I find it is even more important in the world we live in today!

I have also noticed that most people are so busy doing everything for everyone else, that they aren’t making enough time to nurture and take care of themselves.

Please remember, the better we take care of ourselves, the better we can take care of the ones we love. We all need to take some time each day to slow down, calm the mind, and rest. If we don’t take a little time for ourselves, emotions and stress can get hold of us.

“Our emotions infuse life with a rich texture and transform our conscious experience into a meaningful living experience. Emotions determine what we care about and what motivates us. They connect us to others and give us the courage to do what needs to be done, to appreciate our successes, to protect and support the people we love and have compassion and kindness for those who are in need of our help. Emotions are also what allow us to experience the pain and grief of loss. Without emotions, life would lack meaning and purpose.“(1)

Stress will put the body into survival mode, and it will break down the immune system quickly. Studies show that 60 to 80% of doctor visits are associated with stress! The last thing we need to be doing to ourselves during this busy time is to break down our own immune system. We want to do all we can today to stay as healthy as possible.

We have been conditioned to believe that stress is the silent killer, but studies show that stress itself is not the killer. In actuality, it is how we THINK of stressful circumstances. (Psychologist, Kelly McGonigal has a marvelous talk on this subject.) If we feel we can get through the situation, then we are not harmed by the stress. If we think stress will harm us, then it will. So, be mindful of how you focus on things.

A soothing hot bath or foot soak at the end of the day is always a wonderful way to relax and release stress. I add some magnesium chloride to the bath, along with some lavender essential oils for a truly relaxing bath.

Along with that, here are some additional techniques on how to get a handle on stress, and boost the immune system as well!

First

Breathe!
Breathe deeply into the diaphragm. I can’t emphasize this enough. When we are stressed, we tend to hold our breath and/or only breathe into our upper lungs. When we do this, it cuts off much of the oxygen to the brain, which makes it harder to think. This type of shallow breathing tells the body that we are in a fight or flight mode.

Most importantly, shallow breathing breaks down our immune system. Research that has been done with deep breathing exercises has shown an immediate positive impact affecting blood pressure and the PH of the blood.

According to Esther Sternberg, a physician and researcher at the National Institute of Mental Health, and author of several books about stress, “Slow Deep Breathing can actually stimulate the body’s reaction that will calm us down.” She says deep breathing is like putting on the brakes of your car.

According to Sternberg, when you’re stressed, the immune system’s ability to do its job to fight infections is seriously compromised. If you want to handle a stressful situation, and boost the immune system, and ultimately feel better, you need to breathe deeply and slowly on a regular basis. It’s free, easy, and you can do it anytime and anywhere!

Pranayama yoga uses breath work as a regular part of their practice.

Cleveland’s Integrative Medicine Clinic has their chronic disease patients learn and practice breathing, using yoga techniques. Mladen Golubic, who was a physician at the Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Integrative Medicine, says “You can influence asthma; you can influence chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; and you can influence heart failure.” There are studies which show that people with these conditions who practice breathing exercises regularly, benefit greatly.

Second

Eat whole organic foods (that are in their pure form, not from a package or fast-food container), and eliminate caffeinated beverages from your diet.

Many people rely on and become dependent on beverages that contain various forms of caffeine to help them deal with fatigue, which can be caused by stress.

Caffeine will actually raise the level of stress hormones in the body, is a bowel irritant, and is also dehydrating. Get off the roller coaster of caffeine and try for a steady, even stride of energy.

Hydrate your body with abundant amounts of water first thing in the morning, as soon as you wake up and before eating anything. Then eat a densely nutritious breakfast. When our body is really fed on a deep cellular level, we are giving the body the fuel it needs to run on.

Dehydration is a major cause of disease and illness, so hydrate with water or coconut water between meals. We need to drink as much water in the cold months as we do in the warm months. Central heating can dehydrate us.

Don’t drink water with meals. Drinking water with meals tends to make us not chew our food as well as we should. Avoiding liquids with meals can encourage you to chew your food until it’s liquid, and better able to be digested.

Drink water between meals for hydration. Add a tiny bit of whole unrefined sea salt (electrolyte is a fancy medical term for salt) to the water for additional minerals. This will help the body absorb the water more effectively.

Third

Get a good night’s sleep.
Every night, make the last 30 minutes before bed a time of reflection, gratitude and positive, peaceful thoughts. Sleeping is where our body rejuvenates itself. A good night’s sleep can make a world of difference in our health and well-being. What we focus on before bed is what our mind is going to ponder over for hours throughout the night.

Make a list of the things that are on your mind, and also list the things that need to be done the next day. Put them down and get them out of your head. Release any thoughts about problems, and shift the focus to solutions.

