The topic of mindfulness seems to be everywhere lately and meditation isn't too far behind. Mindfulness and meditation can fulfill the practice of being present in the moment, but it can be a bit confusing if mindfulness is only thought of as meditation. Let's take a look at the difference between the two and other practices of mindfulness. This is especially helpful if you have stress and anxiety.

What is the difference between Mindfulness and Meditation?  

Meditation is a practice to calm the mind and not become attached to our thoughts. There are a variety forms of meditation and it is a wonderful practice with many health benefits. 

Mindfulness is being fully present in the moment: what you are doing and what you are thinking. You accept and surrender your life exactly in the space you are in.

What are other practices of mindfulness?

The problem with combining mindfulness and meditation into one is that we lose the many other practices of mindfulness. The truth is that someone with stress and anxiety isn't able to meditate most of the time. When the mind consumes us on a daily basis, shutting it off feels impossible. 

Here are some other practices that can guide you to be fully present right now!

1) Mantra

We practice mantra without even knowing it. Mantra is an ancient practice and means "mind tool”. It is a way to control our thoughts and be present with them. Anytime you have a repetitive thought filling your mind, you are actually practicing mantra. The majority of the time, the thought is not what you want it to be so you have to find ways to reverse these thoughts. Affirmations or statements like "I am okay" are ways to start moving from the unwanted thought and shifting you to a feeling of being okay in this moment even if your mind thinks it is untrue. 

2) Breathwork

When you feel lost in the past or worried about the future, you can lose site of living in your body. Taking a moment to close your eyes and take deep inhales and exhales allows you to come into your body. You also come into the moment and start to feel present within yourself. When you live in your thoughts, you aren't present in your breath which can cause you to be anxious. Allow your breath to be your guide to come back into your body even if it is for a minute.

3) Present Awareness

When was the last time you were aware of exactly what you were doing? We get lost in the to-do lists and don't pay attention to the task at hand or the people we are with. The next time you find your mind wandering, come back to focus on exactly what you are doing or who you are with. This will allow you to absorb the moment and be okay with all that is.

4) Creative Outlet

Finding a creative outlet like dancing, singing, painting, storytelling, coloring or anything that makes you feel alive, automatically brings you mindfulness. In those moments of creation, the only thing you can think about is what you are doing and how much joy it brings. Overwhelming feelings can take you away from your creativity and put it down at the bottom of your list. Take time to make it a priority and see what happens!


Being mindful is personal and takes time to figure out what you need. The techniques above are only a few ways to come into the moment and they come from the practice of Bhakti Yoga. Bhakti is a devotional practice and allows us to come into a state of love. So whenever you feel anxious, non-present or overwhelmed, take a moment to try one of these tools above!
 

There is a lot of debate out there about having fats in your diet. The key is to find out the difference between good fats and bad fats. This is where I come in to help you learn what the difference is!

Below is a quick look at fats. I'd be happy to dive deeper with you on your wellness journey as your coach! Contact me for more information.

Modern nutrition standards recommend that up to a third of your nutrient intake be fats, and mostly of the good kind.
Generally, a third of fat intake may remain less beneficial fats, while it is optimum for the remaining two thirds to be mostly good fats. Fat is an important facet of utilizing long-term energy, energy storage, and combating inflammation in the body.

• Saturated Fats – these consist of less beneficial fats (primarily from animal sources like meat and dairy) but which are still helpful in small amounts.
• Unsaturated Fats – polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats are beneficial – but unsaturated also includes trans fats, the most harmful kind.
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids – a component of natural sources of polyunsaturated fat, these healthy, long-chain lipids are required in good proportion of healthy fat intake to prevent inflammation and disease.
• Omega-6 Fatty Acids – another component of natural sources of polyunsaturated fat, these lipids tend to be consumed in excessive amounts compared to Omega-3’s, and must be modulated while Omega-3 intake is increased.

Deficiency: Autoimmune and inflammatory disorders, digestive imbalance, heart disease, low energy and fatigue.

Recommended Daily Intake: No more than 24 grams of saturated fats; no more than 2 grams trans fats per day; as for healthy fats, The World Health Organization recommends a daily EPA and DHA of 0.3-0.5 grams, and a daily ALA intake of 0.8-1.1 grams. Each of these acids are different long chains of Omega-3, healthy fatty acids.

The Good
First- The Good: Monounsaturated and Polyunsaturated

Good Sources Include:

• Almond oil
• Olive oil
• Walnut oil
• Avocados
• Almonds, cashews, pecans, macadamia nuts

Good Omega 3 Sources Include:

• Flax oil
• Pumpkin oil
• Cod liver oil
• Chia seeds
• Walnuts
• Wild salmon, tuna, trout, mackerel, sardines and herring

Omega 6 sources include:

• Borage oil
• Evening primrose oil

• Sunflower oil
• Safflower oil
• Sesame oil
• Nuts
• Seeds
• Meat (grass fed and free range)

The Bad: Saturated Fats
It’s generally a good idea to minimize saturated fats in the diet; that will help you reap their benefits while minimizing their health risks.

Saturated Fat Sources Include:

• All animal-based foods, including meats, dairy products and eggs (Make sure to drink higher fat products and free range products when keeping these in your diet. Fat free and low fat products adds other ingredients and sugars into your diet.)

