Tag Archives: peaceful

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

Healthy Ways to Stop Headache Pain

Did you know that almost a fifth of the people presenting to the emergency department go there for headache pain and for women between the ages of 18 to 44, I jumps to a third of the visits. Wow when I read this it was mind boggling to me.  You see severe headaches and migraines can leave you in agony, but even mild headaches can be painful enough to negatively affect your life. And stress, hormones and life can play a major part in bringing a headache on.

Instead of focusing on the headache pain and causes, I am going to focus on natural treatments for your headache pain.

The first remedy that I would like to talk about is the Boswellia tree. This ancient tree contains a resin that has potent anti-inflammatory properties. This tree resin has been included in studies treating people with cluster headaches, which occurred over the course of weeks, month, or even years. Cluster headaches are so intense that they have often been called the “suicide headaches.” The wonderful thing is that the Boswellia tree resin has been shown to provide long –lasting pain relief and has also been shown to decrease the intensity and frequency of these headaches.

Next there’s Butterbur. This is a perennial shrub and has been used to treat pain relief and headache prevention. This beauty has been shown to prevent migraine headaches, in clinical research studies. Butterbur taken twice per day has been shown to decrease the frequency of migraine headaches.  Please note that some Butterbur contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which may cause liver damage, so be careful when selecting your supplement to ensure you get a supplement that’s free of these harmful compounds.

Lastly, I want to share this goody for decreasing headache pain and you are going to flip when you find out. Ready? Well it is the good old vitamin B complex. B vitamins have become a popular treatment for the reduction or the severity of migraines and headaches. B vitamins contain riboflavin that has been deemed effective for the prevention of migraines. In addition vitamin B-6 has been shown to decrease headaches associates with the menstrual cycle.  Vitamin B-6 may even help decrease headaches associated with oral contraceptives.

All of these are available as supplements at your natural health stores. It is always suggested that you check with your healthcare provider for the correct dosage to take for you.

Wishing you peace, wellness and tranquility!

 

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

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

Blissful Ways to Cultivate Calm

We live in a society that is constantly on the go. Do you ever feel like your life is just passing you by and there is nothing that you can do to slow it down? Ayurveda teaches the practice of being mindful with what you do and how you live your life. Living a balanced, mindful and calm life can lead to health, well-being, longevity, vitality and Bliss.  Living a balanced life involves being mindful of what you do in your day-to-day life. It is this mindfulness that leads to cultivating calm in the mind and the body.

Mindfulness is the practice of living in the present, paying attention and accepting your life without judgment. Practicing mindfulness can help you become less stressed, improve your memory and attention and enhance your relationships as well as your well-being.

Below you will find seven tips to help you cultivate calm and bring more bliss into your life. Have fun practicing the blissful tips and feel free to experiment with the tips such as using 2 tips a day. At the end of each day take some time to reflect on how often you used the tip and how it made you feel throughout the day. The more you practice using the tips in your day to day living, the calmer your life will become and the easier it will be for you to eliminate stress from your mind, body and life.

BLISSFULNESS TIPS TO CULTIVATE CALM EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK:

  1. FIND OUR THE EXACT MOMENT OF THE SUNSET IN YOUR AREA.

For two minutes before and two minutes after, simply watch the sun set without thinking about what happened today or what will happen tomorrow.

  1. BREATHE

At various times thought the day, take a few second to focus on your breath entering and leaving your body.

  1. GO TO THE WATER

Whether it’s a pond, a river, a lake, or an ocean, take a moment to watch the water move.

  1. ABSTAIN FROM SOCIAL MEDIA, WHETHER IT’S FACEBOOK, TWITTER, OR ANY OTHER SOCIAL APP.

Instead make today about face-to-face connections.

  1. FOR TWO MINUTES TODAY, TAKE A SERENITY BREAK.

Close your eyes and breathe deeply while focusing on how your body is feeling. Need help? Go to (add link for Blissful Living Article)

  1. WHEN YOU INTERACT WITH OTHERS TODAY, LET GO OF HOW THEY MAY AFFECT YOU.

Instead, think of how what you will say and what you will do affects them.

  1. USING THREE BLANK PIECES OF PAPER, WRITE ABOUT WHATEVER COMES TO MIND.

It doesn’t have to be good. Just write about something. Don’t stop until you’ve filled your three pages.

