Tag Archives: relaxing

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Blissful Ways to Cultivate Calm – Part 2

In my recent article, Blissful Ways to Cultivate Calm (Blissful Ways to Cultivate Calm) I shared 7 blissful tips on how to utilize mindfulness to cultivate calm. I had so much fun writing that article that I decided to share 6 additional ways to assist you with practicing mindfulness that leads to cultivating calm and eliminating stress.

If you haven’t already guessed, my goal is to help you discover how to live a life of Bliss. In living a life of bliss, having excellent health and well-being is key. When you begin to feel better you begin to be able to enjoy life just a little bit more. The busyness of life can cause you to be stretched and pulled in many directions leading to tension, anxiety and stress. Cultivating mindfulness in to one’s daily living is a wonderful way to combat the painful effects of stress while enhancing your physical and mental well-being.

The six Blissful tips in the article can be combined with the original seven tips for a total of 13. Try utilizing the tips for 13 day repeating once for a total of 26 days and see the difference they can make in your life.

6 Blissful Tips to Cultivate Calm

  1. WATCH THE RAIN FALL.

Notice the path of the rain as it falls toward the ground. If you are in a place that snows, try watching the snow instead. Let the puddles inspire you.

  1. BE PATIENT.

Instead of wishing for the day, the week, the year to hurry by so you can get to something better, savor each moment, whether big or small.

  1. TODAY AS YOU WORK, TAKE A MOMENT.

To think not about the task, but about those who will benefit from your task, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem.

  1. PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR THOUGHTS.

Don’t try to change them, just be aware of them and then let them go without judgment.

  1. TURN OFF ALL SCREENS FOR THE DAY.

No television, no phone, no computer. Be at peace with not being connected.

  1. APPRECIATE A PET.

Take your dog for a walk and notice her joy as she explores your neighborhood. Play with your cat and appreciate his focus. Watch your goldfish and marvel at its grace. If you don’t share your life with a pet, borrow a friend’s or spend some time at a local animal shelter.

While engaging in the Blissful tips to practicing mindfulness while cultivating calm, be easy on yourself and have fun experiencing the benefits from each practice. The more you practice the easier it gets to cultivate calm.

Enjoy!

 

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

Www.blissful-living.net

 

 

 

 

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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

Www.blissful-living.net

 

 

 

 

 

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Blissful Living

Living a blissful life is easier than you think. Once you know what blissful living is and how easy it is to obtain it, you will want to live this way. The quickest way to live a Blissful life is to eliminate stress.

You may be thinking, “ eliminate stress, is that even possible,” and if so how do I accomplish that? You know as well as I do that our society is built upon the battle with stress. Just the thought of the word “stress” causes a stress reaction in most all human beings. So how can the battle of eliminating stress be won without stressing you out?

Here are five things that you can do everyday to win the battle with eliminating stress:

  1. Take a Walk

Our life has become more and more sedentary. We are sitting, standing of lying down for longer periods of time. This can cause an imbalance in our balance of mental to physical energy expended creating stress within. Taking a walk for at least 10 minutes in nature will release feel good endorphins within your body elevating your mental clarity, mental bliss while invigorating your body.

  1. Eat Lunch Somewhere Pleasant

Lunchtime is a wonderful time to take a break and remove yourself from the confines of your desk. Find a place that’s relaxing, quiet and peaceful to eat your lunch or go to lunch with co-workers and release the pent up energy.  And while at lunch engage in pleasant and positive conversations or thoughts. Refrain from complaining, criticizing and gossiping. This helps to set a blissful tone for the remainder of the workday.

  1. Relax Your Muscles with a Body Scan

Progressive muscle relaxation can help you notice where you’re holding stress. It doesn’t take long and it’s simple to do: Lie down comfortably on your back with your legs straight. Close your eyes. Start by tensing muscles in your feet, and then relax.  Continue the process working your way up your body doing the same thing in sequence from your feet to your head, starting with the right side of your body. Often it’s only by experiencing muscle tension and letting it go that we become aware of just how much tension our bodies are retaining.

  1. Minimize Multitasking

Studies have shown that multitasking is not as efficient or effective as it once was thought to be. Jumping around from one thing to another to another in a constant state of partial attention is exhausting, inefficient and highly stressful. Try giving full attention to one thing at a time and watch your efficiency, effectiveness and Bliss increase.

  1. Get Your Face Out Of Your Phone

Set boundaries on when, where and how you will use your phone. Beware of the “dominating phone.” This is a phone that dominates your life to the point that your phone is in your hands more than not. Try eliminating your phone usage after 8:30pm and not using it before 7:00am and lastly putting your phone away during meals, parties or interacting with your family.

When we choose the path to bliss, we begin to enjoy our journey. Taking small steps to bring Bliss into our life is exactly what we are meant to do. It’s our destiny to live a life of Bliss and by learning what to do to accomplish the goal of Bliss, makes the journey even more special.

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

Www.blissful-living.net

 

 

 

 

 

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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
www.freegiftsfromrochele.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
www.linkedin.com/rochelelawson

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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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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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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

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Beginner’s Guide to Aromatherapy – Part 1: What Are Essential Oils?

In Ayurveda, one of the natural modalities that is used to help a person achieve wellness and balance is called aromatherapy. Essential oils play a specific and very important role in our lives because they’re all natural and very healing.

