Now is the time to keep your Immune System functioning as it should! With Covid-19 closing schools, quarantining entire towns and instigating a mad dash to clear the shelves of non-perishable foods at the supermarkets it is time to take a step back and think about how might this affect me personally?
 
When we keep our immune system strong, any virus we might be exposed to, or succumb to, will be short-lived. Our best line of defense is not the face mask but our immune system. For people with compromised immune systems, they do have to take many extra precautions. If you personally come in contact with such people, then yes you should also take extra precautions.

Proper handwashing is something we should ALWAYS be doing. I suppose re-learning how to wash hands is one positive we can take away from this virus. There are others and the main one is to be aware of your physical state of health.

What can we do to keep our immune system strong? Here are my top 8 tips:
 
1. Sleep. Sleep is very underrated by most people. The human body works best with 7 to 8 and even 9 solid hours of sleep each night. Your immune system will thank you for that extra 30 minutes to an hour that you might be wasting scrolling through something on your phone or watching on Netflix or Amazon late at night.
 
2. Eat your colorful Veggies and Fruits. Vegetables and fruits give us our main nutrients but also a lot of trace minerals and micronutrients that all the organs in our body need to function well. Take an extra salad or add a salad to your everyday meals. Make your plate veggie-heavy by cutting back on the complex carbs and protein. Also, be sure to make your plate colorful so that you are getting the array of nutrients that best support your entire body.

3. Take a Probiotic or eat Fermented Foods. Probiotics and fermented food increase the number of good bacteria in the gut and the gut is one of our first lines of defense. Good bacteria can surround and neutralize a virus while it is still in the intestinal tract and it can form a barrier along the intestinal lining to prevent a virus from passing through to the bloodstream. If a virus does get through, good bacteria communicate with the body to produce substances to neutralize the virus before it can cause damage. Immune strength is directly related to how healthy our gut bacteria is.
 
4. Immune boosting Herbal Support. I am a big fan of Spagyrie Phylak Immunite is an herbal blend that I personally recommend to all of my clients and friends during ALL flu seasons. It is simple to use and most of all it is effective. I have been using this for years as I have my young adult children. It is as effective at prevention as it is for recovery if you do end up with a virus. 
 
5. Oil of Oregano. This oil is very effective for respiratory viruses. If I feel a twitch in my throat it is the first thing that I turn to. I would take one capsule with breakfast each day if I am feeling like a virus is trying to take hold. For prevention, you can take two to three capsules over the course of a week. doTerra carries a high-quality oil of oregano that can be ingested when putting into a capsule. They also produce and a product called OnGuard (oil, softgels, and beadlets) that highly recommend to everyone that wants an immune system boost, these also come in ingestible capsules. You can order these products on my DoTerra webpage or drop me a line.
 
6. Take Vitamin D3. I prefer the liquid form as it is believed to be more “bioavailable”, meaning it can be absorbed easier in the body.
 
7. Vitamin C. If you are eating Vitamin C rich fruits and veggies (oranges, kiwi, strawberries, colorful bell peppers) then you might be getting enough of this vitamin that our body cannot produce. If you are not consuming these foods then boosting with a supplement of 500 to 1000mg can be helpful. I like to take the EmergencyC fizzy packs that also include zinc. The good thing is this is water-soluble so the body flushes out what it does not use.
 
8. Manage your Stress levels. This can be accomplished in several ways. The easiest is really to go for a walk in nature and just take in the outdoors while breathing with intention into the abdomen in a rhythmic wave-like motion. Perhaps listen to relaxing or inspiring music or just take in the sounds of nature around you. If you live in a city, find a park to walk in for 20 minutes. More vigorous exercise is also great for reducing stress however high-intensity training is not. So if you are a high-intensity junkie, be sure to take some slower days. Your mind and body both need these. Mediation is also another easy and quick way to reduce stress. Use an App or find a coach. 

I am an expert stress management coach and can work with you online or in-person. I will teach you a handful of exercises that are tailored made for your situation that can be done in the comfort of your own home or whenever you find yourself "waiting" or on public transport.
 
 Balance on My Friends....

LOVE IS IN THE AIR

My husband and I celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary over the holidays. Yes I was young when we married. We even dated for 6 years before we married so I guess you could say that “Dan was the Man” for me. This sort of relationship is not so common with todays younger set.  For us, I think we feel like it is our third wedding anniversary. So how does that happen?

Life stage changes seem to loom in front of us, whether they be a two digit birthday with a ZERO at the end, a marriage, starting a family, parental passing, menopause, becoming an empty-nester. There is excitment at most of the earlier stages in life. The latter stages can cause anxiety and much inward reflection. I had my first "empty nest" experience a few weeks ago and I am still adjusting to the change in my mental, physical, emotional and spiritual energy. When a child moves into adulthood and begins their life, without your daily physical presence, it affects the whole of you. I am very aware of this change and am observing myself as I adjust to this shift.

What follows is a brief account of when the shift occured. Enjoy.

THIS IS MY WEEK OF COURAGE! A friend sent me this and I love it. I have it open on my computer and I read every morning before I start my day and every evening when I shut down the office.

COURAGE is a LION, no fear just a focus on what you are aiming at! With strength and focus on what you want to aim at, courage is your best friend! Make courage your friend with pride and confidence! You have it, it`s been with you all along! Do not let the weakness of others take away your strength! That is courage.

I do like this as the we can sometimes let the decisions or actions of others, interrupt our focus. Lions in their homeland must use focus in order to stay alive. I had the pleasure to watch lions in action a few years ago, in Kenya. It is humbling to be in the presence of a lion. They exude courage just sitting, or walking. Their focus is unwavering when the are tracking, watching and chasing their next meal. Truly incredible to witness.

So this week, BE A LION.

 

A calendar new year has just begun. We spend time and energy deciding how to celebrate and who to celebrate with and hopefully we have fun or find joy in whichever way we celebrate. As well we often set resolutions for the year with gusto but often we have not really taken the time to reflect on what would we really like do differently, and when does it make sense for us to make these changes. Every 12 months we go through the season changes, work reviews, budget planning, our children`s school year calendar or our own school year calendar, wedding anniversaries, moving anniversaries, possible passport renewals and we have birthdays. So where exactly does YOUR personal new year begin?