Skip resolutions and do this instead

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NYE photo 12-31-2014

Photo credit: Katie Kaleita Higgins (Heman and I at New Year’s Eve dinner)

New Year’s brings about so much anticipation about going all out to be our super perfect best self and no less will do (oh the pressure!). We get overwhelmed in an instant and then it’s tough to want to step forward and take action.

 

It doesn’t have to be this way.

 

Focus on making one small positive step a day. Here’s a few small steps you can take. Choose one or two daily. I hope this inspires you to make up some of your own.

 

One positive step a day to better health:

1. Drink water with lemon first thing in the morning to hydrate and give your body a natural energy boost. I use fresh squeezed lemons or lemon essential oil, must be Therapeutic Grade so it’s safe to consume, I use doTERRA.

2. Have a piece of fruit or sliced veggies as a snack instead of a candy bar.

3. Make a healthy dinner. Keep it simple. Baked fish and a healthy salad. Try my recipe: http://blog.vitacost.com/recipes-2/baked-mahi-mahi-with-roasted-garlic-salsa.html

4. Exercise first thing in the morning before getting ready for work. Create a workout schedule at the beginning of each week, pencil in that weight-lifting session or spin class, then get up and go in the morning.

5. Be good to you. Take that 5 minute break when you know you really need. Ask for a hug when you need to feel loved.

 

I am all about creating goals that are specific and measurable instead of resolutions which are usually vague and unrealistic. I encourage you to start simple then expand by writing down your short and long term goals. For professional support in reaching your health and wellness goals, contact me at pam@totalhealthcounseling.com.

 

Wishing you abundant Health & Happiness in the New Year!

XO,

Pam

Setting Intentions in the New Year

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Every New Year it seems like everyone sets New Year’s Resolutions. For many people it means setting unrealistic expectations then dropping them a few weeks later (like losing 10 pounds, never eating dessert again). I thought about how I stopped making New Year’s Resolutions in years past. I felt discouraged about the way resolutions made me feel when I couldn’t stick with them.

After working on my own personal growth this year, I decided that I would set intentions for the new year. I feel like setting intentions puts a focus on the positive. Resolutions seems like they are expectations to fix something that is broken or wrong.

Setting an intention means to decide you’re going to make a conscientious effort to do something, setting a goal. Resolution is more the act of fixing something that is not working.

 

My intentions for the New Year:

I intend to add more play and fun into my life.

I intend to feed myself healthy foods that nourish my body.

I intend to feel better in my body and add more movement daily.

I intend to allow quiet time daily.

I intend to give myself enough rest and relaxation time.

I intend to spend less time online attached to my computer and cell phone.

I intend to enjoy my family and friends with more quality time and adventures.

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I hope this inspires you to set your intentions for your life at the beginning of this year. You can of course set new intentions all of the time, I’m sure I will too along with way!

What intentions are you setting for yourself and your life?

Please share in the comments below.

XO, Pam

What I Learned on My Vacation Home

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Last week my husband and I ventured up to NY to visit my family for Christmas. He was hoping for lots of snow and I was dreading the cold, but really anxious to see my family.

We arrived and drove in the rain and fog to our destination, the rain washed away most of the snow and it wasn’t too cold for a few days. Christmas Day, we awoke to snow and 4 degree weather – burrrrr. Not enough snow to snowboard, not even on the lawn. The next day, we drove in a snow storm to the airport. This was a quick trip overall but I learned a few things along the way.

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I left my laptop at home so I was forced to ‘unplug’ for a few days. I could read e-mails on my phone but no writing, planning to the nth degree, no sitting on my laptop working away as I often like to do.

After a day of laptop withdrawal, I began to notice that my mind was not going and going all day long. I wasn’t constantly thinking about what’s next or what I’m not currently doing.

This started to feel really good. My stress levels dropped and I felt a sense of calm I haven’t felt in a really long time.

We had less on the agenda so I was able to just live moment to moment and really stay in the present. I wasn’t planning my life days and months ahead, just taking it day by day and maybe making dinner plans, but nothing too stressful. Hanging out with my niece and nephew and having tons of fun playing reminded me how essential play is to balance out all the work we do.

So this is what I learned and will keep practicing:

  1. Take time to unplug daily and weekly. This means not being glued to my laptop all day, all night and not checking  my phone every 5 minutes or less.
  2. Have less on my to-do list. I love to make little deadlines for myself, but I often go overboard and then have a really long and overwhelming list. Keep it short with 3-4 items only.
  3. Get more sleep. I often find myself staying on the computer too long every night, see #1, then end up getting less sleep than I really need.
  4. More time for play time. We’re all wired to work as much as we can, but without making time for play the quality of our work suffers and so do we. Getting irritated and cranky is no fun.
  5. Stress less. Most of our tasks are not life critical, so they really are not worth stressing out over and inducing fight or flight in our bodies.

What are some lessons you learned on vacation that you could practice in your day to day.

I’d love to know, please share in the comments section below.

Guide To Thanksgiving Freedom

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Happy Thanksgiving this week!

