time doing mirror work. Get used to seeing your body daily. Practice deep breathing in front of the mirror so you can see your tummy blow up with air. Notice any judgments or uncomfortable feelings when doing this and just be there for yourself with love. Touch your body. If you hate your stomach, spend time gently stroking it and being kind to it as you would be kind and loving to your partner and their body. Get used to massaging and holding the parts of you that you find triggering. When in doubt, focus out. If you’re too in your head to do any of this work then go and do something for someone else. Bake some cookies for your friend. Walk your mum’s dog. Do something that will help someone else. This will help to take your focus away from how fat you think you are to something much more enjoyable and important. What if “feeling fat” didn’t matter? Now that’s something to leave you with my loves… Do you wish you could get to a place within yourself where “feeling fat” doesn’t even matter? Then reach out to me and I can share with you how YOU can live in food freedom and body love.
Victoria is a Certified Transformational Life Coach specializing in helping high-achieving women to heal their relationship with food & their body. She is a coach, mentor, speaker, and writer; working with women from all around the globe, speaking at worldwide events, and is a writer for Live Love And Eat Magazine. Victoria has lived with eating disorders and body hate for over 20 years. (she was diagnosed with Anorexia Nervosa in her early teens and then Binge Eating Disorder and Bulemia in her early twenties). Through her own personal experiences, education, certification, and countless hours spent on personal development, she holds the skills, knowledge, and empathy to guide and support you to food freedom whilst building a loving relationship with yourself and your body. Victoria has profoundly helped many women around the world to transform their lives and she knows the importance and value of constantly investing in and improving herself in order to serve her clients powerfully. Her goal is to positively impact millions of women from all around the world. https://www.victoriakleinsman.com/ info@victoriakleinsman.com https://www.facebook.com/victoriakleinsman https://www.instagram.com/victoriakleinsman/ Podcast: https://anchor.fm/victoria-kleinsman “Victoria’s Secrets To Health & Happiness” on any podcats platform Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1g1H40rbSQ6Trmcha59kDg
Anti Anxiety Foods Written By Sharon Clare
The one thing all nutrition experts seem to agree on is that vegetables are good for your health. By offering abundant vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, vegetables support brain function and help with anxiety. In general, a quarter of your plate should be starch and half should be vegetables with healthy fats throughout. In warmer months aim to eat more raw vegetables, in colder months go for cooked vegetables. Prepare them with healthy fat, such as olive oil or avocado oil. Try to buy organic whenever possible, especially for skinless veggies. When adding protein aim to eat a variety of wellsourced pasture-raised meat and poultry as well as wild small cold-water fatty fish. Vegetarian standbys include any combination of rice and beans and eggs and full-fat dairy. What about carbohydrates are they friends or foe to anxiety? Most do well on carbs and probably need to increase their carbohydrate consumption. Starchy vegetables such as sweet potato and squashes are not only OK but often beneficial and necessary for staving off anxiety. It takes more time for our body to digest carbohydrates from starchy tubers, compared with refined carbohydrates offering a steady supply of blood sugar without the spike and crash. Resistant starch can serve as the food for beneficial bacteria in our guts and set us up for a calm immune system and optimal neurotransmitter production. Lets talk about fats. I do not recommend that anyone struggling with anxiety should eat a low-fat diet. One of the fastest ways to improve anxiety is to increase the healthy fats in your diet. Focus on the distinction between naturally occurring fat and man-made fats such as trans fats, margarine, and industrially processed vegetable and seed oils. While olive oil and avocado oil are perfectly healthy the industrial vegetable and seed oils are highly processed and inflammatory. Meanwhile, the fats from animals and minimally processed fat from plants such as avocado, nuts, and coconut are generally well tolerated by the body and promote health, even when they are technically saturated fats, as is the case with coconut and macadamia nuts.
