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

Simple Ayurvedic Tips for Bliss & Beauty

Ayurveda is an ancient healing modality that uses natural remedies to help you become your most healthy, peaceful self. It also has a strong emphasis on achieving bliss and creating beauty in your life for yourself and all the people around you.

Follow these tips to experience more joy, freedom and blessings in your day-to-day life.

Drink A Glass Of Water

First thing in the morning, drink a glass of room temperature water or a glass of hot water with lemon. This is an age-old secret for reducing toxins. The warm water stimulates the digestive and elimination tract. Over time, you will see your skin clear up because your body is better at pushing out the toxins.

Enjoy A Walk

Go for a walk with a friend, co-worker or even your dog. A daily moderate walk benefits the cardiovascular system, tones the muscles and balances the mind, body and spirit. We all have a natural rhythm to which we walk. That rhythm calms the mind and stimulates our respiratory system to breathe deeply thereby filling us with more oxygen which aids in bringing a positive balance to our mind, body and spirit.

Take An Ayurvedic Lunch Break

Take a break from processed, canned, frozen or packaged foods. These foods are really harsh on the body and create a build up of toxins in the system.

Instead, treat yourself to a fresh, warm lunch (avoid leftovers because they have less nutritional value and contain dullness). A nice, wholesome salad with green leafy vegetables is the perfect way to nourish your body. If you can, eat at a local café that serves fresh organic foods. Silence your phone, shut off your laptop, and devote all your attention to the meal you’re about to consume. Let your mind think about how this food will bring nourishment to your mind and body.

Manage Stress With Breath

We tend to overbook ourselves quite a bit. Take a moment during the day to pause and do some deep breathing for 2-3 minutes. You can do this anywhere: in your car, at your desk, in the rest room.

Allow the deep breaths to help you melt away any stresses that may be harboring in the mind or body.

Give Your Emotions A Boost

If you’re hungry, eat a pear instead of a Hershey’s bar. When you stay away from candy and super sweet, salty or sour foods, you help your body stay balanced through the day. You can still have your dessert. Focus on something yummy like a pear, an apple, pineapple or watermelon. These are naturally sweet and good for your body.

Drink A Glass Of Milk

At bedtime, drink a glass of warm almond or coconut milk. I love to add a pinch of cardamom or nutmeg to aid digestion and help induce sleep.  Light a candle and play some music when you sit down to enjoy the warm, comforting beverage. This is a delightful way to begin a routine that will help your body to get ready for slumber.

How do you find your bliss? Visit http://www.freegiftsfromRochele.com to get “21 Tips to Instantly Reduce Stress” for more ideas.

Wishing peace to your mind, wellness to your body and tranquility to your spirit!

Namaste,

Rochel Marie Lawson, RN,AHP,CMS

The Queen of Feeling Fabulous

Host of “Blissful Living”

Author of : “Intro to Holistic Health, Ayurveda Style”

Co Author of:  “Answering The Call, ” “Rapid Change For Heart Centered Women”  and “The Live Sassy Formula”

http://www.rochelelawson.com

http://www.healthhealingwellness.com

http://www.doublewidenetwork.com/index.php/Shows/detail/blissful_livng

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11 Ayurvedic Tips To Deal With Sleepless Nights

On a typical day in the United States, there are millions of people who wake up feeling exhausted because they didn’t get a good nights’ sleep. Getting adequate rest is becoming more difficult because of technology and the fast pace of our every day lives.

Fatigue caused by sleeping difficulties is becoming one of America’s top health problems. Researchers say lack of sleep can lead to health problems ranging from blood sugar and blood pressure issues, to increased levels of stress hormones in the body, to weight gain and even to shorter lifespan.

Tranquilizers and sleep aids, although frequently prescribed, are not a solution to curtail that problem. Drugs like this are highly addictive and can increase stress during the day. Although they may knock you out, your body still doesn’t get the deep, peaceful sleep cycles it needs, and you may still wake up feeling tired, sluggish and un-rested. The next time you experience difficulty sleeping, try the following tips to assist you with getting a good night’s slumber.

