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Do You Want Your Emotional Baggage?

Health

The principle to keep in mind is that triggers explain—they don’t excuse. Emotional triggering is, at root, a survival response. Our brains create powerful associations between things that hurt us and whatever happened to be occurring when we got hurt. Once you’ve been hit by lightning, even though you know that the odds of its happening again are astronomically low, the touch of a single raindrop may send you running for cover. It’s easier to forgive misbehavior in ourselves and others once we understand this powerful connection between environment, emotion, and reaction. But recognizing our triggers doesn’t give us carte blanche to do whatever we want, everyone else be damned. On the contrary, it makes us responsible for recognizing triggering situations so we can change our unconscious reactions.

Here is where a holistic health coach can be beneficial. I was working with a client this week who wanted to do a bio scan to see which essential oils she might need. I had told her about the new bio scan and how it worked. So, we did the scan, and it showed just one oil – Oregano.  Now usually I see a minimum of 5 and up to 20 out of range scores in these scans. But then I looked up the oil of Oregano;  the oil of humility & non-attachment. Oregano cuts through the fluff of life and teaches individuals to do the same. It removes blocks, clears negativity, and cuts away negative attachments. Oregano is a powerful oil and may even be described as forceful or intense. On the deepest level, Oregano dispels materialism, and attachment that hinders an individual’s growth and progress. While using Oregano, a person may feel encouraged to end a toxic relationship, quit an oppressive job, or end a lifelong addiction.
These toxic attachments limit one’s capacity to feel a healthy connection to the Divine.
These are emotions that needed to be addressed as well as some companion oils to help support the healing and growth. You see she was having an issue with health which is tied to the emotions. Holistic is about the whole body not just a symptom. All this from a bio scan and one oil! I love what I do to help others bring balance back into their lives to regain their empowerment. If you would like more information on what I do please go to my website at www.livinglifeholistic.com and sign up for my free green smoothies! Send me an email at susano@livinglifeholistic.com today could be the start of a beautiful journey!

 

Are You Battling Breakouts in Menopause?

menopause

With the exception of puberty, there is no more challenging time for your skin than when you go through menopause. Like opposing forces of nature, your skin must battle against both breakouts and wrinkles, giving you definite obstacles when it comes to choosing treatments and products. This is a time of hormonal shifts that play a major role in your skin changes. Surges of testosterone cause acne, not only on the face but anywhere else, including the back and chest. Stress also creates precursors to hormones, which serve to increase breakouts. I did not have an acne problem during puberty. An occasional breakout, and this was true for me of menopause. What I did get was very dry skin…all over!

The same hormonal shifts that are giving you prepubescent skin issues are working on the other side of the spectrum to break down your collagen and elastin and thin the dermis, leading to fine lines and wrinkles. Women going through this time in their life may also notice their skin lacks luster and radiance and becomes looser than before. On another note, many women also experience hair and nail changes. Nails become more brittle, while hair may thin and lack vitality. I am not sure about the looser skin, but I do have much finer hair now and my very curly hair is getting straighter. Although, my nails grow like crazy and are very strong. I eat healthy and take exceptional supplements. So, what’s a woman to do? While this may seem almost hopeless, there are several things you can do to restore balance to your body and your skin.

So if you have been reading my blogs, you know I am a big proponent of exercise. It may seem like you hear it a lot and blah, blah blah…but exercise is critical. There is varying differences as to how much and how long. If you are walking, then 20-30 minutes daily. For burst training, more like 3 times a week for 15-20 minutes. Exercise increases your circulation, gets oxygen to your tissues and muscles. It helps produce your happy hormone as well and it does your skin good!

You are what you eat. I highly recommend a low glycemic Paleo food plan. Lots of fresh fruits and veggies. Make it a goal to get 40 percent of your diet from lean protein and 30 percent from healthy fats. Do not cut all the fat out of your diet as your body needs fat to function. There is a difference between good and bad fat though. And you know I am a water drinker! You can add fresh fruit or make your own lemonade, but drink water. Every body function requires water and your skin needs it to retain its glow. I love to help others get back to balance through my coaching and essential oils. You can find me at www.livinglifeholistic.com and sign up for my free green smoothies to connect! To your health!