These sources are more closely related to the fats humans have been consuming for millennia and so are more recognizable to the body and less likely to provoke the immune system. For low heat, cooking use olive oil, coconut oil, and grass-fed butter and for high heat, cooking use ghee, beef tallow, or avocado oil. Moderation is important when it comes to fats but unlike refined carbs sugar and processed, real fat is satiating and harder to over-consume. Eating a small amount of fat with every meal helps to stabilize blood sugar and prevents your body from experiencing the shakiness and irritability of false anxiety. What about snacks? Some folks are concerned about the sugar content of fruit. Of course, be reasonable about it- caution around sugar bombs such as fruit smoothies and dried fruit. But if you want an apple or some berries at the end of a meal go for it. In addition to fruit, snack on nuts and seeds, olives, avocadoes, hard-boiled eggs, and good-quality chocolate. You can also snack on sea vegetables such as dulce and nori which are an excellent source of hard-to-find nutrients such as sulfur and naturally occurring iodine. I also recommend building fermented foods into the day- this includes kimchi, sauerkraut, miso, apple cider vinegar and dairy, kefir, and yogurt. These are functional foods and by introducing bacteria to the gut they will help you heal your gut, decrease inflammation, promote the synthesis of neurotransmitters such as serotonin, and improve your immune function. All these foods mentioned in this article will help to alleviate anxiety, work out a balanced diet from this list and watch your anxiety levels drop.
Sharon can help you achieve your fitness goals in the gym, at home & also outdoors. Personal training is available 1-2-1, in couples & also small groups. Body coach fitness has a holistic approach to health & wellness, fitness, nutrition & sports performance & is dedicated to educating people on the benefits of a healthy lifestyle! Whatever your goals Sharon will help you achieve them. When not training others to achieve their goals Sharon works towards her own, training hard to compete at an international level as a natural physique competitor. www.bodycoachfitness.com www.bodycoachfitness.org https://www.facebook.com/sharon.clare.14
ONE POWERFUL STEP TO MORE ACCEPTANCE, LOVING, AND GETTING UNSTUCK Written by Sherry Parks
This past December marked the 13th anniversary of my dad’s death. My dad is an integral part of my journey through life; however, my relationship with my dad was never the well-loved Daddy’s girl.
From an early age, I remember being afraid of my dad. Not because he hurt me physically, but because I never felt that he accepted me and loved me. I remember being afraid he would come home from work and that he would yell at me or my siblings for no apparent reason. His mood was always a huge question.
I have been on a personal growth journey over the past several years, and working on my relationship with Dad has been a big part of that. And the work is required even though he’s no longer on earth with me. One of my biggest lessons has been that forgiveness is a major key to growth. We have all had experiences in life that have affected us in some negative way or another. Those experiences can sometimes leave deep scars and cause us to build walls within ourselves for protection. During my personal growth journey, I was confronted with the fact that in order to really grow, I need to let go of what has happened in the past. And one of the biggest pieces for me was my relationship with my dad. My parents divorced when I was 15 and that created a lot of hurt and wounds. Not only for me but also for my mom and my four siblings. And this big wound created more angst and hurt to all the little things that came before.
Later on, during the divorce time, I remember feeling totally rejected and often lied to by my dad. Even later in my 20’s I remember trying to forge a new relationship with him and trying to move past my childhood, yet ended up still feeling rejected and unloved.
When I got my first apartment on my own after college, I was so proud of the little home that I had made. I decided to invite Dad over for Father’s Day and cook him a meal to serve in my new space. Dad’s response was not what I expected. He told me no, he would not come to my house for Father’s Day dinner and that he probably would never come. In that moment, I felt really hurt and rejected. I was so confused. Why would my dad say that? What was wrong with me that my dad kept rejecting me? These feelings and questions led me to protect myself in a shell. I was afraid of people in general and even more specifically, I was unable to build lasting relationships and connections with men. I was raised in a very conservative, religious household and I have gone through exercises of forgiveness many times. However, I came to realize, that I was still holding onto unforgiveness and that was keeping my walls and protection firmly in place. And even though I have been through many exercises where I said I forgave my dad; I don’t believe I ever quite got there. I think that forgiveness is not some magical thing that just happens by a word or a prayer.