11 tips to naturally enhance the quality of your sleep:

Tip #1: Give yourself a morning and nightly massage with coconut oil, almond oil, sesame oil or olive oil. Feel your body become stimulated and receptive as you massage the muscles. Before bed, this will help you fall into a deep slumber.

Tip #2: Exercise during the day. It doesn’t have to be intense exercise, but if you take a walk, do yoga, or use a stepper or treadmill for even 20 minutes, you will find it much easier to fall asleep at night.

Tip #3: Sip water throughout the day. I recommend 4 -6 ounces of warm or room temperature water to stay hydrated. This will also help your body flush out toxins.

Tip #4: Avoid eating too many heavy, sweet, sour or salty foods. Instead, balance the flavors on your plate and don’t eat too much food. Overeating will interfere with your ability to fall and stay asleep.

Tip #5: Eat a light meal at night. Especially as we move through the summertime, keeping things light will help your body come to rest easier. Try putting a little fresh ginger or black pepper on your food for a flavor bonus.

Tip #6: Drink tea such as chamomile, lavender or ashawaganda in the evening. This  is a nice and gentle way to help prepare your mind and body to get ready for bed.

Tip #7: Drink a glass of warm almond milk with a dash of nutmeg, this is the spice that helps with insomnia. This is a phenomenal  and natural way to fall asleep faster and stay asleep all night long.

Tip #8: Keep the pressures of the day away from your sleep area. Remove any electronics (including your phone) from your bedroom. The goal is to make this room a comfortable, warm, loving and intimate space where your body feels nurtured.

Tip #9: Avoid watching suspense movies, dramas or violent movies before bedtime. Turn off the TV at least 15 minutes before you go to bed.

Tip #10: Draw a warm bath as you prepare for bedtime. Put a little lavender essential oil in the tub, and let your muscles melt into the warm water and the scent of the lavender relax your mind.

Tip #11: As you lay in bed, do this relaxing exercise: mentally scan your body from the crown of your head down to the bottom of your feet.  Now imagine that all your muscles are relaxing deeply and sinking into the mattress, as if you are floating on a cloud.

What bedtime routines do you have to help yourself fall asleep? Leave a comment in the area below to share your best tips.

 

Wishing peace to your mind, wellness to your body and tranquility to your spirit!

 

Namaste,

 

Rochel Marie Lawson, RN,AHP,CMS

The Queen of Feeling Fabulous

Host of “Blissful Living”

Author of : “Intro to Holistic Health, Ayurveda Style”

Co Author of:  “Answering The Call, ” “Rapid Change For Heart Centered Women”  and “The Live Sassy Formula”

http://www.rochelelawson.com

http://www.healthhealingwellness.com

http://www.doublewidenetwork.com/index.php/Shows/detail/blissful_livng

info@healthhealingwellness.com

http://www.youtube.com/rochelelawson

http://www.facebook.com/rochelelawson

Twitter: @rochelelawson

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Feeling Constipated? These Tips Will Help

At some point in their lives, everyone has experienced issues with constipation and elimination. Here are some Ayurvedic tips you can use to help get your system flowing naturally and more consistently.

Become Aware

Constipation and elimination tend to be sensitive topics that people don’t normally like to talk about. Even if it’s embarrassing, it’s important to become aware of your elimination patterns. Are you someone that goes every day? Once, twice, three times a day? Are you someone who goes once every other day or every couple of days? Notice the timing in your cycle.

It’s also important to notice the consistency. If you only go once a day, is there a large amount of stool? Does it float? Does it sink? Is it small? Is it hard?

Stay Hydrated

It seems simple, but a major cause of constipation is dehydration. Make sure you’re drinking 8-10 glasses of water per day. I recommend 8 oz. every hour. If you drink more than that per hour (some people like to guzzle it down), you will urinate it all out probably within 30 minutes and your body doesn’t have a chance to absorb the liquid into your digestive tract.

If you’re drinking plenty of water and it doesn’t seem to help, add a little bit of oil to your water. You can add coconut, sesame, almond or even olive oil. Just a tiny bit will make a huge difference: it will help moisturize the colon and enable your body to absorb the oil. Since the colon is a dry part of the body, it’s important to make sure it has some degree of moisture so the stool can flow through easily.

