Keep on Moving
& Grooving
Have you ever found yourself out of your normal, healthy routine? Perhaps you had to work late and couldn’t make your workout class. Instead of heading home and going for a run, you decide to order a pizza, end up having a beer, and then find yourself falling asleep, feeling tired, bloated, and out of sorts.
The next day, it’s grey out. No sunshine in sight. You head to the office, put in your day’s work, and instead of meeting your friend for a hike, you opt out, head home, eat some comfort food, and fall asleep.
The next day, it’s grey again. Looking at the forecast online, you see there is no sunshine in sight. After many deep sighs, you prepare for the day and head to work.
Mid-day you feel sluggish and groggy. Your head is pounding after reading a hundred emails and instead of sipping water you realize you’ve drunk half a pot of coffee. You look across the room, to the plaque on your wall that says “You are my sunshine, my only sunshine.” You take a deep breath, thinking about sunshine. Thinking about how much you don’t feel like sunshine today and/or lately. You take another deep breath and decide to take a step outside for a short spin around the parking lot. Stepping out into the fresh air feels wonderful. It’s icy and cold and grey, but the cool air in the back of your throat feels phenomenal. You decide to call your assistant and let them know you’re taking an early lunch and will be back in an hour. You head across the parking lot and onto the bike path which leads to a park in your neighborhood. You start walking - trudging one foot in front of another on the snowy path. You pick up your speed a bit and take in your surroundings. It’s winter, so the trees are grey and brown and leafless, but in the grey light of this winter afternoon, you feel at peace. Some birds fly through the park, singing their bird songs. The cold air in the back of your throat reminds you that you are
alive. Your heart beats in your chest. Your spirit begins to soar, like the birds, just ahead.
Remember, that taking care of yourself impacts your health, your state of mind, your ability to cope with day-to-day stresses, and your overall well-being. Here are a few ideas to help support a healthy lifestyle:
Get enough sleep (everyone is different, but try to get at least eight hours every night)
Drink enough water (sip half your bodyweight in ounces throughout everyday - for example, if you weigh 150 pounds, drink 75 ounces of water everyday)
Move! Whatever your workout of choice is, do it, everyday! (add your favorite music to this routine - it can be very motivating!)
As soon as you get up, go to your yoga mat - do whatever comes naturally, for a minimum of five minutes (overtime, you’ll find that five minutes turns into ten, turns into 20, turns into 30 …)
Plan a walk, jog or run at some point in your day (a great time is midday when you’re stressed out at work - take a few minutes away from your desk, breathe in the fresh air and reboot!)
Make healthy food choices as often as you can. Plan ahead, eliminate fast food, consider vegetables or fruit first.
Add Ashwagandha and magnesium citrate to your daily supplement routine (Ashwagandha aids in healthy adrenal balance and magnesium citrate can help support healthy sleep patterns)
Meditate - if it scares you, just try to stop doing anything for one minute and see how it goes. Next time, try two minutes. The idea is to close your eyes, pay attention to your breath, breathe, and still your mind.
by Jenn Ryan
February 2017 | ElementsForAHealthierLife.com | 5