Category Archives: blissful living

ayurveda, blissful living, health and wellness, healthy eating, healthy living, Pitta

Keeping Pitta Balanced In Autumn

I love my Pittas Doshas or Pitta Body types, in fact I’m a Pitta Doshamyself, so naturally I want to share the goodness on how you can keep yourself balanced in Autumn if you a Pitta Dosha/Body type.

Don’t know your Dosha or Body Type? – Click here to find out

Autumn heralds dynamic, light, and airy qualities that may be aggravating to pitta-types. This would be a time to focus on stability and a routine; the emphasis is to stay grounded.

For Pitta types, Fall ushers in a welcome respite from the heat—it is the natural antidote to summer. However, if you don’t take full advantage of Vata season to clear out any excess Pitta you accumulated during the summer, you may find that you are quite disturbed by autumn’s dry, light, mobile, and subtle qualities. Here are some tips on how to make a smooth and healthy transition from Pitta season to Vata season.

What you want to be eating

Apples and pears harvested in Fall can aide in clearing out pitta accumulated in the summer through the cooling energy, astringent taste, and fiber content they provide. Eat as much of these fruits in the early Fall, when they are in season. Focusing on a diet that pacifies Vata without triggering too much of the hot, sharp, oily, or liquid nature of pitta is your goal from there. Foods that will help you strike this balance include soaked raisins, sweet berries, coconut, avocados, dates, figs, asparagus, cilantro, cucumbers, sweet potatoes, green beans, okra, parsnips, rutabagas, zucchini, amaranth, oatmeal, summer squash, quinoa, basmati rice, wheat, mung beans, tofu, milk, ghee, fresh yogurt, soft cheeses, soaked and peeled almonds, buffalo, and sunflower seeds. You can also use cooling spices like coriander, fennel, and cumin, and garnish your food with cilantro, shredded coconut, and fresh lime juice.

Are you a Pitta, Vata, or Kapha? Take this quiz to find out!

 

Enjoy eating these foods

Both vata and pitta can be pacified by the sweet tastes of these foods, which provide nourishment and grounding. Hearty and sweet autumn breads (pumpkin bread, zucchini bread, etc.) are a wonderful choice of food at this time of the year. You might also want to try something sweet and creamy like rice khir, which is a type of pudding, a date smoothie or some spiced-milk boiled with a pinch of nutmeg, some natural sugar, cinnamon, and a bit of ghee. This season in general, you get to eat more beans and astringent vegetables than some because of your strong digestive fire. Feelings of bloating, or a sense of dryness would be an indication that you may be overdoing these foods.

Try to avoid these

You’ll definitely want to be mindful not to overdose on heating foods. Even though vata season is cool, your internal heat as a pitta type is naturally quite high. Red meat, for example (aside from buffalo) can be very heating and may prove a bit much for you. You’ll also want to watch your use of really heating spices (like cayenne and dried ginger) and limit your exposure to foods that are aggravating to both vata and pitta like cranberries, burdock root, corn, eggplant, kohlrabi, raw onions, radishes, turnips, millet, and rye. If your pitta is relatively balanced and you’re eating seasonally appropriate foods, just learn to watch for subtle signs of increased heat and minimize any foods that seem to cause acidity, diarrhea, a rash, or a sour taste in your mouth.

Know what you should be avoiding? Knowing your body type helps!

Adjusting your lifestyle

Autumn heralds dynamic, light, and airy qualities that may be aggravating to pitta-types. This would be a time to focus on stability and a routine; the emphasis is to stay grounded. During this season it is important to also modify some of your practices to ensure that you do not bring on too much heat. Very hot showers or frequent steam baths, for example, can potentially throw you off-balance. When getting a massage, it would be best to swap out sesame oil for coconut oil, as sesame oil can be too drying for pitta-type skin. It is best to exercise when it is cool outside. Lower the intensity of your workout so that you do not come out of it flushed and panting. If and when you practice yoga, take care with inversions, and focus on a grounded, relaxed effort throughout your practice. This fall, you should emphasize relaxation instead of your usual pitta-typical intensity and focus.

Are you more focused? Relaxed? Always moving about? Learn your dosha to find out!

Wishing you peace to your mind, Wellness to your Body and Tranquility to your Spirit!