Alternatively, you can also just take a tablespoon of whatever oil you choose in the morning or at night before you go to bed.

Get Moving

If you’re constipated due to a mobility problem, that is, if your colon is slow or sluggish regarding moving things through, then you want to increase your exercise. You core muscles, or your abdominals, are especially important: when they contract and expand, that will help the stool move along the colon instead of getting stuck, stagnant and dried out.

Eat Intelligent Foods

Leafy green vegetables (lettuce, kale, spinach and broccoli) act as a colon sweep and are great to help the colon get the stool moving along. My recommendation is to incorporate a leafy green vegetable into every meal, particularly dinner. When you’re eating, consume the leafy greens last. So if you’re eating a pasta dinner and there is spinach on your plate, eat the pasta first and the spinach last. This will help move the stool through your body because raw vegetables are generally cool so you want to eat them last. This way your digestive fire stays stoked through the meal.

Was this helpful? What other tips do you use to help yourself stay regular? Leave a comment in the area below.

Wishing you much health and wellness!

 

Namaste,

 

Rochel Marie Lawson, RN,AHP,CMS

The Queen of Feeling Fabulous

Host of “Blissful Living”

http://www.rochelelawson.com

http://www.healthhealingwellness.com

info@healthhealingwellness.com

http://www.doublewidenetwork.com/index.php/Shows/detail/blissful_livng

http://www.youtube.com/rochelelawson

http://www.facebook.com/rochelelawson

Twitter: @rochelelawson

 

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7 Ways to Boost Your Immunity and Energy – Part II

Often we think about boosting our immune system during cold and flu season, but throughout the entire year things come up that can throw us off-kilter and create havoc to our system and energy levels.

Last blog, I talked about Ojas and Ama https://ayurvedahealing.org/2014/03/24/7-way-to-boost…-energy-part-1 and explored how food choice can affect toxin-levels in our bodies. Today, I’m going to share a few more strategies that I use with my clients to help them stay healthy and energized 365 days a year.

Spices

Cooking with immune-promoting spices is a really smart way to boost your system. The beautiful thing about cooking with spices is that the natural nutrient balance in the food remains undisturbed, and they add wonderful new flavor and texture.

In Ayurveda, we use a lot of herbs in natural medicine and cooking, and spices play a very important role in assisting our bodies to absorb the intelligence that we eat. When you add spices to your cooked vegetables, grains and legumes, the food can more quickly convert into the essence of Ojas that helps naturally build our immune system and increase our energy. Try some of these spices the next time you’re whipping up a meal:

Turmeric

This spice has an immune modulating effect. It is a detoxifier and enhances the intelligence of the immune cells. Turmeric is really delicious and is often found in East Indian cooking.  

Cumin

Often found in Latin dishes, this spice burns away the Ama in the digestive tract. It has a great smell and tastes wonderful.

Black Pepper

This spice clears tissue channels so the essence of the Ojas travel deeper into the body and build a healthy and stable foundation for good health.

All three of these spices are great for any dosha type.

Fruit

The main goal in eating fruit is to keep your bowel cleansed and free of undigested foods that can create Ama. Organic, tree-ripened fruit is the best option. If you don’t have access to fresh fruit, frozen is next best, but be careful to avoid canned fruit. It’s dead, it’s dead, it’s dead.

Apples contain antioxidants, and insoluble and soluble fiber which helps cleanse the bowel. They are also sweet and juicy. Whoever said that an apple a day keeps the doctor away was really tapping into some higher intelligence.

Pears, peaches, plums, sweet pineapples and mango are some fruits that transform quickly into the essence of Ojas. Pomegranate seed juice or chutney keeps the body in balance as well. 

I love having some papaya after a big meal to satisfy my sweet tooth without adding excess fat in the middle of my waist.

Essential Oils

Essential oils are a really powerful way to support the immune system. If you’re newer to essential oils and would like to find out how you can use them and where to find them, there is more information HERE [LINK: previous essential oils post].

Peppermint Essential Oil naturally supports the respiratory system and is awakening and energy enhancing. It gently increases the essence of Ojas in the body.