Mindfulness helps to cultivate calm which leads to cultivating Bliss, that enhances our physical, mental and emotional well-being. The beauty of being in a calm, balanced state is that it is enchanting, tantalizing and hypnotic guaranteed to leave you wanting more.

Wishing you 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

Twitter: @rochelelawson

Instagram: rochelelawson

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ rochele.lawson.5

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Reverse Mourning the Mornings

How many of you dread waking up in the morning? No matter how much sleep you get you simply hate getting up in the morning and not because you are tired but rather because it is the morning? We have all been there. It’s morning and when that dreaded alarm clock goes off you muster up all the ump you have in you and you either hit the snooze button or you get up.

Sadly most of us are sleep deprived due to various reasons from insomnia to over stimulation of the mind. When we are plague with sleep challenges it is difficult for our brains and bodies that have been asleep for hours, to shift from sleep to wake at the sound of an alarm.  Often times a busy day lies ahead so we must struggle to get a grip on our immediate racing thoughts upon waking up. Having a morning mindfulness routine and practice can help awaken the brain and bring balance and focus to your morning. You may even find with a regular routine of morning mindfulness, you begin to enjoy waking up for the quiet and peaceful moments that starts your day.

Here are a few blissful tips to help you enjoy waking up in the morning.

Upon Waking Up Observe Your Breath

Feel your breath as it moves in and out of your body. Focus on this breath and allow your mind to engage in the process of inhaling and exhaling. If your mind wanders in to other thoughts such as how you would like to just stay in bed, simply note the thought, take 5 more deep breaths in and release them out then rise and get out of bed.

Let The Sunshine In

Upon arising out of bed, before you do anything else such as going to the bathroom or taking a shower, open up the blinds and curtains in your room and let the sunshine in. If the day is a cloudy day do not fret, still open up your window dressings and let the day light in. This has an immediate effect on your brain stimulating the receptors in the brain that differentiate day and night. The light awakens the brain, which then sends signals to the body to wake up and get ready for the day.

Find A Comfortable Spot

Once you have opened up your windows, find a comfortable spot to sit near the window, stretch your arms over your head and then relax them at your sides and let the warmth of the sunshine hit your face so that it can awaken the circulation in your face.  Thus further enhancing the mindfulness waking up process.

Observe The Weather

Look out the window and bath your face in the natural light. Take a moment to observe the weather outside as you gaze out your window from your comfortable spot. Notice if the day is sunny, cloudy, rainy, windy or foggy? What color is the sky? How bright is the sunshining?

Become aware of your feelings, positive or negative about the current weather situation outside. Notice what arises in your mind as you allow yourself to experience the weather in this manner. Take a deep breath in and release it out.

Stand Up And Start Your Day

Plant your feet firmly on the ground and sit there for a moment or two. Notice the texture of the floor. Is it carpeted, hard wood or tile? Does it feel cold? Hot? Stand straight up, stretch your arms up high above your head and take a deep breath in and exhale out, lower your arms and get moving toward your Blissful Day!

Wishing you 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 and The Wellness Architect Sin título

www.rochelelawson.com
www.healthhealingwellness.com
www.blissful-living.net
www.youtube.com/rochelelawson
www.facebook.com/rochelelawson
www.stressassessmentmagic.com
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Your Skin’s Biggest Enemy and Friends

Your Skin’s Biggest Enemy

Everyday stress can make you look older but you have the power to stop this from happening. Everyday I amaze people when I tell them how old I am. They often think that I am at least 20 years younger than I am. I often hear that my skin looks amazing. What I learned a long time ago is not to let stress or anxiety take a toll on my health and well being and my skin. You can often tell just by looking at someone how much stress they have had in their lives and how much of a toll it has taken on their wellbeing, just by looking at their face.

You see each one of us at one point and time in our lives has suffered from the stress provoked acne breakout.  This happens because stress and anxiety triggers hormones and neurotransmitters that inflame the skin and causes the skin to become a breeding ground for acne.  When your brain senses psychological stress it turns on the stress related hormones. The result is an acne producing cocktail of adrenaline, cortisol, free radicals triggering angiotensin and inflammation generating cytokines that courses through your body eroding your skin’s plumping collagen and sacred defenses.  When this happens during short-term stress or anxiety, it is not too much of a problem. The trouble is when stress and anxiety become a chronic problem, which often goes unnoticed.