 

Menopause and Cancer

menopause

The relationship between estrogen and breast cancer is complicated and not entirely understood. Most oncologists prefer to minimize a breast cancer survivor’s exposure to estrogen. So estrogen or hormone therapy is not recommended for most women with breast cancer. The question of whether dietary sources of weak estrogens, such as soy, are safe for these women is also uncertain. There are vocal experts on either side of the fence.   With that said, there are options to help all women with symptoms from menopause.  I believe that the holistic lifestyle is a plus for women and cancer.  You have many choices and need to do your research as to what will work for you.  I always encourage women to try a new modality and if there is benefit then continue.  There is an organization called the North American Menopause Society which can be used for references and practitioners.  I choose those who encourage the use of alternative medicine in their practice.

Secondly, hair loss is a very troubling symptom that can be caused by drugs, some diseases, hormone changes, cancer or cancer drugs and or stress.  Often women lose hair after a stressful time in their life. Sometimes hormones play a role. Using products on the scalp which do not contain harmful chemicals is crucial.  I would highly recommend using a natural product or essential oils as the scalp is a doorway to the brain and body.

Lastly, vaginal dryness is a common menopausal complaint. There are many over-the-counter lubricants and moisturizers that can help.  Be very careful of the ingredients, again here is an area that is not only sensitive but a direct conduit to the blood stream.  Local vaginal estrogen comes in three forms: Estring which is an estradiol vaginal ring, a flexible ring inserted in the vagina that releases a small amount of estrogen over three months; Vagifem, a very low-dose vaginal tablet placed in the vagina twice weekly; and a variety of estrogen creams. These do not send much estrogen into the bloodstream, and most oncologists will approve their use.  Again, be sure to talk to your doctor as to what you can or cannot use.  There is no need to suffer though so speak up!  I am a holistic health coach specializing in essential oils and menopause.  If you would like to know more me and my coaching please check out my website at www.livinglifeholistic.com and sign up for my free green smoothie receipes!

 

 

Do You Suffer from Lack of Sleep!

menopause, perimenopause

We all know that lack of sleep makes you cranky and irritable.  It can also make you fat.  I am a person who likes her sleep.  I sleep 7-8 hours every night. There are many studies out there on sleep and perimenopause and menopause.  Here are some of the other less-well-known reasons you need to sleep 7-8 hours:

  1. Lack of sleep gives you brain fog. Sleep plays a critical role in thinking and learning. Lack of sleep interrupts these processes. First, it impairs attention, alertness, concentration, reasoning, and problem solving. This makes it more difficult to learn efficiently.  We have various sleep cycles and lack of sleep can cause memory loss, and learning disorders.
  2. Your sex drive decreases. Sleep-deprived men and women report lower libidos and less interest in sex. Depleted energy, sleepiness, and amped-up crankiness may be largely to blame.  This can be a killer in a marriage!
  3. It’s depressing. Over time, lack of sleep and sleep disorders can contribute to the symptoms of depression. In one survey, people who were diagnosed with depression or anxiety were more likely to sleep less than six hours at night.  Hot flashes and night sweats lead to sleep disruption.  This can lead to those unwanted prescriptions for sleeping aids.  It’s a viscous cycle, don’t get on the wheel.
  4. It makes you look old seriously. Most people have experienced eye bags after a few nights of missed sleep. But, chronic sleep loss can lead to dull skin, fine lines, and dark circles under the eyes. This can also be from allergies.
  5. It can kill you before your time. British researchers looked at how sleep patterns affected the mortality of more than 10,000 British civil servants over two decades. The results, published in 2007, showed that those who had cut their sleep from seven to five hours or fewer a night nearly doubled their risk of death from all causes.  Cardiovascular disease is the #1 killer of post-menopausal women.  I don’t know about you but I want to live a long life.  You only get one temple so take of it!

Your judgment suffers due to lack of sleep, which can affect our interpretation of events.   Sleep-deprived people seem to be especially prone to poor judgment.  Our society keeps giving mixed messages about too little sleep.  We are not super human and we cannot function on too little sleep.  Have you ever drove home and when you pulled in the driveway can’t remember how you got there?  Now, that’s not only scary but sleep deprivation.

When I’m working with clients I do an overall assessment of the whole health picture and sleep is usually an area that I focus on the most.  Making a change in this area alone can affect the rest of your health wellness, both physical and mental.  I am a holistic health coach specializing in essential oils and menopause.  You can find more information about me and my coaching on my website at www.livinglifeholistic.com and be sure to sign up for my free smoothie recipes, tips and recipes!