Lemon Essential Oil helps to naturally jumpstart the liver into detoxification mode and push Ama out of the body. It’s great at assisting the body in absorbing the nutrients from our food without over-taxing the system (it’s also really great for naturally increasing energy levels).

If you do all these things, in no time you will be digesting your food in a much more healthy and productive manner! Did you love all this information, and want to go a little deeper? Visit http://www.stressassessmentmagic.com for more tips.

Wishing you much health and wellness!

Namaste,

Rochel Marie Lawson, RN,AHP,CMS

The Queen of Feeling Fabulous

http://www.rochelelawson.com

http://www.healthhealingwellness.com

http://www.facebook.com/rochelelawson

Twitter: @rochelelawson

http://www.freegiftsfromrochele.com

 

 

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Eating Wisely to Cleanse and Revitalize

I have a diet that most people would consider to be healthy. Most of the time I eat organically grown fruits and vegetables and try to get my fruits and vegetables from locally grown sources. I avoid processed ingredients and listen to what my body says it needs and how much of it is needed. However when I get super busy or am traveling a lot, I often find myself getting creative to make sure that I stay on cue with eating what is best for me and my dosha. One way I do that is to “Go Green,” which means increasing my fruit and vegetable intake.

When I have been on a long and extended trip as soon as I return from my trip, I dive head first into my “Go Green” diet. This involves me going through a short 4-9 day detox or cleanse based on what I eat, to rid my mind and body of the toxins that I pick up when I travel. I don’t like making rules for myself around food other than eating what is right for my dosha so after I  “ Go Green,” I go back to eating my normal cycle for my dosha. It is during my “Go Green” way of eating that I increase my intake of fruits and vegetables by 60-70% and I do my best to eat the freshest food possible.

If you have ever done a cleanse/detox you know that it is a process of clearing the mind and the body. You will experience more clarity, energy, you will feel more hydrated and will notice that your cravings for sweets have either diminished or are gone, just to name a few of the benefits. In Ayurveda the cleanse/detox process is called Panchakarma. I give this information just as some baseline information for you to keep in the back of your mind to think about exploring as I go on.

If you’re like many people that are becoming more health conscious, you are probably paying more attention to what you are putting into your body. This awareness opens up a whole new way of what you think when you see food. Fresh produce is one of the best things that we can eat for our bodies and mind. Fresh produce contains many of the vital nutrients that the body needs to function optimally  Summer is a great season to incorporate into you eating plan more fresh fruits and vegetables because of all that we have available to us during this season. It’s no mystery that the season invites us to replenish, nourish and revitalize ourselves

Longer days increase our exposure to sunlight, creating a biological surge of energy and optimism. This is perfect season to take a look at your diet. By incorporating more fruits and vegetables into your diet, especially when they are right for your dosha, will allow the body to naturally hydrate itself, synthesize and process the nutrients within the food more efficiently and naturally allow the colon to sweep itself out which aids the body in naturally removing toxins.

I know it sounds simple to just add more fruits and vegetables to what you eat, but we all know that changing eating patterns ever so slightly can be complicated. The body adapts to what we feed it and eating certain ingredients can be difficult and even physically uncomfortable. Also with all the busyness and activity that the summer season brings dietary adjustments can be even harder.

I would like to share with you how you can increase the fruits and vegetables that you eat without much difficulty at all.

The first step is to eat more salads. This does multiple things such a provide nutrients to the body and also it helps to naturally cleanse the colon. Be creative with your salads by dressing them with lots of fruits and vegetable combinations such as mango, red pepper, papaya, mint and lime juice or grapes, cucumber, bell peppers and carrots. Remember a salad is something that you can have anytime of the day that is nourishing and hydrating.

  • You can have a salad as the main meal for your lunch and a side salad with your dinner.
  • For dinner you can make some pasta and add fresh bell peppers, onions, garlic, tomatoes, zucchini or mint in the pasta and then have a side salad with arugula, grapes, strawberries, peaches, pears or plums with a nice vinaigrette dressing.
  • For breakfast you can make a smoothie with strawberries, apples, carrots, kale, spinach, pineapple, peaches, mango, or plums with ice and a little coconut water.