Namaste,

 

Rochel Marie Lawson- The Queen of Feeling Fabulous

P.S. If you’re ready for personalized help keeping yourself balanced – click here and schedule at chat with me!

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Sensuality and Romance, Naturally

Throughout time, fragrance has played a subtle yet significant role in the art of romance. In Indonesia sweetly scented ylang ylang flowers are scattered on the bed of a newly married couple. Cleopatra, one of the most renowned lovers of all time, was reputed to have scented the sallies of her barge with rose water to seduce Mark Antony as she sailed to meet him. Studies have shown that the majority of people consider smell to be the lease valuable of the five sense, yet it is the most highly developed at birth, and we choose our mates in part because of their unique scent.

 

Today, the perfume industry is a multi-billion dollar business based on the notion that fragrance makes people more attractive to one another. It’s more than marketing and fancy packaging- there’s a logical explanation for why scent has such a powerful effect on romantic feelings.

 

The olfactory lobe of the brain is part of the limbic system, the same area associated with memory, emotion, learning and sexual desire. When scents are inhaled, they have an immediate, powerful effect on the emotions, Scents perceived as pleasant and stimulate the production of neurotransmitter, the body’s “feel good” hormones.

 

There was a study conducted to see which scents naturally aroused men and women and the results were quite interesting. The scents that naturally aroused men sensually the most were lavender, and pumpkin pie, which produced a 40% increase. Other high ranking scents included orange and the combination of black licorice and doughnuts.

 

The women’s result of the study proved to be even more interesting. The scent of baby powder, a mixture of Good and Plenty licorice candy and cucumber were the top sensuality arousing scents.  The scents of lavender and pumpkin pie also ranked high with women.

 

Now there is some food for thought however most people aren’t going to have Good and Plenty candy around… hopefully but lavender, pumpkin pie and cucumber are much easier scents to incorporate into our lives.

 

Sensuality and Romance blossoms in a relaxing and beautiful environment.  You can easily create this type of environment to fit your taste, desires and needs, naturally by using aromatherapy like Cleopatra did.

 

Here are some tips and suggestions on how you can use fragrance play a role in the art of your Sensuality and Romance.

  • Lighting candles is a sensual and romance environment enhancer, the preference is to use aromatherapy candles or scented candles.
  • Aphrodisiac scents you can use are: Vanilla, Sandalwood, Rose, Clary sage, Jasmine, Neroli, Pathouli, Vetiver and Ylang Ylang. These scents can be used in a diffuser or topically on pulse points such as the wrist, heart center, abdomen, behind the ear and throat area.
  • Adding fresh flowers to the environment can add to the feeling of freshness, aliveness and comfort.
  • Misting comfy pillows for lounging, with a mist of a mixture of distilled water and Rose, lavender or one of those other essential oils suggested is a seductive way to further enhance the romantic environment.
  • Start with a Seductive Blissful Beginning– This includes taking a warm bath where the water is just warm enough to be relaxing and not make you sleepy. Add 3 to 10 drops of the essential oil of your choice along with ½ cup of Epsom sale to relax tense muscles and 1 cup of baking soda to soften the skin. Float a few Rose petals in the water, light a few candles and bathe by candle light.

 

May your Sensuality and Romance be naturally taken to another level!

 

Namaste,

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Pain Relief Naturally

Pain can serve as a protective function by letting us know that something is wrong and needs to be corrected before relief can be gained. Pain is often due to inflammation, which is a protective function, preventing bacteria, toxins, and foreign material at the injury site from spreading. Injured tissues release nerve irritating chemicals such as histamine, which dilates blood vessels, increasing their permeability so healing can begin. The brain responds to pain by producing morphine-like hormones known as endorphins.  Though drugs may offer relief, they can also cause side-effects and usually don’t help in removing the cause of pain.

 

Ayurveda medicine has been in existence for thousands of years. Herbs that help relieve pain have been used by sages and practitioners alike and are natural ways to allow the body to correct and heal itself.  It is the knowledge of this wisdom that can be used to help free the body from pain and allow natural healing to take place. The food, herbs and spices that we eat can be used as medicine and healing when we know what to eat to assist us with this. Herbs that have analgesic properties help allay pain when used internally without affecting consciousness. Anodynes are sedating and help keep pain from being transmitted. Antispasmodics relax muscles spasms and sedatives promote rest and peace.

