Are you out enjoying your summer? What are some favorite things you have done this summer. I know it has not been the same this year for most of us but I hope you have found time to enjoy time with friends and family. We have managed a few small drives just for fun.
This is one of my favorite DIYs to take with me during the summer time. It allows you to go out and enjoy the great outdoors annoyance free! So whether you are out hiking or just enjoying time in your back yard this is a must have recipe.
Outdoor Spray
- 2 oz. witch hazel
- 2 oz. distilled water
- 20 drops Thieves
- 20 drops Lemon
- 20 drops Rosemary
- 20 drops Citronella
Mix together in a 4 oz. glass spray bottle. Shake before each use.
NOTE: Lemon is a citrus oil and can cause your skin to be more sensitive to the sun for a period of time after use.
If you love this recipe and would like to check out more summer ideas and recipes then you'll love my Surviving Summer Class. You can find it here.
Blessings,
Anna
Emotional Health is as important as physical health but we often overlook it or ignore it.
Remember good emotional health does not mean you are always happy, it just means you have good coping strategies when life gets tough.
What are some ways to improve emotional health?
Good coping strategies when you are feeling overwhelmed such as:
- journaling
- meditation
- talking to a therapist
- listening to music
I also find that praying helps. I try to say a daily Rosary, faith for me is an important part of my life. Without it I am not sure I could cope, especially during times of stress.
Exercise will help you to relax and it improves your mood. Set aside some time everyday to get outside and enjoy nature. Take a hike or a walk. Enjoy the fresh air. You will also be getting Vitamin D which helps improve overall wellness.
Get connected with friends. Right now that can be challenging I know. Have you tried connecting online if you can't meet in person? I love zoom, you can see one another and enjoy a fun visit without leaving your home!
Get good quality sleep. Have you ever noticed when you are lacking sleep you seem to be more emotional? Here is a previous blog post I wrote on ideas to help you sleep.
Laugh everyday! Laughter reduces the level of stress hormones like cortisol, epinephrine, and dopamine. It also increases the level of health enhancing hormones like endorphins. This means fewer physical effects of stress.
Don't forget to focus on emotional health. It is an important part of our overall health!
Blessings,
Anna
Disclaimer: I am not here to diagnose, treat, or cure any illness. Everything I share is what I do personally and what works for me. Always talk to a health care provider if you need advice on your health and wellness.
Have you seen this article? I get so frustrated when I see things like this because I feel we should be able to go to a store and buy our products and feel safe knowing the things we buy are not destroying our health!
Unfortunately this is not the case and we need to be very careful and read the labels.
Have you ever taken the time to research what is in the products you are putting on your skin? It is not a pretty thing. There are tons of ingredients and they can cause issues, like cancer or other health issues. So many of them are endocrine disruptors. Who needs that? Our bodies already have to work overtime to get rid of the daily onslaught of toxins we cannot control.
Why not find products that we know are healthy and won't tax our bodies any more.
Let me tell you a story about a job I had before all of the quarantine put us in our homes. I had just started working at our school as a fill in janitor. I hate using toxic chemicals but unfortunately our school, just like many others, uses some harsh cleaners. I immediately got a headache from using them. I also had not been sick for a long time and a few weeks after getting the job I got a respiratory illness. I know it was from breathing in those awful chemicals. After quitting the job I had that cough for an entire month. Never again! It is just not worth it. My hope is that our schools change the cleaning products that they use and find safer alternatives for our children.
I found a company that I trust completely. Why? Because I have been to one of their farms, I have met some of the people that work there, and I have researched them. Plus personal experience has shown me that my body is doing better using the products that this company has. If you too would like to check out more about this company you can click here to learn more.
We are the gatekeepers of our homes and because of that we get to choose what comes into our homes. Choose better for you and your family.
Blessings,
Anna
We have been doing a 7-day sugar detox this week in my Facebook group.
Do you eat too much sugar?
Have you ever tried to cut it out completely?
Here are some excellent reasons for you to consider if not cutting it out entirely, at least limiting how much you consume.
- When you consume sugar, it is immediately absorbed by the body into the blood stream and is stored as fat. As a result, cutting sugar from your diet can help you lose weight.
- Consuming sugar may increase your risk of developing diabetes. When you consume sugar and you get a spike in blood sugar your body releases insulin. This constant release of insulin is not good for your body and can cause insulin resistance.
- Sugar contributes to inflammation in the arteries which also increases your risk for cardiovascular disease. Studies show that inflammation in the body can lead to many issues.
- And did you know that sugar causes you to age faster? It has been shown to contribute to premature aging.
- Sugar is not good on your liver; it can lead to the condition known as fatty liver.
There are so many other things that sugar does to our bodies. If you would like to learn more here is a great article I found on WebMd. You can check it out here.
Hippocrates said that good health resides in your gut and I totally believe this to be true. If your gut is not healthy, you are not healthy.
What are some signs that our gut is not healthy?
- Frequent stomach pain.
- A high sugar diet. If you are eating a diet high in sugar it can decrease the amount of good bacteria in your gut. When there is an imbalance of good bacteria in your gut it can increase sugar cravings and becomes a viscous cycle. Try giving up sugar if possible. Sugar has been linked to increased inflammation in the body.
- Sleep disturbances. Most of the bodies Serotonin is produced in the gut. Serotonin is a hormone that affects sleep.
- Skin Irritations. Skin issues can be linked to bad gut health. Our liver works to get rid of the toxins that we are exposed to daily. If it is not working properly and the normal routes that our body uses to get rid of toxins is compromised then our body will try other routes to rid it of toxins. Hence, we react with skin issues.
- Autoimmune conditions can be a result of our gut not being healthy.
- Food intolerances. If we do not have the good bacteria or the right enzymes in our digestive system it has a hard time digesting the food we eat and can cause bloating, gas, diarrhea, and nausea.
How can we improve our gut health?
- Eat raw fruits and vegetables.
- Eat foods that are fermented like sauerkraut, yogurt, and kefir.
- Avoid Sugar.
- Lower your stress levels.
- Increase your water intake so that your digestive system has an easier time digesting the food you eat.
- Take a prebiotic or a probiotic. Find foods that contain both.
- Supplement with high quality enzymes.
What are some things you do to improve gut health? Do you agree that gut health is important for your overall health?
Remember I am not a doctor and I am not here to diagnose, treat, or cure any illness. The ideas here are things that I have personally experienced in my journey to better wellness. It is always a great idea to do your own research into what is best for you!
Blessings,
Anna