The second step is know that your system will be taking in nourishment as it goes through a natural detoxification process an in order to stabilize your energy and avoid fatigue, I am suggesting that you eat more fruits and vegetables as snacks in between meals.

  • Have carrot or celery sticks for snacks; eat a handful of grapes or a plum, peach, pear or apple.
  • Enjoy a slice of a cantaloupe, honey dew or water melon. – {these are naturally hydrating fruits and contain a high content of water}.
  • Grab some blueberries, raspberries or cherries as a wholesome, healthy and energizing snack full of antioxidants and nutrients.
  • To boost energy on the spot, eat an orange, tangerine or squeeze a little fresh lemon or lime juice into water or coconut water for an uplifting and naturally hydrating and energizing drink.

Lastly, don’t be too hard on yourself or too structured with eating wisely. Have fun by experimenting and listening to what your body says to you. If your body is feeling good and your mind is clear then keep eating the produce that you are eating. It just may be right for your dosha. If you are experiencing challenges within your mind and body then you may need to make some adjustments to eat what is right for your dosha. You can learn more about your dosha by visiting www.freegiftsfromrochele.com and taking the mini dosha quiz. Eating what is wise and right for your body type (dosha) will help you to eliminate toxins from your mind and body so that you can clear the clutter to make space for a more beautiful you.

Wishing you health and wellness.

Namaste,

Rochel Marie Lawson, RN,AHP,CMS

The Queen of Feeling Fabulous

http://www.rochelelawson.com

http://www.healthhealingwellness.com

Twitter:@rochelelawson

http://www.facebook.com/rochelelawson

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Why Detoxification is Vital to Your Health

I strongly believe that detoxification is something we should all do periodically. I suggest people do it four times a year, with one of those times being a very deep detox. Let me explain why.

We are surrounded by toxic materials 24/7. Many of them we know about, but many of them are so new that we’re not aware of how they are affecting us.

Let’s first define a toxin as anything that leads us to a behavior that’s not natural or conducive to our overall benefit. Our goal as healthy humans is to ingest things that uplift us, whether that’s organic food or media that promotes love and community.

Body Toxins

At this point, most of us are aware of the pesticides in our produce and the hormones in our meat products. Cell phone towers are contaminating our soil, which then contaminates our plants, animals and water sources.

Every time you take a warm shower, your pores are opening up and allowing all the toxins in the water source to rush into your skin. If you’re not using a filter on your showerhead, you’re setting yourself up to absorb a lot of chemicals that you probably didn’t even know about.

The prescription medication you’re taking may be helping one symptom that you have, but I’d be willing to bet that it’s wrecking havoc on another part of your body.

Its simple things like this that cause your digestive system to become sluggish or your whole body to be out of balance.

Mind Toxins

Our minds suffer from toxic entertainment that causes us to be on edge all the time, which causes stress.              ( https://ayurvedahealing.org/2014/01/27/how-stress-is-…ng-your-health/)

Sexual innuendo is so prevalent in our society now that you see it (and hear it) everywhere you go: in commercials, in music lyrics and in magazines. We’re constantly being bombarded with messages that aren’t necessarily healthy and can lead to destructive behavior.

What your mind sees, it perceives as real. When you watch a violent television show, it plants a seed in your mind that begins to move toward reality. At the same time, when you have a vision board and see the wonderful things you want for your life every morning when you wake up, a more healthy seed is planted.

Time to Detox

Let’s allow things in that are here to uplift the body and let it flow as a river instead of getting backed up and stopped.

Detoxing gets rid of all the toxic material within us so we can build healthy cells and have a strong body and a calm, peaceful and balanced mind. Choosing the right detox for you depends on how much time you have and how intense you’re ready to go. To do it effectively, you must do exercises to keep your mind at peace and connect you with spirit.

If you’re ready for a detoxification process, let’s talk. Follow THIS LINK to get started today.  

http://www.rochelelawson.com/contact

Wishing you Much Health and Wellness!

