7 Daily Health Habits

What are your daily health habits? 

This New Year I’ve started implementing some daily health habits for some self love. They are little steps that I feel have helped my overall mental, emotional, and physical health. 

Most of my daily health habits include using essential oils. (Shocker.....I know!) Here’s what I do each day:

In the morning:

1. The first thing I do is turn on my Himalayan Salt lamp in my living room. It’s an orange-pink hue and helps to make waking up easier with it’s warming glow. Himalayan Salt lamps purify the air, help with stress and depression, and helps with your house Feng Shui.  
2. Then I add Young Living essential oils to my diffuser in the living room. I add whatever I’m in the mood for. Whether it’s for immune support, emotional support, or an uplifting aroma. 
3. The last morning health habit is my daily shot of Ningxia Red from Young Living. I always add a drop of Thieves Vitality and others as well. My latest concoction is Thieves, Raven, Lemon, Digize, and Grapefruit vitality- a drop of each. Ningxia Red is great for energy and is full of antioxidants. 

In the evening:

4. After dinner I take supplements and a few are from Young Living. I take magnesium and fish oil that I get from Target. From Young Living, I take a Life 9 Probiotic, Super C vitamin C, and Multigreens which is full of greens to help boost your intake. All the Young Living supplements also have essential oils on them too. 
5. I’ve also been doing Yoga each day and meditating as often as I can. I’m loving “Yoga with Adriene” on YouTube and am currently in my 2nd 30 days series of hers. I love meditating but sometimes run out of time or just have too much to do. I downloaded an app called “Breathe” that does guided meditations for about 5-10 minutes long. I like it and it’s quicker than my usual meditation length so I do get to do it more often than usual. More about meditating HERE. 
6. Each night I drink a cup of green tea with a dash of honey and a drop of a Vitality oil. Lately, I’ve used either Digize of Thieves because it’s flu season y’all. 

7. My last and all day long daily health habit is using my essential oils. Topically, aromatically, and ingesting. I love them so much. 

Find out how to get yours HERE. 

In good health,

xoxo

~K

| | Pause | |

We live in such a busy, hustle, bustle world that we often forget to PAUSE.

Especially when people are rushing and on time restraints, pausing can be such a foreign thing.  Our lives can be mechanic or routine like, but we have to remember to take a moment (or many) to PAUSE.

Something happened last night that really got me thinking of this idea of PAUSE.  I was at a red light and I heard the sirens of an ambulance.  The light turned green and I expected other cars to rush through and go.  But no.....we all paused a few moments for the ambulance to pass.  And the most amazing part was after the ambulance passed, the cars in the front still paused.  I was pretty shocked.  We all know there are a-holes out there who would run the light to avoid having to wait just a few moments.  But no one did.  Maybe it was the silent prayer people often do for when ambulances pass or they were too busy looking at their phones. 

Then, last night we got our first snow.  Now for anyone who lives in an area where you receive snow, you know how magical the first snow is.  I took the garbage out and just stood there and listened and looked to my environment.  I could hear the thick, wet snow hitting the ground.  It was so fulfilling to just PAUSE for a moment and enjoy my surroundings.

So I want to challenge you.....at least once a day PAUSE.....  Put your phone down, don't worry about what you have to do, shut everyone out for just a moment to PAUSE.  Take some deep breaths, meditate, look at your surroundings, or smile.

Life is too short to let it pass so quickly.  We can't rewind our lives or fast forward, but we can PAUSE.

xoxo~K

Meditation 101

Last month, I went to a Stress Relief workshop with Melita. She went over herbs to help relieve stress (Tulsi AKA Holy Basil, Chamomile, Lavender), Yoga practices (legs on wall, bridge), and meditation.  I never really considered meditating, but thought I would give it a try outside the workshop.  I have been really stressed lately, so anything that can help I would try.

I have been sticking to it for a month and have seen dramatic improvements!!  I have been more relaxed, less stressed, and patient (which is usually my mantra).  I have been meditating 3-4 times a week and I notice those days I don't meditate, I feel slightly off.  Which to me, that slightly off feeling lets me know that my body, mind, soul, and spirit need it. 

There are many great apps you can download to help you meditate.  I tried Headspace last year and it is nice with getting the foundations down.  Here is another list of great meditation apps. 

But here is how I meditate.  I may not be doing it right, but it is what works for me.  I will be researching more to find out other ways. 

1. Sit in a comfortable seat on the floor where it is quiet.
2. Close your eyes and relax your body, but keep your spine straight.
3. Be aware of your environment- sounds you hear, smells, tastes. Notice what is going on around you, so you will not be startled or come out of your meditation if you hear a noise (dogs barking, or in my case, a cat rubbing against me). 
4. Focus on your breathing.
5. Then, do a fill body scan- start at the top of your head to your toes.  Be aware of areas of discomfort.  Try to focus on those areas of discomfort and relax them or adjust your body to help alieviate any discomfort.
6. Alternate nose breaths- Begin by covering you right nostril and breath in through your left.  Then, cover your left and breath out your right and inhale through your right.  Cover your right and exhale out your left. This is one cycle.  Complete 11 more times for a total of 12 cycles.
7. Next, it is time for your mantra, which is a word or sound repeated through meditation to help keep your focus.   Mine is usually patience or strength.  The mantra needs to be repeated 108 times.  This is tracked by moving your thumb and middle finger along a bead on a mala necklace.  I made my own Mala from buying supplies at Michael's store.
8. After your mantra, it is time for prayer.  I start my prayer by recognizing people in need or who need extra thoughts.  Then, I give thanks for things in my life, or forgiveness.  While I am praying, I bring my hands together to my chest.
9. Last, I say an Om and re-state my mantra.  And finally, I say Namaste! :)

Meditation should be something that you look forward to and that should be done around the same time each day.  If your mind wonders to things during your meditation (to-do lists, something you forgot at work, what you will be eating for dinner), allow it, but then redirect it back to your meditation.  It can last 5 minutes by just taking breaths, or 15-20 minutes which is my usual length. 

 

This is the Mala I created from Michael's.  I used 108 beads, made my own tassel from thread, and attached an Om charm to it.  The beads are made of sandstone, and are usually very cold.  Which is quite refreshing after my 3 mile run.  I usually meditate after exercising.