The chronic state of stress continues bathing of the skin in the stress hormones, which begins to damage your complexion from the inside out. Over time the increased exposure to cortisol can inhibit the growth of fibroblast cells, that make new collagen, but it doesn’t slow the breakdown of old tissue. This may lead to skin tissue lost at an accelerated rate.  Chronic stress also boosts the production of free radicals and reduces protective antioxidants making your skin more vulnerable to wrinkles, pigmentation spots and dullness.

Skin inflammation often occurs in response to emotional stress and the inflammatory process damages and ages skin. Your immune system is not meant to be turned up 24/7 and than constant low grade inflammation may further degrade collagen and hinder skin’s ability to replenish. Plus inflammation compromises your skin’s barrier function, which can leave your complexion drier, duller and more prone to irritation. When you live in a constant state of stress it becomes harder for your skin to repair itself naturally, form healthy collagen and elastin and heal the damaged areas.

Your Skin’s Biggest Friends

So now you may be wondering how in the world can I prevent this from happening when often times I don’t even realize that I am stressed, well let me share with you some of the methods I use to keep my skin looking fabulous while keeping stress and anxiety at bay.

We all know that exercise is good for you in so many ways in that it boost circulation and relieves stress. In fact, exercise decrease cortisol levels and inflammation and you actually look younger, fresher and healthier after you exercise. Exercising for even 10 minutes has been shown to have a significant effect on the appearance of your skin.

Something that has wonderfully soothing effects on the mind and the body is listening to some soothing music. Soothing music is known to reduce cortisol and inflammation. So go ahead an indulge in some soothing music by turning on your computer playlist and let the melodies of the music relax your mind and your body and heal your skin from the inside out.

Being in nature or surrounded by green space has a soothing effect on the brain as well and can reduce cortisol and anxiety in adults. Taking a walk in nature can do wonders to relax the mind. A relaxed mind equals decreased stress hormones and happier skin.

At the end of the day, take a minute to write down three things that you are grateful for. Practicing gratitude is one of the simplest ways to beat stress and feel happier. You don’t have to do a 10-day silent retreat to make significant impact on stress and how you let it affect you and the way you look.

My Zenful solution to you for improving the way your skin looks and feels is exercise, music and gratitude. These three little things can reduce the hormones that lead to dull, tired looking skin, wrinkles, sagging and aging skin.

Wishing you 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 and The Wellness Architect Sin título

www.rochelelawson.com
www.healthhealingwellness.com
www.blissful-living.net
www.youtube.com/rochelelawson
www.facebook.com/rochelelawson
www.stressassessmentmagic.com
www.freegiftsfromrochele.com
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Be Confident and Relax

How often do you talk yourself out of doing something even before you tried? Years of negative messaging may have gotten you in a funk, which may have lead to an imbalance in your “Mind Element” or your “Dosha.”

Reversing the imbalance within the element of your being is just a step away when you know what to do and I’m going to share with you how.

The first thing you want to do is to start your day right. The way we start our day makes a big difference in how we feel the rest of the day. Take a moment to pause, check in with how you’re feeling, relax your body, think about what you’re grateful for and bring a sense of presence to your morning routine.

Check in with your body posture. Let me explain why. Science shows that how we hold our bodies directly impacts our confidence. Try slumping over and saying “ I feel confident today!” It doesn’t compute. Throughout the day, try relaxing the body, rolling your shoulders back and down and standing straight. It is ok to fake it till you make it. Your brain will soon get the message.

Take time for your confidence team. Make a list of the people who nourish and encourage you. Make an extra effort to have more regular contact with them and less contact with people who are depleting and draining to you. Having face-to-face contact is best but texting works as a secondary means of staying connected.

Do something you’re good at. One of the best motivators to continue a behavior is when we feel like we are “good” at something. Whether it’s drawing, running, being a good friend do more of what makes you feel good about yourself.

Invite your fears for tea. We each carry around deep-seated fears about ourselves from “I’m not worthy” to “ When will they see that I’m a phony,” “What if instead of running away from your fears, you invited them in with curiosity. Ask yourself, “ What am I believing right now and is it absolutely true?” You may be surprised by the answer, and by how much that can take the intensity out of your fear.