Namaste,

Rochel Marie Lawson, RN,AHP,CMS

The Queen of Feeling Fabulous

http://www.rochelelawson.com

http://www.healthhealingwellness.com

http://www.facebook.com/rochelelawson

Twitter:@rochelelawson

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Ayurveda Honors the Individual Body

If you suffer from high blood pressure, chances are you’ll step into your doctor’s office and he or she will prescribe you one of the leading pharmaceutical drugs to treat your symptoms. After you leave, another patient may come in with high blood pressure and your doctor will probably prescribe him with the same drug.

But since our bodies are all unique individuals, why do we treat them as if they’re all the same?

Holistic-medical modality Ayurveda is really special to me because it’s focused on balance and wellness of the mind, body and spirit. It also treats each individual as a unique being, defining different body constitutions as “Doshas.”

If two people of a different Dosha both have high blood pressure, they won’t be given the same treatment in Ayurveda. They receive treatments that are optimal for their Dosha, because although they both have high blood pressure, their journey to get there was completely different.

Ayurveda believes that each person requires a different kind of care to optimize their health. This system focuses on balancing the mind, body and spirit through the use of herbs and other body therapies, and guess what? It’s all natural, and it’s already aced the test of time.

Origins

Ayurveda is believed to have originated in India somewhere between 3,500 and 5,000 years ago. It is believed that Ayurveda is the foundation of all modern medical practice, and that includes Greek medicine, Western medicine, naturopathy, homeopathy and even traditional Chinese medicine.

The modality is still practiced widely today in conjunction with Western medicine in India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, some parts of China, and Afghanistan.

My Journey to Ayurveda

When I was eight years old, I suffered with excruciating abdominal discomfort. The Western doctors could not figure out what was going on, and I began a 17-year journey that included all kinds of pharmaceutical medications and a pelvic examination at the age of nine. Despite this, the doctors just could not figure out what was going on.

As I grew older, the intensity and frequency of the pain increased. I started playing with herbal remedies because I remembered that my grandmother had soothed me as a little girl with a homemade ginger tea. I found myself gravitating toward herbal relief, and as a teen I started doing herbal facials on my friends and myself and cured our acne.

By the time I was a sophomore in college, the discomfort grew worse and worse. When I could afford it, I got massages, and I spent time meditating and drinking herbal tea.

I went to nursing school and by my mid-twenties, I finally put all my knowledge of herbs and body treatments together in a consistent way. Despite my nurse friends trying to convince me to take pharmaceutical medications, I continued practicing my herbal remedies on myself.

After nine months of consistent practice, I was completely cured of what I later discovered to be a bleeding ulcer. I had naturally stumbled upon Ayurveda, and my mission is to share it with the world.

Have you had any experiences with Ayurveda, or do you see how it can help you overcome any physical, mental or spiritual discomfort? Leave a comment below to join the conversation.

Wishing you much health and wellness!

Namaste,

Rochel Marie Lawson, RN,AHP,CMS

The Queen of Feeling Fabulous

http://www.rochelelawson.com

http://www.healthhealingwellness.com

http://www.facebook.com/rochelelawson

Twitter: @rochelelawson

http://www.freegiftsfromrochele.com

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Holistic Health is the Key to Optimal Health

Did you know that everything you need to be completely healthy and well is available to you right now? Listening to your inner wisdom and divine guidance to access optimal health is 100% possible, and in my experience, a Holistic Health approach is an excellent way to treat the mind, body and spirit.

In truth, it is possible to combine a Holistic Health regime with a traditional Western medicine practice and still have fabulous results. But if you’re newer to the idea of Holistic Health, it may be confusing it is necessary to keep your body functioning well. Here is a basic explanation of what Holistic Health is, and how it’s different than traditional Western medicine.

Traditional Western Medicine: Treating the Signs and Symptoms

Traditional Western medicine tends to focus on the signs and symptoms that are presenting. Whether it is an injury, a cold or virus, bacterial invasion or a disease process that’s already manifest, you’re likely to be prescribed pharmaceutical medications for just about everything.

Regular doctors want their patients to feel better and they know that if they make the signs and symptoms disappear, the patient will be happier. However, even though the person feels better, they still have the disease process or the illness because the root cause was not resolved.

Holistic Health: Prevention is Key

Holistic Health is a health modality that is focused on mind, body and spirit. The belief is that if any of those three aspects are not quite in sync, it manifests as illness in the body.