. I think that it is a journey and requires you to be in the right place and the right frame of mind. It sometimes requires consistent intention and focus. For me, it was the realization that I had to become “unstuck” and open myself up to people. I had to let people in. In order to do that, I had to forgive those that hurt me. The process of forgiving my dad is still ongoing. Today, I thought I’d share the words that help me. It may require something different for you, but be kind to yourself. It is a journey and I truly believe true forgiveness will happen when you are ready. Here is what I say for this and other situations where forgiveness is needed: Dad, I forgive you and I release you. You owe me nothing. You did the best you could and I honor you for that. When we forgive, we create space inside ourselves for something new. And we open to the possibility that there is something better. For me, forgiveness means that by giving more grace to others, I learn to give more grace to myself as well. And isn’t that what it’s really about? By accepting others more fully, we create that space to accept ourselves more fully.And that…that creates a more loving human experience. A life not stuck in the past, rather…. a life focused on the future. What about you?Does this resonate? I’d love to hear.
Sherry Parks, CPA, is a Life & Money Mindset Coach who helps women escape feeling trapped by their finances. She is passionate about helping women change their mindset, emotions, and actions regarding money so that they learn to keep what they have and generate more. Check out her 5 Steps to a Better Money Story workbook or join her women-only Facebook group More Than Enough Money Sisterhood.
THE DIVORCED WOMAN’S GUIDE TO . . . CREATING A SELF-CARE ROUTINE THIS SUMMER B Y
W E N D Y
S T E R L I N G
Divorce means a lifestyle shift as well as having to make tough decisions that put you through the ringer physically and mentally. The stress and anxiety caused by the split have a ripple effect on your life and impact the people around you, including your kids, friends, and family. In addition, your work performance may suffer (like mine did) as well as your health as the pressure in your life build, making self-care an essential part of your life. Many people believe self-care must involve a lot of time and money to indulge in activities such as massages or other types of purchases. What if I told you it doesn’t have to cost you a dime? Instead, self-care means giving yourself time and space to adjust to the changes in your life and learn more about yourself in the process. Here are some of my favorite self-care tips that will help you navigate the emotional roller coaster of your divorce:
Change your routine Typically, when we have been married for a while and have kids, our lives revolved around the family. And when we think back to our single days, we realize how much our lives have changed! That is why when we realize how much we put others ahead of ourselves, we feel such a loss at what to do with ourselves. A new routine will support you in getting back in touch with yourself, and your authentic self, and learning what you enjoy instead of relying on others to tell you what to do. Try cooking your favorite meal or taking a walk around your neighborhood or putting on a face mask. Perhaps you might take a nap, read a book or make a cup of tea in your favorite mug. Small changes will help you navigate away from your old life and create your path for your new one.
Refresh your environment Divorce gives us the opportunity to create a new living environment, whether you are keeping your marital home or moving to a new place. Buying new sheets, pillows or even a lamp will completely change the atmosphere and how you see the room. More importantly, it will impact how you feel when you look around! A new perspective is often the first step in your new path forward
Practice self-compassion We tend to blame ourselves when our marriages or relationships don’t go the distance. That is why it is so important to learn the practice of self-compassion, which has three parts: self-nurturance, common humanity, and mindfulness. It is about nurturing yourself and ensuring you are treating yourself and speaking to yourself as you would your best friend. Remember you are human and all humans struggle. When we think we are alone we tend to internalize the issues which lead to feelings of worthlessness and defeat. Compassion helps us remember that everyone suffers. Lastly, mindfulness reminds us of the power of the present moment and to have a greater understanding of what we are experiencing. It will open you up to be more loving towards yourself and others.