• Peanuts
• Coconut oil
• Cottonseed oil
• Palm kernel oil

Coconut oil sometimes gets a bad rap since it is a saturated fat and is solid at room temperature.  However, unrefined coconut oil has many health benefits such as skin care, hair care, brain function, heart health, weight loss, treating urinary tract and yeast infections, anti- inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-viral, improving digestion and preventing gum disease and tooth decay.  Just make sure its Virgin Coconut Oil.

The Ugly: Trans Fats

Sources of Trans Fats Include:

• Margarine
• Vegetable shortening
• Soybean oil
• Many Packaged, Processed foods
• Fast food, such as french fries and buns

Fat Burning Foods!

• Omega 3 Fatty Acids
• Whole Grains
• Nuts and seeds
• Olive Oil
• Avocados
• Magical Fruits-Grapefruit and Kiwi

*Copyright and information from the International Associations of Wellness Professionals

Do you ever wonder why we crave certain foods during a certain of day, week or month? Are your food cravings causing you imbalance in your life and health?
 
Food cravings can be a tricky thing to figure out. I’ve observed my own food cravings recently and I found that I crave sweets during stressful and lonely times.
 
When I am stressed, I turn to chocolate or sugary snacks to feel comforted and enriched. I also noticed that when I feel lonely, I turn to these same sugary treats to fulfill my longing for connection and love. Knowing these two triggers for my sugar cravings, I tried allowing myself to feel the stress or loneliness instead of going for a cookie, piece of chocolate or anything that I can get a hold of.
 
By taking time to feel my feelings, I noticed the craving for these foods has decreased. I have replaced my afternoon stress burn out and tired feeling with water. By drinking more water, I have energy to make it through the rest of the afternoon.
 
We all have cravings and we have underlining reasons why our body needs these items we crave. It may be a nutrients imbalance or an emotional tie like mine. Whatever your craving is linked to, take the time this week to really listen to your body and give it the real nutrients it needs. And if it still wants the piece of cake, go for it!

Protein is one of the body's three primary nutrients. On a micro level, protein is a primary building block to keep cells and tissues strong. These little building blocks are called amino acids. Amino acids are vital for the body's continual basic functioning and regulation processes. The body produces some of its own amino acids and must obtain the remainder of the food.

Up to a third of our diet should be protein which is macronutrient found in plant foods, meat and dairy. Proteins are made up of a variety of smaller amino acids, defined depending on the source from which they are found.

Protein is essential for the body's energy uses. It helps strengthen muscle and certain other bodily tissue and ensure that DNA and genes are expressing themselves properly throughout the body. It is closest to what we call direct "full" for our bodies.

Recommended Daily Intake: up to 70 grams per day

These are common symptoms as a result of having too little protein in the diet:

• Feeling jittery
  • Feeling weak
  • Inability to concentrate
  • Weight loss
  • Fatigue
  • Sugar cravings
  • Pallid complexion
  • Anemia
  • Changes in hair color or texture

With today's high-protein, low-carb fad diets, it's also possible to have too much protein in the diet. Symptoms include:

• Lethargy
  • Constipation
  • Dehydration
  • Weight gain
  • Feeling heavy and bloated 
  • Sugar cravings
  • Tight or stiff joints
  • Bad breath
  • Strong body odor
  • Acid imbalance
  • Decline in kidney function due to stress of processing excess proteins

Delicious, lean protein sources include wild Alaskan salmon, grass-fed beef, lentils, beans, hummus, nuts and seeds. Summer is a perfect time to grille out your favorite protein sources!

If you're still lacking protein or don't eat meat, a great supplement is Purium's amino acids. You take them throughout the day with meals to get your body functioning to its optimal potential. Details below and contact me for more info! 

*Information from the International Association for Wellness Professionals.

We all want to feel good and have the energy to live the best life possible. So what areas of our life do we need to check in with to see where we are imbalanced? Below is a check list to start looking at all aspects of your life and find ways to start enhancing your schedule for a more energetic you!

1) How much sleep have you gotten lately?

• Sleep is an important part of your daily cycle and helps to recharge your body and mind each night. The optimal time for sleep is from 10 pm-6 am. When we go to bed after 10 pm, your body finds its second wave of energy and relaxation becomes more difficult.   
• Start going to bed 15 minutes earlier each night, turn off the TV or electronics at least an hour before bed and drink      some warm herbal tea or water to help your body/mind relax.

2) What kind of movement have you done lately?

• Movement throughout your day is key to keep the mind and body fresh, alert and happy! Park further away in the parking lot, take a walk at lunch or even doing a few stairs will help you get movement throughout your day.
• What is one thing you can do right now for movement?

3) What have you eaten or drank lately?

• There are foods that can increase or decrease your energy. We know the key ones like fruits and vegetables for energy boost compared to sugar and processed foods for decrease in energy boost but we can also look at whole grains, healthy fats and some protein (depending on your body) for a pick me up during the day or at lunch.
• Starting your day with a warm glass of lemon water or two 8 ounce glasses of water can help jump start your day in a fresh way! 
• Make sure to amp up the water intake and notice the difference between physical and mental hunger. Sometimes all our body needs is a boost of hydration.
• Look at what time your energy runs out during the day and what you're craving at that time. Maybe replace the afternoon sweet with some carrots or a piece of fruit.

Take time to listen to your body, what it needs and know that life is a balance. Remember to get the most important vitamin, Vitamin J(oy)!