 

We all know that food can alter our brain chemistry in a way that can affect perception. If you didn’t know that, you do now. The amino acid tryptophan found in avocados, bananas, grapefruit, nuts and seeds such as flax and sesame, papayas, peaches, tomatoes, millet, black rice, buckwheat, oats, quinoa, poultry encourages production of the calming neurotransmitter serotonin. If you eat seafood, you may get relief from pain due to their content of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids. Strawberries contain natural salicylates and are cooling and anti-inflammatory. Enzymes present in fresh foods such as salad greens, raw vegetables and fruit can reduce inflammation.

 

Other pain relieving options that may be helpful to include in the diet because of their ability to improve circulation and reduce inflammation include turmeric, rosemary, ginger, sage and olive oil.

 

Cayenne pepper stimulated endorphin production and is an anti-inflammatory agent. It contains a compound called capsaicin that blocks transmission of substance P which transports pain messages to the brain.

 

Ginger root is warming and improves circulation. It can lessen the pain of arthritis, backache and menstrual cramps. Chewing on a piece of fresh ginger root can be a wonderful reliever for sore throat. Ginger is an anti-inflammatory and analgesic. It makes a wonderful tea but is also available in capsules and tinctures.

 

 

White Willow Bark is an herb that contains salicin, one of the original aspirin compounds and is a traditional herb for arthritis, backache, gout, headache, joint inflammation, migraine, and general body pain. It is an analgesic, anodyne and anti-inflammatory.

 

Valerian root is a smooth muscle and skeletal relaxant. It is wonderful for cramps, headache, insomnia, neuralgia, shingles, stress and trauma. Valerian root is an anodyne, antispasmodic and sedative.

 

 

By combining several pain relieving foods, herbs and spices in your diet you allow the body to repair itself and obtain natural pain relieve without any untoward side effects.

 

Wishing you peace, wellness and tranquility!

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Blissful Sleep with Aromatherapy

Essential oils give flowers, herbs, spices and fruit their characteristic scents. But these fragrant plant essences do far more than just provide pleasing aromas. In Ayurveda, essential oils and herbs have been used for easing physical and psychological disorders including sleep problems.

 

Research now shows that essential oils with calming properties such as lavender, jasmine and rose, elicit alpha and theta brain waves, which induce relaxation. In fact, lavender essential oil has been proven to improve sleep. A study in the British medical journal Lancet reported that lavender helped participants fall asleep more quickly and helped them sleep longer. Lavender has also been used in dental offices to help ease anxiety in patients with dental phobia. It actually calmed these patients down tremendously.

 

Essential oils can be used in a variety of way to enhance a Blissful sleep. Make a simple body room spray by combining 10 to 20 drops of an essential oil such as lavender with distilled water in a 4 ounce spray bottle, shake it gently and spray it on your pillows, sheets and bedding prior to retiring to sleep.

 

If you are a person that likes to take a bath you can try this; soak in a warm bath with 4 to 10 drops of an essential oil one hour before bedtime and let the slumber of Bliss take over your body. Some wonderful essential oils to use for a bath of bliss that leads to Blissful Slumber are: Chamomile, Clary Sage, Geranium, Jasmine, Lavender, Marjoram, Neroli, Patchouli, Rose, Sandalwood, Vetiver, and Ylang ylang.

 

Another way to enhance Blissful sleep is to make a warm or hot beverage utilize herbs that are good for sleeping. An herbal tea made of dried chamomile flowers, dried lemon balm and dried passionflower  is a yummy and soothing way to induce a blissful sleep. The aroma from the herbs are not only pleasing to smell, they actually stimulate the sleep receptors in the brain that begin the release of the sleep inducing hormones within the body.

 

Studies have shown that passionflower improved sleep quality and can be an effective treatment for insomnia. Lemon Balm has been used for ages to naturally calm anxiety, nervousness and insomnia and since chamomile has powerful sedative effects, its great for reducing anxiety and insomnia too. The combination of these 3 herbs makes for a Blissful Slumber Herbal Tea that can be enjoyed whenever needed without addictive effects.

 

The next time sleep is evading you, try a lavender essential oil warm bath or some Blissful Slumber Herbal Tea and allow the essence of the aromas bring therapeutic slumber to you.

 

Wishing you a Blissful Sleep!