Divorce can be one of the most difficult experiences of your life. Even when both sides work together to minimize stress and confrontation, divorce is often filled with the same amount of grief as the death of a loved one. That is why it is crucial to take care of yourself during this time. For many people, the tendency is to put on a brave face and wait for the storm to pass. By acknowledging your feelings and setting aside time for yourself, you will begin and accelerate your healing process in a healthy way.
Wendy Sterling is a Divorce Recovery Specialist, writer, author, and speaker who founded The Divorce Rehab™. Wendy helps divorced women recover from their divorce by finding their true identity and voice by ending their pity party, mourning the loss of their marriage to create a new, better life they design. Prior to becoming a certified life coach, Wendy established her 18-year career as a top-level advertising sales executive in the digital space, at the world’s most progressive social and lifestyle website brands (such as Who What Wear and Refinery29). After learning of her own unexpected divorce and finding the world of coaching, she realized she could combine her 20 years of experience in Corporate America as a leader with this new coaching methodology and make a profound impact in the world. She helps women see their divorce as a gift, it happens FOR them not TO them. Wendy is a graduate of UCLA and a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC) from The Co-Active Training Institute. She is also an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) through the International Coach Federation. She is a guest blogger on Hello Divorce as well as a Contributing Writer for Divorced Girl Smiling. https://www.facebook.com/wendytsterling/ https://www.instagram.com/divorcerehabwithwendy/ https://www.wendysterling.net/
THE IMPORTANCE OF YOUR PSOAS MUSCLES FOR POSTURE AND MOVEMENTS. PSOAS (ILIOPSOAS) WRITTEN BY TRACY MARKLEY
The Psoas muscle is an extremely important muscle located in the center of the body. It is a deep spinal muscle that lies deep beneath the abdominal muscles. It is the bridge between the hips and the back When someone is referring to the iliopsoas they are referring to the iliacus and the psoas muscles combined together as one. The psoas is the only muscle in the back that crosses over the hips and attaches to the front of the body. The Psoas muscles attach at the lumbar vertebrae, ilium, and to the femur. It flexes the hip, helps flex the femur, and rotates the femur externally. There is one on the left side and one on the right side. The psoas is a powerful and extremely important muscle. It lies deep beneath the transverse abdominal muscle. It is a deep spine muscle and the only muscle in the upper body and spine that directly attaches to the legs. It begins at the spine and crosses over the hips to the top and front of the femur bone.
The runner is flexing his right femur.
If the abdominals are weak, the psoas tris to perform the work of the abdominal muscles. If the psoas is short, weak, and/or tight it will be difficult to hold the body in an upright position with the shoulders stacked over the hips in proper posture. When one sits too long and does not exercise the psoas usually develop weakness and disfunction. This can disrupt the whole body and cause a lot of back and hip pain and possibilities of shoulders, knees, ankles, and feet issues. The psoas also works closely with the diaphragm. The diaphragm is the main muscle for breathing. The psoas is the main muscle for walking. The psoas attaches to the lumbar spine and the crura, and the diaphragm attaches there as well. The crura (plural for crus), are two fibroelastic bands that come up from the lumbar vertebrae and insert into the central tendon of the diaphragm. There is one on the left side and one on the right side. Together they perform a muscle contraction. A person has to walk and breathe at the same time. The psoas and the diaphragm must be strong for movement and walking. To sum this up, proper posture and sitting up tall does not begin in the shoulders. One must strengthen dep in their core to help straighten up their body to proper posture. The center of the body must be strong to hold the diaphragm, and rib cage, and should have girdles in proper alignment in order to have proper posture. The center of the body must be strong and balanced to keep the pelvic and hips stable and strong. This leads to one having a stronger, more balanced, and safer walking gait.