Have your sleeping space free of clutter and electronics. Make sure that your bedroom is completely dark. Light can disrupt the sleeping pattern, even if it is just a little nightlight. This will create a more peaceful healing environment.

Free up the mind by taking about 20 or 30 minutes to focus the mind on something positive, joyful and peaceful.

Studies done by the Heartmath Institute show that when we focus on positive thoughts like gratitude, compassion or caring, we can actually stimulate healing responses in the body to the point of even activating our own stem cells.

Meditate, and if you like, you can do it with some soft uplifting music or sounds of running water. If you do need to do something, then read or watch something that is uplifting, positive and relaxing. If you can’t seem to sit still or have problems keeping your mind quiet, try one of Dr. Joe Dispenza’s walking meditations. The walking meditations are wonderful and they are my favorite mediations these days.

I use my new phototherapy non-transdermal technology that has Silent Night Patches, which have been found to regulate sleep through melatonin production. The silent night non-transdermal patches can also help reduce oxidative stress as melatonin is an antioxidant and cancer protective. Great for calming in children. To learn more about them, click here and contact me, (214-202-9243 or nancy@nancyaddison.com), if you would like to try them. (Here is my referral number 1439757. and my link is: https://lifewave.com/nancyaddison

Fourth

Make time for laughter!
There have been numerous studies revealing clear evidence that episodes of laughter helped to reduce pain, decreased stress-related hormones, boosted the immune system, and decreased anxiety. I’m actually a certified laughing yoga instructor, because I believe in the power of laughter so much.

The Cancer Centers of America use laughter therapy now, and says it can:
• Enhance oxygen intake
• Stimulate the heart and lungs
• Relax muscles throughout the body
• Trigger the release of endorphins (the body’s natural painkillers)
• Ease digestion/soothe stomach aches
• Relieve pain
• Balance blood pressure
• Improve mental functions (i.e., alertness, memory, creativity)

Laughter therapy may also help to:
• Improve overall attitude
• Reduce stress/tension
• Promote relaxation
• Improve sleep
• Enhance quality of life
• Strengthen social bonds and relationships
• Produce a general sense of well-being

Some funny recommendations for lifting your mood are:

1. Movies like: Elf, Legally Blonde, Big Business, The Court Jester, The Glass Bottom Boat (anything Doris Day for me!)

2. Music – The Love Train by the O’Jays, Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company B, Biscuits by Kasey Musgraves.

What (music, movie, audio book) makes you feel joyful? Play that whenever you need to shift your energy or lift your mood.

When we are laughing, we can’t be worrying about the past or the future. It makes us completely present.

I also wear a new technology using photo-therapy with non-transdermal patches, if I am feeling stressed, because the studies have shown that they can lift your mood. The Aeon patch is anti-inflammatory, anti-stress, and so they call it the happy patch!
The name of the substance that is elevated in the liver is called phenyl-glutamine.  Click here to listen to a medical doctor explaining how they work.

(My referral number 1439757 and click here for my link.

Try it any of those suggestions, you may like it.

In conclusion:
It’s been an unusual and sometimes challenging last 4 years.
I heard that in today’s world, we are confronted with more input in one day than our grandparents were in a whole year.

As life is speeding up, it is important to know how to slow down, take some time to stop and smell the roses, and focus on what is important in life.

Ultimately it is a choice.

If you are feeling depressed or low, find a place to volunteer, or get involved with a group that is doing something that interests you. When we are helping others or getting involved, we find ourselves feeling empowered, and it can lift our mood, and create happiness in our life.

Breathe deeply, eat and drink whole fresh food, focus on the solution and positive things in life, find something that can make you laugh, and release stress from your life.

I send you wishes and love for a blessed December.

Sources:

How Emotions Guide Our Live, https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/compassion-matters/201801/how-emotions-guide-our-lives

Nerurkar, A., et al., When physicians counsel about stress: results of a national study. JAMA Intern Med, 2013. 173(1): p. 76-7. Avey, H., et al., Health care providers’ training, perceptions, and practices regarding stress and health outcomes. J Natl Med Assoc, 2003. 95(9): p. 833, 836-45.

Breathing and Stress: NPR- “Just Breathe: Body Has A Built-In Stress Reliever” by Gretchen Cuda, December 6, 20103.
https://www.npr.org/2010/12/06/131734718/just-breathe-body-has-a-built-in-stress-reliever

Stem Cells and Heart Math: https://deanhoweswbp.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/heartmath-the-science-of-the-heart.pdf

Laughter: Cousins N. Anatomy of an illness as perceived by the patient. N Engl J Med. 1976;295(26):1458–63. [PubMed] Devereux PG, Heffner KL. Psychophysiological approaches to the study of laughter: toward an integration with positive psychology. In: Ong AD, van Dulmen MHM, editors. Oxford handbook of methods in positive psychology. New York, NY: Oxford University Press; 2007. pp. 233–49.