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Getting a Blissful Night’s Sleep- Tips to help you get the rest you need

With sleep being a pillar of life, it is very important that we nurture it and make this pillar a very important part of our life because how we take care of this pillar has a tremendous effect on our health and wellbeing.

With all the stimulation that we have our lives, it has become more and more difficult to shut down from the activities of the day to allow our mind and body to connect to begin the slow down process that leads to a good night’s sleep. We are stimulated by television, cellphones, computers and tablets that alert us when anything and everything occurs. In fact, some people actually have difficulty in putting their cellphones down.  Its no wonder, a third of the adults and kids in the United States suffer from type of sleep issue or challenge.

 

Ok so you may asking yourself do I suffer from sleep challenges, am I one of those folks that just can shut off my technology, put down my cellphone or take a break from my television… Is all this modern technology depriving me from being the best that I can be with mental, physical and emotional alertness, balance and energy? Or you may saying to yourself… yeah I know this is a challenge for me but I’m so productive and I can always catch up on sleep… right…  Yet still you may be the person that knows this is a problem for you and you want to know what you can do about it.

 

Here are 6 ways to better sleep that you can begin doing immediately so that you can get that good night’s sleep that you desire, deserve, crave and want.

 

  1. Eat for Blissful Sleep – What you eat and when you eat it has a profound effect on sleep quality. Eat dinner at least three hours prior to bedtime to give you body plenty of time to complete digestion before sleep. You’ll rest better if your stomach isn’t overly full and you’ll also prevent nighttime heartburn.

  2. Drink For Blissful Sleep– A glass of wine or an adult beverage with dinner can help you unwind from the day’s stressors, but avoid too much more than that and have none of these types of beverages at least 3 hours prior to retiring to bed. Although Alcohol has an initial sedative effect, excessive alcohol stimulates the release of cortisol, which can cause restless sleep and awakening during the night.
  3. Exercise For Blissful Sleep – Studies show that exercise is as beneficial as prescription drugs for promoting restful sleep. Consistent daily exercise is crucial for keeping stress, worry, anxiety and depression – all of which are prime contributors to sleep problems – at bay.
  4. Exercise Outdoors For An Extra Blissful Sleep Boost – If you exercise outdoors, you’ll benefit from the sun’s effect on harmonizing your body clock. Spending just one-half-hour in the sun everyday, especially in the morning, modulates your body’s production of the hormone melatonin, which helps to regulate your sleep cycles.
  5. Create a Blissful Sleep Environment – Make your bedroom a tranquil haven by surrounding yourself with soothing colors. Blues, greens, and purples are traditionally thought to be the most calming shades. To create a blissful environment, clear away all clutter and ban televisions and computers from the bedroom (this is what I do and I love it) Make your room as dark as possible. Light from any source, even a small light from a digital clock can significantly interfere with sleep. Light disrupts the circadian rhythm by diminishing the production of melatonin, which signals the body to awaken. Turn your cell phone off or to vibrate and place it in another room so that you don’t hear the tings and vibration of the phone with every alert.
  6. Establish a Regular Bedtime – Creating a set bedtime for going to bed and getting up in the morning helps your body establish a blissful sleep-wake cycle. Once you set your sleep schedule it’s beneficial to maintain it even on weekend and during vacations.
    A good bedtime is between the hours of 10pm -11pm. This allows the body time to begin it healing and repair work with fluidity and ease.

 

 

May your sleep time be more Restorative, Healing and Blissful!

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A Good Night’s Sleep is Important

Do you have trouble getting a good night’s sleep? Do you have difficulty falling to sleep or staying asleep? You have plenty of company. Today there are a third of adults in the United States that experience occasional sleep problems and one our of every 10 suffers from chronic insomnia.

 

Most people associate insomnia as a condition where people can’t fall asleep but it is so much more. There are many people that have no problem falling asleep easily but wake up during the night and find it difficulty to get back to sleep. My friends is a form of insomnia. How about this, you might even be getting a sufficient amount of sleep but you still wake up tired and groggy in the morning. This my friends is also a form of insomnia. Since sleep is one of the pillars of life, it is very important that we get the best sleep possible.

