Getting Grounded (earthing)

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Getting Grounded (earthing)The phenomenon of being grounded involves being centered, focused, embodied, and in better control of all your faculties. It is a helpful state of being for reducing anxiety, dealing with depression, and addressing trauma.

Walk in the Grass in Bare Feet!

What is it: Take off your shoes and allow the soles of your feet to come in contact with the sand, grass, rocks, soil, or even indoors.

Why it works: People who talk about the phenomenon of earthing describe the electron transfer between living systems and the electromagnetic field of the earth. They may sound a bit esoteric, but research does confirm the antioxidant effects of walking barefoot on the earth. Some of the additional benefits include stimulation of reflexology points on the feet as well as the articulation of the joints of the foot and the benefits of the massaging action of walking barefoot on the fascia and other tissues of the feet.

Walk inside with bare feet while its cold, but get outside with those bare feet when it warms up.

How to Protect Yourself from Germs

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How to Protect Yourself from GermsHello, let’s talk about things that can be done to help us navigate through these infectious times. By now everyone has heard about using hand sanitizer and washing your hands regularly. Did you know that Young Living has both of these products and that the ones from Young Living not only kills germs but also can help boost your immune system? A win-win if you ask me!

These are both a part of the Thieves line of products for Young Living. They also have an All-Purpose Cleaner, a Thieves Spray, a Fruit & Vegetable Spray, Throat Lozenges, and Thieves Mints that I have been using frequently throughout all of this infectious time.

How do I use these you ask, well I use the all-purpose cleaner to clean all surfaces in my home. I also use the all-purpose cleaner to make up a spray to use as an air freshener to clean the air in my house and to clean my gloves after coming back inside. The thieves spray I use for such things as cleaning my hands after opening the mail every.  I also use the spray to clean off my groceries when I get home before putting them away. That may be a bit of an overkill but it doesn’t take long and I would rather be safe than sorry. I use the Fruit & Vegetable spray to clean my fruits and vegetables.

Then there are the Thieves Throat Lozenges and Mints. These I put in my mouth when I leave the house to help boost my immune system when I am out of the house. If it is a short time the mints work great. If it is going to be a bit longer or I know I will be close to others I use the lozenges as they last longer.

If you are interested in learning more about any of the information in these blogs please feel free to contact me through The Hammock LLC.

Well, that is it for now. We will chat again later. Stay safe during these infectious times.

Melissa

Gardening

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GardeningWhat it is: Just like it sounds, gardening (called horticultural therapy) has benefits in addition to eating the fresh vegetables you have grown.

How it works: Gardening is shown to reduce depression, uplift mood, and improve memory. Some of this may be related to the effects of being outside in the sunshine, and fresh air, as well as enjoying the benefits of moving and getting exercise. There is also research that shows that being exposed to soil microbes actually has a similar effect on the brain and nervous system as some anti-depressants.

Healthy Recipe to Decrease Sugar but Have a Tasty Meal

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Healthy Recipe to Decrease Sugar but Have a Tasty MealProtein-rich breakfast treats are naturally sweet and delicious without a post-meal crash.

Ingredients:

  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 T water
  • 1t grapeseed oil
  • 1/4t cinnamon
  • 1/4t pure vanilla extract
  • ½ cup berries of your choice

Heat frying pan on medium heat. Use a nonstick pan. Mash banana and put aside. Beat eggs and add water, cinnamon, and vanilla. Combine egg and banana mixtures until smooth as possible with some banana lumps. The batter should be thick and be close to the consistency of crepes.

Add oil to the pan, pour batter to make the size of pancakes you want. When they form small bubbles, flip and cook through the other side. Remove from pan and garnish with berries.

Using Essential Oils to Help Us Emotionally

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Let’s talk about some Young Living oils that can help us emotionally during our time of social distancing and not leaving the house. Here are a few that I use most frequently.

Joy


I use Joy when I am feeling a bit down or depressed because I haven’t been able to go out and see others for a while. A few drops of Joy in my diffuser boosts my mood.		Joy

Peace and Calming


I use Peace and Calming when I start feeling anxious or worried about all that is going on around me. It works great at calming me down.		Peace and Calming

Stress Away


I use Stress Away when I get stressed about all those what if’s in life. This can also come in handy when you have multiple people confined in one home for long periods of time. It can help to diffuse short tempers. Peace and Calming could also be used for this.		Stress Away

There are many other Young Living oils that can help us through this trying and emotional time, but these are the ones I generally go to first.

If you are interested in learning more about any of the information in these blogs please feel free to contact me through The Hammock LLC.

Well, that is it for now. We will chat again later.