The essences of the oil are extracted from the plants’ leaves, roots, seeds and flowers. When we use these highly concentrated molecules on our bodies, they interact with our bloodstream, either when we inhale them, absorb them or take them internally, and we benefit directly from the nutrients in the plant.

Keep in mind that plants and humans have evolved alongside each other for thousands of years and we basically have somewhat the same chemistry. However, when we extract the essential oil from the plant, we’re taking part of its critical survival mechanism and its immune system. That, when ingested, helps our bodies achieve health and well-being.

Aromatherapy

The beautiful thing about utilizing essential oils is the science of aromatherapy. This is more than just the smelling of essential oils, it goes way deeper.

When we inhale these wonderful essential oils, the sensory palate within our brain is stimulated. The reaction can seem subtle, but different oils activate different aspects within our body to promote a state of equilibrium and synchronicity. This manifests outwardly as less stress and anxiety, and an increased sense of happiness, joy and creativity.

So Ayurveda uses essence, or the science of aromatherapy, for many multi-dimensional facets of healing, depending on what the client’s needs may be. Sometimes it is best to ingest certain essential oils directly, which looks like taking a drop of oil just as we would take a spoonful of honey.

Prayer and Meditation

Essential oils have been utilized for thousands of years during prayer and meditation. The Catholic Church specifically uses incense such as frankincense and myrrh, which dates back to Biblical days. This is a great tool to enhance spirituality and bring us closer to God and Spirit.

In the simplest terms, aromatherapy is the therapeutic use of pure essential oils to enhance the skin, the body, the mind and the soul.

Today, try rubbing a dab of oil on various parts of your body, such as your forehead or your third eye, your temple, your ear lobes or behind your neck. It also feels good to rub it into the bottom of your feet. It will take about 20 seconds to absorb, and about 2-4 minutes for your body to begin processing the benefits of the oil. You will notice your anxiety decrease and feel your mood uplifted.

Now you know what essential oils are and how you can use them to support your body and mind. Next week, I’m going to talk about which oils to use, where to get them, and how they can improve your quality of life.

Did you find this article useful? Please share it with your loved ones and comment below.  

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.stressassessmentmagic.com

 

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

Natural Tips to Help You Fall Asleep Faster

Most people have an idea of what to do in order to get a peaceful night’s rest, but for one reason or another they still find themselves tossing and turning. Their mind won’t quit – it won’t shut off.

We all know that lack of sleep can cause many significant health issues and increase stress levels. And yet, for about 50% of the nation’s population, getting a good night’s sleep is harder than mining for diamonds in Africa!

In Ayurveda, sleep is one of the three pillars of health. In order for our bodies to have perfect health and well being, we need to have time to relax and rejuvenate ourselves. With the intention of decreasing stress and reducing its effect on our bodies, here are some simple tips for falling asleep that have helped my clients and myself tremendously.

Lavender Essential Oil

Put a drop of highly therapeutic lavender essential oil on the bottom of each foot and massage it in to your skin. Use your finger to rub it in about 8-10 times. The oil will be absorbed into the body very quickly, and you can use the remaining oil on your shoulders. This will help to cool the winds of the mind and move into a relaxed state.

Make Your Diet A Routine

Eat three cooked meals a day, preferably at the same time of day. This will help the mind fall into a normal routine or pattern to decrease feelings of chaos and unpredictability. As much as you can, keep things stable and regular.

Choose A Bedtime

Ideally, go to bed by 10 pm and wake up by 6 am to set a predictable pattern for the mind. Use the lavender oil on your body about 15 minutes before you’re ready for lights out to relax your body. 

Remove Electronics

Turn off the television and any electronic equipment in your room! The electromagnetic energy and radiation that comes from these devices keep your mind alert, especially if your cell phone makes a sound every time you receive a message. Ideally, turn off the TV at least 15 minutes before you go to bed and keep all electronics away from the area where you sleep.

Drink Warm Milk

Make a nice, warm, yummy drink to help relax your body: warm 4-6 oz. milk and put a pinch of nutmeg in it. Allow the nutmeg to be absorbed and enjoy. If you’re lactose intolerant, this recipe still works great with other kinds of milk (coconut, almond, soy, etc.).

Nutmeg is a natural sleep inducer because it allows melatonin to release naturally, but be careful not to add too much as it can be harmful to the body.

Diffuse Essential Oil

A diffuser is a container that you fill with water and a couple drops of essential oil. It works similar to a mister or vaporizer to add essential oils into the atmosphere, and is a lovely way to help your body relax. Let it be part of your 15-minute ritual before you go to bed.

Meditation

Try a 5-minute meditation to calm the mind. It doesn’t have to be formal, it can be as simple as laying in bed with the lights off and giving gratitude for the things that happened during the day.

When thoughts come up, repeat the word “calm” to yourself. Say, “I am calm, I am at peace, I am relaxed and I’m being restored.” Repeat this phrase and allow the rambling thoughts to disappear. Eventually you’ll fall off into slumber and have a great night’s sleep.

Are you ready to create more relaxation and peace in your life? Visit: http://www.stressassessmentmagic.com to discover the best ways to promote health and vitality for your body type.

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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