A time for gathering with family, perhaps traveling a bit, tons of food, maybe a little drama. If you’re worried about eating too much, saying the wrong thing, or not being enough, check out these tips:

  • Just breathe – take a brisk walk in the morning or jog if you’re a runner. Even for only 15 minutes, take deep breathes getting air down to the base of your lungs. Deep breathing delivers more oxygen to our muscles, tissues, and especially our brain. We can think more clearly and feel happier when our brain gets tons of fresh oxygen.
  • Enjoy a light breakfast with some tea. My raspberry pumpkin muffins are festive and filling. (subscribe to my newsletter to get recipe now). I made a batch this weekend and put them in the freezer so they are ready to bring to Tampa to share, but you know I’ll be enjoying one before we hit the road Thanksgiving morning 😉
  • Stay hydrated throughout the day, drinking in between meals helps nourish our bodies and also distracts us from getting into too many goodies before meal time. With so much food around it’s easy to pick all day and end up feeling full before the main meal then end up eating until we’re really stuffed.
  • Approach the day with gratitude and forgiveness. Appreciate everyone who gathers with you on this special holiday, we are all together to give thanks after all. Think of 3 things you love about each person and tell them at least one of those things. You will make their day and possibly their year!
  • Dress up in something that makes you feel comfortable and attractive. Do this for yourself, it will make you smile more and if anything comes up that bothers you for the day, it’s less likely to stick because you are feeling so great about yourself.
  • At the Thanksgiving meal, chew your food really really well. Engage in conversation. Focus on enjoying the company. Appreciate each bite of delicious food. Put your fork down between bites.
  • Eat dessert, you heard me right! If you love dessert, go ahead and have a slice of pie or cookie. Enjoy that dessert fully. Have it with a lovely cup of tea. Thank yourself for a joyous meal with dessert then relax about it. Take an evening walk to get more fresh air and give gratitude for all the blessings in your life.

What are your best holiday tips? Please share in the comments below.

Happy Thanksgiving to you!! XOXO

DU20 Holistic Oasis: Heal and Connect Within

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DU20 in Delray Beach is truly a Holistic Oasis, they offer Eastern Medicine treatments including acupuncture, herbal medicine, massage, and float-meditation. I have been going there for a few months and decided to share my experience with you all because I truly feel amazing after every visit and I get more connected and a better understanding of how to best serve myself body-mind-spirit.

My personal acupuncture physician is Dr. Stephanie Pierre, she is loving, knowledgeable, and an amazing healer. Dr. Nick Kusturic is co-owner with his sister Natalie Kusturic and also an acupuncture physician. Dr. Nick is highly skilled and professional in his craft and equally as warm and kind. I can’t say enough goods things about each of them, they are wonderful!

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Located at the corner of NE 2nd Avenue and NE 1st Street across from the Hyatt Place hotel in the heart of Pineapple Grove in Delray Beach. You will walk into a serene and welcoming environment and be greeted by a friendly face and offered tea or water prior to your treatment.

The tea bar is beautifully decorated, grab a seat and settle in, you can come anytime to enjoy some tea – hot or cold, no treatment required. This is a great place to enjoy happy hour any night of the week!

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To the right of the tea bar is the studio where live classes are taught and seminars are held. Check the schedule for classes of Tai Chi or Qigong, both are taught by Dr. Nick Kusturic. I haven’t taken one of these classes, but I know Dr. Nick and he confident as he is gentle, so I‘m sure his classes are enjoyable and worthwhile.

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For acupuncture and massage treatments you will be led to a comfortable room with soft lighting and a massage table to lay upon. Meditative music gently fills the room. I am led to the room to wait for Dr. Stephanie or she greets me at the tea bar to take me back for my session. I am instantly relaxed. We go over how I am feeling that day, any issues that came up that week, she checks my tongue, and checks my pulses. Looking at the tongue is a practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), you can tell a lot about a person’s state of health just by looking at their tongue. Next she checks my pulses on each wrist which are related to different organs in the body, this tells her the strength and condition of them. Based upon those points and what we discussed she chooses which points on my body to treat.

I began going to Dr. Stephanie for fertility enhancement, this is one of the specialties that both she and Dr. Nick treat. After a few visits with a reproductive endocrinologist to get diagnosed and tested, I decided to go to acupuncture to heal my body and balance it out to get ready for conception. I have read a great deal about this subject and learned through my research the power of acupuncture to increase fertility. Acupuncture can be used alone or alongside western medical fertility treatments by reproductive endocrinologists to increase chances of conception.

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Acupuncture can be used to for treatment of several conditions or concerns, including:

  • Sports Medicine
  • Pain Management
  • Fertility Enhancement
  • Sexual Disorders
  • Pediatric Care
  • Anxiety, Depression
  • Skin Inflammation: acne, eczema, psoriasis, dermatitis
  • Allergies
  • Sleep Disorders
  • Chronic Fatigue

Post treatment time, the tea bar is a great place to enjoy tea, chat with the staff, and say good bye until next time.

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Come to DU20 to heal and connect within with the love and support of professionals!

Amazing staff and healing treatments for your body-mind-spirit.

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Dr. Stephanie Pierre hand-made chocolate with love. I enjoyed one after my treatment seated at the tea bar then had another at home with my favorite “Tea for Her” from DU20’s tea bar.

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DU20 Holistic Oasis – Acupuncture in Delray Beach

103 Northeast 2nd Avenue
Delray Beach, FL 33444

Tel: 561-455-2147
Fax: 561-455-2762

Holiday Schedule: We will be closed Monday,
December 24th through Tuesday, January
1st in Observance of the Holidays.

Normal Hours of Operation:
Mon 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Tue 9:00 am – 7:00 pm
Wed 9:00 am – 6:00 pm
Thu 9:00 am – 7:00 pm
Fri 9:00 am – 6:00 pm
Sat 9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Closed on Sunday

Disclaimer:

This post is based upon my personal experience. The materials and content contained on this website are for general health information only and are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.