Effects of Laughter Therapy on Anxiety, Stress, Depression and Quality of Life in Cancer Patients https://www.omicsonline.org/open-access/effects-of-laughter-therapy-on-anxiety-stress-depression-and-quality-of-life-in-cancer-patients-1948-5956-1000362.php?aid=60533

Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Volume 3 (2006), Issue 1, Pages 61-63, http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ecam/nek015, Humor and Laughter may Influence Health. I. History and Background by Mary Payne Bennett1 and Cecile A. Lengacher 2, 1Indiana State University, College of Nursing, IN, USA, 2University of South Florida, College of Nursing, FL, USA, Received 30 March 2005

Nancy also counsels people in health and nutrition.

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Medical Disclaimer:
Information provided in this podcast, blog, article, video is for informational purposes only. The information is a result of years of practice and experience by Nancy Addison CHC. However, this information is NOT intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or other healthcare professional, or any information contained on or in any product label or packaging.

Do not use the information provided in this blog, audio podcast, article, video  for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing medication or other treatment. Always speak with your physician or other healthcare professional before taking any medication or nutritional, herbal or homeopathic supplement, or using any treatment for a health problem. If you have or suspect that you have a medical problem, contact your health care provider promptly. Do not disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking professional advice because of something you have read in this email.

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The information from Nancy Addison and Organic Healthy Lifestyle LLC is not offered for the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of any disease or disorder nor have any statements herein been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). We strongly encourage you to discuss topics of concern with your health care provider.

The post Have A Healthier Holiday appeared first on Organic Healthy Life - Nancy Addison - Nutrition.

First: Before going to a cocktail party, I usually take one tsp. of raw, organic green food powder (I like “Perfect Food” powder by Garden of Life, spirulina powder, or chlorella powder), and 1 tsp. of organic psyllium husks, with a little water. I then drink another glass (16 ounces) of water immediately afterwards.

Doing this makes me feel a bit full and prevents me from showing up to a party hungry, which can lend itself to overeating.  This drink mixture  also contains a lot of fiber, which can be helpful if one overindulges in the liquid spirits at the party.

Second: When I am in a buffet line, or at a party where there is an amazing amount of food, I use an appetizer or salad plate instead of a dinner plate. People who do this, on average, eat 40 percent less! I try to choose cut up fresh veggies, hummus and other truly healthy foods. In addition, I try to avoid sugar.

According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, one teaspoon of added sugar shuts down a person’s immune system for up to five hours. (1) Since I am wanting to feel really great this season, boost my immune system, and avoid being sick, I keep this in mind while I am eyeing the beautiful deserts and goodies.

Third: If overindulgence in spirits is a problem, here are a few natural ways to help relieve a hangover:

Remedy #1: Combine 1 tsp. raw, unfiltered honey, 1/2 c. freshly squeezed orange juice, and ¼ c. kefir or yogurt. Consume. 
•   Remedy #2: Soak organic dates
(pitted) in water for a few hours or more. Drink the water and eat the dates.

Remedy #3: Eat a banana.

Remedy #4: If feeling nauseous, try cutting up a bit of fresh organic, ginger root (you can buy this in the fresh produce section of the grocery store) into little pieces, and steeping it in hot water for about 3 – 5 minutes to make a ginger tea. It is very effective for relieving nausea.

Four: Make sure to get enough rest. Everyone has experienced the fatigue, lack of focus, and short temperedness that can follow a poor night’s sleep. We don’t want to experience that during the holidays! But even beyond these side effects, research has linked poor sleep with higher risks of heart disease and stroke, Type 2 Diabetes, and depression.(2)

If you have trouble sleeping, try having a little chamomile tea or warm milk (hemp, coconut or from organic, humanely raised, and grass fed cows or goats) with 1 tiny bit of raw, unfiltered honey.
If you are under a lot of stress and need a little relief, valerian root can help with tension or anxiety. For thousands of years, the herb valerian has been used in Europe and Asia to aid with sleep or anxiety. For insomnia, it’s suggested you use between 400 milligrams to 500 milligrams of valerian root up to two hours before bed.

Also, as we get older, humans don’t produce as much melatonin, which is what helps us sleep. You can buy melatonin as a supplement at the store. It comes in different strengths (one to three milligrams). Dr. Gary Massad, who has researched melatonin and sleep problems in depth, states that studies show if you take half a milligram of melatonin around three or four in the afternoon and then another half gram again about an hour before bedtime, it will work most effectively.

Other hormone imbalances can also disrupt sleep patterns, so have your doctor check you for any hormone imbalance or vitamin deficiencies. I recommend only using a vitamin from a whole food source, and I do not recommend ever taking synthetic vitamins.