 

It is no accident or fable that sleep is a pillar of life. We need good sleep to feel energetic and alert. What’s even more important is that while we’re sleeping our bodies perform a variety of essential restorative tasks, including healing and repair, detoxification, repairing cellular damage and searching out and destroying foreign invaders. Sleep is so powerful that it restores the proper levels of brain chemicals thus playing an essential role in emotional well-being.

 

A lack of sleep wears down the body, resulting in a lower immune capacity of the body, which increases susceptibility to disease, obesity, and premature aging. There is absolutely no question that getting enough sleep and getting good quality sleep is vitally important for optimal physical, mental and emotional health and wellbeing.

 

There is a myth about sleep that we all have heard. That myth is that we need eight hours of sleep per night. The reality is that depending on your body type, you may be a person that needs just 6 hours of sleep or you may be a person that needs 9 hours of sleep or a person that falls somewhere in that range. The bottom line is you must make it a priority to get sufficient, restorative and healing sleep. It’s one of the most important habits you can cultivate for your health and your happiness.

 

Wishing you peace and tranquility,

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The Medicine Cabinet In Your Kitchen

Healthcare starts with your digestive system and begins in the kitchen. Did you know that you have an arsenal of items in your kitchen that completely changes your wellbeing from shabby to fabulous? In fact you have some time tested remedies that are available to you that are right in your cupboard, pantry or spice rack that can increase your health and wellbeing and improve your vitality during not only during autumn and winter but throughout the entire year. It has been shown that high spice intake equals lower rates of chronic disease.

Using ginger, turmeric, cayenne, garlic and other herbs in delicious ways can improve your digestion, soothe a sore throat and reduce inflammation.

The spice Ginger is a warming spice that can be used for better digestion, to loosen up congestion and calm heartburn.  You can enjoy ginger by adding it to the food you eat, as a cup of tea with a touch of lemon and honey or you can eat candied ginger after you eat to aid with digestion.

Turmeric is a beautiful tonic for the liver, is a digestive aid, a powerful anti-inflammatory. And a decongestive. It’s great to add to rice, meat or hot almond milk.

Garlic is known for fighting off bacterial infections and viruses. This goody is great to keep on hand for cough/cold syrups, to spread on toast and to add to marinades, dressings, steamed greens or grains.

Peasants in Italy to fight off Cholera used cayenne pepper during World War II. The peasants that ate hot pepper and garlic daily remained healthy and well. It is a good source for adding vitamin C to your intake. A great sore throat reliever can be made of Cayenne and honey.

Just the aroma of Cinnamon can be a winter blues lifter and a brain booster. This good is rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties and helps fight bacterial, fungal infections and viruses too. You can drizzle a little flax seed oil on toast, spread some honey on it and sprinkle it with a little cinnamon. Mmmmm Mmmmm Good!

There is a new rave about Apple Cider Vinegar and here is just one of the reasons why. This vinegar is a potassium rich, antibacterial, antimicrobial and excellent digestive aid. If you want to relieve gas, bloating, reflux, or heartburn you can try this, add 1 teaspoon of Apple Cider Vinegar to 1 cup of water and 1 teaspoon of honey. This also helps to relieve stuffy noses and nighttime leg cramps.

Lemons are usually very abundant during winter and one of he most luscious fragrances to have around. Lemons are antiviral and antibacterial.

A Squeeze of lemon juice in a cup of warm water and taken on an empty stomach in the morning is a fabulous way to wake up your digestive system, help alkalize and cleanse the body, detoxify your liver, reduce mucus and phlegm, increase hydration, lower inflammation and boost the immune system.

Sot the next time you think about going to the store to pick up a remedy for something that may be ailing you, you may want to just go to your spice rack or find a lemon tree and indulge in some natural healing.

Wishing you peace, health and tranquility!

 

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ayurveda, blissful living, health and wellness, healthy eating, healthy living, stress reduction, Uncategorized

The Essence of Essential Oils ~ Tip for safe and effective use

A few years ago I created a document that provided 101 uses for the essential oils of lavender, lemon and peppermint (www.feelingfabulous.net) and now I want to share tips for safe and effective use of essential oils.