Set small achievable goals. We often make big goals without thinking through what’s actually achievable. Going from never exercising to making a goal to exercise fives times a week is likely setting yourself up for failure. A more achievable goal would be to walk for 20 minutes three times a week and schedule it into your calendar making sure to keep that appointment with yourself.

Keep track of your accomplishments. Because our brain is wired to focus on what we haven’t done, it’s easy to lose sight of what we have done. Take stock of what you’ve done in a day. Crossing thing off your to-do-list even the smallest of tasks can go a long way in keeping your momentum going.

Be compassion it! Sometimes life is just hard. The ability to recognize a difficult moment and apply a caring attitude toward ourselves shuts down the inner critic, creates stability and awareness and helps redirect attention back to what matters.

Remember you: along with everyone else you deserve love too. Feeling “less than” can eat away at our confidence. But if you sent out a search party, you would not find anyone more deserving of love than you. Stop, breathe and let that message touch you for a few moments.

Embrace difficult people. Say what? You must be kidding? No I’m not. As difficult as this may be it’s absolutely necessary in order for you to gain confidence. See if you can recognize that underneath their behavior is a person crying for attention and they will get it no matter good or bad. Many times these types of people are having a difficult time themselves. They want to feel cared about and understood. Seeing this truth help brings us back into balance.

Wishing you 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 and The Wellness Architect Sin título

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

Twitter: @rochelelawson

 

 

 

 

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The Sacred Experience of Cooking

Is cooking good for the soul?

When I was a little girl, I would sometimes watch my grandmother cook. She was one of the best cooks I knew and always seem to have a smile on her face whenever she was cooking. I remember one time asking her why she was smiling and she told me “because cooking is good for the soul, child.” As I grew up and began to cook for my family I would often remember that conversation that I had with my grandmother and the smile that she had on her face when she cooked.

The wise people in the world say that cooking is good for the soul because it is a spiritual thing to do. It is a way to thank and show appreciation to the Divine for the food that we have to eat. When we cook for others, the experience of cooking becomes an even more profoundly spiritual thing to do. In many cultures cooking is a sacred experience and mindfulness on the food is adhered to while cooking by not talking but rather praying in silence and even pausing to give thanks while chopping, peeling or stirring. This is believed to assist with cultivating a selfless intention and being honorable and respectful for the gift of food from the Divine.

When we cook in a joyful and peaceful state of mind, we bring the essence of that into the food that we are preparing. It is wonderful to integrate mindfulness and love into the experience of cooking because it deepens the cooking experience and enhances the quality and flavor of the food. It is because of this awareness that we are able to cultivate a unique experience each time we cook a meal.

When a person cooks a meal for another they are practicing what we call in Ayurveda, Seva. Seva is a Sanskrit word referring to the practice of serving others with no expectation of reward or recognition. Practicing Seva helps us see that every person is an aspect of the Divine therefore any action that benefits others, no matter how menial is a service to the Divine.

Kitchens are often the most used, best-loved room in the house. They possess a gravitational pull that brings together friends and family, labor and laughter, sustenance and celebration. That lovableness is often exhibited in the wonderful meals that come out of the kitchen. Most good cooks have the belief that cooking is for whomever you are preparing the meal for and not for the cook. Most cooks understand that being a good cook in the kitchen is a true selfless service and comes from the love of wanting to serve others.

What will you cook today to show your love?

Namaste,

Rochel Marie Lawson, RN,AHP,CMS

The Queen of Feeling Fabulous

International Best Selling Author
Tel: 209-640-3154
Fax: 209-833-6869
Direct: 209-321-6001
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Wishing you Peace to your Mind, Wellness to your Body and Tranquility to your Spirit

 

 

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Anger

Over the course of years as a healthcare professional I have noticed that people seem to be angrier than in times past. I don’t know if it has to do with the abundance of stress that society is faced with on a daily basis or if we have just become angrier people. In Ayurveda, anger is associated with the element of fire and people of the Pitta Dosha tend to have more challenges with keeping the fire within them from sprouting into an angry rage.

Anger is an enchanting and complex emotion. It is the type of emotion that can spring forth from what appears to be nowhere. What seems like a sense of calm can in an instant become like a raging volcano when a trigger is activated and before you know it, the volcano has erupted like Mount Saint Helens. However you might be the type of person that has a slow burn style of anger that simmers and bubbles beneath the surface, only erupting in tiny bursts.