Tracy Markley is the owner of Tracy's Personal Training, Pilates & Yoga Studio. She is the author of 9 books. Her work is known for training stroke survivors. She also created the CEC course "Stroke Recovery Training" for the fitness industry. Tracy was one of the IDEA 2020 Personal Trainer of the Year Finalists. She is recognized for her work, books, and for helping stroke survivors worldwide. She is an NFHOF Pro (National Fitness Hall of Fame) Recognized as one of "Today's Top Trainers" in 2019. She believes “Knowledge is Power” and has earned many certifications in the fitness industry. She is the 2021 IDEA Personal Trainer of the Year. www.tracymarkley.com www.tracyspersonaltraining.com www.amazon.com/author/tracymarkley www.instagram.com/motivate_healthyfit www.facebook.com/tracyfitt www.twitter.com/tracysfitnesshb www.tracys-healthy-365.blogspot.com www.linkedin.com/in/tracymarkleyfit
UNDERSTAND WHY YOU FEEL CRAPPY AND HOW TO FEEL BETTER, FOR GOOD! WRITTEN BY DR. DANIELLE LITOFF
I see a lot of misdiagnosed women who just feel like crap. They may be irritable, get stressed faster, have little patience, or be chronically tired. Unfortunately, western medicine has to “cross things off” or have patients meet certain parameters to be diagnosed. But these women often meet some of the criteria but not all, so they are either diagnosed with nothing and feel like they are a mystery, or they are diagnosed improperly and being treated for a condition that is not the root of the issue. This frustration and desire to figure out what’s going on so they can feel better is what drives women to try functional medicine. Functional medicine looks at the whole person, not just their symptoms. It is a patient-centered approach to health and chronic disease management that focuses on nutrition, hormones, supplements, exercise, and lifestyle changes to repair or eliminate the root cause so that the symptoms, too, are remedied. Usually, we find the root of their symptoms is hormonal imbalances. For women who are trying to lose weight and not getting results, we find that they are not doing enough rest and recovery. For almost all women, they are functioning on not enough sleep and too much stress. We also evaluate emotional, loving connections and how to make those a larger priority on your health journey.
Environmental factors can also make you feel like crap. The chronic smoke in our area has wreaked havoc on our air quality and our emotional states. We are still in this pandemic perpetuating an undercurrent of fear and the unknown. And you may be going through big life changes like having a new baby or your baby going off to college. As the saying goes, your body keeps the score and if you are going through lots of environmental stressors, your body may be having a hard time tolerating the stress and change. To start feeling better and stay well, you have to start by understanding where you are. Functional medicine helps you discover the right thing for your body at different times in your journey. I teach women about their bodies so they can continue to reach their health goals, not just in my 16-week program, but throughout their life. When women know about their bodies, they can be advocates for themselves throughout their lives and never take a diagnosis or lack of diagnosis blindly again.
Dr. Danielle Litoff DPT is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and Health Coach at Battle Born Health in Reno, NV. Her practice focuses on the principles of modern, proven medicine, delivered with an old-fashioned commitment to patient care and one-on-one relationships. For more wellness tips, visit her blog where she writes about various topics of nutrition, health, and physical therapy." https://www.battlebornhealth.com/ https://www.facebook.com/battlebornhealth/ https://www.instagram.com/battlebornhealth/
My Hometown and Me Written By Jace Jacobs
The golden sunbeams peaked over the mountain top as I was leaving my hometown. Sunset was coming soon as the beautiful colors filled the clouded sky. I had no choice but to pull over and enjoy the moment. The sunbeams of golden hour always pull me in. I'm hypnotized. I love the cool colors in the sunset sky. I'm all smiles and I appreciate the why. It's always a nice surprise when I look up to see the Moon overhead sharing its beauty with me. The good vibes were flowing and it had me full of love. Despite the challenges we all may face, there are so many reasons to be grateful. As for myself, flooded with memories of my hometown, I found happiness in my heart.