Melissa

Using the Breath to Calm the Nervous System

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Calm the Nervous SystemIt is interesting to know that our breath is important for healing the effects of trauma. Remember our breath is a constant companion for us throughout our day.

The time we spend on the yoga mat or the meditation cushion provides us with the practice that allows us to bring our attention to our breath in stressful moments. Examples of this can be everything from driving in the car, flying, giving a presentation, going to or being at work, and even our experiences with the latest pandemic.

Make it a practice to simply pause and take a deep breath.

Make it a habit to slow down the pace of your breath whenever you can.

Think of it as an instantaneous attitude adjustment.

Forest Bathing

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Forest BathingWhat is it? Japanese name for this practice is Shinrin-Yoku. Distinct from hiking, forest bathing is a practice of simply spending time in nature without any agenda. You can be in a remote area or even a park or urban forest to experience the benefits. Find a spot you love that is easy to access and just go outside. Refrain from text messaging.

How it works – Proven stress-relief comes from spending unstructured time in nature. There is a growing body of research that confirms the benefits, which include stress-reduction, improved immune system function, and reduction in anxiety and depression.

My favorite places for forest bathing are Lake Michigan, and in the woods in the fall and winter when there are few people. What is your favorite place to “forest bathe”? I love to either walk mindfully or just sit in one spot. Give it a try…I bet you will feel a sense of peace and a clearer mind.

Why Reading Nutritional Labels is a MUST!

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If you want to cut down on added sugar in your diet, the first step is to cut down on highly processed foods. The second step is to start reading labels. Start by checking out the nutrition facts panel on the label to see how much sugar is in a serving size of that food.

Pay special attention to the amount of sugar in each serving size. If you have two serving sizes, you have to multiply the sugar grams by two. This can add up to a lot of sugar!

Next, you want to scan the ingredients to identify hidden sugars.  There are lots of names for hidden sugar. Here are some names that are sugar:

  • Why Reading Nutritional Labels is a MUSTcorn syrup
  • malt syrup
  • crystalline fructose
  • sucrose
  • glucose
  • crystal dextrose
  • dextrin
  • agave
  • fruit nectar
  • caramel
  • maple syrup
  • high-fructose corn syrup
  • fructose
  • maltose
  • molasses
  • barley malt
  • lactose
  • dextrose
  • honey

The healthiest sources of sugars, if used in moderation, that have some nutritional value are:

  • raw, organic honey
  • blackstrap molasses
  • pure maple syrup
  • coconut sugar
  • monk fruit
  • dates
  • date sugar
  • unsweetened apple sauce

The Sugar Slump

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Sugar SlumpLet’s say you start off with something sweet like a bagel with jam and butter, sweetened yogurt, cereal, fruit bar, etc. This high -sugar meal rapidly breaks down to glucose and causes what we call a sugar spike followed by a blood sugar crash due to the pancreas secreting a hormone called insulin. Our body responds to them by telling you “give me more sugar” so what do we do…grab more sugar. The more this happens the more profound the sugar spike in the more insulin is required to clean up the mess.  Eventually, our cells become resistant to insulin’s efforts, and the sugar is no longer efficiently burned for energy but stored for fat instead.   The fat lands right on our once flat belly.  This process is at the root of all inflammatory and chronic health issues.

We typically love sugar because it stimulates the brain with secrete serotonin. The “feel good” sensations take over for a short time and cause us to eat more sugar. These cravings create bad habits that are hard to break. Sugar is like an addictive drug.  People even have withdrawal symptoms if they don’t wean off it over a longer period.

Our brain needs sugar though it actually uses half of all the glucose in our body to function efficiently. The foods we choose greatly affects brain function. Too much sugar can be a bad thing. Studies have shown the excess sugar consumption to accelerated aging of brain cells affecting memory and cognitive deficiencies. Moderation is key.

Peace & Calming Essential Oil

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Peace and CalmingThis oil helps to calm me down when I am feeling anxious. I have also used it to help me relax and sleep at night. It only takes a few minutes of smelling this oil before I feel myself relaxing and calming down.

Others have used Peace & Calming in their children’s diffusers to help them calm down and get a good night’s sleep. Peace & Calming has been used to help calm children and pets during storms. People have used this oil on their child’s tummy or feet when they are having a tantrum.

It can also be used to help improve the look of your skin. Peace & Calming can be used as part of your massage or to diffuse while doing Yoga. I have also used this as part of my perfume since it smells so good and gives me a feeling of peace and calming. I love using oils for my perfume because then I not only smell nice but the oils are doing something good for me. My favorite perfume blend so far is Joy, Stress Away, and Peace & Calming.

If you are interested in learning more about any of the information in these blogs please feel free to contact me through The Hammock LLC.

Well that is it for now. We will chat again later.

Melissa