Anger is a fiery emotion. Even when it’s cold it requires a lot of energy. When we pay attention to how it feels in our body, we might notice a knot in our stomach, a clenched jaw or fist, tightness in our chest, shallowness in our breath and an increase in our heart rate. We may notice that the state of anger can strongly taint our thoughts and how we interpret the world in conjunction with our emotional element.

Deep within the anger, we may be storing feelings of rejection or inadequacy that causes us to see threats and injustices where no real threat exists. It helps to uncover and uproot these feelings and deeply held false views. At the same time, anger can have beneath it a wise and powerful protectiveness that can lead us to believe that we are enforcing a sense of justice in the face of someone wronging us. In fact, anger is so powerful that it can ruin any situation. If it is allowed to lurk inside us it becomes more spicy and intense and will make us sick. It is one of the most ugly and yet most powerful emotions that exist. It has astronomical power.

Rich, complex and powerful, anger benefits from contemplative time and reflection, which in turn can teach us a lot about what is truly going on beneath our outbursts. If you are prone to angry outburst or can’t seem to get a grip on the fire raging within, I suggest you follow this little exercise to help you get back on the cool track and calm the fire within. I call this exercise “Cooling the Flames.”

  • When you notice yourself feeling angry and aggressive, turn your attention and awareness to how you are feeling. Where are you feeling the anger within your body? What is happening at that moment in time?
  • Now take a few long, slow deep breaths allowing your abdominal area to fully expand and contract, taking 3-4 seconds to do this with each breath. Listen for your thoughts without adding to the inner dialogue, or trying to silence your thoughts. When you are offended, you’re usually holding onto a rigid definition of yourself. What are your thoughts saying to you?
  • Now come back to observing how the anger is manifesting itself within your body and breath coolness into that part of your body. Observe what the anger may be trying to teach you at this moment. Is it self -compassion? Forgiveness? Or something else?
  • Now affirm something that you want in the present moment that will calm the anger such as “ May I find the resources to understand and transform my anger,” or “May peace and calmness be restored within me now.”

Once you have completed the exercise, take another slow, long deep breath extending the breath to 5 seconds to seal off the volcano. Although it may take a little practice for you to get used to using this technique, keep at it because eventually you will notice, see and feel the tremendous benefits of utilizing the “Cooling of the Flames” technique. You will gain a greater sense of control and be able to align yourself with your natural, balanced and peaceful state.

When you are ready you can take the “Cooling of the Flames” to a deeper level by learning how to awaken bliss within you and your life. (www.awakeningbliss.com)

I welcome your comments below.

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

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Green Super Foods For A Super You #1

Now a days we hear a lot of talk about super foods and how we should incorporate them into our daily diet, but what exactly are super foods and how can they be beneficial to us? Stress is a fantastic way to use up or burn up the precious vitamins and minerals that our bodies need to function, yet most people don’t even realized that they are stress, let alone as to what the stress is doing to the internal resources and fuel sources of their body. As the seasons change from fall to winter, winter to spring and spring to summer, we have an abundant supply of veggies available to us that fall into the “super food” category. Springtime is a great time of year to be adventurous and begin to incorporate these super foods into your diet. This is the time of the year when greens are especially fresh and nutritious, so why not take the plunge and reacquaint yourself with nature’s vast variety of super foods. This will do your mind and your body good.

You may be asking so what is the big deal about these super foods, why should I be concerned about them and what’s in it for me if I eat them? So here are the answers to all of your questions concerning super foods:

  • If you want to rock your workout, here is a super food that, you will want to incorporate into your daily diet, it is Arugula. Arugula provides more nitrates than other top vegetable source, such as rhubarb, celery and spinach. Why is that beneficial for you? Nitrates relax the blood vessels and lowers blood pressure, accelerating blood flow so energizing oxygen is delivered to cells throughout your body more efficiently. As a result, your workout might feel a little easer: Nitrates reduce your muscles’ need for oxygen during exercise, so you don’t tire as quickly.
  • To improve your digestion, eat more asparagus. These tender thin green stalks are rich in inulin, a unique fiber that doesn’t break down in our digestive system until it arrives at the large intestines. When it gets to the large intestines it feeds the beneficial bacteria that keep your intestine healthy and may help your body absorb more nutrients. Asparagus is also rich in vitamin A, Zeaxanthin and lutein, all great for eye health.
  • If you are looking to maintain strong bones or improve your bone health then you will want to incorporate Bok Choy into your diet. This cabbage variant is packed with bone friendly nutrients, such as calcium, which is well absorbed for a vegetable sour of the mineral. The reason is that Bok Choy is low in oxalates, compounds present in many green leafy veggies that can bind to calcium making it harder for your body to absorb. Just two cups of this yummy, low calorie vegetable delivers as much calcium as a half a glass of milk. Two cups of raw Bok Choy provides 80 percent of your daily dose of vitamin K needed to bind calcium to bone.
  • If you have been told that you are Pre-Diabetic or you want to just fend off Diabetes, then you definitely want to incorporate more Chard into your diet. One cup of cooked Chard delivers nearly four grams of fiber. Chard slows the rate at which carbohydrates enter your blood stream, preventing blood-sugar dips and spikes. This plant is a top source of magnesium, a mineral that helps the body use the glucose-regulating hormone insulin more effectively. Chard also contains syringic acid, a substance that blocks the breakdown of starch into sugars, helping to regulate blood sugar levels. Given the fact that many of us only get half the fiber and less than two-thirds of the magnesium we need, Chard is a good source of these blood sugar balancing nutrients.
  • Looking to build your immune system up or to fight off a cold, then you want to eat more dandelion greens. This veggie is high in vitamin A, a nutrient that keeps the lining of our airways healthy, which is one of the first defenses against bacteria and pathogens that cause the common cold and other respiratory illness. Just one cup of raw dandelion greens boast 110 percent of your daily dose of Vitamin A, which is twice the amount you’d get from the same serving of spinach and 10 times the amount you would get from eating the same amount of broccoli. Dandelion greens are high in vitamin C, which is great for boosting the immune system.

Here’s a little tip, if you want to get more of these yummy green veggies into your diet, you can incorporate them into salads, stir-fry’s or smoothies. Once you start eating these goodies, I guarantee that you will love them and your mind and body will thank in you many ways beginning with the essence of feeling more energized, healthy and vibrant. So eat up. What are you waiting for?

I welcome your comments, tips and suggestions below.

Wishing you peace to your mind, wellness to your body and tranquility to your spirit.

Namaste,

Rochel Marie Lawson, RN, AHP, CMS

The Queen of Feeing Fabulous

www.rochelelawson.com

www.healthhealingwellness.com

www.stressassessmentmagic.com

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When You Go On Vacation, Go On Vacation

We all know what it’s like to get so stressed out from planning your vacation that it counter-acts what the vacation was supposed to be all about in the first place! Or how about a vacation itinerary that’s so over-booked that when you get home from the trip, you feel like you need a break from your break?

Nothing will rejuvenate and inspire you more than a retreat, or a vacation where you actually take a break and feel like you get to rest.

The best part is that you don’t really have to go anywhere! You can absolutely get the full benefits of a bliss vacation from your home. This might seem a little counter-intuitive, so today I’m going to share with you what it really means to let yourself rest when you’re on vacation (whether it’s somewhere else, or in your living room).

Connect With Yourself

A blissful vacation or retreat is truly a special way to connect with yourself that will leave you feeling more alive, more relaxed and better about yourself and your life. You’ll feel like you’re on task for the purpose of your life. It’s not about stressing out. This is about allowing yourself to leave the uncomfortable zone of every day life and allowing yourself to step into the comfortable zone of blissfulness.

The main advantage of a vacation (whether it’s at home or away) is that it allows you to take time away from everything that is going on, even if it’s just for a few days. It’s going to help you feel more connected and more grounded.

Consider Your Options

If you decide to stay home, focus on creating a beautiful space within your house. Know that during your blissful vacation time, you really are nourishing your body and replenishing your spirit.

Don’t schedule anything. Let yourself be spontaneous and go with the flow of life. It really will take out the stress factor and put you in a more blissful state when you just allow things to happen as they’re supposed to happen.

If you do choose to go away, choose a beautiful place that you like. If you like the beach, go to the beach. If you like the lake, go to the lake. If you like Paris or England or Asia or Hawaii, go there! Let things happen as they’re supposed to happen, be spontaneous, don’t try to do too much and don’t try to bombard yourself with activities. Relax. Let things come to you.