If we aren’t quite functioning at our highest level in any of the three areas, health challenges will arise at the weakest points in the body. Mind, body and spirit vitality are necessary for total health and well-being.

With a focus on prevention (although disease and illness treatment does occur as well), the Holistic approach uses natural remedies instead of pharmaceutical medications, which can be toxic and harmful to the body. The ultimate goal of Holistic Health is to restore and maintain balance in the mind, body and spirit.

Mind, Body and Spirit Connection

The belief is that what exists in the mind will manifest in the body because the two are deeply connected. Connecting with spirit as you focus on healing you mind and body allows for a greater semblance of peace, rest, and rejuvenation. There is a direct link between all three of them.

Illness can manifest in many ways that you may not expect, including anxiety and worry, lethargy, anger and rage issues. All these things will eventually present themselves in the body on a more physical level.

Peace and balance in mind, body and spirit helps the body naturally strengthen so it has a line of defense against disease and illness.

My first choice for health and wellness is Holistic. Have you had an experience with Holistic Health? What was it like? Leave a note in the comments below to join the conversation.

Wishing you much health and wellness!

Namaste,

Rochel Marie Lawson

The Queen of Feeling Fabulous

http://www.rochelelawson.com

http://www.healthhealingwellness.com

http://www.facebook.com/rochelelawson

twitter:@rochelelawson

 

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Calming Mind Chatter

One of my favorite things to do is to meditate. It is so calming and nurturing to my mind, body and soul. It is one of my favorite ways to restore my energy, clarity and focus. I often receive some amazing information when I meditate especially when I reach the point where everything is quiet and still within. It wasn’t always like this, I remember when I first began to meditate my mind would chatter non-stop. I felt like it was going 100 miles per minute. There were times that I would get so wrapped up in the mind chatter that at the end of my mediation session I wasn’t sure if I received any benefits. However later I discover that even though it may have appeared that I was not benefitting through the times of non-stop mind chatter, I was actually benefitting beyond my belief.

 

 

Study after study has shown the tremendous benefits that mediation has on the mind and the body. Neuroscience can show us what happens in the brain when we meditate. For instance areas of the brain associated with stress slows down and parts of the brain associated with feeling joy, peace and compassion become active. The evidence that meditation triggers positive changes within the brain and the body is overwhelming whether we are meditating with mind chatter or not. 

 

 

For the beginner meditator who is not aware of the positive changes occurring within the brain and the body, the mind chatter may be just enough to frustrate them to the point where they feel like they want to quit. If you fit into this category, don’t fret because I want to understand that you are not alone and there are some things that you can do to assist you with the mind chatter.

 

 

One of the things you can do is just let the mind chatter. Don’t get wrapped up in the chatter just let the thoughts come and go. Let the thoughts come in and let them roll out similar to watching the waves of the ocean roll in to the shore and roll back out the ocean. Just let them be without focusing on what they are and why they exist. When you practice meditation regularly, you will begin to notice that part of the mind that is untouched by thoughts. You might experience that deeper layer of consciousness as a pure sense of being or as a sense of being a witness. Sometimes it feels as if you have plunged into the deeper water of the mind, where it is calm while all the time the mental chatter continues. In other words the mind can keep thinking but you are not affected by those thoughts.

 

 

Another tool that you can use is your breath. It is a wonderful way to assist you with not getting too wrapped up and focused on the thoughts that are flowing into your mind.

 

As a matter of fact, each time you feel that you are beginning to focus on the chatter within your mind shift your focus to taking in a deep breath and letting it out. The breathing helps to distract you from the mind chatter while allowing your body to take in much need oxygen and release the toxic carbon dioxide. Mindful breathing is a form of pranayama and is so yummy to use during the mediation process.

 

 

The last suggestion that I have to offer to you is to simply let yourself keep coming back to the sensations of the breath in the body, or the felt sense of energy in the heart or the vibratory quality of a mantra. A mantra is something that you repeat throughout your meditation session such as the word, “Om” or “Peace.” By doing these things in time you will notice the thoughts drift more and more into the background while the underlying sense of being comes more into the foreground and what a wonderful feeling that is.

 

 

Wishing you much health and wellness!