You might also listen to recorded sounds of rain or ocean waves to help with sleep, as they may relax your mind. Experiment to find out what works best for you.

Five: Most people are so busy doing everything for everyone else, that they aren’t making enough time to nurture and take care of themselves. Let’s face it, the better we take care of ourselves, the better we can take care of the ones we love.

Make sure you take some time each day to slow down, calm the mind, get a little exercise, and love yourself. If we don’t take a little time for ourselves, stress can get hold of us.

Try making an appointment with yourself each day to slow down, rest, exercise, and do whatever you need to do to take care of yourself. Even consider marking it in your calendar or setting a daily timer to keep you on track. Try and keep that appointment like it is with your most important client or friend.
I have exercise down as an appointment, and although I reschedule once in a while, I don’t cancel it because it is a commitment to myself (even if that just means walking around the block briskly).

Six: If you’re feeling blue, pamper yourself and do what feels good. Try to take a walk, or spend time alone if that’s what you want. Remember, this is your holiday too and you can be there for yourself just like you try to be for everyone else.

I’ve spent many a holiday alone. Sometimes I have felt a little blue. When that happens, I intentionally will shift my focus to something new. Exercise has been shown to help with weight maintenance, health, stress relief and depression. So, make sure you keep it in your schedule. Or, I may turn on a funny movie, take a walk, turn on joyful music and call a friend to come over, or take a supplement called 5 HTP.
5-HTP or 5-hydroxytryptophan, is an essential amino acid that can increase the levels of serotonin in the brain, similar to antidepressants.

Low levels of serotonin can contribute to the development of depression and increased appetite. I have found 5 HTP really helps me when I am feeling low. Studies show it begins working as quickly as 15 to 20 minutes after taking it. You can purchase it at a healthy grocery store.

Remember, the holidays only come once a year and only last for a short time. So many of us have an idealized idea of what the holidays should be like and can be disappointed when they don’t live up to those expectations.

Try to be realistic and remember, nobody has a perfect holiday or perfect family. If you follow these tips, you might just find this year to be healthier, less stressful and more joyful!

Please leave a comment and join the conversation!

Everyone would love to hear what you think!

Sources:
1- Albert Sanchez, J. L. Reeser, H. S. Lau, P. Y. Yahiku, R. E. Willard, P. J. McMillan, S. Y. Cho, A. R. Magie, and U. D. Register. “Role of sugars in human neutrophilic phagocytosis.” The American Society for Clinical Nutrition, Inc. 1973. http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/26/11/1180.abstract.
2- NHS, Government of United Kingdom, Why lack of sleep is bad for your health 
http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/tiredness-and-fatigue/Pages/lack-of-sleep-health-risks.aspx.

3- Find a Vitamin or Supplement, 5 – HTP,, Web MD, http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-794-5-HTP.aspx?activeIngredientId=794&activeIngredientName=5-HTP.
copyright@nancyaddison2015
I’d love to hear your comments.
For more information contact Nancy (at) nancyaddison.com

The post Healthy Lifestyle And Nutrition Tips For Surviving The Holidays appeared first on Organic Healthy Life - Nancy Addison - Nutrition.

1. Stay hydrated! Even though they are liquid, sodas and coffee are not hydrating. So, drink lots of water to stay hydrated. Hydration is a major factor in staying well and healthy!
2. Juice half an organic lemon or lime and add to a glass of warm purified water. Drink this first thing in the morning before anything else goes into your stomach. This will help cleanse your organs, give you a vitamin C boost and help alkalize your system.
3. Make your healthy breakfast and/or lunch your largest meals of the day. You need this to give your body sustainable energy throughout the day.
4. Eat healthy fats. Fats are good for you in the right form, quality and quantity. These “good fats” will actually give you more energy, help you lose weight, fight inflammation and support your brain function.
5. Exercise at least 50 minutes 3 times a week. This helps you get oxygen flowing throughout your body and cuts down on stress.
6. Take time for yourself. Take a long hot bath, a walk, a nap, a massage or manicure. Even if it is just for 15 minutes, nurture yourself, breathe deeply, and think of peaceful thoughts. Play some uplifting music. It is amazing how rejuvenating this can be!
7. Volunteer. There is no better way to invigorate your life than to do something in a volunteer way. No matter how low things seem to be, when you volunteer, it puts everything into perspective and can empower you! It is a great activity to do as a family or a group. There are so many worthy groups out there that could use some help. If you are lonely, it is a great way to get out, meet some new friends and have some fun. When we give, we always get much more back in return.

Remember, if you don’t take care of yourself, you can’t take care of others. So, be patient and kind to yourself during the holidays.
I wish you and yours a merry holiday season! Love, Nancy
copyright@nancyaddison2012 for more information go to wwww.organichealthylifestyle.com

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