Let Go Of Control

Pita people in particular have trouble letting go of control, which is why I suggest going on retreats. Oftentimes, retreats will have some activities planned, but you have nothing to do with the planning. You just show up and everything is all taken care of.

That means that some days you might be kayaking, or skiing, or you might just sit on the beach.

Above all, the most important thing to keep in mind is to let yourself do what you want to do. If you wake up and don’t want to do anything, don’t do anything. If you wake up and you want to go zip lining, great! Do that. If you want to spend the day laying on the beach, that’s perfect, too.

Finally, leave your computer at home. Unplug your phone and your ipad and let your mind truly relax.

How do you like to take vacations? Leave a note in the comments area below to join the conversation.

Wishing you 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

International Best Selling Author!

http://www.rochelelawson.com

http://www.healthhealingwellness.com

http://www.facebook.com/rochelelawson

http://www.youtube.com/rochelelawson

Twitter: @rochelelawson
infor@healthhealingwellness.com

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

 

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

Chill Out! Stay Cool During the Summer Months

Right now, we’re in the middle of what Ayurveda calls the Pita season. The Pita dosha is all about fire and heat, which is why we refer to the hottest months of the year as the Pita season. Lots of people love to go to the beach, spend time at lakes, go camping, spend time Bar-B-Qing and being outdoors as much as possible when it’s nice out. All of this is really fun and enlivening, but it can also turn Pita people into an irritable, hot mess!

Pita is comprised of the qualities of fire and water. When you add more heat to the fire… it just gets hotter. Summer is the time of year when the Pita people (or the Pita aspect within Kapha and Vata people) is thrown out of balance (for more information on which dosha type you are, take this QUIZ [http://www.freegiftsfromrochele.com].

When the Pita aspect is out of balance, you might experience acid reflex, stomach aches, irritability, ulcers, inflammatory responses in the body, more extreme allergies and digestive system upset.

Are You Out Of Balance?

Here are some clues that your Pita is out of balance during the hot summer months:

You might feel irritable and angry or prone to criticism. You might have an increased sense of competitiveness or suffer from digestive issues such as heartburn, diarrhea or gastric upset. You eyes may become dry or blood shot, you might feel dehydrated and experience excessive sweating, difficulty staying asleep or you may break out in a rash or acne. Yikes!

Here are 5 ways to chill yourself out this summer if you’re turning into a hot Pita mess.

  1. Rest Your Eyes. Fire manifests as light and heat, and Pita manages the vision in the body. When you rest your eyes, you can help prevent them from becoming dry and irritated. I highly recommend that everyone wear sunglasses with UVA/UVB protection.

Covering the eyes with a silk eye pillow filled with lavender can be a wonderful way to rest. It will calm any anxiety and promote deeper sleep.

  1. Dress More Lightly. We tend to do this during the summertime anyway, but be mindful of the clothes you choose. Cotton and linen are good fabrics that will allow the skin to breath and cool down the body.
  1. Don’t Wear Black. Instead of choosing black-colored fabrics (which actually take in the heat and pulls it into the body), wear colors like white, off-white, blue, green or orange, which naturally deflect heat. This will allow your body to stay cooler.
  1. Soothe Your Skin. If you’re experiencing itchy, red patches of skin and acne, treat yourself to a cucumber facial mask. Lay back with your lavender eye pillow and rest your eyes. This is very cooling and hydrating to the skin, it reduces inflammation, and helps the skin rehydrate and refortified. Another bonus is that it reverses the aging process.
  1. Enjoy a Massage. A daily self-massage will flush out toxins and relax the body. Getting a professional massage once a week from a certified therapist is another great way to calm and sooth the body. Have the therapist use cool, natural oils like coconut, sunflower or sesame, which will counter-balance the heat.

What natural tips do you have that help keep your body cool during the hottest months in the year? Leave a comment in the area below to share your tips!

 

Wishing you 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

International Best Selling Author

http://www.rochelelawson.com

http://www.healthhealingwellness.com

http://www.facebook.com/rochelelawson

http://www.youtube.com/rochelelawson

info@healthhealingwellness.com

Twitter: @rochelelawson

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

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