 

 

Namaste,

 

 

Rochele Lawson, RN,AHP,CMS

 

The Queen of Feeling Fabulous

 

 

www.freegiftsfromrochele.com

 

www.rochelelawson.com

 

www.meditationsforbliss.com

 

twitter:@rochelelawson

 

http://www.facebook.com/rochelelawson

 

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

Using Your Hands To Reduce Stress

Did you know that stress relief is in the palm of your hands or rather within your grasp? As the old saying goes “sometimes the answer is in your hands.” We have all heard of the various spa treatments that are aimed at relieving your stress. In fact many spas now offer 3, 5 and 7 day spa retreats designed to decrease your stress and improve your well being however I am here to tell you that you do not have to go to a spa or go on a spa retreat to relieve your stress, in fact you can do it everyday as often and needed and the best thing of all it is “free.”

 

 

I am so excited to share this with you because I know how much damage stress can do on the mind and body. When I work with a client, one of the first things that I do is an assessment on them. I take a look at every aspect that is important to my Ayurvedic assessment of the person. As part of my assessment I examine the hands. I look at the nails, the shape and width of the hand and I look at the fingers. I can tell a lot about a person’s wellbeing by doing this. The reason I share this with you is to help you to bring awareness to how fabulous your hands are, how much your hands say about you and your wellness status.

 

 

Because our hands are so important to us it only makes sense that we should be able to use them as healing tools for the body and the mind. By now almost everyone has heard of reflexology. Reflexology is a specialized foot massage focusing on various points on the foot that correlates to organs within the body and bodily functions. It is believed that when you massage certain points, that particular area of the body and be stimulated and if there is any blocked energy it is able to be released. If you have not had a reflexology treatment, I highly suggest that you do. Reflexology is not just a foot massage, it is so much more.

 

 

I mention reflexology as a way to let you know that it is not just for the feet alone. Giving yourself a hand reflexology treatment is a sensational way to relieve your stress and can be done just about anywhere. . In Ayurveda we believe that each finger represents one of the 5 elements as well as corresponds to a particular organ. For example, the thumb correlates to the element of ether and the brain. When the thumb is massaged it helps to balance the ether quality within the body and the brain. Below is a method that I use and share with my clients to help them stay joyful and calm.

 

 

The sequence outlined applies to each finger starting with the thumb. You can choose to do either the left hand first or right hand first, it does not matter. Just remember to follow the sequence for each finger on one hand before moving to the next hand.

 

 

1)    Start at the thumb. Very slowly pin the tip of the thumb with gentle pressure.

 

Then pinch the side of the thumb with your finger tips.

 

2)    Moving from the base to the tip, rub the tops and bottoms and then the sides of the thumb, using a vigorous back and forth motion.

 

3)    Next grasp the digit at its base and tug firmly with your opposite thumb and index finger, then loosen your grip slightly and move along the length of the digit to the tip, then release.

 

4)    Again using the thumb and the index finger of the opposite hand grasp the webbed between each digit. Tug gently for a couple of seconds, then release. Repeat for each finger.

 

5)    Now rest whichever hand you are working on palm down and use your opposite thumb to massage the back of the hand. Start by leisurely manipulating the knuckles and work downward.

 

6)    Turn your hand over and cradle your wrist inside and massage the inner wrist very gently with the opposite thumb.

 

7)    Next massage the palm, starting at the base of the fingers and working downward.

 

8)    Finish by pressing the opposite thumb deeply into the center of the palm of the hand that you are working on, holding the position for a few seconds. Let your hand hang by your side gently shaking it out and taking a few cleansing breaths before moving to the next hand.

 

9)    Repeat the above steps for each finger and then for the opposite hand.

 

 

This little hand reflexology treatment will do wonders for your mind and your body. You will immediately feel a relief in your stress level and your hands will feel great.

 

 

Wishing you much health and wellness!

 

 

Namaste,

 

 

Rochéle Lawson, RN,AHP,CMS

 

The Queen of Feeling Fabulous

 

 

I would like to share with you some more fabulous ways that you can relieve your stress.

 

You can pick them up here: www.freegiftsfromrochele.com

 

 

 

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