Namaste Jace Jacobs Appreciate Everything ~ Love Fully ~ Need Nothing
My Home town and me I love to see the sunset Back in my old hometown As I head out west I've got this feeling in my chest Beautiful memories all around I love to see the sunset Cool colors in the sky There is so much love in my heart And I know the reason why I love to see the sunset Saying goodbye to the day Memories of another time The stage of another play I love to see the sunset Kicking back and letting it be All the past, future, and present It's my hometown and me Gratitude for the win. Let's keep moving forward and close out this year with curiosity, compassion, and love.
Meet Jace Jacobs! Jace Jacobs is a Happy Mindset Poet, Performer, and Creator @ jacejacobs.com. Jace is an author and spoken word poetry performer. His Happy Mindset Poetry books are available on Amazon or via jacejacobs.com. Jace enjoys helping cool souls raise their vibrational state so they can experience more confidence and clarity in their life.Appreciate Everything ~ Love Fully ~ Need Nothing#HappyMindsetPoetryVisit the social media links below for video performances of spoken word rhyming happy mindset poetry. https://www.facebook.com/jacewjacobs/ https://www.youtube.com/jacejacobs https://www.instagram.com/jacejacobs https://twitter.com/jacejacobs
WHAT'S COOKING
Judy’s Summer Pasta Salad By Judy Brown The Ingredients Pasta - 1/2 lb of your favorite pasta. I like small-sized pasta for this dish. Cherry tomatoes - 1 cup Cucumbers - 1 cup of small/thin slices Blueberries - 3/4 cup Dried cranberries - 1/3 cup Pepitas - 1/3 cup Feta cheese - 3/4 cup crumbled Mint or basil or parsley - 2 tbsp chopped small S and P EVOO Salad Dressing - 1/2 cup
The Method Slice the cherry tomatoes in half and place them on a roasting pan. Coat them with EVOO. Sprinkle salt and pepper. Roast at 400 for +/- 20 minutes until slightly charred. Let them cool. Cook the pasta al dente. Drain and rinse in cold water. Place in a bowl. Add a small amount of EVOO to prevent the pasta from sticking. Add all of the ingredients to the pasta. Add your favorite salad dressing and mix well. I like to use a lemon basil dressing for added flavor. Add S and P as desired. All ingredients can be adjusted. Use organic when possible. Gluten-free pasta is a great alternative. This serves 6-8 people as a side dish. This salad is a refreshing and easy summertime dish for a picnic or when company arrives. It keeps well in the fridge for several days making it easy to prepare ahead of time. The salad pairs well with grilled meat or your favorite summer sandwich. Enjoy!
Strawberry Cheesecake Smoothie By Debra Letchworth
The Ingredients 1 package of frozen strawberries ½ cup raw cashews, soaked overnight and drained ½ cup raw walnuts, soaked overnight and drained 2-3 dates, soaked overnight – soak water can be used as part of smoothie base 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp vanilla extract/flavoring 2-4 cups spinach (optional) 2 servings of vanilla protein powder 2 servings of fiber (optional)
The Method Milk or water to desired consistency, typically 2-4 cups Directions: Combine all ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend until smooth. Chill if desired. Serves one to two.
Health & wellness tips Health & Nutrition & Wellbeing
TO YOUR HEALTH
and Wellness
From eating the right food to the perfect exercise routine, find the best path to a healthier and happier you.
Food Tip: Eat Your Fiber Eating foods high in dietary fiber (grains, fruit, vegetables, nuts, and beans) can help you stay regular and lower your risk for heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. It can also improve your skin and even help you to lose weight.
Wellness Tip:
Get Exercise If you work in an office, get up every 90 minutes and stretch, then take a brisk walk around the building.
''So many people spend their health gaining wealth, and then have to spend their wealth to regain their health.'' - A.J. Reb Materi
“August rain: the best of the summer gone, and the new fall not yet born. The odd uneven time.” – Sylvia Plath