From the calming aroma of lavender to the invigorating scent of peppermint, essential oils can stimulate our senses, influence our mood, and even heal our hurts. For thousands of years, essential oils have been used in a countless way for health and well-being. The leaves, petals and other plant components naturally contain hundreds of beneficial chemicals that help attract pollinators, protect the plant from harm such as pests or bacteria and provide healing and nourishment to the plant. Essential oils are highly concentrated extracts from plants that harness these diverse chemicals. If you want to get started using essential oils, here are some tips:

  • FIND AN EXPERT. Many health food stores have essential oil selections that they’ve researched extensively before bringing them into the store and they usually have at least one person on staff with in-depth knowledge about the products they sell.
  • DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH. A company’s literature and website can tell you a lot about the quality of its products, but don’t rely on them as your sole source of information. Watch out for companies that aren’t transparent about how they source their oils, or make outrageous claims that don’t measure up to an independent investigation.
  • LOOK FOR BOTANICAL NAMES. All essential oil products should include the Latin names of the botanicals as different species of plants can have different effects. Did you know that there are over 30 species of lavender alone and over 400 varieties? Stay away from products that don’t list this important information on the label.
  • BUY ORGANIC. Certified organic oils must meet stringent requirements regarding the use of fertilizers, pesticides, chemicals and additives. A company that obtains certification has already met these numerous and rigorous specifications, making it a good bet that quality is important to them.
  • BE CAUTIOUS OF TERMINOLOGY. Words like “pure” and “therapeutic grade’ are not regulated in any way, anyone can use them. Ask yourself how the company backs up the words it uses to describe its products. If you’re not satisfied, look elsewhere.
  • PAY FOR QUALITY. In the case of essential oils, price really can predict quality or a lack of quality. Stay away from essential oils that are cheaper than reputable brands. Cheap oils can indicate poor quality or dilution of the key ingredients that render these oils ineffective.
  • START SMALL. It’s best to start with one or two well-known essential oils that are easy to use. Try lavender for relaxation, lemon to give energy or eucalyptus as a decongestant.
  • DIFFUSE THEM. Diffusing an essential oil spreads the health promoting properties through the air. This can be as simple as putting a few drops of essential oil on a cotton ball and then placing the cotton ball nearby. Of course, a wide variety of diffusers is available for purchase. You can contact me and I will help you find one that meets your specific needs. (info@healthhealingwellness.com)
  • STORE ESSENTIAL OILS CORRECTLY. Essential oils should come in dark-colored bottles to protect the contents from light and should be stored in a dark, cool place. Do not store plastic eyedroppers in an essential oil bottle as the concentrated oils can dissolve the plastic.
  • Most essential oils are incredibly safe, but only when used properly. Pets and children can be sensitive to certain aromas, so do your research and don’t be afraid to ask questions!

Let these tips be your guide to the safe and effective use of essential oils. Have fun and experiment with aromas that suit your needs and smell preferences. Allow the essence of this beautiful, healing gift to invade the essence of your being and surround you with goodness, energy, wellbeing and the feeling of Bliss.

Wishing you peace, wellness & tranquility!

Namaste,

Rochel Marie Lawson, RN,AHP,CMS                                                                  

The Queen of Feeling Fabulous

Host of Blissful Living Show

www.rochelelawson.com

www.healthhealingwellness.com

www.blissful-living.net

www.youtube.com/rochelelawson

www.facebook.com/rochelelawson

www.stressassessmentmagic.com

www.freegiftsfromrochele.com

www.linkedin.com/rochelelawson

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ayurveda, blissful living, health and wellness, healthy eating, healthy living, stress reduction, Uncategorized

Power Up Your Smoothie!

There’s a lot to love when it comes to delicious, healthy, healing and filling smoothies, especially when you are trying to lose weight. Smoothies can be used as a fabulous start to the day or a healthy snack or meal during the day. They’re fun to make and a tasty way to get more protein, fruits, and vegetables into your diet.

I have specific recipes for my clients depending on what they’re wellness goals are.  I would love to share with you some tips for making smoothies that I share with them when it comes to making smoothies.  Smoothies can be made with juice, water, yogurt, almond milk, coconut milk, soy milk or any of the other milk alternatives, they can contain veggies, fruit, supplements, herbs and spices. I suggest combining 1 cup of fruit or vegetables with 1 cup of liquid and two to three ice cubes. Adding a teaspoon of a spice like cinnamon or ground ginger can add an exotic taste plus a boost of phytochemicals.

Any fruit or vegetable can be mixed together, some are better than others when it comes to taste and nutrition. Here are some of the suggestions that I have.

  • Avocados add creaminess and thickness to smoothies. High in potassium and Vitamins A, C and E, avocados are also rich in essential fatty acids.
  • Bananas add a thick and creamy texture to smoothies. They offer a high level of potassium and help boost the immune system.
  • Dates add thickness and sweetness along with vitamins A, B1, B2, C and D.
  • Spinach contains fiber that can help clean the digestive tract of free radicals.
  • Strawberries provide vitamin c and cleansing actions for the liver. They also have antiviral and antioxidant properties.

To add a boost to your smoothie try adding one or more of the following to your smoothie for extra benefits including enhanced energy, joint repair, and toxin removal.

  • Cacao is a mineral- rich super food that offers energizing and anti-aging properties. It makes a smoothie taste like dessert!
  • Chia seeds have been consumed for energy for centuries. They make an excellent thickener for a smoothie when it’s left to chill for about half an hour after being blended.
  • Flaxseeds and flaxseed oil contain omega 3s that help the joints avoid the absorption of toxins.
  • Hemp seeds provide a nutty flavor, omega 3s and omega 6s, fatty acids, and protein.
  • Wheatgrass offers antioxidant, anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties.

Once you start making smoothies you will love them because the process of making them puts you in charge of what you get to take into your body and that my friends it powerful within itself.

Wishing you peace, wellness & tranquility!

Namaste,

 

Rochel Marie Lawson, RN,AHP,CMS                                                                  

The Queen of Feeling Fabulous

Host of Blissful Living Show

www.rochelelawson.com

www.healthhealingwellness.com

www.blissful-living.net

www.youtube.com/rochelelawson

www.facebook.com/rochelelawson

www.stressassessmentmagic.com

www.freegiftsfromrochele.com

www.linkedin.com/rochelelawson

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Master Your Bad Craving Habits

In my last article, Master Your Cravings, (Master Your Cravings) I realized that not only do we have cravings that can wreck havoc on our waistline but also we have habits that help us to hang on to these cravings. This made me take a look at what I do when I get challenged by my cravings that add to the enticement of the craving. What I discovered is that there are certain habits that naturally fall in line with our cravings. So what I decided to do is to discuss how you can get rid of these bad habits that may be keeping you hostage to your cravings.

How many of you fall into this bad habit of Late-Night Snacking? What this actually may mean for you is that you are overtired and are using the “snacking” to keep you awake.  Hunger hormones like ghrelin, leptin and cortisol can all be affected by the lack of sleep. If there’s an imbalance it can change your satiety levels, causing you to crave carbs. Or hey, you just might be bored at night or looking to reward yourself after folding laundry or you feel you should have a treat as you watch your favorite TV show. I discovered that this was a major issue with many of those that I work with however most people were unaware that they even did this or why they did it.

To curb this bad habit is that when you feel yourself getting tired go straight to bed. If you truly can’t fall asleep, create distractions that don’t involve food. Try playing with your pet or doing something that keeps your hands busy. If you absolutely must have a late night snack try, warm unsweetened almond milk with a little cinnamon, nutmeg and clove.  To rewire your brain pathway to eliminate this bad habit make your breakfast to set yourself up for success before bed. Having a morning meal with at least 35 grams of protein may lead to less snacking on high-fat foods at nighttime, compared with starting the day with a low-protein breakfast, like cereal or skipping it altogether.

The other bad habit that seems to be a major problem for people is what I like to call “ Bad Days” or “Pig Out Days.” There are reasons for this. When you eat comfort foods, you get a boost of serotonin and dopamine, feel-good neurotransmitters that act like antidepressants. To curb this bad habit simply do something like order healthy takeout. You can call ahead to your go-to sushi spot and grab it on your way home. It ‘ll feel like a pick me up and help you to control what you’re eating. To rewire the brain pathway for this bad habit remember that your food is medicine and should be treated as so. Instead of eating something, change your clothes right away and go for a jog or do yoga. Or take a hot bath and sip a glass of your favorite healthy beverage while you get lost in a good book or podcast.

Lastly, if you must submit to a bad habit craving, take the time to make the thing that you are carving, as healthy as possible.

Wishing you peace, wellness & tranquility!

Namaste,

 

Rochel Marie Lawson, RN,AHP,CMS                                                                  

The Queen of Feeling Fabulous

Host of Blissful Living Show

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